On Tuesday, April 25, 2017 1:53 PM, Benjamin Walker < marneyjeromesa@gmail.com > wrote: DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY(BUSINESS DEAL): Please read attachment for details. If you are interested, contact me through this email: benjaminwalkermg@gmail.com My regards, Mr.Benjamin Walker On Wednesday, April 26, 2017 1:32 PM, Benjamin Walker < benjaminwalkermg@gmail.com > wrote: Dear , Thanks for your kind response,i hope this mail will find you in good health.As i am sending this mail to you,i am doing fine.Please don't pick it offended,i am sorry to inform you that i don't do skype.We can share both our details,and arrange how to meet in person. Thanks for your kind response,i hope this mail will find you in good health.As i am sending this mail to you,i am doing fine.Please don't pick it offended,i am sorry to inform you that i don't do skype.We can share both our details,and arrange how to meet in person. I am waiting for your urgent response, Regards, Benjamin. On Friday, April 28, 2017 9:41 AM, BENJAMIN WALKER < benjaminwalkersa@gmail.com > wrote: Dear , Thanks for your mail, though i thoughts as well that it may not be possible to for to come down just so sudden, But I will make out time to visit you for us to meet in person for mutual trust. For us to start processing the transaction, I will require for the details from you. 1: A copy of your international passport either your identification card. 2: Your direct contact cell phone number for easy communication. 3: Your physical address. With the required details, I will forward it to my attorney for him to go to the High court to swear an oath of affidavit on your behalf to obtain the declaration certificate of the funds in your favor to declare the origin and reason why you are receiving the money. Once again, thanks for your full cooperation and looking forward to hearing from you. Regards, Benjamin. On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 1:09 AM, BENJAMIN WALKER < benjaminwalkersa@gmail.com > wrote: How are you doing today? Hope all is going fine with you and your family. I'm writting to know if everything is okay because as a matter of fact i havn't heard from you since you wrote your last mail. Plase kindly let me know from your end if all is going fin On Wednesday, June 21, 2017 9:13 AM, BENJAMIN WALKER < benjaminwalkersa@gmail.com > wrote: DEAR SIR, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I SINCERELY HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. I AM WORRIED AS I AM NOT HEAR FROM YOU THIS DAYS NOW, PLEASE DO WELL TO GET BACK TO ME ON RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL SO THAT I WILL KNOW THE POSITION OF THING . I AM ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY PLEASE HAVE A NICE DAY AND STAY BLESSED. THANKS On Wednesday, June 21, 2017 4:54 PM, BENJAMIN WALKER < benjaminwalkersa@gmail.com > wrote: Dear , Thanks for your kind response; I hope this mail will find you in good health, as I am sending this mail to you, I am doing fine, and first I want to assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free. Also as I send this mail to you, I have not sent it to anyone other person. Please note that my reason of sending this mail to you is to solicit for your assistant to front you to move the funds into your country with your help. Also I want you to understand that I am taking a big risk by handling this with the person I had no previous business relationship with. Though I believe that with honesty and understanding, we will achieve the successful of the transaction. According to our lay down arrangement, I want you to receive the funds with your private or company's account as investment funds for hitch free transferring of the funds into any account you wish to provide for the transaction. Please note that with the help of a friend at the Reserve bank of South Africa, we will achieve the successful transferring of the funds into your nominated bank account you will wish to provide to receive the funds. As soon as I hear from you, I will let you know the next step forward. Sincerely, Benjamin On Thursday, June 22, 2017 10:22 AM, BENJAMIN WALKER < benjaminwalkersa@gmail.com > wrote: Dear, A lot of thanks for your cooperation and readiness to go into partnership with me, though we have not meet in person but I believe our meeting is a divine connection for a purpose. Without taking much of your time, let me go straight to the point on how we can achieve the hitch free transferring of the funds into your nominated bank account. According to our lay down arrangement, I want you to receive the said amount as investment funds for hitch free transferring of the funds into your nominated bank account which you will to provide for the transaction. I want you to know that we will obtain a court declaration certificate from the High court which we will submit to the bank for processing of the transfer. As soon as you indicate that the procedure is okay with you, I will let you know the details from you to obtain the court declaration certificate which I will scan and send to you as soon as I lay my hands on it. I am waiting for your urgent response. Regards, Benjamin. On Friday, June 23, 2017 10:18 AM, BENJAMIN WALKER < benjaminwalkersa@gmail.com > wrote: Thanks for your mail,please note that i can only send every legal copy of the transaction via email as the hard copy will remain with me.Please let me know your thought toward this so that I will let you know the next step immediately. Regards, Benjamin. Dear , On Monday, June 26, 2017 2:55 PM, Benjamin Walker < benjaminwalkermg@gmail.com > wrote: Dear , Thanks for your mail,the truth of the matter is that this transaction will cost us money.So if you are not willing to support to us to achieve the success of the transfer,then i see no reason sending any data to you for security reasons. Regards, Benjamin If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... Buzz has it that Govinda might not be seen in Jagga Jasoos. By India Today Web Desk: Bollywood enthusiasts were in for a pleasant surprise when a still from Jagga Jasoos featuring Govinda went viral a few days ago. His fans couldn't wait to see their Hero No 1 in Anurag Basu's much-delayed film. But if a latest report is to be believed, Govinda might not be seen in a cameo in Jagga Jasoos. advertisement A report in Mid-Day suggests that Govinda, who was reportedly roped in to play Ranbir Kapoor's foster father in the film, was dropped after his unprofessional behaviour. Earlier, Govinda had denied being a part of the much-delayed Jagga Jasoos as he was busy with one of his home productions. But the film got shelved. And after a flop like Aa Gaya Hero, Govinda is eager to be a part of Jagga Jasoos, and wants them to retain his part in the film. A source was quoted as telling the daily, "He doesn't want to get into controversy and mudslinging. The movie was in the making for four years and he was patient. It's up to the makers to clarify things. He has shot for his part. But, whether Basu retains the part or drops it is to be seen." It seems that his fans will have to wait till July 14 to find out if Govinda's appearance makes it to the final cut or not. Jagga Jasoos, which also stars Katrina Kaif and Sayani Gupta, will release on July 14. ALSO READ: Govinda is in Jagga Jasoos. Here's proof ALSO READ: Ranbir and Katrina look straight out of fantasy land in Jagga Jasoos poster ALSO WATCH: Ranbir-Katrina's awkward Jagga Jasoos press meet --- ENDS --- PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered an investigation on Wednesday into The Situation Room, a consortium of rights groups which criticised local elections this month that handed a victory to Hun Sen's ruling party. Speaking on the 66th anniversary of his ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), Hun Sen ordered a probe into the groups which monitored the June 4 commune elections. Cambodia's embattled opposition did well in the local election, which government critics hope will pave the way for an opposition victory to end Hun Sen's 32-year rule in the impoverished country come a general election in 2018. Hun Sen's CPP won 1,156 communes to the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party's (CNRP) 489, according to official results released on Sunday. Hun Sen has repeatedly said he will hold onto power. Earlier this month he warned of civil war if his party is toppled. "The Interior Ministry must immediately take measures against what they have been doing under the pretext of election monitoring," Hun Sen said, referring to The Situation Room. Members of the Situation Room could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Opponents accuse Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge guerrilla, of unfair maneuvering to try to keep his three-decade grip on power at local elections in June and a general election next year. Hun Sen on Wednesday proposed an amendment to a law that would make it illegal for convicted politicians to take part in politics, including posting messages of support online, in a further move aimed at straitjacketing the opposition. He singled out former opposition leader Sam Rainsy who lives in France. Rainsy faces a jail term after he was convicted in absentia for posting a fake government pledge to dissolve the Southeast Asian country's border with Vietnam. The Situation Room said in a statement on Sunday that issues including political suppression, lack of an independent judiciary and the intimidation of civil society groups persist, summarizing that election in Cambodia cannot yet "be considered fully free and fair." (Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Michael Perry) JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities have imposed a travel ban on tycoon and politician Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who is building resorts to be managed by Trump hotels, over an investigation into allegations he threatened a prosecutor via a text message. Tanoesoedibjo has been given a 20-day overseas travel ban starting on June 22 based on a request by Indonesian police's criminal investigation unit Agung Sampurno, a spokesman at the immigration directorate said on Wednesday. The Indonesian billionaire "is under investigation related to a violation of the information and electronic transactions law," Sampurno said. Tanoesoedibjo, whose MNC Group controls businesses ranging from media to property, has been named a suspect for allegedly sending a threatening message to a prosecutor investigating a case involving Mobile 8, a telecommunications company previously owned by MNC Group. Tanoesoedibjo's lawyer could not be reached on Wednesday but in an earlier statement dismissed the allegations. "The content of Hary Tanoesoedibjo's SMS is general and idealistic and does not threaten anyone," his lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea said. Part of Tanoesoedibjo's text message read: "If I am the leader of this country, then that's where Indonesia will be changed and cleared of things that are not as they should be," according to the statement from the lawyer. Tanoesoedijo has also denied the allegations in media reports. Breaching the law can carry a maximum jail term of four years and a maximum fine of 750 million rupiah ($56,000) The tycoon, who in the 2014 election ran as a candidate for vice president, founded his own a political party in 2015 and said in January he would decide before the end of next year whether to run in the 2019 presidential election. He described U.S. President Donald Trump's victory as inspiring for candidates with little political experience and attended Trump's inauguration in Washington in January. His company is currently building two luxury resorts in the island of Bali and in West Java, which would be managed by Trump Hotel Collection. In an interview with Reuters ahead of Trump's inauguration, Tanoesoedibjo dismissed concerns by ethics officials that Trump's overseas business deals might be vulnerable to conflicts of interest. Tanoesoedibjo also said in February that while his relationship with the U.S. president has been focused on business he could help ties between the nations "if needed". Several leaders in Muslim-majority Indonesia have expressed concerns over Trump's tough immigration stance. ($1 = 13,325 rupiah) (Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy and Cindy Silviana; Editing by Ed Davies and Michael Perry) Three top Gulf diplomats were in Washington Tuesday as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to help resolve the stubborn Qatar crisis. With a one-week Saudi deadline looming for Qatar to meet its tough demands, Tillerson had talks with Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He quickly followed that with a meeting with Kuwait Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, whose country has taken on the official role of mediator. And he was planning to meet in a working dinner late Tuesday with the Kuwaitis and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has offered to help resolve the row. But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, also in Washington, was unbudging over the three week old squabble, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said via Twitter. Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. Qatar meanwhile has gotten some lifeline support from Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Last week United Arab Emirates' state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbors. - 'Struggle of wills' - While initially stepping back from what it viewed as a regional spat that would sort itself out, Washington has accepted that it will have to take an active role in resolving what has the makings of a foreign policy disaster for the young government of President Donald Trump. Washington has close economic and security ties with both sides of the quarrel. Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. And the US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well. Kuwait is the official arbitrator for seeking a settlement, but a US role will be crucial in what is taking the form of "proximity talks", said Hussein Ibish, a scholar on Gulf affairs at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "It's an all-out struggle of wills," he said. "The way out for both sides is a kind of an American mediation which is face-saving for everybody." The United States has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable." Asked about Jubeir's stance Tuesday, Tillerson replied: "We hope all the parties will continue to talk to one another in good faith." State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday that talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained "challenging" for Qatar. "Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to," she said. "We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out." The new US ambassador to Beijing, known for his friendship with China's president, said Wednesday he wanted terminally-ill dissident Liu Xiaobo to get treatment abroad, as Taiwan offered to care for the Nobel laureate. Ambassador Terry Branstad arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, one day after Liu's lawyer revealed that prison authorities granted the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate medical parole after diagnosing him with late-stage liver cancer in May. Human rights groups have called on Chinese authorities to give Liu, 61, the chance to seek treatment abroad while the US embassy urged Beijing on Tuesday to let him move freely and choose his own doctors. "Obviously our heart goes out to him and his wife and we're interested in doing what can be done to see if it's possible," Branstad told a news conference at his diplomatic residence. "We as Americans would like to see him have the opportunity to have treatment elsewhere if that is of help," Branstad said. Asked about the ambassador's remarks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing: "Since Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese citizen, why should we discuss the matter of a Chinese citizen in prison with other countries?" Lu said the "duty of the US ambassador to China is to enable and enhance the mutual trust and friendship between the two countries". Taiwan, however, said it was ready to oblige. The offer could stoke tensions between China and the self-ruled island, which Beijing sees as a rebel province awaiting reunification. Chiu Chui-cheng of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top policy-making body on China, urged Beijing to release Liu and let him choose where he wants to be treated. "We welcome Liu if he chooses Taiwan and we will provide him with the best medical care possible. Taiwan has very good expertise treating liver diseases," Chiu told AFP. Chinese dissident Wang Dan, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests living in exile in Taiwan, said he has contacted Germany's foreign ministry in the hope the country would take Liu for treatment. Liu's lawyer, Mo Shaoping, told AFP that people on medical parole usually cannot leave the country but that it would be possible for him to seek treatment abroad if he was treated as a "special case", according to Chinese law. The writer was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion" after spearheading a bold petition for democratic reforms. China's state-run Global Times newspaper, known for its nationalist and hawkish views, said that while Liu has "advocated political confrontation", he "deserves sympathy from the humanitarian point of view". While Liu could "motivate more Western public opinion attacks against China" if he goes abroad, the daily added that "on the other hand, the West will have a decreasing interest in him if he leaves China". - 'Go-between' - Branstad, the former governor of Iowa, was confirmed by the US Senate last month and Beijing has praised his "positive role" in Sino-US relations. The 70-year-old has known Chinese President Xi Jinping since the mid-1980s, when the Asian leader visited Iowa as a provincial official. "It's important we work together as two countries to address human rights issues," Branstad said. He said he could use his relationships with US President Donald Trump and Xi to act as a "go-between" on these "challenging issues in the future". His remarks came a day after the Trump administration placed China on a list of the world's worst human trafficking offenders, a move slammed by Beijing as "irresponsible remarks on other countries' internal affairs". It marked the first significant rebuke of China's rights record by the Trump administration, which has avoided harsh criticism of Beijing as the president seeks to establish a working relationship over deep trade differences and North Korea's nuclear programme. "We need to work together to deal with some of the pressing difficult issues such as the threat from North Korea," Branstad said, adding that Beijing and Washington should "work together to denuclearise the Korean peninsula". By Jessica Damiana JAKARTA (Reuters) - From white water rafting in Bali to visiting temples on Java, former U.S. President Barack Obama's private family holiday is being closely tracked in Indonesia where he spent four years as a child. Obama was six when he moved to Jakarta after his American mother, Ann Dunham, married an Indonesian man following the end of her marriage to Obama's Kenyan father. "I feel proud that my friend became a president," said Sonni Gondokusumo, 56, a former classmate of Obama at the Menteng 01 state elementary school in Jakarta. Gondokusumo showed a class photograph of himself standing behind a young Obama, who was wearing a school beret. "He was a clever boy. Whenever a teacher asked him to solve a problem in front of the class, he could do it," Gondokusomo told Reuters, adding he hoped to meet the former president again. Obama remains popular in the world's most populous Muslim nation and his trip has been splashed across the media during an extended public holiday to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The Rakyat Merdeka newspaper carried a headline "Obama loves Indonesia". Obama returned for an official visit as president in 2010 with his wife, Michelle, but this time has brought daughters Malia and Sasha as well. Indonesians are avid social media users and snaps of the former U.S. president walking with his family in rice fields and rafting on Bali's Ayung River have gone viral. Obama kicked off the holiday on the island of Bali, where he stayed at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Bali near the cultural centre of Ubud. On Wednesday, Obama and him family arrived in the city of Yogyakarta on Java island, and visited the ancient temple of Borobudur. According to CNN Indonesia, Central Java police deployed 700 officers to secure his visit to Borobudur, a Buddhist temple dating from the 8th and 9th centuries. Obama is due to meet President Joko Widodo on Friday at the palace in Bogor, south of Jakarta, and visit the capital on Saturday. (Additional reporting by Fransiska Nangoy; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Nick Macfie) Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. By Rohit Kumar Singh: Janata Dal United (JD-U) has been facing flak from coalition partners Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and Congress ever since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar decided to extend support to NDA's Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind. However, despite the growing friction between all the three constituents of the Mahagathbandhan government in the state, the JD-U is going all out to publicise the Nitish's decision as historic. advertisement Several giant size posters have come up across the state capital where Nitish Kumar has been applauded for his decision to support the former Bihar Governor for President. The posters have been put up by local JD-U leader Chotu Singh and has pictures of state party president Basishtha Narayan Singh, Water Resources Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and RCP Singh, close aide of the Bihar CM, apart from Nitish's pictures. The posters hail Nitish as ''Vikas Purush'' and says that his decision to support Kovind was 'historic''. Interestingly, RJD chief Lalu Prasad who has opposed Kovind's candidature had called Bihar CM's decision to support him as ''historic blunder''. The posters are yet another indication that how the working relations between JD-U and RJD have deteriorated following Nitish's decision on Kovind. The posters are also a dig at Lalu for criticizing Nitish's decision. The RJD and Congress have maintained that Nitish and his party have not respected the coalition dharma. In fact, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azaad even went to the extent of saying that Nitish was a man who believed in multiple ideologies. ALSO READ: How Ram Nath Kovind was Amit Shah's best kept secret until the last moment Ram Nath Kovind: All you need to know about NDA's pick for President ALSO WATCH: Ram Nath Kovind is NDA's pick for president: Who said what --- ENDS --- Social campaigns can provide a huge boost to your business in a number of different ways. But the idea can be a bit overwhelming if youre just getting started. If youre thinking of running your first social campaign, check out the list of tips below to make your first campaign as successful as possible. Social Media Campaign Best Practices Set Clear Goals If youre going to start a social campaign, you should first have a reason for doing so. You need to not only set a general goal, but also set measurable objectives that youd like to reach by the end. Cameron Uganec, director of global brand at Hootsuite said in an email to Small Business Trends, Successful social campaigns start with a clear goal. Are you trying to build awareness? Generate leads? Grow your community? Choose one or two campaign goals early in the planning cycle and let those be your north star as you map out targets and tactics. This will help you align your campaign with business objectives, communicate clearly with everyone involved, and show clear results at the end. Find the Problem(s) Your Customers Face Clearly, you want your social campaign to help your business in some way. But no customers are going to pay attention or participate if you dont also help them. For that reason, you need to do some research beforehand, either through surveys or gathering customer feedback on social media. Find out the common problems that your customers have related to your business or niche, and provide something that can help them solve those problems. Uganec says, In todays noisy online world its more important than ever that your campaign be grounded in customer insight. Many social media campaigns fall flat because theyre product-centric rather than highlighting the pain you can solve for the customer. Provide Value Aside from making your content itself valueable, you can also benefit from offering some sort of incentive for your followers to participate. For example, contests with relevant and valuable prizes can really draw people in. Stay Away from Straight Marketing Messages Todays customers are very aware of when theyre being marketed to. And while your campaign is ultimately a part of your marketing plan, you shouldnt treat it as just a platform for you to share whatever marketing messages you want. Instead, make it a two-way street where you genuinely interact with and provide value to customers. Post Where Your Customers Are There are several different platform options for your social campaigns. So its important that you choose wisely. If the majority of your target customers are on Facebook, thats probably a good choice. But you could also focus on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or some combination of those platforms. Commit to a Posting Schedule To keep your campaign on track and organized, you need to commit to a regular posting schedule. Maybe youll share one new piece of content a day. Or youll offer different contests at certain points throughout the week. Just make sure that youre consistent and that your customers and followers know what to expect. Include an Engagement Strategy But your planned posts are just part of your campaign. If youre not also interacting with people on social media, youre really missing out. So before your campign, Uganec also suggests coming up with a plan for how youll respond to people who interact with your content in some way. Promote on Different Platforms Although your campaign is ultimately an avenue for promoting your business, youll also need to come up with a promotional strategy for the campaign itself. If you just create posts, then the only people who will see them will be the people who already follow you. One option for promoting your campaign is to share about it on other platforms. So if its a Facebook-centric campaign, link to it on your Twitter account or in your email newsletter to gain more visibility. Or you could try out advertising to build your audience. Allow for Outside Sharing Another easy method for gaining some visibility for your campaign is to let your customers do the work for you. Build in a sharing aspect by giving customers some kind of incentive to post about the campaign. For example, if youre hosting a contest, allow for extra entries when customers share with their friends. Make Participation Easy Even if you have valuable content and prizes, people arent going to participate in your campaign or interact with your brand if you dont make it easy for them. So you need to limit the amount of steps that it takes to participate and clearly outline those steps where customers can easily find them. Use the Right Tools There are plenty of tools you can use to make running your social campaigns easier. For instance, Hootsuite offers a Campaigns product that lets you run your campaigns from one dashboard. Include Relevant Images Images can also be helpful in your campaigns as a way of getting peoples attention. Uganec suggests using a platform like Canva for creating engaging graphics to include in your content. Gather Feedback to Adjust Your Content Though you should stick to the main goal of your campaign throughout, it may be necessary to adjust your strategy over the course of your campaign. You need to pay attention to the feedback you receive from customers and consider whether that feedback might warrant some changes. Uganec says, The immediate feedback you receive from social media allows you to adjust the messaging and direction of your content, often multiple times during the course of a campaign. My team at Hootsuite reviews campaign content daily and often rewrites the next days posts and ad copy based on the performance were seeing. Utilize Analytics Uganec also suggests using Google Analytics or a similar platform to measure the traffic and activity that your campaign is bringing to your site. This can help you determine the actual impact that the campaign is having on your business. Learn from Your Experience Once youve completed your campaign, youll need to look at the impact that the campaign had and compare it to the goals you set beforehand. Look into what factors you think worked well and which ones were not as effective. Then use what youve learned to develop an even better campaign the next time around. Social Media Photo via Shutterstock Sooner or later as a business owner, you are going to want to change something in your company. Youll get excited by the potential, only problem is, the rest of your team may not be on board. The change you want to implement might be a new software system. Perhaps the change involves shifting around duties, making your team nervous. Whatever form of change is occurring, Ive learned a few techniques to help the transition and encourage the team to embrace change, not resist it. Here are five tried and tested methods Ive learned the hard way about overcoming resistance to change in a small business: Explain the Big Picture You know the big picture. You know what you want to accomplish and why. But have you stopped to convey the full picture to your team? If you have, have you done it recently? Sometimes we assume the big picture is obvious. However, it may not be obvious to them. Or, some team members may have forgotten because the last time you discussed the topic was months ago, and certain team members may not be in the loop at all. Gather your team together and lay out the vision youre trying to accomplish, and the reasons for the change. If everyone can see the end goal, they might just agree with it and get behind it. Give them the opportunity to ask questions so you can dispel misconceptions or unfounded fears. Show How Change Helps Team Members in Their Daily Work Sometimes a change such as implementing new software or a new process may seem like more work for individual employees. Show team members how the change will make their jobs easier or better. Show them the whats in it for me at their level, through specific examples. Take the example of implementing shared cloud files and storage using a tool like Microsofts OneDrive for Business. At first glance, it may seem like more work for each individual to have to learn new software and processes. However, once implemented it can save them time because files are easier to find when they need one. They wont have to manually sync files from one device to another, if they work on multiple devices. In other words, be prepared with examples to explain how the change can help them not just how it will help the company. Reassure that Jobs are not at Stake Another reason employees may be resistant to change has to do with fear their job may be eliminated. This can especially be true if new technology automates and streamlines tasks. Job security is the seventh most important factor for employee happiness, a study from Boston Consulting Group concludes. Youd be amazed the crazy things employees can talk themselves into believing, in the absence of hearing anything different from you. Theyll be dusting off resumes even while you never mentioned or thought of anyone losing their jobs. Unless you intend to downsize (thats a different story), reassure your employees that new technology isnt about eliminating jobs. Instead its about improving job conditions and opportunities for everyone. Although, you may have to state that a couple of times for it to sink in. Give Positive Feedback Have you ever heard of the Pride System? The system is promoted by international business consultant Gregory Smith, author of Boosting Employee Engagement. As part of the Pride System, Smith encourages creating a positive working environment with greater employee involvement through positive recognition. Praise and reward employees for taking even the smallest steps toward change. Rewards dont have to be money. In fact, they shouldnt be financial. Granting the primo parking spot for a week or simply giving public congratulations may do more for rewarding someone who embraces change than a cash bonus. Through positive feedback and rewards, you get your team engaged in wanting the change. Invoke Fun Last but certainly not least, make the change process fun. Making it all about schedules and tasks and things they absolutely positively must do is, well, boring. Making change fun doesnt have to be challenging or expensive. Small things, like giving a new initiative a fun project name, can help. When you achieve an interim milestone, communicate that and throw an office party. Or have someone create a 60-second video featuring your employees to commemorate it. Interject gamification, badges and awards for fun competition, too. Above all, strive to create a working environment in which change feels good and interjects a bit of excitement. And youll find any resistance begins to evaporate and the team starts to embrace it. At the time of this writing, Anita Campbell is participating in the Microsoft Small Business Ambassador program. The logistics firm will provide comprehensive services for local sugar mill. Font size: A - | A + Logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel is heading to the industrial park in Dubnica nad Vahom (Trencin Region). It will provide comprehensive logistics services for the Povazsky Cukor sugar mill, a member of the Nordzucker Group, the TASR newswire reported. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Kuehne + Nagel has taken over warehouse premises with a total area of 10,000 square metres. Well focus on providing operational excellence to our client so that it can serve its customers even better, said Radislav Radoslav Miko, national manager at Kuehne + Nagel, as quoted by TASR. The new contract is a result of our growth strategy in the area of contractual logistics and a very important milestone in strengthening the relationship between Kuehne + Nagel and Povazsky Cukor. The agreement between the two parties emerged from Nordzuckers need to optimise its warehouse network in the region and to centralise distribution channels for retail customers into a single distribution centre, TASR wrote. But the decline in population is not dramatic, according to conservationists. Font size: A - | A + A total of 1,042 chamois were counted by conservationists and volunteers during the spring survey of the Tatra National Park (TANAP), which represents a drop of 190 animals. The spring count mainly targets newborn chamois, of which there were 138 this time round, the TASR newswire reported. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Despite the lower overall number, this doesnt represent a major decline in population numbers, said TANAP administration head Pavol Majko, as quoted by TASR. The lower count of chamois spotted is due to the hot weather. The scorching weather put a strain not only on the people doing the headcount, but the chamois themselves. Entire herds as well as lone animals seek shelter from the blazing sun in openings in rocks and caves. The conservationists and volunteers who were counting the chamois were seeing mostly those playing or laying on snow, where they tried to cool down. They also monitored other species, especially big predators, as well as the whole territory. Another positive is the exchange of information between the participating parties, that contributes to a better awareness in favour of the protection of this rare species, Majko said, as quoted by TASR. Their Polish colleagues, for example, informed them about continued poaching on the Polish side of the High Tatras, he added. Security and Safety Tips Toward a Safe and Positive Social Media Experience It is inevitable that our children will seek to create social media accounts, interact with people online, share information, and post day to day activities and thoughts for the world to see. The number of apps, sites and games presented to them are too numerous to even list. For parents, understanding the ins and outs of social media and related sites and apps can be a daunting and never-ending task. This article presents some ideas and suggestions to work towards being a more informed digital parent. Good Digital Parenting The Family Online Safety Institute recommends that parents engage in 7 Steps to Good Digital Parenting to keep abreast of all that is digital in our childrens lives. 1. Talk with your children. Talk to your children about your concerns regarding social media. Start discussing technology, the potential dangers, and what it can be used for at an early age. Remember to be open and honest about the issue. Most elementary schools begin educating children in the primary grades about proper and ethical technology use, so extending the conversation to home can be a great team effort! 2. Educate yourself. Technology moves at the speed of light. New things are developed every day that may or may not be appropriate for your childs age group. If you do not have firsthand knowledge of an app or website, search for information about it. If an app has been deemed inappropriate or misleading in its function, then parents or advocacy groups are posting online about it! Go ahead and download or install the app on your own device and see for yourself. Sometimes the best approach is to just try it yourself and then you be the judge. 3. Use parental controls. Check the safety controls on all of the Android and Apple devices that your family uses. On the iPhone, you can tap SETTINGS > GENERAL> RESTRICTIONS and you can create a password that allows you enable/disable apps and phone functions. On Android devices, you can turn on Google Play Parental Controls by going into the Google Play Store settings. From there, you can create a parent pin that allows you to filter to age appropriate content and apps. In addition to these two stock features, parents can always purchase, download and install parental monitoring software such as NetNanny, PhoneSherriff, Norton Family Premier and Qustodio. A simple online search for parental device control will produce a number of options with ranges of pricing. 4. Friend and follow your children on social media. Whether its musical.ly, Instagram or Twitter, chances are that your children use some form of social media. If you have not already, then create an account and get on their friends list. If you are on his or her friends list, then you will see everything that your son or daughter posts, shares, receives and comments on. You will get a good idea of who his or her friends are and what he or she is sharing. Remember to respect their online space and refrain from commenting on posts. Your goal is to review the content and to encourage your children to keep a good digital reputation. 5. Explore, share and celebrate. Just like you may share your love of hiking, sports or hobbies with your children, learn to make the online world one of those, too. Go online and explore the internet with your children. Find apps and sites that you would use a family. Show them that you enjoy the online world and the information and resources available to you at your fingertips. Employ internet-enabled forms of communication with your children and take the time to learn about technology with them. Most of all, demonstrate that a positive Internet experience will assist them later in their digital lives. 6. Be a good digital role model. Now is the time to review your own digital habits, too. The idiom do as I say, not as I do does not apply here. Be a digital role model. Begin by spending more time in the physical world by putting down the digital world. Show them that unplugging from devices is just as good, if not better than always having a device attached to your hand. Show them how to be productive technology users by using technology to seek answers to questions, evaluate information and to create products to solve problems. 7. Set ground rules and apply sanctions. Just like chore charts or family job lists, consider using a family social media or internet safety contract. These contracts establish ground rules for when devices are to be used; what they should and should not be doing on them; and to establish sanctions based on breaches of the family contract. A simple internet search for family internet contract or family technology contract will produce a wealth of available ideas and resources to help you implement rules and sanctions revolving around your familys technology use. A good example of a social media contract for children can be found at imom.com/printable/social-media-contract-for-kids/. It establishes ground rules for personal internet security; what can be shared and not shared; what to do or not do to be a good digital citizen; and what consequences result from violating the established rules. Managing Your Digital Footprint Your digital footprint, according to dictionary.com, is one's unique set of digital activities, actions, and communications that leave a data trace on the internet or on a computer or other digital device and can identify the particular user or device. Digital footprints can be either passive or active. The passive digital footprint is created without your consent and is driven by the sites and apps that you visit. The data from a passive digital footprint could reveal ones internet history, IP address, location and is all stored in files on your device without you knowing it. An active digital footprint is more easily managed by the user. Data from an active digital footprint shows social media postings, information sharing, online purchases and activity usage. Though the passive digital footprint can be almost impossible to manage, the active digital footprint is in total control by the user. It is easily managed through habit and can be cleaned up by adjusting ones internet activity. To help you, your son or daughter, or other family member clean up ones digital footprint, the Family Online Safety Institute has some key suggestions for doing so: RTSCXID The Qinghai province in China just used entirely renewable energy for seven days as part of a trial to prove that it is possible to just use green energy. From June 17 to 23, the 6 million people living in the region in Northwest China only used hydro, wind, and solar power as their energy source. Based on local news reports, the trial was used to prove that it was possible to switch from coal-based energy on a large scale. The province used 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of energy during the week, which is equivalent to the power from burning 535,000 tons of coal. Its a test that suggests China is on a good track to transitioning to renewable energy, and that grid systems can handle fluctuating power sources. Clean energy is the ultimate way, Han Ti, general manager of the Qinghai grid company told local news outlet Xinhua. We need to reduce reliance on fossil fuel, improve our energy structure, and reduce carbon emissions. The Qinghai province has 19.7 million kW of renewable energy installed, and makes up a little over 82 percent of all the energy production in the province. Qinghai is the fourth largest province in China, spanning the northeast part of the Tibetan plateau and has the headwaters of the two largest rivers in China, the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. Most of the energy during the test week was produced by hydro-electric power, thanks to the major rivers. Because of its renewable energy output, and the fact that it is one of the most sparsely populated regions of China, it is the ideal place to test the using only green energy. One of the main worries about relying on renewable energy is that the power available will fluctuate because renewable sources are not constant like coal plants. But companies in Quinghai didnt feel ill effects during the test. There is no turbulence, it was a smooth process, Li Yuzhong, general manager for the Juinpower solar panel manufacturing company in the region said to Xinhua when asked if his company felt any change in the power supplied during that week. Story continues The province plans to have 35 million kW installed by 2020, which could supply 110 billion kWh of renewable energy a year. By 2030, China plans to be able to produce twenty percent of its energy renewably. This test suggests that not only is that possible, but that the grid will be able to remain stable. NOW WATCH: Look inside the Arctic 'doomsday' seed vault built to protect millions of crops from any disaster See Also: Can fracking be safe? A new study suggests how fracking the process of extracting oil and gas trapped in rocks deep underground by blasting water into the rock at high pressure can be conducted without causing earthquakes, which is one of the most well known concerns. While this kind of research can help produce guidelines to reduce the risks associated with fracking, ultimately, it makes no sense to talk of fracking being entirely safe. You might as well ask whether you can ensure your journey to work is safe. There are rules designed to reduce the risks, such as speed limits and the highway code, but there will always be the chance of human error or equipment failure. Venturing onto the roads is an inherently unsafe business. Of course, that doesnt mean we should never do it. The risks involved in any industrial activity mean that we need to think carefully about how to manage them, rather than trying to claim it is safe or not. Fracking or hydraulic fracturing involves pumping up to 16 Olympic swimming pools worth of water, chemical additives and sand into shale rocks lying between 2km and 3km underground. This creates a dense network of small fractures in the rocks, releasing gas or oil that moves into the water stream and is pumped or carried to the surface. Earthquakes can occur when fracking takes place near a geological fault. Its a bit like how a hovercraft works, by pumping air to produce a cushion so it can slip more easily over the land surface. If frack fluid is pumped into a geological fault, it can also slip more easily. Fracking can also change the stress on the fault, causing it to release, and a big enough fault shift will be felt as an earthquake. The new paper, published in Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources, tries to predict how far from a geological fault it is safe to frack a well without causing an earthquake. Such research is important as it could lead to areas of land being ruled out for fracking, prevent earthquakes and, of course, save the fracking industry from a PR disaster. Story continues To make this prediction, the researchers from Keele and Birmingham universities ran 50 models of a fracking operation based loosely on a site in north-west England and modelled the extent of the expected change in underground stresses. They combined this with an estimation of the smallest stress change that geoscientists think could trigger an earthquake. The results show any fracking site needs to be at least 63 metres away laterally from any fault, and perhaps as far as 433 metres. They havent estimated by how much this would reduce the chance of an earthquake. Fracking has been going on since the 1950s and on a large commercial scale in the US for the last 15 years, so it might seem surprising that there arent already guidelines that cover this kind of risk. But it partly reflects our limited knowledge of the complex underground landscape and how fracking interacts with it. Because of the complexity and variability, a detailed understanding of the geology of whats below the Earths surface is very incomplete. The unknown underground We know the layers of rock beneath the Earths surface are extremely complex because we can see this in the rock outcrops at surface level. In the 1970s, exploration firms started to use soundwaves that bounce off underground rock layers to create acoustic images of the subsurface. A borehole can then verify what the images correspond to and the properties of the rock layers. But the resolution of a seismic reflection is low, each at best representing ten metres of rock. This variability and complexity in the rock and our blurred understanding of it means that when fracking is carried out for the first time in any location there are uncertainties and risks. How far do the rock layers continue for? What will actually happen to the fracking fluid? Could it travel further than expected into a fault? To try to get answers to these questions, geoscientists carry out experiments in laboratories, build computer models and examine empirical evidence from the thousands of fracking operations that have been carried out in the US. But, even then, we cannot be sure of the answers. Making sense of fracking risks For example, in 2012 I led a study into how tall fractures become and so how close to the surface they can get. We used thousands of measurements of fractures from the US. An obvious uncertainty is whether the full extent of the fractures was detected using the well-established method of deploying microphones in a nearby well and detecting the cracks as they grow. We found fractures caused by fracking are unlikely to extend beyond 600 metres vertically. This evidence is now the basis for the UK law that prohibits fracking within 1km of the earths surface. Similarly, the new research on earthquakes could one day inform a law on where exactly drilling can take place. But all these results are preliminary, using empirical data, modelling and various assumptions. Only by drilling and closely monitoring more wells will we learn whether the science is robust. There are plans for monitoring the first fracking sites in the UK. This will give us data we can use to put more accurate parameters into our models and learn if the existing guidelines are too lax or too conservative. One day we could stream live environmental data from many sites and automatically detect abnormalities, potentially allowing us to spot environmental damage early. The more we learn about fracking, the more we will be able to manage and reduce its risks. The debate around fracking needs to start with some honesty. Very little of our everyday lives are completely safe, and fracking is no exception. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The Conversation Richard Davies leads the ReFINE (Researching Fracking in Europe) consortium, which has been funded by Ineos, Shell, Chevron, Total, GDF Suez, Centrica and Natural Environment Research Council (UK). He formerly worked in the oil and gas industry and is a Professor and Pro-Vice Chancellor at Newcastle University, UK. Usman Ansari was attacked after some villagers found the dead cow outside his house in Beria Hatiatand village in Deori area of Giridih district. Police had to open fire to control the violent mob after it partially torched a Muslim man's house. (Photo/ANI) By India Today Web Desk: A 200-strong mob beat up a Muslim man and set his house on fire after a dead cow was found outside his home in Jharkhand's Giridih district on Tuesday. Usman Ansari was attacked after some villagers found the dead cow outside his house in Beria Hatiatand village in Deori area of Giridih district. According to reports, the police arrived at the spot and rescued Ansari and his family as the violent mob tried to torch his house. Ansari was taken to a local hospital where his condition is stated to be stable. advertisement The police said it had to open fire to disperse the crowd, which resorted to stone pelting. "Our men and officials braved the crowd and immediately rescued Ansari and his family members. When the police tried to take him to hospital, there was resistance from the crowd. There was heavy stone-pelting. We had to open fire in the air," said Jharkhand police spokesperson and ADG (Operations) R K Mullik. About 50 policemen were also injured in the stone pelting, Mullik added. One person was injured in the police firing. A heavy police deployment has been made in the village after the incident to prevent the situation from worsening further. No arrest has been made so far. The incident in Giridih, some 200 km from Jharkhand capital Ranchi, comes just days after a 16-year-old teen was beaten to death inside a local train in Ballabgarh, Haryana, by a mob which accused him of carrying beef. Junaid Khan was beaten up in front of his brothers while he was returning home from Delhi after Eid shopping. ALSO READ: Rajasthan: Muslim man killed by cow vigilantes in Alwar, attack caught on cam Make cow national animal, give life imprisonment for slaughter: Rajasthan High Court tells Centre Maharashtra: Cow vigilantes attack two youths for allegedly possessing beef in Washim district WATCH: Jharkhand: Man thrashed by mob over dead cow outside house --- ENDS --- Pyrosome_BeamTrawCatch NOAA Millions of strange-looking glowing sea creatures called pyrosomes have started to "bloom" off the coast of the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada, filling up fishing nets, clogging hooks and research gear, and befuddling scientists who have no idea why populations of the tube-like organisms are exploding, flooding the water column. "Call it the invasion of the pyrosomes," writes Michael Milstein in a post on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Northwest Fisheries Science Center website. They started to show up in the spring and in the past month or two, swarms of the animals been spotted all over the region. Pyrosomes are odd creatures they're technically tunicates, colonies of individual organisms known as zooids that feed off of plankton and other small organisms. They have little bumps, are about as firm as a cucumber or pickle, and are gelatinous like jellyfish. They're translucent and bioluminescent, which gives them a glow (the word pyrosome means "fire body"). And while they can occasionally be found further north, they typically inhabit tropical waters, which makes the appearance of these massive quantities strange and disturbing to fishermen who worry that they could devastate a fragile food network. Pyrosoma_atlanticum NOAA "We have a lot of questions and not many answers," Ric Brodeur of the Northwest Fisheries Science Centers research station in Newport, Oregon explained in a post on the center's site. "We're trying to collect as much information as we can to try to understand what is happening, and why." Pyrosomes can grow to massive sizes, potentially to more than 60 feet long, though the ones currently flooding the seas off the coast of British Columbia and Alaska are more cucumber-sized. Youtube Embed: http://www.youtube.com/embed/BTwJzINmzw8?ecver=2 Width: 480px Height: 360px It's the numbers that are troubling. Salmon and halibut fishermen haven't been able to access their normal catch, with long lines catching pyrosomes instead of fish on basically every hook, according to reports by the CBC and National Geographic. Story continues One five-minute trawl of a research net off the coast of Oregon dragged in about 60,000 of the creatures. Researchers from Ocean Networks Canada at the University of Victoria released a video showing just how thick the water was with these cucumber-like bodies. Tweet Embed: https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/875037089963888640 Typically found in the tropics, we're seeing huge numbers of #pyrosomes in the eastern Pacific. Read more https://t.co/pZ8aQHhc2A #ONCabyss pic.twitter.com/18RnlIJWmW Some think that these populations might come from an anomalous huge "blob" of warm water that hovered in the Pacific from 2014 to 2016, though that warm mass has dissipated. "It's really weird," Jennifer Fisher, a faculty research assistant with Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center, told National Geographic. "I've never seen anything like it." NOW WATCH: A massive collection of Nazi artifacts was discovered in a secret room in Argentina See Also: ACCRA (Reuters) - An unidentified armed group in Central African Republic shot and killed a Red Cross worker in a town where more than 100 people have died in militia attacks in recent weeks, the Red Cross said on Monday. Joachim Ali, a Red Cross volunteer in the diamond-mining town of Bangassou in the southeast of the country, was killed on Friday evening while on duty at the organisation's compound, according to a spokesman. He is the second Red Cross worker to be killed during the conflict, after a driver died in 2014. The Central African Red Cross Society is investigating Ali's death, a statement said. Thousands have died and a fifth of Central Africans have fled their homes in the conflict that broke out after mainly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize in 2013, provoking a backlash from Christian anti-balaka militias. Thirteen of the 14 armed groups along with representatives from the government signed a peace accord last Monday in Rome brokered by the Roman Catholic Sant' Egidio peace group. About 50 people were killed in the town of Bria, northeast of the capital, in fighting between factions shortly afterwards. (Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg,; Editing by Ed Osmond) New Mexico has the best plan to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act among the 17 states that have submitted documents to the federal government so far, according to a new independent review. Bellwether Education Partners and the Collaborative for Student Success announced Tuesday that New Mexico was the only state to receive the highest marks in the majority of categories five out of nine that were reviewed, including standards and assessments, student success indicators and measures of academic progress. The New Mexico plan was well-written and fairly clear, said Andy Rotherham, co-founder of Bellwether Education Partners, during a media conference call Tuesday. Jim Cowen, the collaboratives executive director, lauded New Mexico for its thoroughness and vision in crafting goals that are ambitious and serve students well. The two organizations brought together a group of more than 30 independent advocates, education experts and former state officials from across the ideological spectrum to review the first round of the 17 ESSA state plans submitted in April. The groups goal was to serve as an external check on the federal peer review process and to look at whether states are going beyond compliance with the law to establish a system that will accomplish their visions for K-12 education. Today, New Mexicos educators, parents, students and community leaders have so much to be proud of, Christopher Ruszkowski, acting secretary for the New Mexico Public Education Department, said in a statement. Our students will be the ultimate beneficiaries if we deliver on what weve committed to in our plan. Anne Wicks, director of education reform at the George W. Bush Institute, praised the state for continuing to engage with teachers, parents and school districts about the plan. PED officials traveled to six cities last year to collect public feedback on New Mexicos education system. The department revisited those communities this spring to discuss ESSA and the draft plan. Were proud New Mexico is being recognized as a national leader through a plan that puts our students first, Gov. Susana Martinez said in a statement. Traveling across the state, its clear so many New Mexicans are rejecting the status quo and providing their input into this plan every step of the way. Rio Rancho teacher Ashley Randall told the Journal she attended one of the public forums last year and thought PED listened to her input. Im so thrilled to hear that we are at the top of a list thats positive, said Randall, a fourth-grade teacher at Colinas del Norte Elementary and member of the PEDs Teacher Advisory Committee. But some district administrators and lawmakers have expressed reservations about the ESSA plan. Albuquerque Public Schools has said the plan sets high expectations that could be difficult to achieve. For instance, PED aims to boost the graduation rate from 71 percent to 85 percent by 2022. At the same time, high school students will have to earn better scores on the PARCC test to meet graduation requirements. Earlier this month, several APS board members said they felt the PED missed an opportunity to craft an ESSA plan that moves away from PARCC and value-added teacher evaluations and school grades, which weigh standardized test scores as a significant factor. State Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, chairwoman of the Legislative Education Study Committee, questioned whether Bellwether Education Partners and the Collaborative for Student Success know enough about New Mexico to judge the ESSA plans impacts. It looks all the world like fake news to me we get an outside organization telling us how we are doing in New Mexico without being here to see whats really happening, Stewart told the Journal. There is widespread hatred and dislike of both the teacher evaluations and the school grades. ESSA, a federal law that replaced No Child Left Behind with bipartisan support in 2015, gives states more power to control their education systems, including areas like testing and teacher evaluations. The 17 states that submitted plans in the spring have received feedback from the federal government and will continue refining. The U.S. Department of Education asked New Mexico to provide more detail about dozens of technical aspects of the plan, such as the criteria for low-performing schools to show they no longer need additional support. The states that have not yet submitted plans have until mid-September. On Day 78 of his lifetime appointment, the Supreme Courts newest justice, Neil Gorsuch, revealed himself Monday to be: Skeptical about the reach of the courts two-year-old decision granting same-sex couples the right to marry; Further to the right than almost all of his colleagues on gun rights. Unwilling to lend his full support to Chief Justice John Roberts opinion in a major separation-of-church-and-state case, because of disagreement over a two-sentence footnote. Willing to let President Donald Trumps travel ban be enacted as planned, without imposing the limits most of his colleagues required. If the Supreme Courts compromise decision Monday on the travel ban grabbed the headlines on the courts final day, those who study the court were at least as focused on what they could learn about the 49-year-old Coloradan chosen by Trump to fill the seat of the late Antonin Scalia. The bottom line, according to most accounts, is that Gorsuch is a Scalia 2.0, perhaps further to the right. The Gorsuch we were sold during the confirmation battle is the Gorsuch that we got, said Elizabeth Slattery, a legal scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation. And she meant that in a good way. A view from the other side: Gorsuch claimed that he could be independent of the authoritarian, anti-Constitution president who nominated him, but he failed his first real test, said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center, referring to the travel-ban case. And she meant that just the way it sounds. Gorsuch has spoken of the humility that comes with putting on the plain black polyester robe that we buy with our own money at the uniform supply store. But in his short 2 1/2 months on the Supreme Court, Gorsuch has proved himself to be a self-assured jurist unafraid of the big stage. He asked 22 questions at his first oral argument. He writes frequently and well, as even his critics acknowledge and has been willing to go it alone in providing his own reasoning in an opinion even when he agrees. Hes asserted himself in a way that is really without precedent for a justice in the modern court, said Ian Samuel, a former Scalia clerk who teaches at Harvard Law School. Gregory Garre, a former solicitor general under President George W. Bush, cautioned against any broad pronouncements on Gorsuch. The justice did not take his place on the court until April 10 and thus participated in only one of the courts monthly oral-argument sessions. He wrote one majority opinion for the court, which was unanimous. The views he expressed on the final day came in dissents or concurrences he wrote or joined with other justices. He has sided far more frequently with Justice Clarence Thomas on the courts far right than with Roberts, closer to the center. Garre said Gorsuch showed he was perfectly willing to differ with his new colleagues, albeit respectfully, as he was quick to point out. Said Slattery: In his early opinions, hes shown that he is committed to careful statutory interpretation. In his first majority opinion, he pointed out that its the role of courts to apply, not amend, the work of the peoples representatives, in narrowly reading a federal law dealing with debt collection. Jonathan Adler, a Case Western Reserve University law professor writing in The Washington Post, described Gorsuch as a confident, committed textualist with a distinctive writing style and a justice who is not afraid to challenge his new colleagues. It does not mean he convinces them. In a complicated case involving which court should hear complaints from federal workers who say they were wrongly terminated, Gorsuch dissented from an opinion by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He accused Ginsburg of tweaking the law as written to reach an outcome he acknowledged might be easier for everyone. Respectfully, he wrote, he would instead just follow the words of the statute as written. There was no need to tweak the statute, Ginsburg replied, but only to read it sensibly. All justices except for Thomas agreed with Ginsburg. Later, on the final day of the term, Gorsuch wrote a concurrence to one of the courts orders for no reason other than to disagree with Roberts, who had written a dissent, noted Samuel, the former Scalia clerk. Daniel Epps, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who produces a podcast with Samuel about the Supreme Court called First Mondays, said he thought Gorsuchs opinion was perfectly fine and respectful but also gratuitous. It was a strange hill to fight on for a new justice, and it makes me wonder about the dynamics between them if he was willing to spar so publicly with the chief, Epps said. The court had only eight members in the 13 months between Scalias death and Gorsuchs confirmation, and all agree it affected the courts docket. These days, blockbuster terms seem more like the rule than the exception, said Kannon Shanmugam, a Washington, D.C., lawyer who frequently argues before the court. By that standard, this year was the exception. The court had few headline cases and a lot of meat-and-potatoes ones. Added John Bursch, another Supreme Court practitioner, It was clear the court was doing its best to avoid controversial issues and decisions that would result in 4-4 ties. Roberts, the courts master strategist, was seen as instrumental in helping the court find a narrow path through a thicket of cases that seemed destined for deadlocks. He seems positioned to become the courts pivotal justice in the future. One of the most interesting things about Justice Gorsuch in the few decisions we have seen is the number of times he has joined forces with Justice Thomas, who is often on the courts far right, Garre said. The chief justice, by contrast, has seemed more willing to find ways to broaden coalitions. The chief seems content to occupy more of the middle ground on the court, increasing his influence in closer cases. But all of that leads to something that did not happen on the final day any indication from Justice Anthony Kennedy, the courts justice-in-the-middle, that he is ready to retire. That means the future remains in the future. For all the talk of change with the arrival of Justice Gorsuch, the direction of the court remains very much tied to Justice Kennedy, Garre said. A man is in critical condition Tuesday after a fight near Montgomery and Carlisle, according to an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman. Officer Tanner Tixier said police went to a disturbance call at 3958 Montgomery around 4 p.m. and found the man severely injured. The man was rushed to University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition, he said. Nobody is in custody at this time. MIAMI It wasnt even 11 a.m., and the heat index was over 90 degrees Thursday. But for the baby left inside a black sedan, with the windows up, it was way worse. Experts say the interior of the car reached a lethal 122 degrees by the time rescue personnel got to the infant, pulling the baby from his car seat and rushing him into their fire truck. In the end, the kid was fine. He was a doll. This was only a demonstration. But if real children had been locked inside a car for that long, said Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Sanchez, they wouldnt have survived. We have to make sure we protect our greatest resources, Sanchez said at a child protection awareness-raising event on Thursday at FHP headquarters in West Miami-Dade. We have to make sure [people] do not leave a child or pet in their vehicle. The consequences, all too often, are tragic. Already in 2017, two Florida children, including a 1-year-old boy in Pinecrest, have died as a result of hot car-related tragedies. Back in February, Sammy Schnall was left inside a Toyota Camry for more than an hour during the hottest part of an 82-degree day in Miami-Dade. Authorities at the time said a family member was watching the child and apparently forgot he was in the car. Schnall was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. He died at Baptist Hospital in Kendall a day later. This sort of tragedy happens almost weekly. On average, 37 children die from heat stroke after being left inside sweltering vehicles each year in the United States. Twelve have died this year alone. More than half of these cases were accidental, according to KidsAndCars.org, an advocacy group that educates the public on the dangers associated with children being left alone in or around motor vehicles. And those dangers are very real. The interior of cars left in the hot sun can reach 125 degrees in just minutes, even if the windows are cracked (which has no affect on the heating process). Sometimes, we get tied up in our usual routines, and anytime we get out of usual routine, thats when accidents can happen. said Gilda Ferradaz, the Department of Children and Familys Southern Region managing director. The natural response for parents is to say this cannot happen to them, added DCF community development administrator Silvia Beebe. But it does over and over again. Even the most diligent parents can forget their kid are with them, particularly new moms and dads who are overtired. Since 1990, there have been 793 documented vehicular heat stroke deaths in the United States, including 49 in 2010 alone. Accidents happen both at and away from home. Ignatius Carroll, a captain with Miami Fire Rescue, told of a child who died while playing hide-and-seek in the family car. Heat stroke can occur when body temperature rises to 104 degrees; medics have found children whose bodies have reached 107 degrees. Children overheat three to five times faster than adults and have died from heat stroke in temperatures as low as 60 degrees. Thats why officials encourage anyone who sees a child in a potentially life-threatening situation to act call 911, and then break a window and get the kid out of the car as soon as possible. The law protects Good Samaritans from civil liability in such situations. Dogs have been victims, too. More than a dozen police K-9s died last year as a result of being left in hot cars. Last month, there was such a case in the small town of Sebastian, just north of Vero Beach, where a cop left his dog in his cruiser after returning from a hearing in Brevard County. Two years ago, two Hialeah K9s died after being left in the officers SUV at his Davie, Fla., home. The co-owner of a dockside Baltimore restaurant has revealed that nearly his entire kitchen staff resigned after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent demanded their papers in the latest example of the national debate over immigration. In an open letter to his customers Saturday, BoatHouse Canton owner Gene Singleton blamed the Trump administration for targeting the Hispanic community. He has since been alternately condemned or praised for defending his workers regardless of their legal status. So now the restaurant is short 30 workers, with the remaining staff working double shifts and the departed seeking help from an immigrant advocacy agency. Properly documented and potentially less than properly documented are all fearful of being separated from their families, many with small children, Singleton wrote in a Facebook post Saturday, a day after their departure. Many went home to pack up and leave. They were, Singleton told The Washington Post, some of the best citizens we have. Every worker had passed the restaurants vetting process and appeared to be in the United States legally, he said. No one at the BoatHouse has been publicly accused of wrongdoing, and a spokesman for ICE said he could not confirm the existence of investigations. Singleton said he had never before had issues with immigration: not when he started out in the restaurant business 35 years ago, and not when he and his wife opened the BoatHouse in 2014 turning an underused bar into a buzzing hotspot, as a Baltimore Sun reviewer wrote. The owner didnt expect problems under President Trump either, he said, despite campaign talk of bad hombres and the administrations push to penalize immigrants who commit crimes. I understood the immigrant community was not going to be targeted aggressively, Singleton said. Either I misunderstood or they changed. Change came to the BoatHouse about 3 p.m. Thursday, Singleton said, just after the lunch rush. An immigration agent walked up to the host stand and asked for a manager. The agent delivered a demand letter, Singleton said: Provide a list of anyone who worked at the restaurant in the past two years, along with their employment eligibility forms. The guy was nice and polite, Singleton said. There was no scene. Not yet, anyway. An ICE spokesman said the agency conducted nearly 1,300 similar audits the year before sometimes when it suspected an employer was violating hiring laws. John Sandweg, an acting director of ICE under President Barack Obama, said the time-consuming audits were used sparingly during the last administration usually when public safety was at risk or egregious crimes were suspected. But a lot of that is changing, Sandweg said. Trump has gone to a more randomized approached. An immigration lawyer who represented a high-profile deportee in the Obama years remembered the Obama administrations policies differently. Obamas ICE often used immigration audits to disrupt and humiliate large restaurants and inspire compliance, Ava Benach said such as an audit of Clydes of Gallery Place in 2013, in which more than 100 employees were deemed unauthorized to work in the United States. But she, too, suspected the audits had taken on another purpose under Trump. I think its part of the effort to make immigrants feel insecure in places where, through inertia, they felt secure, Benach said. Within days of his inauguration, Trump issued orders ending Obama-era policies of leniency for undocumented immigrants with clean criminal records. By May, immigration agents were arresting more than 400 immigrants a day, and arrests of those with no criminal records more than doubled. The BoatHouse is hardly the only restaurant to bear the brunt. Raids on Asian restaurant in Mississippi detained more than 50 people in February, the Los Angeles Times reported. In Michigan last month, a restaurant owner reported that a group of ICE agents sat down, ate breakfast and then hauled off three workers. Whatever the purpose of the demand letter delivered to the BoatHouse, Singleton said, the owner didnt think the agents request was a big deal. Hed just get the government the information it wanted. But word quickly spread through the kitchen, he said, and there it caused a crisis. That evening a chef called a manager, Singleton said. He told him, All our people are really fearful. Im not sure if theyre going to come back tomorrow. The full crew did show up the next morning, Singleton said. He came first thing, too, to come up with a plan. Instead, he said, he got reports from chefs and managers throughout the day, as a full quarter of BoatHouses staff decided they had no choice but to go home and not return. Six of those workers, so far, have sought help from Casa, an immigrant advocacy group in Maryland. One man remembered immigrant rights training hed received at his childs school, said Casa organizer Lydia Walther-Rodriguez, and wanted to make sure the rest of the staff were prepared if an agent came to their door. This is the first time Ive seen the community self-organizing, Walther-Rodriguez said. This is the first time Ive seen this happen before a raid. Another rarity: the letter Singleton posted to the restaurants Facebook page Saturday. The remainder of his staff, about 90 people, had just spent a shift turning away customers without reservations, cutting the menu to only the popular itemsand working double duty on what Singleton wrote was the saddest day for the BoatHouse family in its three-plus years. He apologized for any disruption in the service and said some proceeds from the restaurant would go to help departed families he called the heart of his restaurant. Beneath the letter: streams of comments that alternated between sympathy All these workers want a chance to live better, or Class act Gene and suspicion. If everything was within compliance, why did 30 employees leave? Something stinks here, one commenter wrote. Another: Youll never see a dime of my money. Though he didnt know anything about the case, Sandweg, the former acting ICE director, found Singletons version of events plausible. You can be doing everything right and be presented with false documents and it can be very difficult to tell, he said. On the other hand, Sandweg said: With the rhetoric and stories happening every day, it wouldnt surprise me if you had people who are lawfully able to work but are just frightened and flee. Singleton still has a business to run, either way. He said he spoke to ICE officials Monday and will soon turn over the documents they asked for. In the meantime, news crews hound his restaurant, and there are hiring signs out front. Sen. Tom Udall and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt dont agree on much, but they did concur Tuesday that the federal governments response to those harmed by the Gold King Mine spill two years ago wasnt good enough. The August 2015 mine spill occurred when a crew hired by the EPA to mitigate leakage from an old mine site accidentally punctured a containment wall, sending a plume of toxic orange waste out of the defunct Gold King Mine, north of Silverton, Colo. The sludge flowed from the Animas River into northern New Mexicos San Juan River. Claims totaling more than $1.2 billion have been filed by members of the Navajo Nation and others. In January just before former President Barack Obama left office the EPA announced it would not pay damages in the case, citing sovereign immunity from such claims. At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing to consider the EPAs budget request on Tuesday, Udall said, We owe to the Navajo and others harmed to make things right. Im not sure the agency has taken full responsibility, Pruitt said in response. I think the agencys response to the Gold King spill shirked its response to help compensate claimants that were injured. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not hear a case brought by New Mexico against Colorado after the spill. New Mexico contends Colorado was too lax in its oversight of groundwater contaminated by decades of mining and should be held responsible for the fallout of the Gold King Mine spill. NM counties share $38.7M: President Donald Trumps federal budget request for next year would cut payments to rural counties that contain big swaths of nontaxable federal lands but, for now, New Mexico is set to get the third-largest payment in lieu of taxes, PILT, in the nation. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said this week that 32 New Mexico counties will receive a shared total of $38.7 million. The payments represent the states share of a record $464.6 million distributed to 1,900 local governments around the country this year the largest amount ever allocated in the PILT programs 40-year history. Under the 2018 budget proposal, Trump would cut PILT payments in 2018, but its not clear by how much. Michael Coleman: mcoleman@abqjournal.com The result of the first seat allotment round has been declared by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2017. All those candidates who had appeared for the same are required to check their respective results at the official website josaa.nic.in By India Today Web Desk: The result of first seat allotment round has been declared by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2017. All those candidates who had appeared for the same are required to check their respective results at the official website josaa.nic.in. On June 15, the online registration facility and the choice filling was started and now the last date for candidates to secure admission in their desired institute is July 3. advertisement As per an Indian Express report, candidates who will be reporting at NIT Sikkim should note that for BTech admissions, another venue has been arranged by the authority at Siliguri, West Bengal. Hence candidates can choose either of the locations to report. JoSAA has also released a statement saying that National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT Ranchi) has withdrawn Mechanical Engineering programme. Steps to check JoSAA seat allotment result Log on to the official website www.josaa.nic.in On the homepage, click on the link 'Round 1: View Allotment Result and Pay Seat Acceptance Fee' In the provided fields, enter the required details such as gender, state code of eligibility and nationality Click on submit Your result will be displayed on the screen Download the same and take a printout for future reference (Read: IIT Kharagpur: 9-day Induction Programme to be introduced for freshers) Availability of seats About 36,000 seats are available in 23 Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), 31 National Institute of Technology (NITs), 23 Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs) and 20 government funded technical institutions (GFTIs) are offering admissions to the students this year. About JoSAA The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) has been set up by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to manage and regulate the joint seat allocation for admissions to 97 institutes for the academic year 2017-18. This includes 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 23 IIITs and 20 Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs). Read: NEET 2017: Online counselling to begin from July 17 in Punjab Read: ICAI to revise CA syllabus from July 1 --- ENDS --- The competition for a multibillion-dollar contract to manage the U.S. laboratory that created the atomic bomb is beginning as criticism intensifies over the troubled safety record of Los Alamos National Laboratory. The National Nuclear Security Administration on Tuesday posted online its intent to conduct a competition for the labs management and operation contract. The agency said the process will provide the best opportunity to improve the terms and conditions of the lucrative contract to provide performance incentives at the northern New Mexico nuclear weapons research center. The current contract with Los Alamos National Security LLC a private consortium that includes Bechtel and the University of California expires in September 2018. The NNSA decided against extending the contract, which has a $2.2 billion annual budget, after a series of subpar performance reviews. The contest for the new contract could have somewhat of a New Mexico flavor, as did last years bidding to run Sandia National Laboratories. All three of the states research universities joined groups to put forth Sandia proposals that lost out to a team headed by Honeywell International. A spokesman for the University of New Mexico said Tuesday the school is very interested in the competition over the LANL contract. We are evaluating the situation and look forward to more information as it becomes available, said Joe Cecchi, associate provost for national laboratory relations. Van Romero, New Mexico Techs vice president of research and economic development, said Tech already has been invited to join numerous teams interested in placing a bid, but (officials) are still evaluating before making a decision. A spokesman for New Mexico State University said it hasnt been considering the LANL contract. Criticism of the labs safety record has intensified as it prepares to resume production of plutonium pits the triggers for nuclear bombs for the nations weapons cache. Los Alamos officials have said the labs plutonium facility is operating safely and that improvements have been made in recent years. But watchdog groups and others have questioned whether the lab can take on manufacturing of the plutonium cores given its history of management and oversight issues, along with more recent safety concerns. Greg Mello with the Los Alamos Study Group said the present contract model separates authority from responsibility. He suggested the federal government have more of a role in operating the lab, with the help of one or more private contractors. Accidents and shutdowns will be inevitable until NNSA can start exerting sufficient authority, including and especially budget authority, at LANL, Mello said. Just last Friday, federal officials announced an investigation into the labs improper shipment of nuclear material to other federal facilities around the country via a commercial cargo plane. That followed other reports about the mishandling of plutonium and radioactive waste at Los Alamos. Los Alamos lab director Charlie McMillan told employees in an internal memo that the work done at Los Alamos will transcend the coming contract changeover. We must continue to execute our national security mission safely and securely while the NNSA works to complete their process, he wrote. McMillan also said: At the end of the day, we must each fully accept the fact that we will be held accountable for any serious mistakes. The actions we take have profound consequences on the Laboratorys reputation and its future. As I have often said, the Laboratory has a vibrant future but this future depends on your commitment to executing our national security mission safely and securely each day. A recent series of news stories published by the Center for Public Integrity cites numerous internal reports and other documents outlining federal regulators concerns about safety lapses at the lab over the years, including a plutonium spill last summer and workers handling plutonium rods in a way that could have been disastrous. The center this week also detailed workplace hazards at Los Alamos, Sandia and other labs that make up the U.S. nuclear complex. Federal records showed numerous instances in which the contractors committed new safety infractions, even after being hit with financial penalties for malfeasance. Experts said the situation suggests the contractors are building the fines and penalties into their economic models. Current operators A spokesman for the University of California, which ran LANL on its own until the federal government put the contract out for competition for the first time in 2006, said Tuesday the university sees its 75-year association with the Los Alamos National Laboratory as a part of its public service mission. The school will review the NNSAs draft request for proposals coming in July and the final RFP expected in September to determine how best to proceed in the interests of both UC and LANL, the statement said. Fred deSousa, a spokesman for Bechtel, said, We will evaluate the opportunity as we would any other, and look forward to the release of the draft request for proposals. Our first priority continues to be helping the Laboratory complete its missions safely and efficiently. LANL has struggled to rebuild its reputation following a 2014 chemical reaction that stemmed from inappropriately packaging a barrel of radioactive waste. That caused a radiation leak at the nations only underground nuclear waste repository the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant at Carlsbad that led to costly recovery work and a backlog in the nations program for cleaning up waste from decades of research and bomb-making. SANTA FE Desert ranchers in New Mexico are hoping the new GOP administration in Washington will dramatically shrink a recently designated national monument in the south of the state where outlaw Billy the Kid and Apache leader Geronimo once sought refuge. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is among 27 monuments where a review ordered by President Donald Trump might remove protections previously considered irreversible. The review is rekindling a fierce debate about oversight of lands marked by ancient petroglyphs and towering mountain spires. President Barack Obama designated the monument in 2014, emphasizing the need to preserve the areas unique past, and ensure opportunities for outdoor recreation and hunting. Cattle-grazing has continued undiminished within the monument boundaries, but many ranchers fear that gradual limitations might eventually drive them out, said Tom Mobley, who operates a ranch with about 150 cattle under a federal grazing permit within the monument. A leading voice in a coalition that resisted the monument designation, Mobley believes Obama failed to comply with the federal Antiquities Act by focusing on an overarching area rather than specific objects of historical and scientific interest. U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce has called the monument on the outskirts of Las Cruces just one example of federal interference with a struggling rural economy. While mulling a possible run for governor in 2018, Pearce has jumped back into a yearslong effort to limit any new wilderness or monument designation at the jagged Organ Mountains and nearby lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The local population said protect, but also dont overreach, said Pearce, the lone Republican lawmaker among New Mexicos five-member delegation to Washington. The economy in our rural western states is just choked down by the federal government. Pearce last week urged Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to reduce the outline of the monument from 775 square miles to about 95 square miles and hopes to accompany Zinke on a promised visit to New Mexico in coming weeks. In New Mexico, Trumps monument review stirs passions PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. A wildfire burning Wednesday through a dense Arizona forest has forced thousands of people from their homes, closed a major road and created a huge plume of smoke over the same area devastated by a blaze that killed 19 firefighters four years ago. The fire is burning in communities around Prescott, a mountain city about 100 miles (160.9 kilometers) north of Phoenix that draws a mix of desert dwellers escaping the heat, retirees and visitors to its famed Old West-themed Whiskey Row. The fire has charred 32 square miles (83 square kilometers) while being fanned by winds ranging to 35 mph (56 kph) winds. More than 500 firefighters were battling the blaze. A firefighter suffered a minor injury. The fire forced the evacuation of Mayer and Dewey-Humboldt along with several other communities, and one of the main roads into Prescott was closed. Dewey-Humboldt has about 4,000 residents; Mayer has about 1,400. Many residents have painful memories of the 2013 wildfire that killed 19 members of an elite firefighting crew. Its scary because were coming up on the four-year anniversary of the Yarnell Hill fire theres still a lot of fresh memories, said Arizona state Sen. Karen Fann, who lives in Prescott and represents the area where the fire is burning. Elsewhere across the western U.S., a fire in the foothills north of Los Angeles was burned right up to homes before the blaze was beaten back. Fifty homes were put under mandatory evacuation orders on the suburban edges of Burbank, where flames raced uphill through tinder-dry grass. No homes were destroyed, and most evacuations were canceled after a few hours. In Central California, a wildfire destroyed the home of Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area. In Utah, firefighters braced for more high winds as they tried to slow a stubborn wildfire that has burned 13 homes and forced the evacuation of 1,500 people from a ski resort town. Firefighters in Washington state were battling three fires near Wenatchee that had grown to about 37 square miles (95 square kilometers). And in Idaho, fire officials say quick responses by ranchers and others to more than 20 wildfires sparked by lightning have kept the small fires from becoming major blazes like those that scorched the region in recent decades. In Arizona, Jennifer Johnson of Phoenix was driving into Prescott Valley on Tuesday for a meeting and noticed smoke on the way in. By the time the meeting wrapped up a few hours later, things had changed dramatically. Getting closer to Mayer, it looked like we were driving into some alien sort of invasion, like the whole sky was on fire, she said. Video she took along the freeway shows huge clouds of smoke colored red by flames. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey plans to visit the area Thursday after declaring a state of emergency in Yavapai County that directs $200,000 in emergency funds to fire suppression efforts and reimbursements for emergency response and recovery costs. Its also a key requirement should federal aid resources be requested. The blaze is burning in thick chaparral that has not seen a fire in more than 40 years. The steep, rugged terrain makes it difficult for firefighters to reach. Mayer resident Jill Baker fled town after learning of evacuations on Tuesday while filling up her tank at a gas station. She grabbed her three dogs and rushed to a nearby high school in Prescott Valley, sleeping on a cot and eating Subway sandwiches. As she left town, she said, residents were pulling off on the side of the road and discussing what to do about their belongings, pets and horses. It looked like five fires, Baker said. We were probably seven miles from the actual fire and it was pretty scary. Yavapai County Emergency Management Coordinator Denny Foulk said there are about 2,000 residents in the area affected by the fire and 3,000 structures in the evacuated area were at risk but officials were not immediately sure how many are homes. Yesterday you could not smell it, which means it was probably blowing away from us, Dewey-Humboldt resident Zerril Perkins said. Now you can smell it so thats a little worrisome because it might be blowing toward us. He and his wife were packed and ready to head to Phoenix if necessary. ___ AP writers Clarice Silber, Josh Hoffner and Bob Christie contributed from Phoenix. Agents arrested a prison guard Tuesday after catching him in a sting operation trying to smuggle drugs into the prison in Santa Fe, according to a spokeswoman for the New Mexico State Police. Lt. Elizabeth Armijo wrote in a news release that State Police officers were asked by prison officials last week to investigate whether John Aragon, 60, of Albuquerque was being paid to bring drugs into the Penitentiary of New Mexico. A confidential informant told a corrections official that Aragon had been getting paid to sneak drugs into the prison for the inmates, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. So investigators set up an undercover operation and offered to pay Aragon $1,500 to bring suboxone and heroin into the prison, Armijo said. They met up at the Sandia Casino on Tuesday afternoon. The undercover agent pulled into the parking lot and John entered his truck, an agent wrote in a criminal complaint. During this time, John acknowledged that he was there to pick up money and the drugs. Agents arrested Aragon and charged him with possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and was released on a $2,500 bond Wednesday morning. A spokesman for the New Mexico Corrections Department said Aragon had been working as a corrections officer since February 2009 and had passed a criminal background check when he was hired. He doesnt have any criminal history in New Mexico, according to online court records. He has been placed on administrative leave with pay since his arrest, said S.U. Mahesh, spokesman for the Department of Corrections. Bajaj Electricals, one of the leading companies in the business of Luminaires, Transmission Line Towers, Illumination and Rural Electrification Projects has launched a brand new television campaign (TVC) starting today. Aimed at creating a visceral response, the film conveys multiple real life stories from the interiors of the country with no trace of electricity. The film emphasizes on the role of Bajaj Electricals in impacting millions of lives through its lighting initiatives. The objective of the campaign is to create awareness about the successfully designed and commissioned complex landmark infrastructure projects carried out by Bajaj Electricals. Notably, this is the first brand campaign by the company focused solely on B2B segments of the company that play a crucial role in the infrastructure building for the country. The audience will get a first peek into the campaign in Digital and Cinemas, subsequently the campaign will be aired on TV. Made of 3 short films conveying 3 different real life stories from the hinterlands of India, the campaign is sure to steal your heart. Commenting on the films, Mr. Anant Bajaj, JMD, Bajaj Electricals said, The infrastructure we lay has a huge social and economic impact on the lives of people. We have literally crossed rivers, mountains and jungles to bring electricity to far flung places in the country. And we do all this with great care and concern for the environment. The insights were taken from these real life incidents that our teams have faced during the execution of various projects across the length and breadth of our great nation. Created by OnAds Communications, the films in the campaign are about the hope, despair and dilemma of a world without light. It captures various unsung human emotions like those of a girl wanting her dreams to come true or a child wanting her father to come home through animated puppets made of layers of thin paper. The stories in the campaign are inspired & dramatized versions of the stories that we heard from the Bajaj team. We thought it would be interesting to tell these stories through animation, like a fairy tale only to reveal that these are not fables but inspired true stories, said Jignesh Maniar, Founder of OnAds. In line with its philosophy, Bajaj Electricals considers every Indian a part of their family and the campaign depicts how through the magic of light the dreams of millions of Indians have come true. In a significant development to up FCB Indias digital game, the group appointed Vikas Parihar as President Digital Integration. In his role, Vikas will be driving digital transformation & business, partnering individual CEOs, implementing global digital practices and providing strategic leadership for digital integration, paving the digital roadway for FCB India. Vikas will be based out of the Mumbai office, reporting to Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman & CEO, FCB India. With a rich experience, spanning over a decade, Vikas has lead digital business and marketing for OgilvyOne Africa, Havas Worldwide India, MagnonTBWA, Internet Moguls, Sofitel Luxury Hotels and Resorts India, Hinduja Interactive and Hotel Leela Venture Limited. His experience ranges across numerous sectors including FMCG, Technology, Healthcare, Travel and Hospitality, Social Development, eCommerce, Consumer Durables and Electronics. He has lent his expertise to various brands, such as, Airtel Africa, Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered Bank, Care India, HCL Healthcare, Huawei, Microsoft Lumia, Jindal Steel and Power, Mercedes Benz India, UTV, Toshiba, Diakin, Turkey Tourism, TATA AIG and many more. Vikas comes with a unique combination of skills from a passion for business and numbers to strategy and creative to data and technology. Commenting on the appointment, Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman & CEO, FCB India said, FCB India has embarked on a cultural transformation journey fifteen months ago. Digital transformation is the key part of this cultural transformation. Im delighted to have Vikas on board to lead the digital transformation of FCB India. Our vision is to be a truly integrated ideas company. With his vast experience, Vikas will be a great partner to me and in making this happen for FCB India." Speaking on his new role, Vikas said, In todays connected world, we need a creative agency which brings together big ideas, technology and data. These ingredients are key to create compelling and engaging personal experiences that help win more customers and make them more valuable; and this is what I look forward to at FCB India. NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Philippines is a part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community and one of the fastest growing healthcare markets in the region. With regard to healthcare, the Philippine Government has been looking at ways to achieve 100% enrolment to PhilHealth by 2020. One of the means is by mandating all Filipinos to enrol to PhilHealth. Currently, PhilHealth's coverage is at about 92%. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04886809/The-Philippines-Transformational-Healthcare-Insights.html An ageing population, urbanisation, and the rising middle class have led to an increasing demand for healthcare services, as more people can afford quality healthcare. Due to the huge gap in the Philippines' healthcare delivery system, abundant opportunities are available for key private participants to invest in the healthcare sector. Private hospitals, pharmaceutical producers, and healthcare IT companies are expanding into the Philippines market, partially owing to the recently launched AEC. Lack of infrastructure and human resources is putting a strain on the healthcare delivery system in the Philippines. The bed-to-population ratio is quite low and there is still a huge gap in the number of doctors and nurses required to cater to the needs of the growing population. The healthcare delivery system in the Philippines is dominated by the public sector (regional, provincial, municipal, and barangay level) while being supported by private healthcare service providers. The implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC) is already driving the demand across all sectors of healthcare. However, the Philippines still requires a strong focus on infrastructure and skilled manpower. The shortage of qualified personnel is a huge problem, especially in high-skill fields such as radiology. The private sector is playing a huge role in helping the government address the gaps in healthcare services. Generics is evolving into a huge market due to the demand for low-cost medicine and strong government support. Production of raw materials for medicines is now 100% open to foreign ownership, creating an opportunity for the Philippines to emerge as a regional raw materials manufacturing hub. Areas such as healthcare technology and diagnostics, that can improve access to health information for making better healthcare choices, are growing faster. The key components of the Philippines healthcare market are as follows: Healthcare Industry: An industry that develops and provides solutions and/or services across the care spectrum for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention Therapeutics: Pharmaceuticals Medical Products: All forms of medical products used in imaging, treatment, and diagnosis of diseases Healthcare IT: Consists of software, solutions, and maintenance services sold to providers, but does not include hardware Healthcare Services: Primary, secondary, and tertiary care, specialty clinics, and diagnostic lab services Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04886809/The-Philippines-Transformational-Healthcare-Insights.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: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-philippines-transformational-healthcare-insights-2016-300481170.html SOURCE Reportlinker UNIQA Osterreich Versicherungen AG is using the ALLFINANZ Interview Server supplied by Munich Re Automation Solutions Ltd. for its life insurance operations. Since June 2016, AMSEL (AutoMated SELling) as it is called internally has been integrated into the existing sales platform, allowing for automated risk assessments with an immediate acceptance decision at point of sale. As a next step, UNIQA is also to apply this automation solution to personal accident insurance and life insurance sales via banks. With a market share of over 21 percent, UNIQA is Austrias leading insurance company and offers products in all sectors of personal and property insurance, including life insurances. With the aim of generating new growth along with increasing profitability in this area of activity, the Management Board looked for an automation solution for risk assessment and an uninterruptible sales process. "Digitisation is changing the expectations and needs of our customers," says Dr. Peter Eichler, Member of the Management Board at UNIQA Osterreich Versicherungen AG, reflecting on the strategy behind the investment: "We are determined to make use of the challenges this involves as an opportunity to progress from being a traditional insurer to become an integrated service partner for personal coverage. This calls for very close proximity to our customers, as well as processes that are demand-oriented and as efficient as possible." One module for this is the automation project launched in 2014 together with the companys long-standing reinsurance partner, Munich Re. From the beginning, AMSEL has been implemented in dialogue with risk assessors and UNIQAs sales organisation. The result is a tool for risk assessment at point of sale that is seamlessly integrated into the existing application platform. With the aid of AMSEL, agents need to ask customers fewer additional questions, receive in many cases an immediate risk decision and are able to promptly issue insurance policies. This strengthens the agents competencies. The benefit for customers is - what previously took up to three weeks in the case of standard risks can now be dealt with at a single meeting using AMSEL. Acceptance levels in the sales sector are therefore high. This was confirmed by the qualified engineer Thomas Jaklin, Head of Technology & Service at UNIQA Osterreich Versicherungen AG: "One year after being introduced, AMSEL is meanwhile used by about 95 percent of our tied agents. We believe that there is great potential to replicate this success among brokers and general agencies." Thanks to AMSEL, UNIQA benefits from significantly accelerated processing in the case of approximately one third of all applications. Furthermore, this automation solution consistently provides risk assessments of high quality and is so flexible that if necessary, UNIQA is able to easily adjust the questionnaire itself. In all, this reduces costs and releases urgently required personnel capacity in the risk assessment sector. In future, UNIQA aims to benefit from these advantages in other areas of activity. Dr. Eichler announced: "We shall now extend the use of AMSEL to include personal accident insurance. Its launch in the segment of bank sales is due to follow in 2018 under our Raiffeisen Versicherung brand. We have already informed the sales agents and are anticipating a high level of acceptance in these areas too." Paul Donnelly, Executive Vice President EMEA at Munich Re Automation Solutions Ltd: "With its automation solution specially aligned to the Austrian market, UNIQA is setting standards in the fields of customer-oriented risk assessment and policy issuance. By launching this initiative, UNIQA is demonstrating how much importance it attaches to saving customers time. As a result, Austrias most well-known insurance company is continuing to enhance the high degree of trust enjoyed among customers and positioning itself on the market as a service and technology leader." You can find our more about UNIQA Osterreich Versicherungen AG at: http://www.uniqagroup.com/gruppe/versicherung/uniqa-group/uniqa-in-europa/oesterreich/Oesterreich.de.html View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627005158/en/ Munich Re Automation Solutions Ltd. David Bordas Marketing Manager Tel: +353 1 293 2888 dbordas@munichre.com www.munichre.com/automation-solutions We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain. Seven U.S. tech giants signed a letter of support for the European Union and its Commission in regards to a recently concluded investigation into Googles anti-competitive practices. The letter authored by the likes of Oracle Corporation, Yelp, Trip, and News Corporation was addressed to Margrethe Vestager, current European Commissioner for Competition whose department yesterday presented Google with a historic antitrust fine of 2.42 billion ($2.73 billion), thus more than doubling the previous record penalty issued on the Old Continent for monopolistic behavior. The letter itself was sent only a day before the European Commission (EC) officially announced that the Alphabet-owned company is penalized for creating an anti-competitive online environment and can be seen as an attempt to draw the attention of U.S. regulators to the issue. The likes of Getty Images, News Media Alliance, Disconnect, and the aforementioned companies all of whom have signed the latest letter to the EC have repeatedly complained about a number of Googles practices in the past and are likely to be pleased with the latest turn of events. Their address to the EC specifically accuses Google of making a conscious effort to undermine competition in the United States and foreign countries, with the authors claiming that the Mountain View, California-based Internet firm is consequently hurting innovation and job growth in every market in which it employs such tactics. The address ends on a straightforward note, explicitly stating that U.S. regulators should use the ECs penalty against Google as a guideline for how the company should be regulated in its home country. Google already went on record to defend itself against the ECs ruling, with its Senior Vice President and General Counsel Kent Walker publishing a public statement on the matter that reveals the tech giant respectfully disagrees with the verdict and will consider filing an appeal against it. Walker claimed that the firms shopping comparison service isnt monopolistic but innovative and is a result of the Internet evolving and Google changing with it, adamant to meet the growing demand for an intuitive solution that compares prices of goods sold by various e-commerce outlets. An update on the situation is expected to follow in the coming months. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) The government is planning to open Khadi outlets outside India to push products made using the indigenous handspun fabric in the global markets. The MSME Ministry is discussing the proposal with its Commerce counterpart for opening Khadi outlets in Mauritius, South Africa, Dubai and Chicago. "We have received interests from Dubai, Chicago, Mauritius and South Africa as people in these places are interested in opening Khadi outlets under the franchisee model. We are likely to take a decision in this regard in the next 3-4 months," Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena told PTI. advertisement Addressing the eighth meeting of National Khadi and Village Industries Board here, Union Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Kalraj Mishra said recently people from Mauritius and South Africa asked him to open exclusive Khadi outlets in their respective countries. "Taking this matter seriously, I have asked the senior MSME officials to discuss this issue with their counterparts in Ministry of Commerce, to make a blueprint, so that Khadi can be promoted globally," the minister said. Saxena, however, expressed concern over the low wages of artisans and weavers. "It is the biggest challenge before us that stops the young lot from taking up this vocation. Besides, the land- related issues of old Khadi institutions have been brought into consideration of ministers for their proper redressal," Saxena said. PTI RSN JM --- ENDS --- A new study out of Cardiff University in the UK suggests that various social networks like Twitter and Facebook could be extremely useful in crime detection. The paper focuses primarily disruptive events such as riots and similar incidents that can be a public safety or security concern. The aptly titled Can We Predict a Riot? Disruptive Event Detection Using Twitter was published in May 2017 and authored by Nasser Alsaedi, Pete Burnap, and Omer Rana. Using computer systems, the team concludes, disruptive or dangerous occurrences can be detected up to an hour faster than they normally would be and can sometimes provide advance warning when such events are about to take place. The study was carried out using a machine learning algorithm across five steps. That included data collection, pre-processing, classification, online clustering, and summarization. Moreover, machine learning enabled the team to derive contextual information thanks to features created from how Twitter works including time and timeframes for related tweets, as well as the context of the text itself. They applied to the detection system to tweets posted during the 2011 riots that took place in England. By partnering with the local police force and analyzing data provided by them, the team was able to show that the system performed as well as sources on the ground at the time of those riots and even better in some cases. In fact, it was able to detect problems faster than those sources in all but two of the incidences it analyzed. According to Burnap, machine learning has already been used in combination with natural language processing and Twitter data to better understand online deviance including antagonistic narratives and cyber hate. Burnap also points out that, as social media and internet-based communications become more ingrained in daily life, it is possible that systems such as the one created by the Cardiff University team will become an invaluable asset for public service officials in crime detection. Perhaps more importantly, because of the use of social media in times of crisis, the technology may become integral to how police officers and other related personnel respond to disruptive or dangerous events. In some cases, where those communications are used to plan or discuss criminal activity, a level of prevention may also be attainable. To be clear, there are still plenty of obstacles and issues to overcome or solve before such systems become commonplace. Privacy ethics is definitely a major issue that needs to be solved, for example before Twitter can report crimes that have yet to take place to authorities. In the meantime, it may be heartening that there are people conducting studies like this one with hopes to solve problems and improve how we react to problems. Facebook has officially reached two billion monthly active users, further strengthening the companys position as the largest social networking site globally. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, shared the companys milestone via his Facebook page, adding that the company is making progress connecting the world. Coincidentally, Zuckerbergs announcement came only a few days after he unveiled the companys new mission statement with the goal to bring the world closer together. Facebook launched the new mission statement at its first Community Summit in Chicago last week. Meanwhile, other social networking sites pale in comparison with Facebook. Its closest rival is YouTube, which has 1.5 billion users. Twitter, on the other hand, recently reported a monthly active users of 328 million as of April 2017. Monthly active users are the individuals who actually log in and visit Facebook via its mobile app or website every month. Also included in the stats are the people who use the Messenger app, though users who log in to Instagram or WhatsApp are not accounted for. However, not only the core Facebook app and website are growing in size in terms of user base. Nevertheless, user activity on Facebooks other apps also continues to grow. WhatsApp and Messenger, both owned by Facebook, now have more than 1.2 billion monthly active users. Messenger, in particular, eclipsed the 1.2 billion-user mark in April of this year. A major contributor to Messengers exponential growth over the last couple of months is Facebooks aggressive campaign to have the instant messaging app installed in every phone if users want to send messages through the platform. Instagram is trailing behind WhatsApp and Messenger, with more than 700 million monthly active users. Several factors also contributed to Instagrams rapid growth, including fresh features and changes as well as the companys increasing focus on emerging markets such as India. Hitting the two-billion user mark means Facebook is now connecting approximately two-thirds of the worlds population, as indicated by the International Telecommunications Unions 2016 report. More to the point, Facebook now has a wider role in helping to address some of the worlds pressing issues. Along with its expanding platform is the companys increasing duty in moderating sensitive content, vetting the accuracy of information shared via its platform, and other ethical issues. Former Alphabet executives and employees are skeptical about the companys Other Bets, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing interviews with dozens of ex-Googlers and other people who have previously worked at some of Alphabets divisions. The Mountain View, California-based tech giant reorganized itself and adopted a holding company structure in 2015 in an effort to separate its flagship Internet search and advertising business from its growing but still extremely risking ventures that were all categorized under the aforementioned term. Those secondary operations that include the likes of Nest and Verily have lost $855 million in total in the first quarter of this year alone, in addition to accumulating $3.6 billion in losses over the course of 2016, Alphabets recent financial reports have revealed. The tech giants ventures unrelated to Google are now seemingly being downsized, with the company recently agreeing to sell its robotics subsidiary Boston Dynamics to Japanese SoftBank and essentially halting the expansion of Google Fiber. Alphabets Nest was also close to being sold last year, people familiar with the matter said, without disclosing what made the deal fall through. Industry insiders claim that this business strategy shift that saw the firm do its best to limit its riskier ventures was primarily led by Alphabets current Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat who also played a large part in the companys 2015 restructuring. The current corporate structure sees chiefs of the tech giants Other Bets meet with its Board of Directors approximately once per quarter, which is when they discuss general plans and funding, though theyre still given a high degree of autonomy, former employees said. This setup is meant to allow for innovation and prevent the company from stagnating while still providing it with some control over its subsidiaries, though its currently unclear whether that approach is working, with Other Bets still losing money at a worrying pace and management priorities continuing to shift. Two ex-employees of Nest claimed that the firm that Alphabet was reportedly on the brink of selling last year was promised significant funding when it was acquired in 2014 but ended up being pressured to put a focus on revenue following its parents restructuring. While it remains to be seen whether Alphabets relatively new corporate model ends up yielding significant success outside of Googles realm, more details on the matter will likely be available in the coming months. Googles historic antitrust fine issued by the European Commission may result in losses that will dwarf 2.42 billion ($2.73 billion) that the Alphabet-owned company was ordered to pay on Tuesday, some experts believe. Matti Littunen of London-based market research firm Enders Analysis claims that the sole fact Google will now be closely monitored by competition regulators on the Old Continent could significantly limit the companys strategic options, possibly affecting its expansion plans and other related endeavors. The ruling that was celebrated by competitors of the Mountain View, California-based Internet giant mandates the company to start treating rivaling shopping price comparison services as being equal to its proprietary solution but doesnt clarify on the matter, which some industry watchers believe poses a major problem for the firm going forward. Littunen and independent financial analyst Richard Windsor suggested that Google may be hit with a similar ruling in the Android antitrust case thats currently also being investigated by the European Commission. The AdSense probe is somewhat different, with both analysts opinioning that the firm may have an easier time complying with a potentially unfavorable ruling. Regardless, its currently unclear how exactly is Google planning to treat competing shopping services in an equal manner seeing how its own solution is currently so heavily integrated into its Internet search engine, but the company was now ordered to detailed its plans to do so within 60 days and implement them within three months or face further penalties. The Android investigation could potentially be even more convoluted, with Googles mobile software suite being seen as an essential part of the Android experience by many consumers, yet theres a realistic chance that the EC orders the company to stop requiring original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to pre-load its apps on their devices running the Android operating system, some industry watchers believe. Google General Counsel Kent Walker previously said that the company opposes the ECs ruling, adding that its in-house shopping comparison service seeks to fulfill a known demand from consumers looking for a straightforward solution for comparing prices of online goods directly within Google Search. While Walker said that Google will consider appealing the verdict, it remains to be seen whether the firm ultimately opts for that approach in the coming weeks. Honor introduced the European model of the Honor 9 yesterday, during the event in Berlin, and it seems like this phone will not arrive in the US anytime soon. Eva Wimmers, VP of Honor EU/Global, spoke to Android Central, and said that the company currently has no plans to launch the Honor 9 in the US. She did not, however, say that the phone will not arrive to the States at some point, so theres still hope, as its predecessor, the Honor 8, was and still is available in the US. Now, this does come as quite a surprise, considering that Honor even hosted an event in San Francisco last year in order to announce the Honor 8. Truth be told, the phone arrived to the US in August, so theres still a chance that Honor might announce the Honor 9 for the US market in a month or two. Honor did not release sales number for the Honor 8 in the US, so its possible that the sales were not as good as expected, and that could influence Honors decision when it comes to releasing the Honor 9 in the US. The Honor 8, however, did sell in quite a few copies on a global scale, and it seems like it was especially interesting to Asian and European consumers. All in all, dont lose hope if you were planning to get the Honor 9 in the US, theres still a chance Honor might launch it, but youll have to be very patient, and that launch wont occur as soon as some of you might have expected. Now, the Honor 9 is a direct successor to the Honor 8, and it actually looks quite similar to it as well, even though it comes with a front-facing fingerprint scanner, unlike the Honor 8. Now, the back side of the Honor 9 is curved, which was not the case with the Honor 8, and thats yet another differentiating factor between these two phones. The Honor 9 is actually quite compact, it comes with a 5.15-inch fullHD display, 4GB / 6GB of RAM and 64GB / 128GB of native storage. The device is fueled by the Kirin 960 64-bit octa-core SoC, and it packs in a 3,200mAh battery on the inside. There are two cameras included on the back of the Honor 9, and the device ships with Android 7.0 Nougat, with Huaweis Emotion UI (EMUI) 5.1 skin on top of it. Advertisement The Honor 9 Arrival Notice LeEco has been in the news a lot lately for its lack of funds, with plenty of news coming out that the company hasnt been able to pay its partners and now it appears that the cash crunch is far worse than expected according to the companys CEO and Chairman Jia Yueting. LeEco expanded at an unprecedented rate (not just for LeEco but for any company period). It launched a few smartphones and other products in the US last fall, and immediately after doing so, it began running into financial trouble. Despite raising quite a bit of cash last year and this year, it still isnt enough to save the company, or get them out of the cash crunch. In 2017, LeEco had gotten a Chinese property developer, Sunac to agree to invest 15 billion yuan into the company, which included 9 billion yuan into the companys non-listed entities. Yueting stated that he thought the 9 billion yuan into their non-listed units would be enough, but the result obviously did not meet our expectations. Yueting continued by stating that since October, we took some measures and made some mistakes, but LeEcos non-listed units finances got tighter. This was all stated at the companys annual shareholder meeting, for the groups main listed unit, which is Leshi Internet Information & Technology Corp. LeEco had big dreams and ambitions. A company that was once thought of as the Netflix of China, had wanted to beat Elon Musk and Tesla in the premium electric car race. But it also wanted to build better hardware which included smartphones, TVs and more. Basically it was building products for customers to use to watch its content through its streaming service. But it appears that LeEco had its hands in too many areas to early. LeEco is planning to further consolidate its non-listed units in the near future, which should help it get back on track, but its hard to say at this point. It has already laid off a good number of its US employees, after pulling out of its deal with American-TV manufacturer, VIZIO. And it has shifted its focus in the US to those Chinese-speaking households in the country. Qualcomms FTC lawsuit dismissal has been denied today by the Judge presiding over the case, which is Judge Lucy Koh. Though this particular case has been ongoing for months, the motion for dismissal of the lawsuit has only been presented by Qualcomm since the beginning of April. The decision to deny Qualcomms motion for dismissal of the FTC lawsuit may not have been a complete surprise. Qualcomm has been embroiled in a battle against the Federal Trade Commission since the middle of January when it officially charged Qualcomm with a lawsuit stating that the chip manufacturer had been engaging in anti-competitive practices. A denial of the motion for dismissal of the FTCs lawsuit means that Qualcomms case will have to continue, but its also reported that a vote to withdraw the case may have a chance at being presented by Maureen Ohlhausen who is currently the acting chair of the Federal Trade Commission. For now there is no certainty on how the case between Qualcomm and the FTC will turn out, but it isnt likely to be resolved anytime in the immediate future. Now that the case must continue to move forward its entirely possible that Qualcomm could end up losing the case and have to pay a fine deemed appropriate in relation to the outcome should it actually lose. If that happens it wouldnt be the first time that Qualcomm has had to pay out a fine in regards to anti-competitive practices as its already paid a rather large sum to the Korea Federal Trade Commission last year in the amount of $854 million. If Qualcomm has to pay a fine in this ongoing case against the FTC its unknown exactly how much the fine could end up being, though it most certainly wouldnt be a small amount by any means. If Qualcomm loses this case it would also mark the third time it has had to pay a fine over these particular measures, as it also paid a fine to China in the amount of $954 million. With that being said, the fine from the FTC could end up being somewhere in the same range. Google has today announced that Google News is currently undergoing a transformation. While the functionality largely remains the same, the design and the layout of Google News is being drastically improved to offer a cleaner, more modern, more informative, and easier to read layout. Google notes that the new Google News is starting to roll out today, and will take a few days to go live for everyone. As for the design changes, there are a number of them in place. The main and consistent change though, is the general improvement to the sites readability. While the current (now old) version of Google News has not changed much over time, the new version boasts a design which makes use of a card layout. Resulting in news stories being more clearly defined, easier to identify, and like-minded stories easier to find. This design isnt only about looks though, as it also includes navigational improvements. Firstly, clicking through stories and returning to the general feed will now return the reader to the last place they were at. Likewise, if an article contains a video, the video link will now be more visible so the user can click straight to the video, while the actual media player is also said to have been improved. In addition, the tabs on the left have become more prominent so users can more easily jump between topics and categories. Speaking of which, the top of the Google News feed now include three dedicated tab pages, Headlines, Local, and For You. An aspect which highlights another one of the main improvements to Google News, its ability to be customized. While you could customize it before, the new design make it much easier to do so, and then jump from news that is more for everyone, to news that matches your specific interests, or where you are located. Of course, a redesigned Google News would not be a modern one if it did not offer additional ways to combat so-called Fake News. On that note, the new look Google News will not just highlight like-stories together, but will actively highlight articles that offer a different perspective on the same news. Ensuring that readers are exposed to a well-rounded understanding of an issue. In addition, the right hand side of the Headlines tab will now show a dedicated Fact Check box. Here, articles that have been recognized as fact checked will show up. Although, Google does note that the fact checking box will only be available to readers in the US, for now. Samsungs Bixby Voice feature looks set to be delayed even further, and likely due to language learning issues, according to a new report out of The Investor. The report credits an industry source for the information, who in turn stated that linguistic capabilities were too unsatisfactory at present. Specifically noting that Bixby Voice is currently not to a comparable level to the other artificial intelligence assistants that are already available with Amazons Alexa and Apples Siri directly referenced by the industry source. The issue here is not that Bixby Voice does not understand language, but seemingly, Samsung is having trouble getting the system to work with any language other than Korean. The functionality is understood to be working fine for Korean-speaking/listening users, but most notably, English and Chinese languages are proving to be problematic. A result not of the technology as such, but more of a lack of resources needed to bring the functionality to non-Korean speaking users. In short, it seems there are a lack of foreign language specialists currently working on Bixby Voice. While the report does look to confirm the delay of the rolling out of Bixby Voice in the US and China, the report does not provide any firm details on when it will actually become available, or how long it will be delayed for. So at present, there are no firm details on when Bixby Voice will be switched on in other regions. For background, Bixby Voice had originally been expected to arrive in markets (including the US) by the end of Spring essentially, by now. However, by the end of May, the first reports had already started to come through suggesting that language difficulties were proving to be an issue. The point which is being echoed in this latest report. Interestingly, since then however, Samsung has opened up an Early Access program to offer some Bixby-enabled device owners the opportunity to be the first to use a US speaking and working Bixby. Although as to be expected, this is only a beta version of the service, and not one that is rolling out or even readily available to owners of the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8 Plus. Two new BlackBerry smartphones are in the works and are codenamed Juno and Krypton, one industry insider said on Tuesday. No further details have been provided by the source, though its likely that the upcoming devices are made by TCL Communication, a Huizhou, China-based original design manufacturer (ODM) that recently acquired a license to make and sell BlackBerry-branded handsets. While the Canadian tech giant isnt exclusively licensing its brand to the Chinese company having recently started collaborating with BB Merah Putih in Indonesia the codenames of the upcoming devices are similar to TCLs recent naming practices; e.g. the BlackBerry KEYone was reportedly referred to as Mercury within the firms ranks. On the other hand, the aforementioned Indonesian company recently launched the BlackBerry Aurora, so the sole fact that the upcoming devices are (code)named after celestial bodies doesnt necessarily confirm that theyre being handled by TCL. The Waterloo, Canada-based tech company had a dramatical product strategy shift in recent months which was prompted by years of disappointing financial performance caused by its struggling smartphone unit. BlackBerry wasnt quick to adopt the Android operating system like many other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) were and ended up pouring massive resources into its own BlackBerry OS and its ecosystem, which ended up being a decision that didnt resonate with consumers. That state of affairs led the firm to accumulate significant losses in recent times and prompted it to ultimately abandon any in-house hardware ambitions even after eventually switching to Android. Despite the fact that BlackBerry isnt making first-party smartphones any longer, the company is still involved with their development to a degree, especially in terms of design and software. Its hence likely to contribute to the creation of Juno and Krypton, whatever those two devices ultimately end up being. With the KEYone having just hit the market last month, its unlikely that another BlackBerry-branded device with a physical QWERTY keyboard will be released anytime soon, though that isnt to say theres no chance of consumers being surprised; after all, many fans of the brand have been calling for an Android-powered revision of the BlackBerry Passport for over three years now and TCL or another ODM might finally decide to listen. By Press Trust of India: Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 28 (PTI) Senior IPS officer Loknath Behera will become Kerala Police chief again after a gap of nearly two months as he was today named by the LDF government to succeed T P Senkumar, who is retiring on June 30. Senkumar had replaced Behera on May 6 as Director General of Police (Law and Order) after a successful 11-month-long legal battle in the Supreme Court against the LDF government which had unceremoniously removed him from the post soon after coming to power last year. advertisement The apex court had held that Senkumar was transferred by the LDF government "unfairly" and "arbitrarily" and ordered his reinstatement. A state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today decided to re-appoint Behera, now serving as the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director, as the DGP (law and Order). The appointment is based on the recommendations of a three-member panel, headed by Chief Secretary Nalini Netto and comprising Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Law Secretary, the Chief Ministers Office said in a statement. Taking to reporters here, Behera, a 1985 batch IPS officer, said he was grateful to the government for the posting and would try to fulfil his responsibilities. PTI LGK JRK VS DV --- ENDS --- Samsung has officially launched its own image sensor brand, the ISOCELL. This latest move by the South Korean electronics firm shows the companys intention to better compete in the imaging industry, which is currently dominated by the Japanese tech giant Sony. While the ISOCELL name has long been used to identify Samsung-made image sensors, it previously only talked about technology built within each image sensor. ISOCELL technology refers to the presence of physical barriers between pixels, which reduce the electric crosstalk of signals between the sensor components. Reduced crosstalk provided by the ISOCELL sensors results in improved color accuracy and image sharpness, fixing some of the common concerns of smartphone cameras with really minute sensors. Possibly in an effort to emphasize its key strength and defining features, Samsung adopted the name of its technology to its entire image sensor lineup. Users may already have an idea of the image quality they could get from these sensors since it has appeared in some of the flagship devices released by Samsung. The South Korean manufacturer divided its ISOCELL lineup into four sub-brands, each targeting its own market. First sub-brand is the ISOCELL Bright, which focuses on providing color accurate and noise-less images, especially in low-light situations. ISOCELL Fast, on the other hand, offers faster autofocus on both still and moving objects whatever the lighting condition might be. ISOCELL Slim is targeted to the manufacturers that try to cram as many components as possible in increasingly thinner builds. However, the key disadvantage of the ISOCELL Slim sensors is its small pixels, which could mean that the device may not be able to produce excellent images in dark environments. The last sub-brand, the ISOCELL Dual, is targeted towards manufacturers who incorporate dual-camera setups to their devices. The sub-brands selling point is its flexibility in terms of designs and combination. Given how much money Sony makes from its image sensors, it is quite natural that Samsung will be interested in cornering a share of the image sensor market. The demand for smartphone image sensors is expected to grow, as device manufacturers continue to incorporate dual-camera setups and high-resolution front-facing camera into their smartphones. Samsungs new Chromebook Pro and Chromebook Plus look great on the outside, and after torture testing the Chromebook Plus for a bit, a faculty member at Riverdale Country School opened up both models to show that the insides look pretty good as well. The two are very much alike, with a number of small differences on the surface. While the Chromebook Pro is designed with efficient cooling for the powerful x86 processor in mind, the Chromebook Plus favors a more compact and stout design. This can be seen most prominently in the heat sinks directly above the two Chromebooks large batteries, as well as how the two circuit boards inside of them are secured and linked. Both Chromebooks feature left and right boards, with the right being the mainboard. On those mainboards, youll find a few ribbon cables, but mostly everything is concealed beneath the heat sinks. Sadly, the video does not go under the heat sinks. The Chromebook Pro is the one on the left, and its not terribly hard to tell; the heat sink takes up a larger surface area. Its only natural, of course, that an x86 system would have a bigger main space and more cooling than an ARM based system. The Chromebook Pro uses an Intel Core M processor, while the Chromebook Plus uses one of Samsungs own Exynos processors. It is quite likely that the similarities between the two systems end underneath those heat sinks. Another thing thats pretty likely is that the Chromebook Pro would handle the torture test that the person behind the video put the Chromebook Plus through a bit differently because of its different build. The educator not only gave the Chromebook Plus a drop test in multiple configurations and from multiple angles, but torture tested it by walking on the closed lid, taking care to dig his heel into the center of the upper enclosure for the screen. The Chromebook Plus passed with flying colors; the screen survived, and the user-facing parts of the chassis suffered almost no damage. There was minimal chipping and scuffing elsewhere. While the Samsung Chromebook Plus is not marketed as being rugged, it can certainly take a beating, and it owes at least part of that to the clever internal arrangement shown in this video. No such testing was conducted on the Samsung Chromebook Pro, but similar performance could likely be expected when it comes to outer damage. Inner components acting up due to damaged or loosened connections, however, may be a different story. Sony has released the software binaries of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. By releasing the software binaries, it allows developers to produce and flash ROMs specific for the handset. One of the potential ROMs that could be released by enthusiasts for the handset is an AOSP ROM based on Android 7.0 Nougat, which could give the purest Android experience to the owners of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. However, Sony reminds enthusiasts that the released software might still be unstable, and therefore, should preferably be handled by more experienced or knowledgeable developers. It might also be beneficial to download the latest AOSP upstream patches before finishing the build, which could help in the stability of the software and the ROM. The release of software binaries by the Japanese electronics giant is part of its initiative called the Open Devices Program. In this program, Sony provides not only the software binaries to ROM developers but also detailed instructions on how to build ROMs for its devices. The company also provides tools and kernel compilation guides that could be utilized by interested developers. Aside from the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Sony has also released the binaries for devices like the Sony Xperia XZs, the Sony Xperia XZ, and many other devices. This program benefits not only the developers but also the manufacturer itself, since Sony may monitor the features and tweaks developed by enthusiasts. These tweaks could then be included in the newer versions of Sonys own ROM for its devices. For those who want to purchase the device for later tinkering, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium is available for $799. For the price, users will get a 4K display, which is a defining feature of the device and still a rarity among smartphones. To power the pixel-packed display, the phone is equipped with a Snapdragon 835 chipset, the latest flagship SoC offering from Qualcomm. Aside from the display, another defining feature of the device is its 19-megapixel rear camera capable of recording 960fps slow motion video at 1080p resolution. Other important features of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium include its support for high-res audio, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal flash storage. Xiaomi is planning to expand its presence in Taiwan by opening five physical stores in the country during the second half of 2017. Taiwanese newspaper Economic Daily News (EDN) reported that the news regarding Xiaomis expansion was confirmed by Henman Lee, the president of Xiaomi Taiwan. According to Lee, Xiaomi has been selling its products in Taiwan for over three years, and throughout that period, it has sold over eight million devices to local consumers. Products from Xiaomis portfolio which are sold in Taiwan include power banks, portable speakers, earphones, Wi-Fi routers, and even LED lamps. The firm will be opening its first store in Taichung, Central Taiwan, while the second one will be based in Hsinchu, Northern Taiwan, both of which will be opened this September, according to recent reports. The third physical store will be opened in Tainan, Southern Taiwan in October, while no details on the remaining two have been yet been given by neither Xiaomi or industry insiders. One of the Chinese manufacturers latest products, the mid-range Redmi Note 4X has been especially popular in Taiwan, having sold over 45,000 units in April and May. On top of that, Xiaomi has plans to sell more devices in the Far Eastern country and will be bringing the Mi 6 and Mi Max 2 to the market next month. The Mi Max 2 will be made available for purchase on July 1 for NT$7,499 ($246), while the Mi 6 is scheduled to be released in mid-July for NT$12,699 ($417). Xiaomi first made headlines when it introduced the Mi 3 back in 2014. The Mi 3 was a handset that packed premium specs and sold at an affordable price, offering high value for money. While the company quickly established itself in Asia as an affordable maker of consumer electronics and managed to sell tens of millions of smartphones through its online stores, its sales have dropped over the past year in a significant manner, largely due to strong competition from other Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo, all of which have a strong online and offline presence in their home countries. Xiaomi is now trying to expand its reach and gain market share by opening physical stores throughout Asia, with the company reportedly being set to open 1,000 stores in China alone by 2020. Xiaomi has just introduced three new products which have become a part of the companys Mi Ecosystem. The company has announced the Ninebot Mini Plus, the Mi Laser Projector and the Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush. For those of you who do not know, the Mi Ecosystem platform is actually a name for the companys IoT platform, basically all Xiaomi-branded products, and products from Xiaomi-owned companies which belong to the IoT sector, are a part of the Mi Ecosystem platform. Having said that, lets talk about the products Xiaomi introduced today, shall we. Lets kick things off with the Ninebot Mini Plus, shall we. This Segway-like transportation device is a successor to the Ninebot Mini which was launched in October 2015, and it is made for the Chinese market. Its predecessor crossed the 700,000 units sales mark, so the company has decided to make a new, better version of the Ninebot Mini. The Ninebot Mini Plus comes with a strengthened magnesium alloy chassis, which should make the product more durable, as you can now load it up with up to 100kg. Xiaomi says that youll be able to travel 35km on a single charge, which is quite interesting. The Ninebot Mini Plus also comes with a remote control, using which you can control the movement of the device without a smartphone, and if you prefer, you can connect it to an app on your phone and control it that way. This device also comes with an optional Mi Ninebot Plus Camera which can be attached to the Ninebot Mini Plus. The Mi Laser Projector is well, a projector. This device has been in development for over two years, says Xiaomi, and it features ALPD 3.0 laser light source technology which is developed by a company called Appotronics. In addition to that, Texas Instruments developed a custom DLP solution for this device. Xiaomi says that the Mi Laser Projector is the worlds first truly cinema-level laser projector TV. This product comes with a high-quality speaker system, and has the Mi TV interface. And last, but not least, the Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush. This is the first Xiaomi-branded product which fits in the personal healthcare space, and it comes with an ultrasonic technology, this device can vibrate up to 31,000 times in a single minute, which is supposed to insure proper cleaning of your teeth. The Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush comes with a 700mAh battery on the inside, and it can last up to 18 days on a single charge, claims the company. Advertisement The Ninebot Mini Plus will become available for 3,499 Yuan ($515) on July 11 in China, while the Mi Ultrasonic Toothbrush will cost 199 Yuan ($29), and go on sale starting on July 18. Both of those devices will be available both online and offline in China. The Mi Laser Projector is priced at 9,999 Yuan ($1,471), and will become available on July 4 via crowdfunding on Xiaomis apps. Kerala's Left government appointed Lokanath Behera as state Police Chief again. 1985 batch IPS officer who is currently posted as Vigilance Director will replace TP. Senkumar who retires on June 30. By Jeemon Jacob: Kerala's Left government appointed Lokanath Behera as the state police chief again. 1985 batch IPS officer who is currently posted as Vigilance Director will replace TP. Senkumar who retires on June 30. The Pinarayi government removed Senkumar from the post of Police Chief and posted Behera as Chief on 2016 May 29. But government was forced to appoint him as state Police Chief after Senkumar got a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court. advertisement Cabinet meeting held in state Secretariat approved the recommendations of appointment's Committee headed by Chief Secretary Nalini Netto. The committee suggested Behera for the appointment as Police Chief and put his batch-mates Dr. Jacob Thomas and Rishi Raj in the panel. Earlier CPI(M) state leadership also agreed Lokanth Behera for the appointment. "There was not much discussion in the cabinet. He was appointed by merits," a senior Minister told India Today. But government has not appointed Vigilance Director to replace Behera. Behera thanked government for the re-appointment. "I'm not bothered about the controversies. I will continue work in the same mode. My area of focus would be investigation of crimes," designated Kerala police Chief Behera told India Today. When Behera returns to police Headquarters after a break of 56 days, the government is more relieved. Though Dr. Jacob Thomas who is currently posted as Director in Institute of Management in Government is senior to Behera, government didn't favour him after he triggered a controversy by publishing his service story named Swimming with sharks. ALSO READ: Kerala: CM Pinarayi Vijayan loses battle against ex-DGP TP Senkumar as Supreme Court orders to reinstate him Kerala Police U-turn: Never arrested activists Kamal Chavara, Nadir says chief Loknath Behera ALSO WATCH: Kerala Police identifies prime suspect in Jisha rape case --- ENDS --- SUV The goal of the effort is no less than thelap record, as Alfa Romeo announced back in November last year, when the 510 hp incarnation of the crossover came to the world.Oh, and since we're talking about Alfa Romeo here, don't expect the test drivers involved in the matter to be set back by the capricious Ring weather.For one thing, when the infamous German track was hit by the rain, the drivers took advantage of the situation by sliding the hell out of the SUV.Judging by the relentless assault on the Nurburgring production car record, it's amazing how peaceful things are in the SUV arena. To be more precise, we haven't heard of any new effort on the matter ever since Porsche introduced the Cayenne Turbo S back in January 2015.The Zuffenhausen crossover managed to lap the Nordschleife in 7:59.74, beating the previous holder of the record, namely the Range Rover SVR, by a whopping 14 seconds.Interestingly, the SUV Nurburgring record marks the second contemporary battle between Alfa Romeo and Porsche. As for the first, this has to do with the Panamera Turbo losing the sedan crown to the 8-speed automatic incarnation of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Q, which, by the way, shares its platform (up to a point) and its powertrain with the Stelvio Q.The four-door record is now in Alfa's hands, but that's only because the new Panamera range topper, namely the monstrous 680 hp Turbo S E-Hybrid, hasn't delivered a Ring time yet.And once the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio inevitably hits its target, all we have to do is wait for the introduction of the almost-baked, third-generation Porsche Cayenne to see the new Turbo S E-Hybrid bringing the accolade back to Germany. SUV As part of the updates introduced for the 2018 model year, Durango R/T models gain the hood and front fascia from the SRT completely as standard. Of course, the aggressive-looking hood features a functional air inlet duct and heat extractors, whereas the lower valence is complemented by a cold-air duct system to keep things nice and cool. The Durango GT trim, meanwhile, has a few appearance-related tricks up its sleeve as well.When equipped with the Blacktop or the Brass Monkey package, the performance hood from the SRT becomes available as an optional extra. Also new for 2018 is a standard power liftgate, as well as optional suede or Capri leather seats. If I may turn the focus back on the R/T, this particular variant of the Durano is now available in the classically correct B5 Blue exterior color.The 2018 Durango further boasts a reversing camera, sport steering wheel, T-shifter with Auto Stick selector gate, and an available hand-wrapped instrument panel with accent stitching. And despite its age, Dodges full-sizecontinues to feature best-in-class towing capacity and driving range.Performance is more than stats, at Dodge performance is an attitude that permeates through everything we do, said Dodge head Tim Kuniskis. And new for 2018, Durango buyers can get SRT attitude with every Durango powertrain from the 295 horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 to the 360 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V8 to the new 475 horsepower 6.4-liter SRT strengthening the brands promise to deliver performance vehicles with world-class power, technology and standout styling our customers have come to expect. A deHavilland Mosquito T Mk III, which was restored and test-flown in New Zealand, flew for the first time in the U.S. last Friday in at Paine Field, in Everett, Washington. The Mosquito now is based at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum, where it received a fresh coat of paint on arrival, plus a full suite of 20mm cannon and .303 machine guns. The first flight lasted 18 minutes, but all went well, according to a report in Warbirds News. It was an awesome day having the Mosquito and the Corsair flying together for the first time here at the museum, said Cory Graff, military aviation curator at the museum. The Mosquito is a great addition to our Hurricane and Spitfire.The pilot for the first U.S. flight was Steve Hinton, well-known air racer and president of the Planes of Fame Air Museum. The Flying Heritage museum opened in 2008 as Paul Allens Flying Heritage Collection. It was rebranded with the new name in March. At the time, the museum said it would expand its offerings and build a third hangar, to create a total 80,000 square feet of exhibit space. Flying Heritagesays more than 40 artifacts are due to be introduced this year, turning it into the largest operational military vehicle and warbird collection on the West Coast. All of the aircraft are kept in flying condition. Illinois hasn't paid its bills in two years and it's now facing a $14.6 billion (and counting) debt that is directly affecting the state's hospitals, schools, and state employees. The state's partisan politics have made it impossible to settle on spending issues and term limits, ultimately leaving Illinois without a proper budget these past two years. The Democratic comptroller predicts the state will owe at least $16 billion in unpaid bills, per WSJ, and on top of that, Illinois hasn't paid its state utility bills to Springfield yet. Why it matters: Illinois' financial situation is quickly becoming one of the worst in the nation. Moody's Investors Service estimated that the state has an estimated $250 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, per WSJ, on top of its other issues. Furthermore, the state's rating could be lowered to junk "as early as this week," the Journal notes. The numbers: By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Jun 28 (PTI) Leading basmati rice firm LT Foods today said it has commenced operations of its first rice processing plant at Rotterdam, Netherlands. The company, which sells basmati rice under Daawat brand, has invested USD 15 million in the plant with an initial capacity of 60,000 tonnes. LT Foods plans to expand its geographical footprint in important markets of Europe and UK through this plant by increasing its sales from the current 5,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes over the next three years, it said in a statement. advertisement "Europe and UK are critical markets for LT Foods for our future growth and we intend to make deep inroads in these markets by making our most popular rice brand Daawat a household name," LT Foods CEO and Managing Director Ashwani Arora said. "The location of the plant was also critical for us as Rotterdam will provide us easy access to whole of Europe and UK. We want to exponentially increase our geographical reach and product portfolio in these markets by offering our food products," Arora said. The new plant would be manufacturing a wide range of rice, including popular varieties like Basmati, Thai, Jasmine and American rice. LT Foods has collaborated with Rotterdam Partners, The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, for the initiative. The company has already launched Daawat brand in six countries in 2017 and plans to expand its product offerings and portfolio globally. "This would be our first plant in Europe and we are very excited about the opportunity. The plant would generate new job opportunities in the country and help us expand our geographical footprint across Europe and UK," LT Foods Chairman and Managing Director Vijay Kumar Arora said. PTI DS GK --- ENDS --- Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has retroactively filed forms with the Department of Justice disclosing his work as a foreign agent for a Ukrainian political party, per The Washington Post. Manafort's consulting firm disclosed that it had received $17.1 million between 2012 and 2014 for its work for the Party of Regions, then led by exiled, pro-Russia former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Why it matters: Manafort didn't break any laws by filing his disclosure form retroactively that would require clear intent, and his spokesman told the Post that the form's preparation started last September but Manafort's work for foreign clients is already under scrutiny amid the ongoing Russia investigations. Haykakan Zhamanak quotes Artak Shaboyan, the head of Armenias State Commission on the Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC), as claiming that there are currently no obstacles to engaging in business activities that have long been effectively monopolized by some wealthy entrepreneurs. Anyone can import anything they want, Shaboyan said on Tuesday. He insisted, in particular, that there are now many companies importing sugar to the country. The paper disputes that claim, saying that sugar has become more expensive in Armenia of late despite a drop in international sugar prices. Aravot is critical of the Yerevan municipalitys plans to erect a statue of Aram Manukian, one of the founders of a short-lived independent Armenian republic in 1918-1920, in the citys central Republic Square. The paper says that Armenia does not need a new idol to replace a statue of Vladimir Lenin that stood in the same location until 1991. Of course, none of the existing statues should be torn down or dismantled, but one has to be very cautious about creating new ones, it says in an editorial. We must not rush put the statue of any mortal in Republic Square. Let a state mentality take root within our society. Only in that case should the society decide what kind of a symbol it needs. Hraparak reports that the Armenian parliaments Audit Chamber has accused the Ministry of the Diaspora of wasting last year public funds on the publication of books that were never distributed to readers. Why are those books printed if they do not serve their purpose? the paper asks Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobian. Since the book [in question] is very heavy we cannot send it by post, she replies. When people come by, we give copies to them. (Hovannes Movsisian) 28 June 2017 12:13 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Armenian armed forces have once again opened fire at Azerbaijani civilians living in the frontline settlements. The shelling resulted in burning of a construction facility and hundreds of haystacks of villager. The Armenian militaries fired frontline Azerbaijani villages, including Orta Garvand village of the Agdam region in the afternoon of June 27. The fire caused serious damage to the household of villager Vilayat Hasanov as his construction facility and 480 haystacks was burned to the ground. Firefighters extinguished the fire and prevented its spread. Preliminary calculations indicate that damage worth $1,765 was caused to Hasanovs household. By committing such provocations, the Armenian side deliberately seeks to cause harm to Azerbaijani people by making life at the border difficult and risky for them. Villages in Agdam, Fizuli, Jabrayil, Tartar and other Azerbaijani regions frequently face such destructive acts by Armenian soldiers. Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 146 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. The aggressors were using large-caliber machine guns and grenade launchers. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, 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. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 15:49 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Russias Red Wings Airlines has obtained the permission to carry out flights to Azerbaijan, says a protocol posted on the website of Russias Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia). According to the protocol, Red Wings Airlines obtained the permission to carry out flights on the routes Voronezh-Baku, Krasnoyarsk-Baku and Ufa-Baku twice a week each. Red Wings Airlines is an air carrier based in Moscow. The company provides both scheduled passenger and cargo charter services. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 10:29 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Saint-Petersburg hosts an exhibition of Azerbaijani artists and sculptures. The event entitled "Born by Absheron wind" takes place in Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art, the largest Russian museum of contemporary art with over 2300 works by more than 170 artists, Trend Life reported. Art historian, curator of the exhibition, Maria Filatova, talking to a journalist of the inter-parliamentary group of friendship between Russia and Azerbaijan, spoke about the popularity of Absheron school of art. No doubt, Azerbaijan is a country that combines spiritual values of the East and West, occupies an important place in the historical and cultural heritage of Eurasia. Since ancient times, Absheron has formed a unique culture, embodied in the characters of people, their traditions, music and dance, literature, architecture and decorative art. With its bright coloration, Absheron gave rise to the many fine artists whose work is so original, that it is sometimes difficult to classify it to any particular direction. The art of the Azerbaijani masters of the 1960s-1980s years a phenomenon unique in wholeness and multicultural in its origins", she said. "Highly emotional and vivid works of Javad Mirjavadov, Rasim Babayev, Togrul Narimanbayov, subtle impressionistic canvases of Sattar Bahlulzade, amazing sculptures of Fazil Najafov and other artists ' work exhibited in many all-union exhibitions during the Soviet times. Now we can say that we rediscovered this art for the Russian audience," she added. The art historian further stressed that the choice of the works was very difficult as talented artists have created many beautiful works. Most of the works, including paintings by Javad Mirjavadov, Rasim Babayev Tofig Javadov (including his huge painting "Oil industry"), Ashraf Murad and monumental sculpture by Fazil Najafov were brought from Baku. Filatova also spoke about cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Russia, stressing that the two states have strong historical and cultural ties. "Azerbaijan regularly holds summits, forums and conferences with participation of experts from around the world, including Russia. Mutual dialogue, trust and constant interest to each other gives rise to new ways of cooperation, leads to the creation of great joint projects and fills the world with new colors, she concluded. -- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 12:32 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Presentation of the first Azerbaijani-Chinese dictionary took place in Beijing on June 27. The author of the dictionary is Rashad Karimov, Yu Libin was the editor of Chinese part. Rashad Karimov was born in Azerbaijan, and was educated in China. He graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University. As Karimov himself said, he spent roughly 17 years to write the dictionary. At the event, Charge d'Affaires at the Azerbaijani Embassy Matin Mirzaev , and Shahmar Hajiyev, vice president of the Public Union of Azerbaijani-Chinese Cooperation delivered a speech, Report.az reported. In his speech, Matin Mirzaev noted that this is not the first book by authorship of Rashid Karimov, which was presented in Beijing. Last year, the book "The Way of Development of Azerbaijan" was published, which was received with interest in Chinese literary circles. Through his works, Rashad Karimov opens Azerbaijan for the Chinese public, exactly as for the inhabitants of Azerbaijan - China, thus contributing to the strengthening of bilateral relations. Further, Rashad Karimov was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Beijing Language and Culture University, the highest university title. At the end of the meeting, the Agreement on Strategic Cooperation between the International Cultural Union of Azerbaijan and China was signed. China is a huge opportunity and a priority market for Azerbaijan. More than 50 agreements were signed between the two countries so far. Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) has recently opened a representative office in China to support and encourage relations between the two countries businessmen, as well as expand Azerbaijani goods export to the Chinese market and attract China's leading investment funds to the Azerbaijan economy. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 10:41 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Poland supports settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and on the basis of four resolutions of the UN Security Council. Polish President Andrzej Duda said this at the expanded meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, held with the participation of delegations of the two countries in Warsaw on June 27. Duda further stressed that the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Poland will become an impulse for the beginning of a new stage in the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Poland. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with 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. While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years. Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 11:52 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The Azerbaijani Embassy in Bucharest hosted an official reception on June 27 dedicated to May 28 -the Republic Day and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Romania and Azerbaijan. The event was attended by over 500 guests, including representatives of the Presidential Administration of Romania, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries, representatives of political parties, journalists and Azerbaijanis living and studying in Romania. Azerbaijans Ambassador to Romania Farid Abdinbayov touched upon the history of the creation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the development achieved in a short period of time and about the reforms carried out in the political, economic and cultural spheres, as well as in the sphere of democratic state building. He underlined the successful development of the strategic partnership between the two countries and thanked Romania for its continued support at the international level. In turn, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania Alexander Mikula noted the importance of visits for the development of bilateral relations. Touching upon the activities of SOCAR in Romania, he noted that bilateral economic relations are gradually developing. Mikula stressed the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's charitable actions in relation to Romania in 2007-2016, further adding that this contributed to the creation of warm relations between the two countries. Romania officially recognized Azerbaijans independence on December 11, 1991. The two countries established diplomatic relations on June 19, 1992. Embassy of Romania has been functioning since November 3, 1998, the embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been functioning since May 19, 2001. Economic relations between Romania and Azerbaijan are developing at a high pace. Romania expressed a desire to participate in the export of Azerbaijani oil to European markets. Countries cooperate in various regional projects, including within the framework of the TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) program. Azerbaijan and Romania have signed 43 documents in various fields. The trade turnover between Romania and Azerbaijan amounted to $170 million in 2016, a large portion of which came from the oil sector. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 14:11 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan will be among participants of a meeting of defense ministers of the states contributing to the NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan reported on June 28. Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov will represent Azerbaijan at the meeting, which will be held in Brussels on June 29. The peacekeeping contingent of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces has been serving under the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan since November 20, 2002. Azerbaijan also allowed the NATO planes carrying non-combat loads for a mission in Afghanistan to fly through Azerbaijan's airspace and to use the country's airports. About 40 percent of all cargo destined for the NATO mission in Afghanistan pass through Baku. The coordinated aid programs of the United States and European states aim to assist Afghanistan in establishing sustainable peace and development. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 11:33 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Russia will become an official partner of the 86th Izmir International Fair to be held in Turkey on August 18-22 for the first time. Within its framework, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development intends to discuss the remaining "sensitive" economic issues with Turkish partners, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Alexei Gruzdev told reporters. "In August, an international fair will be held in the city of Izmir. Russia was invited as a partner country and confirmed this status," Gruzdev said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum "Summer Davos" in Dalian. "There can be new topics for cooperation, and of course, we ... with our partners from the Ministry of Economy of Turkey, will resolve all sensitive remaining issues," he said. A number of round tables on various areas of cooperation, in particular, on agriculture and machine building, will be held in the framework of the fair, according to the Deputy Minister. The Ministry of Economic Development jointly with the Ministry of Industry and Trade now forms a national exposition, the area of which will be more than 600 square meters, he added. Izmir International Fair is the largest exhibition event in the business life of Turkey, aimed at developing the country's foreign economic activities, establishing business contacts, developing investments and innovations. The main theme of the event in 2017 is "Energy and Innovation". Russia had imposed a number of economic sanctions, including the suspension of visa-free travel, on Turkey at the beginning of last year in response to the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber. The Moscow-Ankara relations began to improve after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized over the jet incident. Russia lifted the flight ban, but food embargo on Turkey's food and agricultural products remains partly in place. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Press Trust of India: schools Chennai, Jun 27 (PTI) Taking note of the decline in education quality and student strength in government schools, the Madras High Court today posed 20 queries to the education department, among which were the class X pass percentage in such schools and private institutions in the last 10 years. The queries are answerable by July 14. advertisement Some questions the court posed were why the government cannot prohibit teachers from starting unions or associations as erring teachers reportedly use them to prevent action against them, "especially when education is a fundamental right and the future of the students are shaped by the teachers." Why could the government not involve voluntary organisations, NGOs and private players in running/managing/ administering such schools in rural areas without compromising the status as government schools, in an effort to improve the quality of education in rural areas, the court asked. These were among the questions posed to the department by Justice N Kirubakaran when a petition by Pasupathy aided middle school at Pandanallur in Thanjavur district, challenging the rejection order by the department to start English medium sections, came up before him. The judge said that without appointing proper, well- trained English teachers, imparting English to the students would not be achieved. The fact that government teachers were admitting their wards in private schools showed the high standards in private schools, "which the teachers themselves fail to give to their own students in government schools". He said many secondary grade teachers in government schools are stated to have purchased diplomas in letter pad teacher training institutions, prohibited by the court. The petitioner contended that when similarly placed government schools are permitted to start English medium sections, government aided private schools are subject to discrimination by not being permitted to do so. Though government schools start English medium sections, both English medium and Tamil medium students are made to sit together in class and taught by the same teacher who teaches Tamil medium students, the petitioner said. The June 14 2016 government order permitted English medium sections to be started in government schools, only to improve the English knowledge of students in schools in rural areas. Flaying the teaching community, the judge said it was common knowledge that many teachers in government schools and government aided schools,especially in rural areas, are into other business in the name of family members like real estate, finance and share marketing without concentrating on teaching. He observed that government school teachers are paid higher than their private school counterparts, who have to put in more hours of teaching, but that the quality and standard of education in Government schools is low. This was the main reason why parents preferred private schools. The judge sought to know how many schools were allowed to start English medium sections, how many students study in such sections in Tamil Nadu, with details from 2012-13, whether the same teachers teaching Tamil medium students were also taking classes for the English medium. He sought a response on whether teachers well trained to teach English medium students were appointed to teach English medium sections and if so,how many were appointed so far,their qualifications and if the teachers are continuously trained to match the changed scenario in education and teaching. The judge then posted the matter to July 14 with a direction to the education department to file their response by that date. PTI COR APR ZMN --- ENDS --- 28 June 2017 12:01 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Rome at the invitation of the Italian government for talks on expansion of bilateral ties and international developments. Foreign Minister Zarif is scheduled to meet his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano and other senior officials during the official visit, IRNA reported. Zarif earlier visited Berlin on the first leg of his European tour where he conferred several high-ranking officials and attended the annual meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations. According to the Eurostat Italy was Irans biggest trade partner in the EU over the first three months of 2017 as the two countries bilateral trade stood at 1.2 billion euro in the mentioned period. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 28 June 2017 13:59 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir said that there will be no negotiations on the requirements for Qatar, according to the channel Al Arabiya. Jubeir, talking to reporters, said that there will be no negotiations on the requirements of Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries for Qatar in connection with the rupture of diplomatic relations because of accusations of supporting terrorism. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, along with Egypt, cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in early June, accusing the country of supporting "extremism" and their regional neighbor, Iran - charges that Doha has repeatedly denied. Four Arab countries demand from Qatar to comply with 13 points in return for an end to a three-week-old diplomatic and trade boycott of the country. In the ultimatum, they demand to shut down a Turkish military base in Doha, shutting the Al Jazeera TV channel and curbing ties with Iran. Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman Al Thani, who was on a visit to Washington, earlier voiced his countrys readiness for a dialogue on the requirements of the Arab countries, if they are rational and supported by evidence. "What has been presented by the countries of the blockade are merely claims that are not proved by evidence and are not demands," Sheikh Mohammed was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera TV channel. "The demands must be realistic and enforceable and otherwise are unacceptable." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with the Qatari Foreign Minister at the State Department on June 27. Tillerson has said he hopes the list of demands would be "reasonable and actionable". On Sunday, Tillerson said that while some elements of the series of requests made by the four countries would be "very difficult for Qatar to meet", "there are significant areas which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution". Meanwhile, UAE Ambassador to Russia Omar Sayf Said Ghobash said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper that a number of economic sanctions that could be taken against Qatar are currently being discussed. The exclusion of Qatar from the Council of Cooperation of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, which is often referred to as a possible sanction, is not the only available option, according to Ghobash. He added: "If Qatar was not willing to accept the demands, it is a case of 'Goodbye Qatar' we do not need you in our tent anymore." -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz An unidentified man is said to have scaled a high tension electrical tower near Ashram at Nehru Nagar earlier today, and refused to come down on his own. The man standing on the high tension electrical tower near Ashram Chowk at Nehru Nagar. Photo: Mayank Pratap Singh By India Today Web Desk: Traffic near Ashram Chowk at Nehru Nagar met with much chaos today morning after fire brigades and ambulances cluttered around a high tension electrical tower to bring down a man sitting atop it. The man is said to have scaled the high tension electrical tower earlier today and refused to come down on his own when people persisted. The man standing on the high tension electrical tower near Ashram Chowk at Nehru Nagar. Photo: Mayank Pratap Singh advertisement Soon, police arrived at the spot with hydrolic cranes, followed by fire brigade and an ambulance, giving rise to a traffic jam in the area. Reasons as to why the man climbed the electrical tower are still unknown. The man standing on the high tension electrical tower near Ashram Chowk at Nehru Nagar. Photo: Mayank Pratap Singh --- ENDS --- Published On Jun 28, 2017 04:16 PM By akas American automaker General Motors closed its manufacturing facility at Halol, Gujarat in April this year and also announced that it would stop all domestic sales in the country by the end of the year. However, General Motors still owns another plant in Talegaon, Pune which is now being used as an export hub. The automaker has now started exporting cars to Latin American markets, and recently a consignment of 1200 Chevrolet Beat-based sedans has been shipped. GM was already exporting the Chevrolet Beat hatchback to Latin American markets, but this is the first time that the Beat-based compact sedan has been exported. While the Beat hatchback was on sale in the Indian market, the Beat-based sedan was never introduced here. It was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo as the Chevrolet Essentia and was also spotted testing on several occasions. The production of the Essentia for export purposes started at the Talegaon facility on June 5, 2017. According to GM, the made-in-India Beat is quite popular in the export markets, and it has high hopes that the Essentia too will build on that success. Although the specifications haven't been officially revealed yet, the Essentia is likely to be powered by a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine and a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, diesel engine, both coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. GMs exports have more than tripled in the past year. The automaker exported 8,297 units of cars in May 2017, making it the third largest passenger vehicle exporter in the country. Also Read: Chevrolets India Exit How Will You Be Affected? Read More on : Chevrolet Beat on road price A war story: 'There is no pit so deep God's love is not deeper still' Born on Good Friday, April 15, 1892, Cornelia (Corrie) ten Boom was the fourth surviving child of Casper and Cornelia ten Boom. After her birth the family moved to Haarlem, where Casper took over the family business of repairing and making watches. Though her family was not particularly well off, Corrie grew up witnessing the hospitality of her poor but generous parents, informed by their Dutch Reformed faith. Corrie herself confessed Christ at the young age of five. Their architecturally meandering home, containing the watch shop and two adjacent buildings, was affectionately nicknamed the Beje and was often overflowing with the extended ten Boom family, the bustling watch shop, and a stream of visitors. After 1918 the ten Booms also housed displaced German families and fostered the children of missionaries; this practice of hospitality continued even after the deaths of Corrie's aunts and mother. These missionary children were especially dear to Corrie; she called them her 'Red Cap Club'. Her Bible training in her late teens and her love of children would later lead her to found Christian girls' clubs in Haarlem that only disbanded due to the German occupation of the 1940s. Like her elder sister Betsie, Corrie never married, but the two sisters worked diligently in the family home and business. Unlike her father, Corrie was business-minded, and her pragmatic management of the watch shop actually made a profit where Casper's good intentions had not. Her gift in the trade led to an apprenticeship, and in 1924 she became Holland's first licensed female watchmaker. Another decade would pass before her contented, quiet life would abruptly change. As Hitler rose to power, anti-Semitism wormed into German consciousness once again, rapidly laying the groundwork for a public campaign against Jews. Vicious attacks and forced business closures and seizures were a daily reality. The news traveled quickly to neighbouring Netherlands, the atmosphere there likewise changing though the rumbling was still distant. Corrie's brother Willem, a concerned pastor working with Jews in Germany, brought the news of Jewish persecution home to Haarlem. Corrie later wrote: 'We knew what was happeningthere was no way to keep from knowing. . . . .when Willem was visiting and would not let us forget, or when letters to Jewish suppliers in Germany came back marked "Address Unknown," we still managed to believe that it was primarily a German problem. "How long are they going to stand for it?" we said. "They won't put up with that man for long".' But put up with it they did. Humiliated and economically devastated after World War I, Germans whole-heartedly embraced Hitler's rhetoric. The gears of war were already grinding. Germany invaded Poland in 1939, declaring war also on France and the United Kingdom. Neutral in the first world war, Holland again claimed neutrality to defend its precarious safety. With confirmation from both sides that their borders would be respected, Holland's Prime Minister took to the radio on the evening of May 10th, 1940 to reassure the Dutch people. But the war for Holland began only hours later with furious airstrikes throughout the country. Awakened by the bombings, Corrie and Betsie ten Boom were praying earnestly when Corrie experienced a premonition of her own--she, her family, and friends carried on an old wagon out of Haarlem to an inescapable fate. The German invasion of the Netherlands ended within days. Following the flight of Holland's Queen Wilhemina and the devastating bombing of Rotterdam, Dutch forces surrendered. The German occupation began. For those like Corrie and her family, the first few months of the occupation were bearable. Meeting the criteria for ubermensch, the genetically desired qualities that Nazis felt constituted the Aryan race, the Dutch received a measure of leniency from German soldiers. Even so, the systematic control of the populace took effect immediately. Citizens were required to carry identity cards to be produced on demand to any German soldier or policeman. Ration cards replaced currency, curfews kept citizens indoors after 10 PM, and radios spewed German propaganda. The propaganda struck a chord, however, and Nazism's insidious ideology gained traction and power with every passing month of the occupation, leading to the empowerment of Holland's National Socialist Bond. A classically fascist organization sympathetic to the German agenda, the NSB quickly absorbed and endorsed Nazi anti-Semitism and recruited members aggressively. The organization was largely successful as power and privilege came with membership; more ration cards, coupons for clothing, better jobs and the best housing. Armed with a pro-Nazi agenda and newly granted positions of power at every civic level, the NSB effectively became the force tasked to correct Holland's own 'Jewish Problem'. Just as in Germany, terrorizing Jews now became a public campaign. Jewish-owned businesses were vandalized, synagogues burned, and those who bore the yellow star vanished daily, their vacant homes filled with NSB families eager to supplant them. The ten Booms now faced a terrible choice: to watch passively as their Jewish neighbors were deported or risk losing their lives to save them. Corrie was 50 years old when she joined the Dutch Resistance and offered the Beje as a safe-house for Jews and resistance workers. For two years the ten Booms housed, fed, and relocated Jews and anyone else passing through, miraculously obtaining enough ration cards and other supplies to care for them despite the watchful eyes of the SS. headquarters nearby. A secret room with a sliding panel was also built in Corrie's bedroom, providing a hiding place for the Jews and underground workers who lived in the Beje long-term. But this success did not last. On February 28th, 1944 the Gestapo raided the Beje. Though the six people living illegally in the house survived in the hiding place, Corrie, her siblings, father, and two nephews were arrested and eventually transferred to Scheveningen prison. There, Casper ten Boom died, and Corrie and Betsie were sent first to the camp in Vught, Holland and later deported by train to Ravensbruck in Germany in September 1944. Despite brutal conditions, abuse from guards, and the murder of prisoners around them, Betsie and Corrie ministered to the women in the camp, sharing the Gospel from a small smuggled Bible. Even as many fellow prisoners turned to Christ, Betsie fell ill and died at Ravensbruck on December 16, 1944. On Christmas Day Corrie received release orders from Ravensbruck. Later, it was discovered her release was the result of a clerical mistakethe women of her age group at the camp were executed not long after she was freed. By the time the war ended in May, 1945, some 110,000 Dutch Jews had been deported to concentration camps, along with many members of the Dutch Resistance. Three quarters of these Jews never made it home, giving the Netherlands the second highest mortality rate among nations during the Holocaust. In the years that followed the war, the courageous faith of the ten Boom family was not forgotten. Their actions, resistance, and ultimate sacrifices were retold and remembered through Corrie for the generations to come. As for Corrie herself, she opened a home for spiritual, emotional, and physical recovery and is well-known for offering forgiveness to the guards who held her captive. Through her books and speaking tours she touched millions of lives before dying on her 91st birthday in 1983. Even after emerging from the great darkness of WWII, she often recalled Betsie's hope-filled words: 'There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still.' Kaylena Radcliff is the circulation manager at Christian History magazine. In addition, she is a budding writer having authored the biography, titled: Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith: Corrie ten Boom, a popular title in the award-winningTorchlighters DVD series. She also writes the curricula for the Torchlighters series' study guides. Kaylena and husband, Tim, are expecting their second child. Follow on Twitter @ktherad 'Justice must follow' Hillsborough ruling, says Bishop of Liverpool "Justice must follow" the Hillsborough jury's verdict the Bishop of Liverpool has said after the court ruled the 96 who died in a stadium crush in 1989 were unlawfully killed. The jury found match commander David Duckenfield "responsible for manslaughter by gross negligence" and said police errors added to the dangerous situation. Rt Rev Paul Bayes paid tribute to the families of the victims who have "stood for truth and justice" since the disaster in the FA cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. "We have waited a long time for these determinations and today was bound to be a difficult day," he said after the verdict. "It brings raw emotions and painful memories to the surface once again, for the families and for our city region. But there is also real comfort today, because the accusations at the time that Liverpool's fans contributed to this tragedy have finally been proven to be false. "The steady journey continues. The families have always said that they seek truth and justice, and the inquests have worked longer than any in British legal history to uncover the truth. Now justice must follow." The home secretary Theresa May is expected to make a statement on the verdict to the House of Commons tomorrow. Christian Today understands the former Bishop of Liverpool James Jones will be praised for his role as the chair of the independent panel into the disaster that led to new inquests. Bayes also praised his predecessor in his work to "get us to this point". He said: "Together with my colleagues from all the churches, I commit myself to support those who hurt, help those who grieve and show God's love and compassion for all...This story continues because that pain continues, but we will walk forward with hope in our hearts. And as Christians we believe that the God of all love and strength will walk alongside us into the future." Bayes was joined by the Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, who praised Jones' "courage, clarity and committed impartiality" in search of the truth. Baines continued in an article for the Yorkshire Post: "The police and others now deemed to be in some way responsible for the tragedy must address their personal and collective response. This will not be easy for them. Justice must in the end be liberating for everyone, even those for whom the truth is painful." Several MPs have added their tributes. Birkenhead MP Frank Field, who is a Catholic, said: "I hope this clearest of conclusions from the inquest goes some way in helping the families who lost loved ones to know that there is justice in this world and that the terrible gnawing feeling they had, that they were unable to win this judgement for their loved ones, is now assuaged." There will be vigil in Liverpool on Wednesday evening after Tuesday's ruling. The Dean of Liverpool, Dr Pete Wilcox, will attend to represent the Church of England. Lord Carey allowed abuser back into church choir because of 'Christian duty of forgiveness', victim claims Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey 'completely failed' a woman who had been sexually abused by a vicar in Sussex, the victim is claiming. Alesha Racine, who waived her right to anonymity, says she wrote to Lord Carey in 1992 after discovering her abuser had returned to the church where she had been sexually assaulted. It took Lambeth Palace nine months to respond fully, justifying the decision by saying protection for potential victims had to be weighed against 'the Christian duty of forgiveness', according to the BBC. Michael Walsh was convicted of five counts of indecent assault and confessed to sexual relationships with another eight children. He was sent to prison in 1990 but upon his release just two years later in 1992 he returned to the same church where he had carried out the abuse. Formerly a teacher, lay vicar at Chichester Cathedral and head of the choir at another Chichester church, he returned to be part of the choir. Ms Racine told the BBC she was concerned for the safety of the girls in that choir and wrote to then Archbishop of Canterbury for help. 'I was very concerned that my abuser had just come out of prison and it appeared that he'd just gone straight back into the parish church where he'd originally worked, and was again in a position of authority in the choir there where young children - specifically girls - sang. 'I was really worried that these girls were at a huge risk. I felt it was inevitable that children would be abused,' she said this week. After three months without a reply she was told Lord Carey could not consider her worries because he was 'committed to a series of visits overseas, together with his summer break'. Another month later she was told the 'Archbishop had been assured that there was no question of Michael Walsh being reinstated in the choir'. But a separate letter nine months after raising her concerns confirmed her abuser was back in the choir. The Archbishop's then chief of staff saying the parish authorities had taken 'great care' in allowing Walsh to the return to the choice 'weighing carefully the risk of re-offending against... the Christian duty of forgiveness'. Speaking to the BBC this week after Lord Carey resigned from an honorary position in the Diocese of Oxford, Ms Racine said: 'I thought his response was deeply hurtful, in that it had taken me a lot of courage to write to him at all. 'Most of what he said was in defence of the Church and the people in it, rather than try to reach out to me as a victim. 'I do feel it was a complete failure on his part.' A spokesman for Lord Carey said the correspondence had been carried out through his then chief of staff and so the former Archbishop could not comment. 'Lord Carey has absolutely no memory of this chain of correspondence or these events. He cannot therefore comment,' he said according to the BBC. Ontario Express Entry Stream Targets Information and Communications Technology Workers Hugo O'Doherty Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Candidates in the Express Entry pool for immigration to Canada with work experience in the Information and Communications Technology Sector (ICT) are being prioritized for immigration by the province of Ontario, under a new strategy implemented for the week beginning June 26. The update to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) concerns the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream, which is aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system. Whereas until this point Ontario searched the Express Entry pool and issued Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to candidates with at least 400 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, the new strategy also allows the government of Ontario to issue NOIs to candidates who meet all other HCP Stream criteria and who have indicated work experience in a specific target occupation identified by the OINP. Essentially, it is now possible for ICT workers to be issued a NOI by the OINP under the HCP, even if they have a CRS score below 400. This measure allows the program to respond to labour market needs and economic developments. Target occupations At the time of writing, the OINP has not released a defined list of target ICT occupations. According to a 2016 report published by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), a publicly-funded non-for-profit think tank, it is projected that Canada needs 182,000 new ICT workers by 2019, with more needed in Ontario than in any other province. Ontario is a magnet for ICT workers and corporations alike, who are attracted by the opportunities in cities such as Toronto, Waterloo, and Hamilton, among others. Ontario is Canadas ICT leader, contributing $31.6 billion to the total Canadian ICT output in 2015 alone. Notably, about 25 percent of Ontarios provincial nominees in 2016 were ICT workers. The provinces Minister of Immigration, Laura Albanese, recently disclosed at an immigration law conference in Toronto that the HCP Stream has invited candidates across more than 250 occupations, including ICT occupations. It should be noted that the OINP will continue regular searches of the Express Entry pool for candidates eligible for the HCP Stream who do not necessarily have ICT work experience. These candidates will have to satisfy the requirement to have at least 400 CRS points in the Express Entry pool. HCP Stream Criteria To be eligible under the HCP Stream, candidates must: Have a profile in the Express Entry pool and score a minimum of 400 points under the CRS.* The score must remain at or above 400 during both the Ontario nomination processing stage and at the federal application for permanent residence processing stage; Have a minimum level of work experience; Candidates who choose to be assessed against the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) criteria must have at least one year of continuous and full-time employment experience, or part-time equivalent, in a National Occupation Classification (NOC) level 0, A, or B occupation in the five years prior to the date of the NOI. Candidates who choose to be assessed against the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) criteria must have at least one year of cumulative and full-time employment experience, or part-time equivalent, in a NOC 0, A, or B occupation in Canada in the three years prior to the date of the NOI. Have a Canadian Bachelors, Masters or PhD degree OR an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report produced by a designated organization indicating that their foreign education credential is equivalent to Canadian standards; Demonstrate English or French language proficiency level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or above in all four competencies (speaking, reading, writing, and listening); Indicate that they intend to reside in Ontario or all provinces and territories; Possess sufficient funds to cover settlement costs in Ontario; and Meet the additional criteria under either the FSWC or CEC. *Certain ICT workers are exempt from this requirement for the week beginning June 26. To find out if you are eligible to enter the Express Entry pool, the first step to immigrating to Canada through Ontarios Human Capital Priorities stream, please fill out a free online assessment. 2017 CICnews All Rights Reserved By Press Trust of India: (Eds: With added inputs) New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar today filed her nomination in the presence of top Congress and other opposition leaders and said it marked the beginning of her "fight of ideology". Kumar, 72, who filed her papers with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh by her side, will launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on June 30. advertisement Accompanying the former Lok Sabha speaker as she filed her nomination in Parliament House were a host of opposition leaders, including NCPs Sharad Pawar and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury. "For us, it is a battle of ideologies, principles and truth and we will fight it," Gandhi said after the nomination filing. The Congress was represented by all its chief ministers - Amarinder Singh, Siddharamaiah, Virbhadra Singh, V Narayanasamy, Mukul Sangma - and its top leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ambika Soni. Former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh attended the event as well. Also present were CPIs D Raja, DMKs Kanimozhi, SPs Naresh Agrawal, BSPs Satish Chandra Misra, NCPs Tariq Anwar, JMMs Sanjeev Kumar and TMCs Derek OBrien and leaders of other opposition parties. Sonia Gandhi and other top Congress and opposition leaders were amongst those who proposed and seconded Kumars nomination. "I have filed my nomination papers as the opposition candidate for the presidential election. Along with Sonia Gandhi, leaders of 16 opposition parties were also present as were members of the electoral college. "From today, our fight of ideology has started. This ideology is based on democratic values, inclusiveness in society, freedom of the press and individuals, end of poverty, transparency and destruction of caste structure," Kumar said after filing her papers. She also said she doesnt merely believe in talking about about this ideology, but in implementing it. Kumar said she had already appealed to all members of the electoral college that this was a very important time when the country stood at a crossroads. "There is one path which takes us towards narrow- mindedness and no concern for the poor and downtrodden, while the other path leads to upliftment of Dalits, poor, oppressed, downtrodden, women and labour and people of all religions. "I have urged everyone to hear the voice of their inner conscience and take the country forward," the former speaker said. She said she would reach Sabarmati, from where she draws strength and inspiration, tomorrow evening itself and would start her campaign the next day. From there, she would go to Mumbai and Bangalore and be in Bihar on July 6. advertisement She ends her campaign on July 15. The nomination papers will be scrutinised tomorrow. Kumar, who will contest against NDAs Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections, had said yesterday that it was a battle of ideologies and not a Dalit versus Dalit fight as was being made out by some. PTI SKC MIN MIN --- ENDS --- Prior to arriving in Washington earlier this year, Senator Kamala Harris was known, mostly just among her fellow Californians, as the two-term district attorney in San Francisco and two-term state attorney general, heralded for her stylish wardrobe and reliably progressiveif low-keypolicy positions. Harris has now represented the Golden State for only a few months, but the glamorous 52-year-old is already among the top tier of potential Democratic nominees for the 2020 presidential race. The field of presidential prospects includes fellow senators Cory Booker (NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Tim Kaine (VA), and of course progressive mainstay Elizabeth Warren (MA). Given her scant national experience and rookie status in the Senate, does the ambitious Harris have a chance? Harris came to the Senate with certain undeniable advantages. Californias 55 electoral votesnearly one-fifth the number necessary to be elected presidentgive Harris a boost over politicians from less populous states. She was elected in a landslide, with over 7.5 million votesa staggering number, exceeding the population of many states. In the general election in November, Harris defeated her Democratic opponent (because of Californias unusual top-two primary rule) by more than 23 percentage points. So Harris is very popular, at least in California. Due to her multiracial background and confident self-presentation, Harris has been called the next Obama, an appellation that may reflect no more than shallow stereotypes or wishful thinking by her supporters. In a Senate full of rising stars, including six other newly arrived freshmen, she will have to work hard and avoid mistakes to meet the high expectations set for presidential aspirants. The consensus so far seems to be that Harris has faltered coming out of the starting blocks. Rejecting the conventional wisdom that Senate newbies should be seen but not heard, Harriss initial objective has been to put herself forward as the most vigorous and vocal figure to obstruct President Donald Trump on all fronts. If her goal was to convince her constituents back home that she is a central part of the Resistance, she has succeeded, albeit without distinguishing herself as a leader or compelling thinker in the process. In order to establish both her progressive credentials and her prosecutorial chops, Harris had to do more than merely oppose Trumps cabinet nominees; she had to demonstrate their unfitness to serve. In this, she fell short. Harris was widely ridiculed for questioning Trumps nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Mike Pompeo, about climate change, same-sex marriage, and the LGBT agendatopics that are high-profile among the California Democratic donor class, but which have zero to do with the CIAs mission. Likewise, Harris was tone-deaf on the vital issue of border security that understandably concerns many Americans, grilling General John F. Kelly, Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, about the potential deportation of so-called DREAMers, illegal aliens brought into the country as children. By contrast, even liberal Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) praised Kelly as a good choice who offered the Senate Homeland Security Committee good answers. Given the importance of teachers unions to the base of the Democratic Party, it wasnt surprising to see Harris oppose Betsy DeVos's appointment to head the Department of Education, due to her advocacy of school choice. But even in Washington, D.C., partisanship has its limits. The well-regarded Rod Rosenstein was confirmed as Deputy Attorney General by a 94-6 vote, with only diehard, showboating leftists voting no. Harris was among this group. Harris also resorted to bush-league tactics such as boycotting the committee hearing when Scott Pruitts nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency came up for a vote. Harris predictably joined her Democratic colleagues in opposing Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court (imprudently forcing the Republican-controlled Senate to exercise the nuclear option by eliminating the filibuster for judicial appointments), but went further, railing against Gorsuch in a San Francisco Chronicle opinion piece. Though Gorsuch was unanimously confirmed to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals a decade ago, Harris urged that he be rejected for the Supreme Court, despite his stellar credentials, because Judge Gorsuch has consistently valued narrow legalisms over real lives. It is astonishing that the former chief law enforcement officer of Californialet alone a current legislatordismisses federal law, and the Constitution itself, as narrow legalisms. Demonstrating presidential timber requires statesmanship, not knee-jerk devotion to caucus talking points. In her first televised interview as a senator, with CNN anchor Jake Tapper in May, Harris called for the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions over Trumps firing of FBI director James Comey. This followed a prior call for Sessionss immediate resignation, ten weeks earlier, when it was revealed that then-Senator Sessions had met with the Russian ambassador while serving on the Armed Services Committee. In contrast, the more seasoned Feinstein responded to news of Comeys firing with the measured statement that The next FBI director must be strong and independent. Loyola law school professor Jessica Levinson explained the difference in the reactions of the two Democrats: What we see is someone whos not going to run for higher office again and somebody who wants to run for president. Harris is discovering that the Washington press corps is not as docile as the reporters covering statewide politics in California. When Harris tweeted that infrastructure spending isnt a transportation issue for most Americansits a human rights issue, her statement was mocked as a Moron Alert by the Daily Wire, and conservative pundit Ben Shapiro responded, please name the Americans starving at night because of potholes. The Washington Post did a fact check on Harriss false claim that 129 million Americans with preexisting conditions could be denied coverage under the GOP overhaul to Obamacare, giving her spurious assertion a Four Pinocchios rating. When Harris dropped the f-bomb before a friendly audience at a podcast taping on health care, the impolitic remark was widely reported. One of the unmistakable lessons of the 2016 electionand the string of Republican victories in four subsequent special elections to fill vacant House seatsis that, in order to win outside of urban areas and liberal strongholds such as California and New York, Democratic candidates must appeal to moderate voters and offer solutions to anxieties afflicting the middle class. Harris does not seem to have learned that lesson. Her top priorities include protecting illegal aliens from deportation, preserving sanctuary cities, decriminalizing marijuana, easing penalties for criminal offenders, and strengthening gun controlall stands anathema to heartland voters. In a recent commencement address at her alma mater, Howard University, Harris invoked the liberal canard that Americas prisons represent a broken system of mass incarceration that disproportionately trap men of color. Harris is positioning herself to the left of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, a strategy that makes sense in uber-liberal California but not for a serious presidential candidate courting nationwide voters. Prior to her election to the Senate, Harris was sometimes criticized for playing it safe politically, a stance that she has dramatically shed. If Harris is serious about building a national following, however, she would be well-advised to exercise a bit of her previous caution. Shes not in California anymore. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images For the last two decades, press secretaries for all presidents have held on-camera briefings. But in June, there were only five briefings on camera, plus an additional 10 off-camera ones. On Monday, Sean Spicer barred live video and audio of the press briefing. Yesterday marked the first time in weeks that the White House allowed the press briefing to be televised. Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was behind the podium, and things got heated. Bans on recording are unprecedented (or should we say unpresidented?), at least since the White House began offering live briefings in the early 1990s. Sean Spicerwho is, at this point, a caricature of a press secretarydefended them, arguing that members of the White House press corps were using the on-camera briefings to become YouTube stars. With cameras off, Spicer says, journalists are not trying to figure out, How do I get on TV? How do I ask some snarky question? You can actually focus on the substance of the issues. RELATED: 11 images that show how the Trump administration is failing at photography The claim is debatable at best. You could say its an alternative fact, though there may be an ounce of truth to it. If this were the Academy Awards, Spicer would get the nod for Best Actor, but hed be nowhere without his supporting cast. Whether intentionally or not, some members of the White House press corps have stolen the spotlight with eye rolls, raised eyebrows, and impromptu naps. These journalists werent trying to get their clip. Most Americans still dont know their faces. But thanks to the beauty of the internet, theyve gotten their GIFs. While journalists deliberate how to handle the ban, lets take a look back at some of the most meme-able moments so far from the White House briefing room. John Gizzi, Newsmax Media Sign up for CJR 's daily email Gizzi is the king of the White House press corps memes. Hes been called the most GIF-friendly reporter by some, and a national treasure by others. And to think it all started with a flick of his glasses. At the March 13 press briefing, the Newsmax senior political correspondent made Twitter users swoon. With the camera locked on his face, Gizzi flexed his eyebrows to flick his glasses from his forehead to nose, and then immediately panned the crowd to see if anyone had caught his smooth moves. This GIF of @johngizzi is just amazing pic.twitter.com/EfRjlQjbc5 Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) March 13, 2017 It was the embodiment of the deal with it meme. In internet speak, deal with it is an expression used as a retort in response to someones disapproval. (Thanks, Know Your Meme.) Gizzi didnt stop there. The next day, he won crowds over again, this time thanks to a sleepy discussion about healthcare. CNNs cameras caught Gizzi dozing off as Spicer briefed the room on the GOPs health-care plan. CAUGHT: A White House reporter nods off during Sean Spicer's briefing https://t.co/EEi985F4WY pic.twitter.com/NmN1OVngZG Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 14, 2017 Gizzi still claims he was awake, tweeting: Did it ever occur to you that reporters look down to consult their notes before [posing] questions? Get this man his own reality show, stat! RELATED: Donald and Melania Trumps relationship through a lens Ashley Parker, The Washington Post Parker was all of us the day Spicer made his now-infamous Holocaust remarks. To refresh your memory, he claimed Adolf Hitler didnt gas his own people in the same way Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad did. Yep, that actually happened. The remarks went viral, and so did Parker. Her face said everything we were all thinking, and the internet took notice. As The Washington Post later wrote, the GIF became a collective reaction meme for those who were stunned by what Spicer said. Thank you to Parker and the eyebrows that launched a thousand tweets. the journey in this gif is unbelievable pic.twitter.com/lanp2TvruQ Seb FoxAllen (@purpledocket) April 11, 2017 April Ryan, American Urban Radio Networks Look closely at Parkers GIF, and you might notice Ryans cameo in the backdrop. Her reaction to Spicers Hitler screw-up was perfection. As Spicer continues to put his foot in his mouth, Ryan looks around the room and shakes her head in disbelief. When youre April Ryan and your #fuckshit detector suddenly goes off: pic.twitter.com/0NauZPGle9 Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) April 12, 2017 Ryan, a veteran White House correspondent, is having quite the year. Shes been covering presidential politics for 20 years, but didnt gain national prominence until Trump kicked off his first term. Shes been challenging the administration on questions of race and gender, but also throwing serious shade at Spicer. This wasnt Ryans first time in the internet spotlight. She spurred a few head shakes on Twitter after Spicer told her, Please stop shaking your head again, at a press briefing on March 28. Ryan was shaking her head in response to Spicers non-answer answer to a question about the White Houses image problem. She asked Spicer how the Trump administration was working to repair its reputation, citing investigations into the Russian interference into the US election and other controversies. What followed was a journalistic takedownor rather, head shake downof Spicer on Twitter. This is me shaking my head right now, BECAUSE APRIL RYAN CAN NOT. pic.twitter.com/MjvgxTa1mo Sam Sanders (@samsanders) March 28, 2017 Sean Spicer is rude to everyone, but it's difficult to imagine him speaking to a white, male reporter the way he spoke to April Ryan today. Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) March 28, 2017 ICYMI: Why a Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks movie has former New York Times journalists ticked off Bill Hennessy, CNN Hennessy isnt technically part of the White House press corps; hes CNNs regular sketch artist for Supreme Court proceedings. But after last Fridays afternoon press briefing, hes an honorary member. Hennessy stood in the back of the room, producing real-time sketches of Spicer at the podium amidst the usual crowd of reporters. The goal? To paint a picture for viewers who couldnt be in the room, according to CNN. Im not sure how many viewers benefited from the recreations, but the internet sure did. Even with the cameras off, Twitter wasted no time in responding to the sketches. ?Take on me, (take on me) Take me on, (take on me) I'll be gone? pic.twitter.com/eo7QjECzyU Maggie Serota ? (@maggieserota) June 23, 2017 Amateur sketch of Sean Spicer's "no cameras allowed" White House press briefing pic.twitter.com/8YW4VjPoaR Jenn Hoffman (@JennHoffman) June 23, 2017 If I was the CNN courtroom sketch artist at today's WH press briefing. pic.twitter.com/BuwrcVjZoZ Jeremy Newberger (@jeremynewberger) June 23, 2017 RELATED: Former White House photographer grabs headlines with Instagram sass Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Meg Dalton is a freelance journalist and audio producer based in Connecticut. She's reported and edited for CJR, PBS NewsHour, Energy News Network, Architectural Digest, MediaShift, Hearst Connecticut newspapers, and more. Follow her on Twitter: @megdalts. Find her on Twitter @megdalts. IN 2003, I WENT TO WORK FOR the Detroit Free Press as a staff photojournalist. For nearly 14 years, I covered breaking news, features, and national news, from Rosa Parks death to Barack Obamas historic journey to the White House, and significantly contributed to the Flint water crisis coverage. While covering the Flint water crisis, a colleague and I met a young black mother, Ariana Hawk, and her children. At the time, my colleague and I wanted to put a face to the crisis, to show the impact of lead poisoning on people who lived in Flint. I focused on Hawks youngest child, Sincere, as he played. I photographed the scars all over his body. I noticed his size; he was larger than most two-year-olds because he was on steroids to treat the rash his mother blamed on the contaminated water. I watched his mother bathe him and saw him flinch. My photograph of Sincere appeared on the cover of TIME, and subsequent stories at the Detroit Free Press identified him as the face of the Flint crisis. The photograph connected Sincere to his community, and gave a face to a critical story. But the photograph also worked on me. I wanted to contribute to a community of people that look and feel like me in the world today. I thought about returning to Richmond, Virginia, and to the Richmond Free Press, the weekly independent newspaper my family started. About a year after I took Sinceres photo, when the Detroit Free Press announced plans to trim its staff, I volunteered to go. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project MY PARENTS LAUNCHED Richmond Free Press 25 years ago. My father, Raymond H. Boone, edited and published the paper; the Richmond Times-Dispatch, a conservative daily, wrote that he established an editorial voice that was one of the most trusted in Richmonds African-American community. My mother, Jean Patterson Boone, left her work as a lobbyist to work alongside my father as the director of advertising. After college, I began my own journalism career there. Three years ago, when my father died of pancreatic cancer, my mother assumed the role of publisher. The Richmond Free Press focuses primarily on the citys black community, which includes many people who are not coveredand sometimes seem unnoticedby the daily newspaper. But our audience also looks to us for our perspectives on national and international events. Our editorial pages have recently weighed in on the investigation of James Comeys firing, the results of Virginias party primaries, and a decision by the Virginia governor to correct a measure that disproportionately funded the preservation of Confederate gravesites over African-American gravesites from the same era. A number of newspapers throughout the country serve similar purposes. The African American Literature Book Club, which tracks independent, black-owned newspapers, counts more than 100 such papers, including the Richmond Free Press. The National Newspaper Publishers Association, which bills itself as the largest and most influential Black-owned media resource in America, counts over 200 such papers in the US. A number of cities included in the listAtlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Richmond, Washington, DC, all cities with major daily newspapershave multiple black-owned newspapers. Such papers are vital sources of stories and photographs, compiled by a staff charged with portraying their community and recording its history. As black communities risk being overlooked by many newsrooms, so do black newspapers risk being overlooked or undervalued by advertisers. LAST YEAR, PEWS STATE OF THE MEDIA report noted a circulation decline at a handful of historically prominent black papers. But that decline is not uniform. Because so few of these papers have regularly audited circulation figuresit is difficult to acquire industry-wide measures, according to the report. (The Richmond Free Press has been audited annually since 1993.) As black communities risk being overlooked by many newsrooms, so do black newspapers risk being overlooked or undervalued by advertisers. During the next year, Ill study family, legacy and the viability of black newspapers in America as a Knight-Wallace fellow. When I first returned to the Richmond Free Press, I felt consumed by questions: How might we keep the paper relevant, and financially sound? Those questions evade easy answers, but theyll power my research, and they sustain my conviction that no community deserves to be left behind. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Regina H. Boone is a staff photojournalist for the Richmond Free Press, published in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia. She previously worked for the Detroit Free Press for nearly 14 years. She is a 2017-18 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow. UPDATE: South Carolina Circuit Court Judge William Keesley did not rule on whether he would sanction political blogger Will Folks of FITSnews.com for disobeying a court order to reveal confidential sources in a defamation lawsuit brought by a former state lawmaker. Judge Keesley asked both sides to argue how he should rule; those arguments are due in a little more than a week, according to Folks's attorney, Tom Davis. Folks, who was grilled on the stand during a court hearing today on a contempt motion, told CJR afterward: I stood my ground. Folks and his attorneys argued that he has a journalist's obligation not to disclose his sources, says Davis. John Parker, a lawyer for the plaintiff who questioned Folks at the hearing, focused on several past articles on fitsnews.com, some from 2010, in which Folks said he was not a journalist, The Charleston Post & Courier reports. Folks said over time his opinion of his role in media has evolved, with his website offering both news and editorial. JOURNALISTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA are closely watching a court hearing this morning in which a judge could send a polarizing political blogger to jail after he refused a court order to identify confidential sources. The blogger is Will Folks, a political consultant who was a controversial spokesman for former Gov. Mark Sanford before he started FITSnews.com and who made headlines in 2010 for claiming he had an inappropriate physical relationship with Sanfords successor, Nikki Haley, now the US ambassador to the United Nations. On his popular politics, sports, and culture blog, Folksa self-styled libertarian bad boy of Palmetto State politicsoften rips politicians and traditional media. He also breaks news, relies on unnamed sources, editorializes, and gets involved in elections. In 2015, Folks earned himself a defamation suit from a former lawmaker named Kenny Bingham. The ex-pol sued Folks and his site after multiple posts appeared on FITSnews stating Bingham was the subject of an ethics complaint. One story claimed insiders at the statehouse once believed an indictment against Bingham would be issued. (Bingham has not been indicted.) I am honor bound, not as a reporter but as a human being, to keep my word. So thats what Ive done, thats what Im going to do, and if I have to go to jail as a result of that, thats fine, Ill do that. Folkss libel case took a strange twist last fall when a judge told him he would have to identify the unnamed sources for his Bingham stories if asked to do so during a deposition. Folks brazenly declined do so, saying he would not rat out a source. Binghams attorney, John E. Parker, filed a motion to hold Folks in contempt. Today, the blogger faces the consequences in a Lexington County courtroom. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project Folks says at the request of his attorneys, he asked his sources if they would waive confidentiality, and they declined. As a result of that, I am honor bound, not as a reporter but as a human being, to keep my word, Folks told CJR on Monday. So thats what Ive done, thats what Im going to do, and if I have to go to jail as a result of that, thats fine, Ill do that. When I first wrote about Folks in January, his case had attracted little press attention. At the time, I noted that his case imposed an uneasy feeling across South Carolinas journalistic landscape, which hasnt exactly embraced Folks. South Carolina Press Association director Bill Rogers wouldnt comment about it. When I asked the the press groups attorney, Taylor Smith, if he would consider the case a press freedom issue, he called it an interesting question. Except for brief blurbs published when the lawsuit was filed, the case hadnt received much coverage until this week. Now, though, its being watched with concern, Rogers told me Monday. He added that he supports Folks and fears a ruling against the blogger could have a chilling effect on both sources and reporters in South Carolina. A statehouse corruption probe is currently roiling Columbia, and members of the press corps have relied heavily on unnamed sources in their coverage. The Palmetto State has a reporters shield law, but it does not apply to a journalist who is party to a civil suit. Rogers worries that a ruling against Folks could enable a new threat against the press: civil libel suits filed by story subjects to uncover anonymous sources who speak about them to reporters. While Will may not be my kind of journalistWill is a journalist, by definition, and I admire him for refusing to give up his sources under pressure. I asked Rogers if the press association is getting involved in the Folks court action. I called him and wished him luck. Thats about all we can do right now, he told me. If theres an appeal, Rogers expects the press association will file a friend-of-the-court brief. Folkss unlikely position as a potential martyr for press freedom seems readymade for eye-rolls in certain parts of South Carolina. Sometimes Folks calls himself a journalist; other times he doesnt. Hes not going to be defined as a traditional journalist, but he does journalism, Rogers says of Folks. And I think [whats happening to him] would be very easily expandable to the members of the press association. So were watching. Meg Kinnard, a politics and legal affairs reporter for the Associated Press in South Carolina, posted on Facebook that she supports the blogger. Folks, she said, occupies a unique niche in state news and politics. While Will may not be my kind of journalist, and FITSNews may not always be my kind of journalism, Will is a journalist, by definition, and I admire him for refusing to give up his sources under pressure, she wrote. A recent legal motion from Folkss attorney, a current Republican state senator named Tom Davis, is replete with references to how reporters interact with confidential sources. Folks, Davis argued, is conforming to an accepted and respected code of journalistic ethics, and outing his sources would damage the bloggers ability to obtain and report information. Folks didnt comply with the judges order, Davis wrote, in order to avoid a breach of journalistic ethics and liability for breach of contract. Reporters in South Carolina have previously been threatened withand in some cases receivedjail time for not giving up information. In the 1990s, four journalists covering a state government corruption scandal spent about eight hours over two days in the pen when they refused to testify in a court case. They were released when it became clear they wouldnt change their minds. A reporter in a famous case involving Susan Smith, who was convicted of drowning her kids in a South Carolina lake, faced jail for not revealing a source to the judge in that case. The reporter told the judge she had a contract with the source not to reveal their identity. In 2013, a South Carolina political blogger who was sued for libel did reveal unnamed sources as part of a settlement. Jay Bender, the states preeminent First Amendment attorney, says he sees Folkss case as a way for a lawmaker to interfere with the blogger and his sources. In those circumstances the Supreme Court of the United States has suggested there should be a constitutional protection for the reporter, Bender says. Parker, Binghams attorney, says he does not believe Folks is a journalist, and is only claiming that status because its advantageous to do so. Thats really never been an issue but it will be one on Wednesday, I promise you, Parker said in an interview. He declined to elaborate, but offered this: If you want to find out about it, come to the hearing. Itll be entertaining. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Corey Hutchins is CJRs correspondent based in Colorado, where he teaches journalism at Colorado College. A former alt-weekly reporter in South Carolina, he was twice named journalist of the year in the weekly division by the SC Press Association. Hutchins writes about politics and media for the Colorado Independent and worked on the State Integrity Investigation at the Center for Public Integrity; he has contributed to Slate, The Nation, the Washington Post, and others. Follow him on Twitter @coreyhutchins or email him at coreyhutchins@gmail.com. Expedition Voyage Consultants has its fingers on the pulse of the expedition segment, planning itineraries, running operations and consulting on newbuilds. The expedition industry is where the river industry was 15 years ago, commented Ben Lyons, CEO. There has been a change in expectations and what passengers can have in the Arctic or Antarctica. That started with a number of ships with creature comforts, such as the Silver Explorer, joining the fleet in 2008. The poles are driving the revenue and interest, they are behind the recent growth, said Lyons, who spent over three years planning every detail of Crystals Northwest Passage sailing. Melanesia is also becoming increasingly popular. Among the glut of new ships and operators, Lyons said Scenic was the most unique. They are re-defining the market, he said. Its a luxury vessel with onboard amenities (helicopter, submarine) that havent been there before. They are using tools that are from the super yacht industry and applying that to cruise. Think about the guest experience and think about the destinations they are going to connecting the passenger to the destination, Lyons advised on ship design. These are really remarkable regions and passengers need to know that at all times. Another agenda item: logistics in terms of how easy it is to disembark and embark guests in remote areas. That is the difference between a landing ashore and being stuck aboard. Valletta Cruise Port in Malta announced it has signed the UNWTO Private Sector Commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. This Code is a frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism development as endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001, the port said, in a prepared statement. Together with another five Maltese companies, Valletta Cruise Port was welcomed as signatory to this Code. By adhering to the Code, signatories commit to implementing and promoting its principles in their business strategies and operations. The Codes 10 principles cover the economic, social, cultural and environmental components of tourism. To date, 514 companies and associations from 68 countries have joined this commitment. This represents a strong and effective pledge by Valletta Cruise Port to follow a comprehensive set of principles designed to guide key players in tourism development. The code aims to help maximise the sectors benefits while mitigating any potentially negative impacts on the environment, cultural heritage and communities. At Valletta Cruise Port, we understand that the cruise industry and port activity impacts the local communities in various ways. Valletta Cruise Port, also through the Valletta Waterfront destination, is committed to carrying out its activities responsibly, with the aim of leaving a positive impact on the local community. Furthermore, Valletta Cruise Port is actively involved in the community, and supports a number of honourable causes particularly those with a humanitarian and social impact, in the areas of art and culture, and the environment, commented Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding. Carnival Cruise Line and the Houston Texans teamed up to host the first-ever Summer Kickoff event earlier this week with a variety of fun activities for kids at the Havard Boys & Girls Club in Houston, according to a prepared statement. The event also included a $10,000 donation from Carnival Cruise Line to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. Additionally, for every Houston Texans Bear sold at a Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the Houston area during the month of July, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs. Carnival is the Official Cruise Line of the Houston Texans as well as the states number one cruise line with three year-round ships carrying more than 650,000 passengers annually from the Port of Galveston, the company said, in a press release. During the event, Houston Texans players Jadeveon Clowney and Johnathan Joseph, hosted a variety of activities that taught gridiron fundamentals to kids. The youngsters also had a chance to create their own furry friends with an on-site Build-A-Bear Workshop experience, part of the many family-friendly activities available on Carnivals ships which are expected to carry a record 800,000 children this year. Our first-ever Summer Kickoff was a great way to team up with two of our favorite partners the Houston Texans and Build-A-Bear Workshop to bring some fun and put smiles on the faces of some special kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. Many thanks to Jadeveon and Johnathan for helping create some wonderful memories for these kids and their families, she added. Its always fun to participate in events where I can bring my son and daughter, said Joseph. Carnival has done a great job bringing to life the activities their guests can experience on ship right here at this event. My son had a great time participating in gridiron activities while my daughter loved the Build-A-Bear Workshop activity and all the candy, of course! We are very grateful for the support of Carnival Cruise Line and the Houston Texans, said Kevin Hattery, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. Carnivals donation and the sale of Texans-themed Build-A-Bear furry friends will go a long way to support the many activities we offer the kids who participate in our after-school program. President Donald J. Trump designated Acting National Credit Union Administration Board Chairman J. Mark McWatters as the tenth Chairman of the NCUA Board, effective June 23. I thank President Trump for this honor and the trust he has placed in me, McWatters said in a statement on Tuesday. As Chairman of the NCUA, I remain committed to providing regulatory relief for the credit union community, in compliance with the Federal Credit Union Act, and to streamlining the operations of NCUA as a prudential regulator. According to a statement from the NCUA, McWatters was nominated to the NCUA Board by then-President Barack Obama on Jan. 7, 2014. Following Senate confirmation, he took office as an NCUA Board Member on Aug. 26, 2014. McWatters has served as Acting Board Chairman since Jan. 23. I am very pleased that Mr. McWatters has officially been designated as the Chairman of the NCUA by the President, Board Member Rick Metsger said in a printed statement. This recognizes his hard work and dedication to the mission of the agency and I look forward to our continued work together to provide access and financial safety to the over 100 million Americans who are part of the nations credit union system. We use a range of cookies to give you the best possible browsing experience. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our use of cookies. You can learn more about our cookie policy here, or by following the link at the bottom of any page on our site. See our updated Privacy Policy here. The Mumbai Crime Branch will investigate the alleged killing of a murder convict in Byculla prison, which triggered violent protests by inmates last week. By India Today Web Desk: The Mumbai Police's Crime Branch will investigate the alleged murder of 32-year-old murder convict Manjula Shete in Byculla prison. Shete's death on Friday night triggered violent protests in the women's jail. There were allegations that she was brutally assaulted by some staffers. Nearly 200 inmates, including Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, were booked for rioting and other offences. Mukerjea is set to appear in court today. advertisement Six jail staffers were suspended and a case was registered against them on Sunday under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder). 'THEY DRAGGED HER, STRIPPED HER, ASSAULTED HER' Mid-Day quoted a source as saying inmates "claimed five to six jail staffers had dealt with Shete inhumanly." "They dragged her from her barrack with a saree tied around her neck, stripped her, and then, assaulted her. Another staffer also shoved a stick into her intimate areas, leading to bleeding," the source said, Mid-Day reported. The Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) has summoned the state DGP and other top police officers to its office on June 29. (With inputs from PTI) ALSO READ | Byculla jail death: Was Manjula Shete killed because she wanted to expose massive corruption inside prison? ALSO READ | Indrani Mukerjea booked for rioting in Byculla jail. What happened inside the women's prison ALSO WATCH | Indrani Mukerjea thrashed, threatened with sexual assault in Mumbai's Byculla jail: Lawyer --- ENDS --- Talking Points: A wire report suggesting that the Japanese Prime Minister would like to loosen fiscal constraints was published Wednesday Preoccupied with other matters, the markets took little notice But that could change, and quickly, if Shinzo Abe does as the report says he would like to See where the Japanese Yen stands in the trading communitys currency league table at the DailyFX Sentiment Guide. The Japanese Yen could face severe medium-term headwinds if a wire report released Wednesday proves correct. Citing government sources Reuters said that the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would like to quietly drop his pledge to balance the budget by fiscal 2020. Hed prefer a looser debt/GDP ratio target, the report said. This in turn would give him the leeway to ditch an unpopular hike in sales taxes slated for 2019. However, Abe has the finest of lines to walk here. Fiscal slippage might mean that Japan keeps its money presses rolling longer. This could mean that Abes commitment on currency management to other Group of 20 nations runs into problems. It could lead to more strident accusations of currency manipulation from the United States. Moreover, any perceived slackness in Abes commitment to containing Japanese debt could lead to confidence problems for the worlds number three economy. Japans public debt is the highest compared to GDP of any major developed nation over 200%. It remains unclear whether Abe will indeed drop his pledge and drop the tax hike. However, he will have unhappy memories of the 2014 tax hike which helped take Japan close to recession. He must also call an election by late 2018 and wont want to campaign on a looming tax rise. The Yen didnt pay huge attention to the report in Asia Wednesday as you can see from the chart. Investors had been preoccupied, as well they might be, by the International Monetary Funds downgrade of US growth prospects and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellens worries about stock prices altitude. Indeed, the Yen retains haven status, the pre-eminent currency which finds buyers when market risk appetite is low. But if Abe does as the Reuters report suggests, Japan itself could become a bigger source of risk. --- Written by David Cottle, DailyFX Research Contact and follow David on Twitter: @DavidCottleFX AutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps, as well as tire repairs. In addition, the company offers maintenance products, such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluids; brake drums, rotors, shoes, and pads; brake and power steering fluids, and oil and fuel additives; oil and transmission fluids; oil, cabin, air, fuel, and transmission filters; oxygen sensors; paints and accessories; refrigerants and accessories; shock absorbers and struts; spark plugs and wires; and windshield wipers. Further, it provides air fresheners, cell phone accessories, drinks and snacks, floor mats and seat covers, interior and exterior accessories, mirrors, performance products, protectants and cleaners, sealants and adhesives, steering wheel covers, stereos and radios, tools, and wash and wax products, as well as towing services. Additionally, the company provides a sales program that offers commercial credit and delivery of parts and other products; sells automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand through alldata.com; and automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through autozone.com. As of August 27, 2022, it operated 6,168 stores in the United States; 703 stores in Mexico; and 72 stores in Brazil. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee. Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP) is a leading lodging and hospitality real estate investment trust that specializes in upscale convention center resorts and country music entertainment experiences. The Company's core holdings* include a network of five of the top 10 largest non-gaming convention center hotels in the United States based on total indoor meeting space. These convention center resorts operate under the Gaylord Hotels brand and are managed by Marriott International. The Company also owns two adjacent ancillary hotels and a small number of attractions managed by Marriott International for a combined total of 10,110 rooms and more than 2.7 million square feet of total indoor and outdoor meeting space in top convention and leisure destinations across the country. The Company's Entertainment segment includes a growing collection of iconic and emerging country music brands, including the Grand Ole Opry; Ryman Auditorium, WSM 650 AM; Ole Red and Circle, a country lifestyle media network the Company owns in a joint-venture with Gray Television. The Company operates its Entertainment segment as part of a taxable REIT subsidiary. * The Company is the sole owner of Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center; Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center; and Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. It is the majority owner and managing member of the joint venture that owns the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. Global Payments Inc. provides payment technology and software solutions for card, electronic, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through three segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions, and Business and Consumer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization services, settlement and funding services, customer support and help-desk functions, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security services, consolidated billing and statements, and on-line reporting services. This segment also provides an array of enterprise software solutions that streamline business operations of its customers in various vertical markets; and value-added services, such as point-of-sale solutions, and analytic and engagement tools, as well as payroll and human capital management services. The Issuer Solutions segment offers solutions that enable financial institutions and retailers to manage their card portfolios through a platform; and commercial payments and ePayables solutions for businesses and governments. The Business and Consumer Solutions segment provides general-purpose reloadable prepaid debit and payroll cards, demand deposit accounts, and other financial service solutions to the underbanked and other consumers, and businesses under the Netspend brand. It markets its products and services through direct sales force, trade associations, agent and enterprise software providers, referral arrangements with value-added resellers, and independent sales organizations. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Jun 28 (PTI) Mumbai serial blasts case convict Mustafa Dossa was today admitted to the JJ Hospital here after he complained of chest pain. "Dossa was admitted to the jail ward of the hospital at 3 am," Hospital dean TP Lahane told PTI. Dossa (lodged in Arthur Road jail) complained of chest pain and had uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes and infection, he said. advertisement Yesterday, the CBI had sought capital punishment for Dossa, arguing that his role in the blasts was "more severe" than that of hanged convict Yakub Memon. The CBI said Dossa was one of the "brains" behind the conspiracy and that his degree of responsibility towards the commission of the crime was the highest. The court, in the second leg of the trial in the blasts case, had on June 16 convicted five accused, including Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem, under the charges of murder, conspiracy and sections of now repealed TADA, while the sixth accused Riyaz Siddiqui was convicted only under TADA Act. As many as 257 people were killed in the co-ordinated blasts that ripped through the city on March 12, 1993. The court had acquitted another accused Abdul Quayyum of all charges. The trial of the seven accused ? Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum ? was separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial. PTI VT DK DV --- ENDS --- Nagaland Chief Minister and also the president of the front, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu said that NPF is "the natural ally of the BJP" and the only political party which represents the Nagas and can preserve their identity. By Parbina Purkayastha: The Naga People's Front is now working on reaching out in tribal areas of northeastern part of the country. Nagaland Chief Minister and also the president of the front, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu said that NPF is "the natural ally of the BJP" and the only political party which represents the Nagas and can preserve their identity. The CM also said that his party should be introduced not only to Nagas, but all tribal areas in northeast stating that this will be the first step towards integrating the tribal people of the region. He shared about this initiative in a consultative meeting with the Arunachal Pradesh state unit party workers in Kohima. advertisement This integration of Nagas include areas of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The party is coalition partner in BJP-led government in Manipur and has organizational network in Arunachal. Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura are three northeastern states who are going to assembly polls in 2018. ALSO READ: NPF MLA Aier elected new Speaker of Nagaland Assembly NPF to contest civic elections ignoring boycott call --- ENDS --- In a sharp reaction to the Donald Trump-Narendra Modi meeting in the US, Pakistan said the US is ignoring the 'worst form of state terrorism' in Kashmir. By India Today Web Desk: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with United States President Donald Trump, Pakistan used Kashmir to slam the US for its 'dual standards' in 'upholding human and democratic rights.' Following the Modi-Trump meet, India and the US called upon Pakistan to stop its soil from being used to breed terrorism. On Tuesday, Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said Trump and Modi's joint press conference and US State Department's statement indicated that the United States does not care about the "killing of innocents" in Kashmir. advertisement His statement came a day after the US State Department designated Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist. "It seems as if international human rights laws are not applicable in Kashmir and the killing of innocents there means nothing to the US," The Express Tribune, quoted Nisar as saying. "Ignoring the worst form of state terrorism [in Indian-occupied Kashmir] does not only mock justice and international norms, but also exposes the dual standards of those upholding human and democratic rights," Nisar added. Nisar went on to say that Islamabad would not stop raising the Kashmir issue. "We will continue to advocate Kashmiris' cause at every platform and stir up the conscience of the international community," Nisar said. Nisar's comments came on the same day when Pakistan sharply criticised US's decision to bran Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist. Without naming Salahuddin, the Pakistani Foreign Office assailed the move, saying, "designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified". "Pakistan shall continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for the realisation of the right to self-determination and the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions," Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. ALSO READ | Beyond handshakes and hugs, Modi-Trump meeting meant serious business ALSO READ | Unlike Modi-Obama joint statements, the Modi-Trump statement is blunt and harsh on Pakistan ALSO WATCH | What happens when Donald Trump gets a WhatsApp message from PM Modi --- ENDS --- North Korea issued an execution order against South Korean President Park, who was ousted over charges of corruption. By Reuters: North Korea said on Wednesday it has issued a standing order for the execution of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her spy chief for a plot to assassinate its leader, and it demanded that the South hand the pair over. The North's official KCNA said "revelation showed" Park had masterminded a plot to execute its "supreme leadership" in 2015 and it was imposing the "death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye". advertisement KCNA did not disclose the source of the revelation but a Japanese newspaper reported this week that Park in 2015 approved a plan to overturn the North Korean regime of leader Kim Jong Un. Park was ousted in March over a corruption scandal and is in detention in South Korea while on trial. South Korea's National Intelligence Agency (NIS) said the news report of a plot to kill Kim Jong Un "had no grounds" and it had no immediate comment about the North's demand for the handover of Park and her spy chief, Lee Byung-ho. Lee is no longer head of the NIS. Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with Park's North Korea policy, that she had signed off on a plot to remove the North's leader in 2015 and the plan was orchestrated by the South's spy agency. "We declare at home and abroad that we will impose the death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye and ex-director of the puppet intelligence service, criminals of hideous state-sponsored terrorism who hatched and pressed for the heinous plot to hurt the supreme leadership of the DPRK," KCNA said. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. "We declare that in case the U.S. and the South Korean puppet forces again attempt at hideous state-sponsored terrorism targeting the supreme leadership. We will impose summary punishment without advance notice," KCNA said. KCNA said the statement was issued jointly by the North's Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of People's Security and the Central Public Prosecutors Office. North and South Korea are technically in a state of war under a truce that ended their 1950-53 Korean War and the North routinely warns of annihilating the South Korean government. North Korean government agencies often issue harsh rhetoric in state media over perceived insults, or what they see as threats to the security their leaders, and the trend has intensified under current leader, Kim Jong Un. In May, North Korea accused the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and the South's spy agency of another plot to assassinate its "supreme leadership" with biochemical weapon. advertisement At that time, it also demanded the handover of former NIS chief Lee. Also Read PM Modi, Trump call North Korea's pursuit of nuclear programs a grave threat to peace: White House North Korea fires ballistic missile; Trump's UN envoy says Kim Jong Un in 'state of paranoia' --- ENDS --- A Facebook post by filmmaker Saba Dewan, calling for a protest in Delhi against lynching, inspired citizens from around the world to organise marches in their cities in solidarity. Not in My Name banner. Image designed by Orijit Sen By India Today Web Desk: It started out as a feeling Which then grew into a hope Which then turned into a quiet thought Which then turned into a quiet word And then that word grew louder and louder Till it was a battle cry... These are the words of the title track used for The Chronicles of Narnia, The Call. On some level, these lines of the song tell the story of how a Facebook post inspired people around the world to join a protest against lynchings in India. advertisement In the wake of the lynching of 16-year-old Junaid Khan in Haryana on June 22, filmmaker Saba Dewan posted a message on Facebook on Saturday asking people to join her in a protest against such rising rate of brutality in India. At the end of her post, Dewan named the protest, 'Not in My Name'. Soon, it became a calling. "Shouldn't there be protests against the lynchings especially after the murder yesterday in Delhi NCR by a mob of a 16 year old Muslim boy? If not now then when? Why wait for political formations to organize a demonstration ? Why can't all of us as citizens repulsed by the violence get together in protest at the earliest next week at Jantar Mantar under the banner - Not in my Name," Dewan in her first post. Dewan, then, posted details of a protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar, under the banner of Not In My Name. Soon, interested people started signing up, not just from Delhi but from across the country. So far, at least 11 cities in India are holding the Not In My Name marches -- Delhi (Jantar Mantar), Kolkata (Dakhinapan, Dhakuria), Chandigarh (Sector 17), Lucknow (Gandhi Park, GPO), Hyderabad (Tank Bund), Bangaluru (Bangalore Town Hall), Thiruvananthapuram (The Secreatariat), Mumbai (Promenade, Carter Road), Pune (Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Statue, near Pune Station), Chennai (Gandhi Statue, Marina Beach), Patna (Outside Kargil Chowk). Details of these protests in each city have been shared on Dewan's Facebook page. The Not in My Name protest has caught the attention of people abroad as well. Dewan writes on her Facebook wall that the protests are being organised in London, Toronto, and Boston. In London, the protest is being organised at the SOAS University of London. In Boston, it will take place at the Harvard Square, while in Toronto, outside the Indian High Commission. The Not in My Name protest is also seeing a demonstration in Karachi, outside the Karachi Press Club. Read more: Politics of lynching, the new normal in India advertisement Haryana: To protest 17-yr-old's lynching on train, people wear black arm bands during Eid namaaz Accused of trafficking, woman lynched by angry mob in West Bengal Lynching events overhyped, media over reporting them: Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi DSP lynching: Need to speak in one voice against stone pelters who aid terrorists, says BJP --- ENDS --- London-headquartered NGO Save the Children International (SCI) has awarded Speedcast a contract to provide connectivity to a network of 40+ sites in Africa. Recognised for their humanitarian work around the world, Save the Childrens mission has always been to save lives by preparing for and responding to humanitarian emergencies caused by natural disasters, disease outbreaks and armed conflicts. The organisation ensures that children affected by calamities receive life-saving medical aid, shelter and education. In any crisis, children are always the most vulnerable, said Andrew Burdall, executive vice president, enterprise & emerging markets, Speedcast. In order to achieve their critical mission in remote parts of the world, Save the Children relies on resilient communications supplied by Speedcast. As the demand for higher bandwidth increases for Save the Children sites located in remote parts of Africa, our reliable C-band VSAT solution allows the organisation to focus on its mission rather than its communications. Speedcast provides C-band virtual network operator (VNO) services which allow Save the Children to allocate pooled bandwidth across their sites. This solution efficiently matches Save the Childrens requirements for flexibility and scalability while accommodating their growing demand for cloud applications. This has enabled Save the Children to provide a reliable service to their sites over the past three years. Mark Hawkins, global humanitarian technology manager at Save the Children, said: The Speedcast technical support team is very helpful, easy to reach and extremely agile. During emergencies they know how to prioritise requests from Save the Children. We have experienced a true 24/7 support team and fast operational maintenance in the field. With Speedcasts support, we are able to aid children faster and more efficiently. The government of Poland has awarded a tender for the design, build-out and operation of advanced fibre optic networks to Nokia in partnership with Infracapital, the infrastructure arm of M&G Investments. Under the contract, the firms will build out networks that deliver broadband service to residences and schools in twelve under-served regions mostly in the northern and central parts of the country. The companies expect to sign an agreement for a thirteenth region in July. These networks, based on Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology, will deliver speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to more than 400 000 homes and approximately 2 500 schools in the largely rural voivodships (or provinces) of Lodzkie, Swietokrzyskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Warminsko-Mazurskie. Capital expenditure for the project is expected to be approximately 300 million. The networks will be built and operated as wholesale open access networks, with services to be marketed and delivered by retail service providers. This transformational initiative has been driven by Poland's Ministry of Digitalisation and subsidised in part by grants from the EU under its EU Digital Agenda 2020 program. This program targets the delivery of fast broadband services with download speeds of at least 30 Mbps to all EU citizens, and at least 100 Mbps to 50% of EU citizens, by 2020. Beginning in 2018, these under-served regions of Poland will benefit from a high-speed, high-quality and resilient fibre network that can deliver ultra-broadband services that will help to better connect schools, provide e-health and digital services and deliver socio-economic benefits, as well as supporting residential triple-play services such as HD video streaming, 4K TV, and real-time gaming. In addition to the broadband network infrastructure, Nokia will provide a variety of professional and maintenance services. Nokia is responsible for the project management, planning, design and deployment of both the broadband and passive fibre optic network. With its experience and expertise with outside plant networks, Nokia will manage the overall delivery of the passive fibre network rollout up to connecting the schools and homes to the network. Osvaldo di Campli, head of Global Enterprise & Public Sector at Nokia, said: "For many years, Nokia has been a partner to government organizations like Poland's Ministry of Digitalisation that are looking to deliver broadband connectivity to citizens regardless of their location. This exciting project with our partner, Infracapital, will help to ensure that everyone in Poland who wants a high-speed internet connection has access to that service." Republicans in the US Senate have delayed a crucial vote on the introduction of healthcare reforms in the country, as some within the party threatened to revolt against the legislation. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell announced the decision to postpone the vote until after the 4 July holiday, with President Donald Trump inviting key members of the party to the White House for talks. The replacement and repeal of Obamacare was one of Trump and the Republicans key domestic campaign promises but has faced difficulty in garnering agreement within the party. "We're going to continue the discussions within our conference on the differences that we have that we're continuing to try to litigate. Consequently, we will not be on the bill this week, but we're still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place," McConnell said. Five Republican senators said on Tuesday that they would vote against the bill, with conservatives saying it contains too much government interference and moderates afraid it will adversely affect constituents. Trump shrugged off the delay on Tuesday however, saying that senators were very close to coming to an agreement. The President also called out the Democrats in the Senate for not aiding the Obamacare repeal, which he described as failed, expensive and dangerous. With ZERO Democrats to help, and a failed, expensive and dangerous ObamaCare as the Dems legacy, the Republican Senators are working hard! Trump tweeted. A Venezuelan police helicopter attacked the country's supreme court building with grenades in what President Nicolas Maduro described as a "terrorist attack". In an address from the presidential palace, Maduro said the helicopter strafed the supreme court and also the justice and interior ministries. According to Reuters news agency, the aircraft fired 15 shots at the Interior Ministry, where a number of people were attending a social event, and dropped four grenades on the court where judges were meeting, but no injuries were reported. Responding to the attack, Maduro placed the military on alert: "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said. "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those who carried out this terror attack." Venezuela's government also said in a communique the helicopter was stolen by investigative police pilot Oscar Perez, who declared himself in rebellion against Maduro. Images posted on the Reuters website showed Perez waving a banner from the helicopter reading "Liberty", and the number "350" in large letters. The police officer identified himself as Oscar Perez in video statements posted on the social media platform Instagram. He appealed to Venezuelans to oppose "tyranny" "We are a coalition of military employees, policemen and civilians who are looking for balance and are against this criminal government. "We don't belong to any political tendency or party. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists," he said. Perez said the "fight" was not against the security forces but "against the impunity of this government. It is against tyranny". Wednesday's events followed mass protests against the country's long political and economic crisis. Over the previous three months, the 54-year-old socialist leader had faced protests from opposition leaders who decried him as a dictator who had wrecked a once-prosperous economy. There has been growing dissent too from within government and the security forces. The Supreme Court is regularly criticised by the Venezuelan opposition for its rulings which bolster Mr Maduro's hold on power. Maduro once said they are seeking a coup against him with the encouragement of a U.S. government eager to gain control of Venezuela's oil reserves, the largest in the world. Bharti Singh has been roped on for The Kapil Sharma Show. By India Today Web Desk: Comedian Bharti Singh, who was recently seen dancing with fiance Haarsh Limbaachiya on Star Plus' Nach Baliye 8 is all set to join The Kapil Sharma Show. The news came as a surprise as Bharti has been paired with Krushna Abhishek in many comedy shows but now she has joined his rival Kapil's team. Recently, Kapil's childhood friend and ex-team member Chandan Prabhakar returned to the show after a break of over three months. He had quit the show after the infamous mid-air fight with Kapil. advertisement A source closed to the show revealed that Bharti along with her beau Haarsh is joing TKSS. "Bharti will start shooting for Kapil's show from today. Her fiance Harsh Limbaachiyaa has been roped in to write the script for her," said the source to The Times of India. Looks like Kapil Sharma is all prepared to compete and clash with Krushna Abishek's upcoming show The Drama Company, which will be aired on the same channel as TKSS. All the best to both Kapil and Krushna! Also read: Chandan Prabhakar rejoins The Kapil Sharma Show; reveals why he patched up with Kapil --- ENDS --- International distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl said revenue for the half year was expected to have increased by 7% at constant exchange rates due to the improved underlying growth of between 3% and 4% and a similar impact from acquisitions. The company also announced it had purchased three further businesses in Spain and Canada for an undisclosed sum. It added that it expected to make further acquisitions this year. "Overall trading is consistent with expectations at the time of the first quarter trading statement in April. In addition, currency translation movements are expected to have increased the constant exchange revenue growth by 12%. As previously indicated, the underlying revenue growth is mainly due to the additional business won, albeit at lower margins, in North America towards the end of 2016," Bunzl said in a trading statement. The Canadian businesses, AMFAS and Western Safety, both based in Vancouver, are distributors of commercial and industrial first aid and safety supplies. The businesses, which together have aggregated annualised revenue of CAN $16m also provide safety-related services including training programmes and other workplace safety solutions. In Spain it has bought Valencia-based Tecnopacking, which distributes industrial and disposable packaging products to end users operating in a variety of different sectors throughout Spain as well as in Portugal. Revenue in 2016 was 38m. Bunzl has now acquired eight businesses so far this year for a total committed spend of approximately 290m, adding aggregate annualised revenue of 370m. Oil producer Genel Energy has appointed oil and gas industry veteran Esa Ikaheimonen as its chief financial officer with effect from 3 July. Ikaheimonen has more than 25 years of industry experience, most recently as group CFO of offshore drilling companies Transocean and Seadrill. Before that, he had a 20-year career at Royal Dutch Shell, culminating in the role of vice president finance for Shell Africa E&P. Chief executive officer Murat Ozgul said: "I am delighted to welcome Esa to Genel. His extensive industry, commercial, and financial experience will be invaluable to Genel and its growth ambitions, particularly the development of our significant gas assets in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. I look forward to working closely with him to unlock value for all our stakeholders." Ikaheimonen currently serves as a non-executive director and chairman of the Audit Committee at Vantage Drilling International. Africa-focused Tullow Oil said it expected to book a $600m pre-tax half year impairment due to the weaker oil price but expected a rise in revenues and gross profits. In a trading update, the company said revenue for the period was expected to be $800m, up from $500m in 2016 with gross profit up to $300m from $200m. The group's capex guidance for the year has been revised from to $400m from $500m, reflecting a revision to prior year accruals in Ghana and lower forecast expenditure across Tullow's portfolio. Deferred consideration from the Uganda farm-down, once completed, would further reduce the overall Group capex for 2017 to around $300m, Tullow added. First half West Africa oil production had performed in line with guidance, and was expected to average 81,400 bopd including production-equivalent payments received under Tullow's Business Interruption insurance policy for the Jubilee field. In Europe, half year net production is expected to average 5,600 boepd. West Africa working interest oil production full year guidance of between 78,000 and 85,000 bopd for 2017, including production-equivalent insurance payments, remained unchanged. Europe full year gas production guidance for 2017 is now expected to average between 5,500 and 6,000 boepd, Tullow said. New chief executive Paul McDade said Tullow continued to make good progress despite tough market conditions. The company in April went to shareholders for $750m in cash to cut its gearing. End-June net debt was expected to be cut by $950m to $3.8bn after the rights issue and and cash flow generated from operations, demonstrating ongoing delivery of organic deleveraging. McDade said the rights issue and free cash flow from our low cost, producing assets have resulted in a significant reduction in our debt and provided the group with greater financial and operational flexibility. Since I became CEO in April, I have reviewed our medium-term plans and remain satisfied that we are making the right investment decisions with regard to our producing, development and exploration portfolio, he said. Financial discipline and efficient capital allocation will be a key focus of my tenure as CEO as we seek to deleverage the Company and return to growth even at low oil prices." Splits emerged at the top of government yesterday as the Brexit secretary accused the chancellor of inconsistency and Boris Johnson faced mockery. The prime minister appeared to be struggling to contain divisions within her top team after David Davis and Philip Hammond set out alternative timetables for Brexit, with different customs arrangements in place once the two-year talks had concluded. - The Times Major reforms in the wake of the global financial crisis have made another banking meltdown unlikely "in our lifetimes", according to the chairman of the US Federal Reserve. Janet Yellen said rules that forced banks to strengthen their capital buffers had ensured the financial system was "much safer" today than a decade ago. - The Daily Telegraph Ocado has sent a self-driving truck trundling through the backstreets of Woolwich, south-east London, as part of the UKs first trial of autonomous grocery deliveries. The small vehicle, developed by Oxford-based Oxbotica, is spending 10 days shipping food and snacks to Ocado customers who live in the area, to test Ocados plans for its "Smart Platform" a plug-and-play online shopping business that it wants to sell to grocery retailers around the world who hope to compete with the likes of Amazon and Walmart. - The Guardian The government will ask companies for their advice on the process of leaving the European Union under a new forum that brings business back in from the cold since Theresa May took over as prime minister last year. Speaking at The Times CEO Summit, David Davis, the Brexit secretary, promised to give Britains bosses a greater say in leaving the EU as he pledged to prioritise jobs and prosperity over migration. - The Times Ladbrokes could face an investigation from the gambling regulator over an incident in which confidential information about betting addicts, including photos, names and addresses, was found in a bin bag on the street. The Gambling Commission said it was looking into the bookmakers compliance with data protection laws after a passer-by found the sensitive documents outside a branch of Ladbrokes in Glasgow. - The Guardian Telecoms and grocers did best on Wednesday, buoyed by positive endorsements from analysts against a backdrop of selling in the more defensive corners of the market as central banks on this side of the Pond made more 'hawkish' sounding noises. Although there was a degree of confusion regarding the latter. Analysts at Macquarie accounted for strength in BT Group, upgrading the shares to 'outperform' for the first time because in their opinion investors had turned too pessimistic on the prospects for the company future free cash flows. In particular, the Australian broker hailed the potential of BT's FTTp and its EE unit. Meanwhile, Tesco and Sainsbury gained as investors picked up their shares following positive sales data from Kantar the day before. Gains for Sterling amid what some (but not all) analysts interpreted as hawkish comments from Bank of England governor Mark Carney likely also played a hand. The day before HSBC sounded a positive note on Tesco, telling clients strategic momentum was continuing to build. A stronger pound was also a favourable tailwind for General Retailers in so far as it helps to dampen imported cost pressures. Linked to the rising pound and euro, or falling US dollar rather, Evraz was responsible for gains in Industrial Metals, as the retreat in the Greenback buoyed commodity prices. GKN meanwhile was responsible for gains in Auto with the shares bouncing back from the harsh punishment dealt out by investors on Tuesday after a profit warning from German peer Schaeffler. Heading the other way were 'defensive' pharma and tobacco stocks, again on the back of recent central bank signals of continued policy tightening ahead. Top performing sectors so far today Fixed Line Telecommunications 3,398.01 +1.94% Food & Drug Retailers 2,889.01 +1.14% Industrial Metals & Mining 2,361.82 +1.03% General Retailers 2,464.55 +0.32% Automobiles & Parts 7,764.72 +0.27% Bottom performing sectors so far today Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 14,397.25 -2.05% Software & Computer Services 2,095.60 -1.78% Tobacco 58,733.33 -1.38% Real Estate Investment Trusts 2,930.17 -1.26% Equity Investment Instruments 9,315.87 -1.14% Native communities and environmental justice advocates in Louisiana opened a new resistance camp Saturday to oppose the proposed Bayou Bridge Pipeline project. Called Leau Est La Vie, or Water is Life, the camp will consist of floating indigenous art structures on rafts and constant prayer ceremonies during its first two weeks. The Bayou Bridge project, owned in part by Dakota Access Pipeline owner Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), would transport crude oil over 163 miles of natural heritage swampland to a terminal in St. James Parish in Louisiana. St. James residents and environmental advocates recently filed suit to overturn the pipelines permit, claiming that the state did not adequately address impacts of a potential spill on the community or surrounding wetlands. Once again Indigenous communities are being put in harms way and over 700 bodies of water will be threatened by one of the worst environmental offenders known to date, said the Indigenous Environmental Network in a statement. We stand with the Water Protectors here in southern Louisiana to protect these critical wetlands that serve as protection for the people of this region from floods and storms. The Indigenous Environmental Network announced the opening of the camp with the video above explaining why completion of the Bayou Bridge pipeline must be stopped. The corporation Energy Transfer Partners has proven themselves to be untrustworthy in regards to their moral responsibility to preserve both human and ecological rights, said Cherri Foytlin of BOLD Louisiana. Whereby they have obfuscated the truth, sabotaged democracy, destroyed our lands and water, and even hired mercenaries to injure our people, we have but one recourse, and that is to say, You shall not pass. No Bayou Bridge! We will stop ETP. They are not welcome herenot in our bayous, not in our wetlands, not in our basin, not under our lands or through our waters. Period. For a deeper dive: Camp: Times-Picayune, Colorlines. Lawsuit: Times-Picayune, The Advocate, DeSmog For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News. By Matt Smith The next big pipeline battle is shaping up in the marshes of southwestern Louisiana. The standoff at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) has energized activists in Louisiana, who are trying to keep another crude conduit out of wetlands that Louisianans have fought to restore for decades. The 162-mile Bayou Bridge Pipeline is the last of a network of oilfield arteries that includes DAPL. The project would run from southeastern Texas to a Mississippi River terminal in St. James Parish, west of New Orleans, after crossing the Atchafalaya River basina 1.4 million-acre swath of cypress marsh and wetland forest thats a key rest stop for birds moving north and south along the Mississippi Flyway. Its the largest swamp left in North America and its historically the most critical habitat for migratory birds in the entire hemisphere, said Dean Wilson, executive director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper. The murky waters of the Atchafalaya are teeming with fish, crawfish and crabs, making them a rich source of food for animals and people alike. Wilsons organization is part of a coalition of Louisiana environmentalists seeking to block the pipeline, which includes the Sierra Clubs Delta Chapter. Theyre trying to prevent further injury to a state where the oil industry puts food on many tables, but also has inflicted deep and dramatic losses on the landscape. The Atchafalaya watershed is already crisscrossed with thousands of miles of pipe; one more is one too many, said Darryl Malek-Wiley, a Sierra Club organizer in New Orleans. As an ecosystem, its actually more productive than the Everglades, as far as food value, Malek-Wiley said. Its time to focus in on this and move forward in a positive way to protect the area, rather than to put more pipelines across it, which cause sediment backup and disturb the water flow through the basin. As an offshoot of the Mississippi River, the Atchafalaya is a major part of southern Louisianas flood protection system. In 2011, when rising waters threatened Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers opened spillways that diverted some of that flow through the basin. Its also the only part of coastal Louisiana that gained land area over the past several decades, as a combination of sinking land, sea-level rise and erosion accelerated by industrial canals eats away at the rest of the states shoreline. And its not just the watershed that would be affected. Opponents say the 24-inch-diameter line would cross about 700 bodies of water, from bayous to backyard wells. Theyre lined up against the states powerful oil and gas industry, which employs about 30,000 people and supports tens of thousands more jobs. The areas Republican congressman and the states Democratic governor both support the pipeline. Louisianas Department of Natural Resources approved the project in Apriland no sympathy is expected from the Trump administration, which reversed its predecessors decision to halt the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines across the northern Great Plains. But the pipelines builder, Energy Transfer Partners, still has to get permission from the state Department of Environmental Quality and the Corps of Engineers. Opponents have asked the Department of Natural Resources to reconsider its approval, and argue that the pipeline would piggyback on infrastructure thats already out of compliance with Corps regulations. When you live in places like Louisiana, you always have to be optimistic or you just dont fight, Malek-Wiley said. Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, which also built the Dakota Access Pipeline, didnt respond to requests for comment. Supporters say the pipeline will support about 2,500 construction jobs and pump around $750 million into Louisianas economy. They also argue that pipelines are the safest way to move oilfar less risky than carrying it by train, where a derailment could lead to a disastrous explosion and fire. Critics, however, say the industrys safety and environmental record is terrible, citing more than 140 pipeline accidents in 2016, and an explosion in February that killed one worker and injured two others. In the years since the Deepwater Horizon blowout fouled stretches of the Gulf Coast, environmentalists have stepped up their opposition to new exploration and infrastructure. Theyve protested and disrupted the Interior Departments offshore lease sales and are preparing for more protests against Bayou Bridge. Theyre hoping to tap into the experience of people who took part in the Standing Rock protests, said Anne Rolfes, director of the environmental group Louisiana Bucket Brigade. There are ordinary people here who were moved to go all the way up to North Dakota to experience that and they are very committed to doing that here, Rolfes said. People from groups who were very involved up there are helping us figure this out. Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean elections The campaign #NotInMyName saw thousands gathering across cities to protest against lynching. By India Today Web Desk: Under the banner of 'Not in my name', thousands gathered across multiple cities in India this evening to register their protest against a series of incidents of mob violence. Citizen protests were held in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Bengaluru among other cities. Protests will also be held at London, Toronto, Karachi and Boston tomorrow. advertisement The campaign #NotInMyName was started on Facebook by filmmaker Saba Dewan after 16-year-old Junaid Khan was lynched on a train by a mob over allegations of carrying beef. In Delhi, the protest was held at the Jantar Mantar. An image designed by graphic artist Orijit Sen featuring blood-stained chappals, a metal rod and the message "Not In My Name" is being shared by hundreds on social media sites along with an appeal to join the protest. "Please carry banners with the slogan - NOT IN MY NAME. This is a citizens' protest open to all. Everyone is welcome but without party or organisational banners," the invite read. Big crowd for #NotInMyName in Bengaluru. More people coming. And the rain gods agree with us! #Stoplynching pic.twitter.com/hMWdekZvrW; Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) June 28, 2017 Actors Shabana Azmi and Konkona Sena Sharma were among those who participated in the protest held at Carter Road in suburban Bandra this evening. Protesters marched silently, holding posters and placards bearing slogans. "Killing over food. Not in my Name," read a placard. "Today's protest was against the savage culture of mob lynching," journalist and author Rana Ayyub said. A member of the Bandra West Residents Association, who participated in today's protest, said the campaign, started with the hashtag #NotInMyName, is an attempt to 'reclaim the Constitution' and resist the 'onslaught' on the right to life and equality. It all started on June 24 with Dewan's post calling for protests against the spate of lynchings that have taken place in different parts of the country in recent weeks, the latest being the murderous attack on Junaid on June 22. Junaid was stabbed to death on a Mathura-bound train, which he had taken with his two brothers after shopping at Delhi's Sadar Bazar. A group of men hurled communal slurs at the boys and attacked them after an altercation, allegedly over seats. The Not In My Name marches were held at these places - Delhi (Jantar Mantar), Kolkata (Dakhinapan, Dhakuria), Chandigarh (Sector 17), Lucknow (Gandhi Park, GPO), Hyderabad (Tank Bund), Bangaluru (Bangalore Town Hall), Thiruvananthapuram (The Secretariat), Mumbai (Promenade, Carter Road), Pune (Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Statue, near Pune Station), Chennai (Gandhi Statue, Marina Beach), Patna (Outside Kargil Chowk) --- ENDS --- Discovery provides insight into society and copper production in the Timna region at the time of David and Solomon, Tel Aviv University researchers say Tel Aviv University archaeologists have revealed that cloth samples found in the Israeli desert present the earliest evidence of plant-based textile dyeing in the region. They were found at a large-scale copper smelting site and a nearby temple in the copper ore district of Timna in Israel's Arava desert and are estimated to date from the 13th-10th centuries BCE. The wool and linen pieces shed light on a sophisticated textile industry and reveal details about a deeply hierarchical society dependent on long-distance trade to support its infrastructure in the unforgiving desert. The study was published in PLOS ONE. It was led by Dr. Erez Ben-Yosef of TAU's Department of Archaeology and Near Eastern Cultures and Dr. Naama Sukenik of the Israel Antiquities Authority; and conducted in collaboration with Vanessa Workman of TAU's Department of Archaeology, Dr. Orit Shamir of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Dr. Zohar Amar, Dr. Alexander Varvak and Dr. David Iluz of Bar-Ilan University. Textiles suggest significant social stratification "This was clearly a formative period, with local kingdoms emerging and replacing Egyptian hegemony in Canaan," Dr. Ben-Yosef said. "These beautiful masterpieces of weaving and dyeing -- the first evidence of industrial dyeing at the time, of wash-resistant color on textile -- support the idea of a strong, hierarchical Edomite Kingdom in Timna at the time. "It is apparent that there was a dominant elite in this society that took pains to dress according to their 'class,' and had the means to engage in long-distance trade to transport these textiles -- and other materials and resources -- to the desert." The research suggests a sophisticated dyeing process involving cooking colorful plants in water, then adding fleece fixed with alum to create a chemical bond between fabrics and dye. The result is a wash-resistant colorful fabric. The researchers radiocarbon-dated the textile pieces and harnessed gas chromatography to identify the cloth's organic molecules. They found "red" molecules produced from the madder plant and "blue" molecules from the woad plant. "Both plants were known in antiquity as sources of organic dyes," said Dr. Ben-Yosef. "We know that these plants were used to create elaborate costumes during the Roman period, more than a thousand years later. Now we have evidence in the region of an Edomite society wearing textiles produced the same way, versus an earlier 'primitive' smearing of color on fabric." "We can make many inferences according to this discovery," Dr. Ben-Yosef continued. "To force a large group of people to work in dangerous mines in the desert, you need a strong ruling party -- an elite that probably wore exquisite clothes to further distinguish themselves. The smelters, working in furnaces, were considered 'magicians' or even priests, and they probably wore fine clothing too. They represented the highest level of society, managing a sensitive and complex process to produce copper from rock." Evidence of long-distance trade The textile dye presents evidence of long-distance trade, Dr. Ben-Yosef noted. "Clearly this is not local. These plants require a lot of water and probably hail from the Mediterranean regions. The dyeing required special craftspeople, an entire industry that could not have subsisted in the desert. If Jerusalem was indeed opulent in the time of King Solomon, and the Temple covered in copper, we can assume a link to that kingdom." The textiles are currently being stored in special facilities at the Israel Antiquities Authority and will one day be presented in museums in Israel and elsewhere. ### American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) supports Israel's most influential, comprehensive and sought-after center of higher learning, Tel Aviv University (TAU). TAU is recognized and celebrated internationally for creating an innovative, entrepreneurial culture on campus that generates inventions, startups and economic development in Israel. For three years in a row, TAU ranked 9th in the world, and first in Israel, for alumni going on to become successful entrepreneurs backed by significant venture capital, a ranking that surpassed several Ivy League universities. To date, 2,400 patents have been filed out of the University, making TAU 29th in the world for patents among academic institutions. It turns out your skin is crawling with single-celled microorganisms -- and they're not just bacteria. A study by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the Medical University of Graz has found that the skin microbiome also contains archaea, a type of extreme-loving microbe, and that the amount of it varies with age. The researchers conducted both genetic and chemical analyses of samples collected from human volunteers ranging in age from 1 to 75. They found that archaea (pronounced ar-KEY-uh) were most abundant in subjects younger than 12 and older than 60. Their study has been published in Scientific Reports (a Nature journal) in an article titled, "Human age and skin physiology shape diversity and abundance of Archaea on skin." "The skin microbiome is usually dominated by bacteria," said Hoi-Ying Holman, director of the Berkeley Synchrotron Infrared Structural Biology (BSISB) Program and a senior author on the paper. "Most of the scientific attention has been on bacteria, because it's easier to detect. Based on the literature, six years ago we didn't even know that archaea existed on human skin. Now we've found they're part of the core microbiome and are an important player on human skin." The study was a joint effort of Holman, Berkeley Lab postdoctoral fellow Giovanni Birarda (now a scientist at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste in Italy), UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow Alexander Probst (now associate professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany), and Christine Moissl-Eichinger, the corresponding author of the study. Moissl-Eichinger and her team at the Medical University of Graz in Austria and at the University of Regensburg in Germany analyzed the genetic features of the skin microbiomes. In addition to the influence of age, they found that gender was not a factor but that people with dry skin have more archaea. "Archaea might be important for the cleanup process under dry skin conditions," said Moissl-Eichinger. "The results of our genetic analysis (DNA-based quantitative PCR and next-generation sequencing), together with results obtained from infrared spectroscopy imaging, allowed us to link lower levels of sebum [the oily secretion of sebaceous glands] and thus reduced skin moisture with an increase of archaeal signatures." More than skin deep It was not until the 1970s that scientists realized how different archaea were from bacteria, and they became a separate branch on the tree of life -- the three branches being Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya (which includes all plants and animals). Archaea are commonly found in extreme environments, such as hot springs and Antarctic ice. Nowadays it is known that archaea exist in sediments and in the Earth's subsurface as well, but they have only recently been found in the human gut and linked with the human microbiome. Holman's focus is on developing synchrotron infrared spectroscopy techniques to look at biological or ecological systems. Using Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS), one of the world's brightest sources of infrared beams, the Holman Group developed a rapid and label-free method to screen cells and immediately tell if they're bacteria or archaea. "The challenges in microbial profiling are speed, throughput, and sample integrity," she said. "We spent years developing this technique and could not have done it without the unique resources of the ALS." But the dearth of studies on skin archaea is not just because of technical limitations. The researchers assert that the lack of age diversity in the sampling in previous studies was also a factor. "Sampling criteria and methods matter," Holman said. "We found middle-aged human subjects have less archaea; therefore, the archaeal signatures have been overlooked in other skin microbiome studies." From astronauts to archaea This study stemmed from a planetary protection project for NASA and the European Space Agency. "We were checking spacecraft and their clean rooms for the presence of archaea, as they are suspected to be possible critical contaminants during space exploration -- certain methane-producing archaea, the so-called methanogens, could possibly survive on Mars," Moissl-Eichinger said. "We did not find many signatures from methanogens, but we found loads of Thaumarchaeota, a very different type of archaea that survives with oxygen." At first it was thought the Thaumarchaeota were from the outside, but after finding them in hospitals and other clean rooms, the researchers suspected they were from human skin. So they conducted a pilot study of 13 volunteers and found they all had these archaea on their skin. As a follow-up, which is the current study, they tested 51 volunteers and decided to get a large range in ages to test the age-dependency of the archaeal signatures. Samples were taken from the chest area. The variations in archaeal abundance among the age groups were statistically significant and unexpected. "It was surprising," Holman said. "There's a five- to eightfold difference between middle-aged people and the elderly -- that's a lot." Role in human health still a question Their study focused on Thaumarchaeota, one of the many phyla of archaea, as little evidence of the others was found in the pilot study. "We know that Thaumarchaeota are supposed to be an ammonia-oxidizing microorganism, and ammonia is a major component of sweat, which means they might play a role in nitrogen turnover and skin health," Holman said. In collaboration with Peter Wolf of the Medical University of Graz, the team also correlated archaeal abundance with skin dryness, as middle-aged persons have higher sebum levels and thus moister skin than the elderly. So far, most archaea are known to be beneficial rather than harmful to human health. They may be important for reducing skin pH or keeping it at low levels, and lower pH is associated with lower susceptibility to infections. "The detected archaea are probably involved in nitrogen turnover on skin, and are capable of lowering the skin pH, supporting the suppression of pathogens," said Moissl-Eichinger. "Bacteria with the same capacities are already used as skin probiotics, potentially improving skin moisture and reducing body odors. Nevertheless, the clinical relevance of Thaumarchaeota remains unclear and awaits further studies." Holman listed several avenues of inquiry for future studies with Moissl-Eichinger. "We would like to investigate the physiological role of human skin archaea and how they differ from environmental archaea," she said. "We would like to find out which niches they prefer on or in the human body. We also want to know whether they might be involved in pathogenic processes, such as neurodermatitis or psoriasis. So far, there is little evidence of the pathogenicity of archaea." ### The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, BioTechMed Graz, the Bavaria California Technology Center, and the University of Regensburg. The Advanced Light Source is a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Berkeley Lab. Other co-authors of the study were Anna Auerbach of the University of Regensburg and Kaisa Koskinen of the Medical University of Graz. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov. 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. Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology and Kent State University have developed a new material that can undulate and therefore propel itself forward under the influence of light. To this end, they clamp a strip of this polymer material in a rectangular frame. When illuminated it goes for a walk all on its own. This small device, the size of a paperclip, is the world's first machine to convert light directly into walking, simply using one fixed light source. The researchers publish their findings on 29 June in the scientific journal Nature. The maximum speed is equivalent to that of a caterpillar, about half a centimeter per second. The researchers think it can be used to transport small items in hard-to-reach places or to keep the surface of solar cells clean. They placed grains of sand on the strip and these were removed by the undulating movement. The mechanism is so powerful that the strip can even transport an object that is much bigger and heavier than the device itself, uphill. The motion of the new material is due to the fact that one side contracts in reaction to light, and the other one expands, causing it to bulge when illuminated. That deformation disappears instantaneously once the light is gone. Although the material looks transparent to the human eye, it fully absorbs the violet light the researchers used, thus creating a shadow behind it. The scientific team, led by professor Dick Broer of Eindhoven University of Technology, was able to create a continual undulating movement, using this 'self-shadowing' effect. They attached a strip of the material in a frame shorter than the strip itself, causing it to bulge. Then they shone a concentrated led light on it, from in front. The part of the strip that is in the light, starts to bulge downward, creating a 'dent' in the strip. As a consequence, the next part of the strip comes in the light and starts to deform. This way the 'dent' moves backwards, creating a continual undulating movement. This sets the device in motion, walking away from the light. When the device is placed upside down, the wave travels in the opposite direction, causing it to walk towards the light. The research team managed to reach this specific behavior of the material using 'liquid crystals' (familiar in liquid crystal displays; lcd's). The principle relies on the incorporation of a fast responding light-sensitive variant in a liquid crystalline polymer network. They engineered a material in such a way that this response is translated to an instantaneous deformation of the strip when illuminated, and relaxation directly when the light is gone. ### The paper in Nature is entitled 'Making waves in a photoactive polymer film (DOI 10.1038/nature22987).' The authors are Anne Helene Gelebart1, Dirk Jan Mulder1, Michael Varga2, Andrew Konya2, Ghislaine Vantomme1, Bert Meijer1, Robin Selinger2 and Dick Broer1 (1: Eindhoven University of Technology, 2: Kent State University). The empirical study took place in Eindhoven with the corresponding theoretical model being developed in Kent, Ohio. The research was made possible by subsidies from the Dutch research funding agency NWO and the European Research Council. TALLAHASSEE, Fla -- When it comes to voter turnout and election outcomes, it's not just what you know, but perhaps who you know that makes the difference, according to a new study led by a Florida State University researcher. People more closely connected to electoral candidates in their social network vote at higher rates, according to Matthew Pietryka, an assistant professor of political science. The term "social network" refers to the wide collection of family, friends and acquaintances that an individual has, as well as a social connection's family, friends and acquaintances. In addition to the higher participation rate, the study found that the greater the connection to candidates from a particular party, the more likely it is a voter will support that party and oppose the other. Pietryka's findings were published in the American Political Science Review. "Research on the social determinants of voting has really lagged behind research on the personal determinants of voting," Pietryka said. "The big problem is that many studies do a poor job measuring the social context which individuals are embedded. We know very little about how your friends and your family influence your views." For decades, political scientists have attempted to find the key identifiers in predicting how and why people vote. Researchers have long been aware of how certain key factors, such as race, class, education and psychological disposition have a strong degree of influence on electoral preferences. These identifiers are key in part because they are easy to measure with surveys. Surveys focus on respondents' attributes, but obscure the social context in which they reside. Political scientists have mostly followed suit -- studying how things that are easy to measure in surveys influence voting. Thus, the influence of social networks on voting has received little attention. This study, however, controlled for factors like race and education while simultaneously putting them into a proper social context. Researchers used results from an 1859 election in Alexandria, Va., and an 1874 election from Newport, Ky., to conduct the study. These 19th-century electoral results were gathered by Don DeBats, a historian from Flinders University in Australia who collaborated with Pietryka. DeBats spent the better part of the past two decades compiling information on the citizens of each city and their individual social network. For every citizen eligible to vote, researchers measured their proximity to all the candidates. "For instance, you might be the neighbor of someone who ran for city council, or you might go to church with someone who ran for city council," Pietryka said. "What we were doing was looking to see what individuals shared some social connection with candidates. We played something like 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,' where we said if you are neighbors with someone who works with someone who ran for city council, you're two degrees removed." Because the voting records from Alexandria and Newport were both intact and very detailed, Pietryka said, the results from the 19th century were important in reaching his conclusion. "We could build up a much more detailed social network of these people living in the 19th century than we could with data on people living today," he said. Pietryka also used results from a 2010 election in Williamsburg, Va., where a student from the College of William & Mary ran for city council. Data came from a survey given to students identifying their voting preferences, as well as their friends at the university. Despite a more than 150-year difference between the voting time frames, the researchers said their findings held constant regardless of the time period and electoral composition. Pietryka plans to expand the scope of his research in the future using a concept known as "friends and neighbors voting," which examines the impact of geographic proximity on voting. Pietryka said he wants to explore how physical and social distance intertwine with ethnicity and class to shape people's political participation. ### Many people living with dementia reside in long-term care facilities, where the lack of stimulation can result in behaviors such as hitting, screaming, and wandering. Common measures to avoid such "responsive" behaviors, such as antipsychotic medications and personalized recreational and music therapy programs, can cause adverse health effects in the former case and be difficult for staff to find time to carry out in the latter case. A team of human factors/ergonomics researchers helped to evaluate and refine Ambient Activity (or AA; Ambient Activity Technologies Inc.), interactive tools designed to augment existing programs and activities by alleviating boredom and increasing engagement. The team evaluating the effectiveness of AA units for managing behavior in people with dementia is being led by Andrea Wilkinson, a postdoctoral research fellow in mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Toronto. The work was recently presented at the 2017 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, held in March in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Ambient Activity Technologies for Managing Responsive Behaviors in Dementia" has just been published in the online proceedings of the symposium. The AA unit has a wooden case and knobs reminiscent of an old-style radio/television to provide dementia patients with a sense of familiarity and comfort with the device. It is designed to be mounted on the wall, where it can be easily accessed. When a patient turns a knob or flips a switch, the AA unit displays personalized content such as a slideshow of family photos, games, movie clips, and favorite music that has been selected by residents, family members, or staff and preloaded onto the AA unit. The device uses Bluetooth technology to recognize and connect each resident with his or her individualized programming so it can be activated anytime day or night. Wilkinson notes, "AA aims to treat the cause rather than the symptom by creating meaningful physical, mental, and social engagement with personalized activities and content. Our goal is to help people with dementia maintain their physical and cognitive status as much as possible while enhancing their quality of life." Testing and evaluation prior to commercial release of the device is still under way. ### To receive a copy of "Ambient Activity Technologies for Managing Responsive Behaviors in Dementia" for media-reporting purposes, contact HFES Communications Director Lois Smith (310/394-1811, lois@hfes.org). The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the world's largest scientific association for human factors/ergonomics professionals, with more than 4,500 members globally. HFES members include psychologists and other scientists, designers, and engineers, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them. "Human Factors and Ergonomics: People-Friendly Design Through Science and Engineering." Montreal, June 28, 2017 Patients with common widespread forms of cancer will enjoy longer life expectancy and reduced risk of recurrence thanks to a multimodal optical spectroscopy probe developed by Canadian researchers. In 2015, scientists at Polytechnique Montreal, the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM), the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro), McGill University, and the MUHC developed a hand-held Raman spectroscopy probe allowing surgeons to accurately detect virtually all brain cancer cells in real time during surgery. The research team has now perfected the invention and designed a new device with improved accuracy, sensitivity and specificity, capable of detecting not only brain cancer cells but colon, lung and skin cancer cells as well. In intraoperative testing, the multimodal optical spectroscopy probe detected cancer cells infallibly, with nearly 100 per cent sensitivityin other words, when pointed at a cancerous region, the probe is never wrong. This breakthrough, details of which were published on June 28 in the American Association for Cancer Research journal Cancer Research, is the outcome of collaborative efforts between engineer Frederic Leblond and neurosurgical oncology specialist Dr. Kevin Petrecca. Minimizing, or completely eliminating, the number of cancer cells during surgery is a critical part of cancer treatment, yet detecting cancer cells during surgery is challenging, explains Dr. Petrecca, who is Chief of Neurosurgery, a brain cancer researcher, and holder of the William Feindel Chair in Neuro-Oncology at the Neuro. Often it is impossible to visually distinguish cancer from normal brain, so invasive brain cancer cells frequently remain after surgery, leading to cancer recurrence and a worse prognosis. Surgically minimizing the number of cancer cells improves patient outcomes. Dr. Frederic Leblond, Professor of Engineering Physics at Polytechnique Montreal and a research fellow at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), notes: The probe weve designed enables detection of nearly 100 per cent of cancer cells in the brain. This is a very important advance. Weve also been able to demonstrate the effectiveness of our technology in treating other forms of cancer. This means that more patients will benefit from better diagnosis, more effective treatment, and lower risk of recurrence. The major advantage of this system is that surgeons can use it during a procedure to detect cancer cells in real timea determination that is difficult to make via naked-eye observation. A technology with extremely high accuracy is necessary, since surgeons will be using this information to help determine if tissues contain cancer cells or not. An important feature of this device is its broad applicability. We found that it effectively detects multiple cancer types, including brain, lung, colon, and skin cancers, Dr. Petrecca concludes. Probe combines multiple technology modalities The intraoperative probe developed in the laboratories uses the same Raman spectroscopy technology as the researchers first-generation probe to interpret the chemical composition of the tissue examined. First developed in 2015 and tested on more than 80 patients during surgery, the probe has now been perfected by its inventors. The new version is multimodal, also using intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy to interpret the metabolic composition of the cells, as well as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to analyze intrinsic tissue absorption in patients. During recent testing on 15 other brain surgery patients, sequential use of these high-sensitivity spectroscopy techniquesintegrated into a single sensor coupled with a detection system, in combination with stimulating lasers, a highly sensitive camera, and a spectrometerthe surgeon benefited from molecular imaging that provided never-before-seen accuracy, with cancer detection sensitivity improved by about 10 per cent compared with the first-generation probe. Clinical trial under way The first-generation Raman spectroscopy probe is currently the subject of a randomized controlled trial involving patients with gliomas. The study will be the first in the world to demonstrate the clinical benefits of intraoperative probe use during brain surgery. The results will be used to establish the protocol for an upcoming clinical trial of the second-generation multimodal probe. In 2015, Dr. Petrecca and Professor Leblond created a company, ODS Medical, to commercialize the probe. They have since initiated the formal approval process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to ensure transfer of the technology to hospital settings within a few years. About the study The article reporting on the study, Highly accurate detection of cancer in situ with intraoperative, label-free, multimodal optical spectroscopy, was published in the American Association for Cancer Research journal Cancer Research on June 28, 2017. The work was supported by the Fonds de recherche du QuebecNature et technologies, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Collaborative Health Research Projects (CIHR and NSERC), the Groupe de recherche en sciences et technologies biomedicales, and National Bank of Canada. The authors are Michael Jermyn, Jeanne Mercier, Kelly Aubertin, Joannie Desroches, Kirk Urmey, Jason Karamchandiani, Eric Marple, Marie-Christine Guiot, Frederic Leblond, and Kevin Petrecca. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-0668 Media kit: B-roll : http://bit.ly/FLKPbroll Video : http://bit.ly/FLKPvidEN Probe pictures : http://bit.ly/FLKPpicSP Pictures of Frederic Leblond and Kevin Petrecca : http://bit.ly/FLKPpicPR INFORMATION FOR MEDIA For an interview with Professor Frederic Leblond Florence Scanvic Polytechnique Montreal Communications Advisor florence.scanvic@polymtl.ca 514 340-4711, poste 2730 For an interview with Dr. Kevin Petrecca Shawn Hayward Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro Communications Officer shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca 514 398-3376 A team of botanists from the US has named a new bush tomato species, based on collections made by their Australian colleagues, during government-funded surveys in a brand new national park. After looking at collections from biodiversity surveys of a 10,000 km2 area now known as Limmen National Park, Bucknell University biology professor, Chris Martine, decided to form an expedition to relocate and describe a mysterious bush tomato uncovered during the government-sponsored studies. A year later, Martine and his co-authors, including an undergraduate student, have published the new species in the open access journal PhytoKeys. The discovery offers a powerful case for investing in conservation through park systems at a time when these systems are under threat. For the team of US scientists, knowing where to go was one challenge, but understanding the landscape in such a remote corner of the Australian Northern Territory and figuring out how to get there was quite another. Martine and his team from Bucknell (undergraduate lead author Mae Lacey and postdoctoral fellow Jason T. Cantley) could not do it without the local assistance and expertise of Peter Jobson, Senior Botanist at the Northern Territory Herbarium in Alice Springs. To acknowledge the pivotal role of Jobson in the successful search, the new species, Solanum jobsonii, has been named after him. "Jobson is one of a handful of botanists employed by the Northern Territory government who are tasked with stewarding a vastly diverse flora," explains Martine. "Not only are many species there of conservation concern, but unknown numbers of species are yet to be found and given names. Those scientists are doing yeoman's work." Martine named a previously discovered species for Ian Cowie, the Curator at the Northern Territory Herbarium in Palmerston, in 2011. Solanum cowiei, a species from Litchfield National Park, was described in a paper appearing also in PhytoKeys. The scientists hope that the discovery of this latest new species turns a spotlight on the importance of protecting natural areas and supporting the individuals who are charged with their care. "Notably, the use of trained biodiversity scientists in surveys of the proposed parkland provided masses of data in support of protecting this area as a national treasure," write the authors in the article. "The discovery of the new species described here, and the potential description of other new forms of biodiversity from Limmen National Park, is a testament to the benefits of not only investing in national parks in Australia and elsewhere, but also investing in parks-based scientific inquiry." The new species, a relative of the cultivated eggplant, has been recorded under specific habitat conditions from only four locations in the monsoon tropics of northern Australia. Because of this, Martine and his colleagues have suggested that it be listed as "Vulnerable" as per the Red List Categories and Criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "There are rare and unusual species all over the world, just like this one, that deserve our appreciation and protection"" said Martine. "Luckily, many are already living within the boundaries of conservation areas like state and national parks in Australia, the US, and elsewhere." "However, the rise of anti-science and anti-conservation rhetoric in the US, especially, has put federal and state protected lands here at risk," he said. "It also threatens the rich biodiversity our Founding Fathers celebrated and the American scientific enterprise they held so dear." ### Original Source: Lacey LM, Cantley JT, Martine CT (2017) Solanum jobsonii, a novel andromonoecious bush tomato species from a new Australian national park. PhytoKeys 82: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.82.12106 By Press Trust of India: New York, Jun 28 (PTI) In a major breakthrough, astronomers including one of Indian origin have discovered two supermassive black holes orbiting each other 750 million light years away from Earth - a finding that may help better understand how gravitational waves are formed. Last year, an international team of researchers detected the existence of gravitational waves, confirming German physicist Albert Einsteins 100-year-old prediction and astonishing the scientific community. advertisement These gravitational waves were the result two stellar mass black holes of about 30 solar masses colliding in space. Scientists will now be able to start to understand what leads up to the merger of supermassive black holes that creates ripples in the fabric of space-time and begin to learn more about the evolution of galaxies and the role these black holes play in it. "For a long time, weve been looking into space to try and find a pair of these supermassive black holes orbiting as a result of two galaxies merging," said Professor Greg Taylor from University of New Mexico in the US. "Even though weve theorised that this should be happening, nobody had ever seen it until now," said Taylor. Researchers have been studying the interaction between these black holes for 12 years. "When Dr Taylor gave me this data I was at the very beginning of learning how to image and understand it," said Karishma Bansal, first-author of the study published in The Astrophysical Journal. "As I learned there was data going back to 2003, we plotted it and determined they are orbiting one another. Its very exciting," said Bansal. Using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), a system made up of 10 radio telescopes across the US, researchers have been able to observe several frequencies of radio signals emitted by these supermassive black holes (SMBH). Over time, astronomers have essentially been able to plot their trajectory and confirm that these black holes are in orbit with one another. At roughly 750 million light years from Earth, the galaxy named 0402+379 and the supermassive black holes within it, are incredibly far away, but are also at the perfect distance from Earth and each other to be observed. Bansal said these supermassive black holes have a combined mass of 15 billion times that of our Sun, or 15 billion solar masses. The unbelievable size of these black holes means their orbital period is around 24,000 years, so while the team has been observing them for over a decade, they have yet to see even the slightest curvature in their orbit. advertisement Continuing to observe the orbit and interaction of these two supermassive black holes could also help us gain a better understanding of what the future of our own galaxy might look like. Right now, the Andromeda galaxy, which also has a SMBH at its centre, is on a path to collide with our Milky Way. The event that the researchers are studying may occur in our galaxy in a few billion years. PTI MHN MHN --- ENDS --- PRINCETON, N.J. -- Despite the relatively large number of employees working in downtown Detroit, the city continues to be afflicted by urban blight, surrounded by a swath of vacant neighborhoods. Changing this pervasive phenomenon has been at the forefront for developers, city officials and groups like Detroit Future City, an initiative with a strategic vision for the city's future. Debuting a new economic model, a team of researchers from Princeton University and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond have identified 22 neighborhoods that, if developed, could bring in millions of dollars in residential and business rents while attracting thousands of new residents to the city. These neighborhoods -- which include areas like Rosa Parks, Lower Woodward, Middle East Central, among others -- differ significantly from those targeted by Detroit Future City, which mostly focuses on neighborhoods close to downtown. The results are published as a working paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). "Reviving Detroit requires coordination and buy-in from multiple developers, residents, and city governments. You can't think small scale on this," said co-author Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, Theodore A. Wells '29 Professor of Economics at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. "Our analysis shows there are mutual gains to be had by all parties. The gains would also be distributed across the city and beyond its boundaries, so coordination between counties is crucial." In addition to Rossi-Hansberg, the model was designed and evaluated by Raymond Owens and Pierre-Daniel Sarte, both of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The economists focused on Detroit given its significant evolution from a world famous city to a "hollow shell" over the past 100 years. The researchers constructed their model around what they call "development guarantees" -- buy-in from the government or private institutions that guarantee a certain level of development in a particular area. The model accounts for businesses moving into the area, the location itself, and workers' willingness to commute to that area. The ideal development guarantee, the researchers argued, is one that ensures that developers are willing to build in areas in which people would be willing to live. The policy would help to trigger the entry of private developers and, if successful, would imply no actual resources from the guarantor. On the flip side, if the guarantee isn't large enough, it could lead to undesirable outcomes -- like the city having to buy properties that developers aren't able to sell. A similar but alternative proposal was advanced by Detroit Future City, whose strategic framework lays out a desired image of what the city should look like in 10, 20, and 50 years into the future. Detroit Future City's most ambitious proposal involves 22 tracts, but the proposal was never quantified -- until now. The researchers quantify the gains and losses of alternative plans by Detroit Future City and others by modeling the employment decisions of firms, location and commuting decisions of workers, as well as the decision of developers to enter particular neighborhoods. The Princeton-Federal Reserve researchers tested their new model on the city of Detroit and all surrounding counties and identified 52 census tracts (neighborhoods) across the city that are currently mostly vacant and generally in bad shape. Between the researchers' model and Detroit Future City's plan, only 11 out of 22 neighborhoods are shared. One of the biggest differences is that the Detroit Future City proposal focuses on developing the areas closest to the downtown core, while the researchers' estimates--which they call the "Best 22 Residential Plan," covers some of the same areas but also areas in a wider outer ring. Although both policies promise gains, the difference can amount to several tens of millions of dollars and many less new residents. The results in the study are based on a particular model of the city of Detroit and, as for any policy evaluation, depend on a number of assumptions that are described in detail in the NBER working paper, the researchers noted. ### The study, "Rethinking Detroit," was published in NBER as a working paper and was not peer-reviewed or subject to the review by the NBER Board of Directors that accompanies official NBER publications. Existing digital technologies must be exploited to enable a paradigm shift in current healthcare delivery which focuses on tests, treatments and targets rather than the therapeutic benefits of empathy. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Dr Jeremy Howick and Dr Sian Rees of the Oxford Empathy Programme, say a new paradigm of empathy-based medicine is needed to improve patient outcomes, reduce practitioner burnout and save money. Empathy-based medicine, they write, re-establishes relationship as the heart of healthcare. "Time pressure, conflicting priorities and bureaucracy can make practitioners less likely to express empathy. By re-establishing the clinical encounter as the heart of healthcare, and exploiting available technologies, this can change", said Dr Howick, a Senior Researcher in Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. Technology is already available that could reduce the burden of practitioner paperwork by gathering basic information prior to consultation, for example via email or a mobile device in the waiting room. During the consultation, the computer screen could be placed so that both patient and clinician can see it, a help to both if needed, for example, to show infographics on risks and treatment options to aid decision-making and the joint development of a treatment plan. Dr Howick said: "The spread of alternatives to face-to-face consultations is still in its infancy, as is our understanding of when a machine will do and when a person-to-person relationship is needed." However, he warned, technology can also get in the way. A computer screen can become a barrier to communication rather than an aid to decision-making. "Patients and carers need to be involved in determining the need for, and designing, new technologies", he said. ### Notes to editors Overthrowing barriers to empathy in healthcare: empathy in the age of the Internet (DOI: 10.1177/0141076817714443) by J Howick and S Rees will be published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine at 00:05 (UK time) on Wednesday 28 June 2017. The link for the paper when published will be: https://doi.org/10.1177/0141076817714443 The JRSM is the flagship journal of the Royal Society of Medicine and is published by SAGE. It has full editorial independence from the RSM. It has been published continuously since 1809. Its Editor is Dr Kamran Abbasi. Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 1000 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. A growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company's continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. http://www.sagepublishing.com Oxford University's Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe, with over 2,500 people involved in research and more than 2,800 students. The University is rated the best in the world for medicine and life sciences, and it is home to the UK's top-ranked medical school. It has one of the largest clinical trial portfolios in the UK and great expertise in taking discoveries from the lab into the clinic. Partnerships with the local NHS Trusts enable patients to benefit from close links between medical research and healthcare delivery. Within the division, the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences undertakes internationally acclaimed teaching and research that improves the primary care that GP practices deliver, and is ranked top in the UK. The department's research covers a broad range of primary care issues including cardiovascular and metabolic disease, health behaviours, infectious disease and child health, patient experience, research methods and evidence-based medicine. http://www.phc.ox.ac.uk One stroke is dangerous, and a second, even more so. One important risk factor for that perilous second stroke is an irregular heart beat called atrial fibrillation. If doctors could identify the stroke patients who are most likely to experience atrial fibrillation, they could start treatments that would help prevent a second stroke. But which stroke patients are at risk for the condition has been hard to predict without costly 24/7 monitoring for the hundreds of thousands of people who have a first stroke every year. Now, a team led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center has used electronic medical records to predict the likelihood of a person experiencing atrial fibrillation after either of two kinds of strokes: a cryptogenic stroke or a transient ischemic attack. A paper describing their findings will be published online June 28 in Cardiology. The senior authors are Nigam Shah, MBBS, PhD, associate professor of biomedical data science at Stanford, and Susan Zhao, MD, of Valley Medical Center. Stanford graduate student Albee Ling and Valley Medical Center internist Calvin Kwong, MD, share lead authorship. "This work resulted from a unique collaboration," said Shah, "where a need for risk stratification was identified by Dr. Susan Zhao, and followed up jointly by an informatics student and a clinical fellow to derive a risk estimate for a population for which we don't have good scoring methods." A need to rank stroke patients by risk Stroke patients are typically monitored for atrial fibrillation while they're in the hospital. "But once they go home -- after about a week -- clinicians aren't usually too vigilant about monitoring them for atrial fibrillation," said Kwong. But if doctors monitor stroke patients for even 30 days after they go home, atrial fibrillation can be picked up if it's happening. And, indeed, the American Heart Association recommends 30 days of heart rhythm monitoring to detect atrial fibrillation within six months of an initial stroke. The problem, said Kwong, is that such monitoring is expensive and not appropriate for every patient. Shah and his colleagues decided they needed a way to predict which patients should be monitored. There had to be a way to tell the patients who were at high risk for atrial fibrillation and should be monitored from the ones who were at low risk and didn't need to be monitored. List of seven risk factors The team did a retrospective cohort study using data from thousands of stroke patients from Stanford's Translational Research Integrated Database Environment. Of the 9,589 stroke patients in the database, 482 of them, or 5 percent, went on to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The team had already developed a text-processing pipeline for analyzing clinical data and clinical-diagnosis coding. Using that pipeline, the team extracted information from clinical notes, flagging, for example, phrases such as "ruled out stroke" and classifying data according to whether it referred to the patient or came from a family history section. The result was a list of biomedical facts about each patient -- including age, body mass index and so on. Then, by ranking the clinical attributes of patients whose medical records indicated they went on to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the team was able to assemble a set of seven risk factors that, when combined, predicted which stroke patients were the most likely to develop the condition and should be monitored after hospitalization. The risk factors -- age, obesity, congestive heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and disease of the heart valves -- are the basis of a scoring system that assigns patients to one of three risk groups. Scoring system online "The scoring system we developed is simple to use and the results could help physicians tailor treatment to individual patients," said Ling. It can help physicians decide which patients to monitor. Once it's known that patients have a high risk of atrial fibrillation, they can wear a heart monitor at home to see if they actually are experiencing bouts of atrial fibrillation and then, if they are, treated with the appropriate drugs to try to prevent a second stroke. "Our system needs to be further validated in studies using other independent data sources," said Ling. She said she expects that clinicians and researchers will further validate and improve the scoring system and that, hopefully, it will one day be adopted in everyday practice. "On the other hand, there will surely be more clinical studies conducted using electronic health records, not just at Stanford but in other medical institutions, as well," she added. The study is an example of Stanford Medicine's focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill. Studies like this one can be done quickly using preexisting patient data in just a matter of days, and provide a way to score patients' individual risk so that treatment can be partly customized. ### Researchers at the University of California-San Francisco also co-authored the study. This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant R01 GM101430), Janssen Research and Development and by a Stanford Graduate Fellowship. Stanford's departments of Medicine and of Biomedical Data Science also supported the work. The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu. Invasive parasites are a biological oxymoron. And yet, they are in our backyards! This study analyzes the case of a brood parasitic bird, the pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) and its recent spread into the Americas! Biodiversity hotspots -- or places with large numbers of species found nowhere else on earth -- also tend to make suitable habitats for invasive species that can, in turn, destabilize ecosystems and supplant indigenous biota. A new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications predicts where the pin-tailed whydah, a songbird native to sub-Saharan Africa that has expanded its natural range thanks to the pet trade, may next spread in North America and Hawaii. The pin-tailed whydah is a brood parasitic bird that lays its eggs in other bird species, typically small African finches, and has been introduced from Africa to Puerto Rico and southern California. In this study, researchers used species distribution models to predict where the whydah may continue to spread in the continental U.S., Hawaii, and the Antilles. To determine the whydah's potential distribution, they used sightings of this species reported to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The investigators then identified suitable whydah habitat by finding correlations between locations where these finches have been seen and global climate data. As brood parasites, whydahs need hosts to complete their life cycle, so the researchers also used the presence of six known host species that have been co-introduced in the whydah's new range to predict suitable habitat. Their species distribution model indicated high habitat suitability in areas of high biodiversity where whydahs do not currently live, including the West Coast of the U.S., Hawaii, and most islands of the Antilles. Robert Crystal-Ornelas, lead author and PhD student in Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, said, "We identified key areas in the continental U.S., Hawaii, and the Antilles, that have not yet experienced pin-tailed whydah invasion, but which contain suitable climate and host species for this parasitic bird to potentially spread." Dr. Mark Hauber, the senior author of the study and Professor in Animal Behavior and Conservation at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), said, "our work has now shown how parasitic birds, including common cuckoos from Eurasia and pin-tailed whydahs from Africa are likely to invade increasingly novel and expansive regions in the Western Hemisphere." The pin-tailed whydah is a host generalist--it can parasitize novel species that share no co-evolutionary history with it and that, therefore, have developed no defenses to mitigate the reproductive costs of parasitism. To create their model, the researchers took into consideration five known historical hosts and one known novel host--all exotic species to North America and Hawaii. The presence of these hosts in a suitable habitat could enable introduced whydahs to establish a bridgehead population, providing an opportunity for the birds to utilize indigenous hosts and to increase their population and range. "This study shows how humans are not just transplanting individual species but entire ecological networks, where here an invasive bird species will likely be able to expand in the Americas due to a previous introduction of its host species," said Dr. James Russell, a conservation biologist at the University of Auckland, who was not affiliated with the study. "Worryingly, the study predicts the introduced species will most strongly invade already vulnerable island ecosystems, where it could potentially begin parasitizing native bird species, which would be a very novel form of invasive species impact." The map that Rob Crystal-Ornelas and his colleagues have created will help scientist to prioritize monitoring and research efforts, which fully gauge the risk of additional whydah populations in North America. ### The City University of New York is the nation's leading urban public university. Founded in New York City in 1847, the University comprises 24 institutions: 11 senior colleges, seven community colleges, and additional professional schools. The University serves nearly 275,000 degree-credit students and 218,083 adult, continuing and professional education students. Rutgers University-New Brunswick is where Rutgers began 250 years ago. Rutgers' flagship is a leading public research institution, a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, home to internationally acclaimed faculty, and the big Ten Conference's most diverse university. Among the top 25 public universities, as ranked by US News & World Report, Rutgers-New Brunswick serves 40, 720 full- and part-time students in 18 schools and colleges. For more information, please contact Mark Hauber or visit http://www.cuny.edu/research? Remote sensing technologies, using satellite and aerial data, could revolutionise the management of the oil palm industry, bringing both business and environmental benefits, say environmental experts writing in the journal Geo-spatial Information Science. Yet much greater collaboration between industry and academia is needed to achieve the true potential of these technologies. To date, palm oil plantations have generally been monitored using costly and time-consuming land-based assessments, and many countries lack the resources to do regular surveys. Remote sensing, on the other hand, can provide quick, repetitive, accurate information on huge areas of oil palms using high-resolution satellite imagery. It also provides the necessary independent monitoring needed for certification agencies, such as performed by RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) and ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification). Mainly grown in Southeast Asia and Africa, oil palms are a highly productive, producing more vegetable oil per hectare than any other oil crop. However, the conversion of tropical forests to palm oil plantations has devastated the environment--resulting in the loss of a huge number of plant and animal species. Amid rising demand for cheaper vegetable oil and biofuel, the challenge is to increase the production of oil palm while reducing the impact on the world's forests and the environment. Geoinformation technologies could lead to huge improvements in the sustainable management of palm oil plantations--helping to solve some of the environmental problems by, for example, detecting illegal deforestation and enabling early diagnosis of disease and pest problems, as well as improving productivity by assessing crop and soil conditions more effectively. However, some of the remote sensing data exploration methods are still at the research and development stage, and progress is slow, explains Dr Kasturi Devi Kanniah from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Malaysia and her colleagues. Although the potential opportunities are already being explored by plantation companies, the techniques are often kept confidential. The authors call for industry and academia to join forces to speed up the development and implementation of these technologies, and increase the responsible management of the whole sector. Various opportunities exist, such as: 1) Using remote sensing imagery to identify lands suitable for oil palm expansion--protecting high carbon stock forests (which if cleared release high amount of greenhouse gases), and land with high conservation value. 2) Developing remote sensing technologies to improve the accuracy of yield prediction and performance--by measuring observable biophysical parameters like the greenness of the palm canopy, height of the tree, and soil conditions. 3) Expanding the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to provide regular and timely monitoring of oil palm plantations in tropical countries where clouds often restrict the use of satellite images. With the open data policy of the European Copernicus programme monitoring at a proper scale and suitable repeat cycle becomes feasible. The availability of multisensor optical and active microwave imagery at high spatial resolution fosters the use of geoinformation at plantation and tree level. "The article describes the state-of-the-art in remote sensing for palm oil and provides an overview on the potential to improve a sustainable oil palm plantation management, including urgent research questions." says Dr. Christine Pohl from University of Osnabrueck. Her research team together with a network of other experts from the University of Twente in the Netherlands and ISCC in Cologne are investigating the support of sustainability assessment using geoinformation. ### PITTSBURGH (June 28, 2017) ... The United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering will receive $1.275 million for collaborative research that includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Reactor Laboratory, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The award is part of $66 million awarded by DOE to advance innovative nuclear technologies. Kevin Chen, the Paul E. Lego Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Pitt, will lead the collaborative study to develop radiation-hard, multi-functional, distributed fiber sensors, and sensor-fused components that can be placed in a nuclear reactor core to improve safety and efficiency. The grant is from the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) program, part of the DOE's Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). "This NEET grant will allow our lab to continue its partnerships with leading technological companies and national laboratories to develop solutions to some of the most pressing issues affecting nuclear energy production," said Dr. Chen. "Advances in sensor technology can greatly enhance the sensitivity and resolution of data in harsh environments like a nuclear reaction, thereby improving safety operations." The research will focus on the fabrication of the optic sensors using additive manufacturing and advanced laser fabrication techniques. The group will develop both high-temperature stable point sensors and distributed fiber sensors for high spatial resolution measurements in radiation-hardened silica and sapphire fibers, according to the funding report by the DOE. In 2014, Dr. Chen received a $987,000 grant from the NEET program to study high sensitivity, high accuracy sensor networks. These fiber optical sensor networks allow nuclear engineers to be much more responsive to problems in the nuclear power reactors and fuel cycle systems, increasing safety and reducing operating cost. "The networks we developed contain up to 100 sensors per meter and can be placed in critical locations to quickly relay information to the plant operators and isolate problems before they spread to other areas," Dr. Chen explained. In addition to the NEET grants, the University of Pittsburgh has received $2.8 million in funding from the DOE NEUP program between 2009 and 2016: General Scientific Infrastructure funding: $300,000 Two research and development projects: $1,676,422 Five fellowships: $770,000 11 scholarships: $70,000 Dr. Chen's research into fiber optical sensing technology also earned him a 2017 Carnegie Science Award. The "Innovation in Energy Award" recognized Dr. Chen's contributions to improving efficiency of energy production and safety of transportation infrastructures in the energy industry. ### A quarter of countries in sub-Saharan Africa receive very little funding for research into malaria despite having high malaria-related death rates. In a new study, led by the University of Southampton and published in The Lancet Global Health, countries have been ranked according to how much research and non-research funding they receive from major public and philanthropic global health funders to combat the disease. The study examined the portfolios of several of the major global health research funders and compared funding levels to national malaria-related burden of disease. They could not find any investment for malaria research in countries such as Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Chad, Congo and Central African Republic. Chad, Congo and Central African Republic are among the countries with the highest malaria death rates in the world at 71.9, 64.84 and 128.34 per 100,000 of the population respectively. All countries received non-research funding, otherwise known as funding for malaria control, which includes investment for bednets, public health schemes and anti-malarial drugs. Dr Michael Head, who led the study from the University of Southampton, said: "We have been able to provide a comprehensive overview of the landscape of funding for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, a massive area where around 90 per cent of worldwide malaria cases occur. We've shown that there are countries that are being neglected and the global health community should reconsider strategies around resource allocation to reduce inequities and improve equality." The review analysed funding data from 1997 to 2013 from 13 major public and philanthropic global health funders. It is the first study to systematically describe the geography of public and philanthropic research funding for malaria. Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Malawi ranked highest when research investment and funding for malaria control were combined. Tanzania ($107.8m), Kenya ($92.9m), Uganda ($97.9m), Malawi ($71.7m) and Ghana ($62.7m) received the most research funding while Nigeria ($786.2m), Tanzania ($750m), Kenya ($621.9m), Ethiopia ($578m) and Malawi ($424.6m) all received the most non-research funding. Two funders, the US National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided almost 60 per cent of the research funding. The research team suggests the reason for the disparity in funding allocation could be in part due to the presence of established high-quality research infrastructure in countries such as Tanzania and Kenya, and political instability and poor healthcare infrastructures in lower-ranked nations such as Chad, Central African Republic or Sierra Leone. "However, new investment in malaria research and development in these areas can encourage the development of improved health systems," Dr Head said. "Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa simply do not have an established research infrastructure and it is difficult for research funders to make investments in these settings. Ultimately, however, there are neglected populations in these countries who suffer greatly from malaria and other diseases. Investments in health improve the wealth of a nation and we need to be smarter with allocating limited resources to best help to reduce clear health inequalities." Co-author Professor Andy Tatem, of the University of Southampton, said: "Our understanding of the geography of malaria transmission and populations at risk has improved substantially in recent years through research conducted in Southampton. Great variations and inequalities in malaria risks exist across Africa, and this study adds a new dimension in highlighting surprising and significant inequalities in malaria research funding too." The study was funded by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH). RSTMH chief executive Tamar Ghosh said: "RSTMH is delighted to have been able to fund this important and interesting study through our small grants programme. We look forward to hearing more from Dr Head on this." ### Notes to Editors 1. The paper entitled: Global funding trends for malaria research in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic analysis, is available upon request. DOI: 10.1016/ S2214-109X(17)30245-0 2. The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world's challenges. We are among the top one per cent of institutions globally. Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 24,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. http://www.southampton.ac.uk The American Heart Association (AHA) awarded investigators at University of Utah Health $3.7 million to conduct collaborative research to prevent and treat congenital heart disease. U of U Health is one of four groups across the country to join the AHA's Strategically Focused Research Network (SFRN) for children. Martin Tristani-Firouzi, M.D., a clinican-scientist at U of U Health and Primary Children's Hospital, will be director for the Utah SFRN. He will also serve as primary investigator on the project together with Mark Yandell, Ph.D., a professor of human genetics and director of the USTAR Center for Genetic Discovery, and Angie Fagerlin, Ph.D., chair of population health sciences. Neurobiology and anatomy professor H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D., will serve as training director, and obstetrics and gynecology chair Robert Silver, M.D., will lead clinical research. Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect, affecting nearly 40,000 babies born in the United States each year. The condition often demands treatment within the first months after birth, and can impact patients for the rest of their lives. This research seeks to discover causes of congenital heart disease (CHD) to find new methods for prevention and treatment. Another major focus is to develop strategies for helping parents understand this information to better equip them for making decisions about their child's medical care. "Understanding the root causes is crucial for designing measures to prevent, predict and even treat CHD," says Tristani-Firouzi. "Without knowing what causes the majority of CHD, we cannot design ways to prevent this disease or even effectively counsel families." A Multidisciplinary Mission Knowing that CHD is complex in nature, the project tackles congenital heart disease from multiple angles. "What makes this project so special is that it brings together experts from multiple disciplines, combining data scientists, genomics experts, clinicians, and population health scientists. In our case, the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts," says Yandell. The computational group will leverage Utah's unique big data resources to uncover the genetic and environmental factors that cause CHD. By integrating electronic medical records with family history and demographic information from the Utah Population Database (UPDB), they will identify individuals who are most likely to have genetic cause for CHD. Using this pool of individuals, they will search for genetic markers that signal who is at risk for developing the disorder. A clinician-led team will study the role of environmental factors causing CHD, specifically those that impact the intrauterine environment. The mother's placenta nourishes the developing fetus during pregnancy. Preliminary work shows that when a placenta does not function properly, the fetus may be at risk for developing heart defects. This team will investigate this relationship and uncover placental factors that lead to an unhealthy heart. Population health scientists will create materials and develop methods so parents can understand their child's diagnosis, and the risks and benefits of all treatment options. The goal is to help them become active participants moving forward. "We know that many parents often experience significant distress when making these decisions," says Fagerlin. "This project will result in better ways to involve parents, and to make this very difficult time in their life a little easier." The three remaining AHA grants were awarded to research groups at the Children's National Health System in Washington, D.C., Northwestern University, and Duke University. With the first total artificial heart transplant 35 years ago as one significant milestone, U of U Health has long been recognized for innovating new approaches to cardiac care. In recent years, U of U Health investigators have earned positions in several of the nation's leading heart initiatives. In addition to the SFRN for children, investigators participate in AHA's Heart Failure SFRN, and the National Institutes of Health Cardiovascular Development Consortium, Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium, Pediatric Heart Network, and the Sudden Death in the Young Consortium. ### Scientists have closed in on specific genes responsible for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) from a list of over 600 genes that were suspects for the disease. The team from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the GIGA Institute of the University of Liege combined efforts to produce a high resolution map to investigate which genetic variants have a causal role in the disease. In the new study, published today (28 June) in Nature, scientists examined the genome of 67,852 individuals and applied three statistical methods to zoom in on which genetic variants were actively implicated in the disease. Of the regions of the genome associated with IBD that were studied, 18 could be pin-pointed to a single genetic variant with more than 95 per cent certainty. The results form a basis for more effective prescription of current treatments for the disease as well as the discovery of new drug targets. More than 300,000 people suffer from IBD in the UK. IBD is a debilitating disease in which the body's own immune system attacks parts of the digestive tract. The exact causes of this disease are unclear, and there currently is no cure. To understand more about the genetics underlying IBD, researchers have conducted genome wide association studies and previously found hundreds of genetic variants linked to the disease. However, it was not certain which specific genes were actually implicated by those variants. Dr Jeffrey Barrett, joint lead author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute said: "We have taken the biggest ever data set for IBD and applied careful statistics to narrow down to the individual genetic variants involved. Now we have a clearer picture of which genes do and do not play a role in the disease. We are zooming in on the genetic culprits of IBD." The high resolution map of the disease enabled scientists to see which variants directly influence disease, and to separate them from other variants which happen to be located near each other in the genome. Dr Hailiang Huang, first author from the Massachusetts General Hospital and Broad Institute said: "An issue with studying complex diseases is that it can be hard to move from genetic associations, usually including many genetic variants of similar evidence, to knowing exactly which variants are involved. We need to be careful in deciding when we are sure we have the right variant. This new technique helps us to pinpoint which genetic variants are implicated in IBD with greater confidence." Professor Michel Georges, joint lead author from the GIGA Institute of the University of Liege said: "These results will help towards rational drug discovery for complex human diseases like IBD, and possibly for the development of personalised medicine by finding biomarkers for more effective prescription of existing drugs." ### Notes to Editors: Publication: Hailiang Huang et al. (2017) Fine-mapping inflammatory bowel disease loci to single variant resolution. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/nature22969 Selected websites: About the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard was launched in 2004 to empower this generation of creative scientists to transform medicine. The Broad Institute seeks to describe all the molecular components of life and their connections; discover the molecular basis of major human diseases; develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics; and disseminate discoveries, tools, methods, and data openly to the entire scientific community. Founded by MIT, Harvard, Harvard-affiliated hospitals, and the visionary Los Angeles philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the Broad Institute includes faculty, professional staff, and students from throughout the MIT and Harvard biomedical research communities and beyond, with collaborations spanning over a hundred private and public institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. http://www.broadinstitute.org About the GIGA Research Institute of the University of Liege The GIGA is an interdisciplinary research institute of the University of Liege in Belgium counting over 500 scientists from 7 faculties and 43 countries devoted to excellence in the biomedical sciences. It is embedded in the largest University Hospital of the Walloon region (CHU - Sart Tilman) facilitating collaborations with clinicians. It has four disease-based (neuroscience, cancer, inflammation-infection-immunity, cardiovascular) and two methodology-based research units (medical genomics, in silico medicine). GIGA offers scientists access to state of the art technological platforms, a dedicated graduate school, a grant support unit, an innovation platform and professional administrative support. It is at the heart of a vibrant research community promoting interactions between academia and private companies. http://www.giga.ulg.ac.be The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease. http://www.sanger.ac.uk Wellcome Wellcome exists to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive. We're a global charitable foundation, both politically and financially independent. We support scientists and researchers, take on big problems, fuel imaginations and spark debate. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk Tuesday, June 27, 2017 Mark your calendars to attend the next Albuquerque Death Cafe, scheduled for Saturday, July 15, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Gail Rubins home. The objective of the Death Cafe is To increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives. Its an interesting, unstructured conversation open and free-flowing with no specific agenda and respectful of all points of view. Its an opportunity to discuss whats on your mind or in your heart regarding life and death issues. Our Death Cafe mascot Lola (pictured right) doesnt say much, but shes a potent silent reminder of our mortality. Refreshments will be provided. The event is free and donations are welcome. For more information about Death Cafes, visit this page at AGoodGoodbye.com. RSVP to Gail through the contact page to get the address and directions. You can also join the Albuquerque Death Cafe Meetup group to be kept apprised of upcoming events. Click here to go to the Meetup page. Share this: By Press Trust of India: Dubai, Jun 28 (PTI) A 22-year-old Pakistani man has been jailed here for five years for stabbing his compatriot co- worker to death because he had a smelly feet, according to a media report. The man, an electrician, and his countryman co-worker were resting in the air-conditioned electricity room during a break in July last year. advertisement The co-worker slept on the floor and put his feet up facing the electricians face, before the latter asked him to remove his feet because of the bad smell. When the co-worker refused, the two got into a heated argument that developed into a fight before other workmates intervened and stopped the brawl, the Gulf News reported. The 22-year-old rushed to a nearby warehouse at the construction site where they had been working, came back with a razor and stabbed the co-worker in his neck. On-site surveillance cameras showed the electrician hiding the razor behind him before he attacked the victim three or four times. Medical reports said the victim, who was bleeding profusely, was rushed to the hospital in a critical state on July 26 and slipped into a coma. Despite several operations, he succumbed to his injuries on July 31. The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of killing his countryman. During trial, he had pleaded not guilty. "We had a fight and when he tried to assault me, I assaulted him back," the defendant told the court. The presiding judge said the accused will be deported after serving his jail term. A supervisor testified that the incident happened shortly after he had permitted the workers to go and rest in the electricity room because it had a cooler. PTI KJ AKJ KJ --- ENDS --- From: American Evaluation Association (AEA) For Immediate Release: Dateline: Washington , DC Wednesday, June 28, 2017 Traditional evaluation approaches can miss important information by failing to account for context or differences across communities. Our firm created and practiced the Community-Responsive Approach to evaluation to engage stakeholders for better data, better relationships and more fun! Ultimately, community members know their communities best. Community members and stakeholders can provide critical input to evaluators in every stage of an evaluation something The Improve Group has learned yields the most comprehensive and authentic findings. To share our lessons learned, I created an Rad Resource: The new E-Study, For Urban Roots, using a Community-Responsive Approach meant getting more in-depth, authentic answers from youth through more appropriate evaluation methods, like youth interviewing each other or storytelling. At African Immigrant Services, stakeholder involvement ensured they worked towards a community vision of success and that the stories of a community are not filtered through the lens of someone else. Lesson Learned: Through hundreds of evaluations over the last 17 years, The Improve Group team developed and practices a Community-Responsive Approach to ensure that the unique perspectives of all affected communities and stakeholder groups are represented in the evaluation process. By being responsive to each communitys distinct characteristics and by involving individual community stakeholders in our evaluation design, we are more likely to hear authentic experiences, concerns, and results. We developed our Community-Responsive Approach based on what we noticed was working well, such as: Engaging community members as advisors Identifying and enlisting community experts to contribute to and lead aspects of the evaluation Using multiple methods of data collection and analysis Using a multi-phased, iterative approach that allows you to layer learning from multiple community members in each phase The American Evaluation Association is highlighting the work of The Improve Group. The contributions all this week to aea365 come from staff of The Improve Group. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the Hi, Im Leah Goldstein Moses , Founder and CEO at The Improve Group , an evaluation consulting firm based in Minnesota.Traditional evaluation approaches can miss important information by failing to account for context or differences across communities. Our firm created and practiced the Community-Responsive Approach to evaluation to engage stakeholders for better data, better relationships and more fun!Ultimately, community members know their communities best.Community members and stakeholders can provide critical input to evaluators in every stage of an evaluation something The Improve Group has learned yields the most comprehensive and authentic findings.To share our lessons learned, I created an E-Study on the importance of community engagement in evaluation. This E-Study was developed for the Hubert Project , an open-source resource for public affairs educators based at the University of Minnesotas Humphrey School of Public Affairs . In the E-Study, I share our model for engaging community members in evaluation, our Community-Responsive Approach.The new E-Study, Evaluation as Engagement, features two past clients that are masters of working effectively in their communities. African Immigrant Services works to increase civic engagement among communities of color. Urban Roots is a Saint Paul organization that works to empower youth through nature. The learning modules in this E-Study speak to the importance of community engagement in every step of evaluation, from defining what is being evaluated to sharing results.For Urban Roots, using a Community-Responsive Approach meant getting more in-depth, authentic answers from youth through more appropriate evaluation methods, like youth interviewing each other or storytelling. At African Immigrant Services, stakeholder involvement ensured they worked towards a community vision of success and that the stories of a community are not filtered through the lens of someone else.Through hundreds of evaluations over the last 17 years, The Improve Group team developed and practices a Community-Responsive Approach to ensure that the unique perspectives of all affected communities and stakeholder groups are represented in the evaluation process. By being responsive to each communitys distinct characteristics and by involving individual community stakeholders in our evaluation design, we are more likely to hear authentic experiences, concerns, and results.We developed our Community-Responsive Approach based on what we noticed was working well, such as:The American Evaluation Association is highlighting the work of The Improve Group. The contributions all this week to aea365 come from staff of The Improve Group. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org . aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. Farmers are being urged to look into the mid-tier Countryside Stewardship scheme because it of offers higher payments than the old scheme, Entry Level Stewardship. According to rural advisors Strutt & Parker, farmers and land managers can make the mid-tier scheme work for their businesses economically and practically. This is despite problems associated with the schemes design and delivery over the past couple of years. Mid-tier application packs must be requested by 31 July, with the deadline for applications 30 September 2017. Robert Gazely, farm consultant in the Chelmsford office of Strutt & Parker, urged farmers to be open-minded about the scheme, despite well-publicised issues surrounding its introduction. The scheme has not had the easiest of starts, with delays in getting agreements in place and in the delivery of payments hitting the headlines, he said. However, while Countryside Stewardship (CSS) is more complex than previous stewardship schemes, farmers should not rule it out without considering how it might benefit their business. The scheme is, of course, designed to bring environmental improvements, but some of the options can offer surprisingly high levels of funding, with the annual payments a valuable income stream to a farm business. Applications can also be put together that use options which will bring management benefits, such as helping farmers to achieve cultural control of blackgrass. The scheme offers farmers to look after the environment through activities such as conserving and restoring wildlife habitats Boosting payments Mr Gazely pointed out that some Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) options such as the farm environment record and ditch management were not available under CSS. However, other ELS options such as buffer strips could be augmented under CSS to become flower-rich margins which would secure a higher level of payment. Under additional CSS options, winter bird food (AB9) can then be coupled together with supplementary winter feeding (AB12) for farmland birds and this may well have synergies if there is a shoot on the land, he added. A two-year sown legume fallow (AB15) is also an effective option where are there are challenges with growing break crops as well as controlling blackgrass. Mr Gazely said one business he was working with, that had received 16,000 per year in ELS revenue, was hoping to boost this to 22,600/year under CSS by adding in the additional options. ELS revenue was a whole-farm payment of 30/ha/yr and CSS options are different insofar as they are individually remunerated. However, if we divide the projected CSS revenue by the whole farm area, this works out at 41/ha/yr which is 38% higher than the 30/ha/yr payment offered through ELS. I have seen other examples where the whole-farm equivalent value of CSS is far higher than 41/ha. 'Holistic planning' Mr Gazely stressed that the level of commitment and mix of management options that the agreement holder was willing to implement would determine how lucrative a CSS agreement might be. It was also vital to look at how impending changes to Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) might impact on the business if the farm was entered into CSS. Gone are the days when completing a Basic Payment Scheme application, planning an arable-cropping rotation and implementing an environmental stewardship agreement were mutually exclusive and could be addressed entirely separately. There is now a requirement for careful, holistic planning of the arable rotation to ensure compliance under the greening rules with crop diversification and the requirement for 5% Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs). For example, farmers with ELS agreements preceding January 2012 were able to use relevant options in their ELS agreements to count towards their greening obligations without any changes to payments. However, these five-year agreements have now all come to an end and anyone in the new CSS will be affected by double-funding rules, which mean that if CSS options are used for EFA then the CSS payment is slashed. This all needs to be considered when pulling together a CSS application. France is to go-ahead with a neonicotinoid pesticide ban, which is set to go into effect in 2018. This decision, by French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, follows a disagreement with Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert. Mr Travert, who was in favour of relaxing the ban, told media outlets that he wants to address the possibility of a number of exemptions until we find substitution products. In July 2016, lawmakers in France approved plans to ban neonicotinoid pesticides by 2018, based on their link to declining populations of pollinators, specifically bees. The outright ban on neonicotinoid pesticides in France was adopted by a narrow majority of the countrys National Assembly, as part of a bill to protect biodiversity. In March 2017, the European Commission (EC) proposed a complete ban of agricultural uses of the widely used neonicotinoid pesticides across Europe under draft regulations. In 2013, three neonicotinoids were temporarily banned because of concerns about their high toxicity to bees. A vote by member states is still being awaited. France's national food safety watchdog, Anses, is due to publish a report on the chemicals' impact on human health by the end of the year. It comes as news that a Conservative MEP failed to stop a complete EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides. But some farming groups criticised the move saying the pesticides are 'vital' in protecting the UK's crops from pests. National Farmers' Union (NFU) Vice President Guy Smith said there was 'no clear evidence' that neonicotinoids cause widespread impacts on bee populations. Labours Shadow Environment Secretary Sue Hayman has written an open letter Defra secretary Michel Gove to clarify the government's position on neonicotinoid pesticides. It comes as news that a Conservative MEP failed to stop a complete EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides. In her open letter to Mr Gove, Sue Hayman said the Conservative party were attempting to 'frustrate' the process of banning neonicotinoids. The letter states that Conservative policy is unclear. It stated that Labour are 'concerned by the apparent Conservative Party position' on neonicotinoids. Miss Hayman noted that Mr Gove has previously stated that he would not seek to weaken European environmental regulations. She said: "You have previously provided public assurance that a Conservative government would not seek to dilute EU environmental protections, however, actions by your colleagues in the European Parliament this week appear to contradict your promises." 'Important step' In March, it was reported that draft regulations stated the European Commission was likely to call for a 'near complete ban' of the pesticides from EU member states. The decision by Brussels could shock the farming industry which is fearful that a ban on the substances could deplete crop yields across Europe. If proposals are approved by a majority of EU member states, a complete ban could be in place this year. Miss Hayman's letter read: "Support for the EU Commission's proposed ban on these three substances is an important step towards ensuring a healthy environment for bees and other pollinators." 'Devastating' However, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has said a blanket ban would have devastating consequences on outdoor crops, and the effect this would have on farming businesses. NFU Vice President Guy Smith said a blanket ban of neonicotinoids on outdoor crops would be 'devastating' for farms across the country. "The numbers of pests are rising across the country and dealing with these pressures is costly. Growing crops without these seed treatments could become very difficult. "Neonicotinoid seed treatments form an incredibly important part of the integrated pest management approach which farmers adopt. I know it would make implementing this approach more difficult for farmers without these seed treatments." A dairy farmer from Somerset has been ordered to pay more than 22,000 for polluting a river with slurry and killing 1,700 fish. Bath Magistrates' Court found farmer Michael Aylesbury to be negligent for not informing the Environment Agency about the spill in the River Frome. They fined him 3000 and ordered to him to pay costs of 19,000. "Our role as a regulator is to protect people and the environment and support sustainable growth," said Environment officer Andy Grant. "We work with business owners to create better places but when avoidable incidents like this happen, we take action. "Informing us of the initial spillage and keeping an eye on nearby watercourses are two simple actions the farmer could have taken which would have sped up our investigation and stopped the cause of the pollution sooner. "Last November we restocked 5,500 fish including chub, roach and bream at two locations in Frome and we continue working with our partners including the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, Frome Town Council, farmers and landowners to identify opportunities to enhance and protect the River Frome." The Environment Agency classified the incident as category one, the most critical rating the department has. Technology used for gazing into space could help solve some of the worlds most pressing food-related issues such as shortages, pest-control and climate change. Astronomy, physics and mapping the universe can contribute to helping the world's food crises. Professor Sarah Bridle is Professor of Astrophysics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester and a leading expert on image analysis in astronomy. She also leads the STFC Food Network. Prof Bridle said that food contributes over 20% of greenhouse gas emissions and will likely be the main way most people experience climate change. Se said: As a planet, we need to produce safe and nutritious food in a sustainable way without depleting natural resources, and ensure the accessibility and resilience of food supply. Astrophysics helping farmers But how can astrophysicists help solve such problems? Prof Bridle explained: We can play a major role in helping to address these challenges, by bringing access and expertise from across multiple disciplines such as big data and precision instrumentation expertise from fundamental research in astro, particle and nuclear physics. For example, in my astronomy research I analyse images of galaxies from multiple observations of large areas of sky taken at different light wavelengths from optical through to infra-red. Im now using the same tools to observe fields of wheat and look for signs of weed infestation. I see strong parallels between estimating the distance to galaxies, crucial to measuring the nature of dark energy, and quantifying the level of disease in a crop, crucial to timely intervention to increase crop yield. Supercomputers Many of the same issues affect both astronomy and the earth observation data used in food research. For example when viewing a supernova or looking at how pests could effect a crop yield. Prof Bridle added: In astronomy we routinely use supercomputers to carry out these analyses over a large fraction of the sky, at a very similar resolution to modern earth observation data. Now we aim to use the same kind of technology to monitor and predict pest outbreaks for crops. An Earth observation satellite launched on 7 March will help with precision farming, land management and environmental protection by farmers. The Copernicus Sentinel-B2 satellite developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) doubles the coverage of high-resolution optical imaging in the Sentinel-2 mission in the framework of the European Union's Copernicus programme. The faster and more precise data that the new satellite will bring is set to benefit farmers. High-resolution satellite images allow farmers to closely follow the evolution of their land, check the status of their crops and make more informed decisions. The addition of the new satellite will bring down the cost of these services to farmers. Welsh farming union NFU Cymru has released a new document outlining what it would like to see for a new domestic agricultural policy for Wales post-Brexit. The Vision for the Future of Farming: A New Domestic Agricultural Policy document is designed to outline the 'exciting opportunities' that a new agricultural policy for Wales could provide as the UK enters a new relationship with the European Union. The union hopes that given time, a 'flexible' and 'integrated' approach will deliver jobs, growth and investment for farmers in Wales, whilst also maintaining and enhancing the environment. The key principles that NFU Cymru sees as being integral to a new agricultural policy centre around three key themes; volatility, productivity and the environment. The union said: A bespoke agricultural policy offers the opportunity to construct a multi-faceted policy with different instruments targeted at specific issues and delivering clear and multiple benefits for society. NFU Cymru firmly believes that while such a policy should take a pan-industry approach, it should also be designed to recognise the specific challenges facing each farming sector; it should enable farm businesses to develop to take advantage of emerging market opportunities; also retaining the flexibility to respond to new challenges as and when they arise. 'Changing political landscape' It has been a year since the UK voted to leave the EU and although negotiations over the terms of the UKs departure from the European Union are underway. NFU Cymru President Stephen James said: The changing political landscape also provides us with a unique opportunity to set out a clear vision for the future of Welsh agriculture; to shape and develop policies that will enable us to realise our ambition of a productive, profitable and progressive farming industry in Wales. Wales will no longer be governed by a Common Agricultural Policy that does not acknowledge the huge variations in farming that exist on a continent that spans from Greece and Cyprus to Sweden and Finland - this is an opportunity to deliver what is in the best interests of Welsh farming, and consequently, Wales as a whole. 'New deal with society' NFU Cymru believes that a new agricultural policy and legislative framework allows for the establishment of a new deal with society. The union hopes it will deliver a 'stable and transparent consensus' on what farming can deliver for the economy, for consumers and the environment. Mr James continued: Governments in Cardiff and Westminster must maintain current levels of investment for farming in Wales to ensure Welsh farmers remain competitive and can continue to produce food to the highest standards. It is important that support given to Welsh farmers through this new framework is simple to administer, easy to understand and directed at businesses who take the financial and entrepreneurial risks associated with food production. COP27: Energy and food security must be addressed, farm leaders say Holly Energy Partners, L.P. (HEP 1.17%) is a distribution machine, spitting out most of its cash to unitholders (like most partnerships). However, that means that growth has to be funded in other ways, like by issuing new units or taking on additional debt. An increasingly heavy debt load at Holly has some investors worried. That's not unreasonable, but here's why there's nothing to worry about. The debt trend At the end of 2013, long-term debt at Holly Energy Partners stood at a touch under $807 million. That debt load increased each year through 2016 when by December it was a little more than $1.2 billion. So Holly Energy's debt increased by nearly 50%in three years. That's a trend to which investors should be paying very close attention. Over the same span, the partnership's interest expense went from $47 million a year to $52.6 million. That's not as large an increase, but like the level of debt, it's a trend that needs to be monitored. Frankly, it's reasonable that investors would be worried about Holly Energy's debt trends. For comparison, Holly Energy's long-term debt made up over 70% of its capital structure at the end of 2016. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD -0.14%), which many consider one of the best-run midstream partnerships, ended 2016 with long-term debt at roughly 50% of its capital structure. Looking at things a different way, interest expense ate up around 13% of Holly Energy's revenue in 2016 but just about 4% of Enterprise's revenue. Clearly, there's a reason to be concerned. Carrying the weight But don't get too caught up in the debt because Holly Energy looks like it can handle it. For starters, the company's business is 100% fee-based, with around 80% of its revenues under long-term contracts. That means it has highly stable recurring income, the type of business model that can handle a relatively high debt load. And you shouldn't forget that the debt was taken on for a good reason: to grow the business. For example, revenues grew roughly 30% between 2013 and 2014. That's a direct result of the new assets the partnership acquired with the debt it took on. Then there's the fact that Holly is aware of the debt issue and is doing something about it. For example, it issued additional units to help shore up its balance sheet in the first quarter. But to give you a guidepost, based on the partnership's business model, management has stated it's comfortable with a debt-to-EBITDA ratio of four. Holly Energy's debt to EBITDA is over four today and might remain above target for a bit while the partnership works down its debt. But that metric has been above that target before and then worked lower over time. It's reasonable to expect the same trend this time around, especially since management is clearly on top of the situation. Part of the model In the end, taking on debt to fund acquisitions is just part of Holly Energy Partners' business model. Once those assets join the family, management starts to reduce leverage toward targeted levels again. It's happened before and it's going to happen again. There's no question that a heavy debt load is concerning and something you need to watch closely. But it's no reason to jump ship. For Holly Energy, it's just par for the course. So yes when you speak to the classic car buffs that tear engines down to the core and rebuild them after cleaning every crevice you'll learn they typically go detergent all the way. But if your engine has never had detergent and you run detergent oil there is a good chance something will get loosened up and plugged somewhere creating all kinds of problems. Oddly enough you point to an obvious issue. Everything is gunky. That gunk can come loose even with non-detergent oil. I'd keep it as-is unless you're willing to do a teardown and clean it thoroughly IMHO. A global cyber attack, which is being linked to the WannaCry ransomware, has affected several companies and countries. Operations at a Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust terminal in Mumbai were forced to shut after being impacted in the cyber attack. By Agencies: A major global cyber attack disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month. India was also among the countries affected by the ransomware with the country's largest port Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai shutting down operations at one of its three terminals. advertisement News agency PTI reported that operations at one of the three terminals of the country's largest container port were impacted as a fallout of the global ransomware attack, which crippled some central banks and many large corporations in Europe. The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign, which began on Tuesday, underscored growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. Businesses in the Asia-Pacific region reported some disruptions on Wednesday with the operations of several European companies hit, including India's largest container port, although the impact on companies and governments across the wider region appeared to be limited. The ransomware virus includes code known as "Eternal Blue", which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the US National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used in last month's ransomware attack, named "WannaCry". "Cyber attacks can simply destroy us," said Kevin Johnson, chief executive of cyber security firm Secure Ideas. "Companies are just not doing what they are supposed to do to fix the problem." The virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corp's Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. More than 30 victims paid into the bitcoin account associated with the attack, according to a public ledger of transactions listed on blockchain.info. Microsoft said the virus could spread through a flaw that was patched in a security update in March. "We are continuing to investigate and will take appropriate action to protect customers," a spokesman for the company said, adding that Microsoft antivirus software detects and removes it. INDIA, AUSTRALIA HIT Operations at one of the three terminals of Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai, India's largest container port, were disrupted. The impacted terminal is operated by Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk, which also reported disruptions in Los Angeles. JNPT chairman Anil Diggikar told Reuters the port has been trying to clear containers manually and is operating at about a third of its capacity. AP Moller-Maersk, one of the affected entities globally, operates the Gateway Terminals India (GTI) at JNPT, which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units. advertisement "We have been informed that the operations at GTI have come to a standstill because their systems are down (due to the malware attack). They are trying to work manually," a senior JNPT official told news agency PTI. The official explained that JNPT is trying to help the company, but there is little that others can do as the problem s with the systems. India-based employees at Beiersdorf, makers of Nivea skin care products, and Reckitt Benckiser, which owns Enfamil and Lysol, told Reuters the ransomware attack had affected some of their systems. In Australia, a Cadbury chocolate factory was hit, a trade union official said. Production at the Hobart factory on the island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Cadbury owner Mondelez International Inc said in a statement overnight staff in various regions were experiencing technical problems but it was unclear whether this was due to a cyber attack. Cybersecurity firms Kaspersky Lab and FireEye Inc told Reuters they had detected attacks in other Asia-Pacific countries but did not provide details. Globally, Russia and Ukraine were most affected by the thousands of attacks, according to Kaspersky Lab, with other victims spread across countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. The total number of attacks was unknown. advertisement Security experts said they expected the impact to be smaller than WannaCry because many computers had been patched with Windows updates in the wake of the WannaCry ransom attack last month to protect them against attacks using Eternal Blue code. Still, the attack could be more dangerous than traditional strains of ransomware because it makes computers unresponsive and unable to reboot, Juniper Networks said in a blog post analysing the attack. Other security experts said they did not believe that the ransomware released on Tuesday had a "kill switch", meaning that it might be harder to stop than WannaCry was last month. Researchers said the attack may have borrowed malware code used in earlier ransomware campaigns known as "Petya" and "GoldenEye". Following last month's attack, governments, security firms and industrial groups aggressively advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft patches to defend against the threat. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was monitoring the attacks and coordinating with other countries. It advised victims not to pay the extortion, saying that doing so did not guarantee access would be restored. advertisement 'DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME' The White House National Security Council said in a statement there was currently no risk to public safety. The United States was investigating the attack and determined to hold those responsible accountable, it said. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment. The spy agency has not said publicly whether it built Eternal Blue and other hacking tools leaked online by an entity known as Shadow Brokers. Several private security experts have said they believe Shadow Brokers is tied to the Russian government, and that the North Korean government was behind WannaCry. Both countries' governments deny charges they are involved in hacking. The first attacks were reported from Russia and Ukraine. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but said oil production had not been affected because it switched over to backup systems. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko said the government's computer network went down and the central bank reported disruption to operations at banks and firms, including the state power distributor. WPP, the world's largest advertising agency, said it was also infected. A WPP employee who asked not to be identified said workers were told to shut down their computers. "The building has come to a standstill," the employee said. A Ukrainian media company said its computers were blocked and had received the ransom demand. "Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service," the message said, according to a screenshot posted on Ukraine's Channel 24. Russia's central bank said there were isolated cases of lenders' IT systems being infected. One consumer lender, Home Credit, had to suspend client operations. Also Read: WannaCry did hit India and even central govt portal. So why did Centre downplay the ransomware attack? How severe was WannaCry ransomware cyber attack in India? Government says nothing serious WannaCry a failure? Hackers behind global cyber attack make less than Rs 40 lakh Watch Video: WannaCry scare: Cyber attack hits over 150 countries, cripples multi-national companies --- ENDS --- Red Bull RB13 - rear wing and barge boards Red Bull used less downforce than anyone in Baku and it paid off with victory for Daniel Ricciardo. The team introduced this extremely shallow rear wing in Friday practice and, obviously happy with the results, retained it for qualifying and the race. For Baku Red Bull kept the same barge boards they introduced at the previous round in Canada, taller in their main section (right arrow) and with a modified second section (left arrow), again taller and with a revised shape. Inset is the previous configuration. Mercedes F1 W08 - asymmetric brake cooling For Fridays two practice sessions Mercedes experimented with an asymmetric brake set-up, running greater cooling capacity on one side of the car than the other (red arrows). However, to help speed up getting heat into the front tyres, the team reverted to a normal, symmetric layout for final practice, qualifying and the race. Ferrari SF70H - rear wing configurations Ferrari started off the Azerbaijan weekend with the rear wing seen on the left below, with a straight main plane and two, tall central supports attached to its upper surface. However, for qualifying and the race they came back to the Canada configuration shown on the right, with a spoon-shaped main plain and shorter supports connected to its underside. By Shivani Chhabra: Priyanka Chopra is living the life we can only dream of. From ruling the American television to constantly being admired for her red carpet looks, this woman conquers hearts with everything she does. It's a sheer delight to have PeeCee making public appearances, because of how refined and stylish she looks every time she walks out of her house. Picture courtesy: Instagram/priyankaparadise Picture courtesy: Instagram/priyankanetwork advertisement Right from her public appearances for the promotions of her American television show, Quantico, to last night, where she attended the premiere of HBO's The Defiant Ones, at Los Angeles' Paramount Studios, PeeCee has been a total stunnner. Picture courtesy: Instagram/cristinaehlrich Also Read: Priyanka Chopra's outfit is proof that she refuses to compromise on her comfort PeeCee graced the grand event along with the likes of Pharrell Williams and Eminem, and she was a dazzling sight one would want to behold forever. Donning an all-black ensemble, Priyanka Chopra was dressed to kill with her sensual appearance in the Brunello Cucinelli outfit. Picture courtesy: Instagram/princemojo77 As sexy as Priyanka looked, her black, double-breasted blazer was a class apart with golden buttons, and a neckline that accentuated her gorgeous body. She brilliantly paired her elegant, long blazer with a pair of wide-leg pants that were phenomenally shimmery, and contrasted the blazer really well. Picture courtesy: Instagram/priyankanetwork Also Read: Whenever Priyanka Chopra is in India, she tells us how to look uber cool in this mad heat Dressed in a perfect blend of elegance and glamour, PeeCee slayed the look with her on-point makeup that further elevated her appearance. The lavender-hued, eye makeup gave a surreal pop of colour to her black outfit, and balanced it well. Picture courtesy: Instagram/priyankachopra_joelle Our favourite aspect of the look was the chic hairdo she pulled off. PeeCee had tied her hair low with a fair number of locks left loose, that highlighted her sharp jawline really well. Picture courtesy: Instagram/xglamaddict Picture courtesy: Instagram/glamalertofficial PeeCee was dressed like a dream for the event, and we don't think we'll able to get over it anytime soon. --- ENDS --- Haiti - Politics : The main orientations of the Ministry of Tourism Monday, Andy Durosier, the Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, presented in a press conference the objectives and the strategic axes for 5 main orientations of his Ministry. Objectives : Increase the flow of tourists; Developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and connecting local communities to the tourism sector. Strategic axes : - Strengthening the sector for a strategic plan for the next 25 years; - Regulate tourist transport in the country; - Strengthening of tourist security with the Tourist Police (POLITOUR); - Strengthening of inter-institutional partnerships; - Continuing training and initial training of executives in the tourism sector. Andy Durosier informed that the Ministry was planning to make an inventory of tourism schools to offer a single curriculum with the National Institute of Professional Training (INFP). For him, "We must focus on community tourism and sensitizing the population in relation to tourists," underlining that for the summer 2017 there is an accompanying mission for rural celebrations and other activities of the private sector "We will accompany them through training sessions (tourist guide, restoration, hygiene, health...) We will carry out client satisfaction surveys on destinations in Haiti, through the recruitment of 20 young people to whom questionnaires will be given to carry out surveys." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20569-haiti-flash-roadmap-of-the-minister-of-tourism.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politics : Towards the final reorganization of the OAVCT After more than a month of paralysis of employees of the Office of Insurance Vehicles Against Thirds (OAVCT) who demanded among others the departure of the Director General Elie Blaise, which the Head of State finally just revoked, the Ministry of Economy announces the creation of a Transitional Commission of restructuring of the OAVCT by presidential decree dated 22 June, composed of 3 people Wolf Dubic (Coordinator), Franck Bonhomme (deputy Coordinator) and Goettie Varnelle Morency (member). This Commission follows the conclusions of the report of the Tripartite Delegation (MEF, OMRH, Prime Minister) having worked on the evaluation of the situation at the OAVCT. It should be noted that the report mentioned a very worrying administrative and financial situation requiring urgent remedial action outside of all political considerations. his Commission has a 6-month mandate, renewable once. It will work inter alia on : - Development of an emergency plan including the resumption of activities; - Carrying out an institutional diagnosis; - The creation of the necessary mechanisms for organizational and financial audits; - The development of a strategic plan and business plan for the final reorganization of the OAVCT. The Ministry of Economy and Finance calls for the serenity and cooperation of employees and all stakeholders for the full fulfillment of the mandate of this Commission and the rescue of the OAVCT. Meanwhile, the workers, backed by former presidential candidate Jean-Charles Moise, denounce a plan to privatize the institution, despite the formal denials of Lucien Jura, spokesman of the presidency who tries to reassure, stating that the mission of this Commission will be mainly to facilitate the resumption of activities at the OAVCT, to repatriate the equipment and equipment of the institution and to evaluate the service contracts that have recently been signed to see if they have been made according to standards. For his part, Jean-Charles Moise confirms to support the movement of employees of the OAVCT and is radically opposed to privatization in any form whatsoever of this institution... SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Good news, Haiti removed from the black list of shame This week, the State Department, released its report for 2016, which assesses the extent to which the different countries meet the standards to combat human trafficking and slavery in the world. The United States has updated its "black list" of countries that do not meet minimum standards or who are not doing enough to fight this scourge. Good news Haiti was removed from this list of shame where it had been listed for the year 2015, in the report released last year https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17904-haiti-flash-haiti-on-the-blacklist-of-shame.html On the other hand, several countries are returning to this black list, among others: Venezuela, Belize, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Syria... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17904-haiti-flash-haiti-on-the-blacklist-of-shame.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Justice : Night Operation against Insecurity and Nuisances at PAP This weekend in Port-au-Prince, Ronsard Saint-Cyr, Secretary of State for Public Security, accompanied by the Commissioner of the Government of Port-au-Prince, Me Clame Ocnam Dameus and the National Police of Haiti (PNH) has carried out a major operation, targeting several bars and nightclubs in the capital. The purpose of this operation was to combat criminals and nuisance for the population. This operation, which aimed to protect the population from bandits and night-time nuisances of all kinds, resulted in the release of several streets and sidewalks encumbered by various sound equipment, chairs, tables and vehicles. During this operation, several young minors were also arrested and handed over to the Minors' Protection Brigade. The population has not hidden its contentment with this initiative which contributes to the strengthening of the public security of goods and people in the capital. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20137-haiti-justice-41-brothels-and-hotels-under-seal-in-port-au-prince.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politics : World Bank calls for increased health budget Tuesday, according to a new report issued by the World Bank reveals that the health sector needs more public investments and better allocation of resources to improve access to health care for all Haitians. The report, titled "Better Spending, Better Care: A Look at Haiti's Health Financing", highlights that public spending on health care per capita is US$13 per year, which is below the average of US$15 in low-income countries and substantially lower than the average in neighboring countries, such as the Dominican Republic (US$180) and Cuba (US$781). In the context of repeated emergencies faced by the country, more than half of total health expenditure goes toward curative rather than preventive health care. In fact, 38 percent of total health expenditure is devoted to the hospital sector, owing primarily to the large number of hospitals, which is significantly higher than in countries such as Burundi (23 percent) and Tanzania (26 percent). The hospitals are often under-equipped to provide the level of care required, and the current level of expenditure has not led to increased service delivery. Costs for in-patient care are much higher than those in primary health centers. The nationwide ratio of clinics to inhabitants is 0.3 per 10,000, significantly below the standard set by Haiti's Ministry of Public Health and Population. "The decline in international assistance means that unless primary health care is prioritized with greater access to essential treatment for the people most in need, universal health coverage will not be possible," said Eleonora Cavagnero, Health Economist for Haiti at the World Bank and lead author of the report. Life expectancy increased and infant and maternal mortality were halved between 1990 and 2015. However, Haiti remains vulnerable to many heath challenges: infant and maternal mortality rates are four or five times higher than those of Latin America and the Caribbean. Only 68 percent of children under 24 months have received the three vaccines to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, compared to 80 percent in countries in a similar economic bracket. World Bank Special Envoy to Haiti, Mary A. Barton-Dock, points out that "investments have not been made in areas crying out for them. In the current environment of severe budgetary constraints, what is required is a results-based financing mechanism to make the health care system more efficient and more equitable." The report proposes options to achieve better care through better spending, and improve health coverage for the poorest : Increase public spending in health: Despite the country's health needs, the government's budget allocation for health declined significantly over the past twelve years, dropping from 16.6 percent of the national budget in 2004 (above the average for Latin America and the Caribbean) to 4.4 percent of the current budget. Given the sharp reduction in donor funding in recent years, the government must plan for an immediate increase in public expenditure in health and improved coordination of international assistance. The creation of special taxeson tobacco and alcohol, for examplecould help raise funds for the health sector. Prioritize primary and preventive health care: This will involve redirecting funds to primary care, while prioritising and calculating the cost within the current Health Master Plan. Bolstering service delivery in primary and preventive health care will greatly assist in reducing the leading causes of mortality in Haiti. Development partners should finance technical assistance to help hospitals achieve financial sustainability, strengthen existing infrastructure, and put in place a licensing policy. This shift in investments in the heath sector should be evidence-based. Improve equitable access to quality health care: This will be achieved by mapping health facilities and reclassifying them to improve their operational capacity and establish a functioning referral network. This reclassification exercise will help improve the distribution of medical equipment and medicines. A policy that promotes a more equitable geographic access to primary health services needs to be implemented. Among households that did not consult a health professional, 49% responded that they did not do so for financial reasons. This policy also promises to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness in service delivery at the primary health care level by linking funding of health personnel and institutions to results. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - DR : After more than 200,000 returns, first reception center of Haitians ! The International Organization for Migration (IOM) opened, in coordination with the Mayor of Anse-a-Pitres and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, the first Border Resource Center (BRC). Three additional BRCs are in the process of being built at the remaining three official border sites (Malpasse, Belladere, and Ouanaminthe). These centers will allow local protection agencies : National Office for Migration (ONM), Brigade for the Protection of Minors (BPM) and the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBESR), to better identify, orient, and assist vulnerable migrantsall while creating a space where local protection agencies can collaborate amongst themselves and provide psycho-social counselling. "Migrants are uprooted persons who have been left behind. Opening a center where we can welcome migrants and provide them with psychological counseling to heal their wounds is a strong symbolic and humane gesture. This important initiative is supported and encouraged by the Haitian government," according to the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Mr. Roosevelt Bellevue, during the BRC inauguration. "Migration is a phenomenon that must contribute to the enrichment of humanity. However, given the circumstances, migration is increasingly becoming a crisis that threatens peaceful cohabitation and productive and prosperous civilizations both today and tomorrow. In the face of such decline, human wisdom must get the upper hand in order to restore human dignity, respect, and hope no matter what the case may be," the Minister later added. The border region between the Dominican Republic and Haiti is a characterized as one of weak state institutions and the absence of socio-economic opportunities. A sizeable number of migrants cross the border through irregular migration in search of services and opportunities that are unavailable in Haiti. The absence of documentation only worsens their vulnerabilities and exposes them to different forms of abuse and ill-treatment, such as human trafficking. "Since the expiration of the National Regularization Plan of Foreigners (NRPF) in June 2015, IOM has recorded that more than 202,252 Haitian migrants have spontaneously returned or were deported to Haiti. This figure bears witness to the sizeable assistance needs that exist throughout the border region in order to help vulnerable migrants, particularly women and children. The majority of which arrive in precarious conditions. They have, therefore, mostly given up on themselves once they arrive in Haiti," explained Fabien Sambussy, Head of the IOM Mission in Haiti. It is in this context that the IOM, along with the financial support of the Canadian government, has implemented an assistance project for migrants titled, "To Help Vulnerable Children and Women in the Border Regions of Haiti." "Canada is proud to help ameliorate the protection and the promotion of the fundamental rights of women and children; this initiative is well aligned with the new feminine political assistance of Canada," declared Ivan Roberts, Head of the Haiti-Canada Cooperation. This project seeks to ameliorate the capacity of local actors in the fight against wrongdoings in irregular migration and the trafficking of persons through the four official border crossing points in Ouanaminthe, Belladere, Malpasse, and dAnse-a-Pitres. The project also seeks to put in place referral mechanisms in order to facilitate greater access to basic services and support the sustainable reintegration of vulnerable migrants in Haiti. The Border Resource Center constitutes the cornerstone of the project to allow for the registration and referral of vulnerable migrants to assistance institutions (medical centers, lodging centers, among other resource networks supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs). The BRC is also at the heart of protection mechanisms for returning migrants and deportees from the Dominican Republic. It represents the first state institution tasked with ensuring the safe and respectable return of Haitian migrants to their country of origin. IOM reiterates its unconditional support to the Ministries, authorities, and migration-focused Haitian institutions working to address migratory problems that the Haitian government must confront both internally and externally. IOM hopes to continue supporting the Haitian government with all of their efforts to insure and promote regular migration and protect the most vulnerable migrants. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18780-haiti-politic-high-level-meeting-on-haitian-repatriations.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-18711-icihaiti-politic-problem-of-deportations-privert-proposes-a-commission-as-solution.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16800-haiti-dominican-republic-iom-coordinate-haitian-returns.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15214-haiti-social-haitians-back-from-dr-in-difficulties.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14210-haiti-social-the-reception-centers-for-repatriated-haitians-are-not-ready.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-14080-icihaiti-social-tens-of-thousands-of-haitians-in-dr-abandoned-by-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-13970-icihaiti-social-the-government-is-preparing-to-welcome-the-haitians-deportees-from-dr.html HL/ HaitiLibre Man sent to prison for robbing Hendersonville woman Related Stories A 28-year-old Pisgah Forest man was sentenced to nine years in prison after a Transylvania County jury convicted him of the armed robbery of a Hendersonville woman last October, District Attorney Greg Newman announced Jonathan Antonio Richardson, of 100 Marley Road, was sentenced by Judge Eric Morgan in a June 12 court term. Evidence presented at trial was that Christine Hampton of Hendersonville stopped at the One Stop convenient store in Pisgah Forest on the evening of October 15. When getting back into her truck, she was approached by Erin Hogsed, also of 100 Marley Road in Pisgah Forest and a recent employee of the store, who asked for a ride home. Ms. Hampton agreed and Ms. Hogsed entered the passenger side of Hamptons truck while her boyfriend, Mr. Richardson, let himself into the backseat. Ms. Hampton had not seen Richardson when approached by Ms. Hogsed. Ms. Hampton was directed by both Hogsed and Richardson to take them to Crab Creek Road and then to turn onto Heath Drive. It was at this point where Richardson reached up behind Ms. Hampton and held a rough shaped object to her throat while saying, If you do not cooperate, you will die. Ms. Hampton was then forced out of her truck and Richardson and Hogsed drove off leaving Ms. Hampton to flag down a motorist to ask for help. The Transylvania County Sheriffs Department responded quickly and, through the use of a photo line-up with Ms. Hampton, identified Richardson. Ms. Hogsed was identified by the store clerk on duty who knew who she was. Through the use of phone records, social media and statements of persons familiar with the suspects, both Richardson and Hogsed were arrested in San Diego, California, on Oct. 25, 10 days after the incident. They were transported back to Transylvania County for prosecution. Ms. Hogsed provided a statement to the Sheriffs Department upon her return home. Richardson did not give a statement, but did testify in his own defense at trial. Ms. Hampton was suffering from cancer at the time of the incident and she died earlier this year. Her video-taped interview with sheriffs detective Geoff Bishop on the crime date was played for the jury. I want to compliment the work of Sheriff Mahoneys department in this case, Newman said. They acted swiftly and it is impressive that they located our suspects in California in less than two weeks. I commend Detective Geoff Bishop and the other officers who investigated this violent crime. I had the honor of meeting Ms. Hampton before she died and she expressed to me her appreciation for how capably the investigation was conducted. As always, I appreciate the communitys support of our efforts to prosecute these cases. There is a high respect here in Transylvania County for upholding the rule of law and I am fortunate to serve such great people." Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi has demanded that a CBI branch and a High Court bench be set up in the union territory to rein in corruption. By Atir Khan: Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi has sought the Centre's intervention to improve the affairs of the union territory. She has demanded that a CBI branch and a High Court bench be set up here to rein in corruption. Talking exclusively to India Today, Kiran Bedi said that corruption in Puducherry had reached alarming proportions and the powers of the police totally curbed. advertisement In order to provide justice to people, there should be a Madras High Court bench to hear PILs and people's grievances, which must be taken care of on priority. Bedi said, "Issues of corruption have been neglected. Therefore, Centre's intervention becomes important to ensure there are checks and balances in place. I had warned politicians that if they did not take appropriate action in the medical seats allocation scam, CBI would knock at their doors. Since no action was taken, CBI has now started its investigation and carried out surprise checks in Centac (Centralised Admission Committee) and other government offices to probe the complaints of deserving candidates, who had been denied admission in medical colleges due to large-scale corruption in the admission process." She added that she was asked to forward complaints against government officials and politicians to people who were in the decision-making bodies. Her conscience did not allow her to do so, therefore she recommended a CBI inquiry into the matter. Bedi said she had been trained to rely on evidence and once there was proof, never to hide that from the process of law. L-G NO CEREMONIAL HEAD WHO JUST SIGNS FILES: KIRAN BEDI "I am just doing my duty. The L-G is not a ceremonial head who just signs files. I have no immunity from scrutiny. Even I could be investigated for negligence so I have a double responsibility as an administrator", she added. Bedi went on to say that she had apprised the central government about the state of affairs in Puducherry. Recently, her intervention in certain matters had raised eyebrows of some in the government. However, the union government's notification vindicated her stand on the powers of the Lieutenant Governor. It said that the L-G could, as a gesture of courtesy, request the chief minister and any cabinet colleague to update him on any doubt or query that the LG may have. She could also ask for files pertaining to any government business. Also read | Puducherry Assembly wants to cut powers of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi Also read | Puducherry: LG Kiran Bedi versus CM Narayanasamy war gets dirty Also read | Puducherry CM says Kiran Bedi violating Constitution, L-G she's not a rubber stamp WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- advertisement London : Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE`s) recent decision to suspend ties with Qatar over its perceived support for terrorist elements and for not cutting off ties with Iran appears to have taken a fresh twist. A whistle-blowing information group, reportedly going by the name of Global Leaks, has been quoted by papers like the Daily Beast, The Telegraph, Huffington Post and Al-Jazeera, as saying this month that some Gulf countries were used to receive funds from banks in Pakistan and UAE owned by the UAE royal family to allegedly finance terror strikes in the US in 2001 and Mumbai in 2008. These media outlets say they have received documented information from this group that says that banks like the Dubai Islamic Bank in UAE, and the Bank Al Falah and United Bank Ltd. in Pakistan owned by the Abu Dhabi Royal family reportedly cleared financial transactions of terrorist outfits like the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), both of which have been named by India as being squarely involved in the 26/11 attacks that claimed 166 lives and maimed over 300 others. This information gathering group maintains that business and financial institutions in some Gulf countries and Pakistan were involved in terror-related financing for the 9/11 strike as well. American citizens are said to have started filing cases in their courts against some of these Gulf nations, claiming to have evidence of their roles not only in 9/11, but also in the November 26-29 terror attacks in Mumbai. Meanwhile, the month of June has seen the UAE warning the United States that it runs the risk of jeopardizing and ending bilateral intelligence cooperation to block legislation that will allow families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia and UAE for compensation. According to reports filed by The Telegraph, Huffington Post and Al Jazeera earlier this month, leaked e-mails of UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba have privately warned American lawmakers not to allow American citizens affected by 9/11 (in the US) and 26/11 (in Mumbai, India) terror strikes to sue countries where these terror plans were supposedly hatched in US courts, or they run the risk of not receiving crucial information and intelligence related to those two significant criminal incidents of the 21st century. The Telegraph reports that these leaked communications reveal how both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been working jointly to lobby against the US Congress` passing the Justice against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) last year, with Ambassador Al Otaiba coordinating with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on the issue. It is now a known fact that two of the 19 hijackers who flew planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York in 2001 were UAE born citizens, while 15 were Saudis. According to these leaked e-mails, Ambassador Al Otaiba is reported to have said that while he understood the desire to provide justice for those who were affected by 9/11, the passing of JASTA poses a large risk to the US and its allies. He is further quoted, as saying that, JASTA would also have a chilling effect on the global fight against terrorism. In order to effectively fight the scourge that is terrorism, the US needs reliable, trustworthy international partners. If a foreign sovereign nation is at risk of being sued in a US court, even if it`s an ally, that nation will be less likely to share crucial information and intelligence under JASTA. Why risk alienating key allies at a time when their cooperation is absolutely necessary? Media reports are saying that some of these documents that may soon appear in the public domain reportedly suggest for instance that the family of one of the Americans who died in Mumbai in 2008, has filed a case against the royal family of Abu Dhabi, which owned banks that financially helped the LeT and the JuD. Source : Zee News Things You Should Know About Eminent Domain Posted by Scarlett Iversen on Wednesday, 06-28-2017 5:31 pm Currently 2.7/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5 2.7 from 9 votes Many time people visit an old neighborhood and find that the old private properties are changed into new government properties such as roads, bridges or other public facilities. The government of Texas gets the hold of these properties for the public purpose with the help of a rule or law called condemnation or eminent domain. In case, you got a condemnation notice from the government, or heard about it from somewhere then you may have several questions or doubts in your mind. Here, you should know about a few things related to eminent domain and how to deal with this situation. Negotiation on prices of property If the government gets a public welfare project that needs your private property, then the government has the right to acquire your property. Any project that can help the masses comes under this category, and Fifth Amendment gives the right to the government for using or acquiring any property. The government can take the property just by giving proper compensation even if t... Close Forgot Your Password? Enter in your email address and we will send it to you. Send Email An HR.com member profile provides you with access to a multitude of information and education along with the opportunity to network with the largest HR community on the web. If you need any help, call .877.472.6648 and ask for our Member Experience Co-ordinator. Hi Please check your email for an activation link. If you do not receive your activation email within a few minutes, check your spam folder or call our Help Desk at 1.877.472.6648 For faster assistance, dial extension 4. Thank you! Continue Hi Verification error - Please enter the correct code above. Verified Wow! You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile Micromanaging. The word sends a chill down the spine of any employee working under a supervisor (which is almost all of us outside the executive suite, and even some within it). But until you become a manager, you dont know how hard it is to avoid. Maybe it used to be your job, and you did it well. Maybe you have a new employee who hasnt proven themselves yet. Maybe its an important project, and youre worried about what will happen to the company and your career if its not a success. Or maybe your own boss is micromanaging you, demanding information you cant provide without intruding in your teams daily work. Whatever the justification for the action, anxiety lives somewhere at its heartthe fear that without your input, the job wont be done right. What you might not realize is that telling your employees how to do their job is causing their performance to plummet. Symptoms of Micromanaging Are you a micromanager? If youre not sure, just take a look at this list and check off those that apply to you: You have answers, but your team doesnt come to you with questions No one seems grateful for your very constructive input Your department has higher than average turnover You own all the top projects, and you attend all the meetings for the other ones Youre swamped with low-priority tasks that you dont trust anyone else to h... The UK government, from this year on, will be paying Queen Elizabeth an increased amount of $97 million annually. By India Today Web Desk: In case you have not received any hike this year, this piece of news is going to sting you. Queen Elizabeth from now on will receive a total pay of $97 million from the British government, a 78 per cent hike from what she got last year. Last year, the queen of England was given an annual sovereign grant of $54.6 million by the state. advertisement WHY THE SUDDEN HIKE? The reason behind this elevated payout from the state is the extensive renovation of the Buckingham Palace. The renovation will include replacement of wires and pipes that are over 60 years old, and it will also provide an improved visitor access. Queen Elizabeth will receive this amount for an estimated period of 10 years. THE QUEEN'S SOURCES OF INCOME According to a CNN report, The Crown Estate makes hundreds of millions of pounds each year through its prime real estate, farms and coastlines, a portion of this profit is given back to the Queen and her family as sovereign grant while most of the profit goes to the government. Another source of income for the Queen is Duchy of Lancaster which is a private estate of commercial, agricultural and residential properties. she can also rent out palace space , which with Duchy of Lancaster got her an income of $19 million last year. WHERE IS THIS MONEY SPENT? The tax-free income from The Crown Estate is used as an expense account by the Queen, covering the cost of travel, staff, security and the royal palace's upkeep. The income from Duchy of Lancaster and renting out royal space last year was used to help cover official expenses. Most of the money is spent on staff and property maintenance in the last fiscal year, the amount saved was only $1.1 million which was placed in Sovereign Grant Reserve. Sir Alan Reid, the official keeper of Privy Purse, said the $54.6 million state grant given to the Queen in the last fiscal year equalled out to 65 pence per person in the UK, "When you consider that against what the Queen does and represents for this country, I think it represents excellent value for money" a CNN report quoted him saying. It costs $440 million to maintain the British Royal family each year, about one-third of which goes towards security, as estimated by an organisation named Republic, which campaigns to abolish monarchy. "When our police, schools and fire services are struggling how can we continue to justify this huge waste of money," the report quotes Republic CEO Graham Smith. advertisement The UK Treasury, however, justified this payout to Queen Elizabeth as a requirement, needed "to prevent a serious risk of fire, flood and damage to both the building and the priceless Royal Collection of art belonging to the nation." For more on Queen Elizabeth: Queen Elizabeth's Sapphire Jubilee: 7 things you need to know about her Queen Elizabeth II responds to birthday invite by Indian-origin boy who called her superhero Queen Elizabeth II sued over India's Kohinoor diamond Queen Elizabeth II will watch Baahubali 2 before you can --- ENDS --- New Delhi, June 28 (IBNS): With IT sector witnessing subdued sentiment amidst pressure on hiring and annual pay rise for employees, the country's software and services hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Noida-Gurgaon in NCR are expected to see 10-20 per cent reduction in the housing rents over the next three quarters, according to an ASSOCHAM paper. Unlike in the past when the fresh inflows of young professionals were pushing the demand for rentals in Bengaluru, the house owners in India's 'Silicon Valley' seem to have done a reality check and are accordingly slashing the rentals, while offering better amenities. "Even in the existing rental deeds, the tenants are seeking better options and no hike in the monthly outgo, quoting the adverse industry outlook. With better options, the market is tilting in favour of the tenants, especially those paying above Rs 50,000 per month". Going forward, the rentals may ease at least by 10-15 per cent in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, while the decline may be steeper, up to 20 per cent in Pune, in the next three quarters. Gurgaon and Noida are also witnessing a correction in rentals up to 10-15 per cent. Gurgaon is holding up because of the demand push from the national capital region (NCR). According to the ASSOCHAM latest estimates reveals that while the IT sector continues to employ over four million people, mostly in the four to five big cities, the hiring growth has subdued. Earlier, the biggest of the IT firms would add tens of thousands of new employees every year along with liberal sops for the existing staff. That scenario has totally changed. Even if these companies may be adding on net basis, the new jobs are not being added in an enthusiastic way, adds the paper. The IT and other services like financials are among the sectors which pay well. Besides, the age profile of these employees is quite tempting for the marketers. They are good spenders and want good life. These factors kept the markets for rentals pushing up, especially in gated and well-equipped housing complexes and societies in Bengaluru, Gurgaon, and Hyderabad. There is certainly a pause visible, ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr D S Rawat said while releasing its paper. IT and ITeS professionals aged 30 to 45 years and above, earn between Rs 20 to 50 lakh per annum on an average and typically pay even up to Rs 50,000-1.50 lakh per month as rent, in case they do not own their flats for self use. There is another a range paying between Rs 15,000-Rs 35,000 and upward. All these segments are witnessing easing of the rentals. In any case, the markets for real estate has gone down in major micro markets owing to a combination of factors. With a large inventory of even ready flats which would be available for use in the next few months, the supply for the rental markets would further improve. Kolkata, Jun 28 (IBNS): A special screening of a documentary on Nobel Laureate and Bharat Ratna, Amartya Sen, filmed over a span of 15 years, by director Suman Ghosh, will be held on July 10, 2017, in Kolkata, in association with Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Veteran actor Soumitro Chatterjee and industrialist H M Bangur of Shree Cement will be among the special invitees attending the event. The documentary, 'An Argumentative Indian', traces the life and work of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, a much-acclaimed economist and philosopher and explores the intellectual giants formative years of life and its influence on his views of the world - past and present. Professor Amartya Sen will be present at the special screening that will be followed by an interactive session with the Laureate and the film director. The documentary is structured as a free flowing conversation between Professor Sen and his student and Cornell economics professor, Kaushik Basu. Through the conversation, the narrative takes us from his childhood days in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, to his college in Calcutta and his academic career in the US and UK, where he was the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University. The audience will know about Professor Sens intellectual roots; his views on Social Choice Theory; Development Economics; on Philosophy and the current rise of nationalism in the world as embodied by Donald Trump and the Hindutva wave in India. Views from other eminent scholars, Paul Samuelson, Kenneth Arrow, Sugata Bose, Timothy Scanlon and former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh enrich the understanding of the world of Amartya Sen in the film. I conceived of this documentary on Amartya Sen during 2000/2001. He belongs to a rare category of intellectuals who are fading away in this increasingly specialized world of knowledge," said Suman Ghosh, Director of the documentary. "As Kenneth Arrow has said about Amartya Sen, His intellectual contributions in so many fields would constitute a specialty in each field separately. In that vein I conceived of Amartya Sen as a person whose intellectual vistas range from Sanskrit to modern political movements and his greatness consists of the amalgam of such disparate topics and fields. This Universal perspective of knowledge is rather rare in todays world, said Ghosh. Moreover, Professor Amartya Sens life story, with the early influence of Rabindranath Tagore, to his fight with cancer while he was at college to his fundamental contributions for the socially and economically deprived of the world, is fascinating material. I thought it would be a great challenge to integrate his world views with his work, to look at it as one unifying narrative, Ghosh said. Amartya Sen documentary is a must-see for the new generation. Professor Sen is a towering intellectual giant whose life and work is set to influence a whole new generation of youngsters all over the world. The documentary by Suman Ghosh is a very laudable initiative to provide and insight into the mind of a living genius, said Sundeep Bhutoria, Trustee, Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Suman Ghosh is a National Award winning Indian filmmaker. He has made six feature films and one documentary film. He had his film training at Cornell University in New York. His first feature film "Footsteps", starring Soumitra Chatterjee and Nandita Das won two National Awards in 2008. It was shown at numerous film festivals including Vancouver, Karlovy Vary and IAAC New York. His second feature film "Dwando", also starring Soumitra Chatterjee, was a part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI Goa in 2009. His next feature film "Nobel Thief", starring the Indian megastar Mithun Chakraborty was world premiered at the Busan IFF and was an official selection at the BFI, London Film festival. The film received the "Best Indian Film" award at the Bengaluru International Film Festival in 2012. His next feature film "Shyamal Uncle Turns off the Lights" was world-premiered at the Busan Film Festival in South Korea and had its North American Premiere at the MoMA, NY. It won the "Outstanding International Feature Award" at the ReelWorld Film festival in Toronto. His next feature film "Kadambari", starring Konkona SenSharma and Parambrata Chatterjee, is based on the life of Rabindranath Tagore and his controversial relationship with his sister-in-law Kadambari Devi. It received the Best Feature Film Award and the Best Actress for Konkona Sensharma at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival 2015. His latest released film Peace Haven world-premiered at Busan IFF and was an official selection at MAMI and NYIFF. A drastic change in the US political climate could derail many Indian studentsa American dreams. Uliana Pavlova, Carolina Vargas, Shuya Zheng, Souvik Ghosh and Adit Majumder report from India and USA on the fears and reality of chasing those dreams in Trump era After living with his parents for 24 years, Sai Kumar Kovouri decided to give up his life in India for a chance at the American dream. His plan? Get a masters degree in computer science at the University of Missouri, then hopefully land a great tech job in California. Now he worries a drastic change in the American political climate could derail his dreams. Since President Donald Trump took office this year, Indian tech students in America -- and Indians at home hoping to join them -- are worrying new America First immigration policies may affect their futures. I havent planned what Im going to do in two years after my graduation, because the situation here is not like before, Kovouri said. And even employers are not coming forward to give us jobs. Im completely confused right now. In order to work in the United States, educated foreigners must get a type of temporary work visa called an H-1B. This has long been a ticket to America for Indian students. Indian nationals working in the tech sector are the largest recipients; almost 70 percent of H-1B visas were granted to Indians in 2015, according to estimates by Bloomberg. But on April 18, Trump signed a Buy American, Hire American executive order that promises to switch these visas from a random lottery system to one that gives preference to those with the highest level of skills or the highest pay. The order says it will protect the interest of the United States workers in the administration of our immigration system Its unclear exactly who qualifies as a high-skilled worker under the order. But no doubt it will be harder for foreigners to find jobs because employers will have to prove they cant find Americans with equivalent sets of skills. Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, said he thinks the Trump administration will prioritize visas based on the highest wage, but doesn't know if the type or location of a job will be considered. Taken into context of everything that the Trump administration has said and done, in terms of how they criminalized immigrants, it is hard for me to believe that they will do anything that helps foreign workers over the long run, Costa said. Sai Kumar Kovouri (left) and Rajesh Raghavan Balajiveeraragavan are discussing about their assignments in a study room in the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. Most of their work are finished on laptops. Ticket to an American job Each year, the U.S. gives out out around 65,000 work visas. The H-1B program was designed as a transitional stage between temporary employment and permanent residency. An employer may chose to apply for a green card for the worker, but getting one can take as long as 10-12 years depending on the workers home country. Workers from India and China tend to wait the longest because they get the most applications. Indian IT outsourcing companies take the most H-1B recipients, paying them a lower wage than they would American workers. In some cases, an H-1B worker is 40 percent cheaper than an American. H-1B workers declined comment for this story, saying they were afraid of the consequences of speaking publicly. If an employer decides to fire an H-1B worker, the worker can immediately be deported. (A) more fair system would be for a worker to petition for themselves for a green card, Costa said. (An) employer can control the worker and make sure theydont complain because they dont want to get fired and lose their permanent residency. But Mary Lacity sees another side of the coin. Indian companies are globalthey hire many Americans, said Lacity, a professor of information systems at the University of Missouri who researches global IT services. In turn, U.S. companies hire (a lot of) global talent, including professionals from India. Changing the equation Kovouri is following a long tradition of Indians pursuing education and jobs in the United States. According to the Indian Students Mobility Report, about 150,000 students a year say goodbye to their loved ones in India in the hopes of making a better life for themselves in America. U.S. universities and companies, in turn, gain tuition and talent. But policy changes and anti-immigrant sentiment threaten to change the equation. Open Doors 2016, a report by the nonprofit Institute of International Education, indicates that students from India and China make up 47% of international student enrollment in the U.S. According to a recent survey, by the non-profit Advancing Global Higher Education, 26 percent of institutions reported declines in undergraduate Indian applications and 15 percent reported declines in graduate Indian applications. One of the most frequently cited concerns from international students and their families is a perceived rise in student visas denials, especially for students from China, India and Nepal. Students and families are also concerned about having fewer employment opportunities after graduation and living amid a political climate less welcoming of foreigners. They fear Trumps recent travel ban may expand to include more countries, making it tougher to get in and out of the United States. And they fear possible changes to student visa rules down the road. Family concerns about safety are another big deterrent for students. News headlines about protests and racism-fueled shootings strike fear in Indian parents. My parents are a little worried after the new immigration (policies) have been introduced and the shootings that have been happening, Kovouri said. They ask me every day if I am safe. Kovouri hasnt personally experienced violence or racism, but understands that news such as the recent shootings of two Indian men at a Kansas bar can be scary when a child is halfway around the world. Neeraj Krishna of West Bengal, India, vice president of marketing at Aiwa India, has a lot of friends currently in the United States who share similar concerns with him. Not only (about the) shooting, but also about verbal abuses, said Krishna, who is an alumnus of Indias prestigious IIT Kharagpur. At the same time, I think it is not such a huge problem that it may stop a large number of people from going to U.S. but definitely few people would restrict themselves. A student is working on her computer in the engineering library in the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. With flexible academic schedules, students have more time working on their own projects independently. Standing to lose Indians who decide not to pursue education in the U.S. could lose out on something thats much harder to get in their home country, Krishna said -- exposure to practical work experience. The research and everything is much more practical in U.S., so it gives people a great experience there, he said. In the workplace, this translates into a lifelong advantage, whether they stay in the United States or return to India. Universities and companies also stand to lose out if fewer Indians seek technical educations in America. At the University of Missouri alone, international students make up about 21 percent of graduate student enrollment and nearly 7 percent of the total student population. They provide an important source of revenue for the school that could be threatened if fewer international students decide to pursue higher education in the States. International students are usually charged full tuition and are even sometimes expected to stay on campus dorms. These students are also circulating money into the economy through purchases, travel, and other expenses associated with living in the U.S. In 2014-15, Mizzous international students pumped $72 million into thelocal economy. Indian information-technology outsourcing firms like Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro Ltd., andand Cognizant Technology also stand to lose. These companies tend to hire Indian citizens on work visas, train them and rotate them back to India, keeping their costs low because the average pay is lower than in some American tech giants like Google and Microsoft. Trumps new executive order may disrupt this strategy, since it will become more expensive to sponsor H-1B visas without offering higher pay. But while concern persists for companies, universities and students, the future remains unclear. Mizzou engineering grad student Rajesh Raghavan Balajiveeraragavan is one young Indian determined to make the best out of the situation -- by hanging tight for now. I follow what is happening with Trump very closely, he said. But at the same time, I try not to let it affect me because it is what it is and I cant make any change about it. Neeraj Krishna, the IIT KGP mechanical engineering alumnus who chose to stay back in India and pursue his dreams Some students stay in India While some Indian students long to go to America to pursue engineering degrees, others are perfectly fine staying and studying in India. Anirban Sarkar is one of them. Hes studying engineering in Jadavpur University in Kolkata. Unlike many of his peers, Sarkar is not wooed by the United States or American education. I think what Trump did will affect U.S. more than India because Indian engineers are more efficient than American ones, Sarkar said. Indian engineers can work anywhere. Sarkar currently works at Accenture India and does not plan on coming to the States anytime soon. He has plenty of role models in his own country. Neeraj Krishna is a great example that you dont have to leave India to be successful. Krishna received his bachelors and master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur. While still at college, he started his first venture, which has generated exponential revenue growth since then, with multiple Fortune 500 companies as clients. In the beginning of 2016, he started Kolkata Ventures, the largest network of startups and entrepreneurs in East India. Currently, he is the VP Marketing of Aiwa India. Since I was doing my startup here, Krishna said, ...I thought to stay back because I felt opportunities will be much more in India 10 years down the line if I would be in the commercialized sector, instead of doing a PhD in (the) U.S. Mumbai, June 28 (IBNS): After the lounge bar, film producer Gauri Khan is all set to launch her own design store in Mumbai, the business capital of the country. Gauri uploaded a picture on Instagram that revealed the front view of her store. She captioned it saying, "Work is still underway, but we are almost there... Excited about the new #GKD store! Coming soon!" Work is still underway, but we are almost there... Excited about the new #GKD store! Coming soon! A post shared by Gauri Khan (@gaurikhan) on Jun 27, 2017 at 2:41pm PDT Few days back, she shared the picture of the interior of her store. The film producer said: "Opening 1 st July ....Lido Tower Village Juhu, Juhu Tara Road, Opp. SNDT College, Santacruz W, GKD" Opening 1 st July ....Lido Tower Village Juhu, Juhu Tara Road, Opp. SNDT College, Santacruz W, GKD A post shared by Gauri Khan (@gaurikhan) on Jun 24, 2017 at 4:56am PDT Gauri, wife of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, launched her self designed lounge bar Arth, a week ago. Several stars of the Hindi film industry attended the inauguration. Arth, which has been completely designed by Gauri Khan, is situated in Bandra, Mumbai. The interior of the dining destination was revealed by Gauri herself. She posted a photo on social media prior to its launch. Designed To Impress ... ARTH...the latest dining destination in Bandra #gaurikhandesigns@arthmumbai A post shared by Gauri Khan (@gaurikhan) on Jun 14, 2017 at 9:35pm PDT Image: Gauri Khan Instagram Amsterdam, Jun 28 (IBNS): Sharing a hearty moment from his Netherlands visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a picture of himself, on social media, riding a bi-cycle. The Prime Minister also thanked the Dutch premier Mark Rutte, who is seen accompanying him. "Thank you @MinPres @markrutte for the bicycle," PM Modi's Twitter post read. Modi reached Netherlands after completing his US visit. This will mark the end of his three-nation tour. Image: twitter.com/narendramodi A group of four Navy officers from the country's only aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, had gone to holiday in South Goa's Cabo de Rama fort on Monday when one of the members, Lieutenant Ashwath Jagannathan, slipped and fell into the sea. By Ajit Kumar Dubey: It was a blustery day in Goa when the Coast Guard air squadron received a distress call. The Navy needed help to rescue one of its officers from the sea. A group of four Navy officers from the country's only aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, had gone to holiday in South Goa's Cabo de Rama fort on Monday when one of the members, Lieutenant Ashwath Jagannathan, slipped and fell into the sea. advertisement With the Coast Guard being the nodal agency for search and rescue operations in the country, the responsibility for bringing the officer back fell on the team of young Assistant Commandant Rupal Kaur Lamba and her co-pilot, Deputy Commandant Vijay Tanta. However, flying was difficult because of the inclement weather with strong monsoon winds blowing across the Goa coast and waves rising as high as seven to eight metres in the choppy sea. "But since it was about saving a life, our pilots decided to give it a shot and decided to fly in difficult conditions," a Coast Guard official told Mail Today. COOL COAST GUARD "Lamba kept her cool in the difficult situation and made some swift decisions." Within minutes of receiving the information about the incident, the Coast Guard single-engine Chetak helicopter flew towards South Goa for searching and locating the officer near the Betul area at around 3.15 pm on Monday. After searching for nearly 40 minutes in the nasty weather, the helicopter with two divers - Balram Yadav and Naveen Kumar- located the missing officer in the sea. Lamba, who was leading the mission, hovered over the officer and, flying low, she sent one of the divers into the sea. The gust generated by the chopper's rotors was also not making things easy for the crew to rescue the officer, but the diver tied himself to the Navy lieutenant to make sure he did not slip or fall while lifting. However, a bigger problem was lying in wait. "The helicopter was not able to lift the two bodies together due to the weight. This is when Lamba and her fellow pilot found a unique way of taking the officer to safety to the coast," the Coast Guard officer said. The diver and the lieutenant, who were tied together, were taken to the coast hanging from the chopper by using sea waves as a virtual ski-board in order to get immediate medical attention from the lifeguards on a nearby beach. However, the lifeguards checked the Navy officer and declared him dead. Navy officials said he had crashed into some rocks when he fell from the fort wall, but only a postmortem could finally determine whether he died due to his injuries or because of drowning. advertisement The effort made by his pilots and air crew led by Lamba came in for praise from Coast Guard chief Rajendra Singh, who said, "I commend the efforts made by the air crew and the dedication shown towards search and rescue operations, which is our specialised domain in the country." As part of its charter of duties, the Coast Guard carries out search and rescue operations in the sea and the number of these missions increases considerably during the monsoons. About a couple of days ago on the east coast, when a retired Naval doctor had drowned in sea along with his daughter and one more lady near Frazerganj in Bengal, their bodies were also recovered by Coast Guard ships. Even when merchant ships are in distress near coastal areas, the Coast Guard ships and helicopters are used to provide help and rescue them, if required, from there. Also Read Mangaluru: Coast Guard rescues all 27 workers stranded on flooded barge in Ullal 6 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Coast Guard craft --- ENDS --- advertisement Chandigarh/New Delhi: Calling women behind a veil as Haryana's identity, in an advertisement by the state government, has drawn flak from several quarters, political and otherwise, according to media reports. The back page of the March issue of the state government's Krishi Samvad (Dialogue with Farmers) magazine, on its back page, showed a rural woman in a veil and the accompanying message said women behind veil, were Haryana's identity, its pride, reported NDTV. A picture of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who leads the BJP government in the state, was on the front cover of the said magazine, according to media reports. It has been alleged that Haryana has one of the worst sex ratio in the country. The Congress has called the ruling BJP government of Haryana of showing "parochial mentality" by favouring the veil. However, Haryana Minister Anil Vij was quoted by the media as saying, ""It is not mandatory that there should be a ghoonghat, and we do not propagate that. ... At the same time it is true that this [ghoonghat] is a practice in certain places and to that nobody can have an objection." Talking to NDTV, India's woman free style wrestler Geeta Phogat, who won India's first ever gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, said, ""We have come from a place where girls should be kept behind a veil, would not be allowed to come out... go to school. My father pulled us out from such a state... helped us reach where we are." Interestingly, Manushi Chhillar, a young Haryana girl won the Miss India title this year. Image: Geeta Phogat Twitter Ranchi, Jun 28 (IBNS): Jharkhand Police, on Wednesday, has been maintaining strict vigil in Deori area, about 200 km from the state capital Ranchi, following the mob attack on Tuesday on a local resident, according to media reports. The mob attacked the house of one Usman Ansari on Tuesday evening after some people alleged they saw carcass of a cow in front of Ansari's home, media reports said. They beat up Ansari and set his house on fire. The police rescued Ansari and his family in the face of opposition from the crowd and took him to hospital. The crowd pelted the police with stones, forcing them to fire several round in the air to disperse the mob, the police informed the media. Several policemen were injured in the stone pelting, a senior official said. A person identified as Krishna Pandit was also injured in the clash between the mob and the police. Ansari, along with Pandit, were later removed to a hospital in Dhanbad and are recovering, according to media reports. Mumbai, Jun 28 (IBNS): 1993 Mumbai blast convict Mustafa Dossa died of cardiac arrest at a city hospital on Wednesday, which was confirmed by JJ Hospital Dean Dr TP Lahane, according to media reports. He was diagnosed with high fever late on Tuesday night and admitted in Mumbai's JJ Hospital in the wee hours on Wednesday, media reported. He was kept under observation. Dossa passed away at 2.30 pm, reports said. According to media reports, Dossa had earlier informed the special TADA court about his heart problem and said he wanted to undergo a bypass surgery. Image: NDTVTwitter PATNA, June 28 (TheBiharPost/IBNS): In a sudden climb-down, the JD-U on Wednesday denied any rift in the ruling grand alliance in Bihar and claimed it will continue till 2025. All such things (war of words) are things of the past now. There is no rift in the grand alliance, it will continue not till 2000 but till 2025, JD-U spokesman KC Tyagi said on Wednesday. He said though the three parties joining the alliance have divergent views over Presidential elections, there was no threat to the government in Bihar. The climb-down assumes significance as for the past two days the JD-U had been attacking both the RJD and the Congress. thebiharpost.com/IBNS Cabinet gives 'in principle' approval for disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries India Blooms News Service | | #Cabinet, #CabinetApproval, #AirIndia, #AirIndiaDisinvestment New Delhi, June 28 (IBNS): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval to fourth tranche recommendations of NITI Aayog on strategic disinvestment of CPSE (strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries) based on the recommendations of Core Group of Secretaries on Disinvestment (CGD). Image: www.pib.nic.in New Delhi, June 28 (IBNS): The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between India and the United States of America on Homeland Security. The Memorandum of Cooperation will further strengthen bilateral security relations between India and the USA. It will also help in coordination and interactions among the six Sub-Groups that are proposed to be formed under Homeland Security Dialogue between the two countries. Image: www.pib.nic.in New Delhi, June 28 (IBNS): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for development of six laning of Chakeri-Allahabad section of National Highway (NH) - 2 in Uttar Pradesh. The cost is estimated to be Rs.3691.09 crore including cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities. The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 145 kms. This work will be done under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase V on Hybrid Annuity Mode. The project will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh and in reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Chakeri and Allahabad. The development of this stretch will also help the socio-economic condition of this region in the State. This project on NH-2 is a part of Golden Quadrilateral between Delhi and Kolkata. The project road will have direct influence on the South-Western part of Uttar Pradesh. Important towns and urban settlements enroute are Kanpur Nagar, Ruma, Chaudagra, Malwa, Fatehpur and Kaushambi. Kanpur is one of the oldest famous industrial townships of North India. It is also included in the Counter-Magnets of National Capital Region. Allahabad is a famous pilgrimage centre, with ancient historical monuments and buildings as well as many educational institutions. In the project, there is a provision of 11 Truck Lay-bye where trucks stop mainly for loading and unloading. There is also provision of Bus lay-bye at 18 locations. Nine flyovers are also proposed in addition to 14 Vehicular Under Pass and 25 Pedestrian Under Pass. The project would also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities. It has been estimated that a total number of 4,076 mandays are required for construction of one kilometre of highway. As such, employment potential of 5,91,000 (approx.) mandays will be generated locally during the construction period of this stretch. Guwahati, June 28 (IBNS): The Assam Police has summoned 20 more persons to appear before the investigating team in connection with the cash-for-job scam of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). A top official of Dibrugarh police, who investigated the cash-for-job scam said that, the investigating team had found vital documents against the invigilators. We will grill them in connection with the scam, the police official said. Earlier, Dibrugarh police had interrogated 25 government officials in connection with the scam. The 25 officials including Assam Civil Service (ACS), Assam Police Service (APS), who were declared successful in the 2013 APSC examination and appointed by the state government in 2015 were grilled by the Dibrugarh police team led by ASP Surajit Singh Panesar and Subhasish Baruah for several hours. Former Congress minister Nilamoni Sen Dekas son ACS officer Rajarshi Sen Deka and Union minister Rajen Gohains relative Sunayana Aideu (Superintendent of Taxes) were also grilled in connection with the cash-for-job scam with other officials. Dibrugarh police recently seized 1265 answer scripts of the APSC examination held in 2013 and 2015 from the strong room in the commission office. Police had already arrested three ACS officials named Bhaskarjyoti Dev Sharma, Bhaskar Dutta and Amit Sharma in connection with the scam. Apart from these officials, police had also arrested former chairman of APSC Rakesh Paul, his associate members-Samedur Rahman, Basanta Doley, Pabitra Koiborta, Nabakanta Patir. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Internet Wallpapers New Delhi, June 28 (IBNS): Four men, including a Delhi government employee, were arrested for allegedly hacking a teen to death inside a moving train last week after accusing him and his family of carrying beef, media reports said. The deceased, who hails from Ballabgarh, Haryana, has been identified as Junaid, 19, who was travelling home with his brothers Haseem, Moeen and Mohsin after shopping for the upcoming Eid at Delhi's Jama Masjid. According to a Times of India report, the group passed several communal abuses and humiliated the brothers, asking them to get out of the train. However, contrary to the reports suggesting it as a communal clash, Haryana DGP B S Sandhu said it was a clash between two groups, in which the teenager died. "This was a clash between two groups which resulted in the death of one person. We have already arrested one of the accused. Police teams are investigating and others too will be arrested," he was quoted as saying by the daily. Explaining their plight, one of the victims had said, "They started calling us names and said we were unpatriotic and anti-nationals and then started hitting us. They were pointing at a packet which had food and saying that we should not be allowed to sit since we were carrying beef." He added that the incident took place in front of a GRP personnel, who stood as a mere spectator. "To save ourselves, we called the police and the emergency response number but there was no response," the victim had added. Following the incident, the victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Junaid was declared brought dead. Another victim, who sustained stab injuries, is said to be in a critical state and fighting for his life in AIIMS Trauma Centre. Gurgaon, June 28 (IBNS): Airline major Spice Jet on Wednesday announced the Mega Monsoon Sale with one way all inclusive starting fares as low as Rs 699. The Mega Monsoon Sale offers all inclusive fares starting as low as Rs 699 for its nonstop domestic flights covering routes like Jammu Srinagar, Srinagar Jammu, Guwahati Agartala, Agartala Guwahati, and Aizwal- Guwahati amongst others. The first of its kind sale gets even better with the lucky draw which offers travellers the chance of winning International Holiday packages of 3 nights and 4 days, while the bumper prize is a fully paid 7 nights 8 days vacation in Europe for two. "Theres more, ten lucky winners will daily get to win domestic travel packages worth Rs 10000/-. Every day one winner will get an international package to Dubai, Male, Colombo, Bangkok or Muscat. To participate in the lucky draw the passengers just need to book a SpiceJet Mega Monsoon Sale ticket along with a Spice Add On from amongst SpiceMax, Meals or preferred seats," the airlines major said in a statement. Customers who book on spicejet.com can avail exclusive offers like free meals & priority check-in using HDFC Bank credit cards, said the statement. " They can also avail SpiceMax, the premium seat product from SpiceJet at 50% off using HDFC Bank Credit cards. Customers who book preferred seats with their tickets will get assured SpiceStyle vouchers worth Rs 500," it said. The 7-day sale and lucky draw launched on Wednesday will be open till the midnight of July 4. The travel period covered in this sale is July 14 to Mar 24 and is valid for travel on non-stop flights on SpiceJet's domestic network. By Sweta dutta: Three years since it was decimated in the Parliament, Congress continues to dither as the principal Opposition party, prompting senior leaders to identify reasons behind it. Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Sanjay Nirupam told Mail Today that a dominant "ruling-party mentality" keeps party workers and leaders off the streets in what should have been aggressive agitations and demonstrations. advertisement "Post independence, the Congress party has been in power for seven decades. The mentality is that of a ruling party and not of the Opposition. In all these years, when NGOs, activists, environmentalists, farmers or any pressure group agitated against the Congress government, it would go out to face them and eventually back them. That section would then become its vote bank. But the party has never really had to get up and oppose any other government. The BJP dispensations at the Centre came and went, but did not stay for too long," Nirupam maintained. "Now that we have been in the Opposition for three years, we need to re-orient ourselves and start behaving like the Opposition. Arvind Kejriwal was an activist, he regularly held protests. The BJP or Shiv Sena used to jump up in protest against the smallest things against the Congress. But that is just not Congress culture. In my meetings with party workers, I insist that we become more proactive and hit the streets. It is the need of the hour to take up issues affecting the people and get down to aggressive demonstrations. In my own way, I am trying to change that," explained the former Rajya Sabha MP, who was formerly with the Shiv Sena. FALL OF BJP IS INEVITABLE Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'garrulous', Nirupam insists 'the fall of BJP is inevitable'. "It is a cycle. During Manmohan Singh, people were unhappy with a PM who spoke too little called him 'maunmohan'. Now, they have to deal with a PM who speaks too much. They will get fed up with him too. It is just a matter of time and threshold," he added. "But what is unhealthy today is the BJP's attitude towards the Opposition. Their biggest slogan is Congress-mukt Bharat. Whereas leaders like (Jawaharlal) Nehru encouraged the presence of Opposition in the Parliament so that there were checks and balances for the government. He repeatedly brought (Ram Manohar) Lohia back to the Parliament." In the run-up to internal elections in the party that will set the ground for Rahul Gandhi's elevation to the party president, Nirupam backed the Gandhi family scion. "The Gandhi family has held the party together and kept it united. That is the truth. Which other leader has the same national acceptance and is able to rise above caste, region and language to emerge as a larger leader? The Opposition might hit out at him for being from the Gandhi family but so what if he is?" Nirupam said. advertisement "Of course, Narendra Modi and the BJP are full of lies and rumour-mongering and that is something Rahul Gandhi will never be able to match up to. But he has laid the ground rules. When he went to eat at a Dalit's house, the Opposition called it political tourism. Now Amit Shah instructs everyone to share meals at Dalit houses. Very soon, they will follow his padyatras too." Also Read Mumbai: Cracks in Congress, top leaders skip Sanjay Nirupam's rally Sanjay Nirupam alleges opening of the Shivaji Maharaj statue a political stunt by BJP with an eye on elections --- ENDS --- New York, June 28(Just Earth News): In spite of aremarkablea progress in Liberia since the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement in 2003, the presence of challenges that risk a reversal of the gains made warrant continued international support and attention, the United Nations envoy for the country has cautioned. I would appeal to all concerned to increase and consolidate investment in Liberia and support the country at this crucial time, through its transition to a new government and beyond, Farid Zarif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia, told the Security Council on Tuesday. Pointing to challenges which could hinder sustaining peace and advancing national reconciliation, Zarif said that legislative reforms, widely accepted as critical to address the underlying causes of conflict as well as on women's rights and protection, were yet to be enacted. I continue to engage vigorously with the Government, particularly the Legislature, to help advance these transformational reforms, he added. Zarif, also the head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), noted that as UNMIL prepares for transitioning its residual mandated activities to the Government, the UN Country Team and partners, it remains engaged in all aspects of its assignment with a particular emphasis on good offices and political facilitation, including in view of elections scheduled in October. As the elections draw nearer, [we have] further intensified [our] engagement with the National Elections Commission, political party leaders, presidential candidates, the Government and civil society to prevent and diffuse tensions, help resolve disputes, and advocate for inclusive, transparent, credible, and peaceful elections, he said. The country's future as a stable democracy will hinge on the successful conduct of the elections and the broad acceptance that they were free and fair, followed by a smooth transfer of power from the current government to a new administration. The Special Representative also added that Liberia's law enforcement agencies being adequately prepared to respond to potential low-level civil unrest and mob violence during the upcoming period was critical. In that context, he elaborated that UNMIL is supporting the Liberia National Police to set up an integrated elections security plan to ensure the most effective utilization of available resources to protect civilians. Further, noting the gradual strengthening of the country's human rights capacity, Zarif urged the Liberian human rights commission to intensify its efforts to address serious human rights challenges, including sexual and gender-based violence, harmful traditional practices and challenges with respect to freedom of speech, which continue to plague the African nation. He also called on the Government to urgently implement the recommendations of the a 2016 joint Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)-UNMIL report on ensuring accountability for rape. Liberia at critical juncture, several historic transitions underway Also, speaking on Tuesday at the Security Council, Olof Skoog, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Liberia Configuration welcomed the steps taken by Government and the UN to develop a Peacebuilding Plan but highlighted that the need for continued engagement with and support to the country. As we have noted in the past couple of months, Liberia is at critical juncture. Several historic transitions are underway, said Skoog, adding: While no one I met indicated to me that there exists a clear and imminent risk of relapse into conflict [but] there are real hurdles ahead as [UNMIL] is closing down and as the new government takes the reins. As for the role of the Peacebuilding Commission, he said that it stood ready to continue its political accompaniment, ensuring continued international attention after the Mission leaves, and assisting by drawing attention to gaps. We will undertake continued advocacy on the importance of pursuing reforms that are central for sustaining peace in Liberia, he added. UN Photo/Kim Haughton Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, June 28(Just Earth News): The peace effort in Colombia on Tuesday reached a milestone, with nearly all of the remaining number of weapons held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) turned over to the United Nations for registering and storing. The UN political mission in the country on Tuesday confirmed that on 20 June the third phase of the laying down of individual weapons of the FARC-EP combatants was initiated. The Mission has now stored 7,132 arms, which constitutes all the weapons that were registered from FARC-EP. The only exclusions from the list are the weapons used to provide security in the 26 FARC-EP camps until 1 August 2017. To date, the Mission has verified 77 arms caches from which weapons have been extracted and munitions, explosives and unstable armaments destroyed, the UN political mission said. The lay down is in compliance with the timeline agreed to between the Government and FARC-EP on 29 May, part of the historic deal that ended the half-century long conflict. The arms laydown process a major component in the peace agreement includes five distinct steps including: registration and identification of weapons, monitoring and verification of the holding of weapons, reception and storage of arms, neutralization of arms (to ensure that they will never again be used as firearms), and extraction of arms from camps. Photo: UN Mission in Colombia Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, June 28(Just Earth News): A senior United Nations official has called for sustained joint efforts to combat terrorism and welcomed a partnership initiative with tech giants Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube to counter terrorism and violent extremism online. I welcome this major initiative, which elevates our existing private-public partnership with these and other companies, said Jean-Paul Laborde, UN Assistant Secretary-General and the Executive Director of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. The UN remains committed to addressing the scourge of terrorism, and we look forward to remaining a key partner to the private sector, he added. The four tech giants have already developed and have put in place policies and removal practices to take a hard line against terrorist or violent extremist content on their hosted consumer services. The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism partnership will help further strengthen these counter-speech protections through research- and evidence-based efforts and technical and policy decisions around the removal of terrorist content, noted a news release issued by the Executive Directorate. By working together, and through the sharing of the best technological and operational elements of their individual efforts, they believe they can have a greater impact on the threat of terrorist content online, it added. The new forum builds on initiatives, such as the European Union (EU) Internet Forum and the Shared Industry Hash Database as well as discussions with governments and the outcomes of recent G7 and European Council meetings. It will also help strengthen existing and build future areas of collaboration between these companies, including with smaller tech enterprises, civil society groups and academics, as well as with governments, and intergovernmental bodies like the EU and the UN. The companies will also be hosting a series of learning workshops in partnership with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the ICT4Peace Foundation in Silicon Valley (which is home to many of the world's largest high-tech corporations) and around the world to drive these areas of collaboration. Within the UN system, the Security Council continues to closely follow efforts to combat terrorism as well as other issues that represent serious threats to international peace and security. Last month, it unanimously adopted a resolution which, among others, provides a comprehensive international framework to counter terrorist narratives and amplifies positive and credible alternatives to audiences vulnerable to extremist messages, especially those on social media. File Photo: World Bank Source: www.justearthnews.com Image: Guillermo Ramos Flamerich/Wikipedia.org Caracas, Jun 28 (IBNS): The Venezuelan Supreme Court has been attacked from a hovering helicopter, irking President Nicolas Maduro, who slammed it as a 'terrorist attack', reports said. Footage showed a police helicopter hovering over Caracas, firing shots. Following the incident, the President said that the country's military has been placed on high alert. ""I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," Maduro said, while adding, "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those who carried out this terror attack." Meanwhile, the police officer who flew the copter, identified himself as Oscar Perez. Defending his actions, he appealed to Venezuelans to oppose the 'tyrannical governance'. Posting an Instagram video, he said, "We are a coalition of military employees, policemen and civilians who are looking for balance and are against this criminal government." "We don't belong to any political tendency or party. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists," Perez added. In the last few months, the Venezuelan President has witnessed protests against him as the nation is slowly plunging into an economic crisis. Kabul, Jun 28 (IBNS): At least 10 casualties, including the death of six insurgents, were recorded following the conclusion of an airstrike, which was carried out by the Afghan military in the country's Helmand province, local Khaama Press reported. The agency quoted the Afghan Ministry of Defence as saying that a local insurgent leader was one among the six killed. No group, including the Taliban has commented so far. Over the years, Afghanistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities. Following a series of blasts in the last couple of months, the government has deployed more forces in-order to bolster security. The blasts have accounted for at least 500 casualties. Calgary, June 28 (IBNS): In a recently concluded meeting of the Calgary Board of Education, the trustees expressed deep concern regarding overall deteriorating standard of students. Tina Hurban, vice chairan of board initiated a motion during the meeting to officially record the poor mathematics scores of students. Hurban said that numeracy and literacy are necessary for every student because they are the foundation for life's preparation. An earlier report from 2015, Trend In International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS), conducted a near similar study. However it solely focused on grade 4 students. While mentioning that students in Alberta are lagging behind, she said if one looks specifically at CBE math, would see that math 30-1 results are trending downward at both the acceptable level and standard of excellence. She also expressed her concern because of the poor performance of grade 9 students in Mathematics where the success rate of students under CBE stood at 85.3 percent. She added that with the formulation of three year plan by CBE which includes math strategy, the administration will be able address the concern in regard to math scores when that strategy will start implementation this fall. (Reporting by Chandan Som) Burma Land Compensation Funds for Kyaukphyu Township are Seemingly Misplaced Construction site of a water reservoir in Kyaukphyu Township. / Pan Sa Ga / Facebook YANGON Lawmaker U Phoe San of the Arakan National Party asked the Rakhine State government whether authorities would provide the remaining compensation to farmers from Pyine Sae Kay village in Kyaukphyu Township who released their land in 2014 for a water reservoir at a parliamentary session on Monday. But those funds have seemingly been misplaced. The Rakhine State governments 2016-17 fiscal year statistics show that 65 million kyats (US$48,000) were allocated for land compensation for the reservoir project. The former quasi-civilian government oversaw the project, which will provide water for the forthcoming Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone. Before implementing the project, the government initially agreed to compensate farmers 1.8 million kyats per acre of land. The farmers said the compensation was significantly lower than market price for land in the region. The Myanmar Kyaukphyu Special Economic Holding Public Company Ltd. (MKSH) negotiated between the government and the farmers. The farmers agreed to accept 3.8 million kyats per acre, but the rate varied slightly among landowners. The government and MKSH paid about 29.4 million kyats to nine farmers in 2014, according to government statistics. The government would not elaborate on the amount contributed by MKSH. Lawmaker U Phoe San pointed out that as the state fund for compensation for the reservoir was set at 65 million kyats, but nearly 35.5 million kyats were unaccounted for. He asked the state government to take action. U Kyaw Lwin, the divisional minister of mining, agriculture and livestock, said in Parliament on Monday that MKSH had withdrawn 28 million kyats of this fund from the government and deposited it at a local bank, a claim that MKSH member U Kyaw Soe denied on Wednesday. U Kyaw Soe said MKSH never withdrew money from the government. Instead, the company fronted 28 million kyats for seized land, 18.5 million kyats of which were later repaid by the state government. Something is very wrong with this case. We dont know where the remaining money is and we must address this. MKSH has not received any cash transfer from the government, said U Kyaw Soe, adding that MKSH planned to meet with cabinet ministers in state capital Sittwe this week and invited lawmakers to join. Lawmaker U Phoe San argued that compensation should have gone directly to the farmers and not have been dispensed to MKSH regardless. The Irrawaddy called several Rakhine State cabinet members but all declined to comment on the controversial state budget. It is also unclear how the government calculated land used for the project. Landowner U Than Tun from Pyine Sae Kay village said he was not compensated for pastures or arable hillsides that the authorities had labeled as vacant land. We were only compensated for five acres of paddy fields, he said, referring to land owned by nine different farmers. MKSH vice chairman U Kyauk Taung said villagers had willingly accepted reasonable compensation before the project was implemented. MKSH member U Kyaw Soe said the company spent some 220 million kyats on the reservoir and that the 65 million kyats was a separate issue that the company was not involved with. We will sue whoever is behind this as it harms our dignity, said U Kyaw Soe. Burma Lawmaker Urges Tatmadaw Not to Block Shipments of Rice, Fuel to Tanai A village in Tanai Township. / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAW A Tanai Township lawmaker asked the Tatmadaw to stop blocking commodities from being transported to Kachin States Tanai Township at the Lower House on Tuesday. Since April of last year, the Tatmadaw has been inspecting rice shipments to Tanai Township. In November, a Tatmadaw battalion in Hpakant Township banned them. Since then, rice can only be transported with their approval, lawmaker U Lin Lin Oo told Parliament. The lawmaker said he had sent a request to the army chief on June 12 asking him to stop the Tatmadaw troops based in the village of Dunbawng in Hpakant Township from blocking rice and fuel transport on Ledo Road. Deputy Defense Minister Maj-Gen Myint Nwe told Parliament that the Myitkyina District General Administration Department had calculated and reported that more rice and fuel were being sent into Tanai than necessary. He claimed that the surpluses were being brought into areas controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its armed wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) through various means. The defense minister said he had informed the Kachin State government that rice and fuel should only serve local demand and not KIO/KIA interests. We allow the transportation of rice and fuel into Tanai based on calculations from the Tanai Township General Administration Department. We have only blocked surpluses for security concerns, he said. The lawmaker said the military has blocked the transport of commodities for seven months and that commodities for the month of May had not even arrived in June making food prices unstable. Id like to know if [the ban] is the army chiefs idea and if the Union government has approved it. If not, Parliament should consider this, said lawmaker U Lin Lin Oo. The deputy minister stated that Kachin State Chief Minister Dr. Khet Aung and the commander of Northern Command Maj-Gen Nyi Nyi Swe were cooperating for regional security. U Zaw Win, a lawmaker in the Kachin State Parliament, told The Irrawaddy that the state Parliament had approved his proposal on May 29 to allow the unfettered transportation of rice and fuel to Tanai Township, but that the Kachin State government could do nothing in reality. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Burma Ministry Requests Monthly Reports on Coal-powered Cement Plant in Mon State The Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State. / Hintharnee / The Irrawaddy YANGON The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has instructed the Mon State government to submit monthly environmental impact assessment reports regarding a 500-ton cement factory in Mon States Kyaikmayaw Township that is powered by a coal-fired power plant. Union minister of natural resources and environmental conservation U Ohn Win left the instruction for the divisional ministry after he inspected the factory on Saturday. The US$400 million cement factory is run by Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) a joint venture between Thai firm Siam Cement Group (SCG) and Pacific Link Cement Industries. The factory started commercial operations in April despite local opposition. On Feb. 18, about 7,000 locals from seven villages near the factory staged a protest against the coal-fired power plant. In April last year, locals sent a petition with 3,780 signatures to the Presidents Office, demanding the termination of the project. We are not demanding that the factory is shut down, but we dont want coal. Unless and until they switch from coal to a different fuel, we will continue to protest, said U Shwe Win, a member of a local community group named after Mt. Pyataung from which raw materials for the cement factory come. Under the agreement with the Myanmar Investment Commission, the factory will operate for 50 years from the start of commercial operations. Locals said they accepted the cement factory project because they hoped that it would create jobs and spur regional development, but they did not know that it would be powered by coal. Locals told The Irrawaddy that they only found out when the factory began trial operations in 2015 and staged demonstrations consequently. Minister U Min Kyi Win said the Mon State government would purchase equipment worth 75 million kyats to measure air, water and noise pollution. Kyaikmayaw Township lawmaker Min Aung Mun in Mon State Parliament said that MCL had distributed 3,500 tons of cement to Yangon and it also distributed to Mawlamyine in Mon State. The Irrawaddy was unable to reach MCL executive officer U Zaw Lin Oo for comment. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Burma Prominent Peace Negotiator Dies at 83 Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum / Virginia Kachin Baptist Church / Facebook Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, a peace negotiator between Myanmars military and ethnic armed group the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), passed away at the age of 83 on Monday. According to his daughter, he was bedridden for almost four years, and was not able to speak all those years because of age-related brain problems, KIO central executive committee member Dr. La Ja told The Irrawaddy, confirming that he passed away in Yangon. Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum founded the Ethnic Nationalities Mediators Fellowship together with other ethnic and spiritual leaders to broker negotiations between the government and different ethnic armed groups. He was engaged in peace negotiations between the KIO and the government since 1980, and was an important player in brokering a ceasefire agreement between the two in 1994. He also intervened when the military regime pressured the KIO into becoming a government militia, known as a Border Guard Force, in 2009. In 2000, he established the Nyein Foundation to engage in peace and development works across the country. Currently, his daughter leads the foundation. Peace is a goal we must all reach for and try to achieve, so we are very sorry that a person who tried for peace has died. I hope the foundation he laid will help fulfill his unfulfilled wishes, said Dr. La Ja. He was among the first six ethnic Kachin persons to attend the Myanmar Institute of Theology in 1950. From 1993 to 2000, he served as general secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC). Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. By Press Trust of India: (EDS: Updating with fresh quotes) By K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 28 (PTI) China today termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate", asserting that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. advertisement China also hinted that India was objecting to its efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have any diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Donglang is part of Chinas territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesnt belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Taking a dig at India, Lu said Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We dont want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chickens Neck. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Lu said China opened the Nathu La pass in the Sikkim sector in 2015 for Indian pilgrims to visit Kailash because of this. Lu defended Chinas decision to shut the Nathu La pass in Sikkim for Indian pilgrims to enter Tibet, saying that China has agreed to open the route as the boundary there has been delineated with the consent of both the countries. "For a long time in the interest of India-China relations, China provided great conveniences to the Indian pilgrims. Based on the consensus between the two country leaders, and on the fact that the Sikkim sectors boundary is delineated and recognised by two countries, the Chinese side in 2015 opened the Nathu La pass for Indian pilgrims," he said. advertisement For two years it worked well and in fact this year also the Chinese authorities had prepared for the reception of Indian pilgrims and informed the Indian side about it. "Now the suspension of the same is an emergency response to the situation there. I want to stress that the resumption of pilgrims pass requires necessary atmosphere and conditions. So the liability of the same totally lies on Indian side and when it will be reopened depends on the when or whether the Indian side will correct its errors," he said. Asked about whether there was any progress in the talks between India and Chinese officials over the issue, Lu said, "the Indian troops crossed the boundary at the Sikkim side to the Chinese territory." "This is different to what was before in India-China boundary. China has made solemn representations against the same. India should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China," he said. Meanwhile, Chinese think tanks speculated that India stopped the road construction on behalf of Bhutan. advertisement Lu last night also had justified the move to construct a road in the Sikkim sector, saying that the area is "undoubtedly" located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty on Sikkim. "According to the treaty, zhe is the ancient name of Sikkim," Lu said. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. China had yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. PTI KJV ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- Burma Religion Minister Rejects Nationalists Criticism, Intends to Purify Buddhism in Myanmar U Aung Ko / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAW Myanmars religious affairs minister U Aung Ko rejected calls for his resignation from nationalists, including monks, accusing him of favoring Islam over Buddhism in the country and said he intended to purify Buddhism. My position is not appointed by [the protesters], but by the leader democratically elected by the people. Ive no reason to resign at their demand, the Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture told reporters, adding that the accusations of protesters were baseless and he would file lawsuits in the future. Hundreds of nationalists and monks along with thousands of their supporters staged a protest against the minister in Naypyitaw last month. On Sunday, they again gathered in Myanmars two biggest cities Yangon and Mandalay, claiming the government had ignored the list of demands that they laid out at the Naypyitaw demonstration. The minister said he would purify Buddhism, and his ministry was now drafting plans to take action against those claiming to act in the name of Buddhism but not following the religions doctrine, with the approval of the government and the State Buddhist Sangha Authority known by its Burmese acronym Ma Ha Na. People and [Buddhist] monks have pointed out that it is high time Buddhism be purified, he said. Well take action with the authority of executive and Dhamma authorities for healthy perpetuation of the religion, he added. His comments came after the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government forbade ultranationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu from giving sermons for a year in March and banned the name and signage of the Association for the Protection of Race and Religionbetter known by its acronym Ma Ba Thain May. U Tint Lwin, one of the organizers of recent protests, said nationalists were planning to stage a sit-in in front of Yangon City Hall. This is not a personal attack, he said. We are demanding [U Aung Ko]s resignation because he has done nothing for [the Buddhist] race and religion. He has not made any response [to our demands] and he is acting like an authoritarian. This is disrespectful to the people. Were not insulting the government, we are just pointing out the fault of the ministry, said nationalist U Tint Lwin. Nationalists have accused the minister, and the NLD government, of preferential treatment of Muslim communities for allowing numerous ceremonies to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad across Myanmar in January, when they were previously only held in Yangon and Mandalay. The minister said permission for such celebrations was granted by concerned township administrators, not his ministry; but he had passed on the remarks that celebrations should be limited to the Presidents Office and the home affairs ministry. Nationalist protesters shut down a number of the celebrations, he added. The minister also accused groups of paying protestors and challenged organizers to rally 100,000 to take to the streets to call for amendment of the military-drafted 2008 Constitution. He said he would resign and donate my possessions to the state, if they succeeded. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Burma US Upgrades Myanmar From Human Trafficking Blacklist Rohiakar, a Rohingya Muslim woman, shows a picture of her daughter Saywar Nuyar, 22, who was being held by a human trafficker, at a refugee camp outside Sittwe, Myanmar on May 21, 2015. / Soe Zayar Tun / Reuters YANGON Myanmar was upgraded from a list of countries with the worst human trafficking records on Tuesday to a watch list of nations that are trying to meet US minimum standards. The US State Department removed Myanmar from the blacklist of the US annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report to the Tier 2 watch list of countries making significant efforts to combat human trafficking and forced labor. On the watch list, Myanmar joins Laos and Thailand, which urged US officials on Wednesday to visit the country and see first hand its efforts to stop human trafficking. Cambodia and Vietnam remained in Tier 2, meaning the countries do not full comply with US minimum standards but were making significant efforts to do so. Malaysia was promoted to Tier 2. China, however, was downgraded to Tier 3, a rating that can trigger sanctions limiting access to US and international aid, though US presidents frequently waive such action. For the previous three years, China was on the Tier 2 watch list. China was last in the lowest ranking, or Tier 3, in 2013. The report described Myanmars continued progress to stop the recruitment and use of child soldiers, but it said the country does not do enough to penalize military officials who have engaged in such recruitment. It recognized an increase in personnel dedicated to anti-trafficking law enforcement units, and the first trafficking prosecutions of government officials since the enactment of the 2005 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law. People from predominantly ethnic minority areasincluding the estimated 103,000 persons displaced by conflict in Kachin and northern Shan states and the estimated 120,000 displaced persons in Rakhine State are at increased risk of trafficking, according to the report. Rohingya individuals are particularly vulnerable to labor trafficking in Rakhine State, including forced labor perpetrated by government authorities, it read, noting that the estimated 70,000 Rohingya who fled an army crackdown in Rakhine to neighboring Bangladesh in 2016 and early 2017 are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. The State Department also removed Iraq and Myanmar from a list of countries that recruit and use child soldiers. Commentary Defending Lawi Weng The Irrawaddy senior reporter Lawi Weng. / The Irrawaddy At The Irrawaddys office, it is not uncommon for Lawi Weng to bring local snacks or homemade liquor to generously share among colleagues after returning from reporting trips to Myanmars remote regions. More importantly, he brings updates from the ground to our news desk in Yangon, along with an easy smile, upbeat attitude, and sense of humor. This week, he and two other reporters from Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) were arrested by the military in northern Shan State after reporting on a drugs-burning ceremony in an area controlled by the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA). For nearly three full days, we did not know where they were being heldas of Wednesday afternoon, it was revealed that they are in Hsipaw prison, charged under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act. We had approved the trip to northern Shan State, which was intended to explore local drug eradication efforts. Lawi Weng also wanted to find out more about reports alleging abuse against Palaung (Taang) villagers who had accused army and local militia troops of human rights violations in the area; one incident he had been looking to investigatea beatingtook place in June 2015 in Kutkai Township, but the video footage only recently went viral on social media. In the area of Man Lan, several miles away from where Lawi and other reporters were stationed, fighting resumed over the last week between the TNLA and the Tatmadaw. During this time, BBCs Burmese service reported that hundreds of villagers were kept in a local monastery for days under army supervision as clashes continued. There have been allegations of abuse, with some of the villagers having since taking refuge in the northern Shan State city of Lashio. Lawi Weng did not go to the scene of these events, but had heard the news of the outbreak of conflict and was advised it was unsafe to travel to the area. After attending the drug-burning ceremony, Lawi Weng and the other reporters left. This time he was heading to Kutkai, but he did not reach his destination. He and two other reporters were taken to an unknown location and detained. We are now being told they were treated well, but will be charged with violating colonial-era laws for unlawful association with the TNLA. It has been frustrating to witness authorities lack of communication or assurance of the safety of our reporters, and it is absurd that security forces are using outdated laws to silence and punish journalists who have committed no crime. This must be categorized as an unlawful arrest and detention; under media laws in Myanmar, reporters are allowed to gather news in conflict zones. The arrest of Lawi Weng and the DVB reporters, as well as the recent imprisonment of editors under the infamous Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, and the death of activist-turned-reporter Ko Par Gyi, have demonstrated that Myanmar remains an unsafe place for journalists to work. Some colleagues have described the current events as reminiscent of the era in which the country was controlled by the State Law and Order Restoration Council, in which the notorious intelligence apparatus liberally jailed members of the public for perceived threats against the military regime. The return of a climate of fear is very disturbing, particularly after the National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the 2015 election. I cant help but recall Lawis optimism on Election Day in Yangon. No, he was not thinking that he would eventually be locked up under this government. Once a reporter in exile like many of us, Lawi Weng took a considerable risk in going back to his homeland to report on stories inside the country and particularly in the ethnic regions. Donors and diplomats were eager to embrace the changes that unfolded under the former quasi-civilian U Thein Sein-led administration, and encouraged The Irrawaddy and other exiled media to return to Yangon and to set up offices. Our presence in Myanmar, they said, was proof that the country was making progress. We were happy to go back home, but we never ceased being cautious. Yet now our senior reporter is in detention, and we feel the need to confront these individuals, organizations and governments with this reality. Calls to free Lawi Weng are growing in momentum, and we hope that the same entities that were pleased by our return to Myanmar will now also tirelessly advocate for Lawis immediate release, so that he can be allowed to return to his work. We hope that this detention, however unjust, will strengthen both his spirit and his hunger for reporting. Many untold stories are waiting. Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. Reddit Email 61 Shares Farhang Jahanpour | ( Tehran Times | TEHRAN Professor Farhang Jahanpour, part-time tutor on the Middle East in the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Oxford, tells the Tehran Times that Iran, Egypt and Turkey must set aside their differences in order save the the region from chaos and destruction. Following is the full text of the interview: Q: It has just been announced that King Salman has deposed the Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef and has replaced him with his 31-year old son Mohammed bin Salman. What are the reasons behind the Saudi Kings decision to depose the sitting crown prince and replace him with his young son? A: This is a very important and potentially a dangerous move. Ever since the establishment of the Saudi Kingdom in 1902 by Ibn Saud there has been a fairly well established system of succession, with power passing from a reigning king to the oldest living male member of the family. Muhammad bin Nayef was appointed deputy crown prince by the former King Abdullah and confirmed by the so-called Allegiance Council to succeed King Salman, and he was also declared crown prince by King Salman when he came to power in January 2015. I believe King Salmans deposing of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef and replacing him with his 31-year old son Mohammed bin Salman is a soft coup detat, because it goes against the established norms in Saudi succession. Muhammad bin Nayef held a number of important posts, including interior minister and first deputy prime minister, and played a major role in counter-terrorism. Now, he has been abruptly relieved of all his duties by royal decree and Mohammed bin Salman has taken his place. The newly appointed crown prince has also been named deputy prime minister and also maintains his post as defence minister, as well as overseeing the economy. Q: Should we think of the reshuffle as a soft coup detat? A: I believe it is a soft coup detat, because it goes against the established norms in Saudi succession. Mohammed bin Salman is a young, ambitious and power-hungry prince who has been responsible for a number of unwise adventures, such as the war against Yemen that has killed and injured tens of thousands of innocent Yemenis, aggressive support for Jihadi militants in Syria and elsewhere, and lately the conflict with Qatar. He has also been the author of the over-ambitious development plan, the so-called Vision 2030. At a time when a large number of foreign nationals have been made redundant and expelled, some with huge unpaid arrears, and when many ordinary Saudi citizens are suffering the consequences of austerity, Muhammad bin Salman has adopted a very extravagant lifestyle, completely out of character with the Puritanical Wahhabi ideology. For instance, while holidaying in the south of France a few months ago, he saw a super yacht belonging to a Russian tycoon, fancied it and bought it on the spot for 500 million euros, more than three times its original price. He also owns luxurious private jets and many other accruements of the super-rich. Q: Does this family coup have the support of the U.S. and the UK? A: I do not believe that this was necessarily planned with the collusion or even advance knowledge of the United States and the United Kingdom. After the recent rift between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, although President Trump openly took the side of the Saudis and accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered to mediate between the two. In fact, on 20th June, only one day before the reshuffle, the State Departments spokesperson Heather Nauert issued a rather strange statement. In a part of that statement we read: Now that it has been more than two weeks since the embargo started, we are mystified that the Gulf States have not released to the public, nor to the Qataris, the details about the claims that they are making toward Qatar. The more that time goes by the more doubt is raised about the actions taken by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. At this point we are left with one simple question: were the actions really about their concerns regarding Qatars alleged support for terrorism or were they about the long, simmering grievances between and among the GCC countries? Saudi Arabias significance to the world has been due to its vast reserves of oil, which is a dwindling asset, as with greater use of renewable energy, oil will soon lose the significance that it has enjoyed over the past century, and just like coal a lot of it will have to be left in the ground. This is a clear rebuke to Saudi rulers for not having produced any evidence for their claims against Qatar. I believe that the only other country that might have had a hand in this reshuffle is the UAE, or at least some UAE princes, because UAE Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nuhayyan is a close friend of Mohammed bin Salman and they seem to share many views and ambitions. Q: What will be the effect of the reshuffle on the rest of the GCC? A: As you know, there has already been a major rift between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain on the one hand and Qatar on the other, with Oman and Kuwait playing a neutral role. President Trumps visit to Riyadh and his impetuous rush to embrace the Saudis as the leaders of the war against extremism, which resulted in more than $400 billion of promised spending on weapons and other American goods, gave the Saudis the false hope that they could dominate the Arab world, and certainly the GCC. However, far from uniting the Arab world under Saudi leadership, President Trumps visit proved to be the kiss of death to the GCC. The GCC was formed shortly after Saddam Husseins invasion of Iran in order to bring the small Persian Gulf countries together in support of Iraq. They contributed tens of billions of dollars to Saddam Hussein, which ironically led to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait when the GCC members demanded the repayment of their loans. However, the GCC never managed to unite all the Persian Gulf littoral states, partly due to the fact that there is an imbalance between Saudi Arabia with a population of over 23 million nationals and over eight million non-nationals, and Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE with less than one million native populations each. Recently, Saudi Arabia has not been content with being the leading member of the GCC, but has demanded total subservience from others. The aggressive Saudi and UAE siege of Qatar has gone beyond a mere tribal feud, has backfired and is already leading not only to the disintegration of the GCC, but also to a rift between Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. In recent centuries, Arabia has been responsible for the most fundamentalist and militant form of Islam that has been behind the rise of terrorist groups, from the Al Qaeda, to the Taliban, the al-Nusra Front and ultimately ISIS. On June 19, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper carried the following report: The honeymoon between Morocco and the Gulf States mainly Saudi Arabia and the UAE has ended on the backdrop of these countries conflict with Qatar. It went on to say that Morocco has distanced itself from Saudi Arabia in fear of a military adventure against Qatar. Q: What will be the effect of this reshuffle on Saudi Arabias standing in the Islamic world? A: Despite the pretensions of Saudi leaders, Saudi Arabia does not possess the historical, religious, intellectual or political clout to act as the leader of the Islamic or even the Sunni world. Its significance to the world has been due to its vast reserves of oil, which is a dwindling asset, as with greater use of renewable energy, oil will soon lose the significance that it has enjoyed over the past century, and just like coal a lot of it will have to be left in the ground. In the same way that after the conversion of Emperor Constantine, Christianity moved out of Palestine, the centre of the Islamic world also moved away from Arabia shortly after Prophet Muhammads death. After the short-lived period of the Rashidun Caliphate, three of whom were assassinated, under the Umayyads the mantle of Islamic leadership moved to Damascus, a major centre of Byzantine culture. Then, under the Abbasids, who came to power with the help of Abu Muslim in Khorasan, the centre of Islamic civilization moved to Baghdad (which is a Persian word meaning God-given) near Ctesiphon, the former capital of the Parthian and the Sasanian Empires. Then, under the Shiite Fatimid Caliphate, it moved to Cairo; and finally to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Cairo, especially the ancient Al-Azhar University, has always been regarded as the main centre of Arab Islamic culture. At the same time, Iran has served as the centre of Persian Islamic culture, which stretched from Iran to the Sub-Continent and even to the Far East. Persian was the lingua franca of the Mughal Empire, and Iranian merchants and Sufis were mainly responsible for taking Islam to the East. President Trumps visit to Riyadh proved to be the kiss of death to the GCC. In all those centuries, Arabia played no role in the Islamic world, except being the centre of the hard and arduous Hajj pilgrimage. Therefore, the Saudi claim to the leadership of the Islamic world lacks any merit. In recent centuries, Arabia has been responsible for the most fundamentalist and militant form of Islam that has been behind the rise of terrorist groups, from the Al Qaeda, to the Taliban, the al-Nusra Front and ultimately ISIS. Q: What will be the repercussions of these changes in the rest of the region? A: The disarray in the GCC and the scourge of jihadi terrorism, often supported by Saudi Arabia, must act as a wakeup call to the leading countries in the region. As the heirs of the Iranian, Arab and Turkish cultures and civilizations, Iran, Egypt and Turkey, have some serious differences with each other. However, the situation in the Middle East is so precarious that these countries must set aside their differences and must unite in order to save the region from chaos and destruction. Clearly, all of them need to make some compromises, but the alternative is extremely dire for all of them. If ancient enemies in Europe could set aside their differences and could establish the European Union, there is no reason why these three ancient cultures that have lived together for centuries and millennia mainly in peace and harmony cannot find a way of getting along and bringing the rest of the region with them. The modern world does not tolerate leadership by any country. Therefore, any idea of sole Iranian, Egyptian, Turkish or Saudi leadership is an illusion. The only solution is for all of them to cooperate with one another to create a Middle East that is worthy of its ancient culture and civilization. Reprinted from Tehran Times with authors permission - Related video added by Juan Cole: TRT World: Turkey, Russia, Iran sign deal on de-escalation zones in Syria Reddit Email 45 Shares Ronald Suny | (The Conversation) | U.S. intelligence agencies 17 of them agree that evidence shows the Russian government hacked the Democratic National Committee and waged a campaign to influence voters in 2016. Although no evidence of collusion between U.S. citizens and Russia has been proven yet, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillersons attempt to improve relations with Russia has been hobbled. The cloud hanging over the White House seems to be growing, with Congress considering sanctions against Russia. A majority of Americans view Russia unfavorably and believe it represents a threat, according to Gallup. Russia is depicted daily as a major menace to the United States. The slightest concession by an American to a Russian overture has become suspicious and smells of capitulation. As a historian who has watched and written about the rocky ride Russians have experienced since the collapse of the USSR, I offer a look at the broader context of U.S.-Russia relations. While Russia has certainly caused mischief for Washington and Europe, I dont believe we should consider negotiation and compromise with Putin as appeasement as we did during the Cold War. Careful consideration of how Russia views its own vital interests may help us see past the noise. How big a threat is Russia? In reality, the most powerful country in history and on the globe at the moment, the United States, faces a considerably weaker adversary in Russia. The Kremlin spends about 10 percent of what the United States spends on defense (US$600 billion). The United States spends more on defense than the next eight countries combined. Putin slashed military spending a few months ago by 25.5 percent, just as Trump plans to increase American defense spending by more than $54 billion. Russias economy pales in comparison to America, Europe, Japan and China. It has an economy roughly the size of Italys, but must provide for a larger population, territory and defense budget. Its true that a somewhat weaker power can annoy, pressure or even harm a stronger power. And while Russia has a huge nuclear arsenal and impressive cyber capabilities, it is seriously outmatched by the United States in terms of influence and power. Obama referred to Russia as a regional power, and Putin thinks of America as a global hegemon. There are important truths in both of their statements. Both Putin and his predecessor, the late Russian President Boris Yeltsin, repeatedly complained about the expansion of NATO into Eastern Europe, and even into countries formerly part of the Soviet Union the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Kremlin made its opposition clear in 2008 when it launched a devastating incursion into Georgia, a country that hoped to join NATO. In 2014, Russia, Europe and the United States maneuvered for dominance in Ukraine this time Russia lost. Moscow exacted its revenge by annexing Crimea in March 2014, which only drove Ukraine deeper into the arms of the West. Putin occasionally overreaches, as he did in Crimea. Yet the Russian president usually plays his comparatively weak hand rather shrewdly. In Syria, for example, Putin supports the Bashar al-Assad government, a truly vicious regime that is prepared to kill hundreds of thousands of its citizens to hold on to power. Here the United States tried regime change, but Putin and Irans backing of Damascus made that impossible. As both the Obama and Trump administrations struggled to formulate a policy in Syria, Putin effectively marginalized the United States by forging a common front with Turkey and Iran. And while the United States and Russia might disagree about the Syrian regime, they do have some common ground. Both powers have decided that the first priority is to combat the Islamic State. Both countries have found reliable allies against IS in the Syrian Kurds, which my research suggests is a distinct nation prepared to fight for their autonomy or independence. Despite Russias first priority to defend Assads government, both the United States and Russia appear at the moment to be working together with the Syrian Kurds to contain IS, the most immediate danger to the Middle East and by extension much of the world. The crises over Syria, Ukraine and Georgia, as well as Russias blustering threats against the Baltic republics, all are responses of a relatively vulnerable, less-than-superpower. Russians feel threatened, humiliated by the Wests military expansion eastward. American troops regularly exercise in what was once the Soviet Bloc. American rockets have been placed in the Czech Republic and Poland. Russian and American planes buzz each other near the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Although it is unable to reestablish the kind of dominance in Eastern Europe that it enjoyed during the Cold War, the Kremlin is determined to retain an influential position in the part of the world closest to its borders. What we are watching, in my view, is an uneven struggle between a real superpower and global hegemon, the United States, and a regional hegemon, Russia, that feels it has been backed into a corner. Common interests More than anything else, in my opinion, Russians wish to be taken seriously. Putin still refers to the United States not as an adversary but as a partner, as he did repeatedly in interviews with film director Oliver Stone. At the same time, unwilling to accept American global dominance without challenge, he fails to face the effects his policies have on Western leaders and the broader public. He repeatedly declares he is perplexed by the hysteria in America that demonizes Russia. While investigations into Russian hacking and Trumps campaign ties must continue, the major hot spots mentioned above will continue to smolder and may suddenly flare up. The stakes are high and Russian and American interests coincide in many areas. There are few that can not be ameliorated, if not fully resolved, through negotiation. Yet, the distance between the two countries grows wider by the day. Wrangling inside the Beltway one of the signs of a healthy democracy continues. But above the din, few voices can be heard calling for a more sober and farsighted evaluation of our strategic interests. In my years as a historian, I have found that it is precisely in such moments of heightened confrontation and deafness to the interests of others that unpredictable and destructive conflicts break out. As impossible as it seems at the moment to deescalate inflammatory rhetoric, I believe only discussion and negotiation offer a way forward. Ronald Suny, Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Related video added by Juan Cole: CGTN: Tensions between Russia and US over Syria ratchet up Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - PPX Mining Corp. (the "Company" or PPX) is pleased to announce managements proposed Board of Director nominees for the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for July 14, 2017 in Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition to incumbent directors Brian J. Maher, John Menzies, Felix Navarro-Grau Hurtado and Brian Imrie, the Company is pleased to announce the nomination of John Thomas and Florian Siegfried to serve as directors of the Company. Current directors Diego de la Torre de la Piedra, Fernando Arias, and Jorge Benavides will be stepping down from the Board of Directors; the Company wishes to thank each of these gentlemen for their years of service to the Company and their guidance during the transition of the Company from a pure exploration company to an integrated mine development company focused on our Igor Project in northern Peru. Dr. Thomas and Mr. Siegfried bring distinct skill sets to the Company as evidenced in their biographies below: Dr. Thomas is a professional engineer, and holds a BSc, an MSc and a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. He also received a diploma in accounting and finance from the U.K. Association of Certified Accountants. He has 44 years of experience in the mining industry, including both base metal and precious metal projects in several countries including Brazil, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Russia, Kazakhstan, Canada and Zambia. His experience covers a wide range of activities in the mining industry from process development, management of feasibility studies, engineering and management of process plant construction, and the operation of multiple underground and surface mines. Florian Siegfried heads the precious metals and mining investments at AgaNola Ltd., an asset management boutique based in Switzerland. Previously Florian Siegfried was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Precious Capital AG, a Zurich-based fund specializing in Global mining investments. Prior to this Mr. Siegfried was CEO of shaPE Capital Ltd., a SIX Swiss Exchange-listed private equity company that was founded by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. and where he was instrumental in raising more than CHF 50 million in equity capital. Florian is currently a director of GoldQuest Mining Corp (GQC: TSX.V). Mr. Siegfried holds a Masters degree in finance and economics from the University of Zurich. Brian J. Maher, President and CEO of PPX Mining commented: PPX is pleased that Florian and John have agreed to be nominated to join our Board of Directors. Florians years of experience, as a Board member, financial advisor and an investor in the junior mining space will provide international financial acumen to the Board as the Company heads toward Pre-feasibility at Mina Callanquitas and we plan for the future growth of the Company. Johns impressive track record of building mineral processing plants and mines at various locations around the world, but in particular Latin America, will be a source of technical expertise and experience that we can apply to our own projects as we continue to grow our Company. On behalf of all shareholders, I would like to thank Diego, Fernando and, in particular, Jorge Benavides, for their leadership at PPX over the years and look forward to their continued support as shareholders and colleagues. About PPX Mining Corp.: PPX Mining Corp. (PPX: TSX.V; BVL) is currently exploring and evaluating mine development opportunities at its Igor Mine Project in Northern Peru. The Igor project explores several high grade, gold and silver mineralized high-angle structures that host significant gold and silver resources. The Callanquitas Structure at the Igor Mine Project contains Inferred gold and silver resources of 7,189,000 tonnes grading 1.94 gpt gold and 71.8 gpt silver containing 448,500 ounces of gold and 16,600,000 ounces of silver at a cutoff grade of 1.5 gpt gold equivalent. Included within this resource estimate is a higher grade zone consisting of 2,730,000 tonnes grading 2.73 gpt gold and 119.1 gpt silver containing 239,400 ounces of gold and 10,500,000 ounces of silver using a 3.0 gpt gold equivalent cutoff grade (Please see Technical Report as amended on September 27, 2013 entitled Technical Report on the Callanquitas Structure, Igor Mine Project, Northern Peru, South America, available on the Companys web site or SEDAR). Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserves. The Company has begun work on its underground test mining and bulk sampling program which is designed to validate and upgrade the resource estimate, and generate data to evaluate the possibility of future mine development at Igor. The Company is accelerating its exploration program at the Igor Mine Project in order to fully evaluate the resource potential of the entire Igor project area. VANCOUVER, June 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Tinka Resources Limited ("Tinka" or the "Company") (TSXV: TK) (OTCPK: TKRFF) is pleased to announce assay results of five recent drill holes from its 100% owned Ayawilca zinc project in central Peru. All five holes are from South Ayawilca and the extension of the Central Ayawilca areas, where zinc mineralization occurs in flat-lying sulphide bodies replacing carbonate and clastic rocks adjacent to a northeast trending fault. Holes A17-069 and A17-070 were drilled between two earlier drill intersections in holes A17-056 and A17-063 (see previous releases May 3, 2017 and June 8, 2017). These new results confirm the continuity of high grade zinc mineralization in two separate replacement bodies (mantos) at South Ayawilca over a strike length of at least 300 metres, with the lower sulphide manto believed to be continuous over a one kilometre strike from South Ayawilca to Central Ayawilca. Key Highlights from the Five Recent Holes Hole A17-069: 29.3 metres at 10.4 % zinc, 17 g/t silver & 278 g/t indium from 271.4 metres depth, including 12.1 metres at 19.1 % zinc, 25 g/t silver & 440 g/t indium from 287.3 metres depth; Hole A17-070: 1.6 metres at 15.4 % zinc, 40 g/t silver & 529 g/t indium from 306.8 metres depth; and 39.3* metres at 7.1 % zinc, 13 g/t silver & 100 g/t indium from 317.5 metres depth, including 8.0 metres at 20.9 % zinc, 19 g/t silver & 265 g/t indium from 340.0 metres depth; * includes 4.3 metres of no recovery assumed zero grade Hole A17-068: 0.75 metres at 6.1 % zinc, 11.6 % lead & 210 g/t silver from 343.55 metres depth; 6.0 metres at 4.0 % zinc & 46 g/t silver from 382 metres depth; Hole A17-062: 0.65 metres at 33.6 % zinc, 0.3 % lead & 166 g/t silver from 152.4 metres depth (vein); Hole was lost prior to target depth at 313 metres Hole A17-067: 8.6 metres at 2.7 % zinc & 39 g/t silver from 256.4 metres depth. See drill hole map and longitudinal section (Figure 1 and Figure 2), and South Ayawilca cross sections in Figure 3. Dr. Graham Carman, Tinkas President and CEO, stated: "We are extremely pleased with these latest results, which confirm continuity of very high grade zinc mineralization at South Ayawilca over at least 300 metres of strike. Zinc mineralization also remains open in several directions including to the south, east, and possibly to the west where the favourable stratigraphic horizon may rapidly deepen. Hole A17-068, drilled 350 metres along strike from A17-063, shows that the lower mineralized manto is a continuous replacement body and connects with Central Ayawilca. The Ayawilca sulphide system is zoned; high grade zinc occurs outward of bodies of iron sulphide (mostly pyrrhotite) which host tin mineralization. This zonation has similarities to the giant Cerro de Pasco base metals deposit 40 kilometres to the southeast. Drilling is continuing with step-out holes at West Ayawilca, along with new targets being drilled at Zone 3 and Chaucha." The Company has released results of the first sixteen drill holes of an estimated planned ~30 holes for 2017. Twenty-four holes have so far been completed, with hole A17-080 now beginning, and many assays are pending for both zinc and tin. We currently have one drill rig testing extensions of the West Ayawilca resource (see Figure 1 and Figure 4). A second drill rig is drilling at Zone 3. The third rig is setting up at the Chaucha area, with the first hole in that area planned to test a high priority geochemical-geophysical target. A fourth drill rig was recently demobilized from South Ayawilca, allowing the Company time to complete assays as well as analyze and interpret the new data. True thicknesses of the zinc intersections are estimated to be at least 85% of the downhole thickness, except where otherwise noted in Table 1. All significant results of the 2017 program are summarized in Table 1 with the strongest intercepts in bold text. Table 2 is a summary of all drill collar information to date. Table 1. Summary of 2017 Drill Results from Ayawilca Drill hole From m To m Interval m Zn % Pb % Ag g/t Indium g/t Reported A17-0561 90.30 90.65 0.35 29.0 0.4 82 443 April 3 '17 and 113.00 113.40 0.40 31.2 0.0 85 759 April 3 '17 and 126.00 189.90 63.90 5.6 0.1 17 29 March 6 '17 including 127.50 145.40 17.90 11.6 0.2 36 20 March 6 '17 including 127.50 133.30 5.80 22.5 0.3 77 50 March 6 '17 and 199.20 204.70 5.50 5.8 0.1 6 38 April 3 '17 and 228.50 233.70 5.20 12.9 0.0 11 162 March 6 '17 and 242.00 293.90 51.90 10.1 0.1 624 233 April 3 '17 including 279.00 293.90 14.90 20.6 0.2 1524 441 April 3 '17 including 279.00 285.40 6.40 37.5 0.4 301 916 April 3 '17 A17-056A 286.50 296.00 9.50 9.3 0.3 19 88 May 3'17 and 309.00 313.10 4.10 18.6 0.1 27 224 May 3'17 including 310.50 313.10 2.60 27.3 0.1 38 336 May 3'17 A17-057 84.90 86.35 1.45 24.8 0.0 62 157 April 3 '17 and 143.70 144.50 0.80 40.4 0.1 138 261 April 3 '17 and 157.60 197.70 40.10 9.1 0.2 22 168 April 3 '17 including 168.20 177.80 9.60 16.8 0.1 22 299 April 3 '17 and 227.15 234.90 7.75 3.5 0.2 21 85 April 3 '17 and 264.00 279.30 15.30 20.0 2.5 102 263 April 3 '17 including 265.75 269.00 3.25 34.5 2.1 96 196 April 3 '17 including 272.50 277.70 5.20 32.5 1.3 69 639 April 3 '17 A17-058 103.50 107.70 4.205 20.2 4.2 3294 15 May 3'17 and 133.25 134.35 1.105 30.3 3.2 500 61 May 3'17 A17-058 did not reach target, lost at 301 metres in sandstone A17-059 50.30 51.10 0.80 37.5 0.5 69 70 June 8'17 58.00 60.00 2.00 6.3 0.0 12 30 June 8'17 A17-060 262.40 264.40 2.00 14.8 0.0 35 1178 May 3'17 and 275.00 279.50 4.50 15.0 0.0 20 383 May 3'17 and 298.00 328.50 30.52 3.4 0.2 10 38 May 3'17 including 303.40 312.00 8.60 5.1 0.1 11 6 May 3'17 A17-061 122.70 150.50 27.80 4.4 0.1 18 24 May 3'17 including 145.70 147.50 1.805 27.2 0.0 32 157 May 3'17 and 184.00 202.60 18.603 10.4 0.5 52 59 May 3'17 including 196.20 198.80 2.60 23.6 2.4 192 19 May 3'17 including 201.90 202.60 0.70 28.7 3.6 202 41 May 3'17 and 220.00 233.40 13.40 18.7 0.9 57 463 May 3'17 including 224.10 230.00 7.90 29.3 0.8 71 719 May 3'17 and 265.00 266.80 1.80 37.0 0.2 85 808 May 3'17 A17-062 152.40 153.05 0.655 33.6 0.3 166 42 Here A17-062 was lost prior to target depth in a fault zone at 313 metres A17-063 302.20 349.90 47.70 11.3 0.0 18 313 June 8'17 including 303.30 313.10 9.80 17.4 0.0 28 587 June 8'17 including 327.40 339.60 12.20 17.1 0.0 26 495 June 8'17 A17-064 269.90 270.40 0.50 15.6 0.0 11 304 June 8'17 and 277.20 277.60 0.40 14.5 0.0 17 39 June 8'17 A17-065 119.00 119.75 0.75 36.6 0.1 88 157 June 8'17 and 204.00 210.00 6.00 4.0 0.0 4 9 June 8'17 and 219.50 238.80 19.30 4.7 0.0 7 93 June 8'17 including 236.20 238.80 2.60 20.6 0.0 23 529 June 8'17 and 266.40 293.00 26.60 3.6 0.0 4 46 June 8'17 and 307.30 332.00 24.70 3.8 0.0 5 51 June 8'17 and 340.00 346.00 6.00 2.6 0.1 7 16 June 8'17 A17-066 185.20 185.50 0.30 37.8 0.0 40 1330 June 8'17 and 330.90 334.40 3.50 7.4 0.1 24 111 June 8'17 and 345.00 350.00 5.00 11.3 0.1 37 270 June 8'17 A17-067 256.40 265.00 8.60 2.7 0.2 39 0 Here A17-068 343.55 344.30 0.75 6.1 11.6 210 7 Here and 382.00 388.00 6.00 4.0 0.1 46 47 Here A17-069 182.00 190.00 8.00 3.0 0.5 13 17 Here and 261.60 262.30 0.70 17.8 0.0 14 73 Here and 271.40 300.70 29.30 10.4 0.1 17 278 Here including 287.30 299.40 12.10 19.1 0.1 25 440 Here A17-070 100.00 105.10 5.10 6.3 0.6 127 82 Here and 306.80 308.40 1.60 15.4 0.1 40 529 Here and 317.50 356.80 39.306 7.1 0.1 13 100 Here including 340.00 356.80 16.80 12.9 0.1 19 183 Here including 340.00 348.00 8.00 20.9 0.1 19 265 Here 1 hole lost at 293.9 metres; wedged and completed as A17-056A to 376 metres depth 2 includes 0.6 m with no core recovery from 315.2 to 315.8 m; this interval was given a zero grade 3 includes 3.1 m with no core recovery from 198.8 to 201.9 m; this interval was given a zero grade 4 includes a silver assay cut at 1000 g/t 5 high grade vein intercepts with variable true thicknesses 6 includes 4.3 m of no recovery assumed zero grade Note: Assays are calculated using a zinc only cut-off grade of 2% over 6 metres Notes on sampling and assaying: Drill holes are diamond HQ or NQ size core holes with recoveries generally above 80% and often close to 100%. The drill core is marked up, logged, and photographed on site. The cores are cut in half at the Company's core storage facility, with half-cores stored as a future reference. Half-core is bagged on average over 1 to 2 metre composite intervals and sent to ALS laboratory in Lima, an ISO 9001:2000-registered laboratory, for assay in batches. Standards and blanks are inserted into each batch prior to departure from Tinka's core storage facilities. At the laboratory samples are dried, crushed to 100% passing 2mm, then 500 grams pulverized for multi-element analysis by ICP (MS) using multi-acid digestion. Samples assaying over 1% zinc, lead, or copper are re-assayed using precise ore-grade AAS techniques. Table 2. Summary of Drill Collar Information Drill Hole WGS84 East WGS84 North Total depth (m) Elevation (m) Azimuth Dip A17-056 333046 8845062 293.9 4202 300 -75 A17-056A 333046 8845062 376.4 4202 300 -75 A17-057 333046 8845062 477.0 4202 300 -55 A17-058 332557 8845657 301.0 4299 040 -82 A17-059 332840 8845192 248.9 4209 120 -85 A17-060 333174 8845005 358.4 4218 300 -70 A17-061 333058 8844996 326.9 4191 290 -67 A17-062 333175 8845004 309.0 4218 000 -90 A17-063 333241 8845118 416.6 4229 310 -70 A17-064 333062 8844993 369.1 4191 290 -50 A17-065 333174 8845090 366.3 4225 300 -75 A17-066 333345 8845193 371.6 4211 310 -70 A17-067 333059 8844996 302.8 4190 120 -85 A17-068 333552 8845279 419.7 4185 310 -75 A17-069 333114 8845103 374.3 4210 300 -65 A17-070 333152 8845150 367.8 4230 310 -75 Figure 1. Current Ayawilca drill hole map and 2016 Mineral Resource boundaries (hatched) Figure 2. Longitudinal section D-D' from South Ayawilca to Central Ayawilca Figure 3. Cross sections A-A', B-B' and C-C' through South Ayawilca, viewing northeast Figure 4. Map of 2017 Ayawilca drill program on airborne RTP magnetics (red = magnetic sources) The qualified person, Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the technical contents of this release. Tinka is an exploration and development company with its flagship property being the 100%-owned Ayawilca carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) in the zinc-lead-silver belt of central Peru, 200 kilometres northeast of Lima. The Ayawilca Zinc Zone has an Inferred Mineral Resource of 18.8 Mt at 5.9 % zinc, 0.2 % lead, 15 g/t silver & 74 g/t indium, and a Tin Zone Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.4 Mt at 0.76 % tin, 0.31 % copper & 18 g/t silver. Both resources are open for expansion (May 25, 2016). The Silver Zone at Colquipucro, 2 km north of the Zinc Zone, has an Indicated Mineral Resource of 2.9 Mt at 112 g/t silver for 10.4 Moz silver and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.2 Mt at 105g/t silver for 7.5 Moz silver hosted by oxidized lenses between the surface and 80 metres depth (Feb. 26, 2015). By Choi Ha-young Chung Sye-kyun National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun offered Tuesday to meet with North Korea's parliamentary leader in an effort to promote inter-Korean exchanges. He said the international community should keep sanctions on the North if it does not change, but a sanctions-only approach will not resolve the nuclear issue. "Our experience tells us sanctions alone cannot resolve the North Korean nuclear issue," Chung said in a speech to parliamentary leaders from 25 Asian and European countries who are visiting Korea for a conference. "As part of the efforts to engage with the North, the National Assembly is planning to hold a meeting between the speakers of the South and North Korean parliaments." Calling Pyongyang's nuclear tests and missile test-firings a major stumbling block to regional peace, he said inter-Korean parliamentary cooperation could pave the way for resolving the nuclear problem. Chung vowed to join hands with multilateral projects to boost the regional economy, such as Russia's New East Policy and China's One Belt, One Road Initiative. "When the wall of separation crumbles and the Korean Peninsula is connected to Europe by land, we will be able to open a new network for logistics and people-to-people exchanges," he said. Chung has touted the legislature's role in improving inter-Korean relations. In January, he proposed inter-parliamentary talks among the countries involved in the six party talks the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan and reiterated it Tuesday. Last Thursday, the Assembly adopted a resolution calling for family reunions on Aug. 15 to console relatives who've been separated since the Korean War, following Chung's proposal. By Press Trust of India: (EDS: Updating with fresh quotes) By K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 28 (PTI) Amid a standoff in the Sikkim sector of the border, China today warned India that future visits of its pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass will depend on whether it will "correct its errors". Beijing also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector of the Sino-India border as "legitimate", asserting that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. advertisement "Donglang is part of Chinas territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesnt belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Lu defended Chinas decision to shut the Nathu La pass in Sikkim for Indian pilgrims, saying that China had agreed to open the route as the boundary there has been delineated with the consent of both the countries. "For a long time in the interest of India-China relations, China provided great conveniences to the Indian pilgrims. Based on the consensus between the two countries leaders, and on the fact that the Sikkim sector boundary is delineated and recognised by two countries, the Chinese side in 2015 opened the Nathu La pass for Indian pilgrims," he said. For two years it worked well and in fact this year also the Chinese authorities had prepared for the reception of Indian pilgrims and informed the Indian side about it, Lu said. "Now the suspension of the same is an emergency response to the situation there. I want to stress that the resumption of pilgrims pass requires necessary atmosphere and conditions. So the liability of the same totally lies with the Indian side and when it will be reopened depends on when or whether the Indian side will correct its errors," he said. China also hinted that India was objecting to its efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have any diplomatic ties with Beijing. Taking a dig at India, Lu said Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. advertisement "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We dont want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chickens Neck. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Asked about whether there was any progress in the talks between India and Chinese officials over the border standoff, Lu said, "the Indian troops crossed the boundary at the Sikkim side to the Chinese territory." "This is different to what was before in India-China boundary. China has made solemn representations against the same. India should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China," he said. Meanwhile, Chinese think tanks speculated that India stopped the road construction on behalf of Bhutan. Lu last night also had justified the move to construct a road in the Sikkim sector, saying that the area is "undoubtedly" located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty on Sikkim. advertisement "According to the treaty, zhe is the ancient name of Sikkim," Lu said. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. China had yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. PTI KJV ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Soha Ali Khan is all set to join Bollywood's mommy brigade. The actor, who is expecting her first child with husband Kunal Kemmu, took to Instagram to share pictures of a celebration. Although Soha did not specify what the occasion was, it is being speculated that it was her baby shower. In one of the pictures, Soha looked gorgeous in a pink and gold silk saree, as she posed with Kunal, who wore a white kurta. Their fans seem to be loving their look, as the post received over 50,000 likes in less than 24 hours. Soha captioned the photo, "It isn't a party without balloons @khemster2." It isn't a party without balloons ???! @khemster2 A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) on Jun 27, 2017 at 9:01am PDT advertisement The other picture was a collage of snaps from the celebration and it was captioned, "The love of family and friends is reason enough to dress up!" Kunal is seen wearing a blue badge, and another guest can be seen wearing a pink badge, seemingly confirming that it is a baby shower. The love of family and friends is reason enough to dress up! ??? A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) on Jun 27, 2017 at 10:48pm PDT Soha, who is due to deliver later this year, said in an interview that sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan, who recently gave birth to Taimur, has been giving her all kinds of advice about pregnancy dos and don'ts. PHOTOS: Soha Ali Khan is pregnant, flaunts her baby bump ALSO WATCH: Commitment is staying true to someone, says Soha Ali Khan --- ENDS --- The moon rises at sunset at Split Rock Lighthouse, on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. Clear water laps the shore at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Lake Superior has an average underwater visibility of 27 feet (8.2 meters). (opens in new tab) Shutterstock (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: Jason Patrick Ross Lake Superior is not only the largest of the Great Lakes; it is the largest body of fresh water on Earth. Situated on the northern edge of Wisconsin, Lake Superior extends from the upper peninsula of Michigan north to Ontario, Canada, and reaches west to the eastern edge of Minnesota. The name Superior refers to its size and also designates the lake's position as the northernmost of all the Great Lakes. The lake is about 160 miles (257 kilometers) wide and about 350 miles (563 km) long. It has a surface area of 31,700 square miles (82,100 square km) and water volume of 2,900 cubic miles (12,100 cubic km). The shoreline measures 2,726 miles (4,385 km), according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). How deep is Lake Superior? The deepest point in Lake Superior is 1,300 feet (400 meters) below the surface, making a complete freeze a rarity. Lake Superior boasts extremely clear water, with an average underwater visibility of 27 feet (8.2 m). It takes almost 200 years for the lake to refill with new water, according to the University of Wisconsin. Lake Superior water temperature Like all of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior is prone to lake effect snow, but the weather is generally moderate, with warmer temperatures than inland throughout the year. Winter temperatures around the lake rarely fall below minus 30 F (minus 34 C), well above inland temperatures. June and July are calm months, while October and November are prone to storms. Ice covers rocks on Lake Superior. During most winters the lake is 40 to 95 percent covered with ice. (opens in new tab) Shutterstock (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: fstockfoto During most winters, the lake is 40 to 95 percent covered with ice, although it rarely completely freezes. The last time Lake Superior froze over was in 2014. Overall, the Great Lakes reached a 91 percent ice cover that year, which is the most the lakes have frozen since 1979. Freezing of the lakes is monitored because it affects hydropower generation, commercial shipping, the fishing industry and more, according to the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. The average water temperature is 40 F (4.4 C) lower than the other Great Lakes, which are farther south. The water temperatures during the summer months average about 55 F, but surface temperatures reached a record 68.7 F (20.4 C) in August 2010 and are affected by the amount of surface ice during the previous winter. Formation and history Lake Superior first took shape about 1.2 billion years ago as a result of the North American Mid-Continent Rift, which carved an arc-shaped scar stretching from Kansas through Minnesota. The first people to settle in the region arrived around 8000 B.C., after glaciers retreated, according to History of Lake Superior: A Timeline. By 500 B.C., Laurel people were trading for metal and other goods with different regions. By the early 1600s, the Ojibway people had established a village of several thousand on Madeline Island. French explorers, including Samuel de Champlain (circa 1567-1635) and his scout, Etienne Brule (circa 1592-1632), arrived in the mid-1600s, according to the Canadian Museum of History. A ship approaches the Duluth Pier Lighthouse. Lake Superior is a major shipping hub. (opens in new tab) Shutterstock (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: John Brueske The lake's name comes from the French word lac superieur, which means "upper lake." It called this because it is north of Lake Huron, which was discovered first by Brule. The Objibways said that the lake was protected by Nanabijou, Spirit of the Deep Sea Water, according to the University of Wisconsin. Superior was a major mode of transportation for the fur industry and other trading activities during the Colonial period and remains a shipping hub today. Because of varying depths and unpredictable weather, Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes have been prone to maritime accidents. One of the most well-known incidents occurred on November 10, 1975, when the Edmund Fitzgerald, a large cargo ship carrying iron ore, encountered a severe storm that killed the ship's 29 crew members. Life on Lake Superior Lake Superior is home to about 80 species of fish, including carp and varieties of trout, salmon and perch. The Lake Superior region is also home to many common native plant species, including Michigan's state tree, the white pine, and Flowering Rush, an aquatic plant that grows along the shoreline. Lake Superior's basin is home to nearly 60 orchid species. As with many lakes, Lake Superior is home to many species of birds, including varieties of hawks, loons, owls and woodpeckers. Duluth's Hawk Ridge, which is on the lake's north shore, hosts as many as 10,000 migrating birds of prey each day during the fall migration season. There is a small population of endangered whooping cranes on the lake's north shore, one of only two crane species in North America. As of 2017, there were only 483 individuals in the wild across North America, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor Additional resources Have you had more "alone together" time with friends and significant others since the iPhone became indispensable? This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Sometime around 2011 or 2012, it suddenly became very easy to predict what people would be doing in public places: Most would be looking down at their phones. For years, mobile phones weren't much to look at. The screens were small, and users needed to press the same key several times to type a single letter in a text. Then, 10 years ago on June 29, 2007 Apple released the first iPhone. "Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything," former Apple, Inc. CEO Steve Jobs said during the iPhone's introductory news conference. Within six years, the majority of Americans owned a smartphone embracing the new technology perhaps faster than any other previous technology had been adopted. Today, smartphones seem indispensable. They connect us to the internet, give us directions, allow us to quickly fire off texts and as I discovered one day in spring 2009 can even help you find the last hotel room in Phoenix when your plane is grounded by a dust storm. Yet research has shown that this convenience may be coming at a cost. We seem to be addicted to our phones; as a psychology researcher, I have read study after study concluding that our mental health and relationships may be suffering. Meanwhile, the first generation of kids to grow up with smartphones is now reaching adulthood, and we're only beginning to see the adverse effects. Sucked in In the beginning, sociologist Sherry Turkle (opens in new tab) explained, smartphone users would huddle together, sharing what was on their phones. "As time has gone on, there's been less of that and more of what I call the alone together phenomenon. It has turned out to be an isolating technology," she said in the 2015 documentary "Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine." "It's a dream machine and you become fascinated by the world you can find on these screens." This is the new normal: Instead of calling someone, you text them. Instead of getting together for dinner with friends to tell them about your recent vacation, you post the pictures to Facebook. It's convenient, but it cuts out some of the face-to-face interactions that, as social animals, we crave. More and more studies suggest that electronic communication unlike the face-to-face interaction it may replace has negative consequences for mental health. One study asked college students to report on their mood five times a day. The more they had used Facebook, the less happy they were. However, feeling unhappy didn't lead to more Facebook use, which suggests that Facebook was causing unhappiness, not vice versa. Another study examined the impact of smartphones on relationships. People whose partners were more frequently distracted by their phones were less satisfied with their relationships, and perhaps as a result were more likely to feel depressed. Nevertheless, we can't stop staring at our phones. In his book "Irresistible," marketing professor Adam Alter makes a convincing case that social media and electronic communication are addictive, involving the same brain pathways as drug addiction. In one study, frequent smartphone users asked to put their phones face down on the table grew increasingly anxious the more time passed. They couldn't stand not looking at their phones for just a few minutes. iGen: The smartphone generation The rapid market saturation of smartphones produced a noticeable generational break between those born in the 1980s and early 1990s (called millennials) and those born in 1995 and later (called iGen or GenZ). iGen is the first generation to spend their entire adolescence with smartphones. Although iGen displays many positive characteristics such as lower alcohol use and more limited teen sexuality, the trends in their mental health are more concerning. In the American Freshman Survey, the percentage of entering college students who said they "felt depressed" in the last year doubled between 2009 and 2016. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a sharp increase in the teen suicide rate over the same time period when smartphones became common. The pattern is certainly suspicious, but at the moment it's difficult to tell whether these trends are caused by smartphones or something else. (It's a question I'm trying to answer with my current research.) Many also wonder if staring at screens will negatively impact adolescents' budding social skills. At least one study suggests it will. Sixth graders who attended a screen-free camp for just five days improved their skills at reading emotions on others' faces significantly more than those who spent those five days with their normal high level of screen use. Like anything else, social skills get better with practice. If iGen gets less practice, their social skills may suffer. Smartphones are a tool, and like most tools, they can be used in positive ways or negative ones. In moderation, smartphones are a convenient even crucial technology. Yet a different picture has also emerged over the past decade: Interacting with people face to face usually makes us happy. Electronic communication often doesn't. Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology, San Diego State University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. During the operation, Boaty bravely explored the Antarctic bottom water, one of the coldest abyssal ocean spots on the planet. (The abyssal zone ranges from about 13,000 to 20,000 feet, or 4,000 to 6,000 meters, deep, beyond sunlight's reach.) The sub captured data on temperature, speed of water flow and underwater turbulence rates within the Orkney Passage in the Southern Ocean, before it returned to its base in the United Kingdom last week. [50 Amazing Facts About Antarctica] "Fresh from its maiden voyage, Boaty is already delivering new insight into some of the coldest ocean waters on Earth, giving scientists a greater understanding of changes in the Antarctic region and shaping a global effort to tackle climate change," Jo Johnson, the U.K. minister for universities and science, said in a statement. Boaty McBoatface became famous in March 2016, when the U.K.'s Natural Environment Research Council invited the public to brainstorm and vote on names for a new research vessel. To the surprise of the research council, the moniker "Boaty McBoatface" soon topped the charts by the time the poll ended a month later. The research council opted for a compromise: The research vessel would be christened the "Sir David Attenborough," in honor of the famous British naturalist and broadcaster, while its yellow submersible would be called Boaty McBoatface. A beauty shot of the long-range, autonomous submersible Boaty McBoatface. (Image credit: National Oceanography Centre) Maiden mission For its first mission, researchers aboard the Sir David Attenborough used Boaty, as well as a variety of instruments on the ship and underwater, to learn more about the environment along the Orkney Passage. Once underwater, Boaty traveled back and forth along the Orkney Passage's floor, sometimes in water colder than 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and in currents as fast as 1 knot (1.1 mph, or 1.8 km/h) when it measured the intensity of the turbulence. The submersible also encountered marine wildlife. "At the start of one mission, whilst diving, Boaty encountered a swarm of krill so dense that the sub's echo sounders thought it was approaching the seabed, although it was only at 80 m [262 feet] depth, and returned to the surface," Povl Abrahamsen, a physical oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey, said in the statement. The yellow submersible known as Boaty McBoatface is deployed into Antarctic waters. (Image credit: Povl Abrahamsen/British Antarctic Survey) Warming currents The currents measured by Boaty form off the coast of Antarctica when cold winds coming off the ice sheet cool the sea's surface. These cold, dense waters then sink and move northward, creating a key global circulation of ocean water, the researchers said. However, this Antarctic bottom water must flow through one choke point the Orkney Passage on its way from Antarctica's Weddell Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, the researchers said. [Antarctica: 100 Years of Exploration (Infographic)] Evidence suggests that changing winds blowing across the Southern Ocean affect the speed of the seafloor currents carrying the Antarctic bottom water. Faster flows are more turbulent, and more turbulence tends to mix heat from shallower waters into the lower, colder waters. This warms the abyssal waters on their way to the equator, and can affect global climate change, the researchers said. "The Orkney Passage is a key chokepoint to the flow of abyssal waters, in which we expect the mechanism linking changing winds to abyssal water warming to operate," said Alberto Naveira Garabato, the project's lead scientist and a professor of Earth and ocean sciences at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. Boaty helped the scientists by collecting vast amounts of data from its underwater missions. "Up until now, we have only been able to take measurements from a fixed point, but now, we are able to obtain a much more detailed picture of what is happening in this very important underwater landscape," Garabato said. "The challenge for us now is to analyze it all." Original article on Live Science. Researchers have discovered seven skull fragments from three different skulls, each marked with deep cuts like this one made shortly after death. Fragments of three carved human skulls have been uncovered at a mysterious ritual site in Turkey. No one knows what rituals were performed at the site, which was constructed 11,000 years ago during the Stone Age in an impressive display of handiwork: The site contains several stone rings, which are decorated with elaborately carved animals and punctuated with pillars up to 13 feet (4 meters) tall. There are no signs that anyone lived at the site, which is called Gobekli Tepe, nor are there signs of formal graves. But archaeologists have uncovered 691 human bone fragments mixed into the soil there. "It's a fantastic place," said Julia Gresky, a paleopathologist and bioarchaeologist at the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin. Now, Gobekli Tepe has become a little bit more fantastic with the discovery of skull fragments carved with long, deliberate lines from the forehead to the back of the head. These discoveries reveal the existence of a "skull cult" in ancient eastern Anatolia, Gresky told Live Science. The ritual markings on these skulls are unlike those seen in any other civilization, though. "I tried to compare to other known skeletal investigations from other sites, but there was nothing," Gresky said. [Gallery: See Photos of the Carved Skulls of Gobekli Tepe] An aerial view of Gobekli Tepe, an 11,000-year- old Stone Age site in what is now Turkey. (Image credit: German Archaeological Institute (DAI)) Skull cults Skull cults appear across history and even in some modern tribal societies. In these cultures, skulls are typically exhumed shortly after burial and de-fleshed. They might then be painted or sculpted over with plaster. At Cayonu Tepesi, another Neolithic, or Stone Age, site in Turkey, archaeologists uncovered a building that contained some 70 disembodied skulls. Another Stone Age site called Tell Qaramel in present-day Syria contained human skeletons with missing heads and cut marks suggesting the skulls had been removed shortly after death. Gobekli Tepe was built at a time when Stone Age peoples in the region were making the transition from hunting and herding to a more sedentary, agricultural lifestyle. Gresky and her colleagues found the Gobekli Tepe skull fragments in a loose mixture of backfill material filling up the circular stone structures at the site. The backfill consists of soil, pieces of flint, human bone fragments and animal bone fragments, Gresky said, and no one really knows how it got inside the site's structures. It may have been excavated by people abandoning the site, who used the material to fill in the defunct structures, she said. Or it could have simply washed down into the buildings from higher ground over the years. Between 2009 and 2014, Gresky found seven skull fragments with strange carving marks on them. The seven fragments belong to three skulls. All seem to have come from adults, but the remains aren't complete enough to say much about the ages or sex of the individuals. Skull decor? Markings on the skulls indicated they'd been cleaned of flesh and then cut soon after death, Gresky and her colleagues reported today (June 28) in the journal Science Advances. The carvings were deep grooves that ran from the forehead back along the top of the skull; some fragments preserved lateral carvings, too, located above where the ear would have been. One skull had a drill mark about 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) in diameter near the center of the top of the head. This same skull also showed traces of red ochre, a natural pigment frequently found on Neolithic skulls used in rituals. The carvings and the lack of other decorations, like plaster, make the Gobekli Tepe skulls unlike any others found before, Gresky said. Though the people who built Gobekli Tepe were clearly talented carvers who could create works of stone art, the skull carvings are crude, Gresky said. Their ugliness could indicate that they were a way of stigmatizing the dead individual for some reason, she said. Alternatively, the carvings could have been a way to decorate or display the skulls. The grooves might have provided purchase for cords, which might have been used to attach feathers or other bangles, Gresky said. Or the cords could have been used to hang the skulls and keep their dangling jaws from falling down. The drilled mark in one of the fragments was positioned in a way that if a cord were threaded through it, the skull could hang vertically, Gresky said. As to why Neolithic people were so fixated on skulls, that remains an even larger mystery. In recorded history, skull cults usually form for one of two reasons, Gresky said. Some groups display the skulls of their dead enemies. Others disinter and decorate skulls as a form of ancestor worship. "At the moment, we can't say what is the most probable" at Gobekli Tepe, Gresky said. "That will take some time and hopefully more skeletons." Original article on Live Science. That's because the percussionist isn't a human, but a bird: the palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) of Australia and New Guinea. The cockatoo is the only nonhuman animal on record to rhythmically drum with a customized "sound tool," but its reason for drumming isn't so different from that of many human musicians: These feathered Romeos are looking for love, the researchers found. During courtship, male cockatoos search for drumsticks, sometimes breaking a sturdy branch off a tree and trimming it down to about 8 inches (20 centimeters) in length. Then, the cockatoos rhythmically strike the tool against their nesting tree, wooing potential mates with a steady beat, the researchers said. [Image Gallery: A Crafty Cockatoo Uses Tools] "The female watches the male very closely, including the tool manufacture part, which demonstrates the power of the male's beak when he snips off the branch," said study lead researcher Robert Heinsohn, a professor in the Fenner School of Environment and Society at Australian National University. Drumming solo Heinsohn first came across the drumming cockatoos while studying a different parrot species on Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland, Australia, in 1997. "I was walking through the rainforest and heard a clear tapping sound ahead," Heinsohn told Live Science in an email. "It was a beautiful male palm cockatoo striking the edge of a hollow in the tree trunk with a stick. I have never been so mesmerized by anything in nature, and swore that one day I would undertake the research necessary to understand why they do this." Fulfilling that promise took seven years, as Heinsohn and his colleagues stealthily recorded video of the cockatoos before egg-laying season began in June and July (winter in the Southern Hemisphere). Before the researchers' study, a brief note in a 1984 bird journal was the only description of the cockatoos' rhythmic behavior, Heinsohn said. A male palm cockatoo (right) uses a stick to drum while it courts a female. (Image credit: C. Zdenek) After collecting 131 recordings from 18 male cockatoos, the researchers used computer software to convert the recordings into spectrograms (visual displays of sound). Statistician consultations showed "beyond any doubt that these birds are rhythmic," meaning that the beats weren't random, but rather were equally spaced apart, Heinsohn said. Moreover, the statistical analysis showed that each of the 18 birds had its own distinct style. Some beats were faster and others were slower, and "interestingly, some males had a fast flourish of beats when they started and then slowed down to a steady beat," Heinsohn said. These findings show that cockatoos share several key components seen in human instrumental music, including making a sound tool (the drumstick), performing in a consistent context (in this case, mating), making regular beats and creating individualistic styles, the researchers said in the study. Other animals are known to drum, too, including rodents that stomp their feet, woodpeckers that peck, and chimps that drum their hands and feet on tree stumps. But none of these percussive sounds are rhythmic, nor do these animals make a special sound tool, Heinsohn said. Mating scene There's a reason why male palm cockatoos put on a spectacular show: Female palm cockatoos lay just one egg once every two years. [Pretty Bird: Images of a Clever Parrot] During courtship, males try to attract females using different calls (screeches or whistles), movements (head bobbing or wing raising) and blushing to show they're sexually excited, Heinsohn said. "The drumming and rhythm seems to be an extra component designed to impress the females further," he said, noting that not all males drum. However, those that do tend to put on a solo act there aren't any "drum circles" in the cockatoo world, Heinsohn said. A male palm cockatoo uses a stick to rhythmically woo a mate. (Image credit: C. Zdenek) These avian drumming acts, some lasting up to 30 minutes, may shed light on how humans began producing rhythms, the scientists said. Perhaps drumming began as a sexual display among humans before it was used for other purposes, such as for interacting with large groups, the researchers said. But there is one glaring difference between cockatoo and human percussive rhythm: While many humans dance to drum beats, there is no evidence that wild palm cockatoos do, the researchers said. The study was published online today (June 28) in the journal Science Advances. Original article on Live Science. How do you take your iced coffee? For some people in the United Kingdom, an investigative report from the BBC has sparked concerns that the drink may come with an unwanted add-in: a dash of fecal bacteria. A small BBC investigation found that iced coffees from several coffee chains, including Starbucks, were contaminated with bacteria from a group with an icky-sounding name: fecal coliform. In the investigation, undercover researchers (posing as customers) tested ice in iced coffees from 10 stores of each of three coffee chains: Starbucks, Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee. Three out of 10 ice samples from both Starbucks and Caffe Nero contained the bacteria, and seven out of 10 ice samples from Costa Coffee were contaminated with fecal coliform, the BBC reported today (June 28). [9 Disgusting Things the FDA Allows in Your Food] The sample size was very small, and all three coffee chains told the BBC that they are looking into the problem. But do the findings of this investigation mean there's actually poop in your iced coffee? Simply put, no these findings don't mean there are feces in your iced coffee, said Ben Chapman, a food safety specialist and an associate professor at North Carolina State University. "Fecal coliform" is a large group of bacteria that, yes, can be found in feces. But these bacteria are also found in many other things in the environment, such as fruits and vegetables, Chapman told Live Science. These bacteria are "indicators," Chapman said, meaning they indicate that something may be present that could make a person sick. But an indicator's presence doesn't signify that someone definitely will get sick, he added. The test for fecal coliform was developed in 1904, according to a 2006 article from Microbe Magazine, a publication from the American Society for Microbiology. But since the test's inception, more specific tests have been developed to look for fecal contamination in foods. Indeed, the fecal coliform test often leads to false positives, meaning it sometimes suggests that a food contains feces when it doesn't, according to Microbe Magazine. This is because many types of bacteria that fall into the fecal coliform group aren't necessarily found in feces. However, fecal coliform test results have been repeatedly misinterpreted by doctors, public health officials and media outlets, the article said. A better question to ask is, are there specific germs in the drinks that cause illness? Finding bacteria doesn't mean you've found a pathogen: "Bacteria is everywhere, and if you look for it, you're going to find it," Chapman said. But many of those bacteria are harmless, he added. Further testing for example, looking specifically for bacteria such as E. coli would provide more useful information. Chapman also noted that he'd be more focused on what's going on in the coffee shops. For example, do employees wash their hands regularly and after handling potentially contaminated foods and products? Do they sanitize the equipment properly? These behaviors could be more indicative of the overall health risks the beverages and foods pose to consumers, he said. In addition, it's unclear what type of testing the investigators used for the BBC report. Knowing these methods would provide more useful information, Chapman said. If investigators looked only for bacterial DNA, for example, you wouldn't know if the bacteria were alive or dead. "We eat dead bacteria all the time," he added, referring to the fact that dead bacteria aren't going to make you sick. Originally published on Live Science. The rat lungworm is a parasite that lives in rats and snails. Here, adult rat lungworms (the noodle-like organisms in the center of the photo) emerge from the pulmonary artery of a rat. A parasitic worm that can infect people's brains has been found throughout Florida, according to a new study. The researchers found the parasite, called rat lungworm, living in rats and snails in five Florida counties in both the central and northern parts of the state. Rat lungworm was previously found in southern Florida, and the new study is one of the first to show the extent of the parasite's spread across the state. The researchers warned that the parasite, which is typically found in the tropics and only recently appeared in the continental United States, will likely continue to expand its range in this country. They said that the parasite's apparent ability to thrive in areas outside its historical range is "alarming," and as average temperatures rise with climate change, the parasite will likely spread into more temperate areas. [5 Deadly Diseases Emerging from Global Warming] The parasite carries out its life cycle in rats, snails and slugs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People can become infected if they eat raw or undercooked snails or slugs, or if they eat contaminated produce. In people, rat lungworm, or Angiostrongylus cantonensis, can infect the brain and cause meningitis, according to the CDC. Infected people may experience headaches, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, and abnormal sensations in their arms and legs. Most people fully recover without treatment, but in rare cases, the infection can cause neurological problems or death, the CDC said. Although human cases of rat lungworm have yet to be reported in Florida, the researchers called for increased awareness of this parasite to help prevent infection and properly identify infected patients. "The parasite is here in Florida and is something that needs to be taken seriously," Heather Stockdale Walden, an assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, who led the study, said in a statement.Human cases of rat lungworm have occurred in Hawaii for more than 50 years, but it wasn't until the mid-1980s that the parasite appeared in the continental United States, showing up in rats in New Orleans. (The rats likely arrived on ships from areas already inhabited by the parasite.) Since then, rat lungworm has shown up in Louisiana and Texas. Previous studies have found the parasite in snails in Florida, but these studies were small. In the new study, the researchers analyzed more than 1,500 samples from rats and snails in 18 counties throughout Florida. The investigators found that samples from five counties Alachua, Leon, St. Johns, Orange and Hillsborough tested positive for the parasite. But the parasite is likely even more widespread than what was found in the study, the researchers said. [10 Bizarre Diseases You Can Get Outdoors] That's because, for certain species, the researchers had only a limited number of samples. The scientists may have had more positive results if they tested more samples from these species, the researchers said. "The reality is that it is probably in more counties than we found it in, and it is also probably more prevalent in the southeastern U.S. than we think," Walden said. The parasite didn't seem to be picky about the types of snails it infects, either, said study co-author John Slapcinsky, the collections manager of invertebrate zoology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. The researchers found the parasite in both native and non-native snail species. To prevent infection with rat lungworm, the researchers recommended washing produce, teaching children not to eat raw snails and washing hands after handling snails. The CDC advises against eating raw or undercooked snails and slugs. The study was published May 18 in the journal PLOS ONE. Original article on Live Science. Sophie Choudry looks too hot to handle in her latest Instagram photo. By India Today Web Desk: Sophie Choudry, who appeared in films like Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Shaadi No 1, is raising the temperature with her latest Instagram post. Sophie shared a picture from her hot photoshoot on Instagram, where she is clad in a white shirt while the pouring rain drenches her. For the caption, Sophie used the lyrics of Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer Half Girlfriend's song, Baarish, "Yeh mausam ki baarish, yeh baarish ka paani, yeh paani ki boondhein, tujhe hi toh dhoondein.... #monsoon #baarish #rainydays #rain #shootlife #lovethispic." advertisement Fans could not get over how stunning Sophie looked in the picture and compliments soon began pouring in. Sophie had taken a break from acting to focus on her singing career, but she might do a film this year. She had told Indian Express, "The exposure of Bollywood is huge, so I am doing some of playback singing this year. Which means you will hear me much more. Apart from that, you might see me on the big screen again this year." ALSO READ: We can't decide if we love or hate what Sophie Choudry wore for her birthday party ALSO WATCH: Sophie Choudry sings Hungama Ho Gaya at India Today Mind Rocks --- ENDS --- by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, June 28, 2017 Its no secret that at least half the country considers the mainstream news media to be untrustworthy apparatchiks of an out-of-touch liberal establishment, leading many of them to prefer fringe, far-right news sources like Breitbart and Infowars. The fact that these dubious organizations pump out fake news with a clear ideological motive is excusable, the argument goes, on the grounds of equivalence. The mainstream news media is publishing fake news with an ideological motive, so whats the difference? There are plenty of credible arguments against this view, all of which are, of course, ignored. For example, when MSM news orgs report something untrue, it is usually by mistake rather than deliberately spreading falsehoods. Also, these mistakes are generally acknowledged when they happen. That still leaves grounds for criticism. Any journalism that attempts to summarize a broader social issue with anecdotal evidence a human-interest story on one refugee family can be accused of cherry-picking and filtering reality. The same can be said of investigating one topic, rather than another. But at least the anecdotes and facts reported are true even if the reporter's attempts to link them to a broader context are spurious. advertisement advertisement The legacy news media is now locked in a struggle with fringe news orgs for the hearts and minds, or at least the eyeballs and ears, of the American public. Charges of "fake news" are routinely slung even when truth is revealed. But any missteps will also open it to charges of fake news, the key rhetorical tactic of the fringe news orgs and a favorite slam employed regularly by President Trump. Even more damaging is any editorial error that can be ascribed to an alleged ideological motive. Thats why CNNs recent screw-up with a poorly sourced report on the Trump-Russia investigation is so significant. This week, three journalists Thomas Frank, Eric Lichtblau, and Lex Haris have resigned from CNN after the cable networks Web site published, then later retracted, a story claiming Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with supposed ties to Trump. The alleged links included a rumored meeting between the funds CEO and Anthony Scaramucci, a hedge-fund boss who was also a member of Trumps transition team. The entire story appears to have been based on information from a single, anonymous source. Scaramucci immediately responded by tweeting Ive done nothing wrong. Supposedly, he called one of the reporters involved at the networks Washington bureau chief to demand a retraction, threatening legal action. CNN swiftly pulled the story from its Web site and issued an apology to Scaramucci, who in an odd twist, for 21st-century America graciously accepted the apology and declared the matter resolved. However, this didnt save the jobs of the journos in question. The story predictably opened up CNN to the now-familiar charge of fake news. Except this time, there was something to it. President Trump weighed in Tuesday morning, tweeting a victory lap: Wow, CNN had to retract big story on Russia, with 3 employees forced to resign. What about all the other phony stories they do? FAKE NEWS! Its worth highlighting the classic Trump move, as it's not particularly subtle. It's his regular rhetorical maneuver: CNN retracted one story, therefore, we can never trust anything the network ever publishes, period. (All its other stories are also exposed to public criticism and mostly stand up to scrutiny.) In short, the real goal is not to get CNN to correct one error, but to discredit the news organization entirely, at least in the eyes of Trumps followers. Nor is CNN alone in facing questions however overblown and politically motivated about its editorial integrity. Last week, The Wall Street Journal abruptly fired Jay Solomon, a veteran national security reporter, following revelations that he was apparently involved in behind-the-scenes deals with one of his contacts. The alleged dealings included a possible scheme to help Iran evade sanctions on its nuclear weapons program back in 2011, raising the possibility of conflicts of interest in his coverage of the region. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, June 27, 2017 Breaking ranks with AT&T, four other large Internet service providers are asking the 9th Circuit to rule that the Federal Trade Commission has the authority to prosecute AT&T for allegedly duping wireless consumers who purchased "unlimited" data plans. "At first glance, [our] position might seem surprising," Charter, Comcast, Cox and Verizon write in papers submitted Monday to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. "On closer inspection, however, this position aligns with the companies desire to reinstate a predictable, uniform, and technology-neutral regulatory framework that will best serve consumers and businesses alike." The four broadband companies are asking the 9th Circuit to reverse a decision issued last year by a three-judge panel, which ruled that the FTC couldn't prosecute AT&T due to its status as a "common carrier." That ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the FTC against AT&T in October of 2014, when the agency alleged that AT&T misled consumers by selling them unlimited data, but throttling their broadband connections after they used between 3 and 5 GB a month. The alleged deception occurred between 2011 and 2014 -- before mobile broadband was considered a common carrier service. advertisement advertisement The appellate judges said in their initial ruling that the FTC can't sue common carriers like AT&T -- even when the complaint centers on a non-common carrier service. Those judges suggested in their opinion that AT&T's longstanding role as a telephone carrier gave the company common carrier service for all purposes. The FTC -- backed by consumer groups, and the Federal Communications Commission -- urged the 9th Circuit to reconsider the ruling. Last month, the court agreed to do so. Charter, Comcast, Cox and Verizon are now siding with the FTC. The companies argue in papers submitted Monday to the 9th Circuit that Internet service providers like themselves should be subject to the FTC's authority. "If the FTC is divested of jurisdiction over certain non-common carriage activities, it is likely that a variety of federal, state, and local government agencies that lack the appropriate reach, perspective, and experience in consumer protection matters will attempt to fill the perceived 'regulatory gaps,' thereby creating a patchwork of unreasonable, duplicative, and inconsistent rules," the companies write. "This will make it less likely that consumers are adequately protected and more likely that businesses will operate in an uncertain and uneven regulatory environment." The broadband providers' move appears to reflect their preference to be subject to FTC authority rather than FCC rules, says Matt Wood, policy director at the advocacy group Free Press. "They like the idea of uniform privacy rules at the FTC," Wood says. He adds that the FTC -- unlike the FCC -- lacks the authority to pass regulations about matters like privacy. Instead, the FTC can only target companies that engage in deceptive or unfair practices, such as failing to follow their privacy policies. "Cable companies and phone companies other than AT&T seemingly prefer what they consider to be weaker oversight by the FTC, rather than either the strong rules the FCC adopted last year or various state bills instead," Wood adds. (Last year, the FCC passed rules prohibiting broadband providers from drawing on consumers' Web-browsing histories for ad targeting without their opt-in consent. Congress invalidated those rules earlier this year, sparking state lawmakers in at least 10 states to introduce new broadband privacy regulations.) Many observers interpreted the appellate court's initial ruling as effectively depriving the FTC of authority to police any practices of broadband providers -- including their billing methods and privacy policies. Observers also said the initial ruling could leave broadband providers without federal regulatory oversight, if the FCC follows through on Chairman Ajit Pai's plan to scrap the 2015 decision classifying broadband access as a "Title II" common carrier service. That's because, the ruling suggests that even if Internet access is no longer regulated as a utility, many ISPs would nonetheless be outside the FTC's authority. Comcast and the other ISPs may now hope to weaken the argument that Pai's plan to de-classify broadband as a utility will leave the companies without federal oversight, according to Blake Reid, director of the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic at Colorado Law. "My take on it is that it they're trying to head off at the pass an argument that the efforts to declassify Internet service providers under Title II will result in this regulatory gap," he says. He adds: "It's pretty striking nevertheless to see a bunch of Internet service providers arguing that a federal regulator should have authority." The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) this week is rolling out a new resource for piracy-minded marketers. The TAG pirate mobile app tool is designed to help brands keep their ads off mobile apps that carry pirated content. Already, TAG says the tool has identified more than 8,000 apps that violate intellectual property rights. Among other industry authorities, The Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America have thrown their support behind TAGs offering. Farnaz Alemi, vice president of the global content protection counsel at the MPAA, said piracy presents an enormous threat to the mobile content ecosystem. This creative marketplace is being threatened by a profusion of illicit mobile apps that distribute a vast range of pirated content globally, Alemi stated. advertisement advertisement Complicating efforts to police the mobile space, most consumers are unaware of the profusion of pirated content in the marketplace. A study recently published by the RIAA found that 73% of respondents assumed that any music app offering downloads from an official app store had been licensed by artists and rights holders. TAGs Pirate Mobile App Tool stems from the coalition Anti-Piracy Working Group, which previously developed a set of best practices guidelines to help the industry identify and filter out infringing mobile apps. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, June 28, 2017 Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bill requiring app developers, ad networks and other online companies to obtain consumers' opt-in consent before collecting or disclosing information about their physical locations. The Geolocation Privacy Protection Act, which appears to be the first location-privacy bill in the country, still awaits the signature of Gov. Bruce Rauner. The bill tasks the state Attorney General with enforcement, but doesn't empower consumers to file civil lawsuits against companies that violate the law's requirements. "It moves us in the right direction," says privacy lawyer Ari Scharg, who heads the advocacy group Digital Privacy Alliance, which lobbied for the law. "This bill is all about transparency. Increasing transparency is a really good thing for consumers -- and businesses that are trying to compete against the behemoths in California." advertisement advertisement More than a dozen tech startups in Illinois have so far signed an open letter supporting the bill. But some large business groups, including the Internet Association -- which represent Google, Facebook and other large Web companies -- oppose the measure. The Internet Association said last month that the Illinois bill "would create costly, duplicative disclosure and consent requirements" for companies that want to use location data of state residents. Lawmakers in Illinois are also considering a second privacy bill, the Right to Know Act, which would require Google, Facebook and other Web companies that collect personally identifiable information to disclose their data-sharing practices to users. Illinois isn't the only state to mull new online privacy laws. Lawmakers in 18 other states also recently unveiled bills that would impose new obligations on companies that collect online data. Many of those measures were introduced after Congress repealed the Federal Communications Commission's nationwide privacy rules, which would have required broadband providers to obtain users' opt-in consent before drawing on their Web-browsing history for ad targeting purposes. Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. By Press Trust of India: Raigarh, Jun 28 (PTI) Contractual health personnel in the district who have been on an indefinite strike since the last 13 days were today asked by the administration to resume duty within a month or face termination of their service. "As many as 58 health personnel, including doctors pharmacists, ANMs (auxiliary nurse midwives) and laboratory technicians, employed on a contract basis under Ayush department, have been issued a notice," Raigarh district collector Shammi Abidi said today. advertisement The personnel went on an indefinite strike on June 16, which has caused inconvenience to patients. Ayush department comes under the Health and Family Welfare department of the state government. On the direction of the collector, the notice asking the striking employees to join duty was issued by Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr HS Uraon yesterday. The notice stated that if the protesting employees fail to return to work within a month, their service will be terminated and a process will be initiated for fresh recruitment. The call to strike was given by the Chhattisgarh Baal Swasthya Karyakram Chikitsa Adhikari Sangh. Among the prominent demand raised by the employees is a better pay package. PTI Cor TKP NSK --- ENDS --- Aetna Inc. operates as a health care benefits company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Health Care, Group Insurance, and Large Case Pensions. The Health Care segment offers medical, pharmacy benefit management service, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans on an insured and employer-funded basis. It also provides point-of-service, preferred provider organization, health maintenance organization, and indemnity benefit plans, as well as health savings accounts and consumer-directed health plans. In addition, this segment offers Medicare and Medicaid products and services, as well as other medical products, such as medical management and data analytics services, medical stop loss insurance, workers' compensation administrative services, and products that provide access to its provider networks in select geographies. The Group Insurance segment offers life insurance products, including group term life insurance, voluntary spouse and dependent term life insurance, group universal life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance products; and long-term care insurance products, which provide the benefits to cover the cost of care in private home settings, adult day care, assisted living, or nursing facilities. The Large Case Pensions segment manages various retirement products comprising pension and annuity products primarily for tax-qualified pension plans. The company provides its products and services to employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. Aetna Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in Hartford, Connecticut. By India Today Web Desk: In the past decade, India has witnessed a rise in number of students aspiring to fulfill their higher education in overseas study destinations. With constant development in the field of education, coupled with improvement in standard of living, many families in India are now capable of considering the choice of allowing their children to pursue their studies abroad. advertisement Over the past couple of years, STEM courses have gained popularity all over the world, with many universities tying up with certain organisations to further lend their support to these fields of study. The most popular courses that Indian students wish to make a career in are the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education programs as such students stand to gain several lucrative job opportunities following their graduation in these subjects. Be it in Accounting, Computer programming, Life sciences, Statistics, or Engineering, STEM students can look forward to a rich and fulfilling career in multifarious industries. In terms of studying abroad, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have long been considered the top 5 destinations among international students. However, following recent global developments, many European nations are gradually joining the list of popular overseas study destinations, with Germany being the most favorite among Indian students in STEM subjects. Germany: Fast emerging as a popular study destination for aspiring engineers In terms of being an education destination, Germany saw a 14 per cent increase in number of international students from 282,201 to 321,569, enrolled in its education institutions between 2013 and 2015. The major source countries for international students in Germany were found to be China (12.8 per cent), India (4.9 per cent), and Russia (4.9). Germany is one of the most popular European countries among Indian students, who are looking to pursue higher education abroad. The nation in central-western Europeans one of the best education infrastructure in the world, and is also considered by many as one of the top countries to specialize in engineering and technology. According to a report published by World Education News and Reviews, Germany is home to 396 state recognised education institutions for higher studies. Out of those, 181 are universities and university-equivalent institutions, including specialised pedagogical universities, theological universities, and fine arts universities; and 215 specialisation-based universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen). Five reasons why Germany is most preferred study destination among engineering students: 1. Little to no tuition fees: While private universities in Germany are mostly financed from tuition fees received from students, public universities in the countrydo not charge any tuition fees for any of their Bachelor's and/or Masters programs. This rule is applicable on both native and international students. Students typically need to pay an annual administration fees and semester fees, depending on the university where they wish to enroll. Some of the tuition-free universities in Germany are: University of Hamburg, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). 2. Availability of courses taught in English: advertisement Germany happens to be one of the few non-English speaking countries that offer courses taught in that language. Most universities offer Master's degree programs in English exclusively for international students, especially in the fields of engineering and technology. 3. Scholarship programmes for engineering students: Germany offers some excellent scholarship options for international students under the DeutscherAkademischerAustauschdienst (DAAD) - the German Academic Exchange Service, and Deutschlandstipendium. Some scholarships for Indian students in the Engineering field include: Bilateral Exchange of Academics, DLR-DAAD Research Fellowship Programme, Leibniz-DAAD Research Fellowships, etc. 4. Home to top ranking universities in the field of engineering: Germany is home to some of the top ranking universities in the world, and is known for its overall academic excellence. As per the QS world university rankings, the top 7 German education institutions in the fields of engineering and technology in 2017 are: Technical University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, TU Berlin, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, Darmstadt University of Technology, and TU Dresden. 5. Work opportunities within the country post completion of studies: advertisement As a country that is primarily focused and driven by its manufacturing capabilities, Germany offers lots of job opportunities for engineers. Moreover, since this country actively invests in advanced research and applied technology, the demand for experts in the STEM field is expected to remain high here for years to come. The average salary for engineering experts could be up to 46,126 EUR year. For international students, such opportunities can become a dream come true as Germany allows such students to work 120 full or 240 half days per year after they gain a permit from the 'AgenturfurArbeit' (Federal Employment Agency). Going by above mentioned facts, it can be said that Germany is certainly becoming one of the most preferred study destinations in Europe among aspiring engineering students, and could top the list of overseas education destinations in the near future. Authored article by Gurinder Singh Bhatti, Chairman and MD, ESS Global Read: Distance Learning vs Traditional Learning: 4 factors to help you make the choice advertisement Read: 5 ways to decide if your chosen career suits your aptitude Click here for more education related news. For more details, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- The following companies are subsidiares of Novartis: 1 A Pharma GmbH, Abadia Retuerta S.A, Admune Therapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications International SA, Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A., Advanced Accelerator Applications S.r.l., Advanced Accelerator Applications USA Inc., Aeropharm GmbH, Alcon, Alcon Couvreur NV, Amblyotech, Amblyotech Inc., Arctos Medical, Arctos Medical AG, Australia Pty Ltd, Beijing Novartis Pharma Co. Ltd., BioMedical Research Co. Ltd., CELLforCURE, Cadent Therapeutics, Cadent Therapeutics Cambridge, Cellerys, Cellerys AG, CellforCure, Chiron Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Japan Limited, Co. Ltd, CoStim Pharmaceuticals, CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Coalesce Product Development Limited, Corthera, Development Co. Ltd., EBEWE Pharma Ges.m.b.H Nfg. KG, Encore Vision, Endocyte, Endocyte Inc., Eon Labs Inc., Farmanova Saglik Hizmetleri Ltd, Fougera Pharmaceuticals, Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gyroscope Therapeutics, HEXAL AG, Hexal, IDB Holland BV, Iberica S.L.U., Ilaclari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, JSC Sandoz, Japat AG, Kedalion Therapeutics Inc., Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Lek S.A., Manufacturing Pte Ltd , Navigate BioPharma Services Inc, Neutec Pharma Limited, Novartis (Hellas) S.A.C.I., Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Novartis (Taiwan) Co. Ltd, Novartis (Thailand) Limited, Novartis Argentina S.A., Novartis Australia Pty Ltd, Novartis Austria GmbH, Novartis Biociencias S.A., Novartis Biosciences Peru S.A., Novartis Bioventures AG, Novartis Business Services GmbH, Novartis Capital Corporation, Novartis Chile S.A., Novartis Corporation, Novartis Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Novartis Deutschland GmbH, Novartis Ecuador S.A., Novartis Farma S.p.A., Novartis Farma Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica S.A, Novartis Farmaceutica S.A. de C.V., Novartis Finance Corporation, Novartis Finance S.A., Novartis Finance Services Ltd, Novartis Finland Oy Espoo, Novartis Gene Therapies, Novartis Gene Therapies EU Limited, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Novartis Grimsby Limited, Novartis Groupe France S.A., Novartis Healthcare A/S, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc., Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Novartis Holding AG, Novartis Hungary Healthcare Limited Liability Company, Novartis India Limited, Novartis Inflammasome Research, Novartis Integrated Services Limited, Novartis International AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Investment AG, Novartis Investment Ltd, Novartis Investments S.a r.l., Novartis Ireland Limited, Novartis Israel Ltd, Novartis Korea Ltd., Novartis Middle East FZE, Novartis Netherlands B.V., Novartis Neva LLC, Novartis New Zealand Ltd, Novartis Norge AS, Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Novartis Optogenetics Research Inc., Novartis Overseas Investments AG, Novartis Pharma (Logistics) Inc., Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Pharma B.V. , Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma LLC, Novartis Pharma Maroc SA, Novartis Pharma NV, Novartis Pharma Produktions GmbH, Novartis Pharma S.A.E., Novartis Pharma S.A.S., Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG, Novartis Pharma Schweizerhalle AG, Novartis Pharma Services AG, Novartis Pharma Services Romania S.R.L., Novartis Pharma Stein AG, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o., Novartis Portugal S.G.P.S. Lda., Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited, Novartis Saglik Gida ve Tarim Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, Novartis Saudi Ltd., Novartis Securities Investment Ltd, Novartis Services Inc., Novartis Slovakia s.r.o., Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Novartis Sverige AB, Novartis UK Limited, Novartis US Foundation, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc, Novartis Vietnam Company Limited, Novartis de Colombia S.A., Novartis de Venezuela S.A., Novartis s.r.o., Oriel Therapeutics Inc., PT. Novartis Indonesia, Protez Pharmaceuticals, Pte Ltd, Research Inc, Salutas Pharma GmbH, Sandoz A/S, Sandoz AG, Sandoz B.V., Sandoz Canada Inc., Sandoz Egypt Pharma S.A.E., Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A., Sandoz Farmaceutica Lda., Sandoz GmbH, Sandoz Hungary Limited Liability Company, Sandoz Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Sandoz Inc, Sandoz Industrial Products S.A, Sandoz International GmbH, Sandoz K.K., Sandoz Limited, Sandoz Manufacturing Inc., Sandoz NV, Sandoz Pharma K.K, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals AG, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., Sandoz Philippines Corporation, Sandoz Polska Sp. z o.o. , Sandoz Private Limited, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Sandoz S.A. de C.V, Sandoz S.A.S., Sandoz S.R.L., Sandoz S.p.A., Sandoz South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Sandoz Ukraine LLC, Sandoz d.o.o. farmaceutska industrija, Sandoz do Brasil Industria Farmaceutica Ltda, Sandoz s.r.o., Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Shanghai Novartis Trading Ltd., Societe par actions SANDOZ, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, The Medicines Company, The Medicines Company, Triangle International Reinsurance Limited, Trinity River Insurance Co Ltd, Vedere Bio, Vedere Bio ll, Xiidra, Ziarco, and Ziarco Group Limited. Read More Several pregnant women protested outside the Nagarkurnool government hospital after they were asked to go to Mahbubnagar district hospital- located an hour's drive away - for medical help. By Ashish Pandey: Dozens of pregnant women protested on Tuesday outside the Nagarkurnool government hospital, located 133 km from Hyderabad, since no gynecologists were available to deliver their babies, or offer medical treatment. They began protesting after they were asked to go to Mahbubnagar district hospital, located an hour's drive away. In tears, the father of a woman suffering labour pains expressed helplessness over his family's plight. "We came at 1 am (on Monday) night but no doctors are available. She (his daughter) is in heavy labour pain and we don' know what to do. She...is in her ninth month," he said. advertisement Police reached the spot after learning of the protest, which ended after the women received an assurance from the hospital's superintendent. The Nagarkurnool government hospital doesn't have the five gynecologists and two anesthetists it needs to cope with the demand for medical care, so patients are forced to go to private clinics, or to Mahbubnagar. All this happened while Telangana ministers were busy tweeting about the K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) government's achievements in the healthcare sector. IT minister K Tarakrama Rao - who is KCR's son - tweeted photos of the refurbished King Koti and Malakpet hospitals in Hyderabad as examples of the 'changing face of healthcare in the state.' ALSO READ | Now, a 'KCR Kit' for pregnant women in Telangana ALSO WATCH | Telangana: Ugly clash between TRS, Congress workers --- ENDS --- The 3rd edition of Nhyira Praise brought together worshippers from Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti to sing thank their Maker for their lives. Thousands descended and filled Bantama Christ Apostolic Church auditorium and the entire premises to capacity, as Christian adherents defied a cloudy weather and perhaps fatigue from regular Sunday church services to patronize the evening event. Top gospel artistes, including Jack Alolome, Ernest Opoku Jnr., Mabel Otchere set Bantama C.A.C. agog with soul-inspiring performances which put patrons on their edge and give them a night to remember. Excited patrons could not help but suggest the event be organized quarterly to give them regular opportunity for the spiritual exercise. I am touched by the Holy Spirit; I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. My simple plea is that Nhyira FM would organize this event frequently for Kumasi to come together and praise their maker. Next year is too long to wait, one patron declared. Organizers were overwhelmed by patronage and gave a hint they will consider the request of the patrons. Programmes Director of Nhyira FM, Benjamin Fiifi Ocran, said management will consider the feedback from patrons of this very event; nonetheless we are overwhelmed by the massive turnout. The 2017 edition of Nhyira Praise may be history now but it will continue to be on the lips of patrons for a long time to come as they anxiously wait for the next one. Ugandan and East African Music General Big Size Bebe Cool and Nigerian rapper cum songwriter; Falz real names Folarin Falana are set to hit the recording studios of Coke Studio Africa 2017 this week in Kenya. According to sources in Coke Studio Africa Kenya, Bebe Cool and Falz have two tasks; Each musician shall be requested to pick a song from the other and record his own version of that particular song ( Bebe has a song titled Freedom. So Falz has to get the lyrics and the beats of that song then record his own version same applies to Bebe, he has to pick among Falz songs and do the same) Secondly both artists shall record a single together and this shall be done with the artistry of renowned Nigerian music Producer and Songwriter GospelOnDeBeatz famous for his production of All of you a track done by Davido. This is week two of Coke Studio Kenya. The first week saw Bebe Cool record with American music giant Jason Darulo and 2017 BET Winner Ray Vanny from Tanzania. Bebe Cool told the media in his homeland that in 2017, he intends to embark on music collabos with other African music stars on the continent. He has so far released MboziZaMalwa which he did with Kenyan Music group and MTV Mama 2016 winners Sauti Sol. Before 2017 comes to an end Bebe Cool is set to release a collabo My Wife with Ghanaian Dancehall star Stonebwoy. The year 2017 seems to be quite busy for the East African Music General as he muscles his way to link up with hos fellow established stars in the African continent. Img 4407 Img 4408 Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. The month lasts 2930 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon and this year's lasted from May 26th to June 24th. Sallah-fest, an annual feast and musical festival aimed at bringing together Muslim communities in Accra hosted by Ghanaian music group VVIP and supported by various musicians in the music industry. This year's sallah-fest saw Performances from VVIP, M.anifest, Kwaw Kese, FaReed, Mzvee, D-black, Wiser Greid, Rudebwoy Ranking and many more. FaReed, the Hiphop Alhaji who performed right after King Promise got a massive welcome from the crowd who jammed to some of his most requested and played songs, Zaafi and Goga respectively. After successful performance FaReed, the Hiphop Alhaji got a huge endorsement from host, commotion Promotion of Livefm who held FaReed on stage for a moment and confidently told the crowd to look out for FaReed, and that he's going to be a superstar. Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has revealed that he is still loved by his wife despite the extra-marital affair with Sarah Kwablah. Asamoah Gyan admitted having consensual sex with Sarah Kwablah but expressed surprise about how the lady later accused him of rape. I, indeed, had an affair with Sarah Kwablah and that's why she twisted events to accuse me of raping her, because she knows I am a star and have a wife and so I can't deny that I had sex with her. So because I admitted having sex with her, it made it difficult for them to frame me up, so they lied that I had raped her in order to put me in trouble. Yes I had sex with her, I will never deny that, Asamoah Gyan told Deloris Frimpong Manso on The Delay Show recently. According to the Ghanaian striker, he was ashamed after cheating on his wife and pleaded for forgiveness. I accepted my mistake and pleaded with my wife for forgiveness and was willing to bear the consequences, even if it meant divorcing me and so I explained everything to her because I am an honest guy, I don't hide things from my wife. My wife loves me despite the incident, Asamoah Gyan added. He further revealed that the extra-marital affair with Sarah Kwabla was the only time he committed adultery. Apart from the allegation of rape, Sarah Kwablah in 2015 accused Asamoah Gyan of sodomising her. Though Asamoah Gyan admitted having consensual sex with Ms Kwablah, he was not categorical about whether he had vaginal or anal sex with the lady during the interview with Delay. He said the whole Sarah Kwablah saga made me change a bit in the way I interacted with my fans but I later realised that I can't push everybody away just because of that incident, some people try to get close to me for assistance or genuine reasons. She was a very respectful girl, I don't know if she was pretending to be a good girl at the time. We were on good terms I went into her room after a training session around West Hills Mall and whatever happened happened So how does a rape victim come out to open the gate for me to drive out of her house? Asamoah Gyan quizzed. kasapafmonline Rebecca Asamoah, Miss Africa Continent 2016, on Wednesday left Ghana for Jamaica to join 79 other beauty queens around the world who will be taking part in this year's edition of Miss United Nations pageant in Kingston. Twenty-five-year-old Rebecca is the first Ghanaian to be on the platform, and she is hopeful to make her country proud. She was Miss Ghana 2015 first runner-up I can't do it alone. Ghanaians should support me by voting for me, she said before leaving. I am compassionate not only for people with status and stature but for the underprivileged. I believe Miss United Nations pageant is to embark on humanitarian works to uplift women and to positively impart in the lives of people in our various societies and the world at large. I want to be a part of this family to contribute my quota in the world's development, she earlier explained her decision to take part in the pageantry on United Nations portal. Miss United Nations is a humanitarian pageant which helps to better the lives of persons around the world. It identifies and showcases world's best tourism cause ambassadors; those who have the skills, talents and personalities best suited to promote their respective countries in furtherance of tourism, international goodwill and cultural harmony. Apart from a strong emphasis on goodwill tourism protection programmes and destinations promotion, the pageant also supports environmental protection via strategised programmes. This year's edition will take place in Kingston, Jamaica, from July 1 to July 9 with the main grand finale on July 8. Over 80 contestants will be taking part in the pageantry, and it will be the first time Ghana is presenting a representative. If Rebecca gets crowned, it will, indeed, be a remarkable feat for her and Ghana as a whole. By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected] ) Fadda Dickson 28.06.2017 LISTEN The management and staff of United Television (UTV) have congratulated its Director of Administration & Finance, Fadda Dickson, for winning the Media Excellence Award at the EMY Africa Awards 2017, held last Saturday at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra. The award was bestowed on Fadda Dickson as a recognition and celebration of his contribution to the development of radio and television industries in Ghana. Under his leadership, the stations, owned by Despite Group, have consistently remained the most listened-to stations in the country. Fadda Dickson has shaped the career of high-profile radio and television personalities in the country. Under his supervision, United Television (UTV) has become the number one TV station in the country. Exclusive Men of the Year (EMY) Awards was instituted in 2016 with the aim of recognising and celebrating men who are doing exceptional things in the country. It also has the objective to encourage the youth of Ghana to take issues of leadership and governance seriously. The 2017 edition of the awards has six competitive and 12 honorary categories for grab by distinguished personalities. Last year, Fadda Dickson was honoured with the Excellence in Radio Management Award at the 2016 edition of the Radio & Television Personalities (RTP) Awards. One of the two suspected terrorists brought into the country from Guantanamo Bay near Cuba by the government of the United States of America (USA) has reportedly married a lady from his native Yemen in Ghana. According to a Citi FM report, Al-Qaeda foot-soldier Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef, who is about 38 years, married Haia more than two months ago. Official Confirmation George Clarke, who has been lawyer for Bin Atef since 2015, confirmed the union, adding, I think it was contracted while he was in Ghana, but I don't believe the woman is from Ghana. He is already married, but I don't think it is to anybody in Ghana. He did get married after he got out of Guantanamo, but I don't know the details of that, Mr. Clarke added. The lawyer said Bin Atef wants to have his 'full' freedom of movement whilst in the country and be able to work as well; he wants to live a regular life. He wants to get married. He wants to have kids. Court Verdict The Supreme Court on Thursday held that the transfer of Bin Atef, together with Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, 37, from Guantanamo Bay to Ghana during the tenure of the previous Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration in early January 2016, was unconstitutional. The court, in a 6-1 majority decision, ordered the repatriation of the two reported terrorists to the United States, if the Parliament of Ghana fails to rectify the deal within three months. The arrival of the terrorists from Guantanamo Bay, near Cuba, set tongues wagging and the court has finally ruled that the deal should have been ratified by Parliament, which the Mahama-led NDC government failed to do. Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid, after the ruling by the court, issued a statement calling for calm, as the government takes steps to execute the consequential order. Money for Upkeep On Saturday, a former NDC MP George Loh for North Dayi, who was then Vice Chairperson of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament when the terrorists were brought into the country, said the US gave the Ghana government $300,000 for the upkeep of the two. There was an amount that was agreed on for the upkeep or an amount that was proposed from the US for the upkeep of the two, and that is not something that we are disbursing as a country. We are making sure that they get everything they want, the former MP told Citi FM, adding I think it is about $300,000the agreement is just for two years. Unconstitutional Action The suit to get the Supreme Court to interpret the deal was filed by Margaret Bamfo, an 86-year-old retired Conference Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Henry Nana Boakye, a student of Ghana School of Law. They petitioned the Supreme Court to declare that former President John Mahama acted unconstitutionally by accepting the Al-Qaeda terrorists into Ghana. The case took a new twist on April 12, 2016 when the defendants, made up of the Attorney-General and the Minister of the Interior, filed a process averring that Ghana actually had an existing agreement with the United States government regarding the two detainees, whose presence in Ghana, continues to generate public uproar. On page 7 paragragh 3 of the AG's statement of case filed on March 16, the government said, We admit that there exists an agreement between the two governments, which was reached by the exchange of confidential diplomatic notes, otherwise known as Note Verbales. As a result of the U-turn by the government, De Medeiros & Associates, lawyers for the applicants, sought a request for the said agreement to be made available to them for scrutiny. Gitmo 2 Arrival It would be recalled that the previous Mahama administration announced that Ghana would host the terrorists for two years from the time of their arrival. When they were brought in, the NDC government stated that Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby were being offered humanitarian assistance in Ghana under a deal signed with the Obama administration. It turned out that the US was looking for a place to dump the two hardcore terrorists. According to US security report on the two suspects, Mohammed Bin Atef was a fighter in Osama bin Laden's former 55th Arab Brigade and he is an admitted member of the Taliban. He trained at al Farouq, the infamous al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan and participated in hostilities against US and coalition forces, and continues to demonstrate his support for Osama Bin Laden and extremism. By William Yaw Owusu 27.06.2017 LISTEN Adako-Jachie, (Ash), June 27, GNA - Prefos, a local electrical engineering and street bulbs assembling company at Adako-Jachie in the Ejsiu-Juaben Municipality, says quality is its watchword and denies having anything to do with sub-standard street bulbs fixed in parts of Kumasi. Mrs. Millicent Asante, Production Administrator of the Company, said the said streets bulbs were imported by the Energy Ministry. They did not assemble these and that they were only contracted to carry out the installation. This comes amid growing public concern about the quality of the 150 LED street bulbs. Mrs. Asante told journalists in Kumasi that the company was on July 2016, awarded a contract to replace over 4,000 250 watts HPS bulbs in some principal streets in the city with the 150 watts LED bulbs. Additionally, it was to erect 1,800 lampposts, fixed with LED bulbs. The company has so far installed about 3,918 bulbs, representing 89.70 per cent of the job. Some of the bulbs have already started to malfunction and this has given the residents cause to complain. Mrs. Asante indicated that Prefos, had over the years been contracted to assemble and install its own LED street bulbs at the Kotoka International Airport, Bole, Bupei, Berekum and other towns and these had been functioning without problems. She said the rationale behind the establishment of the assembling plant was to ensure that quality components from world renowned electrical companies were brought and assembled into more durable bulbs - bulbs with longer lifespan. Mr. Frank Agyeman, the Accounts Manager, said the company would not do anything to hurt its image. GNA By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah GNA Yendi (NR) June 27, GNA - The Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Naa Andani Yakubu Abdulai has appealed to government to complete the construction of the second phase of the Tamale International Airport to boost economic activities. He indicated that the Tamale International Airport would be instrumental to the people of Dagbon the entire country and neighbouring countries such as; Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger among others. He said as the Guest of Honour during the sod-cutting ceremony of the first Phase, he would continue to place an eagle eye on the project to ensure that it was completed to serve its purpose. Kampakuya Naa Andani Yakubu Abdulai made the appeal during his interaction with the media at the Gbewaa Palace at Yendi in the Northern Region after a month-long successful Ramadan and the peaceful prayers after the fasting in the Northern Region and Ghana as a whole. He gave the assurance that the completion of the project would help to reduce the movement of youth to the southern sector for non-existent jobs and also push those who were already in other regions home. He said the completion of the project would also boost the agriculture sector and facilitate the movement of pilgrims from Tamale International Airport to Jiydah. He hoped that government would this year lift Hajj pilgrims this year from the three Regions of the North to spare them the agony they go through, travelling from their respective locations to Accra and further to the holy land. Touching on the Ramadan fasting and prayers he said, he was grateful for the peace the people of Dagbon and Ghana had enjoyed for the past decade. He said it was important for them to change their attitude as Dagbon was part of Ghana and whatever happened in Dagbon also affected Ghana. He called on Muslims to change their attitude as their religion was not a violent. He said Northern Region was picking up in terms of development projects and appealed to the people not to engage in activities that could undermine the forward march. GNA 27.06.2017 LISTEN Accra, June 27, GNA - Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has re-stated the commitment of his country to explore ways of deepening relations and co-operation with Ghana for the mutual benefit of the two countries. 'There are a lot of things you (Ghana) are doing in mining, agriculture, infrastructure development, amongst others, which can benefit Zambia, by being emulated. It is about common, good practices, Mr President, and what you do better, we should not hesitate to emulate,' he told President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his delegation during bilateral at the commencement of a three-day state visit to Zambia. President Lungu told President Akufo-Addo that the outcome of the 2016 elections in Ghana 'was a true reflection of the confidence the people of Ghana have in your vision, and for that reason, we look forward to working closely with you during your tenure of office.' He regretted that though both countries had an agreement for the establishment of a Permanent Joint Commission on Co-operation (PJCC) to serve as the legal framework to address their trade and investment concerns, the arrangement had not been implemented. However, he indicated that the PJCC would be given a new lease of life under his and the tenure of office of President Akufo-Addo, so as to ensure that 'our Ministers will begin co-operating, and, henceforth, make the PJCC a living document.' President Lungu was confident that the pioneering role played by President Akufo-Addo, then foreign Minister of Ghana, in fashioning out the Ezulwini Consensus in 2005-, a position on international relations and reform of the United Nations agreed by the African Union- would be invaluable to the cause of the AU. 'You were a pioneer, you were there. So as we go to the UN General Assembly in September, I am sure that Africa can count on you as an anchor,' he added. 'We want a prosperous Africa, which is integrated, united, peaceful and secured, and influential, not only in Africa but in the UN family. 'Regional integration is one aspect which will lead us to the Africa we want. Zambia is proud to be a member of SADC, and we are equally proud of the role that you (President Akufo-Addo) are playing in ECOWAS, in terms of peace keeping in the region, and trying to find common grounds in improving co-operation and development of the African people we are privileged to look after,' he stressed. President Akufo-Addo on his part, thanked his Zambian counterpart for inviting him to visit Zambia, and expressed appreciation to him for attending his inauguration on January 7, 2017, even with the political upheavals that existed in Zambia at the time, as a result of a closely fought election. Noting the nearly six decade relations between Ghana and Zambia, President Akufo-Addo stated that 'in our time we must continue to build on it'. He said the implementation of the PJCC would be the means to strengthening the areas of co-operation in trade, agriculture, mining, investments, amongst others, between the two countries. On the Ezulwuni consensus, President Akufo-Addo noted that 'it is not right that we (Africa) continue to be marginalised on the Councils of the world. If, today, we make the decision to bring UN reforms back to the centre of the global agenda, I think it is an important thing to do. The G4 countries (Japan, Brazil, Germany and India) are ready to support the African position on UN reforms - the consensus that was fashioned in Ezulwini, some 12 years ago.' To the Zambian President, President Akufo-Addo assured that his visit is to reciprocate the hand of friendship that you extended to Ghana, 'and to be able to say that we are ready to go side-by-side with you in developing this new paradigm for our continent - democratic accountability, more rapid economic growth, focus on stimulating and empowering our various private sectors.' This, in the view of President Akufo-Addo, 'is the way forward for us to generate prosperity for our peoples in our time. That has to be the overriding concern - what we need to do to banish poverty on our continent. It continues to be an anomaly that we, who sit on the wealthiest resources, continue to be the poorest people in the world. That anomaly cannot continue.' The co-operation and collaboration of African countries with each other, President Akufo-Addo, said is the way to overcoming Africa's developmental hurdles and, thereby, bettering the lives of the African peoples. GNA By Ken Sackey, GNA By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Jun 27 (PTI) The IT investigation wing today said it is awaiting a reply from the Tamil Nadu government over alleged payment of bribes to a minister and top officials to facilitate sale of banned gutkha, but did not share details. "I can say that the information is true. I cannot share anything," a senior IT official told PTI on condition of anonymity. advertisement The official was responding to a query on a report in a leading English daily about the Income Tax department waiting for a response from the state government over the matter. "We have handed over the documents to police. This is all that I can say now," he said. The media report had claimed that the IT department searched the premises of a gutkha manufacturer last year and had seized documents detailing alleged payment of bribes to senior government officials. Reacting to the media report, DMK Working President and Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly, M K Stalin demanded action in the matter. He urged Chief Minister K Palaniswami to order a probe in this regard under a sitting judge of the Madras High Court and to take stern action against anyone allegedly involved if the report was found to be true. PTI VIJ SA APR TVS KUN --- ENDS --- Winneba (C/R), June 27, GNA - Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah has donated assorted commodities valued at thousands of Ghana Cedis to support Effutu Muslims towards the celebration of Eid Mubarak festival. The Items includes 55 cartons of soft drinks, 30 bags of rice and 60 bottles of frytol cooking oil. Making the donation at a ceremony at Winneba Zongo, Dr. Spio-Garbrah who was accompany by Alhaji Mohammed Nasiru of the Effutu Constituency branch of the NDC, said the gesture was aimed at given back to society the little that he has by the grace of the Almighty God acquired. I have been donating such items to support my Muslims brothers and Sister over ten years now, as part of my passion to support them, especially the needy ones, to make them feel happy during the period. He said Muslims in Upper East and West, Northern and Ashanti Regions had already benefited from such gesture from him. Dr Spio-Garbrah commended them for the peaceful and successful Ramadan, adding that he hoped they will continue to let the values for which they fasted reflect in all their daily dealings and also pray to Allah that the existing peace, harmony and tranquillity grow and be maintained to accelerate the goals of the country. Alhaji Tanko Salagah Special Aid to the Chief of Muslim Community in Effutu who received the items on behalf of the community, expressed his appreciation to Dr. Spio-Garbrah for his continuous gesture to Muslims and added that the items will be used for the purpose for which they were donated. Later prayers were said for Allah to guide, protect, led and grant him all his heart desires. GNA 27.06.2017 LISTEN Denyase (Ash), June 27, GNA - Children have been advised to take responsibility for their education by remaining focused and working hard on their books. Madam Faustina Osei Prempeh, Executive Director of Rights and Responsibilities Initiative Ghana (RRIG), an NGO, said as the government, the community, parents and other stakeholders provided the infrastructure, teaching and learning materials including books and computers, they should accept to do their part by concentrating on their studies. They should be disciplined, punctual to school, remain attentive in class and adopt the habit of reading. She told them to refuse to be distracted and avoid making any fatal mistakes they would be forced to live with for the rest of their life. She was speaking at a durbar organized at Denyase in the Bekwai Municipality to celebrate this year's International Day of the African Child. The theme chosen for the event was 'Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunity for children in Africa by 2030'. Madam Prempeh urged them not to fall into bad company, spend less time on the mobile phone and watching soap operas on television and resist peer pressure influence. She also used the occasion to remind parents to live up to their responsibility of ensuring the development and growth of children. They should help them to be God-fearing and give them good character training to make their lives meaningful to society. She highlighted the need to put premium on their education and make sure that their basic school needs were provided. Madam Aba Oppong, the Board Chairperson for RRIG, asked that young girls should not be pushed into early marriages, adding that, they should stay in school to pursue academic careers. GNA By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA 27.06.2017 LISTEN Accra, June 27, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday handed a 20 year jail term to one Samuel Ato, a Steel bender, for robbing two persons of various items including money. Samuel who was charged on five counts of robbery, pleaded guilty to all the charges, but was found guilty on two counts by the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh and sentenced accordingly. He is to serve 20 years on each count in hard labour which is to run concurrently. Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu told the Court that on May 31, this year at about 2200 hours, the complainants were sleeping when accused person and two others, now at large, armed with a double barrel gun entered their compound. The prosecution said the accused persons started collecting their personal items from room to room. He said the 'Items collected included an Iphone 6, wrist watches, power banks, canvas, and cash'. Mr Adu said sometime after the robbery, one Nana Prempeh, who was among the victims and a trader in mobile phones at the Tip-Toe lane, was at his shop, when Ato brought in a power bank for sale. He said the victim identified the power bank as one of the stolen items and when he got closer, he noticed the accused was wearing his canvas and wrist watch. The Prosecution said together, with other victims, they identified him as among those who robbed them, they then grabbed and handed him over to the Police. GNA By Hafsa Obeng, GNA 27.06.2017 LISTEN Accra, June 27, GNA - The teaching and learning of French language in Ghana has been given a boost, following a 700,000 Euro support from the Embassy of France. A statement issued by the French Embassy and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said the main purpose of the Fund was to develop and improve the teaching of the French language to meet the needs of learners in key institutional sectors such as the secondary level of education, the universities (scientific and technical fields) and the public service. Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Education and Mr FranAois Pujolas, France Ambassador to Ghana signed an agreement to that effect. The statement said the cooperation between the two countries had been translated in concrete terms into a number of projects over the years. According to the Embassy, so far, 380 senior high school teachers have been trained to use a new French textbook and more modern ways of teaching so as to motivate their students, while teachers at the university and in the public service were trained to include professional content to meet the needs of their trainees. The statement said seminars on the status of French within the various institutions, the review of syllabus and the creation of adequate teaching and learning resources as well as pedagogical training in Francophone countries were also organized. It said in addition, several institutions (54 schools, six universities and seven institutions) were being equipped with information technology (IT) material such as computers, self-learning software, video projectors and satellite dish to enable students improve their skills during or after classes. It said from now till 2018, many more teachers would be trained on teaching methodology, relevant teaching material, IT resources and assessment issues. On the way forward for better regional integration, the statement said the French Embassy was very positive on Ghana Government's vision to popularize French among the Ghanaian society, to introduce it from the primary level of education and to consolidate it at the junior high school and senior high school levels. "In its realization, we take into consideration the requests expressed by the Ministry of Education regarding the review of curricula at different levels, the training of more teachers through the Colleges of Education, and the integration of IT in the process of teaching and learning," the statement noted. It said the French Embassy was therefore, going to submit requests for additional funding to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Meanwhile, we encourage Ghana to continue strengthening its ties with the International Organization of Francophonie, to also benefit from their expertise and support alongside ours," it stated. Mr Pujolas said, "the practice of the French language is Ghana's best regional integration tool and it's also one of the best ways for economic development as a facilitator of dialogue, negotiations, and harmonization with its neighbours." "It is the key element that will enable Ghana to expand its labor market and we are very pleased to help in the realization of this outcome," he added. The statement said Ghanaians engage their West African neighbours in economic, political and cultural transactions which foster the integration of the sub region. It noted that however, a major challenge for its success remains the use of French language. It said this this reality had long been identified by both the Ghanaian government and the French Embassy, who have therefore, placed emphasis on the teaching and learning of the French language in the education system and the public service. GNA By Iddi Yire, GNA 27.06.2017 LISTEN Accra, June 27, GNA - Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader, has said Security and Defence matters demand comprehensive and multi-dimensional approaches to the prevention or resolution of crisis and conflicts. He said the nature of the threats the world was experiencing made it difficult to clearly delineate geo-political or operational boundaries or to draw battle lines. Mr Mensah-Bonsu was speaking at the opening of a two-week Defence Management course for civil servants and military officers at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Accra. The aim of the module is to expose uniformed and civilian personnel working within the security sector to the issues, principles and techniques relevant to the improving the governance and management of the defence and security sector. The course among other things is to familiarise participants with the domestic framework within which security and defence were both managed and delivered, to enable civil servants and military officers to locate defence within the wider context of national and regional security. It will facilitate among participants an understanding of the need for cooperation and coordination within the Ghanaian security and the wider benefits that the approach will deliver. He said the actors of this threat operated across international and interagency jurisdictions. 'Under these circumstance, it is important to understand the role various Ministries, Departments and Agencies play in the defence of the nation, the security of our sub-region and that of Africa as a whole and must not be underestimated,' he added. The Majority Leader said beyond that, participants must seek out ways to enhance cooperation and collaboration, indicating that the reason for that course was clear. Mr Mensah-Bonsu said the effective and efficient management of defence was multi-dimensional and multi-social in nature and hinged on the collaboration of various agencies in both the public and private sectors. 'Teamwork is crucial for effective and efficient National Development,' he said. He urged participants of the Defence Management Course 2017 to use the forum to carefully appreciate each other's role and responsibilities to offer solution based on empirical study. GNA By Morkporkpor Anku/ Fiabu William, GNA Accra, June 27, GNA - A research by Migrating out of Poverty team at the Centre for Migration Studies (CMS), University of Ghana, has called for five policy recommendations to regulate and enhance the positive contributions of migration for domestic work. The research on 'Migration for Domestic Work in Ghana: Implications for Poverty Reduction', expressed the need for development through promoting rural and broad-based regional progress to reduce spatial inequalities. According to the study such policies must promote small and medium-sized towns across Ghana as alternative centres to rural-urban migrants. It also called for scaling up public education on the rights of migrant domestic workers and strengthen relevant state agencies both financially and technically to implement international and national laws on the protection of migrants working in domestic service. 'Institute and enforce legal instruments to regulate wages and work conditions in the informal sector, including the domestic work sector. The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Labour Department must be strengthened to monitor the activities and operations of recruitment agencies effectively. 'Facilitate the ratification of International Labour organisation (ILO) Convention 189 on Decent work for Domestic workers to protect domestic workers as well as recognise the gendered character of the informal economy and domestic work in developing policies and programmes to address vulnerabilities in domestic work,' it added. Dr Joseph K. Teye, a Research Co-ordinator, Migration out of Poverty Consortium at CMS, presenting the findings of the research at a workshop organised for members of Media Network on Migration (MENOM), in Accra said domestic work contributed significantly to the functioning of families, households and the labour markets for Ghana's economic and social development. However, it is largely undervalued as it carries a low value accorded to women's unpaid care work as a result it is poorly regulated and undertaken outside the realm of labour regulations. He said although Ghana had no holistic policy that addressed domestic work, there were various laws, which provided an overall policy and institutional framework for conditions of work and in providing for the rights of workers, including domestic work. This should include the 1992 Constitution, the Labour Act (Act No. 651 of 2003) and its legislative instruments, the Children's Act and the Domestic Violence Act. 'Given the fact that the informal sector is the main economy of Ghana, this means that most workers in Ghana do not enjoy the protection of labour laws. Furthermore, the informality of domestic work and its occurrence in the private sphere has meant that their rights are often not enforced,' he said. Dr Teye noted that the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and its Labour Department were the key institutions governing recruitment of migrant labour and particularly migrant domestic workers. He said monitoring the activities and operations of recruitment agencies and intermediaries by the Labour Department was however hampered by lack of adequate staff and adequately trained labour officers. 'Although ILO convention 189 on decent work for domestic workers is yet to be ratified, there are increasing calls from Labour unions and other stakeholders for its ratification in Ghana. 'The Domestic services workers union (DSWU) has recently been formed with affiliation to the Ghana Trades Union Congress,' he added. Dr Teye said the findings indicate that while domestic workers, in general face several challenges which are related to the unequal power relations, there are clearly gendered differences in the experiences of male and female migrant domestic workers in Ghana. 'While male migrant domestic workers receive relatively higher salaries and have a higher status in households because of their skills, which give them stronger agency, the multiple household tasks performed by female domestic workers are under-valued. 'Female domestic workers receive lower salaries even though they work longer hours. 'Part of this problem is due to the fact that patriarchal gendered norms are transferred to the domestic work market The findings, he said, also suggested that the portrayal of migrant domestic workers as passive agents and as victims, may not always reflect the entire situation as they exercise some agency and employ various forms of strategies to survive in the various contexts and to influence and shape their work situations. 'The formation of a domestic services workers union, should provide avenues for the regulation and protection of domestic workers. It is therefore important that policies to protect the rights of migrant domestic workers recognise and understand these nuances in order not to further disadvantage migrant domestic workers. Professor Mariam Awumbila, Director, Migrating out of Poverty Consortium, CMS, said the project was a seven-year research programme consortium (RPC) funded by the UK's Department for International Development. She said the project focused on the relationship between internal and regional migration and poverty and was located in six regions across Asia, Africa and Europe. The RPC is co-ordinated by the University of Sussex. Prof Awumbila said the goal of the Migrating out of Poverty RPC was to maximise the poverty reducing and developmental impacts of migration and minimise the costs and risks of migration for poor people. 'Although migration does not necessarily lead to such positive outcomes, the Migrating out of Poverty RPC works to produce research, which sheds light on the circumstances in which migration can most effectively reduce poverty,' she added. She announced that the Ghana project would wind up in June 30 after which there was hope for another phase. Following on from the Migration DRC which was established in 2003, Migrating out of Poverty is undertaking a programme of research, capacity-building, training and promotion of dialogue to provide the strong evidential and conceptual bases needed for such policy approaches. Migrating out of Poverty is funded by the UK's Department for International Development, although the views expressed in the policy briefing do not express DFID's official policy. Th e CMS, is the West African core partner for the Migrating out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium (RPC). GNA By Patience Gbeze, GNA 27.06.2017 LISTEN Accra, June 27, GNA - Stanbic Bank, in partnership with Roverman Productions, has honoured one of Ghana's most distinguished Statesmen, His Excellency FLT. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings on his 70th birthday with a play titled, 'Damaged Goods'. The event, which was held at the National Theatre, provided a platform for the Ex-President to share with friends and family the marking of a significant milestone in his life. The occasion was graced by some members of the diplomatic corps, Government officials, civil society and celebrities. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mawuko Afadzinu, Head of Marketing & Communications, Stanbic Bank, said the Bank's partnership with Roverman Productions was line with the Bank's innovative means of showcasing its commitment to innovation and celebration of the African Heritage. 'The aim of the partnership with Roverman Productions was to show our support for true and selfless statesmanship - traits which have been exhibited by the Former President in myriad ways,' he said. After the play, Ebo Whyte, CEO of Roverman Productions, eulogized Jerry John Rawlings, recounting how the Former President had contributed to the growth and development of the country. He told the story of how he mustered the courage to quieten a great public upheaval in the 70s. Mr. Whyte commended the Ex-President's remarkable penchant for defending the vulnerable in society and his support for many young people to further their education. Roverman Productions is a brand that exudes quality and 'Ghanaianess'. Its plays are inspired by true life occurrences and are uniquely crafted to suit the Ghanaian context. GNA Accra, June 27, GNA - World Vision International, Ghana, (WVIG) a non-Governmental Organisation, has urged the Government to increase the legal age of consensual sex from 16 to 18 to combat the menace of child marriage. The NGO is thus advocating for the immediate amendment of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29 Section 14 (a) which allows children to have consensual sex at 16 to be consistent with the legal marriage age of 18. The call was made at a media briefing on the Organisation's five year global campaign dubbed: 'End Child Marriage Now: It takes us all'. It aims at contributing to a 50 per cent reduction of child marriage in Ghana by 2021. The Ghana Demographic Health Survey 2014 Report reveals that one in four women marry before 18 years, representing 27 per cent. Out of this, seven per cent are married by 15 years. But in the Northern Region, the rate is about 39 per cent. Child marriage in rural areas is about 36 per cent, while in the urban areas where it stands at 19 per cent. WVIG said though the country had recorded a considerable reduction in the rates of child marriage from 31.5 per cent in 2008 to 27.2 per cent in 2014, the current rate 'was still unacceptably high', which required robust plans to fight it. Globally, the campaign, which forms part of the World Vision International Global Partnership's five-year campaign dubbed: 'It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children', primarily, aims at contributing towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5.3). Mr Dickens Thunde, the National Director of the World Vision, described as an 'anomaly', the inconsistency of the legal age for consensual sex in Ghana with that of marriage and called for a forensic review of the framework to make it more meaningful. Mr Thunde blamed the increasing rate of child marriages and teenage pregnancy partly on this legal anomaly, saying, 'This means some children will continue to have premarital sex for two years before reaching the legal age for marriage.' He argued that, the 1992 Constitution and the Children's Act 1998 (Act 560) both defined a child as a person below the age of 18, while child marriage occurred when one or both spouses were below the age of 18. Consequently, he said, it was imprudent to scale the age of consensual sex to 16. The World Vision's National Director noted that the menace of child marriage robbed its victims of their rights to health, protection, and education, saying ,'together they perpetuate a vicious cycle of poverty.' Mr Thunde, therefore, asked the Government to inject adequate financial resources into the implementation of the National Strategic Framework to end child marriage by 2026 as Ghana had targeted. Madam Esther Lehmann-Sow, the World Vision's Regional Director for West Africa, told the Ghana News Agency that the campaign, which would be launched at Tamale on Friday, June 30, would improve the legal enforcement of child protection laws, especially the Marriage Act: Act 560. It would also identify harmful social norms and practices against children and work towards their elimination. Additionally, it would work to empower institutions and faith communities to care and protect children from child marriage. Madam Lehmann-Sow called on all stakeholders, including the media, to 'raise the anger against child marriage to empower children to attain their socio-economic and political goals.' GNA By Gideon Ahenkorah/ Karen Appah, GNA Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has assured Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of governments support in various ways to harness their full potential. In this direction, Mr Ofori-Atta said the government would establish an Industrial Development Fund to finance critical initiatives of SMEs. The Minister said this in a speech delivered on his behalf at the 2017 International SME Business Network breakfast meeting in Accra on the theme: Facilitating Economic Growth of SMEs through Global Partnership. The Finance Minister said the SME sector globally contributed significantly to national economies and seen as an important contributor to economic growth and prosperity. In Ghana, the sector can safely be regarded as the backbone of the economy, employing thousands of people, he said. Mr Ofori-Atta said the government was realigning the focus of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre to attract financing and investments into selected strategic industries. He said the government would restructure the existing state-sponsored microfinance schemes to provide credit to SMEs, and strengthen oversight responsibilities over privately-financed micro-finance institutions. On energy, Mr Ofori-Atta said government would be creating a dedicated quality and reliable energy supply sources to industrial enclaves and zones. Mr Ofori-Atta reiterated governments commitment to address the problems in the power sector to ensure the reliability of power to industries at a competitive price. He said government would also have in place a comprehensive National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan to serve as an investment support for young businesses and start-ups. He said the flexible nature of SMEs make them adaptable to changing market conditions and better suited to withstand cyclical downturns. Mr Ofori-Atta said key actors could globalise SMEs in innovation systems guaranteeing that the government was ever ready to create an enabling and conducive atmosphere for business development. Government in the 2017 Budget initiated the process of building the most business-friendly and people-oriented economy in Africa, which will translate into job creation and prosperity for all, he noted. He said the SME sector was yet to harness its full potential due to the myriad of problems it faced, which included limited access to credit, non-availability of suitable technology, low production capacity. The breakfast meeting was put together by the Entrepreneurship Foundation of Ghana and the Ministry of Trade and Industry as part of the commemoration of United Nations International SME business day. Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, 27 June, 2017 The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved the 2016 Annual report and 2017 Work plan and budget of the African Water Facility (AWF), with particular reference to the use of an amount up to 1.925 million for the administrative budget of AWF out of the Special Water Fund for 2017 activities. The fund will contribute to meeting the challenges of the activities in 2017, including: Resource mobilization; Operations; Strategic review; Documenting and disseminating results and knowledge emanating from AWF operations. The activities also comprise, Human resources; Enhancing communications, visibility and outreach through greater use of social media tools, and participation in key international water events. The AWF will also continue to fully engage with AMCOW and other development partners to better coordinate and harmonise its activities. Board members also underscored progress made by the AWF in spite of the funding challenges, urging other facilities facing similar contests to learn from it. At its Annual meeting in December 2016 in Abidjan, the AWF Governing Council approved the long-term strategy 2017 to 2025. But the Facility continues to face human resources and core funding challenges. Also, the level of funding in the Water Fund has now reached critical levels, with the AWF unable to ensure continuity of operations beyond 2017. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel with pledged funding from Canada and ongoing discussions with Austria, NDF and BMGF to replenish their funding to the AWF Special Fund. The Vice-President in charge of agriculture, human & social development, Jennifer Blanke, remarked that AWF has achieved a great work in preparing to finance projects and increasing the delivery capacity of implementing agencies in member countries. The AWF has the framework to increase our delivery capacity in water related operations beyond what we are doing currently. We will need the Banks continued financial support to make this leap in the AWF operations, she said. For his part, the Bank Group Senior Vice-President, Charles Boamah who chaired the Board meeting expressed support for the idea of cost recovery mechanism being introduced in AWFs new strategy and recommended closer collaboration with African Legal Resource Facility which has made some progress on the same issue. It would be recalled that the Annual report provides an account of activities undertaken and results achieved by the Facility for the year under review. The reporting is made against the priorities established in the AWF Strategic Plan 2012-2016 and its Results-Based Logical Framework (RBLF). Osward Chanda OIC Director, Water and Sanitation Department & AWF [email protected] Three journalists of American news channel CNN resigned after writing a story about members from Trump administration having financial ties with Russia. By Indo-Asian News Service: Three journalists of American news channel CNN, including the head of the investigative unit, resigned after writing a story about members of President Donald Trump's electoral campaign having financial ties with Russia. Reporter Thomas Frank, editor Eric Lichtblau and the executive editor of CNN's investigative unit, Lex Haris, presented their resignations, which the TV channel accepted, Efe news reported. advertisement Trump spread the news on his Twitter account with the words: "Fake News CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories. Ratings way down!" Trump, who has never moderated his tweets since taking office, at the same time slammed other reputable media like The New York Times, The Washington Post and television channels NBC, CBS and ABC for also publishing "fake news" about his administration. Fake News CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories. Ratings way down!- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017 So they caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News!- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017 A spokesman for the TV channel had announced that "in the aftermath of the retraction of a story published on CNN.com, CNN has accepted the resignations of the employees involved in the story's publication". According to CNN, the story published on June 20 did not comply with the standards of quality, precision and exhaustive reviews imposed by the editorial department, particularly because it was based on a single anonymous source. The story said that Congress was investigating the ties of a Russian investment fund with Trump officials, including Anthony Scaramucci, adviser to the US President. Such investigative reports are expected to be reviewed at several editorial levels, fact-checked and passed through a filter of other journalists and editors, as well as of company lawyers. The story was published only on the Web, not on the TV news channel, and all links to it have been deactivated. Also Read Ahead of PM Modi's visit, US approves sale of 22 Guardian drones to India --- ENDS --- 28.06.2017 LISTEN The immediate past administration under the stewardship of John Mahama never had respect for the laws of the land. Many of the provisions in the constitution were violated for some reasons known to ex president John Mahama and his appointees. The past NDC government never upheld the constitution of the State and for that matter, the sovereignty of the State was at stake under Mahama's watch. A clear case is the hosting of the GITMO 2. Art 1 (1) of the 1992 Forth Republican Constitution of Ghana states "The sovereignty of Ghana resides in the people in whose name and for whose welfare the powers of government are to be exercised in the manner and within the limits laid down in this constitution". In the famous GITMO 2 saga, one will ask, in whose interest did the then President John Mahama ratified the agreement to accept and host the two world known terrorists in Ghana? Art 75(2) " A treaty, agreement or convention executed by or under the authority of the President shall be subjected to ratification by (a) Act of Parliament (b) a resolution of Parliament supported by more than one-half of all members of Parliament. This simply written clause which requires no legal technicality when reading was violated by the Mahama led NDC government under the auspices of "yen tie obiaa". John Mahama brought into Ghana the GITMO 2 without parliamentary approval and to the uttermost surprise of Ghanaians, when the former president was asked about the Guantanamo Bay detainees he brought to Ghana, all he (Mahama) could murmur was " let's have compassion for them". The New Patriotic Party is said to have been blessed with "Babies with sharp brains" and the final verdict given by the Supreme Court on 22nd June 2017, comes to affirm the intellectual capacity of the youth in NPP. On 21st January 2016, Henry Nana Boakye - popularly known as Nana B, filed a suit against Mahama's government at the highest court of the land. After a year and six months, the Supreme Court - the final arbiter of the laws of our motherland ruled in favour of the plaintiff - that, the coming of Gitmo 2 and the continuing hosting of them is unconstitutional. However, according to former President Mahama, he consulted some religious leaders and security experts before accepting to host them in Ghana. Mahama interfered with the duties of the judiciary with the famous Montie 3 and trampled on parliament with Gitmo 2. Only the executive arm of government was functioning under Mahama's government. No wonder corruption was its prime attribute. Considering ex president Mahama's justification, one can deduce that ex president Mahama deliberately violated the laws of the land. Ex President John Mahama knew very well that Parliament was not going to approve the coming of Gitmo 2 hence, he decided to take the backdoor - a suicidal move which is among the major factors that led to the fall of NDC in the 2016 elections. John Mahama did not only violate Art 75, he also violated the Presidential Oath which he sworn before mounting the highest political office of the land. Excerpts of the Presidential Oath goes "that I will at all times preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the Republic of Ghana". The youth of Ghana salute Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B) for defending the constitution of Ghana even when he was under no oath to do so. The New Patriotic Party should keep producing " babies with sharp brains" for their services are needed for the development of mother Ghana. "Our beloved country Ghana, is free forever" - a declaration made by Ghana's first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah meant that, John Mahama cannot collaborate with foreign countries to dictate to Ghanaians. Ghana is a sovereign State and must be accorded the needed respect it deserves. Long live Ghana Nana Ofori Kissi Ratina Atiwa Writer President Nana Akufo-Addo says his government is determined to establish the Office of the Special Prosecutor because it will significantly boost governments capacity to fight corruption. He said the proposed anti-graft institution will be independent and will not discriminate in the prosecution of persons involved in corrupt practices. Speaking to Ghanaian residents in Zambia on Tuesday, the President said drafters of the bill which is yet to reach Parliament have ensured that the Special Prosecutor remains truly independent. When people are prosecuted, it is no longer witch hunting. It is not Akufo-Addo who is against his opponents...it will be the law taking its own course, and the law in Ghana should take its own course against all of us irrespective of our status, our politics or our ethnic [group] we are all equal before the law, the President said. The bill, which is currently at the consultative stage, will go to Parliament after a final draft is presented to Cabinet. The setting up of the office was a major campaign issue in the 2016 elections with the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) promising to set up an institution to oversee all prosecutions of corrupt public officials. Related: Special Prosecutor bill undergoes scrutiny Prosecutions of public officials in the past have been greeted with allegations of witch-hunting. At the event in Zambia, the President said corruption in public institution is a major challenge that must be rooted out at all cost. It has to stop. It has to stop. It is for the future of our country, he stressed. The Independent Prosecutor is likely to have a seven-year non-renewable tenure in office, according to Deputy Attorney General, Joseph Kpenka. Mr Kpenka said the seven-year tenure is enough to guarantee for the person to be able to secure convictions for persons deemed to have misappropriated public funds. Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has dismissed the proposed institution as a duplication of the functions of the Attorney General's Department. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected] A Ghanaweb.com general news webpage story with the title: "China bans fruits and vegetables from Ghana" immediately caught my eye, as I scanned through the Ghana-focused online portal's news headlines. Apparently, it was the deputy minister for trade and industry, Hon. Carlos Ahenkora, who divulged news of that sad reality to the media. Clearly, it is counter productive to continue burying our heads in sand on the issue of applying synthetic chemicals and pesticides in farming across our homeland Ghana. In the long-term, strategically, it simply no longer makes sense commercially to continue using synthetic fertilisers and pesticides in farming, if we want to target overseas markets - and, above all, if we want to have a healthy population. Unfortunately, the trouble about Ghana, is that we seldom connect things. Sadly, lobbyists working for the greedy and wealthy individuals who control the importation and distribution of agro-chemicals in this country, have so many of the members of our ruling elites in their pockets. On a daily basis. Literally. For example, why is it that Parliament passes all manner of laws that are clearly detrimental to the well-being of our nation and its people? Food for thought. But I digress. Alas, the worst is yet to come, as regards the banning of agricultural produce such as fruits and vegetables, from Ghana, in overseas markets. Ghana's pesticide-laden cocoa beans will eventually end up like that too soon if our hard-of-hearing vampire-elites continue to refuse to listen to those of us in the cocoa farming sector who have insisted for years that we must focus on growing cocoa organically in this country - if the industry is to survive and thrive. We must simply discourage the widespread use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides in farms across Ghana - for the plain truth is they actually pose a risk to public health in Ghana. Full stop. A much better and greener alternative - that is incidentally doing wonders for the coffee-growing industries of nations such as Rwanda - BioDeposit, is available. Today, not tomorrow. Fortunately, it can be used to effectively replace all the different brands of the carcinogenic agro-chemicals and synthetic fertilisers now being used by farmers with such disastrous effect on the health of so many Ghanaians. But, first, the powerful lobbyists working for the super-wealthy mafiosi that control the importation and distribution of agro-chemicals into Ghana must be defeated. And, quickly, too. If this government's ministerial team in charge of the ministry of food and agriculture were wise, they would encourage all the nation's farmers to switch to using BioDeposit's very effective natural products for all categories of farming in Ghana - to ensure bumper harvests of pesticide-free agricultural produce galore. That makes a great deal of sense for Mother Ghana - in our humble view. Hmm, Oman Ghana - enti yewieye paa enei? Asem kesie ebeba debi ankasa! 28.06.2017 LISTEN Saudi Arabia, with the bellicose support of President Trump, has launched a diplomatic and partial economic offensive against the ridiculously small state of Qatar and is dragging its allies, the United Arab Emirates in particular, into a potential major headache. You see the de facto capital of the Emirates is Abu Dhabi which uses Qatari natural gas to generate half of its electricity via the Qatar-Abu Dhabi-Oman pipeline. So if Qatar really felt threatened it would pull the plug, and at least for a month or so, challenge the very survival of Abu Dhabi, for how many Emiratis let alone expats would be able to last +40c/105f temperatures without electricity? The Emirates capital city would have to import Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) which it doesn't have the infrastructure prepared for as well as convert its electrical generators to LNG from natural gas, something that could take over a month to get up and running, no matter the $Billions the Emirates have to throw at the problem. So the Saudis picking a fight with their long time villains, the Qatari's, could crash the Emirates economy and put a serious strain on the so called coalition of the willing, that is those still committed to the quagmire in Yemen and its assorted crimes, another source of strain between the two allies. The Emirates hate the Qatari's, not without reason, and we know that the Emirates foreign legion has been concocting nasty plans against them in league with a pro-Israel PR Hit Squad in the USA. Still, the Emirates are dependent on Qatari gas so the shit could really hit the fan if the young newly crowned Saudi Prince and de facto commander in chief steps over the line and provokes a Qatari response. Qatar and Iran, the snake that the Saudis so infamously wanted the CIA to cut the head off of, share the Pars natural gas field under the Persian gulf waters, the 3rd largest such in the world whose exploitation of has made Qatar the worlds largest natural gas exporter. If Qatar gets into a serious fight with Iran, which is what the Saudis are demanding, than the Qatari economy could hit the skids for Qatar only exports 600k barrels of oil a day, not nearly enough to sustain its international and domestic commitments. Reality is the Emirates have much more serious trade relations with Iran than Qatar. Oman on the other hand, has even closer economic and political ties with its ancient fraternal brothers and sisters in the land of the Persians and the Saudis arent attacking the Omanis, so why the pissing match with Qatar? Like I said, this animosity is nothing new just the latest flare up, for back in 2014 the Saudis led a break in diplomatic ties that lasted 8 months, and are now led by a much more hotheaded royal, in his early thirties and up until Trump, it seemed that the USA had abandoned the Saudis in favor of the nuclear deal with Iran, taking regime change off the table and leaving the Arabs on their own. These have been scary times for the Arabian peninsula tribes, leading to amongst other actions, the Emirates giving the UN Security Council and its sanctions against Eritrea, in other words the USA, the finger by building its new navy base and airfield in Assab, Eritrea. Qatar and the royal family of Saud, both installed by the British after WW1, have been at each others throats for many years now. We know thanks to Wikileaks the Qatari's were pushing the Americans to engineer a coup against the Saudis while the house of Saud was trying to restore the grandfather of the present Emir, whose father deposed his own father in a palace coup and who was forced to abdicate to his son by the Saudis. The Saudis cant militarily attack Qatar, not with the largest US military installation in west Asia and everyone knows it. The so called economic blockade of Qatar has failed so far with Turkey stepping in to provide everything Qatar needs. True, the Al Jazeera satelite television channel has been a finger in the eye of the Saudis and Emirates but AJs main viewer base in Africa, west and south Asia, over a billion people, is via the two main satellite channels, Arabsat and Nilesat. These free channels can be accessed by anyone for as little as $40 for a satellite dish and receiver and a television. Arabsat is owned by the Saudis and Nilesat by Egypt. They kicked the Iranian Arabic channel off just like the Europeans kicked off Irans PressTV from their satellite systems. So why is the anti-Qatar lot allowing Al Jazeera to continue to spew its attacks on them via the big two satellite channels they own? Why? Its a pissing contest, really, and other than pissing and moaning little of anything in the way of real conflict is going on. Maybe this will change in time but its hard to see the major powers internationally allowing this to get out of hand. The Saudis eventually will to try some face saving compromise and Qatar might have to eat some crow, but when all is said and done all of it will amount to little more than a urine stain on the political fabric on the Arabian Peninsula. Thomas C. Mountain is an independent journalist in Eritrea, living and reporting from here since 2006. See thomascmountain on Facebook or best reach him at thomascmountain at g mail dot com Dear Mr. Ashigbey, This blog congratulates you for your forthrightness in the speech you recently gave at the #UnitedAgainstGalamsy event organised by The Press Foundation (TPF). Incidentally, the whole nation awaits your naming and shaming the country's biggest galamsey syndicate's head in Ghana - who apparently owns 1000 excavators and runs a Chinese restaurant in Accra, our nation's capital. Sir, for the sake of our dear country, and the overall well-being of present and future generations of the Ghanaian people, the media - many sections of which are irresponsible, fickle and fairweather friends of the Ghanaian masses if truth be told - need to remain committed to the fight to protect what is left of our nation's natural heritage, from galamsey operators. All of us in the Ghanaian media world, both old and young, need to understand clearly that this is a long-term collective effort and commitment. And there is no turning back, either. Full stop. Above all, one hopes that the fight against galamsey will be done as a collective corporate social responsibilty initiative by all Ghana's media houses and the media professionals they employ. And it must be a fight devoid of the usual Ghanaian propensity to envy capable and successful individuals at the workplace, and the metaphorical shoving and elbowing of others aside, with an eye to obtaining prizes and winning accolades. For that reason, do use your considerable influence in the Ghanaian media world to ensure that no journalist or media house is ever given an award or prize for fighting galamsey in Ghana. Ever. Neither should any journalist or media house seek to profit financially from the fight against galamsey. As patriots who love their country, we in the Ghanaian media world ought to be bold to demand that all surface gold mining in our homeland Ghana is banned forthwith. Furtheremore, it must be pointed out that were honest and patriotic journalists to accompany equally honest and patriotic officials from the Minerals Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Water Resources Commission, to inspect the operations of all the legally registered small-scale mining companies across the nation, not a single one of them will escape being slapped with an order to cease their operations immediately. The point also needs to made that all those smalll-scale companies without exception mine gold far in excess of the 25-acre limits imposed on them statutorily, when given concessions by the Minerals Commission Invariably, they also routinely use their legally sanctioned documentation obtained from the regulatory bodies to fraudulently cover illegal mining operations on land in other areas away from their concessions, which they buy from desperately poor farmers for peanuts. Sir, if the minister for lands and natural resources, Hon. John Peter Amewu, and reps from the Ghanaian media were to visit my family's 14-square mile freehold upland evergreen rainforest property at the Akyem Juaso section of the Atewa Range, I would be able to show them all the evidence (on the ground so to speak) that they need to enable them to understand clearly just how crooked and thoroughly dishonest the entire small-scale gold mining sector actually is. During such a visit, Hon. John Peter Amewu and the media team accompanying him, will also get to understand why we must ban all surface gold mining in Ghana once and for all, because it poses a threat to the well-being of our nation and its people. The nonsense about job creation by small-scale miners that is bandied about by them is just that: pure nonsense on bamboo stilts. The plain truth is that they are callously exploiting poor rural dwellers and knowingly exposing them to carcinogenic heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, to make money at society's expense. That is immoral and callous in the extreme. Finally, Sir, when the Hon. John Peter Amewu and the representatives of the media in Ghana accompanying him, eventually see the amazing beauty of our family's freehold upland evergreen rainforest property (which lies in an area of the Atewa Range designated a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area by Conservation International) they will understand how when the world's longest forest canopy walkway (1000 metres long with 19 bridges), which we will be building there soon, God willing, will create a sustainable and thriving local green economy that will bring real wealth and jobs galore to the residents of Akyem Juaso, Akyem Saamang and Akyem Osino, till the very end of time. Yet, right up to the period between when President Akufo-Addo won power on 7th December, 2016, and was sworn into office to govern Ghana on 7th January, 2017, Hagnela Mining Company, and its assigns, were fraudulently using documentation issued by regulatory bodies - for a concession in a different area of forest away from our property, which should never have been given out as concessions in the first place, if the Fanteakwa District Assembly's regulatory bodies were doing their work properly and honestly - as a cloak to hide the fact that they were actually engaged in illegal gold mining operations on our family's freehold forestland in partnership with my criminally-minded cousin, Kwame Thompson, our greedy and corrupt Abusuapanin, Mr. Bampoe, and our now dismissed overseer, the big-thief John Awuku, alias "Red." This blog is convinced that such a visit, should it ever take place, will show the minister and the Ghanaian media professionals accompanying him, why it would be extremely stupid on the part of Ghanaians to sit unconcerned and let greedy and selfish people who do not care one jot about the effect of their actions on their fellow humans, and on forests and delicate ecosystems across Ghana, to destroy what is left of our nation's natural heritage. Sir, astonishingly, last year (2016) Thailand earned as much as US$71 billion from 31 million visitors. Imagine that. Could we not earn even a quarter of that figure if we build an ecotourism industry anchored on what is left of our nation's natural heritage - and create wealth that stays in rural Ghana and jobs galore for our younger generations too, I ask? We must ban all surface gold mining in Ghana - a foolish and dangerous policy idea forced on the hapless Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime by the World Bank in the 1980s: because they knew it would take the already-high net worth of the shareholders of Western gold mining companies to stratospheric heights and make them even wealthier from regular dividend payments from those gold mining companies destroying our natural heritage. The price we have paid as a people over the decades in terms of the destruction of most of our nation's natural heritage has simply not been worth it. We must end this abomination once and for all. Enough is enough. Haaba! Thanks. Yours in the service of Mother Ghana, Kofi Thompson. 28.06.2017 LISTEN It was a hot Thursday morning at the Banking hall. The huge hall was filled with virtually only National Servitude Personnel (NSP) who have come to take their end of month pittance. Those coins politicians have nicknamed allowance had unnecessarily delayed for the second month of the year and was paid around 8th of the 3rd month. This banking hall was packed because in the capital of the municipality, this is the only bank with proper e-zwich service. Forget about the other part of the municipality. You do not ask about friends when the family is already sleeping in hunger. As a servitude personnel, I had also come for my coins. In the long queue leading to the single teller who was serving the entire hall-full customers I met Kwarpong. You would not want to fault the bank for using just a single teller to serve customers in this huge banking hall. On a normal day, this bank does not serve even fifty customers. Probably, it is the reason why they are the only bank with proper e-zwich access to boost their customer base. As a means of punishment, politicians have decided not to pay the coins into peoples own choiced bank accounts. So wherever one finds his/her self, you will have to locate a e-zwich location at the end of every month and sometimes in some locations, the e-zwich service could go off for over a month or two. So for the people in this municipality, this bank is a heaven on earth. As if talking to himself or I dont know if he was talking to me or the guy behind him for I was just standing right in front of him, Kwarpong started lamenting why the country has failed its graduates. This country? Hmmmm he said. Very typical of fresh Ghanaian graduates especially young men, you are only relevant in the eyes of your pals if you could rattle the pidgin language. Kwarpong continued like the for bi some support fund bi dem for take give graduates after service wey dey go use search job or dey for increase the alawa so say as you dey do service you go save some den use search job after service. No one in particular seemed to be paying attention to Kwarpong as he goes on with his unending lamentations. Probably fed up with speaking to himself and realising the queue was almost getting to my turn, he tapped me at the shoulder and asked or my guy what u dey think? It was my first time ever meeting him on this earth. A very nicely dressed young man. I only responded with hmmm. My response was a big relief for Kwarpong to unleash all his frustration on me. My guy, after service, you for get money you go take print dis chaw CVs, applications, transportation here and there, even the data to search for available opportunities or the money to buy papers to search for available vacancies sef. Or my guy you no dey bab wat I dey talk? Obviously, Kwarpong needed a response but unfortunately for him, hes got the wrong guy. I was very much interested in whatever he was saying but just wanted him to go on without interfering and so I was not going to give him any response except my usual hmmm. But obviously, a frustrated Kwarpong who probably has been harbouring his frustration for ages and has been looking for a victim to pour them on him/her has met a saviour and he will unleash everything on him like a parrot who has eaten pepper whether he is listening or not. Kwarpong went on and on and on until it got to my turn to go for my coins and leave the banking hall. As I was leaving the banking hall, the ideas in Robert Kiyosakis Rich Dad, Poor Dad which I read sometime ago started conflicting with what Kwarpong had been telling me in my mind. Interestingly, around that same time, I had just finished reading How to become rich by Donald Trump and had started reading The Richest Man in Babylon and several other business related books. With all the hopes these books give me, the practicality of the situation had not dawn on me until that unplanned meeting with frustrated Kwarpong. Could Kwarpong be right? The immediate answer that came to me was NO. Unlike Kwarpong, I may not be looking for opportunities after National Servitude, I will create the opportunities for myself. Then the big question of where do you get the start-up capital to start creating the said opportunity came to mind. One thing that struck me most listening to Kwarpong lament his tales was when he said my guy what dey bore me koraa bi dat fin dem dey tell we when we dey school say start your business, start your business, ibi sand dem dey take start business? Mr. Kiyosaki must have been lucky, he had Mikes dad to help him, he also in the initial stages was able to secure some jobs. This is a certain Kwarpong who is lost completely in where he will be after his one year of compulsory National Servitude. Life is about letting your money work for you but how about if you dont have the money and especially in a society where the little help politicians make noise about are reserved for whom they know. So I ask, in the mind of the Poor Ghanaian Graduate, what is next after National Service? NB: The name Kwarpong is just a mere creation of the writer and does not represent any person. Any person with such name is entreated to treat this as purely coincidental. The Ideas expressed in this writeup are originally those of the writer and should not be reproduced anywhere without the permission of the writer. It is however free to be shared. The writer is a student leader, a youth activist and a journalist. Kwasi Frimpong SayItRight 0201833775 [email protected] Twitter: @qfrimp 28.06.2017 LISTEN Relations between two sovereign nations should be conducted on the basis that both are adults. Adults discuss the real issues that threaten to derail their relationships. If they live closely together and an important fence that serves them both breaks down, they try to find realistic ways of repairing the damage. They like children offer to share their sweets. The majority of the reports that I have read about the outcome of the talks between Vice-President Muhammadu Bawumia's delegation and the Chinese Government ignored the elephant that must have been present in th room: galamsey. On the other hand, a lot is made of what has been described as a jackpot of $2 billion that China has promised to Ghana to finance industries. The total possible financial outlays China has outlined, add up to a grand total of $15 billion. Which is absolutely fantastic. But the very size of these loans and investments has created a fear on social media that the Chinese are out to dazzle Ghana with figures. The only time galamsey has so far been mentioned was in a report by CitiFM. This said: QUOTE: China supports our galamsey fight Bawumia Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has downplayed possible concerns [that] the support Ghana is getting from China could compromise efforts against illegal mining, [in] which Chinese nationals are known to be heavily engaged. . According to him, China is happy with Ghanas clamp- down on illegal mining, which has seen a significant number of Chinese nationals in Ghana arrested. Dr. Bawumia was addressing the press after arriving from a four-day official visit to China, where Ghana, among other things, secured a funding facility worth up to $2 billion between a number of Ghanaian banks and the private sector, led by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI). [The Vice-President stated that] the issue of galamsey is not a China matter. The issue is a galamsey (sic) matter and we deal with anybody who is involved in galamsey per our laws, and the Chinese are very happy with us enforcing our laws....They [the Chinese] wont tell us how to enforce our laws, as we cant tell them how to enforce their laws, and I think the fight against galamsey is no respecter of persons. ...Regardless of where you come from you are going to be dealt with, the same. [Dr Bawumia] added that the Chinese are very supportive of us dealing with the galamsey issue, as per our laws and our laws are doing a wonderful job so far I dont think there is any link between the fight against galamsey and our support from China. China wants us to do the right thing,. [he said]. Chinese involvement with .[Ghana] has been looked on with suspicion [by] the public, given [the fact that] Chinese nationals have gained notoriety for involvement in illegal mining activities, with a significant number of them currently [facing] cases in court.... High-profile donations made to the police and [the]Attorney Generals office from [the] Chinese [Ambassador to Ghana] were met with criticism from the public, [which] fears [that] the donations could compromise law enforcement stakeholders. These concerns are not without merit, given that a former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, [has] revealed [that]pressure was put on him [by] Chinese officials in Ghana when he tried to fight against illegal mining. According to Inusah Fuseini, the former Chinese Ambassador [to Ghana]tried different methods to get him to ease up on the fight against illegal miners within the small-scale mining sector. UNQUOTE Against such a background, I would have expected the two parties to issue a joint communique in which the problems posed by galamsey were officially recognised, and a firm commitment made to end it and implement a scheme of rehabilitation of the lands and waterways destroyed by galamsey. Certainly, it is not enough for Dr Bawumia to interpret for us, what was told to him verbally by the Chinese authorities. Verbal assurances can be disavowed and that's why talks between two nations are usually governed by dated and signed joint-communiques that can be cited if and when the occasion demands doing so. As the case is, the Chinese Government could, at some future date (say upon a change of government in either country) state that Dr Bawumia's account of what the Chinese told his delegation differed from the Chinese Government's recollection of what actually took place. Even minutes of the meeting, if not initialled by both parties, are not worth the paper they are written on. I fear, then, that the Ghana diplomatic service may have failed the country by not insisting on a joint communique being issued on the talks. When Governments try to solve disputes between themselves and foreign governments, they usually enter into dialogue with the other side long before the actual talks take place. The agenda is agreed upon beforehand and adraft agreement drawn up by officials, which is then negotiated upon during the talks. Even when the negotiations fail to bring agreement, this is noted in the final communique, and where there is goodwill on both sides, a wish is expressed to engage in further talks, to resolve the differences. Ghana has been independent for sixty years and it cannot go about carrying out its diplomacy as if its diplomats were born yesterday. This way of doing things was also present when the GITMO2 case arose and the then Minister of Foreign Affairs was quited as saying that a meeting took place on the issue at which she was excluded. Our diplomatic service must act in such a way that observers can tell, without even knowing the full details of what they say and do, that they are following the precept that a nation has no permanent friends but permanent interests. Be that as it may, a salvage operation ought to be put in place by the Ghana Government, in which it attempts to pick up the galamsey element from the touchline across which which it has been kicked. China. A beginning should be made by building into the financial structures promised by China, a vehicle for incorporating the cost of rehabilitating galamsey-ravaged areas, in the package of financing that the projects will require. The dazzling schemes about bauxite mining and the construction of railways should not take precedence over projects that stand a including a built-in post-galamsey rehabilitation aspect. The one-district-one-factory objective, in particular, ought to start in the galamsey-ravaged areas, with the costing of the factories calculated in such a way that they would factor in the rehabilitation of the devastated areas concerned. For instance, say it was agreed to establish a furniture factory in a galamsey-ravaged area. First of all, the project would require that all the galamsey-created craters in the area should be levelled and covered, and vegetation such as bamboos, raffia-cane or other fast-growing plants could be grown on the land and used to make furniture. The Chinese are very good at creating rura industries, and by such methods, they could help us to kill two birds with one stone: rehabilitate the ravaged lands and waterways, and at the same time, create factories that would bring money as well as creae employment for those who have disengaged from galamsey. Other factories, constructed on the same model can take the form of cassava cultivation (from which we would get both food and starch for export); fish ponds that produce fish both for consumption and canning; and similar, imaginative projects that make use of local materials and labour. Unless this is done, the huge sums talked about will be seen as nothing but empty words, which remind us of some grandiose schemes talked about in the past but which have not seen the light of day. I hope the Chinese will endeavour to rescue our leadership from being accused of having sold out to foreign interests. That is aconcept with which the Chinese are familiar for they have accused the Kuomintang elements in Taiwan of doing just that, for decades on end. The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has disclosed that the two companies that acquired contaminated oil from the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) which has ended up at pumps were not licensed to operate in the oil and gas sector. Movenpinaa Energy and Zup Oil are not licensed to undertake any commercial activity in the downstream petroleum industry. Their activities therefore infringe on section 11 of the National Petroleum Authority Act, Act 691, 2005, a release from the NPA said. Energy think tank, the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) revealed recently that the contaminated oil has found its way onto the market, sparking a raging controversy. Related: BOST oil contamination: Our company is not owned by BOST boss- ZupOil ACEP Executive Director, Ben Boakye, described the circumstances under which the fuel got contaminated as bizarre. The release by the NPA on Tuesday, signed by its Acting Chief Executive, Alhassan Tampuli, said the Authority will take appropriate legal action against the two companies. Read the full statement from the NPA which also details investigation into the saga. MEDIA RELEASE Following media reports that Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited (BOST) has released 5 million litres of off-spec fuel from their Accra Plains Depot unto the market, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) conducted some investigations into the allegation and wishes to share its preliminary findings with the general public: BOST had at their premises, 5 million litres of an off-spec product. This is alleged to have resulted from BOST accidently discharging gasoline into a diesel storage tank which already contained some diesel sometime in January 2017. The tank containing the off-spec product was subsequently isolated from normal marketing and sales operations whilst investigation into the incident was initiated by BOST. Based on the recommended disposal options by a Committee that investigated the incident, BOST opted to sell off the off-spec product to a company known as Movenpinaa Energy. Subsequently, BOST notified the Ghana Revenue Authority of their intention to dispose of the 5 million litres of the off-spec product from its storage. The process of evacuation commenced on 20th June, 2017. So far, the quantity of the off-spec product evacuated from the depot is 471, 000 litres as indicated below: On 20th June, 2017: 240, 000 litres was evacuated On 21st June, 2017: 231, 000 litres was evacuated The above stated quantities were loaded into ten Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs). On 23rd June, 2017, additional 380, 000 litres of the off-spec product was loaded into eight BRVs at the depot. However, the dispatch of these BRVs from the depot were halted on the instructions of the NPA when the information about the evacuation got to the NPA. This is because BOST failed to notify the NPA and acquire prior authorization before commencing the evacuation of the off-spec product. Officials of the NPA visited the BOST depot on 27th June, 2017 and confirmed that the 8 BRVs were still stationed at the depot with their contents intact. Samples were taken from all 8 BRVs as well as the isolated BOST storage tank for analysis. The NPA was able to discover the location where 6 of the BRVs discharged the off-spec product they carried from the BOST depot. This was made possible by the NPAs BRV Tracking System. Officials from the NPA visited the location (Zup Oil) at Gulf-City, Tema on 27th June, 2017. Documentation presented to the officials suggested that all the ten BRVs were off-loaded at the facility. However, this is subject to confirmation. In this regard the NPA is conducting further investigation to determine the actual quantity and quality of the products received at the facility of Zup Oil. Meanwhile, samples of the product from the tanks have been taken for analysis and the tanks sealed to prevent tampering. We wish to assure the general public that the NPA is keenly monitoring the situation and shall keep the general public updated on developments. Meanwhile, the NPA has intensified its monitoring activities at the petroleum products retail outlets nationwide to ensure that the quality of fuel sold to the consumers is not compromised. Additionally, the NPA has noted that Movenpinaa Energy and Zup Oil are not licensed to undertake any commercial activity in the downstream petroleum industry. Their activities, therefore, infringe on section 11 of the National Petroleum Authority Act, Act 691, 2005. Accordingly, the NPA will take appropriate legal action against the said companies. Signed Alhassan S Tampuli Ag. Chief Executive National Petroleum Authority Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN 28.06.2017 LISTEN When it spills it kills and when it stinks it requires immediate investigation says author Gordon Offin-Amaniampong. A big test awaits the Akufo-Addo government. Ive no idea how far this could go. It appears the presidents anti-graft signature message which hes been trumpeting since he took the reins of power in January 7, 2017 hasnt resonated well with some of his new appointees. Certainly some of these newly-appointed public office holders are already exhibiting a character trait and a premise that overly contradict what their Boss stands for. And analysts believe this kind of behavior by some of his officials could bring the image of the government into disrepute and make his fight against corruption look like one thats bound to fail as many in the past did. Whats going on? The latest headline story in Accra isnt a good one. It isnt one story we should be proud of as Ghanaians given the signals it sends to the outside world. On Tuesday 26 June, the minority in Parliament expressed grave concern about the sale of contaminated fuel product to the tune of five million litres to a company known as Movenpiina by the Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited (BOST) Alfred Obeng Boakye. It seems everything about the deal smacks what the NDC Minority describes as dubious and bizarre. And if you think those two words are hyperbolic and only sought to twist facts, or otherwise, wait till you read the next paragraphs. First of all how did a company that supposedly won a competitive bid to purchase oil from BOST, ended up with no telephone number and on top of that had no office. So the inevitable question will be: Whos behind the company? Its also very obvious you would ask: How did the person win the bid without a landed property and also managed to purchase t it on Open-Credit sales arrangement? That big English there Open Credit simply means the company bought the products without paying for it and in turn sold the products to a third-party Company at 30% higher. And lest I forget, the date the company was incorporated to trade and its registration at the Registrar Generals Department also dont match. How could a company that was registered for example on March 19 2017 would be transporting oil two weeks before its registration? Indeed its a story that has many twists. It mimics the Akan Twi well-known phrase Asem Sebe. Better translation it looks like a ship when you view it from the left flank but youd likely see a different image from the right angle. Bottom line its sleazy and shady deal. So far it looks like the opposition NDC Minority has shown its readiness to unpack all the myths and lies that seem to surround the BOST deal. At a press in Accra yesterday the group made the following demands: They demanded the immediate interdiction of the BOST MD and a full scale investigation by the regulatory authorities into the companys dealings. It further demanded the immediate withdrawal of the contaminated product from the market to protect consumers and assurances that this will not recur. And last but not least the minority demanded that the financial loss estimated at GHS 14.25 million be retrieved by surcharging the offending officials at BOST in line with the recent Supreme Court decision. In a desperate move to do what seems like damage control officials at BOST have debunked the allegation that the contaminated oil has ended up onto the market. Media Relations Manager at BOST Nana Akua Adubea Obeng told Joy FMs morning show programme that only 100,000 litres of the contaminated product had been released to Movenpiina and not 5 million as claimed by the minority. She said the remaining 4.9 million litres is sitting in the tanks at BOST and waiting to be offloaded. Nana Akua Obeng maintained that their tracking system had shown that 100,000 litres released so far to Movenpiina is still within the tanks of the company and has not been released onto the market. It must be noted that explanation didnt seem to convince the Minority group. The justification by BOST that the contaminated products were sold for use by manufacturing companies is untenable. The norm and practice is that when contamination occurs, corrective treatments of these products are undertaken by TOR through blending, minority ranking member of energy Armah Kofi Buah told the local media. To BOST that contaminated fuel that had found its way into the public market is a human error. But energy think tank ACEP sees it differently. According to ACEP the error, has caused the country over $7million in revenue. ACEPs executive director, Ben Boakye claims to have, unknowingly, bought a contaminated fuel with the potential of damaging his engine. The five- million litres of oil was said to have been contaminated after diesel was mixed with Petrol. Read the full statement below: MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT CALLS FOR FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION INTO BLATANT CORRUPTION AT BOST LTD. The minority in Parliament has noted with grave concern the sale of contaminated fuel product to the tune of five million litres to a company known as Movenpiina by the MD of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited under very dubious and bizarre circumstances in another clear example of escalating corruption in the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia Government. Even more disturbing is the explanation offered by BOST to justify the sale of this contaminated product as well as the circumstances surrounding the sale which clearly lacks transparency and integrity. Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, it must be mentioned that under proper regulatory and supervisory protocols, under no circumstance should the BOST Co. Ltd experience such high levels of contamination as we are witnessing. The question to ask is what led to the contamination of these products in the first instance. Why was the particular tank in question not properly discharged and cleaned before the intake of the fresh fuel which led to the contamination? Was it due to negligence, lack of supervision or a deliberate plot by some self-seeking individuals to enrich themselves at the expense of the state and the Ghanaian tax payer? The justification by BOST that the contaminated products were sold for use by manufacturing companies is untenable. The norm and practice is that when such contamination occur, corrective treatment of these products are undertaken by the Tema Oil Refinery through blending. Why did BOST not arrange with TOR for the treatment of this particular fuel? Available information indicates that BOST failed to exhaust all means to ensure TOR blends this contaminated fuel. The argument by BOST that the blending couldnt be done at TOR because the CDU is down is most untenable. These so called off-spec products are not the slops that are usually sold by BOST, we also wish to state that SLOPS are usually in small quantities. SLOPS are sediments of fuels in a Tank and are usually in small quantities and cannot be compared with 5 million liters of contaminated fuel. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, the claim by BOST that this contaminated product was sold at a competitive ex-depot price is false and cannot be justified. When was the competitive bidding process initiated and who were the companies that participated? Incontrovertible evidence available confirms that Movenpiina Company was the only company BOST dealt with in the sale of this contaminated product in a sole sourced transaction. It is therefore erroneous to suggest that the sale was done under a competitive process. Further information available to us indicates that Movenpiina Co. Lt. put in a proposal to purchase the fuel on the 19th of May 2017. Interestingly, checks from the Registrar Generals Department suggest the company was incorporated to trade and transport fuel on the 29th of May 2017. 28.06.2017 LISTEN Accra, June 27, GNA - Mr Peter Birkett, a Senior Criminal Silks and Queen's Counsel in the United Kingdom, says the law for the Office of the Special Prosecution should serve as a blue-print for prosecuting corruption cases in the country. Therefore, he said, the selection of a Special Prosecutor should not be based on political grounds or considerations. He said the law should be based on the fundamental laws of the land and must be potent and realistically deterrent against corruption in the future. Mr Birnett, who was a resource person at a Stakeholders' Meeting on Draft Bill of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, in Accra, said the Office of the Special Prosecutor must work in tandem with other public agencies to ensure effective and efficient prosecution of cases. The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General's Office to solicit stakeholders' inputs and recommendations to shape the draft bill before its presentation to the Cabinet for approval, and subsequently laid before Parliament for consideration. The event brought together lawyers, legal luminaries and drafters of legislations and discussed topics such as 'Assets Confiscation, Getting Value for Money', 'Overview of the Draft Bill of the Office of the Special Prosecutor' and 'Complaints, Proceeds of Corruption and Corruption Related Offences.' Mr Birnett, a member of the General Council of the Bar from 1999-2001, urged stakeholders to ensure that the provisions in the law set a clear criteria for selecting a Special Prosecutor devoid of any political influence and must have clearly defined remits. Mr Birkett who is also the Vice President of the Advocacy Training Council of England and Wales has developed and delivered advocacy training programmes in a variety of foreign jurisdictions. He is Master of the Bench (Inner Temple) in 1996 and Recorder of the Crown Court in 1989. Madam Gloria Afua Akuffo, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, in an address, said the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor was a top priority of the New Patriotic Party government because it would provide a tool for the fight against corruption in the country. She said corruption had dire socio-economic consequences on the nation and her international reputation and, therefore, required collective efforts of all stakeholders to contribute diverse views towards the development of a holistic and sound legal framework. She noted that corruption killed the spirit of entrepreneurship and risk-taking and undermined hard work and merit-based competition and, thus, rewarded the unqualified, the mediocre and the incompetent. According to her, it robbed the State of the revenues needed to fund public administration and national development and undermined trust in government and encouraged citizens to evade their taxes and other legal and civic obligations towards the State. GNA By Godwill Arthur-Mensah/ Janet Zeylisa Dauda, GNA By Press Trust of India: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Jun 28 (PTI) Days after holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, US President Donald Trump would now host his new South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in for a dinner. "Tomorrow evening, the two will meet here at the White House, along with President Moons wife, Madam Kim. They will have cocktails and then a dinner together here at the State Dining Room," a senior administration official told reporters giving a preview of the trip. advertisement North Korea and China are expected to dominate the talks between the two leaders in addition to bilateral and regional issues. Moon is scheduled to arrive in Washington on a three-day visit beginning today. "This is really a chance for the two presidents, both of whom are fairly early in their terms...This will the first opportunity for the two presidents to meet face-to-face and really to reaffirm the US-South Korea alliance, which the president has spoken of as a linchpin of peace and security in the region," said the senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. During the meeting, Trump would talk about American commitments and reaffirm his commitments to South Korea, especially in light of the very urgent threat posed by North Korea. "North Korea is going to be a major subject of conversation between the two; coordinating the two governments on our approach to the North Korea threat; and also talking on a range of other issues as well in the bilateral agreement, including trade," the official said. Responding to a question, the official said both the United States and S Korea share the same goal of complete dismantlement of North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. "That is the hard challenge that weve been wrestling with for a couple of decades now. Its the challenge that both of them have made clear that they are willing and capable of jointly coordinating on achieving that goal," the official said. Trade deficit is another issue likely to figure up prominently in the talks between the two leaders. Trump on Monday hosted Modi at the White House where he gave a guided tour of Presidents residence quarters, including the Lincoln bedroom and showed him a copy of Lincolns famous Gettysburg address and the desk on which he wrote it. PTI LKJ UZM --- ENDS --- Accra, June 27, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority Caucus in Parliament on Tuesday demanded the immediate interdiction of Mr Alfred Oteng Boateng, the Managing Director (MD) of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited (BOST). They are demanding the action over the distribution of contaminated fuel products on the market, and a probe into the deal. The contaminated fuel products, according to the Minority, which amounted to five million litres, was sold to Movenpiina Company Limited, a non- registered company at the time of the sale, for distribution to consumers. At a press conference at the Parliament House, in Accra, the Minority discounted the claim by the BOST that the contaminated product was sold at a competitive ex depot price, and queried the BOST if there were any competitive bidding and the companies that participated in the bidding. 'Incontrovertible evidence available confirms that Movenpiina Company was the only company BOST dealt with in the sale of this contaminated product in a sole sourced transaction,' Mr Emmanuel Armah- Kofi Buah, former Minister for Petroleum and current Minority Spokesperson on Energy, told the media. He added: 'It is therefore erroneous to suggest that the sale was done under competitive bidding.' The press conference comes against a caution by the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, Ghana (COPEC-GH) to beware of the sale of contaminated fuel on the market. Alleging greed, the group said the Managing Director of BOST acted 'recklessly' by allowing the sale of contaminated fuel on the market. COPEC-GH said about five million litres of the contaminated fuel have found their way into the market and are being sold at the pumps. The NDC caucus media conference, was attended by Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Deputy Minority Chief Whip; Dr Kwabena Donkor, former Minister of Energy and former Acting General Manager of the BOST, Mr Abu Jinapor, former Deputy Minister of Power; Mr Casiel Ato Forson, former Deputy Minister of Finance; and Mr A. B. A Fuseini, Ranking Member on Communications and MP for Sagnarigu. Others were Mr Samual Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu; Mr Benson Tongo Baba, MP for Talensi and Mr Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite, MP for Chereponi; Dr Clement Apaak, MP for Builsa South, and Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, among others. The Minority demanded a full scale investigation by the regulatory authorities into the deal, as well as the immediate withdrawal of the contaminated product from the market to protect consumers, and to give assurance that 'this will not recur.' GNA By Benjamin Mensah and Christopher Arko, GNA The Northern regional chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, has warned of a possible conflict among party members in the Northern Region if Konkombas do not get one of their own appointed as District Chief Executive (DCE). He said the Konkombas feel deceived and cheated by the NPP as the initial plan was for them to support the party to win some parliamentary seats in the area in order to have some of their own appointed as DCEs in return. He mentioned Gushegu as a classical example where the Konkombas were assured that if the NPP won the seat, a Konkomba would be appointed as DCE for the area. Speaking to the media, Mr Naabu said: In Gushegu, Konkombas are threatening to attack our party facilities and destroy them because they feel deceived and cheated. It was an agreement [among] them and the Vice President and the regional chairman and even the President that if they should vote for the MP to win, the Konkombas would be appointed as DCE. But now they have realised they have been deceived, because the MP is the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Alhaji Tampuli is the Chief Executive Officer for the National Petroleum Authority, and Rita Tani is a Deputy [High Commissioner] to the United Kingdom, and just the DCE position for the Konkombas. They have been denied again and so there is tension brewing in the area. Mr Naabu said in view of this, he would meet with the President and the Vice President for an amicable resolution. He disclosed he has officially written to the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, to hold on to the confirmation of the nominees for West Mamprusi and Gushegu district chief executive. Vivo Energy Ghana, the exclusive licensee of the Shell brand in Ghana, has once again demonstrated its commitment to road safety by organising a three-day defensive driving training for over 200 commercial transport operators in the Ashanti region. The training, which was organised in collaboration with the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), falls under Vivo Energy Ghanas broader road safety programme dubbed My Road Safety, My Life. Facilitators of the training from the NRSC, Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) and the Ghana Red Cross Society took turns to educate the transport operators on proper maintenance culture; the effect of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol and first aid. As part of the training, three alcohol meters were also presented to the management of the transport unions to prevent drunk-driving by the drivers. Addressing the participants on behalf of the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mrs. Shirley Tony Kum, the Corporate Communications Manager, said that although some accidents are unforeseen and uncontrolled, others are avoidable and the impact can be minimised. A cross-section of the drivers at the defensive driving training This can be achieved through a conscious effort, and regular investment, in road safety education and this is why Vivo Energy Ghana continues to partner the National Road Safety Commission and other road safety stakeholders to educate, sensitize and provide the needed tools and logistics to ensuring that innocent lives are saved on our roads. he said. The Ashanti Regional Manager of the NRSC, Mr. Samuel Asiamah, said that over 80 lives have been lost through accidents in the Ashanti Region this year through road crashes which results is devastation and tragedy for the affected families." The NRSC together with the relevant stakeholders will continue to conduct training programmes for commercial transport operators to reduce road accidents. It is in this regard that we commend Vivo Energy Ghana for their continuous support to the commission to carry out its mandate. The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Nana Nimako Bresiamha, on behalf of the drivers, also showed his appreciation for the training and urged the drivers to make road safety their top priority to reduce accidents. The Chairman of the occasion, Nana Odei Nsiah Akodanpah II, the Chief of Atwima Afancho requested for more of such trainings to equip the drivers with the requisite skills. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Government has finally communicated to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) its decision to extend the Fund's program. Sources say the program would be extended to December 2018, instead of the initial completion date of March 2018. JOYBUSINESS is learning the extension was communicated to the Washington-based lender last month. This comes after several debates on whether the program should be extended and what should be the end date for the program. JOYBUSINESS understands the move to extend the was influenced by challenges in meeting most of the IMF targets before the completion date of March 2018. Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta had earlier told JOYBUSINESS that the program would only be extended if its clear that government would not be able to meet the targets by the end of this year. According to sources, the extension was one of the requirements before the IMF board meets next month to assess Ghanas performance under the IMF program. Analysts say the extension could afford government an opportunity to meet some of the critical targets set out in the program which should have ended in March 2018. Economist Dr. Joe Abbey had also told JOYBUSINESS that it would be in the interest of government to extend the program because of the signals it would send to investors about government commitment to stick to fiscal consolidation program. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Joy Business SOME 15 fishermen from Ada in the Greater Accra Region have been apprehended on the Prampram waters for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing. The fishermen who were allegedly armed with guns, ammunitions and machetes were arrested by the Fisheries Volunteer Taskforce after series of confrontations on the sea. In the process, some members of the taskforce got injured. The arrest comes on the heels of a similar operation last month in which several fishermen from Tema and Ada who were engaged in illicit fishing were busted by the taskforce. The taskforce revealed that the 15 fishermen attacked them during interrogations, but were overpowered. A search conducted on them, according to the taskforce, revealed 5 single barrel guns, several machetes, clubs, as well as generators and lights used for their illicit fishing activities. The suspects who were paraded for public viewing, confirmed engaging in light fishing, but, apparently denied ownership of the guns. The arrested fishermen were quickly handed over to the Prampram Police following attempts by some irate youth of the community to assault them. The angry youth, however, followed them to the police station threatening to vent their spleen on them. It took the timely intervention of the District Police Commander, and the Chief of the area, to bring the situation under control. Addressing the charged residents, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ningo-Prampram District Assembly, Jonathan Paa Nii Doku, assured the residents that the suspects will be made to face the full rigors of the law. Leader of the fisheries volunteer taskforce, Tetteh Asempa, blamed the security agencies for doing very little to aid the taskforce in their fight against illicit fishing practices in the area. According to the taskforce, they had, on another occasion, impounded weapons from some fishermen purported to be implicated in illicit fishing on the sea. Meanwhile, the suspected fishermen are expected to be arraigned before court after investigations have been completed. From Vincent Kubi, Prampram The La Dadekotopon Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Sunday, 25th June, 2017 held a delegates' conference at the Trade Fair Centre, La, Accra. The conference which was chaired by Lawyer Frank Davies, was attended by the constituency executives and most of the party stalwarts. Eric AboagyeTwum, in presenting the secretary's report, thanked all who helped the party to snatch the Parliamentary seat with 50.44% of the votes for Vincent SowahOdoteias against NDC'sNiiAmasahNamoale's 48.68%. Mr. Twum also used the opportunity to advise the constituency executives to map out strategies to maintain the various groups such as the Communication Team, Obama Ladies, Mafia Boys, Gigolo Boys, Nokortsoshishi, V16 and the rest who helped in the campaign prior to the 2016 general elections. Kingsley Addison, the Financial Secretary also presented the financial report of the constituency with a breakdown of funds raised through donations and what went into the general elections. The member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon who is also the Deputy Minister of Communications, Vincent SowahOdotei aka Obama when given the floor to address the delegates, thanked all the delegates and party executives for their sacrifice. He admonished the party loyalists to refrain from hearsays, be united and work assiduously to help the party maintain power come 2020 general elections and beyond. By Christopher Kotei Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the bridge that links up Nalerigu to Sakogu-Bunkpurugu in the Northern Region has collapsed. The incident had severely affected residents of Nalerigu, Sakogu, Nakpanduri, Bunkpurugu, Garu, and Bawku hindering their business activities. When DAILY GUIDE contacted the District Chief Executive (DCE) for East Mamprusi, Abdul Nashir Danladi, he confirmed the unfortunate situation and said it had gravely affected economic activities and movements in the District. According to him, the Regional Highways engineer had inspected the site and he was expected to present a detailed report to the Regional Minister who will further forward it to the sector minister for immediate action to be taken. In the meantime, an alternative route from Namangu to Bintili, from Bintili to CMB to Nalerigu is being used, he disclosed. He indicated that the collapse of the bridge had especially affected market women and farmers in the area adding that yesterday was Sakogu market day but due to the incident they could not go to the market. Buyers and sellers alike are not able to go about their daily activities as they would want due to the collapse. Mr Danladi stated that farmers from the surrounding communities were not able to bring their goods to the Nalerigu market due to the collapse of the bridge which he feared would create hardship for them as their farm produce might go bad if the road was not fixed on time. The DCE however said MP for the area, Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama had been contacted as well as the Northern Regional Minister Salifu Saeed. He therefore appealed to the MP for Bunkpurugu, Hon. Solomon Boar and His Excellency the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and other stakeholders to act immediately to rectify the situation. FROM Eric Kombat, Nalerigu Shareholders of Agricultural Development Bank (adb) have voted to limit the power of the government to appoint all directors of the board. Before the decision was taken at an emergency Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, the government, which currently controls 32.3 percent shares in adb, had the power to elect all members of the board. The shareholders declared that the government should be restricted to the selection of only three board members to allow all those holding more than 10 percent of the shares to also select some of the board members at the AGM called by Belstar Capital Limited, which controls 34 percent of the shares. The shareholders amended Section 74 of the bank's regulation to reflect the current situation. The changes became necessary after the floatation bank's shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE). Currently, the fate of Daniel Aseidu, who is the bank's Managing Director, is hanging, because a new board is going to be constituted to run the affairs of the bank. Deputy Managing Director of Belstar Capital Limited, Patrick Kingsley-Nyinah said his outfit called for the emergency AGM because our interest is clearly misunderstood in this whole business. He said the purpose of calling this Extraordinary General Meeting was to change the regulations of the company to reflect the new shareholders. You will recall that the government of Ghana and Bank of Ghana were the sole shareholders of adb shareholding until the Initial Public Offer (IPO), which was effected in December 2016. Because the offer was successful, we had about 430 plus change stakeholders coming into the company, and the company was subsequently listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. Owing to the change in the composition of the shareholders, it was appropriate for the investors to have a say in the affairs of the bank through their representatives at the board level. So if you have 450 people, out of the 325 million cedis that was raised by adb during the IPO , Belstar and its associated companies contributed GH312 million, so you will not put your GH312 million and not want to at least have a say in the direction of the company, he explained. The regulations had to be changed. It wasn't going to be possible for the other shareholders to appoint the directors, because the old regulation had it that there were only two shareholders, Bank of Ghana and government and that has changed, he said. Apart from Belstar Capital (34 percent) and the government (32.3 percent), other shareholders include Starmount Development Company Limited (11 percent), Bank of Ghana (9.5 percent), EDC Capital (6 percent), adb Employees (5 percent), with the rest of the shares going to the public. BY William Yaw Owusu 28.06.2017 LISTEN We heard from the government of Ghana and the media stations across the country that, China will give $2billion for the one district, one factory project. Also, the China National Building Materials and Equipment Import and Export Corporation (CNBM) will give at most 85% financing for a viable scheme under the One District One Factory secretariat. Again, CNBM will construct facilities for any company as well as provide them with the essential and necessary machines. And the Ghana Commercial Bank, Access Bank, Universal Merchant Bank and the Ghana Import and Export Bank signed to this contract. Other banks have the opportunity to join this deal in future. According to the National Coordinator of the One District, One Factory secretariat, Gifty Ohene-Konadu, The most exciting part of the financing is, the Chinese will provide a huge market access for most of the export commodities, which is expected to bring $2.5b revenue to Ghana annually. This clearly shows how the NPP government is poised to make the private sector the engine for growth of the Ghanaian economy. If she is telling the truth, then, no need to object this loan. The root of this loan started under the previous NDC government. In 2010, President Mills government moved for $3billion loan from China to build our oil infrastructure, hospitals, schools, roads, and others. The Chinese Development Bank (CDB) agreed and gave Ghana government $1billion for a start. In 2011, CBD changed the terms and conditions of this loan and demanded our natural resources for a repayment. The NDC government declined to give our natural resources for cash, and in effect, the CDB withheld the rest of the loan ($2billion.) In 2013, John Mahama administration tried to get this $2billion back, but the Chinese government insisted for our natural resources as payment. The government refused this offer of payment from China, so the CDB kept the $2billion again. Now NPP government went last week to China to pursue this $2billion. The Chinese government has agreed to give this money and in total reaching a possible loan deal of $15billion. So is the NPP government going to pay this loan with our resources? The Vice President Dr. Bawumia said, "Our untapped mineral resources include 2.8bn metric tonnes of iron ore, 960million metric tonnes of Bauxite, 430m metric tonnes of manganese and 413m metric tonnes of limestone. This is excluding gold and so on. If we need just $20bn to do a major, massive Marshall Plan and we have $460 billion sitting in the ground then what we really need is to develop a financing model that leverages just a small fraction of our reserves." Why would any rational and dynamic person object this reasoning? Honestly, I do not have a problem if the government pay with some of our resources because we have sat on this natural gift for 60 years after independence but can't use it for anything beneficial to Ghanaians. If we can exchange some of them to improve our lives, why not? Even before the Vice President made this deal, the Chinese through "galamsey" and other looters are illegally taken these natural resources. So why can't we officially accept this offer and use it to better the nation entirely? We do not have to act like how some of our ancestors and traditional priests sat and are still sitting on an enormous sum certain of gold and other precious gifts without using them. Our natural resources should not be worship rather it should be used to better ourselves and the future generation. It is time to think of transforming ourselves to the next level, and we do so by using the gift to us by nature. This is how the deal looks like to me; the Chinese have what we desperately need to develop and become a better society. In substitute, they want our natural resources in exchange in the form of barter. So we either go for it and better ourselves, or we continue to keep these resources for the next generation. Probably, the next generation of Ghana will also keep it without using it. When we travel to Middle East countries like UAE, Qatar and other oil producing countries, we admire their growing economy, right? They sold their natural resources like crude oil for dollars, and they used the money to develop their country. They did not sit on their crude oil and worship it; rather the used it to create UAE and Qatar today. We have to sell some of our natural resources to get what we want. In the process of selling it, we should not reach an agreement which allows them to take ALL our natural resources. Instead, they take some and give us what we need. I have learned to understand that to develop; you give some of your resources to get what you need now and in future. This time I'm with NPP government. I'm just skeptical of them, that's all. I will bring another article on Chinese view on this loan. The writer 28.06.2017 LISTEN From beneath, the intruder could see the bedroom lights on. He climbed the metal stairs behind the house and stealthily made his way to the back door. From his pocket, he withdrew his master key and slid it into the lock with practiced dexterity. He let himself into the room. The sight he beheld took his breath away. In the decade that he plied this trade, he had yet to see a room of such resplendent beauty. For a moment, he forgot his mission and drank in the comeliness that surrounded him. The room's owner was clearly a person of flawless organization. He could tell that from the immaculate order in which everything had been arranged. The overpowering presence of pink betrayed the gender of the occupant. At the center-back stood a queen size bed that displayed a white bedsheet with generous patches of pink. The pillows were not spared from the wanton display of pink. Beneath the bed was a well-placed couch that had two couch pillows tucked neatly in each other. The bed was flanked on each side by a drawer. The left drawer displayed a make-up kit that followed the general pristine order of the room. The intruder moved to the second drawer which carried an open book. It was opened at Page 84 and the lines that caught his attention were..... The things I refused to learn through counsel, life forced me to learn through crisis. His heart missed a beat but he quickly stifled the guilt the words invoked in him but not before he turned the book to see the title. It was the autobiography of James Kyinkyinsorsor. Whoever that was, he had never heard of him. He heard the bathroom door squeak. Someone was coming. Quickly, he hid behind the closest curtain and held his breath. From behind the door emerged a figure that made him gasp for air as if he was drowning in a pool of fast-moving water. Her ebony skin that had yet to dry from her bath glistened under the light from the filament bulb. Around the middle of her torso hang a small towel. The curvature it revealed made him choke on his saliva. Her wet dark hair flowed down her spine. He quickly averted his eyes when they found themselves hooked into the rounded mounds on her chest. He almost pinched himself for his lack of discipline on a night like this. Unable to bear the torture her figure was having on him, he moved quickly into action and rushed towards her. With his left hand, he covered her mouth whilst his right hand pressed a stiletto into her back. "Don't scream else you die". Her body vibrated as her mind took in the shock of what was happening. She remembered that she had locked her door right after entering it earlier that evening and had expected no company not to talk of this hideous assailant who had suddenly taken her hostage. She was badly startled and her breathing betrayed the trepidation that had instantly built up in her heart and the anxiety that ran through her lungs. With the stiletto pressed to her back, the intruder held on strongly to her. She quickly contemplated what to do. A struggle was out of the question. She had heard several stories of victims who had been murdered by robbers because they had resisted. She would rather acquiesce and save her life than lose it over possessions she could easily replace. Her mum had always emphasized that the most potent weapon in a moment of chaos is a cool head. "Lord, give me strength to handle this. Give me wisdom to know what to do", she silently prayed. Her body suddenly relaxed. Confidence rushed through her veins from her feet to her heart in a manner that the intruder felt the rapid change in the demeanor of his hostage. She held his left hand which had been firmly clasped over his mouth and took it away. A jolt of electricity went through him as her hand touched his. Her palms had the softness of a baby's. He found himself enjoying the feel of his hands in hers. The intruder was shocked at his visceral reaction to this young woman who was supposed to be his victim. Had he rather become the victim, he wondered. Not in all of his life and trade had he had such an experience. "I'm not going to scream. You need not worry about that" she said as she turned to look at him for the first time. The intruder wore a black ninja mask that revealed only his eyes. The rest of his costume, a long sleeved shirt on top of a pair of pants, was also black. He was a well-built man. His muscle clamored for attention through his tight cotton sleeves. She judged his height to be above six feet. He was so tall that she had to raise her head to look into his masked face. "How may I help you?" she queried. He was visibly taken aback by her sudden show of self-possession. He looked at her enthralling face that glowed at him and wondered what he was doing there in front of this bewitching woman who had disarmed him so badly on the night of such an important mission. He summoned new energy and commanded "Put on some clothes and come with me!" She signaled him to turn around so she could dress up. He shook his head firmly albeit with some hesitation. He liked the beautiful young woman and was not happy he was denying her but then he had a job to do. Reluctantly, she took the sheets on her bed and improvised as she put on clothes in obeisance to her captor. As she finished, they heard a knock on the door. The intruder stiffened. The intruder placed a finger on his lips in a warning to her to keep silent. The knock on the door repeated. Neither of them made a move towards it. He stood and waited in the hope that the knocker would leave. But such luck escaped him. "Rachel", he whispered towards his victim. She threw an affrighted expression at him. So he knew her name, she thought, surprised. Who was this masked man and what did he want with her? "Go and see who that is and drive him or her way", he ordered whilst he withdrew a pistol from behind him. It was an HK VP70, an 18-round German semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Heckler & Koch. With a weight of 820 g, height of 142 mm and length of 204 mm, it was concealable in one's outfit and the intruder had done a good job of doing so. Rachel's heart turned around sharply. The confidence that had climbed its way into her heart began to drain away quickly. She had thought she was dealing with only a stiletto. Not that it was less of a weapon, but she was more at ease with it. It guaranteed that she wouldn't be hurt if she was a good distance away from her assailant in the event of an escape. This pistol could shoot from a 50m range. Her chances of escape had been dealt a deathly blow. She summoned strength and walked towards the door. Behind her, the intruder was pointing the pistol at her torso. The knock persisted. "Yes, I'm coming. I was putting on my clothes", she said in an attempt to disguise her apprehension. She opened the door slightly. It was Sarfowaa, her friend from the apartment below. Her face was streaming with tears. She forgot her own plight momentarily and addressed her friend. "Sarfowaa, what is it?" "It's Kwame. Kwame has broken my heart!" she responded as she rushed towards Rachel and fell in her bosom. "Kwame has broken my heart badly. From henceforth, if a man tells me that he loves me, I will report it to the police CID for them to investigate. I won't let another man take me for granted", she said amidst tears. Rachel smiled. Sarfowaa, ever the sanguine, still had her humor. She put her arms around her and rubbed her back. "As painful as a breakup is, it's also a restart button. It's a good opportunity to restart your life and pour yourself into your dreams. Channel your pain into your passion", Rachel admonished. Sarfowaa had a fashion accessories start-up that was doing quite well. It hadn't benefitted from her full attention because she had been overly caught up in her romance with Kwame. She had always felt that he wasn't a good influence but had kept mute. She held the belief that there are a few people in the world you can't advise and one of them is a person in love. This breakup is a good thing for her, Rachel thought albeit with a tinge of guilt. She suddenly remembered her own predicament. The intruder was waiting. She could almost feel his eyes boring holes into her from behind. She had to devise a way of getting rid of her friend. "Return to your apartment and I will be with you soon", she urged her friend. Sarfowaa hesitated a bit and Rachel held her breath. She finally lifted her head and walked away like a baby crawling. She looked on for a few minutes and turned her back into her apartment. The intruder was standing right behind her, his eyes displaying fire. He was angry at Rachel's delay. Her own temper flared up and she threw her hands in the air in a gesture that meant that there was nothing she could do. He felt affronted by her attitude and marched towards her whilst pointing the gun at her. She threw her hand in an attempt to push the gun away. He was shocked at his victim's newfound arrogance. He responded with his left hand which connected with her right cheek leaving a feeling of hot searing pain in its wake. The door behind them burst open. It was Sarfowaa. She was back and there was someone with her. For a second, time froze. Nobody moved. The intruder hesitated briefly, clearly at a loss as to what to do. He was already beginning to regret this mission. It had started unravelling too soon. That journey to the place called unravel began when Rachel stepped out of that bathroom looking like a goddess. The experience had clearly dulled his sharpness and incapacitated his ability to think. Only that could account for his loss of coolness and the slap that followed thereafter. His boss had given unequivocal instructions that Rachel was not to be harmed in anyway. His only job was to capture and deliver her to the agreed location. The thought of his boss sent chills down his spine. James Nikken Parker was a ruthless man who had zero tolerance for failure. The intruder's partner whose body lay six feet below ground level was enough testimony to that. He couldn't afford to fail this mission. The thought of bacteria, worms and rodents fighting over his flesh in an airless coffin kicked him into action. He moved swiftly and grabbed Rachel. "Stand back or she dies", he barked at Sarfowaa and her new companion. Sarfowaa and her companion stood in the doorway with expressions that exuded defiance. They were not moving an inch; their body language seemed to say. The companion also carried a gun. From its appearance, it was a former standard police issue, a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver. The companion stood in the doorway with his gun trained on the intruder who also held on to Rachel. "Put the gun down or I will shoot her", the intruder barked at the new entrant. He obeyed and slowly dropped his pistol. "Now kick it over to me", he added. The latter obeyed. "Now you take the hand cuffs hanging from his belt and cuff him to the bed post", he addressed Sarfowaa. She hesitated but on considering her options and realizing that she didn't have any, she obliged. "So why do men like you do things like these?" Rachel blurted out. "Because life is not fair. People like you are born to rich parents and go through life without much struggle. People like me have to suffer so much pain just to survive so we do whatever will bring in some cash" the intruder harshly retorted. "That's a lame excuse sir. I may have been born rich but my parents weren't. They were raised in probably far more adverse circumstances than you. But they knew one thing; that even though they didn't choose the circumstances of their birth, they could choose the outcome of their lives. You can't go about brandishing guns on people merely because you had an unfortunate birth", she argued with fervor. "You shut up young woman or I will blow your brains out", the intruder warned. "Not in this life. Perhaps the next one! a voice from behind said as its owner jumped the intruder. The newest member of the motley crowd knocked the gun from out of the hands of the intruder. As he fell, he dragged his assailant down with him and he shot his left leg into his groin and they both fell down in a thud. His victim yelled in pain and his hand automatically flew to ground zero to soothe his pain. But he was not to be defeated easily. Rachel saw the opportunity to get away. She untangled herself and rushed to Sarfowaa's side. The recent member of the crowd and the intruder continued their battle. Wincing in pain, he pushed himself unto the intruder and began offloading an avalanche of punches into his torso. The rest of the crowd watched in fear, wondering what would be the outcome of this scuffle that was unfolding before their very eyes. The intruder rolled him away in a show of sudden strength, raised himself from underneath him and reached for his gun. As he touched it, his opponent shot his leg at him and the gun went off. The bullet flew into the metal door, ricocheted on it and hit Sarfowaas right ribs. She screamed in pain as blood oozed out from her side. In a few minutes a patch of red had formed on that side of her dress. Rachel jumped to her side as the latter fell down groaning in pain. A few meters from them, the fight was ascending into higher levels of intensity. An anger of indescribable propositions had seized the new companion after the gunshot and he fought the intruder with intense aggression. The earlier companion, now remembering his role in the drama, called out to Rachel to uncuff him. She jumped up and quickly released the man from his bounds. Now free, he picked up his gun and pointed it at the intruder. "Your time is up, man!" he shouted. As if on cue, the struggle seized. The second rescuer, his facing looking utterly bruised, cuffed the intruder. Just then the door flew open. "Ohhhh Mama", Rachel gasped as she looked at her mother who entered the room with anguish written all over her face. "Oh my daughter, I hope you are not hurt" she said as she embraced her. She screamed when she saw Sarfowaa on the floor in a pool of blood. "Call an ambulance!" she ordered one of the men in a tone that had the semblance of one used to giving instructions. "But Mama, what are you doing here? How did you know about this?" Rachel queried. "We got a tip-off that James Nikken Parker was going to kidnap you to blackmail us to withdraw from bidding for the National Rail Project contract. So we sent these men from your Dad's security company to come and protect you", her mother explained. Rachel hugged her mother in a warm embrace. The older woman bent down to take a look at her daughter's wounded friend. "Forgive me Rachel, forgive me, Sarfowaa whispered in pain. "Forgive me, I betrayed you. I was paid to give information on you and your family. Little did I know that I was going to be the victim. Life is a farm that provides due harvest for the seeds we sow. I sowed my seeds and I have reaped the harvest I deserve", she confessed. Her body went limp thereafter. She was gone. About the Author: Jeremiah Buabeng is a multi-gifted motivational speaker who juggles writing along with his work as an entrepreneur, corporate trainer and consultant. You can reach him on 0246 88 26 32 or [email protected] . Air raids at a prison run by the Islamic State in the Syria, led by the United States, killed 42 civilians and 15 guards. By Indo-Asian News Service: At least 57 people were killed in airstrikes allegedly carried out by the US-led coalition against a prison run by the Islamic State terror organisation in the Syrian city of al-Mayadin, a British-based war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Tuesday that the air raids killed 42 civilians and 15 guards and Islamic State prisoners on Monday, Efe news reported. advertisement The death toll could increase as there are people still missing under the rubble, SOHR said, adding that the prison had about 100 detainees, including civilians and IS militants. Before turning it into a prison, the building was the home of the leader of al-Qaida affiliate in Syria who was assassinated by Islamic State. The facilities were divided into a special section for civilians and another for IS members. The international coalition began its military campaign in Syria on September 23, 2014, almost three months after the extremists proclaimed a caliphate in Syria and Iraq. Along with the Syrian Democratic Forces, led by Kurdish militias, the coalition is currently taking part in an offensive against IS positions in al-Raqqa province, the terror organization's main stronghold in Syria. Also Read US says Syria seems to be planning another chemical attack, warns Bashar al-Assad of heavy price Arab states send Qatar 13 demands to end crisis --- ENDS --- Cruise Promo finalists proudly show off their cards by the car they all hope to win on Saturday 28.06.2017 LISTEN The most exciting loyalty reward package for retail shopping will climax in Accra West on Saturday when the curtain finally rolls down on the three-month long Cruise down to West Hills Mall promotion. On Saturday, July 1, the keys to a brand new Chevrolet Cruise Saloon car which has taunted patrons and customers at West Hills Mall for 91 days, will be handed over to the luckiest of a group of shoppers fiercely vying to drive home the vehicle. Since the Cruise down to West Hills Mall promotion was launched in April, every customer who shopped to the tune of Ghc200 or more received incredible instant prizes, with thousands of shoppers going home with high value items like LED TV sets, blenders, kitchen microwaves and smart phones However, aside of the gift items which may be redeemed instantly, if shoppers were lucky to find the inscription Cruise Finalist on their scratch cards, they automatically qualified to participate in the final phase of the promotion a thrilling game of nerves that will determine which shopper drives home the Ghc120,000 Chevrolet Cruise car. By the closing date of Friday, June 30, a small group of lucky shoppers would have qualified to participate in the final game, but only one of them will eventually snatch away the keys to the car on Saturday, July 1. Even so, all the other finalists who may not be lucky enough to win the car will take home some exciting consolation prizes. You see, what makes this promo far more exciting than others is that, it has been designed to ensure that every shopper at West Hills Mall is a winner. Each one of the scratch cards issued to our shoppers doing Ghc200 or more bears a prize which they redeem instantly, said Marketing Manager, Michael Oduro Konadu. Instant prize winnings by customers was abundantly confirmed at the mall on the Ed-al-Fitr holiday as hundreds of shoppers kept winning and redeeming one prize after another. This is awesome! We just came to buy provisions of Ghc250 for the house and look what we got, said a jubilant Frantz Asamoah, a young technician who lives in Dzorwulo, as he and his fiancee tugged away a Samsung LED television set he had just won. Saturday will be an exciting finish for this promo and it will be full of suspense. All qualified finalists will be here at the mall. At an open ceremony in the hallway, they will randomly select personal numbers and will be asked to pick sealed envelopes from letter-boxes randomly assigned to those numbers. Only one envelope will have the keys to the car and any of the shoppers who finds the key will drive the car home, said Konadu. West Hills Mall, Ghanas leading destination for family shopping and recreation, has built a strong reputation for adding value to the shopping experience of its patrons, regularly rewarding customer loyalty by introducing a variety of exciting promotions. On the record, this would be the third time in just two years that West Hills Mall has put up a brand new vehicle as prize for loyal customers and shoppers. It will be recalled that in May 2015, Kwame Oware, a 29 year old broadcast journalist with Pink FM, won a KIA Rio Saloon car after spending just Ghc230 on provisions for his mother in West Hills Malls Shop N Win Promo and just last November, Francis Mensah, an electronics dealer from Osu drove away a brand new Chevrolet Sparkle Light Saloon car after spending only Ghc150 at the mall. Cruze Promo 8 Cruze Promo 7 The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) says it has so far established that there is no evidence of the sale of contaminated fuel on the market. Nonetheless, it has dispatched several field officers combing fuel stations in a push to be thoroughly satisfied that fuel bought and sold is safe for automobiles. Acting Chief Executive, Alhassan Tampuli disclosed this on Joy FM Super Morning Show following a report that two companies that acquired five million litres of contaminated fuel from the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST). The propriety of the transaction has been questioned by the NPA which has expressed disappointment that the regulator was not informed about the 'abnormal' deal. The two companies -Movenpinaa Energy and Zupsoil - have been found not to have been licensed as required by section 11 of the National Petroleum Authority Act, Act 691, 2005. BOST CEO, Alfred Obeng is under pressure from the Minority in Parliament to resign as political forces circle the deal as suspicious. In the midst of the controversy, the NPA says it is only focused on ensuring the fuel on the market is of the required standard. On day two since the story broke Tuesday, Alhassan Tampuli says investigations show that a bulk of the 5million litres "is still within the storage of BOST" while the rest are within the premises of Zukoil. Zupsoil says it has 400,000 litres after ordering for 2million litres. The company had intended to sell the fuel to some entities which have operational use of contaminated fuel. BOST has been criticised for selling the fuel when it could have processed it to remove the contaminants. But NPA would wade into the options available to BOST. Mr. Tampuli explained the NPA stays out of management decisions and business judgements of regulated companies. Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected] The Nii Adama Pataku Family of Amasaman Abamman has accused the Accra Regional Police Command of conniving with one Henry Ashilley, a suspected land guard, to maliciously arrest their relative James Laryea for allegedly murdering Nii Tettey Sarbah, the development chief of Ardeyman. The suspect James Laryea, according to the family, was arrested by the police for refusing to allow some senior police officers of the Amasaman police station and CID Headquarters, who gratuitously acquired their family lands through Henry from developing them at Abamman in the Ga West Municipality. Alhaji Abdulai Showumi Williams, Head of the Nii Adama Pataku Family, in a statement, challenged the police to produce evidence that implicate their relative in the murder of the development chief. He said Henry Ashilley, who allegedly identified Mr Laryea as one of the suspects in the murder of the late Ardeyman chief, is a notorious land guard, who was fined by the court for selling their family lands at Abamman. Henry Ashilley's father, Alfred Anum Ashilley, was a senior member of the family even though he was never the head of the family with the authority to sell lands. Henry has been selling the family lands in the name of the father even after his death. He said based on this, Henry was dragged to court by the family to stop him from further selling lands. Unknown to the family, Henry Ashilley had gratuitously parted with some of the lands to some senior police officers at Amasaman police station, regional headquarters and CID headquarters. Alhaji Williams said the family met and gave Mr Laryea the power to safeguard the family's piece of land situated at Abamman. Mr Abdulai Showumi Williams said the suspect, with the support of the family, stopped most of the police officers, who acquired the land gratuitously from developing them. Some of the said police officers came to the family and pleaded to be allowed to continue with their projects, but the family declined and the same police officers, together with Henry, came to apprehend Mr. Laryea and further accused him of the murder of the Ardeyman chief. Mr. Laryea is not a native, maternally or paternally of Ardeyman to have functional interest in that matter, and he is not a land guard to be contracted to cause such atrocities. Ardeyman, where the murder took place, is not even close to Abamman or Ayikai Doblo where suspect's parents hail, he stated. Ardeyman and Abamman have no dispute over anything to warrant the involvement in that fight, which took the life of Ardeyman's development chief. The disgruntled head of the Nii Adama Pataku family averred that the innocent man has been detained for no unjustifiable reason. By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey ([email protected]) The Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah (5th from left) in a pose with the road contractors The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, says action must be taken immediately to enhance the regions roads, which have deteriorated over the last eight years. According to him, the lives of drivers and commuters are being threatened due to the deplorable road network. He observed that only 49 percent of the roads in the region were in good shape. At the time we were leaving office, the region had about 90 percent of its roads in good condition, but they have deteriorated to 49 percent. This is really bad and incomprehensible, Mr. Osei-Mensah said. He made the disclosure when the Ashanti Regional executives of the Road Contractors of Ghana paid a courtesy call on him at his office. The Minister said the deterioration of the road was as a result of the neglect by the previous government to deny the Ashanti Region its fair share of the national cake. The road contractors used the opportunity to congratulate the Minister and his Deputy, Elizabeth Agyemang on their elevation to the office. They took the opportunity to raise concerns about the undue delay in the signing of certificates of completed projects, as well as the nature of the tendering process leading to the award of contracts. Chairman of the association, Emmanuel Boateng said members were ignored in the award of contracts by officials of the previous administration, as their plants and equipment had gathered dust. According to him, many of the contractors, who won contracts through dubious means, had to rely on their equipment to be able to execute the projects for government. For him, the new administration has the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past since they have the requisite expertise, knowledge and experience to construct roads in the country. Mr. Boateng said members were confident that the Regional Minister would adhere to proper procedures in the award of contracts so as to save money. The association also urged the Regional Coordinating Council to collaborate with its members in order to tap into their in-depth knowledge. From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi The Metropolitan Chief Imam of Tema, Alhaji Adam Abubakar, says he's confident President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would deliver his promises to bring relief to Ghanaians. He was optimistic the good policies of the President would help revive the country's economy to improve the lives of ordinary Ghanaians. Touching on the high level unemployment among the youth of this country, he reiterated that the incumbent government would create jobs for the youth. He disclosed this during the prayer session to mark Eid-ul-Fitr in Tema on Monday. The Metro Chief Imam also used the occasion to advise fellow Muslims to lead holy lives, which would bring the blessings of Allah to them after going through the month-long fasting. He further admonished the youth to refrain from violent activities and contribute their quota to ensure the socio-economic development of the country. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East Constituency, who doubles as Deputy Minister of Transport, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, assured Muslims in the metropolis that the President is keen on bringing development to the Muslim community in Tema. He appealed to the unemployed youth to have faith in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which intends to provide them with jobs. The Chief Executive of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Felix Mensah Anang-La, addressing the gathering, reiterated the Presidents commitment to effectively addressing the unemployment situation in the country. Mr. Anang-La further asserted that education and skills development for the youth would feature prominently in his Tema restoration agenda.' He said that the creation of the Ministry of Inner City, Zongo and Development by President Akufo-Addo showed his love for Muslims and determination to improve the living conditions of members of the Muslim community in the country. From Bernard Aryee, Tema President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged all political actors in Zambia to submerge their individual and partisan preferences for the common good in the development of the country. He said developments in Zambia, and the political tension that characterised the last election, where the margin of victory for the winner was some 100,000 votes, have left many worried because Zambia is one of democracys success stories on the continent. His visit to Zambia, however, the President stated, is not come here to pass judgement, neither have I come here to find out who is right or who is wrong. The President indicated that I have come here to say that, as political actors, whether in government or in opposition, we should prove to the world that we respect the rule of law and are willing and able to submerge our individual and partisan preferences for the common good in the development of our countries. He continued, We should demonstrate that it is not the ambitions of Mr. A or Mr. B, neither is it the fortunes of party X or party Y, which we seek to advance. "The stability and progress of Zambia, and, indeed, of all our countries, and the enhancement of our democracies should be the paramount consideration that must guide every action of Zambians and all of us Africans in our respective countries. President Akufo-Addo was speaking at a State Banquet held in his honour by the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Edgar Lungu, on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, when he made this known. Pensions for retired Ghanaian teachers Whilst thanking the people and successive governments of Zambia for the hospitality extended to Ghanaians resident there over the years, President Akufo-Addo raised for the consideration of the relevant authorities a matter which has been outstanding for some time. This involves the longstanding issue of the non-payment of pension monies due to a group of retired Ghanaian teachers, who have contributed towards educating a large segment of the Zambian society. It is time that this issue was satisfactorily resolved, and my information is that, happily, positive efforts are now being made towards that end. Let the end come soon, he added. Strong partnership between Zambia and Ghana It was the hope of President Akufo-Addo that Ghana and Zambia continually search for ways to co-operate during his and the tenure of office of President Edgar Lungu. I have no doubt that, together, we can forge a new, strong partnership for cooperation between our two nations for the mutual benefit of our two peoples, he added. President Akufo-Addo reiterated his persuasion that Africa is breeding a new generation of leaders who are committed to governing their peoples according to the rule of law, respect for individual liberties and human rights, and the principles of democratic accountability. These leaders, he stressed, are looking past commodities to position their countries in the global marketplace at the high end of the value chain; leaders who are determined to free their peoples from a mindset of dependence, aid, charity and hand-outs; leaders who are bent on mobilizing Africas own immeasurable resources to resolve Africas problems; leaders who recognise the connectedness of their peoples and economies to those of their neighbours. This generation of African leaders, according to President Akufo-Addo, must not fail the long-suffering African masses, noting that they must help bring dignity and prosperity to our continent and its peoples. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com The Energy Ministry has initiated steps to probe circumstances under which five million litres of fuel belonging to the Bulk Oil and Storage Transportation Company (BOST) was contaminated. The Ministry in a statement Wednesday, said an eight-member Committee will be constituted to establish the veracity of the matter. We wish to assure the general public, that the Ministry is determined to ensure that the integrity of the quality of petroleum products supplied in the country is protected, the statement said. The decision by BOST to dispose five million litres of contaminated fuel to two oil companies, Movenpiina and ZupOil has triggered some backlash. The African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) claimed the rejected product has found its way in the market but BOST has denied that. BOST Media Relations Manager, Nana Akua Adubea Obeng said the company took the decision to sell the fuel because it had to free its storage facility in order to make way for new delivery. The issue was stoked after the Minority in Parliament added its voice, calling on the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government to set aside BOST MD, Alfred Obeng. The opposition lawmakers at a news conference Tuesday said the action of the facility will cause some financial loss to the state. Although a preliminary investigation by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has revealed an illegality was committed in the BOST transaction, the Energy Ministry is in the process of setting up a Committee to conduct full probe. The terms of reference of the Committee are; 1. Determine the circumstances that created the off-spec product 2. Review the procedures undertaken by BOST to evacuate the product 3. Ascertain the quality and remaining quantity of the product 4. Determine if the product can be corrected, if not determine the alternative use for the product 5. Review the transaction According to the statement, the committee is expected to advise the Energy Ministry on the necessary technical, administrative and legal actions to be taken. The members of the committee cut across the major stakeholders of the Energy sector. They include; National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) Bureau of National Investigations Chamber of Bulk oil Distributors Association of Oil Marketing Companies Energy Commission A representative from the relevant Civil Society Organizations -Myjoyonline Language plays a very important part in communication. It is therefore incumbent on a person who communicates to bear in mind that for their targeted audience to understand their message, their (communicator) choice of language was very crucial. In the last few days, I have watched a short video of Ghana's Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, responding to a question posed to him at the just-ended African Consultative Group Meeting held in Washington DC, in April, this year, as part of the IMF/World Bank Spring meetings. From the video, I saw how both the Africans and others on the panel were nodding in agreement to what he was saying. The applauds and nodding from the IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde, and others on the platform and from the audience which followed Mr Ofori-Atta's comments were indicative of how well he spoke or dealt with the question posed to him. But I have also read some comments and read articles about how people, especially some Ghanaians, understood what Ofori-Atta said. There are very scathing commentaries running on social media and in some Ghanaian newspapers about the Finance Minister's short intervention at that conference. I've been concerned about some interpretations given to his comments by these newspapers and some individuals, and I keep asking myself: in what language did Ken Ofori-Atta speak at the conference, that made some Ghanaians have so much difficulty in understanding, hence their twisted interpretation and commentary? As Ghanaians, our leaders can succeed or fail, depending on the kind of support we offer them including moral support. It's therefore sad that even when a Ghanaian has adequately represented us at international fora and made excellent contributions, we, as usual, bring in our poisonous and dirty politics which makes us put on our jaundiced lenses or deliberately attempt to interpret what one says in languages other than what one spoke. Maybe, it's part of our usual equalisation game. At the said meeting, the moderator asked Ofori-Atta: Your country has a three-year facility with the IMF and of course Ghana was dependent on oil, on cocoa, and on gold, but it has had some troubles there. What are your expectations from the compact process in getting your economy back on track? In answering this question, the Finance Minister began with an anecdote: I was born out of wedlock, and therefore my mother was supposed to abort and she ran away and I survived. So, I didn't know my father until I was about 10, 11 and he came back with a PhD and decided that you should move from the village to live with him, which changed the course of my history. So, the strength of a woman not to abort was critical. And then the sense of responsibility after not knowing him to decide that you should move from the village and come and stay with him in Legon and begin to even learn how to spell your name as Ken was important. What I have therefore is, from there to Achimota School, one of the best schools in Ghana, then to Columbia, to Yale, to Wall Street, back to Ghana, set up an investment bank and insurance firm, and then joined the political train and I'm Finance Minister. So, my question then, for all of us, is, where do we feel responsible for the unique situation of each country? He also made reference to the kind of economy his government inherited with 8.9 deficit, negative primary balance, and 72 per cent debt to GDP ratio, and the efforts his government in only five months has made towards stabilising the economy. He called for Africa's partners to treat Africa differently from the way they have treated the continent, and create in the seven countries represented at the conference a satellite of radiation that will permeate the continent He then touched on what many Africans have been hammering on for decades fair trade. He cited cocoa and pointed out that selling the raw beans fetches only $5 billion for Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire who jointly supply about 60 per cent of world supply, but processing or adding value fetches $140 billion. This point, to me, raises the critical issue of the West creating a level playing ground where Africans would no more be restricted in what they sell on the international market, and also the willingness of the West to buy Africa's value-added goods, like processed cocoa, instead of raw materials. He then asked the deeper question: Why are we playing in the $5b 'quadrant' and not the $140b? It's this challenge that I really want to put to our friends. That there is a lot more we can do and we ask that this Compact (the G20 Africa Partnership) becomes a game changer that Africa needs and the world needs. He forcefully stated that Ghana is a potential pillow of stability of the region (Africa) and therefore there have to be different treatments, adding that we have the capacity, and we have the people. In an article by a Josephine Nettey, published on theherald.com on June 21, 2017, the author who fused her discussion of what happened at the Compact meeting with Ofori-Atta's appearance in Parliament to answer questions on the recent US$2.25 bond, wrote that the Minister did the unthinkable by trying to court affection and failed to answer the question. Another article on therepublicnewsonline.com sourced to a Fiifi Samuels, says upon being granted audience at that IMF programme, the Finance Minister rather saw it fit to speak to an entirely different topic that was irrelevant and immaterial to the issues about the IMF's programme with Ghana . . . and rather than speak the numbers language, the Finance Minister launched into an abortion and illicit sex story about himself that left Ghana looking like a clown-state for having such a man for Finance Minister, and that the awkward scenario left Ghana looking like a total joke for a state, for having a Finance Minister who sees it fit to tell abortion stories on the world economic stage. A former president of the African Development Bank (2005-2015) who was also a former Finance Minister of Rwanda, Dr Donald Kaberuka, when speaking at an international conference on refugees, gave his own experience as a refugee, from which situation he later schooled to became a PhD holder, and held important national and international positions. Listen to him: Like many young boys, I wasn't sure what I wanted to be, or even whether there were any options possible for young refugee boys . . . Our family, like that of many Rwandans of my generation, lived for many years in refugee camps. Life was hazardous, and refugees don't have many choices. Eventually, though, I got into school and university to study economics and ended up in the world of finance . He says he has been privileged in many ways, firstly, to be called upon to serve my country in a pivotal position of Finance Minister, alongside many other Rwandans who were involved in the important task of national reconstruction, and later on to serve the continent as a whole as head of its premier development bank. Many good communicators usually begin their speeches with appropriate anecdotes to press home the impact of their speech. This is exactly what Dr Kaberuka and Mr Ofori-Atta did at their separate international arenas. One cannot talk about economic growth in Africa without talking about the need for equal level playing ground for people and for nations. How many times haven't we heard about some women aborting their pregnancies? Even though nobody would preach to women to get pregnant and abort, we would only be hypocrites if we deny that abortions happen in Ghana almost every day. Won't Ofori-Atta's story about his mother's strength which made her not to abort encourage other young women who come to face the same dilemma? Again, his father's realisation of his responsibilities as a father was the life changer, and this must encourage fathers who have abandoned their children for one reason or another to have a second think and take up their responsibilities for their children. We have heard many times about the so-called 'American Dream', which simply means America provides the space for all to progress. Yes, if that was the case, then Ken Ofori-Atta's journey from the village to Achimota School, to Columbia University, to Yale and Wall Street and back to Ghana to establish vibrant and successful financial institutions, is an encouragement to our children and younger generations that they can equally make it in life if given the opportunities like he was given. I definitely think Ken Ofori-Atta spoke a very clear, audible and encouraging language, by telling the West to remove barriers to African states on the world market and also treat Africa differently from the master-servant treatment we have been subjected to over the centuries. Except anybody was listening to him in a different language, and therefore did not understand what he said at the conference, then I would say, what the Finance Minister said never disgraced Ghana, but rather addressed a crucial issue facing Ghana and Africa. Source: Dr Frankie Asare-Donkoh | [email protected] Acclaimed Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong'o says he will give Scandinavia's largest book fair a wide berth in solidarity with fellow authors decrying an invitation to a far-right newspaper. By TONY KARUMBA (AFP) 28.06.2017 LISTEN Stockholm (AFP) - Kenyan literary icon Ngugi wa Thiong'o, often tipped for the Nobel literature prize, has pulled out of an annual Swedish book fair in protest at the presence of a right-wing extremist newspaper, his publisher said Wednesday. The 75-year-old author of "A Grain of Wheat" (1967) and "Petals of Blood (1975), wrote an e-mail to his Swedish publisher Modernista informing them he would cancel his attendance at the Gothenburg Book Fair "in solidarity with the writers withdrawing and of course with the concerns behind their withdrawal," referring to the newspaper Nya Tider, which will be represented at the fair. "We can confirm that Ngugi wa Thiong'o has cancelled his attendance at the book fair in Gothenburg in the autumn," Kristofer Andersson, development director at Modernista, told AFP. Birgitta Jacobsson Ekblom, head of communications for the fair, added they had received this information and were in contact with Ngugi, a fierce critic of post-colonial Kenyan society. The event, to be held September 28 to October 1, is Scandinavia's largest book fair and draws around 100,000 visitors each year. On April 21, more than 200 Swedish authors signed an article in daily Dagens Nyheter saying they would boycott the book fair if Nya Tider is represented. Additionally, 12 European national institutes of culture -- from Germany, France, Romania, Spain and Portugal among others -- sent an email to organisers Tuesday expressing their concern about Nya Tider's attendance and urging it to bar the publication, which has received state press subsidies since 2012. "The purpose of the email, for me, was to ask where to draw the line between freedom of speech and providing hatred with a free platform," Laurent Clavel, head of the French Institute in Sweden, told public broadcaster SVT on Tuesday. Fair organisers have, however, refused to budge on the issue. "We believe that an open dialogue is the best way to beat forces involving intolerance, racism and xenophobia," Ekblom told AFP, adding the newspaper had requested to attend the fair. Goma (DR Congo) (AFP) - The governor of Congo's restive eastern province of Nord-Kivu urged the army Wednesday to beef up operations against a spate of militia attacks there, saying all-out war may be imminent. "I am alerting in particular the army chief of staff to refocus its strategy after these new incursions. There is a looming threat of a fresh war," Julien Paluku told a press conference. An unprecedented string of attacks in the last few days against border posts and army positions in DR Congo's troubled east have been attributed to the Mai-Mai, a "self-defence" militia comprising members of several ethnic groups in the region. But Paluku said "these repeated attacks in Beni far exceed the capabilities of the Mai-Mai." Instead they suggest the involvement of "another force" supporting the unidentified militia groups. His warning raises bitter memories of Congo's two wars, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which dragged in at least six African armies and left more than three million dead and 1.6 million homeless, Africa's worst conflict in recent history. On Monday the Kasindi border post on the Ugandan border was attacked by a Mai-Mai militia group previously unknown to the authorities, an army spokesman said. On Tuesday there was an attack against an army position at Kalau and on Wednesday the army again came under attack at Nyamitale by assailants believed to be Mai-Mai. There were clashes also last weekend in Nord-Kivu, in Kaseghe, where "the Mai-Mai (militia)" attacked government troops, said an army spokesman. During the second civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (1998-2003), a number of groups were armed by the ruling power to fight invading Ugandans and Rwandans -- and several groups never disarmed. Kaseghe is located in the Lubero territory neighbouring Beni where a series of deadly clashes have taken place over the past year. Sixteen people were killed early this month near Beni in clashes between the army and a suspected Mai-Mai group -- though its presumed spokesman describes it as a national revolutionary movement opposed to the regime of President Joseph Kabila. Kabila has been in power since 2001 when he succeeded his father. He was elected president in 2006 and 2011 and his second mandate expired in December. But the 46-year-old leader has refused to step down fuelling a political crisis in the vast central African country. Elections are now supposed to be held by the end of this year. Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro alleged that a grenade was tossed at the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning. By Reuters: A Venezuelan police helicopter attacked the Supreme Court on Tuesday, ratcheting up a political crisis in what President Nicolas Maduro condemned as a "terrorist" attack. The 54-year-old socialist leader, who has faced three months of opposition protests as well as dissent from within government, said the helicopter shot at the judicial building and also threw some grenades. Witnesses reported hearing several detonations in downtown Caracas, where the pro-Maduro Supreme Court, the presidential palace and other key government buildings are located. advertisement The helicopter also flew over the Interior Ministry, Maduro said in a speech. "Sooner rather than later we are going to capture the helicopter and those behind this armed terrorist attack against the institutions of the country," he said. The Supreme Court is particularly hated by Maduro's opponents for its string of rulings bolstering his power and undermining the opposition-controlled legislature. "There was a social activity going on in the Supreme Court. They could have caused dozens of deaths," Maduro said of the helicopter attack. Opposition leaders have long been calling on Venezuela's security forces to stop obeying a president they call a murderous dictator. But there was also some speculation on social media among opposition supporters that the helicopter attack could have been staged to justify repression or cover up drama at Venezuela's National Assembly, where two dozen lawmakers said they were being besieged by pro-government gangs. Earlier on Tuesday, Maduro warned that he and supporters would take up arms if his socialist government was violently overthrown by opponents who have been on the streets since April. At least 75 people have died in the unrest. "If Venezuela was plunged into chaos and violence and the Bolivarian Revolution destroyed, we would go to combat. We would never give up, and what couldn't be done with votes, we would do with arms, we would liberate the fatherland with arms," he said.VOTE CONTROVERSY Maduro, who replaced Hugo Chavez in 2013, is pushing a July 30 vote for a special super-body called a Constituent Assembly, which could rewrite the national charter and supersede other institutions such as the opposition-controlled congress. He has touted the assembly as the only way to bring peace to Venezuela. But opponents, who want to bring forward the next presidential election scheduled for late 2018, say it is a sham poll designed purely to keep the socialists in power. They are boycotting the vote, and protesting daily on the streets to try and have it stopped. Opposition leaders call Maduro a tyrant who has wrecked a once-prosperous economy, while he calls them violent coup leaders following U.S. orders. advertisement Maduro, who accuses Washington of seeking to control the nation's oil wealth, said the "destruction" of Venezuela would lead to a huge refugee wave dwarfing the Mediterranean crisis. "Listen, President Donald Trump," he said earlier on Tuesday. "You would have to build 20 walls in the sea, a wall from Mississippi to Florida, from Florida to New York, it would be crazy ... You have the responsibility: stop the madness of the violent Venezuelan right wing." Opposition to the July 30 vote has come not just from Venezuelan opposition parties, but also from the chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega and one-time government heavyweights like former intelligence service boss Miguel Rodriguez. At a news conference on Tuesday, Rodriguez criticized Maduro for not holding a referendum prior to the Constituent Assembly election, as his predecessor Chavez had done in 1999. "This is a country without government, this is chaos," he said. "The people are left out ... They (the government) are seeking solutions outside the constitution. That deepens the crisis." Maduro said an ex-pilot of Rodriguez was involved in Tuesday's helicopter attack. --- ENDS --- Accra, June 28, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has advised political actors in Zambia to quash their individual and partisan interest for the common good and development of the country. 'As political actors, whether in government or in opposition, we should prove to the world that we respect the rule of law and are willing and able to submerge our individual and partisan preferences for the common good in the development of our countries,' he indicated. President Akufo-Addo gave the advice when speaking at a State Banquet held in his honour by his Zambian counterpart, President Edgar Lungu. The President is on a three-day official State visit to that country. He said his visit to Zambia was 'not come here to pass judgement, neither have I come here to find out who is right or who is wrong,' indicating however that recent developments in that country, and the political tension that characterised the last election, where the margin of victory for the winner was some 100,000 votes, had left many worried, as Zambia's democracy was one of the success stories on the African continent. 'We should demonstrate that it is not the ambitions of Mr. A or Mr. B, neither is it the fortunes of party X or party Y, which we seek to advance. The stability and progress of Zambia, and, indeed, of all our countries, and the enhancement of our democracies should be the paramount consideration that must guide every action of Zambians and all of us Africans in our respective countries,' he said. Whilst thanking the people and successive governments of Zambia for the hospitality extended to Ghanaians resident there over the years, President Akufo-Addo raised for the consideration of the relevant authorities a matter which had been outstanding for some time. 'This involves the longstanding issue of the non-payment of pension monies due a group of retired Ghanaian teachers, who have contributed towards educating a large segment of the Zambian society. It is time that this issue was satisfactorily resolved, and my information is that, happily, positive efforts are now being made towards that end. Let the end come soon', he added. President Akufo-Addo expressed optimism that Ghana and Zambia would continually search for ways to co-operate during his and the tenure of office of President Edgar Lungu. 'I have no doubt that, together, we can forge a new, strong partnership for cooperation between our two nations for the mutual benefit of our two peoples,' he added. President Akufo-Addo reiterated his persuasion that Africa was breeding a new generation of leaders 'who are committed to governing their peoples according to the rule of law, respect for individual liberties and human rights, and the principles of democratic accountability.' These leaders, he stressed, 'are looking past commodities to position their countries in the global marketplace at the high end of the value chain; leaders who are determined to free their peoples from a mindset of dependence, aid, charity and hand-outs; leaders who are bent on mobilizing Africa's own immeasurable resources to resolve Africa's problems; leaders who recognise the connectedness of their peoples and economies to those of their neighbours.' This generation of African leaders, according to President Akufo-Addo, must not fail the long-suffering African masses, noting that 'they must help bring dignity and prosperity to our continent and its peoples.' GNA By Ken Sackey, GNA CFAO Ghana Limited, a major Ghanaian automobile distributor of Mitsubishi and Citroen vehicles, has now added the Suzuki brand to its business in the country. To meet the needs of Suzuki lovers in the country, CFAO has opened a new showroom this year dedicated to the Suzuki brand. The company already sells Suzuki motorbikes and outboard engines since 2011. Speaking at the opening of the new showroom in Accra, Managing Director of CFAO Ghana, Edouard Rochet said the state-of-the-art showroom reflects perfectly what CFAO intends to offer to its cherished customers. "The best products as well as the best standards in terms of quality and service for a unique customer experience," he said. He indicated that by offering a large range of affordable yet robust vehicles, Suzuki shares with CFAO the vision towards addressing the needs of the merging middle-class in Africa and more especially in Ghana. Suzuki by CFAO offers customers who would have purchased used vehicles without service history and warranty have the opportunity to buy a brand new vehicle at similar affordable prices with warranty and dedicated after sales service for an ultimate peace of mind, Mr Rochet revealed. "Starting from $ 7,500, the range of new Suzuki vehicles comprises of several passengers cars, SUVs, a panel van as well as a small pick-up truck which can load up to 750kg," he added. He said the company was poised to promote its new acquisition as a household name in terms of brands so that any prospective car owner would simply have the Suzuki reflex when thinking of a car to purchase. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Joy Business Johannesburg (AFP) - AngloGold Ashanti, the world's third largest gold miner, said Wednesday it was considering 8,500 job cuts in South Africa as part of a turnaround strategy to curb losses. "This restructuring contemplates some 8,500 roles across AngloGold Ashanti's South African business," the Johannesburg-based company said in a statement. The firm employs around 28,000 people. It said challenges faced in South Africa included the "near-depletion of ore reserves" while some older mines had become uneconomic. "This is a difficult decision which follows a period of significant and ultimately unsustainable losses, and also the evaluation of the options available to return our South African business to profitability," said chief executive Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan. "(We) are committed to supporting all our employees throughout this process." In May, the firm reported a 16 percent drop in first quarter profit due to a drop in production from South Africa. The firm named its TauTona and Kopanang operations, southwest of Johannesburg, as having sustained "significant operating losses". The redundancies are likely to add more woes to the mining sector that has been shedding jobs in South Africa due to weak commodity prices and falling output. The proposal to cut jobs is likely to meet with resistance from labour unions whose members often embark on lengthy strikes. About 70,000 jobs have been lost in South Africa's mining industry over the past five years. AngloGold Ashanti has operations in South America, Western Australia and other parts of Africa. Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis on Wednesday created five new cardinals in a Vatican ceremony that, while deeply traditional in form, also reflected his vision of a reshaped Church for the 21st century. Four of the five new cardinals come from countries that have never had a cardinal before: El Salvador, Laos, Mali and Sweden. The fifth is from Spain. In a hard-hitting homily, Francis told them they should regard themselves as servants of the most vulnerable and not be misled by the traditional description of cardinals as the 'Princes of the Church'. The world they had to deal with, Francis said, was "the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism; the forms of enslavement that continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; the refugee camps which at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; the systematic discarding of all that is no longer useful, people included." Experts say Francis's latest choice of cardinals reflects his desire to reach out to the peripheries of the global Catholic community, a recurring theme of his papacy. Three of the new appointments are from countries with only small minority Catholic congregations. As well as expanding its global footprint, the appointments increase the size of the electoral college that will select the next pope to 121 members, 49 of whom have been appointed since he became pope in March 2013. Blood spilled "I think it reflects what Francis is about for him to create cardinals from Laos, Mali and Sweden," said one of the new appointments, Sweden's Anders Arborelius. The Bishop of Stockholm told AFP he had shocked to learn of his impending elevation. "A priest showed me the announcement on the internet - at first I thought it was a joke," Arborelius said. His new colleague Juan Omella, the bishop of Barcelona, concurred. "The pope has a very universal vision. He wants to strengthen the areas on the margins where the Church is growing," he said in an interview ahead of Wednesday's consistory, as the formal swearing-in is known. After vowing obedience to the Church and the pope, each of the five knelt before Francis to receive their cardinal's hat, a ring and a title linking them to a church in Rome. As he placed the four-peaked "birettas" on their heads, Francis reminded the new cardinals, in Latin, that their scarlet colour was a symbol of the blood they must be prepared to spill for their faith. Then, as other popes have done since cardinals were first appointed nearly 1,000 years ago, Francis handed over the Papal Bull, or decree, that formalises the creation of new members. Church for the poor The latest appointments continue a recent trend towards increasing the representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America within the college of cardinals at the expense of European and North American clerics. But those latter areas remain hugely influential, making up 56 percent of the college. Italy alone has more than a fifth (24) of cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave that elects popes. El Salvador's first cardinal, Gregorio Rosa Chavez, was a close friend of Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop slain by a death squad as he gave mass in 1980, during the Central American state's brutal civil war. Often portrayed as an advocate of liberation theology, Romero shared Francis's belief that the Church should be at the service of the poor. "He should be here in my place," Rosa Chavez told AFP. "He is a cardinal by martyr's blood." Altogether there are now 225 cardinals around the world but those over 80 are not allowed to vote. One, former Scottish archbishop Keith O'Brien, renounced his voting rights after being forced to step down over predatory sexual conduct with student priests. Jean Zerbo's appointment as Mali's first cardinal was partly overshadowed by a scandal embroiling the Church in the mostly-Muslim African state. Zerbo was named in press reports at the end of May as one of three Church officials in Mali to have access to 12 million euros held in several accounts at a private bank in Switzerland. The Church in Mali has denied any wrongdoing. All is set for the much-talked-about Victory Business Summit and Fair (VBSF) 2017, scheduled to take place at the premises of the Victory Presbyterian Church, Adenta-Frafraha in Accra. The two-day annual event, which takes place on the 2nd & 3rd July 2017, is on the theme "Growing Your Business: Knowing the Needs of Your Customers". This seventh (7th) edition of VBSF, like the six (6) previous editions, has three (3) experienced Speakers to address pertinent entrepreneurial issues during the two days Business Summit and Fair. The Speakers to do justice to the theme and sub-themes this year are: Mr. Bernard Koku Avle, a Media Practitioner and Director of News Programmes at Citi FM, who will speak on the topic 'Knowing Your Customer: Niche Marketing'. The second Speaker will be Mr. Prince Asare, a Legal Practitioner & Entrepreneur, who will delve into the topic 'Legal Obligations of SMEs'. The third Speaker, Mr. Ebenezer Asante, CEO MTN Ghana, will speak on the sub-theme Service Mission: Catalyst for Sustained Business Growth. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Today, the Chairman of the VBSF Planning Committee, Mr K. O. Adu Labi, stressed that the Victory Business Summit and Fair has been a real blessing to attendees and exhibitors alike and that there are many testimonies to that fact. According to him, the purpose for VBSF is to meet the development needs of the communities in which we worship by providing entrepreneurial skills to encourage and enable those interested in starting their own businesses, no matter how small, especially in our current times of economic austerity, to do so. "We are of the view that it is never too early to encourage and build entrepreneurial skills", he reiterated. The Chairman of Planning Committee was of the belief that there are so many budding talents out there and just the right word, at the right time, in the right ear, can make a huge difference through the grace of God. The Business Fair is expected to host over seventy (70) exhibitors from various sectors with a wide range of goods and services to be showcased during the two days duration. The wares and services that will be on display at the Business Fair will be widely varied, from ready-to-eat meals to packaged convenience foods and farm produce, hand-crafted jewellery, homecare products, books, clothing, footwear, cosmetics, furniture, farming equipment, financial services and telecommunications services. It is expected that there will be close to one thousand attendees to the VBSF this year, some of which will be business students from various institutions. Of course, entrepreneurs of all levels of experience will also be gracing the occasion to pick up tips on how to take their business to the next level of success. Do make it a point to be there as well. Attendance is FREE and you will not regret spending your Republic Day holiday so profitably. Mr Adu added Johannesburg (AFP) - A South African who has been held hostage by Al-Qaeda in Mali since 2011 is alive and well, his father said Wednesday, having received information from a recently released Swedish captive. Stephen McGown's father Malcolm said he had spoken twice to Johan Gustafsson, who was detained alongside Stephen, since his release earlier this week. "He said they were both well, he says Stephen is well. So there has not been any sort of abuse or anything like that," McGown told AFP. "We just sort of hope that Stephen will come out soon. At this stage he is now on his own," he said in a phone interview from his Johannesburg home. McGown added that Gustafsson reported that the two men were together until he was taken to be released. McGown, 42, was abducted in Timbuktu in northern Mali in November 2011 along with Gustafsson and Dutchman Sjaak Rijke by a group of armed men while on the terrace of their hotel. Rijke was freed in April 2015 by French special forces. Stephen's father, who lost his wife to a chronic illness a month ago, said he remained optimistic that his son would soon return home. "He is gonna come out. I'm sure he will be out in 2017, hopefully it will be in July, August or whatever." He said that Gustafsson was "very positive" about McGown's situation, adding that "it's a pity they both didn't come out at the same time". Swedish authorities have not released details of how Gustafsson was released. South African officials have told the McGown family that they are working hard to secure Stephen's freedom. A South African charity, Gift of the Givers, has also been involved in efforts to secure his release. McGown said "that I don't know, and I don't want to know" if there has been a ransom demand from the kidnappers. "Just bring me my son and put him next to me and I don't want to know how," he said. Al-Qaeda's North African affiliate Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings. It was one of several jihadist groups that took control of Mali's north in 2012 before being ousted by a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has rejected BOST's position that there is no off-spec oil on the market, insisting that its Executive Director's personal experience with contaminated oil is evident enough to prove that the product is on the Ghanaian market. ACEP has been at the forefront of calls on the chief executive of Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST), Alfred Obeng to step aside for full-scale investigations into the alleged contaminated oil. The Minority in Parliament has also made calls to that effect. But the BOST issued a release to deny reports of the contaminated fuel on the Ghanaian market, insisting that the ACEP and the Minority's claims as lacked evidence. However, responding to BOST on Onua FM's morning show Yen Nsem Pa on Wednesday, Madam Pauline Anaman, Head of Policy Unit at ACEP, stated that BOST is not able to track the movement of the contaminated oil from ZupOil to the market. She said their checks, indicated that over 2million litres of the fuel have already been moved to the ZupOil facility contrary to the 10,000 litres put out by BOST. Our own Executive Director bought fuel last week and the vehicle indicated to him that the product is not a quality product, and he made further checks on his car and he realized that what is in his car is not the pure fuel he was supposed to put in his car.And we have had several complains from the manufacturing Industry stating that this is the situation at hand. BOST is not able to track the movement of the product from ZupOil to the market, and they have also not indicated to us how they even do it, Pauline Anaman told Bright Kwesi Asempa, host of the Yen Nsem Pa Madam Pauline Anaman further explained that apart from ACEP, others have also complained about the same issue, and wondered why BOST would be defensive instead of taking pragmatic steps to ensure that the off-spec oil does not flood the market. She hoped investigation into the matter will establish the extent to which the harm has been done. We as a civil society organization, our job is to provide an oversight to all these government institutions to alert them on their shortcoming, inform them to correct their wrongs (if there are) and we expect the Government, the NPA, and BOST to rise up to it responsibility to protect the consumer, she opined. In a related development, a listener of Onua FM has also told Bright Kwesi Asempa via SMS that he also bought fuel around Legon on Tuesday afternoon and few minutes after he left the fuel station, his car started jerking and eventually went dead. -3news The Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia, has held talks with the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China (IPRCC) to join Ghana in the fight against poverty. Since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, the Communist Party has vigorously taken up the fight against poverty, moving over 700 million out of its clutches, according to officials of the IPRCC. The target is to lift everyone out of absolute poverty by 2020. This is a very important topic to me, as it affects women and children the most, Mrs Bawumia stated, when she paid a courtesy call on the top management of the IPRCC as part of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias four day State visit to China. The meeting was to enable the Second Lady have a first-hand briefing on how it happened in China and to learn how to make it happen in Ghana. Explaining that the girl child is usually the one who loses out in the choice of who gets educated in a poor home, Mrs Bawumia urged the leadership of the IPRCC to help equip her fellow women in Ghana in poverty reduction skills, to help them fight the canker on a more even footing. I need your support in the fight against poverty in the world, especially in Ghana. You have proven at the IPRCC that it can be done, that women can be empowered to support their husbands and help manage their homes and most importantly, educate their children, the Second Lady stated. Successive governments in the Peoples Republic of China, guided by a Development Oriented Poverty Reduction Module, and a Targeted Poverty Reduction Approach, have worked hand in hand with the various organisations and ministries set up for the eradication of poverty, using the top-down approach, IPRCC officials explained. This translates into helping the local people get out of poverty by building their capacity to enable them earn a living while contributing to the development of the state or province in which they live. China also mobilises different sectors into the fight against poverty including the army and armed police who have a solemn duty to use their expertise to help the local people to whom they have been posted to, rise out of poverty. Officials of the IPRCC, promised to engage the appropriate Ghanaian ministries and agencies to design programmes aimed at poverty eradication and women empowerment. President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged African leaders to hasten the coming into being of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). He said, if we remain resolute and see to its realisation, we will obtain a major boost to the development of our economies, and a considerable reduction on our dependence on foreign goods and services. It is the path to collective self-reliance and prosperity. It will be recalled that Heads of State and Governments who attended the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, in January this year, signed up to the implementation of the CFTA. The purpose of the free-trade area is to ensure significant growth of Intra-Africa trade, as well as assisting countries on the continent use trade more effectively as an engine of growth and for sustainable development. The CFTA will also reduce the vulnerability of the continent to external shocks, and will also enhance the participation of Africa in global trade as a respectable partner, thereby reducing the continents dependence on foreign aid and external borrowing. President Akufo-Addo was speaking at a State Banquet held in his honour by the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Edgar Lungu, on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, when he made this known. He noted that for a continent that has made the choice of pursuing integration, Africa has not done much in liberalising and promoting trade amongst member countries. Research has shown that countries or groups of countries with the largest share of world trade are located within regions with the highest share of intra-regional trade. Trade between African nations remains low compared to other parts of the world, he lamented. In 2000, intra-continental trade accounted for 10% of Africas total trade, and increased marginally to 11% in 2015. Trading amongst members of the European Union, for example, amounted to 70% in 2015. Intra-African trade is still estimated at less than two percent (2%) of global trade. With these very low levels of trade and investment co-operation in Africa, we must put in place deliberate measures aimed at expanding trade and business collaborations to improve the prospects for prosperity of our peoples, he added. The coming into effect of the CFTA, the President was confident, would bring progress and prosperity to the African peoples. With Africas population of 1.2 billion set to expand to 2 billion people in 20 years, the President stressed that this means that a genuine continental market in Africa should be in our economic interest, for it will present immense opportunities to bring prosperity to the peoples in our continent with hard work, creativity and enterprise. It is for this reason that President Akufo-Addo noted that we should no longer delay the process of African integration. A functioning, common continental market has to be a very fundamental objective of all the peoples and governments on the continent, an objective that will consolidate the process of structural transformation of our national economies on which we must be engaged. Intensify Ghana & Zambia links President Akufo-Addo, in his remarks, also called for the intensification of the links between Ghanaian and Zambian enterprises. With Zambia and Ghana recording similar GDP growth rates in 2016, i.e., 3.3% and 3.6% respectively, as a result of high fiscal deficits, low investor confidence, falling commodity prices and low agricultural productivity, President Akufo-Addo explained that the time has come for the two countries to move away from being mere producers and exporters of raw materials. There can be no future prosperity for our peoples in the short, medium or long term, if we continue to maintain economic structures dependent on the production and export of raw materials. "Unless we industrialise, with the goal of adding significant value to our primary products, we cannot create the necessary numbers of good-paying jobs that will enhance the living standards of the masses of our country, he said. To this end, President Akufo-Addo outlined a number of policies he has initiated since assuming office in January 2017, which has shifted the focus of Ghanas economy from taxation to production. He also applauded his Zambian counterpart for his recently approved National Development Plan, on the theme Accelerating development efforts towards vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind. The Zambian programme is hinged on the pillars of economic diversification and job creation, reduced poverty and vulnerability, reduced developmental inequalities, enhancing human development, and conducive governance environment for economic diversification, to create a diversified economy for sustained growth and economic development is highly commendable. The transformation of our two economies we seek through these measures should make our enterprises and businesses very competitive in Africa, and beyond, he added. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Rabat (AFP) - Nearly 80 police officers were injured in two days of clashes with protesters in Morocco's restive Rif region, an official said Wednesday, although the number of demonstrators hurt was unknown. Around 50 members of the security forces were hurt on Monday in the northern city of Al-Hoceima, most of them struck by stones, a high-ranking interior ministry official told AFP. On Tuesday, 29 police officers were injured during new clashes in the neighbouring town of Imzouren, the same source said, adding that they were all later released from hospital. The Rif region has been rocked by unrest since a fishmonger was crushed to death in a rubbish truck in October as he tried to retrieve swordfish confiscated for being caught out of season. In the eight months since then, demands for justice and anger over the region's perceived marginalisation snowballed into a grassroots movement centred on Al-Hoceima. Clashes broke out in Al-Hoceima again on Monday, with activists saying police had blocked access to the city and violently dispersed any attempts to demonstrate. Videos shared on social media showed the police dispersing the protesters using truncheons, leaving some of them bloodied and apparently unconscious on the ground. Authorities later denounced "groups of individuals, including some in hooded sweaters, who provoked and stoned the police." Khadija Ryadi of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) said about 150 people were arrested during the violence, based on her group's sources. "Forty were still detained this morning, many of them from neighbouring communities who were arrested when they came to demonstrate," said Ryadi. "Residents no longer gather in a single neighbourhood to demonstrate," she said. "They now protest in several neighbourhoods at the same time, and the police intervene immediately, sometimes using tear gas despite the presence of women and children." The situation was calm on Tuesday in Al-Hoceima, where protesters marched through streets banging pots. Security forces have arrested more than 100 people including protest leader Nasser Zefzafi, who heads the Al-Hirak al-Shaabi, or "Popular Movement", demanding jobs, development and an end to corruption. The Rif has long had a tense relationship with central authorities in Rabat, and it was at the heart of the Arab Spring-inspired protests in Morocco in February 2011. The government has responded to the unrest by relaunching a 2015 programme to improve the region's infrastructure, health facilities and education services by 2019. Protesters have still been taking to the streets, however, and are demanding the release of the Hirak activists. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) Chinese handset maker OnePlus will continue to focus on the premium handset market in India, a segment that is dominated by Samsung and Apple, to drive its growth in the country. "India is a very important market for us. We have seen our market share growing here and we will continue to focus on the premium segment (USD 400 and above) here," OnePlus General Manager India Vikas Agarwal told PTI. advertisement Citing an industry report, he said OnePlus has expanded its market share in the premium category to 12 per cent in the January-March 2017 quarter from six per cent in the preceding quarter. In the said quarter, Apple had a 44 per cent share, while Samsung had 41 per cent share of the premium segment. Other players who are present in the category include the likes of LG, Sony and HTC. "OnePlus 5 will help us further strengthen our position. The device has been received well in other countries and in India too, we expect to see similar response," he said. The premium smartphone segment is still a niche market. While the sales volumes are low, the margins in the segment are higher than the other categories. OnePlus 5, priced at Rs 32,999 onwards, is on sale on Amazon.in. The device is available in two versions -- 6GB RAM/64GB internal memory and 8GB RAM/128 GB storage. Unlike its competitors, OnePlus does not plan to start offline sales in the near future. "We started our India journey with Amazon.in and it has been a great partnership. We have no plans as of now to start offline sales and we will continue to be online for now," Agarwal said. He said the focus is also on delivering high-quality after-sales service. "For a customer who has bought a flagship, we do not want him to go hunting for a service centre. That is why we are setting up exclusive service centres in some of the premium malls in the metros," he said. About 10 of these are already in place and the company is examining if more such centres need to be set up, Agarwal added. PTI SR BAL --- ENDS --- Tripoli (AFP) - Gunmen attacked a UN convoy on Wednesday near Zawiyah, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the Libyan capital, a security source in the town said. The source was unable to say whether there were any casualties among the seven members of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) who came under attack. The British ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, was quick to condemn the attack on his Twitter account. "Disturbed by attack on @UNSMILibya convoy. Hope all safe. UN staff represent international community's commitment to help #Libya-n people," he tweeted. The UN mission was not immediately reachable for comment. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias battling for control of the oil-rich country. Diplomats in Libya have been targeted regularly by assailants and kidnappers since then. On September 11, 2012, suspected jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, killing ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. By 2014, most diplomatic missions had left the North African country, including that of the United Nations. UNSMIL is based in Tunis, the capital of neighbouring Tunisia, but its members regularly carry out missions inside Libya. 28.06.2017 LISTEN Nigerian born US based beauty queen, Krystal Okeke has displayed love for Africa and her motherland as she costumed herself with Fulani Attire for an amazing photo shoot. The Miss Illinois USA Universal 2016, who recently graduated from Praire State College with first degree in Mass Communication and a major in TV/ Radio Broadcast returned to Nigeria few days ago to re-unite with her family. The lanky beauty queen held a media tour in Abuja with interviews at People's Television and Weekend Deal on NTA Network. Okeke whose father is from Anambra state and mother from Kaduna state spoke on diverse national issues with regards to the ethnic diversion rocking the nation at the moment. She stressed on the need for the country to be united irrespective of the tribal differences as Nigeria is perceived by international community as the giant of Africa. Queen Krystal who already works as a journalist was recently named and awarded the prestigious title of World Class Beauty Queen 2017. Known for her Soft spoken nature, the super model is greatly celebrated for her consistent humanitarian works with the less privileged in the United State of America. Assemblyman Frank Bigelow View Photos Sacramento, CA Mother Lode Assemblyman Frank Bigelow says the $125 billion state budget signed by Governor Jerry Brown yesterday short-changes rural counties. Assemblyman Bigelow takes issue with the new budgets lack of funding to address tree mortality, noting the $10 million to CalFire will not go far enough. He says setting aside another two million dollars for wildfire aid to the Office of Emergency Services is only a drop in the multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded budget. He states, majority party lawmakers are playing with fire if they truly believe $12 million is the most this budget can provide for rural parts of California. As reported here, the new budget boosts funding for K-12 schools and community colleges by $3.1 billion, but Bigelow notes it cuts funding for Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. More about CTE programs is here. Bigelow also notes funding for the District of Choice (DOC) Program will be cut, reducing reimbursement for basic-aid districts from 70% to 25%. He states there is a statewide problem of finding- and keeping- qualified teachers in our schools. Currently, the demand for teachers exceeds our current supply by more than 150 percent. Assemblyman Bigelows full statement about the new California budget is in his current blog, The California Budget: Short-Changing Rural Counties, Again. - Governor Nyesom Wike has said that nobody has the right to issue a quit notice in Nigeria - Wike says so long as he is in charge of affairs in Rivers state, all citizens shall be protected - The governor has warned all warring factions to seek peace and embrace unity Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the Rivers state governor, has declared that nobody has the right to issue quit notices to other Nigerians. The governor stressed that despite recent social challenges, Nigeria will continue to be united. Wike stated: "Nigeria must be one. All of us will live together. All of us are free to do business anywhere in the country. Whether you are from the north, you are free to stay here and do business. "Nobody should threaten anybody. All of us own this country. We must be our brother's keepers". The governor spoke on Monday, June 26, when the Rivers state Muslim community paid him a Sallah homage at the Government House in Port Harcourt. READ ALSO: IPOB warns Arewa youths ahead of quit notice, lashes out at Kwankwaso Wike said no one can ask his fellow Nigerian to quit Governor Wike said that the unity of the country is necessary for the rapid development of the country The governor assured the Rivers Muslim Community that he will continue to sponsor them for Hajj as his administration believes in the spiritual upliftment of the people. He said: "Government will continue to give you support, but we cannot use state resources to build a mosque. "During the Ramadan I sent items to all the mosques in the state. We are all worshipping one God, even though we serve him in different ways". Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Edo state PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih and Special adviser to the Rivers state governor on NDDC, Mohammed Okiri According to a statement by his special aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor said that he has respect for the Muslim community as exemplified by his invitation of the Sultan of Sokoto to participate in the Rivers at 50 celebration. He added that he will be paying a Sallah visit to the Sultan on Tuesday, June 27. Earlier, the leader of the Rivers state Muslim community and vice president of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Nasir Uhor said the Rivers Muslim community were happy with Governor Wike for his superlative performance . He commended the governor for promoting religious tolerance in the state. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Wike with the leader of the Rivers state Muslim Community and Vice President of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Nasir Uhor In a similar vein, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress chieftain, (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said that the those who are calling for secession and break-up do not mean well. The former governor of Lagos said: Voices calling for violence must be roundly condemned for it is wrong to incite brother to go against brother and neighbour to combat neighbour. Tinubu said in his Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians at the weekend that the only path to toe in achieving the best for all Nigerians is dialogue, Vanguard reports. The ex-lawmaker's opinion was aired in a statement issued and signed by his media adviser, Tunde Rahman, on Saturday, June 25. In the statement entitled Eid-el-Fitri Message: The Spirit, Strength of Our Diversity, Tinubu said the spirit of sacrifice, self discipline, goodwill, justice, tolerance, mercy, forgiveness and compassion inherent in the Ramadan Fast should remain with Muslim faithfuls to guide their day-to-day interactions and relationships with one another. Asiwaju Tinubu said: Voices calling for violence must be roundly condemned for it is wrong to incite brother to go against brother and neighbour to combat neighbour". Below is a Legit.ng video in which Nnamdi Kanu addressed his followers in Isiama Afara, Abia state. Source: Legit.ng - Aliko Dangote describes those who issued the quit noticed to the Igbos residing in the north as persons with no relevance and values - The billionaire says joblessness was the reason for quit notice issued by the northern youths - Dangote decries the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria The chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has faulted the quit notice issued by Arewa youths to Igbos residing in the north. Dangote speaking at a meeting with a team of business executives from the Lagos Business School on Saturday, June 24, described those who issued the quit noticed to the Igbos as persons with no relevance and values, the Nation reports. READ ALSO: Kola Alukos $50.9m New York penthouse to be auctioned The billionaire said joblessness was the reason for the quit notice issued by northern youths to Igbos. He said: Some guys who have no relevance and values came out to issue a warning that Igbo should leave the North. I am surprised everybody started talking about this nonsense. Why are we talking about it? Obviously, in a place where there is a lot of joblessness, it is expected that this kind of jobless people would come out with all sorts of anger. We understand the reasons why they are angry, but they cannot justify their action when they have decided not to work." PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app He said those behind the quit notice issued the ultimatum to keep themselves relevant. Meanwhile, Dangote has said decried the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. The businessman said the number of unemployed youths in Nigeria gives him sleepless nights. He said each Nigerian has one role or the other to play to ensure that the problem of unemployment in solved. Legit.ng gathered that he made the statement at a meeting was held at his multi-billion dollars refinery and petrochemical projects in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos state. In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians if they think a new political party holds the solution to Nigerias problems. Source: Legit.ng - Information has revealed that there are a lot of people committing fraud on Facebook - The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Police has come up with series of severe measures to restrict fraud committed on the social media - The police said that the restriction is expected to reduce the illicit act of the fraudsters all over the world Police have arrested a Nigerian online scammer in Sri Lanka. The scammers that were nabbed by the police for fraud include twenty five suspects from Uganda. The Sri Lanka police in their reaction said the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the police has come up with series of severe measures to restrict illegal people. Daily News reports that investigations earlier revealed that a lot of foreigners had been duped by the fraudsters. Nigerian online scammers nabbed in Sri Lanka READ ALSO: Kola Alukos $50.9m New York penthouse to be auctioned Legit.ng gathered that investigations revealed scammers illicit act on Facebook by telling men and women to inform they have won an expensive prizes but asking them to paid a sum in advance of the package reaching them. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Police have warned people to be more cautious on social media platforms and not to fall for scams that ask for personal details or money. Legit.ng recently reported that a young man was exposed on social media for posing as a needy student while defrauding unsuspecting victims of their hard earned money. Nigerians are known to be compassionate especially when there's a need to show support for a presumed needy person who has reached out to the public for help. Watch this Legit.ng TV Video of what many parents are saying whether they would support their children to join the Nigeria Police Force for obvious reasons: Source: Legit.ng The Igbos in Nigeria are a very major component of the nation, however, they have for too long felt the sting of political marginalization. Owing to the long felt marginalization, calls for secession has been made by a teeming number of Igbos. But rather than secession and a push for the actualization of Biafra, major political parties in Nigeria have deemed it fit to ensure that the Igbos produce a president of their own. To this effect, the major parties in the nation have started seeking for the likely Igbo candidates who will be flag bearers in the forthcoming presidential election. Legit.ng has compiled a list of some Igbo politicians who many believe could be Nigeria's next president. We begin in no particular order of preference. 1. Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe Abaribe is one of Nigeria's longest serving lawmakers and arguably the most outspoken from the southeast. Top 6 Igbo men being who can be president in 2019 His engagement with issues of great importance, has made him more of a mouth piece of not only the Abia people who he represents, but indeed the Nigerian masses. Having served as deputy governor, this lawmakers who holds the title Nwadiohanma Ngwa, has definitely seen it all as regards Nigerian politics. Abaribe's 10-years in the Nigerian Senate gives him a very good edge, as the people can say that they have tested and trusted him over the years. One very key factor which will be considered in making Abaribe a key choice for 2019, will be his selfless service to his people, as many give him gratitude for either supporting them through education or providing them employment opportunities. 2. Senator Ike Ekweremadu The deputy Senate president needs no introduction, he has become a very influential lawmaker in recent times. Top 6 Igbo men being who can be president in 2019 READ ALSO: Heartbreaking! Nigerians mourn death of Ex-Governor Danbaba Suntai Ekweremadu tends to be an Igbo with a difference, in that he has a general acceptance from all regions of the nation. His perfect synchronization with Senator Bukola Saraki, has seen a Senate that can boast of greater tranquility than others. He has been accused of being the sponsor of the agitation for Biafra, but perhaps what some see as his influence in the agitation process, is actually the acceptance he has gained over the years. Ekweremadu is so hard working and brilliant that in September 2009, he was appointed to lead the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ad hoc committee. The lawmaker was to work for the return of constitutional order in the Niger Republic. He was elected first deputy speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and emerged the speaker of the regional parliament in August 2011. Talking about qualified to serve, Ekweremadu's calm approach to issues, makes many warm up to him effortlessly. 3. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu With the way he has stirred the agitation for Biafra, some believe Nnamdi Kanu might yet be the Igbo president that has been desired for years. Top 6 Igbo men being who can be president in 2019 The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra is fast turning into a demagogue. Many Igbos and admirers of the Biafra course are beginning to find great faith in him. Only recently, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso urged the pro-Biafra leader to bury his sword of agitation and pick up the flag for the presidential race. Kwankwaso argued that with the crowd and name Kanu has made for himself, he stands a great chance of becoming Nigeria's next president, especially now when parties are looking to send the presidency towards the southeast. 4. Dr Ifeanyi Ubah The business mogul and politician was recently released from DSS custody after some claims against him could not be substantiated. That however is not the story, the major focus was how he was received by his people. Top 6 Igbo men being who can be president in 2019 On his return from custody, Dr Uba was received like royalty and indeed there are a teeming number of people that have come to love Ifeanyi Ubah. A closer look at the main reason for this love shows that the entrepreneur is not one to hold back from giving to the people that which will alleviate their lives. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Though in 2014, Ifeanyi Ubah unsuccessfully contested at the 2014 Anambra gubernatorial election under the platform of the Labour Party, still there are millions that believe that he was robbed of that which was rightfully his. Those who hold this ideology argue that on the very right platform, Ifeanyi Ubah will do exploits. 5. Dr Peter Obi Of all on the list, he is one who is most certainly going to run for presidency in 2019. Having pulled his weight in Anambra and winning the heart and votes of the people, Obi is set to test the national waters (presidency). Top 6 Igbo men being who can be president in 2019 Peter Obi was governor of Anambra state in Nigeria from March 17, 2006 to November 2, 2006, when he was impeached. Fortune however smiled on him in 2007 after his impeachment was overturned. A fresh election was held on April 29, 2007, and he was reappointed governor on June 14, 2007 after a court ruling that he should be allowed to complete a four-year term. Obi won a February 6, 2010 election for a second term as governor, and has since then become a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics. 6. Senator Andy Uba Born Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba, this lawmaker has started positioning himself for the presidential seat. Recently the parliamentarian defected to the All Progressives Congress ( APC), he used to be of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but in the wake of the crisis rocking the opposition party, the lawmaker exited. Top 6 Igbo men being who can be president in 2019 Having worked as presidential aide to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, Uba can be said to have been fixing him self in a position that makes him the right candidate when opportunity for the southeast arises. Following the agitation for the Biafra Republic, there are many who would be turning their eyes on these 6 Igbo political figures. The battle is heating up and as calls for restructuring and a referendum fills the political sphere, the top parties in the country will be watching out for those who have the potentials to unify the Nigerian people in 2019. Below is a Legit.ng TV video on how Nigerians think the country can achieve unity of purpose and find peace. Source: Legit.ng - The suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, has dragged IGP to court - The police had two weeks ago arrested Evans at his Magodo house in Lagos - Evans lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, asked the court for an order compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally The suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans has dragged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and three others before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged illegal detention. Vanguard reports that joined as respondents in the motion he filed by his lawyers are the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos state and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command. Billionaire kidnapper Evans drags IGP, 3 others to court over detention READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanus IPOB drops another bombshell, insists no elections will hold in Igbo land Legit.ng gathered that in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on his behalf by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, the suspected kidnapper is praying for the order of court to direct the respondents to immediately charge him to court if there is any case against him in accordance with Sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (b) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Evans' lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app In the alternative, he prayed the court for an order compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally, in the absence of any offence that will warrant his being charged to court. Legit.ng had previously reported that the notorious kidnapper Evans insisted that he was fair to all his victims despite the public perception of him. According to him, he was unfair to only one of his victims. He also insisted that he does not collect ransome using banks because he could be traced easily. Watch this Legit.ng TV Video of the house of the Billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike popularly knows as Evans after he was recently nabbed by men of the Nigeria Police Force: Source: Legit.ng - Eyewitness account has detailed how late Danbaba Suntais plane crashed - Suntai died at US hospital on Wednesday June 28 - The eyewitness reported that as they heard the sound of the crash, they picked their touch lights as it was already getting dark, and they ran to the scene of the crash The People of Namtari village; a suburb of Yola the capital of Adamawa state, who were the first eye witnesses to arrive the scene of the Plane crash involving the former Taraba state governor Danbaba Suntai who was flown to Germany for better medical attention from the National hospital Abuja where he was initially receiving care, gave their account of how the crash happened. Channels TV correspondent who visited the village of Namtari got a firsthand account from eyewitnesses. READ ALSO: BREAKING: Billionaire kidnapper Evans drags IGP, 3 others to court over detention Legit.ng gathered that the witnesses who initially declined comment on the ground that the incident involved high personalities told Channels Television that four occupants were in the flight and not six as widely reported. How Suntais plane crashed - Eyewitness account Both Abubakar Bamanga and Umar Hamajoda who spoke to us in Hausa language said the plane was coming normally like any other aircraft, suddenly the sound changed and that was followed by an immediate U-turn giving all signs that the plane was going to crash, as it eventually did in a very familiar farm behind the NNPC depot. As they heard the sound of the crash, they picked their touch lights as it was already getting dark and they ran to the scene of the crash. On arrival, one of the occupants was already out of the aircraft and crying for help as he asked them to hasten up the rescue because three others including the former Taraba state Governor were still inside the plane for fear of possible fire outbreak. They however confirm that the ex-governor was the last to be rescued because it took them time to locate his whereabout as he was equally trapped under the now wrecked plane and being held down by the seatbelt. The plane was passing and suddenly we heard an unusual sound then we saw it made a u turn and began to crash, and as we got to the scene, I was holding touch light while others were carrying out the rescue. It was a terrible experience. The ex-governor was the last to be rescued Abubakar Bamanga said. At the crash site, crops such as beans and Maize plantation of almost 150 metres long were destroyed after the aircraft had crashed on trees within the farm. The Farmer whose crops were destroyed, Mr. Zirrah Koji who was at the crash site during our visit also prayed for the speedy recovery of the victims while soliciting for assistance towards some compensation. Efforts to get the version of the airport authority on the rescue carried out or what actually led to the crashed failed as they declined comment. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Similarly, efforts to interview the victims who were said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre Yola proved abortive as we were barred from knowing their conditions. Hospital source who pleaded anonymity told Channels television that two of the victims were in stable condition while the other is still laying critical at the accident and emergency unit of the clinic as the ex-governor had already been moved to the National Hospital; Abuja may flown out of the country for extended treatment. Legit.ng had previously reported that Suntai who some few years ago involved in helicopter crash, died in United States of America earlier on Wednesday 28. In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians if they still think Nigeria is still the giant of Africa. Watch responses. Source: Legit.ng Five years after he was involved in a helicopter crash which he flew with some of his aides on October 25, 2012, ex-governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba died today Wednesday June 28 in United States of America. Legit.ng gathered that as people of the state are planning to receive the remains of the former governor Suntai, below is a timeline of what transpired since the October 25 date, he had the plane crash to his return to Nigeria. October 25, 2012 Governor Danbaba Suntai was involved in a plane crash. The plane, a Cessna 208, 5N-BMJ, crashed at about 7.45 p.m. He was piloting the plane, which crashed near the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot in Yola, the Adamawa state capital. READ ALSO: BREAKING: Billionaire kidnapper Evans drags IGP, 3 others to court over detention He was taken to Yola Specialist Hospital for treatment but was later moved to the better-equipped Federal Medical Centre in Yola. Facts about Danbaba Suntai, plane crash, return to Nigeria and death October 26, 2012 He was flown from Yola to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in an air ambulance at about 12.25pm, from where he was taken to the National Hospital, Abuja. The injured governor was flown in air an ambulance to Germany from Abuja. The governor was moved out of the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was receiving treatment at about 3:30 p.m. President Goodluck Jonathan visited the governor at the National Hospital, where he said Suntai was in stable condition. November 14, 2012 The Taraba State House of Assembly invoked Section 190(2) of the Nigerian Constitution empowering the states Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, to act as governor. December 13, 2012 Wife of Taraba governor, Hauwa Suntai was delivered of twin babies in a German hospital while tendering to her sick husband. January 1, 2013 Pictures of ailing Taraba Governor, Danbaba Suntai, emerged on social media with his new babies March 23, 2013 The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Taraba Specialist Hospital, Prof. Zakari Aliyu, disclosed that the governor had been moved to the John Hopkins University in the United States. June 17, 2013 Suntai was discharged from the John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland State, three months after he was brought to the hospitals Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a result of the injuries he sustained during the October 2012 plane crash that involved him and some of his aides in Adamawa state. July 23, 2013 The security aide to Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba state, Iliya Dasat, who was involved in the October 25, 2012 air crash alongside his principal in Yola, Adamawa State, returned to the country after being discharged from a German hospital. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app August 3, 2013 Members of the PDP Fact-finding Committee on the Taraba state Political Situation paid solidarity visit to Gov. Danbaba Suntai in New York, U.S. August 21, 2013 Suntais wife, Hauwa, hinted of the ex-governors return to the state after 10 months after spending 10 months abroad on medical attention. June 28, 2017 Suntai was announced dead in a United States of America hospital. In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians if they still think Nigeria is still the giant of Africa. Watch responses. Source: Legit.ng GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Michael Nyqvist, a Swedish actor who starred in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movies and portrayed menacing villains in John Wick and other Hollywood thrillers, died on Tuesday in Stockholm. He was 56. His family said in a statement that the cause was lung cancer. Mr. Nyqvist, who spent the first year or so of his life in a Stockholm orphanage, discovered his love for acting as a high school senior in 1977 in Omaha, Neb., according to his website. An exchange student in an American high school at the time, he enrolled in his first acting class and landed a small role in the schools production of Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman. He returned to Sweden no longer interested in becoming a teacher or a lawyer, he told the Swedish magazine Cafe in 2009. He had a passion for the arts and enrolled in ballet school, but quit after a brief period to pursue studies in a theater school. Early on, he received supporting roles in several plays and movies in Sweden, but his stardom in Swedish film and television did not come fast. As Mr. Nyqvist charted his acting career, he also confronted what he later called the most traumatic part of his life: orphanhood and the mystery of his biological parents. At age 6, his adoptive parents, who were Swedish, told him that his biological mother was Swedish and his father was Italian, but they counseled him to keep his adoption a secret. John Zimmer, the co-founder and president of Lyft, wants you to know that he is not I repeat, not happy about the chaos that is enveloping Uber, his fiercest rival in the ride-sharing market. There will be no corks popped at Lyfts San Francisco headquarters over the sudden, stunning downfall of Travis Kalanick, Ubers truculent former chief executive, and no giddy high fives will be exchanged over the chain of scandalous events that have demoralized Ubers staff, shredded its executive ranks and damaged its reputation. Theres nothing to celebrate in this situation, Mr. Zimmer told me in a phone interview Monday, his first public comments since Mr. Kalanick resigned last week. But it does shine a light on the importance of values and ethics. Another executive might be tempted to take a victory lap at a moment like this, but Mr. Zimmer, one of Silicon Valleys more earnest and mild-mannered entrepreneurs, wants to stay above the fray. In fact, he is so unwilling to pounce on Ubers struggles that he wont even name the company, which he refers to as our competition. Lyfts refusal to gloat publicly over the misfortunes of the Competitor-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is a savvy maneuver from a company that has spent years positioning itself as the friendly, laid-back alternative to Ubers cutthroat corporate ethos. Lyft began cultivating a reputation for kindness years ago, when it affixed quirky pink mustaches to drivers cars and encouraged them to fist-bump their passengers, and it has continued with feel-good marketing and an emphasis on driver-friendly policies. Our reputation is everything; that is our currency, and thats why we have processes in place, Mr. Zucker said, according to the employee. He added, If you dont follow those procedures, you dont work here, period. Those procedures broke down last week, according to several people at CNN who, in speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, recounted a scramble inside the network after the story was published last Thursday. What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do the sources know the information? Whats their motivation for telling us? Have they proved reliable in the past? Can we corroborate the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. Learn more about our process. The article, written by the veteran reporter Thomas Frank, linked Anthony Scaramucci, a hedge-fund manager and Trump confidant, to a Russian investment fund supposedly being investigated by the Senate Intelligence Committee. The reporting was attributed to an anonymous source. The Triad system should have kicked into gear, with reviews by lawyers, a standards-and-practices division, and an editorial team known collectively as the Row, which checks facts and approves anonymous sources. (The system is so ingrained that CNN journalists often use the term as a verb: as in, has the story been rowed?) But several network officials were caught off-guard when the story appeared online, the people said, signaling that it had not received the proper approvals. CNN has not specified what, if anything, in the story was untrue, only saying that the piece did not meet its editorial standards. On Tuesday, the network declined to explain the exact nature of how its procedures went awry. The mistake came at a sensitive time. Like other news channels, CNNs ratings are up compared with last year, but on weeknights, the network has fallen behind its rivals Fox News and MSNBC in prime time. In the past month, CNN cut ties with the broadcast personalities Kathy Griffin and Reza Aslan after they publicly assailed Mr. Trump in vulgar ways. TOKYO Toshiba missed a self-imposed deadline to sell a piece of its valuable microchip business on Wednesday, inflicting a fresh wound on its efforts to repair its battered finances. The companys admission that it had not completed a deal with its chosen buyers a consortium of investors from Japan, the United States and South Korea came as an ugly conflict with a rejected bidder, the American company Western Digital, deepened. Toshiba said it was suing Western Digital for about $1 billion over its attempts to block the sale of the chip unit, while Western Digital said it had submitted a new offer for the business. Toshiba had hoped to present a signed deal to its shareholders at its annual meeting on Wednesday. Instead, executives faced angry investors empty-handed. The Trump administration on Tuesday took a major legal step toward repealing a bitterly contested Obama-era regulation designed to limit pollution in about 60 percent of the nations bodies of water. The rule, known as Waters of the United States, or Wotus, had extended existing federal protections of large bodies of water, such as the Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound, to smaller bodies that flow into them, such as rivers, small waterways and wetlands. Issued under the authority of the 1972 Clean Water Act, the rule has been hailed by environmentalists. But farmers, ranchers and real estate developers oppose it as an infringement on their property rights. ALBANY Such other subjects as I may recommend. Those seven words were the curious coda to the proclamation issued by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Tuesday, declaring a special session of the Legislature for Wednesday afternoon, a rare extra period for a part-time body which usually spends only six months a year in the State Capitol. The primary purpose of the extraordinary session is to address the looming lapse of mayoral control of New York Citys public schools, an issue that failed to gain consensus before the Legislatures scheduled session ended last week. Mayor Bill de Blasios control would be terminated at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, but Mr. Cuomo has indicated that he wants the issue settled before that deadline. To that end, his office said he would introduce a single-year extension, no strings attached including no mention of charter schools, which had been a sticking point between Republicans in the Senate, who want more charters, and Democrats in the Assembly, who do not. The special session which the governor has the power to call under the New York State Constitution comes at the end of what has been a fractious eight months between the governor and the Legislature, beginning with the rejection of a pay raise for lawmakers by the governors appointees to a pay raise commission; the rejection of a December special session by lawmakers; and an extended and unpleasant budget season. The lethal possibilities are why a derailment crisis in the 1970s and 1980s led to the creation of a state safety board in 1984 with the power to investigate public transit accidents in New York and report on the causes much like the National Transportation Safety Board, which we often hear about after airplane crashes. (The national board also investigates serious accidents on rails and roads.) The state board identified causes like broken tracks, motors that dropped out of trains, concrete crumbling into the roadbed and misaligned switches. With that kind of public accountability, along with more aggressive management and more money, the number of derailments soon dropped. But they have not vanished: In January, there were two derailments a day apart on the No. 7 line near Citi Field in Queens. Still, derailments are rare these days, and the injuries in Tuesdays accident were not life-threatening. While it is sure to cause trouble for hundreds of thousands of people whose commute touches the 125th Street station, trains leaving the tracks certainly are not the source of the mounting miseries in the transit system. The principle established by the safety board investigations, of looking back at what went wrong on a specific occasion, is a good starting point. A transit expert with many years of experience in the New York system, who asked not to be identified because his current position does not allow him to comment publicly, said that improving overall commutes requires a comprehensive approach. That is, figuring out not just what went wrong on Tuesday but what goes wrong regularly. ALBANY In a surprising rebuke of New Yorks attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, a judge in Albany County dismissed criminal charges against a state senator who Mr. Schneiderman has said committed a shameful breach of public trust. The senator, Robert G. Ortt, a Republican from the Niagara Falls area, had been accused of being complicit in a scheme to funnel thousands of dollars to his wife for a no-show job as a graphic designer and of filing false financial disclosure statements with the states Board of Elections. The allegations stemmed from his time as the mayor of North Tonawanda, north of Buffalo, from 2010 to 2014. On Tuesday, Judge Peter A. Lynch ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the three felony charges against Mr. Ortt, who had proclaimed his innocence and argued that Mr. Schneiderman, a Democrat, was politically motivated in pursuing the case. There was no valid line of reasoning and permissible inferences which could lead a rational grand juror to issue an indictment in this case, Judge Lynch wrote, adding that there is nothing in the record to evidence that defendant Ortt personally prepared, signed or filed the disclosure reports. He could have been evicted a year ago for nonpayment, but the citys corporation counsel was able to help him work out an agreement that allowed him to pay $200 a month while he secured a guardian and potential funding to assist with rent. Mr. Shapiro has been offered affordable housing, but he said it would have on-site semi-psychiatric care, which he did not want. On Wednesday, marshals were expected to remove Mr. Shapiro from the place he has lived for the past 40 years. His apartment is one of three stabilized units in the 60-unit building that went co-op in 1984. A managing member of the building and the lawyer on record in the eviction did not return calls for comment. I am not a lawyer, but I am a little more knowledgeable than most people, a bedraggled Mr. Shapiro said as he sat on his tattered couch. He listed the reasons he would like to stay in his apartment: One, Im accustomed to it. O.K.? Two, its not luxurious, but its comfortable and nice. Its enough space. Its an elevator building. And the location? Well, what can you have better than the Upper East Side? He wore a long-sleeved shirt that smelled as musty as his dim fourth-floor apartment filled with stacks of newspapers. The pockets on his shirt and pants were closed with dozens of safety pins, which he said were to prevent the three men who come into his apartment from stealing. He cannot see them, he said. He rolled up a sleeve to reveal tiny red bumps on his arm that appeared to be bug bites, but he said one of the invisible men had stuck him with needles. Do you believe me? he asked. Mr. Shapiro said he had a few 11th-hour moves: wage a legal battle to get the true worth of the coin collection that was auctioned after the bank sent notices to a wrong address; fight the building over what he said was an illegal increase in his rent; or contact the talk-show host Whoopi Goldberg, to whom he had once given a subway token, he said, when she was homeless in Grand Central Terminal. The reputed mobster acquitted two years ago in the 1978 Lufthansa heist was back in court on Tuesday, but there is little chance his latest case will have a Hollywood ending, like the robbery that figured prominently in the plot of the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas. The mob figure Vincent Asaro, 82, pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to ordering that an arson be carried out after a road rage episode in 2012. John Gottis grandson, John J. Gotti, pleaded guilty to arson on Tuesday. Asaros criminal activities have not slowed with age, federal prosecutors said in a memo filed in March in which they opposed bail for the mob figure, who they say has been a prominent member of the Bonnano crime family for more than 30 years. Mr. Asaro could face up to 20 years in prison for directing that an arson be carried out. The memo stated that Mr. Asaro was driving in Howard Beach on April 1, 2012, when he became enraged after a motorist switched lanes in front of him at a traffic light. Mr. Asaro chased the car and later, with the assistance of an associate, tracked down the drivers address. Mr. Asaro then instructed another associate of the Bonnano family to set the car on fire, and Mr. Gotti, now 23, and Matthew Rullan, now 27, known as Fat Matt, were enlisted to help, according to the document. Senator Mitch McConnell hoped that keeping his wretched bill to destroy the Affordable Care Act secret until the last minute would make it easier for him to railroad fellow Republicans. The facts the majority leader had hoped to suppress came back to bite him on Monday when the Congressional Budget Office released a detailed review of the bill that confirmed what governors, doctors and indeed the American public had been saying for days: The bill is a cruel hoax that would help the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the poorest. With members of his own party balking at even bringing the measure to the Senate floor, Mr. McConnell announced on Tuesday that a vote would be delayed until after the July 4 recess. A wiser course for his party as well as the nation would be to concede defeat and give up what now seems a desperate quest to fulfill a seven-year-old party commitment to kill an Obama-era program that, as it turns out, a large number of Americans would like to see preserved and improved. FRONT PAGE An article on Tuesday about the products at the center of the deadly London fire referred incorrectly to Whirlpools connection to the refrigerator that caught fire. Whirlpool bought the company that made the refrigerator, sold under the Hotpoint brand, after the appliance was made; Whirlpool did not make the refrigerator. INTERNATIONAL The Paris Journal article last Wednesday about the newly renovated Opera Comique, misstated the credentials of Pierre-Antoine Gatier, who was in charge of the renovation. He is a chief architect for historical monuments, not a city architect. NATIONAL An article on June 14 about the investor David Bondermans resignation from Ubers board misidentified the region for which Wan Ling Martello, another board member, is the executive vice president at Nestle. It is Asia, not South Asia. BUSINESS DAY An article on Saturday about the firm of Kenneth R. Feinberg and the role of an employee, Camille Biros, in devising ways to compensate disaster victims misstated the low end of the range of awards to clients of Robert Hilliard from the General Motors ignition switch fund. The awards ranged from about $10,000 to close to $40 million, not from about $10 million to close to $40 million. The New Mexico Department of Health said this week that two women were found to have plague, bringing the total number of people this year in the state known to have the disease to three. All three patients a 63-year-old man and two women, ages 52 and 62 were treated at hospitals in the Santa Fe area and released after a few days, said Paul Rhien, a health department spokesman. Health officials in New Mexico have more experience with plague than many might expect: Every year for the last few years, a handful of people in New Mexico have come down with plague. One person has died. While the word plague may conjure images of medieval cities laid to waste by the Black Death, the disease is still a part of the modern world. It is much less common than it once was, but it is no less serious. Under a blistering sun, protesters let out a cheer on Tuesday across Capitol lawns as word spread that the Senate Republican leader had delayed a vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act. But amid the celebration, Democrats urged the crowds to keep the heat on lawmakers whose opposition to the health care overhaul could grow cold over the coming Fourth of July recess. If there is one thing that everybody knows in politics, its this: When you have the votes, you take the vote, Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, roared to the amassed activists, some clad in pink Planned Parenthood shirts, others in red AIDS awareness shirts. By midafternoon, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, had announced that he did not have enough support to repeal President Barack Obamas signature domestic achievement, and would take lawmakers temperatures when they returned to Washington the week of July 10. But already, organizers were warning against getting caught up in the small victory. They predicted the majority leader would be ready to push ahead, and harder, after the recess. A Supreme Court ruling that a church-run preschool must be granted publicly funded tire scraps for its playground seemed on Monday to be narrowly drawn, attracting even the votes of two of the courts liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Stephen G. Breyer. But school choice advocates across the nation saw the decision as a game changer in the divisive debate over publicly funded vouchers for private religious schools. And their judgment seemed validated on Tuesday when the legal ramifications began to reshape education debates across the country. The Supreme Court on Tuesday sent two cases back to state courts for reconsideration in light of the ruling for Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Mo. One of those cases concerned a program in Colorado ruled unconstitutional by the states highest court that awarded public funds to help families cover tuition at private schools, including sectarian ones. The Supreme Court regularly sends back pending cases for a re-airing after it renders decisions that seem legally relevant, but such a move does mean that the court believes there is a reasonable probability that a lower court may come to a different decision in light of its findings. Paul Manafort, who was forced out as President Trumps campaign chairman last summer after five months of infighting and criticism about his business dealings with pro-Russian interests, disclosed Tuesday that his consulting firm had received more than $17 million over two years from a Ukrainian political party with links to the Kremlin. The filing serves as a retroactive admission that Mr. Manafort performed work in the United States on behalf of a foreign power Ukraines Party of Regions without disclosing it at the time, as required by law. The Party of Regions is the political base of former President Viktor F. Yanukovych, who fled to Russia during a popular uprising in 2014. The disclosure hints at the vast fortunes available to top American political consultants plying their trade in other countries. It was not immediately clear if Mr. Manafort would be required to pay any fines for the late filing. He has maintained that a majority of his work for Mr. Yanukovych was political consulting in Ukraine, where his firm, Davis Manafort International, operated an office at the time. MIAMI Colombias top anticorruption prosecutor was arrested Tuesday in his countrys capital after Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Miami said they had recorded him in South Florida at meetings where a former Colombian governor was asked to pay bribes in exchange for favorable treatment and names of witnesses. The arrest is a blow to Colombias president, Juan Manuel Santos, whose conservative critics have accused his administration of mismanagement. In April, more than 10,000 people took to the streets to protest what many say is widespread graft. The prosecutor ensnared in the latest case, Luis Gustavo Moreno Rivera, 35, is the director of the anticorruption unit of the attorney generals office in Colombia. Mr. Moreno was under scrutiny by federal investigators in the United States because of accusations that he planned to seek a bribe from a criminal defendant while in Miami this month to deliver an anticorruption presentation to the Internal Revenue Service. With indignation and profound institutional pain, the Colombian attorney generals office said Tuesday, Mr. Moreno was held after Interpol issued a red notice for conduct that seriously damages our institutional integrity. With North Korea, as with other foreign policy challenges, Mr. Trump has tended to personalize the issue, emphasizing his rapport with leaders and his ability to strike deals. The question is whether he will have better luck with Mr. Moon than he has had with Mr. Xi. This is going to be a more difficult relationship than weve had for a few years, said Jeffrey A. Bader, a top Asia adviser to President Barack Obama. Mr. Moon, he predicted, would seek to restore trade with the North, and visit Pyongyang during his five-year term. But, Mr. Bader added, at the outset, he wants a good relationship with Trump. The White House clearly wants the same. The two-day visit, officials said, would include ceremonies, like a wreath-laying and a visit to the Korean War Veterans Memorial, that are intended to celebrate the alliance between the United States and South Korea. Officials said they were encouraged by an interview with Mr. Moon in The Washington Post last week, in which he said he would not necessarily cancel the deployment of the antimissile system, known as the Terminal High-Altitude Air Defense, or Thaad. South Korea, he said, was conducting an environmental impact assessment on it. The Trump administration, one senior official said, wants to avoid being interposed between the South and the North, which happened during previous periods when Washington and Seoul clashed over how to deal with the North Korean government. For some in the White House, Mr. Moons election was a political sea change in South Korea a victory, particularly for young voters, who want a different kind of relationship with their northern neighbor. Some have even taken to calling it South Koreas Brexit. Popular sentiment in South Korea toward China has deteriorated in recent years, and Mr. Moons government is also likely to have a chilly relationship with Japan. That could complicate efforts by the Trump administration to coordinate regional pressure against the North. Out went expensive ingredients like lobster, turbot and truffles; they were replaced by dishes like roast lamb with curry, mango and lemongrass and monkfish with Spanish mussels and green curry. We do things with sardines that will make you forget turbot, and at one-tenth the price, he told The Times in 2006. Business boomed. Michelin, ignoring Mr. Senderenss wish to drop out of the race for stars, awarded the restaurant two. In 2013, Mr. Senderens sold his shares in his namesake restaurant, which is now once again known as Lucas Carton. Alain Senderens was born on Dec. 2, 1939, in Hyeres, east of Toulon, and grew up in Maubourguet, near the Pyrenees. His father was a barber, his mother a dressmaker. After earning a secondary school diploma in Labatut-Riviere, he apprenticed in the kitchens of the Ambassador Hotel in Lourdes and then made his way to Paris. In time-honored fashion, he worked from station to station salad chef, sauce chef, fish chef at La Tour dArgent and Lucas Carton. When Hilton opened a restaurant at Orly Airport outside Paris in the mid-1960s, it installed Mr. Senderens as sous-chef. PARIS They have had their differences, but when President Emmanuel Macron of France and President Trump spoke by telephone on Tuesday about the threat of a new chemical weapons attack by Syria, Mr. Macron seized the opportunity and invited Mr. Trump to Paris for Bastille Day. It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Trump would accept the invitation, which was also extended to his wife, Melania, according to a statement from the Elysee Palace. But the traditional military parade in Paris on this Bastille Day, July 14, will also commemorate the 100th anniversary of Americas entry into World War I to fight alongside the French, British and other Allies. While relations between French and American leaders have been marked by friendship and friction since then, Mr. Macron and Mr. Trump got off to a rocky start. During the French presidential election, Mr. Trump did little to conceal his preference for Mr. Macrons chief opponent, Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front. Not many employers provide workers with a paid day off to put their financial lives in order. And probably fewer still offer up to $1,000 to each employee to seed an emergency savings account. But Adam Moore, a 45-year-old technology contract manager in Atlanta, was relieved to have both of those perks last year when he learned his wife was facing $100,000 worth of surgery to treat a benign but aggressive tumor that was damaging her jaw. The emergency savings account covered the out-of-pocket costs and he made constructive use of his paid day off to sit down and understand how to structure the financial strategy to handle their predicament, he said. Mr. Moore soon changed his health insurance so they were better protected. Mr. Moores employer, SunTrust Banks, provided these benefits as part of a financial wellness program, something that Bill Rogers, the banks chief executive, decided to introduce about two-and-a-half years ago after he came to a startling realization: Even his own workers who he had assumed were more knowledgeable about money and in better financial shape than most people were making poor financial choices, like borrowing against their 401(k) plans. And many of them were ill-prepared for a financial emergency. Confused about UK legislative process?The IKat is here to help (i) Give Parliament an opportunity to object to the treaty: Lay the international treaty (be it the UPC Agreement or the Protocol on Privileges & Immunities) before Parliament for 21 sitting days. Both Houses have an opportunity during this time to pass a motion saying that the UK should not sign up to this treaty. Essentially this is a "shout if you disagree" stage. If nothing happens - like it did with the UPC Agreement and PPI, we move on to the next step. (ii) Incorporate the treaty obligations into national law. The UK's policy has been to implement their international treaty obligations into national law (if they did not they would be bound only by international law). At this stage we have seen last year's Patents Order (which flowed from the UPCA) and now this week's Order on Privileges & Immunities (flowing form the PPI). (ii) Formal ratification: Once the Order on Privileges & Immunities is passed (see more below), the final stage is that Government uses its powers derived from the Monarch (primarily exercised by the PM and Foreign Sectary) to deposit the final letter/instruments of ratification. Having been laid before Parliament, the Order on Privileges & Immunities ("the Order") now needs to go through the scrutiny process. The scrutiny committee responsible for the Order is the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI). The JCSI, made up of peers and MPs, scrutinzes the legislation, essentially checking to see of the powers to create the secondary legislation (the Order) have been used correctly. If they have any questions, they may ask the IPO or Parliamentary lawyers. They will prepare a report for the House of Commons and House of Lords summarizing their review and setting out any remaining questions that should be debated. The AmeriKat understands that JCSI's remit is narrowly defined to more legalistic issues, not policy issues. Where Steps 1 and 2 take place Once passed through the JCSI, the Order goes on to be debated in each House - Commons and Lords. The debate is normally held in a special committee that is set up in each House - a delegated legislative committee - with the task of reviewing Statutory Instruments. The composition reflects the parties in the House - which will be a different makeup than in previous years given the lack of majority following the recent elections. The length of the debate can depend on how many wish to speak. Usually in the debates, a minister will introduce the legislation. The opposition will then have a chance to respond, then other members have an opportunity to speak. The minister then wraps up the position in a closing speech. It then goes to vote. The vote is a simple majority. The Chair of the Committee then declares whether the order stands or falls (unlike primary legislation, statutory instruments stand or fall in tact - there is no possibility for amendments). The selection of the members for these committees will be done by a committee and is expected to be confirmed approximately 2 weeks before the vote. There may be legalistic questions, as well as some policy debate about the Order and the UPC (generally), in both Houses. If the Order is passed in both Houses, it will then go to the Privy Council for approval. The Privy Council is able to approve it as the Queen gives them powers to do so. The Privy Council meets once a month usually around third week of the month. The Order is then "made". The UK can then ratify the UPCA and PPI. This requires a formal letter drawn up by the Foreign Secretary and an instrument of ratification which states that the UK agrees to be bound by the UPC Agreement and the PPI. These documents are then deposited with the depository which is the Secretariat of the EU Council. This process can take a few weeks. IP Minister Jo's brother - Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson "It is difficult to get a clear understanding of what is the status of the suit and what it is about, since there is not much information publicly available. The complaint has not been notified to the German Government or the Parliament. According to publicly available information an unnamed individual has lodged a complaint against the bill regarding the German ratification of the UPCA and has also submitted a request for preliminary/emergency measures ordering the suspension of the ratification until the Court has decided on the merits of the case. The Court seems to have informed the President of the Republic informally and as seems to be the usual practice in Germany, the President has decided not to proceed with the ratification until the Court has decided on the request for preliminary measures. Under the current circumstances it is difficult to maintain a definitive starting date for the period of provisional application. However, I am hopeful the situation regarding the constitutional complaint in Germany will be resolved rather quickly and therefore I am hopeful that the period of provisional application can start during the autumn 2017 which would mean that the sunrise period for the opt out procedure would start early 2018 followed by the entry into force of the UPCA and the UPC becoming operational. A more detailed timetable will be communicated on this website as soon as the picture is clearer." had been laid before the UK Parliament brought several e-mails questioning the legislative steps needed to ratify the UPC Agreement (UPCA) and the Protocol on Privileges & Immunities (PPI). Your questions are her command, so this morning the AmeriKat did some research into the steps required and timing following the recent election (thanks to some handy and helpful Government resources and constitutional lawyers). The below is what she found out:There had been previously a lot of confusion as to the legislative steps required to ratify an international agreement. The process in the UK when ratifying international treaties is essentially three-step:None of the above will be happening until Parliament sits again on 5 September. This is becausecannot happen until the JCSI is formed. Following the recent election, it has not yet been reformed and will not be until September. If there are no further delays or unexpected hurdles, based on her research it may be that the UK may have ratified the UPC by end of November/early December 2017. This means there could be an early 2018 sunrise period with the Court opening in late spring 2018. Of course, this does not take into account the matter of Germany (see below).The Order is UK wide, but there are certain matters covered which touch on devolved matters so have to be dealt with by the Scottish Parliament with a separate order soon to be laid before them. The process is similar to the above - they will go through the scrutiny, debate, Privy Council process but have time limits (minimum 40 days).Of course none of this means that the UPC will be up and running soon after, of course, as there is the matter of Germany's constitutional challenge. The German ratification delay was today dealt with in this message from Alexander Ramsey (Chair of the UPC Preparatory Committee). He stated that another "layer of complexity has been added" which had "unfortunately...brought a pause to the German ratification of the UPCA and the Protocol on Provisional Application". He continued As ever, the IPKat will keep readers updated as to the progress in the UK and Germany. No Online Gambling For New York This Year Published June 27, 2017 by Elana K The New York State Assembly adjourned last Wednesday, and with its closing, the doors for legalizing online gambling in 2017 were closed as well. The New York State Assembly adjourned last Wednesday, and with its closing, the doors for legalizing online gambling in 2017 were closed as well. The champions behind New Yorks online gambling initiative, State Sen. John Bonacic and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, said that they will renew their efforts to legalize online gambling in New York in 2018 - but that is a long while away. A Close Call New York had come closer than ever to legalizing online gambling. Senate Bill 3898, which would have legalized and regulated online poker in the state, had already been approved by the state Senate earlier this year. It had also been approved by the Assembly Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committee by a 10-1 vote - the problem, for the second year in a row, was the inaction of the Assembly. It simply didnt address the bill before its session ended on June 21. Bad Actors Still Causing Problems One of the main obstacles toward getting the bill passed was the bad actors clause, which refers to companies that continued to operate even once the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 prohibited it. Room For Optimism The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the main lobbying group for online gambling, expressed optimism despite the setback. In a social media post, they wrote, This year the bill not only easily passed the Senate, but also for the first time ever an iPoker bill passed an Assembly committee. This is progress. What Next? Pennsylvania and Illinois are now in a tight race for the title of Fourth State to legalize online gambling. Right now only three states have legalized it - Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware. Both Pennsylvania and Illinois must make a decision by the end of the month. It will be interesting to see if either one of them takes the plunge. From The Guardian After a surprise statement on Monday warning Syria about chemical weapons, it looks like the White House is looking for a reason to launch yet another war President Donald Trump (Image by maxpixel.freegreatpict...) Details DMCA Lost among the deluge of stories about the Russia investigation and the Republicans' push to take healthcare away from millions of people, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a disastrous regional proxy war against Iran in Syria, and possibly beyond. Foreign Policy reported recently that key officials within the Trump administration are "pushing to broaden the war in Syria, viewing it as an opportunity to confront Iran and its proxy forces on the ground there." The strategy was being advocated over objections from the Pentagon, but it doesn't seem to be deterring the White House. As the Washington Post made clear just a few days ago, Iranian and US forces have already been directly clashing in the region, and officials are busy planning the "next stage" of the Syria war once Isis is defeated -- a plan that centers around directly attacking the Iranians. On Monday night, the White House seemingly laid down its marker. In a surprising statement that seemed to catch even the Pentagon off guard, press secretary Sean Spicer warned that Syria was planning another chemical weapons attack and "would pay a heavy price" if it came to pass. UN ambassador Nikki Haley quickly chimed in on Twitter saying that any further attack would "be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people." The White House is almost looking for a reason to launch yet another potentially catastrophic war in the Middle East, right in the middle of the most complex civil war we've seen in decades. There is no telling what chaos and destruction such a move would bring, but you can see the war wagons aligning within Trump administration circles as they prepare to move ahead with it anyway. Click Here to Read Whole Article Image From Article (Image by Unknown) Details DMCA Later this summer, millions of Americans -- from Oregon to South Carolina -- will be looking skyward to witness a rare total solar eclipse as the moon briefly blots out the sun. Yet for so many in the United States, dark days aren't really anything new. And they're becoming all the more commonplace as Trump, Ryan, and McConnell advance a heartless agenda that dims the lights on pretty much everyone except the privileged few. Fortunately, resistance groups have been working around the clock to blunt this ongoing assault on basic decency and the public good. They have a different reason to turn to the heavens: chronicles of aliens from outer space offer some valuable lessons about psychological challenges that lie ahead. Let's consider three examples. Our first stop is Grover's Mill, New Jersey. On an autumn night back in 1938, thousands of radio listeners thought the Orson Welles adaptation of "The War of the Worlds" was the real thing: a live account of Martian invaders landing nearby. Panic ensued for those fooled by the broadcast's air of authenticity -- complete with "we interrupt our program" news bulletins. Some frantically called the local police to find out what protective steps they should take. Others fled from their homes seeking safety farther from the reported invasion site. Some fainted beside their radios. Within hours the hoax was revealed, but this "brush with death" remains a memorable testament to human gullibility. The lesson from Grover's Mill? Since we're not very good at judging peril, we can be easy prey for those who resort to scare tactics to achieve their goals. Manipulative fearmongering is often used by politicians to garner votes or prop up sagging poll numbers. Trump and his entourage wouldn't be the first to gain broad support and dutiful obedience by raising the specter of mushroom clouds over our cities or other nightmarish scenarios. Indeed, invented crises and wars of aggression have long been popular ploys with leaders who seek to benefit from the collective rush toward blind patriotism. Our second stop is Lake City, USA. On a December night in 1954, Mrs. Marian Keech (an alias) and her band of disciples awaited the landing of a flying saucer from the planet Clarion. As recounted in the social psychology classic When Prophecy Fails, they confidently sought salvation from the massive flood that they believed would soon submerge much of the country. Convinced by Mrs. Keech's purported contact with superior beings, some followers left their jobs and others gave away their money and possessions in preparation for their fateful journey. When neither the aliens nor the deluge ever arrived, this small doomsday cult -- bound together by shared convictions -- concluded that their faith and devotion had led higher powers to save the world from its scheduled destruction. The lesson here is that we shouldn't expect Trump's ardent supporters to abandon him simply because he pursues policies that actually hurt rather than help them. Especially if they're surrounded by like-minded devotees, many will instead embrace his "alternative facts" and his false claims about "fake news." This is because, psychologically, the desire for consistency in our beliefs and actions often leads us to interpret the world in whatever ways most readily reduce any dissonance we feel. That's why, for instance, the cigarette smoker who's told his habit could be deadly may convince himself that the scientific research is flawed -- it's easier than quitting. Likewise, misplaced political loyalties can persist indefinitely, without the adherents even recognizing how far they've gone astray. Our final stop is Maple Street, USA, the fictional setting for a 1960 episode of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. When a mysterious roar and flash of light disturb a quiet summer evening, a young boy warns that creatures from outer space have arrived in human form. His notion seems farfetched until lights, phones, and automobiles stop working up and down the block. At first neighbors unite in a search for answers. But soon they're accusing each other of plotting an extraterrestrial invasion. As mob violence erupts, one alien watching from above explains to another, "All we need do is sit back and watch"Their world is full of Maple Streets. And we'll go from one to the other and let them destroy themselves." The lesson from Maple Street is clear: "divide and conquer" is a tried-and-true psychological ploy when it comes to ruthlessly -- and selfishly -- controlling the lives and prospects of other people. It's no different for Trump. Whenever he can, he'll encourage distrust and hostility within and among opposition groups, preying on our differences to stymie the forging of new alliances and broad-based movements against him. Likewise, he'll ramp up his brutal selective targeting -- of Muslims, immigrants, people of color, and others -- as a way to scapegoat the most vulnerable among us and thereby misdirect the blame for his own failings. Although the total solar eclipse on August 21st will only last two minutes, the Trumpian days of darkness show little sign of abating. The three guideposts described here, drawn from not-so-close encounters with extraterrestrials, can help light the way forward. First, don't fall for Trump's scare tactics. Second, don't count on his zealous followers to waver. And third, let's stick together no matter how he tries to divide us. The entrance to the Nathu La Pass (Image by Abhishek_Kumar) Details DMCA A major scuffle has erupted along the India-China border as Chinese troops entered the Indian state of Sikkim and destroyed two Indian bunkers. Chinese troops also engaged in a fight with Indian troops, who were guarding the border at the location. The Press Trust of India reported that tension mounted in a remote area of Sikkim after a scuffle broke out between personnel of the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA), leading to Chinese troops damaging bunkers on the Indian side of the border. China has refused entry to the first batch of 47 pilgrims who "were scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La Pass," citing damage to roads due to rain and landslides in the Tibet region, Indian press reports said. Chinese Protest China lodged diplomatic protests with India on June 26, alleging that Indian troops crossed the border between the two countries in the Sikkim region, the Press Trust of India reported on Tuesday, June 27. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China has lodged "solemn representations" with India. "Our position to uphold our territorial sovereignty is unwavering," Kang said. India should take measures to ease tensions along the border area, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on the matter of restoring entry access to Indian pilgrims. Lu said that to maintain good China-Indian ties, the Chinese government has made great efforts to offer convenience for Indian pilgrims. "However, Indian frontier officers had entered into China's sovereign territory through the Sikkim section of the India-China border, and China had to take countermeasures. For security concerns, China has suspended the entry of Indian pilgrims to China's Tibet Autonomous Region via the Nathu La Pass in the Sikkim section of the India-China border," Lu said. China has said that the Indian incursion was in violation of an 1890 treaty between Great Britain and China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying: "Recently, the Indian border troops crossed the China-India boundary at the Sikkim section and entered the Chinese territory, obstructing Chinese border troops' normal activities in Doklam. The Chinese side has taken proportionate measures in response." "The Chinese side requires the Indian side to respect the boundary convention and China's territorial sovereignty, immediately withdraw their border troops that have crossed the boundary, conduct thorough investigation into this and safeguard peace and tranquility of the Sikkim section." China's People's Liberation Army Meanwhile, China's People's Liberation Army said on June 26 that the Indian military disrupted road construction in what it says is Chinese territory. Defense ministry spokesperson Colonel Ren Guoqiang said the "unilateral provocation" risks "seriously endangering the peace and stability of the border areas." The unilateral provocation of Indian troops has violated the consensus and relevant agreements on border issues between the Chinese and Indian governments, seriously endangering the peace and stability of the border areas, Ren said. The China-Indian boundary in Sikkim has been delineated by historical treaties, and the Indian government has repeatedly confirmed in writing since their country gained independence, acknowledging they had no objection to the China-Indian boundary line at the Sikkim section, Ren said. Ren noted that China is committed to developing bilateral relations with India, but it will also firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests. He urged India not to complicate border issues and help China maintain the sound momentum in bilateral relations. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Kall's Bottom-up explores refreshing yet timeless ways of seeing and ways of thinking about economics, knowledge and wisdom. He presents his message, that decentralized, local and small are both good and healthy in business and economics, in a model that makes sense and offers practical solutions." Amar Bhide, professor of Economics, Tufts University, former editor, Capitalism and Society, author, The Venturesome Economy: How Innovation Sustains Prosperity in a More Connected World Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. When a small number of heavily armed Ku Klux Klanners from North Carolina are given vast amounts of media attention for holding a rally here in Charlottesville, Va., on July 8th, I believe people opposed to violence and racism should go nowhere near them but in no way ignore them. The inclination to ignore them and hope they'll fade away into history like trials by ordeal or dueling is strong. Judging by popular social norms and their dwindling membership, the KKK seems to be on the way out. Why give them any attention that could help promote them? Well, for one thing, violent racism is not on the way out if we're judging by presidential elections, hate crimes, police crimes, the prison system, the choice of communities to run gas pipelines through, or many other factors. And the only way my comment on "social norms" in the previous paragraph makes any sense is if we write off the generally accepted bombing of seven dark-skinned Muslim nations as somehow non-racist. So I'm in general agreement with those advocating keeping a distance from the Klan rally, though I'm opposed to police intimidation of activists, but I do not think staying home or trying to minimize the problem is the right approach. I'd like to see people who care about stopping racism and violence travel to Charlottesville on July 8th from far and wide. I'd like to see big rallies a good distance away from Justice Park. The choice of a church very nearby as a gathering place seems misguided. Normally, I'd of course propose that a protest be as close as possible to its target, and that it be disciplined in its nonviolent approach. There are reasons that won't work here: 1) Recent confrontations have made very clear that many anti-racism activists lack either discipline or nonviolence or both. 2) Teams of trained nonviolent interveners would be hard-pressed to prevent violent conflict. 3) A truly nonviolent approach toward people who believe they are taking a stand for justice as they perceive it is not a protest but an invitation. Not long ago, in Texas, a group planned an anti-Muslim protest at a mosque. A violent anti-anti-Muslim crowd showed up. The Muslims from the mosque placed themselves between the two groups, asking their would-be defenders to leave, and then inviting the anti-Muslim demonstrators to join them at a restaurant to talk things over. They did so. I'd like July 8th in Charlottesville to witness major demonstrations for nonviolence and an end to bigotry, racism, islamophobia, and anti-Semitism. I'd like these demonstrations to make some acknowledgement of the other two evils that Dr. Martin Luther King grouped with racism, namely extreme materialism and militarism -- the latter, after all, being the reason Robert E. Lee's statue still stands to be defended by racist rallies. Virginia has banned the removal of war monuments. But I'd also like to see skilled mediators and others of good will and good heart extend an invitation to members of the KKK to come unarmed to discuss in small groups, without cameras or audiences, what it is that divides us. Might some of them recognize the humanity of those they scapegoat if some of us recognized the injustices they've faced or the unfairness they perceive in affirmative action or in the acceptability of "whites" only as a topic for insults, not as a source of pride in the manner permitted all other racial and ethnic groupings? We live in a country that has made its biggest social project war, a country that has concentrated its wealth beyond medieval levels, a country that consequently experiences incredible levels of unnecessary suffering exacerbated by awareness of its unnecessity and unfairness. Yet what we have of social supports for education, training, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and income is distributed in non-universal, divisive manners that encourage us to fight among ourselves. The KKK members are not billionaires. They're not living off the exploitation of workers or prisoners or pollution or war. They've just chosen a particularly harmful object for their blame, as compared with those who blame the Republicans or the Democrats or the media. When the KKK members come to condemn us for seeking to remove a statue, we shouldn't look down at them like grand generals astride monster-sized horses. We should welcome them to explain themselves without microphones or guns, person to person. "Kosher" is widely interpreted as meaning pure, and many think kosher slaughter is better or more humane than traditional methods. But ritual slaughter is capable of causing great suffering, says animal expert Temple Grandin. "Some plants use cruel methods of restraint, such as suspending a conscious animal by a chain wrapped around one hind-limb. In more progressive plants, the animal is placed in a restrainer that holds it in a comfortable, upright position," she writes. Whether Kosher or Halal, Ritual Slaughter is Cruel (Image by Martha Rosenberg) Details DMCA "Most large cattle slaughter plants are using more comfortable methods of restraint, but there are still some plant managers who have no regard for animal welfare," continues Grandin about kosher slaughter. "They persist in hanging large cattle and veal calves upside down by one hind-leg. There is no religious justification for use of this cruel method of restraint. The plants that suspend cattle/calves by one hind-leg do so in order to avoid paying the cost of installing a humane restraint device. Humane restraint devices can often pay for themselves by improving employee safety." In both kosher (sanctioned by Jewish law) and halal (sanctioned by Islamic law) slaughter, cattle, sheep, goats, and other animals have their throats cut while fully conscious. Because they are not stunned or otherwise rendered insensate, their consciousness can be "prolonged for over 60 seconds," even though the laws, Grandin notes, were devised to minimize cruelty. Almost half of cattle that are hoisted and shackled bellow loudly, according to one study, and "in some cases, those vocalizations can be heard outside the building," writes Grandin. Ritual slaughter is illegal in New Zealand, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian and Baltic countries. In 2011, the Dutch parliament voted to approve a ban on kosher and halal slaughter pending Senate approval. There are over one million Muslims and 52,000 fifty-two Jewish in the Netherlands. Both groups opposed the proposed ban as a direct attack.43 "This is not about animal rights," said Joe M. Regenstein, a professor of food science who runs a kosher and halal food program at Cornell University. "It's an invitation to Jews and Muslims to leave." But animal advocates say the opposite: "Ritual slaughter isn't about religious freedom at all but about cruelty to animals." Former actress, sex symbol, and animal rights advocate Brigitte Bardot is a strong critic of ritual slaughter and the holiday Eid al-Adha, during which Muslims ritually slaughter sheep and other animals, often in public. "1,000 sheep were slaughtered last month only 300 yards from my house," she lamented to the Washington Post, asking when the French government would enforce its stunning laws, which are similar to those in the United States. U.S. laws Hubert Humphrey is remembered as a civil rights leader and voice during the Vietnam War, but he spearheaded the drafting and passage of the 1958 Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which requires animals to be made insensitive to pain before being "shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast or cut." President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the act and remarked that "if I depended on my mail, I would think humane slaughter is the only thing anyone is interested in." Guess who opposed the act? The United States Department of Agriculture. Humphrey wanted humane slaughter to be the law of the land, but a compromise was forced in 1958, making it only a condition of doing business with the federal government. In 1978, the year Humphrey died, Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) strengthened the law to make it mandatory for the nation, except for religious slaughter. Senator Dole was also instrumental in passing the 1985 Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals Act. Few realized Dole's strong animal advocacy when he ran for President in 1996 Whether or not an animal is properly stunned and insensible to pain is easy to determine, writes Grandin whose guidelines "Animal Welfare and Humane Slaughter" are widely observed in the nation's slaughterhouses. At no time, either during or after stunning should the animal vocalize (squeal, moo or bellow). Vocalization is a sign that a sensible animal may be feeling pain. It is easy to evaluate insensibility after an animal is hanging vertically on the bleed rail; it should hang straight down and have a straight back, and the head should be limp and floppy. If the stunned animal has kicking reflexes, the head should flop like a limp rag. If the animal makes any attempt to raise its head, it may still be sensible. An animal showing a righting reflex must be immediately re-stunned. There should also be no rhythmic breathing and no eye reflexes in response to touch. Blinking is another sign of an animal that has not been properly stunned and thus may still be sensible. As slaughterhouses are increasingly privatized with no federal inspectors these humane guidelines are thrown out the window. In the United States, the sale of kosher meat has escalated through the perception that it is somehow comparable to organic meat. And, even though some Jews and Muslims might be bitter enemies, meat is one thing they agree on: Muslims "often substitute kosher foods when their own ritually produced and certified halal foods are not available," reports the Sioux City Journal. The IRGC commander in chief reacted to Rouhanis statement, saying, If the government is without a gun, it will be humiliated and will surrender to the enemies. On June 22, Rouhani continued the factional feuding in an implicit and tactical attack on the IRGC, He said, Part of the economy was in the hands of a government without a gun and we handed it over to a government with a gun. This is not economy and privatization. They were already afraid of the gun-free government, let alone a government with a gun to which we have given control of the economy, a government that also had the media and everything else and nobody dared to compete with it. Rouhanis reference to the government with a gun was directed at the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former president of the regime, who let the IRGC to control much of Irans economy. Mohammad Ali Jafari, IRGCs chief commander, said in reaction to Rouhanis statements, We are not afraid of these rebukes, and added, They may introduce us as the gun-owners, yes we are gun-owners and more than that we own the missiles that break the enemy and we use them against the enemy to protect the regime, and protect the Islamic Irans security. We believe that a government that does not have guns will be humiliated and will eventually surrender to the enemies. He continued his attack on Rouhani by calling him unfair, and said, The unfair attack on the Revolutionary Guards brings the idea to the minds that there are other objectives behind the attack but we just keep silent in order to maintain unity, adding, Messrs. take memento photos with the development projects that IRGC builds while they owe billions of dollars (to the IRGC) for the projects and then they speak unfairly. Ahmad Khorshidi Azad, director of population servants of revolution, said in an interview with FARS news agency on June 27th, Some dont know that the government currently owes 32000 billion Tomans (~10 billion dollars) to (the IRGCs) Khatam-ol-Anbiya construction headquarters and whenever they cannot finish their development project and become desperate they go to the headquarters. The factional feuding between the IRGC commanders and Rouhani occurred frequently during Rouhanis first term. The IRGC commanders have repeatedly attacked the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement, which Rouhani considers a great achievement that lifted sanctions, boostedthe economy, and increased security. During his presidential election campaign for his second term of office, Rouhani noted IRGC actions, and said, Some came and showed photos of underground cities to disrupt the JCPOA. They wrote slogans on missiles to disrupt the JCPOA New conflict between IRGC and Rouhani is the recent missile attack on Deir ez-Zor in Syria. While Rouhani stated that Irans retaliatory missile strike was not the decision of an individual or a military organ, but such decisions are taken at the regimes Supreme National Security Council, the IRGC stated that the attack was coordinated by the headquarters of the armed forces under the command of the Supreme Leader. The IRGC commander continued, In a situation where the nation of Iran more than ever needs the sacrifices of their soldiers and the power and authority of their guns and missiles, the unfair attack on the Revolutionary Guards brings the idea to the minds that there are other objectives behind the attack but we just keep silent in order to maintain unity. We feel that such statements are aimed at creating false bipolarity, evasion and running away from obligations, while these methods will no longer work. In the meantime, in an interview with FARS news agency referring to the new U.S. Senate bill, Ali Akbar Kalantari, member of the regimes Assembly of Experts, said, Experience has proven that whenever we back off, the enemy becomes embolden and more rude in their action. Kalantari then attacked Rouhani, saying, For example, the IRGCs recent attack against Daesh (ISIS) will make the enemy passive for a long time. The countrys diplomacy men should also consider this point that if they back off against the enemys greed and become passive, they will take advantage of this passivity and hit us. (Image by Healthy California) Details DMCA Nothing better illustrates the political bankruptcy of the Democratic Party--for all progressive intents and purposes--than California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon's announcement on Friday afternoon that he was going to put a "hold" on the single-payer health care bill (SB 562) for the state, effectively killing its passage for at least the year. The Democratic Party finds itself in a bind in California. They hold the governorship and a supermajority in both houses of the legislature, so they can pass any bill they want. SB 562 had passed the Senate 23-14. There was enormous enthusiasm among California progressive activists, who, with organizations like Campaign for a Healthy California (CHC,) and the National Nurses United (NNU,) and the California Nurses Association (CNA) were working tirelessly, and hopeful of success. After all, Bernie's people were taking over the California party from the bottom since the election. I recall a night of drinking last year with an old friend who has been spearheading that effort, as he rebuffed my skepticism, and insisted that this time there would be a really progressive takeover of the California party, and single-payer would prove it. After all, once enough progressive pressure was been put on the legislators, the bill would be going to super-progressive Democratic Governor, Jerry Brown, who had made advocacy of single-payer a centerpiece of his run for President in 1992, saying: "We treat health care not as a commodity to be played with for profit but rather the right of every American citizen when they're born." Bernie foretold. Unfortunately, today that Governor is, according to Paul Song, co-chair of the CHC, "doing everything he can to make sure this never gets on his desk." And it won't. Unfortunately, all the Democrats like Rendon, who "claims to be a personal supporter of single-payer," will make sure that their most progressive governor is not put in the embarrassing position of having to reject what he's been ostensibly arguing for for twenty-five years, of demonstrating so blatantly what a fraud his, and his party's, progressive pretensions are. Thus unfolds the typical Democratic strategy: Make all kinds of progressive noises and cast all kinds of progressive votes, while carefully managing the process so that the legislation the putatively progressives putatively support never gets enacted. They always support the progressive policy personally ; they just have to oppose it politically. Usually, they blame Republican obstructionism, and there certainly is enough of that, and where there is, it provides a convenient way for Democrat legislator to "support" legislation they know will be blocked and wouldn't really enact themselves if they could. In the California case, the dissembling is obvious. The Republicans can't be blamed. The only thing standing in the way of single-payer in California is the Democratic Party. As it was on the national level in 2009, when Obama and the Democrats could have passed any healthcare bill they wanted, just as they passed the Republican-inspired gift to the for-profit health insurance industry, the ACA--without a single Republican vote. It was true-believing capitalist Democrats like Max Baucus, led by Obama and his sidekick Rahm Emanuel (who called leftists "fucking retarded") who arrested single-payer activists (including doctors) in order to prevent single-payer from even being considered. It was they who strong-armed reluctant Democratic legislators, who had signed an oath not to do so, into passing a bill that leaves28 million Americans without health insurance, and forces the rest into plans whose premiums rise and networks of coverage shrink every year. In fact, the perfectly reasonable discontent with that plan probably had more to do with helping Trump win than did any actions of bad-old (as opposed to good-new) James Comey. As Marcy Wheeler pointed out, in an analysis that's contested but should certainly not be ignored, Hillary's fatal slide in the polls began before Comey's notorious letter of October 28th, and coincided with the announcement, four days before, of steep Obamacare premium increases. You decide whether you think Anthony Weiner's sexting emails, part three, had more effect on voters than anger over being hit with stiff premium increases (22% average, 25% in 20 states, 60% in some) on increasingly crappy policies: (Image by Marcy Wheeler) Details DMCA So the Democrats create the ground for Trump by passing a lousy healthcare law that's sure to piss people off rather quickly, then use the even worse plan that the Republicans come up with to do nothing but trash Trump, while blocking real progressives' attempts to get the only plan that would actually cover all Americans and save money. In Colorado last November, Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper refused to support a single-payer referendum because he "didn't want to disrupt" the "strides [made] under Obamacare." The Democrats' ACA marched the nation straight into the shoals of Trump and the Republicans' ACHA, and now the Democrats are blocking the only plan that solves the problems of both. As Deborah Burger, Co-President of the California Nurses Association put it, Assembly Speaker Rendon, "Acting in secret in the interests of the profiteering insurance companies late Friday afternoon abandons all those people already threatened by Congress and the Trump administration." The excuse, of course, from California Democrats and Governor Jerry Brown is that they don't know how they are going to pay for it, especially on the state level. That would be the same Jerry Brown who explained in 1992 exactly how single-payer would cut costs: You cut out all the private health insurance. You have one single payer either at the national level or through the 50 states. And that one single payer will be the one that negotiates with the doctors, the hospitals, and the other providers. And since you have only one source of income in the whole medical establishment, you can drive down the cost. Leaving aside the indispensable point that healthcare, like education and clean water, should be considered a non-discretionary expense, one of the main advantages of single-payer is precisely that it's the only plan that can cut costs significantly. Not having single-payer will not mean healthcare will cost less; it will cost more every year, for every person and in the aggregate. It just means the for-profit insurance and pharmaceutical companies won't care. The real problem with single-payer isn't about costs to the people or to the state; it's about profits for those companies. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Guantanamo Bay prisoner Abu Zubaydah (Image by Intelligence World) Details DMCA John Kiriakou led the CIA operation that arrested, or rather, kidnapped without charge, Abu Zubaydah. Joseph Hickman helped imprison Abu Zubaydah as a guard at Guantanamo and was later the lead researcher for Zubaydah's habeas defense team. Here are some highlights of a tale of crackpot criminality recounted by Hickman and Kiriakou in their jointly authored new book, The Convenient Terrorist: Maher Abu Zubayda and Zain Abidin Mohammed Husain aka Abu Zubaydah are two completely different people. They and many other people use the name Abu Zubayda, with various spellings in English transliterations from Arabic. The Zubaydah family was evicted from a Palestinian village during the Nakba. The CIA, employing more torturers than Arab speakers, confused the two Zubaydahs. When the basic facts that the CIA had about the life of the man it imprisoned and tortured turned out to all be wrong, the CIA paid no attention. Maher Abu Zubayda worked with al Qaeda in the 1990s with an address in San Jose, Calif., three blocks from al Qaeda spy Ali Mohammed who later pled guilty to a role in bombing U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Mohammed had "served" in the Egyptian and U.S. armies. When the U.S. Army had learned in 1987 that Mohammed was a Muslim extremist, it had removed him from "Special Forces" but kept him in the Army. In 1988 Mohammed used a leave from the U.S. Army to go to Afghanistan to fight Soviets, rejoining the U.S. Army afterwards. Maher Abu Zubayda later lived in Montana, studying explosives and a major dam, the Fort Peck Dam. The day before the attacks of September 11, 2001, an explosion occurred on his ranch, and he fled. On September 19, 2001, he was arrested. Clueless, the CIA built a major operation to try to locate the other Abu Zubaydah in Pakistan. On March 28, 2002, the day after that other Abu Zubaydah was seized in Pakistan, this one was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and of immigration violations. Six months later he was deported. Ten years after that, in 2012, a man in Jordan named Mahmoud wrote to the defense team of the Abu Zubaydah by then in Guantanamo to say that an Abu Zubayda had been in a prison in Jordan in 2005. It could not have been the same man who was in Guantanamo, as he had been grabbed by the CIA in 2002 and in 2005 had been undergoing torture by the CIA in Poland. The defense team soon heard that Mahmoud had been killed by a U.S. drone. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s the CIA funded Muslim extremists in Afghanistan, including the Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan, led by Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, along with six other major alliances, with the funding passed along to many smaller groups including Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda. Presidents Reagan, Bush the First, and Clinton referred to these groups as "freedom fighters" and "heroes." Zain Abidin Mohammed Husain aka Abu Zubaydah, the man kidnapped, tortured, and still imprisoned to this day in Guantanamo, joined Sayyaf's Islamic Union, not Al Qaeda. But Sayyaf, with U.S. funding since 1973 helped to create Al Qaeda. Sayyaf met with President Reagan and received abundant U.S. funding for years, to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, and then to train fighters in Pakistan to overthrow Gaddafi in Libya. After September 11, 2001, the U.S. labeled Sayyaf's "Libyan Islamic Fighting Group" a terrorist organization, but the CIA went right on funding it until Gaddafi was murdered 10 years later. In October 2000, the Able Danger operation set up by the U.S. Special Operations Command and the Defense Intelligence Agency suspected three people in the United States of planning an attack, all three members of Al Qaeda, all three having trained in Sayyaf's camps. The Department of so-called Defense paid no attention, and the DIA destroyed almost all of the information collected by Able Danger. Sayyaf reportedly learned of the September 11, 2001, attack plans in February 2001. Immediately after those attacks, the U.S. sent him tens of millions of dollars with which to fight the Taliban, assigned him to help write a Constitution for a new Afghanistan, and got him appointed to the Afghan parliament, where he remains today with the intractable incumbency of a U.S. Congress member. It was in 1991 that the Abu Zubaydah with the unlucky name joined the Islamic Union. In 1993 the CIA funded a group of fighters he commanded in Tajikistan. Also at this time he asked to join Al Qaeda and was rejected on the grounds that he'd had a head injury. The CIA's language skills failed to distinguish between two Abu Zubaydahs. The CIA also failed to properly identify training camps as belonging to the Islamic Union or Al Qaeda. In addition, it failed to distinguish between a house called The House of Martyrs and one called Martyr's House, even though one of these houses was in Afghanistan and run by Al Qaeda, while the other was in Pakistan and run by Abu Zubaydah of the Unlucky Name. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Abu Zubaydah headed off to Afghanistan to fight against a U.S. invasion. He claims not to have managed to actually fight the U.S. there. The United States, without evidence, claims he did. He openly says he intended to. He then caught wind of the fact that the U.S. was conducting a major search for him. He professed bewilderment, as he was neither Taliban not Al Qaeda, much less a top Al Qaeda leader as the U.S. claimed. That the CIA was hunting for the wrong man, while the Abu Zubayda with ties to Al Qaeda was sitting in jail in Montana, is not somehow by the transitive properties of childish thinking, a statement that this Abu Zubaydah was a pacifist or a saint. He fought against a Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and a U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. We pacifists find fault with both of those actions, while the U.S. government praises one and condemns the other beyond any possibility of redemption. It is also possible that in 1999 this Abu Zubaydah helped to some extent with failed attacks in Jordan and the United States, referred to as "the millennium bomb plot," which Hickman and Kiriakou blame on Hamas and Hezbollah, not Al Qaeda, citing Saudi funding funneled through the SAAR Foundation in Herndon, Virginia, run by Alamoudi, a man who publicly supported Hamas and Hezbollah while also being made a guest at the White House on several occasions before and after September 11, 2001, in addition to being a "supporter" of George W. Bush's election campaign. But it was not for that or any other possible offense that the CIA in February 2002 mounted a mammoth effort to raid fourteen locations in Pakistan simultaneously in hopes of capturing the wrong man. U.S. tax dollars invested in this ludicrous operation far more generously than in your children's schools. A man identified as Abu Zubaydah was nearly killed, just barely kept alive by top U.S. doctors jetted in for that purpose, and subsequently nearly killed through extensive torture over a period of years. The questioning of this Abu Zubaydah did not begin immediately, however, because the CIA's "Counterterrorism" Center did not believe the right man had been seized. Once questioning did begin, "many in the CIA," according to Hickman and Kiriakou, wondered whether they had the right person. Such doubts were not allowed to stand in the way of a good opportunity for sadistic human experimentation. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). "It just isn't going to work. . . this type of what I call a voodoo economic policy" (G.H.W. Bush, 1980) The Republican government in Washington is trying to inflict on the entire nation a disastrous agenda that has spectacularly failed in several one-party red states. Stripping funds from health care and the EPA, withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, sweeping deregulation of production and finance, and large tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy are all symptoms of a fact-free dogma known as supply-side economics. Supply siders claim that the best way to achieve prosperity for all is to increase investment capital by (1) lowering taxes on corporations and the wealthy, and (2) making investment more profitable by minimizing regulations and keeping wages low (incl. suppression of unions). This will motivate investors to put more money into the production of goods and services, thereby increasing demand for employees and creating jobs. This harmony between surging investor wealth and job creation puts a smile on the face behind the Invisible Hand. Supply-side economics demands an act of faith on the part of American workers. For "now" they must do without wage increases and social programs (such as subsidized health care) in order to give the investor class enough money to create prosperity. But a new day will come when workers will be able to buy health care and education in a thriving market free from government intervention. The people of Kansas have lost their faith. When Republican Sam Brownback took office as governor in 2011, he initiated the largest income tax cut in Kansas' history and cut back funding for education and social services. As he explained on Morning Joe in 2012, "On taxes, you need to get your overall rates down, and you need to get your social manipulation out of it, in my estimation, to create growth. We'll see how it works. We'll have a real live experiment." The experiment failed. "Revenue plunged and the state resorted to pulling money out of its rainy-day fund to plug the holes. A number of critical services, including for road maintenance and schools, were cut. The business climate has been poor, and the economy has lagged behind neighboring states as well as the rest of the country" (Bloomberg 10/24/16). Finally, this month a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans voted to raise state taxes, overriding GOP Gov. Sam Brownback's veto. The same supply-side disaster unfolded in two other single-party red states: Oklahoma and Louisiana. Oklahoma had a $200 million surplus 4 years ago. Then, according to Associated Press, "Republicans who control state government successfully pushed to permanently reduce the state's top income tax rate, slash the oil and gas production tax rate from 7 percent to 2 percent and give more tax incentives to industry." This spring legislators faced a $900 million budget gap. Budget cuts have swollen class sizes. Four-day school weeks were introduced in 96 school districts. Teachers haven't received a salary increase since 2008 and many are fleeing the state, replaced by untrained "emergency-certified" teachers. Bobby Jindal, a once rising star in the national GOP, was governor of Louisiana from 2008-2016. By lowering income taxes and expanding exemptions to oil and gas companies, Jindal managed to go from a $900 million surplus to a $1.6 billion deficit. As Nathaniel Rich reports in The New York Review of Books (11/10/16), he "fired 30,000 state employees, furloughed many others, cut education funding by nearly half, and sold off as many state-owned parking lots, farms, and hospitals as he could" in an effort to offset lost tax revenue. Last April 26 Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and chief economic adviser Gary Cohn gave us a sparse but dramatic description of the Trump tax plan. It was pure supply-side (aka trickle-down) economics: it would "reduce the top rate on individual income tax -- now 39.6 percent for income over around $470,000 for a married couple -- to 35 percent. . . . It also would eliminate a 3.8 percent tax, used to help fund Obamacare, that applies to investment income over $250,000 for a couple" and end the estate tax on individuals with estates of $5.5 million (or $11 million for couples) [NYT, 4/26/17]. Ignoring the fiscal disasters in Kansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, both Mnuchin and Cohn invoked the supply-side fantasy that their tax cut plan "will pay for itself." The idea here is that the cuts will create such an increase in business activity that total tax revenues will increase even though the tax rates are lower. There is no evidence to support this claim. In 2012 the Congressional Research Service studied the 65-year period in which top marginal tax rates went down from 86.45% to 35%. The CRS found that these reductions "have had little association with saving, investment, or productivity growth. However, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution." The investor class is already loaded with capital. But rich investors don't want to start businesses when debt-ridden consumers can't afford more purchases. Today we have what William Lazonick in the Harvard Business Review (9/14) calls "profits without prosperity." From 2003-2012, according to Lazonick, 449 companies in the S&P 500 index "used 54% of their earnings--a total of $2.4 trillion--to buy back their own stock." Another 37% went to dividends, leaving only 9% for investment in production. Supply-side economics is about increasing the power and wealth of the already wealthy. This is the core agenda of the GOP, and the Democratic Party offers only token opposition. Peace (Image by mStreetPhoto) Details DMCA John's book, The Peace Dividend opens with a great remembering of the unprecedented U.S. endless war and unlimited war spending of the 21st century. From mission leap to mission creep, the U.S. Empire has caused a tremendous waste of human lives, plundering of the treasury and the rape of Mother Earth. The squander has defrauded U.S. citizen of the human progress and well-being that other highly-developed countries enjoy in the 21st century. America isn't great when it is number 19th out of 20 in the United Nations Index of Human Development. John is thoroughly serious about the government owing every citizen a refund for the defective, fraudulent, and dangerous war product that we have been purchasing. John has been working outside the box to starve the beastly military-industrial war machine before it kills more innocent lives. The world desperately needs an end to U.S. wars, and we want our money back, and a written guarantee that in the future representatives will represent us, and not the profiteers, privateers, and mercenaries. Reagan Cut Taxes for the rich with a chainsaw (Image by JBrazito) Details DMCA The Peace Dividend is karma-esque Reaganism in reverse. Ronald Reagan starved to death Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal social programs with tax-cuts for the wealthy, exorbitant military spending and Star Wars. Reagan turned the U.S. from a creditor nation into a debtor nation . So why is John's Peace Dividend met with skepticism? It is normal to expect a peace dividend after a major U.S. war. The department of war's budget in both inflation adjusted dollars and as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product has declined after every major war in our history, including World War Two, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, until the 21st century's endless war. Historically U.S. wars were paid for by excise taxes, income taxes, estate taxes, and borrowing mostly from citizens. Now the rich have gone on a tax strike. Wars are financed out of so-called discretionary federal spending financed by middleclass income taxes and debt borrowed from foreigners. The rich no longer pay their fair share, the estate tax is being eliminated entirely, and the U.S. is borrowing 5 Trillion dollars from foreigners. "What is good for General Motors is good for America", said former C.E.O. Charles E. Wilson in 1953 at his Senate confirmation hearings for Secretary of Defense. Five-star General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) had just been inaugurated as president. Ike and Wilson cut defense spending dramatically from the World War Two and Korean War levels. General Motors thrived because people had the money to buy new cars. Our collective history is to oppose having a standing army, to disarm after wars and end wartime austerity. The people got a peace dividend in prosperity after past wars. It was expected that the next generation would have it better than their parents' generation. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). UPDATE: See end of article for a just released Wikileaks US diplomatic cable from the Ambassador to the UAE which confirms my theory on why the Saudi and Gulf states alliance has recently threatened Qatar with the demand to shut down Al-Jazeera and other independent Qatar based media. They asked the US to "rein in" and even to bomb Al-Jazeera before the start of the Iraq war in 2003 because they feared the effect on the Muslim world by their reporting; and the cable makes clear they were pushing for the US going to war claiming America would be greeted by dancing in the streets, exactly what Bush then claimed to the public. ------ Yesterday, a day after an inside account by Pulitzer winning legend Seymour Hersh of American military intelligence reaction to Trump's decision to retaliate to a non-existent "sarin gas attack" by sending missiles to bomb a Syrian air force facility back in April, Trump and his spokeswoman Nikki Haley suddenly and without confirmation by the pentagon or anyone else in the intelligence community, both spoke out to the public a warning to Syrian leader Assad and his allies that they had information of an upcoming sarin gas attack planned by Syria. They warned that there would be severe repercussions and all of those on the side of Assad would share in the blame and repercussions. Was this simply a way to distract from the just published stunning Seymour Hersh revelation of a fraud perpetrated by Trump and his team in claiming the previous sarin gas attack was real - even though everyone involved from the military and intelligence to Trump and his team - knew there was no actual gas attack? It is hard to say if that was simply another instance of Trump's anger leading to his sudden rash decision to try and deflect from the bombshell revelations from Seymour Hersh. But we do know that when asked for comment no one in the military or intelligence community confirmed what Trump and Haley were saying, they pleaded ignorance about the whole thing, which is astonishing to say the least. What is even more amazing to me is the degree of cover-up provided for Trump by his arch enemies in the mainstream media. The revelations by Seymour Hersh are being studiously ignored by them. And this isn't some random blogger we are talking about, Seymour Hersh is a giant in modern journalism, one of if not the most respected journalist in the world for a long time. Yet when he provides more bombshell grist for the Anti-Trump media mill they ignore it, totally. What does this tell us about the mainstream media who every day look for ways to demonize Trump but ignore the biggest story of all? It can only mean one thing. The word has come from the bosses to ignore the story. Why? Remember what happened in the media after Trump sent those missiles? For a short while after the Trump hated media was all of a sudden lionizing Trump as "finally getting it." Finally ready to take the reins of "the world's only superpower." Finally "acting presidential." Of course that slobbering idiocy did not last as we all saw. When Trump didn't follow that attack up with anything else to take out the Assad regime, the press went back to their nonstop Russiagate attacks on Trump and his cronies. Could it be that they are simply embarrassed with their reactions now that they stand exposed? Or were they given orders to stand down on this story for another reason? This is the timeline: 1) Trump goes to the Middle East and meets with the leaders of the Muslim nations of the world. They announce the creation of what has been called an Arab Nato, whose job will be to work together to take on "the terrorist threat." They blame Iran as the source and cause of terrorism in the region and around the world. I wrote that Trump is being primed on a long planned for invasion of Syria. 2) Immediately after that Qatar is ex-communicated from that partnership and threatened by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states for supporting Iran with business ties, and sponsoring terrorism, and for supporting Al-Jazeera in their support of terrorists. Trump supports the Saudis and calls Qatar out for supporting terrorism. American military leadership gets Rex Tillerson to call for calm and try to make peace because of their reliance on Qatar for the main military base in the region - especially now that Erdogan is no longer seen as a staunch ally in Turkey where the US has a large military presence. 3) The mainstream media pushes the idea that Qatar is to blame for their close ties to Iran and terrorism, supporting Trump and the Saudis. Qatar has those on their payroll in the media make counter-claims. 4) Many in the alternative media claim the real reason for targeting Qatar is not because of that since many other Arab states also have close ties to Iran. Some blame the attacks on Qatar for seemingly getting out of the regime change business in Syria - and possibly making plans on getting closer to the Russia-Turkey-Iran-Syria business and security axis. Qatar owned Al-Jazeera is also speculated as being a cause since it is the most popular news organization in the Muslim world and they often support views contrary to those espoused by the Saudis and other Gulf leaders. I speculated that in the case of an invasion of Syria by American, NATO, and Arab forces, that they would want Al-Jazeera beforehand shut down, in fear of their broadcasting in support of Syria. 5) The Saudis give an ultimatum to Qatar to end their ties to Iran and terrorism; to dissolve Al-Jazeera and a number of other popular news outlets; to give up sovereign control of their foreign policy; to pay large sums in restitution - and basically just become a vassal state of the Saudis and other Gulf state leaders. 6) Many in the alternative media along with Russia claim that Trump appears to be baiting Syria to attack them in order to create a pretext for ramping up new military action against the Assad regime. In the last month we have seen an increasing pattern of attacks by American forces on Syrian forces, with the shooting down of aircraft and destruction of other military hardware, and the killing of an unknown number of people. All with seemingly fraudulent excuses according to Russia and Syria. I made the claim that it appears that war with Syria is imminent although it is likely both Trump and the American military leadership oppose it for different reasons. I wrote that Trump is being pushed into it by the ultra-wealthy forces (Saudis and others who want to take over Syria) behind the mainstream media attacks on him via Russiagate, with a promise to make all Russiagate nonsense go away if he goes along with a long planned for regime change action in Syria. They originally planned on Obama doing the deed for them, but he resisted. They tried to force his hand with a supposed sarin attack by Assad, and then subsequent media attacks on Obama for not invading Syria for that. But the attacks had been exposed as a fraud by intelligence agencies, showing that it was more than likely the work of the Anti-Assad forces. 7) New revelations suddenly appear two days ago from a highly respected authoritative source in Seymour Hersh which makes Trump out to look like a lying fraud in his ordering missile attacks on Syria over a known non-existent sarin gas attack. The report from Hersh makes Trump's national security team look too fearful of losing their positions to challenge Trump when both they and he knew there was no sarin attack, or gas attack of any type. Hersh reports they knew it was a typical bombing done in coordination with the American military that ended up causing chlorine based gas to be created after cleaning supplies and other stored munitions ignited from the bombing. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Paul Craig Roberts Website Unlike Oliver Stone, who knew how to interview Vladimir Putin, Megyn Kelly did not. Thus, she made a fool of herself, which is par for her course. Now the entire Western media has joined Megyn in foolishness, or so it appears from an RT report. James O'Keefe has senior CNN producer John Bonifield on video telling O'Keefe that CNN's anti-Russia reporting is purely for ratings: "It's mostly bullshit right now. Like, we don't have any big giant proof." CNN's Bonifield is reported to go on to say that "our CIA is doing sh*t all the time, we're out there trying to manipulate governments." And, of course, the American people, the European peoples, and the US and European governments are being conditioned by the "Russia did it" story-line to distrust Russia and to accept whatever dangerous and irresponsible policy toward Russia that Washington comes up with next. Is the anti-Russian propaganda driven by ratings as Bonifield is reported to claim, or are ratings the neoconservatives' and military/security complex's cover for media disinformation that increases tensions between the superpowers and prepares the ground for nuclear war? RT acknowledges that the entire story could be just another piece of false news, which is all that the Western media is known for. Nevertheless, what we do know is that the fake news reporting pertains to Russia's alleged interference in the US presidential election. Allegedly, Trump was elected by Putin's interference in the election. This claim is absurd, but if you are Megyn Kelly, you lack the IQ to see that. Instead, presstitutes turn a nonsense story into a real story despite the absence of any evidence. Who actually interfered in the US presidential election, Putin or the presstitutes themselves? The answer is clear and obvious. It was the presstitutes, who were out to get Trump from day one of the presidential campaign. It is CIA director John Brennan, who did everything in his power to brand Trump some sort of Russian agent. It is FBI director Comey who did likewise by continuing to "investigate" what he knew was a non-event. We now have a former FBI director playing the role of special prosecutor investigating Trump for "obstruction of justice" when there is no evidence of a crime to be obstructed! What we are witnessing is the ongoing interference in the presidential election, an interference that not only makes a mockery of democracy but also of the rule of law. The presstitutes not only interfered in the presidential election; they are now interfering with democracy itself. They are seeking to overturn the people's choice by discrediting the President of the United States and those who elected him. The Democratic Party is a part of this attack on American democracy. It is the DNC that insists that a Putin/Trump conspiracy stole the presidency from Hillary. The Democrats' position is that it is too risky to permit the American people -- the "deplorables" -- to vote. The Democratic Party's line is that if you let Americans vote, they will elect a Putin stooge and America will be ruled by Russia. Many wonder why Trump doesn't use the power of the office of the presidency to indict the hit squad that is out to get him. There is no doubt that a jury of deplorables would indict Brennan, Comey, Megyn Kelly and the rest. On the other hand, perhaps Trump's view is that the Republican Party cannot afford to go down with him, and, therefore, as he is politically protected by the Republican majority, the best strategy is to let the Democrats and the presstitutes destroy themselves in the eyes of flyover America. What our survival as Americans depends on is the Russians' view of this conflict between a US President who intended to reduce the tensions between the nuclear powers and those determined to increase the tensions. The Russian high command has already announced its conclusion that Washington is preparing a surprise nuclear attack on Russia. It is not possible to imagine a more dangerous conclusion. So far, no one in Washington or any Western government has made an effort to reassure Russia that no such attack is being prepared. Instead, the calls are for more punishment of Russia and more tension. This most extraordinary of failures demonstrates the complete separation of the West from reality. It is difficult to imagine a more extreme danger than for the insouciant West to convince Russia that the West is incapable of rational behavior. But that is precisely what the West is doing. This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source. The West uses chemical weapons in Syria, against Syrians. President al Assad does not. U.S. forces use internationally-banned weaponized white phosphorous against civilians in both Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria. When white phosphorous hits civilians, it ignites the flesh, and burns it to the bone. The gases released suffocate and burn from the inside out. Wounds reopen when exposed to air. The intended purpose is to slaughter and terrify civilians. U.S. forces also use MGM -- 140B rockets in both cities. The rockets detonate in mid-air and scatter about 274 anti-personnel grenades, each of which kills any person within a 15 meter radius. Coalition forces use these weapons to murder, to ethnically cleanse local populations, and to free up territory for Western-backed terrorist forces. In the case of Raqqa, Syria, the West hopes to integrate it into a separate "Kurdistan" polity -- divide and conquer is the underlying strategy. In both Mosul and Raqqa, the U.S. --led coalition provided escape routes for their ISIS proxies. Terrorists from Mosul were sent to Syria, and terrorists from Raqqa were re-directed to DeirEzzor.[1] All of these terrorists are proxies/strategic assets for the West. They have different "brand" names: ISIS/IS/ISIL, FSA, Ahrar al-Sham etc., but they all serve the same function, which is to destroy and balkanize Syria at the behest of their Western employers. All of the Western "interventions" in Syria amount to war crimes, but Western propaganda is ubiquitous, and powerful. It amounts to a Ministry of Propaganda, and it has reduced mainstream corporate messaging to being an agency for war and disaster. Hence, Western populations are for the most part oblivious to the crimes being perpetrated in their names. The U.S-led coalition is trying to destroy one country after another so that the U.S can basically control what is left of the world " if there is anything left. Warmongering elites hope to have total control, to deny and negate international law and national boundaries, and to make people world-wide unwitting servants to international oligarch classes. Elections will be held, but political rhetoric will be mostly meaningless. The recent elections ofPresident Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau bear witness to the fact that the deep/dark state and its agencies already have more power than elected officials. How many campaign promises did either of the two aforementioned politicians actually honor? The "Axis Of Resistance", which includes Syria, Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, offers hope for international law, nation state sovereignty, self-determination, freedom and liberty. Should they succeed in Syria -- which is very likely -- then a multipolar world will have space to emerge. A multipolar world will be more democratic in orientation (politically and economically), and more compliant with international law. It will offer more hope for wealth, prosperity, and life for broad-based populations, and not just for the international oligarchy. It is very telling that the U.S government recently rejected Tulsi Gabbard's Stop Arming Terrorists Act.[2] In a sane world, such a bill would have a 100% approval rating, but we do not live in a sane world. The West's rejection of sanity and its embrace of international criminality means that others will have to fight for us. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Editor's Note: John Pilger made the following remarks in presenting the 15th Martha Gellhorn Prize to the American journalist Robert Parry at a dinner in London on 27 June. There are too many awards for journalism. Too many simply celebrate the status quo. The idea that journalists ought to challenge the status quo -- what Orwell called Newspeak and Robert Parry calls "groupthink" -- is becoming increasingly rare. More than a generation ago, a space opened up for a journalism that dissented from the groupthink and flourished briefly and often tenuously in the press and broadcasting. Today, that space has almost closed in the so-called mainstream media. The best journalists have become -- often against their will -- dissidents. The Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism recognizes these honorable exceptions. It is very different from other prizes. Let me quote in full why we give this award: The Gellhorn Prize is in honor of one of the 20th century's greatest reporters. It is awarded to a journalist whose work has penetrated the established version of events and told an unpalatable truth -- a truth validated by powerful facts that expose what Martha Gellhorn called "official drivel." She meant "establishment propaganda." Martha was renowned as a war reporter. Her dispatches from Spain in the 1930s and D-Day in 1944 are classics. But she was more than that. As both a reporter and a committed humanitarian, she was a pioneer: one of the first in Vietnam to report what she called "a new kind of war against civilians": a precursor to the wars of today. She was the reason I was sent to Vietnam as a reporter. My editor had spread across his desk her articles that had run in the Guardian and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A headline read, "Targeting the people." For that series, she was placed on a black-list by the US military and never allowed to return to South Vietnam. She and I became good friends. Indeed, all my fellow judges of the Martha Gellhorn Prize -- Sandy and Shirlee Matthews, James Fox, Jeremy Harding -- have that in common. We keep her memory. She was indefatigable. She would call very early in the morning and open up the conversation with one of her favourite expressions -- "I smell a rat." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Mike Malloy Website Monday. The Supreme Court handed Trump a semi-win by allowing a portion of his travel ban to resume until it hears the official case later this year. Oh goody, we needed a legal way to beat up on immigrants. Not that Trump is assured a victory from the court this fall when they decide if his Muslim ban is actually a Muslim ban, but the more rabid of redneck rabble will doubtless see this as a green light to extend their oft-violent "protest" of the non-white segment of society. Meanwhile in the Senate, the Neocons are desperate to find a way to spin the CBO report that projects 22 million Americans will be denied health care if their law passes. The possible concessions include an Obamacare-esque provision that penalizes subscribers for dropping coverage, forcing them to wait six months before they can re-enroll. Similar penalties would be imposed by insurance companies for any subscriber who was not insured for 10 of the previous 12 months. A six-month waiting period is designed to prevent people from waiting to get covered until they are sick. But for those who receive a cancer diagnosis, a six month delay in treatment could be a death sentence. There are your death panels, folks, Neocon-style. Let's say you lost your job and your insurance. You're a little too poor to buy private insurance until you have some income. Then you get sick. What's supposed to happen then? Face it, the only humane solution is single-payer. Medicare for all as a basic human right. It works for 98% of the industrial world, so it can't be the Great Evil the GOP has propagandized for decades. But truth and facts are immaterial in this debate in particular, and nonexistent in Trumpland in general. You would assume that the negative CBO report would make it easier for fence-waffling Senate Republicans to vote "no" to this abomination. But then you would be "missunderestimating" (h/tW) the absolute supreme power of the Brothers Koch. They hold their Neocon puppets by the scrotum-strings, dangling donation checks in front of their pale, frozen faces. They are not happy with the stalled legislative state, given the GOP trifecta they hold in DC. So very unhappy -- according to The Guardian -- that they have closed the Congressional ATM until ACA is completely repealed and the tax code rewritten to eliminate capital gains. At a weekend donor retreat attended by at least 18 elected officials, the Koch brothers warned that time is running out to push their agenda, most notably healthcare and tax reform, through Congress.One Texas-based donor warned Republican lawmakers that his "Dallas piggy bank" was now closed, until he saw legislative progress. "Get Obamacare repealed and replaced, get tax reform passed," said Doug Deason. "Get it done and we'll open it back up." The Senate will this week seek to pass its version of healthcare reform -- at present it does not have enough Republican support to overcome blanket Democratic opposition. "There is urgency," said Tim Phillips, who leads Koch network's political arm, Americans for Prosperity, at the industrialist brothers' retreat in Colorado Springs. "We believe we have a window of about 12 months to get as much of it accomplished as possible before the 2018 elections grind policy to a halt." The window for action may be even smaller, some Koch allies warned at the weekend retreat that drew roughly 400 participants to the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The price for admission for most was a pledge to give at least $100,000 this year to the Kochs' broad policy and political network. There were also at least 18 elected officials on hand. Some hosted private policy discussions with donors while others simply mingled. In between meetings, Dave Brat, a Virginia Republican representative, predicted dire consequences in next year's midterm elections should his party fail to deliver on its repeated promises. "If we don't get healthcare, none of us are coming back," he said in a brief interview. "We said for seven years you're gonna repeal Obamacare. It's nowhere near repealed." It's the same for tax reform, Brat said: "We don't get taxes through, we're all going home. Pack the bags." There was a sense of deep frustration from conservative officials and donors alike, decrying the pace of progress in Washington with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House for the first time in a decade. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Gush Shalom When a Briton or American speaks about a "four-letter word," he means a vulgar sexual term, a word not to be mentioned in polite society. In Israel we also have such a word, a word of four letters. A word not to mention. This word is "Shalom," peace. (In Hebrew, "sh" is one letter, and the "a" is not written.) For years now this word has disappeared from intercourse (except as a greeting). Every politician knows that it is deadly. Every citizen knows that it is unmentionable. There are many words to replace it. "Political agreement." "Separation." "We are here and they are there." "Regional arrangement." To name a few. And here comes Donald Trump and brings the word up again. Trump, a complete ignoramus, does not know that in this country it is taboo. He wants to make peace here. SH-A-L-O-M. So he says. True, there is not the slightest chance that he really will make peace. But he has brought the word back into the language. Now people speak again about peace. Shalom. PEACE? WHAT is peace? There are all kind of peaces. Starting from a little peace, a baby-peace, to a large, even mighty peace. Therefore, before opening a serious debate about peace, we must define what we mean. An intermission between two wars? Non-belligerence? Existence on different sides of walls and fences? A prolonged armistice? A Hudna (in Arabic culture, an armistice with a fixed expiry date)? Something like the peace between India and Pakistan? The peace between Germany and France -- and if so, the peace before World War I or the peace prevailing now? The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, or the Hot Peace between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump? There are all kinds of peace situations. What kind of Israeli-Palestinian peace are we talking about? The peace between a horse and its rider? The peace between a people of masters and a people of slaves? Something like the peace between the South African Apartheid regime and the Bantustans it had created for the Blacks? Or a quite different kind of peace, a peace between equals? It's about this peace I would like to speak. Not "real" peace. Not "perfect" peace. Not "complete" peace. About peace. Peace pure and simple. Without qualifications, please. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The people of Iran, especially women and girls, have to adhere to strict dress regulations, and cannot socialise freely. Women are particularly disadvantaged and treated as inferior. Anyone expressing dissent risks jail, torture, or even execution. Minorities are treated as inferior and the opposition is classed as terrorist by the regime. The MEK, the opposition, has been on the receiving end of the regimes wrath for decades. The Iranian regime had persuaded the US to add the MEK to its terror list. When it was rightly removed from the list, the Iranian regime accused the US of terrorism. When the final residents from Camp Liberty in Iraq were relocated to European countries, the regime regarded this as a declaration of war against it. What the regime fears the most is another uprising like the one in 2009. The state news outlets have been reporting about the MEKs activities that are getting more and more intense, saying how it is creating chaos. The opposition is faced with the challenge of the state media which is controlled by the IRGC, but satellite TV allows it to expose the activities carried out by the regime. In fact, the opposition has been instrumental in exposing many ongoing illegal acts that the Iranian regime is carrying out including its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. There has been a renewed call for justice for the victims of the 1988 massacre. The Iranian regime and the Supreme Leader are not happy that the incident has been brought back to the forefront of memories. More than ever, the opposition is facing pressure from the Iranian regime and is in a dangerous position after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a fire-at-will order. This gives the countrys security agents and forces the power to act as they see fit. On 1st July, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) will be holding its annual gathering in Paris where there will be Iranians and prominent political figures from across the world that will come and pledge support to the Iranian people and the Resistance. It is expected that many of the dignitaries will denounce the Iranian regime for its abuses of human rights and its spread of terrorism and will urge their respective governments to ensure the regime is held accountable. The clinicians would have a field day with #45 Trump's Obama fixation. He hasn't missed a chance to hector, accuse, bait, and hack up former President Obama at every turn. There were times during the 2016 presidential campaign that Trump seemed to be running against Obama, rather than Clinton. He never missed a chance on the campaign trail to denigrate him. By then Trump had perfected his beat down of Obama to a perfected art. The beat down made him a near household name, and got his name out there as a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2012, when he went on a public rampage against Obama's alleged alien birth. He didn't run that year. However, Obama was never far from his mind. Every chance he got he'd bring up the phony, fraudulent birther claim, his alleged excessive vacations, and incessantly nit-pick at one or another of Obama's policy initiatives. On the 2016, presidential campaign trail, Obama was constantly on his lips. At a GOP presidential candidate's forum in early 2015, then presidential candidate Trump, without a blink said, "I don't know if he loves America." The "he" Trump referred to was, of course, Obama. Even after he won the White House, he couldn't shake his clinical fixation with Obama. He tossed out the ridiculous, and outrageous charge that Obama wiretapped him during the campaign, and demanded that Congress investigate him. It is tempting to chalk Trump's Obama fixation up to yet another Trump scheme to deflect attention from his miserable tenure in the White House. In part, it is. However, there is method to the madness about Trump's persistent use of Obama as his foil. It isn't just to slander his presidency. It's to slander him. It isn't just political, it is personal. The two can't be separated. Trump repeatedly made clear during the early stages of his campaign that if he got in the White House he'd sign any and every executive order he could to try and halt, gut, or obliterate every initiative that Obama had ever put in place. Trump's verbal assault on all of Obama's initiatives normally would have been the end of it. Presidents from an opposing party, to varying degrees, quickly sign executive orders to roll back some of their predecessor's initiatives and actions when they take office. However, Trump's obsessive attacks on Obama had another aim beyond mere personal vindictiveness and deflecting attention from his disastrous administration. It sent the strong signal to his base that he would try and demolish everything that they loathed about Obama; not just his policies, but what he personally stood for. Obama was an eight-year embarrassment to the chronic Obama haters. He was liberal. He was a Democratic. And most odious to them, he was black. Tea Party demonstrators greeted Obama at many stops during his first two years in office with placards, signs and pictures that depicted him in the most-lewd, grotesque and often animal-like characterizations. This went way beyond the bounds of normal political attacks and criticism of a president. It was blatantly personal, and showed the depth of the personal distaste many had for Obama and they were not shy about showing it. Trump at points during his campaign made no effort to correct or reprimand anyone at his townhalls and rallies who got up and vilified Obama in personal terms. This reinforced the point that Trump would make again and again that Obama was not fit from a political or personal standpoint to occupy the White House. Even Trump's very belated acknowledgement in the latter stage of his campaign that Obama was an American citizen was said matter of fact. There was absolutely no elaboration, let alone showing any sign of contrition for waging his ruthless and prolonged campaign to slur him as an alien. Now that Obama is out of office, Trump's frontal attack on his executive orders is much more than an angry and indignant party going after executive orders it doesn't like, or to restore what it considers its proper congressional lawmaking authority. It is revenge, pure and simple, against a former president's legacy. Much of that legacy is intertwined with his willingness to use the power of his office whenever and wherever he thought he could to frontally challenge the GOP to cease its relentless, dogged, and destructive campaign of dither, delay, denial, and obstructionism to anything that had the White House stamp on it. This is anathema to Trump and the GOP. Trump is determined to wipe the slate completely clean of the acts of a former president who, in part remains popular. However, in greater part it is because Obama is still seen by many Americans as what an accomplished, thoughtful, policy driven president should be. This is what Trump cannot abide. He will stop at nothing to try and destroy Obama's programs, legacy, and ultimately place in history. This is a fixation for which there is no cure. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is an associate editor of New America Media. His forthcoming book, The Trump Challenge to Black America (Middle Passage Press) will be released in August. He is a weekly co-host of the Al Sharpton Show on Radio One. He is the host of the weekly Hutchinson Report on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Pacifica Network. From Forbes 20120322_365 Elizabeth Warren (Image by mdfriendofhillary) Details DMCA After weeks of secret negotiations, the Senate Republicans released their so-called "healthcare" bill on Thursday. Despite the fact that this bill could have a bigger impact on our nation's economy -- and the bottom line of every business in this country -- than any other law or regulation under discussion by Congress, America's business leaders have been remarkably quiet. The CEOs know who will be hit: their workers, their customers and their shareholders. Cuts to Medicaid and shrinking insurance coverage will touch tens of millions of people. Babies in intensive care. Forty-year-olds starting another round of chemo. Grandpas in nursing homes. Teenagers struggling with addiction. Kids with asthma. No family will escape the reach of the Republican repeal of our healthcare laws. And yet America's CEOs look the other way. CEOs don't need to care about a single human being in order have an intense interest in the impact of the Republican bill. A cold look at the bottom line should be enough to make the business case for preserving the gains achieved by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since the ACA became law, the cost of health care has grown at an historically low rate. Spending growth has slowed to a crawl for individuals enrolled in private insurance and has actually dropped for Medicare enrollees. When employers pay less to provide healthcare coverage for their employees, they are able to invest in job creation or higher wages. Lower costs, more growth. Healthier workers are more productive, have higher rates of employment and earn higher wages -- meaning more consumer spending. The ACA has also greatly strengthened consumer financial security. Personal bankruptcy filings have plummeted since the implementation of the ACA, and credit scores have improved in states that have expanded Medicaid. Stronger customers, stronger sales. But these economic benefits are threatened by the Republican healthcare bill. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that 22 million Americans would lose their health insurance if the Senate bill became law. In 2018, four million Americans would lose employer-based coverage. Millions more would see higher out-of-pocket costs, and once insurance companies were permitted to reinstate annual and lifetime limits in employer plans, America would return to the days when insurance could run out just when it was needed the most. Even if CEOs can't muster any interest in the details of how their employees and customers will manage to pay for chemotherapy or the birth of a new baby if the Senate bill moves forward, they have an obligation to their shareholders to speak up. Healthcare accounts for nearly one-sixth of the U.S. economy. The Senate bill would lead to to the loss of nearly a million job losses and a drop in business output. State governments would lose hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid funding and be forced to cut back on their own health spending -- weakening the economy in the near term and permanently removing key stabilizers that help cushion the impact of economic downturns. America's CEOs are not a shy group. They usually don't hesitate to speak up when they see their profits on the line. I hear from them frequently about regulations they don't like or legislation they insist they need. Every day of the week, the Senate halls are filled with corporate lobbyists. In short, corporate America has plenty of influence -- when it decides to speak out. There's no way around it. The silence of this country's business leaders is a choice. It amounts to a quiet endorsement of Republican proposals to slash funding for Medicaid -- a program that provides health coverage to one in five Americans, including vulnerable children, seniors and people with disabilities -- and eliminate health insurance coverage for millions of people in order to offset the cost of hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy. These choices would permanently weaken our economy, reversing the economic gains secured by the Affordable Care Act and threatening American competitiveness. They are also shameful, advancing the interests of a handful of rich people over the health and well-being of millions of our fellow Americans. Now is the time for some corporate leadership. Which of America's CEOs are up to the task at hand? From Our Future Reams of commentary have been written about the results of the recent special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District. Jon Ossoff lost the seat, which was left vacant by Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, to his Republican rival by a margin that was larger than expected. It was the most expensive House race in history, with the two candidates spending a combined $50 million. Republican Karen Handel beat Ossoff by a 3.8 percent margin, winning 51.9 percent of the vote to Ossoff's 48.1 percent. Ossoff substantially outperformed the Democrats who had run against Price, who typically won by 20-point margins. But despite spending enormous sums on his campaign, he failed to match Hillary Clinton's 1-point loss to Donald Trump in the same district in 2016. A total of 259,488 votes were cast. Handel won with a margin of less than 10,000 votes -- 9,702. That means a shift of only 9,703 votes would have changed the outcome. Remember that figure. Virtually all the commentary that has been written about this race was based on the assumption that this district is white, wealthier than average, and "a safe Republican seat." Ossoff's campaign appeared to share this assumption. Ossoff ran as a "Republican Lite," demonizing government service and downplaying bread-and-butter Democratic issues. Ossoff even talked about "bringing the government up to private-sector standards." He presumably was not thinking of the "standards" that caused the BP oil spill or the Wall Street financial crisis of 2008. But was his underlying assumption true? Do you have to run like a Republican to win in a district like the Georgia 6th? The Census Bureau publishes searchable data online for every congressional district, but very few commentators seem to have taken advantage of this free resource. The same seems to be true of the Democratic consultants who helped themselves to some of the $20 million in campaign funds Ossoff spent. Here's what they would have learned if they had: 82,355 households in the 6th earn less than the national average in yearly income. It's true that this is a wealthier-then-average district -- but that's an average. These households earn less than the national average of $51,000 a year. The voters who live in these households were never told that the Democratic candidate would fight to increase their wages, give them better benefits, or do more to make the necessities of living more affordable. And Ossoff studiously avoided class or economic inequality, refusing to support tax increases even for the wealthiest Americans. 77,658 residents had no health insurance coverage at all. That's after the Affordable Care Act had been in effect for a year. During the campaign, these voters were never told that healthcare is a basic human right, or that Medicare For All could provide them with the medical care they need. Instead, Ossoff said that he did not support single-payer healthcare. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). After a two-year legal battle over whether a monument of the biblical Ten Commandments should be erected on the Arkansas State Capitol grounds, the debate was swiftly settled via sedan, CNN reports. In the wee morning hours today, Michael Tate Reed deliberately drove his car into the recently unveiled monument, knocking it off base and cracking it into three pieces. The monument hadnt even been up for a full 24 hours. This marks the second time the ten commandments have been destroyed in anger, the first being Moses smashing of the tablets when he saw the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. Its unclear if the two incidents are related. Though the monument was approved back in 2015, it has spawned a great deal of controversy leading up to its unveiling. While some, like Sen. Jason Rapert, praised the statue, claiming, Were just very grateful to have this up and see the law fulfilled. We have a beautiful Capitol grounds, but we did not have a monument that actually honored the historical moral foundation of law, others were less enthused. Notably, LeeWood Thomas of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers told CNN that he was appalled with the decision to build it. The real question is why its that big of a deal either way. It seems like weve got bigger things to worry about these days, and per a 2005 Supreme Court decision, Ten Commandments monuments on state grounds arent seen as violations of the First Amendment, anyway. Theyre certainly not worth smashing to pieces with a car, at least. Mike Huckabee swooped in to perfectly sum up the whole situation with one of those hilarious tweets hes so well-known for. Some idiot in my home state broke all 10 commandments at the same time. He wasn't Moses and it wasn't Mt. Sinai. https://t.co/r8hXrJ32JZ Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 28, 2017 What a stud. Watch the American hero in action via his Facebook livestream below. Iran was one of Donald Trumps favorite boogeymen on the campaign trailspecifically the Obama Administrations deal to lift some sanctions in return for a rollback and/or slowdown of the Iranian nuclear program. The effectiveness of this exchange cannot be truly ascertained for years, as the swap created immediate relief for the Iranians and long-term concessions to the Western world, but we know that Iran has been freed up to funnel more support to their proxy groups promoting terrorismlike Hezbollahand so it is very easy to denigrate this deal right now. However, the entire motivation behind the agreement was to push the United States and Iran off the path to waras the main point of concern from Barack Obamas perspective was allowing a country that harbors terrorism to own a nuclear weapon, which would likely set off a nuclear arms race in the most volatile area of the world. However, for the war-mongers in Washington D.C., simple deterrence of Irans nuclear program is unacceptable. During the Obama administrations negotiation with Iran, Tom Cotton and other Congressmen penned an extraordinary and unprecedented letter which rebuked the presidents negotiating stance. Cotton has become a prominent voice in Congress, mainly due to his hawkishness on the Iranian regime, and his stance has been unequivocal: The policy of the United States should be regime change in Iran. I dont see how anyone can say America can be safe as long as you have in power a theocratic despotism. The irony that his Republican Party tramples our democracy to try to keep their own brand of theocratic despotism in power was apparently lost on Cotton. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Congress a couple weeks ago that while their Iranian policy is still being drafted, the state departments generic view on Iran is moving them towards a peaceful transition of [the Iranian] government. The president himself has taken a very bellicose and fatalistic tone towards Iran as well. The #IranDeal is a catastrophe that must be stopped. Will lead to at least partial world destruction & make Iran a force like never before. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 11, 2015 Trump's tweetswhich the White House officially confirmed as real presidential policy when they submitted them as a formal statement to Congress about his tape threat to James Comeyreveal a man who seems to be anticipating a war, or even trying to bait one with all this charged rhetoric. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Mike Pompeo, the current head of the CIA, published an op-ed last year in state-run media which stated that Congress must act to change Iranian behavior, and, ultimately, the Iranian regime. Politico obtained a memo written by a hawkish think tank called the Foundation for the Defense of Democraciesa memo which has circulated within the White Houseand it argues that Iran is susceptible to a strategy of coerced democratization because it lacks popular support and relies on fear to sustain its power. The very structure of the regime invites instability, crisis and possibly collapse. America is constantly dealing with hawks pushing for regime change somewhere in the world. The military-industrial complex has constructed the greatest business model known to mankindcharging millions of dollars for products largely with a one-time useand the purveyors of that wealth have an itchy trigger finger. Expanding war, misery and bloodshed has the benefit of also expanding the bank accounts of the powers that be, and the drumbeat that we heard for Iraq in the early 21st century is starting anew with the country to its eastwith the U.S. foreign policy mafia attempting to influence another easily swayed president. We are already fighting a war with Iran in Yemen. The Saudisour proxiesengaged their proxy battalions with the Houthi rebelsIran's proxy soldiersand the situation is escalating. Trump's first major military authorization greenlit a calamitous raid in Yemen which led to the death of a Navy Seal and countless civiliansand this was just a taste of what those running the military-industrial complex would will into existence, given free reign. Obama created space for the Iranians to expand their financing of terror, and now major players in the Trump administration want to fight fire with fire. If there is one thing that Trump learned from bombing an empty Syrian airfield earlier this year, it's that he constantly has an option to remove himself from one of his least favorite bugaboosnegative press. American media powers love war as much as they love their children, and they have a proven method of greasing the wheels to give the military room to slide into war. by far my favorite is "sleepwalking" into war pic.twitter.com/TMiC1QxEPn Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) June 23, 2017 US bombing of Iranian targets "risks" "dragging" US into war against Iran pic.twitter.com/53dP145EKy Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) June 23, 2017 American media is so elated with war that even if unassailable proof that Trump colluded with Russia to fix the 2016 election came out on Monday, Trump could declare war on Iran on Tuesday, and by Friday, outlets like CNN and The New York Times would be hailing Trump as presidential for showing leadership by bombing a despotic regime. The logical conclusion of the American elites position on war is invading at least one third of all nations on the planet. Bad guys must be purged, and if America consequently slides into war, so be it. Significant portions of the Trump administration are laying the groundwork for regime change in Iran, and very few alarm bells are being rung. This should be serious cause for concern, but the medias silence on this issue speaks volumes. The truth of the matter is that war is one of the few areas where we have bipartisan agreement in Washington. Obviously, a military engagement with Iran would be catastrophic, and could suck us into an extended conflict that makes the debacle in Iraq look humane and organizedbut it would also be great for TV ratings, which is the epicenter of the Venn diagram aligning Trumps interests with American media and the military-industrial complex. There are a lot of concerning items on the Trump agenda, but beating the drums of war in Irans direction should rank towards the top of our national priorities. Its quite telling that it doesnt. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Technical Advisor to the vice president, Dr. Gideon Boako has lambasted the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson for comment he described as needless. The minority in Parliament criticised the government for negotiating about $19billion with China, and indicated that the amount which they insist is a loan would plunge the country into a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) status. "It is going to plunge the country into an era of debt distress. We are going to be very stressed as debt is concerned. "Ghana's GDP is approximated at $45 billion. They are giving us a debt half of the size of the country's economy. Ghana is going to be debt stressed because of this," Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson said during a press briefing. However, on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie, Dr. Gideon Boako says its rather unfortunate for such comment to be uttered by someone who was Ghanas Deputy Finance Minister. Ato Forson is either doing politics with this issue or he is not knowledgeable with issues like this, he told host Kwesi Aboagye. Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia led the government team for the $15billion funding partnership agreement and commitment reached between the Government of Ghana and China. There is an opening for an additional GHc4 billion during his recent visit to that country. Even though the minority has maintained that the fund is a loan from the Chinese government - Dr. Gideon Boako has emphatically stated that the fund is not a loan but rather a joint business venture between the two countries. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Recent months have been big over at Netflix HQ. In just the past six months, we've been given over a hundred original Netflix series, all reaching measurable amounts of success. March brought us the second season of Judd Apatow's critically-acclaimed rom-com Love, as well as the controversial 13 Reasons Why. Charlie McDowell's The Discovery was a decent introduction into the world of Netflix feature films, starring a cast of Rooney Mara, Jason Segel and Robert Redford that left us asking for more. More, more, more - we have so much to watch at our disposal, but Netflix has brought out the greedy, drama-addicted couch surfers in all of us. April brought Louis C.K.'s original stand-up special, the first season of Dear White People, and Bill Nye Saves The World. June gave us the latest season of Orange is the New Black - need I say more? With so much going on, it makes sense that July would ultimately be the slowest month so far. There's a long list of favorites leaving the streaming platform - Blondie's New York comes to mind, as well as a handful of documentaries - but there's a few gems coming in, too. July will see the premiere of less original Netflix series and more favorites that are perfect for staying in on a rainy summer night. If you haven't, for whatever reason, watched Rogue One: A Star Wars Story yet, mark your calendar for July 18 as it'll be landing on the streaming platform. Nostalgia is hitting us hard this month, with Titanic making an appearance on Netfix's roster as well. Other features we're excited to stream include Aditi Mittal's Things They Wouldn't Let Me Say, The Void, and Last Night. Titanic (July 1) Titanic is the one film that we could watch over and over and never get tired of. The love story between Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) is one that has lingered in our hearts growing up, making it a touching revisit as well as a reminder of one of history's saddest tales. As James Cameron famously told Industry Central, "I wanted to do something very different. I mean, Gone With the Wind is not about the burning of Atlanta. The Civil War is the backdrop for that, and the sinking of the Titanic is the backdrop for this story. You can learn a lot of Titanic history from [my] film. All of the historical stuff is done absolutely rigorously and correctly. We didn't take any liberties just because it's a fictional story at its core. Even the story of Jack and Rose is entirely permissible on the ship. The car they go into in the hold to make love? That car was there. It was a red 35-horsepower Renault car owned by William E. Carter and insured for $2,500, which he did collect. As far as we know, it's still down there. Maybe I'm just amusing myself, maybe it's entirely masturbatory, but I was trying to find a way to tell a fictional story within very rigid confines of known history." Star Wars: Rogue One (July 18) Rogue One made waves last year - accumulating over $700 million worldwide in it's opening week, it quickly became the highest-grossing film released in 2016 alone. The latest chapter in the universe we love so dearly is one we didn't know we needed in order to say goodbye to the one and only Carrie Fisher, our Princess Leia. "Making "Star Wars" is a team sport, really. You can't make these massive movies completely on your own. Even from the costumes to the guns to the ships to the VFX, it's a real team effort," director Gareth Edwards told LA Times. "And honestly, if anyone takes credit for all of it, it should be George Lucas. We're just borrowing it. George gave it to the world and it's like this precious thing you get to hold for a moment and do your thing with it and then you have to give it back. "Star Wars" doesn't belong to you. You borrow it from the world." Things They Wouldn't Let Me Say (July 18) So Netflix got the hint that we've been dropping since the beginning of time: that's enough with the white male comedians. Women can be funny, too - especially those of color. Aditi Mittal has brought us a stand-up special that's full of Bollywood jokes, wearing thongs and being single in a growing metropolis area. "Aditi Mittal is an 'abla nari' who is sick of being an abla nari and has recently become an 'a-Blah nari.' After years of being told to, ''Be quiet, sit down, and be seen, not heard!'' she would like to say a few things," says her Facebook page. Read on to see the schedule dates of releases coming to Netflix this month: July 1 Titanic The Originals: Season 4 Free Willy Disney's The Mighty Ducks Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Capo "El amo del tunel": Season 1 El Barco: Season 1 The Truth Is in the Stars Deep Water: Season 1 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Hostages (Israel): Season 2 Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang The Invisible Guest (Contratiempo) Albion: The Enchanted Stallion Liar's Dice Offspring: Season 6 Boat Trip Mixed Signals Delicatessen Caramel Yours Fatefully: Season 1 The Ultimatum: Season 1 Unriddle II Unriddle Yes We Can!: Season 1 Spice Up: Season 1 World at Your Feet: Season 1 Emma The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Last Night Out of Thin Air Witnesses: Season 2 The Longest Yard Jackass: Number Two Punch-Drunk Love Are We There Yet? Are We Done Yet? The Land Before Time Dad The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving Here Alone Spawn: The Movie Code Name: The Cleaner The Astronaut Farmer Best in Show Proof of Life Matchstick Men Taking Lives Police Academy July 2 El Chema: Season 1 July 3 Diamond Cartel Extraordinary: The Stan Romanek Story July 4 The Standups: Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL July 5 iZombie: Season 3 July 6 Speech & Debate The Void Butter July 7 Castlevania: Season 1 NETFLIX ORIGINAL Dawn of the Croods: Season 4 NETFLIX ORIGINAL Degrassi: Next Class: Season 4 NETFLIX ORIGINAL Luna Petunia: Season 2 NETFLIX ORIGINAL 1 Mile to You (Life At These Speeds) July 8 Bad Santa 2 Horse Dancer July 9 Lion July 11 Gabriel Iglesias Presents The Gentleman Jerry Rocha July 14 Friends From College: Season 1 To the Bone Chasing Coral Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile July 15 Rake: Season 4 West Coast Customs: Season 4 July 17 Uncertain Glory Fittest on Earth: A Decade of Fitness A Cowgirl's Story July 18 Aditi Mittal: Things They Wouldn't Let Me Say Ari Shaffir: Double Negative: Collection Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce: Season 3 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story July 20 Pretty Little Liars: Season 7B July 21 Ozark: Season 1 Last Chance U: Season 2 The Worst Witch: Season 1 July 22 Railroad Tigers July 24 Victor July 25 Joe Mande's Award-Winning Comedy Special Munroe Island July 28 The Incredible Jessica James Daughters of Destiny: Season 1 The Adventures of Puss in Boots: Season 5 July 31 After The Reality Checkpoint Dark Night Taking Earth Being Mary Jane: The Series: Season 4 The Little Hours (Gunpowder & Sky) Dir. Jeff Baena Starring: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Jemima Kirke and Nick Offerman History class was once very serious. It was once taught by humorous cretins that looked like John Hughes villains and beat everyone with rulers and consisted of explaining the grave seriousness of everyone who ever lived. Rebelling this bulwark was stuff of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Life of Brian and were, accoridnly, treated as acts of great subversion. In the years that followed, this formula has run over much of the library of historic myth: Drunk History has inspired legions of knock-offs, Hamilton was the sensation of our decade. Jokes can now be made and feel tired in the age of bad wigs and generally bad fashion choices. Which makes the world of Giovanni Boccaccio's multi-volume The Decameron perfectly ripe for a big picture adaptation, which Jeff Baena (I Heart Huckabees, Life After Beth) has partially accomplished in The Little Hours, a comedy that takes one of The Decameron's tales and fills it with some of the most recognizable faces of the past decade of television. There is Alison Brie (Mad Men), there is Kate Micucci (Scrubs, Big Bang Theory), there is Jemima Kirke (Girls) and, why not, Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia) stops by as a high-ranking catholic. And amid this noise, Nick Offerman and the very busy Aubrey Plaza (both of Parks and Recreation) swing in to helm the movie's funniest moments. But unlike the bible or the life of the fellow on the $10 bill, The Decameron is already funny, naughty business without the TV talent; Joan Acocella, in her review of Wayne Rebhorn's latest translation of Boccaccio's genre-inventing novel, called it "probably the dirtiest great book in the Western canon." In one of its tales, a cheating wife offers her lover a peek up her skirt while the husband is busy preparing a barrel to be sold. Elsewhere, it is debated whether a woman's "fur" merits "a good shaking." Neither of these tales make Baena's story, nonetheless. Nick Offerman in 'The Little Hours' (Gunpowder and Sky) The Little Hours contains, instead, the tale of a solider (Dave Franco) who gets it on with the wife of the local lord (Offerman) and is rescued by an abbot (John C. Reilly) who hides him in a nunnery as a deaf-mute. Brie, Micucci, Plaza, et. all. are among its many nuns, who he bangs. Offerman's get up, returning with facial hair after his disasterly shaven turn in John Lee Hancock's The Founder , brings to mind an audition reel he might have made to join the team at Game of Thrones as some warrior of the far north. But what sells the character is the return of the perfectly droll mid-American flat tone he did so well on NBC, proving how brilliantly it works on either side of the bureaucracy. Just read this dinner monologue he gives his philandering wife (Lauren Weedman): I'd like to think we've had a nice life. I think I surround you in a lifestyle that is pleasant and luxurious. I enjoy this pheasant. As soon as Florence gets here, we'll be eating chicken like a bunch of fucking Croatians. I sent another messenger to Florence, messenger came back. He's dealing with the Gwelf soldiers. He's got Florence, he's got Aarezzo. He doesn't have Pisa yet, but he willAnd then he's coming for us. So, my dear, enjoy this lavish lifestyle, your two dresses, your pheasant, your lentils, live it up. It's coming to an end. The topical jokes ("fucking Croatians," the incessant eating of pheasants, which I resolutely believe people haven't done for the last century) are held by the drone of medieval literature, the rambling that has scared straight so many from Chaucer. The sprinkled in profanity betrays some of the Drunk History influence and there are some of the tired cliches of historical comedy, i.e. Jewish jokes and the like, but The Little Hours does no disservice to its cast, each riff on their beloved TV personalities and Baena's pristine direction give them a worthy stage. Kirke, famous for playing Jessa on Girls, tells her nun friends that "being touched by a man is the greatest pleasure on earth," Armisen follows with an enjoyable appearance as neurotic bishop. The movie's only off moments come, curiously, from the non-TV actors in the bunch: the younger Franco and Reilly have very little chemistry and watching their bromantic riffing is vaguely painful. But few are able to shine their personalities as much as Ms. Plaza, whose well-worn April Ludgate-beats as surly, enraged and, finally, gothy are performed like Jimmy Page whipping up "Stairway to Heaven" for fun. Along with her peers, she senselessly attacks a groundkeeper played by Paul Weitz, she rolls her eyes while giving confession and, finally, leads a witchcraft sacrifice ritual in the corner of the woods that tops the whole thing off. Baena's power is in giving each of these routines the space to breathe that they are rarely given on television. His world, if anything, brings to mind the immersive fairy land of the first Shrek movie, a place where you could imagine Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy's characters actually living inside, before if got too crowded and the jokes felt scattershot by machine guns. It's a 14th century hangout movie, why not chill? 'The Little Hours' comes out June 30th Andrew Karpan is Popdust's chief movie commissar. He will tell you what you need. Want to tell him what he needs? Follow him on Twitter. More Film! REVIEW | 'The Bad Batch' is brutal, gorgeous, necessary. ZACHARY QUINTO gives a master class in acting in 'Aardvark' SHORT FILM | A real life case of racism and gun violence in Middle America "This is the water. And this is the well. Drink full and descend. The horse is the white of the eyes and dark within." For those of you who tuned in this week expecting a continuation of the last episode of Twin Peaks, you're in for a surprise. Not only do we temporarily set aside Dale Cooper's long-running search for some semblance of himself, we get a whole universe we never expected to see: the origin story of BOB, and therefore the evil of all mankind. It's no surprise from David Lynch, who is all too forthcoming about his obsession with this topic (darkness that lurks underneath the surface), but it is a shock that something so polarizing and experimental was shown on network TV. Everyone who tuned in got the sense that we were witnessing a kind of history: Lynch has dived nose-deep into uncharted territory. It is happening again. On July 16, 1945. 5:29 AM (MWT), somewhere in the White Sands of New Mexico, the first atomic bomb was launched - a new sort of evil is birthed into the world. A rip in the fabric of time. Lynch is offering here a representation of how the Black and White Lodges (as above, so below) teared through the seams of our reality as we know it, with BOB being it's ultimate conception. The nuclear cause of human suffering is accompanied with Penderecki's gripping and bone-chilling "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima." In the words of Vulture's Laura Hudson, who could not have worded it in better terms: "The ability to drop death like a pin on a map, to spread its horror like a biblical flood across the earth, unmaking everything it touched. If a miracle is something so divine that it surpasses understanding, then what is its opposite? Something too terrible and too human to be believed. Later, when Oppenheimer now credited and condemned by history as the father of the nuclear bomb described his reaction to the first mushroom cloud of the atomic age, he quoted from another great work of literature, the Bhagavad Gita: "Now I am become Death, destroyer of worlds." What would the explosion look like from another world, if someone were watching?" We live in a world where we are used to seeing it all. There is no longer anything that phases us, not even the most jaded New Yorker. To have the worst of humanity thrown into our faces, as a reminder of what we can do, is jarring. "Twin Peaks" (2017) Cut to a convenience store with ghostly figures (credited as "woodsmen") flickering as time passes in some undisclosed pace. In the show's first series, the One-Armed Man can be recalled stating: "I think you say 'convenience store.' We lived above it." It can be safe to assume that maybe, just maybe, this is the place where the explosion led Black Lodge residents to drift. More Lynchian sequences follow, with imagery of stardust, atomic particles, colliding over and over again. The most unsettling part is coming to terms with the fact that Lodge beings did not come from some other-worldly, supernatural source - they, in fact, stem from humanity's own atrocities, an evil launched the minute the first atomic bomb did as well. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Roadhouse is pleased to present the Nine Inch Nails." Here's what I'm going to take a second to applaud the true stars of Twin Peaks: the sound designers. The sound designers, engineers, and mixers have managed to create an ambiance on this show that is unlike any other on air - songs that almost sound like characters themselves. For an episode with about fifty words of dialogue total, it is brimming with the deeply unsettling vibrations, orchestra strings and looming crescendo that we've come to associate with the world of David Lynch. "She's gone, she's gone, she's gone away," croons lead vocalist Trent Reznor, which might be a sharp redirect to what the show's all about: Laura Palmer and her presence that lingers. In what is perhaps the most significant scene, we are brought to a black and white room with a fuzzy record playing on loop. The Giant (who is now credited as "?????????") makes an appearance - it is clear that he has been made aware that something in the universe is wrong. A darkness has been born. In an effort to combat BOB, he appears to send a figure of goodness and light to earth - a figure that emerges from his head. In a sudden turn, it's made apparent that the figure - floating through a golden ball - bears the face of Laura Palmer. If (and only if) this is the interpretation we were meant to be led to, then this is a shocking twist in the mythology of Twin Peaks, as it suggests Laura Palmer wasn't just a victim but a sacrifice. Rene Magritte's "The Art of Conversation", 1950 - 1963 Twin Peaks (screenshot) The eighth part of Twin Peaks: the Return is one that pays homage to the surrealist greats - it all feels a little too on the nose of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but Lynch is recalling Kubrick's ghost as a way of honoring the origin story of all origin stories. It moves beyond the boundaries of narrative linear story-telling, as Lynch himself has described it as an "18-hour long film, broken up into 18 parts." In a binge-watching era, this might make some fans insane, but it might do some good in remembering that with part eight, Lynch has just given you the greatest gift of all, without you even asking for it: the story of Twin Peaks. We now know there is something cosmic, beyond our understanding. The power of part eight lies in Lynch's ability to puncture our subconscious. With the 71-year-old director's career coming to a close, this may very well be the last "feature film" he gives us - and man, is it a sight. This was the sequel to 1977's Eraserhead, with black and white imagery and violent score leading us right back full circle. The Return, having been twenty-five years in the making, is something that we are privileged to be witnessing - nothing like it has come before, nothing like it has happened since. A show like Twin Peaks only comes along once in a lifetime. It's an honor that it's come along in ours. Twin Peaks: the Return airs on Showtime on Sundays, 9/8c. Vanessa is a music and culture writer. She will probably dance to "Laura Palmer's Theme" x Britney Spear's Everytime at her wedding. Follow her on twitter. An additional aim is to discredit the new Crown Prince, Muhammad Bin Salman, who declared war on terrorism and achieved measurable successes. Wins against terrorist organizations in Arab and Muslim countries may have provoked anger and resentment, and the response was to pursue attacks, to carry out a hideous crime on the night of khatma (the reading of the last chapter of Quran), when 4 millions pilgrims and worshipers gather in one place behind one imam, and was watched live by 1.6 billion Muslims, plus billions more around the globe. The question that Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi asks in his article for Al-Arabiya is, How could anyone, whatever his religion, target the Holy Kaaba? How could he target the masses of believers in the most peaceful and spiritual moments? He adds that, The question is magnified and mystified when the doer is carrying the banner of Islam, citing the holy book, and claims to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). How could a state, group, or an individual who embraces the peaceful religion of Islam target Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, on the night of the Holy Quran, in the House of God, the Haram Al-Sharif? The suicide bombing that resulted in a stampede in one the most crowded place on earth, left behind huge losses and uncontrollable chaos. it was carried out under the eyes and ears of the Saudi leadership and their guests, the Arab and Muslim leaders, praying in Safa Palace, overlooking the Sacred House. However, they overlooked the fact that the House is protected by the Lord, and that the State of Saudi Arabia used all its resources to secure the guests of the Beneficent, as well as that every Saudi citizen is their adversary, as well as that the Sword of Firmness will reach them wherever they may be Iran included. As for those who motivated, guided and supported the terrorists, I have no doubt that they know exactly what they are doing. They sit in their safe houses with their children and families, and pay the fools to carry out their dirty worldly political agendas. writes Dr. Batarfi. This terrorist plan against the Grand Mosque area in Mecca has been condemned by an Iranian opposition group,the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) the main opposition to the Islamic Republic who is based in France. They said in a statement on their website, Those who are behind these inhuman and non-Islamic plans and who carry them out are the worst enemies of Islam and Muslims. The spirit of Islam and humanity are innocent of them. The NCRI added, The only party to profit from this shameful scheme that is repulsive to all Muslims in the world is the ruling religious fascist regime in Iran, which wants to drive the entire region into a quagmire of wars and crises. Saudi Arabias Interior Ministry said on Friday that it arrested five members of a cell that was planning an attack on the Grand Mosque area in Mecca. Security forces said the operation was planned by three terrorist groups, two based in Mecca and the third in Jeddah. A special tribute was given to the security forces whose performance is appreciated in the service of the guests of Allah, and the security of the two holy mosques. They deserved the tribute of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, which he made during his visit to the group that thwarted the terrorists malicious plans. The international community should join The Islamic Nation and intensify their efforts to fight terrorism, abort terrorist schemes, and target all terror sponsors. PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 12:06:01 Alibaba Group Welcomes Swedish Prime Minister and Delegation for Further Collaborations with Swedish Businesses Alibaba Group Maja Hauke Maja.hauke@alibaba-inc.com Today, Alibaba Group hosted the Swedish Prime Minister and delegates from more than 20 Swedish companies, accompanied by officials from Business Sweden, at Alibabas Xixi Campus in Hangzhou to explore collaboration between Alibaba and Swedish businesses. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven gave a speech at the event and representatives of Alibaba provided an overview of the companys ecosystem and globalization strategy. In opening remarks, Jack Ma, founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, said: "Today we have 80 Swedish brands using Alibabas services already and we are confident the number will grow in the next couple of years. Alibaba is determined to support small businesses, globalization and free trade, and we want to empower Swedish companies to come to China. He added that there is huge potential to grow the annual number of Chinese tourists to Sweden through Alibabas online travel platform Fliggy. Sweden is the most innovative economy in the EU and Alibaba is the worlds largest retail commerce company. To me this is a perfect match. I look forward to seeing a growing number of Swedish brands benefiting from the increased co-operation with Alibaba, said Stefan Lofven, Prime Minister of Sweden. Also announced at the event was the launch of a new Swedish store on Tmall.com. Entitled Kaimen (Open Door), it features a range of premium Swedish brands including Baby Bjorn, Twistshake, Blueair and Stiga Games. In addition, Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmannen announced that it has started selling cereal on Tmall Global. Swedish brands are already in the top 20 list of most purchased products on Tmall Global, said Terry von Bibra, General Manager Europe, Alibaba Group. And there is a growing interest in Swedish brands among Chinese consumers who value Swedish quality, creativity and style. We are excited to forge even stronger relationships with Swedish merchants to continuously expand the range of product selection to better serve the needs of the 454 million annual active buyers on our e-marketplaces, he added. Swedish brands already on Tmall and Tmall Global include Daniel Wellington, Urbanears and Foreo. Among the various services Alibabas ecosystem has to offer, Tmalls business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms are key solutions for Swedish merchants looking to enter the vast China market. These platforms include: Tmall.com (http://www.tmall.com), China's largest third-party B2C platform for brands and retailers (http://www.tmall.com), China's largest third-party B2C platform for brands and retailers Tmall Global (http://www.tmall.hk), a cross-border solution and an extension of Tmalls B2C business for imports to China About Alibaba Group Alibaba Group's mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company is the largest online and mobile commerce company in the world in terms of gross merchandise volume. Founded in 1999, the company provides the fundamental technology infrastructure and marketing reach to help businesses leverage the power of the Internet to establish an online presence and conduct commerce with hundreds of millions of consumers and other businesses. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201706280055 PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 11:14:01 Alibabas electronic payment provider Alipay adds another milestone to their international expansion by adding South Africa to their portfolio of countries, says ATB Holdings ATB Holdings Reports on Alipay as It Extends Its Reach into South Africa ATB Holdings Mr. Shiro Tetsuya, +81345400915 shirotetsuya@atbholdings.com Website: www.atbholdings.com ATB Holdings has reported that Alipay will expand into South Africa with the help of their partners ACI Worldwide and the South African company Peach Payment to work with City Sightseeing, the service will facilitate buying tour tickets from the tour operators buses. Alipay has around 400 million active registered users, this is not the only reason that private investors are buying up shares in Alibaba but for the fact that this figure is only going to increase with its expansion into other continents such as South Africa, Said Mitchell Newman, Senior Vice President at ATB Holdings. The companys commitment to its Chinese customers explained the benefit of being part of the largest online store in the world. African merchants will see the immediate benefit from joining the companys growing list of worldwide merchants by getting an access to the world largest outbound tourism market, Commented William Harper, who is the Head of Global Mergers & Acquisitions at ATB Holdings. Ant Financial, Alibabas financial arm merged with helloPay, the Singaporean based payment provider, in April and launched a bid to buy US based company Moneygram for $1.2 billion. Earlier this year they invested $177 million in the biggest Indian mobile payment company, Paytm. Since its inception, Alipay has grown to be a lifestyle enabler, you can buy cinema tickets, make doctor appointments, pay your utility bills, book hotels, and much more using the service. Alipay is expanding globally to service over a 135m Chinese tourists travelling every year, said Michael Hudson, Director of Mergers & Acquisitions at ATB Holdings. The company has recently started expanding in in-store offline payment replacing conventional POS systems. Alipay operates in 24 countries and has 120,000 stores in its portfolio. About: ATB Holdings is a private wealth management company for retail and corporate clients. Established in late 2008 ATB Holdings has been pursuing the interests of its clients by offering various financial products and instruments through careful tailored advice to meet their requirements. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201706280055 PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 09:31:02 Global premium workwear brand signs up for SaaS offering from OneView. Carhartt Puts Point of Sale to Work with OneView Commerce Digital Store Platform UK Media Contact: Expression Marketing Ltd Helen Owen, +44(0)1702 257167 helen@expression-marketing.co.uk OneView Commerce (AIM: ONEV), the retail industrys leading provider of digital point of sale (POS), announced today that Carhartt, Inc. has signed an agreement with OneView for its cloud-based Digital Store Platform to support Carhartts efforts to deliver a seamless cross-channel journey and create a personalised experience that meets a broad range of customer needs. Carhartts current retail enterprise includes 30 company stores in the U.S. and www.carhartt.com. Carhartt has spent more than 128 years evolving and changing to best serve our hard-working customers, said Jamie Millar, vice president of retail at Carhartt. OneViews capabilities, including endless aisle and shared basket, are intuitive and efficient, which supports our vision for the business and addresses the way our customers want to interact with our brand. OneViews Digital Store Platform will provide Carhartt store associates with valuable customer information, enabling them to fully engage customers and foster greater loyalty. The platform includes integration adaptors to OneViews partner network for expanded connectivity to a broad range of applications including Carhartts IBM Commerce solution, enabling a shared basket and other omnichannel experiences within Carhartt stores. OneView CEO Stuart Mitchell explained, We are pleased to have Carhartt join the growing list of retailers globally who are embracing digital transformation and cloud-based point of sale. OneView will enable Carhartt stores to become the digital hub of customer experience and engagement in the very the heart of retail the store. Retailers that opt for a software as a service (SaaS)-based POS solution have gained traction for expediting implementation and upgrades, as well as optimizing solution costs and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO). In addition to being cost effective, an enterprise solution delivered in this manner easily keeps pace with company growth and technological innovations, extending software availability to all locations and devices without burdening the retailers IT resources. OneViews cloud-based Digital Store Platform is a single, unified platform that breaks down siloes and enables retailers to share all valuable commerce data across the retail enterprise. Lightweight, full mobile deployment of the platform extends POS and unified commerce capabilities to virtually anywherestore associates, pop up stores, and retail apps that allow customers to use their own device. About Carhartt, Inc. Established in 1889, Carhartt is a global premium workwear brand with a rich heritage of developing rugged products for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, with more than 5,000 associates worldwide, Carhartt is family-owned and managed by the descendants of the company's founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information, visit www.carhartt.com and follow @CarharttNews on Twitter. About OneView Commerce OneView Commerce is a pioneer in digital store transformation, helping global retailers implement successful unified commerce strategies that center on the critical engagement in store. The companys cloud-based Digital Store Platform combines digital point of sale, real-time inventory management and enterprise promotions to deliver a comprehensive store solution that drives increased footfalls, expands basket size and maximizes process optimization to improve margins. OneView was purpose-built for the cloud and to empower today's digitally driven customer interactions by enabling the exchange of powerful store information across the enterprise to positively impact sales, business operations and customer experience. Discount Tire Corporation, Travis Perkins plc, Wickes, and Molton Brown are among the global retailers revolutionizing their stores with OneView Commerce. For more information, visit www.oneviewcommerce.com. Twitter: @oneviewcommerce. ### OneView is a registered trademark of OneView Commerce. All other trademarks belong to their respective companies. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201706280050 PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 15:10:15 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 391 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Klondike Gold Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Klondike Gold Corp. (TSX Venture:KG). has issued a press release with the following headline:Frank Giustra Advises Klondike Gold Corp. of Change in Security HoldingsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Klondike Gold Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Klondike Gold Corp.Source: Klondike Gold Corp. (TSX Venture: KG, ISIN: CA4989033010, WKN: A119BJ)Date: June 28, 2017Time: 9:10 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Klondike Gold Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 11:04:01 1 out of 3 Public Webpages of Leading UK Companies Currently Collect Personal Visitor Information and are Subject to New GDPR Rules DALLAS, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Masergy today announced its live webinar, titled "Mitigating Business Risks Related to GDPR." The European Union's (EU's) new GDPR rules better protect the privacy and security of EU citizens, but will also deliver a long list of onerous obligations for businesses. Masergy's on-line event provides valuable information to help organizations avoid GDPR pitfalls when preparing for full compliance. Register for the GDPR webinar today: https://maser.gy/gdpr-webinar The new GDPR rules are applicable to any organization that: Is based in the EU Offers any goods or services to EU citizens Monitors the behavior of EU citizens Holds or processes data on EU citizens CIOs, CISOs and IT Managers are encouraged to join Peter Wright, Founder and Managing Director at DigitalLawUK and resident GDPR expert, along with Mark Nicholls, Masergy's European Head of Enterprise Security Consulting, as they discuss one of the biggest changes to data protection regulation in nearly 20 years. Specific topics include: The effects that Brexit and GDPR will have on the daily operations of EU businesses. Building a business case to secure budget for GDPR preparation efforts. Recommendations based on real-world analogies and successful deployment examples. "The threat of non compliance is not merely theoretical," Nicholls stated. "Most leading EU companies collect personal information from website visitors in ways that will violate the GDPR rules when they take effect in May 2018. Unless companies begin their compliance activities now, organizations could be subject to fines as much as 4% of their annual revenue." About Masergy Masergy owns and operates the largest independent Software Defined Platform in the world, delivering hybrid networking, managed security and cloud communication solutions to global enterprises. Our patented technology, customizable solutions and unmatched customer experience are why a growing number of leading organizations rely on Masergy to deliver performance beyond expectations. Learn more about Masergy and follow us on our blog Transforming Enterprise IT, Twitter @Masergy, LinkedIn and Facebook. PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 13:03:02 Data Presented at the 17th Quadrennial Meeting of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery in Berlin DUBLIN and BERLIN - June 28, 2017 - Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) today announced it has received CE (Conformite Europeenne) Mark for SureTune(TM)3 software for deep brain stimulation (DBS). SureTune3 provides patient-specific visualization of lead location and simulated volume of neural activation to help physicians make decisions on how to program - or tune - their patient's DBS therapy. Medtronic DBS therapy has CE Mark approval for diseases such as Parkinson's disease and treats symptoms such as tremor via a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, that delivers mild electrical pulses to precisely targeted areas of the brain. Electrical stimulation of these areas normalizes the brain circuits that control symptoms. More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's disease.1 SureTune3's advancements streamline the physician's workflow and allow StealthStation(TM) surgical planning information to be imported. SureTune3 also contains a 3D deformable atlas to allow physicians to more precisely define anatomical structures, or the exact region in the brain that must be stimulated to alleviate symptoms. The SureTune3 system is fully downloadable with the option to work over a hospital's server so clinical multidisciplinary teams can work flexibly. SureTune3 is currently not approved in the United States. Data on SureTune3 were presented today by Professor Jens Volkmann, MD, PhD, FEAN, chairman and professor of neurology in the University Clinic of Wurzburg at the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Meeting currently ongoing in Berlin, Germany. At the congress, he explained how SureTune3 is helping his team with patient management. "With SureTune3, I can integrate all patient data - both planning and procedure - which allows for more personalized management of each case," said Prof. Volkmann. "The improved software allows me to accurately visualize each DBS patient's stimulation settings." Using this approach, clinical programming experience, patient-specific visualization of simulated volume of neural activation and stereotactic planning will form an integrated workflow. Prof. Volkmann also presented research using SureTune3 which may provide further insight into how individual neural activation maps may be used. Medtronic DBS therapy has CE Mark approval for Parkinson's Disease, Dystonia, Essential Tremor, OCD and Epilepsy and is the only DBS complete portfolio that, under specific conditions, is full body MR conditional and can be left on during an MRI scan.2 "The latest innovations to our SureTune software take the Medtronic DBS solution to the next level: beyond our former innovations of MR conditional devices and beyond the standard visualization of the stimulation field," said Brett Wall, senior vice president and president of the Brain Therapies division, which is part of the Restorative Therapies Group at Medtronic. "Medtronic has been leading the way in DBS therapy for more than 30 years and we will continue to explore and develop new innovations for both the patients and physicians who rely on them." About Medtronic DBS Therapy DBS therapy uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas of the brain to reduce some of the most disabling motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, including shaking, stiffness and movement difficulties. Medtronic DBS complete portfolio is the first approved for full-body MRI scans under specific conditions.2 Since 1997, more than 150,000 Medtronic DBS devices have been implanted worldwide. DBS therapy is currently approved in many locations around the world, including the United States and Europe, for the treatment of the disabling symptoms of essential tremor and recent and longer-standing Parkinson's disease. Under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) in the United States, the therapy can also be used to treat chronic intractable primary dystonia. In Europe, Canada and Australia, DBS therapy is licensed for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. DBS therapy is also approved for the treatment of severe, treatment-resistant obsessive- compulsive disorder in the European Union and Australia, and in the United States under an HDE. About Medtronic Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 88,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 160 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. -end- 1. Parkinson's Disease Foundation: "Who has Parkinson's?" Available at: http://www.pdf.org/parkinson_statistics. Accessed June 21, 2017. 2. Medtronic: MRI guidelines for Medtronic deep brain stimulation systems. Available at: http://manuals.medtronic.com/wcm/groups/mdtcom_sg/@emanuals/@era/@neuro/documents/documents/contrib_228155.pdf. Accessed June 21, 2017. This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Medtronic plc via Globenewswire Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 11:02:02 43% of respondents believe big data will be the most significant driver of change 90% of aviation and 86% rail respondents are positive about market conditions compared with 64% and 37% in logistics and shipping respectively 34% of all respondents say integration with other transport services poses most significant opportunity 27% confident that the availability of funds will increase over the next five years Asia is the most popular region for investment for aviation, shipping and logistics respondents compared with Europe for rail Political uncertainty and a global recession pose biggest threat to sector Norton Rose Fulbright: Big Data and New Markets Will Be Key Disruptors to Transport Sector Norton Rose Fulbright Meeta Vadher Senior PR Manager Tel: +44 (0)20 7444 3097; Mob: +44 (0)7595 886 276 meeta.vadher@nortonrosefulbright.com or Louise Nelson Senior PR Manager Tel: +44 (0)20 7444 5086; Mob: +44 (0) 7909 684893 louise.nelson@nortonrosefulbright.com Rapid developments in technology are transforming the outlook for the transport sector and will provide the best investment opportunities for the sector, according to the eighth The way ahead Transport survey from global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Closer integration with other forms of transport to develop bespoke end-to-end passenger journeys, or tailored supply chains, is viewed as the infrastructure investment that would benefit the rail, shipping and logistics industries the most between now and 2022, according to 44% of respondents. Enthusiasm for integration is more muted among respondents from the aviation industry, with 57% of respondents calling for additional capacity, particularly in emerging markets. A fifth of respondents view new technology as the optimal investment opportunity for their industry, ahead of investment in infrastructure improvements. Big data and predictive analytics are expected to be the most significant drivers of change in the sector over the next five years according to 43 percent of respondents. However, as the sector increasingly looks to digitalisation 82% of respondents anticipate an increase in cyber-attacks over the next five years. The impact of global political uncertainty (29%) and a global recession (22%), are seen as the greatest threats to the sector over the next five years. While 52 percent of respondents from the rail industry believe finance will be increasingly available over the next five years, just 22 percent from aviation and shipping, and 19 percent from logistics, hold the same view. Harry Theochari, global head of transport, Norton Rose Fulbright, comments: The sector is moving towards closer collaboration with other modes of transport. The development of Mobility as a Service, with bespoke end-to-end passenger journeys and tailored logistics chains will enable operators to offer services where supply fits demand rather than vice versa. Technology investment is on the rise and that seems likely to continue. Big data and predictive analytics give operators the ability to anticipate repairs and maintenance and to better understand and forecast consumer behaviour giving those operators a significant competitive advantage at a time of increasingly fierce competition across the sector. There is apprehension about the impact global political uncertainty will have on transport businesses. This is unsurprising when you consider that the success of the transport sector relies on strong global trade and the ability to operate with as few restraints as possible. As the Brexit process unfolds, many will be looking at its direct impact and working through a number of potentially complex implications. Asia continues to be the most popular region for investment opportunities for aviation, shipping, and logistics, with the rail industry looking to Europe predominantly. Chinas Belt and Road initiative is one of the greatest infrastructure initiatives of our time and is part of a wider trend Eastwards for major trading routes. It is unsurprising that respondents are most enthusiastic about investment in Asia, and China in particular. The mood across the sector is optimistic and it is encouraging to see respondents from the shipping industry looking more positive than in previous years. Aviation Sentiment is overwhelmingly positive in the aviation industry, with 90 percent of respondents reporting that current market conditions are favourable for their industry. Investment opportunities Respondents appear divided when asked what they view as the optimal investment opportunity for the sector. While 25 percent point to the development of new markets, both geographical and sectoral, 17 percent point to the purchase or leasing of aircraft, favouring new rather than used aircraft, and narrow-body rather than wide-body or regional aircraft. A further 17 percent highlight infrastructure improvements. 57% of respondents believe that increased airport capacity in emerging markets and at existing airports is the infrastructure investment that would benefit their industry the most over the next five years. 28% prefer to focus investment on air traffic control. Unlike the rail, shipping and logistics industries, respondents enthusiasm for investment in new technology is more muted just 5 percent believe that this is the optimal investment currently, compared with 20 percent of all respondents. China offers the best investment opportunities over the next two to five years, according to 24 percent. India and the US are also popular markets for aviation investment, according to 16 percent and 11 percent respectively, with India overtaking the US in the past year. Regionally, Asia is the most popular investment market, favoured by 55 percent. Big data Despite the limited interest in investment in new technology generally, big data and predictive analytics finds enthusiastic supporters amongst respondents from the aviation industry The ability to anticipate passengers behaviour, as well as maintenance issues and repairs, will be the biggest driver of change in the aviation industry over the next five years according to 47 percent, and is likely to give the operators who adopt this technology a clear competitive advantage. Regulation When asked which regulation has had the greatest impact on the aviation industry over the past decade, 30 percent pointed to an uncoordinated approach to aviation regulation globally, while 15 percent cite the regulation of competition and barriers to entry, and 13 percent mentioned fragmented and bilateral air service agreements. Negotiating coordinated air service agreements comes top of the aviation industrys wish list for government support. 25 percent believe that Open Skies agreements would be the most helpful form of government support for the aviation industry, followed by 18 percent who would like to see the removal of barriers to foreign investment both key concerns for airlines with operations in Europe following the UKs vote to leave the European Union. 16 percent would like passenger and fuel taxes to be lowered. Finance 29 percent of respondents anticipate that capital markets will be a key source of funding over the next two years, followed by 25 percent who point to operating leases (which free up airline capital), and 24 percent who point to bank debt. Respondents are broadly satisfied that finance will remain available to the aviation industry 65 percent believe that access to funding will remain at the same level over the next five years, while 22 percent believe that funding will become increasingly available. Rail 86 percent believe that current market conditions are favourable for their industry, down marginally from 92 percent in 2016. The continued confidence of respondents from the rail industry is attributed to growing urban populations creating increased demand for rail transport, cited by 40 percent. Improved conditions in key markets is highlighted by 16 percent and the availability of funding for investment and the emergence of new market opportunities are both cited by 12 percent. 52 percent of respondents from the rail industry believe finance will be increasingly available over the next five years. Integration Half of respondents from the rail industry believe that integration with other forms of transport to develop Transport or Mobility as a Service, creating and managing journeys using a mix of public and private means of transport, including the last mile leg from the station to destination and paid for with a single account, would be more beneficial than increased capacity on existing lines and the development of high speed lines. Big data In common with respondents from the shipping and logistics industries, rail respondents expect big data to be the technology most likely to transform the rail industry over the next five years. 38 percent believe that the ability to anticipate passenger behaviour and predict repairs and maintenance issues via the adoption of big data and predictive analytics will be the biggest catalyst for change, followed by 21 percent who point to the increased automation of rolling stock, and 17 percent who point to. Software supporting Transport as a Service. Challenges When asked what poses the greatest challenge to the operational efficiency of the rail industry, 31 percent point to inadequate infrastructure, while 17 percent express unease about a lack of suitably qualified people. Regulation remains a concern for the rail industry. Aside from infrastructure investment, respondents believe that the government support most helpful to the industry would be deregulation and greater transparency as to the introduction of proposed regulation and in the application and enforcement of new regulation, both highlighted by 24 percent. The regulation respondents would most like governments to address is the regulation of competition and barriers to entry. This is the regulation that has had the greatest impact on the rail industry over the past decade, according to 39 percent. Shipping Confidence in the shipping industry appears to be improving. This year, 37 percent report that current market conditions are positive for the shipping industry, compared with 15 percent in 2016, 33 percent in 2015, and 69 percent in 2014. Asia Pacific is the region thought to offer the best investment opportunities overall, by 45 percent. Technology Aside from fuel efficient and low carbon technology, big data and predictive analytics is expected to be the most significant driver of change in the shipping industry over the next five years, according to 46 percent, while 19 percent believe that software supporting Transport as a Service, which allows for the development of tailored end-to-end supply chains, has the greatest potential to transform the industry. Overcapacity The problem of overcapacity has been an enduring theme - 65 percent of the 63 percent who do not consider current conditions to be positive blame overcapacity. In fact, 35 percent of all respondents from the shipping industry believe that supply and demand imbalances pose the greatest challenge to the operational efficiency of the shipping industry, although this is down from 47 percent in 2016. Of the 37 percent who believe current conditions are positive, 36 percent cite improved economic conditions, while 19 percent report that overcapacity issues have been largely resolved. Continued lower oil prices are also assisting the industry, according to 16 percent. Finance Just 22 percent believe that the availability of funds will increase, while 41 percent fear that funding will become more unobtainable, a considerably higher proportion than respondents from the aviation, rail or logistics industries. In addition, respondents are expecting lenders to take a tougher stance on problem loans, with 54 percent anticipating that enforcement actions will increase between now and 2022. While funding is forecast to become more difficult to access, bank debt is expected to remain the industrys primary source of funding, according to 23 percent, followed by private equity and shareholders, selected by 15 percent and 14 percent respectively. Regulation Greater transparency as to the introduction of proposed regulation and in the application and enforcement of new regulation is seen as the most helpful form of government support for the industry, by 55 percent. A further 29 percent would favour deregulation, followed by 18 percent who favour fiscal incentives and a further 18 percent who call for the removal of barriers to foreign investment. When asked which regulation has had the greatest impact on the shipping industry over the past decade, 43 percent pointed to increased environmental regulation, followed by 18 percent who highlight the impact of trade and financial sanctions, and 12 percent who point to fragmented global regulation. About this survey The survey, entitled The way ahead is the eighth annual survey of the transport sector released by Norton Rose Fulbright. It details 196 responses from a range of companies involved in aviation, rail, shipping and logistics globally including financiers, owner/operators, manufacturers, government entities and professional services firms, during April 2017. Notes for editors: Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm. We provide the worlds preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We have more than 3500 lawyers and other legal staff based in more than 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Norton Rose Fulbright will combine with Chadbourne & Parke, a leading international law firm, during the second quarter of 2017. Norton Rose Fulbright's expanded practice will have more than 1000 lawyers in the US and 4000 lawyers worldwide. Recognized for our industry focus, we are strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare. Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity and integrity. We aim to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of our offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact. Norton Rose Fulbright Verein, a Swiss verein, helps coordinate the activities of Norton Rose Fulbright members but does not itself provide legal services to clients. Norton Rose Fulbright has offices in more than 50 cities worldwide, including London, Houston, Toronto, Sydney and Johannesburg. Law around the world nortonrosefulbright.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201706280050 PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 13:00:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 391 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for PPX Mining Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - PPX Mining Corp. (TSX Venture:PPX). has issued a press release with the following headline:PPX Announces New Board Nominees for AGMTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on PPX Mining Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/PPX Mining Corp.Source: PPX Mining Corp. (TSX Venture: PPX, WKN: A2APYX, ISIN: CA69354U1003)Date: June 28, 2017Time: 7:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of PPX Mining Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 15:25:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 380 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Renforth Resources Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, Ontario (FSCWire) - Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE:RFR). has issued a press release with the following headline:Renforth Closes Private Placement FinancingTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Renforth Resources Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Renforth Resources Inc.Source: Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE: RFR)Date: June 28, 2017Time: 9:25 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Renforth Resources Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 13:05:01 Rare disease pharmaceutical company enhances customer interactions across channels and markets for successful launch of its first product Santhera Selects Veeva CRM and Veeva OpenData as Commercial Software and Data Platform Veeva Systems Inc. Sue Glanville sue@catalystcomms.co.uk +44 (0) 7715 817589 or Cate Bonthuys cate@catalystcomms.co.uk +44 (0) 7746 546773 Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) announced today that Santhera Pharmaceuticals selected Veeva CRM and Veeva OpenData as a commercial software and data platform for its first product launch. The rare disease pharmaceutical company is adopting Veeva Commercial Cloud solutions to establish a consistent, global approach to commercialization. Accurate customer data is foundational for commercial excellence, especially with todays growing number of stakeholders. Veeva brings together complete customer data and multichannel engagement to help life sciences organizations enhance their interactions with healthcare professionals worldwide. Field teams have up-to-date customer reference data where they need it most to enable faster and tailored interactions. When users submit data change requests, they are properly verified and updated in hours versus the industry average of 10 or more days. A recent survey showed that the majority of companies struggle with customer data quality issues. Incorrect physician addresses, not knowing which doctors to contact, or outdated information about specialty and license status create frustration among field teams and impact efficiency. Bad data can also lead to compliance risks. Thats why according to our research 78% of companies have initiatives underway to improve data quality within the next two years.1 There is a major transition happening across the industry as companies focus on better customer data for improved commercial effectiveness, said Guillaume Roussel, director of strategy for Veeva OpenData. Veeva OpenData and Veeva CRM are changing how the life sciences industry sources and manages data to drive greater speed, productivity, and execution globally. Veeva recently announced that 100 customers have adopted Veeva OpenData, including Allergan, who like other life sciences companies, has moved to Veeva OpenData for more up-to-date and complete customer reference data. Read the recent news to learn how Veeva OpenData is helping the industry overcome longstanding data quality challenges. About Veeva OpenData Veeva OpenData provides comprehensive and accurate HCP, HCO, affiliations, email, and compliance data, right where customers need it. Veeva OpenData can help customers achieve greater commercial success and enable everything from multichannel customer engagement to compliant interaction. Today, Veeva OpenData provides access to approximately 20 million HCPs and their HCO affiliations, covering all specialties and classes of trade, spanning 39 countries. Additional Information For more on Veeva OpenData: veeva.com/eu/OpenData For more on Veeva CRM: veeva.com/eu/CRM Connect with Veeva on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/veeva-systems Follow @Veeva_EU on Twitter: twitter.com/veeva_eu Like Veeva on Facebook: facebook.com/veevasystems About Veeva Systems Veeva Systems Inc. is a leader in cloud-based software for the global life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva has more than 525 customers, ranging from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. Veeva is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For more information, visit www.veeva.com/eu. Forward-looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements, including the market demand for and acceptance of Veevas products and services, the results from use of Veevas products and services, and general business conditions, particularly in the life sciences industry. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon Veevas historical performance and its current plans, estimates, and expectations, and are not a representation that such plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Veevas expectations as of the date of this press announcement. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Veeva disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements in the future. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Veevas financial results are included under the captions, Risk Factors and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the companys filing on Form 10-Q for the period ended April 30, 2017. This is available on the companys website at veeva.com under the Investors section and on the SECs website at sec.gov. Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in other filings Veeva makes with the SEC from time to time. ### 1 Veeva 2016 European Customer Data [..] View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201706280055 PR-Inside.com: 2017-06-28 11:05:01 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd.("Standard Lithium" or the "Company") (TSX-V:SLL) (FRA:S5L) (OTCQX:STLHF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andy Robinson to the Company's Board of Directors. Dr. Robinson, who joined Standard Lithium in April, 2017 as President and COO, previously served as Chief Operating Officer and board member for Pure Energy Minerals, where he was responsible for leading the first Inferred Resource assessment for a lithium brine deposit in North America, in accordance with 43-101 guidelines. During his tenure at that company, he was instrumental in developing innovative exploration, sampling and assessment techniques for lithium brine resources, and was responsible for developing a world-class lithium brine process engineering team. This team successfully developed and tested efficient and effective modern brine processing techniques that will help shape the way in which lithium products are extracted from brine in the future. Standard Lithium CEO, Robert Mintak commented, "I had the pleasure of working with Andy for the past four years, and know that his excellent management and strategic planning capabilities will strengthen our Board as we continue to rapidly grow the Company." Prior to joining Pure Energy in 2014, Andy held a series of senior technical and executive management roles with publicly listed companies in the energy, power and engineering sectors, and has been responsible for successfully taking projects from inception to production while developing sustained corporate growth. Andy is an experienced geoscientist with 20+ years of experience, a PhD in Geochemistry from the University of Bristol, UK, and has worked on a wide range of projects in the resource, power and energy sectors in Europe, Africa, and North and South America. About Standard Lithium Standard's value creation strategy encompasses acquiring a diverse and highly prospective portfolio of large-scale domestic brine resources, led by an innovation & results oriented management team with a strong focus on technical skills. The Company is currently focused on the exploration of its 16,000+ acre Bristol Lake, Brine Project located in the Mojave region of San Bernardino County, California. The location has significant infrastructure in-place, with easy road and rail access, abundant electricity and water sources, and is already permitted for extensive brine extraction and processing activities. Standard also recently announced the acquisition of the 40,000+ acre Paradox Basin Project located in Grand County, Utah. On behalf of the Board, Standard Lithium Ltd. Robert Mintak, Director & CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Contact: 604 409 8154 This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Standard Lithium Ltd. via Globenewswire 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. By: Asset Campus Housing Campus Edge Fresno 1 Contact Mark Evans ***@thresholdagency.com Mark Evans End -- Fresno's Campus Edge has a new manager as Asset Campus Housing takes over operations of the 416-bed community that caters to students attending Fresno State University. The newly renovated, pet friendly student housing apartments feature one- and two-bedroom floor plans with private patios and walk-in closets. Community amenities include hot tubs, resort-style pool with sundeck, free Wi-Fi and a newly renovated clubhouse with a fully equipped game room and business center.As the largest privately owned student housing management company, Houston-based Asset Campus Housing provides property management, asset management, development, construction supervision and investment services to the student housing market. The firm currently manages a student housing portfolio of more than 220 properties that consist of over 118,500 beds and span more than 40 states and two countries.Delivering the right structure, the right marketing plan, the right staffing and the right service offerings allow Asset Campus Housing's clients to benefit from higher ROI, which results in higher NOI. The firm's years of industry experience and its team of student housing experts scale allow the company to attack each asset with people who are highly trained and armed with the necessary tools to make the property successful.# # #Asset Plus Companies is a third-party property management firm based in Houston, Texas. It manages a portfolio of 57,600 units and is a leading provider in property management. With a growing portfolio that includes hundreds of properties across the globe, Asset Plus provides services that include property management, asset management, development, and investment services. Visit http://assetpluscorp.com to learn more. This July, popular life-saving fall prevention training courses will be held in Irving and Humble to teach physical therapists and assistants a unique, simple & fun program to help patients avoid falls. Continuing Education Units (8) are available. Sharon Claye, Owner & President, Fall Prevention Training Services, LLC Media Contact Donald Claye ***@fallpreventiontrainer.com (248) 562-7111 Donald Claye(248) 562-7111 End -- Attention Healthcare Professionals and Caregivers - Sharon Claye, President and Owner of Fall Prevention Training Services, LLC., is bringing an exciting new program to the Dallas & Houston Metro areas designed to help older adults and the homebound to avoid falls and increase confidence and independence. On Friday, July 28 in Irving and Sunday, July 30 in Humble, Claye, a certified Master Trainer in this system, will be teaching a course for Physical Therapists, as well as fitness instructors, independent personal trainers, activity directors, and anyone interested in helping older adults to avoid falling by improving balance and strength."Every 13 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall," says Claye. "These accidents can be dramatically reduced through learning this set of easy, yet effective, activities. Older adults need no longer live in fear of falling and can lead productive and fulfilling lives."Developed by Dr. Betty Perkins-Carpenter, Rochester, NY, founder and President of Senior Fitness Inc., 6 Steps to Better Balance is a proven program that utilizes repetitive practice of a series of movements and simple activities, such as the "Chorus Line" and "Dancing with a Pillow," to help older adults gain better balance and increase their level of daily physical activity.It is designed to reduce the probability of falls, the fear of falling and fall-related injuries. It also increases body flexibility, leg strength and overall endurance."We look forward to returning to Texas to offer our program filled with enjoyable activities rather than "have-to" exercises which will make it fun for all adults," said Claye.Completion of the eight-hour training also qualifies the student for Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for Physical Therapists and several major personal trainer certifications.For more information on this course go to http://fallpreventiontrainer.com/ register-now/ or contact Master Trainer Sharon Claye Toll Free (844) 2-STOP FALLS or (844) 278-6732 ( tel:%28844%29% 20278-6732 ). Aroma Bravo receives praise for the absence of bitterness in its medium roast coffee. Contact Charles C Harmon Co LLC ***@gmail.com 888-582-6650 Charles C Harmon Co LLC888-582-6650 End -- Aroma Bravo Coffee and Tea has been showcasing the best flavors of Honduras coffee since officially debuting last year. Although still relatively new to the coffee market, the non-gmo brand has been receiving a lot of positive feedback from customers who love its medium dark roast coffee for its absence of a bitter taste."Many of our customers have told us how much they appreciate the well-balanced flavors of our coffee. They particularly like that it isn't bitter or overpowering unlike most medium roast coffees from the same region," said a company rep earlier today.In the past, some people have noted the tendency for Central American coffees to be somewhat bitter and overbearing. So before entering the market, the team at Aroma Bravo carefully studied how to resolve this issue first."We thought of ways to really bring out the unique flavors of Honduras coffee, but we wanted none of that bitterness that ruins the taste. One solution was roasting the beans in very small batches. This allowed us to gain more control over the consistency and quality. This change alone brought significant improvements in taste, and even revealed the delicious mellow chocolatey flavors that our customers enjoy today. We were amazed by the results," the rep recalled.After multiple trials, the team was finally able to achieve the right balance of flavors they wanted: a Honduran coffee with a mellow chocolatey taste and hints of caramel, cocoa, honey and nutsbut all without the unwanted bitterness and overbearing qualities."This coffee is now what is known as our Aroma Bravo Medium Dark Roast Coffee, a special coffee with a mild aroma, balanced taste and a clean finish. This was made specifically for the enjoyment of true coffee lovers so if you happen to love gourmet coffee, this is an absolute must for you!" The company rep further added.Serious coffee lovers can get their medium roast coffee at https://www.amazon.com/ review/R2JHOZB0TSNB7Y/ ref=cm_cr_rd... Aroma Bravo offers the best medium roast coffee beans from Honduras. Grown in organic farms and roasted in small batches, Aroma Bravo Coffee is highly recommended for coffee lovers. The belt and road directory End -- To promote the development of trade between China and the countries along the Belt and Road and open the way to international trade, TUV Rheinland Group is helping Chinese manufacturers on product testing and certification information. A "One Road, One Belt" certification directory has been produced in order to provide a brief overview of the market access requirements for safety, wireless and energy efficiency product certification in participating countries. By clarifying the certification requirements, "Made in China" product manufacturers will be able to understand the trade development regulations in countries along the route and adopt an appropriate response to problems such as trade barriers.Thehave represented a market filled with tremendous potential and opportunity in recent years. Low-voltage electrical appliances and toy products destined for export to the seven Gulf nations (including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman) must comply with the requirements of the GSO technical requirements. TUV Rheinland was among the first certification organizations to be accredited by GSO to provide market access services to the seven Gulf nations and ensure that products conform to the GSO technical regulations.The(EAEU countries) is a transnational union for furthering the economic/political cooperation and integration that is being planned by the five former Soviet Union member states of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. All of the products entering the customs union must satisfy the compulsory requirements set by the Customs Union Technical Regulations (CUTR). TUV Rheinland has formed a strategic partnership with ROSTEST, the largest certification organization in Russia, to jointly provide swift and professional EAEU/CU EAC certification services to customers.China is's No.1 commodity trading partner, No.1 source of imports and No.1 export market. Australia's Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) for electrical equipment can only be used by products from Australian and New Zealand suppliers that satisfy the relevant requirements and regulations. TUV Rheinland (Australia) is recognized as an authoritative certification organization with the JAS-ANZ ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation, which can issue the COA (mandatory) and COS (voluntary) safety certifications for electronic and electrical products.According to the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, the trade and economic relations between China andhave grown at a breakneck pace over the last decade due to the fact that both nations are the drivers of growth in Asia. India is therefore China's 8largest export market. Indian statistics indicate that Indian-Chinese trade accounted for 9% of all Indian foreign trade. China was therefore India's leading trade partner, the largest source of imports and the third largest export market. Under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods Order (2012) issued by the Indian Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), 30 categories of electronic products must conform to the applicable Indian safety standards and the compulsory BIS registration requirements before they can be imported, distributed or sold in India. TUV Rheinland has two accredited laboratories in India that can provide you with professional testing services for all (30) product categories."One Belt, One Road" means ASEAN is now becoming a global trade value chain center.is home to 40% of the consumers in the ASEAN market and TUV Rheinland has 7 Indonesian subsidiaries for providing the product certifications required for entering Indonesia. These include the authority to carry out SNI testing and the certification for 51 categories including electronic and electrical products and toys.A "One Road, One Belt" certification directory ( https://www.tuv.com/ media/china/ press_1/2017_ map_BeltRoad... ) has been produced by TUV Rheinland in order to provide a brief overview of the market access requirements for safety, wireless and energy efficiency product certification in participating countries.As an independent third-party certification organization recognized around the world for our unique strengths, our services can help products quickly complete the required testing and certification processes for entry into the international market. Our brand also provides the most trusted guarantee in the world. Dave Cox, Middleton Idaho DUI Analyst and Consultant, recently concluded multiple DUI Seminars in Missouri, helping DUI attorneys win more DUI cases. Contact Dave Cox ***@yourduipro.com Dave Cox End --Your DUI Pro, recently traveled to Missouri to present his well-received "Winning DUI Cases" Seminar. Dave visited Springfield, Jefferson City, and St. Louis; Missouri to deliver the seminar to some of Missouri's best DUI attorneys. Dave Cox taught these Attorneys how to win DUI cases using NHTSA Manuals and advanced cross-examination techniques.The attorneys who attended Dave Cox's DUI Seminar, "Winning DUI Cases", had great things to say about their experience. Here are some testimonials from some of Missouri's best DUI attorneys:"Fantastic seminar. Dave is incredibly well versed in DWI practice and procedure, and the knowledge gained at this seminar will definitely help you win more DWI cases & get more clients."Steve Edelman - St. Louis, Missouri"Excited to use the materials for my practice."Jason Heany - Windsor, Missouri"Very informative. Exceptional knowledge base regarding the steps officers are taking and how to dissect that process."James J. Randall - Monett, Missouri"EXCELLENT program. Prepares defense to intelligently question whether or not intoxication was real. Cox very directly provides tools to question proof of intoxication/imparment."Samuel Lee Scroggie - Maryville, MissouriDave Cox, DUI Analyst and Consultant, has personally trained thousands of attorneys across the United States. Dave is a former police officer and, during his career, he was recognized as one of the top DUI officers in the country. As an officer, Dave Cox was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert, the highest level of training available to DUI enforcement officers. Dave now specializes in training attorneys how to easily and effectively use the officer, the officer's training, and the officer's NHTSA Manuals to win DUI Cases.In the upcoming weeks, Dave Cox will be presenting his DUI Seminar to attorneys in Mississippi, Maine, and Wisconsin. Dave will be visiting the following cities:Tupelo, Gulfport, and Jackson; MississippiBangor, Augusta, and Portland; MaineEau Claire, Madison, and Milwaukee; WisconsinTo register for upcoming seminars, please visit http://www.YourDUIPro.com/ seminars To learn more about Dave Cox and Your DUI Pro, please visit http://www.YourDUIPro.com By: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Brightwater Blue Exterior Contact Clockwork Marketing ***@clockworkmarketing.com Clockwork Marketing End -- Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group (http://www.bhhsfloridaproperties.com)is partnering with Brightwater Blue Residences LLC and Regency Developments to be the exclusive sales representative for Brightwater Blue Residences, a luxury waterfront townhome community on Clearwater Beach."Brightwater Blue is the area's preeminent address for everyone who wants to be on the water and near the beach," said Allen Crumbley, Broker/Owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group. "There is nothing like Brightwater Blue in the area and we are thrilled to be affiliated with this exceptional property."Brightwater Blue Residences offer a tropical resort-style feel with easy access to the Gulf, upscale boating amenities and a convenient location within walking distance to Clearwater Beach. With private docks and boats slips available to accommodate up to a 40' vessel, Brightwater Blue appeals to the boaters' lifestyle.Designed with Dutch West-Indies architecture to complement the beautiful waterfront setting, each residence at Brightwater Blue includes luxury appointments and high-end finishes including KitchenAid Stainless Steel appliances, custom cabinetry and Quartz countertops. Residences include a private two-car garage and an expansive balconies for enjoying outdoor living and magnificent beach views. Community amenities include a heated swimming pool, spa and sun deck. Brightwater Blue Residences are priced starting at $899,000."The best way to sell a remarkable property is with the assistance of the dynamic sales team," said Brightwater Blue Developer Bill Mazas. "We selected Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group because of its expertise in luxury and waterfront properties. The company is known for its leadership, strength and success in the Tampa Bay real estate market, and we are already seeing tremendous results from their efforts."Brightwater Blue Residences are the perfect choice for fulltime residents, secondary homeowners or vacation enjoyment. The community appeals to residents of all ages including empty nesters, early retirees and area professionals who want a second home near the beach. Brightwater Blue is an excellent choice for those looking for unique investment opportunities as the community permits leasing up to 12 times per year."It is an honor to be asked to represent an iconic property such as Brightwater Blue," said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group Broker/Owner Dewey Mitchell. "Our sales team is experienced in selling luxury residences and is intimately familiar with the market. We encourage interested buyers to visit the community's onsite sales office and model, and learn more about Brightwater Blue's lifestyle."Berkshire Hathaway recently appointed real estate veteran Scott McNay of the company's Belleair office to lead the sales efforts at Brightwater Blue. Located at 170 Brightwater Drive in Clearwater, the community sales office is open daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. For more information, call (727) 647-6533, email BrightwaterBlue@ bhhsflpg.com or visit www.BrightwaterBlue.com By: McCarthy Building Companies ASU Biodesign Institute C Building End -- Today McCarthy Building Companies celebrates the topping out of the $120 million Biodesign Institute C Research Building at Arizona State University (ASU). The building represents the third in ASU's Biodesign Institute complex located on the main campus in Tempe, Ariz.The new 189,000 square-foot research facility includes five stories, a mechanical penthouse, plus a basement that connects with the ASU Biodesign Institute B building and will house the world's first compact free electron x-ray laser. The project is comprised of 66,000-square-feet of flexible lab space for up to 80 lead researchers and 300 support staff who will be supporting ASU's goal of increasing research revenue to $700 million by 2020. The building's adaptable design will accommodate multiple types of scientific research, including chemistry, biological sciences and engineering research. The building, comprised mostly of wet laboratories and offices, also includes high-bay spaces.The project team, which includes architects Zimmer Gunsul Frasca and BWS Architects in addition to general contractor McCarthy Building Companies, is employing the latest in virtual reality technology and modeling to successfully execute this project for fast-track completion in spring 2018. Some of the design and construction solutions implemented to date include:- Building a small exterior mockup on site using building materials to test for any deficiencies before actual construction. This mockup was put through extreme worst-case scenarios of wind, water and smoke tests to ensure energy efficiency.- Creating an interior lab space mockup for researchers to understand placement of important features like sinks, gas outlets, counter heights, etc.- Developing an extensive pour process for the 19 white concrete columns, ensuring consistent color, sharp edges, smooth surface and precise angles to fulfil the design goal of support while also serving as a building showpiece.- Degaussing (the process of decreasing or eliminating a remnant magnetic field) all rebar in linear accelerator and laser labs, which saved approximately $1 million."Topping out marks a significant milestone in the construction process, signaling the final beam placement of a new structure," said Justin Kelton, president of McCarthy Building Companies' Southwest division. "For a research facility of world-class caliber like Biodesign Institute C represents, topping out is even more meaningful because it brings with it significant hope for our future and the promise of new discoveries and innovations."Joshua LaBaer, M.D., Ph.D., Biodesign's executive director and a renowned cancer researcher, sees the addition of this new space as concrete evidence of ASU's significant commitment to leading the field with discoveries that keep people and the planet healthy."Powered by intellect, energy and innovation, our researchers believe they can accomplish what others often find impossible,"he said. "With the addition of Biodesign C, we will soon have nearly 700 scientists of all kinds biologists, engineers, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer technologists and students working together to find creative and clean solutions for energy, air and water. We will invent new diagnostics and treatments that are accessible and affordable, and in some cases, we expect to be able to halt disease before it even begins."Biodesign Institute C will house a key drug discovery and bioenergy research tool the world's first compact free electron x-ray laser a super X-ray that will peer deep inside proteins to better understand both the action of molecules critical to cancer and other devastating diseases, and better understand how plants convert sunlight into renewable energy.Scientists of varying disciplines will be in the lab's "neighborhoods,"a layout of close proximity that encourages collaboration. The design is modeled after state-of-the-art research complexes like the J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla, Calif., which was also built by McCarthy.Additionally, following ASU's green building standards, Biodesign Institute C has been designed to the highest levels of sustainability and includes an innovative HVAC system to limit its energy and environmental footprint. Upon completion, Biodesign Institute C will bring the total research square footage of the Biodesign complex to 535,000 square feet.McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. ( http://www.mccarthy.com/ ) is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 15th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2017). With approximately 1,700 salaried employees and offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Portage, Ind.; Kansas City, Kan.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Dallas, Houston; Albuquerque;and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned ( http://www.mccarthy.com/ about/employee- owners/ ). More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/mccarthybuilding), Twitter (https://twitter.com/McCarthyBuild), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/119184?trk=tyah), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mccarthybuild/)and Google+ (http://www.google.com/+MccarthyBuilding) Serbia has again marked its most important state holiday -- Vidovdan, or St. Vitus's Day -- and newly elected President Aleksandar Vucic led the official commemoration on June 28 for the first time, laying a wreath at the monument to the fallen heroes of the 14th-century Battle of Kosovo in the town of Krusevac. The celebrations harken back to a historic battle between an invading Ottoman army and an alliance of Christian forces that took place in 1389, and which claimed the lives of both Serbian Tsar Lazar and the Sultan Murad I. The defeat of the Serb-led Christian army helped pave the way for the Ottoman conquest of most of the Balkan Peninsula in the 15th century. In the collective memory of the Serbian people the valiant defeat came to symbolize, among other things, the struggle for freedom from foreign domination, love of country, and personal heroism. As such it was transformed into a potent nation-building tool in the 19th century, when Serbia secured its independence from the Ottoman Empire. Unifying Force In the early 20th century, the symbolism attached to the Battle of Kosovo was used as unifying force among South Slavs (Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, and others) in the process of creating the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Yet what became known as the "Kosovo Myth" also had a more divisive, darker side. It was invoked by Slobodan Milosevic, whose infamous speech on June 28, 1989 -- the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo -- let the genie of nationalism out of the bottle, helping unleash the Balkan wars of the 1990s. The story of a nation's struggle, death, and reincarnation still cannot be openly questioned in Serbian public discourse. It continues to make it difficult for Serbian politicians to recognize that Kosovo today is an independent state, recognized by 114 UN members. The Belgrade-based social anthropologist Ivan Colovic, who has worked and published extensively on the Kosovo Myth, finds this dogmatic adherence to a single and unequivocal interpretation of history troubling. "Narratives about the past are not considered myths based on their content, but rather the demands they make on those in the present; for instance, their status as incontrovertible and sacred truths about that past," he says. "The Kosovo Myth is still held as a sacred relic whose authenticity is beyond doubt. One may privately disbelieve [this version of history], but one dare not admit to this. One is expected to submit to its authority regardless." In his book on the subject, Colovic shows how the Kosovo Myth effectively became state religion in the 1990s, and fuel for the cycles of violence seen in the Balkans. Yet he also concludes with the suggestion that its power may be fading: "Perhaps events will prove me wrong, but I do believe that, in the current marketplace of political symbols, the purchasing power of the Kosovo Myth is not as great as it was in the 1990s." In his first encounter with the media following his election victory, Serbian President Vucic seemed to give credence to Colovic's assertion. Vucic said that he would initiate a public discussion on Serbia's future relations with Kosovo, one of whose central aims would be to liberate Serbian political discourse from myth. However, when a Belgrade-based RFE/RL journalist asked if the heralded new approach meant that the government was about to announce a shift in policy toward the former Serbian province, Vucic replied that his reference to the "mythologizing of Kosovo" was part of a sentence in which he also promised to ensure that Serbia did not "easily renounce what rightfully belongs to us." Slippery Statements The remark served as a reminder of Vucic's reputation for making slippery and enigmatic statements before he became president. It also indicates that while a more pragmatic approach may indeed displace mythic injunctions in policymaking, Kosovo will continue to be used as a tool of national homogenization in public discourse. Colovic points out that President Vucic's words have preemptively set limits on the very dialogue that he is calling for. "From the outset [Vucic] set the condition that participants in that dialogue must respect the Serbian Constitution. And as we all know, the constitution still includes the notorious preamble according to which Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia," Colovic says. "So, all those who disagree with the claim made in that preamble are immediately excluded from the dialogue. In other words, those who believe that any real, open dialogue that would indeed open a new chapter in Serbian relations with Kosovo must begin with the removal of that preamble from the Constitution. There is also the wording of the [presidential] oath that [Vucic] has just taken, which also imposes restrictions on any dialogue about Kosovo, because the oath of office also holds Kosovo as the highest value, and most sacred relic that must be preserved in Serbian hands." It is therefore hard to predict what this future dialogue on the status of Kosovo might look like, or where it may lead. Even if many in Serbia support a new dialogue, there is still plenty of opposition to taking the big step -- formal recognition of Kosovo. WATCH: Serbs In Kosovo Mark St. Vitus's Day The academic and dramatist Dusan Kovacevic provides a window into the views that help forge that opposition -- steadfast animus to the idea that Kosovo belongs to its ethnic Albanian majority. "I would never sit down with people who say that Kosovo is Albanian territory, that it always has been, and will be [Albanian]. Never." Asked whether he believed in the mythologizing narrative according to which Kosovo is the cradle of the Serbian nation, and that "there can be no Serbia without Kosovo," Kovacevic responded by saying: "That is intended as a metaphor, but if Kosovo is indeed lost, if Kosovo with all its [Serbian Orthodox] heritage becomes Albanian, then it would be true." Colovic, the author of the most exhaustive study on the history and uses of the Kosovo Myth, Death On Kosovo Plain, is optimistic but cautious. He warns that the Kosovo Myth might be deployed elsewhere and in other ways, with potentially pernicious consequences. He observes that the epicenter of St. Vitus's Day celebrations is no longer Kosovo itself but Republika Srpska (part of Bosnia). "The construction of Andricgrad [a new town in eastern Bosnia built ostensibly as a showcase for the life and work of novelist Ivo Andric, the only winner of the Nobel Prize from the former Yugoslavia] started on June 28, 2011, on St. Vitus's Day," he says. "The intended link is therefore with Kosovo and the Kosovo Myth, and not with Andric, or else it would have made sense to choose a date associated with the latter, such as his birth or when he received the Nobel Prize." Using Legal Means According to Colovic, this is one aspect of the construction of a Bosnian Serb national, ethnic, or cultural identity, a strategy like the one employed in the 1990s by convicted war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Biljana Plavsic, the architects of Republika Srpska and its claims to a separate national identity (and statehood). That project has been revived and developed in recent times by Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska, the film director Emir Kusturica, and some of their associates. Latinka Perovic, a prominent Serbian historian, agrees that the power of the Kosovo Myth seems to be fading in Serbia. She believes that the new generation of Serbian nationalists are prepared to fight for their goals using legal means, but that they are not ready to go to war over Kosovo. Yet she also warns that in many other respects the political atmosphere in the Balkans is very much reminiscent of the 1990s. Much therefore depends on the rhetoric and course taken by the new Serbian president. It remains to be seen what practical steps Vucic will take to resolve an issue that links Serbia's present goal of regional stability, the need to come to terms with its recent violent past, and its national identity, for so long rooted in a mythic narrative of a medieval battle whose anniversary looms large once again. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL Four activists who were charged with preparing mass disturbances in Belarus have been released from custody by authorities in Minsk, a day after three others facing similar charges were freed. RFE/RLs Belarus Service reported that the four activists who were freed on June 28 were Uladzimir Rumiantsau, Tsimur Pashkevich, Ales Yaudakha, and Viktar Danilau. Three other activists implicated in the case -- Syarhey Stribulsky, Alyaksandr Zimnitsky, and Uladzimer Fyodorov -- were freed on June 27 after reportedly agreeing to travel restrictions. Authorities from the Belarusian State Security Committee in March detained 26 alleged members of from the groups White Legion and Young Front on suspicion of preparing for mass riots in the country. Those detentions came after President Alyaksandr Lukashenka announced that he suspected some groups were trying to destabilize the country and carry out a revolution. Charges against some detainees were dropped later. Seven detainees in the case remained in custody on June 28. With reporting by Interfax BRUSSELS -- Ambassadors from the European Union's member states have officially extended the bloc's economic sanctions against Russia by another six months. The 28 EU heads of state and government agreed last week during a two-day summit in Brussels that they would extend the measures until January 31. The Kremlin on June 28 responded by saying Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory steps against the EU. At the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron gave an assessment on compliance by Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine to the 2015 Minsk agreements, which are aimed at ending a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014. EU diplomats told RFE/RL that there was broad agreement among member states to stay firm with Moscow on Ukraine, while at the same time being open to dialogue on other foreign policy issues. The EU sanctions, which mainly target Russia's banking and financial sectors, were first imposed by Brussels in the summer of 2014 in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine. The sanctions package has been renewed every six months since then. The FBI has interviewed several U.S.-based employees of the Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab as part of its investigation into the company's operations. FBI agents reportedly visited the homes of Kaspersky employees late on June 27 in several U.S. cities and had "brief interactions" with them, though no search warrants were served, Reuters reported. Kaspersky Lab said in a statement that it is being "accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations." It added that the company has "never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts" but that it will assist "government organizations with any ongoing investigations." The FBI did not comment on the reports, which come one day after dozens of entities around the world were hit with a massive ransomware cyberattack. Kaspersky Lab said about a dozen of its employees were interviewed by FBI agents on June 27. The contacts between the FBI and Kaspersky employees follow testimony by U.S. government officials last month before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee that the government's use of software from Kaspersky Lab is being reviewed. That testimony came after U.S. lawmakers said they were concerned that Russian officials could use Kaspersky products to attack computer networks in the United States. Eugene Kaspersky, founder of the company and its CEO, said in an interview on Reddit that he is willing to appear before a Senate committee to discuss any concerns about Kaspersky's products. Kaspersky, who lives in Moscow and is one of Russia's richest men, previously worked for the Russian military and has often been accused of using his company to help the Russian government interests. He has called the accusations "Cold War paranoia." With reporting by Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has registered as a foreign agent for consulting work he did for the political party of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort said in a Justice Department filing that his firm, DMP International, received more than $17 million from the Party of Regions, the pro-Russian former ruling party, for consulting work from 2012 through 2014. Manafort is the second member of the Trump campaign to register as a foreign agent. In March, former national security adviser Michael Flynn registered with the Justice Department for work his consulting firm performed for a Turkish businessman. Manafort headed Trump's campaign for about five months until August and resigned from the campaign immediately after the Associated Press reported on his firm's covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine's ruling political party. He is one of several people linked to the Trump campaign who are under scrutiny by a special counsel and congressional committees investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign and potential coordination with Trump associates. Manafort has denied any coordination with Russia and has said his work in Ukraine was not related to the campaign. Under U.S. law, people who represent foreign political interests and seek to influence U.S. public opinion and policy are required to register with the Justice Department before they perform any work. Manafort's registration comes more than three years after he completed his work. The Justice Department rarely prosecutes violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Instead, as in Manafort's case, they often work with lobbyists to get in compliance. In addition to Manafort, his deputy, Rick Gates, also registered for the Ukrainian political work. Gates also served in the Trump campaign. In the filing, Manafort said that his company's work was mostly focused on domestic Ukrainian politics as part of its work for Yanukovych's party. Yanukovych abandoned office in late February 2014 and fled to Russia in the face of protests triggered by his decision to scrap plans for a landmark deal with the European Union and improve trade ties with Moscow instead. He is currently being tried for treason in absentia in the Ukrainian capital for his role in the deaths of protesters. Manafort's filing repeatedly states that his firm worked "to advance the goal of greater political and economic integration between Ukraine and the West." Manafort's firm also acknowledged that it had some involvement with a Brussels-based nonprofit called the European Centre for Modern Ukraine, saying that it provided "advice" to the entity. With reporting by AP, dpa, and The Washington Post Toomaj Salehi's lyrical support for protesters in Iran has landed him behind bars before, but this time the popular rapper's fortune-telling has fans and family members fearing for his life. Just days before his September 30 arrest, the 32-year-old Salehi released his latest music video, in which he makes foreboding predictions about the future of Iran's clerical regime if it continues its violent crackdown against ongoing anti-government demonstrations. "I am the predictor, the fortune teller," he raps in the video for Omen, which shows him reading the patterns left in his coffee cup and warning that brute force will not prevail. "I saw a cage in the coffee grounds -- a lion was hunting a jackal," he explains, alluding to a fairy tale about wisdom defeating physical strength. "We will rise from the bottom and target the top of the pyramid." Salehi goes on to warn that the regime's protectors -- including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Basij paramilitary forces, the Intelligence Ministry, and the state media -- will all get their day in court. Salehi followed up on the new video by posting on social media images of him standing alongside protesters and chanting against security forces in his native city in Isfahan Province. The rapper, an ethnic Lur who was arrested last year after releasing other songs critical of the government, offered to turn himself in if protesters detained in his hometown of Shahinshahr were released. In subsequent posts, he called the provincial authorities "cowardly vermin" and "scum who suppress and arrest [innocent] people." Shortly afterward, Salehi went missing and has not been heard from since. State media reported on September 30 that Salehi had been arrested, and a news agency close to the IRGC published a photo of the blindfolded rapper inside a car. A short video later released by a press club associated with Iran's state broadcaster purports to show the rapper admitting he made a mistake. But the reports' claims he had been caught while "illegally exiting the western borders of the country" have been fiercely disputed, and the video confession has been labeled a fake by some and a coerced confession by others. Family members as well as Salehi's official Twitter account have said the rapper was, in fact, arrested in the southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, hundreds of kilometers from Iran's western border. In a statement, Salehi's uncle Eghbal Eghbali said his nephew was in the province's city of Borujen on the morning of September 30 when he wrote saying "suspicious things" were happening outside his home. Soon after, Salehi stopped communicating. Eghbali said he learned from Salehi's neighbors and friends that security personnel had arrived to take the rapper away. Later on September 30, a prosecutor in nearby Isfahan Province was quoted by the Meezan news agency, which is close to Iran's judiciary, as saying Salehi was arrested "in one of the provinces of the country." The prosecutor alleged the rapper had played a key role in "creating disturbances and inviting and encouraging the recent disturbances in Isfahan Province and in Shahinshahr." The official IRNA news agency, meanwhile, quoted a judiciary official from Isfahan Province as saying Salehi stood accused of "propagandistic activity against the government, cooperation with hostile governments, and the formation of illegal groups with the intention of creating insecurity in the country." Thousands of Iranians, many of them from the younger generation, have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died shortly after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran's hijab law requiring that women cover their hair. As the protests have continued, the authorities have intensified their crackdown, resulting in the deaths of at least 305 people, including 41 children, according to the latest figures released by the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) on November 6. Salehi is among the hundreds of prominent young voices, including activists, artists, and athletes, who have been arrested for speaking out against the states bloody crackdown on the protests. Overall, activists estimate thousands of people have been arrested by the authorities since the rallies erupted. Faced with a potential existential threat to Iran's clerical rule, 227 of 290 Iranian lawmakers this week called for even greater force by urging the judiciary to "deal decisively" with those behind the protests. In recent years, Salehi has gained notoriety for his open opposition to the country's leadership, using his music and social media presence to take on issues that resonate with Iranian youths. In the song Normal, he highlights the effects of poverty, saying "Our children sleep hungry at night" and asking Iran's leaders how their conscience can let them sleep. The song Rathole, released in 2021, accuses members of the media and art community both inside and outside Iran of being an "ally of the tyrant," a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In another song, he blasts Tehran's close relationships with Moscow and Beijing, asking: "Haven't you robbed us enough? Now, you want to give away half [of our resources] to China and the rest to Russia." Salehi was detained in September 2021 after security agents raided his home in Isfahan, with Human Rights Watch decrying the detention of the artist for "exercising his right to freedom of expression." Salehi was charged with "spreading propaganda against the state," but after more than a week was released on bail. In January, he was sentenced to six months in prison but was released on a suspended sentence in February. While out, he continued his work and released Omen amid the states increasingly violent crackdown on anti-government protesters. "Someone's crime was dancing with her hair in the wind," he raps. "Someone's crime was that she was brave and criticized." Listing a litany of violent acts carried out by the authorities against protesters, Salehi asks, "How many young people did you kill building a tower for yourself?" and predicts that next year, the 44th year of the clerical regime's rule, will be its "year of failure." Salehi's arrest has led to widespread condemnation inside and outside Iran, and his advocates have spread the #FreeToomaj hashtag on Twitter to shed light on his situation. His family has said they do not know Salehi's whereabouts or health, leaving them wondering if he is even alive. But the authorities have shed some light on the fate of another Iranian rapper arrested shortly before Salehi. The judiciary announced on November 7 that Saman Yasin, a rapper from Kermanshah Province -- a northwestern region with a significant Kurdish population and that has been a focus of the government crackdown -- has been accused of waging "warfare" against Iran and acting against the country's security. Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, with contributions by RFE/RL senior correspondent Michael Scollon Kosovos Constitutional Court on June 28 cleared the way for a war crimes tribunal to prosecute former senior ethnic Albanian commanders from the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). Known officially as the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution, the court was established with European Union funds at The Hague, Netherlands, to prosecute crimes committed during and immediately after the 1998-99 Kosovo war. It operates under Kosovar laws. The court was set up with international judges and prosecutors after Kosovos domestic justice system was deemed to be unable to protect witnesses and overcome the influence of politically powerful defendants. The courts president, Justice Ekaterina Trendafilova, said in a statement on June 28 that the rules of the court comply with international human rights standards and with Kosovo's constitution. Trendafilova said on June 28 that within seven days, there will be no legal impediment to receive any filing or indictment from the Specialist Prosecutor's Office." The court's prosecutors are investigating allegations made in a Council of Europe report that senior KLA commanders ran detention centers after the Kosovo war where Serbs and other civilian captives were killed and their organs sold on the black market. Kosovo lawmakers approved the court's creation in 2015. Based on reporting the AP, AFP, and dap A Kyrgyz court has sentenced three men to long-term imprisonment for alleged involvement in an attack against the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek last year. The Pervomaisky district court in Bishkek found on June 27 the three defenders in the case guilty of involvement in the attack and sentenced them from 10 to 18 years of imprisonment with confiscation of their property. All three pleaded not guilty to charges of helping organize and finance the attack. Their lawyer, Kurmanbek Tuybaev, told RFE/RL that he will appeal the verdicts. On August 30, 2016, three Kyrgyz nationals were injured after a suicide bomber rammed his car into the Chinese Embassy compound and detonated an explosive device inside the vehicle. According to investigators, the bombing was ordered by Sirojiddin Mukhtarov, also known as Abu Saloh, a native of the southern Kyrgyz region of Osh. He is believed to be fighting against government forces in Syria alongside ethnic Uyghurs affiliated with the Al-Nusra Front extremist group. With reporting by AFP Kyrgyz authorities say they have detained the four members of a suspected terrorist cell that was allegedly planning attacks in the country. The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security said on June 28 that the four Kyrgyz citizens -- aged between 21 and 34 -- were plotting a series of terrorist attacks with improvised explosive devices and firearms in Kyrgyzstan's border areas. It said their cell was affiliated to an international terrorist organization, without providing further details. It was unclear when and where the four men were detained. The head of the Kyrgyz Defense Council, Temir Jumakadyrov, said on June 27 that authorities have prevented at least 17 terrorist attacks in the country last year. Officials in Kyrgyzstan say hundreds of Kyrgyz citizens have joined extremist groups in Iraq and Syria such as the Islamic State in recent years. With reporting by 24.kg That's right. Kyrgyzstan's President Almazbek Atambaev said he wants Russia to establish a second military base in his country. There hasn't been any Russian reaction to that so far but just as important will be the reactions from the governments in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan where officials must be pondering Atambaev's comments. Atambaev visited Russia on June 19-24, meeting first with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and other officials in Moscow. Atambaev and Putin discussed Russia's plans to strengthen the Russian-led base at Kant, Kyrgyzstan, some 40 kilometers from the capital, Bishkek. On the last day of his trip, June 24, Atambaev went to the Russian republic of Tatarstan. In Tatarstan's capital, Kazan, Atambaev told journalists he had asked Putin to open a new joint base in Kyrgyzstan rather than put more troops and military aircraft at Kant. "What does Bishkek need to be protected from?" he asked. "What we see in Afghanistan is the Taliban getting stronger there, and IS [the extremist group Islamic State] is also gaining strength there," Atambaev said. Looking To The South Atambaev said he told Putin that Afghan problems could spread to Kyrgyzstan's southern border and "I said, 'If you honestly want to think about the security of our borders, then we are interested in it [a new Russian base].'" And Atambaev said he wants the base in Kyrgyzstan's southernmost Batken Province, in Kyrgyzstan's section of the Ferghana Valley, bordering Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In fact, Atambaev said that, if Tajikistan "can't contain the situation [along the Afghan border], it will reach our borders." The Kyrgyz president added: "Of course we will help Tajikistan; we will conduct joint exercises." But the fact Atambaev has contemplated a scenario where Tajik authorities are unable to prevent problems spreading from the Afghan border to the Kyrgyz border hundreds of kilometers to the north won't be a welcome thought in Dushanbe. Kyrgyz-Tajik relations have already been tense in recent years due to clashes between their citizens and border forces along their common frontier, much of which is still not demarcated. Uzbekistan has a border with Batken and, in the past, when the late Islam Karimov was president of Uzbekistan, Tashkent was against any talk of a Russian military base in the Ferghana Valley. Tajikistan and Russia discussed establishing a Russian military base in Tajikistan's northern Sughd region in the spring of 1999. Karimov angrily questioned what need there would be for that kind of facility. "If such a base is created it will pose a threat to somebody," he said. "Nobody said exactly toward whom it is directed, but all the same any military base is directed against somebody," he added, ignoring accusations, likely true, that a renegade former Tajik colonel had entered northern Tajikistan from Uzbekistan in November 1998 and attempted to seize control there, returning to Uzbekistan several days later when the plan failed. Problematic Region Officials in Kyrgyzstan have mentioned the desirability of a Russian base or some sort of military training facility in southern Kyrgyzstan for many years now. But Russia has never shown much interest. That is not surprising since the Ferghana Valley is a potentially problematic region. Tajikistan's 1992-97 civil war is still the greatest violence Central Asia has seen since the days of independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But since the civil war ended, the most violent events in Central Asia happened in the Ferghana Valley -- the coup attempt in northern Tajikistan in November 1998, the incursion of militants from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in 1999 and 2000, the Andijon violence in May 2005, and the interethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010. While Atambaev can be credited for thinking about the security of his country, his public comments about a Russian base in southern Kyrgyzstan are not likely to be efficacious for better relations between the three countries sharing the Ferghana Valley, nor are they likely to encourage Russia to agree to establishing a base in southern Kyrgyzstan. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says he assumes Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will on the sidelines of the July 7-8 Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Speaking in the Russian city of Krasnodar on June 28, Lavrov said it was necessary to seek a normalization of dialogue between the United States and Russia. He said it probably would not be right if Putin and Trump do not have talks on the sidelines of the Hamburg G20 summit. Lavrov said it was especially important for Putin and Trump to discuss the war in Syria. He said he had nothing more to add about whether specific plans were being made for a bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin. The July 7-8 G20 gathering will bring together the heads of state and government from the worlds leading economic powers to discuss the fight against terrorism, climate change, free trade, and other issues. Lavrov said there are no plans to hold a summit in the near future on Ukraines conflict under the so-called Normandy Four format, which would bring together the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany. Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax [June 27, 2017] Malaysia's ANGKASA Selects Unisys Software to Enhance Client Experience and Open New Channels for Service Delivery BLUE BELL, Pa., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today announced that Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia (ANGKASA) has selected the company to provide Unisys ClearPath Forward software technology that enables ANGKASA to deliver and expand payment services for its constituents and their customers. ANGKASA is the leading body of Malaysia's co-operative movement representing 13,428 co-operatives (social organizations owned and managed by its members). In that role, ANGKASA provides a salary deduction service for salaried employees, credit co-operatives, financial institutions and other business organizations through an efficient, systematic and secure deduction channel. The computerized system allows government payroll offices or other employers to effectively and efficiently process monthly salary deductions, while enabling more than 3.5 million co-operative members nationwide to pay their loan installments, insurance policies, trustees accounts, recreational club memberships and workers union subscription fees. Delivery of fast, efficient salary-deduction and payment services through the Unisys software solution is key to ANGKASA's strategy for member retention and customer satisfaction. ANGKASA President Dato' Hj Abdul Fattah said, "ANGKASA's salary deduction service is crucial to the organization and our members. We rely on the high reliability, scalability and security of the Unisys operating platform to deliver an efficient payment service to our members, and it has become central to our IT infrastructure modernization strategy. In addition, innovative Unisys ClearPath Forward software tools are crucial for creating new online channels for service delivery to our co-operative memers." ANGKASA will use Unisys ClearPath Forward software technology and solutions such as Agile Business Suite (AB Suite), Enterprise Output Manager and ePortal to develop new channels for serving customers through the web and mobile devices and deliver continuous availability for the salary-deduction service. Providing unsurpassed security, the Unisys ClearPath Forward environments are the only ones on the market in which user data has never been forcibly extracted.1 Upgrading the IT infrastructure is a key part of ANGKASA's digital transformation of the organization's two data centers into software-defined facilities. Under the agreement, Unisys will create new development and disaster recovery environments, and replace manual backup processes with automated data replication between the sites to reduce recovery time significantly. "Unisys enables ANGKASA to retain and expand its member base and provide an optimal user experience for constituents and their customers," said Richard Parker, vice president, financial services, Unisys Asia Pacific. "Our common goal is to strengthen ANGKASA's position as a leader in service to cooperatives while providing a secure, flexible platform that can adapt quickly to changing member and customer requirements. Other organizations providing financial services can follow that model to deliver expanded, always-on services across multiple devices for an optimal customer experience." 1Based on Unisys analysis of incidents in the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology National Vulnerability Database, June 9, 2017. About Unisys Unisys is a global information technology company that specialises in providing industry-focused solutions integrated with leading-edge security to clients in the government, financial services and commercial markets. Unisys offerings include security solutions, advanced data analytics, cloud and infrastructure services, application services and application and server software. For more information, visit www.unisys.com. Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn. RELEASE NO.: 0627/9516 Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder. UIS-C To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/malaysias-angkasa-selects-unisys-software-to-enhance-client-experience-and-open-new-channels-for-service-delivery-300479036.html SOURCE Unisys Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Hundreds of residents of Kherson cheered and waved flags as the first Ukrainian troops reached the center of the recaptured provincial capital, marking another dramatic battlefield success in Ukraines drive to liberate territory occupied by Russia since its unprovoked invasion in February. Ukrainian forces cautiously entered Kherson in the morning hours of November 11. Russia earlier said it had completed the withdrawal of its troops from the strategic southern city in another embarrassing blow to Moscow's war effort, which it refers to as a "special military operation." "Kherson is returning to the control of Ukraine," the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said. "Units of the armed forces of Ukraine are entering the city." "The Russian occupiers' routes of retreat are under the direct fire of the Ukrainian Army," statement added. "Any Russian soldier who resists will be killed." Earlier, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet that "Ukraine is gaining another important victory right now and proves that whatever Russia says or does, Ukraine will win." The tweet included a video purporting to show Kherson residents removing a billboard that proclaimed "Russia is here forever." Serhiy Khlan, a deputy for the Kherson Regional Council, said a Ukrainian flag had been raised in Kherson, as multiple videos circulating on social media purportedly showed Ukrainian soldiers planting their yellow-and-blue flag on administrative buildings in the city and local residents celebrating. The Russian Defense Ministry said it had finished the pullout from Kherson city and region at 5 a.m. on November 11 and that no military equipment had been left behind. "In total, more than 30,000 Russian servicemen, about 5,000 pieces of hardware, and military equipment and materiel have been withdrawn," the ministry said. "Not a single piece of military equipment or weaponry was left on the right (western) bank," he added, although the report could not immediately be confirmed. Khlan said some Russian soldiers had been unable to leave the city and had changed into civilian clothing and urged local residents to stay at home while Ukrainian troops cleared the city. "The number of these people is not known," he told a news briefing, without citing evidence for the claim. 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, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Khlan also said, without citing evidence, that many Russian troops had drowned attempting to flee across the river. The head of the joint coordination press center of the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine, Natalya Humenyuk, said Russian troops "have been changing into civilian clothes for two weeks." "This should focus our forces as it means saboteur operations cannot be ruled out," Humenyuk told a separate briefing. "Because of this, we are not rushing to announce our successes in other directions and in other towns." Russia did not immediately comment on Khlan's or Humenyuk's remarks. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on November 10 that it would take Russia at least a week to withdraw, telling Reuters in an interview that Russia had 40,000 troops in the Kherson region and that it still had forces in the city. Kherson controls both the only land route to Ukraine's Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula and the mouth of the Dnieper, which bisects Ukraine. Recapturing the city could provide Ukraine with a launching pad for supplies and troops to try to win back other lost territory in the south. Meanwhile, Ukraine's public broadcaster quoted local residents as saying on November 11 that the Antonivskiy Bridge, the only nearby road crossing from Kherson city to the Russian-controlled eastern bank of the Dnieper, had collapsed. The Suspilne broadcaster published a photograph showing whole sections of the bridge missing. The next road crossing across the Dnieper is more than 70 kilometers from Kherson city. It was not immediately clear what had caused the collapse. Recapturing the city could provide Ukraine a launching pad for supplies and troops to try to win back other lost territory in the south. The Ukrainian General Staff said retreating Russian forces have been looting homes and destroying critical infrastructure, while forcibly evicting residents from the settlements still under their control. "The Russian invaders continue to loot the settlements from which they are retreating. The enemy is also attempting to damage power lines and other elements of the transport and critical infrastructure of the Kherson region as much as possible," the military said, adding that Russian mines continue to wound civilians. Elsewhere, six civilians were killed in a Russian rocket attack on Mykolayiv overnight, the mayor of the southern Ukrainian city said on November 11, as Ukrainian troops continued their advance in the direction of Kherson. The mayor of Mykolayiv, Oleksandr Sienkovych, said on November 11 that the people were killed when Russian rockets hit a residential area of the city, destroying a five-story building. "As of 10 a.m., six people were killed by the impact of the attack on the residential building," Sienkovych said. Fierce fighting continues in Bakhmut and Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region as well as in the adjacent Luhansk region, the military said, adding that heavy Russian shelling pounded about 20 settlements in the Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Mykolayiv regions. In his nightly address late on November 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said: "Today we have good news from the south. The number of Ukrainian flags returning to their rightful place within the framework of the ongoing defense operation is already dozens. He added that 41 settlements had been liberated. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making international "mischief." In a June 28 speech commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II, Mattis said the Russian "leader making mischief beyond Russian borders will not restore their fortunes or rekindle their hope." Mattis made the speech at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Mattis said Russia has chosen to challenge the "secure and peaceful" postwar order -- sending relations between Moscow and the West to lows unseen since the Cold War amid rancor over Moscows seizure of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine, its alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and other issues. Based on reporting by AFP Dozens of tribesmen have staged a sit-in in Pakistan's federal capital, Islamabad, on the second day of the Muslims' holy festival of Eid. The protesters on June 27 were demanding an investigation into the twin blasts on June 23 in Parachinar, headquarters of the strategic Kurram tribal district. More than 50 people were killed and nearly 100 injured in two back-to-back bomb blasts in a market area while locals, mostly Shi'ite Muslims, were busy shopping two days ahead of Eid. It was claimed by a little known group believed to be linked to Lashkar-e Janghvi, one of Pakistan's bloodiest sectarian outfits. The protesters accused the federal government and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of not announcing proper compensation for the victims' families, which they called a discriminatory treatment in contrast to the majority Sunni Muslims. Protests also were held on June 26 in Parachinar, where protesters wore black armbands in the market where the bombs exploded. It was the third such extremist attack in the city this year and brought the death toll there to 115 -- more than any one city in Pakistan has suffered so far this year. With reporting by AFP Russia's Federation Council has approved controversial legislation to demolish thousands of Soviet-era apartment buildings in Moscow. The bill was supported on June 28 by 147 lawmakers in the upper house of parliament, with four abstentions and no votes against, state media reported. The latest in a series of protests against the plan was held outside the parliament building, during which the chief of the opposition Yabloko party's Moscow branch, Sergei Mitrokhin, was detained. The bill passed the lower house of parliament, the state Duma, earlier this month. Despite opposition from many Muscovites who say the state is infringing on property rights and individual freedoms, the bill is expected to be signed by President Vladimir Putin. The bill calls for some 4,500 buildings erected in the 1950s and '60s -- many of them five-story blocks known as Khrushchyovki after Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev -- to be demolished and replaced with high-rises. Moscow authorities say the buildings are dilapidated and outdated, but many residents and activists see the plans as an excuse for the lucrative construction of high rises in an already congested city whose green spaces are shrinking. Respected Russian defense attorney and legal scholar Genri Reznik has resigned from the faculty of the Moscow State Law Academy to protest the installation there of a plaque commemorating a 1924 speech by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. "On June 17, 1924, in this hall, Josef Vissarionovich Stalin delivered a report on the results of the 13th congress of the Russian Communist Party," the plaque reads. The original plaque was placed on the site at the height of the Stalin-era cult of personality in 1949 and was dismantled in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. "The first thing the Bolshevik leader did was to bury the law," Reznik wrote on his blog on the website of Ekho Moskvy. "Stalin embodies massive extrajudicial mechanisms and repressions, including personal summonses, two- and three-judge hearings, legalized torture, and the liquidation of the independent judiciary, the presumption of innocence, and the principle of legal advocacy. In an interview with RFE/RL's Russian Service, Reznik said he made the decision immediately upon learning of the plaque, which was installed sometime during the week of June 17-23, and he isn't interested in the positions of other faculty members. "I don't march in step and I didn't speak with any of my colleagues," Reznik said. "Later I spoke with two of them who expressed shock that such a plaque had appeared." 'Significantly Better Under Stalin' The academy told RFE/RL that the plaque had been installed in keeping with a 1960 decree by the Soviet-era Council of Ministers of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) on the state protection of historical landmarks. "That act is still in effect and directly envisions the commemoration of this hall as a cultural monument of local significance that comes under official protection," the academy said in a written response to RFE/RL. Nikolai Artyomov, head of the labor union representing the workers and students of the academy, said he had been informed about the plaque in advance and supported the initiative. "I support the opinion of our president [Vladimir Putin] that there were different times and different leaders," Artyomov told RFE/RL. "Regarding the evil-doings that happened during that time, all of it has been ascribed to [Stalin]. But this is a contentious point, historians say. As far as this plaque goes, why not hang it? Yes, the leader of the country, Josef Stalin, was here. He was the leader for a long time. Our people associated his name with our victory in the Great Patriotic War." "And, yes, we have many people who to this day believe that life was significantly better under Stalin, more honest, more solid, and more correct," Artyomov concluded. An online petition calling for the plaque to be removed has picked up more than 6,000 signatures in four days. 'Excessive Demonization' On June 28, the prestigious Moscow Higher School of Economics issued a letter to the law academy expressing disdain about the plaque and saying it would not participate in any joint projects or events with the academy as long as the plaque remains in place. Although Russia this year is marking the 80th anniversary of the peak of Stalin's Great Terror in 1937, the dictator's reputation has been steadily on the rise since Putin took over the country in 2000. A poll released this week on whom Russians view as the most outstanding person in Russian history saw Stalin come in first place, with 38 percent. A similar poll in 1989 saw just 12 percent voting for Stalin. With 34 percent, Putin tied for second place in the latest poll alongside 19th-century poet Aleksandr Pushkin. In a recent interview program by U.S. filmmaker Oliver Stone, Putin said that the "excessive demonization" of Stalin "is one means of attacking the Soviet Union and Russia." Critics, Putin said, use Stalin's legacy "to show that today's Russia carries on itself some kind of birthmarks of Stalinism." Stalin ruled the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953 and was responsible for the deaths of some 15 million to 30 million through executions, labor camps, mass deportations, and avoidable famines. Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson based on reporting by Yelizaveta Mayetnaya from RFE/RL's Russian Service Ukraine says a Security Service (SBU) colonel was killed and three others injured when a car exploded in the Donetsk region on June 28. The SBU said in a statement that Yuriy Vozny was killed when the car he was traveling in with three others exploded in the Kostyantynivka district of a Ukrainian-controlled portion of the Donetsk region. Vozny's death came a day after Ukrainian Colonel Maksim Shapoval was killed by a car bomb in Kyiv. The three people injured in the June 28 blast were hospitalized with varying injuries. The SBU said that Vozny is the 23rd officer in the service to have been killed since fighting began in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff said on June 28 that its forces had killed two Russia-backed separatists in a clash in eastern Ukraine, including a Russian captain named Aleksandr Shcherbak. The general staff said it had also captured a Russian citizen in the same incident. The BBC's Russian Service identified the captive as Viktor Ageyev. Russia denies it has active soldiers fighting in Ukraine. More than 10,000 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine since early 2014. With reporting by AFP and Interfax Ukraines heavy reliance on Russian technology impairs its ability to adequately defend against cyberattacks such as the Petya virus ravaging computers around the world and has helped make the country ground zero on the front lines of the global cyberwar. The unprecedented June 27 attack started in Ukraine -- hitting government computer networks and websites of banks, major industrial enterprises, the postal service, Kyiv's international airport, and its subway system -- before spreading to other countries and international companies around the world. Ukraine bore the brunt with more than 60 percent of the attacks, with the virus even hitting radiation-monitoring systems at the shuttered Chernobyl power plant, site of the world's worst-ever civilian nuclear accident. Engineers were forced to use manual operating plans after the virus locked up its computer system. Analysts from Microsoft and the Slovakian-based cybersecurity company ESET both said the attack targeted M.E.Doc, a Ukrainian tax-accounting software company, before the ransomware quickly spread to at least 64 other countries. M.E.Doc first admitted its systems had been compromised, though it later denied being "patient zero" in the attack. 'A Test Bed For Attacks' While the source of the attack using the Petya virus is still not clear, it was not the first to originate in Ukraine and probably wont be the last to start there. Petya is a version of the WannaCry virus, which also used the EternalBlue exploit to infiltrate systems and shut down more than 200,000 computers in some 150 countries in May. The hackers that launched it demanded that users pay hundreds of dollars to regain access to their computer and not lose data. Ukraine "is considered a test bed for attacks on major infrastructure. Targets over the years include the national power grid, national railway system, one of their major stock exchanges, and Boryspil, Ukraine's busiest airport," said Ryan Brack, a senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs and the co-organizer of the Global Cybersecurity Summit (GCS) held in the Ukrainian capital earlier this month. Kyiv, which has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical energy infrastructure since Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, has blamed the Kremlin for previous cyberattacks, including one on its power grid at the end of 2015 that left part of western Ukraine temporarily without electricity. Ukraine has also seen a number of cyberattacks on private companies and government systems, while a number of hacked government documents have appeared on the Internet. Most notably, Russian hackers tried to influence Ukraines 2014 elections targeting voting infrastructure and using fake news reports to try to sway the outcome in what is widely seen as a precursor to tampering attempts in recent elections in the United States and France. Oleksandr Turchynov, the secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council, said there were signs of Russian involvement in the June 27 cyberattack, though he did not give any direct evidence. Several large Russian companies were also hit in the attack. Cyberattacks on Ukrainian infrastructure "should serve as a wake-up call for all those responsible for the security of critical systems around the world," according to Anton Cherepanov, a senior malware researcher at ESET. U.S. prosecutors have sought to block release of an Uzbek man held for more than five years in the United States while awaiting trial on charges of providing support to an extremist Islamist group. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver on June 27 asked a U.S. appeals court to halt the release of Jamshid Muhtorov four days after a lower court approved his release pending trial, which begins next year. Muhtorov, 40, argued that repeated delays in the case violated his right to a speedy trial, but prosecutors said he posed a flight risk. Muhtorov is accused of trying to smuggle smartphones and other electronic equipment to the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), a Pakistan-based extremist group that opposes secular rule in Uzbekistan and seeks to install a government based on Islamic law. He is not a U.S. citizen but has legal immigration status as a political refugee from Uzbekistan and lived in the Denver area. He was arrested in January 2012. A U.S. district court ruled last week that he already has spent as much time in jail as he is likely to face if he's found guilty on all charges. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and Denver Post WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. and European diplomats and other political experts are warning that Russian interference in European elections is continuing unabated and that both Washington and Brussels need to cooperate more closely on the issue. Speaking at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on June 28, Vesko Garcevic, a former Montenegrin ambassador to NATO, cited an attempted coup his country experienced in 2016. Garcevic said Russia was funding a pro-Russia political party in Serbia in an attempt to undermine Montenegros NATO membership bid. Nicholas Burns, a former senior U.S. State Department official, said Russia had targeted not only Montenegro but also recent and upcoming elections in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. Janis Sarts, who heads a NATO-funded think tank in Riga, said the recent French presidential election showed a better way to respond to Russian efforts at hacking or spreading misinformation. A nation that is aware it is under attack is far more resilient than a nation that is oblivious to that, he said. The Senate committee is one of several congressional panels investigating Russias interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Those efforts have been hampered partially by President Donald Trumps mixed messages about the U.S. intelligence communitys conclusions on the scope of the interference. [June 27, 2017] SpotMe Engagement Cloud Leads Queen Mary 2 on a Historic Race LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SpotMe becomes the first engagement platform to bring its own cloud on a thousand-participant event cruise across the Atlantic Ocean. This unique technology, with a seamless combination of hybrid cloud and on-premises servers, will power the SpotMe app and drive networking, collaboration, logistics and engagement, including live interactive sessions such as voting, word clouds, brainstorming, polling and Q&A. SpotMe has partnered with The Bridge 2017, an event celebrating the centenary of the landing of the American troops in France during the 1st World War. The event will take participants on a race from Saint-Nazaire to New York against the fastest trimarans in the world. With over 200 workshops and 500 sessions delivered by some of the world's leading speakers, the Bridge wanted to leverage an event app to keep participants informed, engaged and connected at all times. In the middle of the ocean, internet connections are very expensive, slow, and almost impossible to run at such a large scale. The Queen Mary 2, who will be leading this race, has no less than 13 decks, hosting 2,000 guests. "This is the perfect illustration of our hybrid cloud computing capabilities that offer dependable connectivity in the most extreme scenarios" comments Edouard Vincent, Program Manager at SpotMe. "The only way participants can interact fast and reliably with all of the session's registration, sessions, participants networking and over 8 gigabytes of documentaries and articles is by having our on-premises server installed at the heart of the ship's network. This allows participants to navigate through the app seamlessly from their mobile devices." The onboard, on-premises server is synchronizing with the cloud whenever backhaul connectivity is available, enabling interactions with remote participants. On Saturday, June 24, thousands of people gathered to witness history as the Queen Mary 2 took off to compete in this voyage celebrating the Franco-American friendship. Over the next six days, the Queen Mary 2 and her four multihulls opponents will face the challenges of the sea as they compete to be the first to arrive to New York, meanwhile the SpotMe cloud will also make history being the only engagement platform to operate seamlessly with its onboard, on-premises server. About SpotMe Click here to learn more on SpotMe About The Bridge 2017 Click here to learn more on The Bridge 2017 Contact: Alexandra Tamashiro [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spotme-engagement-cloud-leads-queen-mary-2-on-a-historic-race-300480766.html SOURCE SpotMe [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Scientists at UC Berkeley and UC Riverside have demonstrated a way to edit the genome of disease-carrying mosquitoes that brings us closer to suppressing them on a continental scale. The study used CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to insert and spread genes designed to suppress wild insects, while at the same time avoiding the resistance to these efforts that evolution would typically favor. The proof-of-concept study was demonstrated in fruit flies; but the researchers believe this technology could be used in mosquitoes to help fight malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases in the next decade, pending public and regulatory approval. "What we showed is that, if you disrupt a gene required for fertility in female mosquitoes at multiple sites all at once, it becomes much harder for the population to evolve around that disruption. As a result, you can suppress a much larger population. It's much the same as combination drug therapy; but for CRISPR-based gene drive," said John Marshall, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. The article was published recently in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, UC MEXUS and the Parker Foundation. The technology at the heart of the study is called a gene drive system, which manipulates how genetic traits are inherited from parent to offspring. Gene drives are used to bias genetic inheritance in favor of rapidly spreading, self-destructive genes, and could be an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to suppress populations of disease-spreading insects. The rise of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology (developed at UC Berkeley) has recently revolutionized gene drive systems because it offers a rapid, efficient and reliable way to make precise, targeted changes to the genome. The new study based its calculations on a gene drive that past studies found could result in up to 99 percent of offspring inheriting the inserted gene. Yet the few offspring that don't inherit the gene present a big problem for this technology. A fraction of these offspring are immune to the gene drive, so any attempt to eliminate a mosquito species in this manner would result in a rapid rebound of those that are gene drive-immune. The impact of this resistance on the ability of gene drive to spread and suppress populations had previously been discussed; but had not been thoroughly evaluated. Through mathematical modeling, the new study found this resistance would have a major impact on attempts to eliminate a mosquito species on a continent-wide scale. To address this issue, the research team devised a technique that they determined could potentially suppress mosquito species continent-wide. The new technique, called multiplexing, involves using one of the components of the CRISPR system, a guide RNA, to target multiple locations in a gene at once. Computer modeling by the research team suggests that the size of the population that could be suppressed increases exponentially with the number of these guide RNAs utilized. It also shows that with four or five multiplexed guide RNAs, a mosquito species could potentially be suppressed on a continental scale. "Knowing that we can potentially overcome the issues of resistance through careful engineering and multiplexing is huge," said co-corresponding author Omar Akbari, an assistant professor of entomology at UC Riverside. The researchers demonstrated the technology in fruit flies, an organism commonly used as a model in labs. Now they are working to adapt this technology to the mosquito species that transmit malaria, dengue and Zika. "The potential of multiplexing is vast. With one guide RNA, we could suppress a room of mosquitoes. With four, we could potentially suppress a continent and the diseases they transmit. But nature has a knack for finding a way around hurdles, so assessing that potential will require a lot more work," Marshall said. As the world faces a projected population increase from today's 7.5 billion people to 9 billion people by 2050, the demand for sustainable food sources is on the rise. The answer to this looming dilemma may well reside within the booming field of aquaculture. While wild fisheries have been on the decline for the last 20 years, aquaculture, or fish farming, is the fastest growing food-producing sector in the world, and will play an increasingly vital role in our planet's food resources in the years to come. One of the challenges to aquaculture is that reproduction, as an energy intensive endeavor, makes fish grow more slowly. To solve this problem, Prof. Berta Levavi-Sivan at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem identified tiny molecules named Neurokinin B (NKB) and Neurokinin F (NKF) that are secreted by the brains of fish and play a crucial role in their reproduction. Prof. Levavi-Sivan, a specialist in aquaculture at the Hebrew University's Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, then developed molecules that neutralize the effect of NKB and NKF. The molecules inhibited fish reproduction and consequently led to increased growth rates. Better Fish Growth, More Aquaculture Jobs These inhibitors can now be included in fish feed to ensure better growth rates. For example, young tilapia fed the inhibitors in their food supply for two months gained 25% more weight versus fish that did not receive the supplement. So far, NKB has been found in 20 different species of fish, indicating that this discovery could be effective in a wide variety of species. The technology developed by Prof. Levavi-Sivan and her team was licensed by Yissum, the Technology Transfer company of the Hebrew University, to start-up AquiNovo Ltd., established and operating within the framework of The Trendlines Group. AquiNovo is further developing the technology to generate growth enhancers for farmed fish. As the aquaculture industry obtains the tools to flourish, an increase in jobs is likely to follow. In Europe, aquaculture accounts for about 20% of fish production and directly employs some 85,000 people. The sector mainly benefits those living in coastal and rural areas, where jobs are most needed. 2017 Kaye innovation Award In recognition of her work, Prof. Berta Levavi-Sivan was awarded the Kaye Innovation Award for 2017. The Kaye Innovation Awards at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have been awarded annually since 1994. Isaac Kaye of England, a prominent industrialist in the pharmaceutical industry, established the awards to encourage faculty, staff and students of the Hebrew University to develop innovative methods and inventions with good commercial potential, which will benefit the university and society. For more information about the 2017 Kaye Innovations Awards, visit http://bit.ly/kaye2017. Prof. Berta Levavi-Sivan earned her BSc degree in life science and her MSc and PhD in zoology from Tel Aviv University. At the Hebrew University's Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, where her work focuses on fish reproduction and growth, she has published over 100 articles in refereed journals and has won several prizes for her findings. As a specialist in aquaculture, she has worked extensively in Uganda to combat depleted fish supplies in Lake Victoria. Recognising the complexity of cyber attacks and the multi-stakeholder nature of tackling cyber security are the key components of a new data-driven cyber security system being developed by experts led by the University of Nottingham. The aim is to support organisations of all sizes in maintaining adequate levels of cyber security through a semi-automatic, regularly updated, organisation-tailored security assessment of their digital infrastructures. The 1 million project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Cyber Security Centre (formerly CESG), will establish the foundations for a digital 'Online Cyber Security System' decision support service (OCYSS) which is designed to rapidly bring together information on system vulnerabilities and alert organisations which may be affected. The interdisciplinary project brings together academics in different areas of cyber security, information integration and decision making from the University of Nottingham, UK and Carnegie Mellon University, USA. They will be working closely with the UK's National Cyber Security Centre. Dr Christian Wagner, from the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham, who is currently also a visiting professor at Michigan Technological University, USA, is the lead academic. He said: "While the UK has access to some of the world's leading experts in cyber security, the scale and variety of systems in UK organisations, both public and private, make it extremely challenging to flag potential system threats in a timely fashion. This international collaborative project targets a novel approach to semi-automatically identify system vulnerabilities, thus greatly increasing the efficiency and capacity to respond to emerging threats." Also involved as co-investigators are Prof. Garibaldi, who has previously worked with the team at CESG on modelling expert decision making, and Prof. McAuley, who is Director of the Horizon Digital Economy Hub and has specific expertise in security and privacy research. The UK cyber security sector already has world-leading capabilities and is worth over 6 billion, employing 40,000 people. Cyber attacks are increasing in severity and sophistication and companies are struggling to recruit the expertise needed to defend their organisations. Cyber security underpinned with scientific expertise The system will be designed to directly address the acute shortage of availability and access to highly qualified cyber security experts by small-to-large scale organisations -- from government to industry. advertisement Dr Wagner notes: "The lack of sufficient access to highly trained and experienced cyber security experts is a key challenge for the UK. It prevents a range of users from establishing and maintaining continuously adequate levels of protection of their assets in a rapidly changing security landscape. We view this challenge as a multi-stakeholder problem because a number of human stakeholders, from users and IT managers, with varying levels of expertise, to cyber security and software providers, need to effectively communicate and work together in order to deliver systems with an appropriate level of cyber security assurance." This new, semi-automatic, data-driven approach is underpinned by novel research on integrating information from a number of different sources while managing discord and potential dependencies of individual components within systems. The aim is to enable systems which are capable of maximizing the utility of the available cyber security insights and to rapidly deliver user-tailored, up-to-date threat analysis and decision support to help organisations mitigate potential cyber attacks before they happen. Dr Travis Breaux, from the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, is supporting the project and is especially concerned about the challenge of system composability. Dr Breaux notes: "Increasingly, computer systems are built from hundreds, if not thousands, of hardware and software components that interact with one another. To improve security, system analysts must pay special attention to how these components interact, and they must place these interactions in the context of specific threats. The number of configurations and possible cyber threats is simply insurmountable for human analysts to effectively comprehend and evaluate on their own, which necessitates a semi-automated approach that can stay ahead of emerging technology. Our goal is to empower these analysts to comprehend a larger attack surface without being overwhelmed by increasingly complex systems." A system tailored to real-world cyber security challenges Expertise to assess the level of security of a particular IT system is not commonly available in one location. In addition, knowledge on vulnerabilities in systems develops rapidly, making it essential for organisations to maintain up-to-date awareness of their systems' potential exposure. The proposed approach is designed to capture and integrate security assessments, including associated uncertainty, from a number of sources, including government services such as the NCSC and third party security providers. The key challenge here is to develop ways to gather and model this often complex information effectively, while also dealing systematically with discord in the security assessments provided by individual sources. By building up a continuously evolving database of system vulnerabilities, the OCYSS framework is designed to provide organisations with an up-to-date threat assessment, incl. associated uncertainty, tailored to their specific systems, thus supporting them in their decision making on threat mitigation. A key aspect here is that the OCYSS approach is designed to avoid delays in threat detection and potential mitigation by providing a direct pathway for newly emerging vulnerabilities arising from individual system components or their interactions. Dr Wagner said: "Going beyond the scope of theoretical research and developing advances in data science and human computer interaction, the project will also deliver a functioning prototype of the OCYSS framework, enabling us to conduct an exceptional level of evaluation tailored to real-world cyber security challenges, working closely with our partners at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre. The idea is to deliver both internationally published novel science and re-usable open source software, thus facilitating the reproduction of results, as well as substantially boosting the potential of commercial up-take of the project outcomes." Scientists recently reconstructed the skin of endangered green turtles, marking the first time that skin of a non-mammal was successfully engineered in a laboratory, according to a recently published U.S. Geological Survey study . In turn, the scientists were able to grow a tumor-associated virus to better understand certain tumor diseases. In an international collaboration, scientists engineered turtle skin in order to grow a virus called chelonid herpesvirus 5, or ChHV5. ChHV5 is associated with fibropapillomatosis, known as FP, a tumor disease affecting green turtles worldwide but particularly those in Hawaii, Florida and Brazil. FP in turtles causes disfiguring tumors on the skin, eyes and mouth as well as internal tumors. The virus also harms turtles' immune systems, leading to secondary infections, emaciation and often death. Examining how ChHV5 grows in turtle skin brings researchers closer to fighting viral diseases that threaten imperiled species. "Fibropapillomatosis is the most common infectious disease affecting endangered green turtles," said Thierry Work, a USGS scientist and the lead author of the study. "Our findings provide a significant advancement in studying FP, and may eventually help scientists better understand other herpes virus-induced tumor diseases, including those of humans." The scientists used cells from tumors and normal skin from turtles to reconstruct the complex three-dimensional structure of turtle skin, allowing growth of ChHV5 in the lab. Growing the virus gave scientists an opportunity to observe virus replication in unprecedented detail, revealing bizarre systems such as sun-shaped virus replication centers where the viruses form within cells. Although the existence of ChHV5 has been known for more than 20 years, the inability to grow the virus in the laboratory hampered understanding of how it causes tumors and the development of blood tests to detect the virus. "Examining viruses within the complex three-dimensional structure of engineered skin is exciting, because virus replication in such a system is likely much closer to reality than traditional laboratory techniques," Work said. "This method could be a powerful tool for answering broader questions about virus-induced tumors in reptiles and herpes virus replication in general." The U.S Endangered Species Act and International Union for the Conservation of Nature list sea turtles as threatened or endangered throughout most of their range. Aside from disease, threats to green turtles include loss of nesting habitat, nest destruction and bycatch in commercial fisheries. Ask Siri to find a math tutor to help you "grasp" calculus and she's likely to respond that your request is beyond her abilities. That's because metaphors like "grasp" are difficult for Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant to, well, grasp. But new UC Berkeley research suggests that Siri and other digital helpers could someday learn the algorithms that humans have used for centuries to create and understand metaphorical language. Mapping 1,100 years of metaphoric English language, researchers at UC Berkeley and Lehigh University in Pennsylvania have detected patterns in how English speakers have added figurative word meanings to their vocabulary. The results, published in the journal Cognitive Psychology, demonstrate how throughout history humans have used language that originally described palpable experiences such as "grasping an object" to describe more intangible concepts such as "grasping an idea." "The use of concrete language to talk about abstract ideas may unlock mysteries about how we are able to communicate and conceptualize things we can never see or touch," said study senior author Mahesh Srinivasan, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. "Our results may also pave the way for future advances in artificial intelligence." The findings provide the first large-scale evidence that the creation of new metaphorical word meanings is systematic, researchers said. They can also inform efforts to design natural language processing systems like Siri to help them understand creativity in human language. advertisement "Although such systems are capable of understanding many words, they are often tripped up by creative uses of words that go beyond their existing, pre-programmed vocabularies," said study lead author Yang Xu, a postdoctoral researcher in linguistics and cognitive science at UC Berkeley. "This work brings opportunities toward modeling metaphorical words at a broad scale, ultimately allowing the construction of artificial intelligence systems that are capable of creating and comprehending metaphorical language," he added. Srinivasan and Xu conducted the study with Lehigh University psychology professor Barbara Malt. Using the Metaphor Map of English database, researchers examined more than 5,000 examples from the past millennium in which word meanings from one semantic domain, such as "water," were extended to another semantic domain, such as "mind." Researchers called the original semantic domain the "source domain" and the domain that the metaphorical meaning was extended to, the "target domain." More than 1,400 online participants were recruited to rate semantic domains such as "water" or "mind" according to the degree to which they were related to the external world (light, plants), animate things (humans, animals), or intense emotions (excitement, fear). advertisement These ratings were fed into computational models that the researchers had developed to predict which semantic domains had been the sources or targets of metaphorical extension. In comparing their computational predictions against the actual historical record provided by the Metaphor Map of English, researchers found that their models correctly forecast about 75 percent of recorded metaphorical language mappings over the past millennium. Furthermore, they found that the degree to which a domain is tied to experience in the external world, such as "grasping a rope," was the primary predictor of how a word would take on a new metaphorical meaning such as "grasping an idea." For example, time and again, researchers found that words associated with textiles, digestive organs, wetness, solidity and plants were more likely to provide sources for metaphorical extension, while mental and emotional states, such as excitement, pride and fear were more likely to be the targets of metaphorical extension. When you do something right, you can't learn anything from your success without a system in the brain for assigning credit to whatever action led to the desired outcome. Say, for instance, you've forgotten which of your 10 usual passwords logs you into a favorite website. When you finally enter the right one, your brain should have a mechanism for noting which one led to that success. You have such a mechanism, of course, and now a study in non-human primates is the first to directly pinpoint it at work in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The new findings in the Journal of Neuroscience not only add insight into how the brain works, but also could lead to improvements in the care of patients who suffer traumatic brain injuries that affect the area, said lead author Dr. Wael Asaad, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital. Positioned on the brain's surface behind the top of the forehead, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dPFC) is in a vulnerable place. The long-term impairments that can result from the traumatic brain injuries he treats in the operating room are what motivate Asaad's research, he says. "The frontal lobes are sites where you often find traumatic hemorrhages that lead to all kinds of problems in these people's lives in the future, and many of those problems have to do with poor decision making," said Asaad, who is affiliated with the Brown Institute for Brain Science. "Our hypothesis was that this part of the brain is responsible for trying to figure out why things happen the way they did and linking causes and effects so that you can make better choices in the future." A simple game The research team gathered its data more than six years ago at Massachusetts General Hospital. Two rhesus macaques performed a simple experimental game: figure out which image among four presented on a screen was the "correct" one to earn a rewarding sip of juice. The task was an exercise in credit assignment because to consistently get the juice, the subjects needed to recognize which image was the one that had led to the reward and would continue to in the future. In a control experiment, the researchers rewarded the subjects not for choosing a correct image, but instead for choosing a correct corner of the grid. advertisement As the macaques played the simple game thousands of times (the correct image or location would change every so often to produce the need for a new credit assignment), the researchers recorded the electrical spiking activity of hundreds of their individual neurons in the dPFC, which neuroscientists have debated as perhaps playing a role in credit assignment. If some dPFC neurons have that function, Asaad and his colleagues reasoned, then they should have to behave in four specific ways during the task. "If you lay out a list of criteria that the neural activity would need to conform to in order to solve credit assignment, these neurons fulfill all those criteria," Asaad said. First, for neurons to associate a cause (the correct image) with a desired effect (juice reward and green circle on the screen), their spiking activity should simultaneously represent the image and the successful outcome at the time the positive feedback was delivered. Using software called a decoder, researchers were able to isolate the unique neural spiking patterns associated with each image and with positive or negative feedback, the latter being simply the absence of juice and a red X symbol on the screen. Using this technique, they were able to see that the representation of the chosen image persisted in many neurons through the time when those same neurons also responded to the positive feedback, producing the required simultaneous representation. Another requirement was that neurons represent the correct image consistently over time, specifically when the picture was visible and when the outcome was revealed, even though by that time the picture had disappeared to make way for the green circle or the red X. Indeed, neurons that represented the images (via unique spiking patterns) did so consistently throughout the task, meaning the same neural code used to represent that picture could link cause and effect. advertisement Because credit assignment is a learning process, Asaad noted, there should be a greater degree and fidelity of neural activity across time when the learning was occurring than when it was well established and merely being reapplied. Again, the researchers saw just such a pattern. Early in each new credit assignment exercise, neural fidelity associated with the correct image and rewarding result was greater than it was when the macaques had become accustomed to selecting same correct image simply by habit. Finally, if the neurons were truly assigning credit for the reward to the correct cause, then in the control experiment where location was the cause rather than image, the representation of the now-irrelevant image shouldn't still appear at the time of feedback. Again that proved to be the case. While some neurons still showed activity when images were first presented, that increased activity did not reoccur simultaneously with reward when the right answer was grid position rather than image. "Together, these results are consistent with the notion that neurons in the dPFC provide the necessary, selective and stable representation of relevant features at the time of feedback to enable credit assignment," the researchers wrote in the journal. The study does not rule out that other brain regions are also involved, Asaad noted. Instead, credit assignment almost certainly does involve other regions. But the new evidence shows that the dPFC is a key player. Once a hip drug of the '70s and '80s party scene, cocaine is not only making a comeback, it's proving its staying power thanks to its potent allure. In fact, Drug Enforcement Administration officials say that traffickers are producing more cocaine now than at the height of the notorious era of the "cocaine cowboys" in the 1980s. According to Florida's Medical Examiner Commission, overdose deaths from cocaine are at their highest level in the state since 2007. From 2012 to 2015, cocaine deaths in Florida increased from 1,318 fatalities to 1,834 fatalities. Only fentanyl, a powerful synthetic painkiller, surpassed deaths from cocaine overdose in Florida. Nationally, more than 1 in 3 drug misuse or abuse-related emergency department visits (40 percent) involved cocaine. This highly addictive psychostimulant induces complex molecular, cellular and behavioral responses. Despite various approaches and years of pre-clinical studies, effective, mechanism-based therapies to assist with cocaine abuse and dependence are still sorely lacking. A team of neuroscientists led by Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of Florida Atlantic University's Brain Institute and a professor of biomedical science in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, have capitalized on a unique strain of genetically engineered or "designer" mice to tease apart key features of the complex actions of cocaine. Their findings, published in the current issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology, reinforce long-held suspicions that the brain chemical serotonin, a molecule typically associated with mood, appetite and libido, makes a direct contribution to the actions of cocaine. Although many are aware that elevations of the brain chemical dopamine play a critical role in cocaine's ability to produce a "high" -- feelings that trigger the spiral into addiction -- the actions of cocaine are far more complex. For example, cocaine also can elevate the levels of serotonin in the minute spaces around brain synapses by blocking the serotonin transporter, a "nanovacuum cleaner" normally involved in whisking serotonin away to limit its actions. Furthermore, drugs capable of blocking serotonin receptors can interfere with specific components of cocaine action. Because the contributions of dopamine to the actions of cocaine are so prominent, however, laboratories have been unable to establish unequivocally how much of cocaine's actions rely on serotonin and where in the brain the serotonin signal contributes most. Mouse to the rescue. Actually, first, fly to the rescue. "Several years ago, we found that the serotonin transporter expressed in the brains of fruit flies is only weakly inhibited by cocaine," said Blakely. "We traced this reduced sensitivity to a single amino acid difference among the more than 600 amino acids that comprise fly and mammalian serotonin transporters." When Blakely's team spliced the DNA sequence that encodes the relevant fly amino acid into the mouse serotonin transporter gene, the mice now made a transporter that was 80 times less sensitive to cocaine, while allowing the transporter to function completely normally. Blakely, who cloned the gene that makes the serotonin transporter more than 25 years ago, then set out to examine what actions of cocaine were retained in the mice and what was altered. Blakely's team, led by postdoctoral fellow Linda Simmler, Ph.D., found that the stimulant actions of cocaine were preserved in the genetically-modified mice, consistent with these actions being driven by dopamine elevations. Interestingly, however, cocaine caused mice to move more around the perimeter of test chambers rather than crossing into the brightly lit center of the chamber like normal animals do on the drug. Scientists often interpret this perimeter-hugging activity, known as thigmotaxis, as a sign of anxiety, suggesting that the normal serotonin rise may add positively to the "agreeable" nature of the drug, although Blakely cautions that other explanations are plausible. Indeed, when the mutant mice were chronically administered cocaine, they actually spent more time in the side of a chamber where cocaine would be delivered. "These findings support the idea that serotonin signaling, long term, can reduce the ability of the brain to link cocaine actions to environmental cues," said Blakely. In neuroanatomical studies, Blakely's team then quantified proteins whose levels change with neuronal activation to identify specific brain regions that might support the serotonin-dependent actions of cocaine, and the result was that the role of serotonin in cocaine action is pronounced in specific brain areas, like areas of the frontal cortex associated with inhibitory control mechanisms, while less relevant in other areas. Finally, the team identified a network of genes in these regions that exhibit changes in expression when the normal boost from serotonin is lacking, and these changes depended on how long the drug was given. "Scientists can now clearly see details of how the brain uses serotonin not just to regulate mood, but also to drive both rapid and long-lasting changes in the brain. We suspect that these changes may contribute to the brain modifications that ultimately trap users in an addicted state," said Blakely. "The development of effective treatment strategies requires a holistic understanding of drug actions, and now we can see much more clearly the serotonin-side of cocaine action. We hope that our findings will stimulate research into serotonin-based therapies to treat addiction as new treatments are desperately needed." Taking a low-dose aspirin before bed can reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, which can cause premature birth and, in extreme cases, maternal and fetal death. A trial, led by Professor Kypros Nicolaides, Professor of Fetal Medicine at King's College London, Dr Liona Poon of King's College, London with Professor David Wright of the University of Exeter, found that administering low-dose aspirin (150 mg) led to a 62% reduction in the rate of pre-term preeclampsia, resulting in delivery before 37 weeks. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found an 82% reduction in the rate of early preeclampsia, resulting in delivery before 34 weeks. The double blind, placebo-controlled trail of 1776 women at high risk for pre-term preeclampsia found a lower incidence of developing the disease in women taking aspirin than those taking a placebo. Pre-term preeclampsia occurred in 13 participants (1.6%) in the aspirin group, compared to 35 (4.3%) in the placebo group. The pregnant women were given a dose of 150mg per day from between 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy up until 36 weeks. The results prompted calls for low-dose aspirin to be routinely prescribed to women at risk of the disease. advertisement Professor Nicolaides, Director of Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine at King's College London and Chairman of the Fetal Medicine Foundation, said the results of the trial offered 'definitive proof' of the effect of aspirin. "This extensive study is definitive proof that women can take simple measures in the first trimester of pregnancy to significantly reduce their chances of developing pre-term preeclampsia." Professor David Wright, Professor of Medical Statistics at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Over the last ten years, we have developed new methods for assessing the risk of pre-eclampsia. We have applied these to identify women for inclusion in the ASPRE trial. The results show that aspirin can prevent preeclampsia in high risk pregnancies. I hope that they will alter clinical practice and improve pregnancy outcomes for mothers and their babies." Pre-eclampsia causes the flow of blood through the placenta to be reduced, restricting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus which could restrict growth. advertisement A family history of the condition, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease increases the probability of developing the condition. Severe pre-eclampsia can develop in around 2 per cent of pregnancies, with mild pre-eclampsia in up to 6 per cent of women. The risk of complications is considerably higher when the disease is severe and develops early on in the pregnancy. It can lead to premature birth and, in extreme cases, death of both mother and baby. The results of the study will be announced at the 16th FMF World Congress in Fetal Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia on June 28, 2017. It is the latest in a series of trials which have demonstrated the positive impact of taking low-dose aspirin. An analysis of more than 30 trials investigating the benefit of a dose of 50 to 150 mg of aspirin per day for the prevention of preeclampsia showed that such therapy resulted in a 10% lower incidence of preeclampsia. An analysis of individual participant data from the trials, the effect of aspirin was not affected by the stage in the pregnancy it was introduced. But other analyses have shown that aspirin started at or before 16 weeks of gestation resulted in halving the rates of preeclampsia, fetal-growth restriction, and perinatal death, whereas aspirin started after 16 weeks of gestation did not have a significant benefit. The World Health Organization already recommends low-dose aspirin for the prevention of pre-eclampsia in women at high risk and recommends it be started before 20 weeks of pregnancy. In the United States, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends the use of aspirin in women with a history of pre-eclampsia in more than one pregnancy or a history of pre-eclampsia resulting in delivery before 34 weeks of gestation. The Combined Multimarker Screening and Randomized Patient Treatment with Aspirin for Evidence-Based Pre-eclampsia Prevention (ASPRE) trial was conducted at 13 maternity hospitals in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece, and Israel. All women who had a routine prenatal visit in the participating hospitals were offered screening for pre-eclampsia combining maternal factors, such as weight, family history, medical history including diabetes, mean arterial pressure, uterine-artery pulsatility index, and maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and placental growth factor. Pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are leading causes of maternal and infant illness and death globally. Such disorders are estimated to cause 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year, according to the Pre-eclampsia Foundation. Pre-eclampsia is usually characterised by a sudden increase in blood pressure and protein in the urine, which can occur after the 20th week of pregnancy and often results in pre-term birth. It can lead to convulsions (eclampsia), renal or liver failure, cardiac, pulmonary and other maternal health complications. Preeclampsia, especially before 37 weeks, often contributes to health complications for the baby including growth restriction, developmental delays due to their prematurity, or even death. The results of the study will be announced at the 16th FMF World Congress in Fetal Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia on June 28, 2017. Imagine walking from one side of a swimming pool to the other. Each step takes great effort -- that's what makes water aerobics such effective physical exercise. The resistance you feel is caused by fluid friction -- or drag -- and it is the same force that acts upon boats and other objects as they move through water. However, seafaring vessels have evolved into shapes aimed at minimizing drag, and ships are designed with powerful engines that overcome drag to propel them faster and more smoothly across the ocean. More recently, super hydrophobic surfaces (SHS) have caught the attention of scientists who see their potential for reducing fluid friction. But as UC Santa Barbara mechanical engineering professor Paolo Luzzatto-Fegiz noted, while the basic theory of these surfaces is sound, their real-world performance leaves much to be desired. According to Luzzatto-Fegiz, an expert in fluid dynamics, SHS combine water-repelling chemistry with micro-scale patterning in a way that essentially reduces the surface contact with water. However, they have proved to be unreliable at best, often functioning erratically or not working at all. And now, in research highlighted in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Luzzatto-Fegiz and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge and the University of Manchester have identified a key reason why. Theoretically, super hydrophobic surfaces are effective because they contain tiny air pockets. Air is much less viscous than water, Luzzatto-Fegiz noted, so decreasing the amount of water that comes in contact with the surface will decrease the resulting drag. advertisement The benefits of reducing drag bear directly on fuel economy: The less fluid friction a ship experiences, the less fuel is necessary to overcome drag. And because drag increases with speed, the faster the ship moves the more fuel it requires to counteract the resulting resistance. However, in testing the hypothesis, which could, in theory, show a significant reduction in drag, results by other researchers often found no reduction at all, and in some cases, demonstrated a slightly worse performance. This was the problem that had the scientists scratching their heads -- until it occurred to Luzzatto-Fegiz that surfactants could be to blame. While researchers before him had identified this possibility, he and his team were the first to demonstrate the concept. According to numerical simulations and tightly controlled experiments, Luzzatto-Fegiz, et al, found that even tiny trace amounts of surfactants -- compounds that reduce surface tension, such as soap -- were enough to cause an imbalance in the flow of water along its interface with the surface, resulting in drag. Mystery solved. But can the problem be fixed? "The key idea is that no liquid is pure," Luzzatto-Fegiz said. Oceans and rivers contain multitudes of natural and human-made surfactants. But it may be possible to design a way out of the problem by changing the patterning of the SHS, he said. For example, by creating longer grooves in the patterning aligned with the flow of water, the surfactant buildup that prevents the reduction of drag on the surface accumulates farther down the line of the interface, reducing some of the drag. The results of this experiment could provide valuable knowledge to those who design oceangoing vessels with an eye toward fuel efficiency. Especially in the shadow of impending regulations that will require the global fleet of merchant ships to purchase more expensive but cleaner burning fuel, reducing drag could go a long way toward keeping costs down for ships that ply the world's oceans, as well as reduce the polluting byproducts of burning fossil fuels. [June 28, 2017] Cubic Telecom, China Mobile, and Valid Join Forces to Deliver LTE Connectivity Enablement to Global IoT Device Manufacturers in China SHANGHAI, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies to Showcase eSIM Solution at Mobile World Congress Shanghai Cubic Telecom, a global connectivity solutions provider for leading automotive, PC and mobile brands, China Mobile, the leading telecommunications provider in China, and Valid, the innovative eSIM solution provider today announced their partnership to deliver LTE Connectivity Enablement to global IoT customers in China. This partnership provides eSIM technology, making LTE connectivity and subscription management easier for IoT device makers. The companies will showcase this industry-first during Mobile World Congress Shanghai, which takes place on June 28-30th in Shanghai, China. The partnership leverages Cubic Telecom's IoT Connectivity Platform paired with China Mobile's powerful Connected Car platform - both of which use advanced, GSMA-compliant subscription management solutions from Valid and China Mobile. The companies have successfully tested and demonstrated a fully compliant subscription management swap procedure in China between their respective systems. This critical milestone was achieved in an interoperable multi-vendor environment. "The relationship with our companies simplifies, strengthens and propels the LTE connectivity ecosystem throughout China, and this industry-first capability holds the potential to benefit all IoT OEMs," said Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom. "This provides a unique eSIM product reference that can now be localized in China according to both global industry standard and to local requirements." As a result of today's announcement, IoT device makers and service providers can use Cubic Telecom's global eSIM and global subscription management service to securely enable China Mobile LTE connectivity for their telematics and infotainment devices in China. "We are pleased to partner with Cubic and Valid in this important industry initiative. The integration of eSIM platforms paves the way for accelerated innovation across the China Mobile network," said Weibing, Deputy General Manager of China Mobile Governent and Enterprise Service Company. "Through this partnership, we are enabling a truly unique experience and technology that drives seamless connectivity, with affordable and flexible rates for data, voice and SMS." "It is a real pleasure for Valid to partner with Cubic Telecom and China Mobile. Together, we have achieved a major industry milestone proving once again the leadership and industry expertise of the involved parties. The integration between Cubic Telecom's IoT unique service platform, Valid eUICC & Subscription Management technology, and, best-in-class China Mobile LTE Network will enable IoT OEMs, device makers and service providers to embrace a seamless connectivity experience in China" said Carlos Affonso D'Aburquerque, CEO of Valid. To schedule a meeting with Cubic Telecom and China Mobile during Mobile World Congress Shanghai, please contact Rebecca Kufrin at (952) 746-1309 or [email protected]. About Cubic Telecom Cubic Telecom is a global connectivity platform company that offers flexible mobility solutions that power connectivity for leading Internet of things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M) and mobile device companies across the globe. Providing connectivity in over 180 countries; the most robust network, device and retail partnerships worldwide; and flexible over-the-air (OTA) device management; Cubic Telecom enables global scalability with local connectivity anytime, anywhere. Based in Dublin, Ireland, Cubic Telecom's partners and customers include some of the world's leading Fortune 100 tablet and notebook manufacturers, retailers, and M2M and automotive companies. The company was founded in 2006 and is privately held, having raised more than $37 million in strategic investments from Audi, Qualcomm, and others. For more information, visit http://www.cubictelecom.com. About China Mobile China Mobile is a world-leading mobile communications service provider with the largest mobile subscriber and the largest mobile communications network globally. As of May 2017, China Mobile had a total of 2.6 million base stations, 863 million mobile subscribers. The IoT business also witnessed notable growth with the number of connections exceeding 100 million. China Mobile has been listed among the "Fortune Global 500" for many consecutive years, and in 2016 it ranked the 55th. China Mobile continues to work with stakeholders to jointly create a shared digital society benefiting the most people. Meanwhile, China Mobile is also willing to contribute to the sustainable development goals of the United Nations with hard work and practice, forge ahead with determination and untiringly strive for our common bright future. About Valid Valid (BM&FBOVESPA: VLID3 ON), is a global technology provider for identification, data, mobile and financial markets. Headquartered in Brazil, the company delivers and operates integrated and personalized secure solutions to governmental and privately owned organizations around the world, for mobile networks connectivity, financial transactions, digital signature, personal identification and secured data management. With a versatile community of 7,000 employees, and a market value of approximately R$ 1.6 billion (US$ 506 million), Valid has accompanied and supported its customers throughout major technological evolutions over its 60th years of existence. To learn more, please visit http://www.valid.com. Media Contacts Rebecca Kufrin Skyya for Cubic Telecom http://www.skyya.com ph: (952)746-1309 [email protected] Marisol Fernandez for Valid ph: +34-690-24-33-75 [email protected] SOURCE VALID [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Stem cell research holds huge potential for medicine and human health. In particular, human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), with their ability to turn into any cell in the human body, are essential to the future prevention and treatment of disease. One set or two? Diploid versus haploid cells Most of the cells in our body are diploid, which means they carry two sets of chromosomes -- one from each parent. Until now, scientists have only succeeded in creating haploid embryonic stem cells -- which contain a single set of chromosomes -- in non-human mammals such as mice, rats and monkeys. However, scientists have long sought to isolate and replicate these haploid ESCs in humans, which would allow them to work with one set of human chromosomes as opposed to a mixture from both parents. This milestone was finally reached when Ido Sagi, working as a PhD student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Azrieli Center for Stem Cells and Genetic Research, led research that yielded the first successful isolation and maintenance of haploid embryonic stem cells in humans. Unlike in mice, these haploid stem cells were able to differentiate into many other cell types, such as brain, heart and pancreas, while retaining a single set of chromosomes. With Prof. Nissim Benvenisty, Director of the Azrieli Center, Sagi showed that this new human stem cell type will play an important role in human genetic and medical research. It will aid our understanding of human development -- for example, why we reproduce sexually instead of from a single parent. It will make genetic screening easier and more precise, by allowing the examination of single sets of chromosomes. And it is already enabling the study of resistance to chemotherapy drugs, with implications for cancer therapy. Diagnostic kits for personalized medicine Based on this research, Yissum, the Technology Transfer arm of the Hebrew University, launched the company New Stem, which is developing a diagnostic kit for predicting resistance to chemotherapy treatments. By amassing a broad library of human pluripotent stem cells with different mutations and genetic makeups, NewStem plans to develop diagnostic kits for personalized medication and future therapeutic and reproductive products. 2017 Kaye innovation Award In recognition of his work, Ido Sagi was awarded the Kaye Innovation Award for 2017. The Kaye Innovation Awards at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have been awarded annually since 1994. Isaac Kaye of England, a prominent industrialist in the pharmaceutical industry, established the awards to encourage faculty, staff and students of the Hebrew University to develop innovative methods and inventions with good commercial potential, which will benefit the university and society. Ido Sagi received BSc summa cum laude in Life Sciences from the Hebrew University, and currently pursues a PhD at the laboratory of Prof. Nissim Benvenisty at the university's Department of Genetics in the Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences. He is a fellow of the Adams Fellowship of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and has recently received the Rappaport Prize for Excellence in Biomedical Research. Sagi's research focuses on studying genetic and epigenetic phenomena in human pluripotent stem cells, and his work has been published in leading scientific journals, including Nature, Nature Genetics and Cell Stem Cell. Page Content Delaware's passage of H.B. 1 adds to a growing wave of laws banning salary history inquiries. Similar restrictions have been enacted recently in Massachusetts, New York City, Philadelphia, and, most recently, Oregon. On June 14, Delaware Gov. John Carney signed into law H.B. 1, banning employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. The law is set to take effect in December 2017, six months from its passage. Delaware is not the first state to pass a salary history ban law, but it is set to become the first state to enact such changes into law. Prohibited Activities H.B. 1 makes it unlawful for a Delaware employer to seek the pay history of applicants before making employment offers. The employer is prohibited from asking for this information from both the job applicant and his or her current or former employer. In addition, employers are no longer permitted to engage in salary-based screening of job applicants, where prior compensation must satisfy certain minimum or maximum criteria. Notably, employers are not prohibited from discussing and negotiating salary expectations, so long as the employer avoids asking for the applicant's compensation history. After an employment offer has been made and accepted and compensation terms have been spelled out, H.B. 1 allows for the confirmation of salary history information. Part of a Growing Trend Delaware's passage of H.B. 1 adds to a growing wave of laws banning salary history inquiries. Similar restrictions have been enacted recently in Massachusetts, New York City, Philadelphia, and, most recently, Oregon. Massachusetts was the first state to pass such a measure in August 2016. However, the law does not go into effect until 2018. Similarly, Oregon's Equal Pay Act, which restricts questions on salary history, was signed into law on June 1, 2017, but employers cannot be sued for violating the pay history provisions until Jan. 1, 2019. Philadelphia was the first major U.S. city to pass such an ordinance. Philadelphia's pay history ban was slated to take effect on May 23, but due to a legal challenge by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, the city delayed enforcement in light of the litigation. On June 13, the Chamber filed an amended request for an injunction that would block the ordinance. Besides in Philadelphia, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law a ban on salary history questions on May 4, which is set to take effect on Oct. 31. On March 8, Puerto Rico passed the Puerto Rico Equal Pay Act, which includes provisions that prohibit employers from asking about an applicant's salary history. The penalty provisions of the act will not be effective until March 8, 2018. A number of other states have provisions related to pay history as well. In California, for example, employers are prohibited from pointing to an employees' prior salary, by itself, to justify a disparity in compensation. What This Means for Employers From a practical perspective, Delaware employers should review their hiring practices to ensure that they are in compliance with H.B. 1 and that all employees and agents involved in hiring understand their obligations. Republished with permission. 2016 Duane Morris. All rights reserved. Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal. Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Astrophotographer Hunter Davis captured this view of the Milky Way and southern lights at the South Pole. Like the inside of a child's iridescent summer bubble wand, the aurora australis also known as the southern lights and the Milky Way bend across the sky in a stunning display of sapphire blue and fuchsia pink. Astrophotographer Hunter Davis captured two images of our galaxy's band of neighboring stars sharing the sky with the southern lights. They were taken in Antarctica, just over a relay station at the South Pole before the winter solstice, Davis said. The snow that blankets the base of the photos accentuates the brightness of the lights in the sky. "I've been working and living at the South Pole station since Oct. 30th 2016, and will finally leave for home in early November," Davis told Space.com in an email. "The night sky down here is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen." "With the solstice coming up and marking the half point through winter, it's kind of sad to think we will lose this beautiful night sky soon," astrophotographer Hunter Davis told Space.com. Come early August, the sun will once again appear on the horizon at his location in Antarctica. (Image credit: Hunter Davis Magnetized plasma particles are often released from stormy sunspot regions on the sun's surface and travel into space as solar wind. After coming toward us in what is roughly a 40-hour journey, the particles meet Earth's upper atmosphere to create a magical display of southern lights. Most people in North America are more familiar with the term for this hemisphere's counterpart, the aurora borealis, than they are with the aurora australis. The stormy, smoldering birth of the solar wind might surprise admirers who are only familiar with the majestic, seemingly peaceful auroras that appears in the skies of each hemisphere. The grandeur of the aurora australis is highlighted further with the Milky Way visibly shining behind it. The galaxy has a diameter of 100,000 light-years, so one can only imagine the colorful variety of aurora shows that could be playing out on other worlds with the Milky Way backdrop. Hunter Davis captured these images with a Canon 6D camera and Nikon 14-24-mm lens. Editor's note: If you capture an amazing photo of the night sky and you'd like to share it with us and our partners for a story or image gallery, send images and comments in to managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com. Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. [June 28, 2017] Volkswagen Upgrades Cloud Foundry Foundation Membership to Gold SAN FRANCISCO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Volkswagen Group today announced it has upgraded its membership status in Cloud Foundry Foundation, home of the industry-standard platform for cloud applications, from Silver to Gold. Volkswagen joins the ranks of Foundation Gold members alongside Google, Ford, Allianz, Swisscom and GE. As a Gold member, Volkswagen now has the opportunity to nominate a candidate for one of the two designated Gold seats on the Cloud Foundry Board of Directors. "Silver membership in Cloud Foundry Foundation has been a great benefit to Volkswagen adopting Cloud Foundry as its multi-cloud platform," said Dr. Roy Sauer, head of Volkswagen Group IT Architecture and Technology. "With Gold, we can take an even greater leadership role with the Technology Advisory Board and perhaps even the Board of Directorsensuring Cloud Foundry's reliability across multi-cloud environments." Cloud Foundry is an open source technology backed by the largest technology companies in the world, including Cisco, Dell/EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Google, IBM, Pivotal, SAP and SUSE, and is being used by leaders in manufacturing, telecommunications and financial services. Only Cloud Foundry delivers the velocity needed to continuously deliver apps at the speed of business. Cloud Foundry's container-based architecture runs apps n any language on your choice of cloud Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, OpenStack, VMware vSphere, SoftLayer and more. With a robust services ecosystem and simple integration with existing technologies, Cloud Foundry is the modern standard for mission critical apps for global organizations. "Volkswagen continues to revolutionize the way vehicles are built, distributed, and sold, relying on Cloud Foundry to run workloads on multiple clouds for flexibility, efficiency, and agility," said Abby Kearns, Executive Director, Cloud Foundry Foundation. "Volkswagen has been an active member of the Cloud Foundry Foundation to date. Elevating its membership to Gold will give the team a greater opportunity to be a leader in our community." About Volkswagen The Volkswagen Group comprises twelve brands from seven European countries: Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, SKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN. In addition, the Group offers a wide range of financial services, including dealer and customer financing, leasing, banking and insurance activities, and fleet management. In 2016, more than 610.000 employees produced some 10.4 million vehicles in 120 production plants all over the world. See more on http://www.volkswagenag.com. About Cloud Foundry Foundation The Cloud Foundry Foundation is an independent non-profit organization formed to sustain the development, promotion and adoption of Cloud Foundry as the industry standard platform for cloud applications. Cloud Foundry makes it faster and easier to build, test, deploy and scale applications. Cloud Foundry is an Apache 2.0 licensed project available on Github:https://github.com/cloudfoundry. To learn more, visit: http://www.cloudfoundry.org. CONTACT INFORMATION Cloud Foundry Foundation: Jessica Rampen [email protected] 650-787-3548 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/volkswagen-upgrades-cloud-foundry-foundation-membership-to-gold-300480649.html SOURCE Cloud Foundry Foundation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Hinode spacecraft captured this stunning image of the maximum solar eclipse on May 20, 2012, which darkened the sky in parts of the Western United States and Southeast Asia, according to NASA. If the sun were just a little bit bigger or the moon a bit farther away, total solar eclipses may never occur. But they do, and it turns out this celestial phenomenon that has changed human history, and our perspective of the universe, may be a sheer coincidence. Total solar eclipses, when the moon nearly perfectly covers the sun, have fascinated humans since at least the time of the earliest civilizations. Some of the very oldest historical records, written on clay tablets in Babylonia around 2,500 years ago, are devoted to observations of eclipses. Astronomers at the time interpreted the events as omens of disaster, while folktales around the world typically explained eclipses as a conflict between the sun and a devouring celestial dragon, wolf or rat. A few solar eclipses have even changed human history for instance, by affecting the outcome of a pivotal ancient battle, or by inspiring scientists as they unlocked the secrets of humanity's place in the universe. That's a lot of responsibility for a phenomenon that astronomers sometimes describe as "a celestial coincidence." After all, that's what a total solar eclipse really is: a total coincidence. "The [diameter of the] moon is almost exactly 400 [times] smaller than the sun's diameter, and the sun is almost exact 400 times further away than the moon," said Mark Gallaway, an astronomer at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. "The consequence of this is that the angular diameter, or the size we see, of the sun and the moon in the sky are almost exactly the same. [The 8 Most Famous Solar Eclipses in History] Such a nearly perfect match wasnt always the case, however. Because the distance between the moon and the Earth is slowly changing, solar eclipses looked very different millions of years ago and they will again, tens of millions of years in the future. "It's a beautiful coincidence life has been on Earth for about 400 million years, and we're living in this little window of time where this is happening, which is pretty amazing," Gallaway told Live Science. Celestial coincidence In short, it's simply an accident of geometry that the apparent disk of the moon is almost exactly the size of the apparent disk of the sun, said astronomer Caleb Scharf, director of the Astrobiology Center at Columbia University in New York City. "When we start out by calling it a coincidence that the disk of the moon and sun appear to be very similar in size, we're setting up a puzzle where one probably doesn't exist," Scharf told Live Science. "The 'coincidence' is not so very great it is approximate and it varies depending on the timing of the eclipse and the lunar orbit." Gallaway added that just as the Earth orbits the sun in an elliptical path, not circular, the moon's orbit of the Earth is also elliptical, differing by around 6 percent from a perfect circle. As a result, the changing distance between the Earth and the moon can make a big difference in the appearance of each eclipse seen from the Earth's surface, he said. "When the moon is at its furthest, we will get what's called an annular eclipse," Gallaway said, which is an effect also known as "the ring of fire," when the apparent size of the moon is slightly smaller and the solar disk is visible around the moon's edge. In addition, the moon is very slowly moving farther away from Earth, an effect caused by the bulge of the Earth's ocean tides slowly dragging the moon into a slightly faster and higher orbit. (The same mechanism is causing Earth's rotation to slow down, making the days longer by a very small fraction of a second each year.) "At the moment, the moon is slowly moving away from the Earth at about the rate your finger nails grow," Galloway said, "so in a few tens of millions of years, we will stop having eclipses like this." [Sun Shots: Amazing Eclipse Images] Astronomy for dinosaurs Solar eclipses would also have looked very different in the distant past, when the moon was much closer to Earth and appeared much larger, Gallaway said. (Though perhaps at that time, only dinosaurs would have been around to see it.) "The moon would have completely covered the sun [at totality of the eclipse], so we wouldn't get all these weird effects like Baily's beads and the diamond ring effect," he said. Baily's beads are points of light sometimes seen when the sun reappears from behind the moon. Sunlight flooding through lunar mountains and valleys causes the phenomenon. The diamond ring is a similar effect but on a much larger scale, occurring when light from the emerging sun flares out along one side of the moon's disk, Gallaway said. Although some solar eclipses have played an important role in science, such as the 1919 eclipse that helped verify Einstein's theory of general relativity, these celestial events don't always hold much scientific interest today, he said. "Eclipses are one of the most well-examined things in science. We know how they work, and to be honest, we're just going out there because we like to see eclipses," Gallaway said. A few eclipse-related phenomena here on Earth are not fully understood, however, he said. "Weird things happen with shadows, for instance. They look striped during eclipses, which could be because the sun is no longer a point source and everything is effectively illuminated by a circle," Gallaway said. Scientists have also carried out experiments to determine if the perceived drop in temperature reported by many eclipse observers is real or a psychological effect, he added. "The fact that birds stop singing that's also very odd. And the air is reported to go a purple color, possibly because this is a type of lighting source that we've never experienced before," Galloway said. The human eclipse Still, the human experience of eclipses is of special interest to Kate Russo, a psychologist and author who has written three books on the topic. Her latest book, "Being in the Shadow: Stories of the First-Time Total Eclipse Experience" (Being in the Shadow, 2017), was released earlier this month. "A total solar eclipse is unlike any other astronomical event changes happen above you, around you and within you," Russo told Live Science in an email. "Totality occurs because of the coincidence in scale, allowing the moon to fully block the sun. But what makes totality so special is how immersive the experience is. It is otherworldly and awe-inspiring on a scale never seen before. You don't 'see' a total eclipse. You 'experience' it," Russo said. REMEMBER: Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Our sister site Space.com has a complete guide for how to view an eclipse safely. Original article on Live Science. The remote sensing mast on NASA Mars rover Curiosity holds two science instruments for studying the rover surroundings and two stereo navigation cameras for use in driving the rover and planning rover activities. The Curiosity Mars Rover is now smart enough to pick its own targets for exploration, according to a new study. The secret to Curiosity's better brain was a software update sent from the ground in October 2015, called the Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science (AEGIS). This was the first time artificial intelligence had been tried on a remote probe, and the results have shown that similar AI techniques could be applied to future missions, according to the NASA scientists working on the project. AEGIS allows the rover to be "trained" to identify rocks with certain characteristics that scientists on the ground want to investigate. This is valuable because Curiosity's human controllers can't be in direct contact with the rover all the time. Instead of waiting for instructions to "go there and sample that piece of rock," Curiosity can now look for targets even when it isn't in contact with its human controllers, according to a new study that describes Curiosity's use of the software. [Amazing Mars Rover Curiosity's Latest Photos] "We can't be in constant contact with the rover Mars rotates and when [Curiosity is] on the far side we can't get in touch with it," Raymond Francis, lead system engineer for the deployment of AEGIS, told Space.com. According to the study, once the AEGIS system was deployed, it was used 54 times between May 13, 2016, and April 7, 2017. Without intelligent targeting, Curiosity could be expected to hit a target the scientists were interested in about 24 percent of the time; with AEGIS, the rover managed 93 percent, according to the study. Even when the rover is in contact, the signals from Earth to Mars take time to get there and back. In May 2016, Mars was the closest it had been to Earth in 11 years 46.8 million miles. A radio signal would take just over 4 minutes to get there and four more to get back. So if there is something planetary scientists want a closer look at, it can take a while to send the commands. Idle time is often lost science time for the rover mission, and because sending a robot to Mars is expensive and difficult, it's not ideal. A few hours hanging around each day may not seem like much, but it adds up over the course of an entire mission. With AEGIS, the rover could drive to a location, choose targets for investigation and gather data while it waits for radio contact with Earth again. That means Earth-bound scientists are free to choose a new target once they re-establish contact with the rover. For the study, the NASA team trained Curiosity, with the AEGIS software, to analyze bedrock in a feature called the Murray formation after each drive. The Murray formation is a rocky outcrop with characteristic bands of mudstone, possibly laid down by lakes of liquid water. One question the scientists wanted to answer was whether the chemical composition of the Murray formation changed over time, because that could reveal changes in the water chemistry, divulging more about the history of water on Mars. Examples of AEGIS target selection, collected from Martian day 1400 to 1660. Targets outlined in blue were rejected; those outlined in red were retained. Top-ranked targets are shaded green, and second-ranked targets are shaded orange. (Image credit: Francis et al., Science Robotics) This analysis of the Murray formation required taking many samples of the mudstone, but doing them would take time away from other experiments and observations. With AEGIS, Curiosity took care of these repetitive observations when it was out of touch with Earth, and researchers would not be using it for more advanced tasks. One could use AEGIS to train Curiosity to look for other types of rock, Francis said. The AEGIS system works by using two of the rover's cameras, the Chemistry and Camera instrument (ChemCam) and the navigation cameras. The software uses images captured by the cameras, and tries to recognize edges of objects in the frame, and looks for edges that connect to create a "loop." "If you find edges that close into a loop you've found an object and on Mars that's usually a rock," Francis said. AEGIS can also look at the relative brightness of the various objects in the frame (the navigation cameras don't have color vision). The combination of edges and brightness allows AEGIS to identify objects. The science team will have criteria for what kinds of things count as interesting for example, brightly colored bedrock and the rover can then use the cameras to "choose" a target. The ChemCam can then use a powerful instrument called a laser spectrometer that uses light to find out what a target is made of. There are limitations to AEGIS' abilities; for example, the rover sometimes identified a rock's shadow as part of the rock's outline. Even so, the software has proved a useful tool, the study said. Francis notes that the autonomy will likely become a fixture for many future robotic missions. "The farther you go in the solar system, the longer the light time delay, the more decisions need to be made on the spot," he said. The study appears in the June 21 issue of the journal Science Robotics. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. A view of the total solar eclipse of March 8, 2016, as seen by Space.com skywatching columnist Joe Rao and other passengers aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 870 from Alaska to Hawaii. The airline is also offering an eclipse-viewing flight on Aug. 21, 2017. Stressing out about clouds blocking your view of the upcoming total solar eclipse? A group of lucky astronomy buffs can put their minds at ease. As the moon blocks the face of the sun on Aug. 21, leaving only the corona shimmering in the sky, they'll be watching from 35,000 feet (10,700 meters) in the air aboard a charter Alaska Airlines flight. "We are in a unique position to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for astronomy enthusiasts," Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing, said in a press release. "Flying high above the Pacific Ocean will not only provide one of the first views, but also one of the best." The flight is scheduled to take off from Portland International Airport in Oregon at 7:30 a.m. local time on Aug. 21. It will head out over the Pacific Coast for an early view of the total solar eclipse, the first to barrel coast to coast across the county in 99 years. [What You'll See During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse] The airline isn't selling tickets to its high-flying viewing party. Seats are available by invitation only to a select group of astronomers and guests. But Alaska Airlines will give away two seats as part of a marketing promotion beginning July 21 on the company's social media outlets. "We don't yet know how many people will be on board," Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Halley Knigge told Space.com via email. "The aircraft has capacity for 181 guests, but we are limiting the seats available to provide an optimal viewing experience for those on board. It's safe to say there will be fewer than 100 people on the flight, including crew." Alaska Airlines also offered a solar-eclipse flight last year, on which Space.com columnist Joe Rao was a passenger. The video from that flight, shown below, was shot by Mike Kentrianakis with the American Astronomical Society. During the Aug. 21 eclipse, the moon will pass between the sun and Earth, blocking the solar disk and leaving only its wispy outer atmosphere visible. Weather permitting, millions can watch as the moon's 70-mile-wide (113 kilometers) shadow crosses the country through 14 states, starting at 10:15 a.m. PDT (1715 GMT) in Oregon and ending at 2:49 p.m. EDT (1849 GMT) in South Carolina. The path of totality progresses quickly. Not even the lucky airline passengers will be able to keep pace with the eclipse, which will race across the country at speeds ranging from 2,900 mph (4,670 km/h) in west Oregon to 1,500 mph (2,400 km/h) near Charleston, South Carolina, according to an interactive Google map created by French eclipse-watcher Xavier Jubier, with the International Astronomical Union's eclipse outreach group. The variable speed is due to the planet's shape. Irene Klotz can be reached on Twitter at @free_space. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) June 27, 2017. The Minister Delegate in Charge of African Affairs, Hamdi Al-Khalil Mayara, was received on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam by the Tanzanian Foreign Minister, Mr. Augustin Mahiga, who handed him a message from President Brahim Gali to his Tanzanian counterpart Dr. John Pompey Joseph Magovelli, on strengthening bilateral relations and the situation in Western Sahara and coordinating positions within the African Union. The president's envoy reviewed the recent developments of the Western Sahara issue at the African Union and United Nations level under the new UN Security Council resolution and Morocco's accession to the African Union alongside SADR, stressing the Sahrawi commitment to the requirements of international legitimacy and the efforts of the UN and African bodies to find a solution to this issue that guarantees the right to self-determination of the Saharan people. The Minister of Delegate, who was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Sahrawi Republic to Tanzania, Mr. Brahim Salem Buseif, expressed his thanks and gratitude on behalf of the Government of the Sahrawi Republic to the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for its steadfastness in support of the Sahrawi people's just struggle. For his part, the Tanzanian minister said his country will continue to support the Sahrawi people's struggle and its just cause within the African Union and in international forums based on the principled position of the Tanzanian people and government on the right of peoples to freedom and self-determination. The United Republic of Tanzania, one of the largest countries in the East African region historically known for its support for liberation movements from the era of African leader Julius Nyerere, one of the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), has registered support for the Sahrawi issue in numerous international forums and events. 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To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. [June 28, 2017] Argon Design Joins AOM Argon Design Ltd, known for its award-winning family of advanced video verification solutions, Argon Streams, announced today that it has joined the Alliance for Open Media, AOM. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005504/en/ Sample video frame from an Argon Streams bit-stream, shows the directed random number based approach (Photo: Business Wire) AOM is a non-profit organization working to define and develop media technologies that address the need for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web. AOMedia Video is the open source project for active development of the new AV1 codec - the open and royalty-free codec for next-generation Ultra High Definition media. AV1 is under active developmet to deliver state-of-the-art compression efficiency that bests modern codecs. With a focus on next-generation media experiences, AV1 is designed to meet growing Internet demand for top-quality video scenarios across devices of all kinds and for users worldwide. Gabe Frost, Executive Director, the Alliance for Open Media, states that, "Argon Design has long been a valued contributor to the project and we welcome them joining AOM as a Member". Argon Design has been contributing to the VP9/VP10 codebase for over 3 years, adding features, suggesting novel encoder tools, and helping with debugging and improving codec performance. "By using our depth of experience on VP9/VP10 and by closely tracking the development of AV1, Argon will be positioned to release Argon Streams AV1 immediately after the standard is completed later in 2017", explained Alan Scott, CEO of Argon Design. Argon Streams is a family of conformance test bit-streams providing full coverage and verification of HEVC/H.265, VP9 and (in 2017) AV1 video decoders. The bit-streams are derived directly from the specification using Argon Design's advanced compiler technology. The process uses directed random numbers to ensure that the bit-streams provide comprehensive coverage of all functions, value ranges and cross coverage combinations in the complete specification. Argon Streams is supported worldwide by CamverTech. For more information contact your local CamverTech sales representative, or email [email protected]. . About Argon Design Argon Design, based in Cambridge, UK, is a high technology consultancy with a successful track record in semiconductor design and embedded product development. With a history of complex IP and ASIC designs, including custom processors, video codecs and 2D/3D graphics engines, Argon Design has developed a video decoder verification solution called Argon Streams. About AOM Launched in 2015, the Alliance for Open Media is a Joint Development Foundation project formed to define and develop media codecs, media formats, and related technologies to address marketplace demand for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web. Among the Alliance's goals is the creation of a new, high-quality open video format that improves core media experiences for all. About CamverTech CamverTech is a Global Technical Sales Specialist. Their highly experienced sales talent is distributed across Europe (including Israel), USA, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Visit www.camvertech.com . View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005504/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Since 2013 a growing number of countries have been spending a lot of money (up to $200,000 each) for the Black Hornet PD-100, a very tiny (10x2.5 cm/4x1 inch) and lightweight (16 g, less than half an ounce) helicopter UAV. The rotor diameter is 12 cm (4.8 inches). Developed by a Norwegian firm and first used in by British commandos in Afghanistan during 2013, it was noticed by other special operations troops there, especially from U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and by 2014 American troops were testing Black Hornet, suggested some new features and by 2015 were using it in combat. By then the British had bought over 300 Black Hornets. Despite the high cost, in the hands of well-trained troops it increased combat capabilities considerably and saved lives for the troops using it. By 2017 over 4,000 Black Hornets had been purchased by military and police forces in more than 20 countries, most of them NATO members. What makes Black Hornet so useful is that is virtually undetectable at night because it is battery powered (for up to 25 minutes per sortie) can operate autonomously and transmit pictures and video back to the operator via an encrypted datalink or store them onboard for viewing when the UAV returns to the operator. A cellphone size controller enables the user to view images and the UAV is stored in a small box that can be attached to the troops like ammo or other gear already is. When recharged the UAV is launched from that box and can be controlled up to 1,600 meters from the operator, who can guide the UAV and zoom the camera. The PD-100 also carries GPS, a thermometer, compass and altitude sensor. Max speed is 10 meters a second (36 kilometers/22.5 miles an hour) and max altitude is about 500 meters. In Afghanistan British and American special operations troops found the PF-100 ideal for reconnaissance and spotting snipers as well as searching inside buildings or cave entrances. Even though the commandos had night vision gear they cant normally see around corners or on the other side of walls or other obstacles. Since the enemy could not see or hear the PD-100 at night they were often taken by surprise because they thought they were well hidden in the dark. The PD-100 can stay in the air for 20-25 minutes per sortie depending on how much time it spends hovering (low battery use) or moving high and fast (uses a lot more battery power). The PD-100 is made of hard plastic and one can be ready for action in less than a minute. A complete system (two UAVs and the controller) weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 pounds). The body of the PD-100 is designed to handle winds well, making it quite stable for its size. It is the ultimate infantry UAV. The PD-100 is ideal in urban areas or forests. Special operations troops are used to being enterprising and inventive and they quickly developed many new uses for the PD-100. While becoming an expert user can take hundreds of hours of combat use, you can be taught basic operating skills in less than 20 minutes and there is apparently computer simulator software so owners can develop skills. By 2015 the manufacturer had figured out how to get a night vision vidcam on the PD-100. And is seeking ways to reduce the high cost. The PD-100 still costs about $200,000 each. The high cost is due to many custom parts as well as the need to recover development costs and use skilled people to hand assemble each one. UAVs like the PD-100 and larger ones (like Raven) that can still be carried by the infantry had bigger impact on infantry operations than the wide use of after aerial reconnaissance a century ago that revolutionized warfare, for generals and colonels, not for small infantry units. About a century after the first aircraft flew this new, tiny and radical new aerial technology took air recon to a new level. That level is low, a few hundred meters off the ground. It all began in the American military after September 11, 2001 when the concept of tiny UAVs rapidly developed into a fleet of nearly 6,000 small (under ten kg/11 pounds) UAVs in use by American ground troops. Traditional U.S. military aviators, and the 10,000 manned aircraft they operate, were somewhat disdainful of these tiny, unmanned, aircraft. But for the troops on the ground, they are a lifesaver and the key to many victories. This sort of thing has happened before. Just as the first recon aircraft a century ago changed the way armies fought, the micro-UAVs have changed the way small units of soldiers fight. A century ago the aerial observers reported to generals and their staffs. The commanders with troops in contact with the enemy rarely got the aerial photos and whatever information they got was hours or days old when it reached the combat zone. In the late 20th century the army began using its own helicopters and light aircraft, with observers talking to commanders below via radio, to give the troops some immediate intel on the enemy. But now UAV video goes to platoon or company commanders, or the leader of a small Special Forces team in real time. The lightweight, hand launched Raven UAV can only stay airborne about an hour per sortie, but troops have found that this is enough time to do all sorts of useful work, even when there's no fighting going on. This is most of the time. The Black Hornet, in the air for about 20 minutes, proved to be very useful. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the enemy did not want to confront U.S. troops directly (this tends to get you killed). So there was an unceasing effort to set up ambushes, plant mines and roadside bombs, and fire rockets or mortars at American bases. All of these activities were much less effective against troops equipped with Raven or similar UAVs. U.S. troops learned how to think like the enemy, and quickly figured out the best ambush positions, or places to plant mines or fire rockets. By sending micro-UAVs over these spots periodically the enemy was put in danger of being spotted. The enemy knew that usually led to a prompt attack from American mortars or helicopter gunships. These mind games, of sneaking around trying to get a shot off at the Americans, was more stressful and dangerous if the U.S. troops had Ravens. And most of them do. By 2012 the U.S. Army had over 5,000 RQ-11 Raven UAVs, which were popular with combat and non-combat troops alike. The army developed better training methods which enabled operators to get more out of Raven. Combat troops use it for finding and tracking the enemy, while non-combat troops use it for security (guarding bases or convoys). In both cases, troops have come to use the Raven for more than just getting a look over the hill or around the corner. The distinctive noise of Raven overhead is very unpopular with the enemy below and is often used to scare the enemy away, or make him move to where he can be spotted. The current model, the Raven B (RQ-11B), was introduced in 2007, a year after the original Raven entered service in large numbers. This UAV is inexpensive ($35,000 each) and can stay in the air for 80 minutes at a time. The Raven is battery powered (and largely silent unless flown close to the ground). It carries a color day vidcam, or a two color infrared night camera. It can also carry a laser designator. Both cameras broadcast real time video back to the operator, who controls the Raven via a handheld controller, which uses a hood to shield the display from direct sunlight (thus allowing the operator to clearly see what is down there). The Raven can go as fast as 90 kilometers an hour but usually cruises at between 40 and 50. It can go as far as 15 kilometers from its controller, and usually flies a preprogrammed route, using GPS for navigation. The Raven is made of Kevlar, the same material used in helmets and protective vests. On average, Raven can survive about 200 landings before it breaks something. While some Ravens have been shot down, the most common cause of loss is losing the communications link (as the aircraft flies out of range) or a software/hardware failure on the aircraft. Combat losses have been high, as nearly 20,000 have been built and most of those have been lost in training or the battlefield. A complete system (controller, spare parts, and three UAVs) costs $250,000. The UAV can be quickly taken apart and put into a backpack. It takes off by having the operator start the motor, and then throwing it. This can be done from a moving vehicle and the Raven is a popular recon tool for convoys. It lands by coming in low and then turning the motor off. Special Forces troops like to use it at night, because the enemy cant see it, and often cant hear it either. The controller allows the operator to capture video, or still pictures, and transmit them to other units or headquarters. The operator often does this while the Raven is flying a pre-programmed pattern (using GPS). The operator can have the UAV stop and circle, in effect keeping the camera on the same piece of ground below. The operator can also fly the Raven, which is often used when pursuing hostile gunmen. Raven, and nearly a thousand slightly larger UAVs, don't get much publicity, but they have a larger impact on combat than the few hundred much larger (Shadow, Predator, Reaper) UAVs. These big, and often armed, UAVs carry out vital missions, but comprise a tenth of the airtime that the micro-UAVs rack up. Moreover, these smaller UAVs have opened up lots of other possibilities. There are already small, single use UAVs that are basically guided bombs. Even smaller UAVs can be used for spying, as well as battlefield recon. These little aircraft are having an enormous impact on warfare, rivaling what happened a century ago. by Austin Bay June 27, 2017 In a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing held June 14, Rep. Mike McCaul, R.,TX, asked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to comment on the troubling issue of connections between transnational criminal organizations and terrorist networks. McCaul quoted Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly as saying "...cartels share ties with terror networks...and they have the ability to sneak drugs and people, including potential terrorists and dirty bombs" into the U.S. McCaul asked Tillerson if he agreed that these ties represent a real national security threat, to which Tillerson replied: "Yes, I do...We clearly see the connections, extending all the way back to ISIS and al-Qaida." He then discussed joint U.S.-Mexico efforts to combat illicit financial networks that support transnational crime and terror. In the Balkans, prior to WW1, several criminal organizations doubled as guerrilla and terrorist groups, so the phenomenon isn't new. However, contemporary criminal cartels have become more sophisticated, both technologically and operationally. They run money-laundering and financing operations. The Sinaloa and Los Zetas cartels employ gunmen with combat skills comparable to military commandos. Mexican cartel operations are no longer confined to the Americas. Several have significant operations in Asia and Europe. Their sophistication and global reach create a complex law enforcement problem. Their contacts and potential cooperation with terrorists goes beyond crime and threatens national security. TCOs and terror networks have "converging interests," particularly in the areas of financing, movement of personnel and corrupting law enforcement. They may also have common interests in cyber espionage. The American Enterprise Institute recently published a report on TCOs and government corruption in North and South America. Titled "Kingpins and Corruption," the report also explores connections with terrorist networks, concluding that "terror and insurgent groups are increasingly relying on TCOs for funding and logistics support..." Criminalized states are a major part of the problem. The report says "A "criminalized state" is reached when "senior leadership is aware of and involved -- either actively or through passive acquiescence -- on behalf of the state, in transnational criminal enterprises..." The criminal gang may be used as an instrument of "state power." The Venezuela created by Hugo Chavez is a criminalized state. According to the report, the current Venezuelan government has a "sprawling network of transnational criminal enterprises..." When he was alive, Chavez used it to "sustain terrorist groups" inside neighboring Colombia. The most frightening section in the AEI report examines Iran. In the 1980s, Iran began its "strategic penetration of Latin America" by establishing "a covert presence in a handful of Latin American countries under the guise of commercial and cultural exchanges." Iran would "embed itself in the Muslim communities of targeted countries," creating a base for inserting spies and political operatives. The report notes Iran has exploited Shiite Lebanese communities throughout Latin America and tied them to Hezbollah. "Hezbollah's illicit finance networks" in the Middle East "supply the infrastructure for inserting sleeper cells that could be activated for terror attacks against local targets or even the United States." Iran has used its network to conduct terror attacks. The "covert presence" of Iranian agents "eventually led to Hezbollah's terrorist attacks against the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1992 and the AMIA Jewish Community Center in the same city two years later." Money is the fundamental common interest uniting criminals and terror groups like ISIS and al-Qaida -- hence Tillerson's focus on attacking financial connections and assets. Drug legalization would hurt the cartels, but they already have billions and are moving into other businesses. Iran should be treated as an outright enemy. Tehran is the hometown of state-sponsored terrorism. Because the gray zone where crime becomes war is no longer very large, some security analysts are convinced American special operations forces and perhaps conventional forces as well will play a larger role in future counter-cartel operations. Another ransomware attack is spreading across Russia and Ukraine today. According to Reuters, the large-scale attack was launched earlier today and has already affected several systems. In Russia, oil company Rosneft and several banks have been affected. Ukraine's international airport has compromised systems, as does A.P. Moller-Maersk, a Ukraine-based shipping company. The attackers want $300 in Bitcoin to return computers to operating conditions. Maersk, which also has offices in the Netherlands, says their computers in Rotterdam have been affected as well. The company says the attack has shut down its systems in several regions, and it knows that the attacks are related because the ransom messages are the same. The message reads, "If you see this text, then your files are no longer accessible, because they have been encrypted. Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service." Several other companies in Russia and Europe are reporting cyber attacks as well, but it is unknown if they are being affected by the same malware. While the attacks appeared to be similar to last month's WannaCry outbreak, security experts had first identified the malware to be Petya. But later on rectified, and Kaspersky is calling it 'NotPetya'. The ransomware encrypts a computer's hard drive and only provides the decryption key upon payment. Petya is not new. We reported on how to get your files back from the malware last December. This is believed to be a variant of the software. The malware's vector seems to be the typical phishing email scheme. So as always be vigilant about any emails that you were not expecting. Russia and Ukraine are the most affected countries thus far, but attacks have now been recorded in Poland, Italy, the UK, Germany, France, and the US. "We can confirm that a modified EternalBlue is used for propagation at least within the corporate network," researchers said. They also urge companies to be sure their computers and servers are updated to limit risk. Tech support scams have been around for over a decade now. If, like me, you've experienced one, you'll know they tend to involve someone claiming to be from a big firm (often Microsoft) calling to issue a warning about a made-up virus that's been detected on your PC. Their end game is to trick people into buying a fake piece of software to "remove" this imaginary issue, when what it actually does is install some information-stealing malware of its own. While ransomware such as WannaCry and Petya/NotPetya/PetyaWrap appear to be the preferred method of computer-based extortion these days, tech scammers continue to prey on the less tech-savvy members of society, which typically includes older people. But in the UK, the City of London Police teamed up with Microsoft to try and take down some of the perpetrators. The BBC reports that following two years of investigations, authorities have just announced the arrest of four people on suspicion of fraud. While authorities found many of the calls originated from India, they accused the four suspects of being involved in the scam. Those arrested include a 29-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman from Woking in Surrey, and a 37-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman from South Shields, Tyneside. Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and cyber crime reporting center, was also involved in the investigation. It says there were 34,504 computer software services fraud reports over the last financial year, making it the third most commonly reported fraud type. The average age of the victims is 60, and the average loss suffered is 600 ($770). "These arrests are just the beginning of our work, making the best use of specialist skills and expertise from Microsoft, local police forces and international partners to tackle a crime that often targets the most vulnerable in our society," said Commander Dave Clark from City of London Police. Back in February, one programmer fought back against the phone scammers using an army of bots to overwhelm their call centers. Microsoft has plugged a critical vulnerability in Windows Defender that could have allowed an attacker to execute code remotely and take over a user's computer. The bug, discovered by Google Project Zero researcher Tavis Ormandy, was exploitable without user interaction. According to Ormandy, all it took was either tricking the victim into visiting a malicious website hosting a specially crafted JS file, or sending a malicious file via email, messaging or as a download. The Microsoft Malware Protection Engine (MsMpEng), a core security service part of the Microsoft ecosystem, will automatically scan any new content arriving on the user's PC, even before opening it, subsequently crashing and allowing for remote code execution. According to his technical writeup, he had to encrypt the proof-of-concept demo file before sending it to Microsoft so it wouldn't potentially crash Microsoft's email servers. The problem relates to the x86 emulator Windows Defender uses, which runs at the privileged SYSTEM level in Windows, is not sandboxed, and offers up API calls to attackers. Ormandy reported the issue to Microsoft on June 9th and withheld disclosure until the company issued a patch via a silent update to the Malware Protection Engine in version 1.1.13903.0. The bug, tracked as CVE-2017-8557, affects Windows Defender 32 and 64-bit versions in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 RT, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2016. Rumors have persisted for a couple of years now that smartphone fingerprint sensors would eventually be going subterranean, embedded within the glass of a phone's screen or rear panel instead of being a visibly separate component. On Wednesday, Qualcomm brought us one step closer to that reality with the announcement of new ultrasonic fingerprint scanning and authentication technology collectively called Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors. The tech is said to consist of sensors for displays, glass and metal with support for directional gesture detection, underwater fingerprint matching and device wake-up. Specifically, it's capable of scanning through OLED display stacks of up to 1,200 m, up to 800 m of cover glass and up to 650 m of aluminum. Previous generation scanners could only penetrate 400 m for glass or metal. Qualcomm says it's also the first announced solution capable of detecting heart beats and blood flow. Seshu Madhavapeddy, vice president of product management at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., said the new sensors are designed to support sleeker, cutting-edge form factors, unique mobile authentication experiences and enhanced security authentication. The sensors have been designed both as an integrated solution for Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms and as standalone sensors for use with non-Snapdragon platforms. Qualcomm is demonstrating the sensors with help from Chinese technology company Vivo at Mobile World Congress in Shanghai through the end of the week. The sensors will be made available to OEMs this month and are expected to arrive in commercially available devices by the first half of 2018. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut. Women who work for the Mormon church have more wardrobe options. Photo: Getty Images In the Mormon church, pants are a hot topic; although Mormon women arent required to wear dresses to church, back in 2012 a group of them nevertheless received death threats for choosing not to do so. But the dress code was stricter for women employees of the Church of Latter-day Saints, who up until now were required to wear dresses and skirts. According to the Washington Post, however, the church has relaxed that dress code, allowing women who work for the church the option of pantsuits or dress slacks, too. Kathleen Flake, professor of Mormon studies at the University of Virginia, explained that this was the historically slow-to-change churchs version of modernizing. Clothing talks, she said. As society has adopted a wider range of what is respectable dress in a professional setting, the church would naturally move in that direction too. They want to look respectable, not strange. Along with the updated dress code, the church announced it would also offer paid maternity and parental leave to its full-time, benefited employees in the U.S. women who give birth will be eligible for six weeks of paid leave, while other parents will get up to one week of paid leave to bond with new children. (Before now, the church offered no paid leave.) Mormon women are typically expected to stay home with their children, said Jana Riess, who writes for Religion News Service. But the new policy reflects the churchs changing attitudes toward women working outside the home. Different sects of Christianity have varying approaches to paid leave. Some, like the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, have generous paid-leave plans, while others have none in place at all. Elder Quentin L. Cook, a member of the churchs governing council, said that with the new policy in place, LDS is looking to serve as an example. I would hope that Latter-day Saints would be at the forefront in creating an environment in the workplace that is more receptive and accommodating to both men and women, he said. CHARLESTON -- Dr. Allen Lanham, dean of library services at Eastern Illinois University, will retire Friday after almost 26 years of service. Lanham began his duties on Aug. 12, 1991. During his tenure at Eastern, he encouraged a wide range of library programming in the arts and humanities and has been the principal investigator for Art and Architecture in Illinois Libraries since 2006. He has consulted for libraries in Central and South America and Africa. He led the extensive renovation and expansion of Booth Library from 1999 through 2002, resulting in a building that celebrates its historic architecture while providing the space and technological capability to meet future library needs. Lanham was named an Illinois Library Association Luminary in 2016 and Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year in 2008. His work in library innovation and programming led to Booth Library being named a finalist for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service and winner of the DEMCO Library Innovation Award, both in 2014. He has been active in many regional, state and national library organizations and has held many leadership positions, including serving as Illinois Library Association president in 2004-2005. He is currently a councilor to the American Library Association. Lanham earned a bachelors degree from Murray State University in 1974, a masters degree from Arkansas State University in 1975 and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1987, all in music education. He earned a masters degree in library and information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991. Prior to his work at Booth Library, Lanham taught in the Music Department at The Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San German, beginning in 1976. He served as director of the department from 1979 to 1987. MATTOON -- Eight Mattoon High School seniors were awarded the Mattoon High School Alumni Scholarship during the recent senior awards night. Layden Butler received a $1,500 scholarship in honor of Florence Parker to pursue a degree in nursing at St. Louis University. Sophie Collings is the recipient of a $500 scholarship to pursue a degree in pastoral ministry from Greenville University. Rachel Ervin was awarded a $1,000 H. Carl Etchason Teacher Education Scholarship to pursue a degree in secondary math education at Illinois State University. Carson Gordon is the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust. Carson is pursuing a degree in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mayla Johanpeter also received an H. Carl Etchason Teacher Education Scholarship. She was awarded $500 and will attend Eastern Illinois University to pursue a degree in elementary education. Alyssa Mathias received a $1,000 scholarship. She will attend the University of Mississippi to pursue a degree in nursing. Marissa Stapleton received a $500 in honor of the Helen K. Janssen Family. Marissa will attend Lake Land College in the fall to pursue a degree in nursing. Emily Watkins is the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship. Emily plans to attend Southern Illinois University to double-major in English and microbiology. Kacey Woelber was awarded $500 to attend Lake Land College. Kacey will major in accounting. The Mattoon High School Alumni Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance for Mattoon High School seniors and graduates pursuing higher education. Donations from individuals, alumni, classes and the community contribute to an endowed fund which continues to grow and provide scholarships into perpetuity. The Mattoon High School Alumni Scholarship is a fund with Mattoon Area Community Foundation. For more information, visit www.enrichingourcommunity.org/MHSAlumniScholarship or call 217-342-4988. Wednesday, June 28, 2017 They're Back: Readers Opine On the Big Issues Of The Day In NM And ABQ In Our Latest Edition Of Reader Vox Populi. A lot of comment on our Tuesday blog on the latest developments in the ongoing ABQ crime wave. Reader Dennis Maez wrote on our Facebook page: Again, Joe Monahan hits the nail on the head, this time with a really big sledge hammer. The Mayor, Police Chief, the whole current city administration along with the DA are blaming the Supreme Court for the "crime wave." Everyone is so incredibly tired of the finger pointing and the blame game. There could be 30 to 35 more cops on the streets each shift starting today if we had an innovative police Chief that would order every officer not assigned to Field Services (detectives, admin, academy staff, etc) to work one shift a week as a street cop. There really isn't any function of a police department more important than answering the call when someone's life is in danger. Also, we need to be arresting those who offend repeatedly--until these bad guys get tired of going to jail, even if it's a revolving door, and they move on. Quit worrying about the policies of the district attorney and the courts and arrest bad guys until they get tired of being arrested and Leave! So much can be done, but it takes leaders that will lead. Maybe that will come in December when we have the next mayoral election. THE FEAR FACTOR This comment from ABQ reader Veronica Garcia (not the Santa Fe school superintendent Veronica) will resonate with those of you who have been in town a while and are seeing, hearing and feeling much the way she is: It's so true, we have to be vigilantes in this city. My eyes are constantly moving and watching for the possibility that I may need to protect myself, my stuff or others. I can't just relax and go to the grocery store and walk in. I have to be paranoid and prepared for a possible hit on me! Homeless drug people are aggressive. If you stop giving panhandlers money ( their job) they will move away! Stop paying them! Garcia's fear of everyday life is one of the the worst repercussions from the crime crisis that has turned ABQ from a laid-back city--where crime was always prevalent but contained--into a war zone that continues to claim more acreage monthly. That fear ripples out and blacklists this city across the nation. DO THEY KNOW? This anonymous reader is concerned about the candidates lining up to become the next ABQ area congressional representative, replacing Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham who is running for Governor: With the stench of a possible base closing commission--a BRAC which could impact Kirtland Air Force Base--and Los Alamos Labs on the ropes and its funding possibly threatened because of safety concerns, are any of the Democrats running for Congress in ABQ equipped to deal with these major issues and the possible losses in employment? Have any of them talked about defending our major installations? Have any of them ever been to the Los Alamos Labs or toured Kirtland operations? Will they seek to join the House Armed Services Committee in Congress? I wonder . . . A pointed observation since KAFB and Sandra Labs here are the region's major economic driver. NO ONE WATCHING? Hector & Michelle Attorney General Hector Balderas, who toyed with the idea of seeking the Dem nod for Governor next year, never did and this week he formally endorsed Michell Lujan Grisham for the nomination. That brought this Alligator comment: What's with MLG rolling out major endorsements in the middle of summer when no one is paying attention? Hmm.. Maybe they'll do it again when everyone is paying attention? Just don't ask us what's up with the goofy pictures of Hector and Michelle that we've been running. Either they're having a whole lot of fun, or Jeff Apodca's campaign has their photographer on his payroll. LEADERLESS AMID CRIME Reader Michael Corwin, a longtime critic of Gov. Martinez and Mayor Berry, takes us back to the crime crisis: The "leaders" who are blaming NM Supreme Court rules for the ABQ crime crisis are simply proving what we already knew. They are not leaders. Period. But, if we are looking for explanations for the serious destabilization in our city and state that has taken place, let's start with Governor Martinez's gutting of the behavioral health system by alleging widespread fraud that was never there. Gutting treatment services to substance abusers, and those with mental health issues leads to...drum roll please... increased problems stemming from substance abuse and mental health issues. Exactly the kinds of folks committing the petty crimes downtown that are demoralizing to our quality of life. Then there's Mayor Berry's fluff piece marketing campaign touting his "innovative" approach to homelessness, which has lead to an explosion of homeless people panhandling at every major intersection in the city. Then there are the business boosters, like the Chamber of Commerce, who have no clue how to boost business, so instead they cheerlead the failing policies of Martinez and Berry. Reader Mick piles on: The threat high-tech company LAVU made about leaving ABQ put the spotlight on the effects of downtown crime. And hizonner seems to think that his new development at First and Central NW will fix all of downtown's problem? Wait until the new tenants have to put up with all of the antics that LAVU and the Chamber of Commerce--also located downtown--have had to. Not a good thing. There's more, but maybe your column will generate some fire and heat where it will do some good. REFORMED REPEATER Reader John Adams wrote on our Facebook page: I could chime in on many facets of the crime wave, particularly about the gross lack of rehabilitation available for those so called "repeat offenders" but I have to go to work as I am one of the majority of repeat offenders who actually straightened out his life. Good for you, John, and good luck. THAT OTHER CRISIS The State has settled one of the alleged 2013 fraud cases against one of the behavioral health providers for .02% of the initial claims. Alleged over billing was so low that the state financial staff said they could not extrapolate it. Please note, this is the same provider that then Human Services Secretary Squier and Governor Martinez both publicly attacked for using a private plane to fly from Las Cruces to Santa Fe (in order to attend state meetings). This was held up as exhibit 1 of alleged corruption, as they found this provider guilty in advance of due process. The state then decimated the state behavioral health system on these justifications and wasted millions of dollars, besides interrupting critical services for vulnerable populations. I remember that during this time, there were lots of muttered suggestions that these varied providers were shady or engaged in poor business practices. I truly believe that mistrust and fragmentation was what allowed the state to get away with this. Jim Farrell, who is a spokesman for the NM Senate Democrats, also wrote about the behavioral health settlement: The state Human Services Department has settled with at least one of the accused 15 behavioral health providers - in this case, SW Counseling of Las Cruces. We wonder about the other 14 provider organizations that were maligned, and mostly put out of business, though. But this one is remarkable--after accusing SW Counseling of defrauding Medicaid of $2.8 million, HSD settled with them for $480. The damage has been done, as this story spells out. We still wonder what was ultimately behind the administration's charges of widespread fraud when it turns out to be so obviously wrong. Follow the money is always a good place to start. But what money? Campaign funds? Money for the providers who were brought in to replace those kicked out? Perhaps an enterprising reporter will someday piece together this dark episode in its entirety. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017 The readers write and we report. . .A lot of comment on our Tuesday blog on the latest developments in the ongoing ABQ crime wave. Reader Dennis Maez wrote on our Facebook page:This comment from ABQ reader Veronica Garcia (not the Santa Fe school superintendent Veronica) will resonate with those of you who have been in town a while and are seeing, hearing and feeling much the way she is:Garcia's fear of everyday life is one of the the worst repercussions from the crime crisis that has turned ABQ from a laid-back city--where crime was always prevalent but contained--into a war zone that continues to claim more acreage monthly. That fear ripples out and blacklists this city across the nation.This anonymous reader is concerned about the candidates lining up to become the next ABQ area congressional representative, replacing Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham who is running for Governor:A pointed observation since KAFB and Sandra Labs here are the region's major economic driver.Attorney General Hector Balderas, who toyed with the idea of seeking the Dem nod for Governor next year, never did and this week he formally endorsed Michell Lujan Grisham for the nomination. That brought this Alligator comment:Hmm.. Maybe they'll do it again when everyone is paying attention? Just don't ask us what's up with the goofy pictures of Hector and Michelle that we've been running. Either they're having a whole lot of fun, or Jeff Apodca's campaign has their photographer on his payroll.Reader Michael Corwin, a longtime critic of Gov. Martinez and Mayor Berry, takes us back to the crime crisis:Reader Mick piles on:Reader John Adams wrote on our Facebook page:Good for you, John, and good luck.Reader David Ley takes us to that other crisis--the one in behavioral health--that has been so much in the news in recent years:Jim Farrell, who is a spokesman for the NM Senate Democrats, also wrote about the behavioral health settlement:We still wonder what was ultimately behind the administration's charges of widespread fraud when it turns out to be so obviously wrong. Follow the money is always a good place to start. But what money? Campaign funds? Money for the providers who were brought in to replace those kicked out? Perhaps an enterprising reporter will someday piece together this dark episode in its entirety. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME E-MAIL ME About Joe Google News Real Clear Politics Huffington Post Drudge Report The Politico New Mexico newspapers NM TV stations Gov. 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1/30/22 1/30/22 - 2/6/22 2/6/22 - 2/13/22 2/13/22 - 2/20/22 2/20/22 - 2/27/22 2/27/22 - 3/6/22 3/6/22 - 3/13/22 3/13/22 - 3/20/22 3/20/22 - 3/27/22 3/27/22 - 4/3/22 4/3/22 - 4/10/22 4/10/22 - 4/17/22 4/17/22 - 4/24/22 4/24/22 - 5/1/22 5/1/22 - 5/8/22 5/8/22 - 5/15/22 5/15/22 - 5/22/22 5/22/22 - 5/29/22 5/29/22 - 6/5/22 6/5/22 - 6/12/22 6/12/22 - 6/19/22 6/19/22 - 6/26/22 6/26/22 - 7/3/22 7/10/22 - 7/17/22 7/17/22 - 7/24/22 7/24/22 - 7/31/22 7/31/22 - 8/7/22 8/7/22 - 8/14/22 8/14/22 - 8/21/22 8/21/22 - 8/28/22 8/28/22 - 9/4/22 9/4/22 - 9/11/22 9/11/22 - 9/18/22 9/18/22 - 9/25/22 9/25/22 - 10/2/22 10/2/22 - 10/9/22 10/9/22 - 10/16/22 10/16/22 - 10/23/22 10/23/22 - 10/30/22 10/30/22 - 11/6/22 11/6/22 - 11/13/22 website design by website design by limwebdesign PARISGoogles record $3.6-billion antitrust fine could just be the start of a troubling new phase in the companys seven-year tussle with the European Unions antitrust arm. EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager warned Tuesday that the clampdown on Googles shopping search service sets a precedent that could be used to scrutinize the search-engine giants behaviour in other areas. The shopping reasoning applied to other services would totally impact Googles business model, said Ombline Ancelin, a lawyer at Simmons & Simmons in Paris. The decision means other specialized vertical Google search services such as maps, travel and restaurant reviews are effectively on parole, she added. Vestager said Google unfairly skewed its general search results to thwart smaller comparison-shopping services. Under threat of further fines, Alphabet Inc.s Google has 90 days to stop its illegal conduct and to give equal treatment to rival price-comparison services. But the EU also said its shopping decision is a precedent which establishes the framework for the assessment of the legality of this type of conduct, cautioning that each situation whether it be maps or Google images would require a case-specific analysis to account for the characteristics of each market. All of the businesses closely connected to search must be at risk, said Matthew Hall, a lawyer at McGuireWoods in Brussels. Still, he said that Googles victory last year in a U.K. court case concerning mapping service Streetmap shows that all is not always lost. Google lawyer Kent Walker said in a blog post that given the evidence, we respectfully disagree with the EU findings. Vestagers Google decision is a landmark in the seven-year probe fuelled by complaints from small comparison shopping websites as well as bigger names, including News Corp., Axel Springer and Microsoft. Companies that helped trigger the probe will make their presence felt as Google tries to comply with the EUs order. Thomas Vinje, a lawyer for the FairSearch coalition that includes Oracle Corp. and TripAdvisor Inc., said his clients will seek interaction with the commission to evaluate what Google offers and assess whether it makes a difference to price-comparison sites. In addition to possible exposure in relation to maps and other services, the search-engine giant may face more immediate enforcement after being accused of antitrust breaches in relation to its Android mobile-phone software, bundled for free with Search and other Google services on handsets, and the AdSense online advertising platform. Jonas Koponen, a lawyer at Linklaters in Brussels, believes the shopping decision will give the EU extra impetus for both cases. The EUs identification of super-dominance in internet search throughout the European economic area is confirmed and will provide a cornerstone for assessment of other ongoing cases, especially regarding Android and AdSense, according to Koponen. Online travel companies welcomed the EUs decision. Googles conduct is significantly impacting on competition in the travel vertical, the single largest of the vertical search markets, at the expense of consumers and of Googles competitors, said Christoph Klenner, who represents Priceline Group, Expedia, TripAdvisor and Ctrip.com International as head of the European Technology & Travel Services Association. Google has slowly encroached on the travel-booking companies territory, making it easier to search for flights and hotels without going to sites like Expedia, Booking.com or Kayak.com. At the same time, the travel companies remain among Googles largest customers, spending billions on search advertisements to drive travellers to their own websites. Ancelin said the overall message sent Tuesday doesnt bode well for Google or other technology giants. There seems to be a clear desire to get to the bottom of things and issue fines, Ancelin said. Vestager chose to take a strong position and doesnt seem open to negotiation. Read more about: SHARE: MINNEAPOLISYoplaits sales are free falling, and its parent company is about to face even more competition in the dairy case. General Mills said Wednesday that its U.S. yogurt sales dropped 22 per cent in the latest quarter as Yoplaits popularity kept fading. That comes as Chobani, which helped lead the Greek yogurt craze that upended the market, says it will launch its first classic yogurt aimed at people who find its flagship variety too thick or too tart. That would more directly compete with Yoplaits core products. While there are no official standards for what qualifies as Greek yogurt, it is widely understood to be strained for a thicker consistency and to have more protein. Chobani president Tim Brown says the companys non-Greek yogurt will also be strained but only a little so it tastes more like the kind many Americans still prefer. General Mills, meanwhile, is hoping to spark the next big trend in yogurt with the launch of Oui, which the company is marketing as being French style. General Mills is defining that as a yogurt with simpler ingredients that are cultured and sold in glass jars. The struggles in its yogurt business are dragging down General Mills overall sales. For the quarter ended May 26, the companys total sales fell 3 per cent to $3.81 billion (U.S.). Sales of U.S. cereals, which include Cheerios, Kix and Lucky Charms, fell 1 per cent. The snacks business, which includes Nature Valley bars, increased 1 per cent. CEO Jeff Harmening said the companys execution was not up to its normal standards and it would invest more heavily in advertising and ensuring that its prices are competitive. Its clear some actions did not go as planned, Harmening said of the results released Wednesday. The companys profit for the quarter was $408.9 million, or 69 cents per share. Not including one-time items, it said earnings were 73 cents per share. That was 2 cents better than analysts expected, according to Zacks Investment Research. SHARE: What do we know about Stephen Colberts surprise trip to Russia? He was there last week. He appeared on a Russian talk show and announced he was considering a run for president in 2020. And, as you may expect, it gave him even more opportunities to mock U.S. President Donald Trump. Amid allegations that Trumps campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election, the Late Show host took his crew overseas to film in St. Petersburg. Colbert didnt spill many details on Monday nights show, except to say that the footage will be used in an upcoming week of shows all about his trip, which he called fascinating. Colbert, who arrived back in the United States on Sunday night, said the excursion took many months of planning; he and his crew shot 13-hour days and filmed about four or five segments. The Russian people were lovely, he said, adding that they visited the most incredible locations. Read more:Here is what Stephen Colbert really thinks of Donald Trump Naturally, Colbert also got in a few digs about Trump and the Russia investigation: You know who did know I was in Russia? Russian intelligence. Hardcore fans, evidently, followed me everywhere. Also got some attention from American intelligence. ... Its important to keep your eye on a comedian while hes in Russia doing jokes. I could be over there, I could be giving state secrets to the Russians. Oh, wait someones already got that covered. Thats me in front of St. Petersburg Winter Palace. Or as they call it, Tsar-a-Lago. Colbert showed a clip of his guest appearance on Russian late-night show Evening Urgant, where he said, Im here to announce that I am considering a run for president in 2020. And I thought it would be better to cut out the middleman and just tell the Russians myself. Now to be clear, all I said in that little clip there was that I was considering a run. If I decide to run, obviously Im not going to ask the Russians to help my campaign, OK? I would have my son-in-law ask them. Like President Trump, I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any other tapes of what I did in Russia. I did not personally make any such recordings. But Im pretty sure my crew did. As a bonus, Colbert threw in some mockery about late-night TV: While I was in St. Petersburg, I was a guest on the Russian late-night talk show Evening Urgant. Its hosted by the very talented Ivan Urgant. Ivan, I presume, is Russian for Jimmy. For those of you not familiar with late-night TV in Russia, it might seem a little foreign. Let me explain it to you. A white male host does some monologue jokes, then sits behind a desk to interview celebrities. It works over there somehow, Im not sure. Read more about: SHARE: Gusting wind whips garbage down the canyons of Torontos financial district. Its the kind of blast that sends neckties flying into mens faces, but here in Yusuf Farooqis cab, it feels refreshing in the steamy evening rush hour. Farooqi is driving his taxi with the window down, his brown eyes scanning for cyclists, fares, drivers and pedestrians. The 38-year-old father of two is an owner-driver with Beck. He says 95 per cent of the riders are polite. Thats not always the case with other drivers. In more than a decade behind the wheel, he has seen his share of middle fingers, and had one angry cyclist spit on his windshield. He turned on the washer fluid and let it go. When its your business youre not going to be stressed, he says. You wont last. We are in the crucible of one of Canadas most impolite situations to see if that old mythology holds up. Are Canadians the most polite people in the world? Im a bit of a cynic. Like most Canadians, I grew up close to the border, and more often than not, I found Michiganders were friendly, welcoming and polite. I didnt completely understand why Canadians sewed small flags on backpacks and packed patriotic towels for all-inclusive vacations. The implicit message seemed passive aggressive, and maybe a little impolite. Love us world, but know we are different. We are not like them. Politeness should not be confused with friendliness, although it often gets tangled up in it. Politeness is about making contact, acknowledging someone elses presence and following implicit rules. Politeness is a bit reserved, it brings with it a somewhat forbidding expectation that other people should be polite as well, says Dylan Reid, author of Toronto Public Etiquette Guide. I think Americans value friendliness more than politeness, so they might get in your business a little more in a friendly way, in a way that Canadians might find intrusive, Reid says. Politeness varies regionally. People may be more easygoing in other parts of the country, but in Toronto, efficiency is at the core of politeness. Like right now. Farooqi sees a woman standing on King St., scanning the traffic. He waves, she nods, he waits, and then pulls a U-turn. They exchange hellos. Shelley Edwards raises her eyebrows because I am already in the cab, but within seconds, she is on board with our weird situation, and engrossed in the discussion. Edwards moved to Toronto 30 years ago from Winnipeg, and shes never been at a loss looking for help. Ive always believed it was a Canadian thing, she says of politeness. At Bay and King, a rush-hour dreamer drives into the intersection on the dying embers of a flashing hand. Yellow changes to red, as it always does, and he blocks eastbound King drivers for most of the light cycle. Farooqi hates this move (That should be ticketed) but hes not going to honk. That makes you a polite driver, Edwards laughs from the back seat. I would have been on the horn by now. Edwards drives regularly from the west end into downtown. You let somebody in, knowing a mile from now someone will let you in, she says. Its good karma. We let off Edwards at Bloor and Church. Take your time, Farooqi says. We Canadians, we are very nice. Where did that idea come from? University of Toronto semiotics professor Marcel Danesi doesnt believe the mythology. You cannot anymore say this culture is subjectively more polite than the other, he says. They are different in how they interact. Over the phone, he tells a quick anecdote about teaching in Vermont, jaywalking across a street and having a car slow down in anticipation. If that happened in Toronto theyd be aiming for you, he laughs. OK? He thinks the idea of the polite Canadian took root in media portrayals and Canadas northern landscape. In literature of yore there was an idea that Canadians were welcoming because of their isolation. Back in the 19th century, in a welcome speech to the American commissioner of education in 1891, Principal Grant, (likely George Munro Grant, of Queens University) said Canadians were the most courteous people under the sun. That is one of the advantages we get from having so many French in Canada, for Frenchmen are always polite, he said. Almost a century earlier, in a walking trip along the eastern seaboard in 1821, American Phillip Stansbury noted the same thing: Bonjour is the common salutation, and wherever two meet, whether acquaintances or strangers, their hands are respectfully applied to their hats or caps, and the friendly bon jour. pleasingly uttered as they pass, he wrote in A Pedestrian Tour of Two Thousand Three Hundred Miles in North America. When Stansbury returned home, he felt a relief to be rid of such polite and mundane people. There is something, notwithstanding all their complacency, that makes many an American glad to escape out of their province The contrast is plain. There we have reserved, austere, unambitious peasants: here, plain, open-hearted, merrymaking farmers. Stansbury even went to a Vermont hilltop to look back at us with moderate scorn: It seemed as if clouds, cold and storms, had been left with Canada, whose horrible hemlock swamps spread in wide prospect to the north. The Americans had a storm of their own, and the long simmering issue of slavery in a land of liberty erupted in the Civil War in 1861. When it ended in 1865, the disparate groups living in what would become Canada began to warily watch their militarized neighbour. The story theoretically starts out as mutual accommodation between the French and English, says Michael Adams, president of Environics research, and author of Fire and Ice: the United States Canada and the Myth of Converging Values. From the perspective of Aboriginal people actually it was colonialism. It isnt that we understood or even liked each other very much, he says, But we were more afraid of the Americans, so we created a country. As a marketing ploy, being polite was an early hit. In 1897, the Queens Hotel in Montreal was trying to make a name for itself as the Polite Hotel of Canada. From the proprietor to the bell boys, all exhibit to the guests that true politeness which grudges no pains to ensure the comfort of its object, an advertisement noted in the local press. This year, Roots has a button to celebrate 150 years of Confederation. It says nice. Were polite, friendly people that say sorry when you bump into us, an accompanying explanation states. During the past 150 years, weve shown the world what it means to be nice though our bravery, strength, pride and confidence. In an age of truth and reconciliation and Black Lives Matter, that seems a little too easy. Canadas history, with residential schools, discriminatory laws and internment camps, is messy. The Canadian experience, through the lens of politeness, doesnt exactly fit on a button. Adams believes that modern Canadian politeness stems from Charter values of equality and multiculturalism, and a rejection of hierarchical culture. We kind of pride ourselves on being a country that can bring people from all over the world and we more or less get along, he says. Inherent in Canadian politeness is a rebuffing of other countries where you see the rise of xenophobic nationalism and divisive politics. He calls the U.S. a 50-50 nation, with shrinking common ground between the two camps. Thats a nation that is quite stressed and on edge, he says. Canada is a two-to-one nation, with about two out of three people being more or less progressive, and the remaining people not open to diversity or social change. To be polite in Canada is to hold open a door, perhaps make some small talk, and maybe establish a common humanity. Its an ideology that becomes self-fulfilling if you have the institutions to support it, he says. Back in the cab, the sidewalks thin out at 6 p.m. We have picked up three fares: Edwards, a couple with groceries, and an architect. Everyone was nice. Farooqi drops me off and waves goodbye. I dont know if Canadians are more intrinsically polite than any other culture, but when were not using the idea as a crutch to avoid critically examining our history and ourselves, it is a nice idea to aspire to. I keep thinking of what an architect said as we drove down Bay St.: It doesnt hurt to be polite, he said. It changes everything. SHARE: GRASSY NARROWS FIRST NATION, ONT.Renowned environmentalist David Suzuki said he was delighted with the provinces historic $85-million mercury cleanup announcement and told Indigenous elders here that their courageous, long fight against the harmful pollution is a great gift. But he agreed with many concerned community members that much more than a river cleanup is needed. In a community centre near the powwow grounds Wednesday, Suzuki formally announced his foundation would lend its weight and support Grassy Narrows pursuit of, among other things, a care home and treatment centre for survivors of mercury poisoning. Eighty-five million sounds like a lot of money, (but) that is not going to cover the long-term medical issues in this community, he told the crowd. Between 1962 and 1970, the paper plant in Dryden, then owned by Reed Paper, dumped 10 tonnes of mercury into the river about 100 kilometres upstream. The mercury, a potent neurotoxin, contaminated the fish, which poisoned the people of Grassy Narrows and nearby Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Independent Nations. On Tuesday Environment Minister Glen Murray announced the $85-million fund for remediation of the Wabigoon River system, calling the provinces past handling of the mercury poisoning of Grassy Narrows an embarrassment and gross neglect. The commitment followed a Star investigation that probed the impact of the poisoning and decades-long lack of action by government. And it came after decades of activism by Grassy Narrows community members, from chiefs to mothers to youth. Most recently, River Run protests in Toronto have been led by the younger generations. Judy Da Silva, a community member who helped organize the River Runs, said the provincial announcement was significant and gives reason to be hopeful for the future, though she is also skeptical. Governments have promised us big things, and then it never happened, she said. My community cant really fathom what the $85 million means. We just got to wait and see it. Da Silva applauded Suzuki for putting his name behind the cause. Hes a world icon in environmentalism, she said. Him being here, it makes people shake in their boots because he has so much respect and so much clout, and thats was we need to put Grassy Narrows on the world stage. That the major funding announcement came the day before Suzuki was scheduled to visit Grassy Narrows was a rather amazing coincidence Suzuki said and chuckled. Perhaps (my visit) hurried them up. But I really believe the government has a good heart. I have a great deal of time for Kathleen (Wynne) and or Glen (Murray). Most of the credit should go to the people of Grassy Narrows, Suzuki told the Star. They hung in there, goddamnit, and they fought and fought and fought, he said, adding that science has to be guided by the Indigenous knowledge thats thousands of years old. Indigenous people have got to be guiding us, he told the crowd. We really mucked up Mother Earth. Your battle is our battle: Its how we live on this planet. Community members presented Suzuki with an arrowhead, wild rice and other gifts, and then he set out from shore with local Larry Keewatin Jr. to go fishing. SHARE: OTTAWA Its a global ban that has stunned free speech advocates. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled Google is barred from displaying anywhere in the world the websites of a company accused of counterfeiting a Canadian technology companys products. The 7-2 ruling has broad implications for freedom of expression, the reach of courts to protect intellectual property and other rights, and for the operations of Internet-based businesses. In upholding a sweeping B.C. lower court injunction against Googles ability to display commercial content that was at the heart of a court battle over trade secrets, the countrys top court may make Google a more powerful player in the information marketplace worldwide, said University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist. The decision will ultimately grant Google more power, not less, Geist wrote in an online analysis of the decision. What happens if a Chinese court orders it to remove Taiwanese sites from the index? Or if an Iranian court orders it to remove gay and lesbian sites from the index? Since local content laws differ from country to country, there is a great likelihood of conflicts. That leaves two possible problematic outcomes: local courts deciding what others can access online or companies such as Google selectively deciding which rules they wish to follow. The Supreme Court of Canada did not address the broader implications of the decision, Geist said, content to base its reasoning on the need to address the commercial harm sustained by a Canadian company, the limited burden on Google, and the ease with which any global takedown order could be adjusted if Google could bring back evidence an order violated another countrys laws. In the end, the ruling invites more global takedowns without requiring those seeking takedowns to identify potential conflicts or assess the implications in other countries, he said. Its the second hard-hitting ruling against Google in two days. On Tuesday, European authorities hammered Google for using its dominance in online searches to direct customers to its own businesses and fined the tech giant about $3.6 billion Canadian. On Wednesday, Google said little in response to the Canadian high court ruling. We are carefully reviewing the courts findings and evaluating our next steps, said Google spokesman Aaron Brindle. The judgment is the first global de-indexing order and will be extremely important worldwide because it gives a remedy against third-parties such as Google or Internet service providers who are the gatekeepers of information, said McCarthy Tetreault lawyer Barry Sookman, who intervened on behalf of six groups representing music composers and publishers. Other intervenors were dismayed by the ruling. Dinah PoKempner, general counsel of Human Rights Watch, warned the Supreme Court put access to information at risk by trying to enforce Canadian law in every country on Earth. Other countries may soon follow this example, in ways that more obviously force Google to become the worlds censor. If every country tries to enforce its own idea of what is proper to put on the Internet globally, we will soon have a race to the bottom where human rights will be the loser. Wednesdays ruling involved Equustek Solutions Inc., a Vancouver-based manufacturer of networking devices that allow complex industrial equipment made by one manufacturer to communicate with the equipment of another, a kind of inter-linking technology. In 2011 it got into a messy dispute when its distributor, Datalink Technologies Gateways Inc., headed by Morgan Jack, began to re-label one of the products and passed it off as its own. Equustek claims Datalink then acquired some of its confidential technology and began to manufacture copycat products. Sued by Equustek, Datalink first denied the accusations, then fled the province, and continued to carry on business, selling products all over the world from an unknown location. The allegations have not been proven in court, but several court orders were issued against Datalink to stop selling Equustek inventory until the allegations could be tested. Google became involved when Equustek asked the tech giant to drop Datalink from its search engines. Google said it would comply with a court order, and at first removed or de-indexed 345 web pages, but not Datalinks websites. So Datalink had a workaround. It was able to move the objectionable content to new pages within its websites, the court found. And Google had only blocked the searches on Google.ca, not Google.com or its other country-specific search engines. A B.C. court then granted a broader injunction against Googles display of Datalinks websites anywhere in the world. Google challenged that global gag order all the way up to the Supreme Court of Canada where it lost Wednesday. The high court said Google, which controls 70-75 per cent of all global searches on the Internet, might not be the one causing the direct harm to the small B.C. tech company, but it is not a bystander. Rather, Google is a key player that facilitated the harm, Abella wrote. The judges wrote that, where necessary, a Canadian court can grant an injunction to prohibit wrongful conduct anywhere in the world. The problem in this case is occurring online and globally. The Internet has no borders its natural habitat is global, wrote Justice Rosalie Abella. The only way to ensure the injunction worked was to have it apply where Google operates globally. This decision will very likely have enormous implications around the world, said lawyer Barry Sookman, because it is a statement of general principles about the powers of courts, and will influence common law jurisdictions in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and elsewhere. It could be used to go after those who breach intellectual property, trademark, or copyright law, or to safeguard privacy rights, for example in the case of a major data breach where a corporation loses control over customers private information, or in cyber-stalking, harassment or defamation cases where a persons reputation is affected by global distribution of slanderous material online. Victims may be able to go to court to force Google and other search engines to take down websites that are carrying on illegal activity whose owners otherwise cant be found, said Sookman. But David Christopher, a spokesman for OpenMedia which intervened in the case, said in a release it is critical to have safeguards in place to protect free expression and access to information for Canadians and Internet users around the globe. The Internet is a global phenomenon, and there is great risk that governments and commercial entities will see this ruling as justifying censorship requests that could result in perfectly legal and legitimate content disappearing off the web because of a court order in the opposite corner of the globe. That would be a major setback to citizens rights to access information and express ourselves freely. The majority on the Supreme Court of Canada, which upheld two lower B.C. court orders, rejected all of Googles arguments. This is not an order to remove speech that, on its face, engages freedom of expression values; it is an order to de-index websites that are in violation of several court orders. We have not, to date, accepted that freedom of expression requires the facilitation of the unlawful sale of goods, wrote Abella. The court said Google admitted it would not be inconvenienced in any material way, nor would it incur significant expense, in de-indexing the Datalink websites. Google acknowledged it can and often does exactly what is being asked of it in this case, that is, alter search results . . . to avoid generating links to child pornography and websites containing hate speech, the court wrote. It said Google will also comply with notices of possible copyright infringement and removes such material. The majority decision was written by Abella, and the chief justice, Beverley McLachlin, and five others Michael Moldaver, Andromache Karakatsanis, Richard Wagner, Clement Gascon, and Russell Brown concurred with it. In a sharp dissent, Justices Suzanne Cote and Malcolm Rowe disagreed, saying the case called for judicial restraint. The two dissenting judges said although the original injunction was meant to stop immediate harm to the Canadian company until the counterfeiting and trademark infringement claim could be determined by the courts, the order against Google . . . is final in effect. It said the counterfeit claim had not been tested in court, and it might never be if the injunction stood, because thered be no incentive to bring the case to court if a companys ability to operate could simply be shut down by injunction. Read more about: SHARE: IQALUIT, NUNAVUTThe City of Iqaluit is gearing up for the arrival of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who are expected to land Thursday from the U.K. on a Canadian Forces Airbus. The couple is set to begin their royal tour in the capital of Nunavut the 18th visit to Canada for Prince Charles and the fourth for his wife Camilla. They will be greeted by dignitaries including Gov. Gen. David Johnston and Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna. Charles and Camilla will also receive a welcome at the legislative assembly, complete with military honours and a traditional Inuit ceremony. After a packed schedule of events, they will move on to CFB Trenton and Prince Edward County in southern Ontario on Friday. The couple will mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation on Parliament Hill, where Charles is expected to deliver remarks. SHARE: FLINT, MICH.A judge on Wednesday ordered a Canadian man to remain in jail while he faces a charge of stabbing an airport police officer in Flint, Michigan, in a possible act of terrorism. Amor Ftouhi, 49, didnt object to the governments request that he be denied bond, a week after authorities say he stabbed Lt. Jeff Neville in the neck. Ftouhi, of Montreal, would be held by U.S. immigration authorities even if he were released on bond in the criminal case, his attorney, Joan Morgan, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis. Ftouhi wore a medical mask over his mouth and twice mumbled words as he entered court for the brief hearing. No members of his family were present. Security was greatly enhanced: Two U.S. marshals and a court officer were at the courtroom door while others stood watch just steps from the defence table. Ftouhi, a native of Tunisia, is charged with committing violence at the Flint airport. Its a temporary charge until federal prosecutors present their case to a grand jury. The FBI said it was investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism. Police say Ftouhi yelled Allahu akbar, the Arabic phrase for God is great. The stabbing occurred five days after Ftouhi legally entered the U.S. at Champlain, New York. The FBI said he bought a knife in the U.S. but was unsuccessful in his attempt to buy a gun. Neville was released from a hospital Monday. Read more: Officer stabbed in neck at Michigan airport out of hospital Suspect in Michigan airport stabbing considered lone-wolf attacker Canadian man charged after possible terror attack at Michigan airport, FBI say SHARE: As Justin Trudeaus government approaches mid-mandate, he remains the most popular government leader in the country. But that says as much if not more about the lacklustre standing of the current set of premiers as about the staying power of the popularity of the prime minister. In three of the four larger provinces for instance, the incumbents face uncertain re-election prospects. And in British Columbia voters recently failed to make a definitive choice between the wannabe premiers on offer. Even as he leads a largely unloved first ministers pack Trudeaus approval rating has steadily declined over his second year in office. Yet, in contrast with premiers such as Kathleen Wynne, Philippe Couillard and Rachel Notley, the prime minister has not until very recently had opposition rivals to be compared with. Most Canadians do not yet know what to make of incoming Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, and none of the five NDP leadership contenders has so far made a big impression on the electorate. All of which is to say that the hits Trudeau and his party have taken over the past year have essentially been self-inflicted. Take the prime ministers broken promise of a new voting system. Most Canadians do not wake up at night to fret about the first-past-the-post voting formula but they do care about whether their political leaders can be trusted to say what they mean and mean what they say. On that score, the episode was a defining moment for Trudeau. Going forward there will be a check-on-delivery asterisk attached to his commitments. On Tuesday, the prime minister again tried to dress up his decision to abandon the centrepiece of his electoral reform agenda as something other than a breach of his word suggesting among other arguments that he was actually sticking to the fine print of his campaign promise. Read more: Trudeau abandons pledge to reform Canadas elections Trudeaus Trump tactics seem to be working so far: Paul Wells Who serves as Trump-whisperer to Justin Trudeau? Brian Mulroney, of course! According to Trudeau, the opposition parties had they paid more attention would apparently have divined that he was only going through the motions of consulting Canadians on the way forward as his mind was already made up that a ranked ballot was the only acceptable destination. Watching the prime minister over the course of his end-of-sitting news conference dig himself a little bit deeper in a hole of his own making one could not but be struck by the singular political bipolarity of his government. On the one hand, Trudeau leads a team that deserves full credits for hitting the ground running in the wake of the American presidential election. Faced with the biggest shift in the tectonic plates of the Canada-U.S. relationship in decades, he and his government orchestrated a multi-faceted strategy that makes intelligent use of the talent pool at the countrys disposal. It is testimony to the professionalism that has so far gone into the federal approach to the Trump White House that six months in, Canadas political leadership provincial and federal is mostly still singing from the same hymn book. False notes so far have been the exception rather than the rule. On the other hand, the same government cannot seem to acquit itself of some of its most basic duties. Filling vacancies on agencies, boards, tribunals and courts to ensure that the machinery of government functions on all cylinders is the governance equivalent of tying ones shoelaces. Yet, so far the Liberal government has mostly managed to trip over its shoelaces with crippling results for many of the institutions it oversees. That has been compounded as in most notably but not exclusively the case of electoral reform by talking points that insult the intelligence of anyone keeping track of the narrative. On too many policy issues, an unbridgeable gap between rhetoric and actual delivery is on the way to become a defining feature of Trudeaus governance pattern. A word in closing on the shifting opposition landscape and the impact of recent leadership developments on the dynamics of the next campaign: Lost in the search for a significant post-leadership bump in Conservative fortunes in the wake of Scheers victory is the fact that he may be the least polarizing flag-bearer to come out of the Canadian right in two decades. That is a strategic loss for Trudeau and a gift of sorts for the next NDP leader. It could be a lot harder in 2019 for the Liberals to spook New Democrat sympathizers into jumping ship to keep the Scheer-led Conservatives at bay than it was against the likes of Preston Manning, Stockwell Day and, of course, Stephen Harper. Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Read more about: SHARE: Installing the Presto fare card system on the TTC is expected to cost the province 50 per cent more than originally estimated, with the budget ballooning to $385 million. The new figure, which was provided by the provincial transportation ministers office and is expected to be discussed at a Metrolinx board meeting on Wednesday, is $130 million greater than a 2012 estimate of $255 million. The additional cost helps push the provinces total anticipated spending on Presto infrastructure across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Ottawa to $916.2 million over roughly a decade. Asked in an interview why equipping the TTC with the fare card system has gone so far over budget, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said the original estimate was produced before Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency for the GTHA, had signed a formal agreement with the TTC for the Presto program. Over the course of hammering out the deal and implementing the program, Metrolinx discovered some additional complexities that led to increased costs, Del Duca said. Were always cognizant that were investing taxpayers dollars wisely and effectively, said Del Duca, the Liberal MPP for Vaughan. From my perspective, the most important thing is that we continue to deploy this successfully on the TTC, so that customers have that reliability and that accessibility that they need to make their commute easier and more straightforward. New Democrat MPP Cheri DiNovo, the partys urban transit critic, called the cost overrun shocking and described Metrolinx as a rogue agency that racks up bills at the publics expense while being opaque about its finances. The concern is that they seem as if they answer to no one, except the Liberal cabinet, said DiNovo, who represents ParkdaleHigh Park. She argued that the books need to be opened for that agency. Ultimately, the buck stops at Steven Del Duca. And he needs to be held responsible for the errors of Metrolinx, DiNovo said. As one example of the projects unforeseen complexities, Del Duca stated that Metrolinx needed to deploy Presto readers on more of the TTCs old-model legacy streetcars than expected, as a result of Bombardiers failure to deliver a fleet of new vehicles on time. The TTC pushed back against that assertion Tuesday, with a spokesperson saying its the agencys position that the majority of the costs Metrolinx has incurred were within the original scope of the project. The TTC and Metrolinx entered into a master agreement for Presto in November 2012. The system allows transit users to pay for their trips by tapping prepaid fare cards on readers located on transit vehicles and in stations. It will eventually replace older forms of payment on the TTC, and is currently available on 10 transit services within the GTHA, including the TTC, GO Transit, Mississaugas MiWay, and the Union Pearson Express. Its also used on Ottawas OC Transpo. Prestos deployment on the TTC has not been totally smooth: card readers and other devices suffered persistent technical problems last year. Metrolinx says the issues have mostly been rectified. Michael Harris, transportation critic for the Progressive Conservatives, questioned how a system that cost so much could have so many significant problems. We dont even have a perfect system and we paid 50 per cent more, $130 million more. For what? asked Harris, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga. Only a project ultimately overseen by (Premier) Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals could see a project go over by 50 per cent. Despite the cost increases, Minister Del Duca described the Presto program as an operational success. He noted that more than 2.8 million people now use the fare card in all of its jurisdictions. He also stated that the reliability of Presto devices on the TTC has improved dramatically. As of last month, 97 per cent of card readers on the transit system were operable at any given time, just below Metrolinxs target of at least 99 per cent. The TTC now has 5,000 Presto readers on buses and streetcars, and is installing automated Presto fare gates at all of its subway stations. Of 69 stations, 45 are equipped with Presto gates, with the remaining 24 slated for completion this year. The TTC has budgeted $44 million for its share of the Presto installation, which is separate from the Metrolinx costs. According to TTC spokesperson Heather Brown, so far the Toronto agency has spent $35 million of the total on project management, testing, engineering and design. It is spending an additional $50 million on the new fare gates to replace its subway turnstiles. Installation of Presto hardware is expected to be completed in 2018, and some time next year the TTC will begin phasing out other forms of payment. The agency has not set a firm date for when it will stop accepting tickets, tokens and passes. Numbers that will be presented at the Metrolinx board meeting are expected to show that as of March 31 of this year, the provincial agency had spent $327.1 million equipping the TTC with Presto, with a further $57.9 million budgeted for completing the project. According to Del Duca, in addition to the $385 million Metrolinx will spend on the TTC Presto program, the provincial agency will be spending a further $59 million on software features and Presto infrastructure upgrades across the GTHA and Ottawa to ensure the system functions even better for our commuters. Read more about: SHARE: The three levels of governments will spend $1.25 billion over seven years to clean up Torontos Port Lands, considered one of North Americas largest under-used and under-developed urban areas. The funding will flood-proof the southeastern downtown area, making possible the long-sought after dream of transforming the polluted, industrial area into a mixed-use community surrounded by parks and green space. This project will create a better quality of life for the people of Toronto, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said standing on a raised podium on Polson St. with the city skyline and flooded Toronto Islands as a backdrop. He was joined by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Mayor John Tory and Will Fleissig, CEO of Waterfront Toronto, the agency in charge of overseeing the renewal of the waterfront. The federal government is kicking in up to $384 million for the project. The province and city will each contribute more than $400 million. By doing this work, were unlocking the potential of this amazing piece of land to build a community where people will live, where theyll work, where theyll shop, where theyll play and where the land will be healthier, Wynne said. The project will also be another step in restoring the Don River, one of Torontos natural treasures, she added. She noted the location of the news conference, on a helicopter pad next to a parking lot, was once Ontarios largest wetland. But about 100 years ago, as the Don Valley became heavily industrialized, the river was re-routed to enter the lake into a concrete channel, Wynne said. The project will create a new mouth for the Don between the Ship Channel and Keating Channel. Now, as part of this project, the mouth of the river will be turned back into a natural valley and I think that is awesome to rip up a parking lot and create a wetland, to create a green space, Wynne said. The three leaders all emphasized that the co-operation demonstrates what happens when different orders of government sit down and work together. Mayor John Tory said the project will prime the investment pump, lead to the creation of a new transit hub and allow for the building of new communities, including those with affordable housing units. The project will also mitigate the impact of climate change on the city, Tory added. It took a long time to get here but were here doing something important, he said. While its not always popular to say so, Canada as a whole, not just Toronto, will benefit from the investment and the thousands of jobs which will come about because of todays sensible, necessary investment. John Wilson, who chaired a now-defunct city council advisory committee on the Don River, was all smiles after attending Wednesdays announcement. He called it a culmination of decades of work. I can retire happy now, Wilson said. The whole area has just been underappreciated, its been trashed, its been misused and abused and people like me, we love our waterfront, and we love our river. This is turning a corner. The transformation will take a lot of work and investment but for the future of our city, this is where the future of the city is. SHARE: New Brunswick has made public how much it pays to each of its doctors. The province released the names of physicians along with the amounts each received in payments for providing medically insured services last year. In doing so, it has joined a growing list of jurisdictions that is turning to public disclosure of such data. Transparency and accountability are of the utmost importance for your government, Health Minister Victor Boudreau said in a written statement, released Monday. Following recommendations from the auditor general, and necessary legislative amendments, we are proud to follow through on our commitment to publish payments made to medical practitioners who work in the province, he said. In Ontario, the Star has been trying for more than three years to get physician-identified billings released. In response to a Freedom-of-Information request, the Ontario Health Ministry in 2014 disclosed for most doctors their specialties and OHIP payments. The ministry withheld names, explaining their release would be an unjustified invasion of privacy. The Star successfully appealed that decision to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. But then three groups of doctors including the Ontario Medical Association sought a judicial review of the privacy commissioners order. That review was heard in Division Court last week. A three-judge panel reserved its decision. British Columbia has been releasing such information annually since 1971 and Manitoba since 1996. The United States began releasing physician-identified Medicare payment data in 2014. Newfoundlands privacy commissioner last year ordered the release of such data, but the provinces doctors are asking the courts to overturn that decision. Meantime, Prince Edward Island is looking to make the information public through legislation. New Brunswicks Department of Health issued a 22-page list of doctors who received payments of more than $50,000. Some 24 physicians received more than $1 million each. The highest payment of more than $1.5 million went to a radiologist. The doctors were paid through salaries, fee-for-service billings or a combination of the two. In making the information public, the province emphasized that the gross payments are not the same as salaries since many doctors have overhead expenses that include, for example, rent and staff salaries. Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, told a news conference that the provinces doctors did not object to the disclosure so long as the government made clear that payments are not the same thing as income. Physicians overall are comfortable with whats going on, the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal reported her saying. Read more about: SHARE: A 24-year-old man has been charged with second degree murder on Monday in connection with the fatal stabbing of Joshua Elliott, a 21-year-old man from Cannington. Elliotts case was the sixth homicide of 2017 in Durham Region. Durham Regional Police were called to a reported disturbance involving several men in the downtown area of Beaverton on May 26. They found Elliott collapsed on Dundas St., stabbed. He was rushed to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. Officers also found another man in the area, a 35-year-old who had also been stabbed. His wounds were not life-threatening. Police apprehended the suspect, Lucas Bovell, in Toronto, and then returned him to Durham Region for his bail hearing. SHARE: Toronto police are trying to track down a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on a city bus. Investigators say the incident occurred on Tuesday night as the woman was riding a Toronto Transit Commission bus on Dufferin Street near Eglinton Avenue West. Its alleged the man stood beside her on the bus and sexually assaulted her. Police say the suspect got off the bus at Dufferin station and took the subway going east about 20 minutes later. The suspect is described as in his 20s, about five-foot-six with a slim build and a moustache. Police have released a security image of the man and are asking the public for assistance in identifying the suspect. SHARE: Regardless of how much wealth you've managed to accrue in your lifetime, one of your primary goals should be to protect that wealth and ensure that it best serves your needs, as well as the needs of your family. That's why it pays to see what a living trust might do for you and your heirs. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court reinstating part of President Donald Trumps travel ban, Canadian advocacy groups are calling on Ottawa to suspend a bilateral pact that bans refugees from seeking asylum in Canada if theyve entered the country from the United States. We are shocked and disappointed that the Canadian government continues to hold to the view that the U.S. is a safe partner for refugee protection, said Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada. That was not true before President Trump took office and it has become abundantly clear that his presidency is characterized by utter disregard for the safety and rights of refugees and migrants. In a ruling Monday, Americas highest court gave the go-ahead for a 120-day ban on all refugee claimants entering the country who dont have any bona fide relationship with an American individual or group. The court also granted a qualified permission for the White House to place a 90-day ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, if they do not have credible connections in the U.S. The partial ban is expected to take effect as soon as Thursday. Those with a bona fide relationship, the court noted, include foreign nationals who wish to enter the U.S. to live with or visit family, students at American universities, employees of U.S. companies or visiting scholars. On Tuesday, Amnesty International and the Canadian Council for Refugees released a 52-page brief to Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale outlining the flaws of the U.S. asylum system and immigration detention regime that fail to meet international and Canadian standards. While the U.S. asylum system has long suffered from significant failings, these deficiencies have been exacerbated under the Trump administration, said the briefing. Since assuming office, President Trump has taken steps to implement a number of policies likely to significantly erode already deficient protections for asylum seekers. Introduced in 2004, the Safe Third Country Agreement, with limited exceptions, limits refugees to making an asylum claim in the first of the two countries they arrive in, in order to avoid duplicate asylum claims that would clog both systems. However, the agreement does not apply to those who cross irregularly at unguarded points along the border, a situation critics say encourages desperate asylum-seekers to risk their lives getting into Canada. A spokesperson for Hussen said the government hasn't changed it's stance on the U.S.-Canada pact. Canada has carefully analyzed recent developments in the United States, including with respect to the recent Executive Orders related to border . . . and determined that the U.S. remains a safe country for asylum claimants, wrote Bernie Derible in an email to the Star, noting the UN Refugee Agency shares that assessment. Between the time Trump took office in January and the end of May, Canada received 15,170 asylum claimants, according to the Canada Border Services Agency. Among the 5,620 claimants who came by land, some 3,461 were intercepted by the RCMP crossing illegally. Although the number of irregular border-crossers dropped slightly in May to 742 from the peak of 887 in March, the U.S. court decision could trigger another wave of refugees seeking asylum in Canada through the porous land border. To date, there has been one reported death among asylum-seekers risking their lives to cross the border. Mavis Otuteye, a 57-year-old Ghanaian, was found dead near Emerson, Man., in late May en route to Toronto to see her only daughter. The cause of death was hypothermia. This agreement encourages desperate people to take desperate measures which may put their safety and even their lives at risk, said Loly Rico, president of the Canadian Council for Refugees. From the perspectives of humanity, human rights and responsible border management, the Safe Third Country Agreement should be suspended. There has been no convincing explanation from the Canadian government as to why they will not take that step. SHARE: The independent inquiry into serial killer nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer must reach beyond her case to larger systemic problems in long-term care homes now at a breaking point, says NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. As the Ontario government ponders the scope of the public inquiry promised after Wettlaufer was sentenced this week to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years, Horwath said it should be broad enough to consider staffing levels, funding, long waiting lists, resident-on-resident violence and more. There are too many anecdotal stories of poor care, such as nursing home residents being left too long in soiled diapers, developing painful bedsores, or assaulted by fellow residents with dementia, she told reporters Wednesday. This is our opportunity to shine a light on whats happening, Horwath said. Demographically, the province is aging . . . . We need to get a handle for the next folks that are coming along. By way of example, she cited the Walkerton tainted water inquiry, which first examined how seven people died, then looked at broader issues of drinking water safety across the province. Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Attorney General Yasir Naqvi both said this week that the government is taking a few weeks to determine the scope and terms of reference for the inquiry along with a commissioner likely a judge to lead it. We want to provide reassurance to Ontarians, and reassurance to the communities and the loved ones who were impacted by this, who are asking the question how this could possibly happen? Hoskins said on his way into a cabinet meeting Tuesday. Thats a fundamental question that needs to be answered here. But I dont want to predetermine or pre-judge what the scope might be. Thats the process that were undertaking now. Wettlaufer admitted to fatally injecting eight residents with insulin at three nursing homes and a private home between 2007 and 2014. Hoskins said the commissioner will be given significant and substantial powers to call witnesses and gather information. It will be up to the commissioner to decide if the inquiry should be held in the Woodstock or London areas, where the deaths occurred, Naqvi said. Horwath appeared at a news conference with lawyer Jane Meadus from the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly in Toronto, which represents nursing home patients in disputes. Meadus said we have many people in long-term care who are well cared for, but there are problems that need to be fixed. Patients are abused. Theyre neglected. They have bed sores. Theyre left unchanged, added Meadus, who called for better and quicker investigations of incidents by the Ministry of Health and a thorough review of self-regulatory bodies such as the College of Nurses, which was notified of problems with Wettlaufer. She kept working after the college was informed she was fired from a Woodstock nursing home for a medication error in 2014. Hoskins said Ontario residents should not worry about the safety of their loved ones in nursing homes in the wake of the Wettlaufer tragedy. Were confident that the safety of Ontarians . . . is protected, he said. Read more about: SHARE: BERLINAn apartment building in a northwestern German city was evacuated Tuesday because of fears that its exterior insulation is similar to materials that allowed the deadly fire that torched Londons Grenfell Tower to spread. The 11-storey building is located in Wuppertal. In addition to discovering the sort of insulation material under scrutiny after the blaze in London, government officials also found that the buildings escape routes were too close to the facade, making them useless in the event of a fire. In principle, the building is a trap, said Jochen Braun, head of Wuppertals construction and housing department. After we saw what happened in London, we reassessed the situation. Read more:Britains May demands major national probe into cladding after deadly fire U.K. evacuating 800 apartment units in buildings with same cladding as Grenfell Tower Number of Britain apartment buildings that failed fire safety tests now 60 The evacuation came as cities across Europe examine fire safety, prompted by the incineration two weeks ago of the 24-storey tower in London. At least 79 people have been declared dead in that incident. In the aftermath of the inferno, tests of exterior cladding on dozens of other public-housing complexes have yielded a 100-per-cent failure rate. The 73 residents of the building in Wuppertal were either asked to stay with friends and relatives or were given access to furnished apartments, of which there is a glut, Braun said, because of preparations for refugee resettlement. The evacuees were also given food packages. Authorities have asked the owner of the building to remove the facade and take other measures to eliminate the fire hazard. German media reported that at least 70 other buildings would be tested in Wuppertal alone. One resident told local TV broadcaster WDR: Perhaps something will finally happen now. Usually theres just talk and no action. SHARE: PARISCompanies and governments around the world on Wednesday counted the cost of a software epidemic that has disrupted ports, hospitals and banks. Ukraine, which was hardest hit and where the attack likely originated, said it had secured critical state assets though everyday life remained affected, with cash machines out of order and airport displays operating manually. As the impact of the cyberattack that erupted Tuesday was still being measured at offices, loading docks and boardrooms, the Ukrainian Cabinet said that all strategic assets, including those involved in protecting state security, are working normally. But that still left a large number of non-strategic assets including dozens of banks and other institutions fighting to get back online. Cash machines in Kyiv seen by an Associated Press photographer were still out of order Wednesday, and Ukrainian news reports said that flight information at the citys Boryspil airport was being provided in manual mode. A local cybersecurity expert discounted the Ukrainian governments assurances. Obviously they dont control the situation, Victor Zhora of Infosafe in Kyiv told the AP. Read more: Massive new cyberattack hits Europe, U.S. with widespread ransom demands Ransomwares strange history began with a colourful culprit Surfer worked from bedroom to bring WannaCry cyberattack to a halt Others outside Ukraine were struggling, too. Logistics firm FedEx says deliveries by its TNT Express subsidiary have been slowed by the cyberattack, which had significantly affected its systems. At Indias largest container port, one of the terminals was idled by the malicious software. M.K. Sirkar, a manager at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai, said that no containers could be loaded or unloaded Wednesday at the terminal operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk, the Denmark-based shipping giant. In a statement, Moller-Maersk acknowledged that its APM Terminals had been impacted in a number of ports and that an undisclosed number of systems were shut down to contain the issue. The company declined to provide further detail or make an official available for an interview. At the very least, cybersecurity firms say thousands of computers worldwide have been struck by the malware, which goes by a variety of names including ExPetr. In Pennsylvania, lab and diagnostic services were closed at the satellite offices of the Heritage Valley Health System. In Tasmania, an Australian official said a Cadbury chocolate factory had stopped production after computers there crashed. Other organizations affected include U.S. drugmaker Merck, food and drinks company Mondelez International, global law firm DLA Piper, and London-based advertising group WPP. But most of the damage remains hidden away in corporate offices and industrial parks. As IT security workers turned their eye toward cleaning up the mess, others wondered at the attackers motives. Ransomware which scrambles a computers data until a payment is made has grown explosively over the past couple of years, powered in part by the growing popularity of digital currencies such as bitcoin. But some experts believed that this latest ransomware outbreak was less aimed at gathering money than at sending a message to Ukraine and its allies. That hunch was buttressed by the way the malware appears to have been seeded using a rogue update to a piece of Ukrainian accounting software suggesting an attacker focused on Ukrainian targets. And it comes on the anniversary of the assassination of a senior Ukrainian military intelligence officer and a day before a national holiday celebrating a new constitution signed after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The threat were talking about looks like it was specially developed for Ukraine because that was the place it created most of the damage, said Bogdan Botezatu, of Romanian security firm Bitdefender, calling it a case of national sabotage. Suspicions were further heightened by the re-emergence of the mysterious Shadow Brokers group of hackers, whose dramatic leak of powerful NSA tools helped power Tuesdays outbreak, as it did a previous ransomware explosion last month that was dubbed WannaCry. In a post published Wednesday, The Shadow Brokers made new threats, announced a new money-making scheme and made a boastful reference to the recent chaos. The malware didnt appear to make a lot of money for its creators. A bitcoin wallet used to collect ransoms showed only about $10,000. And some analysts going through the malwares code said that the ransomware may not even operate as ransomware at all; victims data appear to be hopelessly scrambled, rather than recoverable after the payment of ransom. Matthieu Suiche, the founder of Dubai-based Comae Technologies, said the ransom demand was merely a mega-diversion. In a blog post, he wrote that the code pointed not to criminals, but in fact a nation state attack. SHARE: CARACAS, VENEZUELAOscar Perez is a cop, pilot, action movie star and dog trainer. Hes now also a fugitive, accused of strafing two key Venezuelan government buildings from a helicopter in a quixotic attempt to set off a revolt against President Nicolas Maduro. Authorities on Wednesday conducted a nationwide manhunt for Perez a day after the government charged that he stole the police chopper and directed grenades and gunfire against the Supreme Court and Interior Ministry in what Maduro called a terrorist attack. No one was injured, and there was no sign of damage at the buildings. But the episode added another layer of intrigue to a 3-month-old political crisis that has left at least 75 people dead and hundreds more jailed or injured in clashes between security forces and protesters seeking Maduros removal. Did Perez act alone? Are other military uprisings in the works? Or was it an elaborate ruse clumsily orchestrated by the government to distract public attention or justify a tougher crackdown on the opposition? National Assembly President Julio Borges expressed doubts about Maduros version of events but cautioned that he and the rest of the opposition were still analyzing what happened. Read more: Maduro says helicopter fired on Venezuelas Supreme Court END Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a press conference on June 22, 2017. A police helicopter fired on Venezuelas Supreme Court and Interior Ministry in what President Nicolas Maduro said was a thwarted terrorist attack aimed at ousting him from power. Stores looted, offices burned in Venezuela after anti-government protests There are people who say it was a government-staged hoax, others who say it was real, he said in a radio interview. Whatever it was, it all points in the same direction: that the situation in Venezuela is unsustainable. Little is known about Perez. On his Instagram account, he notes his job as a police investigator and tactical helicopter pilot and says his passion is Venezuela. In 2015, he starred in a film called Suspended Death, and several photos show him in fatigues, bearing assault rifles, skydiving and standing in action poses with a German shepherd by his side. Sometime Tuesday, he posted on his Instagram account a video in which he read a manifesto calling for rebellion. He claimed to speak on behalf of a coalition of renegade members of the security forces. Eyewitness accounts say the helicopter had hanging from its side a large banner referring to article 350 of Venezuelas constitution, which empowers Venezuelans to disobey any regime that violates human rights. We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government, Perez said while reading from the manifesto in front of four figures dressed in fatigues and ski masks and carrying assault rifles. The government accused Perez and others in the helicopter of firing 15 shots at the Interior Ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people. It then flew a short distance to the court, which was in session, and dropped grenades, two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building. The helicopter was later found near the coast in Vargas state not far from Caracas, and elite special forces were deployed there to press the hunt, Vice-President Tareck El Aissami said. Photos of the pilot standing in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter were shown on state television to bolster the governments case that he was taking instructions from the CIA and the U.S. Embassy. The magistrates of the Supreme Court and other judges of the nation are under a terrorist threat, for which we will request the appropriate measures to safeguard our integrity and that of our institutions, the high court said in a statement read by Maikel Moreno, the tribunals president. As the drama was unfolding outside the court, inside magistrates were issuing a number of rulings further blocking the opposition. One broadened the powers of staunchly pro-government ombudsman Tarek William Saab, allowing him to carry out criminal investigations that are the exclusive prerogative of Maduros most powerful critic, chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz. A defiant Ortega accused Maduro of carrying out state terrorism and said she wont recognize three new rulings she portrayed as a brazen attempt to eliminate her position as the countrys top law enforcement official. These rulings are giving the power to investigate human rights abuses to people who possibly are violating those rights, she said in her strongest remarks since breaking with Maduro over a ruling stripping the opposition-controlled legislature of its last powers. In Washington, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley warned that the situation in Venezuela is spinning out of control. Maduro is blaming the protesters for trying to overthrow his government when all they want is true democracy, she told a congressional committee. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump plans to celebrate Bastille Day in France. The White House announced Wednesday that Trump has accepted French President Emmanuel Macrons invitation to help celebrate Frances national holiday on July 14. Macron invited Trump to visit when they met for the first time at a NATO summit in Brussels in late May. On Tuesday, the French president extended the invitation again when he and Trump spoke by telephone, and Trump accepted. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump The holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, an event that marked a turning point in the French Revolution. The occasion will also be used to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I, Macrons office said. American soldiers will walk alongside French soldiers during the traditional Bastille Day military parade down Paris famed Champs-Elysees avenue. Separately on July 14, Macron plans to travel to Nice to mark a more sombre occasion the truck attack that day in 2016 that killed 86 people and injured hundreds in the resort town in the south of France. It was unclear whether Trump would join Macron in Nice. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump looks forward to reaffirming Americas strong ties of friendship with France and marking the national holiday along with the U.S. entrance into World War I. Spicer said the leaders will discuss co-operation on countering terrorism, as well as the economy and other issues. Trump is scheduled to visit Europe shortly before Bastille Day, when he travels to Poland and Germany from July 5-8. Read more about: SHARE: After 20 months as prime minister, Justin Trudeau isnt quite as sunny as he used to be. He remains unfailingly polite. At an Ottawa press conference Tuesday to mark the end of Parliaments spring sitting, he thanked reporters as he often does for what he called their contribution to democracy. At the end, he kissed the press gallery president on both cheeks. But from time to time during the 45-minute press conference, particularly when explaining his failures, he allowed a sober and sometimes bitter edge to creep in. Prime ministerial press conferences are not always about news. A skilful politician can answer reporters questions at length without saying anything that is even remotely newsworthy. But they can hint at the government leaders mood. And this one did. First, Trudeau seems confident about his controversial decision to run fiscal deficits. He brushed aside a question asking when he might balance the budget, saying only that Canadians had elected his Liberals to make investments in the economy. He chose not to discuss his campaign pledge to bring Ottawas books back into balance by 2019 and, in effect, blamed the previous Conservative government for leaving him with a big shortfall. He said he was not particularly concerned with brief upward and downward blips in economic indicators like the unemployment rate, but was focused on the long term. Translation: Politically, things are going fine on the economic front. Unless that changes, there is no compelling need to alter course. Second, the prime minister seems sobered by the difficulty of implementing his ambitious Indigenous agenda. Asked why his government was refusing to comply with a 2016 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling that Ottawa spend more on First Nation child welfare programs, Trudeau went into a long riff on the dangers of paternalism. In the history of Canada, there have been occurrences when governments have tried to . . . put forward solutions to the Indigenous community that may have been well-meaning but ended up disastrous, he said. His aim, he said, was to meet immediate needs, such as access to potable drinking water, and at the same time help Indigenous communities develop the capacity to run their own affairs free of interference from Ottawa. That, he said, will take a long time. It took hundreds of years to get here, he said. Its going to take many, many generations to end this legacy. Third, he blamed the opposition parties for his own missteps. He was forced to abandon his electoral reform plans, he said, because the Conservatives and New Democrats wouldnt go along with his idea of instituting a ranked ballot, in which voters list not only their first but subsequent choices. In fact, the Liberal government never presented the Commons with any specific plan for electoral reform, ranked ballot or otherwise. The Liberals abandoned the idea of replacing the current first-past-the-post voting system because they calculated, probably accurately, that most Canadians dont care one way or the other. Trudeau also blamed the opposition Conservatives for the trouble he has experienced getting legislation through the Senate. In fact, the Senates unusually obstreperous behaviour stems from Trudeaus decision to encourage nonpartisanship in the upper chamber. Had he continued the practice of appointing partisan Liberals committed firmly to his government, he would have no Senate problems. Fourth, Trudeaus love affair with United Nations peacekeeping appears to have flagged. Before becoming prime minister, he talked of ending Canadas combat mission in Iraq and returning to UN peacekeeping. Today, Canadian special forces are fighting in Iraq, where they shoot and kill enemy soldiers. But the government refuses to call this combat. Meanwhile, a decision on where to send Canadian peacekeepers has been postponed indefinitely. On Tuesday, Trudeau stuck by the fiction that Canadian troops involved in combat are not involved in combat. He also said that Canada would commit troops only to a UN peacekeeping mission that has a chance of success. Thats not a foolish criterion (although it does rule out most places where the UN wants to commit peacekeepers). But it suggests that the prime minister, while still chipper, is not as sunnily optimistic as he used to be. Thomas Walkom appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. SHARE: As Canada Day gifts go, Parliaments adoption earlier this month of a bill prohibiting discrimination against transgender Canadians and affording them protection against hate crimes stands out. The steady expansion of rights for Canadas LGBTQ community, which has accelerated since we became the first country outside of Europe to grant equal legal treatment of same sex marriage in 2005, is cause for celebration for their own sake, but also for what they illustrate. Such changes dont simply happen of their own accord. They are the outcome of substantial community mobilization and the commitment of talented activists who wont take No for an answer. So much of what makes us proud about Canada is the product of such dedication; and the product, whether explicit or not, of a social democratic engagement to put equality and the good of all first. A quick look at our history makes the point. The decades-long struggle by women finally resulted in universal womens suffrage in 1960. And it was the hard work of civil society activists in the 1980s that led to the explicit recognition of the rights of women and Indigenous peoples in the Charter of Rights. Years of resolute environmental activism led to the closing of polluting coal plants right across the country, most recently in the groundbreaking Alberta Climate Leadership Plan of November 2015. We should never lose sight of this path we have travelled already. And of those who made it possible. We must remember and honour those true trailblazers who fought for change. This Canada Day, Ill be celebrating the accomplishments of Frank Calder, the hereditary Nisgaa chief who in 1949 became the first status Indian to be elected to a legislature in Canada. Ill be celebrating the tireless Agnes Macphail, the first woman elected to the House of Commons in 1921. And Ill be reflecting on the legacy of my friend Rosemary Brown, who in 1972 became the first Black Canadian woman elected to a legislature in Canada. Rosemarys reminder that, Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it, still resonates today. Though weve come a long way, Canada remains a work in progress. And nowhere is the gap between rhetoric and reality more glaring than in the case of First Nations. Its no surprise that many Indigenous peoples do not celebrate 1867, precisely because the immediate years after Confederation was one of the worst periods in abrogating their rights. On Jan. 26, 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) ruled that the Government of Canada racially discriminates against 165,000 First Nations children. The Tribunal found that the Government of Canada had known for decades about the inequities in child welfare and other government services for First Nations children, yet had repeatedly ignored calls for reform. Unfortunately, the pattern continues. The Tribunal issued two non-compliance orders against Canada in 2016 and another one this year but the federal government refuses to act. Meanwhile, First Nations children and their families are suffering irreparable harm. The funding discrepancies in government services mean that generation after generation of First Nations children have been separated from their families unnecessarily, compounding the damage done by the residential school system. As we approach the 150th anniversary of Confederation, it is past time to right this wrong. In partnership with Cindy Blackstock and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, the Broadbent Institute has launched a petition calling on the Government of Canada to fully comply with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Please consider signing this petition and sending it to everyone you know: http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/fn_chrt. As we reflect on what we need to improve, at this moment of Canadas 150th birthday, its important to remember that the history of this land goes back thousands of more years. The hard work of reconciliation has only just begun. Its not enough for our government to celebrate the diversity of our country, but not enact policies that head off growing inequality. Its not right to speak a good line about Indigenous rights without investing in the future of Indigenous children. The narrative of an inclusive Canada is a story that is still at odds with the lived experience of too many Canadians. A countrys true worth is measured by how it provides for each of its citizens. The best way to celebrate Canada Day is to rededicate ourselves to making good on this promise for all. Ed Broadbent is chair of the Broadbent Institute. SHARE: Three-quarters of people polled internationally have little or no confidence in U.S. President Donald Trumps ability to do the right thing, a majority of Canadians dislike the U.S., and the world is coming to see the man and the nation as increasingly alike. So says the data from a new Pew Research Center study in 37 nations. Trumps true fans are Russian. That isnt good. Its hard to overstate how poor the numbers are for a president whose yearning to be popular consumes his every waking hour. How can I sum it up? The Toronto Stars Washington bureau chief, the always even-tempered Daniel Dale, used the word revulsion in his reporting on Canadian reactions to Trump and what he has wrought, and the numbers bear him out. The elaborate Pew poll reveals that Trump is regarded as a planetary abomination, both arrogant and dangerous, and Americans generally are taking the hit. Only 43 per cent of Canadians view the U.S. favourably vs. the 65 per cent who did in the final year of Barack Obamas presidency, a first in the history of Canadian polling on this matter. Our widespread affection for the U.S. is gone, at least until Trump departs. As for Trump himself, we overwhelmingly disapprove of his judgment on four pet issues: the Mexican border wall, withdrawing from climate change agreements and trade deals, and restricting travel from majority-Muslim countries. Russia and Israel were the only two countries that rated Trump more highly than Obama. In only four countries did more than half of respondents approve of Trumps travel ban, and they were Hungary, Israel, Poland and Russia. However nice it is to know that my opinions are shared internationally, it is just as easy to take the dark view and note that a median 22 per cent across those 37 countries have some or a lot of confidence in him. Who are these people? What is wrong with them? In 10 nations, including half the European countries surveyed, there was a gender gap, with far more men than women approving of the U.S. generally. In Canada, 52 per cent of men were pro-American compared to 35 per cent of women. It is odd to see a study like this win publicity in the first place. Americans have an earned reputation for not caring how the world views them or what happens beyond their own borders. They are poor travellers who see the world through a local lens, one reason for their disastrous wars and their ongoing habit of casual bombing. Canadians have always taken a sunny view of the U.S., partly out of genuine friendship but also necessity. Americans have never taken a view of Canada. They dont know us. They have never before needed to. They think of us as Americans, but nicer. This is not true. Now the Canadian view is changing, as the Pew study reveals, but the American view is as one-note as ever. I am hoping that smart good-hearted Americans yearning to escape Trump will come here to live. We will welcome them. But they have to see Canada clearly first, as we have come to see them. For instance, we pay taxes for our health care. We like it that way. Take the New York Times chirpy The Interpreter reporting, including another naive story Tuesday on how Canada has rejected right-wing populism, without mentioning former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford or explaining the popularity of the extreme right in this country. Its heartening in a way, and rather sweet, but its a misunderstanding of the type Americans are prone to make. De Tocqueville got it right. The United States is a complicated and alarming place, full of idealism and folly, childlike in its violence and magnetism. Canada is not a sweet pastel version of the U.S. Multiculturalism is not easy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau works hard in this cause. We are not America-Lite. We are the product of our own history good and bad, of crushing Indigenous peoples and refusing to make amends, of immigration and harsh Presbyterianism, French courage, and a pride in survival rather than delight. We are welcoming rather than insular, but it was not easy to achieve and who knows, it may not last. Canadians dont win, they endure. We are not smug about our tolerance, and well-intentioned Americans shouldnt patronize us for it. Im glad that the Canadian view of Americans is becoming more informed. In return, could Americans please do the same? SHARE: Re: Do the math on giant duck, Letter, June 14 Do the math on giant duck, Letter, June 14 Enough negativity about the giant duck coming to Ontario for Canada 150 celebrations. Yes it is a bit random but its the main reason we are headed to the Redpath Waterfront Festival this weekend. Ask my daughter if she would prefer to see the Navy frigate or the giant duck? Hands down, its the duck. These festivals need to appeal to both adults and children, so the duck was a good choice. As for how it relates theme wise: the six-storey-tall beaver must have been booked that weekend. Jane White, Toronto SHARE: Re: You dont have to hate police to agree with Black Lives Matter, Paradkar, June 27 You dont have to hate police to agree with Black Lives Matter, Paradkar, June 27 I am a Black woman living in Toronto and getting continually annoyed at the Black/white view taken in defence of BLM Pride Parade interruptions. Case in point: The police issue is not a Black/white matter. To say it is denies all Black police officers in Toronto their existence. Our police chief is Black. When I watch news reports, the police spokesperson is Black. Many people enjoying the Pride parade were Black. We have Black gay police. Please dont gloss over their existence and deny them for the sake of defending Black Lives Matter. If Black lives truly matter, then they all should matter, not just the ones who choose to protest at an event meant to make people smile and be proud. Pick an event where like-minded people can stand with you in solidarity, not an event meant to promote inclusivity and make everyone feel proud of themselves, have a laugh and a smile in a world where theres not many opportunities to do so. Marium Carvell-Page, Toronto SHARE: Summer is heating up, and the best way to beat the rising mercury might just be with an ice-cold Coke. No, I'm not just talking about the temperature outside. U.S. stocks have been having a heat-wave of their own, up more than 10% on a total returns basis so far in 2017, and the big S&P 500 index is hovering right at all-time highs as I write. What's the best way to beat that frothy market action as investors get increasingly nervous about a possible correction this summer? It's shares of The Coca-Cola Co. (KO) - Get Free Report. Jim Cramer talks about oversold retail stocks on Real Money. Get his insights or analysis with a free trial subscription to Real Money. Coke has been a strong performer in recent months. Shares are up more than 14% on a total returns basis since bottoming back in mid-February. Simply put, this big blue-chip beverage stock is meaningfully beating the rest of the market right now -- and one chart is signaling that the rally in Coke could be about to accelerate again as we head toward July. Before we get to that, a bit of background on Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is the biggest beverage company on the planet, serving up more than 1.9 billion drinks per day. Coke also boasts one of the most impressive distribution infrastructures in the business, with an operational reach that spans more than 200 countries. It's that infrastructure that's been driving big change in Coke recently. After consolidating its North American bottlers back in 2010, the firm is reversing course, with plans already underway to refranchise the majority of its company-owned bottling operations. While that may seem like a bizarre about-face, it actually makes considerable sense. For starters, Coca-Cola management believes that it can expand its returns by shedding a big chunk of its most capital-intense units. Likewise, Coke made some major efficiency improvements during the stretch it's owned those bottlers, centralizing shared services and better lining up bottlers' incentives with KO corporate. Simply put, shedding those businesses makes sense for Coke in this environment. And the higher returns the firm sees in 2017 could be a major catalyst for this blue-chip beverage stock. Investors will get their next glimpse inside the machine next month, when Coke reports its second-quarter earnings numbers. Meanwhile, the price action is signaling a potentially substantial upside move in Coca-Cola before then. After a strong rally to start the year, Coke's momentum has slowed since late May. But that sideways price action in KO is actually what's setting the stage for an up-move in shares. The price setup in Coca-Cola is an ascending triangle pattern, a bullish continuation pattern that signals more upside ahead. The pattern is formed by horizontal resistance up above shares at $45.50, with uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as shares of Coke pinball in between those two technically meaningful price levels, they've been getting squeezed closer and closer to this stock's $45.50 price ceiling. A material breakout through that price line is the signal that it's time to buy shares. What makes that $45.50 price level so important for Coke's shares? It all comes down to buyers and sellers. Price patterns, like this ascending triangle setup, are a good quick way to identify what's going on in the price action, but they're not the ultimate reason shares look attractive here. Instead, the "why" is driven by basic supply and demand for Coke's shares themselves. The $45.50 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a spot where sellers have previously been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above $45.50 so significant. The move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level. Relative strength, the indicator down at the bottom of Coke's chart, adds some extra upside confidence to this trade right now. That's because our relative strength line has been in an uptrend since shares bottomed back in February, signaling that Coca-Cola is still outperforming the rest of the market right now. As long as that relative strength uptrend stays intact, Coke remains statistically more likely than not to keep on outperforming. Once shares materially push through $45.50, we've got a brand new affirmation that buyers are still in control of shares. Keep a close eye on Coke as it flirts with breakout territory this week. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Visit here for the latest business headlines. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.. Silicon Valley may have been dealt a serious blow by the European Commission's decision to serve Google a historic $2.7 billion antitrust fine. On Tuesday, the European Union's foremost antitrust regulator handed the Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) - Get Free Report unit a hefty fine for favoring its own shopping services in its search results over those of rivals. The fine is now the largest anti-competitive penalty ever issued by the European Commission, topping the $1.2 billion penalty given to Intel Corp. (INTC) - Get Free Report in 2009. Google senior vice president and general counsel Kent Walker said in a blog post that the company is considering appealing the decision. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company has opposed the charges for several years, saying that it actively competes with Amazon in the search engine market, as well as other companies. Walker also explained why Google promotes its own search results over competitors. "When you use Google to search for products, we try to give you what you're looking for," Walker said. "Our ability to do that well isn't favoring ourselves, or any particular site or seller -- it's the result of hard work and constant innovation, based on user feedback." Shares of Alphabet were sliding 1.8% to $954.47 on Tuesday afternoon. The stock has gained 21.3% so far this year, however. Google's woes mark the latest chapter in a longstanding fight between U.S. tech firms and the European Commission, which has spanned antitrust, tax and privacy matters. Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report , Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report , Facebook Inc. (FB) - Get Free Report and Microsoft Inc. (MSFT) - Get Free Report face anti-competition charges that claim the Silicon Valley juggernauts used their dominance to stamp out competition from smaller firms. The European Commission maintains that the companies have denied European consumers "a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation." Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook -- known as the frightful five or the FAAMG stocks -- may be based in the U.S., but they are indeed global forces. As a result, the European Union has become increasingly concerned about the growing role of big U.S. tech firms overseas. Those concerns were partly behind the European Union's Digital Single Market proposal, published in 2015, which aimed to improve European companies' chances of competing against U.S. tech companies. Facebook, Apple and Alphabet are holdings in Jim Cramer'sAction Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells FB,AAPL or GOOGL? Learn more now. Florian Wagner-von Papp, director of the University College London's Institute of Global Law, said the EU's latest fine against Google shouldn't be viewed as a strategy to bolster European companies. "The decision is not to be interpreted as a protectionist measure," Wagner-von Papp said. "It is merely the case that in the EU, enforcement against unilateral abuses of dominant firms is more vigorous in general, and the dominant firms in the new economy tend to come from the U.S." Many believe that the EU's latest ruling could be used as a precedent for its decision in Google's other ongoing cases. Peter Willis, co-head of competition and EU at Bird & Bird law firm, said it's "not unlikely that we will see similar decisions" in the two other cases, one of which deals with Google's Android operating system, another with its AdSense advertising service. The decision could also serve as a precedent for charges levied against other Silicon Valley giants. Others say it may stifle further innovation among major tech firms. "The Commission has effectively decided that some companies have become too big to innovate," said Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a tech policy thinktank, in a statement. "The Commission's actions have created a cloud of uncertainty that will make large tech companies overly cautious about making changes to the user experience and service offerings that would benefit consumers." Not all U.S. companies disliked the EU's decision, however. Yelp Inc. (YELP) - Get Free Report , Oracle Corp. (ORCL) - Get Free Report , News Corp. (NWSA) - Get Free Report and several other companies published a joint letter in support of the charges, saying that Google has "undermined competition in the U.S. and abroad," according to Politico. In a statement on Tuesday, the Rupert Murdoch-controlled publisher News Corp (NWSA) - Get Free Report said it applauded the Commission's decision. "Google has profited from commodifying content and enabling the proliferation of flawed and fake news, to the detriment of journalism and of an informed society," the company said. The Commission's hefty antitrust fine against Google doesn't bode well for any company whose business has become as ubiquitous as the internet giant's. If companies such as Google or Apple have to treat their competitors' services no worse than their own, it could have "huge implications" for them, Wagner-von Papp said. The decision also sheds light on the increasingly complicated question of who should regulate major multinational companies, said Bob O'Donnell president of TECHnalysis Research. "Arguably it falls on everybody and it falls on nobody," O'Donnell said. "A lot of these technologies are relatively universal...and so there is no easy answer, but moving forward, [fines] are going to be increasingly common." Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, speaking on state television, said Tuesday that a police helicopter had attacked the Supreme Court, but a grenade thrown at the building failed to explode, according to media reports. A report from Reuters noted the president has been the target of months of protests, and quoted Maduro as demanding the opposition coalition condemn "this eminently coup-mongering attack." At least 75 people have been killed in the protests and civil unrest since April, according to the report. Tuesday morning, the Miami Herald reported many stores and government offices were burned after anti-government protests Monday and Tuesday in Maracay, west of the capital of Caracas. Protests against Maduro's government have been seen in Caracas, according to the report, which also cited the pro-Maduro governor of Aragua state, of which Maracay is the capital, as saying the looting hit supermarkets, drug stores and small bakeries and liquor stores. Visit here for the latest business headlines. This article was written by a staff member of TheStreet. AP Moeller-Maersk AS (AMKBY) said Wednesday that it has contained the Petya ransomware virus that shut down some of its systems in an ongoing global cyber attack but is still assessing its impact on the the world's biggest shipping company. Maersk, one of the first companies to fall victim to the latest spread of ransomware, had temporarily shut down a shipping terminal in India, the country's biggest, following yesterday's attack but said key business units such as Maersk Oil and Maersk Drilling had not been "operationally affected". "IT systems are down across multiple sites and select business units," the company said. "We have contained the issue and are working on a technical recovery plan with key IT-partners and global cyber security agencies." The EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, known as Europol, said late Tuesday that it is working with companies and agencies around the region as the virus spreads from Europe to Asia in in what appears to be a coordinated series of attacks similar to the WannaCry crisis that spread around the world last month. The attacks, according to multiple reports, have frozen IT systems and demanded a $300 cryptocurrency ransom to unlock trapped files. WPP plc undefined shares extended declines Wednesday after the world's biggest advertising group said it was working to return to normal operations "as quickly as possible" following yesterday's incident. WPP shares were marked 0.4% lower in London trading, after falling 0.8% yesterday, to change hands at 1,630.4 pence each. Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOGL) - Get Free Report Google grabbed headlines on Tuesday when the European Commission announced a massive $2.7 billion fine against the internet giant for favoring its own shopping services over those of rivals. The $2.7 billion penalty is now the largest anti-competitive penalty ever issued by the European Union's foremost antitrust regulator, topping the $1.2 billion penalty given to Intel Corp. (INTC) - Get Free Report in 2009. Google now has 90 days to change the design of Google Shopping in Europe to meet the Commission's legal requirements. The company has 60 days to inform the Commission of its plans. Wall Street analysts maintained that the charge will amount to just a drop in the bucket for the Silicon Valley behemoth, however. "While this result is headline negative and could force changes to the display and ranking of shopping search results...it's important to note this fine still only equates to $3.85 per GOOGL share," said Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Kip Paulson in a note to clients on Wednesday. Shares of Alphabet were slightly lower by 0.4% to $943.32 on Wednesday morning after falling 2.4% on Tuesday when the fine was announced. Other mega-cap tech stocks also declined on Tuesday, though, as part of a broader selloff in tech. Alphabet has giant cash reserves that will be able to absorb much of the cost, said Monness Crespi Hardt analyst James Cakmak. The company has at least $90 billion in cash and generates more than $25 billion in free cash flow annually, he said. In all, the fine represents just about 3% of Alphabet's cash and marketable securities, as well as less than 1% of its market cap, said Stifel analyst Scott Devitt. Google said in an SEC filing that it expects to accrue the fine in its fiscal second quarter. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: However, some analysts say there are bigger issues for Google than simply the size of the fine. The company will likely face several years of oversight by EU regulators as it tries to implement changes that don't upend its lucrative search and advertising businesses. It could also be hit with a wave of lawsuits from companies who say they were damaged by Google's shopping service practices. "We can expect to see a series of damages claims brought by the rivals that were excluded from the market by Google's conduct," said Peter Willis, co-head of competition and EU at lawfirm Bird & Bird LLP, in a statement. "They will be able to use the decision as the basis for a damages claim before the national courts." On top of that, Google still has other ongoing cases with the EU, one of which deals with Google's Android operating system, and another with its AdSense advertising service. Google's Shopping service is a much smaller unit of the overall business, while its Android and AdSense segments are more consequential. Forced unbundling of the Android business would "require much more maneuvering," Cakmak explained. Tuesday's ruling marked a milestone for anti-competition cases, but could be just the beginning for Google. There is a "real concern" that the Commission could potentially use the Shopping ruling as ammunition to gauge wrongdoing in Google's other verticals, such as Images, Travel, and Local, said Cowen analyst John Blackledge. Blackledge also believes it's unlikely that Google would win an appeal should it decide to fight the decision. Microsoft Inc. was unable to overturn its case and Intel is still appealing its $1.17 billion fine. President Donald Trump will visit French President Emmanuel Macron on July 14 for France's Bastille Day, the country's national holiday. "President Trump looks forward to reaffirming America's strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I," the White House said. The two world leaders will focus on how to build stronger counter-terrorism operations and work to establish an economic partnership between the two countries. What's Hot On TheStreet The stock market may be overvalued: Now may be the time to pay extra attention to red-hot tech stocks such as Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report and Facebook (FB) - Get Free Report. As TheStreet first reported Tuesday afternoon, asset valuations are somewhat "rich" by standard metrics, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said in London during a conversation about economic issues with British Academy President Lord Nicholas Stern. Yellen's comments on equity valuation and bank strength closely mirrored Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer's from an IMF event held earlier in the day. The iPhone has changed how you make money: TheStreet's Scott Gamm is out with a piece that will really get you thinking. Apple's iPhone will turn 10 years old on Thursday. The device not only turned Apple into one of the world's most valuable companies, helping to boost its stock price more than 700%, it also changed the way we invest and trade stocks Gamm points out. In fact, the original iPhone -- and the current versions -- have an internal stocks app, allowing users to check the broader market indexes and individual stock prices. Having this in your pocket was a big deal 10 years ago. "I think it's actually made the life for a typical investor much easier," Angelo Zino, an analyst with CFRA Research, told TheStreet. "I think they've been able to tap news flows much quicker." Apple, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Facebook are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL, WBA and FB? Learn more now. Visit here for the latest business headlines. 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. WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides government-sponsored managed care services. The company operates in three segments: Medicaid Health Plans, Medicare Health Plans, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs). The Medicaid Health Plans segment offers plans for beneficiaries of temporary assistance for needy families, supplemental security income, and aged blind and disabled residents; and other state-based programs, such as children's health insurance programs and long-term services and supports programs for qualifying families who are not eligible for Medicaid. The Medicare Health Plans segment provides Medicare, a federal program that provides eligible persons aged 65 and over, as well as some disabled persons with a range of hospital, medical, and prescription drug benefits; Medicare Advantage, a Medicare's managed care alternative to the original Medicare program, which offers individuals standard Medicare benefits directly through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and coordinated care plans that are administered through health maintenance organizations and require members to seek health care services and select a primary care physician from a network of health care providers. The Medicare PDPs segment provides Medicare part D PDP plans to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. Its PDP plans offer national in-network prescription drug coverage, including a preferred pharmacy network. As of December 31, 2018, the company served approximately 5.5 million members in the United States. WellCare Health Plans, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group Public: 360 Connect S.A., 3@ Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U. Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. 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Read More Samsung's Bixby Voice was supposed to be the killer feature that would dramatically change the Galaxy S8's market appeal. It hasn't. And now we might know why. Cedit: Samsung Samsung doesn't have nearly as many foreign-language experts as it should to make Bixby Voice work the way it should, an "industry source" told the Korea-based The Investor on Wednesday (June 28). In a statement to The Investor, the source said that Samsung still has considerable work to do to improve the service's "linguistic skills." Samsung announced Bixby Voice with the Galaxy S8 earlier this year. The feature allows you to control the smartphone's virtual personal assistant with just voice commands. The feature would theoretically allow you to tell the handset to snap a photo and translate foreign languages, among countless other features. MORE: This Galaxy Note 8 Rumor Makes Us Want to Skip S8 However, Samsung said earlier this year that it was delayed Bixby Voice and first brought it to South Korea. It then followed that with U.S. availability as part of its "Bixby Early Access Program." The program has been available for just days, and Samsung noted that it's still in beta, but users are not happy. In fact, some Galaxy S8 owners have said that the feature can hardly understand English. And even when it does respond to the English, Samsung's service doesn't deliver the right function or might not even work. For its part, Samsung has remained tight-lipped on Bixby Voice and hasn't said what it might be doing behind the scenes to address the service's problems. It's also unclear whether the company is hiring new workers to address the service's concerns. But if the latest report, which was earlier reported on by SamMobile, is accurate, Samsung is in desperate need of new resources to help it build out the critical service. And when that might happen is anyone's guess. A northeast Nebraska community will get to keep its county court judgeship for now, but the fight to do it showed a growing tug-of-war brewing over whether judicial resources should go to the states urban or rural areas. At Tuesday's meeting of the Judicial Resources Commission at the Capitol, the state Court Administrator's office asked members to postpone a decision about whether to fill an Eighth Judicial District vacancy in O'Neill due to County Court Judge Alan Brodbeck's recent retirement. Jennifer Rasmussen, the deputy court administrator, said a six-month delay would give them time to use grant funds to assess how best to serve the needs of central Nebraska. "We feel this is a unique moment in time where we can pause and ... take this time to do an evaluation to see if we can approach serving this area a little bit differently," she said. The problem isn't one of caseload, like judges face in the eastern part of the state. It's geography. The elbow-shaped area covers 15 counties and more than a quarter of the state, from Valentine in the north to St. Paul, just north of Grand Island, in the middle. For the next six months, the work would be split between the two other county court judges in District 8, who are based in Valentine and Broken Bow, and with judges on the edges of two neighboring districts that include the Norfolk and Columbus areas, Rasmussen said. "It looks manageable on paper," she said. Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Stacy said there's also a working committee of judges looking at everything with fresh eyes and trying to be smarter with the courts' resources. But over the next two and a half hours, the commission of judges, attorneys and laymen heard from a stream of people against the idea, from O'Neill's mayor and retired Judge Brodbeck to the Nebraska Attorney General's office. Mayor Bill Price said Brodbeck was a great asset to the community for many years and he'd hate to lose the presence of a judge there. "It seems like every time we turn around Lincoln is pulling something away from rural Nebraska," he said. O'Neill attorney Forrest Peetz said he understands budget problems but if a judge is taken from O'Neill, they'll never get it back. "So we're here to fight for it," he said. But an exchange between Brodbeck, the retired judge, and commissioner Tim Engler, a Lincoln attorney, got to the matter of money. "Is it economically efficient to keep O'Neill in the Eighth Judicial District?" Brodbeck asked. "Maybe not." But, he said, access to courts and to justice is as essential as other government services, like firefighters and police. Engler said what the rural population needs to understand is that unless they convince the Legislature to add judges, "we have to start moving them." But Commissioner Mark Sipple, a Columbus attorney, asked where the O'Neill judgeship would go. No one was asking for it to be moved. Instead, he said, they heard from a lot of people about how it would affect them. "It's a helluva thing to take a judge from somebody," Sipple said. In the end, commissioners voiced support for a statewide study of judicial resources and voted 10-3 to find that a vacancy exists and to take steps to replace Brodbeck in O'Neill. We still don't have all the facts on the Petya ransomware worm that struck Europe yesterday (June 27), and more information is still coming out. But here's what we do know, and what you can do to protect yourself. (Image credit: Posteriori/Shutterstock) How did this begin? The Petya ransomware worm began spreading Tuesday morning with a fake software update that was pushed out to businesses and other enterprises in Ukraine. The software concerned, called MEDoc, is a financial-monitoring application that all businesses in Ukraine must have installed. MEDoc isn't itself at fault someone apparently broke into its software-update servers to pull this off. (The thieves who attacked Target's point-of-sale systems in December 2013 did something similar.) Russian antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab said Wednesday that it had found the Petya malware hidden on a Ukrainian website, possibly in an attempt to infect visitors to the site via drive-by downloads. MORE: What Is Ransomware and How Can I Protect Myself? How did Petya spread? From its initial infection point in Ukraine, the Petya worm quickly spread to companies in other European countries through enterprise networks. It's likely that foreign companies with operations or subsidiaries in Ukraine were infected as the worm traveled "upstream" through corporate VPNs to attack central servers, and from there, all Windows PCs on a company network. There's some evidence that Petya also spread via infected email attachments, but that theory is not quite as well established. What does Petya do? Petya is really four things. It's a worm that uses Windows networking tools, and exploits used by the NSA, to spread through local networks. It's a piece of ransomware that encrypts the Master Boot Record the guts of a Windows hard drive to prevent a computer from starting up properly. There's also a second piece of ransomware that encrypts various files on the machine if the Master Boot Record attack fails. And there's a fourth component that steals usernames and passwords from infected machines, possibly only so it can infect more machines. Who is at risk? The silver lining is that properly patched Windows systems that are not connected to enterprise networks, such as home computers, are at little risk of being infected by the Petya worm at least for now. If you use a home computer to connect to a corporate VPN, however, you greatly increase the chances of your home network becoming infected. Does the Petya worm infect Macs, iPhone, Android devices or Linux boxes? Only Windows machines appear to be at risk. Does fully patching a Windows computer stop Petya? Even fully updated Windows computers on an enterprise network can be infected by the Petya worm. That's because once it establishes itself on even one machine inside an enterprise network, Petya will spread by stealing Windows administrative passwords and using standard Windows network-administration tools to install itself on every Windows machine it can. Will antivirus software stop the Petya worm? It should. All good antivirus software products should block the Petya worm from installing. That may change if the worm's code or behavior drastically changes. Is Petya related to WannaCry? Petya also uses the ETERNALBLUE exploit, also used by the otherwise unrelated WannaCry ransomware worm in mid-May, to spread among Windows machines in an enterprise network. If an enterprise server, or even any Windows computer, has specific network ports in this case, ports 139 and 445 open to the internet, then Petya could use that opening to infect the entire local network. Who's behind Petya? It's not clear who created and released Petya, but a lot of circumstantial evidence points to "patriotic" Russian hackers. Petya tried to render computers completely unusable, doesn't make it easy to pay the ransom or contact the ransom collectors, and takes sophisticated steps to evade detection by antivirus software. Because of this, some softwareresearchers think the Petya worm's real aim is not to make money, but to disrupt the Ukrainian economy. Ukraine is fighting Russian-sponsored rebels in its eastern provinces, a few Ukrainian defense officials have been killed by car bombs in the past weeks, and the Petya worm shut down countless Ukrainian businesses on the day before a Ukrainian national holiday. Why is it called Petya? The ransomware component of this new worm bears at least superficial resemblance to the latest iterations of Petya, a ransomware strain first spotted in 2015. (Petya is Russian for "Pete.") But some researchers think this worm is an entirely new piece of malware that's just designed to look like the real Petya. The real Petya, for example, has a sophisticated ransom-collection and file-decrypting mechanism, and this new bug doesn't. Should I pay the Petya ransom? If your computer is encrypted by Petya, there's no point in paying the ransom. The email address that you have to contact to collect the decryption key, wowsmith123456@posteo.net, has been shut down by the email host. Unless new strains of the ransomware provide a different contact email address, there's no way to recover your files. MORE: What to Do If You're Infected by Ransomware A Step-by-Step Guide Is there a Petya "kill switch"? No. However, there are a couple of ways that you might be able to prevent or stop the encryption process. First, if your computer randomly begins to shut down, abort the shutdown process and keep it running. The Petya worm has to reboot the machine in order encrypt the hard drive's Master Boot Record, which is essential to the Windows startup process. Second, you can try to "immunize" your machine by creating a read-only file called "perfc" and putting it in the Windows directory. In some instances, if the Petya worm sees that file, it won't encrypt the machine but it will continue to spread to other machines on the same network. However, we've seen reports that this method doesn't work on Windows 7, and that new versions of the Petya code may not have this function. Lawrence Abrams from Bleeping Computer has created a tool that will create the "perfc" file for you. You'll need to have administrative permissions on the machine concerned, but once you do, just download the file and double-click it. Dhofar Global, a leading supplier of hygiene products in the Middle East, has signed a partnership agreement with Dubai-based souq.com, a leading online retail and marketplace platform in the region. As per the deal, Dhofar Globals hygiene solutions will be available on souq.com for customers to view, order and request for delivery at their doorsteps, said a statement from the company. The strategic move will help Dhofar Global widen its market reach by bringing its products closer to its customers as well as offering them a convenient and seamless shopping experience, it added. According to a recent study, the Middle Easts e-commerce sector has spiralled upwards by 1,500 per cent in the last decade, with the GCC leading the region at a predicted growth of $20 billion in 2020 from $5 billion in 2015. The UAE is at the forefront of online shopping with the highest transaction level of $332 per purchase per a KPMG survey of consumer habits in 52 countries, it stated. CEO Chandan Singh said: At a time when e-commerce is fast making inroads in the GCC and has garnered huge popularity in the UAE, making Dhofar Global products available online is a critical business move for us to ensure a wider reach. In line with this, we have partnered with souq.com to ensure that our customers can order our hygiene solutions at their convenience, he noted. We are confident that our new move will be beneficial for our patrons who will make use of this facility to order our products. Going forward, we will continue to introduce innovative measures to ensure optimum comfort and convenience for its customers, added Singh. TradeArabia News Service When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. - If NASA is elected in August, then, Kenyans will lose the power of electing a president by simply voting at a General Election - Raila while unveiling the NASA manifesto revealed that voting in Kenya has always ensured that the populous communities elect the Kenyan presidents - He was referring to the tyranny of numbers which saw Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto assume leadership in 2013 - Raila that National Unity will be achieved if Kenyans don't have to go to the ballot to vote for their kinsmen If NASA forms the next government, then, they will abolish the age-old tradition of going to the ballot to elect a president. READ ALSO: Ababu Namwamba drawn into the Sigiri bridge drama According to Raila Odinga, National Unity in Kenya will only be realised when Kenyans stop voting based on their ethnicity. He said that his new government would come up with a new system of governance that would be fair to all. This will ensure that presidency in Kenya does not go to the largest communities in Kenya; case in point, the tyranny of numbers in 2013. READ ALSO: NASA to kill Uhuru's school-laptop project In the first 100 days of office, NASA will sponsor a constitutional amendment that will allows for the implementation of the Bomas draft. While the new model of getting a president has not been revealed, it will not be based on a popularity vote as happens in the United States. A hybrid parliamentary system based on the Bomas draft will not only allow individuals from smaller communities to rise to the highest office in the land but also encourage an inclusive system of power sharing, part of the manifesto reads. In addition to the radical model, there will be positions of prime minster and two deputy prime ministers who shall be nominated by the Prime Minister. READ ALSO: Hassan Joho drawn into the Zari Hassan-Diamond Paltnumz breakup When NASA unveiled it's flag-bearer, Raila took the presidency with Kalonzo as his deputy. Musalia Mudavadi took the Premier Cabinet Secretary with Moses Wetangula and Isaac Ruto as his deputies. PLO Lumumba speaks about the Raila conspiracy: Have anything to add to this article? Talk to us on news@tuko.co.ke Source: TUKO.co.ke In only four short days, the Eubanks family added two new family members -- 14-year-old Mayu Yanagawa and 15-year-old Manami Isono. Tears rolled down everyone's cheeks Tuesday evening as the family said goodbye to the visiting Japanese students. Yanagawa and Isono were part of a class of 150 students who spent 10 days visiting Nebraska, spending the last four days in the home of their eighth-grade pen pals from Lux Middle School. "To bring people into your home and take care of them, that's what my husband and I wanted to do," Ruth Eubanks said. "We thought of their parents and how we would want our children to be treated if our kids were with their families, and now we have two new members of our family." The family hopes to host more students in the future. "We almost get more out of it than they do," Ruth said. "They have just been such a blessing." The pen pal program began 15 years ago, but has blossomed with the help of Lux's social studies teacher, Dru Sypal, and her son, John Sypal, who teaches at Senshu University Matsudo Junior High in Tokyo and helps coordinate the trips. The exchange students stay at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Doane University dormitories during the first week of their stay and participate in the Bright Lights program. Afterward, they go on field trips and tour the state. Dru helps match students up with families willing to host them for the last leg of the trip. This year, 79 families welcomed students into their homes. She said not all families have an eighth grader currently participating in the pen pal program, but may have hosted in the past or be a friend or family member who volunteered to help out. The homestays during the weekend are often the most memorable part of the experience, Dru said. "It gives our American kids a unique opportunity to have an organized pen pal program and get to know kids from the other side of the world," she said. Students at Lux also have the opportunity to travel to Japan through a study-abroad program offered every other year. About 25 students usually attend. Solana Honda, 15, went on the trip last year and stayed with the two pen pals that her family had housed the year before. "At the beginning, you don't know anyone," she said. "But at the end, we're all crying." Solanda hopes to visit again and misses the many friends she made while abroad. The program marks the longest-standing international partnership at UNL and John and another UNL alumna are now teachers at Senshu. Each year, two UNL students intern at the middle school, too. Many of the lessons they teach focus on Nebraska, and students in Japan learn about food by learning how to order when they go to Runza. John first fell in love with Japan through anime during high school and then visited the country through a study-abroad program at UNL. From there, he knew he wanted to return and teach there. He's been with Senshu University for 13 years now. One of the best parts about his work with Senshu University is that he's able to collaborate with his mother and visit his home every year. "It's a strong motivator for me," Dru said. "I think I would do it anyway for the kids, but especially getting to work with him, we Skype and talk all the time about different ideas ... and it gets him home once a year, too." - President Uhuru Kenyatta's tour in Kirinyaga county is facing some setbacks as leaders clashed prior to his arrival - Leaders affiliated to Narc Kenya's Martha Karua and Jubilee's Anne Waiguru cannot seem to agree on how to receive the President - Uhuru faced similar challenges in Tharaka Nithi on Tuesday, June 27 President Uhuru Kenyatta is facing yet another uphill task in anoither one of his strongholds as Kirinyaga leaders clashed ahead of his scheduled tour in the area on Wednesday, June 28. A number of leaders affiliated to the Jubilee party have sounded several warnings to each other ahead of the visit. At the centre of the conflict are former devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru and her Kirinyaga gubernatorial rival Martha Karua. READ ALSO: Raila's brother put on the spot over claims of Uhuru's secret political activities in Nyanza TUKO.co.ke understands that Waigurus team have sent out a warning to Martha Karua to shun away from Uhurus campaigns because according to them, Uhurus presence in the area was a Jubilee affair. Waigurus runningmate Peter Ndambiri has particularly been vocal ahead of the visit, saying that the President should publicly endorse Jubilee candidates. Waiguru and Ndambiri READ ALSO: Peter Kenneth links the cholera outbreak to powerful NASA affiliated governor We belong to the Jubilee Party which the President is seeking re-election with and we are optimistic that he will campaign for us, Ndambiri was quoted by Nation. Despite the warnings, Narc Kenya a Jubilee affiliate party - are preparing to welcome the President. In fact, Karua has hit back, saying that the President should be open to welcome all candidates, not just the ones running for elective seats on Jubilee tickets. This is the same predicament facing the President only a day after leaders in Tharaka Nithi had a war of words prior to the Presidents tour in the area. READ ALSO: Ababu Namwamba drawn into the Sigiri bridge drama As TUKO.co.ke reported earlier, some aspirants, including incumbent governor Samuel Ragwa had been hit with several warnings against attending Uhurus meeting by Chuka MP Muthumi Njuki. According to Njuki, Uhurus visit was a Jubilee affair thus no other parties, including Jubilee-affiliated parties were invited . Nonetheless, the campaign was a fairly peaceful affair. Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke Watch Raila Odinga speak on the Sigiri bridge below: Source: TUKO.co.ke - President Uhuru Kenyatta erupted Kenyans online after accusing his rival Raila Odinga of 'making Kenya a begging nation' - Uhuru was speaking in response to NASA's plans to do away with the laptop initiative in Primary schools - Kenyans were quick to counter the President's claims, by declaring that the country is already a begging nation President Uhuru Kenyatta was on the receiving end of criticism from Kenyans online after a statement he issued soon after his Kirinyaga tour. Both Uhuru and Raila, who were on campaign trails in Kirinyaga and Narok respectively, took on each other despite being in separate counties. As TUKO.co.ke reported, Uhuru drew first blood after claiming that the NASA manifesto was a backward one. The President was also keen on the fact that NASA had plans to scrap the laptop initiative in primary schools if the came to power in after the August polls. READ ALSO: IEBC caught 'pants down' for printing ballot papers before gazettement as required by law Raila, in a parallel rally in Narok, completely rubbished Jubilees laptop project as a none-existent one. They promised us laptops. Have you seen laptops here in Narok? Raila posed. READ ALSO: Ruto heckled! Soon after the Kirinyaga rally, a facebook post in Uhuru Kenyattas page seemed to sound a warning to opposition against what he termed as making Kenya a begging nation. "When we are supplying school children with digital learning devices he is saying that he will suspend that and instead look for book donations for our children. This is not a country to beg for donations, Uhuru spoke during the Kirinyaga rally. READ ALSO: Wiper rebel Johnson Muthama makes a surprise endorsement in the Machakos gubernatorial race His utterances were however met by some fierce reactions from Kenyans, Carol Nekesa Hizi project za ku-collapsinga unaeka aaalll over th country...plz b patient til around september.....coz thy r just scams....n the amount if cash u quote here.... .aaaaiiiii??????.....hiii pesa yooote ungeongeza maize millers....ju ukifungua KBL kisumu....is that wat wl b thea dayly meal....or is it coz Baba said hes gava wl legalise changaa????? Jahsure Oduorie You have lost touch with the reality on the ground. Its not someone saying ...hakuna Unga.. but its a fact flour is way too expensive for the common man. Yes flour that we begged for from Mexico. Kozgei Kipz Rashly What i fear during this elections is raila not accepting the outcome and uhuru not accepting to be defeated.other things may come later.but from the word go,why would you vote someone riding on propaganda.let uhuru finish what he started,then come 2022,ruto ndani.ama namna gani? Majority of the reactions seemed to revolve around the fact that Kenyans believed that the country was already in turmoil as it stands. Benedict Mumo Kenya is already a begging nation,having accumulated a debt READ ALSO: Uhuru promises Karua and Waiguru soft landing as he plays safe in Kirinyaga politics Polycarp We are already begging for rice from China and foodstuff from Saudi Arabia which is a desert. Shame. Updihaji Amed Almahdy Under Jubilee we are still begging Unga, rice . Under Jubilee we hv seen you flashing alot of money in Central but other counties you you go with promises and nothing tangible you did to other counties James Mulinge must you mention Raila whenever you talk or is he your Agenda for Kenya? Dan But you have made us certified beggars for Unga. I'd rather we begged for exercise books but not unga. NASA huyu Mumia Isaya Bornventure How many times have you begged for help from China? Okay books are basic commodities but food is a human want.We have gotten food aid from China right ? Alan dE Lwambe We are already a begging nation Mr. Both Jubilee and NASA manifestos have been strongly criticized and applauded by Kenyans in almost equal measure over various issues which were seemingly left unadressed. Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke Watch the video below of Raila speaking on the Sigiri bridge: Source: TUKO.co.ke Many people have been left without pipe-borne water in northern and eastern parts of Trinidad and some areas in Tobago. The Water and Sewerage Authority indicates this is a result of an impact to twelve of its plants due to adverse weather, which has caused flooding in some areas. On Tuesday, another 14 Ukrainian servicemen, who were wounded in Donbas, were delivered to Berlin by the plane of the German Defense Ministry. This is reported by own Ukrinform correspondent in Germany. Five of the delivered Ukrainian servicemen will remain in the hospital of the Bundeswehr in Berlin, another five will be taken by special transport to the military hospital in Ulm and four more will undergo treatment in the military hospital in Koblenz. Since 2014, a total of 88 Ukrainians, who were wounded while participating in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine as well as those injured during Maidan protests, have been treated in German clinics. Germany became the first country to render such assistance to Ukraine. ol There were cases where parents would just give up, says Noah. The mountain paths are slippery during the rainy season and it puts the lives of both the parent and sick child at risk. So many would just stay home hoping that the sickness will go away. We have had cases of children either collapsing or dying on the way to the health centre, says Catherine Chisale, 35, a mother of six from the local community. But she says that after Noah arrived, the number of deaths has reduced, especially of children. UNICEFs support Noahs posting at Chanthunthu coincided with the launch of the integrated community case management (ICCM) approach in the area. With UNICEF support, the district health office started training health workers on how to offer basic medical treatment to children in the villages. Noah received the training and for the first time in years, children in the community could access treatment quickly. After working here for some months, I was encouraged to stay despite the difficult conditions because the community really appreciated my services, says Noah. They had lost so many children to disease. My coming to the area was a big relief for them as they now could access health services closer to their homes. The use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer increased through the mid-2000s, in association with acquisition of the devices by large urology groups. More recently, reimbursement for IMRT in the office setting (generally representing freestanding facilities owned by physicians) has been declining. The aim of the study was to examine trends in IMRT use and related payments in the office versus hospital outpatient setting over time.In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 66,967 men aged 66 years or older, with newly diagnosed prostate cancer from 2007 through 2012 were identified in a 20% national sample of Medicare claims. IMRT use in the office versus hospital outpatient setting was examined over time, adjusted for patient characteristics using multivariable logistic regression models. Mean reimbursement for IMRT treatments and total IMRT-related payments were plotted by year.IMRT use increased from 28.6% to 38.0% of newly diagnosed men with prostate cancer over the study period, exclusively related to growth in the office setting. In particular, use in the office setting increased from 13.2% in 2007 to 22.1%, whereas use in the hospital outpatient setting remained essentially steady throughout the period around 15%. During the same period mean reimbursement for IMRT in the office setting declined from $504 per individual radiation treatment to $381, whereas it increased from $283 to $380 in the hospital outpatient setting. However, total IMRT-related payments in the office setting increased through 2011 due to increased utilization, falling only in 2012 (to $35.7 million from $48.3 million in 2011) related both to continued declines in reimbursement and a large reduction in new cases of prostate cancer.In conclusion, use of IMRT in the physician office setting in men diagnosed with prostate cancer has continued to increase in the face of declining reimbursement. Total payments for IMRT fell only in 2012, following a substantial reduction in new cases of prostate cancer. Medicine. 2017 Jun [Epub] Vahakn B Shahinian, Samuel R Kaufman, Phyllis Yan, Lindsey A Herrel, Tudor Borza, Brent K Hollenbeck aKidney Epidemiology Cost Center bDow Division for Health Services Research, Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28640073 Fishing communities around the Tonle Sap Lake have called on Laos to scrap a controversial Mekong hydropower project after the consultation period for the project ended this week. The prior consultation period for the Pak Beng hydropower dam ended on Monday, according to a statement from the Mekong River Commission (MRC). Campaigners and governments opposing the project, including Cambodia, have said the dam would have a devastating impact on downstream fisheries, as well as numerous other negative effects on the environment and communities that depend on the Mekong River system. The MRC in its statement called on Laos to do more to address the potential adverse transboundary impacts of the Pak Beng project. Long Socheat, a representative of fishing communities on the Tonle Sap, said: We will keep demanding Laos study more before launching the Pak Beng hydropower development plan. If Laos wont drop the Pak Beng project, it could badly affect fisheries. The $2.3 billion project will be located about 1,500 kilometers from the Cambodia-Laos border and is expected to be completed in 2024. Socheat added that downstream communities would put the burden on Laos if they proceeded with the project. Chheng Kimheng, a community representative in Kampong Thom province, echoed Socheats concerns. We will not stop complaining because if we stop, citizens around the Tonle Sap Lake will have nothing to depend on because nowadays we have not seen anyone who cares about their fate, she said, pointing to a number of large hydropower projects in Cambodia that have already had measurably negative impacts on fishing communities. Laos is building two other large hydropower projects that have stoked controversy in Cambodia -- the Xayaburi and Don Sahong. But in response Laos has signed electricity provision deals with Cambodia, where it will send 1,500 megawatts of power annually. Laos counters accusations of environmental and social impacts by saying it needs the dams to boost economic growth and reduce poverty. However, Tek Vannara, executive director of the NGO Forum, said no cross-border studies of the impacts of the Pak Beng project had been conducted, adding that civil society groups had asked for the project to be put on hold so further discussions could take place. Cambodian representatives at the MRC could not be reached. Despite recent terror attacks in Manchester and London, U.S. congressional leaders are looking to lessons learned in Europe to combat the growing threat of extremism in the West. VOA's congressional reporter Katherine Gypson has more on the tough questions Capitol Hill will have to answer as they consider new approaches to counterterrorism. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with top Qatari and Kuwaiti officials Tuesday to try to help broker an end to the escalating standoff between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors. Tillerson says he's encouraging dialogue while President Donald Trump sharply criticizes Qatar for funding terrorism. VOAs Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine has more from the State Department. An airstrike on an Islamic State-held village in eastern Syria killed at least 15 people Wednesday, according to monitoring groups in the area, with some estimates as high as 35. The monitoring groups said cluster bombs were dropped by unidentified jets along the Euphrates River Valley, on the village of Doblan, an area where U.S., Syrian and Russian jets are all known to operate. Tuesday the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a coalition airstrike on an IS prison in the nearby town of al-Mayadeen killed 57 people. The United States said it would review the allegations, but a military spokesman told VOA the coalition "mission was meticulously planned and executed to reduce the risk of collateral damage and potential harm to non-combatants." The coalition's goal is always for zero human casualties. We apply rigorous standards to our targeting process and take extraordinary efforts protect non-combatants," Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said. Al-Mayadeen is located approximately 20 kilometers from Doblan. As the de-facto IS capital of Raqqa has come under increasing pressure in recent days, Islamic State reportedly has moved most of its leadership to al-Mayadeen. The Senate Republicans' health care plan, like the House Republicans' health care plan, is objectively terrible. It would result in 22 million Americans losing insurance. It would dramatically raise premiums for the poor and old. Its Medicaid cuts would harm people with disabilities, nursing home residents and even babies. But we knew all that was coming. The surprising thing about this bill is not that it forsakes the indigent, elderly and vulnerable. It's that it forsakes so many of the Republicans' own vaunted values. As cases in point, here are three Republican health care principles violated by the Republicans' own health care plan. Principle No. 1: Return power to the states. For years Republicans complained that Obamacare crimps states' style. Federalism must reign supreme, they argued, and so they promised to enhance state sovereignty. And it's true that the Senate bill makes it easier for states to opt out of some Obamacare rules designed to protect consumers (e.g., capping out-of-pocket spending). But in some critical ways, it also severely undermines state sovereignty. The most important of these has to do with insurance plans that can be purchased by small businesses. Under current law, an association of small businesses (e.g., a bunch of dental practices) can market insurance to its members. The coverage must be regulated by the state insurance department under the rules of the state in which it's sold. Not so under the Senate bill, which allows this same association to choose any state it wishes to be its insurance regulator. It can choose, for example, to be regulated by states that no longer require coverage of prescription drugs. This would create a race to the bottom. It would also mean states would no longer have a say over what plans were sold within their borders. State officials might not even be able to block the sale of an insurance plan in their state if the insurer were insolvent, explains Timothy Jost, professor emeritus at Washington and Lee University School of Law. This is hardly the only way in which the Senate bill would take power away from states. For instance, it would also place new restrictions on how states can finance their own Medicaid programs. Principle No. 2: Emphasize access to health care, not health insurance coverage. Republicans have long bellyached that rising insured rates are misleading. Their argument: Having insurance coverage is meaningless if your deductible is so enormous that you can't afford to see the doctor! It's a fair point. But the Senate bill does nothing to improve access to care. In fact, it places care further out of reach. It does this not only by causing people to lose insurance coverage and raising after-tax premium prices, but also by making "insurance coverage" an even less useful gauge of whether a person can afford to see a doctor. That's because the bill pegs subsidies available on the individual market to plans that cover a much smaller fraction of expected health costs (58 percent, rather than 70 percent under Obamacare). In more practical terms: Out-of-pocket costs for people with insurance are going to go way, way up. For example, for those near the poverty line buying plans on the individual exchanges, deductibles would rise more than 2,000 percent, from $255 to over $6,000, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. Some health experts have wondered aloud whether this means doctors, fearing bad debt from people in these ultra-high-deductible plans, would refuse to even see such patients. Such a problem would be made worse by the fact that Republicans plan to blacklist the country's largest provider of reproductive health services. Which brings me to the last major principle they've violated: Principle No. 3: Give consumers more choices. Forget making sure plans offer an adequate number of "choices" of doctors. This bill would lock millions of people out of the "choice" of Medicaid. It would make individual market premiums, even after including subsidies, prohibitively expensive, effectively locking millions out of the "choice" of individual insurance, too. In fact, for some unlucky people, subsidized individual plans would disappear entirely. That's because the Senate bill says that people offered any employer coverage would become ineligible for subsidized insurance on the exchanges -- even if they can't actually afford the plan their employer offers. I suppose lots of sick people will newly have the "choice" of buying an expensive plan that covers none of the services they need. So there's that. When all's said and done, there's just one major Republican health care principle this bill remains loyal to: tax cuts for the rich. That's not actually a health care principle, you say? Could have fooled me. From water taxis that "fly" on hydrofoils to aircraft wings and cutting-edge car steering wheels, the America's Cup has produced technology with potential far beyond its "foiling" catamarans. With their focus on carbon fiber and aerodynamics, the teams that fought for the America's Cup attracted partners including planemaker Airbus and automotive groups BMW and Land Rover who were keen to learn from them. One area where this is likely to have an impact is in harnessing "foiling" technology, where the America's Cup boats "fly" above the water on foils, cutting water resistance. "Foiling in small electric boats will most likely appear on rivers in major cities. We are just at the beginning of the foiling adventure," Pierre Marie Belleau, head of Airbus Business Development, who managed its partnership with Larry Ellison's Oracle Team USA, told Reuters. The space-age catamarans used in the 35th America's Cup, which ended in victory for Emirates Team New Zealand this week, can sail at maximum speeds of 50 knots (92.6 kilometers per hour) and have more in common with flying than sailing. For Jaguar Land Rover, which sponsored British sailor Ben Ainslie's attempt to win the cup, the relationship is a strategic one with a focus on technology and innovation. "We don't just get our logo onto a sail," Mark Cameron, the company's Experiential Marketing Director, said by telephone, adding that the carmaker would be providing more designers to help Land Rover BAR with technology for their next campaign. Land Rover produced a special steering wheel for Ainslie to use in the America's Cup, with in-built gear shift paddles that allowed him to adjust the catamaran's "flight" levels. The relationship is similar between BMW and Oracle Team USA, with the German automaker focused on areas including the electronics in the wheel used by skipper Jimmy Spithill, the development of carbon fiber used to make the boat and its components, and the aerodynamic testing. "We like to think of ourselves more as a partner than a sponsor. We have a very strong carbon fiber relationship," Ian Robertson, who is the BMW management board member responsible for sales and brand, told Reuters between races. "This is a dynamic sport that is developing fast. ... It's moving quickly just like the car industry is moving quickly. It's all changing," Robertson said. Plane sailing? The America's Cup catamarans use similar aerodynamics and load calculations to power their wings as commercial aircraft, which has led some skippers such as Spithill to become pilots. Airbus is now considering applying the design and method of Oracle's foils to the tips of aircraft, Belleau said, adding that this would need a two- to four-year certification process and require it to change its production method. Airbus has also created a new generation of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) microchips that were originally developed for the wings of its test aircraft and then adapted on board the Oracle boat to measure the wind speed and direction at all points on its almost 25-meter-high wing sail. The sensors make it easier to tell if the wing sails are set efficiently, as wind speed and direction can vary from the top to bottom of the 25-meter wing of the America's Cup boats technology that could become standard in the marine leisure industry to replace less reliable wind instruments. "I would be very surprised if this MEMS technology does not become standard in order to replace the classic anemometer," Belleau said. The Airbus A350-1000, one of Airbus' twin-aisle, wide-body jetliners, is also flying every day using new instrumentation developed through the partnership. Oracle used Airbus' 3D printing and manufacturing process to produce stronger and lighter parts that Airbus has started to use on aircraft to replace titanium and aluminum. "In 10 years from now ... this technology will spread and will be on all the sailing boats in the market," Belleau said. "In addition to the sporting competition, there is still this technological competition. ... The story is not finished." A Brazilian Supreme Court justice sent a corruption charge against President Michel Temer to Congress on Wednesday, advancing the process under which the center-right leader could be removed from office to face trial for graft. The justice, Edson Fachin, rejected an argument made by Brazil's top federal prosecutor that the Supreme Court should hear preliminary arguments on the charge and its merits for 15 days, before deciding whether to send it to the lower house of Congress. Under Brazilian law, it is now up to the House of Deputies to decide whether to allow the Supreme Court to try Temer, who replaced impeached leftist President Dilma Rousseff last year. Two-thirds of the lower house must vote against Temer for his trial to occur. The president was charged this week with arranging to receive 38 million reais ($11.55 million) in bribes from executives at JBS SA, the world's largest meat processor. Temer branded the charge a fiction in a nationally televised address on Tuesday, even as he acknowledged that it could hurt the economy and hamper his government's plans for far-reaching reforms to help lift Latin America's biggest country out of a historic recession. The Brazilian leader has repeatedly said he is innocent of any wrongdoing and has rejected calls from the opposition to resign.. He is caught up in a three-year anti-graft push by investigators that has revealed stunning levels of corruption in Latin America's largest country. More charges The schemes involve businesses paying billions of dollars in bribes to politicians and executives at state-run companies in return for winning contracts and various political favors. Temer, one-third of his cabinet, four past presidents and dozens of lawmakers are either on trial, facing charges or under investigation for corruption. Over 90 people have been found guilty so far. More corruption charges are expected to be made against Temer by Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot in the coming weeks. Each of those charges will require a vote by the full lower house on whether or not the president should face trial. Vote expected in weeks A vote on the first charge against Temer is expected to take place in three to four weeks. If less than two-thirds of the house were to vote against the charge, it would be shelved. If two-thirds approved it, it would then go back to the Supreme Court, to decide whether it will take up the case. Temer would immediately be suspended from office for 180 days if the court accepts the case, during which time House Speaker Rodrigo Maia would take the presidency. Were Temer to be found guilty, Congress would appoint a caretaker president to serve out his term, which ends on Jan. 1, 2019. Egypt's Cairo airport has started screening passengers arriving from Sudan for signs of cholera because of a reported outbreak there, the head of airport quarantine said Wednesday. Similar measures are already carried out in the Cairo airport for people arriving from Yemen due to an epidemic there. "The number of doctors and health monitors in arrival halls has increased to monitor the flights and examine passengers coming from infected areas," Head of Airport Quarantine Medhat Qandil said. Qandil said any suspected cholera cases would be isolated and sent to hospitals. Even if passengers do not show symptoms, their details will be recorded so they can be monitored by Egyptian health authorities, he said. Sudan's government has not officially declared a cholera outbreak, reporting instead on cases of "Acute Watery Diarrhea," the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters. On June 1, the United States embassy in Sudan's capital Khartoum said there were confirmed reports of cholera in some areas of Sudan, including the greater Khartoum area, that have resulted in fatalities. Between August 2016 and June 23, 2017, a total of 19,666 suspected cases of "Acute Watery Diarrhea" were reported in Sudan, including 355 deaths, the WHO said. The outbreak affects 12 out of 18 of Sudan's states. "The rainy season usually lasts from in June to August and may exacerbate the situation if no adequate preventative interventions can be implemented in time," a WHO spokesman said. Neighboring South Sudan has been experiencing a cholera outbreak since mid-2016, according to WHO information. The World Health Organization said Tuesday that a major cholera outbreak in Yemen may have reached its halfway mark as a massive emergency response has begun to curb its spread two months into the epidemic. The WHO is responding to Sudan's cholera outbreak by supporting health workers, running education campaigns and distributing medical supplies. The leaders of neighboring Chile and Argentina pledged on Tuesday to further integrate the countries' economies and expressed mutual concern about the unrest in Venezuela. In a televised press conference, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri and Chile's President Michelle Bachelet said they were working on an accord to boost cooperation in mining, environmental regulation and infrastructure, among other areas. We hope to have an important, new, next-generation economic agreement that facilitates this (integration) process, and makes it more dynamic, Macri said, while giving few details. The pact should be completed by October, they said. The Argentine leader said that the two countries were continuing to integrate their energy networks. In 2016 and 2017, Chilean state-run oil company ENAP agreed to send gas to Argentina in significant quantities for the first time. Bachelet added that the two leaders had discussed the key Agua Negra tunnel, a landmark $1.5 billion project that will connect mining regions in the two countries by digging under the Andes Mountains. Worried about Venezuela The two leaders also expressed their joint concern about Venezuela, where residents are suffering from shortages of basic goods, such as food. Opponents of Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro contend the leader has undermined democracy by canceling a key referendum and interfering with the functions of Congress, among other issues. Maduro warned on Tuesday that he and supporters would take up arms if his socialist government was violently overthrown by opponents who have been on the streets protesting for three months. We share the pain of the Venezuelan people, Macri said, adding: we will continue working together to find a solution that means a return to having elections, that means there are no more political prisoners, and that respects the separation of powers. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has long stirred criticism overseas for letting police shoot to kill on drug raids. He did it again when pushing the United States, an old ally, away in favor of closer China relations and again when he declared martial law in his countrys southland to battle a Muslim rebel group. But after a year in office, the tough-talking 72-year-old former mayor of the Southeast Asian archipelagos second largest city is riding a popularity wave because a lot of his own citizens like him for getting things done. Getting things done My suspicion is he will retain his level of popularity for a longer period of time than the other administrations as long as hes seen as actually accomplishing something, said Herman Kraft, political scientist at University of the Philippines Diliman. Dutertes government has the satisfaction of 75 percent of Filipinos, Metro Manila-based research institution Social Weather Stations said in April. Of the past five Philippine presidents, only Dutertes immediate predecessor, Benigno Aquino received comparable marks. Battle deaths in the south An attack by government troops on the city of Marawi May 23 to stop a Muslim rebel group has not dented Dutertes popularity. The rebels known as the Maute Group declare allegiance to Islamic State and they were believed to be planning terrorist acts. The public believes the government was justified in its attack, Kraft said. Fighting in Marawi killed nearly 400 people, mostly militants. Duterte fanned worries from overseas about human rights violations when he declared martial law on Marawi's surrounding island Mindanao, a long-time source of sporadic violence by some of the 20 Muslim rebel groups. He declared martial law in May to add road checkpoints and allow smoother police-military coordination against the Maute Group. In Manila, 15 of 23 senators backed martial law last month. Anti-drug campaign A net 66 percent of people were satisfied with the Philippine anti-drug campaign -- another hallmark of Duterte's first year -- as of March, the research group Social Weather Stations said. Police crackdowns on illegal drugs such as the shabu derivative of methamphetamine have left about 7,000 dead due to extrajudicial killings, the New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch says. Human rights concerns from other countries Advocacy groups as well as leaders from Europe, the United States and the United Nations have questioned the killings, enraging Duterte. Filipinos, through the survey, say they prefer drug suspects be captured alive, but often report feeling safer over the past year than before, due to stepped up policing. Filipinos are very happy hes cleaning the country up, said Al Domingo, 28, who works at an Internet startup in Manila. It doesnt matter if youre a governor or if youre a mayor. If youre a criminal and doing something bad, you will be put in jail. I will be honest I used to break the law. Id be driving and at a red light and there were no cars, so you know. Domingo said. But if you want change you have to start with yourself." Distrust of China persists Duterte inspired debate on and offshore with his shift last year from decades of military reliance on former colonizer the United States to a stronger friendship with China. The notoriously coarse-spoken president asked the United States to cut back military aid and in October he got a pledge from Washingtons rival Beijing for $24 billion in aid and investment. The survey firm Pulse Asia said in May that 63 percent of Filipinos distrust China, while 79 percent trust the United States. Foreign policy is a backburner issue for Filipinos today and doesnt hamper Dutertes overall ratings, said Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines in Metro Manila. Trust ratings of China are still the lowest, and the highest is still with the U.S., so that shows you that theres a disconnect between his personal attitudes toward other countries and the general population, Batongbacal said. With respect to China especially, theres still a lot of discomfort about how hes dealing with China on the West Philippine Sea issue, he said. Now since Philippine sea issues have quieted down, theres not much public discussion of it right now. Big money from China Some Filipinos have welcomed the Chinese development aid as Duterte plans to spend $167 billion on infrastructure through the end of his term in 2022. New highways and railways and other projects would catalyze the development of agriculture, manufacturing and tourism, said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist with Banco de Oro UniBank in Metro Manila. This is where you get to see a lot of enthusiasm from investors, Ravelas said. Consumer confidence is at a record high, he added. Now the Philippines has a chance of pacing Thailand, where new projects lured factories and tourists, he said. Were really playing a catch-up game, he said. Were using partners, not only Japan ODAs (Official Development Assistance) but even China to be able to spearhead this infrastructure spending. Chinese aid may help fund a $3.96 billion railway from Manila to the southeast of Luzon Island as well as a $4.3 billion railway in Mindanao, Philippine media reports say. Colombia's Marxist FARC rebels concluded their disarmament on Tuesday, handing in all but a few of their individual weapons to the United Nations and ending their role in a half-century war that killed more than 220,000 and displaced millions. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, turned in the remaining 40 percent of their firearms in Mesetas, a mountainous area in southeastern Colombia. The roughly 7,000 former fighters have pledged to continue their struggle as a political movement. The 7,132 weapons will be stored in containers until they are molded into a monument for peace. Explosives and bigger weapons are being cleared from caches nationwide and a few guns will remain for security at 26 camps until they close on Aug. 1. "Today doesn't end the existence of the FARC, it ends our armed struggle," said Rodrigo Londono, the FARC's top commander, who goes by his nom de guerre Timochenko. "Farewell to arms, farewell to war, welcome to peace." Financed by drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom and extortion, the FARC had about 17,000 combatants in the 1990s, capable of launching military attacks close to Bogota, the capital. But the rebel group that began in 1964 as a peasant army demanding agrarian reform was battered deep into Colombia's inhospitable jungles by a relentless military offensive that began in 2002 during Alvaro Uribe's presidency. US-backed campaign The U.S.-backed campaign improved security and helped the nation of 49 million people, once considered nearly a failed state, lure back investors and tourists. Rich in commodities like oil, coal, gold and coffee, it is one of Washington's closest allies in Latin America and has a long history of market-friendly governments. "Today is a very special day, the day weapons became words... I can say from the bottom of my heart that to live this day, to achieve this day, has made worthwhile being president of Colombia," said President Juan Manuel Santos, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016. "Our peace is real, and it's irreversible." Although the government promises to provide protection, the FARC is concerned about security. Thousands of former guerrillas were assassinated by paramilitaries after joining a political party during a peace attempt in the 1980s. Santos, who took office in 2010, began secret talks with FARC commanders that led to negotiations in Cuba and a final peace accord late last year. He is trying for a similar accord with the National Liberation Army (ELN). Peace with the FARC, however, is unlikely to end violence in Colombia as the lucrative cocaine business has given rise to criminal gangs and traffickers. The United Nations is urging rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to seize this "historic opportunity" to reunify their island, which has been divided since 1974. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was not at the opening session of the resumed Cyprus talks Wednesday, but he sent his personal representative, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, to deliver a message to the two Cypriot leaders and the guarantor powers in attendance. "This is a historic opportunity to solve a problem that has been there for decades," Feltman said. "And, what we heard this morning gave us the hope and the conviction that the leaders and the three guarantors have come to this conference with the determination to overcome the challenges and resolve the issues." Guterres will join the talks later this week, according to Feltman. Special U.N. Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide called the first meeting encouraging. He said the participants made it clear they traveled to the Swiss mountain retreat of Crans-Montana determined to solve the problems that have been plaguing them for decades. The question of security guarantees remains the most difficult problem to overcome, according to Eide. However, he said other outstanding issues on territory, property rights, governance and power sharing also need to be resolved, and the United Nations will do what it can to facilitate the negotiating process. "But at the end of the day, of course, it is the responsibility of the conference participants to go that final mile, to think outside the box, to try out some new ideas, so that we finally can go down from this beautiful Swiss mountain with a plan," he said. The conference could be extended beyond the planned ending date of July 7, Eide added. European regulators fined Google a record 2.42 billion euros ($2.72 billion) for abusing its dominance of the online search market in a case that could be just the opening salvo in Europe's attempt to curb the company's clout on that continent. The decision announced Tuesday by the European Commission punished Google for unfairly favoring its own online shopping recommendations in its search results. The commission is also conducting at least two other probes into the company's business practices that could force Google to make even more changes in the way it bundles services on mobile devices and sells digital advertising. Even so, Europe's crackdown is unlikely to affect Google's products in the U.S. or elsewhere. But it could provide an opportunity to contrast how consumers fare when the company operates under constraints compared with an unfettered Google. The fine immediately triggered debate about whether European regulators were taking prudent steps to preserve competition or overstepping their bounds to save companies being shunned by consumers who have overwhelmingly embraced an alternative. Margrethe Vestager, Europe's top antitrust regulator, said her agency's nearly seven-year investigation left no doubt something had to be done to rein in Google. What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation, Vestager told reporters Tuesday. The fine was the highest ever imposed in Europe for anti-competitive behavior, exceeding a 1.06 billion euros penalty on Silicon Valley chip maker Intel in 2009. The penalty itself is unlikely to leave a dent in Google's finances. Parent company Alphabet Inc. has more than $92 billion (82 billion euros) in cash, including nearly $56 billion (50 billion euros) in accounts outside of the U.S. The findings in Europe contrasted sharply with those reached by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in a similar investigation of Google completed in 2013. The FTC absolved Google of any serious wrongdoing after concluding that its search recommendations did not undermine competition or hurt consumers. Leading up to that unanimous decision, though, some of the FTC's staff sent a memo to the agency's commissioners recommending legal action because Google's conduct has resulted - and will result - in real harm to consumers and to innovation in the online search and advertising markets, according to a memo inadvertently released to The Wall Street Journal two years ago. Google's misbehavior in Europe boiled down to its practice of highlighting its own online shopping service above those of its rivals. Merchants pay Google for the right to show summaries of their products in small boxes displayed near the top of search results when someone seems to be interested in a purchase. Meanwhile, Google lists search results of its biggest rivals in online shopping on page 4 - and smaller rivals even lower, based on the calculations of European regulators. That's a huge advantage for Google when 90 percent of user clicks are on the first page. Google says consumers like its shopping thumbnails because they are concise and convenient. The commission's decision underestimates the value of those kinds of fast and easy connections, Kent Walker, Google's general counsel, wrote in a blog post. Europe's investigation did not present any concrete evidence that consumers had been financially damaged by Google's online shopping tactics, said Ibanez Colomo, a law professor at the London School of Economics. The only harm being alleged here is that competing services have suffered a decrease in traffic coming from Google, Colomo said on a call organized by the Computer & Communications Industry Association, a tech lobbying group. Alphabet is mulling an appeal of Tuesday's penalty, but even if that is filed, the Mountain View, California, company will still only have 90 days to comply with an order to stop favoring its own links to online shopping. If it does not, Alphabet faces more fines of up to 5 percent of its average daily revenue worldwide. That would translate into roughly $14 million (12 million euros), based on Alphabet's revenue during the first three months of the year. Rather than comply, Google could shut down its shopping service in Europe. If that happens, it will mean consumers in Europe are going to be worse off than consumers in the rest of the world, predicted David Balto, a consumer advocate and antitrust expert who formerly served as the FTC's policy director. Consumers rarely benefit when bureaucrats put their thumbs on the economic scales to tip them one way or the other. Google's critics applauded the EU for standing up to the company after the FTC backed down. Some may object to the EU moving so aggressively against U.S.-based companies, but these authorities are at least trying to deal with some of the new competitive challenges facing our economy, said the News Media Alliance, a group representing U.S. newspapers whose revenue has plunged as more advertising flowed to Google during the past decade. Other antitrust experts believe the fine levied on Google means European regulators are more likely to rein in other U.S. technology companies such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Netflix as they win over more European consumers at the expense of homegrown companies. We already have been in an information trade war, said Larry Downs, who studies antitrust issues as project director at Georgetown University's Center for Business and Public Policy. But I think it just went from being a cold war to a hot war with Europe. A cyber-attack Tuesday that hit companies across the world is similar to a ransomware attack last month that targeted hospitals in Britain, although the most recent hack was potentially more sophisticated, according to the European police agency. Europol director Rob Wainwright called the hack another serious ransomware attack. He said it bore resemblances to the previous "WannaCry" hack, but also showed indications of a "more sophisticated attack capability intended to exploit a range of vulnerabilities." The WannaCry hack sent a wave of crippling ransomware to hospitals across Britain in May, causing the hospitals to divert ambulances and cancel surgeries. Researchers eventually found a way to thwart the hack, but only after around 300 people had already paid the ransom. The cyberattack Tuesday caused disruptions at companies in 64 different countries, including America's Merck pharmaceutical company, Russia's Rosneft oil giant, British advertising agency WPP and French industrial group Saint-Gobain. It also disrupted operations Wednesday at India's largest container port, adding to the headaches of governments and businesses affected by so-called ransomware code that takes a user's data hostage until the victim agrees to pay for its release. The problems at Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai involved a terminal run by Danish shipping outfit A.P. Moller-Maersk. From Europe to US The company had said Tuesday as the attack was spreading largely in Europe and the United States that the malicious code was affecting terminals "in a number of ports." Australia's Cyber Security Minister Dan Tehan told reporters Wednesday that officials have not yet confirmed the same computer virus was responsible for ransomware attacks on two Australian companies, but that "all indications would point to" that being the case. Banks, government offices and airports in Ukraine were among the first to report the cyberattack. A U.S. National Security Council spokesman said the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and other agencies are "working with public and private, domestic and international partners to respond to this event and provide technical information for prevention and remediation." "Individuals and organizations are discouraged from paying the ransom as this does not guarantee access will be restored," the spokesman added. Europol's European Cybercrime Center has told anyone affected by Tuesday's attack to report the crime to national police, and encouraged them not to pay any ransom requested by hackers. Eternal Blue The computer virus used in the attack includes code known as Eternal Blue, a tool developed by the NSA that exploited Microsoft's Windows operating system and which was published on the internet in April by a group called Shadowbrokers. Microsoft released a patch in March to protect systems from that vulnerability. Tim Rawlins, director of the Britain-based cybersecurity consultancy NCC Group, says these attacks continue to happen because people have not been keeping up with effectively patching their computers. "This is a repeat WannaCry type of outbreak and it really comes down to the fact that people are not focusing on what they should be focusing on, the very simple premise of patching your systems," Rawlins told VOA. Jeff Seldin and Victor Beattie contributed to this report. WATCH: What is ransomware? The FBI interviewed several U.S. employees of Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab this week as part of an agency probe of the company's operations, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents visited the homes of Kaspersky employees late Tuesday in multiple U.S. cities, though no search warrants were served, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the FBI probe. The news followed the disclosure by senior U.S. intelligence officials last month, in testimony before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, that they were reviewing government use of software from Kaspersky Lab, as lawmakers raised concerns that Moscow might use the firm's products to attack American computer networks. In response, Eugene Kaspersky, the company's founder and chief executive, had said during a question-and-answer session on Reddit that he would be willing to appear before the Senate to dispel any concerns about his company's products. Kaspersky Lab confirmed in an email statement on Wednesday that FBI agents have had "brief interactions" with some of its U.S. employees, discussions that the company described as "due diligence" chats. The FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. NBC News, which first reported news of the interviews on Wednesday, said at least a dozen employees on both the East and West coasts of the United States were paid visits. It was not clear whether the probe of Kaspersky Lab was related to the FBI's investigation into Russian interference and potential collusion during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which is being led by special counsel Robert Mueller. Kaspersky's anti-virus software is popular in the United States and around the world, though U.S. officials have long been suspicious that the company may have ties to Russian intelligence agencies. Kaspersky has said repeatedly it has no ties to any government and that allegations about its products being used to support Russian espionage are unfounded. Still, concern about Kaspersky has grown as Moscow has been accused of deploying increasingly aggressive cyberattacks to achieve its geopolitical goals. Russia has repeatedly denied it engages in state-sponsored hacking of other countries' computer systems. A quarter-century-old project to repopulate the steppes of Mongolia with wild horses was kept alive as four animals made the long trip back to their ancestral home from the Prague Zoo. Driven to extinction in their homeland in the 1960s, the Przewalski's horses survived in captivity before efforts began to re-introduce them to the arid desert and mountains along Mongolia's border with China. Zoos organized the first transport to Mongolia of the strong, stocky beasts in 1992. For the past decade, Prague Zoo has been the only one continuing that tradition and it holds the studbook of a species whose ancestors - unlike other free-roaming horses such as the wild mustangs of the United States - were never domesticated. The zoo completed its seventh transport last week, releasing four mares born in captivity in the Czech Republic, Germany and Denmark in the Gobi desert. They will spend the next year in an enclosed area to acclimatize before being freed. "All the mares are looking very well, they are not hobbling, they are calm, eating hay and trying to test the taste of the new grass," Prague Zoo veterinarian Roman Vodicka said after making observations a few days after the release. Prague has released 27 horses in total and officials estimate around 190 are now back in the wild in the Gobi B park, where the most recent arrivals were sent. The first-ever deaf woman leader of a U.S. university for deaf students is touring Africa, hoping to learn and to teach institutions here how to provide for hearing-impaired students. In South Africa, an estimated one-fifth of the disabled population is hard of hearing. Anita Powell shares a portion of her interview with Gallaudet University President Roberta Cordano. Bumper-to-bumper on the Katy Freeway: the terrain is flat, and the air could soak a sponge. Heavy traffic covers 26 lanes. Hot, hazy Houston, where roaches fly along Texas Gulf Coastal Plain who would choose to transplant and call the city home? The answer is some of the worlds best doctors, scientists, engineers, chefs, artists, and entrepreneurs - highly specialized immigrants from Africa and Asia as well as an influx of laborers from south of the border. They come for one reason only, a longtime Houstonian told VOA, the opportunity to make money. And except for its economic bust times, the city has provided that. On the citys northern edge, immigrant vendors from Thailand, Laos, Mexico, and more line Sunny Flea Market on Airline Drive, engaging in commerce. Within the tented marketplace, an Ecuadorian flutist draws families, while a nearby chef stirs carne asada and slices cilantro. Pakistani native Ismail Ali, observing Ramadan, sells spinners. Dont mess with Texas, says Ali, smiling. Beginning in the 1980s, Americas fourth-wave immigrants entered the then booming oil economy of the south. Slowly, a biracial Tejano (Mexican-American) city that once shared the states conservative stances on religion, gun control and illegal immigration transformed into a burgeoning progressive population, fourth largest in the country, that voted Democrat by more than a 12-point margin in 2016. President Trump, by contrast, won the statewide contest by nine points. Today, Houston has a fresh face, and lays claim to the title of most diverse in the nation. As goes Houston Houston's white population, like that in the rest of the country, has dropped over the last three censuses, the U.S. government's decennial count of the country's population. In 1980, Houston's non-Hispanic white population was 834,061 or 52.3%. By 2010 the same group had fallen to 537,901 or 25.6% of the city's total population, which grew during the same 30 years from almost 1.6 Million in 1980 to 2 Million in 2010. As Stephen Klineberg, founding director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research explains, a large proportion of non-Hispanic whites in Harris County which encompasses Houston is 63 years old and over. That population, he says, is not going to be making a whole lot more babies. By contrast, African-Americans, Asians, and above all Latinos surge in the age group under 20 and their populations continue to grow, according to new 2016 census data. "You can go to the bank on this," Klineberg told VOA: "No force in the world is going to stop Houston or Texas or America from becoming more African-American, more Asian, more Latino, and less Anglo as the 21st-century unfolds. Nothing in the world can stop that." Texan pride Gilberto Zaragoza, an American from Guerrero, Mexico, sells cowboy hats at his father's stand at the flea market, while sporting a neon green and camouflage cap of his own. Back in the early 90s, when his family was new to the country, he recalls his mother pointing to a menu, trying to order a hamburger or pizza in broken English, and being refused service. "They didn't take that extra small step to try to understand us," Zaragoza said. But Zaragoza says he has personally experienced little discrimination in Houston, especially in recent years. With time, Houston's attitudes toward new immigrants have shifted. According to the 2017 Kinder Houston Area Survey, 63 percent of Harris County residents thought immigrants to the U.S. "generally contribute more to the American economy than they take," up from 45 percent in 2010. "I think Houston has always been welcoming to the immigrant community as far as the intentionality of the people of the city, but I feel like just in the last five years or so, it has become more organically welcoming," says Lee Hsia, downtown campus pastor at Houston's First Baptist Church. He moved to Houston from Shanghai, China, when he was seven and proudly calls himself a native Houstonian. Hsias church welcomes Houstonians, including non-Christians, from more than 35 countries. We have welcome plastered through the front doors of our church, he says. What's so great about Texas? Let these Houston residents tell you. The future of diversity Theres no crime, everybody keeps their property nice," says native Houstonian Karl Casey. "[It's] an example of how people can live together without conflict. But Casey laments that an entire day in the city may go by without hearing the English-language spoken, or flipping through the citys daily papers and not finding what upper-middle-class white people might be interested in. Respect for law is at the top of Caseys values a concern that is shared by many Texans, with regard to border security and immigration. I dont believe that there is such a thing as an unauthorized immigrant, Casey said, upset at strictures against using the word illegal in regards to immigration. I dont believe you get to pick and choose what laws you want to obey. While demographer Klineberg sees Houston's demographic changes as inevitable, he wonders about how the city - and the country - will eventually handle them. "There is a law of human nature that says what I am familiar with feels right and natural; what I am unfamiliar with feels unnatural, somehow not quite right," he comments. While recent arrivals are working towards the middle class, Klineberg notes a growing underclass of mostly white people with educations that do not go past high school, whose jobs in industries like coal and steel have disappeared. "Every community is seeing a growing middle-class and a growing underclass, simultaneously, Klineberg says. And that underclass is the great question for the sustainability of Houston and America in the 21st-century." Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, on Tuesday appeared before the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, which has begun interviewing witnesses in its probe of how Russia may have influenced the 2016 election. Committee members declined to comment on the discussion to reporters as they left the panel's secure hearing room. Podesta stopped and commented briefly. "They asked me to come forward to give to the best of my knowledge what I knew about that, and I was happy to cooperate with the committee in their investigation of Russian interference with the democratic process in the United States," he said. Republican President Donald Trump, who defeated Clinton in the election, recently has accused former Democratic President Barack Obama of doing too little to address Russian cyberattacks while he was still in the White House. On Monday, Trump demanded on Twitter that investigators apologize for looking to Russian interference and possible collusion with his campaign. He accused Obama of having "colluded or obstructed," without providing evidence. Asked whether he thought Obama had done enough, Podesta said, "I think the president and the entire administration were dealing with an unprecedented incidence of the weaponization of the fruits of Russian cyberactivity and making the best judgments they could on behalf of the American people." During the 2016 campaign, hackers penetrated the Democratic National Committee's email server and separately stole emails from Podesta's personal account. The emails were then posted online and used to embarrass Clinton, including by Trump, who frequently used their content as political ammunition. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia was behind the hacking and that it was seeking to boost Trump's chances of winning the White House. Russia has denied trying to influence the election, and Trump has dismissed such allegations as sour grapes by Democrats and their supporters unable to come to terms with his surprise victory in November. The House intelligence panel is conducting one of several investigations into Russian meddling in the election and possible collusion with members of Trump's campaign, as is Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The House panel began bringing in witnesses for interviews this week, and a few more are expected before lawmakers leave Washington by Friday for their weeklong July 4 holiday recess. 2 Student protest leader Joshua Wong shouts as he is carried away by policemen while protesters are arrested at a monument symbolizing the city's handover from British rule to Chinese rule, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive for the celebrations, in Hong Kong. Kenyas ruling Jubilee coalition and main opposition coalition have launched their campaign platforms for the August elections. Launching their campaign pledges the ruling Jubilee party and opposition coalition National Super Alliance have promised to transform the country and Kenyans lives. Both sides pledged to improve education, health, infrastructure to foster economic growth, and to create jobs for millions of Kenyan youth. They also promise to fight corruption. The Jubilee party led by President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to win a second term in office. The party is campaigning on a platform featuring development projects like a passenger and cargo railway to win voters in the August polls. Political commentator Sam Kamau says the promises made by the government and the opposition are the same. They have focused on the same issues, even the target and the things they hope to achieve are basically the same," said Kamau. "The only thing you can say is a bit different is the spirit in the two manifestos. Partly because on the Jubilee side they have been in the government for the last four and half years and this manifesto should be an audit of some of the things they have done and therefore what they can hope to achieve if they continue in government. For the opposition it is an opportunity for them to showcase what they can do if they are given the rein of power. Some Kenyans are questioning whether the pledges made by the politicians can be achieved or implemented. Professor Herman Manyora is a political analyst and lecturer at the University of Nairobi. He says Kenyans are used to false promises. These are things they can not do, they just promise to that extent. Therefore people are not putting much capital on this. People are not expecting anything out of them, and more importantly, our people vote along the tribal line, he said. The opposition is promising to form an inclusive government, solve historical injustices and unite communities. Manyora says an equal society can help bring an end to bad governance. All these things you say you want to do, you cannot do them if you do not have a united country. If you do not have inclusivity, people feel they belong to this country. You cannot complete road projects if you cannot deal with corruption, because corruption will eat all the money. Kenya has witnessed electoral violence in several campaigns over the years. In the 2007 disputed presidential election up to 1,500 people may have died and more than a quarter of a million were uprooted from their homes. In the August 8 election, Kenyatta is running for a second term in office against several challengers, including former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. French President Emmanuel Macron will address a parliamentary session for both houses next Monday, a rare event that opponents said signaled his intent to concentrate power in the presidency. Such a joint session of parliament is known as a Congress and takes place at Versailles, the sumptuous palace of France's former monarchy built outside Paris by Louis XIV the "Sun King" to symbolize absolute power. Macron's aides say he wants to set the tone and the direction of his five-year mandate in a ceremony that befits the office of the president. His rivals said the 39-year-old was "Americanizing" the role of president. "It is Emmanuel Macron's role to explain the world we live in, what the nation's challenges are at the onset of the 21st century, and how our institutions work," a source close to Macron said. Former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed a Congress at the 17th-century palace in 2009, at the height of the global financial and banking crisis. Sarkozy's successor, Francois Hollande, did the same in November 2015 after militant Islamists attacked Paris, declaring France "is at war." Macron has said he wants to embody a "Jupiterian" vision of the presidency, whereby the president, very much like the Roman god of gods, speaks rarely except to issue orders. He has strived to be seen as above daily politics, leaving the running of parliament to his prime minister. 'Monarchical presidency' Nonetheless, his opponents seized upon the timing of his speech, which will take place a day before Prime Minister Edouard Philippe addresses lawmakers. "It's a demonstration of his monarchical presidency," lawmaker Alexis Corbiere of the hard-left France Unbowed party told BFM TV. "It's a form of Americanization of French politics." Conservative lawmaker Eric Ciotti told reporters in the corridors of parliament that Philippe was "just a voiceless puppet." Macron has sought to change the public image of the presidency, including through his relationship with the media. Hollande strived to be seen as "Mr Normal," holding regular news conferences and talking frequently off the record with journalists. Macron has sharply reduced his interactions with reporters since his election, wanting to restore old-fashioned grandeur to the role, his aides say. In a break with tradition, Macron's entourage said it was unlikely that he would answer journalists' questions during the annual Bastille Day celebrations, which U.S. President Donald Trump will attend. The Vatican says an archbishop from Mali will be appointed a cardinal in Rome on Wednesday despite a potential financial scandal. There was speculation in Mali and Rome that Pope Francis had decided not to elevate Archbishop Jean Zerbo because of questions surrounding church funds in Mali. But Vatican officials confirmed Tuesday that Zerbo will be present at Wednesday's ceremony along with candidates from four other countries. Reports say Zerbo and other Malian church officials have opened more than $13 million in Swiss bank accounts. While opening foreign bank accounts is legal, it is unclear where the money came from. Another Malian bishop told The Associated Press that Zerbo and other prelates have "nothing to hide," but he declined to provide additional information. Zerbo helped negotiate the 2015 peace agreement between the Malian government and Tuareg rebels. He is one of the highest-ranking Christians in Mali, where the population is overwhelmingly Muslim. The other cardinals being appointed Wednesday are from El Salvador, Laos, Spain and Sweden. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday that Syria appears to have heeded a U.S. warning to not to use chemical weapons. "It appears that they took the warning seriously," Mattis said, referring to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying it had not launched any new chemical attacks. A statement late Monday from White House press secretary Sean Spicer warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that if government forces carry out another chemical attack, "he and his military will pay a heavy price." The statement came after American intelligence said it had identified "potential preparations" for another chemical attack in Syria - allegations which the Syrian government denied. The April 4th chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria killed over 80 people and drew harsh criticism from governments abroad, including the United States. Speaking from a ceremony in Germany honoring the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II, Mattis also called out Russian president Vladimir Putin for causing international "mischief". Mattis said the Russian people's "leader making mischief beyond Russian borders will not restore their fortune or rekindle their hope." Mattis also stated that the U.S. remains committed to NATO - something of which he has repeatedly assured European allies, despite President Donald Trump's occasional bashing of the organization, particularly in regards to other countries paying their "fair share". Germany's defense secretary Ursula von der Leyen also praised the transatlantic bond, and spoke in favor of Germany spending two percent of GDP to meet NATO pledges. "Being partners, we need to have a fair burden sharing within NATO. That means we Germans need to do more for our security," she said. Shortly after meeting with German chancellor Angela Merkel last month, Trump had reiterated an accusation that Germany does not pay its fair share of dues in NATO. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is in Brussels, where he will consult with NATO allies on troop contributions and other support for Afghanistan, before announcing his own policy plan for the war-torn country. The Pentagon has promised a new Afghanistan plan by mid-July, and Michael OHanlon, a senior defense analyst at the Brookings Institution, expects the new plan will not be a repeal and replace strategy, but rather a reformation of the Obama administrations plan. Mattis and Trump are just repairing a mistake, in effect, that I think President Barack Obama made. And it is, in a sense, more properly carrying out Obamas own strategy than Obama himself did, OHanlon told VOA. The strategy will still focus on Afghan troops taking the lead on security in the country, a critical point in the Obama administrations military efforts since June 2013. But OHanlon explains why he thinks the past president made a mistake when he cut American military support in the country from about 100,000 U.S. troops in May 2011 to fewer than 10,000 American troops over a four-year span. That was probably too fast and too low, so by restoring just a few thousand more, I think we can get advisers out in the field with some of the key Afghan units and hopefully really stabilize the situation, said OHanlon. U.S. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, Americas top general, arrived Monday in Afghanistan with a mission to pull together the final elements of a military strategy that likely will include sending about 4,000 more U.S. troops into the country. Mattis is expected to meet with General John Nicholson, the commander of international forces in Afghanistan, ahead of the NATO defense ministers meeting, where he will press some allies to increase their commitments to Afghanistan. We have to think about what else they can bring to bear to help, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White told VOA last week. I know everyone wants to know whats going to happen, but the secretary is being very deliberative and very thoughtful about what the commanders need and whats necessary to change the tide. Officials say the new strategy also will need to provide the necessary resources for the American-led coalition to support Afghan forces at lower levels in the military chain of command. In addition, they say it will need to stop elements of Pakistans government from propping up the Taliban, and it will need to stop Islamic States local affiliate from growing. Its not getting better in Afghanistan in terms of ISIS. We have a problem, and we have to defeat them and we have to be focused on that problem, White said. Analysts say the groups operational capabilities have been severely stinted, despite an increase in militant numbers, due to the pressing need to defend themselves from both U.S. and Afghan attacks. The arrests of three journalists who visited a ceremony held by the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Myanmar this week are part of a deliberate attempt to block information about the conflict, a spokesman for the group said, alleging that dozens of similar cases have occurred this year with civilians. TNLA Major Tar Parn La said in an interview with VOA the Myanmar military wants to cut off the connection between the group and the public. Thats why they are trying to stop the media, he said. It means you are not allowed to contact the rebels and not allowed to expose the real situation of the war to the people. The TNLA, which is one of several ethnic armed groups in Myanmar engaged in intermittent clashes with the military, with a new bout of fighting occurring as recently as this past week, condemned the arrests in a separate statement. Tar Parn La said the arrests are part of a pattern this year and that so far more than 30 civilians have faced action for possessing photos of the group or their territory in Namhshan Township in northern Shan State. In some instances, the images were just downloaded from the internet. The journalists are Lawi Weng - also known as Thein Zaw - from the Irrawaddy news magazine, and Aye Nai and Pyae Phone Naing from the Democratic Voice of Burma media group. Government claims journalists broke the law Zaw Htay, a government spokesman, told news outlets this week the three are to be charged under the Unlawful Associations Act, a colonial-era statute dating back to 1908 that has been used as a tool of repression in Myanmars borderlands. The Irrawaddy reported on Wednesday that the three were charged and remanded to prison in Shan State's Hsipaw Township, with a court date set for July 11. The U.S. embassy said in a statement that journalists need to be able to do their work, as a free press is essential to Myanmars success. Rights groups have called for their immediate release. Both the Irrawaddy and the Democratic voice of Burma reported in exile before setting up in the country after it embarked on a transition from military rule in 2011. The transition included reforms abolishing censorship and led to elections in 2015 that elevated pro-democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi to power. Criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi But despite benefiting from years of media coverage while under house arrest in Yangon, Suu Kyi has proved a poor advocate for free expression, critics say. Since forming her government in April last year, she has done only a handful of interviews, most out of the country. Her image has suffered further from a rash of online defamation cases against critics of her administration. In April, the advocacy group PEN Myanmar conducted a survey of freedom of expression to mark the one-year anniversary of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy-led government. It received a score of 8 points out of a possible 60. PEN Myanmars scorecard made several recommendations, including allowing journalists more access to conflict and frontline areas. Many of these regions require government permission to visit, but it is rarely if ever granted. Major Tar Parn La said the TNLA issued an invitation to the media to attend a ceremony to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The event, which involved the large-scale incineration of narcotics, occurred at 8:00 am on Monday. He said after attending, doing interviews and breaking for lunch, the three journalists left. They were arrested a few hours later. Four others in the convoy, including drivers and a monk, were also arrested, he said. Whether they too will be charged remains unclear. He said they spent two to three days in detention before being transferred to Hsipaw. The government had said they would be transferred to another town, Lashio, but authorities there seemed uninformed. "We don't know where they are," said Lashio deputy police officer Sai Ko Ko. "We can't ask the military where they detained them. Though Tar Parn La sees the arrests as an attempt to restrict the free flow of information, he remains puzzled by the thinking. The group is not a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and has been branded a terrorist outfit by the military, but the TNLA attended peace talks in the capital Naypyitaw in May, where exchanges with reporters and government officials flowed freely. I myself I was there, he said. In Naypyitaw I gave a lot of interviews, met a lot of media, but we dont understand why when the media comes to our land they are arrested. In good health An editor at the Democratic Voice of Burma said they have not been able to contact the journalists yet, but the Irrawaddy reported, citing police and a colleague, that they appear to be in good health. Media watchdogs in Myanmar have sent letters to the authorities about the arrests. Thiha Saw, the director of the Myanmar Journalism Institute, said the implications of the case are far-reaching. The outcome could warn off those who want to interview groups that have not signed the ceasefire agreement. The case will have a huge impact in reporting on the peace process, he said. The best case scenario is that they will be released. A new cyber virus spread from Ukraine to wreak havoc around the globe on Wednesday, crippling thousands of computers, disrupting ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting production at a chocolate factory in Australia. The virus is believed to have first taken hold on Tuesday in Ukraine where it silently infected computers after users downloaded a popular tax accounting package or visited a local news site, national police and international cyber experts said. More than a day after it first struck, companies around the world were still wrestling with the fallout while cybersecurity experts scrambled to find a way to stem the spread. Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk said it was struggling to process orders and shift cargoes, congesting some of the 76 ports around the world run by its APM Terminals subsidiary. U.S. delivery firm FedEx Corp said its TNT Express division had been significantly affected by the virus, which also wormed its way into South America, affecting ports in Argentina operated by China's Cofco. The malicious code locked machines and demanded victims post a ransom worth $300 in bitcoins or lose their data entirely, similar to the extortion tactic used in the global WannaCry ransomware attack in May. More than 30 victims paid up but security experts are questioning whether extortion was the goal, given the relatively small sum demanded, or whether the hackers were driven by destructive motives rather than financial gain. Hackers asked victims to notify them by email when ransoms had been paid but German email provider Posteo quickly shut down the address, a German government cybersecurity official said. Ukraine, the epicenter of the cyber strike, has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical power infrastructure since its powerful neighbor annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin, which has consistently rejected the accusations, said on Wednesday it had no information about the origin of the global cyberattack, which also struck Russian companies such as oil giant Rosneft and a steelmaker. "No one can effectively combat cyber threats on their own, and, unfortunately, unfounded blanket accusations will not solve this problem," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. ESET, a Slovakian company that sells products to shield computers from viruses, said 80 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, with Italy second hardest hit with about 10 percent. Eternal blue The aim of the latest attack appeared to be disruption rather than ransom, said Brian Lord, former deputy director of intelligence and cyber operations at Britain's GCHQ and now managing director at private security firm PGI Cyber. "My sense is this starts to look like a state operating through a proxy ... as a kind of experiment to see what happens," Lord told Reuters on Wednesday. While the malware seemed to be a variant of past campaigns, derived from code known as Eternal Blue believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), experts said it was not as virulent as May's WannaCry attack. Security researchers said Tuesday's virus could leap from computer to computer once unleashed within an organization but, unlike WannaCry, it could not randomly trawl the internet for its next victims, limiting its scope to infect. Bushiness that installed Microsoft's latest security patches from earlier this year and turned off Windows file-sharing features appeared to be largely unaffected. There was speculation, however, among some experts that once the new virus had infected one computer it could spread to other machines on the same network, even if those devices had received a security update. After WannaCry, governments, security firms and industrial groups advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft security patches. Austria's government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said "a small number" of international firms appeared to be affected, with tens of thousands of computers taken down. Security firms including Microsoft, Cisco's Talos and Symantec said they had confirmed some of the initial infections occurred when malware was transmitted to users of a Ukrainian tax software program called MEDoc. The supplier of the software, M.E.Doc denied in a post on Facebook that its software was to blame, though Microsoft reiterated its suspicions afterwards. "Microsoft now has evidence that a few active infections of the ransomware initially started from the legitimate MEDoc updater process," it said in a technical blog post. Russian security firm Kaspersky said a Ukrainian news site for the city of Bakhumut was also hacked and used to distribute the ransomware to visitors, encrypting data on their machines. Corporate Chaos A number of the international firms hit have operations in Ukraine, and the virus is believed to have spread within global corporate networks after gaining traction within the country. Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide, has a logistics unit in Ukraine. Other large firms affected, such as French construction materials company Saint Gobain and Mondelez International Inc, which owns chocolate brand Cadbury, also have operations in the country. Maersk was one of the first global firms to be taken down by the cyberattack and its operations at major ports such as Mumbai in India, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Los Angeles on the U.S. west coast were disrupted. Other companies to succumb included BNP Paribas Real Estate, a part of the French bank that provides property and investment management services. "The international cyberattack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack," the bank said on Wednesday. Production at the Cadbury factory on the Australian island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said on Tuesday its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but oil production had not been affected because it switched to backup systems. Pope Francis elevated five senior clerics from outside Italy and the Vatican to the top rank of cardinal on Wednesday, urging them to be humble and not forget refugees and victims of war, terrorism and injustice. Appointing new cardinals is one of the most significant powers of the papacy, allowing a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2 billion-member Church. Cardinals are the pope's closest advisers in the Vatican and around the world and those under 80 years old are known as cardinal-electors because they can choose his successor. Humble servants The new cardinals come from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador and all five are under 80 years old. All of those countries, except for Spain, are getting their first cardinal. With their elevation at a ceremony, known as a consistory, in St. Peter's Basilica, Francis has now named nearly 50 cardinal-electors of a total 121. During the ceremony where the new cardinals received their red hat, known as a biretta, the pope said they were called to be humble servants of others and not princes of the Church. They had to look at reality and care for the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism. Swiss bank account They should combat the forms of enslavement that continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; the refugee camps which at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; the systematic discarding of all that is no longer useful, people included. The new cardinals are Archbishop Jean Zerbo, 73, from Mali, Archbishop Juan Jose Omella, 71, from Spain, Bishop Anders Arborelius, 67, from Stockholm, Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, 73, from Laos, and Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, from San Salvador. The Church in Mali has denied recent French media reports about alleged irregularities concerning a bank account reportedly held by the Mali Church in Switzerland. A statement this month denied that it was involved in embezzlement but did not comment directly on the Swiss bank account. The fact that none of the five are Italian and none hold Vatican positions underscores Francis' conviction that the Church must be a global institution that should become increasingly less Italian and Europe-centric. It was Francis' fourth consistory since his election in 2013 and he has used each of them to show support for the Church in countries where Catholics are in a minority, in this case Sweden, Mali and Laos. Chavez, the new cardinal from El Salvador, was a close associate of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated by a right-wing death squad in 1980. Francis is keen to see Romero made a saint during his pontificate. Boost of morale in Sweden The naming of Arborelius, the Swede, was significant because Sweden is where the Lutheran World Federation was founded in 1947 and because this year marks the 500th anniversary of protestant Martin Luther's Reformation. Francis, who visited Sweden last year, is keen to further Catholic dialogue with Protestant churches. Sweden is also one of the world's most secular countries and the naming of a cardinal there will boost the morale of the tiny Catholic population. After the ceremony in the basilica, the five new cardinals went to pay their respects to 90-year-old former Pope Benedict, who resigned in 2013 and is living on the grounds of the Vatican. Hong Kong police have arrested about 30 pro-democracy protesters Wednesday, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is to make his first state visit to the city to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the territory's transfer from Britain to China. The protesters huddled around the "Forever Blooming Golden Bauhinia" statue, a gift from China placed at the site of the 1997 handover ceremony. They demanded open democracy and the release of Nobel Prize-winning activist Liu Xiaobo. "Democracy now. Free Liu Xiaobo," protesters shouted while draping a black banner that read "We do not want Xi Jinping. We want Liu Xiaobo" over top of the golden bauhinia statue. According to the police, the protesters were arrested for causing a public nuisance. Liu, a 61-year-old writer who was recently diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, was arrested on charges of "subversion" in 2009 for circulating a petition urging democratic reforms. The demonstrators included Joshua Wong, 20, who helped lead the 2014 "Umbrella Movement" protests. As Wong was carried away from the statue and into a police van, he continued shouting. "We want to tell Xi Jinping that Hong Kong's prosperity is just a facade. When Democracy is not in sight, we need to take action to confront this system," Wong hollered. "Hong Kong people, do not give up. Protest on July 1!" 'One country, two systems' Xi is to arrive Thursday in Hong Kong to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the city's handover on July 1, 1997. A heavy police presence is expected for his visit. While Xi is in the city, tens of thousands are expected to participate in a pro-democracy demonstration. After 156 years of British rule, Hong Kong was handed over to China with an understanding the former colony would be allowed certain freedoms not guaranteed in mainland China, like freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. According to some, this "one country, two systems" policy has been gradually eroded under Communist rule. "The joint declaration has been breached [by China], I have no doubt," the last British governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten recently told The Guardian. He pointed to the alleged abductions of Hong Kong residents who wrote books critical of Chinese political leaders. The arrests came the same day the Chinese legislature approved a law to grant sweeping new surveillance powers to the government. Although the state news agency Xinhua said that the law is "needed to ensure the nation's security interests are met," Chinese activists fear the new powers will enable broader suppression of dissent. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump are expected to meet in some format at next month's G-20 summit in Germany. Speaking Wednesday at a news conference in the Russian city of Krasnodar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he would "assume" the meeting will take place. "Given that the two presidents will be in the same town at the same time, same building, even the same room. It wouldn't be normal if they didn't talk," Lavrov told reporters. If Trump and Putin meet at the conference, it will be the first time the two leaders have met face-to-face since Trump's election in November. Putin said in March he was ready to meet with Trump at the G-20 meeting, though neither Washington nor Moscow have confirmed an official meeting. Lavrov said the most important topic of potential discussion during the meeting would encompass the normalization of relations between the two nations, and that efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Syria would play a prominent role in that conversation. Should the U.S. take preemptive measures against the Syrian military to stop what Washington has said could be a potential chemical weapons strike, Lavrov said Russia would respond "with dignity" to the U.S. "provocation." The U.S. said earlier this week it had detected potential preparations for a chemical attack at Syria's Shayrat airfield, which was used in April to launch a chemical attack that killed more than 80 people in Khan Sheikhoun. On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Syria appeared to have heeded a U.S. warning to not to use chemical weapons. "It appears that they took the warning seriously," Mattis said, referring to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying it had not launched any new chemical attacks. Lavrov said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called him and informed him of the alleged Syrian government plot to use chemical weapons, but Lavrov said he urged the U.S. against using the allegations as a "pretext" for war. "I am very hopeful that this time around the U.S. will still be guided by the need to really protect the regime of non-proliferation of chemical weapons rather than speculating on dubious intelligence, which is secret and must not be shown to anyone," Lavrov said. The presidents of Bulgaria and Romania have discussed NATO, security in the Black Sea region, trade and European Union issues. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev was greeted Wednesday morning by a guard of honor at the Cotroceni presidential palace in Bucharest ahead of discussions with his counterpart Klaus Iohannis. The leaders talked about the presidency of the EU, which Bulgaria takes over on Jan. 1, 2018, and Romania a year later. Radev said the neighbors had bilateral trade worth 4 billion euros ($4.48 billion) last year. The neighbors joined the EU in 2007. Radev is on a two-day visit to Romania. Russian lawmakers are considering ways to block foreign media broadcasts in Russian if they break the law. The proposal is a tit-for-tat response to a bill introduced to the U.S. Congress in March that would give the Justice Department authority to investigate Russia's English-language RT for potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. RT figured in a U.S. intelligence report about Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election. Andrei Klimov, the head of a newly created panel of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said Wednesday it is pondering ways to oblige foreign media broadcasting in Russian to account for their activities in line with a Russian law on foreign agents. Klimov added that new legislation could authorize Russia's communications watchdog to block broadcasts if they violate the law. Serbia's first female prime minister pledged on Wednesday to reform education and push for the digitalization of state administration to take the country closer to European Union membership. Ana Brnabic, the prime minister-designate who in a one-hour speech presented her program and cabinet to parliament, is expected to get the approval of more than 150 deputies of the ruling coalition in the 250-seat parliament. Brnabic, the country's first openly gay head of government, was picked by powerful president Aleksandar Vucic, who stepped down as prime minister to take the more ceremonial role after he won the April election in a landslide. "EU membership remains our main direction," Brnabic said, adding that her government would work on strengthening relations with Moscow, continuing a delicate balancing act between the West and Russia. Brnabic, who had been minister in charge of state administration in Vucic's cabinet, named Nenad Popovic, a well known businessman with strong links to Russia, as one of her deputies. Dusan Vujovic will remain finance minister. She said education reform and digitalization, which would streamline the state's administrative services and reduce waiting times, will be priorities. "We need to look into the future," said Brnabic. She added that her government would focus on achieving average economic growth of 3.5 percent a year and would tackle environmental issues, including power production from renewables and waste control both key elements in the Balkan state's plans to join the EU. "I count on the support of the president Vucic," Brnabic, who is not affiliated with any party, said. Unprecedented Power Analysts see Brnabic's election as a move to please the West which for years has insisted on the improvement of gay rights in conservative societies across the Balkans, but say real power will remain in the hands of Vucic. "By nominating a competent, but politically weak PM, Vucic expectedly seeks to solidify his influence over Serbian politics," Teneo Intelligence said in an analyst note on Wednesday. "As president, head of the ruling SNS [Serbian Progressive Party], and de facto leader of the government, Vucic would extend his influence across the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches, resulting in an unprecedented concentration of power since Slobodan Milosevic's rule in the 1990s." Vucic, who as information minister in the late 1990s presided over legislation designed to muzzle dissent against Milosevic, has been accused of stifling media freedoms since becoming prime minister almost two years ago. Goran Miletic, program director for the western Balkans at Civil Rights Defenders, an independent human rights organization founded in Stockholm, said that by electing Brnabic Serbia wanted to present itself "in a better light" to the EU. "But it all needs to be put in the context that human rights are not being respected here [in Serbia], and by that I mean the rule of law and freedom of media," he said. "I am not optimistic that Brnabic's election will change that." Strengthening the legal system to ensure the judiciary is free from political influence is a key step for Serbia to progress towards EU membership. South Sudan is recalling its top diplomats from seven countries, but says the recalls have nothing to do with the country's economic crisis. The crisis, sparked by three and a half years of civil war, has left South Sudan's government strapped for cash, and most of the country's envoys around the world have not received salaries for up to six months. A letter dated June 14, signed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Deng Alor, gave 60 days' notice to ambassadors in Britain, Sudan and Uganda, as well as the heads of missions in Germany, India, Eritrea and Egypt to report back to Juba. The ministry's spokesman, Mawein Makol Ariik, confirmed the government is recalling some of its envoys but denies the decision is connected to economic problems. Oil sales are down He told VOA's South Sudan in Focus that the recall is part of a normal process that all ambassadors undergo. Each and every ambassador has to stay outside for a certain period of time and come back to the headquarters to come and serve here, he said Wednesday. And other persons from the headquarters go out also to go and do services to the country outside. So any ambassador that you are hearing is coming back, is coming back because their term has just finished outside. The ongoing war has reduced government revenue from oil sales, South Sudan's main source of external revenue. Ariik admits the economic crisis has affected the operations of South Sudan's 29 embassies during the past six months. He said that in late March, some of South Sudan's embassies, including the one in London, were given an ultimatum to pay rent arrears or be evicted. London office moved A diplomat at South Sudan's embassy in London said the embassy since has moved to a new building, and that rents for June, July and August were paid in advance. AriIk says the government still needs to make rent payments for several other embassies. At the moment you see difficulties here in the country; also you expect to have difficulties with the embassies because it is a budget that comes out from the overall budget of the country," he said. And that is why most of our embassies for the last 6-5 months have been having difficulties of getting salaries on time. But the government is working to make sure that now this thing is streamlined and salaries will be paid on time. South Sudanese diplomats in Washington were last paid in April this year after going four months without salaries. The outgoing South Sudanese Ambassador to Sudan, Mayen Dut Wol, confirms he is among the diplomats being recalled to Juba. 'Normal routine' Speaking by phone from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, Wol says it is just a normal routine for the ministry and he believes it is time for another person to take over his role in Khartoum. If your time is finished you can be called back to the headquarters (and) you can even be deployed to other areas, said Wol. When asked about the delays in payment of salaries, Wol says he understands the economic crisis facing South Sudan in general, and he declined to comment further. President Donald Trump will attend Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on July 14, according to a statement from the White House. Trump accepted the invitation from French president Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday and "looks forward to reaffirming America's strong ties of friendship with France." The two leaders spoke by phone on Tuesday, when Macron offered the invitation. During the call, the White House said "the two leaders also discussed the current situation in the Middle East and reviewed the agenda for the upcoming G-20 Summit" in Hamburg. The two presidents last met in May, when they both traveled to Brussels for a NATO summit. Americans are clamoring for more, not less, access to their congressional representatives. Action by Sen. Deb Fischers re-election campaign to deny entry to those whod reserved tickets for a Saturday event in Lincoln has all the wrong optics even if, as her campaign said, it had nothing to do with politics. In formally announcing her bid for a second term, Fischer embarked on a five-stop whirlwind tour across Nebraska on Saturday, culminating with remarks that evening at the Nebraska Veterans of Foreign Wars offices in Lincoln. There, a number of people whod requested and received tickets online were turned away at the door. They claim they were denied entry because of their political views or questions theyd hoped to ask the senator. A staffer with Fischers campaign told the Journal Star the event had more RSVPs than the venue had seats because not all ticketholders show up, similar to logic used by airlines in overbooking flights. That meant some attendees had to be turned away. Many of those who were barred from entering, however, claimed they were intentionally excluded while supporters were admitted. But even mere talk of a senators staff denying entry to ticketholding guests or a blacklist, regardless of whether such a document existed, added more fuel to a growing firestorm since Saturday the perceptions of voters who believe Congress isnt listening to or even representing them. To Fischers credit, she held a listening session in Omaha two weeks ago wed love to see a similar event in Lincoln, too while some of her colleagues have ducked such public engagements. During that hourlong forum, she fielded 19 questions from the public, largely about the controversial health care measure that awaits the Senate after its Fourth of July recess. Online, Fischers office billed Saturdays event as the Strong Families, Strong Communities Tour, which matches the title of a 2014 document on her official website detailing her agenda to economically empower the middle class. Many of the topics it addresses including health care, family leave, education and equal pay for equal work are still being discussed today. The senator has every right to hold a private campaign event anywhere and restrict the guest list to those she chooses. But promoting the Lincoln event which was never listed as a campaign stop online as a tour and offering tickets to her constituents, only to shut some out at the door sends a message that runs counter to the accessibility and openness elected officials owe those they represent. Even if the frustrations expressed by those turned away were the result of a miscommunication by the campaign, many Nebraskans left with a bad taste in their mouths. Fischer and her 534 colleagues in Congress must remain accessible to constituents. The Trump administration moved Tuesday to roll back an Obama administration policy that protected more than half the nation's streams from pollution but drew attacks from farmers, fossil fuel companies and property-rights groups as federal overreach. The 2015 regulation sought to settle a debate over which waterways are covered under the Clean Water Act, which has dragged on for years and remained murky despite two Supreme Court rulings. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February instructing the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rescind or revise the Obama rule, which environmentalists say is essential to protecting water for human consumption and wildlife. In a statement, the agencies announced plans to begin the withdrawal process, describing it as an interim step. When it is completed, the agencies said, they will undergo a broader review of which waters should fall under federal jurisdiction. "We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation's farmers and businesses," EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said, adding that the re-evaluation would be "thoughtful, transparent and collaborative with other agencies and the public." Environmental groups denounced the move, saying it would remove drinking water safeguards for one in three Americans while jeopardizing thousands of streams that flow into larger rivers and lakes, plus wetlands that filter pollutants and soak up floodwaters. "Clean water is vital to our ecology, our health and our quality of life," said John Rumpler, senior attorney with Environment America. "Repealing the Clean Water Rule turns the mission of the EPA on its head." The EPA and the Army Corps said dismantling the Obama rule would not change existing practices because the measure has been stayed by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati in response to opponents' lawsuits. The proposed repeal is the latest in a series of Trump moves to undo President Barack Obama's environmental legacy, including withdrawal from the Paris climate change accord, rescinding the Clean Power Plan that sought to curb carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants and reversing a moratorium on leasing federal lands for coal mining. Trump also has proposed deep cuts in the EPA budget. Disputed waterways No one disputes that the 1972 Clean Water Act allows federal agencies to regulate navigable rivers and lakes. Less certain is the status of some 2 million miles of headwaters and streams that flow only part of the year 60 percent of the river and stream miles in the Lower 48 states plus 20 million acres of wetlands that aren't directly connected to large waterways. Under the Obama interpretation, those waters are protected. Business groups and some Republican state officials including then-Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, now Trump's EPA chief filed suit, contending the regulation gave federal officials too much authority over waters that don't cross state lines or have a clear link to waters that are covered. The regulation was in effect for a short period in 2015 before the appeals court issued a stay. Those legal challenges are still pending. Response to Tuesday's announcement largely fell down party lines, with congressional Republicans hailing the move. The rule "would have put backyard ponds, puddles and prairie potholes under Washington's control," said Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. "I applaud the Trump administration for working to remove this indefensible regulation." The process The Trump administration's proposed withdrawal will require a 30-day public comment period, after which EPA and the Army Corps would have to consider the reaction and the make a final decision which likely will draw suits from groups that favor the regulation. In his executive order, Trump instructed the agencies to redesign the rule in keeping with a 2006 opinion by the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He interpreted federal jurisdiction narrowly, saying only "relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing" waters or wetlands with a surface connection to navigable waterways are entitled to federal protection. "Farmers and ranchers across this country are cheering," said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. He said the Obama rule was "a federal land grab designed to put a straitjacket on farming and private businesses across this nation." Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said withdrawing the rule "would make it easier for irresponsible developers and others to contaminate our waters and send the pollution downstream. We'll stand up to this reckless attack on our waters and health." A former top diplomat in Republican U.S. president George W. Bushs administration criticized President Donald Trump for being unwilling to act against Russia in retaliation for the Kremlins interference in last years election. Nicholas Burns, who served as undersecretary of state for political affairs in the Bush administration, told lawmakers, I find it dismaying and objectionable that President Trump continues to deny the undeniable fact that Russia launched a major cyber attack against the United States, regardless of what party he launched it against. Burns remarks were made at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Wednesday on Russias meddling into European elections. He told lawmakers if Trump continues to refuse to act, its a dereliction of the basic duty to defend the country. He said former president Barack Obama should have acted earlier and more vigorously against Russia, even though he would have likely been accused in the heat of the campaign for intervening in the presidential race between Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Burns, who is also a former ambassador to NATO, recommended that the U.S. impose tougher sanctions on Russia, and called on Congress to lead the effort. With our long national two-century debate about the separation of powers in mind, I do think that Congress and not the president, should lead the American response to Russias cyber attacks on the United States. Burns urged the House of Representatives to approve legislation to impose new sanctions on Russia that passed the Senate nearly unanimously last week. In my view, it would be a great mistake for President Trump to veto such a bill, he said. On Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters Trump's position has been consistent on the issue since January. He believes that Russia was probably involved, potentially, he said. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia engaged in widespread interference in last year's presidential election aimed at helping Trump win the White House. Last week, former Homeland Security agency chief Jeh Johnson and other U.S. officials confirmed Russias meddling in testimony on Capitol Hill. But the officials said there was no evidence that Moscow was able to change the vote count. In the recent French presidential election, Moscows candidate of choice lost to Emmanuel Macron, who was the target of cyber attacks and false news accounts from Kremlin-sponsored media outlets. Constanze Stelzenmueller, a Brookings Institution expert on German and European affairs, told committee members the impact of Russias interference is hit and miss, often miss. In many ways its meddling in European elections over the past year has produced the exact opposite of what was intended, she said. It has produced stable, democratic, and non-populace governments that are pro-European Union and, indeed, pro-NATO, pro-American. Stelzenmueller added that NATO and the European Union are experiencing a renaissance of purpose and said the upcoming September elections in Germany are now looking quite different compared to the beginning of the year, with Chancellor Angela Merkel holding a lead in the polls. But Stelzenmueller cautioned there is general consensus Russia will meddle in Germanys elections and said preparations have been made by hardening computer infrastructure and continuing to use paper ballots. The real threat, Stelzenmueller said, are Russian attempts to get inside voters heads. Theyre trying to hack our political consciousness, she said. Although Russia is not new to information warfare, its cyber capabilities have become more sophisticated in recent years. The countrys Defense Ministry announced this year the establishment of a new cyber-warrior operation. The director of NATOs Strategic Communication Center of Excellence, Janis Sarts, recommended that European nations and the U.S. must first create societal awareness of cyber attacks and collaborate with media organizations to help them understand how they might be manipulated. Sarts said nations must have very good situational awareness of their information environment in order to respond effectively to any cyber attacks. Putin has rejected claims of Russian government involvement in cyber attacks on the U.S. He has said that "patriotic" hackers, however, might have carried out the attacks on the U.S. election. I can imagine that some do it deliberately, staging a chain of attacks in such a way as to cast Russia as the origin of such an attack, the Russian leader said last month. The United States has yet to say whether President Donald Trump will accept an invitation by President Emmanuel Macron to attend France's annual July 14 Bastille day celebrations, government spokesman Christophe Castaner said on Wednesday. "We confirmed this week the invitation and our services are working on the basis that president trump comes," Castaner told reporters at a weekly news conference. "It's neither confirmed today nor rejected." Macron's office said on Tuesday it had invited Trump on two occasions to attend the celebrations next month during which the U.S. military will take part to mark 100 years since it joined World War I. Macron appears to be broadly aligning his foreign policy with U.S. priorities of tackling terrorism while seeking better ties with Russia. However, he publicly clashed with Trump after the latter said he would pull out of a global accord on action to combat climate change. Diplomats said they saw a potential Trump visit as a way of reaffirming close military ties between the two countries. The July 14 festivities see thousands of men and women from France's army, navy and air force march down the Champs Elysees avenue in the French capital in the oldest and largest military parade in Western Europe. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison by angry crowds in 1789, helping kick off the French Revolution. The Bastille prison, where opponents of the monarchy were kept, was targeted for symbolizing royal rule. Plans for Trump to visit Britain have yet to be finalized despite an invitation by Prime Minister Theresa May when she met him in Washington in January. That possible visit has met some criticism in Britain, prompting fears of protests, a risk he runs in France too. "Donald Trump is violent and has no reason for being here," a far-left lawmaker and former French presidential candidate said on Wednesday. "We will host him with dignity as he is the president of the United States, but no he is not welcome. That's clear," Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the France Unbowed movement, told Europe 1 radio. President Donald Trump on Tuesday hailed an energy revolution marked by surging U.S. exports of oil and natural gas. Trump cited a series of steps the administration has taken to boost energy production and remove government regulations that he argues prevent the United States from achieving "energy dominance" in the global market. "Together, we are going to start a new energy revolution one that celebrates American production on American soil," Trump said in a statement, adding that the U.S. is on the brink of becoming a net exporter of oil, gas and other energy resources. The self-proclaimed "energy week" follows similar policy-themed weeks on infrastructure and jobs. At the White House, Energy Secretary Rick Perry said the administration is confident officials can "pave the path toward U.S. energy dominance" by exporting oil, gas and coal to markets around the world, and promoting nuclear energy and even renewables such as wind and solar power. "One of the things we want to do at [the Department of Energy] is to make nuclear energy cool again," Perry said. The focus on energy began at a meeting between Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with U.S. natural gas exports part of the discussion. Trump is expected to talk energy Wednesday with governors and tribal leaders, and he will deliver a speech Thursday at the Energy Department. Arctic, Atlantic drilling Trump signed an executive order in April to expand oil drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, reversing restrictions imposed by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump has also pushed to revive U.S. coal production after years of decline. Coal mining rose by 19 percent in the first five months of the year as the price of natural gas edged up, according to Energy Department data. U.S. oil and gas production have boomed in recent years, primarily because of improved drilling techniques such as fracking that have opened up production in areas previously out of reach of drillers. A report released in January by the Energy Information Administration said the country is on track to become a net energy exporter by 2026, although the White House said Tuesday that net exports could top imports as soon as 2020. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke also focused on energy as he addressed the Western Governors' Association in his hometown of Whitefish, Montana. Zinke said increased offshore drilling could provide more than enough revenue to offset an $11.5 billion maintenance backlog in national parks. "There's a consequence when you put 94 percent of our offshore off limits. There's a consequence of not harvesting trees. There's a consequence of not using some of our public lands for creation of wealth and jobs," he said. Despite Trump's withdrawal from the global Paris climate accord, Perry said the U.S. remains committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. He called nuclear power a key element to fight climate change. Turkey's military said Wednesday its forces destroyed Syrian Kurdish targets overnight in retaliation for artillery fire against Turkish-backed forces in northern Syria. A Turkish army statement said the clashes happened in the Afrin area. The Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, are a key part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and in particular the ongoing fight to defeat Islamic State militants in the group's de facto capital of Raqqa. But Turkey strongly opposes the Kurdish fighters, seeing them as linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, that has been waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s. U.S. support for the YPG includes weapons deliveries that Turkey fears will end up in the hands of PKK fighters. The Turkish government has said U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis gave reassurances that the United States would take back those weapons after Raqqa falls, but Mattis indicated Tuesday that U.S. support for the YPG would continue. "We'll do what we can," Mattis told reporters traveling with him. But he said the weapons provided to the YPG will depend on what the next mission is. "When they don't need certain things anymore, we'll replace those with something they do need," Mattis said. The U.S. defense chief is due to meet Thursday with his Turkish counterpart during a NATO meeting in Brussels. Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is speaking at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston this week. The museum says the U.N.'s eighth secretary-general will discuss global issues and his diplomatic career at a forum moderated Wednesday by David Gergen, a CNN senior political analyst and co-director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. Ban held office from January 2007 to December 2016. During that time, the South Korean-born diplomat focused his efforts on climate change, gender equality and poverty, among other issues, and introduced new measures aimed at making the United Nations more transparent, effective and efficient. Prior to becoming secretary-general, Ban served as foreign policy adviser and national security adviser, respectively, to the South Korean president. The United Arab Emirates has transferred terrorism suspects from Yemen to a secret prison in Assab, Eritrea, according to former detainees and Yemeni officials. The facility on the Red Sea coast is part of a regional network of prisons in which torture and abuse are rampant, independent investigations by the Associated Press and Human Rights Watch have revealed. Kristine Beckerle, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, says the UAE and its Yemeni partners view the prisoners as "high-value terrorism suspects [who] are accused of a variety of things related to the UAE efforts against al-Qaida in Yemen." During a six-month period, HRW researchers visited Yemen to document abuses against detainees. Beckerle's team discovered some prisoners had been taken to Assab, where the UAE has operated a military base for nearly two years. She said certain details, including how many prisoners the UAE is holding in Eritrea, are difficult to verify due to lack of access to the facilities and denials by UAE and Eritrean officials. "There's been absolutely no transparency or communication either with the families or with independent monitors," she told VOA. "We've got a whole bunch of prisons that nobody has access to, other than the forces that are running them and detainees that are in them." Without direct access, HRW relied on interviews with former detainees, family members, lawyers and Yemeni officials. The Associated Press employed similar methods and reached the same conclusions about the scope of the network, the treatment of detainees and the use of the facility in Assab. Allegations of torture, abuse Since March 2015, the UAE has been part of a coalition led by Saudi Arabia to defeat Houthi rebels in Yemen. The coalition has also sought to decimate al-Qaida's Yemen branch. But HRW says the coalition's efforts have a dark side. It accused the UAE of torturing prisoners at informal detention facilities in Yemen and isolating them from the outside world. The organization documented 49 people including four children who were detained or forcibly disappeared, and says 38 were arrested by security forces backed by the UAE. Family members of detainees told HRW that their relatives were subjected to beatings with fists or metal objects, electric shocks, canings, forced nudity and threats to family members. "The UAE was backing Yemeni forces who were implicated in a lot of these abuses," Beckerle said. "And the UAE itself was involved in these detention campaigns, including running some informal detention facilities, and ordering continued detention of people despite release orders, and transferring people potentially out of Yemen to different places for detention." Official denials Reached by phone, Eritrea's Minister of Information, Yemane Gebremeskel, denied the accusations and referred to a Twitter message in which he called the reports "patently false." In the tweet, he pointed out the U.S. has military drone bases in Djibouti and Ethiopia, but made no mention of prisons, Yemen or the UAE. In a statement, UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the HRW report as "baseless" and denied claims the UAE military is operating secret prisons in southern Yemen. "What is stated in the report is completely untrue; it is nothing more than a political game through which the militias and the parties affected by the efforts of the Arab Coalition to fight the terrorist organizations seek to discredit the Coalition, which originally entered Yemen in order to save the people of Yemen," the Ministry said. The statement made no mention of prisons in Eritrea. U.S. involvement The revelations of torture have prompted U.S. Senators John McCain of Arizona and Jack Reed of Rhode Island to call for an investigation into the alleged abuses and any role the United States has played in the interrogations. The United States has provided logistical and intelligence support to the Saudi-led coalition, working especially closely with the UAE. In its reporting, the AP found U.S. forces were involved in interrogations, but uncovered no evidence they participated in or knew about abuse of detainees. "It would be illegal for the United States to be involved in or participate in those kinds of actions," said Ryan Goodman, a law professor at New York University and former special counsel to the U.S. Department of Defense. U.N. special investigators on human rights, terrorism and torture argue a state cannot legally receive intelligence from another state that obtains the information through torture, Goodman said. The U.S. may also need to reconsider the veracity of whatever intelligence the interrogations produced. "One could imagine that they would then think, well wait a minute, all the information that we're getting from the UAE could be heavily tainted by having used techniques that they don't think really work," Goodman told VOA. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday that the United States and the European Union should have a free trade agreement, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for work on such an accord to resume. President Donald Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from an agreement with nations around the Pacific, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but the fate of a proposed trade deal with the EU has been less clear. Merkel vowed recently not to give up on that accord, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Ross told a conference in Berlin attended by Merkel that the U.S. had made a "conscious decision not to walk away from TTIP" when it ditched the Pacific accord. That, he said, signaled Washington's receptiveness to trade negotiations with Europe. "I stand before you tonight to say this in a more explicit fashion: We, as major trading partners of each other, should have a free trade agreement," Ross said. He addressed the event, organized by a group linked to Merkel's party, by video link after canceling a trip to Berlin on short notice. "In contrast to the behavior of some other nations, the relatively small number of trade disputes between our countries augurs well for the enforceability of any such agreement," Ross added. The Trump administration sees "little point in negotiating treaties that will not be honored," he said. "We believe that we have in Europe a good counterparty with whom we have had, and will continue to have, productive discussions that benefit all." He didn't specify when talks should be held on an accord. Merkel, speaking after Ross, said that "we should resume work on a trade agreement between the EU and the United States." "The multitude of problems that arise ... can only be dealt with in structured trade negotiations with each other," she said. The Trump administration's "America First" approach to trade has caused widespread concern in Europe and beyond. Trump also has criticized Germany for its sizeable trade surplus with the United States. The U.S. House of Representatives voted nearly unanimously on Tuesday to reaffirm the NATO alliance's guarantee that all members defend each other, weeks after President Donald Trump raised doubts about Washington's support for the agreement. The vote was 423-4 in the House, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold a 48-seat majority, for a resolution "solemnly reaffirming" the U.S. commitment to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It also supports calls for every NATO member to spend at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense by 2024. During a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels in May that was part of his first overseas trip, Trump pointedly did not mention U.S. support for that critical portion of the NATO charter, rattling allies. Instead, he used a speech there to demand that member states pay more for the alliance's defense. Trump later said he backed the mutual defense agreement, and other senior officials rushed to express U.S. support. "With all the threats we and our partners face around the globe, a strong and secure NATO is more important than ever before," Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement. The resolution was co-sponsored by Ryan and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, as well as the number two Republican and Democrat in the chamber, and the Republican chairman and the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Both chambers of Congress are readying legislation to bar Americans from traveling to North Korea after the death of a U.S. citizen held by Pyongyang and amid the continued detention of three others. "There's no question we shouldn't have people on a willy-nilly basis going to North Korea," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said Wednesday. "We should have a travel ban, and we're working on legislation right now." "We need to protect Americans and I think we need to restrict access by Americans because we can't protect them [in North Korea]," said the committee's top Democrat, Ben Cardin of Maryland. The perils of travel to North Korea were highlighted earlier this month by the death of 22-year-old American student Otto Warmbier, who was imprisoned in the country for allegedly stealing a poster, and then was returned to the United States in a coma with fatal brain damage. Corker said the concern extends beyond the safety of individual American tourists who might be tempted to visit North Korea. "We've got three Americans [detained] there now. It ends up affecting our own national security," the chairman said. "We've seen it happen in Iran and other places. It ends up affecting negotiations, creates leverage [for an adversary]. Having a few Americans in prison someplace ends up having collateral effects on other things that matter greatly to the whole of American citizenry." The House Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to take up the North Korea Travel Control Act in a matter of days or weeks. The bill bars tourist travel and would require a special permit for other travel purposes to North Korea. A Senate version is said to be on a similar timetable. Arguments for, against In both chambers, restricting travel to North Korea has bipartisan support. "It's problematic that Americans travel there," said Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Warmbier's home state. "Now we've got to get the three Americans out and Americans shouldn't be traveling there." Backing is not universal, however, with some lawmakers bristling at the idea of telling their constituents where they may travel. "I'm not a fan of travel bans, with Cuba or anywhere," said Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake. Regardless of what Congress does, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia offered some advice for Americans making travel plans. "I don't think any American should go to North Korea, whether we bar it or not. It is incredibly foolish to do it," Kaine said. Senators spoke after the Foreign Relations Committee received a classified briefing by the State Department's top North Korea policy specialist. Corker declined to discuss the specifics of the briefing, but said he is less optimistic that a negotiated agreement on Pyongyang's nuclear program can be reached. "China is not doing what they said they would do [to pressure Pyongyang]," the chairman said. "Our interests and their interests just don't align on this." President Nicolas Maduro said a stolen police helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court on Tuesday in what he called a thwarted terrorist attack aimed at ousting him from power. The confusing exchange took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists. More than hour after the flyover ended, he told the audience that the helicopter had fired on the court with grenades. He said the nation's air defense was activated and one of the grenades didn't explode, preventing any loss of life. It could've caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured, said Maduro, who sounded alternately calm and angry as he told the audience about what had happened in the airspace just beyond the presidential palace where they were gathered. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a police pilot, identified as Oscar Perez , called for a rebellion against the Maduro's tyranny as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government, the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what look like assault rifles standing behind him Later, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement accusing the helicopter firing 15 shots against the Interior Ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people. It then flew a short distance to the government-stacked supreme court, which was in session, and launched what he said were four Israeli-made grenades of Colombian origin, two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building. The president of the high court said there were no injuries from the attack and that the area was still being surveyed for damages. Villegas said security forces were being deployed to apprehend Perez, who the government accused of working under the instructions of the CIA and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, as well as recover the heisted helicopter. Meanwhile many of Maduro's opponents took to social media to accuse the president of orchestrating an elaborate ruse to justify a crackdown against Venezuelan seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Venezuela has been roiled by anti-government protests the past three months that have left at least 75 people dead and hundreds injured. Maduro said one of the pilots involved in the alleged attack used to fly for his former Interior Minister, Miguel Rodriguez Torres, who he accused of working for the CIA. Rodriguez Torres, who has been leading a campaign against by Maduro made up of leftist supporters of the late Hugo Chavez, immediately dismissed the accusation as baseless. The helicopter incident capped a volatile 24 hours that began with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and continued Tuesday when opposition lawmakers got into a heated scuffle with security forces assigned to protect the National Assembly. At least 68 supermarkets, pharmacies and liquor stores were looted and several government offices burned following anti-government protests in Maracay, which is about a 90 minute drive from Caracas. Maduro condemned the violence but with a stern warning to his opponents that's likely to only further inflame an already tense situation. We will never surrender. And what we couldn't accomplish through votes we will with weapons, he said. On Tuesday, opposition lawmakers got into fisticuffs with national guardsmen as they tried to enter the National Assembly. At nightfall, a few dozen people were still gathered inside the neoclassical building as pro-government supporters stood outside threatening violence. Cooks at a community kitchen in Kampala's Nakasero Hill business district are preparing a traditional breakfast of green bananas in offal sauce using a very untraditional means of cooking - volcanic rocks. It's a method that some are hoping will take off across Africa, to help protect forests and improve the lives of women. "Rocks for fuel is a reprieve to all women in Africa," said Susan Bamugamire, one of the 55 cooks in the community kitchen set up by city authorities in the Wandegeya Market shopping mall to help feed local workers. "Save for the high cost of purchasing and installing it, the special cookstove is something every woman will crave to have in her kitchen," she said, saying it would largely free women from having to seek out firewood, charcoal or kerosene. But cost is an issue in a country where a third of the population live on $1.90 or less a day and even small domestic stoves are priced at $100. The stoves use heat-holding volcanic rocks broken down to the size of charcoal. The rocks are heated using starter briquettes and then remain hot for hours with the help a fan blowing a continuous flow of air over them. According to Rose Twine, the director of Eco Group Limited - the Kampala-based company that produces the stoves - the main aim is to provide an efficient form of cooking energy that is user friendly and good for the environment. "It pains me when I see people cut down trees, some of them indigenous and decades old, just for the sake of making charcoal or firewood," said Twine. "It is now good that we can talk of an alternative," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The volcanic rocks can be repeatedly heated for up to two years with the aid of the fan, which is solar-powered and needs very little energy. Any surplus solar power produced can be used to light the house, run a radio and charge mobile phones, Twine said. Alternatively, the fan can be run off mains electricity if the owner's home or business is connected to the power grid, she said. It is the cost of the fan, battery and solar panel that push up the stove's production cost, pushing it out of reach of most people in Uganda. "We can only achieve the environmental benefits of these stoves if they are made affordable for poor Ugandans who desperately need them," said David Illukol, a senior mechanical research engineer at the government-run Uganda Industrial Research Institute. "All we need is further research on how to reduce the costs of production, and perhaps [on] maintaining them," the engineer said in an interview. Despite the cost, more than 4,500 individuals and institutions in Uganda - including schools - are now using the stoves, according to Eco Group Limited. The Kampala city authority has installed 230 of the stoves at Wandegeya Market where Bamugamire and her colleagues rent the premises from the government. Protecting Trees There are plans for the stoves to be used in other parts of the continent too. Twine's company began exporting them to Rwanda this year, and plans to take them to Kenya and Somalia as well. An umbrella group of more than 1,000 climate organizations and networks - the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance - wants to spread the cooking method across Africa, according to its secretary general Mithika Mwenda. Volcanic rocks have the potential to become a key cooking method for East Africa and perhaps the entire continent, engineer Illukol said. They are a largely environmentally friendly form of cooking because - unlike charcoal, kerosene, gas and firewood - they do not emit climate-changing gases and produce no smoke at all, he said. About 94 percent of Ugandan households use firewood or charcoal for cooking, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Only 20 percent of households had access to electricity in 2014, and most of those connected to the grid rarely use electricity for cooking because of the high costs involved, the statics bureau said. Demand for wood for fuel has put pressure on Uganda's shrinking forests. The country had some 3 million hectares of tropical forests under government control at the beginning of the 20th century. But by 1999, tropical forest cover had fallen to about 730,000 hectares or 3.6 percent of Uganda's land area, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. "If we can stop using firewood and charcoal completely, then we will have saved a huge volume of wood that is used for fuel every year, and that is good for our environment," said Illukol. A court in Zimbabwe granted bail Wednesday to a clergyman opposed to President Robert Mugabe's government who is facing charges of inciting public violence with protesting university students. Police arrested Pastor Evan Mawarire after he addressed University of Zimbabwe students protesting rising school fees on Monday. Since then, he and his driver, who also was arrested, had been in police custody. On Wednesday, the court granted him $200 bail. After the court ruling, Harrison Nkomo from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who is representing Mawarire, said his client had done nothing wrong. "The [state] papers are a bit confusing in terms of the manner in which they were charged by the police," Nkomo said. "But what actually transpired is that the University of Zimbabwe medical students were registering their displeasure over the hike of school fees by the responsible authorities, and when violence broke, one of the students decided that there was need for divine intervention and called Evan for a prayer. So it was after he went there to give a prayer, on his way out, that he was detained by the police." That matches what the clergyman posted on his Twitter account from his police cell that he had "essentially been arrested for praying." He returns to court July 19 for his trial date. Since his arrest, rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been condemning Mugabe for "persecuting" the clergyman. Dewa Mavhinga, the Southern Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, Wednesday of Mawarire's release, "We welcome this development and urge the courts to be respectful of Pastor Mawarire or other citizens' rights, in terms of rights to peaceful protests and the rights to due process of law. We hope that going forward, Zimbabwe will be respectful of these fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe and in a number of international conventions that Zimbabwe has ratified and is party to." Despite the fact that Zimbabwe came up with a bill of rights in 2013, which many rights groups cheered, Zimbabweans continue to be arrested for exercising them. Rights groups fear the situation might get worse with elections due next year. Zimbabwes national army commander General Costantinos Chiwenga has clashed with Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo in what appears to be an open attack on the Zanu PF Politiburo member designed to instill fear in him as factionalism ravages the ruling party. According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, General Chiwenga says Moyo is being sponsored by some people to destabilize Zimbabwe and Zanu PF. Moyo allegedly belongs to a Zanu PF faction known as Generation 40 (G40) said to be opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's attempts to succeed 93 year old President Mugabe. Mnangagwa, who was Mr. Mugabe's right handman during the liberation war of the 1970s, allegedly leads a faction of the same party called Team Lacoste. He has dismissed reports that he wants to succeed the president though indications are that he is being supported by war veterans, including General Chiwenga. The general was not available for comment. The question I keep asking young leaders from Africa is: What is Africas greatest challenge? Monday, June, 19, 2017 marked the official kick-off of the Mandela Washington Fellowship at the Presidential Precinct (the Precinct), in Charlottesville, Virginia. It is a very personal journey for me and what an amazing place to be evincing the full power of place, the full power of ideas. But perhaps let me share a little bit about the Precinct. The Presidential Precinct is a consortium uniting two of Americas premier universities, The University of Virginia and The College of William & Mary; the homes of three founding fathers of the United States; Thomas Jeffersons Monticello, James Madisons Montpelier, and James Monroes Highland; and William Shorts Morven Farm. Located in the State of Virginia, the Presidential Precinct is an environment that fosters inspiration and enlightenment. It aspires to become a singular destination for international dialogue, critical thinking, and collaborative problem solving. Its motto is: The Power of Place, the Power of Ideas. What a place to be! Lead in Truth, Lead with Integrity The opening festivities took place at the historic newly renovated Rotunda with a warm welcome by Teresa Sullivan, the President of the University of Virginia. She is an outstanding and inspirational leader who challenged the young leaders to lead with integrity. Of everything that she said, what touched me the most is the following statement? You have to recover those parts of history that you are not proud of. She said this in reference to the ugly history of slavery in Virginia and the work that the University is doing to build a memorial for African-Americans whose lives and dignity were sacrificed in building the United States. This touched me because this is the work that I am doing in Zimbabwe with the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) in pushing for a comprehensive dealing with the past framework. It is not easy for a government accused of massive violations to have the courage to confront its own record and right it. Keep Searching, Keep Going Further The address by President Sullivan was followed by a round table discussion with Creg Fairchild who challenged the Fellows to reflect on why they were in the United States. Fellows reflected on the question and shared some very important ingredients in the building of effective leaders. I was asked by a fellow what it was that I was seeking. I thought. I confessed. I find the fellowship to be the opportunity to step back, and learn from others, reflect on the lessons I learnt and perhaps refine my own philosophy on how I see paths to the solutions to the wicked problems that I work on every day of my life in Zimbabwe. Over the following few days, we would later learn what wicked problems Africa faces and get introduced to various tools to tackle them. Dr. Allan Stam would meet the fellows the following day and delve into the question of leadership as the art of getting things done. Malik Vaughan would come on the third day and introduce the design thinking toolkit. I was ready for that ride. But back to the magic moment with Creg Fairchild during the opening session, Rebecca Ojedele from Nigeria said; I want my work to go beyond me. It is not easy to sing alone. At this stage, Greg asked a fundamental question: How many of you ever felt alone, and that in the work that you are doing, you are like a voice in the wilderness? He went on to say that it is not easy to sing alone. When like-minded people from different parts of Africa come together, they are seeking other lone voices so that in hearing other voices, their own voices may be enhanced and reach further. The main purpose being to make a difference in Africa and the world. As Landa Mabenge from South Africa put it, we needed to connect with each other and to learn from each other. I call it connecting struggles! Dr. Stam would later teach on the great skill of listening to 120 instrumentalists and hearing every single instrument, and still playing ones own without losing the harmony. Amazing, isnt it? Answering the Call to Leadership But the deepest plea was made at the high note by Senator Tim Kaine when he gave his keynote address in the historic Rotunda, (the centre of President Jeffersons University) during a luncheon hosted by the Precinct for 2017 Fellows. He said that from his experiences, he has learnt that public service is fulfilling because one can clearly see the difference that they would have made. He said many times he speaks to young leaders who avoid public service or running for office because they believe that politics is very bad. He said that the young leaders had a duty to change that reality. Its so important," he said, That people who have the passion that you do consider doing the hard work of politics and government, and encourage others to do it Whatever your passion is, I hope that in the many chapters that make up your life, that part of how you exercise that passion is serving the government of your country. He spoke like he knew me. I was on table number two. And he was actually looking at me. Well, every fellow may have felt the same. I had watched this man on TV as Secretary Hilary Clintons running mate. And yet he spoke so simply like a brother to a brother, a father to a son like he knew me. The Power of Inspiration I looked around the room and it was festive and colourful. Many women and men of honour, power, influence and inspiration surrounded me. I saw President Sullivan who was on the same table with me. Next to her was Ben Rhodes, President Obamas Chief Advisor. Next was Neal Piper, the Executive Director of the Presidential Precinct. And I was next. On the next table was Virginias most celebrated celebrity couple - Renee and John. Yes, John Grisham. I had met them both just before the lunch. I had spoken with John for a while after I caught him red-handed pretending to be ordinary. And he said something to me that the human rights community in Zimbabwe ought to hear; he salutes human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe for all the terrific work that they do under terrifying circumstances. This was inspiring! But there was another side to this. This is what one fellow Jeanine Abatan from Benin meant when she said she wanted to paint the positive image of Africa. We are not all about war or poverty. While we were inspired, we too were ready to inspire big time. I remembered the words of Nicole Finnemann just before the Pre-Departure Orientation in Harare. There are roughly 2,467 moving parts and everyone is playing a different role. At that time, I was drowned. My role at that moment was to feel the full power of inspiration. To feel good. To feel Presidential. Well, after all, everything Nikki had added, everything was by design. It was good to feel good. The problems ahead in our country are wicked. But perhaps the way to go, was to start by believing that we, as young people have a major role in solving these problems. But this is what the designers of the Mandela Washington Fellowship wanted. Later that evening we were to hear that from Ben Rhodes who facilitated a roundtable discussion with Fellows. Ben said that the program was designed to foster Pan-Africanism among young African leaders. He said that the Obama Foundation would continue to work with young people across Africa. He encouraged the fellows to continue being involved in solving problems. If you start solving a problem, he concluded, even if you do not want to run for office, you are entering politics. This was it. The pieces were moving. Dzikamai is a Zimbabwean author and researcher currently taking part in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders at the Presidential Precinct in Virginia. In Zimbabwe he works for the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, coordinating the activities of the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG). This article was originally published on his blog www.dzikamaibere.com President Robert Mugabe arrived in Gaborone, Botswana, Wednesday evening for the late president Sir Ketumile Quett Masires burial set for Thursday. President Mugabe, who is accompanied by nine cabinet ministers and other several other Zimbabweans, will join several regional leaders, including former South African president Thabo Mbeki and Lesothos King Letsie III, expected to arrive in the country late Wednesday. Masire, who died last week Thursday, aged 91, will be buried in his home village of Kanye, about 100 kilometers south of the capital. The Zimbabwean president and Masire shared a special bond and Mr. Mugabe frequently visited his Botswana counterpart between 1980 to 1998. President Mugabe last visited Masire's home village in 2013 to pay his respects to the former Botswana president's wife, Gladys. Masire took over as Botswana president when the country's first leader, Sir Seretse Khama, died in office in 1980. Masire died in Gaborone after being taken ill on a shopping trip in Gaborone. HOUSING Sales fall unexpectedly as inventory stays low Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly fell in May, the third straight monthly decline, as a lack of homes on the market crimped supply. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed last month, dropped 0.8 percent to 108.5. Pending home sales fell in the Northeast, South and West and were flat in the Midwest. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast pending home sales increasing 0.8 percent in May. Pending home sales were down 1.7 percent from a year ago. Housing demand is being driven by a strong economy and tight labor market. A lack of inventory has pushed up prices, particularly for more expensive homes. Home prices increased 26 percent for properties priced between $750,000 and $1 million compared with the same month last year. Reuters CONSUMER GOODS Lack of yogurt demand hurts General Mills Yoplaits sales are free-falling, and its parent company is about to face even more competition in the dairy case. General Mills said Wednesday that its U.S. yogurt sales dropped 22 percent in the latest quarter as Yoplaits popularity kept fading. That comes as Chobani, which helped lead the Greek yogurt craze that upended the market, says it will launch its first classic yogurt aimed at people who find its flagship variety too thick or too tart. That would more directly compete with Yoplaits core products. General Mills, meanwhile, is hoping to spark the next big trend in yogurt with the launch of Oui, which the company is marketing as being French style. General Mills is defining that as a yogurt with simpler ingredients that are cultured and sold in glass jars. The struggles in its yogurt business are dragging down General Mills overall sales. For the quarter ended May 26, the companys total sales fell 3 percent to $3.81 billion. Sales of U.S. cereals, which include Cheerios, Kix and Lucky Charms, fell 1 percent. The snacks business, which includes Nature Valley bars, increased 1 percent. The companys profit for the quarter was $408.9 million, or 69 cents per share. Not including one-time items, it said earnings were 73 cents per share. That was 2 cents better than analysts expected, according to Zacks Investment Research. Associated Press MEAL-KIT COMPANIES Blue Apron lowers price range for IPO Blue Apron Holdings on Wednesday sharply lowered the expected price range for its initial public offering as Amazon.coms $13.7 billion deal to buy Whole Foods Market weighed on prospects for the meal-kit industry. The company lowered the IPO price range to $10 to $11 per share from its previous estimate of $15 to $17 per share after potential investors expressed concerns about Amazons Whole Foods deal as well as Blue Aprons marketing costs and lack of profitability, people familiar with the matter said. Amazon already has a small meal-kit business, delivering ingredients and recipes to customers in a handful of U.S. cities, and the Whole Foods deal announced in mid-June would hand the e-commerce company a ready-made distribution system for food delivery in the form of bricks-and-mortar grocery stores. (Amazon chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos owns The Washington Post.) Blue Aprons new pricing guidance gives the company a valuation of up to $2.08 billion, below the $3.2 billion implied by its previous estimate and the $2.2 billion by its latest private fundraising round two years ago. Reuters Also in Business Staples will announce its sale to private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $10.25 per share in cash Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter said on the condition of anonymity. Reuters had reported last week that Sycamore Partners was close to a deal to acquire Staples for more than $6 billion. Sycamore Partners and Staples did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters Coming today 8:30 a.m.: Commerce Department releases first-quarter gross domestic product. 8:30 a.m.: Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims. 10 a.m.: Freddie Mac releases weekly mortgage rates. Normally the content of a movie dictates the music. Strings swell as the reunited lovers kiss and piano keys quietly plink during the weepy deathbed scene. But the opening sequence of Baby Driver is built with impeccable attention to detail around Jon Spencer Blues Explosions 1994 jam Bellbottoms. During the songs two-minute buildup, a getaway driver listens to the track while sitting outside a bank where a robbery is in progress. He lip-syncs along, beats the steering wheel like a bongo and turns on the windshield wipers, which glide across the glass in sync with the rhythm. When the robbers return with the loot, the song kicks into gear, so the driver does, too. He peels out when the snare drum builds and barely avoids two cars, which crash as the kick drum hits. Jon Spencer sings, Im gonna break, and the driver brakes; then a distorted guitar riff starts, commingling with the faint reverberations of a police chopper overhead. Movie music in recent years has often become a predictable afterthought. But for British writer-director Edgar Wright this tune was where it all began. Listening to Bellbottoms on a cassette tape more than two decades ago, Wright, now 43, could see the cinematic possibilities. The long intro, the variations in tempo, the kinetic climax: All of it seemed perfect for a car chase that the director has finally brought to thrilling life. And its not the only confluence of sound and image. Sitting in a Washington hotel the morning after an ecstatically received screening, Wright explained the process of choosing the music for his movie. Or, rather, figuring out the movie for his music. Its definitely a weird way to work, Wright admitted. Director Edgar Wright, center, with director of photography Bill Pope, left, and Ansel Elgort on the set of Baby Driver. (Wilson Webb/TriStar Pictures) The title, also the name of a Simon and Garfunkel song, is quite literal. Baby (Ansel Elgort) is the young, gifted driver who capably evades the cops in that first scene. Hes stuck working for a criminal kingpin, Doc (Kevin Spacey), because of a long-ago debt. To manage a terrible case of tinnitus, he keeps headphones jammed in his ears, drowning out what Doc calls the hum in the drum with music. [The Posts review of Baby Driver, by Ann Hornaday] The plot has some familiar notes, including a big heist, a stew of peculiar characters (played by Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm and Flea, among others) and a fledgling relationship between Baby and a too-cute-for-words diner waitress named Debora (Lily James). But the music and the painstaking integration of action and rhythm transforms a commonplace narrative into an exhilarating experience. Im not usually one to watch action films, admitted the movies choreographer, Ryan Heffington, known for Sias Chandelier video, viewed 1.6 billion times on YouTube. But on paper, it was thrilling. Heffington had plenty to work with considering the steady stream of songs. For years, Wright added to an iTunes playlist named Maybe Babies that peaked at 700 tracks. He managed to whittle that down to 35. The songs conjured specific, sometimes incongruous images in his mind. He may be the only person to think that Barry Whites Never Ever Gonna Give You Up would be the perfect auditory backdrop for a menacing showdown but somehow it works. Thats a great sort of sexy love jam, but it has this amazing, strangely sinister intro where it sounds like its from Dirty Harry or something, Wright said. Hocus Pocus by Focus, meanwhile, has a guitar instrumental with some crazy breakdowns a bit of yodeling, a flute solo but it also has a lot of stops and starts. With something like that, I was thinking this is a great foot-chase song because youre running, running, running and stopping, he said. You let the structure of the song dictate the action. [Filmmakers are making their soundtracks do all the work, and its getting a little lazy] Montreal-based DJ Eric San, better known as Kid Koala, collaborated with Wright on a couple of tracks. Some of those songs, if you just heard them that loud, theyd already give you goose bumps, he said. I think Edgar just takes it up a notch in terms of how well its integrated. It takes advantage of the fact that the music already has lifts in it, and then kind of augments that by synchronizing with the acting. It has this beautiful effect. Elgort and Lily James. (Wilson Webb/TriStar Pictures) In 2008, between making Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Wright started remixing songs adding gunshots, among other things with DJ Osymyso. It was easier for Wright to nail down the music first. The hardest part was getting all of his ideas into a coherent screenplay. Its having this vision of what it looks and sounds like and trying to write that down and get it across on the page, Wright said. Sometimes you see [screenwriters] literally write awesome car chase follows, but I wrote it out like it was a musical beat sheet. His meticulous screenplay describes the music, dialogue and action simultaneously. One of the movies most memorable songs is actually a remix of dialogue. Baby is an amateur DJ, and he spends his non-driving hours playing back tapes he secretly records of conversations with Doc, among others, and setting the words to music. Thats where San came in. The DJ has worked on movies before, including The Great Gatsby and Looper, but this was a very different experience. With other movies, everything was finished when he arrived, San said. It was all polished, and they just needed certain things done to the music. Elgort, in the car, with Eiza Gonzalez, Jon Hamm and Jon Bernthal in Baby Driver. (Wilson Webb/TriStar Pictures) But San, who also worked with Wright on Shaun of the Dead and the musically driven Scott Pilgrim, was much more involved on Baby Driver. Wright sent him the script and described Babys character a somewhat naive kid who essentially lives off the grid, given his criminal occupation. Hes not the type of guy who has a smartphone or laptop, just a lot of low-fi gadgets and outdated iPods he might have picked up at a pawnshop. Luckily, San has a veritable landfill of odd equipment in his studio. One of the machines he used will be familiar to anyone whos seen Ferris Buellers Day Off. Another was an old recording device used in classrooms. The finished product sounded suitably amateurish. Most DJs who know me would be like: Whats he doing? Is he scratching with his feet on this one? San said with a laugh. But that was what the scene required. San flew to Atlanta, where the film was shot, to teach Elgort how to use the equipment and make sure it looked right in the scene where Baby creates his songs. That extra step is a testament to Wrights specific vision. Heffington, too, was involved in everything from the choreography of a highly technical extended tracking shot, which Elgort had to shoot 28 times, to scenes where Baby simply taps his fingers on a desk. The fact that its all timed out feels a little hyper-real but its still natural, Heffington said. Its rhythmic, its intricate and reality is pushed a little more but in a really stylistic way. Baby Driver Rated R. At area theaters. Contains violence and obscenity throughout. 113 minutes. CITY OF RACINE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IMMUNIZATION CLINIC: Childhood and adult immunizations are offered by appointment only on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 1:30 to 4 p.m. For an appointment, call 262-636-9431. A $20 fee is requested for all those receiving childhood immunizations; however, the fee may be waived. Adult immunizations prices vary by vaccine, call 262-636-9431 for more information. TB SKIN TEST: TB skin tests are offered by appointment only on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave. Those receiving a TB Skin Test must return to have the skin test read on the Thursday afternoon of the clinic week between 1:30 and 4 p.m. For an appointment, call 262-636-9431. A $15 fee is required for all clients and cannot be waived. STD CLINIC: STD & HIV screenings with a nurse are offered on a walk-in basis during clinic hours at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave. A person having symptoms should call 262-636-9431 for an appointment to see a nurse. Those who are unsure if they need an appointment should call the office. Clinic hours are 2 to 5:30 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. A $20 fee is requested; however, no one will be turned away for inability to pay. For more information, call 262-636-9431 or go to http://cityofracine.org/Health/Community-Health. City of Racine ZUMBA FITNESS CLASSES: The Racine Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department offers sessions of Zumba Fitness at Racines five community centers. These ongoing classes, created by Colombian dancer/choreographer Alberto Perez, incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo dance to create an aerobic workout. Participants of all levels of fitness and dance experience are welcome. The schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays Dr. John Bryant Community Center, 601 21st St., 3:30-4:30 p.m., 262-636-9235. Free. Wednesdays Cesar Chavez Community Center, 2221 Douglas Ave., 6:30-7:30 p.m., 262-636-9221. A $2 donation is requested per class; Humble Park Community Center, 2200 Blaine Ave., 10-11 a.m., 262-636-9226. A $3 donation per class is requested. Wednesdays & Saturdays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 1134 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 10-11 a.m. Saturdays, 262-636-9237. A $1 donation is requested. For more information, call the community center or 262-636-9131. SOCIETYS ASSETS ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVING PRESENTATION: Former Wisconsin Gov. Martin J. Schreiber will shares lessons from his more-than-10-year journey as a caregiver for his wife, Elaine, who has Alzheimers disease. His book, My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimers Caregiver, will be available for purchase for $15. Net proceeds will be used to promote Alzheimers caregiver support programs. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, Meadowbrook Country Club, 2149 N. Green Bay Road, Mount Pleasant. Free. To register, go to www.eventbrite.com/e/former-wisconsin-gov-martin-j-schreiber-presentation-and-book-signing-tickets-34980011155?aff=es2. RACINE COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURE AND VIBRATIONAL SOUND HEALING: The event will feature vibrational healing through acupuncture and sound therapies. Participants will enjoy a relaxing acupuncture treatment accompanied by musical toning and healing vibrations. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, Racine Community Acupuncture, 10502 Northwestern Ave., Caledonia. $40. Advance registration required by going to www.meetup.com/Mind-Body-Spirit-Wisconsin/events/238274622. Central Racine County Health Department IMMUNIZATIONS & TB SKIN TESTS: The health department offers childhood and adult vaccinations and TB skin tests. Childhood vaccines include DTaP, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Hib, HPV, MMR, meningococcal, pneumococcal, polio, rotavirus, Tdap and varicella. Childhood vaccine fees are $10 for one immunization; $15 for two; $20 for three or more; Badgercare/Medicare recipients are fee exempt. Adult vaccines include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Td and Tdap. Adult prices vary by vaccine. All vaccinations are by appointment, call 262-898-4460. TB skin tests are also available for $15. Call for eligibility requirements or to schedule an appointment. All appointments are held at the Central Racine County Health Department, 10005 Northwestern Ave. (second floor of the U.S. Bank building), Caledonia. In 2012, federal and state agencies instituted vaccine policies that may affect your ability to receive immunizations from any local health department. You will receive eligibility requirement information when you call for an appointment. Pertussis vaccines (DTaP, Tdap) are not subject to the new policy requirements and may be given to any child or adult for $10. For more information on clinics, eligibility requirements or to schedule an appointment call 262-898-4460 or go to www.crchd.com. Teacher Rosemary Genuario uses an iPad to work and communicate with students diagnosed with autism at Belle View Elementary in Alexandria in 2012. (Jahi Chikwendiu/WASHINGTON POST) School superintendents across the country are raising alarms about the possibility that Republican health-care legislation would curtail billions of dollars in annual funding they count on to help students with disabilities and poor children. For the past three decades, Medicaid has helped pay for services and equipment that schools provide to special-education students, as well as school-based health screening and treatment for children from low-income families. Now, educators from rural red states to the blue coasts are warning that the GOP push to shrink Medicaid spending will threaten a school funding source that a national superintendents association estimates at up to $4 billion per year. That money pays for nurses, social workers, physical, occupational and speech therapists and medical equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs. It also pays for preventive and comprehensive health services for poor children, including immunizations, screening for hearing and vision problems and management of chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes. Many school districts, squeezed by shrinking state education budgets, say that to fill the hole they anticipate would be left by the Republican push to restructure Medicaid, they would either have to cut those services or downsize general education programs that serve all students. [With state budget in crisis, many schools in Oklahoma hold class just four days a week] (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) Wed have to make a local decision about what services we continue to provide and which we dont, said Paul Gausman, superintendent of a school district of 15,000 students in Sioux City, Iowa, that receives about $3 million in Medicaid reimbursements each year. I havent met many people who enjoy writing a check for their taxes, and I understand that, Gausman said. But it does not mean taxation is evil, and weve got to consider the most vulnerable of our population. In the Washington area, Montgomery County schools receive about $5 million a year in Medicaid reimbursements, Fairfax County about $1.5 million and D.C. Public Schools $49 million. Cutting that money is not the way to set D.C.s young people up for success, D.C. Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson wrote to families Tuesday. Schools have been able to register as Medicaid providers and seek reimbursement, as doctors and hospitals do, since 1988. Two-thirds of districts that bill Medicaid use the money to pay the salaries of employees who work directly with children, such as school nurses and therapists, according to a January survey by the School Superintendents Association (AASA). But the Republican push to overhaul health care would implement a new per capita cap system for Medicaid: Instead of matching whatever states spend on Medicaid, the federal government would instead give them a fixed amount for each Medicaid enrollee. Under the House GOP bill, which passed last month, that change would reduce federal spending about $880 billion over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The Senate GOP version would cut about $772 billion over the same time period. The Senate bill is being revised after pushback from several key Republicans including Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who has raised concerns about the impact of Medicaid cuts on special education. Details may change as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) seeks to negotiate a deal that can pass. But the underlying philosophy that controlling federal spending would force the health-care system to become more efficient in providing services almost certainly would not do that. Katie Niederee, a spokeswoman for the Senate Finance Committee, said that cuts to Medicaid in the current version of the bill reflects Republican priorities to bend the cost curve on federal entitlement programs and encourage states that tend to spend beyond their means to actually stay within their budget. The Republican plan for Medicaid is likely to hurt schools in several ways, said Sasha Pudelski, who tracks health-care policy for the AASA. Most directly, states may decide to prohibit schools from receiving Medicaid dollars because of what is likely to be stiff competition against doctors and hospitals for limited resources, she said. Less directly, states struggling to cover health-care costs now covered by the federal government would have to seek cuts elsewhere in their budgets, including in education, which accounts for a large share of many states spending. The kids who will be hurt first and foremost are special-ed kids and kids in poverty, but then everybody will be hurt, because well have to shift dollars from the general education budget, she said. Schools receive less than 1 percent of federal Medicaid spending, according to the National Alliance for Medicaid in Schools. But federal Medicaid reimbursements constitute the third-largest federal funding stream to public schools, behind $15 billion they receive each year for educating poor children and $13 billion they receive to educate students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). The federal government initially promised far more financial support for IDEA, the four-decade-old law that outlines schools obligations to educate students with disabilities. Congress pledged to pick up 40 percent of the cost of special-education services under the law, yet has never come close. It now pays only about 15 percent. Medicaid payments have helped fill that gap. Without those dollars and facing a recent Supreme Court decision that raised the bar for the services school districts owe students with disabilities many districts wonder how they will pay for services they now provide. In the small town of DuQuoin, Ill., about 200 of 1,500 students receive special-education services. Medicaid helps pay the salaries of social workers, speech therapists and school nurses, as well as transportation for students with disabilities. [Supreme Court sets higher bar for education of students with disabilities] If were not able to access the resources we have now . . . were going to be hurting kids, said Superintendent Gary Kelly. DuQuoin schools stand to lose about $170,000 in Medicaid reimbursements a small but important fraction of the districts $15 million annual budget, Kelly said. Thanks to a political deadlock in the state capital, Illinois is headed into its third year without a budget, and schools across the state including in DuQuoin are already scrimping, having cut teaching positions and other costs to balance their books. Illinois schools receive $286 million per year in Medicaid reimbursements, more than any other state except New Jersey and Texas, according to 2015 federal data. In Crawfordsville, Ind., with a district of 2,400 students, Medicaid helps pay for a full-time registered nurse at each school. Those nurses provide primary care for many low-income students who dont have a doctor of their own, Superintendent Scott Bowling said. They also provide a first response to growing mental-health needs, and they care for children with complex medical needs, suctioning tracheostomies, tube-feeding children with gastric tubes, administering breathing treatments and emergency medication for seizures. Bowling said that without the $50,000 in reimbursements, hed have to lay off at least one nurse, and schools would be left without full-time nurse coverage. That gives him pause when he thinks about the emergencies his nurses have confronted: One saved a little boy from a severe asthma attack, administering an EpiPen to open his airways as they waited for medics to arrive. Another said this year she had intervened with two children who were suicidal, urging their parents to seek help immediately. Our nurses have literally saved students lives over the past few years lives that we may have lost if we had to call them in from another site, Bowling said. Michael Nyqvist, a Swedish actor who starred in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo film series as a hard-driving investigative reporter and who often played villains in Hollywood movies, died June 27. He was 56. The cause was lung cancer, said Mr. Nyqvists representative Jenny Tversky. No other details were released. Mr. Nyqvist is perhaps best known worldwide for originating the role of Mikael Blomkvist in the Swedish The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009) opposite Noomi Rapace as an anti-social computer hacker with whom he developed a complex relationship. It was followed that same year by other films based on the late author Stieg Larssons blockbuster series, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. (Daniel Craig played the role in the 2011 English-language adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.) In Hollywood, Mr. Nyqvist was Tom Cruises foe in Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011) and the mob boss who terrorizes Keanu Reeves in John Wick (2014). Michael Nyqvist in 2009. (Kristian Dowling) Mr. Nyqvist has a number of films on the slate that are yet to come out, including Terrence Malicks World War II drama Radegund and Thomas Vinterbergs Kursk, about the 2000 K-141 Kursk submarine disaster. Rolf Ake Mikael Nyqvist was born in Stockholm on Nov. 8, 1960, to an Italian father and Swedish mother. He began life in an orphanage, was eventually adopted and began acting at 17 when he was an exchange student in Omaha. He studied ballet briefly before deciding on a theatrical career. Acting worked for me because I hate having my feet in the air, he told Canadas Globe and Mail in 2010. In acting, I find the origin of a character. My feet are on the ground. Im happy. After a while, I realized this drive to act is because, in real life, I didnt know who I was. After working steadily for years, he attained wider attention for his roles in well-received Swedish films, including Together (2000), as an abusive husband, and the crowd-pleasing As It Is in Heaven (2004), as a renowned but burned-out conductor who returns to his home town and is lured into directing the church choir. Survivors include his wife, set designer Catharina Ehrnrooth, and their children. A complete list of survivors was not immediately known. In 2010, he wrote a memoir, Just After Dreaming, about his journey to find his biographical parents. I knew my father was Italian, he told the Globe and Mail. Im thinking someone like Marcello Mastroianni. Or Fellini. In real life what you find is that the great character you are looking for is just a nice man, a pharmacist in Florence. PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY These were among cases received recently by the Prince Georges County Animal Management Division. Call 301-780-7200 for directions to the county animal shelter, hours of operation, and adoption and licensing procedures. The department website is princegeorgespets4us.com. Raccoon in the bedroom: 54th Ave., 5500 block, Riverdale, June 14. Animal Management received a call from a resident about a raccoon in the residents bedroom. An animal control officer picked up the baby raccoon. There was no exposure to rabies. However, the raccoon, which was too young to survive on its own, was transferred to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Cat comes in from the wild: Mullikin Rd., 10500 block, June 16. Animal Management received a call from a resident about a stray cat hiding in the residents new home. The resident had confined the cat to the basement. An animal control officer picked up the 3-year-old Siamese. When not claimed, the cat was transferred to a rescue group June 24. Dog returned from school: Riggs Rd., 6600 block, Hyattsville, June 17. Animal Management responded to a report of a police officer at an elementary school holding a stray dog. An animal control officer picked up the brown merle English coonhound mix. The owner was located, and the dog was brought home. Out of its tree: Tilden Rd., 5400 block, Bladensburg, June 18. Animal management received a call from a resident who saw a bird fall from a tree. The bird was walking up and down the street and appeared to have a broken wing. An animal control officer picked up the injured bird and transferred it to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Bird in the living room: Westway, 100 block, Greenbelt, June 18. A woman reported seeing a small bird in her living room. An animal control officer picked up the brown bird and returned it to the wild. Snake by the television: Larchdale Rd., 13100 block, Laurel, June 18. A woman saw a snake in her living room next to her television set. An animal control officer picked up the healthy black snake and returned it to the wild. VOLUNTEER NEEDS SPCA/Humane Society of Prince Georges County, an all-volunteer organization, needs volunteers 18 and older to assist in a variety of tasks. Opportunities include photography and videography, social-media outreach, adoption show assistance, administration, and pet fostering. Call 301-262-5625 or visit pgspca.org/get-involved/volunteer. Partnership for Animal Welfare needs volunteers to foster homeless dogs and cats, provide transportation to vet appointments and handle animals at adoption shows. For information, go to paw-rescue.org or leave a message at 301-572-4729. Compiled by Terence McArdle Prince William County These were among incidents reported by Prince William County police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-792-5123. BRISTOW AREA THEFT/BREAK-IN Cattail Dr., 14100 block, midnight June 13 to 7 a.m. June 14. A go-kart and a skateboard were stolen from an open garage of a residence. The go-kart was recovered. DUMFRIES AREA ROBBERIES Dumfries Rd., 17100 block, 6:39 p.m. June 19. Two men, a woman and a male juvenile assaulted a female acquaintance in a hotel room and robbed her of cash. Two men, 25 and 29; a woman, 23; and a male juvenile, 16, all from Maryland, were arrested. McClellan Ct., 2300 block, 1:58 a.m. June 18. Four men knocked a male pedestrian to the ground and robbed him of a wallet. HAYMARKET AREA THEFT/BREAK-IN Mountain Rd., 4100 block, 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. June 14. Several firearms and pieces of jewelry were stolen from a residence. MANASSAS AREA ASSAULT Automotive Dr., 10600 block, 10:22 p.m. June 18. During an argument in a hotel room, a man assaulted a female acquaintance. An Alexander, N.C., man, 37, was arrested. ROBBERIES Lomond Dr., 10600 block, 10:55 p.m. June 14. A gunman robbed a convenience store of cash. THEFT/BREAK-IN Rickover Ct., 9900 block, 10:06 p.m. June 14. A gunman on the second floor of a residence ordered a male resident to the ground. He fled empty-handed when another resident yelled that police had been called. TRIANGLE AREA ASSAULT Grand Masters Way, 4700 block, 7:55 p.m. June 10. A man assaulted a female acquaintance, who was treated for injuries. A Triangle man, 31, was arrested. WOODBRIDGE AREA ASSAULTS Cinnamon St., 12000 block, 11:17 p.m. June 17. Two men were searching a vehicle when the male vehicle owner confronted them. The two attempted to flee, and the owner chased them. One of the two shot the owner, who was treated for injuries. Occoquan Rd., 13400 block, 5 p.m. June 18. Two men were attempting to steal a vehicle when the vehicle owner confronted them. The two assaulted the owner, knocking him unconscious. The owner was treated for injuries. Two Woodbridge men, both 30, were arrested. ROBBERIES Filarete St., 14400 block, 11:05 p.m. June 18. Three male attackers robbed a male pedestrian of cash and a cellphone at knifepoint. Grand Targhee Dr., 12500 block, 11:55 p.m. June 19. A gunman wearing a mask demanded property from a female pedestrian. The gunman walked the woman to her vehicle. He rummaged through her purse and the vehicle and then fled empty-handed. Queensdale Dr. and Quiet Pl., 4:07 a.m. June 16. During a drug deal, an acquaintance and two other men robbed four men of cash and cellphones. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Bayou Wood Cir., 12900 block, 10:30 p.m. June 18. A residence was entered by removing a rear window screen. Nothing was reported stolen. Cinnamon St., 12200 block, 6:30 p.m. June 15 to 4:30 p.m. June 19. Cash and a firearm were stolen from a residence. Evesham Ct., 5500 block, 5 p.m. June 18 to 6:15 a.m. June 19. Cash and a cellphone were stolen from a residence. Noble Fir Ct., 2800 block, 3:37 a.m. June 16. An attempt was made to enter a residence by opening a front window. Manassas No reports were received from Manassas police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-257-8000. Manassas Park No reports were received from Manassas Park police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-361-1136. A man who was beaten was found dead Wednesday morning on the front porch of a home in Northeast Washingtons Trinidad neighborhood, according to D.C. police. The body was discovered shortly before 8 a.m. in the 1300 block of Trinidad Avenue NE, a narrow street lined with two-story rowhouses near Gallaudet University. As police blocked off streets and homicide detectives investigated what had initially been reported as a shooting, a group of tearful bystanders sought information on a loved one who they thought might be the victim. Was he wearing blue? one woman asked an officer directing traffic. Those gathered declined to talk to a reporter. Police identified the man as Michael Vest, 29, of Northeast. His death has been ruled a homicide, according to D.C. police. No arrests had been made as of Thursday morning. Trinidad, bounded by Mount Olivet and Bladensburg roads and West Virginia and Florida avenues, was once notorious for crime and was so violent that in 2009 police established military-style checkpoints. The neighborhood off New York Avenue is gradually becoming more stable with homes commanding prices in excess of a half-million dollars. [D.C. police make arrests in homicides] Wednesdays death was the second killing in Trinidad this year, and crime there has dropped, reflecting a trend elsewhere in the District. Violent crime in Trinidad and neighboring Ivy City is down 17 percent from this time in 2016. D.C. police also reported arrests they made this week in three recent and unrelated homicide cases. The most recent of the homicides in which an arrest was made occurred June 17, when Leonte Cox, 23, of Southeast, was stabbed shortly after 9 p.m. in a ground-floor apartment in the 1600 block of R Street SE. Police said he died Monday at a hospital. Police identified the suspect as Kimberly Shaw, 35, of Southeast, who is described in court papers as having been in a relationship with Cox. The arrest affidavit filed Wednesday says the two were arguing either over who took their last cigarette or over a crack cocaine pipe. Shaw told police that Cox attacked her with a knife and that he was stabbed when she fought back, according to the court document. Authorities also said they arrested Seth Sinquan Holmes, 23, of Northeast, and charged him with second-degree murder while armed in the May 9 shooting of Damonta Thompson, 25, of Southwest. Thompson was shot about 2:05 p.m. in the 100 block of Irvington Street SW, near the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. He died at a hospital. An arrest affidavit says police found five .40-caliber ammunition casings at the scene and quoted a witness as saying he saw the suspect shoot Thompson in the back with a silver handgun. No motive was listed. Holmes was ordered detained pending a preliminary hearing July 20. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment. Police said the third homicide suspect arrested Tuesday was Saeed Woodall, 23, of Northwest, who is charged with first-degree murder while armed. Police said Deonta Farrar, 32, of Northeast, was fatally shot Aug. 9, 2016, in the 4500 block of Quarles Street NE. An arrest affidavit alleges that Woodall shot Farrar after Farrar accused him of stealing money he had saved for marijuana, and hit him in the face. Police said Woodall was charged after he was arrested in the District on an unrelated case in October and a .40-caliber handgun was found at a home he lived in at the time in Maryland. Police said they linked that gun to the shooting of Farrar. Woodall was ordered detained until a hearing July 14. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment. Justin Wm. Moyer, Ellie Silverman and Clarence Williams contributed to this report. Youth minister Steven Douglass with others protesting after the fatal D.C. police shooting of Terrence Sterling. (Clarence Williams/ The Washington Post) The family of a man fatally shot by D.C. police last fall say authorities are taking too long to make a decision on whether the officer was justified in firing his weapon or will face criminal charges. Terrence Sterling, 31, was shot by an officer in the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 2016, after police said he rammed his motorcycle into a squad car. Police said Sterling had been driving erratically through Washington streets. They said an officer was getting out of the passenger side of the car to stop the bike when the motorcycle hit the door and the officer fired his weapon. Sterlings family and demonstrators quickly questioned whether Sterling, who carried no weapon, posed a danger to the officers. Over the past several months, the case has been presented to a grand jury, according to a witness who testified and an official with knowledge of the investigation, but no conclusions have been announced. We miss him dearly every single day. Mothers Day and Fathers Day have come and gone, and were particularly difficult without Terrence this year. It is disheartening that the criminal investigation continues without anyone being charged or held accountable for Terrences death and this delay has taken a real toll on our family, Sterlings parents, Isaac and Florence, and sister Chrystal said in a statement to The Washington Post. The statement, released by the familys attorneys, is the first public comment from the family since Sterlings death. WASHINGTON, DC SEPTEMBER 29: Jason Downs speaks to members of the media, standing near family members of Terrence Sterling, the Maryland motorcyclist who was fatally shot by a D.C. police officer on Sept. 11, 2016. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post) Terrence deserves justice. Justice for Terrence, and really all of us, requires an expeditious and transparent criminal investigation, the family said. [Answers remain elusive in fatal shooting of motorcyclist by D.C. police ] The U.S. attorneys office for the District declined to comment on the status of the investigation. The Sterling shooting occurred after a city-sponsored report in 2016 criticized police and prosecutors for what it called excessive delays in the investigation of fatal shootings by police officers. Michael Bromwich, a former inspector general for the Justice Department and a former independent monitor for the D.C. police, met with prosecutors and D.C. police officers in 2015 to investigate use-of-force cases. He prepared a 123-page report titled The Durability of Police Reform: The Metropolitan Police Department and Use of Force. The report was commissioned by D.C. Auditor Kathleen Patterson. During his investigation, Bromwich said, prosecutors told him that their office has never filed criminal charges against an officer for a fatal on-duty shooting. I was surprised that there had never been one. I thought zero was a low number. If I had heard there was one or two, I would have expected that, Bromwich said in an interview. But were talking none. Terrence Sterling, 31, of Fort Washington, Maryland was fatally shot by a District police officer after he crashed the motorcycle he was riding into police cruiser during a traffic stop on Sunday morning September 11, 2016. (N/A/Family Photo) Bromwichs team reviewed 21 officer-involved fatal shootings by police that occurred between Jan. 26, 2009, and Dec. 22, 2014. The average time a case was pending before prosecutors, he found, was more than 19 months. The report said prosecutors explained that the delays were largely because of internal checks and balances within the U.S. attorneys office that often involved several layers of reviews of evidence and information by senior officials within the office. Bromwichs team recommended that criminal investigations for fatal police shootings should be completed within six months. He noted that internal police department investigations, which are used to decide whether an officer who has been on leave after a shooting can return to active duty, are often delayed until prosecutors complete their review. The U.S. attorney filed a response to Bromwichs report, noting that the office relies on evidence gathered by multiple agencies and saying that six months was not realistic to complete an investigation. Instead, the office suggested about nine months, which is the amount of time under D.C. law that prosecutors have to pursue a grand jury indictment against a murder suspect who is jailed and awaiting trial. Jonathan M. Malis, chief of the criminal division for the U.S. attorneys office, wrote in the response to the report that nine months provides a reasonable amount of time to investigate and review those types of alleged criminal violations, which includes the time required to obtain, analyze and review the types of external, third-party reports inherent in such complex criminal investigations. D.C. Deputy Mayor Kevin Donahue said the mayors office has not been briefed on the status of the Sterling investigation, which is in the hands of prosecutors. We want an investigation to be thorough, and we want a decision to come out as quickly as possible but without sacrificing the thoroughness of the investigation, Donahue said. The Sterling altercation began about 4:20 a.m., when officers got a call about a motorcycle driving erratically in the Adams Morgan area. Later, police saw the motorcycle near Third and M streets in Northwest Washington near the Third Street tunnel. Two witnesses have told The Post that the marked police cruiser pulled into the roadway ahead of the motorcycle. Police said as the officer in the passenger seat, Brian Trainer, began to exit, his door was struck by the motorcycle. Trainer fired his weapon. [Motorcyclist Terrence Sterling shot twice by police, in neck and back, lawsuit says] The witness said in interviews that the crash did not appear deliberate and they thought that Sterling was trying to move around the police car. Trainer, who has been with the police department for more than four years, was wearing a body camera but did not turn it on until minutes after the shooting. Afterward, the police department changed its policy requiring officers to turn on their cameras immediately when they respond to a police call. Trainer and the second officer, who has not been identified, have been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. [D.C. police update body camera policy following fatal police involved shooting of motorist] Sterlings family, meanwhile, continues to wait. They think that Sterling was headed that night to the Fort Washington home he shared with his parents. The family, through their attorney Jason Downs, has filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against the District and the police. Downs is a lawyer at the same firm of Baltimore attorney William Billy Murphy, who represented the family of Freddie Gray, 25, who died in 2015 after being injured in police custody. The city of Baltimore later settled with the Gray family for $6.4 million. Sterlings family said they think prosecutors move faster in cases in which a shooter is not a police officer. It is hard to reconcile how quickly the police will charge our citizens yet, when its one of their own, it seems as if they are looking for any way to avoid it, the family said in their statement. Three days after hearing hours of contradictory testimony over whether to establish a business improvement district in Old Town, the Alexandria City Council tried to forge a compromise Tuesday night and tossed most of the job of sorting it out to the city manager. Council member Paul C. Smedberg said he and Vice Mayor Justin Wilson, later joined by the rest of the all-Democratic council, proposed a smaller district, between Duke and Cameron streets from the waterfront to the King Street Metro station. The council told City Manager Mark B. Jinks to draft a list of the goals and a short-term budget that the district would require, circulate the results to all the business and property owners in the new district, and then conduct a vote to see whether they would support a new taxing district. The council said that if 55 percent of those commercial users supported the idea, it could move forward on creating a business improvement district (BID) in October. The plan did not thrill either side, leading to a heated argument in the hallway outside the council chambers after the decision. Proponents of an earlier, larger BID, some of whom had worked on their proposal for two years, said the district is essential to competing with other downtowns and shopping districts in the region. They pointed to vacant storefronts and an accelerating drop in non-meal sales-tax revenue in Old Town. The City Council is responsible for the health of the central business district, said Dak Hardwick, chairman of the local chamber of commerce. They clearly abdicated their responsibility. Opponents wondered whether one of the purposes of the BID would be to maintain the citys waterfront parks, and they were skeptical of the latest plan. The council doing a rewrite of boundaries and a business vote at 55 percent is either genius or accelerating into a brick wall, said Dan Hazelwood, a political consultant who lives and works in Old Town. The council members saying they got more constructive points from the opponents than proponents underscores how bad the public outreach was in this process. If you are planning a trip abroad, you may need to make an appointment to see a medical provider along with making your travel plans. Anybody whos going abroad, particularly to a developing part of the world, should be evaluated or contact a local travel clinic because there are many things that need to be considered in general but specifically for infectious disease prevention, says Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Stacey Rizza. Depending on where you travel, you may be advised or required to be vaccinated against typhoid fever, yellow fever, hepatitis, among other infectious diseases. There also are what we call prophylaxis, says Rizza. If somebody is going to an area thats endemic for malaria, they should take medications to prophylax, or prevent them, from getting malaria while theyre traveling. There are other antibiotics that frequently their physician will recommend they bring along with them. In case they get sick while theyre there, they can start therapy immediately. Are you traveling to these regions? For most areas of Central and South America you should at least your travel plans with a physician or a provider in the travel clinic, says Rizza. For Africa, Southeast Asia, many parts of the Caribbean, and some parts of the South Pacific, its probably worth considering. Most of Western Europe, North America, Scandinavia, Australia are safe to travel to without having visited a travel clinic, but there are certain exceptions to that. If youre going to an area in one of those places that has a particularly high incidence of certain infections, and youre going to be in a very rural part for a long period of time, its worth visiting a travel clinic. Most infectious disease physicians, including myself, would advocate that, if somebody is going to travel, particularly to developing parts of the world, they should visit a travel clinic first; review their itinerary; review what they will be doing in those areas; and get the appropriate education, treatments, and appropriate vaccines before they leave. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides health travel notices, along with information on vaccines required for various destinations. Northern Virginia congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D) saw The Washington Posts story Tuesday about President Trumps fake Time magazine cover on display throughout his businesses and thought hed have a little fun, his communications director said. Connollys staff quickly created his own mock Time cover and posted it to Twitter, and the five-term congressman tweeted: Wow, my first cover of Time. Asked my staff to frame this and hang it in all four of my offices. In addition to the full-size photo of Connolly, the cover shows lines that mimic Trumps linguistic style. Connolly is winning so much hes tired of winning! FITARA is a legislative smash! FITARA is a bill that Connolly, 67, co-sponsored with U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) that modernizes the governments information technology. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the tweet had 16,000 likes, 4,500 retweets and 573 replies, including some from other members of Congress, said Connollys communications director Jamie Smith. Were surprised by how viral it went, Smith said. The response was overwhelmingly positive, by far the best tweet weve had. Its not known (yet) how the fake Trump cover was created, but Smith said his staff didnt rely on any fancy online tools. We did it with Microsoft software we have here in the office. Were pretty old-school, he said. The centuries-old tree on Floral Street had to be removed because of a large split that developed. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post) Before 9/11, the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, the World Wars, the Civil War indeed, before the United States or the District of Columbia existed a red oak tree began to grow on what would become the 1300 block of Floral Street NW. For centuries, a flaw in the trees structure left it destined to develop a split it couldnt survive. On Tuesday morning, part of the tree crashed to the ground in the quiet Shepherd Park neighborhood between 16th Street and Georgia Avenue. Now, only a stump remains. No one was injured, and property damage was limited. But for the first time since the 1600s, this small patch of land cherished by generations of neighbors sits treeless. What a tragedy, said John Anna of Adirondack Tree Experts, the company contracted to complete the $12,000 removal job. Thats one less majestic tree. Anna said the red oak about 325 years old was one of the oldest trees hes seen in his 30 years in the region. Its tough to estimate the age of a tree just by looking at it, and impossible to pinpoint an exact date of birth. Anna estimated the red oaks age by averaging the number of rings in different sections and comparing that number with algorithms that estimate tree ages based on their diameter. By these measures, the tree was likely a contemporary of the Salem witch trials. (Dana Ju) Two hundred years after Columbus landed in San Salvador, this guy germinated, Anna said. I just think that is very impressive. The numbers tell the tale: On Monday, this was a massive, 75-foot-tall living organism, 65 inches in diameter with a circumference of 204 inches. One piece of the base Annas team hauled away weighed 17,000 pounds; another was 14,000 pounds. By Tuesday afternoon, its life was erased. A 100-ton crane moved huge chunks of the tree into waiting trucks as a hard-hatted crew hacked away with an extra-long chain saw. D.C. police kept the block clear of traffic, and Pepco workers tended to homes darkened when the falling red oak snapped power lines. Branches small enough to fit were fed into a waiting wood chipper as residents, past and present, gathered to say goodbye, their clothes flecked with sawdust that filled the air. Some made off with limbs as souvenirs. [Environmentalists face challenges trying to plant in less-green neighborhoods] The tree I cant stop crying about, said Ruth Jordan, who lived on the block from 1962 until about 10 years ago, when she moved to Silver Spring. I feel as if I lost a member of my family. Jordan used to live in a two-story home built beneath the tree around the time Lenin was plotting the Russian Revolution. Today, that home belongs to Dominic Ju, his wife and their two children. Ju is the trees legal owner but arboreal success has many fathers. When he moved to the block in 2013, Ju said, neighbors made clear where their loyalties lay. Generations of children had played beneath this mighty oak. They were like, Its great to meet you, he said. Dont do anything to the tree. Bob Bykowski, the father of one of the house owners on whose home part of the tree fell, takes photos of the removal on Floral Street. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post) After Jus visiting father-in-law noticed a split in the tree Monday, the homeowner consulted an arborist, who told the family it was unsafe to remain in the house. Ju also spread the word to neighbors, who moved cars from the street. Another house had to be evacuated as well. Hours later, everyone was safely tucked in bed when the red oak met its doom. It was like a big explosion, said David Dennison, who lives across the street from Ju and had his car demolished by a falling tree on the block in 1989. When the red oak fell, Jus home had three holes punched in the roof. Given the potential for damage, however, the block got off easy. This thing falls in the wrong direction, it could take out two houses, Ju said. There was another bright spot: Ju, an amateur woodworker, may turn whats left of the tree into benches. Joseph Hairston has lived on Floral Street for 50 years. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post) Joseph Hairston also watched the red oaks corpse as it was hauled away. At 95, hes less than a third as old as the tree but old enough to serve as a Buffalo soldier, one of thousands of African Americans to fight in World War II in a segregated Army where soldiers races were listed on their identity cards. When he moved to Floral Street in 1963, he was also the first black man to live on the block. Its the largest tree Ive seen in the District, he said. I love trees. Loving trees, however, is a heartbreaking habit. A previous owner of Jus home had attempted to keep the red oaks co-dominant leads also known as trunks together with cable. Such a task would demand cable an inch thick made of solid steel, Anna said. Cable a little over a quarter of an inch thick was used instead. As soon as the tree began to fail, started to crack, it popped them cables like they were fishing line, Anna said. No resistance whatever. Floral Street was living under a weapon of mass destruction. I saw it as a danger, Hairston said. Workers with the Adirondack Tree Experts cut down branches from the tree. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post) Replacing the red oak will take time or really, lifetimes. In 1692, all a sapling had to fear was weather, disease or passing horses. In 2017, there are pollutants, road salt that can inhibit growth and condominiums that can spring up. Nearby Walter Reed is soon to give birth to a whole new neighborhood. Future tree-loving D.C. citizens perhaps those fighting flying car lanes on 16th Street in the 24th century are not out of luck, though. Unlike the humans who walk the Earth, a tree need never shuffle off this mortal coil. A tree will live forever if growing conditions remain opportune, Anna said. The end of its life span that does not exist. ohio Court sides with state on lethal injection Ohio moved a step closer to resuming executions as a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday in the states favor in a case over its lethal injection process. In an 8-to-6 vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati reversed a judges order that delayed three executions after he declared Ohios lethal injection process unconstitutional. The three-drug method includes midazolam, a sedative involved in problematic executions in Arizona, Arkansas and Ohio. The 6th Circuits ruling clears the way for the state to move forward with the three executions starting in July, but it is not a decisive ruling on the constitutionality of the three-drug method, said Allen Bohnert, a public defender representing death row inmates. He said they plan to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. At issue was whether midazolam is powerful enough to put inmates into a deep state of unconsciousness before two subsequent drugs paralyze them and stop their hearts. Ohio executions have been on hold since January 2014, when it took 26 minutes for inmate Dennis McGuire to die under a never-before-tried two-drug method that began with midazolam. The same drug was involved in a problematic execution later in 2014 in Arizona and this year in Arkansas. Associated Press texas Officer in Bland case loses police license A misdemeanor perjury charge was dismissed against a fired Texas state trooper in a case arising from his 2015 arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was later found dead in a county jail. Court documents show that the charge against Brian Encinia was dropped Wednesday after he agreed to surrender his state law enforcement license and certification and to never again seek work in law enforcement in any capacity. Encinia also agreed to never seek to have the charge against him expunged, and to have the case renewed if he violated the agreement. A Waller County grand jury indicted him after video from his patrol car contradicted his claims that Bland assaulted him without provocation during her arrest. Associated Press Michigan Federal judge blocks deportation of Iraqis A Detroit federal judge has temporarily halted the deportations of scores of Iraqi nationals nationwide who advocates say could face persecution, torture and death upon returning to their native country. On Monday night, U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith issued a stay of removal for about 1,444 Iraqi nationals recently rounded up across the country, including about 85 who are in detention and were expected to be removed on a plane to Baghdad as early as Tuesday. The individuals will now have two more weeks to challenge their deportations. The order comes days after Goldsmith halted the deportations of at least 114 Iraqis most of them Chaldean Christians in the Detroit area. Mondays decision expands the order nationwide against the governments wishes and affects potential deportees living in numerous states, including Tennessee and New Mexico. Immigration advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union sought the initial order on behalf of the Detroit-area Iraqis and followed up with a request over the weekend to expand the order across the United States. The removal orders stem from sweeping raids this month in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested dozens of Iraqis across the country. The arrests came as ICE processed a backlog of about 1,400 Iraqis the United States wanted to deport because they committed a crime, an ICE spokesman said this month. Samantha Schmidt North Carolina Man gets life sentence in foiled terrorist plot A man who plotted to shoot hundreds of people on behalf of the Islamic State group received a life sentence Tuesday in a case that prosecutors say illustrates the dangers of Americans radicalized through social media. Justin Nojan Sullivan, 21, received the sentence in federal court in Asheville after pleading guilty late last year to the foiled plot to attack a nightclub or concert and film it for distribution on terrorist sites. Sullivan was a teenager in the town of Morganton when he became radicalized in 2014 after watching terrorist beheadings and other Islamic State propaganda online, U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose said. Associated Press New York Sandy-damaged stop on subway reopens A New York City subway station has reopened nearly five years after Hurricane Sandy flooded it with 15 million gallons of water. The South Ferry station on the No. 1 line reopened Tuesday after more than $340 million of repairs. Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees and contractors in hard hats cheered as the first train rolled into the pristine new station at the southern tip of Manhattan. The station provides access to the Staten Island ferry and boats to the Statue of Liberty and other destinations. Associated Press Ten Commandments monument installed: Workers installed a 6-foot-tall Ten Commandments monument outside Arkansass Capitol on Tuesday, two years after lawmakers approved a measure permitting the privately funded statue on state grounds. The American Civil Liberties Union said it plans to sue, calling the display an unconstitutional endorsement of religion by the state. Death row inmate resentenced: A Texas death row inmate determined to be mentally impaired will be spared execution after a state judge resentenced him to life in prison Tuesday for the abduction and killing of a woman 26 years ago. The new sentence for Robert James Campbell, 44, came after prosecutors and the inmates attorneys agreed he should not be executed because of his mental impairment. From news reports YORKVILLE With unspecified development talks ongoing, the County Board has made a $500,000 line of credit available to the areas economic development agency. The Racine County Economic Development Corp. can tap into the line of credit to cover expenses related to economic development projects, according to a resolution the board approved Tuesday night. The agency must show the costs are necessary to retain and expand existing in-state businesses and to encourage out-of-state businesses to move into or locate new facilities in Racine County, the resolution states. Supervisors have met multiple times in closed session in recent weeks regarding multi-site economic development opportunities, though officials are mum about what those opportunities entail. The discussions come amid reports that Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn may be looking at sites in Racine County for a manufacturing plant. The County Board unanimously approved the line of credit Tuesday with no discussion. The countys Executive Committee met for about a half hour in closed session on the matter earlier Tuesday evening. The RCEDCs draws from the line of credit must be authorized by County Executive Jonathan Delagrave and County Board Chairman Russell Clark, according to the resolution. The funding source could cover a variety of expenses, such as real estate, feasibility and other studies, appraisals and payments to obtain an option on a property. The line of credit is available until Dec. 31 or until the $500,000 has been utilized. RCEDC is a private, nonprofit corporation aimed at supporting business expansion in the county. It assists businesses with buildings, land, financing and other services and contracts with Racine County and local municipalities. AN OFF-DUTY police officer in St. Louis was shot last week by another officer in what has been described as a friendly fire incident. The injury to the officer thankfully was not life-threatening, and he was treated at a hospital and released. But greater scrutiny is needed because the troubling question has emerged of whether race was a factor. In short: Had this officer not been black, would he have been perceived as a threat by the white officer who shot him? The answer is one that police departments everywhere not just in St. Louis must confront as they grapple with the charged issues of how best to police and protect minority communities. Authorities have not identified the officers, and there has been just a bare-bones account of last Wednesdays events. The off-duty black officer, 38 years old and an 11-year veteran of the force, was at home when he heard shots and sirens from the chase of a stolen car by members of an anti-crime task force. He grabbed his service weapon and went to help, but two on-duty officers ordered him to the ground until they recognized him and told him to stand up and walk toward them. As he was doing so, another on-duty officer, a white 36-year-old officer with eight years on the force, arrived on the scene and, fearing for his safety, shot the officer, hitting him in the arm. To recap: An off-duty police officer runs to help fellow officers, complies with all orders and still ends up getting shot. What exactly was the threat that was posed that required the use of deadly force? If the officer had been white, would there have been such a quick decision to pull the trigger? An attorney for the wounded officer said the officer was treated as an ordinary black guy on the street and that perception that a black man is automatically to be feared is a real problem. The law gives great latitude (as was recently demonstrated in the acquittal of the officer who killed Minnesota motorist Philando Castile) to police for the use of force when there is a fear of danger. But has the bar been set too low? Is being scared sufficient justification or a coverup? It has been nearly three years since the shooting of an unarmed teen, Michael Brown, in nearby Ferguson sparked a national debate about police treatment of African Americans. The issues havent changed, only the names of the victims. Correction: An earlier version of this editorial said Ford Motor Company had decided not to build small cars in Mexico after President Trumps election. Ford decided not to build a new small-car factory but plans to produce some at an existing plant. This version has been updated. AS A candidate for the White House, Donald Trump blasted the Ford Motor Company for planning to shift production of its leading compact car, the Focus, to Mexico. He even went so far as to threaten a huge tariff on any and all U.S. cars formerly produced in this country that might be exported from Mexico back into the United States. After Mr. Trumps election, Ford seemed to cave by announcing it would not be building the cars in Mexico after all. So what are we to make of the surprising facts that Ford now plans to make the Focus in President Trumps other trade nemesis China and that the Trump administrations response is, essentially, whatever? Fords move just shows how flexible multinational companies are in terms of geography, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross observed. You dont say! Lesson one: Economic reality is stubborn. Gas prices are plunging. Ergo, the American consumer can afford to indulge a preference for larger vehicles, to the detriment of smaller, fuel-efficient models such as the Focus, U.S. sales of which fell 31 percent between 2012 and 2016. Assembling these slow-selling vehicles in high-wage American factories is not profitable; even nonunion Japanese and Korean carmakers are de-emphasizing small-car production in the United States, in favor of SUVs and crossovers. Mr. Trumps coercion was bound to fail, and while its not ideal to see any production shift overseas, kudos to Ford for calling Mr. Trumps dictatorial bluff especially because the company plans not to lay off workers but to redeploy them producing pickups and SUVs in Michigan. A second lesson, though, is that government subsidy cant overcome fundamental market dynamics either. Ford was the recipient of a $5.9 billion low-interest loan from the Energy Department, authorized under a bipartisan program signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007 but funded by the Obama administration in 2009, the purpose of which was to help Ford produce the next generation of fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States. We have an historic opportunity to help ensure that the next generation of fuel-efficient cars and trucks are made in America, President Barack Obama said . A declared purpose of the huge loan was to convert two truck factories to car production. The loan did, indeed, help Ford raise the fuel efficiency of its best-selling F-150 pickup (which it might have done anyway to meet stricter federal standards). But as Fords recent moves demonstrate, the dream of hot-selling gas sippers, made in the U.S.A., has apparently died, a victim of low gas prices and high U.S. production costs. Is it too much to hope that the federal government will stop purporting to micromanage specific business-location decisions using either threats or bribes? The right approach is to enhance business conditions generally especially through corporate tax reform so that the United States remains competitive with all the other places in the world where capital may freely locate. Mr. Ross seemed to concede this, noting that after Fords move, German and Japanese automakers will be attracted to this country by Mr. Trumps reforms. So were wondering: What was the point of all that protectionist fuss? FOR TWO decades, Liu Xiaobo has been one of Chinas foremost advocates of human rights and peaceful democratic reform. For that, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 but he has also suffered unrelenting persecution and mistreatment by his own government. Now comes the ultimate abuse: Having failed to treat Mr. Liu for liver cancer until it was too late to do so, the regime of Xi Jinping has transferred him to a hospital in the city of Shenyang so that it cannot be said that he died in prison. This cosmetic act of clemency should not stop the democratic world, led by the United States, from holding China up for condemnation for its unconscionable treatment of one of its most important freedom fighters. Mr. Liu was a leader during the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijings Tiananmen Square. But his most important contribution was his work in authoring Charter 08, a petition calling for freedom of association, an independent legal system, separation of powers and other elements of liberal governance that would allow China to join the mainstream of civilized nations. Mr. Liu was the first of more than 10,000 people who signed; for that he was arrested and, in 2009, sentenced to 11 years in prison. His wife, Liu Xia, was illegally placed under house arrest; anyone else who supported him was subjected to persecution. When the Nobel Committee chose Mr. Liu, China became the first regime since Nazi Germany to prevent an honoree or their family members from traveling to Oslo. Since then, it has worked relentlessly to silence support for him abroad as well as at home, with lamentable success. President Barack Obama spoke out only once on behalf of Mr. Liu, and many other Western leaders were altogether silent perhaps intimidated by the punishments the regime inflicted on Norway after the Nobel was awarded. Since taking power in 2012, Mr. Xi has greatly increased repression of liberal voices, including not just democracy advocates but also liberal academics, journalists and lawyers who defend those subjected to abuses of power. He seems intent on establishing that China will never embrace the freedoms that Mr. Liu fought for. On Tuesday , the State Department joined human rights activists in calling on China to allow Mr. Liu freedom to travel to a place of his own choosing for medical care. According to a U.S.-based advocate, Jared Genser, the 61-year-old dissident has asked authorities to allow him and his wife to travel to the United States. But the U.S. statement came from a low-level official, the spokeswoman of the embassy in Beijing, when it ought to be delivered directly by President Trump to Mr. Xi. Mr. Lius case is a signal example of why China lacks the moral capacity to exercise global leadership. By advocating for this dying hero of human rights, Mr. Trump could show that the United States still lives by different values. Here in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, the mood is Kurdistan first with the announcement of a referendum on independence in September. In neighboring Saudi Arabia, its Saudi first, as a brash young crown prince steers the kingdom toward a more assertive role in the region. In Moscow, where I visited a few weeks ago, its Russia first, with a vengeance. And so it goes, around most of the world. The politics of national self-interest is on steroids these days. For global leaders, its the me moment. The nearly universal slogan among countries that might once have acted with more restraint seems to be: Go for it. The prime catalyst of this global movement of self-assertion is, obviously, President Trump. From early in his 2016 campaign, he proclaimed his vision of America first in which the interests of the United States and its companies and workers would prevail over international obligations. Trump has waffled on many of his commitments since becoming president, but not America first. He withdrew from the Paris agreement on climate change and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, to name two multinational accords that Trump decided harmed American interests, or at least those of his political supporters. Trumps critics, including me, have been arguing that this selfish stance is actually weakening America by shredding the network of global alliances and institutions on which U.S. power has rested. But lets put aside this issue of self-inflicted wounds and focus instead on what happens when other leaders decide to emulate Trumps disdain for traditional limits on the exercise of power. Nobody wants to seem like a chump in Trump world. When the leader of the global system proclaims that he wont be bound by foreign restraints, the spirit becomes infectious. Call the global zeitgeist what you will: The new realism. Eyes on the prize. Winning isnt the most important thing, its the only thing. Middle East leaders have been notably more aggressive in asserting their own versions of national interest. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates defied pleas from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to stop escalating their blockade against Qatar for allegedly supporting extremism. Their argument was simple self-interest: If Qatar wants to ally with the Gulf Arabs, then it must accept our rules. Otherwise, Qatar is out. For the leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan, the issue has been whether to wait on their dream of independence. They decided to go ahead with their referendum, despite worries among top U.S. officials that it could upset American efforts to hold Iraq together and thereby destabilize the region. The implicit Kurdish answer: Thats not our problem. We need to do whats right for our people. Trump has at least been consistent. His aides cite a benchmark speech he made April 27, 2016, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, in which he offered an early systematic America first pitch. He argued that the country had been blundering around the world with half-baked, do-gooder schemes since the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Trump explained: It all began with a dangerous idea that we could make Western democracies out of countries that had no experience or interest in becoming a Western democracy. We tore up what institutions they had and then were surprised at what we unleashed. Whats interesting is that this same basic critique has been made, almost word for word, by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Thats not a conspiracy-minded argument that Trump is Putins man, but simply an observation that our president embraces the same raw cynicism about values-based foreign policy as does the leader of Russia. (Its an interesting footnote, by the way, that in the audience that day as Trump gave his framework speech was Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.) Who are the outliers in this me-first world? Perhaps the Europeans. Despite body blows to the European Union over the past few years, France and Germany, the two dominant players, retain the conviction that their destinies involve something larger than national self-interest. Fear and nationalism have shaken Europe but not overwhelmed it. An enlightened center is holding at Europes core. China, too, manages to retain the image that it stands for something larger than itself, with its one belt, one road rhetoric of Chinese-led interdependence. The question, as Harvard Universitys Graham Allison argues in his provocative new book, Destined for War, is whether the expanding Chinese hegemon will collide with the retreating American one. The politics of selfishness may seem inevitable in Trump world. But by definition, it cant produce a global system. Thats its fatal flaw. Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. People walk past the building of the National Anti-Extortion Police in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on June 14. (Orlando Sierra/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) Sarah Chayess June 18 Outlook essay, Political corruptions hidden cost: The environment, accused the Honduran government of shroud[ing] government activities in secrecy and of using its Patuca III dam project as a conduit for corruption. Both accusations are off base. Honduras has adopted aggressive anti-corruption efforts. Over the past year, the government has purged the national police force of more than 4,000 unfit police officers, including individuals who engaged in drug trafficking and extortion. A recent public information transparency audit rated nearly 60 percent of Hondurass agencies as excellent. And in the past two years, the government has prosecuted more corruption cases than in the previous 20. Honduras also joined the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, an organization that helps countries pursue public infrastructure accountability. Thanks to that partnership, Hondurass project disclosure compliance has shot up from 27 percent to 84 percent, and the country is publicly sharing data on more than 450 public infrastructure projects online. The Patuca III dam is 70 percent completed and could be operational as early as August. The project will bring in about $39 million in gross energy revenue and has already brought increased trade, jobs and business to the 40,000 residents of Patuca and the surrounding areas. My colleagues and I consulted area residents before construction began and paid more than the customary amount in land compensation. Weve enlisted scientists to ensure that the project is socially and environmentally responsible. Claudia Aguilar, the projects head, has noted that Patuca III capitalizes on natural resources in service of the people. Jesus Arturo Mejia Arita, Tegucigalpa, Honduras The writer is managing director of the National Electric Energy Company of Honduras. Jim Campbell is senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents Masterpiece Cakeshop in the Supreme Court case Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Should an artist who serves all people be able to decline to create art for an event that conflicts with his deepest convictions? That question much debated in recent years seemed destined to reach the Supreme Court. And on Monday, in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission , it finally did . The owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, Jack Phillips, is a cake artist who creates custom works of edible art for special occasions such as weddings and birthdays. He serves everyone, no matter their race, sex, religion or sexual orientation. But he cannot create art for events that conflict with his faith. For years, that practice caused no disturbances. But when a couple asked Phillips to create a cake for a same-sex wedding, things got dicey. He told the requesting couple that he would gladly sell them anything in his store, but designing a custom cake to celebrate a same-sex marriage was not something he could do. Phillips was compelled to decline that request because of his religious conviction that marriage is a husband-wife union a belief that just two years ago the Supreme Court said is decent and honorable and held in good faith by reasonable and sincere people. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission determined that Phillipss decision to live by his conscience was unlawful and ordered him to re-educate his staff on the states anti-discrimination law, meaning he must create wedding cakes for same-sex weddings if he creates wedding cakes at all. The commission did this while simultaneously concluding that three other bakers were within their rights when they declined to create cakes bearing biblical messages they found offensive. That anti-religious bias is reason enough for the Supreme Court to reverse the commissions decision to punish Phillips. But there is far more on the line than one cake artists freedom. At stake is whether the government can conscript artists to ply their expressive talents for events or ideas that they do not support. If Phillips loses, the rights of all artists will suffer. Under that scenario, the government could compel a lesbian artist to design fliers for a religious event opposing same-sex marriage or a black woodworker to craft a cross for a Ku Klux Klan rally. Almost no one wants to live in a world like that, and thanks to the First Amendment, we dont have to. Those who oppose Phillips argue that the interests of same-sex couples seeking artists should outweigh his freedom. This argument, however, misperceives the competing interests. On Phillipss side of the scale is the future of his wedding-cake business and his very livelihood. If Phillips cant create cakes to celebrate same-sex weddings, the government insists, he cant make wedding cakes at all. So a loss in his case means the loss of a fulfilling part of Phillipss work that accounts for roughly 40 percent of his income, a hit that will risk sinking his business. Of course, the same-sex couple has an interest in obtaining custom art from businesses. But there is no shortage of cake artists willing to help celebrate same-sex marriages in Denvers suburbs. That a same-sex couple must go to another shop cannot override Phillipss freedom. Same-sex couples raise another interest: avoiding the frustration and harm to their dignity that they feel when an artist declines their request. But someones offense at anothers exercise of his artistic and religious freedom is not a reason to suppress it. On the contrary, as the Supreme Court has explained, the First Amendment exists to shield artistic, expressive and religious choices that in someones eyes are hurtful. In addition, same-sex couples dont have the market cornered on harms to their dignity. If the law deems Phillipss beliefs odious and unfit for public life which is precisely what a ruling against him would do that would demean not only him but also millions of Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, Jews and Muslims who hold similar beliefs. Some folks nevertheless insist that Phillips is like the racist business owners in the Jim Crow South and must suffer the same fate. This is simply not true. Jim Crow involved the systematic exclusion of black Americans from public life. Countless businesses flatly refused to serve a class of people. But that is not remotely true of Phillips or others like him. He will gladly serve people who identify as gay or lesbian; it is only custom orders for certain wedding cakes that he must decline. Phillips is not deserving of the social margins where racists now reside. In this hotly contested struggle between artistic freedom and government coercion, it is impossible to predict the outcome. But because to paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr. the arc of the universe bends toward human freedom, Phillips should feel pretty good about his chances. Andrew Natsios was USAID administrator and a special envoy to Sudan under President George W. Bush and a director of USAIDs Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance under President George H.W. Bush. He served in the Persian Gulf War as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. He is a professor at the Bush School of Government and director of the Scowcroft Institute at Texas A&M University. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has set in motion a plan to merge all or parts of the U.S. Agency for International Development into the State Department and close 40 percent of USAID missions abroad, theoretically to pursue greater efficiencies. While the Trump administrations proposed 30 percent cuts to foreign aid have been the focus of Washington debate, the misguided absorption of USAID into State is a much graver danger to the effectiveness of the U.S. governments aid program. Budget cuts can be quickly restored, particularly in the face of new and unexpected crises. A merger, however, could permanently diminish our ability to help and save lives around the world. The State Department and USAID are often conflated as parts of Americas soft power apparatus. And its true that in the broadest sense they seek to, as a joint mission statement puts it, shape and sustain a peaceful, prosperous, just, and democratic world, and foster conditions for stability and progress for the benefit of the American people and people everywhere. But beyond that they are dissimilar in every important way: The tasks they perform, what they value, their operating principles and how they carry out their work are profoundly different. I have seen these differences up close for nearly three decades, as a USAID executive, diplomat and military officer. Combining the two institutions would be comparable to merging Microsoft with ExxonMobil. And if this forced marriage were to occur, rather than creating efficiencies, it would make our development programs less effective and our emergency relief less responsive, while detrimentally politicizing our foreign aid. The core mission of the State Department is to manage the United States relationships with other countries and international institutions through policymaking and diplomacy. To the limited extent that it gets involved in foreign aid programs, it views that assistance as a means to an end: improving Americas image abroad, strengthening its position in diplomatic negotiations or building relationships with strategic partners. The mission of USAID, on the other hand, is to manage effective and accountable programs that help societies transform internally. For its development professionals and disaster relief officers, lifting people out of poverty, stabilizing failed and fragile states, and saving lives are ends in themselves. USAID programs often help further other broad policy goals as a secondary result, but subordinating them to short-term political objectives increases failure rates. Another point of contrast: The State Department is a highly centralized and hierarchical organization that prioritizes caution over efficiency. It carefully analyzes the second-, third- and fourth-order consequences of any given action to avoid what could be catastrophic mistakes in foreign policy. The secretary of state makes all the major policy decisions. On the other hand, USAID ranks among the best-managed and most-accountable agencies in the federal government, according to the 2016 Federal Invest in What Works Index, published by the public-management research center Results for America. And its short-term disaster relief programs are arguably the most powerful and best-managed of any donor government or multilateral institution in the world. If diplomacy resembles a chess game, running a development agency is more like managing a venture capital fund. USAID wants to maximize the return on its investments. It also takes risks, knowing, as a venture capitalist does, that some investments will fail and others will be hugely successful. USAIDs disaster relief, by design and necessity, depends less on deliberation in Washington and more on rapid decisions at the lowest operational level. After getting deployment approval from the U.S. ambassador in a country, USAIDs Disaster Assistance Response Teams have broad discretionary power, so aid can be mobilized overnight. As I write, four teams are fighting famine in four conflict countries Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen and South Sudan trying to save hundreds of thousands of lives. Such efforts, as Alex de Waal notes in a new essay and forthcoming book, have helped contribute to a global decline in famine and famine deaths since World War II. A final distinction between State and USAID is worth mentioning: The State Department recruits generalists, who learn to be diplomats through on-the-job experience. USAID, meanwhile, hires specialists who are generally required to have advanced degrees, and it conducts continuous training so people can stay current with their technical disciplines. If USAID is absorbed into State and the personnel functions merge, the result will be predictably damaging. We would see USAIDs expertise atrophy, as its advanced-degree requirement is phased out and positions are opened to foreign- and civil-service generalists. We would see an agency with efficient management overtaken by a department with often cumbersome management systems. We would see humanitarian assistance become politicized and response time slow to a crawl. Our progress toward eliminating famine could be reversed. Past episodes when the State Department has subordinated aid programs to diplomatic purposes have ended in tragedy or failure. For example, in 1988 and 1989, southern Sudan was struck by a terrible famine. The State Departments East Africa office tried to stop the humanitarian response through USAIDs Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and Food for Peace Office, because it feared that the aid effort would damage relations with Sudans government in Khartoum. (Northern and southern Sudan were engaged in a civil war, and the government was attempting to starve the south into surrender.) The OFDA director went around the State Department hierarchy to appeal to Secretary of State George Schultz, who reversed the decision and allowed USAID to mobilize a massive aid effort but six months late. More than 100,000 southern Sudanese children died because of the delay. Similarly, during the North Korean famine of the mid-1990s, the State Department Office of Korean Affairs used USAID food aid to entice the troglodyte North Korean government into negotiations to end its nuclear weapons program. This delayed and compromised the integrity of USAIDs food aid programs in the famine. North Korea stonewalled the effort, refusing to allow monitoring to ensure that the food aid would not be stolen, and ultimately, it let 2 1 / 2 million of its people perish. The nuclear negotiations were, and remain, an abysmal failure. While it is certainly true that USAIDs disaster relief operations can improve the image of the United States and strengthen relations with countries in crisis, making that the purpose of emergency relief, instead of an ancillary consequence, could damage our image, worsen our relationships and lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. That is particularly true when its the government of a country that is the cause of the suffering. When a government is killing its own people, U.S. disaster relief programs should focus on saving them, not improving relations with their government. Subordinating USAIDs goals to the State Departments agenda also has proved disastrous in development work. State Department diplomats (and U.S. military officers) favor rapid and visible results from aid programs, while any experienced USAID (or nongovernmental organization) officer knows that the more rapidly development programs are implemented, the less sustainable they are (without local buy-in, the programs collapse once the funding stops) and, often, the more visible the program, the less effective it is. For example, a 2016 audit of $3.9 billion in U.S. development aid to Pakistan, where the State Department led project and budget decisions, found that States short-term focus did not advance USAIDs development objectives. The State Department initiated a series of high-visibility infrastructure projects intended to improve Pakistani perceptions of the United States, including dams and a hospital. But these projects were not self-sustaining, and they ultimately failed because the Pakistani government didnt have the resources to operate and maintain them. The same thing has happened in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the State Department and Defense Department have put a similar focus on building physical infrastructure rather than developing the institutions needed to make it work. A school building, while needed, is the least important part of education; far more critical are trained teachers who show up for work each day and get paid on time, motivated students with parental support, and a strong curriculum. Another warning from the past can be found in the State Departments 1999 absorption of the U.S. Information Agency, which had been effective during the Cold War in image battles with the Soviet Union. The Heritage Foundation properly criticized the merger. USIA was a small, generally well-managed independent U.S. government organization with an efficient finance and personnel system, a 2003 Heritage report stated. It was folded into a troubled cabinet agency where travel vouchers sometimes take six weeks to process, budgets of small offices are often raided by larger bureaus, and hard assets and personnel are gobbled up more through internal political designs than by senior management decisions or congressional intent. The public-diplomacy functions of the U.S. government have not recovered. Nor will the governments aid programs if the State Department absorbs USAID. Somewhat ironically, Heritage is backing the current merger proposal. By the time think tanks get around to determining that its a misguided idea, it may be too late to save our aid programs. The United States needs to invest in foreign aid to protect itself from the chaos spreading across the world. We should be strengthening our aid programs and infrastructure, not weakening them. The State Department should focus on conducting diplomacy, which is what it excels at, and USAID should do its job as development professionals with more independence, not less. Read more from Outlook and follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter. Correction: An earlier version of this column incorrectly reported the amount insurance rates for middle-income earners would fall. This version has been updated. The Senate health-care bill, which was scuttled Tuesday until after July 4, was doomed by two narratives: Republicans are mean, and poor people would be dropping like flies. Assisting the opposition was none other than President Trump, who called the earlier version passed by the House mean. Trump met with Senate Republicans on Tuesday afternoon to plot their move to repeal and replace Obamacare, which remains the GOPs objective. The mean meme was easy enough to embrace given the bills cuts to Medicaid, which provides coverage for the poor, disabled and elderly. Nearly two-thirds of nursing home residents are supported primarily by Medicaid. Adding insult to injury, the Senate bill included tax cuts for the wealthy while also promising higher insurance premiums (in the short term) for middle-income earners. Get this: A 64-year-old earning $56,800 a year would have seen annual premiums jump to $20,500, almost the same amount of a proposed tax cut for someone earning $1 million a year. The image of the yachtsman polishing his brass fittings while children and elderly women tread water below springs to the minds of cartoonists and incumbents. Thus, a rising number of Republican senators were threatening to vote no on their own partys bill, which would have killed it. (Jenny Starrs,Daron Taylor/The Washington Post) While its true that those insurance rates for middle-income earners would go up for the first couple of years by a lot its also true that theyd soon thereafter drop to 30 percent lower than current rates. This is according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which on any given day is a brilliant economic oracle or the crazy bird lady with canaries in her hair. The media have been mildly rabid ever since Republicans went into a secret cave somewhere to hammer out their ill-fated plan. Theyve slammed the GOP for proposing to dump 22 million people from insurance coverage, despite the fact that millions of those would likely be dropping themselves self-deporting now that coverage would no longer be mandated, as it has been under Obamacare. Otherwise, popular punditry doesnt permit much discussion of details and tends to favor nibbly nuggets of nonsense. I was surprised to hear MSNBCs Joe Scarborough go death-squad on Tuesdays Morning Joe, saying that poor people are going to be locked out of their doctors offices. Obviously, he was speaking metaphorically, but such hyperbolic fulminations can become memes of their own. Also rarely if ever mentioned, state and local governments already fund about 40 percent of Medicaid and no one was forcing them to cut their programs, as James Capretta of the American Enterprise Institute pointed out. Moreover, the federal government will still spend about $5.2 trillion on Medicaid during the next decade. The Senate bill, meanwhile, proposed spending money on reducing premiums so that insurance would attract younger healthy people to stabilize the market. Would this work? Clearly, it hasnt under Obamacare. Having the young and healthy sign up was crucial to the success of the Affordable Care Act. Because they would likely be infrequent consumers of health services, their premiums theoretically could defray the cost of treating preexisting conditions, as well as insuring the previously uninsured. Despite a government mandate and penalties for failing to sign up, young Americans basically responded with Youre joking, right? The mandates failure to be persuasive should have surprised no one. Government-enforced altruism doesnt sit right in a nation conceived during a tax revolt and born in the cradle of individual freedom. And, if I may stroke realisms head for a moment, health insurance and preexisting conditions are fundamentally incompatible. Sick Person A gets insurance coverage only if Healthy Person B helps pay for it. Half the country is fine with this proposition. The other half would rather skimp on medical care than surrender a drop of freedom. This, in essence, is what makes bipartisan reform so difficult. To the conservative mind, the repeal-and-replace bill wasnt so much mean as tough. To the liberal mind, it was indefensibly heartless and cruel. But if one thinks reducing the debt and deficit is necessary, then isnt entitlement reform essential? When would such cuts ever be popular or painless? Somewhere between the thorny cliffs of Dire Straits, where millions die from Republican meanness, and the gently sweeping shores of Obamaland, where everyone gets a lei and lives to 150, is a big enough boat to get us to market-based health-care reform. For now, go wash your hands. Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook. Two Junes ago, when the Supreme Court upheld, 6 to 3, a challenged provision of the Affordable Care Act, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., writing for the majority, vented: Congress wrote key parts of the Act behind closed doors. . . . Congress passed much of the Act using a complicated budgetary procedure known as reconciliation, which limited opportunities for debate and amendment, and bypassed the Senates normal 60-vote filibuster requirement. . . . As a result, the Act does not reflect the type of care and deliberation that one might expect of such significant legislation. Now, however, Republicans run things, so . . . In 2009, President Barack Obama ignited a debate that has been, for many members of Congress and their constituents, embarrassingly clarifying. Back then, most people stoutly insisted that they did not want a government-centered health-care system. But even then, approximately half of every dollar spent on health care came from the government. Today, the 55 million Medicare beneficiaries approximately equal the combined populations of 26 states; the 73 million Medicaid recipients approximately equal the combined populations of 29 states. Governments 10 thumbs are all over health care. Although an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showed that health care was extremely or very important to 81 percent of voters in Georgias recent special congressional election, neither candidate stressed this issue. Both were confronted, as all congressional candidates will be in 2018 and ever after, with this fact: No health-care policy is comprehensive, comprehensible and inoffensive to all interest groups. Health care only relatively recently became worth fighting over. In 1900, Americans spent almost twice as much on funerals as on medicine. Most people were born at home and died at home, and medicines principal function was to make ill people as comfortable as possible while nature healed them or killed them. Hospitals often were lethal infection factories, hence the common report The operation was successful, but the patient died. In his The Rise and Fall of American Growth, Robert Gordon notes that even victims of railroad, streetcar and horse cart accidents were largely taken to their homes rather than to hospitals. In 1900, only 5 percent of American women gave birth in hospitals. And a degree in medicine could be obtained for between $5 and $10, its cost depending on the quality of the paper on which the diploma was printed. Between 1890 and 1950, the great improvement in mortality rates owed much to social improvements (better hygiene, sanitation, food handling, etc.) and little to doctors, hospitals or drugs. In 2009, there was no national consensus that insurance should be available to people with preexisting conditions. There now is such a consensus, partly because of the obfuscating phrase: Insuring people with preexisting conditions means insuring people who are already sick. Which means that what they are getting is not really insurance protection against uncertain risk. The consensus might be right, but its logic makes the insurance model increasingly inapposite. (Whitney Shefte,Rhonda Colvin,Malcolm Cook,Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) A market-driven health-care system with government at the periphery would implement the lesson of Social Security: Government is good at sending checks to identifiable cohorts. It should send support to those who need it for purchasing premiums, then get out of the way. But Obama, who once said he preferred a single-payer system, flinched from the really radical reform we need a move away from broad reliance (about 180 million Americans) on employer-provided health insurance, which, in an expensive fiction, is not taxed as what it obviously is: compensation. Partly because of this system, health-care consumers are not shoppers and market signals are weak and few. Suppose that instead of providing health insurance, employers gave employees money to buy groceries. What would grocery stores look like? There probably would be no prices. To see why, ask yourself: When your doctor wants to perform a particular test, do you ask, How much will it cost? If you do, you are eccentric. Besides, the doctor probably does not know. Perhaps for policy reasons, and certainly for political reasons, it is impossible to unwind reliance on employer-provided insurance. But this fact, combined with the preexisting conditions consensus, means that henceforth the health-care debate will be about not whether there will be a thick fabric of government subsidies, mandates and regulations, but about which party will weave the fabric. So, repeal and replace will be tweak and move on. And even if the tweaks constitute significant improvements, Obama will have been proved right when, last October, he compared the ACA to a starter home. Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook. Charles Blahous holds the J. Fish and Lillian F. Smith Chair at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Over the past several days, Americans have been told that the sponsors of pending health legislation are moving to victimize the most vulnerable people in our society, indifferent to potentially lethal consequences. A recent New York Times op-ed from three health-care experts described the effort as a direct attack on our elderly, our disabled and our dignity. A Post commentary charged lawmakers with gutting Medicaid so they can give a giant tax break to their billionaire buddies, threatening life-saving treatments for a young boy with a congenital heart condition. A long-time political adviser charged on national television that sponsors would kick some kid out of his wheelchair. And a left-leaning think tank further upped the ante by publishing contrived estimates of the numbers of people (handily broken down by state) who will supposedly be killed by the proposed legislation. You dont need to support the pending health-care bills to recognize they bear little resemblance to this explosive rhetoric, nor do you have to support the legislation to realize that our deteriorating political environment is making it impossible to make policy decisions with the appropriate reflection and care. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Before the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid required states to provide coverage for certain groups, including seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women and families with young children living on incomes less than or near the federal poverty level. The ACA expanded potential coverage to include childless adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty line, but the previously eligible low-income patients who depend on Medicaid for lifesaving treatments would remain covered even if the ACA were fully repealed. In fact, these vulnerable individuals might even benefit from a repeal in some respects. One controversial provision in the ACA provided a far higher level of federal support for childless adults who before the expansion had rarely been eligible for Medicaid, regardless of income than what has been available for the programs historically eligible population. This imbalance distorted state decision-making, favoring coverage for the expansion population over timely access for the neediest individuals to Medicaids limited supply of health services. The elevated federal payments for Medicaid expansion have also contributed to other problems. For example, some researchers now warn that the expansion has resulted in a shortage of primary-care physicians in Medicaid, although academic studies have produced mixed results. And in terms of the budget, federal Medicaid costs would rise under current law from $389 billion today to $650 billion annually by 2027 a growth rate that outstrips our ability to finance it. In both 2015 and 2016, per-capita costs for the Medicaid expansion population came in more than 60 percent higher than previous estimates (largely because states passed on virtually all expansion costs to the federal government). Earlier this month, the chief actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) raised projections of expansions per-capita costs even further. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the pending legislation before Congress would result in large cost savings, primarily by comparing the bills with how Medicaid enrollment would evolve if the ACA remained on the books. That comparison is important, but it obscures how many people would remain on Medicaids rolls. In fact, the CMS actuary projects that under the House bill, total Medicaid enrollment will stay roughly constant above 70 million people over the next decade. This is lower than it would be under the ACA, but higher than the enrollment population before the ACA was enacted (roughly 55 million). Every policy choice has winners and losers. We could continue elevated federal support for Medicaid expansion, which would favor state taxpayers and childless adults over federal taxpayers and poor children, seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women. Or we could end it, which would have the opposite effect. We must have an energetic debate between these alternatives, while remembering that none of us has a monopoly on wisdom and compassion. We should similarly have a robust debate over draft provisions to cap per-capita Medicaid spending growth, a previous proposal of the Clinton administration. While the pros and cons of this approach should be weighed carefully, we must nevertheless remain mindful of two key facts: The first is that the proposed caps would have a relatively slight effect on the near-term budget (less than 10 percent of the CBOs projected savings for the bills Medicaid provisions). And second, we can only fairly evaluate caps relative to an alternative strategy for moderating Medicaid cost growth to sustainable levels. This should not be undertaken lightly: Managing the growing cost of Medicaid is a serious and difficult policy challenge. Lawmakers need to target benefits where they are needed most and align incentives for states to minimize waste and maximize value. Rhetorically assailing lawmakers as heartless brutalizers in the process will only make our national politics more debased and more dangerous. It will also make the optimal solution much harder to find. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, left, is accompanied by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. as they walk down the steps of the Supreme Court following Gorsuchs investiture ceremony on June 15. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) On Day 78 of his lifetime appointment, the Supreme Courts newest justice, Neil M. Gorsuch, revealed himself Monday to be: Skeptical about the reach of the courts two-year-old decision granting same-sex couples the right to marry. Farther to the right than almost all of his colleagues on gun rights. Unwilling to lend his full support to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.s opinion in a major separation-of-church-and-state case, because of disagreement over a two-sentence footnote. Willing to let President Trumps travel ban be enacted as planned, without imposing the limits most of his colleagues required. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) If the Supreme Courts compromise decision Monday on the travel ban grabbed the headlines on the courts final day, those who study the court were at least as focused on what they could learn about the 49-year-old Coloradan chosen by Trump to fill the seat of the late Antonin Scalia. [Supreme Court allows limited travel ban to take effect] The bottom line, according to most accounts, is that Gorsuch is a Scalia 2.0, perhaps further to the right. The Gorsuch we were sold during the confirmation battle is the Gorsuch that we got, said Elizabeth Slattery, a legal scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation. And she meant that in a good way. A view from the other side: Gorsuch claimed that he could be independent of the authoritarian, anti-Constitution president who nominated him, but he failed his first real test, said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center, referring to the travel-ban case. And she meant that just the way it sounds. [Gorsuch sworn in as 113th Supreme Court justice] Gorsuch has spoken of the humility that comes with putting on the plain black polyester robe that we buy with our own money at the uniform supply store. But in his short 2 months on the Supreme Court, Gorsuch has proved himself to be a self- assured jurist unafraid of the big stage. He asked 22 questions at his first oral argument. He writes frequently and well, as even his critics acknowledge and has been willing to go it alone in providing his own reasoning in an opinion even when he agrees. Hes asserted himself in a way that is really without precedent for a justice in the modern court, said Ian Samuel, a former Scalia clerk who teaches at Harvard Law School. Gregory G. Garre, a former solicitor general under President George W. Bush, cautioned against any broad pronouncements on Gorsuch. The justice did not take his place on the court until April 10 and thus participated in only one of the courts monthly oral-argument sessions. He wrote one majority opinion for the court, which was unanimous. [Gorsuch shows writing style in first opinion] The views he expressed on the final day came in dissents or concurrences he wrote or joined with other justices. He has sided far more frequently with Justice Clarence Thomas on the courts far right than with Roberts, closer to the center. Garre said Gorsuch showed he was perfectly willing to differ with his new colleagues, albeit respectfully, as he was quick to point out. Said Slattery: In his early opinions, hes shown that he is committed to careful statutory interpretation. In his first majority opinion, he pointed out that its the role of courts to apply, not amend, the work of the peoples representatives, in narrowly reading a federal law dealing with debt collection. Jonathan H. Adler, a Case Western Reserve University law professor writing in The Washington Post, described Gorsuch as a confident, committed textualist with a distinctive writing style and a justice who is not afraid to challenge his new colleagues. It does not mean he convinces them. In a complicated case involving which court should hear complaints from federal workers who say they were wrongly terminated, Gorsuch dissented from an opinion by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He accused Ginsburg of tweaking the law as written to reach an outcome he acknowledged might be easier for everyone. Respectfully, he wrote, he would instead just follow the words of the statute as written. There was no need to tweak the statute, Ginsburg replied, but only to read it sensibly. All justices except for Thomas agreed with Ginsburg. Later, on the final day of the term, Gorsuch wrote a concurrence to one of the courts orders for no reason other than to disagree with Roberts, who had written a dissent, noted Samuel, the former Scalia clerk. Daniel Epps, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who produces a podcast with Samuel about the Supreme Court called First Mondays, said he thought Gorsuchs opinion was perfectly fine and respectful but also gratuitous. It was a strange hill to fight on for a new justice, and it makes me wonder about the dynamics between them if he was willing to spar so publicly with the chief, Epps said. The court had only eight members in the 13 months between Scalias death and Gorsuchs confirmation, and all agree it affected the courts docket. These days, blockbuster terms seem more like the rule than the exception, said Kannon Shanmugam, a Washington lawyer who frequently argues before the court. By that standard, this year was the exception. The court had few headline cases and a lot of meat-and-potatoes ones. Added John Bursch, another Supreme Court practitioner, It was clear the court was doing its best to avoid controversial issues and decisions that would result in 4-4 ties. Roberts, the courts master strategist, was seen as instrumental in helping the court find a narrow path through a thicket of cases that seemed destined for deadlocks. He seems positioned to become the courts pivotal justice in the future. One of the most interesting things about Justice Gorsuch in the few decisions we have seen is the number of times he has joined forces with Justice Thomas, who is often on the courts far right, Garre said. The chief justice, by contrast, has seemed more willing to find ways to broaden coalitions. . . . The chief seems content to occupy more of the middle ground on the court, increasing his influence in closer cases. But all of that leads to something that did not happen on the final day any indication from Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the Supreme Courts justice-in-the-middle, that he is ready to retire. That means the future remains in the future. For all the talk of change with the arrival of Justice Gorsuch, the direction of the court remains very much tied to Justice Kennedy, Garre said. President Trump meets with Republican senators about health care. Seated with him at the White House are, from left, Sens. Dean Heller (Nev.), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Orrin Hatch (Utah). (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Scrambling to line up support for the Republican health-care bill, President Trump got on the phone Monday with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and urged him to back the measure. The presidents personal plea was not enough. On Tuesday, Lee said he would vote against the bill. Senate GOP leaders later postponed the planned health-care vote because too many other Republican senators also opposed for now, at least legislation that would deliver on Trumps campaign promise to scale back the law known as Obamacare. Trump had hoped for a swift and easy win on health care this week. Instead he got a delay and a return to the negotiating table the latest reminder of the limits of his power to shape outcomes at the opposite end of Pennsylvania Avenue. History suggests that presidents who have governed successfully have been both revered and feared. But Republican fixtures in Washington are beginning to conclude that Trump may be neither, despite his mix of bravado, threats and efforts to schmooze with GOP lawmakers. The president is the leader of his party, yet Trump has struggled to get Republican lawmakers moving in lockstep on health care and other major issues, leaving no signature legislation in his first five months in office. The confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch is his most-cited achievement to date. (Whitney Shefte,Rhonda Colvin,Malcolm Cook,Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) This president is the first president in our history who has neither political nor military experience, and thus it has been a challenge to him to learn how to interact with Congress and learn how to push his agenda better, said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who opposes the current health-care bill. The Senate could pass a revised version of the bill once lawmakers return from their July 4 recess and pick up deliberations. Still, some Republicans are willing to defy their presidents wishes a dynamic that can be attributed in part to Trumps singular status as a disrupter within his party. The president remains an entity in and of itself, not a part of the traditional Republican Party, said Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), a moderate who represents a district Trump lost by 16 percentage points. I handle the Trump administration the same way I handled the Obama administration. When I agree, I work with them. When I oppose, I dont. [Repeal and replace was once a unifier for the GOP. Now its an albatross.] In private conversations on Capitol Hill, Trump is often not taken seriously. Some Republican lawmakers consider some of his promises such as making Mexico pay for a new border wall fantastical. They are exhausted and at times exasperated by his hopscotching from one subject to the next, chronicled in his pithy and provocative tweets. They are quick to point out how little command he demonstrates of policy. And they have come to regard some of his threats as empty, concluding that crossing the president poses little danger. The House health-care vote shows he does have juice, particularly with people on the right, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said. The Senate health-care vote shows that people feel that health care is a defining issue and that itd be pretty hard for any politician to push a senator into taking a vote thats going to have consequences for the rest of their life. Asked if he personally fears Trump, Graham chuckled before saying, No. Sens. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) talk before President Trump arrives for a meeting with GOP senators about health care. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who has distanced himself from Trump on various issues, said few members of Congress fear permanent retaliation from the president. He comes from the private sector, where your business partner today isnt always your business partner tomorrow, Issa said. Just because youre one way today doesnt mean youre written off. Thats the Art of the Deal side. One senior Republican close to both the White House and many senators called Trump and his political operation a paper tiger, noting how many GOP lawmakers feel free to go their own way. Members are political entrepreneurs, and they react to what they see in the political marketplace, said the Republican, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid alienating the White House. John Weaver, a GOP consultant and frequent Trump critic, was blunter in explaining why Trump has been unable to rule with a hammer. When you have a 35 percent approval rating and youre under FBI investigation, you dont have a hammer, he said, referring to the probe of possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trumps approval rating in Gallups daily tracking poll stood Tuesday at 39 percent, with 57 percent of Americans disapproving of his performance. But a significant portion of those supporters, particularly in red states and districts, still strongly back Trump. White House officials contest the suggestion that Trump does not instill fear among fellow Republicans in Congress, though argue that their strategy is not one of fear. Our legislative strategy isnt to scare people into passing bills, principal deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in an email. That doesnt work for any president. We helped negotiate and facilitate the major breakthroughs on health care in the House and are doing the same in the Senate. The presidents political shop, meanwhile, is laboring to force more Republicans to bend to his wishes. [Senate leaders postpone vote to overhaul Obamacare as bill faces GOP rebellion] America First Policies, a Trump-allied super PAC staffed by former aides, launched a negative advertising effort against Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) after he spoke out against the bill Friday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) complained about the ads to White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, and the super PAC said Tuesday that it would pull the spots after Heller said he was open to further negotiations, according to two people familiar with the decision. America First Policies has been mulling similar ads against other Republicans who have broken ranks, hoping to make lawmakers believe they will pay a price for betraying Trump and imperiling his agenda. The super PAC also is considering grass-roots campaigns across the country to mobilize Trump supporters in key states during the July 4 recess, as a way to ratchet up pressure on wavering lawmakers. Trump allies have encouraged major GOP donors to reach out to senators who oppose the bill. Las Vegas casino moguls Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn have both spoken by phone with Heller to prod him along, according to people familiar with the discussions. Trump has been hungry for a legislative policy victory on Capitol Hill, and he and his advisers see health care as the best chance for one this summer. The president is playing a less public role advocating for the legislation than he did leading up to this springs vote on a House bill, when he used his relationship with conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus to eventually bring them to the table. In the Senate talks, Trump has been working largely behind the scenes to lobby senators, with personal phone calls and other entreaties. Unlike the House, where rank-and-file Republicans may be likely to follow Trumps lead, the Senate naturally is a more independent institution. Many senators fashion their own political brands and have outsize egos, and some Republicans ran away from Trump in their reelection races last year. Chris Whipple, author of The Gatekeepers, a new history of White House chiefs of staff, said the tumult inside Trumps White House and the presidents lack of a coherent message or vision for his policy agenda inhibits his ability to enforce party discipline in Congress. Nothing instills fear on Capitol Hill like success, and all this White House has been able to do is one failure after another, Whipple said. There are just zero points on the board so far. Whos going to be afraid of that? [Both hungry for a win, Trump and McConnell are being tested by the health-care bill] In the early years of Barack Obamas presidency, Democrats on Capitol Hill largely stayed in line in part because they saw Obama as a powerful political force and believed there were risks in breaking with him. During negotiations over the Affordable Care Act, Rahm Emanuel, then the White House chief of staff, served as the enforcer, reminding Blue Dog Democrats that they owed him their loyalty because he helped recruit and elect them as head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Early in President George W. Bushs tenure, fellow Republicans in Congress saw his White House as a finely tuned machine that could not be crossed. You never wanted to get on the wrong side of the Bush White House because the staff was disciplined, dedicated and extremely loyal to the president, said Ryan Williams, a Republican operative. If you crossed or undermined the president or his administration, the Bush die-hards would remember it forever. Trumps lieutenants, by contrast, have struggled to force Republicans into line. In March, when House Republicans were slow to rally behind the health-care bill, White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon told Freedom Caucus members that they must stop waffling and vote for the legislation. Bannon was immediately rebuffed by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), who has been in the House for more than three decades. Barton icily told Bannon that the only person who ordered him around was my daddy and that his father was unsuccessful in doing so, according to several Republicans with knowledge of the meeting. In an interview Tuesday, Barton smiled wryly when asked about the incident. I will admit on the record that I took exception to a comment that he made, Barton said. There is a separation of powers, and the president has a role and the Congress has a role. Thats all Ill say. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), left, and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.) speak with reporters at the White House Tuesday after meeting with President Trump following the postponement of a vote on an overhaul of the nations health-care laws. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) For the past decade, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has forged a reputation as a closer on big deals. There was the Wall Street bailout just before the 2008 elections. There was the pact over the summer of 2011 to slash spending and avoid a federal default. And there was the 2012 New Years Eve fiscal cliff compromise to avoid huge tax increases. But this week, McConnell (R-Ky.) fell short in crafting a Republican plan to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act and redraw vast amounts of Medicaid policy. Rather than suffer a humiliating defeat, McConnell told his GOP colleagues Tuesday that he would delay a vote until at least mid-July. This would allow them time to go home over the week of July 4, study the legislation and try to craft a new compromise. For weeks, McConnell has privately argued that the more they wait, the less likely they are to repeal the 2010 health-care law that President Barack Obama and Democrats approved on party-line votes. Even President Trump, after he summoned GOP senators to the White House on Tuesday, openly questioned whether Republicans will ever live up to one of the central tenets of their partys orthodoxy by repealing what they deride as Obamacare. If they cant, it will be a humbling defeat for a Senate leader who thrives on his ability to play the behind-the-scenes game. It illustrates how, 10 years after taking over as Republican leader, McConnell still struggles to corral his caucus and how this has left something missing in his legacy: a sweeping rewrite of big policy along the lines of revamping the health-care system. (Whitney Shefte,Rhonda Colvin,Malcolm Cook,Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) McConnells close allies say that issues as high-impact as health care expose senators to fearful reactions from constituents much more difficult to negotiate than, say, the difference between Republican and Democratic positions on tax rates. Yes, its harder to do this because theres a lot of emotional traits in this, said Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who was first elected in 1986, just after McConnell in 1984. Shelby has spent nearly three decades next to McConnell on the Appropriations Committee, where they have doled out trillions of dollars over the years and where the battles were often settled by expanding the size of the pot to make sure each side came away satisfied. He is a good inside fighter, and hes a good strategist, Shelby said, expressing doubt that enough Republicans will come around on the health-care legislation after a few more weeks of consideration. I hope he gets his votes. [The insider and the outsider: McConnell and Trump try for a deal on health care] Certainly, McConnells recent history is filled with important accomplishments. But time and again they involved crunching numbers and splitting the differences with Democrats on the other side of the table or more likely, the other end of the phone, his preferred negotiating method. More often than not, McConnell parachuted in at the last minute after others had failed, with John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), the House speaker, playing the role of unencumbered optimist who would often crash and burn. McConnell would then swoop in and find a Democratic ally usually Joe Biden, when he was vice president, or Harry M. Reid, when he was majority leader to avert a fiscal disaster. In 2008, after the first House vote on the Wall Street funds failed, McConnell and Reid (D-Nev.) worked in secret and, after everyone else went home, introduced a new bank bailout that also included billions of dollars in popular, must-pass tax breaks. Within days, the new legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Earlier this year, McConnell worked with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) on a funding bill for this year, angering some conservatives but avoiding a political calamity on the Republican watch. McConnell acknowledges that trying to revamp the health system is a more difficult task. Look, legislation of this complexity almost always takes longer than anybody else would hope. But we are going to press on, he told reporters Tuesday, after a heated Republican policy lunch when he announced the legislation would be delayed until next month. Health care is bigger than just a few billion dollars here or there, and McConnell is struggling to find that sweet spot. His challenges recall an old quote from Sam Rayburn, the House speaker of the 1940s and 1950s: Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one. Building a new barn for the health-care industry pits parts of the Senate Republican conference squarely against one another on ideological grounds that are almost impossible for a wheeler-dealer to resolve. On one side are moderates and mainstream conservatives who come from states where governors and legislatures accepted the ACAs federal funding to expand Medicaid to provide insurance for the working poor. [Mitch McConnell likes what President Trump is doing but not what hes tweeting] Those Republicans are wary of quickly eliminating that funding and leaving millions of their constituents without coverage. Yet a larger bloc of Republicans says the moderate request for more than six years to phase out the new benefit is little more than a disguised bid to make a permanent expansion of an entitlement program that their party has long tried to rein in as federal deficits swell. The most ardent conservatives, including former presidential aspirants Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), have regularly caused headaches for McConnell. Two years ago, in another misstep, McConnell underestimated Paul in a fight over terrorism surveillance laws and was forced to accept a Democratic compromise after a few days when the intelligence program went dark. Those conservatives have caused other problems in the past, particularly Cruz, whose refusal to yield on a government funding bill over his effort to repeal the ACA in 2013 led to a federal government shutdown in October of that year. Now in the majority, McConnell is trying to use budget rules to pass this repeal on a simple majority vote with just Republican votes, unlike his past deals. However, after the meeting with Trump, in a subtle nod to his past, McConnell warned that if Republicans refused to compromise among themselves, he would go back to his old ways and find a Democratic partner to pass something that was much less favorable to conservatives. It will be dealt with in one of two ways, McConnell said outside the White House Tuesday. Either Republicans will agree and change the status quo or the markets will continue to collapse and well have to sit down with Senator Schumer. Read more from Paul Kanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is aiming to send a revised version of his health-care bill to the Congressional Budget Office as soon as Friday as he continues to push for a vote before Congresss August recess. The effort reflects the tight timeline McConnell faces in his attempt to hold a vote in July and the pressure he is under to change the bill to garner enough support to pass it. With both conservatives and centrists pushing different policy solutions, Senate leaders were struggling to craft a rewrite of the Affordable Care Act on Wednesday that would attract votes without torpedoing the CBOs official score of how the legislation affects coverage levels and federal spending. In between closed-door lunches and meetings with McConnell and his team on Wednesday, a number of Republicans flashed visible signs of frustration even as they expressed cautious optimism that a vote was possible. Conservatives asked for the lifting of coverage mandates to lower premiums and requested higher limits on tax exemptions for health-savings accounts. Moderates asked for more generous tax credits for the working classes and a gentler phaseout of the expansion of Medicaid that their states have enjoyed under the Affordable Care Act. Some members questioned McConnells handling of the issue an unusual public rebuke of a leader who managed to preserve his partys control of the upper chamber despite a stiff challenge from Democrats in last years elections. This has been way more difficult than it needs to be, said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who was among five senators whose opposition to the bill prompted McConnell to postpone a vote this week. (Whitney Shefte,Rhonda Colvin,Malcolm Cook,Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) With Vice President Pence prepared to cast the tiebreaking vote, and all Democrats opposed to repealing the 2010 law known as Obamacare, Republicans need the support of all but two of their 52 senators. The draft bill that stalled this week would cut $772 billion from the nations Medicaid program over the next decade, by phasing out the programs expansion under the ACA and reining in spending on the overall program, especially starting in 2025. It would also repeal or delay $541 billion in taxes, primarily on wealthy Americans and insurers. The move to cut Medicaid, which covers nearly 70 million Americans, helps offset the bills generous tax cuts. But it has generated significant opposition among more than a half-dozen centrists who fear the reductions will impede the nations effort to address the opioid crisis and could leave many vulnerable Americans without any health coverage at all. McConnell spent most of the afternoon in closed-door talks with GOP moderates who appear open to negotiation. The revolving door of meetings included Sens. Dean Heller (Nev.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.) along with Alaskas two senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.). It is important to me that lower-income citizens have the ability to actually purchase plans that insure them and give them health care, Corker said after his meeting with McConnell. My hope is and my belief is that it is going to be addressed. President Trump, meanwhile, questioned in a tweet Wednesday afternoon why some were complaining about the bills impact on the long-standing entitlement program. Democrats purposely misstated Medicaid under new Senate bill actually goes up, he tweeted. The tweet included a chart showing that, after a downturn in the early 2020s, federal expenditures on Medicaid would increase in absolute terms under the Senate bill. The chart excluded another trend line, part of the Congressional Budget Offices recent analysis of the bill, showing that the legislation would result in nearly $800 billion less spent on Medicaid over the coming decade than if the ACA stays in place. While the legislation is likely to undergo further revisions after this next update, McConnell is trying to move quickly to produce a new CBO score by the time lawmakers return to Washington in mid-July. That would give the Senate about two weeks to fulfill the majority leaders goal of voting before the August recess. McConnell and his aides plan to continue negotiations through the end of the week and will be in frequent communication with the CBO, according to McConnell spokesman David Popp. The majority leader needs to bring on board about nine senators who have said they wouldnt vote for the Better Care Reconciliation Act in its current form. Moving to the left could mollify the moderates from states that expanded Medicaid, while moving to the right would appease conservatives in the Senate but also in the House, where any Senate bill would also have to pass. One Capitol Hill aide described the situation as akin to the weeks leading up to the draft bills release, when McConnell presented chunks of the emerging legislation to the CBO to expedite the scoring process. In a sign of how McConnell has only intensified negotiations in the past 24 hours, he huddled Wednesday afternoon at length with Heller and Capito, two Republican senators who have complained loudly that the proposal cuts Medicaid too deeply. Heller left a weekly strategy lunch Wednesday and walked directly into McConnells private office in the Capitol. The two met for nearly 45 minutes. Heller darted out a back entrance and down a private hallway, evading reporters. The activity followed a dramatic day on the Hill on Tuesday, when Republican leaders bowed to pressure from within their ranks and postponed a vote until after the Fourth of July recess. The move bought Republican leaders more time to work out disagreements but also gave rise to new doubts about their ability to bring the matter to a final vote. Trump is trying to help, mainly by wooing skeptical conservatives, which he has struggled to do. He convened a meeting of all GOP senators at the White House on Tuesday after McConnell announced that the vote would be delayed. But the White House appears less involved in crafting specific policy tweaks. From the outset of the effort, McConnell and a small clutch of aides have controlled that process. GOP leaders are exploring whether they can use some of the nearly $200 billion that the CBO has determined they can spend without violating Senate budget rules to address the priorities of the bills conservative and centrist critics. Among the specific changes discussed Wednesday were an increase in the savings limits for health-savings accounts, more generous tax credits for lower- and middle-class earners, and a gradual step-down for people near the higher income threshold for Medicaid, according to senators and aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations. Senators also proposed a more generous growth rate for Medicaid reimbursements after federal spending in the program was changed from an open-ended entitlement to a per-person cap. Under the current draft, starting in 2025 the federal government would apply the consumer price index for urban consumers, a lower inflation rate, to Medicaid payments. Some moderates have also suggested keeping some of the taxes enacted with Obamacare in place as a way to avoid the necessity of deep cuts to Medicaid and other coverage. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), a conservative who helped shut down the government in 2013 in an effort to repeal Obamacare, continued to call for fewer restrictions on the types of plans that can be offered. Cruz wants to allow insurers to offer bare-bones plans that do not meet minimum requirements, such as providing protections against charging higher rates for preexisting conditions, as long as they also offer at least one fully loaded option. What that does is it maintains the existing protections but it gives consumers additional new options above and beyond what they can purchase today, Cruz told reporters. That would have the effect of significantly lowering premiums and allowing more people to afford to buy insurance plans. Centrists such as Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) worry that Cruzs plan would cause a domino effect that would destabilize risk pools across the insurance market and create unfairly high pricing, particularly for women who need maternity care. Yes, you want cheaper plans, absolutely, Cassidy said. Unless you have a common risk pool, you end up with policies that dont cover maternity. As best I tell, women dont get pregnant without sperm. Cassidy called it an existential question when asked whether the legislation was back on track. I cant speak for the leader, he said. Its the leaders staff thats drafting this. Paige Winfield Cunningham, Paul Kane, David Weigel, Elise Viebeck, Robert Costa, and Amy Goldstein contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost RACINE COUNTY State Sen. Van Wanggaard was upbeat about getting Interstate 94 construction going in Racine County after meeting Wednesday with Gov. Scott Walker. Wanggaard, R-Racine, said he feels more comfortable that were going to get it done. Wanggaard and other local officials have been critical of Walkers decision to leave the I-94 north-south project, which extends from Milwaukee to the Illinois state line, out of his proposed 2017-19 budget. There will be some compromise so we have some sense of certainty as to when theyre going to start this and when its going to be done, Wanggaard said. And not 10 years from now, because thats not acceptable. The proposed delays in I-94 construction would push back several interchange projects, an intersection reconstruction, I-94 repaving and other improvements planned in Racine County. One factor likely strengthening local officials cause: potentially major economic development projects. Local governing bodies have met in closed session multiple times in recent weeks about development opportunities, though officials are mum about what those opportunities entail. Wanggaard said the I-94 corridor in Racine County could see between $8 billion and $12 billion in new development. Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn is among those reportedly looking at sites in Racine County for a manufacturing plant. New infrastructure on I-94 would make it easier for companies to locate in the area, Wanggaard said. Weve got several huge businesses that are looking at Racine County Caledonia and Mount Pleasant, Wanggaard said. We are in the running for Foxconn ... but theres several others that are also looking at places in Racine County that would be big economic developments with a lot of job potential. Quite honestly, weve got to have the infrastructure to support not only the people that are going to be needed to do those manufacturing operations and are going to come to those corporate headquarters, but we also need to have the ability to get our stuff that we manufacture out of here, too. Walker understands the importance of getting the construction done, said Wanggaard, who stopped short of saying he got a firm commitment from the governor about when the project would be funded. A spokesman for the governor did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Difficult negotiations Transportation funding has been the biggest point of contention as Republicans, who control all branches of state government, work through an impasse over the state budget. In addition to the I-94 north-south project, lawmakers are trying to figure out a way to pay for the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee and an expansion of Interstate 39/90 between Madison and Illinois. Walker has touted his proposal for including more funding for local governments to fix roads funding for local transportation aids would increase 9.5 percent to about $459 million and $1.7 billion for state highway rehabilitation, which he said is the largest amount ever. Senate Intelligence Committee Richard Burr (R-N.C.), seen here in a file photo, said his goal is to complete his panels Russia investigation by the end of the year. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) Senate Intelligence Committee leaders have received assurances they will soon be able to review the memos former FBI Director James B. Comey kept of his conversations with President Trump, according to the panels top Democrat. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) told reporters Wednesday that he and panel chairman Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) have a commitment from a person they would not name to turn over Comeys memos as part of the committees investigation into Russias alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Warner said the memos are critical information we have to have as part of our review process, though he acknowledged that senators have already been briefed on most if not all of the memos details by Comey himself. The commitment comes as Burr stated Wednesday that his goal is to wrap up the panels investigation by the end of the year a target that though aspirational right now, it can be done, he said. Warner would not speculate about the timeline, but noted the panel is moving into a new phrase of their probe. Its going to be more, some of the names of people who are affiliated with the Trump campaign who have been basically mentioned in the process have possible ties to Russia, he said. The committee is expected to interview Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, but has not yet set a date. Kushner recently retained new counsel. Warner said that the committee is expecting Mr. Kushner, who volunteered, that that commitment will be kept. But the committee has not set a date for interviewing other campaign advisers, such as Carter Page and Roger Stone, and Burr said Wednesday that he hadnt decided whether the committee would interview them at all. They havent necessarily been high on our list because we havent identified high value to em, Burr said. Were still having a very difficult time understanding whether [Stone] has anything to contribute to our investigation, Burr said, stressing the importance of trying to separate what people say from what we find people do or did. Stone became a source of interest after he tweeted last year that Hillary Clintons campaign chief John Podesta would soon have his time in the barrel shortly before his private emails were published by WikiLeaks. The House Intelligence Committee spoke to Podesta behind closed doors Tuesday, and according to a report in Politico, is expected to interview Stone next month. Stones lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment. Burr has previously refrained from setting any sort of timeline for his panels probe, a process that involves digging through reams of documents, interviewing dozens of witnesses and producing a report. Finishing the investigation by the end of 2017 would be far sooner than many outside observers predicted. The Senate Intelligence Committees investigation is largely seen as the leading Russia probe in Congress, due to the panels broad authority to conduct oversight across the government and the ability of its leaders, Burr and Warner, to avoid the sort of politically-fueled squabbling that has consumed several other committees trying to investigate the matter. Burr said at a hearing Wednesday that his committees final assessment of why and how Russia allegedly meddled in the 2016 election likely would not differ much from the initial assessment of the intelligence community, which found in January that Moscow interfered through a series of hacks and a coordinated disinformation campaign to aid Donald Trumps chances of becoming president. He chided the administration for not showing more initiative in responding, through sanctions or some other means, to the threat Russian cyber aggression poses to many Western nations, saying that what the worlds crying for right now is for leadership. Burr stressed that the committees responsibility was chiefly to make sure that every American and every person globally that cares about the integrity of elections reviews what we find to ensure that elections are fair and that theres no interference in the future. But lawmakers are having difficulty getting administration officials to publicize information that may be relevant to increasing such awareness. Warner said Wednesday that he and Burr have asked the Department of Homeland Security to publicly release a list of the 21 states it has identified as having been the targets of Russian hacking attempts aimed at election infrastructure. Also on Wednesday, Republican Senate Judiciary Committee leaders announced they had sent a letter to deputy attorney general Rod J. Rosenstein and acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, requesting copies of all available applications for foreign surveillance warrants that were submitted in relation to the investigations into Russian election meddling and potential collusion between the presidents campaign and Kremlin officials. The committee needs all of these documents to evaluate fully the FBIs and the Justice Departments actions in this situation, committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and crime and terrorism subcommittee chairman Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) wrote in their letter. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently announced it had also sent a letter to former Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch seeking information about assurances she allegedly gave the Clinton campaign that little would come of an investigation into Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state. The Washington Post has reported that the source of this allegation is a Russian intelligence document that describes an email between political operatives that the FBI consider dubious. Read more at PowerPost President Trump meets with families that were victimized by immigrants at the White House on Wednesday, the day before the House takes up two bills that would toughen immigration enforcement. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) President Trump on Wednesday highlighted what he called the dangers posed by illegal immigrants ahead of important House votes on two bills aimed at cracking down on those who commit crimes and cities that refuse to help deport them. Appearing with families that were victimized by immigrants, Trump called on lawmakers to honor grieving American families by sending the lifesaving measures to his desk quickly. The House action marks the first major legislative test of tougher immigration laws under Trump, who has tried to impose sweeping executive orders to limit immigration and ramp up enforcement. You lost the people that you love because our government refused to enforce our nations immigration laws, Trump told the families in the Cabinet Room. For years, the pundits, journalists, politicians in Washington refused to hear your voices, but on Election Day 2016 your voices were heard all across the entire world. No one died in vain, I can tell you that. The presidents focus on immigration, a day after Republican leaders in the Senate postponed efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, illustrated the White Houses eagerness to get back onto comfortable footing. Trump has consistently employed strong rhetoric to paint immigrants both those in the country illegally and some who arrive through legal channels as potentially dangerous. The presidents involvement has brought the pace of this up, and were doing it this week because he wants it to happen, said Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a fierce advocate for strict immigration laws who co-sponsored the bills set to be passed Thursday. The members are ready for it, too. (The Washington Post) The House votes coming six months into Trumps presidency are also highlighting the limits of congressional action and the frustrations of conservatives who expected much more to have been done already. Trumps executive actions have had limited success. His entry ban on refugees and immigrants from several Muslim-majority countries was held up in federal court until the Supreme Court ruled this week that some of the provisions could be enacted while the Justices prepare for a hearing on the ban in the fall. Arrests of undocumented immigrants have spiked under Trump compared with the final couple of years under his predecessor, former president Barack Obama, who had sought to shield more immigrants from deportations. Illegal border crossings have fallen significantly since Trump took office, which immigrant rights advocates have said could be an effect of Trumps harsh rhetoric about illegal immigrants. But on the legislative front, there has been little activity. Trump had suggested in February that he would be open to a comprehensive immigration bill that eluded presidents George W. Bush and Obama, but gaining buy-in from Democrats, and even some moderate Republicans, is seen as unlikely unless Trump is willing to compromise by allowing many unauthorized immigrants to gain legal status. The House bills, by contrast, aim to enact tougher enforcement policies. One bill, known as Kates Law, is named after Kate Steinle, the 32-year-old woman who was shot and killed in 2015 by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times. The bill enhances penalties for convicted and deported criminals who reenter the United States illegally. The other bill, called the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, would bar some federal grants from so-called sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement authorities and allow victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants to sue those cities. This is about protecting law-abiding citizens and getting criminals off of our streets, plain and simple, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said Tuesday. But several House conservatives already frustrated that Trump has not acted more quickly to undo Obamas executive immigration actions lamented that it took so long into Trumps presidency to get any immigration bills onto the House floor. And they quietly questioned why a more far-reaching immigration bill passed by the House Judiciary Committee in March was not being voted on. Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.), who beat the sitting House majority leader in a 2014 GOP primary after campaigning on immigration, said leaders were more interested in a couple of the name-brand messaging pieces than pushing for a more-thorough bill. I won on those issues. Trump won on those issues, Brat said. Hello only in D.C. can you not hear outside of the bubble. Democrats, meanwhile, cast the bills as a mean-spirited attempt to rally Republicans around legislation that would mainly harm undocumented but otherwise law-abiding immigrants at a time when other major parts of the GOP agenda are foundering. Theyre going to have a hard time figuring out the budget. Theyre going to have a hard time figuring out their tax cuts. Theyre going to have a hard time figuring out health care. The one thing they dont have a hard time figuring out is being mean and nasty to immigrants, said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.). The House bills have little chance of success in the Senate, where Republicans have only 52 seats and need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. A version of Kates Law introduced last year by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) failed on a 55-to-42 vote. Still, the White House made the legislation a centerpiece of its message Wednesday. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), a hard-liner who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, joined Trump in the immigration meeting. At the daily White House press briefing, Thomas D. Homan, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and John W. Huber, the lead federal law enforcement official in Utah, took the podium to update reporters on the administrations efforts to arrest and deport immigrants. Kates Law, Huber said, would send a message that apprehending and punishing immigrants who repeatedly return to the country after being deported is a priority. It also sends a message to the judicial branch, to the judges, that the more that these people commit crimes in their communities, the more often they come back, the more serious the penalties will be, Huber said. Homan added that the other bill, focusing on sanctuary cities, would ban any municipal restrictions on cooperating with federal immigration agents or any restrictions on allowing law enforcement officers to inquire about a persons immigration status. If you enter this country illegally and violate the laws of this nation, you should not be comfortable, Homan said. Some Democrat-controlled state legislatures and city governments, including in California, have vigorously opposed Trumps efforts to impose penalties on sanctuary cities. Some have passed statutes forbidding the jurisdictions from using public funds to support some federal immigration enforcement efforts. Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have denounced such efforts. But a federal judge in April temporarily blocked the administrations effort to withhold federal grants from such cities, ruling that only Congress had such authority over spending matters. An official with the American Civil Liberties Union said the House bills are riddled with constitutional violations that completely disregard the civil and human rights of immigrants. Jenna Johnson contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost Hadiza Modu, 40, sits with her newborn at a shelter for the displaced in Banki, Nigeria. Modu fled to Cameroon after a Boko Haram attack and returned to Banki this year. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) The soldiers arrived in the middle of the night, tearing through the village of Nigerian refugees, barging into stick huts where families slept in knots on the floor. For years, those refugees had been on the run from Boko Haram insurgents, finally escaping across a dried riverbed that served as the border with Cameroon. They had settled in the village of Majina, where they farmed beans and millet. A peaceful place, the men said. And then, in March, the Cameroonian soldiers arrived. The troops rounded up the refugees haphazardly and pushed them into military trucks, often separating parents from their children, according to witnesses. The refugees soon realized where they were headed: back to one of the most dangerous corners of Nigeria. Today, they are living in a displacement camp in Banki, a city racked by one of the world's biggest hunger crises. The United Nations would eventually put a label on what happened that night and many others to follow forced return. Over the past few months, at least 5,000 Nigerian refugees were rounded up in Cameroonian villages and refugee camps and expelled to a region under frequent attack by insurgents, according to U.N. officials. Some aid officials think the actual number of those forcibly returned is over 10,000, including people evicted in sporadic operations since 2013. The Cameroonian government has denied driving out the Nigerians. As the number of refugees around the world soars topping 20 million they are facing growing hostility from host countries and shrinking protection from the international legal framework put in place decades ago to defend such vulnerable people. A forced return like the one reported in Cameroon emblematizes the most extreme and unforgiving reaction to those searching for a haven. Girls stand in a doorway in Banki in April. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) Many countries are taking less-drastic steps that have still alarmed refugee advocates. Over the past three years, Pakistan has pressured hundreds of thousands of long-term war refugees from Afghanistan to return home, despite the dire poverty and violent insurgency in their homeland. In Kenya, a court blocked the government from sending more than 200,000 inhabitants of the Dadaab refugee camp, mostly Somalis, back to a nation beset by war and a hunger crisis. But human rights groups say many of the residents are being pressured to leave anyway. International human rights groups last year accused Turkey of expelling thousands of Syrian refugees, a charge the government denied. [There is nothing here but dust: What Afghan deportees face on return] Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, ratified by 145 countries including Cameroon victims of war or persecution should not be returned to nations where they will face serious threats. But that edict is being ignored, according to human rights groups. Poorer countries hosting huge numbers of refugees for many years, such as Kenya, Pakistan and Turkey, have recently pushed back hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers, said Gerry Simpson, a migration expert at Human Rights Watch. They seem to be taking their lead from richer countries, such as Australia, the E.U. and the U.S., who are pulling out all the stops to limit refugee arrivals. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has sought to reach agreements with countries that are sending refugees home, to ensure that only voluntary repatriations occur. But the agencys assistance came too late for thousands of Nigerians in Cameroon. A camp for internally displaced people in Ngala, Nigeria. More than 140,000 people occupy the camp, most of them arriving since the town was freed from rebel control in September 2016. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) Aid groups are still unsure what prompted what they call a mass eviction. Some U.N. officials say the refugees were probably forced out in advance of a large military operation. Other aid groups say that Cameroon, one of the worlds poorest nations, has simply grown tired of hosting Nigerians. Cameroon has been inundated by refugees in recent years, with more than 300,000 people fleeing wars in the Central African Republic and Nigeria. Cameroons government has rejected the UNHCR statements on the forced returns. Im telling you there were no forced expulsions, Richard Etoundi, head of the protocol unit in the Ministry of External Relations, said in a phone interview. In addition to the thousands who were reported forced from Cameroon, many more were persuaded to go back to northeastern Nigeria after being lied to about the conditions there, according to refugees and aid officials. Arriving home, the refugees are finding a lack of housing, severe overcrowding and a scarcity of food and water. This month, the head of UNHCR, Filippo Grandi, said he was extremely worried about the flood of Nigerian refugees returning from Cameroon to a situation dangerously unprepared to receive them. The Cameroonian military acted so hastily in removing the refugees that it inadvertently swept up a group of Cameroonian women and children in a raid in the village of Keraoua. They now sleep on the floor of an unfinished building in a bombed-out side street in Banki. A young woman walks through the rubble of destroyed homes in Banki. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) It was a decent life Abba Goni, 76, fled Banki nearly three years ago on a green bicycle with China stamped on the frame, riding on the packed sand from village to village, an old man much faster on two wheels than on his two gnarled feet. Goni was born and raised in Banki, once a city of 150,000 surrounded by fertile farmland, just over a mile from the Cameroonian border. In September 2014, the Islamist extremists known as Boko Haram surged into town on trucks and motorcycles, shooting wildly and burning buildings. Gonis first escape on the green bicycle was in the dead of night. His two wives and nine children followed. For a few weeks, they lived outdoors, subsisting on whatever fruits they could find. When Boko Haram caught up with them, Goni got back on his bicycle, heading toward Cameroon. Since Goni was a boy, members of his Kanuri ethnic group had moved back and forth between Cameroon and Nigeria without any documents. Boko Haram, too, had crossed the border with impunity. But the groups stronghold remained in Nigeria, and Goni knew that if he headed deep enough into Cameroon, he would most likely be safe. In 2015, he and his family arrived in Majina, where some local men allowed him to cultivate a small patch of farmland. It was a decent life, he said. Parts of Nigeria were meanwhile inching closer to famine. When the aid group Doctors Without Borders finally got access to Banki last summer, after the military drove out Boko Haram, aid workers found a hunger crisis, with more than 10 percent of children suffering from severe malnutrition and people dying of preventable diseases. For Goni and his family, their hamlet in Cameroon wasnt just an escape from Boko Haram, but also a refuge from starvation. [They survived Boko Haram. Now, millions in Nigeria face starvation.] The government of Cameroon, though, was struggling to provide for so many refugees. Residents of northern Cameroon blamed food shortages on refugees. In some cases, the two populations clashed. Experts see that frustration reflected in other countries where refugees have been pressured to leave. I think host governments are getting sort of fed up that a very large proportion of the burden is falling on them, without enough international assistance, said Kathleen Newland, co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington-based research organization. In Majina, Goni never experienced that antagonism. On that March day, when he heard the sounds of trucks and men shouting, Goni first assumed Boko Haram had arrived. Then he looked outside and saw the men in uniform. Who is Nigerian? the soldiers shouted, Goni recalled. Goni asked if he could at least collect his clothes, blankets, food and his bicycle. The soldiers refused. Everything happened quickly. When he looked around, in the back of the speeding military truck, he found only one of his wives and two of his children. The rest had been left behind. Abba Goni, 76, in the room where he sleeps in Banki. Goni fled Nigeria for Cameroon four years ago when Boko Haram attacked his village. This year, Cameroons military swept up Nigerians including Goni and trucked them to the border. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) Get the Nigerians out The following morning, Goni got his first look at what was left of Banki. Entire blocks had been flattened, most likely by military airstrikes. Displaced people were living in abandoned houses. Although aid groups had begun to distribute food and open rudimentary clinics, the Nigerian military still controlled access, posting checkpoints and barring residents from leaving town. That meant no farming in nearby fields, no collecting of firewood and no possibility of leaving Banki again. After being interrogated by Nigerian soldiers, Goni was directed to an abandoned building. UNHCR gave him a mat and a blanket. And he had a new home: one room with 18 people sleeping on the floor. A month into his time in Banki, he and many of the other deportees were eating only one meal a day. A few blocks away, in another gray, unfinished building, 32 Cameroonian women and children waved their documents Cameroonian birth certificates and voter registration cards when they spotted a visiting journalist. We kept telling the soldiers, We are from Cameroon, but they brought us here anyway, said Fati Kadi, 40. Her two children had been left behind during the raid, she said. Faruk Ibrahim, a program manager with UNHCR, said the agency had expected that the Cameroonians would be taken home. But its been over two months now. Stories of other forced returns emerged throughout March and April. More than 2 million people had already been displaced internally in Nigerias war with Boko Haram. With the flow of repatriated refugees from Cameroon, that number was rising. Two hundred miles from Banki, in the city of Ngala, the border superintendent watched one day in April as the Cameroonians deposited hundreds of Nigerians on a bridge that connects the two nations. They just wanted to get the Nigerians out, Mohammed Gadam, the border chief, said in an interview. Many others in Ngala had chosen to return after they were convinced by Cameroonian and visiting Nigerian soldiers that life was much better in Nigeria, with free-flowing aid and much-improved security. When Falta Ali, 23, arrived back in Ngala in March, two years after she fled, she saw that the city was in ruins. Aid groups set up tents, but not enough. The international community was running out of money for food aid. Displaced people gather at the only two sources of potable water in the camp in Ngala. More than 140,000 people are sheltering in the camp. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) Alis 6-month-old, Yagana Buhama, quickly developed whooping cough. Its a product of the environment here, said a doctor, Beauty Nwuba, standing over Buhamas bed in a tented clinic. Theres so much overcrowding. In March, UNHCR reached an agreement with the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments, mandating that refugees return to Nigeria only voluntarily. The number of forced returns appears to have dropped off recently, according to UNHCR. There is now a framework for voluntary returns, said Cesar Tshilombo, head of UNHCRs sub-office in northeastern Nigeria. But other relief workers say people are still being pressured to go back to a dangerous, desperate place. They are threatened by Cameroonian authorities until they agree to return, said a relief worker in Banki who interviewed refugees last month. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly about the issue. Other countries also have been accused of compelling refugees to move home to precarious places. In a February report, Human Rights Watch said that in Pakistan, Afghan refugees have been subject to police harassment, arbitrary detention and deportation threats. More than 350,000 registered refugees had gone back to Afghanistan in the previous six months, making it the worlds largest mass forced return of refugees in recent years, the group wrote. It added that the United Nations was abetting the exodus by providing subsidies of $400 per refugee. The United Nations rejected the charge and said it offered support to refugees to decide their futures based on a well-informed consideration of best options. The Pakistani government denied the allegations of coercion. For now, the thousands of refugees, like Goni, who have been forced back to Nigeria have pragmatic questions. When will they be reunited with their families? How will they get their belongings in Cameroon? Will they ever be free to return? They keep us here like prisoners, he said. We werent ready to come back. A burned car outside Ngala, Nigeria, near the border with Cameroon. (Jane Hahn/For The Washington Post) Read more: Trumps plan to slash foreign aid comes as famine threat is surging They were freed from Boko Harams rape camps. But their nightmare isnt over. Covering the worlds biggest hunger crises, I saw people with nothing give everything Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A rogue helicopter that buzzed Venezuelas supreme court building and possibly dropped grenades became a strange centerpiece Wednesday in the countrys meltdown with some suspecting it was a ruse by President Nicolas Maduro to further clamp down on the opposition. Opposition groups initially hailed the chopper flight Tuesday as a sign that security forces were breaking ranks in the first step in a possible coup. But later, questions crept in. The pilot of the helicopter, which trailed a banner proclaiming Freedom, turned out to be an actor, Oscar Perez, who also served in special operations forces. Maduro opponents then began to interpret the incident as a possible government-staged charade to muster support for even tougher measures against protesters as Venezuelas political crisis grows more violent and desperate. At least one prominent journalist rejected that, describing the chopper flight as a genuine act of rebellion by a man who maybe has a touch of craziness. The helicopter was found intact Wednesday on a jungly hillside north of Caracas. But there was no sign of Perez, who remained at large. A man shouts slogans against Venezuela's government during a protest march Tuesday. (Fernando Llano/Associated Press) Even as Venezuelans tried to sort out what has been called the Chopper Coupster, the nation sank deeper into chaos. Opposition groups and demonstrators have been outraged by the Maduro governments attempts to dissolve the National Assembly and change the constitution. More than 70 people have died and at least 1,000 have been injured in near daily clashes over the past several months. Thousands have been arrested, and detainees have alleged physical and mental abuse by security forces. [The rise of a new kind of protest movement in Venezuela] Maduro, who has presided over an economic collapse marked by extreme shortages of food and medicine, has refused to back down. On Tuesday, he denounced the helicopter incident as a terrorist attack and sent tanks and other armored vehicles onto the streets of the capital to keep the peace. Pro-government gangs surrounded parliament and kept lawmakers inside for hours. In a speech, Maduro accused the CIA of supporting Perez. Perez visited Washington in 2012 under an exchange program for foreign security forces involved in combating transnational crime. The visit was part of the State Departments International Visitor Leadership Program. Amid the chaos, the government took other steps. The supreme court, a strong ally of Maduro, issued a decree stripping the attorney general of some powers and transferring them to the nations ombudsman, the top human rights official who supports Maduro. Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz, who has spoken out against abuse by security forces and the erosion of democracy, has emerged as the Maduro administrations strongest internal critic. In a news conference Wednesday, Ortega reacted to the supreme courts decree with defiance and emotion, calling it a move to annul the attorney generals office in violation of the constitution. We have terrorism from the state, she said, referring to Maduros vow Tuesday to retain power by force if votes fail. She cited repression of protests, military trials of civilians, warrantless raids and lack of due process. I swear to defend the constitution and democracy with my life, said Ortega, who has been called a traitor by pro-government politicians. I swear. As for Perez, it turned out that the police inspector and pilot with a special operations brigade has a background as an actor. In 2015, he acted in and helped produce a film, Death Suspended, a police thriller. Through the cinema, we will enter the consciousness of the viewers, showing that there are Venezuelan policemen who are true heroes, Perez said in an interview with a Venezuelan news site about the movie. Perez has Instagram photos of himself in derring-do poses, including one in which he holds a pistol in one hand and a makeup mirror in the other. Elyangelica Gonzalez, a journalist in Venezuela known for her military contacts, said it seems likely that Perez, in fact, rebelled. Gonzalez said military officers told her that Perez was previously suspected of leaking information. Its an isolated action of a man who sees many war movies and maybe has a touch of craziness, I dont know, she said. It all points to it not being a show. [Watch: Whats it like to be inside Venezuelas protests] Rocio San Miguel, a lawyer and security analyst, said the helicopter incident sparked no wider rebellion among the armed forces, although it raised the possibility of dissension in the ranks. There is a big institutional crisis, and the government has been called to arms, she said. One thing the helicopter incident confirmed: Maduro, with approval ratings of about 20 percent, has little remaining credibility with the public. The Chopper Coupster episode, in all its glorious surrealism, comes just as the regime needed to draw attention away from its latest power grabs: a decision hollowing out the Prosecutor Generals office of most of its powers, and a straight-up assault on parliament, wrote Francisco Toro, editor of the website Caracas Chronicles. Lots and lots of crazy things happening out there, folks. And guys like Oscar Perez will only sprinkle on more crazy. The president of the National Assembly, Julio Borges, said he had no information on the helicopter incident. Were analyzing. Some say it was a trap; others say it does show police discontent, he said in a radio interview. The incident began in the late afternoon Tuesday, when Caracas residents saw a blue helicopter from the police investigations unit, the CICPC, circling the capital, carrying a banner that read Libertad and the number 350, a reference to the article in the Venezuelan constitution that allows people to disown their government if it acts in an undemocratic way. Ernesto Villegas, the communications minister, said the helicopter was stolen from a military base in La Carlota, in eastern Caracas. Villegas said that it dropped four grenades over the supreme court building and that three exploded. That account could not be independently verified. In a video he released, Perez denounced the criminal government as four masked men with guns stood behind him. Describing his group as a nonpartisan alliance of military, police and civilian officials, the pilot, wearing a uniform and reading from notes, said their fight was not against the rest of the security forces. Its against the impunity imposed by this government, he said. Its against tyranny. Its against the deaths of young people who are fighting for their legitimate rights. Its against hunger. On Tuesday, Maduro told supporters at a rally that his government is willing to use weapons to preserve the socialist movement started by Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013. If Venezuela was plunged into chaos and violence and the Bolivarian Revolution destroyed, we would go to combat, Maduro told the crowd. We would never give up, and what couldnt be done with votes, we would do with weapons. We would liberate the fatherland with weapons. Maduro, who has long accused the United States of propping up his enemies, also called out President Trump, saying: You have the responsibility. Stop the madness of the violent Venezuelan right wing. After the helicopter incident, National Guard and other security personnel in Caracas took positions around government buildings, including Miraflores, the presidential palace. Maduro said he has put the armed forces on high alert to keep the peace. At the National Assembly, pro-government gangs known as colectivos which often ride around on motorcycles and are known for violence temporarily prevented a group of lawmakers from leaving. Manuel Trujillo, a journalist with Vivoplay who was inside the assembly during the incidents, said it started when National Guard members entered carrying boxes marked with the letters of the national electoral agency. As an argument erupted about why they were there, the pro-government gangs arrived at the building and threw rocks, bottles and sticks. Trujillo said he could hear several explosions. We were very scared, he said. Before 10 p.m., lawmakers and others were able to slip out of the assembly. Krygier reported from Caracas. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news On May 27, in the date-growing desert town of Turbat in Baluchistan province, the temperature reached 128.3 degrees the hottest ever reported in Pakistan. What followed was a month of intense heat and humidity nationwide coinciding with Ramadan, the Muslim period of fasting and prayer that ended Sunday. Every day, millions of sweltering Pakistanis struggled to forgo food and water from sunrise to sunset, then roused themselves before dawn to wash, pray, cook and eat. The Ramadan ordeal has brought into sharp relief the chronic water and power shortages plaguing this arid, Muslim-majority country of 180 million. In cities, families had to fill jugs and bottles from public taps at 3 a.m. In villages, long daily electrical outages stopped fans from whirring and tube wells from pumping water to irrigate parched fields. As the month dragged on, people lost patience. Violent protests broke out from the vast port city of Karachi to the hilly tribal region of Malakand. Electric-company offices were looted, police stations attacked, roads blocked. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered the electricity cuts shortened to several hours a day, but everyone knew that the move was only a temporary appeasement. Here I am, filling bottles while my kids wait in the car, because the water at home is not fit to drink, fumed Shahadat Ali, 40, a printer lugging containers from a water station in the capital last week. Families take turns filling containers at a public water station this month in Islamabad, Pakistan, where many neighborhoods faced water and power shortages during an exceptionally hot month of Ramadan. (Pamela Constable/The Washington Post) This should not be happening, Ali said as sweat poured down his face. Its all because of politics and mismanagement. Its a disgrace. In a village of wheat and peanut fields 40 miles west of the capital, Rafiq Mohammed rested on a string bed in 97-degree heat, cooling his water buffaloes under a shade tree. The farmer said he was used to a hard life with hot summers. But he, too, said he was angry at the Sharif government, which won election in 2013 promising to end the power shortages but has struggled to fulfill that pledge. In our house, we can only use one fan and one light, said Mohammed, 52. We need the tube wells, but we cant run them without power. Even when there is no power at all, we still get big bills we cant afford to pay. The authorities come to get our votes, but after that they disappear. For years Pakistan, an impoverished, mostly agricultural country with a fast-growing population, has faced a protracted problem of how to supply its farms, factories and urban households with water and power. But despite increasing public clamor and official investment, the shortages persist and are predicted to worsen. [Pakistans prime minister narrowly avoids ouster in court ruling over corruption claims] Sharifs government can hardly be accused of ignoring the power issue. He vowed to make the problem a top priority, having inherited a system in shambles with massive thefts of electricity, power plants operating far below capacity and a huge built-up debt to oil companies and other creditors. Soon after taking office, Sharif ordered finance officials to repay the power debt of $480 million. Since then, he has focused on generating new power sources. Every few weeks, he appears on TV newscasts, inaugurating a new coal- or gas-fired plant. Many are being built in partnership with China, Pakistans major foreign investor. But critics say the government has focused too narrowly on such high-profile projects, while failing to grapple with festering problems such as antiquated infrastructure and consumer theft via illegal hookups. They also note that power blackouts tend to be worse in rural areas, in part because cities have more influence. On the surface, it looks like there is not enough power, but the root issues are governance and mismanagement, said Asad Umar, a legislator in the opposition Movement for Justice party who has led public protests over the problem. He said that the power debt has already crept back up to its 2013 level. The market is not regulated, and investors are offered huge rates of return, he said. But if you cant run the state efficiently, you cant pass on the cost to the consumer. During a debate in the national legislature after the protests erupted, the minister for water and power, Khawaja Asif, complained that 89 percent of electricity was being stolen. He was met with cries of Thief! Thief! and an opposition lawmaker retorted, Billions of rupees are taken from the people but no electricity is given, yet the people are called thieves. [Pakistanis protest fuel shortages, criticize Sharif as they suffer through frigid winter] Pakistans water problem runs much deeper and has far more potential to devastate the country. Unlike power, water is a finite resource, highly vulnerable to global warming. Pakistans access to it depends partly on rivers from India, a hostile neighbor, and regionally on Himalayan glaciers that are beginning to melt. By mid-century, experts predict, the country could run out of water entirely. Many Pakistanis blame India for using dams to divert river water that, under a treaty signed in the 1960s, should be flowing into Pakistan. India has fought three wars with Pakistan, and people are concerned that the water dispute will intensify under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an ardent Hindu nationalist. Yet according to experts, much of the water problem stems from domestic negligence and faulty policies. Pakistan has five large dams and hundreds of small ones, with more planned or being built. But many are poorly maintained, and decrepit pipes leak millions of gallons. Fields are heavily flooded rather than using drip irrigation, thus wasting water and ruining the soil. River water has been diverted to cities, and mountain water has been pumped uphill at great cost. We blame India, but we cant manage our own water, said Arshad Abbasi, a water specialist at the Islamabad-based Sustainable Development Policy Institute. The water crisis, he said, is really a crisis of bad governance and poor management. The politicians want to build big, visible projects, but nobody sees the pipes and underground problems that are deteriorating by the day. Even in the capital, where affluent homes are equipped with generators and rains from the nearby Margalla Hills frequently drench the streets, the water and power crisis during Ramadan was hard to miss. In the suburbs, people complained of waiting hours for lights to come on and of standing in long lines to fill bottles at night. This problem has been going on for years. If the leaders are sincere, they can solve it easily, said Bedar Hussaini, 49, a pediatrician who was filling plastic jugs at a suburban water station. He said that enduring a hot Ramadan without water was frustrating but that the future worries him more. We have had times when India wanted to go to war with us, but if they try to take our water, or if we run out of it, that will be worse than war, he said. If the water stops, there will be no crops, and people will die. Read more In Pakistan, five girls were killed for having fun. Then the story took an even darker twist. Pakistan court ban of Valentines Day celebrations raises many contradictions Pakistan army launches first nationwide anti-terrorism operation Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Hua Xiaoqin, left, sister of Chinese labor activist Hua Haifeng, tries to block a reporter approaching her brother, right, as he carries his son Bobo from a police station after being released in Ganzhou, China, on June 28. (Gerry Shih/AP) Three men detained while investigating working conditions at factories that make shoes for Ivanka Trumps brand have been released on bail. The men Su Heng, Li Zhao and Hua Haifeng were detained in late May while working on a report for China Labor Watch. Chinese authorities have said little about their case, although a story in a Communist Party-controlled news outlet alleged they were being held on suspicion of stealing commercial secrets. On Wednesday, the three investigators walked out of a police station in the southeastern city of Ganzhou. They said they had been released pending trial. China Labor Watch hopes the court will provide the investigators with a fair trial, the group said in a statement. The detention of the men called increased attention to the Trump familys global business dealings, renewing questions about labor conditions at Trump-linked factories as well as concerns about potential conflicts of interest. It was not clear why the investigators were detained, or why they were released. [Workers endured long hours, low pay at Chinese factory used by Ivanka Trumps clothing-maker] China Labor Watch has investigated violations at Chinese factories that make items for U.S. companies for years. The groups founder, Li Qiang, told The Washington Post in May that this was the first time his investigators had been detained. This never happened before in my 17 years experience, he said then. The only reason we think this case is different is that this is Ivanka Trumps factory. Earlier that month, the organization issued an interim report on working conditions at factories that made Ivanka Trump-branded shoes. The report alleged that people employed by Huajian Group, a company that makes shoes for Trump and others, are forced to work at least 12 hours a day and at least six days a week at a monthly salary of about 2,500 yuan, or $365. Li said his investigators found that workers were sometimes given only one or two days off per month. The factories offered no safety training, even though many employees come into contact with oils and glues, they reported. Huajian has contested the findings. The U.S. and Chinese sides have taken a careful approach when discussing the case. In the aftermath of the detentions, activists called on Ivanka Trump to speak out on behalf of the detainees, but she has made no public statement. Nor, for that matter, has the White House. In early June, Alicia Edwards, a State Department spokeswoman, expressed concern about the detentions, noting that labor groups have been instrumental in helping American companies understand the conditions in their supply chains. Chinas Foreign Ministry rebuffed questions about the matter, saying it was a domestic issue. The Paper, a news outlet controlled by the Shanghai city government, published a detailed story that claimed the men were held on suspicion of stealing commercial secrets and, although they had yet to be charged, had confessed. The Paper alleged that the men took jobs at factories and then used hidden camera watches and other gadgets to illegally gather information and sell it abroad. It included a picture of evidence seized by police: two watches, some thumb drives, a battery and a cellphone. Luna Lin and Shirley Feng contributed to this report. Read more: German crowd boos Ivanka Trump for calling her father a champion for families Why Ivanka Trump isnt doing a book tour for her upcoming Women Who Work Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Companies worldwide struggled to recover Wednesday after a wave of powerful cyberattacks crippled computer systems in Europe, Asia and the United States with a virus similar to the global ransomware assault in May that infected computers. Researchers at Kaspersky Lab in Russia said Wednesday that a regional Ukrainian website was hacked and used to distribute the ransomware, which attacked around 2,000 users across the globe. The company said that its preliminary findings suggest the malware is a new kind of ransomware not seen before, not a variant of the Petya ransomware, as other cybersecurity researchers had suggested. It named the malware *ExPetr*, adding that while it has several strings similar to Petya, it possesses entirely different functionality. Kaspersky estimated that more than 2,000 attacks were carried out 60 percent of them in Ukraine and 30 percent in Russia. Among the targets was Russias largest oil company. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no serious problems had occurred as a result of the cyberattacks. Speaking on a conference call Wednesday, Peskov also said he had no accurate information on the origin of the attacks. (Sarah Parnass,Dani Player,Daron Taylor/The Washington Post) The worst damage was in Ukraine, and some Ukrainian officials initially expressed suspicions that the attacks originated in Russia. The countrys cyber police department told the Interfax news agency that it has received more than 1,000 reports of attacks. They affected government ministries, banks, utilities and other important infrastructure and companies nationwide, demanding ransoms from government employees in the cryptocurrency bitcoin. The virus even downed systems at the site of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine, forcing scientists to manually monitor radiation levels at the site of a 1986 disaster that released massive amounts of radioactive material. Companies in Belarus were also hit, the country's Interior Ministry said Wednesday. It said infected files were being sent under the guise of CVs, financial reports and other documents, or disguised as archives containing documents. On Wednesday, Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk said it was working to restore its operations a day after being hit by the cyberattack. We have contained the issue and are working on a technical recovery plan with key IT partners and global cyber security agencies, Maersk, which handles one in every seven containers shipped worldwide, said in a stock exchange announcement. The Copenhagen-based group said APM Terminals, an international container terminal operating company owned by Maersk, was affected in a number of ports. But it said its vessels with Maersk Line were maneuverable, able to communicate and crews are safe. Cyberattacks also spread as far as India and the United States, where the pharmaceutical giant Merck reported on Twitter that our companys computer network was compromised today as part of global hack. The New Jersey-based company said it was investigating the attack. The Maersk ship Adrian Maersk is seen as it departs from New York Harbor on June 27. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters) Frances biggest bank, BNP Paribas, said Wednesday that its real estate unit, which provides services to corporations around Europe, was hit. The international cyber attack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack, the bank said in a statement to Reuters. Kaspersky said the cyberattack involved modified versions of EternalBlue and EternalRomance, exploits developed by the National Security Agency that were later leaked onto the Internet by hackers. It was the second massive attack in the past two months to use powerful U.S. exploits against the IT infrastructure that supports national governments and corporations. The onslaught of ransomware attacks may be the new normal, said Mark Graff, chief executive of Tellagraff, a cybersecurity company. The emergence of Petya and WannaCry really points out the need for a response plan and a policy on what companies are going to do about ransomware, he said. WannaCry was the ransomware used in the May attack. You wont want to make that decision at a time of panic, in a cloud of emotion. The attack also hit companies in Spain, Norway and Britain. Victims included the British advertising and marketing multinational WPP. Indias biggest container port was also crippled when a Maersk-run terminal in Mumbai was hit. The scale of the hacks and the use of ransomware recalled the massive cyberattack in May, in which hackers possibly linked to North Korea disabled computers in more than 150 nations using a flaw that was once incorporated into the NSAs surveillance tool kit. [NSA links WannaCry ransomware attack to North Korea] Cyber researchers have tied the vulnerability exploited by the latest virus to the one used by WannaCry a weakness discovered by the NSA years ago that the agency turned into a hacking tool dubbed EternalBlue. The Petya-like malware, like WannaCry, is a worm that spreads quickly to vulnerable systems, said Bill Wright, senior policy counsel for Symantec, the worlds largest cybersecurity firm. Its pervasiveness is what makes it difficult to control or to aim at anyone in particular, he said. Once you unleash something that propagates in this manner, its impossible to control, he said. Although Microsoft in March made available a patch for the Windows flaw exploited by EternalBlue, Petya and its variants use other techniques to infect systems, said Jeff Greene, Symantec government affairs director. Its a worm that has multiple ways to spread, he said, which could explain why there are victims who applied the EternalBlue patch and still were affected. The malware Kaspersky is calling *ExPetr* differs from WannaCry in that it does not appear to reach out to the Internet and scan for vulnerable systems, said Paul Burbage, a malware researcher with Flashpoint, a cyberthreat analysis firm. It limits itself to the computers linked to the same router. He said the variant of Petya used in the attacks is called GoldenEye, which was sold on underground forums used mainly by Russian-speaking criminal hackers, he said. [The next ransomware attack will be worse] The ransomware hit Europe in the early afternoon Tuesday. In Ukraine, breaches were reported at computers governing the municipal energy company and airport in the capital, Kiev, the state telecommunications company Ukrtelecom, the Ukrainian postal service and the State Savings Bank of Ukraine. Grocery store checkout machines broke down, ATMs demanded ransom payments, and the turnstile system in the Kiev metro reportedly stopped working. The mayhem reached high into the government. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko on Tuesday tweeted a picture of a computer screen warning in English that one of your disks contains errors, then adding in all capital letters: DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR PC! IF YOU ABORT THIS PROCESS, YOU COULD DESTROY ALL YOUR DATA! Ta-Dam! he wrote. It seems the computers at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine have been knocked out. The network is down. His spokeswoman published a photograph showing demands for a ransom in bitcoin to release data encrypted by the virus. Suspicions in Ukraine quickly fell on Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and has been blamed for several large-scale cyberattacks on Ukraines power infrastructure. But no proof of the attack was presented, and Russian companies, like the oil giant Rosneft, also complained of being hit by a powerful hacking attack. Photographs leaked to the news media from a Rosneft-owned regional oil company showed computers displaying ransomware demands similar to those in Ukraine. Nakashima reported from Washington. Isaac Stanley-Becker in Berlin and Hamza Shaban and Julie Tate in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: How to protect yourself from the global ransomware attack Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A Venezuelan police pilot apparently commandeered a helicopter Tuesday and flew it over the supreme court building carrying a sign that read Freedom, a public show of dissent against the embattled government that prompted security forces to seal off government facilities and heightened fears of further unrest. During a chaotic afternoon in the capital, pro-government protesters also surrounded the National Assembly building, forcing legislators to remain inside, and tanks were spotted driving around the palace of President Nicolas Maduro. After three months of near daily protest, Venezuela is on a hair trigger. The news of the dissident pilot and the mobilization of security forces prompted coup rumors to race through Venezuelan social networks. By Tuesday evening, however, it appeared that Maduros government remained in control. In the late afternoon, Caracas residents saw a blue helicopter from the police investigations unit, the CICPC, circling the capital, carrying a banner that read Libertad and the number 350, a reference to the article in the Venezuelan constitution that allows people to disown their government if it acts in an undemocratic way. The helicopter circled over the building housing the supreme court, which has backed Maduros efforts to block early elections and to change the constitution. Tanks were spotted driving around Miraflores, the palace occupied by President Nicolas Maduro. (Ariana Cubillos/AP) The communications minister said that the helicopter dropped four grenades and that three exploded. The government reports could not be independently verified. Venezuelan news reports identified the pilot as Oscar Perez, a member of military special forces, citing his posts to social media. The reports note that Perez has acting experience, having produced and starred in a Venezuelan film, Death Suspended. Wearing a uniform and reading from notes, he spoke into a video camera about the criminal government as four masked men with guns stood behind him. Describing his group as a nonpartisan alliance of military, police and civilian officials, Perez said that their fight was not against the rest of the security forces. Its against the impunity imposed by this government, he said. Its against tyranny. Its against the deaths of young people who are fighting for their legitimate rights. Its against hunger. It was not immediately clear whether there was any wider security-forces movement against Maduros government. Some Venezuelans wondered whether the helicopter incident was staged to justify further deployments of the security forces. Right now, I only see two possibilities: Either the pilot was tricked or it was staged, said Felix Seijas Rodriguez, a political analyst in Caracas. It makes no sense. Venezuelan opposition groups and protesters have been outraged by the Maduro governments attempts to dissolve the National Assembly and change the constitution, as well as by the near daily clashes between security forces and protesters. More than 70 people have died, and at least 1,000 have been injured. Thousands have been arrested, and detainees have alleged physical and mental abuse by security forces. Maduro, who has presided over an economic collapse that has caused extreme shortages of food and medicine, has refused to back down. On Tuesday, he said during a rally before supporters that his government was willing to use weapons to preserve the socialist movement started by Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013. If Venezuela was plunged into chaos and violence and the Bolivarian Revolution destroyed, we would go to combat, Maduro told the crowd. We would never give up, and what couldnt be done with votes, we would do with weapons. We would liberate the fatherland with weapons. Maduro, who has long accused the United States of propping up his enemies, also called out President Trump, saying: You have the responsibility: Stop the madness of the violent Venezuelan right wing. After the helicopter incident, National Guard and other security personnel in Caracas took positions around government buildings, including Miraflores, the presidential palace. Maduro said he had ordered the armed forces on high alert to keep the peace. At the National Assembly, pro-government gangs known as colectivos which often ride around on motorcycles and are known for violence temporarily prevented a group of lawmakers from leaving. Partlow reported from Mexico City. Nick Miroff contributed to this report. National security adviser H.R. McMaster defended President Trumps strained relations with Americas European allies Wednesday as tough love that is making the NATO alliance stronger. McMaster, who is a lieutenant general, was speaking at a conference in Washington sponsored by the Center for a New American Security and The Washington Post. The president is tough on our allies, but it is tough love, McMaster said. His remarks drew a wry reply from his host and interviewer. I can tell you they are not feeling very loved, said Michele Flournoy, the CNASs chief executive. In late May, Trump traveled to NATOs headquarters in Brussels and scolded European leaders for not spending enough on defense. European officials were alarmed when Trump did not explicitly reaffirm the U.S. commitment to Article 5, the alliances collective-security provision that has been invoked only once after the 9/11 attacks. McMaster brushed past suggestions that Trump should take action to calm jittery allies who are worried about Russian aggression. The presidents already doing it, he said. He pointed to more than $1 billion that the United States has spent in recent months to bolster NATO forces on the fringes of Europe. I would just say, Look at our actions, McMaster said. The Army general mounted a spirited defense of much of Trumps foreign policy, including his controversial decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. McMaster said that the presidents rationale wasnt anti-climate change or anti-environment because the worst polluters get a free ride under the current accord. McMaster said the presidents intent was to press for a better deal for the American people and the world. Hes asked us to elevate environmental and climate policy, McMaster said. He spoke in frank terms of the challenge posed by Russia and described Russian forces as probing Americas defenses and seeking to collapse the U.S.-led economic and security order. McMaster also described the need to counter Russian meddling in elections throughout Europe and in the United States. McMaster said the Russians had mounted a sophisticated campaign of subversion that included the sowing of conspiracy theories online in an effort to weaken Western democracies. He called for the United States to develop capabilities to counter Russian disinformation campaigns. That effort, he said, might include engagement with Russia leaders as well as confrontation when necessary. This is a big level of focus for us, McMaster said. Finally, McMaster described Trumps North Korea strategy as a clean break from that of previous administrations. He said the approach was defined by a candid recognition that China does have a great deal of control over North Korean actions through its economic ties to its neighbor. The president asked us to prepare a range of options, including a military option that no one wants to take, McMaster said. Moon Jae-in, South Koreas new president, is set to meet with Trump this week, seeking to patch up differences with the White House over how hard a line to take with the North Korean regime. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis delivers a speech during a ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (Christian Bruna/European Pressphoto Agency) The Pentagon is putting the final touches on a promised new counter-Islamic State strategy for Syria and Iraq, and it looks very much like the one the Obama administration pursued, according to senior defense officials. The core of the strategy is to deny territory to the militants and ultimately defeat them, and to stay out of Syrias civil war pitting the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, Iran and Russia against domestic opposition forces. The two fights in that country have come into increasingly close proximity in recent months, and there have been clashes. Military officials from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on down have emphasized in recent days that they are not looking for a fight with the regime or the Iranians. That has put them at odds with White House officials who have expressed concern about Iranian expansion across a new battlefield in Syrias southern desert. Critical of what they view as the Pentagons reluctance to prevent Iranian gains, these officials consider Irans increasing presence there a hindrance to the United States pursuit of the Islamic State, and an attempt by Tehran to consolidate postwar control. Rather than allowing the regime and Iranian militia forces to plant their flags in the desert, the U.S. military and its proxy forces, they say, should be planting their own. [After Raqqa, the Syrian battlefield will only get more complicated] The differing views have emerged in recent weeks as the military and the administration have contemplated the next steps in Syria, once the U.S.-led coalition completes its ongoing campaign to eject the Islamic State from Raqqa, its de facto Syrian capital. Even as the Raqqa offensive has gotten underway, regime and Iranian militia forces, having quelled the rebel uprising in much of Syrias heavily populated western regions, have headed east across the desert with Russian air support. Their goals are the isolated, government-held city of Deir al-Zour, long surrounded by the Islamic State, and the town of Bukamal, along the Iraqi border. The two are at opposite ends of Syrias southern Euphrates River valley, an area the militants have long held. Much of their leadership has fled there from Raqqa, which lies farther north along the river. Mattis agreed with a reporter Tuesday who asked if, rather than trying to prevent government and militia advances, the coalition is trying to compartmentalize the valley, effectively leaving the regime and Iran in control of areas they are able to conquer from the militants. Asked whether he is worried about possible conflict with them as U.S. forces continue to pursue the Islamic State in the same area, Mattis said, Not if the Iranian militia doesnt attack us, no. The key, he said during a trip to Europe this week, is more precise deconfliction among commanders of various forces on the ground, and between the United States and Russia. Although the Russians claimed to have shut down lines of communication to protest the U.S. downing of a Syrian aircraft that came too close to American operations near Raqqa this month, several U.S. officials said those contacts have grown more robust and are operating effectively. Its probably not going to look that neat, Mattis said of the lines being drawn. You know, itll be based on where does the river bend here and where is it which side of the river is a town on there. . . . So it may look a little more squiggly. He added: But as long as its worked out by the commanders and enough people know about it in sufficient times, there are ways that are proven that we can do this. In neighboring Iraq, coalition-supported Iraqi security forces are said to be close to victory in the long battle to retake the northwestern city of Mosul from the Islamic State. Once they do, defense officials said, at least some of them will move to the border area opposite Bukamal. [Iraqi forces recapture iconic Mosul mosque, now little more than rubble] President Trump, who criticized former president Barack Obamas strategy to defeat the Islamic State as weak, promised a new plan within 30 days of his inauguration and then turned it over to the military. Under congressional budget guidelines this year, lawmakers must review and approve the policy before funding for several aspects of it is released. Several defense officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the still-secret planning, said the strategy document is nearly ready to deliver to Capitol Hill. It is unclear whether Trump, or the Pentagon, will announce its outlines and goals. H.R. McMaster, Trumps national security adviser, spoke bluntly Wednesday of the destructive nature of Iranian influence in Syria and Iraq. Iran is feeding this cycle of sectarian conflict to keep the Arab world perpetually weak, he said at a conference held by the Center for a New American Security. He described Tehran as a source of much of the suffering in Syria, and said that 80 percent of the regimes effective fighters were Iranian proxies. But McMaster stopped well short of calling for American action to deny territory to Iran or the Syrian regime. We could do a lot better to pull back the curtain on Iranian actions, such as the hollowing out of Iraqi institutions or support for Syrian barrel bombs that have devastated civilian populations and infrastructure, he said. We have to be very clear that the reason we are in Syria is to destroy the ISIS, McMaster said, using another name for the Islamic State. Outlining the administrations approach to fighting the militants in Syria and Iraq, he said the key components are denying them a safe haven and support base, cutting off funding and discrediting the perverted ideology that they use to attract recruits to their cause. The starkest statement of the militarys disinterest in confronting the regime and the Iranians came Friday when Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the Baghdad-based coalition, said that if Assads forces want to fight ISIS in Bukamal and they have the capacity to do so, then that would be welcomed. We in the coalition are not in the land-grab business, Dillon said. We are in the killing-ISIS business. That is what we want to do, and if the Syrian regime wants to do that and theyre going to put forth a concerted effort and show they are doing just that in Bukamal or Deir al-Zour, or elsewhere, that means that we dont have to do that in those places. Frederic C. Hof, a fellow at the Atlantic Council who was the Obama administrations special adviser for Syria, called Dillons words an invitation to Iran and its client regime . . . to take over whatever parts of eastern Syria they can grab. The Trump administration correctly views Iranian domination of Syria . . . as contrary to American interests, Hof wrote in a report Monday. Yet the policy now advocated by the U.S. military, he wrote, will be good news indeed in Tehran and Damascus, to say nothing of Moscow. Thomas Gibbons-Neff, traveling with Defense Secretary Mattis, and Greg Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report. It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of... Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on London Offices and Retail around the UK. 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As revealed by an Associated Press (AP) report published last week, the US and UAE have established a network of at least 18 secret prisons in Yemen used for torturing and interrogating men who are suspected of having ties to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The brutal torture regime began under the Obama administration and continues under President Donald Trump. According to the AP report, the US operates with a mostly hands-off approach in which it provides lists of names of men to be detained and then provides the torturers with lists of questions to be asked to detainees. After tormenting and interrogating detainees, the UAE transmits transcripts and videos of confessions to US officials. However, a Yemeni officer reported to the AP that he witnessed at least two detainees brought to ships off the coast of Yemen where the US Navy regularly patrols. The prisoners were taken below deck to be interrogated by what the officer described as American polygraph and psychological experts. While US military officials denied that they interrogate Yemenis on boats off the coast, a spokesman for the CIA refused to comment when asked by the AP about the allegations. Yemen Interior Minister Hussein Arab admitted that detainees have also been flown across the Red Sea to a military base in Eritrea run by the UAE. US defense officials, speaking to the AP on a condition of anonymity, confirmed that American forces participate in interrogations in Yemen. They also reported that senior US military officials were aware of the allegations of abuse at prisons in Yemen but none of the torture had been carried out when US military personnel were present. Among the medieval horrors described by former detainees include the grill, in which a prisoner is tied to a spit and rotated in a circle of fire like a piece of meat. A former detainee described an incident in which guards lit a fire under the metal shipping container he and others were being kept in as a means of filling it with smoke and tormenting the men inside. Other former detainees at the main detention facility in the port city of Mukalla report being crammed into shipping containers smeared with human feces and being blindfolded for weeks at a time. The prisoners were subjected to repeated beatings and sexual assault by guards as well as whippings with electrical wires. A member of the Hadramawt Elite, a proxy force set up by the UAE, reported that at times US forces were only yards away when inmates were being subjected to these abuses. Whether or not American soldiers or intelligence agents were present during interrogations, receiving intelligence obtained through torture is a violation of the International Convention Against Torture and is considered a war crime. In conjunction with the AP report, Human Rights Watch released a report documenting the cases of 49 of the nearly 2,000 men who have been swept up by this torture network. At least four of the 49 were children, who had been arbitrarily arrested or forcibly disappeared and kept in prison along with adults. A former detainee at the Central Prison in the southern city of Aden reported that seven to eight boys between the ages of 15 and 17 had been in the same prison ward when he was detained in 2016. The children described being blindfolded and beaten by guards who threatened to strip off their clothes. Former president Obama, who infamously quipped that we tortured some folks, spearheaded the effort to whitewash the global torture regime established by the George W. Bush administration in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Much was made about Obamas moves in 2009 to shut down the secret black site torture centers that spanned the globe from Thailand and Poland. Despite Obamas promises and phony posturing, the notorious prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, remains open. During the 2016 election campaign, Donald Trump promised that he would load [Guantanamo] up with some bad dudes. Obamas insistence to look forward, as opposed to looking backwards in regards to the war crimes committed by the CIA and the military under his predecessor ensured the continuation of the criminal abuses American imperialism relies on in its efforts to assert its dominance over the entire planet, both under his own administration and that of his successor. The US has been carrying out an undeclared drone war against AQAP in Yemen since late December 2009. In the last eight years there have been at least 253 confirmed drone strikes, killing as many as 1,226 people including 49 children. Obama ordered a number of drone strikes that targeted American citizens for death in Yemen, including Anwar al Awlaki who was assassinated in 2011. In 2015 Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their other Arab allies, with the full backing of the United States, launched a brutal war in Yemen to push back Houthi militants who took over much of the country, and reinstate the ousted President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The Saudi-led assault has killed more than 12,000 people, pushed 7 million to the brink of starvation and sparked a cholera epidemic which threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands. Since Trump took office earlier this year, US Special Forces have increased their activity on the ground in Yemen, carrying out raids and providing support to the UAE and its various proxy militias. Dozens of people, including the eight-year-old daughter of al Awlaki, were killed in January by US Special Forces in a raid on a purported AQAP compound in central Yemen. The efforts under Obama and now Trump to assert control over Yemen, which borders the geostrategic oil transit choke point of the Bab el Mandeb strait, is part of ongoing efforts to neutralize Iran as a regional power capable of blocking or limiting the predations of US imperialism in the Middle East and Persian Gulf. Photo credit: Getty From Cosmopolitan WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House issued a stern warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad on Monday night as it claimed potential evidence that Syria was preparing for another chemical weapons attack. In an ominous statement issued with no supporting evidence or further explanation, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. had identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. He said the activities were similar to preparations taken before an April 2017 attack that killed dozens of men, women and children, and warned that if Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. The White House offered no details on what prompted the warning and spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said she had no additional information Monday night. Several State Department officials typically involved in coordinating such announcements said they were caught completely off guard by the warning, which didnt appear to be discussed in advance with other national security agencies. Typically, the State Department, the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies would all be consulted before the White House issued a declaration sure to ricochet across foreign capitals. The officials werent authorized to discuss national security planning publicly and requested anonymity. A non-governmental source with close ties to the White House said the administration had received intelligence that the Syrians were mixing precursor chemicals for a possible sarin gas attack in either the east of south of the country, where government troops and their proxies have faced recent setbacks. Assad had denied responsibility for the April 4 attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the rebel-held Idlib province that killed dozens of people, including children. Victims show signs of suffocation, convulsions, foaming at the mouth and pupil constriction. Days later, President Donald Trump launched a retaliatory cruise missile strike on a Syrian government-controlled air base where U.S. officials said the Syrian military had launched the chemical attack. Story continues It was the first direct American assault on the Syrian government and Trumps most dramatic military order since becoming president months before. Trump said at the time that the Khan Sheikhoun attack crossed many, many lines, and called on all civilized nations to join the U.S. in seeking an end to the carnage in Syria. Syria maintained it hadnt used chemical weapons and blamed opposition fighters for stockpiling the chemicals. Russias Defense Ministry said the toxic agents were released when a Syrian airstrike hit a rebel chemical weapons arsenal and munitions factory. Russia is a close ally of Assad. The U.S. attack on a Syrian air base came after years of heated debate and deliberation in Washington over intervention in the bloody civil war. Chemical weapons have killed hundreds of people since the start of the conflict. Earlier Monday, Trump had dinner with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and other top officials as he hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House. Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov talked earlier Monday about the need to secure a cease-fire in Syria, fight extremist groups and prevent the use of chemical weapons, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, followed up Spicers statement with a Twitter warning: Any further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Asaad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people. Less than an hour after Spicer issued the statement, Trump was back to tweeting about the 2016 campaign, denouncing investigations into potential collusion between Moscow and his campaign aides as a Witch Hunt! You Might Also Like Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the CDCs sweeping recommendation, however, only about 45 percent of adults in the U.S. have ever gotten an HIV test. HIV is most common among intravenous drug users and men who have sex with men, and the CDC recommends that people in these groups get tested most often (at least once a year). Yet its not just these groups who are at risk. For example, in 2015, a quarter of the new HIV infections were found in heterosexuals. And African-Americans of both genders accounted for 45 percent of all new HIV diagnoses. HIV testing is very important for any sexually active person, says Alex Carballo-Dieguez, Ph.D., a professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University and a research scientist with the New York State Psychiatric Institute HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies. Regardless of your background, in honor of National HIV Testing Day, here are five reasons to consider getting screened. 1. You May Be at Risk Without Realizing It The CDC estimates that about 1.1 million people live with HIV in the U.S. But about one in every seven of them dont know theyre infected. (You can be HIV positive for a decade or more before experiencing any symptoms.) Philip Chan, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Brown University and director of the Rhode Island STD Clinic, gives the example of a married couple in which one partner has been unfaithful. That would mean the other could have been exposed unknowingly. Its uncomfortable talking to patients about these things, Chan says. That may be one reason the rate of screening is so low, he says, and why he and others would like to see it become a more routine part of care. 2. Testing Is Convenient and Inexpensive Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurers must cover HIV screening without a co-payment. Ask whether your doctor can administer the test in his or her office. Otherwise, some community health centers, substance-abuse programs, and hospitals offer free testing. You can find a testing site in your area using this CDC tool. Story continues Keep in mind, Chan notes, that although the test itself should be covered without a co-pay, an office visit to get the test may require one or count toward your deductible. Many clinics use a rapid HIV test, which will give you a result in about 30 minutes. You can also test yourself at home using a kit you can buy at a retail pharmacy. The FDA-approved OraQuick HIV test usually costs about $40. It involves an oral swab and returns a result in around 20 minutes. Because most HIV tests check for antibodies the body produces to fight the virus, and these can take time to build up in your system, no HIV test is accurate right after you may have been exposed. For a blood test at the doctors office, it may take three to 12 weeks for it to be accurate. For an at-home saliva test, youll need to wait at least two to three months. 3. Youre Pregnant The CDC recommends that every pregnant woman be screened for HIV. Thats because a woman can pass HIV to the developing fetus. But HIV medications can reduce that risk, Chan says. If a woman starts taking these drugs, which lower the concentration of the HIV virus in her body, then the transmission rate to the baby becomes basically zero, he says. 4. You Have Early Symptoms of HIV If youve recently had unprotected sex with a new partner, its a good idea to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. But you may want to be especially diligent about getting an HIV test if, two to four weeks after possible exposure, you develop flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, a sore throat, muscle aches, or swollen lymph nodes. Some (though not all) people newly infected with HIV may experience these symptoms, which can last a few weeks. 5. HIV Is Treatableand Survivable Technically, HIV still has no cure. But improvements in the drugs available to treat the virus mean that HIV-positive people using them can expect to live many years. A 2017 study in The Lancet medical journal found that life expectancy among some HIV-positive people who start using antiretroviral therapy (ART), which involves taking a combination of drugs meant to reduce the amount of the virus in the body, is almost as long as the general population. But the key is to start treatment early, Carballo-Dieguez says. Delaying treatment means the virus will have more time to harm your immune system, putting you at risk for other infections. If you do receive a positive result, talk with your doctor about starting antiretroviral therapy. Because its so effective at keeping HIV-positive people healthy, ART is recommended for every person who has the disease, at any stage. The therapy also reduces the likelihood that youll transmit the virus to others. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Copyright 2006-2017 Consumer Reports, Inc. Beirut (AFP) - US-led coalition air strikes on a jail run by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria killed at least 57 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday. "The strikes hit an IS jail in Mayadeen at dawn on Monday, killing 42 prisoners and 15 jihadists," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Mayadeen lies in the Euphrates Valley some 45 kilometres (28 miles) southeast of the provincial capital of Deir Ezzor. The Britain-based Observatory said that according to its sources IS had paraded the bodies of the dead in the streets of the town. Most of Deir Ezzor province is controlled by the jihadists and it has been the target of air strikes by both the coalition and the Syrian army and its Russian ally. The US-led coalition said last week that it had killed IS's top cleric Turki Binali in a May 31 strike on Mayadeen. Russia said earlier this month that it had killed about 180 IS jihadists, including two field commanders, in June 6 and 8 air strikes on Deir Ezzor. It was reported Monday that three CNN reporters resigned following the publication and subsequent retraction of a news report linking Anthony Scaramucci, a member of President Donald Trumps transition team to FBIs ongoing Russia probe. The controversial CNN story, which was published Thursday, asserted that the Senate Intelligence Committee was investigating a Russian investment fund "whose chief executive met with a member of Donald Trump's transition team four days before Trump's inauguration," USA Today reported. The person that the Russian chief executive allegedly met was Scaramucci, a member of Trump's Transition Team Executive Committee. However, the story ultimately ended up being retracted by CNN, followed by three eminent journalists that were covering the news piece, leaving the organization. "In the aftermath of the retraction of a story published on CNN.com, CNN has accepted the resignations of the employees involved in the story's publication," a spokesman for CNN said Monday evening. Read: Voter Rolls Altered, Data Stolen By Russian Hackers, Report Says Anthony Scaramucci Photo: Getty Images/Fabrice Coffrini It came as a shock to most people when CNN reporter and Pulitzer-Prize nominee Thomas Frank, assistant managing editor and Pulitzer Prize winner Eric Lichtblau, and the executive editor in charge of investigations Lex Haris resigned. "On Friday, CNN retracted a story published by my team. As Executive Editor of that team, I have resigned," Haris said in a statement published by CNN. "I've been with CNN since 2001, and am sure about one thing: This is a news organization that prizes accuracy and fairness above all else. I am leaving, but will carry those principles wherever I go." Story continues According to CNN an internal investigation by its management resulted in the discovery that proper editorial processes were not followed when the article on Scaramucci was published. Scaramucci is an American entrepreneur, author, financer and well-known Trump ally, who has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion, Celebrity Net Worth reported. He is the founder and co-managing partner of the investment firm SkyBridge Capital, which currently has $7 billion in assets under management. On January 14 2017, Anthony Scaramucci sold SkyBridge to a Chinese bank for $11.5 billion. Read: Twitter Reacts To Former Homeland Security Director Saying 'The Russians Will Be Back' After CNN published the story Thursday, Scaramucci went on Twitter and claimed that he had done nothing wrong. An anonymous source familiar with the matter told Politico that Scaramucci had called Haris and then Washington Bureau Chief Sam Feist on Friday after the story was posted, alluding that he was going to file a lawsuit if the particular piece was not retracted. Following the resignation of the three reporters, Scaramucci went on Twitter to thank the news outlet for the decision taken, writing, Apology accepted. Scaramucci wasnt always the loyal Trump ally that the world sees him as today. Initially, he was a supporter of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush during the run up to the 2016 Presidential election. It was only after Trump became the clear front runner of the race that in May 2016 Scaramucci joined the Trump Finance Committee. After coming out on the top, Trump named Scaramucci a member of the Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee. He was also offered the position of Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, a post that Scaramucci never took up. Trump has posted his reaction on the CNN reporters quitting, in a recent tweet: Related Articles For the first time since Gov. Scott Walker began running for president in 2015, those disapproving of his job performance no longer outnumber those who approve, according to the latest Marquette Law School Poll. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is up for re-election next year, have seen their net favorability decline in the state, according to the poll, which was conducted June 22-25. It also found majority opposition to repealing or replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Poll director Charles Franklin cautioned that the results could be slightly skewed by a polling sample that had more Republican respondents than the historic average. Republicans and Democrats were split evenly 45 percent, whereas historically the poll has found a 48-43 split favoring Democrats. Whether thats an anomaly in the polling sample of 800 respondents with a margin of error of +/-4.5 percentage points or a shift in the state electorate cant be determined by one poll, Franklin said. If we see these numbers hold up in the next two or three polls then well have something to talk about, Franklin said. The poll found 48 percent approve of Walkers job performance, up from 45 percent in March. It also found 48 percent disapprove of his job performance, the same as in March. That marks his highest approval level in the Marquette poll since his approval took a nose-dive during his short-lived presidential run in 2015. Since early 2016 Walker has been crisscrossing the state, participating in invite-only listening sessions in every county and promoting his 2017-19 budget, which includes major increases in K-12 education funding and local aid. According to his office, he has visited nearly 50 schools and participated in more than 200 events that have been open to the press this year. He has not yet declared his candidacy for a third term in 2018, but is expected to do so after the budget wraps up. Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, who recently filed paperwork to potentially run against Walker in 2018, said shes not surprised by Walkers improving approval rating. Hes worked very hard around the state, Vinehout said, referring to his travels. But this is very far away from election day 2018. The poll found 53 percent say the state is headed in the right direction and 42 percent say its on the wrong track. Thats an improvement from three months ago, when 49 percent said the state was going in the right direction and 47 percent said it was on the wrong track. Trump disapproval grows The poll also found 41 percent approve of President Donald Trumps job performance after five months in office. That was the same result as in the previous Marquette poll in March, but those disapproving of his performance increased from 47 percent to 51 percent. This is the same thing we saw in national polls only earlier in the spring, Franklin said. Trumps approval rating didnt change as much as a rise in disapproval. The poll also found Trumps approval rating among Republicans is 85 percent, compared with 3 percent among Democrats and 36 percent among independents. Franklin highlighted the strong Democratic opposition, noting roughly 10 percent of Republicans approved of the job performance of President Barack Obama. The poll found little change in perceptions about Trump, with 59 percent saying honest doesnt describe him, compared with 61 percent who said that didnt describe him in October. The poll found 44 percent have a favorable view and 44 percent have an unfavorable view of Ryan, a Janesville Republican, a shift from a 45-38 split in October. Baldwin, a Madison Democrat, similarly saw a negative shift from 40 percent favorable and 35 percent unfavorable in October to a 38-38 split now. The poll found little change in views on the federal health care debate since March with 6 percent favoring keeping the current law, 54 percent favoring making improvements, 27 percent favoring repealing and replacing it and 7 percent favoring outright repeal. At the moment, it would be hard to paint a picture that says the public is enthusiastic about a replacement, Franklin said. A majority, 54 percent, disapprove of Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. And 49 percent disapprove of Trumps decision to fire former FBI director James Comey, while 39 percent approve. Handmaids in red robes and white bonnets stood in front of the Capitol Tuesday to protest the latest iteration of the GOP health care bill that's up for a vote in the senate. SEE ALSO: Why 'Handmaid's Tale' costumes are the most powerful meme of the resistance yet The protesters clad in uniforms from Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale are demonstrating against a struggling senate bill that would overhaul Obamacare. The vote has been delayed until after the July Fourth holiday recess, but the possibility of the bill's passage is still very real. It would affect women and reproductive health and not in a good way. Handmaid's Tale themed protesters at health care rally in front of the Capitol. #ResistTrumpcare pic.twitter.com/WjbHO4EaEh CAP Action (@CAPAction) June 27, 2017 Currently outside the Capitol pic.twitter.com/fn3KGfaljA Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 27, 2017 Planned Parenthood activists getting into Handmaid's Tale gear to troll Trump's motorcade pic.twitter.com/weyWllk351 Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) June 27, 2017 This protest was staged by Planned Parenthood to protest the GOP healthcare bill pic.twitter.com/zIcaYjo9GD Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 27, 2017 The gathering was reportedly organized by Planned Parenthood volunteers but was also highlighted by NARAL on Twitter Tuesday. Mashable has reached out for more information. Story continues Also outside the Capitol w/ us - Handmaids, making a chilling statement about the GOP #HealthcareBill's cruel policies. #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/LBCxj4XVtl NARAL (@NARAL) June 27, 2017 Tuesday's handmaids' protest is one of many around the country in the past few months these protests have focused on cuts to women's health care options at the state level in Ohio, Texas, Missouri, and now at the Capitol. The silent protest yet again speaks volumes about the impact the proposed health care plan would have on women. A search party set sail for a remote Pacific island this weekend to look for clues about the fate of Amelia Earhart. The American aviation pioneer disappeared 80 years ago during an attempt to fly around the world. In the latest National Geographic-sponsored expedition seeking Earharts remains, a group of forensic dogs will be brought to the island of Nikumaroro to sniff for human bones. Earhart was already a famous aviator by the time she set off for her round-the-world flight in June 1937. Among her many other records, she was the first woman, and second person after Charles Lindbergh, to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. Her flight around the world wouldnt have been the first, but it would have been the longest, following a 29,000-mile (47,000 kilometers) route close to the equator. [In Photos: Searching for Aviator Amelia Earhart] With her navigator Fred Noonan, Earhart departed east of Oakland, California, in a modified twin-engine Lockheed Electra 10E. They were last seen on July 2, 1937, in Lae, New Guinea, as they ventured toward Howland Island in one of the last legs of the journey. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca had been waiting at Howland Island to offer radio assistance and a smoke signal so that the flyers could better locate the mile-wide strip of land in the Pacific. But communication was spotty, and Earharts last transmissions indicate she thought she was near her destination but couldn't find it and was running out of fuel. Theories abound about what happened next, ranging from the credible to the imaginative. The credible theories have her crashing into the ocean, while the imaginative ones claim Earhart was really a spy and was captured by the Japanese, or she ran off to New Jersey to live under a secret identity. The new expedition will investigate the Nikumaroro theory, of which claims that Earhart and Noonan landed on the uninhabited island of Nikumaroro (now part of the nation Kiribati) when they couldn't find Howland and died there as castaways. In 1940, a British officer found 13 human bones on the island and sent them to Fiji, where they were measured and unfortunately lost. Some believe these remains could have been Earhart's, and that the rest of her bones could still be buried on the island, or have been scattered about by coconut crabs and other creatures on the island. Story continues The search is affiliated with the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, or TIGHAR, which has mounted a dozen expeditions in the last three decades looking for evidence to support the Nikumaroro theory. TIGHAR will support the group with underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to search for the possible wreckage of Earharts plane. The National Geographic Society's archaeologist-in-residence, Fred Hiebert, is joining the expedition, too, and the organization is sponsoring the four dogs from the Institute for Canine Forensics. The border collies (named Berkeley, Piper, Marcy and Kayle) are specially trained to look for historic and prehistoric human remains. "No other technology is more sophisticated than the dogs," Hiebert told National Geographic." They have a higher rate of success identifying things than ground-penetrating radar." But the environment of the island, which is hot, humid and full of thick vegetation, could prove a challenge. "We've deployed lots of different technologies at Nikumaroro over the years, some of which worked well and some of which were utterly defeated by the Island Goddess Nei Manganibuka," TIGHARs dive team leader Andrew McKenna wrote in an expedition update. "I'm hoping the dogs will prove effective, at least they don't have motherboards to fail." Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Photo credit: Ken Jack - Corbis / Getty From Popular Mechanics The HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain's biggest warship ever, set sail for the first time today, three years after the U.K. decommissioned its last carrier, the HMS Illustrious, in 2014. The Royal Navy calls it "four acres of sovereign territory, deployable across the globe to serve the United Kingdom." At 65,000 tons and 920 feet, the Queen Elizabeth is a giant compared to the Illustrious, which weighed barely one-third as much and was only 690 feet long. She's also bigger than the 45,000-ton HMS Vanguard, Britain's biggest battleship launched toward the end of World War II. The Illustrious and her sister ships carried Sea Harrier aircraft, most notably during the 1982 Falklands conflict. But Queen Elizabeth will deploy a more advanced, more familiar aircraft-the F-35B Lightning. With the U.K.'s own F-35B squadron not launching until 2023, the Queen Elizabeth will deploy U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs under an agreement signed in 2016. This is a reciprocal arrangement, meaning Royal Navy F-35Bs will one day fly off the decks of American carriers. Jerry Kyd, Queen Elizabeth's Captain, says that the maximum number of aircraft it will carry will be in the "upper fifties," though it'll begin operations with only 24 F-35Bs onboard. The air complement also have helicopters, which might include nine Merlin anti-submarine helicopters and another four for airborne early warning. For a littoral role in support of land operations the Queen Elizabeth could carry a mix of Chinook heavy transports, Apache gunships, and Lynx Wildcat multirole helicopters. Photo credit: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Much like its international equivalents, the Queen Elizabeth is a huge feat of engineering. Construction work was distributed among six shipyards since no single yard could take on the entire job, and some 11,000 workers were involved in the project. This is also a warship for the modern age, the Queen Elizabeth has a high-speed data network with five thousand miles of optical fiber. Story continues The new carrier has two types of power source: two 48,000 horsepower gas turbines. and four diesel generators, two rated at 15,000-HP and two at 12,000 hp. Navies rarely give away the exact speeds of their vessels, preferring to keep potential opponents guessing, but the maximum speed is given as over 29 mph. While the Queen Elizabeth may be larger than any other British ship, she is a size down from U.S. carriers. The USS Gerald R. Ford, due to be commissioned next month, is 25 percent longer at 1,106 feet long and over 50 percent heavier. The Ford is also nuclear-powered, a more expensive and more powerful option than gas or diesel. While classified, the Ford's top speed is given as "in excess of 35 mph" or about 20 percent faster than the British carrier. Nuclear power also means no need to refuel, whereas the Queen Elizabeth needs to find a gas station every ten thousand miles. Photo credit: UK Ministry of Defence While both are impressive ships, they also reflect each country's military budgets. The U.S. spends almost $600 billion a year on the military, while UK defense budget is about one-tenth as much. Both of these ships also arrive at a time when some analysts question whether carriers are now becoming outdated since they are now too vulnerable to modern missiles. Another question ask whether navies should be switching to swarms of unmanned platforms rather than carriers for launching manned aircraft. However, Britain has been a major naval power for centuries, and having a carrier puts you in an elite club. The U.S. has ten active carriers, China has one carrier in service, with another undergoing trials, and Russia also has one. France has one working carrier and another being overhauled. Now, Britain again joins the club. You Might Also Like SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three activists detained while investigating Chinese factories that have made shoes for Ivanka Trump's brand have been released on bail awaiting trial, their rights group said on Wednesday. The U.S.-based China Labor Watch said police in Ganzhou in southeast China notified the families of Su Heng, Li Zhao and Hua Haifeng that they could go to the city and pay bail for their release. It did not say what charges the three were facing. Calls by Reuters to Ganzhou police went unanswered, and a spokeswoman for the Ivanka brand declined to comment. Two U.S. officials said the Chinese may be aiming to embarrass Ivanka Trump, U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter, by releasing the activists so they could talk about their findings. China Labor Watch said the activists had collected evidence that Ivanka Trump "set a bad example" by doing business with factories that exploited workers. The activists' lawyers said their actions were not criminal and they hoped Chinese courts would conduct a fair trial, China Labor Watch said. The group said that between March and May, the three activists entered the Dongguan Huajian and Jiangxi Huajian factories, which have manufactured shoes for Ivanka Trump. Two took jobs in the plants. The three were detained by police in late May after gathering video, pictures and evidence that illustrated long hours and ill treatment by management for workers at the factories, China Labor Watch said. Ivanka Trump's prominence meant she should be able to check on her suppliers and influence them, Li Qiang, executive director of China Labor Watch, said in the statement. "However, based on what we have seen so far, she has left us very disappointed. She has set a bad example," Li said. Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department called for the immediate release of the three activists. On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the department, Anna Richey-Allen, said the United States urged China "to afford them the judicial and fair-trial protections to which they are entitled." On Tuesday, the State Department placed China on its global list of the worst offenders in human trafficking and forced labor. That step could aggravate U.S. tensions with Beijing that had eased under the Trump administration. Ivanka Trump, an adviser to her father, stood beside U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as he presented the report. She has tried to make the fight against human trafficking one of her signature issues. Two U.S. officials familiar with the release of the investigators said China appeared to be retaliating for the state department listing, since the activists would be free to discuss the treatment of workers by Ivanka Trump's suppliers. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity. Ivanka Trump was instrumental in arranging a White House meeting with anti-trafficking activists that Trump attended in the first few weeks of the administration. U.S. officials told Reuters this week that despite his overtures to Beijing, Trump was growing increasingly frustrated with China over its inaction on North Korea and bilateral trade issues and was now considering possible trade actions against the country. (Reporting by Lee Chyen Yee in Singapore and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom and John Walcott in WASHINGTON; editing by Andrew Roche and David Gregorio) Watch news, TV and more Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. A man who was forced to walk miles to work in sweltering heat, has been bought a car by members of his local community. Justin Korva regularly braved temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) to get to his job at Taco Casa in Rockwell, Texas. The 20-year-old was picked up on his three-mile trek one morning by Andy Mitchell, who posted a picture of pair on Facebook next to a message explaining his journey. To all the people what say they want to work but cant find a job or dont have a vehicle, all I can say is you dont want it bad enough, Mr Mitchell wrote. The story was shared within the local community and Samee Dowlatshahi, the owner of a local pizza restaurant, started a secret donation box for Mr Korva at his business, CBS News reported. In less than 48 hours members of the local community had donated $5,500 (4,290). A local car dealership then worked out a deal for a 2004 Toyota Camry, which was bought for Mr Korva with the money. The car was then presented to him one day after work. Instead of you walking to work buddy, youre driving this car from now on, Mr Mitchell told his friend. Its paid for in full, all youve got to do is drive it. The money donated by people paid for the car, a years worth of insurance and a $500 (390) petrol card. Mr Korva was filmed hugging the members of the group who turned up to give him the car. Im at work, Im clocking out and Im leaving, Korva told the ABC13 news channel. And as Im leaving, I just see all these people -- Im like, Whats going on? I wouldnt think something like that would happen to me, he said. Picture: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is introduced during the CNN presidential debate at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada/: Ethan Miller/Getty Images Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on CNN after three journalists resigned over a retracted story on Russia. Wow, CNN had to retract big story on Russia, with 3 employees forced to resign, the President wrote on Twitter. What about all the other phony stories they do? FAKE NEWS! Mr Trump followed his statement with retweets calling CNN the Fake News Network (FNN) and promoting coverage criticising the Democrats by right-wing broadcaster Fox News. "Fake News CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories," he added later. "Ratings way down!" Jack Posobiec, an alt-right activist and conspiracy theorist who was controversially given White House press accreditation last month, responded by calling on the administration to revoke CNNs access. The retracted story reported on a supposed investigation into a pre-inaugural meeting between an associate Mr Trump and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. A statement from CNN said it had apologised to Anthony Scaramucci adding: The story did not meet CNNs editorial standards and has been retracted. Mr Scaramucci, an American entrepreneur, served on the transition team and was Mr Trumps pick for director of the White House Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs before George Sifakis was appointed to the post instead. He welcomed CNNs retraction on Saturday, saying the broadcaster did the right thing. Classy move, he wrote on Twitter. Apology accepted. Everyone makes mistakes. Moving on. The story was posted on the network's website on Thursday and was removed with all links disabled the following night. Its author, Thomas Frank, was among those who resigned, alongside Eric Lichtblau, an assistant managing editor in CNN's Washington bureau, and Lex Haris, head of the investigations unit. In a statement, Mr Haris said he had been with CNN since 2001, and am sure about one thing: This is a news organization that prizes accuracy and fairness above all else. I am leaving, but will carry those principles wherever I go. Story continues A CNN executive told the Associated Press that the story was posted without going through the expected checks and balances for one of such sensitivity, and that the resignations were caused by the failure to follow proper procedures. The network did not specify what in the story was factually incorrect. It had claimed that the the Senate intelligence committee was looking into a discussion on 16 January between Mr Scaramucci and Kirill Dmitriev, whose Russian Direct Investment Fund guides investments by US entities in Russia. The dispute is a blow for CNN, which has defended itself against frequent accusations of fake news from Mr Trump and his supporters. It is one of several outlets targeted over critical coverage of the President, including the ongoing investigations into alleged links between his campaign team and Russia. Mr Trumps sustained attacks on the media as dishonest and the enemy of the American people have alarmed observers including human rights groups. The UNs Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, sounded a warning over the public demonisation of critical media last month. Stressing that journalists are still censored, harassed, attacked and murdered around the world, he said: All too many leaders see journalism as the enemy, reporters as rogue actors, tweeps as terrorists, and bloggers as blasphemers. The whipping up of hatred against the media may serve short-term ambitions of the powerful, but it will have a long-term deleterious impact on the right to information and the democratic process. An experimental drug reduces eye damage in people with a common form of vision loss for which there is currently no available treatment, a new study finds. The new research sought to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in industrialized countries, according to the World Health Organization. The disease damages the macula, a tiny spot near the center of the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye. The result is blurriness or a loss of vision straight ahead in a person's field of view, which can have a devastating impact on many daily activities, such as reading, driving or recognizing faces. The new study included 129 participants ages 60 to 89 in the United States and Germany. All of the participants had a particular type of AMD called geographic atrophyAMD, or "dry AMD." In the 18-month trial, the participants who were given monthly injections of a drug called lampalizumab had a 20 percent reduction, on average, in the size of the area of the retina that is affected by the disease, compared with the control group that was given a placebo injection. [Eye Tricks: Gallery of Visual Illusions] One group of patients in particular benefited from the drug, experiencing a 44 percent drop in the size of the area affected by the disease. A genetic analysis of these patients revealed that they shared a certain genetic mutation, according to the study, which was funded by the company Genentech. "The most important implication of these results is that it shows how the genetics of a human disease may be critical for understanding the disease," study co-author Dr. Erich Strauss, a clinical scientist at Genentech, told Live Science. Such research "may guide the discovery of new therapeutic targets to treat the disease and define populations that may benefit most from treatment," he added. "The fact that we now have something that can possibly slow down the progress of this disease is very exciting to the field, since nothing exists right now," Dr. Wai Wong, a retinal disease specialist at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, who did not take part in this study, told Live Science. Story continues There are two main types of advanced forms of AMD: neovascular AMD, which is sometimes called "wet AMD," and geographic atrophy AMD, or dry AMD. Wet AMD is caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid into the macula, while dry AMD is linked with the shrinkage of tissue and cell death in the macula. Both forms of advanced AMD occur at roughly the same rates, said study co-author Menno van Lookeren Campagne, an immunologist at Genentech in South San Francisco, California. There are a few clinical treatments available for people with wet AMD, such as laser surgery or drugs that block abnormal blood vessel growth. However, there are currently no approved treatments for dry AMD, which affects more than 5 million people worldwide, including nearly 1 million people in the United States, the researchers said. The main reason there are treatments approved for wet AMD and not dry AMD is that discoveries were first made that could help combat the former and not the latter. Specifically, cancer research pioneer Dr. Judah Folkman of Harvard Medical School and his colleagues discovered ways to fight tumors by attacking their supply of blood, and this research proved useful in treating neovascular AMD, saidstudy co-author Brian Yaspan, a geneticist at Genentech. In previous research, scientists discovered that certain genetic mutations that led to a high risk of AMD were involved with a part of the immune system known as the innate immune system. Unlike the "adaptive" part of the immune system, which remembers previous encounters with germs and destroys them when they invade again, the innate part of the immune system is less specific, attacking anything with common features of germs. [11 Surprising Facts About the Immune System] The virtue of the innate immune system is that it can respond much more quickly to germs than the adaptive immune system can. The drug that the researchers used in the study, lampalizumab, targets a component of the innate immune system known as the alternative complement pathway, which can lead to excess inflammation and cell death, the researchers said. The researchers added that lampalizumab appeared to be safe. The study participants had only a few adverse side effects, such as dry eye, that the researchers suspected might be due to the drug, Strauss said. [7 Bizarre Drug Side Effects] It remains uncertain why genetic mutations that can boost the risk of this disease persist in the human population. One possibility is that such genetic variants could boost innate immunity in a way that has helped people survive infections. However, "with the increase in life expectancy in the current world population, along with reduced exposure to lethal pathogens," a hyperactive innate immune system "has turned into a disadvantage rather than an advantage," Yaspan told Live Science. The researchers cautioned that this drug appeared only to slow the disease, not stop it completely. This suggests there may be other avenues of attack against it, Strauss said. "We need to find out a lot more about the biology of how this disease works," Wong said. Wong noted that this study had relatively few patients, leaving its findings open to question. Strauss and his colleagues are now conducting a larger Phase 3 clinical trial with lampalizumab to evaluate its long-term safety and efficacy. Only then might the drug be considered for FDA approval. The scientists detailed their findings online June 21 in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations You may not be European. So you may not know about electric bikes, which are white-hot popular in the cities of Europe. On an e-bike, a smooth, silent motor boosts your pedaling, making easy work of hills and headwinds. E-bikes offer a perfect middle ground between cars (easy, but expensive to drive, expensive to park, and polluting) and regular bikes (free, non-polluting, but you get to work sweaty). An e-bike means never paying for gas, sailing past traffic jams, and never having to hunt for parking. As long as an e-bikes motor tops out at 20 miles per hour (15 in Europe), your government considers it a bicycle. Sounlike with motorcyclesyou dont need a license, you dont have to be 16, you dont have to register it, and dont have to fuss with a bunch of laws. That part was supposed to get you excited about e-bikes. Now heres the part where you crash: Good e-bikes start at $3,500 and go way, way up. (Heres my review of four of them.) But suppose you could electrify the bike you already have? Suppose you could just pop off its wheel, and replace it with a motorized one. Then you could have an e-bike for a fraction of the pricewithout giving up the frame, seat, brakes, gears, and handlebars you already own and love. The Copenhagen Wheel turns any old bike (or new one) into an e-bike. Thats the idea behind the Copenhagen Wheel and the Geo Orbital wheel. (A third, really promising replacement wheel, called the UrbanX, was a successful Kickstarter project and then, renamed UrbaNext, succeeded on Indiegogo. Apparently theyre accepting pre-orders. But the company didnt respond to a dozen emails I sent over a couple of weeks, they didnt reply to any queries sent through their web formand their phone number in Singapore is disconnected. I sure hope UrbanX isnt Urban Ex.) Both companies are based in Massachusetts, both wheels are waterproof and rechargeable, and both wheels change bike-riding game. GeoOrbital This futuristic, robotic-looking circle ($1,000) replaces your existing bikes front wheel. As a result, you can perform the entire wheel-replacement surgery in, no joke, two minutes after viewing the installation video. Spread your brake pads, open the quick-release clamp, swap wheels, redo the clamp and brakes, and then snap the thumb throttle onto your handlebar. You cant use the GeoOrbital on bikes with disc brakes. Story continues Nobody will mistake the GeoOrbital for a regular bike wheel. On the other hand, a front-wheel design has no way to know how hard youre pedaling, or even if youre pedaling. You dont get any help from your e-wheel except when youre holding down the thumb throttle. (Throttle-powered e-bikes are illegal in the bike lanes of Europe, however.) Heres the handlebar throttlethe only way to get a boost from the GeoOrbital. Theres a long list of juicy features. The tire is made of hard foam, so it cant ever go flat. The ignition key locks the removable battery in place, and also turns the power on or off. Heres how you charge and turn on the wheel. You can get the GeoOrbital in either of two sizes. The smaller one, for 26-inch bikes, has a smaller battery, and therefore a lower weight (17 pounds), charging time (3 hours), and range (12 miles without pedaling, or 30 miles with pedaling). The larger one (for bikes with 28, 29, and 700c wheels) is more massive: 21 pounds, 20-mile range without pedaling (50 miles with pedaling), recharges in 4 hours. Of course, you should take all e-bike range estimates with a grain of salt the size of your fist. Your weight, speed, and terrain all have a huge effect on those numbers. Youre not going to fool anyone with the GeoOrbitals looks: Its truly weird-looking and attention-getting, like its made from the Terminators spare parts. The hubs three giant arms press against the wheel rimthe tire rotates, but the contraption itself does not. (The company notes that this hubless design is a relative of the Lightcycles in the old Disney movie Tron.) The motor makes a soft whine while its helping you, but its otherwise clean and quiet. Heres what it looks and sounds like while youre riding: (Yes, I know its a decrepit, rusted bikeits the only 26-incher I had on hand.) The GeoOrbital also boasts regenerative braking: When youre coasting or braking, your momentum recharges the battery a bit. Unfortunately, when youre not using powerwhen youre just pedaling your bike as usualthe wheel fights you, adding resistance. That, and the substantial front-weighting of your bike, make an unwieldy combination. A few of my test riders, initially delighted by the quiet whooshing feeling of GeoOrbital-assisted riding, lost a lot of their enthusiasm as a result. The Copenhagen Wheel This wheel costs more$1,500and replaces your back wheel. Installation is therefore a more complex operation than popping off the front wheel. You have to fiddle with your bike chain, for example. Takes about 10 minutes instead of one. You buy the entire rear wheel, but the magic is in the red capsule. You can order this wheel for almost any bikeroad, hybrid, or mountain; any kind of tire, in 700c or 26-inch sizes; single-speed or 7-, 8-, 9-, or 10-speed. You can also, by the way, order a beautiful complete bike with the Wheel already installed, for $2,000. You can also buy a complete bike in various styles. But wow, what a beautiful, compact, simple-looking machine. Theres nothing on your handlebar, no cable snaking up your bike frame. Instead, the shiny red capsule hub of your wheel contains everything: motor, battery, three computers, radio, and 74 sensors. If the design concept of the GeoOrbital is all the technology is on display, the Copenhagen Wheels is conceal all of it. Theres a lot going on in that red hub. Of course, this design means that you cant swap in a new battery; youre stuck with one 30-mile charge at a time. It, too, recharges a bit when you brake or coast. The center of the red capsule contains an on/off switch and a tiny door that protects the charging prongs. The charging cable has a magnetic tip, which pops open the charging-port door. When you start to pedal, the Wheel amplifies the power of your foot. This is the best part by far: The boost is smooth, silent, and controlled. The feeling is exhilarating. Everyone who tries it utters one delighted exclamation or another: WOOHOO!! or Whoa! or Oh, wow! or Omigod! They get it immediately: That this wheel levels not only the hills of your city, but also the playing field for older, younger, or weaker riders. UPDATE: The Copenhagen Wheels 20-mph limit has just been raised to 25 mph in the US and Canada. You can really fly now. The same firmware update introduces assisted braking: When you backpedal, the wheel helps to slow you downand recharges its battery simultaneously. A phone appa little buggy, unfortunatelycontrols how much boost you get: Turbo, Standard, Eco, None (its just a bike), and Exercise (extra resistance, which recharges the battery). The app also auto-tracks your rides, maintaining a map, distance, time, and calories burned for each session. As you drag your finger around the map of your route, a graph shows you how much of the work you performed, and how much help you got from the wheel. The Superpedestrian app tracks your ridesand graphs how feeble you are. The app can also lock the wheel. It still turns, but a thief wont get any assistance from the Wheel. The huge benefit of replacing your rear wheel is, of course, that the Wheel knows when youre pedaling, and how hard. It gives you a boost proportional to the effort youre expending. Somebody up at Superpedestrian (the manufacturer) spent a lot of time fine-tuning the torque ratios so that it would feel smooth and magical. Coasting Home These two products address the same problem, but their philosophies could not be more different. The Copenhagen Wheel supplies power only when youre pedaling; your bike may be superpowered, but its still a bike. The GeoOrbital, on the other hand, basically turns your bike into a moped. You can, if you like, just sit there and cruise along without pedaling at all. Which philosophy you prefer is, of course, a matter of your philosophy. The Copenhagen Wheels sophistication, polish, fun, and unobtrusiveness made it the favorite of most of my test riders; they felt it was easily worth the $500 price premium. At 17 pounds, it, too, is heavy (batteries and gravity, manam I right?). Then again, regular e-bikes weigh around 50 pounds. And having the weight in the back feels more stable than having it in front. Both of these wheels, though, beautifully execute their mission: Turning the bike you already own into a superbike. More from David Pogue: The 4 people Steve Jobs handpicked to review the iPhone reflect 10 years later Marty Cooper, inventor of the cellphone: The next step is implantables Apple polishes up 23 features in Mac OS High Sierra The 27 most interesting features in iOS11 The DJI Spark is the smallest, cheapest obstacle-avoiding drone yet The new Samsung Galaxy does 27 things the iPhone doesnt The most important announcements from Googles big developers conference Google Homes mastermind has no intention of losing to Amazon Now I get it: Ransomware Google exec explains how Google Assistant just got smarter Amazons Alexa calling is like a Jetsons version of the home phone David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, welcomes nontoxic comments in the comments section below. On the web, hes davidpogue.com. On Twitter, hes @pogue. On email, hes poguester@yahoo.com. You can read all his articles here, or you can sign up to get his columns by email. Loryn Barclay, a substitute teacher in the Monett school district in Missouri, has been arrested and charged for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old male student: Monett Police Department A female substitute teacher has been arrested and charged with alleged sexual contact with a 17-year-old student in Missouri. Loryn Barclay, 24, has been charged with purportedly having sex with the student in his car and at his home on numerous occasions between November 2016 and January 2017. She has been charged with six counts of alleged sexual contact in two Missouri counties, according to The Monett Times newspaper. A local police officer who also serves at the school, Jay Jastal, was tipped off about the possible relationship. Mr Jastal said Ms Barclay reportedly told him she was in fact involved in an "inappropriate relationship". He said he does not believe at this time that any other students were involved with the teacher. "When we became aware of potential involvement with a student, we followed all procedures by informing the Children's Division," Superintendent of the Monett school district Brad Hanson told the newspaper. "We had a conversation with her and she was not employed from then on. We learned about it the day of her exit as an employee. We dealt with it swiftly," he said. The county prosecutor pressed charges against Ms Barclay and was released on $25,000 bail for the Lawrence County charges. She is yet to be arrested in Barry County and has a $10,000 bail for those charges. Ms Barclay is due in court on 24 July in Lawrence County. Related: By Madeline Chambers BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) are pushing for a vote this week to legalize gay marriage, capitalizing on a surprise shift from conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel three months before an election. The issue became a hot election topic after Merkel's three potential coalition partners, including her current SPD partners, made it a condition for sharing power, effectively forcing the conservative chancellor's hand. At an event hosted by women's magazine "Brigitte" on Monday evening, Merkel said she had taken note of other German parties favoring same-sex marriage and would allow a free vote. "I would like to lead the discussion more into a situation where it is a question of conscience rather than something I push through with a majority vote," she said. The move could antagonize some in her traditionally Catholic conservative bloc, some of whom oppose any change. Merkel has previously argued against same-sex marriage. SPD leader Martin Schulz said on Tuesday his party would push for a vote in parliament this week, before the start of the summer recess. "I hope our colleagues in the conservatives will cooperate," he said, raising the pressure on his conservative partners - who want a vote after the election. Schulz needs to make up ground for his center-left party in the election race and has sharpened his attacks on Merkel, but he made clear he would not end the coalition. Merkel's conservatives accused him of acting irresponsibly. "That is a breach of trust," said Volker Kauder, head of Merkel's conservative bloc in parliament, adding the SPD's behavior on such a sensitive topic showed it was "not suited to government". With broad support among Germans for gay marriage, the law would likely get easy approval in the lower house of parliament if conservatives could vote according to their conscience and not face a party whip. Polls put Merkel's conservatives 10-15 points ahead of the SPD, but short of a parliamentary majority. The SPD, pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens have made gay marriage, a step up from same-sex civil partnerships which have been allowed since 2001, a condition for a tie-up. The LSVD association representing gays welcomed Merkel's shift while describing it as a face-saving measure. "After 15 years of an ideological blockade .. social pressure and the commitments of other parties have made an impact," said LSVD spokesman Axel Hochrein. "Equal rights for all people is part of our constitution," he said. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Over the past few weeks, poll after poll has indicated that most Americans are deeply opposed to Republican plans to dismantle much of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. A new Marist/NPR/PBS poll, published Wednesday morning, found that only 17 percent of Americans support the Senate GOPs proposed health care bill. Its not surprising that Democrats overwhelmingly oppose the bill, but only 35 percent of Republicans and 13 percent of independents approve of it, according to the survey. Related slideshow: Protesters across the country oppose GOPs health care plan >>> At 39 percent, a plurality of Republicans say they dont know enough about the bill to have an opinion, according to the survey of 1,205 from June 21 to 25. You do not have the Republican base pushing for passage but you certainly have the Democrats, independents very much in opposition to the proposal. In a sense they woke up the opposition without getting comparable support from their own base, Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, told Yahoo News. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP) Another poll published Wednesday morning, conducted by Politico and Morning Consult June 22-June 24, suggests that fewer than four in 10 voters back the Republican senators health bill. Jeff Cartwright, the director of communications for Morning Consult, said since his firm started tracking the Republican plan theyve seen support for it go down while support for Obamacare goes up. According to their findings, a quarter of Republican voters disapprove of the plan a relatively large segment for their own party. The current bill in its current state is not as popular as it could be, but where we see it being messaged the best is when they talk about how its repealing and replacing Obamacare, Cartwright told Yahoo News. Thats where you really see Republican voters wanting to side more with the Republican version of the bill. There were false starts before House Republicans squeezed the American Health Care Act through. Senate Republican leaders shelved their bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, on Tuesday afternoon so they could work on securing more votes. Its now delayed until after the chambers recess for the Fourth of July holiday. Story continues The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Offices projection, unveiled Monday, that the Senate health care bill would result in 22 million more people being uninsured by 2026 than under current law may further damage the laws popularity. Both polls released Wednesday were conducted before the publication of the CBO report. The poll data suggests, Cartwright said, that Congress may want to delay the vote a little bit longer so they can get it where they want it as well as where the constituents want it. And the bad polling news for Republicans keeps coming. A new USA Today/Suffolk University poll, which was conducted Saturday through Tuesday and released on Wednesday, found that only 12 percent of Americans support the Senate GOP health care plan. And the survey results do not appear to be outliers. They largely reflect polling trends that also applied to the House bill. In fact, the same day that Senate Republicans unveiled their own bill (last Thursday), NBC News and the Wall Street Journal published a survey showing that only 16 percent of Americans thought the House bill had been good down from 23 percent last month. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a key opponent of the Republican health care bill, is interviewed June 28, 2017, the morning after Senate Majority Leader McConnell delayed a vote due to rebellion in his own party. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP) According to the NBC/WSJ poll, 41 percent of Americans think Obamacare is a good idea while only 38 percent said its a bad idea. It was the third consecutive poll NBC/WSJ poll to find that more Americans thought positively than negatively about Obamacare. Related slideshow: Die-in protesters dragged away from McConnells office >>> The USA Today/Suffolk University poll reported that 53 percent of Americans said that Congress should simply leave Obamacare alone or hammer out its problems while keeping the overall structure intact. Miringoff of Marist said Americans have much more positive opinions toward Obamacare than toward the sort of changes proposed by Republicans to replace it. For instance, 46 percent of participants said they wanted to expand the scope of Obamacare, while only 7 percent said the opposite. Another 17 percent wanted the ACA to be left alone entirely. Were talking 63 percent of the country on the opposite side of this question and the direction of where the Republican proposals are heading, Miringoff said. Read more from Yahoo News: Photo credit: DAVID MCNEW/AFP/Getty Images. / Getty From Popular Mechanics Navy and Air Force pilots are running short on oxygen. In the last five years, the number of "physiological events" (PEs) where Navy pilots flying the T-45 Goshawk advanced trainer jet experienced oxygen deprivation (aka hypoxia) have risen four-fold. Caused mainly by failures of the airplane's onboard oxygen system, hypoxia can make a pilot dizzy, confused, and potentially incapable of flying an aircraft. Ten T-45 hypoxia events were reported in March 2017 and 21 over the first three months of the year. A total of 38 PEs were reported in 2016, 27 in 2015 and 12 in 2014 according to USNI News. The situation has become so critical that the T-45 fleet was partially grounded in late March, halting critical production of new pilots for the Navy and Marine Corps. Unfortunately, the problem hasn't only been contained to the T-45 Goshawk. Navy pilots operating F/A-18 Hornets, Super Hornets, and EA-18G Growlers have also experienced a heightened number of PEs over the same period, and on June 9, the Air Force suspended F-35A Joint Strike Fighter operations at Luke Air Force Base after five hypoxia incidents were reported since early May. The Air Force did resume operations earlier this week, saying they will avoid certain altitudes, improve ground procedures, and increase physiological training. But the question remains, what's happening with our aircraft oxygen systems? Photo credit: Education Images / Getty "We don't know the root cause," Vice Chairman of Naval Operations Adm. William F. Moran admitted on a conference call last week. Moran was speaking specifically about the T-45, but the failures in the Hornets and F-35 are also unknown. During a teleconference, the Admiral discussed details of a just-released Navy review concluding that existing oxygen systems are too complex for reliable performance and that the Navy's process for investigating PEs has been "fundamentally flawed". The Air Force has been less direct in its statements regarding the F-35 hypoxia incidents. Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard sent an official statement to Popular Mechanics saying that "the Air Force takes these physiological incidents seriously, and our focus is on the safety and well-being of our pilots. We are taking the necessary steps to find the root cause of these incidents." Story continues These are different airplanes operated by different services, but they do have one thing in common-all (except F/A-18A-D Hornets) use similar versions of a life support system called the Onboard Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS). OBOGS provides aircrew with oxygen by taking bleed-air from the aircraft engine, filtering it through a molecular sieve material to remove nitrogen and other gases, and producing breathable-grade oxygen. Known as Aviator Breathing Oxygen, ABO is passed from a concentrator through piping to an oxygen monitor and then to a regulator connected to the pilot's breathing mask. The system is continuous and constantly generates ABO while the engine is on. Two suppliersCobham and Honeywellmake the OBOGS used on these affected jets. "We've fielded OBOGS for over 30 years with over 8 million flight hours with OBOGS systems on Navy, Marine, and Air Force platforms," Cobham's Craig Case told Popular Mechanics. The company says it's working closely with both the Navy and Air Force to determine what's causing OBOGS failures but thus far has been unable to pinpoint the problem. Making the mystery even stranger is the fact that the Marines use the same Cobham OBOGS system on their AV-8B Harriers and have seen no PEs. Photo credit: U.S. Navy "That's the conundrum," Derek Woods, director of pneumatic systems for Cobham admits. "You've got very similar systems on platforms which are not seeing similar (PE) events or similar issues." The Navy has sent two T-45s to Naval Air Systems Command headquarters at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and torn them down completely, lab testing their OBOGS and other systems with Cobham. "No smoking gun has been found with any of that testing on OBOGS," Case allows. The Air Force has sent a team from the F-35 Joint Program Office to get a handle on the situation at Luke AFB. All five F-35 incidents occurred with different jets from multiple squadrons and production batches. Cobham, the Navy, and the Air Force have launched an all-out effort to gather data to mine for a solution. Key to that effort may be Cobham's Aircrew Mounted Physiologic Sensing System (AMPSS). AMPSS is basically a breathing sensor system which features inhalation/exhalation sensors mounted on the pilot's breathing mask. "If we're able to analyze what goes into the pilot and what comes out of the pilot, we're then able to paint a physiological picture of what the pilot is feeling during flight," Cobham's Rob Schaeffer says. Photo credit: Cobham On June 15, Cobham delivered the first three AMPSS inhalation sensor kits to Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio where researchers from the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, the Navy Aerospace Medical Research Unit will test the sensors before outfitting pilots with them. Cobham expects to deliver exhalation sensors by the end of August. That'll be right on the Navy's time limit for resuming full pilot training. Any later and the Navy/Marines will face pilot shortages according to Moran. Moran also detailed plans to get the T-45 flying again, including a new solid state oxygen monitoring device developed by Cobham and new pilot breathing masks. Instructors will begin limited flying with the new masks this week with students expected to return to the T-45 "in a couple weeks." The Air Force has provided fewer specifics on what actions it will take to address the hypoxic F-35As, but it has instructed pilots to work around certain altitudes where the hypoxia incidents occurred, offered pilots the option of wearing oxygen sensors during flight, refined aircraft ground handling and pilot flight gear procedures, and increased backup oxygen available. While the hypoxia episodes remain a mystery, combined input and data mining from all concerned will be crucial. "It is a mystery," Shaeffer says. "We need more information." You Might Also Like By Julia Jacobs CHICAGO (Reuters) - An Illinois man charged with threatening to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump after his Facebook posts were reported to authorities pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, according to court documents. Joseph Lynn Pickett, of Edwardsville, Illinois, pleaded not guilty to the federal charge of making a threat against the president at his appearance in the U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois, according to court documents. The felony charge was filed on June 15. If convicted, Pickett faces up to five years in prison. Pickett's attorney, Thomas Gabel, could not immediately be reached for comment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Williams ordered Pickett held in custody until his jury trial at the end of August. That location was not disclosed. Pickett made the Facebook posts on June 14 and 15 and his former coworkers then alerted the U.S. Secret Service, according to court documents. He wrote that the Republican president deserved to be killed and goaded Secret Service officers to arrest him, according to court documents. "The secret service (sic) now has a heads up as to my plan to assassinate Trump," Pickett wrote, according to court documents. "lets see if they act!" Pickett said Trump needed a "blade in his neck," according to court documents. He also wrote that he had multiple guns. Pickett was fired from his job at a Lowe's home improvement store in Granite City, Illinois, between six and eight months ago for threatening a coworker, according to court documents. On June 15, two Lowe's workers notified the Secret Service's St. Louis office of Pickett's online threats to the president, the documents said. The court decided Pickett should be held in custody to assure others' safety and because of the defendant's "mental instability," according to court documents. (Editing by Matthew Lewis) Astronomers say they have snapped one of the most detailed images of a star to date, training the largest radio telescope in the world on Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion. The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies said with the exception of images of the sun, this one is the most detailed image of the surface of a star that has ever been created at radio wavelengths. They say the closeup view tells them about the stars temperature and thus about how stars form in general. Read: Scientists Watch a Star Become a Black Hole, But They Were Expecting a Supernova Betelgeuse is a supergiant red star a few hundred light years away and makes one of the shoulders of the constellation of the mighty hunter Orion (Earth viewers left, Orions right shoulder). The enormous red star is approaching the end of its life and one day will explode in a supernova, perhaps within the next few hundred thousand years. The astronomers used ALMA to get a closer look at Betelgeuse. ALMA is the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in the desert of northern Chile, an observatory that is part of an international partnership through groups like the European Southern Observatory and the U.S. National Science Foundation, among others. It consists of a huge telescope that is supported by dozens of antennas. The high altitude and dry air of the Atacama Desert give scientists an advantage in viewing outer space. star-detail Photo: ESO/ALMA/P. Kervella The researchers said the image shows the temperature of Betelgeuses inner atmosphere fluctuates, with some spots hotter than others. We have known for decades that the visible surface of Betelgeuse is not uniform, but ALMA has now shown in beautiful detail that the temperature in its inner atmosphere is also not uniform, researcher Eamon OGorman said in the DIAS statement. It looks like these temperature fluctuations could be caused by magnetic fields, similar to what we see on the sun, our nearest star. Story continues Although Betelgeuse has this in common with our sun, it is different in many other ways. One of the most notable differences is how large Betelgeuse is if the sun were at its center, it would extend all the way out past Jupiters orbital plane. Read: Star Collision Creates Something Colder Than Space Itself Much like the sun shoots out gas and particles in a solar wind that can reach Earth and the other planets in our solar system, Betelgeuse is also expelling matter into space. DIAS explained its ejected material includes heavy elements that will one day help form new stars and planets. When we look at the night sky with our naked eyes, we see bright stars everywhere, but because they are so small, even the most powerful telescopes in the world struggle to image their surfaces, researcher Pierre Kervella said. Our results show ALMA has the capability to image the surfaces of the largest stars in detail. star-detail-tech Photo: Clem & Adri Bacri-Normier (wingsforscience.com)/ESO Related Articles U.S. intelligence detected suspicious movements by Syrian government forces at a major air base in recent days, prompting the White House to warn Damascus it would pay a heavy price if it launched a chemical weapons attack. The stern warning marked the latest in a series of tense confrontations between Washington and the Syrian regime and its allies, Russia and Iran. In the past several weeks, U.S. special operations forces and U.S. allies on the ground have clashed in the countrys southeast with proxies loyal to Iran and the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and American warplanes have downed a Syrian fighter jet and two Iranian-made drones. Although some at the State Department and the Pentagon were caught off guard by the White House statement Monday evening, administration officials said it was not a unilateral move and that a small circle of senior leaders across government agencies took part in the discussions that led to the warning. It was coordinated through the interagency process but closely held. And it moved very fast, a U.S. intelligence official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, told Foreign Policy on Tuesday. The administration pushed back against reports that suggested the State Department or the Pentagon was left in the dark about the warning. An anonymous White House official criticized anonymous leaks that maintained the Pentagon, the State Department, and spy agencies were kept out of the loop on the decision to issue the warning to Assad. The official said we want to clarify that all relevant agencies including State, DoD, CIA and ODNI [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] were involved in the process from the beginning. Anonymous leaks to the contrary are false, according to a White House press pool report on Tuesday. The movement of aircraft and materials at the Shayrat Airfield near the city of Homs over the past several days raised red flags for U.S. intelligence officials partly because it is the same base that was used to launch a deadly chemical weapons attack against Syrian civilians in April, several defense officials told FP. Story continues The White House warning was clearly a bid to persuade Damascus not to use banned chemical weapons. Following the White Houses statement, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley took the warning a step further, tweeting that Any further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people. The Shayrat Airfield was also the Donald Trump administrations target of 59 Tomahawk missiles launched in response to the Syrian regimes April 4 chemical attack that killed over 80 civilians, including children. U.S. defense officials said at the time that the intent of the strike was to limit the Syrian governments ability to carry out further attacks, and not to destroy the base. Russian aircraft and troops were at the base the night of the April 7 strike, through Moscow was given advance warning through a hotline American and Russian military officers maintain for Syrian operations. The Russian military maintains a presence at the base. Syrian and Russian officials have both denied that preparations for a chemical attack are being carried out at the air base. Speaking with reporters in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian government considers such threats against the Syrian leadership to be unacceptable. The latest flare-up comes after a relatively quiet period over the past several days, following weeks of clashes between U.S. forces and their local partners, and opposing Syrian and Iranian-backed forces. Tensions are running lower than they had been over the last several weeks, Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Baghdad, told FP on Tuesday. Regime weapons and aircraft are not pointed at us or our allies. It was rare for the U.S. government to issue such a public and specific warning over the use of banned weapons, experts said. British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told Sky News Tuesday he plans to discuss the situation with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis when they meet Thursday in Brussels. We fully supported the last strike and if the U.S. is considering a similar strike, then well support that, too, Fallon said. Syrian government-controlled media ran photos of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visiting a Russian air base at Hmeymim in western Syria on Tuesday. It was reportedly his first visit to the base, a hub of the Russian war effort to support the Assad regime. He was escorted around the base by Russian chief of staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov. The warning to Damascus comes against the backdrop of a policy battle between Iran hawks in the White House and other officials in the administration over how to respond to Tehrans military advisors and proxies in southern Syria. Some in the State Department and Pentagon want to focus solely on defeating the Islamic State without opening up a wider war with Iran, while some White House officials have argued for a more aggressive approach to prevent Iranian-backed militias from gaining a strategic foothold on the Syria-Iraq border. Photo Credit: STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images BERLIN (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister criticized on Tuesday a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to revive part of President Donald Trump's travel ban imposed on citizens from six majority Muslim countries, saying it would boost militants in the Middle East. The justices narrowed the scope of lower court rulings that had completely blocked key parts of a March 6 executive order that Trump had said was needed to prevent terrorism attacks, allowing his temporary ban to go into effect for people with no strong ties to the United States. [nL1N1JN0M6] "We always believed that the Muslim ban that President Trump imposed soon after assuming office had no basis in facts and would not help fight terrorism," Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif told a joint news conference in Berlin with his German counterpart. Zarif called the U.S. decision the "greatest gift" for militant groups seeking new recruits. Separately, Zarif tweeted: "A bigoted ban on Muslims will not keep US safer. Instead of policies empowering extremists, US should join the real fight against them." Zarif said the travel ban punished people who had never been convicted of a terrorist act, while people from other countries involved in past attacks would not be affected. "For some terrorism and support for terrorism is measured by the amount of arms they buy from the U.S, and not by actually being involved in acts of terrorism," he said, in an apparent reference to recent U.S. approval of $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Saudi citizens are not affected by the travel ban. Zarif did not mention Saudi Arabia by name but the ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom is the arch-foe of Shi'ite Iran in the region. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh in Beirut; Editing by Madeline Chambers and Gareth Jones) The Israeli Air Force launched strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza overnight from June 26-27. The Israeli Defense Force confirmed that aircraft targeted two Hamas military sites, in response to a projectile fired from Gaza that hit an open area near the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. Local media, including Gaza Now and the Times of Israel, said that Gaza residents reported at least three airstrikes: one targeting the district of Rafah, one targeting the Badr military site west of Gaza, and one in the eastern rural village of Jahr al-Dik. No injuries were reported in any of the strikes. Credit: Twitter/gazaenglis via Storyful Republican Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed a bill allowing his state's public schools to teach classes based on the Bible: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images Kentucky has signed a law allowing public, state-funded schools to teach courses on the Bible. Governor Matt Bevin participated in the bill signing ceremony in the state capitol building which opened with a Christian prayer. State Representative DJ Johnson said the Bible really did set the foundation that our founding fathers used to develop documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, local news station WDRB-TV reported. The class would be an elective, not a requirement for students and each local school board has the option to offer the class or not. Mr Bevin was perplexed as to why this would not be presented as an option for Kentucky students, adding I don't know why every state would not embrace this, why we as a nation would not embrace this. The US Constitutions clause on separation of church and state is the reason, according to critics like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kentucky. We want to make sure that teachers can teach and make sure that they don't go in to preach, ACLU Advocacy Director Kate Miller told WDRB-TV. Though Mr Johnson noted that the development of the course would not be unconstitutional, the state Department of Education will be the agency helping school districts develop the curriculum. The department, like every state education department in the country, receives federal government funds. Recently, in a related case the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of a church in Missouri which had sought state funds to fix the pavement of its preschool playground. The court said the state cannot deny religious institutions any public benefits. Mr Bevin noted that: You could be an atheist, and you would appreciate there's a lot of wisdom in the Bible. No other religious texts are included in the bill, which is set to go into effect on 30 June. Senate foreign relations committee chairman says Gulf nations have chosen to devolve into conflict and says dispute undermines US efforts in Middle East Bob Corker said: We need a better understanding of the path to resolve the current dispute and reunify the GCC. Photograph: J. Scott Applewhite/AP The Republican chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee has said the US Congress will hold up approval of arms sales to the Gulf as a result of the Saudi-led blockade of Qatar. Senator Bob Corker said the nations of Gulf Cooperation Council had failed to take advantage of a summit with President Trump in May to overcome their differences and had instead chosen to devolve into conflict. Corker continued: For these reasons, before we provide any further clearances during the informal review period on sales of lethal military equipment to the GCC states, we need a better understanding of the path to resolve the current dispute and reunify the GCC. Earlier this month, the Senate narrowly fended off a bid to block a Trump administration plan to sell Saudi Arabia $500m in precision-guided munitions, part of a proposed $110bn arms sales package announced during the presidents visit to Riyadh last month. Congress has the power to block individual sales during a 30-day review period from when the state department gives notification of an impending sale. A Saudi-led coalition that includes Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar on 5 June, but only provided a justification 18 days later with the presentation of a list of 13 demands. They want Doha to close the al-Jazeera TV channel, restrict diplomatic ties with Iran, halt the construction of a Turkish military base in the country, and sever contacts with extremist organisations. Qatar has been given 10 days to meet the demands, but the Saudi-led group has not said what action it would take if the deadline is not met. The US has sent mixed signals on the standoff. In the immediate aftermath of the embargo, Trump gave Riyadh and its allies fulsome support, echoing Saudi claims about Qatari funding for terrorism. Story continues However, Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, last week called on the coalition present its complaints and negotiate a solution. Since the list of 13 demands was presented, Tillerson has been non-committal, observing that some of them would be very difficult for Qatar to meet, but arguing there were significant areas which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution. The German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel likened the crisis to an Arabic House of Cards, adding the demands being made of Qatar were provocative. He also said Qatar was by no means the only country in the region responsible for funding terrorism, and added Europe had to do more to influence US thinking in the Middle East. It falls on us Europeans to convince the US to continue supporting the international system, Gabriel said at a speech given to the European Council on Foreign Relations. Speaking at the same event, the Iranian foreign minister Zarif said the countries who blamed Iran or Qatar for terrorism were trying to avoid taking responsibility for their own failures in addressing the demands of their own people. One day its Iran, today its Qatar, he said. Its an attempt to evade responsibility, escape accountability for this very fundamental failure of the state system to address, to respond to the demands of its populus. Zarif argued for a new regional dialogue forum for the Gulf countries and called for an end to the armaments spiral in the region, which he said influenced some western countries relations with states in the region. When foreign policy becomes a commodity, then purchasing military equipment becomes your yardstick for measuring who is a terrorist or who isnt a terrorist, he said. This reinforces a cognitive disorder in our region that security can be purchased from outside, that security can be purchased by trying to buy more military equipment, he added. What is needed in our region is a regional dialogue forum. The news that the Los Angeles Clippers agreed to trade Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets sent shockwaves throughout the NBA, and one of the first to react to the move was none other than LeBron James. My brother off to a new journey! Best of luck @CP3!! H-Town yall got a great one coming to your city. #BrotherHood???????? LeBron James (@KingJames) June 28, 2017 James wasnt the only athlete to react to the trade. Three of the players sent to the Clippers in exchange for Paul, Sam Dekker, Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams both expressed excitement in joining their new team and admiration for their time in Houston. Houston, thanks for welcoming me with open arms. I gave my all every time I was on the court. Time to get to work for LA! #Clips Sam Dekker (@dekker) June 28, 2017 Lets get it Clippers!!! Lets get it!!!! Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) June 28, 2017 Thanx houston for the love. But let's pretend like those 3 months didn't happen. No harm No foul lol. Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) June 28, 2017 Even Rockets general manager Daryl Morey sent a congratulatory tweet. The rest of the Twitterverse, however, was left scrambling in the wake of such a blockbuster trade just days before the beginning of free agency. Story continues Is it too late to lock CP in a house ???????????????? Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) June 28, 2017 My boy @CapelaClint bout to get 20 lobs a game Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) June 28, 2017 To the ???? Wow!! Emoji game in point ???????? Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) June 28, 2017 I wanted to see Chris Paul on the Spurs Allen Robinson II (@Thee_AR15) June 28, 2017 Lot of questions about how a CP3/Harden backcourt will work. Someone probably not concerned: Mike DAntoni. Now w/two elite playmakers. Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) June 28, 2017 Lets go live to Doc Rivers as he enters Jerry Wests office this morning: pic.twitter.com/VM1bghR4bB Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) June 28, 2017 James Harden currently celebrating after Houston lands Chris Paul. https://t.co/RLeIx5YPgz Dylan (@DylansFreshTake) June 28, 2017 Chris Paul blew a 3-1 lead against the Houston Rockets. He is now joining them. Wheres the outrage? Blue Man Hoop (@BlueManHoop) June 28, 2017 You just know Chris Paul and James Harden have Paul George in a very interesting group text right now. Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 28, 2017 Even Whataburger is excited about CP3s move to Houston, for some reason. Chris Paul is gonna be droppin dimes in Houston like I drop Whataburger Whataburger (@Whataburger) June 28, 2017 After all the dust had settled, Paul himself poured out his feelings on Twitter. Over the next few weeks, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is due to provide President Donald Trump with a new strategy for Afghanistan. This will be the latest in a long series, produced on a regular basis since 2001, all with the core objective of preventing the country reverting to a sanctuary for terrorism. Mattis cannot be accused of ramping up expectations for the new approach he is seeking to develop. He describes the current situation as a stalemate, but with the balance having swung to the Taliban. Reversing this, he argues, will require more troops to help develop Afghan capabilities. When asked what it would mean to win, he says violence must be brought down to a level where it could be managed by the Afghan government without it posing a mortal threat. There are several obstacles to even this modest definition of victory. First, it envisions an Afghan government able to competently deal with groups such as al Qaeda without outside assistance; it envisions, in other words, a government very different than the one Afghanistan has had for some time. Another obstacle is posed by the supporters of the former Taliban government, who are well embedded in Afghanistan and have sympathetic backers in Pakistan. Regardless of the strategy Mattis settles on, the war offers little prospect for a stable end-state in which the Afghan government will be able to think about issues other than security, or U.S. forces can withdraw without having to rush back to repair the damage as the Taliban surge once more. But Afghanistan is not unique in this regard. The situation in Iraq is similar, as are the wars in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Ukraine, and any number of other international conflicts. We have entered an era of wars that wax and wane in intensity, and at best become manageable, rather than end with ceremonies to conclude hostilities. The challenge posed to traditional notions of war by these endless conflicts has been the subject of much debate. What is long overdue is reflection on the challenge posed to our definition of peace. Story continues Once upon a time the distinction between war and peace was clear-cut. Peace ended when war was declared. Almost immediately acts which had previously been considered criminal, harmful and obnoxious became legal and desirable. Trade would be blocked and aliens interned. Neutrals had to pay attention. Eventually the war would end when a treaty was signed, setting the terms for a new peace. The fighting would stop, trade would resume and aliens would be released. Neutrals could get on with their business. As the previous peace had been flawed, for it had ended with war, the new peace must address those flaws. In addition, as wars involve sacrifices and pain, the new peace must provide a degree of reward and compensation. It must represent progress. It has been a long time since we enjoyed such clarity. Wars are no longer declared. The trend began in the 1930s, including the use of euphemisms for war, as those states which had renounced war as an instrument of national policy (the language of the 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact) embarked on invasions. The trend was set by the Manchurian Incident of 1931, when Japan invaded China. The Second World War involved lots of declarations, but few wars have been declared since. In those many contemporary wars that involve civil conflict, formal declarations are obviously irrelevant. Cease-fires and peace settlements are regular but they have a habit of not sticking. Meanwhile, international wars now frequently conclude with no more than a cease-fire agreement (as with Korea in 1953 or Iraq in 1991), explicitly leaving open the possibility that they can resume at a later date. So, warfare has become less of a separate, marked-off activity, demarcated in time and space, and instead a messy condition, marked by violence, found within and between states. It can involve examples of force that are intense but localized or else widespread and sporadic. Borders have become permeable, so that neighbors move in and out while denying that they are engaged in anything so blatant as aggression. The absence of large-scale hostilities at any particular moment in any particular region does not mean that peace has broken out because they are often on the edge of war. A true peace needs to be for the long-term, with disputes resolved and relations getting closer not a pause to allow for restocking and some recuperation before the struggle continues. As the line between peace and war has become blurred, international relations scholars have used a simple measure of 1,000 battle deaths in a given year to mark when the line is crossed into war. A conflict with fewer battle deaths, then, for analytical purposes is not a war but merely a militarized inter-state dispute. With civil wars the threshold is much lower in the key databases than inter-state wars, so fighting can sneak below the required level but then sneak up again. Over long periods countries, such as Afghanistan or Iraq, can experience many different sorts of violence without ever enjoying a lengthy period of tranquility that might deserve to be known as peace. The literature now refers to war prevention and war termination without requiring any references to the peace being left or to which it is hoped to return. There are still peacekeeping missions, meant to sustain a tentative peace, but when these missions have been sent into situations without any peace to keep the term has proved clearly inadequate. Some variations were attempted to recognize this difficulty such as peace enforcement or peace support until it was accepted that a durable peace might prove to be elusive and so instead the designation became stabilization operations. When a war was undertaken for purposes of conquest then success could be measured in terms of territory gained or held. But conquest, pure and simple, is no longer represented as a legitimate objective of war, even when territory is being seized. The old imperialism was also often presented as a civilizing process, and not just about plunder and exploitation. Once the empires were dismantled after 1945 there was no appetite to construct anything comparable. Instead help with state-building is offered. Victory, for which Gen. Douglas MacArthur told us there is no substitute, is another word that has fallen out of fashion, except when talking about a specific battle. President George W. Bush tried mission accomplished in Iraq, but it turned out that it wasnt. When describing a desirable situation these days order is used as much as peace. The concept of peace has become a notable absentee in contemporary strategic discourse. Even university departments of peace studies spend a lot of time talking about conflict and violence and how to stop it. Those working in this tradition are heirs to the idealism that saw war as unnatural and representing the worst of human nature and national conceits. They continue to oppose militarism and its representations in mainstream thinking. But even within this tradition there has always been a tension between those who are essentially pacifists, so that any violence is retrograde, and those who believe that war can only be banished through the defeat of injustice and the promotion of freedom. On the one hand is the absence of war, the negative peace when hatreds may still simmer and repression may be rife; on the other the more positive peace, which might require taking sides once fighting has begun. The importance of this distinction is that when we do get around to discussing peace it is largely in positive terms. Peace must be just and lasting. A coming peace is rarely described in terms that acknowledge the challenges facing war-torn societies as they attempt to recover and reform. The promise, once the evil-doers are defeated, is of freedom and democracy flourishing, bringing with them prosperity and social harmony. Even when intervening in societies whose future we cannot (and should not) control the West is reluctant to say that we have done little more than calm things down and made things less bad than they might have been. It is difficult to justify the lives lost and the expenses incurred in the most discretionary intervention by proclaiming a so-so result. Indeed, the temptation is to cover the promised outcome with the full rhetorical sugar-coating. Looking back at the claims made about what could be achieved in Afghanistan and Iraq, the ambition is extraordinary: terrorism defeated, a fearful ideology discredited, whole regions turned toward the path of democracy and away from dictatorship, an end to the drug trade, and so on. Yet we know, and have been reminded, that the brutality and violence associated with war is not a natural route to a good peace. War leaves its legacy in grieving, division, and bitterness, in shattered infrastructure, routine crime, and displaced populations vulnerable to hunger and disease. There were good peaces achieved after 1945 with both Germany and Japan (which is why the wars that led to their defeat were considered unambiguously good). But these required more than military victory. They also demanded the commitment of a considerable amount of civilian planning and resources that would have been quickly lost if the Cold War had ever turned hot. The astonishing feature of the invasion of Iraq was the refusal to put any effort into what was described as the aftermath of the occupation, and the complete lack of preparedness to take advantage of whatever opportunities for a better society that might have been created. If we look back at policy failures here and elsewhere they often lie in the reluctance to make the effort and deploy the resources to address the long-term issues of reconstruction once fighting subsides. In short, there has been no agreed view about the demands of peace. Thucydidess observation that wars are undertaken for reasons of fear, honor, and interest has been quoted by members of the Trump administration. These three words allow for a wealth of interpretation and all can be said to be in play when dealing with the Islamic State or Afghanistan. Of the three, doing justice to fear would require not only the elimination of terrorist sanctuaries in the respective countries, which might be possible, but preventing their return, which seems optimistic. Securing American interests might require the establishment of states that are more stable, and societies that are more free, and less sectarian, internally violent, and corrupt. These are individually matters of degree and also do not come as a package. The tension between social order and individual freedom runs through political theory as well as Western foreign policy and is no closer to resolution. Even the best likely outcomes now will feel unsatisfactory even if further calamities can be avoided. Which leaves honor as the final path to peace. This is the simplest to achieve as all it requires is acting in a principled way with high standards. It does not preclude a disappointing material outcome. Indeed, when we think of peace with honor, two great failures that come to mind. In 1938 this is what British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain claimed to have achieved when he came back from Munich after meeting with Hitler, as did U.S. President Richard Nixon when talking about the Paris Peace Accords at the start of 1973. Honor means you did what you could, not that you achieved what you set out to achieve. We talk about peace as a utopian condition, as a set of desiderata for a better world to keep us motivated when times are tough, or when inquiring into the requirements of postwar reconstruction. But the nature of the peace we seek needs to be integrated as a matter of course into any military strategy, and in contemporary conditions requires a renewed commitment to realism. There is no point in describing an attractive future if there is no obvious way to reach it. Military planners should remember that the conduct of a war, as well as the cause for which it is fought, shapes any eventual peace. Opportunities need to be taken to consider what might seriously be achieved through the use of force, nonviolent alternatives that might achieve comparable objectives, and also what can be done with a war that others have started but we wish to see finished. Si vis pacem, para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war, goes the Roman adage. But if you prepare for war then at least think about the peace you want. Photo credit: JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP/Getty Images Paris (AFP) - US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron agreed during a telephone call Tuesday on the need for a "joint response" in the event of another chemical attack in Syria, the French presidency said. Their call came a day after Washington said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may be preparing another chemical weapons attack and warned that his regime would pay a "heavy price" if it went ahead with such an assault. A Pentagon spokesman said US intelligence had noticed suspect activity at the launch site of the regime's apparent chemical strike in April. Days after that strike on a rebel-held town, the United States launched a cruise missile strike on the airfield in retaliation -- the first direct US attack on the Syrian regime. The French foreign ministry refused to say Tuesday whether it too had information about possible preparations by the Syrian regime for a chemical attack. After a meeting last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an Assad ally, Macron drew a "very clear red line" on the use of chemical weapons "by whomever" and warned of reprisals. In August 2013, a chemical attack near Damascus brought France and the US to the brink of a joint military intervention in Syria. But then US president Barack Obama, who had also declared that a chemical attack would cross a "red line", eventually decided against military action. The US and Russia instead struck a deal on the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. Plans for President Trump to be impeached are already underway and a number of Democratic lawmakers are currently drafting articles of impeachment which could be brought before Congress: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images It is no secret giving up alcohol is trying. There is even a whole charity industry Sober October and Dry January which has sprung up in recent years to monopolise on peoples struggle to relinquish booze. This makes it all the more significant and telling that increasing numbers of Americans are willing to give up drinking if it means President Donald Trump was to be impeached. A new survey has found nearly 73 per cent of Democrats and 17 per cent of Republicans said they would cut out the liquor if the official political process of removing the President were to be put in motion. On the other hand, more than 30 per cent of Republicans surveyed said they would abstain from alcohol in order to stop the media from penning negative, disparaging articles about President Trump. The study carried out by Detox.net surveyed 1,013 men and women across the US. Plans for President Trump to be impeached are already underway and a number of Democratic lawmakers are currently drafting articles of impeachment which could be brought before Congress. Nevertheless, impeaching the mogul-turned-politico is by no means a straightforward process. A resolution would not only have to pass the Republican-controlled House but two-thirds of the members of the Senate which is also controlled by the Republicans would also need to vote in favour of pushing Mr Trump out of the White House. At the beginning of June, Texas Representative Al Green, who has been one of the most outspoken supporters of impeachment proceedings against Mr Trump, was joined by California Representative Brad Sherman in announcing a bid to impeach him. The pair argue the Presidents decision to sack former FBI Director James Comey - who was leading an investigation into alleged links between President Trump and Russia - constitutes an obstruction of justice. The question really is whether the president can obstruct justice with impunity, Mr Green told a press conference. We live in a country where no congressmen, no senator, and not even the president of the United States of America is above the law. By Steve Barnes LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - A newly installed Ten Commandments monument on Arkansas state Capitol grounds was destroyed on Wednesday by a man police said drove his vehicle into the granite slab and posted the incident on Facebook. "It was shattered into a lot of pieces," Chris Powell, a spokesman for the Secretary of State and Capitol Police, said in an interview. The suspect, identified as Michael Reed, 32, was arrested on three charges, including defacing an object of public interest. Police did not release Reed's motive for toppling the monument installed in Little Rock on Tuesday. Republican state Senator Jason Rapert, the main backer of the monument, said a replacement has been ordered. "Frankly this guy was in a state of mind that he could very well have hurt somebody," he said at a news conference. A Facebook Live video posted to the account of a person named Michael Reed appears to show the slab's destruction. In the vehicle, a person can be heard saying: "Oh my goodness. Freedom," and driving more than 20 mph (32 kph) until a smashing noise is heard. "He actually was videoing it and broadcasting it live on Facebook as it happened," police spokesman Powell said, adding an officer patrolling nearby arrested Reed. No lawyer was listed for the suspect in online jail records. In 2014, a person with the same name and age as the suspect used a vehicle to smash a Ten Commandments monument on Oklahoma Capitol grounds, law enforcement in Oklahoma said. Reed then fled the scene and went into a federal building. He made threats against then President Barack Obama, they said. News reports in Oklahoma said he was never formally charged. Arkansas has not officially confirmed whether the same Reed was involved in Wednesday's incident, Powell said. The 6-foot (1.8-meter) monument in Little Rock was funded with $26,000 in private donations. Legislation permitting it on the Capitol grounds was enacted in 2015, and whether that was appropriate has been debated ever since. Story continues Courts have ordered the removal of similar religious monuments erected in Alabama and Oklahoma, which had rebuilt its monument after it was destroyed. A civil liberties group has pledged a court challenge in Arkansas, saying the monument showed an unconstitutional government preference for a certain religion. Since Arkansas' Ten Commandments monument act was proposed, satanists and other groups have sought state permission to place markers on Capitol grounds, but their requests were rejected. (Reporting by Steve Barnes in Little Rock and Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Taylor Harris and Grant McCool) A Florida handyman is walking out of jail a free man after spending three months in jail earlier this year for possession of cocaine that was really drywall. Read: Man Who Spent 18 Years Behind Bars for a Crime He Says He Didn't Commit Finally Walks Free Karlos Cashe was pulled over in Oviedo for a routine traffic stop when the police officer said he noticed a white powder in the mans car. Cashe, a handyman by trade, explained that the powder was not drugs but drywall residue from his job. The officer called for backup and a drug sniffing K-9 later alerted officers that narcotics were present in the vehicle. When the officer ran a check on Cashe, they found he had been arrested in 2015 for marijuana and cocaine charges. Cashe pleaded no contest to the 2015 charges. He was arrested and denied bond by a judge because it was believed he had violated his parole. After three months behind bars, lab tests returned and determined the powder in his car was indeed drywall residue and tested negative for cocaine. Cashe was able to walk free last week. Read: 7 Cases Where People Spent Years Behind Bars for Crimes They Didn't Commit I sat there 90 days knowing I was innocent, Cashe told WFTV9. The Oviedo Police Department has not returned a call for comment from InsideEdition.com. Watch: Dashcam Video Shows Tiger Woods Stumble Around During Field Sobriety Test Related Articles: A Florida man is facing charges after cops said he threatened the life of a state lawmaker over Facebook. But suspect Steve St. Felix won't let the arrest blot out his sunshine. Watch: This Man is Behind Bars After Sending Selfie to Police for Better Mugshot The 34-year-old smiles with abandon in his mugshot, which Miami-Dade Police Department released Tuesday. St. Felix made the threat Sunday against Republican state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, Miami-Dade police said in a statement. The post said St. Felix would kill the lawmaker if he appeared at a political meeting. "I'll kill your ass and you better not show up to the next REC meeting," the Facebook post read, according to The Miami Herald. Read: Grandmother, 81, Sparks Police Chase After Driving Wrong Way While on Coffee Run Police say St. Felix admitted to making the threat because he was "fed up" with Republicans. He also told cops that he meant no real harm and the he'd neglected to take an unspecified medication prior to writing the post, according to a report. St. Felix was charged with making written threats to kill or do bodily injury. Watch: Teacher Smiles in Mugshot After Being Arrested for Sexual Relationship With Teen Related Articles: Avengers: Infinity War is going to be an epic movie, but it will also make some major changes. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that there will be superheroes leaving at the end of the flick. Yes, Feige simply answered when JoBlo asked him if Infinity War was the end for any of the superheroes. As always, Feige kept any and all specifics to himself. Of course, fans anticipate some heroes to retire soon. Chris Evans contract is up after Avengers 4, and the Captain America actor is expected to hand over the shield to one of his pals (likely either Anthony Mackies Falcon or Sebastian Stans Winter Soldier). Yet it doesnt seem like Evans is rushing to get out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) if they want him to stick around. READ: When Will The Last Infinity Stone Be Revealed? Ive had a great run. Superheroes are reinventable entities, like Batman or even James Bond, he told USA Today in April. These movies find new incarnations and new ways to tell the story. I am all for it. However they want to proceed after Avengers 4, its really up to them. I walk away with no regrets and endlessly thankful. Captain America Iron Man Photo: Marvel Evans added that we might see a different member of the original Avengers lineup leave the franchise first. Downey is far closer to reaching that point where he may walk away. And I dont know how you replace Downey as Tony Stark. I dont know who else can touch that, Evans noted. Iron Mans fate remains a mystery. It seems Robert Downey Jr. is signing on for Marvel movies individually at this point. With his appearances in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Civil War, he is clearly open to being in movies where he isnt in the title role. Downey told Cinema Blend that he is happy to keep doing Marvel movies as long as they are well-written. Story continues What happens to me is that things are presented to me that are really well thought out by folks that have been doing this correctly for a really long time, and I go like, Check, he said. READ: Robert Downey Jr. Shares Avengers: Infinity War Set Photo JoBlo tried to get Feige to hint at a future Captain America or Iron Man movie, but Feige said that wasnt the focus right now. We have another two years of hard work to even finish these movies, and they [the actors] have a lot of hard work to do, so thats all were thinking about, is completing those and delivering on the promise of those. Where it goes beyond that, well see. While its difficult to narrow down who might be leaving the MCU, we definitely know a few heroes who are sticking around. It seems like most, if not all, of the Guardians of the Galaxy will stick around. The intergalactic misfits will team up again in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which director/writer James Gunn has revealed takes place after Infinity War. Its also pretty unlikely that recent additions, like Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) or Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), would leave right now. Among the new heroes with a future in the MCU is Spider-Man. Tom Hollands character will get a second solo movie after Infinity War as well, which is scheduled to film next year. Feige recently told Fandango that Spidey will be as present in Infinity War as he was in Civil War. I think it might feel bigger a little bit because of Homecoming and because of what people know from it, but it's about on par with [Civil War], he said. Avengers: Infinity War is set to hit theaters May 3, 2018 and is currently filming in Atlanta. Related Articles London (AFP) - London and Brussels clashed Monday over future residency rights for millions of Europeans as Britain outlined post-Brexit proposals that included a special new status for EU immigrants. Prime Minister Theresa May fleshed out what she called a "fair and serious" offer to guarantee the rights of EU migrants in Britain once it has left the European Union. "I want to completely reassure people that under these plans no EU citizen currently in the UK lawfully will be asked to leave at the point the UK leaves the EU," she told parliament. "We want you to stay," May said, promising to end their "anxiety" after last year's referendum vote to end Britain's four-decade membership of the bloc put the future of 3.2 million EU citizens in doubt. The government's 17-page policy plan would allow Europeans to stay in post-Brexit Britain with broadly the same rights as Britons, with access to healthcare, education, welfare and pensions. But they would have to apply to join a new register conferring "settled status", and would be subject to British law without recourse to the European Court of Justice. Moreover, non-European spouses of EU nationals would not enjoy the same rights after Brexit. They will have to show a minimum level of income, and remain subject to the byzantine immigration application that non-EU migrants have to complete nowadays. The application process for the new "settled status" register for EU nationals will not be so complicated, British officials stressed, but the response from Brussels to the policy proposals was cool. And May was heckled in parliament as opposition lawmakers accused her of using Europeans as "bargaining chips" by refusing to guarantee their rights until a reciprocal deal is struck for around one million Britons living elsewhere in the EU. "EU goal on citizens' rights: same level of protection as in EU law. More ambition, clarity and guarantees needed than in today's UK position," EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said in a tweet. Story continues - Hiding in sheds - The European Parliament's Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, welcomed May's proposal to simplify residency application procedures but said there were "a number of limitations" in the proposals. He warned that "any degradation of the rights linked to freedom of movement" before Britain leaves the EU would violate EU law. Resolving the issue is an early priority for both sides involved in the Brexit talks that began last week, but also threatens to become one of the biggest flashpoints, along with the financial bill that London will eventually owe to settle its EU liabilities. "I believe it's a generous offer," May insisted to parliament, putting details on the framework after first outlining the offer at an EU summit last week, adding that it would provide "reassurance and certainty". But opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused of her of proposing "too little, too late", adding: "This is confirmation the government is prepared to use people as bargaining chips." The3million, a lobby group for EU nationals in Britain, said they remained "in limbo" despite May's proposals. "British friends joke that they can hide us in sheds and hedges -- it's not funny! We're people not Bargaining Chip(s)," the group tweeted. One major point of uncertainty is still on the table: May did not specify the cut-off date after which new arrivals from Europe will be subject to tighter rules. The government said the matter was one for the negotiations with the EU. EU citizens are currently free to move to Britain from the other 27 member states but this right will end with Brexit, forcing those in Britain who remain to apply for the new status. Mass immigration from the EU was a key factor in last year's Brexit referendum vote to leave the bloc. The government also unveiled plans to exclude "serious or persistent criminals, and those whom we consider a threat to the UK" -- which was a potent issue for "leave" campaigners. European rules already allow member states to expel other EU citizens on security grounds, and between 4,000 and 5,000 EU prisoners were deported from Britain last year, according to the interior ministry. By Timothy Mclaughlin (Reuters) - The U.S. ABC television network, owned by Walt Disney Co , has settled its closely watched defamation lawsuit with Beef Products Inc over news reports on a processed beef product that critics dubbed "pink slime," both companies said on Wednesday. Terms of the settlement, which also covered the Beef Products Inc (BPI) claims against ABC reporter Jim Avila, were not disclosed. Privately-held BPI had claimed that the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and Avila defamed the company by calling its processed beef product pink slime and making errors and omissions in a series of 2012 reports. BPI calls the product "lean finely textured beef." BPI attorney Dan Webb told Reuters the settlement came together "quickly this week," but declined to provide details, citing a confidentiality agreement signed by both parties. The settlement came 3-1/2 weeks after the trial in the case got under way in Elk Point, South Dakota, around 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Sioux City, Iowa. BPI is based in nearby Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. ABC said in a statement that it stood by its reporting. Avila said after the case was settled that the company was not retracting his stories or apologizing, and his 2012 "pink slime" reports remained on the ABC News website. BPI's signature product, commonly mixed into ground beef, is made from beef chunks, including trimmings, and exposed to bursts of ammonium hydroxide to kill E. coli and other contaminants. A former microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is credited with having coined the term "pink slime." "While this has not been an easy road to travel, it was necessary to begin rectifying the harm we suffered as a result of what we believed to be biased and baseless reporting in 2012," BPI said in a statement. "Through this process, we have again established what we all know to be true about Lean Finely Textured Beef: it is beef, and is safe, wholesome, and nutritious." Story continues ABC maintains its reports were correct and has said its reporting deserved protection under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and the press. "Throughout this case, we have maintained that our reports accurately presented the facts and views of knowledgeable people about this product," ABC said in a statement, saying that it agreed to the settlement because "continued litigation of this case is not in the company's interests." Dane Butswinkas, an attorney for ABC and Avila, did not immediately respond to request for comment. "We're not retracting anything. We're not apologizing for anything," Avila told reporters outside of the Union County Courthouse where the trial was being held, in a report posted on the website of the local NBC affiliate. The trial had been expected to last eight weeks. BPI had claimed up to $1.9 billion in damages, which could have been tripled to $5.7 billion under South Dakota's Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act. During its reports, ABC used the term "pink slime" more than 350 times across six different media platforms including TV and online, Webb said during opening statements on June 5. In the aftermath of ABC's broadcasts, BPI closed three of its four processing plants and said its revenue dropped 80 percent to $130 million. The company had around 1,300 employees before the reports. Some 700 were let go shortly after, Erik Connolly, a BPI attorney, told Reuters on Wednesday. "If inaccurate information is being put out there by a news organization, particularly one with a powerful reach, it can cause tremendous damage," he said. "There are real consequences to that for real people." Attorneys for ABC countered in opening arguments that the term was commonly used before ABC's reports and said that BPI's business was already suffering. Sonja West, a professor of First Amendment law at the University of Georgia School of Law, said the case did not set a precedent because it ended in a settlement. However, it could have a chilling effect on coverage of sensitive stories. "If that happens, it's the public who suffers by missing out on valuable information about important matters. We don't want a press that is always playing it overly safe with their reporting," she said. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Leslie Adler) Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday she wanted to resume talks between the European Union and the United States on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). "I am in favour of resuming negotiations on such a free trade accord -- and also resolving all the problems together," Merkel told an economic symposium of her ruling Christian Democratic Party. Initial talks on the TTIP, which would create a huge free trade area on both sides of the Atlantic, came to a halt when Donald Trump won the US presidency after campaigning on a protectionist programme. On taking office he withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal with Pacific Rim economies -- but US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said last month Washington was "open" to resuming TTIP talks. "It makes sense to continue TTIP negotiations and to work towards a solution that increases overall trade while reducing our trade deficit," Ross told broadcaster CNBC on May 31. Bent on tackling trade deficits the Trump administration Trump now appears to have its heart set on reducing the trade imbalance with EU states, Germany in particular, in the hope it can open up their markets for US firms. Germany, which last year turned in a record trade surplus, has been in Washington's sights since Trump came to power. Meeting senior EU officials in Brussels last month, Trump's top economic adviser Gary Cohn said the US president thought that Germany is "very bad on trade," citing its car exports as an example. Last year, the US trade deficit in goods with Germany clocked in at a little under $65 billion -- albeit some five times lower than with China. By Suzannah Gonzales and Chris Kenning (Reuters) - Michigan sued the city of Flint on Wednesday in federal court over its failure to approve a long-term drinking water source for residents. Flint switched its water supply in 2014, sparking a crisis that was linked to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease and at least 12 deaths, as well as exposure of residents to dangerously high lead levels. Since October 2015, the city has obtained its water from the Great Lakes Water Authority. But the Flint city council's refusal this week to approve a long-term agreement with the supplier, negotiated by the city's mayor, without proposing a reasonable alternative, will "cause an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health in Flint," according to the lawsuit filed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The state is asking the court to bar Flint from changing water sources and adopt the long-term agreement. "While disappointing that the state and federal government are now involved in making a decision we as city leaders should be making for Flint, I cannot say that I am surprised," Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said in a statement. She added that her plan was best option. Instead of approving the long-term agreement, the city council voted on Monday to extend until September its contract with the Great Lakes Water Authority, local media reports said. City Council President Kerry Nelson told the Detroit News the state's June 26 deadline was too rushed for council members, who needed more time to examine the deal. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and state officials on Wednesday called on the council to approve the mayor's deal. "The city is well on its way to a full recovery, and to hinder that progress now would be a major and costly setback for residents," Snyder's spokeswoman, Anna Heaton, said. The crisis erupted in 2015 after tests found high amounts of lead in blood samples taken from children in the industrial city of about 100,000, whose population is predominantly black. Story continues The city had started using the Flint River for water in 2014. Water to Flint from the Great Lakes Water Authority comes from Lake Huron. The more corrosive river water caused lead to leach from pipes and into the drinking water. Lead levels in Flint's drinking water have now fallen below levels considered dangerous by federal regulators. Earlier this month, six current and former Michigan and Flint officials were criminally charged for their roles in the crisis. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales and Chris Kenning in Chicago; Editing by G Crosse, Matthew Lewis and David Gregorio) By Stephen Kalin MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Peering through a lookout hole at the Mosul frontline on Tuesday, Iraqi soldiers clad in black uniforms surveyed the last remaining patch of land controlled by Islamic State in the city's historic center. Just steps away in no-man's land stands the stump of the Hadba minaret, which towered above the city for 850 years until the militants rigged it with explosives and razed it to the ground last week. Getting this deep into Mosul's Old City means soldiers from the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) must dismount from their armored Humvees and walk for 10 minutes down a maze of narrow alleyways which at some points are barely wider than a man. They climb through holes knocked into walls, entering abandoned homes and courtyards where detritus and concrete rubble is piled up at every turn. Construction is so dense here that vehicles cannot pass and air strikes would likely cause too much collateral damage. The battle to retake Islamic State's de facto capital in Iraq has come down to a band of soldiers with assault rifles maneuvering on foot through the dusty heart of the city. Heavy fighting in close quarters between the elite troops and Islamic State's most hardened fighters has left the Old City so damaged that it is often hard to tell the difference between what constitutes indoors and outdoors. LONG NEGLECT Iraqi forces stormed the Old City, the ultimate target of an eight-month-old campaign to capture Mosul, nine days ago. On Monday they captured the neighborhood of al-Faruq, facing the Hadba minaret and the adjoining al-Nuri mosque, and on Tuesday they retook al-Mashahda neighborhood, the military said. Like the historic districts of great Arab capitals such as Cairo and Damascus, Mosul's Old City holds market stalls, a few mosques and churches, and small houses built and rebuilt on top of each other over the ages. Most of its stone structures date from the medieval period, but some are older. Modernization initiatives and long neglect had caused significant damage before Islamic State took over, yet the 150-foot (45-metre) leaning Hadba minaret had survived as an icon of the city. Iraq's prime minister has said its destruction amounted to an acknowledgment of defeat by Islamic State. The group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his only confirmed public appearance in the mosque three years ago to declare the establishment of a modern-day caliphate which is now crumbling. He has left the fighting in Mosul to local commanders and is believed to be hiding in the Iraq-Syria border area, according to U.S. and Iraqi military sources. The Iraqi military estimates up to 350 militants are besieged in the remaining parts of the Old City, dug in among civilians in crumbling houses and making extensive use of booby traps, suicide bombers and sniper fire to slow the troops advancing from west, north and south. More than 50,000 civilians are trapped behind Islamic State lines with little food, water or medicine, according to those who have escaped. None were visible on Tuesday in government-controlled parts of the Old City. Only a handful of neighborhoods remain outside the control of Iraqi forces, and while authorities expect the offensive to end in the coming days, their advance remains arduous. In the courtyard of a dilapidated home, a soldier launches a white commercial drone. As it buzzes skyward, officers gather on a couch to inspect enemy defenses on the transmitted video feed. Soldiers, who dash through alleys blocked up precariously with stones and furniture, said snipers and suicide bombers remained the primary resistance from Islamic State. They chat with each other about how to adjust to fighting more from outside their Humvees. "The blocks in this area are uneven, so it's not a direct confrontation," said one soldier. "Sometimes they jump out from around a corner." (Reporting By Stephen Kalin; Editing by Janet Lawrence) The mother of 2-year-old Bella Bond, better known as Baby Doe, was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday, just a day after her former boyfriend was convicted in the death of her daughter. Rachelle Bond struck a plea deal prior to the trial that would allow her to be freed on time served at its conclusion in exchange for a guilty plea and testimony against her ex-boyfriend. Suffolk County Superior County Judge Janet L. Sanders said in a hearing Tuesday she give final approval to the plea deal between Bond and prosecutors but that sentencing would be postponed until July 12. Bond would need to undergo treatment for drug addiction and there was currently no facility available for her to be transferred to. Read: Everything We Know About The Bella Bond Trial As Closing Arguments Begin Theres no secret here about the sentence, said Sanders, according to the Boston Globe. Bond pleaded guilty to being an accessory in the murder in February when she admitted to helping her ex-boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, dispose of Bellas body. McCarthy was found guilty of second-degree murder Monday, a charge that carries an automatic life sentence in Massachusetts. The trial volleyed blame back and forth between McCarthy and Bond. Prosecutors argued that McCarthy was obsessed with the occult and believed Bond was a demon when he killed her. McCarthys defense team, on the other hand, said it was not he who was obsessed with the occult but Bond and that Bond had been the one to kill her daughter. Bond told police she had seen McCarthy, who lived with her at the time of Bellas death, kill her daughter by punching her over and over again in the stomach. She said she was intimidated into keeping quiet because McCarthy threatened her and forced her to help him dispose of Bellas body. The two wrapped Bellas body in trash bags loaded with weights and threw her in the water. The couple reportedly binged on heroin after Bellas death, as they were both addicted to the drug. Bond said she was trapped by [McCarthys] abusive behavior and her own drug abuse. Story continues Police found books about demolonology in the apartment McCarthy and Bond shared while searching it after the murder, though it was unclear who they belonged to. At one point in the trial, the defense quoted one of Bonds diary entries in an attempt to prove that she was obsessed with the occult. In the entry, Bond discussed her views about why so many missing children were never found. Thats because the leaders every country get together and torture and rape and kill these innocent children every year just so they can drink their blood and eat their flesh, the entry said. So these reptilian demons can have a moments clarity. Read: Baby Doe Bella Bond Murder Trial Reveals Disturbing New Evidence The case against McCarthy relied primarily on Bonds testimony, which defense attorneys attempted to refute as a changing web of lies. An innocent man is going to prison for the rest of his life for a crime that she committed, defense attorney Jonathan Shapiro said Monday. Shapiro said he planned to appeal the conviction. Related Articles Rachelle Bond, who admitted to helping dump the body of her 2-year-old daughter, is expected to walk free next month under a plea deal she reached with prosecutors. The Massachusetts woman was sentenced to time served in exchange for being the prosecutions star witness in the murder trial of Michael McCarthy, who was convicted Monday of killing their daughter, Bella. Read: Boyfriend of Mom Found Guilty in 'Baby Doe' Killing: 'Finally, Justice for Bella' Her expected release has generated outrage. There has been a lot of backlash against the deal that was made with the prosecutors. People are very upset, Boston Globe reporter Maria Cramer told Inside Edition. McCarthy faces life in prison at his sentencing hearing Wednesday. They charged the wrong person and the jury convicted the wrong person, said McCarthys attorney, Jonathan Shapiro. Prosecutor Dan Conley acknowledged Bond was not blameless. Rachelle bond loved the little girl, he said. But at the same time, she let her down terribly. That doesnt make her a murderer. Bellas body was dumped into Boston harbor and washed ashore weeks later in 2015. She was called Baby Doe, as authorities tried to identify her. Prosecutors said McCarthy killed the toddler and then put her body in a trash bag and dumped her in the water off south Boston. Read: Prosecutor: Boyfriend Murdered 'Baby Doe' Because He Thought She Possessed by Devil The childs mother pleaded guilty earlier this year to being an accessory after the fact.. She told jurors earlier this month that McCarthy killed her daughter because she didnt want to go to sleep. It was her time to die. She was a demon, McCarthy said, according to Bonds testimony. She helped get rid of her daughters body because she was terrified of McCarthy, she told investigators. Both adults were heroin addicts, investigators said. On the night Bella was killed, her mother said she walked into the toddlers bedroom and saw McCarthy punch her in the stomach. Story continues He hit the child so hard that she bounced off the mattress, Bond said. Watch: Mom Charged With Child Abuse After 2-Year-Old Son Is Shot By Brother: Cops Related Articles: The owner of the 20-pound lobster that was photographed by TSA agents inside Bostons Logan Airport and posted to social media is furious about how the agency handled the massive sea creature. Read: Giant, 20-Pound Lobster Found in Checked Bag at Boston Airport Chris Stracuzza of Savannah, Ga., told Inside Edition that he is beyond ticked off" that agents were able to open his luggage in the first place. They shouldnt be able to go through peoples luggage and post their photos online," he added. The huge lobster was posted on social media Monday by TSA spokesman Michael McCarthy, the day after it was photographed inside Logan Airport. .@TSA officers are skilled at screening all sorts of items in checked baggage...including this 20+ pound lobster at @BostonLoganpic.twitter.com/euhyyO6F7V Michael McCarthy (@TSAmedia_MikeM) June 26, 2017 The post shows a smiling TSA agent at Logan International Airport holding the gargantuan crustacean. The lobster was inside a checked item, a cooler, after Stracuzza says he bought the giant lobster at the Atlantic Fish Market while on vacation in Connecticut. Read: Aspiring Rapper Eats $621 Worth of Seafood, Then Jumps in the Sea to Beat the Check: Cops And Stracuzza isnt the only one unhappy with the way the lobster was handled. The owner of the fish market, Lisa Feinman, told Inside Edition: "It was about our privacy. Is there a line? Is there something that says any agent or person can just pick up something of yours, pose as a photograph and send it on social media?" Live lobsters are legally allowed to be carried on flights "in a clear, plastic, spill-proof container," according to the TSA website, which adds that such cargo is subject to inspection by a TSA officer. Story continues The lobster was estimated to be about 80 years old and Stracuzza was able to take him on his journey where he turned the crustacean into a variety of delicacies including lobster mac and cheese and lobster rolls. Watch: WWE Diva Claims She Was Groped by TSA: 'I Have Never Felt This Violated' Related Articles: Passengers aboard a flight headed to Malaysia from Australia experienced such a bumpy ride that the veteran pilot reportedly asked them to pray. Read: One Dead and One Injured After Small Plane Crashes Into Day Care Center "Our survival depends on your [cooperation], the pilot of the AirAsia X flight from Perth, Australia, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, told his passengers Sunday morning. For 90 minutes, fliers endured a ride that was "like being in a washing machine, one passenger said. The nightmare reportedly began after a "bang" was heard from one of the two engines. The heroic pilot sounded calm as he turned the jet around to return to Perth and struggled to get back to the airport. Hopefully, everything will turn out for the best, he reportedly said. One of the 359 passengers was quoted as saying, "The pilot asked us to pray twice and said he was scared too." The pilot, who has not been named, has reportedly been flying for 44 years. Read: Woman Recently Engaged and Father of 3 Among 4 Victims of Air Ambulance Plane Crash CBS travel editor Peter Greenberg spoke to Inside Edition about the incident. Greenberg was not on the flight. "For the pilot to say, 'pray,' he is probably reinforcing what they are already doing, he said. The pilot reacted to it quickly, got them down. Landing was safe, so, things need to be put into proper perspective." The passengers were later transferred to other flights when their plane landed safely back in Perth. An investigation into what happened to the engine is currently underway. Watch: Honeymooning Couple Alerts United Staff to Problem With Plane, Says They Were Forced to Sleep on Terminal Floor Related Articles: A Tennessee woman says she was kicked out of her apartment complex swimming pool near Knoxville for wearing a pink, one-piece bathing suit. Read: Plus Size Mom: Don't Call Me Brave for Wearing a Bathing Suit I felt really, really violated and sexualized and objectified, Tori Jenkins told Inside Edition. Jenkins and her fiance were recently cooling off at the pool when a woman from the leasing office asked her to cover up. The worst part was when she told me there are a lot of teenage boys in the complex and I don't need to be exciting them, Jenkins added. Jenkins said she was singled out because of her curves and the woman demanding she put some clothes on apparently had multiple complaints." She added: "I was sitting next to a woman in a strapless bikini she was smaller than me and it wasn't much of an issue. It shows a lot more skin." Her fiance shared the details of her ordeal on social media, and the story went viral. Tori was accused of wearing a thong bathing suit and told there were complaints about the way she dressed after roughly three minutes tops of us arriving there," Tyler Newman, her fiance, wrote in the post. There is nothing inappropriate about her suit, one person commented. Another said: "You are beautiful and have a right to wear this at your pool." Inside Edition went to the complexs manager, who didnt have much to say. Read: Hourglass? Athletic? Curvy? Find the Perfect, Figure-Flattering Bathing Suit for Your Body "Let me give you the name and number of who you can contact," the person at the office said. Jenkins said she hopes to wear the swimsuit again but I'll definitely wear it around friends who make me feel good." She added: "We'll see about in public. The apartment complex told Inside Edition in a statement that despite multiple residents expressing concerns about Jenkins' swimsuit, she was never asked to leave the pool area. Story continues Instead, they say she was asked to wrap a towel around herself per the complex's policies, which they say are posted near the swimming area. Watch: Dress Like Dad on the Beach This Father's Day With These Matching Swim Trunks Related Articles: By Bernie Woodall (Reuters) - Florida Supreme Court justices on Wednesday asked whether an Orlando prosecutor removed from first-degree murder cases by Governor Rick Scott had the discretion to adopt a policy not to seek the death penalty in her district. Aramis Ayala, a Democrat who took office in January, sued the Republican governor this spring over his decision to take her off two dozen murder cases. She has said the death penalty is not in the best interest of justice and argues Scott is exceeding his authority. Scott says Florida state attorneys should "prosecute individuals to the fullest extent of the law," including the death penalty. Ayala's lawyer, Roy Austin of Washington, argued on Wednesday that she had used allowable discretion in choosing not to pursue capital punishment, including in a high-profile case against a man accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and an Orlando policewoman in separate incidents. Justice R. Fred Lewis said Ayala appeared to be creating a blanket policy when she announced at a March press conference that she would not seek death sentences in the Ninth Judicial District, which includes Orange and Osceola counties in central Florida. "How is that really within the concept of discretion?" Lewis asked. "To my mind, discretion is when you make a decision on a case-by-case basis." Ayala's lawyer Austin said prosecutors throughout Florida make calls on how to handle various types of cases. "Discretion comes in many forms. What State Attorney Ayala did was absolutely an exercise in discretion," Austin said. Florida Solicitor General Amit Agarwal, arguing on behalf of the governor, said allowing Ayala to create a "blanket policy" in the Ninth Judicial District could lead to an uneven application of justice for first-degree murder cases across Florida. If her policy is allowed to stand, "we're going to have a situation where you have law-free zones with respect to some statutes in some parts of the state," said Agarwal. Story continues Ayala attended the oral arguments in Tallahassee, while Scott was traveling, their respective offices said. Ayala, Florida's first black woman elected state attorney, in April sued Scott to take back the cases, which are being handled by the Republican state attorney for an adjoining district, with the help of some of Ayala's staff. The justices did not say on Wednesday when they would rule. Austin has indicated he will pursue the case in federal court if Ayala loses in Florida's top court. (Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Editing by Dan Grebler and Grant McCool) Related: Watch news, TV and more Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Prosecutors dropped a perjury charge on Wednesday against a former Texas state trooper who arrested a black motorist later found hanged in her jail cell, a court document provided by the attorney for the ex-trooper showed. The 2015 traffic stop by former trooper Brian Encinia that resulted in the hanging death three days later of Sandra Bland, 28, was one in a series of incidents that raised questions of racial bias in U.S. policing. Encinia was charged by a grand jury in January 2016 with making a false statement on his arrest report for Bland. The charge carried a penalty of up to one year in jail. The prosecution's motion to dismiss, filed in state court in Waller County, said that Encinia agreed to surrender his law enforcement license and "will not pursue or engage in employment, in any capacity, with law enforcement." Encinia's attorney Chip Lewis said a judge agreed to the motion. "Brian and his family appreciate the thoughtful review by the prosecutors. Dismissal was the right thing to do," Lewis said in a statement. Last year, Bland's family reached a $1.9 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit they filed against law enforcement. Family lawyer Cannon Lambert said on Wednesday he was disappointed that prosecutors decided not to see the case through. "When you have evidence that an officer lies about what happened out in the field in a police report, and it is caught on tape that he is lying, you have to prosecute to ensure the community they are going to get a fair shake," he said in a telephone interview. Bland was found dead in her cell with a trash bag around her neck. Authorities said she committed suicide. Critics said race was a factor in her being pulled over by Encinia for failing to signal a lane change in Waller County, about 50 miles northwest of Houston, and for her arrest on a charge of assaulting an officer. They said the trooper increased tensions on the scene. The Texas Department of Public Safety faulted Encinia for his conduct during the stop and later fired him. A dashcam video showed him shouting at Bland and failing to answer her when she asked repeatedly why she was being arrested. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; editing by Grant McCool) At 91, the Queen might be well beyond her pension age, but that hasn't stopped her from getting a massive pay rise. SEE ALSO: Baby survives Grenfell, or not: Facebooks fake news problem continues apace A record-breaking performance by the Crown Estate, which owns residential properties, commercial offices, businesses, and land across Britain, means the Queen will get an 8% increase in income from public funds. The Sovereign Grant, which funds the monarch's household, official travel, and upkeep of palaces, will increase from 76 million ($97 million) in 2017-18 to 82.2 million ($104.9 million) next April. Not bad, huh? It's a 6 million pay rise. Now, before the French revolutionary in you starts ranting about royal privilege and taxpayers' money, it has to be reiterated that the Queen's funding is based on the profits of the Crown Estate, whose profits rose by 24 million to reach a new high of 328.8 million. Sir Alan Reid, whose title is "Keeper of the Privy Purse," defended the Queen, claiming she represents "excellent value for money." "When you look at these accounts, the bottom line is the Sovereign Grant last year equated to 65p per person, per annum, in the United Kingdom. That's the price of a first class stamp," he said. Also, Queen's pay rise will take place as refurbishment is taking place at Buckingham Palace, costing 369 million. However, people on Twitter weren't happy, to say the least, about the new funding, linking it to the Grenfell Tower fire: Glad we can find more taxpayer money to fix up Buckingham Palace while hundreds of tower blocks are dangerous. Priorities, hey? Mic Wright (@brokenbottleboy) June 27, 2017 It would appear Austerity is only for poor people Queen to receive 6m pay increase from public funds - https://t.co/IY8ZGRlTxt codfather (@codfather) June 27, 2017 The Queen is getting a 6m pay rise LOL beginning to see a theme here with the Conservatives' spending priorities #MagicMoneyTree Political Hipster (@escofree) June 27, 2017 So the Queen is getting a payrise to 82mil per tax year - to help pay for refurbishments to Buckingham Palace..... pic.twitter.com/Uvs6IJqa78 Barcho (@LouisMarch) June 27, 2017 Queen gets 82m pay rise to pay for Buckingham Palace works but we need to cut benefits for the poor to save money https://t.co/gsLXFzSuUV Parveen Agnihotri (@Parveen_Comms) June 27, 2017 If the government wants to save money on the Buckingham Palace refurb, there are some very good deals to be had these days on cladding Aunt Olive (@HelpfulOlive) June 27, 2017 Aeronautics giants are treating the idea of a flying car with caution, as such a project raises more questions than it answers, experts say -- it's a child's dream, a millionaire's toy. But is it really the next big thing in transport? At this year's Paris Air Show, you had to search hard to find an aircraft that looked anything like an automobile: but one such model, the AeroMobil, was tucked away under the old Concordes at the Air and Space Museum, just outside the capital. This strange-looking hybrid, with its bulbous nose and retractable wings, designed by a Slovakian company, is scheduled to go into series production by 2020. "After you've landed at an airport, you transform the plane into a car and take the road to wherever you want," Simon Bendrey, AeroMobil's deputy head of engineering, told AFP. And they have already received a number of orders, he added, despite an asking price of 1.2-1.5 million euros ($1.3-$1.8 million). While flying cars have starred in films including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Fifth Element, the race to turn such dreams into a reality is being run by dozens of small creative start-ups like AeroMobil. - Quantum leap - Among those nearest to take-off is the Dutch outfit PAL-V, which is offering a two-seater gyrocopter and is scheduled to be available by next year -- a steal at 300,000 euros. Czech company Nirvana Systems says it has had dozens of orders for its mini-helicopter, which can also travel on roads, albeit at rather sluggish ground speeds. Silicon Valley-based company Kitty Hawk says its Flyer will be on sale by the end of the year. And just last week France's Pegase, a cross between a ultra-light plane and a mini-car, crossed the Channel, the narrow stretch of water between England and France. Until recently, flying cars "were a cross between a bad car and a bad plane," said Bruno Sainjon, head of the French aerospace lab ONERA, on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show. Story continues But there has been a quantum leap in design thanks to vast improvements in the power of electric propulsion, linked largely to the rapid advances in drone technology recently. Today, such engines lift 80-100 kilos (176-220 pounds), Xavier Dutertre, director of the Techoplane project based in Normandy, northern France, told AFP. "And we're not far from having the capacity to transport one or two men for about 20 minutes," he added. "In five to 10 years, that will have become commonplace." While driving-flying hybrids may initially be the latest must-have gadgets for the ultra-rich, experts believe that such vehicles could actually be rapidly overtaken, as the industry sets its sights on fly-only solutions further down the line. - 'New era for aviation' - The real future, said ONERA's Sainjon is "a system of on-demand air transport, which would clearly be the start of a new era for aviation" -- a flying taxi service, in other words. Flying cars will not be something that just anyone can drive, "because it's too risky," Pascal Pincemin, an aerospace specialist with Deloitte, told AFP. He envisaged digital platforms to manage the new form of traffic, and that appears to be what Uber, the App-based ride-hailing service, has in mind with its "Elevate" project. The idea appears to be to develop a network of electric, vertical-takeoff aircraft and they are aiming to make their first demonstrations in 2020. Dubai could be the first off the starting blocks with a new kind of small autonomous electric helicopter scheduled to come into operation later this year. There is "a real appetite, a real interest", in this kind of transport in some of the more traffic-congested cities, said Jean Brice Dumont, head of engineering at Airbus Helicopters. At the last Geneva motor show, the company presented its own prototype flying car, "Pop Up", developed in cooperation with a subsidiary of Volkswagen. But Dumont said they were expecting the technology to mature and develop further. Boeing, so far, has not shown its hand and Deloitte's Pincemin does not see flying taxis becoming a common mode of transport before 2050. First, he said, the vehicles would have to prove their reliability. Air transport today has a death rate of 0.2 per million flights, said Patrick Cipriani, director of security at the DGAC, France's civil aviation directorate. "Will we be prepared to accept levels like those of light aircraft, which are 100 times less safe?" he asked. The reporter who unloaded on White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during Tuesdays briefing says that hes had enough of being bullied by President Trumps administration. We cant take the bullying anymore, Brian Karem, a reporter for the Sentinel Newspapers, said on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Wednesday. Weve been called the enemy of the people from that White House. Weve been told that were fake news. We are bullied and browbeaten every day. Karem, who has worked for the Washington, D.C.-based news organization since 2004, said hes been alarmed by the administrations treatment of the press. For the government to sit there and undermine what is essentially checks and balances in the system, its disheartening, he said. Its unnerving. I cant take it anymore. Its nuts. During Tuesdays briefing, Sanders scolded reporters over the use of unnamed sources and complained about the constant barrage of fake news aimed at the administration. If we make the slightest mistake, if the slightest word is off, its just an absolute tirade from a lot of people in this room, she said. But news outlets get to go on day after day and cite unnamed sources. The comments set off Karem, who was standing near the back of the briefing room. Come on this administration has done this as well, he told Sanders. If any one of us doesnt get it right, the audience has the opportunity to turn the channel or not read us. You have been elected to serve four years at least theres no option other than that. Related: Reporter unloads on deputy press secretary at White House briefing Were in here asking you questions, Karem continued. Youre here to provide the answers and what you just did is inflammatory to people all over the country who look at it and say, See, once again, the presidents right, and everybody else out here is fake media. And everybody in this room is trying to do their job. I disagree completely, Sanders shot back. I think if anythings been inflamed, its often the dishonesty that takes in the news media. And I think its outrageous for you to accuse me of inflaming a story when I was simply trying to respond to [a] question. Story continues On Tuesday night, Karem wrote a blog post for Playboy magazine explaining his decision to lash out. The president has never admitted one mistake, he wrote. The current administration sells half-truths and lies like theyre day-old cookies at a bake sale. The fact is: I like Sarah Sanders. I like Sean Spicer. I like most of the people Ive met who work in this administration. Theyre personable and, as far as I can tell with a few notable exceptions decent people, he added. But I dont like bullies and I dont like the entire institution of the press and free speech being castigated for no other reason than we either get stories wrong which happens, and it should be then responsibly corrected or because we report news the president doesnt like which seems to happen even more often. Read more from Yahoo News: Washington (AFP) - Senate Republicans watched support for their Obamacare repeal bill slide into perilous territory after Monday's release of a non-partisan report forecasting that the plan would leave 22 million more Americans uninsured by 2026. The legislation introduced last week by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was already in jeopardy, despite expressed optimism by President Donald Trump. With Democrats uniting in opposition to the draft, Republican leaders have struggled to rally enough support from within their ranks to get the bill over the line. McConnell has said he wants a final vote on the bill Friday, before a brief recess for lawmakers for the July 4 Independence Day holiday, but some in the party have balked at the short timeline. The report by the Congressional Budget Office will no doubt sow deeper concerns about the viability of the legislation, which is aimed at fulfilling Trump's pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, the landmark reform of his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama. "The Senate bill would increase the number of people who are uninsured by 22 million in 2026 relative to the number under current law," the CBO said in its much-anticipated report. The estimated increase in the number of uninsured under the bill that passed the House of Representatives last month was 23 million. According to the CBO, the Senate legislation would also slash federal spending by some $321 billion over the 2017-2026 period, a net savings of $202 billion over the House measure. The CBO said that the bill's abolition of the provision requiring individuals to have insurance would lead to 15 million more uninsured people next year alone. It also warned that some insurance premiums for individuals would be 20 percent higher next year than under current law, mainly because eliminating mandated coverage would prompt comparatively fewer healthy people to sign up. The White House quickly dismissed the CBO report, citing what it called its "history of inaccuracy." Story continues - Republican holdouts - Five Senate Republicans publicly opposed the bill as drafted, even before the new CBO score. After the score's release, the prospect for advancing the bill was in doubt, as two Republican senators, Rand Paul and Susan Collins, said they would not vote for a motion to proceed to the legislation. Should three Republicans join all Democrats in opposition, the bill would stall in the Senate unless McConnell returns with enough changes to draw some back on board. "I want to work w/ my GOP & Dem colleagues to fix the flaws in ACA," Collins, a moderate from Maine, said on Twitter, in a noteworthy expression of support for fixing, and not replacing, Obamacare. "CBO analysis shows Senate bill won't do it. I will vote no on mtp (motion to proceed)." With Republicans in a 52-48 majority, McConnell can afford only two defectors. In the event of a tie, Vice President Mike Pence would still give Republicans a win. Some Republicans have expressed concerns with the way the bill slashes the expansion of Medicaid, America's public health program for the poor and disabled. Thirty-one states have expanded Medicaid to include millions of people whose income is up to 38 percent above the poverty level. Despite potential roadblocks, Trump said Republicans were working "very hard to get there, with no help from the Democrats." Over the weekend, Trump spoke "extensively" with Republicans, including Paul, Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson, the White House said. But frustration with the legislation was clear. "It's a terrible bill," said Paul. "Twenty-five percent of the people like it, 75 percent of people don't like it." The plan would create a new system of federal tax credits to assist people buying health insurance, while allowing states the ability to drop many benefits required under the ACA, such as maternity care and emergency services. Republicans have introduced slight changes to the legislation, including a provision that penalizes those who let their insurance lapse for 63 days or more. The six-month "lockout" is aimed at nudging people into maintaining insurance at all times. - 'Giant 'Stop' sign' - But misgivings about the measure have grown, particularly in states that expanded Medicaid. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer assailed the legislation, saying the CBO score confirms it is "every bit as mean as the House bill" and should be read by Republicans "like a giant 'Stop' sign." "Trumpcare will lead to higher costs and less care, and will lead to tens of millions of Americans without insurance," he added. Concern echoed outside Congress too, with the nation's largest association of physicians joining other groups in sternly opposing the effort. "Medicine has long operated under the precept of... 'first, do no harm,'" the American Medical Association wrote to Senate Republicans. "The draft legislation violates that standard on many levels." 3 panels to work on BRI projects The government has decided to form three panels to implement the framework deal on the Belt and Road Initiative signed with China by working on project selection, technical assessment and coordination with Beijing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. (Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty) WASHINGTON Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., challenged President Trump on Wednesday to invite all 100 senators for a summit to hash out a bipartisan health care bill. President Trump, I challenge you to invite us all 100 of us, Republican and Democrat to Blair House to discuss a new bipartisan way forward on health care in front of all the American people, Schumer said on the Senate floor. He added that Democrats are genuinely interested in coming together with Republicans on health care, as long as Republicans abandon tax cuts for wealthier Americans and cuts to the Medicaid system. Related slideshow: Protesters across the country oppose GOPs health care plan >>> Since the Senate Republicans health care effort suddenly stalled Tuesday, Schumer has been needling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to scrap his bill and instead sit down with Democrats and work to improve the existing system. McConnell is reportedly attempting to hammer out a deal by Friday and set a vote on the bill when the Senate returns from its recess in July. If McConnell cant get his caucus in line, the Republican leader warned, he might have to sit down with Schumer as well. Any real compromise seems distant at this point, though a handful of Republican and Democratic senators have shown a willingness to explore bipartisanship in the past. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., met with more centrist Democrats Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., in May before giving up on those talks. President Trump at a White House meeting Wednesday. (Photo: Molly Riley-Pool/Getty Images) For his part, McConnell has largely been wielding the specter of working with Schumer as a threat to get his fractious caucus in line. McConnell needs 50 of the 52 GOP senators to agree on a deal, and so far, about 10 Republican senators moderates and conservatives have refused to get in line. Itll be dealt with in one of two ways, McConnell said Tuesday after emerging from a meeting with Trump. Either Republicans will agree and change the status quo, or the markets will continue to collapse and well have to sit down with Sen. Schumer. And my suspicion is that any negotiation with the Democrats would include none of the reforms that we would like to make, both on the market side and the Medicaid side. Story continues Schumer, who is known as a dealmaker, would have a lot of leverage if McConnell failed to broker a deal within his own party and came to him ready to talk. As McConnell warned, any agreement with Schumer would likely not contain the changes to Medicaid and insurance exchanges backed by conservative lawmakers in both the Senate and the House. Related slideshow: Die-in protesters dragged away from McConnells office >>> Were the first to say we want to sit down and talk to you about it, but we are not going to be in a position where we say, OK, only 15 million people will be uncovered, well support that bill, Schumer said Tuesday. Thats not the type of compromise were talking about. They really need some structural revision. Working with Schumer would mean Senate Republicans had not only failed to repeal Obamacare as they had promised to do eight years running but even worked with Democrats to prop it up. The leader of a conservative group who didnt wish to be quoted discussing the Senate negotiations said he couldnt imagine McConnell cutting a deal with Democrats because such a capitulation would anger the GOP base. Its one thing working with Nancy Pelosi to raise the debt ceiling working with Chuck Schumer to stabilize the Obamacare markets is something else, he said. I think that would hurt Republicans badly. But Trump himself could theoretically shake up that calculus. If he were to take Schumer up on his offer, or showed interest in working with Democrats to fix problems in the exchanges, Republicans would feel pressure to fall into line. But the president didnt seem interested in Schumers offer Wednesday, telling reporters, He hasnt been seriousHe just doesnt seem like a serious person. Read more from Yahoo News: Saudi army officers walk past F-15 fighter jets, GBU bombs and missiles at King Salman airbase in Riyadh: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker has announced he will block any future arms sales to six Gulf Region countries while they are engaged in a major dispute over funding for terrorism. In a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Mr Corker announced he would not clear any more weapons sales in the region until the US has a better understanding of the path to resolve the current dispute and reunify the [Gulf Cooperation Council]. Five Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members voted to cut ties with fellow Council member Qatar earlier this month. The states, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, claim Qatar has been funding Sunni Islamic terrorism and working on behalf of Iran. The decision put the small, economically dependent country into a tailspin that the US has been trying to resolve, with little success. The State Department is working with the GCC countries to meet their demand and bring Qatar back into the fold. In a recent statement, Mr Tillerson said he believes our allies and partners are stronger when they are working together towards one goal, which we all agree is stopping terrorism. Donald Trump, however, accused the country of of funding terrorism at a "very high level". Mr Corker, meanwhile, claims the GCC failed to take advantage of recent summit with the US, and chose to devolve into conflict. All countries in the region need to do more to combat terrorism, but recent disputes among the GCC countries only serve to hurt efforts to fight ISIS and counter Iran, he wrote. Mr Corker as well as the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the ranking members of each committee must approve of any significant arms sales to foreign governments before Congress is notified. Congress must then be notified before the sale can proceed. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Senator Benjamin Cardin, said he agreed with the chairman's decision. I share Senator Corkers concern that the current G.C.C. dispute distracts from our shared, most pressing security challenges defeating ISIS and pushing back on Iran, Mr Cardin said in a statement. Story continues I will withhold consent on future arms sales to GCC until a path to resolve the dispute is established. My letter: https://t.co/PTOlC5Wcmk. Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) June 26, 2017 The decision could jeopardize a $110bn arms deal that Mr Trump announced with Saudi Arabia in May. While Congress has already been notified about many aspects of the deal, others have yet to enter the informal review process. The decision will not affect a $500m weapons sale to the country that Congress failed to block earlier this month. Humanitarian groups warned the sale could exacerbate the civil war in Yemen, but Senate Republicans including Mr Corker shot down a bill to block it. "There is no classified intelligence that shows [Saudi Arabia] have ever intentionally bombed civilians as a matter of fact, intelligence down there shows that they didn't," Mr Corker said at the time. The Senator described blocking arms sales to Saudi Arabia as "cutting your nose off to spite your face." Mr Corkers office did not respond to requests for comment. Ryan Edwards is back from rehab and better than ever. The Teen Mom OG star checked into a treatment facility after the MTV reality series brought his struggles to light. In a statement to Us Weekly, Edwards confirmed that he sought treatment for addiction. The father of one revealed to the public that he left the facility not long ago and is doing well. The Teen Mom OG star thanked wife Mackenzie Standifer and his parents for sticking by his side, thanking fans for their support as well. A little over 30 days ago, I made the decision to check myself into a rehabilitation facility. I am back home now doing well, and life could not be better, Edwards said. Without the support of my wife and parents I would not have been able to do this. Thank you all for your well wishes. Read: Mackenzie Standifer Confirms Ryan Edwards Drug Abuse Rumors The reality stars statement release aligned with the Teen Mom OG finale. During the episode, Edwards addiction took center stage once more. This time, Standifer accused her then-fiance for driving under the influence of prescription drugs. Despite her worries about Edwards, Standifers faith in her beau appears to be stronger than ever. Before Mondays episode of Teen Mom OG, she tweeted a cryptic message about negativity surrounding their relationship. She suggested that anyone with doubts about the two of them should see their way out of their lives. mackenzie_ryan Photo: MTV And any negativity...bye. Hope the door doesnt hit ya on the way out! #BeGoneSatan too much good happening in this household, she wrote. God is so faithful! He has stuck by US in every step of our way. Thankful for a family that supports, love and encourages. Standifer was largely silent during her hubbys time in rehab. She released one statement during that period, assuring E! Online he was on the right path. She said simply that he was doing well, adding nothing more. Story continues Standifers father, however, felt comfortable talking about the struggles the couple was facing due to Edwards addiction. Speaking with Radar Online, Bob Standifer Jr. claimed the family staged an intervention for Edwards. He said they were going to get together and talk about getting Mackenzies hubby into treatment. Mackenzie and Ryan are adults. I wont talk without them present. Anything we talk about, were all going to sit down together, he said, adding, Ryan is a great guy. Edwards battle with addictions first came to light on Teen Mom OG. Ex-fiancee Maci Bookout spoke candidly about her fears for her former future husband, revealing that she spent many nights crying. She planned, at the time, to demand he get help or risk not seeing son Bentley. Read: Teen Mom OG Stars Reveal When, If Ever, Theyll Quit The Show Im going to be like, You have to go to rehab, she said. Right now its about saving his life. Most nights Im crying in our bed talking to you about whether or not today is the day hes going to die. She also spoke with fellow Teen Mom OG stars about it during a cast trip to Puerto Rico. She broke down during their conversation. Co-star Amber Portwood, whos struggled with addiction in her own life, said she recognized signs of addiction in Edwards. Related Articles One president is pushing NATO to get its act together on defense spending. But that president sits in Moscow, not Washington. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced non-U.S. NATO members will boost their defense spending by 4.3 percent this year as it seeks to counter Russian aggression and confront terrorist threats from the Middle East. To keep our nations safe, we need to keep working to increase defense spending and fairer burden-sharing across our alliance, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Wednesday. We have really shifted gears. The trend is up, and we intend to keep it up. Stoltenberg announced non-U.S. NATO members will collectively increase spending on defense by 4.3 percent in 2017 a $12 billion boost from 2016 levels. He said the money would be funneled into new military exercises and equipment to help NATO troops deploy quickly in case of emergency. Portions of the new funds would also go to troops salaries and pensions. Burden sharing has long been a sore spot in U.S.-NATO relations. Washington, by far NATOs largest defense spender, has pushed allies to pay their fair share for years. But Trump upped the ante by railing against allies for owing the United States backpay on spending gaps (though according to former U.S. ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder, thats not how NATO defense spending works) and even hinting Washington wouldnt come to the aid of allies who dont spend enough on defense moves that inflamed tensions with European capitals. Currently, only five of NATOs 29 allies meet the alliances commitment to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defense the United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Estonia, and Greece. Romania is expected to reach the threshold this year, with Latvia and Lithuania following next year. Trump has also taken credit for NATOs defense spending boost, but top NATO and European officials insist the wake-up call came from Russian President Vladimir Putin, and not the man in the Oval Office. Story continues In the wake of Russias 2014 invasion of Crimea, which caught Washington and its allies flat-footed, NATO members pledged to reach collectively the 2 percent threshold by 2024 through incremental spending increases. NATO defense spending grew 1.8 percent in 2015 and 3.3 percent in 2016. Many national governments hashed out these increases before Trumps surprise presidential victory last November. But regardless of who takes credit for what, Stoltenberg said Trump was on the right track. I welcome the strong focus of President Trump on defense spending and burden sharing, because it is important that we deliver, he said Wednesday. European allies should invest more in defense not only to please the United States, but they should invest more in defense because it is in their own interests. On Thursday, Stoltenberg will convene NATO defense ministers to discuss combating terrorism and burden-sharing issues in a semi-regular meeting in Brussels. Trumps past comments may have cast doubt on U.S. guarantees to NATO, but he isnt shorting the alliance when it comes to money. The Trump administration committed $4.8 billion in its 2018 defense budget to expanding its military footprint and activities in Europe. Beyond any words in the newspapers, you can judge America by such actions, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Wednesday, speaking in Garmisch, Germany. The reason U.S. forces are in Europe is not out of charity to the Europeans, he said. The security of the U.S. would be directly affected if Europe came under the domination of an unfriendly power. Congress also wants NATO to know it has its back. On Tuesday, the House overwhelmingly voted for a resolution endorsing NATOs mutual defense clause something Trump failed to do in his gaffe-filled visit to Brussels last month. NATO is absolutely essential to our national security and global stability, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) said in a statement Tuesday, in what appeared to be a signal to both nervous allies and some NATO-skeptics in the White House. The United States must remain the worlds leading force for good, but we cannot confront the challenges of the 21st century alone. Trump earlier this month finally endorsed NATOs mutual defense clause in response to a question from a journalist during a joint press conference with the Romanian President in Washington. Im committing the United States to Article 5, he said. NATOs mutual defense clause, known as Article 5, has been the linchpin of transatlantic security since NATOs inception in 1949. It was only ever invoked once, in support of the United States after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Photo credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images McDonald was shot over a dozen times by police: AP Three current and former Chicago police officers were indicted on Tuesday on felony charges for conspiring to cover up the shooting death of a black teenager by a white officer, prosecutors said. The indictments stem from a 2014 incident in which Laquan McDonald, 17, was shot to death. A video of the shooting, released in 2015, sparked days of protests and thrust Chicago into a national debate over the use of excessive force by police against minorities. Detective David March and officers Joseph Walsh and Thomas Gaffney were each charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice, the special prosecutor, Patricia Brown Holmes, said. The indictment makes clear that these defendants did more than merely obey an unofficial 'code of silence,' rather it alleges that they lied about what occurred to prevent independent criminal investigators from learning the truth, Holmes said in a statement. A police union spokesman declined to comment. It was not immediately known if March, Walsh and Gaffney had hired attorneys. A lawyer for the McDonald family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. All three officers were on scene the night of the shooting, Holmes told reporters. Chicago police representatives said Walsh and March are no longer with the force and that Gaffney will be suspended without pay. The three officers conspired to conceal the true facts surrounding McDonald's killing in order to protect their fellow officer from criminal investigation and prosecution, the indictment said. They lied about what happened and mischaracterized the video recordings, which they knew would lead to a criminal investigation and likely criminal charges, it said. Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer accused of murder in the McDonald shooting, was charged in March with 16 new counts of aggravated battery. Van Dyke pleaded not guilty to the 16 counts. He pleaded not guilty to murder in 2015 and is awaiting trial. Story continues When asked if others might face charges, Holmes said the matter is still being investigated. March, 58, and Walsh, 48, were police veterans of more than 30 years and about 20 years, respectively. Gaffney, 43, has about 20 years in the department. All are expected to be arraigned on July 10. Chicago police last month finalised stricter limits on when officers can use firearms and other force, the latest attempt to reform a department roiled by misconduct and criticism in the wake of McDonald's death. -Reuters U.S. Capitol Police remove protesters from in front of the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) WASHINGTON On Tuesday in Pittsburg, Kan., disability rights activists protested against the Senate Republican health care bill that would slash Medicaid funding and roll back Obamas expansion of the program. They protested in Salt Lake City and in Colorado. It was just one small example of the grassroots effort to target Republican senators in their states thats become a feature of the political world under Trump. You want to know whos really doing the best [opposition work]? Its random people out there who are just upset, said a senior Senate Democratic adviser Monday night, before going on to correctly predict that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not be able to get the votes to bring the Better Care Reconciliation Act to passage in its current form. People in the home districts of U.S. senators are telling their stories, making phone calls and organizing rallies and all of that, the staffer said, coupled with a full-court press in the media and in Washington, was making a difference. It was a wild 24-hour period that saw Democratic New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker and Georgia Rep. John Lewis holding an impromptu health care town hall on the steps of the Capitol as night fell Monday and President Trump calling on short notice a meeting of all the Republican senators Tuesday afternoon. MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, the Progressive Change Committee and a slew of other groups and Democratic senators and representatives held a rally in front of the Capitol Tuesday afternoon, complete with free pizza, with two more planned for Wednesday. Marchers block a street during a protest against the Republican Senate bill to replace Obamacare on Tuesday in Salt Lake City. (Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP) That D.C. coalition has been rallying against the Republican health care bills in Washington since May, but its on-the-ground actions around the country and calls from constituents to key senators that have helped set the tone in members districts. Now the activists are gearing up for the next phase of the fight. The vote would not have been delayed without the constituent pressure that weve seen all across the country, Indivisible tweeted to its 182,000 followers, which is how people communicate now, rather than releasing formal statements. But delay does not mean dead; it means this recess will determine whether the bill dies once and for all or lives to see another day. Story continues July 4 recess is your moment, the group said, encouraging its supporters to read up on advocacy tactics that work and download a Trumpcare Toolkit. Do not forget what happened in the House. Paul Ryan called ACA the law of the land, then brought his bill back from the dead weeks later. Related slideshow: Die-in protesters dragged away from McConnells office >>> Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin was more explicit: So McConnell has some time, but we have 2 big things on our side: this awful bill is now public, and the public is on our side, he tweeted. We should be making July 4 recess plans NOW. Your Senator is back home let them know how you feel. Congress is in session for 3 weeks between July recess and the very long August recess. This is when Republicans will try to get it done. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee said it was sticking to a plan to release an advertisement in West Virginia Wednesday targeting Sen. Shelley Moore Capito over the bills reduction in funding for Medicaid. Were doubling down on pressuring Shelley Moore Capito to oppose any Medicaid cuts after she tepidly opposed Trumps bill as drafted, said PCCC co-founder Adam Green. The longer the bill is out for the public to see, the better the odds of rallying support to halt it, progressives believe. It was harder to get peoples attention and train it on a bill that was a secret and had no Congressional Budget Office score. Now the bill is scored, and public. Supporters of Planned Parenthood protest the Senate Republicans health care bill outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) My sense is that two weeks ago, call volumes were down significantly. But they are ramping up especially over the past week. Were now back to the early resistance days where people call multiple times a day and get voicemail boxes. Thats especially [the case] for the targeted, the swing Republican senators, Ben Wikler, Washington director of MoveOn, told Yahoo News. Related slideshow: Protesters across the country oppose GOPs health care plan >>> Overall call volume may still be down compared to some of the fights earlier in the year, such as the one against the nomination of Betsy DeVos as education secretary, but those fights involved mobilizing opposition against Democrats and Republicans, and many of the calls went to senators like Californias Dianne Feinstein. This time much of the effort is being directed at mobilizing constituents against seven Republican senators from less-populous states. Its pressure thats sure to get more intense in the days ahead. Read more from Yahoo News: Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim is back, and so far, Im 1-and-0. (Yahoo Finance Canada) For most Tim Hortons-drinking Canadians, Roll Up The Rim is a bright spot in the midst of the long, dark winter. For a limited time though, it can be a welcome bonus to sunny summer celebrations, too. In honour of Canada Day and Canada 150 celebrations, Tim Hortons has launched its annual RRRoll Up The Rim to Win promotion for a second time this year. Starting today, Canadians have the opportunity to win food prizes, as well as one of ten ultimate Canadian vacations. Big win this am. First pull in New Roll up the Rim.. winner winner chicken dinner. #RollUp150 #timmies pic.twitter.com/JjomrK9OIq JEFF PAWLUK (@PAWZCAR) June 28, 2017 Tims is proud to be part of communities across Canada, so to celebrate this national milestone we wanted to show our appreciation for Canadians who have made us part of their daily routine for over 50 years, said Sam Siddiqui, President of Tim Hortons Canada, in a press release. #RollUpTheRim is back. I hate Tim Horton's coffee. But I like gambling. Here we go. #RollUp150 Schwinn Armstrong (@Obi_Two_Kenobi) June 28, 2017 Prizes include ten trips valued at $10,000 each, 8,000 $50 Tim Cards, and food and beverage prizes, with a total of 16 million prizes to be won. The promotion runs until July 21, or until cups run out (which we all know will happen first, sigh). Claim your prize by July 31. Tim Hortons is also encouraging Canadians to share their ideal Canadian vacation destination using the #RollUp150 hashtag. So far, many of the ideas have been for some truly iconic Canadian trips: Story continues Id take my Mom to see Mt Thor on Baffin Island. Seriously. Look at this thing!!! #RollUp150 pic.twitter.com/4XrcfrS1y8 TheRealSkriver (@TheRealSkriver) June 28, 2017 #RollUp150 I'd go on the Rocky Mountaineer and enjoy the amazing sights!.or rediscover the East Coast???????? Sandra-LeeYYC (@Scalia9SL) June 28, 2017 @TimHortons #RollUp150 My 3 kids and I would go up to Wasaga and Collingwood's Blue Mountain area and relax and chill ???? Bushman (@bushmanelectric) June 28, 2017 And some who havent won anything yet have been somewhat surprised by the message replacing the typical Please Play Again. Dalit man thrashed for entering temple in Saptari A man from Dalit community has been thrashed for entering a temple in Saptari on Tuesday. Logan Ryan gave his brother an incredible birthday gift.(Instagram/@realloganryan) There are good birthday presents, there are great birthday presents and then theres what Tennessee Titans CB Logan Ryan did for his brothers 29th birthday. Ryan, who recently signed a three-year $30 million contract with the Titans after a record-setting season with the New England Patriots, paid off his older brothers $82,000 student loans. He even presented him with a giant check to mark the occasion. Check out his awesome message on the memo line: The caption reads: Surprised my big bro and paid off his student loans for his 29th Bday!! My man got accepted to college, graduated with honors, and now works as an engineer. He did everything the right way and still lives with a ridiculous amount of student loan debt.The system is broke and makes no sense!! Im Fortunate and blessed to be able to take care of that for him.. Love you big bro you deserve it!! #Family #FinallyFree This is not the first generous act weve seen from Ryan. At his wedding in April, Ryan and his wife, Ashley, asked guests to donate to an animal rescue in lieu of wedding gifts. Demonstrators hold up placards during a protest in January outside Downing Street against President Donald Trump's ban on travel from seven Muslim countries: Getty Images In a victory for Donald Trump, a limited version of his travel ban is set to take effect in less than 72 hours. While chaos erupted at airports in January during the rollout of his first executive order on the issue, less disorder is expected Thursday. What has happened? The Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether Mr Trumps travel ban is lawful when the justices return for their next term, which begins in October. In the meantime, a limited version of his order will be implemented starting on Thursday. Who will be allowed to come to the US? The justices determined that foreigners with a bona fide relationship to a person or entity in the US wouldnt be prohibited from entering the country. However, those applying for visas who have no such connections to the US could be barred. There is uncertainty about what constitutes a bona fide relationship. Jeremy McKinney, a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Associations executive committee, told The Independent that a majority of the bans implementation will take place at consular posts outside of the US and at pre-inspection sites at international airports inside and outside the country. He said the ban will likely only affect a small portion of visa-seekers from the six countries from which the administration wants to ban travel Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Were still trying to imagine a scenario where a current visa-holder or visa-seeker from one of those six countries does not already have the requisite relationship with the person or the entity within the US, Mr McKinney said. However, he noted that visa-seekers and visa-holders could face problems at airports where there dont have access to legal counsel if the Trump administration tries to implement a broader interpretation of the travel ban than what was provided by the Supreme Court. Why is the Supreme Court letting a limited travel ban take effect? The government argued that a 90-day pause on entry of travellers from six mostly Muslim countries is necessary to prevent potentially dangerous individuals from entering the United States as the administration reviews gaps in the governments screening and vetting procedures for visa applicants and refugees. Story continues The justices agreed with a lower courts ruling that people or entities in the US who have relationships with foreign nationals abroad such as a state university that has admitted a student from one of the six countries could be harmed by the implementation of the travel ban. But, the high court also found that no burden is placed on American people or entities if a foreign national with no ties to the US is denied entry. Why did the Supreme Courts decision differ from the lower courts? Two federal appeals courts blocked critical parts of Mr Trumps executive order. In a departure from the lower courts, the Supreme Court wrote that fully blocking Mr Trumps executive order from being implemented thereby allowing foreign nationals unconnected to the US to enter the country would appreciably injure the nations interests, without alleviating obvious hardship to anyone else. Will the travel ban last? The ban limits travel for 90 days from the six mostly Muslim countries and suspends the nations refugee program for 120 days. But, based on the results of its review of vetting procedures, the Trump administration can lengthen these time periods. WASHINGTON President Trump has accepted French President Emmanuel Macrons invitation to attend July 14 celebrations in France, the White House announced Wednesday. The Bastille Day national holiday has additional significance this year: It will also serve to mark the 100th anniversary of U.S. troops entering World War I, a critical contribution to victory in a conflict that cost 1.4 million French lives. President Trump looks forward to reaffirming Americas strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement. The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern, Spicer added. Frances ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, tweeted that Trump and Macron would attend the traditional July 14 military parade down the iconic Champs-Elysees avenue, and that U.S. forces would take part. President Trump also met French President Emmanuel Macron in Belgium during a May NATO summit. (Photo: Peter Dejong/Reuters) Macron and Trump have had something of a strained relationship. The American leader essentially endorsed his French counterparts right-wing rival in presidential elections this year, and then announced that the U.S. would pull out of the Paris climate agreement. Macron had made it clear that keeping the U.S. in that agreement was one of his top foreign policy priorities. The two also had awkward body language at a summit of the Group of Seven rich democracies in May, including a handshake that looked like a battle for dominance. Macron also appeared to snub Trump during another photo op with the assembled leaders. The French leader invited Trump to France during a telephone call on Tuesday. In that conversation, the two presidents also agreed on the importance of a joint response if Syrian government forces launch a new chemical attack, according to Macrons office. Trump also congratulated his French counterpart on his partys parliamentary election victory, and wished him luck in launching his legislative agenda, the White House said. Story continues During the 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly deplored terrorist attacks in France, including an attack on Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, a resort city on the countrys Mediterranean coast. In February 2017, he drew a public rebuke from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo after he described the City of Lights as unsafe. Read more from Yahoo News: President Trumps lawyers, after rethinking their legal strategy, have shelved plans for now to file complaints accusing former FBI Director James Comey of leaking confidential information about his conversations with the president, according to two sources familiar with the lawyers plans. The decision to back away from repeated public threats to launch an all-out legal assault on Comey reflects a significant tactical retreat for Trumps legal team. It was prompted by concerns that such a move might antagonize special counsel Robert Mueller as he investigates Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible ties to Trumps presidential campaign, the sources said. The public attacks on Comey began after the ex-FBI director testified on June 8 that he authorized a friend to share with a reporter portions of a memo containing his account of a White House meeting at which Trump allegedly asked him to go easy on former national security adviser Michael Flynn. The next day, Marc E. Kasowitz, the presidents chief lawyer, accused the former FBI director of unilaterally and surreptitiously making unauthorized disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the president. We will leave it to the appropriate authorities to determine whether these leaks should be investigated along with all the others being investigated, Kasowitz said in a statement he read to the news media at the National Press Club. Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Russian Federation Efforts to Interfere in the 2016 U.S. Elections, in Washington, D.C., June 8. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) After his press appearance, sources close to Kasowitz repeatedly promised that the presidents lawyers would file within days formal complaints with the Justice Department inspector general and the Senate Judiciary Committee seeking an investigation of Comey. One such story, published by CNN on June 9, said the lawyers planned to file the complaints early next week. Another story, on Fox News the same day, said the filings by super attorney Kasowitz would be part of a three pronged legal attack on Comey that will likely be filed next week. Story continues But nearly three weeks later, no such filings have been made, and it now appears they wont be anytime soon. The reason, sources said, is that Kasowitz and his co-counsels Jay Sekulow and John Dowd are concerned that such filings might antagonize Mueller and potentially backfire on the president. The complaints have been put off out of deference to Mueller to let him do his job, said a source close to Trumps legal team, who asked not to be identified by name. But, the source insisted, [they] will be filed at some point. President Trumps personal attorney, Marc Kasowitz, speaks to the news media after the congressional testimony of former FBI Director James Comey at the National Press Club in Washington, June 8. (Photo: Yuri Gripas/Reuters) Still, the tactical retreat seems likely to reinforce the impression that Trump and Kasowitz, his longtime personal lawyer, have a penchant for making intimidating legal threats that often dont materialize. During the campaign, Trump at various points threatened to sue the Washington Post, the New York Times, Sen. Ted Cruz and multiple women who had accused him of sexual misconduct none of which he actually did. Your article is reckless, defamatory and constitutes libel per se, Kasowitz wrote Times executive editor Dean Baquet on Oct. 12, 2016, demanding that a story accusing Trump of inappropriately touching two women be retracted and removed from the papers website. Failure to do will leave my client with no option but to pursue all available actions and remedies. The paper never retracted the story, and it is still accessible on the Times website. Kasowitz has yet to take any action against the Times. This is consistent with Donald Trumps style making blustery attacks with no follow-through and idle threats to intimidate with no substance, said Mark Zaid, a veteran national security lawyer in Washington who often represents government officials facing investigations in security investigations. One likely reason for the delay, according to Zaid and other national security lawyers, is that it is far from clear whether Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz would even consider such a request, given that Comey is no longer a Justice Department employee. Technically, he doesnt have any jurisdiction, said Michael Bromwich, a former Justice Department inspector general. There is no evidence that any of the information Comey asked his friend to leak was classified. The only obvious legal issue would be whether Comey used a government computer to type up his contemporaneous account of his conversations with Trump (he testified that he wrote one of them in his car immediately after meeting with the president) and, if so, did they constitute a government document that had been improperly removed from government records, according to Bromwich. Horowitz is already looking into Comeys controversial handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation last year. Bromwich thinks, in light of that, its likely the inspector general will want to question the former FBI head about the use of a government laptop for his memo. I predict there will be a footnote in his report about the issue, Bromwich said. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Two women, ages 52 and 62, were diagnosed with the plague in New Mexico this week, health officials say. The New Mexico Health Department says the two women in Santa Fe County, N.M. were both hospitalized as a result of contracting confirmed symptoms of the human plague. Their diagnoses make them the second and third cases of the disease being found in the state this year. A 63-year-old man contracted the plague earlier this month in New Mexico. Although all three had been hospitalized, none of the cases have been fatal. Health officials said they are investigating the homes of the patients in order to determine if rodents, fleas or another animal may be spreading the disease. What Are The Symptoms Of The Plague? How Do You Treat The Plague? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the plague is a disease that affects humans and mammals and is caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Humans typically start seeing plague conditions after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an animal infected deal or alive -- with plague. The disease is most famous for wiping out millions of people in Europe during the Middle Ages. Symptoms of the plague, which is divided into three groups -- bubonic, septicemic or pneumonic -- all begin with fever-like aches and pains. According to the Mayo Clinic, bubonic is the most common form, which is specifically noted for the presence of swollen lymph nodes developing on the groin, armpit or neck within a week of being infected. The swelling is about the size of a chicken egg and is tender and warm to the touch. Other signs and symptoms may include: Sudden onset of fever and chills, headache fatigue and general muscle aches. Although the plague can be treated using antibiotics, the CDC says the key is still recognizing the symptoms early and receiving treatment immediately. The disease can still become life-threatening without quick and proper care. It can also be transmitted through infectious droplets, such as those from coughing or sneezing in a close-quarters situation. However, flea bites and contact with contaminated tissue is the most common form of transmitting plague. Story continues Today, a significant amount of cases are found in Africa, parts of Asia and regions of the Western United States. The CDC said theres an average of about seven cases per year reported in the U.S. The majority have occurred in New Mexico, northwestern Arizona and southern Colorado. There are also an average of seven cases of the bubonic plague recorded in the U.S. each year. In 2015, there was an increase in U.S. cases, with 16 reported and even fourth deaths. In New Mexico, there were four cases reported last year with no fatalities, and four were recorded in 2015, including one lethal case. Related Articles By David Shepardson and Alana Wise WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on Wednesday unveiled enhanced security measures for foreign flights arriving in the United States in what officials said was a move that aims to end a limited in-cabin ban on laptops and other large electronic devices and prevent its expansion to additional airports. The new security measures, which European and U.S. officials said would begin taking effect within three weeks, could prompt additional screening time for the 325,000 airline passengers arriving in the United States daily. "Inaction is not an option," Kelly told a news briefing, adding that he believes airlines will comply with the new screening. But he said the measures are not the last step to tighten security. The decision not to impose new restrictions on laptops is a boost to U.S. and European airlines, which have worried that an expansion of the ban to Europe or other locations could cause significant logistical problems and deter some travel. The United States in March imposed restrictions on laptops on flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey. They came amid fears that a concealed bomb could be installed in electronic devices taken aboard aircraft. Britain quickly followed suit with a similar set of restrictions. Kelly had been saying since April he thought an expansion of the laptop ban was "likely" and even said in late May the government could potentially expand the ban worldwide. U.S. officials are requiring enhanced screening of personal electronic devices, passengers and explosive detection for the roughly 2,000 commercial flights arriving daily in the United States from 280 airports on 180 airlines in 105 countries. Homeland Security officials told reporters they expected more than 99 percent of airlines would comply, a move that would effectively end the controversial electronics ban. Story continues Airlines that fail to satisfy new security requirements could still face in-cabin electronics restrictions, Kelly said. "We expect all airlines will work with us to keep their aircraft, their crew and their passengers safe," he said. European and U.S. officials told Reuters that airlines have 21 days to put in place increased explosive trace detection screening and have 120 days to comply with other security measures, including enhanced screening of airline passengers. U.S. authorities want increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas, expanded canine screening and additional places where travelers can be cleared by U.S. officials before they depart. Since laptops are widely used in flight by business class passengers - who pay double or more than the average ticket price - the airline industry had feared expanding the ban could cut into revenue. Airline officials told Reuters they are concerned about adding enhanced security measures to all airports worldwide that have direct flights to the United States rather than focus them on airports where threats are highest. European airline groups said in a document reviewed by Reuters that if the threats are confirmed, the restrictions should be deployed to cover all EU departing flights, not just U.S.-bound flights. Homeland security officials said Wednesday that those 10 airports can get off the list if they meet the new security requirements, but did not say how long it will take. U.S. airline stocks were higher on Wednesday, with United Continental Holdings closing up 1 percent, Delta Air Lines Inc up 2 percent and American Airlines Group up 1.6 percent. None of the airlines immediately commented. Kelly said last week he planned a "step by step" security enhancement plan that included short, medium-term and longer-term improvements that would take at least a year to implement fully. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Alana Wise in New York and Julia Fioretti in Brussels; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Dan Grebler) By Chris Kenning CHICAGO (Reuters) - A divided U.S. appeals court on Wednesday lifted a preliminary injunction against Ohio's lethal injection process, potentially clearing the way for the state to resume executions. In an 8-6 ruling, the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an injunction affirmed in April by a three-judge panel from the court that had delayed executions in Ohio. The state, which has its next execution scheduled in July, appealed that injunction against the use of a three-drug protocol. The appeals court's ruling on Wednesday disputed the lower-court finding that it was likely that Ohio's use of midazolam hydrochloride entailed a "substantial risk" of serious pain that violated prisoners' constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment. Midazolam is used to render condemned inmates unconscious before two other drugs are administered in executions. "The district court's findings thus provide little support for its conclusion that Ohio's three-drug protocol creates an unconstitutional risk of pain," the majority opinion said. Several U.S. states use midazolam in executions, including Oklahoma and Arizona, where witnesses said inmates during past executions appeared to twist in pain on death row gurneys. Arizona previously agreed to stop using the sedative. In the Wednesday ruling, the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit majority said that while the protocol might cause pain in some cases, plaintiffs did not meet the legal standard showing the method to be sure or very likely to cause serious pain. One dissenting judge said the plaintiffs should be granted a trial on the method's constitutionality before they are executed. Allen Bohnert, one of the attorneys representing the death row prisoners who brought the lawsuit, said in a statement he would seek review by the U.S. Supreme Court. "Ohio should not take the risk of continued botched executions by going back to using these dangerous, unsuitable drugs," he said. Story continues The Ohio governor's office had postponed nine executions because of the injunction including that of Ronald Phillips, who was sentenced to death for the 1993 rape and murder of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has Phillips scheduled for execution on July 26, one of four scheduled for 2017, and 23 more individuals scheduled through 2020. Phillips would be the first execution in Ohio after a pause of more than three years. Department spokeswoman JoEllen Smith said in an email the agency "remains committed to carrying out court-ordered executions in a lawful, humane and dignified manner." (Reporting by Chris Kenning; Editing by Richard Chang, Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio) By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors appealed against a U.S. judge's order on Tuesday allowing the release of a Colorado man held for more than five years while awaiting trial on charges of providing support to a suspected Islamist group in his native Uzbekistan. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver filed an emergency motion with the federal 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to halt the release of Jamshid Muhtorov. The motion came four days after U.S. District Judge John Kane granted a motion by Muhtorov for his release pending his trial, which is set for early next year. Muhtorov argued he should be given bail after repeated delays in the case violated his right to a speedy trial. In their appeal, prosecutors said Muhtorov was "plainly a threat to the public and others," and also posed a flight risk. Muhtorov, 40, is accused of trying to smuggle smart phones and other electronic equipment to the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), a Pakistan-based extremist group that opposes secular rule in Uzbekistan and seeks to install a government based on Islamic law. He is not a U.S. citizen but has legal immigration status as a political refugee from Uzbekistan, prosecutors said. Muhtorov has lived in the Denver suburb of Aurora. He was arrested in January 2012 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as he was attempting to board an overseas flight, according to an FBI arrest warrant affidavit. The defendant had pledged allegiance to the IJU and promised to procure cash and satellite equipment for the group, prosecutors said. "Given Muhtorov's expressed desire to join the IJU and forward its mission of terrorism, he is also plainly a threat to the public and others under any form of release," the government's appellate motion said. In agreeing to set bond conditions, Judge Kane said that, while Muhtorov's purported jihadist views are "abhorrent," he will have already spent six years in prison by the time he goes on trial, about the same amount of time he would likely serve if convicted. He faces a maximum 15 years in prison if convicted. Story continues The judge cited Muhtorov's family ties in Colorado and evidence that suggests his "bark was more serious than his bite." No one was killed or wounded in the plot, which was thwarted. A gag order imposed by Kane prohibits lawyers from either side from discussing the case outside a courtroom. Muhtorov's lawyers had not filed a reply to the government's motion by Tuesday evening, and it was unclear when the appellate court would rule. (Reporting by Keith Coffman in DENVER; Editing by Eric M. Johnson and Paul Tait) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - As the United States pressures China to enforce United Nations sanctions on its ally North Korea, Washington is concerned that Russia could provide support to Pyongyang and fill any vacuum left by Beijing, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday. "I'm concerned that Russia may backfill North Korea," Haley told U.S. lawmakers in Washington. "We don't have proof of that, but we are watching that carefully." While Washington has urged countries to downgrade ties with Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, a cross-border ferry service was launched in May between North Korea and neighboring Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the world should talk to, rather than threaten, North Korea. "We just need to keep the pressure on China, we need to keep our eyes on Russia, and we need to continue to let the North Korea regime know we are not looking for regime change ... we just want them to stop the nuclear activity," Haley said. The U.N. Security Council first imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 over its ballistic missile and nuclear programs and has ratcheted up the measures in response to five nuclear tests and two long-range missile launches. The government in Pyongyang is threatening a sixth nuclear test. The Trump administration has been pressing China aggressively to rein in its reclusive neighbor, warning that all options are on the table if Pyongyang persists with its nuclear and missile development programs. Beijing has repeatedly said its influence on North Korea is limited and that it is doing all it can, but U.S. President Donald Trump last week said China's efforts had failed. The United States has struggled to slow North Korea's programs, which have become a security priority given Pyongyang's vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. "The pressure on China can't stop," Haley said. "We have to have China doing what they're supposed to. At the same time all other countries need to make sure they're enforcing the sanctions that the Security Council has already put in place." Trump, increasingly frustrated with China over its inaction on North Korea and bilateral trade issues, is now considering possible trade actions against Beijing, senior administration officials told Reuters. The United States also plans to place China on its global list of worst offenders in human trafficking and forced labor, sources said, a step that could aggravate tensions with Beijing. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, editing by G Crosse) The image of the U.S. has taken a beating in countries across the world after President Donald Trump took office in January, according to a survey by the PEW Research Center Monday. Among the 37 countries surveyed, a median of meager 22 percent trusted Trump to take the right decision related to international issues. Meanwhile, 64 percent expressed confidence in former President Barack Obamas presidency on the same parameters. Interestingly, Trumps scores read higher than Obamas in only two nations across those surveyed- Russia and Israel. The survey was conducted by the nonpartisan American think tank across 40,447 respondents in these 37 countries outside the U.S. from February 16 to May 8, 2017. Read: Trump's Approval Rating Hits 36 Percent Low In New Poll Amid Russia Investigation The steepest declines in the countrys image are seen in the countrys long-standing allies in Europe, Asia, as well as the neighboring countries of Mexico and Canada. According to the survey, the confidence is influenced by the presidents policies as well as his character. The poll examined attitudes toward five major policy proposals President Trump supported. The largest figure showing negative reactions emerges from Mexico where his plan to build a border wall is opposed by 94 percent of the population. The overall opposition to this particular policy stands at 76 percent across the countries surveyed. Other policy initiatives that have been frowned upon include pulling out of important trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and refusing to sign the Paris Climate Agreement. 62 percent believed that Trump was right in introducing restrictions on those entering the country from the Muslimmajority nations and more than half endorsed this in Hungary, Israel, Poland, and Russia. Jordan, Lebanon, and Senegal were among the 32 percent that thought his Muslim ban was unfounded. Trumps intention to back away from the nuclear weapons agreement with Iran met with less opposition than his other policy initiatives although the president is yet to implement it. Story continues Most people across the globe described Trump as an "arrogant" person. 65 percent subscribed to the view that he was intolerant while 62 percent even thought of him as "dangerous". On the other hand, some people think of him as a well-qualified individual or as someone who cares about ordinary people. A median of 55 percent, however, thought Trump was a strong leader. Favorability ratings for Trump have only improved in Russia and Vietnam. After the Ukraine crisis in 2014, ratings of both Obama and the U.S. as a country dropped drastically. However, the opinions have become much more favorable since 2015. Trump has received more positive reviews in Russia than any of his predecessors. This comes amid an investigation into allegations of Russia interfering in the U.S. presidential election. Meanwhile, 81 percent of Israelis said they had a positive view of the U.S. as a country. According to the report, ratings of the U.S. presidents in this country were ever-fluctuating. However, Israel is one of only two countries in which Trumps ratings are higher than Obamas during the final two years of his administration. Read: Obama Authorized NSA Cyber Strikes Against Russia In Response To Putin's Pro-Trump Campaign Trump is in the same league as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, all of who are distrusted across the globe. But neither of them have ratings worse than Trump where 74 percent of the respondents across the 37 countries do not have confidence. The survey also found out that 42 percent of the people thought German Chancellor Angela Merkel could be trusted. Even as the U.S president is looked at with apprehension, people across the globe still had more regard for the American people as opposed to the U.S. as a country. A median 58 percent of the people had a favorable opinion of the Americans and thought Washington respected personal freedom of its people. 65 percent of the people liked American music, movies, and television. When asked if relations of their countries with the U.S. would improve under Trumps presidency, 38 percent pf the people in the Asia-Pacific and 37 percent in the Europe, excluding Russia, had a negative response while 26 percent in Africa thought they would get better. Related Articles DPM to leave for Delhi on Sunday Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara is embarking on a three-day official visit to India on Sunday. Soon after Mahara assumed office, External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj invited him to visit New Delhi on a convenient date. Pentagon prepared to take action after unusual public warning appeared to be intended to deter the Assad regime from repeating its use of chemical weapons Satellite image captured on 7 April 2017 of the northwest side of the Shayrat air base in Syria, following US missile strikes. Photograph: AP The US said on Tuesday that it had observed preparations for a possible chemical weapons attack at a Syrian air base allegedly involved in a sarin attack in April following a warning from the White House that the Syrian regime would pay a heavy price for further use of the weapons. Reporters traveling in Germany with the US defence secretary, James Mattis, were told that the Pentagon was prepared to take action after activity was seen at the Shayrat base similar to the pattern that preceded the April gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun, which killed at least 80 people. That incident prompted a US missile strike on the base, although the strike did not seriously impair its operations. Pentagon spokesman Cpt Jeff Davis said that the activity at the base had taken place in the past day or two. This involved specific aircraft in a specific hangar, both of which we know to be associated with chemical weapons use, he told Reuters. In a bluntly worded statement released late on Monday night, the White House said: The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack, the White House said. As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. If, however, Mr Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. The unusual public warning on Monday night appeared to be intended to deter the regime from repeating its use of chemical weapons against rebel-held cities and towns. It may also have been aimed at the regimes backers in Moscow and Tehran, who have resolutely backed Assad and denied the regimes responsibility for chemical weapons use. Story continues The French presidency said in a statement on Tuesday that Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump had agreed during a telephone call on the need for a joint response in the event of another chemical attack in Syria but refused to say if it had evidence of one under preparation. After a meeting last month with Vladimir Putin, an Assad ally, Macron drew a very clear red line on the use of chemical weapons by whomever and warned of reprisals. The Kremlin on Tuesday described the US warning as an unacceptable threat and said Russia had no information about a new chemical attack. However, the Russian and Syrian militaries are closely intertwined. The White House warning came on the same day the chief of the Russian general staff, General Valery Gerasimov met President Bashar Assad at Khmeimim air base near Latakia. Mattis did not address the nature of the intelligence or White House warning as he flew to Europe for a Nato meeting, but said the US was not going to get pulled into the conflict between the regime and the armed opposition. We just refuse to get drawn into a fight there in the Syria civil war, we try to end that one through diplomatic engagement, he told reporters. If somebody comes after us, bombs us or takes a heading on us or fires on us, then under legitimate self-defence well do whatever we have to do to stop it. He said the US would not fire unless they are the enemy, unless they are Isis. He did not mention the administrations response to the regimes use of chemical weapons. Although the focus of US military operations in the region is the defeat of Isis in its two major strongholds, Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, the Trump administration has showed itself willing to act if the Assad regime carries out a major chemical weapons attack. On 6 April, Donald Trump ordered a salvo of 59 Tomahawk missiles against Shayrat base in response to the sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun. Russians were present at the Shayrat base, near Homs, but US planners ensured that the missiles used in the night-time strike fell well away from the Russian compound. President Trumps warning to the Assad regime not to use chemical weapons against Syrians is based on intelligence submitted to the administration about such [a] possibility, Walid Phares, a Trump adviser on the Middle East during the campaign, told the Guardian. Phares suggested the main intended recipient of the White House message was Moscow. The situation is delicate as Russia warned [against] US air action over Assad regime assets, he said. Hence it is maybe up to the Russians to insure that Assad wont use these weapons so that no escalation in Syrian airspace could happen. The UKs defence secretary, Michael Fallon, said the US had not shared any evidence of a specific threat of a chemical weapons attack. We are very clear the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime is absolutely abhorrent and the last time the United States took action to deal with the aircraft and airbase from which these chemical weapons were used we fully supported their strike, Fallon told the BBC. The UK would support any US attack on Assad so long as it was proportionate, legal and necessary, Fallon added. The White House must have solid intelligence about a possible Syrian sarin attack but why they chose to send [a] message to Assad and Putin via press release isnt clear, Daryl Kimball, the head of the Arms Control Association said in a tweet. Kimball said that the risk of coming into conflict with Russian forces in the event of another punitive US strike was higher now than it was in April. Frants Klintsevich, who sits on a defence committee in the Russian parliament, criticised the White House warning. The US is preparing a new attack on the positions of Syrian forces, Klintsevich told state-owned RIA Novosti, adding: Preparations for a new cynical and unprecedented provocation are underway. US forces in Syria have also been empowered to defend themselves and their allies against attack, which has led to a string of recent clashes with pro-regime forces competing for the same territory. Killer whales may have slaughtered at least four sharks in South Africa over the last couple of months, cutting out their livers as if they had the training of a surgeon. The Great White sharks have washed up after the killer whales feasted on their organs. According to The Times, a shark was just found dead at Pearly Beach in southwestern South Africa and authorities suspect a killer whale also known as an orca was behind it, as it had wounds consistent with such an attack. Three other dead sharks were previously found at another beach about 20 minutes away with such wounds: their enormous and nutritious livers removed with precision. The latest victim was about 13.5 feet long, local shark cage diving company Marine Dynamics reported in a post on Facebook. He was missing his liver, his testes and stomach, the group said. The carcass may be a few days old but it seems relatively fresh and bled out massively. Read: 4 Facts About the Creepy Ghost Shark The World Wildlife Fund lists the great white as a vulnerable species because its numbers are decreasing, as people catch it for its fins and teeth or hunt it for sport, and as it gets wrapped up in other fishing nets. The Great White is a somewhat mysterious creature because scientists dont understand its behavior very well, but it is important to the marine ecosystem because it is at the top of the food chain. Great white sharks can grow to between 4,000 and 7,000 pounds and between 16 and 20 feet long. The WWF says it has 300 teeth, but instead rips off huge chunks of its prey and swallows them whole rather than chewing. For comparison, killer whales can grow to between 23 and 32 feet long and weigh up to 12,000 pounds, making them also the size of a school bus. South Africa protects great white sharks, but there have been fewer sightings of the swimmers in the southwestern part of the country this year, according to The Times, which could be because of what orcas are doing to them out in the water. Story continues Read: An Erupting Volcano Full of Sharks The Dyer Island Conservation Trust has worked with Marine Dynamics to perform the autopsies. In the previous three cases, the sharks had consistent bite wounds and were found to be missing their livers, the trust explained in a blog post earlier this month. This indicates what is known of orca predation on sharks, as they attack and stun the shark into tonic immobility and the buoyant liver rises to the surface through the injury. One of those sharks was also missing its heart. According to the trust, there have been more killer whales in the area in the last couple of years and this gives biologists a better idea of how they affect sharks. Related Articles Sarah Huckabee Sanders urges people to watch video that shows CNN producer criticizing networks coverage despite not being able to vouch for its accuracy The White House on Tuesday urged Americans to watch an online video made by an infamous rightwing activist known for using heavily edited videos to push conservative pet causes, despite not being able to vouch for its accuracy. At Tuesdays press briefing, the first on-camera briefing in a week, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders used the lectern at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to attack CNN for purveying fake news and what she called the Trump-Russia hoax. She then went on to cite a video being pushed by James OKeefe, a rightwing provocateur who was convicted of entering a senators office under false pretences in 2010. OKeefe was initially charged with a felony for his role in an effort by conservative activists dressed as telephone repairmen to gain access to the telephone system in a federal building in New Orleans where Democratic senator Mary Landrieu had an office. He faced a maximum of ten years in jail but took a plea deal. He also has been involved in much hyped videos purporting to show liberal activists making inflammatory statements that have often turned out to be misleadingly edited if not entirely false. Sanders lauded the video, which apparently shows John Bonifield, a CNN health editor, complaining about the networks coverage of the Trump campaigns relationship with Russia. Bonifield is not involved in the networks Russia-related coverage. Theres a video circulating now, whether its accurate or not, I dont know, but I would encourage everyone in this room and everyone in this country to take a look at it, said Sanders. The White House spokeswoman pointedly declined to mention CNN by name and instead only referred to it as that outlet that you referenced. The tirade came in response to a question from Charlie Spiering, a reporter for Breitbart, the rightwing online publication once run by top White House aide Steve Bannon. Story continues On Tuesday the president went on yet another early morning Twitter tirade against CNN for fake news in the wake of the resignations of three journalists at the network over a story about a Trump aides ties to Russia. The story was posted to the CNN website on Thursday and was removed, with all links disabled, on Friday night. CNN said the piece did not receive sufficient editorial scrutiny, and was considered a breakdown in editorial workflow. Trump posted three tweets in a two-hour period referring to CNNs fake news, and retweeted a photoshopped graphic in a fourth tweet saying the same thing. In the White House press briefing, Sanders complained: The constant barrage of fake news directed at this president, probably, that has garnered a lot of his frustration. Sanders also engaged in a heated back-and-forth with reporter Brian Karem at the briefing, when the journalist said her attacks on the media were inflaming everybody right here and right now with those words. Karem went on to assert that any one of us, if we dont get it right, the audience has the opportunity to turn the channel or not read us. The administration had been elected to serve for four years at least. Theres no option other than that. Were here to ask you questions. Youre here to provide the answers. The White House spokeswoman responded: If anything has been inflamed its the dishonesty that often takes place by the news media, and I think its outrageous for you to accuse me of inflaming a story when I was simply trying to respond to his question. Judy Malinowski was set on fire by her former partner: ABC6/Screengrab A woman who was doused with petrol and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, has died nearly two years after the attack. Judy Malinowski suffered fourth and fifth-degree burns to 80 per cent of her body after Michael Slager set her on fire at a Gahanna, Ohio, petrol station. The 33-year-old also lost her ears and parts of her fingers after the August 2015 attack. Her voice was reduced to a whisper because of extensive damage to her windpipe. She underwent 56 surgeries, but doctors couldn't fix massive open wounds on her back and buttocks because she was too weak to lay on her stomach during surgery. Confirming her death, her mother, Bonnie Bowes, said: That child suffered for two years to tell her own story, who has the strength to do it? Slager, 41, initially claimed that he didn't mean to set her on fire. He said that he accidentally ignited the fuel when he lit a cigarette. But he was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December after pleading no contest to charges including felonious assault and aggravated arson. However, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said his office will now pursue murder charges against him. Slagers original sentence sparked outrage in Ohio, where lawyers are trying to pass a law named after Ms Malinowski. The law would increase penalties for cases with victims like Ms Malinowski, who are left permanently disfigured when an accelerant is used to set them on fire. It unanimously passed the Ohio House in May and is waiting on the Senate to ratify it. Ms Malinowski's eldest daughter Kaylyn, 13, testified last week before an Ohio Senate committee about the bill. While he got 11 years, my mom, my sister and I all got a life sentence," she said. While we stand here today, my mum lays in a hospital bed where she has been for 689 days. A GoFundMe page set up on behalf of Ms Bowes while her daughter was still in hospital reads: Beneath Judys now-brutal cosmetic exterior is a smart, kind woman with an incredible spirit and soul. Story continues Below her charred surface is a fighter beyond belief, a determined mother and daughter, an overcomer of obstacles who hoped to utilize lessons learned from her experiences in an effort to help others. It states that Ms Bowes stepped in to a crucial parental role for her granddaughters, having them live with her and attempting to establish for them some sense of normalcy. The page has so far generated more than $33,700 (26,200). One person who donated commented: This was such a horrific crime that I would like to see the man who did this to her be lit on fire so he might feel the pain that she suffered. Police are searching for the person or persons responsible for the brutal murder of a Philadelphia woman who was viciously attacked on the shortcut she regularly took home. Debra Gulliver, 33, was on her way home after a night out with friends when she walked through a park behind Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School at about 2:30 a.m., Philadelphia Police Homicide Unit Captain James Clark told reporters. Surveillance footage uncovered by investigators showed her entering the park alone about a half hour before her body was discovered, officials said. No one was following her," Clark said. "Whoever did this, we believe, was already in the park." A passerby who was robbed by two men inside the park then found Gullivers body, according to police. She was partially clothed, with her pants pulled down to her ankles, was bludgeoned in the face and had been stabbed at least 12 times in her thighs and chest, authorities said. She had been stabbed until the blade of the knife broke off inside her, according to reports. Read: Officer Stabbed in the Neck at Michigan Airport by Man Shouting 'We're All Going to Die': Cops Investigators would not confirm whether Gulliver had been sexually assaulted. As of Tuesday, police had no description of a suspect and no arrests had been made. Friends and family were devastated by Gullivers death, taking to social media to memorialize a woman they said went out of her way to help others. No matter what she was going through she would still try to cheer you up if you were feeling sad, one friend wrote on Facebook. No matter how long it would go between talking to her it was always like no time had passed. When she was friends with someone she meant it. No one deserves to go out like that but especially not someone like her with so much to give and so much potential. Read: Police Search For Killer Who Stabbed Nurse To Death In Her Bedroom Gulliver loved the beach, enjoyed good food and above all else, loved animals especially cats, her brother wrote on a GoFundMe page created to help raise money for her funeral. Story continues If she could have saved all the strays she would, her brother wrote on the page, which as of Tuesday had raised $4,445. It was not immediately clear whether Gulliver was targeted or attacked at random. Be very careful," Clark said. "If you can walk in pairs, dont walk through dark and desolate areas. We will do our best to get this individual or individuals involved, off the streets. Officials are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Watch: Mom Fatally Stabbed Her 4-Year-Old Daughter: Cops Related Articles: Sticky bras may do more harm than good. (Photo: Tidetell/Amazon) Stick-on, push-up bras are everywhere these days (thanks, Amber Rose!), promising fuller cleavage with adhesives and a drawstring. But one woman on social media is complaining that the bra ripped off her skin, leaving her breasts bloodied and blistered. Jami Jessop from Maryland recently shared her experience with Tidetell Invisible Womens Strapless Self-Adhesive Demi Bra with Drawstrings, writing on Facebook, I have never in my life in been in this much pain. The bra you see is what did this. I never want anyone to experience what I have, never ever will I buy this kind again. It says dont recommend for heat because it will make the bra slip. Well I wore it and it DID NOT slip. It was glued to my breast. Jessops post received more than 67,000 shares, 20,000 reactions, and 36,000 comments from people outraged by the womans experience and floods of sympathetic comments for her pain. Yahoo Beauty could not reach Jessop for comment or a representative from Tidetell, but the companys address is in the Jiangsu Province of China, and therefore its not registered with the Better Business Bureau. Over on Amazon, where the bra got 3.5 stars out of 5, the product description warns customers to avoid wearing the item in heat because sweat may make it slip down. And some reviewers called the item awful and disappointing, with one remarking that the bra fell off after only 30 minutes of use. Over on Twitter, plenty complained about the overall effectiveness of stick-on bras from a variety of companies. Where can I get a good stick on bra, the one I got.from h&m just doesnt stick well at alllll abbb (@abbbsx) June 27, 2017 Those stick on bras are either a near nipless experience or they just slide off, there is no in-between Kayleigh ???? (@kayleighdwyerx) June 13, 2017 This stick on bra that sucks your boobs together is a hilarious mess to me Senpai (@GrrGina) June 13, 2017 I WAS WRONG! The stick on bra didnt survive an HOUR. As soon as I walked the dogs in this it pretty much came off in the park. Gabbi Cruse (@G_Cruse) June 10, 2017 Ouch. Story continues Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. By Havovi Cooper NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Yorkers and tourists in Times Square can take a trip back in time in repurposed phone booths outfitted with oral histories from the city's storied immigrant population. Afghan-American artist Aman Mojadidi and Times Square Arts introduced the interactive art installation "Once Upon a Place," which allows people to listen to the stories of immigrants in New York through the receivers of old pay phones that once were a common sight on city streets. Mojadidi came up with the idea when he learned that the phone booths were being removed. "I wanted to do sort of an urban project about migration, a storytelling project," Mojadidi, 47, said on Tuesday when the booths were opened. "For me, the fact that these phone booths were being removed, I immediately thought about bringing them back and putting a different kind of story into them." The artist reworked three phone booths and collected 70 stories from immigrants who now call New York home. Their stories were recorded in English or in their native languages. Jose Mejia, 22, an immigration rights activist from Mexico, was one of many participants in the project. "What America means to me is the land of opportunities. It's a dream come true," Mejia said in interview, adding that he was just 2 years old when his mother carried him across the U.S. border from Mexico. "Anyone who wants to work here and better their lives can do so here in America." Marelisa Morejon, an immigrant from Cuba, decided to step into a booth and listen. "You can hear different histories," Morejon said. "It's very touching." The stories can be heard through Sept. 5. (Reporting by Havovi Cooper in New York; Editing by Richard Chang) By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Activity at ports operated by China's Cofco in Argentina's main grains hub of Rosario have been interrupted by a worldwide cyber attack, a local port manager said on Wednesday, the first sign that the virus had made its way to South America. The computer worm was first seen in Ukraine on Tuesday, going on to affect port facilities ranging from Mumbai to Los Angeles. It hit Argentina on Wednesday, slowing wheat and fertilizer shipments and threatening to impact the flow of soybeans to the country's main client, China, at the height of export season. "Cofco's system has been affected by the global attack. It has been infected by a virus. So they are working mechanically, not connected to their regular information system," Guillermo Wade, head of Argentina's CAPyM port operators' chamber, told Reuters in a telephone interview. A local Cofco representative did not respond to a request for comment. The company's Brazil unit declined to comment. In 2014 Cofco agreed to buy Dutch grain trader Nidera and the agribusiness of Noble Group for more than $3 billion. The deal propelled Cofco to the No. 2 spot among exporters of Argentine grains, oilseeds and byproducts. "So far we've heard only Nidera and Noble were hit," said a senior Buenos Aires-based grains trader, who requested anonymity. One of several ships scheduled to unload fertilizer at a Cofco port facility in Rosario had been halted since Tuesday, Wade said, while a vessel loading wheat produced in the vast Pampas grains belt was interrupted for hours until local operators found a mechanical work-around to the attack. "It is affecting all of Cofco's port operations in Rosario," Wade added. "The cargo ship that was unloading fertilizer is still stopped. This has caused a backup in the line of other ships that have cargo to unload." Cofco is one of 43 export and port service companies that belong to the CAPyM chamber. Cofco operates two ports in Rosario. Each has two berths used to load grains, oilseeds and byproducts, as well as unload fertilizers used by growers across the country. Argentina is the world's top exporter of soymeal livestock feed and the No. 3 supplier of raw soybeans, as well as a major global corn supplier. Other major exporters like Archer Daniels Midland Co have operations in Rosario. The port complex is located on the banks of the Parana River, which leads out to the shipping lanes of the South Atlantic. On Tuesday U.S.-based ADM spokeswoman Jackie Anderson said a small number of the company's computers were impacted by the cyber attack. "We have been able to continue normal business operations and are continuing to monitor the situation," she said. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Saul in London, Marcelo Teixeira in Sao Paulo and Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by Bill Rigby) By Eric Auchard and Dustin Volz FRANKFURT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A computer virus wreaked havoc on firms around the globe on Wednesday as it spread to more than 60 countries, disrupting ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting work at a chocolate factory in Australia. Risk-modeling firm Cyence said economic losses from this week's attack and one last month from a virus dubbed WannaCry would likely total $8 billion. That estimate highlights the steep tolls businesses around the globe face from growth in cyber attacks that knock critical computer networks offline. "When systems are down and can't generate revenue, that really gets the attention of executives and board members," said George Kurtz, chief executive of security software maker CrowdStrike. "This has heightened awareness of the need for resiliency and better security in networks." The virus, which researchers are calling GoldenEye or Petya, began its spread on Tuesday in Ukraine. It infected machines of visitors to a local news site and computers downloading tainted updates of a popular tax accounting package, according to national police and cyber experts. It shut down a cargo booking system at Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk , causing congestion at some of the 76 ports around the world run by its APM Terminals subsidiary.. Maersk said late on Wednesday that the system was back online: "Booking confirmation will take a little longer than usual but we are delighted to carry your cargo," it said via Twitter. U.S. delivery firm FedEx said its TNT Express division had been significantly affected by the virus, which also wormed its way into South America, affecting ports in Argentina operated by China's Cofco. The malicious code encrypted data on machines and demanded victims $300 ransoms for recovery, similar to the extortion tactic used in the global WannaCry ransomware attack in May. Security experts said they believed that the goal was to disrupt computer systems across Ukraine, not extortion, saying the attack used powerful wiping software that made it impossible to recover lost data. "It was a wiper disguised as ransomware. They had no intention of obtaining money from the attack," said Tom Kellermann, chief executive of Strategic Cyber Ventures. Brian Lord, a former official with Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) who is now managing director at private security firm PGI Cyber, said he believed the campaign was an "experiment" in using ransomware to cause destruction. "This starts to look like a state operating through a proxy," he said. ETERNAL BLUE The malware appeared to leverage code known as "Eternal Blue" believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency. Eternal Blue was part of a trove of hacking tools stolen from the NSA and leaked online in April by a group that calls itself Shadow Brokers, which security researchers believe is linked to the Russian government. That attack was noted by NSA critics, who say the agency puts the public at risk by keeping information about software vulnerabilities secret so that it can use them in cyber operations. U.S. Representative Ted Lieu, a Democrat, on Wednesday called for the NSA to immediately disclose any information it may have about Eternal Blue that would help stop attacks. If the NSA has a kill switch for this new malware attack, the NSA should deploy it now, Lieu wrote in a letter to NSA Director Mike Rogers. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment and has not publicly acknowledged that it developed the hacking tools leaked by Shadow Brokers. The target of the campaign appeared to be Ukraine, an enemy of Russia that has suffered two cyber attacks on its power grid that it has blamed on Moscow. ESET, a Slovakian cyber-security software firm, said 80 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, followed by Italy with about 10 percent. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Moscow of orchestrating cyber attacks on its computer networks and infrastructure since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin, which has consistently rejected the accusations, said on Wednesday it had no information about the origin of the attack, which also struck Russian companies including oil giant Rosneft and a steelmaker. "Unfounded blanket accusations will not solve this problem," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Austria's government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said "a small number" of international firms appeared to be affected, with tens of thousands of computers taken down. Microsoft, Cisco Systems Inc and Symantec Corp said they believed the first infections occurred in Ukraine when malware was transmitted to users of a tax software program. Russian security firm Kaspersky said a news site for the Ukraine city of Bakhumut was also hacked and used to distribute the ransomware. A number of the victims were international firms with have operations in Ukraine. They include French construction materials company Saint Gobain , BNP Paribas Real Estate , and Mondelez International Inc , which owns Cadbury chocolate. Production at the Cadbury factory on the Australian island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. (Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs in Moscow, Alessandra Prentice in Kiev, Helen Reid in London, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Maya Nikolaeva in Paris, Shadia Naralla in Vienna, Marcin Goettig in Warsaw, Byron Kaye in Sydney, John O'Donnell in Frankfurt, Ari Rabinovitch in Tel Aviv, Noor Zainab Hussain in Bangalore; Writing by Eric Auchard, David Clarke and Jim Finkle; Editing by David Clarke and Andrew Hay) Earthmover sales soar on construction boom An ongoing construction boom and increased development activities in the country have led to a significant rise in demand for heavy equipment and machinery. This past fall, Samsung was forced to dig itself out of one of the biggest tech controversies in history. In what was nothing short of a nightmare scenario, scores of Galaxy Note 7 devices began exploding all across the globe, a problem that was eventually traced back to design and manufacturing issues involving the Note 7s battery. Ultimately, Samsung was forced to cease production altogether and issue a worldwide recall, a turn of events believed to have cost Samsung billions. Don't Miss: Exclusive: New image confirms Samsungs Galaxy Note 8 design Remarkably, Samsung was able to withstand the PR crisis that was the Galaxy Note 7 and survive intact. Not only that, but Samsungs mobile business has since flourished on the back of impressively strong sales of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Apparently in the fast-moving world of tech, consumers are just as liable to forget about a companys mistakes as they are to forget about a companys successes. That said, Samsung is now embarking on a curious strategy to help remind people of the Note 7s existence. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Samsung is bringing the Note 7 back to life in the form of a refurbished Fandom Edition model. Thats right, the Galaxy Note 7 FE is not an SNL punchline, but rather a legit product that will hit store shelves on July 7. Now, to be fair, the Galaxy Note 7 FE will have different (read: safer) components than the original Note 7. The Note 7 FE will make its debut in South Korea and may eventually wind up on store shelves in other countries later on down the road. As to why Samsung would release a product that evokes memories of phones exploding, well, thats a question for the ages. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com 180 airlines flying over 300,000 people a day into the US will have to comply with new enhanced security measures for electronic devices, the Department for Homeland Security announced on Wednesday. The new security measures, which have not been described in detail, will need to be implemented at speed by the airlines. Passengers flying on any airline that does not implement the new security measures will not be able to bring anything bigger than a cellphone under the new regulations. Don't Miss:Video: Porsche tries to keep up with a Model S and the result is embarrassing The new measures seem to be the ultimate evolution of a laptop ban that the US announced back in March, which affected passengers on most airlines flying from the Middle East. The new security measures will affect carry-on and checked luggage, the DHS confirmed, but should now allow those airlines affected by the laptop ban to allow passengers to carry laptops on once again, provided the new security measures are implemented. Those security measures have not been specified, but the DHS says that it will be a mixture of visible and behind-the-scenes changes. Among the changes is likely to be deeper scrutiny of individual passengers, as well as more detailed searches of electronic devices. The DHS said that passengers may want to prepare for a bit more extensive screening process, although an official added that intensive doesnt always mean slower. Logical additional screening methods could include routine swabs of electronic devices to look for explosive residue something thats already done on a case-by-case basis as well as requiring passengers in some cases to power up laptops and demonstrate that theyre working. According to reporting from multiple news outlets, Israeli intelligence idenitified an ISIS plot to use a laptop bomb to attack an airliner several months ago. That intelligence was behind the laptop ban in March. The source of that intelligence is also reported to have been leaked to Russia by President Trump during a White House meeting. Story continues Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Courtesy of Dept. of Defense Warrior GamesSam Moore of the legendary soul duo Sam & Dave has recorded an anthem called "Show for You" that serves as the new theme of the 2017 Department of Defense Warrior Games, taking place June 30 to July 8 in Chicago. The Warrior Games are an annual Paralympic-style competition featuring wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans from all branches of the military taking part in various sporting events. Moore appears in a recently released video featuring "Show for You" that publicizes the eighth annual competition. The clip shows one of this year's competitors, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Lance Corporal Sarah Rudder, running through the streets of Chicago and passing various landmarks as a variety of residents and fellow athletes join her. As the video ends, Rudder and many other athletes are seen proudly assembled at Chicago's Soldier Field. The video is part of the "By Air, By Land or By Sea" campaign, which promotes the competition by asking viewers how they're planning to get to the Warrior Games. You can watch the clip at Facebook.com/WarriorGames and the DoD Warrior Games' YouTube channel. Moore recorded "Show for You" with the Chicago Children's Choir. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will sing the anthem at the opening ceremony for the 2017 Warrior Games this Saturday, July 1, at Soldier Field. About 265 athletes are expected to take part in the 2017 edition of the games, with participants including members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as from Special Operations Command. Some athletes from the U.K. and Australia will also participate in the competition. Visit DODWarriorGames.com for more information about the competition. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Former SSP convicted in Sudan scam sent to jail Former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ravi Pratap Rana, who was found guilty on the high-profile Sudan Scam, has been sent to jail on Wednesday. Funding from friends Foreign funds make up 22.37 percent of the projected revenue inflow in Nepals $12.79 billion budget for the fiscal year 2017-18. Of the total foreign funds, foreign grants account for 5.64 percent and foreign loans 16.72 percent. Gas stations in Kathmandu run out of fuel Most of the private petrol pumps operating in the valley bore a deserted look on Tuesday as most of the gasoline stations were closed, hanging the information board of No Petrol. Home minister unveils reform scheme Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma unveiled a roadmap on Tuesday to reform the home administration, setting out ambitious plans including an overhaul of the security apparatus. Indian man held with 120 kg marijuana Police on Wednesday arrested an Indian man found in possession of 120 kg marijuana from Manahari Village Council Hetauda. Indian Railways hikes demurrage on wagons Indian Railways has hiked demurrage on wagons by up to sixfold, making life hard for Nepali importers, traders said. Indias GST to make goods expensive in Nepal Third-country goods imported by Nepal via India are likely to become expensive following the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the southern neighbour from Saturday. LTO determines Rs60.71b as capital gains tax The Large Taxpayers Office (LTO) on Tuesday concluded that the government needs to recover Rs60.71 billion in capital gains tax from the Ncell buyout deal. Muslim voters in Nepalgunj turn up to vote in zest Muslim voters have turned up in overwhelming numbers at Nepalgunj to cast their votes in the second phase of local level elections on Wednesday. Only two votes cast at a polling centre in Nawalparasi Only two votes were cast at a voting centre of Sarawal Village Council-6 in Nawalparasi district. There are 502 registered voters in the ward. PM Deuba casts his vote in Dadeldhura Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has cast his vote at Asigram Secondary School in Ruwakhola, Dadeldhura, on the second phase of local bodies election. Risky road That people are taking time out of their busy schedule to take part in todays local elections is encouraging news. RJP-N says wont resort to violence The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, which had earlier warned of disrupting the second phase of local elections, has said it will continue its protests but wont resort to violence on Wednesday when voting will take place in Provinces 1, 5 and 7. Our party will hold peaceful protests on the day of voting, said RJP-N Chairman Mahantha Thakur. Sajha receives Rs 50m to purchase 13 buses The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) handed over Rs50 million to the Sajha Yatayat Co-operative Limited on Tuesday for the purchase of 12 deluxe and one semi-low floor buses. Strong security measures in place: Minister Sharma Voting to elect local representatives in Provinces 1, 5 and 7 is set to take place on Wednesday amid heightened security, with clashes and bombs in the run-up to the second phase of local polls raising concerns. Killeen, TX (76540) Today Windy with strong thunderstorms this morning, then variable clouds during the afternoon with still a chance of showers. Morning high of 57F with temps falling to near 45. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low near 35F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. 1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process. 2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive. 3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents. 4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance. Vote View Results ABC/Image Group LACharlie Wilson, Dionne Warwick and Catherine Russell will join the slew of previously announced acts for this year's Grammy Salute to Music Legends event, which celebrates the Recording Academy's 2017 Special Merit Awards winners. R&B artist Andra Day and gospel star Kirk Franklin are also expected to perform. Various tribute performances throughout the evening will occur to salute the honorees, who were announced this past December and include the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical Grammy Award. This year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees also include Sly and the Family Stone frontman Sly Stone, Nina Simone, Shirley Caesar, jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, The Velvet Underground and country legends Charley Pride and Jimmie Rodgers. The special gala takes place July 11 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster. The show will be recorded and will air as an episode of the long-running PBS series Great Performances later this year. For more details, visit Grammy.org. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By Ruth Anderah The Central Bank has presented a written defence in Court against accusations that it never took any legal action against members of the Rich Gang Team, a group best known for the flamboyant lifestyle of its members. The group was created by deceased South African businessman Ivan Ssemwanga. At Semwangas burial in Kamuli district recently, the group reportedly threw an unspecified amount of money of different currencies in his grave, before and after the casket was lowered. In Its defence filed at the Civil Division of the High Court, Bank of Uganda says it cannot take any legal action against these youths because the Penal Code Act only criminalizes the melting down, breaking up, defacing of silver coins and not paper notes. however the Central Bank says it executed its duty to protect the legal tender by making proposals to amend the Bank of Uganda Act to include a clause which also criminalizes the misuse of currency notes or the issuance of an informative notice to the public on the 2nd/June 2017 strongly cautioning on the misuse of currency notes other than for the purposes its intended for. The Central Bank has now asked court to clear it of any wrong doing and dismiss the case with costs. The case was filed by a concerned citizen Robert Ssenfuka, who accuses Bank of Uganda of neglecting its legal mandate. By Ruth Anderah Suspended Labor and Employment Minister Herbert Kabafunzaki will stand trial before a Judge in the High court. Kabafunzaki is battling corruption charges together with his Personal Assistant Brain Mugabo and a private business man also ministers relative Bruce Lubowa. The decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions came as a surprise to the accused and their lawyers as the case had been fixed for hearing today before the chief magistrate. State prosecutor Barbra Kauma has informed presiding chief magistrate Agnes Alum that given the circumstances surrounding this case and the status of the accused persons , a judge would be in the best position to conduct this trial. Kabafunzaki is indicted for soliciting and receiving a 5 million shillings bribe from the proprietor of Aya group of companies Muhammad Hamid as an inducement to drop sexual harassment accusations that had been brought against him by a female employee. By Mukhaye Damali The Minister of Kampala City Authority Beti Kamya has said that she is set to meet the president in two weeks time and furnish him with the right information about the law barring three wheel carts commonly known as Tuk-tuks from operating in the city. Yesterday, at the last leg of campaigns for the Kyadondo Eat Parliamentary race, the president while canvassing votes for the NRM flag bearer Sitenda Sebalu, announced that the Three wheel cart owners should continue operating normally in the city, contradicting KCCAs position on the matter. Kamya says the President made the pronouncement because he was ambushed by the cart owners and he did not have much of an option. Kamya has been Speaking to journalist after attending a meeting between Kampala capital city authority and investors in Nakawa division. She notes that if the president allows the law to be amended to allow the cart owners to operate in the city, then the City Authority will respect this as a legal provision. By Damali Mukhaye. The speaker of Parliament hon Rebecca Kadaga has instructed police to grab all the betting machines that will be found operating in rural areas. This followed a complaint from the mayor of Nakawa division Ronald Balimwenzo that school going children have continued to bet their money meant for school fees. According to Kadaga, after Parliament crashed with the ministry of finance on the same, they agreed that casinos should be allowed to operate in Kampala and municipalities only amidst high taxation at 45% to discourage the low income earners from participating. She notes that betting machines therefore are not allowed to operate in villages since it is for rich people who settled in town thus police should confiscate all the machines they will find operating in rural areas. By Moses Ndhaye The Uganda Society of Architects has partnered with Kampala Capital City Authority as one way of addressing cases of collapsing buildings in the city. The Board Chairman of the Society of Architects Wills Olanya says by law engineers are required to display on a signpost details such as the name of the Site Engineer and other Engineers contracted for the construction works. Over the past few years, the country has witnessed several cases of buildings collapsing, killing scores of people. Most of these cases have been recorded in Kampala with the latest incident occurring in April 2016 in the Kampala suburb of Wandegeya. He says this partnership will help to weed out fake engineers and firms that do substandard work. Mayanito was sad to lose his friends, so he decided to go find them. Thankfully, the animals of the jungle including Pablito the snake, Teresa the crocodile and Rafael the jaguar helped him. In this adventurous romp through the rainforest, monkeys pulled him from quicksand and carried him over a waterfall in a hammock made of vines! Riding on a flamingo's back, he landed in the village far below his mountaintop home and finally found his new friends. Together, they rode an inchworm train back up the mountain. And when Mayanito was named king, he declared all the children of the hemisphere members of his tribe! Heirlooms, mementos and souvenirs will take center stage at the Holmen Area Historical Societys July meeting. The historical society will hold its annual Story Circle at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, at the Holmen Village Hall. The theme this year is Object Lesson and members and guests are invited to participate in a show-and-tell about historical objects that hold special meaning for them and to share the stories about the artifact. At the HAHS we always look forward to what has become an annual tradition, our July story circle, said Lynne Valiquette, HAHS program coordinator.This is the fifth in our series which has offered up great memories on such topics as 4-H, first jobs, hunting, and gathering. Young and old, we all possess artifacts that tell stories about the lives we have lived and, by extension, our communities. It could be a tea kettle, a hacksaw, a butter churn, a valentine or a pocket watch. The possibilities are endless. The connected stories will weave together an important lesson about local history. As always, root beer floats will sweeten the telling, she said. HAHS President Hannah Scholze is planning to bring a family heirloom and share the story of its journey from Norway to Wisconsin. As the unofficial historian for her family, Scholze collects numerous family photos, documents and mementos passed down from generation to generation. While there are many interesting and notable things in my family archive, the one that means the most to me is a small Norwegian New Testament that was printed in Christiania, present day Oslo, Norway, in 1867 and brought by my great-great grandparents, Christian Gulbrandson Staff and Helene Andreasdatter, when they and their oldest son, Gustave, immigrated from Ringsaker, Norway in 1881, said Scholze. While the outside just appears to be an old book well-worn by use and time, the inside pages contain the handwritten details of when the family left Norway and arrived in Philadelphia ,as well as a family register for their 11 children, 10 of whom were born in Wisconsin, she said. The family wound up living in La Crosse for several years until they could save up enough money to purchase a farm in Gills Coulee between Holmen and West Salem. Scholze thinks the New Testament represented her ancestors faith as they struggled to start a new life in a new country across an ocean. Im also fortunate enough to have a photo of Christian, Helene and Gustave taken about the time of their immigration, and through my research I have since been able to locate the passenger list and photo of the ship, the Lord Gough, they traveled across the ocean on, said Scholze. Objects of more recent times are also welcome. HAHS member Judy Hoffman intends to bring a simple pepper shaker souvenir with the word Brazil on it that brings back memories of an exchange student her family hosted in the 1970s. When we put her on the bus to go home, we thought we would never see her again, said Hoffman. In the 90s, we got an email from her. She found me because I was president of the Holmen Area Historical Society. She and her daughter were planning a visit to the U.S. and wondered if they could come see us. They flew from Los Angeles to Minnesota, rented a car and came to visit. Of course she invited us to come to Brazil and we did. So, this little souvenir reminds me of those events. For more information about HAHS or the July program, email HAHS President Hannah Scholze at holmenhistorian@gmail.com. The La Crescent City Council signed off on a proposal this week from Maxfield Research and Consulting LLC that will provide the city with a residential market assessment of the racetrack property. The study will include pictures and mapping of whats known as the racetrack site, the property behind Wieser Memorial Park, located in Crescent Valley, and surrounding neighborhoods as well as demographic analysis. Also included are employment trends and housing market value data. The city annexed the site last year, then purchased it this spring. Just prior to the vote, Mayor Mike Poellinger added, I think this study will also be helpful to the school district; theyre looking for similar information. The report should be completed in 75 days. At a cost of over $12,000, most of the council seemed in favor of the study, but member Dale Williams had to be convinced. Do we feel this study will be beneficial to us? Williams asked as the meeting opened. Administrator Bill Waller pointed out that some of the recent building projects in La Crescent began with a similar study. Waller cited the Springbrook senior housing project as well as the city-funded a hotel study that, cautiously, optimistically should lead to something, he said. But Waller stopped short of making any promises, noting that the grocery study didnt produce the expected results. I wish I could assure you this would turn into something great, but I cant, Waller said. In the end, Williams made the motion to accept the proposal and the council voted unanimously in favor. GreenStep City La Crescent has received its Step 2 designation in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program. The program helps cities implement sustainability best practices. Of the 28 best practices, the city has earned six on its way to reaching its final goal. Waller noted that improvements to the Ice Arena, work on the Wagon Wheel Trail and having a comprehensive plan all contributed to the Step 2 designation. Waller also said that La Crescents new GreenStep intern will focus on moving the city through the next six best practices to Step 3. Waller also told the council that bidding for phase two of the Wagon Wheel Improvement project has been delayed until the wetlands impact issue has been resolved. Since the project will disturb one acre of wetland, the city is required to purchase two acres of wetland credits at the cost of $56,000. To offset the cost, MnDot has agreed to add $44,000 to La Crescents Transportation Enhancement Grant. The city still maintains a $400,000 grant from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission. The city also finalized the purchase of the property at 333 Main St. at a cost of $190,000. The seller is authorized to lease the property until December 15. The council will also serve notice to the renters at the city-owned 337 Main St. property requiring vacation of the premises by Sept. 30. Both buildings will be razed in 2018. Shorewood Acres The council also received its fourth complaint from residents of the Shorewood Acres subdivision. Irked over the noise and wake damage on waterfront property from bass boats, Jim and Joey Wilde asked in their letter to the council why there was a no wake rule in front of Riverside Park. Eliminating this rule, they suggested, would allow the bass boats to run in the main channel without disturbing their neighborhood. Waller told the council that Police Chief Doug Stavenau and City Attorney Skip Wieser are working on the question and the issue would be on the councils July 24 agenda. The council also accepted the resignation of Tammy Ferrier, the citys Vehicle License Bureau Clerk and authorized the posting of her position. In addition, the council also called for a new part time 12 hour position. Photography is more than a hobby for La Crescent, Minn. resident Paul Hatlem. The landscape artistwho works full-time as a national sales manager at a publishing companywill soon have his first gallery opening at VIVA Gallery in Viroqua on Thursday, July 6. Every first Thursday of each month we bring in a guest artist, said VIVA Gallery guest liaison Mlou Wilkie. Im excited about it. We only bring in artists from the driftless area. Its a fun event. Founded in 2004, VIVA Gallery is an 18-member cooperative. The gallery will keep Hatlems photography up for the whole month of July. The gallery makes a point to feature different kinds of art including paintings, weaving, stained glass, woodworking, crafts and pottery. Hatlem, who prints his own photographs on canvas or fine art paper, prefers that the pictures are large in size. It really allows you to see the scene as I saw it, he said. Its like looking through a window. I hope that when people see these photos they are transported to that area. Hatlem began taking photography seriously in 1998. I really liked composing images and the settings, he said. Its interesting to take photos in very specific directions. After taking the photo, you may go back to the spot and look around and think that the photo did not come from there. Traveling with his father and brother on a safari in Tanzania and Kenya, Hatlem found interest in capturing memories. I like to do mostly landscape and a lot of nature, he said. Hatlem began his career with a degree in fine art from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. He spent 25 years in the advertising and graphic design field. Ive always enjoyed the artistic or creative parts of school, he said. Both my parents are artistic. My dad is a wood carver and my mom painted. I think that inspired me to some degree. A participant in the Driftless Area Art Fair, Hatlem was approached by VIVA Gallery member Kathleen Aacker after she caught wind of his photographs. His work hangs in both practice rooms at Root Down Yoga Studio where I first noticed it, she said. His work is bold, dramatic and personal. Hatlem has found success selling artwork to different businesses in the area. Among other companies, he has sold photographs to Root Down Yoga Studio in La Crosse, Reinhart Foodservice in La Crosse, Reyes Holdings in La Crosse and the new Mayo Health Systems in Arcadia. Originally from Viroqua, he has taken photos in Norway and Switzerland, along with the Driftless Region. I took a photo class in high school. I knew the basics, he said. Ive made a point of going out and practicing. During a race, I like to go to the ski hill just to practice sense of speed, motion blur. I try to capture the expression on peoples faces. Hatlem met his wife Julie at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. Shes been a good motivator. Shell tell me to get out of bed and take pictures. Shell be out and about and call me and tell me to go to Brownsville because the clouds are perfect, Hatlem said. When people try to find Minnesotas secret sauce to our high quality of life and seemingly common sense (comparatively speaking) approach to government, theres sometimes mention of the Itasca Group. This is a group of top Minnesota business leaders who get together every Friday morning to discuss ways to collaborate and advocate for a stronger Minnesota. Itasca Group exemplifies how Minnesotans come together to find win-win, common-sense solutions, and then back those solutions with capital. In early June, I got together with a lesser-known version of the Itasca Group: the Minnesota Initiative Foundations. Every other year, the six presidents of the Minnesota Initiative Foundations, along with their foundation board members and select guests, gather at Grandview Lodge in Nisswa. While the MIF presidents communicate often around shared initiatives, this retreat is a special gathering that allows our board members to join us harnessing the power of the unique-to-Minnesota MIF model. This year, nearly 90 participants attended the MIF Retreat. The topic at hand was The Rural Impact. Collectively, the six MIFs serve the 80 non-metro counties of Greater Minnesota. As became clear in the last election, there is a sense around the country that the rural voice has not been heard, or valued. Part of the discussion was how to better make the case that rural Minnesota institutions and businesses bolster our state as a whole. Tony Sertich of Northland Foundation discussed how two of Minnesotas largest private foundations Bush Foundation and The McKnight Foundation both grew out of the success of Iron Range mining giant 3M. Nancy Vyskocil of Northwest Minnesota Foundation underscored that Blandin Foundation, one of Greater Minnesotas best philanthropic partners, has its roots in the forestry and paper industry. She cited that more than 24,000 people are currently employed in the forestry and paper industry and that Blandin has distributed more than $380 million in Greater Minnesota. Initiative Foundations new president Matt Varilek spoke about Greater Minnesotas natural assets, from state parks to bike trails to lakes. He stressed that rural Minnesotas strong tourism generates $14.4 billion in annual economic activity for the state. Diana Anderson, president at Southwest Initiative Foundation, let us know that agriculture is still a vital part of our states economy: ag adds $75 billion to the states economy annually and is our second largest employer. My colleague Anna Wasescha at West Central Initiative spoke about Greater Minnesotas higher education institutions. Anna, a former college president, stated that combined, Greater Minnesota enrolls nearly 375,000 students and that 80 percent of Minnesota State graduates stay in Minnesota. When my turn came, I took the opportunity to discuss the impact of Mayo Clinic, which has 68 clinic locations and 34,000 employees in Minnesota. Clearly, Mayo is a growing economic driver in our state (and a growing presence in Wisconsin). There is no doubt that Greater Minnesota is rich in assets. Beyond the wealth generated by the sectors listed above, the Minnesota Initiative Foundations (seeded by The McKnight Foundation) have collectively invested more than $455 million since 1986 to support economic and community development initiatives. One of the highlights of the retreat was keynote speaker Christopher Ingraham, a Washington Post reporter now residing in Red Lake County. He moved to Red Lake Falls with his growing family after once having pinpointed it as the ugliest place in America. He cited a statistic that 54 percent of people would like to live in a rural area or small town. In Minnesota, 73 percent of residents live in an urban area. His presentation raised the question: How do we get more people to take the plunge? When people think Minnesota, the Twins and Vikings may be the first thing that comes to mind. However, images of northern woods and glistening lakes are not far behind, followed by names like General Mills, Polaris, Arctic Cat, Mayo, Hormel, Schells Beer, Red Wing Shoes and Faribault Woolen Mills all brands that are known nationally and around the world. The Minnesota Initiative Foundations invest with the understanding that the people who call Greater Minnesota home do so with pride. We understand we have a good thing going, and our doors are open to those who want to follow in Ingrahams footsteps. I invite you to join us in the conversation. It happened this week, amongst the hustle and bustle of Alma Center Strawberry Festival and having family over. It happened after I had just mowed the yard and cleaned the house. I sat down on the couch to relax and melt into the cushions and suddenly this house we had been living in felt like more than a house, it felt like a home. I dont know why it happened this weekend of all weekends. Maybe it was finally getting everything to my liking outside, or maybe it was finally having a good place for everything when I cleaned the house. I dont know what it was, but all of a sudden the house we have been living in reached down and hugged me. It made me feel safe and secure. It made me feel like I belonged. It is such a good feeling when a house changes to a home. We have been living in our house for nearly six months now. We have painted walls, bought pillows for our window seat and made our home work for our needs. In my lifetime, I have only had two homes before this one. My first home was the home I grew up in, which is where my parents still live. I can still remember walking into the house for the first time when we toured it and seeing a green ham on the counter. I really dont know why my parents bought the place, but nevertheless we moved in. We made improvements to the house, adding a bathroom downstairs and removing the downstairs kitchen and changing it into a storage room. We got rid of the mice in the house and gave it a good cleaning. When I think back to my time in that home, I have a lot of fond memories. Memories of working on fair projects the night before fair and everyone sitting downstairs in the summer because it was too blasted hot upstairs without central air. Unfortunately I was too brass and brazen to get out of there before I left for college, and didnt savor those last few days in my first home. It wasnt for another five years until after college and moving away to Ohio that I would experience my second home. This one was different though because I, along with my wife, actually owned it. We actually purchased it and were responsible for its upkeep. It was a perfect 1,200 square foot split level in a neighborhood full of nice people. We painted the walls of the house a very light gray color, covering up the dark green tones throughout the house. We replaced the old chandelier at the entrance with a more modern option. Downstairs we turned the Ohio State Buckeyes room into a cinema-themed room, which allowed us to keep the same scarlet and grey color scheme without supporting the enemy. We loved this house and it wasnt too big or too small for us, it was just right. We brought our first child home to this house, we made a family here. We sacrificed in this home and we triumphed in this home. Ive said many times that if it would have been financially viable, I would have moved that home here to Wisconsin because we loved it that much. Unfortunately that didnt happen, so here we were more than six months ago searching for a house, one that could potentially become our home. Luckily in the dead of winter and in a terrible time for house shopping, we found one. We found a house we could make into a home. We found a place that we could make new memories in, where we could make it our own. This house has become our home in the last few months, and I am glad that it all of a sudden has a heartbeat. As Ive grown to have my own family and own my own home, I have come to find one truth about a home that is perfectly summarized in a little wood figurine that my mom had over our stove in my first home that read, Home is where the heart is. That phrase is so simple, and yet so true. Democratic state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout has filed initial paperwork to mount a run for governor in 2018. Vinehout, of Alma, registered a committee for a possible gubernatorial run earlier this month the third time shes been in the running to challenge Walker since he was first elected in 2010. Vinehout said in an interview she registered a committee so she could raise and spend money traveling the state to explore the possibility of running. She said shes focused on the budget and doesnt have a set timeline for making a decision. Democrats need to run as Democrats and they need to appeal to the voter that maybe didnt vote in 2016, Vinehout said. We need to run in a way that acts out our message that getting a Democrat elected will make a difference in peoples lives by what we stand for. Vinehout won the Wispolitics.com straw poll at the state Democratic Party of Wisconsin convention earlier this month. In 2012 Vinehout came in third in the Democratic primary to challenge Walker in a recall election and in 2014 she planned to run again but bowed out after her arm was seriously injured in a car crash in late 2013. Should Vinehout announce a full-fledged campaign, she would join recent college graduate Bob Harlow as the only formally declared Democratic candidates seeking to unseat Walker as he seeks a third term. Other potential candidates who have said theyre considering a run or have not ruled out the possibility include Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, former Democratic Party of Wisconsin chairman Matt Flynn, Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ, state Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, businessman Andy Gronik and state Rep. Dana Wachs, D-Eau Claire. Alec Zimmerman, spokesman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said the party was set to release web ads portraying Vinehout as a tax-and-spend liberal. And Joe Fadness, spokesman for Walkers political campaign, said there is no reason for voters to change course in the executive branch. Gov. Walkers record of standing and fighting for them has our state headed in the right direction, he said. Headlines from the past month reveal the disappointing truth about the state of Wisconsins dairy industry. Dairy industry breathes a sigh of relief, said one headline, celebrating a return to normal now that most of the farmers who were axed by Grassland Dairy Products have found new milk buyers. And what does normal look like? Dairy farm exits outpaced 10-year trend, read another headline from Hoards Dairyman, noting Wisconsin lost 400 dairy farms in 2016. There is nothing normal about Americas Dairyland losing more than a dairy farm per day in 2016. If that is what passes for normal in todays dairy industry, then we need an entirely new normal. One place to start is strengthening Wisconsins prohibition on corporate farm ownership. Wisconsins anti-corporate farming law was written in 1973. Since then, it has been chipped away, creating loopholes that allow even very large corporations to own farmland. Wis Statutes Section 182.001(1) prohibits corporations with 16 or more shareholders from owning farmland and farming operations, including the production of dairy products not including the processing of such dairy products. This law prevents large publicly-traded corporations about 1 percent of all U.S. businesses from owning Wisconsin farms. However, corporations with 15 or fewer shareholders face no such limitations on their ability to own farms or farmland. Grassland Dairy Products, a privately-held family corporation, apparently has fewer than 16 shareholders, so regardless of its size and corporate status it can own unlimited amounts of farmland and farming operations. Another significant loophole in Wisconsins anti-corporate farming law is that it allows corporate investors to own unlimited amounts of farmland, as long as the land is in turn rented to a farmer. Wisconsin Statutes 182.001(2)(e) states: This section [prohibiting corporate ownership of farmland] does not apply to agricultural land acquired by a corporation or trust for expansion or other corporate or trust business purposes and such land may be used for farming operations if leased to a person not prohibited from engaging in farming operations[.] Wisconsin is experiencing a growing trend of investor-ownership of farmland, such as purchases by retirement fund TIAA-CREF, which drive up the cost of farmland and make it harder for beginning farmers to purchase farmland. We should not accept as normal a world in which farmers are merely tenants on land owned by an out-of-state corporate investor. When an investment fund like TIAA-CREF owns the land, there is very little hope that the farmer will ever have the chance to buy it or pass it down to the next generation. This chipping away of farmer ownership of land also has significant implications for conservation. Why should a farmer invest in soil health or conservation practices on land that he or she doesnt own? If there is one issue where there is almost universal agreement among farmers, it is that there should be limits on corporate ownership of farms. Wisconsin Farmers Union conducted a survey of all Wisconsin dairy farmers last fall, and 88 percent of respondents answered yes to the following question: Should farm organizations like Wisconsin Farmers Union continue to stand up for laws that limit foreign and corporate ownership of farms? It did not go unnoticed by Wisconsin farmers that at the same time Grassland Dairy was dropping dozens of family farms, it was directly engaged in assisting the development of a 5,000-cow CAFO in Dunn County. Grassland is the largest producer of butter in the nation, with a market share of nearly 50 percent. Its effort to consolidate ownership at both the processing and farm level is a perfect example of why we need stronger anti-corporate farming laws. If we fail to put some reasonable limits on corporate farming in Wisconsin, we can expect to see less farmland owned by actual farmers, and more of Wisconsins family farms getting pink slips from their processors in the years to come. That is not a future that any of us should accept as normal. WARRENSWisconsins cranberry industry gets lots of attention during the fall including the weekend when 25,000 people pour into the village of Warrens but cranberry production is more than just the fall harvest. Cranberry growers shared part of their non-harvest season with the public Saturday during Cranberry Blossom Day. Cranberry growers Jim and Nodji Van Wychen hosted tours of their Wetherby Cranberry Co. operation, and the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center hosted special events. The free walking tours allow visitors an up-close look at cranberry vines in bloom. Nodji Van Wychen, a third-generation cranberry grower, answered questions about how cranberries are grown and harvested, along with explaining how the cranberry got its name. The tours were filmed for an episode of Discover Wisconsin. Cranberry Blossom Day doesnt draw the mammoth crowds of the Warrens Cranberry Festival held the last weekend of September, but Discovery Center Director Deb Pearson said traffic through the center was higher than a normal Saturday. She said the Cranberry Festival and Blossom Day complement each other. Production is more than just the harvest, Pearson said. This educates people on the life cycle of the berry, the blossoms and how the bees pollinate them. Visitors to the center got to taste samples of cranberry products and could purchase cranberry ice cream and a cranberry-themed lunch. Admission to the downstairs museum was reduced from $5 to $2. The day also included tasting of cranberry wine from DnA Vintners and recipe demonstrations from the Cranberry Festival royalty. Saturday marked the first full day of the cranberry glass display maintained by Clinton and Ellen Potter. The couple amassed a collection of 1,500 pieces of cranberry glass and continued to add pieces until Ellens death in 2000. The collection, donated by the couples three children, fills four shelves along the Discovery Centers south wall. For Pearson, Blossom Day was just her fourth day as the centers new director, but shes no stranger to downtown Warrens. For 32 years she taught at Warrens Elementary School. A Mauston native, Pearson said teaching in Warrens has been one long education on the cranberry industry. She looks forward to teaching about cranberries in a different capacity. Im actually too young to stay home and do nothing, she said. Its just two blocks from where Ive been teaching for 32 years. Now I get to educate people in a new way. A town of Viroqua horse rescue owner filed three restraining orders Monday against people she said are harassing her after social media blew up with accusations that she was neglecting horses on her farm. The Vernon County Sheriffs Office issued a press release on Monday, informing the public about the rescue. According to the Sheriffs Office, it has received numerous calls reporting neglect or mistreatment of animals. There have been pictures and videos of the horsed posted on social media and many people commenting on them. Amanda Everhart, 26, a single mother of two, with one on the way, co-owns the Wisconsin Horse Rescue with her boyfriend. He provides the rent and I provide for the horses care, Everhart said, of the 50-acre farm. Everhart allowed a veterinarian to examine the animals on her property, Saturday, according to the Sheriffs Office. The veterinarian reports the animals are being fed and taken care of at an appropriate level. Some of the animals are thin and look to be in poor health; however, this is not because of neglect or some other treatable disease, according to Sheriff John Spears. Spears says that harassment of Everhart or trespassing on her property will not be tolerated. Everhart said its a case of cyberbullying. One video zooms in on a pair of horses. The person filming it is standing next to a vehicle yelling at people on the farm saying the horse is thin. The horse they are referring to is Phoenix, who was surrendered Nov. 27. She came in starved and was skin and bones and she was covered in barbed-wire cuts; the halter was embedded in her face, Everhart said. She has a bald spot on her face that I flushed with penicillin, I cleaned her feet, Coggins tested her. The test checks for a virus. Everhart said that when Phoenix was surrendered, she was told the horse was 21 years old, however, Everharts veterinarian estimates that the horse is 30 years old. According to Everhart, Phoenix weighed between 600-800 pounds when she first arrived, and now weighs close to 900-1,000 pounds. Everhart said she sold her motorcycle, two trucks and two cars to help just to save her (Phoenix) and put money toward the other horses. I was getting donations until the untrue stories. I dont know what I did to prompt this, she said. She said since October she has been cleaning up the farm. I made it beautiful and I made a home for these horses. Since October, 20 horses have been in and out of the rescue. Every one of them has found a permanent home, Everhart said. I will take any horse and in any condition. Currently there are eight horses on the rural Viroqua property, including Phoenix, a video of which was posted on Facebook June 24. Everhart has hung no trespassing signs on the property. Tuesday, June 27, 2017 Cyrus Mehta on The Insightful Immigration Blog opines that, although it le disappointing that the Supreme Court allowed the ban to apply on visa applicants with no ties with the US from the banned countries, it may have permanently bolstered the rights of visa applicants who have ties to the US to challenge visa denials, which hitherto was not possible. This is the silver lining from yesterdays court order. In Trump v. International Refugee Assistance Project, the Supreme Court decided to review the preliminary injunctions of President Trumps travel ban in its next term. As an interim measure, however, the Court granted the governments application to stay the injunctions of the Fourth and Ninth Circuits, but created a broad exception. The travel ban may not be enforced against foreign nationals who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States. Through this statement, the Court overnight fashioned a new standard for determining against whom the ban would apply or not apply. The following extract from the Courts order is worth noting: The facts of these cases illustrate the sort of relationship that qualifies. For individuals, a close familial relationship is required. A foreign national who wishes to enter the United States to live with or visit a family member, like Does wife or Dr. Elshikhs mother-in-law, clearly has such a relationship. As for entities, the relationship must be formal, documented, and formed in the ordinary course, rather than for the purpose of evading EO2. The students from the designated countries who have been admitted to the University of Hawaii have such a relationship with an American entity. So too would a worker who accepted an offer of employment from an American company or a lecturer invited to address an American audience. Not so someone who enters into a relationship simply to avoid 2(c): For example, a nonprofit group devoted to immigration issues may not contact foreign nationals from the designated countries, add them to client lists, and then secure their entry by claiming injury from their exclusion. KJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2017/06/cyrus-mehta-supreme-court-may-have-bolstered-rights-of-foreign-nationals-with-ties-to-the-united-sta.html Wednesday, June 28, 2017 An attorney's resignation from the Bar was accepted by the Oklahoma Supreme Court The respondent acknowledges she is aware there are proceedings involving allegations that there exist grounds for discipline, specifically as follows. In Count I, the Bar Association alleges that the respondent improperly by live telephone, and in person solicited Tyler Williams for employment in his personal injury case, while he was hospitalized for his injuries. She represented to him that she had obtained his name and information from a "Christian" organization, which conveyed to her that he needed to have legal questions answered. She had him sign a contingency fee contract on June 17, 2014, and he remained hospitalized until his discharge on June 20, 2014. The organization called "Victim's Hope" was created, established, organized and controlled by the respondent as a means to solicit business for her. She paid the employee of Victim's Hope to recommend her services and to forward information regarding prospective clients. Count II alleges that from approximately 2008 through 2012 the respondent improperly obtained Department of Public Safety media emails by establishing and controlling fictitious media outlets solely for the purpose of obtaining and forwarding accident report information to employee(s) of her law firm in order to solicit professional employment. Count III alleges that she obtained confidential accident report information for the purpose of making a commercial solicitation in violation of 47 O.S.2011, 40-102. The allegations would constitute violations of Rules 1.16(a), 7.2(b), 7.3(a), 8.4(b), and 8.4(c) of the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct (ORPC), 5 O.S. 2011, ch. 1, app. 3-A and Rule 1.3, RGDP. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2017/06/an-attorneys-resignation-from-the-bar-was-accepted-by-the-oklahoma-supreme-court-the-respondent-acknowledges-she-is-aware-th.html Wednesday, June 28, 2017 The Indiana Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and re instated a conviction Defendant appealed his bestiality conviction arguing that the State failed to establish the corpus delicti of the offense, rendering evidence of his confessions inadmissible. Finding that the State presented independent evidence that provided an inference that Defendant committed bestiality, we hold that defendants confessions were admissible. Accordingly, we affirm the trial court. The facts In August 2015, Paul Moore and Andy Shinnock were roommates in Muncie, Indiana. Moores two dogs, a female pit bull named Baby Girl and a male Labrador Retriever mix named Cosmo, lived with them. One morning, Moore returned home from work, and neither of his dogs were waiting to greet him at the door like they usually did. Moore called for them. Cosmo eventually came to him, but Baby Girl did not. Moore noticed the apartment was messy. That is, there was dog feces all over the floor and dog food scattered about. This was also unusual. Moore opened the door to Shinnocks room. Baby Girl came out and ran underneath the couch. Moore observed Shinnock in his room, wearing his boxer shorts and with an erection. When Moore asked Shinnock why his dog was locked inside of Shinnocks bedroom, Shinnock admitted to Moore that he tried to have sexual contact with the dog. Moore called police. When police arrived and asked for Shinnocks version of events, Shinnock admitted he had sex with Moores dog. Below the Court of Appeals reversed Shinnocks conviction holding that the State was required to prove penetration of the dogs sex organ by a male sex organ before it could admit Shinnocks statement into evidence. The law Due to the nature and circumstances of this matter, there is no direct evidence of what happened to Baby Girl. However, there is ample circumstantial evidence that provides an inference that Shinnock committed bestiality. That is, Baby Girl was not there to greet Moore when he arrived home like she usually did. Instead, she was found trapped in Shinnocks bedroom with him. He was in his underwear and had an erection. The floor was covered in dog feces, which was unusual. When Moore opened the door to Shinnocks room, Baby Girl ran to hide under the couch. All the facts taken together suffice to demonstrate both that the dog was a victim and that Shinnock committed the crime. Accordingly, the trial court properly found that the corpus delicti rule was satisfied and admitted the confessions into evidence. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2017/06/the-indiana-supreme-court-defendant-appealed-his-bestiality-conviction-arguing-that-the-state-failed-to-establish-the-corpus.html Remembering those who died in the mid-valley. Photos submitted by family members to accompany their obituaries in the Albany Democrat-Herald a DAKAR, Senegal - As a girl, Karelle Vignon-Vullierme loved eating the Beninese dishes her mother cooked but never bothered following her into the kitchen to learn how to make them herself. But that has not stopped the Senegal-based blogger, now in her 30s, from building up an adoring online audience of thousands by whipping up mouth-watering meals from all corners of the globe. Hers is a story of love, the internet and plenty of chocolate cake. Based in Dakar since 2012, Vignon-Vullierme has a strong following in France and francophone Africa for her skill in perfecting everything from Indian naan bread to spicy Moroccan soup, with frequent indulgences for her sweet tooth. "I love to eat," says the French-Beninese former journalist, at her home in Dakar, prepping molten chocolate cakes in her kitchen at the nerve centre of "Les Gourmandises de Karelle" (Karelle's Treats), an ever-expanding social media and blog operation that has become her full-time job. Alexandr Mychko via 123RF Vibrant close-up photos of her culinary creations running the gamut of international tastes and occasions are accompanied by friendly, chatty comments about the recipes. "I think I've already told you this but it's only recently that I've learned to love and to eat courgettes," she writes in a 2015 post for chicken and courgette cake on the website. Sponsorships from supermarket chains and other regional brands also appear on her social media feeds, bookending sped-up videos of her recipes, and such partnerships have proved profitable, she says. Perhaps surprisingly for a food blogger, who has almost 40,000 Facebook followers and 15,000 on Instagram, cooking rarely featured in her life until she met her future husband while studying in Canada. Her mother "is a great cook," she told AFP. "When she would tell me 'Karelle, come to the kitchen and watch what I'm doing here!', I would just say 'tell me when it's ready!'" But after falling in love with Olivier Vullierme, a Franco-Senegalese engineer, and following him to Dakar, she began studying French-language cooking websites such as Marmiton, Cuisine AZ and 750g, hoping to impress. What started out as a gesture of affection began to change her life, as she experimented with savoury dishes for him, and plenty of cakes for herself. "I learnt to cook online," she says, spending time in particular on the Herve Cuisine YouTube channel. Dishes cooked at home for her husband were carefully photographed and posted on Facebook, leading to enquiring emails from friends. All were quick and simple but at times offered unusual combinations that are something of a trademark. She set up the Gourmandises de Karelle blog in late 2013, she says, "firstly so that they would stop sending me messages saying 'how did you do that?'" Her background had already exposed her to cuisine from three continents, and she happily produces Asian, African, European and North American dishes for her audiences. With an average 120,000 visitors a month for the blog, she now has her own app so people can easily browse her creations, ranging from chocolate-banana spring rolls to a plantain gratin. Like many social media stars, her personal and professional lives have collapsed into one, and blogging and posting is a daily commitment. Vignon-Vullierme's audience falls into two camps "depending on the platform," Olivier Vullierme says, pointing to their slightly different expectations. "In Africa, we have a lot of partnerships between social media and mobile networks, so you very often have Facebook or Instagram free depending on your payment plan," he said. "Locally, people prefer to use social media rather than eating up their data on a blog with a lot of photos. "She has a really interactive African audience on social media, and those more curious about cooking based in France on the blog," he added. He describes himself as "very proud" of his wife but says few realise the enormous amount of time spent creating recipes, taking photos and videos, and responding individually to fans - a must in the social media age. Vignon-Vullierme said her plan was never to "teach people how to cook", but simply how to eat properly with inexpensive ingredients widely available. She can now make her mother proud by throwing together an amiwo, a dish from Benin made with cornflour and chicken. But, she says, her target are young city-dwellers, who "no longer have the time to spend three or four hours in the kitchen". And she has expanded into restaurant recommendations too, which offers a chance to hang up her apron and take a rest from the kitchen - but not for too long. Source: AFP. The Appletiser plant in Elgin is ready to almost double its annual production by October, following its merger last year of the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink bottling operations of the Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller plc and Gutsche Family Investments to form Coca Cola Beverages SA (CCBSA). Appletiser SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of CCBSA, produces 59% of all Tiser products for domestic and global distribution at the Elgin plant. Apart from Elgin, the Tiser brands are produced at another South African facility in Midrand and at facilities in the UK, Canary Islands, Belgium and Australia. There are plans in place for Elgin to produce additional Coca-Cola brands (in addition to Tisers) that are currently produced at the other CCBSA manufacturing sites. With the addition of 200ml, 330ml and 440ml cans of other Coca-Cola products, the facility will produce well in excess of prevailing volumes at the time of the merger. Economic Development Minister, Ebrahim Patel, was introduced to Appletiser South Africas new black empowerment partners following the sale of a 21.5% stake in May during a recent visit to the Elgin plant. CCBSA sold 17.5% of its shareholding in Appletiser South Africa to black-owned investment company African Pioneer Group and 4% to a new entrant black empowerment partner, Sipho Excellent Madlala, a 20-year veteran of the company. CCBSA MD, Velaphi Ratshefola, said that the company was confident that Appletiser SA has the capacity to increase production output considerably to serve the domestic market and to be used as a base for export to the rest of the continent and elsewhere in the world. Local sourcing commitments Appletiser has a commitment in terms of the merger agreement to maintain procurement of at least 80% of apples, pears, grapes and similar fruit inputs used for juice concentrate used in Tiser products from South Africa. Currently all apple and pear concentrate is sourced from South Africa, with grape concentrate increasingly sourced locally, depending on availability and affordability of supply. Since the time of the merger in May 2016, Appletisers contractual obligations in terms of local procurement of grapes used for juice concentrate for Grapetiser has increased significantly from 11% to 43%. This percentage will continue to increase in the next few years as agreed with the Competition Tribunal. Among other conditions of the merger agreement, CCBSAs cooler compliance has been fully audited; the company has held a Supplier Development Conference as agreed; and retained staffing levels at the levels as at the time of the merger, regardless of restructuring. Tiser products produced at ASA are marketed in a range of territories including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Mauritius and Swaziland. Launched in 1966 as the countrys first and only premium sparkling 100% single fruit juice brand, Appletiser says it has a dedicated consumer base and holds its premium position largely due to the proprietary techniques that are used in the formulation of Tiser products, which have made it possible for the company to ensure consistent flavour and aroma. Economic opportunities and unprecedented challenges face Ireland in the near future as the United Kingdom continues down the path of its separation from the worlds largest single market, the European Union. This was the prediction made by the Consul General of Ireland to Hong Kong and Macau, Peter Ryan, at a talk held yesterday evening at the Rui Cunha Foundation. At the heart of his prediction is the contentious issue of the 500-kilometer border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the latter a part of the United Kingdom. The nature of this atypical border is dictated by the terms of a Common Travel Area agreement between the two countries, signed in 1923. However, Britains withdrawal from the EU has raised questions over how the border, implemented six decades before the blocs Schengen Agreement, will be managed if London abandons the principle of the free movement of labor. Today, we have open, passport-free [movement] between Ireland and Britain, and this [policy] is going to be very interesting heading in to Brexit, said Ryan during the talk. We are absolutely determined that we cant go back to what we term a hard border we cant go back to [having] checkpoints. The issue is one of four highlighted by the Irish government as key concerns in the coming years, together with a need to minimize the impact on trade and the Irish economy, protect the Northern Ireland Peace Process and influence the future of the EU. With concerns to the economy, Brexit may present a significant opportunity in its potential to siphon foreign investment away from the U.K. and toward the Emerald Isle. Speaking to the Times ahead of yesterdays talk, Ryan highlighted Irelands strengths in attracting foreign investment, namely its membership of the European Union, comparative low rates of corporate taxation and the young and highly-educated workforce, native in the English language. Asked how Ireland can compete against Portugal in attracting foreign investment from Macau, Ryan pointed to his countrys reputation for housing some of the largest investment projects in Europe. In any case, he said, we see European [Union] member states complementing each other, rather than competing with each other. The consul general also said that, despite the inherent difficulties, the Irish government is delighted with the situation that Ireland now finds itself in; having a border with Britain that will become the frontier of the European Union. The contemporary relationship between Ireland and Britain is linked to the interwoven history of the two peoples, which has been fraught with conflict and tension for hundreds of years. However, the 21st century has seen the bilateral exchange reach new heights, with Ryan claiming that the London-Dublin route has become the second busiest travel connection in the world. Irish people know all about different parts of British life and culture, said Ryan, attributing this to the prevalence of British media in Ireland. British people will be less familiar with Ireland and thats natural between a small neighbor and a big neighbor. The disparity between the number of people in Ireland (5 million) and Britain (65 million) is comparable to the ratio between the respective populations of Macau (650,000) and Hong Kong (7 million). The talk yesterday, hosted by the Rui Cunha Foundation, with the support of the European Union Academic Program in Macau and the Macau Portuguese and English Press Association, was well attended by the public. A fire that occurred yesterday at the Edifice Industrial Fat Lei was found to have been deliberately lit, according to the Fire Service Bureau (CB).The fire took place on the first floor of the building yesterday morning and triggered the fire alarm. People working at the scene extinguished the fire before the CB arrived. The CB found an area of about one square meter of paper and plastic boxes still on fire. A few cigarette butts were also found at the scene. CB has already forwarded the case to the Judiciary Police. 5pct of Chinese-Portuguese translators are non-local Kou Peng Kuan, director of the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP), said that non-local Chinese-Portuguese translators represent 5 percent of the total number of translators working in Macau. This disclosure follows allegations that a mainland student, who graduated from the Macau Polytechnic Institute, was hired by the MSAR government as a translator through a special recruitment channel. Following this, the public have expressed their doubt concerning whether the MSAR government is providing enough opportunities for those who were locally trained to apply to become translators at public departments. Kou believes that all local graduates are capable of scoring favorably in the governments open exams. However, he pointed out that fresh Chinese-Portuguese translation graduates usually cannot meet the requirements imposed by governmental departments due to their lack of experience. First Macau bank to operate in Shanghai Tai Fung Bank has recently established a branch in Shanghai, thus becoming the first Macau bank to operate in the province. The launching took place during the ceremony of Tai Fung Banks 75-year anniversary. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, said in his speech at the ceremony that the bank will certainly enhance the financial and economic cooperation between Shanghai and Macau. After opening its representative office in Hengqin and its branch in Guangzhou, Macau Luso International Banking Limited became the first Macau-based bank to operate in both Hengqin and Guangzhou. Unemployment rate remains stable at 2pct The unemployment rate from March to May this year stood stable at 2 percent, the same as that of the previous period (February-April). The unemployment rate of MSAR residents was 2.6 percent, a similar rate to the previous period. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate was 0.4 percent, down by 0.1 percentage points, the Statistics and Census Service indicated. The regions total labor force reached 389,400 and the labor force participation rate stood at 71.1 percent. The total employment was 381,800 and employed residents totaled 280,400, up by 300 and 400 respectively from the previous period. Looking at industry by industry analysis, employment in Hotels and Gaming & Junket Activities registered an increase, while employment in Construction and Restaurants & Similar Activities saw a decrease. The number of unemployed locals was 7,600, down by 100 from the previous period. Individuals waiting to enter the labor force for the first time accounted for 8.5 percent of total unemployment. IC considers extending libraries open hours The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) is currently considering whether they will slightly extend the operation schedule of more libraries. This was announced by the Chief of the Department of Management of Public Libraries, Tang Mei Li, during a TDM talk show that took place yesterday. Last year, the Red Market Library extended its opening hours to 24-hour operation. It is said that the library started receiving more visitors per month after the operation hours were extended. According to Tang, the IC may not extend the operation of other libraries to 24-hours. She also believes that the planned New Central Library will run for more than eight hours per day because it will be big and will provide many different services. Shenyang hosts China-PSC exchange event A large business-matching conference for entrepreneurs from China and Portuguese-speaking countries began yesterday in Shenyang, the capital of Chinas northeast Liaoning Province. Many of the attendees from Portuguese-speaking countries (PSC) were reportedly looking for Chinese businessmen to help bring their products and services to the mainland market. The week-long event is supported by Macaus Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), which is involved in cultivating the MSAR as a platform for bilateral exchange between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. The executive director of IPIM, Gloria Batalha Ung, who was in attendance at the conference yesterday, told TDM that Macau could help small companies on both sides of the exchange. Due to language barriers and cultural differences, unlike the state-owned enterprises that are more financially powerful and have greater manpower, most SMEs [small- and medium-sized business] find it difficult to get involved [in the economic exchange], she said. Therefore Macau is a desired platform for them. Securities investment grows The investment of Macau residents (including individuals, the government and other legal entities, but excluding Macaus foreign exchange reserves) in securities issued by unrelated non-residents reached MOP484.7 billion at current market value by year end, an increase of 9.4 percent from June 30, 2016, and 10.5 percent year-on-year. According to the statistics released yesterday by the Monetary Authority of Macau, among various instruments of portfolio investment, equity securities (including mutual funds and investment trust units), long-term debt securities, and short-term debt securities, were valued at MOP183.9 billion, MOP285.9 billion and MOP 14.9b respectively. As compared with end-2015, equity securities and long-term debt securities rose by 8.2 percent and 15.6 percent respectively, while short-term debt securities dropped by 30.4 percent. Wynn Palace Cotai and Wynn Macau received several awards at the 2017 Hurun Presidential Awards in Shanghai. Wynn Palace was awarded several titles, including Best Banquet Venue, Best Executive Suite and Best Spa, while Wynn Macau won the awards Best Presidential Suite and Best Restaurant for its Michelin- starred restaurant Golden Flower. According to a press release from Wynn Macau, the gaming operator was the only one in Macau to be awarded at the Hurun Presidential Awards. The Hurun Presidential Awards are organized by the Hurun Report, a leading luxury media authority in China. Since 2009, the report has been presenting the awards to recognize outstanding hotel properties in China each year. In addition to the Hurun Presidential Awards, Wynn Macau is the only one in the world to receive eight Forbes Five-Star Awards for its restaurants and spas. The two-Michelin-starred restaurant Golden Flower is on the Forbes Five-Star restaurant list. BNU holds award ceremony for logo design competition BNU held the award ceremony for its logo design competition on Monday, in conjunction with its 115th anniversary. BNUs jury panel selected one winner, also announcing three creative awards and ten awards of merit. The competition commenced in April with the aim of promoting the development of the design and creative industry in Macau. According to a press release issued by BNU, the competition received an overwhelming response with over 100 submissions. The winner, Mok Seng Un, adopted a sailboat-like design, symbolizing BNUs sailing between Macau and the Portuguese-speaking countries, and its journey with Macau for the past 115 years. Pedro Cardoso, chief executive officer of BNU, said: The judges are very pleased with the creativity and the levels of professionalism of the logos received. The competition also supports the Macau governments effort in promoting the cultural and creative industry. The logo will appear in the promotional material connected to activities celebrating the 115th anniversary throughout this year. Google lost its biggest regulatory battle yet, getting a record 2.4 billion-euro (USD2.7 billion) fine from European Union enforcers who say the search-engine giant skewed results to thwart smaller shopping search services. Alphabet Inc.s Google has 90 days to stop its illegal conduct and give equal treatment to rival price-comparison services, according to a binding order from the European Commission yesterday. Its up to Google to choose how it does this and inform the EU of its plans within 60 days. Failure to comply brings a risk of fines of up to 5 percent of its daily revenue. The more consumers click on comparison shopping results, the more money Google makes, said Margrethe Vestager, the EUs antitrust chief. This decision requires Google to change the way it operates and to face the consequence of its actions. Shares of Mountain View, California-based Google fell 1.5 percent in pre-market trading in New York. Theyve risen 23 percent so far this year. Vestagers decision marks the end of a seven-year probe fueled by complaints from small shopping websites as well as bigger names, including News Corp., Axel Springer SE and Microsoft Corp. European politicians have called on the EU to sanction Google or even break it up while U.S. critics claim regulators are targeting successful American firms. Googles lawyer Kent Walker said the company respectfully disagrees with the EUs conclusions and will consider a court appeal, according to a blog post. When you shop online, you want to find the products youre looking for quickly and easily, Walker said. And advertisers want to promote those same products. Thats why Google shows shopping ads, connecting our users with thousands of advertisers, large and small, in ways that are useful for both. We think our current shopping results are useful and are a much-improved version of the text- only ads we showed a decade ago. Vestager said the case is likely to stay on her desk for quite some time as regulators monitor how Google deals with the order for a number of years. Regulators havent talked to Google about how it might meet the EUs expectations. Vestager said it is very important for Google to find their way of complying with the EU order. Google has been pushing its own comparison-shopping service since 2008, systematically giving it prominent placement when people search for an item, the EU said. Rival comparison sites usually only appear on page four of search results, effectively denying them a massive audience as the first page attracts 95 percent of all clicks. As a result of Googles illegal practices, traffic to Googles comparison-shopping service increased significantly, whilst rivals have suffered very substantial losses of traffic on a lasting basis, the EU said, citing figures of a 45 percent increase in traffic for Googles service. Yesterdays fines could just be the first in a series of EU antitrust penalties for Google, which is fighting on at least two other fronts, including its Android mobile-phone software and the AdSense online advertising service. The decision follows Russias $7.8 million antitrust fine and penalties from Italian, German and French privacy authorities. Europe has proved a tough jurisdiction for Google, which fell foul of the regions top court, losing a high-profile right-to-be-forgotten case three years ago. Vestager is proving she means business, said Thomas Vinje, a lawyer who represents FairSearch, a group of companies that complained to the EU. This decision will mean that consumers receive comparison-shopping results that offer genuinely the best purchasing options. While the penalty is a record, it will do little to faze a company whose parent has more than $90 billion in cash. Of graver concern is the way regulators called on Google to change the way it handles online shopping searches, one of its biggest sources of sales growth and strongest weapons against rivals Facebook Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. The EU says that Google doesnt subject its own service to its algorithm, which ranks search results on quality and relevance to the user. It said it gathered huge amounts of data, including 5.2 terabytes of search results from Google, based on 1.7 billion search queries. It would take be 17,000 years to read them all out to you, Vestager told reporters. The EUs allegations strike at the heart of a type of online advertising known as product listing ads, or PLAs, that is growing at almost three times the rate of traditional text-based search ads, according to digital marketing firm Merkle Inc. The format lets a marketer place an ad for an item with large images and price information in the prime digital real estate at the top of search results. Vestager doesnt fear big numbers when trying to convince companies to step back in line. She has ordered Apple Inc. to repay some 13 billion euros in tax advantages and hit truck makers with a record cartel fine of nearly 3 billion euros. The Google fine tops a 1.06 billion- euro penalty eight years ago for Intel Corp., which is still waiting for the final outcome of a court appeal. Her move against Google risks attracting further criticism that shes unfairly singled out U.S. companies. While shes said American firms are under no specific fire because of their nationality, transatlantic tensions are already on the rise after President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord, adding to concerns over global trade. Even so, any backlash against the Google decision from American industry is likely to be reduced. U.S. companies played a big part in lobbying the EU to take action after U.S. regulators ended their investigation into Google search. Aoife White, Bloomberg The U.S. Navy paid tribute yesterday to seven sailors who were killed when their destroyer collided with a merchant ship off Japan. The Japan-based 7th Fleet said more than 2,000 sailors and their families attended the ceremony in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. They lined the streets waving flags in memory of the victims. The USS Fitzgerald, carrying nearly 300 crewmembers, and Philippine-flagged container ship ACX Crystal collided in waters off Yokosuka in the pre-dawn hours of June 17. Severe damage to the right side and bottom of the guided-missile destroyer flooded the berths of 116 sailors. Navy divers found the bodies of the seven in the ship after it returned to Yokosuka. The container ship has left Yokohama, where it was investigated by Japanese authorities, for repairs of its damaged bow at an unspecified shipyard in Japan, its owner, Dainichi- Invest Corp., said. It said the ships captain and several other crewmembers stayed behind for further questioning by the Japanese coast guard. The 7th Fleet said its theater was filled to capacity for the ceremony honoring the sailors. Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, surveyed the ships damage and praised its crew for saving it from sinking, it said. Its stunning, absolutely stunning, while we mourn the loss of the seven sailors, that more were not lost, Swift said in a statement. There was no understanding of what had happened at the moment of impact [] but there was complete understanding of what needed to be done. The collision occurred in an accident-prone area known for congestion with ships trying to reach Tokyo by daybreak. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Japanese coast guard officials say they are eyeing possible professional negligence, but so far their interviews of the container ships captain and crewmembers all Filipinos have been on a voluntary basis. The U.S. Navy is investigating what happened aboard the warship, while Japanese authorities are investigating the container ship and its crew. Ordinarily, Japan has the right to investigate maritime collisions in its territorial waters, but in the case of U.S. warships, the U.S. Navy has the primary right to do so under a bilateral Status of Forces Agreement, making it uncertain whether Japan will have access to the U.S. probe. Mari Yamaguchi, Tokyo, AP Jury selection began Monday in the New York criminal trial of a Chinese billionaire charged with trying to bribe United Nations diplomats to ease approval of a U.N. conference center. Ng Lap Seng, 69, has pleaded not guilty to six charges, including conspiracy, since his arrest in September 2015 during a visit to the United States. More than 100 prospective jurors were part of the selection process in Manhattan federal court that was to continue Tuesday (US time). It was unclear when opening statements might occur. U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick told prospective jurors that the trial was likely to last four to six weeks. He said he was hopeful he could find fair and impartial jurors willing to decide the case solely on evidence or lack of evidence. Ng is confined to a luxury Manhattan apartment with 24-hour armed guards while free on USD50 million bail. Prosecutors say he contributed a portion of over $1 million in bribes that reached a former U.N. General Assembly president. A key witness in the trial is expected to be Francis Lorenzo, a suspended diplomat from the Dominican Republic who pleaded guilty to charges and agreed to testify against Ng. Ngs lawyers have cast him as the victim of a politically driven prosecution aimed at preventing construction of the conference center in Macau and slowing the progress of Chinese influence over developing nations. AP The Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) wants more companies from Portugal and Spain to come to Macau to showcase their products, with the Chinese market as their ultimate goal, said the IPIM president, Jackson Chang. Speaking at the official opening of the China and Portuguese- and Spanish-Speaking Countries (FIN) International Business Fair, where he completed a mission that had begun a week earlier in Praia, Cape Verde, Chang invited the companies present to take part in the 22nd Macau International Fair (MIF), which will take place from October 19 to 21. I hope you will come to Macau to take part in our fair, said the president of IPIM, noting that this year, for the first time, the Exhibition of Products and Services of Portuguese Language Countries 2017 (2017 PLPEX) will be an autonomous event. PLPEX, said Chang, will be an ideal time for Portuguese and Spanish companies to exhibit their products. FIN was the final event of this mission of IPIM, with the participation of more than 60 business people and managers from various Chinese provinces, which began on June 16 in Praia, Cape Verde, where the Meeting of Entrepreneurs for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries took place. On arrival in Portugal, on June 21, and before heading to Matosinhos, in partnership with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade, IPIM organized a Business Opportunities Meeting between Portugal, China and Macau, which brought together about 200 business people and official entities from the two countries. At the event, Chinas ambassador, Cai Run, said that the recent Forum on the Belt and Road initiative was to define directions and identify projects to be implemented and, since Portugal was responsible for the the great maritime era, it is an important partner in the initiative. The Portuguese secretary of state for internationalization, Jorge Costa Oliveira, said there is high potential in terms of tripartite business cooperation, especially in other geographies, including Europe, Latin America and Africa, where Portugal has important political relationships. This triangulation, the Portuguese official said, gives Chinese companies improved access to markets where they have no tradition of entry, and to the Portuguese offers greater robustness, greater scale and access to financing. Macau, the president of IPIM said, is actively working on the implementation of various supports, such as the financial services platform and the renminbi clearing center for Portuguese- speaking countries, highlighting its role as a platform. Both in Praia and in Lisbon, the participating business people expressed their satisfaction with the opportunities opened up by the Belt and Road initiative, as well as with the installation in Macau of the headquarters of the Fund for Development Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, which was represented by the director-general of the management company, Jin Guangze. With a number of business people interested in making applications to the Fund for their projects, Guangze pointed out that there are three selection criteria: strategic nature, financial viability reasonable return for shareholders in 4-5 years and rational investment. MDT/Macauhub A one to one high-end dating company established its mainland China branch in Shanghai recently. Based in Hong Kong, the matchmaking company, My Champagne, now has around 2,000 members in Hong Kong and approximately 100 members in Macau. The manager of the company, Eunice Sim, told the Times that My Champagne is one of the few matchmaking companies in Hong Kong that specializes in dating programs for professionals, and it is also the first dating company in the two SARs which has a professional lawyer to notarize the number of successful matchmaking cases made through My Champagne. As explained by Sim, the matchmaking agency initially focused on advertising itself in many places, with the group mainly looking for members through acquaintances and friends. After the initial advertisement, [] the first customers started to introduce other customers, said Sim, when talking about how My Champagne has chosen to publicize its business. Regarding how the company chooses its members, Sim said that new members who have been introduced by old members offer the company a better selection margin. In terms of successful matches, Sim indicated that more than half of My Champagnes customers found their ideal dating partner through the company. More than 55 percent of our cases have closed files, when accounting for the period between May of 2012 and September of 2016, informed Sim. The boutique dating service, she said, specializes in matching professionals. Most of our members are professionals, such as accountants and doctors, [] the percentage of professionals is probably around 70 to 80 percent of the total, said Sim. Currently, a big proportion of My Champagnes customers are aged between 20 to 30 years old, irrespective of gender. The youngest man and woman are in their twenties, the oldest woman is probably somewhere around 50 years old, although there are not too many, and the oldest man is in his sixties, said Sim. Nowadays, people can easily find online dating applications if they are looking for a partner. When asked about the competition between the online dating services and offline dating services, Sim shared with the Times her personal opinion. I think the advantage of apps lies in their convenience: simple, free, and low cost, she said. Eunice Sim said that her company saves time for the customers, arranges one to one matching, and looks for targets according to the customers requests. In addition, Sim said that people who go to offline agencies to seek out partners are normally those who plan on getting married in the near future, meaning that they constitute a different demographic to those engaging in online dating. According to Sim, there are only a few other companies in Hong Kong running matchmaking businesses. In the niche of matchmaking businesses that target their services directly to the market of single professionals, My Champagne has less than ten competitors. Most of the other companies charge a five digit starting fee, whereas My Champagne charges a four digit starting fee. Sim also disclosed to the Times that My Champagne has already registered their branch in Shanghai, with the company looking forward to officially opening their business in Shanghai within two to three months. Premier Li Keqiang said China remains on track to meet its main economic goals for this year while warning of rising geopolitical risk and threats to the global upswing. Anti-globalization voices are emerging and world geopolitical risks are increasing, Li told officials and business leaders yesterday at the World Economic Forums Annual Meeting of the New Champions gathering in Chinas northeastern port city Dalian. Lis speech was a robust defense of globalization and a thinly veiled rebuttal of the narrative adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused trading partners, including China, of unfair trading practices. It also had echoes of President Xi Jinping who also used the WEFs Davos event in January to champion globalization. China also used a Group of 20 meeting in Germany in March to push back, unsuccessfully, against U.S. efforts to water down language of resisting protectionism. Without the current rules-based world trading system, Chinas economic opening up to the world would have been unimaginable, Li said. Economic globalization has greatly facilitated the flow of goods, capital and personnel. Li also said the government will relax market access to the services and manufacturing sectors addressing a key complaint of foreign businesses operating in China and pledged to do more to entice investment and cut red tape for foreign companies. The country will treat domestic and foreign businesses in an equal way, he said. With executives of foreign companies such as International Business Machines Corp. and McKinsey & Co. in the audience, Li addressed the concern that stricter capital controls the nation implemented to keep its currency steady will restrict companies to move their profits out of the border. Foreign direct investment declined in both May and April from a year earlier. There will be no restrictions on the flow of your profits, Li said. Acknowledging that the benefits of globalization havent been felt by everyone, Li said the answer was to strengthen global trade rules and institutions, take account of problems being felt by trading partners and avoid a blame game. Just like when we sprain our ankle when walking down the road, we shouldnt blame the road and stop walking, he said. We need to adapt. The worlds second-largest economy is forecast to slow from the first quarter, when it posted the first back-to-back quarterly acceleration in seven years, though it is still on track to remain above the leaderships growth target of at least 6.5 percent. Communist Party officials are working this year to balance preserving the expansion with tightening regulation to reduce risk as they prepare for a twice-a-decade leadership transition expected to take place this fall. Li said the economy maintained steady growth in the second quarter, and China will be able to keep the expansion in a reasonable range. The surveyed jobless rate fell to 4.9 percent in May, the lowest reading in years, he said. More than 2,000 representatives from politics, business, civil society, academia and the arts are attending the June 27-29 conference, also known as Summer Davos, to discuss topics from inclusive growth to the new industrial revolution, according to a report from Chinas official Xinhua News Agency. Li Daokui, a former adviser to Chinas central bank, said on a panel discussion that yuan depreciation pressure will remain moderate in the next few years as long as theres no major upheaval caused by the Trump administration. Its a good time to further open Chinas capital account and domestic companies wont be afraid of opening the financial sector to foreign companies, said Li, a professor at Beijings Tsinghua University. State Grid Corp. of China Chairman Shu Yinbiao said at a press briefing that thousands of new-energy power plants will create new jobs, with opportunities being created during construction and for operators and maintenance personnel. We will have more opportunities for jobs, Shu said. The transformation of energy will not impact employment, it will create opportunities. AP As recently as February, Liu Xiaobos brother dismissed reports that the imprisoned Chinese Nobel Peace laureate might be ill. Then came the bombshell on Monday that Liu has been diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer and transferred to a hospital on medical parole. A brief video has also emerged of Lius wife tearfully telling a friend that no treatment surgery, radiation or chemotherapy would work for Liu at this point. The news has shocked and angered Lius supporters and human rights advocates, who are questioning if Chinas best-known political prisoner received adequate care while incarcerated, or whether the authoritarian government deliberately allowed the 61-year-old to wither in prison. Chinese prisons are notorious for their poor health care, lack of nutritious food and abusive conditions, and its highly common for prisoners to re- emerge in a deeply weakened state. That may be especially true for the prison in a small northeastern city where Liu has been serving an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion of state power. A serious illness like liver cancer could be easily missed at the prison despite checkups, although its equally possible that Beijing has neglected care for Liu on purpose, said political dissident Hu Jia, who has served time in jail with liver issues. Given his influence and his massive following, its possible that Beijing does not want him to return to society healthy, physically capable and energetic, said Hu. Beijing considers him to be a political rival. Hu is calling on Beijing to be open and transparent about Lius medical care. Liu is in a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang and has not communicated directly with the outside. The local prison management bureau could not be reached for comment. Police cars were seen yesterday parked outside the China Medical University No. 1 Affiliated Hospital in Shenyang, where Liu reportedly was being treated. An Associated Press journalist could not locate Liu in the sprawling facility, and nurses on likely floors for cancer patients said they had not had a patient by the name of Liu Xiaobo. Liu, a literary critic and essayist, was already in less than robust health when he was detained and later sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009, recalled Lius former lawyer Mo Shaoping. The defense team had argued for Liu to be released while awaiting trial on the basis of poor health, but was turned down, he said. Still, Mo said he was unaware of Lius cancer diagnosis until it was revealed on Monday. We would think there must be symptoms for earlier detection and that a responsible prison would not have discovered liver cancer only in the very late stage, he said. Other than general concerns for Lius health, there had not been alarming news until this week. In February, responding to rumors that Liu underwent computerized tomography scans for possible illnesses, Washington-based Radio Free Asia reported that Lius brother had dismissed the rumors. Chinese authorities have a troubling record when it comes to the treatment of political prisoners. Untold numbers died in Chinas vast system of labor camps following the founding of the Peoples Republic in 1949. The crushing of the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy movement led to new rounds of repression. More recently, Cao Shunli died in a Beijing hospital in 2014 after being detained for her human rights activism. It is widely believed she died of illness after authorities denied her medical attention. The next year, Tibetan lama Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died in a Chinese prison while serving a life sentence. He had been denied medical parole a year earlier, and his family was refused permission to view his remains, death certificate or medical records. When prominent rights lawyers Gao Zhisheng left prison in 2014, he could barely walk or speak a full, intelligible sentence. He has since recovered, but is still under house arrest. In a rare interview in 2015, Gao celebrated that hes still living. Every time we emerge from prison alive, it is a defeat for our opponents, he told The Associated Press. Sophie Richardson, China director at New York- based Human Rights Watch, said Beijing should be held to account for letting a peaceful critic like Liu fall gravely ill. From those who ordered Lius prosecution to those who denied him adequate treatment in detention there are many people to be held accountable for their role in this cruel travesty, Richardson said in a statement. Supporters have called for Liu to be allowed to seek treatment overseas, although President Xi Jinpings administration has taken a hard line on refusing permission for dissidents to travel. U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mary Beth Polley called for Lius release as well as that of his wife, Liu Xia, who lives under house arrest. China should provide them the protections and freedoms such as freedom of movement and access to medical care of his choosing, to which theyre entitled under Chinas constitution and medical system and international commitments, Polley said. Chinas foreign ministry did not directly address questions about whether Liu would be allowed to leave the country for treatment. Spokesman Lu Kang said any Chinese citizens exit from and entry into the country is ruled by law. He warned that Lius case is a domestic affair and demanded that Chinas judicial independence be respected. No country shall interfere with Chinas internal affairs through any individual case, Lu said. Hu, the dissident, said that for now, its imperative that the government make public the names of the eight oncologists in charge of Lius cancer treatment in Shenyang and that Liu is brought as soon as possible to Beijing, which has the countrys best medical professionals and is his home. We cannot take the governments word. We must be able to judge if these eight people are truly qualified, Hu said. We want to make sure Liu Xiaobo is seeing the best doctors in the best hospital with the best equipment possible. Didi Tang & Mark Schiefelbein, Shenyang, AP ABC/Travis BellFoo Fighters will headline London's O2 Arena on September 19 to celebrate the famed venue's 10th anniversary. The Foos made the announcement in a video featuring frontman Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins lying in bed together, reminiscing about the last time they played the O2 Arena back in 2007. "Brian May and Roger Taylor got up and played [Queen's] '39' with us," Hawkins recalls. "And I did the lead vocal and I s*** the bed." Grohl then motions to the bed. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, visit FooFighters.com for ticket info. Foo Fighters' new album Concrete and Gold on September 15. They'll launch a North American tour in support of this fall October 7 in San Bernardino, California with their Cal Jam 17 festival. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. TWIN FALLS Karen Laitinen walked a dozen teachers through the steps Monday for how to fold an index card into a frog. She placed her finished frog on a table. If you push on his back side, he should jump, she told them. Teachers measured how high and far their frog jumped and recorded that information plus observations into a data table. Observations could include, for example, does it already jump in a summersault? Laitinen said. The experiment was part of an unidentified flying objects session during an i-STEM summer institute, which runs this week at the College of Southern Idaho. Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers are learning how to better incorporate science, technology, engineering and math lessons in their classrooms. Its one of six i-STEM institutes this month across Idaho, put on by groups including the Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho Department of Education. About 90 teachers the vast majority of whom are from south-central Idaho are participating at CSI. I think theyll be able to take home some teaching strategies to incorporate what theyve learned at the institute, said John Hughes, associate dean of student success at CSI. Hes helping to organize the conference. Theres a focus on teachers implementing STEM across disciplines not just in math and science classes, he said. Participants in CSIs institute could choose one of six topics to focus on: teaching science by design, materials science, using a program called BrickLAB, teaching nuclear science, unidentified flying objects and coding with Junior Botball Challenge. Laitinen, a high school science teacher in Idaho Falls, is leading the unidentified flying objects workshop. Its designed to help teachers plan an aeronautics unit for their students. Each participating teacher is going home with a kit worth about $200. It includes materials to replicate experiments in their classrooms. Thats helpful for teachers since school supply budgets are often limited. Because of the lack of funds for materials, thats something really nice were able to offer, Laitinen said, thanks to the institutes sponsors. Shirlee Taber, a first-grade teacher at Wendell Elementary School, was among the session participants. Taber strives to incorporate science lessons into her classroom. I try to squeeze in science once a week, she said. Here are six takeaways about how your child may learn about science next school year: Immediately memorable lessons A goal of the unidentified flying objects session is to help teachers engage students at a much higher level than just sitting in their chairs learning theory, Laitinen said. The purpose is to have hands-on immediately memorable activities that connect with what students are learning, she said. Learning about the engineering process Many new jobs have a STEM component, Laitinen said, so she thinks its important for students to get into engineering mode. Thats one of the purposes of the paper frog experiment. Students have to reflect and continually make improvements to their frog in order for it to jump better. And theyre testing it out using an engineering-type process, she said. Asking why and using technology Todays kids I dont think learn from taking notes and reading books, said Brandi Milliron, a science teacher at West Minico Middle School in Paul. Instead, using technology and incorporating opportunities for students to ask the why behind what theyre learning is meaningful, she added. Plus, its key for students to do research and find information and theres so much technology that can be used for those educational purposes, Milliron said. Specialty elective classes Milliron recently received a grant from the Idaho STEM Action Center to buy a drone. West Minico Middle School is the only Magic Valley school to receive the grant. The school plans to launch a new science elective class where students will build and configure drones. It will also incorporate virtual reality goggles. Milliron hopes to eventually offer an advanced drone class. Preparing for future careers Drones prepare kids for careers not even available yet, Milliron said. But right now, there are already many STEM jobs available and not enough qualified people to fill them. Computer science/technology and engineering are college degrees that will be in the highest demand statewide by 2018, according to Idaho Business for Education. Science as a classroom incentive Lisa Ramsey, a third-grade teacher at Wendell Elementary School, uses science as a form of classroom management. When her students have a successful day, they can add one body part to a classroom Mr. Potato Head. By the time Thursday rolls around the last day of the school week students get to do a science experiment if Mr. Potato Head is fully put together. Once, Ramsey had her students build a volcano and when the experiment failed, they were still excited and wanted to try again. TWIN FALLS The Twin Falls County Republican Central Committee plans to meet next month to pick three people to recommend for county treasurer. Debbie Kauffman, a Republican, is retiring Aug. 1. The committee will meet at 7 p.m. on July 12 in the Twin Falls Planning and Zoning conference room, in the County West office complex at 630 Addison Ave. W, to hear presentations from anyone who is interested and make their selections. County commissioners will pick from the three to finish out Kauffmans term. That person would have to run in the May 2018 primary election and November 2018 general election to continue in the job. Kauffmans term ends at the end of next year. Interested parties must be county residents and at least 25 years old. Experience of an administrative and accounting nature will be considered. Anyone interested is asked to submit a letter of introduction and a resume including work experience to Twin Falls County Central Committee, P.O. Box 1732, Twin Falls, Idaho 83303. Applicants will have five minutes to make their presentations. The committee is asking that applications be submitted earlier so they can be reviewed prior to the meeting, but late submissions will be taken that evening. Amid the progress of the Iraqi forces in Mosul, militants of the Islamic State launched series of suicide attacks after setting homes and cars ablaze in Tanak and Yarmouk districts, Western Mosul. The attacks were described by Brigadier General Mohammed al-Khodari as traditional ISIS tactics when faced with defeat. This is in line with tactics we have seen previously in Samarra (and) Anbar, he said. Khodari explained that when the extremist group senses defeat somewhere, they counterattack somewhere else to draw away attention and to show that they are still strong. The Iraqi forces backed by the US-led air campaign and supported by anti-ISIS armed groups have been able to recapture most of the land occupied by the extremist group. Fighting is now focused on Mosul, ISISs de facto capital, and Khodari claimed that the suicide attacks on Sunday show that they will soon be defeated in Mosul. Lieutenant-General Abdul Ghani al-Assadi, commander of the Counterterrorism Service (CTS) in Mosul, alleged that only a small part (of the fighters) remains in the city, specifically the Old City of Mosul with its narrow alleyways which is not maneuverable by heavy engines. From a military perspective, Daesh [ISIL] is finished. It has lost its fighting spirit and its balance. We are making calls to them to surrender or die. Iraqi troops have claimed that ISIS now controls less than 2 km2 of Mosul and its last defense will fall in very few days. Lieutenant-General Assadi said the next confrontations will be the final episode. Meanwhile, there are also concerns that the militant groups that are fighting on the sidelines of the Iraqi forces could be entangled in a fight to control cities that have been liberated under ISIS. A leaked document entitled A National Consensus Document for Trust Building has been published by the pro-Fatah Maan news agency highlighting that Hamas and Muhammad Dahlan have reached an agreement to appoint Dahlan as the Head of Gazas government following talks in Cairo. Dahlan is a renowned member of the Fatah leadership and a strong critic of President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The document, which contains 15 articles and is geared towards ending the issues affecting Palestinian reconciliation, also focused on resolving issues that have arisen during Hamas and Fatahs more than a decade-long feud. The authenticity of the document is yet to be ascertained and neither Hamas nor Dahlan have commented on the leak. The agreement was reportedly reached between Yahya Sinwar of Hamas and Dahlan during Egypt-sponsored talks that were aimed at countering the PA. Dahlan would head the government in the Gaza Strip while Hamas oversees the Ministry of Interior according to the deal. Analysts observed that the agreement is a sort of a compromise between the two parties eyeing the PA led by Abbas as the enemy and that the reunification of their efforts is necessary to achieve their goal. Dahlan, being a fierce former opponent of Hamas rule in Gaza following its success in the 2006 elections that threw Fatah and Hamas in a protracted internal conflict, seemed like an unlikely political ally for Hamas. He has also become a controversial figure in the Fatah camp over the past decade. In the latest developments surrounding Gaza, the Israeli army targeted two military infrastructures belonging to Hamas in response to projectile fire that hit near the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. The rockets were claimed by an unknown group but Israel holds Hamas responsible for any attack originating from Gaza. The Egyptian army Tuesday said its jets stroke 12 cars loaded with weapons, ammunition crossing into Egypt from Libya. The operation took place after the army received intelligence that criminal elements were trying to cross the western boundary, a statement of the army said. The army did not specify the location and the time of airstrikes. It however said that the convoy was crossing into Egypt with arms, ammunition and explosive material. Egypt in May launched a series of airstrikes on alleged Libyan training camps of masked men who massacred Coptic Christians travelling to a monastery, south of capital Cairo, killing 29 of them and wounding several children and women. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State Group (IS). President al-Sisi directed the airstrikes against terrorist camps in the Libyan town of Derna in retaliation to the attack. Egypt supports east-based Libyan administration rival to the UN-backed government of National Accord (GNA). It also backs Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar aligned with the eastern government in his so-called fight against terrorism. Several members of the Turkish Presidents security team to accompany him to next month G-20 Summit to be hosted by Hamburg have been denied entry in Germany over their involvement in a fight with pro-Kurdish demonstrators in May during the Turkish leaders trip to Washington, reports say citing the German foreign ministry. Of the 50 bodyguards to accompany Recep Tayyip Erdogan, several of them have been identified in the melee in Washington, which left several protesters injured. Video footages during Erdogans May visit to Washington showed men in black suits, identified as part of his security detail kicking antiErdogan protesters outside the resident of the Turkish ambassador in Washington. The bodyguards walked past American police to assault the demonstrators during the Presidents visit. Another footage showed Erdogan witnessing the altercation. The US this month issued an arrest warrant against 12 members of the security personnel over violence. German parliamentarians have been briefed about the measure. On our streets, only the Hamburg police have a say and no one else. This includes foreign security forces, Hamburg Senator Andy Grote told Die Welt. Saudi Foreign Minister Tuesday said Qatar needs to comply with the demands submitted to it before the sea, air and land blockades are lifted, underscoring that the demands are non-negotiable and that Doha knows what to do. Adel Jubeir, who was on a visit to Washington, rejected calls urging for reconsidering some demands deemed unrealistic. Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. Its now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism, Jubeir twitted. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt Friday handed Qatar, through Kuwait, a list of 13 harsh conditions to be fulfilled within 10 days before they lift the air, sea and land embargo they imposed on the tiny emirate three weeks ago after they severed ties with Doha. The bloc accuses Qatar of sponsoring terrorism; an accusation rejected by the Qatari government. The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who has been trying to mediate the crisis between the US Gulf allies on Sunday indicated that some of the requests made by the bloc would be very difficult for Qatar to meet. He however pointedly noted that there are significant areas, which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution. Also visiting Washington Tuesday, Qatars top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with Tillerson and hit back Jubeirs comments saying the demands Qatar received are not realistic and lack bases, reports say. Doha deems the demands infringe on its sovereignty. The demands must be realistic and enforceable and otherwise are unacceptable, Al Jazeera quoted the Qatari Foreign Minister as saying. We agree with Washington that the demands should be reasonable. German Foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel on Monday chided the Saudi-led demands arguing that they are very provocative. Speaking at a European Council on Foreign Relations meeting in Berlin, Gabriel further noted that the 10-day ultimatum threatens Qatars sovereignty. President Bashar al-Assad paid a maiden visit to the Khmeymim airbase in the Latakia province in what could be dubbed as a familiarization tour of the weaponry being used by the Russian air force helping his government repel attacks from rebel and terrorist groups. The Syrian president paid tribute to the Russian forces as he wrote in the visitors book: the Syrian people will not forget that its Russian brothers stood next to them in this national war. Assad was guided through the airbase by Russian chief of staff General Valery Gerasimov. It is unclear if the visit is linked to recent allegations from Washington that Damascus is preparing to launch a chemical weapons attack after suspicious activities were noticed at the launch site of the regimes apparent chemical strike in April. The U.S. government has warned that a heavy price will be paid if another chemical attack is carried out. Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said such claims could have an effect on the efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Syrian war. He lamented that U.S. assertions that the Syrian government may be planning a chemical attack complicate peace talks. Gatilov warned the United States not to take unilateral actions in Syria. Chemical attacks in Syria have been an issue of discord as the government has often rejected claims that it is responsible of such attacks, stating that rebel and terrorist groups were behind them. Frances new president Emmanuel Macron has warned that chemical attacks would be a trespassing of a very clear red line that would be followed by reprisals regardless of the party responsible. Nigerias ailing President Muhammadu Buhari has addressed Nigerians for the first time since he left for Britain on medical leave on May 7. In an audio message to mark the Islamic Eid al-Fitr holiday, Buhari who is still in the UK, has called for peace and unity, in the Hausa language. My greetings to all Nigerian Muslims and our brother Christians on the occasion of Eid el-Fitr. May the lessons of Ramadan, namely piety, self-denial, prayers, and generosity to the poor and needy be with us for all time, said Buhari. Buhari appealed to all Nigerians to avoid reckless statements or actions against our fellow countrymen. We should all resolve to live in peace and unity in our great country, which is the envy of many less endowed nations, Buhari said. Some Nigerians on social media said Buharis decision to send the message in Hausa could further inflame ethnic tensions in the country. English is the official language in Nigeria, while Hausa is widely-spoken in the north of the country. The health of the 74-year-old ex-military general, who came to power in 2015, has been the source of constant speculation in the West African nation since the start of 2017. He has been on medical leave for more than 14 weeks this year. The presidency did not release video footage or photographs of Buhari. However, in the recording broadcasted by local radio stations and the BBCs Hausa radio service, the presidents voice sounds weak. Two senior presidency officials said the recording was Buharis but his spokesmen declined to confirm it officially, Reuters reported. The recording was reportedly released to challenge reports that Buhari was suffering a speech impediment and memory loss, Nigerias This Day newspaper reported. BUILDING THE LA RAZA 'The Race' WELFARE STATE ON MIDDLE AMERICAS' BACKS: Months ago, the Biden administration publicly defended their proposal to begin providing federal identification cards to border crossers and illegal aliens who they plan to release into American communities. The goal of the proposal is to make securing public benefits easier. @ByKristenMClark Senate President Joe Negron is back at work in the private sector as of Wednesday, when he returned to a West Palm Beach law firm he previously worked for seven years ago. Akerman LLP announced Negrons return through a statement that touted Negrons 30 years of experience in high stakes litigation, business law and complex commercial litigation. Joe is widely-known by both the bench and the bar as a compelling advocate who skillfully represents businesses and directors in complex commercial disputes. He brings important investigative and trial experience to our clients, Lawrence Rochefort, the head of Akermans Litigation Practice Group, said in the announcement. His strong reputation and track record make him a powerful addition to our trial team. Negron, R-Stuart, previously worked for Akerman from 2005 to 2010. He had left the firm to join another West Palm Beach-based practice, Gunster. It was from Gunster that Negron resigned in January out of an abundance of caution to avoid even the possible appearance of a conflict of interest with his legislative duties. When asked Wednesday how that concern of a conflict of interest had been resolved, he told the Herald/Times his resignation in January was a unique set of circumstances related to one particular issue, Senate Bill 10. SB 10 one of Negrons main priorities during the 2017, which Gov. Rick Scott signed into law last month calls for building a 78 billion gallon reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee in an effort to improve Everglades restoration. One of Gunsters major clients, U.S. Sugar Corp., opposed the land buy required for the additional water storage. Like Gunster, Akerman represents high-profile clients with business before the Florida Legislature, and the firm also advertises Florida legislative and executive lobbying as among its services. Negron emphasized that Floridas part-time Legislature is a citizen legislature where people from all walks of life, business and industry serve the people. Like all elected officials, legislators continue to work in the communities they serve, he said. There are very clear guidelines and ethical rules that relate to all members of the Legislature, and I will certainly adhere to those. Negron said hell practice business law and commercial litigation at Akerman, a firm that he noted has a national platform. He said Wednesday was his first day of work and hell be based out of the West Palm Beach office. At least one other influential lawmaker works for Akerman: Miami Republican Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, who is running in a special election this year to fill the District 40 Florida Senate left vacant when Republican Frank Artiles resigned this spring. Photo credit: AP A group of Montana newspapers has been allowed to join a challenge to Marsy's law as a friend of the court. The law, a so-called victims' bill of rights, was passed by voters in November and is supposed to take effect July 1. The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, Montana Association of Counties, Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a county attorney and a victims rights advocate, asked the Montana Supreme Court on June 20 to void the law created when Constitutional Initiative 116 passed with 66 percent of the vote. It creates a new section of the state Constitution enumerating 18 rights for crime victims, including the right to refuse an interview or deposition and to receive notification for all steps of a criminal proceeding. On Tuesday, the court kept that lawsuit alive, ordering Montana's attorney general and secretary of state to file a response to the effort to strike down the law within 30 days. Lee Newspapers argued in its filing Monday that Marsys Law will limit the right to know and right to participate under the Montana Constitution, as well as state and federal freedom of the press rights. The companys five Montana newspapers the Billings Gazette, Missoulian, Montana Standard, Helena Independent Record and Ravalli Republic filed the amicus brief. This would really put a freeze on information and make it onerous, if not impossible, to report on or observe public courts, Billings Editor Darrell Ehrlick said, noting the law could effectively remove the ability of the press and wider public to observe its government in action a critical tool to hold it accountable. We dont want to revictimize people. Thats the last thing we want," Ehrlick said. "But you cant trade away the publics right to observe the system or to know whats happening. The publics right to know provides a check on the system. Cities and counties around the state are concerned about the costs of complying with the new law, saying they dont have enough staff to do what will be required. The suit contends the law is unconstitutional. The brief filed by the newspapers Monday raised new concerns about how the law could dramatically limit the information police and prosecutors release to the public. Billings Attorney Martha Sheehy wrote that those effects are not merely hypothetical and that newspapers have already encountered difficulties in Montana when gathering news regarding criminal matters. One county attorney told a Lee Newspaper that he was not sure if he could release basic information about a crime because of the new law. Others have speculated that law enforcement or prosecutors might not release any information, or might significantly delay its release, out of fear that they do not know all the victims and could be sued for inadvertent notification failures. Ehrlick said the news media play a critical role in keeping the public informed about their government and public safety concerns, including how well law enforcement serves crime victims. For instance, a recent story in the Missoulian and Billings Gazette highlighted that 60 rapes were reported to Billings police in 2016, yet none of them resulted in criminal charges. It detailed why investigators and prosecutors failed to file charges and compared those figures to Missoula, where an increased number of reports resulted in prosecutions after years of reform. Reporter Ashley Nerbovig used public court and police records to develop the tally as well as to document the reasons none of the perpetrators faced punishment. I dont think that story is going to be possible with the new law, or at least it would be a lot harder, Ehrlick said. How would the public be able to hold law enforcement accountable the investigative arm, the cops, or the prosecuting arm, the county attorneys office if we could not get that information? Ehrlick described Montanas constitutional rights to know and to observe as foundational and fundamental beyond just the impacts to newsgathering. You as a taxpayer, you pay for this criminal justice system and you have a right to know if your neighbor is accused of something and you have a right to sit in on any open court proceeding, he said. Thats the basis of our justice system. That theres no secret parts of the court that are hidden. A 27-year-old man who admitted to stealing three vehicles, a snowmobile and a trailer in just two months at the start of 2016 was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in the Department of Corrections with five of those years suspended. District Court Judge Karen Townsend imposed the sentence, noting that while Ian Arthur Giddings had no prior criminal history before his theft spree in early 2016, she was concerned with how many felonies he had committed in such a short time. In late January 2016, Giddings was arrested and charged with felony theft after taking a car a woman left idling outside of her Missoula home. After being released from custody when he posted his bail, Giddings was arrested again in March and charged with another count of felony theft and a misdemeanor for fleeing from law enforcement after stealing a truck left idling at a gas station and leading authorities on a high speed chase that ended with him crashing and rolling the vehicle. Two additional felony theft charges were later tacked on after it was discovered Giddings stole a different truck, as well as a snowmobile and a trailer, in early February with the help of Jacob Niebel. All three of those items later were found in a storage unit. In May, Niebel was sentenced to five years with the Department of Corrections for two counts of felony theft. As part of Townsends sentence, Giddings also must pay nearly $28,500 in restitution. Cars, houses, bonuses, deferred compensation. Many presidents of public universities get those perks, along with significant salaries, such as the $316,819 base pay for the leaders of the flagships in Montana, according to a survey of 2015-2016 compensation released this week by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The hefty pay comes with the significant and varied responsibilities those CEOs carry these days and a competitive field. One day, a president is meeting with the head of a hospital; another week, handling major donors; later still, managing a public relations disaster related to sexual assaults, said Dan Bauman, a lead author of the Chronicle's survey. "Certainly, they (governing boards) have a lot of leeway from the taxpayers to determine what to pay, and it's tough to know what that salary should be or what the compensation should be for someone with all of those responsibilities," Bauman said. Higher education officials have long said Montana isn't competitive when it comes to salaries for presidents, and the Chronicle's survey puts the pay at Montana's flagships at 73 percent of the median. The average salary is $501,398, up 5.3 percent from the previous fiscal year, according to the Chronicle. To compete for talent, the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education has offered deferred compensation since 2010, a trend in higher education, according to the Chronicle. However, another move in the industry is requiring top paid leaders to hit benchmarks, and the Commissioner's Office in Montana has not set quantitative goals in hiring contracts, at least so far. In Arizona, one regent discussed goals the system had set for a president in terms of graduation rates and research dollars, Bauman said. He said such performance benchmarks are starting to appear and are becoming more common in higher education. "Given the public skepticism of these high salaries, they're increasingly becoming a feature of CEOs' arrangements with boards of trustees," Bauman said. A recruitment search is underway to hire a permanent president for the University of Montana. Kevin McRae, deputy commissioner for communications in the Commissioner's Office in Montana, has said the contract offered will depend on the individual's qualifications. Montana historically has paid relatively lower salaries, so it has offered deferred compensation packages to compete in the marketplace, according to the Commissioner's Office. At Montana State University, for example, President Waded Cruzado potentially will be paid $1 million in deferred compensation, in addition to an annual salary. She already earned $500,000, to be paid in $50,000 annual installments from age 65 to 75, for serving five years, and the Montana Board of Regents renewed the contract in November 2015. In salary, Cruzado earns far less than her peers at other similar institutions, McRae said. Deferred compensation allows Montana to pay her enough to recruit and keep her, but at a lower cost for the university system, he said. That's because the system invests some $20,000 a year now, he said, and as the pool accrues over time, it's able to make the larger payment later. He said the money comes from foundation funds, university funds, and state funds. *** The Montana Board of Regents and officials in the Commissioner's Office have been paying close attention to outcomes such as graduation rates and retention at their campuses, and a small portion of funding for a school is tied to its performance. However, the most recent contract for a UM president identified a salary, house, car, country club membership and other perks, but it didn't set specific requirements for performance. Last summer, UM hired a vice president for enrollment and student affairs, and the regents approved an historic bonus of $70,000. The board didn't make the bonus contingent on any enrollment achievements, even though policy sets a typical award at $5,000 or 10 percent of the annual salary, whichever is lower, and UM has been hemorrhaging students. At the time, a couple of regents, Casey Lozar and Martha Sheehy, voted against it, but the majority approved the bonus. McRae said the bonus was needed to recruit Vice President Tom Crady in the first place, so it wouldn't have been tied to specific goals. "Without that compensation, he would not pick his family up and move and put a house on the market in Minnesota," McRae said. So far, he said the Commissioner's Office has not set quantitative performance benchmarks for its leaders. He said he understands how those goals can be linked to incentives or bonuses, but he also said performance criteria as a requirement can be a dangerous trap for an individual leader. For example, a college may have the best person at the helm doing the best job possible, but enrollment still falls. In that case, he said, being forced to get rid of that leader may mean making things even worse at the school and an even steeper drop in student enrollment. "We are strictly looking at data for institutional performance," McRae said. "We haven't reached the point of holding one singular person responsible for those numbers." The leader is responsible for improving the numbers, he said, but the evaluation is subjective. McRae also said that setting one goal for a university might upend another desired outcome. For example, UM could push up enrollment, but then reduce graduation rates if it isn't paying attention to students in the interim. "If the directive or the reward is for a particular number, then the system will be gamed toward that number," McRae said. *** Although pay at Montana's flagships is relatively low, the presidents at the state flagships also direct schools that have lower enrollments than some institutions. Some presidents also are paid about the same, but they manage schools with more students. For instance, the head of the University of Missouri at St. Louis earns $350,307 with no deferred compensation, according to the Chronicle. However, the school counts 13,569 undergraduates, according to U.S. News and World Report; it puts UM's undergraduate count at 8,732, though MSU's is at 13,707. The president at Utah State University earned $368,125 in salary and received $18,000 in deferred compensation, according to the Chronicle. But that person oversees nearly three times the undergraduate enrollment that UM does, at 25,259, according to U.S. News and World Report. "You see a lot of disparities between states," said the Chronicle's Bauman. In California, for instance, student enrollment is high, but some of those presidents are paid half the amount of leaders at large schools in Texas, he said. A couple of factors that account for those disparities are the involvement of state legislatures and amounts that foundations contribute, Bauman said. So once enrollment gets taken into account, "you start to see a lot of dissonance." *** McRae said officials in the Commissioner's Office are sensitive to the discussions around pay in higher education, but they also recruit nationally when they hire campus presidents. They aim to compete in the national marketplace, he said, but they also want to attract people who aren't solely driven by pay and appreciate the amenities Montana offers. "We work very hard, given the scarcity of our precious state and tuition funding resources, to find public servants who want to be in Montana, want to serve Montana, and who love Montana for all of the non-monetary reasons we all do," McRae said. MISSOULA Thelma M. Lefavour, 90, of Missoula, formerly of Reading, Massachusetts, passed away on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, at St. Patrick Hospital with her family by her side. Thelma was born on Dec. 6, 1926, in Lynn, Massachusetts, to Jesse and Gertrude (Piper) Sutherland. She grew up in Lynn and attended Lynn English High School. Her family moved to Wakefield, Massachusetts, in 1943 where she completed her senior year at Wakefield High School, graduating in 1944. Her childhood home was full of music. The large extended family was very involved in church activities and the Sutherland girls all sang in the choir or played the organ. She treasured times with her dad when he took her on his sales route or when they would go to Boston Red Sox games and sit in the bleachers. He also took her to Boston where they studied voice together with renowned voice teacher Minden Sewell, a true highlight that she talked about for the rest of her life. While working in the office of C.W. Spear Dairy in Wakefield, she met her future husband, George L. (Lew) Lefavour. They married on June 6, 1948 and had two children. They made their home in Reading where she lived for 60 years. She was a wonderful wife and mother, loving her children beyond compare and never missing an opportunity to cheer them on in sports, school productions and work achievements. When dad died in 1971, mom worked hard to keep our beloved home for her family. She held several jobs but truly found her niche when she went to work for the Reading Co-Operative Bank. She loved helping people, and through her job in Customer Service she knew just about everyone in Reading. When she retired in 1994 the bank presented her with box seat tickets to ten Red Sox games. They knew her well! Thelma was a member of the First Baptist Church of Reading, and Priscilla Chapter No. 52, Order of Eastern Star. She loved to travel with her children and enjoyed trips to Bermuda, Canada, California, the Pacific Northwest and throughout her beloved New England. She was the best mother a child could ever have. She gave much and asked for very little. She was the epitome of grace, except where it concerned the New York Yankees. Moms heart truly broke when she lost her son in 2006, but strong New Englander that she was, she picked up and moved to Montana in 2008, at the age of 81, to be with her daughter and son-in-law. She was preceded in death by her husband Lew, her beloved son George, her parents, sister Louise and brother Larry. She is survived by her daughter Linda and son-in-law Larry Lussy of Missoula, sister Eleanor Wortman of Lake Forest, California and her adored niece Cindy (Don) Stafford of Rancho Santa Margarita, California in addition to several other nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her beloved little Yorkie, Maggie. Services will be held this summer in Reading with internment in Lakeside Cemetery, Wakefield, Massachusetts. Condolences may be shared with the family at cremationburialsocietyoftherockies.com. Mom, Let me tell you a story about the perfect mom Once Upon A Time, There Was You. The End WHITEFISH Cutting off public campaigns by proponents and opponents, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Tuesday he plans to recommend the Upper Missouri Breaks retain its status as a national monument, effectively taking it off the list of monuments nationwide that could lose their status. My likely recommendation will be to leave the Missouri Breaks as is,'' Zinke said. "I think its settled to a degree that I would rather not open up a wound that has been healed.'' Zinke made his remarks at a press conference following his appearance at the Western Governors Association meeting. The announcement shocked people on both sides of the issue. Nicolle Fugere, owner of Missouri River Outfitters in Fort Benton, was featured in one of four billboards erected in Flathead County, by a group called Hold Our Ground, which opposes the review. "I honestly did not think it would go in this direction, so it was a bit of a shock," she said. Fugere has worked for the outfitting business in north central Montana for nine years, floating down the river that bisects the monument. This is her first year as the owner. The reason she agreed to put her face to the campaign was that she sees the monument as an economic and social benefit for the rural community of about 1,400 people. A recent Headwaters Economics report was cited by Hold Our Ground, which found that communities around the monument saw a "23 percent increase of real per capita income from 2001 to 2015." Chuck Denowh, who represents the United Property Owners of Montana in the Legislature, said the monument has had a "terrible impact" on the area's economy, not a benefit. "Especially for those many Montanans with property inside those boundaries," Denowh said. "That's 81,000 acres of private land." Denowh called Zinke's announcement "deeply disappointing," but he and Fugere aren't completely sure that the review has been dropped given Zinke's phrasing in the announcement that he would "likely" recommend leaving the monument as it is now. "Our group would certainly encourage him to take that review up," Denowh said. United Property Owners of Montana was one of the groups that had been soliciting its members to draft letters to Zinke stating their opposition to the monument, with a list of recommended challenges to its establishment in the final hours of the Clinton administration in 2001. "Most Montanans want more control by Montanans and local communities," Denowh said. Fugere said she will have a hard time believing Zinke won't review the monument until it's finalized, but she was encouraged that he said the issue had been resolved. "That's a start," she said. "Let's hope it's a finish." Groups like Montana Audubon were encouraging members to voice their support for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in an emailed "action alert." Both sides were attempting to rally their backers to comment since the July 10 deadline was looming. Zinke was tasked earlier this year by the Trump administration to review national monuments over 100,000 acres designated after 1996. Following his recommendation to reduce the size of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah earlier this month, there has been a concern the same could happen for the Upper Missouri. Zinke said after talks with local, state and federal officials, he had decided there was no need to review the 377,000-acre Montana monument. He said the Missouri Breaks is operating under a management plan developed by Montanans that protects the unique natural area, ensures public access and maintains traditional uses, including grazing. Zinke said he believed the issue was settled and it caused disruption to reopen it. "I am more than thrilled and excited," Fugere said. "Above and beyond." The secretly drafted Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 is more repeal than replacement of the Affordable Care Act. The Senate bill has the same shortcomings as the bill the House passed in May. Both propose deep cuts in federal Medicaid funding that would force states to either raise state taxes or drastically reduce health care programs for poor, elderly, disabled and pregnant citizens. Montana would be especially hard hit by the proposed changes because it now receives a higher federal dollar match for its Medicaid spending than most states. Despite that, Medicaid is already 10 percent of state spending. To back fill the federal funds that GOP lawmakers have proposed cutting, Montana would have to more than triple its spending on Medicaid. Montana health care leaders responded quickly to the unveiling of the secretly drafted, 142-page Senate bill. To protect the future of rural health care, we urge our elected leaders to preserve Medicaid and Medicaid expansion funding and support hospitals and caregivers in their mission to improve the health of their communities, said Dick Brown, president of the Montana Hospital Association. Montana nursing homes face even bleaker prospects under the Senate and House health care bills. Montana nursing home operators pleaded with legislators earlier this year to avoid cuts in payments that already fall far short of covering the costs of 24/7 care for frail elders. The final state budget didnt make most of the threatened cuts, but froze Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes. Medicaid is the sole payer for more than 60 percent of the residents of Montana nursing homes. Under both Senate and House bills, Montanas present Medicaid coverage of 79,000 very low income adults under age 65 would probably end in summer 2019. Our state Medicaid expansion law (the HELP Act) will be up for renewal in the 2019 Legislature and it contains a trigger that ends the program if the federal government pays less than 90 percent of costs. Sen. Jon Tester has made his opposition to the Senate bill clear: It will rip away Medicaid from thousands of Montanans, impose an age tax on folks in their 50s and 60s, make it harder to get coverage if you have a pre-existing condition. We call on Sen. Steve Daines to oppose the Senate bill that was written in secret without public input. We challenge Daines to champion Montanas health care needs by insisting on reforms that actually cut the costs of health care for Americans rather than imposing arbitrary federal caps that will keep Montanans from getting care when they need it. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday he was delaying a vote until after the Senate's July 4 recess, a reflection of the fact that Republicans did not have the majority needed for passage. We hope that the Senate will use this time to improve the legislation. If it doesn't, and it makes it to the House, we urge Rep. Greg Gianforte to oppose it. Montanans need health care that is affordable and accessible. The Senate bill would put care out of reach for many of us. WHITEFISH After a year of working to bring diverse interests to the table to find better ways to manage forest and rangelands across the West, Gov. Steve Bullock said progress had been made but more needs to be done. Bullock presented a report Tuesday on his National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative at the Western Governors' Association meeting in Whitefish. Im confident this initiative will inspire further commitment among western governors and our partners to continue working together, in a bipartisan way and on a collaborative basis, to promote the health and resilience of our forests and rangelands, Bullock said. During a discussion Tuesday, the governors in attendance and other stakeholders said they were pleased with the progress to date. Governors have hosted workshops across the West in the last 12 months to begin the work of developing the initiative. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said the idea of sharing stewardship and working across ownership boundaries with states and counties is vital. The clear and unanimous agreement of what it will take to get things done on the ground is the most striking part'' of the report of the first year of the initiative, Tidwell said. He said the Forest Service, for example, needs to adapt its National Environmental Policy Act process to accomplish the work thats needed today. Were looking for ways to take on these larger landscapes and to be able to do the analysis so that were looking at not a few 1,000 acres, but more like tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of acres, Tidwell said. Thats what its going to take to really make the change on the landscape. Mark Brinkmeyer, the chair of the Idaho Forest Group, said timber companies cant work without some certainty. Increasing the scale of forest management is important, Brinkmeyer said. Partnerships and collaboratives are important. Through the collaboratives, our company has made significant investments, but they dont work unless we have certainty because they are subject to litigation. The rules around collaboratives are that people around the table make decisions, come up with a plan and its implemented, he said. However, if someone is not at the table they can bring litigation and the issue stops. We lost several million acres and several million feet of timber this year due to litigation. That issue needs to be addressed and addressed now. Lynn Scarlett of The Nature Conservancy said that group embraces the Western Governors Association initiative of partnership, integrated science and landscape stewardship. The Nature Conservancy owns over 100,000 acres of land in Montana and more throughout the country. Scarlett said those lands are actively managed and have helped keep some family-owned mills in Montana operating by delivering tens of millions of board feet to the market. Scarlett said the efforts outlined by the initiative are promising, but not durable without reliable funding. Current federal funding levels are out-of-sync with the needs arising from catastrophic wildfire, she said. Six western states have had their most destructive wildfires in the last six years. Filling funding gaps by borrowing from other programs, including fuels treatment programs and actions that advance collaborative conservation, makes it difficult to make a long term difference on the landscape. In 1990, 16 percent of the Forest Services budget went to fire suppression. Today, that number nears 60 percent. Scarlett said the conservancy supports the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, but beyond that, it supports a comprehensive solution that covers fire operations and reduces risks of catastrophic fire. It also supports a suite of programs for collaborative conservation and the science that ensures its effectiveness. Tidwell said hes been talking for the past eight years about the need to restore anywhere between 65 million to 83 million acres of national forest. Each year, the Forest Service treats only about four million acres. Were way behind the eight ball on this, Tidwell said. Tidwell likens the tens of millions of acres that need restoration to deferred maintenance. The longer it takes for us to get out there and really, truly accelerate the pace and scale, were just passing that on to the next generation, he said. I think we have the social advocacy today for us to be able to get more work done. "Its going to take all of us. Its going to take the federal entities working together. Its going to take the states, counties and NGOs to actually be able to move forward. Bullock believes the initiative is a good way to make that happen. The full report can be accessed here: westgov.org/reports/national-forest-and-rangeland-management-initiative-special-report. HELENA The Helena Police Department has released audio of the 911 call that led to the arrest and charge of partner or family member assault against Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards. Edwards was arrested in Helena earlier this month while attending the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association annual convention. The arrest and charge stem from accusations that he pushed his girlfriend into a television stand in their hotel room. An unidentified woman who called 911 from another hotel room told dispatchers, "We heard one of them yelling about having a gun," then clarified it was the woman yelling. The caller also said she, "heard her screaming about him throwing her into the TV." Helena Municipal Judge Robert Wood said after the incident that police officers called him with the unusual request that he hold Edwards's initial appearance that night instead of the following day. Wood told the Great Falls Tribune he believed the officers didn't want the sheriff spending the night in the overcrowded Lewis and Clark County Detention Center over security concerns, the Associated Press reported. Wood released Edwards on his own recognizance less than five hours after he was arrested. Edwards is a 19-year veteran of the sheriff's office and has been sheriff since December 2010. He is on administrative leave. WASHINGTON The Trump administration moved Tuesday to roll back an Obama administration policy that protected more than half the nation's streams from pollution but drew attacks from farmers, fossil fuel companies and property-rights groups as federal overreach. The 2015 regulation, known as the Waters of the U.S. rule, sought to settle a debate over which waterways are covered under the Clean Water Act, which has dragged on for years and remained murky despite two Supreme Court rulings. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February instructing the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rescind or revise the Obama rule, which environmentalists say is essential to protecting water for human consumption and wildlife. In a statement, the agencies announced plans to begin the withdrawal process, describing it as an interim step. When it is completed, the agencies said, they will undergo a broader review of which waters should fall under federal jurisdiction. "We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation's farmers and businesses," EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said, adding that the re-evaluation would be "thoughtful, transparent and collaborative with other agencies and the public." Environmental groups denounced the move, saying it would remove drinking water safeguards for one in three Americans while jeopardizing thousands of streams that flow into larger rivers and lakes, plus wetlands that filter pollutants and soak up floodwaters. "Clean water is vital to our ecology, our health and our quality of life," said John Rumpler, senior attorney with Environment America. "Repealing the Clean Water Rule turns the mission of the EPA on its head." The EPA and the Army Corps said dismantling the Obama rule would not change existing practices because the measure has been stayed by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati in response to opponents' lawsuits. The proposed repeal is the latest in a series of Trump moves to undo President Barack Obama's environmental legacy, including withdrawal from the Paris climate change accord, rescinding the Clean Power Plan that sought to curb carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants and reversing a moratorium on leasing federal lands for coal mining. Trump also has proposed deep cuts in the EPA budget. No one disputes that the 1972 Clean Water Act allows federal agencies to regulate navigable rivers and lakes. Less certain is the status of some 2 million miles of headwaters and streams that flow only part of the year 60 percent of the river and stream miles in the Lower 48 states plus 20 million acres of wetlands that aren't directly connected to large waterways. Under the Obama interpretation, those waters are protected. Business groups and some Republican state officials including then-Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, now Trump's EPA chief filed suit, contending the regulation gave federal officials too much authority over waters that don't cross state lines or have a clear link to waters that are covered. The regulation was in effect for a short period in 2015 before the appeals court issued a stay. Those legal challenges are still pending. A little over a year ago, then-77-year-old Joe Robertson, of Basin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violating the Waters of the U.S. rule. The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Robertson discharged dredged and fill material as a result of a series of ponds he built on land above the small town of Basin, just off Interstate 15 between Butte and Boulder. Robertson didn't deny building the ponds; he freely admitted using an excavator and rubber-tired backhoe to do the work. What he took objection to was anyone thinking his work could affect water downstream in the nearest navigable river the Jefferson about 60 miles away. Response to Tuesday's announcement largely fell down party lines, with congressional Republicans hailing the move. The rule "would have put backyard ponds, puddles and prairie potholes under Washington's control," said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. "I applaud the Trump administration for working to remove this indefensible regulation." The Trump administration's proposed withdrawal will require a 30-day public comment period, after which EPA and the Army Corps would have to consider the reaction and the make a final decision which likely will draw suits from groups that favor the regulation. In his executive order, Trump instructed the agencies to redesign the rule in keeping with a 2006 opinion by the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He interpreted federal jurisdiction narrowly, saying only "relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing" waters or wetlands with a surface connection to navigable waterways are entitled to federal protection. "Farmers and ranchers across this country are cheering," said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. He said the Obama rule was "a federal land grab designed to put a straitjacket on farming and private businesses across this nation." Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said withdrawing the rule "would make it easier for irresponsible developers and others to contaminate our waters and send the pollution downstream. We'll stand up to this reckless attack on our waters and health." WHITEFISH Cutting off public campaigns by proponents and opponents, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Tuesday he plans to recommend the Upper Missouri Breaks retain its status as a national monument, effectively taking it off the list of monuments nationwide that could lose their status. My likely recommendation will be to leave the Missouri Breaks as is,'' Zinke said. "I think its settled to a degree that I would rather not open up a wound that has been healed.'' Zinke made his remarks at a press conference following his appearance at the Western Governors Association meeting. The announcement shocked people on both sides of the issue. Nicolle Fugere, owner of Missouri River Outfitters in Fort Benton, was featured in one of four billboards erected in Flathead County, by a group called Hold Our Ground, which opposes the review. "I honestly did not think it would go in this direction, so it was a bit of a shock," she said. Fugere has worked for the outfitting business in northcentral Montana for nine years, floating down the river that bisects the monument. This is her first year as the owner. The reason she agreed to put her face to the campaign was that she sees the monument as an economic and social benefit for the rural community of about 1,400 people. A recent Headwaters Economics report was cited by Hold Our Ground, which found that communities around the monument saw a "23 percent increase of real per capita income from 2001 to 2015." Chuck Denowh, who represents the United Property Owners of Montana in the Legislature, said the monument has had a "terrible impact" on the area's economy, not a benefit. "Especially for those many Montanans with property inside those boundaries," Denowh said. "That's 81,000 acres of private land." Denowh called Zinke's announcement "deeply disappointing," but he and Fugere aren't completely sure that the review has been dropped given Zinke's phrasing in the announcement that he would "likely" recommend leaving the monument as it is now. "Our group would certainly encourage him to take that review up," Denowh said. United Property Owners of Montana was one of the groups that had been soliciting its members to draft letters to Zinke stating their opposition to the monument, with a list of recommended challenges to its establishment in the final hours of the Clinton administration in 2001. "Most Montanans want more control by Montanans and local communities," Denowh said. Fugere said she will have a hard time believing Zinke won't review the monument until it's finalized, but she was encouraged that he said the issue had been resolved. "That's a start," she said. "Let's hope it's a finish." Groups like Montana Audubon were encouraging members to voice their support for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in an emailed "action alert." Both sides were attempting to rally their backers to comment since the July 10 deadline was looming. Zinke was tasked earlier this year by the Trump administration to review national monuments over 100,000 acres designated after 1996. Following his recommendation to reduce the size of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah earlier this month, there has been a concern the same could happen for the Upper Missouri. Zinke said after talks with local, state and federal officials, he had decided there was no need to review the 377,000-acre Montana monument. He said the Missouri Breaks is operating under a management plan developed by Montanans that protects the unique natural area, ensures public access and maintains traditional uses, including grazing. Zinke said he believed the issue was settled and it caused disruption to reopen it. "I am more than thrilled and excited," Fugere said. "Above and beyond." The unintended consequences of Marsys Law will be worse than we thought for Montana. The voter-approved law warrants the Montana Supreme Court review sought by a lawsuit filed last week in Helena. The petition was filed by the Montana Association of Counties, Montana Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, ACLU of Montana, the Lewis and Clark County attorney and a victims rights advocate. Last fall when a California man spent more than $2 million to pass Marsys Law as Constitutional Initiative 116, a Gazette opinion cautioned voters: While the initiative known as Marsys law aims to protect victims rights, it would have some unintended consequences. UNKNOWN COSTS The initiative text is lengthy and based on a law that Henry Nicholas promoted in California after the murder of his sister, Marsy Nicholas. The proposed law duplicated crime victim rights and protections already in Montana law, and vastly expanded the definition of who is a crime victim, adding relatives and friends and even nonhuman entities. The initiative, which 66 percent of Montana voters approved on Nov. 8, requires that victims services be available to all victims of all alleged crimes. Billings and Yellowstone County law enforcement officials cautioned that there would be additional taxpayer costs to implementing Marsys Law, but the ballot language simply said that the cost was unknown. Since then, we have seen the Billings City Council amend the city budget to hire additional victim advocate staff in the City Attorneys Office. The Yellowstone County Commission recently authorized the addition of positions in the Yellowstone County Attorneys Office. More concerning than the financial costs are the ways in which Marsys Law would conflict with other constitutionally guaranteed rights. For starters, the new law grants family and friends the right to be informed about criminal cases even if the person who was actually attacked doesnt want others to know. This could be especially problematic for victims of rape or domestic violence. The new law may stop the release of basic crime reports, such as the identification of a homicide victim after next of kin have been notified. Under Marsys Law, authorities may have to notify many more family and friends. Even a prominent proponent of Marsys Law, District Judge Russell Fagg, acknowledged in a Gazette column that one of its provisions is probably unconstitutional because it would deny the accused the right to face the accuser. DILUTING RESOURCES The petition to the Supreme Court points out that Marsys law could take resources away from victims of violent crimes as local authorities try to meet the new mandate to provide services related to all crimes charged and to a much larger pool of victims. Long before CI-116 was proposed, Montana law already provided for victims assistance in domestic violence cases. Now that assistance will have to be stretched to cover misdemeanor property crimes, too. Before Marsys Law, the Yellowstone County Attorneys Office already had 7.5 full-time-equivalent employees as victim-witness assistants, while the Billings City Attorneys Office, which prosecutes only misdemeanors, had 2.5 FTE victim-witness assistants dedicated to domestic violence cases. Montanas court system is overloaded with so many cases, that justice can be slow especially for civil cases. Marsys Law will add to that burden. The U.S. and Montana justice systems are based on the presumption of innocence for the accused. Our Constitution guarantees the right to a fair trial and requires proof beyond reasonable doubt. If Marsys Law interferes with those rights as it apparently would the result would be more appeals, more retrials and victims subjected to lengthier and repeated court proceedings. MULTIPLE AMENDMENTS Perhaps the simplest argument against CI-116 is that it violates the Montana Constitution requirement that a constitutional initiative can amend only one part of the Constitution. CI-116 changes at least eight sections, according to the lawsuit. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher summed up his concerns: CI-116 will force me to make the impossible choice between seeking justice for all Montanans and enforcing longstanding constitutional protections or serving the narrow, competing interests of Marys Laws newly expanded pool of victims harmed or allegedly harmed by even the most petty of offenders. Marsys Law is scheduled to take effect on July 1. A Supreme Court order delaying implementation pending full consideration of its constitutionality would be in the best interest of Montanans. The Billings Gazette NOTICE: TO BE CLEAR: WE HAVE OUTLINED UNDER OUR RECORD MAINTENANCE POLICY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAIR PROCESS FOR ALL. SIMPLY PUT: IF THE COURT SAW FIT TO EXPUNGE YOUR RECORD,SO WILL WE, FREE OF CHARGE. ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT AND CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE MERELY ACCUSATIONS,EVERYONE IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW AND CONVICTED. FCRA DISCLAIMER: MUGSHOTS.COM DOES NOT PROVIDE CONSUMER REPORTS AND IS NOT A CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY. OUR DATABASE CANNOT BE USED TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT CONSUMER CREDIT, EMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE, TENANT SCREENING, OR ANY OTHER PURPOSES THAT WOULD REQUIRE FCRA COMPLIANCE. MUGSHOTS.COM PARTICIPATES IN AFFILIATE PROGRAMS WITH VARIOUS COMPANIES. WE MAY EARN A COMMISSION WHEN YOU CLICK ON OR MAKE PURCHASES VIA LINKS. MUGSHOTS.COM IS AN AGGREGATOR OF THE TODAYS CRIME NEWS. 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MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE... MUSCATINE Muscatine wants a new story to tell one that will attract more people to visit and live in the city. Last year, the city hired a Tennessee-based branding firm, North Star, to study how residents and people in neighboring communities view Muscatine. The first phase of the study, gathering data and surveying residents, is now complete, according to Muscatine Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Greg Jenkins. "The point is asking do we need to tell our story better?" Jenkins said. "I think the town has a lot to offer, but (we're) looking at if we need to market ourselves better to communities around us, so people would want to take a day trip to Muscatine, or hopefully stay for more." Jenkins said a community-wide survey was sent out, asking residents how they view the city, what its strongest assets are and what could be improved. "One thing to be proud of is for the survey, we had 1,100 respondents, so that's a good chunk of feedback," Jenkins said. Surveys also were sent to residents of neighboring towns, and the branding firm held several focus groups to ask further questions. "[Focus groups] spanned from educators to business leaders...to young professionals," he said. "I think we had a pretty decent mix of people." Jenkins said one goal is attracting people who work in Muscatine to live in the city, rather than commuting to the Quad-Cities or elsewhere. "There are people who get recruited to work here and choose not to live here," he said. "At the end of the day, I think it's a good town and a good place to raise a family. How do we market that better so more people get that?" Along with attracting residents, he hopes the new branding initiative will recruit more businesses to Muscatine. The branding effort could also include suggestions for more housing opportunities, a topic under separate study by the city. The next stage of the work is what Jenkins called the "creative phase," which involves designing a new city logo, tagline and other branding identification tools. It will be up to the city to implement the new brand, and the consulting firm will help identify opportunities to do so. While the branding initiative is behind schedule compared to its original goal of being completed in six months, Jenkins said the next phase should be finished within four months. The branding study cost $88,000, with the city paying $16,000. The rest of the cost will be paid by the initiative's other partners, Muscatine Power & Water, UnityPoint Health-Trinity Muscatine, Muscatine Community College, the school district and the chamber of commerce. Hanging on my office wall is a photograph of my grandfather and I alongside a Muscatine Journal story from September 1995. In it, he is showing me some keepsakes he brought home from New Guinea during World War II. Encased behind glass, in the story, he tells the reporter about hearing a fellow soldier die after he opted to not dig in for the night. That same soldier had made fun of my grandfather for doing so. My grandpa lived, and he did not. It was a story I heard my grandpa tell several times during my lifetime, and if I close my eyes I can even still hear his voice. The picture serves as a daily reminder of the courage demonstrated by the men and women who serve our country. There were happy lessons he passed onto me from his time spent in the Army as well, like his appreciation for the 4th of July. It was always a time for celebration, family picnics and fireworks. He taught me about proper flag etiquette and what to do when you accidentally catch your yard on fire while lighting sparklers. He taught me the Pledge of Allegiance and how to salute. He never said too many nice things about the neighborhood kids, but on the 4th of July, he was giving them advice on where and how to shoot off the bottle rockets they really werent supposed to have. He liked fireworks and always made sure we had a good spot and comfy blanket to sit on to watch them on Muscatines riverfront. I grew up being in the parade for one reason or another, and I could always count on finding him along the route. Independence Day was about celebration and spending time with family. I didnt know the organizers of Muscatines 4th of July like I do now. I had no idea of the hard work they put into the event, the fundraising that has to start months in advance and all of the small details that make it a success, but those memories are some of the best I have with my family. The Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has had a bigger challenge this year in executing the 4th of July events with the many street closures, but also as a result of the confusion in the community that came with it. Many thought Muscatines festivities were cancelled. They never had been. The show must go on. Yes, there is a parade. Yes, there will be fireworks. And yes, the soapbox derby is back. Well done GMCCI, volunteers & community supporters. Your donation can still make a difference. Stop into the GMCCI office behind First National Bank downtown at 102 Walunt St. and buy a raffle ticket, make a donation or get signed up for the parade. Your dollars will provide memories for little kids and a good time for all. Important stuff you won't get from the liberal media! We do the surfing so you can be informed AND have a life! Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] iStock/Thinkstock(PEMBROKE PINES, Fla.) -- An approximately 32-year-old man died in a lightning strike in Florida, and a second man at the scene was injured, according to authorities. The lightning strike was reported at a construction site around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Pembroke Pines Fire Department's division chief of operations, Ruben Troncoso. Bystanders had already began CPR on one of the men, who was unresponsive, by the time firefighters arrived, Troncoso told ABC News. Emergency workers determined that the man was in cardiac arrest, and he was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, authorities said. Medical personnel determined the man sustained serious injuries consistent with a lightning strike, Troncoso said, although it is unclear if he had been hit directly. The second man, who is approximately 35, was also injured as a result of the lightning strike, Troncoso said. He was found semiconscious, complaining of numbness. He was taken to the hospital and remained in stable condition. Authorities did not release the names of the victims. Weather reports show there were thunderstorms in the Pembroke Pines area in the early afternoon Tuesday, including heavy downpours and lightning, which is typical for South Florida during the summer. Lightning is one of nature's top killers. Over the last 30 years, the U.S. has averaged 47 lightning-related fatalities annually, according to the National Weather Service. At the site where the lightning struck Tuesday, construction is underway for a massive city center with restaurants, retail stores and a new city hall, ABC's Miami affiliate WPLG-TV reported. Further details were not immediately available. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The dream of joining the military for at least 50 youths came to a crashing end over the weekend when they were arrested with fake KDF admission letters. The Kenya Defence Forces recruits were detained when they reported to the Moi Barracks Recruit Training School in Eldoret ready to begin their training. According to the Standard, the KDF hopefuls were said to have been shocked when they learned that their letters were not genuine. Uasin Gishu County Criminal Investigations Officer Patrick Kiswii said the youths are helping police with investigations. Investigations into the alleged forgery are currently going on and I believe the statements they have given to the police will help us expose those behind the racket, said Kiswii. Mr Kiswii said detectives are trying to establish if there is a connection between these cases and last weeks incident in Eldoret town in which three people were arrested with fake military documents. Read: Three Arrested for Fake Military Recruitment in Eldoret, Sh726,000 Recovered A bizarre incident in Bungoma on Monday led to the arrest of a suspected car thief after a swarm of bees forced the suspect to seek solace at a police station. Francis Sikadigu, a Ugandan national, ran into the Bungoma police station with a swarm of bees hot on his heels, confessed, and kept running around the compound asking for assistance. He told police that the bees appeared every time he drove the car that was stolen last Friday. Interestingly, the bees did not sting anyone else during the incident that left area residents shocked and amused. It was not until the car owner arrived at the police station with a traditional healer that the suspect was reprieved. According to the Star, the healer made the bees go away moments after Mr Sikadigu ran to him and pleaded to be set free. The owner of the vehicle, John Wafula, said that Sikadigu approached him on Friday evening and asked to hire five cars for five days. He told me he wanted [Toyota] Premio and [Toyota] Axio models only, claiming he had been approached by some clients I told him that could be arranged as I have colleagues who could help him, said Wafula. He said they met at a hotel in town to discuss the terms and agreed on a cost of Sh5,000 for each car per day. However, things took a sour turn when Wafula stepped out to buy airtime to contact his colleagues and returned to drink his juice, only to end up in a hospital. Wafula reported feeling dizzy and waking up in a hospital bed on Saturday morning with his car keys gone. He then went to the traditional doctor who assured him that his car would be found in three days and the thief would be attacked by a swarm of bees. I decided to visit one of these traditional doctors who assured me the suspect will not leave Bungoma town, he said. Confirming the incident, Bungoma South OCPD David Kirui said they are arrested Sikadigu and investigations are ongoing. You cried and they have listened.. well, at least partially. Since the launch of the SGR, Kenyans have continued to demand for an online ticketing platform, where they can pay for tickets and choose a seat number from the comfort of their homes. Kenya Railways had previously promised to launch the website about 2 weeks ago, but went back on that without giving any explanation. Now, they are in the process of trialing a new ticketing website. You can check it out on traintickets.co.ke. Theres one caveat though. The website is only working on Internet Explorer (really). This is a limited trial, and Im not sure I should even be sharing this info. Anyway, you can expect it to work on other browsers when it is officially launched. On the site, youll be able to book one way or roundtrip tickets, ensuring you dont head to Mombasa but miss the train back to Nairobi. This platform also comes as a relief to many since middlemen have taken over the business, hiking the Sh700 ticket. In the current system where booking is either done physically at the terminus or via Mpesa, you can only book up to 3 days in advance. However from the website, dates are provided many months away. [showad block=6] The best feature is the seat number selection. Like in a movie theater, you can be able to visually select where you want to sit on your journey. Hopefully Kenyans will start honoring allocated numbers. The platform offers both cash and Mpesa payment methods, but for the purpose of this report, I did not complete the transaction. Now Read:I Took The SGR on Wednesday This was My Experience Police on Tuesday arrested six suspects who were found with 216 kilograms of ivory worth more than Sh21 million in a house in Utawala residential area, Nairobi. Head of Special Crimes Prevention Unit Noah Katumo said the suspects told police they were headed for Hong Kong where the owners had paid for their shipment. Acting on a tip-off, police tracked the suspects to a two-bedroomed house where the ivory had been cut into pieces and packaged ready for shipment. Mr Katumo said the main dealer identified as Abdinur Ibrahim was among those arrested and that most of the tusks originated from the Meru National Park. They planned to use tobacco to seal the ivory to avoid detection at various points, Katumo said. He added that the supposed to be receiver had sent half of the money to the senders of the cargo. Police also recovered a weighing machine and rolls of cello tape and tobacco which they were using to conceal their cargo. For post-9/11 veterans who need help adjusting to civilian life, acquiring a place to live, getting professional counseling and going to college for job training, there is no better $700-a-month deal in the Napa Valley than the Pathway Home in Yountville. The self-supporting non-profit, which is financed by private donations, foundation grants and corporate giving, is located on the grounds of the California Veterans Home of Yountville and staffed by counselors from the Veterans Administrations San Francisco Health Care System. Counselors provide a therapeutic residential environment to help veterans connect to Napa Valley College for educational needs and job training, and to the Workforce Investment Board, as well as local businesses and community members. At NVC, veterans are linked to the Pathway Home by Veterans Services Specialist Lynette Cortes, who answers questions and provides financial help for students seeking certificates, degrees and a new career path. Veterans returning from deployment who are looking to get their lives back on track, can use education and job training to reduce stress and re-integrate into society, said Xavier Bianchi, NVCs new president of the Student Veterans Organization. Bianchi, who served three tours in Afghanistan, said he advises NVC veterans to check out the Pathway Home, where he is planning to volunteer his time. When student veterans join our residential program, we provide them with wrap-around mental health services, coping skills, group support, a sense of community, educational and professional support, life skills development and connections with VA resources, said Liz Russell, manager of Administration and Development for the Pathway Home. As clients of a transitional residential treatment program, Pathway Home residents are required to pay $700 per month for basic services, she explained. She said many of the 6,000 post-9/11 veterans in Napa, Sonoma, Solano and Lake counties between the ages of 18 and 34 are heading to community colleges and trade programs, hoping to use their military skills in a very complex and global job market. Investing in veterans early on and supporting them while they work toward completing their education or vocational training makes sense, Russell added. The whole community benefits when a veteran integrates well and becomes a healthy, employed, contributing, tax-paying member of society. Over time, she said, the Pathway Home program goal is to replicate and share the model throughout California and across the nation. In the meantime, she said, the Pathway Home in Yountville will follow its mission: To provide educational, professional and clinical support in a residential setting to post 9/11 veterans pursuing academic or vocational endeavors who are transitioning back into the civilian world after military deployment. Thats good news for veterans throughout the state and nation, who could take advantage of one of the best deals ever offered in the Napa Valley. All they have to do is call the Pathway Home at 948-3031 or Lynette Cortes at Napa Valley College at 256-7322. Not many 75-year-olds have birthday parties that last a whole year, but Napa Valley College will celebrate for 365 days between the Independence Day parade in downtown Napa next week and the July 4 parade next year. The college will send public invitations to the many thousands of students, parents, families, teachers, staff members, administrators and public officials who have supported the institution of higher learning since 1941. Alumni date back to World War II, when families flocked to the West Coast in search of jobs in the defense industry. Thanks to Mare Island Naval Shipyard and Basalt quarry, Napa was the third-fastest-growing city on the West Coast in October, 1942, trailing Los Angeles and Oakland. Dr. Harry McPherson, the Napa High School principal and future first president of the college, made job training available by gaining public support for a school bond that would create a junior college as part of Napa High School. A $650,000 bond issue received more than 90 percent of the vote in June, 1941. The college expanded to its current location in 1965 and later became Napa Valley Community College. Many changes have taken place at the college, which prepares students for four-year universities and also remains a job training center with industrial technology programs that have employers waiting outside the doors to grab newly certified welders and machinists. The same is true for a host of other NVC programs that year after year prepare students for job-ready psychiatric technicians, nurses, police officers, winemakers, vineyard workers, child development professionals, hospitality workers and managers, respiratory therapists, paramedics, engineers, graphic designers and draftsman. Over the years, the college opened a second campus that features the Napa Valley Cooking School, whose graduates snap up jobs with top chefs in top restaurants. The college and its graduates contribute about $300 million to the local economy every year. The Honorary Chairman for NVCs 75th Anniversary is Mike Thompson, who attended NVC on the GI Bill after serving in Vietnam, and went on to become a United States Congressman representing our local district. Other famous graduates will join the college celebration, including, well, you. This is the first public shout-out inviting folks to tell what the college has meant to the Napa Valley, its families and its economy. Please take this opportunity to publicly share stories about the impact of the college on individuals, families and communities in the Napa Valley and beyond. Celebrating a birthday is more than an excuse to have fun and enjoy cake. It is also an appropriate way to say something about how the guest of honor has enriched our lives and continues to help the people we love. NVC is inviting residents to tell their stories so that the next generation might realize they could attend and someday tell their own stories of enrichment, employment and success. If you have a story to tell, please let me know at doug.ernst@napavalley.edu or 256-7112. Thank you. On Monday, the Supreme Court allowed the government to enforce a travel ban that would prevent people from six predominantly Muslim counties from entering the U.S. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, however, the Courts order explicitly states that students from the designated countries who have been admitted to U.S. colleges will be allowed to enroll or continue their studies. As someone who was engaged in international education exchange during much of my tenure as a dean, this exception is the silver lining. When students, especially young undergraduates, come to study in the U.S., they have a series of relationships that shape their vision of America and Americans and often challenge pre-conceived negative views. The American college campus is one of the few places on earth where people from so many diverse backgrounds come together for a common purpose. In the 1950s, Dr. Gordon Allport proposed the Contact Hypothesis a theory claiming that contact between groups promotes tolerance and acceptance when there is equal status and common goals. A more recent study by UC Santa Cruz psychologist Thomas Pettigrew finds that contact not only shapes what we think about others, but it can actually influence how we feel about them. Professor Pettigrew concludes, Your stereotypes about the other group dont necessarily change, but you grow to like them anyway. The Institute of International Education reports that 1.2 million international students attended American colleges and universities in 2016, an increase of 6.5 percent from the year before and the highest number ever. However, the steady growth in international student enrollments may be coming to an end. A May report from The American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) indicates that applications from international students have slowed, with 39 percent of responding universities reporting declines in the number of undergraduate applications for fall 2017. The strong dollar and increasing post-secondary opportunities abroad are contributing factors; however, AACRAOs Executive Director Michael Reilly says there may be fewer applicants because some prospective international students see America becoming less welcoming. Mr. Reilly adds that some parents also worry about their childrens safety as concerns increased following the February shooting of two Indian engineers at a Kansas bar by a man reportedly shouting, Get out of my country. The murderer told police he thought they were Iranians. More than 30 years ago, Duke and Harvard Professors Crauford Goodwin and Michael Nacht observed that international students enrich the classroom and contribute to the educational process of which they are an integral part. Additionally, international graduates return to their native countries to share their positive experiences and often become ambassadors and advocates for American values building and strengthening bridges between their nations and ours. Beyond these humanist presumptions, international students are a significant source of revenue. NAFSA: Association of International Educators estimates that international students added more than $32.8 billion to the economy and supported more than 400,000 jobs during the 2015-2016 academic year. According to the latest financial statistics, the total revenue from international students studying in California accounts for $4 billion and continues to rise. In the 1980s, Harvard Professor Joseph Nye coined the term soft power, which is the ability of a country to persuade other nations to do what it wants without force or coercion. Nye argued that the U.S. has excelled in projecting soft power and universities and other institutions of civil society have been especially important to Americas ability to attract partners and supporters around the world. The Republican strategist Frank Luntz observes its not what you say but what people hear that matters. Luntz writes, You can have the best message in the world, but the person listening will always understand it through the prism of her or his own emotions, preconceptions, and pre-existing beliefs. How do actions such as the Supreme Courts decision affect Americas standing in the world? A recent Pew Foundation report finds favorable ratings of the United States plummeting among citizens of the nations closest allies and others worldwide. Frank G. Wisner, a former diplomat in Republican and Democratic administrations, says America is perceived to be abandoning principles it has long espoused in fact, those that have defined its democracy. Wisner adds that global popular opinion matters in part because it determines how and whether foreign leaders engage with and support American interests. Princeton Professor John Ikenberry notes, Americas national security has always hinged as much on winning hearts and minds as it does on winning wars. Tom Brown is a St. Helena resident who served as a dean at Saint Marys College of California for 27 years. He is currently a consultant and speaker at colleges and universities that are seeking to keep more of the students they enroll. Send comments, questions or suggestions for future columns to: thedean@tbrownassociates.com. American Canyon is opposing legislation moving through the state Legislature that officials say would curb local control over wireless cell equipment on utility poles, putting the city at odds with a key representative in Sacramento. Its outrageous, said American Canyon Planning Commissioner Bernie Zipay about Senate Bill 649, which seeks to establish statewide rules to govern the process for placing small cell wireless facilities throughout California. Small cell is defined as equipment taking up from 21 to 35 cubic feet of space atop utility poles. Zipay and other American Canyon officials object to SB 649 introduced by Sen. Ben Hueso, D-Chula Vista, and co-authored by Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa saying it would override the citys ability to regulate where wireless equipment could go in neighborhoods. Last year, the City Council approved a moratorium on the siting of new telecommunications antennas on top of streetlights after a company, Mobilite, contacted City Hall about placing equipment near homes and the Community Gym on Benton Way. The moratorium was intended to give city staff time to craft a new ordinance because American Canyon had no existing standards for the addition of antennas, or wireless telecommunication facilities, to light poles in the public right-of-way. But if SB 649 becomes law, American Canyons ordinance which is still being drafted could become moot, said Community Development Director Brent Cooper. The bill would remove local control over aesthetics on wireless facilities in the public right of way, utility poles and elsewhere, Cooper told the City Council on June 6. By aesthetics, Cooper meant the appearance as well as size of equipment attached to poles. The League of California Cities, which represents municipalities at the state capital, says SB 649 would do more than that. Nancy Hall Bennett, the organizations North Bay regional public affairs manager, wrote in an email to American Canyon and other cities that the bill represents a major shift in telecommunications policy and would bring about local deregulation of the entire telecommunications industry. Dodd said hes supporting SB 649 because consumer demand for reliable, high-speed wireless networks continues to expand rapidly across our state. He added that is important that we install the necessary infrastructure to meet this demand and realize the economic benefits for our communities. The former Napa County supervisor acknowledged the concerns of cities while reiterating the need for the new law. As someone who served in local government, said Dodd, I believe that its important to conform with reasonable local requirements while creating the most streamlined process possible to meet the broadband needs of our residents. In addition to the City Council, Cooper informed the citys Planning Commission about SB 649. Commissioner Zipay and Chairman Eric Altman agreed the proposed law was outrageous and would be bad for American Canyon. I liken it to highway robbery, said Zipay. The telecommunications companies are strong-handling us to force cities or Californians into being submissive, and theyre coming in and doing whatever they want, placing whatever they want in front of anybodys homes. I personally think it needs to be stopped, he added at the commissions June 22 meeting. Altman agreed, though he questioned whether local opposition would be enough to keep SB 649 from being approved by the legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown. Would calling the governors office have any impact? Altman asked rhetorically. My guess is unfortunately not, but I would encourage it anyway. SB 649 was approved by the state Senate 32-1 on May 31, and was scheduled to be heard Wednesday in the Assembly Committee on Local Government. After Cooper informed the City Council about SB 649, Councilmember David Oro said it wasnt difficult to figure out which interest group was behind it. Let me guess the backers of this bill are telecommunications companies? Why yes they are, said Cooper. Among those officially supporting the bill are AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, according to an analysis of the bill prepared for the Senate. Zipay, who works as an inspector for the Napa County Planning, Building and Environmental Services Department, said he inspects a lot of cell towers as part of his job. He suspected the telecommunications companies are throwing a lot of money at this bill so they wont have to continue to pay property owners to site their equipment. Theyre paying an exorbitant amount of money for that, Zipay said. Its far cheaper to throw millions at the states politicians to have this passed as opposed to paying all the private landowners where they have all their cell sites positioned. One of the provisions of SB 649, according to Cooper, would limit cities to charging only $20 a year to companies that want to lease space on a utility pole. Cooper said many cities currently charge significantly more than $20 annually, and that the new limit would not cover the cost of wear and tear from cell equipment added to utility poles. As for American Canyons moratorium on new cell equipment, it expires on Aug. 4. Cooper said, We are planning to go back to the City Council on July 18 to extend the moratorium to the end of January. That will give us time for the state law to be settled and to draft a new ordinance consistent with state law. American Canyon is among 150 cities opposing SB 649, according to the League of California Cities. Yountville is the only other Napa County city on the leagues list of opposing cities. We Strongly Oppose SB 649, the League of California Cities wrote in a letter dated June 9 to state lawmakers. This bill eliminates public input, full local environmental and design review, and the ability for local governments to negotiate leases or any public benefit for the installation of small cell equipment on taxpayer funded property. The coalition of cities said they support the deployment of wireless facilities to ensure that Californians have access to telecommunications services. However, SB 649 eliminates the ability for local governments to collaborate with the wireless industry to ensure the public receives maximum benefit. As the global wine industry descended on Bordeaux, France last week for Vinexpo the industrys annual international trade fair vintners from Napa were at work furthering the regions reputation on the world stage. Set in a two-story pavilion separate from other world regions, including the rest of California, representatives of 15 Napa brands served as the face of the local wine industry throughout the four-day event. Theres a lot of work to be done still, said Stephanie Honig of Honig Vineyard & Winery. People, in general, on the global scale of wine, dont really understand what Napa Valley represents in the context of California, that were only 4 percent of the wine made in California there is the big misconception there that California is Napa Valley. To educate attendees, vintners hosted tastings and pop-up seminars at the pavilion focusing on various aspects of the region. Hosting a seminar on the ageability of Napa wine, Honig offered attendees explanations and tastings of wines spanning several decades and sub-appellations throughout the valley. I think it resonated, she said, but added that per educating people about the region, We cant stop. We have to keep on working at that. Sustainability efforts on the part of Napa producers were also highlighted, as vintners like Chris Hall of Long Meadow Ranch hosted seminars explaining the Napa Valley Vintners Napa Green program to attendees. The program offers wineries and vineyards certification for sustainable practices, and as of April, half of Napas eligible vintners were participating. Hall recalled about 16 attendees joining his seminar and tasting through a flight of wines from Long Meadow Ranch, Honig, Trefethen and St. Supery all Napa Green-certified producers. In explaining the program, Hall also discussed Long Meadow Ranchs forthcoming Rutherford winery, which is slated to incorporate rainwater capture, solar energy, a water-cooling system and insulated construction to control its temperature, among other measures. Promoting the program to a worldwide audience, Hall said, solidifies that Napa Valleys a world-class growing region on the same level with all the other great growing regions of the world, and that were committed to doing it in a sustainable way and ensuring that our land and vineyards are sustainable for the next generation. Of particular interest to other wine regions, Hall said, is the role of trade groups like the Napa Valley Vintners in prompting member participation for efforts like Napa Green, and understanding how the Napa Valleys been able to be successful in encouraging that and promoting that, not just from a marketing message, but also from a business management perspective of their own membership and seeing how those two things are equally beneficial. Also drawing attention to sustainability efforts in Napa was HALL wines proprietor Kathryn Hall, who took part in a panel discussion on climate change and its effects on the wine industry. Speaking this week after returning from France, Hall said that the panel, hosted by the American-based publication Wine Spectator was particularly timely given the United States recent withdrawal from the Paris climate accord. Of course what were only talking about is vineyards and our industry, but I think it plays into this overall concern globally about where is the U.S. on this issue, Hall said. What does that portend for all of us? Hall noted that, at least at HALL wines, any impact from climate change has yet to become apparent apart from increases in daytime highs throughout the first six months of the year, which really doesnt impact the flavor development of the berry. Thus, HALL has not yet had to adjust its viticulture practices or winemaking process. But, she said, That doesnt mean that climate change isnt happening, nor does it mean that we shouldnt be planning. We have to do that, because its unmistakable that climate change is on the horizon. Also during the event, several of Napas vintners took part in welcoming more international support for wine place name protection an effort long championed by the Napa Valley Vintners as representatives from wine regions in British Columbia, Australias McLaren Vale and Texas became the newest signatories of the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin. Established in Napa in 2005, the now 23-member group seeks to prevent the misuse of specific wine place names, like Napa Valley, in the labeling of wines. Any wine region of any notoriety whatsoever would agree that wine is the ultimate product of place, and therefore the place names, they need to be protected and respected, said Rex Stults of the Napa Valley Vintners, who attended the event. Stults said the group has since begun its next round of outreach to other regions for potential membership and another round of introductions may be forthcoming later this year. I think its really just the tip of the iceberg, he said. Napa and St. Helena theater lovers can partake of the Bard each summer and this year, so can those in Yountville. Shakespeare Napa Valley will bring its annual production to the resort town for the first time in September, according to directors of the theater company and parks department. The troupe will perform A Midsummer Nights Dream at Yountvilles newly renovated Veterans Memorial Park on Sept. 15-17, with performances starting at 7 p.m. Shakespeare Napa Valley will weave William Shakespeares Midsummer Nights Dream comedy into the wine country fabric, according to Jennifer King, director of Shakespeare Napa Valley. The present-day setting places the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta at Theseus Winery in the valley, where local lovers escape into the vineyards, winery workers rehearse a play to celebrate their boss nuptials and all encounter the fairy world after falling asleep. The Yountville performances are among a dozen scheduled between Aug. 25 and Sept. 24 in the county. Other venues will include Napas Veterans Memorial Park and CIA at Copia, as well as the Napa Valley College Upper Valley Campus in St. Helena. The cast of more than 20 actors is slated to include professional artists, local actors and students, said King, whose program is associated with Napa Valley College, where she is a theater arts professor. King worked with Napas city parks department to launch the program in 2010. The connections she made at the time and the performing bowl completed in the Yountville park this spring proved vital in bringing the plays into a third local town this year, King said. When I learned of the new amphitheater and that (Samantha Holland) was running the Parks and Recreation Department in Yountville, I reached out and she was extremely enthusiastic about having Shakespeare at the venue, said King of Holland, who was formerly Napas recreation manager and now directs Yountville Parks and Recreation. Between Shakespeare and the (summertime) movies, you have a beautiful new venue, so how do you get the public to use it? There was emphasis on finding things that appeal to families, Holland said of the Yountville bowl, which was completed in May inside the recreation area at Washington Street and California Drive. Seating at the Yountville performances will begin at 5:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Spectators bringing blankets will be allowed to sit near the front, followed by those using low-back chairs and visitors in high-back chairs. BOISE, Idaho A pet squirrel named Joey who gained fame as a crime-fighter might be more of the lover type. Joey, who police credited with scaring off a burglar trying to break into his home's gun safe, made his long goodbyes earlier this month, then scampered up a backyard apple tree at his Meridian, Idaho, home and hasn't been seen since. "If I had to guess, he found a girlfriend and they're off doing their squirrel thing," said Adam Pearl, who raised Joey in his home for about 10 months. A University of Idaho scientist said that's probably right for Joey. "For a lot of mammals, behavior changes once spring comes," said Janet Rachlow, a professor at the school's Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences. Joey made headlines in February after police went to Pearl's home to investigate the burglary and Joey introduced himself. A few hours later, police nabbed a teen burglary suspect with items from Pearl's home and scratches on his hands. The teen told police a squirrel at one home came flying out of nowhere and kept attacking him until he left. Like many famous crime fighters, Joey had a rough start in life. He was abandoned after falling out of his nest not long after being born and would have died if Adam Pearl and his wife, Carmen, hadn't taken him in. "His eyes weren't even open," Adam Pearl said. "He was about the size of a Bic lighter when we first got him." They bought supplies and set an alarm every two hours to feed him. Joey thrived, and soon had the run of the house, using a litterbox and learning to scavenge from bowls of nuts. "I wanted him to be able to fend for himself," Adam Pearl said. Joey did just that, delighting the family with his antics. "He'd let anybody pet him when he was in the house," Pearl said. "I guess right up until the kid broke in. Right after that is when he started getting aggressive." About a month ago, Pearl made the decision to leave a sliding door open after Joey seemed extra rambunctious. Joey eventually ventured out, played with wild squirrels during the day and returned to his bed inside at night. On June 4, he climbed on Adam's shoulder, where he stayed for several minutes getting his ears scratched before disappearing in the apple tree. "I think that was his goodbye, looking back on it," Adam Pearl said. Rachlow said Joey might have a little bit of culture shock assimilating into squirrel life, but will likely succeed. Adam Pearl said Joey liked to chew on items in the house, so there's also relief in being an empty-nester. "Hopefully, he doesn't bring any little Joeys into the house," he said. As our region works to protect community health in response to last weeks heat wave, we must brace ourselves for a potent new attack on public health as the United States Senate moves forward with repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This threat is real and will affect the lives of many of our local residents. Tens of thousands of North Bay residents have benefited from the expansion of Medi-Cal and affordable individual coverage through the ACA. Nationally over 20 million Americans have gained coverage since the ACA became law. Despite heavy criticism of the legislation from stakeholders on both sides of the aisle and demonstrably little public support for the proposed legislation, the American Health Care Act (AHCA) will likely go to a vote on the Senate floor. If the repeal effort is successful, the ramifications will be felt in communities across America, and, in particular, here in the North Bay. Our fellow residents, our friends and colleagues, including some of our most in-need neighbors will bear the brunt of this flawed bill. Our community will lose out, jobs will be lost, as the ripple effects of constriction in the health care sector are felt in our local economy. Our Community Health Center strongly opposes the AHCA and any other attempts to repeal the ACA. The Medicaid expansion has provided insurance coverage to many of our patients who were previously uninsured, and those patients can now access comprehensive preventative care. The AHCA may wipe away these historic gains and will eliminate many of the crucial protective components of the ACA. In addition, the AHCA is posed to strip billions out of the Medicaid system through block grants and/or per-capita caps, which would inevitably lead to cuts in service and eligibility that would affect many of our community members. The Senates passage of the AHCA or similar legislation would undermine a successful individual health insurance market here in California and chill future advances in innovation to increase the quality of care, improve health outcomes and lower health care costs. Medicare has also directly benefitted thanks to the ACA, with revenues and reforms included in the ACA helping to extend the life of the Medicare program. If these ACA taxes on the affluent are removed, we could see a serious impact to the financial stability of Medicare as a whole. The impact of the ACA has been profound in our local community. Since the ACA became law in 2010, county government, public and private hospitals, doctors, Community Health Centers and many other groups have worked together to ensure that the ACAs key provisions have expanded coverage, improved health care, and resulted in a healthier community. Furthermore, over 12,000 Napa County residents have directly benefited from the ACA through coverage expansions in Medi-Cal and Covered California. Having affordable health care has allowed Napa County residents to spend their incomes on rent, food, and other basic needs, supporting our local economies. There is no question that the misconceived repeal legislation will have ramifications on our local health care system and broader economy. According to the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center, roll back of the ACA could generate a loss of up to 400 jobs in Napa County and a net annual loss of over $41 million in Napa County alone. Through the advances in health coverage and access to care brought about by the Affordable Care Act, many Americans have begun to view access to affordable health care as a right and not a privilege to be bestowed on only those who can afford to pay. At this critical juncture, when so much hangs in the balance, we must speak out and protect the gains that have been made for Americans through the ACA. The American Health Care Act passed in the House, and similar legislation that will soon come to the Senate for a vote is neither a suitable replacement for the ACA nor is it the healthcare reform plan that Americans want, need, or deserve. Tanir Ami, Chief Executive Officer OLE Health SAN FRANCISCO A supervisor screener who used to work at San Francisco International Airport pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe and turning a blind eye as 50 pounds of cocaine went through his X-ray machine. KPIX-TV reports Joseph Scott pleaded guilty Tuesday to receiving a bribe as a public official. According to court documents, Scott accepted a bribe of up to $4,500. Bobby Napier, the man who bribed Scott, was sentenced last week to four years. According to the U.S. attorney, Napier admitted he agreed to smuggling cocaine and marijuana through security at San Francisco International Airport for several years by paying Scott. A total of seven Bay Area airport screeners face similar charges. In the face of strong public opposition, the St. Helena City Council agreed that its too soon to team up with a developer to build a luxury resort on the Adams Street property next to the library. A committee of staff and outside advisors had recommended that the council sign an exclusive negotiation agreement with HRV Hotel Partners, which is proposing a five-star, 113-room hotel on the 5.6-acre site. Members of the public, who were highly critical of hotel plans by HRV and two other developers last October, said the process that led up to the recommendation lacked transparency, public involvement or adequate consideration of the projects effects on traffic, water, parking, views and other environmental factors. I think we need to wait and see what the community wants before we start considering making a recommendation for an exclusive proposal, said Tom Belt, one of 19 members of the public who spoke out against the recommendation in front of a standing-room-only crowd. The council unanimously agreed to table the recommendation and discuss an alternative proposal by Councilmember Mary Koberstein at their next meeting. Koberstein called for an evaluation of each of the citys properties and public facilities and options for improving them, an analysis of the citys finances, and regular study sessions on the Adams Street property to ensure that the process stays on track and reaches a conclusion soon. The question of what to do with the property has vexed the city ever since it bought it in 2000. A 2009 visioning plan called for a community center, an expanded library, housing and other civic uses, but it didnt explore how to pay for those improvements. Meanwhile, the deteriorating condition of public facilities like City Hall, the police station and the corporation yard has put more pressure on the city to monetize the Adams Street property. A hotel has been deemed the most lucrative option, with HRVs plan offering a purchase price of $20 million and $17.7 million in new tax revenue over the first five years of hotel operations. Koberstein and Dohring said the city needs to reevaluate the 2009 plans financial feasibility, and agreed that residents wont buy into the idea of a hotel without more analysis and public discussion. We must explore our facilities needs and our financial options, with the help of both municipal financial advisors and real estate strategists, so that we can determine the best way forward to achieve our community goals, Dohring said. One way forward may very well include a hotel on Adams Street, but at this juncture we are in no position to make that case to our residents. Councilmembers also spoke in favor of appointing a citizens committee. However, the process shouldnt be drawn out too long, they agreed. Im not suggesting that we launch into a five-year effort, Koberstein said. Im hoping we can get through it sometime this fall, Mayor Alan Galbraith said, adding that he hopes the three developers who submitted proposals will continue to show interest. St. Helenas Boy Scout Troop One is quietly working a minor miracle at Scout Hall: Turning boys into responsible men without help from digital devices. Troop One teaches boys character, citizenship, and personal and mental fitness. They learn about ethics, sportsmanship, outdoor survival, mentoring younger Scouts, and how to step forward when everyone else is blending in with the crowd. If these are the attributes you hope your son develops, get him into Troop One. Scoutmaster Jon Dodge and Committee Chairman Stu Smith say Troop One has a reputation for independence within the Boy Scout community. Theyve never gotten entangled in the social controversies that have plagued the national organization, and all boys are welcome regardless of religion or sexual orientation. But that maverick spirit is tempered by the bedrock Boy Scout values of teamwork, courage, sharing, kindness and especially character. Membership is down from a high of 40 Scouts to about 20, seven of them joining within the last month or so. Its been declining for the same reasons that service clubs and other community-oriented groups are struggling: a growing number of second homes with absentee residents, an aging population, a shortage of young and energetic adult volunteers, and the steady hollowing out of our community that weve pointed out before. Troop One also has been affected by the loss of St. Helenas Cub Scout troop, the rise of competitive, highly regimented youth sports, and especially the lure of technology and social media. Dodge said that when todays Scouts gather around the campfire, he notices that they often lack the language skills that came naturally to past generations of kids. Some of todays kids spend so little time outside that they dont even know where the citys parks are, he said. Thats why Scouting is so important. Do we want a citizenry whose values, thoughts and morality are shaped by the corporations that entertain and distract them, or by the altruism and face-to-face interaction that have traditionally built character and produced good citizens? Those seven new members are headed down the latter course, and were sure theyll have a blast. The troop meets every Wednesday at Scout Hall, a storied structure that narrowly avoided being condemned in the 80s thanks to a renovation led by Eagle Scout and then-City Councilmember Gregory Hunter. Theyll go on outdoor excursions about once a month, learn First Aid and survival skills, and do all kinds of fun stuff theyd never get away with at school, like building fires and safely using knives, guns, hatchets and bows and arrows. Theyll also collect food for the food pantry, pick up discarded Christmas trees, clean up Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, and contribute to Eagle Scout projects in which an experienced Scout organizes and manages other Scouts in order to achieve a goal that benefits the whole community. Scouts also get a chance to just goof around and be kids. Dodge said its always refreshing to see Scouts play together, without the pressure and self-consciousness thats so typical of modern adolescence. Troop One has a long tradition of producing an extraordinary number of Eagle Scouts, far higher than the national average of 4 percent. Thats a fairly select group and is always an important qualification noted on the resumes of Scouts who apply to colleges. The troops annual fee is only $78, and scholarships are available for any Scout who needs help. Dodge and Smith would love to get more Scouts signed up. Its also very important that dads and moms get involved with the troop for the sake of their sons. Scouts can join as soon as theyre out of fifth grade and stay right up until they turn 18. In a broader culture that celebrates being a passive spectator, heres to Troop One for teaching kids to lead, help others, have fun, and simply participate in the heady thrill of being alive. To learn more visit troopwebhost.org/Troop7001StHelena or call Scoutmaster Dodge at 889-1826. Note: Editorial board member Norma Ferriz is the Leader Support Manager for St. Helenas Girl Scout Service Unit, which is not affiliated with Troop One. To find out more about Girl Scouts contact Ferriz, 294-8128 or nferriz@hotmail.com. NATO defence ministers will meet tomorrow (29 June 2017) to take forward decisions to more fairly share the burden of our security and to fight terrorism. Ahead of the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that defence spending across the Alliance is expected to grow by 4.3% in 2017. That is three consecutive years of accelerating defence spending. This means, over the last three years, European Allies and Canada spent almost 46 billion US dollars more on defence, he said. To help combat terrorism, NATO is now fully integrated into the information-sharing and decision-making structures of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. We have already stepped up our support with more flight-time and information sharing by our AWACS surveillance aircraft, said Mr. Stoltenberg. At NATO Headquarters, a new Hybrid Branch and a Terrorism Intelligence Cell are operational and NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller will coordinate the Alliances anti-terrorism efforts. Tomorrow, the Secretary General will also present a progress report on NATO-EU cooperation to ministers. This sets out how NATO and the EU are stepping up cooperation on issues ranging from resilience to hybrid threats. Defence ministers will also discuss the path forward in Afghanistan, including future troop levels. (Natural News) While all marijuana use remains illegal at the federal level, there is no question that its use for medicinal purposes is booming countrywide. With medical marijuana now legal in 29 states plus Washington, D.C., more and more people are discovering its myriad health benefits for themselves. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of cannabis for pets, and the laws allowing for its medicinal use do not extend to animals. Nonetheless, the boom in sales of medical marijuana for humans has been mirrored in the world of pet lovers. Since pet owners cannot legally obtain marijuana for their animals, they are forced to obtain medical marijuana cards for their own use so that they can have access to cannabis. Many are more than happy to do so, though, convinced that it spares their pets the adverse effects of prescription medications. Other medicines can take a toll on an animals kidney, liver and other organs, says Melinda Hayes, founder of Sweet Leaf Shoppe, a medical cannabis delivery service in Los Angeles. Other pet owners turn to cannabis to treat their furry friends because it costs far less than many pharmaceutical veterinary drugs. Animal lovers have turned to marijuana-based products for a host of different pet maladies, including anxiety, pain, seizures and inflammation. And its not only dog- and cat-lovers that are trying this natural alternative; these treatments are being used for domesticated wild animals, lizards, turtles, alpacas, pigs, horses and other farm animals. A lack of clinical trials into the effects of marijuana on animals means we have to turn to anecdotal evidence to judge its merits and there is certainly plenty of that. Lisa Mastramico, a public access television network director from Long Beach, California, swears that marijuana provided relief for her cat Little Kitty, even when nothing else worked. At the age of 12, Little Kitty started suffering with debilitating arthritis that left her cowering in a closet all day. Having tried many different supplements and medications, Mastramico turned to cannabis in desperation, and started squirting two different cannabis-derived oils into Little Kittys mouth each day. The results have been astounding. Little Kitty no longer hides in the closet, but spends her days lazing in the sun like any self-respecting cat should. When Ive given it to her, shes never acted high: falling face-first into her food bowl, chowing down, Ms. Mastramico said. She comes out and socializes, wants to be in your lap, wants to be petted. Its a very noticeable difference. Cate Norton, from Springfield, Vermont, drives over the border to New Hampshire, where medical marijuana is legal, to obtain a hemp-based product called Canna-Pet for her Rottweiler Leia who suffers with seizures and anxiety. Norton says that after eight months of treatment, she has noted a great reduction in the severity of [Leias] seizures. After Brett Hartmann, a former epilepsy-sufferer who lives near Los Angeles, California, used marijuana to overcome his seizures, he no longer needed his service dog Cayley to accompany him everywhere. When Cayley started exhibiting signs of stress and separation anxiety, Hartmann started giving her the marijuana extract cannabidiol (CBD) twice a day. Ever since I started her on CBD her separation anxiety has disappeared, says Hartmann. It would seem that cannabis shows real promise for the safe, natural treatment of pets. Nonetheless, it is important to be aware that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which gives marijuana its psychoactive properties can be toxic to some animals, particularly dogs. The New York Times reports that many pets have ended up in veterinary hospitals panting and in distress after gaining access to their owners marijuana stashes. It is always advisable to discuss any new course of treatment for your pet with a trusted veterinarian or natural animal health expert. Sources for this article include: SG.News.Yahoo.com NYTimes.com (Natural News) It can seem at times like the deck is stacked in every possible way against the victims of vaccine injury. The mainstream media insists that vaccines save lives, have no side effects and cannot harm you. The medical community stubbornly claims that there is no way your child could possibly have been harmed by a vaccine, when so many millions of other vaccine recipients are fine. And, in the United States at least, you cannot pursue a vaccine manufacturer through the regular court system to demand compensation for the harm done by its products. Well, it seems like the tide might be turning at last. The Swedish parliament recently ruled against enforcing the mandatory vaccinations of its citizens, recognizing that to do so would be a violation of the countrys Constitution. Then, last week, the highest court in the European Union made a groundbreaking ruling that could finally provide relief for families destroyed by vaccine injuries. Back in 2006, a plaintiff known only as Mr. J.W. sued pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur, claiming that he had contracted multiple sclerosis (M.S.) as a direct result of a hepatitis B vaccination he received in late 1998. The French Court of Appeals denied Mr. J.W.s claim, stating that science has not proved a causal link between the hep B vaccine and M.S. The case was then passed to Frances Court of Cassation, and eventually brought before the European Union. Though not specifically ruling on the case of Mr. J.W., having considered the evidence before it, the court decreed that henceforth, European courts may consider vaccines as a possible cause of illness, even when there is no specific scientific proof linking a certain vaccine to a specific health condition. [Related: For all the breaking news be sure to visit Vaccines.news.] In part, their ruling states: [W]here medical research neither establishes nor rules out the existence of a link between the administering of the vaccine and the occurrence of the victims disease, the existence of a causal link between the defect attributed to the vaccine and the damage suffered by the victim will always be considered to be established when certain predetermined causation-related factual evidence is presented. The claimant in such a case would need to provide specific and consistent evidence related to the time elapsed between the administration of the vaccine and the illness, proof of a lack of family history of the condition, and evidence of a significant number of other patients developing the same illness after receiving that particular vaccine. Of course, the ruling has sent shock-waves through the mainstream media, who rely on doctors like Paul Offit, a supposed vaccine expert, for their information. His response to the ruling? Using those criteria, you could reasonably make the case that someone should be compensated for developing leukemia after eating a peanut butter sandwich. Its very frustrating that they have such a ridiculously low bar for causality. To prove whether one thing causes another has to happen in a scientific venue, and the courts are not a scientific venue. The CBS News article from which that quotation is derived makes no mention of Dr. Offits glaring conflict of interest: Offit is the patent holder of the RotaTeq vaccination, a vaccine which is mandated by the CDC, and presumably provides Offit with millions in income each year. Clearly, he has a vested interest in insisting that as many people as possible should be vaccinated. The fact is, the EU courts ruling is nothing more than common sense. As Juliette Scarfe, a lawyer from the U.K. points out, This is common sense, surely. If I develop a debilitating illness shortly after receiving a vaccine, I should be the medical evidence in chief. It should not matter whether the medical community accepts or rejects that there exists a causal link between the disease and the vaccine in order to consider my defective product claim. Sources include: CBSNews.com HealthImpactNews.com NaturalNews.com TruthWiki.org The 5th to 8th ships are scheduled to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy) by 2020 after three to four months of trials. In the meantime, the lead (No. 1) PKX-B will be commissioned in the ROK Navy by the end of this year. It was launched on 28 July at HHIC's shipyard in Busan in July 2016. The 2nd to 4th ships will be delivered to the ROK Navy by the end of 2019 . The contract for ships 9th to 12th Boat will be awarded in early 2018 in order to stimulate the recent slowdown in the Korean shipbuilding industry. TITUSVILLE, Florida The City of Titusville will have a fireworks display over the Indian River to celebrate Independence Day that can be viewed by the public from Sand Point Park. The fireworks will start at dark (approximately 9:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) on July 4, 2017. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In addition to the fireworks display, there will be live music, bounce houses, and food and drink vendors beginning at 7:00 p.m. The fireworks will be launched from Marina Park. All traffic to Marina Park will be closed beginning at midnight on July 3, 2017. Photo credit: Brevard Times / File. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-15 18:03:46|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The China-initiated Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on Thursday approved its first equity investment and two loans totaling 324 million U.S. dollars. The AIIB's board of directors approved the bank's first equity investment of 150 million dollars that will be used to help attract the much needed private investment capital for infrastructure projects in India, according to the press release by the AIIB. The two loans of 174 million dollars will support transport and power projects in Georgia and Tajikistan. "Approving our first equity investment is another milestone for the Bank and will enhance our potential to source and fund high quality, private sector projects," said D.J. Pandian, vice president and chief investment officer of the AIIB. The equity investment and two loans, approved Thursday, aligned with the AIIB's priorities to support sustainable infrastructure, improve cross-border connectivity and mobilize private capital. The 150 million-dollar equity investment will be made in the India Infrastructure Fund, which aims to invest in mid-cap infrastructure companies in India. It will expand the AIIB's equity and loan deal sourcing pipelines in the private sector via its equity participation in the Fund. The investment will benefit local infrastructure development by enhancing private capital inflows from global long-term investors, such as public pension funds, endowments and insurance companies. The loan of 114 million dollars will be provided for the Georgia Batumi Bypass Road project, which is the AIIB's first loan to Georgia. It was co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The project aimed to improve regional connectivity and efficiency of road transport along the East-West Highway in Georgia. The project will construct a new, two-lane road approximately 14.3 km long in a key section of the East-West Highway that skirts the port city of Batumi. The loan of 60 million dollars will be offered for the Tajikistan Nurek Hydropower Rehabilitation Project Phase I. It will be co-financed with the World Bank. The project aimed to rehabilitate and restore the generating capacity of three units of the Nurek hydropower plant, improve their efficiency and strengthen the safety of Nurek dam operations. South Korea will host the second annual meeting of the AIIB's board of governors for two days from Friday at the country's southern resort island of Jeju. The board of directors meeting was held before the annual meeting of governors. The first annual meeting of the board of governors was held in Beijing last year. Officially launched in January 2016, the Beijing-based AIIB is a multilateral development bank initiated by China and supported by a wide range of countries and regions, which will provide financing for the infrastructure improvement in Asia. Catalyzing private capital was broadly acknowledged as a critical component to addressing the infrastructure gap in Asia. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 04:34:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Tuesday that Syrians won't forget the Russian support to Syria, according to the Syrian presidential media office. The president made the remarks during his visit to the Russian-run Hmeimim Air Base in Syria's northern city of Latakia, during which he reviewed the latest military gears. Assad visited the base "with all joy and pride," saying that the fighters and pilots coming from Russia help "their brothers of the Syrian army ... and the Syrian people in defending the unity and sovereignty of Syria and fight against the terrorists." He said Russia provided weapons and gears to support Syria in the war on terror, "and most importantly they gave blood, which is the most precious anyone could give to his fellow human ... and the Syrian people will not forget the stance of their Russian brothers." Assad's visit to Hmeimim is his first declared tour in the base, which has been run by the Russian forces since 2015 when they intervened to aid the Syrian government forces in face of the foreign-backed insurgency. The report said Assad toured the base and reviewed the modern military gears, including warplanes and armored carriers. Touring the site with Russian commanders, Assad also checked the latest Su-35 warplane. Photos of the president during his tour were also posted by the presidential media office. It's the latest in some high-profile visits Assad has recently made, starting with special prayers of the Eid al-Fitr feast in the central city of Hama, his first visit to the city since the beginning of the Syrian war six years ago. He also visited wounded soldiers in Hama, along with his wife and three children. But the visit to the Hmeimim base comes at a time when the White House warned there are "potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack" by the Syrian government forces and warned Assad that he would face a "heavy price" if one is carried out. The U.S. warplanes have also struck the Syrian army several times over the past two months when it was advancing toward Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) group, and the Iraqi borders. Russia repeatedly slammed the U.S. strikes amid reports that it equipped the Syrian army with high-tech military gears to defend itself against further attacks. The president's visit to the base apparently aims to showcase confidence and the strong alliance with Russia in the face of the U.S. threats. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 04:49:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WARSAW, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Poland and Azerbaijan jointly signed a series of documents on cooperation during Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Warsaw on Tuesday. Polish President Andrzej Duda together with his Azerbaijan counterpart also signed a joint declaration on a roadmap towards strategic partnership, political and economic cooperation between the two countries. Another important document was the memorandum on cooperation in transport and transport infrastructure, signed by the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction and the Ministry Maritime Economy and Inland Waterways with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan. Apart from it, representatives of both governments also signed bilateral agreements on defense and energy cooperation. "I am satisfied that we have signed these documents," said Polish President Duda during press conference, emphasizing that they aimed to intensify economic, scientific and political cooperation. Duda added that the economic potential of both countries is very large, however, trade between Poland and Azerbaijan was "very modest," compared with their possibilities. He expressed hope that the strong support of the countries' heads of state will bring good results in the future. Later same day, while inaugurating the Poland-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Warsaw, Duda stressed that Azerbaijan was a prospective market for Polish goods, services and investments. President Aliyev, on the other hand, said that Azerbaijan treated Poland as "a very friendly country whose significance and economic potential has been strengthening" and that Azerbaijan was interested in further development of bilateral relations. "Today we are again giving an impetus to bilateral relations," said Aliyev. Aliyev also stated that the signed declaration was an important document, as it dealt with all the key aspects of Polish-Azerbaijani relations, including politics, business, energy and transport. The President of Azerbaijan began his official visit to Warsaw on Tuesday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 06:00:34|Editor: Liangyu Ren Jianxin (C), chairman of ChemChina and chairman of the board of directors of Syngenta, Chen Hongbo (1st L), Chief Strategy Officer of ChemChina, Robert Lu (2nd L), vice-president of ChemChin, Michel Demare (2nd R), vice-chairman and lead independent director of Syngenta, and Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta, shake hands after a press conference at the Syngenta headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, June 27, 2017. World's agribusiness giant Syngenta and its new owner ChemChina unveiled new ambitions Tuesday, eyeing a place of top three in global seeds business by further expansion in emerging markets, especially China. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan) BASEL, Switzerland, June 27 (Xinhua) -- World's agribusiness giant Syngenta and its new owner ChemChina unveiled new ambitions Tuesday, eyeing a place of top three in global seeds business by further expansion in emerging markets, especially China. The company said it intends to profitably grow market share through organic growth and collaborations, and is considering targeted acquisitions with a focus on seeds. The goal is to strengthen Syngenta's leadership position in crop protection and to become an ambitious number three in seeds. For that end, further expansion in emerging markets, notably China, will be the key in the future. In 2016, the Asia-Pacific region only stood about 15 percent of Syngenta's annual sales, reaching 1.84 billion U.S. dollars, while the rest regions, North America, Latin America, as well as Europe, Africa and the Middle East, all contributed more than 3.2 billion U.S. dollars. In addition to market growth, increasing efforts in digital agriculture and ongoing investment in new technologies to increase crop yields, as well as reducing CO2 emissions and preserving water resources, will also play a major role in securing the company's leadership. Before the announcement, a general meeting of Syngenta shareholders elected Ren Jianxin, chairman of ChemChina, as chairman of the board of directors on Monday. But Syngenta's operational independence in the future under the governance of the existing management team has been reaffirmed. At Tuesday's press meeting, Ren said together with Syngenta's board and management and all its employees, "we will work for the benefit of growers and to enhance food security, and fight famine around the world, based on principles of technological leadership, environmental safety and sustainability." Vice Chairman and Lead Independent Director of Syngenta Michel Demare also reassured that growth is the focus behind the whole acquisition. "All our stakeholders are benefiting from this change of ownership," Demare said, referring that Syngenta will maintain the highest corporate governance standards as a standalone company, while sharing with ChemChina a common long-term vision of contributing to global food security. Earlier in June, Chinese state-owned chemical giant ChemChina announced the completion of a deal of 43 billion U.S. dollars to acquire Syngenta. ChemChina has purchased 94.7 percent of Syngenta's shares so far and will push forward the delisting of Syngenta from both Switzerland and the United States. In the future, ChemChina will implement a strategy to make Syngenta go public again with a view to realize long-term development and create greater value, the company said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 06:25:43|Editor: Yurou Liang Spanish designer and Flamenco dancer Rafael Amargo (C) cheers the crowd at the end of his show during the 080 Barcelona Fashion Week, in Barcelona, Spain, June 27, 2017. Spanish Flamenco dancer Rafael Amargo made his debut as fashion designer on Tuesday by presenting his first collection in 080 Barcelona Fashion Week. (Xinhua/Pau Barrena) BARCELONA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Flamenco dancer Rafael Amargo made his debut in Barcelona Fashion Week on Tuesday as designer. Based on strong colors, such as red, white, gold and black, Amargo presented his collection "ECLECTICO", which described by himself as "a dance between Athleisure fashion, chic trend and flamenco." The collection has a wide range from sweatshirts, jeans, tracksuits, swimwear, night wears, underwear to long evening dresses and tailored jackets. But comfort is an important characteristic of the collection. Rafael Amargo is among the 37 designers and brands, which are showing their collections this week until Friday. Barcelona Fashion Week is the most important fashion event in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 06:50:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that if the health care bill to repeal and replace Obamacare fails to pass in the Senate, he won't like it but "that's OK." He made the remarks shortly after Senate Republican decided earlier Tuesday to delay the voting until after the July 4 recess due to lack of enough supporting votes. "This will be great if we get it done and if we don't get it done it's going to be something that we're not going to like and that's OK and I can understand that." Trump told a gathering of Senate Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted Tuesday that the Republican effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare isn't dead, despite the Senate vote delaying. "No, no, we're continuing to talk about it. It's a very complicated subject. I remember how challenging it was for the Democrats," he told reporters, "We're still optimistic we're going to get there." With 52 seats, the Republican Party can only afford to lose two senators and still rely on Vice President Pence to break a tie. Pushback from several senators appeared too great to overcome this week, especially after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the Senate bill would increase the number of people without health insurance by 22 million by 2026. Earlier on Tuesday, four Republican senators said they would not support an initial vote on the bill, while five have said they couldn't support the bill without change on a final vote. The entire Democratic Party is expected to stand against the bill, which means the Republicans can only lose support of two lawmakers in the Senate. Before the budget office released its report on Monday, the American Medical Association officially announced its opposition to the bill, and the National Governors Association urged the Senate to slow down. Republicans have blasted Obamacare over the past eight years for various reasons, such as driving up the cost of healthcare and leaving consumers with fewer choices. Under Obamacare, those who do not purchase healthcare are levied a tax and many Americans have to pay high deductibles. In contrast, Democrats argue that Obamacare has helped some 20 million Americans now covered because of the law, while citing other benefits they believe have occurred, such as better preventive care. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua that the Republican Party is going to have to very carefully thread the needle between the concerns of moderate Republican senators and those who are very conservative on both healthcare policy and spending. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 07:01:00|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CHICAGO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Three Chicago police officers have been charged with covering up the fatal shooting of a black teenager three years ago, a special prosecutor announced on Tuesday. Chicago policeman Jason Van Dyke shot Laquan McDonald 16 times in October 2014. He was charged with murder in late 2015. The shooting led to large-scale demonstrations, especially after the police video was released. The three officers, either Van Dyke's work partner or police investigator, was accused of conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice, according to the indictment announced on Tuesday. "The indictment makes clear that these defendants did more than merely obey an unofficial code of silence, rather it alleges that they lied about what occurred to prevent independent criminal investigators from learning the truth," special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Holmes added the probe is continuing. Police dashcam video showed that Van Dyke shot the 17-year-old black teen 16 times as he walked away from police with a knife. The policeman's reaction triggered controversy and demonstrations. Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in November 2015 and is still waiting for trial. U.S. President DonaldTrump listens during joint statements with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (not in the picture) at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, June 26, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) WASHINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that if the health care bill to repeal and replace Obamacare fails to pass in the Senate, he won't like it but "that's OK." He made the remarks shortly after Senate Republican decided earlier Tuesday to delay the voting until after the July 4 recess due to lack of enough supporting votes. "This will be great if we get it done and if we don't get it done it's going to be something that we're not going to like and that's OK and I can understand that." Trump told a gathering of Senate Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted Tuesday that the Republican effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare isn't dead, despite the Senate vote delaying. "No, no, we're continuing to talk about it. It's a very complicated subject. I remember how challenging it was for the Democrats," he told reporters, "We're still optimistic we're going to get there." With 52 seats, the Republican Party can only afford to lose two senators and still rely on Vice President Pence to break a tie. Pushback from several senators appeared too great to overcome this week, especially after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the Senate bill would increase the number of people without health insurance by 22 million by 2026. Earlier on Tuesday, four Republican senators said they would not support an initial vote on the bill, while five have said they couldn't support the bill without change on a final vote. The entire Democratic Party is expected to stand against the bill, which means the Republicans can only lose support of two lawmakers in the Senate. Before the budget office released its report on Monday, the American Medical Association officially announced its opposition to the bill, and the National Governors Association urged the Senate to slow down. Republicans have blasted Obamacare over the past eight years for various reasons, such as driving up the cost of healthcare and leaving consumers with fewer choices. Under Obamacare, those who do not purchase healthcare are levied a tax and many Americans have to pay high deductibles. In contrast, Democrats argue that Obamacare has helped some 20 million Americans now covered because of the law, while citing other benefits they believe have occurred, such as better preventive care. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua that the Republican Party is going to have to very carefully thread the needle between the concerns of moderate Republican senators and those who are very conservative on both healthcare policy and spending. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 07:06:29|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close A photo of Zhang Yingying released by the police. CHICAGO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The FBI has located the vehicle related to missing Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying who was studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), according to local media ABC7. "The car was described as a black Saturn Astra four-door hatchback. The University of Illinois Police Department and FBI have received numerous leads regarding the vehicle, and we are announcing we have located the vehicle." the FBI said in a news release. But FBI refused to say where or when the car was found. "The Consulate General of The People's Republic of China in Chicago has been in close contact with UIUC, police department and FBI. Before the news was released, FBI Chicago field office already informed us of this," Yu Peng, Chinese Deputy Consul General in Chicago, said to Xinhua during an interview. The disappearance of 26-year-old Zhang has been labeled as kidnapping but police have not ruled out other scenarios. Surveillance video on June 9 showed her getting into the vehicle. While the car was found, Zhang was not, and the FBI is still asking for information. "We have developed several additional leads and would like to remind the public that this is still an active investigation," the FBI said in the news release. The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to 10,000 U.S. dollars for information leading to the location of Zhang. Besides, FBI and Crimestoppers promised to offer an additional 40,000 U.S. dollar reward for information leading to an arrest of any individual involved in the apparent kidnapping of Zhang. Zhang's father arrived at the UIUC with her aunt and boyfriend on June 17, hoping to find her. According to a UIUC spokesperson, the university has provided apartments for Zhang's family, and the Chinese Student Scholars Association is providing meals to them. A photo of Zhang Yingying released by the police. CHICAGO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The FBI has located the vehicle related to missing Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying who was studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), according to local media ABC7. "The car was described as a black Saturn Astra four-door hatchback. The University of Illinois Police Department and FBI have received numerous leads regarding the vehicle, and we are announcing we have located the vehicle." the FBI said in a news release. But FBI refused to say where or when the car was found. The disappearance of 26-year-old Zhang has been labeled as kidnapping but police have not ruled out other scenarios. Surveillance video on June 9 showed her getting into the vehicle. While the car was found, Zhang was not, and the FBI is still asking for information. "We have developed several additional leads and would like to remind the public that this is still an active investigation," the FBI said in the news release. The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to 10,000 U.S. dollars for information leading to the location of Zhang. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 07:26:36|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MINSK, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has set a goal for the next year or two to increase trade with Vietnam to 500 million U.S. dollars. While talking with visiting Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang on Tuesday, the Belarusian leader stressed a positive momentum in economic cooperation. Lukashenko said that Vietnamese companies could take a more active part in implementing projects in agriculture, industry, and tourism in Belarus. "We consider Vietnam as one of the key partners in Southeast Asia, which confirms the long-term cooperation, mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples," said Lukashenko. For his part, Tran Dai Quang noted that Belarus and Vietnam have a good basis for strengthening and expanding cooperation. After the official negotiations, the presidents of Belarus and Vietnam signed an agreement on the comprehensive and in-depth development of the partnership between the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 08:25:01|Editor: Liangyu Photo taken on June 26, 2017 shows a container cargo ship in Panama City, capital of Panama. A year after inaugurating the expanded Panama Canal, Panama is looking to consolidate its role as the "logistics hub of the Americas" with more infrastructure projects, said the waterway's top official on Monday. (Xinhua/Mauricio Valenzuela) Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 08:31:46|Editor: Yurou Liang Video Player Close BERLIN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Mainz have signed Alexandru Maxim from newly promoted league rivals Stuttgart, both Bundesliga clubs announced on Tuesday. The "Nuellfuenfer" strengthened their offense with the transfer of attacking midfielder Alexandru Maxim, who has put pen to paper on a four-year deal until June 2021. "Alexandru Maxim is a classic midfielder. He finds the open spaces and is dangerous near the goal area. He will enrich our squad. We are very pleased that he opted for Mainz," Mainz' sporting director Rouven Schroeder said. Maxim knows the Bundesliga business very well as he made overall 131 appearances for Stuttgart where he provided 35 assists and 17 goals since 2013. "I am delighted to be able to wear Mainz' jersey in the future. I am convinced that I have made the right decision," Maxim said. The 26-year-old midfielder is since 2012 part of Romania's national team where he scored two goals in 27 international caps. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 08:41:54|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CANBERRA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Australian Trade Minister Steven Ciobo attempts to sell his nation as the perfect investment destination when he visits the United States and Colombia this week. The minister's trip will include a short visit to major U.S. cities New York and Miami before he heads to Colombia to attend the 12th Presidential Summit of the Pacific Alliance, where he will discuss new trade opportunities with Latin America. In a statement released late Tuesday, Ciobo said as the U.S. was one of Australia's largest trading partners, inviting further investment and promoting Australia as a tourist destination was a key for the Malcolm Turnbull government. "Increasing Australia's trade through new export opportunities and attracting fresh investment will help create new Australian jobs and drive economic growth," Ciobo said. "In New York I will meet leading investment firms to encourage further investment in Australia and in Miami I will meet representatives from the international cruise industry to promote Australia as a tourist destination. "The United States is a key economic and trading partner for Australia. It is the largest investor in Australia and is Australia's largest investment destination, with two-way investment worth 1.48 trillion Australian dollars (1.12 trillion U.S. dollars) last year." Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 09:28:09|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday a police helicopter attacked the Supreme Court in Caracas, when he was speaking live on state television. Maduro claimed that weapons could be used to protect his socialist government, as opposition protests have been going on for three months. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 09:33:20|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close SOFIA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said Tuesday that the UN body will continue to support efforts by countries along the ancient Silk Road to revitalize the routes into a world-class network of tourist destinations. Speaking at a meeting gathering tourism regulators from Armenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Russia and Spain, UNWTO Executive Director Zhu Shanzhong said the Western Silk Road Development Initiative jointly put forward by these countries in April is a great success in putting the concept of the Western Silk Road on the tourism map. "We now move towards agreeing upon common initiatives capable of bringing this exciting project to life," he said. Meanwhile, in a video message to the meeting, the Second International UNWTO Western Silk Road Workshop, Eric Philippart, European Commission's special counselor responsible for the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year, said the EU hopes to attract more Chinese visitors. They should return home with great memories to share, Philippart said. The Western Silk Road Tourism Development Initiative aims to revitalize the Silk Road heritage located in the European region, from the Caspian Sea, around the Black Sea and along parts of the Mediterranean basin. The project is designed to strengthen and diversify the tourism offer of Western Silk Road destinations as well as to enhance regional cooperation and cross-border partnerships. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 09:38:25|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close ZAGREB, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Croatia was integrated into the Schengen Information System (SIS) on Tuesday, a step closer to becoming part of the Schengen Area. The Schengen information sharing system for security and border management contains valuable data for police and security forces, including details of more than 200,000 wanted persons, vehicles, documents and objects. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was briefed on the SIS at a police office in Bregana, a border crossing between Croatia and Slovenia, Croatian newspaper Vecernji List reported. Plenkovic said Croatia's integration into the SIS is one step taken in the inclusion of Croatia into the Schengen Area. "The fact that our services, the police and diplomatic representatives will be able to check information will increase the efficiency of the Croatian police and security services and thus give us more insight into everything that exists at the EU level," said the prime minister. Addressing complaints about traffic jams at border crossings, Plenkovic said there was no direct link between long waiting hours at border controls and recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, London, Manchester or Paris. "However, terrorism is a reality, and we need to have a very serious response...A country located at an important geopolitical position must enable good transport links to eastern Europe and easy entry of tourists into Croatia," he said. The Balkan country became an EU member in 2013, and is yet to meet all criteria for joining the Schengen Area, which encompasses most EU members, except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and Britain. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 11:35:12|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close SYDNEY, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Australia announced a huge drug bust on Wednesday, with over one ton of the amphetamine precursor ephedrine seized, and 12 people arrested. New South Wales (NSW) Police said they raided 26 properties early Wednesday after they discovered a shipping container at Port Botany filled with over one ton of ephedrine over the weekend, with a street value of over 500 million Australian dollars (380.16 U.S. million dollars). The Commissioner of the NSW Police Force, Mick Fuller, spoke to local media and said this was one of the biggest operations to have successfully taken place this year. "Over a million dollars in cash and firearms (were) seized, it's certainly the biggest operation we've had for this year in terms of really cutting off the head of the snake of organized crime," Fuller said. Authorities are expected to give further details at a press conference, scheduled for later on Wednesday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 11:50:16|Editor: ying Cambodian Prime Minister and President of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) Samdech Techo Hun Sen (R, front) releases doves during a ceremony marking the 66th anniversary of the CPP's founding in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 28, 2017. The CPP on Wednesday commemorated the 66th anniversary of its birth, vowing to continue maintaining hard-won peace and development. (Xinhua/Sovannara) PHNOM PENH, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) on Wednesday commemorated the 66th anniversary of its birth, vowing to continue maintaining hard-won peace and development. Addressing to about 50,000 party members in Phnom Penh, CPP's president and prime minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the party has scored numerous major and historic achievements for the nation over the past 66 years, and the party has ruled the country since 1979 and brought full peace to the nation in 1998. He said the hard-won peace is "the greatest and most invaluable achievement" and "the CPP resolutely defends peace and political stability that are essential conditions to guarantee peaceful life and sustainable development of our people." "We are resolutely against acts of coloring, insulting, twisting the truth, disdaining the CPP, which is an act of instigating national division, creating social upheaval, and, in the end, pushing the country into a new turmoil." Hun Sen said the CPP is determined to build and strengthen national defense and security foundation, to defend the constitutional monarchy and a political system of pluralistic liberal democracy, to strengthen rule of law, to guarantee justice for all, and to prevent all sorts of impunity and violence. Meanwhile, the prime minister predicted that the CPP would continue to win the senate election in January 2018 and the national election in July 2018 based on the party's brilliant victory in the commune election earlier this month. At the ceremony, Hun Sen also received bunches of flowers from CPP's allied political party representatives and foreign diplomats to Cambodia. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 11:55:18|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A 46-year-old Uber driver was charged on Tuesday with raping a female passenger at a North Hollywood motel, Southern California, while the 24-year-old woman was unconscious, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Alaric Spence faces up to 15 years to life in prison if convicted of one felony count each of kidnapping to commit rape, rape of an unconscious person and rape by use of drugs, according to the District Attorney's Office. Spence, who was arrested late Friday, has five prior drug-related felony convictions and had worked for Uber for the past six months, according to Los Angeles police. Investigators released images of Spence and his vehicle, a 2015 silver four-door Nissan Sentra. Police said that Spence picked up a 24-year-old woman in downtown Los Angeles last Friday and was supposed to drop her off in Hollywood, the police said. Spence drove her to a North Hollywood motel, where he allegedly raped her and left her there. The woman was intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the alleged attack, the prosecutor said. The woman may passed out in the back of his car while en route to Hollywood. Spence is suspected of driving the woman to the motel, renting a room and then carrying her from his car into the room, according to City News Service. The woman woke up alone, not knowing where she was or how she got there, and called police, Capt. William Hayes, commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division, said at a news conference Monday afternoon at LAPD headquarters. "To do something that brazen ... in my investigators' and my opinion ... we believe it is something he has done before ..." Hayes said. Uber issued a statement saying it is fully supporting the LAPD investigation and has banned the driver from the Uber app, according to Los Angeles Times. "No person should ever have to experience the violent act that's been reported to police," the company said. Early this year, the San Francisco-based ride-hailing service reached its goal of recruiting 12,000 new drivers in the greater Los Angeles area and the company is looking to hire 15,000 more. This is not the only sexual assault allegations to involve a driver for the ride-hailing service. Last September, Governor Jerry Brown of the U.S. state of California signed AB 1289 into law, which requires more comprehensive checks than before. Ride-hailing services should take a deeper look into their drivers' criminal histories under the law. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 11:55:22|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close NEW DELHI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday returned home after a four-day visit to Portugal, United States and Netherlands, foreign ministry officials said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached back to Delhi a short while ago after successful visit to Portugal, the United States and Netherlands," an official spokesman said. "He was received by External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj." Officials said during his visit, India signed 11 memorandum of understandings (MoUs) for cooperation with Portugal and three with the Netherlands. In the U.S., Modi and President Donald Trump reviewed bilateral relations. Modi had embarked on the tour on Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 12:15:32|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close DALIAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Despite twists and turns, China and the United States have developed sound economic and trade relations, forming an inseparable community of shared interests, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday. He made the remarks when meeting with world business leaders during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos, in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 12:20:37|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close YANGON, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 206 drug smugglers, including 36 females, have been arrested on the Myanmar-Thai border in the first half of this year, according to the Myanmar Police Force Wednesday. About 278,000 methamphetamine pills, 3.08 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 66.39 grams of marijuana, 80 grams of opium leaves, 20 grams opium power and other illicit drugs were seized from those suspected drug smugglers during the six-month period. The suspects have been taken actions under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Law, the sources said. On Monday, respective local authorities burned a total of 385 million U.S. dollars worth of illicit narcotic drugs in three areas, Yangon, Mandalay and Shan state-south's Taunggyi to mark the 30th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Altogether 1,323 kg of opium, 735 kg of heroin and 131.28 million tablets of stimulants were put on fire among other chemical precursors. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 12:20:38|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A nest with 19 eggs of the critically endangered Siamese crocodile was spotted in the Sre Ambel River in southwest Cambodia's Koh Kong province for the first time in six years, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) said in a statement on Wednesday. Conservationists from the Cambodian Fisheries Administration (FiA), WCS and local communities found the nest while searching for tracks, signs, and dung of wild crocodiles in the area. "This is the first Siamese crocodile nest recorded in six years of research and protection in the Sre Ambel River system," the statement said. Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as critically endangered because its global population is declining at alarming rate. This species lives only in Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, the statement said, adding that its global population is around 410 adult Siamese crocodiles, while between 100 and 300 wild adult Siamese crocodiles live in Cambodia, making it the most important country for the species. Siamese crocodile faces many threats to their survival. In Cambodia, threats include illegal hunting of adults and hatchlings and collecting of eggs to supply crocodile farms in Cambodia and Thailand, especially during the last two decades, it said. Other threats are degradation of habitats, decrease of natural food, low chance of breeding in the wild due to low number of individuals in the wild and weak law enforcement such as regulations on crocodile farming and trading, the statement added. "I am delighted to see this Siamese crocodile nest because previously we found only its tracks and dung. This is the first nest of Siamese crocodile found on the Sre Ambel in six years," said In Hul, FiA counterpart staff of WCS. "To avoid any threats, we moved the eggs to a safe place to hatch and track their progress," he added. The Sre Ambel River is also home to the rare royal turtle and Asian giant softshell turtle. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 13:51:09|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close DALIAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Despite twists and turns, Sino-U.S. economic and trade relations are sound, and the world's top two economies have formed an inseparable community of shared interests, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday. He made the remarks when meeting with world business leaders during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos, in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian. Bilateral trade has expanded from around 1 billion U.S. dollars, before diplomatic ties were established, to over 500 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, he noted. Stable China-U.S. relations not only benefit the people of both countries, but are also a boon for world peaceful development and cooperation, he said. "No matter how our domestic situation changes, we firmly believe that despite the twists and turns, we continue to move on," Li said. From Tuesday to Thursday, around 1,500 politicians, officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and media representatives from over 90 countries and regions will discuss topics spanning inclusive growth to the new industrial revolution at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos. Established by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2007, the summer forum is held each year in China, alternating between the port cities of Dalian and Tianjin. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 14:01:12|Editor: Yurou Liang Video Player Close LONDON, June 28 (Xinhua) -- London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced Tuesday that every school in London is to be offered knife detectors to enable students to be screened for hidden weapons. It forms one part of the biggest ever campaign in London against knife crime which so far this year has caused 24 people aged 25 or under stabbed to death on the streets of London. Just this week, London's Metropolitan Police (Met) have launched three separate murder investigations following stabbings in Canning Town, East Ham and Islington. The Met Tuesday revealed that during a week-long campaign, known as Operation Sceptre, 518 knives, 11 firearms and 50 offensive weapons were recovered in police operations. Police officers made a total of 622 arrests, including 180 for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon. Khan said, "No young Londoner should have to accept crime and violence as a way of life. We are working to provide them with the skills, the resources and the confidence they need to turn away from knives and lead the life they deserve in our city." The mayor has launched a new tough and comprehensive Knife Crime Strategy, with an additional 800,000 U.S. dollars for knife and gang crime projects. Total spending in his war on knives and gang crime was 9 million U.S. dollars. Measures in Khan's initiative include empowering communities with funds to do more to protect young people and spread the message that carrying a knife is more likely to ruin your life than to save it More prevention and police work will also be introduced to crack down on offenders and get dangerous weapons off London's streets. Khan's office said there will be more support for Met police officers to use more targeted, intelligence-led stop and search, with a call for London's communities to help provide the intelligence needed. "When incidents of knife crime increase, people should expect the use of stop and search to increase. 74 percent of Londoners, and 58 percent of young people said they support the use of stop and search to tackle knife crime in a recent survey," said a spokesman for the mayor's office. The mayor's office said that between 2014 and 2015, knife crime in London rose by 5 percent. In 2016 knife crime across England and Wales rose by 14 percent, compared to 11 percent in London. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 14:01:15|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close DALIAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday that China has helped reduce excessive capacity, contributing to a wider move by the international community. The capacity glut in some industries is the result of quantitative easing following the global financial crisis, and needs to be addressed by concerted efforts, Li said. He made the remarks when meeting with world business leaders during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos, in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian. China eliminated more than 65 million tonnes of steel production capacity and over 290 million tonnes of coal last year, beating government annual targets. China "has not passed the buck but taken the initiative" in cutting excessive capacity, Li said. This year, the country aims to slash steel production capacity by around 50 million tonnes and coal by at least 150 million tonnes. The capacity reduction is part of China's supply-side structural reform, which is part of efforts to upgrade the economy, said the premier. Apart from reducing overcapacity, China has reduced market thresholds and cut taxes and fees for businesses, Li noted. Thanks to those measures, the number of enterprises in China has doubled in the past four years to reach 27 million, with new technology and business types emerging, according to the premier. Established by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2007, the Summer Davos is held each year in China, alternating between the port cities of Dalian and Tianjin. From Tuesday to Thursday, around 1,500 politicians, officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and media representatives from over 90 countries and regions will discuss topics from inclusive growth to the new industrial revolution at the summer forum. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 14:01:17|Editor: Yurou Liang Video Player Close by Sylvia B. Zarate BOGOTA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The municipality of Mesetas in the department of Meta on Tuesday saw the final disarmament of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Colombia's former largest guerrilla group. This last handing over of weapons was supervised by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Supreme Commander of the FARC Rodrigo Londono, and head of the UN Mission in Colombia Jean Arnault. The UN team, with the task to ensure all weapons to be submitted, revealed during the ceremony that it had certified 7,132 individual weapons. Furthermore, Arnault revealed that 77 caches had been verified with ammunition, explosives and weaponry destroyed. The only weapons not surrendered by the FARC, as agreed, will serve to provide security at the 26 FARC transition camps until Aug. 1. Londono thanked the UN and countries that helped the peace process. "We have not failed Colombia. We have left our weapons today. The State has offered us in exchange to build a political party...(and) the tragedies experienced in the past cannot be repeated, as our country has learned from its pain," he said. President Santos thanked the international community, and especially FARC members, for deciding to end decades-long armed conflicts in the country. "Without weapons, without violence, we are no longer people fighting themselves. We are no longer a history of pain and death...we are one nation reaching to the future in the blessed cause of democracy," Santos said. Santos, who was awarded the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring peace to Colombia, reiterated that while he does not identify with the political and economic model espoused by the FARC, he would defend their right of free speech and to express their ideas within the democratic process. After his speech, Santos and Londono posed with the work "Cultivating Peace" by Colombian artist Alex Sastoque, which depicts an AK-47 rifle turned into a shovel. The event also saw the participation of ministers, representatives from guarantor countries, facilitators of the peace agreement signed between Colombian government and the FARC, and members of NGOs. The UN members, in charge of receiving and storing the weapons, explained how the work had been carried out and formally closed the doors of the containers, where the weapons will be kept until they are melted down to build three monuments to honor peace. The monuments will then be placed in Bogota and Havana, where the peace talks had been held for four years, and at the UN headquarters in New York. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 14:06:11|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close XIAMEN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A Boeing 787-9 left Xiamen in Fujian Province, east China, for Los Angeles, the United States, on Tuesday evening -- the first direct flight between the two cities. Xiamen Airlines will operate the 13-hour flight every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. "This new flight means more access to Xiamen from my hometown L.A., and more opportunities for me to come here to travel," said Francis Tercek, a passenger on the flight. She said in the past, she had to transit in Beijing or Shanghai. The new direct flight is not only cheaper, but it takes less time, she added. This is the third Xiamen Airlines flight linking Xiamen with cities in the U.S., L.A. follows flights to Seattle and New York. The airline also plans to start a L.A.-Qingdao-Xiamen flight this December. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 14:26:31|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The shutters will close permanently at Beijing's largest clothing wholesale market, known by many as Beijing Zoo wholesale market, by the end of 2017. The district government of Xicheng, Beijing, made the announcement as it called time on the 2,000-stall Wanrong mall in the zoo market late Monday. Wanrong mall will be occupied by finance and hi-tech firms, the government said. Built in the 1980s, the sprawling zoo market is loved by locals and outsiders alike for its expansive selection of sartorial products, many at rock-bottom prices. At its height, the market had a dozen malls like Wanrong, with thousands of tenants and as many as 70,000 visitors a day. The rise of e-commerce had taken its toll on business even before the closure. It was first announced in 2013 that the authorities intended to close the market, part of a wider push to upgrade Beijing urban functions. Low-end businesses will be moved outside the crowded capital. The district government said seven malls in the market have been shut so far. Officials said they will follow up on the promise to support vendors to relocate and underscored that their interests will be protected, and their businesses can grow. About 5,000 vendors have signed deals to move to malls in cities of Shijiazhuang, Cangzhou, and Tianjin, according to the government. Last year, Beijing relocated or repurposed 117 markets citywide. This year, another 120, which also include community food markets, will be moved or upgraded. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 14:56:27|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China have been held back from achieving their full potential by the hurdles they have had to navigate to obtain loans. Following lawmakers' second reading of a draft amendment to the law on the development of SMEs, which contribute the majority to the country's GDP and job creation, things are -- at last -- looking up. Panel discussions on the draft revision were held Tuesday on the last day of the bi-monthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. Generating about 60 percent of GDP and 80 percent of jobs, SMEs have emerged as important pillars that support both the economy and social stability, said Zhang Jingqiang, executive president of China Association of SMEs. "The revision is encouraging news for SMEs and will have a profound impact on the country's economic health," he added. The draft ordered authorities to set clear policies for tax preferences, ensure easy access to finance, lower the costs associated with establishing startups, as well as offer support for innovation and training. "An important highlight of the draft is that it specifies the leading government department for SME management," Zhang said. Currently, there is no designated leading department, meaning responsibilities are not defined and making it difficult to review the law's implementation, Zhang said. Amid a wider nationwide push to reduce taxes and charges, targeted measures designed to support SMEs will lighten the financial burdens carried by small companies, he added. The central government will reduce corporate costs by 1 trillion yuan (146 billion U.S. dollars) this year by slashing taxes and fees. Moreover, measures to streamline administrative approvals, delegate power and improve regulation and services have also been felt by companies. "At present, administrative efficiency is improving as is the policy environment, both good news for SMEs," said Zeng Ziyuan, founder of a Fujian-based sci-tech firm. However, SMEs are less competitive than large companies, thus, need tailored supporting policies, Zeng told Xinhua. Financing has always been a headache for small companies, including Beijing Petsknow Sci-Tech Co. Founder Gao Maoxiang said Petsknow had experienced the lack of well-functioning financing channels firsthand. "SMEs are unlikely to get bank loans under the current system, which mostly serves large companies. Private lending is not only expensive but also substandard," Gao said. Previously, financing support for SMEs has been included in documents and regulations, which lay down principles but are not operable, Zhang said. The draft, which is subject to further readings, included measures to regulate financing for small companies. However, the law should put more focus on small- and micro-sized companies, Wu Xiaoling, NPC Standing Committee member and former deputy governor of the central bank, suggested during a panel discussion. As 98 percent of companies are SMEs, it is impossible for policy banks to support all of them, Wu said. "We should focus on small and micro companies, which face the most difficulties." The UN General Assembly designated June 27 as "Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Day" starting this year. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 15:42:06|Editor: ying Video Player Close ANKARA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish army retaliated with artillery fire late Tuesday at the People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria after the Kurdish militia targeted Turkey-backed rebels, Turkish armed forces said on Wednesday. The move came after harassment fire by YPG elements at the Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels in the Maranaz area south of the town of Azaz, the army said in a statement. Turkish army in the region responded in kind and destroyed the YPG targets, said the statement. The YPG attacked the rebels in the area of "Euphrates Shield," where Turkey sent troops in August 2016 to support FSA fighters and liberated from the Islamic State (IS) group after months of clashes. Yet, west of the "Euphrates Shield" region in northern Syria is neighboring Afrin province which is under the control of Syrian Kurds that Ankara says linked to Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 15:52:10|Editor: ying Video Player Close HAVANA, June 27 (Xinhua)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met with his New Zealand's counterpart Gerry Brownlee here on Tuesday for talks on cementing bilateral ties and deepening economic and trade cooperations between their two countries. During the meeting, Rodriguez welcomed Brownlee who is on his first visit to Cuba to seek further cooperation in various areas such as biotechnology, agriculture and health. Rodriguez thanked New Zealand for its historic position against the economic blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for over half a century. "We would also like to recognize and thank the support of New Zealand for allowing Cuba to become an observer nation of the Pacific Islands Cooperation Forum," Rodriguez added. For his part, Brownlee said there are numerous areas to boost economic and trade cooperation for the two countries, vowing to work for a future agreement on agriculture and biotechnology, particularly anti-cancer products from Cuba, which could benefit New Zealand's population. "We recognize Cuba is a unique country that takes a lead and strong stance in Latin America, a part of the world we are keen to become closer to but we need to understand more about," said Brownlee. Cuba and New Zealand established diplomatic relations in 1999. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 15:52:17|Editor: ying Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Michel Temer on Tuesday made an official statement to defend himself against the accusations of corruption that had formally presented by the Chief Prosecution Office. A year in office amid the impeachment of his predecessor, President Temer has now become the first Brazilian president in history to be formally charged with criminal accusations. It was Temer's first statement since the charges were officially presented on Monday. The president called the accusations as fragile and a work of fiction, saying that he has been a victim of "infamy." He accused Chief Prosecutor Rodrigo Janot of attempts to "paralyze the country." Temer was caught on tape in a compromising conversation with Joesley Batista, head of meatpacking giant JBS. Batista recorded the conversation, which took place at Temer's official residence, and presented the evidence to the Federal Police. By recording the president and other politicians, Batista managed to wrangle a leniency deal, which left him free, by paying a considerably low fine, given his company's profits. Temer called Batista a criminal, saying that the evidence Batista presented was illicitly obtained. When the tape first came up, the president said the recording was adulterated. But forensic analysis carried out by the Federal Police confirmed its authenticity. According to Temer, the charges are of a political nature. "Now that we are putting the country back on track, we are victims of this infamy of a political nature," he said. "I was denounced for bribe-taking, without ever having received anything. I never saw any money and I did not participate in any dealings to commit crimes. Where is the concrete proof of my bribe-taking? It does not exist." "This is a plot worthy of a soap opera. I say these charges are a work of fiction," he added. Both the Federal Police and the Prosecution Office stated that the evidence against President Temer was "abundant," but Temer insisted that the charges were unfounded and denied any wrongdoing. "I am proud of being president. It is an extraordinary thing. It is something (that) touches for me. I do not know how God put me here," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 15:57:20|Editor: MJ U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad (L) speaks to the media at his residence in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The new U.S Ambassador to China Terry Branstad on Wednesday pledged to work with the Chinese side for the benefit of people of both countries as well as the rest of the world. "We recognize it is an important relationship between the two greatest economic powers in the world," Branstad told reporters one day after his arrival in Beijing. Branstad said the two sides need to work together to deal with some pressing issues, such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. The ambassador also hopes to expand trade "that will continue to increase economic opportunities for the people of China, as well as the people of the U.S." Branstad said he looks forward to more trade of agricultural produce between the two countries. Branstad and his family arrived in Beijing Tuesday morning. "During the time that I'm ambassador, it's my goal to get to every province in China and to meet people from all of this great country," he said. As President Trump is scheduled for a state visit to China later this year, Branstad said he wants to play an important role in helping to make arrangements. "We're looking forward to being an important emissary working between President Xi and President Trump. I think their first meeting in Mar-a-Lago went over very well," said the ambassador. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 16:07:32|Editor: ying Video Player Close CANBERRA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Three people have been confirmed dead in South Australia after a light plane crashed just outside the regional city of Mount Gambier on Wednesday morning. The plane, identified by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) as a TB10 Tobago, crashed into a paddock just outside the regional center at around 10:30 a.m. South Australian time. Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon, South Australia Police superintendent Grant Moyle said while there was "no fire at the site," the morning had been "foggy, cold and wet" and may have contributed to the crash which he said occurred just after takeoff. He added that there were no witnesses to the crash. "I understand there were some people who saw the plane before it took off, but no one, we understand, saw the crash itself," Moyle said. Earlier, local police confirmed in a statement that "there were fatalities" but "no survivors," while initial reports from local media said three people had died in the crash while one person had been taken to hospital. It has since been confirmed that the pilot and two passengers, all of whom died in the crash, were the only people on board. Following the crash, the ATSB said investigators from Canberra had been dispatched to the location to assess the crash site. "The team will be examining the site and wreckage, gathering any recorded data and interviewing any witnesses," a statement from the ATSB said. The light aircraft as built in 1992 and, according to Moyle, took off from Mount Gambier's airport "sometime after 10 a.m. local time." It was scheduled to arrive at Adelaide International Airport at about 11:30 a.m. local time before continuing on to the small town of Murray Bridge. Police were alerted to the crash at 10:24 a.m. local time. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 16:17:41|Editor: ying Video Player Close NEW DELHI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Indo-U.S. relations touched new heights following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, the latter's first working dinner with a head of government since taking over in January this year. President Trump addressed India as a "true friend," cementing ties that had deepened during President Obama's regime with substantial contributions by his predecessors, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. While the meeting had been pegged as a "get to know each other" one by diplomats from both sides, there were a lot of key takeaways for the two countries in the visit. It is being seen incredible by experts keeping in mind the fact that New Delhi and Washington had a face-off earlier this month after President Trump rejected the Paris Agreement on climate change, accusing India of demanding money in exchange of implementing the pact. With his "low on expectations" visit to the White House, Modi succeeded in winning endorsement of the U.S. on some vital areas of interest for India. The most important of these was a joint agreement by both countries to fight terror globally and what is being allegedly penetrated on Pakistan's soil. The two leaders vowed to ensure strong cooperation on terrorism. President Trump also issued a message to Pakistan to "expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups." Before this, the United States declared terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist which India had long been seeking. "This clearly sends out a strong message to perpetrators of terrorism across the globe, especially in Pakistan and neighboring countries. There were no inhibitions from either side on the language used on cross-border terrorism," said Prof Ajay Sharma, a Delhi-based expert. "It is a significant achievement that the two countries reached a decision on terror and to destroy what was mentioned as radical ideologies. With the attacks in the UK and rise of the Islamic State, India and the U.S. have to be key partners in ensuring safety of the global order," said Jishan Shah, another political expert. "Both Modi and Trump are known to be very strong administrators when it comes to terror and an agreement on this has kind of eased Indo-U.S. relations on other strategic issues," he said. Besides terrorism, trade and economy also featured majorly in the meeting. Before meeting the U.S. president, Modi held a private talk with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and pledged to cooperate deeply in matters of defense and security. To cement this, the United States cleared the sale of predator Guardian drones to India in the wake of similar security interests across borders and sea, a first by a non-NATO country. "It's a clear sign of a partnership that the U.S. is trying to maintain with India. Since President Trump took over, American foreign policy has struggled. But he spoke of long-term trade relations with India, like the latter buying passenger aircraft and natural gas. This shows that both India and the U.S. are working as a coalition of sorts," Shah added. On his part, Modi displayed pragmatism in the meeting by putting "America first" rather than push for his "Make in India" initiative and did not touch on issues of contention like the climate pact or the H1B visa issues on which the Trump administration has made its conservative stance clear. This was a clear effort to break the ice with a government that is playing by its own rulebooks -- the move seemed to have worked well for India, especially since President Trump spoke of cuts in trade deficit and boost for Indian service exports, said experts. "Indo-U.S. trade is historically and strategically very important not just for the two countries but the world. The trade between the two countries went up to 115 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 and to take it to 500 billion U.S. dollars is one of the targets of the Indian government. Even if we want to be realistic, the trade can easily touch 300 billion to 400 billion U.S. dollars in the coming five to 10 years," said Manek Singh, a business analyst based in Delhi. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 16:22:48|Editor: MJ Video Player Close HONG KONG, June 28 (Xinhua) -- In a 1995 cover story, prior to Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, Fortune magazine, among a lot of similar hullabaloo, predicted that the handover would bring about the eventual demise of the city. Defying the prophets of doom, Hong Kong, as a special administrative region of China, remains one of the most dynamic cities in the world 20 years after its return from the British rule. Over the past two decades, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has emerged stronger out of the challenges of the Asian and global financial crises and the SARS outbreak. It has remained a center of international finance, shipping and trade, and has been widely recognized as one of the world's freest and most competitive economies. The rule of law and freedom are still respected. The city's success is down to much more than a little luck. During the last 20 years, "one country, two systems" has proven not only to be the best solution to the Hong Kong question left over from history, but also the best institutional arrangement for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability since its return, said Chinese President Xi Jinping. The "one country, two systems" formula has charted Hong Kong's 1997 return to China and its ensuing prosperity for the past 20 years. Under the formula, the HKSAR retains its previous capitalist system, is a separate customs territory, adopts its own economic and social policies, and is authorized to conduct relevant external affairs commensurate with its status. "The unique form of governance in the HKSAR has been largely successful," said Kurt Tong, U.S. consul general to the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. The "one country, two systems" framework "allows Hong Kong to be special and different while still being part of China," Tong said, adding that the people of Hong Kong are "prosperous" due to Hong Kong's "specialness." A CONCEPT MADE CONCRETE Sze Chi Ching and his four sons have never regretted staying in Hong Kong around 1997 when many people left. Sze was already a successful entrepreneur when the governments of China and Britain signed the Joint Declaration in 1984, confirming that the government of the People's Republic of China would resume its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from July 1, 1997. "Is there any place in the world freer than Hong Kong? No. Hong Kong is a very lovely place in terms of political, economic and living environment," Sze said. In the early 1980s, late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping put forward the concept of "one country, two systems" in an effort to realize the peaceful reunification of China. This design, described by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as "an ingenious idea," was first used to solve the question of Hong Kong. According to Deng Xiaoping, "one country, two systems" means there is only one China and under this premise the mainland adheres to the socialist system while Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan may retain their capitalist systems over a long time to come. "People were not optimistic about the concept when it was first proposed," said Cheung Chi-kong, executive director of the Hong Kong-based One Country Two Systems Research Institute. "Such a pioneering initiative of the coexistence of socialism and capitalism in one country has no precedent in any country." In the past 20 years, Hong Kong has turned "one country, two systems" from a concept into a reality. The city's previous capitalist system, economy and way of life have remained as unchanged as possible, and the laws remain basically the same. Horse racing, ballroom dancing and stock exchanges, the three "remarkable capitalist characteristics" pledged to be retained for at least 50 years, all do brisk business as ever in Hong Kong. Hong Kong people flock to race courses in Happy Valley or Sha Tin on Wednesday nights and at weekends as they did before the handover, or hang out in Lan Kwai Fong, a hot spot of Hong Kong's nightlife. The capitalization of the Hong Kong securities market had reached about 3 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of 2016, ranking the fourth in Asia and the seventh globally, with the fund raised through IPOs in 2016 topping the world again, surpassing that in New York and London. As provided for in the Basic Law, HKSAR has a high degree of autonomy and enjoys executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Figures released by the World Bank show political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, control of corruption, and accountability in Hong Kong are far higher than those before 1997. In particular, Hong Kong's indicator of the rule of law, a core value of Hong Kong society, has jumped from behind 60th in the world in 1996 to the 11th place in 2015, ahead of some major Western countries. It was rated the most competitive among 63 economies, followed by Switzerland, Singapore and the United States, the second year in a row to occupy the top spot, according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2017. For Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, who came to Hong Kong at the age of 11 and started doing business in 1950, "one country, two systems" not only ensured the stability of Hong Kong, but created time and space for its people and businesses to evolve with a stable social foundation and structure. The 88-year-old billionaire, in the capacity of Chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Property Holdings, witnessed first-hand Hong Kong's journey into a new era. "One country, two systems" gives Hong Kong "front row seats" in development, helping it participate in national development plans, Li said. (more) Farmers pick fresh tea leaves at a tea plantation on the outskirts of Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Sept. 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui) NAIROBI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and China are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on tea trade in July, a Kenyan official said on Tuesday. Head of the Tea Directorate Samuel Ogola told Xinhua in Nairobi that under the agreement Kenya tea's industry will receive training on how to process tea that will appeal to Chinese consumers. "Kenya has high quality tea but we lack expertise in high quality processing. So the training will help Kenya to penetrate the huge Chinese tea market," Ogola said on the sidelines of the MOU signing agreement between the Export Promotion Council and Tea Directorate. Ogola said that China has a rich tea growing culture that spans over 3,000 years, which Kenya can borrow to expand its tea sector. The agreement will be signed in China by Kenya's Ambassador to China and the China Tea Marketing Association. Currently, Kenya exports between 4 and 5 million kilograms of tea annually to China out of a production of approximately 472 million kilograms. Kenya has been facing technical barrier to access the Asian nation due to standards. "Chinese standards are a bit too high for Kenya in terms of the rare earth metals that are present on Kenyan soils where there is tea cultivation," he said. He noted that Kenya has held discussions with China, so that Chinese standards can be relaxed so as to allow Kenyan tea exports. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 17:03:32|Editor: MJ Video Player Close Photo taken on June 27, 2017 shows the Golden Bauhinia statue in Hong Kong, south China. July 1, 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. (Xinhua/Hou Dongtao) HONG KONG, June 28 (Xinhua) -- In a 1995 cover story, prior to Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, Fortune magazine, among a lot of similar hullabaloo, predicted that the handover would bring about the eventual demise of the city. Defying the prophets of doom, Hong Kong, as a special administrative region of China, remains one of the most dynamic cities in the world 20 years after its return from the British rule. Over the past two decades, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has emerged stronger out of the challenges of the Asian and global financial crises and the SARS outbreak. It has remained a center of international finance, shipping and trade, and has been widely recognized as one of the world's freest and most competitive economies. The rule of law and freedom are still respected. The city's success is down to much more than a little luck. During the last 20 years, "one country, two systems" has proven not only to be the best solution to the Hong Kong question left over from history, but also the best institutional arrangement for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability since its return, said Chinese President Xi Jinping. The "one country, two systems" formula has charted Hong Kong's 1997 return to China and its ensuing prosperity for the past 20 years. Under the formula, the HKSAR retains its previous capitalist system, is a separate customs territory, adopts its own economic and social policies, and is authorized to conduct relevant external affairs commensurate with its status. "The unique form of governance in the HKSAR has been largely successful," said Kurt Tong, U.S. consul general to the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. The "one country, two systems" framework "allows Hong Kong to be special and different while still being part of China," Tong said, adding that the people of Hong Kong are "prosperous" due to Hong Kong's "specialness." A CONCEPT MADE CONCRETE Sze Chi Ching and his four sons have never regretted staying in Hong Kong around 1997 when many people left. Sze was already a successful entrepreneur when the governments of China and Britain signed the Joint Declaration in 1984, confirming that the government of the People's Republic of China would resume its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from July 1, 1997. "Is there any place in the world freer than Hong Kong? No. Hong Kong is a very lovely place in terms of political, economic and living environment," Sze said. In the early 1980s, late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping put forward the concept of "one country, two systems" in an effort to realize the peaceful reunification of China. This design, described by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as "an ingenious idea," was first used to solve the question of Hong Kong. According to Deng Xiaoping, "one country, two systems" means there is only one China and under this premise the mainland adheres to the socialist system while Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan may retain their capitalist systems over a long time to come. "People were not optimistic about the concept when it was first proposed," said Cheung Chi-kong, executive director of the Hong Kong-based One Country Two Systems Research Institute. "Such a pioneering initiative of the coexistence of socialism and capitalism in one country has no precedent in any country." In the past 20 years, Hong Kong has turned "one country, two systems" from a concept into a reality. The city's previous capitalist system, economy and way of life have remained as unchanged as possible, and the laws remain basically the same. Horse racing, ballroom dancing and stock exchanges, the three "remarkable capitalist characteristics" pledged to be retained for at least 50 years, all do brisk business as ever in Hong Kong. Hong Kong people flock to race courses in Happy Valley or Sha Tin on Wednesday nights and at weekends as they did before the handover, or hang out in Lan Kwai Fong, a hot spot of Hong Kong's nightlife. The capitalization of the Hong Kong securities market had reached about 3 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of 2016, ranking the fourth in Asia and the seventh globally, with the fund raised through IPOs in 2016 topping the world again, surpassing that in New York and London. As provided for in the Basic Law, HKSAR has a high degree of autonomy and enjoys executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Figures released by the World Bank show political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, control of corruption, and accountability in Hong Kong are far higher than those before 1997. In particular, Hong Kong's indicator of the rule of law, a core value of Hong Kong society, has jumped from behind 60th in the world in 1996 to the 11th place in 2015, ahead of some major Western countries. It was rated the most competitive among 63 economies, followed by Switzerland, Singapore and the United States, the second year in a row to occupy the top spot, according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2017. For Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, who came to Hong Kong at the age of 11 and started doing business in 1950, "one country, two systems" not only ensured the stability of Hong Kong, but created time and space for its people and businesses to evolve with a stable social foundation and structure. The 88-year-old billionaire, in the capacity of Chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Property Holdings, witnessed first-hand Hong Kong's journey into a new era. "One country, two systems" gives Hong Kong "front row seats" in development, helping it participate in national development plans, Li said. EXPANDED DEMOCRACY Democracy, but a mirage during Britain's 150 years of rule, has been greatly expanded. Successive Hong Kong governors were appointed by Britain rather than elected by Hong Kong citizens. It was not until Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 that such political rights were granted to Hong Kong citizens. The Basic Law, the HKSAR's mini-constitution, gives universal suffrage as the ultimate goal. The election of the Chief Executive has become increasingly democratic. Candidates for the first Chief Executive were elected by a 400-member Selection Committee, while candidates for the second to fifth-term chief executives were elected by an election committee, which has grown from 800 to 1,200 members. In 2015, however, a motion to secure universal suffrage for the 2017 Chief Executive election was blocked by some lawmakers. In the meantime, the election of the Legislative Council is becoming more and more direct. The first Legislative Council formed in 1998 had 20 members elected directly by geographical constituencies, 30 members by functional constituencies, and 10 members by the Election Committee. Starting from 2004, the third and fourth Legislative Councils both had 30 members elected directly by geographical constituencies, and 30 members by functional constituencies. In 2012, the members of the fifth Legislative Council expanded from 60 to 70. LAND OF OPTIMISM Hong Kong "can be very proud of itself" for its achievements during the past 20 years, said Eric Berti, consul general of France in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. France has about 800 companies in Hong Kong. There is a growing French community, which has doubled to over 20,000 people since 2008, according to Berti. "It shows the attraction of Hong Kong," he said. "For foreign companies, especially French companies, it is very important to be able to settle here for the wide Chinese market." As perhaps the most international metropolis in China, Hong Kong is a "super-connector" between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world in terms of trade and investment. Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Ltd., has been in Hong Kong for nearly five decades. Lan Kwai Fong Group in recent years has expanded into cities across the Chinese mainland, including Chengdu, Shanghai and Wuxi, enriching the local nightlife. "We are quite optimistic about the Chinese consumers' spending power, and we will continue to reach out to the mainland," he said. Zeman said famous brands that are "Made in Hong Kong" such as Lan Kwai Fong and the Ocean Park can explore the opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Both the Belt and Road and the Greater Bay Area are perceived as new impetus for Hong Kong's development. The Greater Bay Area will include the two SARs and nine cities in Guangdong Province, namely Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai. According to the central government's annual work report in 2017, China is planning to develop a city cluster in the Greater Bay Area, playing to the distinctive strengths of Hong Kong and Macao, and elevating their positions and roles in the mainland's development and opening up. Stressing the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative to Hong Kong, Leung said Hong Kong's enterprises could "take the same boat" as their mainland partners to seek business opportunities in the countries and regions involved in the initiative. Twenty years may not be very long in the history of China, but it is long enough for a newborn to grow into an adult. Hong Kong still faces some deeply rooted problems -- high property prices, a yawning wealth gap, and social immobility. When introducing to the media her governing team on June 21, the HKSAR's incoming Chief Executive Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor pledged to serve the people with pragmatism and build a better Hong Kong for the next generation. "My team and I will strive to rebuild social harmony, enhance public confidence in the government and ensure that the government will better align its work with public aspirations," Lam said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 17:23:34|Editor: ying Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli said Tuesday plans were afoot to develop a 2,100-megawatt hydro-power project in the Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in Africa. The Stiegler's Gorge dam is planned to be located in the Selous Game Reserve, which was named a World Heritage Site in 1982 and is home to one of the greatest concentrations of African elephants on the continent. President Magufuli held talks with hydro-power generation experts to see how the Stiegler's Gorge power project could be hastened, said a statement by the east African nation's Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House. "The electricity to be generated from the Stiegler's Gorge will help push the country's industrialization drive," said the statement. Magufuli said the Ethiopian government will send a high-level delegation of experts who constructed the Ethiopian hydropower dam to Tanzania to exchange ideas. Ethiopia has constructed a 4.1-billion-U.S.-dollar Grand Renaissance Dam along the Nile River with capacity to produce 6,000 megawatts. Conservationists have expressed worries that the hydro-power project and gas and mining projects planned near the reserve were likely to affect its biodiversity. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) placed the Selous Game Reserve on the World Heritage in Danger List after the government planned to undertake the projects. A team of experts from UNESCO and IUCN who inspected the reserve in February said the reserve would be retained on the Danger List of World Heritage Sites until the government reviewed its laws on exploration and mining. UNESCO has expressed concerns about the potentially harmful industrial activities threatening the reserve, including uranium mining, oil and gas exploration, and dam construction. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 17:33:48|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Only by giving up on "Taiwan independence" can the current administration of Taiwan genuinely enhance cross-Strait relations, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday. Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press briefing when answering media questions. Ma reiterated the significance of the 1992 Consensus, which stresses that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, and that the fundamental nature of mainland-Taiwan relations is not a state-to-state relationship. The fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China has never changed and will never change, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China is a line that cannot be crossed, he noted. Based on the one-China principle, China has always upheld that the two sides could seek solutions to political differences through equal negotiations, Ma said. Taiwanese mainstream, he said, was in favor of opposing "Taiwan independence" and championing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. A healthy, stable and win-win cross-Strait relationship is crucial to the economic development and social stability of the island, Ma continued. The DPP would be well advised to understand the situation and make an informed choice, he said. The mainland also firmly opposes attempts by any countries that have diplomatic relations with China to develop military bonds with or sell weapons to Taiwan, Ma stated. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 18:19:19|Editor: ying Video Player Close GAZA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, began to build up a no-go security zone on the borders between the coastal enclave and Egypt, a senior Hamas security official said Wednesday. Gaza security chief Tawfiq Abu N'iem told reporters that the aim of building up the security zone on the borders with Egypt "is to control the borderline area and boost security on the southern borders with Egypt." "The plan includes leveling a 12-kilometer area close to the borderline with Egypt, placing lookout towers and cameras and lightening the who area," said Abu N'iem, adding that "these measures are part of an agreement reached with Egypt." Egypt complained that the borders with Gaza aren't ensured after thousands of tunnels were dug underneath the borderline area. Hamas said the aim of digging tunnels was to defy a tight Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza for ten years. Abu N'eim said the no-go security zone will be 12 kilometer long and 100 meter wide on the borders into Gaza territories. He added that the aim of building up the no-go security zone "is to prevent smuggling drugs and infiltration of people from and to Egypt." Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 18:24:25|Editor: ying Video Player Close MOGADISHU, June 28 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of cholera/acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) in Somalia has killed 795 people since January, the UN humanitarian agency said on Wednesday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest bulletin that there was a 19-percent decrease in the number of new cases in the first week of June, which can be attributed to timely and effective intervention efforts over the past months. The UN which also cites figures from the ministry of health of Somalia reported 1979 AWD/cholera cases and 13 deaths between June 12-18. Of these, 337 cases were reported from Wadajir district in Banadir region. "A cumulative total of 53,015 cases including 795 deaths have been reported since the cholera outbreak started in January 2017. The case-fatality rate of 1.5 percent remains above the emergency threshold of 1 percent," the UN said. Of the reported cases, 53 percent affected children under five with most of the cases being reported in Wadajir in Banadir region, Harfo in Mudug, Dusamareb in Galgadud and Markka in Lower Shebelle region. The report said the health cluster, led by World Health Organization (WHO), is working collaboratively with the ministry of health, partners and health authorities to respond to the outbreak. The UN said lack of rains for consecutive seasons and poor rainfall in Somalia have led to a severe drought that has killed livestock and crops and displaced hundreds of thousands of Somalis, leaving around 6.7 out of 12.3 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. According to the report, nearly 5.5 million people are at risk of contracting water-borne diseases like cholera. Cholera is a gastrointestinal disease, usually spread by contaminated water and food, and can cause severe diarrhea that, in extreme cases, can lead to fatal dehydration and kidney failure within hours. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 18:49:42|Editor: MJ Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Wednesday emphasized the Party's authority over higher education institutes. The meeting, presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, was held to review a report on the Party's inspection of 31 major universitates. Higher education should be a nurturing environment for the inheritors of the socialist cause and support the development of Marxism, according to a statement released after the meeting. Inspectors have carried out "thorough political examinations" of 31 major universities, including Peking University and Tsinghua University. The inspection confirmed that the Party's leadership had been strengthened at the universities and the experience had improved Party governance while maintaining the high standards of education at the institutes, said the statement. In order to better manage socialist higher education with Chinese characteristics, universities must not err from the Party line, according to the statement. It stressed that Party committees of institutes of higher education should continue to implement the Party's education policies and uphold the authority and the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee. The institutions were told to improve the campus, faculty and student environment and to promote Party building to enable Party organizations and Party members to better play a pioneering role, it said. It also called for strict intra-Party political life. Over the last five years, the inspection system has promoted the institutionalization of intra-Party supervision, it said. The central authorities will review the inspection work during the term of the 18th CPC Central Committee, improve the system and expand the scope of inspections, according to the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 18:49:44|Editor: ying Video Player Close by Julius Gale JUBA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Experts have called on the international community to change their mediation strategy in war-torn South Sudan and adapt a new approach that accommodates all armed groups and aggrieved local communities instead of just dealing with two warring factions. Speaking during a forum for peace and dialogue in Juba on Wednesday, the experts said the South Sudan conflict have evolved into ethnic divisions and inter-communal violence characterized by emergence of new rebel groups, as such demands a multi-stakeholder peacemaking strategy. William Ongoro, specialist in conflict resolution and mediation, said the 2015 peace agreement and a national dialogue initiative announced by the country's leader late last year may not necessarily solve South Sudan's problems if grassroots grievances and conflicts are left unresolved. "You can't resolve a problem when you are only dealing with the elites or the political leadership," Ongoro told the forum organized by the Institute for Development of Civil Society (IDCS). "You need to merge the political leadership with community leaders in the grassroots level because the grassroots also have problems that must be addressed through peace building," Ongoro added. The forum focuses on challenges facing peace building in South Sudan, efforts to combat ethnic polarization and stereotypes. It also aims to improve understanding among civil society leaders, academicians and government officials. Ongoro said all peace building initiatives should focus on constructive engagement with rural communities to address issues such as land wrangles, inter-communal conflicts and power struggle. He added that without strengthening peace building, social justice, institutional reforms and accountability, the war-torn country may find it hard to end the ongoing political, social and economic crisis. South Sudan has been embroiled in more than three years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the locals since 2013. A peace pact was signed in Addis Ababa in 2015 under intense international pressure but was shattered following renewed violence between rival government and opposition troops in the capital Juba in July 2016. The conflict has since spread to other regions that enjoyed relative peace, causing mass displacement of least 3.5 million people from their homes, ethnic polarization and tribal violence that has killed tens of thousands of people. Leaders of the regional bloc, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), earlier this month urged South Sudan's warring parties to fully adhere to their commitments and implement the agreement. James Okuk, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Juba, warned that the ongoing political and social crisis may disintegrate the East African nation if nothing is done to end the current situation. "If you we don't change from the current situation now. My first prediction is that the country may disintegrate and South Sudan will disappear. But we still have the opportunity to stop the war and go for peace and development," Okuk said. He called on the international to devise tough measures to push the main warring parties to cease hostilities and adhere to the provisions of the 2015 peace pact. The expert called for enhancement of peace education, constitutional democratic leadership and knowledge mobilization to transform citizen's relationships and attitudes to avoid and discourage use of violence to solve grievances. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 19:05:03|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close MADRID, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez ruled out the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the club over the summer in a radio interview he gave on Tuesday night. Speaking on ESRadio, Perez was questioned about the player, whose future at the club has been thrown in doubt after he was accused of a tax fraud of almost 15 million euros. That has started rumors that Ronaldo wants to leave Spain because he is angry at the accusation, with Manchester United, Paris Saint Germain or China given as possible destinations. "Cristiano has a contract with Real Madrid... All we have to do is wait and we will talk with him after the Confederations Cup (which Ronaldo is currently participating in with Portugal in Russia)," said Perez. "We are delighted that he is at Madrid and I think Cristiano is going to continue and there is no need to worry more than necessary," continued the Madrid President. Perez also ruled out that the rumors had come about to try and get Ronaldo an improved contract, despite only recently extending his agreement with the club. "He has never done that for a new contract. He has been at the club for eight years and he has had an exemplary behavior," explained Perez, who concluded by saying he would not "contemplate the hypothesis," that Ronaldo could leave. "He is the best player we have, the best in the world and he has a contract... He is not greedy, he is only angry because the treatment he has been given doesn't correspond to what he represents," concluded the Madrid President. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 19:25:07|Editor: ying Video Player Close by Mahmoud Darwesh TRIPOLI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Following IS loss of a large number of leaders and individuals in the decline of its forces, the possibility of movements in Libya began to surface again, said a senior Libyan official Wednesday. Libya is still suffering political division, which showed no signs of improving, with the growing influence of human and weapons smuggling networks, said Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, a member of the Media Center for the unity government's forces. The country remains an important target for IS, especially since the implementation of political agreement has been delayed. The Libyan parties still refuse to amend the agreement and end the stalemate, of which affect is increasing day after day, he told Xinhua. Therefore, the conditions are still favorable to the organization to move again, despite the losses it suffered in the east and west of the country, he added. The Libyan army led by Major General Khalifa Hafer managed to take control of the east and south of the country, with the exception of some enclaves. The army expelled terrorist groups, particularly IS and Ansar Al-Sharia and their allied militias. In December 2016, forces UN-backed unity government managed to liberate the city of Sirte, 450 kilometers east of Tripoli, from IS's grip. Speaking about Sirte, Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, a member of the Media Center for the unity government's forces, offers possible explanations for the possibility of IS's movement. "However, that does not mean that the organization is not trying to move again, especially as the remnants are still moving on the outskirts of Sirte, as revealed by an IS member who were arrested recently," he said. "When an IS member was arrested, his group stole fuel tankers heading from Misrata to Jafra in the past few days. He admitted that the organization was still moving in groups in areas stretching from Sirte to Jafra and even Bani Walid, al-Baghdadi told Xinhua. As for theories related to the recent attacks in Europe by IS in Libya, a high-level security source in the Interior Ministry of the UN-backed government confirmed that there is a link between IS European cells and IS Libyan cells. "The attacks on Britain and European cities recently have links between their perpetrators and a number of militant leaders in Libya," the source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told Xinhua. "It is expected that there will be financial and logistical support, including advice, on the manufacture of homemade bombs and explosives to avoid the transboundary movement of any material," the source added. "There are intensive investigations carried out by the Special Deterrent Force in Libya with a number of arrested suspects, including the brother of the Manchester attack. The investigations showed intention of the organization to carry out attacks inside Libya and in Western and Arab capitals. This reflects the relationship between IS in Libya and other branches in foreign countries." The British city of Manchester suffered a bloody attack last month when the 23-year-old Libyan suicide bomber and IS member named Suleiman al-Obeidi targeted a concert, killing 25 people and injuring more than 100. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 19:45:16|Editor: ying Video Player Close WELLINGTON, June 28 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration Nicky Wagner is welcoming Regenerate Christchurch's Statement of Intent 2017-2021 and Statement of Performance Expectations 2017-18 tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. The Statement of Intent sets out the agency's strategic intentions and work program for the next four years to revitalize the region hit hard by at least three major earthquakes in the last seven years. "Regenerate Christchurch is focused on delivering the greatest economic, social, cultural and environmental return possible for Christchurch," Wagner said. Christchurch is the largest city of the South Island of New Zealand. "This is a city full of opportunity. Regenerate is working to maximize those opportunities to create an attractive, sustainable and people-friendly urban environment," she said. Regenerate Christchurch plans to complete a regeneration strategy for the central city this year as well as a draft Regeneration Plan for the Otakaro Avon River corridor. A regeneration strategy for Southshore is underway, while regeneration planning for other red zone areas will start in 2018-2019. "As it enters its second year, I expect Regenerate to maintain momentum and further increase community confidence through active engagement with its partners and the public," Wagner said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 19:45:18|Editor: ying Video Player Close PYONGYANG, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Wednesday that an unconditional end of joint military drills by the United States and South Korea is the precondition for defusing tensions on the Korean peninsula. The official daily Rodong Sinmun said in an article that "it is necessary to defuse the acute military tension on the Korean peninsula." "To this end, the U.S. and the South Korean authorities should unconditionally stop various types of annual joint military exercises against the DPRK," it said. Calling the drills "a main factor threatening peace on the Korean peninsula and doing harm to the Korean nation's security," the article also said they "can never be justified with any rhetoric as they bring only misfortune and disaster to the Korean nation." The DPRK has recently hinted that it could suspend nuclear and missile tests if the United States and South Korea stop the drills. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 19:50:22|Editor: MJ Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Ever since China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong 20 years ago, the mainland has stood fully behind the city and underpinned its prosperity. With the backing of the motherland and facing the world, Hong Kong has become a platform for Southeast Asian nations to expand their markets and seek new development opportunities. International observers have said that Hong Kong's advantage will be further enlarged following the implementation and advancement of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and that Southeast Asia is expected to join hands in this global endeavor. BACKING OF MOTHERLAND The backing of the Chinese mainland is undoubtedly an irreplaceable advantage and a lasting attraction of Hong Kong compared to other economies in the world. Given their geographic proximity, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia have a long history of contact, and the scale of bilateral cooperation has only expanded since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule. Take the last 10-year period for instance. The value of bilateral commodity trade between Hong Kong and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has increased by 72 percent. There are 547 ASEAN enterprises in Hong Kong as of June 2016, among which 54 are headquartered in the city, according to the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Bambang Suryono, an Indonesian scholar and president of the Jakarta-based think tank Nanyang ASEAN Foundation, said Indonesia and other ASEAN nations have very close ties with Hong Kong, which has become a bridge and hub connecting the Chinese mainland and Southeast Asia. With the increasingly closer economic and trade ties between China and Southeast Asia, Hong Kong's status has become ever more unique, he said. Data has shown that nearly 90 percent of annual transit trade Southeast Asia conducted through Hong Kong eventually ended up on the Chinese mainland, and the value is rising. FACING THE WORLD Having gradually evolved into a financial and trade center in the Asia Pacific region as early as the 1970s, Hong Kong has further consolidated its economic status in the region after returning to China, becoming not only the top choice among Southeast Asian nations for establishing external economic ties, but also their favorite investment destination. Li Xingyu, executive director of the socio-economic research center at the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, said that finance is the sector in which Hong Kong shows the strongest international competitiveness, and that not only does the city have a solid foundation as an international financial hub, it has also weathered several challenges, most notably the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 global economic recession. Li said the strength of Hong Kong's finance industry is the very reason why big Malaysian banks such as Maybank and Commerce International Merchant Bank have headquarters there. Noting the presence of investors from Hong Kong in the developing nations of Asia, Chen Zhangcheng, chair of Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, said they have created many job opportunities and generated plenty of tax revenue in the 10 ASEAN nations. The Philippines is willing to tap into its geographic advantage and strive for more investment from Hong Kong, he added. B&R CHARTS FUTURE Facing the opportunities brought about by the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Honk Kong, an important knot along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is set to see its further gains with Southeast Asia, a region also covered by the Belt and Road Initiative. Chen said Hong Kong is capable of providing substantial assistance in financing to the Philippines, which he said has a poor economic foundation. Yet, the advantages Manila has in terms of both the English-speaking environment and the comparatively low labor costs cannot be ignored, Chen said, adding the country can export high quality labor force to Hong Kong and other economies along the Belt and Road. Cooperation between Hong Kong and Thailand within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative has come to early fruition, which is reflected in the signing in May of a bilateral memorandum of understanding on cooperation in Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor. Somkid Jatusripitak, deputy prime minister of Thailand, said that Hong Kong is a hub in the Asia Pacific region and an international metropolis while Thailand connects Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, so the prospect for the two sides to step up cooperation is promising. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:28:37|Editor: MJ Lee Wing Mui Anne (C, front) exchanges her views with doctors from both Chinese inland and Hong Kong at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital in Shenzhen, south China, June 19, 2017. Lee, a doctor from China's Hong Kong, is currently the chief of the clinical oncology center at the hospital. Invited by the University of Hong Kong, Lee started her work at the hospital in October, 2012. During the past five years, she traveled from Hong Kong to Shenzhen two days a week, providing medical services and participating in management work to enhance the cooperation and communication between doctors and medical staff of the two cities. By far, a total of more than 100 doctors from Hong Kong have been registered in the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, and some 40 doctors travel between the two cities everyday. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian) Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:05:31|Editor: ying Video Player Close COLOMBO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government said on Wednesday that it will look to promote the country as the first choice for international companies. Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake told a seminar that Sri Lanka must pursue a "hub diplomacy," which relentlessly promotes Sri Lanka as the first-choice location for the regional headquarters of international companies, from established multinationals to expanding start-ups. "Just as Singapore established itself as a successful hub between India and China, so too can Sri Lanka, as a center of the entire Indian Ocean region (that has a population over 2 billion), between Singapore and Dubai," he said. The minister also said that Sri Lanka needed to research and pursue new sources of investment, closer to home. "These include the Chinese-led Silk Road Fund, Export-Import Bank of China and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, but also new sources of capital in other markets in the region, including in South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East," he said. "We must continue to prioritize our proposed free trade agreements with India, China and Singapore. If our local resources are overstretched, we should seek external expertise and training to conclude these negotiations." The minister also said Sri Lankan foreign policy must prioritize commercial diplomacy, take a clear stand for values that are in its long-term interest, and embrace digitalization and the millennial generation. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:05:32|Editor: ying Video Player Close TIRANA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Albania's ruling Socialist Party chairman Edi Rama pledged to undertake sweeping reforms that would speed up Albania's path towards European Union membership. Rama, who will serve another four-year term as country's Prime Minister after a landslide victory in the June 25 parliamentary elections, made the remarks Tuesday evening as thousands of Socialist Party supporters gathered at the capital's main square to celebrate the victory, which gave Rama 74 seats in Albania's 140-seat parliament. "Albanians spoke. They decided to give us the parliamentary majority so that we govern alone and show what we can do. These results will bring us closer to the accession talks with the European Union, which we expect to be commenced by the end of this year," Rama told the crowd after Chief election officer Klement Zguri confirmed the final official preliminary results from Sunday's vote confirming that the Socialists won 48 percent of votes or 74 seats. On the other hand, he said that after first term, much remains to be done, noting that new government will get back to work immediately, to continue reforms, and to expand the economy and create jobs. He also vowed to clean justice system here from corrupt judges, create more jobs and tackle the cannabis trade. In the meantime, Rama extended the hand of cooperation to the opposition and thanked his opponent Basha for agreeing to put Albania first with the May deal that allowed the election to proceed. "It is time to put Albania before our parties, the country's interest ahead of our political ones," he said. The governing Socialists agreed in May to give the opposition Democrats a greater role in overseeing election transparency after opposition's three-month parliamentary boycott. Six ministers of ruling coalition were replaced by six opposition's nominees who would be a guarantee to hold free elections. In the 140-seat parliament, main opposition Democratic Party will have 43 seats while the Socialist Integration Movement (SIM), which won 14 percent of votes, will have 19 seats. Turnout in Sunday's election fell to 46.7 percent, 7 points lower than in 2013. International observers who monitored the polling hailed the generally calm campaign and voting, but also noted that ongoing political fights had a negative effect on country's democracy. In a statement after first preliminary results, Federica Mogherini, EU's foreign policy chief, and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn greeted Albania for holding peaceful and regular elections while they urged the new government to continue the reform process. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:10:34|Editor: ying Video Player Close CAIRO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian delegation at UN meeting in New York accused Qatar of financing terrorists in turmoil-stricken Libya, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. At a meeting of an anti-terror committee of the UN Security Council held on Tuesday night, Tarek al-Quni, Egypt's assistant foreign minister for Arab affairs, said that the oil-rich Gulf state provides support to militants in Libya, which poses a threat to the Egyptian national security particularly at the western borders with neighboring Libya. "Terrorist groups and organizations in Libya receive support particularly from Qatar and other states in the region," said Quni while reading Egypt's statement before the committee. "Libya has become a safe haven for terrorists," the statement warned, stressing the necessity for reaching a political settlement in Libya and urging the UN to intensify efforts to ensure implementation of political agreement in the the country. Egypt has recently joined the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain in imposing a blockade on Qatar, accusing the latter of sheltering members of terrorist organizations and interfering in other countries' domestic affairs. Egypt's administration led by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is already at odds with Qatar for supporting and hosting fleeing members of the currently blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood group after the Sisi-led overthrow of former Brotherhood-oriented President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests. Among the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Kuwait and Oman did not join the anti-Qatar blockade and the Kuwaiti leadership has been communicating with all parties of the crisis to reach a solution. As for the security situation at Egypt-Libya borders, the Egyptian forces destroyed in two airstrikes in May and June at least 27 vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition while attempting to infiltrate into Egypt through the western borders with Libya. Egypt has been making efforts with Libya's neighbors Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Niger and Tunisia to reach a political settlement in the country, which is currently engaged in a civil war and run by two rival administrations. Egypt seeks Libya's stability to maintain the Egyptian national security, secure its western borders and uproot cross-border terrorism, said the security experts. Kenya's opposition National Supper Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga (L) sings national anthem during a special National Delegates Conference at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, May 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Allan Mutiso) by Bedah Mengo NAIROBI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's main opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) on Tuesday evening promised to create more jobs, unite the country, bring down the cost of living and withdraw the country's soldiers from Somalia if it wins the August 8 polls. The NASA leaders, while unveiling their seven-pillar manifesto in Nairobi, said they would create more jobs by financing the youth. NASA flagbearer Raila Odinga noted that many Kenyans are suffering right now as they can not afford food, and if NASA wins elections, his government would work hard to empower farmers so that they can produce more. "About 70 percent of the population of this country is below 30 years. The youth should be a blessing to any country, not a curse. Our government would remove bureaucracy to enable the youth to access funds so that they can start enterprises to create jobs," Odinga said. The coalition promised to bring down the cost of living in 100 days to enable Kenyans to feed their families. He said his coalition would fight the three enemies of Kenya that are ignorance, disease and poverty, which continue to afflict the country over 50 years since independence. "It is unacceptable that our people still live in poverty many years since we became a republic because the government is not working for the citizens," he noted. The former prime minister also promised to extend the standard gauge railway to Rwanda as envisioned in Vision 2030 so that movement from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania remains seamless. NASA co-principal Moses Wetangula noted that Kenya continued to be attacked by Somali militant group the Al-Shabaab as it has failed to secure its borders. "For the last six years, our soldiers have been in Somalia helping to stabilize the country but now we must have an exit plan. We will have a phased out withdrawal of Kenya Defence Forces from Somalia so that our soldiers can return home and protect the country from within," said Wetangula, also Kenya's former foreign minister. Odinga's running mate and Kenya's former vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka said Kenya's tourism is currently on its knees due to terrorism, which has been perpetuated by the war in Somalia. "As NASA, we would encourage domestic tourism to ensure Kenyans support their own country to boost tourism. We would also market Kenya abroad so that we do not only receive group tourists but individual tourists should also visit the country," he said. NASA co-principal Musalia Mudavadi said that in their government, education would be free from nursery school to the secondary level. "We want to assure the public that starting September, parents would not pay any money to school their children," he said. Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (L) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shake hands before a meeting at the US State Department on June 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) CAIRO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian delegation at UN meeting in New York accused Qatar of financing terrorists in turmoil-stricken Libya, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. At a meeting of an anti-terror committee of the UN Security Council held on Tuesday night, Tarek al-Quni, Egypt's assistant foreign minister for Arab affairs, said that the oil-rich Gulf state provides support to militants in Libya, which poses a threat to the Egyptian national security particularly at the western borders with neighboring Libya. "Terrorist groups and organizations in Libya receive support particularly from Qatar and other states in the region," said Quni while reading Egypt's statement before the committee. "Libya has become a safe haven for terrorists," the statement warned, stressing the necessity for reaching a political settlement in Libya and urging the UN to intensify efforts to ensure implementation of political agreement in the the country. Egypt has recently joined the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain in imposing a blockade on Qatar, accusing the latter of sheltering members of terrorist organizations and interfering in other countries' domestic affairs. Egypt's administration led by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is already at odds with Qatar for supporting and hosting fleeing members of the currently blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood group after the Sisi-led overthrow of former Brotherhood-oriented President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests. Among the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Kuwait and Oman did not join the anti-Qatar blockade and the Kuwaiti leadership has been communicating with all parties of the crisis to reach a solution. As for the security situation at Egypt-Libya borders, the Egyptian forces destroyed in two airstrikes in May and June at least 27 vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition while attempting to infiltrate into Egypt through the western borders with Libya. Egypt has been making efforts with Libya's neighbors Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Niger and Tunisia to reach a political settlement in the country, which is currently engaged in a civil war and run by two rival administrations. Egypt seeks Libya's stability to maintain the Egyptian national security, secure its western borders and uproot cross-border terrorism, said the security experts. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:40:51|Editor: ying Video Player Close TEHRAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran has seized more than 16 tons of various types of illicit drugs in the southern province of Hormozgan, the provincial police chief announced on Wednesday, according to Tasnim news agency. The local police forces managed to identify 219 vehicles carrying drugs over the first three months of the current Iranian year, which started on March 21, Brigadier General Azizollah Maleki was quoted as saying. Major volume of the illicit drugs included opium, hashish and heroin, Maleki said. Iran, which has a 900-kilometer common border with Afghanistan, has been used as the main conduit for smuggling Afghan drugs to Europe. Over the past years, the country has spent more than 700 million U.S. dollars on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries, according to the report. The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the past 38 years. Mike L. Baird/Getty(HOUSTON) -- Animal rescue workers in Houston seized dozens of venomous tarantulas and scorpions from a Houston apartment on Tuesday after their owner abandoned them, according to police. The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) seized 69 animals, including more than 50 baby scorpions and three dead tarantulas, from the vacant apartment after a maintenance worker discovered them stuffed in shoe boxes and plastic containers, according to ABC affiliate KTRK. Managers at the apartment complex told police that they were planning to evict the tenant for failing to pay rent, but he abandoned the dwelling before they could serve him with eviction papers, KTRK reports. Investigators said the apartment will be treated by an exterminator before it's rented out again just in case any of the animals had escaped. All but one of the animals are considered venomous, according to Houston SPCA officials, who estimated that the animals had gone without food for at least several weeks. One investigator said the animal count could rise, noting that tarantulas tend to hide below the surface of their containers filler material. This is my first one of this nature, Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Sgt. Christine Kendrick told KTRK. Sometimes you may see one or two along with other animals but apparently, this was his thing. She said most of the animals were unlikely to harm humans unless they're provoked. "Unless you hurt them, they don't bite. They've got to be in fear," Kendrick said. ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:40:53|Editor: MJ Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- What is China: home to the Great Wall, the birthplace of tea, the site of a giant telescope searching space for alien life, the list goes on. With all these on offer, it may seem strange that tourists are taking pictures of Chinese signs. "Please wait outside a noodle." "Watch your hand." "Fire on everyone." What on earth are these cryptic sentences suppose to mean? A quick search on social media for Chinglish brings up a whole host of mistranslations, from restaurant menus to metro information signs. They have inspired memes and blogs, and more than a few articles. Hilarity aside, last week, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and the Standardization Administration issued a standard for translation in the public service sector, in a bid to polish its prose and publicity. The standard features more than 3,500 stock translations covering 13 areas, including transportation, culture and health care. It will take effect on Dec. 1. Fuller is a British artist who has been in Beijing since March. He has been exploring the city as research for his current project. When asked if he had come across any mistranslations, he responded, "So many." "They are funny. But, actually, it just shows a lazy attitude toward language, especially the official signs," he said. One Xinhua reporter once saw two foreigners in fits of laughter, pointing at a sign on the metro before they took a selfie in the front of the sign while gazing at their hands. The sign read; "Watch your hand." It was supposed to say, "Mind the closing doors." Restaurants translations in China are not often kind to the dishes. One establishment had named its pork lungs in chili sauce after the couple who had first cooked it, but the English name, husband and wife's lung slice, sounds gruesome. Jiang Qi is the owner of a small shop in east China's Anhui Province. "English translations can make a shop or restaurant stand out," he said, adding that some people just used the pinyin, the system for writing Chinese with the Latin alphabet, or just used translation tools, like Baidu. Guo Xiaofeng, a teacher at Yucai Middle School, northeast China, once volunteered to correct translations in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province. Close to 100 students also took part. "Armed with cameras, we checked signs in railways stations, subways, bus stops and malls, documenting questionable translations and consulting with native speakers," he said. They published the errors in China Daily, the English-language newspaper. "China is growing and more foreigners are coming here," said Wu Yong, head of the Liaoning office of China Daily. "With more foreign trade and a larger number of tourists, we definitely need to up the ante with our translations." Therefore, he supports the new standard. "It is a good thing," he said. "The next step will be how to ensure the standard is applied and maintained." Wu suggested additional measures to improve translation. "When I see a sign that is wrongly translated, which department should I inform, how do I contact them? We need a dedicated team to take care of the issue." Guo Xiaofeng believes that local governments should encourage the public to find and correct mistakes. "The public should work with media outlets and rewards should be offered to those who actively participate. This would, ultimately, improve the English level of the whole country," he said. Jiang Qi, the shopkeeper in Anhui, said he had asked some English teachers to help him translate his signage. "Foreigners live in my neighborhood. I don't want to be the butt of jokes and lose face." "Over time, the new standard could improve English language nationwide, which could be beneficial for China," said Fuller. "Like the language on the subway has been in English since the Olympics. This is really positive and inclusive." Social networks and messaging apps are full of memes, gifs and emojis featuring examples of mistranslations, such as a cheerleader accompanied by the chant "Come on" ("Jia You" in Chinese), which when translated word-for-word means "add oil" ; or a blushing school girl with the statement "Hao Li Hai", which means "superb" but is translated into its homophone "Holy high." "I like the translations on these emojis," said Ahmed, a student from Pakistan, adding that he uses them often. "I like self-deprecating humor derived from mistakes." Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 20:56:01|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao Suspect surnamed Du is handcuffed at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, east China, June 20, 2017. A suspect has been returned from Canada to China as part of a campaign to capture economic fugitives, Chinese police said Wednesday. This is the first suspect that Canada has repatriated to China during the "Fox Hunt" campaign, according to Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The suspect, surnamed Du, fled in December 2012 with more than 4 million yuan (over 588,000 U.S. dollars) that he allegedly obtained from others in the name of investment. (Xinhua/Fan Jun) SHANGHAI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A suspect has been returned from Canada to China as part of a campaign to capture economic fugitives, Chinese police said Wednesday. This is the first suspect that Canada has repatriated to China during the "Fox Hunt" campaign, according to Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The suspect, surnamed Du, fled in December 2012 with more than 4 million yuan (over 588,000 U.S. dollars) that he allegedly obtained from others in the name of investment. The Shanghai police started to investigate the case the following month. In April 2013, the police decided to detain Du and requested assistance from the Canadian side. Du was extradited on June 19 and arrived in Shanghai the next day. The Fox Hunt campaign targets economic suspects and corrupt Party members and government officials who have fled overseas. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 21:21:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), holds talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo) BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China appreciates Australia's long-term adherence to the one-China policy and hopes Australia will properly handle issues relating to Taiwan, Tibet and the South China Sea, top legislator Zhang Dejiang said on Wednesday. "Both sides need to strengthen political trust, respect each other's core interests and major concerns and deal with differences and sensitive issues in a constructive way," Zhang said in a meeting with Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Tony Smith. China's National People's Congress (NPC) will expand exchanges with Australia's Senate and the House of Representatives to advance bilateral ties, said Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC. Zhang called on the legislative institutions to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and to create a level playing field for business. Both sides should consolidate the popular basis of bilateral ties, taking the opportunity of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations to promote non-governmental exchanges and cooperation, Zhang said. Smith hailed the growing trade and people-to-people exchanges between Australia and China, saying that the Australian House of Representatives will increase cooperation with the NPC through high-level visits and institutional exchanges. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 21:36:38|Editor: MJ Video Player Close HONG KONG, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Many expatriate businessmen, who chose to stay in Hong Kong in 1997 when it returned to China, said that they made the right decision at that time. Over the past 20 years, Hong kong has not only remained stable, but also undergone rapid development, bringing them lots of business opportunities, they said. "I opened the office for my current firm on Jan. 1, 1997, and many people at the time thought I was out of my mind ... But I was very convinced that Hong Kong was going to continue to succeed," said Jon Zinke, a partner of a Hong Kong-based international law firm. Zinke, who moved from the United States to Hong Kong in 1985, is among the many expatriate residents here who came with a plan to stay for a short period, but ultimately fell in love with the place and never left. In a pamphlet compiled by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham HK) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return from British rule, Zinke said over the 20 years, Hong Kong has successfully dealt with some "extreme circumstances." He cited the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the international financial crisis in 2008 as well as the SARS epidemic. "Hong Kong is very resilient, and I foresee a very positive future ... " he said. In retrospect of Hong Kong's development during the past 20 years, many expatriate businessmen acknowledged that it is a smart decision to choose to stick with Hong Kong. At a discussion earlier this month at the Washington-based think tank - the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, AmCham HK Chairman Walter Dias said that just before Hong kong's return in 1997, there were certainly a lot of concerns about how that would work, "because we had never seen any framework like 'one country, two systems' before. Some companies actually decided to leave." "In hindsight, a lot of people would regret that decision today, because Hong Kong has been so successful. The companies that stuck with Hong Kong during that time have also reaped a lot of benefits and had lots of success," he noted. According to Dias, members of AmCham HK, the largest international chamber in Hong Kong, remain confident of the Hong Kong's future and see a lot of opportunities for doing business. "We continue to see really strong FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) numbers. Hong Kong still attracts No. 2 amount of FDI in the world and No. 1 in Asia," he said, "That's something that tells us people see a very positive future for Hong Kong." Dias said Hong Kong's "unique role as the window of China, a conduit between the East and West, and a super-connector between China and the rest of the world, has further proven the 'one country, two systems' is a successful policy for Hong Kong to continue to shine as a very special Chinese and world city." Praising the "one country, two systems" as "an amazingly subtle and wonderful idea," John Slosar, chairman of the Swire Pacific Limited, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the policy created a framework under which both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland "can continue to develop and get the best out of what they've already gotten going forward." Under the framework, Hong Kong has been able to maintain its economic competitiveness on the one hand, and become increasingly connected with the Chinese mainland on the other, Slosar said, adding that the rapid growth of the Chinese mainland in recent years "is certainly very good for Hong Kong." Hans Michael Jebsen, chairman of Hong Kong-based trading conglomerate Jebsen & Co, said Hong Kong has been a good location for firms to headquarter in, and thanks to the "one country, two systems" policy, this function has been "much more emphasized." When talking about their impression on Hong Kong, many expatriate businessman mentioned its adaptiveness and "can do" attitude. James Thompson, chairman of the Crown Worldwide Group, said, "The people and government here have proven to be very adaptable to any change in circumstances." Dias pointed out that Hong Kong has transformed over the years from an industrial center to a world-class service center, providing "a lot of additional opportunities" for business. "I think professional service is another growing area because of the inter-connectivity of Hong Kong with the Chinese mainland," he said. "The unique features of Hong Kong ... (are) very helpful for Chinese (mainland) companies that want to dip their toe in the international commerce and really go global." The AmCham chairman also saw the inter-connectivity brought by the Belt and Road Initiative and China's plan to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as new opportunities for Hong Kong's future development. Citing the greater bay area as an example, he said, "The AmCham HK will be very interested in how that connectivity is going to impact Hong Kong in the future ... We see a lot of infrastructure projects that are currently going on, (including) Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, bringing the Pearl River Delta cities together. I think the effect is 'one plus one equals five' in this case, because it's really creating a powerhouse that's going to be very competitive on the global scale in the future." He said for companies in cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, which have witnessed "amazing development" in recent years, Hong Kong can play a very important role in helping them go global and bringing expertise for sales and marketing. Referring to the Belt and Road Initiative, Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings ltd., told Xinhua that Hong Kong will "definitely participate and play an important role" in the initiative. "Hong Kong has a reputation for finance and rule of law," he said, "Most projects of the initiative at the moment are infrastructure projects. Hong Kong has some of the services, and some of its companies can really fit in. In some of the countries, Hong Kong also has the influence of soft power." Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 22:46:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SOFIA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian authorities have revealed that food prices are much higher than in Western Europe, the country's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Rumen Porodzanov said here on Wednesday. Authorities came to this conclusion after comparing 31 food products from five categories, sold by the same manufacturer or under the same brand in Austria, Germany and Bulgaria, Porodzanov said. "For 16 of these products, prices in Bulgaria are significantly higher," he said. The most striking were the differences in two types of baby puree, where the prices in Bulgaria were by 90 percent and 107 percent higher compared to those in the two Western European countries, Porodzanov said. "This is extremely unacceptable," the minister said. Higher prices, within the range of 20 percent to 70 percent, were also observed in dairy products, certain cheeses, and chocolate products, he said. Price differences were not insignificant, they were not within five or ten percent, and could not be attributed to any costs of logistics, transportation or anything else, Porodzanov said. Meanwhile, about 20 percent of the food products purchased in Austria and Germany had different ingredients compared to their analogs purchased in Bulgaria, he said. Vera Jourova, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, would be informed of the findings, the minister said. Furthermore, the theme of the double standard of food would be presented at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, Porodzanov said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 22:46:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Ask Shao Dongke what it means to be a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and he tells a story, not of famous revolutionaries, but of Liu Fang, his late grandmother. Indifferent to fame or fortune, Liu cared deeply for those in need, Shao recalled. The former primary school teacher devoted half her life to special education. "She was just an ordinary Party member, but she was a role model to me," he says, "One day I want to be like her." Shao, 30, joined the CPC in 2013 while he was at Tsinghua University. He is one of the newer members of the 88.8-million-strong party. The world's largest political party is accepting more and more young members as it nears its 96th anniversary on July 1. About 15.5 percent, the largest share, of members are 30 years old or younger. Unlike the older generation who regard Party membership as a sign of devotion to China's revolution, young Chinese born since the beginning of the reform and opening-up era hold a different opinion of their political identity. RESPONSIBILITY Shao regards Party membership as "a responsibility," a word mentioned by many young Party members when asked. After graduation last year, the doctoral graduate of Public Administration could have chosen to work in the city, but he decided to follow in his grandma's footsteps: To work for the needy. Instead he left Beijing and took up a position as deputy county mayor of Ninghua, a remote, impoverished county in east China's Fujian Province. "My skills are needed here, at the local level. It gives me an opportunity to utilize what I have learned to the maximum level," he says. Ninghua is one of the four starting points of the "Long March," the 10,000-km historic trek of Chinese communists between 1934 and 1935. The historic setting has not only given Shao insight into the hardships endured by the Chinese Red Army, but also the current state of the underdeveloped local economy. Shao wants to help families shake off poverty. The young deputy mayor is in charge of trade and tourism, so he is drafting proposals to bring fortune to the old revolutionary base through e-commerce and red tourism. As a Party member, Shao said, he is guided by the Party's code of conduct, which encourages him to take concrete measures and to avoid empty talk. HONOR Starting from Ninghua, Red Army troops trekked to Yan'an City in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. This was where Gao Yu, 30, was born and grew up. Raised in the "Red Cradle" of the Chinese revolution, since childhood Gao has been surrounded by reminders of how the Party led the revolution and achieved national independence. Being a Party member is an honor, he says. "Membership is a sign of excellence." Gao became a Party member in 2007 when he was in junior college. "If you are admitted by the Party at an early age, it shows that you are intelligent and valued," he says. Today, when joining the Party, he says, candidates must show evidence of excellence and a sense of responsibility. That is why his main inspiration is not the revolution that happened before he was born, but rather a famous wheat breeding expert. Gao met Wang Hui when he interviewed him when he was an anchor for a TV station. He was touched that the retired professor with Northwest Agriculture and Farming University had devoted himself to research on wheat breeding for 44 years, and developed 11 new kinds of wheat. "Wang is my idol," says Gao, "He has contributed a lot to China's food security. He has not even quit work even though he has passed retirement. We, as young Party members, should learn from him. As a journalist, I want to share more stories of people like Wang." "China has a tradition of honoring role models. Being a Party member means you try to inspire others," says Gao. RED STAR EMPLOYEE Like Shao and Gao, Li Jia also joined the Party out of admiration of people in her daily life. "When I joined the Party in my junior year, I did not think too much about it. I saw many excellent schoolmates become Party members. I want to be like them," she recalls. However, when she got a job with the Shanghai branch of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), she found that her Party membership was not common in her social circle. She said that despite this, there was no contradiction between her job and her political status. Party branches at foreign companies are growing, and most are composed of "star employees" recognized by company management. "During our daily Party activities, we study Party's policies and important documents in addition to items about China's economic and social development," Li says, "We are busy at work so we don't have much time for more Party activities, but we combine our theoretical study with our work and daily life, so it works better with us." Being a communist in a foreign capitalist company, in Li's eyes, means always taking the lead in the daily life. "Party members in my company care about our other colleagues and protect the rights and interest of employees. We all do our best to make our company more competitive." "Many Party members in our companies set good examples to us. Their excellence is seen in their seriousness at work and kindness to others," she says. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 23:12:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C) visits Dalian area of China (Liaoning) Pilot Free Trade Zone in Dalian, where the Summer Davos is underway, northeast China's Liaoning Province, June 26, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) DALIAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged China's northeast to accelerate reform. Li made the remarks during a visit to the Liaoning Pilot Free Trade Zone where he talked with company staff about services there. The northeast region has a solid economic foundation and rich resources and should leverage the pilot free trade zone to keep up reform and opening up to power the region's rejuvenation, Li said. Local governments should promote the supply-side reform to reduce transaction costs and improve the business environment to attract more investment, Li added. Li also visited Bingshan Group, a local state-owned enterprise, now with mixed ownership with better profits and increased assets. The market is becoming increasingly sophisticated with growing demand for customized products and services, which means opportunities for business. Enterprises should work together to improve their technology, Li pointed out. Li also urged colleges to work with business to combine education with the demands of the workplace. Aerial view taken on June 8, 2017 shows the scenery in Hong Kong, south China. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) HONG KONG, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Many expatriate businessmen, who chose to stay in Hong Kong in 1997 when it returned to China, said that they made the right decision at that time. Over the past 20 years, Hong kong has not only remained stable, but also undergone rapid development, bringing them lots of business opportunities, they said. "I opened the office for my current firm on Jan. 1, 1997, and many people at the time thought I was out of my mind ... But I was very convinced that Hong Kong was going to continue to succeed," said Jon Zinke, a partner of a Hong Kong-based international law firm. Zinke, who moved from the United States to Hong Kong in 1985, is among the many expatriate residents here who came with a plan to stay for a short period, but ultimately fell in love with the place and never left. In a pamphlet compiled by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham HK) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return from British rule, Zinke said over the 20 years, Hong Kong has successfully dealt with some "extreme circumstances." He cited the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the international financial crisis in 2008 as well as the SARS epidemic. "Hong Kong is very resilient, and I foresee a very positive future ... " he said. In retrospect of Hong Kong's development during the past 20 years, many expatriate businessmen acknowledged that it is a smart decision to choose to stick with Hong Kong. At a discussion earlier this month at the Washington-based think tank - the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, AmCham HK Chairman Walter Dias said that just before Hong kong's return in 1997, there were certainly a lot of concerns about how that would work, "because we had never seen any framework like 'one country, two systems' before. Some companies actually decided to leave." "In hindsight, a lot of people would regret that decision today, because Hong Kong has been so successful. The companies that stuck with Hong Kong during that time have also reaped a lot of benefits and had lots of success," he noted. According to Dias, members of AmCham HK, the largest international chamber in Hong Kong, remain confident of the Hong Kong's future and see a lot of opportunities for doing business. "We continue to see really strong FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) numbers. Hong Kong still attracts No. 2 amount of FDI in the world and No. 1 in Asia," he said, "That's something that tells us people see a very positive future for Hong Kong." Dias said Hong Kong's "unique role as the window of China, a conduit between the East and West, and a super-connector between China and the rest of the world, has further proven the 'one country, two systems' is a successful policy for Hong Kong to continue to shine as a very special Chinese and world city." Praising the "one country, two systems" as "an amazingly subtle and wonderful idea," John Slosar, chairman of the Swire Pacific Limited, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the policy created a framework under which both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland "can continue to develop and get the best out of what they've already gotten going forward." Under the framework, Hong Kong has been able to maintain its economic competitiveness on the one hand, and become increasingly connected with the Chinese mainland on the other, Slosar said, adding that the rapid growth of the Chinese mainland in recent years "is certainly very good for Hong Kong." Hans Michael Jebsen, chairman of Hong Kong-based trading conglomerate Jebsen & Co, said Hong Kong has been a good location for firms to headquarter in, and thanks to the "one country, two systems" policy, this function has been "much more emphasized." When talking about their impression on Hong Kong, many expatriate businessman mentioned its adaptiveness and "can do" attitude. James Thompson, chairman of the Crown Worldwide Group, said, "The people and government here have proven to be very adaptable to any change in circumstances." Dias pointed out that Hong Kong has transformed over the years from an industrial center to a world-class service center, providing "a lot of additional opportunities" for business. "I think professional service is another growing area because of the inter-connectivity of Hong Kong with the Chinese mainland," he said. "The unique features of Hong Kong ... (are) very helpful for Chinese (mainland) companies that want to dip their toe in the international commerce and really go global." The AmCham chairman also saw the inter-connectivity brought by the Belt and Road Initiative and China's plan to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as new opportunities for Hong Kong's future development. Citing the greater bay area as an example, he said, "The AmCham HK will be very interested in how that connectivity is going to impact Hong Kong in the future ... We see a lot of infrastructure projects that are currently going on, (including) Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge, bringing the Pearl River Delta cities together. I think the effect is 'one plus one equals five' in this case, because it's really creating a powerhouse that's going to be very competitive on the global scale in the future." He said for companies in cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, which have witnessed "amazing development" in recent years, Hong Kong can play a very important role in helping them go global and bringing expertise for sales and marketing. Referring to the Belt and Road Initiative, Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings ltd., told Xinhua that Hong Kong will "definitely participate and play an important role" in the initiative. "Hong Kong has a reputation for finance and rule of law," he said, "Most projects of the initiative at the moment are infrastructure projects. Hong Kong has some of the services, and some of its companies can really fit in. In some of the countries, Hong Kong also has the influence of soft power." Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 23:22:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Nepal held the second round of local body elections on Wednesday as a major step to implement the landmark new constitution promulgated in September 2015. Millions of Nepali people voted for their candidates during the one-day elections conducted from 7:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. local time in 334 local units of 35 districts of provinces 1, 5 and 7 in the Terai plains of the country. Some 62,408 contenders vied for the 15,038 positions in one metropolitan city, seven sub metropolitan cities, 111 municipalities and 215 village development councils on Wednesday, which covered nearly half of the country. "We have held the second phase of local body polls successfully in a very peaceful manner with the encouraging number of people who voted for their candidates with full of enthusiasm," Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav told a press conference on Wednesday in the capital Kathmandu. Elections remained largely peaceful despite threats from Madhes-based ethnic parties that have been vehemently opposing the elections. The chief election commissioner said that the voters' turnout in Wednesday's election was around 70 percent. Nepal has held such elections after a hiatus of two decades. Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba cast vote at a polling station at Dadheldhura District in the Far Western Region of Nepal, some 600 km west of the capital. The first round of such elections was held on May 14 in province 3, 4 and 6, mostly the hilly region of the country. Another round of elections will be held on Sept. 18 in province 2, which has remained affected due to agitation launched by Madhes-based ethnic parties who are opposing the new constitution. The government has decided to postpone the elections in province 2, hoping that it will be able to bring the agitating parties to the election process. The government deployed some 70,000 government staffs to the polling stations guarded by 162,000 security personnel during the elections. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 23:32:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China has questioned Europol's recent allegation that Chinese mainland and Hong Kong are the world centers for fake goods, saying it might be an excuse for protectionism. In 2015, Chinese mainland and Hong Kong "were the provenance of 86% of global counterfeiting and $396.5 billion worth of counterfeit goods," Europe's police agency said in a detailed 74-page report, adding intellectual property theft was "one of the most lucrative criminal enterprises". Insiders say there is no method of calculating figures on fake products worldwide, so the data collected by a regional agency is questionable. "It may be convincing that they have figures for fake Chinese products in Europe, but it is suspicious that they calculated fake products in China and even China's share of global fake products," said Zhao Ping with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The Office of the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) said eleven countries, including China, India and Russia, were on the Priority Watch List in its "Special 301 Report" on IPR protection, released in May. Last year the office blacklisted four websites and six physical markets in China as "notorious marketplaces" known for the sale of counterfeit goods and violations of IPR. "We cannot rule out the possibility that they are smearing China's image on the basis for trade protectionism," said Zhao. While it is subject to some debate whether China was the origin of over 80 percent of global counterfeits, intellectual property piracy is indeed a global problem involving production, logistics, sales and consumption. China is also a victim of counterfeiting. Customs data showed that infringement cases in imports have been increasing at an annual rate of 10 percent. Last year customs seized more than 7.5 million pieces of cargo suspected of IPR infringement, up 13 percent year on year.In one typical case, lubricating oil labeled under famous brand names, such as Shell, was bottled in Malaysia and sold in China. The commerce ministry has said China is aware of the importance of IPR protection and has made obvious progress in the area. The country has taken steps to protect IPR as part of its larger effort to create a more innovative economy. Chinese police solved 17,000 cases of IPR infringement worth 4.6 billion yuan (about 670 million U.S. dollars) in 2016. Customs authorities seized more than 17,000 shipments of goods suspected of IPR infringement last year. The courts heard 136,500 IPR cases in 2016, a 24.8 percent increase. Industry and commerce regulators also increased online supervision and inspection in rural markets that are prone to counterfeits. They solved nearly 50,000 IPR cases worth about 560 million yuan, and transferred 293 cases worth 160 million yuan to courts in 2016. E-commerce companies have also joined the campaign. Alibaba assisted police in more than 1,400 cases last year. The company is cooperating with more than 18,000 international brands on an anti-counterfeit initiative. Approximately 30,000 cross-border sellers were purged by Alibaba from its platforms with the help of big data from February 2016 - 2017. More effective communication and cooperation between trade partners are needed to improve the legal environment for bilateral economic and trade ties. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-28 23:37:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), addresses a conclusion meeting of the 21st meeting of the Standing Committee of the 12th CPPCC National Committee, in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Supply-side structural reform should be deepened to promote stable and sound economic development, said China's senior political advisors. The statement was issued after the close of the 21st meeting of the Standing Committee of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Wednesday, which was presided over by chairman of the CPPCC National Committee Yu Zhengsheng. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the opening session of the meeting. Attendees at the meeting voiced opinions on supply-side structural reform, saying that the government should not intervene business but should recognize its responsibilities at the same time. They also said that the country should value entrepreneurs and create a favorable environment for them. The meeting announced appointment and removal of several officials. Li Jianhua, Yang Xiaobo, Shu Qiming were selected as members of the 12th CPPCC National Committee. Zhang Qiujian and Lin Zhimin will no longer perform as vice secretary-generals of the committee. | 2017-06-29 00:37:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition struck a village in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, killing 40 civilians, state news agency SANA reported on Wednesday. Mostly women and children are among those killed when the U.S.-led airstrike targeted the village of Dablan in the countryside of Deir al-Zour, said SANA. The attack comes a day after a similar airstrike killed 57 people, half of whom civilians in a prison held by the Islamic State (IS) in the eastern city of Mayadeen in Deir al-Zour. The U.S.-led coalition has been active recently in striking IS positions in Raqqa and Deir al-Zour, as part of its resolve to support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces group in their push to dislodge IS out of Raqqa and parts of Deir al-Zour. But civilian casualties are falling on daily basis as a result of such strikes. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:12:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING/LANZHOU, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A wheelchair-bound boy in remote northwest China, is close to being admitted to Tsinghua University in Beijing despite his physical disability. Wei Xiang, 19, a native of Dingxi City, a poverty-stricken area in Gansu Province, hit the headlines when a local WeChat account posted an article seeking help Monday. Wei said he hoped Tsinghua would offer living space for him and his mother who will accompany him. In the article, Wei described his illness and the hard life of his family. He suffers from a congenital disease of the spinal column. Despite three operations, his condition did not improve. He uses a wheelchair or a pair of crutches. His father died of illness when Wei was just 7 years old. His mother, Xia Ruiyun, a nurse, took him to school and brought him back home every day from primary through middle schools. Wei scored 648 points in this year's national college entrance exam and is among the top students in Gansu. In his article, Wei said he was lucky to meet Tsinghua recruiters in Gansu and his university dream would come true. But due his physical needs require the care of a family member. He hoped Tsinghua would help provide a room for his mother and himself to live. The university replied Tuesday. In its letter. the university's recruitment office congratulated Wei, welcomed him to the institution and praised him for his perseverance and diligence. Tsinghua said they were ready to help him and encouraged him do well in his studies and in his life ahead. The annual recruitment of Chinese universities is well underway after 9.4 million students sat the world's largest exam June 7-9. About 3.7 million of them will be given the chance to continue their education. Wei has applied to study science at Tsinghua. "As I cannot move freely, I sit quietly most of the time, thinking. I especially love mathematics and physics," he said. "Tsinghua University is world famous. It will be wonderful if I can continue my education there, a step closer to a research career," said the teenager. Sheng Shulan, principal of the Dingxi No.1 Middle School where Wei studied, lavished praise on the boy. "He has the spirit of perseverance. He will accomplish whatever he wants to do." "I am lucky. No one I meet discriminates against me or scorns me. Everyone helps me," said Wei. "Although I have problems with my body, I can still live a splendid life." Liu Zhen, head of Tsinghua's recruitment office, said the university will provide all possible help to Wei and would never let an excellent student drop out for economic reasons. Tsinghua will start a funding program to cover his living and education costs after Wei is officially enrolled. Netizens were deeply moved by Wei's story and Tsinghua's response, appreciating the university's attitude toward the student. "Tsinghua is worthy of its name. Every character (in the reply letter) is full of warmth," wrote netizen "heiyeshankangbazi" on Sina-Weibo. "Really moved. The future will be better!" said another netizen. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:12:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ROME, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Italy may start denying access to foreign vessels bringing rescued migrants to its shores, government sources told Italian news agency ANSA on Wednesday. A record influx of some 10,000 migrants and refugees over the past four days has prompted Italy to tell the European Union in a formal message that the situation is getting serious. Italy will continue saving lives at sea but it is "no longer sustainable" for all those rescued to be brought here and the possible block would include foreign vessels run by humanitarian NGOs, by the EU's Frontex border agency, and by the EU NavforMed mission against migrant traffickers, ANSA reported. The recent massive flow of rescued refugees also prompted Interior Minister Marco Minniti to announce Tuesday that he was canceling a state visit to Washington DC, local media said. Almost 9,000 people were rescued between Saturday and Monday, with a further 2,000 plucked on Tuesday from vessels run by human traffickers along the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy, according to local media. Televised footage showed distraught-looking men and women on inflatable dinghies handing babies and crying children to rescuers. "Among the 1032 #people on board #Aquarius today are 2 newborn babies. Imagine what it takes for a new parent to take their baby to sea," tweeted Doctors Without Borders (MSF) humanitarian NGO on Wednesday, adding that "25 percent of people fleeing Libya are women & kids". The body of a newborn was also among the arrivals in Italy on Wednesday. He was born at sea to a 26-year-old Somali woman, and died of post-partum complications soon after their rescue. "We tried to resuscitate him, but sadly there was nothing we could do," a doctor told Italy's RAI public broadcaster. Also among Wednesday's arrivals was a Spanish Navy ship bringing over 900 migrants to the Italian island of Sardinia, including 126 women -- six of them pregnant -- and about 50 youngsters, some of them without accompanying adults. Televised footage showed adults holding hands with children coming down the gangway in the Sardinian port city of Cagliari. Also on Wednesday, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia party, Renato Brunetta, called on Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Marco Minniti to stop NGO vessels from entering Italian ports. "Why don't some of these ships disembark in Marseille? Why don't they disembark in Spain or Malta?" Brunetta asked. "It is unacceptable for these ships...to bring tens of thousands of desperate people solely to our country, while the EU keeps acting blind, deaf, and dumb," he was quoted by ANSA as telling reporters at the Lower House. Italy and Greece are the first European landfall for thousands of men, women, and children embarking on human traffickers' vessels in a bid to flee war and destitution in Africa and the Middle East. A total of 76,873 migrants and refugees reached Italy between January 1 and June 28, compared to 67,773 in the same period last year, according to Interior Ministry data published on Wednesday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:23:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's Ministry of General Education on Wednesday launched EU-funded project worth 22.7 million U.S. dollars to pay monthly incentives of 40 dollars to over 30,000 primary school teachers across the country. General Education Minister Deng Deng Hoc told reporters that the ministry and partners would start paying at least 16,000 teachers within this week in order to enable teachers to teach and schools to function amid a biting economic crisis and insecurity. Hoc said the 18-month program dubbed "IMPACT" would be supported by newly designed Schools Attendance Monitoring System (SAMS) to enhance accountability mechanisms to ensure only public teachers who are working and regularly attend school receive the payment. He said the project will provide critical support to South Sudan's weak education system which has been impacted by civil war, poor infrastructure and low salaries to teachers. "This project is adding value in the sense that it will give teachers extra money to improve their purchasing power which will in turn improve the quality of life of the teachers. That will motivate the teachers to go work on regular basis and improve the quality of education in the country," Hoc said. South Sudan's education indicators remain among the worst in the world. Official data from the ministry of education shows annual allocation to education stood at just 6 percent for 2015-2016. A report by UN children's agency (UNICEF) released in September 2016 said South Sudan is the second country in the world after Liberia with the highest proportion of out-of-school children. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:23:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday warned against any possible U.S. military attack on Syria. Any military action against Syria under the allegations of "potential" chemical weapon use by the Syrian government would only help the terrorists, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying. Qasemi dismissed as baseless Washington's recent claims that the Syrian government is preparing for a chemical weapon use in the country. He made the remarks in response to a recent White House statement that the United States has "identified potential preparations" by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad for another chemical attack. In April, the United States launched a missile attack on a Syrian military base under the pretext of suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held Idlib province. The Syrian government has been fighting terrorist groups for more than six years, and raising such baseless claims would do nothing but to strengthen the terrorist groups, Qasemi said, adding that any U.S. move in this regard is "suspicious." He urged the international community to prevent the United States from taking any military action that would boost insecurity and instability in the region. In the meantime, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani rejected the U.S. claims and said that Washington is playing with fire in the Arab country, according to Press TV. The fabricated allegations are to undermine the Syrian army's gains against terrorists, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:23:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close COLOMBO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka said on Wednesday that a process to draft a new constitution is moving forward. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said while addressing an event that the constitution drafting process is nearing a crucial stage where a consensus will be sought. The prime minister said that one of the issues which needs to be addressed is how the country will operate without weakening the powers of the central government for an emergency while strengthening the forms of parliamentary governance. The prime minister said drafting a new constitution is a long process but a process which builds consensus. "In many areas we have reached a consensus especially on devolution of powers and the nature of the state," he said. He says there is agreement that the state cannot be divided and that sovereignty is in the hands of the people. The prime minister also noted that there is a division between chief ministers of the provinces in Sri Lanka and the parliament on the proposed constitution with the chief ministers wanting more powers under the new Constitution and Parliament not agreeing to it. He also said that to a large extent there is an agreement on the electoral system with support being given to a mixed proportional system. The Sri Lanka's parliament has been tasked with drafting the new constitution in an attempt to address several issues the country has faced in the past. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:33:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DALIAN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Few gatherings in China assemble global business elites like Summer Davos. Since Tuesday, China's northeastern city of Dalian has seen hundreds of corporate executives from all over the world talking on a wide range of topics from the new industrial revolution to inclusive economic growth. Greeting them on Wednesday, Premier Li Keqiang said the country's reform needs the participation of foreign capital, companies and wisdom, pledging easier market access and a level playing field. "China's reform has always run parallel with opening up. We invite foreign firms to come to China and participate in corporate reorganization and will further lower the threshold of services to foster new growth engines," Li said, reassuring those overseas guests the same treatment as their domestic peers. A day before, the premier addressed the opening of the forum, officially the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017. "I am very positively impressed with the premier's speech and the confidence that he showed on the growth of the economy," said Neil Hawkins, corporate vice president of the Dow Chemical Co. The businessman who has witnessed the rise of China since his first trip here nearly 30 years ago is still awed by its development. "When I look at the market here, I see incredible growth opportunities across virtually every sector." Hawkins was not the only one excited about the market here. Echoing his words, Carol Liao, greater China president at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), believes the China is providing global companies with rare opportunities. "It has the world's largest consumer market only after the United States and tops the globe in many subdivided markets, including smart phones, bike-sharing and automobiles." "China is now the single largest contributor to our growth," said Shane Tedjarati, president of high-growth regions business of Honeywell. Investment data also proved China's attractiveness to foreign firms. Foreign direct investment on the Chinese mainland maintained steady increase of 4.1 percent year on year in 2016 with strong investment in the service sector. Multinationals seemed unbothered by China's ongoing slowdown. Liao stressed her bullish stance, saying the consumer market will stand out even if the wider economy continues to decelerate. The economy is expected to have a 6.1 trillion U.S.dollar consumer market by 2021, up from 4.3 trillion dollars in 2016, according to a report released Wednesday by BCG and AliResearch. "We are committed to long-term growth in China and have invested more than 1 billion U.S. dollars here," Tedjarati said. "The market will remain a source of prosperity and growth," Tedjarati added. China has maintained steady opening up. The National Development and Reform Commission announced on Wednesday that a negative list for foreign investment will be used nationwide from next month. Around 1,500 politicians, officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and media representatives from over 90 countries and regions attended the meeting. Established by the World Economic Forum in 2007, the summer forum is held each year in China, alternating between the port cities of Dalian and Tianjin. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:38:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close COLOMBO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese multinational company Huawei on Wednesday vowed to strengthen Sri Lanka's digital economy and transform the island nation into a digitally empowered one. CEO of Huawei Sri Lanka, Shunli Wang, while unveiling a brand new center in capital Colombo in concurrence with the establishment of Customer Solutions Innovation and Integration Experience Center (CSIC), said Sri Lanka is a potential market as it holds a unique geographic location in the Indian Ocean region and has the potential to connect to the rest of the world. Wang said with a 20 million population, Sri Lanka is an aspiring market and the company is trying to help the national government in achieving its goal of being digitally empowered. "Currently, Sri Lanka gains 80 percent of its whole information from overseas. As time goes on, Sri Lankan will need to communicate more with the world. We are willing to do more in terms of connecting Sri Lanka to the rest of the world," Wang said. The newly-opened Huawei Customer Solutions Innovation and Integration Experience Center (CSIC) is a state-of-the-art center that enables customers to experience, architect, validate and build ICT solutions. CSIC is built on the concept of cloud and leading IT infrastructures, where customers can develop innovative ICT solutions, share Huawei global best practices and exchange ideas. It serves as a platform that enables joint innovation with customers based on their demands and business environments. Sri Lanka's Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando, speaking at the launch, said "As we progress to develop Sri Lanka to be a digitally empowered nation, the role of information communications technology becomes even more vital. The launch of the Huawei Customer Solutions Innovation and Integration Experience Center would further help us to innovate as we work together to bridge the digital divide and help the citizens enhance their living standards and quality of life". Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 00:58:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LUSAKA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Large mining firms operating in Zambia on Wednesday denied reports that they were exporting copper concentrates. Last week, the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ), a trade union representing workers in the mining industry, said the government should ban the export of copper concentrate by mining firms because the trend was creating jobs for other countries. But the Zambia Chamber of Mines, an association of foreign large mining firms operating in Zambia, has dismissed the allegations, saying none of the mining firms was involved in exporting copper concentrates. "None of the large mines are exporting copper concentrate. It makes no economic sense anyway, because Zambia's smelters are currently not running at full capacity, and are struggling to find enough concentrate to process. Concentrate is even being imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo to keep certain smelters operating efficiently," Nathan Chishimba, the president of the association said. He said if there was any exporting of copper concentrates by Zambian mines, it was being done by small-scale producers who were unable to have their copper concentrates processed locally for reasons related to their quality. File photo shows four suspected pirates are paraded by the Nigerian Navy at the Military of Defence Jetty, Marina in Lagos, Nigeria, on August 20, 2013. The suspected pirates allegedly hijacked an oil vessel, MV Crow, at the Escravos River on the Gulf of Guinea August 14, 2013. (Xinhua/Olatunji Obasa) ABUJA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has seen a significant reduction in pirate attacks within its coast in the past six months due to measures taken by the government, defense minister Mansur Dan-Ali said on Wednesday. In a statement, Dan-Ali said only four successful attacks were recorded out of 16 attempted pirate attacks during the period. A total of 36 successful attacks were recorded out of 55 attempted attacks within the same period last year, the official noted. According to him, the socio-economic agitations in the Niger Delta region of the country had contributed to the rise in attacks on oil facilities and vessels, in addition to kidnapping, crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and refining recorded in recent years. He said the combination of infrastructure development programs, engagements with local communities, sustenance of the amnesty program for repentant ex-militants and improved maritime policing activities had proved effective in stemming the tide of insecurity around the coast of Nigeria. The Nigerian government had also activated a dedicated anti-piracy operation off the coast of Niger Delta, he said. The minister called for more engaging cooperation and operational collaboration among Gulf of Guinea states, especially in the area of information sharing on maritime criminal networks, individuals and vessels. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 01:08:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Over 220 Berlin police officers were sent home from their deployment by the police leadership in Hamburg for misconduct. The Berlin police released a statement on Tuesday saying: "Our Police President was informed that our police officers, deployed to support the G20 summit in Hamburg, have been released ahead of schedule." The reason for the dismissal is an alleged misconduct during a break in their deployment in the closed accommodation facilities 70 kilometers north of Hamburg. The Berlin newspaper B.Z. reported the police officers have engaged in misconduct while partying excessively when off-duty. The alleged misconduct includes public fornication between two police officers, improper handling of a firearm by a female police officer and urinating in public. Berlin Police President Klaus Kandt regretted the inappropriate actions while defending his officers against overly harsh criticism. The officers have celebrated two birthdays during their free time in a gated accommodation. As there were no common rooms, the police officers have moved chairs and tables outside. "It is a fact that there was a celebration, too loud and people urinated against a fence. Everything else is open," Kandt told German television channel rbb Tuesday evening, announcing a full investigation of the incident. Five hundred additional Berlin police officers will be sent to support the Hamburg police at the G20 summit next week. A police officer involved in the incident voiced his criticism against the media coverage of the situation. German newspaper Bild reported Wednesday: "Nothing was damaged. No one was injured. We did not insult or harass anyone. We were all fit for duty the next day," he told Bild. Concerning the alleged public urination, the officer said that no member of the public, except the security personnel, was present at that time. The Berlin police released a statement on Facebook on Wednesday, admitting to excessive partying and announcing a hearing of those involved, based on which the consequences will be decided, while warning against engaging in speculation. The Berlin police will send a total of 1,000 officers to support the G20 summit in Hamburg on July 7 and 8. Over 15,000 police officers from Germany will be deployed in Hamburg. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 01:13:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CHICAGO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The suspect in a Michigan airport stabbing attack was remanded in custody on Wednesday after appearing before a U.S. magistrate judge. Amor Ftouhi, a Canadian resident of Tunisian origin, consented to detention during a brief hearing in Flint, where the Bishop International Airport is located. He arrived at the airport in Michigan State last Wednesday morning and stabbed a police officer on duty in the neck with a 30-centimeter knife, while yelling "Allahu Akbar," or "Allah is the greatest" in English. Ftouhi also said something like "you have killed people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan" and "we are all going to die," according to initial accounts from eye witnesses. Authorities said the suspect who traveled to the United States legally from Canada on June 16, attempted to buy a gun in the U.S. but failed. FBI has treated the incident as a "lone-wolf" terrorist attack. Ftouhi is being held in federal custody on a charge of violence at an international airport, which is a 20-year felony. Additional charges are likely, said law enforcement officials. If he is indicted, the case will probably go to a federal court, not before a magistrate, officials were quoted as saying. The injured police officer was reportedly released from hospital on Monday after treatment. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 01:23:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAQUBA, Iraq, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 23 suspected Islamic State (IS) militants were killed Wednesday in airstrikes and clashes with Iraqi security forces in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a local official and a provincial security source said. Iraqi aircraft bombed IS hideouts earlier in the day outside the town of Abu Seida in the northeast of Diyala's provincial capital city of Baquba, which located some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, Mohammed al-Timimi, the mayor of the town, told Xinhua. The airstrikes left at least 20 IS militants killed, including three of the group's leaders, Timimi said, citing intelligence reports. Meanwhile, acting on a tip-off, the government-backed Sunni tribal fighters ambushed two local leading figures of IS militants near the town of Shirween, some 45 km east of Baquba, and shot them dead, a provincial security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Also in the province, Iraqi soldiers killed another suspected IS militant in Mekheisa village, about 20 km northeast of Baquba, the source said. The extremist IS militants frequently attack the urban areas of the province using the sprawling rugged area in northwestern Diyala, which also extends to the main IS redoubt in Mteibijah at the provincial border line with the neighboring Salahudin province. The incident came as Iraqi security forces, backed by the anti-IS international coalition, were simultaneously conducting a major offensive to dislodge IS militants from their major stronghold in western Mosul in northern Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 01:23:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BRUSSELS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) decided on Wednesday to prolong economic sanctions against Russia by six month until Jan. 31, 2018, saying Minsk agreements have still not been fully implemented. This decision follows an update from French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the summit meeting of the EU leaders on June 22 on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. The economic sanctions include limiting access to EU primary and secondary capital markets for some major Russian majority state-owned companies, and imposing an export and import ban on trade in arms. The EU also extended sanctions of an export ban for dual-use goods for military use or military end users in Russia, and curtailed Russian access to certain sensitive technologies and services that can be used for oil production and exploration. The EU's move has "no meaning and no future", Senior Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs told Sputnik. "Mistakes of the past are being printed out as though on a conveyor belt, mistakes that have no future," Kosachev said. The sanctions measures against Russia, due to expire on July 31, were originally introduced in 2014, targeting the financial, energy and defense sectors, and the area of dual-use goods. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 01:29:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ROME, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Italy's economy is expected to grow by 1.3 percent in 2017, up from a previous forecast of 0.8 percent, Italian industrialists' federation Confindustria said in a report released on Wednesday. In 2018, Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) should expand by 1.1 percent, up from a previous forecast of one percent, according to the report by analysts at Confindustria's think tank, CSC. Confindustria analysts also pointed to Italy's "extraordinary" results on the employment front, with 730,000 new jobs created since mid-2013. However, the CSC report cautioned that 7.7 million Italians were still unemployed, with 60 percent of them having been out of a job for over a year. High youth unemployment is "fueling strong emigration" from Italy abroad, and from the country's chronically impoverished south to its wealthier industrialized north, the think tank warned. The report appeared to agree with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which earlier this month also revised upwards its 2017 economic growth forecast for Italy, from 0.8 percent to 1.3 percent. The IMF said Italy was in the third year of "a moderate recovery" helped by government reform efforts, expansionary monetary policies, and low oil prices. Over the last few months, Sudan has faced multiple emergencies with the rapid spread of suspected cases of acute watery diarrhea across 12 of its 18 states, a significant influx of South Sudanese refugees, and high rates of malnutrition, especially in the Jebel Marra area of Central Darfur. (AFP photo) KHARTOUM, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday announced that it urgently requires 22 million U.S. dollars to provide lifesaving response for over 100,000 children in Sudan. "As of mid-June, the Humanitarian Action for Children is only funded at 33 percent including only 14 percent for refugees," said UNICEF in a press release Wednesday. "Over the last few months, Sudan has faced multiple emergencies with the rapid spread of suspected cases of acute watery diarrhea across 12 of its 18 states, a significant influx of South Sudanese refugees, and high rates of malnutrition, especially in the Jebel Marra area of Central Darfur," it noted. "The growing influx of refugees from South Sudan and over 2.3 million internally displaced people increase the burden on the already stretched resources of host communities. Children continue to be the hardest hit and immediate and sustained support is crucial to provide them with timely and lifesaving humanitarian response, especially in the water, sanitation, health and nutrition sectors," UNICEF Sudan Representative, Abdullah Fadil, said in the release. Over 16,600 cases of acute watery diarrhea in the past 10 months alone were reported, with 317 deaths, a rate double higher than the alert level, according to UNICEF. (FILE PHOTO)A Kurdish fighter from the People's Protection Units (YPG) looks at a smoke after an coalition airstrike in Raqqa, Syria June 16, 2017. (REUTERS Photo) DAMASCUS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition struck a village in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, killing 40 civilians, state news agency SANA reported on Wednesday. Mostly women and children are among those killed when the U.S.-led airstrike targeted the village of Dablan in the countryside of Deir al-Zour, said SANA. The attack comes a day after a similar airstrike killed 57 people, half of whom civilians in a prison held by the Islamic State (IS) in the eastern city of Mayadeen in Deir al-Zour. The U.S.-led coalition has been active recently in striking IS positions in Raqqa and Deir al-Zour, as part of its resolve to support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces group in their push to dislodge IS out of Raqqa and parts of Deir al-Zour. But civilian casualties are falling on daily basis as a result of such strikes. A laptop displays a message after being infected by a ransomware as part of a worldwide cyberattack on June 27, 2017 in Geldrop, Netherlands. (AFP Photo) MOSCOW, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The latest major global cyber attack, which has disrupted computers around the world, underlines the importance of concerted efforts of the international community to fight cyber crime, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday. "Such massive cyberattacks once again confirm the correctness of the Russian position, which has been stated at various levels, that the existence of such a danger requires cooperation at the international level," Peskov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti news agency. He added that the Kremlin had no information about the origin of the current cyberattack for the moment. This round of cyberattack, with a link to virus-encryptor Petya, has caused little harm to Russia, the spokesman said. "As far as we know, there have not been any serious disruptions, the protection systems are working efficiently both at the state level and at the corporate level. The presidential Internet resource is working steadily," Peskov said. Businesses across the globe were hit by a massive cyberattack on Tuesday, including Russia's oil giant Rosneft and the Ukrainian government computer network, according to various reports. The cyberattack, encrypted with Petya or WannaCry viruses, exploited a security gap in Microsoft Windows and blocked up computers, demanding a ransom payment of 300 U.S. dollars in bitcoins for unblocking them. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 03:10:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ABUJA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian authorities on Wednesday commenced an investigation into the shooting of a top investigator of economic and financial crimes by gunmen in the country's oil city of Port Harcourt. Austin Okwor, an operative of Nigeria's leading anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), sustained bullet wounds when assailants opened gunfire on him last Saturday, the agency said in a statement made available to Xinhua. The victim is one of the EFCC operatives investigating some sensitive financial crimes in the West African country, including the investigation of some allegedly corrupt judicial officials. Prior to last weekend's attack, Okwor had received threat messages, ostensibly from the people he was investigating, according to the EFCC. The agency said the police are investigating the attack, including the threat messages the victim received. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 03:15:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Three planes chartered by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) have delivered 36 tons of lifesaving medical and water purification supplies to Yemen to combat the outbreak of cholera which has surpassed 200,000 cases, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Wednesday. The supplies included enough oral rehydration salts (ORS) to treat 10,000 people, as well as 10.5 million water purification tablets, Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. Sherin Varkey, UNICEF's deputy representative in Yemen, said "UNICEF teams are working with partners to treat the sick, raise awareness, and to replenish and distribute supplies and medicine." "More airlifts of critical supplies will continue in the coming days," Varkey said. In just two months, cholera has spread to almost every governorate of Yemen. Already more than 1,300 people have died -- one quarter of them children. Civil servants, including doctors, nurses, water engineers and rubbish collectors, have not been paid for nearly 10 months. Since the outbreak was reported on April 27, UNICEF has distributed more than 600,000 ORS sachets and 20,000 Intravenous (IV) fluids to oral rehydration points and at homes. With partners, UNICEF has supported the establishment of 488 oral rehydration therapy points and more than 20 Diarrhoea Treatment Centers across the war-torn country. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 03:25:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close By Hummam Sheikh Ali DAMASCUS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States has brought up the chemical weapons issue in Syria, by suggesting that the Syrian government forces are up to launch a chemical attack against rebels, warning retribution against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that the United States had detected evidence of preparations for a chemical attack, similar to the preparations that occurred before an attack in April when the U.S. accused the government forces of carrying out a chemical attack against the Khan Sheikhoun town in Idlib. At the time, the Syrian government denied the accusations and demanded a probe into the incident, accusing the rebels of staging the attack to draw in foreign retribution. Government officials said then that the Syrian army was in a good position and making huge progress, and that there was no need to resort to such attacks. They also completely denied any possession of such weapons. However, no investigation was made and without waiting for any probe, the U.S. launched 59 Tomahawk missiles on the Shuairat airbase in central Syria, saying the chemical attack was prepared in that facility. Then, analysts said the incident was reminiscent of what the United States did in 2003 when it invaded Iraq over unsubstantiated allegations of chemical weapons possession, which had later been proven wrong. The strike in April was deemed as a message to the Syrian side that the U.S. is here and there will be red lines with retaliation if crossed. Two months later, Washington started waving this wild card again, but why now? The U.S. now has special forces in the Syrian desert, and the countryside of Aleppo, as well as in the Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Syria. Washington is now throwing a big support behind the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to capture the city of Raqqa from the Islamic State (IS) group. It's also supporting other rebel groups in southern Syria, in the desert, near the Iraqi borders. Washington is also aiding rebel groups fighting near the Jordanian borders, with local reports speaking of military preparations on the Jordanian side of the borders. The United States is now working to draw areas of its influence in Syria and doesn't want to be disrupted, but the advance made by the Russian-backed Syrian army is apparently raising the ire of Washington. Since last month, the Syrian army captured thousands of square kilometers of territories in the sprawling Syrian desert from IS, reaching the Iraqi borders for the first time since 2014. In the process of this progress and the aim to reach the Syrian-Iraqi borders, pro-government Syrian forces were struck twice by the U.S. on May 18 and June 6 near Tanf border crossing, where the U.S. and Britain have military bases. Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said in a recent report that timing of the Syrian operation to liberate the eastern desert from IS is to secure the supply route between Iran and Syria through the Iraqi territories and also to the Lebanese territories. Such goal is what pushed the U.S. to strike the Syrian military convoy near Tanf, as the U.S. and its allies don't want any Iranian sway on the borders, particularly after the visit of Iraq's national security adviser, Faleh al-Fayad, to Syria on May 18, during which he discussed with President Bashar al-Assad ways to commence joint military operations between the Syrian and Iraqi military forces on the Iraqi-Syrian borders. The Al-Mayadeen report said the U.S. desire to expand its sway in eastern Syria, mainly in Deir al-Zour province and the Syrian desert at the triangle between Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, is to prevent Iran and its allies from connecting in Syria and Lebanon. So the main aim is to weaken the Shiite influence in Syria by trying to hinder any border connection between Syria, Iran through Iraq, and that's why the Syrian army and its allies of the Lebanese Hezbollah group and other Shiite fighters are fighting to thwart the American plan in Syria. Abdul-Bari Atwan, a London-based journalist and editor in chief of the Rai Alyoum newspaper said in an article Tuesday that administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is uncomfortable with the big progress made by the Syrian army in the provinces of Aleppo, Homs, Hama, the countryside of Damascus as well as near the Iraqi borders. "This is why they (Americans) want to explode the situation again in Syria because they don't want for this war to be over in any way," he said. He added that the stage seems ready for another "chemical play" in Syria. However, the Russian stance this time toward the U.S. threats feels stronger than that of last April. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that his country will respond with dignity and proportionately if the United States takes pre-emptive measures against Syrian government forces. Lavrov said he hoped that the United States was not preparing to use its intelligence assessments about the Syrian government's intentions as a pretext to mount a "provocation" in Syria. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Wednesday that Moscow perceives allegations made by the White House that Syria could be preparing a chemical attack as an "invitation" for terrorists to launch a provocation using chemical weapons. "We consider these new insinuations on the issue of weapons of mass destruction, in the worst traditions of 2003 NATO intervention in Iraq, to be nothing less than an invitation for terrorists, extremists and armed opposition in Syria to fabricate another mass provocation using chemical weapons," the statement said. Maher Ihsan, a Syrian political expert and a journalist, told Xinhua that the new move by the U.S. is a response to the Syrian army progress and a message that the Syrian army should abide by the U.S. rules. He noted, however, that the general atmosphere in Syria doesn't give the sentiment that the Syrian side will be scared off that easy. Following the strikes near Tanf, and the downing of the Syrian warplane near Raqqa earlier this week, the Syrian side continued to make progress on several fronts, and President Assad made a visit to the Russian-run base in Latakia to give a message of a strong alliance between Moscow and Damascus. Ihsan pointed out that this time it will not be easy for the U.S. to carry out pre-emptive attacks on the Syrian army as that will put it into a possible direct confrontation with Russia. He noted, however, that some rebels could stage an attack to inflame the situation, as warned by Russia, and in that way, the repercussions of such escalation will only complicate the prospects of solutions to the long-running conflict, because the U.S.-Russian tension will heighten and the language of weapons will be the most heard. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 03:35:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DUBAI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday reiterated the stance of the Gulf state and its Arab allies led by Saudi Arabia that Qatar must give in and fulfill the 13 demands to curb "extremism and the support of terrorism." Earlier in the day, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted that brotherly states should "step away from the battle and realize the consequences of their isolation," without naming Qatar. Gargash also re-tweeted a CNN interview excerpt of UAE Ambassador to Russia, Omar Ghobash, saying "59 individuals and 12 entities ... accused of extremism and terrorism ... based in Qatar. These people are also listed as terrorists by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations." Last Friday, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt have issued a list of 13 demands to end rift with Doha including closing Al-Jazeera television and cutting diplomatic ties with Iran. The four Arab states severed ties with Qatar on June 5 over its alleged support for terrorism. The list also demanded Qatar to kick members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard out of Qatar and cut off any joint military cooperation with Iran. Qatar was also required to sever all ties with "terrorist organizations" including the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State group, al-Qaida, and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Qatar responded to the list earlier in the week, saying the list of the 13 demands was "not reasonable," denying the charges of supporting extremist groups. On June 6, the Arab quartet has also imposed a partial land, sea and air embargo for Qatari-owned means of transport including state-owned Qatar Airways. The gas-rich Gulf state which shares only one land border with Saudi Arabia has since then mostly sourced its food and materials needs from Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Oman, according to media reports. Qatar is a member of Gulf Cooperation Council, together with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. A billboard of the World's agribusiness giant Syngenta is seen in a corn field of Patrice Schneider's pilot farm, that uses the company's modern sustainable farming practices in a French village Geispitzen, near Switzerland's Basel, June 27, 2017. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan) BASEL, Switzerland, June 28 (Xinhua) -- World's agribusiness giant Syngenta and its new owner ChemChina unveiled new ambitions Tuesday, eyeing a place of top three in global seeds business by further expansion in emerging markets, especially China. The company said it intends to profitably grow market share through organic growth and collaborations, and is considering targeted acquisitions with a focus on seeds. The goal is to strengthen Syngenta's leadership position in crop protection and to become an ambitious number three in seeds. For that end, further expansion in emerging markets, notably China, will be the key in the future. In 2016, the Asia-Pacific region only stood about 15 percent of Syngenta's annual sales, reaching 1.84 billion U.S. dollars, while the rest regions, North America, Latin America, as well as Europe, Africa and the Middle East, all contributed more than 3.2 billion U.S. dollars. In addition to market growth, increasing efforts in digital agriculture and ongoing investment in new technologies to increase crop yields, as well as reducing CO2 emissions and preserving water resources, will also play a major role in securing the company's leadership. Before the announcement, a general meeting of Syngenta shareholders elected Ren Jianxin, chairman of ChemChina, as chairman of the board of directors on Monday. But Syngenta's operational independence in the future under the governance of the existing management team has been reaffirmed. At Tuesday's press meeting, Ren said together with Syngenta's board and management and all its employees, "we will work for the benefit of growers and to enhance food security, and fight famine around the world, based on principles of technological leadership, environmental safety and sustainability." Vice Chairman and Lead Independent Director of Syngenta Michel Demare also reassured that growth is the focus behind the whole acquisition. "All our stakeholders are benefiting from this change of ownership," Demare said, referring that Syngenta will maintain the highest corporate governance standards as a standalone company, while sharing with ChemChina a common long-term vision of contributing to global food security. Earlier in June, Chinese state-owned chemical giant ChemChina announced the completion of a deal of 43 billion U.S. dollars to acquire Syngenta. ChemChina has purchased 94.7 percent of Syngenta's shares so far and will push forward the delisting of Syngenta from both Switzerland and the United States. In the future, ChemChina will implement a strategy to make Syngenta go public again with a view to realize long-term development and create greater value, the company said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 04:00:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had accepted French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to visit France on Bastille Day next month. "President Trump looks forward to reaffirming America's strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, and to commemorating the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I," said a statement by the White House. "The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern," the statement added. The French invitation came amid public disagreement between Macron and Trump on Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement signed by 196 parties in Paris. Shortly after Trump announced his decision early this month to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, Macron hit back in a televised speech with a call to "make our planet great again," a direct jab at Trump's campaign slogan to "make America great again." Macron also appealed to U.S. scientists and other U.S. citizens disappointed by Trump's decision to "come and work here (in France) with us to work together on concrete solutions for our climate." Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 04:05:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel targeted a Syrian military post after a projectile landed in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Wednesday, a military spokesperson said. The spokesperson said that the action came in response to a projectile that hit earlier the northern Golan, causing no injuries or damage. "The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) targeted the Syrian military position that fired the mortar," the statement read. The incident was the fourth time that a spillover from the war-torn country hit northern Israel, without causing damage or injuries. On Monday, the military said it had identified heavy machine gun bullet holes in a post of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, which maintains the 1974 cease-fire between Israel and Syria. The post is located near the community of Zivanit, adjacent to the disputed border between Syria and Israel. A day earlier, the Israeli military said it attacked two artillery positions and an ammunition truck, both belonging to the Syrian army, after several projectiles hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights. No injuries or damage were reported but as a precautionary measure, the army asked civilians to refine from gathering near the border area. A similar incident occurred on Saturday, as 10 projectiles hit an open field in the Israeli-held Golan, causing no injuries or damage. In response, Israel's air force attacked posts of the Syrian army. Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported that several people were killed in the strikes, including at least two civilians. The army believes that all of the cross-border fire incidents were a result of a spillover from the fighting in Quneitra, next to the border. According to SANA, the battles in this region are between President Bashar Assad's army and the Nusra Front, a Salafist rebel group in Syria. Errant fire from the Syria, which is fighting a six-year-long war, has occasionally been spilling over to Israel, usually causing no casualties or damage. Israel often retaliated the mortars with airstrikes. Israel had repeatedly declared it would not intervene in the internal fighting in Syria. However, it is widely believed that Israel often carried out airstrikes on weapons convoys in Syria, and has been providing medical treatment to hundreds of wounded Syrians who reached the border. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 04:46:15|Editor: Song Lifang Image provided by Brazil's Presidency shows Brazilian President Michel Temer attending a meeting with leaders of the allied base in the Chamber of Deputies, in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 28, 2017. Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin decided on Wednesday to send the charges against President Michel Temer straight to the Chamber of Deputies for a vote. (Xinhua/Marcos Correa/Presidency of Brazil) BRASILIA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin decided on Wednesday to send the charges against President Michel Temer straight to the Chamber of Deputies for a vote. The bribery charges, lodged on Monday by prosecutor-general Rodrigo Janot, will be received by Chamber of Deputies President Rodrigo Maia. The Chamber will then vote on whether the investigation should go ahead, needing a two-third majority for it to pass. The Chamber of Deputies is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brizil with 513 deputies. If the Chamber agrees for the process to continue, the case will return to the Supreme Court and both sides will have 15 days to present their cases. The Congress is currently on its winter recess in August but can still meet for key topics and debates. However, before any full vote is arranged, the charges will first be analyzed by the Chamber's Constitution and Justice Commission, which will prepare a report for the legislative body. The charges presented by Janot are based on an investigation following a confession by Joesley Batista, owner of a meatpacking company JBS, who claimed Temer was taking bribery. Furthermore, a key Temer advisor, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, was arrested after being caught on camera in April receiving a suitcase, containing 500,000 reais (160,000 U.S. dollars) from JBS, which was allegedly a bribe destined for Temer. On top of the bribery charges, Janot is expected to lodge further charges against Temer for obstruction of justice and illicit association. Temer has denied all the charges, saying he was the "victim of political infamy" and there was no evidence against him. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 05:01:21|Editor: Song Lifang Maikel Moreno, the president of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), attends a press conference in Caracas, capital of Venezuela, on June 28, 2017. Moreno on Wednesday condemned an attack against the court's headquarters in Caracas, calling it terrorism. The attack on Tuesday saw a grenade launched against the building from a police helicopter. The grenade did not explode and there were no casualties. (Xinhua/Str) CARACAS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The president of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), Maikel Moreno, on Wednesday condemned an attack against the court's headquarters in Caracas, calling it terrorism. The attack on Tuesday saw a grenade launched against the building from a police helicopter. The grenade did not explode and there were no casualties. In a statement, Moreno said the attack, allegedly carried out by a police officer identified as Oscar Perez, "endangered the lives of workers" at the TSJ, as well as bystanders. "It cannot be called anything other than terrorism," added Moreno, following an inspection of the site, located about a kilometer from the presidential headquarters. In Venezuela's ongoing power struggle, the conservative opposition has often criticized the judicial branch for upholding decisions by the ruling socialist party. "These types of actions will not intimidate Venezuela's judges, but will strengthen their actions within the framework of the Constitution," said Moreno. The attackers reportedly hijacked the helicopter belonging to the police department's criminal investigative unit to attack the TSJ and the Ministry of the Interior. President Nicolas Maduro affirmed that nothing will disrupt upcoming polls in July to elect the members of a National Constituent Assembly to rewrite the Constitution. The coalition of right-wing parties, known by its Spanish acronym MUD, is against the constitutional initiative and has stepped up anti-government protests to demand presidential elections be moved up. The increasingly violent demonstrations have claimed the lives of at least 76 people so far, according to official figures. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 05:01:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BUJUMBURA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza Wednesday launched the week marking the 10th anniversary of Burundi's admission into the East African Community (EAC), committing to pursue the country's integration into the bloc. "I call upon officials closely following up the integration of Burundi in EAC to continue pursuing the country's integration," Nkurunziza said. The EAC, made up of six countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and Uganda has not yet reached the monetary union and the political federation - the last step of the bloc's integration. According to Nkurunziza, the challenge is "harmonizing" in the EAC in order to spearhead the bloc's integration. "We (Burundi) also have to harmonize our laws in the EAC region in order to avoid being obstacles to the full integration of the bloc," Nkurunziza added. He said such laws that need to be harmonized notably include tax administration policies. Nkurunziza underlined that Burundi has had good relationships with other East African countries even before the colonial period. "Before the colonial period, Burundian citizens went to Tanzania or Uganda to buy goods like salt that could not be found on the local market. Others went to those countries to seek jobs when Burundi was facing famine or hunger," Nkurunziza said. Burundi and Rwanda were admitted to the EAC in July 2007, joining Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. South Sudan joined the EAC in March 2017. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 05:11:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SANAA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Cholera infection has killed 1,400 people and infected 218,798 others in war-torn Yemen in just two months, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said on its official twitter account, describing it as the largest epidemic hitting a single Arab country. The rapidly spreading cholera outbreak in Yemen has been "increasing at an average of 5,000 a day," said WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) executive director Anthony Lake in a joint statement posted on WHO website. "We are now facing the worst cholera outbreak in the world," they said. Since April 27, the disease has spread to almost all of Yemeni provinces, mostly reported from the Houthi-held capital Sanaa and its suburbs, northern province of Hajah and Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, which are also under Houthi control, said WHO in its recent updated map of the spreading disease. One quarter of the epidemic victims were children, the statement said. "This deadly cholera outbreak is the direct consequence of two years of heavy conflict," it said, blaming the conflict for collapsing health, water and sanitation systems that have cut off 14.5 million people from regular access to clean water and sanitation and helping increasing the ability of the disease to spread. They also said that rising rates of malnutrition in Yemen have weakened children's health and made them more vulnerable to the disease. "An estimated 30,000 dedicated local health workers who play the largest role in ending this outbreak have not been paid their salaries for nearly 10 months," said the statement. "We urge all authorities inside the country to pay these salaries and, above all, we call on all parties to end this devastating conflict," it added. Yemen is facing total collapse as the war continues. Two thirds of the total population, around 19 million, need humanitarian and protection aid. About 10.3 million people are close to famine and 14.5 million lack access to safe drinking water. Less than 45 percent of the country's hospitals are operational at the moment, but even the operational ones are coping with huge challenges, on top of which is the lack of medications, medical equipment and staffs. The blockade on Yemen, part of a Saudi-led bombing campaign launched in March 2015, has deepened the crisis in the country which used to import most of its basic needs. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 05:21:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HAVANA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Both Chinese and Latin American experts agreed here on Wednesday to bolster cooperation in clean energy on a China-Latin America seminar on climate change through clean energy innovation and technology transfer. This is a mechanism that seeks to promote academic collaboration, training of qualified personnel, technology transfer and industrial cooperation between China and the Latin American region. "The Chinese government attaches great attention to cooperation with Latin America. Clean energy and climate change are two major themes facing the world," Liu Dehua, director of the China-Latin America Joint Laboratory for Clean Energy and Climate Change at Tsinghua University, told Xinhua. Liu heads a delegation of more than twenty Chinese businessmen and experts to the third seminar on the climate change. The delegates have offered new ways of cooperation to promote the larger-scale use of renewable energies. "China faces huge challenges in its needs for energy. Latin America and the Caribbean have good resources for this cooperation, which would help development in the region while cutting emissions," he said. In 2015, the China-Latin America Joint Laboratory was set up with the support from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. Among the objectives of this cooperation platform are researching new technologies to combat climate change, helping Chinese products and technologies into the Latin American market and establishing a mechanism for inter-regional dialogue on the issue. "Our focus in Latin America is on collaboration in clean energy technology research and its promotion. This region has very good energy resources including solar energy, wind and tidal power, as well as sugarcane biomass," he added. Regarding Cuba, the Chinese expert said the island has rapidly increased its use of renewable energy. Its development plan predicts that around 24 percent of the country's electricity will be produced from renewable sources by 2030. Liu stressed this Caribbean nation can make substantial contributions to China's cooperation with Latin America on climate change and clean energy. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 05:21:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TIKRIT, Iraq, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and eight people wounded in two attacks by Islamic State (IS) militants on Wednesday in Iraq's northern central province of Salahudin, a provincial security source told Xinhua. The extremist IS militants attacked outposts manned by Iraqi army and Sunni tribal fighters in the west of the oil refinery town of Baiji, some 200 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, sparking heavy clashes between the two sides, the source said on condition of anonymity. The clashes resulted in the killing of three IS militants and the destruction of three of their vehicles, while a security member was killed and two tribal fighters wounded, the source said. Also in the province, IS militants fired two mortar rounds on al-Baajah village near the government-controlled western bank of the town of Shirqat, some 280 km north of Baghdad, leaving three civilians killed, including two brothers, and six people wounded, the source said. The extremist militants fired the rounds from their stronghold in the eastern bank of the town across the Tigris River, which bisects Shirqat, the source added. In September last year, the security forces and allied Sunni and Shiite paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units retook control of the western bank of Shirqat, but left eastern side of the town in the hands of the extremist militants, as the troops continued their push northward to the IS major stronghold in Mosul. The Sunni-dominated province of Salahudin has witnessed a series of deadly attacks since security forces and allied paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units retook the province from IS militants who seized a large part of it in June 2014. The incident came as Iraqi security forces, backed by the anti-IS international coalition, were simultaneously conducting a major offensive to dislodge IS militants from their major stronghold in western Mosul in northern Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 05:46:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHICAGO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures closed mixed Wednesday with corn futures falling after beneficial showers moved across top producer Iowa overnight. CBOT wheat futures rose nearly one percent on worries that stressful weather will curb production of the high-quality milling wheat. The most active corn contract for September delivery fell 1.5 cents, or 0.41 percent, to 3.6625 dollars per bushel. September wheat delivery added 4 cents, or 0.85 percent, to close at 4.73 dollars per bushel. July soybeans rose 2.75 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 9.14 dollars per bushel. In the outside markets, the Brent crude oil market is 0.51 dollar per barrel higher, the U.S. dollar is lower, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 142 points higher. Weaker crop conditions still have some convincing to do and traders are not convinced the corn or soybean crop will waiver far from trend-line yield, said analysts. Traders were squaring positions ahead of the USDA's acreage and quarterly stocks reports and publications that often trigger sharp price movements. The reports will coincide with the end of the month and quarter, along with first notice day for deliveries against CBOT July futures contracts. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-29 06:31:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said Wednesday that its convoy was attacked by unknown gunmen near Zawiyah city, located some 50 km west of the capital Tripoli. "The UNSMIL confirms that a UN convoy was hit when traveling between Surman and Tripoli. The mission has made contact with the staff travelling in the convoy. There are no reports of casualties among UN staff," UNSMIL said in a statement. UNSMIL also thanked the Government of National Accord, House of Representative Members from Zawiyah and local authorities for their help in ensuring the safety of UN staff and said it is looking forward to their safe return to Tripoli. Diplomatic missions in Libya have been repeatedly targeted since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime. In 2014, most diplomatic missions and foreign companies fled Libya due to escalating violence and chaos. A militant group called Ansar Al-Sharia linked to Al-Qaeda attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012, killing ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other of U.S. officials. Accountant on 21 fraud charges Cox, 31, of Battoo Avenue, appeared before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine who granted him $600,000 bail to be approved by a clerk of the peace. This bail is to cover 18 of the charges which allegedly occurred in the San Fernando magisterial district. The magistrate, who presides over the First Court, however denied bail and remanded him into police custody to appear in the Chaguanas Magistrates Court today on three other charges. It is alleged Cox deposited three FCB cheques drawn from the account of Central Finance Facility Co-operative Society by falsely pretending the cheques were good and in order. The cheques, each valued $30,000 were made payable to self from the society, where he was formerly employed. The offences allegedly occurred between August and December 2015. It is further alleged Cox disposed of various sums of cash on different dates, knowing and having reasonable grounds to suspect the money was criminal property, which constituted the benefit from criminal conduct, namely obtaining by false pretences. On Saturday, Cpl Khaleel Hosein of the Fraud Squad, charged Cox with 12 counts of money-laundering. Hosein also charged him with three counts each of forgery, uttering forged valuable security namely cheques, and obtaining the documents by false pretence. Eighteen of the offences alleged that Cox deposited the cheques at Marabella and three on December 21, 2015, at Chaguanas. The latter three alleged that he obtained by false pretence, uttered a false security valuable and forged an FCB Independence Branch cheque. All of the charges are indictable and the accused was not called upon to plead yesterday. Defence attorney Louis Andrews told the magistrate that his client, a father of one, works as an accountant with a construction firm and has strong community ties. In granting Cox the $600,000 bail, Magistrate Antoine ordered that he reports to the Fraud Squad office weekly. She adjourned the San Fernando-district matters to July 25, and the Chaguanas matters to today. Children see gun placed to dads head Landscaper Devon Awong, 31, said he was struck in the face with a gun butt as his children watched. His 82-year-old father was also in the house. Awong said he was able to cry out for help and neighbours including an off-duty police officer identified as PC Villafana, ran to the familys assistance. By the time they arrived however, the bandit had already escaped in a car, taking Awongs $1,700 cellphone. A gold-coloured Nissan Tiida, believed to be the getaway car, was later intercepted in the Longdenville area with a man at the steering-wheel and a woman and an eight-year-old boy seated in the back. The bandit was not in the car. Police have since interrogated the owner of the car which they believe was used previously in criminal activities. Police said an arrest is imminent. A shaken Awong yesterday said he was advised to get counselling for his children aged two, seven, 12 and 18. My children are in a mess. They started to cry when the man put the gun to my head, Awong said. According to a police report, at about 9.15 pm, Awong responded to a knock on the door and was confronted by the gunman. I wrestled with him to prevent him from coming in, but he broke the door and I fell. He hit me a gun butt and told me, pass the cash. I told him I had no money and I started to make noise. When my cousins came and started shouting for me to open the back door, the bandit grabbed my phone and then left. PC Villafana later contacted the Brasso police and an all-points bulletin was issued giving police the make, colour and license plate number of the getaway car. The man and woman found by police inside the car, were interrogated before being released. Brothers jailed for stealing The elder brother told the court he stole from the attorney to acquire money to buy medicine for his sick wife. The brothers of Manahambre Road, Princes Town were sentenced by Magistrate Gail Gonzales in the Princes Town First Magistrates Court. The charges alleged that between June 18 to June 22, they broke and entered the dwelling place of a female attorney and stole a quantity of meat, two bottles of alcohol and a weed wacker, together valued $5,200. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges laid by Cpl Nanan. Court prosecutor Ramdath Phillip said the victim reported seeing the stolen items on June 18 inside a stock room at her home. A check was made later and the items were discovered missing. The court heard that Ishan worked as a yard man for the attorney and had a spare key to the stock room. The attorney reported the matter to the Princes Town Police Station and officers including Sgt Ramlogan, Cpl Nanan, PCs Ali and Isaac began investigations. The brothers were later arrested and charged. The weed wacker was recovered and produced in court. The brothers were unrepresented. Human shield in prison breakout sues State Attorneys Reynold Waldropt, Jeron Joseph and Tim Charriandy are representing Amalgamated Security officer and mother of three Anita Bartholomew, 38, who was on duty at the Port of Spain General Hospital on July 24, 2015. On that day, Martin, Hassan Atwell and Christopher Monster Selby allegedly shot their way out of the Port of Spain Prison on Frederick Street. Policeman Sherman Maynard was killed and prison officer Leon Rouse was shot and wounded. Martin was killed during an alleged shoot-out in a guard booth at the hospital and Atwell was murdered after hiding out in Port of Spain. Selby surrendered to police at the Barataria station two days later and was charged with ten offences including Maynards murder. In their pre-action protocol letter, Bartholomews attorneys have given the State seven days in which to acknowledge their letter and 42 days in which to state its position on liability. They claim the police acted recklessly and negligently when they shot into the guard booth that day as there was no justifiable reason for them to shoot since Martin was unarmed. The attorneys also argue that Martin posed no threat to either Bartholomew or the police so the use of force was excessive and a clear breach of the polices Use of Force guidelines. Bartholomew will be seeking compensation for injuries sustained and pain and suffering as well as emotional and mental distress suffered. She was shot in the right hand. Her attorneys letter, which detailed what occurred on July 24, said Bartholomew was at the guard booth at the Charlotte Street entrance when she began hearing screaming and bawling. Two of her colleagues ran in and one told her there was an escaped prisoner on the compound with a gun. Martin opened the booth and held on to her, pushing her further into the booth. She was being used a shield, and Martin, her attorneys said, was unarmed. The letter said without warning or any attempt at negotiation to pacify the situation, the police, who by then had surrounded the booth, pointed guns through the window and opened fire. The lawyers said Bartholomew kept signalling to the policemen, shouting to them, Dont shoot, dont shoot, and told them Martin was unarmed. In spite of this, the police officers continued to shoot into the guard booth and into her direction and that of Martin, the letter said. At that point, Ms Bartholomew was in front of the man who was attempting to hide behind her. At no point in time was this man shooting at the police officers. At no point in time was this man threatening Ms Bartholomew in any way. At no point in time was this man Martin threatening the police officers. She said her colleagues also shouted to the police to stop shooting, but they continued. The man who was holding Ms Bartholomew drifted. She observed blood on him and on the ground. There was also a great deal of blood on her body. She heard further shots being fired into the guard booth which were extremely loud. She attempted to cover her face with her hands. Suddenly, she felt a burning sensation in her right hand. She had been shot. In spite of this the shooting continued. The man fell to the ground covered in blood. He appeared to be bleeding from his head. He had been mortally wounded, the letter added. Relatives believe murder was premeditated This comes contrary to earlier reports in another paper which said Ramdhan was among a group of men who threatened a family at their Palmiste Drive, Sangre Grande home. Speaking with relatives of the slain man, Newsday was told the killer had been making threats to Ramdhan and his family every time he passed the Ramdhans business place at 3/4 Mile Mark, Coalmine, Sangre Grande. That youth is a menace, said one relative who wished not to be named. Since earlier on the youth man was passing and sending threats for the man and his family. Relatives described Ramdhan as a helpful, selfless person who would give his last dollar to someone in need. In contrast they described his killer, as a bad boy who was looking for rank. That boy (the killer) is a pest, relatives said at the Forensic Science Centre,St James yesterday He got into altercations with other people already and damaged them badly. I think this murder was premeditated. When he came with that cutlass he did not come to do bodily harm, he came to kill Newsday understands that just before 9.30 pm on Sunday the killer had threatened Ramdhans life, and flicked a cigarette at his 17-year-old son. That was when an altercation broke out between the killer and Ramdhan. According to sources, the man then returned with a cutlass and slit Ramdhans throat. Ramdhan was taken to the Sangre Grande area hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy report done on Ramdhans body yesterday confirmed that he died from haemorrhaging due to a single wound across his throat. Newsday understands the killer has since given himself up to police. He remains in police custody assisting with investigations. Fined for planassing boss The charge, laid by PC Ramdatt, was read by Magistrate Gail Gonzales. George pleaded guilty. Prosecutor Ramdath Phillip told the court the victim reported that George attacked him with a cutlass. George told the magistrate he went to work and was told the company was going to lay off workers. I went to collect money and they told me that they did not have work for me again, George said. He said he became angry because he was a hard worker who even worked through the night when Tropical Storm Bret hit on June 19. I wanted to keep my work so I beat the man. I was wrong and I am sorry. Gonzales told him he could not be wrong and strong. He was given the maximum fine of $400 or in default of payment will serve three months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $1000 to the victim. Man accused of stabbing police blanks court The man of Princes Town, who said his name is Gaffar was arrested on Saturday after the alleged incident. However when he was taken into the cell docks of the Princes Town Magistrates Court yesterday, he refused to be taken before a magistrate. Newsday also learnt that the man also did not allow the police to take his fingerprints. His name was called several times by Magistrate Gail Gonzales. Court and Process police also made several attempts to take the man before the magistrate but were unsuccessful. Gonzales said that the matter would have to be adjourned in his absence. The charges were not read. He is charged with assaulting a police officer and throwing missiles. It is alleged that on Saturday, PC Charles and a colleague were on patrol in Princes Town when they responded to a report that a man was threatening residents near the Princes Town Fire Station. When police arrived, the man allegedly began throwing pieces of steel rods and stones at the officers. Charles attempted to subdue him when he (the man) allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed him in his back. He also sustained a cut to left little finger. Charles fell to the ground injuring his left knee. With the assistance of PC Ramsubhag and other officers who arrived, the man was subdued and taken to the Princes Town Police Station while Charles was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he is receiving treatment. Cpl Malloo laid the charges. The case was adjourned to July 11. Man tells magistrate he uses cocaine for pain Randolf Scott, 60, pleaded guilty to having 4.5 grammes of the illegal drug in his possession. Magistrate Cherril- Anne Antoine scolded Scott, who is also diabetic, telling him he must find an alternative given his delicate situation. You have to be careful about what you put into your body, Antoine said. Let the doctors recommend something for you. I understand when people get their legs amputated they get something called phantom pain. But no, not cocaine. She ordered him to pay $1,000 forthwith or, in default, serve one month in jail with hard labour. When Scotts name was called yesterday, a woman identified as his daughter told the magistrate about Scotts disability. The courthouse does not facilitate access for people using wheelchairs. Three policemen from the Court and Process unit went downstairs and lifted Scott and his wheelchair into the courtroom. Justice Seepersad scolds PP Seepersads disapproval of the councils failure to meet for over five years came as he ruled in favour of an army captain who sought a hearing of the council in August 2014 on an allegation by a senior officer that he faked his sick leave when he was seriously injured in a traffic accident earlier that year. Andrew Seesahai resigned from the regiment on July 22, 2014, but alleged that when he questioned his commanding officer on the status of his resignation letter, he was threatened and nothing had been done about his request to resign or for resettlement. He then sought an audience with the Defence Council after filing a complaint. Although he was advised in October of that year that the matter would be placed on the next council meeting agenda, no meeting was held. Seesahai, of Santa Margarita, St Augustine, filed for judicial review. He was represented by attorney Gerald Ramdeen. In his ruling, Seepersad said once the process under Section 194 of the Defence Act had been invoked, there existed a statutory obligation to render a decision on a complaint placed before the council. The Defence Council comprises the Minister of National Security, two cabinet ministers appointed by the prime minister, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Security. The judge said any allegation of unbecoming conduct must be thoroughly investigated. It is difficult to fathom why during the last four years of the previous governments tenure, no meeting of the Defence Council was occasioned, he said. He also expressed concern that the council had advanced no proper explanation of why Seesahais position had not been determined. A body such as the defendant, clothed with the statutory obligation to adjudicate upon the rights and obligations of members of the Defence Force, cannot simply abdicate its duty by its failure to promptly and efficiently address complaints referred to it, he said. He was critical of the fact that for five years the Defence Council did not meet and said, Such a circumstance is simply unacceptable and really amounts to a gross dereliction of the statutory obligation that it was mandated to follow. This untenable situation continued for a further year into the new administrations reign, when until a meeting was held on 14 July 2016, he noted. In his ruling, Seepersad held that the Defence Councils failure to provide Seesahai with a prompt hearing and determination of his petition was unreasonable, unacceptable and unlawful. He has given the council 14 days in which to make a decision on Seesahais complaint Pregnant woman vs wrecker Instead, she was allowed to enter the car and was taken to the impound to pay the $500 fine in order to get back her car. The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she parked her Toyota Corolla car and went into a nearby store. While inside, a wrecker from the police Highway Patrol Branch took her car and was proceeding south along Chacon Street . The woman, who was alerted by store clerks and pedestrians, took off behind her wrecked car and pleaded with the supervising officer to excuse her for the offence . The officer ordered the operator to continue towing the car away. The woman followed behind the wrecker. Several pedestrians called on the policeman to give the car back to the woman . As the wrecker driver drove off, the vehicle scraped against the side of a truck parked at the side of the road. Only after a small group of onlookers spoke to the policeman, did he relent and allow the woman to enter her wrecked car to be given a ride to the impound . Pope accepts Harris resignation Pereira made the confirmation to Newsday after a thanksgiving ceremony commemorating the service of Bishop- elect of St Georges, Grenada, Monsignor Clyde Harvey. We are currently praying for a new Archbishop of Port of Spain, as Fr Harriss letter has been accepted by the Pope, who now has to appoint a new archbishop. This appointment should be rather quickly not more than a few months. Pereira also said one of the new archbishops first duties would be to appoint a replacement for Harvey, who is expected to complete his duties as Monsignor by the end of July before becoming Bishop of Grenada. The replacement is a matter for the archbishop, so whenever the new one is appointed, he will decide who Fr Harveys replacement will be. Pereira, who is a long-time friend and colleague of Harvey, said he was pleased with his appointment, adding that the St Georges Diocese was in good hands. He cited Harveys extensive knowledge of culture and tireless work ethic. I think its a wonderful appointment and I think Grenada will benefit tremendously from his experience and knowledge of the politics and the culture of the Caribbean people. So its not as if a stranger is entering the land. Harris announced his resignation in March after turning 75, in accordance with canon law. Bernadette Lewis honoured for contribution to Cbeans ICT sector In a media release, the CTU said recognition of Lewis work occurred during the opening ceremony of the inaugural Barbados Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus on June 21. Ms Lewis was recognised for her pioneering work in establishing the first Internet Governance Forum in the world in 2005. The Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), now in its 13th year, is dedicated to building capacity and fostering universal open, equitable and affordable access by Caribbean citizens to infrastructure linked to global information resources. D escribing Lewis, a Trinidadian, as a visionary with a passion for ICT-enabled development, the CTU said she has been at the forefront of activities to advance effective use of the internet and its resources in the Caribbean. CTU president and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados Darcy Boyce, in a video documentary highlighting her work, cited Lewis all-consuming passion for getting the Caribbean to use ICT to improve all aspects of Caribbean life. The CTU said Lewis was surprised to receive the accolade. Having thanked the organising committee for the recognition of her efforts, Lewis commended them for the establishment of the Barbados IGF. She noted that in 2014, at the 10th CIGF, she had presented a new approach for advancing caribbean internet governance which included the establishment of national IG fora to advance the work of the CIGF in each country. She congratulated Barbados for being among the first Caribbean countries leading the way in establishing a national IGF and expressed her satisfaction of being part of the first Barbados IGF. Lewis said, The establishment of the Barbados IGF is a testimony of the determination of a diverse community of stakeholders to influence its development of the internet for the benefit of the citizens of Barbados. She added that Barbados influencing the development of the internet was not an exaggeration because the country was already at the forefront of the internets development. Lewis said Barbados national Alan Emtage had developed ARCHIE, the internets first search engine. Emtages contribution was also recognised by the Barbados IGF. In 2012, Lewis was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin American and Caribbean Registry for Internet Numbers for her work in internet governance. Febeau Govt Primary gets help from Scotia At the cheque presentation, Scotiabank Foundation director Peter Ghany underscored the Foundations commitment to helping young people become better off. The Scotiabank Foundation invests in our young people and communities in the areas of education, empowerment and environment. This donation, he added, helps us focus on two of these areas education and empowerment. Steelpan Education in Primary Schools has many positive outcomes. Learning to play the steelpan plays an important role in opening doors to young children, helping them to discover opportunities that will help them become to reach their full potential. Scotiabank has been supporting the promotion of the steelpan for the past 40 years, stated Kameel Baksh-Edwards, General Manager of Scotiabank Foundation. Those contributions to independent steelbands during the Carnival season helps them continue in their thrust of fostering community spirit. The support of steelpan education for young students is a natural extension of our commitment to not only the rich culture of our country and the promotion of our national instrument, but also helping our young people lead better lives she continued. Neil Simon, music teacher at Febeau Government Primary, praised Scotiabank Foundation for its foresight in this initiative and emphasised the positive role music can have on the life of his students Music opened the door for me to pursue tertiary education studies in spite of a disadvantaged background and not having the required prerequisites after leaving secondary schoolmy path could have been very different, but I chose music, he indicated. Mayaro MP vex with govt after Bret The storm which packed winds of over 65 kilometres per hour, dumped between 50 and 100 millimetres of rainfall, which resulted in severe flooding and blown-off roofs. In the Mayaro/Rio Claro region there were reports of over 100 roofs being either partially or wholly blown off. In a telephone interview yesterday, Paray said while the response from Mayaro businesses has been good, he was disappointed with governments response to the natural disaster. We have received no support, he said. The corporation has received no support not one piece of ply, not one sheet of galvanise up to 12 oclock today. Any caring government looking at the issues would have made some effort to provide some sort of relief. If you notice today the weather pattern you talking about two days of heavy rainfall: nothing in the line of what had happened last week, but you still have over 100 homes which do not have any roofs. Im sure these families would be seeking refuge by friends and family, but again, the people they seeking refuge by are also people of little means. Asked whether the Ministry of Social Development had visited families affected by the storm, he said he was told that an official from the National Self Help Commission had started visiting a few families. But that too again, coming out of the uttering of the minister in Parliament, those things going to take two to three weeks to process which is unacceptable based on the circumstances. There must have been a speedier way to deal with some of these matters. Wade: Beware stolen crops Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharath in reply listed several steps being taken to avert this practice. He sad his ministry has issued public advisories, including specific advisories for sweet peppers, cabbage and tomatoes. Rambharat said his ministrys staff regularly inspect markets, while the Praedial Larceny Squad also watches markets plus roadside vendors. The minister advised the general public to buy crops at farmers markets, to inspect the produce and to sanitise it before consumption. In a second question, Mark asked about yesterdays closure of four outpatient clinics at Port-of-Spain General Hospital. In reply Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the closure was due to roof leakage and ceiling collapse in the records section. However he said the clinics served patients who are not getting emergency treatment but follow up treatment. These patents will be re-scheduled he said, but added that if any face emergency they can attend the Accident and Emergency Units at POSGH or St James Hospital, or any health centre. Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura said Tuesday he has ordered a nursery school run by the wife of Yasunori Kagoike, the former chief of scandal-tainted school operator Moritomo Gakuen, to suspend its operations for six months beginning Saturday due to a shortage of teachers. This is the first time for the Osaka Municipal Government to issue a business suspension order to a certified nursery school. The municipal government plans to hear opinions from the nursery school this autumn and will check its business plans if it aims to resume operations. Yoshimura told reporters that he may revoke the certification if the nursery school fails to secure a sufficient number of quality teachers. Of the 36 children at the school, 31 have already been informally admitted to other nurseries. The mayor reiterated that he plans to make a decision by the end of this month at the earliest on whether to sue the nursery school and a kindergarten run by Moritomo on charges of subsidy fraud. Jun 28 (ANNnewsCH) - aaacaaaeaaaaaeaeaaaaaaaSaaaYaaaecaaaaeaaaaeaaaeaaeaaaaeaaaYaeaaaSaasaaaaaaaaYaeaZaaaaaaaaaaa Two cities in central Japan regarded as the birthplace of ninjas, or feudal era secret agents, have launched a council to attract more tourists from home and abroad. The cultural assets related to ninjas in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture and in neighboring Iga City, Mie Prefecture, were designated as a Japan Heritage earlier this year. The 2 municipalities have formed a council to enable the region to collectively promote tourism. Its first meeting on Tuesday was held at Aburahi Shrine, which is said to have been a gathering place of the ninjas. The 2 mayors and the tourism association chairman of both cities and others wore ninja costumes for the occasion. Japan and Russia started their first study Tuesday to assess the potential for joint economic activities on disputed islands controlled by Moscow but claimed by Tokyo, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. The Japanese group, comprising 70 government officials and private-sector experts, plans to draw up a priority list of possible economic activities in such fields as fishery, tourism and health care to be carried out on the islets off Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in December to start joint activities on the isles. Tokyo hopes such a program will pave the way for settling the decades-old territorial row with Moscow. "Japanese and Russian people can deepen mutual understanding and trust by together envisioning the future of the northern four islands," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the government's top spokesman, said at a news conference in Tokyo. The isles of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group were seized by the Soviet Union after Japan surrendered in August 1945, ending World War II. They are called the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan. The territorial dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a postwar peace treaty. The group, headed by Eiichi Hasegawa, a special adviser to Abe, is scheduled to visit Kunashiri, Etorofu and Shikotan for five days. It departed from Nemuro port in Hokkaido aboard a chartered ship Tuesday morning and arrived on Kunashiri Island in the afternoon. Jun 28 (ANNnewsCH) - ae aYaecaaaaaaaaaaaacaaaeYaaaaaaacaaaaYaeYaacaaaSaaaaaaaaaeaeaeaaea69aaaaaaaeYaa27aaaaaaaacaaaaaaazaaaaaYaacYaaaeasaaaaYa As the cost of obtaining a college degree has skyrocketed over the years, millions of Japanese are facing potential financial crisis for pursuing post-secondary education. According to the documents obtained through a freedom of information request to Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), a government funded organization which is responsible for lending more than 99 percent of all student loans Japanese college students use, 735 individuals who used JASSO student loans filed for bankruptcy in the year of 2015. The number was at 487 in 2013, an increase of a whopping 34 percent in just two years. The Abenomics, economic policies advocated by Prime Minister Shinzo based upon the "three arrows" of monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms, was supposed to revive the Japanese economy and improve living conditions. The situation, however, has been the exact opposite. Wages remain the same and real wage growth has even been negative in the past several months. It finally increased in May when the government announced a 0.5 increase from the same month of the past year. However, according to the data from the National Tax Agency, more than 11,390,000 people in 2014 are living off an annual salary of less than 2,000,000 Yen, making them the so-called "working poor". The gap between the rich and the poor has widened. The relative poverty rates stand at 16 percent also in 2014, the worst on record. Such economic conditions have taken a toll on graduates repaying their student loans. The reasons for increasing student loan defaults are clear: the increase in tuitions and the decrease in decently paying jobs. It might be difficult for those who graduated college in the 70s and the 80s to understand why the young are having so much difficulty repaying their student loans. This is because the cost of getting a college degree has gone through the roof. The tuition of attending national universities was set at 36,000 Yen per year in 1975. Now, students at national universities pay 535,800 Yen a year, a 1388 percent increase. Those attending private universities face a much tougher situation. On average, private schools charged about 180,000 Yen per year in 1975 according to the data published by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Now private universities ask their students to pay 860,000 Yen. As college tuitions continue to increase on a yearly basis, more and more students are borrowing money from JASSO, the largest creditor of student loans in Japan. According to JASSO, over 38 percent of students attending four-year colleges borrow money from JASSO to pay for their tuition, books, housing, and other expenses. Farmers in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan, have started shipping square watermelons across the country. Such watermelons were first developed by farmers in the district of Fudeoka in the city of Zentsuji 45 years ago to make the fruit fit in refrigerators. The watermelons were initially shipped for eating, but were not very sweet. The fruit are now ornamental. 5 farmhouses brought a total of 260 square watermelons to a pickup facility on Wednesday, made sure they were not damaged, and boxed them. Farmers say the watermelons should be put into cubic boxes with sides 18 centimeters before they fully ripen. They say the fruit are taken out of the boxes after about 10 days for harvest. Jun 29 () - aesaaaaaaaaaaaaeaaaaaaaeaaaaSaaaYaaaaaaaaaaYaaaaaaaaaaaaaacaaaaaaaaYa Drew Angerer/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trumps personal lawyers are postponing filing complaints with the Department of Justice and Senate Judiciary Committee related to former FBI Director Jim Comeys admission that he leaked details of his conversations with the president to reporters. A person familiar with the matter told ABC News the legal teams decision was made so that special counsel Robert Mueller would have space to continue his investigation into Russian election meddling -- which has reportedly expanded to include whether Trump obstructed justice -- without the interference or distraction such complaints could create. In his June 8 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Comey explained how he shared the details of memos describing his discussions with Trump with a friend, who then passed along the information to The New York Times. Though Trump's lawyers are backing away from a complaint now, they expect to act upon it at a later date. The complaint to the [Justice Department Inspector General] and the submission to Senate Judiciary regarding Mr. Comeys public testimony will go forward at the appropriate time, the source said. ABC News first reported on lead attorney Marc Kasowitz's threat to file a complaint on June 9, the day after Comeys testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Comey revealed to lawmakers at the time that he shared the memos with the hope that the action would lead to the appointment of a special counsel. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. A Japanese budget airline apologised Wednesday for forcing a wheelchair-bound man to crawl up a set of stairs to board his flight. The airport worker, who was on an outsourcing contract with Vanilla, stopped Kijima's friends from carrying him up the stairs, citing Vanilla regulations. The worker allegedly told Kijima he could board the plane if he "can climb up the stairs on his own with the assistance" of people travelling with him. After hearing that, Kijima got out of his wheelchair and started to crawl up the 17 steps. The worker tried to stop him but Kijima managed to crawl to the top.The airport worker, who was on an outsourcing contract with Vanilla, stopped Kijima's friends from carrying him up the stairs, citing Vanilla regulations. The worker allegedly told Kijima he could board the plane if he "can climb up the stairs on his own with the assistance" of people travelling with him. After hearing that, Kijima got out of his wheelchair and started to crawl up the 17 steps. The worker tried to stop him but Kijima managed to crawl to the top. The frequent tests and growing sophistication of North Korean missiles is prompting the Japanese government and the general public to think carefully about civil defence. What if Pyongyang actually did fire missiles at a major Japanese city? An opinion poll published by the Japan News Network at the beginning of May found that 90 percent of the public admitted feeling worried about North Korea and 54 percent said that they were greatly worried. The conservative government of Shinzo Abe, the Liberal Democratic Party leader who became Japan's prime minister in 2012, has tried to respond to these fears in part by giving assurances that it is working hard to fulfil its duty to defend the nation. But there are also suggestions that the government is more subtly stoking these concerns just enough to assist it in its long-term agenda of dispensing with the remnants of the nation's post-war pacifism and moving towards constitutional revision. There were certainly mixed reviews when Tokyo Metro, a subway company that serves millions of commuters in the Japanese capital, shut down all of its train lines for about 10 minutes on the morning of April 29 in response to news reports that North Korea had fired a missile. While some commentators appreciated the abundance of caution shown by the company, others pointed out that even in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, which is much closer to the danger zone, no such measures have ever been taken. This criticism led Tokyo Metro to quickly change its company policy. In the future, the subway trains will be halted only if an official warning is issued through the J-Alert system of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA), and not in response to media reports. The J-Alert system is a fundamental pillar of Japan's civil defence measures. First launched in 2007, the system involves the FDMA sending out a warning signal via satellite that is to be received by Japanese local governments, which in turn warn the general public about the emergency through loudspeakers and other broadcasts. By 2014, all local governments throughout the nation were provided with the necessary receivers and were woven into the J-Alert system. Japan's space agency has proposed to a government panel a plan to send Japanese astronauts to the moon after 2025. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency or JAXA presented the idea to the science ministry's panel on Wednesday. The panel is tasked with discussing the direction of the country's space exploration. JAXA says it will not develop a manned spacecraft on its own that requires huge development costs. Instead, it will make a technological contribution to a multinational project on a manned lunar probe. They hope this will gain them the right to send Japanese to the moon. The agency expects preparations for such a project to start around 2025. The ministry's panel plans to compile a report on the vision of the country's space exploration by March. This is the first time for JAXA to officially reveal its intent to dispatch astronauts beyond the International Space Station. Jun 29 (ANNnewsCH) - JAXAiaaecc cecYiaa2030aaaaaeeaaeaeaaaacaaaaaZaaaaaaaYa Japan Tobacco Inc said on Wednesday it hoped to catch up with Philip Morris International Inc in smokeless tobacco by expanding the number of smoke-free restaurants and public places that allow its vaping product. Tobacco firms see Japan as a test ground for vaping products, as e-cigarettes using nicotine-laced liquid are not allowed under the country's pharmaceutical regulations. While Marlboro maker Philip Morris's heat-not-burn "IQOS" tobacco device is already enjoying strong demand in Japan, Japan Tobacco's launch of its "Ploom Tech" product has run into delays due to production shortages. Japan Tobacco, a former state monopoly still a third owned by the government, will start selling Ploom Tech at its flagship shops on Thursday and 100 tobacco stores on July 10 in Tokyo. The company has said it plans to sell it nationwide in the first half of the next year. The company test-launched the product in southwestern city of Fukuoka in March last year and at its online shop. It had to temporarily suspend sales after demand overwhelmed supply. Japan Tobacco said it had sold 250,000 Ploom Tech devices by the end of last year. Unlike Philip Morris's IQOS, Ploom Tech does not directly heat tobacco leaves. Instead, the battery-powered device generates vapor that goes through a capsule packed with tobacco leaves. Moroccan intelligence agencies have accomplished another feat of arms as they tipped their European counterparts about the whereabouts of a senior ISIS member, commonly called the Minister of Finance of the terrorist group. The intelligence provided by the Moroccan agencies enabled to identify the terrorist, a Danish of Moroccan origin, who was handling huge amounts of money and who succeeded to slip through several European security nets, reported Moroccan Assabah daily. According to the daily, the terrorist, 40, who was alluded to by his initials M.A.M., has managed to escape the International police, particularly European, for several years. He was wanted for financing terrorist activities, recruiting fighters for the Syrian front, and laundering money through some twenty-four screen companies scattered across Europe. European police have been chasing him for years, but finally, it was Moroccan intelligence agencies that identified him and facilitated his arrest in the Moroccan enclave of Melilla, the daily wrote. To identify the terrorist, Moroccan intelligence services have traced all his activities since 2012, when he began attracting the attention of European police. The Europeans could not however identify the individual behind so many money transfers that have all been used to finance terrorist activities, the daily said, adding that M.A.M. was in direct contact with individuals who served as intermediaries between him and the leaders of Daech and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the An-Nosra front in Syria. Finally, thanks to the intelligence collected and provided by the Moroccans, Danish and Spanish intelligence services were able to track movements of funds operated by this ISIS groups funding provider and to identify his various companies, mostly located in Denmark. They also understood his modus operandi in financing and recruiting terrorists, the daily said, adding that a dozen of these recruits have been identified. With this valuable help from Moroccan intelligence, the Spanish police recently arrested the terrorist in Melilla, reported the daily, without unveiling the exact date of the arrest. After he was spotted by the Moroccan intelligence agents, M.A.M. was wiretapped for 13 hours in a row, which enabled the Spanish police to identify him as the ISIS treasurer who has been wanted for years by all the European police, the daily indicated, adding that some of his associates were also arrested in the operation. Fears are growing in Algeria over the possibility of the non-renewal by Morocco of the contract governing the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, which transports Algerian gas through Morocco and the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain and Europe. Concerns were voiced in the Algerian press, speculating about a potential cessation of the contract, which expires in 2021 after Moroccos Energy Minister, Aziz Rebah, showed little enthusiasm for the future of the Maghreb Europe Gas Pipeline. Morocco is developing two highly strategic projects, the Jorf Lasfar (LNG installation) and the Nigerian-Moroccan gas pipeline, Rebbah recently said in a statement to LEconomiste daily, showing that Morocco is resolutely engaged in unburdening itself from Algerian gas. Algeria, which has obstinately maintained its borders close since 1994 in a bid to undermine Moroccos economic interest, is wary of the Kingdoms plans to boost its energy independence and diversify suppliers. While it remains dependent on its fossil resources, Algeria looks warily at Moroccos plans to diversify its energy sources and secures supply from various partners, including Qatar and Russia. Moroccos flagship gas projects Morocco launched a gas strategy to boost its energy security and relieve itself from Algerian gas dependence. Along with investing in shale oil and renewable energies, liquefied gas is thus at the heart of Moroccos strategy to satisfy a rising domestic demand on electricity. The Kingdoms goal is to move from being a coal-dependent importer to a market in which clean energies and natural gas play an increasing role. Moroccos energy strategy is also geared towards satisfying a rising domestic demand on electricity as the country is projected to consume 65 TW/h by 2025, that is a 6.2% increase compared to 2016. The Moroccan LNG National Development Plan, approved in late 2014, features an LNG onshore terminal in Jorf Lasfar near El Jadida to be completed for a total cost of $4 billion.The terminal will have a storage capacity of 5 billion cubic meters of LNG per year, a fitted marine jetty, regasification plants and new high pressure gas transmission pipes. The LNG import facility at Jorf Lasfar will help bring the share of LNG to 13% of Moroccos energy mix by 2025. Recently, Sound Energy made breakthrough with several exploitable gas discoveries in Eastern Morocco. The company said that the Kingdom will become a key player in the global gas map by 2019. Morocco is also seeking to replace Algerian gas with Russian and Qatari gas. Russia sees in Moroccos port installations an opportunity to access African markets while Qatar has widened the gap with its competitors over the supply of 5 million cubic meters of LNG annually to the Jorf Lasfar Installation. The agreements signed between Morocco and Nigeria to build an offshore gas pipeline has effectively buried plans to achieve the Trans-Saharan Gas Project that was mulled in 2002 to bring Nigerian gas to the Mediterranean through Niger and Algeria. The Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline, to stretch over 4000km, will also set Morocco free from dependence on Algerian gas. This ambitious project that will extend to the Mediterranean the existing West African Gas Pipeline transporting Nigerian gas to Ghana will have beneficial impacts for energy security in all west Africa. Morocco also stands as a leader in the MENA region in renewable energies, boasting one of the largest solar power plants in the world. The Kingdom is on course to achieving the target of meeting 42% of its power generating capacity needs through renewables by 2020 and 52% by 2030 Algeria an unreliable Gas supplier Apart from being at loggerheads with Algeria over the Sahara issue and seeking new energy sources and suppliers, Morocco had better break away with Algerian gas in light of the unreliablity of the latter to maintain gas flow on the long term. International Think Tanks have been worrying in recent years over Algerias declining gas production coupled with a surge in domestic consumption. Since 2007, Algerias consumption of oil and natural gas has risen by more than 50 percent while its oil production has fallen by 25 percent. With less oil available for export, the governments revenues have been hit hard, Stratfor consultancy said in a report on Algerias economic prospects. Algerias gas production and export capacity is facing dim prospects. According to estimates, the North African country will be a net gas importer of LNG in two decades, warned the former Algerian energy minister Nordine Ait-Laoussine. Earlier in May, the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies issued a report entitled Algerian Gas: Troubling Trends, Troubled Policies. The document points out to the depletion of Algerian gas and the declining export capacity saying: Algeria would be left with only 15 bcm/year to export by 2030. In a lower production or high demand scenarios, it will cease exporting all together, therefore importing gas beyond any such a point, said the report. In light of Algerias obstinacy to maintain the Maghreb Union in a state of limbo through maintaining closed borders, hampering intra-Maghreban trade and simmering tension due to its unconditional backing for the Polisario separatists, the renewal of the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline remains shrouded in doubt as Morocco may seek to disarm Algeria of its sole weapon of geopolitical leverage, gas, by investing in LNG, Nigerian gas pipeline and renewable energies. King Mohammed VI has appointed Boughaleb El Attar as Moroccos first ambassador to Cuba in decades, a bold diplomatic move showing the North African kingdoms determination to reach out to countries of all political hues in the new world order. The newly appointed Moroccan envoy to Havana, 70, excels in Spanish literature and is an expert of Moroccos relations with Spain and Latin America. El Attar was member of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and in the 1990s worked as a journalist for the partys newspaper, Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki. He co-published a book with the late Ibrahim Boutaleb on the Northern Moroccan cities, Sebta and Melilla, under Spanish control. He joined lately Moroccan diplomacy as part of an assignment in Madrid. Now, he has been promoted to the post of ambassador in Havana wherein rein. But things will surely change for them after Morocco and Cuba decided lately to resume their diplomatic relations severed in 1980. The resumption of Moroccan-Cuban relations, which opens new era for the two countries, comes after the private visit paid by King Mohammed VI to Cuba. It was the Moroccan monarchs first visit to the country since his enthronement in 1999 and the first ever made by a Moroccan king. Since the 1960s, relations between the two countries soured as a result of Cubas backing to Algeria during the Morocco-Algeria military conflict of 1963. And in the 1970s, Havana declared its support to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity, the Polisario separatists. Since then, Cuba has been providing the Polisario militias with military, vocational and educational training and was regarded as one of the separatists strategic bastions. The decision of Rabat and Havana to resume diplomatic relations deals a hard blow to the Algerian-backed secessionist group thanks to the royal proactive diplomacy, which scored another positive point against Moroccos enemies in one of their high-profile strongholds. Moroccan diplomacy, spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, has proven its efficiency and capacity to adapt to the new world order and its new geopolitical challenges. During his latest tour in Africa, the Moroccan Sovereign gained the support of many African English-speaking countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, South Sudanwhich were until a recent date among the staunch supporters of the Polisario in the continent. Egyptian officials have pointed fingers at Qatar for supporting terrorism during a U.N. session on Tuesday, held at the initiative of Egypt and chaired by Egypts Permanent Representative Amr Aboul Atta. During the session, a list enumerating Qatars violations of the UN arms embargo on Libya was circulated with allegations that Doha is a key financial supporter of terrorism in the war torn North African country. Egypt is part of the Saudi-led bloc that severed ties with Qatar and imposed on the Emirate air, sea, and land embargoes. Egyptian authorities claim that terrorism has been blocking the path towards stability in Libya and has negative consequences on neighboring countries. Deadly attacks carried out on Egyptian territory were linked to extremist groups operating from Libya. Qatari diplomats rejected any alleged roles in fueling terrorism in Libya and accused Cairo of a media smear campaign following the illegal siege on Qatar. They claimed that the session, convened by Egypt, is being used as a platform to offend the Gulf State. Qatars close ties with the Muslim Brotherhood have not been welcomed by the Sisi administration, which tagged the group as a terrorist organization. During the session, Egypt called on the relevant U.N. committees and other organizations to document repeated violations by some countries, particularly Qatar, of the sanctions imposed on Libya. The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya as the civil war in the country drags on for years. The embargo has reportedly been violated by several parties, supporting rival governments and authorities in Libya. Cairo wants the embargo to be lifted in favor of the Libyan National Army led by Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar who is loyal to the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, which does not recognize the GNA, backed by the international community. Rioter in Venezuela. Photo: Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Soviet experiment, the New York Times op-ed page has been publishing a regular series on communism. The overall tone of the essays runs toward wistfulness, and the latest contribution, by Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of the left-wing journal Jacobin, presents communism as tanned, rested, and ready. Sunkara sees a new future for Marxism, only this time without the purges, gulag, mass starvation, and other unpleasant features. Sunkara argues that the original Bolsheviks had good intentions, but their project somehow took a wrong turn along the way. We may reject the version of Lenin and the Bolsheviks as crazed demons and choose to see them as well-intentioned people trying to build a better world out of a crisis, he argues, but we must work out how to avoid their failures. Like many Marxist apologias, this fails to grapple with the inherent authoritarianism that is embedded in an illiberal thought system. This is why every Marxist government in history has monopolized power. An ideology that describes a large segment of society as an enemy class that must be eliminated is never going to respect political rights for its opponents. The Bolsheviks had plans to brutalize their opponents from the outset. As early as 1917, Lenin wrote, Only in Communist society, when the resistance of the capitalists has been completely broken only then the state ceases to exist, and it becomes possible to speak of freedom. Lenin may have been well-intentioned in the most abstract sense of imagining peaceful egalitarian paradise as the final stage of his vision. But he always envisioned the journey to that destination traversing a river of blood. Older leftists often defined themselves by their relation to existing communist states. Some Social Democrats maintained a fierce anti-communism, while others defended some or all aspects of the totalitarian horrors in places like the Soviet Union or China. Jacobin has existed for less than a decade, and Sunkara is young enough that he can confidently assert that his version of Marxism would never descend into the brutality of the 20th-century version. That does not mean, however, that its disposition toward left-wing authoritarianism is entirely theoretical. There is one experiment in Marxist, or quasi-Marxist, government recent enough to gauge Jacobins tolerance for left-wing repression: the Hugo Chavez regime in Venezuela. A looted store in Venezuela. Photo: Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images The left-wing populist government established by Chavez and his successors may not be as brutal as the regimes of Stalin or Mao, but its ruthlessness is beyond serious dispute. Under the leadership of President Hugo Chavez and now President Nicolas Maduro, the accumulation of power in the executive branch and erosion of human rights guarantees have enabled the government to intimidate, persecute, and even criminally prosecute its critics, says Human Rights Watch. Human rights defenders and journalists frequently faced campaigns to discredit them, as well as attacks and intimidation. Political opponents and critics of the government continued to face imprisonment, notes Amnesty International. A 2015 State Department report cites, among other human-rights violations, abuse of political prisoners; interference with privacy rights; lack of government respect for freedom of assembly; lack of protection for Colombian migrants; corruption at all levels of government; threats against domestic NGOs. Maduro has neutralized the opposition-dominated National Assembly elected in December 2015 and decimated the judiciarys independence, reports the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Readers of Jacobin have gotten a very different sense of things. The magazines coverage of Venezuela, at least as far as I was able to find online, dates back to the immediate aftermath of Chavezs death. Even by that relatively late date, when the authoritarian nature of the regime was already clear, Jacobin was defending it against its perfidious neoliberal critics. The tone of the nearly two dozen Jacobin stories on Venezuela I was able to find ranges from celebratory to defensive. Today we mourn the death of Chavez, tomorrow we return to the grind for socialism, concludes one 2013 piece. Much of Jacobins early criticism of the regime laments that Chavism has not gone far enough. The Jacobin line in 2014 was that, Only a deepening of the Bolivarian Revolution can save it. Or, What is needed today, and what is more urgent than ever, is not dialogue or reconciliation, not harmony and understanding, but a radical commitment to press decisively forward. Indeed, the counterrevolutionary dissidents needed to be crushed: To the extent that the Bolivarian Revolution has problems, the solution to them wont come from chats with those looking to overthrow it, but rather the organization of workers trying to fulfill its potential. There can be no neutral ground between those two positions. The so-called human-rights abuses were merely a pretext for Yankee imperialism. This is all the same rhetoric Marxists used to justify the bloodshed in Soviet Russia and Maoist China. The revolution is not a dinner party, etc., etc. As the Venezuelan economy has tumbled into crisis and the regimes failure has grown harder to deny, Jacobins coverage has softened, but only incrementally. Demands for more fervent adherence to Marxist dogma have given way to criticisms of the regimes critics. If you have read the mainstream conservative analysis of Donald Trump, which focuses heavily on pushing back against the media and his opponents, the tone will be familiar. In mainstream accounts of last weeks protests in Caracas, the opposition is depicted as an essentially peaceful force, complains one story. Strangely missing from the narrative of the Venezuelan oppositions peaceful march to victory over a cruel dictatorship was the small detail of the murder of a Venezuelan police officer by demonstrators Wednesday evening, insists another article, assailing a double standard: In most cases, blue lives apparently matter an awful lot except when theyre serving under a self-declared socialist national government that has been branded an unusual and extraordinary threat by the United States. A procession of stories has dismissed reports of failure in the country. Western journalists are wrong, FiveThirtyEight is wrong, even Bernie Sanders is wrong. Sunkara may want to work out why Marxist principles failed in the past, but he seems determined not to arrive at any conclusion that implicates the ideological principles that caused those failures. In his Times op-ed, Sunkara suggests, The threat to democracy today is coming from the right, not the left. That is correct, but only because in the United States today, Marxism represents a minuscule faction with no plausible opportunity to obtain national-scale power. Those on the left who care about safeguarding democracy should work to keep it that way. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon called off Californias rush to enact a single-payer bill, citing all sorts of present realities. Proponents are very unhappy with him. Photo: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images As part of what some are calling a soft secession from Republican-ruled Washington, California progressives are weighing various forms of resistance to Trump administration initiatives (notably in immigration enforcement), along with alternative policies the state might pursue on its own. The most striking in this latter category, considering how close Congress is right now to enacting a highly reactionary health-care bill, is a drive to create a state-based single-payer system. Legislation to do just that has already passed the California Senate, and given the supermajorities Democrats possess in both state legislative chambers (not a luxury Democrats have in New York, another state that has made progress in the same direction), proponents of single-payer health care were looking to the Golden State for a breakthrough. But late last week House Speaker Anthony Rendon harshed their mellow by declaring the legislation dead for this year. Renton did not mince words: In a statement, he mentions how the bill was sent to the Assembly woefully incomplete, namely that it does not address many serious issues, such as financing, delivery of care, cost controls, or the realities of needed action by the Trump Administration and voters to make SB 562 a genuine piece of legislation. The bill that passed the California Senate, you see, did not address the rather significant detail of how single-payer would be financed. Since the official legislative estimate is that it would boost state health-care costs by $200 billion which would more than double the state budget thats a pretty big omission. But this rather obvious problem did not keep single-payer advocates from within and beyond the state from howling in fury at Rendon. Bernie Sanders said he was extremely disappointed at the Speakers action, and prophesied that, If the great state of California has the courage to take on the greed of the insurance companies and the drug companies, the rest of the country will follow. RoseAnn DeMoro, leader of the California Nurses Association, the most avid backer of the California single-payer bill, was a bit blunter than Sanders: Other critics accused Rendon of being a shill for private insurance companies and Pharma, not to mention the so-called pro-business Democrats in the legislature who are the bane of every California progressives existence. The idea among single-payer advocates seems to be that California Democrats should insist on providing momentum for the proposal so long as it is formally possible. In truth, as Rendons statement suggested, there are various huge obstacles to the actual enactment of the single-payer bill that cannot be wished away. One is the reluctance of all Republicans and some Democrats in the legislature to vote for the new taxes virtually everyone concedes would be needed for finance single-payer (yes, they might well be more than offset for consumers by the disappearance of private-insurance costs, but thats not something the state constitution with its supermajority requirement for new taxes would take into account). The second and least disputable problem that no amount of pressure or enthusiasm can fix is that folding all the existing federal health-care funding including Obamacare, Medicaid, and Medicare would require some sort of monstrous, unprecedented waiver from Washington (it is not even clear that the power exists to do that with Medicare). Does anyone think HHS Secretary Tom Price is going to do that so that godless liberal Californians can abolish private health insurance and provide free health coverage to everyone, including undocumented immigrants? No. It would take an actual, not a soft, secession to give California control over all the tax money for health care it sends to Washington. So the dispute between Rendon and single-payer advocates really comes down to symbolism: How far should California Democrats take this idea before it is stopped cold by votes in the legislature or a mocking tweet from Donald Trump? Rendon clearly thinks the fiction this is happening has gone far enough. But hes going to take some lumps for it. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets Jared Kushner on June 21, 2017, in Jerusalem. Photo: GPO/Getty Images President Donald Trumps son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner spent the better part of last week in the Middle East, meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an attempt to relaunch U.S.-brokered peace talks. Shockingly, the trip was not a great success. Kushner, who has carved out a foreign-policy portfolio for himself at the White House despite having no relevant experience, arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Accompanied by Trumps special representative for international negotiations, Jason Greenblatt, he began his trip with an apparently friendly meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a visit to the the family of Hadas Malka, a 23-year-old border police officer who was stabbed to death by a Palestinian attacker in East Jerusalem the previous Friday. Netanyahu had already set the tone for the trip last Tuesday by announcing the start of construction on the first new Israeli settlement in the West Bank in 25 years, despite Trumps request at a meeting in Washington earlier this year that he hold back on settlements for a little bit. It appears this gesture of incorrigibility was met with no objection from the U.S. officials. Greenblatt has said previously that neither he nor Trump consider settlements an obstacle to peace despite their illegality under international law and the repeated insistence on the part of the Palestinians that they are, in fact, a huge obstacle. Kushner and Greenblatt then traveled to Ramallah, and there their troubles began. In a tense meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas later on Wednesday, the two men berated the Palestinian leader for failing to condemn the attack on Hadas Malka something he was never likely to do, as the Palestinian Authority does not share Israels view that attacks on occupation forces are terrorist acts per se. According to Haaretz, which cited the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat, they also passed along complaints from Netanyahu over payments to the families of Palestinians imprisoned on terrorism charges and Abbass refusal to meet with U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman due to Friedmans support for the settlement project. Palestinian leaders were said to be greatly disappointed in Kushner and Greenblatt serving as go-betweens for Netanyahu, as well as Kushners unwillingness to state a clear position on the issue of settlements. Al-Hayat even suggested that Trump was considering abandoning his effort to broker Mideast peace after the meeting, though a senior administration official dismissed that claim as nonsense, according to the Jerusalem Post. It appears Netanyahu played Kushner like a fiddle, sending him to Ramallah with a laundry list of demands that he knew Abbas would reject, further delaying the start of any ostensible peace negotiations by instigating a diplomatic crisis he could then blame on Palestinian intransigence. If the Palestinian leadership doesnt see Kushner as an honest broker, that shouldnt come as a surprise; there isnt much evidence that he has either the inclination or the ability to stand up to Netanyahu, who has spent the past eight years making clear that he will do whatever he pleases until the U.S. rediscovers its ability to engage in coercive diplomacy with an Israeli leader. In less than 24 hours, the 36-year-old real estate princeling had repeated all the textbook mistakes of American diplomacy in the Middle East, and rendered his visit ineffectual at best, if not a step backward. Which raises the question: Why on earth is Jared Kushner in charge of this operation? Not only does he have no credentials whatsoever, his meddling in this administrations Middle East policy has already had potentially serious consequences. The American Conservatives Mark Perry hears from a close associate of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Kushner and his friend Yousef Al-Otaiba, the U.A.E. ambassador to the U.S., were behind Trumps decision earlier this month to blindside his own Departments of Defense and State by labeling Qatar a funder of terrorism at a very high level. To hear this associate tell it, Tillerson has just about had it with Kushners habit of running a second foreign policy out of the White House family quarters. Perhaps fortunately, Kushner will likely be busy in the near future defending himself in the developing investigation into his communications with Russian officials and bank executives, as well as his personal finances and business dealings. But it should go without saying that anyone dogged by such questions should under no circumstances be running foreign policy on behalf of the United States government. If Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis cant convince Trump to stop listening to his wunderkind adviser, thats a big problem. Maybe Trump thinks Kushner has some special insight into the Middle East on account of his Jewish heritage, or maybe Kushner just fancies himself a budding statesman and convinced his doting father-in-law to let him play action-hero diplomat in the most volatile region of the world. In any case, Trumps willingness to hand his daughter and son-in-law the keys to the government whenever they want to drive it constitutes a level of reckless, corrupt nepotism the likes of which this country has rarely seen. Manafort forgot to mention his work as a foreign agent. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc. Paul Manafort became the second former Trump campaign official to retroactively register as a foreign agent on Tuesday, following former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Manafort, who stepped down as Trumps campaign manager following reports about his work for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine, disclosed that his firm earned $17.1 million between 2012 and 2014 from former president Viktor Yanukovychs Party of Regions. The filing shows that Manafort and his business associate Rick Gates, who also worked for the Trump campaign, gave strategic counsel and advice to members of the Party of Regions regarding their interaction with U.S. government officials and other Western influential persons to advance the goal of greater political and economic integration between the Ukraine and the West. The firm also counseled the European Center for a Modern Ukraine, a pro-Yanukovych nonprofit. Manaforts firm was hired to help rebrand Yanukovych and the Party of Regions from a pro-Russia party to a pro-European Union party. Manafort signaled that he may register as a foreign agent back in April, when two other U.S. lobbying firms Mercury and the Podesta Group disclosed that they were hired for the same purpose. Just before Manafort stepped down as Trumps campaign manager in August, the New York Times reported that secret handwritten ledgers show the Party of Regions made nearly two dozen undisclosed cash payments to Manafort, totaling $12.7 million. Those payments were reportedly made between 2007 and 2012, predating the period covered by Tuesdays disclosure. Jason Maloni, a Manafort spokesman, said hes been working on the disclosure since September, well before any formal investigation of election interference began. Maloni also said Manafort was primarily focused on campaign work within Ukraine, and noted that Flynns activities were far worse. Pauls work ended well before he joined Candidate Trumps campaign, Maloni said. Unlike Flynn, Paul was not simultaneously working as a foreign agent while he was working for Trump. The only good news in the CBO score of the Senate health-care bill is that it has a lot of excess deficit reduction money that McConnell will use to pick off votes. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images As Mitch McConnell put Senate action on the Better Care Reconciliation Act on hold Tuesday, he made it clear he intended to keep working on a deal to get to 50 votes, perhaps this week (allowing the Congressional Budget Office to do a quick rescore in time for a vote soon after the July 4 recess). In reality, the timetable is probably what its been all along: The bill will come up for a vote if and when the votes are there to pass it. But while it has been a tough week for McConnell and for his reputation as a legislative wizard he did obtain one asset that could be critical in the longer run. The CBO score of BCRA showed $188 billion in deficit savings above what is required of the bill. In effect, thats a slush fund for McConnell to use in winning and solidifying Republican votes. How might he spend it most judiciously? Nobody, perhaps not even McConnell, knows for sure until the negotiations become white-hot, and any given deal could unravel depending on how CBO rescores the affected language. But heres an educated guess at how the wily Kentuckian might think about it. Special Treatment for Alaska: The most efficient use of excess funds might be to address very specific and relatively narrow concerns of particular importance to senators who are on or near the fence. The most obvious example is Alaskas Lisa Murkowski, whose states health-care system has many unique problems associated with its vast rural areas and its unusual demographics. The odds are very high that Alaska will get its own tidy little pot of money. New Money for Opioid Treatment: The next order of business might well be to throw some serious money at opioid treatment. This is of well-advertised interest to Rob Portman and Shelley Moore Capito, among others. An Easing of the Medicaid Expansion Phase-Out: All of the above-mentioned senators plus other obvious or potential fence-sitters like Cory Gardner, Jeff Flake, Dean Heller, and Tom Cotton are from states that took advantage of the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion option. Slowing the phase-out of that expansion would be expensive, but could lubricate a lot of votes. McConnells overall strategy on Medicaid seems to be to make the bill less immediately painful than the House version, while giving conservatives the assurance of long-term reforms to the program via a tighter per capita cap on federal Medicaid expenditures. Providing a bit more slack for the expansion to wind down would make sense. Health Savings Accounts for Conservatives: Another expensive (because it would be national in scope) change McConnell could consider might be to dump some money into new incentives for tax-preferred Health Savings Accounts. This is of particular interest to many conservatives notably Ted Cruz and Mike Lee whose ultimate vision is of a health-care system where people use HSAs to pay for routine care, and then purchase cheap catastrophic-insurance policies for the really bad stuff. New HSA money could enable these conservatives to say that BCRA, while imperfect, pushes the system in the right direction of a market-based approach in which Medicaid withers away and Americans take individual responsibility for the health conditions they can reasonably control. Better-Targeted Tax Credits: A final expensive tweak could make all Republicans feel better about the bill by lowering the CBO estimate of how many people would lose insurance: better tax subsidies for the older and poorer Americans who would do so much worse under BCRA than under the status quo. The Real Art of the Deal: McConnell faces the thorny challenge of calculating exactly how to allocate his $188 billion among these different and competing needs. It is important to understand that with the right timing, a little bit of money can go a long way. That was one of the lessons of the House health-care saga: It took only $8 billion in money for high-risk pools a pittance, given the scope of the problem to win back the votes of Fred Upton and Billy Long and create the fresh momentum that got the America Health Care Act over the line. There are some vote-winning sweeteners McConnell could offer that might not have the kind of immediate fiscal implications of the deals outlined above. Conservatives, for example, would be delighted by additions to the list of Obamacare regulations states would be allowed to waive. Some might not be deemed germane by the Senate parliamentarian, and some might boost the already high CBO estimates of insurance losses, but even an insincere gesture by McConnell in that direction might help. And the biggest question is whether there is enough money in McConnells slush fund or indeed, on the planet to win over the three hardest Senate nuts to crack. Those would be Rand Paul, who, among other things, objects to the very idea of federally supported insurance-purchasing subsidies; Dean Heller, who appears opposed to any bill that does not maintain the ACAs Medicaid expansion; and Susan Collins, whose reasons for opposing BCRA include all of the moderate complaints, plus serious opposition to the bills abortion provisions, which are not going to be dropped, no matter what happens. Heller, moreover, is in full reelection panic; hes generally regarded as the most vulnerable GOP senator facing voters in 2018. And Collins is reportedly mulling a run for governor in Maine, which could place her beyond McConnells persuasive powers for good. So McConnell has a tough row to hoe, made worse by the terrible reviews his handiwork has gotten not only from CBO but from the general public. But hes got a 12-figure sum burning a hole in his pocket, and is undoubtedly about to go on a binge to spend it. A Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) worker enters a Harlem subway station where a morning train derailment occurred on June 27, 2017, in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Tuesday morning a southbound A train veered into the wall of a subway, derailing two cars as it approached the 125th Street station. Hundreds of riders had to be evacuated from that train in the pitch-dark tunnel, and 34 people suffered non-life-threatening injuries. As for the rest of the subway system: Hundreds of other commuters had to be evacuated from stalled or stopped trains after the incident, and delays and service disruptions persisted throughout the day and well into the evening commute. In a statement released late Tuesday, MTA officials attributed the derailment to a replacement rail that was stored on the tracks and improperly secured, likely from overnight work. Officials described it as a human error, and added that storing materials on the track is a common practice employed by railroads across the country to accelerate rail repairs. Source tells me this issue with the spare rail looks like a case of "balancing service versus maintenance." More in the AM on @NY1. Jose Martinez (@JMartinezNYC) June 28, 2017 Earlier Tuesday, MTA chairman Joe Lhota said the emergency brake had been switched on, which caused the two subway cars to careen off the tracks. The trains motorman is also being interviewed, and will be subject to a drug and alcohol test. Take a look: do you think MTA repairs will be completed in time for the morning commute? They've been going all night. @ABC7NY pic.twitter.com/RJEmLm1AEn Candace McCowan (@CandaceMcCowan7) June 28, 2017 Crews worked furiously overnight to repair the damage from the derailment, which extended from the tracks to the signal and switching mechanisms to the actual walls of the subway tunnel. Express service (A and D) and local service (B and C) has resumed along the line, but the MTA is still warning of extensive delays. Following earlier emergency repair work at 125 St, A, B, C and D train service has resumed with extensive delays. NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) June 28, 2017 Which might not have been as bad as expected: Smooth commute on the A train this morning in northern Manhattan. Credit where it's due: MTA got service back up and running pretty quickly. Emma G. Fitzsimmons (@emmagf) June 28, 2017 But it wouldnt be the MTA if there werent some issues: Weird it doesn't *look* like A trains are running local even though that's what @MTA tells me, while there is no C service at all pic.twitter.com/rDuDvOnQpH G.G. (@ggsacks) June 28, 2017 What? Photo: Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images On Monday night, the White House warned that Syrias Bashar al-Assad is preparing another chemical-weapons attack, and that if he follows through with it there will be a heavy price. The universal response was surprise. Because nothing can be assumed in analyzing the national-security actions of this administration including competence or traditionally responsible intentions two big questions hung over the announcement. First: Was it true? Second: As hopes for quick passage of the GOP health-care bill were fading, might it have been a cynical effort to distract from the chaos playing out on Capitol Hill? What got skeptical spider-senses tingling on Twitter is how quickly officials from the Pentagon, State Department, and Central Command (the arm of the military that would carry out those strikes Spicer threatened) said they hadnt been told of this warning in advance and were not clear on what intelligence had provoked it. Commenters who either wanted to defend Trump or intimate they were privy to insider knowledge suggested that perhaps the warning was based on intelligence so secret that folks at the Pentagon and State didnt know about it. On the matter of factual veracity, lets be clear about just how likely it is that Assad is in fact close to using chemical weapons. The U.N. has documented 160 cases of chemical-weapons use in Syria over the last six years, and considers another 131 incidents suspicious but unproven. The majority were committed by the Assad regime. Three hundred chemical attacks over six years you do the math. The Trump administration could issue this warning once a week and be right more often than not. (Most chemical attacks since the 2014 effort to remove Assads weapons stocks seem to have weaponized commonly available chemicals such as chlorine. So as long as Bashar can keep his familys swimming pools sparkling, he can also gas his opponents.) Whatever intelligence the Trump administration had to show was enough to engender polite and cooperative responses from Britain and France. The French government said that Trump had spoken with President Macron who just days earlier was trolling him to energize voters in parliamentary elections about the need to forge a common response in the event of another attack. This is not diplomatic-speak for we believe you, but its not get lost either. On Tuesday, no use of chemical weapons materialized just another day of the regime attacking opposition forces in western Syria, close to the capital Damascus, the area Assad sees as his heartland. Meanwhile, U.S.-backed insurgents continued their slow advance on ISIS capital Raqqa, hundreds of miles away in the east. Just another day of regional geopolitics and nonchemical death for innocent civilians. On Tuesday, the administration also offered its story of how the decision played out. Trump received the intelligence Monday morning. By the time the secretaries of State and Defense arrived at the White House for meetings with Indian Prime Minister Modi, Politico reported, they were informed of the plan to issue a statement, White House officials said, and had the opportunity to work the language. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster had already been briefed and weighed in on the plan. Administration officials told the New York Times that cabinet members were aware of the plan to issue a statement. But those passive constructions are not normal. A presidents national security adviser doesnt get briefed on presidential statements on breaking security issues he or she proposes them, chairs the meetings at which they are decided, and drafts them. Secretaries of Defense arent just aware of redline threats to use military force they have explicitly signed off on them and have the Pentagon humming on plans to implement them. Secretaries of State are intimately engaged, not just informed, of plans to issue a military warning to a Russian client state. It is not normal to move decision-making around highly sensitive intelligence from the presidents intelligence briefing directly to the press office, and only later back to the security professionals to work the text. Who were the objects of all those passive sentences, the senior officials doing the deciding and briefing and drafting? Was it just Spicey at his desk? Plenty of critics on the left saw this as a Wag the Dog scenario of made-up intelligence. But the conflict in Syria is a dog that can wag its own tail, and ours too if we let it. And if the Trump White House is issuing ultimatums that its own national-security team doesnt want to take full responsibility for, based on intelligence that is too secret to share with mid-level staff but not too secret to brief to Congress, chances are its not fully briefed on how that wagging tail will affect key players like Russia and Iran. Thats worse than cynical. Its dumb. They arent asking for it. Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images Republicans have no affirmative case for their health-care bill. They have lies about why the bill is necessary (Obamacare is collapsing), lies about what its designed to do (reduce premiums and deductibles, and cover everyone), and lies about who would lose out from its passage (absolutely nobody). But few, if any, congressional Republicans have attempted to make the case for why cutting Medicaid and insurance subsidies for the middle class so as to fund a capital-gains tax cut for millionaires will cure all that ails the American health-care system. The only halfway honest argument Mitch McConnell & Co. have mustered for their plan has been a political one: We promised our base wed repeal Obamacare, and if we fail, they will revolt. This was the claim that, reportedly, convinced vulnerable House moderates to back a more right-wing version of Trumpcare than the one theyd initially opposed. Its the argument that President Trumps outside group made in its (short-lived) ad campaign pressuring Nevada senator Dean Heller to fall in line. And its doubtlessly a large part of the case that Mitch McConnell is making right now to the bills skeptics, as he struggles to salvage the embattled legislation. In the Washington Post, Republican propagandist and MSNBC host Hugh Hewitt rendered the rationale in apocalyptic terms, writing, The grass roots disgust with this betrayal will be so deep as to endanger every senator, even in deep red states such as Mississippi, Texas and Utah. But a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll suggests that this simply isnt true. A mere 35 percent of Republicans approved of the Senate bill in a survey taken before the CBO released the ugly score that scared McConnells caucus into revolt. And the legislation doesnt just lack majority support from Republican voters, writ large, but also from the most committed supporters of the party and president. The responses to this second question from the survey are just as telling: Only 10 percent of Republicans want Congress to reform Obamacare into a stingier program less than half the number that want an Obamacare replacement that does more. And yet, the former is precisely what Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are trying to do. Its true that 53 percent of Republicans call for full repeal, suggesting that they oppose the Senates bill from the right. If that were accurate, then one could argue that something like the current plan is the most politically feasible means of pushing public policy in the bases desired direction. But while there are certainly a good number of genuine conservative ideologues in this country, its doubtful that they account for the lions share of that 53 percent. Republican base voters have been told, over and over, that Obamacare is a synonym for everything they dont like about the American health-care system. Its likely that many such voters like the sound of full repeal but not that of cutting Medicaid to give the rich a tax break. In fact, recent polling suggests a good number of self-identified conservatives if not a plurality or slim majority oppose both those ideas. Turns out Tea Party voters want more government healthcare spending, yet support Ryan's healthcare bill. Go figure. https://t.co/y77gXZHn6j pic.twitter.com/VT7W2FqDPC Guy Kawasaki (@GuyKawasaki) March 23, 2017 Path to Trump's base? Trump should NOT lower taxes on the wealthy College whites: 74% Non-college whites: 69%https://t.co/wPGAFETKBM pic.twitter.com/FWbVGxldRt Will Jordan (@williamjordann) March 8, 2017 The GOPs messaging on health care indicates that they know this is the case. The president campaigned on a promise to preserve Medicaid in its current form and achieve universal coverage with lower deductibles. The mogul even went so far as to explicitly disavow the GOPs historic hostility to the welfare state, telling 60 Minutes, There was a philosophy in some circles that if you cant pay for it, you dont get it. Thats not going to happen with us. But Trump hasnt been the only one singing such a tune. Virtually all of the GOPs leading lights have attacked Obamacare from the left, including McConnell, who lamented in January, there are 25 million Americans who arent covered now And many Americans who actually did get insurance when they did not have it before have really bad insurance that they have to pay for, and the deductibles are so high that its really not worth much to them. The bill before the Senate would increase the ranks of the uninsured by 22 million, grow deductibles, and, for many of the GOPs elderly voters, jack up premiums. There may be reasons to vote for such legislation but surely a commitment to keeping your word isnt one. Republicans have proven incapable of passing full repeal of Obamacare. Their options now are to do nothing; pass an Obamacare lite bill that few of their voters like in the abstract, or in its particulars; or work with Democrats to pass a modest set of reforms that would actually stabilize the individual market without causing their low-income supporters any pain and then announce that they have repealed and replaced Obamacare (and, if theres still something people dont like about the health-care system, well, thats just because we had to work with Democrats). The policy case for the Senates health-care bill is nonexistent. The political case is baseless and incoherent: The Republican grassroots didnt demand Obamacare lite before the election, and they arent demanding it now. No GOP politician in the country was elected on a promise to preserve the basic structure of Obamacare, while cutting Medicaid and the capital-gains tax rate. If Mitch McConnells caucus does so, anyway, it wont be out of loyalty to the people who vote for them, but rather to those who bankroll their campaigns. At a time when most voters hate Congress, keeping congressional party leaders around as long as Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell is probably a bad idea. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images Ever since Democrats fell short of their 2016 goal of taking back control of the U.S. House, theres been talk about, and even a formal (if unsuccessful) leadership challenge aimed at achieving, a leadership change in the House Democratic Caucus. And after Democrats failed to win any of the four GOP House seats where special elections were held this year, there was renewed talk about Nancy Pelosi stepping down as House Democratic Leader. The negative buzz became particularly loud after the partys biggest special-election hope, Georgias Jon Ossoff, suffered a disappointing loss, in the wake of Republicans running many millions of dollars of ads linking the candidate to Pelosi. As my colleague Eric Levitz pointed out, the attack ads against Ossoff associated him with demon-figures a lot more potent and remote than Pelosi. One last-minute ad even tried to link the Democrat with unnamed elements of the violent left who were allegedly cheering the Scalise shooting. But the fact remains that Pelosi is a much bigger target for Republicans than Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell appears to be for Democrats. Part of the problem may simply be that she happens to represent a jurisdiction with rich negative symbolism (dating back at least to the attacks on San Francisco Democrats in 1984 after the Donkey Party held its convention in the City by the Bay) for the conservatives who are mostly the target for anti-Pelosi ads. You cannot quite imagine Democrats running ads mocking Paul Ryans Wisconsin or Mitch McConnells Kentucky in this manner. And sexism could most definitely be a factor as well. Anti-Pelosi agitation among Democrats sometimes gets into perceived problems with her image and with the partys performance since 2010, and sometimes edges over into ideology. As Matt Yglesias notes, the ideological signals replacing Pelosi might send are not exactly consistent with the direction of the Democratic caucus generally: Ever since her 2002 whip race against Hoyer, her rivals for leadership have been white men who are positioned at least somewhat to her right ideologically, operating in the context of a House Democratic caucus that is increasingly diverse and increasingly progressive. But arguments about what Nancy Pelosi has and has not done, or what she does and does not represent, often miss her basic problem: Shes been a party leader for a very long time in an era when both parties in Congress are chronically unpopular. Pelosi has been leader for more than 16 years. Mitch McConnell, who seems to have been in leadership for an eternity, has actually just been leader for just over ten years. Paul Ryan has been Speaker for just three years, and Chuck Schumer has been the Democratic leader for less than a year. All these politicians have underwater approval/disapproval ratios, but the depths to which they have sunk is in reverse order to seniority. According to one recent tabulation, Pelosis ratio is 29/53; McConnells is 30/47; Ryans is 36/49; and Schumers is 33/42. So the most compelling case for a change in leadership has nothing to do with Pelosis actual performance or perceptions of her ideology: Shes just been there too long. Pelosi is the longest-serving Democratic House leader since Sam Rayburn, who has a House office building named after him. Unlike House Republicans, who have since 1995 maintained term limits for committee chairs and ranking committee members, House Democrats have never instituted the practice of limiting any sort of leadership positions (mostly because they felt it would disproportionately affect minority members who were just beginning to ascend in the seniority system). But with respect to their top position, they might want to adopt informal, if not formal, term limits. Pelosi has served two different stints in the minority, and if Democrats win back the House in 2018, she will have held the Speakers gavel twice. That is more than enough for anybody. If the objection is that the first woman Speaker should stay in her position as long as she likes, it should be noted there are now enough women in the House to avoid the necessity of another male Speaker for decades to come. Pelosis position in history is secure. That is not true of her partys position in Congress. Mueller. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images Two weeks ago, it looked like Robert Muellers job and, arguably, the rule of law in the United States was in serious jeopardy. The New York Times and Washington Post had just confirmed that the special counsel was investigating the president for obstruction of justice and exploring the possibility that Trump and/or his associates engaged in money laundering or other financial crimes with Russian officials as their co-conspirators. Meanwhile, Trumps confidantes had informed the press that he was thinking of treating Mueller to his signature catchphrase, and the White Houses leading sycophants had prepared several rationales for his firing. And then, the president himself declared the investigation a witch hunt one led by very bad and conflicted people. They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017 You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people! #MAGA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017 Obstructing an investigation into charges that you obstructed an investigation isnt a great look. And Trumps previous attempt to fire his way out of the Russia story had done him no favors. But it also hadnt cost him any meaningful support from the only entity in a position to discipline him the congressional Republican Party. So, it was entirely plausible that Trump would decide to test the GOPs appetite for debasing itself and the republic especially if he or his son-in-law had ever happened to dabble in a wee bit of money laundering. Since then, however, Trump has avoided taking pot shots at Mueller. And now, the president is delaying his next counterattack on James Comey, as a gesture of goodwill toward the special counsel, according to Bloomberg: Donald Trumps lawyers will postpone filing a complaint against former FBI Director James Comey with the Justice Department, according to a person familiar with the decision a bid to stop antagonizing the special counsel whos investigating ties between the presidents campaign and Russian officials. Trumps lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, planned to file a complaint with the Justice Departments inspector general about Comey. The ousted FBI director told the Senate on June 8 that he had arranged for memos he wrote documenting conversations with the president to be described to news reporters. Trump was furious about what he considered an illegal leak by Comey. The presidents lawyers still intend to file a complaint at some point, the person familiar with the matter said. The person insisted on anonymity to discuss the presidents legal strategy. The delay is a professional courtesy to the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and a signal that the White House understands he needs space to do his job, the person said. Former government officials routinely disclose the details of their interactions with presidents in memoirs and interviews. The information contained in Comeys memos was not classified and virtually no legal experts believe the former FBI director was bound to silence by executive privilege. The only coherent legal argument against Comeys actions, raised by law professor Jonathan Turley, is that Comeys memos werent his personal property but official FBI documents, since he drafted them in the course of an investigation. Under this theory, Comey would have been within his rights to describe the contents of the memos to reporters, but not to share the memos themselves. That he did the latter could put him in violation of professional ethics standards, but (probably) not criminal law, at least in Turleys view. Anyhow, the stakes of Trumps complaint against Comey seem low. But the fact that the president now views antagonizing the special counsel as a bad thing is potentially significant. Perhaps, this witch hunt will be allowed to run its course. Sanders has some tips for the press. Photo: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images This morning, the White House press corps received an advisory that the daily briefing would take place at 2 p.m. with the press secretary, Sean Spicer, and the Energy Department secretary, Rick Perry and it would be on camera. Recently, the White House has experimented with denying video and audio coverage of the briefings, so this return to standard access was news. Judging by the performance, however, it seems that going forward the White House may only choose to air live briefings if they serve as opportunities for Trumpian public service announcements questioning the legitimacy of the press. Before the briefing, Jonathan Swan, a reporter for Axios, tweeted that a source close to the White House had told him it would be must see TV. He added that he had no details explaining why, but we should assume level 10 trolling. Roughly 30 minutes after the briefing was scheduled to begin (typically it starts about 15 minutes late), Perry emerged with Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the deputy press secretary. Spicer never showed, reportedly because he was still on Capitol Hill. Perry took questions for nearly 40 minutes, and it looked like he was having the time of his life. He displayed a lightheartedness not typically seen in the briefing room. When one reporter asked a meandering question, he responded, I have no idea what you just asked. After someone mentioned the time he called Trump a cancer on the Republican Party, Perry leaned his entire body onto the podium and said, smirking, That has nothing to do with energy! At one point, he complained about France not wanting to buy beef from Texas, then remarked that hes always felt the country was a little bit different. Later he pontificated about the concept of federalism. Perry enjoyed his time with the press so much that he seemed reluctant to leave, answering several questions after he claimed he was taking just one more. When the White House invites a department official to speak at a briefing, its usually designed to eat away at the medias time with the press secretary. But as Perry continued talking, Sanders walked over and stood next to him, as several other staffers looked on impatiently. Finally, he was herded away. I know you guys are probably a little bit tired since weve been here a while, Sanders remarked in her deadpan drawl. So you wanna skip on the questions? A few reporters laughed. The first question went to Charlie Spiering from Breitbart News, the publication previously run by the presidents chief strategist, Steve Bannon. Breitbart has long served as a cheerleader for Trump, but Spierings question was a fair one. It also hit a subject the White House seemed especially eager to address. On Friday night, CNN retracted a story about a Trump transition official, Anthony Scaramucci, and Russia. Three high-level CNN employees involved in the storys publication resigned, and Scaramucci accepted CNNs apology. Spiering wanted to know why Trump was unwilling to do the same. Why isnt their response good enough for the president? he asked. Spierings question raised others: The president continues to cite Fox News frequently even though the network was forced to retract an article about the Seth Rich conspiracy not long ago. Do retractions only render a news outlet fake when the news outlet isnt fawning? Sanders provided no clarity. Instead, she used the question as a jumping-off point for what sounded like a rehearsed speech that utilized the CNN retraction to dismiss critical coverage of the president and the investigation into his campaigns potential collusion with Russia as one big hoax. I dont know that its that their response isnt good enough, she said, her speech slow as she wound up. Then the rest came tumbling out. I think its the constant barrage of fake news directed at this president, probably, that has garnered a lot of his frustration. You point to that report. There are multiple other instances where that outlet you referenced has been repeatedly wrong and had to point that out or be corrected. Theres a video circulating now, whether its accurate or not, I dont know, but I would encourage everybody in this room and everybody across the country, frankly, to take a look at it. The video she was referring to the accuracy of which she admitted she couldnt vouch for was produced by the conservative activist James OKeefes Project Veritas. It shows a producer for CNNs medical unit calling the networks Russia coverage mostly bullshit designed to get good ratings. OKeefe has, in the past, been caught deceptively editing footage. If it is accurate, Sanders said, I think its a disgrace to all of media, to all of journalism. I think that we have gone to a place where if the media cant be trusted to report the news, then thats a dangerous place for America, and I think that if that is the place where certain outlets are going, particularly for the purpose of spiking ratings, and if thats coming directly from the top, I think thats even more scary and certainly more disgraceful. And I hope that thats not the direction were headed. I hope that outlets that have continued to use either unnamed sources, sometimes stories with no sources at all weve been going on this Russia-Trump hoax for the better part of a year now with no evidence of anything, things like the success at the V.A. barely get covered. They may get covered for an hour at a time, but this story gets covered day in, day out, and I think America is, frankly, looking for something better. Theyre looking for something more. And I think they deserve something better from our news media. Spiering followed up with another question: Does the president actually expect us not to report on stories of a foreign country trying to influence a presidential election? Sanders said she doesnt think thats the case, but she believes the public is more interested in hearing about other things things that, incidentally, benefit the administration, like deregulation. She added that its unfair that when we make the slightest mistake theres an absolute tirade, but the press is, in the White Houses view, held to a different standard. It was at this point that a reporter completely lost it. Come on! Brian Karem, a Playboy correspondent, shouted, breaking with protocol by interrupting an answer to another reporters question. Youre inflaming everybody right here, right now, with those words. Why in the name of heavens any one of us, right, are replaceable, and any one of us, if we dont get it right, the audience has the opportunity to turn the channel or not read us. You have been elected to serve for four years at least. Theres no option other than that. Were here to ask you questions, youre here to provide the answers, and what you just did is inflammatory to people all over the country who look at it and say, see, once again, the president is right and everybody else out here is fake media. And everybody in this room is only trying to do their job. Sanders said, I disagree completely, calling Karems point outrageous. Talk turned to policy, but soon returned to CNN when Sanders called on Jim Stinson, a correspondent for LifeZette. The conservative content mill is run by Laura Ingraham, who has been floated as a potential replacement for Spicer. Two questions, just like NBC, Stinson said. Sanders then made a crack about that network, telling Stinson to be careful emulating them. Given the news about CNNs erroneous story about Anthony Scaramucci, Stinson said, does the White House believe there are other Russia-related stories from major outlets that have not been retracted and are just as false, including the February 14th story in the New York Times about collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which James Comey called into question, which many believe the CNN story was based upon? Sanders said she disagreed with much of the Times reporting, adding that the administration believes any claims of collusion between Trump and Russia are part of a hoax. Stinson followed up by musing, Do you believe that the media should go back and look at anonymously sourced stories on Russia and Trump and maybe start a review process and retract where necessary? This, Sanders said, would be a great idea. She added that the occasion of CNNs mistake is a moment where we can all do better. Danielle Peskowitz Bregoli. Photo: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images Danielle Peskowitz Bregoli became a household name, if the internet is a household, earlier in 2017 when a reaired episode of The Dr. Phil Show showed the then 13-year-old calling out the audience. All these hos laughin like theres something funny, Bregoli told Phil of the studio audience. Cash me outside, howbow dah? That singular, slightly incoherent line boosted Bregoli to viral fame in the form of a massive social-media following, sponsored-content deals, a reported TV deal, and one very good David Spade clapback. It did not, however, undo any of her actions the name of her segment was I Want to Give Up My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old Daughter Who Tried to Frame Me for a Crime prior to appearing on Dr. Phil. This week, Bregoli plead guilty in a courthouse in Delray Beach, Florida, to several charges related to incidences before the now 14-year-old started hawking Fashion Nova on Instagram for profit. Charges included, NBC reports, marijuana possession, grand theft, and filing a false police report. Shes also facing possible battery charges from a separate incident in 2017. For her part, Bregoli doesnt seem to be terribly affected. Later on Wednesday, she posted a video on Instagram of herself being flocked by crowds at a mall in Miami Beach captioned Damn , Cant even hit da mall no more. Perhaps this means well be cashing less of Bregoli outside in the coming days. Seems unlikely, though that might be just what she needs. Oh this makes me sad. Reply Thread Link Why? It's better for her to make her own money than fucking sugar daddies for $. Reply Parent Thread Link ia Reply Parent Thread Link is it going to filled with tips about getting over a hangover cuz i seriously can't think of any advice she would give Edited at 2017-06-27 11:38 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Classic Reply Parent Thread Link I do not want LiLo's lifestyle, tyvm Reply Thread Link yeah i so need fashion advice from lindsay lohan but if the Kardashians are getting their monthly three dollars from their stans you get yours too ! Reply Thread Link Oh Lindsay Reply Thread Link no thank you Reply Thread Link Is she gonna teach others how to blame their criminal activity on black people? Reply Thread Link no America teaches that for free. Reply Parent Thread Link this won't last long Reply Thread Link why Reply Thread Link Preserve who Reply Thread Link Man, the launch of Preserve was such a good time. I'm sad plantation Blake closed it down it was fucking hilarious. Reply Parent Thread Link crystals Reply Parent Thread Link Who is actually dying for beauty tutorials from her? Hard pass Reply Thread Link to be fair her voice was like that in parent trap Reply Parent Thread Link Sounds better than Miley. Reply Parent Thread Link honestly fornarina jeans were SO amazing! probably the best jeans i've ever owned! and their shoes were so damn comfy... Reply Parent Thread Link Came in here for this. Reply Parent Thread Link FUCKING ICONIC splash. smash. crash. glam. pink. heart. Reply Parent Thread Link lol what Reply Parent Thread Link i still think this company is called forNARNIA Reply Parent Thread Link Who is gonna pay for this? Bish it all adds up - Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, newspaper subscriptions, etc. Sis your lifestyle doesn't appeal to me I'm sry. Reply Thread Link A true crime post, you say? Reply Thread Link SKEPTICALLY READ US A STORY, KEITH Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO Reply Parent Thread Link I'm always lowkey expecting him to be revealed as the murderer lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link YESS! I love me some Keith! Reply Parent Thread Link I read True Crime Addict a while back and I still don't know how I feel about James. Reply Thread Link Do you see his posts on Reddit? He's so extra...in lots of contexts it wouldn't be a big deal but when he's hounding a missing woman's family it becomes crass. Reply Parent Thread Link No I didn't. What did he do? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link He's a borderline stalker, imo. Just because a family wants privacy doesn't mean they're hiding anything. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link can i tell you how to feel about him then? he's the fucking worst! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think he's an actual idiot. I am always amazed by just how many middle age men are obsessed w the Maura Murray case and truly believe they know exactly what a 21 year old girl would do in every single situation lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lol johnny depp is perfect for james renner Reply Thread Link whoa whoa whoa - James Renner is getting something major done about him?!? Reply Thread Link Reminder: amazon prime has all the old Unsolved Mysteries episodes Edited at 2017-06-28 01:22 am (UTC) I think about Maura Murray from time to time. It's puzzling.Reminder: amazon prime has all the old Unsolved Mysteries episodes Reply Thread Link This show scared the shit out of me as a kid lol Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah the music was enough to terrify us kids who stayed home alone or up late watching this without parents. Once I was watching while home alone and some random old dude kept knocking on our door. This is the middle of a city in a row home so not the burbs but I didn't answer and he tried the doorknob and then kept pounding on the door. I was terrified I would end up on Unsolved Mysteries Reply Parent Thread Expand Link O GREAT, now I'll have to watch them and have nightmares. Robert Stack, you terrifying bastard. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That second gif makes me laugh. The ghost are probably too scared of you, Robert! Reply Parent Thread Link I can't believe my mom let me watch this as a child. I was watching it recently now as an adult and was shocked at how serious some of the stuff they talked about was. But it was my favorite show. Reply Parent Thread Link This show and America's Most Wanted gave me legit nightmares as a kid. I could hear my parents watching it from their room as my sisters and I watched Snick on Saturday nights. Reply Parent Thread Link This show freaked me out so much as a kid, but I still watched it. I'm kind of surprised now that my parents let me watch it in the first place. Reply Parent Thread Link I can hear the theme song, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps! Reply Parent Thread Link Payne Lindsey is such a mess lol. He's so unprofessional and uses wanting justice for Tara to excuse his unprofessionalism. Let's not forget the innocent people accused in the early episodes. Then all of the ridiculous conspiracy theories. I also didn't really like how he handled Brooke. Obviously she's trash but you don't conduct an interview that way. You don't see that shit when people are interviewed on shows like 48 Hours or Dateline. I commend him for trying to find out information and bring Tara's case to light again but I think most would agree that his podcast didn't get these 2 indicted. I think his ego gets in the way of seeking justice. I feel like I've listened to everything there is on Maura Murray. I suspect when she walked into the woods maybe eventually she froze to death :( The whole case is just sad tho. The case I constantly still think about is Brandon Lawson and those creepy 911 calls. I just started listening to the Daniel Morgan podcast (I know I'm late) but it's phenomenal and beautifully produced. I also started listening to Canadian True Crime. The host takes a while to upload new episodes because of her job but I think it's well done. You'll enjoy it if you like Casefile bc the hosts don't make it about themselves. The Tim Bosma case is another that still haunts me. Edited at 2017-06-28 01:23 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link I stopped listening because Payne kept inserting himself into the story and was such an obvious wannabe journalist when he's really just an amateur. No surprise that the podcast did jack shit to find Tara. Reply Parent Thread Link Ugh the Tim Bosma case is awful. That Derek Seretzky case out in Alberta is horrific too. Canada has some truly next level horrific murder cases (Robert Pickton, Vince Li, etc). Edited at 2017-06-28 01:49 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link THANK YOU. He is so AWFUL. He is so full of himself and arrogant. And he always plays clips and stories about how important his podcast is. And that phone call with Brooke? I literally struggle thought listening to his vanilla ass. Reply Parent Thread Link Do you have a rec for a Brandon Lawson podcast? Reply Parent Thread Link A bunch of podcasts dedicated episodes to iirc so you could probably just search his name in the podcast app - but the True Crime Garage one is the best imo because they really try and break down the 911 audio. Reply Parent Thread Link true crime garage did an excellent analysis of the 911 call Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ITA about Payne - it was so infuriating when he took listeners questions who criticized why he was so aggressive with Brooke - he just doubled down and talked about "justice". Mess. Is Brandon Lawson the guy was in a car accident and said someone was after him? Reply Parent Thread Link I stopped listening to Up and Vanished a while before the two guys got arrested, but the case was fascinating just because there were so many unanswered questions. But I sometimes got bored with the podcast. Missing Maura Murray podcast is still one of my faves. There's so may possiblities as to what happened to her. I think that's why more people will do podcasts about her because so much is unknown. And different hosts tell the story differently so I'll always listen to one if it pops up. Reply Parent Thread Link It's so weird to hear you say that because Tim Bosma is from my town. His family is really well known here and everyone was so devastated for them. I think the whole town was out searching for him when it happened. Reply Parent Thread Link I listed to Up and Vanished after Serial season 1 and In the Dark and there's a stark difference between Payne's reporting and the reporting of Serial and In the Dark. Payne admits to being an amateur but it really shows. I listed to Up and Vanished because I was interested in the case but Payne himself was the worst part of it. Reply Parent Thread Link I've been getting so many "solve Maura Murray's case" ads on Reddit. Reply Thread Link Hmm, I have never heard of this show! I love true crime, tho. Like Kayla Brown, the woman who was found chained up inside a storage shed by serial killer Todd Kohlhepp. Her rescue was recorded: Reply Thread Link This video shouldn't be on Youtube, or anywhere public imho Reply Parent Thread Link I'm assuming law enforcement took the footage (or so I hope.) I think Kayla okayed it, though, since the footage has only emerged online since her appearance on 48 Hours (where it was shown). Reply Parent Thread Link i'm fucked up cuz they were talking about this vid on my fave murder and i was like, i want to see this. thanks for posting. it's insane. idk how i'd feel being all alone and then having all these huge ass men come in yelling at me Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yingying Zhang disappeared from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, not University of Chicago. Urbana/Champaign is a couple of hours south of Chicago. I've been following the case a little because I went to law school there. It was a nice college town and I always felt safe. Just saw news they located the car she apparently got into. Reply Thread Link Oh no! I'm going there in December and now I'm scared why do I enter these ontd posts ?? Reply Parent Thread Link Champaign Urbana is my hometown and my niece goes to UIUC. It is generally safe. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My first thought about people getting too obsessed with true crime is Jake G's "character" from Zodiac. Reply Thread Link I love that the real Robert Graysmith said that after watching the movie and seeing Jake Gyllenhaal play him, he understood why his wife left him. Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly! Lol Reply Parent Thread Link omg! lol Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link I'll always be curious about Julia Niswender. She went to my alma mater and was found dead in her apartment. Someone strangled her then staged it as a robbery and drowning. They cut off her clothes and left latex gloves at the scene. Her step-father was a person of interest for a minute. Reply Thread Link lol fuck, the juxtaposition of those pics really threw me. I was like "Jesus Christ, what did Johnny do now?!" Post-stan life is hard. :\ Yes, people do get too obsessed with true crime, but in different ways. I wish someone would write, like, an expose about the people who love it but are always on the victims' "side" and are glad to hear about the criminals being punished, versus the ~serial killers fandom who legit lust after these shitty dudes and make excuses for their behavior. I feel like they're really in opposition, but it's such a weird niche thing that no one talks about the dichotomy. Reply Thread Link LMAO first part of your post. with that leatherface, we wouldn't be surprised. but yeah i was wondering why his pic was next to the maura logo lololo Reply Parent Thread Link I am interested in true crime, but the first group sounds like the people on websleuths, and they're horrible. They're always claiming they care about the victims!!1! but they slander everyone without proof, and everything is either sex trafficking or husbands murdering their wives, even when there's evidence that something completely different happened. And they're super racist too. The weird thing I notice about true crime afficionados is when they insert themselves into cases and play detective. It's one thing to talk about this stuff online, or maybe send a tip in an area of your expertise or if you were a local. It's quite another to post facebook pages of people involved (even tangentially) and start harassing people at work, etc. Reply Parent Thread Link Asha Degree's case haunts me tbh, I don't know what to think over why she ran away, where she went, if she's alive. She was so young, and I honestly think she was groomed by someone she trusted. Reply Thread Link She's one of those kids you occasionally randomly remember and hope she's somewhere safe and alive. I feel like that about D'Wan Sims. Growing up in Detroit, it was a huge case for years. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I just listened to a podcast on her and I agree. But because I think someone convinced her to leave and or meet them somewhere, I think there's a chance she could be found alive. I hope she does. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah she makes me so so sad :( I think she was groomed too. Reply Parent Thread Link What surprises me is all the people saying Asha's parents were super controlling because they didn't let a 9 year old access the internet. Asha was 9, and it was the year 2000, and she was living in a fairly rural area. I think her parents couldn't afford a computer and even if they could, were working odd hours so they couldn't supervise her on it. In 2000, it was very possible to live life without a computer. I have a feeling the information about the vehicle that was recently released is very true, and that the tipster doesn't directly want to implicate the culprit because it could cause harm to them. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i think a reason my fave aspect of 'true crime' is disappearances/mysteries is because then the focus is the victim instead of the perpetrator/s. i've seen people online who say they're obsessed with true crime but really it seems like they're more obsessed with serial killers and death and gore, those types can make me uncomfortable. i can't fucking stand james renner. Reply Thread Link I don't like unsolved murders/disappearances as much, because I want to know that the perpetrator got caught and punished. (Though of course they don't always get the punishment they deserve.) Reply Parent Thread Link I'm obsessed with true crime because I like the crime solving aspect. The killer obsession is suspect tho. Reply Parent Thread Link Same pretty much. I subscribe to a few true crime podcasts and their respective Facebook pages, some people on their seem giddy about the killers or the sites the murders happen . It's bothers a bit, like have a some respect , someone was brutully murdered and their family/friends are living with that for the rest of their lives. I've read about fabdoms for seriel killers and it just seems so disrespectful (for lack of better word) to the victims and their families. Reply Parent Thread Link that last season of serial was such a snoozefest Reply Thread Link It was fucking awful and it kind of sounds like season 3 isn't going to be any better. I'll give it a shot anyway though. Reply Parent Thread Link If their first season was true crime & successful, why would they stray away from it? Reply Parent Thread Link It just repeated tedious details that had already been reported. Zzzzzzzz Reply Parent Thread Link yeah I barely got through it. Reply Parent Thread Link this! i think it was really made boring by the fact that they were trying to cover something that had already been extensively covered in the media. for it to work most listeners need to have very little knowledge of the subject matter imo. Reply Parent Thread Link She's fucking high. Reply Thread Link Molly aint no joke Reply Parent Thread Link who can never know, like, what will be told, and that is the story that, like, she will discover when her path unfolds on it. Reply Parent Thread Link read this 3 times, still concerned I might be having a stroke. Reply Parent Thread Link i imagine beyonce's like 'let me just drop my two new babies and go to this dumb bitch's birthday party' Reply Thread Link And I guess Britney is just supposed to abandon her tour lol. Reply Parent Thread Link i like that beyonce's invite was an afterthought too lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I mean the good sis B is still wearing her pregnancy diaper for god's sake. Reply Parent Thread Link as well she should tbqmfh Reply Parent Thread Link Lol mte Reply Parent Thread Link That screencap is unfortunate. Reply Thread Link The vid is unfortunate, girl's out of it Reply Parent Thread Link Awkward... She sorta looks like Lorde in that screencap Reply Thread Link Lol her fans have been claiming she's sober for the past couple months and she just busted that myth wide open. Reply Thread Link Haha she has several on Twitter! Reply Parent Thread Link That motherfucker was INSANE, literally trolling and spamming and tantruming on anyone saying anything negative about Lilo, lying that they were hired by her team to keep haters at bay, making lots of sock accounts to agree with themselves, etc. I can't believe they were allowed to stay on ONTD so long (though I have a theory as to why...) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link SAD Reply Thread Link It's like her brain was cryogenically frozen in 2007 Reply Thread Link It's said to be the same with fame so I imagine the combination makes it even worse. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link when did she even start using? Reply Parent Thread Link if the brain is basically fried, no amount of recovery is going to restore the lost years. i think that's why a lot of people get frustrated with addicts who can't seem to get out of their cycle of abuse or the mentality of addiction Reply Parent Thread Link I'd say she should stick to inviting people who would actually show up, but even her family didn't... I'd be crushed tbh. This is why destination celebrations kinda suck though. Like who TF has the time to drop everything last minute and go to Greece for someone's birthday?! It's not even a wedding or something important that doesn't occur every year Reply Thread Link yeah, my aunt still isn't talking to my mom bc she couldn't drop everything and go to her wedding. people need to be less self-centred about this kind of thing. Reply Parent Thread Link a good friend doing destination wedding, except she's not paying for anything, so it will cost about $3-$5K for logging/flight/food etc ... i told her no, a least she was ok but it suck to miss her wedding. Reply Parent Thread Link holy shit $5k just for a wedding?! Reply Parent Thread Link oh SWEETIE This is kinda great tho. Why not? lol Reply Thread Link I miss when she was relevant. She was so entertaining. Now she just seems so sad. Reply Thread Link well that's sad Reply Thread Link lmao yes, invite the woman who just had twins for a quick jetset to greece Reply Thread Link Nice of her to throw Beyonce a bone Reply Thread Link ehhh at the @beyonce. when you pray, does god answer back? Reply Thread Link underrated comment lol Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao I cant Reply Parent Thread Link The new prince of pop is here! I can't believe we live in a world where Austin Mahone slayed the ugly dragon aka Ed Reply Thread Link jk Reply Parent Thread Link I would think Troye Sivan is the up & coming pop star, no? Reply Thread Link "Blue Neighborhood" is a solid debut album. i can't believe it tbh. i didn't want to like YouTube youths music. but here i am. smh. Reply Parent Thread Link I didn't know he was a youtuber either when I heard that Gryffin remix of Youth and I was like, wait who is this? I was surprised by how much I liked the album too. Reply Parent Thread Link Lorde, ha impacT Reply Parent Thread Link Bel Ami or Helix? Reply Parent Thread Link LOL Reply Parent Thread Link Someoe post that vid of him slow-mo rubbing sunscreen on his thicc body Reply Thread Link x2 Reply Parent Thread Link oops it was a vine, so its long gone Reply Parent Thread Link Taking lyrics from this superior song: Reply Thread Link Omw @ this legendary pop gem!!! Reply Parent Thread Link weird. I feel like dirty work could be sung to this beat too... Reply Parent Thread Link Is he self-funding his projects? He's literally been on the up and coming for what, over 5 years now? I don't understand how his label hasn't let him go yet. Reply Thread Link He does a lot of endorsements too Reply Parent Thread Link oh, i thought this was a shawn thread. I've become one of those people who can't tell the difference between the 2! Reply Parent Thread Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link Speaking of gay, I made the mistake of clicking on a Youtube promoted PRIDE video. It was the usual gross comments. Pro-lgbt comments are sprinkled here and there. As of this moment, there are over 130k dislikes, to 77k likes. I know it's stupid, but can y'all just click the video, let it play all 2 minutes, hit LIKE, and leave some sort of quick upbeat comment. But don't fall into the trap of reading the other comments. Just click the comment box and don't scroll any further. I'd like to believe that the staggering number of dislikes is due to trolls/homophobes/conservatives/etc. not having any lives (i mean, especially during pride time, most people are away from youtube living 'n doing fun stuff). Reply Thread Link They do it every year, the youtube pride video from last year is the most disliked video on youtube. Trolls wait for it every year Reply Parent Thread Link Apparently, having a pride flag in the Youtube Logo at the top is 'shoving it down peoples faces'. Yet, they had to click the video to open... I didn't obsess over it as much this time around. But it's scary to just read one thing after another. Reply Parent Thread Link Woah, more disliked than the ghostbusters trailer? I thought that was the most disliked vid on the site. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The edgelords are dumb as rocks, few days ago one of them tried me becuase I laughted at him writing a long shitpost saying Steven Universe is a feminazi propaganda tool. . YouTube is fake as shit though, going all gay, thinking we forgot how they flagged all LGBT-related content as not safe for children. Kudos to them for using a song by an actual trans woman for this, what a song! HOPELESSNESS is still he best album of 2016, your faves could never! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'll just pretend all the dislikes are for Tyler Oakley. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol and then you have tone deaf morons who think everything is fine and dandy for the lgbt community now, and wonder why everyone doesn't just come out. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link hey girl i totally get that those comments are painful to read but trolls are gonna troll, don't let their hate get you down. also DEAD at all those comments about veterans. why the fuck do people only give a fuck about veterans when they're trying to shit on someone else? like keep their fucking name out of your mouth, i seriously doubt you give an actual fuck about what happens to veterans cuz i don't see you motherfuckers protesting for better treatment and an end to this military industrial complex that targets poor black and brown people. i wonder what they would think if they knew my partner who served 10 years in the military is bisexual and a power bottom...probably not invite him to so many useless propaganda parades? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ALso, I hate when haunted houses/mazes are filmed for TV. The spotlight of the camera ruins everything. Reply Thread Link they need to do it in the same style as the korean ones, where its in the dark but they use infrared cameras but i guess they dont wanna get sued if someone injures themselves. Reply Parent Thread Link The only time I saw him was when he won the VMA and his face is so forgettble, he's a like a stock image model The only think that's memorable about him is that he calls his fans MA HOMIES. I can't even type it without bursting into laughter Reply Thread Link nnn japan, you were doing so good. go back to stanning carly Reply Thread Link how dare you betray carly like you, japan!!! Reply Thread Link She is big in Korea now, she doesn't need them. Reply Parent Thread Link yas kween of kpop! Reply Parent Thread Link I was just seeing someone wearing this wasn't actually up on Netflix US yet...I wish it was getting a theatrical release near me. Reply Thread Link Oh that's because a lot of us thought they meant midnight PDT like they usually do on Netflix =) Turns out it's midnight Korea (8AM PDT). Just checked now and it's up! Reply Parent Thread Link OH nice, I was wondering why no one was talking about it when I woke up! I don't actually have netflix rn but I will support it when I do. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link cannot wait to watch, gonna do it tonight <3 <3 Reply Thread Link this little beautiful munchkin omg Reply Parent Thread Link I've been looking forward to seeing this, but I don't think I'll actually be able to watch it. Animals suffering is the one thing I can't handle, mostly because I know millions of them are being abused and tortured as I'm writing this. I don't want to make myself miserable. Reply Thread Link I totally understand, there are some really hard scenes in this movie and yeah it hurts that this is a reality out there. Personally speaking, I'm coming up to my one year anniversary since I've completely stopped eating meat (though, I'm a pescatarian which is something i hope to move on from in the future) and watching this film evoked a lot of feelings for me. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, it hit closer to home than I thought it would :/ Reply Parent Thread Link I saw a preview screening a couple weeks ago, but just coming in here to say again how much I loved it. The perfect blind of whimsical and contemporary, kind of like Beasts of the Southern Wild. An Seo Hyun is precious beyond words, and Paul Dano was exceptional. Can't wait to see it again :) Reply Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] Absolutely agreed! There were so much beautiful imagery in this, with the forest scenes, compared to the claustrophobic feeling of the city. This honestly felt like watching a live-action Ghibli movie =) An Seo Hyun is a fantastic actress, saying so much with just an expression. I often find scenes with a live actor + CG character to not work, but it worked beautifully in this film! Reply Parent Thread Link this seems ripe for a "does the dog mutant pig beast die" type spoiler Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, I wanna see it but ngl I'm going to need to know upfront if Okja dies at the end. Time to sleuth for spoilers lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Hello, I replied with the fate of Okja below, but won't go in any more detail. I hope you still decide to give it a go, either way. It's a wonderful film! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I always forget how beautiful Steven is and then he shows up and the emotional roller-coaster starts up again. Reply Thread Link i just want to know who/what dies and how hard i will cry bc i don't want to ruin my day lol it looks like a movie i would really enjoy though Reply Thread Link You're definitely gonna cry especially for the last 20 minutes or so. Bring that Kleenex. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh no :( Reply Parent Thread Link I saw this Monday and I am still reeling tbh. This movie NEEDS to be viewed on the big screen. That little girl deserves awards. Bostwick sucked though. Fuck him. Reply Thread Link thanks for the rec, i was planning to watch this on netflix but it is playing in a few theaters near me... Reply Parent Thread Link Yay! Do it. You know it's worth it if my broke ass is recommending paying money for something you could watch for free. ;) Reply Parent Thread Link wow this is a really good trailer i wish it had a theatrical release Reply Thread Link Lmfao jake's performance is getting ripped to shreds by critics Reply Thread Link He was over the top in a way that stood out, but wasn't necessarily awful? IDK. He reminded me of a skinny younger, drunk Bryan Cranston as Walter White. Reply Parent Thread Link It really was OTT, and in a bad way Reply Parent Thread Link I honestly was expecting worse from what I've been seeing, but I thought he played this OTT washed-up TV celebrity type rather well. I did laugh at his "stage voice" compared to his speaking voice. Reply Parent Thread Link It should, tbh. There's ham and then there's whatever he was doing. Reply Parent Thread Link Enjoy! I absolutely love Bong Joon Ho's work which I recommend if you've not seen his other films, and this one definitely continues that magic =) Reply Parent Thread Link Tilda Swinton should play Cruella de vil . She really nails evil white lady . Reply Thread Link Does the bear pig die. I need to know this before I commit because this isn't a chance I'm willing to take because I am not about that life at all. Reply Thread Link same Reply Parent Thread Link Same. And do other animals suffer/die/look sad in general? I want to watch this but I cant deal with animals being hurt Reply Parent Thread Link Just going by the trailer, there is definite animal sadness Reply Parent Thread Link Please to anyone who reads it, to be mindful of reaction/spoiler! [ Spoiler (click to open) ] Okja lives =) Hello will put the fate of Okja under the cut, won't give any details beyond that.Please to anyone who reads it, to be mindful of reaction/spoiler! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link From a review: As an animal lover, I wouldnt wish the very particular emotional jolt this movie delivers on my worst enemy. Be warned: There is very little hope here. There is only bleakness. D: Reply Thread Link fuck. idk if i can handle it :( Reply Parent Thread Link I'm peace out then. I can't handle animal deaths, even for giant imaginary ones. Reply Parent Thread Link I want to watch it but idk with this review, i don't want to cry ;_; (and I know I will) Edited at 2017-06-28 05:59 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link If knowing the fate of Okja might help you decide, I've put it under a spoiler cut in a thread above =) Either way, I do hope you give it a chance. I'm like you and others, I can't stand sad scenes involving animals...but I do think this was a beautifully done film. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh, well that makes it clear then. If I watch this I'll completely lose my mind. I'll pass Reply Parent Thread Link Earlier in the week we discussed how lower Saudi export loadings in April are translating into lower arrivals on U.S. shores this month. This has prompted some to ask whether Iraq has stepped up to fill this supply gap. Although we have seen Iraqi barrels ramping up to the U.S. so far this year, averaging over 600,000 barrels per day through the first five months, deliveries have eased lower since April's peak. This easing has less to do with Iraq cutting exports - they aren't - and more to do with crude heading elsewhere. (Click to enlarge) Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said late last week that exports out of Basrah are at 3.27 million barrels per day this month, and at 520,000 bpd for the Kurdish region in the north. This mirrors what we see in our data (in fact, Basrah loadings have even ticked a little higher since), meaning Iraqi oil exports this month are on course to hit a high for the year. Hum dee dum. As for imports to the U.S., the combined drop in Saudi and Iraqi barrels has meant that OPEC flows to the U.S. in June have fallen below year-ago levels - albeit marginally - for the first time this year. Combine this with lower arrivals from Venezuela, and OPEC deliveries to the U.S. this month could finish below 3 million barrels per day - for the first time since June last year: (Click to enlarge) While lower OPEC flows to the U.S. will be interpreted as a positive development, as we said earlier in the week, this remains a game of whack-a-mole. As flows to the U.S. drop, we see flows to Asia rise up instead. After Saudi loadings bound for East Asia fell for four consecutive months from January, they are rebounding strongly in June, while both Iraqi and Venezuelan flows to the region are also looking robust. Total OPEC export loadings for Asia so far in June have jumped to the highest on our records, after ticking lower for the past three months. As flows ebb in one direction, they swell up like a wave toward the other. This should be of particular concern to the bulls, given the current level of floating storage off Singapore and Malaysia. After peaking in early February, it dropped through April, only to start gradually building a head of steam since - surpassing February's high in recent weeks. Not only are we seeing floating storage rising in Asia, but across the globe as well, from the Middle East to the North Sea. No sooner does a bullish case present itself, does a bearish counterargument appear just as quickly. (Click to enlarge) By Matt Smith More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Total exports more than doubled since 2010; Canada drops from 92 percent of U.S. exports to 58 percent Rising production from shale formations has fundamentally changed the U.S. petroleum products trade. After being flat for many years, exports of both crude oil and refined products have doubled in the last six years, according to a note released today by the EIA. (Click to enlarge) U.S. crude oil traveling to new countries The ban on exporting U.S. crude was lifted at the end of 2015, allowing U.S. crude to travel around the world to new markets. While Canada remains the U.S. primary crude export destination, its share has fallen sharply. In 2015, before the lifting of the ban, Canada received 92 percent of all U.S. crude oil exports. In 2016, by contrast, Canada received only 58 percent. (Click to enlarge) The Netherlands received the second-largest amount of exported crude, at 38,000 BOPD. Exports to other European nations like Italy, the UK and France made Europe the largest regional export destination. The third largest destination overall is Curacao, a small island in the Caribbean. PDVSA, Venezuelas NOC, operates a large refinery on the island with 330,000 BOPD of capacity. Press reports suggest that PDVSA is importing light U.S. crude to blend with heavy Venezuelan crude oil before processing at the refinery. (Click to enlarge) Corpus Christi is U.S. crude oil export hub; seeks to increase export capacity Corpus Christi is the primary crude export hub in the U.S. According to Bloomberg, ships left the port carrying a total of around 22 million barrels of crude last quarter. This represents about 30 percent of the total crude exported by the U.S. in that quarter. Corpus Christi anticipates further need for exports, and is preparing for more activity. The city recently received preliminary approval for a $350 million dredging project to deepen its channel. Currently, most ships transporting crude from Corpus Christi are Aframax-size vessels. These ships hold around 600,000 barrels of crude. The dredging project will allow Corpus Christi to handle Suezmax tankers which hold about 1 million barrels each. (Click to enlarge) Related: Oil Industry To Waste Trillions As Peak Demand Looms Refined products exports are now double imports Exports of refined products surpassed imports of refined products in mid-2011, and have only grown since then. Today, the U.S. is exporting more than double its imports of refined products. Distillate fuels are the countrys primary petroleum product export, with an average of 1200 MBPD exported in 2016. Mexico is the main destination for U.S. distillate exports, but shipments of these products are much more evenly distributed than those of crude oil and gasoline. (Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge) U.S. gasoline fueling Mexico U.S. exports of gasoline are currently averaging 761 MBPD, more than double the 335 MBOPD that was exported in 2010. Like distillate fuels, Mexico is the primary destination of American gasoline exports. Over the past five years, Mexico has accounted for 44 percent to 53 percent of all gasoline exported from the U.S. (Click to enlarge) Related: Crisis-Stricken Venezuela Looks To Import Fuel This share may continue to increase. Gasoline consumption in Mexico is rising, but Mexican refinery production is not keeping up with demand. According to the EIA, in fact, gasoline production from Mexican refineries fell by more than 100 MBPD in 2016. Mexican refineries often have difficulties producing clean fuels from the heavy sour crude primarily produced by the country. Outages in the second half of 2016 further compounded the problem. (Click to enlarge) Mexico has turned to U.S. refineries to make up the difference, and gasoline from U.S. refineries makes up a significant portion of total gasoline consumed by Mexico. According to EIA data, America provided more than half of Mexican gasoline consumed in multiple months of 2016. (Click to enlarge) By Oil and Gas 360 More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Despite having a more diversified economy than its Gulf neighbours, oil and gas revenues only account for 11 percent of Irans GDP. Its oil & gas sectors are strategic not only due to their size (the worlds fourth largest oil reserves and first gas reserves), but also because 40 percent of Irans foreign currency reserves come from oil & gas revenues. Although Irans multi-level, multi-polar political system allows indirect recourse to the popular will, it maintains decision making power in a fairly small circle dominated by clerical authorities. At the centre is the Supreme Leader, who has the ultimate authority to rule on all state matters. Underneath him are a sprawling number of overlapping and redundant institutions and committees ensuring that the most important decisions are taken by consensus - finding the smallest common denominator acceptable to all of Irans many political factions and stakeholders. Given how intertwined politics and economics are in the country, this structure of power is reflected to an even a higher degree in such a strategic business sector as energy. Despite acknowledgment by the government that foreign investment and technology are needed to fully develop the potential of Irans vast hydrocarbon reserves, the energy sector like the broader Iranian economy continues to be dominated by state and parastatal organisations that leave little room for the private sector. In early October 2016, Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said that to increase production and revive aging oil wells and infrastructure, Irans upstream sector needed US $100 billion. In mid-January 2017, Deputy Oil Minister and Head of the National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Marzieh Shahdaei stated that Irans petrochemical industry required US $35 billion of foreign investment to reach its target output of 150 million tons in the next ten years. In the short-term, she said that the country needs to attract US $20 billion of investment in the next five years to complete current on-going projects, emphasising that to this end, credit attraction and international cooperation are major priorities. Related: Kurdish Oil: The Two Biggest Threats Squaring the circle for the Rouhani administration means treading a fine line between the economic and legal reforms necessary to attract foreign investment, while accommodating the demands of powerful domestic stakeholders. With this in mind, who are the main political players in Irans energy sector? Oil & Gas Hierarchy At the top of the institutional structure is the Oil Ministry that oversees the three main national companies in the oil (National Iranian Oil Company NIOC), gas (National Iranian Gas Company) and oil derivatives (National Petrochemical Company NPC). Although NIOC is a state-owned company, the oil & gas sector is controlled not just by the state, but by the key power players within the state. The most influential player is the Supreme Leader, whose control particularly focuses on oil trading and oil sales. One of his closest loyalists with years of controversial experience in oil trading has recently been appointed at the helm of the NIOC trading department, and is the new CEO of NaftIran Intertrade, the NIOCs Swiss-based oil trading subsidiary. Next in line of influence comes Irans second economic power, namely the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). Since the Presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013), they have built a heavy presence in the oil & gas sector not only through their business conglomerate Khatam al-Anbia, but also through minority ownership in a myriad of reportedly private companies acting as EPCs or as sub-contractors in oil & gas field projects. In these cases, they often share the ownership structure with a series of other parastatal companies, such as pension funds or foundations. This makes the sector extremely politically exposed, yet because it is the countrys most lucrative sector its domestic stakeholders may be more inclined to compromise with foreign actors, whose technology and financial investment they need to fully reach the potential of Irans oil & gas sector thus also increasing their benefits. The NIOC-NIGC Power Play The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) is one of the largest national oil companies in the world by size and it is responsible for the entire development, production, processing, transport and sale of crude oil. In institutional terms, the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) currently takes the backseat to NIOC. However, since the future of the energy sector is reportedly more promising for gas than oil, it is likely that the power balance between NIOC and NIGC will significantly change. Prior to 2012, the President held greater institutional influence over NIOC, but the Powers and Responsibilities of the Oil Ministry Bill presented to Parliament in March 2012, and approved on 8 May 2012, curtailed the influence of the President in the oil sector in favour of the Oil Minister. The bill also meant to separate the responsibilities of ownership and management, previously combined within NIOC operations. This distinction would be embodied in a newly empowered Oil Ministry determining the future of a subservient NIOC. Instead of the President, the Oil Minister now chairs the NIOC General Assembly and the influential committee of members of parliament from oil-producing regions. The NIOC Managing Director is no longer appointed by the President, but by the Oil Minister. The Oil Minister also sits on the Supreme Economic Council (SEC), whose agreement is essential for large-scale state investment projects and for foreign involvement in the Iranian economy. The law significantly increased the power of the Oil Ministry to issue contracts and access funds for the benefit of domestic companies, as well as to grant no-bid contracts in upstream developments. Oil Minister a Post that Defies Politics The rent generated by Irans hydrocarbon sector means that the position of Oil Minister is a highly strategic one, and quite often a bone of contention amongst the political elite. The fact that controversial President Ahmadinejad appointed four different Oil Ministers during his time in office is testament to this. Ahmedinejads first two Oil Ministers Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh (2005-2007) and Gholam Hossein Nozari (2007-2009) - were not part of his inner circle but oil industry insiders, with institutional affiliation to NIOC subsidiary NISOC. In this respect, bureaucratic coalitions extend beyond the executive branch to the legislative branch, and the Iranian parliament has the power not only to reject proposed Ministers it deems to be unfit, but also to launch investigations into any suspicious dealings by the Oil Ministry, NIOC, NIGC or the NIPC. Related: Canada Pushes For Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy The Parliamentary Economics and Energy Committees are particularly influential in this regard. In 2005, President Ahmadinejads first three proposed Oil Ministers were disavowed by Parliament. As can be expected, the Parliamentary Energy Committee is also best placed to influence draft legislation before its submission to the Chamber. As such, the post of Oil Minister has been a real source of political and legal manipulation, or power plays, between the institutions of government. However, it is publicly known that, since the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, the network of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997) has been actively involved in the oil sector. Political coalitions between Rafsanjani and Reformist President Khatami (1997-2005) - as well as the close cooperation between current President Rouhani, for whom Rafsanjani was a political mentor and strong ally - means that there has been some continuity between the three governments. For instance, current Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh held the same position during the Khatami administration (1997-2005), and was Energy Minister in Rafsanjanis government (1989-1997). Sanctions have had a serious impact, discouraging foreign companies from maintaining their partnerships with Iranian companies; which has consequently contributed to the demise of the internationally-oriented business projects of Rafsanjani and Khatami, ultimately leaving power players such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to fill the gap. Rouhanis 2013 Election: A Partial Reshuffle of the Oil Sector Although most of Ahmadinejads allies have been side-lined either dismissed or sued for corruption following the election of President Hassan Rouhani in June 2013, the IRGC has used its influence to maintain its grip on the lucrative hydrocarbon sector. Its grip was facilitated by former President Ahmadinejad but solidified by the void left by international companies that pulled out of Iran in 2010-2012 following the tightening of international sanctions. Willing to attract foreign investment and technology, the Rouhani government took to reforming the old buy-backs contracts that were rather unattractive for foreign companies. The buy-backs are to be replaced by the Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPC). However, reluctance from domestic forces meant that implementation of the IPC was delayed for several months. While French oil giant Total had shown an early interest in signing an IPC with Iran, domestic opponents slowed down the process to safeguard their interests, urging that the first IPC be signed with an Iranian company. As of this month, however, it looks as though Rouhani may be showing an upper hand with news that Total will sign a long-delayed contract for the development of phase 11 of South Pars. By Shadow Governance Intel More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Halliburton Company is in advanced talks to buy Tulsa-based Summit ESP, an oilfield equipment provider backed by Oklahomas oil and banking billionaire George Kaiser, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the negotiations. Summit ESPwhich engineers, manufactures, and services electrical submersible and surface pumping systemsis financed by Kaiser via investment company Argonaut Private Equity. Halliburton is seeking to boost its artificial lifts business after its failed plans last year to merge with Baker Hughes, and stalled plans to acquire a similar Russian company. Three years ago, Halliburton started takeover negotiations with Baker Hughes, but the process was terminated in March last year, after it ran into regulatory opposition. In December 2016, Halliburton said that it had made a filing with the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) in connection with a potential acquisition of an interest in Novomet Oil Services Holding Limited, an international artificial lift company focusing primarily on electrical submersible pumps. Halliburton has held discussions with various shareholders of Novomet regarding the potential acquisition, including the possibility of acquiring up to 100 percent of the company, the U.S. firm said back then. According to a Reuters source familiar with the Russian authorization process, the regulatory review had been stalled over concerns that a U.S. company would own a provider whose equipment would be used in Russias oil fields. Related: Oil Industry To Waste Trillions As Peak Demand Looms Halliburton and Summit ESP have talked a potential deal over the past year, but negotiations have been in fits and starts over divergences in valuation, according to Reuters. Talk of the Halliburton-Summit ESP deal comes just weeks after the Department of Justice (DOJ) had given the go-ahead to a proposed merger between GEs oil and gas business division and Baker Hughes that would create an oilfield service company bigger than Halliburton, second only to Schlumberger. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: North Korea is likely buying diesel from Russian oil companies via trading companies in Singapore, and should the U.S. cut off all oil flows to Pyongyang, it would sever the regimes lifeline, senior-level North Korean defector Ri Jong Ho told Voice of America Korean Service in his first interview since he defected in October 2014. For 30 years, Ri had supervised North Koreas production and trade, and his last role was head of Korea Daesong General Trading Corporation, managed by Office 39. This Office 39 is a secretive branch of the government of North Korea that provides critical support to North Korean leadership in part through engaging in illicit economic activities and managing slush funds and generating revenues for the leadership, the U.S. Department of Treasury has said. According to Ri, every year North Korea imports up to 200,000 to 300,000 tons of diesel from Russia via firms in Singapore. We first strike a deal with Singaporean firms, which then enter into another contract with Russian oil companies, Ri told Voice of America, adding that he was involved in transporting the Russian oil to North Korea between 1997 and 2005. Since there is continued movement of North Koreas oil tankers, it is likely that those deals are still taking place today, according to Ri. North Korea is also importing 50,000-100,000 tons of gasoline by tankers from China. In addition, China supplies North Korea with around 500,000 tons of crude oil by pipeline, all toward the military, and all free of charge, according to Ris words to Voice of America. If the U.S. government begins to crack down on Pyongyangs imports of oil, the North Korean regime will inevitably suffer heavy damage, Ri said, noting that If the operations of the North Korea-bound tankers carrying oil from Russia and China come to a full stop, the regimes lifeline will be severed. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the U.S. would focus its efforts on shutting off North Koreas access to crude oil. In this, Washington will seek the assistance of other countries, Tillerson said. Three senior administration officials told Reuters on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump was considering potential trade actions against China over its inaction over North Korea and over bilateral U.S-China trade issues. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: BP subsidiary Pan American Energy will invest around US$1.2 billion in Argentina this year, including US$400 million in the Vaca Muerta shale formation, a company spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday. Last year, Pan American Energys investment budget was US$1.4 billion, of which US$300 million in the Neuquen province, home of the Vaca Muerta shale. Pan American Energy is the latest in a string of Argentina-based companies and international supermajors that have announced their 2017 plans to invest in Vaca Muerta, which is thought to have the potential to be a star shale play. Back in April, Argentinas Energy and Mining Minister Juan Jose Aranguren said that total investments of between US$6 billion and US$8 billion in Vaca Muerta had been confirmed for this year alone. Argentina sees investments in the shale formation rising to US$12 billion-US$15 billion next year, and to US$20 billion annually from 2019 onward, according to the minister. Exxon is one company that plans to speed up investment plans for shale gas drilling in Vaca Muerta. ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina (EMEA) has been present in Vaca Muerta since 2010. Chevron, too, has been developing areas together with Argentine oil company YPF. In Chevrons non-operated Loma Campana concession in Vaca Muerta, 58 horizontal wells were drilled last year, and the drilling program is expected to continue this year. Argentinas Tecpetrol said in March that it would invest US$2.3 billion by 2019 in the first phase of the development of the Fortin de Piedra area in Vaca Muerta. The sooner a company starts producing gas, the more pricing incentives they can get. In a bid to boost domestic gas development, Argentina has extended the pricing incentives through 2021. Producers will be paid US$7.50/MMBtu for their production by the end of 2018, and then the incentives would gradually decrease to US$6/MMBtu in 2021. Free market pricing is expected to come into effect in 2022, with prices expected to average US$4/MMBtu, or some US$1/MMBtu less than current market average prices, according to Platts. Argentina is trying to boost its domestic shale gas output in an effort to reduce imports. The countrys natural gas production increased in 2015 for the first time since 2006, but Argentina is still a net importer of natural gas. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: On his weekly road trips between Pune and Mumbai, Parag Agarwal often came across people who not only begged for money but also asked for his bottle of water. The requests made him curious, and soon he realised how the poor suffer from the shortage of drinking water. At that time, Agarwal owned Panama Water Management, a company that worked with the government on water treatment projects. "I did some research and found that India is suffering due to poor management of water resources," he recalls. In July 2013, Parag and his younger brother Anurag, a US-based investment banker, set up the Supremus Group and its flagship initiative JanaJal that would tackle drinking water scarcity by developing and installing water ATMs. Within 18 months, he was ready with his first prototype - a water kiosk featuring an ingenious combo of water purifier and water vending machine, with a cloud-based monitoring system fitted in for remote management. Clean, Convenient, Cheap Making sure that clean and affordable drinking water is available 24x7 for the people is no easy task. India has the maximum number of people in rural areas - 63.4 million - living without access to potable water, according to a report (Wild Water, State of the World's Water 2017) by WaterAid, a global advocacy group focused on water and sanitation. The JanaJal machines making a rapid pan-India foray is one of the viable solutions that can take care of the '3C's' - cleanliness, convenience (read widespread distribution) and cost. To buy clean water, users get a bunch of options - from swiping their ATM prepaid cards to paying via digital wallets or Unified Payment Interface (a single-window mobile payment system) to paying with coins. Each unit has up to three taps and can dispense 15,000 litres a day so that it can service a community of 1,500-2,000 people. The water dispensed comes in various quantities - 250 ml, one litre, five litres, 10 litres and 20 litres - which can also be customised as per requirements. The company has recently launched mobile water kiosks called JanaJal Water-on-Wheels where it has 500-litre tanks mounted on e-rickshaws to provide on-demand water delivery service to households. It is now doing a pilot in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, with 75 e-rickshaws. JanaJal sources water from municipalities, does a lab test to assess the quality of the water available and then decides on the most suitable purification method. The issue in India, says Parag, is that the water changes after every 100 km or so. Consequently, there can be no uniform solution that uses any single technology. JanaJal has adopted a technology-agnostic approach and uses a number of methods (or a suitable combination), including reverse osmosis (RO), ultraviolet (UV), ultrafiltration (UF) and carbon filter. It typically takes around three-four weeks to instal the first JanaJal water ATM in a specific area, but subsequent installations take less time. Each ATM can be monitored and remotely controlled through GPRS-based software lodged within the unit. Although the units are mostly managed online, a trained operator is also present at the site. "We want to create jobs for the community where the ATM is located," says Parag. In a bid to create a social entrepreneurship model, JanaJal shares up to 40 per cent of the gross revenue with these operators. The company currently charges Rs 5 per litre, which could come down depending on the location and the company's business and financing model around that particular water ATM. When non-profit organisations sponsor water ATMs, the capital investment is borne by the sponsor and the water is sold at a subsidised rate. For instance, the cost of water has reduced drastically at Khora village in Ghaziabad where The Hans Foundation helped instal five water ATMs. Here one can buy a litre of drinking water for as little as 30 paise while 20 litres cost just Rs 6. The cost of installing an ATM is around Rs 8 lakh and it takes two-three years to recover the unit cost, says Anurag, responsible for fundraising and global investor outreach. "We do keep a 20 per cent profit margin at the EBITDA level and after taxes, have a 10 per cent margin. The strategy is to focus on volumes and thus create a sustainable business," he adds. Over the past four years, the brothers have invested over Rs 7 crore in the company, and they claim JanaJal has earned Rs 1.7 crore in revenues in the financial year 2016/17. Making a Splash JanaJal's safe water network is growing fast. So far, the company has installed more than 285 water ATMs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and parts of the Northeast region. Last year, Supremus got a contract from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for 39 installations across the major stations in Mumbai. It is a public-private partnership project in which the company will build, own and operate the facilities. The charges are nominal too, Rs 5 per litre, which is the IRCTC's approved tariff. JanaJal is also eyeing corporate clients and has installed three water kiosks at Essar's Hazira plant in Gujarat. It is further planning to foray into rural and semi-urban markets. Scaling up such ambitions has its challenges as the business of drinking water is no longer niche. There is competition from its ilk - from companies such as Sarvajal and Amrutdhara Water Services. Then there are big names in the fray, including Tata Power, Voltas Water Solutions and Eureka Forbes. One challenge that consumer product businesses face is ensuring that the quality of the product and the user experience are uniform across all the places where it is present. What works for these companies (if they want to focus on volumes) is a franchise model that ensures all the water kiosks under the companys umbrella, the hygiene, and the operators communication skills are standardised, says Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Director at CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory. Interestingly, such a model has worked well in water-starved countries like Kenya, and even Indian firms like Sarvajal follow it. The Agarwals, however, prefer to operate the entire value chain, saying that is what sets them apart. There is a further fillip to growth as in February this year, US-based social impact fund Tricolor Cleantech Capital committed to invest up to $5 million over the next two-three years. The company will use the funds to expand pan-India. "As per our target, each JanaJal ATM should be able to dispense one million litres per year. We will also get to 1,000 installed systems by the end of 2017," says Anurag. Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, will hail the inaugural Uber ride in Saratoga Springs on Thursday, the first day ride-hailing services can be offered in upstate New York. Bringing ride-sharing to the communities that I represent has been a priority of mine since taking office, and I am pleased that all of us in state government have worked together to make that happen, Woerner said in a news release that Uber issued Wednesday. Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft use an app to schedule taxi-like rides. Uber is launching statewide service on Thursday, including in Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties, said Shari Shapiro, a Uber spokeswoman. The state Legislature voted earlier this year to allow ride-hailing statewide, previously limited to New York City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 5 signed legislation to move up the authorization to start service to Thursday because some municipalities wanted it available for the July 4 holiday. The state Department of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday announced it has licensed more than 20,000 Uber and Lyft drivers. This is an exciting chapter in the history of New York transportation and another example of how government and industry are working together to move the Empire State forward, said Terri Egan, executive deputy commissioner of the DMV. Egan said that state regulations require the fare or estimated fare be shown on the ride-hailing app before the ride begins. The app must display a photo of the driver, the model and color of the vehicle, and the vehicles license plate number. Ride-hailing vehicles must prominently display an emblem on the passenger side of the vehicles front window identifying the ride-hailing company the driver works for. The DMV has established a ride-hailing complaint handling process in which complaints can be filed at the state DMV website. More than 60 women in AAP's first list of 134 candidates for Delhi civic polls. Finding Peace of Mind: Discover These Five Places in Europe to Unwind Davenport police have made an arrest in the death of a man whose body was found burning May 30 in the 3000 block of West Denison Avenue. Tremayne La-Toine Thomas, 42, of 3536 Heatherton Drive, Apt. 6, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, a Class A felony under Iowa law that carries an automatic sentence of life in prison upon conviction. He is accused of killing Brandon Brooks, 35, of Rock Island. Police say Thomas was Brooks accomplice in a Jan. 10 burglary in Davenport. At 4:29 a.m. May 30, Brooks' body was found on fire near the street in the 3000 block of West Denison Avenue, according to an arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Cpl. Brian Morel. According to the affidavit, Brooks was seen with Thomas in Thomas apartment on May 29, and on June 2, Davenport police searched Thomas residence. During that search, they found blood evidence. On June 3, officers searched a van that had been driven by Thomas an hour before Brooks body was discovered. According to the affidavit, blood evidence also was found in the van. Also on June 3, Davenport police searched the bed of a pickup owned by Thomas. On June 27, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations criminalistics lab determined the blood evidence from Thomas apartment, from the van and from the bed of the pickup matched Brooks' DNA profile. Thomas was booked into the Scott County Jail at 3:32 p.m. He is being held without bond. Brooks was released from the Scott County Jail on May 25, just days before his death, where he had been awaiting trial since his arrest March 1 on charges of first-degree burglary and domestic assault with injury that occurred Jan. 10. Scott County District Court Judge Paul Macek dismissed the charges without prejudice because the key witness could not be found, according to online district court records. Dismissing a case without prejudice means that the state could refile the charges at a later date if witnesses appear or other evidence is brought forward. Thomas was Brooks co-defendant in that Jan. 10 burglary, according to Scott County District Court online records. According to that arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Detective Bill Thomas, Tremayne Thomas went with Brooks to a residence in the 2700 block of Rockingham Road while Tremayne Thomas was armed with a handgun. Tremayne Thomas and another went to the residence and knocked and kicked on the door to the degree that the occupants inside thought they were going to break the door down, the affidavit stated. The victim opened the door, and Thomas and the other person pulled the victim outside as they tried to get into the residence. The victim fought with Thomas and the other subject to keep them from getting inside the house. During the fight Thomas repeatedly reached for the handgun that he had in the waistband of his pants, according to the arrest affidavit. Besides the victim, another adult female and children were inside the residence, according to the arrest affidavit. No motive has yet been provided for Brooks' killing. Davenport police said the case remains under investigation. Its not uncommon for local fire and police departments in the Iowa Quad-Cities to field calls about fireworks popping off in neighborhoods around the Fourth of July. This year, the calls are coming earlier after former Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill into law permitting the sale of fireworks from June 1 to July 8. I know in my 35 years, I cant remember a Fourth of July where we didnt have some (calls), Davenport Fire Marshal Mike Hayman said. Now, its several weeks earlier that weve had these incidents." Since June 1, the fire department has responded to three fires that ignited from fireworks. The most recent incident happened at a side-by-side duplex in the 1500 block of West 6th Street Saturday night. No one was hurt, but the residents of one side of the duplex were displaced, Hayman said. The fire department also has responded to one fireworks-related injury, involving a juvenile, since June 1, Hayman said. State code defines two time periods for the use of fireworks as June 1 through July 8 and Dec. 10 through Jan. 3. Use of fireworks at any other time is prohibited. State law permits usage from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. during those time periods with the exception of expanded hours to 11 p.m. on July 4 and the weekends before and after the holiday. Expanded hours also apply between 9 a.m. Dec. 31 and 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1 and between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on the weekends before and after the New Year's holiday. As of Monday, Davenport police have received 119 calls for service related to fireworks since June 1, compared to 79 calls during that same time frame in 2016. Bettendorf police have fielded 47 calls from June 1 to Tuesday. There were nine calls during that same timeframe in 2017, Capt. Keith Kimball said. Davenport Police Maj. Jeff Bladel said the department on average receives 230 calls for service related to fireworks between June 1 and mid-July. When you look at 119 calls, obviously, its higher than last year, he said. However, this is the time period that we usually get those fireworks calls. The majority of the complaints fielded by police are related to shooting off fireworks after hours, Bladel said. He added that the department gets a variety of everything, including people shooting off fireworks in the street. If the complaints involve legal fireworks use, officers typically wont be dispatched, Bladel said. If anybody sees something thats dangerous or is an absolute continuous annoyance, well definitely go out on any call that we get, he said. Bladel said the department does enhance its patrols over the Fourth of July weekend. The department fields a variety of calls that day, but we do try to reinforce the fireworks efforts. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoyable holiday weekend, but we also want people to be considerate, he said. Considerate to their neighbors and understand that not everybody may like fireworks as much as them. In Moline, police say fireworks complaints are "on par" with previous years with about 20 calls last week. Some 220,000 people in Iowa, the majority of whom are employed in low-wage jobs, are the most at risk if the U.S. Senate plan to replace the Affordable Care Act becomes law, a quartet of hospital executives said. The presidents and CEOs at Genesis Health System, UnityPoint Health Trinity and Community Health Care teamed up Wednesday in a media event with Kirk Norris of the Iowa Hospital Association. At a Community Health Care clinic in downtown Davenport, the four criticized replacement plans offered by both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House. The executives agreed it would be better, nationally, to improve on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. This week, the Senate made public its "Better Care Reconciliation Act," aimed at replacing the plan from the House. On Tuesday, Senate leaders decided to delay a vote on its plan until after the Independence Day holiday. The House, in early May, passed a plan to repeal Obamacare and replace it with what it called the American Health Care Act. Norris, who just returned from a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., said the Senate plan would have a devastating effect on Iowa's budget and economy. The plan calls for significant changes to Medicaid, first passed 60 years ago. Norris said if the cuts are passed, there will be precipitous changes to hospital care, reversing five years of improvement. The Medicaid expansion, he said, provides more low-income people access to primary care physicians and improves the quality care they receive. It means that population does not use more expensive emergency room care nearly as much, said Doug Cropper, president and CEO at Genesis. Tom Bowman, president and CEO at Community Health Care, offered numbers to back that up. The clinic is a "safety net" to hospitals and provides care to a population that is generally working but whose income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Because of increased dollars to Medicaid, through the Affordable Care Act, Bowman said 5,000 local residents were screened for depression and 500 for hypertension. Such screenings help to prevent mental health and severe medical problems before they become a crisis, he said. Rick Seidler, president and CEO at UnityPoint, said the two new plans to replace Obamacare offer access to health insurance, not necessarily the coverage itself. He suggested the Affordable Care Act is not perfect and could be fixed but that is not the direction of the nation's leadership is taking. The hospital executives noted there has been a huge drop in the "charity care" that both offer. This is medical care for people who are uninsured, but those savings would be reduced or reversed with the new plans. Cropper suggested Iowa could be a model for the nation when it comes to economic value in health care. Norris said although many people want to cut the federal deficit, there should be a priority for good health care in this country. "We do need to reduce the deficit, but not on the backs of the working poor," he said. Both U.S. senators from Iowa Republicans Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst have not yet announced their positions on the Senate plan, Norris said. "They are both receptive to Iowans, and they are both in play," he said. "Iowans should tell them what they think over the holiday." One of the many customers who visited Uncle Norm's Fireworks at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds this week was Chris Lopez of Davenport. Lopez works at a pizza restaurant not far from the fireworks tent's location on Locust Street and had driven by several times before he finally had a day off. "I'm happy," he said as he entered, ready to purchase fireworks for the holiday weekend. He and his girlfriend have a birthday party to attend, and they plan to light fireworks at that event. Uncle Norm's Fireworks is operating seasonally this year in Davenport and year-round and by appointment in rural Milan. It is run by Kyle Norris, Davenport. Norris went through a four-stage inspection process from both the city and the state before he was fully licensed to open his Davenport shop, located at the west end of the fairgrounds. He was motivated, he said, knowing that when Iowa eventually licensed fireworks, as they did earlier this year on a limited basis, there would be a great demand for products. Norris has operated for 13 years in Milan, but this is his first retail business foray into Iowa. Products range in cost from 50 cents to $225, and Norris claims to have the best variety around. The entrepreneur also thinks that for fireworks, he has the best of both worlds in the Quad-Cities: Illinois bans certain products but allows the sale year-round; Iowa is now open to all consumer-grade products but limits sale dates. Norris, at Uncle Norm's tent, does not allow anyone under 18 years old into the tent unless accompanied by an adult, and he the son of John Norris, the man behind many of the fireworks displays in the Quad-Cities talks about safety to his customers. For shells and some of the most powerful devices, he suggests customers bury part of the device in sand or steady them between bricks for safety reasons. He recommends parental supervision for all displays. Fireworks-related injuries have been reported at Genesis Health System, Davenport, but not at the three UnityPoint Health Trinity campuses, yet. There were three injuries treated in the Genesis emergency departments, said spokesman Craig Cooper. Two were serious injuries that required transport to another facility for burn treatment. One patient was treated and released. An Iowa Lottery scratch game returned a big prize for a Davenport woman. Teresa Terri Miller claimed the last top prize of $100,000 available in the lotterys Easy Money scratch game, the lottery said in a news release Wednesday. Miller bought her winning ticket at Kwik Star Express, 4619 Brady St., Davenport and claimed her prize Tuesday at the lotterys regional office in Cedar Rapids. Sales in Easy Money, a $10 scratch game, have ended, but players still have time to claim prizes in it. Holding a pink sign reading, I stand with Planned Parenthood, Mike Swartz of Bettendorf joined about 80 other people for a vigil Tuesday to mourn the closing of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bettendorf. Im a guy with young adult daughters and I think they need all the choices and support that can be available to them, and I see this as a time when those choices are diminishing and services that are legal are becoming harder to access and I think thats moving in the wrong direction, Swartz said. Planned Parenthood announced the closing of four of its Iowa locations, including the Bettendorf clinic at 2751 Tech Drive, after the state discontinued Iowas family-planning network waiver. The waiver allowed people who dont qualify for Medicaid to receive coverage for services that includes contraception, pelvic exams, pap tests and sexually transmitted diseases. But now, money from the state-funded program cannot go to abortion providers. Laurie Brown, a registered nurse at the Bettendorf clinic for six years, told the crowd that the clinic will be closing this week and that, Im sad, Im angry and Im disgusted. Brown said the clinic was the place to where any woman could turn for help without being judged. Angela Rodriguez-Finch, the center manager, said the clinic served about 4,000 women a year and she wondered where they will go to receive the care they need. We took everybody regardless of their ability to pay, Rodriguez-Finch said. People could walk in and we would care for them that day. Now, its likely that women will have to wait days for care, she said. This attack on women and limiting access to reproductive care is frightening, Rodriguez-Finch said. Its a slippery slope. Those who attended the vigil received free T-shirts on which was written I stand with Planned Parenthood. They also signed pink slips of paper that will be made into a large chain and sent to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Rep. Phyllis Thede, D-Bettendorf, said shes concerned not only about access to health care for women in the city, but that women in rural areas will have fewer choices and more difficult access. Rape counseling, pregnancy testing, family planning, pap smears, pelvic exams, mammograms, all of these services Planned Parenthood provides on the spot, Thede said. As a counterpoint to the vigil, a group of about 20 people gathered across the street at the Womens Choice Center of the Quad-Cities. The most precious thing in the whole world is the infant in the womb, said the Rev. William Kneemiller, who was walking with the group. Colleen Goebel, of Davenport, said Planned Parenthood supporters will talk about cancer screenings and pap smears, but those services are available in numerous other facilities in this community. But their prime motivation is to provide abortions here. Thats their cash cow. CEDAR FALLS, Iowa Evidence for how quickly things are changing around a Republican effort to begin to dismantle the Affordable Care Act was on full display at a meeting the nonpartisan AARP held for its members Tuesday afternoon in Cedar Falls. Anthony Carroll, AARP associate state director for advocacy, noted at the outset of his presentation that a bill could come before the U.S. Senate this week. Less than 90 minutes later, one of the 100-plus people in the audience alerted him to the breaking news that a vote on the Senate bill would be delayed. Still, that did not change the crux of Carrolls argument to the crowd to keep contacting their federal lawmakers and sharing their concerns about the efforts to change health care. Nor did it change yet, anyway whats in the bill and how it could affect Iowans 50 and older. Older Iowans, and all Americans, will pay more for less coverage. Thats the reality. Thats if this passes as is in the Senate, Carroll said. Our health care system, I think we all acknowledge, needs some improvements. But he said the biggest issues for older Iowans, the high cost of prescriptions and insurance, are either unaddressed by this bill or made worse. One attendee sought to understand, if the bill was as bad as Carroll laid out, what are the reasons it has support. Carroll deflected to the lawmakers, but he noted Iowa lawmakers have stressed the need to do something because of the states challenges with the individual market. Carroll listed three main concerns in both bills that would have the greatest impact on older Iowans: The bill's cuts to Medicare, the federal program that insures Iowans 65 and older, reduce the solvency of the trust fund, currently expected to be depleted in 2028, by two to four years, which could mean more drastic changes in the future. The Medicaid cuts $772 billion in the Senate and $834 billion in the House over 10 years could affect either older people with disabilities or the program provides much of the coverage for long-term care for older Americans. The changes to the individual marketplace for older Iowans could mean dramatic cost spikes in their health coverage, up to $4,800 more for those making about $25,000 a year or up to $13,700 more a year for those making around $56,000. Its hard, because these are alarming things that this bill does, so again, I encourage you to channel those head knocks into activity, Carroll said. "Thats all we can ask you to do." It was clear from the crowd there were at least figurative head knocks. Several wanted to make clear that these health care cuts were going to pay for tax cuts; others laughed as people questioned how the bills would reduce insurance costs or noted how little the bills address concerns about prescription drug costs. Vivian Betts of Waterloo summed up that frustration near the end of the meeting. This is a massive shift of wealth on the backs of people who have the least amount of clout, whether theyre poor, whether theyre disabled, whether they are seniors, whatever, and I think its clear that what the bill is accomplishing is to reward the very organizations that are driving up the costs of health care, Betts said. The bottom line is if we dont say something, it is going to happen. AARP Iowa released the results of a poll it conducted showing the attendees at the Cedar Falls meeting are not alone in their opposition to the bills. The poll showed Iowans 50 and older had 91 percent opposed to charging older Iowans more on the marketplace; 79 percent opposed to Medicaid cuts; and 88 percent opposed to Medicare cuts. Both Carroll and local AARP volunteer leader Dean Pedersen said the Cedar Falls stop mirrored the interest in others done across the state. The tour on health care will wrap up with stops in Dubuque on Wednesday and Davenport on Thursday. RAPID CITY - The Bureau of Reclamation would like to notify the public that discharging and/or possession of "Fireworks" is illegal on all U.S. Bureau of Reclamation land as per the Code of Federal Regulations (43 CFR Part 423.30). Fireworks are not allowed on any Federal lands to include Belle Fourche Reservoir lands including Rocky Point State Recreation Area, Belle Fourche/Orman Dam and all Federal lands surrounding the facility, said Jay Leasure, Natural Resource Specialist. Reclamation, and South Dakota Game and Parks Commission will install signs reminding the public that fireworks are not allowed. Federal regulation restricts the possession or use of fireworks on Reclamation lands and water-bodies. The permanent reservoir-wide restriction allows for more consistent law enforcement and greatly reduces the risk of fire at the reservoir, said Leasure. The risk of fires associated with fireworks has been a concern for many years because of the danger to visitors and adjacent landowners. The Reservoirs large size and many remote locations often make it difficult for emergency personnel to respond quickly. For more information regarding this restriction or other issues pertaining to Belle Fourche Reservoir, call Jay Leasure, Bureau of Reclamation, 605-394-9757, ext 3011. For questions related to Rocky Point Recreation Area, contact Brad Nelson, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks at 605-641-0023. As of late, I have been keeping my eye on the U.S. Drought Monitor. The monitor is updated each Thursday, and as I write this, over 50 percent of the state is in a drought with an additional 32 percent experiencing abnormally dry conditions. Things are worst in the northcentral part of the state, particularly in Corson, Dewey, Campbell, Walworth, McPherson, Edmunds and Potter counties. Right in the center of this seven county area the drought monitor now indicates extreme drought conditions. Looking at the U.S. map, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states currently experiencing severe drought. Drought is not unusual here. In the first few years of statehood, South Dakota experienced a prolonged drought that lasted from 1887 until the mid-1890s. The conditions were so bad that some people started packing to move back east. Gov. Arthur Mellette implored individuals to donate food, clothing and coal to farmers who were impacted. He himself gave $3,600 of his own money and later said some would not have survived the winter months without the private donations. The situation we are faced with today is not as dire. Still, even a less severe drought affects everyday life in South Dakota. To some, it means just minor inconveniences like no fireworks or campfires, but to others it can mean a major disruption of ones livelihood. More than anyone, our farmers and ranchers are feeling the impact. The drought has stunted grass growth and hay production in much of the state, and our ag producers are scrambling to keep livestock fed. In response to the increasingly dry conditions, I have declared a statewide emergency to provide producers some relief. Under the emergency declaration, farmers and ranchers across the state may cut and bale state highway ditches adjacent to their property. The order authorizes producers to transport feed without a Commercial Drivers License, waives federal trucking regulations and permits haulers to move oversize hay loads up to 12 feet wide from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. I have also activated the State Drought Task Force which monitors drought effects and coordinates the exchange of information among governmental, agricultural, fire and water-supply entities. This week I also sent a letter to Secretary Perdue of the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting the department make available as soon as possible Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for emergency haying and grazing. The early release of CRP acres could be tremendously helpful for South Dakota farmers and ranchers during this challenging time. The emergency declaration, drought task force and the potential availability of CRP acres will provide some relief to those who are suffering from the drought, but government help is limited. Ultimately, it is the perseverance of South Dakotans that will pull us through. The drive to overcome has been instilled in us by our ancestors and it is what carried us through droughts in our past. This was something President Franklin Delano Roosevelt witnessed when he visited South Dakota during the Great Depression. After his South Dakota trip, he said this: No cracked earth, no blistering sun, no burning wind, no grasshoppers, are a permanent match for the indomitable American farmers and stockmen and their wives and children who have carried on through desperate days, and inspire us with their self-reliance, their tenacity and their courage. I could not agree more. STURGIS - A project that emerged from the city's comprehensive plan years ago is finally finished and will be celebrated this week in Sturgis. The $3.5 million Sturgis Main Street project began in 2016 and completion date was slated for June 30. There will be a ribbon cutting for the new Main Street at the Harley-Davidson Rally Point in downtown Sturgis beginning at 5:30 p.m. tonight. "We're still tidying up some last minute things," said Sturgis Public Works Director Rick Bush. "I'm glad the project is done. It's been a long two years. It's never a convenient time for anyone to have construction take place in front of their business or residence, but the business owners have been understanding and patient." The project is one of many downtown improvements that came about from efforts of Future Sturgis, the Sturgis Comprehensive Plan and many other committee recommendations over the past few years, Bush said. The project was a joint endeavor between the City of Sturgis and the South Dakota Department of Transportation. It entailed total reconstruction of Main Street between Middle Street and 4th Street. Improvements included drainage improvements, pavement removal and replacement, sidewalk removal and replacement, new street lighting, water main replacement and streetscaping. In the fall of 2013 the project was fully programmed into the South Dakota DOT's STIP program and showed a construction start date of 2016. In the spring of 2014, the SD DOT began negotiations with FourFront Design, Inc. for the engineering and design of the project. The area around the reconstructed Main Street is inviting, Bush said. But is he concerned that the vegetation will suffer during the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally. "I think people will be respectful," he said. "I had the same concern when we opened the plaza. I figured that would be full of garbage, but we haven't seen that." Some citizens have expressed their displeasure with the "bump outs" or areas of the Main Street that jut out into driving lane. "Those bump outs were part of the plan when we had the Future Sturgis meetings," Bush said. In addition to the bumpouts, the project included a new 8-inch water main, storm sewer, asphalt surfacing, curb and gutter, sidewalks, decorative roadway lighting and signage. At each intersection, landscaping, irrigation and planter rails were incorporated along with colored crosswalks and sidewalks. Bush says the new LED lights are 100 percent better than what had been on Main Street and will be a cost-savings for the city. The new light poles will be rewired and have outlets on them. New fiber-optic cable also will be run along the areas of new construction, Bush said. At times throughout the two-year process, the downtown area seemed like an obstacle course, but customers were able to get to businesses on Sturgis Main Street for the most part. Having the road open during construction allowed the city to install new water main. That was really the only utility we have in Main Street, Bush said. And those water mains were well-overdue for being replaced. That will be a significant upgrade. With that water main upgrade, the city put in new service lines to all of the buildings downtown. Also, the city used the opportunity to add stormwater drainage to Main Street. "I'm proud to say that we now have one of the nicest Main Streets in western South Dakota," Bush said. Seizure of assets owned by Federal Guard Service Generals relatives upheld MOSCOW, June 28 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Wednesday upheld a lower courts ruling to seize property belonging to the relatives of the Federal Guard Service (FSO) General Gennady Lopyrev, who stands charged with taking a grand bribe, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. On April 27, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow ordered forfeiture of Porsche Cayenne owned by Lopyrevs daughter-in-law; garage, Mercedes Benz and a land plot belonging to his wife. Defense asked the Moscow City Court to overturn the ruling as illegal and meritless. Lopyrev was arrested on November 25, 2016, following an internal check conducted in the FSO units in the Caucasus region. Later in the evening, the 94th Garrison Military Court ruled to put him in jail. Investigators claim that Lopyrev took bribes from businessmen for protection during signing and execution of government contracts on construction and repair works. He pleaded not guilty. Russian media outlets reported earlier that the case may be connected with the construction of the Olympic venues in Sochi. BILLINGS Two Yellowstone National Park visitors were injured after bison "butted" them at Mud Volcano, just north of Lake Village, park officials said. Utah residents Theodore Schrader, 74, and Patsy Holmes, 72, were taking photographs on a boardwalk when a bison approached them. The animal "butted" Holmes, who fell into Schrader. Park rangers helped get the couple to a nearby clinic. Schrader had minor injuries, but Holmes was flown to an Idaho Falls medical facility, according to a release from the park. There were no citations issued in the incident. It marks the first confirmed incident of bison injuring visitors this year. AKRON, Ohio - The nearly block-long Bowery project on Akron's South Main Street and a planned redevelopment of two former NASA buildings in Fairview Park will be the largest local beneficiaries of state preservation tax credits announced Wednesday. The Ohio Development Services Agency awarded close to $35 million in credits to assist with renovations of three dozen buildings in 13 communities. The Dayton Arcade and Cincinnati Union Terminal, architectural and cultural landmarks in their respective cities, each grabbed the maximum possible award of $5 million. But the six-building Bowery project, with four tax-credit applications, actually stands to take home slightly more - just over $5.03 million in awards to support a $38 million investment. The Bowery site spans the west side of South Main, capturing everything between the Akron Civic Theatre and West Bowery Street to the north. The properties, including the 12-story former Akron Savings & Loan building, back up to Lock 4 Park along the Ohio & Erie Canal. A rendering shows the proposed Bowery project from the front, along South Main Street in Akron next to the Akron Civic Theatre. Plans for the buildings call for 120 apartments, including units with patios and balconies that will face the public space to the rear, and roughly 30,000 square feet of offices and retail. The project is likely to include a grocery store, though the developers haven't named a tenant. DeHoff Development Co. of North Canton and Kevin Brokaw of Brokaw Development Services are working with Akron-based Welty Building Co. on the project. Construction could start next year, though the project hinges on knitting together financing including the state tax credits, federal preservation tax credits, federal New Markets Tax Credits meant to encourage investments in economically distressed areas, tax-increment financing, debt and equity. A rendering shows the Lock 4 Park side of the proposed Bowery project, where balconies and patios for apartment residents could open up onto the Ohio & Erie Canal. "We are extremely appreciative of the state's recognition of the Bowery as a foundational project, which will have a significant community impact and act as a catalyst for the city of Akron's economic growth," Dan DeHoff, president of DeHoff Development, said in an emailed statement. "We also sincerely appreciate the mayor's guidance and support, as well as his staff's efforts in helping to secure this very competitive resource." The state awards two rounds of preservation tax credits each year through a fiercely competitive process. The awards, typically married with federal historic tax credits, offset some of the costs of complicated rehabilitation projects and help bring investors to often-overlooked buildings. The property owners don't actually receive the credits until their projects are done. So if a project doesn't happen - or comes in under budget - then the state isn't out extra cash. Many properties missed out this time and will have to reapply. That includes downtown Cleveland's iconic Terminal Tower, where the K&D Group plans to transform lower-level office floors into 300 or so apartments. The next round of credits will be awarded in December. Fairview Park grabbed its first award, for a project that will fill two empty 1960s NASA buildings with 100 apartments, event space, shared offices and a hotel. A former engineering building and annex, the properties sit along Brookpark Road near the entrance to NASA Glenn Research Center and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. A local investor group purchased the properties through a federal government auction in 2013. The project, which missed out on tax credits in a past round, won a $4.5 million award. David Cresofi of Ceres Enterprises, a Westlake company working on the redevelopment, couldn't be reached for comment. Peter Ketter of Sandvick Architects said the owners are eager to push ahead with reviving the buildings, which once held more than 1,000 workers. A former launch control room for satellites and other unmanned craft will become a history center. Ketter said the main, K-shaped building was constructed with a sound-blocking window system that makes it ideal for apartments. "It's pretty amazing," he said. "You can stand right in the building, and the runway is directly across the street. So the planes are taking off right over the building, and you can't hear them at all." The other local tax-credit winners are: Liberty Textile: This Warehouse District building, at 1277 W. 6th St. in downtown Cleveland, will be married with new construction on the parking lot next door. Together, the buildings will hold 80 apartments, with storefronts lining West Sixth and indoor parking behind and beneath. The four-story Liberty Textile Building, owned by James Kassouf, was constructed in 1873. The $25 million redevelopment won nearly $2 million in state credits. The project will fill a gap along West Sixth and complete a cycle of renovation work that started in the mid-1980s, said Tom Yablonsky, executive director of the nonprofit Historic Warehouse District Development Corp. "This is one of the great remaining buildings," he said. "There have been proposals over the years, but none of them ever came to fruition. Jimmy always had a grand idea for the building. ... His grand idea finally met reality." The Midtown: An empty mid-century office building at 3101 Euclid Ave. will become an 80-unit apartment project, which could open in late 2018. The Inspirion Group, Ltd., also is marketing first-floor space at the property for a restaurant, retail or offices. The nearly $10 million project, which could require putting a new skin on the building, won almost $1.4 million in credits. A rendering shows the reimagined 3101 Euclid Ave. building as the Midtown, with a refreshed exterior. "We think it's going to be a great boon to the neighborhood," said Mark Schildhouse, executive vice president and general counsel for Inspirion. "We're not targeting undergraduate students. We hope to attract people working in Midtown, people working up in University Circle that are looking for a little bit more affordable space." East Boulevard Apartment House: Salus Development of Cleveland plans to restore this historic apartment building, at 2691 E. 116th St. on a hillside overlooking the city, in a project that could be complete by autumn of 2018. The empty brick building, constructed in 1927, will become 20 apartments. Most of the units will rent for $675 to $875 a month, said Mike Laskey of Salus. The $1.6 million project won $155,000 in credits. Trinity Cathedral Church Home: WXZ Development of Fairview Park hopes to remake this long-empty former women's home behind Trinity Cathedral as 23 apartments. The building, at 2227 Prospect Ave. in Cleveland, won $249,999 in credits for a $4.3 million overhaul. Villa San Bernardo: Testa Companies is planning a 59-unit apartment project that will involve the former motherhouse and retreat building at this Bedford site, plus new construction. Long occupied by the Vincentian Sisters of Charity, the property is located at 1160 Broadway Ave. The apartments will be earmarked for elderly renters and people with developmental disabilities and will be financed, in part, through low-income housing tax credits. "This was the last piece of financing that we needed," Ryan Landi, Testa's vice president of development, said of the project's nearly $2 million state historic tax-credit award. Wayne Agency Building: Located on Front Street in downtown Cuyahoga Falls, this 1922-vintage building will become four apartments and a music school over retail space, including a candy store and a salon. Owner Keith Saffles hopes he'll be finished with the ground-floor work by early next year, around the same time that a conversion of Front Street from a pedestrian mall back to an actual street is scheduled to wrap up. The project won $164,000 in credits. Kelley Hardware-Odd Fellows Hall: Steve McQuillin plans to renovate this empty building in Hayesville, in Ashland County, as three apartments. Built in 1882, the property once housed a meeting hall upstairs and was home to a hardware store until the 1960s. The project won a tax credit of $93,833. Mandatory labeling of jewelry in Russia to begin in 2024 The deadline for mandatory application of physical marking on jewelry made of precious metals and precious stones in Russia has been postponed from March 2023 to March 2024. That resolution was signed by the Government of the Russian Federation. It is... Northam Platinum mulls acquisition of remaining RBPlat shares Northam Platinum is planning to acquire all remaining shares in Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) at R172.70 a share. It currently controls a 34.52% stake in RBPlat and, together with call options and a right of first refusal secured with... 10th Annual Dubai Precious Metals Conference to explore impact of trade, tech and regulations on the industry DMCC has announced that the 10th edition of the annual Dubai Precious Metals Conference (DPMC) will be held on 22 November 2022 at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai. This years edition will bring together a plethora of speakers and participants from... New record HPHT diamond sample The largest and purest diamond in the world weighing 16.04 carats was synthesized in Russia. The world's largest white diamond "Champion" is cut from a diamond grown by the HPHT method by the Russian company Advanced Synthetic Research... Sir The merciless lynching of 16 year old Junaid (resident of Khandawali, Ballabgarh) in a crowded train in broad day light on June 12, 2017 is a high point of religious humiliation and violence being perpetrated on the Muslim masses by organized gangs in the Faridabad-Mewat-Alwar belt for the last 2 years. Junaid and his brothers were bitterly abused and vulgar aspersions were called on their religion while they were being brutally beaten and stabbed. His brother Shakir Hussain is struggling for life in Trauma Center, Safdar Jung Hospital, New Delhi. The incident is not an isolated event, it has a sinister pattern. In May 2015, an attack was mounted on 150 Muslim families of Atali (Ballabgarh) when they were preparing to complete an unfinished mosque following court order in their favor. 25 people were injured and 25 homes burnt before police intervened and took the Muslim residents to police station for safety. A week later people returned back, however, offensives against them continued until all the families were forced to flee. Not many families since then have returned. In 2016, murderous attack was carried on the family of Zaheeruddin in Deengerhedi (Tauru, Mewat) in which his son Ibrahim (39) and daughter in law Rashidan (37) were killed, daughter and son in law were critically injured and their daughtersa dignity was attacked. On April 1, 2017 a farmer from Jaisinghpur, Mewat, Mr. Pehlu Khan, his sons Irshad and Arif and neighbors Azmat and Rafiq, returning from Jaipur after purchasing 5 milking cows, were stopped in Behror (Alwar) by motor riding cow vigilantes and brutally thrashed. Pehlu Khan died a day later. The police confiscated their cows and have not yet returned them despite valid papers. The government has not paid any relief so far. On April 5, 2017 a procession was taken out in Behror, not showing any sympathy with Pehlu Khan but demanding that no ainnocenta Hindu should be arrested. There have been instances of sectarian offensives in Tikri Brahmin (Palwal) and elsewhere also. Blatant drive to check biryani samples on the occasion of Id ul Zuha has only brought immense humiliation and fear. We demand i) immediate compensation for the victims of these heinous crimes ii) bringing the attacking gangs to justice, iii) cessation of political and administrative patronage to cow vigilantes/ fanatics, iv) disbanding of the recent moves on cow slaughter that have become a curtain for criminals to project themselves as heroes, v) declaration by the state that cow canat be protected unless tractor based farming and truck based transport stop. You may recall, when Gandhi was attacked in South Africa, his struggle was directed against the state that patronized color discrimination. Similar onus falls on the Government of India and State governments as it is under them that these elements are emboldened. Sadbhav Mission tripathivipin[at]yahoo.co.in, 9717309263 We invite like-minded groups and individuals to be a part of this memorandum. We also plan to reach out to people in the villages in these districts. V.K. Tripathi Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms and gusty winds during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Morning high of 76F with temps falling sharply to near 55. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph, becoming N and increasing to 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Cloudy and windy this evening, becoming partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 40F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. En banc Sixth Circuit reverses preliminary injunction that had been preventing Ohio from moving forward with executions | Main | Pair of Senators introduce the "Reverse Mass Incarceration Act of 2017" June 28, 2017 Two very different (but perhaps similar) tales of prison sentencing from outpost Virginia in incarceration nation I generally do not blog all that often or that much about individual sentencing cases unless they involve high-profile defendants or high-profile issues or result in high-profile rulings. But this afternoon I just happen to come across two notable local sentencing stories back-to-back from the same local Virginia paper that for me highlighted the enduring tendency in the United States to use imprisonment, and then more imprisonment, in response to any and every social and legal problem. Here are the headlines and essentials that caught my eye: "JMU student gets jail time for registering dead people" A 21-year-old man who pleaded guilty last week to filing 18 phony voter registration applications in Harrisonburg will spend 100 to 120 days in prison, according to federal prosecutors in the Western District of Virginia. Andrew J. Spieles of Harrisonburg admitted to filing the fraudulent registrations in August while working with Democratic-affiliated groups as a student at James Madison University ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The fraud was discovered after local election officials noticed that some applications had been filed in the names of dead people, including the father of a Rockingham County judge. The offense was punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 and up to a year in prison. Spieles told investigators that he fabricated the applications to help a co-worker hit a registration quota, according to court documents. There is no indication any fraudulent votes were cast in Novembers election as a result of the improper registrations. "Jury recommends 65-year sentence for Charlottesville heroin dealer" A Henrico County jury has called for a 65-year sentence for a man convicted of purchasing heroin at Short Pump parking lots so the drugs could be resold in Charlottesville, where the defendant lived. The jury recommended that decades-long sentence for Norell Sterling Ward, 46, last week after convicting him on a count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and on two counts of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, said Matthew C. Ackley, a deputy Henrico commonwealths attorney. Attorneys in the case could not say whether a 65-year term, if enacted, would set any type of record punishment for this type of crime, but all agreed it would represent a significant sentence. I can tell you that this is a high sentence and likely reflective of the community awareness of the heroin problem in Henrico, Ackley said. Ackley said Ward bought his heroin from a drug organization run by Shawn Lamont Bailey, a 46-year-old Henrico man who pleaded guilty in January to two felony counts of distributing heroin near his West Broad Village home. Bailey is to be sentenced next month. Under a plea deal, Bailey agreed to plead guilty in return for spending between 8 to 10 years in prison. Ward, who is going to be formally sentenced on Sept. 13, has a criminal history that includes convictions for two burglaries as well as a conviction for possessing heroin, Ackley said. June 28, 2017 at 04:55 PM | Permalink Comments Only 65 years? This jury was soft on crime. Posted by: anon1 | Jun 29, 2017 6:06:00 AM I suspect it's not a record given jury sentencing and a maximum of life. The only way it would be is if no one risked it before. Posted by: Erik M | Jun 29, 2017 11:51:38 AM Post a comment This well-established Blog is worth visiting on a regular basis for a wealth of information of interest to Armenian nationals and to the Armenian Diaspora world-wide. Although it has a particular role in promoting international recognition of the Genocide, the Blog encompasses much more and includes many articles of general appeal to all those concerned with Armenian affairs. Much of the content is difficult or impossible to find elsewhere and the long list of links provided gives easy access to a plethora of material on social, political, religious, educational and cultural matters, and many news items from around the world. The San Francisco Police Department is investigating a brazen midday home invasion robbery, after a man was surprised by a gang of thieves in his bedroom. According to the SFPD, the crime occurred at 1 p.m. Tuesday, on the 800 block of Ellsworth Street, which runs near Alemany Boulevard. Police say that the victim, a 42-year-old man, was in bed when two men who looked to be 25 years old walked into his room. (Before anyone leaps on the issue of a man in bed at 1 p.m., please note that we don't know his work schedule or current state of health.) One of the invaders "had a handgun," police say, which he kept out as his colleague and two additional suspects "ransacked [the] entire house," police say. The four men stole a rifle, cell phone, laptop, and necklace from the house before hopping into a car and fleeing the scene. As of publication time, the four men remain at large. According to the SFPD, no arrests have been made in the case. A store's security guard was no match for a group of young women, all of whom appeared set on shoplifting from a Union Square store. Police say that the heist went down at 11:27 a.m. Tuesday, at a store on the 200 block of Post Street, a block between Grant and Stockton Streets that's home to a host of high-end designer boutiques. According to the San Francisco Police Department, a group of five female suspects that looked to be between 16-22 years of age entered a "retail store" carrying a number of bags. The suspects then "put property into their bags and attempted to leave without paying," according to the SFPD, including at least one purse and a number of belts. A 21-year-old male security guard attempted to stop the thieves "but was pushed," police say. The gang of shoplifters fled in an unknown direction. According to the SFPD, the robbers remain at large, and no arrests have been made in the case. Related: Fashion Crime: Union Square 'Rainbow Crew' Robbers Finally Busted The fifteen-year-old violinist aslo won the special auxiliary prize for the best artist performing contemporary works.According to Meritorious Artist Bui Cong Duy who won the Tchaikovsky International Music Competition for violinists under 18 in 1997, Quang Tien has become first Vietnamese representative at the most prestigious music competitions in the world since 1997.Bui Cong Duy has been invited to the jury at the violin category in the competition.Tien is considered a violin prodigy. Under the guidance of his teacher, violinist Bui Cong Duy, he won prestigious music awards, including the first prize at the Mozart Violin Competition held in Thailand in 2014, the Toyota Scholarship in 2015 and the second prize at the International Violin Competition Kazakhstan in 2016. By MAI AN Translated by Kim Khanh Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko participate in a tree-planting ceremony at Independence Palace. President Quang, on behalf of Vietnamese leaders and people, expressed desires and determine in consolidating and strengthening traditional friendly ties with Belarus, meeting general benefits. The leaders highly appreciated mutual good political relationship and belief, which have been developed within past 25 years since Vietnam- Belarus officially established diplomatic ties in 1992. They agreed to maintain exchange between the countries high- ranking delegations, develop the cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and investment After the discussion, the Vietnamese and Belarusian leaders co- signed a common statement on comprehensive and deep partnership development between the two nations. They witnessed a signing ceremony for nine cooperation instruments. On the same day, the Vietnamese President met Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov and the Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko. They laid a wreath at Victory Square. Fostering commercial exchange The leaders focused on solutions to strengthen bilateral trade exchange and balance, and expand investment cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus in the upcoming years. Both countries affirmed important role of Vietnam- Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement, active implementation of the agreement to create breakthrough in bilateral economic and commercial cooperation to increase two- way trade turnover up to US$ 500 million. Vietnam and Belarus agreed to continue collaborating and doing mutual cooperation program in the fields of economy, science, education and culture for the period of 2016- 2018; promoting effectiveness for activities of Intergovernmental Committee; actively supporting export- import activities and trade & investment promotion between the two countries; expanding industrial cooperation, especially to early put the joint- venture automobile assembly and production being established on the basis of the Protocol on supporting the production of Vietnamese motorized transport vehicle, into the operation. The Vietnamese and Belarusian President highly appreciated defense and security collaboration; continued expanding cooperation in potential fields such as science and technology, education and training, sport, travel, employment After visiting the MAZ Automobile Factory and the Tetraedz Air & Missile Defense Research & Manufacture Company, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang led the delegation to pay an official visit to Russian Federation After the ceremony, the two leaders and high- ranking delegations of the countries had a talk.Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko received press agencies to announce about result of the talk.On the spirit of friendship between the two nations, Belarus always considers Vietnam as a long- term cooperative partner; the nations had common awareness for cementing the bilateral cooperation.President Alexander Lukashenko appreciated that the two- way economic and commercial cooperation achieved good results, in particular, Vietnam- Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement is considered as a foundation to create new development, contributing to increase the two- way trade turnover.The leaders agreed to increase the two- way trade turnover up to US$ 500 million.Both sides will expand export of Vietnamese cargoes to Belarus as agricultural products, machines and automobile; and supply Belarusian agricultural tractors to Vietnam. BY VIET ANH, HONG LAM- Translated by Huyen Huong Were politics at hand in a key decision Tuesday in Woodbury County? County Sheriff Dave Drew thinks so. There was big news out of the Tuesday meeting of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, as a majority of the supervisors voted to rescind a ban on weapons on county property, including the county courthouse. The supervisors said that was necessary to comply with a new state law that expands gun rights in Iowa on July 1. But the other key piece Tuesday was that Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew said, in spite of the supervisors' shift, he plans to keep enforcing the security program in the courthouse. For the last few years that has included personnel staffing metal detectors to find weapons such as guns. Drew said the security steps are needed to ensure that people are safe, as he said Iowa sheriffs are required to help carry out rulings by courts. Drew pointed to a June 19 Iowa Supreme Court supervisory order said that "all weapons are prohibited from courtrooms, court-controlled spaces and public areas of courthouses." The county supervisors, including Matthew Ung and Jeremy Taylor, said that was an "over-reach" by the court and conflicted with the new expansive gun rights law that kicks in July 1. Drew went further than announcing his plans to keep screening for guns, expressing disappointment in the supervisors' action and asserting that it was politically motivated. "I'm extremely disappointed that the Board of Supervisors has chosen to politicize this to protect their own political capital," Drew wrote in a letter, which was read at the end of the meeting, since he was not in attendance. That assertion resulted in quick rebukes from Taylor and Ung, who cited a county by-law on record holding that county officials do not publicly criticize each other about the motives for positions taken. "It is a violation of our by-laws, not that it seems to matter to the sheriff in this instance," Ung said. Ung had framed the 90-minute conversation by saying the county officials certainly have personal opinions about the law, but the debate needed to center on how to enforce the law. Drew didn't specify details that made him think politics were behind the supervisors' action Tuesday. Drew is a Republican, as are Taylor and Ung. Two county officials spoke against the ban, and one supervisor voted against it. That group includes P.J. Jennings, Gill and Marty Pottebaum, who are all Democrats. No one who spoke at the meeting cited party politics as a determinant of their views. Republicans tend to defend Second Amendment gun rights, while Democrats in the 2016 party platform cited the goal to "keep weapons of warsuch as assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines (LCAM's)off our streets." The new law was passed in the Iowa Legislature, with both chambers under control of Republicans. State Rep. Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, said the changes are indicative of what Iowans need, deserve and have not been acknowledged for many, many years" for gun rights. The new law, among other things, broadens the states so-called stand-your-ground provision, so a law-abiding citizen does not have a duty to retreat in a public place before using deadly force when confronted with danger to life or property. People currently have that right to defend themselves with weapons in their own homes. Slowly drawing out his words, then leaning back in his chair with a loud sigh, Ung said, "The political battle has already taken place, I would say to the sheriff. That's how the law was passed. Courts don't make law." Pottebaum spoke after Ung, saying it is true that courts don't make laws. "Courts interpret laws. They interpret laws and they order law enforcement agencies how to enforce them," Pottebaum said. Pottebaum added that the supervisors had differing opinions of the expanded gun law, but he was gratified that the supervisors handled the Tuesday discussions professionally. "We were able to not get down on each other," Pottebaum summarized. The county supervisors have often said county decisions don't break down on political party lines. According to Iowa law, county offices are filled through partisan elections where candidates specify a political party. Drew's vow moved Taylor to state that if some aggrieved resident brings legal action that gun rights under the new law aren't recognized in the courthouse, that lawsuit would be brought not against the county supervisors but the Sheriff's Office. SIOUX CITY | Rob O'Neill, a former Navy SEAL and best-selling author of the memoir "The Operator," will keynote the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce's 2017 annual dinner. The former SEAL Team Six leader with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group deployed more than a dozen times and held combat leadership roles in more than 400 combat missions in four different theaters of war. He claims to be the man who fired the shots that killed terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in a May 2011 raid in Pakistan. O'Neill also played roles in rescuing former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and in the liberation of Capt. Richard Phillips after Somali pirates seized his vessel in the Indian Ocean. "We're very excited to have him deliver the keynote, which we think will be extraordinarily powerful," Chamber president Chris McGowan said during a Wednesday news conference announcing the speaker. The annual dinner is scheduled Sept. 14. A social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will follow at 7 p.m., with a program and keynote presentation at 8 p.m. The Chamber will present its annual W. Edwards Deming Award for Business Leadership and Entrepreneurial Excellence and recognize the 2017 Ambassador of the Year. Reservations are $90 per person for Chamber members and $110 for non-Chamber members. Limited sponsorships, which include admission to a private reception with O'Neill and premium event seating, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is available at www.siouxlandchamber.com. A Beijing court has sentenced a man to four years in prison for attempting to smuggling ivory products into the country. The defendant, identified only as Liu, was also fined 40,000 yuan ($6,000) after a hearing at Beijing No 4 Intermediate People's Court on Tuesday. Police detained Liu at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport on Feb 4 after being found in possession of 16 ivory products from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. Prosecutors said the items weighed a combined 8.82 kilograms and were worth more than 367,000 yuan. "It was the first case in which we applied a new guideline on accelerating the judicial process and giving leniency to those who confess their crimes," according to the court, which said Liu had confessed on Feb 9. The guideline was issued by the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate late last year. It states that defendants who plead guilty and do not contest the sentence proposed by prosecutors can be fast-tracked and receive leniency. "In the past, sentences in cases like Liu's were announced at a later date. This time, we were able to make it immediately after the hearing," the court said. SPENCER, Iowa | A Greenville, Iowa, man faces felony charges after police say he was in possession of more than 530 grams of different illegal drugs. The Clay County Sheriff's Office said on June 12 a search warrant was executed on Justin Ries, 48, and his 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee in an alley in Spencer, Iowa. The search led them to a property at 1108 Main St. in Greenville. A short time later, the H.E.A.T Tactical Team, sheriff's office and Spencer Police Department made entry into the Greenville property. As a result of the search, Ries was found to be in possession of 361.65 grams of pure methamphetamine, 169.76 grams of marijuana, 0.51 grams of a fentanyl/heroin mixture, drug paraphernalia and $24,874 cash, the release said. Ries was charged with possession with the intent to deliver over five grams of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. All are class D felonies. He was booked into the Clay County Jail and held on a $25,000 cash only bond. The release said the investigation is ongoing and additional arrest are expected. SIOUX CITY | The last live airing of a Sioux City School Board meeting on the school district's website took place Monday, as future sessions will be delayed by a few days to add in closed captioning for hearing impaired people. Another change with the meetings also could be coming, as board member David Gleiser said for each meeting the board should provide to the public all background memos regarding agenda topics. Sioux City School District Superintendent Paul Gausman said all such memos could easily be provided on the school website along with the agendas, if that is what the full board directs him to do. Gausman reported a complaint had been filed about people displeased that online live showings of the school board meetings are not closed captioned, in which words of the speakers would be shown. Gausman said it is too expensive to pay a firm $25,000 to provide live closed captioning and other expenses that would be necessary. Gausman said he regrets that the board meetings won't be aired live. He said they will typically be available two or three days after the meetings, which are usually slated for Mondays. In the other topic, the district has a link to meeting agendas, which lays out the meeting topics in the order they will be discussed. Gleiser brought up the need for public access to "the whole load" of information that board members get, beyond just the agendas. Gleiser was on vacation Monday and participated in the meeting via teleconference. He said in attempting to print off the agenda and supporting materials, he discovered the public can't access memos from the district's school board website. Those memos contain such items as financial summaries and details of assorted contracts with outside entities. Gleiser said he thought school board members had recently agreed to put "all of the agenda materials online so citizens can access them." In the June 12 board meeting, the members discussed changes to many existing school district policies. At that meeting, Dan Greenwell of Sioux City told board members that people could not follow the discussion, since the proposed changes were not available to the public. Greenwell requested that the board put such policy items on the district website. Those proposed policy changes were again discussed at the Monday meeting, and the policy recaps were available with the Monday agenda online, as Greenwell had sought. No other Monday meeting memos were put online. The Sioux City Council and Woodbury County Board of Supervisors routinely have a host of background memos and other reports about agenda items online for the public. IDA GROVE, Iowa | Voters in the Odebolt-Arthur and Battle Creek-Ida Grove school districts passed a consolidation proposition Tuesday after it failed two previous times. According to BC-IG results, 540 voters said yes to the reorganization and 70 voted against it. In Odebolt-Arthur, there were 418 yes votes and 163 no votes. It marks the first time in three tries both districts give the consolidation a majority vote of 50 percent plus one per Iowa code. The vote failed in 2011 and 2016. In those previous elections, voters in BC-IG overwhelmingly approved the merger, while it failed in O-A. Concerns were raised about fair representation on the combined school board since it will be based on population. Terry Kenealy, the superintendent for both districts, said Tuesday he is excited the disagreements can be a thing of the past. "I believe the voters made a decision that was in the best interest of the students, families, communities, in order to provide for the long term for the kids from an educational standpoint and from a financial standpoint," he said. "I'm excited about the potential now of what we have here at OA-BCIG." The districts have had a whole-grade sharing agreement for eight years, with the middle school in Odebolt and high school in Ida Grove. Both towns have their own elementary schools for grades K-5. Kenealy said the reorganization will streamline some budget items. However, the district will lose state money toward sharing positions such as a superintendent, business manager, and others. No buildings will close as part of the reorganization, he said. The merger doesn't begin until July 1, 2018. The superintendent said the two school boards will meet in the next 45 days to determine the composition of the new school board. BC-IG will appoint four members to the board for the new school district, and O-A will pick two members. After that, discussions will take place to appoint an at-large member or have it go to a special election. SIOUX CITY | Sandwiched in between two days with rain chances, Wednesday looks to be the warmest day of the week. After some early chances of precipitation pass, today will be mostly sunny, with temperatures expected to rise into the upper 80s, according to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 62. Thursday brings the next opportunity for rain during the day and evening hours. Precipitation chances are 50 percent, with a chance for thunderstorms. The high will be 82. Friday and Saturday will be mostly sunny, with highs in the upper 70s. SIOUX CITY | The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors on a 3-1 vote Tuesday lifted a 2014 ban on weapons on county property, including the county courthouse, in order to comply with a new state law that expands gun rights in Iowa on July 1. However, County Sheriff Dave Drew said he plans to keep enforcing the security program in the courthouse, which includes personnel staffing metal detectors. "I will continue providing security at the entry point to the courthouse, including preventing firearms from entering the building," Drew wrote in a letter, which was read by one of his leadership team, since Drew was not at the weekly supervisors meeting. Drew's vow moved Supervisor Jeremy Taylor to state that if some aggrieved resident brings legal action that gun rights under the new law aren't recognized in the courthouse, that lawsuit would be brought not against the county supervisors but the Sheriff's Office. Taylor said law-abiding citizens who have a permit for a gun should not be stopped from bringing one into the courthouse. The question on whether the gun law passed in April conflicted with a June 19 judicial branch supervisory order by the Iowa Supreme Court to ban weapons in the courthouse was roundly discussed by county officials. So dense were the legal questions that, at the end of the 90 minute discussion, county Human Resources Department Director Ed Gilliland came to the front of the meeting room. Gilliland asked what he should tell county courthouse employees was the ultimate outcome on guns coming into the building. "Are you asking how should it be phrased? I don't have that email ready for you, Ed," replied County Board Chairman Matthew Ung, who had framed issues and led the discussion. The Iowa Supreme Court earlier in June issued a statewide order banning weapons in all courthouses and court-controlled areas by people other than law enforcement. The order comes after the new state law expanding gun rights left local officials with varying interpretations of how firearm bans in public buildings can continue. The new law, among other things, broadens the states so-called stand-your-ground provision, so a law-abiding citizen does not have a duty to retreat in a public place before using deadly force when confronted with danger to life or property. While the bill was being debated, law enforcement officials said they worried it would allow people to sue local governments, like Woodbury County, that prohibit the possession of guns in courthouses. Ung said the key goal in the discussions was not get bogged down on whether county officials personally liked the new law. He noted the county supervisors have the duty to ensure that laws passed by the Legislature are followed, to avoid "imminent threats" of lawsuits by gun owners. "I question the wait-until-we-get-sued route," Ung said. A key question debated involved whether the authority of the judicial system to ban guns extended only to courtrooms or the entire building. The Woodbury County Courthouse has courtrooms on the second floor, and county departments are in many floors. Several speakers noted that court functions, such as jury selection, occur on many floors of the building. The Supreme Court supervisory order said that "all weapons are prohibited from courtrooms, court-controlled spaces and public areas of courthouses." "The Supreme Court Justice over-reached," Taylor said. Drew said Iowa sheriffs are required to help carry out rulings by courts. "I'd rather be held in contempt of the (county) board than the Iowa Supreme Court," Drew said in an interview after the meeting. Woodbury County Attorney P.J. Jennings and Auditor Pat Gill encouraged the supervisors to not lift the ban. They noted many threats that county and court workers get by upset people, which could be worse if they had weapons. "This is no joke...We get these (threats) nearly every day," Jennings said. Ung made a motion with three pieces -- to lift the 2014 weapons ban policy as it applies to legally carried weapons, to request the Sheriff's Office to continue to staff the sole courthouse entrance to check for lawful carry permits and to direct the county's Security Committee to soon meet to create an amended security policy that the supervisors can act upon. Taylor said felons who have guns would have them taken away if found through the screening process. The final vote had Ung, Taylor and Keith Radig voting affirmatively, with Marty Pottebaum voting nay. Pottebaum is a former police officer who has a permit to carry a weapon, but he said he doesn't believe in bringing it into the courthouse. The only people who spoke Tuesday were county and court officials. However, Aaron Dorr, a former Northwest Iowa resident with the Iowa Gun Owners organization, recorded the proceedings with a video camera. Dorr told the Journal he was gratified with the county supervisors vote. He noted lots of county officials throughout the state had contacted him out of confusion about how to comply with the law coming July 1. If Gov. Bruce Rauner and his legislature in Springfield do not put a budget together by Friday, the Land of Lincoln will be the first state in the Union to see its debt plunge into junk-bond status. Illinois has $14.5 billion in overdue bills, $130 billion in unfunded pension obligations, and no budget. "We can't manage our money," says Rauner. "We're like a banana republic." Speaking of banana republics, Puerto Rico, which owes $74 billion to creditors who hold its tax-exempt bonds, and $40 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, has already entered bankruptcy proceedings. The island's imaginative 38-year-old governor, Ricardo Rossello, however, has a solution. Call Uncle Sam. On June 11, Rossello held a plebiscite, with a 23 percent turnout, that voted 97 percent to make Puerto Rico our 51st state. "(T)he federal government will no longer be able to ignore the voice of the majority of the American citizens in Puerto Rico," said Rossello. Washington cannot "demand democracy in other parts of the world, and not respond to the legitimate right to self-determination that was exercised today in the American territory of Puerto Rico." Had the governor been talking about the island's right to become free and independent, he would have had a point. But statehood inside the USA is something Uncle Sam decides. Rossello calls to mind Count Mountjoy of Grand Fenwick, who, in "The Mouse that Roared," plotted to rescue his bankrupt duchy by declaring war on the U.S., sailing to America to surrender, and then demanding the foreign aid America bestows on defeated enemies. Yet Puerto Rico's defaults on its debts may soon be our problem. Many bond funds in which Americans have invested their savings and retirement money are full of Puerto Rican bonds. According to The New York Times, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Marianas and Guam are in the same boat. With 100,000 people, the Virgin Islands owe $6.5 billion to pensioners and creditors. Then there is Connecticut, a state that has long ranked in the top tier in per capita income and wealth. Connecticut, too, appears wobbly. Rising pension benefits, the cost of servicing the state debt and falling tax revenue due to fleeing residents and companies like Aetna and General Electric, have dropped Connecticut to near the national bottom in growth prospects. "The state's population is falling: Its net domestic out-migration was nearly 30,000 from 2015 to 2016. In 2016, it lost slightly more than 8,000 people, leaving its population at 3.6 million," reports Fox News: "(R)ecent national moving company surveys (show) more people leaving Connecticut than moving in. In 2016, the state also saw a population decline for the third consecutive year." As its example of a welfare state going belly up, the EU offers us Greece. And questions arise from all of these examples. Is this an inexorable trend? Has the old New Deal formula of "tax and tax, spend and spend, and elect and elect" finally run its course? Across the West, social welfare states are threatened by falling revenues, taxpayer flight, rising debt as a share of GDP, sinking bond ratings and proliferating defaults. Record high social welfare spending is among the reasons that Western nations skimp on defense. Even the Americans, who spent 9 percent of GDP on defense under President Kennedy and 6 percent under President Reagan, are now well below that, though U.S. security commitments are as great as they were in the Cold War. Among NATO nations, the U.S. is among the least socialist, with less than 40 percent of GDP consumed by government at all levels. France, with 57 percent of GDP siphoned off, is at the opposite pole. Yet even here in America we no longer grow at 4 percent a year, or even 3 percent. We seem to be nearing a point of government consumption beyond the capacity of the private sector to provide the necessary funds. Some Democrats are discovering there are limits to how much the government can consume of the nation's wealth without adversely affecting their own fortunes. And in the Obamacare debate this week, Republicans are running head-on into the reality that clawing back social welfare benefits already voted may be political suicide. Has democratic socialism passed its apogee? Native-born populations in the West are aging, shrinking and dying, not reproducing themselves. The cost of pensions and health care for the elderly is inexorably going up. Immigration into the West, almost entirely from the Third World, is bringing in peoples who, on balance, take more in social welfare than they pay in taxes. Deficits and national debts as a share of GDP are rising. Almost nowhere does one see the old robust growth rates returning. And the infrastructure of the West -- roads, bridges, tunnels, ports, airports, subways, train tracks -- continues to crumble for lack of investment. The days of interstate highway systems and moon shots seem to be behind us. Are Puerto Rico and Illinois the harbingers of what is to come? From the Editorial Board: "The Journal has endorsed Sen. Chuck Grassley every time he has run for Senate and, more than likely, we would have done so this year, too. But several factors trouble us." Seems everyone wants the USA to come together. I certainly do. Perhaps the Senate can start by simply not having a red side and a blue side, but changing seats to states in numerical order. One through 50 on one side and one through 50 on the other side, based on when they became states. U.S. Rep. Steve King should be commended for his efforts to arrange for medical care for the Miracle Kids from Tanzania. (The Journal, June 23, page A3). I was confused, however, by Kings statement at the end of the story, describing the doctors reasons for providing the medical services. King described the parents questions to the doctor: Why do you do this? Why are you willing to do this for our children? And (Dr. Meyers) answer is, Were Christians and were Americans, thats why. I assume that King was rather proud of this answer from the doctor, and I also assume that King agrees with the sentiment. What I dont understand is why this display of Christian compassion for three children from another country, while wonderful and probably life saving, apparently doesnt extend to Kings own constituents. Only a few weeks ago, he voted in favor of legislation the American Health Care Act that would jeopardize or possibly curtail health care coverage for millions of Americans, including an estimated 40,000 of Kings own constituents here in Northwest Iowa. I think we can safely say that many of these 40,000 would be children. Passage of the law could also result in the closing of some small, rural hospitals due to an increase in uncompensated care. Why would Steve King do this? Is it also because were Christians and were Americans? Could someone help me to understand? - Jim Kennedy, Okoboji, Iowa Mie Kanstrup of Denmark has been in Samoa for the last week. The 24-year-old spends her days working with the community, helping to improve the nutritional health of the country as part of a volunteering scheme. She has a further four weeks left on the island, and is eager to make the most of the weekends and start exploring the islands. Im going to Savaii this weekend, so hopefully I will see lots of different sights. Mie has made many friends since she arrived in Samoa, and plans to travel as a group to the lava fields of Savaii in particular, the pictures of the fields are definitely something that drew me to Samoa. Having spent the last month travelling around New Zealand, Mie is used to meeting new people and gaining new experiences, but she remarked that her time in Samoa already stands out, because of the hospitality. Staying in local accommodation, she has been embraced whole-heartedly as the newest member of the family. One of the first things Mie noticed on her arrival in Samoa was the general happiness of the local people. People are friendlier than back home, and theyre always smiling. Having originally found the slow pace of life a challenge, Mie has been learning to embrace the change of pace. She explains, I did find the laidback culture initially quite difficult to adapt to as things arent very structured, but its also nice to be so relaxed. Arriving from New Zealand, where it is the depths of winter, the warmer climate has been welcomed by the Danish traveller. The Samoa Observer caught up with Mie after her trip to Savaii. She stayed at Bay View Resort, on the North Coast road. The chalets are situated on the most northerly point of the island, its the perfect spot to watch the sun go down. Mie drove around the entire island, dodging an array of wildlife on her way. The island has an abundance of wildlife from pigs, dogs, horses, chickens, and as Mie added, The occasional stray cow. Having seen both islands, Mie shared her insight that Savaii and Upolu are equally beautiful, but the low population and lack of noise makes Savaii something really special. For any traveller searching for that unspoilt paradise experience, Samoas larger island awaits. 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. WASHINGTON (June 28, 2017)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is being awardedfor delivery order N0001917F0077 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This order provides for 54 F/A-18 retrofit kits for the Navy (48); and the government of Australia (6), in support of engineering change proposal 6213R2, "Trailing Edge Flap Retrofit Redesign." Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (72 percent); Lucerne, Switzerland (20 percent); Paramount, California (5 percent); and Hot Springs, Arkansas (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2020. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy); and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $48,879,930 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded afirm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of up to 265 conformal-controlled reception pattern antenna units for the F/A-18A aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenlawn, New York, and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Fiscal 2016 and 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,700,928 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The, is the contracting activity (N00421-17-C-0041)., are being awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for non-lethal weapons and research and development. This requirement is for the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program (JNLWP) and other Department of Defense non-lethal weapons (NLW) programs entities to pursue NLW research and development across a breadth of technology and capability functional areas. American Systems Corp. will be awarded acontract that includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $47,503,331. Applied Technologies Inc.* will be awarded a $9,167,211 contract that includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $47,550,278. Applied Research Associates will be awarded a $10,299,107 contract that includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $54,401,394. Booz Allen Hamilton will be awarded $9,398,210 contract that includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $48,813,436. Work under the American Systems Corp. contract will be performed in Chantilly, Virginia. Work under the Applied Technologies Inc.* contract will be performed in King George, Virginia. Work under the Applied Research Associates contract will be performed in Arlington, Virginia. Work under the Booz Allen Hamilton contract will be performed in McLean, Virginia. Work at all locations is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $40,000 ($10,000 per contract) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The total value of all task orders issued under these multiple award contracts, when combined, shall not exceed the value of the highest proposal received. The guaranteed minimum for each contract awarded will be $10,000. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 11 offers received. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded afirm-fixed-price contract for retrofit components for the F/A-18 for the Navy. Supplies and services to be provided include 210 Configuration D retrofit components as follows; four Configuration D validation and verification kits; and 206 Configuration D retrofit component kits as part of three engineering change proposals. Work will be performed in Forest, Mississippi (53 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (36 percent); and El Segundo, California (11 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2019. Fiscal 2016 and 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $90,767,460 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c) (1). The, is the contracting activity (N00019-17-C-0042)., is being awarded amodification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40080-14-D-0302) to exercise option three for base operations support services at the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River. The work to be performed provides for all management supervision, labor hours, training, equipment and supplies necessary to perform base operating support services to include but not limited to providing trouble calls, minor work calls, facilities management and investment, integrated solid waste, and environmental services. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $63,768,648. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and work is expected to be completed June 2018. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2017 Navy working capital funds in the amount $11,054,214 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded amodification (P00051) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-11-C-0024) to exercise an option for the low rate initial production of 45 BQM-177A subsonic aerial targets and associated technical data. In addition, this modification provides for 315 mission equipment installation kits, 30 radar altimeter, technical manuals, training material/equipment, and logistics support services. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, is expected to be completed in April 2019. Fiscal 2017 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $37,091,710 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor delivery order N00019-17-F-1604 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026) for incorporation of a flight management system into the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. This order includes integrating, installing, testing and certifying the flight management system. Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, California (52.7 percent); and Melbourne, Florida (47.3 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Fiscal 2015 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $34,500,117 are being obligated on this award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity. The U.S. Supreme Court took dramatic action on three LGBT-related cases today, with results that could be described as bad, good, and to-be-determined. In a 7 to 2 decision, the court said Missouri could not exclude a non-profit school from a state program just because the school was run by a church. LGBT activists had argued the school should be denied state funding because the school exercised its religious beliefs against homosexuality and against other religions in determining which children it would exclude. But the majority of the court, including pro-LGBT moderates Anthony Kennedy and Elena Kagan, said the states denying funding to a school that would have received [a state grant] but for the fact that Trinity Lutheran is a church violates the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment. The decision came in Trinity Lutheran v. Comer. Lambda Legal had submitted a brief in the case, noting that the schools policy allows discriminating against students and parents based on sexual orientation and even based on religion. So, requiring the state to provide funds to the Lutheran school would have the effect of the state supporting discrimination based on sexual orientation and religion. When government provides aid to religious schools and other entities, it must do so with safeguards ensuring that these institutions neither discriminate based on religion nor use the funds to inculcate religion, wrote Lambda. That was the bad LGBT result. The good came in an unsigned (per curiam) decision that included three dissents (Neil Gorsuch, joined by Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito) who appeared to object only to the method of the decision, not the result. The decision reversed an opinion of the Arkansas Supreme Court that had held that a legal spouses name could be omitted from her childs birth certificate if she was not the biological mother or her husband. The court issued the ruling without having heard arguments in the case. The Pavan v. Smith opinion noted, As this Court explained in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Constitution entitles same-sex couples to civil marriage on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples. Obergefell was the 2015 decision that said states could not ban same-sex couples from obtaining marriage licenses the same as opposite-sex couples. Todays opinion comes on the two anniversary of the Obergefell decision. The case involved two same-sex couples who used anonymous sperm donors to conceive their children. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court had in June 2015 struck down bans against same-sex couples marrying, the Arkansas health department refused to issue the childrens birth certificates with the names of both their parents. The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld that refusal. The Arkansas Supreme Courts decision, we conclude, denied married same-sex couples access to the constellation of benefits that the Stat[e] ha[s] linked to marriage, noted the U.S. Supreme Courts decision Monday. It noted that benefits such as birth certificates were among those the high court explicitly included in its Obergefell decision. Susan Sommer, associate legal director for Lambda Legal, called the Pavan decision a win for same-sex couples and their families across the nation. The Arkansas Supreme Courts decision flew in the face of Obergefell, undermining the dignity and equality of LGBT families and the governments obligation to protect children, Sommer said. It was also an outlier; every other state that had considered this question got it right and ruled in favor of treating LGBT families equally. The historic ruling in Obergefell explicitly tells us that the spouses of birth parents, regardless if they are of the same sex or different sex, must be listed on the birth certificates of their children. Obergefell is crystal clear: marriage is marriage, and equal is equal. We congratulate our colleagues at National Center for Lesbian Rights on this great victory. Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it would review a lower court ruling in Masterpiece Cake v. Colorado, a case involving a baker who refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple, claiming it violated his religious beliefs. Wedding cake baker Jack Phillips and his Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, agreed to sell various baked goods to a same-sex couple, but not a wedding cake. Phillips claimed his religious beliefs opposed marriage for same-sex couples. The couple filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, which agreed that Phillips had violated the state law barring sexual orientation discrimination in public accommodations. Phillips appealed through the state court system, which ruled against him. The Colorado Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal. But the Alliance Defending Freedom took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court last year. The ADFs petition to the high court argued that Phillips Christian belief compels him to use his artistic talents to promote only messages that align with his religious beliefs. By ordering Phillips to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, ADF said, Colorado is violating the First Amendments guarantee of freedom of speech and targets Phillips religious beliefs about marriage. James Essex, head of the ACLUs national LGBT project, said, The law is squarely on [the same-sex couples] side because when businesses are open to the public, theyre supposed to be open to everyone. While the right to ones religious beliefs is fundamental, a license to discriminate is not, Essex said. The case is similar to one out of New Mexico in 2013, Elane Photography v. Wilcox. In that case, the photographer, also represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, said her religious objections to homosexuality should trump the states interests in eradicating discrimination against LGBT people. She said the First Amendment guarantee to freedom of speech should protect her ability to express her beliefs. The Supreme Court declined to hear the photographers appeal. The Masterpiece Cake case will likely be heard in October. Here's the latest in lesbian, bisexual and transgender bites! Chicago Dyke March and A Wider Bridge at Odds after Three People asked to Leave March (SFGN) Organizers of the Chicago Dyke March asked three participants carrying rainbow flags with the Star of David to leave because they were making others at the event uncomfortable, the Windy City Times reported. Dyke March organizers posted to Facebook on Sunday: Sadly, our celebration of dyke , queer, and trans solidarity was partially overshadowed by our decision to ask three individuals carrying Israeli flags superimposed on rainbow flags to leave the rally. This decision was made after they repeatedly expressed support for Zionism during conversations with Chicago Dyke March Collective members. We have since learned that at least one of these individuals is a regional director for A Wider Bridge, an organization with connections to the Israeli state and right-wing pro-Israel interest groups We want to make clear that anti-Zionist Jewish volunteers and supporters are welcome at Dyke March and were involved in conversations with the individuals who were asked to leave. We are planning to make a longer statement in the future. One of the three was Laurel Grauer, a manager at A Wider Bridge, a North American LGBTQ pro-Israel organization. "People asked me if I was a Zionist and I said 'yes, I do care about the state of Israel but I also believe in a two-state solution and an independent Palestine,'" Grauer told the Times. "It's hard to swallow the idea of inclusion when you are excluding people from that. People are saying 'You can be gay but not in this way.' We do not feel welcomed. We do not feel included." More than 1500 people attended the Chicago Dyke March in La Villita, Saturday, June 24. Kentucky Teacher Comes Out as Bisexual to Support at Risk Students, is Fired (SFGN) When Montgomery County middle school chorus teacher Nicholas Breiner came out as bisexual on Instagram, he said he did it to bring comfort to some of his LGBTQ students, who had been suicidal. I felt that they needed to know there was someone in the room that understood and supported them, regardless of who they were. As terrifying as it was to admit, I had to value someone elses well-being over my own privacy, Breiner said in his post. But shortly after his post, Breiner said he was called into a meeting with school principal Paula Stafford, and Montgomery County Deputy Superintendent Rick Culross, where his sexuality was brought up and he was cautioned we live in a small town. For years, it was my opinion that my sexual orientation was my business and nobody elses. But when your children are in danger, you must re-evaluate, Breiner elaborated in a statement to the Lexington Herald Leader. When a child is ready to take their own life because they love differently than those around them, you must prioritize their safety over your own privacy. When Breiners teaching contract wasnt renewed for the 2017-2018 school year, Montgomery County Superintendent Matthew Thompson, told the Herald Leader Breiner was not fired or terminatedThe employment decision relating to his non-renewal was not in part, or in whole, because of his sexual orientation. However, I am unable to answer specific questions about the non-renewal due to confidentiality. Stafford, Culross, and Thompson have not commented on Breiners account of the meeting. Approximately 30 parents, students, and former students attended a protest at the county courthouse in Mount Sterling, Saturday, June 17 to show their support for Breiner. We all really feel that it comes down to his sexuality, and thats a load of crap, parent Megan Johnson said. Hes a great educator. Transgender Firefighter Marches as NYC Pride Parade Grand Marshal (CNN) When Brooke Guinan joined the New York City Fire Department in 2008 she publicly presented herself as a man. She had no idea that on Sunday she'd be one of the NYC Pride Parade's grand marshals while identifying as a transgender woman. Guinan began identifying as a transgender woman in 2011, three years into her firefighting career at FDNY. She first came out as a gay man at a young age, but began to question her gender identity in college. During her first few years in the department, she served in both firefighting and administrative capacities. For the past two years, Guinan has stepped out of the firehouse and has served the FDNY as its LGBTQ outreach coordinator. "The firehouse can be fun, but I am so enamored with my community and I am very pleased and grateful to do a different kind of lifesaving work in the fire department," Guinan said. James Fallarino, spokesperson for NYC Pride, said Guinan appears to be the first openly transgender member of the FDNY. She is the first transgender public safety employee to serve as an individual grand marshal. In 2002, two organizations -- the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) and FireFLAG -- served as grand marshals after 9/11. "It is an amazing honor to be the Grand Marshal of this year's Pride parade," Guinan said. "I have always found inspiration in other people's voices and it is an honor to be given an opportunity for my voice to be heard." She was one of four grand marshals. The others are Krishna Stone, the director of community relations at Gay Men's Health Crisis; Geng Le, a leader of the LGBTQ equality movement in the People's Republic of China; and the American Civil Liberties Union. Check out the latest news from around the world! Supreme Court Sides with Same-Sex Couples in Arkansas Suit (AP) The Supreme Court has ruled for same-sex couples who complained an Arkansas birth certificate law discriminated against them. The justices on Monday issued an unsigned opinion reversing an Arkansas high court ruling that upheld the law. Under the law, married lesbian couples had to get a court order to have both spouses listed as parents on their children's birth certificates. Arkansas routinely lists a woman's husband as a child's father, even if he is not the biological parent of the child. The same-sex couples want the same presumption applied to the married partner of a woman who gives birth to a child. Justices Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the ruling. Supreme Court Takes on New Clash of Gay Rights, Religion (AP) The Supreme Court is taking on a new clash between gay rights and religion in a case about a wedding cake for a same-sex couple in Colorado. The justices said Monday they will consider whether a baker who objects to same-sex marriage on religious grounds can refuse to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The case asks the high court to balance the religious rights of the baker against the couple's right to equal treatment under the law. Similar disputes have popped up across the United States. The decision to take on the case reflects renewed energy among the court's conservative justices, whose ranks have recently been bolstered by the addition of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the high court. The court will review a Colorado court decision that found baker Jack Phillips and his Masterpiece Cakeshop discriminated against the gay couple under Colorado law. Phillips told the Supreme Court he has free speech and religious rights under the First Amendment that should protect him. He said he should not be compelled to bake a cake specifically to honor a same-sex marriage. Colorado's anti-discrimination law protects people on the basis of their sexual orientation. Charlie Craig and David Mullins filed a complaint against Phillips and his suburban Denver shop after Phillips said he would not create and decorate a cake in honor of their marriage. Colorado did not permit same-sex couples to marry until 2014. Two years earlier, Craig and Mullin were planning to fly to Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage was legal, and host a reception in Denver upon their return to Colorado. They wanted the cake for the occasion. Mississippi LGBT Law Faces More Court Scrutiny (AP) Mississippi is in for a long court fight over constitutional questions about its law dealing with religious objections to same-sex marriage. Legislators in 2016 passed House Bill 1523, called the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act." It aims to protect three beliefs: marriage is only between a man and a woman; sex should only take place in such a marriage; and a person's gender is determined at birth and cannot be altered. Legal experts say it is one of the broadest bills passed by any state in reaction to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. It would allow clerks to cite religious objections to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and would protect merchants who refuse services to LGBT people. It could affect adoptions and foster care, business practices and school bathroom policies. Multiple lawsuits were filed by gay and straight Mississippi residents, and U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the bill just before it could become law last July 1. On Thursday, a panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it would lift the injunction Reeves imposed. The panel did not rule on whether the law violates the constitutional prohibition on government establishing favored religious views. The panel said plaintiffs failed to prove they would be harmed by the law, "but the federal courts must withhold judgment unless and until that plaintiff comes forward." Plaintiffs' attorneys say they will ask the entire 5th Circuit to reverse the panel's decision, and they could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Whether - or when - the law will take effect depends on the outcome of those appeals. Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed into a law a constitutional amendment SB 8-A to implement Floridas medical marijuana plan, now seven months into its initial voter approval. The legislation allows patients who endure chronic pain related to 10 qualifying conditions including cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis to receive either low-THC cannabis or full-strength medical marijuana. The law allows patients to use cannabis pills, oils, edibles and vape pens with a doctors approval, but bans smoking. Orlando attorney John Morgan, who helped get the amendment on the ballot and passed, said he intends to sue the state for not allowing smoking, the Associated Press reported. "There are four places listed in the amendment that call for smoking," Morgan said. "I don't know why they would object to anyone on their death bed wanting to use what they wanted to relieve pain and suffering." The law limits licenses to grow marijuana to 17, and each license holder is limited to 25 dispensaries. For every 100,000 new eligible patients added to the registry, another license will become available. There are seven growers currently licensed in Florida, with ten to be added by October. Trulieve and Surterra are two of the seven. Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve told the AP that they are reviewing the bill before determining their next steps, Jake Bergmann, founder and CEO of Surterra, doesnt see an issue with the plans structure for market growth. "There is a way to grow as the patients grow (four new dispensaries per 100,000 patients). If you have something that grows as patient access grows, it is pretty smart," Bergmann told the AP. SB 8-Aallows for the establishment of medical marijuana testing laboratories, and establishes the Coalition for Medical Marijuana Research and Education within the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and roughly $750,000 of an appropriation of more than $15 million. The bill passed 103-9 in the House and 29-6 in the Senate on the final day of a special session earlier this month before Scott signed it into law on Friday, among 38 bills total. End Times Prophecy Degree Program Offered Exclusively Through Luder Wycliffe Theological Seminary Contact: Dr. Jack Nelson, Luder Wycliffe Theological Seminary , 607-754-0133ENDICOTT, N.Y., June 28, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- This world's first End Times Seminary Degree program by Luder Wycliffe Theological Seminary, has begun a new era in theological training. Birthed in the category of theology, eschatology has grown to such a point that it really does require a larger space of academic freedom.LWTS is currently the only theological school in the world to offer a degree program in the field of Biblical End Time Prophecy (Eschatology). This course work is offered at both the Master and Doctoral levels. The Bachelor of Eschatology Degree Program will also be available soon.Since there are several different views concerning the end time events surrounding biblical prophecy, students that enroll at LWTS for the eschatology degree program will learn every angle of each position and thereby receive a very balanced and overall snap shot of eschatological teaching, regardless of their current view.LWTS offers one of the most in-depth and ministry focused learning systems available by any online religious institution. Its studies constitute both a mixture of online and physical textbooks as well as completely offline and paper based course work for those who prefer the traditional methods. LWTS also offers one-on-one mentorship with their studies.A segment of the overall list of the courses include: Biblical Eschatology, Comparative Eschatology, Eschatological Hermeneutics, Prophetic Literature, Literary Eschatology, OT Typology, Historical Eschatology and much more. The syllabus also includes a 7,000 word thesis for the Master level and 15,000 for the Doctoral level.The Eschatology Degree will help strengthen the student in many ways, which include pastoral preaching, scholarly writing on the subject, competence in eschatological apologetics, teaching eschatology at a graduate level and more."Having a degree in eschatology has been long overdue, and I'm surprised no other school has ever thought of it. The appetite and need for this subject is there, so therefore must be the demand." said Jack Nelson, D. Min., president and founderTo know more, please visit: www.luderwycliffe.com The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie... Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the... Beef ribs are all the rage in the barbecue world these days. I first saw beef ribs 20 years ago in Nassau, Bahamas. Looking for the best local food, I asked a taxi driver to take me to his favorite restaurant. He took me to a barbecue shack way off the tourist path and introduced me to the finest plate of beef ribs that up to that time I had ever eaten. Not only were they the tastiest, but they were the biggest ribs that I had ever seen. He aptly called them "Brontosaurus Bones" because of their dinosaur size, and it stuck with me. The Bahamas' road-side barbecue shack served the meaty-style, sometimes called "Hollywood," beef back ribs. The ribs come from the same place on a cow as the well-known pork baby back ribs. Today, the meatier short rib is the "Texas" beef rib of choice. This rib was made popular by Wayne Mueller of Taylor, Texas, and perfected in New York by Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook, a Brooklyn neighborhood in New York, who learned from Mueller. Durney took the ethnic foods of his Brooklyn upbringing and re-made them using southern barbecue techniques. Think pastrami-cured pork belly, jerk ribs, and a smoked lamb belly Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. The beef rib that he is famous for is his interpretation of what he ate during his first visit to Mueller's restaurant. In a recent conversation, Durney told me that when Mueller started smoking short ribs, they weren't used in restaurants for any other preparation than braising, and they were relatively cheap. These days, they have become so popular that they are very expensive and barbecue restaurants often lose money serving them. Durney buys 123-A beef-plate short ribs in three-bone racks from his butcher. If you have a good butcher, you can request that cut. Each bone-in short rib can be cut into 6-8 pieces, which will serve 2-3 people, and will weigh around 1.3 pounds once it is cooked. When I asked Durney why he thought that he was known for beef ribs, he modestly said that he figured out when to pull the ribs from the pit and how to rest them to maximize their tenderness and flavor. He very generously shared his secrets with me and you. No. 1, you have to "feel" the ribs to know that they are done. They are ready to come off the heat once the bones have receded from the meat. "The center is soft and tender to the touch and the top of the meat should also be wet and glistening because the fat and collagen from the beef has rendered," explained Durney. "If the beef ribs are dry and crusty, you have overcooked them." And, they have to rest a good long while 40-60 minutes on a rack set into a sheet pan so the air can circulate around the meat. "If you set the ribs on the surface of the pan, they will steam and continue cooking," he warned. After the initial rest, "wrap them tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of butcher paper," continued Durney. Since you will be making these at home, you can finish the resting process in a pre-heated 145 F oven for 30 more minutes before serving. When ready to serve, unwrap and slice the meat vertically off the bone in equal chunks and re-assemble on the bone for presentation. Brontosaurus bones Serves: 6 Start to finish: 2 1/2 hours Ingredients This is a variation of the recipe that I created when I came home from the Bahamas, it is made with beef back ribs or "long bones," but can be made with short ribs as well. Use indirect or medium-low heat 6-7 meaty-style beef baby back ribs, coming from the same place as pork baby backs (bones should be connected in a rack) Olive oil 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half 2 rosemary sprigs Beef Rub 2 tablespoons butcher-grind black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 5 tablespoons kosher salt Directions Mix rub ingredients in a small bowl, making sure it is well-combined. Meanwhile, build charcoal fire or preheat gas grill, setting it up for indirect heat. Take beef ribs out of refrigerator and rub all over with cut side of the garlic cloves and brush with a thin coating of oil. Set aside for 20 minutes to come to room temperature. Rub ribs liberally with spice rub. Place ribs (bone side down) in the center of the cooking grate making sure they are not over a direct flame. Grill covered (at about 325 F, if your grill has a thermometer) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat has pulled back from the ends of the rib bones and the ribs are well browned and slightly crusty on the ends. Individual beef ribs will be done before the full rack (connected rib bones) is done. If grilling individual bones and the edges start to burn, stack them on top of one another in the very center of the grill and lower your fire slightly. About 30 minutes before the ribs are done, brush lightly with the rosemary sprig dipped in olive oil. Remove ribs from grill and let rest 15 minutes before serving or cutting into individual rib portions (if starting with a full rack). I recommend serving these ribs sauce-less with a sprinkling of the beef rub, if desired. But, if you love barbecue sauce, feel free to serve some warm on the side. Nutrition information per serving: 143 calories; 68 calories from fat; 8 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 44 mg cholesterol; 2923 mg sodium; 2 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 17 g protein. Cowlitz County Commissioners voted Tuesday night to suspend the countys needle exchange program within 90 days if the county health department doesnt make plans to address five conditions. The unanimous vote came at the end of a public hearing attended by about 80 citizens in a packed hearing room to learn more about the needle exchange program and speak their minds. County documents show that the five conditions were to accurately implement a true one-for-one syringe exchange; to have a quarterly report on whether an increased number of participants actually entered treatment for substance abuse; to have a different quarterly report on the number of IV drug use-related infections disclosed by the medical community; to limit the amount of syringes given out at once to 80 and to prohibit the issuing of starter kits. According to a 2016 study from Cowlitz County Health and Human Services, nearly 890,000 needles were exchanged in the county in 2016. Health experts say the program reduces the risk of disease that comes from using dirty needles while showing addicts where to get help to kick their addiction. Others say it enables users and is a waste of taxpayer money. Some even say the program increases the prevalence of used needles around town. I encourage you as commissioners to show your leadership, Longview resident Kevin Hunter told the board. Make a motion to suspend this program and properly evaluate it like you ought to. Some citizens defended the program, including Kalama City Councilwoman Rosemary Siipola, who expressed empathy for drug addicts and asked the community not to shame them. I come from a family of addicts, Siipola said. We didnt want to be, we didnt ask to be. It is not a lifestyle choice. During the meeting, Cowlitz County Health Officer Jennifer Vines gave a presentation on the benefits of the syringe exchange program, referencing an HIV breakout in rural Indiana that was caused by contaminated needles, as well as a 2004 World Health Organization study that said syringe exchange programs do not lead to increased drug use or less motivation to quit using. After she spoke and answered questions from the commissioners, Vines had five other doctors and medical experts speak on the positives of a needle exchange program. One of those experts, Mark Bollinger, the CEO of Great Rivers Health Organization, said he acknowledged the resistance to Cowlitz Countys current exchange,but thought it would be foolish to abandon it. If there are concerns with the process, absolutely retool it, but absolutely dont discontinue it, he said. I think the decision to close it would do a disservice to those that have this need in the community. However, because of the large number of speakers that Vines invited, public comment did not officially begin until nearly 90 minutes had passed in the meeting, frustrating some of the attending citizens. So far, the first hour and 20 minutes was exactly what I didnt want to do: a lecture, Longview Port Commissioner Jeff Wilson said. These (medical experts) clearly had a closed mind. This was supposed to be about hearing the citizens. Wilson also was concerned that the Cowlitz County government hadnt given the people any involvement in the program. This (program) is optional, therefore we should have a choice, he said. I think we have a closed government. Commissioner Dennis Weber was concerned about the effectiveness of the exchange, wondering if simply offering referral pamphlets actually led to positive change among addicts. Theres a difference between getting a pamphlet for a referral and actually (seeking help), he said. Getting a pamphlet is easy. We cant keep doing what weve been doing and expect different results. Fellow Commissioner Arne Mortensen was also skeptical of the health experts claims, particularly regarding the evidence of the Indiana HIV outbreak, calling them anecdotal. Longview resident George Robertson said he believes the program needs even more support from the local government. If you want the program to work better, you need to fund it more, not cut it, he said. Two sexual assault victims presented tearful statements detailing how their lives had been upended by a 29-year-old Longview man who videotaped their assaults and was also involved with a child pornography website. During my meeting with (the FBI), not only was I made aware of the child pornography and videos of him sexually assaulting and raping multiple people but I had to watch a video of myself being exposed without my permission, sexually assaulted and raped, one of the victims said in a statement Tuesday in Cowlitz County Superior Court. Even though this assault and rape happened 10 years ago, it was all brand new to me. Judge Stephen Warning sentenced Brett Lee McCord to 12 months in jail and 104 months of community custody Tuesday as part of a special sex offender sentencing alternative. McCord pleaded guilty in May to four counts of forcible indecent liberties, four counts of first-degree possession of child pornography and six counts of voyeurism. The court will sign his sentencing paperwork at 9 a.m. on July 25. According to prosecutors, the victims and McCord who were all teenagers at the time had been partying together when the two victims passed out and McCord assaulted them. Prosecuting attorney Jason Laurine said the victims, prosecutors and defense agreed on a sentencing alternative because it was their best chance for a conviction and would give the victims some security by requiring McCord to register as a sex offender. Also, the statute of limitations to charge McCord with rape had run out, Laurine added. In September 2015, the FBI and the Vancouver Police served a federal search warrant relating to child pornography at McCords home in Longview. The investigation revealed McCord had accessed more than 15 hours of explicit sexual content on a child pornography website. The FBI had continued to operate the website undercover to gather information on the websites users and material, according to court records. The legal standing of the FBIs controversial actions have been challenged in federal court, and cases similar to McCords have been dropped. FBI investigators also discovered that McCord had numerous photos and videos on his personal devices that depicted at least three females, later identified as friends or acquaintances of McCords, being sexually molested/assaulted while they slept on couches in McCords residence, according to court records. They (the victims) said what we want is the security to know that he is going to have to register as a sex offender. We recognize that we might lose, we may win, but this for us is a win. They want the security of the convictions, Laurine said. Its not the easiest recommendation to make, but its the recommendation that we got here with. Both victims said in court that their lives had been forever changed by McCords actions and that they couldnt forgive him. I never knew that anything horrible had ever happened to me, let alone anyone else. Do I think classes would help or fix him? Absolutely not. He has dug a hole so deep that, in my eyes, its something you cant get out of or even fix, the second victim said in her statement. Defense attorney Edward Debray said McCord regrets his actions and the assaults he committed, and that he would make a good candidate for a SSOSA and treatment. I was delusional in those views to think in any way that I wasnt hurting your lives, that hopefully you will be able to heal your hearts from this pain Ive inflicted. Im especially sorry to (the victims). I truly cherish your friendships and you both helped such a lost person feel loved, important and accepted only to be repaid by these inexcusable acts being forced upon your lives, McCord said as he addressed the court and victims. Warning said McCords apology felt hollow. Ultimately though, Warning agreed to follow the recommendations of the attorneys and the victims. Theres an awful lot of reasons for everybody in this room, including me, to be real dissatisfied with this resolution. I understand why everybody reached it. Im not faulting anybody for it, but you are just blind lucky the circumstances are what they are, Warning said to McCord. All that comes down to is you put a foot sideways, youre going to go to prison for as much as we can give you. Standing on the sidewalk in downtown Kelso Monday morning, clad in a bright yellow high-visibility vest, it didnt take long for walkability expert Dan Burden to find a flaw. The 40-year transportation and city planning veteran had barely traveled a full city block before coming to a stop at a storage lot between La Favorites Fine Yarns and the Kelso Theater Pub on Pacific Avenue. Gesturing widely, Burden asked how such a prime piece of downtown real estate could become fenced in with forbidding barbed wire. As a potential business owner considering a move here, I would consider this a blemish, he said. Burden, director of inspiration and innovation at Blue Zones, a group that works with communities to create more livable spaces, was accompanied by a cadre of city and county planners, health department officials and a handful of Kelso residents. It was the first of many such critiques Burden doled out during his 90-minute assessment. Among other recommendations: increase the ratio of street-facing glass for businesses, narrow streets to reduce vehicle speeds, increase shade wherever possible, widen street corners to make them more pedestrian-friendly, and construct roundabouts throughout the city. Burden was in town for a second round of walking audits after visiting Cowlitz County in May on behalf of the Wahkiakum Council of Governments and Pathways 2020, a local nonprofit dedicated in part to reducing the high rate of chronic disease for Cowlitz residents. Burden also conducted audits for Kalama and Castle Rock on Monday. For Burden, improving a citys walkability isnt just about making cities less vehicle-centric as the world transitions away from fossil fuels. Its also a health issue. Being able to walk naturally impacts everything, he said. From major heart and cardiovascular diseases to diabetes. People need to have exercise and they also need that social engagement. Cowlitz County is currently in the midst of a bit of a walkability renaissance. The movement toward creating more walkable communities comprises a tangle of local municipalities, Cowlitz County Health and Human Services and a project called Cowlitz On The Move. Together the coalition is working steadily toward overcoming the primary roadblock in creating more walkable and bikeable streets: public support. One thing cities like Longview and Kelso have going for them is that theyre smaller, making it easier to implement policies than it is in cities like Vancouver, said Rachel Burdon, program director of Healthy Communities at Kaiser Permanente. There are less cooks in the kitchen, she said. Along with PeaceHealth St. John and the Family Health Center in Longview, Kaiser provides funding for Cowlitz On The Move. Rachel Burdon said that while Kaisers primary mission is to provide quality health care, as a non-profit the organization also has a vested interest in keeping people healthy and out of its medical office. Creating more walkable places is one way to do that, she said. In health care and other sectors, we know that we have to start thinking more than six months or a year down the road in order to really improve health, she said. Its really substantial changes to the look and feel of the infrastructure of a community that will have long-term benefits. In Castle Rock, those efforts are already underway. The city is currently implementing three walkability projects and working to develop and implement a Complete Streets ordinance which could potentially open up funding from the Washington Department of Transportation. Complete Streets is an equity-based ordinance guiding future developments based on the idea that a person should have access to multiple modes of transportation upon leaving their house. Kalama has also placed an emphasis on improving walkability, said City Administrator Adam Smee. The city is currently focused on improving pedestrian access to the Port of Kalama and downtown. We try to integrate alternative transportation and pedestrian access into all of our updates that were doing, especially the higher traveled streets, he said. And there are other smaller groups like Walkable Cowlitz, a grassroots community-based coalition that provides public input and advocacy for walkability issues. Bringing people like Dan Burden in to consult can help unite the various groups seeking to create a more walkable future in Cowlitz, said Paul Youmans, director of Pathways of 2020. For Burden, creating community engagement is the most important step in the process. Hopefully this is the match that lights the kindling that lights the bonfire, Burden said. Over the course of history, the frightening and mesmerizing total eclipse of the sun has caused humans to invent myths, legends and superstitions about the event. Even today, an eclipse is considered a bad omen in many cultures. Here's a look at several stories that have been used to explain eclipses over the years. Most of our worries fall into just a few categories. 1. Mythical figures are eating or stealing our sun. China: According to Griffith Observatory director E. C. Krupp in an interview with National Geographic, the earliest Chinese word for eclipse is "shih," which means "to eat." It then seems appropriate that according to Chinese lore, eclipses are caused by a dragon living among the stars who tries to eat the sun (because dragons love fire, of course). Vietnam: Vietnamese legend explains that eclipses occur when a giant frog trying to escape his master, the Lord of Hahn, eats the sun. The Lord is the only one who can then convince the frog to release the sun. An alternate version is that an evil spirit in the form of a toad swallows the sun. A similar story is used to explain lunar eclipses as well. Norse cultures: Norse legend doesn't have animals eating the sun, but they do attack it. In this story, a pair of sky wolves try to chase down the sun or moon. When one of them finally reaches it, an eclipse occurs. Korea: In a very similar story to the Norse version, Korean legend says that a pack of fire dogs under orders from a king try to steal the sun. They get close enough to grab a bite, which causes an eclipse. Various cultures: Numerous cultures have an eclipse story about some sort of demon or animal trying to steal the sun. The typical response is to bang pots, pans or drums to scare away whatever entity is behind the theft. 2. It's our fault. Woe! Ancient Greeks: The ancient Greeks believed that eclipses occurred when the gods became angry with humans. It was predicted that disaster and destruction would soon follow. Tewa tribe, New Mexico: After becoming angry, the sun decides to leave the skies for its home in the underworld. Thankfully, the sun always reconsiders its retreat and returns to the skies. 3. The gods (or other heavenly bodies) are quarreling. Inuit of the Arctic: The sun goddess, Malina, walks away after a fight with her brother, the moon god, Anningan. Anningan chases after her but becomes so obsessed with his pursuit that he forgets to eat. He becomes smaller and smaller (the waning phase), and eventually has to stop to replenish (the new moon). Occasionally he catches up to Malina and everything goes dark, causing a solar eclipse. Batammaliba of Africa: The Batammaliba people in Togo and Benin, Africa, see each eclipse as an opportunity to end old feuds. The myth is that an eclipse is caused by fighting between the sun and the moon. When an eclipse occurs, the Batammaliba come together as a community and try to end their own fighting as a way of encouraging the sun and moon to do the same. 4. Omens: The good, the bad and the ugly. Good: Some Italians believe flowers planted during a solar eclipse are brighter and more colorful than flowers planted at other times. Bad: Many people in India fast during the day of a lunar or solar eclipse due to the belief that any cooked or processed food will become poisonous during that time. Some say even water is off limits. Others decide to fast for spiritual reasons while they pray for the release of the sun god. Ugly: One of the most persistent myths is that an eclipse can harm pregnant women and unborn children. In some cultures, it's believed that unborn children will be deformed or killed by the eclipse, so pregnant women are told to stay indoors. According to Krupp, the Griffith Observatory still receives calls before each event about whether eclipses are harmful for pregnant women (answer: they're not). Many others around the world still see eclipses as evil omens that bring death, destruction and disasters. 5. A celestial soap opera? National Geographic describes possibly the most complex and gory eclipse myth. The Hindu demon Rahu disguises himself as a god in order to steal an elixir that grants immortality. The sun and moon see what Rahu is up to, and they call him out to the god Vishnu. Vishnu slices off Rahu's head before the elixir can slide past his throat. Thus Rahu's head turns immortal, but his body dies. So the demon's head continues to orbit the sky, spitefully chasing the sun and the moon. Once in a while Rahu catches one or the other and swallows them. But Rahu has no stomach, so the sun and the moon fall out of the bottom of his head. This conveniently explains both solar and lunar eclipses. The cold dark truth There is no scientific evidence that solar eclipses can affect human behavior, health or the environment. One belief is no myth, however: Don't look at a partial eclipse with the unfiltered eye. You could go blind. hidden The Federal Trade Commission's antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm Inc can proceed, a federal judge ruled late on Monday, meaning the iPhone chip supplier must now wage a fight with U.S. regulators even as it contests a separate $1 billion lawsuit filed by Apple Inc. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh of the Northern District of California in San Jose denied Qualcomm's motion to dismiss the FTC's lawsuit, saying the agency's allegations would amount to anticompetitive behaviour on Qualcomm's part if proved true. In response, Qualcomm said the case is still in its early stages. "FTC will have the burden to prove its claims, which we continue to believe are without merit," Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm, said in a statement on Tuesday. The FTC sued Qualcomm in January, alleging the company engaged in anticompetitive tactics to maintain a monopoly on the chips that let cell phones connect to mobile data networks. The FTC highlighted Qualcomm's "no license, no chips" policy under which the San Diego company refuses to sell chips unless customers also sign a patent license agreement and pay Qualcomm fees. Qualcomm refused to grant licenses to its rivals in order to keep a monopoly, the FTC alleged. Qualcomm asked Koh to throw out the case, arguing that even if all the FTC's allegations were true, they would not amount to wrongdoing. Qualcomm, the largest independent maker of chips used in smartphones, is a major supplier to Apple and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd for modem chips that connect phones to wireless networks. Intel Corp and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd , which are not parties to the case, filed briefs opposing Qualcomm's attempt to the have the case dismissed. Koh rejected Qualcomm's arguments, ruling that the FTC had "adequately alleged" anticompetitive behaviour. "We look forward to further proceedings in which we will be able to develop a more accurate factual record," Qualcomm's Rosenberg said in the statement. Reuters hidden A Florida man was sentenced on Tuesday to 5-1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty to operating an illegal bitcoin exchange suspected of laundering money for hackers and linked to a data breach at JP Morgan Chase & Co. Anthony Murgio, 33, of Tampa, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9 to three conspiracy counts, including bank fraud and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. The sentence was roughly half as long as prosecutors had sought. Murgio and co-conspirators were accused of processing millions of dollars from 2013 to 2015 into the virtual currency bitcoin through the unlicensed exchange Coin.mx. Prosecutors said many transactions were conducted by victims of ransomware, a malicious software that locks up data unless people pay "ransom" to unlock it. Cyber criminals often demand ransom paid in bitcoin. The alleged schemes also involved the takeover of a since-liquidated New Jersey credit union to shield their activity. "Mr. Murgio led an effort based on ambition and greed," and constructed on a "pyramid of lies," U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan said during the sentencing hearing. Murgio unsuccessfully fought back tears and lost his composure several times in expressing "enormous regret" for his crimes, which the judge credited as genuine. "I am wiser today than when the case began, and I am sorry for all the damage I caused to so many people," Murgio said. "Believing what I was doing was OK did not make it OK." Nathan cited Murgio's generosity to friends and support to his family in imposing a term below the 10 to 12-1/2 years recommended by prosecutors and federal guidelines. Murgio's lawyer Brian Klein said he was pleased with the reduction, after telling the judge that Murgio had taken responsibility for his "grievous decisionmaking." In contrast, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eun Choi faulted Murgio's dealings with ransomware victims, saying: "He exploited their desperation to personally profit from them." A hearing on restitution and forfeiture was set for Sept. 1. Murgio's father, Michael, pleaded guilty last October to an obstruction charge tied to the credit union. Nine people have been criminally charged following an investigation into the JP Morgan breach, which exposed more than 83 million accounts. Prosecutors said Coin.mx was owned by Gery Shalon, who pleaded not guilty to U.S. charges after being extradited last June from Israel. In March, a jury in Manhattan convicted Florida software engineer Yuri Lebedev and New Jersey pastor Trevon Gross of scheming to conceal Coin.mx's activities from banks and regulators. They have yet to be sentenced. The case is U.S. v. Murgio et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00769. Reuters IANS The Karnataka IT and Biotechnology Department on 28 June granted Rs 3.18 crore to fund 12 startups in the areas of agriculture, biotechnology, security, communications and robotics. "The dozen start-ups have been selected for funding to innovate products and solutions as they have been part of the Idea2PoC (Proof of Concept) scheme of the IT department's Start-up Cell," said an official statement here. Each startup will get Rs 10-50 lakh as seed capital and additional funding will be in tranches as per the need through their business life cycle. The Idea2PoC is a part of the country's first multi-sector startup policy, unveiled by the state government to encourage entrepreneurs with funding to commercialise their innovation. "As the state has a lot of young and talented entrepreneurs, it is our responsibility to promote their startups and fund them as they have the potential to make a difference," said Karnataka IT & BT Minister Priyank Kharge. The startups with seed funding are Dr. Live Software (Rs 10 lakh), EasyKrishi (Rs 15 lakh), Lightmetrics (Rs 30 lakh), PiOctave Solutions (Rs 30 lakh), Geeksynergey Technologies (Rs 30 lakh), ispAgro Robotics (Rs 20 lakh), Astrome (Rs 30 lakh), Esyasoft (Rs 20 lakh), Geotraq Safety (Rs 45 lakh), NammaNimma Cycle Foundation (Rs 10 lakh), Sirena Technologies (Rs 48 lakh) and Selfdot Technologies (Rs 30 lakh). "Though Bengaluru is the country's IT hub, we are seeing its startup culture spreading to other areas, including agriculture, biotechnology, security, communications, robotics and gaming rapidly. Our aim is to mentor and help them to become self-sufficient," said IT & BT Principal Secretary Gaurav Gupta on the occasion. Kartnataka Biotechnology and Information Techology Services (KBITS) Managing Director Salma K. Fahim said the state government was also targetting start-ups in emerging technologies such as animation, artificial intelligence, big data and virtual reality. "These technologies can solve our long-standing problems, create hundreds of jobs and help in the 'Make in India' programme of the central and state governments," added Fahim. Sheldon Pinto In news that appeared to make headlines worldwide, Google was slapped with a $2.7 billion fine for systematically giving importance to its own shopping service and demoting rival comparison shopping services in its search results. At the European Commission's (EC) press conference, competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager could not make her statements any clearer, "Google has given its own comparison shopping service an illegal advantage by abusing its dominance in general Internet search. It has promoted its own service, and demoted rival services. It has harmed competition and consumers. Thats illegal under EU antitrust rules." "What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation," she said. Google has been given 90 days to change the way it operates or face some additional penalties which would be similar to what the EC charged social media networks, not too long ago. In Google's case, the EC has asked for 5 per cent of the company's average daily worldwide turnover of Alphabet, its parent company not once, but for each day of its non-compliance. Google has been fined on two fronts. The first one is for systematically giving importance to its own comparison shopping service while the second one deals with demoting other (rival) shopping services in its search results. Google's SVP and General Counsel Kent Walker commented on the EC's statement saying, "We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today. We will review the Commissions decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case." In short Google's idea behind the same was give its customers that best search results and find what they looking for "quickly and easily". While the fine imposed on Google is a large sum, this is not the first time, we have heard of antitrust violations of epic proportions. The European Commission has been actively monitoring a number of American technology companies over the years. But when it comes to antitrust violations Google indeed seems to be on top of the EC's list of violators. While the Google is currently battling the EC for its shopping mess up, there have been many other cases and related companies that are fighting and have fought the EC in antitrust cases in the past. Google AdSense Back in July 2016, the Commission had sent out two statements of objections to the search giant. One of these included the comparison shopping problem while the second was it AdSense network. The EC accused Google of placing restrictions on the ability of certain third-party websites to display search advertisements from Google competitors. It claimed that Google had these rules in place to "protect its dominant position in online search advertising." Google was accused of violating antitrust policies by "preventing existing and potential competitors, including other search providers and online advertising platforms, from entering and growing in this commercially important area." Android Apart from the European Commission, Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) too had called Google on grounds of violating local competition rules. The antitrust case which was originally filed in September, 2015 by Russian search rival Yandex was settled for $7.8 million. The filing pointed out how Google had made it mandatory for handset makers to pre-load their devices with Google apps, one of which was also Google Search app. As per a Reuters report, the settlement was made privately and out of court. A similar investigation was also conducted by the EC in April, 2016. Microsoft Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer Another landmark antitrust case dug up by the Commission involved another tech giant, Microsoft. In a complaint first files by Sun Microsystems back in 1998, the complainant pointed out the lack of disclosure of the interfaces to Windows NT. Upon examination the EU pointed out how Microsoft used streaming media technologies and how deeply these were integrated into Windows using it proprietary Windows Media Player. In a preliminary decision, the EU stated that Microsoft had abused it power and ordered the software giant to offer two versions of Windows, one with the Windows Media Player built-in and the other without it. The decision also stated that the version without the Windows Media Player should also pack in the necessary information and that it should be enough to allow competing networking software to be integrated and fully interact with Windows desktops and servers. In 2004, the EU ordered Microsoft to pay $794 milllion, its largest fine ever (back then) and gave the company 120 days to divulge server information and 90 days to ready a version of Windows without its Media Player. Microsoft complied and produced a copy of Windows called Windows XP N. The tech giant also released source code on the final day of the deadline, but it lacked the specifications needed. On February 2008 the EU slapped an 899 million euros ($1.35 billion) for failure to comply with the 2004 case. In 2013, another fine was of 561 million euros ($731 million) imposed on the software giant, for failing to comply to the EC's ruling where it had to allow users to easily choose a preferred web browser of their choice over the default Internet Explorer. Microsoft had reportedly not offered this choice to 15 million of its Windows users between 2011 and 2012 leading to the fine. Intel In June 2014 US chipmaker Intel too lost its case against the EU against a record fine of $1.4 billion. The case was a major one that took off in 2009 where Intel was accused of thwarting chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) by handing out rebates to computer manufacturers like Dell, HP, NEC and Lenovo to buy their computer chips from them. Cyber attack sweeps globe, researchers see `WannaCry` link An employee sits next to a payment terminal out of order at a branch of Ukraine\'s state-owned bank Oschadbank after Ukrainian institutions were hit by a wave of cyber attacks earlier in the day, in Kiev, Ukraine, June 27, 2017. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko A major global cyber attack disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month . The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign, which began on Tuesday, underscored growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. Businesses in the Asia-Pacific region reported some disruptions on Wednesday with the operations of several European companies hit, including India's largest container port, although the impact on companies and governments across the wider region appeared to be limited. The ransomware virus includes code known as "Eternal Blue", which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used in last month's ransomware attack, named "WannaCry". "Cyber attacks can simply destroy us," said Kevin Johnson, chief executive of cyber security firm Secure Ideas. "Companies are just not doing what they are supposed to do to fix the problem." The virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. More than 30 victims paid into the bitcoin account associated with the attack, according to a public ledger of transactions listed on blockchain.info. Microsoft said the virus could spread through a flaw that was patched in a security update in March. "We are continuing to investigate and will take appropriate action to protect customers," a spokesman for the company said, adding that Microsoft antivirus software detects and removes it. AUSTRALIA, INDIA HIT Operations at one of the three terminals of Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai, India's largest container port, were disrupted. The impacted terminal is operated by Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), which also reported disruptions in Los Angeles. JNPT chairman Anil Diggikar told Reuters the port has been trying to clear containers manually and is operating at about a third of its capacity. India-based employees at Beiersdorf, makers of Nivea skin care products, and Reckitt Benckiser (RB.L), which owns Enfamil and Lysol, told Reuters the ransomware attack had affected some of their systems. In Australia, a Cadbury chocolate factory was hit, a trade union official said. Production at the Hobart factory on the island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Cadbury owner Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O) said in a statement overnight staff in various regions were experiencing technical problems but it was unclear whether this was due to a cyber attack. Cybersecurity firms Kaspersky Lab and FireEye Inc (FEYE.O) told Reuters they had detected attacks in other Asia-Pacific countries but did not provide details. Globally, Russia and Ukraine were most affected by the thousands of attacks, according to Kaspersky Lab, with other victims spread across countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. The total number of attacks was unknown. Security experts said they expected the impact to be smaller than WannaCry because many computers had been patched with Windows updates in the wake of the WannaCry ransom attack last month to protect them against attacks using Eternal Blue code. Still, the attack could be more dangerous than traditional strains of ransomware because it makes computers unresponsive and unable to reboot, Juniper Networks (JNPR.N) said in a blog post analysing the attack. Other security experts said they did not believe that the ransomware released on Tuesday had a "kill switch", meaning that it might be harder to stop than WannaCry was last month. Researchers said the attack may have borrowed malware code used in earlier ransomware campaigns known as "Petya" and "GoldenEye". Following last month's attack, governments, security firms and industrial groups aggressively advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft patches to defend against the threat. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was monitoring the attacks and coordinating with other countries. It advised victims not to pay the extortion, saying that doing so did not guarantee access would be restored. The White House National Security Council said in a statement there was currently no risk to public safety. The United States was investigating the attack and determined to hold those responsible accountable, it said. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment. The spy agency has not said publicly whether it built Eternal Blue and other hacking tools leaked online by an entity known as Shadow Brokers. Several private security experts have said they believe Shadow Brokers is tied to the Russian government, and that the North Korean government was behind WannaCry. Both countries' governments deny charges they are involved in hacking. The first attacks were reported from Russia and Ukraine. Russia's Rosneft (ROSN.MM), one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but said oil production had not been affected because it switched over to backup systems. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko said the government's computer network went down and the central bank reported disruption to operations at banks and firms, including the state power distributor. WPP (WPP.L), the world's largest advertising agency, said it was also infected. A WPP employee who asked not to be identified said workers were told to shut down their computers. "The building has come to a standstill," the employee said. A Ukrainian media company said its computers were blocked and had received the ransom demand. "Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service," the message said, according to a screenshot posted on Ukraine's Channel 24. Russia's central bank said there were isolated cases of lenders' IT systems being infected. One consumer lender, Home Credit, had to suspend client operations. --By Jack Stubbs, Pavel Polityuk and Dustin Volz | MOSCOW/KIEV/WASHINGTON (Reuters) Actor Nazmul Huda passes away Prominent film and television actor Nazmul Huda Bachchu passed away at a city hospital early Wednesday. He was 78. Huda breathed his last around 4.00 am at Square Hospitals in Dhaka while undergoing treatment, said family sources. Earlier, he was admitted to the hospital with fever and low blood pressure but medical reports showed that he was affected with some cardiac problems. Huda, the veteran actor, was survived by his wife, three daughters, a host of friends and relatives and lots of fans to mourn his death. His namaz-e-janaza will be held at Azad Mosque in Gulshan after Zohr prayers and he will later to be laid to rest at Banani Graveyard. Huda was the regular actor of the famous programme Ittadi while he played his role in Oggatonama (2016), Runway (2010), Chandra Grahan (2008), Daktar Bari (2007), Bidrohi Padma (2006), Chandra Katha (2003), Chitra Nodir Pare (1998), Srabon Megher Din (1999), Shongkhoneel Karagar (1992), Surjo Dighol Bari (1979), Alongkar (1978), Sareng Bou (1978) and Behula Lakhinder (1977). Born in Dhaka on July 11, 1938, Huda was honored with National Film Awards for his outstanding contribution to the cultural arena of the country. ---Dhaka, June 28 (UNB) Facebook hits two billion user mark AFP, San Francisco : Facebook said Tuesday it now counts two billion active monthly users, as the social giant's founder Mark Zuckerberg highlighted his new mission-not just connecting people, but helping them find common ground. "As of this morning, the Facebook community is now officially 2 billion people!" Zuckerberg wrote in a post marking the milestone. "We're making progress connecting the world, and now let's bring the world closer together," he wrote. "It's an honor to be on this journey with you." Facebook's announcement came as it works to redefine its purpose, led by Zuckerberg who traveled the US this year to better understand what people want out of the social network. "We realize that we need to do more too," the 33-year-old said in a recent interview with CNN Tech. "It's important to give people a voice, to get a diversity of opinions out there, but on top of that, you also need to do this work of building common ground so that way we can all move forward together." The firm's new mission statement says it seeks "to give people the power to build community." Zuckerberg's message was echoed by Naomi Gleit, a vice president at the internet giant, who credited the millions of small communities emerging within Facebook for helping drive growth. More than a billion people take part each month in Facebook "groups"-built around everything from sporting interests to humanitarian projects, she said in an online post on Tuesday. For Gartner analyst Brian Blau, Facebook appears to be striving to become "more of a community company than a technology company." He noted that Facebook's role in last year's contentious US election-during which social networks were awash in misinformation-may have been a motivating factor. Founded in 2004, the social media behemoth hit the billion-user mark five years ago. "These billion levels are significant milestones; and certainly it is a lot of people around the planet," said Blau. "It goes to show the power of community, and how people are naturally drawn to each other." As it has grown, Facebook has updated features to fend off challengers such as Snapchat and adapt to trends such as the migration of news and streaming video online. In the latest move to deepen its reach, it revealed Monday it is starting production on high-quality television series and gaming shows to be broadcast on its platform. Working with a small group of partners, Facebook hopes to start putting out episodes of its forthcoming series by the end of the summer, Nick Grudin, the vice president for media partnerships, told AFP. Facebook's initiative follows similar moves by Netflix, Amazon and the online television platform Hulu-a joint venture by Disney, Comcast, 21st Century and Time Warner-who have thrown themselves into content production, as have YouTube and Apple, although on a more modest scale. Chief among the challenges it faces, Facebook is under pressure-along with other social media giants-to tackle the proliferation of hate speech and extremist content, trolls and misinformation, while safeguarding freedom of speech. The worsening human trafficking situation HUMAN trafficking has worsened in Bangladesh from Tier 2 in the previous five consecutive years to Tier 2 'Watch List' this time. The US Human Trafficking Report -2017 released by the State Department on Tuesday made the point making it clear that Bangladesh government is not doing enough to stop it. In fact it is not something new but the growing tendency in Bangladesh government establishments not to address the root causes behind it is only making our men and women unsafe. It is noticeable that trafficking in Bangladesh has shot up at alarming levels as it is taking place almost on the nose of the law enforcers and other government agencies. There is no need for US State Department to tell about it because we know that powerful quarters are complicit to such crimes. The deteriorating situation just shows the poor law and order condition in the country in which the criminals gangs are operating non-stop. The report has listed some government efforts to improve the situation during the period under review that include adoption and implementation of rules as provided under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act- 2012. It calls for a national action plan and roadmap on anti-trafficking in 2015-2017 period. But much is being said here than done to clearly suggest that preparation of the rules and the pace of their implementation lack whole hearted commitment and going slow. The government can hardly justify its sincerity in this regard. The report has sounded highly critical on certain nexus between some government establishments and private manpower agents and other syndicates in this regard. In fact the government is making baseless claim of success when the situation is worsening. The real problem is lack of effective legal mechanism to investigate, prosecute and punish the convicts. The government knows which manpower agencies and individuals are running illegal trade in human slavery but the resistance to stop it is from within powerful government quarters. The State Department report has been quite critical on China and particularly on massive human rights violation and human trafficking from Myanmar. The situation is also alarming in India and Pakistan in our region. What concerns us most is that human traffickers from Bangladesh are now sending our youths to Europe changing the routes from Malaysia through Thailand. They are using Dubai, Turkey and Libya as transit points. It is mysterious how they can deceive police and immigration officials at airport. The other point is that a section of police and immigration officials are complicit to the crime. They are not only helping the crime gangs in exchange of money to rob our young people but also destroying their life. It can't go this way. In our view the US State Department report has come as a new reminder to us to do more to stop it. Vote to overhaul Obamacare postponed The Washington post : Senate Republican leaders bowed to pressure from within their own ranks Tuesday and postponed a vote to overhaul the Affordable Care Act until after the Fourth of July recess, raising new doubts about their ability to fulfill one of the GOP's core promises. The delay, which exposes lawmakers to a barrage of lobbying as they face their constituents over the holiday, has left a measure designed to pass swiftly this week teetering in the balance. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had little choice after the number of Senate Republicans who said they would not support a move to bring up the bill this week rose to five after a new budget analysis of the bill . In an effort to bring reluctant Republicans along, President Trump convened a meeting of the Senate GOP Conference in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday afternoon, where members aired grievances about what has been a secretive and contentious process. But even amid the newfound harmony, it was clear that the legislation would still need changes to secure enough votes. "The president got an opportunity to learn all the various positions on things that we've been discussing," McConnell said after the gathering. "We all agreed that, because the markets are imploding, we need to reach an agreement among ourselves here as soon as possible and then move to the floor after the recess." Just how realistic a vote is after July 4 remains unclear. At least one senator who had publicly opposed the procedural vote McConnell had hoped to take Tuesday - Dean Heller (Nev.) - indicated that he was willing to reconsider his initial opposition, if the bill was going to be reworked. At the White House, Heller playfully but pointedly complained about a Trump-allied super PAC that was airing ads against him in Nevada. By Tuesday night, the group had decided to pull the ads, and Heller had signaled to McConnell that he would continue to engage - far from a "yes" vote, but open to discussing his concerns. Heller's willingness to deal prompted the super PAC to back down, said two Republicans familiar with the deliberations, although a Republican familiar with Heller said he had never closed the door on talks. Conservatives are blasting the plan for leaving in place too much of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, while a coalition of patient advocates, doctors and senior citizens' groups have joined Democrats in decrying its proposed cuts to the Medicaid program and rollback of taxes on the wealthy. On Tuesday, Club for Growth President David McIntosh, who has clashed with Republican Party leaders in the past, issued a statement saying the proposal "restores Obamacare." "Only in Washington does repeal translate to restore," McIntosh said. "And while it's hard to imagine, in some ways the Senate's legislation would make our nation's failing health-care system worse." Progressive groups began laying the groundwork to attend senators' public events, while medical providers and groups representing Americans with chronic illnesses predicted that the bill could leave millions without access to adequate medical care. The Congressional Budget Office concluded Monday that the measure would cause an estimated 22 million more Americans to be uninsured by the end of the coming decade while reducing federal spending by $321 billion. See where the Senate health-care bill's subsidy cuts will affect Americans most View Graphic Atul Grover, executive vice president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, told reporters that he and other doctors "take it personally" that the bill would lock people out of insurance for six months if they go for 63 days without a health plan and try to sign up for one the next year. "We're there at the bedside," he said, adding that none of his members would be willing to tell a patient: "I'm sorry about your stage-four cancer. Come back in six months, when your insurance kicks in." [No, the government did not pay for Mitch McConnell's polio care. Charity did.] With Vice President Pence ready to cast a tiebreaking vote on the measure, Republican leaders can lose only two of their 52 members to pass the bill, which no Democrat is willing to support. At the White House, the president sat between two of the bill's holdouts - Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) - and said Republicans are "getting very close" to securing the votes they need even as he acknowledged that they might fail. "This will be great if we get it done," he said. "And if we don't get it done, it's just going to be something that we're not going to like - and that's okay. I understand that very well." Collins described the meeting as productive, and said Trump was "really in listening mode." She added: "He was taking in all of the comments. There were many senators who raised issues, and, as you can imagine, the issues really run the ideological gamut." Members who publicly opposed the bill had faced a full-court lobbying press from party leaders, but they resisted it anyway. Within the past 2 days, Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) has spoken with Trump, Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.). Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) spoke by phone with Trump on Monday and was scheduled to meet with him Tuesday before the vote was scuttled. Johnson said he was "grateful" that the vote was postponed, adding that the "real deadline" would arrive when the Affordable Care Act's insurance markets collapse. Other Republicans, such as Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.), acknowledged that the delay could just as easily jeopardize the bill's prospects. More time, he said, "could be good and it could be bad." Organizers at numerous "Resistance" groups, chastened by their premature celebrations after the House's repeal effort seemed to stall, said that they will use the recess to ramp up pressure on Republicans. CREDO Action, which had organized 45,000 phone calls to Senate offices, planned to increase that number when senators went home. NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood, MoveOn and Daily Action were organizing their own phone banks, while Indivisible groups were organizing visits - and perhaps sit-ins - at local offices. All of that would supplement under-the-radar but attention-grabbing TV ad campaigns from AARP, Protect Our Care, and other progressive and industry groups. The goal, activists said, is to educate voters and break through to local media, which had not often covered the development of the Senate bill on front pages or in newscasts. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that although "the fight is not over," he is confident that Republicans will not succeed because their proposals remain unpopular with the public. "The Republican bill is rotten at the core," Schumer said. "We have a darn good chance of defeating it, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now." Senate leaders had been working with undecided senators to determine whether any skeptics could be won over with additional spending on priorities such as expanding incentives for health-savings accounts favored by conservatives or a fund to help battle opioid addiction favored by Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). Leaders can add about $188 billion in new spending to the bill without running afoul of Senate budget rules. As of Tuesday afternoon, the leaders had not earned the votes of the two members, who issued a joint statement in opposition to the proposal. "As drafted, this bill will not ensure access to affordable health care in West Virginia, does not do enough to combat the opioid epidemic that is devastating my state, cuts traditional Medicaid too deeply, and harms rural health-care providers," Capito said. In a sign of how pervasive opposition to McConnell's plan was, Sen. Jerry Moran (Kan.), usually a reliable GOP vote, tweeted after the measure was delayed: "The Senate health care bill missed the mark for Kansans and therefore did not have my support." Senate leaders had hoped to salvage the effort by using the CBO's estimates of deficit savings to allocate additional funding to try to ease some members' concerns. But the release of the 49-page CBO report late Monday provided a formidable hurdle for the bill. No new senators immediately said they would back the legislation, and Johnson, Paul, Collins and Sen. Mike Lee (Utah) signaled that they would vote against starting debate on the bill in its current form. A fifth senator, Heller, had expressed his opposition last week and has not shown signs of changing his mind. Several Republican senators said they devoted the bulk of Tuesday's meeting to questioning representatives from the CBO about their methods and estimates. Senators complained that the estimates provided in Monday's reports used old data about how many people were covered through the Affordable Care Act and how much their coverage cost. Others asked that CBO analysts start over with fresh numbers. "They're using the March 2016 insurance market," said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). "A lot of what they do is just guessing." According to the CBO, two-thirds of 22 million Americans who would no longer have coverage by 2027 would be low-income people who rely on Medicaid. The rest would be people who otherwise would have private insurance. Among those who buy insurance through the ACA marketplaces, analysts found, the consumers who face the largest increases in premiums would be Americans between the ages of 50 and 64. Next year, about 15 million fewer Americans would have insurance if the Senate bill became law than under the existing law, the CBO projected. That figure, about 1 million fewer than the House bill, would be equivalent to all the residents in 16 states - Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming - losing health coverage. Helicopter launches grenade attacks on Venezuela SC: Maduro Venezuela has been rocked by weeks of civil disturbances Photo: Internet AFP : Venezuela's army has been put on alert after four grenades were hurled at the Supreme Court from a helicopter, President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday, in a potentially dramatic escalation of the violence gripping the oil-rich South American country. The helicopter assault comes a day after Maduro announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion. The beleaguered president, who for weeks has been thundering about alleged coup attempts against him, said the helicopter was flown by a pilot who worked for a former minister. Around 15 shots were fired at the Interior Ministry, Maduro added. "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said in remarks from the Miraflores presidential palace. "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terror attack." No one was hurt in the incident, he said. The government identified the helicopter pilot as a former member of Venezuela's main police force, known as the CICPC.Maduro called on the opposition MUD alliance to denounce the attack but one of its leaders, Freddy Guevara, tweeted there was not yet enough information to comment. Guevara urged people to take part in anti-government rallies Wednesday-the latest in nearly three months of daily streets protests that have left 76 people dead. Photos circulating on social media showed a helicopter flying over Caracas with a banner that read "350 Freedom"-alluding to a constitutional clause recently invoked by the opposition to assert the Maduro government's lack of legitimacy. The photos showed two people on the chopper, one with his face covered with a mask and the other with it visible. Videos on social media showed a man who identified himself as a CICPC detective and said he was fighting tyranny, wants Maduro to resign and for Venezuela to hold early elections. Earlier Tuesday, Maduro repeated claims of a US-backed coup attempt and angrily warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move. "If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence... we would fight," Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters. If a coup prevented his side fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, "we would achieve it by arms." He said an armed intervention in his country would spark a crisis that would dwarf those caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Addressing Trump, he said: "You are responsible for restraining the madness of the Venezuelan right-wing." The opposition regularly accuses Maduro of repressing and jailing opponents. Judicial NGO Foro Penal says there are 383 political prisoners in Venezuela. Addressing a crowd over the weekend, Maduro said detainees would face military trial over an alleged coup plot, backed by Venezuelan opposition leaders and aimed at precipitating a US intervention in the country. "I am not exaggerating when I say it would have involved the arrival of American ships and troops in Venezuelan waters, on Venezuelan soil," Maduro said. And on Saturday the head of the Organization of American States dug his heels in a war of words with Caracas, flatly rejecting its demand that he resign. Maduro had suggested that Luis Almagro-who has criticized the Venezuelan government for violating human rights, interfering in elections and detaining political prisoners-step down in exchange for the country's continued membership in the regional body. Though Almagro dismissed that notion, the OAS General Assembly was unable to reach agreement on a plan to deal with the instability in Venezuela at a meeting in Cancun last week. Moudud slams his Gulshan house demolition BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed on Sunday alleged that Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has started dismantling his Gulshan house unlawfully though a petition to this end awaits the apex court hearing. "Rajuk can't demolish the house as my petition challenging its eviction drive pending with the Supreme Court. It's doing it by force ignoring the law and court," he told UNB. Mentioning that the Supreme Court has fixed June 2 for hearing his petition, Moudud said, "They can wait at least until that period." He said, the government has taken the move out of its political vengeance. Rajuk started demolishing the house on Sunday morning, 18 days after they evicted Moudud from it. Rajuk Executive Magistrate Khandker Waliur Rahman said they are demolishing the house as it has no approved design. As Moudud' attention was drawn to Waliur's comment, he said it is an untruth comment. "I've a design of the house approved by Rajuk." 20 killed in road mishaps in 2 days Staff Reporter : At least 20 people were killed and more than 35 persons injured in road accidents in different parts of the country in the last two days. According to information received in Dhaka, the accidents took place in Khagrachhari, Dhamrai, Ullapara, Shahzadpur, Gopalganj Sadar, Patia and some other places. In Khagrachhari, three persons, including a mother and her baby-girl, were killed on the spot and 15 others received serious injuries when a passenger bus turned turtle at Kalapani under Guimara on Chittagong-Khagrachhari highway on Wednesday. The victims were identified as Ripon Begum, 22, Zannatul Ferdous, 4, from Matiranga and Tariqul Islam, 24 from Guimara. Police said a Chittagong to Khagrachhari-bound passenger bus turned turtle at Kalapani of Guimara when it tried to give space to a vehicle that was coming from the opposite direction. Hearing the news of accident, local people rushed to the spot and rescued the passengers, including 15 injured persons, conducting an operation. Later, the army, police and others joined the operation. Police seized the bus, but the driver and its helper managed to escape the scene. In another accident, three motorcycle riders were crushed under the wheels of a running bus at Shahzadpur in Sirajganj district on Wednesday. The dead were identified as Anowar Hossain and Shariful Islam. The victims, both aged between 28 and 30 years, were going riding a motorbike from Ullapara to Shahzadpur. But they met tragic end of their lives when the Dhaka bound Pabna Express bus coming from opposite direction hit the motorcycle head-to-head which ignited an explosion in the petrol tank of the motorbike. Police seized the killer bus but they failed to nab the driver. The bodies were handed over to the family members of the victims. Besides, another one was killed in a separate road accident when a tyre of an auto-rickshaw blasted at Nabogram in Shahzadpur on Bogra-Nagarbari highway. In Dhamrai, two persons were killed and three other injured when an ambulance carrying dead body collided violently with a roadside tree at Balikha on Dhaka-Aricha highway. Police said the dead were identified as Shafiqul Islam, 28, and Rahim Bhuiyan, 35. The injured were admitted to near hospitals. In Gopalganj, one person named Dilip Kumar Sarkar, 50, was killed and 10 others received injuries when a pickup van carrying 30/35 day labourers fell in a ditch after its driver lost control of the steering wheel on Tuesday. In Patia of Chittagong, three passengers of a CNG-run three wheeler died on the spot after the vehicle fell into a ditch at Sikalbaha. The passengers met the tragic end of life being electrocuted in the water. The victims were Abdul Mannan 24, Mohammad Hossain 20, and Nur Hossain, 28. In Rajshahi, a garment worker named Shariat Ullah, 35, was killed being run over by a passenger bus at Bhadra on Wednesday. Another restaurant businessman Mukul Hossain, 38, was killed when he was crushed under the wheels of a running bus at Mohanpur upazila in Rajshahi. In another accident, a motor-cycle rider was killed and another one received injuries being hit by a loaded truck at Uttar Chyandipur under Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha district on Wednesday. The dead was identified as Raza Mia. New VAT law to be suspended for 2 yrs: Finance Bill passed Proposal to impose excise duty on bank deposit in 3 slabs, continue import duty on rice Staff Reporter : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday requested Finance Minister AMA Muhith to hold up execution of new VAT law for the next two years and to collect VAT as per the existing law during the period. "Amid criticism and no response from businessmen, I request the Finance Minister not to fully implement the new VAT law for the next two years," she said while taking part in a discussion on the proposed budget in the Parliament. The Prime Minister also asked the Finance Minister to reconsider some other aspects of the tax regime he placed in the Parliament for the fiscal year (FY) 2017-2018. The important proposals submitted by the Prime Minister was to continuing the import duty on rice in line with the decision taken by the government recently aimed at containing the rice price, and imposing exercise duty on bank deposit in three tires up to Taka one crore instead of the proposal placed by the Finance Minister in the next year budget. According to the new proposal, rates of excise duty on bank accounts will be as follows. Tk 150 duty on bank accounts with balance of Tk 100,001 to Tk 500,000 in place of Tk 800 which was proposed by the Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the new budget speech. The existing rate of excise duty for the slab is Tk 500. Tk 500 will be charged on bank accounts with deposit of Tk 5,00,001 to Tk 1 million. Muhith's earlier proposals for bank accounts with balance of Tk 1 million and above have remained unchanged. Those with Tk 1 million to Tk 10 million will be charged Tk 2,500 instead of current Tk 1,500. Accounts that have deposits between Tk 10 million and Tk 50 million will be charged Tk 12,000 instead of Tk 7,500. The excise duty on accounts holding over Tk 50 million will be raised to Tk 25,000 from Tk 15,000 now. "The budget is for the people and we certainly don't want them to suffer because of the fiscal plan," the Prime Minister said while placing the proposals in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. Besides, the Prime Minister also said, Bangladesh has to stand on its own feet through increasing internal revenue collection. A begging nation has no dignity and after 45 years of independence the country cannot depend on others, she said. The Prime Minister thanked the country's business community, investors and cross-section of people for their help build a tax, revenue and investment-friendly culture in the country. Sheikh Hasina said, her government has created a revenue-friendly culture by dint of constant efforts. People are now interested to pay tax and conscious people find one kind of 'heroism' in it as taxes are used for country's development, she added. However, the Prime Minister said, the ratio of tax and GDP in Bangladesh should be higher as the present proportion is much low. So a mentality should be developed in people to pay tax, the Prime Minister said. Meanwhile, the Finance Bill 2017 was passed in the Parliament on the day. No Hasina-led supportive govt: BNP UNB, Dhaka : BNP on Wednesday sharply reacted to Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader's comment that election-time supportive government will be formed under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying it is a hint to push the country towards a grave danger. "The election will be conducive to the candidates having the election symbol 'boat' if the supportive government is constituted under Sheikh Hasina, It won't be favourable for fair and participatory polls," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Speaking at a press briefing at BNP's Nayapaltan Central office, he further said, "The Awami League general secretary's such a comment has upset people. We think his remark is an indication of pushing the country towards a deep danger." The BNP leader warned that the government will not allow the ruling party to hold another lopsided election as it did on January 5, 2014. On Tuesday, Quader told reporters in Comilla that the next election will be held under the Election Commission, not under Sheikh Hasina. "Sheikh Hasina will only play the role of a supportive government during the election as per our constitution." Mentioning that people could not cast their votes in the polls held under Hasina in the past, Rizvi said the people no longer want to see any election under the current Prime Minister. He said, there is no use of showing the constitutional rules and obligation as an excuse holding the election under Hasina since the charter can be amended for people's welfare. "Amending the constitution is also a constitutional rule and process." Inclusion of an election-time supportive-government system is a demand of people of all walks of life and all political parties, said Rizvi adding that, "There is no legal barrier to incorporating it in the charter." He also warned that people will resist the government's any plot to hold a unilateral election with their all efforts. "The next general election will not be held under Sheikh Hasina. People will come up with a befitting reply this time if the government tries to implement its any blueprint over the polls." The BNP leader urged the government to take steps for holding a fair and inclusive election shunning its evil designs. Major cyber attack hits businesses around world Reuters : A cyber attack wreaked havoc around the globe on Wednesday, crippling thousands of computers, disrupting operations at ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting production at a chocolate factory in Australia. The virus is believed to have first taken hold on Tuesday in Ukraine where it silently infected computers after users downloaded a popular tax accounting package or visited a local news site, national police and international cyber experts said. The malicious code locked machines and demanded victims post a ransom worth $300 in bitcoins or lose their data entirely. More than 30 victims paid up but security experts are questioning whether extortion was the goal, given the relatively small sum demanded, or whether the hackers were driven by destructive motives rather than financial gain. Ukraine, the epicenter of the cyber strike, has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical power infrastructure since its powerful neighbor annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin, which has consistently rejected the accusations, said on Wednesday it had no information about the origin of the global cyber attack, which also struck Russian companies such as oil giant Rosneft (ROSN.MM) and a steelmaker. ESET, a Slovakian company that sells products to shield computers from viruses, said 80 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, with Italy second hardest hit with about 10 percent. The aim of the latest attack appears to be disruption rather than ransom, said Brian Lord, former deputy director of intelligence and cyber operations at Britain's GCHQ and now managing director at private security firm PGI Cyber. "My sense is this starts to look like a state operating through a proxy ... as a kind of experiment to see what happens," Lord told Reuters on Wednesday. While the malware seemed to be a variant of past campaigns, derived from code known as Eternal Blue believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), experts said it was not as virulent as last month's WannaCry attack. They said Tuesday's virus could leap from computer to computer once unleashed within an organization but, unlike WannaCry, it could not randomly trawl the internet for its next victims, limiting its scope to infect. The introduction of security patches in the wake of the May attack that crippled hundreds of thousands of computers also helped curb the latest malware, though its rapid spread underlined concerns that some businesses have still failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers. After WannaCry, governments, security firms and industrial groups advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft (MSFT.O) security patches. Austria's government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said "a small number" of international firms appeared to be affected, with tens of thousands of computers taken down. A number of the international firms hit have operations in Ukraine, and the virus is believed to have spread within global corporate networks after gaining traction within the country. Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide, has a logistics unit in Ukraine. Other large firms affected, such as French construction materials company Saint Gobain (SGOB.PA) and Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O), which owns chocolate brand Cadbury, also have operations in the country. Maersk was one of the first global firms to be taken down by the cyber attack and its operations at major ports such as Mumbai in India, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Los Angeles on the U.S. west coast were disrupted. The company said on Wednesday it was unable to process new orders and its 76 terminals around the world were becoming increasingly congested. Other companies to succumb included BNP Paribas Real Estate (BNPP.PA), a part of the French bank that provides property and investment management services. "The international cyber attack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack," the bank said on Wednesday. Production at the Cadbury factory on the Australian island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said on Tuesday its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but oil production had not been affected because it switched to backup systems. 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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 China and the Philippines should further enhance political trust and align development strategies to develop a stable and strong bilateral relationship, State Councilor Yang Jiechi said during a meeting on Wednesday with Filipino Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano. Yang said China-Philippines relations have improved under the leadership of both countries' presidents over the past year. Now bilateral relations are maintaining a good momentum in all respects. In the next stage, both sides should further strengthen political trust, deepen cooperation in all fields and, maintain excellent interactions over maritime affairs, Yang said. By doing that, bilateral ties can remain stable and smooth and grow stronger, he said. China supports the Philippines as the chairing country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year. Cayetano said his country appreciates the positive role China has played in maintaining regional peace, stability and development. The Philippines would like to work with China to promote bilateral ties to make greater achievements with opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, the secretary said. By AM Wednesday, June 28, 2017 Share Tweet Share Share Email Detail from the Belfast city crest on a carpet in the City Hall. Photo: Irish Fireside via a CC BY 2.0 licence What does democracy require of Northern Irelands local governments? Local governments should engage the wide participation of local citizens in their governance via voting in regular elections, and an open interest group and local consultation process. Local voting systems should accurately convert parties vote shares into seats on councils, and should be open to new parties entering into competition. As far as possible, consistent with the need for efficient scales of operation, local government areas and institutions should provide an effective expression of local and community identities that are important in civil society (and not just in administrative terms). Local governments should be genuinely independent centres of decision-making, with sufficient own financial revenues and policy autonomy to be able to make meaningful choices on behalf of their citizens. Given the special history of Northern Ireland, deliberative policy-making has a particularly key role in building local political harmony and understanding of multiple viewpoints and interests. Local governments are typically subject to some supervision on key aspects of their conduct and policies by a higher tier of government. But they should enjoy a degree of constitutional protection (or entrenchment) for key roles, and an assurance that cannot simply be abolished, bypassed or fully programmed by their supervisory tier of government The principle of subsidiarity says that policy issues that can be effectively handled in decentralised ways should be allocated to the lowest tier of government, closest to citizens. Add caption Current strengths Current weaknesses Local authorities across the UK have no entrenched constitutional protections. However, following their protracted and controversial creation process, Northern Ireland councils have perhaps more protection from further changes coming from the tier above them. Despite a proportional electoral system, important groups are under-represented. Only a quarter of councillors are women, lower than the percentage of women in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Citizens who identify as neither nationalist nor unionist may also not be adequately represented. The PR-STV electoral system is broadly proportional. The preferential voting aspect of the system minimises the likelihood of wasted votes. Relatively high levels of turnout may partly reflect the continuing salience of sectarian loyalties (linked to ethno-national political competition) rather than a high level of engagement with municipal issues per se. Participation levels in local government elections are relatively high, facilitated by a tradition of holding them concurrently with elections to other levels of government. Under STV you cannot easily hold by-elections, since the process relies on multi-member seats. Instead the political party holding the seat is allowed to nominate (co-opt in) a new person when councillor vacancies arise. This gives parties a lot of power, since one in ten councillors across Northern Ireland has been co-opted. Between May 2014 and April 2017, 42 co-options have been made across Northern Ireland, at least one on every council. The highest number has been made on Belfast City Council, where 18.3% of incumbent councillors are unelected. Councillors are no longer permitted to hold multiple mandates. The shift away from double-jobbing is designed to promote clearer electoral accountabilities. Despite recent reforms of local government, there has been no effort to introduce innovative mechanisms of public consultation, such as citizen juries or planning cells. The transfer of local planning powers to councils may help to promote transparency in and engagement with local decision-making. Future opportunities Future threats The transfer of some additional powers to local government level may increase support for additional democratic reforms, such as developing better or new forms of public consultation. Gaining these additional powers could help focus councillors minds away from controversial issues of symbolism towards more substantive policy decisions that lack any obvious ethno-national connection. The recent election to the Northern Ireland Assembly (2 March 2017) was preceded by a bitter campaign, showing an increasing salience of the ethno-national dimension. This may trigger regressive polarising motions and debates in local councils in reaction. As the dispute over the flying of the flag at Belfast City Hall demonstrated, decisions on sensitive issues even if they are the result of a democratic procedure can stir fervent opposition beyond the council chamber. In the event that the fragile power-sharing administration fails to re-start (or collapses) at Stormont, representatives from the local government level will play a greater role in mitigating any democratic deficit. If direct rule has to be restored, because Stormont cannot, the oversight responsibilities for three key quasi-government agencies with urban roles - the Housing Executive, Education Authority and Transport NI - will transfer to Westminster. This would add further distance between citizens and accountability mechanisms over major agencies of local/regional government. There has been some trend towards fostering local economic development at least in bi-partisan ways. There is still not a consensus on all the key roles played by local governments across the main parties, and sensitive sectarian issues can arise in many applied policy contexts. [The change] will make planning more locally accountable, giving local politicians the opportunity to shape the areas within which they are elected. Decision making processes will be improved by bringing an enhanced understanding of the needs and aspirations of local communities. Hurricane Update: Fears arise that Gov. Ron DeSantis may reroute Hurricane Ian from Florida coast to Martha's Vineyard Study: People who define themselves by what they stand against, are usually afraid to tell people what they stand for Liz Cheney: Voters need to ask themselves, why they are so out of touch with their politicians White House: IRS toy guns for children are now politically correct, mandatory BREAKING: Biden's economic sanctions on the U.S. to be partially lifted prior to November election GOP's new slogan for midterms: Make Dissent Patriotic Again PSA: Due to high gas prices police departments will now be responding and making arrests via Zoom. NYT: Roe vs Wade to be renamed the "Don't Say Fetus" law Democrats insist on carrying unwanted presidency to term Elon Musk went to bed thinking he owns Twitter. Then the mail-in ballots arrived at 2am... Obama: "If you like your information you can keep your information" Fact checkers reveal Biden handler not a real Easter bunny Biden 2021: you'll save $0.16 on 4th of July BBQ! Biden 2022: you'll save a ton of $$ if you don't eat this 4th of July! Disney to buy Epstein Island for new theme park The Biology Underground is like the Weather Underground, except they are real biologists and they've had to go underground "Psssst. Hey you, kid. Ya wanna watch a Disney movie with me?" "I am not suicidal," says COVID-19 after being contracted by Hillary Clinton Trans-swimmer Lia Thomas's trophy is smaller than for male swimmers, and only 73% gold Sources: U.S. now considers majority of U.S. citizens a threat to U.S. BREAKING: Russian General claims he was beaten up outside Ukrainian bio lab by two Nazis who poured vodka and caviar over him and yelled "This is NATO Country!" Global warming news: 100,000 Russian migrants fleeing climate change about to march into Ukraine Future headline: Donald Trump to buy CNN for one dollar Georgia Governor Stacy Abrams feels honored to be the new Supreme Court justice President Biden: 'Vote for me or I'll shoot this foot' Fact checkers give Pinocchio's speech four Bidens Fauci: The only thing we have to fear, is a lack of fear itself! Study: Most people have had sex more violent than January 6th Facebook permanently bans Facebook from Facebook for violating Facebook community standards New remake of the 1950's horror movie Them to be titled Them/They Teachers Union: Idea that CRT is being taught in K-12 just a conspiracy theory by white supremacists trying to maintain their systemically racist police state Xze/She/He who controls the past controls the future; Xze/She/He who controls the present controls the past S ocialists vow to fight against Critical Socialism Theory A more perfect Soviet Union: the Party pretends it unites us, and we pretend we are united Biden solves border crisis with free direct flights from Central America to major metropolitan areas Critical race theory: destroy the world of systemic racism, build a world of systemic race-baiting In the future everyone will get canceled for fifteen minutes Biden proposes bill to spend two trillion dollars on more money printing factories Social unity: They pretend to hold elections and we pretend we voted Immigrants to Texas and Florida from New York and California break down and cry when they realize all their sacrifices for a better tomorrow were based on lies China anal swabs detect new 'silent but deadly' transmission of covid-19 variant Social science breakthrough: 'White' is the new way of saying 'Bourgeois' Biden administration swat teams make sweeping arrests of underground female-only track meets 'Green energy' to be renamed 'blackout energy' for easier comprehension of climate complexities New children's game: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Science Texas: Biden administration sends emergency wind turbines to help fight the blackouts BREAKING: Biden signs executive order canceling the number 45 ATTENTION: It is your duty to report anyone who says this is no longer a free country. Fact-checking commissars are monitoring all state-approved social media platforms for your convenience OUT: If you don't vote, you can't complain! IN: If you didn't vote Democrat, you can't complain! Social media justice: followers removed from pro-Trump accounts will be added to Biden's Twitter account Fact check: a democratic election is the one in which votes are counted until Democrats win JUST IN: China bans Twitter for being too totalitarian Pelosi introduces new House rule to replace 'gender' terms like mother, daughter, father, son with the word 'comrade'; the only acceptable pronoun will also be 'comrade' Sources: Biden transition team demands access to White House basement to begin renovations BREAKING: President Trump pardons America for its past Prime Minister Modi: to avoid accusations of racism India will change its name to Cleveland Biden creates Antifascist Librarian Justice Committee; the first book scheduled for burning is Fahrenheit 451 Media study: 148% of Americans believe voter fraud doesn't exist 2020 Election forecast: if Joe Biden emerges from the basement on Election Day and sees his shadow, expect four more years of Trump BREAKING: President Trump pardons Corn Pop Toobin, though on administrative leave, is still pulling for Biden Chinese whistleblower: Biden-20 was genetically engineered in a Wuhan lab Nancy Pelosi sponsors a bill to create the office of removal of the President New college humanities major: Critical Trump Studies Opinion: Joe Biden is just an idea CNN: Biden took a solid second place in the debate, while Trump only came next to last Having ordered that all Californians switch to electric cars by 2035, Gov. Gavin Newsom follows up by mandating them to have electricity by 2035 Election 2020: Joe Biden pledges to a peaceful post-election transfer of power to George Soros Out: Flatten the curve. In: Flatten the country. Breaking: the Democrat Party has finished transitioning from being the party of JFK to being the party of Lee Harvey Oswald Paradigm shift in Chromatics: Study shows Indigo (#3F00FF) mixed with Jamaic (#C0FF01) yields Black (#000000) Study: the trouble with wokeism is eventually you run out of victims Stacey Abrams refuses to concede to Harris; declares herself Biden's VP Election 2020: Spunky former presidential candidate wins VP slot by a head Churches in many states to hold services in opened up pubs and bars Election 2020: Xi Jinping still undecided on vice president for Joe Biden Reports: Republicans pounce on 'Republicans pounce' reports Minneapolis launches online looting app to combat Covid-19 DNC study finds lockdowns no longer necessary as the economy is now being destroyed more effectively by looters and rioters With America in lockdown, China offers to host Democrat primary Bernie Sanders tests negative for President In related news, Joe Biden follows other candidates in withdrawing from race and endorsing Joe Biden New York Governor Cuomo shuts down all 'non-essential' business, surprised to find himself out of a job Biden commits to picking a woman as running mate as long as she passes his sniff test Joe Biden's coronavirus prevention tips: always rub hand sanitizer on young girls before sniffing and fondling them Russian lawmakers warned that the American Democrats are meddling to re-elect Putin Joe Biden promises lucrative board member jobs as door prizes to get people to his rallies Democrats now worried they might even lose the illegal alien vote Soleimani's remains FedExed back to Iran and now no one knows what happened to the box BREAKING: massive search underway in Iran after Soleimani's boxed FedEx'd remains stolen off front porch Liz Warren harshly critical of Biden's suggestion to coal miners that they should learn to code, offers to have them trained as romance novelists instead Pelosi: "First we have to impeach Donald Trump before we can find out why we impeached him." Schiff calls his Amazon Alexa to testify: 'She knows absolutely everything' Iran answers to new Reagan statue in Berlin by erecting Obama statue at Tehran airport where he delivered pallets of cash California accepts award for most progressive environmental policies; further progressive developments to be announced as blackouts permit BREAKING: Romney DNA test reveals he is 1/1024th Republican California Governor Gavin Newsom blames electricity blackouts on Ukrainian kulaks, vows revenge Rat falling from White House ceiling fears for his life, begs reporters for protection, offers a tell-all memoir Latest UN climate report shows this month so far has seen the scariest climate pronouncements on record Climate science: there's no need for climate protests in China because China is already communist Islamic clerics split on whether Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib should be traveling around the world without an accompanying male relative Dem candidates call for the Beatles' song 'Get Back' and the 'White Album' to be banned; surviving two white guys of the group must pay reparations Bond's number is up: next 007 will be a black woman, played by Barack Obama NYT: moon landing was one small step for Man, one giant leap for White Male Supremacy HURRICANE WATCH: Tropical storm Barry has records sealed, once offshore expected to change name to Barack Trump politicizes the 4th of July, declares it henceforth to be called the 45th of July, or July the Trumpth Barack Obama critical of Trump for failing to insert 'I, me, my' into his 4th of July speech: "very unpresidential!" Congressional Democrats: John Dean's testimony proves Trump is Nixon in disguise and must be impeached Bernie Sanders admits to being a millionaire, promises to eat himself if nominated International Women's Day observed, women only paid 73% of attention afforded to men Democrats: anti-Semitism means never having to say you're sorry AOC: aborting babies helps preserve the planet for the next generation Bernie Sanders launches presidential campaign, promises to "build a great big beautiful Iron Curtain" around America if elected West Virginia renames itself Eastern Kentucky to avoid further embarrassment from Virginia BREAKING: Justice Ginsburg released from hospital after breaking 3 ribs at late night bar brawl in Adams Morgan DNA news: Senator Warren tanking in latest totem polls Orwell studies: 84% of academics believe problems raised in 1984 can be fixed with solutions from Animal Farm Progress in gender justice: online dating industry issues recommendations for men to wear body cameras, bring attorneys as chaperones Study: the only people who don't know what socialism is are the socialists Poll: 1 in 3 #FightFor15 activists believe movement is related to lowering the age of consent across America CNN expert: Kavanaugh confirmation will increase global warming by 3 degrees Harry Reid comes forth to say Judge Kavanaugh didn't pay any taxes in high school Hollywood to America: If you've got a flag on the Moon, you didn't plant that; some other country made that happen Protest march in straight jackets against Trump ends in chaos as participants try but fail to free themselves HEADLINES YOU WILL NEVER SEE: California Gov. Jerry Brown single-handedly stops wildfires in his state by issuing an immediate statewide ban on wildfires San Francisco closes all Planned Parenthood clinics after sting operation catches employees using plastic straws Vegan mother undergoes experimental surgery to force her breasts to produce almond milk With none of his emails answered, frustrated Nigerian man commits suicide and leaves $100bn fortune to charity California gives new meaning to strawman argument as caped Strawman battles supervillains in restaurants, bars, and fast food joints Violence increases in Mexico as cartels switch from smuggling drugs to plastic straws to San Francisco Obama proposes a Paris Economic Change agreement among nations to address how world will cope with future runaway economic warming Stormy Daniels plans border visit to give migrant children freebies San Francisco: man dumping off 20 lbs of human waste in plastic bag on street corner cited for using non-biodegradable plastic bag BREAKING: ICE renamed Planned Citizenship, immediately absolving it of all criticism Senate Democrats demand Supreme Court nominee not be unduly influenced by U.S. Constitution BREAKING: In 2018, Obama and Biden can finally celebrate Recovery Summer IG Report: the FBI broke the law, but since there was no criminal intent, no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case Pelosi on Trump's MS-13 "animals" comments: "Four legs good, two legs bad" Iran nuclear talks set to resume between the United States and John Kerry Report: The Mueller investigation has finally determined that the lyrics to Louie Louie are not about Trump and Russian collusion MARKETS: Demand for carbon credits spikes as Hamas seeks to undo damage to Earth's atmosphere caused by burning 10,000 tires on Gaza border BREAKING: After state reassignment surgery Pennsylvania will henceforth be known as Transylvania Experts: If we don't act now, unicorns will be extinct in just ten years. Children will ask, "Mommy, what's a unicorn?" Women and minorities will be forced to seek alternative hallucinations Korean war must continue: Hawaiian federal judge declares Trump's peace effort unconstitutional New York: feminists march on Broadway, demand the street be given new, non-misogynistic name Experts: California's planned transition of all state jobs from citizens to illegal aliens by 2020 will help to avoid bankruptcy and save money for social programs for illegal aliens Putin: If I didn't want Hillary to be president she would be dead Doritos maker PepsiCo to introduce snack line for women; new Doritas chips will be 77% as big as Doritos and won't make any scary 'crunchy noises' TMZ: Tooth Fairy accused of sexually assaulting millions of children, outs self as Transgendered Tooth Recovery Specialist RUSSIA COLLUSION: Trump offers Putin to trade Rep. Maxine Waters for two unnamed members of the State Duma Ikea founder dead at 91; his coffin arrived in a box with confusing instructions and took 3 hours to assemble This Thanksgiving ex-president Obama continues with his tradition of apologizing to turkeys everywhere for the injustice they suffered since America's founding Oslo, Norway: 2017 Nobel Peace Prize goes to advocacy group about which you'll forget immediately after reading this headline Cambridge, MA, library to replace racist 'Cat in the Hat' with inclusive 'Che in a Beret' Millions of men worldwide eagerly await broadcast of Hugh Hefner's funeral, solely for the articles Bill Gates offers to pay for Trump's wall on condition he gets to install Windows Bernie Sanders introduces single-payer public transportation bill to end America's unequal, unfair, and expensive private transportation system DNC embroiled in controversy after official Twitter account accidentally 'likes' pictures of US Constitution and Bill of Rights Hurricane Irma hits Cuba, causes millions of dollars worth of improvements to property and infrastructure Climate study: extreme weather may be caused by unlicensed witches casting wrong spells in well-meaning effort to destroy Trump Ex-president Obama declares Irma "Hurricane of Peace," urges not to jump to conclusions and succumb to stormophobia CNN: Trump reverses Obama's executive order banning hurricanes ISIS claims responsibility for a total solar eclipse over the lands of American crusaders and nonbelievers When asked if they could point to North Korea on a map many college students didn't know what a map was CNN: We must bring America into the 21st century by replacing the 18th century Constitution with 19th century poetry Pelosi: 'We have to impeach the president in order to find out what we impeached him for' BREAKING: As of Saturday July 8, 2017, all of Earth's ecosystems have shut down as per Prince Charles's super scientific pronouncement made 96 months ago. Everything is dead. All is lost. Life on Earth is no more. DNC to pick new election slogan out of four finalists: 'Give us more government or everyone dies,' 'Vote for Democrats or everyone dies,' 'Impeach Trump or everyone dies,' 'Stop the fearmongering or everyone dies' Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" is humanity's last chance to save the Earth before it ends five years ago Experts: The more we embrace diversity the more everything is the same BOMBSHELL: TMZ offers Kathy Griffin $5 mil to keep any future sex tape private DEVELOPING: CNN, WaPo, NYT anonymous sources say Vladimir Putin may have ties to Russia BREAKING: Manning and Snowden have come out with strong condemnation of Donald Trump leaking classified information to Russia Gun store goes into lockdown over report an "active university professor" roving the grounds Dozens injured at Ralph Lauren & Louis Vuitton headquarters after Ivanka calls in missile strikes on rival fashion houses BOMBSHELL: Evidence proves Donald Trump conspired with his campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton University ranked "very intolerant of free speech" fights the accusation by banning the study and all involved Concerned that Russians don't consume enough alcohol in the month of March, Russia's Orthodox Church makes St. Patrick's Day official holiday Grassroots group calls for "The Million Regulators March" on Washington, supported by all who fear the loss of their betters telling them what to do Experts: Starbucks CEO Schultz's hiring of 10,000 Muslim refugees likely to blow up in his face Will the groundprog be frightened by its own shadow and hide - or will there be another season of insane protests? Trump signs executive order making California and New York national monuments; residents have two days to vacate Women's March against fascism completed with 400,000 fewer deaths than anticipated Feminist historians uncover ghastly concentration camps where so-called "housewives" were forced to live inauthentic lives slaving away in kitchens Dictionary of the future: Global Warming was a popular computer simulation game, where the only way to win was not to play "Anti-fascist" groups violently protest misspelling of their original name, "aren't-we-fascists" Post-inauguration blues: millions of democrats distraught as the reality of having to find real jobs sets in "Journalism is the continuation of war by other means" is exposed as a fake quote by mainstream media journalists Congressional Democrats: "We cannot just simply replace Obamacare with freedom because then millions of Americans will suddenly become free" Schoolchildren jailed for building only white snowmen Obama's reckless attacks on Russia serve as recruitment tool to create more Russian hackers Hillary: "I lost, so I'm going to follow our democratic traditions, poison the wells, and scorch the earth" Children in Venezuela cook and eat their Christmas toys Hillary: "I can hack Russia from my bathroom" Hillary suggests to counter "fake news" with government newspaper called "Truth" ("Pravda" for Russian speakers) BREAKING: Millions of uncounted votes found on Hillary's private voting machine in her Chappaqua bathroom New York Times: Fidel Castro world's sexiest corpse After years of trial and error, CIA finally succeeds with the "waiting it out" technique on Fidel Castro Post-election shopping tip: look for the PoliticsFree label at your local grocer to make sure you don't buy from companies that don't want your business anymore In Hillary's America, email server scrubs you Obama transfers his Nobel Peace Prize to anti-Trump rioters Democrats blame Hillary's criminal e-mail server for her loss, demand it face prison Afraid of "dangerous" Trump presidency, protesters pre-emptively burn America down to the ground Clinton Foundation in foreclosure as foreign donors demand refunds Hillary Clinton blames YouTube video for unexpected and spontaneous voter uprising that prevented her inevitable move into the White House Sudden rise in sea levels explained by disproportionately large tears shed by climate scientists in the aftermath of Trump's electoral victory FBI director Comey delighted after receiving Nobel Prize for Speed Reading (650,000 emails in one week) U.N. deploys troops to American college campuses in order to combat staggeringly low rape rates Responding to Trump's surging poll numbers, Obama preemptively pardons himself for treason Following hurricane Matthew's failure to devastate Florida, activists flock to the Sunshine State and destroy Trump signs manually Tim Kaine takes credit for interrupting hurricane Matthew while debating weather in Florida Study: Many non-voters still undecided on how they're not going to vote The Evolution of Dissent: on November 8th the nation is to decide whether dissent will stop being racist and become sexist - or it will once again be patriotic as it was for 8 years under George W. Bush Venezuela solves starvation problem by making it mandatory to buy food Breaking: the Clinton Foundation set to investigate the FBI Obama captures rare Pokemon while visiting Hiroshima Movie news: 'The Big Friendly Giant Government' flops at box office; audiences say "It's creepy" Barack Obama: "If I had a son, he'd look like Micah Johnson" White House edits Orlando 911 transcript to say shooter pledged allegiance to NRA and Republican Party President George Washington: 'Redcoats do not represent British Empire; King George promotes a distorted version of British colonialism' Following Obama's 'Okie-Doke' speech, stock of Okie-Doke soars; NASDAQ: 'Obama best Okie-Doke salesman' Weaponized baby formula threatens Planned Parenthood office; ACLU demands federal investigation of Gerber Experts: melting Antarctic glacier could cause sale levels to rise up to 80% off select items by this weekend Travel advisory: airlines now offering flights to front of TSA line As Obama instructs his administration to get ready for presidential transition, Trump preemptively purchases 'T' keys for White House keyboards John Kasich self-identifies as GOP primary winner, demands access to White House bathroom Upcoming Trump/Kelly interview on FoxNews sponsored by 'Let's Make a Deal' and 'The Price is Right' News from 2017: once the evacuation of Lena Dunham and 90% of other Hollywood celebrities to Canada is confirmed, Trump resigns from presidency: "My work here is done" Non-presidential candidate Paul Ryan pledges not to run for president in new non-presidential non-ad campaign Trump suggests creating 'Muslim database'; Obama symbolically protests by shredding White House guest logs beginning 2009 National Enquirer: John Kasich's real dad was the milkman, not mailman National Enquirer: Bound delegates from Colorado, Wyoming found in Ted Cruzs basement Iran breaks its pinky-swear promise not to support terrorism; US State Department vows rock-paper-scissors strategic response Women across the country cheer as racist Democrat president on $20 bill is replaced by black pro-gun Republican Federal Reserve solves budget crisis by writing itself a 20-trillion-dollar check Widows, orphans claim responsibility for Brussels airport bombing Che Guevara's son hopes Cuba's communism will rub off on US, proposes a long list of people the government should execute first Susan Sarandon: "I don't vote with my vagina." Voters in line behind her still suspicious, use hand sanitizer Campaign memo typo causes Hillary to court 'New Black Panties' vote New Hampshire votes for socialist Sanders, changes state motto to "Live FOR Free or Die" Martin O'Malley drops out of race after Iowa Caucus; nation shocked with revelation he has been running for president Statisticians: one out of three Bernie Sanders supporters is just as dumb as the other two Hillary campaign denies accusations of smoking-gun evidence in her emails, claims they contain only smoking-circumstantial-gun evidence Obama stops short of firing US Congress upon realizing the difficulty of assembling another group of such tractable yes-men In effort to contol wild passions for violent jihad, White House urges gun owners to keep their firearms covered in gun burkas TV horror live: A Charlie Brown Christmas gets shot up on air by Mohammed cartoons Democrats vow to burn the country down over Ted Cruz statement, 'The overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats' Russia's trend to sign bombs dropped on ISIS with "This is for Paris" found response in Obama administration's trend to sign American bombs with "Return to sender" University researchers of cultural appropriation quit upon discovery that their research is appropriation from a culture that created universities Archeologists discover remains of what Barack Obama has described as unprecedented, un-American, and not-who-we-are immigration screening process in Ellis Island Mizzou protests lead to declaring entire state a "safe space," changing Missouri motto to "The don't show me state" Green energy fact: if we put all green energy subsidies together in one-dollar bills and burn them, we could generate more electricity than has been produced by subsidized green energy State officials improve chances of healthcare payouts by replacing ObamaCare with state lottery NASA's new mission to search for racism, sexism, and economic inequality in deep space suffers from race, gender, and class power struggles over multibillion-dollar budget College progress enforcement squads issue schematic humor charts so students know if a joke may be spontaneously laughed at or if regulations require other action ISIS opens suicide hotline for US teens depressed by climate change and other progressive doomsday scenarios Virginia county to close schools after teacher asks students to write 'death to America' in Arabic 'Wear hijab to school day' ends with spontaneous female circumcision and stoning of a classmate during lunch break ISIS releases new, even more barbaric video in an effort to regain mantle from Planned Parenthood Impressed by Fox News stellar rating during GOP debates, CNN to use same formula on Democrat candidates asking tough, pointed questions about Republicans Shocking new book explores pros and cons of socialism, discovers they are same people Pope outraged by Planned Parenthood's "unfettered capitalism," demands equal redistribution of baby parts to each according to his need John Kerry accepts Iran's "Golden Taquiyya" award, requests jalapenos on the side Citizens of Pluto protest US government's surveillance of their planetoid and its moons with New Horizons space drone John Kerry proposes 3-day waiting period for all terrorist nations trying to acquire nuclear weapons Chicago Police trying to identify flag that caused nine murders and 53 injuries in the city this past weekend Cuba opens to affordable medical tourism for Americans who can't afford Obamacare deductibles State-funded research proves existence of Quantum Aggression Particles (Heterons) in Large Hadron Collider Student job opportunities: make big bucks this summer as Hillarys Ordinary-American; all expenses paid, travel, free acting lessons Experts debate whether Iranian negotiators broke John Kerry's leg or he did it himself to get out of negotiations Junior Varsity takes Ramadi, advances to quarterfinals US media to GOP pool of candidates: 'Knowing what we know now, would you have had anything to do with the founding of the United States?' NY Mayor to hold peace talks with rats, apologize for previous Mayor's cowboy diplomacy China launches cube-shaped space object with a message to aliens: "The inhabitants of Earth will steal your intellectual property, copy it, manufacture it in sweatshops with slave labor, and sell it back to you at ridiculously low prices" Progressive scientists: Truth is a variable deduced by subtracting 'what is' from 'what ought to be' Experts agree: Hillary Clinton best candidate to lessen percentage of Americans in top 1% America's attempts at peace talks with the White House continue to be met with lies, stalling tactics, and bad faith Starbucks new policy to talk race with customers prompts new hashtag #DontHoldUpTheLine Hillary: DELETE is the new RESET Charlie Hebdo receives Islamophobe 2015 award; the cartoonists could not be reached for comment due to their inexplicable, illogical deaths Russia sends 'reset' button back to Hillary: 'You need it now more than we do' Barack Obama finds out from CNN that Hillary Clinton spent four years being his Secretary of State President Obama honors Leonard Nimoy by taking selfie in front of Starship Enterprise Police: If Obama had a convenience store, it would look like Obama Express Food Market Study finds stunning lack of racial, gender, and economic diversity among middle-class white males NASA: We're 80% sure about being 20% sure about being 17% sure about being 38% sure about 2014 being the hottest year on record People holding '$15 an Hour Now' posters sue Democratic party demanding raise to $15 an hour for rendered professional protesting services Cuba-US normalization: US tourists flock to see Cuba before it looks like the US and Cubans flock to see the US before it looks like Cuba White House describes attacks on Sony Pictures as 'spontaneous hacking in response to offensive video mocking Juche and its prophet' CIA responds to Democrat calls for transparency by releasing the director's cut of The Making Of Obama's Birth Certificate Obama: 'If I had a city, it would look like Ferguson' Biden: 'If I had a Ferguson (hic), it would look like a city' Obama signs executive order renaming 'looters' to 'undocumented shoppers' Ethicists agree: two wrongs do make a right so long as Bush did it first The aftermath of the 'War on Women 2014' finds a new 'Lost Generation' of disillusioned Democrat politicians, unable to cope with life out of office White House: Republican takeover of the Senate is a clear mandate from the American people for President Obama to rule by executive orders Nurse Kaci Hickox angrily tells reporters that she won't change her clocks for daylight savings time Democratic Party leaders in panic after recent poll shows most Democratic voters think 'midterm' is when to end pregnancy Desperate Democratic candidates plead with Obama to stop backing them and instead support their GOP opponents Ebola Czar issues five-year plan with mandatory quotas of Ebola infections per each state based on voting preferences Study: crony capitalism is to the free market what the Westboro Baptist Church is to Christianity Fun facts about world languages: the Left has more words for statism than the Eskimos have for snow African countries to ban all flights from the United States because "Obama is incompetent, it scares us" Nobel Peace Prize controversy: Hillary not nominated despite having done even less than Obama to deserve it Obama: 'Ebola is the JV of viruses' BREAKING: Secret Service foils Secret Service plot to protect Obama Revised 1st Amendment: buy one speech, get the second free Sharpton calls on white NFL players to beat their women in the interests of racial fairness President Obama appoints his weekly approval poll as new national security adviser Obama wags pen and phone at Putin; Europe offers support with powerful pens and phones from NATO members White House pledges to embarrass ISIS back to the Stone Age with a barrage of fearsome Twitter messages and fatally ironic Instagram photos Obama to fight ISIS with new federal Terrorist Regulatory Agency Obama vows ISIS will never raise their flag over the eighteenth hole Harry Reid: "Sometimes I say the wong thing" Elian Gonzalez wishes he had come to the U.S. on a bus from Central America like all the other kids Obama visits US-Mexican border, calls for a two-state solution Obama draws "blue line" in Iraq after Putin took away his red crayon "Hard Choices," a porno flick loosely based on Hillary Clinton's memoir and starring Hillary Hellfire as a drinking, whoring Secretary of State, wildly outsells the flabby, sagging original Accusations of siding with the enemy leave Sgt. Bergdahl with only two options: pursue a doctorate at Berkley or become a Senator from Massachusetts Jay Carney stuck in line behind Eric Shinseki to leave the White House; estimated wait time from 15 min to 6 weeks 100% of scientists agree that if man-made global warming were real, "the last people we'd want to help us is the Obama administration" Jay Carney says he found out that Obama found out that he found out that Obama found out that he found out about the latest Obama administration scandal on the news "Anarchy Now!" meeting turns into riot over points of order, bylaws, and whether or not 'kicking the #^@&*! ass' of the person trying to speak is or is not violence Obama retaliates against Putin by prohibiting unionized federal employees from dating hot Russian girls online during work hours Russian separatists in Ukraine riot over an offensive YouTube video showing the toppling of Lenin statues "Free Speech Zones" confuse Obamaphone owners who roam streets in search of additional air minutes Obamacare bolsters employment for professionals with skills to convert meth back into sudafed Gloves finally off: Obama uses pen and phone to cancel Putin's Netflix account Joe Biden to Russia: "We will bury you by turning more of Eastern Europe over to your control!" In last-ditch effort to help Ukraine, Obama deploys Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow Coalition to Crimea Al Sharpton: "Not even Putin can withstand our signature chanting, 'racist, sexist, anti-gay, Russian army go away'!" Mardi Gras in North Korea: "Throw me some food!" Obama's foreign policy works: "War, invasion, and conquest are signs of weakness; we've got Putin right where we want him" US offers military solution to Ukraine crisis: "We will only fight countries that have LGBT military" Putin annexes Brighton Beach to protect ethnic Russians in Brooklyn, Obama appeals to UN and EU for help The 1980s: "Mr. Obama, we're just calling to ask if you want our foreign policy back. The 1970s are right here with us, and they're wondering, too." In a stunning act of defiance, Obama courageously unfriends Putin on Facebook MSNBC: Obama secures alliance with Austro-Hungarian Empire against Russias aggression in Ukraine Study: springbreak is to STDs what April 15th is to accountants Efforts to achieve moisture justice for California thwarted by unfair redistribution of snow in America North Korean voters unanimous: "We are the 100%" Leader of authoritarian gulag-site, The People's Cube, unanimously 're-elected' with 100% voter turnout Super Bowl: Obama blames Fox News for Broncos' loss Feminist author slams gay marriage: "a man needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" Beverly Hills campaign heats up between Henry Waxman and Marianne Williamson over the widening income gap between millionaires and billionaires in their district Biden to lower $10,000-a-plate Dinner For The Homeless to $5,000 so more homeless can attend Kim becomes world leader, feeds uncle to dogs; Obama eats dogs, becomes world leader, America cries uncle North Korean leader executes own uncle for talking about Obamacare at family Christmas party White House hires part-time schizophrenic Mandela sign interpreter to help sell Obamacare Kim Jong Un executes own "crazy uncle" to keep him from ruining another family Christmas OFA admits its advice for area activists to give Obamacare Talk at shooting ranges was a bad idea President resolves Obamacare debacle with executive order declaring all Americans equally healthy Obama to Iran: "If you like your nuclear program, you can keep your nuclear program" Bovine community outraged by flatulence coming from Washington DC Obama: "I'm not particularly ideological; I believe in a good pragmatic five-year plan" Shocker: Obama had no knowledge he'd been reelected until he read about it in the local newspaper last week Server problems at HealthCare.gov so bad, it now flashes 'Error 808' message NSA marks National Best Friend Day with official announcement: "Government is your best friend; we know you like no one else, we're always there, we're always willing to listen" Al Qaeda cancels attack on USA citing launch of Obamacare as devastating enough The President's latest talking point on Obamacare: "I didn't build that" Dizzy with success, Obama renames his wildly popular healthcare mandate to HillaryCare Carney: huge ObamaCare deductibles won't look as bad come hyperinflation Washington Redskins drop 'Washington' from their name as offensive to most Americans Poll: 83% of Americans favor cowboy diplomacy over rodeo clown diplomacy GOVERNMENT WARNING: If you were able to complete ObamaCare form online, it wasn't a legitimate gov't website; you should report online fraud and change all your passwords Obama administration gets serious, threatens Syria with ObamaCare Obama authorizes the use of Vice President Joe Biden's double-barrel shotgun to fire a couple of blasts at Syria Sharpton: "British royals should have named baby 'Trayvon.' By choosing 'George' they sided with white Hispanic racist Zimmerman" DNC launches 'Carlos Danger' action figure; proceeds to fund a charity helping survivors of the Republican War on Women Nancy Pelosi extends abortion rights to the birds and the bees Hubble discovers planetary drift to the left Obama: 'If I had a daughter-in-law, she would look like Rachael Jeantel' FISA court rubberstamps statement denying its portrayal as government's rubber stamp Every time ObamaCare gets delayed, a Julia somewhere dies GOP to Schumer: 'Force full implementation of ObamaCare before 2014 or Dems will never win another election' Obama: 'If I had a son... no, wait, my daughter can now marry a woman!' Janet Napolitano: TSA findings reveal that since none of the hijackers were babies, elderly, or Tea Partiers, 9/11 was not an act of terrorism News Flash: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) can see Canada from South Dakota Susan Rice: IRS actions against tea parties caused by anti-tax YouTube video that was insulting to their faith Drudge Report reduces font to fit all White House scandals onto one page Obama: the IRS is a constitutional right, just like the Second Amendment White House: top Obama officials using secret email accounts a result of bad IT advice to avoid spam mail from Nigeria Jay Carney to critics: 'Pinocchio never said anything inconsistent' Obama: If I had a gay son, he'd look like Jason Collins Gosnell's office in Benghazi raided by the IRS: mainstream media's worst cover-up challenge to date IRS targeting pro-gay-marriage LGBT groups leads to gayest tax revolt in U.S. history After Arlington Cemetery rejects offer to bury Boston bomber, Westboro Babtist Church steps up with premium front lawn plot Boston: Obama Administration to reclassify marathon bombing as 'sportsplace violence' Study: Success has many fathers but failure becomes a government program US Media: Can Pope Francis possibly clear up Vatican bureaucracy and banking without blaming the previous administration? Michelle Obama praises weekend rampage by Chicago teens as good way to burn calories and stay healthy This Passover, Obama urges his subjects to paint lamb's blood above doors in order to avoid the Sequester White House to American children: Sequester causes layoffs among hens that lay Easter eggs; union-wage Easter Bunnies to be replaced by Mexican Chupacabras Time Mag names Hugo Chavez world's sexiest corpse Boy, 8, pretends banana is gun, makes daring escape from school Study: Free lunches overpriced, lack nutrition Oscars 2013: Michelle Obama announces long-awaited merger of Hollywood and the State Joe Salazar defends the right of women to be raped in gun-free environment: 'rapists and rapees should work together to prevent gun violence for the common good' Dept. of Health and Human Services eliminates rape by reclassifying assailants as 'undocumented sex partners' Kremlin puts out warning not to photoshop Putin riding meteor unless bare-chested Deeming football too violent, Obama moves to introduce Super Drone Sundays instead Japan offers to extend nuclear umbrella to cover U.S. should America suffer devastating attack on its own defense spending Feminists organize one billion women to protest male oppression with one billion lap dances Urban community protests Mayor Bloomberg's ban on extra-large pop singers owning assault weapons Concerned with mounting death toll, Taliban offers to send peacekeeping advisers to Chicago Karl Rove puts an end to Tea Party with new 'Republicans For Democrats' strategy aimed at losing elections Answering public skepticism, President Obama authorizes unlimited drone attacks on all skeet targets throughout the country Skeet Ulrich denies claims he had been shot by President but considers changing his name to 'Traps' White House releases new exciting photos of Obama standing, sitting, looking thoughtful, and even breathing in and out New York Times hacked by Chinese government, Paul Krugman's economic policies stolen White House: when President shoots skeet, he donates the meat to food banks that feed the middle class To prove he is serious, Obama eliminates armed guard protection for President, Vice-President, and their families; establishes Gun-Free Zones around them instead State Dept to send 100,000 American college students to China as security for US debt obligations Jay Carney: Al Qaeda is on the run, they're just running forward President issues executive orders banning cliffs, ceilings, obstructions, statistics, and other notions that prevent us from moving forwards and upward Fearing the worst, Obama Administration outlaws the fan to prevent it from being hit by certain objects World ends; S&P soars Riddle of universe solved; answer not understood Meek inherit Earth, can't afford estate taxes Greece abandons Euro; accountants find Greece has no Euros anyway Wheel finally reinvented; axles to be gradually reinvented in 3rd quarter of 2013 Bigfoot found in Ohio, mysteriously not voting for Obama As Santa's workshop files for bankruptcy, Fed offers bailout in exchange for control of 'naughty and nice' list Freak flying pig accident causes bacon to fly off shelves Obama: green economy likely to transform America into a leading third world country of the new millennium Report: President Obama to visit the United States in the near future Obama promises to create thousands more economically neutral jobs Modernizing Islam: New York imam proposes to canonize Saul Alinsky as religion's latter day prophet Imam Rauf's peaceful solution: 'Move Ground Zero a few blocks away from the mosque and no one gets hurt' Study: Obama's threat to burn tax money in Washington 'recruitment bonanza' for Tea Parties Study: no Social Security reform will be needed if gov't raises retirement age to at least 814 years Obama attends church service, worships self Obama proposes national 'Win The Future' lottery; proceeds of new WTF Powerball to finance more gov't spending Historical revisionists: "Hey, you never know" Vice President Biden: criticizing Egypt is un-pharaoh Israelis to Egyptian rioters: "don't damage the pyramids, we will not rebuild" Lake Superior renamed Lake Inferior in spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness Al Gore: It's a shame that a family can be torn apart by something as simple as a pack of polar bears Michael Moore: As long as there is anyone with money to shake down, this country is not broke Obama's teleprompters unionize, demand collective bargaining rights Obama calls new taxes 'spending reductions in tax code.' Elsewhere rapists tout 'consent reductions in sexual intercourse' Obama's teleprompter unhappy with White House Twitter: "Too few words" Obama's Regulation Reduction committee finds US Constitution to be expensive outdated framework inefficiently regulating federal gov't Taking a page from the Reagan years, Obama announces new era of Perestroika and Glasnost Responding to Oslo shootings, Obama declares Christianity "Religion of Peace," praises "moderate Christians," promises to send one into space Republicans block Obama's $420 billion program to give American families free charms that ward off economic bad luck White House to impose Chimney tax on Santa Claus Obama decrees the economy is not soaring as much as previously decreeed Conservative think tank introduces children to capitalism with pop-up picture book "The Road to Smurfdom" Al Gore proposes to combat Global Warming by extracting silver linings from clouds in Earth's atmosphere Obama refutes charges of him being unresponsive to people's suffering: "When you pray to God, do you always hear a response?" Obama regrets the US government didn't provide his mother with free contraceptives when she was in college Fluke to Congress: drill, baby, drill! Planned Parenthood introduces Frequent Flucker reward card: 'Come again soon!' Obama to tornado victims: 'We inherited this weather from the previous administration' Obama congratulates Putin on Chicago-style election outcome People's Cube gives itself Hero of Socialist Labor medal in recognition of continued expert advice provided to the Obama Administration helping to shape its foreign and domestic policies Hamas: Israeli air defense unfair to 99% of our missiles, "only 1% allowed to reach Israel" Democrat strategist: without government supervision, women would have never evolved into humans Voters Without Borders oppose Texas new voter ID law Enraged by accusation that they are doing Obama's bidding, media leaders demand instructions from White House on how to respond Obama blames previous Olympics for failure to win at this Olympics Official: China plans to land on Moon or at least on cheap knockoff thereof Koran-Contra: Obama secretly arms Syrian rebels Poll: Progressive slogan 'We should be more like Europe' most popular with members of American Nazi Party Obama to Evangelicals: Jesus saves, I just spend May Day: Anarchists plan, schedule, synchronize, and execute a coordinated campaign against all of the above Midwestern farmers hooked on new erotic novel "50 Shades of Hay" Study: 99% of Liberals give the rest a bad name Obama meets with Jewish leaders, proposes deeper circumcisions for the rich Historians: Before HOPE & CHANGE there was HEMP & CHOOM at ten bucks a bag Cancer once again fails to cure Venezuela of its "President for Life" Tragic spelling error causes Muslim protesters to burn local boob-tube factory Secretary of Energy Steven Chu: due to energy conservation, the light at the end of the tunnel will be switched off Obama Administration running food stamps across the border with Mexico in an operation code-named "Fat And Furious" Pakistan explodes in protest over new Adobe Acrobat update; 17 local acrobats killed White House: "Let them eat statistics" Special Ops: if Benedict Arnold had a son, he would look like Barack Obama AD GOES HERE CARTERVILLE Carterville Water Department has issued a boil water order for customers in Shady Drive, Sassafrass Lane, Main Street (only Carterville customers), Wolf Creek Road and customers on Old Illinois 13 east of Meadowbrook Lane. When water service is returned customers will be under a boil water order for approximately 48 hours. Water for drinking an cooking purposes should be brought to a rolling boil for at least five minutes. ANNA Disappointed Anna-area residents have a reason to celebrate now and again on July 4. One week after cancelling its annual fireworks display, the City of Anna has announced the display is back on. A news release dated June 28 says the Anna Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Gary Rider, is now responsible for the annual fireworks celebration. It is with great joy that the city of Anna will be contracting with another company to provide this service, The Fourth of July fireworks celebration is back on! the news release reads. Rider was notified a few days ago that the Illinois State Fire Marshal had suspended the license of DVC Imports, which was under contract to provide fireworks in Anna and at more than 100 celebrations throughout the Midwest. Although city officials have worked diligently, they said, it has been difficult for them to find a new provider that is licensed and properly insured, but they now have an agreement with another company. Mayor Steve Hartline said he was thankful for the efforts of city administrator Steve Guined, Rider, city attorney John Foley, Melinda Clary of Consolidated Insurance and Brad Dawson in organizing the last-minute fireworks celebration with such short notice. The fireworks display will begin at dusk July 4 at Anna City Park. The rain date is July 5. CARBONDALE A 25-year-old Carbondale man was sentenced to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on Monday, after he pleaded guilty to aggravated battery of a peace officer. The man, Devonte Perrian, pleaded guilty to the charge, which stemmed from an incident on March 22, 2017. On that day, a Carbondale police officer went to a residence for a complaint about a person knocking on the door and windows of a residence, according to a news release from the police department. When the officer arrived, he saw Perrian near the front of the house. As the officer attempted to handcuff Perrian, a struggle ensued, according to the release. A second officer arrived and called for assistance and then assisted in Perrians apprehension. Perrian fought with both officers, biting one officer and using his thumbs to gouge the officers eyes. He then ran from the officers. On Monday, Perrian pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated battery of a police officer, a Class 2 Felony, and was sentenced to the six years in prison, to be followed by three years of mandatory supervised release upon his release from prison. The investigation was conducted by the Carbondale Police Department. Assistant States Attorney Penny Pierson was responsible for the prosecution of the case. CARBONDALE The regional accrediting agency responsible for assuring the quality of colleges and universities, including Southern Illinois University, sent a letter this past week to the governor and legislative leaders warning them that there could be accreditation consequences if a budget deal is not reached in short order that provides adequate financial support for Illinois institutions. The Higher Learning Commission is the regional accrediting agency responsible for ensuring universities and colleges are making the grade, so to speak, in 19 states, including Illinois. Barbara Gellman-Danley, president of the Higher Learning Commission, noted in her most recent letter, dated June 22, that she had previously written to the governor and legislative leaders, in February of 2016, with many of the same concerns about how the budget impasse could affect the quality of state's higher education institutions. however, these concerns have grown exponentially since that time, she wrote. Sixteen months after my initial memo there remains no sustainable funding for higher education in Illinois. The continued lack of such funding places the higher education system of Illinois at considerable risk and is injurious to the very students the system purports to serve, the letter reads. As the accrediting agency tasked with assuring quality, I must warn you about the accreditation consequences of the failure to provide sustainable funding for Illinois higher education. SIU was first granted accreditation in 1913 and has held that distinction for more than 100 years through various ups and downs. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation for the Carbondale campus was granted in 2009-2010 for 10 years. SIU Carbondale is due for a reaffirmation of accreditation review again in 2019-2020, according to information made available to the public on the Higher Learning Commission's website. The SIU Edwardsville campus was first granted accreditation in 1969, shortly after the younger sister campus was founded in the Metro East, and has received reaffirmation since then, most recently in 2014-2015. The Edwardsville campus is not due for a reaffirmation of accreditation review again until 2024-2025. In a 2010 news release, Tom Woolf, the universitys associate director of communications and marketing, described accreditation as the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. The review, which includes a self-study, considers such things as whether the university is fulfilling its teaching, research and community service missions, and how well it is prepared for the future, a question that considers financial stability and sustainability among other factors. The importance of accreditation extends far beyond bragging rights. Gellman-Danley notes in her letter that students attending institutions that do not have status with an accrediting agency recognized by the federal government cannot access federal financial aid. In 2016-2017, students attending Illinois colleges and universities received in excess of $4 billion in federal student financial aid. The Higher Learning Commission serves as the federally recognized gatekeeper for student financial aid, which is intended to protect taxpayers and students by ensuring the aid is used in the pursuit of a quality education that meets at least the minimum standards established for accreditation. John Charles, director of government and public affairs for the Southern Illinois University System, called the letter from the Higher Learning Commission concerning. The budget impasse is now impacting the potential for a heightened accreditation review for Illinois higher education, he wrote, in an emailed response to an inquiry from The Southern Illinoisan. Its just one more example of why we need the governor and the General Assembly to come together on a budget that provides full funding for university operations and covers MAP (Monetary Award Program) grants. The letter from Gellman-Danley does not single out any institutions in raising its concerns, and all public institutions are struggling in the face of budget uncertainty, though some more than others. The Chicago Tribune first cited the letter raising accreditation concerns in an article that published during the weekend, and Rich Miller then shared it in full on his Capitol Fax blog. The letter notes that the commission has been studying Illinois institutions of higher learning during the past two and a half years and has observed the increasingly dire effects of this budget crisis. These include but are not limited to the following: Increased tuition and fees for students and loss of MAP money for needy students; Significantly declining student enrollments; Loss of faculty and staff and elimination of academic programs and services; Canceled capital projects and cuts to plant operations, further diminishing jobs; and, Depleted or diminished cash reserves and loss of grant and charitable donation income. Institutions exhibiting these problems, regardless of cause, are still subject to HLC standards that require the availability of appropriate financial, physical, and human resources, she wrote. Her letter explained that when institutions no longer meet, or are at risk of not meeting these standards, the commission is obligated to implement its system of sanctions and public information to alert the public about the impact on educational quality According to the letter, that could mean some institutions may ultimately face withdrawal of accreditation, which means that their students could not access federal financial aid. Many of the issues of concern cited in the letter that addresses Illinois' higher education system as a whole are specifically causing problems at SIU, particularly its Carbondale campus. Charles said the university has been and will continue to be mindful of how difficult budget decisions could affect accreditation. Charles wrote, in his emailed statement, noting that he was reiterating that which SIU System President Randy Dunn has said on numerous occasions, wrote, our first goal is to protect core academic programs and critical student services. An important component of that is to ensure that we maintain the foundation of accreditation that our whole system is built upon, he continued. Still, Charles concluded his brief comments on the subject of accreditation on a note of optimism. That being said, we believe compromise will be found in Springfield and the need for this review will be eliminated. Gellman-Danley also wrote her letter that it is within the power of Illinois elected leadership to stop this spiral of diminishing quality of higher education in Illinois and the resulting accreditation consequences. I urge you to act immediately to fund higher education in Illinois, her letter concluded. You have the future of thousands of Illinois college students in your hands. Do what is needed to ensure that they have a strong education in Illinois. As one of the most conservative Democrats in the Illinois House, I have spent my time as a state representative focusing not on partisan politics but on bipartisan solutions that support Southern Illinois values. My goal has always been to stand as a strong voice for Southern Illinois, and I am willing to work with anyone from any party toward that end, including the governor. However, Gov. Bruce Rauner has repeatedly shown that he prefers playing political games over working toward solutions for Illinois problems. Today, as we approach the end of the fiscal year with yet again no budget in sight, I am calling on Gov. Rauner to stop the political games and focus on finding a solution. I have tried my hardest to avoid public negativity in the face of this unprecedented impasse, preferring to work behind the scenes to strike a deal that will help bring Illinois back on track and start to undo the damage the last two years have caused. But I cannot stay quiet any longer while the state of Illinois continues to hemorrhage and Southern Illinois continues to suffer. No amount of Carhartt jackets or flannel shirts can hide the fact that Gov. Rauner is just another Chicago politician trying to make Southern Illinois pay for the states mess. Gov. Rauner has repeatedly attempted to cut programs vital to Southern Illinois, such as funding for agriculture education, soil and water conservation districts, and county fairs, while personally supporting organizations like Planned Parenthood with direct donations. Gov. Rauner has repeatedly accused Democrats of using duct tape to fix Illinois problems. While he is correct that duct tape wont fix Illinois problems, neither will campaign-style advertisements attacking the very people Gov. Rauner needs to help him fix this state. For 198 years, under both Republican and Democratic governors, the state passed a budget. The only thing that has changed in the last two years has been a governor who is unwilling to compromise and work towards solutions. As countless Illinois businesses, services and citizens have been hurt by their government failing to enact a budget, the last thing we need are continued political games from the man who, while elected to govern, has yet to make any effort to lead Illinois out of the crisis he manufactured. I stand ready and willing to work with the governor and with any of my colleagues, Republican or Democrat, to craft a responsible budget in these final days of the fiscal year. But in order to do so, the governor needs to stop campaigning and start governing before the damage done to our Southern Illinois communities is irreversible. Only together can we find a solution, and the only way to work together is to stop the political games and focus on passing a budget. CHARLESTON 275 children from South Carolina will leave the worries of cancer behind as they enjoy a week filled with friends, adventures and surprises at Camp Happy Days annual summer camp on Sunday, July 2. For one week, children battling cancer are able to discover the power within themselves as they share life changing experiences with kids just like them. This years summer camp theme is Hope, Heroes, Happy Days, and will be held at Camp Bob Cooper in Summerton, South Carolina. A few of the camp highlights include water sports, ropes courses, themed dances, arts and crafts, a 4th of July fireworks display and more. While camp is all about having fun and meeting new friends, it is also about changing the lives of kids with cancer. To see the difference one week can make on these kids is truly extraordinary, explains Cindy Hay Johnson, Executive Director of Camp Happy Days. After Camp, they can take the memories and the friends theyve made throughout the week to give them the strength and courage to keep fighting their battle. Camp Happy Days relies on the generosity of donations to provide funding and resources for summer camp and their year-round cost-free programs for families of children with cancer. To donate items on Camp Happy Days Summer Camp Wishlist, please visit www.camphappydays.org/donations/. For more information about Camp Happy Days, please go to CampHappyDays.org or find them on Facebook at Camp Happy Days. A man spent time in jail for assaulting a police officer. Shannon Woody Hicks, 45, of 2080 Lakeview Drive, Johnston, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest. Circuit Judge Maite Murphy sentenced him earlier this month to time served of 120 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center. In other Orangeburg County Courthouse cases: Cliffer Damon Jennings, 35, of 145 Howell Lane, St. Matthews, pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a handgun. Murphy sentenced him to prison for one year, suspending the sentence to probation for one year. She ordered him to undergo substance abuse counseling and random drug/alcohol testing. Dwayne Gilyard, 36, of 725 Blewer Road, Orangeburg pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a handgun. Murphy sentenced him to prison for one year, suspending the sentence to one year of probation. She credited Gilyard for having served 210 days in jail and ordered him to undergo random drug/alcohol testing. Keith McKune, 47, of 129 Patrick Drive, Lexington, pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic violence. Murphy sentenced him to jail for 30 days, suspending the sentence to six months of probation. She credited him for having served seven days in jail. Claude Johann Brown, 27, of 117 Yellow Jasmine Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic violence. Murphy sentenced him to prison for two years, suspending the sentence to 18 months of probation. She credited him for having already served 140 days in jail. Murphy ordered him to undergo random drug/alcohol testing and to complete a batterers treatment program. Brandon Davis, 29, of 2151 Read Oak Road, Barnwell, pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a handgun. Murphy sentenced him to prison for one year, suspending the sentence to two years of probation. She ordered him to complete 60 hours of public service employment, obtain his GED and undergo substance abuse counseling and random drug/alcohol testing. Tabitha Nicole Brunson, 29, of 405 Beason Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to breach of trust with a value between $2,000 and $10,000. Murphy sentenced her to prison for four years, suspending the balance to three years of probation. She ordered Brunson to pay $4,018.69 in restitution. Brunson is required to undergo random drug/alcohol testing. Murphy also stipulated that Brunsons probation fees may be suspended while shes in inpatient treatment. Murphy ordered her not to leave the treatment facility until she completes treatment. Alisha New, 30, of 605 Hatrick Road, Columbia, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine. Murphy sentenced her to prison for two years, suspending the balance to one year of probation. Murphy ordered her to obtain her GED and undergo substance abuse counseling and random drug/alcohol testing. Montez Phillips, 19, of 7782 Mazyck Road, North Charleston, pleaded guilty to shoplifting, valued at $2,000 or less. Murphy sentenced him to time served of 113 days in jail. Sharon Laverne Rivers, 44, of 1402 Williams Way, Beech Island, pleaded guilty to forgery, valued less than $10,000. Murphy sentenced her to prison for two years, provided that after the service of one day, the balance will be suspended to 18 months of probation. More top-down authority, less public access. This has been a hallmark of Gov. Scott Walkers administration since its start. Now Walker wants to make the University of Wisconsin System more top-down, too, by transforming it into a so-called public authority. A public authority is a corporate model for deregulating state services. Walkers proposed UW System authority would deregulate higher education in Wisconsin by repealing dozens of state statutes designed to protect its public nature. These statutes also provide some of the strongest legal protections in the country for the quality of the academic workplace. In place of these laws, the authority would make the mostly unelected Board of Regents the absolute decision-makers about higher education in our state. Of the 18 members of the Board of Regents, 16 are appointed by the governor. Under the authority, these appointees and their two colleagues would create all new policies for UWs 26 campuses and extension programs. They could change everything from tuition to whether or not UW-Oshkosh where I teach writing has a College of Education. They could eliminate the services that UW-Extension provides to farmers and small business owners across the state. And they might be able to offer good bottom-line reasons for doing so. But public higher education is about more than the bottom line. It provides transformative experiences that build knowledge and skills and prepare people to be citizens. A businesss primary goal is to make profit. To say that higher education and business serve different purposes isnt to denigrate either. But different goals demand different priorities. The proposed authority would fundamentally alter the UW Systems current structure, which prioritizes public access and needs over profit. One of the UW Systems most important priorities is to provide a well-rounded education to all people, regardless of class, race or sex. For hundreds of years, only rich men and religious students had the privilege of higher education. As our nation grew and states invested heavily in public universities, the democratization of higher education helped spur the unprecedented growth of the U.S. middle class. Public colleges continue to be one of the primary vehicles for upward mobility in the U.S., and almost every democratic country has followed this model of investing in public higher education to create widespread prosperity. Now Walker is doing the opposite. Combined with historic budget cuts to higher education, his authority would make it harder for low- and middle-income people to get ahead. Walkers budget eliminates mandatory recruitment of minority and disadvantaged students, and it funds higher education with sales tax revenues, which disproportionately burden lower-income people. With limited state money and no obligation to diversify, UW campuses would likely divert more resources into raising private money and recruiting wealthier students instead of educating Wisconsinites from all backgrounds. In addition, tuition would almost certainly rise. Some UW campuses are already considering increasing tuition while enrolling more out-of-state students. In California and Michigan, this scenario has played out dramatically. Tuition has skyrocketed as has the number of out-of-state students. A 2014 paper by education researchers at the universities of Michigan, Missouri, and Arizona concluded that out-of-state students paying higher tuition crowd out low-income and under-represented minority students at public research universities. The result, University of Michigan professor Scott Kurashige wrote in The Chronicle of Higher Education, is that the university not only reflects the race and class inequities inherent in our society, it actually reinforces and aggravates them. Michigans example points toward a future UW-Madison no longer able to accept as many in-state students because out-of-staters pay the bills. And at campuses such as UW-Oshkosh, rising tuition, larger classes, and fewer support services would make college increasingly difficult to finish for the large number of students who work full-time. At the same time, the UW System authority Walker proposes would make it harder for citizens to have a voice about higher education, further limiting their access to it. Now, if Wisconsinites dont like how the UW System works, they can lobby their state legislators or elect someone else. But under an authority managed by the Board of Regents, this voice would be mostly lost. Walker and UW System President Ray Cross havent addressed these potential problems. Instead, they focus on the flexibilities the authority would provide. Of course, having autonomy over purchasing one of the primary flexibilities they cite could help UW System campuses save money. But its not clear how much, and such autonomy could be granted without eliminating dozens of state statutes and compromising the UW Systems ability to serve all Wisconsinites. By connecting an overhaul of the UW System to the biennial budget process, Walker has created a false sense of urgency. A change like this necessitates time, transparency, and opportunities for public input. The state of Virginia took several decades to arrive at a successful model for restructuring its public universities. Its model requires institutions to enroll certain numbers of in-state students and students from under-represented groups to receive more autonomy. Neither Walker nor Cross has proposed such requirements. And they are telling Wisconsin to make this monumental change within months. Walker and Cross should have led by starting public dialogue about concrete options for the UW System. But since they didnt, Wisconsinites should reject their radical departure from our states educational traditions so that all options for the UW Systems future can be vetted. We should demand greater investment in the UW System one of the states best economic drivers and demand that any change to the system include ensuring that it serves everyone in the state. The common good and our childrens ability to get a quality college education close to home are at stake. Douglas Haynes is an associate professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. www.douglas-haynes.com Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Elena Kagan, the U.S. solicitor general, don't seem to have much in common. Though both are attorneys, Graham, colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and buddy of Sen. John McCain, is a Republican. Kagan, former dean of Harvard Law School and Obama's recent Supreme Court Justice nominee, is a Democrat. However, rumors about their sexual orientation surround them both, and the common question is, should it matter? When then-Congressman Lindsey Graham ran for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina to succeed Strom Thurmond in 2002, Dick Harpootlian, the Democratic Party chairman in South Carolina, put out a press release saying that Graham was "a little too light in his loafers." Graham said it "was intended to slander me" and gay writer Andrew Sullivan said it was an example of "liberal gay-baiting." Harpootlian claimed he didn't realize "a little too light in his loafers" was a euphemism for homosexuality. Recently, William Gheen, a zealot for strict enforcement of immigration laws and head of Americans for Legal Immigration, asked Graham to "tell people about your alternative lifestyle and your homosexuality." Graham supports immigration reform and Gheen said immigration reform activists threatened to out Graham if he didn't support comprehensive immigration reform rather than more restrictive laws and their strict enforcement. On May 17, the Associated Press discussed questions about Kagan's sexual orientation. She's 50, single and has a short haircut. Yup, definitely a lesbian. Or is she? And if so (though that appears to be a big "if"), so what? Should it matter?" The article said that doubts about Kagan's sexuality aren't new but speculation about it is greater now than ever. Uncertainty about her sexual orientation increased when Obama announced her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court a week ago and it has been handled ineptly. Kenneth Sherrill, an expert in the politics of gay and lesbian rights at Hunter College in New York said, "Even the leadership of the Democratic Party is still uncomfortable handling the issue. They don't know how to handle the question with a So what if she is?'" I agree. I was a strong supporter of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights when I was the Democratic nominee for attorney general in South Carolina in 1998 and have continued to be on my radio show and in my essays. Acceptance of gay men and lesbians is a reality now in our pop culture with television shows having gay characters. Increasingly, we are open about homosexual family members and friends. But with gay public officials, coming out is a big deal, and same-sex marriage is a potential issue for the U.S. Supreme Court. The Obama administration appears to think the country is not ready for a conversation about a lesbian on the court. The Associated Press was told by a White House official that Kagan was not a lesbian after media reports on the issue surfaced when the administration was considering her. The Obama staffer provided the information only on condition of anonymity. A month before Kagan was nominated, the White House criticized CBS News for an online blog by a Republican, who said she might become the "first openly gay justice." Ben LaBolt, a White House spokesman criticized, CBS, claiming it put out "false charges." Using the word "charges" sounds like it would be a bad thing if Kagan were a lesbian. Later LaBolt said he was talking about the blogger's suggestions that Obama had an ulterior political motive to please gay rights activists who might help him get re-elected. The White House launched a Kagan-is-not-gay campaign that was picked up by Maureen Dowd, whose "Supremely Girly Girl" in the New York Times depicted Kagan as a man chaser. Dowd wrote, "Ignore those wicked whispers about her sexual orientation. I cannot categorically assure you that she never flirted with another young woman when she was at Princeton. But I can categorically assure you that if she did, it would only have been to impress the cute guy in her Philosophy 101 seminar." Gay bloggers have implied that Kagan should make a public statement out of respect for herself and the gay community. "In a free society in the 21st century, it is not illegitimate to ask," wrote Andrew Sullivan, "And it is cowardly not to tell." If Graham is gay, he has a case of the J. Edgar Hoover syndrome. The legendary former FBI director was a gay cross-dresser, according to credible reports, while engaging in homophobic rhetoric and gay bashing. Graham voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, an anti-gay bill, as a U.S. House member in 1996. In 2004, he voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment, another gay-bashing legislative initiative. The gay rights organization, Human Rights Campaign, gave Graham a 0 percent rating in every reporting period from 1995-2008, other than 1999, when he received a rating of 9 percent on gay rights issues. Graham has consistently denied basic human rights to gay and lesbian people. Let's hope he isn't another political hypocrite. Otherwise, his sexual orientation shouldn't matter. Why doesn't the White House just say, "Elena Kagan is not a lesbian, but so what if she was one?" And Lindsey Graham should say, "I'm not gay, but so what if I was?" Tom Turnipseed is an attorney, writer and peace activist in Columbia. His blog is http://tomandjudyonablog.blogspot.com/ The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1. Are you prepared? It appears most people are not. Most Americans are not fully prepared in the event of a natural disaster, according to a new national survey by Trusted Choice and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. Of all survey respondents, less than 22 percent said they felt they are fully prepared in case of a disaster. More than half of respondents (51 percent) admitted they are only somewhat prepared, and more than a fifth of households (22.7 percent) reported that they were not prepared at all. "Hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and other disasters can happen any time, anywhere, as we recently saw with the devastating floods in Tennessee," says Madelyn Flannagan, IIABA vice president of agent development, education and research. "Lives and property are saved when people know what to do before, during and after a disaster. This national study further demonstrates that unfortunately most people are not ready in the event of a natural disaster." Hurricanes happen. And Hurricane Hugo proved to South Carolina that hurricanes can happen to inland counties. There is something individuals, families, schools, businesses and governments can do to prepare. There is a misconception that if a catastrophic event happens, help will be immediate; you don't have to do anything but wait a little while for EMS if needed, wait a little while for food and water to be delivered, and wait a little while for life-sustaining medicines to be distributed. This is a misconception that can make you or your family's recovery very difficult and can cost lives. Employers, if your employees are not prepared, they will not return to work as soon as you need them. That costs companies time, money and lost production. Moms and Dads, if you are not prepared, you and your children could find the days after a disaster unnecessarily uncomfortable if not life threatening. Now is the time to prepare - before disasters strike. This year's hurricane season is forecast to be more active than average. When a catastrophic disaster occurs, on average there is one ambulance for every 20,000 people, one fire department for every 5,000 people and one law enforcement officer for every 2,000 people. It is vital that individuals and families know how to take care of each other, know how to stop bleeding, how to turn off the gas, where the breaker box is, how to use a fire extinguisher. Ask yourself, how I will feed myself or my family if I can't leave my neighborhood and my home is damaged? What will you do for water if the water supply is contaminated? What about your beloved pets? Have you thought about what will happen to them? The time is now to prepare. The reason people offer for not preparing for disasters is a belief that disasters won't happen, or if they happen, they won't happen to you and your family. There's even the belief that if a disaster happens, there is nothing you can do about it. That can delay your recovery and cause suffering and pain that could have been avoided. The time spent now could save money and lives later. - - - For advice on preparedness, visit www.iiaba.net. By Trend A ceremony has been held in Masazir settlement, Absheron district, to give new apartments to IDP families living in unusable buildings. First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony. A total of 164 IDP families have been provided with new apartments in the Yeni Baki complex in Masazir. Fifty IDP families have been provided with new apartments in the Binagadi Youth Town in Mehdiabad settlement. All apartments are refurbished and supplied with kitchen furniture. A total of 214 new apartments will be given to IDP families living in unusable Energetika boarding house in Shuvalan settlement, Khazar district, and in an unusable building on Ganja Avenue in Khatai district. On 9 March 2017, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva chaired a meeting on the resettlement of IDP families temporarily living in dormitories in the cities of Baku and Sumgayit. First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the ceremony to give new apartments to IDP families in Masazir settlement, Absheron district. IDPs Rafiz Karimov from Fuzuli district, Vusala Fataliyeva from Shusha, Zabila Jafarova and Amirkhan Zeynalov from Lachin thanked for the attention paid to them. First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva viewed Khojaly martyr family Ulduza Khojayeva`s apartment. By Trend President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland Stanis?aw Karczewski. Stanis?aw Karczewski recalled his visit to Azerbaijan and his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. Saying this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Poland-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations, the Marshal of the Senate said Poland attaches great importance to these relations. He hailed friendly ties between the two nations. Stanis?aw Karczewski stressed the significance of President Ilham Aliyev`s official visit to Poland and the business forum held during this visit in terms of strengthening the bilateral ties in a variety of areas. He thanked President Ilham Aliyev for Azerbaijan`s supporting Poland`s bid for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Stanis?aw Karczewski said they attach great significance to the inter-parliamentary cooperation. The Marshal of the Polish Senate underlined the importance of using Azerbaijan`s opportunities as a transport corridor in terms of strengthening the economic cooperation. President Ilham Aliyev described the signing of important documents on strategic partnership and cooperation in different areas during his official visit as a god sign of friendly relations between the two countries. The head of state congratulated the Marshal of the Senate on Poland`s election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. President Ilham Aliyev said discussions on an essential part of the economic ties - Azerbaijan`s transport corridors and transit opportunities were held during the visit, pointing out good potential for developing these transport corridors. The head of state said Azerbaijan-Poland cooperation has great history, adding that the country is interested in expanding the bilateral ties. President Ilham Aliyev hailed successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Poland in international organizations, including European parliamentary institutions. They discussed Azerbaijan-Poland cooperation in political, economic, humanitarian, transport, tourism and other areas. President Ilham Aliyev then signed a guest book of the Polish Senate. By Azernews By Rashid Shirinov Poland supports settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and on the basis of four resolutions of the UN Security Council. Polish President Andrzej Duda said this at the expanded meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, held with the participation of delegations of the two countries in Warsaw on June 27. Duda further stressed that the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Poland will become an impulse for the beginning of a new stage in the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Poland. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with 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. While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years. Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region. President of Poland Andrzej Duda has described Azerbaijan as his countrys important partner in the South Caucasus and Caspian Sea region. In this context, we attach a special emphasis to strengthening economic cooperation with Azerbaijan, he told Azerbaijan-Poland business forum in Warsaw. He referred to the documents signed earlier in the day, expressing his confidence that they will give impetus to the bilateral trade relations. President Duda singled out the Joint Declaration on strategic partnership that he signed with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, saying it will strengthen cooperation between Poland and Azerbaijan. By Trend Tashkent hosted an official ceremony of opening the Hungarian Embassy on June 27, Trend correspondent reports. The ceremony was attended by Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto, who had earlier arrived in Tashkent, and Hungarian Ambassador in Uzbekistan Peter Santo. The national flag of Hungary and the flag of the EU were raised over the building of the Hungarian Embassy in Tashkent. Abdulaziz Kamilov greeted the Hungarian delegation and expressed confidence that the Hungarian Embassy will play an active bridging role between the two countries. I want to express my confidence that today we are opening a new page in the history of Uzbekistan-Hungary relations and we will continue the joint work on active promotion of the mutually beneficial and fruitful cooperation between our countries, he noted. The Uzbek FM also said that during the visit, the Hungarian delegation had constructive and productive talks with the Uzbek side. The parties mulled the state and prospects of the bilateral relations in political, trade, economic, investment and humanitarian spheres and confirmed the mutual interest and desire to foster Uzbekistan-Hungary cooperation. Diplomatic ties between Uzbekistan and Hungary were established in March 1992. By Azernews By Amina Nazarli Russia will become an official partner of the 86th Izmir International Fair to be held in Turkey on August 18-22 for the first time. Within its framework, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development intends to discuss the remaining "sensitive" economic issues with Turkish partners, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Alexei Gruzdev told reporters. "In August, an international fair will be held in the city of Izmir. Russia was invited as a partner country and confirmed this status," Gruzdev said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum "Summer Davos" in Dalian. "There can be new topics for cooperation, and of course, we ... with our partners from the Ministry of Economy of Turkey, will resolve all sensitive remaining issues," he said. A number of round tables on various areas of cooperation, in particular, on agriculture and machine building, will be held in the framework of the fair, according to the Deputy Minister. The Ministry of Economic Development jointly with the Ministry of Industry and Trade now forms a national exposition, the area of which will be more than 600 square meters, he added. Izmir International Fair is the largest exhibition event in the business life of Turkey, aimed at developing the country's foreign economic activities, establishing business contacts, developing investments and innovations. The main theme of the event in 2017 is "Energy and Innovation". Russia had imposed a number of economic sanctions, including the suspension of visa-free travel, on Turkey at the beginning of last year in response to the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber. The Moscow-Ankara relations began to improve after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized over the jet incident. Russia lifted the flight ban, but food embargo on Turkey's food and agricultural products remains partly in place. Sumitomo Heavy Industries, an integrated manufacturer of industrial machinery, has acquired the circulating fluidised bed (CFB) boiler business from Amec Foster Wheeler, a UK-based consultancy, engineering and project management company, for $170 million. The new entity Sumitomo SHI FW is set to become a new global leader in sustainable energy solutions. The agreement comes as part of Amec Foster Wheeler's company-wide transformation programme, which includes the sale of non-core assets. The net proceeds of the transaction will be used to reduce net debt, said the company. The North American aftermarket services business, originally part of GPG, is being retained and since the beginning of 2017, has been operating as part of Amec Foster Wheeler's Power & Process business. The CFB boiler business is the largest part of Global Power Group (GPG). The remaining GPG steam generator businesses include the heat recovery steam generator and industrial boilers businesses and these are also expected to be sold during 2017, stated Amec Foster Wheeler. The transformation programme was launched by its CEO Jon Lewis, following a company-wide review. The core components of the transformation programme include implementing a new leaner operating model designed to be closer to projects and customers, delivering cost efficiencies across the business, a focus on improving compliance and consistency in how the business operates, refreshing the company strategy and disposing of non-core assets, it stated. A world leader in combustion and steam generation technology, Sumitomo SHI FW will become part of the Energy and Environment Group within SHI where it will dedicate its talent, energy and quality of service on CFB and BFB steam generators and gasifiers, CFB scrubbers, metallurgical waste heat boilers and aftermarket services. On the deal, CEO Tomas Harju-Jeanty, said: "Combining our strong Foster Wheeler heritage with Sumitomos world-wide recognized name and skill will create a strong brand within and outside our traditional markets." "Sumitomo SHI FW will have a deep commitment to technology innovation. Our goal is to provide clients with sustainable value that will endure for the longer term," he added. In addition to the sale of the CFB boiler business, Amec Foster Wheeler has already completed the sale of a number of smaller assets. Lewis said Amec Foster Wheeler has made significant progress with the company wide transformation programme that was launched last year. "The completion of the sale of the CFB boiler business is a milestone in this programme. We will continue to implement the programme to help better serve our customers and strengthen the company's balance sheet," he added.-TradeArabia News Service European antitrust officials fined Google a record $2.7 billion for unfairly favouring some of its own services over those of rivals, a report said. The antitrust decision is related to Googles online shopping service, which the European Commission said had received preferential treatment compared with those of rivals in specialized search results, reported The New York Times. Google rebuffed the European Unions claims on Tuesday, saying that its services had helped the regions digital economy grow. It has also said that significant online competition remains in Europe, including from companies like Amazon and eBay. We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today, Kent Walker, the companys general counsel, said in a statement. We will review the commissions decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, chairman of Alwaleed Philanthropies visited the Housing Units Project recently and distributed200 cars in Celebration of Eid Al Fitr. He celebrated Eid Al Fitr with the residents of Al Hayir Alwaleed Philanthropies Housing Project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the Housing and Cars Initiative. Thousands of eligible Saudi citizens have received housing units in the Al Hayir district. This action brought the number of beneficiaries of the Alwaleed Philanthropies' Housing and Cars Initiative to 21,000 Saudi citizens. Upon Prince Alwaleedsrrival to the location, the people of Al Hayir gathered around him to express their genuine delight with his visit to share such a celebration. During the visit, HRH clearly expressed his interest in identifying the living conditions of the Al Hayir residents and their needs that could be met by the Foundation. Alwaleed Philanthropies is a pioneer in housing initiatives, in which eligible citizens were granted housing units. The housing initiative is a long-term strategic project in partnership with a number of organizations that focus on housing. They ensures the services reach those who deserve it nationwide. This is with the execution and supervision of both, Princess Lamia Bint Majid Al Saud, secretary general of Alwaleed Philanthropies and Amal Alkathiri, executive manager for National Initiatives. TradeArabia News Service Signalling a ground-breaking achievement for the UAE and the Arab world, Sharjah has been crowned with the prestigious World Book Capital title for 2019 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). The honour is a recognition of the emirates pioneering role in supporting and expanding the local and regional publishing industries, promoting reading to become an intrinsic cultural practice, as well as embracing intercultural, knowledge-based dialogue, reported state news agency Wam. Since 2001, Unesco has been selecting a World Book Capital every year on the grounds of certain criteria, where the title is awarded to the city, which shows continued excellence in charting a cultural programme of activities throughout the year to promote reading and books focusing on grassroots community involvement. The criteria include the breadth and impact of cultural programmes, and quality of events tailored by countries to promote books and reading, stated the report. Sharjah was the first emirate in the UAE to establish a formal school and public library. It was also the first emirate to house many cultural institutions like the Emirates Publishers Association, the Emirates Writers Union and the UAE Board on Books for Young People, UAEBBY, all targeted to support the book publishing industry. The accolade is an important addition to Sharjahs existing portfolio of milestones like, the 1998 Capital of Arab Culture, Capital of Islamic Culture in 2014, and Capital of Arab Tourism in 2015. The emirate is the first in the GCC and third in the Arab world and Middle East, to have received this recognition, said the Wam report. An international committee of Unesco experts reached the decision at a meeting held at the headquarters of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), at La Haye, in the Netherlands. Sharjah has been chosen for the quality of its literary and cultural activities, and for its unfailing efforts to make books accessible to the entire population of the nation. It is the 19th city to become World Book Capital preceded by Conakry (2017) and Athens (2018). Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the president of the Emirates Publishers Association and head of Sharjahs World Book Capital Organising Committee, said: "We are so proud to have been recognised on a global scale for literary excellence, and having our name being put on the same platform with some of the worlds frontrunners in the world of books and reading." "This signals a fruition of the momentous project that was established four decades ago by the vision of HH Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah," she noted. "He has led efforts of both institutions and individuals working to shape the emirates cultural identity with knowledge and books. It is his strong belief in intercultural dialogue as a means to advance local communities that has led to the establishment of a tolerant, culture-loving society in Sharjah," she added. Sharjahs annual cultural calendar is packed with programmes and activities. It hosts more than 1,500 publishers from across the world at the Sharjah International Book Fair, SIBF. Another premier cultural event is the Sharjah Childrens Reading Festival, SCRF, dedicated to fostering a love of reading and knowledge among children through innovative and interactive methods, said the report. The festival features celebrated international authors, more than 2,000 events and attracts over 300,000 visitors annually, it added. The UAEs Dh522 billion ($142 billion) Islamic banking assets will help fuel the growth of the countrys Halal sector, according to research conducted by Orange Fairs and Events, organisers of the Halal Expo Dubai 2017. Seven Islamic banks out of the 23 registered commercial banks in the UAE represent nearly a fifth of the countrys banking assets. Islamic banks assets grew more than 3 times of the Conventional banks assets during the first quarter of 2017, according to the UAE Central Banks latest quarterly report. In the first quarter of 2017, Islamic banks assets had a higher growth (3.2 per cent) than the Conventional ones (1 per cent), while on an annual basis Islamic banks grew by 8 per cent and continued to dominate the Conventional banks growth that showed an increase of 5.9 per cent, the report, issued by the UAE Central Bank, said. The share of Conventional banks assets at the end of 2017 Q1 is 80.3 per cent of the total, while the share of the Islamic banks assets is 19.7 per cent. Islamic banks financing growth has been dominating the Conventional banks loans increase in the first quarter of 2017 in almost all subcategories, with exception of financing to Government and GREs. Gross credit of the Islamic banks in the UAE recorded a 8.4 per cent growth to Dh343 billion or nearly double the rate of 4.4 per cent growth rate of gross credit of the Conventional banks in the first quarter of 2017. Similarly, domestic credit growth of the Islamic banks also rose 7.4 per cent to Dh325 billion in the first quarter of 2017. The growth rate is nearly double than the 4.1 per cent growth in domestic credit growth of the Conventional banks. Higher assets and gross credit growth rates empower the Islamic banks to fund the Halal industries and help fuel the growth of Halal or Islamic economic activities. By nature, Islamic banks engage in ethical finance and asset-based lending that eliminates speculation-based high-risk financial activities and insulate the sector from economic crises witnessed during the 2008-09 global financial crisis when the asset-based ethical finance emerged stronger and helped Islamic banks to overcome the stress tests by a wider margin compared to the conventional lenders many of whom collapsed and had to be bailed out by governments. Islamic banks credit to individuals recorded a 7.6 per cent to Dh126 billion in the first quarter, compared to 2 per cent growth in the Conventional banks credit to individuals that reached Dh224 billion in the first quarter of 2017. Raees Ahmed, director of Orange Fairs and Events, said: This means Islamic banks personal finance, Islamic credit card sector is growing at a higher rate than that of the Conventional banks personal finance and credit card segment. The split between Conventional and Islamic banks indicates that the growth in Islamic financing is much steeper than that for the Conventional banks loans. This effectively means that lending in the Halal sector is going up at a much higher rate than that of the non-Halal sector, as was evident in the first quarter of 2017. Islamic banks credit to the business and industrial sector grew 7.6 per cent to Dh151 billion in the first quarter of 2017. This means that the credit growth to the Halal industries and business sector remains higher compared to the non-Halal industries and services sector. This is also a reflection of the UAEs growing importance as a centre of the global Halal Economy. Besides, the growing global awareness on healthy food, consciousness on cleanliness and hygiene environment is helping the growth of the Halal sector that promotes healthy, organic, clean and hygienic products and thus protects life from the ill-effects of food and consumables, Ahmed added. The 9th edition of the Halal Expo Dubai 2017, will be held at the Roda Al Bustan hotel on September 18and 19. Halal Expo Dubai 2017 is the largest and most comprehensive Business-to-Business (B2B) halal exposition in the Middle East for the $2.3 trillion global halal industry. The event, which attracted participation from 13 countries in its previous edition and registered 3,700 trade visitors from 40 countries, expect larger trade participation where buyers and sellers of halal products and services are expected to do brisk business. Halal Expo Dubai focuses on a number of business verticals, including, halal food, halal beverage, halal fashion, halal cosmetics and personal care products, halal travel and tourism, halal hospitality, halal banking and finance. This State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, 2016-17, estimates global Muslim spend across sectors at over $1.9 trillion in 2015, while the Islamic Finance sector has around $2 trillion in assets. Food and beverage tops spend by the global Muslim population, at $1.17 trillion in 2015, followed by clothing and apparel at $243 billion, media and recreation at $189 billion, travel at $151 billion, and spending on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics at $133 billion. The report estimated the revenues from Halal Certified food and beverage products to be $415 billion; while revenues from halal fashion clothing purchased by Muslim women to be $44 billion and revenues derived from halal tourism services to be $24 billion, in 2015. Financing of Halal industries and businesses are expected to get a solid boost with the stronger growth in Islamic banking sector in the UAE and the Halal Expo Dubai 2017 will help global Halal businesses gather under one roof and explore business opportunities, Mr. Raees Ahmed says. Interestingly, non-Muslims are also fast accepting halal products and services due to the scientific, hygienic benefits and ethical aspects. The term halal is gradually becoming a universal concept, more than an Islamic way of life. In this regard, Halal Expo is expected to play a crucial role in promoting halal, healthy, clean and green lifestyle movement across the Gulf region. We expect more than 100 business entities from 13 countries to participate at the two-day exhibition that will showcase the latest trends in halal products and services worldwide. The global halal products and services sector is growing at 8 per cent year-on-year to $2.3 trillion (Dh8.44 trillion) higher than the GDP of more than 200 countries in the world, according to research conducted by Orange Fairs and Events, organisers of the Halal Expo Dubai, 2017. Of this, about 67 per cent represents the food and beverage industry, worth $1.4 trillion (Dh5.13 trillion). TradeArabia News Service The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority focused on boosting cruise calls at the kingdom's ports at a recent Cruise Sector Committee meeting held at its office. The meeting was held as a part of BTEAs efforts to develop this sector in line with the kingdoms tourism strategy. The aim of such meetings is to strengthen the cooperation between all stakeholders and drive the growth of the tourism sector and national economy at large. Developing the cruise sector in Bahrain will boost tourism in Bahrain and further position the kingdom as a destination for yachts on a regional and international scale, said the chief executive officer of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa. The meeting also included a high-level presentation discussing the 2016-2017 Cruise Season which was delivered by the director of Tourism Marketing and Promotions at BTEA, Yousif Al Khan. The presentation discussed the strategies and plans adopted by the BTEA to promote Bahrain such as participation in exhibitions and conferences specific to the cruise industry. During our participation in regional and international events, we were able to attract MSC Cruises Netherlands and Tom San Cruises to the kingdom for the first time, he added. The meeting also included a session by the vice president of Inchcape Shipping Services, Grant Holmes, in regards to the company's services and solutions aimed at assisting and supporting the cruise sector based on the latest global trends and needs. The session was attended by various stakeholders including the Ministry of Interior, general directorate of Nationality Passports and Residence Affairs, Ports and Maritime Affairs, Customs Affairs, Bahrain Economic Development Board, and Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities. Other participating stakeholders also include APM Terminals, Dnata Travel, Eagle Hills, Matias Travel & Tours, Southern Tourism Company, Visit Bahrain and At Bahrain. - TradeArabia News Service Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam (DSR), part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, has completed maintenance and repair works on the newest member of CMVs fleet, the cruise ship Columbus. The full scope of works was concluded within a tight timescale, thus ensuring that the vessel could sail to the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, UK in time for her naming ceremony and inaugural cruise. Several CMV vessels the Astor, Marco Polo and the Magellan, for example have made calls at various Damen repair yards in the past. The sheer size of the Columbus, however, meant that DSR was the suitable yard of choice in this instance. Not only is the Columbus 245 metres long, she also has a draught of 8.2 metres, said DSR project manager Vincent van Rulo. For such vessel dimensions, the facilities that we have here at DSR are ideal. We feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to work with CMVs latest addition to the fleet. All-round maintenance The Columbus arrived at the Rotterdam yard on May 13 and departed just over three weeks later on June 5. With the overall aim of bringing the vessel into line with CMVs high operational standards, Damen carried out a comprehensive scope of maintenance and repair jobs. After docking, we started straight away with a complete painting programme. This included the application of the company logos and markings of the new owners. Technical aspects included maintenance of the main engines, generators and thrusters as well as polishing of the ships propellers. Numerous valves and pipelines of various ships systems were maintained and renewed or modified if required. The work also included maintenance of all lifeboats, tenders and davits in addition to cleaning and repair of ships tanks. Crew cooperation The key part of this contract was that we had a fixed timescale the Columbus had to be in Tilbury for her naming ceremony and then to receive her first guests on June 11, Van Rulo notes. This called for anticipation and fast reaction to all issues that we came across. Such issues were diverse in nature; ranging from organising the repair of the ships washing machines to the inspection and calibration of the passenger embarkation security and detection systems. The complexity of the project was heightened due to the fact that up to 700 crew members were staying on board while the ship was docked at the yard. This substantial team of people was carrying out refitting and refurbishment of the vessels accommodation, shops, restaurants and recreational areas. Their work also included handling the final supplies and other preparations for the vessels first cruise. While this added to the logistical challenges of the project, we had good communication and organised everything with the ships crew so that we all could get the job done within the timeframe, said Van Rulo. Opening cruise Since leaving Rotterdam, the Columbus is currently sailing on her first cruise under the CMV flag. We are very pleased with this new addition to our fleet the Columbus has been well received by her first guests and the industry as a whole, said CMV chief executive officer Christian Verhounig. And, once again, we are very happy with the work that Damen Shiprepair has achieved in such a short space of time. - TradeArabia News Service Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, and China Southern Airlines, Asias largest airline, have announced a new codeshare partnership. This increases the number of codeshare agreements operated by the Abu Dhabi-based airline to 53. Under the agreement, China Southern Airlines will put its 'CZ' code on Etihad Airways daily services between Beijing (PEK)/Shanghai (PVG)/Chengdu (CTU) and Abu Dhabi. The codeshare partnership will give China Southern guests the opportunity to book codeshare flights to and from Abu Dhabi, and connect onto Etihads network of over 100 destinations worldwide. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial, said: The codeshare partnership with China Southern Airlines is a significant milestone in the airlines network development strategy and a key component of its footprint in the China market. This is a further example of our strategy of working with partners to extend our reach, and provide business and leisure travellers with more options. China is one of the fastest growing travel markets in the world, and one of the most competitive. By partnering with China Southern Airlines, each airline can use its strengths to benefit the other and offer more choice with enhanced connectivity to all guests, while experiencing the world-class services and products offered by both airlines. Recent developments such as visas upon arrival will help promote the UAE and Abu Dhabi as unique business and leisure destinations. Furthermore, Etihad Airways innovative and award-winning products and service will meet Chinese travellers high expectations for greater comfort, superior service standards, more choice and convenience. Zhang Lin, China Southern Airlines senior management on international cooperation, welcomed the establishment of the new partnership with Etihad Airways management team. He said: We are excited about the new partnership with Etihad Airways, which will further strengthen the global network of both airlines and provide increased benefits to all our passengers. Through this partnership, China Southern Airlines will be able to extend our services globally- via Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi hub to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Both Etihad Airways and China Southern Airlines are planning to implement a reciprocal loyalty partnership in the near future to enable the guests to earn and redeem miles on each others flights network-wide. - TradeArabia News Service Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai is hoping to lure more Chinese visitors this year following the recent sales mission trip made by the hotel's assistant director of sales, Azel Casianan. Joining the 2017 Dubai China Roadshow organised by The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Casianan visited Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou to explore the four cities and gather opportunities to extend the hotel business. Elaborating on the success of the mission, Binu Varghese, director of sale and marketing, Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, said: China is a growing market for us and holds strong potential. This years roadshow was hugely successful and gave us the opportunity to meet over 300 buyers from four key cities. FIT market development was a key focus for us along with continuous promotion of group business. In addition to highlighting our various offerings to buyers through one-on-one table talk, we also enjoyed fantastic networking opportunities with local travel industry opinion leaders. Dubai is witnessing unprecedented demand from Chinese visitors, with ranking China among the top five source markets for the emirate. - TradeArabia News Service This summer, Wyndham Dubai Marina is offering incredible deals for everyone, including the perfect city summer staycation and every kids dream escape with access to the popular Dubai Parks. Conveniently located in Dubai Marina, Wyndham offers contemporary hotel rooms and suites in a warm and comforting atmosphere with picturesque views overlooking Dubai Marina and the Arabian Gulf. A prime location for both business and leisure travellers, only seven minute drive from the major attractions in Dubai Marina, such as Marina Mall, JBR Beach and a number of other leading city sights, the property is inclusive of all the facilities needed for a relaxing summer staycation for the whole family. Guests can take advantage of the summer special, with prices starting from as low as Dh250 ($68) per night, making Wyndham the ideal choice for a city break. The offer is valid till September 31 and advance booking is required. For families, Wyndham has partnered with Dubai Parks to showcase a dreamy getaway package. Guests can enjoy a three-night stay inclusive of two day passes to one of the three parks as well as complimentary shuttle service with prices starting from Dh900 ($244.9), saving guests over Dh500 ($136). The offer is valid till September 30 and advance booking is required. Wyndham Dubai Marina is the first Wyndham Hotels and Resorts hotel in the UAE, opened in February 2016, the property features 486 spacious and comfortable guestrooms and suites, four dining outlets, a meeting space, event, spa and wellness facilities. Fact Box: Dubai Parks offer Stay for three nights and get an access to Dubai Parks Prices starting form Dh900 for the offer T&Cs Offer includes two day passes to one of the parks (Motiongate Dubai Bollywood Parks Dubai, Legoland Dubai or Legoland Water Park) Complimentary Shuttle to Dubai Parks & Resorts Minimum stay three nights Cant be combined with other offers Advance booking required Subject to availability Applicable for up to a group of nine rooms Offer valid till September 30 Summer offer Stay three pay two nights Prices starting from Dh250 ($68) per night room only (Dh500/$136 for the offer) T&Cs Minimum stay three nights Cant be combined with other offers Advance booking required Subject to availability Applicable for up to a group of nine rooms Offer valid till September 31 - TradeArabia News Service When the market recovers, the uranium industry wont need a tax break. But it does now, industry representatives say. Citing low prices and employment, the Wyoming Mining Association will make the case for a state tax cut on uranium when lawmakers meet Thursday in Casper. The cuts worked once before, they say. In the early 90s, when uranium prices slid, the state gave companies a break that lasted more than a decade. However, critics say Wyoming cant afford to reduce mineral royalties during an economic downturn in which the states income from oil, gas and coal taxes has fallen. Others say the state shouldnt on principle grant the tax breaks. Six facilities mine uranium in the Cowboy State, the leading producer in the U.S. Last year those companies contributed $2.61 million in severance taxes to the state and $4.12 million in ad valorem taxes. But prices for yellowcake, the powdery ore processed after mining, tumbled as low as $18 per pound last year due to a worldwide glut, from record highs of more than $120 in 2007. Production is down, and employment in the industry has fallen to its lowest level since 2004, according to the Wyoming Mining Association. Uranium companies need an incentive to invest in new mines and production while the market is suffering, said Travis Deti, president of the mining association, in a letter provided to the minerals committee. If the state loosens taxes on the industry now, it will be able to grow in the downturn and Wyoming will reap the tax benefits when prices rise, Deti said. Otherwise, production is going to continue to decline as companies dig out the ore available at their existing mines and shy away from the cost of new operations or expansion. The mining association is proposing a sliding scale for uranium severance taxes dictated by the spot price of uranium. If the price falls below $30, companies will not pay severance taxes. For every five- to six-dollar increase in the price above that, a 1 percent tax would be charged. So a $35 spot price would incur a 1 percent severance tax, while a $50 price would be taxed at 4 percent. But the idea has already sparked pushback by those unimpressed with the associations argument. When the market recovers has been the theme song of the uranium industry since the 1980s, and they always want some kind of deal, said Wilma Tope, a board member with the Powder River Basin Resource Council, which opposes a tax cut. Unfortunately, the history of this industry is one of leaving behind un-reclaimed uranium mines and polluted landscapes for other taxpayers to clean up. In a statement released before the committee meeting, the council pointed out that current reclamation sites in Fremont County still need to be addressed, including groundwater concerns at the both the former Split Rock facility near Jeffrey City and the Umetco Minerals Corp. outside Riverton. Cleanup at the American Nuclear Corporation site in Fremont County is on hold due to lack of funds, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company went under in 1994. Cleanup responsibilities were transferred to the state of Wyoming, according to the commission. In other words, the American and Wyoming taxpayers are on the hook for reclamation costs for mostly foreign owned companies. This is corporate socialism at its best, Tope said in a statement. Sarah Gorin, a lobbyist and expert on mineral taxes in Wyoming, said the uranium tax break from 1991 to 2009 could not be tied to an increase in production or a bump in jobs. WMA believes this sliding scale [for taxation] will help Wyomings producers conserve precious cash during the down times so they can ramp up production, and generate increased severance taxes when the market recovers, she said in a statement with the Powder River Basin Resource Council. Im sure wed all like to conserve precious cash, but we all have to pay taxes. The Maurice Sendak Memorial Exhibition was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of Sendaks most famous works, Where the Wild Things Are. The exhibition, 50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons, will visit the library during a nationwide tour. Albany County Public Library will be the sole location in Wyoming to host the exhibit. On the afternoon of June 23, 2017, Charles W. Lindbloom passed away from this earth to join his family in Heaven. He was the youngest of five children born to Richard J. Lindbloom and Mary Marie Lindbloom on a farm outside Evans, Colorado. During his school years the family moved to Greeley, Colorado; where he helped his mother run a boarding house for college students. He always had a strong work ethic and taught high school in the 50s and 60s. He later worked for the State of Wyoming until retirement. However, he could not sit around so he kept numerous part time jobs until his death. He was a WWII Navy Veteran having served on the USS Purdy. With the communitys input, Caspers new city manager hopes to hire a permanent police chief before the end of the year. City Manager Carter Napier said Tuesday his second day on the job that he has three immediate tasks: hire a police chief, hire a fire chief and review the citys budget. But none of those tasks can be accomplished overnight and he hopes to meet with a variety of people both inside and outside the city before making any decisions. I think I know what I want in a good chief, he said. Ive hired good chiefs. But each community is different. Napier said that he did not yet have a specific process outlined for hiring for either chief position but will consider candidates from within the department and from outside agencies. He hoped to have a permanent police chief hired within the next six months and will be searching for a fire chief in the same time. I dont think I have the luxury of waiting until I have a police chief hired, he said. Casper Fire Chief Kenneth King announced in October that he would retire from that role in January 2018. The announcement came hours after he apologized for sending an email asking an investigator to delete the bad parts from video evidence during the 2015 Cole Creek Fire. He sent it while the fire, which destroyed 14 homes, was still burning. City officials said in October that the process to hire a new fire chief would begin immediately and that they hoped a formal search would begin in January. Napier said Tuesday that as far as he could tell, the hiring process hadnt begun. Before making decisions about the police chief position, he hoped to meet with community members, police officers and city leadership to determine what they are looking for in a candidate. He planned to meet with Interim Chief Steve Schulz on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. I want to make sure I have a crystal clear idea of what is needed in this community because I dont want to get it wrong, he said. So far, Napier hasnt heard from anybody interested in the position, but he said that may be because he has attempted to stay removed from Casper business while still working as Gillettes city manager. Schulz previously declined to comment on whether he was interested in the position. While hiring for the positions, Napier will also consider a more abstract challenge: How does he help rebuild relationships between city government, police and the community at large after a period of turbulence? Ive been asking myself that question, he said. Ideally, he hopes to dissect each problem individually whether the problem is internal issues within the police department, criticism from the community about police services or pleas for calm from business leaders. By meeting with those involved on all sides of each issue, Napier hopes to better understand how to mend those relationships. That same process helped him in Gillette when the city realized it would need to make a series of cuts and changes due to the economic downturn, he said. I think when you do that piece by piece ... the invariable outcome is that you slowly build back that relationship of trust, he said. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation will review the Casper police investigation into Mick McMurrys suicide, though police said there is no new information in the case. Interim Police Chief Steve Schulz requested that the statewide law enforcement agency review the suicide investigation three weeks after requesting that DCI take over the investigation into Kristi Richardsons missing persons case. However, police officials said Wednesday there is not necessarily a connection between the two. The McMurry Family hopes the Richardson Family finds the comfort they are seeking, Susie McMurry, Micks widow, said in a statement emailed to the Star-Tribune. We will cooperate fully with the investigation so truth can prevail. Schulz requested assistance from DCI in a May 18 letter. Through the almost 3 years since the disappearance of Kristi Richardson, the Casper Police Department has diligently worked the case following up on a multitude of leads, none of which have brought us closer to a resolution of the case, he wrote. I believe at this juncture its wise to have the case looked at with a new perspective. Almost three weeks later, he wrote to DCI and requested that the agency review the investigation into McMurrys suicide. In light of the Kristi Richardson missing person investigation reported six months prior and the assumption of an alleged connection, I believe at this juncture in time, its wise to have the case looked at with a new perspective, Schulz wrote in the June 7 letter. Richardsons daughter, Amber Fazio, said she was heartened to know that DCI would examine her mothers disappearance. She said she hopes her family and the McMurrys find closure. Were grateful that were getting new eyes on this, Fazio said Wednesday, referring to her mothers case. Casper police Sgt. Mike Ogden, who leads the departments detectives, said Wednesday there is not necessarily a connection between the two cases and there is no new evidence suggesting there could be. However, he acknowledged that some in the community assume theres a connection between the two. Theres nothing necessarily new on either case, said Ogden. Were just covering everything and making sure everything is done right. Both letters were filed two weeks ago in the citys response to a petition filed in Natrona County District Court by a Sheridan radio station requesting that the police department release its records regarding both cases. According to the suit, former Casper police Chief Jim Wetzel denied a previous request for the same records. Family reported Richardson missing on Oct. 7, 2014, after the 61-year-old woman did not show up for work at her trucking company. She was last seen the day before she was reported missing. Authorities with the Casper Police Department have considered the disappearance a missing persons case rather than a criminal one, though they have stated that Richardson disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Bull rider Bradie Gray, who was critically injured after being stomped by a bull at the College National Finals Rodeo earlier this month, is out of the intensive care unit and itching to get back on a bull. He still had a breathing tube in and one of the first things he wrote on the iPad was, When can I get on again? his mother, Sharon, said Wednesday. Gray left the ICU at Wyoming Medical Center on Wednesday morning, walking to his new room, the hospital reported on its Facebook page. He was determined (to walk the whole way), said his father, Mick. Hes been walking up and down the hallways at the ICU and the nurses have been chasing him. Gray got more good news Wednesday when three-time defending Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world champion bull rider Sage Kimzey and fellow bull rider Tyler Taylor stopped by to pay him a visit. Kimzey and Taylor were on their way to Cody to compete at the Cody Stampede Xtreme Bulls on Friday. I heard about it on Facebook, Kimzey said. And we were driving through, so we decided to come see him. Hes in a lot better shape and a lot better spirits than I thought (he would be). Added Taylor: If I was in a similar situation I would want guys to stop by and see me. Ive never even met (Gray) before, but he would do the same thing for me. I know he would. Gray, who graduated from Odessa College last month, suffered massive internal injuries on June 15 when a bull stepped on his chest. He suffered broken ribs, collapsed lungs and a tear in his aorta. When he arrived at the hospital, Gray did not have a pulse. Doctors there revived him and performed surgeries to mend his injuries. Gray was the first CNFR competitor to suffer a life-threatening injury since the event came to Casper in 1999. He was was bucked off Frontier Rodeos Levi the Boss. The bull then stepped on his chest. Gray was able to stand under his own power and was pulled into a bucking chute by bystanders. Medics treated him at the scene and later took him to Wyoming Medical Center. But Gray admitted he started thinking about getting on another bull as soon as I started feeling better. Neither Kimzey nor Taylor were surprised by Grays admission. Something in our bodies just keeps us coming back, Kimzey said. He knows that the heart of a bull rider is one where you can never be defeated. Hes got a passion and hes going to work hard to get back. This is just an obstacle that hes got to overcome; I know that. Definitely where the line of passion and crazy hits is right where every bull rider lies. Gray is a native of Australia and has been riding bulls and steers since he was 5 years old. Hes been a professional bull rider for two years. I feel pretty good, Gray said. Its really great to have a world champion supporting you its a really good feeling. SALT LAKE CITY A court battle is again heating up between the organizers of two pop-culture conventions known for guests' elaborate costumes. The organizers of Salt Lake Comic Con said Tuesday that settlement talks with San Diego Comic-Con have broken down and both sides are asking a judge to decide the contest over naming rights. San Diego Comic-Con, considered the flagship of the popular convention circuit, filed a trademark violation lawsuit against the rapidly growing Salt Lake convention in August 2014. San Diego's organizers said they have legal ownership of the term "comic con" in all its forms, but Salt Lake says it's a general term used around the country. The U.S. Patent and Trademark office has so far withheld judgment as the case plays out. Guatemala Ex-Mexico governor gives extradition OK GUATEMALA CITY A fugitive former governor of Mexicos Gulf coast state of Veracruz on Tuesday accepted extradition from Guatemala to face corruption charges at home. Javier Duartes decision did not assure his extradition. Another hearing will be held in early July. Duarte was captured in April, six months after resigning as governor of Veracruz. He faces embezzlement and organized-crime charges in Mexico. The hearing Tuesday involved a first extradition request on state charges, including abuse of authority, embezzlement and other charges. Israel Mossad launches fund to invest in spy tech JERUSALEM Israels Mossad is launching an investment fund for start-ups developing groundbreaking technologies that could be used by the spy agency. The fund, named Libertad, will invest in companies innovating cutting-edge technology, such as robotics, energy harvesting, encryption, personality profiling and text analysis. A promotional video published by the Mossad shows an agent employing a face-recognition contact lens to identify her targets. Libertads website says that it offers up to $568,000 in equity-free capital for R&D of relevant, viable and groundbreaking projects. Britain Doctors group seeks abortion-law change LONDON The British Medical Association, which represents the countrys doctors, said Tuesday abortions should not be a criminal offense and called for them to be regulated in the same way as other health procedures. An 1861 law made abortion a criminal act. The 1967 Abortion Act provided exceptions terminations are now legal in much of Britain up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, provided two doctors sign off on and they take place on approved premises but abortions that are not carried out according to that bills conditions are criminal offenses. There is no time limit for high-risk cases. Hundreds of doctors at the groups annual conference voted Tuesday to back changing the law. France President invites Trump to Bastille Day PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron has invited U.S. President Trump to a Bastille Day celebration next month to celebrate the arrival 100 years ago of the American troops who fought alongside the French during World War I. An official of the presidential Elysee Palace said the invitation to Trump and first lady Melania Trump was extended Tuesday during a telephone conversation to prepare for the two leaders meeting during the G-20 summit in Germany on July 7-8. France celebrates Bastille Day with a military parade down the Champs-Elysees every July 14. Greece Man arrested over firing-range balcony ATHENS Greek police say they have arrested an elderly man for allegedly setting up an improvised firing range on his balcony in a densely populated area and using guns he owned illegally for target practice. A police statement Tuesday says one of the handgun shots the man allegedly fired at a wooden target hit a neighboring flat in Piraeus, the Greek capitals harbor. Nobody was hurt. The statement said a search of the 72-year-old suspects apartment produced five illegally owned handguns. Officers also found 21 shotguns most of them licensed legally a sword, a silencer and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A lawyer for two top state officials wants a federal judge to quash a bid by defense attorneys seeking access to crime victims and their families. In new court filings, Assistant Attorney General O.H. Skinner tells U.S. District Judge Steven Logan there is no legal basis for the claim by the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice that they have a First Amendment free-speech right to approach crime victims, despite a law to the contrary. If nothing else, Skinner said attorneys dont have the same First Amendment rights as everyone else, at least not when it comes to their role as lawyers for criminal defendants. He also said that if the problem is with the Arizona law and how it is enforced, the challengers need to sue the people responsible for that including state trial judges. And Skinner said any such challenge needs to be brought in Arizona courts when there is an actual dispute, not in a broad-based federal court attack. Hanging in the balance is a statute that says defendants, their lawyers and their investigators can initiate contact with crime victims only through the prosecutors office. That includes the direct victims but also family members. Prosecutors are required to pass the request on. But they can also advise those the lawyer wants to interview that they have the legal right to simply say no. The basis is the Victims Bill of Rights, a 1990 voter-approved constitutional amendment designed to spell out the rights of crime victims and their families. It includes things like the right to be present during all stages of the trial, to be notified of all events and to refuse to be interviewed. In filing suit against Gov. Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich, defense attorneys and the American Civil Liberties Union called the requirement to funnel requests for contact an unconstitutional licensing requirement and prior restraint on speech. More telling, they argued to Logan that the additional hurdle interferes with their ability to save the life of a client convicted of murder. Thats based on their contention that theyre required to try to persuade family members not to push for the death penalty wishes prosecutors may follow. Skinner, in his new legal filings, told Logan he needs to understand the importance of the law before hes tempted to void it. The impetus behind this constitutional amendment was that for too long victims of crime have been second-class citizens, he wrote. Skinner said arguments in favor of the measure would ensure that victims would no longer be treated as just another piece of evidence. Assuming theres a legal basis to challenge the law a point Skinner is not conceding he said it cannot be done by asking Logan to void it. Instead, he said, if a defense attorney is denied access to a crime victim or family, that should be raised on a case-by-case basis with the presiding judge. In any case where a plaintiff (attorney) represents a criminal defendant, that attorney can immediately raise the First Amendment challenge through a simple motion seeking leave to initiate contact with a victim directly, Skinner wrote. Anyway, he argued, the request to block enforcement of the law is flawed. Skinner said federal judges can grant injunctions only if those who file suit can show a realistic danger to themselves. But he told Logan there is no evidence that any criminal defense attorney is going to be prosecuted for breaking the law by directly approaching crime victims and their families. The statute specifies no civil or criminal penalties, Skinner wrote. What that leaves, he said are broad, unsupported, passive-voice allegations that defense attorneys and investigators have been subjected to professional discipline and criminal charges for violating the statute. No date has been set for a hearing on the states motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The derogatory comments former Arizona School Superintendent John Huppenthal made online continue to follow him around, years after he first posted them anonymously. Among other comments, Huppenthal previously referred to Tucson Unified School Districts Mexican American Studies program as the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group, in a different color and its teachers as skinheads. The posts were first discovered and publicized in 2014, prompting a tearful apology from Huppenthal at the time. Now the comments have re-emerged in U.S. District Court in Tucson on the second day of a bench trial over the matter of a state law banning the ethnic-studies programs. In hindsight, Huppenthal said, he wasnt sorry for what he said online. I viewed it more as apologizing for the distraction, Huppenthal said in response to questioning from Steve Reiss, an attorney for the plaintiffs fighting to void the 2010 law. He added that he only wished hed had a more graceful tone. Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima is overseeing the trial in the debate over whether state officials, including Huppenthal, had discriminatory or racist intent in enacting the state law, which TUSDs Mexican American Studies teachers and students viewed as having specifically targeted them. They challenged the state law as unconstitutional, which Tashima previously dismissed. Since then, the case has traveled up to the U.S. Court of Appeals in the Ninth Circuit and back down to district level. Huppenthal was the only witness to take the stand Tuesday. He will return to testify again Wednesday morning. The defense highlighted Huppenthals upbringing in a poor neighborhood on Tucsons south side and his current efforts in volunteering as a math teacher to help minority students in south Phoenix. There wasnt much food in the refrigerator, he said of his childhood in an interview. He frequently referred to himself as a South Tucson boy. He attended St. John the Evangelist Catholic School near Ajo Way and 12th Avenue, where he said he was one of the only Caucasian students, and later, Salpointe Catholic High School. Both are private schools that charge tuition Huppenthal said he paid his own way through high school by working night jobs. Leslie Cooper, a state attorney, asked about his commitment as state schools chief to boosting the achievement of all students, including those of color. Huppenthal replied that under his watch, minority students academics improved. What he most took issue with in regards to TUSDs program, he said, was the use of the oppressed-oppressor framework that leads Mexican-American students to believe that white people are oppressing them. He called it toxic, saying Americas prosperity is based on equal opportunity. Cooper ended her line of questioning by directly asking the former state senator and schools chief if racism or ethnic bias motivated the state law, of which he was an architect. Huppenthal replied, No. Steve Reiss, an attorney for the plaintiffs, alleged that Huppenthal contradicted himself when he discredited an outside audit conducted on the program as having limited usefulness, saying the classroom observations of the program were insufficient. People dont misbehave when theyre being observed, Huppenthal said. The audit found no violation of the state law, though it noted that there was an abundance of controversial material being used . But the then-superintendent subsequently issued his own findings based on material he and his staff gathered. When questioned about press releases from the Arizona Department of Education, statements and documents he signed or video clips in which he is speaking, Huppenthal frequently said, I dont recall or shifted the responsibility to his former senior staffers. Reiss also argued that Huppenthal had intended specifically to shut down the program, saying the law allows for a penalty of up to 10 percent to programs found to have been in non-compliance and Huppenthal had threatened the district with the maximum fiscal penalty. You knew this would kill the program, Reiss said. Huppenthal was also seen on video talking about a stretched out strategy against the program. The former schools chief denied that allegation, saying, I never anticipated that the program would collapse. He maintained that he had meant for the program to clean up its act and move on. Even now, Huppenthal hasnt stopped blogging, Reiss, also pointed out. Just last week, the lawyer said Huppenthal blogged, This has to qualify as one of the most meaningless trials in history, referring to the bench trial taking place. The first portion of the trial continues until Friday, and a second week of trial is scheduled to take place in mid-July. Two teens lighting sparklers that accidentally started a house fire Monday night in central Tucson were arrested, cited and released to their parents, police said. The teens were playing with fireworks in a nearby parking lot and started a fire that spread to a house in which a 58-year-old man and his service dog escaped with the help of officers. No one was injured in the blaze. Sgt. Kimberly Bay, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman, said both teens were cited on suspicion of criminal damage and endangerment, and reckless burning. Shortly before 9 p.m. June 26, Tucson Fire Department firefighters received several 911 calls reporting a backyard fire near the 5100 block of East 23rd Street, in the area of South Rosemont Avenue and East 22nd Street, said fire Capt. Andy Skaggs. One of the calls came from the Tucson Police Department, which had officers answering a call on the block when they noticed smoke and an orange glow coming from the house, Skaggs said. The resident of the home was sleeping at the time, but woke up when his service dog started tugging on his arm. Officers had entered the home and were able to help the man and his dog evacuate safely before the fire made its way inside, Skaggs said. The house was 75 percent involved in flames when the first fire truck arrived on scene less than five minutes after the calls came in, Skaggs said. Crews used hose lines to hit the fire from outside the house and aerial ladders to spray water from above. However, because of wind gusts the fire spread very quickly, Skaggs said. It took 27 firefighters about 25 minutes to bring the fire under control. The Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Red Cross assisted the man and his dog. PHOENIX Federal officials have agreed to analyze and revise if necessary their programs to catch predators in Arizona to ensure they do not also harm the endangered ocelot. In a deal spelled out in federal court documents, the Agriculture Department and the Fish and Wildlife Service will examine the risks of how they snare and poison bobcats, coyotes, bears and other predators. The agencies are required to consider changes to reduce the chances that the fewer than 100 ocelots still in the United States are killed. Collette Adkins, an attorney and biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity, conceded that the agreement does not provide the original relief sought when her group and the Animal Welfare Institute filed suit last year. They had sought to block further predator trapping in areas where there are ocelots until the violations of federal law ... have been corrected to the satisfaction of this court. The deal, which ends the lawsuit against the federal agencies, does not require that actual changes be made to the trapping programs. Instead, it simply requires that they update what Adkins called an outdated analysis, prepared in the 1990s, of their wildlife-control programs in Arizona. But Adkins said she believes changes will be suggested which I suspect will be banning certain practices where ocelots live. If nothing else, Adkins said, an updated plan will account for what appears to be an increasing Arizona habitat for the ocelot. Theres been several recent sightings of ocelots that show that its expanding its range within the Huachuca Mountains and the Santa Ritas, she said. Earlier plans have examined only other areas where the cats have been seen, including the Whetstone Mountains and around Globe. We just want to make sure wildlife service isnt using methods that are indiscriminate in areas where they could catch ocelots. If their analysis leads to bad decisions, that could give rise to another lawsuit from us, Adkins said. But for now, the first step was to get them to take a look. The underlying problem, Adkins said, is that the methods used to catch predators are fundamentally nonselective, environmentally destructive, inherently cruel and often ineffective. She particularly cites leghold traps as inhumane. Adkins said there also are snares and poisons. That includes whats known as an M-44 device, a baited trap that, when tugged on, propels a dose of poisonous sodium cyanide into the mouth of an animal. While designed for coyotes, the devices unintentionally killed 822 bobcats, foxes and other animals from 2010 to 2016, the environmental groups say. Ocelots, which can weigh as much as 35 pounds and stretch 4 feet in length including the tail, have been detected at least five times in Arizona since 2009. That includes a road-killed animal near Globe in 2010, a treed ocelot in the Huachuca Mountains in 2011 and a male photographed in the Santa Ritas in 2014. The species hunts mostly at night, targeting rabbits, birds, fish, rodents, snakes, lizards and other small- to medium-sized prey. Forget Planet 9 that hypothetical giant in the distant realms of our solar system. Two University of Arizona planetary dynamicists say we should be looking closer in for a body about the size of Mars that is responsible for warping the orbits of some smaller objects beyond Neptune. Planet 10, anyone? Kat Volk and Renu Malhotra expect their prediction to be verified when the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope begins mapping the entire night sky in the coming decade sooner, if astronomers point their telescopes toward the galaxy center, where the planet-sized body may be hiding in a sea of stars. Closer in is a relative term. Were talking 4.6 trillion miles and beyond. Volk and Malhotra base their prediction on a comparison of the orbits of 800 objects in and beyond the classical Kuiper Belt where Pluto and hundreds of thousands of comets and icy rocks lie beyond the orbit of Neptune. Most of the known Kuiper Belt objects, or KBOs, traverse the sky in long orbits on a plane roughly equivalent to the one on which Earth and all the other planets have settled. But the study found 150 objects whose orbital plane is tilted from the average. They are farther out than the others most between 50 and 80 astronomical units (AUs) from the sun. An AU is the average distance from Earth to the Sun. The vast majority of those objects are in what we call the classical Kuiper Belt, which is just a little bit outside Neptunes orbit at 40 to 45 AU from the sun where Neptune is 30 AU, said Volk. Those objects orbit in roughly the same plane as Earth and the other planets. They are doing what we expect them to do and their average plane is the so-called invariable plane of the solar system, or close to it, said Volk. But out beyond 50 AU, it looks like they are inclined about 7 or 8 degrees to what we expected it to be. Something is warping their orbits, and the researchers calculate that it would need to be about the mass of Mars and in the same vicinity as the objects it is influencing. Volk and Malhotra culled the most-complete orbits from years of observational data on 2,000 Kuiper Belt objects gathered by the Minor Planet Center. Malhotra is a Regents Professor and the Louise Foucar Marshall Science Research Professor at the UAs Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL). She has spent a lifetime studying what was once called celestial mechanics the rules governing how bodies in space interact and eventually harmonize. If there is a warp, there must be a cause, she said. There are other possible explanations. The sample size could be a fluke, but they calculate only a 2 percent possibility of that. A wandering star may have induced the orbital change but that, too, is improbable. If there is a Mars-sized planet not much farther out than Pluto, why have we not seen it? Volk, a post-doctoral researcher at LPL, said the object would certainly be visible to telescopes. She said it must be somewhere we havent looked possibly in the galactic plane where the light from billions of stars makes it difficult to differentiate faint objects closer by. Surveys of the night sky avoid the area. Solar system astronomers hate the galactic plane, said Volk. The object would have an orbital period of about 1,000 years, which means it would take 100 years to move through the galactic plane from the vantage point of Earth astronomers. For 100 years, it could just be sitting there and we wouldnt know it, she said. Similar observations and calculations caused solar system astronomers to propose in 2014 the presence of what they called Planet 9 a giant body 10 times the mass of Earth, that influences the orbits of six large objects. Planet 9 would be 10 times farther from Earth than the smaller planet proposed by Volk and Malhotra too far away to influence the orbital warp they discovered. We tend to think of the solar system as this tiny corner of a mid-sized galaxy in a vast universe, but it, too, is vast and much about it remains unknown. Malhotra compares our understanding of the Kuiper Belt to our knowledge of the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in the early 1900s. It wont take 100 years to close that knowledge gap, but it wont be done in the next decade, Malhotra said. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the next-generation, sky-mapping machine developed in Tucson and being erected in Chile, will provide an order of magnitude jump to that knowledge, said Volk. Volk and Malhotra call their proposed discovery a planetary-mass object to avoid the planet-definition controversy that demoted Pluto to dwarf and to satisfy a referee for The Astronomical Journal, where their paper has been accepted for publication. Guangdong University of Foreign Studies will start recruiting students for its four-year cybersecurity graduate program in September. The new program is a response to the huge gap between demand and supply in this field, says Yang Aimin, vice-president of the university. China had 731 million internet users by the end of last year. But the number of cybersecurity professionals falls far short of demand. The country needed 700,000 cybersecurity professionals by the end of 2014 and will need 1.4 million people with such skills by 2020, compared with fewer than 15,000 university graduates with related academic backgrounds each year. Cybersecurity was added as a discipline in engineering in June 2015, "to implement the national-security strategy and accelerate the cultivation of high-level talent for cybersecurity", according to a notice jointly issued by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council and the Ministry of Education. GDUFS is the only liberal arts university among the 10 universities offering such a program. Two have been recruiting students since last autumn. The other eight will launch the program in September. The university plans to enroll 60 students in the program, says Yang. "Through research, we found that companies and government agencies need talent capable of preventing and responding to cyberattacks." The 10 universities offering cybersecurity programs have different features. Students of the GDUFS program will spend a significant amount of time on English-language courses. They will also have access to 25 other foreign languages. The university's school of information science and technology, which was set up a decade ago, started cybersecurity-related clubs among its students in 2006. It began offering cybersecurity-related classes three years ago. The school's students have won prizes in national cybersecurity competitions. The university and Shanghai Jiao Tong University agreed last year to jointly build a lab for information security. The university has established connections with government agencies, research institutions and technology companies for student internships. Yang says every sector needs cybersecurity talent, with the information-technology, financial-services, energy, power-supply, communications and transportation sectors seeking a huge number of such professionals. News in 1911 that Tucson would be the terminal of the El Paso & Southwestern Railroad led to public celebration and congratulation. Yesterday, in the Oval Office, while US President Donald Trump was on the phone with Leo Varadkar, the new Taoiseach, to congratulate him on his political success, the President seemed to start flirting with one of the Irish journalists who was there to report on it, Caitriona Perry. Leo Varadkar was elected to lead the Fine Gael Party at the beginning of the month after Enda Kenny retired and, two weeks ago, Dail Eireann nominated him to be the Taoiseach, which was later approved by the President of Ireland. Suffice to say, its been a heck of a month for Mr. Varadkar. But Trump appeared to be more interested in complimenting Perrys beautiful smile than complimenting Varadkars recent successes. Trump and Varadkar were discussing political matters when he got distracted Trump had been talking to the Irish premier about important political matters like migration and Brexit when he got distracted by a beautiful reporter who caught his eye with her nice smile. He linked Varadkar into it by saying, Well, we have a lot of your Irish press watching us. His sights were specifically on Perry, one of the Washington correspondents for RTE (Raidio Teilifis Eireann, the national public service broadcaster for the Republic of Ireland read: Irish BBC) as he asked her, And where are you from? Perry appeared uncomfortable as Trump told her, Go ahead. Come here, come here. Where are you from? He then told Varadkar, We have all of this beautiful Irish press, which was likely a shrewd attempt at a faux-shy, aw, shucks flirtation with Perry, but she wasnt biting. Trump told Varadkar that based on Perrys nice smile, he can assume that she treats you well. He said this because he does not believe that the free press of the United States treats him well, which he would describe as lying and presenting everything he does with a conservative bias, like Fox News, the only US news outlet he likes. But all the news sources that Trump hates MSNBC (whose staff he called bad people), CNN, The New York Times etc. are simply calling it as they see it. Perry described the experience as a bizarre moment in her life Perry posted a video of the experience on Twitter, describing it as a bizarre moment in her career. Her social media followers were horrified to see Trumps behaviour towards her, with some of them describing it as sexist. One commenter called the video kind of creepy, and suggested that Trump was being sexist when he made his comments. One commented on Instagram asked Perry if she felt as though Trump was judging you based on your looks. In an interesting turn of events, the video has been removed from Instagram. Perhaps the white house got in touch with Perry and threatened her with sanctions, since its not like they have anything more important to do. Who is Caitriona Perry? Caitriona Perry, the Irish reporter with whom Trump was attempting to flirt, has been an RTE correspondent since 2000, according to their website. Shes 37, a whole decade younger than Trumps wife and First Lady Melania, to whom he claims to be happily married (although her body language at public appearances suggests otherwise). Perry was the 2015 winner of the National Justice Media Merit Award for TV News and has reported from all over the globe, including Europe, Australia, the United States (obviously), Canada, and Latin America. She has described working as a news correspondent in Washington as her dream job, although after her surreal, uncomfortable encounter with a flirtatious President Trump, she may be calling up her bosses to request a transfer. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is in the throes of a crisis. Not a day passes without the country being rocked by Terror Attacks. These encompass the entire country from Lahore to Karachi and the restive provinces of Baluchistan and the North West Frontier areas. The latest carnage took place at Parachinar close to the Afghanistan border. The double bombing by suicide bombers shook the region and as per reports, almost 85 persons have been killed. The fact that the bombings took place during the holy month of Ramadan shows that terrorist groups have scant respect for religious sanctity. The Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has declared a state of emergency in the area and ordered security to be tightened. In a statement as reported by Al Jazeera channel, he said:" Terrorists are attacking soft targets and no Muslim can ever imagine committing such horrific act, such acts of terrorism will be dealt with the full power of the state." The blasts took place on the last Friday of Ramadan just ahead of Eid-al-Fitr Al Jazeera channel reported. Pakistan reaction to attack The statement by the Pakistan Premier does not amount to much. He has been making similar statements all the time but there is no dent in terrorist killings. A researcher at King's College in London named Zoha Waseem, a Pakistani has expressed her apprehension about the ad hoc measures, saying that these are a reaction to violence carried out by the terror groups and actually, result in a proliferation of terror attacks as well as cement their support.She feels that giving sweeping powers to the security forces led by the Army are always counter-productive. Terror attacks The attack in Parachinar is part of a long line of terror attacks from the attack on a Shia mosque in Sind to attacks on Christians celebrating Easter in a park in Lahore. Parachinar is part of the seven autonomous provinces of the North West Frontier. The hold of all rulers of this area including the British has been tenuous. The tribes are difficult to subdue and they are now infested with terror groups that want Wahabbi laws and Sharia to be implemented. Prominent among them is the Pakistan Taliban. Last word Terror activities in Pakistan have proliferated as the policy of the Pakistan government of nurturing some terror groups as part of "strategic defense" in the hope that they will attack only India has backfired and now Pakistan is itself beset by terror attacks. The genie is out and one wonders who will bottle it again. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a post on Tuesday, June 27 that Facebook has officially hit a major milestone. It now has two billion monthly users. That number makes Facebook the largest social network in the world. Not only that, but it is also the most influential. Zuckerberg indicated that his company is connecting people who wouldn't have had the means to find out about others all around the world. Two billion people Two billion people include more than 25 percent of the people in the entire world. It has been estimated that if the Facebook community were a country, it would be the biggest country in the world. That's because no country has two billion people included in its population. It is interesting the country with the most people is China with 1,379,302,771 people. None of those people are included in Facebook's number because the social media site is banned in China. Facebook has done something no other internet company has ever done. It has connected people who would never have been connected had it not been for the social network. Even though two billion is an impressive number, Zuckerberg wants more users. However, he pointed out that the people who have Facebook accounts are those with internet connections. Those who are not on Facebook are those who do not have internet service. Zuckerberg thinks it will be more challenging to reach three billion users than it was to reach two billion. The journey to two billion Facebook was founded in February 2004. It took eight years to reach one billion users by October 2012. The second billion was reached in less than eight years. In fact, it took a little less than five years to reach the second billion mark. It is estimated that more than 175 million people Love something on the site, and more than 800 million Facebook users "Like" something on a daily basis. To commemorate the two billion mark, Zuckerberg will be adding some new features over the next few days. Look out for a personalized video feature called "Good Adds Up." Also, there will be another feature that thanks people for responding to birthdays and other good news. These two features are in line with Facebook's new mission to get people to connect by joining more groups. A new mission Facebook's new mission involves building community and bringing the world closer together. So far, only about half of the two billion people use Facebook groups. Zuckerberg wants that number to increase. It is estimated that only about 100 million users are part of communities. The CEO's goal is to get that number to be at least one billion users. On Friday, two men were fatally stabbed and another left inured after coming to the aid of a victim of a hate crime in Portland, Oregon. After a full weekend, President Donald Trump finally decided to address the tragedy, but his response didn't go over well on social media. Trump on Portland In recent years, the political tension in the United States has reached an all-time high. One of the hottest topics is over Islamic terrorism, religion, and the United States' role in Middle Eastern affairs. Back home in the states, a dilemma has caused a rift among many Americans. On the right, anger towards Muslim is prevalent, which has only increased since the start of the candidacy and election of Donald Trump. For those on the left, many Americans take a difference approach, coming to the defense of all things related to Islam, with some trying to silence even the slightest attempt of criticisms of the religion. While there are some in the middle who push for an open dialogue and debate on these issues, their voices are usually drowned out by the more extreme on both sides. Last Friday, 35-year-old Jeremy Joseph Christian was allegedly harassing a Muslim woman on a train in Portland because of her religion, when Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, Rick Best, and Micah Fletcher came to intervene. All three men were stabbed, with the latter remaining in critical condition, with the others losing their lives. On May 29, Trump finally addressed the issue on his Twitter account. The violent attacks in Portland on Friday are unacceptable. The victims were standing up to hate and intolerance. Our prayers are w/ them. President Trump (@POTUS) May 29, 2017 Using the official POTUS Twitter feed instead of his personal account, Donald Trump condemned the hate crime in Portland. "The violent attacks in Portland on Friday are unacceptable. The victims were standing up to hate and intolerance," Trump tweeted out, before adding, "Our prayers are w/ them." "They lost their lives because of me & my friend, and the way we looked," witness on Portland train stabbing victims https://t.co/szMdu1R2Fk pic.twitter.com/KM5LQ3MpBC CBS News (@CBSNews) May 29, 2017 Twitter reacts In response to Donald Trump's tweet, social media critics of the president weren't impressed and didn't hold back their thoughts. "BTW, that asshole who killed those two men and injured a third? He was an alt-right Trump supporter," Holly O'Reilly wrote. @POTUS Our thoughts and prayers do go out to the victims. Unfortunately, Trump's "hate and intolerance" victimizes Americans as well. Adam Best (@adamcbest) May 29, 2017 @POTUS BTW, that asshole who killed those two men and injured a third? He was an alt-right Trump supporter.https://t.co/FutX6WARdS Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) May 29, 2017 "Took Trump 3 days to respond here. Was too busy reading tweets and blocking some of us on his Real Donald Trump account. Get to work, sir," filmmaker Adam Best wrote on his Twitter account. In a follow-up tweet, Best added, "Our thoughts and prayers do go out to the victims. Unfortunately, Trump's 'hate and intolerance' victimizes Americans as well." @POTUS Would be great if you'd also post this from your personal account @realDonaldTrump rather than this staff-run account. Nathan Lean (@nathanlean) May 29, 2017 @POTUS A day late and a dollar short! And NOT from his personal account so we know HE couldn't care less. https://t.co/S1CfuSTylf #PortlandHeroes Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) May 29, 2017 "A day late and a dollar short! And NOT from his personal account so we know HE couldn't care less," another Twitter user added. "Just now getting around to this, huh?" Eric Vale tweeted. As the backlash continued, it was clear that the political divide in the United States with Donald Trump as president was not going to end anytime soon. The biggest story to dominate the political headlines for the last six months has been over Donald Trump and his alleged ties to Russia. As the president continues to deny any wrongdoing, he's now shifting the blame onto his predecessor. Trump on Twitter It's been almost a nightmare out of the film "Groundhog Day" for President Donald Trump. No matter what news breaks to the public, the scandal involving Russia is never too far behind. From the early days of the 2016 presidential election to this sixth month in the White House, Trump has faced a daily onslaught of criticism over the issue at hand. In addition to his critics in Washington, Trump has also been dealing with the majority of the mainstream media who continue to hold his feet to the fire, with many well-respected news outlets and government agencies releasing information that contradicts the president's defense. In recent days, the former host of "The Apprentice" has decided to take a different course of action, this time attacking Barack Obama, while accusing the former president of ignoring warnings about Russia's hack of the Democratic National Committee. As seen in a series of tweets on June 26, Trump didn't hold back. The reason that President Obama did NOTHING about Russia after being notified by the CIA of meddling is that he expected Clinton would win.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017 ...and did not want to "rock the boat." He didn't "choke," he colluded or obstructed, and it did the Dems and Crooked Hillary no good. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017 Taking to his Twitter account on Monday morning, Donald Trump lashed out at Barack Obama over the Russian investigation and scandal. "The reason that President Obama did NOTHING about Russia after being notified by the CIA of meddling is that he expected Clinton would win and did not want to 'rock the boat,'" Trump tweeted, before adding, "He didn't 'choke,' he colluded or obstructed, and it did the Dems and Crooked Hillary no good." "The real story is that President Obama did NOTHING after being informed in August about Russian meddling," Donald Trump added in a follow-up tweet. "With 4 months looking at Russia under a magnifying glass, they have zero 'tapes' of T people colluding. There is no collusion & no obstruction," he continued, before stating, "I should be given apology!" Trump's latest twist in his defense has taken a unique turn, with Obama not yet offering a rebuttal. The real story is that President Obama did NOTHING after being informed in August about Russian meddling. With 4 months looking at Russia... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017 ..under a magnifying glass, they have zero "tapes" of T people colluding. There is no collusion & no obstruction. I should be given apology! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017 Moving forward While it's unlikely that Barack Obama or the Democratic Party will be offering an apology to Donald Trump anytime soon, it doesn't appear that the commander in chief and his supporters will be backing off. As the scandal and investigation continues, only time will tell how it all plays out. Donald Trump has long had a history of controversial behavior with women. During a recent phone call with a world leader at the White House, that controversy continued. Trump on female report Just a month before Election Day last year and Donald Trump's entire political campaign was hit with the dreaded October surprise. For the former host of "The Apprentice," the bombshell came in the form of the leaked "Access Hollywood" tape where Trump was caught on audio tape speaking to then host of the show Bill Bush. Trump elaborated on his thoughts about sleeping with married women, while using the "grab em' by the pu**y" remark that quickly became linked to his campaign. In the weeks that followed, Trump would be accused of various forms of sexual assault by a dozen women, dating back as far as 30 years. The allegations and leaked audio tape was viewed as a campaign-ending moment for the billionaire real estate mogul, but despite this, he was able to weather the storm and go on to defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the general election last November. Fast forward to present day and Trump finds himself dealing with many other problems, ranging from the Russian scandal, to health care, his continuing rhetoric, and his controversial executive orders. While this might be the case, The Hill reported on June 27 that Trump decided to take time away from a call with a world leader to flirt with a female reporter. Video of the bizarre moment when President @realDonaldTrump called me over during his call with Taoiseach @campaignforLeo Varadkar. @rtenews pic.twitter.com/TMl2SFQaji Caitriona Perry (@CaitrionaPerry) June 27, 2017 In the Oval Office on Tuesday, Donald Trump spoke to Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar as reporters looked on. During the conversation, Trump paused the conversation to call over a female reporter in the room, instructing her to move forward to his desk. The reporter was Caitriona Perry, the current Washington correspondent for Irish state broadcaster Raidio Teilifis Eireann. WATCH: Trump pauses call with world leader to compliment female reporters "nice smile" https://t.co/GuCfQwULVM pic.twitter.com/nwSHKiHWNE The Hill (@thehill) June 27, 2017 "Where are you from?" Donald Trump asked, before saying, "Go ahead, come here, come here." "We have all of this beautiful Irish press," the president observed. "She has a nice smile on her face," Trump told Leo Varadkar about Caitriona Perry, before adding, "I bet she treats you well." Perry chuckled as the video showed the president with a giant smile across his face. Later taking to her Twitter account, Perry described the moment as "bizarre." Next up While Donald Trump's behavior towards a female reporter is not surprising, it did raise flags of criticism once again. After just six months in office, it appears that Trump will not change his tune regardless of what the critics continue to say about him. The White House press briefings, which have been a Washington tradition for years, are now losing importance and becoming increasingly inaccessible under Trumps administration. They are now shorter, held less frequently and dont release much information. In fact, in recent times, many of these meetings are being held off-camera where live broadcasting is strictly prohibited. Audio recording is allowed but cant be released prior to the conclusion of the briefing. Even though Trump has held several short press meetings when foreign leaders visit, he hasnt held a proper press conference after February. The ones who are responsible for live broadcasting of the events are obviously not happy with the new changes. No negotiations as of now However, the president of White House Correspondents Association, Jeff Mason was in favor of negotiating so that the government officials can face questions from the press regarding all matters related to the US. Such negotiations didnt make any considerable effect on the current scenario and for the third time in a week, an off-camera press briefing took place in White House on 23rd June. Press organizations were asked to not air the briefing and not broadcast any audio recording before the end of the briefing. CNNs new strategy The major media networks have accepted the new rules with some reluctance. However, CNN which has particularly opposed these new rules sent a courtroom sketch artist to the press briefing room who made a sketch of White House press secretary Sean Spicer as he was addressing the reporters. CNNS chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta said that he feels that they are being forced to accept this new trend as something normal where the president of US is allowed to skip answering questions that matter. He even said that if the media is not being able to record or broadcast the briefings, then it is pointless to even attend such briefings. He has asked press organizations to stand in solidarity against this turn of events and take collective action. What is the real agenda behind this? When asked about the reason for such off-camera briefings, Sean Spicer gave a vague answer saying that it is not really important whether all the discussions about important US policies can be viewed on television or not. Even Deputy Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, couldnt give any satisfying explanation for the same. Mr. Spicer, who used to attract a large number of television audiences, has now reduced his presence and at each briefing, fewer questions are being addressed. Some reporters consider this to be a way for Spicer to avoid tough questions or prevent himself mistakenly saying something which could upset Mr. Trump. According to sources, some of the administration officials have also hinted that Spicer has already discussed taking a more senior communications role at the White House, which is why he has started to look for replacements for the briefings until he moves up to a higher position. On Monday, 26th the Supreme Court Trumps travel ban, though only for some immigrants.The ban will go into effect for any foreign nationals who do not have any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the U.S. It is a significant victory for the Trump administration, which has been battling the lower court rulings deterring the ban from being enforced. The President has time and again condemned the judges who sided against the travel ban, claiming that they compromised national security interests. Trump and the Supreme Court The Supreme Court is set to hear the case in the early fall, which means that Mondays verdict could be reversed if challengers can come up with proof that the ban is illegal and unconstitutional. Human rights groups and other activists are angered by the decision by the Supreme Court, terming it as a form of victimization against Muslims. Others have come out strongly to oppose the ban saying the president does not have a solid national security justification for it. The travel ban is a major blow to immigration rights and civil liberties groups that had been fighting through legal action. However, Trump has called the move a temporary anti-terrorism measure needed to give the government time to improve screening procedures. He has said that in no way is he discriminating against any particular group of people. The travel ban The revised travel ban can be implemented this week, based on a memorandum signed by Trump. The ban allows people who have green cards and visas to continue entering the United States. The ban forbids all refugees from entering U.S. However, those refugees that are already in transit will be allowed into the U.S. based on the waiver by the executive order. Trump unveiled the revised rule in March that had refined the harsh conditions in the first ban. Before the ban reached the Supreme Court, it had been struck down on both statutory and constitutional grounds. The U.S Court of Appeals ruled against it, stating that it discriminated against Muslims because it targeted the countries that have large Muslim populations. Who does the ban apply to? The ban only applies to the aspirants who have petitioned for visa recently. The green card holders or those who already have their visas will not be affected by this decision from the Supreme Court. Waivers have also been made available by the executive order for foreign nationals who wish to enter U.S. to study, resume work, for business obligations or to meet their spouse. Eid al-Fitr is the meal that Muslims eat to break their Ramadan fast. When Bill Clinton was President of the United States he began to host an annual White House dinner for Eid a-Fitr. Members of Congress, diplomats from Muslim nations and prominent members of the Muslim community would be in attendance. This year, however, the Trump administration refused to honor the 20-year tradition. President Trump continues his anti-Muslim behavior Continuing the dinner would have been a way to ease tensions considering the fallout from the travel ban and increased animosity towards Muslims since Donald Trump became president. His not continuing the Eid al- Fitr may be interpreted as confirmation that the POTUS is indifferent towards Muslim Americans. The president and first lady did issue a statement expressing warm greeting to those observing Ramadan. This does not, however, make up for their discontinuing the 20-year tradition. Donald Trump continues to say he is a president to all Americans but with this slight to Muslims and more specifically Islam, his actions are speaking louder than his words. Had he continued with the dinner this would have shown the world that he indeed is a president for all Americans. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refused to host an event acknowledging the religious observation. This looks really bad for our national leaders. Tillerson and Trump showed their true colors regarding Muslims and Islam It would have been a beautiful gesture for the President and Secretary of State to uphold the tradition that former President Bill Clinton began 20 years ago. They did not and it was noticed. The actions of the President and the Secretary of state will cause some in this nation to believe it is ok to express public intolerance to those who are different. Donald Trump and Rex Tillerson have shown the world their true colors. There was no official reason given by either fo them or why they did not uphold what was done in the past by three administrations. The truth is they do not have a legitimate explanation that will ease the minds of those who practice Islam in America. The POTUS, who was elected by U.S. citizens, and the Secretary of State that he placed in position are showing themselves to be prejudiced against Muslims.. Previous administrations could break bread with fellow Americans who have a different religious belief. Trump and Tillerson could have done the same. The Duggar Family reportedly has a feud on their hands and surprisingly, it is the in-laws having the issues. Jeremy Vuolo and Derick Dillard are at the head of a heated feud about missionary work. This is ironic at best considering both men are said to be men of faith and if they practice what they preach, there shouldn't be any bad blood. Vuolo and Dillard have reportedly been taking cheap shots at one another and now, Michelle Duggar has weighed in with a new blog post. What started the Duggar feud? According to the Hollywood Gossip, the Duggar Family Feud began when Jeremy Vuolo did a sermon about missionaries and those who pretend to be such. It appeared it was a direct dig at the Dillards who have been serving as missionaries for a few years now. Their journey has been documented and highly criticized, especially when they have asked for money and donations through their own website. Vuolo apparently takes issue with that as a pastor and wanted his thoughts to be known. Adding fuel to the fire, Jinger Vuolo and Jill Dillard do not follow one another on social media and their husbands do not as well. This is highly unusual given how close the Duggar family is. Jinger only recently joined Instagram and with her sister not following her, there have been some red flags. There has been talk that there is a rift between them because Jinger is not in the "moms club." She has yet to announce a pregnancy and she has been married for seven months. Both Dillard and Jessa Seewald found themselves pregnant shortly after getting married and both will become moms to two little boys this year. Which son-in-law is right? Derick Dillard has been heavily criticized for the way he chooses to handle life. He was called out for taking his pregnant wife and child on a mission trip to an area that wasn't safe. Jeremy Vuolo is less strict on Jinger Vuolo and she has even been known to wear pants. This is a huge deal because the Duggar women are taught to be submissive and follow their husband's lead. Dillard is more controlling while Vuolo lets his wife have an opinion. He doesn't buy into the be seen not heard rule most of the other men do. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming weeks. Jill Dillard should be having her second child within the next few weeks. With Joy-Anna's wedding over with and Season 4 of Counting On airing, the Duggar family will be making headlines all summer long at a minimum. In the worlds of superhero comic books, one regular fixture in their narratives is the open possibility of retroactive continuity or retcon. This means a plot point in a story could be revised when that storyline is revisited in a future issue. Was the treatment given to Steve Rogers to make him Captain America in the old comics injected to him, drunk or irradiated? The 2011 film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Chris Evans combined injection and radiation. Thats a ret-con. Now a more recent example has popped up regarding Spider-Man: Homecoming that posits Peter Parker (Tom Holland) having appeared as a child in Iron Man 2 back in 2010. After bouncing the idea with Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, a child extra from that same film has been touted as the boy Spider-Man. Cute shout-out Iron Man 2 was the third film to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, still nascent as of 2010. One scene in the final stretch of the movie shows a stampede at the Stark Expo in Queens, New York. A hacked humanoid Hammer drone, programmed to destroy Iron Man, chances upon a boy of about age 9-10 wearing an Iron Man Mask and light-up repulsor prop glove. The kid aims at the drone, causing it to aim back at the boy, and is then destroyed by Tony Stark who tells the plucky lad Nice Work, kid. It should be noted that at the time, Sony-Columbia had the film rights to Spider-Man. As of 2010 they were vacillating between making a fourth film with Tobey Maguire or to reboot the franchise. They would do the latter two years later, with Andrew Garfield replacing Maguire. Now that the rights to Spidey are shared between Sony and Marvel again, current Spider-Man actor Tom Holland has decided to espouse the long-running fan theory that the boy in the expo at Iron Man 2 was a shout-out of Peter Parker as a boy when Marvel itself cant use him in the film. Fan-fiction comes true If the span between Marvel Cinematic films is the same as the passing of in-universe time, then Peter Parker (Tom Holland), who was 15 in his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War last 2016, would be nine during the events of Iron Man 2. Holland actually brought up the issue with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and made a statement Monday, June 26. "I literally had a conversation with...Feige only 20 minutes ago, he said. I like the idea that Peter Parker has been in the universe since the beginning." Spider: Man Homecoming starring Holland and directed by Jon Watts will premiere on July 7. Watts himself is a proponent of the idea that the Iron Man 2 kid was a boy Peter Parker. Said kid extra was portrayed by Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreaus son. 'Super Junior' Leader 'Leeteuk' was robbed in Switzerland over the weekend, which resulted in the loss of some of his valuables including his passport. 'Leeteuk' informed his fans of the unfortunate incident in his Instagram post, which has since been deleted. 'Leeteuk', who heads the phenomenal Korean boy band who shot to fame with such hits as Sorry, Sorry, Mr. Simple, and Superman, was in the European country to shoot a new television program entitled 'Delivery'. The location of the incident was not disclosed. Reports have it that 'Leeteuk', or Park Jeong Su, 33, and his crew lost their computers, mobile phones, and other personal effects after the robbers smashed the window of the vehicle where their valuables were placed. Police are still investigating the incident. In another Instagram post, he warned that tourists to be extra careful when traveling outside their home countries. Even as Switzerland is deemed generally safe, he cautioned that security measures should nonetheless be taken to prevent similar incidents. He delivered the message at the request of the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea in Switzerland. Not the first time in Switzerland It was not 'Leeteuk's first Time In Switzerland. In 2015, he shot a reality show, 'The Friends in Switzerland', with fellow 'Super Junior' member, 'Ryeowook'. They were shown exploring some of the famous sites of the Swiss capital, Bern, as well as suburban Switzerland. For their assistance in promoting tourism in Switzerland, the Swiss Tourism Board even named 'Leeteuk', 'Ryeowook' and another 'Super Junior' member, 'Kyuhyun', Travel Ambassadors for 2015. Thus, it was ironic for the 'Super Junior' front man, who actively endorsed Switzerland tourism, to have been victimized by the serious crime. The 'Delivery' cast and crew have sought the help of the Korean Embassy for the issuance of their lost passports so they can return to Seoul. Super Junior preparing for its awaited comeback With five of the 11 members of 'Super Junior' serving in the military, the group has been on a temporary hiatus. 'Leeteuk' himself has been busy with hosting stints, including many variety shows such as 'I Can See Your Voice' and 'Idol Party'. However, with the discharge of 'Siwon', 'Eunhyuk' and 'Donghae', 'Super Junior' is expected to stage a comeback in the second half of the year. They have opened an Instagram account in preparation for their return to active promotions but unfortunately, there were calls to exclude 'Sungmin' in their comeback. Another member, 'Kangin', has also been on the sidelines after figuring in a drunk driving incident last year. Members were also recently spotted meeting supposedly in preparation for their much-anticipated return. 'Super Junior's last world tour was the 'Super Show 6', which was anchored on 'Mamacita', the group's seventh studio album. What has been dubbed the #HillIC fire swept through 1,598 acres to the north of Los Angeles on Monday night. The blaze destroyed a home on a ranch, belonging to the 42-year-old The Big Bang Theory actor, Johnny Galecki, according to a statement by his spokeswoman, Nicole Perna. The actor wasnt home at the time of the fire and no one was injured. Galeckis hideaway home is located in San Luis Obispo, near Santa Margarita and close to Los Angeles. 250 residents evacuated during the fire The New York Daily News reports that when the fire started Monday, around 250 residents were evacuated from the area near Santa Margarita. Firefighters had the blaze 60 percent under control by late Tuesday, allowing people to return to their homes. According to Perna, Galecki has not yet returned to the property, but plans to visit once the fire is completely under control. Galecki said in a statement that no one was injured in the fire. However he said his heart goes out to anyone who has also experienced loss from the fire, saying this is a threat residents live with all the time. He said it might seem crazy to some people that they live with the danger, but that the beautiful, rural area makes it all worthwhile. 'Big Bang' Star Johnny Galecki's Home Burns Down in Massive Fire https://t.co/nBkowG9igz via @TMZ Carol (@juststuff4all) June 28, 2017 People make the community, not structures, says Johnny Galecki The "Big Bang Theory" star continued in his statement to TMZ by saying it isnt the buildings that make a community, but rather the people. He continued by saying the people of Santa Margarita have taught him is that once the smoke has cleared, it is time to rebuild. Galecki said they had done it before and will probably have to do it again, which makes their community even stronger and closer. Galecki went on to give thanks to the Cal Fire firefighters and the local Sheriffs Office for their efforts, saying he knows they are fighting the good fight to keep residents safe. He added that he is happy that no one was hurt in the fire. #HillIC (update) 1598 acres 60% contained. Evacuation orders will be lifted for residents only effective 7pm. CAL FIRE SLO (@CALFIRE_SLO) June 28, 2017 #HillIC (update) still holding between 1200 and 1500 acres and now 40% contained. Fresh crews will be back on the line this morning. pic.twitter.com/G8vUW4ynrX CAL FIRE SLO (@CALFIRE_SLO) June 27, 2017 As noted by Variety, Galecki plays the role of Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the popular CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The comedy series has recently been renewed for a further two seasons, which will make 12 seasons in total so far. The actor is among the highest paid television stars, together with his co-stars, Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons. He is not only known for The Big Bang Theory, however, as he had prior roles in the sitcom Rosanne from 1992-1997, a show that is set to return to ABC in the coming season. Galecki has also starred in various films, including Prancer and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, both released in 1989. He also starred in the 1997 films Suicide Kings and I Know What You Did Last Summer and more recently the 2011 film In Time and the 2017 film Rings. The automotive website Cars.com has been running its annual American-Made car index for several years. The unique contest pits together different vehicles from around the world that are being sold within the United States and rates them in different metrics that measure just how "American" they are. The annual ranking is meant to inform consumers about the cars they are buying and how much of the car is being built in the U.S. Surprisingly, last year's top "American" car was a Toyota, but it has now been dethroned by a Jeep Wrangler. Built domestically The American-Made Index (AMI) is a List Of Cars that have been ranked according to how much of their components have been built or sourced from local factories and plants. The website also outlines the different factors and criteria that they use to make the assessment. There are currently five factors that are included, namely domestic parts content, assembly location, transmission origin, engine origin, and factory employment. The last criteria roughly measure just how many U.S. citizens are employed for the production and sale of each vehicle. Surprising results Last year's winners were mostly Japanese-branded cars with the Toyota Camry at the top, the Honda Accord in second place, and the Toyota Sienna in third place. However, all three cars are now nowhere to be seen on the list. The reason for this is the fact that Cars.com no longer considers a vehicle's sales volume as a determining factor. As with the previous year's contests, there are strict criteria that have to be met to be considered for the list. Vehicles that have sales volumes below 2,500 units are automatically disqualified. Discontinued or final model year vehicles are also not included along with heavy-duty vehicles. The reason for the disqualification process is to have a list of cars that consumers can readily buy. Current ranking For the 2017 AMI, the top award now goes to The Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. The Jeep easily won the contest seeing as that its engines and transmission components are all built within the United States. The vehicle also has around 75 percent of its parts sourced domestically. Closely following the Jeep Wrangler is the Jeep Cherokee, followed by the Ford Taurus, the Honda Ridgeline, and the Acura RDX, in second, third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively. While Honda still holds some spots in the top ten list, Toyota is apparently nowhere to be found this year. Last Wednesday afternoon, Egypt sent 22 tanker trucks into Gaza loaded with diesel fuel from Sinai. A Washington Post article titled: "There's a real power struggle going on in the Gaza strip", said that 11 more trucks were scheduled to come in last Thursday. The fuel was meant to run turbines in a power station that has been off line since April. Despite the effort, the fuel will only run the station for a few days. The West Bank is seeing a literal power struggle with Gaza which is run by the militant Hamas group and the conflicts between the two seem to be pulling in surrounding governments. Mahmoud Abbas 'upstaged' by Egypt The coastal enclave is under a "partial" trade and travel blockade that is under the control of the Egyptian and Israeli government. Rather than the conflict being between Israel and the Palestinians, the conflict is instigated from within. The Palestinian Authority of the West Bank (PA) is currently in a political tug-of-war with the militant Hamas government which won the election in 2007 to govern over Gaza over the head of the PA Mahmoud Abbas. The power station is the only facility that provides electricity to Gaza but Hamas refuses to purchase heavily-taxed fuel from the PA which resulted in shutting down the power plant. The electricity now comes from Israel and is paid for by Mahmoud Abbas but, as a result, Abbas told the Israeli government back in April that he would no longer pay for their electricity as well. The fact that Egypt stepped in to help Gaza has apparently upset Abbas who was hoping that his decision to pressure Hamas would make him look strong before meeting a potentially supportive U.S. President Trump back in May. Egypt a friend to Hamas? It was reported that on Wednesday -- though Abbas did not reveal his frustration with Egypt publicly -- that, according to his aides; he threatened to take measures against Hamas if the gates to the power plant were opened for the Egyptian government to bring fuel to their power plant and were reportedly also angry at Egypt. But a senior member of Hamas, Ghazi Hamad, said that they were able to get a local court order to immediately accept Egyptian fuel and that shipments would continue throughout the week. It's also been reported that Egypt would assist Hamas in exchange for turning over 17 wanted men. Last week, however, Israel's Energy Minister said that the Israeli government should not allow Abbas to dictate to them whether they should provide electricity to Gaza or not and said that the Israeli government should continue to supply it. It's been reported that every month the PA continued to receive financial funding from Abbas every month but has threatened to cancel the funding if they accepted Egyptian fuel. Relations between Hamas and Egypt have recently cooled, with the Egyptian government reportedly hosting Hamas delegates last month. It was also reported that both Gaza and Egypt were able to negotiate some deal to accept fuel during those meetings. It is currently unknown if Egypt will continue to provide fuel to Gaza for the long term. The National Council for Women (NCW) in Cairo, Egypt issued a report on Monday stating that there were 66 Sexual Harassment incidents that occurred on the first day of Eid. Although sexual harassment is not uncommon throughout Egypt, it is a relatively high number for a religious holiday. Eid is a festival celebration in Egypt that lasts for three days. It marks the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, swearing, and having sex from dawn until dusk. The feast that follows Ramadan is known as Eid il-Fitr. It is meant to be a time for prayer and visiting relatives. The incidents The NCW has reported that some of these incidents were verbal assaults, and others were physical. At Fulstat Park in South Cairo, there were 13 verbal harassment complaints. At Giza Zoo, physical assault cases added up to 22 by the end of the day. In Downtown Cairo, women reported 19 incidents of verbal abuse and 12 cases of physical harassment. Reda el-Danbouky, the executive director of the Women's Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness (WCGLA) gave the final count of harassment cases to Ahram Online. This organization operates in several cities including Cairo, Alexandria, Daqahliya, and Kafr El-Sheikh. They encourage women to come forward with any complaints, but many Egyptian women never report sexual harassment. There is a social stigma attached to being a victim of sexual assault in Egypt. The Ministry of Interior has tried to combat street harassment recently by sending female police officers into the field. Sexual harassment was made illegal in 2014. Street harassment in Egypt It is not a rare sight to see harassment in the streets of Egypt. Surprisingly, there was an increase in complaints during Eid. Groups of young men will corral a woman or girl, and then they will verbally or physically assault her. This scenario is all too familiar in the streets of Cairo. Many women have reported encountering street harassment on a daily basis. It has become such a problem that some lawyers are now riding with police officers during Eid to aid with prosecution. Sexual harassment charges in Egypt come with a minimum of six months in prison and/or a fine of EGP 3,000 to EGP 5,000 (approximately $165 to $275). The law states that any physical, verbal, or electronic communication that carries sexual or pornographic connotations is considered sexual harassment. During the 2011 and 2013 revolutions, Egypt saw a surge in cases such as these. Under President Sisi's administration, Egypt has cracked down on sexual predators. As director of the Asian Cultural Council's branch office in Hong Kong for 25 years, Michelle Vosper was in a unique position to get to know the top tier of Chinese artists. After all, what the Rockefeller-backed council does is give grants to the top individuals in all of the visual and performing arts. "Usually it's people who are going to be famous," she said. "If they've already gotten there, they don't need it. But there's a stage when an artist knows it, they need to make some kind of a breakthrough. They just know." Her territory covered the Chinese mainland, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan (until they got their own office). But when she retired in 2012, she felt like she wasn't done. "I had the privilege of knowing all these incredible people - they're the best in their field - but they're still not known in the States." And she thought Americans deserved to know about them. The result is her book - Creating Across Cultures: Women in the Arts from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan - four years in the making and just launched in the US. With advice from colleagues, she selected 16 ACC grant recipients and interviewed each one in great detail, letting them start from the day they were born, who their parents were, what they did, and then letting them go on. "They'd remember things they had forgotten, or remembered for the first time," Vosper said. "It's very unusual for someone to listen to your whole story. It was like they would enter another dimension." She meticulously wrote out the transcripts then sat down to write a chapter on each. Four months into the project, she hadn't finished the first - a profile of writer Nieh Hualing, author of more than two dozen books of fiction, essays and translations and, along with her husband, Paul Engle, co-founder of the University of Iowa's International Writing Program, which was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1976. "I thought what am I going to do, I'll be dead?" she said. She knew she couldn't finish it. So she started reaching out to friends who had expertise in the fields and assembled a stable of contributing writers. She meted out her notes, they did Skype-call, follow-ups. Vosper helped with translations when needed (she's fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese). The portrait gallery of artists includes award-winning Hong Kong playwright Candace Chong, installation artist Yin Xiuzhen, Beijing-based documentarian Yang Lina, Macao-born composer Bun-Ching Lam, virtuoso on the 3,000-year-old stringed guqin Wu Na, and dancer Yang Meiqi, who has been called the "Mother of Modern Dance in China." The book is inscribed with a quote from American painter Georgia O'Keeffe: "I feel there is something unexplained about women that only a woman can explain." Vosper initially set out to write about both men and women artists, but she found that there had already been so much written about the men and virtually nothing about the women. When she decided to narrow it down to just women, she worried at first they might balk and say, "I don't want to be in a book just about women, because I'm not just a woman artist!" But when she started to interview the women, "They were so passionate about it," Vosper said. "And I think it's about women, women with women. They just would tell you anything. The sense of solidarity was really something special." Ten of the artists came to the book launch in Hong Kong on March 8, Vosper said. "There was just such a natural sense of camaraderie," she said. "There were certain things about them I think that are the same, maybe that would be the same with all women artists around the world. It's been tougher for them. It's been much tougher for them. And interestingly they don't talk about it too much." Vosper said she got the impression that because of the traditional social structure, Chinese women tend to be more accommodating and "to talk about women is kind of a small issue compared to the bigger issues". "But then you hear the stories and you learn more," she said. "I think they're special in that they're the kind of long-suffering people who don't give up. And there's something there that affects your character." Women have also learned to "hear what people don't say." "I hate all these stereotypes about women being so nurturing," she said, but "that's what I saw." It's time to see and hear more of these wonderful creators. The book is a great start. Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com. (China Daily USA 06/28/2017 page2) China's role in the global automotive supply chain took on a higher profile on Monday after Key Safety Systems acquired troubled airbag maker Takata Corp for about $1.6 billion as part of a pre-packaged bankruptcy in the US and Japan. Key Safety Systems (KSS), based in the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights, Michigan, is the fourth-largest airbag manufacturer in the world and a subsidiary of China's Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. By combining substantially all of Takata with Key Safety, the transaction would form a global auto safety supplier with approximately 60,000 employees in 23 countries. Japan-based Takata is in the midst of a massive recall that may affect as many as 100 million vehicles worldwide after faulty Takata airbag inflators exploded and were linked to at least 16 deaths globally and more than 100 injuries. In the biggest bankruptcy of a Japanese manufacturer, Takata faces tens of billions of dollars in costs and liabilities resulting from almost a decade of recalls and lawsuits. Some of the proceeds from the sale will be used to settle a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice. Key said it plans to keep all Takata employees and maintain operations in Japan, including the opening of a new Asian regional headquarters in the country. Jason Luo, president and CEO of Key Safety, said a combined company will bolster KSS's role in the global auto industry. "Takata has a dedicated work force and a particularly strong seat belt portfolio, which was historically Takata's entry point into the safety market. "It also has regional strength in Japan, Brazil and other countries that will enhance the KSS global footprint," he wrote in an email. China's Ningbo Joyson may be looking to build on its 2016 acquisition of KSS for $920 million. Sanjay Gupta, dean of the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, told China Daily earlier this year that Joyson would be interested in Takata to leverage the lessons learned from its purchase of Key. "As we venture deeper into automation, safety will play an even bigger role, and so airbags and other safety products are likely to receive more attention," Gupta said. "Fixing Takata's problems and getting the products right would enable Joyson to have a commanding position in an area of potentially high demand and growth in the future." Terms of the deal call for Key Safety to acquire Takata assets and operations except those tied to the phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate airbag inflators business. Takata said it plans to wind down those plants. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily 06/27/2017 page2) President Donald Trump says that if the health care bill fails to pass in the Senate, he won't like it but "that's OK."Trump spoke Tuesday at a gathering of Senate Republicans after their leaders shelved a vote on their prized health care bill until at least next month. Trump says, "This will be great if we get it done and if we don't get it done it's going to be something that we're not going to like and that's OK and I can understand that."He adds, "I think we have a chance to do something very, very important for the public, very, very important for the people of our country." Add three more names to the list of Republican senators saying they oppose the GOP health care bill. But these three get an asterisk. They released statements of flat-out opposition after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was delaying the vote in hopes of rounding up enough support for passage. Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia have persistently criticized the bill's cuts in Medicaid, and have sought billions more to combat opioid abuse. Both said for the first time Tuesday they opposed the measure. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas said last week he would examine whether the proposal was good for his state. He said Tuesday the bill did not have his support, saying he wanted more affordable and better quality health care. President Donald Trump says he wants the replacement of the 2009 health insurance law to increase the number of insurance coverage choices and lower premiums, a senior White House official says. The president was stressing these goals in a meeting Tuesday with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican who opposes the Senate's planned replacement of the government's health insurance expansion under former President Barack Obama. The official insisted on anonymity to describe private conversations. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has delayed a vote on that replacement, which has been unable to attract sufficient support from Republican lawmakers. The replacement would reduce funding for Medicaid, cut taxes on investments and cause 22 million fewer people to no longer have health insurance, according to the Congressional Budget Office. AP The United States Ambassador to China Terry Branstad delivers his first speech to Chinese media at the ambassador's residence in Beijing on June 28, 2017. The ambassador's wife, Chris Branstad, daughter Allison, son-in-law Jerry Costa and two granddaughters Sophia (6) and Stella (4) joined him to show their support. [Photo by Chen Liubing/chinadaily.com.cn] The new United States Ambassador to China Terry Branstad has arrived in China and held his first news conference at his residence in Beijing. During the 10-minute speech, Branstad expressed his deep affection towards China and the Chinese people and named economic and trade cooperation as one of his top priorities. "We realize the relationship is important between the two greatest economics in the world," said Branstad. "We need to work together to deal with some of the pressing difficult issues, such as expanding trade, and increasing the economic opportunities for the people of China, as well as to increase jobs for the people in the US." The ambassador was excited about the Chinese government's approval of beef imports from the US after a 13-year suspension. "A couple of trades of corn, rice, and many others are going to be approved," the ambassador said. Branstad had visited China six times and plans to play an important role in the arrangements for US President Donald Trump's visit to China some time this year. "I have a lot of personal relationships with the Trump family. Since Ivanka's 5-year old daughter can speak Mandarin, I hope my two granddaughters can speak Mandarin in the not too distant future," the ambassador added. Previously, Branstad has served two separate terms as governor of Iowa. In December 2016, Branstad accepted US President Donald Trump's nomination as US Ambassador to China. He was confirmed and sworn in last month. CHAMPAIGN, Illinois - The vehicle used in the abduction of a Chinese visiting scholar in Illinois has been located, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Springfield Field Office announced in a press release on Tuesday. The car was described as a black Saturn Astra four-door hatchback. It has been 18 days since 26-year-old Zhang Yingying, a Chinese visiting scholar at the University of Illinois' Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), was last captured by security cameras getting into the car around 2:04 pm on June 9, at the corner of West Clark Street and North Goodwin Avenue in Urbana. "The University of Illinois Police Department and FBI have received numerous leads regarding the vehicle, and we are announcing we have located the vehicle. We will not need any further information from the public regarding the Black Saturn Astra," the press release reads. In a meeting at UIUC on June 22, an FBI spokesperson called finding Zhang a "national priority" for the agency, according to The Associated Press. Neither the FBI nor the University of Illinois Police Department could comment further on the case. "The case is ongoing, which means that we cannot share any information relating to the questions you asked, where was the car found, was the person still using the car, etc.," Brad Ware, media representative for the FBI Springfield Division, told China Daily. "We have developed several additional leads and would like to remind the public that this is still an active investigation," Ware added. "We continue to ask the public for information that could lead to locating Ms. Zhang." The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the location of Zhang, and Crime Stoppers, a non-profit organization, is still cooperating with Zhang's family offering a $40,000 reward for any information leading to her discovery. Zhang's father announced earlier that "If Yingying can come back safely, I will not go after you. "We will forgive you," he said in a phone interview, "but please, let Yingying go," NBC News reported. Speaking through a translator, he added: "Yingying, please be strong." On Thursday evening, June 29, the UIUC Chinese Students and Scholars Association is going to hold a Walk and Concert to Support Yingying Zhang, according to the school's website. Volunteers are still making a great effort. Feng Lili, a UIUC volunteer, said that "volunteers are helping her family with local activities, organizing media reports and possible clues. Most of the volunteers collect clues online and spread case progress." Anyone with information should call the FBI at 1-800-225-5324, the Springfield Office of the FBI at (217) 522-9675, or the University of Illinois police at (217) 333-1216. Anonymous tips can be submitted at (217) 373-TIPS or by visiting 373tips.com. Xiao Jiaqiao in New York contributed to this story. China Daily (China Daily USA 06/28/2017 page2) Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. President Tran Dai Quang and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the signing ceremony of the joint statement__Photo: VNA , , Visiting President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko reiterated their determination to make greater efforts to bring bilateral ties to the next level.The affirmation was made on June 27 during talks between the two Presidents in Minsk, Belarus, where President Tran Dai Quang stated that Vietnam has always attached importance to cementing and stepping up the traditional friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation with Belarus.For his part, President Alexander Lukashenko affirmed that his country always considers Vietnam one of its important external priorities in Asia, hailing Vietnams efforts in undertaking the hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum in 2017 and wishing the country to hold the APEC Year successfully.The leaders showed their delight at positive developments in the countries cooperation across the board and asserted their resolve to strengthen and develop the bilateral traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation in a comprehensive, practical and efficient manner to serve the respective benefits.They agreed to maintain the regular exchange of all-level visits, especially high-ranking ones, to reinforce political trust along with boosting State, parliament, sector and locality links and collaboration at multilateral forums like the United Nations and the Non-aligned Movement to protect their countries interests and security, together striving for a world of peace, stability and prosperity.The Presidents discussed and reached a consensus on an array of solutions to furthering the bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation to match the sound political ties.They noted the coordination to implement efficiently the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union and the Protocol on supporting the production of motored transport vehicles in the territory of Vietnam, with a view to making a breakthrough in the bilateral economic and trade cooperation, supporting the effort to bring two-way trade to 500 million USD in the next two years, along with studying possibilities to expand cooperation in agriculture which is still untapped by the two countries.The two Presidents said they were glad that the two countries first vehicle manufacturing joint venture is being set up and is expected to be operating before yearend.They agreed to continue efforts to carry out cooperation programmes in the economy, science, education and culture reached for 2016-2018; to deploy efficiently defence-security affiliations; and to facilitate win-win cooperation between localities.President Tran Dai Quang hailed Belarus for organizing Belarus Cultural Days in Hanoi and Lao Cai in May and wished that both sides would conduct more cultural and sport exchange activities.The leaders shared their high estimations of efforts made by both sides in making it easy for their citizens entry and exit and promoting tourism links.The Vietnamese President expected that Belarus will continue helping the Vietnamese community to integrate into its society and contribute actively in strengthening the friendship between the two peoples.Regarding international issues, they shared common viewpoints on many regional and global matters, emphasizing the central role of the United Nations in safeguarding international peace and security and sustainable development, and delivering their support for the organization in improving its operation efficiency.President Alexander Lukashenko asserted his backing of Vietnams position on tackling territorial disputes, including those in the East Sea by peaceful measures without using force or threat to use force, with the participation of all sides concerned. He said he welcomes efforts to soon achieve a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.He expressed his belief that the official visit to Belarus by President Quang will surely create a new impulse to the Vietnam-Belarus cooperation to grow robustly across sectors, thus providing a solid foundation for the bilateral ties to reach a new height, meeting their peoples aspiration and interest, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.President Tran Dai Quang invited President Alexander Lukashenko to visit Vietnam, which will be arranged via diplomatic channel.Following the talks, the Presidents signed a joint statement on developing the partnership between Vietnam and Belarus intensively and extensively.They witnessed the signing of nine cooperative documents, including a Protocol on amending the Protocol between the Governments of Vietnam and Belarus on supporting the production of motored transport vehicles in the territory of Vietnam, and those covering science and technology, military technology, sport and physical training, geology, and locality cooperation.- HA NOI The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has joined hands with other ministries and sectors to promote the export of agri-aquatic products to Australia. According to the Ministrys Import-Export Department, Australia is among the largest buyers of farm and aquatic products of Viet Nam, resulting in an annual average import value of US$450 million in 2011-16. MoIT has actively worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to address technical barriers to bring shrimps and fresh fruits to Australia. Following a long period of negotiations, Viet Nams lychees and mangoes were first shipped to Australia in 2015 and 2016, respectively. MoIT and the MARD have been working hard for the export of other fresh fruits such as dragon fruits, longan, star apple and rambutan to this market. The two ministries have worked tirelessly to win Australias acceptance of Viet Nams applications for importing raw shrimps that are caught naturally in Australia for processing, and then re-exported to Australia. The two ministries are working together to urge the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to accelerate the recognition of Viet Nams shrimp safety from white sport disease and the quality safety control system to allow Viet Nam to ship its fresh whole shrimps to the market at the earliest. They have also provided support for the Viet Nam-Australia Group and Minh Phu Company to soon sell high-quality shrimp products to the Australian market. According to Viet Nams Trade Office in Australia, Australia is the seventh largest import market of Vietnamese shrimps, which consumes 3.6 per cent of the countrys total shrimp export volume. In the past five years, Viet Nam has been the largest supplier of processed shrimps for Australia. Despite the markets strict requirements, it is considered a promising market for Vietnamese firms due to high and increasing demand. In 2016, Viet Nam earned $114.6 million from shipping shrimp to Australia, 78 per cent of which was processed shrimps. Meanwhile, Australia tends to narrow down its import markets and focus on only major ones, which is also an advantage for Viet Nam. VNS HA NOI The total import-export turnover of Viet Nam has reached nearly US$200 billion in the first half of this year, while the countrys trade deficit was $2.7 billion. Viet Nams export turnover increased 18.9 per cent to reach nearly $97.8 billion in the first six months of 2017, the Ministry of Planning and Investment reported. In particular, exports of foreign-invested enterprises (excluding crude oil) are estimated at $69.26 billion, up 20.6 per cent over last year, accounting for 70.8 per cent of the countrys total export turnover. Including crude oil, this figure is $70.82 billion, up 20 per cent. Meanwhile, domestic exports are estimated at $26.96 billion, up 13.8 per cent. It is also worth noting that exports to the Chinese market grew strongly in the period, up 42.5 per cent, much higher than the growth of imports from this market, which is estimated at 16.8 per cent. Exports from Viet Nam to nine other ASEAN member countries have seen significant improvements with positive export growth as well. Total Vietnamese import turnover was estimated at $100.47 billion in the six months, rising by 24.1 per cent over the same period last year. Imports of foreign-invested enterprises reached $60.6 billion, up 28.3 per cent and accounted for 60.3 per cent of the total import turnover of the country. Domestic imports were estimated at $39.88 billion, up 18.2 per cent. The trade surplus was $10.22 billion if including crude oil. The FDI sector, if excluding crude oil, had a trade surplus of $8.66 billion. In contrast, the domestic sector estimates a trade deficit of $12.92 billion. VNS HA NOI In order to transform household businesses into enterprises, it is necessary to use economic levers rather than administrative orders, deputy director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) Phan uc Hieu said in a Ha Noi-based conference yesterday. The conference, organised by Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in cooperation with Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV), drew the participation of nearly 100 representatives from State management agencies, banks, industry associations, households business and enterprises. It was designed to discuss the current situation and solutions for converting household businesses to firms. In the past few years, business households have grown significantly in volume, making tremendous contributions to job creation and service provision to the economy. This sectors important role is increasingly appreciated by the Government, agencies and the society, especially for the development of the private sector in Viet Nam. The Government Resolution 35 / NQ-CP on supporting and developing enterprises has set a target of million operating enterprises in the country by 2020. Ten years ago, many business households were aware that the transformation into an enterprise could help them to get preferential treatment in loans and labor recruitment. However, they worried about paying more taxes, fulfilling more obligations to employees or implementing regulations on environment, noise reduction, fire fighting and accounting skills if they became enterprises. One decade later, the results of a VCCI survey showed that the situation has not changed much; the problems of administrative procedures and taxes are still obstacles for household businesses to become firms. As a result, in the period of 17 years, there have been 4,671 million household businesses, but only 1.6 million households pay taxes, contributing a total tax revenue of VN 12 trillion (US$529 million). o Van Binh, a household producer of worship products, said that households want to transform to enterprises, but they wonder about the cost of tax. Currently, households pay a fixed licence tax of less than VN1 million per year, and the owners can make accounting records by themselves. However, if households become enterprises, they will have to do more accounting and taxes will also be increased. The regulations also require the enterprise to have a chief accountant, hence generating more personnel in enterprises, Binh added. To motivate household business to convert to firms, Hieu suggested using economic levers rather than administrative orders, creating a simple business environment suitable for the size and nature of business. When household businesses recognise benefits of being enterprises, they will voluntarily transform. The Government should prioritise implementing the law on support for Small-and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), amend accounting regulations and appropriate tax payment. Especially, the requirement of having a separate accounting system should be omitted, encouraging business owners to do their own accounting, reducing more than 30 types of accounting documents at present, Hieu emphasized. Household businesses make significant contribution to GDP Around 100 large household businesses in the country are contributing to a quarter of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) said. A large section of the private sector comprises family businesses, and their contribution demonstrates their pioneering role in boosting the post-crisis economic recovery and nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit, playing an important role in the development of Viet Nams economy, Vu Tien Loc, chairman of VCCI, told the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV) online newspaper. Speaking at a meeting on The Professionalisation of Household Businesses on Saturday, Loc said "family-owned enterprises are an important component that promotes the development of the private sector, helping form private economic groups that lead in many sectors and make a valuable contribution to the nations GDP". The advantage of Vietnamese household businesses is the trustworthiness and intimacy between family members, but it poses the challenge of balancing this relationship with the principles of corporate governance, Loc said. In order to become even more successful, household businesses must work to change their mindsets, improve corporate governance and focus on strengthening human resource management. Developing Vietnamese firms into some of the worlds largest and most reputable corporations is an important task for both the economy and the household businesses. To achieve it, there must be professional solutions to enhance the competitiveness of these types of businesses, Loc said. VNS CAN THO The first direct flight from the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho to Bangkok, Thailand, took off from Can Tho International Airport on Tuesday morning, carrying 179 passengers. The service will serve increasing travel demands during summer. The next eight direct flights on the Can Tho-Bangkok route are scheduled for July 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25 and 29. A return ticket on the route is being sold for VN4.8 million (US$211.2), while the five-day and four-night Thailand holiday package, including air tickets, is currently being offered at VN6.99 million ($307.56). Tran Tuong Huy, director general of WorldTrans the routes operator, said the opening of the direct service is a breakthrough in air travel in the Mekong Delta, adding that he expected it would open new opportunities for the tourism industry in the two cities of Can Tho and Bangkok. With this service, people from Can Tho and the Mekong Delta in general will no longer have to travel to HCM City by bus or car to take flights to Bangkok. The Can Tho International Airport operates regular flights to some of Viet Nams popular destinations, such as Ha Noi, a Nang, Phu Quoc and Con ao, while it occasionally, mostly during the Tet holiday, serves international flights to Taiwan. WorldTrans plans to open more routes from Can Tho to other Asian nations in the future to meet the local rising demand. VNS Dr Tran Van Tung, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, tells Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) that the new Law on Technology Transfer aims to prevent the import of outdated technologies and encourage adoption of latest advances. Experts have said that there is a need to renew the thinking as well as State management of technology transfer. Can you comment? From the perspective of a State management agency, we have to confess that the management of technology transfer in our country has not been done properly. It is high time that we make a drastic change in the way we think about it, and this change should be reflected in developing the Law on Technology Transfer. Of course, the most important idea in developing the law is to enable the country to absorb advanced technology and apply it to develop our own scientific and technological capabilities. On the other hand, we must avoid turning our country into a dumping ground that can negatively affect our environment, national security and defence. The revised Law on Technology Transfer, which was recently adopted by the National Assembly, will no doubt enable Vietnamese enterprises to absorb and apply new technology in order to increase their production capacity and their competitiveness in both domestic and foreign markets. Can you brief us on some salient features of this revised law Technology transfer and application has well been described in the law. For example, the law covers well the initial period of making investment decisions and choosing appropriate technologies. The State Appraisal Council has the duty to assess the technology of all projects that have been approved by the National Assembly. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) will play the key role in choosing the technology in consultation with other concerned government agencies. This means that the MoST and other government agencies have to analyse thoroughly the pros and cons of selected technologies and present them to the Prime Minister for him to make the final decision. Similar procedures are also applied for projects at provincial levels to ensure that no outdated technology is imported into the country. What are some of the measures contained in the law to encourage technology transfer? While revising the law, we paid a lot of attention to encouraging all research institutions/organisations to collect market information and the societys real needs. Of course, later on, these institutions/organisations are free to transfer their research results to enterprises or go into joint-ventures w in applying the new technology. I feel this is a good way to make the scientists combine theory with practice and help solve problems in real life. This will help the development of enterprises and boost socio-economic development. Under the revised law, the State will issue specific policies to support start ups and encourage them to be innovative in all fields. Among other things, these policies will cover the definition of ownership rights and the rights to use assets developed through scientific research. However, just passing this law is not enough. Other laws have to be bought into sync with the new one. If this is not done, we will fail in our objectives to boost the start ups industry and import the most advanced technologies into the country. Can you elaborate on what you think will be the impact of the 2017 Law on Technology Transfer on the countrys socio-economic development? Im confident that when the law comes into effect on July 1st 2018, it will create favourable conditions for improving technology levels in the country as well as enterprises capacity to apply advanced technology in their production, thereby enhancing efficiency and competitiveness, not to mention the quality of labour. At the same time, under the new law, State management agencies will have another tool to prevent the import of outdated technology. In addition, the science and technology market will be elevated to a higher level and become a place for regular exchange and updates of technology. And there is no doubt that closer co-operation will be forged between scientists and enterprises towards solve their own problems as well as problems at the national level. VNS CAN THO National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met voters from Cai Rang and Phong ien districts, in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, yesterday to inform them about the outcomes of the recently-ended third session of the 14th legislature. Voters raised more than 30 comments and questions regarding site clearance and compensation for displaced residents, employment, rural infrastructure, health insurance and vocational training, which were answered by local authorities. On suggestions about site clearance and compensation, Ngan asked the municipal authorities to protect peoples interests in the spirit of placing their interests above others and in line with the Law on Land while seeking solutions to harmonise the interests of parties concerned. Sharing concerns over food security in the face of site clearance for industrial zones and urban development, she said as part of the agricultural restructuring plan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has zoned off rice cultivation acreage to ensure national food security. The NA also issued a resolution to guarantee 3.8 million ha of rice farming. She also explained regulations on lending for hi-tech production, saying that incentives are provided for projects with outcomes certified by local authorities. The top legislator also answered questions regarding effective exploitation of Can Tho Airport, expansion of international Tan Son Nhat Airport, construction of Long Thanh Airport, and the management of information on social media. On the occasion, she also visited and presented gifts to several policy beneficiaries in Can Tho city and Phong ien district. On the same day, National Assembly delegations in other cities and provinces including Tien Giang, Hau Giang, a Nang and Thai Nguyen also met with local voters to listen to peoples opinions and concerns. The delegations collected all opinions and recommendations from voters to send to relevant agencies for consideration and solutions. VNS Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Frances Adamson, Special Envoy of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Ha Noi yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that Viet Nam wants to elevate ties with Australia during a reception in Ha Noi yesterday for Frances Adamson, Special Envoy of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Phuc underlined the strong development of the comprehensive partnership between Viet Nam and Australia, noting that the two countries had become important partners in many fields. He thanked the Australian PM for inviting him to the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit scheduled for March 2018, saying that the event will strengthen ties between ASEAN and Australia, and Viet Nam and Australia in particular. Speaking highly of Australias supply of official development assistance to Viet Nam, the PM also expressed his wish that Australian firms would pay more attention to Viet Nam, particularly in fields of mutual strength such as hi-tech agriculture, animal husbandry, infrastructure, information technology, education and high technology. He hoped that Australia would become one of the biggest investors in Viet Nam and facilitate the import of Vietnamese goods, particularly tropical fruits and aquatic products. According to the PM, the more than 30,000 Vietnamese students now studying in Australia are a resource for bilateral relations in the future. He hoped that the Australian government would create conditions for more Vietnamese students to study there. Welcoming the bilateral vacation labour programme that was launched in March 1, 2017, he asked that Australia receive more Vietnamese workers in the near future. Viet Nam welcomed Australias increasingly important role in the region and the world, especially Australias strong statements in support of Viet Nam and ASEANs stance on the East Sea issue, including the respect for international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Phuc said. Adamson, who is also Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, said the two countries share common interests in terms of regional strategy, open trade environment and regional affairs because Australia attaches high importance to ASEAN. She affirmed that Australia wants to lift bilateral ties to a greater height. The special envoy conveyed a letter from the Australian PM to PM Phuc. VNS MOSCOW A roundtable discussion on The Free Trade Area between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Viet Nam: New Opportunities for Business took place in Moscow on Tuesday, inspired by the upcoming visit of President Tran ai Quang to Russia. The event was organised by the Russian Chamber of Commerce, the Workshop for Eurasian Ideas Fund and the NGO Business People. It was attended by more than 100 diplomats, policymakers, economists, analysts and experts in the field of Eurasian economic integration and representatives from authorities and commercial companies from Viet Nam and Russia. The roundtable discussed economic co-operation between Viet Nam and Russia as well as Viet Nam and the EAEU. Delegates proposed ways to solve problems, including new bilateral co-operation models, which can help bring up Viet Nam-Russia trade to US$10 billion by 2020. In his opening remarks, Chairman of the expert council of the Workshop for Eurasian Ideas Grigory Trofimchuk said taking place ahead the of President Quangs visit, the event has political significance and drives the development of co-operation between the two countries. Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Russia o Xuan Hoang outlined several barriers to bilateral investment, particularly in terms of tariff and administrative systems, but he believed these issues would be soon solved. During the event, attendees said that Viet Nam plays an important role in Russias Look East policy and in improving the economies of the EAEU and Russia. They expected Viet Nam would act as a bridge for Russia to make inroads into Southeast Asia and Pacific Asia markets. VNS MINSK Viet Nam welcomes and will create favourable conditions for Belarusian enterprises to expand investment and business in Viet Nam, said President Tran ai Quang. Addressing a Vietnam-Belarus economic seminar in Minsk, on Tuesday, President Quang said Belarus is a priority partner in Viet Nams relationship with the Eurasian Economic Union. He said business communities of both countries should go beyond economic co-operation to initiate new ideas and create fresh impetus for bilateral trade and investment links, further strengthening the relationship between Viet Nam and Belarus Viet Nam has attracted more than $300 billion in foreign direct investment from 119 partners, becoming an important link in the global value chain, especially in electronics, garments and textiles and agriculture. The country has invested in 72 countries and territories with a total registered capital of $21 billion, in the fields of mining, telecommunications, agro-forestry, IT, finance-banking and services, he said. Viet Nam hoped to receive more investment from Belarus, particularly in areas of its strengths, like automobile and automotive components manufacturing, mechanics and industrial devices, Quang said. He said Viet Nam also encourages local enterprises to invest in Belarus in IT, consumer products and agriculture. The Government will make it easy for Belarusian firms operating in industry, mechanics, energy and minerals to bring their products and services to Viet Nam, Quang said. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko praised Viet Nams dynamic development, saying his Government will also support Vietnamese enterprises to enhance their investment and business activities in the country. Belarus wishes to boost industrial production co-operation with Viet Nam, and the country will establish a tractor and power excavator manufacturing joint venture in Viet Nam in the future, he said. Lukashenko said that many leading Belarusian hi-tech firms planned to open factories in industrial parks in Viet Nam to manufacture auxiliary equipment. Belarusian firms are also willing to share their experience in developing metro systems and underground projects, he said. Lukashenko stressed that Belarus considers Viet Nam a bridge to reinforcing its position in Southeast Asia by bringing its products and services to other ASEAN nations. Likewise, Vietnamese firms can use the Belarus market as a gateway to Europe, he said. The seminar brought together nearly 500 businesses from both countries. VNS MINSK President Tran ai Quang has expressed his hope that Viet Nam and Belarus will join hands in more investment projects covering such areas as agricultural product processing, machinery manufacturing, infrastructure construction and metro routes. Appreciating the establishment of the first automobile assembling and manufacturing joint venture between Viet Nam and Belarus, President Quang told Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov during their meeting in Minsk on T uesday that the Vietnamese Government will facilitate the operation of the joint venture. He noted with pleasure the fruitful development of the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, considering it a firm foundation for both sides to advance their cooperation, especially in economics, trade and investment. The leader affirmed that Viet Nam is willing to connect Belarus with the ASEAN market, to which the country is a member. He appreciated the two sides promoting the rank of the President of the Subcommittee of the Viet Nam-Belarus Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific, Technological Co-operation in order to better materialise consensus and desires of the two countries leaders, aiming to lift bilateral trade to US$500 million, and even $1 billion in the time to come. President Quang used the occasion to thank Belarusian authorities and competent agencies for their support for the Vietnamese community, helping them stabilise their life in the host country. He called on the Belarusian Government to create more favourable conditions for the entry and exit of the Vietnamese to and from Belarus. For his part, PM Kobyakov conveyed his belief that President Quangs visit will create an impetus for the bilateral co-operation across fields. He said the Viet Nam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement and the Protocol on supporting the production of motored transport vehicles in the territory of Viet Nam have generated great opportunities for the two countries to enhance their economic, trade and investment ties. The leader pledged to instruct relevant Belarusian ministries and agencies as well as businesses to closely coordinate with their Vietnamese counterpart to effectively implement the agreement. Belarusian stands ready to import Vietnamese agricultural products, he said, suggesting the two countries set up more joint ventures as the Belarusian Government will facilitate their operation. Host and guest shared the wish to continue the bilateral collaboration in national defence and security, science-technology, culture-sports-tourism, education and training. On this occasion, President Quang conveyed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs invitation to PM Andrei Kobyakov to visit Viet Nam. The Belarusian PM accepted the invitation with pleasure. Later on the day, President Quang and his entourage visited the Victory Square and laid a wreath at the Victory Monument with an eternal flame in the square. On Tuesday evening, President Alexander Lukashnko hosted a banquet for President and his entourage. VNS HCM CITY Endovascular intervention, which is a minimally invasive procedure performed in many countries in the world, is also becoming a more common treatment in Viet Nam, according to experts. Dr Cao Tan Phuoc, deputy head of Trung Vuong Hospital in District 10, told Viet Nam News that the growing popularity of endovascular intervention is a necessary development in the country. The Trung Vuong Hospital, for instance, is performing more endovascular intervention to treat diseases such as hemorrhagic stroke resulting from a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the brain. According to the American Stroke Association, hemorrhagic stroke accounts for about 13 percent of stroke cases. Phuoc said: Endovascular intervention is the best option for old patients with hemorrhagic stroke compared to open brain surgery. In the endovascular intervention procedure, small tube called a catheter is threaded up through a major artery and guided to the source of the bleeding to prevent further rupture and staunch bleeding. The hospitals doctors chose this method for a 81-year-old woman from the citys Tan Binh District who was brought in with a limited loss of consciousness on April 28. The tests and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed bleeding in the brain. The patient was immediately brought to the hospitals DSA faculty within thirty minutes, Dr Ngo Minh Tuan, the facultys head, said, adding that because the patient had many different diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. After discussing the treatment for the patient, the hospitals doctors decided that if a surgery was performed on the patient postoperative care for her would be serious, Tuan said. That was the reason why they decided to perform a 90-minute endovascular intervention to stop the bleeding, he added. After one week, the patients bleeding and brain swelling stopped, he said, adding that she is getting treatment for the different diseases she had before getting hemorrhagic stroke at the hospital. Phuoc said that the intervention is a more minimally invasive procedure than surgery. This procedure also is used to treat aneurism in leg arteries and diabetic complications such as atherosclerosis and others, he added. Last week, the hospitals doctors also performed an endovascular intervention to treat a patient who came in coughing up blood. In the past, they performed five or seven procedures of endovascular intervention every week whereas now two or three patients receive the procedure every day," he said. According to doctors at Binh Dan Hospital in HCM Citys District 3, they have also successfully performed this intervention among many patients. Last year, the intervention was performed on a 57-year-old man of District 7 with a hepatic artery aneurysm, a rare condition which only occurs in 0.002-0.4 per cent of the population. Dr Nguyen Chi Phong, deputy head of the hospitals diagnostic image ward, said the aneurysm was in a location that was difficult to access. Endovascular intervention was the best choice and the safest for the patient. In the case of late diagnosis, the aneurysm could rupture and cause death, he added. According to Phuoc, early diagnosis and timely intervention are decisive factors to save patients and provide a good quality of living without disabilities. Hospitals also need other well-developed departments such as the nervous system surgery department and an anaesthetic and recovery department to provide co-ordination for the DSA division in treatment, he added. VNS HCM CITY People who have children especially at the age of between 5 and 15 and in the Mekong Delta should take preventive measures against Japanese encephalitis, which breaks out between June and October every year, a doctor at the HCM City Paediatrics Hospital said. Truong Huu Khanh, head of the hospitals neurology and infectious diseases department, said the number of cases would increase soon since this is the breeding season of the culex mosquito, which transmits Japanese encephalitis. The mosquitoes breed mostly in paddy fields, he said. The disease is transmitted from pigs and birds to humans through mosquitoes, he said. Six children are being treated at the hospital and are in bad conditions. All are on ventilators. The number of cases is higher this year than last and the victims condition is more serious, Khanh said. The son of Tran Thi Yen Nga of the delta province of Ben Tre has been treated for Japanese encephalitis for the last eight months and remains on a ventilator. Khanh said two patients including Ngas son have been treated for a long time. People in serious condition and placed on ventilators need to be treated for a full year, he said. Many of the victims, including Ngas son, were not vaccinated against the disease, he said. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), most Japanese encephalitis infections are mild or without apparent symptoms, but approximately one in 250 patients have severe clinical illness. Severe disease is characterised by a rapid onset of high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis and ultimately death, WHO said. Of those who survive, 20-30 per cent suffer permanent mental, behavioural or neurological problems such as paralysis, recurrent seizures or the inability to speak, it added. Khanh said there is no medicine to cure the disease and the main treatment involves using a breathing machine to assist respiration and drugs for preventing convulsion. According to statistics, 60 per cent of patients recover and 30 per cent suffer from permanent problems, with the remaining 10 per cent dying. Getting vaccinated and destroying mosquitoes are the best preventive methods, he said. At one year children should get their first shot and a second after 14 days. A year later they get a third shot. After three years they should get a booster shot. VNS HCM CITY The number of dengue infections has risen significantly in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, particularly in Can Tho City and the provinces of ong Thap, Ben Tre, Ca Mau and Tien Giang, according to the Ministry of Health. ong Thap Province has the highest number of dengue cases in the delta, with over 1,000 infected cases, including 72 serious cases and two deaths, with high rates in Cao Lanh City and the districts of Lap Vo, Cao Lanh and Thanh Binh. Dr. Duong An Han, director of the provinces Preventive Medicine Centre, said the province had an average of about 50 dengue fever cases per week. People do not care about taking preventive measures. In some cases, patients visit doctors too late thus the infection becomes serious. he said. Dr. Huynh Minh Truc, director of Can Tho Preventive Medicine Centre, said the city had seen nearly 600 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of the year. Can Thos Children Hospital has conducted 853 in-patient dengue fever treatments from patients both inside and outside the province, and about 2,600 out-patient cases, an increase of 10 per cent compared to the same period last year. Dengue fever often occurs in children under aged 15, with 84 per cent of total infected cases in Can Tho and surrounding areas. In Ben Tre Province, more than 700 dengue fever cases have been detected since the beginning of the year, a drop of 20 per cent against the same period last year. However, more dengue infections are spreading through all districts in the province, with one death occurring in Giong Trom Districts Tan Thanh Commune. Ca Maus Women and Children Hospital said the number of children hospitalised for dengue fever rose against the previous month, with 379 in-patient cases. The number of dengue cases increased by 148 per cent in May and 405 per cent this month, compared to the same period last year. Dr. Tran Thien Ly, head of the Ca Maus Woman and Children Hospitals Intensive Care and Anti-poison Department, said that dengue infections over the last two weeks were increasing in number but also in seriousness. Preventive measures The province has seen three kinds of four types of dengue viruses, with 83.7 per cent being the D1 type, according to the Tien Giang Provinces Preventive Medicine Centre. Dr. Nguyen Trung Nghia, deputy director of Can Tho Citys Department of Health, said the city Peoples Committee and the department had implemented many plans to prevent and control the disease, organising campaigns to kill mosquito larvae in the city. However, the number of dengue cases is still increasing. ong Thaps Preventive Medicine Centre carried out a second campaign in June and a third in August, killing larvae and spraying insecticides to kill mosquitoes. Infected patients can be infected again and again, even more dangerous than the previous times. Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Minister of Health, said that dengue-fever preventive vaccines had not been used in the community as the price was high and residents doubted the efficacy. Thus, taking preventive measures is necessary. In rural Viet Nam, people have a habit of using jugs or tanks to hold water, which creates favorable conditions for mosquito larvae. The Ministry of Health has recommended that people cover all water tanks, release fish into water tanks to kill mosquito larvae, replace water in flower vases and remove waste materials. People should also sleep under mosquito nets in un-airconditioned rooms, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, co-operate with the health sector in chemical spraying and preventive methods, and immediately visit hospitals if they have a high temperature. VNS HCM CITY The HCM City Peoples Committee has asked the Department of Transport to seek measures to tackle traffic congestion at 37 traffic-congestion hotpots across the city, including those at seaports. The city has asked the department to propose measures to ensure safety and avoid traffic jams for vehicles travelling to Hiep Phuoc Port in Nha Be District. The ports will be moved from districts 4 and 7 to Hiep Phuoc Port in the near future. Of the 37 traffic-congestion hotpots in the city, Cat Lai Port area has three heavy traffic-congestion hotspots, which can last up to many hours per day, according to the Department of Transport. The My Thuy intersection at ong Van Cong and Nguyen Thi inh streets in District 2 is a hotspot for traffic accidents. Bui Van Quan, chairman of the HCM City Cargo Association, said that prolonged traffic congestion caused transport costs to increase, with only one container ship per day from Cat Lai to factories. It formerly carried two trips per day. Quan said the heavy traffic jams at Cat Lai were due to its location in the Thu Thiem new urban area, instead of industrial parks. Meanwhile, the Department of Transport has asked to speed up construction of the overpass at the My Thuy intersection so that it can open to traffic by November. A director at Tan Thuan Industrial Development One-Member Co., Ltd., which manages Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park in Nha Be District, said the authorities should learn from the lessons of heavy traffic jams in Cat Lai Port. HCM City has 37 congestion hotspots, including six in the city centre, six near Tan Son Nhat airport, and three at Cat Lai Port, among others. Roads leading near Cat Lai Port recently suffered a 13-hour traffic jam, the most serious congestion this year. To resolve the problem, the construction of new roads at the intersection of Nguyen Thi inh and Vo Chi Cong streets has been proposed. In addition, Phu My Bridge needs to be expanded to ease frequent congestion. Meanwhile, traffic jams at roads near Tan Son Nhat airport are expected to be relieved, owing to the completion of two flyovers by the end of this month. Traffic congestion has become a critical issue in HCM City, which has more than 1,000 newly registered vehicles a day. As of the end of March last year, the city had more than 7.5 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 6.77 per cent, according to the Department of Transport. Millions of vehicles from other provinces also contribute to traffic congestion every day, the department said. VNS HA NOI Doctor Nguyen Chien Quyet completed his first surgery as lead surgeon last Wednesday, performing a hernia operation on a four-year-old Mong ethnic boy, at Bac Ha District General Hospital in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai. Quyet has signed up to work at the hospital for three years. Quyet graduated from the Ha Noi Medical University three years ago and then spent two years studied his speciality gynaecology. When he was a final-year student, he heard about a project bringing doctors to volunteer to work in poor district, and he eagerly signed up. Now I believe I can give effective heath care to residents in Bac Ha District, he said. Quyet was among the first seven doctors on the pilot project sending young doctors to poor districts and island areas. The pilot project was approved by the Ministry of Health in March 2013. The seven doctors will go to different poor districts in Lao Cai, Son La, Bac Kan and ien Bien northern provinces. Under the project, young doctors who perform well in medical universities and volunteer to join will be chosen. After being trained for two years in a medical speciality, the male ones will be taken to districts hospital in poor areas for three years, and female doctors for two years. Pham Van Tac, director of the Personnel Department under the Ministry of Health, said that the project aimed to improve the number and quality of medical staff in disadvantaged areas. Reports from health departments in poor districts showed that 63 districts needed about 600 doctors for 15 different specialities such as paediatrics, gynaecology and infectious diseases. Some district hospitals in Binh inh, Quang Ngai and Thanh Hoa have only four or five doctors, and some dont even have one. Director Tac said that so far 78 doctor volunteers registered for the project. Besides the seven assigned to poor districts, the remainder are being trained. Several experts believe that assigning doctor volunteers to poor districts for two or three years is too short. The time is not enough to improve health examination and treatment quality at localities, and was not suitable for preferential policies for doctor volunteers. So the department will consider lengthening the period, said Tac. Under the project, the doctors will be provided with priority conditions in terms of salary, allowance and working conditions during and after they complete their missions. VNS HA NOI The capital city will reopen some 130 spans of centenary arch bridges that have been sealed with concrete for more than a decade. The 131 sealed bridge spans from the inner Hoan Kiem Districts Phung Hung Street to the Long Bien Railway Station will be reopened as part of a project to expand cultural space for the capitals residents, chairman of the citys Peoples Committee Nguyen uc Chung said at a recent meeting with voters of the district. The districts Peoples Committee has invited experts to plan the project, after which we will ask for opinions from the citys Party Committee on reopening the bridge spans, Chung said. Four of the spans have been reopened to create walkways for citizens, and the remaining 127 will be renovated to make them public spaces for citizens, which will be similar to either the book street model or a venue for art and cultural activities, he said. Reopening the spans will not only create more cultural spaces for citizens and boost the citys tourism but also facilitate traffic in inner city, especially on the narrow Gam Cau Street, whose surface has been damaged, he said. The bridge spans were constructed a century ago during the French colonisation era and later sealed by the city to ensure social security. The spaces around the spans have been taken up by residents of Phung Hung Street to open clothing and food kiosks. Interspersed between the spans are three flyovers going across the streets of Nguyen Thiep, Hang Luoc and Phung Hung. Residents on Gam Cau Street said they supported the reopening of the spans, but were worried the move would result in increased social vices. Some 10 years ago, we were all anxious as a lot of factory workers, beggars and drug addicts were frequenting this area, Tam, a street vendor on the street, told the Zing online newspaper. New spaces for art and cultural activities have been recently opened in the capital city to serve demands of the citizens and tourists. The walking area around Hoan Kiem Lake and the 19/12 Book Street have become some of the distinctive features of the city. VNS HA NOI The investigative police of the capital citys Hai Ba Trung District on Tuesday took into custody two suspects in connection with the assault of a foreigner and began criminal investigation into the case. A video clip posted on social media and a number of online newspapers on Sunday showed a scuffle taking place between a male foreigner and two Vietnamese men in front of house No 421 on the districts Tran Khat Chan Street on Friday afternoon. Nguyen Duy Khanh, 26, and Doan Van Cuong, 29, both residing in Ha Noi, are suspected to have assaulted the foreigner. The victim, identified as M.G, 27, from the United States of America, was driving his girlfriend home on a Yamaha Taurus motorbike when a Toyota Corolla car, driven by Nguyen Duy Khanh in the same direction, moved up from the left and went over his left foot. G signaled by hand for Khanh to move his car, but when the car did not budge, he tapped on the rearview mirror on the passenger side and said Move it. Hearing the tap, Khanh opened the door on his side and stepped out of the car. Still sitting on his motorbike, G was trying to pull one of his sandals from under the cars wheel when Khanh suddenly came over to him. With one hand Khanh pushed G away and with the other punched him in the face, breaking his nose and pushing him off his motorbike. The motorbike lost balance and fell on Khanhs car. This infuriated Khanh further, who continued hitting G in the face while Gs girlfriend and locals tried to stop Khanh. Doan Van Cuong, a friend of Khanh, also appeared at the scene, parked his motorbike in front of Khanhs car and began beating Gulian upon hearing Khanh say the foreigner was trying to smash his cars mirror. Gs girlfriend, N.H.G, 25, from Hoang Mai District, was hit on the head by Khanh while she was trying to stop him from hitting G. The American victim tried to cover his girlfriend with a helmet, but Khanh snatched it from him. Cuong was about to hit him with a brick when a patrol group of the district police reached the spot and intervened. The three men subsequently left the spot despite the police suggesting they go to the police headquarters to resolve the incident. G was on Monday taken by the police to the Thanh Nhan Hospital for medical examination. The case was considered by the police as intentional infliction of injuries resulting from a traffic collision. VNS CA MAU Landslides hit two districts of the southernmost province of Ca Mau on Tuesday, damaging four households and incurring losses of some VN700 million (US$30,800). A landslide occurred on 15m of the Kenh Xang Cai Ngay canal in Nam Can Districts Hiep Tung Commune at about 2am. It encroached upon 20m of the canal, damaging two houses of resident Phan Minh Thanh and resulting in losses of some VN30 million ($1,300). At about the same time, five houses worth VN650 million ($28,600) along the Cua Lon River in Hang Vinh Commune were also damaged by a 64m landslide, which encroached upon 6-12m of the mainland. A working group of the districts Peoples Committee visited the three affected households in Hang Vinh Commune on the same morning, giving each household a compensation of VN2 million ($88) and calling for support from locals to help them recover from the incident. A landslide also hit a stretch of the Cua Lon River in the provinces Ngoc Hien District at 11.30pm on Sunday, dragging half the house of resident Pham Hong Chang into the river. Twenty-five houses in Nam Can District were also damaged by a landslide on May 30, with losses of VN1 billion ($44,000) incurred. Landslides, alledgedly a result of climate change and heavy rains, have destroyed some 800m of the riverbank, 36 houses, one carpentry workshop, one sawmill and one petrol station in the province since the beginning of the year, according to the provinces Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. The provincial authorities have issued warnings on landslides and relocated some 1,000 people residing in landslide-prone areas in Ngoc Hien District to safer places. They have also reviewed and collected statistics related to damage caused by the natural phenomenon, according to the Dan Tri online newspaper. At the end of May, the provincial Peoples Committee asked the Government to provide VN120 billion ($5.3 million) to build new residential areas for 500 households living in erosion-prone areas in Ngoc Hien Districts at Mui Commune. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Public Securitys Immigration Management Department will officially launch online invitation and guarantee procedures for Viet Nam-based agencies, organisations and enterprises applying for Vietnamese visa for foreigners on July 1. The online procedure was piloted in HCM City on June 15. The move follows Article 10 of Governments Decree 07/2017/N-CP, dated January 2017, on processes and procedures for pilot issuance of electronic visa to foreigners who wish to enter Viet Nam. This move is an administrative reform in the immigration sector and follows government instructions to promote the use of science and technology in State management, the department said. The online procedure will reduce costs and save time, the department said. On Tuesday, the department conducted a training session on the application process, including steps to receive status and complete fax payment through the online system. Domestic agencies, organisations and enterprises that wish to invite or/and give guarantee for foreign visitors must register for an online account by submitting a document via the portal or directly at the department headquarters on 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Ha Noi. The department will respond and issue an account within three days of document receipt. After opening the account, inviting and guaranteeing agencies, organisations and enterprises can submit documents for visa approval through an online system at www.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. The fees can be paid to the department headquarters via fax, through online payment on the department website, or through a deposit bank account. The agencies can check and see the status of the submitted visa application on website www.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, and use their online application code to print it out. Earlier, on February 1, the Immigration Management Department started a two-year pilot plan to launch an electronic visa system for foreign tourists. Citizens from 40 countries are now eligible to apply for e-visas. Applicants are required to complete a form available on two separate websites (one in Vietnamese and the other in English) run by the Ministry of Public Security. They will receive an application code and will be asked to pay a non-refundable fee online. VNS HA TINH Farmers in central Ha Tinh Province are experiencing a hard time due to the poor harvest of peanuts and the low price of goober peas. Phan Thi Lan, a farmer in the provinces Thach Chau Commune, said she was able to harvest very few peanuts when she pulled out the plants. We harvested 700kg of peanuts on this land plot from the previous years crop, but only 200kg from this crop, she said. Lan added that she had to sow seeds thrice this time for peanuts to sprout on the entire plot, which meant triple the investment. Le Quang Hung, the communes deputy chairman said the communes productivity was reduced by almost half on the 240ha used to grow peanuts compared with the 2016 crop. A lean peanut crop also occurred in other communes and districts around Ha Tinh. A report by the local Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection said the yield was 200kg lower per hectare than the previous crop on a total of 14,000ha of land used to grow peanuts in the province. The report also said some places in the coastal districts of Loc Ha, Thach Ha and Ky Anh experienced zero harvest as they were low-lying and were flooded due to unexpected heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, the price of peanuts in the Ha Tinh market plunged drastically. One kilogramme of peanuts that cost VN25,000 (some US$1.1) last year dropped to VN15,000 ($0.7) this year. The price is expected to drop lower as harvested peanuts piled up at farmers homes but no traders came to purchase them. Despite the low price, my peanuts have been lying for a week but no traders have come yet, Nguyen Thi Long, a farmer in Thach Chau Commune, said. Other farmers experienced a similar situation. All were concerned about incurring heavy losses as the harvested peanuts seem to be lighter than those harvested from previous crops. The piles of peanuts lying at homes make the lives of locals during hot summer become harder due to dust and heat. At the same time, the drier the peanuts get, the greater the loss for farmers as the weight is reduced. VNS CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland Rival Cypriot leaders meet on Wednesday to resume efforts to solve one of the worlds longest-running political crises in what the islands UN envoy billed as the "best chance" for peace. The make-or-break talks in Switzerland are geared towards ending the decades-old division of the island and striking a lasting deal between its Greek- and Turkish-speaking communities. Despite a daunting list of unresolved disputes, UN envoy Espen Barth Eide said he was confident on the eve of the talks. "Its a unique opportunity, because after all of these decades of division it is possible to solve," he told reporters in Geneva. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded the northern third of the island in response to an Athens-inspired coup attempt seeking union with Greece. Turkey still maintains more than 35,000 troops in Cyprus and Nicosia remains Europes last divided capital. The last round of talks in January failed to make any headway, and Eide himself warned that "it is not going to be easy and there is no guarantee of success". President Nicos Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriot leader who heads the islands internationally recognised government, and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci will give it another go starting on Wednesday in the Swiss mountain resort of Crans-Montana. They will be joined initially at least by the foreign ministers from the so-called guarantor powers of Cyprus -- Greece, Turkey and Britain -- along with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Topping the agenda is a new security arrangement for a post-settlement federal Cyprus. This would involve the guarantor powers, which retain the right of military intervention. The presence of Turkish troops on the island was a major sticking point in previous peace attempts but signs were pointing to a potential breakthrough after a diplomatic source said that Ankara was ready to propose slashing its military presence. "The Turkish side is willing to reduce troop numbers by 80 percent and put this on the table," said the source. Eide said the two sides were "basically done" on four other chapters being discussed, revolving around governance and power-sharing, property, economy and EU matters. Status quo not guaranteed More than 2,000 people went missing during sectarian infighting and massacres carried out by Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot militias that culminated in the 1974 invasion. Eide said that while there was currently no "burning drama" in Cyprus, "many Cypriots are aware that the status quo is not guaranteed". UN chief Antonio Guterres, who may end up attending the Crans-Montana talks, said in New York on Tuesday that the chance to reunify Cyprus "is now finally before us". But some analysts doubt that the two sides can broach considerable gaps in how a unified Cyprus would actually function. "What we can hope for is progress on the security chapter," said Hubert Faustmann, a political science professor at the University of Nicosia. "Anything less" than a security deal that saw some Turkish troops remain on the island would be rejected by Ankara "and the conference will fail," he said. AFP Paul Steger an actor, a theatre director, a fight choreographer with Broadway credits, and an arts administrator has been named director of the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts. Most recently a professor in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film at the University of NebraskaLincoln, Steger will assume his new role on July 1. Being selected to serve as the director of Virginia Techs School of Performing Arts is a great honor and a wonderful challenge, Steger said. Opportunities abound at Virginia Tech right now with interdisciplinary collaborations across campus. These opportunities coupled with accomplished faculty and staff in music, theatre, cinema, and dance are inspiring. This is a great time to be a part of new innovations that will expand the impact and engagement of the arts nationally and internationally. Steger recently completed an 11-year term as the inaugural director of the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. In that position, he developed and guided the school through multiple strategic plans and academic program reviews, a reaccreditation, a $5.3 million renovation and expansion, and the acquisition of a $20 million donation to help create a center for emerging media arts. More recent personal projects include creating fights for the History Channel series Vikings; coordinating efforts to establish internships at Industrial Light & Magic, a cinematic-visual-effects powerhouse in San Francisco; and presenting at the inaugural World Combat Teachers Conference in Toronto. Before joining the University of Nebraska, Steger served as an associate professor and in various administrative capacities at the School of Theatre at Florida State University, at the University of Oklahomas School of Drama, and at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Steger has appeared across North America and Europe as a performer, director, speaker, and consultant. As a certified combat instructor, he has coordinated efforts to create common vocabularies for stage combat organizations and fight teachers at the international level. A member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Schools of Theatre, Steger is also a member of the Actors Equity Association, the Screen Actors Guild, and the National Theatre Conference. Steger earned a master of fine arts in directing from Western Illinois University and a bachelor of arts in theatre (acting and directing) from Saint Louis University. I look forward to working with Virginia Techs incredible community of artists, scholars, and learners to discover what we can do in the future, Steger said. We are delighted that Paul Steger will be leading the School of Performing Arts in the next phase of its history, said Rosemary Blieszner, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. The talent among our faculty and students has long been dazzling, and I know he will be instrumental in nurturing it and bringing their art before even wider audiences. INSIGHT Into Diversity has named Virginia Tech one of 13 Diversity Champion colleges and universities. This is the second consecutive year that the university has received the champion recognition from INSIGHT Into Diversity, which is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The magazine considers champions to be institutions that set the standard for thousands of other campus communities striving for diversity and inclusion. InclusiveVT has represented Virginia Techs inclusion and diversity initiatives since its creation in 2014. In order to provide leadership and accelerate the aspirations of InclusiveVT, the university hired Menah Pratt-Clarke as vice president for strategic affairs and vice provost for inclusion and diversity in early 2016. InclusiveVT is the institutional and individual commitment to Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence, Pratt-Clarke said. It is a recognition that as a land-grant institution, we must be intentional in our efforts to create a diverse community and to ensure that each member of our community feels welcomed, affirmed, and supported in pursuing their talents and achieving their potential." In the past year, InclusiveVT has worked to increase efforts to recruit and retain a more diverse student and faculty population. During the November 2016 Board of Visitors meeting, President Tim Sands stated that Virginia Tech intended to double the number of students from traditionally underrepresented groups in its incoming first-year class by 2022, and to increase the number of underrepresented faculty. To achieve the goal for greater student representation, the university has introduced two programs that begin this summer. ExploreVT and the Black College Institute are designed to identify academically curious, high-achieving students and expose them to opportunities at Virginia Tech. ExploreVT and the Black College Institute complement the College Access Collaborative. The collaborative was launched in 2016 to strengthen Virginia Techs commitment to increase access to higher education by partnering with communities that typically graduate lower number of college-bound high school students. For greater faculty recruitment and retention, the university has developed the InclusiveVT/AdvanceVT Faculty Committee, which consists of 20 full professors who represent each of the eight academic colleges to focus on diversity. InclusiveVT also implemented in conjunction with the Office for Equity and Accessibility a required online course that addresses issues of unconscious bias and myths about diversity in the hiring process. The university hosted the fifth annual national Faculty Women of Color in the Academy Conference. During the two-day event, more than 400 women of color scholars at all levels met to connect, attend mentoring workshops, and find support among peers to continue to succeed in the academy. Virginia Tech is a strong community, and we always strive to make it even stronger by broadening the pool of talent that we attract, said President Tim Sands. Consistent with InclusiveVT, we are committed to a welcoming, affirming, inclusive, safe, and accessible campus climate. In the past academic year, InclusiveVT introduced DiversityEdu, a new requirement for all entering students to complete a pre-enrollment diversity course. In addition, University Council approved a resolution for a new core area in Pathways called, Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States. New cultural and resource centers were also established to join the existing Black Cultural Center and Multicultural Center. Additional centers include the Hispanic and Latino Cultural Center, the LGBTQ+ Center, and the American Indian and Indigenous Community Center. To further explore and understand indigenous cultures, Virginia Tech held its first powwow in early April. The powwow followed the first Native American Summit, which was hosted by Virginia Tech to reinvigorate partnerships between the university and the commonwealths 11 recognized tribes. InclusiveVT also led efforts to improve dialogue and understanding among the differences that comprise the Virginia Tech community by hosting a series of talks and workshops called #VTUnfinished. The effort began with workshops facilitated by Lee Mun Wah, a renowned filmmaker, author, community therapist, and master diversity trainer, in November 2016. The #VTUnfinished conversations continued into the spring semester as part of Principles of Community week in March. The Division of Student Affairs, in conjunction with the Office for Inclusion and Diversity, hosted weekly talks called #civilityVT Lets Talk to encourage civil discourse and active listening on a variety of different topics. The talks began in March 2017 and continued until the end of the spring semester in May. Written by John Jackson CEDAR FALLS The Iowa Board of Regents appointed an interim executive director and laid out the timeline for finding his successor during a short telephonic meeting Wednesday. The board unanimously approved the appointment of Keith Saunders as interim executive director at an annual salary of $200,000. Saunders currently serves as the boards state relations officer for the University of Iowa and is the primary legislative contact for the Iowa Board of Regents. He joined the board office in 2004 after working at the University of Northern Iowa for eight years in a governmental relations position. Saunders will take over the position effective July 16, which follows July 15, the last day of the outgoing Executive Director Robert Donley. Donley sent a letter to the Board of Regents on June 1 announcing his plans to resign. I made the decision several months ago, Donley said at a Board of Regents meeting earlier this month on the UNI campus. This was my decision. No one should read anything other than that into this. The timing was perfect. Saunders pay will be higher than the Legislature-approved $154,300 salary cap for the executive director position. The board set his salary at $200,000 because Saunders will continue his current duties for which he is paid $150,000 annually as well as serve as interim executive director, according to Regents Spokesman Josh Lehman. Lehman said the board has consulted with the attorney generals office to ensure the interim position is not subject to the salary cap. Donley said earlier this month that having a salary cap on the position could be a challenge for the board in looking to hire his replacement. During the meeting, the board also authorized the regents governance committee and interim director to take action to begin a search for the next executive director. The governance committee comprises board members Patty Cownie, Sherry Bates and Nancy Boettger. The committee and its interim will abide by a tentative timeline that includes advertising the open position in July and having the board interview finalists to make a selection in September. The committee is expected to narrow the list of candidates, interview semi-finalists and forward a list of finalists to the board during the month of August. Board President Michael Richards said at the last board meeting the interim executive director will not be among the candidates to fill the position permanently. CEDAR FALLS -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has given a long-awaited final approval to an estimated $6.6 million project to raise the downtown Cedar Falls flood control levee by 3 feet. Mayor Jim Brown said the city received word from Corps of Engineers officials Wednesday afternoon. "It's a great relief," the mayor said. "The entire community can breathe a sigh of relief, once it's built, to have that extra level of protection for our downtown, the Western Home and Cedar Falls Utilities," all with facilities adjacent to the Cedar River. The plans have been in the works for five years and state funding was secured in 2014. "You remember my anxiety last fall," Brown said, along with many others in the community, during a near-record flood in September that was initially projected to rival the record flood of 2008. That 2008 flood nearly overtopped the existing levee, built in the late 1990s. That was supposed to be a "500-year" flood. But as Brown emphasized on a recent visit with congressional representatives in Washington D.C., a second major flood in eight years proved "we don't have 492 years to build this." "There's still a lot of steps to walk through -- letting it and scheduling it," Brown said. "We're hoping for a schedule in the end we can all live with and get it built." City Administrator Ron Gaines has said it's hoped the work can be under contract sometime in late September. The project would be built over two years. The city enlisted the help of U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst, Charles Grassley and U.S. 1st Dist. Rep. Rod Blum, all of whom asked the Corps of Engineers to adhere to a review schedule that projected approval by June 30, Friday. Blum personally walked the flood dike with Brown during last September's near-record flood. Grassley had sent a letter to Corps of Engineers officials last fall, following September's near-record flood, which Brown said added a sense of urgency to the process. Brown noted the city wasn't seeking federal dollars; was adding to an existing flood control facility, avoiding habitat issues; building on the "dry" side of the levee and "protecting millions of dollars of assets" and people. In March, Corps of Engineers streamlined the review process, only requiring approvals at the district and regional levels -- at Rock Island, Ill. and Vicksburg, Miss., respectively -- without having to go to Washington, D.C. for final approval. "It restores a little faith" in the review process, Brown said, "and our federal representatives were a big part of it." A state flood mitigation panel approved $6.6 million in funding for Cedar Falls in March 2014. A state Sales Tax Increment Fund receives deposits of increased sales tax revenues from flood-impacted areas for improvements there.. Cedar Falls City Council members approved an amendment updating cost estimates and revenue-flow projections for the project last week, which was approved by the Iowa Flood Mitigation Board Thursday. WATERLOO The city has been awarded a $2.9 million federal grant to help remove lead-based paint and other health hazards from homes and apartments. Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart on Wednesday announced the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development had approved the lead remediation funds, expected to protect nearly 120 families over the next three years. We have older housing stock in some parts of our community, and we want to make sure we are able to address any of the health concerns, Hart said. Waterloo and Clinton were the only Iowa cities to receive the grants this year through HUDs Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program. Waterloo received similar grants in 2003, 2007 and 2011 but failed to win a renewal in 2015. While lead-based paint was banned for housing use in 1978, many older homes still contain the metal, which is especially dangerous to children. Lead poisoning in young children can cause intellectual disabilities, damage to the nervous system, slowed development and hearing and speech problems. Waterloo Community Development will receive $2.5 million for lead control and $400,000 for radon testing and mitigation in qualified homes. Radon is an odorless gas that can seep into basements and cause cancer and other illnesses. The city is matching the grant with $592,000, including Community Development Block Grant funds, landlord contributions, Black Hawk County Health Department funds and in-kind contributions, including Waterloo Fire Rescue installing smoke and carbon dioxide detectors in housing units. The health department will handle most referrals based on blood testing and inspections of housing units. Community Development Director Rudy Jones said the Landlords of Black Hawk County organization is a partner this time as the city attempts to reach beyond the homeowner focus in past grants. This grant is different from past grants in that were moving a little bit away from owner-occupied units to make sure we have the apartments, where we still have some work to do, to be covered there. The grant will target families and tenants in rental units at or below 80 percent of the median income. Lead hazard control is expected to cost an average of $15,000 per unit. Landlords must contribute 20 percent of the costs to be eligible for the rental lead abatement. Jones said additional information about the program will be rolled out in the future as the city works go begin the program in earnest in the spring of 2018. Other community partners include Operation Threshold, a Community Action Agency, the YWCA/Hispanic Center, Tri-County Head Start, Peoples Health Clinic and the Waterloo Housing Authority. Questions can be directed to Jones at (319) 291-4429 or Rudy.Jones@Waterloo-IA.org. BRASILIA - After Brazilian Supreme Court charged President Michel Temer of corruption on Monday, his two predecessors, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, were quick to call for his resignation on Tuesday. Speaking to Radio Itatiaia, Lula said that Temer might decide to resign, if pressure from the society was strong enough. "The ideal would be a peaceful process for Temer to call for an early election, so we can elect, before October 2018, a new president and new Congress," said Lula, who was the founder of the Workers' Party (PT) and Brazilian president from 2003 to 2011. Lula added that an investigation into Temer was needed to find out "if the accusations are true." Meanwhile, Rousseff also reacted to the charges against Temer by writing on her website that the "coup of 2016," referring to her impeachment, had left the country in the hands of a president charged with corruption. Rousseff, succeeding Lula as president from 2011 till her impeachment in last August for breaking budgetary laws, accused the political parties and industrial sectors which supported her impeachment of "being directly responsible for his (Temer) rise." Temer, then vice president to Rousseff, assumed the powers and became the president after the impeachment. Wild parsnip DANETTE BERENDS LA PORTE CITY With the wild parsnip taking over ditches, pastures and fields, isnt it possible to spray some of these areas to try and contain the spread of this weed? Fireworks JULIE BLANFORD WATERLOO I agree with Sherri Murphy (letter June 13). Waterloo has the highest rate of crime of any other city in Iowa. So, lets make it legal for anyone to shoot off fireworks. Oh yea, lets make it for only certain days/times. Yea, thats working out. Once again Waterloo makes a bad decision. One night a year and leave to the professionals! I feel for all with PTSD, those who have seizures and all dog owners. I, for one, own a very loving 12-year-old red Australian shepherd border collie mix who is on medication for seizures. Thanks, Governor Branstad. Arent you needed in China? Please go and allow our new governor to take over, finally. She has been in the position for a while now. Health care plan KENT GUILD WATERLOO I have just read the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. I wont pretend to be an expert, but I have read it. It is divided into two parts. The first part is titled Elimination of Limitation on Recapture of Excess Advance Payments of Premium Tax Credits. I counted 19 sections changing the IRS tax code giving tax credits to the wealthy and business owners. The investment tax credit is particularly appalling. The second part is titled The Prevention and Public Health Fund. I counted 14 sections changing the Social Security Act, harming the middle class and the most vulnerable citizens of the United States. The Senate bill is not a health care plan. It is a tax cut for the wealthy and harms the middle class. Deep cuts KAMYAR ENSHAYAN CEDAR FALLS We have a daughter who is 17 who needs care around the clock. She depends on a network of support services Medicaid our nation provides her. And that system is under attack with deep cuts, which means my daughter and millions of others with disabilities are being cut, and their life diminished as a result. What are they supposed to do? A system of health care is a system of home defense and security; and cutting services to those who need it the most does not serve our nation. There is nothing conservative about it, nothing great about it. Honor Flight RON LEIBOLD CEDAR FALLS I wish to express my thanks to everyone who helped make my Honor Flight a very memorable day. The organization of the entire day was very impressive. All the memorials we visited in D.C. were thought-provoking in that so many men and women have died for the price of freedom as we know it today. The reception when we returned to Waterloo was unbelievable, like nothing I have ever experienced. Thanks to all those people who were there. For those people looking for some organization to give some funds to, I would suggest Sullivan Hartogh Davis Cedar Valley Honor Flight. M * * * Dear brother, On the day that your designation as part of the College of Cardinals is made public, I wish to send you a cordial greeting along with the guarantee of my closeness and prayer. It is my hope that, joined with the Church of Rome and clothed in the virtues and sentiments of the Lord Jesus, you may help me with fraternal efficacy in my service to the Universal Church. The cardinalate does not imply promotion; it is neither an honour nor a decoration; it is simply a service that requires you to broaden your gaze and open your hearts. And, although this may appear paradoxical, the ability to look further and to love more universally with greater intensity may be acquired only by following the same path of the Lord: the path of self-effacement and humility, taking on the role of a servant. Therefore I ask you, please, to receive this designation with a simple and humble heart. And, while you must do so with pleasure and joy, ensure that this sentiment is far from any expression of worldliness or from any form of celebration contrary to the evangelical spirit of austerity, sobriety and poverty. Until we meet, then, on 20 February... I remain at your disposal and ask you, please, to pray for me and to ask for prayers on my behalf. May Jesus bless you and the Holy Virgin protect you. FRANCIS uch as the journey is the same, the scene today is rather different.For one, no prelate in his right mind would be caught dead wearing the oldin these times......yet most of all, here we go again another crop of new cardinals drawn mostly, like the Pope who made them, "from the edge of the world."In a shift from ancient practice, the Consistory to create five voting members of the papal "Senate" will take place in the afternoon 4pm Rome time on this Wednesday's vigil of Saints Peter and Paul. (The live video will appear here at the time, and the ritual booklet with English translations is already up .)Among other benefits, the change of hour ends the routine early-morning havoc around the Vatican preceding a Scarlet Bowl, as the usual crush of far-flung pilgrims would start queuing up from 2 or 3am to ensure their spots in the Basilica. In any event, given the size of the crop the smallest since Blessed Paul VI inducted four with his final class in 1977 (four decades ago this week) the logistics are much more manageable than with the "mega-Consistories" elevating a dozen or morewhich've been the usual case over recent decades.That said, for the second time running, the entire College has not been summoned to Rome for this week's doings, and the daylong consultation both Francis and Benedict XVI have usually held with the body likewise won't take place again.While no one should be surprised that the session's absence has been ideologized in some quarters, in reality the rationale is the result of Francis' procrastination. Unlike the pontiff's first two classes which were slated several months in advance both last November's intake and this one were decided upon at the last minute, and having once been a cardinal an ocean away with better things to do than upend a full schedule for a long flight and week in Rome, convoking the global College on a month's notice is a practice the Pope has been resolutely determined to avoid.As an example of the haul, though many US and Latin American red-hats have direct flights or something close, among more recent creations, Tonga's Cardinal Soane Paini Mafi the first ecclesial "prince" to be given the island's minority fold of 15,000 Catholics has to make three or four connections over a 24-hour trip and, despite being a relatively young 55, collapsed while making the journey for Curial meetings in April.Yet speaking of the "peripheries" which form this pontificate's philosophical core, this Consistory marks a particularly salient milestone: while Francis will have chosen forty percent of his successor's eventual electors once the new crop's names are formally pronounced at the rites, another stat puts the new shape of things in an even clearer context with this wave's additions of Mali, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador, Papa Bergoglio has named 13 cardinals with voting rights who are each the first representatives of their home-countries in the College.In other words, that group now comprises more than 10 percent of the total electorate for the first time.Still, even that doesn't completely put the ramifications of this shift in full light... one needs a completely different angle of looking at it.Over days like these, see, the world is told almostthat the College of Cardinals "chooses the next Pope." The actual point, however, is hidden within that:And when you remember how Conclave Math works, even if nothing else changes after this morning, the "shape of the pieces" when that day comes has already shattered the mould from anything that's preceded it.As recent history goes, each of Francis' addresses to his new red-hats ranks among the most loaded messages he's given as Pope, and another of the line is duly expected at this morning's liturgy.That said, though, the text which seems to have made the greatest impression on this front is a far shorter, simpler one: the letter the pontiff sent to his first class of 19 cardinals-designate on revealing their names in January 2014, and subsequently released by the Vatican.... past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 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(18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) A startup needs to test an idea quickly. For this, an MVP is created. MVP, Minimal Viable Product a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of functions (up to one or two), which allows you to see the product's value for consumers and the market. MVP is created to test hypotheses and check the viability of the intended product: is it worth developing the project further, what changes should be made? The sooner a startup brings its MVP to market and tests the idea, the better. This article will look at how no-code technology can help founders achieve their business goals. This article will try to cover everything that a founder needs to know about no-code at the initial stage of creating a startup. What is no-code? No-code, zero-code platform is a tool for creating websites, applications, chatbots, and other programs without the need for direct code writing by programmers. No-code is a valuable alternative to traditional development. No-code is confused with low-code, but there is a difference in these terms. Low-code includes no-code and the ability to "finish code", add parts of code and the functionality. A user of a no-code platform usually does not need to know layout, programming languages, or hire a team of programmers. The user of the no-code tool creates an application using a visual block constructor, which he fills with the necessary content and functions, and the no-code platform itself does the processing of requests, compiling the application and other "magic." It generates code using AI and/or contains blocks of code pre-written by programmers. No-code allows the startup founder to create an MVP himself, entrust it to his employee with basic technical literacy and understanding of the project, or hire a no-code developer. Even in the case of hiring a no-code developer, the cost of creating an MVP will be significantly lower than with classical development with programmers. For example, you can read the interview of a startup and no-code developer on our website, who initially worked as a Product Manager and was able to master no-code for his project himself. Benefits of no-code for a startup founder There are the following key advantages for a startup founder in using no-code technology: a large selection of no-code tools, platforms, and their integrations at the moment already in 2022, there are many tools and platforms for creating an MVP, a larger project, or even a finished product on no-code, but few people still know about them, and others are far from all startups and founders use their potential; cost no-code development saves the money by speeding up the development process, not hiring professional programmers or no need to maintain a developer department, monitoring functions and quick bug fixes, avoiding or reducing the growth of technical debt; speed is the main advantage over classical development no-code allows you to build a simple application in a weekend, and a more complex one can be built in a month. In this way, you can test an MVP and even several versions of an MVP very quickly; low entry threshold to master a no-code platform, you often do not need technical education at all, but only an understanding of a company's business processes or product from the inside. In the case of pro-level no-code platforms, technical education is required, but you can get used to it hundreds of times faster than with any programming language. This makes no-code available to almost everyone who wants to work with technology; ease of use no need to write hundreds of code lines just move the blocks and assign links between them. Work on a project can be entrusted to your employee without communicating with a team of third-party developers. You can speak "in your language" without the need to understand the "inner kitchen" of developers; flexibility with the help of no-code, it is easy for a startup founder to add new functionality and new features right during a project or a MVP testing without a significant increase in development costs. Possible disadvantages of no-code for a startup founder As often, any property can be, under certain conditions, both a disadvantage and an advantage. In no-code, many of the benefits with the wrong choice of tool can turn into disadvantages: no-code is not always a budget solution for a project. Sometimes in a no-code development package, you get unnecessary functions and additions (on AppMaster.io you can separately connect the frontend and pay only for the backend or only for those functions that you are using); if you do not understand the needs of your project, then you can make a mistake with the choice of a no-code tool and not be able to implement the necessary functions on it, or it will be too difficult to implement them; often, no-code tools fail to ensure proper data security and contribute to data leakage (but AppMaster.io allows you to host a finished application on any server); no-code tools often do not provide the ability to upload source code or provide uploading in an inconvenient format, which makes it difficult to move to another tool or to your development. You have to choose a no-code tool "once and forever immediately" (AppMaster. io gives you the ability to download the source code. Also, we generate human-readable code and you will not have any difficulties with its transportation); most no-code tools on the market are not suitable for creating a finished product, and there are significant difficulties with scaling the project if the MVP is successful (AppMaster.io is a professional no-code platform and our capabilities allow us to implement and support the finished product and scale it in the future). Forewarned is forearmed. Choose your no-code tool wisely and take full advantage of your choice. Types of no-code platforms Conventionally, all no-code tools can be divided into several types: no-code devices with a low entry threshold (you can create frontend and not very powerful backend on them), integrators that help connect applications and services, and professional no-code platforms (they strive to replace the code completely, provide the ability to create a robust backend and high bandwidth). The basic principle of operation of your MVP and the choice of a no-code platform depend on such a conditional division into types. For example, if you make a simple application like a diary, you can limit yourself to a no-code tool with a low entry threshold and a beautiful design. If your application has powerful potential, high bandwidth, multi-user interface, and works with large amounts of data or real-time data, it is better to choose a professional no-code platform like AppMaster.io or Direcual. If you use several services at once, link them on integrators like Integromat and Zapier. Adalo An easy-to-learn designer with a relatively user-friendly interface. The free version is helpful for learning. The free version contains Adalo watermarks and does not allow you to upload your applications to GooglePlayMarket and AppStore. Beginners often choose this no-code platform to create their first applications with simple logic. Bubble It will take more time to learn Bubble , but the platform allows you to work with the backend, databases, business processes, and layout. There are many plugins. The free plan allows you to master the tool, and you can start developing at the middle rate. The price increase is due to the rise in the number of users. Integromat It is an integrator. Experts talk about it as a simple and affordable platform for linking applications and services. Scenarios can be created personally, or you can use templates. If you need to connect an application with a service not from the Integromat database, fill out the form and connect to its API via HTTP. Zapier This is an integrator for linking applications with each other or with other external services. You can transfer data between thousands of applications. There is a script constructor (one event starts a chain of necessary actions). Directual The no-code platform positions itself for creating MVP applications (Minimal Viable Product, minimum viable product) and full-fledged applications of finished products. Scenarios are the backbone of the platform. Using scripts, you can automate the backend logic of the application, create and combine workflows. The Directual catalog includes out-of-the-box connectors, HTTP requests, webhooks, database listeners, and integration with popular services. AppMaster.io No-code next-generation platform for creating native and web applications on a real backend. Visual drag-and-drop designer, user-friendly business process designer, one-click app publishing to AppMaster Cloud, or integration with any cloud platform. Push notifications, authorization using social networks. Networks, email, and more. Connect applications to hundreds of services or programmatically access them using APIs. The ability to upload source code and documentation in a human-readable format and transfer it to your servers. Documentation auto-generation. Modern and fast language GoLang at the core. No-code perspectives for startups No-code development is gradually gaining popularity around the world. There are already more than 500 no-code tools for creating websites and various types of applications. According to the forecasts of IT world experts, no-code will develop more and more actively and capture parts of the market responsible for medicine, small online business, small business, and all niches where it is possibly necessary to optimize and automate development processes. The mass shift of businesses and their customers online and to gadgets has increased the demand for the fast and inexpensive creation of mobile applications that would work according to a single quality standard and have a simple, understandable, user-friendly interface. Conclusion No-code is visual programming in the form of a constructor without directly writing code. Usually, basic knowledge in development is enough to build applications on no-code. The logic of no-code constructors is intuitive: the application interface is assembled from blocks, icons, buttons, and text which are connected to the database. Usually, you can choose a suitable template or do everything from scratch. Speed and economy are the main advantages of no-code tools. No-code is suitable for creating an MVP, testing an idea or new features in a product, saving time for solving standard tasks. PRO level no-code platforms can provide you with a finished product, an application. If you don't have an account on AppMaster.io yet, join us. After registration, you will be given a free trial period for 14 days, in which all the basic functionality of the platform is available. It will allow you to learn the intricacies of working with a professional-level no-code platform and understand its potential. Jun 28, 2017 | By Tess Xometry Inc., the on-demand online manufacturing marketplace, has raised $15 million in funding through a financing round led by BMW Groups venture capital division. The startup, which is aiming to be the Amazon of custom manufacturing, provides a nation-wide network of manufacturing partners that specialize in 3D printing, CNC machining, and more. Based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Xometry Inc. has seen its fair amount of success since its founding in 2013. In fact, the startup has reportedly raised a total of $38 million since its birth, and generates roughly $20 million in annual revenue. With clients as illustrious as BMW, General Electric Co., and NASA, it seems that the online manufacturing marketplace is doing something right. (Xometry also serves a number of small and mid-sized companies.) Basically, what the company offers is an online platform that connects companies to domestic manufacturers. In other words, if a company is looking to produce a specific prototype or custom parts, it uploads the 3D file of the part to Xometrys website and fills in a form that specifies how they want the part to be made, as well as desired materials, and more. The companys software is then capable of generating price quotes and production time estimates for its clients thanks to smart machine learning. Once a quote has been selected by the client, Xometry sends the job out to a manufacturer that can meet the fabrication requirement with the specified time and cost restraints. Xometry thereby helps clients to streamline the often difficult and time-consuming process of ordering custom parts. "Even companies as sophisticated as GE and BMW, their supply chains for these sizes of runs are limited," explained Randy Altschuler, Xometrys co-founder and chief executive. "There is no central point for them to go to, no Amazon for custom manufacturing. The recent $15 million in funding includes investments from GE Ventures and Highland Capital Partners, both of which have invested in Xometry before. The startup says the new funding will enable it to increase its sales force and expand its online platform with new features especially geared to procurement teams. At present, the Xometry platform is used by over 5,000 clients and has a network of hundreds of manufacturers and machine shops around the United States. Its client base is also diverse, as it has served companies from the aerospace, automotive, and medical device industries. "You have instant transparency into 'what is this part going to cost me, and how will changes in material and the shape of the part affect that cost?'" commented Zach Barasz, a partner at BMW i Ventures, which invests primarily in technologies that will impact the automotive industry. Barasz will reportedly join Xometrys board of directors. Earlier this year, Xometry announced that it had raised $23 million in funding from new and existing investors such as GE Ventures and Highland Capital Partners. Posted in 3D Printing Service Maybe you also like: shaun lamont wrote at 6/29/2017 8:10:44 PM:what? Is anyone doing the maths here..? online service with $38m invested at least, and $20m in gross revenues? Guess those investors aren't looking looking for a return on that investment PS..i'm also biased..i had a 3d print job done by them....it was terrible, out of spec, bad quality, etc...and i got nowhere on seeing about a refund or a better deliverable Zain Alam in The Miami Rail: I am a Muslim. Minutes after I was born at the Flushing Hospital in Queens, New York City, my father whispered the shahadah into my ears: La ilaha il-AllahThere is no God but God. I was introduced to Islam with the world, and the rhythm of La ilaha il-Allah took the place of my mothers heartbeat. All other experiences were subsequent to the rhythms of Islamic verse. In my childhood home of Kennesaw, Georgia and in cities across South Asia, Ive heard the shahadah repeated daily in the azaan, which calls believers to prayer. No one disputes the beauty of the soundthe strong and sonorous voice of the muezzin casting a spell on its surroundings. At home, recorded azaans are played back by apps that have re-placed miniature mosque-shaped alarm clocks that double as home decorations. But their intention is the same: to invite us to prayer regularly, five times a day. I am a musician. My songs take on new lives apart from me the moment they are shared. The long process of songwriting is how I try to do justice to what begins as a melody in a dream. My task as a composer is simply to submit to the dream, guiding it to structure and feeling it into form, through a private intuition that is informed by deep traditions. I may not know why singing songseven when Im alonebrings me such pleasure, but sharing them with others comes from a desire to make something that can find a life far beyond my own. More here. Julia Felsenthal in Vogue: The comedian Kumail Nanjiani was a teenager in his native Pakistan when he first fell madly, deeply in love with the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. Around the same time and several large bodies of water away in North Carolina, the writer Emily V. Gordon was cultivating a lifelong affection for films like Say Anything, Heathers, and Raising Arizona. It wasnt until they were both in their late twenties and living in Chicago that the pair met at one of Nanjianis stand-up shows, embarked on an uncertain affair (she was newly divorced; his strict Muslim parents expected that hed marry a Pakistani woman), and eventually wed, but only after Gordon came down with a mysterious, life-threatening illness that landed her in the hospital in a medically induced coma for eight terrifying days. (In the end she was diagnosed with a manageable but rare adult-onset autoimmune disorder called Stills disease.) Later this summer, the couple will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. And for exactly half their marriage, theyve been working together on The Big Sick, a romantic comedy that they cowrote and based (with artistic license) on their real love story. In the film, Kumail (played by Nanjiani) and Emily (played by Zoe Kazan) meet cute at a comedy club (she heckles him on stage), start sleeping together casually, and against their better judgment, begin to fall for each other. But then Emily discovers that Kumail has a cigar box full of photos of Pakistani womenpossible matches in the arranged marriage his parents (Zenobia Shroff and Bollywood star Anupam Kher) intend to broker for him. (Kumail:Do you know what we call arranged marriage in Pakistan? Marriage!) They break up, she falls ill, a friend alerts Kumail, and hes the only one present when the doctors need a signature authorizing them to put his ex-girlfriend into a coma. For the latter half of the film, she lays unconscious as Kumail holds vigil at her bedside, works his feelings out in an abysmal stand-up set, bonds with her bereft parents (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano), and questions how willing he is to risk his relationship with his own family for a girl he may already have let slip through his fingers. More here. Check out this video of a younger Kumail, it is less than two minutes long: Arun Jayadev at the OUP Blog: The evolution of the distribution of income among individuals within countries and across the world has been the subject of considerable academic and popular commentary in the recent past. Works such as Thomas Pikettys Capital in the 21st Century or Joseph Stiglitzs The Price of Inequality have become unlikely bestsellers, garnering a startling degree of both academic and popular interest. The last few decades have seen a sharp increase in global integration with its attendant benefits and anxieties. Concerns about the distributional effects of cross-border flows of trade and finance have grown and are central issues in political debates worldwide. At the same time, massive global inequities, dysfunctional polities, and the most egregious outcrops of these-civil breakdowns and mass migration have become the staple of mass media. Also in the last couple of decades, for the first time in human history, we have the raw materials to measure the living standards of individuals across the world in comparable terms. The careful collection of survey information from almost every country in the world, led by national statistical offices and multilateral organizations, and the simultaneous collation and harmonization of price data by the International Comparison Project has made it possible, in principle, to truly understand and compare the fortunes of individuals in any country or region in the world with others from elsewhere. Figure 1 (using data drawn from the Global Consumption and Income Project) provides a simple snapshot of the distribution of income. The height of the skyscrapers represent average incomes in purchasing power (PPP) terms in 2005 for each population decile for over 150 countries in the year 2014. That is the height of each building represents the average income in 2014 in dollars for 10% of the population of a country, correcting for the fact that prices differ across countries. The height of each bar in the chart varies along two axes: the first, the horizontal axis is a ranking of countries from the poorest (the Democratic Republic of Congo) on the left of the figure to the richest (Luxembourg) on the right; the second, from the front to the back of the figure, shows the distribution of income from poorest to richest within each country. Note that the skyscrapers for some countries such as India and China are wider. This indicates their relatively large size of population. Figure 1: average income of each decile of the population, $2005 PPP terms in 2014. Image by CORE, used with permission As is evident, most of the mass of income is on the right-hand side and at the back, indicating that most of world income is held by the rich in the rich countries. A relatively rich US individual sitting on his income skyscraper looks down on a world that is very far below him in terms of living standards. More here. If you are looking for a weekend getaway from San Francisco, lunch in Sausalito followed by a night at the Steep Ravine cabins is the answer. For those of you who haven't heard of the Steep Ravine cabins, they are a cluster of individual rustic oceanside cabins right next to Stinson Beach. Here's our guide to a quick weekend escape, including what to expect and everything you need to bring. Previous Next Drinks first! They have a fun make-your-own bloody mary sheet where you can check off exactly what you want. To start, we enjoyed an appetizer of their cocktail meatballs with spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. Previous Next Next was a delicious blackened snapper sandwich that was so moist and fresh, served on a ciabatta roll with fried caper aioli (yes!). The fries that came with this were the perfect crispiness I would come to Sausalito just for these! Previous Next We also tried their albacore tuna salad melt with white cheddar cheese on brioche! This was an open-face sandwich that was almost too pretty to eat with fried shallots, arugula and cherry tomatoes. Previous Next Previous Next Previous Next We settled into our cabin and headed down to our own private beach, only accessible from the campsites. Previous Next This area is breathtaking and very private. You feel removed from everything with the hillside jutting up far above you and only the coastal cliffs below you. Previous Next After exploring this area, we took a break back at our cabin, breaking out the wine and cheese for a little happy hour with the most amazing view! Previous Next Previous Next For sunset, we hiked around the rest of the campground, taking in the ocean views and crashing waves. Previous Next Back at our cabin, we made a fire in the wood-burning oven that kept our cabin nice and toasty long into the evening. Previous Next Provisions + Brunch Before heading to Steep Ravine, you will need some provisionsSausalito makes a great pit stop to grab some food. Just off the main drag of Sausalito, Barrel House Tavern has a barrel-shaped ceiling running the length of the restaurant, as well as a patio space that makes you feel like you are literally dining on top of the water. After enjoying the view of the Bay and San Francisco, head to Driver's Market & Deli, a cute local spot a few streets from downtown, to pick up supplies. We wanted to keep our camping food simple so we grabbed some rosemary crackers, cheese, sandwiches and, of course, wine for our evening at the Steep Ravine cabins. On to the cabins! Stay at the Steep Ravine Cabins The cabins are a short drive from Sausalito up Highway 1. Turn off the road at a gated turn-out a few miles south of Stinson Beach. When you book the Steep Ravine cabins, make sure to call and get the code to unlock the gate from the National Park Service ahead of time since cell service is limited. You'll enter the gate and drive down a long winding steep hill till you are practically at the edge of the oceanthe Steep Ravine cabins! Time to unpack and set up your cabin. Each cabin has a padlock code you will need to get inside. In the cabin, there is a wood-burning stove (wood can be purchased on site for $8 a bundle), a kitchen table, and a few rooms with wooden platforms for you to set up sleeping bags or a blowup mattress. We spent the night relaxing, eating sandwiches, reading books, playing cards and drinking winedefinitely one of my favorite getaways this year. If you want to try and snag a reservation, check out my tips below. The Logistics There are nine cabins you can reserve and the competition is fierce. There is also a cluster of nine campsites you can reserve and pitch a tent if you prefer a camping experience. Reservations for Steep Ravine cabins are rolling, updated each day at 8am, and they book six months out). These reservations book up in seconds so you have to act fast and plan ahead. Search Mount Tamalpais on the ReserveCalifornia site and look for the "S Rav Cabin Area." To have the best time, here's what you'll need: Your gate code and cabin code Sleeping bags Sleeping pads Pillows Headlamps/lanterns Some light, small blankets to drape across cabin windows for privacy and to keep out morning sunlight Warm clothes, hiking boots, hats! Fork, knife, spoon, and plates Lighter Wine opener Cutting board Cups Paper towels Wine, cheese, sandwiches or whatever food you like Things you don't need: Trash bagsthere is a trash can and bag in the cabin. Toilet paperthey have normal toilets with toilet paper (no port-a-potties!). Firewoodyou can buy this onsite. Waterthere are several taps of running water. This story was originally published in June 2017 on sarahcraves.com. While the pay could be better, benefits of teaching out of this world Raises $1.25m Through SPP and Share Placement Sydney, June 28, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - DroneShield Limited ( ASX:DRO ) ( DRSHF:OTCMKTS ) ("DRO" or the "Company") is pleased to advise it has raised approximately $1.25m through an underwritten Share Purchase Plan (the "SPP") and top-up Share Placement. The SPP was underwritten for $1,000,000 by Patersons Securities ("Patersons"), with the option for Patersons to facilitate a top-up placement. - Strongly supported Share Purchase Plan (SPP) raises $1,052,000. - Additional private placement on same terms as the SPP raises a further $225,000. - Combined capital raising of approximately $1,250,000 in net proceeds to the Company. The Company received applications from existing shareholders under the SPP for $1,052,000 resulting in the allotment of 4,438,925 shares at a deemed price of $0.237 per share. In accordance with the Listing Rules, the share price was calculated at a 20% discount of the 5-day Volume Weighted Average Price ("VWAP") of shares traded on the ASX prior to the date of issue. In addition, Patersons have completed a top-up placement of $225,000 on the same terms as the SPP shares. Peter James, DroneShield's chairman, commented: "The raised funds will contribute to the Company's development of its multi-method detection and integrated detect-and-defeat capability, to address subnstantial user demand for those products. DroneShield is well on the way to deliver this strategy with the recent launches of the DroneHeat, DroneOpt and RadarOne products, and an expected commencement of pre-sales of the multi-sensor and detect-and-defeat product lines to our global network of distributors who expressed significant interest in these products, in the near term." About DroneShield Ltd DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (OTCMKTS:DRSHF) is an Australian publicly listed company with its head office in Sydney and teams in the US and UK. We specialise in RF sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Rapid Prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing. Our capabilities are used to protect Military, Government, Law Enforcement, Critical Infrastructure, Commercial and VIPs throughout the world. Through our team of primarily Australian based engineers - we offer customers bespoke solutions and off-the-shelf products designed to suit a variety of terrestrial, maritime or airborne platforms. DroneShield is proudly exporting Australian capability to customers throughout the world and supporting Australia's defence, national security and other organisations protect people, critical infrastructure and vital assets. . Further Outstanding Drill Results for Bygoo Tin Sydney, June 28, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Thomson Resources ( ASX:TMZ ) is pleased to announce drilling results from its fourth round of drilling at the Bygoo tin project near the old Ardlethan tin mine, NSW. Seven holes were drilled to test the newly discovered tin-bearing greisen at Bygoo South. In addition, two holes tested the original discovery at Bygoo North prospect located 400m to the north. - Exceptional intercepts up to 29m at 1.0% Sn at Bygoo North - New discovery at Bygoo South with 20m at 0.9% Sn - Further drilling planned for July-August The drilling took place in December 2016 and results have been delayed due to funding and regulatory issues relating to the Bygoo farm-in agreement signed with Canadian investors (see ASX announcements of 17 March 2017 and 21 November 2016). The Canadian company, Rheingold Exploration Corp. ( CVE:RGE ) recently completed their due diligence, significant funding has now been received and drilling is planned to recommence in the next few weeks. High grade tin intersections of similar tenor to those previously recorded were obtained at both North and South prospects (see Figures 1, 2 in the link below). The standout intersections are - Bygoo North - 29m at 1.0% Sn from 58m depth (BNRC33) Bygoo South - 14m at 0.7% Sn from 36m depth (BNRC28), including 4m at 1.4% Sn from 46m - 4m at 0.7% Sn from 53m depth (BNRC29) - 20m at 0.9% Sn from 42m depth (BNRC31) Bygoo North Two holes were drilled at the main prospect of Bygoo North before rain forced the cessation of the program. BNRC33 was drilled to test up dip and shallower than the 11m at 2.1% intersected in BNRC20 (see Figure 3 in the link below). The continuity was confirmed with 9m at 1.6% Sn from 58m intersected in the predicted shallower position. The hole continued in topaz greisen and intersected another mineralised zone lower down with 8m at 1.4% Sn from 79m. This intercept appears to be a new zone and the proposed follow up drilling will test this position. BNRC32 was drilled on the Main Zone on a section where the lode was interpreted to kink (see Thomson's December 2016 quarterly report). Instead the drilling suggests that the Main Zone divides and overlaps (see Figures 1 and 4 in the link below), with two significant greisens intersected in both the new hole and the previous one on this section (BNRC13). Both intercepts in BNRC32 were modest: 4m at 0.3% Sn, 0.4% Cu from 93m and 3m at 0.6% Sn from 127m. Bygoo South The Bygoo South prospect is at the site of a historic underground mine ("Smiths"), 400m south of the Bygoo North area, which operated between 1932 and 1946 for a reported production of just over 10,000 tonnes of ore at 0.8% Sn (Department of Mines Mine Record No. 20). Thomson's preliminary drilling earlier in 2016 achieved an 8m intersection grading 1.3% Sn from 57m hole depth (BNRC021), down-dip from the workings. The most recent program investigated the workings from three sides (see Figure 2 in the link below). BNRC24 and BNRC 27 both intercepted old workings, with tin mined out, that extended further than expected. Drilling from the southeast side of the old workings had immediate success in BNRC 28. A quartz-topaz greisen was intersected immediately below highly weathered rhyolite, suggesting that the greisen is in the roof contact zone of the Ardlethan Granite. The overall drill intercept was 14m at 0.7% Sn from 36m depth, including 4m at 1.4% Sn from 46m. This greisen was intersected much shallower and much further south than expected, so the hole was continued to the target zone where it intersected 3m at 0.5% Sn at a downhole depth of 76m. The next hole, BNRC29, was positioned 30m east and again intersected a quartz topaz greisen in the roof zone of the granite, a little deeper than in the previous hole with 4m at 0.7% Sn. A deeper greisen with tourmaline yielded only modest tin mineralisation. BNRC30 was too far south and too steep to hit the target. BNRC31 was drilled to test whether the topaz greisen in BNRC28 was connected to that in BNRC21 or the new one in BNRC29. A major mineralised zone was intersected in topaz greisen from 42m downhole depth with 20m at 0.9% Sn. The most likely connection is between the greisens in BNRC28, 29 and 31, but more drilling is needed to confirm this interpretation. If this is the case then this mineralisation is a new discovery that was most likely not accessed by the historic workings to the northeast. Planned drilling will seek to extend and confirm the zones intersected. To view tables and figures, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/W193052E About Thomson Resources Ltd Thomson Resources Ltd (ASX:TMZ) is an NSW active mineral explorer. Thomson has several tin projects (including an advanced project near Ardlethan), as well as gold, copper and zinc targets in a range of settings. Thomson has a good record of discovery, with multiple new Intrusion-Related Gold (gold with copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, tungsten) systems discovered in the Thomson Fold Belt in the NW of the state. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Lonavala is a stunning hill station and one of thefamed tourist destination. The place is in the Pune district and is usually known for its beautiful valley and green mountains which add natural beauty. The place is best suited for corporate retreats, and this is what the article is all about. The group of people looking to explore this place will love every bit of it.More the people double the fun. Events or Festivals in Lonavala There are many festivals celebrated with total enthusiasm and joy in this part of the region. Some of the famous ones are: Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by local people as they bring idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and worship for the wealth of their family and loved ones. is celebrated by local people as they bring idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and worship for the wealth of their family and loved ones. Diwali is the most popular one with people worshipping Goddess Laxmi for prosperity. Best Time to Visit Lonavala Lonavala city is positioned among the mountains hence weather of this place remains good throughout the year. Best season to visit is during summers as the weather is pleasant. Activities to do in Lonavala The list of things to be done is endless. Here are some of the activities you can try doing: Water Sports Hot Air Balloon Ride Spa and Wellness Rockface Camping and Monsoon Camping for Corporates Trekking City Tour Della Adventure Park Resort Day Outings The fun-filled activities make you experience even more unique. If you are in Lonavala, you should try exploring different options. How to Reach Lonavala By Air By Road By Rail Facilities Offered by Cheap Hotels in Lonavala Here are some of the amenities that areoffered by the cheap hotels in Lonavala: Free Breakfast Options where breakfast is provided as a complimentary option to the customers and is included when you book hotels online where breakfast is provided as a complimentary option to the customers and is included when you book hotels online Free Cancellation is also provided if there are last minute changes in the travel plan. The money can be refunded with quick turnaround time. is also provided if there are last minute changes in the travel plan. The money can be refunded with quick turnaround time. Internet Connectivity or Wi-Fi is also provided in specific hotels to attract more customers Cheap Hotels in Lonavala To accommodate visitors and travel enthusiasts, Lonavala offers so many hotels, resorts and guest houses which serve their customers with all the facilities and utmost comfort. The hotel accommodation is taken care by big travel websites like Yatra. The luxurious rooms with scenic beauty from their windows is purely outstanding. The luring packages offered online makes your stay even more memorable. Exclusive Offers The exclusive offers for cheap hotels can be availed at any time of the year. Booking Online Wasnt that Easy Before The big travel websites have made sure that you choose your hotel accommodations with utmost ease. The old and conventional methods adopted for booking hotels have now being replaced. The customer experience has also improved once the bookings are doneonline. Thisclearly shows that with the change in market dynamics, the level of innovation has also improved in a bigger and better way. Booking online ensure you can discover common picnic spots, check out offbeat locations and explore different adventure options. To Sum up Things Lonavala is still considered to be the best place to spend some great time. Being located close to Mumbai, it is often first of the few suggestions for a quick trip to relax. The loveliest monsoons, exquisite locations combined with fun and adventure makes it a perfect attraction for travellers and nature lovers. Plan your visit to Lonavala this monsoon. Its even lovelier than you can even imagine. Grab exclusive deal Aiken, SC (29801) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 71F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Eclipses and Fire-eating Dragons Assyrian tablet linking an eclipse and an insurrection from around 518 BC. ( NASA) A dark day is coming this summer. On August 21, the moon will obscure the sun's light and night will seem to fall suddenly and briefly in parts of the world Around the globe, 500 million people will experience a solar eclipse and for many it will be total. Fear not, however. Though eclipses are dramatic--the ancient Chinese believed a fire-eating dragon swallowed the sun and medieval European Viking sailors attributed these celestial events to sky wandering wolves catching up with the burning orb--they aren't tragic, despite the many myths and misconceptions about them that have historically existed, some of which persist to this day. An epic tragedy The sun is a dependable friend that gives light and life. So when, historically it did not, people got scared. "If you do a worldwide survey of eclipse lore, the theme that constantly appears, with few exceptions, is it's always a disruption of the established order." EC Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California told National Geographic. "All of a sudden, Shakespearean tragedy arrives and time is out of joint," For example, early Assyrian records link a 763 BC eclipse to an insurrection in the city of Ashur, now known as Qal'at Sherqat in Iraq. Likewise, when King Henry I of England died in 1133, the event coincided with a total solar eclipse and so the cosmic incident was blamed for the death. The connection between tragic events and eclipses is now, however, recognized to be nothing more than confirmation bias. People historically have linked bad news to eclipses after they happened--and anyone who happened to have guessed that the bad news was going to happen would appear to be a sage, according to NASA. A deadly plague For example, European astrologer Geoffrey of Meaux saw a 1345 eclipse that he claimed lasted 3 hours, 29 minutes, and 54 seconds and predicted a plague that would last for over three years. In the traditions of astrology at the time, the duration of the eclipse was thought to indicate how long the bad news would last. Two years later, the Black Death spread through Europe, and lasted until 1351. The 15th century scholar of arcane lore, Abbot Trithemius, later praised Geoffrey of Meaux for his prognostic powers. Today, we know that a bacillus called yersina pestis, which travels through the air and via flea and rat bites, is what actually caused disease to spread so rapidly in Europe. In October 1347, twelve infected sailors docked in Sicily, leading to the death of more than 20 million people on the continent. Radiation blindness People have long believed that looking at the sun during an eclipse will cause blindness due to electromagnetic radiation. This is a misconception. Staring directly at the sun causes eye damage, regardless of an eclipse. Yet the eery greenish glow of coronal light around it during some eclipses is likely to blame for the eclipse blindness myth, NASA says. Coronal light looks creepy. But in fact it is much dimmer than light from the solar surface that we usually see, and less dangerous. "Scientists have studied [coronal light] radiation for centuries. Being a million times fainter than the light from the sun itself, there is nothing in the coronal light that could cross 150 million kilometers of space, penetrate our dense atmosphere, and cause blindness," NASA explains. When the eclipse is total, staring straight at the sun is just like looking at moonlight. Still, its rays remain dangerously bright when the eclipse is partial and since it's dark out, you'll be tempted to stare a lot longer than would normally be possible. If you're planning a cosmic observation, wear special eclipse glasses--regular sunglasses won't suffice. Public libraries across the US will be distributing two million pairs of these for free, care of the Space Science Institute. Poisoned plates The sun is to this day blamed by some in India for poisoning food prepared during eclipses. NASA begs to differ. It states on its myths misconceptions page that there is no connection between a bad meal that makes someone sick and a solar eclipse. The space agency points to the fact that crops are unharmed by eclipses to support this. The yogi Sadhguru would not likely be convinced by the agency's argument. Sadhguru says the Earth mistakes the eclipse for a full moon cycle and this unnatural event especially disturbs prepared foods which are already in a deteriorating, unnatural state. He writes: This is why while there is no change in raw fruits and vegetables, there is a distinct change in the way cooked food is before and after the eclipse. What was nourishing food turns into poison. Of course, there is no real science to support this belief. Bad for babies Pregnant women hear no end of superstitious beliefs supposedly pertaining to them. Among them is one that says eclipses harm the child-to-be. In some parts of rural Mexico, for example, solar eclipses are said to cause babies to be born with harelips. Controversial Conference on Future of Iraq's Assyrians Begins in Brussels Brussels -- In recognizing ISIS atrocities against Iraq's minorities as genocide, states are obliged to act, a Dutch politician told Iraq's Christians at a conference in Brussels in Wednesday that has been boycotted by several Christian organizations. Recognition of the genocide is important because if countries recognize that what is going on under Daesh is genocide, they are obliged to act, said Pieter Omtzigt, member of the Council of Europe from Netherlands. And obliged to act means stopping, means at least stopping fighters. Because what's happening now, for the first time since the 1940s, citizens of the 28 EU countries are committing a genocide. We all know it. The conference, A Future for Christians in Iraq, being held Wednesday through Friday, was put on by Lars Adaktusson, Swedish member of the European Parliament. The purpose of this conference is the return of the people to the Nineveh Plain, and I call upon all Chaldeans/Syriacs/Assyrians to come together to ensure that their people can return home, Adaktusson said in a statement published in the lead up to the conference, which he said would welcome 60 participants, including officials from Baghdad and Erbil, and church representatives from Europe and the US. Not all Christian groups have welcomed his efforts, however. The Patriarch of the Chaldean Church stated it would not attend the conference because the future of Christians in Iraq is linked to all Iraqis and so is an issue that must be discussed within the Iraqi house. If the West really wants to help, it will support Iraq in its fight against terrorism and efforts to achieve national reconciliation, establish security and stability, and contribute to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of liberated towns to speed up the return of displaced persons to their homes, the statement read. The Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) has boycotted the conference. Kaldo Oghanna, ADM spokesperson, said in a public statement that the conference was promoting a partisan and sectarian agenda and did not reflect ADM's desire for a unified representation of Chaldeans, Syriacs, and Assyrians as had been agreed in a meeting of Christian political parties in March. He also noted the omission from the agenda of a discussion of a January 2014 Iraqi cabinet decision regarding the formation of a new province in the Nineveh Plain that would be separate from the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad. The policy document on the conference's agenda requires a referendum whereby our people will decide whether to become part of Kurdistan or another jurisdiction or a province or some form of self-governance. Oghanna described this as a forceful effort that contradicts his party's policies, the primary of which is completing the formation of a new Nineveh Plains province. RwandAir has appointed Network Airline Services as its cargo general sales covering the UK market. The airline offersan Airbus A330 direct to Kigali (KGL) from London Gatwick (LGW) three times a week. From KGL, Rwandair provides connections to 22 destinations throughout Africa. RwandAir marked 2016 with some significant achievements: The airline began operations to Cotonou and Abidjan and acquired its first two wide-body brand new Airbus A330s (East Africas first triple class configuration) as well as its third Boeing 737-800NG. In 2017, the airline plans to acquire its fourth Boeing 737-800NG and to expand its wings to Guangzhou in China, Bamako in Mali, Conakry in Guinea, Lilongwe in Malawi, and New York in the USA. Share this story The UKs Freight Transport Association (FTA) has warned that the countrys freight and logistics sector could "grind to a halt" without European workers. The organisation issued the warning days after the UK government announced its approach to allowing already resident European workers to stay in the country after its exit from the European Union (EU). The FTA pointed out that EU workers make up 26% of warehouse operatives and 13% of HGV drivers in the country, with 2.45m people working in the freight and logistics sector countrywide. The FTA said that while the governments policy paper provides a starting point for the rights of these workers to live and work in the UK after Brexit, it would like to see urgent clarification on the timings involved for the introduction of new workers rights. The association is petitioning the government to ensure that the application process for EU citizens is as seamless as possible and prevent a lack of available skilled staff leading to avoidable delays in services. The governments announcement on the rights of EU workers to remain and work in the UK is a welcome first step in enabling businesses to plan and manage their workforces, said Pauline Bastidon, head of European policy at the FTA. But there is still much to be done to ensure that logistics companies are not left stranded, without the skilled workforce required to keep Britains trade moving nationwide, and across borders to other nations. These EU workers are crucial to the success of the UKs logistics industry and thus to the success of the nations economy as a whole. With insufficient homegrown workers currently available, the government needs to give careful consideration to how vacancies could be filled in the short and long term, to ensure that Britain keeps on trading, both domestically and internationally. According to the Governments proposal, workers who have been living continuously in the UK for five years will be able to apply to stay in the country indefinitely through settled status. The FTA would like clarification on the cut-off date for arrivals to the country who have not been resident for five years. The logistics industry needs and deserves to employ the very best candidates while it trains up the next generation of employees, and it will need government support to ensure that the countrys trading routes do not grind to a halt when the changes are made." Share this story June 21, 2017 The number of young Egyptians who study Hebrew in universities and in private language courses is growing, despite the strained ties between Cairo and Tel Aviv. Unlike learners of other languages, Egyptians who study Hebrew risk a long list of possible accusations, including spying, from their social circles. Nevertheless, more Egyptians are showing interest in this language, especially in the past few years, for reasons that range from business needs to cultural curiosity. Hebrew courses are also provided in the armed forces. Teaching Hebrew was first introduced at the University of Cairo more than 100 years ago. Later in the 1960s, more Hebrew departments were created in other public universities nationwide, with the aim of bringing up Hebrew speakers who understood the language, as well as Israeli culture, history and political orientations. There are presently 13 Hebrew departments in nine public universities in Egypt, including Al-Azhar University, the highest seat of Sunni Muslim learning. A total of 2,500-3,000 students graduate with some Hebrew proficiency each year, and the number is increasing. Besides public universities, many private language centers that teach Hebrew have recently found a foothold in the country. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Eman el-Tayeb, a professor of Hebrew at the state-run Assiut University in Upper Egypt, pointed out that when the university's Hebrew department opened in 2004, only 11 students registered. "Now, more than 110 students enroll in the Hebrew classes annually. The number of students who decided to study Hebrew has radically increased within just 13 years," she said. Tayeb said that besides the language, the department offers courses in history, literature and the current affairs of Israel. "We constantly explain to our students that this is not normalization of ties with Israel, Tayeb said, pointing out that given the long history of strained ties, it was important to learn your enemy's language. We usually tell our students that the department has a strategic importance, as Hebrew speakers can work for military intelligence and the Foreign Ministry. The Hebrew professor said that as they go through the courses, the students become more comfortable with learning Hebrew and end up enjoying the nuances of the language. "For instance, this year I have many hardworking students who translate Hebrew songs and watch many videos in Hebrew on their own, though this is not included in the curriculum," Tayeb said. One of the key questions on students' minds is whether learning Hebrew will help in terms of employment. Mounir Mahmoud, a veteran Hebrew teacher and the founder of the private Afaak Academy, which has offered Hebrew courses since 2001, told Al-Monitor, "Many young people seek to speak and study Hebrew to serve in military intelligence or to land jobs associated with Hebrew at Egypt's Foreign Ministry, translation centers, newspapers, strategic research centers, call centers, the broadcasting authority which broadcasts Hebrew-language television or in the tourism sector." Mahmoud went on, "Despite the common political views among the public, the number of students enrolling in our Hebrew courses has increased remarkably, especially in the last six years, because there is a growing awareness that knowing Hebrew can provide an advantage in job opportunities." The academy divides the whole program into seven levels, starting from phonetics and progressing to basic sentence structures and finally to professional translation of Hebrew texts. Mahmoud said that while curiosity has led many students to learn the language, some others were forced to join Hebrew departments, which have lower grade thresholds than others. Students with lower academic scores may not qualify for their first choice in programs. Some of the students feel under attack because people think that choosing to study Hebrew is equivalent to feeling sympathy for Zionism," Mahmoud said, explaining that Hebrew speakers commonly face accusations such as espionage and are made to feel that they have committed a crime just for studying the language of Israel. To counter the various misconceptions, the academy also conducts seminars on Hebrew as a language that is not synonymous with Israel as a state. These seminars discuss the history of Arab-Israeli political relations including diplomatic ties, cultural exchanges and negotiations. Many Afaak Academy graduates have become successful translators, experts in Israeli affairs and educators, and some have found their place in the business sector. Islam Fawzi is one young Egyptian who studied Hebrew and landed a job using it. Like many students, his high school grades led him to study Hebrew. But after graduation from university and advanced classes in the Afaak Academy to hone his Hebrew, he decided to make the best use of his education by working as a Hebrew customer service agent for the Convergys company. I heard many negative comments and many criticized me for studying Hebrew. I was too young to take these comments seriously, but I never thought I would pursue a career associated with Hebrew, Fawzi told Al-Monitor. Fawzi said Hebrew is like English, German or any other language, adding that speaking the language used by a group of people does not mean support for them or agreement with their beliefs. "Due to my work, I and my Egyptian colleagues deal with Israeli customers. But my inner thoughts and beliefs have never changed. Speaking English and dealing with Americans, for instance, does not mean that you fully agree with America's policies, Fawzi said. Fawzi said many students let a psychological barrier prevent them from studying Hebrew. "On the contrary, I learned Hebrew to prove to myself that nothing can change my thoughts," he said. June 20, 2017 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The National Economy Ministry in Gaza announced on May 27 that it was lifting all fees, import taxes and customs duties on equipment for generating electricity, including solar power systems. This decision comes as the electricity crisis in the enclave reaches a new plateau, with Gazas only power station unable to operate at full capacity amid the political dispute between the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah and Hamas in Gaza. The situation has recently worsened, with Israel agreeing on June 12 to a PA request to scale back its power supply to Gaza, reducing the average of four hours of electricity a day by 45 minutes. Some private companies have begun turning to solar energy systems, but few residents are able to use them in their homes because of the high cost of installation, which starts at around $1,500 for a 0.5 kilowatt solar system. Tarek Labad, a spokesman for the National Economy Ministry in Gaza, told Al-Monitor that it had become necessary to lift the equipment fees to help empower residents to install equipment for solar power systems at prices in line with their financial abilities given Gaza's long-running economic crises in addition to the electricity crisis. Lifting import taxes on any product has a positive impact on the market, said Labad. This measure can increase demand by consumers for the product, revive the market and improve the economic and commercial situation. Labad also said that his ministry has called on Palestinian banks, within the scope of their social corporate responsibility, to establish a fund for issuing loans to buy solar power equipment. These measures will be economically beneficial to merchants and citizens alike, he said. The ministry controls the prices of goods, such as solar power system installation, parts and equipment, through its Consumer Protection Department. Iyad al-Hazki, the director of renewable energy at the Gaza Electricity Distribution Corporation (GEDCO), told Al-Monitor, GEDCO is launching campaigns and projects to encourage citizens to use solar energy as the safest alternative in light of the electricity crisis. He pointed out that on March 18, GEDCO launched the first phase of a solar power project that aims to raise awareness of alternative sources of energy and promote their use. The project offered to supply electricity to houses by installing 500 solar power systems under a pay-as-you-go financing scheme, said Hazki. He further explained that GEDCO is not trying to reap profits from the project, but to ease the suffering of Gazans by cooperating with solar power companies, urging them to sell equipment at reduced prices in Gaza. Despite the high cost of installation, said Hazki, the systems are economically feasible, as Gaza has sunny weather most of the year. He noted that the cost of such systems is high around the world, not just in Gaza. He also noted that solar power systems may not fully replace the need for plant-generated electricity, especially in light of economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, where citizens can only buy 1 or 0.5 kilowatt systems, which are barely sufficient for lighting needs. Hazki claimed that the measures taken by the National Economy Ministry will contribute to reducing the cost of the systems by about 20% and thus encourage more citizens to buy them. Nabil Maarouf, the director of the Renewable Power Engineering and Contracting Co., told Al-Monitor that his company is one of 40 in Gaza that sells and installs solar systems. He said there are two types: The first system is more economically feasible in the long run, but is not imported by my company since its price is way above citizens purchasing power, while the second system is as efficient and equipped with safety and protection devices to prevent an electrical accident, but the buyer is required to replace the battery every year, and prices range between $400 and $600. Maarouf clarified that Gaza residents will only notice a price reduction for equipment after the equipment that was imported before the decision to lift the fees has been purchased. The equipment will continue to sell at the regular price to cover taxes, fees and profit margins. Eventually, however, Maarouf expects the price reduction will encourage more people to start using solar energy. Economic analyst Amin Abu Eisha is not enthusiastic about the ministry pushing solar energy. The decision is not applicable and is unrealistic, Abu Eisha told Al-Monitor. The price of solar energy systems, even if the fees are lifted, will remain beyond the reach of the average Gazan, especially in light of the pay cut crises of PA employees in Gaza, some 42,000 workers. He also pointed out that although solar power systems are the safest solution, they require costly periodic maintenance. He explained that the use of small generators, an option some Gazans are pursuing, is not particularly safe, because the generators are not usually equipped with protection and safety features. Of note, their conductive parts are often exposed and may lead to electrical accidents resulting in burns or fire. Abu Eisha stressed that solar power is only a partial solution to the electricity crisis and called for a radical solution instead of encouraging people to waste money on something that is not beneficial in the long term. According to Abu Eisha, what Gaza needs is a hydroelectric power plant that meets the needs of the entire population. He estimates that it would cost no more than $500 million. Meanwhile, he said, The Gaza Strip has spent billions of dollars on temporary inefficient solutions. June 27, 2017 As the Saudi-led sanctions against Qatar raise concerns about liquefied natural gas (LNG) export prospects, Russia is weighing its options. The Middle East is key to Russias Energy Strategy to 2030, adopted in 2009. The document calls not only for Russia to diversify its gas exports to decrease dependence on European consumers, but to create a Eurasian gas-trading network under Russian control. The Qatar crisis, which began in early June, amends Russias approach to accessing the Middle East gas market. On the one hand, the Kremlin is trying to distance itself from the Saudi-Qatari rift, as picking sides might harm Russias relations with either party. On the other hand, Russian authorities are trying to flirt with both sides so they will continue to cooperate with Moscow in the oil and gas sphere. During two weeks in late May to early June, Moscow first welcomed Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih, and later Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Apart from meeting with his Russian counterpart, Alexander Novak, Falih met with top management of state-run oil giant Rosneft and Novatek, Russias largest natural gas producer, to confirm Saudi interest in buying into Russian Eurasia Drilling Co., an oil service firm that soon might be implementing projects in the Middle East and North Africa region. Falih also expressed interest in discussing options for Saudi investments in the development of another Russian LNG project Arctic LNG. Iran is another important component for Russia in this respect. In May, Russias energy behemoth Gazprom reaffirmed its interest in helping Iran build its first LNG plant. The project would involve gas delivery from Iran to India and possibly, eventually, to Laos and Cambodia. Gazproms management also doesnt rule out participating in construction of an Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline which might imply Gazproms involvement in developing the Iranian gas fields necessary to feed it. Although the companys representatives make it clear that Gazprom is only discussing such prospects and the final decision will be made only after technical and economic assessments, analysts have already raised questions regarding the projects feasibility. Indeed, at the current stage, existing political, economic and administrative risks dont justify the volume of investments necessary to implement these projects, not to mention that the Russian company might not be technically ready to help Iran: Gazprom itself does not have full access to LNG technology and the company is still doing the necessary research to gain it. In other words, experts Al-Monitor interviewed have doubts that, in the short term, Gazprom would be able to accomplish the projects even if it decided to participate in them. However, neither Gazprom nor Russian authorities plan their actions in Iran from a short-term perspective. On the contrary, their actions in the region are determined by the long-term strategy of Russian oil and gas sector development that sets Moscows priorities in this field until 2030. According to the strategy, Russias foreign policy on ensuring the security and profitability of Russian gas corporations is supposed to be relatively aggressive and expansionist. Moreover, Moscows ultimate goals should be to preserve the Russian gas corporations presence in the European market and the manifold increase in Russian gas exports to Asia and the Middle East. Russia expects to achieve these aims not only by raising the output of domestic gas fields, but also by participating in the energy sectors of other countries (both hydrocarbon producers and consumers) and establishing Russian influence over most of Eurasias gas transportation infrastructure. Gazprom isnt the only Russian company trying to enter the Middle East gas sector. Other Russian giants such as Lukoil and Rosneft are present in the region. In late 2016, Rosneft said it was purchasing a 30% share in Egypts Zohr gas field from Italys Eni SpA. It also signed a contract to supply LNG to Egypt, and 10 shipments are expected in 2017. This year, Rosneft started negotiations to export LNG to Kuwait. Russias interest in the Middle East gas sector is at least threefold. First, Russia sees the region as both a consumer market and a potentially promising region for gas industry development. Russian gas companies pay special attention to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean areas. Russias interest in the Gulf Cooperation Council market is largely explained by growing domestic demand for natural gas among the Gulf monarchies, partly boosted by their economic diversification programs to replace domestic consumption of oil with gas. In 2016, Gazprom and Bahrain National Oil and Gas Authority agreed to strengthen their cooperation in producing and distributing LNG. In April, Russia intensified its contacts with Bahrain, which resulted in the latter's inviting Gazprom to join a number of oil and gas projects. Also in April, a Rosneft delegation visited Bahrain, presumably to discuss possibilities for Rosneft to participate in building Bahrains LNG-receiving infrastructure. Second, if Russian companies could obtain access to Middle Eastern resources, that would strengthen Russias presence in other regions energy markets, either via swap deals with Middle Eastern producers or by providing Russian energy majors with additional gas resources for re-export. Consequently, Russia is developing the local capacities for LNG production and export. This is especially the background behind Russias approach to Iran, Oman and Bahrain. Moscow obviously believes that if it becomes involved in these projects it can use the regional infrastructure to reach gas markets in India, Pakistan, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Thats one rationale behind Gazproms interest in LNG projects in Iran, although Tehran will hardly be able to build the LNG factory and provide it with the necessary gas volume anytime soon. It might not be a coincidence that Russian conglomerate Rostec is currently negotiating its participation in the construction and subsequent management of the so-called North-South gas pipeline in Pakistan, which would connect LNG-receiving facilities in Karachi and Gwadar with power plants and factories in Lahore. According to the Russian side, the project is almost ready to begin construction, but Rostec has not yet reached agreement with Islamabad on the fees Pakistan would pay to use the pipeline. However, Moscow hopes to reach an agreement soon, and thats when it would need Iran: Natural gas for this pipeline might be supplied by Russian traders via potential swap operations with Iranian gas if Tehran builds the necessary infrastructure. Finally, Middle East hydrocarbon exporters are challenging Russias positions in the energy market. Iran has never hidden its intention to compete with Russia as a gas supplier to Europe. Al-Monitor has already discussed the way Moscow is reacting to this challenge, which is only a concept now, but may become very real down the road. It will not be easy for Russian energy companies to enter the Middle East and North Africa gas sector. Regional and international companies both see Moscow as a rival and will most likely try to deter its progress in that regard by any means available. Yet the main obstacle in Russian businesses path to the Middle Eastern gas sector will be economic and connected to Russian domestic issues. Russian energy companies are struggling with low oil prices and international sanctions. These, in turn, limit their ability to finance ambitious and long-term projects abroad. For instance, in May, Lukoil decided to pull out of the Luksar (Lukoil Saudi Arabia Energy) Co. joint venture established in 2004 to explore and develop gas fields in Saudi Arabia. Experts close to Lukoil told Al-Monitor that Western sanctions prevent the company from obtaining the cheap foreign loans necessary to finance its ambitious projects. Consequently, Lukoil is compelled to reconsider its development strategy. The company is expected to stop participating in a number of other oversees projects that are either risky, financially demanding or not profitable enough. Its possible that Luksars case could be just the first in which international sanctions and low oil prices prevent Russian companies from strengthening their Middle East positions. Consequently, Russias success in implementing its Energy Strategy to 2030 may also fall into question. June 27, 2017 Between Doha and Tehran, theres always a thin vein that keeps relations alive despite regional tensions, bilateral differences or even bloodshed. The two Persian Gulf states were never allies, even when their ties were better in the first decade of the 21st century. But they never became enemies, even though they have been fighting one another indirectly in Syria since 2012. Even the Tehran office of Al Jazeera, Qatars main news network, was never closed despite its rhetoric that was regarded by the Iranian ruling elite as hostile toward the countrys regional agenda during the past six years. This strange relationship has always intimidated Saudi Arabia Qatars largest Arab neighbor and Irans main rival in the region since it sees in such ties a serious threat to its national security and a vulnerability that Iran could exploit to divide the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This was reflected clearly in the list of demands that was sent to Qatar recently by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries via Kuwait to end the row that started June 5 when these countries decided to sever diplomatic ties and impose a blockade on Qatar. The first demand on the list was ending diplomatic ties with Iran, besides requesting that Doha expel members of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) allegedly present in Qatar, halt joint military cooperation and limit trade and commerce with Tehran, among other demands. The Qatari response to the demands came 48 hours after the list was handed to Doha. The countrys young emir told Irans President Hassan Rouhani in a phone call June 25 that "Qatar has open arms for interaction and cooperation, adding that relations between Iran and Qatar have always been developing and powerful." The Iranian president vowed that "Tehran will stand by Qatar's government" and that Iran's airspace, land and sea will always be open to Qatar as a friendly nation, stressing that the cooperation between the two countries will remain "continuous." Iran has taken several steps to ensure the blockade has a minimal effect on Qatar. Its airspace has eased access for Qatari flights banned by the neighboring Gulf states, while it is exporting more than 1,000 tons of fruits and vegetables to Doha every day following the closure of the Qatari border with Saudi Arabia, which was the main route for the majority of Qatar's food needs. From the Iranian point of view, most of the Arab states demands from Qatar linked to Iran are baseless, as there are no IRGC members in Qatar. Neither do Tehran and Doha enjoy extraordinary trade and commerce relations, and with respect to diplomatic ties they are still limited to the minimum since Doha recalled its ambassador on Jan. 6, 2016, amid the storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran by angry protestors after Riyadh executed prominent Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr el-Nimr. The crisis between the Persian Gulf Arab states doesnt have anything to do with Iran," an official Iranian source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. They summoned Iran to this row just to give their efforts to pressure the Qataris a sectarian legitimacy, given the Sunni-Shiite rift in the region, he said, arguing that this sectarian aspect would make the claims more marketable among those with anti-Shiite sentiments. He added, "They want to mount the pressure on the emir from inside and outside Qatar so that those with radical points of view within the [Qatari] ruling family, the army and the people take a distance from the official stance on the crisis, but this didnt work. Still, Tehran views the whole row as a regional threat that might cause chaos and have dire consequences on regional stability and peace, and thats why Iran decided to engage in quiet diplomacy on Qatar to deprive [Saudi Arabia] of another excuse to [put the heat on] the Qataris, according to a senior Iranian official who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The efforts involved a round of phone calls by Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who spoke to his counterparts in the region and around the world and a significant visit to Ankara on the day of the June 7 Tehran terrorist attacks, which reflected how high management of the crisis was on the Iranian agenda. Zarifs deputy, Hossein Jaberi Ansari, visited Doha on June 18 to convey to the emir a verbal message from Rouhani via the Qatari foreign minister. Jaberi Ansari later commented on his visit in an interview with the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency saying that the visit shouldnt be taken to mean that Iran is acting opportunistically. He said, We are not opportunists. We have a vision, a long-term vision, and during that period [around June 18] there were several trips to and from Iran by [representatives of] several regional states. Theres no need to give further information on this. We arent looking for a media spark, because when things are getting sensitive in the region theres a need to move away from the cameras. To Iran, the new Gulf crisis comes at a sensitive moment. The whole region is on fire weeks after US President Donald Trumps show of power in Saudi Arabia against Tehran. The transition of power in Saudi Arabia has seen Mohammed bin Salman become the crown prince. The threat of a regional war, to the Iranians, isnt an illusion anymore in large part because of the prince's threats to take the battle inside Irans borders. All of this gives Tehran serious and difficult decisions to make to try to deal with threats in accordance with their priority, even as Iranians see these threats as being entangled from Syria to Iraq to Lebanon and into the Persian Gulf. In this regard, decision-makers in Tehran understand well that Qatar and Turkey are one axis and are unlikely to fully accept Tehrans regional views. Yet despite these differences, Ankara and Doha dont regard Tehran as an enemy. This is enough to reach common ground on some differences thanks to Riyadhs harsh regional approach, which is seen by all three as endangering fragile regional stability. Another issue that raises concern in Tehran is the Saudi insistence on imposing Riyadhs agenda on its neighbors and unifying them under its anti-Iran banner, which if fulfilled might mean that the next Trump-backed Saudi step could be directly against Iran. June 26, 2017 SULAIMANIYAH, Kurdistan Region of Iraq The political establishment in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is divided in opposition to and support for holding a referendum on independence and what the government's priorities should otherwise be. One possible casualty of the dispute is Alaa Talabani, who was relieved of her position as head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) bloc in the Iraqi parliament June 12 as per a decision taken by the PUKs political bureau. The reason behind her dismissal was not stated in the announcement of it, but some observers believe it was because of Talabani's association with a bloc in the party that opposes the referendum. A senior PUK member who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity attributed her dismissal to some of the blocs statements opposing the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the PUKs partner in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including the partys solid stance in favor of the referendum. Meanwhile, Gorran (Movement for Change) and the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), in separate statements issued June 14, called against holding the referendum and rejected the KDP's prerequisite for reconvening parliament, that is, removing the parliament speaker, Gorran's Yusuf Mohammed Sadiq, and replacing him with another Gorran member. Gorran and KIG are demanding instead that the internal political crisis be resolved before moving forward with the referendum. The parliament has not met since October 2015, when KDP leader and KRG President Massoud Barzani ordered that Sadiq be prevented from entering Erbil to attend a legislative session because of his opposition to Barzani's being granted an extension as KRG president by the Kurdistan Consultative Council, at Barzani's request, instead of stepping down at the end of his term on Aug. 19, 2015. On June 7, the parties represented in parliament met at Barzani's invitation to agree on the details of the referendum and to set a date for it. Gorran and the KIG boycotted the meeting, but the KDP, PUK and 11 other small parties agreed to hold the referendum on Sept. 25. Gorran spokesman Shorsh Haji told Al-Monitor, In Gorran, we neither oppose the referendum nor independence. We are for independence where the rule of law and the dignity of the citizen are guaranteed. However, what the KDP and Barzani are calling for is merely a political tool. Haji said, We doubt the intentions of Barzani and the KDP. If they were truly for independence, they are welcome to come forward, talk to the press and reveal the real objective behind such a referendum. Many opponents believe the goal is to position the KDP to maintain its dominance by delivering on its long-standing call for Kurdish independence. Al-Monitor also asked KIG spokesman Rebwar Hamad for comment on his party's position on independence. We are not against independence, as it is part of our platform, he replied. We consider it a natural right of our people. However, we think there should be preparations before this referendum, the first being reconvening parliament, improving citizens lives and reaching a political consensus over this process [of independence]. The PUK's leadership council has taken the same stance. On June 13, 27 of its 50 members announced their insistence that the KRG parliament be reconvened, without preconditions, before an independence referendum is held. Some senior PUK members accuse their party's leaders of being in league with the KDP. Meanwhile, Adel Murad, general secretary of the PUK, has accused the KDP of trying to gain dominance. The KDP has argued that there is no need for parliament's approval to hold the referendum. Fred Ossrd, a member on the PUK leadership council, claimed in a Facebook post, More than half the Kurdish people will vote no in the referendum. In a survey published June 7 by the National Democratic Institute, however, 96% of the regions residents said in April that they support independence. Nonetheless, there are still opposition party supporters against the referendum. Iraqi Kurds do appear to be divided on holding a vote and even more so on independence. Omid Mohammed, a professor of economics at Sulaimaniyah University, told Al-Monitor that blames this state of affairs on the Kurdish parties, in particular their failure to reconvene parliament, improve citizens living conditions and administrative and financial corruption. Among other issues surrounding the referendum is the lack of confidence that the goal is actually independence. The writer Mariwan Wirya Qanih has charged that when KDP officials address foreign countries, they say that the objective of the referendum is not to obtain independence, but rather to measure the desire for it, but when they address the local community, the say the goal is independence. The referendum will be used to reach independence, Barzani told Foreign Policy on June 16. Some activists have launched a petition campaign under the banner Why We Stand Against the Referendum, whose signatories include writers and others who think the referendum will be exploited for partisan and clan agendas. The referendum should derive its legitimacy from a legitimate institution, such as Kurdistans parliament, or a legitimate institution within the Iraqi state, the petition says. Kurds have long sought a referendum process that would lead to independence, but today they stand at the crossroads of internal disaccord over it. Gorran and some members of the PUK have grave concerns about sustaining the peace among the Kurdish community due to disagreement over the referendum. June 27, 2017 Normally, I would have taken this opportunity to express rare agreement with Yisrael Beitenu chair Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who said the decision to freeze a plan to establish a pluralistic prayer space at the Western Wall constitutes a serious blow to the unity of the Jewish people, to Jewish communities and to the fabric of the relationship between Israel and diaspora Jewry. Normally I would have described the freezing of the prayer plan as additional proof that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus adherence to power easily trumps his adherence to principles, values and commitments. I would have cited his pledge to participants of the November 2015 Jewish Federations of North America assembly to invest in strengthening Reform and Conservative communities within Israel. And with that his hope that We will soon conclude a long overdue understanding that will ensure that the Kotel (Western Wall) is a source of unity for our people, not a point of division. Normally, I would have underscored the following warning issued in the 2016 report of the Jewish People Policy Institute: The more liberal, Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, and secular parts of the American Jewish community may become more distant as Israel demographically becomes more Orthodox and nationalistic. But these times are far from normal, about as far as Netanyahu is from being willing/able to unshackle Israel from its 50-year occupation of Palestinian territories that is turning it into a pariah apartheid state. These days, a government that suppresses freedom of expression and criticism, nurtures religious fundamentalism and encourages ignorance holds the reins of power in Israel. With all due respect for progressive Judaism, and I hold those groups in high esteem, Israeli society is currently facing far greater challenges than the issue of prayer at Judaisms holiest site. The foremost challenge of any democracy-loving Jew should be replacing the current Israeli government with one that will restore democracy, end the occupation and advance the two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. The chasm between President Donald Trumps desire to take credit for a regional peace agreement ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the desire of HaBayit HaYehudi party Chairman Naftali Bennett to take credit for more and more homes for settlers in Palestinian territories holds a degree of promise. This divide conceivably could result in the calling of early Knesset elections within the coming year. The Reform stream of Judaism, for which pluralism and the Western Wall plan are paramount, includes a majority of the Jewish community in the United States, but is a negligible minority among Israeli voters. The struggle against the ultra-Orthodox religious monopoly in Israel is just and important. But it pushes away the Israeli political parties that could replace the current government and then promote pluralism and equality from a position of power, while at the same time reaching an agreement with the Palestinians. If they are serious about replacing Netanyahu, the centrist Yesh Atid and the center-left Zionist Camp (headed by whomever is chosen at the Labor Party primaries on July 4) will have to swallow two bitter pills in the next elections the leftist Meretz Party and the Arab Joint List party, on the one hand, and the ultra-Orthodox parties, on the other. Only by joining forces with these parties will they have the needed majority to oust Netanyahu and his rightist allies. At the annual Herzliya Conference June 20-22, the head of the Zionist Camp, Isaac Herzog, called for cooperation among the centrist parties. Meretz Chair Zehava Gal-On, who was the next speaker, reminded Herzog that the center cannot put together a ruling coalition without the left without her party. Knesset member Erel Margalit, one of the contenders for the Labor Party (major partner within the Zionist Camp) leadership, went even further. He told i24news television presenter Ami Kaufman that if elected prime minister, he would invite the Joint List to join his government. Zionist parties and the Arab Knesset members are hardly likely to find sufficient common ground to form a government. At best, the Arab Joint List would use the votes it garners to prevent the president from tasking the leader of the right wing with forming Israels next government. The Joint List could tell the president that it will support from outside the coalition a center-left government, thus guaranteeing the government a Knesset majority of at least 61. At this stage, a cease-fire declaration in the war over the rights of Reform Jews would open the door to the ultra-Orthodox parties to join the center and center-left in forming a new government. As mentioned in Al-Monitor by Danny Zaken, Knesset member Moshe Gafni, the chair of the ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah party, said in a panel conversation with Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn at the papers June 12 peace conference that the left is more intelligent than the right. He added that he doesnt like the governments legislation on right-wing issues and would vote against it if he could. But I dont have an ally. Theres no one on the left who will tell me, Whatever you hold dearest, well go along with it all the way. Gafnis dearest wish is preventing Reform Judaism from acquiring any official status in Israel. Rabbi Gilad Kariv, the head of the Reform movement in Israel, expressed regret at Gafnis hatred for Reform Jews, but added that for the sake of advancing a two-state solution, I assume there will be one or two Reform Jews who will agree to freeze the Western Wall plan. One can expect that liberal American Jews, too, will put the Jewish states existential interest ahead of their values, important and just as they are. Senior secular politicians, such as Israels sixth president, Haim Herzog, and the former head of the defunct Kadima Party, Knesset member Tzipi Livni, are on record as saying that for the sake of peace, they would don ultra-Orthodox garb. They meant to express willingness for a deal in which they would cooperate with the ultra-Orthodox in order to obtain their support for making peace with the Arabs. The anti-clerical head of Yesh Atid, Knesset member Yair Lapid, has already posed at the Western Wall wrapped in a traditional prayer shawl, and his wife (it was published) conducts religious ceremonies. The Labor Party and even Meretz were partners in a government coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties in the past. A senior Meretz figure told Al-Monitor this week that she does not rule out a coalition partnership with the ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah and Shas parties. She knows that changing the status quo in relations with the Palestinians will require compromises far more painful than maintaining the status quo at the Western Wall. Normally, one could wage battles against many worthy issues. But these are not normal times. These days we have to choose our battles, focus on the central one and not ease up. June 27, 2017 The meeting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had with Jerry Silverman, the CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, on June 27 failed to allay the tempest that the prime minister had just stirred up over Israel's relationship with American Jews. A deep rift has been emerging in that relationship since June 25. In fact, that rift is so deep that there has never been anything like it in the relationship between the Jews of the United States and the Israeli government. The unrest was instigated by two volatile moves supported by Netanyahu. The first was a surprising decision that the prime minister brought before his Cabinet, suspending the Western Wall compromise, approved by the government in January 2016. This compromise involved the creation of a mixed-gender prayer space at the Western Wall, which would allow all denominations of Judaism to pray there. The American Jewish community faced a second blow soon after that when the Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved the Conversion Law, circumventing a Supreme Court ruling and placing exclusive authority over conversions in the hands of the Chief Rabbinate. (To be enacted, the bill would have to be adopted by Knesset plenum.) Conversions performed by Reform and Conservative rabbis in Israel and abroad would not be recognized, and their converts would not be eligible for Israeli citizenship based on the Law of Return. This law offers all Jews either by birth or conversion Israeli citizenship upon arriving in Israel. These two steps were rightfully deemed a major victory for the ultra-Orthodox parties. They got the prime minister to surrender to their demands and dragged him into an unprecedented crisis with the American Jewish community, most of which is identified with Reform and Conservative Judaism. The drama was only intensified by the fact that the Israeli government made these decisions while the board of trustees of the Jewish Agency for Israel was in Israel for a series of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Jerusalem and the Western Wall and the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Zionist movement. Netanyahu not only rained on their parade, but he also succeeded in putting a crack in the sense of solidarity that American Jews felt toward Israel. To protest this decision, the trustees of the Jewish Agency for Israel decided to cancel a dinner with the prime minister. Was Netanyahu even aware of the intensity of the crisis that would erupt when he made these decisions? And why did he go public with it when leading representatives of the American Jewish community were in Israel? Nothing would have happened if he would have held back until after their visit to Israel. It is safe to assume that Netanyahu did consider the unrest that his decision would cause, but was mistaken in assessing its scope. The leaders of the Jewish Agency called Netanyahu's decision damaging and dangerous, even claiming that it undermined Zionism. Netanyahu did, in fact, try to lower the flames through his Cabinet Secretary Tzahi Braverman. He claimed that the reports were false and that everyone could still pray at the Western Wall, but no one was convinced. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, who heads the Reform movement in North America, told Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth that "Jews like me, who stand beside Israel on a daily basis, who fight against BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel] and de-legitimization we were told by the Israeli government, 'You are not legitimate.' This poses a strategic risk to the State of Israel." As someone who is intimately familiar with the American Jewish community, Netanyahu is well-aware of how important its strategic bond with the State of Israel really is. Reform and Conservative Jews make up over half of American Jewry, and their enormous financial donations to Israel amount to hundreds of millions of dollars per year. This is in addition to their efforts to explain and advocate for Israeli positions. So why did Netanyahu do what he did? Netanyahu could have continued to contain the ultra-Orthodox parties by quietly delaying the implementation of the Western Wall compromise, but he decided to suspend it instead. He made a formal decision to delay the implementation, thus confronting openly and aggressively the US Jewish community. It seems that Netanyahus need to curry favor with the ultra-Orthodox has become an overall priority for him. For the Jews of the United States, the Western Wall is the ultimate bond between Judaism and the State of Israel. As such, any step seen as excluding them from the site will have far-reaching consequences. Doing this in such close proximity to the approval of the Conversion Law, which would make it difficult for hundreds of thousands of Jews to obtain rights in Israel through the Law of Return, causes the American Jewish leadership to feel that something important has changed in the way the Jewish State relates to them. This is why the chairman of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky, decided on Sunday to declare a state of emergency in the organization. Previously organized celebrations were canceled and replaced with a series of consultations and personal appeals to ministers and Knesset members in an effort to convince them to take action against the government's decisions. The only two ministers who opposed suspending the Western Wall compromise were Chairman of Yisrael Beitenu Avigdor Liberman and Minister of Infrastructure Yuval Steinitz of the Likud. The support of all the other ministers is a disturbing indication of the political mood at a time when the ultra-Orthodox parties are flexing their muscles and reaping one political victory after the other. These range from the repeal of the Enlistment Law for rabbinical college students, to decisions not to perform railroad maintenance and repairs on the Sabbath, to the suspension of the Western Wall compromise and the approval of the Conversion Law. Even though Chairman of Mizrahi ultra-Orthodox Shas Party Aryeh Deri is tangled up in a criminal investigation, the ultra-Orthodox parties are acting as if they run the government. That is because they have realized that it would be impossible to form a coalition without them. When ultra-Orthodox politicians see the ultimate symbol of secular Israel Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid act softly, cajole them and even try to reconcile with them, all the while refraining from attacking them directly, their self-confidence soars. So does their appetite for even more public victories. June 27, 2017 The June 21 meeting at Palestinian Authority (PA) headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah between Palestinian representatives and President Donald Trumps Middle East envoys, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, left the hosts stunned. And thats putting it mildly, a top Palestinian source told Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity. Their biggest disappointment was Greenblatt, who had previously seemed to them devoid of prejudice and also efficient and determined. They had gotten the impression at the beginning of his mission that he was not easily swayed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the source said. He added, however, the combination of Greenblatt and Kushner does not bode well for the Palestinians. On certain issues, the two sounded as if they were parroting Netanyahu, for instance on the subject of PA payments to the families of jailed Palestinians, including terrorists, and the incitement that Israel accuses the Palestinians of fostering in schools and the media. According to the source, things occasionally became so heated during the approximately two-hour meeting that it seemed on the verge of a blowup. Kushner surprised the Palestinians when he hinted that there was no guarantee that Trump would insist on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations if he concluded that a diplomatic breakthrough was not a possibility. Kushner also said that Trump was waiting for the envoys appraisal based on their meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah. We felt that they were planning to lay the blame on us and not on Netanyahu, who is still building [settlements in the West Bank] and thumbing his nose at everyone, as if we are the obstacle and Netanyahu is innocent of any blame or recalcitrance, said the source. Up until now, every disappointment and frustration the Palestinians have encountered since Trump took office have only spurred them to seek creative and effective solutions. That was the case when they thwarted the relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem despite Trumps repeated pledge to do so, when they arranged a White House meeting for President Mahmoud Abbas and when they talked the US administration into warning Israel against continued construction in the settlements. Now the Palestinians have another target Mohammed bin Salman, the man appointed Saudi crown prince June 21. The plan is to get the prince on board with their cause so he can help them right the unfair slant they see on the American team. The Palestinians have been monitoring the ties developing between Israel and Saudi Arabia with American encouragement. They are certain that the wealthy kingdom, which Trump regards as an important ally in the Middle East, will play a central role in future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The crown prince is 31 years old, and his elderly father, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, is ailing and might entrust his son with special tasks, such as resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under an inter-Arab umbrella that would also include Egypt and Jordan. The Palestinians have no doubt that the prince is a rising star, and they believe he could have significant influence on future events in the Middle East. He speaks our language, the Palestinian source told Al-Monitor, noting that on many issues the Palestinians see eye to eye with the Saudis and in particular with the prince. The Palestinians say they have already convinced the Trump administration that they firmly reject radical Islamist influence and that they oppose Irans activities, especially its ties with Hamas. The Palestinians also feel that in their contacts with the Trump administration they have proven that a regional diplomatic arrangement with Israel is their preferred option over an international alternative, despite the dustup with the American envoys. They think this is also the view of the young Saudi prince. Thus, after Abbas was forced in recent months to travel back and forth to Cairo and Amman, seeking help from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and King Abdullah in stopping the Trump train, the Palestinians have now concluded that they have to sign up an influential auxiliary force Prince Mohammed. The Palestinian assessment is that the prince serve as a counterbalancing figure, one who knows how to explain to the Americans in clear terms the red lines that Abbas cannot cross with his own people. The Palestinians believe that thanks to Trumps high regard for Saudi Arabia and its role in the region, he or his staff will listen closely to what the Saudi prince tells them and take his remarks into consideration. Will a close relationship with the crown prince, who will one day succeed Salman, help the Palestinians raise funds, too? This is certainly an interesting point, but the Palestinians are careful not to talk about it now, lest the attempts to get close to the prince be interpreted as motivated solely by financial considerations. In addition, since one of the points of disagreement with the Palestinians, perhaps the main one, is the issue of payments to the families of people considered to be martyrs and Palestinians jailed in Israel a dispute currently precluding any progress in negotiations the Saudis might be able to offer a creative solution. In any case, now that Ramadan has ended, the Palestinian team is energetically working to set up a meeting for Abbas in Riyadh. The man tasked with making it happen is Majid Faraj, head of Palestinian General Intelligence and possibly one of the most powerful people in the PA if not the most powerful. Faraj was also responsible for forging ties with CIA Director Mike Pompeo as demonstrated in his ability to arrange a meeting between Pompeo and Abbas in Ramallah in February and did so in a way that resulted in warming relations between the Trump administration and the PA and that enabled Abbas White House visit May 3. These relationships all hinge on defense issues. The crown prince, who also serves as Saudi defense minister, has excellent ties with Pompeo. The Palestinians hope these links will help them earn the Saudi support and understanding they feel they need after the bitter disappointment they recently endured at the hands of Greenblatt and Kushner. June 23, 2017 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip intensified after Israel approved June 13 the Palestinian Authoritys request to gradually reduce the power supply to the enclave. As of June 19, the daily power supply dropped to less than four hours a day of electricity. The power crisis has taken its toll on all aspects of economic life in the Gaza Strip, including the agricultural sector, as farmers rely on electricity-powered wells for the irrigation of their crops. On June 21, Egypt supplied the Gaza Strip's sole power plant with 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of cheap diesel fuel, but power supply hours have yet to increase. Extended power outages are now threatening plant life and food security in the Gaza Strip, and some farmers are buying generators to keep their crops alive. They bear the high cost of fuel and are forced to increase the price of their products. Amjad al-Shawa, the director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO), told Al-Monitor, This crisis also threatens to increase the ranks of unemployed farmers and agricultural workers who will soon be unable to meet the increasing costs of their agricultural activity. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the total losses and damages caused by the electricity crisis are estimated at nearly $55 million. Omar Talib, a farmer who is seeing his source of livelihood threatened by the power crisis, told Al-Monitor, I have been working in agriculture for more than 20 years. This is how I make ends meet. The power crisis has become a nightmare for farmers. We cannot operate our irrigation systems without electricity. He said, I had to uproot some plants to save water for other plants, since I could not afford to run the generator given the high price of fuel. He added that the irregular power supply led to the destruction of some of his plants since he was forced to irrigate them whenever power was available, even late at night, which affected the quality of some vegetable crops such as bell peppers and destroyed others. Mohammed Mustafa is facing a more difficult problem than Talib. His agricultural lands are in Hajar al-Deek border area while he lives in the center of Gaza City. He can only water his crops if the four power supply hours are during the day, since at night the border area becomes dangerous and deserted and he cannot risk his life to save his plants. The crisis forced me to reduce my crops. he told Al-Monitor. Summer is coming and summer crops cannot stand long-term water cuts. Sadly, the electricity crisis is intensifying, which threatens our livelihood." Mustafa said that the continued crisis may lead to a subsequent reduction in the number of crops provided by the Gaza Strip and called for government support. He also expressed fear that the ministry would resort to imported crops to compensate for the shortage, which would be detrimental to Gaza farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture's Policy and Planning Director Nabil Abu Shamala told Al-Monitor that lands cultivated with vegetables cover a surface area of about 20,000 acres, of which about 40% is located in the eastern part of the governorates of Rafah, Khan Yunis and al-Wusta. "The power outage has disrupted the irrigation process by affecting the water quantities allocated to irrigation, which dropped by 50-60%. These quantities are expected to further decrease by up to 80% with Israel reducing its supply to the enclave," he said. He added that the eastern towns such as al-Fakhari and Abasan in Khan Yunis governorate are the most affected areas, where the estimated damage rate stands at 60%, or about 12 tons of destroyed crops per acre, while in Gaza City and the northern areas this rate is estimated at 40%, or about 8 tons per acre. Shamala noted that the cost of using generators to operate agricultural irrigation wells in the governorates of Rafah and Khan Yunis is $30 per hour, which exceeds farmers financial capacity. The ongoing crisis will lead to the dehydration of agricultural crops, the spread of plant diseases and insects, the increase of the percentage of deformed fruits due to irregular irrigation, not to mention low yields, he said, pointing out that the average price of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of vegetables in the Gaza Strip is about $0.28. He added that the power crisis will affect the economy of the Gaza Strip and will lead to instability in food security and a decrease in purchasing power, as well as to the shrinking of exports and the increased inclination toward more imports to fill the shortage, which will affect domestic production and the entire economic situation. Shawa explained how the power crisis has severely affected farmers, saying, The power crisis in Gaza is chronic, exacerbating and has entailed serious repercussions, especially on the agricultural sector, since the irrigation system relies on water raised from wells using power-operated pumps." He added, Recently, the power supply has dropped to less than four hours a day, so hours of irrigation also shrunk while temperatures increased. Farmers have been badly hit by this crisis. Shawa pointed out that the farmers only available option is the use of generators but that this will increase the production cost, which would lead consumers to cut their purchases and farmers to uproot a large number of crops that need water in order to save other crops that are more economically feasible. Desertification will happen if the crisis perpetuates, he said. He concluded that the Gaza Strip has always been reeling under a suffocating water crisis and that the PNGO seeks donor countries to provide farmers with generators to pump water, build small solar plants and lay down strategical water lines. June 27, 2017 WASHINGTON A late-night White House warning on June 26 that the United States had detected potential preparations for a chemical weapons attack in Syria was meant as a deterrent, the Donald Trump administration said today. The White House defended the unusual statement and the sparsity of evidence it has provided for making it by saying it was meant to save lives. Look, I think that our goal every day is to do what we can to protect life in all forms and to take steps to move the ball forward in defeating [the Islamic State], defeating all efforts at terrorism, White House deputy spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said at her White House press briefing. I think the statement yesterday helped do that. The remarks come after the White House sent out a press statement to reporters just before 10 p.m. on June 26 warning that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children, the White House said. The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017, chemical weapons attack. On that day, the United States and its allies say, Assads forces conducted a sarin gas attack against the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, killing more than 70 people. The Trump administration retaliated on April 7 by lobbing 59 cruise missiles at the Shayrat airfield, which was used as the base for the attack. Mondays White House warning was prompted in part by the fact that, in the days before April 4, the United States had detected activity and chatter that turned out to be preparations for the gas attack, a US official said. This time, when the Trump administration detected increased activity at the Shayrat air base and elsewhere, it did not want to just stand by. We were caught looking the first time it happened, the US official, speaking not for attribution, said. There was info, chatter that we had not completely tied together. So my feeling is that this time, when they detected activity, we want to send a clear message to Assad, that we are not going to stand by. The Pentagon said today that the United States had detected possible preparations for a chemical attack at the Shayrat airfield over the previous day or two. "This involved specific aircraft in a specific hangar, both of which we know to be associated with chemical weapons use," Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis told reporters. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday morning before a meeting at the White House during which the decision to issue the statement was made, the State Department said today. We know from past experience the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on its own people, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters today. This is a very serious and grave matter. One expert on the Russia military suggested the US warning was based on intelligence that Syrian forces had been retrieving material from a storage facility at the Shayrat air base. I suspect they have observed Syrian forces get something from a storage facility and are worried they might be mixing the agents in preparation for another attack, Michael Kofman, an expert with the Kennan Institute, told Al-Monitor. Undoubtedly they don't know for sure, but the confidence level must be reasonably high for them to issue this statement in an effort to deter. June 27, 2017 Turkey is clearly experiencing unprecedented tension with the European Union (EU), which technically speaking it is in line to join as a full member provided it fulfills the necessary criteria. That appears an almost impossible prospect, however, given what is transpiring in Turkey, let alone the state of a Europe in flux. This has not prevented both sides from keeping up the pretense of continuing with Ankaras membership talks, even though these have produced nothing in recent years. The simple fact is that for all the talkand threats from both sides about ending membership negotiations and severing ties Turkey and the EU are unable to walk away from each other for practical reasons. This dependence ensures that their dialogue continues no matter what. It was Donald Tusk, the president of the EU Council, who sought a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the NATO summit in Brussels on May 25. Tusks move came at a time when many in Europe wanted Erdogan punished. Erdogan accepted Tusks invitation and also held separate talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Despite media reports about the frosty atmosphere during these meetings, EU representatives presented a somewhat different picture. "The EU and Turkey must and will continue to cooperate. Major issues of common interest were discussed in detail in a good and constructive atmosphere," an EU spokeswoman in Brussels told Reuters. Other EU officials said the 2016 Turkey-EU agreement aimed at curbing the flow of illegal migration to Europe, the funds Ankara would receive for this, and the question of visa-free travel in Europe for Turks were among the key topics discussed with Erdogan by Tusk and Juncker. The decision by EU foreign ministers at their meeting in April in Malta not to sever ties with Ankara appears, therefore, to be holding regardless of existing strains. Following the Malta meeting, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the ministers respected the results of the April 16 referendum in Turkey, even though many European leaders argue that this gives Erdogan almost dictatorial powers. The bottom line is that the EU could not afford to burn its bridges with Ankara, despite the findings of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe that the referendum was technically flawed and held in a less than fair atmosphere. Mogherini also spoke about the EUs expectations in regard to democracy and human rights in Turkey, but there was no bite to her words. Developments in the Middle East and on a broader plane the East-West rivalry spearheaded by the United States and Russia are ensuring that the drifting apart of Ankara and the EU is contained, for now. Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was NATO secretary-general from 2009-2014, summed up the picture in remarks to the Financial Times earlier this week. [Turkey] is a bridge between the West and the Middle East and Central Asia. It has the second-largest army within NATO. So I would argue from a security point of view that we need Turkey as much as Turkey needs us, Rasmussen said. Rasmussen was referring to Turkeys membership in NATO, but the alliance and the EU are so entwined on multiple levels that his remarks apply to the EUs ties with Turkey, too. Given the degradation of Turkeys democracy in recent years, membership talks with Ankara should have been suspended on technical grounds by now, since respect for democratic values is a precondition for these. That, however, did not happen and is unlikely to. What we have instead is a series of statements from influential European leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who expressed her opposition to ending membership talks with Ankara even though she is known to be opposed to Turkey's membership in principle. The latest row between Turkey and Germany, which has forced Berlin to redeploy its forces from Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to Jordan in order to continue contributing to the US-led coalition against the Islamic State, is not expected to alter Berlins basic stance either. The need to maintain the migration deal with Ankara and the need to cooperate with Turkey on many levels because of the 3 million Turks living in Germany appear to be Berlins main considerations. In the meantime, Turkey has moved even further away from democracy, as the purge of alleged supporters of last years failed coup attempt against Erdogan continues unabated and thousands are in prison without due process. This flies in the face of the relatively soft approach by the EU toward Turkey, as many in Europe also point out. Retired Ambassador Temel Iskit, whose former posts include Brussels, says that because of considerations relating to EU security and economic interests, it is very unlikely that the EU will sever ties with Turkey. Turkey, with its large population, is sitting on the most strategic piece of real estate in the world. This ensures that the EU cannot put its ties with Turkey at risk, Iskit told Al-Monitor. The EU talks about democracy and human rights, but when push comes to shove it looks to its interests, he added. Ankaras threat to suspend the migration deal if the EU doesnt honor its promise to grant visa-free travel for Turks and does not release more funds for refugees in Turkey has also proved to be hollow so far. Iskit said that despite Erdogans much-vaunted anger with Europe, he is also aware that ties with the EU cant be severed without harming Turkeys vital interests. At any rate, it is not easy to sever this relationship because of the complex and intricate set of ties that have emerged between the sides over the years, Iskit said. The annual report on Turkey by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament released June 20 harshly criticizes Ankara for its democratic shortcomings and will undoubtedly lead to new tensions between the Turkey and the EU, as Al-Monitors Cengiz Candar pointed out in a recent article. EU Parliament reports, however, are nonbinding, and none of its many harsh reports on Turkey in the past have had a restraining effect on Ankara or dampened the EUs desire to keep channels of dialogue with Turkey open, regardless of Ankaras democratic shortcomings. Some in Europe are arguing that the EU has come out on top when it comes to Turkey because it forced Ankara into cooperation on the migrant deal without bowing to its demands. Turkey is currently seeking to reset its relations with the EUand it is doing so without winning visa-free travel to the bloc for its citizens or [without] signs of any progress in its EU accession negotiations, Natalie Nougayrede, a foreign affairs commentator for The Guardian, wrote June 24. It looks like the EU has played its cards rather well with this complex and antagonizing partner, she added. But the EU is supposed to be all about values. Its odd, therefore, to suggest that it played its cards well when it is patently clear that it is ready to override its own values and maintain the pretense of keeping the doors for membership open to an increasingly undemocratic Turkey for the sake of Europes strategic interests. But as Iskit pointed out, all that this really means is that its business as usual in Turkish-EU ties. June 26, 2017 It was a couple of years ago when one of my students suggested there should be no gender category on any official forms. My courageous student said, Some days I feel like a man; some days a woman. Your categories aren't sufficient for me. "Trans" is an umbrella term that covers several different identities beyond the common binary definitions. People can define themselves as neither male nor female, or as a combination of both at times. The transgender rights movement is shaking our common truths and norms. Are you happy to use the bathrooms that match your biological gender assigned at the time of birth? All around the world, demands for gender-neutral bathrooms are leading to change. For example, pioneer cities in California have passed laws requiring single bathrooms to be declared gender neutral. Colleges, as centers of freedom of expression for young people, followed suit in different cities throughout the Western world. In Turkey as well, LGBTQ groups have been struggling since 2014 to make room for gender-neutral bathrooms on campuses. In February 2016 they achieved their goal in a limited way at Istanbuls revered Bogazici University. At the time, this did not cause a commotion in Turkey. But on June 20, Twitter users began posting that Middle East Technical University (METU) had abolished gender segregation. One user showed a sign apparently posted at the university that read, At the request of 400+ students, all restrooms in this building have become gender-neutral. The very next day, the METU administration announced that despite the reports, no such request for gender-free bathrooms had been approved. But it was too late. Before the university responded, the news became a trending topic on social media. The majority of comments were quite offensive and coarse, including not only overtly explicit but also rather gross visuals and words. Some of the milder examples include the following: The Prostitution Department has been opened at our university now. Foreign colleges are making [scientific] discoveries, while METU is [concerned with] toilets ..." METU should be destroyed and a toilet must be built in its place. On live TV, pro-AKP presenter Erkan Tan told his viewers, Lets shut down METU and establish a real university in its place. It's ironic. METU is one of the best public universities in Turkey, with a commendable global reputation. Some of the world's top colleges respect LGBTQ students and provide gender-neutral bathrooms. On other social media platforms as well, such as Eksisozluk, a popular public information-sharing network, most commentators were against the idea for different reasons, though almost none of them had to do with the LGBTQ issue. The men were convinced they couldn't use a bathroom with a woman in the vicinity, and the women were disgusted by the idea of using the same stalls as men of questionable hygiene. After reading 40 pages of commentary, I could not help but ask myself, Have these people never used a toilet after the opposite gender in their homes or other spaces? Murat Korkmaz, an LGBTQ activist and undergraduate student in the Department of Psychology at METU, told Al-Monitor, Even though METU may seem like a progressive college, indeed transphobia is quite persistent on its campus. To raise consciousness about the presence of trans and queer students on campus, we started a signature campaign to have one bathroom at the humanities building as gender-neutral. We finally prepared a request with 420 signatures and initiated negotiations with the administrators. They kept delaying the decision for over two months, so we said, 'Unless you give us answer we will declare all bathrooms gender-neutral in the building.' Our protest was presented in the press in a wrong way, so we told everyone it would be [just] one bathroom. After that, unfortunately, the chancellors office presented rather transphobic statements saying it disapproves of gender-neutral bathrooms. LGBTQ students and our suffering, along with the support we received from our friends, was ignored altogether. Korkmaz was clear about how difficult it is for gender-nonconforming students to be acknowledged or just to figure out which bathroom would be a safer place for them. The concerns and fears of LGBTQ students are quite universal: If they use the womens bathroom they could face verbal and even physical harassment, while in the mens bathroom it could be physical and sexual abuse. Korkmaz and several others at METU believe they are not safe, even though the campus is known as a secular and progressive domain. Why could the college administrators not assign a couple of bathrooms in each building as gender-neutral, knowing there is widespread support among the student body? Not one academic from the humanities or social sciences came out to speak in defense of the students demands or the urgency of providing gender-neutral and sufficiently private bathrooms for students with disabilities or those who identify as LGBTQ. It was a sad coincidence that the Pride March scheduled for June 25 was again banned by the Istanbul Municipality. Despite the ban, hundreds marched and were brutally attacked in Istanbul. Al-Monitor spoke with a handful of Islamists who were willing to engage in discussion. The conversation developed along these lines: So if a few students demand halal food and a mosque in which to pray in a non-Muslim-majority country, do you think they should be accommodated? They all answered, Yes, of course. So then why couldnt there be a gender-neutral bathroom, which these Islamists would not be obliged to use one that is optional, just like ordering halal food on an American carrier? Most of the Islamists, young and older alike, were not pleased about this part of the conversation, and finally the answer came down to the fact that religious freedom needs to be respected, but being trans is a disease. Trans people need to be in a hospital, not on a college campus, they said. Sadly, there was no tolerance, let alone acceptance, among these Islamists. In the meantime, the Official Gazette published the news that all new schools will be required to have gender-segregated prayer and ablution rooms. When added to the skyrocketing number of religious schools, the ban on teaching evolution and the scary rise in random violence against women and children, the silence of METU academics and the suffering of LGBTQ students can be understood better. In Turkey, authoritarianism and arbitrary bans have permeated every level of society, and the most progressive corners college campuses, which should stand as symbols of freedom of expression suffer the most. Turkey has become an example of how the most narrow-minded minorities have tacitly managed to have their cake and eat it too while starving others. The City has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the owners of the sign on top of the Two North Twentieth building - again. Pennsylvania-based 84 Outdoor, which is now known as Transformation Media, started putting up a vinyl covering over the 179- by 25-foot sign on top of the 17-story building on Monday, despite a city board's ruling that such an action isn't permitted. "All work associated with this sign replacement must cease and desist until all appropriate approval(s) and permit(s) from the City have been obtained," Andre Bittas, Director of the Department of Planning, Engineering and Permitting, wrote in the letter. "The Birmingham Design Review Committee is responsible for overseeing the Commercial Revitalization District program and any plans that you have for upgrading the exterior of your property must be approved by the Committee in advance of receiving any required building or sign permit." Of course, we've been here before. In 2016, the city sent a similar letter to 84 Outdoor when it announced it would put up a UAB billboard. 84 Outdoor did, in fact, cease and desist, and go before the DRC seeking approval, which the board did not grant. 84 Outdoor appealed the ruling before the Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals, which upheld the DRC's ruling. At the time, the company's attorney said it would review legal options for the appeal. Transformation Media's President Mark Gamble did not respond to multiple requests for comment this week. Alton Parker, the Birmingham attorney who represented the company in its 2016 proceedings, also did not respond to request for comment Wednesday. Transformation Media isn't the first company to seek forgiveness before permission. It bought the sign, once used as a light-up scrolling marquee, in early 2015 from Birmingham's Harbert Realty. When Harbert first put up the Pepsi vinyl in 2014, it had also had several iterations rejected by the Design Review Committee. At the time, Harbert said it didn't need a permit for the vinyl covering because the dimensions of the sign did not change. City staff disagreed, but it appeared that the rule was not enforced, because the sign stayed up until early 2016. It's been blank ever since. A commercial tech startup studio is ready to take its first client to the next level after hiring a digital marketing expert to drive growth in Huntsville. The Foundry has appointed former Synapse Wireless Director of Digital Marketing Megan Nivens to lead business development, marketing and sales initiatives for the organization, which funds, builds and launches app-based companies for a nationwide market. Megan Nivens. (Courtesy) Nivens' resume includes senior-level positions at McCann Erickson, an advertising firm, and the North Alabama Muscular Dystrophy Association, where she oversaw patient relations, fundraising efforts and community outreach programs as executive director. "Megan's strategic marketing background, technical acumen and leadership skills, ranging from nonprofits to multi-million dollar organizations, is the perfect addition to what we're trying to achieve," said Dick Reeves, co-founder of The Foundry. MyPostOpCare, conceived by local spine surgeon Brian Scholl, delivers pre- and post-surgery instructions to patients via computer, tablet and smartphone. The Orthopedic Center of Huntsville has adopted the application, which will expand at regional medical practices in the coming months. The Orthopedic Center of Huntsville is using MyPostOpCare. (Courtesy) The Foundry said MyPostOpCare sends "sequenced reminders of care to enhance patient recovery, improve clinical outcomes, and enable Practice Managers and Physicians to monitor 'at risk' patients from a single dashboard." Nivens said the goal is to reduce patient readmission rates and improve overall satisfaction. "MyPostOpCare not only eliminates operational and non-reimbursable costs, it also opens up new business models for physicians by eliminating the use of traditional paper communication methods," she said. "The patient engagement information feedback from MyPostOpCare lets staff focus in on the patients who need personal attention the most, while maintaining improved levels of patient satisfaction with all patients." Scholl said the application has cut post-operative calls in his office by more than 10 percent over the last year. For more information on The Foundry, visit foundryhsv.com. Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Children's of Alabama among nation's best Children's of Alabama again ranks among the nation's best children's hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. In its 2017-18 Best Children's Hospital rankings, the magazine named seven of the hospital's pediatric specialty services cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology/GI surgery, nephrology, neurology/neurosurgery, orthopedics and pulmonology among the top 50 in the United States. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Gov. Ivey disappointed in California travel ban Gov. Kay Ivey said this morning she is "disappointed" that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra added Alabama to California's travel ban list. Alabama is one of several states included in the travel ban, due to the state's adopting a law allowing adoption agencies in the state to follow faith-based policies, including the option to not place children with gay couples. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Deal between Huntsville and Blue Origin isn't done yet Alabama leaders from Gov. Kay Ivey and U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby down to the Huntsville City Council gathered Monday to cheer the news that Jeff Bezos' rocket company will build a new engine factory in the town. But the announcement is more complicated than it sounded. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com How new Von Braun Center music hall could change things To see up-and-coming touring bands perform live, music fans living in Huntsville often must drive to Nashville, Birmingham, Chattanooga or further to see those shows. The Von Braun Center's plans for a new 1,200-capacity music hall could change that. Right now, the city doesn't have anything like Birmingham's WorkPlay Soundstage or Iron City. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Sheepdog Firearms: New gun store and indoor shooting range Sheepdog Firearms, a new gun store and indoor shooting range, has opened in Trussville, Alabama. The new facility, located at 5900 Deerfoot Pkwy, offers gun enthusiasts a place to shoot and train no matter what the weather is outside. The building is massive with over 20,000 square feet, split between the gun store, indoor shooting range, meeting and conference rooms and offices. Don't Edit Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Arts, culture worth $89.9 million to Huntsville/Madison County economy A new study conducted by Americans for the Arts proves what many already know: the arts mean business in Huntsville/Madison County. The study found the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $89.9 million in annual economic activity in Huntsville/Madison County. Don't Edit William Thornton / wthornton@al.com Gadsden reorganizing Industrial Development Authority The City of Gadsden is reorganizing its Industrial Development Authority in a move that city officials said would have direct effects on the city's ability to attract industry. The IDA reorganization has been in the works for some time, Guyton said, and hinges on making six permanent positions to have business and education represented. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com New-to-Alabama Brass Tap opening beer bar in Huntsville A Tampa company will bring an upscale craft beer bar, sports TV and live music option to Merchants Square in Huntsville. Brass Tap, founded in 2008 in Florida, will launch a 3,800-square-foot facility at the southeast corner of Bob Wallace Avenue and Memorial Parkway, across from the Whole Foods-anchored Shops at Merchants Walk. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Former UAB director heading Gadsden's Riverview Regional Medical Center James P. Davis has been named as the new CEO of Gadsden's Riverview Regional Medical Center. He will replace David Fuller, who resigned as CEO "to pursue other opportunities," according to Prime Healthcare, the hospital's owner. Don't Edit Auburn University Auburn part of $5 million grant to address regional water issues Auburn is one of four universities in the southeast taking part in a $5 million research project addressing regional water security. The study, which also involves the University of Florida Water Institute, the University of Georgia and Albany State University, will help ensure water for agricultural production while maintaining healthy rivers and springs, according to a news release. Don't Edit Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Billboard company shaking up Birmingham's Pepsi sign, but city says no A vinyl sign appears to be going up on what was formerly known as the Pepsi sign. However, Birmingham's Planning Department doesn't know anything about it. And nothing has changed legally, according to city staff. Don't Edit John Sharp | jsharp@al.com Swelling Navy fleet may mean sea of jobs for Alabama, Mississippi Congressional Republicans are pushing an ambitious U.S. Navy expansion plan that would grow the fleet to its highest level in at least 13 years. Strongly supported by Gulf state lawmakers in Alabama and Mississippi, the plan would likely spur a rapid ramping-up at major shipbuilders such as Austal USA in Mobile and Ingalls in Pascagoula. Don't Edit Birmingham City Schools to host summer job fair Birmingham City Schools is hiring for a number of positions this summer. A job fair is set for Wednesday, June 28 at the Carver High School gymnasium at 3900 24th Street North in Birmingham. Interviews will take place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Available positions include teaching positions in general science, mathematics, special education, social science, elementary and engineering. Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com Should businesses be able to refuse service on religious grounds? The Supreme Court is taking up a case where this Colorado baker refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, simply because he feels his religious beliefs prevented him from doing so. The baker, Jack Phillips, says making a wedding cake for a gay couple would promote gay marriage and therefore contradict his religious beliefs. What do you think? Don't Edit Lee Roop | lroop@al.com What Alabama restaurants does Yelp recommend? AL.com paired with Yelp to find the top-rated restaurants in Alabama. Here's the methodology, via Yelp: "This is a list of the best restaurants in Alabama. All the businesses on this list are in the Restaurant category on Yelp and are not a large chain. "Best" is measured using an algorithm that looks at the number of reviews and star rating for a business." Don't Edit Monsure Davis, left, and Dequerius Tyrell Fair, right, have been indicted for capital murder in the January shooting death of high school senior Juzahris Webb. (Jefferson County Jail) Two teens have been indicted in the January shooting death of a Wenonah High School senior. A Jefferson County grand jury on June 23 issued the capital murder indictments against Monsure Davis, 18, and Dequerius Tyrell Fair, who will turn 18 on Thursday. The indictments were made public on Wednesday. Both teens are charged in the Jan. 31 slaying of Juzahris Webb, who was gunned down while he and a friend were walking home from school. Davis and Fair also were indicted on attempted murder for shooting at Webb's friend, Demarcus Daniels. The two-count indictment says the suspects fired at Webb and Daniels with a pistol, and that the shots were fired from within a vehicle which constitutes the capital charge. A third teen - 18-year-old Sha Quon Edwards - is charged with first-degree theft of property in connection with a stolen car the teens were in during the shooting. The shooting happened just before 4 pm in the 3200 block of Cedar Avenue Southwest, just out of eyesight of the high school. Webb and his friend were walking to the friend's grandmother's house on nearby Hemlock Avenue when a car passed them at an intersection. It appears the car turned around, and drove back by the teens. Someone inside the vehicle opened fire, and Webb was shot in the stomach. After the shooting, the two teens ran back to the nearby Coleman Auto Parts and Sales, with Webb clutching his abdomen. He collapsed on the floor, telling shop employees, "Somebody shot me. Call the police." Employees said the victim wasn't bleeding externally, but began to drift into unconsciousness. "He was very alert,'' said an employee who asked not to be named. "But the longer he sat there, he just started to go." Davis and Edwards were taken into custody the same night of the shooting, after they were spotted in a stolen vehicle matching the description of the vehicle used in the shooting. Birmingham police, with the help of tracking dogs, spent three hours searching for them after they bailed from the vehicle, which rolled back and hit a police cruiser. Fair was arrested on Feb. 10. Both Davis and Fair remain in the Jefferson County Jail with bond set at $250,000 each. Webb's father, Chris Major, said his son was involved in a dispute several days before they deadly shooting with another teen who was jealous of Webb over a girl. "He didn't really have a lot of enemies,'' Major said. "He had his head screwed on right." Trial dates have not yet been set for Fair and Davis. Former police officer and convicted killer Jeff Kelley McCord had his first chance at freedom in 14 years Wednesday, but it was denied by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole. McCord, now 47, pleaded guilty in 2003 to the Hoover murders of Alan and Terra Bates in one of the Birmingham-area's most high-profile killings in recent decades. McCord's then-wife, Jessica Bates McCord, was also convicted in the ambush shootings deaths of her ex-husband and his new wife. The case was the subject of a true-crime novel called "Death Trap" and also is featured multiple times a year on the Oxygen network's "Snapped" series. The couple divorced not long after being sent to prison, and she has since returned to using the last name of the husband she murdered. Jeff McCord, then 33, was sentenced to two life terms but was granted parole eligibility in exchange for detailing for prosecutors how he and his wife killed Alan and Terra Bates. Jessica Bates McCord, a mother of five children, was sentenced to life without parole. Alan Bates was the father of her two oldest daughters, and McCord was the father of her two youngest, one of which was born after their arrests. Someone else fathered her middle child. The children have all been raised by various family members since the arrests and convictions. Wednesday was the first parole hearing for Jeff McCord, who was a Pelham police officer at the time of the murders. Hoover police Lt. Keith Czeskleba spoke at the hearing, as well as Alan Bates' two brothers, a childhood friend of Terra Bates, victims' advocates, a representative from the Alabama Attorney General's Office and Jefferson County prosecutor Mike Anderton. Members of McCord's family were also there, to support his release. The parole was denied, and he isn't eligible to go before the board again until 2022. "We were pleased the board denied Jeff's parole and continue to be thankful of all the hard work put in by the Hoover police and the district attorney's office to bring justice,'' Alan Bates' brother, Kevin Bates, told AL.com. "We continue with the life-long efforts to heal from this loss." The McCords killed the Bateses amid a child visitation battle between Jessica McCord and Alan Bates, who shared two daughters. The Bateses were found Feb. 16, 2002 in Georgia in the trunk of their burning rental car, both bodies riddled with bullets. The shootings followed a daylong round of depositions in Alan Bates' fight to get more time with his young daughters, who are now 27 and 24. Following the deposition, the Bateses went to the McCords' Hoover home to pick up the girls at 6 p.m. for weekend visitation. That, authorities said, is when they were lured inside the home on the premise that the girls were going to put on a puppet show for them, and then shot to death while they waited on a downstairs couch. Jeff McCord, at the time a Pelham police officer who had previously worked at the Birmingham Police Department, struggled to make small talk with the couple and then pulled a .40-caliber pistol from behind his back and, without a word, fired round after round. Terra Bates, 30, fell without a sound. "I don't think she had time to assess the threat or recognize, 'Oh damn. Something's about to happen,''' Jeff McCord would later tell prosecutors. "I had the weapon hidden behind me. I came up with it. I knew I'd shot her at least once, I can't remember if I double-tapped her or not. Double-tap meaning two rounds in the same mass. And then I know I shot him at least twice, on the couch. After that Terra dropped immediately." Alan Bates, 30, flinched, cursed McCord and fell beside his wife. "Alan, after I shot him once or twice or however many times it was...he tries to stand up and I think that might have been the third time I put a round into him, he stumbles to the floor,'' Jeff McCord said. Four bullets ended up in each victim. "All of it happened so quickly,'' he said. "The way you're taught, if you've got multiple targets, you, you know, at least try to wound one, move to the other...Put one down and then move to the other. But it all happened so quickly, I could very well have put all four into her before she finally dropped." Jessica McCord, pregnant with her fifth child, sat calmly on the nearby stairs, watched and listened as they died. Jessica McCord then moved Alan's rental car close to the back door. They wrapped the bodies in old blankets and drapes, and loaded them into the trunk. Jeff McCord picked up shell casings and discarded them in the trash. Then he disassembled the murder weapon, which he would later sprinkle over a hundred or so miles across Alabama and Georgia. They drove to a movie theatre to buy tickets, stopped at a drug store and then went to a cellular telephone kiosk at the Riverchase Galleria so Jessica McCord could learn how to work Alan and Terra's cell phones to make sure there was no incriminating information recorded on them. They headed for Georgia, Jeff McCord driving Alan's rental car and Jessica leading the way in a separate vehicle. They stopped in Anniston to eat a Subway and cut up credit cards. They stopped again at a gas station in Atlanta to buy gasoline to torch the car. As they neared Rutledge, Ga., they stopped again to wipe down the car, erasing whatever fingerprints they'd left behind. Finally, they found an isolated area and torched the car, using paper towels brought from home." Former Jefferson County prosecutor Roger Brown, who has since passed away, later asked McCord what they'd talked about afterward. "It's done,'' Jeff McCord recounted. "In her opinion, I'd done something great for the girls, done something, you know, great for her.'' They thought they'd have more time to cover up the crime, but a group of Rutledge residents leaving in the predawn hours to go to a cockfight stumbled across the smoldering car. It was 3:15 a.m. and investigators soon flocked to the scene. " Morgan County, Ga. Deputy John Williams later testified that he arrived at the burned car and asked the fire chief in anybody was inside. "He said, 'There ain't nobody in there, but it looks like somebody just slaughtered an animal, beef or deer or something, in the trunk,''' Williams said. "He opened the trunk and I could smell. I said these are human beings, not an animal." The McCords quickly became the prime suspects. Investigators from Hoover police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation combed the McCord home for two days, carting off loads of evidence: A spent bullet that matched one found in Alan Bates' wrist. A spot Terra Bates' blood from the coffee table. A roll of paper towels with a design of children on it that matched a charred piece found near the torched car in Georgia. Jeff and Jessica McCord were charged within a week. During four days of testimony from 39 witnesses, only two people had anything positive to say about Jessica McCord: Jessica and her mother, who was later tried and found guilty of perjury. Hoover police said then, and still maintain, the case was one of the worst they've ever investigated. "Jeff McCord was the trigger man in one of the most cold and calculated murder cases we have ever worked,'' said Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector. "It was such a senseless and sickening act; to kill two innocent people because they were too selfish to allow a father to see his own kids." "Jeff and Jessica are the definition of evil and they're certainly where they belong,'' Rector said. "We protested Jeff's parole today, and we'll continue to do so in the future." A man who pleaded guilty to forcing women to prostitute themselves on Backpage.com was sentenced to federal prison yesterday. Christopher Tyler Richards, 26, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David W. Archey announced in a press release. Richards was charged with two counts of enticement and coercion of a person for prostitution and one count of being a felon in possession of a gun, which he pleaded guilty to in March. Richards, of Tennessee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia Emerson Hopkins in Birmingham. Court documents show Richards used physical violence, intimidation, and sexual abuse to coerce the two women to travel through Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama to prostitute themselves and give the money they made to him. The victims are unnamed in court records, only being identified as Victim 1 and Victim 2. Victim 1 was 18 years old, and Victim 2 was 25 years old. "This defendant preyed on the vulnerabilities of troubled young women and made his living by convincing them - through intimidation and physical assault - to engage in prostitution and turn the money over to him," Posey said. "This case shows that human trafficking exists in our backyard, not just in major metropolitan areas," Archey said. "I am extremely proud of the work done by the Human Trafficking Task Force to bring Richards to justice and hold him accountable for his crimes." According to court documents, Richards first met Victim 1 when she was 13 years old. They met again in Tennessee in 2014, when the girl was 17. When she turned 18, according to his plea agreement, Richards convinced her to go on a trip with him, ending up in New Orleans. There, he pressured her to prostitute herself and began beating her. Documents show Richards met Victim 2 in New Orleans. He took photos of both of the victims and advertised them for prostitution on the website Backpage.com. When Richards learned Victim 2 would not agree to a certain sex act, he sexually assaulted her and forcibly performed that same act, documents show. The scheme lasted from December 2014 to February 2015, before Homewood Police arrested Richards after receiving a call from the father of the 18-year-old. The teen had texted her father, stating she was was at a hotel where she was being forced to perform sex acts for money and was being abused. Richards asked the court for a sentence of 135 months-- just over 11 years-- in prison, court records show. He stated his criminal history stems from a childhood of abuse, homelessness, and drug addiction. He also asked the court to impose a drug rehabilitation program and cognitive behavioral therapy when released on probation. "Mr. Richards accepts full responsibility for his actions and recognizes the serious nature of his choices that has cost the victims dearly," a filing from his attorney Kevin Butler states. The FBI and the Northern District of Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier Carter Sr. prosecuted. The driver of a truck and trailer that accidentally dragged Colbert County Coroner Carlton Utley to death on Monday has been identified as the 39-year-old victim's father. Carlton Utley is pictured holding one of his children. Utley, Colbert County's coroner, died Monday at age 39 in a traffic accident. Utley, also known as "Heath," was attending to personal business on Court Street in downtown Florence when his father, who was driving a truck and trailer, dropped him off at the corner of Tombigbee Street, police said. Police did not release the father's name. Florence police traffic Officer Alan Hooper said Utley attempted to cross the street by stepping between the truck and trailer. Utley's father apparently did not see his son and thought he had cleared the area, so he began driving the truck. By the time Utley's father reached the corner of Seminary and Irvine streets, another driver flagged him down because something was dragging beneath the truck. When Utley's father got out of the truck, he found his son's body. "We believe this was an unfortunate accident that occurred in our city," said Hooper in an email to AL.com. Police do not expect any criminal charges to be filed. The investigation into the crash is continuing, Hooper said. Utley was in his second term as Colbert County Coroner. He first ran for the office in 2006. The 39-year-old leaves behind a wife and children. A gofundme account has been set up to raise money for the costs of Utley's funeral services. As of Tuesday evening, the account raised more than $2,700 of its $5,000 goal Carlton Utley is pictured with his family. Utley's career in emergency services began more than 20 years ago. He has been an EMT in Colbert and Lawrence Counties. At the time of his death, Utley was a volunteer firefighter in Spring Valley and a paramedic for Keller Ambulance Service. "Thank you for the Prayers and Thoughts," Spring Valley Volunteer Fire Department posted on Facebook Monday afternoon. "All of us here in Spring Valley Volunteer Fire Department are terribly saddened at our loss." Utley also was a youth league sport coach. Two more public charter schools could open their doors in the fall of 2018, after the Alabama Public Charter School Commission fully approved one application, and conditionally approved a second one in Montgomery on Tuesday. The Commission fully approved the University of West Alabama's application to operate the University Charter School in Sumter County. They plan is to open with 150 students in grades K through 5 next fall. The following school year, the school will expand to include all grades, making it the first K12 public charter school in the state. UWA's J.J. Wedgworth presented the group's plan to the Commission, which is centered on an "innovative, quality, and rigorous" education. Wedgworth shared challenges facing Sumter County, pointing out that more than 900 children who live in the county are not attending the public schools there. Nearly 1,600 students currently attend the public schools, she said. The county's largest private school, Sumter Academy, announced last week it is closing its doors. The Academy, founded in 1970, was one of many Christian academies that opened following federal desegregation orders in the years after the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling declaring separate schools for black and white children were unequal. Media reports indicated representatives from Sumter Academy attributed the decline in enrollment to the prospective opening of the University Charter School. Students living in Sumter County will be given first priority to enroll in the new charter school, Wedgworth said, and if enrollment exceeds capacity, a random lottery will be held. Forming strong partnerships and being transparent with the community is a central part of the school's mission, Wedgworth said, while also focusing on a STREAM, or science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and mathematics curriculum and offering a college- and career-ready pathway for students. The group has raised more than $370,000 in donations and plans to occupy a building on the University of West Alabama campus in Livingston. Representatives of University Charter School speak to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission at their June 27, 2017, meeting. Commission president Dr. Ed Richardson was clearly impressed by the application, saying it will likely serve as a model for other Black Belt counties in Alabama. UWA's Johnnie Aycock told the Commission that Alabama's Congressional delegation has been watching from Washington, D.C., and fully supports their efforts. "[U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos] actually knows about us," Aycock said, adding they hope to create a model for other rural areas to use. The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) reviews all charter school applications the Commission considers and rates all applications in three areas: educational program design, operations, and financial plans. NACSA rates applications as either meets, partially meets, or does not meet the standard in each of those three areas. NACSA said University Charter School's application met the standard in all three areas. The Commission unanimously approved their application. Pastor Byron Franklin, who will serve on the school's board, said the school's primary focus is to create a "blended environment" where students can all go to school together. "Oddly enough, in 2017, we're talking about integrating the [public and private] school systems to create an environment where it's unified," Franklin said. "It's been a divided community, and this is a culture change," Franklin said. That division has put pressure on the community, he said, and this new school will create economic growth, social harmony and an advanced education for children in Sumter County. Aycock has worked in economic development in the past and said offering quality schooling is important to economic development in the region. After the vote, Aycock said, "This is life-changing for the people of Sumter County." The second applicant, Infinity Learning Center, plans to operate a high school in Montgomery County focused on serving at-risk students, Charlotte Meadows, chairman of the center's founding board, told the Commission. Meadows said the school plans to enroll 285 students and to offer education in four areas, including aviation, legal services and law enforcement, health care and business fields. The school day will be divided into a period for learning at the school and a second period working in an internship or job related to their career choice, what Infinity is calling an "authentic learning" experience. By the time a student graduates, Meadows said, they will hold either a license or a certification, and possibly even a two-year associate's degree in their chosen pathway. Soft skills, such as showing up on time, being respectful, and dressing appropriately, will also be taught, she said. NACSA determined Infinity's application partially meets the standard in all three areas of review. The Commission unanimously approved Infinity Learning Center's application on the condition it is able to show it can meet the standard in each of those areas. "We are thankful for the conditional approval that the Alabama Public Charter School Commission granted Infinity Learning Center, Montgomery's first Charter School," said Meadows, adding they will work to address concerns raised. The Commission denied a third applicant, Merit Academy, due in part to the lack of strong academic foundation. Commission members encouraged Merit representative Tony Mauro to continue building on the model, acknowledging his strong commitment to serving students. After the meeting, Mauro said his organization does not intend to reapply. In other actions, the Commission approved a $200,000 budget for next year's operations. They discussed contracting with the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama to create an assessment to measure charter school success and also to conduct that assessment for the Commission. No vote was taken. Richardson said the cost to assess each school each year would be $12,000. Also during the meeting, Richardson accepted the nomination to serve another term as chairman, and former state Rep. Mac Buttram will serve as vice chair. Richardson said he had not planned to serve another term, but because the Birmingham Board of Education recently filed a lawsuit challenging the Commission's authority to overturn Birmingham's denial of STAR Academy's application, he felt it would be best to stay on as chairman. Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he is pleased with today's meeting and encouraged by how the Commission is digging in and asking tough questions before approving applications. Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, said she, too is pleased with the attention the Commission is paying to the details. "These are schools we want to achieve success with students that are at risk and not finding what they need in their current system. A good plan and following a great guideline can be a lifeline for these students." Richardson, a former state superintendent, said he is a strong supporter of public schools, including public charters, and anticipates more interest as applicants see how the process works and what is expected. "I think you're going to see public charter schools, the numbers increase, substantially," Richardson said, "and I think in the long-term it will be for the benefit of Alabama's public schools." Marsh said he, too, is hopeful that more qualified charter applicants will step up in the future. "I'm excited for the parents of this state to have another school option," Marsh said. "I truly believe that the success of the public charters will do nothing but make the public system better because it is a degree of competition within the system, and competition is not a bad thing." Alabama's first public charter school, ACCEL Academy, will open in Mobile in August with 300 students. Birmingham's STAR Academy plans to open in fall 2018, while Huntsville's SLAM Academy, conditionally approved last year, cannot operate until gaining clearance from a federal judge because Huntsville schools are under a desegregation order. The Commission will meet again on July 24 to finalize Infinity's application and also to vote on an appeal from a to constitute a majority of the Athens City school board in May. An Alabama man has been sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in a 2014 cold-case murder in suburban Atlanta. Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds said Wednesday that 35-year-old Dwight Blalock Jr. shot through the driver's side of a car and killed 32-year-old Carlos Wright during a 2014 drug deal in Marietta. Blalock was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, violating Georgia's street-gang act and possession of a firearm. The state called 21 witnesses and introduced over 400 pieces of evidence linking Blalock to the murder. Wright was killed with a bullet from a 7 mm handgun. A gang investigator testified that Blalock was associated with the "Bloods" street gang. The case went cold until police arrested Blalock late last year. The non-partisan progressive group Birmingham Indivisible will continue its week-long sit-in of the offices of Sens. Luther Strange and Richard Shelby even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday postponed a vote on the controversial Obamacare replacement bill. "This most recent concession on the part of the GOP leadership, to delay a vote until after the upcoming recess, doesn't begin to meet the demands of our group," Shea Rives, one of the group's organizers, said in a statement. "Birmingham Indivisible will settle for no less than a 'no' vote from our senators on this disastrous bill." On Monday, the group began its protest at the Robert S. Vance federal courthouse in Birmingham, where both Shelby and Strange have offices. Members of the group said the senators were evading them and not answering their concerns about the bill. "They're hiding from us," said member Carole Griffin. "So we thought, we'll bring the constituents here and show them just how much we care about this issue, and how committed we are. This is what Democracy looks like." The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office calculated that 22 million people would lose health insurance under the Senate plan. "The newest version of the GOP bill is as cruel and dangerous as the House version, and doesn't represent the best interests of the people of Alabama," Rives said. "In fact, it threatens our most basic welfare." Birmingham Indivisible said it would put pressure on Alabama's senators through the protest and "through future actions yet to be announced." Aside from the provisions of the bill, the group said it was also concerned with the bill being crafted behind closed doors. "[W]e object to the secretive, backroom process in which the GOP has engaged in trying to ram this bill through Congress, and we refuse to accept any vote without extensive hearings and public comment," Rives said. Shelby's office had no comment in response to the group's plans, while Strange's office could not be reached. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt signed a proposal Tuesday to completely rescind the Clean Water Rule, a measure adopted by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2015 under the Obama Administration. The rule sought to define the phrase "waters of the U.S." under the Clean Water Act, which had become the subject of legal disputes regarding water pollution cases, including two cases that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Under the measure, often called the Waters of the U.S. or WOTUS Rule, intermittent streams or ponds were subject to the Clean Water Act if they flowed downstream to larger, navigable bodies of water. Many Republicans pushed back against that interpretation, saying it gave the EPA an overly broad authority to regulate even "puddles" or "ditches." Pruitt, who was Oklahoma's attorney general when the rule was implemented, sued the EPA over the rule along with several other state attorneys general, including Alabama's Luther Strange, now in the U.S. Senate. As EPA Administrator under President Donald Trump, Pruitt signed a proposal Tuesday to rescind the rule he had challenged in court. Trump issued an executive order in February ordering the agency to review the rule. "We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation's farmers and businesses," Pruitt said in a news release. The 2015 rule was stayed in court due to the legal challenges filed by the states, so it has not been implemented yet. Alabama reaction Strange was one of several Alabama politicians to praise the move. "When I visit rural Alabama, farmers and ranchers tell me that WOTUS is the biggest problem they face," Strange said in a news release. "Across the state, small family operations have been struggling to succeed under a wet blanket of federal government regulations. "Today's announcement brings new hope for Alabama's producers and I am proud to continue my work with an EPA that understands its role, and an administration that is committed to helping American small businesses thrive." U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) issued a statement calling the WOTUS Rule a burdensome regulation and praising Pruitt's move to rescind it. "Not only has the legality of the rule been questioned by federal courts, but it would have had a devastating impact on Alabama farmers, foresters, and landowners," Byrne said. "By putting a stop to this flawed rule, we can focus on policies that actually work in protecting and preserving our natural resources without unnecessarily harming hardworking Americans." New Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall co-signed a letter from the other state attorneys general who are parties to the lawsuit praising the decision. "Our states won a nationwide stay blocking enforcement of the rule and allowing the new administration time to work on withdrawing the Rule," the letter reads. "We look forward to EPA's final action withdrawing the WOTUS Rule and providing relief for our States and their citizens." Environmental groups in Alabama and across the country said the move jeopardizes protections for clean water, including many people's drinking water. Keith Johnston, managing attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center's Birmingham office, said his organization was committed to fighting any weakening of the Clean Water Act by the Trump Administration. "EPA's proposal to rescind the Clean Water Rule harms the South, and particularly Alabama, significantly," Johnston said. "Alabama is blessed with over 130,000 miles of streams, rivers and wetlands, and this action by EPA puts a significant portion of those waters and wetlands in jeopardy. "It's unfortunate that EPA is attempting to walk back on protections for a resource we all use, enjoy and rely on for basic sustenance." Cindy Lowry, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, said the rule was important to ensure that pollutants were not infiltrating rivers from smaller ponds or streams. "The Clean Water Rule was developed after extensive scientific analysis and millions of citizen and stakeholder comments and is designed to protect all our waters from dangerous pollution," Lowry said. "When we think about Alabama's water resources, we know that rainfall moves from the land into our creeks and streams, into bigger streams, into main stem rivers and on down to the Mobile Bay and Gulf of Mexico. "There is no point in this cycle that I would want to take a chance on that water not being covered by the protections of the Clean Water Act." When federal prosecutors announced a plea deal with a former state lawmaker last week, there were two big placeholders in the documents provided to the public: Attorney # 1 and Employee # 1. While he served in the Alabama House, Rep. Oliver Robinson accepted bribes from these two men, prosecutors said. In exchange, Oliver helped resist an effort to expand a Superfund site in north Birmingham, according to court documents. While those documents omit the names of the individuals, they contain enough detailed information about Robinson's activities to identify both of the other parties, as only one attorney and one Drummond employee fit the narrow criteria of state-registered lobbyists involved in the particular activities. Those would be Balch partner Joel Gilbert and Drummond Co. Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs David Roberson. Neither Roberson nor Gilbert responded to voicemail messages left seeking comment for this story. A spokeswoman from Balch repeated a previous statement the company released after Robinson's plea deal and declined to say whether Gilbert still worked with the company. Drummond's website says that Roberson handles press inquiries for the company. According to Robinson's plea documents, Attorney # 1 and Drummond Employee # 1 were both registered with the Alabama Ethics Commission as lobbyists. According to Ethics Commission records, two lawyers at Balch were registered to lobby in 2015. Gilbert is the only one of those two attorneys who was among a team of lawyers described in the document. That team was working on the north Birmingham Superfund case. Likewise, Roberson was one of two people registered with the Alabama Ethics Commission to lobby for Drummond in 2015. However, the Robinson plea deal says that Employee # 1 also organized a nonprofit, the Alliance for Jobs and the Economy as a pipeline for Robinson's fees. Tax records show Roberson is president and chairman of that nonprofit and the only one of its two officers who were registered to lobby. Federal prosecutors said last week that the investigation will continue and that Robinson was already assisting in those efforts. PREVIOUS: Oliver Robinson paid by Balch to oppose north Birmingham Superfund expansion An international cyber attack in Europe hit home in Alabama this week when the APM Terminals site at the Alabama State Docks was shut down on Tuesday. The container terminal was back open and operating in "manual mode" on Wednesday. However, the disruption appeared to have come at a particularly bad time: Two massive new container cranes were delivered to the APM site on Saturday and were to be moved to land this week - a process that was expected to involve a two-day planned shutdown. APM officials weren't able to provide immediate comment on Wednesday morning. Judith Adams, vice president for marketing at the Alabama State Port Authority, said that international shipping company Maersk had confirmed Wednesday morning that it had been caught up in the attack. "You can't get APM Terminals through the Internet or on their emails or anything of that nature," Adams said. "They are open today, by the way. They opened at 7 o'clock this morning, they're working on manual operations, but they're still working through the issues. "They're utilizing the good old-fashioned way of terminal operations," Adams said. "You know, commerce can't stop, and that was the intent of this attack, to impact commerce." "No other operations at the Port of Mobile were impacted," she said. The Guardian reported that the "Petya" ransomware attack was first detected in Ukraine, where it hit a wide range of business, utility and government networks. It also hit other systems in Europe and the United States, including Denmark-based Maersk. APM Terminals is a part of Maerk; according to a Dutch TV report quoted by Reuters, "17 shipping container terminals run by APM Terminals had been hacked, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world." In its latest update, Maersk said "We have contained the issue and are working on a technical recovery plan with key IT-partners and global cyber security agencies." The company said that it had shut down "a number of systems" but that many of its business units were "not operationally affected." The company's ships were able to maneuver and communicate, it said. APM Terminals issued a statement via Twitter that said some of its location had been compromised while others were not impacted. "We are currently moving terminals with impaired IT systems to alternative ways of operating and continue to assess the situation." It was not immediately clear what impact the issue would have on the delicate transfer of the cranes. On Saturday Wendy Robertson, general manager of APM Terminals Mobile, said that operators planned to shut down the terminals for two days while the cranes were moved. While the schedule was flexible, she said on Saturday that the move was likely to take place Wednesday and Thursday. UPDATE: Brian Harold, managing director at APM Terminals in Mobile, said late Wednesday afternoon that the cranes had been successfully moved to land on Wednesday. Via Twitter, Adams shared a time-lapse video of one move. This story is a part of Ask Alabama, where you ask the questions, you vote to decide which questions we answer, and then we investigate. This question comes from David Marzette in Vestavia. To submit your question or vote on our next topic, click here. And check out next week's topic at the end of this story. David asks: "Why is the state of Alabama still in the liquor selling business? Private owners would make liquor more competitive." Alabama has been involved in liquor sales since May 1937 when the first ABC store opened on the corner of Lee and Tallapoosa street in Montgomery. In the last 80 years, the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has raised a little over $6 billion in tax revenue, more recently bolstering the state's general fund, mental health facilities, human resources, and education, according to ABC's own records. But repeated bills placed in front of lawmakers claim the state could get the same amount of tax revenue from full privatization while also saving tens of millions of dollars on the cost of retail operations, which include leases, equipment, utilities and other costs, according to Senator Dick Brewbaker (R) of District 25 near Montgomery , who told AL.com during an interview that the state would still be able to raise tax dollars on alcohol sales without ABC. "I think that we would see a decrease in revenues to start with for a couple of years but in time that would absolutely increase and go above current levels," he said during an interview with AL.com. However, the status quo is being kept in place by an almighty and unlikely alliance. "We're still in the liquor selling business because of a coalition between the ABC and the religious right, and the religious right believes very firmly that if it was privatized there would be more liquor sold and they think that's bad," Brewbaker added. State legislators have been able to push back on privatization thanks in a large part to lobbyists at the Alabama Citizen's Action Program, an interdenominational ministry group based in Birmingham led by Executive Director Dr. Joe Godfrey, who points to other states that have recently privatized as evidence of why Alabama should stick with its ABC stores. "The idea is that if you look at the data, Alabama ranks among the highest in revenue from the sale of spirits, hard liquor," said Godfrey. "But that's not my biggest concern; it also ranks among the lowest in consumption - that's what I care about." And Godfrey appears to be correct. Alabama ranks in the top five of tax raised per gallon of alcohol sold, according to a 2014 Tax Foundation report published by the Washington Post. Alabama raised roughly $18.23 per gallon compared with Louisiana at $2.50 per gallon, which ranks 43rd in the country. At the same time the Yellowhammer state ranks in the bottom 10 for alcohol consumption, according to a study by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The state also recently approved a new 5 percent tax hike on alcohol that will see the state bring in an additional $8.2 million in revenue during the next budget year. The money will go toward state district attorneys and the state's court system, which has seen funds reduced in recent years. Representatives of the district attorneys and the court system say the distribution is fair given that both entities spend most time dealing with alcohol related crimes. In addition, Godfrey was concerned that private stores would increase alcohol advertising, be open longer hours and increase risk of underage people getting ahold of alcohol. "When you remove that control you see an increase in consumption - everywhere that it has happened and that will cause real health problems. Alabama currently has around 550 privately owned and operated liquor stores, which is roughly three times more than state-run liquor stores. However, each privately-run store is still required to buy its alcohol from the state, according to Alabama state department records. In Sweden, where the government controls alcohol sales through its Systembolaget stores, a recent government study found that privatization would increase alcohol related illness deaths by 61 percent for grocery store-sold alcohol stores and 26 percent through private liquor stores. Fatal accidents, suicides and homicides were also predicted to increase significantly. Overall, Sweden would see an additional 2280 deaths, 14,200 assaults, while workers would take an additional 16.1 million extra days of sick leave. And David, who submitted the original question, also wondered if liquor sales were privatized, would it be better economically for the average person on the street? "I don't think private owners would make the liquor business more competitive," Brandon Owens, executive director of the Alabama Beverage Licensees Association. "When we talk about competition usually what your customers are going to talk about is bringing the price down and I don't think that's what would happen statewide. I think prices would go up because all of a sudden you have another intermediary there in the distribution system that will also want to make a profit on top of the taxes that we already have in the state. So it' probably gonna make the prices go up." In at least one example, Owens is right. In Washington State, the price per liter, after, tax, from June 2013 to April 2014 was $24.39, 11 percent higher than before privatization, according to the Seattle Times. Next week, we'll answer Chris Smith's question "Is Alabama's government, historically, more corrupt than most other states? When it comes to politicians going to jail, where do we rank?" Have a question you want answered? Help us choose the next topic by submitting it below. You can always submit your questions and vote on the next round by visiting al.com/ask. _ Vote here. From now through Labor Day weekend, summer travelers who take the Foley Beach Express Bridge to Orange Beach will be paying a lower toll fare. The one-way toll was lowered Wednesday to $2.75 from the long-time $3.50. Also, the summer rate for Orange Beach residents with an electronic account will be set at $1, or $1.25 if residents pay with cash. The temporary easing of rates is part of a "Beach Express GO!" campaign that seeks to be more welcoming of high season traffic and take pressure off the jammed Alabama 59. Detroit-based American Roads LLC, which acquired the toll bridge in 2007, is leading the campaign. After Labor Day, the company will undertake a $5 million project to more broadly address traffic congestion plaguing Alabama's beach cities. "We greatly appreciate American Roads and this good-faith effort," said Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon. "It's a big deal. This is a great first step." Said Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft: "This is a wonderful alternative and we like this first step. We are still looking forward to a long-term solution that carries us beyond this time frame." '3,000 vehicles' American Roads' post-Labor-Day project will create another lane through the existing toll plaza, and install an all-electronic tolling system that the company believes will keep traffic flowing during peak periods. And American Roads CEO Neal Belitsky said the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway will be restriped to establish a special center lane that could open -- flowing north or south -- as demand dictates. He said that in cases of an emergency, such as a hurricane, all lanes could carry drivers out of Orange Beach. In addition, the company will "lift" the toll completely at times of considerable congestion, such as after concerts at The Wharf in Orange Beach. Belitsky said the changes will complement the state's work to widen nearby Canal Road to five lanes. The $17.4 million widening project is expected to be completed within two years. "We can put through 1,000 vehicles an hour now," he said. When the state wraps up its Canal Road project, "We hope to put through 3,000 vehicles per hour." The electronic tolling, meanwhile, will be similar to what's in place in states such as Georgia and Florida, but it's a new system in Alabama. The Legislature approved the framework to create the system during its recent session. American Roads' toll lanes at Orange Beach will be electronic collection lanes. Basically, motorists will pay an upfront cost, avoiding having to stop at the plaza. Other motorists can get billed by American Roads after the fact. The new system approved by the Legislature allows video cameras to register every license plate passing through. Rep. Steve McMillan, R-Gulf Shores, who sponsored the bill, said that the same system could serve other potential toll roads, such as the long-sought $850 million Interstate 10 bridge in downtown Mobile over the Mobile River. Said Belitsky. "We now have access, working with law enforcement, to get the owners' identification. It gives us the ability to send a bill to people and collect on passed-through tolls. It helps with the integrity of the entire system." Said McMillan: "Keep in mind that it's just for the service that is being provided. We are not tolling every road in the county." 'Virtual gated city' Kennon, the Orange Beach mayor, said the electronic system will enable the beach city to be a "virtual gated city," meaning that it can also help with security by monitoring vehicles coming and going. Kennon denied that the system represented any governmental overreach. "I'm always concerned about government overreaching in every imaginable way, but when it comes to safety and protection, I think just knowing who is on your island or not, it's important," Kennon said. "It adds a quality of life component to the people who live here. And for the folks who visit here, that they know you are coming to a safe and protective place. That's what we're trying to create." McMillan said that his bill in the Legislature wasn't designed for security purposes, nor was that discussed by lawmakers. He said, "I don't recall any asking a question about security." Kennon said that the ultimate goal is to eliminate or further reduce the toll costs, which he has criticized as being a particular burden on service workers and residents. The city has pushed for a second, un-tolled, bridge leading to the beaches. Last November, voters were asked to establish a Baldwin County toll authority oversee possible creation of more toll roads, which in turn would generate rapid revenue for road construction in the booming area. The referendum failed to pass, and McMillan said he doubts that it will reappear anytime soon. Said Kennon: "Anything American Roads does to help us move traffic and improve the visitor experience and the quality of life for our local residents is welcomed. But it needs to be permanent. This is temporary. So, at least, it's hopefully somewhat of a picture of what we are trying to achieve long-term." He added, "We all know that Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are growing. Traffic will only get worse. We need to plan for the future." A U.S. Representative from Texas made a speech today about a former University of Alabama student who committed suicide last year after she said her rape case was mishandled. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, told Megan Rondini's story on the floor of the House of Representatives Wednesday morning. "I want to tell Megan's story from her point of view and her beliefs. She was smart, kind, ambitious, and funny. She loved other people," he said. Poe is the co-founder and chairman of the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus. Poe detailed Rondini's life, which was told to Buzzfeed News earlier this month by her parents and friends. Rondini grew up in Austin, Tex., and moved to Tuscaloosa when she started college at UA. She had a "beautiful life," Poe said. Poe said Rondini wanted to go home after a night out with her friends, and got into a car with a man from a powerful family in Tuscaloosa. That man, the 20-year-old said, took her to his mansion and sexually assaulted her. Poe said after Rondini was raped and her attacker had fallen asleep, she climbed out of his bedroom window. "...But it's here, Mr. Speaker, that the system, she says, started to fail her. The hospital wasn't sufficiently trained in sexual assault procedure and botched the rape kit. Megan then went to the police station to give her statement about what happened to her, but it was there she was treated with disdain and disbelief by Tuscaloosa's Police Department," Poe said Wednesday. "But Mr. Speaker, a rape victim can never move on. It's something they carry with them for the rest of their lives. The scars left by the rape do not fade away for victims." Rondini hanged herself in February 2016. Poe, who spent over 30 years as a criminal court judge and prosecutor, said, "Rape, Mr. Speaker, is never the fault of the victim, and she deserved better. Now, I don't know whether the perpetrator in this case is guilty or not. I am giving you Megan's point of view. But what Megan believed was that she was failed by the hospital, law enforcement, and the University of Alabama." Rondini's parents have hired Birmingham lawyer Leroy Maxwell Jr. of the Maxwell Firm to represent them in filing a federal Title IX complaint against the university, and with possibly other complaints. Maxwell told AL.com the complaint will be filed in the coming weeks. Last week, a spokesperson for UA released a statement that read in part, "Information published by news outlets this week has unfortunately ignored some significant facts... We hope these recent news accounts, which do not tell the full story, will not discourage others from reporting sexual assault or seeking help and support." The full statement from the university and the Maxwell Firm can be read here. Poe ended his speech by saying, "Mr. Speaker, it is important, it is imperative that we understand victims of sexual assault. She got the death penalty for being the victim of sexual assault. She's not here to tell her story today, and I'm telling it for her. And that's just the way it is." While activists fight for removal of Confederate monuments, far-right groups turn them into venues for confrontations. For the past two years, activists in Memphis, Tennessee, have campaigned to have a pair of Confederate statues removed from the city centre. One of the statues is of the Civil War-era president of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis, and the other of Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the earliest prominent members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the white supremacist vigilante group that killed African-Americans and burned their homes. Tennessee, however, has had a law barring the removal of these statues since 2013. Last week, the city held a hearing about seeking a waiver to the law that would allow for the monuments to be removed. The debate in Memphis is part of a nationwide discussion over the countrys brutal history of enslavement and the legacy of the Civil War. While pro-Confederate groups argue that eradicating the monuments effectively erases history, others say they serve as constant reminders of institutional racism, segregation and slavery. Social justice activist Tami Sawyer, who founded Memphians for the Removal of Confederate Monuments, says the argument that the monuments need to be preserved on historical grounds is misguided. Kids see these statues and think theyre for great people, she tells Al Jazeera, explaining that more than 60 percent of the citys population is African-American. These statues dont say anything about the atrocities. Although the struggle to grapple with US history has been a long one, the debate grew in intensity after white supremacist Dylann Roof entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and killed nine people in June 2015 in the hope of sparking a race war. Less than two weeks later, 30-year-old educator and activist Bree Newsome climbed the flagpole in front of the South Carolina statehouse and pulled down the Confederate flag that flew in front of the building. The images were broadcast nationwide. Since Roofs rampage, the Southern Poverty Law Center watchdog has documented that at least 60 public-funded Confederate monuments have been removed or renamed. Far-right demonstration In recent months, however, hardline groups such as the alt-right, which gained notoriety for its vocal support for US President Donald Trump, have led the charge against removing Confederate statues. On August 12, far-right groups from across the US will travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest in front of a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee, the souths foremost military leader during the Civil War. The demonstration has been dubbed Unite the Right, and the neo-Confederate League of the South, one of the groups participating, has proclaimed its eagerness to confront anti-fascists and activists from the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement. Among those who will demonstrate in support of keeping the monument and others like it standing are white nationalists, white supremacists and neo-Nazis, including prominent members of the alt-right movement such as the National Policy Institutes Richard Spencer and the Traditionalist Workers Partys Matthew Heimbach. On a flyer for the event available on the Traditionalist Workers Partys website, the white supremacist group tells white Americans that the removal of Confederate monuments is an attack on your racial existence and urges them to fight back or die. Theres always been an overlap between the alt-right and the neo-Confederate movement, meaning people who not only revere the memory of the Confederacy but want to revive it in some sort of political sense today, Matthew Lyons, researcher and author of Ctrl Alt Delete, tells Al Jazeera. READ MORE: READ MORE: Battle over Texas confederate monuments heats up A lost cause The struggle over the countrys memory of the Confederacy and slavery has seen these historical sites become a venue for confrontations between the far right and anti-fascists, colloquially called Antifa. In mid-May, alt-rightists and other pro-Confederate protesters, wielding flaming torches, converged on Charlottesville and held a rally at the same park they plan to revisit in August. Vanguard America, a white supremacist group that sent members to the rally, later described the incident as not simply over some metal sculpture atop a pedestal in a small southern city. The statement accused the Jews of carrying out a War of Attrition against the white man by tearing down our monuments. The pro-Confederate contingent was subsequently praised by the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer blog and other far-right websites. READ MORE: US activists burn Confederate flag on Memorial Day They were met by angry passers by and counter protesters, among them anti-fascists, who came out in opposition. The next day, an impromptu protest against the far-right activists was staged in the same park, drawing a much larger crowd of several hundred people at short notice. You dont have to plan to fight Nazis. All you have to do is have the sense of mind to say this cannot stand. People were walking by and said wait a minute, there is a problem here, says Daryl Lamonte Jenkins of the anti-racist organisation One Peoples Project. They are trying to preserve the monuments because thats all they got, he adds. But just like the Confederacy, its a lost cause. The initial rally was called in response to the removal of four Confederate statues in New Orleans, Louisiana. In early May, fights between the far right and Antifa activists broke out at Lee Park in front of another statue of Robert E Lee. Although Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser had appealed to President Trump for help in preserving Confederate monuments earlier in the month, four such statues were eventually removed. Rub salt in the wounds Pro-monument politicians and groups have campaigned in favour of preserving the memorials, arguing that removing them from public space erases history. In late May, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law the Memorial Preservation Act, which provides sweeping protections for Confederate and other historic monuments. Contrary to what its detractors say, the Memorial Preservation Act is intended to preserve all of Alabamas history the good and the bad so our children and grandchildren can learn from the past to create a better future, Gerald Allen, the Republican state senator who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. Writing on Facebook earlier that month, Karl Oliver, a Republican state politician in Mississippi, called for the lynching of those who advocate removing the monuments, likening them to Nazis. He was later forced to apologise for the remarks. Karl Oliver, a State Rep from Mississippi, says people who take down Confederate monuments should be lynched. https://t.co/bFp6IxRvcw pic.twitter.com/up9BHFIUuE Yashar Ali (@yashar) May 22, 2017 In a statement on the removal of New Orleans statues, the League of the South framed the debate as an effort to demoralise southerners, claiming that the city authorities chose to remove cherished monuments simply to rub salt into the wounds of the Southern people. READ MORE: White Lives Matter A new US hate group shows its face In February, the League of the South announced the establishment of a vigilante group to defend southerners from the leftist menace to our historic Christian civilisation. The League of the South failed to reply to Al Jazeeras requests for a comment. Back in Tennessee, activist Tami Sawyer says her vocal opposition to the monuments has gained widespread support as well as some online harassment, including a slew of racist social media messages. Black people in America are never going to forget slavery, she says. We still live under the cloud of the racial segregation caused by slavery. We dont need statues that call these people heroic to remember where we came from. Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_ Tokyo, Japan The frequent tests and growing sophistication of North Korean missiles is prompting the Japanese government and the general public to think carefully about civil defence. What if Pyongyang actually did fire missiles at a major Japanese city? An opinion poll published by the Japan News Network at the beginning of May found that 90 percent of the public admitted feeling worried about North Korea and 54 percent said that they were greatly worried. Each year, we have received only one or two orders to build underground shelters ... but now that the people have become afraid of North Korean missiles, there are many who want our shelters. We've become very busy. by Akira Shiga, manager at the Shizuoka-based company, Earth Shift The conservative government of Shinzo Abe, the Liberal Democratic Party leader who became Japans prime minister in 2012, has tried to respond to these fears in part by giving assurances that it is working hard to fulfil its duty to defend the nation. But there are also suggestions that the government is more subtly stoking these concerns just enough to assist it in its long-term agenda of dispensing with the remnants of the nations post-war pacifism and moving towards constitutional revision. There were certainly mixed reviews when Tokyo Metro, a subway company that serves millions of commuters in the Japanese capital, shut down all of its train lines for about 10 minutes on the morning of April 29 in response to news reports that North Korea had fired a missile. While some commentators appreciated the abundance of caution shown by the company, others pointed out that even in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, which is much closer to the danger zone, no such measures have ever been taken. This criticism led Tokyo Metro to quickly change its company policy. In the future, the subway trains will be halted only if an official warning is issued through the J-Alert system of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA), and not in response to media reports. The J-Alert system is a fundamental pillar of Japans civil defence measures. First launched in 2007, the system involves the FDMA sending out a warning signal via satellite that is to be received by Japanese local governments, which in turn warn the general public about the emergency through loudspeakers and other broadcasts. By 2014, all local governments throughout the nation were provided with the necessary receivers and were woven into the J-Alert system. OPINION: Is war coming to North Korea? Drills and bomb shelters Some local governments are now beginning to organise public drills. On June 11, for example, a drill was held in Fukuyama city. It was the first such exercise within the Hiroshima Prefecture. About 150 elderly local residents gathered in the outer yard of an elementary school and were exposed to the peculiar drone of the J-Alert system, which most of them had never before heard. They then filed into the school gymnasium, their evacuation point. So far, drills involving the public seem to be occurring only in a handful of regional cities. A visit to the disaster preparation section of Tokyos Chiyoda Ward, which includes the Imperial Palace and the seat of the national government, discovered little evidence of any special missile defence preparations. Most recently, governing party politician Ryota Takeda has been leading the Study Team for Civil Protection. This team is expected to propose that many buildings and underground areas be designated as shelters in the event of a missile attack or a similar calamity, and that even underground shelters be constructed for the specific purpose of civil defence. READ MORE: North Koreas nuclear weapons Here is all we know In this regard, some members of the public are not waiting for the government to act. Al Jazeera English spoke by telephone to Akira Shiga, manager at the Shizuoka-based company Earth Shift, which is believed to be the only private enterprise in Japan that currently builds bomb shelters. Each year, we have received only one or two orders to build underground shelters, Shiga explains, but now that the people have become afraid of North Korean missiles, there are many who want our shelters. Weve become very busy. A year ago, he adds, Earth Shift would receive roughly one call a week from a customer interested in building a shelter. Now, they are receiving 10 to 30 calls each business day. Despite such activity, there are strong reasons to doubt that the government will go beyond efforts to educate the public and to prepare emergency services. Representative Takedas notion of building underground shelters has distinct limitations. The population of the greater Tokyo area alone is estimated at around 37.8 million people. It is thought that a missile fired from North Korea would land in Tokyo approximately 10 minutes after it is launched. Under such circumstances, any civil defence measures, such as the building of underground shelters, would be both prohibitively expensive and of quite modest utility. Military anti-missile systems such as Aegis Ashore or THAAD are essentially the only line of defence. The rest is mainly about easing public fears and perhaps channelling them into lanes that better suit the governing partys political objectives. Michael Penn is president of the Shingetsu News Agency. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? This is the question vexing many after Albanias general elections. The good news There is no doubt a positive side. The very fact that the vote did take place on Sunday and produced a clear outcome is no trivial matter. Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialists won nearly 50 percent of the vote, many laps ahead of the opposition Democrat Party (PD). Mere weeks ago, Western dignitaries, including German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, were warning that Albania could descend into chaos. PD had walked out from the parliament, rallied supporters on the streets and threatened to boycott the elections. Ramas coalition with the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), his partner since 2013, had gone down the drain too. Albania appeared to be on the cusp of a crisis as acute as the one in Macedonia next-door. The country already has a long record of disputed elections amid bitter political polarisation. In 2009, the Socialists, then in opposition, refused to acknowledge PDs win and boycotted the parliament for more than two years. Two years later, Edi Rama controversially lost the mayorship of Tirana to Lulzim Basha, currently the PD leader, by a razor-thin margin of just 93 votes. Now, however, tables have turned. Having lost power in 2013, the PD has to deal with a system skewed in favour of the party in charge of the government. Rama once stood as the underdog: a former artist, full of fresh energy, charming audiences at home and abroad. Against him was Sali Berisha, a veteran politico, whose sole cause seemed to be retaining power at any cost. A Goliath to Ramas David. These days, Berisha is gone into retirement, his protege Lulzim Basha is in the doldrums, LSI is no longer the kingmaker, and it is Rama calling the shots for better or worse. The emasculated opposition in parliament poses a problem. PD is in disarray after Bashas lacklustre leadership. While Ilir Meta, the LSI leader, did manage to increase the size of the party caucus, his cohort of 19-23-year-old parliamentarians wont be a formidable force to reckon with. The good news is that Rama has a chance to form a stable government and push forward with key reforms, such as overhauling the judiciary as required by the European Union for launching membership talks. The political crisis in the first half of the year coupled with the PD parliamentary boycott left no space for serious work on that front. OPINION: What is happening in Macedonia? Now that the elections are done, Rama can tone down his nationalist rhetoric. The so-called Tirana Platform he fathered along with the Albanian parties in Macedonia only served to pour oil in the turbulence shaking up the politics in the neighbouring country. The Macedonian crisis has now abated, with a transfer of power to a coalition led by Socialist leader Zoran Zaev which includes the principal Macedonian Albanian players, so Rama can pursue his political fortunes elsewhere preferably closer to home. The bad news Albania has been part of NATO since 2009 and is now nearing accession talks with the EU. And yet, holding orderly elections appears to be still a major challenge. It is not at the same place where popular riots led to an utter collapse of state institutions in 1997 and an international intervention. And unlike its post-Yugoslav neighbours, Albania is not fragmented along ethnic lines; confessional divisions have, at best, a minor impact on politics. Yet building a stable, democratic regime remains an elusive goal. Weak institutions are prone to political capture and breed an atmosphere of distrust. The PD opted for obstructive tactics because it doubted that Rama would play fair at the ballot box. After a term in government, the Socialists are marred by corruption and there are serious allegations of links to organised crime. A recent scandal involved allegations of links to mobsters smuggling cannabis to neighbouring Greece. Power has been used against opponents. For instance, in February, police pressed charges against Basha for inciting violence, which could result in him serving up to three years in prison. Monitors of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reported widespread vote buying on election day, among other irregularities. The fact that the PD itself was using similar dirty tricks before 2013 only testifies to the fact that the problem is systemic, rather than stemming from larger-than-life personalities like Berisha, Rama, or Meta, who is about to take over as president at the end of July. They all have their skeletons in the closet but, as elsewhere, the issue is what checks and balances there are to curb the predatory instincts of political operators. The EU talks The EU is clearly part of the answer to the Albanian chronic political crisis. Rama and Basha would not have been able to reach a compromise on the elections, without EU intervention. Under the agreement that was reached, the polls took place a week later than the original date, 18 June. That decision backfired on Basha as it pushed down the turnout to record-low levels. The heatwave and Ramadan festivities played a role, too. The Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn and Foreign and Security Policy Chief Federica Mogherini did their job as mediators, as did US Deputy Assistant Secretary Hoyt Brian Yee, the US man for the Balkans. Remarkably, they had to juggle the Macedonia drama at the same time. But now the ball is in Ramas court. He can use his new strength to pass the judicial reforms and even preside over the launch of accession negotiations with the EU. Whether such changes actually lead to investigations and sentences against high-profile politicians and business people, especially affiliated with the governing party, is another matter. As we have seen elsewhere in the Western Balkans, not least in Montenegro and Serbia, which are already in membership talks with the EU, legislative reforms are a necessary but not a sufficient condition for substantive change in governance. Ramas success can definitely provide stability, that much is certain. But, as we know, in the Balkans stability is tantamount to all the evils Brussels is urging the local countries to combat. Dimitar Bechev is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and Research Fellow at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He was formerly senior policy fellow and head of Sofia Office at the European Council on Foreign Relations and lecturer at the University of Oxford. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. As long as there is unjust incarceration in the US and Israel, there will be hunger strikes of resistance. Prison hunger strikes are a last, and often the only possible, resort for imprisoned people protesting their unbearable living conditions and fates. These strikes are almost always about something more than just a specific demand. They are usually a fight for respect and dignity, an assertion of resistance. For imprisoned people, going on a hunger strike is an attempt to communicate their struggle to communities beyond the prison walls. In almost all cases, prison hunger strikes are meet increased repression. A US federal judge recently gave workers at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia permission to restrain and force-feed a hunger striking detainee. The 61-year-old Ukrainian immigrant, Vitaly Novikov, had been on a month-long hunger strike, protesting his imminent deportation, which he feared could cost him his life. He was demanding to be released from detention immediately. Stewart detention officer Alejandro Hernandez said that force-feeding was necessary to keep Novikov alive because his death would seriously affect Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) ability to maintain order at the facility. The official also said he feared Novikovs action might spur more hunger strikes (pdf) in attempts to manipulate the staff in efforts to gain various benefits and privileges, including release. This is the same rationale the US government used when it went to court last year to try to get an order to force-feed Alaa Yasin, a Palestinian hunger striker at Stewart who was protesting his prolonged illegal detention. In that case, the court turned down the request. OPINION: The US must stop using private prisons The government obviously fears losing control of the facility. And they have a good reason to, in light of the horrendous conditions. For example, on May 15, another detained immigrant at Stewart, Jean Jimenez-Joseph, 27, was found unresponsive after spending 19 days in solitary confinement. ICE classified the death as a suicide. The repressive tactics used in US detention facilities are reminiscent of those long used by the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) to suppress and silence prisoners' struggles. by Jimenez-Josephs tragic death came on the heels of a recent report, Imprisoned Justice: Inside Two Georgia Immigration Detention Centers (pdf), released by Project South and the Penn State Law Center for Immigrants Rights Clinic, which shines light on the deplorable conditions at Stewart and the Irwin County Detention Center. As the report the product of a year-long investigation demonstrated, these facilities are rife with human rights abuses, including the rampant use of solitary confinement, minimal access to mental healthcare, and inedible food. In recent years, there have been many hunger strikes at Stewart and other immigration detention facilities across the United States. In April, hundreds of people detained at the Northwest Detention Center launched a hunger strike that lasted weeks. Soon after the launch of the hunger strike, ICE and the GEO Group, the corporation that runs the facility, retaliated by transferring some of the detainees to a jail in Oregon. Despite this move, the strike kept going and resistance grew, both inside the detention centre and outside. In June, a number of detainees launched a hunger strike at the Adelanto detention facility in California also run by GEO Group. They did so after guards violently assaulted them for putting forward a letter of grievances. Dozens of detained immigrant women also joined the hunger strike in Adelanto for one day. Instead of addressing the demands of the imprisoned immigrants who are putting their bodies on the line, the government is resorting to tactics such as putting them in solitary confinement or attempting to force-feed them. Following Israels lead The repressive tactics used in US detention facilities are reminiscent of those long used by the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) to suppress and silence prisoners struggles. In Israel, 1,500 Palestinian prisoners just ended a hunger strike last month. Even though force-feeding hunger striking detainees has been defined as a form of torture by the International Committee of the Red Cross, Israel has a law permitting prison staff to implement this procedure. But during last months strike, Israeli authorities did not resort to this extreme procedure, probably because the Israeli Medical Association has called on Israeli physicians not to participate in force-feeding. The Israeli governments recent reluctance to use force-feeding might also be rooted in its fears about the Palestinian populations possible reaction. Palestinians view their prisoners as symbols of resistance and they still remember how several of them died as a result of being force-fed in the 1970s and 80s. But even if they did not resort to force-feeding, Israeli authorities used the threat of force-feeding alongside other harsh repression tactics to end the strike. READ MORE: The hunger strike Where food is more than nourishment Hunger strikers were prevented from meeting with their lawyers, denied family visits, suffered repressive raids and invasive body searches by prison guards. They were transferred from prison to prison and had their personal belongings confiscated including the salt that they put in water to stay alive. Strike leaders were all put into solitary confinement. Israels Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan called these protest leaders terrorists and murderers with whom you cant negotiate. After 40 days, many of the 1,500 hunger strikers were hospitalised and many of them took weeks to physically recover. Palestinian prisoners called their strike a Strike of Freedom and Dignity and they insisted that it be seen as part of the national liberation struggle. Their strike was supported by tens of thousands of people not only in Palestine, but around the world who fasted in solidarity or posted videos of themselves drinking salt water, the only sustenance the prisoners allowed themselves. There were solidarity tents across Palestine, in addition to several one-day general strikes and frequent clashes with both the colonial Israeli army and the Palestinian Authority police, in response to the prisoners call for days of rage. Hunger-striking immigrants in US detention centres have also received community support. With daily rallies and solidarity hunger strikes, resistance has moved outside the prison walls. As long as there is mass incarceration in the US and Israel, there will be hunger strikes of resistance. And as the US and Israeli governments increasingly use similar tactics of repression to clamp down on prisoners protests and the broader liberation movements, social justice movements in the US and Palestine will also connect and support each other. We have already witnessed this solidarity when the Black Lives Matter movement sent delegations to Palestine in 2015 and in the summer of 2016 and when the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) movement was endorsed by the Vision for Black Lives. Azadeh Shahshahani is legal and advocacy director with Project South and a past president of the National Lawyers Guild. Audrey Bomse is co-chair of the National Lawyers Guilds Palestine Subcommittee. She worked for seven years in Palestine as a human rights attorney, concentrating on the issues of Palestinian prisoners and torture by Israel. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. What is truly astonishing is how each Republican president makes us nostalgic for the one before. Remember George W Bush. A mere nine years ago he was the worst president weve ever had. He started two wars he couldnt win, destabilising the Middle East and leaving it in a state of what appears to be permanent multi-sided civil wars. While he was doing that, he pursued economic policies that led to a worldwide financial implosion followed by the Great Recession. And what a liar. Remember weapons of mass destruction and the connections between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein? But at least Ws lies were professionally produced. They were crafted and honed before he told them. Sure, they were backed by fake facts, but they were carefully selected so as not to have been refuted earlier in the same sentence. Or by a tweet the next day. They were lies a guy could repeat, smoothly, for years, and even, when the winds of reality exposed actual facts, a guy could regretfully claim that he was fooled along with all the rest of us. George W Bush made his dad, George H W Bush, look really good almost great by comparison. He was a real old-fashioned kind of president, fact-based by nature, who only went the fiction route when politics forced him to. For example, he knew Reaganomics the policies later embraced by his son was Voodoo Economics and that the Laffer curve, so aptly named, was laughable. He only embraced these policies when his party made him swear by them. When they did what they were bound to do produce massive deficits and a recession he raised taxes, improving the economy and ruining his political career. He knew how to win a war, get out when it was over, and leave the place sufficiently intact that he didnt have to stay to keep order. He even knew how to pay for it. OPINION: Remaking the Republican Party Populism a la Trump Okay, I admit it, George H W Bush did not make me nostalgic for his predecessor, Ronald Reagan. But nor did he make me think his successor, among Republicans, would make me realise, ex post facto, that I have to rate him damn good by Republican standards because he didnt leave the country worse than he found it. Ronald Reagan takes us back to the issue of lies. He was a transformative figure when it came to dishonesty. He appears to have frequently lived in a world of fictions, good stories that served his purposes. A very Hollywood approach. Sadly, for us, not for him, he had the style and the charm that made them seem like forgivable fabrications instead of malignant mendacity. The penalties for deceit melted away. They have never returned. After Reagan's triumph, the left decided it had pushed leftist economics too far, and embraced minority group interests. The right seized on that, to break up any remaining sense of the Great US. by Republicans loved him. They called his regime morning in America. There was a sharp decline in manufacturing. Income and wealth inequality made its return and theyve never looked back. Oh, it makes one long for the days of Richard Nixon. I skip over Gerald Ford. He wasnt bad. But he sort of wasnt there. He was appointed vice president when Spiro Agnew had to resign in those days corruption actually mattered! Then he became president when Nixon resigned. He was a dignified place holder until there could be a real election. Ah, Richard Nixon. Tricky Dick may have been paranoid and nasty, rising in politics through slander, and somewhat criminal, but he was smart, hard-working, and knowledgeable. He lived through the New Deal and Americas victory in World War II, so he understood that government could solve problems. He opened relations with China, established detente with the USSR and negotiated the first arms control treaties with them. He formed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and supported the Clean Air Act (though he vetoed the Clean Water Act we should breathe, but not bathe?). He also established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which contemporary Republicans hate almost as much as the EPA. He supported the Equal Rights Amendment which would have made women constitutionally the equal of men. Can you imagine that? A Republican who is pro-environment, pro-labour, and pro-womens rights? Its beyond fantasy. Of course, Nixon made us long for Dwight Eisenhower. OPINION: Donald Trump as a monkey wrench Eisenhower has grown ever greater in retrospect. He had a knack of leveraging the appearance of modesty and reserve to becoming Supreme Allied Commander and then president for two terms. Both of them are remembered as mostly boring. There were only three moments of drama. When the Supreme Court ordered integration, Ike sent federal troops to walk the children to school. He denied that the US flew spy planes over Russia. The Soviets had proof. Americans were shocked that their president had lied. His chief of staff accepted a vicuna coat as a gift from a shady character. When it was discovered, he had to resign. Aside from that, he continued the New Deal, ended one war, didnt start any new ones, and gave us eight years of peace and prosperity. How did the Republican Party move from Dwight Eisenhower honest, veracious, and immensely competent to Donald Trump lying, defiantly corrupt, totally inept? It was a series of deliberate moves from the right, combined with errors on the left. Prophets of unleashed capitalism and individualism found willing sponsors with deep pockets who hated taxes and rules that held them back. After Reagans triumph, the left decided it had pushed leftist economics too far, and embraced minority group interests. The right seized on that, to break up any remaining sense of the Great US. Well-funded, well-promoted, they peddled a vision of I, me, mine. With some religion to make it righteous. And resentment for motivation. So they morphed from Ike, to Tricky Dick, to Bush the Lesser, to the very personification of I, me, mine. Larry Beinhart is a novelist, best known for Wag the Dog. Hes also been a journalist, political consultant, a commercial producer and director. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Number of civilian deaths likely to increase, army says, as many bodies have yet to be recovered from ISIL-held Marawi. Rescuers have recovered 17 bodies of civilians believed to have been killed by fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group holed up in Marawi City, a besieged community in the southern Philippines, officials said. The recovered cadavers are believed to be those civilians who were helplessly murdered by the terrorists, said Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera, a spokesman for the task force battling the fighters in Marawi. This is a manifestation of the brutality [of those] who killed these innocent civilians in cold blood, Herrera said. Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Garcia of the Western Mindanao Command said in a text message to reporters that five bodies among the 17 were decapitated. READ MORE: Hundred dead bodies seen in besieged Marawi It was not clear when the bodies were found. A civilian rescue worker, Abdul Azis Lomondot, told Reuters news agency there were body parts found on Wednesday, but there was no proof of beheadings. The retrieval brought to 44 the number of civilians allegedly killed by the fighters during the five-week conflict in Marawi City, military spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said. Padilla said it was likely that many civilians had been killed and the death toll was only what the authorities could confirm independently. There have been a significant number [of bodies] seen but again, we cannot include many of these, he said. Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he was prepared from the outset for a long fight against the fighters, who he said were motivated only by murder and destruction. It seems to be in limitless supply. They were able to stockpile their arms, he said. Some of those who travelled to the Middle East got contaminated, brought the ideology back home and promised to declare war against humanity. The crisis in Marawi City, which began on May 23, has killed 71 security forces and 299 fighters. More than 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes. UN rights expert says Saudi-led campaign to close the Al Jazeera network is a major blow to media pluralism. A United Nations media rights expert has rejected the demand of a Saudi-led group of countries to close Al Jazeera, saying it would be a major blow to media pluralism. David Kaye, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, said in a statement that the demand represents a serious threat to media freedom if states, under the pretext of a diplomatic crisis, take measures to force the dismantling of Al Jazeera. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt gave Qatar 10 days to comply with 13 demands to end a major diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, insisting, among other things, that Doha shut down Al Jazeera, close a Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran. The demands also included the closure of all news outlets that Qatar allegedly funds, directly and indirectly, including Arabi21, Rassd, Al Araby Al Jadeed, Mekameleen and Middle East Eye. Kaye called on the international community to urge these governments not to pursue this demand against Qatar, to resist taking steps to censor media in their own territory and regionally, and to encourage support for independent media in the Middle East. READ MORE: An Open Letter from Al Jazeera Al Jazeera has described the Saudi-led campaign as nothing but an attempt to silence the freedom of expression in the region and to suppress peoples right to information and the right to be heard. Giles Trendle, the acting managing director of Al Jazeeras English-language service, also denounced the demands by the Arab states as an attempt to suppress free expression. We are stunned by the demand to close Al Jazeera, Trendle said. Of course, there has been talk about it in the past, but it is still a great shock and surprise to actually see it in writing. Its as absurd as it would be for Germany to demand Britain to close the BBC. He added that Al Jazeera is going to continue its editorial mission of covering the world news in a fair and balanced way. Growing list of support Kaye joins the growing list of individuals and organisations that have expressed their support for Al Jazeera. On Monday, a trade association representing more than 80 media companies voiced its support for Al Jazeera amid the Saudi-led campaign to have the network shut down. It is vital we value and protect the independence of media organisations and journalists around the world. Any effort to silence journalists or use news organisations as a bargaining chip is an affront to freedom, a statement by the Digital Content Next association said. READ MORE: All the latest updates on the Qatar-Gulf crisis Last week, The Guardian newspaper said in an editorial that the demand by the Saudi-led bloc was wrong. The attack on Al Jazeera is part of an assault on free speech to subvert the impact of old and new media in the Arab world. It should be condemned and resisted, the editorial published by The Guardian on Friday said. Media watchdogs, human rights groups and prominent commentators have also condemned the demand to close Al Jazeera as outrageous, absurd and worrying. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatars foreign minister, has said that Al Jazeera Media Network is an internal affair and there will be no discussion about the fate of the Doha-based broadcaster during the diplomatic crisis. READ MORE: Gulf nations issue list demanding the closure of Al Jazeera The UAE ambassador to Russia said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday that his country does not claim to have press freedom. He was responding to a question about whether the demand to close Al Jazeera was reasonable. We do not promote the idea of press freedom. What we talk about is responsibility in speech, he said. Closed military zone is part of deal with Egypt to boost security, Gazas security official says. Palestinian Hamas movement, which rules Gaza, has begun building a no-go security zone on the strips border with Egypt, saying Egypts national security is Palestines national security. Tawfiq Abu Niem, Gazas deputy interior minister, said on Wednesday that the aim of the buffer zone is to control the borderline area and boost security on the frontier with Egypt. The measures are part of an agreement reached with Egypt, Abu Niem said without elaborating. We are sending a message to Egypt that we are committed to fully ensuring the borders, he said. The plan includes levelling a 12km area close to the borderline with Egypt, placing lookout towers and cameras as well as lightening the whole area. He said the closed military zone would be 12km long and 100m wide, aiming to prevent smuggling drugs and infiltration of people from and to Egypt. Bulldozers are expected to demolish a series of homes and structures along the border. Earlier this month, a Hamas delegation, led by the groups Gaza chief, Yahia Sinwar, conducted talks in Cairo on securing the border between the coastal enclave and Egypt. Relations deteriorated between Cairo and Hamas after the Egyptian armys 2013 overthrow of the then-ruling Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an offshoot. Egypt has since accused Hamas of involvement in attacks in the country, an accusation that the group has denied. In recent months though, relations between Gaza and Cairo have somewhat thawed. Last month, Hamas unveiled a new policy charter in which it distanced itself from the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood, a shift seen as aimed at improving ties with Egypt. Last week, Egypt began delivering a million litres of fuel to Gaza, temporarily easing a power crisis that has left the Palestinian enclaves two million residents with only a few hours of electricity per day. The deliveries came two days after Israel started to reduce the electricity it supplies to Gaza, following a decision by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authoritys leader, to stop paying for it amid a dispute with Hamas. Ramon Muchacho, who governed the opposition bastion of Chacao, has gone into hiding after s Supreme Tribunal sentenced him to 15 months in jail. Malicious software paralyses thousands of business around the world and shut downs government agencies. A massive cyberattack that has locked up computers around the world continued to cause chaos on Wednesday, paralysing operations at multinationals, banks and government departments. The rapidly spreading virus, which hit Ukraine hardest on Tuesday, crippled computers running Microsoft Corps Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in the digital currency bitcoin to restore access. The malicious software appeared to be a variant of an existing ransomware family known as Petya, which also has borrowed key features from a major ransomware attack in May when a similar virus known as WannaCry or WannaCrypt spread to computers in more than 150 countries. READ MORE: Your questions about latest ransomware attack answered The malware that is used by the attackers is believed to be worse than in previous instances, because users are not even able to launch their computers. Instead, they see only a message informing them that their locked-up computer is infected and telling them how to transfer the ransom payment to remove the block. WannaCry was simple, but effective. With this one, its a lot more complicated, Gavin Millard, technical director at Tenable Network Security, a US-based cyber-security company specialising in spotting vulnerabilities in networks, told Al Jazeera. Its got multiple methods of spreading, leveraging quite a few known vulnerabilities, he added. It is also locking systems, not just encrypting files. Global spread Ukraine, which called the attack unprecedented, on Tuesday reported heavy disruption from the virus, with banks, companies and government agencies being affected. But on Wednesday the Ukrainian government said the outburst of malicious software has been contained. It said in a statement that the cyberattack had been stopped and the situation now is under full control. Yet other entities around the world continued facing difficulties to get back online. Shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk, which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide and has a logistics unit in Ukraine, on Wednesday said it was not able to process new orders after being hit by the attack a day before. Right now, at this hour, were not able to take new orders, Maersk Line Chief Commercial Officer Vincent Clerc told the Reuters news agency. BNP Paribas Real Estate, which provides property and investment management services, confirmed it had been hit but declined to specify how widely it had affected its business. It employed nearly 3,500 staff in 16 countries as of last year. The international cyberattack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack, the bank told Reuters on Wednesday, after a person familiar with the matter had said that some staff computers were blocked on Tuesday owing to the incident. Production at a Cadbury chocolate plant on the island state of Tasmania in Australia ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down, said Australian Manufacturing and Workers Union state secretary John Short. Russias Rosneft, one of the worlds biggest crude producers by volume, said on Tuesday its systems had suffered serious consequences but said oil production had not been affected because it switched over to backup systems. In Austria, two international companies with seats in Vienna have been affected by this weeks attack, a spokesman of the federal criminal police agency said on Wednesday. In Switzerland, six companies were attacked, according to the national cybersecurity agency. In the United States, the offices of the law firm DLA Piper were affected, as were pharmaceuticals giant Merck and food giant Mondelez, maker of Milka chocolate and Oreo cookies. Disruptions were also reported in Asia. Operations at one of the terminals of Indias largest port in Mumbai was disrupted as a fallout of the global ransomware attack, Indias shipping ministry said. The private terminal, one of three at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, was operated by Maersk. Containers were being cleared manually but the terminal was operating at a fraction of its capacity, a senior official at the port said. Other groups affected include: Russian state oil company Bashneft, British advertising agency WPP and Dutch shipping company TNT Express. Several companies that reported problems on Tuesday were still grappling with the attack on Wednesday. Radiation monitoring at the Chernobyl nuclear facility had to be performed manually owing to a related systems failure. Rights body says Asian workers employed by Qataris in the kingdom have been left without accommodation and money. Migrants employed to work as farmers and domestic staff are stuck in Saudi Arabia after their Qatari bosses were ordered out of the kingdom amid a major regional crisis, a rights group has said. The workers from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal have been left without accommodation and money, Ali Bin Smaikh al-Marri, chairman of Qatars National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), told a news conference in Qatars capital, Doha, on Wednesday. There are a lot of migrant workers affected by this decision, said Marri, adding that many of those impacted were farmers who drive livestock between the two neighbouring countries. READ MORE: Latest Twitter war in the Gulf Boycott Harrods Usually the workers travel with Qataris many Qataris employ farmers and travel with their domestic workers and drivers, he said. The workers were not allowed to travel into Qatar and now they are living illegally in Saudi Arabia and do not have basic needs. They have no shelter and cannot access money. Collective punishment On June 5, Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, ordered all Qataris, many of whom own properties and businesses in these countries, to leave and their own nationals to return home. The Saudi-led blocs order was part of wider moves against Qatar, including the suspension of political, economic and diplomatic ties with Doha over accusations it is supporting terrorism. The four countries have not provided any evidence for their claim, while Qatar has repeatedly rejected the allegation. The bloc also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirates only land border, a vital route for its food imports. ANALYSIS: The implications of the Qatar-Turkey alliance The NHRC has called for an immediate and unconditional lifting of the blockade on Qatar, describing it as collective punishment that resulted in tearing up families. It has also said it has monitored several serious violations against Qatari students in the three Gulf countries especially in the UAE. Also on Wednesday, Marri said that Qatar would employ a Swiss law firm to seek compensation for those affected by the Saudi-led blockade. Some cases will be filed in courts in those three countries and in some courts that have international jurisdictions, like in Europe, related to compensation, he said, adding that many Qataris qualified for pay-offs. Nepalis vote for local representatives after yearlong delay because of insurgency and lengthy constitution drafting. Millions of people in Nepal have voted in the second phase of local elections to choose municipal and village councils despite threats from ethnic groups that oppose the elections. More than 162,000 security forces were deployed in the voting areas. The local elections were held for the first time in two decades in the Himalayan nation, which was wracked by a long-running Maoist uprising followed by a yearlong delay in passing a new constitution. Voting took place in three of Nepals seven provinces. Three other provinces held elections last month, and another will vote in September. Ethnic groups in southern Nepal have called for a boycott of the polls, saying their demand for more territory in their province needs to be addressed first. Members of the largest of the groups, the Madhesi, say their population demands far more territory than the province they were granted by Nepals new constitution. The constitution, adopted two years ago, sparked months of protests by the ethnic groups, leaving 52 people dead. The government has been trying to convince the Madhesis to join the elections, postponing voting in their province to September 18 in hopes of reaching an agreement. More than 62,000 candidates were contesting 15,038 positions on Wednesday. Crucial local posts have been occupied by government-appointed bureaucrats because elections could not be held amid delays in drafting the new constitution. Surya Prasad Sharma, spokesman of the Election Commission said rains had delayed voting in several polling centres in the southeastern Jhapa district. People have showed up at polling stations since early morning. They have turned out in huge numbers, he said. The first round of elections were held in mid-May, with voter turnout of more than 70 percent. Group of German high school pupils say they were threatened and spat on during Holocaust study trip in Poland. Several German pupils say they were racially abused in Poland while on a trip to study the Holocaust, German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk reports. The group, led by their teacher Sabeth Schmidthals, counted 20 high school students, the majority of them Muslims, the broadcaster said. These are very active students, Schmidthals told Deutschlandfunk. They go against the popular belief that youngsters or Muslim students are not interested in this topic. I was spat on by a man in the street who then ran away, Sheida Nur, one of the girls in the group, told German radio. She and three other girls wearing hijab were the main targets of racial slurs and threats. Nur also said that police officers were idly standing by and did not offer protection during the abuse. We saw the policemen grinning. Then a Polish man explained that the police would not want to help us, one of the boys in the group said. Another girl was expelled from a shopping mall, allegedly for speaking Farsi in a phone call to her brother. They came up to me and asked me to leave. They said I was disturbing the people. I asked why. Just because I was talking in Farsi and I was a foreigner? They said yes. Another girl had an encounter with a woman who came at us yelling go away. She then poured her drink on me and my camera, she told Deutschlandfunk. READ MORE: Racism the real reason why Europeans fear refugees In a market in the city of Lublin, the girls wearing hijab (the hijab is a headscarf worn by many Muslim women who feel it is part of their religion) were turned away from a stall where they tried to buy water, allegedly because they were not Polish. In another incident, one of the girls was reportedly threatened by a man with a knife. I thought he wanted to ask me something, but then I ran straight back to the hotel. Polish police, responding to a request from the BBC, said that there was no complaint filed in connection with these incidents and that review of security footage showed no incidents involving foreigners. No Muslim refugees The organisers of the school trip, Haus der Wannseekonferenz, have expressed concern in the wake of the allegations and promised to take the matter up with their Polish partners. A letter will also be sent to the Polish ambassador to Germany, according to Haus der Wannseekonferenz director Hans-Christian Jasch. The group had visited the sites of World War II concentration camps in Treblinka and Maidanek in order to learn more about the suffering of Polish civilians under Nazi occupation. The Polish prosecutors office told the BBC that the number of hate crimes against Muslims had doubled from 2015 to 2016. Polands conservative government refuses to take in Muslim refugees claiming they would not fit in a majority Christian Catholic society. During the peak of the refugee crisis in 2015, Education Secretary Jaroslav Gowin said, every () people has the right to protect itself from extinction. Venezuelas leader vows to defend peace as he brands a grenade helicopter attack on the supreme court as coup attempt. Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro has put the military on alert, stepping up security after a rogue police detective claimed responsibility for a grenade and gunfire attack on state institutions. Authorities in the capital, Caracas, said several grenades were hurled at the Supreme Tribunal from a helicopter and 15 bullets were fired at the interior ministry at sunset on Tuesday. The attack was claimed in a video released online by a man identified by media and the government as 36-year-old Oscar Perez. On Wednesday, Venezuela Vice President Tareck El Aissami said the helicopter was found near the coast in Vargas state. During an interview with state television VTV, El Aissami said, Despite the adverse climate conditions our Bolivarian National Army have found the helicopter used yesterday in two terrorist attacks against institutions. Until now, nobody has been arrested, he said. We are deploying special forces in all the area, and we ask the support of the people. TIMELINE: Key moments in Venezuelas crisis Maduro, who has faced months of violent anti-government protests, said the terrorist attack was part of an escalation by right-wing coup plotters against the ruling Socialists. Yet, opponents suspected the raid might had been a hoax to justify repression amid a worsening economic and political crisis. I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace, Maduro said on Wednesday in remarks broadcast from the Miraflores presidential palace. No one was injured in the incident. Beyond his police work, the alleged pilot of the helicopter, Perez, acted in a Venezuelan action film called Suspended Death, and has posted photographs on social media of himself posing with weapons. We are a coalition of military, police and civilian public servants opposed to this transitional, criminal government, Perez said in the video, flanked by four masked figures in black, two of them holding rifles. Al Jazeeras Teresa Bo, reporting from Caracas, said the opposition members were worried about whether the government was going to use the attack as an excuse for further crackdown on dissent. We have heard the government and the president accusing students protesters and those who attacked military bases last weekend of terrorism. So nobody really knows what the governments response is going to be to this latest incident, she said. Julio Borges, opposition legislative speaker, said: Some people say it is a hoax, some say it is real, some say that it was police personnel who really are fed up. Whatever it is, it is very serious. It all points to one conclusion: that the situation in Venezuela is unsustainable, he said. Another senior opposition legislator, Freddy Guevara, urged people to take part in anti-government rallies on Wednesday the latest in nearly three months of daily streets protests that have left 76 people dead. Maduro has for months been fending off calls for elections to replace him from opponents who blame him for the countrys worsening crisis. But the president has so far retained the public backing of the military high command a factor that analysts say is decisive if he is to remain in power. Venezuela has seen three attempted military coups since 1992. The pontiff says true martyrs do not harm others as he addresses frequent attacks against Christian minorities. Pope Francis has repudiated the idea that suicide bombers can be considered martyrs, saying true martyrs do not harm others but rather are meek, honest and persecuted for their faith as true children of God. Christians are repelled by the idea that suicide bombers can be called martyrs. They are not martyrs. Theres nothing in them that can be even close to the attitude of children of God, he said on Wednesday during his weekly catechism lesson in the Vatican. The pontiff has frequently raised the issue amid attacks against Christian minorities in the Middle East and elsewhere. Francis has lamented that there are more Christian martyrs today than in the times of the early church. The latest attack against Christians took place in Egypts Tanta and Alexandria cities in April when two churches were blown up, killing at least 45 people. The responsibility for the attacks against the countrys Coptic Christians were claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group. ISIL also said it was behind a Cairo church bombing in December that killed 29 people. Rights body says Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are responsible to compensate those hit by the anti-Qatar measures. Qatars National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says it will employ a Swiss law firm to seek compensation for those affected by a decision of Gulf countries to cut ties with Doha and impose a blockade against it. NHRC chairman Ali Bin Smaikh al-Marri said the rights body would take action against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, which severed diplomatic and trade relations with Qatar more than three weeks ago, sparking the worst Gulf crisis in decades. Well be coordinating to start legal action with those affected by these sanctions, Marri told a news conference. OPINION: What is the Qatar-GCC showdown really about? The three countries are responsible to compensate those affected, he said, adding that many Qataris qualified for compensation. Some cases will be filed in courts in those three countries and in some courts that have international jurisdictions, like in Europe, related to compensation. Marri did not say which Swiss firm would be employed, but that a statement would be released in the near future. The rights body had previously said it was working to hire an international law firm to address damage caused by the blockade after receiving hundreds of complaints from citizens affected by it. Major crisis On June 5, the three Gulf states, along with Egypt, announced the suspension of political, economic and diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism. The four countries have not provided any evidence for their claim, while Qatar has repeatedly rejected the allegation. The Saudi-led bloc closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirates only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home. Many Qataris own properties and businesses in these countries. The committee has previously called for an immediate and unconditional lifting of the blockade on Qatar, describing it as collective punishment that resulted in tearing up families. It has also said it has monitored several serious violations against Qatari students in the three Gulf countries, and especially in the UAE. OPINION: The GCC crisis Draconian demands and juvenile politics Last week, the Saudi-led bloc issued a 13-point demand list in exchange for the end of the anti-Qatar measures and gave a 10-day deadline, which ends on July 3. The demands included that Qatar shut down the Al Jazeera media network, close a Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran. Qatar has rejected the list as unacceptable, saying the Saudi-led blocs claims are not backed by evidence. What has been presented by the countries of the blockade are merely claims that are not proved by evidence and are not demands, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatars foreign minister, said on Tuesday after a meeting with his US counterpart, Rex Tillerson, in Washington, DC. The demands must be realistic and enforceable. Anything else is rejected, he added. Army says it retaliated by destroying detected targets in Syria after attack by Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Turkish forces have retaliated with artillery fire overnight and destroyed Kurdish rebel targets in Syria after YPG fighters opened fire on Turkey-backed rebels in Syrias north, the military said. A statement on Wednesday claimed that YPG gunfire on Tuesday evening targeted Free Syrian Army fighters in the Maranaz area south of the town of Azaz in northern Syria. Support vehicles in the region were used to retaliate in kind against the harassing fire and the identified targets were destroyed/neutralised, the military statement said. The boom of artillery fire could be heard from the nearby Turkish border town of Kilis, broadcaster Haberturk said. READ MORE: Syrian Kurds and Turkeys Kurdish question Turkeys Ihlas news agency had reported earlier that the YPG fighters launched intensive gunfire with heavy machine guns around 9:30pm (18:30 GMT) on Tuesday evening from the Afrin region in north-west Syria. It was not clear whether there were any casualties in the exchange of fire. Turkey was angered by a US decision last month to arm the YPG as part of the battle for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) groups Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. Ankara considers the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is outlawed in Turkey and is also considered a terrorist group by the US and the European Union. The PKK has carried out an armed uprising against the Turkish state since 1984 and more than 40,000 people, most of them Kurds, have died in the fighting. Turkish dismay Faced with turmoil across its southern border, Turkey last year sent troops into Syria to support Free Syrian Army rebels fighting both ISIL and Kurdish forces, who control a large part of Syrias northern border region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey would not flinch from taking tougher action against the YPG in Syria if Turkey believed it needed to. READ MORE: The looming question of Kurdish independence in Iraq On Sunday, Erdogan said in a speech that countries that promised to get back weapons supplied to Kurdish YPG fighters in northern Syria were trying to trick Turkey and would eventually realise their mistake. But it will be too late for them, he added, saying that if violence spilled over Syrias border into Turkey, Ankara would hold to account anyone who supplied arms to the YPG. We will make the real owners of those weapons pay for any bullet that will be fired to our country, for every drop of blood that will be shed, he said. Saudi-led bloc could take further action against Qatar by imposing conditions on trade partners, UAE envoy says. A Saudi-led bloc is considering fresh sanctions against Qatar that may include asking trading partners to choose between them or Doha, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador to Russia said. In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, envoy Omar Ghobash said the expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was not the only sanction available for the UAE and its allies. There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now, Ghobash said in the interview, which was published on Wednesday. One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say: you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice, he added. READ MORE: All the latest updates on the Qatar-Gulf crisis Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed sanctions on the country on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism. The four countries have not provided any evidence for their claim, while Qatar has repeatedly rejected the allegation. Ghobash said that if Qatar was not willing to accept the demands, it is a case of Goodbye Qatar we do not need you in our tent any more. We dont claim to have press freedom On Thursday, the Saudi-led bloc issued a 13-point demand list in exchange for the end of the anti-Qatar measures and gave a 10-day deadline. The demands included, among others, that Qatar shut down the Al Jazeera media network, close a Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran. When asked if the closure of Al Jazeera was a valid demand, Ghobash told The Guardian that the UAE does not claim to have press freedom. We do not promote the idea of press freedom. What we talk about is responsibility in speech, he said. He added that speech in the Gulf has particular context, and that context can go from peaceful to violent in no time simply because of the words that are spoken. INTERACTIVE: Whos who of the GCC crisis? Ghobash also said that the UAE was willing to hold itself to the same standards it was asking of Qatar. He echoed previous statements by UAE officials that the Gulf states do not wish to escalate the conflict with military action. We can escalate with more information, because we are not going to escalate militarily. That is not the way we are looking at things. Rights group and legal experts say arming Riyadh and Abu Dhabi makes the UK complicit in alleged war crimes. London, England Campaign groups and legal experts have called on the UK to end arm sales to Saudi Arabia and its allies, warning that continuing to do so may be in violation of international law. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR) said British manufactured weapons sold to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt were being used to carry out abuses in Yemen and Libya. [AOHR] is calling on the UK government to review its role in the sale of arms to a number of Arab governments that are known for gross human rights violation, the statement read. In the past three years, the UK has approved arms export licences to Saudi Arabia worth $4.7bn, $1.6bn to the UAE, and $208m to Egypt. During that period, the countries have been involved both directly and indirectly in conflicts in Libya and Yemen, where they face accusations of war crimes and other abuses. READ MORE: Questions raised over $110bn arms deal to Saudi Arabia A Saudi-led coalition has killed hundreds of Yemenis, destroyed scores of homes in addition to obliterating most of Yemens core infrastructure, the AOHR said, adding: Saudi Arabia has also turned a blind eye to the atrocities committed by UAE in southern parts of the country. The UAE has bought the loyalty of several tribal leaders and formed militias that continue to commit war crimes, the rights group said. Last week, a report by Human Rights Watch accused the UAE of operating secret prisons in Yemen where torture was commonplace, and of carrying out forcible disappearances of its opponents in the country. In Libya, the UAE has transferred British-produced arms to the renegade Libyan general Khalifa Haftar, who is also accused of a raft of abuses, including indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas and summary executions. Legal case Speaking at a news conference accompanying the AOHR statement, Andrew Smith of the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) said the UK was complicit in alleged Saudi-led coalition abuses in Yemen. UK-made fighter jets are flying over Yemen, where they are being flown by UK-trained personnel and dropping UK-made bombs. The UK could not be any more complicit, he said. The war [in Yemen] has led to social breakdown, including the destruction of schools, hospitals, and even funerals have become the sites of brutal massacres. We believe that the UKs conduct in arming and supporting this brutal bombardment has not just been immoral, it has also been illegal. CAAT is awaiting the verdict of a judicial review it lodged in February, which is aimed at halting British arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Under both British and EU law, export licences must not be granted if there is clear risk that weapons could be used to contravene international law. We believe that the UKs conduct in arming and supporting this brutal bombardment has not just been immoral, it has also been illegal by Andrew Smith, Campaign Against Arms Trade Human rights lawyer Sue Willman, who was also present at the event, said the UK was reluctant to accept the scale of evidence proving its weapons were being used to commit violations. The [UK] must deny export if it is clear that military technology might be used in the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law, she said. I think the lesson of the CAAT case is that even when theres overwhelming evidence of abuses, the UK government continues to claim that theres no evidence, and then insist on filing secret evidence, making it harder for us to challenge it. Long standing ties The UK is one of the top suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with successive governments, both Labour and Conservative, signing major arms deals with the pair. Under the Conservative government of John Major and the later Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the UK sold scores of Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets in exchange for oil shipments and tens of billions of pounds. Those deals, known collectively as al-Yamamah, were riddled with accusations of corruption, with leading manufacturer BAE Systems accused of paying bribes worth tens of millions of dollars to Saudi officials to secure the purchases. The deals were the subject of an investigation by the UKs Serious Fraud Office, which was later dropped after intervention by Blair. While the current British government, under Prime Minister Theresa May, seems set to continue arms sales to Saudi Arabia, all major opposition parties are opposed to the transfer of arms. Labours current leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has been an outspoken critic of arming Saudi Arabia and its involvement in Yemen. The Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrats, and Green Party are also opposed to weapons sales to the country. In a heated exchange in parliament on Monday, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas asked Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson whether he was proud of his role in selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, which were later used in Yemen. Johnson responded: Of course a humanitarian disaster is taking place, but it is a folly and an illusion to believe that that humanitarian disaster is in any way the responsibility of the UK. War in Yemen Saudi Arabia began its military intervention in Yemen in March 2015 after Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh took over large swaths of the country, including its capital, Sanaa. The war has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 civilians, according to the UN, and has left it on the verge of famine with several urban centres besieged by either pro-rebel or pro-government forces. The UN and rights groups have accused Riyadh and its allies of violating international law by targeting civilians, including the October 2016 bombing of a funeral procession in the Yemeni capital, which left at least 140 people dead and hundreds more wounded. The Secretary-General condemns the series of suicide bombing attacks on 25 and 26 June in Maiduguri, Borno State in Nigeria. The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the people and Government of Nigeria for the loss of life. He wishes a quick recovery to those injured and hopes that those responsible for this act will be []Source : http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... Under the theme of Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in the Youth, the 29th African Union Summit opened Tuesday 27 June 2017, at the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the Thirty Fourth (34th) Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC). The opening ceremony took place in the presence of the Chairperson []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... There must have been something about it that you didnt like. Your vote demonstrated that in November of 2010, just seven months after its enactment, wildly shifting the balance of power in America from Democratic to Republican, though you might not have recognized just how wildly at the time. In the nations 98 partisan legislative chambers, Republicans almost completely reversed their standing, according to Rasmussen. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 60 to 36 advantage with two chambers [split]. When most legislatures convene new sessions in January [of 2011], Republicans will control 57 chambers, Democrats 39, and again, two will be tied. This was an historic rebuke to the Democrats federal platform, a platform which was personified by the incredibly unpopular Affordable Care Act which was rammed into American policy via budget reconciliation, and a very-likely infringement upon the Origination Clause of the Constitution. This was before your premiums rose to astronomical levels. Before you lost your employer-sponsored health insurance. Before you could no longer keep your doctor, in spite of the then-presidents promises. Again, why did you commit to opposing Obamacare so fervently, way back when? Was it because President Obama, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid, et al, stole for the federal government a right to regulate and intercede in the delivery of health services for individual Americans on a day-to-day basis? And, because they did precisely that, you knew all those other things would happen? So why, today, is the argument from Republicans not about a pure repeal of the bill? Why is the argument that we should keep the good things about Obamacare, while casting off the bad? Is this not a continuation of the federal governments regulation of the health services industry which began with Obamacare? How does this remove the threat which was the primary motive for our political activation in response to Democrats federal overreach in the first place? Obamacare is the latest and greatest bastardization of our social contract that we call the Constitution. It was a step toward single-payer, there can be no doubt. It federally subsidizes care at immense cost to taxpayers. It transfers wealth via corrupt bureaucratic funneling in Washington from the middle class to the poor, from the healthy to the sick. It forces insurance companies to take on high-risk clients at capped prices, thereby assuring that prices for lower-risk clients rise to compensate for the additional risk. This is arbitrary price-fixing, perhaps the greatest anathema to a free market known to economic thought. (Hence, the premium hikes that millions have experienced, and the insurers which have fled the exchanges.) The Republican answer to this, according to everything Ive seen in this new bill, ensures that these same malignant forces will continue to threaten the health services industry, but without the control mechanisms put in place by Obamacare. It is a fantasy that can only succeed in a fantasy world. It still allows for the federal government to force insurers to cap prices for high-risk clients, only it doesnt force the healthy into the risk pool via mandates to participate in health insurance risk-pools to thereby offset the cost. While the elimination of the individual mandate is a good thing, the price-capping measures of Obamacare (which will generally remain in place) make this is a recipe for insurance companies to perpetually bleed money, leading to more premium hikes in the future. This will only lead to more subsidies, as federal regulation generally does. The simple fact is that our conversation has changed since 2010. And the reason as to why its now about which entitlements to keep rather than the more fundamental argument about federal intrusion to regulate the health services industry is not difficult to discern. As I noted in 2013: With each new day passing, with each new provision carefully selected for implementation, Obamacare becomes more and more a staple in American life. Barack Obama is counting on that. Because time normalizes even the most malignant social entitlement program. [] [H]istory shows that once people start collecting benefits from the government, they want to keep collecting benefits from the government. Whos paying for the benefits, and how much they are paying at any given time after an entitlement becomes an expectation, is irrelevant. The coerced redistribution of wealth as government charity becomes the norm, however grossly antithetical that idea is to the archaic concept of liberty. And two, five, ten, a hundred years hence, the opiated rabble of the future will indeed wonder what the fuss was all about in 2013. Quickly will they forget about a time when the government was not the mediator, deciding what healthcare might be delivered to whom, when it can be delivered, and at what cost. Four years ago, I longed for our moment today. A Republican Congress, a Republican president, and a still relatively originalist Supreme Court (thank you, President Trump). And yet, even with all of those variables being perfectly in place, which I would have once believed to have been ideal to fully repeal the big-government monstrosity that is Obamacare and replace it with free-market ideals like tax incentives for health savings accounts to nurture free market reform for health care in America, it is not enough to supersede my simple premonition above. Republicans, despite their absolute ability for full repeal and all of their promises to do so, are not discussing it. Rather, they are discussing the politically viable preservation of an entitlement program. With the burgeoning Trump administration, there is plenty for conservatives to be excited about. This symbolic battle between Democrats feigning indignation about the majority of Barack Obamas flagship legislation being upheld and Republicans feigning perseverance about destroying it is not among them. William Sullivan blogs at Political Palaver and can be followed on Twitter. As former FBI Director James Comeys best friend, Robert Mueller, stocks his Seinfeld investigation-about-nothing with every Democratic lawyer and Hillary and/or Obama donor he can find, we are treated to the delicious irony of collusion with Russia being confirmed -- and the colluder-in-chief being Ex-president Barack Hussein Obama. Even Obamas Democrat supporters are now acknowledging he knew about Russias hacking of the DNC and Podesta emails. They are acknowledging that he did nothing but are not acknowledging the reason why that he thought Hillary Clinton was going to succeed him and he wanted to do nothing to offend the Russians to whom he had once famously promised more flexibility.As Fox News Politics reported: President Trump criticized his predecessor for allegedly doing nothing about reports that Russia interfered in last years presidential campaign, in a recent interview.I just heard today for the first time that (former President) Obama knew about Russia a long time before the election, and he did nothing about it, Trump said in the interview set to air Sunday on Fox & Friends Weekend. The CIA gave him information on Russia a long time before the election. If he had the information, why didn't he do something about it? Even Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, acknowledged that President Obamas refusal to embarrass his Russian friends by doing nothing was a mistake: President Obamas decision to not act sooner on Russian election interference last year was a very serious mistake, says California Rep. Adam Schiff. I think the administration needed to call out Russia earlier, and needed to act to deter and punish Russia earlier and I think that was a very serious mistake, Schiff said in an interview on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. Schiff, the top ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said that Obama was hesitant to confront Russia over its active measures campaign for fear of being seen as helping Hillary Clinton and of fueling Donald Trumps allegations that the election was being rigged against him. That is the excuse made by those caught with their hands in the cookie jar. What happened to our democracy being at stake, the sanctity of our electoral process being violated? It was okay to jeopardize our national security through inaction as long as it was thought it might embarrass Hillary? But when Trump won, suddenly it became an issue for which he was responsible? As noted, Obamas collusion with the Russians began years earlier when he conspired to gut U.S. missile defense efforts in Europe. As Investors Business Daily noted over a year ago, President Obama had other plans and his betrayal of our allies was exquisitely ironic: Yet within hours of Medvedev's election as president in 2008, the Russian announced that Moscow would deploy SS-26 missiles in his country's enclave of Kaliningrad situated between our NATO allies Poland and Lithuania. He wanted the U.S. to abandon plans to deploy missile interceptors in Poland and warning radars in the Czech Republic designed to counter a future threat from Iran. What did President Obama do? He caved in and notified the Poles in a midnight phone call on Sept. 17, 2009 the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's invasion of Poland that we were pulling the plug on that system due to Russian objections. Putin then watched in 2012 as Obama promised Medvedev at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea, that after his re-election he would have more "flexibility" to weaken missile defense, which would help him fulfill his dream of U.S. disarmament. Hillary Clinton herself was not above colluding with the Russians, as she did in the Uranium One Deal in which Clinton Foundation donors benefited from her enabling the transfer of 20 percent of our uranium supplies to Russia. That deal was one reason Putin was probably rooting for Hillary, not Trump. Instead of investigating Team Trump for collusion and its business dealings with Russia, how about a special counsel to investigate the Uranium one deal? How about a special counsel to investigate Hillary Clintons illegal email server and destruction of emails under subpoena? Instead of President Trump obstructing justice by firing an FBI Director he was constitutionally empowered to fire, how about a special counsel to investigate Loretta Lynchs collusion with the Clinton campaign and obstruction of justice, starting with her meeting with Bil Clinton on the tarmac? We know from Comeys testimony that Lynch advised him to call the Clinton investigation a matter as the Clinton campaign was calling it. We know that Lynch met on the tarmac with the husband of the subject of a federal investigation. We know that after that meeting, Comey usurped the power of the attorney general and announced that despite all the evidence he himself cited, Hilary would not be prosecuted. Coincidence? One thinks not, particularly if reports about Loretta Lynch communicating with former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Shultz that the Clinton investigation wouldnt be allowed to go too far are accurate. As Fox News judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano is contending: Judge Andrew Napolitano says former Attorney General Loretta Lynch could be facing jail time for obstruction of justice if emails to former DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz reportedly about furthering DNC interests surface. It is alleged, this document has not seen the light of day yet, if it exists that there is one or several emails between Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Loretta Lynch concerning the behavior that Loretta Lynch will take to further the DNC interests while Mrs. Lynch was the Attorney General, that if it happened, would be misconduct in office, he said. In all of this there are only two real crimes that we are certain of: James Comeys leak of his memo on his conversation in the Oval Office and the unmasking and leaking of the name of former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn. As law Professor Jonathan Turley notes: Comey demonstrated a pattern of unethical conduct beginning with his appointment as FBI director during the Obama administration. Specifically, Turley and other constitutional experts have noted that Comeys acquiescence to former Attorney General Loretta Lynchs order for him to refer to the FBIs investigation into Hillary Clintons illegal handling of classified materials, via an unsecured email server, as a matter rather than a criminal investigation proved that he lacked the integrity necessary for someone who treasures the FBIs supposed political independence But the clearest violation of federal law that Comey may have committed came after he was fired by the president. During his testimony the former FBI director admitted to leaking his memo to a friend and former colleague at Columbia Law School with, as Turley noted, the full knowledge that the information would be given to the media. That was extremely odd and inappropriate, given that Trump had asked Comey to investigate and stop various leakers within the government before Comey himself became a leaker. Why was releasing the memo potentially a violation of the law? Turley says because it was most likely created using a government computer and because it addressed a highly sensitive investigation on facts that [Comey] considered material to that investigation. In fact, Comey communicated that information confidentially to top aides, and later noted that we sought to give it to the special counsel (which he helped facilitate with the leak) because he felt it was vital to the ongoing Russia investigation. Obstruction of justice? How about President Obama secreting away in his presidential library records regarding former National Security Adviser Susan Rices involvement in unmasking the names of Team Trump officials in intelligence reports -- for five years! From Breitbart News: The National Security Council cannot hand over records relating to former National Security Adviser Susan Rices surveillance of Americans, because they have been moved to the Obama presidential library and may be sealed for as many as five years, conservative watchdog Judicial Watch announced Monday. The NSC informed Judicial Watch in a letter dated May 23 that materials related to Rices requests to know the identities of Americans swept up in surveillance of foreign targets, including any Trump campaign or transition officials, have been moved to the library. The NSCs Director of Access Management John Powers said in the letter: Documents from the Obama administration have been transferred to the Barack Obama Presidential Library. You may send your request to the Obama Library. However, you should be aware that under the Presidential Records Act, Presidential records remain closed to the public for five years after an administration has left office. Judicial Watch earlier this year filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for those documents, including of communications between Rice and any intelligence community member or agency regarding any Russian involvement in the 2016 elections, the hacking of Democratic National Committee computers, or any suspected communications between Russia and Trump officials. Throw in Loretta Lynch and John Koskinen in the political targeting of the Tea Party and Eric Holders role in Operation Fast and Furious and withholding of records under executive privilege, and you have a rogues gallery of felons in the most corrupt administration. The very real possibility exists that James Comey, Susan Rice, Loretta Lynch Lois Lerner, John Koskinen, and even Hillary Clinton herself are guilty of federal crimes and belong in federal prison. Of course, if Hillary Clinton had won, we wouldnt be having this conversation. But Hillary lost and the Democrats made a foolish strategic error in pursuing charges of collusion and obstruction of justice based on sheer vengeance. There was no evidence of Trump collusion or obstruction and now the tables are turned. The investigation of Loretta Lynch and other revelations could be the undoing of the Obama administrations criminal enterprise, its trampling of our Constitution and our laws. Reopen the Hillary investigation and expand it to include the Clinton Foundation and Uranium One. Prosecute the lot of them and lock them all up. Daniel John Sobieski is a free lance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. The United States Supreme Court has declined to affirm the constitutional, Second Amendment rights which are guaranteed to citizens. They did so by rejecting an appeal from a lower court. That court had ruled that the state of California can impose severe restrictions on issuing permits to carry firearms. In refusing to hear the appeal, the lower court ruling remains in effect. Only two justices, Clarence Thomas and the newly seated Neil Gorsuch, dissented. Quoting them from Fox News, The Courts decision reflects a distressing trend: the treatment of the Second Amendment as a disfavored right, they wrote. The courts ruling seems to be in conflict with two earlier Supreme Court Rulings, in 2008 and 2010, that Second Amendment rights apply to individuals, not to the government alone -- as in police and military. Of course, you and I know that the Bill of Rights is entirely for protection of the individual from government excess. Few on the left understand the individual empowerment theme of the first ten amendments, or if they do, they disagree with it. There may, however, be a bright side to this. First, it is now clear that we need more justices like Thomas and Gorsuch. It would have taken only two more to grant certiorari, requiring the court to hear the appeal. Pressure on President Trump, to appoint such justices, will now increase. However, as the leftist liberals discovered to their horror in 2008 and 2010, taking a case to the court might backfire. The court can always rule against those who feel assured they will prevail. Therefore, it is important not to file an appeal until all the pieces are in place. Failure to do so can result in a precedent that might take a lifetime to overcome. Therefore, it behooves us to tread carefully. That said, it remains amazing that basic Constitutional rights could possibly be so easy to suppress. While some rights that are not even in the Constitution are enforced, there seems to be significant antipathy regarding the right to keep and bear arms -- a right that shall not be infringed. A common argument used by the misinformed is that the Second Amendment applies only to muskets, the firearm commonly in use at the time. However, there is no mention of firearms. In fact, a very common weapon in the 1700s was the sword. If the misinformed opponents of firearms were honest in their claim that only flintlock muskets are permitted, then why don't they oppose the fact that there are many jurisdictions where six-inch knife blades are prohibited? Surely, the Second Amendment authorizes them as carry weapons. A more reasonable argument, but not a truly reasonable one, is that if everyone were allowed unrestricted access to guns, that one could never feel safe in public. Indeed, even in the Wild West of yore, Dodge City required cowboys to hand over their weapons before patronizing the local drinking establishments. However, subsequent American history lays that fear to rest. In the 1920s, my father carried his gun to school each day. So did all the boys in his rural community. After school, on the way home, they hunted for food. Interestingly, although there were numerous fights with bullies, no one ever used, nor even brandished, a weapon. Black eyes, bloody noses, and the humiliation of having to say, uncle, were the worst of it. Mass shootings in schools happened only after the culture degenerated. True, today in certain inner cities, there is an abundance of violent gun crimes. But a number of factors, not individual rights, is the culprit. Those cities are run by liberal Democrats who are far too lenient with brutal criminals. There is a sick joke in which a judge releases a murderer because it was only his first offense. A degenerate culture that makes excuses for recalcitrants, and considers as normal all manner of perversion, has undermined respect for others, and for the law. Perhaps the most fearsome clause in the Second Amendment is not the phrase, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The phrase just before that is the one that terrifies big government advocates. It says, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State... This phrase, using the definitions of the 1700s, does not refer to a government-regulated militia, but rather, to a well-trained organization of citizens, able at a minutes notice to take up arms against any force that threatens liberty, which in 1776, included the ruling government. Combining this with the Declaration of Independence, which says, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, and, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, it is easy to see why progressive liberals despise the right of people to be free, and to be empowered to defend liberty. For those who say that only right-wing loons today believe in the Second Amendment, here is a quote from one of their icons, John F. Kennedy: "Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." It should greatly concern us, then, that, The Courts decision reflects a distressing trend: the treatment of the Second Amendment as a disfavored right. It is somewhat ironic that it is the people who threaten to blow up the White House, who depict the beheading of the President, who celebrate gun violence directed against Republicans -- and who riot to prevent speakers from speaking against rioters -- that it is they who oppose your right to defend yourself. We must also bear in mind how thinly the government itself supports that right. Thank God for Donald Trump, but we are going to need more. Three former and current Chicago police officers have been indicted on several charges, including conspiracy, in the case of a Chicago's cop's brutal killing of a black man. Police officer Jason Van Dyke put 16 shots into the body of black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014 while the young man was lying on the ground. Van Dyke has been indicted and is currently suspended without pay. The three officers indicted yesterday tried to alter the dashcam video of the incident and lied about what happened to prosecutors. CNN: Former Detective David March, and former Patrol Officer Joseph Walsh and Patrol Officer Thomas Gaffney were charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice, according to a news release from Special Prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes' office. "The indictment makes clear that these defendants did more than merely obey an unofficial 'code of silence,' rather it alleges that they lied about what occurred to prevent independent criminal investigators from learning the truth," Holmes said. McDonald, 17, was killed in October 2014 when Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke shot him 16 times. Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, with the latter charges apparently corresponding to each shot he fired at McDonald. He is suspended without pay. Dashcam video of the shooting -- released in November 2015 after a court battle -- contradicted nearly everything police said happened the night McDonald died. It showed McDonald walking away from police as he held a 4-inch knife, not lunging toward officers, as police had said. The shooting led to calls for reforms and fueled a national conversation about police use of deadly force. "The shooting of Laquan McDonald forever changed the Chicago Police Department and I am committed to implementing policies and training to prevent an incident like this from happening again," police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said. "We will also continue to implement meaningful reforms that build community trust, provide greater training and resources to our dedicated officers, and make Chicago safer." In the 11-page indictment Van Dyke is referred to as Individual A and as a part of the conspiracy. He has been accused of official misconduct. Gaffney, 43; March, 58; and Walsh, 48, are accused of writing incident reports that "contained important false information in an attempt to prevent or shape any criminal investigation." Several reports referred to three officers being battered, which the the indictment says is false. Police statements that McDonald was threatening Van Dyke with his knife were also lies, the document says. The indictment also says the officers failed to interview at least three witnesses whose versions of the events were different than those of police. The conspiracy was carried out through "various means of communications," the indictment says. Mayor Emanuel stalled for almost a year before releasing the dashcam video. You can see why he did below: The fact is, everybody lied about what happened police and politicians alike. The reality of what happened to McDonald is so incendiary that there was great fear at City Hall that there would be riots and unrest once the video became public. To be sure, there were tense moments after the release of the video, but major violence was avoided. A combination of a major show of force by police and cooler heads in the black community led to rowdy protests but little property damage. The prosecutor says the investigation is ongoing and that other officers may be caught up in the case. Pity the Democrats. Their big claim to superiority over Republicans is representing the little guy. But with President Obama now flaunting his extravagant luxury vacations, they're pretty well exposed as hypocrites. From Real Clear Life: A number of progressive activists complained to Fox News that Obama's actions since leaving office in January have seemed out of touch with Democrats at a time when the party is struggling to regroup after the 2016 election. Among the high-profile jaunts, Obama and his family have visited late actor Marlon Brando's private island; the Four Seasons in Bali; Sir Richard Branson's private Caribbean island; a 13th-century Tuscan villa; and taken a ride on David Geffen's private yacht. "These trips are like the lifestyles of the rich and famous," Democratic strategist Pat Caddell, a former adviser to ex-President Jimmy Carter, told Fox News. No wonder they're getting disgusted with their party's vaunted standard-bearer. In the past, their ex-presidents would build houses for the poor or, at a minimum, focus on their libraries. With Obama, not so much. He'd rather live the sybaritic high life with the jet set. To make matters worse, as Democrats lick their wounds from their special election losses, President Obama is nowhere to be found. He's busy sunning himself with the billionaires, out in some place like Bali or Tahiti (depending on the week). He doesn't have time for their little implosion. The implications could be significant for the Democrats as voter after voter is turned off. Already they're facing an insurgency with the Bernie Sanders phenomenon. Obama's luxury life throws fat on that fire. He shows that far from the party of the little guy, Democrats in reality are the party of the big guy, the crony capitalists and nomenklatura, the privileged elites of the few, not the party of access and opportunity for the many. You don't get to go on vacation with President Obama as you look at all those tabloid pictures, not the way you might with President Trump, who is well known for his cordial hospitality and driving the Secret Service bonkers with his constant invitations to friends and strangers at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump loves having people around. Unlike Obama, he shares his wealth, social and monetary, and it's not just with insiders. More importantly, he shares wealth by fostering wealth through his political agenda for tax cuts, regulatory reforms, and focus on energy prices and production. All of those things are wealth-generators to Americans who'd rather have that even over an undoubtedly wonderful visit to Mar-a-Lago. Democrats can't offer any of that because they're out of ideas. Class warfare has spent itself out. The swamp and the Deep State have asserted themselves as mostly Democrat-led operations. The Democrats have no message other than hating Trump and throwing street tantrums. And now their biggest asset, their party standard-bearer, their leader, their point of pride, has thrown in the towel, scrapped his plans for mentoring inner-city youths and looking after daughter Sasha's education, and gone for the life of a rich wastrel, mooching off other people's money and living the good life. In short, he's a sellout. It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of socialists intent on picking everyone's pocket. Word is out. And they've got a tough row to hoe now, with Obama living the diamond life as they slog through to rebuild their brand name with voters. Democrats in the Illinois House have introduced a budget outline as the clock ticks toward fiscal Armageddon for the state. The Dem budget left out just one tiny detail: they didn't include any specific proposals to pay for their $36.5-billion plan. But the Democratic legislature is expected to vote today on proposals by Republican governor Bruce Rauner that he insists must be passed before he entertains any plans by the Democrats. They include pension and unemployment compensation reform and property tax relief. State Journal Register: The House Democratic spending proposal falls between the $36 billion budget outlined by Republicans and the $37.3 billion version passed by Senate Democrats but not taken up in the House. It is substantially less than the estimated $39 billion the state is spending now without a budget because of court orders and automatic payments required by law. "I'm not saying that this is perfect," Madigan said. "I think it goes a long way toward giving the state of Illinois a real solid spending plan that responds to the real needs of the state." Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, said the goal was to take into consideration ideas from the Senate Democrats, as well as Republicans, and "to accommodate requests by the governor." That meant, he said, living within the $37.3 billion spending limits Rauner had in his budget proposal. The House Democratic plan calls for a 5 percent cut in state agency operations along with a 5 percent cut to higher education. The Republican plan cut higher education by 10 percent. Harris said there are no new programs in the House Democratic budget. The plan will also allocate $1.85 billion to fully cover estimated state employee health insurance claims for the upcoming year. Unpaid claims from previous years would be addressed when a decision is made about dealing with a bill backlog surpassing $15 billion. The House Democrats' plan fully funds pension and debt service payments. K-12 education would get a $350 million increase that would be funneled through a revamped school aid formula that Madigan wants Rauner to sign and that Rauner has said he will veto. The plan would allocate another $65 million in additional money for school transportation reimbursements. Harris said the House Democratic budget includes full funding for the Community Care Program that helps seniors stay in their homes and authorizes continued spending on road and other state construction projects that are in danger of shutting down if a budget isn't approved by Friday. Harris would not discuss specifics of a tax hike to help balance the budget outside of saying it will "live within the confines of the Senate numbers." The Senate approved a $5.4 billion tax package, including a 35 percent increase in the personal income tax. Rauner wants that tax hike limited to four years. The Senate plan makes it permanent. The Democrat budget does nothing to address the structural deficiencies that have placed the state in such dire fiscal straits. Even if there had been a budget agreement the last two years, the state's fiscal situation would have continued to worsen, albeit less drastically than lawmakers find today. No matter how Democrats and Republicans crunch the numbers, the bottom line is that there isn't enough cash to pay for the state's obligations, much less discretionary spending on roads and schools. With the two sides still far apart, talk is increasing that a federal bailout of the state will be necessary to avoid disaster. Ike Brannon of the Weekly Standard shows why that would be a horrible idea, using the example of the Puerto Rican bankruptcy: Puerto Rico's constitution explicitly declares that its general-obligation bondholders are to be paid ahead of all other obligations. This seemingly iron-clad promise was one reason why it could borrow money for so long at such low rates despite its deteriorating fiscal health. However, more than $2 billion in annual interest payments 80 percent of what's due in 2017 will now be forgone for at least the next five years, constitution be damned. Illinois' constitution does not have such a promise to its bondholders, presumably because there is no mechanism for a state to default on its bonds, and none has done so since the Depression. However, Illinois' constitution does expressly prohibit the state from impairing promised benefits to either current or future pensioners. If the federal government were to intervene in an Illinois budget crisis, it's likely that its bondholders will take a hit, but it is also likely that its rigid state pension protections and prohibition of progressive taxation would be on the table as well both of which the state constitution expressly protects. Such a scenario may not be too far away: The next recession-cum-stock market correction will cause the state's tax revenues as well as its pension fund value to fall precipitously, the latter probably to a point where no achievable rate of return on the remaining pension funds could achieve solvency. Such a development could make it impossible for the state to borrow money at any rate, and the federal government would be forced to intervene. Should that occur, it's a safe bet that everyone will share in the pain taxpayers, bondholders, and public pensioners alike. The best case for current and former state workers in such a scenario would be the pension reform bill invalidated by the State Supreme Court in 2015, which ended automatic cost of living increases, increased the retirement age and changed the determination of a worker's final salary for determining pension benefits. But it is easy to see pension adjustments going much further perhaps via an ex post reduction of benefits of those who spiked their final salaries to boost pensions or a diminution of benefits for those with two or more state pensions. And once the feds jettison the prohibition on progressive tax rates, Illinois will doubtless come to resemble New Jersey, with top marginal income tax rates approaching 10 percent. The constitutional quirk that prevents any fiddling with the pension system for government employees will doom Illinois to insolvency unless it can be overcome. Governor Rauner has tried several times to address the problem, but the courts have struck his proposals down. In effect, the public employee unions have the state over a barrel and will fight tooth and nail to prevent pension reform even if there is a fiscal calamity. If there is, the unions will be comforted by the fact that their pensions will get top priority. Congress won't touch a bailout without clear evidence that there is no other way to solve the crisis. Since the impasse between the two parties is man-made, that is not likely to happen. The state would have to exhaust all avenues to fix their own problems before the federal government would even entertain proposals for a bailout. The Democratic budget proposal is not serious because it doesn't include any way to pay for it. It is a political document designed to take pressure off Democratic lawmakers and place it on the shoulders of the governor. Until both sides cut out the posturing and get serious, nothing will be done to avert disaster. How is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a spirited fighter all her life, going to react to the letter from 58 House Republicans who called for her recusal on the forthcoming travel ban case because of her public disparagement of President Trump during the campaign? Normally, all three branches of the federal government jealously protect their powers from encroachments by the other two. And Supreme Court justices are exempt from the rules of judicial conduct that would force a lesser judge in Ginsburg's position to recuse herself. So it is quite possible for Justice Ginsburg to ignore the letter or dismiss it if she wishes. Tell the Republicans of The People's House to go pound sand. But what then? Though I have never met her and don't consider myself a student of her work, I have to believe that she cares about her place in history. Her career as an ACLU lawyer demonstrates that from early on she was interested in making an impact on the law and society and going down in history as a heroine. That was more important than the financial rewards of other legal careers. Justice Ginsburg should prepare herself for deep controversy and acrimony for the rest of her judicial career if she does not recuse herself from cases involving President Trump. She knows she made a big mistake: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Thursday that she should not have publicly criticized presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and that she would be more "circumspect" in the future to avoid commenting on partisan politics. The senior member of the Supreme Court's liberal wing had criticized Trump in three separate media interviews since last week, calling him a "faker" and saying she feared for the country and the Supreme Court if he were elected. Those comments unprecedented in modern Supreme Court custom brought criticism and questions over ethics even from usual allies, who said Supreme Court justices should not insert themselves into the elections. The judicial ethics code that binds lower-court judges but not Supreme Court justices forbids judges from endorsing or speaking about candidates. In a statement issued Thursday by the court's public information office, Ginsburg seemed to agree with the criticism, although she did not offer an apology to Trump, who had demanded one. Ginsburg is in violation of the federal judiciary ethics code if she sits on cases involving President Trump. Because she is exempt, she can flout the ethics standards of her own branch of government, but she will go down in history for doing so. Any decision on a case involving President Trump in which she provides the decisive vote will be widely castigated as illegitimate because of her bias. It will still hold as valid, but the prestige and power of the Court itself starts diminish in some eyes. And that becomes the responsibility of the chief justice of the United States, John Roberts. Sooner or later, the chief justice will have to talk to the associate justice about this. His ultimate leverage would be to go public with an admonition for her to recuse herself to uphold the integrity of the Court itself. And Justice Ginsburg would find herself working in a very different atmosphere among her colleagues, who would have to be worried about the torrent of criticism on Court decisions as illegitimate. It is a problem that won't go away as long as Ginsburg is on the bench. But she could make it go away by retiring. That could ensure her place in history as a justice who rose above ideological concerns and did the ethical thing to preserve the dignity of the Supreme Court of the United States, and by extension the legal system. One label or the other ethics-challenged partisan or exemplar of judicial ethics will be what she is best known for unto the ages. She can ponder that while working in her marble temple. After a cordial and productive meeting on the need to team up and fight terrorism, President Trump was in for a surprise from visiting Prime Minister Narenda Modi of India: a great big bear hug. Not since Hugo Chavez hugged the leader of every rogue state out there and danced around like a goat have we seen a display like that. Trump having admitted he's a bit germophobic, it's probably startling for him though you can see he's being the diplomat in the video. According to Mashable, Modi does it all the time. Bear hugs are a part of his identity, and he loves to give them. Mashable has a photo spread of all the bear hugs the ursine prime minister has delivered. The sentiment seemed to be sincere. Relations are warming with India after President Obama largely ignored the Indians and shut them out. India is one country whose nationals seem to like Trump more than most places, and Trump carried the Indian-American vote here in the States. Indians can't stand terrorists, and neither can Americans. Both Trump and Modi are outsiders from the business-as-usual world. The increased cooperation from this meeting can only be a good thing. An analyst from India's NDTV said it was certainly good news for India. The telling thing is that the Chinese aren't looking too happily on this. In fact, they are downright paranoid: Beijing: Any attempt by India to become US ally to counter China will not be in its interests and could even lead to "catastrophic results", a state-run Chinese daily said as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had their first meeting. "Washington and New Delhi share anxieties about China's rise. In recent years, to ratchet up geopolitical pressure on China, the US has cosied up to India," an article in the Global Times said. Underlining that India is not a US ally like Japan or Australia, it said, "To assume a role as an outpost country in the US' strategy to contain China is not in line with India's interests. It could even lead to catastrophic results." They think it is all about themselves, despite President Trump's extraordinary hospitality to China's leaders. Sometimes, a bear hug is just a bear hug. But it's nice to see the added leverage President Trump now has with the world's troublemakers now that word is out that India's prime minister gave him that famous bear hug. Stand by for some of the most amazing document discovery and depositions ever, as Sarah Palin yesterday filed a complaint alleging that the New York Times libeled her in this editorial. According to the complaint, the editorial: ... falsely stated as a matter of fact to millions of people that Mrs. Palin incited Jared Loughner's January 8, 2011 shooting rampage at a political event in Tucson, Arizona, during which he shot nineteen people, severely wounding US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and killing six, including US District Court Chief Judge John Roll and a nine year old girl. There doesn't seem to be any factual question that the Times was incorrect. The Times posted online this correction: An editorial on Thursday about the shooting of Representative Steve Scalise incorrectly stated that a link existed between political rhetoric and the 2011 shooting of Representative Gabby Giffords. In fact, no such link was established. The editorial also incorrectly described a map distributed by a political action committee before that shooting. It depicted electoral districts, not individual Democratic lawmakers, beneath stylized cross hairs. Sarah Palin is not accepting this as adequate: Palin's lawyers told Deadline that the NYT "repeatedly failed to meaningfully retract or correct its column and apologize to Mrs. Palin for publishing it." "On November 13, 2016, The Times pledged to rededicate itself to reporting facts honestly and holding power to account," Palin's attorneys Preston Ricardo, Ken Tukel and Shane Vogt told Deadline this evening. "Despite recognizing that its statements about Mrs. Palin in the June 14, 2017 column 'America's Lethal Politics' are not true, The Times repeatedly failed to meaningfully retract or correct its column and apologize to Mrs. Palin for publishing it. Rather, The Times issued a statement affirming that its 'error doesn't undercut or weaken the argument of the piece.' " "As set forth in her Complaint, Mrs. Palin seeks to hold The Times to its November 13, 2016, pledge, and to face both journalistic and financial accountability for the false statements that it published about Mrs. Palin," the attorneys said. The Times promises a vigorous defense and is not commenting on the complaint: In a statement, a spokeswoman for The Times said, "We have not reviewed the claim yet but will defend against any claim vigorously." My guess is that as a public figure, Mrs. Palin will have a difficult time winning her case. But that is not the point of the exercise. In seeking to prove "actual malice," the standard for winning a libel case for a public figure, her lawyers likely are entitled to broad discovery rights, including depositions for the members of the editorial board and records of inter-office communications. At least that is my layman's view of a process I have seen a few times in real life. Discovery can be a real pain. I've given a few depositions in my day, and I always enjoyed the combat with the other side's lawyers. Ironically, the legal provision that makes it difficult for public figures to win a libel case also opens up broad avenues of discovery for the Palin legal team in order to find evidence of "actual malice." How about subpoenaing all internal communications at the Times that mention Sarah Palin? How likely do you think it would be for people reviewing instant messages, text messages, emails, and other such records to turn up evidence of "actual malice" and even outright hatred for Sarah Palin amongst the Times tribe? It would not surprise me if there were plenty of willing volunteers who would help the legal team pore through a large volume of subpoenaed records. I can hardly wait for the editorial boarders to be asked how they knew the false information, and whether or not they had read their own paper's accounts of the shooting, which contradicted their editorial. There are no good answers to these questions. A skilled lawyer can press them hard, and you never know what will come out. No doubt, the Times will seek to have the case dismissed. If it doesn't find a sympathetic judge to do so, the discovery process could be a nightmare for the Gray Lady. Often, depositions are videotaped, promising further potential embarrassment if the case goes to trial. I wonder if there is enough money in the world to make the case go away, should the Palin legal team elicit some truly damaging information about the Times. I don't think Sarah Palin is in it for the money, or at least for the money alone. The New York Times has a lot more at stake than just some accounting entries. The inner workings of its editorial process could be opened up for scrutiny, and based on their recent output, it won't be pretty. As we've discussed before, the Mexican cartels are ruthless and very good at making money. We may see "illegal drugs" as a threat to our youth, and it is. Mexico may see it as a threat to its sovereignty, and the chaos on the border confirms it. The Mexican cartels see it as a business, and they will do whatever it takes to gain market share. We learned today that Mexican cartels are using Argentina to do business. This is a report from Strategy Page: Call it the Southern Route. Argentine police believe a Mexican drug cartel is shipping cocaine through Argentina and shipping a lot of it. Police seized two metric tons of cocaine in the port of Bahia Blanca on June 19. The cocaine was hidden in steel coils in an effort to deceive customs and police electronic scanners. The big cache had a street value of at least $60 million. In the same anti-smuggling operation, Argentine security forces seized another half-ton of cocaine in in Mendoza province, near the border with Chile. And that indicates the new shipping route. Police say the usual route for drug smuggling in Argentina is Bolivia or Paraguay, not Chile, but Argentina's borders with Bolivia and Paraguay are heavily patrolled. Since the major territorial disputes between Argentina and Chile have been resolved their mutual border is more open. The cocaine route begins in Peru. The drugs may still transit Bolivia on the way to Chile. From Chile smugglers enter Argentina's Mendoza province and move the cocaine to an Argentine seaport for shipment. Police believe cocaine from the two metric tons discovered in Bahia Blanca had two destinations: Canada and Spain. Why do authorities suspect a Mexican cartel is involved? Police and security forces arrested 17 people in the anti-smuggling operation, and four of them were Mexican citizens from Michoacan state. Several major cartels have a significant presence in Michoacan state. Again, no one ever said that these guys are stupid. Ruthless, yes stupid, no way! The article mentions Canada. I find this very interesting. I'm sure that there is a market share north of the border, but there may be something else at work here. How about flooding the U.S. market from Canada? Are the cartels already calculating that President Trump will build the wall or protect the border with more vigor? Time will tell where all of this goes. The cartels are in this to make money, and they will do whatever it takes to reach their consumers. Unfortunately, too many of those consumers live in the U.S. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) (YouTube) and follow me on Twitter. The Trump administration EPA announced that they will rescind one of the biggest power-grabs by a federal agency in U.S. history. In 2015, the Obama EPA finalized a rule that would have brought almost all "navigable" waters in the U.S. under federal government control. The "Waters of the U.S." rule targeted creeks, streams, and inland rivers even if they were on private property. The rule would have given the EPA jurisdiction not only over the water, but over much of the surrounding land as well. But one of the first acts of the Trump administration was to order a review of the rule with the intent of repealing it. The Hill: "The final WOTUS rule issued by the last administration was unworkable, a fact acknowledged by courts around the country, and amounted to a massive grab of regulatory authority by an EPA that was overreaching," said Bill Kovacs, vice president for environment and regulatory policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "We look forward to working with Administrator Pruitt and his team to craft a rule that protects public health and the environment, while giving clarity and certainty to our nation's farmers and job creators," he said. "Today marks the beginning of restoring private property rights while protecting our environment," said Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). "Out of state D.C. bureaucrats shouldn't impose regulations that hurt Montana farmers, ranchers and landowners." The EPA will publish the proposal in the Federal Register within days, at which point the agency will start accepting comments from the public. After considering the comments and making any necessary changes, the agency can make the repeal final. The WOTUS rule is spectacular overreach. It massively interferes with agriculture, not to mention overturning the entire concept of private property. The gains in drinking water cleanliness are minuscule at the cost of a blizzard of paperwork for businesses and farmers. The Obama EPA sought to use the Clean Water Act for purposes it was not remotely intended to address. It was a power-grab by the EPA that weakens private property rights while exercising stifling regulatory control. While it won't receive a lot of publicity, rescinding this rule represents one of the biggest roll-backs of federal power in history. The dream of greens is that eventually, the EPA will exercise control over every inch of land, every drop of water in the U.S. a nightmare scenario that was well on its way to becoming reality until the Trump EPA stepped in. A stolen police helicopter dropped grenades on government buildings in Caracas, including the Supreme Court, as the crisis in Venezuela deepened overnight. But some members of the opposition to the government of President Nicolas Maduro claim that the attack was staged by the government to justify a crackdown on protesters, who have filled the streets of Venezuela's cities the last three months, demonstrating against the lack of food and medicine in the country. NBC News: President Nicolas Maduro blamed the air assault on a rogue police pilot named Oscar Perez, who allegedly escaped the scene and was being hunted by authorities. No one was injured. "Sooner rather than later, we are going to capture the helicopter and those behind this armed terrorist attack against the institutions of the country," Maduro said, according to The Associated Press. "They could have caused dozens of deaths." However, some of Maduro's opponents claimed the episode might have been staged to justify the government's repression of its critics. Opponents accuse the president of being a dictator and of pushing through various measures to consolidate power into his own hands. It was impossible to immediately verify either side's claims surrounding Tuesday's chaotic events. The government said the helicopter fired 15 shots against the Interior Ministry headquarters during a reception celebrating national journalist's day, the AP reported. According to this account, the chopper then flew to the pro-government Supreme Court and fired four grenades. Inside the court, magistrates were issuing a number of rulings further hemming in Venezuela's opposition. Around the same time of the attack, a man identified as Oscar Perez, the police pilot, posted several videos to his Instagram account saying he represented a coalition of military, police and civilian officials opposed to the "criminal" government. Flanked by four people wearing camouflage jackets, helmets, ski masks and holding what appeared to be assault rifles, he said "this fight is ... against the vile government. Against tyranny," according to a Reuters translation. Pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner also appeared on social media. Local media also linked Perez to 2015 action film "Suspended Death" which he co-produced and starred in as an intelligence agent rescuing a kidnapped businessman, Reuters reported. The incident capped a chaotic 24 hours for Venezuela, with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and punch-ups between national guardsmen and opposition lawmakers who were trying to enter the National Assembly earlier Tuesday. The protests demonstrate Maduro's unpopularity but are hardly a threat to his control. The army is still solidly behind him despite claims by the "rebels." And the police don't have the firepower to go up against the army. Maduro purged the officer corps in the army over the last few years, leaving only die-hard loyalists in positions of power. It is unlikely that senior officers would join an organized revolt against the government. But the helicopter incident, despite the Rambo-like efforts of policeman-turned-actor Oscar Lopez, highlights the seriousness of Maduro's position. Such incidents have been known to inspire other acts of rebellion in Latin America. With the people starving to death and hospitals out of medicine, more serious threats involving junior officers and their troops may be on the horizon. (ANSA) - Rome, June 28 - The rector of the University of Siegen, Holger Burkhart, told ANSA in an interview that nobody should be excluded from higher education based on the lack of resources and that Germany's dual education system offers excellent employment opportunities. The rector was speaking ahead of the event "G7 University - University education for all. Actions for a sustainable future", scheduled to take place in the northern city of Udine on June 29-30. Over 150 deans, lecturers and students from the G7 countries are expected to take part in the initiative, which is part of the Italian festival of knowledge - 'Conoscenza in Festa'. Q: The motto of the summit of rectors is "university for all" but the German model shows that academic education is not indispensable to access the labor market. What do you think about this slogan? A: I see it as a call to those with responsibility, in politics, to ensure that higher education is accessible to all those who have an interest and the necessary requirements for successful studies. Nobody should be excluded based on their provenance or the lack of economic resources. On the other hand, a society and an economy do not benefit from the fact that the great majority of a generation opts for a higher education school. Germany's dual education system actually offers excellent employment prospects for the young. It is an indisputable fact in all advanced economies that the phase of education and that of employment are not consecutive, as in the past, but increasingly cross. Those offering academic training and employment training need to improve the passage from academic to job training. And this means developing and agreeing on new training offers built for this purpose. Q: Today we are witnessing with anxiety the growth of anti-European populism in the EU. The Erasmus program is said to have produced a generation of young Europeans. Do you think this is true? Can university build Europe? A: I believe this statement is true. A study on the impact of Erasmus in 2014 showed that Erasmus alumni were clearly more mobile: 40% of Erasmus students had moved to another country one year after the end of their studies, compared to 23% of those who had not moved as students; 93% of Erasmus students can imagine living in another country while only 73% of those who never left their (country) answered in this way. One-third of Erasmus students has a partner of another nationality, this concerns only 13% of the other group. It is therefore truly possible to talk about an Erasmus generation for whom Europe is a reality they have experienced. This groups shows that it is particularly open to the concept of Europe and decidedly goes against isolationist movements, like Brexit and populist currents, like in Poland and Hungary. Q: Italian university is suffering from the lack of adequate resources for research and the brain drain is a well-known phenomenon. How is the situation in Germany? A: The Italian research system and research politics in Italy in my opinion are faced with the challenge of having to boost the attractiveness of the Italian national system, of offering career paths and giving more incentives to make a career as researcher possible in Italy. An indicator is that Italian scientists are successful in the European Research Council yet mainly take their grants in other European universities. In Germany as well, the migration toll on ERC grants is negative. However, it is still possible overall to talk about "brain circulation" since many scientists who emigrate for a period subsequently come back here if they receive attractive offers. With the excellent initiative of the prize Alexander von Humboldt, Germany can make such offers. Moreover, spending on research in Germany is continuing to grow and has reached 3% of GDP; 1% of these resources comes from the state. In this way, the overall research system, funded with public and private resources, grows more attractive. (ANSA) - Rome, June 28 - Italy took a formal step to protest the migrant emergency with Brussels Wednesday and said that foreign ships may be stopped from docking in Italian ports unless the situation improves. With over 12,000 migrants landing in the last 48 hours, Rome said the situation, with its impact on social and political life, was "unsustainable" and "at the limit". Italy is taking a formal step with the European Commission in relation to the large numbers of asylum seekers landing on its shores, ANSA sources said. Over 10,000 asylum seekers arrived in Italy from Saturday to Tuesday and some 12,000 have arrived in the last 48 hours. The government gave its ambassador to the EU, Maurizio Massari, a mandate to formally raise the issue with European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, the sources said. Massari went on to tell Avramopoulos that the situation regarding asylum seekers landing in Italy was at the limit, diplomatic sources said. Massari said the situation was having an impact on the country's social and political life and, as a result, it would be difficult to allow new arrivals, the sources said. Avramopoulos, who said the EC was ready to "substantially" boost resources to Italy, went on to tell ANSA that "Italy is right in saying that the (migrant) situation on the central Mediterranean route is unsustainable". He said he had met with Italy's EU envoy to "see how to improve the support to the country". Avramopoulos said "we have the obligation to save lives" but "we cannot leave a handful of countries to face this." He said the situation would be discussed at an informal EU interior ministers' meeting next week in Tallin. Avramopoulos also said States should now bolster their work on the migrant front with Libya and should show more solidarity with Italy. European Commission spokesperson Natasha Beraud told ANSA "beyond the EU operations, which are not in question, the question of the (migrant) landings is regulated by international law." She said the EC "however, deems opportune that any change in policies must first be discussed and communicated in the proper way, so as to give the NGOs the chance to prepare". She said Brussels "will help to inform the discussion and is ready to give indications for the landings". Rome's message to the Commission, sources said, is that Italy is facing a serious situation and Europe cannot look the other way. It is unsustainable, Italian diplomatic sources said, that all rescue ships should land in Italy. If the situation does not change, they said, Italy may be forced to deny permission to dock to non-Italian-flagged ships or ones that are not part of European missions. The Italian government is in fact mulling whether to deny docking privileges in Italian ports to ships rescuing migrants off Libya that are flying non-Italian flags, government sources said. They reiterated it was now "unsustainable" that all the vessels operating in the Mediterranean should bring rescued asylum seekers to Italy. Italy, the sources said, will continue to save human lives at sea as it has always done over recent years, but it is no longer sustainable that the whole burden of migrant reception should fall on Italy. Rescues and reception cannot be separated and therefore the contribution of the EU must not be limited to sea rescues, the sources said. A possible block on Italian ports would concern ships operated by non-governmental organisations operating in the central Mediterranean, sources indicated. But it would not for the moment affect naval units inserted in the mission of Frontex, the EU border control agency, and in EUNAVFOR MED, the operation that is tasked with combatting human traffickers in the Sicilian Channel and in which 25 European nations are taking part, the sources said. Ex-premier and ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi backs the new hard line on migrants and the EU taken by Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Marco Minniti, PD sources said. The sources welcomed the formal diplomatic step on migrants taken by the government with the European Commission, noting that Renzi on Tuesday himself called the situation "unsustainable". They also pointed out that the PD leader's positions on Italy getting more help in coping with the migrant emergency were "well-known". In Ottawa, President Sergio Mattarella said "if the phenomenon of (migrant) flows continued with these numbers the situation would become unmanageable even for a great and open country likes ours". Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mattarella said it was "an epochal phenomenon that cannot be cancelled by putting up walls but must be governed with seriousness". Mattarella added that migratory phenomena "must be governed while at the same time ensuring the security of citizens". (ANSA) - Rome, June 28 - Italy took a formal step to protest the migrant emergency with Brussels Wednesday and said that foreign ships may be stopped from docking in Italian ports unless the situation improves. With over 12,000 migrants landing in the last 48 hours, Rome said the situation, with its impact on social and political life, was "unsustainable" and "at the limit". Italy is taking a formal step with the European Commission in relation to the large numbers of asylum seekers landing on its shores, ANSA sources said. Over 10,000 asylum seekers arrived in Italy from Saturday to Tuesday and some 12,000 have arrived in the last 48 hours. The government gave its ambassador to the EU, Maurizio Massari, a mandate to formally raise the issue with European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, the sources said. Massari went on to tell Avramopoulos that the situation regarding asylum seekers landing in Italy was at the limit, diplomatic sources said. Massari said the situation was having an impact on the country's social and political life and, as a result, it would be difficult to allow new arrivals, the sources said. Avramopoulos, who said the EC was ready to "substantially" boost resources to Italy, went on to tell ANSA that "Italy is right in saying that the (migrant) situation on the central Mediterranean route is unsustainable". He said he had met with Italy's EU envoy to "see how to improve the support to the country". Avramopoulos said "we have the obligation to save lives" but "we cannot leave a handful of countries to face this." He said the situation would be discussed at an informal EU interior ministers' meeting next week in Tallin. Avramopoulos also said States should now bolster their work on the migrant front with Libya and should show more solidarity with Italy. European Commission spokesperson Natasha Beraud told ANSA "beyond the EU operations, which are not in question, the question of the (migrant) landings is regulated by international law." She said the EC "however, deems opportune that any change in policies must first be discussed and communicated in the proper way, so as to give the NGOs the chance to prepare". She said Brussels "will help to inform the discussion and is ready to give indications for the landings". Rome's message to the Commission, sources said, is that Italy is facing a serious situation and Europe cannot look the other way. It is unsustainable, Italian diplomatic sources said, that all rescue ships should land in Italy. If the situation does not change, they said, Italy may be forced to deny permission to dock to non-Italian-flagged ships or ones that are not part of European missions. The Italian government is in fact mulling whether to deny docking privileges in Italian ports to ships rescuing migrants off Libya that are flying non-Italian flags, government sources said. They reiterated it was now "unsustainable" that all the vessels operating in the Mediterranean should bring rescued asylum seekers to Italy. Italy, the sources said, will continue to save human lives at sea as it has always done over recent years, but it is no longer sustainable that the whole burden of migrant reception should fall on Italy. Rescues and reception cannot be separated and therefore the contribution of the EU must not be limited to sea rescues, the sources said. A possible block on Italian ports would concern ships operated by non-governmental organisations operating in the central Mediterranean, sources indicated. But it would not for the moment affect naval units inserted in the mission of Frontex, the EU border control agency, and in EUNAVFOR MED, the operation that is tasked with combatting human traffickers in the Sicilian Channel and in which 25 European nations are taking part, the sources said. Ex-premier and ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi backs the new hard line on migrants and the EU taken by Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Marco Minniti, PD sources said. The sources welcomed the formal diplomatic step on migrants taken by the government with the European Commission, noting that Renzi on Tuesday himself called the situation "unsustainable". They also pointed out that the PD leader's positions on Italy getting more help in coping with the migrant emergency were "well-known". In Ottawa, President Sergio Mattarella said "if the phenomenon of (migrant) flows continued with these numbers the situation would become unmanageable even for a great and open country likes ours". Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mattarella said it was "an epochal phenomenon that cannot be cancelled by putting up walls but must be governed with seriousness". Mattarella added that migratory phenomena "must be governed while at the same time ensuring the security of citizens". European countries must "stop turning the other way" on the migrant emergency "because that is no longer sustainable," Premier Gentiloni said. "In these hours," he said, "we are grappling with the difficult management of migratory flows. "We can speak about solutions and concerns but I want to recall that it is a whole country that is mobilising to manage this emergency, to govern the flows, to combat traffickers". He said "it isn't to blow on the embers but to ask Europe, and some European countries, to stop turning away". European Parliament President Antonio Tajani told ANSA on the phone that "a cry of alarm has come from Italy (on migrants), an SOS, not a request for money: we can't leave it on its own". He said "I have spoken with (European Commission President Jean-Claude) Juncker, a positive talk in which he reiterated that the EU cannot turn its back on Italy." Tajani added: "After the closure of the Balkan Route, it is indispensable to also close the central Mediterranean one, we can't have any more delays in solving the problem". Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said that "people saved at sea should be moved to the nearest landing port in which their necessities and vulnerabilities can find a swift response". Commenting on the idea of closing Italian ports to foreign migrant rescue ships, MSF recalled that it has been calling for more support from the EU for some time for rescue ops, in which "all the States should take part". The NGO said "you have to distinguish between lifesaving rescue operations at sea and subsequent reception activities: on the former, our main concern remains to provide an adequate humanitarian response to those who need to be saved". As for the possibility of denying landing in Italian ports to ships saving migrants off Libya flying a different flag from the Italian one, MSF said: "We still don't have detailed information on this proposal from the Italian government to the European Commission. "We learned of it via the media. "MSF has been asking the European Union for three years for stronger support for search and rescue (SAR) operations and the creation of an SAR system which States can participate in". (ANSA) - Rome, June 28 - Italy took a formal step to protest the migrant emergency with Brussels Wednesday and said that foreign ships may be stopped from docking in Italian ports unless the situation improves. With over 12,000 migrants landing in the last 48 hours, Rome said the situation, with its impact on social and political life, was "unsustainable" and "at the limit". Italy is taking a formal step with the European Commission in relation to the large numbers of asylum seekers landing on its shores, ANSA sources said. Over 10,000 asylum seekers arrived in Italy from Saturday to Tuesday and some 12,000 have arrived in the last 48 hours. The government gave its ambassador to the EU, Maurizio Massari, a mandate to formally raise the issue with European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, the sources said. Massari went on to tell Avramopoulos that the situation regarding asylum seekers landing in Italy was at the limit, diplomatic sources said. Massari said the situation was having an impact on the country's social and political life and, as a result, it would be difficult to allow new arrivals, the sources said. Avramopoulos went on to tell ANSA that "Italy is right in saying that the (migrant) situation on the central Mediterranean route is unsustainable". He said he had met with Italy's EU envoy to "see how to improve the support to the country". Avramopoulos said "we have the obligation to save lives" but "we cannot leave a handful of countries to face this." He said the situation would be discussed at an informal EU interior ministers' meeting next week in Tallin. Rome's message to the Commission is that Italy is facing a serious situation and Europe cannot look the other way. It is unsustainable, Italian diplomatic sources said, that all rescue ships should land in Italy. If the situation does not change, they said, Italy may be forced to deny permission to dock to non-Italian-flagged ships or ones that are not part of European missions. The Italian government is in fact mulling whether to deny docking privileges in Italian ports to ships rescuing migrants off Libya that are flying non-Italian flags, government sources said. They reiterated it was now "unsustainable" that all the vessels operating in the Mediterranean should bring rescued asylum seekers to Italy. Italy, the sources said, will continue to save human lives at sea as it has always done over recent years, but it is no longer sustainable that the whole burden of migrant reception should fall on Italy. Rescues and reception cannot be separated and therefore the contribution of the EU must not be limited to sea rescues, the sources said. A possible block on Italian ports would concern ships operated by non-governmental organisations operating in the central Mediterranean, sources indicated. But it would not for the moment affect naval units inserted in the mission of Frontex, the EU border control agency, and in EUNAVFOR MED, the operation that is tasked with combatting human traffickers in the Sicilian Channel and in which 25 European nations are taking part, the sources said. Ex-premier and ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi backs the new hard line on migrants and the EU taken by Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Marco Minniti, PD sources said. The sources welcomed the formal diplomatic step on migrants taken by the government with the European Commission, noting that Renzi on Tuesday himself called the situation "unsustainable". They also pointed out that the PD leader's positions on Italy getting more help in coping with the migrant emergency were "well-known". ROME - International terrorism, the challenges of a Europe facing an identity crisis, the face of Islam in Italy and the most volatile contexts in the Middle East are among issues that will be at the center of this year's Agora del Mediterraneo event running from June 30 through July 2 in Barzio (Lecco). After the inauguration in the evening of Friday June 30, with the film by French-Tunisian director Ramzi Ben Sliman Ma Revolution, Saturday morning will start with a discussion focusing on ''Europe, 60 years later. A perspective from the south''. At the center of the debate - led by ISPI researcher Gaia Taffoni, Greek journalist Dimitri Deliolanes and European MP, Elly Schlein - will be the possible contribution of Mediterranean culture to the elaboration of a new identity for the old continent. Group discussions on specific themes will be held in the afternoon. Of great interest will be one to hear the voice of some Turkish citizens connected to the Hizmet movement funded by Fethullah Gulen, who fled repression and will talk about life in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A group will focus on the genesis and reasons behind the growth of ISIS with the contribution of journalist Fulvio Scaglione while operators and investment experts in the Euro-Mediterranean area will discuss business perspectives in a Mediterranean that is increasingly a hostage of instability. The round table that is open to the public this year intends to open a window on Islam in Italy. Participants from different backgrounds will discuss the issue: the president of Ucoii - the Union of Islamic communities of Italy, Izzedin Elzir, the young Italian-Moroccan writer, Chaimaa Fatihi and intellectual Wael Farouq, an Arab language and culture professor at the Catholic University in Milan. An evening to listen to Mediterranean music and savor local cuisine will follow with a dinner organized by Arab culture and cuisine expert Joan Rundo and a concert by the Demetrios duo with Greek folk music. Sunday, July 2, will open with friar minor Ibrahim Alsabagh, the Latin parish of Aleppo who will talk about daily life in war-torn Syria amid terrible violence and a small glimpse of hope. ISPI researcher Matteo Colombo will take part in the debate with the Syrian friar, along with the director of Edizioni Terra Santa Giuseppe Caffulli and Mons. Luca Bressan, episcopal vicar of Milan for culture, charity, mission and social action who will celebrate Mass together with Alsabagh. The afternoon will be dedicated to a reflection on the possible solutions to host migrants: at the center the experience of humanitarian corridors, presented by Giorgio Del Zanna of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Milan and Martina Cresta, who is in charge of Projects of the Valdensian deaconship, as well as academic exchanges. Some young Iraqis and Syrians will talk about how they went to study in Italy thanks to projects promoted by the Catholic university and the University of Studies Bicocca in Milan. The meeting, coordinated by sociologist Egidio Riva, will also discuss work carried out by NGOs - today at the center of a controversy - with a speech by Andrea Stocchiero of Concord Italia. NAPLES - This year's Napoli Teatro Festival will include a show based on the verses of Maram Al-Masri, a Syrian poet and writer. Born in 1962 in Latakia on the Mediterranean coast, she moved to Paris at age 20 and still lives there. The show, entitled 'Anime Scalze' ('Barefoot Souls') has been described as ''a journey to the present of an Orient that we know of through recent news, an archaic present seen from our latitude, the themes of which are universal: pain as well as dignity and the will to resist and live free, joy and even a sense of humor. And dreams.'' The show includes Masri's world, which she described in a recent interview as ''becoming 'the Other', speaking as an ordinary citizens that becomes extraordinary due to their feelings - this is the virtue of poetry; to transform readers into extraordinary beings''. 'Anime Scalze' will make its national debut on Thursday evening in Naples' Palazzo Cellammare and is the voice of a woman who lives amid a vague sense of pain and being closed off and who finds a way out through Maram Al-Masri's verses, in front of which she kneels down like a barefoot soul. ''This is a voice that is always on the edge of a metamorphosis: from the shadow of a character to a character in the shadows, simply the voice of a soul. Between its tale and the poetry recited, an echo effect is created that is highlighted on stage by the superimposition and mixing of female voices, at times in different languages,'' said Sara Bertela, who will be reading the verses on stage. There are the echoes of the war, broken bonds and verses that speak of a shared human condition in which there is always someone who oppresses and so little is needed for a life to end up bereft of light. But there is also love in Masri's verses as well as the desire to live. Author of love poems so short they seem fragments and recall Sappho, the Syrian poet has published about 15 collections of poems, many of which have been translated into Spanish, French, English, German, Italian, Corsican and Turkish. On June 30, Maram Al-Masri will meet with the public in Naples' Palazzo Reale. ROME - The large archaeological site Palmyra in Syria was severely damaged by the Islamic State (ISIS) but not pulverized and can be almost entirely rebuilt, said Paolo Matthiae. The archaeologist, a prominent international expert, said that most of the ruins can be restored using traditional methods. Speaking at the presentation of the exhibition 'I Volti di Palmira' ('The Faces of Palmyra') in Aquileia, which will run from July 2 until October 3 at the National Archaeological Museum of the Friuli city, the discoverer of Ebla said that the Syrian authorities had begun to carefully study the parts that have collapsed and that an initial analysis had shown that many of the stones can be restored. A French company was tasked with the initial assessment but Italy's Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro has restored two damaged sculptures currently at an exhibition at the Colosseum, after which they will be given back to Syrian. ''The archaeological site of Palmyra is a vast field of ruins and only 20-30% of it is seriously damaged. Unfortunately these included important parts, such as the Temple of Bel, while the Arc of Triumph can be rebuilt,'' he said. ''In any case, by using both traditional methods and advanced technologies, it might be possible to restore 98% of the site.'' Love and war in Syrian poet's verses at Naples theater Maram Al-Masri's works become drama in 'Anime Scalze' (ANSAmed) - NAPLES, JUNE 28 - This year's Napoli Teatro Festival will include a show based on the verses of Maram Al-Masri, a Syrian poet and writer. Born in 1962 in Latakia on the Mediterranean coast, she moved to Paris at age 20 and still lives there. The show, entitled 'Anime Scalze' ('Barefoot Souls') has been described as ''a journey to the present of an Orient that we know of through recent news, an archaic present seen from our latitude, the themes of which are universal: pain as well as dignity and the will to resist and live free, joy and even a sense of humor. And dreams.'' The show includes Masri's world, which she described in a recent interview as ''becoming 'the Other', speaking as an ordinary citizens that becomes extraordinary due to their feelings - this is the virtue of poetry; to transform readers into extraordinary beings''. 'Anime Scalze' will make its national debut on Thursday evening in Naples' Palazzo Cellammare and is the voice of a woman who lives amid a vague sense of pain and being closed off and who finds a way out through Maram Al-Masri's verses, in front of which she kneels down like a barefoot soul. ''This is a voice that is always on the edge of a metamorphosis: from the shadow of a character to a character in the shadows, simply the voice of a soul. Between its tale and the poetry recited, an echo effect is created that is highlighted on stage by the superimposition and mixing of female voices, at times in different languages,'' said Sara Bertela, who will be reading the verses on stage. There are the echoes of the war, broken bonds and verses that speak of a shared human condition in which there is always someone who oppresses and so little is needed for a life to end up bereft of light. But there is also love in Masri's verses as well as the desire to live. Author of love poems so short they seem fragments and recall Sappho, the Syrian poet has published about 15 collections of poems, many of which have been translated into Spanish, French, English, German, Italian, Corsican and Turkish. On June 30, Maram Al-Masri will meet with the public in Naples' Palazzo Reale. (ANSAmed). - TIRANA - Vote counting has ended following national elections in Albania last Sunday with a clear win that has reconfirmed the government of Socialist Premier Edi Rama for a second mandate. His party obtained on its own control of the future majority with 48% of the vote and 70 out of 140 seats of the Albanian parliament, nine more than in previous elections in 2013. ''The people gave us a mission. And with humility we will govern with the strength of example for all and not with the example of strength against all'', Rama said at a demonstration to celebrate victory. The premier has long invested on the need to give a political turning point ''in not seeing an enemy in either one or the other. I call on opposition leaders - continued Rama - to find the strength of reason to work together more, in the best interest of citizens and steal less time from people with our political conflicts''. The Socialists are far from the Democratic Party, Pd, the main center-right opposition force led by Lulzim Basha, which garnered less than 29% of the vote with 43 seats, seven less than in the outgoing parliament. Basha has been criticized within his party following the vote. Groups of members of the party's leadership asked for his resignation while Basha has yet to comment the defeat. Other members of the future parliament, along with the Ps and Pd, will include the Lsi, the main ally of the Rama government until the eve of the vote, with 19 MPs, three more than in 2013. The Party for justice, integration and unity, Pdiu, also garnered an additional two points from the previous vote, winning three seats. Another seat went to the Social democratic party thanks to the votes obtained by one of its candidates in the district of Shkoder. ISTANBUL - Turkey is prepared to launch a new, wide-ranging military operation in northern Syria ''at the slightest threat'' to its security by Kurdish YPG fighters. The country considers the YPG to be the Syrian branch of the PKK, which is defined as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the EU. The YPG has been armed by the US in order to fight the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. The statement was made by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an interview with the Russian daily Izvestiya, picked up by local media. ''Some negative processes are currently underway in Syria,'' Erdogan said. ''If this sparks a threat to our borders, we will react as we did with Operation Euphrates Shield''. The latter was launched in August last year and declared ''successfully completed'' in March of this year. Its aims were to fight against ISIS and ward off possible advances by the YPG toward the Turkish border. If youre considering a subscription to the Disney Plus streaming service, you may be wondering how much it costs. The service is available on both Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Ali Abdullah Mohammed Al Dosari, a 13-year old autistic child who always dreamed of becoming a pilot, finally realised his dream when he was invited to experience a simulator flight, and to meet with Etihad Airways pilots, who presented him with a customised pilot uniform. The survey shows that passengers rate their journey very highly with an overall satisfaction rate of 8.2 of out 10 but this is boosted even further when technologies such as mobile services and biometrics are used. Ilya Gutlin, President, Air Travel Solutions, SITA, said: Passengers are increasingly comfortable with the use of technology in their everyday lives, and they are demanding more services as they appreciate the benefits technology can bring to their journey. Airports and airlines can take note that technology solutions can boost passenger satisfaction every step of the way. In the global air transport industry, identity checks are a vital element of the passenger journey. SITAs survey shows that technology, such as biometrics, can support security while offering a better passenger experience. Automated identity checks at passport control and boarding increases passenger satisfaction. A total of 37% of travelers surveyed by SITA used automated ID control on their last flight. Of these, 55% said they had used biometrics at departure security, 33% for boarding and 12% for international arrivals. Looking forward, 57% of passengers said they would use biometrics for their next trip. Passengers who use biometrics are highly satisfied. In fact, they rated the experience 8.4, well above the ratings for face-to-face transactions at passport check (8) and boarding (8.2), demonstrating passenger acceptance of this secure technology to deliver a seamless journey. Baggage collection is another area where technology is improving the passenger experience. Airlines and airports are helping to relieve the anxiety of waiting for bags to arrive by providing real-time information to passengers. On their last flight, more than half (58%) of passengers who checked in bags received real-time bag-collection information upon arrival. These passengers were happier than those who did not receive any information, rating their experience 8.4 out 10. Passengers are even more satisfied when they receive the information to their mobile devices. SITAs survey shows that this bumped up satisfaction levels by an extra 10%. Technology is also driving passenger satisfaction for baggage management earlier in the journey as more airlines and airports offer self-bag tagging. The use of this technology increased satisfaction to a rating of 8.4 out of 10. Nearly half (47%) of all passengers took advantage of a self-service tagging option on their most recent trip, which is a healthy increase from 31% in 2016. As more self-bag tag options are made available we can expect passenger satisfaction at this point of the journey to increase. This years survey also highlights that as passengers become more familiar using technology during travel, the more likely they are to switch to newer, more efficient platforms. They are increasingly using smarter, mobile-enabled websites to book and check-in. Airline and airport apps, meanwhile, meet passengers desire for new services to help them better manage their journey. They want personalized information about their flight, their baggage and how to find their gate directly on their mobile device. The appetite for new services using technology is high: three quarters (74%) of passengers say they would definitely use flight and gate alerts pushed to their mobile devices; 57% would use airport wayfinding; and 57% would use biometrics to smooth identification each step of the way. Gutlin said: Passengers arent deciding anymore whether they should use technology but which technology to use. They want to make each step of the journey as easy as possible. Tech adoption will be driven by both context and usability. For this reason, a clear focus on the end-users demands should shape the services airlines and airports offer." Electronic systems giant Thales estimates that, worldwide, around two-thirds of all flights have some sort of involvement with the company through its navigational, communication and air traffic control (ATC) products. It has a team based in the UAE; its primary presence is in Abu Dhabi and it sees good prospects for business in the area in the coming years. One major trend over the past decade, according to Todd Donovan, Thales vice-president strategy & marketing air traffic management (ATM), has been the very rapid growth in air travel in the Middle East, with airlines using their hubs to connect Europe, Africa and Asia. Something like 80% of the worlds population is within flying distance of the Middle East, he said. Speaking at a Thales briefing session in France, he noted that in the Middle East: Weve seen a huge growth in traffic and with that comes congestion. In our business, politics is as important as technology. Technology is readily available to solve many of our problems, but politics is much more complicated national sovereignty, countries that arent too friendly with each other etc. Theres been a great effort around this in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and they do seem to be progressing. I dont think its going to change overnight but I think theres a recognition that working together is the only way they can have efficient [ATM] operations. The Gulf carriers give [countries] a huge incentive. If they dont solve the problem of congestion in the Middle East it will only hurt their own economic prospects. A long-standing obstacle to the free flow of airline traffic in the Gulf has been the presence of large areas of airspace blocked off for military use. Todd said he was seeing greater cooperation between military and civilian ATM authorities in this field. One possible solution, used elsewhere in the world, is that blocks of military airspace can be made available for civilian use when they are not required for training or exercises by the military. Donovan added that there were five drivers of change for the ATM sector globally: The growth of civil aviation, mentioned above; Military ATM, which, in recent years, had increasingly been buying civilian equipment as it modernised its systems, but looked for higher capabilities in areas such as Mode 5, an encrypted equivalent of the civilian Mode S, which enables automatic collision avoidance systems; Drones, whose explosion in numbers has triggered worldwide efforts to find ways in which they can safely co-exist with manned air traffic; The trend for air navigation service providers to move from being government agencies to quasi-privatised operations; The evolution of technology and the increasing need to be aware of cyber-security, particularly as more and more systems are connected to the internet and each other. One new ATM technology being shown by Thales at its InnovDays exhibition in Paris in February was a system that extends the use of remote towers. Scandinavian countries are already using the remote towers system, where an air traffic controller handles traffic at an airfield despite being based many miles away at another airport or ATM facility. The system uses video cameras posted around the airfield; it is said to be a good solution to the problem and expense of providing ATC officers at small facilities with low traffic levels. The next stage is to train ATC officers in handling traffic at the remote airfield using a virtual reality (VR) headset, in case the on-site cameras fail. The VR headset is loaded with imagery of the airfield, with the scene moving appropriately as the ATC officer moves his head. Images of aircraft on approach or taxiing on the ground can also be injected into his headset. Lots of countries are interested in it for small or medium-sized airports with small amounts of traffic, said innovation laboratory manager Cyril Layes. You dont want to have 12 ATC officers on staff and only have 20 flights a day. One potential problem, he conceded, was that this could lead to job losses, but these would be offset by new jobs being created elsewhere by the new system. A battlefield study in France has led to a personal journey for both an Officer Cadet and Colour Sergeant from Sandhurst as they walked in the footsteps of their ancestors. There was skepticism when Dallas Museum of Art director Agustin Arteaga proposed bringing a major exhibit of Mexican masterpieces here from Paris and allowing families who were not regular museum visitors to see it for free. But the show has been a big hit, and more than half of its visitors, many of them Latino, are newcomers to the DMA. Says docent Jose Villanueva, I havent seen this many brown people in the museum before. But weirdly, they only got there after the Catholic Church banned many Aristotelian ideas as heretical. Among the ideas that Tempier condemned was a principle of Aristotelian thought that held that the first cause (or, as medieval scholars would have said, God) could not have made more than one world. NS160 comes with new graphics around the fuel tank extensions, skinnier tyres and a drum brake unit at the rear. The Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 along with some other Pulsar bikes were showcased at a dealers-only meet in Turkey last year. Now, Bajaj will soon introduce the Pulsar NS160 in India as it has already been spotted at several showrooms. Compared to the NS200, the NS160 comes with new graphics around the fuel tank extensions, skinnier tyres and a drum brake unit at the rear. The engine does look to be based on the new 150cc BS-IV motor as seen on the new Pulsar 150 though it could be only clarified after riding the motorcycle. The Pulsar NS160 gets an oil-cooled engine unlike the air cooled engines that other motorcycles get in its competition which produces 15.5PS at 8500rpm and a peak torque of 14.6Nm at 6500rpm mated to a five speed gearbox. It weighs just 150 kgs which is exactly equal to the weight of the Suzuki Gixxer. We expect the bike to be priced around Rs 85,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and will take the likes from already established bikes in the performance 150cc market like the Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ and Honda CB Hornet 160. Source: ZigWheels.com Options limited for cyber experts as the server hit by ransomware is in Denmark. Mumbai: In damage control mode after NotPetya ransomware virus hit its terminal operated by AP Moller-Maersk in Denmark, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has urgently brought in cyber experts from the Centre and the state to avoid further harm. JNPT has also made an alternative arrangement to divert container traffic from its terminal Gateway Terminals India (GTI), which was hit by the virus on Tuesday night. The terminal handles 4,500 containers per day. The state government is helpless as the virus attack has taken place at the main server of the AP Moller-Maersk company in Denmark. Terming the attack as global, Anil Diggikar, chairman of the JNPT, said the government has made alternative arrangements if needed. Its a global virus attack. The AP Moller-Maersk have their headquarters in Denmark and hence we have little to do from here. But we have made alternative arrangements to divert the cargo to other terminals, DP World and JNPTC. Our emphasis is that the import export is not affected, as the APs terminal was handling 4,500 cargo containers on a daily basis, Mr Diggikar said. The GTI terminal server is completely down, but other terminals are functioning normally, he added. The ministry of shipping said National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai was rushed to Mumbai to assist the company. The situation is being closely monitored and further steps to deal with the traffic situation will be initiated based on an assessment during the course of the next few days. Dr Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator, is proceeding to JNPT to further deal with the situation, a release said. Brijesh Singh, Maharashtra state cyber cell chief, said, The state governments departments such as customs, excise, etc., are not affected in this attack. The computers used in these departments are safe and functioning. The computers used by various firms and Maersks system, which handles the movement of ships, is affected. The state government has also asked for cyber support from Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), the national team for cyber security. The additional manpower will be helpful in finding a solution. Operations at JNPTs GTI were impacted on Tuesday night as a fallout of the global ransomware attack, which crippled some central banks and many large corporations in Europe. AP Moller-Maersk, one of the affected entities globally, operates the GTI at JNPT, which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units. The current attacks come weeks after the Wannacry ransomware attack, which affected many companies. Firms that were hit on Wednesday include Russias biggest oil company Rosneft, global advertising giant WPP Group and multiple institutions in Ukraine, including its central bank and an international airport. Ekta Kapoor's Balaji proudly presents this socially relevant yet commercially entertaining film, after it released Love, Sex Aur Dhokha. Mumbai: On Tuesday, after creating waves across social and mainstream media, the trailer of the film Lipstick Under My Burkha, finally saw the light of the day. We've heard of films being passed with 'A' certificates, but not once did we hear that a trailer too has been certified as 'A' grade. It hurts to see that an Indian film which has received appreciation and accolades on global platforms has to face endless legal hurdles to get the film released in its home country. Present at the event were producer Ekta Kapoor, director Alankrita Srivastava, Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Brothakur. Barring Ekta, everyone donned a white tee which read, "It takes balls to be a woman (with balls stroked in red)" The event began with asking Ekta about what drove her towards this film as a presenter, the TV empress said, "I saw the film with a lot of thought process that it will be substantious, arty, but then I saw this very strong and entertaining film. Prior watching this film, I never had an honest conversation with myself. We are so scared, it's now become second nature to us, being shy about our own simplest sexual fantasies. It's like it's not allowed. This film stared at me and asked as a producer you will make a financial decision, but as a woman it's time to make a decision by heart." After the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refused to clear the film, the makers approached Film Certification Tribunal (FCAT), which guaranteed its theatrical release rights with some cuts and an A certificate, mostly related to the sex scenes, at their own discretion but unavailability of a buyer compelled them to keep the film on hold. Ekta Kapoor's Balaji proudly presents this socially relevant yet commercially entertaining film, after it released Love, Sex Aur Dhokha which was bold, edgy, ahead of its times and created ripples amongst audiences across India. She further said, "This lipstick, this ungli is at the society who is asking us to repress our voice. It's not about CBFC or men. It's an ideology. There are lots of women who put their daughter-in-laws through a lot of abortions just to get a boy. It's an ideology. We are not being able to discriminate between sexual intentions and sexual crime. Morality is a personal issue. It is not at one point exploitative, the film. It speaks as it is and it stares at you in the eye. This is a film that's very close to my heart and I will do whatever it takes to make it big! " Revealing further about the tiff the film's makers and CBFC had, Ekta said, I don't have any issue with CBFC. I have a problem with society, it's a big issue that a woman has to prove herself everytime. If she is a smart woman, if she is beautiful, the poster is for the society, and if it's about ideology, it is patriarchy." Talking on the same lines actress Ratna Pathak Shah said, "I grew up in a generation where we had to fight but my mother gave me the freedom in life that nobody else got. And now I can't give it to my daughter because of the society. We all have to accept that we have a role to play men and women. It's about patriarchy. Sex is a small part of this film, important but not big. There are a lot of other issues. The controversy says that its a dirty picture. Infact who comes for this movie looking at it like that. Will be highly disappointed. Also, Konkana Sen Sharma added saying, "I think that a lot of us take for granted the kinds of struggles that women have gone through in the last 100 years. We don't know how much progress we have made in the last 100 years. This film stands by what it says and speaks very honestly about women and their inner lives. I believe that the youth will respond to the authenticity and integrity that the film follows." Featuring Konkana Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Brothakur, the film follows four small town Indian women between the ages of 18-55 - A Burkha clad college girl, a young beautician, a mother of three and an aging widow - who decided to assert their personal and sexual rights. Lipstick Under My Burkha is a new age commercial entertainer directed by Alankrita Shrivastava. It could be touted as small town India's 'sex and the city' based on four women living out their secret lives hidden from the prying eyes of society. Four feisty women chase their secret dreams of love, sex, rebellion and freedom. These are naughty women, with a passion and zest for life, despite the claustrophobia of their lives. While the censor board refused to certify the film because it is 'lady oriented,' and contains 'audio pornography', the audiences are ready to watch and celebrate women who have sexual desires and fantasies, but are forced to veil it to fit into societal norms. Nothing helps invert this warped sense of women and their sexuality more than a film that explores female desire through humour, quirkiness and edginess in equal measure. Watch the film's trailer here: 2017 will keep Prabhu busy down South with the three Tamil films that he is acting in and the one that he is directing. Prabhudeva has bid adieu to Bollywood and has moved back to his home in Chennai, for now, as all his film projects are now down South. Says Prabhu in his inimitable style, I had moved bag and baggage to Mumbai for four years. I directed five Hindi films in a row. Now, I am back directing a Tamil movie Karuppu Raja Vellai Raja after six years. Did he move back because he was homesick? Not at all. I dont know where my home is anymore. My two sons are studying in Chennai, so I cant uproot them from that city. But that apart, I consider all of India my home. I am comfortable in Chennai as I am in Mumbai and Hyderabad. My work takes me places, he says. Work, we gather, means not just direction, but also acting. Would you believe it? I am working in three Tamil films at the moment. They are very different from one another, and in fact, they require me to stretch myself beyond what Ive done so far. Any work I do as director, actor or choreographer has to take me ahead of what Ive already done, says the multifaceted Prabhudeva. I think I am all the things that I do put together. Work is all I have. I have no love life. Even if I did, work would always be my top priority. I need to be always working, be it in any capacity or language. As a choreographer, too, work needs to inspire me. I recently choreographed a song for a Tamil film with Sayesha Sehgal, who incidentally plays the lead in the Tamil film I am directing, he asserts. So is it goodbye to Bollywood for now? Not at all. In fact, I am already looking at projects in Hindi. One film that I am directing is a love-action drama starring Sooraj Pancholi, but that would be in 2018, Prabhudeva confirms. 2017 will keep Prabhu busy down South with the three Tamil films that he is acting in and the one that he is directing. The Tamil film Karuppu Raja Vellai Raja that Prabhudheva is directing a lavish costume drama. Understandably, he is excited. Ive never done something like this before, and its going to be a challenge. I am going to direct Karthi, Vishal and Sayesha Sehgal. Karthi, as you know, is one of the most promising actors. Vishal, Ive directed in Vedi 2011. And Sayesha is the legendary Saira Banujis niece. Its exciting to enter a new world with them, and Im looking forward to it, he concluded. While ruling PDP maintains silence, BJP welcomes the US move saying it should serve as an eye-opener to separatists, gun-yielding youth. Srinagar: In their first reaction to the US State Departments declaring Hizb-ul-Mujahedin chief Muhammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and imposing sanctions on him, an alliance of key Kashmiri separatist leaders on Wednesday said the move is highly unjustifiable and regrettable. While the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), like other mainstream Kashmiri political parties, is maintaining silence over the US move for obvious reason, its coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has welcomed it saying it should serve as an eye-opener to separatists and gun-yielding youth of the Valley. Read: Hizbul chief Salahuddin a global terrorist, says US The separatist leaders- Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik- said that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory which was occupied by Indian illegally in 1947. They said, Since the people of the State are peacefully engaged in their struggle for freedom through self-determination as promised to them by United Nations and supported by the US, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world community (sic). It further said, Whereas it is incumbent upon the international community including the US to honour this commitment made to the people of J&K that they would be granted the right of self-determination to decide their future and seek the settlement of the dispute which is bleeding Kashmiris each day and has led to their genocide under brutal Indian occupation besides making J&K the worlds highest militarised zone with over eight lake Indian forces stationed here to keep the people captive. The alliance claimed that the people of Kashmir are peacefully and resiliently resisting this occupation by a mighty military power and demanding their just right, despite the fact that all means and methods of resistance are barred to them by force. It said, Their hope is that the international community which acknowledged and backed their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with internationally accepted democratic norms and justice will always support their just struggle and eventually truth and justice will prevail. Justifying the sections of Kashmiri youth turning to the gun in 1989-90, the alliance said the same was a reaction to international inaction in resolving the dispute despite commitments and even after witnessing unprecedented oppression against the innocent people. The statement said, After feeling being pushed to the wall, some people took to arms to fight this brutal military repression and illegal occupation of their land, as a way to achieve freedom for it. The alliance said that the US has targeted a veteran freedom fighter under the Indian state influence and that same is unfortunate and uncalled for. It asked, While the US claims to espouse and stand for democratic principles of liberty and justice, how can it turn a blind eye on the brazen violations in this part of the world? What kind of double standard and opportunism is the US exhibiting especially when Washington has always acknowledged that the dispute in and on Kashmir has to resolved for peace and stability of the region and has, in fact, many times offered mediation between India and Pakistan on the same? The leadership said that declaring a Kashmiri freedom fighter as terrorist will not resolve the Kashmir dispute or bring peace. What it can, however, do is to embolden Indian Government to further suppress Kashmiris and further increase the level of human rights violations being committed against them by Indian armed forces. Another prominent separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah said, The US move wont have an iota of negative effect on the Kashmirs freedom struggle. He asserted, By including Syed Salahuddin in the list of global terrorists, the US has found one more customer of its arms in India. He added that the freedom movement in Jammu and Kashmir does not need anyones certificate and that the Kashmiris now realise that the US instead of eradicating the menace of terrorism and coming to the rescue of oppressed nations is backing the very people who are infamous for unleashing the state-sponsored terrorism in their occupied territories. He said, Even Nelson Mandela was once upon a time declared a terrorist but later on conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize for his services. He added, Were duty bound to support the oppressed people across the world and their movements. While Indians take pride in their freedom hero Bhagat Singh, we also respect the heroes of our freedom movement. Syed Salahuddin is the hero of our Tehreek-e-Aazadi (freedom movement). He said it was ironic that few years ago, the US denied visa to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has blood of Muslims on his hands but now Washington sees a big customer of its arms in him. Terming the biased mindset of the US President as bad omen for the world peace, Shah said the people of Palestine and Kashmir have been struggling for their rights since decades but sidelining their movements and backing the governments of Israel and India tantamount to promoting the agenda of Chengeziyat (the traits and actions of Genghis Khan). While the ruling PDP, is maintaining silence over the US move, its coalition partner BJP has welcomed it saying that it was long overdue. BJP Srinagar-based spokesman Khalid Jehangir said, Salahuddin has been responsible for motivating the Kashmiri youth to pick up the gun and tread the path of violence. He added, The decision of the US should serve as an eye opener for separatists in Kashmir. If they dont mend their ways they too can meet the same fate. According to the BJP spokesman, the world scenario is changing fast and there is no place for terrorists and terrorism. Kashmiri youth who have picked up arms should realise that people like Salahuddin have ruined Kashmir and have been responsible for turning it into a graveyard, he said adding, It is high time for Kashmiri youth to choose life over death and give up arms. Pakistan had on Tuesday described as completely unjustified the US move and said it will continue its political, diplomatic and moral support for the Kashmiri people. Earlier, Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, had said that Salahuddin was a coward who had run away to Pakistan. What the US did is correct. He (Salahuddin) is a terrorist and he has now been declared so. This declaration by the US may probably help in impacting his movements and funding, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held in Delhi. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had said in Washington that the designation was a strong signal coming out of the administration that it is committed to ending terror in all forms. He said, We should take the step for what it is. It is fixing responsibility, highlighting the problem. There is a signalling out of it, it is focusing on a particular group and particular individual. None of us can really miss that message. Earlier in the day, Khan accused the Indian Army of misbehaving with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi: After Azam Khan fanned another controversy with his remark on the Indian Army, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday slammed the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and said it has become a fashion to demean the Indian Army in the name of 'freedom of expression'. "Azam Khan constantly tries to speak in favour of Pakistan and break the social fabric of this country. It has become the fashion to demean the Indian Army in the name of freedom of expression," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said in a press briefing here. Further stressing on the same, Patra said that Khan is supporting terrorism from across the border. "This is very unfortunate and we condemn this. Azam khan has demeaned the Indian Army and has spoken in a way which has belittled the professional India Army. The political parties are constantly speaking against the army and showing them in poor light," he said. The BJP spokesperson also called the Samajwadi Party to take stern action against Khan and expel him. "How dare Azam Khan such things against the Indian Army, it is a protective army. Azam khan is trying to create a narrative across the country, which is trying to divide the country on the lines of Hindu and Muslim," he said. Earlier in the day, Khan accused the Indian Army of misbehaving with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. "A fight is going on the border, but at one place, women killed soldiers. This act forces us to think that there might have been a reason for doing so," Khan said. #WATCH Senior SP leader Azam Khan's statement on the Army pic.twitter.com/17v4x6I92A ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 28, 2017 He also criticised the incumbent BJP Government in the state. Khan warned that he would lead a protest if no improvement in the administration was visible. Police said one of the accused arrested in the lynching case is a 50 year old Delhi government employee. New Delhi: Four fresh arrests have been made on Wednesday in the Haryana hate crime incident that has made headlines over the week now, for the stabbing on a train of teenager Junaid Khan by a mob armed with knives. "The Haryana police has arrested four more people in the Ballabhgarh lynching case. The accused are residents of a village near Hodal city. One of the accused who is 50-years-old is a government official in the Delhi government, the other three accused are employees in private companies in Ballabhgarh and Faridabad. The man who stabbed the victim has not been arrested yet, however we have got solid evidence regarding him and I am sure that we will soon nab the main culprit," Superintendent of Police, Government Railway Police (GRP) Kamaldeep said. Read: Haryana hate crime: 1 dead, 3 injured after mob attacks youth in train The lynching of Junaid has triggered national protests on Wednesday - in different cities, people are marching as part of a campaign called 'Not In My Name'. Read: Haryana hate crime: Thousands pledge to march for Junaid The protests are to call for an end to the recent spate of mob attacks, some of which have been undertaken by self-declared cow vigilantes who accused the victims of carrying or eating beef. One man, identified as Ramesh, had been arrested by the Haryana police over the weekend. The mob attacked teenage boy, Junaid, after accusing him and his companions of carrying beef in his bags, was made up of about 20 people, Junaid's relatives have said. Read: Haryana hate crime: CM Khattar announces Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for Junaid Junaid was traveling home from Delhi to his village of Ballabgarh in Haryana on Thursday with his brothers when the mob turned on them. Around 20 men pulled out their knives and attacked the brothers, hurling anti-Muslim comments and claiming that one of the packets they were carrying contained beef, Junaid's brother, Haseeb Khan, had said. On Tuesday, Haseeb was shown security camera footage of three men riding a bike in the village where Junaid was thrown off the train, about 30 kms from Delhi. One of the bikers had a bloodied bandage wrapped around his head, which led the police to believe he may be linked to the deadly assault. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has described Junaid Khan's killing as 'extremely painful and shameful' and said the government will not tolerate such attacks. The leaders will be flown to Delhi where they will be interrogated by NIA team. The three leaders detained have been identified as Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Shah and Mehraj-ud-Din Kalwal. (Photo: AFP/Representational) Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday detained three second-rung leaders of Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference faction on the direction of the National Investigative Agency (NIA). They are Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Fantosh who also the son-in-law of the octogenarian separatist leader, Ayaz Akbar and Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, the police sources said. The sources added that they are being flown to Delhi to be handed over to the NIA for interrogation. The NIA had recently conducted raids at 23 places in Srinagar, Delhi and Haryana in connection with alleged hawala operations between Pakistan-based terror groups and Kashmiri separatists. Those whose houses and offices were searched besides these three included Naeem Ahmed Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bita Karate, Gazi Javed Baba, Zaffar Akbar Butt alias Saif-ul-Islam and Shahid-ul-Islam and business tycoon Zahoor Ahmed Watali. Later some of these leaders and activists were called to Delhi by the NIA for further questioning. They have also been accused of funding the unrest in the Kashmir Valley. The separatists have strongly denied receiving any foreign funding and alleged that the Indian government is making false claims in order to defame the Kashmiri freedom struggle. The alliance of key separatist leaders Syed Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement issued in Srinagar termed fresh wave of arrests across the Valley as part of political vendetta and revenge against them. Delhi is leaving no stone un-turned and uses military might and arm twisting methods to crush every voice being raised in the support of Kashmiri peoples sentiment and aspirations, they alleged. They accused the government and official agencies, particularly NIA, of harassing and scaring the Hurriyat Conference activists which is highly deplorable. Such totalitarian moves are being adopted by Delhi and its agencies with a view to pressurize the pro-freedom leadership in Kashmir and weaken the people's struggle but the leadership will not be cowed down by all these illegal and unethical methods or in any way deter people from their just struggle nor can these help towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, the statement said. On Monday, a resolution read out by the Mirwaiz while addressing an Eid congregation through phone after he was placed under house arrest and subsequently passed amid pro-aazadi slogans had termed the NIA raids on the houses of separatist leaders and activists and a few Kashmiri businessmen as illegal. It alleged that New Delhi was using new ploys to defame the freedom struggle of Kashmiris which is based on truth and priceless sacrifices. It threatened that if such raids do not stop there will be serious repercussions and the entire responsibility will lie on the State government and Delhi itself. Dossa had informed the special TADA court about his heart problem and said he wanted to undergo a bypass surgery. Mumbai: Mumbai 1993 serial blasts convict Mustafa Dossa passed away on Wednesday after he was admitted to hospital for hypertension and diabetes. Dossa was admitted to the J J Hospital earlier on Wednesday after he complained of chest pain. "Mustafa Dossa died due to cardiac arrest today at 2.30 pm," TP Lahane, JJ Hospital Dean said. Read: 1993 Mumbai blasts: TADA court adjourns sentencing till Friday after Dossas death Dossa had informed the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court about his heart problem and said he wanted to undergo a bypass surgery. The prosecution on Tuesday argued that convict Feroz Khan should be given the death penalty for his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. The counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Counsel stated that his role was parallel to that of Yakub Memon. CBI counsel Deepak Salve, said he would seek extreme punishment for all six convicts in the case. Speaking to reporters here, Salve said, "I quoted the judgments made by Supreme Court regarding Mustafa Dossa and Feroz. I have appealed for maximum punishment for them on the applicable grounds. Mustafa Dossa and Mohammad Dossa were present at the first conspiracy meeting where they decided to send arms and ammunitions and create riots. Feroz was close to the group and has played an important role in transfer of arms and ammunitions". The TADA court had convicted six people - Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, Taher Merchant, Karimulla Khan and Riyaz Siddiqui - in the case on June 16 and acquitted Abdul Qayyum Sheikh who was then released from Arthur Road jail. Earlier on June 16, a special (TADA) court convicted underworld don Abu Salem and others in connection with the 1993 blasts case. Addressing media after the court's order, Salve said, "Mustafa Dossa conducted a conspiracy meeting in Dubai which was attended by Dawood Ibrahim and others. They hatched a conspiracy of Mumbai blast to take revenge of Babri Masjid demolition." He further added that "the accused used to travel between Dubai and Pakistan for arms and ammunition training where Pakistan had given them green channel entry. Their targets were Indian politicians, high officials and Hindus". About 257 people died while 713 others were injured after a series of bomb blasts rocked Mumbai City on March 12, 1993. The AQIS asks the Pak-based jihadis to stop depending on the intelligence agencies. New Delhi: In its recently released code of conduct document, the Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has said it will work together with jihadi groups from India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, which are independent from intelligence agencies influence. By leaving out Pakistan, the AQIS has only underscored the extant relationship between the Pakistani spy agency ISI and jihadi outfits in that country. In a section titled Our Strategy Concerning Jihadi Groups, the AQIS says: We will work with jihadi groups (that are independent from intelligence agencies influence) in India, Bangladesh, and Arakan (Burma). A dominant section of ISI officials are known to be working in close tandem with outfits like the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, the Taliban and Hizbul Mujaheedeen, and helping them with weapons, finances and logistics, something Pakistan has been denying all this time. In a clarion call to Pakistan-based jihadi outfits, the AQIS asks the Pak-based jihadis to stop depending on the intelligence agencies, ostensibly meaning the ISI, when it says: We call on all jihadi groups working under anti-Shariah intelligence agencies in any place to end their dependence on them. This is the only way to help the oppressed Muslim, and to make real progress towards implementation of Shariah, because history bears witness that the militaries of taghoot, in the end, destroy fruits of these mujaheedeens jihad. The Kashmiri jihad is a clear example of this. In Islamic theology, the word taghoot means idolatry. Interestingly, the AQIS, in a conciliatory tone, also offers the olive branch to other jihadi outfits by urging them to join forces when it says: The Jamaah also invites brother jihadi groups to conduct combined military operations in accordance with its Code of Conduct. In this regards, the Jamaah would open-heartedly cooperate with every organisation for the sake of supremacy of Islam and for the strengthening of jihad. We are trying to unite all schools of thought of Ahl us Sunnah wa al-Jamaaah in the region under the banner of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan for the implementation of Shariah and against anti-Shariah forces, to get them out of differing about secondary issues and unite on the collective and fundamental matters of religion which will make this Ummah a well-fortified wall in the face of the enemies of Shariah, it said. Set up in September 2014, the AQIS is headed by the fugitive Asim Umar alias Shanul Haque, a resident of Deepa Sarai, Sambhal, in Uttar Pradesh. Umar had left India for Pakistan in 1995 and had initially joined the Harkat ul Mujahideen. The accused was arrested from Anand Vihar on late Sunday night while he was trying to leave the city. On June 25, Mahesh (30) told his wife Kiran around 6 am that he has to finish some household work and was taking his stepson Arjun along with him, the police said. (Representational image) New Delhi: Unable to get desired attention from his second wife, a 30-year-old man allegedly killed a three-year-old stepson by banging his head on the floor and later strangulating him in northeast Delhis Karawal Nagar. The accused was arrested from Anand Vihar on late Sunday night while he was trying to leave the city. On June 25, Mahesh (30) told his wife Kiran around 6 am that he has to finish some household work and was taking his stepson Arjun along with him, the police said. Mahesh took the child to a nearby factory that was closed on account of it being a Sunday. He threw the child on the floor and after the child lost consciousness, he strangulated him, they said. He then buried the childs body under some sacks and left from there, the police said. He returned home and told Kiran that the child has gone missing. Mahesh fled from his home after informing his maternal uncles son Rinku, who lives nearby, that he had killed Arjun and left the body in the factory. Around 6-7 pm, Rinku called Kiran and informed her about the incident. Following the call, Kiran rushed to the factory where she found the body of her son buried under some sacks. It all began when Mahesh, a habitual drinker, felt ignored by Kiran. The accused told the police that he felt ignored by his wife who never used to pay attention to him and was completely devoted towards her son. To make the matter worse for him, Kiran would often remember her first husband. Also, his desire to have his own child wasnt materialising which further enraged him. She informed the police and a case was registered. The police launched a hunt to arrest Mahesh. Kiran told the police that this was her second marriage. She was earlier married to one Pratap with whom she had two sons a 10-year-old boy and Arjun. Her elder son stays with her ex-husband in West Bengal. Arjun lived with Kiran, who married Mahesh around a year ago, the police said. On June 16, the special CBI court judge G.A. Sanap had convicted six accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday sought capital punishment for convicts Mustafa Dossa and Firoz Khan in the 1993 serial blasts case. CBI counsel Deepak Salvi argued before the court that both had played a main role in the blasts and have no repentance about what they did. He argued that the crime they committed falls under the rarest of rare cases. On June 16, the special CBI court judge G.A. Sanap had convicted six accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Mustafa Dossa, Firoz Khan, Abu Salem, Karimullah Shaikh, Mohmad Tahir alias Tahir Taklya and Riyaz Siddique were held guilty under various sections of TADA, IPC, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act and Damage to Public Property Act. Accused Abdul Qayyum was acquitted in the case. After holding them guilty, the court allowed prosecution to open arguments regarding quantum of sentences. Accordingly, prosecutor Salvi on Tuesday argued before the court. Mustafa Dossa is the main brain behind the 93 blasts. He was also the first person who took steps to arrange explosives and people for the blasts argued Mr Salvi. Dossa had financed the blast and also made arrangements to send the other accused to Dubai. Dossa had arranged the first meeting of Dawood, Tiger Memon and other gangsters to plan and execute the blast, said Mr Salvi. Dossa had committed a crime that was graver than Yakub Memons and hence he should also been given capital punishment, which is death, Mr Salvi said. Subsequently, Mr Salvi also argued against the convict Firoz Khan. Calling him the dominating member of the Dossa gang, he said Khan used to help Dossa in the smuggling business and followed every instruction of Dossa. Khan had conspired with customs officials and police officers to bring explosives into the country. He also attended a meeting on January 1993 at Persian Darbar hotel at Panvel, (to plan the blasts) said Mr Salvi. Khan was not only close with Dossa but he had met Dawood twice at his Pakistan residence, the CBI counsel said. Khan had also attended the marriage function of Dawoods son Humayun in Pakistan, he argued. Role of Dossa Some of these members even succeeded in meeting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday. Mumbai: The Thane police has arrested 32 persons in connection with rioting by farmers at Kalyans Nevale village last Thursday, in which around 28 persons including 12 policemen, sustained injuries even as six vehicles were torched. Nearly a dozen accused belonging to the Nevale Sangharsh Committee have been named in the FIR registered by the police but are still untraceable. Some of these members even succeeded in meeting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday. The police meanwhile claimed that the committee members who allegedly planned the protest at Nevale and other villages of Bhal, Khoni and Rawal Pada, lost control over the mob, after which lumpen elements hijacked the protest and indulged in violence, targeting even the police. The investigators earlier said that the mob acted on the instructions of committee members and the plan was to gather under the pretext of carrying out a blockade and pelt stones and torch vehicles. The Hill Line and Manpada police stations registered cases in connection with the incident and in all, 32 persons have been arrested till date. Param Bir Singh, commissioner of police (Thane) said, We have also identified 50 to 60 miscreants who were very active in the rioting. Some of these persons have been arrested while we are looking out for the others. Officials said that most of the villagers were still on the run after fleeing from their villages after rioting. Officials however added that the roles of committee members were being investigated based on statements of the arrested accused. The accused were identified with the help of photographs and video clips shot during rioting. Four police teams were formed for tracking down accused persons who fled from their villages following rioting. These villages have been wearing a deserted look since Thursday as all shops are shut after the incident. The shops opened on Tuesday and the police said that life was coming back to normal. Case history On Thursday, a group of around 1,500 villagers from Nevale gathered to silently protest the Navys plan of taking over land to build a fencing wall, as per permission granted to them by the police. The mob however resorted to violence and at around 9.30am, began pelting stones and assaulting police personnel with sticks, and even torched their vehicles. Simultaneously, villagers from Bhal, Khoni, Rawal Pada, located within a radius of 3km spilled onto the streets and indulged in stone pelting and arson, targeting the police. They blocked traffic by assaulting truckers and taking over their vehicles. The situation was brought under control at around noon after the police resorted to gun firing and lathi charge. Maharashtra has a strong network of urban banks as well as credit societies. Mumbai: After announcing the decision of waiving off farmers loans, which have been taken from district co-operative, nationalised, rural and commercial banks, the Maharashtra government has said that it is not going to waive off credit taken by the farmers from urban co-operative banks and credit societies in the state. However, the co-operative minister Subhash Deshmukh has said there is a huge demand for waiving off loans from urban co-operative banks and credit societies. Ironically, the state government had given permission to these financial institutes to grant loans to farmers up to 20 percent of their total deposits. Maharashtra has a strong network of urban banks as well as credit societies. These micro financial institutions generally grant loans to farmers against the mortgage. The farmers usually keep land or property as a mortgage for seeking loans. As of now, the government is reluctant to waive off the loans taken from micro-financial institutions. Mr Deshmukh said there is huge demand from farmers and bankers to include urban banks and credit societies in the loan waiver scheme. But we have not taken any decision on it, added Mr Deshmukh. The states stand contradicts its resolution. The state government had passed a resolution, allowing urban banks and credit societies to give loans to farmers up to 20 per cent of their total deposits. We are demanding that those banks have which followed the limit of 20 percent should be included in the scheme, said Kaka Koyate, president of state cooperative credit societies federation. Maharashtra cabinet cleared Rs 34,022 crore farm loan waiver scheme on Saturday to placating the agitating farmers across the state. It has claimed that scheme will be beneficial to the 89 lakh farmers and 34 lakh farmers loans will be completely waived off. The 'Jurassic World' director will be felicitated for his film The Book of Henry at the Ischia Film Festival. Los Angeles: Colin Trevorrow will be honoured with the breakout director award for his movie The Book of Henry at the Ischia Film Festival in Italy. Sofia Coppola's Beguiled will open the Italian film carnival this year at the Regina Isabella Resort's beach theatre, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sofia Coppola has delivered a cinematic masterpiece that should receive recognition from the industry and audiences alike, and we are pleased to be screening it at Ischia Global as we are with Colin Trevorrow's fascinating film that is certain to take audiences on a very quirky cinematic ride, said festival founder-producer and Honorary Board chairman Mark Canton. The Ischia Global Film and Music fest will take place from July 9-16 off the coast of Naples. Coppola was also hounoured with the best director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival for the Beguiled, which featured Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell. Officials in Santiago said the ban would remain in effect until they are convinced that the outbreak has been brought under control. Santiago: Chile on Tuesday placed a temporary ban on meat imported from Colombia, citing an outbreak there of foot-and-mouth disease. Chile's government authority responsible for grain and livestock cited an outbreak of the highly contagious ailment in the eastern Colombian department of Arauca as the reason for the move. Officials in Santiago said the ban would remain in effect until they are convinced that the outbreak has been brought under control. Shipments of Colombian meat to Chile began just last month, after an exhaustive, years-long approval process. Authorities here are eager to avoid any outbreak of foot-and-mouth, sometimes referred to as hoof-and-mouth, after having succeeded in keeping the ailment at bay since January 1981. The illness affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, deer, goats and sheep. It can be spread by dust, animal-to-animal contact in herds, through consumption of contaminated animal products, and even by farm implements and vehicles. Although adult animals normally do not die from the disease, they must be destroyed once infected to keep it from spreading. Pakistan and China aim to build a network of rail, road and energy infrastructure as part of the Belt and Road initiative. China: Pakistan has been smoothly implementing an ambitious plan to build an economic corridor with China, despite experiencing some challenges, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday. China has promised $57 billion in investment in projects along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of its ambitious Belt and Road plan linking China with the Middle East and Europe. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road project in 2013, but it is still short on specifics. We are smoothly implementing and we are very satisfied with the speed of the implementation, Iqbal, the Islamabad lead on the project, said Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Chinese city of Dalian. In addition to the investment pledges from China, Pakistan would invest close to $10 billion, he said. The economic corridor, to be completed in three phases by 2030, will boost Pakistans energy security and infrastructure, helping it attract more foreign investment, he said. Iqbal told the forum there were some challenges to be addressed, including on coordination among different government ministries and among internal and external stakeholders. There are a number of challenges which have to be addressed, he said. There are actually many gaps that we have to correctly address. First and foremost is the coordination gap, he said. Pakistan and China aim to build a network of rail, road and energy infrastructure as part of the Belt and Road initiative. Pakistan has been one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the initiative, in part because many projects are for power plants to alleviate its chronic energy shortage that leads to frequent blackouts. The bill was hastily put on the parliamentary agenda on the last day before the summer break by the centre-left Social Democrats. The bill was hastily put on the parliamentary agenda on the last day before the summer break by the centre-left Social Democrats (Photo: AFP) Berlin: Germany's parliament is set to vote on a bill to legalise same-sex marriage Friday after the lower house legislative committee put it on the agenda, its chairwoman said. "The path to equality is open," said the chairwoman, Renate Kuenast of the left-leaning ecologist Greens opposition party, in a tweet on Wednesday. The bill is widely expected to pass as it is backed by most parties and Chancellor Angela Merkel has told lawmakers of her centre-right party that they can vote according to their conscience. The reform would grant full marital rights including the possibility to jointly adopt children to gay and lesbian couples, who in Germany are now only able to enter so-called civil unions. The bill was hastily put on the parliamentary agenda on the last day before the summer break by the centre-left Social Democrats, Greens and far-left Linke party. They acted after Merkel had on Monday night dropped her long-time opposition to the reform, sparking widespread calls for a speedy vote. Merkel had long voiced personal reservations about gay marriage with adoption rights, citing concern about "the well-being of the children". Last Sunday, her junior coalition partners and election rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD), upped the ante by declaring they would insist on same-sex marriage in any future alliance. All other political parties hold the same view, leaving Merkel's party opposed along with the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Merkel signalled her shifting position Monday in an on-stage interview with the editor of women's magazine Brigitte. She said her thinking had changed after a "memorable experience" when she recently met a lesbian couple who lovingly care for eight foster children in her Baltic coast constituency. The Manders, both in their 30s, claimed they were told to adopt a child from India instead. Adoption agencies are allowed to prioritise on the basis of race in order to match children to prospective parents of the same ethnic background. London: A Sikh couple in the UK have alleged that they were refused permission to adopt a white child because of their cultural heritage and told to adopt a child from India instead. Sandeep and Reena Mander, British-born business professionals from Berkshire, were quoted by the Times as saying that they were told not to apply to become adoptive parents on the basis that white British or European applicants would be given preference. The couple, who are of Sikh-Indian heritage, had told Adopt Berkshire adoption agency that they would be delighted to adopt a child of any ethnic background but were rejected as potential parents on the grounds that only white children were available. The Manders, both in their 30s, claimed they were told to adopt a child from India instead. Adoption agencies are allowed to prioritise on the basis of race in order to match children to prospective parents of the same ethnic background. But the government has also said that a childs ethnicity should not be a barrier to adoption. The Manders, whose cause has been taken up by PM Theresa May as their local MP, will take their case to court. They are applying to Slough county court, seeking a declaration that the policy should allow them to adopt. They are being represented by the McAllister Olivarius and their case is supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. David Isaac, chair of the EHRC, said, There are many children who are waiting for a loving family like Sandeep and Reena to help give them a better life. To be denied this because of so-called cultural heritage is wrong. The Manders had an assessment from Adopt Berkshire, an agency run by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead last year. They were allegedly told that they would be suitable adoptive parents, they could not apply because only white children were available for adoption and therefore white couples would be given priority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch PM Mark Rutte agreed that there should be zero-tolerance on terrorism. In a joint communique after their bilateral meeting, they also and reiterated the need for a unified and collective effort by the international community to eliminate terrorism through a holistic approach. (Photo: AP) The Hague: India and the Netherlands on Tuesday strongly condemned the use of double standards in addressing the menace of terrorism, saying there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds. Expressing concern about the serious and grave threat posed by the spread of terrorism and violent extremism to both the countries and the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte reaffirmed their commitment to combat terrorism and prevent radicalisation that could lead to violent extremism. In a joint communique after their bilateral meeting, they also and reiterated the need for a unified and collective effort by the international community to eliminate terrorism through a holistic approach. Read: Modi thanks PM Rutte for Netherlands support to India for MTCR membership The two prime ministers stressed that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever agreeing that there should be zero-tolerance on terrorism, the statement said. They affirmed that the fight against terrorism should "not only seek to disrupt and bring to justice terrorists, terror organisations and networks, but should also identify, hold accountable and take strong measures against all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups and falsely extol their virtues". Both leaders strongly condemned the use of double standards in addressing the menace of terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism both at the bilateral level and within the multilateral system. In this regard, they called for early conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, the statement said. Modi is in the Netherlands on the last leg of his three nation tour that included Portugal and the US. 'There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now', Omar Ghobash said in an interview in London. Acting as a mediator, Kuwait has presented Qatar a long-awaited list of demands from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, four Arab nations that cut ties with Qatar. (Photo: AP) Dubai: Gulf Arab states are considering fresh sanctions on Qatar and could ask their trading partners to choose between working with them or Doha, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to Russia said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain severed diplomatic and travel ties with Qatar this month, accusing it of funding hardline Islamist militant groups in the region, a charge Doha denies. There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now, Omar Ghobash told the newspaper in an interview in London. One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice, he said. He said the expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation Council was not the only sanction available. India related activities in Israel have also attracted far more attention in view of Modi's visit than ever before. Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes a statement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. (Photo: AP) Jerusalem: "Wake up: the most important PM of the world is coming", is how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to Israel, the first by an Indian premier, is described in an article in one of the leading Israeli business daily. Business daily 'The Marker' in a feature story in its Hebrew edition discussing Indo-Israel ties says that Israelis had set up huge expectations from US President Donald Trump's visit to the Jewish state but "he didn't say much" while Modi, a leader of 1.25 billion people enjoying massive popularity and representing one of the fastest growing economies of the world deserves a lot of attention. Other local newspapers and news portals have also given a lot of attention to the much-publicised three day trip of Modi with The Jerusalem Post even creating a separate link, "Modi's Visit", where it has put up stories related to India. Most of the local commentators have emphasised on Modi "skipping Ramallah" and it being a standalone visit focussing only on India's ties with Israel. "Unlike most world leaders, however, Modi, who governs the world's largest democracy and second largest nation, apparently is refusing to visit Ramallah during his Israel trip, and will not schedule meetings with Palestinian Authority (PA) chief Mahmoud Abbas or other PA leaders", Arutz Sheva said in a report. Modi met Abbas during the PA leader's trip to India in May, and senior Indian officials have visited Abbas at his Ramallah residence during their trips to Israel, it added. India related activities in Israel have also attracted far more attention in view of Modi's visit than ever before. International Yoga Day celebrations in Israel saw massive coverage by the Israeli media with some commentators talking about the "soft diplomatic power it arms New Delhi with". Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed his Indian counterpart's visit to Israel last Sunday during his opening remarks at the weekly cabinet meeting as a "very significant step" in strengthening bilateral relations that are on a "constant upswing". "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel. This is a historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the country's existence, no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited and this is further expression of the state of Israel's military, economic and diplomatic strength," Netanyahu stressed. "This is a very significant step in strengthening relations between the two countries," he added. India is a huge country with over 1.25 billion people and is one of the world's largest, growing economies. Ties between Israel and India are on a "constant upswing", the Israeli Premier said. Modi's three day visit starting July 4 is aimed at commemorating 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The Indian prime minister is scheduled to have dinner with Netanyahu following his arrival to Israel on July 4. He would be meeting the Israeli Premier again for discussions the following day. Modi would also call upon Israel's President Reuven Rivlin on July 5 and the leader of opposition, Isaac Herzog. Around 4,000 people of Indian origin would be attending an address by Modi in the evening of July 5 in Tel Aviv. The Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved major decisions to deepen Indo-Israel ties. India established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 and since then the relationship has evolved into multi-dimensional partnership. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from July 4-6, at the invitation of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. This will be the first ever visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. During the visit, the Prime Minister will have detailed discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest and will also call on President Rivlin. Elements of his programme include homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa and address to the Indian community at an event in Tel Aviv. India established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 and since then the relationship has evolved into a multi-dimensional partnership. "This year both the countries are commemorating 25 years of diplomatic relations and the visit of the Prime Minister will provide an impetus for deeper bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel, This is an historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the country's existence no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited and this is further expression of the State of Israel's military, economic and diplomatic strength," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced at a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. Netanhayu added that cabinet will also approve decisions regarding ties with India that will pass include increasing exports, deepening cooperation in the fields of water and agriculture, establishing a joint fund for research and innovation, and increasing Indian tourism to Israel. Earlier in November last year, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin came to India on a week-long state visit - the first by an Israeli President in nearly 20 years. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel in October 2015, symbolizing the growing partnership between the two nations. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to China's efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan. Beijing: China on Wednesday virtually accused India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to China's efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We dont want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. At a regular foreign ministry briefing, Lu also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate" and asserted that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. "Donglang is part of Chinas territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan," Lu said. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesnt belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chickens Neck. Donglang is under Chinas control. China said that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Meanwhile, Bhutans ambassador to India, Major General (Retd) Vetsop Namgyel said that Bhutan has issued a demarche to the Chinese envoy, asking Beijing to restore status quo in the Doklam area where a section of Chinese soldiers tried to unilaterally build a road towards its Army camp in Zomplri area. The project is by photographer Sujatro Ghosh. Women portrayed in the most famous places in Delhi. Every 15 minutes in the country a woman is raped. The "cow watchers" protest on social media and call for the young man to be slaughtered in front of a mosque. New Delhi (AsiaNews) - Women posing in front of the camera lens wearing a cowhide mask on their head. This is the subject of a project by Sujatro Ghosh, a 23-year-old photographer living in Delhi, who is photographing his friends at the most famous places in the Union's capital. With his shots he wants to launch a provocation: why are women being considered less sacred than cows in India? According to recent data, an Indian woman suffers a rape every 15 minutes. His photos have gone viral on Facebook and Twitter and were published by the BBC. Within a few days the youn gman was inundated with positive and negative criticisms. On the one hand, he has received the solidarity of women from all over the world, eager to participate in his campaign. On the other hand, the wrath of the "cow watchers", promising punishment. Ghosh is originally from Calcutta (West Bengal) and moved to the capital a few years ago. Speaking to the British Broadcaster he said he was " " perturbed by the fact that in my country, cows are considered more important than a woman, that it takes much longer for a woman who is raped or assaulted to get justice than for a cow which many Hindus consider a sacred anima.". The cases of violence against women, he added, "go on for years in the courts [...] while when a cow is slaughtered, Hindu extremists immediately kill or beat anyone suspected of the slaughter." The project is its "form of protest" against the growing influence of self-proclaimed "cow protectors", which have gained more and more freedom since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party came to power. In the last year, the issue of "sacred cows" has become a sensitive theme, dividing society on religious lines and social belonging, as beef is consumed by Christians and Muslims. The photographer has received death threats. "Trolls on social media," said Ghosh, "said that I and my models should be slaughtered in front of Jama Masjid [the Delhi Mosque]. Others accuse me of instigating the uprising and demand my arrest. But I'm not afraid because I know Im working for a greater good." Bilal Akar, wanted for several crimes, and Samir Badran died in the clashes. Even a little girl was hit by a stray bullet. Tension remains high in the area. Economic issues behind the violence. The army takes over control of the area. Beirut (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Three killed Palestinians, including a child, are reported to have been killed in heavy armed clashes that took place yesterday evening in Palestinian refugee camp Sabra, on the outskirts of Beirut (Lebanon) . The violence involved opposing factions of Palestinians housed inside the center, located in the southern suburbs of the capital. According to the official Ani agency, the clashes involved the group headed by Bilal Akar, one of the most dangerous fugitives in the camp, and the faction of Abou Mohammad Badran. Bilal Akar (wanted by authorities for several offenses) and Samir Badran, a member of the Badran faction, died in the shootout. The third victim is the daughter of the latter, Hilene, struck by a stray bullet. Bilal's brother was seriously injured and admitted to the Sahel General Hospital in a "critical" condition according to the medical bulletin. The clash between the two men triggered a spiral of violence between the two groups, which is still ongoing. The Lebanese authorities have deployed the army around the perimeter of the refugee camp in an attempt to reassert control of the area and restore calm. Sources inside the camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, report that the violence was sparked over questions of money and control of the territory. Several dozen supporters of the Bilal faction stormed the hospital to get information on their leaders, but were dispersed by the military. At present the situation is still precarious. Sabra refugee camp (and Shatila, where the 1982 massacre occurred) houses hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled in 1948 after the first Israeli-Palestinian war. More than 1,000 refugees have abandoned by Syria since the beginning of the conflict there in March 2011. There are frequent cases of epidemics in the refugee camps due to precarious hygienic conditions. Added to this is malnutrition and scarcity of drinking water. Francis met with a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Rome for the traditional feast of Saints Peter and Paul. In the first millennium, united, Christians cultivated "a variety of theological, spiritual and canonical traditions compatible with the teaching of the apostles and the ecumenical councils. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis met today with an Orthodox delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate who are in Rome to celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. A Vatican delegation will later travel to Istanbul for the feast of Saint Andrew, patron saint of the Orthodox Patriarchate. In his address, the pontiff said that he hoped to see full communion between Catholics and Orthodox based on the same truths of faith along with a variety of traditions compatible with the teachings of the apostles and the ecumenical councils. The exchange of delegations between the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople on their respective patronal feasts increases our desire for the full restoration of communion between Catholics and Orthodox, of which we already have a foretaste in fraternal encounter, shared prayer and common service to the Gospel. In the first millennium, Christians of East and West shared in the same Eucharistic table, preserving together the same truths of faith while cultivating a variety of theological, spiritual and canonical traditions compatible with the teaching of the apostles and the ecumenical councils. That experience is a necessary point of reference and a source of inspiration for our efforts to restore full communion in our own day, a communion that must not be a bland uniformity. The pope noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the visit by Pope Paul VI to the Fanar in July 1965 and the visit of Patriarch Athenagoras in Rome in October of that same year. The example of these courageous and farsighted pastors, moved solely by love for Christ and his Church, encourages us to press forward in our journey towards full unity. To this effect, Francis mentioned the upcoming meeting in September, in Leros, Greece, of the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. It is my hope, he said, that the meeting will take place in a spiritual climate of attentiveness to the Lords will and in a clear recognition of the journey already being made together by many Catholic and Orthodox faithful in various parts of the world, and that it will prove most fruitful for the future of ecumenical dialogue. Repeated handshakes and hugs between Trump and Modi. Symbolic gestures mask real political intentions. US support in the dispute between Delhi and Islamabad on Islamic extremism. The chief of Kashmir separatists included in the list of terrorists worldwide. Sale of 22 Drones at $ 2 Billion. Sharing information in the naval field. Washington (AsiaNews) - "The relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, never been better ". Donald Trump said during the final press conference that he definitively sealed his friendship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on official visit to the White House. In public, the two leaders gave way to cordial gestures - three hugs and numerous handshakes - that show a mutual sympathy and above all a common line on the major issues of international politics. In essence, they have defined strategies for economic development, defense and security, the fight against international terrorism, and how to curb Chinese expansionism on the seas. The visit had long been one of the most important of Modi's career. Several analysts in India today point out that symbolic gestures of "friendly" courtesy, which characterized the meetings from both sides, were merely a means of achieving their goals. Under the mantle of cordiality, billionaire contracts are concealed and the desire to face their own electorate as strong leaders, despite the strangeness of politics. On the Indian side, Modi assured a total support for the opposition to Islamic terrorism, identified in the military power of rival Pakistan and the Kashmir separatists. As far as Islamabad is concerned, in the joint statement the two leaders have called on "Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries." This statement is a striking success for Delhi, which has long been trying to isolate its neighbor from a diplomatic point of view, painting it as the origin of all the evils of Islamic extremism. They also connect Pakistan with the separatist struggles of Kashmir. Modi obtained from the US Department of State the inclusion of Syed Salahuddin, supreme leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, on the special list of "Global Terrorists". This implies a strong setback for the local population, as all forms of funding will be blocked by the United States. For his part, Trump has signed more economical contracts. The administration has decided to "provide India with the best defense technology". So the State Department approved the sale of a $ 366 million C-17 military airplane and offered 22 drones at $ 2 billion for more effective surveillance of the Indian Ocean. To this end, India's willingness to cooperate on maritime security is summed up with the clear intent of balancing the expansion of Beijing in the South China Sea. Indeed, Delhi will participate in trilateral naval exercises with the addition of Japan. The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium will be present as an observer; it will share naval information in the "White Shipping" program. All these advances in defense, the White House said, "will increase bilateral trade by up to $ 19 billion, benefiting thousands of jobs in the United States." Finally, India confirms its support for the US government in the war in Afghanistan, where it would send 5,000 troops and in sanctions on North Korea. The first Laotian cardinal talks about his election and the life of the Catholic Church in Laos. The latter endures persecution and bears witness to its faith amid many adversities. It has 45,000 members, 20 priests, 98 religious and 218 parishes. The cardinal was a prisoner of the government for three years. I accepted it, as it was true. They were right, I was promoting Jesus. It was a correct accusation, he said. The government exercises tight controls over religions. Relations between Church and State are difficult. We can change the government's way of thinking that we are not its enemy." Belleville (AsiaNews) - "[O]ur poverty, suffering and persecution are the three columns that strengthen the Church, said Card Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, apostolic vicar of Pakse, citing Pope Francis, to explain the reasons that led the pontiff to appoint the first Laotian prelate in the history of the Church. On 21 May, at the end of Regina Caeli, the Holy Father announced the unexpected nomination of five new cardinals, including Mgr Ling, who will be elevated in today's consistory. On 16 and June 17, about 350 Hmong, Kmhmu, Lao and Karen Catholics gathered in Belleville (Illinois, US) to experience and celebrate the 17 martyrs of Laos, their native country, with gratitude and thanksgiving for their exemplary life of faith. The cardinal attended the event, where he gave an interview to the National Catholic Reporter on his election and on the life of the Catholic Church in Laos. During the conversation, the prelate expressed his immediate astonishment and the following wave of congratulations from all over the world following his nomination. Asked about the motives that led the Holy See to choose him, Cardinal Ling said the ad limina visit of the bishops of Laos and the meeting with Pope Francis on 26 January played a role. "[D]uring the visit, the pope told us that the strength of the Church resides in the local Church, especially the Church that is small, the Church that is weak, and the Church that is persecuted. This is the backbone of the universal Church. I was a little puzzled. The next day we celebrated Mass with the Holy Father, and again he reiterated the same theme in his homily. It made me wonder. I came to a conclusion from what he said that the strength of the Church came from patience, perseverance and the willingness to accept the reality of faith. This made me think that our poverty, suffering and persecution are the three columns that strengthen the Church. Laos has about 45,000 Catholics, less than 1 per cent of the population of 6.4 million people, served by 20 priests and 98 religious in 218 parishes. In an interview with AsiaNews in 2015, Ling described the Laotian Church as a "baby" church, still growing from the first proclamation, especially among tribals and animists. The Laotian Church experiences the persecution and bears witness to her faith amid many adversities. After the Communist Pathet Lao took over in 1975, foreign missionaries were expelled and Catholics were persecuted. Priests and monks were imprisoned or sent to re-education camps, including the cardinal. I was detained for three years. The arrest and eventually incarceration frightened me in the beginning. I thought to myself, why would they arrest me? Later, they told me the reason for the arrest. You are promoting Jesus Christ. I accepted it, as it was true. They were right, I was "promoting" Jesus. It was a correct accusation. Today, Laos has opened up to the outside world. However, despite economic reforms, the country remains poor and dependent on foreign aid. The government still tightly controls religions and the mass media. The difficult relationship between Church and State, including the ban on Church education, is particularly true at the local level. [E]ach region or city carries out this provision of religious liberty differently. Priests can go around to say Mass. At any village that there is already an existing parish or church, there is no problem. However, there is a problem if you are building a new church because that is something new. But such a problem can be discussed with local government officials. We need to establish relationship with them and talk with them. It is easy at one place, but might not be easy at another place. For the local Catholic community, the appointment of the first Laotian cardinal is a reason to hope in better relations between the Vatican and the Government of Laos. Look at the diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Southeast Asian countries. [. . .] Only Laos does not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, the cardinal said. We can change the government's way of thinking that we are not its enemy. We are a friend. We need to build up friendship. If both parties are working together, we foresee a better relationship ahead. With respect to relations with other religions in the Buddhist majority country, There is no problem with relations with our Buddhist brothers and sisters. But between Catholics and other Christians, there might be some problems, the cardinal said. " Each of us has a different way of evangelization. Our Christian brothers may have a developed program of evangelization and can draw a lot of numbers. Our program, on a contrary, is simple and low-key. The problem lies between the understanding of tradition and culture. For example, we think a baci ceremony [tying of wrists and praying over someone] is a traditional event of people gathering to pray upon certain individual on a different occasion. Other Christian groups might see such a ceremony as adhering to animism. Well, each one has a different way of thinking on the matter, so a dialogue just does not solve anything. Francis created five new cardinals today. They come from Laos, Mali, Sweden, El Salvador and Spain. He described todays reality in which It is the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism; a world in which forms of enslavement [. . .] continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; where refugee camps [. . .] at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; and where all that is no longer useful, people included, is discarded. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis presided over an Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of Cardinals in St Peters Basilica today. The Holy Father created five new cardinals placing the biretta on their heads, giving them their ring, and assigning them their titular church or diaconia with which they become formal members of the Roman clergy whose task is to elect the bishop of Rome, i.e. the pope. The new cardinals made their profession of faith and sworn fidelity and obedience to Pope Francis and his successors. After the ceremony, Francis and the new cardinals paid an informal visit to the Mater Ecclesiae monastery to meet the pope emeritus, Benedict XVI. In his address, Pope Francis said that the new cardinals are called to serve and face todays reality in which It is the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism; a world in which forms of enslavement [. . .] continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; where refugee camps [. . .] at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; and where all that is no longer useful, people included, is discarded. The Holy Father also reflected upon the passage in the Gospel in which Jesus goes to Jerusalem. During his public ministry, he made known the Fathers tender love by healing all who were oppressed by the evil one (cf. Acts 10:38). Now he realizes that the moment has come to press on to the very end, to eliminate evil at its root. And so, he walks resolutely towards the cross. We too, brothers and sisters, are journeying with Jesus along this path. I speak above all to you, dear new Cardinals. Jesus is walking ahead of you, and he asks you to follow him resolutely on his way. He calls you to look at reality, not to let yourselves be distracted by other interests or prospects. He has not called you to become princes of the Church, to sit at his right or at his left. He calls you to serve like him and with him. To serve the Father and your brothers and sisters. He calls you to face as he did the sin of the world and its effects on todays humanity. Follow him, and walk ahead of the holy people of God, with your gaze fixed on the Lords cross and resurrection. The new cardinals come from Laos, Mali, Sweden, El Salvador and Spain. Baptised by his mother and jailed Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun is the first Laotian cardinal. He was baptised by his mother when he was eight years old, ordained a priest in a refugee camp in the middle of a bloody guerrilla insurgency, then jailed between 1984 and 1987. Mgr Mangkhanekhoun was born on 8 April 1944 in Bonha-Louan, in the Vientiane apostolic vicariate. He completed his studies of philosophy and theology in Canada where he joined the Voluntas Dei Secular Institute of Consecrated Life of Pontifical Right. Back home, he found a country torn by war. Because of this, his priestly ordination took place on 5 November 1972 in a refugee camp. In 1975, he was appointed pastor and pro-vicar of Vientiane's apostolic vicar. In that same year, on 2 December, the Democratic People's Republic of Laos under Communist rule was proclaimed. He was arrested at the end of 1984 and held in prison until 1987 for engaging in "propaganda for Jesus". In prison, he was subjected to a severe regime with "chains on his arms and legs". After he was released, he went back to pastoral work in his native province, Pakse, first as a simple priest and then as apostolic vicar on 30 October 2000 and as titular bishop of Aquae Novae in Proconsulari. On 22 April 2001, he was consecrated as bishop. On 2 February of this year, he became sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis apostolic administrator of Vientiane. Cardinal Jean Zerbo is considered a leading actor in national reconciliation in Mali, where he was born on 27 December 1943. He was ordained as a priest in his hometown of Segou on 10 July 1971. After completing his studies in Lyon, France, he earned a licenciate in Sacred Scriptures at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome before going home where he served as parish priest in Markala and taught at the major seminary in the capital. He became auxiliary bishop of Bamako on 21 June 1988. As such, he has repeatedly made appeals on behalf of his fellow citizens victimised by the civil war. He has strongly defended the rights of Malis Christians as well, saying that "we are going through a trial comparable to that of the disciples of the early centuries." A missionary pastor in Africa Juan Jose Omella i Omella, archbishop of Barcelona, has been called "a pastor with missionary experience in Africa". Born in Cretas (Zaragoza) on 21 April 1946, after studying at the seminar in Zaragoza, he attended the educational facilities of the White Fathers in Leuven/Louvain and Jerusalem. On 20 September 1970, he received his priestly ordination. In addition to performing numerous assignments in various parishes, he spent a year in Africa, in Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of Congo. On 15 July 1996, he was appointed bishop of Sasabe and auxiliary of Zaragoza. Engaged in solidarity work, he was the national advisor to Manos Unidas (1999-2015), the local Catholic Church anti-hunger charity. On 27 October 1999, he was transferred to the diocese of Barbastro-Monzon. From 24 August 2001 to 19 December 2003 he served as apostolic administrator in Huesca and from 19 October 2001 to 19 December 2003 he also administered the Bishopric of Jaca. On 8 April 2004, he was appointed bishop of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logrono. On 6 November 2015, he was promoted to the episcopal see of Barcelona. Anders Arborelius is the first Catholic bishop of Swedish origin since the Lutheran Reformation and the first cardinal from Europes Nordic countries. He was born on 24 September 1949 in Sorengo, a village in the Swiss canton of Ticino, to Swedish parents, but he grew up in the Scandinavian country, in Lund. He was baptised into the Lutheran community, but starting in childhood he had many contacts with the Catholic Church. This led him to embrace the Catholic faith in 1969 at the age of twenty. In 1971, he entered the order of Discalced (Barefoot) Carmelites. He studied theology in Bruges (Belgium), where he also made his perpetual vows. He trained at the Pontifical Theological Faculty Teresianum in Rome. A man of great culture, he also holds a degree in modern languages (English, Spanish and German) from the University of Lund. He became a priest on 8 September 1979 in Malmo, and for long while he lived at the Carmelite convent of Norraby, near Svalov, southern Sweden. After about twenty years of monastic life, John Paul II appointed him bishop of Stockholm on 17 November 1998. Between 2005 and 2015 he chaired the Bishops' Conference of Scandinavia where he continues to serve as vice president. He was also a member of the Pontifical Council for the Family between 2002 and 2009 and has been consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Laity since 21 January 2014. Committed to greater harmony among the various Christian denominations, he has insisted that the Swedish Ecumenical Council include all traditions, from the Pentecostals to the ancient Assyrian Church. On 14 June, he was member of the delegation of Catholic and Lutheran prelates who met with the pope in the Vatican. El Salvadors first cardinal, Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 75, said that he was becoming a cardinal in "undeserved acknowledgment in the name of Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero". This is key to understanding his pastoral ministry. When he was young, he was a friend and a close associate of the archbishop who was killed on 24 March 1980 as he was celebrating Mass. His name is mentioned 17 times in Romero's diary. Born on 3 September 1942 into a peasant family in Sociedad, in the diocese of San Miguel, the same as Monsignor Romero, he completed his philosophical and theological training between 1962 and 1969 at the San Jose Montana Seminary in San Salvador. In 1965, he served at the minor seminary of his diocese of origin, receiving priestly ordination on 24 January 1970. In the first three years of his ministry he was episcopal secretary in San Miguel, and spiritual assistant to various associations and apostolate lay movements. From 1973 to 1976, he studied at the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) where he earned a licentiate in social communication. After he returned home, under the guidance of Archbishop Romero he became the rector of the Seminary of San Jose de la Montana and a professor of theology, posts he held until 1982. He has also been a member of the Council of Latin American Seminaries since 1979. Made titular bishop of Mulli on 17 February 1982, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, and received the episcopal ordination on 3 July. He is currently the pastor of the San Francisco Church in San Salvador and head of Caritas Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the Caritas El Salvador. by Mary Mee-Yin Yuen (*) The handover of the former British colony to China in 1997 did not come without pain. Still, Beijing respected Hong Kongs way of life for several years. In recent times though, mainland meddling in Hong Kong's internal affairs has increased. This has sparked a strong reaction in favour of democracy as well as autonomy, especially among young people. The Catholic Church remains committed to the common good. Card Zen is considered a hero of democracy and the marginalised. It is still possible to build trust between rulers and ruled. What follows is an analysis by a researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) On July 1, Carrie Lam, the fourth Chief Executive-designate of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will be sworn in by President Xi Jinping of Peoples Republic of China on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of HKSAR and the handover of sovereignty from Britain to China. Elected by a 1,194-member Election Committee with 777 votes, Lam, a Catholic, was neither elected nor supported by the majority of Hong Kong people. This can be seen in the public opinion polls before the election. However, many people still wish to see a more inclusive style of governance with a new leader after suffering from frustrations and divisiveness in the society and stern oppositions in the political arena under the C.Y. Leung administration in the past five years. Lam, the former chief secretary and deputy to the existing chief executive, also claimed that she would introduce a new ruling style and implement policies in a practical way. Affirming One Country, Two Systems Policy In the past twenty years, Hong Kong has experienced many ups and downs. Some people claimed that the one country, two systems policy and high degree of autonomous rule promise has been upheld successfully. In their opinion, Hong Kong people, in general, can keep the capitalistic living style inherited from the British colonial rule, affirming the principle of fifty years unchanged after the handover. At the time of the handover, not only did the central government give repeated orders prohibiting interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs, but also established mechanisms for such purposes. The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office imposed restrictions on mainland officials' arrivals in Hong Kong, preventing the mainland from exerting its influence on Hong Kong. The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government kept a low profile at that time. Moreover, the Central Government introduced measures to help Hong Kong recover from economic recession after the financial crisis soon after the handover in 1997 and the subsequent SARS epidemic in 2003. These measures include the Individual Visit Scheme and the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). They have been proved to be successful in bringing economic recovery. Thus, in the earlier years after the changeover, the Central Government, by helping Hong Kong during economic crisis but refraining itself from meddling with Hong Kong's internal affairs, won approval and acclaim by Hong Kong people. Threatening High Degree of Autonomy However, as time passed, especially after the proposal to enact Article 23 of the Basic Law, a mini-constitution of HKSAR, on subversion in 2003, Chinese intervention in Hong Kong became more and more obvious. Some critics argue that the one country, two systems policy has been deteriorating since then, with emphasis more on one country than two systems. The Chief Executives, one after the other, have also shown stronger and stronger inclination towards the Beijing government, especially the outgoing leader C.Y. Leung, and the pro-Beijing camp in Hong Kong. This can be seen from a number of issues, such as the interpretation of the Basic Law of HKSAR by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (SCNPC), Chinas parliament, on several issues which were considered to be infringing on the rule of law; proposal to introduce patriotic and national education curriculum; the criteria of Chief Executive as being a patriot; intervention in the Hong Kong Legislative Council election and the most recent Chief Executive election through the Liaison Office; and the apparent arrest of a bookstore owner in Hong Kong by the mainland police. Leung is even considered as toeing Beijings line too closely and holding a hostile attitude towards the pan-democrats. Moreover, the publication of the white paper on the implementation of one country, two systems by the Information Office of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China in June 2014 shows explicitly the attitude of the Chinese government towards the autonomous rule of Hong Kong. In the white paper, it is stated that the two systems can only be subordinated to one country. It also emphasizes that the Central Government has full control over the HKSAR. It points out that the high degree of autonomy is derived from the central authority and is not inherent in Hong Kong itself. External forces should be wary of so that Hong Kong would not be used to intervene in Chinas internal affairs. Furthermore, the decision on Hong Kongs electoral reform by the SCNPC on August 31, 2014 is considered by many people as an obvious intervention of the internal affairs of Hong Kong without respecting the strong wish of Hong Kong people in universal suffrage. It hindered the democratic development of Hong Kong and deprived the right of political participation of Hong Kong people. Such decision resulted in the worldwide well-known occupy movement or the Umbrella Revolution called by the western media. Since then, there is a rift between the Hong Kong government cum the Central Government and a large portion of Hong Kong people. Identity Shift All these results in the increasing distrust between Hong Kong people and Beijing, and the soured relationship between Hong Kong people and the local Hong Kong administration. These in turn lead to the sense of Chineseness became weaker and weaker and the sense of being Hongkongese stronger and stronger, especially among the younger generations. It even gives rise to campaigns or movements such as self-rule, localism, and self-determination. For example, cultural critic Chen Wen initiated the Hong Kong self-rule campaign, with emphasis on local interests, the objection against integration policy between China and Hong Kong, the stress on inheriting the traditional Chinese Confucian culture rather than the contemporary culture under communist rule, and self-rule by Hong Kong people. Meanwhile, some young people organize themselves into various groups. Some claim themselves localists, inclining to employ more radical or even violent means to achieve their goals of self-rule and democratization. Whereas others claim themselves self-determinationists who incline to be leftists, stressing community-building and employing rational and non-violent means. Representatives from these various groups gained a number of seats in the September 2016 Legislative Council election which indicated the support they gained from the public and the desire for change in the political scene. Economic Inequality and Indecent Living Standard In the various large-scale protest actions and the Occupy Movement, as well as the self-determinationist or self-rule campaigns, the deep-rooted cause is that Hong Kong people are dissatisfied with the long-term unjust political system and unequal distribution of wealth. The Hong Kong government has followed the liberal capitalistic market economy and remains unchanged after the handover. It contracts out a number of works and services to private companies, leaving many low-income workers unprotected and being exploited. It favours the property developers and allows the cartel-hegemony increases social and economic unfairness but ignores the phenomenon of aging poor and adverse living condition of the working poor. In spite of the prosperity and economic growth of Hong Kong in general, some people, especially the low-income class, are unable to benefit from the fruits of economic development. This can be seen in the enormous gap between the rich and the poor and the unreasonable high housing cost. Although the Leung administration had worked hard on tackling poverty and easing the hardship of the poor through spending more on social welfare, the Gini coefficient of Hong Kong that based on monthly household income in 2016 escalated to a record high of 0.539. It is ironic to see that Hong Kong has a large sum of reserve the latest budget forecast total fiscal reserves to stand at HK2 billion (US2.52 billion) by the end of March 2018. With such large reserve, some social workers and community organizers point out that the Hong Kong government, in the past twenty years, has not set a long-term goal to reduce income inequality that has long been a source of conflict in society and affect the effectiveness of governance. Responses of the Church After striving for democracy and human rights for many years, in the face of the above scenario, many people feel frustrated or helpless. Some may want to distant themselves from politics and focus on earning money. Others feel disappointed and migrate to another place. Still some young people want to separate themselves from China, from the government to the lives of people and the social situation. However, as Christians, we believe that God is the creator and ruler of history. We as Gods instrument and co-worker can do something and make lives meaningful, working together to expand the Kingdom of God. According to the social teachings of the Church, dignity of human persons must be affirmed and valued. People should be put first before economic interest. Every person is a moral agent and able to bring change. Therefore, integral human development, common good, basic rights of every person should be used to assess the law and policies of a society. Based on the principle of option for the poor and the marginalized, the Church pays attention especially to the needy and underprivileged. Based on the above social teachings, since the handover of sovereignty until now, the leaders of the local Catholic Church have offered guidance to the Church community. Some church organizations have joined other non-governmental organizations to strive for democracy as well as a fair and just system. Since the handover of sovereignty, the leaders of the Catholic Church, specifically Cardinal Joseph Ze-kiun Zen, the Coadjutor Bishop since 1996, the Bishop of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2009 and named cardinal in 2005, have spoken more frequently through mass media and have acted as a moral force in society. Cardinal Zen is famous for speaking out in defence of human rights and the rights of the marginalized, such as the right of residence for people whose parents are local residents and education for children regardless of immigration status. He supported universal suffrage in electing the Chief Executive and all members of the legislature. Many people saw him as a just, wise, courageous, and caring leader, who dare to denounce injustices and does not yield to those in power. In a city where Catholics are just seven four percent of the population, the popularity and visibility of the bishop is extraordinary. In February 2012, fifteen years after the changeover of sovereignty and before the election of a new Chief Executive, the Catholic diocese issued a document entitled Some Expectations about the Future SAR Government Envisioned by the Catholic Church in Hong Kong. The document discusses political and social development, and reminds the government of the importance of people-oriented values and long-term policies. The statement seeks the protection of peoples livelihoods and dignity, as well as the creation of a society where people can freely express concern for each other. Three years later, in May 2015, Cardinal John Tong promulgated a pastoral letter on Electoral Reform and the Well-being of Hong Kong Society. It is stated that The Diocese believes that there can be no true or sustainable peace and stability in society without justice. Thus, on the matter of electoral reform, the Diocese has made it clear that the ultimate aim of universal suffrage as mandated by the Basic Law of Hong Kong cannot be realised unless, among other things, the nominating committee is truly broadly representative and the procedures adopted are genuinely democratic. Upholding Christian values It is an undeniable fact that Hong Kong is part of China, thus, China can exercise sovereignty over Hong Kong. At the time of drafting the Basic Law, the Chinese government aware that Hong Kong should be allowed to maintain the existing system and lifestyle that is different from mainland China. That is why the principles of one country, two systems, high degree of autonomy and Fifty Years Unchanged were designed. Over the past twenty years, some Chinese officials try to uphold such policies but some forgot this original goal. This is more obvious from the Liaison Office in recent years. They try to intervene more and more the internal affairs of Hong Kong in order to keep Hong Kong in control. As Hong Kong people, we uphold not only a capitalistic lifestyle, but a lifestyle and culture that uphold human dignity and human rights, rule of law and inclusiveness. These are core values of Hong Kong at the time of handover that we want to maintain. For the unjust and unfair policies, there is no need to keep them. Rather, they should be changed so that people can lead a more decent life. We hope the new Chief Executive and pro-establishment lawmakers can resist the interference from mainland or persuade the Liaison Office or other mainland officials to keep a distance from Hong Kong internal affairs. As a commentator points out, if all sides no longer actively or passively interfere or invite interference, it will be possible to restore decency in Hong Kong politics gradually. Mutual trust will be rebuilt, and Hong Kong will be on a way out of its predicament. As Christians, we need to know the objectives of social and political life according to our Churchs social teachings. As Christians, we insist that human persons are the foundation and objective of political life (GS, #25). People of any political community have their responsibilities and beliefs. They are moral agent who should be respected and have their subjectivity. Any government should maintain a cordial and good relationship with its people, not suppressing their rights or oppressing them. To do this, government must defend and promote human rights, nurture social friendship and solidarity, and design policies and enact law according to common good (PT, GS#78). Based on these values, we hope our new government can value peoples opinions and participation, affirm human dignity and human rights of all people living in Hong Kong, improve the living standard of Hong Kong people in general, and the underprivileged in particular. If the political leaders really respect people and value their participation, people would also respect the leaders and contribute in building a society which value common good. Mary Mee-Yin YUEN * Researcher of the Centre for Catholic Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Social Ethics Professor of the Holy Spirit Seminary College of Theology and Philosophy (Diocese of Hong Kong). Morning News Brief For June 28, 2017 Morning Minute: Healthcare Stumbles, Plus Weird Spider-Man News As you start your day, it can be overwhelming to try to make sense of everything you missed while you were getting on with your life. Morning Minute is here to bring you the news you need to know to start your day, all broken down into tidbits you can consume before you finish your morning constitution. Here are this morning's headlines. The Senate Healthcare Bill Is In Shambles After angering several members of his party by keeping it secret until (what he thought was) the last minute, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pulled the controversial healthcare bill from consideration until after the July 4 recess. After doing so, several Republican senators went on record as being opposed to the bill in its current form [Washington Post] Trump Understands Healthcare Just Fine, TYVM Last night, the New York Times published a report citing sources familiar with the proceedings that stated that President Trump doesn't grasp the basics of the healthcare bill. He also didn't seem to understand when a moderate Republican senator warned the the opposition would paint it as a tax cut for the wealthy, saying he'd tackle tax reform later. This morning, he tweeted this: Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017 Guess that settles it. [Business Insider] Things Are Only Getting Weirder For Spider-Man And The MCU You're probably aware that Sony (who owns the rights to Spider-Man) struck a deal with Marvel to allow him to appear in Captain America: Civil War, but things are going to get strange following the release (and presumed success) of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Sony wants to start their own Spideyverse, but says that it'll exist "adjunct" to the MCU, in different locations but in the same world. Okay? [Geek.com] Your Fingerprints Could Soon Replace Your Airline Boarding Pass Delta Airlines is working with a company called Clear that uses biometric scanning to allow customers to skip past airport security lines. Right now they're only using it at their Sky Club in Reagan National Airport, but they hope to eventually expand it in order to expedite the check-in and boarding process from start to finish. Of course, handing your fingerprints (and possibly retina scans) over to airlines raises major privacy concerns. [Yahoo News] Guy Fieri Reveals His 'Donkey Sauce' Is Just Aioli You probably could have guessed that if you'd ever eaten it, but that's the big revelation coming out of this lengthy Thrillist interview. The whole thing's worth a read though, because he's a little more interesting than his appearance and on-screen personality would have you believe. [Thrillist] Businesses Worldwide Are Reeling From A Major Cyber Attack A computer virus described as a variant of an existing ransomware family known as Petya hit in Ukraine yesterday and quickly spread around the world, wreaking havoc on major businesses. As with previous ransomware attacks, it crippled computers until users agreed to pay the hackers $300 in bitcoin. Security experts aren't sure if that was the main motive for the attack, however. [Reuters] Someone Stole A Helicopter And Launched Grenades At Venezuela's Supreme Court An officer in the country's investigative police force, Oscar Perez, allegedly stole the police helicopter before launching his attack. Earlier, he posted a video online declaring his opposition to what he called Venezuela's "criminal government." As of now, Perez and anyone else involved in the attack remain at large. [CNN] How David Jones plans to expand its premium food business Image Credit: Landini Associates David Jones has confirmed it will be opening a series of new food halls focused on providing premium food offerings to Australians. With the stores set to offer dine-in experiences, along with premium grocery items for sale, David Jones will commit AUD $100 million to the project over the next three years. David Jones previously attempted to venture into premium grocery retailing, establishing the Foodchain in 2000, before closing it by 2003 after the concept failed to take off. John Dixon, Chief Executive Officer of David Jones, however said customers today are increasingly telling David Jones that they view retail as a leisure activity and a place to meet. Food drives footfall, it drives a greater frequency of shop and increases dwell time, Dixon said. Strategically food is going to play a very important role in terms of how we can differentiate ourselves from other retailers, its also something the online pure-plays cant do. Food and fashion will be a very strong combination for our customers in the future, he said. There isnt really anybody occupying the premium end of the market Dixon said that the David Jones Food Halls would attempt to fill the gap in premium food and grocery retailing within Australia. When people are focused on price they tend to cut corners and compromise on quality and we are at the entirely opposite end of that, Dixon said. We have looked at all the best food outlets in the world including Eataly, La Place in Holland and Marks & Spencer, and wrapped them all up in our new offerings, he said. Not another supermarket David Jones says its new venture is not a supermarket, but rather its own unique offering which will support Australian food suppliers. We want to support Australian suppliers and choose Australian-sourced first, Dixon said. The only time we will not do that is if the item doesnt exist in this market or if its an authentic, unique product from overseas, he said. David Jones big food move key facts AUD $100 million investment in three years Team of 50+ food buyers, developers and technologists to work on the project Introduction of premium food brand David Jones Food 70% of product in the food halls will eventually be David Jones Food brand First location opening at Bondi Junction 3 August 2017 New Food Hall to be added to David Jones Market Street Sydney store with work to finish in 2019 Bourke Street Melbournes Food Hall will be upgraded over the next six months A new food hall will be opened at David Jones in Wollongong, New South Wales, in October 2017 David Jones is currently assessing further locations in existing stores and standalone locations Related articles By Alexandra McQueen, PhD Candidate in Behavioural Ecology, Monash University Niki Teunissen, Author provided Male superb fairy-wrens change colour every year, from dull brown to bright blue. But being blue may be risky if you are a tiny bird that is easily spotted by predators. Published today, our new study found that male fairy-wrens adjust their risk-taking behaviour after undergoing colour change, becoming more cautious while brightly coloured. Colour and risk For many males, having beautiful colours is important for attracting choosy females. Researchers think attractive colours come with a cost, so that only the highest quality males can afford to display them. This may be helpful to females looking to select the best mate. One possible cost of bright colours is increased predation risk, as bright animals are easily seen in their natural habitat. This cost can be dramatic (i.e. being eaten) but may more often involve changes in behaviour to mitigate risk, such as spending more time scanning for predators and being more responsive to perceived threats. Such behaviours are costly because they reduce the time available for foraging and are energetically expensive. Kaspar Delhey, Author provided A relationship between bright colours, predation risk and cautious behaviour may seem intuitive; however this is difficult to test. This is because different coloured animals may also differ in their age, size, escape tactics and personality, which can influence both their behaviour and actual predation risk. To address this, we tested whether individuals adjust their response to risk according to changes in their plumage colour. Fairy-wren antics Superb fairy-wrens are small, charismatic songbirds. They live in groups with a dominant male and female and, often, several younger males. These birds are vulnerable to predators such as kookaburras, butcherbirds, currawongs and goshawks. When a group member spots a predator, it gives an alarm call to warn the others. In response, other group members may race for cover, or ignore the alarm and continue about their business. Male fairy-wrens change colour by replacing dull brown feathers with bright blue, black and indigo ones prior to breeding, turning brown again after the breeding season is complete. Individuals change colour at different times of the year, ranging from the Australian autumn (March-April) to late spring (October). Niki Teunissen and Kaspar Delhey, Author provided Although female fairy-wrens have a stable, social partner, when egg-laying time comes, they briefly leave their territory under the cover of darkness and visit the male who became blue earliest in the year. Many of the females in the surrounding area prefer the same male, who may father around 70% of the offspring in the neighbourhood. These attractive males are blue for longest (remaining blue for 10-12 months of the year) and so may face the greatest risk of predation. Tracking fairy-wrens We gave fairy-wrens different coloured leg bands, allowing us to follow the same individuals over time. Alexandra McQueen, Author provided We compared the behaviour of the same males while they were brown and blue, as well as males that remained brown or blue throughout the study. This meant we could test for the effect of colour on responses to perceived risk while accounting for individual differences and possible seasonal changes in behaviour. We estimated cautiousness in the birds by testing their response to alarm calls. This involved sneaking up on unsuspecting fairy-wrens in their natural habitat and broadcasting fairy-wren alarm calls from portable speakers. We used two types of alarms: a low-danger alarm, which warns of a moderate threat, such as a predator that is far away, and a high-danger alarm, which signals an immediate threat. Robert Magrath 48 KB (download) Low-danger superb fairy-wren alarm call. Robert Magrath 73.1 KB (download) High-danger superb fairy-wren alarm call. Costs of being blue Responses to the low-danger alarm included fleeing for cover, an intermediate response (such as ducking or looking skywards) and no response, when the alarm was ignored. Fairy-wrens fled immediately after hearing the high-danger alarm, but differed in the time taken to return to the open. We found that fairy-wrens were more cautious while blue; they fled more often after hearing low-danger alarms and took longer to emerge from hiding after fleeing in response to high-danger alarms. Blue fairy-wrens also spent more time scanning their surroundings and less time foraging compared to brown wrens. This suggests that fairy-wrens perceive themselves to be at a higher risk of predation while bright blue and adjust their behaviour accordingly. Kaspar Delhey, Author provided Blue decoys? Intriguingly, fairy-wrens also adjusted their behaviour according to the colour of other wrens in the group. When a blue male was nearby, wrens were less responsive to alarm calls and devoted less time to keeping a look-out. Perhaps this is because fairy-wrens view blue group members as colourful decoys in the event of an attack. This could occur if predators are biased towards attacking the most conspicuous animal, which reduces the predation risk for surrounding individuals. Brown wrens could also be taking advantage of the greater time blue males spend scanning, allowing them to lower their guard. Being blue for longest gives males the best chance of attracting females, but they need to be extra careful lest they get eaten before it comes to that. Coauthors on this research are Annalise Naimo, Niki Teunissen, Robert Magrath and Kaspar Delhey. Alexandra McQueen receives funding from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment and Monash University. Anne Peters receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Future Fellowship and Discovery Grants) and Monash University Originally published in The Conversation. Logo via FSNA website Franchise Services of North America Inc. (FSNA) has announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on June 26 in the federal bankruptcy court in Mississippi. According to the company, it did this to best preserve the value of its assets for the benefit of creditors and shareholders. FSNA is the holding company for operating entities that own several car rental brands including the U-Save brand whose associated independent operators have more than 650 locations across the U.S. U-Save Holdings and its subsidiaries have not filed for bankruptcy. FSNA anticipates that these subsidiaries will continue to operate their businesses in the normal course during the pendency of the Chapter 11 case. No layoffs are anticipated at FSNA or any of its subsidiaries, according to the company. The company's decision to seek bankruptcy protection was necessitated by several factors, including liquidity issues associated with expenses incurred in pending litigation by and against its former financial advisor, Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., and two Macquarie employees who also served as directors of the company, as well as other legacy claims. FSNAs litigation expenses relate to the company's acquisition of Simply Wheelz LLC, d/b/a Advantage Rent A Car, which was led by Macquarie and its affiliates. The company also remains impaired by potential claims that arise from the Advantage acquisition. The expenses and claims arising from the failed acquisition and those fees and expenses associated with these actions pending with Macquarie and its associates in multiple jurisdictions have impacted FSNAs liquidity, strained the company's ability to operate, and necessitated that the company seek bankruptcy protection, according to FSNA. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Mostly cloudy. High 62F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 41F. Winds light and variable. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. DP William Ruto in Mau. PHOTO | File More than 2,500 IDPS from Mau Forest have threatened to vote out President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying they were left out of the resettlement process. The Mau people have blamed the government for neglecting despite voting for them in last elections.This comes after another group of IDPS in Nandi alleged that the DP William Ruto has sidelined them in compensation because he knows they will vote for any and concentrated in other areas like in Kisii.Their chairman Robert Mutai claimed the Jubilee government promised to compensate them in 2013 but this has not been done.Ruto has been laying the blame of forceful eviction on NASA leader Raila Odinga but we have proven he is worse than Raila, Mutai told journalists in Nakuru town on Tuesday.Mutai said families living in Kipkongor, Kurpanyat, Kipkoris, Kipkongor, Saina and Kiletien camps lost their property when they were forcefully evicted by Kenya Forest Officers.Officers burned their houses, they said, adding many are poor while others have suffered diseases that have claimed several lives. It is unfortunate that we have lost children, old people, and pregnant women to cold-related diseases for almost a decade yet the government ignores us saying we are not genuine, said the chairman.Mutai added that Ruto, who hails from the region, remains quiet while President Uhuru dishes out money countrywide. He used to be a sweet talker but we are dying under his watch. He has ensured all Jubilee leaders from the region dont talk about us.We have proof that he punishes those who dare to mention IDPs," he said. We will not vote them. It is better for us to vote for Raila so we can come to a bargain with the help of Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto."The residents Mau were evicted during the Kibaki government and others were on the Post-election violence occurred in 2007. The people of Nandi and Mau vowed to vote for the opposition as the government has slept on its work of compensating them. Two St. Petersburg mayoral candidates, Rick Kriseman and Rick Baker, participated in a public forum Tuesday nightand the debates got a little heated. Debates heat up between St. Pete mayoral candidates Rick Kriseman, Rick baker participated in public forum PREVIOUS: Two Ricks set to banter in first St. Petersburg mayoral debate Seven candidates have qualified for mayor but only Kriseman and Baker participated in the forum because they publicly announced they were running for mayor first. Around 200 people attended Tuesday nights forum at Mount Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church. People were able to submit questions before the event and those in attendance were able to ask questions. One little girl in the crowd asked, How are you going to help the schools and the teachers care more about the children and build better schools? The candidates laid out their plans. Kriseman said, Isnt that what anyone wants in this community is a job? With nine years you had to do that and there wasnt any policies that came forth, weve done it in three and a half years. I believe that when I was mayor from the cabinet level all the way down through my administration we had people we worked closely with in all parts of our community and we did it out in the city as well, Baker said. BAY NEWS 9+ APPS UPGRADED: The new releases have a block-style layout that makes it easier to navigate, as well as an added section for Attractions Insider. A new weather section includes hour-by-hour forecasts and marine buoy data. Update your app today! Things got heated quickly between the two candidates and one person in the audience even called the candidate out for being too petty. One woman directed a comment at Baker saying, Specifically Id like to have him address how he has changed since 2007 when tents were slashed for the homeless. Baker responded and admitted to the mistake, but Kriseman still chimed in saying, We were selected as the meanest city when this happened. He cant place the blame on his staff when its comfortable. Baker responded, Whats laughable is he closes a sewer plant, he dumps 200 million gallons of sewage into the bay, and he blames everybody on the planet. Both mayoral candidates tried to put that pettiness aside as they answered questions about everything from crime to health to race relations. People in the audience responded positively to the responses from the candidates. It was great. It was wonderful, it was real, it was open and honest, Gina Foti said. Im very happy from what I heard for a starting debate and I know theres a long process here and theres a lot more questions that Im sure I have and a lot of other of our constituents have for these two candidates, Trevor Mallory said. There was also a straw poll taken on Tuesday night after the forum. Rick Baker won 114 to 48. Pasco County hosted its first County Games on June 27, which included the Special Olympics Florida's newest official event: stand-up paddle boarding. 3rd year stand-up paddleboarding part of Special Olympics Florida Group of five Pasco athletes competing in event this year Athletes will next compete in Area Games BAY NEWS 9+, NEWS 13+ APPS UPGRADED: The new releases have a block-style layout that makes it easier to navigate, as well as an added section for Attractions Insider. A new weather section includes hour-by-hour forecasts and marine buoy data. Update your app today! A group of five Pasco athletes will be competing this year in the stand-up paddleboarding event. They launched their boards Tuesday morning. I don't think about the pain," said athlete Katelynn Miller. "I just keep on going." It's fun, like getting in the water, put the leash around your ankle, and grab the paddle and push it that way and push it that way," said athlete Danielle Parise. This is the third year the sport has been a part of Special Olympics Florida. These athletes began training in June for the 800 yard and 1600 yard competitions. They do laps rounding buoys that function as check points. Photo: Bay News 9 Athlete Mark Miller has been blind since birth, but it hasnt stopped him from competing. I had to do four laps around, and I tried to pace myself," said Miller. One thing going on in my mind is, 'Stay on the board - do not fall,' and as you can see, I fell twice." Even with a couple slips, Miller actually made his best time. I feel fabulous, I don't even have words to describe it," said Miller. "I mean, Im shocked right now." After Tuesdays County Games, the athletes will be headed to the Area Games, where theyll compete against other nearby counties and hopefully qualify for the State Games. A Pinellas County sheriffs corporal resigned earlier this year after an investigation into an alleged extramarital affair revealed a trove of racist, sexist, and pornographic images on his personal cellphone. Former Pinellas sheriff's corporal investigated for alleged extramarital affair Investigation revealed racist, sexist, vulgar content on his cellphone Shawn Pappas resigned from position after confronted with allegations BAY NEWS 9+ APP UPGRADED: The new releases have a block-style layout that makes it easier to navigate, as well as an added section for Attractions Insider. A new weather section includes hour-by-hour forecasts and marine buoy data. Update your app today! Shawn Pappas, 46, resigned from the agency at the end of February after investigators found the photos, which include images comparing black people to animals, derogatory memes about the Women's March on Washington and photos he took of his genitals while working on duty at the agency shooting range. The investigation started when the Sheriff's Office received an anonymous tip that Pappas, who Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said is married to a reserve deputy, was engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a corrections deputy. Internal investigators asked Pappas to hand over his personal phone. What they found were dozens of pornographic photos of women and offensive images with time stamps that were viewed, sent or received both on and off duty. One shows a white child next to a monkey and reads "Stop racism black children and white children are the same." Another shows a black couple looking at an ultrasound with a doctor. The caption says, "I think he has a warrant....." The photos also mock women, gay men, American Indians and people with Down syndrome. "In one day, Trump got more fat women out walking than Michelle Obama did in 8 years," says one meme with what appears to be a photo of the Women's March on Washington. His photo library also showed five photos of his genitals that Gualtieri said were taken at the Sheriff's Office shooting range. Some of the videos are more sexual in nature. One shows Pappas in a hot dog suit moving his body back and forth. The case came to light last week as part of an ongoing consent agreement with the federal government requiring the Sheriff's Office to bolster the number of women and minorities who work for the department. The office filed a motion this month to lift the agreement, saying the agency has met the requirements. But James McLynas, a former candidate for sheriff and longtime critic of the department, said he filed a document on Thursday arguing that Pappas' case is an example of why the office still needs court supervision. Pappas worked for the office for 10 years, rising three years ago to corporal in the training division, where he gave instruction on a variety of topics to both new and veteran employees. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in an interview that McLynas's argument was "a bunch of nonsense." "It was isolated. Pappas was the ring leader of this," Gualtieri said Monday. "There was no indication there was anything more than that." Gualtieri said when he confronted Pappas about the allegations, Pappas resigned. "Because I was going to fire him," he said. "There was no question about it." "Former Deputy Shawn Pappas conduct was vulgar and reprehensible. This isolated conduct will not be tolerated and is not representative of the many law enforcement professionals within the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office. Pappas immediately resigned upon being confronted with his gross misconduct and if he had not immediately resigned he would have been fired. Pappas lack of character and his bigoted perspective have no place in law enforcement. All members of the Pinellas County Sheriffs office are held accountable for their actions and that occurred with Pappas separation from employment." - Sheriff Bob Gualtieri Four other deputies were given written reprimands for their roles in some of the videos. Two of those four were transferred from the training division to patrol. One resigned rather than be transferred to patrol. Investigators also determined that Pappas and the corrections deputy, who is also married, did engage in an inappropriate relationship. Gualtieri said the female deputy was given a written reprimand. Kirbyville Police have officially confirmed that Principal Dennis Reeves took his own life, Chief Paul Brister said Wednesday. Jasper County Justice of the Peace Mike Smith received an autopsy report that ruled Reeves' cause of death was "a perforating gunshot wound of the head," Brister said in a press release, "and the manner of death is ruled as suicide." New York City-based EMU Surgical Center appointed John Kim, MD, its medical director. Here's what you should know: 1. A board-certified ophthalmologist by trade, Dr. Kim ran several offices in New York City. 2. He began his career after earning his medical degree from New York City-based SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. He completed an internship at New York City-based Staten Island University Hospital and a residency at New York City-based Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center. He chose Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University for his fellowship. 3. Dr. Kim will assist and advise the center on quality assurance, medical policies and efficiency matters. 4. EMU Health CEO Daniel Lowy said in a release, "The appointment of Dr. Kim represents another milestone in our development and further illustrates EMU's commitment to excellence." Splash Financial, a finance company that provides online lending options to medical students, partnered with Wisconsin-based banking firm Bank of Lake Mills to help medical students refinance their student loan debt. Under the partnership, Bank of Lake Mills will help Splash increase its capacity to expand its online lending model. With Splash, medical residents and fellows can opt into a refinancing program with deferred monthly payment options, providing students with more financial freedom while completing their training. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Data compiled by the Association of American Medical Colleges suggests under the federal Pay As You Earn program, a medical student with $180,000 in loans may pay as much as $380,000 in total repayment. Undertaking a three-year residency can cost upward of $450,000, and may continue to rise if the student elects to pursue a specialty field. A medical director and an owner of four Orlando, Fla.-based infusion clinics were convicted Monday of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare for expensive and medically unnecessary infusion-therapy treatments. A district judge sentenced Miguel Burgos, MD, and owner Yosbel Marimon to more than five years and seven and a half years in prison, respectively. Dr. Burgos and Mr. Marimon pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in February. In his plea, Dr. Burgos said he billed Medicare and private payers for anticancer chemotherapeutic medications and other expensive infusion drugs despite never administering the drugs. Mr. Marimon also admitted to falsely billing Medicare for the infusions. The fraud took place between July 2008 and September 2011. The defendants also admitted to submitting false claims for physical therapy treatment at the four Orlando clinics, despite lacking a licensed physical therapist on staff. The judge ordered the defendants to pay $9.8 million in restitution. Mr. Marimon will forfeit property valued at about $1.7 million as part of his plea. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Kaiser Permanente cited again over insufficient behavioral health coverage Former nurse charged with 2nd count of murder, prosecutors say she killed dozens more NYC man sues Elmhurst Hospital after being treated for pneumonia and losing hand Here are five reactions from national insurance associations, managed care organizations and commercial and nonprofit insurers on the Better Care Reconciliation Act revealed June 22. 1. Margaret Murray, CEO of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, which represents 60 safety net health plans, said, "The BCRA moves in a dangerous and harmful direction for poor, aged and disabled Americans and the health plans and providers that serve them whether it is phasing out Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, threatening the viability of the Medicaid system through underfunded per capita allotments or failing to protect the integrity of actuarially-sound rate-setting practices that underpin Medicaid managed care." 2. America's Health Insurance Plans, the health insurance industry's largest trade group, told Becker's Hospital Review it is not commenting on the legislation at this time. 3. Indianapolis-based Anthem endorsed the BCRA. In a statement to The Hill, Anthem said it believes "the Senate discussion draft will markedly improve the stability of the individual market and moderate premium increases" as the bill allocates billions toward short-term funding for the ACA exchanges, ensures cost-sharing reduction funds and gets rid of taxes on health plans. 4. Chicago-based Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, representing 36 independent BCBS plans, said it is encouraged "the proposed Senate health reform legislation includes several urgently needed and important steps to help make the individual market for insurance more stable and affordable in 2018 and 2019." The organization added, "As a nation, we also have an obligation to protect low-income people and the most vulnerable among us." 5. Washington, D.C.-based Alliance of Community Health Plans, a national organization of roughly 20 health plans including nonprofit payers, said it appreciates the bill's funding of CSRs through 2019 and including income in the calculation of marketplace tax credits. However, the organization said it remains "troubled by the prospect of millions of people losing coverage under the Senate bill, particularly the working families who will be significantly impacted by the proposed changes to Medicaid." The New Mexico Department of Health on Monday confirmed two new cases of plague among residents, increasing the statewide human plague case total to three so far this year. All three cases occurred in Santa Fe County and required hospitalization. None of the infected individuals have died. Plague is an illness caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria and is typically spread from rodents to humans via the bites of infected fleas. Rodents in large swaths of the Western U.S. are known to carry plague. In 2016, all four U.S. plague cases were located in New Mexico. Dr. Paul Ettestad, public health veterinarian for the state health department, told The New York Times there are environmental factors that facilitate the spread of plague in New Mexico. The veterinarian said the diversity of rodents and fleas supported by the vegetation in the area are primary reasons for plague's sustained presence in the state. "A lot of people have rock squirrels in their yard, and when they die, their fleas are very good at biting people," Dr. Ettestad told the Times. "We have had a number of people who got plague after they were bitten by a flea that their dog or cat brought in the house." Y. pestis bacteria can cause three types of plague: bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic. Symptoms of all three illnesses include fever and weakness. Bubonic plague causes swelling of the lymph nodes, septicemic plague can cause skin and other tissues to turn black and die, and pneumonic plague can result in respiratory failure and shock. Pneumonic plague is the most lethal with a 90 percent fatality rate. Paul Rhein, communications director with the NMDH, informed Becker's two of the plague cases confirmed in New Mexico were bubonic and one was pneumonic. Plague is treatable with antibiotics when caught early. To learn more about plague, click here. More articles on infection control: New antibiotic-resistant gene discovered in E. coli More than 50 HIV treatments in development, report finds Minnesota measles outbreak winding down: 5 things to know "Compared to other specialties, orthopedics is in the best position to succeed because despite pressures, orthopedics has the best opportunities to align with healthcare industry goals," Surgical Directions President Jeff Peters said at Becker's 15th Annual Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference + The Future of Spine in Chicago on June 22. Factors driving orthopedic group success Even though reimbursement rates are declining across the board, the demand for orthopedic procedures is growing. By 2025, the number of Americans older than 65 will likely more than double, said Mr. Peters, and so the need for inpatient and outpatient orthopedic procedures will grow. Another key growth factor is the movement to the ambulatory setting. Clinical advancements and insurers are increasingly allowing for higher acuity procedures to be performed on an outpatient basis. "Ten years ago who thought they would be doing spine in the outpatient setting?" said Mr. Peter. "This movement gives orthopedic surgeons an advantage as they can drive and control the trend." Also, hospitals are under pressure. The ACA lowered reimbursement for hospitals and possible replacement legislation may not change that. Hospitals are looking for ways to cut costs and improve outcomes, and orthopedics offers a way to do that through bundled payments and co-management agreements. "Hospitals are struggling and if orthopedic surgeons can help them bring costs down, they will be the hospital's savior," Mr. Peters said. Remaining successful in the orthopedics arena Here are three things orthopedic groups can do to maintain success: 1. Embrace bundled payments programs. The move towards bundled payments is a clear trend that is not likely to change anytime soon. "Bundled payments are politically agnostic," said Mr. Peters. "They will be encouraged." Orthopedics groups can manage the bundles and affiliate with a hospital to execute it, or they can consider a bundled payment joint venture with an ASC. Bundled payment programs involve: Appropriate preoperative assessment Intraoperative process optimization Right level of postoperative care Coordination through long-term recovery In many states, commercial payers are driving bundled payments adoption. For example in Tennessee, Humana has established several preferred contracts with certain health groups. 2. Explore co-management agreements. These agreements involve orthopedic groups engaging with hospitals to help manage their orthopedic service line, said Mr. Peters. Via the agreement, orthopedic providers can get paid for helping redesign care at the hospital. The providers can attend management meetings and gain opportunities to enhance their clinical education. 3. Develop surgeon scorecards. To improve care and reduce costs, surgeons need information. It is important that orthopedic groups benchmark metrics such as length of stay, surgical site infections, operating room time, implant cost and cost per episode, among others. Mr. Peters suggests each surgeon in an orthopedic group have a scorecard that shows them their benchmarks in comparison to other surgeons in the practice or region. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below A Brexit deal must ensure there remains a continued supply of energy for Northern Ireland, the boss of one power company has said. Budget Energy has seen its pre-tax profits shoot up by more than 11% to 4.1m. The Londonderry-based business, headed by Eleanor McEvoy, a judge on RTE's Dragons' Den, saw profits rise but turnover fall due to a reduction in electricity prices across the market as a whole. In the year to June 2016, the company increased customer numbers by around 6,500. It now has 63,641 customers, according to the latest accounts for Budget Energy Limited. Speaking about the impact of Brexit on the business, Ms McEvoy told the Belfast Telegraph: "They have to do some sort of deal that's doesn't infringe on trade. I just want to make sure that there is the guarantee of some sort of continued of supply of energy for Northern Ireland. "What that looks like, I don't know. That is the ultimate aim. We are small, so we need freedom of movement of energy. "We are linked to southern Ireland which pulls in the currency issue. No economy can function without access to electricity." Ms McEvoy said the company's latest results reflected the market. "There is more competition in the market, and the consumer is the beneficiary. There is more pressure on pricing. It's been quite a satisfactory year, and we run a tight ship. We put investment back into the business, such as IT systems, to make sure we are robust enough, that our customers have a more interactive experience. "It's a very interesting and exciting business. I think change is always welcome. I-SEM (the integrated single electricity market) will become a big game changer for us. It's a very interesting industry, and we are very grateful to the people who are supporting us, and those who help to build (the company). "It's a lot of building on small industry. We are the supplier to Belfast International Airport. We also buy their excess green energy (from solar panels). That's a step in the right direction." She said the year had "been good". "I'm excited about it, and it's such a great business. "It's all about customer service and being straight on your proposition." Budget Energy employs 64 staff, mostly based in Derry. Speaking about the UK's vote to leave the EU, the firm in its strategic report says "we are monitoring the impact that Brexit may have on energy prices in Ireland through the Single Electricity Market (SEM)". What the new apartment development could look like when completed A pub is due to be turned into luxury apartments as part of a 2m redevelopment. Lacuna Developments is planning to turn 1 Stewart's Place and the Old Priory Inn, Holywood, into a new housing scheme. The Holywood-based developer, which bought the site in January, has now submitted plans to develop the listed building on Stewart's Place as three one-bedroom luxury apartments. The remainder of the site will be redeveloped as 14 two-bedroom apartments. The firm said that efforts have been made to "preserve and reinstate features of the original 1 Stewart's Place building" which is thought to have been built around 1840 by William Lowry. The site was put on the market for around 400,000 last year. The Old Priory Inn, on the town's High Street, has been empty for around 10 years. Lacuna's managing director Anthony Best said: "Before we bought the site, 1 Stewart's Place had fallen into a terrible state of repair, resulting in a collapse of the wall on to the corner of High Street and Stewart's Place. The collapse created an eyesore and disruption, which left the remainder of the building at risk." He added: "It is very important to us that we both reinstate the character of the listed building and regenerate an important gateway site for the town. "The ground floor apartment at Stewart's Place will have its own door in the same location as the original door before the wall collapsed; with steps leading up to the front door as before." Larry Thompson, chairman of Holywood Conservation Group, said: "We were naturally concerned after the collapse that an important building within the Holywood Conservation Area could be lost. We welcome the open and constructive approach the developers have taken to secure the safety and future of this listed building. We will look forward to the redevelopment of the site, and we will continue to work with them to ensure the original character of the listed building is reinstated." Lacuna is developing a number of projects in Belfast. They include student accommodation on the Dublin Road in a joint venture with Welsh property firm Watkin Jones. A raft of organisations including big business and government offices in eastern Europe have been hit by a worldwide cyber attack. The "massive ransomware campaign" has affected organisations ranging from global law firm DLA Piper, to advertising giant WPP and US pharmaceutical company Merck. The hack has caused widespread disruption, with company and government officials reporting major disruption to the Ukrainian power grid, banks and government offices. The latest attack comes just weeks after ransomware downed systems across the globe, including the NHS in the UK. More than 200,000 victims in around 150 countries were infected by the WannaCry or Wanna Decryptor ransomware, which originated in the UK and Spain last month, before spreading globally. The current ransomware, the name given to programmes that hold data hostage by scrambling it until a payment is made, is known as GoldenEye or Petya, according to Bogdan Botezatu, a senior e-threat analyst at Bitdefender. Victims of the malware can be asked to pay a 300 dollar ransom after their hard drive is encrypted, crashing their computer. Mr Botezatu said on Tuesday evening that malware operators received 13 payments totalling 3,500 US dollars in digital currency in almost two hours. He said: "Bitdefender has identified a massive ransomware campaign that is currently unfolding worldwide. "Preliminary information shows that the malware sample responsible for the infection is an almost identical clone of the GoldenEye ransomware family." The National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of intelligence agency GCHQ, said there was a "global ransomware incident". A spokesman said: "We are aware of a global ransomware incident and are monitoring the situation closely. "The NCSC website provides advice to the public and business on how to protect your digital systems." WPP, the world's biggest advertising business, confirmed it had been hit, while DLA Piper has taken its email system down as a preventative measure. Russia's Rosneft energy company also reported falling victim, as did shipping company AP Moller-Maersk, which said every branch of its business was affected. Ukrainian deputy prime minister Pavlo Rozenko posted a picture of a darkened computer screen on Twitter, saying the computer system at the government's headquarters has been shut down. In reference to the attack, the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management said Chernobyl's radiation monitoring system has been switched to manual and is operating normally. Experts have raised questions around the suspected exploit, named EternalBlue, which is thought to be being used to spread the ransomware from one computer to another. The same exploit is said to have been used in the WannaCry attack. Marco Cova, senior security researcher at anti-malware company Lastline said: "The Petya attack looks very similar in its dynamics and techniques to the WannaCry ransomware that caused large disruption just a few weeks ago. "In particular, like WannaCry, it seems to rely on the EternalBlue exploit to automatically spread from one machine to another. "It's still early in the infection lifecycle, but obviously, if it is confirmed that the EternalBlue is the only spreading mechanism, there will be inevitable questions about how organisations could still fall to this attack after all the publicity and support tools (patches, scanning tools, etc.) that were produced as part of the WannaCry response." Mr Botezatu said GoldenEye, a more advanced version of Petya, may have a number of exploits, meaning even those who patched their systems against EternalBlue after the WannaCry attack may still be vulnerable to the latest hack. He said: "GoldenEye has a couple more exploits that allow it to go from one computer to another. "EternalBlue is not the only spreading mechanism inside." He said experts will work on trying to find a flaw in the ransomware in order to create a decryption tool, but there is no guarantee victims will get their information back. Despite this, he warned people against paying the money demanded by those behind the attack. He said: "I would strongly advise against paying the ransom, because this keeps this vicious circle in which hackers get enough money to fuel even more complex malware and this is why ransomware has become so popular in just three years. "It's a billion dollar business and the more customers they have, the more advanced the future ransomware attacks will be." The attack is "still spreading at a very high rate", he said. Following last month's WannaCry incident some of the blame was directed at US intelligence agencies the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA) who were accused of "stockpiling" software code which could be exploited by hackers. Brad Smith, Microsoft's president and chief legal officer, said that attack had used data stolen from the NSA earlier this year, which contained information on software vulnerabilities the government had hoped to hoard, and subsequently leaked them online. Dr David Day, a senior lecturer in cyber security at Sheffield Hallam University, said he believed the latest attack is the "tip of the iceberg " and said he is frustrated at how it has been able to unfold. He said: " Basically what they (the NSA) have done is they have created something which can be used as a weapon, and that weapon has been stolen and that weapon is now being used. "And I think it underlines the whole need for debate over privacy versus security. "The NSA will argue that the tool was developed with a need to ensure privacy, but actually what it's being used for is a weapon against security." An poster being put up before the election Members of the public across Northern Ireland have expressed their annoyance at a failure by political parties to take down their election posters in time. There have been reports of posters still left up in a number of constituencies, including Foyle, Belfast North and Belfast South. Email us your pictures to digital.editorial@belfasttelegraph.co.uk or tweet them to @beltel. A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission confirmed that it had received complaints from members of the public about the issue. According to rules laid out by the Electoral Commission, parties are required to have removed their posters from lamp posts within two weeks of polling day - meaning they should have been taken down by last Thursday. The posters that are currently posing an issue were used in the General Election on 8 June. The responsibility for enforcing regulation of election posters lies with the planning departments of the local councils. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, a representative of the DUP in Foyle said that it generally made efforts to have all of its posters down within a day or two after the election, and that it was aware that some other parties had posters up after the deadline. Email us your pictures to digital.editorial@belfasttelegraph.co.uk or send tweet them to @beltel. A spokesperson for the Alliance Party said: "as far as we are aware, all of our posters are down". Prior to the deadline last week, the party put a call out on social media and through its members' network for anyone that had noticed any of their posters that were still up to alert them. A spokesperson for the SDLP said that candidates and campaign "make every effort" to get the posters down within the alloted two weeks. "It is possible, however, that candidates will miss a few posters across an entire constituency so wed encourage members of the public to contact local teams if they spot any weve missed so they can be taken down as quickly as possible." A victims campaigner is taking the Government to court over its alleged failure to implement a policy for holding a border poll in Northern Ireland. Raymond McCord claims the lack of legally-defined circumstances in which a referendum on Irish unity can be called undermines the Good Friday Agreement. Senior counsel has been instructed to represent him in judicial review proceedings against the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The case is expected to be heard at the High Court in Belfast in September. Mr McCord, an outspoken critic of loyalist paramilitaries since a UVF gang beat his son Raymond jnr to death in 1997, is not seeking a border poll. But the Belfast man's lawyers are questioning the legality and transparency of the current provisions for going to the public on the issue. Under the 1998 Agreement, a referendum can be called if it appears to the Secretary of State that a majority of people in Northern Ireland no longer want to remain part of the United Kingdom. Mr McCord's solicitor, Ciaran O'Hare of McIvor Farrell law firm, claims those circumstances are too vague and that authority for such a constitutionally significant issue should not rest with one individual. Explaining the reasons for the legal challenge, Mr O'Hare said provisions for a border poll have still not been properly considered - nearly 20 years on from the Agreement. "My client's case is that this issue, being of such constitutional importance to the people of Northern Ireland, should not be determined at the discretion of an individual but should be prescribed in policy for the public consumption," the lawyer said. "Mr McCord finds this unacceptable and potentially leaves the decision exposed to political expediency and as such seeks clarification on what circumstances or conditions are taken into account so that the Irish people are better prepared for such a potentially divisive eventually." He stressed that Mr McCord remains "an impassioned advocate" of the peace deal signed a year after his son's murder. The lawyer added: "The decision to call a Border Poll is for politicians, this case simply seeks clarification on behalf of the people." A decision not to order an immediate halt to the unauthorised extraction of up to two million tonnes of sand a year from Lough Neagh is to be quashed, the Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday. Senior judges held that former Environment Minister Mark H Durkan took the wrong approach when he instead served enforcement notices on companies dredging without planning permission. They directed that the Department must now reconsider whether to issue a stop notice, taking into account the precautionary principle of securing definitive evidence the activity causes no environmental harm. Although the verdict does not mean an automatic cessation to sand extraction from the UK's largest fresh water body, Lord Justice Weatherup stressed: "The issue requires immediate attention." And Friends of the Earth, who took legal action in a bid to bring an end to the dredging, vowed to press senior officials. James Orr, the group's Northern Ireland Director, said: "It's up to the permanent secretary in the absence of a Minister to take the decision that the action of the Department is now unlawful. "We will be writing today to say if you want to abide by environmental laws you need to issue a stop notice now." Sand traders have been carrying out extraction work on Lough Neagh, a designated Special Protection Area due to its wintering population of birds, since the 1930s. In 2015 Mr Durkan issued enforcement notices on the companies, requiring them to halt operations on the Lough. But by lodging an appeal with the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC), the firms were able to continue their activities. Friends of the Earth launched judicial review proceedings, claiming Mr Durkan should instead have ordered an immediate stop to all extraction. Last year the High Court rejected claims that the Minister's decision effectively amounted to giving consent by "turning a blind eye" to the dredging. But the group appealed the finding that there was legal authority for his decision. They argued that it made a mockery of Northern Ireland's planning regime, and amounted to a flagrant breach of Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitats Directives. Counsel also contended that the Minister failed to properly apply the precautionary principle of taking preventative action until proof of no environmental harm is produced. Backing their case, Lord Justice Weatherup held that the Minister instead acted on the basis of a lack of evidence of an unacceptable impact. "This is the wrong approach," he said. "To approach the matter with a requirement for evidence of harm is the negation of the precautionary principle." The judge confirmed: "The decision will be quashed. "The Court refers the matter back to the Department so that a determination may be made as soon as possible on whether or not to issue a stop notice." Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has returned from Westminster to lead discussions at Stormont. Political negotiations on restoring powersharing in Northern Ireland are set to continue. Sinn Fein has claimed the DUP are standing in the way of a deal and urged the British and Irish governments to intervene, but a representative of Northern Ireland's main unionist party said he would be happy to nominate devolved ministers on Thursday. The parties have until 4pm on Thursday to nominate ministers to a new coalition executive or they face the prospect of some version of direct rule to be imposed from Westminster - or yet another snap Assembly election. Among the sticking points are republican demands for an Irish Language Act which would bestow official protection for the minority tongue and equal rights for the LGBT community. Senior Sinn Fein negotiator John O'Dowd said: "There is clearly an onus on the governments to inject energy into these talks, to inject leadership into talks and ensure the outstanding issues are resolved in the time-scale we have left to us." The DUP has told the republican party to stop indulging in "high-wire acts" and get down to the job of delivering for the people. The DUP is willing to legislate on the language issue, but only if Ulster Scots speakers are included in any Act - a condition Sinn Fein has rejected. Leading Democratic Unionist Edwin Poots said: "We will be happy to run D'Hondt (to select ministers) tomorrow and continue with negotiations in a fair and reasonable manner to get the solutions. "It is up to Sinn Fein if they wish to do that, or if they want to break through the deadline that is a matter for them, but we are happy to nominate ministers tomorrow." Ulster Unionist (UUP) leader Robin Swann said his party would not provide "cover" for the DUP if it signed up to an Irish Language Act. He said there were many issues the UUP wanted to raise, including mechanisms for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles and pensions for conflict victims. "Our party will not be taken for granted in these talks or the formation of any executive," he said. Sinn Fein has hinted movement was possible on one precondition - its opposition to DUP leader Arlene Foster returning as Stormont First Minister while a public inquiry into a botched green energy scheme is ongoing - if the DUP gave ground on other matters. Mrs Foster was forced from office in January when Sinn Fein's then deputy first minister, the late Martin McGuinness, quit in protest at the DUP's handling of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - a scheme that left the administration facing a 490 million overspend. His move triggered a snap assembly election in March. A number of attempts to restore powersharing between the five main parties following that poll foundered, with three UK Government deadlines for a deal having already been missed. Earlier, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said failure to strike a powersharing deal would have "profound and serious" implications. The DUP was involved in a spat with the Irish government, which is helping lead the negotiations with its British counterparts, after it reiterated its commitment to an Irish Language Act. Christopher Stalford of the DUP said: "By publicly declaring its support for Sinn Fein's position in negotiations, the Irish government has undermined its own credibility as being neutral." The majority of the Northern Ireland voter base wants the Stormont Executive reformed, latest polling suggests The majority of the Northern Ireland voter base wants the Stormont Executive reformed, latest polling suggests. The deadline to strike a deal to restore the power-sharing institutions is fast approaching and discussions are ongoing for parties to find agreement by tomorrow. Belfast-based polling and market research company LucidTalk carried out a survey to gauge public opinion as part of its monthly tracker poll. It found that 60% of the Northern Ireland voter base wants the institutions reformed. However, 16% want a period of direct rule, but with the long-term aim of restoring the power-sharing institutions. Essentially, they support the reformation of Stormont, but after it has been "well sorted out", as one comment put it - i.e. a period of direct rule with ongoing discussions. Some 60% of Sinn Fein voters want the Stormont Executive re-established - roughly the same as the overall figure for Northern Ireland. The second favourite option for Sinn Fein voters was joint authority by the British and Irish Governments (36%). Only 45% of DUP voters support the restoration of the Stormont institutions, compared to 59% of UUP voters. LucidTalk said this was significant, perhaps showing that DUP supporters see the power their MPs now have at Westminster, and are therefore less interested in getting the Stormont institutions up and working again. Results show that one-in-three DUP voters wants a period of direct rule, with discussions on future devolved institutions. Only 13% of UUP voters want direct rule permanently, compared to 21% of DUP voters. There is strong support from the Alliance, Green and Independent group of voters for the restoration of Stormont - almost 66%, or two-in-three. However, it's noteworthy that an additional 18% support a period of direct rule with ongoing discussions to get the institutions on a "totally sound footing". It is also noteworthy that 11% of this same group would prefer joint authority by the British and Irish Governments. The latest polling suggests Sinn Fein's support base backs the party policy of not taking its seats at Westminster. The results suggest that the party's voters overwhelmingly endorse the Sinn Fein leadership's position on abstentionism. Of those who took part, 87% fully support the policy, with 70% "totally agreeing" with it. Only 5% of Sinn Fein supporters totally disagree with the policy. Seven per cent don't agree, but are not overly concerned. In addition, Sinn Fein supporters were asked: "If the Sinn Fein leadership changed their Westminster abstention policy, would you support/accept this?" More than 50% would either not like this policy change, or be totally against it. Some 30% were totally opposed to such a change of policy. The Sinn Fein voter base would be split on this issue - but overall this is a major endorsement of Sinn Fein's current policy position on this issue. The LucidTalk poll results show that even if the Sinn Fein leadership wanted to change policy on this issue, it would be a very dangerous political move. The online poll targeted LucidTalk's 8,827 member NI Opinion Panel from 11am 21st June to 11pm 23rd June, of which 2,883 responses were received. Results are weighted by gender and community background to reflect the demographic composition of Northern Ireland resulting in 2,080 responses being considered. All data results produced are accurate to a margin of error of +/-3.0%, at 95% confidence. The number of breeding hen harrier pairs in Scotland fell to 460 last year (Mark Hamblin/rspb-images.com/PA) Hen harriers are on the brink of extinction in England after the number of breeding pairs fell to four last year, according to new figures. The fifth national hen harrier survey showed the number of breeding pairs of the bird of prey in England fell from 12 in 2010 to just four in 2016. Scotland - which is home to 80% of the UK population of hen harriers - saw its number of breeding pairs drop to 460 in 2016 from 505 six years previously. The number of breeding pairs in Wales fell to 35 from 57 while Northern Ireland also experienced a drop from 59 to 46. Hen harriers are the most threatened birds of prey in the UK due to illegal killings and destruction of heather moorland and forestry, their natural habitat. RSPB conservation director Martin Harper said: "The latest figures back up a continued trend that we have seen for more than a decade - hen harrier numbers are on the decline throughout the UK. "The illegal killing of this bird of prey is a significant factor behind the diminishing numbers and a large barrier stopping their recovery. "Without purposeful action from all, including governments across the UK and the shooting industry, we may see hen harriers once again lost from more parts of the country." Scottish Natural Heritage head of policy and advice Eileen Stuart said: " While Scotland remains the stronghold for hen harriers in the UK, the continuing decline is a serious concern, particularly the low numbers found in parts of the mainland." Simon Wotton, lead author of the study, said: "We hope these results will convince all those who are in a position to help hen harriers to take positive steps to ensure their protection and rebuild the UK's hen harrier population for people to enjoy for generations to come." Sinn Fein hinted at compromise over Arlene Foster returning as first minister The talks to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland are deadlocked over a number of unresolved issues. Here are wrangles at the heart of the Stormont crisis. :: Irish Language Act Sinn Fein want a stand-alone piece of legislation that would enshrine protections for Irish language speakers. The DUP appears willing to legislate, but only if the Ulster Scots language is also included. The issue has become a touchstone for a wider debate on respect for Irish and British cultures in post-conflict Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein accuses the DUP of treating the nationalist tradition with contempt, on the other hand, the main unionist party claims republicans have politicised the Irish language for their own ends. :: Same sex marriage Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK and Ireland where same-sex marriage remains outlawed. The DUP has used the voting mechanism to prevent a law change, despite a majority of MLAs supporting the move at the last vote at Stormont. Following March's snap Assembly election, the DUP no longer has the electoral strength to deploy a petition of concern in its own right, though it could still potentially combine with other socially conservative MLAs to do so, if and when powersharing is restored. While Sinn Fein wants the DUP to stop blocking a law change, the DUP insists it is protecting the traditional definition of marriage. :: Bill of Rights Sinn Fein believe a Bill of Rights is an unfulfilled element of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. The DUP is not ideologically opposed to enshrining human rights protections but only if, in its view, they represent the interests of all section of society. The have dismissed previous suggested formats as "left-wing wish lists". The party has also previously raised concern that a separate Northern Ireland Bill might create a "disparity" with human rights legislation elsewhere in the UK. Sinn Fein also wants the re-establishment of a forum to allow civic society to contribute to the political process. :: Renewable heat incentive While a public inquiry has been called into the financial furore around Stormont's ill-fated green energy scheme, an initiative that landed the executive with a potential 490 million overspend bill, the issue that brought down the administration is still causing political friction. Sinn Fein had insisted it would not re-enter a coalition with DUP leader Arlene Foster as first minister until her role in the RHI (she oversaw its inception when economy minister) is investigated. The DUP has branded that stance as an "unacceptable precondition" and said if republicans want to veto its choice of first minister it would return serve, and block Sinn Fein's choice of deputy first minister. On Tuesday, Sinn Fein hinted it could give ground on this issue if it achieves movement on other outstanding issues. :: Legacy Given the parties' different perspectives on the past, it is notable that quite a lot has already been agreed on how to deal with the toxic legacy of the Troubles. The problem is while a raft of initiatives, including a new investigatory body, a truth recovery mechanism and an oral achieve, have been agreed, they are stuck in the starting blocks due to a small number of discreet impasses. This dispute also involves the UK government. One of the main ones is the thorny issue of national security and republican fears the government would cite that as a reason to withhold documents to bereaved families. Claims made by unionists and Tory backbenchers that recent prosecutions of former British soldiers is tantamount to a "witch-hunt" have further complicated the picture, with the government facing calls to introduce a statute of limitations on prosecutions of former security force members. A suggested public consultation exercise on the proposed legacy mechanisms would not fully resolve the issues, but it could move it on enough to give space to enable an executive to be formed. :: Brexit With the parties taking opposing positions in the EU referendum (DUP - Leave/Sinn Fein - Remain) it came as a surprise that they were able to adopt a joint approach to the issue when Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness penned a letter to Theresa May last year. The letter highlighted the need to protect cross-border trade links and stressed the need to retain access to sources of skilled and unskilled labour in the EU. The vulnerability of an agri-food sector reliant on EU subsidies was also raised, as were concerns that a proportion of billions of euro of EU funds for projects in Northern Ireland may not be drawn down. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. Sinn Fein's demand for special designated EU status for Northern Ireland post-Brexit has raised unionist concerns that republicans' real motive is to drive a wedge between the region and the rest of the UK. The fact Brexit has now been caught up in a reignited debate about a united Ireland has also polarised the issue. While a joint approach is now highly unlikely, it is doubtful Brexit alone would stand in the way of a new executive being formed. Police are investigating after masked men appear to fire a volley of shots at a republican funeral in west Belfast. A video recording of the funeral of Barry McMullan was posted online and included footage showing shots being fired as the funeral cortege passed. Two young children are seen at the side of the gunmen as they open fire. They move away as the men dressed in berets and sunglasses appear to begin shooting. The masked men can be seen standing on steps as the cortege pauses along the Whiterock Road before continuing to travel to Milltown Cemetery. Barry McMullan, known as 'baz', is believed to have been a senior member of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement. SDLP councillor for west Belfast Tim Attwood said the incident could "easily" have ended in tragedy. He said: Gunmen have no place on the streets of Belfast. "In a built up area, with so many bystanders this could easily end in tragedy. Detective Chief Inspector Gary Reid said: Police are aware of footage showing shots apparently being fired by masked men in West Belfast in recent days. An investigation is underway. Some examples of the cartoons that have appeared in the Press and social media - Gaurdian Some examples of the cartoons that have appeared in the Press and social media - Daily Mail Some examples of the cartoons that have appeared in the Press and social media - The Times Some examples of the cartoons that have appeared in the Press and social media - Independent Some examples of the cartoons that have appeared in the Press and social media - Justin Binding retweet. Some examples of the cartoons that have appeared in the Press and social media - Guardian The UUPs Chris McGimpsey thinks satirists in the English media have gone too far in their mockery of Northern Irish protestant culture - do you agree? "The cartoons adorning the English media at the moment, decrying a deal between the Conservative government and the DUP, have taken the abuse to a new level, " said Mr McGimpsey. "To be sure, the cartoonists are no longer as blunt as Punch magazine of a century ago wherein we were always depicted with simian features, shillelaghs and bizarre clothing. Nevertheless, we have received a jolly good thrashing at the hands of the cartoonists. Inevitably Ulster Protestant males are depicted as evil Orangemen. In one cartoon, four Orangemen - one of them sitting on a large bag marked 'SWAG', another one of them a horse - are interrogating a young boy as to his religion." A public car park in East Belfast has been unofficially closed to the public, as preparations are made for a bonfire. The bonfire site at a car park on Ravenscroft Avenue, just off the Upper Newtownards Road, is a short distance from a site where council staff removed pallets and put them into council owned storage three months ago. Speaking to BBC Newsline on Wednesday night, one of the bonfire makers, who was not named, said: "We had an agreement with the council, that they were going to store the pallets in a safe place. And now, because the agreement was broke [sic], we just thought, 'well, they've let us down, so we'll let them ones down." We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Graffiti painted on a wall at the car park reads: "Betrayed by the council". When questioned as to whether the public car park was the best location for a bonfire, he said that the bonfire had been there "for many years" and "the whole community like it here". The young man added: "It's not going to move. Nothing's going to come in the way or stop us from putting it here." As for the safety of houses and residents in the area, he said: "The fire brigade will always be on standby. They were last year. They know the risks. "We can't get the blame off it, because the council had the agreement and it's part of our culture." An investigation is currently underway into how pallets came to be stored at a council facility. Councillor John Kyle of the PUP told the Belfast Telegraph that he is aware of the issue. He said: "Concerns have been raised by local residents. It is a very difficult issue and conversations are taking place to see if we can find a constructive resolution." There were 43,415 students enrolled in higher education for 2015/2016 in Northern Ireland New figures released by the Department of the Economy have shown that there are around one-third more Catholic students than Protestant students in Northern Ireland's higher education institutions. Out of the 43,415 NI resident students that enrolled in higher education for 2015/2016, 47.4% (20,595) were 'Roman Catholic', 30.2% (13,125) were 'Protestant', and 22.3% of students fell into the 'Other' or 'Not Known' categories. Read More Students attending higher education institutes in Northern Ireland who are not from the province were not counted in the figures. Over the past five years these demographics have remained fairly stable. Back in 2011/2012 the number of Catholic students stood at 49%, while the number of Protestant students stood at 33.5% - indicating a slight increase in the size of other religious demographics in Northern Ireland's higher education institutes. The figures aim to give a broad overview of equality categories across Northern Ireland's higher education institutes, and show significant movement in some other areas. For 2015/2016 the 5,140 students who self-reported as having a disability made up a total of 9.3% of the total number enrolled. This was a substantial jump from 2011/2012, when students with disabilities made up just 6.6% of the total body of students. There has also been a drop in the number of students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds attending higher education institutes in Northern Ireland. In 2011/2012 a total of 1,035 students of Chinese or Indian ethnicity were enrolled, a figure that was down to 650 by 2015/2016. One in five Ulster Unionist Party voters at the last election think that the party should initiate talks with the DUP about merging, latest polling suggests. Belfast-based polling and market research company LucidTalk carried out a survey to gauge public opinion as part of its monthly 'tracker poll'. UUP voters were asked on their views on the future of the party and what they think is their best plan. Results found that 20% (1 in 5) UUP voters at the last elections now think the party should initiate talks with the DUP about a merger between the UUP and DUP. LucidTalks said this is quite high and should be concerning for the UUP leadership. The results for this question are from UUP voters/supporters only so you would expect close to 100% of this demographic would support that the UUP should remain an independent party. In this context, 1 in 5 saying they should now consider merging with the DUP, is high. When the same question about the UUP-DUP merging is asked of DUP voters/supporters it is not surprising that a majority of 59% support talks between the DUP and UUP about a merger. It is interesting to note that 21% (of DUP voters/supporters) dont support a merger with the UUP. When the same question about the UUP-DUP merging is asked of the minor Unionist party supporters - TUV, PUP, UKIP, NI Conservatives, then they have slightly less support for their parties (and the UUP) to engage in talks with the DUP about a merger with their parties i.e. 18% compared to 20% for the UUP voters/supporters only. Methodology: Polling was carried out by Belfast based polling and market research company LucidTalk. The project was carried out online for a period of 60 Hours from 11am 21st June to 11pm 23rd June 2017 (60 Hours). The project targeted the established Northern Ireland (NI) LucidTalk online Opinion Panel (8,827 members) which is balanced by gender, age-group, area of residence, and community background, in order to be demographically representative of Northern Ireland. 2,883 full responses were received, and a data auditing process was carried out to ensure all completed poll-surveys were genuine 'one-person, onevote' responses, and also to collate a robust and accurate balanced NI representative sample. This resulted in 2,080 responses being considered in terms of the final results - the results presented in this report. All data results have been weighted by gender and community background to reflect the demographic composition of Northern Ireland resulting in 2,080 responses being considered in terms of the final results. All data results produced are accurate to a margin of error of +/-3.0%, at 95% confidence. The Prince of Wales and Princess Anne leaving the funeral of Countess Mountbatten of Burma The coffin arriving at the funeral of Countess Mountbatten of Burma at St Pauls Church The life of Countess Mountbatten of Burma was remembered at her funeral attended by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and her godson, the Prince of Wales. Charles gave a private address at the funeral service of Lord Mountbatten's daughter, a woman he has described in the past as his "very special godmother". Born Patricia Mountbatten, the Countess was the Duke of Edinburgh's first cousin and was the daughter of Charles's beloved great-uncle, Earl Mountbatten. The then Princess Elizabeth, her third cousin, was one of her bridesmaids at her wedding in 1946. She died peacefully at her home in Mersham, Kent, on June 13, surrounded by her children who attended the service with their families. The mourners arrived yesterday under heavy downpours with around 500 filling the pews of St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, where the vicar, the Reverend Alan Gyle, conducted the service. Among the group were the Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Tim Laurence and the Duke of York. Members of the royal party also include the Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent. The Countess's father Lord Mountbatten (below), her 14-year-old son Nicholas Knatchbull and her mother-in-law the Dowager Lady Brabourne were all murdered by the IRA in 1979 when their boat was blown up off the coast of Sligo. The Countess, then known as Lady Brabourne, suffered serious injuries, but survived the blast, as did her husband Lord Brabourne and Nicholas's twin brother Timothy. A local boat boy, 15-year-old Paul Maxwell, also died. Lord Brabourne was the producer of films such as A Passage To India and Death On The Nile, and they had six surviving children who all attended the funeral. The Countess once recalled how she cried every morning on waking for about six months after the IRA bomb attack. The stirrups worn by King Billy at the Battle of the Boyne could featch 60,000 at auction They have been depicted on gable walls across Northern Ireland for years. But has anybody ever noticed the stirrups worn by King Billy on his famous white charger before? It's unlikely - but all that could be about to change as the 17th century copper irons (below) are expected to fetch between 40,000 and 60,000 at auction next month. They are among just 25 items being offered in the Exceptional Sale at Christie's in London on July 6, with huge interest from Northern Ireland anticipated. The seller's agent, Nicholas Shaw, who trawled through the annals of history, told the Belfast Telegraph there is no doubt they were worn by William III (a grandson of Charles I) during the Battle of the Boyne. "I researched these items and they turned out to be very special because of their association with William of Orange," he said. "They used to belong to a very famous family from Portadown called the Blackers who, at one time, also had a pair of gloves that William used at the battle and his saddle cloth. "Prior to William, Charles I, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, owned them, so you have two royal connections here." Mr Shaw said the stirrups - which bear the initials CR (Charles Rex) and the date 1626 - were eventually handed down to Lieutenant Colonel William Blacker in around 1797. "Blacker was one of the founders of the Orange Order in Armagh and in order to recruit people he took these stirrups with him around the towns of Ireland and used them as propaganda, so they became quite important," he said. "Since that time they've been in the family, passed down, until they eventually ended up with the seller I represent." He added: "They are coming up in a very special sale at Christie's for which they have selected the best 25 items of this year and so it's a great honour to have them in there." Listed as Lot 17, they are described as being "A pair of Charles I copper alloy stirrups with the cypher of Charles I" dating from the second quarter of the 17th century. The brochure also details all seven previous owners, from Charles I to William III, followed by the Prince of Orange/Count of Nassau, Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Hamilton (who was aide-de-camp to William III), Colonel Edward Cary, Lieutenant Colonel William Blacker and finally to the current vendor. A Museum of Orange Heritage spokesman declined to reveal if it would make an offer. Former DUP leader Peter Robinson has accused Tony Blair's government of "conning" Sinn Fein into believing that an Irish Language Act would be introduced. Mr Robinson made his extraordinary revelation as talks to save Stormont enter their final hours, with Sinn Fein demanding that outstanding agreements on the Irish language are honoured. The former First Minister insisted that his party had never agreed to any such legislation. He accused the UK Government of deliberately misleading Sinn Fein and of changing a document without the DUP's knowledge. Read More He claimed that the Rev Ian Paisley was so troubled by the deception of Sinn Fein, and by the Government's double-dealing, that he vowed to conduct all future negotiations directly with republicans. Mr Robinson said: "It was Ian's assessment - and in my view an accurate one - that if the Government was prepared to con Sinn Fein in the way it did they would be prepared to do the same to us." He revealed how "in later life Martin McGuinness and I often spoke about the different, inexact and misleading messages we were given during earlier negotiations when the Blair government was acting as intermediary". In his recollection of events during the 2006 St Andrews talks, Mr Robinson said that while Sinn Fein genuinely believed an agreement to implement an Irish Language Act had been reached, there had been only "a tongue-in-cheek" promise by the government. Mr Robinson said that the issue of an Irish Language Act was "never raised" with his party during the negotiations. He believes that a reference was inserted into the Agreement at the very end of the talks. "We were not informed of any change to the document," he said. When the DUP noticed the "added section", they informed the Government that it was "unacceptable" to the party. "We were told the section had been carefully and deliberately worded. It was not an issue that should cause us any concern," Mr Robinson said. "They informed us that as devolution would be up and running the Government would not make good its commitment as the power would be devolved." Mr Robinson claimed that the Government asked the parties to accept the St Andrews Agreement only "as a basis for progress" and that the DUP shouldn't be alarmed about the Irish language reference because "the only thing that ultimately would matter" would be the legislation to enact the Agreement's terms. "At no stage did Ian commit the party to accepting an Irish Language Act, and indeed we made sure there was no commitment to it in the legislation," he said. "Instead, the Government agreed to dilute any reference to the Irish language to a requirement for an Irish Language Strategy. They also inserted an equal requirement for an Ulster-Scots Language and Culture Strategy." Mr Robinson said that Dr Paisley had been "intensely displeased" by the Blair administration's trickery. "Not only had the Government changed the document without informing us, but (Ian) was unhappy about the Government's deception of Sinn Fein and was concerned that, when Sinn Fein realised they had been conned, problems would arise. "I remember him saying to me at the time: 'It's not the way to do business'. How right he was." The DUP and Sinn Fein have just over 24 hours to reach an agreement before Thursday's talks deadline. However, Stormont sources last night said they believed that if no deal was possible, the deadline would be fudged or other "creative compromises" found to avoid the reintroduction of direct rule. Sinn Fein yesterday accused the DUP or refusing to budge on key issues at the heart of the negotiations. Delivering a bleak assessment of the talks, party chairman Declan Kearney hinted that Sinn Fein could drop its opposition to Arlene Foster returning as First Minister if the DUP gave ground in other areas. Mr Kearney claimed that the DUP wasn't prepared to agree to a stand-alone Irish Language Act, the introduction of same-sex marriage, and a specific Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. "The DUP have not moved on any of the substantive issue which sit at the heart of this crisis. They haven't moved on any of the fundamental rights and equality issues that require to be embraced," he said. The DUP's Edwin Poots, urged Sinn Fein not to engage in "high wire acts". He suggested a "parallel process" could be initiated with an Executive formed while talks on continued. Mr Poots admitted that the ongoing negotiations couldn't be described as "easy". He said: "Nonetheless we want to get Stormont up and running and we can get it up and running straight away and distribute the money our DUP have successfully received from the UK Government. "I would encourage Sinn Fein to be mature, no high wire acts, let's get down to work, knuckle down and find a way through this." Secretary of State James Brokenshire said that there had been intensive engagement by the parties on equality and language issues, but that the coming hours were crucial. Belfast Zoo has welcomed some new spiky residents - with 11 Cape porcupines now in situ. They have arrived from a zoo in Spain that recently closed. Cape porcupines are the largest rodents in Africa and are found across southern and central Africa, southern Kenya, Uganda and the Congo. Zoo manager Alyn Cairns said: "All 11 porcupines arrived in June and have since settled in well. "Keepers are getting to know the group and are already seeing distinct personalities. "Once the team get to know all of the porcupines, they will be able to pick fitting names for the latest members of the zoo family." The zoo was previously home to two Cape porcupines, but they passed away from old age. Porcupines are not facing immediate danger in the wild. However, threats are increasing through hunting and loss of habitat. These are not the only prickly creatures to have sought refuge at Belfast Zoo recently, with two rescued hedgehogs having also arrived. Both had suffered damage to their eyes and required intensive care but, after rehabilitation, the pair will now live in an area with Belfast Zoo's native barn owls. Mr Cairns added: "The aim of Belfast Zoo is to conserve species which are under increasing threats in their natural habitat, to educate our visitors about the wonders of wildlife and to play a pivotal role in animal welfare." A couple who want to take their terminally ill baby son to the United States for treatment have lost a fight in the European Court of Human Rights after exhausting all legal options in the UK. Chris Gard and Connie Yates, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, wanted 10-month-old Charlie Gard, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, to undergo a therapy trial in the US. Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie is being cared for, said therapy proposed by a doctor in the US was experimental and would not help. They said life-support treatment should stop. Charlie's parents had asked European court judges in Strasbourg, France, to consider their claims after judges in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street doctors. But Strasbourg judges yesterday refused to intervene. A Great Ormond Street spokeswoman said the European Court decision marked "the end" of a "difficult process". Ms Yates, who had screamed when Supreme Court justices dismissed an appeal earlier this month, told Sky News the European court ruling was "upsetting". The Great Ormond Street spokeswoman said there would be "no rush" to change Charlie's care. She said there would be "careful planning and discussion". "Our thoughts are with Charlie's parents on receipt of this news that we know will be very distressing for them," said the Great Ormond Street spokeswoman. "Today's decision by the European Court of Human Rights marks the end of what has been a very difficult process and our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlie's parents as we prepare for the next steps." She added: "There will be no rush by Great Ormond Street Hospital to change Charlie's care and any future treatment plans will involve careful planning and discussion." European court judges announced their decision in a statement after analysing written arguments from lawyers representing Charlie's parents. A spokeswoman said the European judges had "endorsed in substance" the approach of UK judges. She said the UK legal framework was compatible with European human rights legislation. Lawyers representing Charlie's parents had argued that the couple's human rights and Charlie's human rights were being undermined. Boris Johnson has flown back from talks on the reunification of Cyprus to attend a parliamentary vote on the Queens Speech the first test of the Conservatives control of the House of Commons since the General Election. The Foreign Secretary left the summit in Switzerland before formal negotiations got under way on Wednesday with a vote looming on a Labour amendment to the Governments legislative programme. He held meetings with key players after an opening dinner on Tuesday evening and so scrapped plans to hold further discussions on Wednesday morning alongside Europe Minister Sir Alan Duncan. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Mr Johnson and Sir Alans departures as formal talks got under way appear to illustrate the precarious position of Theresa Mays minority Government, which is relying on the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to get its business through Parliament. The Foreign Secretary was back in the UK in time to sit on the Government frontbench for Prime Ministers Questions at noon. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Sir Alan is expected to return to the talks at the Crans-Montana ski resort on Friday, after further votes on the Queens Speech on Thursday, with the UK currently being represented by its special envoy on Cyprus, Jonathan Allen. The Foreign Office (FCO) said all parties at the talks understand the ministers need to return home and stressed that Mr Johnsons attendance showed how important the talks are to Britain. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference During the visit he met with Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, United Nations special adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, and the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey. Britain, as the formal colonial power, is acting as a guarantor to the talks alongside Greece and Turkey, and it is believed the Government is optimistic about a breakthrough despite years of failed diplomatic initiatives. Mr Johnson may return depending on the progress of the negotiations, due to last until July 7, amid hopes of a high-level agreement by next week. The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops staged an invasion in response to a coup by Greek Cypriots aimed at uniting with Greece. British Transport Police said the boy's death is being treated as unexplained (Tim Ireland/PA) An 11-year-old boy has died after sustaining awful injuries from serious electrical burns at a rail freight depot, police said. The youngster was found with severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene in Northamptonshire. Officers from British Transport Police said the death was being treated as unexplained. Emergency services were called to the Daventry International Rail Freight Depot at around 5.20pm on Tuesday. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Detective Inspector Gareth Davies appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward. He said: Our thoughts are with the family of this young boy during what must be an incredibly difficult time. I have specially trained officers supporting the family as they try to come to terms with this awful news. Our focus is now fixed on understanding exactly what happened and how this young boy came to receive these awful injuries. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Therefore, I would be looking to hear from anyone who may have seen a young boy enter this depot at around 5pm. If you were in the area or have any information, no matter how small, please do get in touch as soon as possible. The family will be desperate for answers and we will be working tirelessly to get them answers they will be seeking. Anyone with information can call police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 367 of June 27. The freight depot, four miles south east of Rugby, was opened by the Princess Royal in November 1997. A spokesman for Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal said: This is a tragic incident and our heart-felt condolences are with the young boys family. We are working closely with police and Network Rail to establish the full cause of this tragedy. Our appreciation also goes to the emergency services who quickly attended the depot yesterday. Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire has said failure to strike a powersharing deal in Northern Ireland would have "profound and serious" implications. Mr Brokenshire was addressing the House of Commons during Northern Ireland Questions on Wednesday. Read More It comes after the DUP and Theresa May agreed a confidence and supply deal to support the Conservative minority government. There is just one full day for Stormont talks to bring back a power-sharing Executive. Read More Secretary of State James Brokenshire told the House of Commons: "The overriding priority for the UK Government in Northern Ireland remains the restoration of devolved power-sharing government in Stormont. "The UK Government is working with the main Northern Ireland parties and, in accordance with the well-established three-stranded approach, the Irish Government to restore a fully functioning inclusive Executive and Assembly. "But time is short and I would urge all concerned to use the narrow window which remains to look beyond their differences and see that an Executive is formed." Charlie Gard's parents wanted him to be given experimental treatment in the US (Family handout/PA) Well-wishers are continuing to donate to a fund set up by a couple who want to take their terminally ill baby son to the United States for treatment even though hopes have been dashed. Chris Gard and Connie Yates, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, want 10-month-old Charlie Gard, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, to undergo a therapy trial in America. Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie is being cared for, said therapy proposed by a doctor in the US was experimental and would not help. They said life-support treatment should stop. Expand Close Charlie's parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard (David Mizoeff/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charlie's parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard (David Mizoeff/PA) Charlies parents had asked European court judges in Strasbourg, France, to consider their claims after judges in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street doctors. But Strasbourg judges on Tuesday refused to intervene. The couple have raised nearly 1.4 million, after launching an appeal to pay for treatment in American on a GoFundMe website four months ago, and more than 300 has been donated since Strasbourg judges announced their decision. One well-wisher donated 100 at about 7am on Wednesday and posted a message to Charlies parents saying: My heart goes out to you during this crucial time. Prayers are coming your way. I pray God changes the hearts of the doctors to allow Charlie to get the care he needs and deserves. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Great Ormond Street doctors say their priority is to support Charlies parents. A hospital spokeswoman said the European court decision marked the end of a difficult process. But she said there would be no rush to change Charlies care. She said there would be careful planning and discussion. Our thoughts are with Charlies parents, said the Great Ormond Street spokeswoman. Expand Close Doctors say they are in "no rush" to change the care of Charlie (Family handout/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Doctors say they are in "no rush" to change the care of Charlie (Family handout/PA) (The) decision by the European Court of Human Rights marks the end of what has been a very difficult process and our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlies parents as we prepare for the next steps. She added: There will be no rush by Great Ormond Street Hospital to change Charlies care and any future treatment plans will involve careful planning and discussion. A GoFundMe spokesman said officials will have discussions with Charlies parents about what will happen to money raised if life-support treatment is withdrawn. Charlies mother has indicated on the GoFundMe website what will happen to the money raised if they cannot take him to the US and life-support treatment ends. A few people have asked us what well do if we dont win the court case, she said in a statement which was posted on the website but has now been taken down. We have thought long and hard about it and we would set up a charity for mitochondrial depletion syndromes (there are others that are more common than Charlies specific gene). Wed like to save other babies and children because these medications have been proven to work and we honestly have so much belief in them. If Charlie doesnt get this chance, we will make sure that other innocent babies and children will be saved. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and top FARC commander Rodrigo Londono mark the completion of the disarmament process (Fernando Vergara/AP) The United Nations said it has concluded the disarmament process for individual arms as part of a peace deal between Colombia's leftist rebels and the government. At a ceremony in eastern Colombia UN observers closed the final container holding some of the 7,132 assault weapons collected at rebel camps nationwide in recent weeks. President Juan Manuel Santos and top leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were present for the act. "In a world convulsed by old and new forms of violence, by conflicts whose protagonists appear irreconcilable ... a successful process constructing peace in Colombia is also reason for hope and a powerful example for the international community," said Jean Arnault, head of the UN peace mission in Colombia. The historic feat places the nation one step closer to turning a page on Latin America's longest-running conflict that has left at least 250,000 people dead, another 60,000 disappeared and millions displaced. "This is the most important decision a guerrilla can make, to give up weapons," said Aldo Civico, a professor at Rutgers University and expert in Colombia's conflict. FARC rebels reached an agreement with Colombia's government last year to give up their weapons and transition into a political party, but implementing that accord has been slow. A national referendum on the agreement failed by a popular vote, congress has struggled to pass laws implementing the revised accords and opposition politicians are threatening to overturn key aspects of the deal if they win the presidential election next year. Controversy has also dogged the weapons hand-off, with conservative former president Alvaro Uribe leading a chorus of opponents questioning whether the FARC has turned over its entire arsenal. "In the administrations I oversaw, there was talk of many more weapons," the still popular Mr Uribe said in Madrid last week. But frustration is also growing inside the rebel ranks and guerrilla-dominated communities. Today a smooth paved road connects Mesetas with Bogota, but the community suffers from the same neglect and inequities that gave rise to the conflict. Like many other places torn by war, residents of the small town voted overwhelmingly for the peace agreement last year, though many still harbour doubts as to whether the guerrillas will follow through on their pledge to completely disarm and abandon their involvement in Colombia's flourishing criminal economy. At the nearby Mariana Paez camp, the concrete housing units with running water, kitchens and electricity that the government promised are still a distant vision for rebels living under plastic covers in what is one of the nation's most underdeveloped demobilisation zones. The settlement, named after a prominent female ideologue killed in combat in 2009, is located high up on lush green mountains that have long been a FARC stronghold and was witness to some of the conflict's worst atrocities. Peace has tried to root itself here at least once before. In the nearby town of El Uribe, the rebels signed a ceasefire agreement with the government in 1984. The accord eventually failed, paving the way for a decade-long bloodletting in which as many as 3,000 members of a FARC-aligned political party were gunned down. Lingering memories of the extermination campaign weigh heavily on the guerrillas, many of whom expressed their fears about returning to civilian life without weapons. The more recent rash of killings of dozens of social leaders is also heightening concerns. Some guerrillas, who now wear jeans instead of fatigues, wonder if it is safe for them to leave. Ilich Ceron, a member of the FARC's communications team, said the rebels on Tuesday want to disprove any rumours about hidden stockpiles of weapons never declared or turned over to the UN. "We are giving the country our ethical and political commitment that we're giving up weapons," Ceron said as crews built the stage where the disarmament ceremony would take place amid pouring rain. But do not expect a photo op of rebels surrendering their weapons. During years of peace negotiations in Cuba, Ceron said one thing the guerrillas made clear is that they never wanted to be seen as a vanquished army. Experts at Notre Dame University's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies said the one gun per fighter ratio seen in Colombia could be one of the highest in the world, far greater than the levels of disarmament seen in recent guerrilla conflicts from Guatemala to Nepal. Mr Civico said doubt over the exact number of weapons turned in ultimately does not matter in measuring disarmament's success. "There's always a question mark," he said. "What's more important is we are witnessing step after step the willingness of the FARC to really demobilise and reintegrate and that should be reinforced by the state and government in fulfilling the promises and agreements signed." AP Activists protest the U.S. designation of Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, June 27, 2017. The leaders of India and the United States called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries, as Washington placed an anti-India militant group chief on its list of global terrorists in a move condemned by Islamabad. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump also urged Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and a January 2016 raid on an air base in Pathankot, according to a joint statement issued late Monday. New Delhi believes those attacks were perpetrated by Pakistan-based militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The statement, issued after the first meeting between the two leaders at the White House, said the two sides "called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terror attacks on other countries." The leaders stressed that terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought and terrorist safe havens rooted out in every part of the world, according to the statement. They resolved that India and the United States will fight together against this grave challenge to humanity. On the same day of the leaders meeting, the U.S. State Department designated Mohammad Yusuf Shah, alias Syed Salahuddin, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The 71-year-old Pakistan-based Salahuddin is the leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, a key rebel group battling Indian control in the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir for nearly three decades. Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers and vowed to turn the Kashmir valley into a graveyard for Indian forces, the State Department said in a statement Monday, blaming a September 2016 attack on an army installation in Indian Kashmirs Uri sector on his separatist outfit. The attack killed at least 17 Indian soldiers. 'Unjustified Activists in Indian-administered Kashmir told BenarNews Tuesday that the U.S. decision to label Salahuddin a global terrorist was primarily to please the India government. It is only to please India, Javid Shah, Salahuddins son, told BenarNews in Srinagar. For quite some time, India has been urging the U.S. to impose sanctions on Pakistan and declare it a sponsor of state-backed terrorism, he added. The Pakistan government challenged the U.S. action as well. The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified, Pakistans Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria said in a statement. Arch rivals India and Pakistan lay claim to the whole region of Kashmir, which has grappled with a separatist insurgency that has killed more than 70,000 since the late 1980s. The U.S. designation of Salahuddin as a global terrorist will not affect the peaceful movement aimed at liberating Kashmir from Indias oppressive rule, said Shah, 42, a teacher. My father has only been demanding an amicable settlement of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir, he said. India and Pakistan have fought three full-blown wars, two of them over the ownership of the Himalayan region of Kashmir, since the bitter partition of the sub-continent in 1947. Kashmir has been an unresolved political dispute for the past 70 years and the freedom movement has nothing to do with global terrorism, which is a new concept, Ayaz Akbar, a spokesman for the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of dozens of separatist groups in Indian Kashmir, told BenarNews. We strongly condemn Americas unjustified act of designating Salahuddin as a global terrorist. He is heading an indigenous movement for Kashmirs liberation. We appeal to the international community to intervene and put pressure on the U.S. to reconsider its action, Akbar said. The U.S. should rather help mediate the Kashmir issue to help the Kashmiris facing unprecedented excesses at the hands of occupational Indian forces, he added. India hailed the American decision. "What the U.S. did is correct," Indian Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said in New Delhi, according to the Associated Press. "This declaration by the U.S. may probably help in impacting his movements and funding." On Monday, just hours after the U.S. labeled him a global terrorist, Salahuddin called for a weeklong protest in Kashmir ahead of the first anniversary of the death of HM member Burhan Wani who was shot dead by Indian security forces in July 2016. Wanis killing triggered a fresh cycle of violence in the insurgency-ravaged region that claimed the lives of at least 100 people and injured nearly 10,000 others in near daily street clashes between anti-India protesters and security forces. 'Rigged' Born in Soibugh village of central Kashmirs Budgam district, Salahuddin, a political science major from Kashmir University, joined HM in 1991, almost four years after being released from prison and following his defeat in the 1987 state assembly elections, according to his son, Shah. He was jailed under the Armed Forces Special Forces Act (AFSPA), which gives security forces sweeping powers, including allowing personnel to make warrantless arrests, to enter and search any premises and shoot any suspect. AFSPA, which is in force in Indian Kashmir as well as the conflict-torn northeast states of Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland, provides immunity from prosecution for soldiers who conduct counterterrorist operations. He fought the elections from Srinagars Amirkadal constituency. But they [the votes] were rigged. Soon after he was jailed because he raised his voice against the unjust elections, Shah said. Salahuddin has been based in Pakistan for more than 20 years and is the head of the United Jihad Council (UJC), an alleged umbrella organization of Pakistan-based militant groups fighting for Kashmirs freedom from India, Shah said. When it comes to terrorism, Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Wilson Center, said Modi and Trump had a similar worldview that "it needs to be destroyed wherever it rears its murderous head," AP reported. He said the designation of Salahuddin showed that Washington was willing to work closely with New Delhi on terrorism-related matters, although it remained to be seen if that signals a tougher policy toward Pakistan, according to AP. Boom Mosby (right), of Thailand, receives her 2017 Human Trafficking Report Hero award from Ivanka Trump during an event at the U.S. State Department, June 27, 2017. Bangladesh has done less to investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes over the last year and has been placed on a watch list of countries where the number of trafficking victims is very significant or is significantly increasing, a U.S. government report said Tuesday. Meanwhile, Malaysia was taken off the watch list and moved up a notch in the four-tier grading system of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released annually by the U.S. State Department. The report cited a decrease in investigations of sex and labor trafficking cases in 2016 as a reason for downgrading Bangladesh. The government investigated 122 sex and 168 labor trafficking cases last year, a decrease from 181 sex and 265 labor cases in 2015. Convictions three traffickers last year also fell from four in 2015 and 15 in 2014, the report said. [C]onvictions remained rare because the government had not dedicated adequate resources to pre-trial investigation and short timelines for the completion of cases led to inadequately prepared and subsequently unsuccessful prosecutions, the report stated. It credited the Bangladesh government with making an effort to prevent trafficking, but said it had not addressed the issue of fees charged to citizens who travel to other countries to work. The government continued to allow the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies to set recruitment fees sufficiently high to render migrant workers indebted and vulnerable to trafficking, it said. Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, said the downgrade was merited. In just about every area and on every indicator, Bangladesh is failing in its battle to control brokers, protect overseas workers fleeing abuse, tackle rampant corruption benefitting traffickers, or ensuring basic protection services to both vulnerable groups from Bangladesh and the over 200,000 Rohingya who have fled violence in Myanmar, he said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina needs to get directly and personally involved to re-start efforts to address this situation, he told BenarNews. The Bangladesh government needs to lead the efforts to mobilize people and resources to take on the anti-trafficking fight. Malaysia upgrade Malaysia, for its part, was removed from the Watch List because of an increase in trafficking investigations, prosecutions and convictions, the report said. In 2016, the government conducted 581 probes of potential trafficking cases, compared to 158 the previous year. It initiated prosecutions against 175 alleged traffickers, up from 38 in 2015, and convicted 35 18 for labor and 17 for sex trafficking. The report credited the government with increasing efforts to identify trafficking victims but said it fell short on protection. The government did not always proactively screen the vulnerable migrant worker population for indicators of trafficking, which left an unknown number of potential victims without proper care, the report said. In addition, not all victims of trafficking were granted freedom of movement and the ability to work while their investigations were pending in the judicial system. Robertson said the State Department had whitewashed Malaysias record on combatting human trafficking. The reality is that Malaysia officials identify very few victims compared to the numbers present in Malaysia. Foreign workers from Southeast and South Asia are debt bonded and controlled, and the governments efforts to shelter and care for victims is really sub-par, and marred by bureaucratic red-tape, he said. 20 million victims A U.S. law, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, requires the State Department to release the TIP report each year to raise awareness of human trafficking. It ranks 188 countries, including the United States, on how they deal with the problem. Tier 1 countries fully comply with minimum standards of protecting trafficking victims. Tier 2 countries are making significant efforts to meet those standards and Tier 2 Watch List countries are making significant efforts to meet standards but fail to provide evidence of increasing efforts. India and Indonesia stayed at Tier 2 in the 2016 report. Thailand remained on the Watch List and the Philippines stayed at Tier 1. None of the countries were listed on Tier 3, the lowest level of compliance. There are an estimated 20 million victims of human trafficking around the world today, U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said at the launch of the report in Washington. Human trafficking is one of the most tragic human rights issues of our time. It splinters families, distorts global markets, undermines the rule of law, and spurs other transnational criminal activity, he said. It threatens public safety and national security. But worst of all, the crime robs human beings of their freedom and their dignity. Thats why we must pursue an end to the scourge of human trafficking. Heroes The report continued its tradition of naming TIP Report Heroes including a Thai woman and an Indian man for their efforts to aid trafficking victims. Boom Mosby, the founder and director of Thailands HUG Project, was honored as a passionate advocate for child victims of sexual abuse. In 2015, she played a fundamental role in opening the Advocacy Center for Children Thailand in Chiang Mai, the first such center in all of Southeast Asia. Mashesh Bhagwat, the commissioner of police of Rachakonda in Indias Telangana state, was honored for his commitment to fighting human trafficking over the last 13 years. Under his command, Rachakonda police closed 25 brothels five hotels and 20 residential apartments in less than a year and participated in one of the largest crackdowns on labor trafficking in the country, which led to the identification and removal of more than 350 children forced to work in brick kilns, the report said. Deputy Defense Minister Udomdej Sitabutr speaks to reporters at the Thai Ministry of Defense in Bangkok, June 28, 2017 Thailand is considering bringing more parties to the table for efforts to end a long-running insurgency in the Deep South, a senior official said Wednesday, acknowledging for the first time that it may not have been working with the right dialogue partners during two years of informal peace talks. Deputy Defense Minister Udomdej Sitabutr made the comments two months after Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the most heavily armed of the rebel groups in the southern border region, criticized the current peace process in a YouTube video. We talked about whether or not we already have the right dialogue partners, Udomdej told reporters in Bangkok, saying the peace-talk process is still ongoing and that Thailand may ask neighboring Malaysia for help in bringing all parties on board. Kuala Lumpur has brokered the process, but both sides have not yet implemented a ceasefire in the far south, where attacks and bombings by suspected hardcore rebels have persisted. According to Udomdej, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon recently told him and Aksara Kerdpol, the head of the Thai negotiating team, to explore whether MARA was an appropriate partner in the talks. The Thai prime minister advised General Aksara to look into that. Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit also advised him to discuss with the facilitator Malaysia to ask around in order to have all parties included, Udomdej, who chairs a 13-member special government delegation to the Deep South, said without specifying when these conversations occurred. In his comments, Udomdej was apparently alluding to a rare statement issued by BRN in April that voiced misgivings about the peace talks. BRN, which occupies three seats at the MARA Patani table, suggested that the panel negotiating on behalf of rebel factions lacked a mandate to do so. BRN said the decades-old separatist conflict could only be resolved through dialogue. It demanded a direct role in fresh talks witnessed and mediated by impartial members of the international community. [I]nclusivity is very important for the peace process. All the parties and all the stakeholders should be involved in the process, and I dont think there are any problems with MARA, Kasturi Mahkota, the leader of the Patani United Liberation Organization (PULO), another rebel group represented on MARA Patani, told BenarNews. MARA spokesman Abu Hafiz Al-Hakim could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Incremental progress on safety zones Meanwhile in the Deep South, the rector of Rakabhat Yala University suggested that MARA Patani was the wrong party representing the rebel side in talks. Negotiations should be held in secret because after every [round of] of talks, there comes more attacks, reflecting the wrong partner to talk with, assistant Professor Sombat Yothathip said. There is someone opposing the attempts at talks, Sombat told BenarNews [T]he situation did not get better. I agree with the attempted talks but not with the method. More than 7,000 people have been killed since 2004 through violence associated with the conflict in the predominantly Muslim and Malay-speaking Deep South. And since MARA Patani and Thai negotiators agreed in late February to setting up a limited ceasefire in a district in the region, the Deep South has been riddled with attacks associated with the insurgency. At least 47 have been killed and 134 others injured since the last round of talks on Feb. 28. Back then, according to MARA, the two sides set a three-month deadline for working together to identify a district where a ceasefire would be implemented. But, Udomdej revealed, both sides had not yet settled on this. As far as I know, the attempt to set up a safety zone has been going on. The next step is to specify a place to accommodate project coordination , he said. I cannot [go into the details] because the work has gradually progressed. It has made incremental progress, Udomdej added. Mariyam Ahmad in Pattani, Thailand and Hata Wahari in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. After an 18-year run in Goose Creek and unforeseen challenges presented by COVID-19, Dreamalot Books has gradually but decidedly gained a steady foothold in the Moncks Corner community as a welcoming haven of second-hand books for both area bibliophiles and those traveling in from Myrtle Read moreThe 'happy place' for used books: Dreamalot Books emerging as a go-to hot spot in Moncks Corner Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Cloudy skies with periods of rain this afternoon. High 77F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. 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For Immediate Release, June 28, 2017 Contact: Hannah Connor, (202) 681-1676, hconnor@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Demands Public Records on Approval of Toxic Heavy Metal Pollution of Water EPA Decision Ignores Dangers of Cadmium to Endangered Species WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration today to obtain public records on the approval of nationwide water-quality criteria for the dangerous heavy metal cadmium that are nearly 40 percent higher than determined to be safe for endangered salmon. Cadmium, which is used in the manufacturing of batteries, plastics and electronics, is extremely toxic to people and wildlife and regulated under the Clean Water Act. Yet the Environmental Protection Agency finalized water-quality criteria for the toxic heavy metal without first working with the National Marine Fisheries Service to assess its harm to endangered species. Today's lawsuit seeks to require the EPA to release public records in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. The public has a right to know what the EPA is hiding in ignoring the advice of scientists and setting dangerously high levels for cadmium in our water, said Hannah Connor, a senior attorney at the Center. The EPA's refusal to properly regulate toxic metals like cadmium is a major reason why freshwater animals like mussels and fish are some of our fastest-declining species. The EPA's failure to work with fisheries experts to assess the dangerous impacts of cadmium puts more than 200 species of endangered fish, mussels, sea turtles and corals at increased risk of extinction. Federal fisheries experts have criticized the EPA's outdated 30-year-old guidelines for assessing ecological impacts. The agency has refused to release pubic documents explaining its decisions. The EPA is again refusing to disclose public documents to conceal its efforts to do the bidding of special interests, said Connor. Heavy metals known to be dangerous to humans and aquatic life have no business in our waterways at such high levels. Under Administrator Scott Pruitt, the Trump EPA has been widely criticized and repeatedly sued for refusing the timely release of documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Opinion | 04 November 2022 | Interviews India needs to connect OPD with the cashless insurance network to bring them into the digital economy After having raised $1.2 million from Entrepreneur First and GrowX Ventures in 2021, how do you see the perfor...Read more LAGOS, Nigeria - The first episode of new Forbes Woman Africa show, Against The Odds with Peace Hyde', due to air June 30, will feature Oby Ezekwesili, creator of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. The women empowerment show, Against The Odds with Peace Hyde is set to premiere on Friday June 30, 2017, on Pan African Business Channel CNBC Africa, Channel 410 on DSTV. The show is the latest instalment from Forbes Woman Africa, depicting the journey of some of the most influential women in West and Southern Africa who have achieved remarkable feats whiles defying the odds. In the first episode, Oby Ezekwesili, creator of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, talks about her harrowing experience in fighting corruption in Nigeria from her early days as the co-founder of Transparency International; to the shock and horror of finding out about the abduction of over 270 girls in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria. Watch the promo: http://APO.af/FsLa7x. LAGOS, Nigeria - More than 100 000 Nigerians are benefiting from a pioneering new solar electricity device powered by mobile phones, the Y'ello Box. Yello Box The Yello Box is a solar electricity system that officially launched earlier this year in a world first, which allows families and business owners to harness the power of the sun cheaply and efficiently, in a way weve never seen before. In homes, clinics, schools and businesses across Nigeria, people are running fans, charging phones, watching TVs and lighting rooms, all using affordable, reliable, clean electricity. The Yello Box is already powering the lives and businesses of more than one hundred thousand Nigerians. Designed and operated by Lumos Mobile Electricity Service, the Yello Box provides electricity to customers 24 hours a day, which people pay for using their MTN mobile phone. Designed and operated by Lumos Mobile Electricity Service, the Yello Box provides electricity to customers 24 hours a day, which people pay for using their MTN mobile phone. It has proved itself to be the most reliable and affordable service on the market, with customers delighted at the switch from traditional fuel. Yuri Tsitrinbaum, CEO of the Lumos Mobile Electricity Service said: People dont have access to the power they need. Fuel is very expensive and other services are unreliable. The Yello Box saves customers money all while providing better and more reliable electricity. As Nigeria modernises, our demand for power increases. Its time we did more to harness the power of the sun. That is why the Yello Box is changing so many lives. It is affordable, it is reliable and paying by mobile phone makes it easy. Lumos is growing rapidly across Nigeria, as we invest more money, create business opportunities for Nigerians and employ more and more people. Equally important is the fact that the service is improving the everyday operations of community centres like schools, health clinics and religious institutions, added Tsitrinbaum. A deadly national cancer drug shortage is approaching its third month and patients may have to go without until October - if they can make it. In February, Nic Basson was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a fast-growing malignant brain tumour, which is located in his brains language centre and affects his ability to communicate. He was prescribed the steroid betanoid to help control inflammation associated with the tumor. But in April, his local pharmacy told his wife, Debra, that it could no longer fill his prescription, sending Debra on a frantic country-wide search for the drug - to no avail. She explains: Within 24 hours without betanoid my husband had lost his ability to speak. She continues, softly: He also has memory loss, so even when he can find words, he forgets what he was going to say. He is essentially trapped in his own mind. Betanoid is not just used to treat brain tumours, the medicine is also prescribed to patients battling leukemia, lymphoma and kidney diseases, warns Michael Herbst, health specialist at the Cancer Association of South Africa. Herbst says he is appalled at the shortage. For cancer patients, skipping a day of betanoid can be life-threatening. Betanoid works by suppressing the bodys release of stress hormone cortisol. To be effective, the treatment must be taken at exactly the same time every day to ensure that patients have enough of the drug in their blood at all times. Patients who stop taking betanoid have to be weaned off the drug slowly in order to allow their adrenal glands, where cortisol is produced, to slowly return to their normal function. Herbst warns: Patients cannot just stop taking betanoid. They could go into a state of shock - and nothing will be able to get them out of it. According to US non-profit the Mayo Clinic, withdrawal symptoms from steroids like betanoid also include severe fatigue, body ache and weakness. Aspen Pharmacare is the sole manufacturer of betanoid for South Africa and says it cannot resume producing the drug until drug regulator the Medicines Control Council (MCC) approves a new manufacturing facility, according to spokesperson Shauneen Beukes. Aspen did not say when production will resume, but Cape Towns Groote Schuur Hospitals spokesperson Alaric Jacobs said they were told to expect stock by the end of October. National department of health spokesperson Popo Maja has confirmed a nationwide shortage but says the department has imported alternatives to betanoid dexamethasone and prednisone to prevent interruptions to cancer care. These drugs are not registered for use in South Africa and must be procured with special MCC permission. Director of pharmaceutical company Haempharm Caroline Rich says her company will apply to the MCC to register dexamethasone for use in South Africa as a possible alternative to betanoid early next year. She says applications to register the drug have been unsuccessful: We need to get this drug registered as a matter of urgency." Although the country has rushed to import alternatives to betanoid amid stock outages, they may not work for everyone. Both Rich and oncology pharmacist Carien van der Merwe say that switching patients from betanoid to prednisone is tricky. Van der Merwe, owner of The Oncology Pharmacy, says patients like Nic are often prescribed high doses of prednisone, which is not as potent as betanoid. Patients often suffer from increased side effects as a result. Nic is now using prednisone but Debra says the medication has left him with side effects such as heart palpitations. South Africas national betanoid shortage comes about one year after Bhekisisa reported a national stock out of common childhood cancer treatments. At the time, doctors complained that the MCC had also been slow to respond to individual requests for special access to generic dexamethasone after the registered provider of the brand name drug, Merck & Company, discontinued production. It appears that the Esidimeni tragedy has not had impact on improving the care of public sector mental health patients. In fact, it's seems to be getting worse. The Daily Maverick has reported that the Gauteng department of health is planning to cut subsidies to about 160 NGOs, some of which take care of mentally ill patients. One of these homes has taken the department to court to reinstate the funding. Meanwhile, the critical situation found in state mental health hospitals has still not been addressed, including the issues raised in the health ombuds report in February this year. The South African Society for Psychiatrists (Sasop) Public-Sector Psychiatrists forum has therefore instituted reporting on the state of care in their respective regions. The result is appalling and acts as a second call from Sasop for an overhaul of the mental health care system in all the provinces, the organisation said in a statement. Limpopo and the Eastern Cape suffer the most severe lack of resources, says Professor Bernard Janse van Rensburg, president of Sasop. Hospitals hopelessly understaffed Only six public sector psychiatrists serve the whole of Limpopo, mainly from general hospitals. Hayani hospital, a 390-bed mental health specialist hospital, where in 2016, a psychiatric nurse was killed by an inpatient, has currently no psychiatrist. Child and adolescent psychiatric care is non-existent in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo province, and in all provinces, psychiatrists have to admit children and adolescents unlawfully into adult psychiatry wards. No province currently has an organised community-based psychiatric service. The report found Mpumulanga and the Northern Cape has no public-sector psychiatry representation whilst in KwaZulu-Natal a massive specialist staffing crisis exists whereby only 20 of the 45 specialist posts are filled. Human rights under threat With physical beds missing, others not in use due to flooding of wards caused by the non-repair of damaged roofs post a storm in 2015, and no water or food at some hospitals such as Umzimkhulu in KwaZulu-Natal as found at so many others across the country, the most fundamental basic human rights of patients are under threat. Janse van Rensburg says the Eastern Cape is struggling with a dearth of general hospital beds to accommodate acute psychiatric admissions and in most regions the inability to deal with aggressive behaviour by severely mentally ill people has resulted in long waiting lists for forensic psychiatric services. Key legal structures missing Other common themes that emerged were an absence of mental health directorates in five of the nine provinces and that mental health review boards are generally dysfunctional in all provinces. These are key structures provided for by the Mental Health Care Act of 2002, to protect the human rights of those patients whose disability or acute illness renders them unable to stand up for themselves. However, there is a gap in this role, in that such patients living in the community may not be perceived to require such protection. Community-based care The health ombuds report recommended some action to be completed within 45 days, yet 150 days later, it is glaringly apparent that the general poor access to both physical and mental healthcare at community level remains unaddressed, and no comprehensive remedial strategy has yet been tabled in Gauteng, or elsewhere. Our own report now serves as a second call for action to be taken. While almost all the previous Life Esidimeni patients have been transferred from the NGOs in Gauteng back into hospital, we are still awaiting positive action on other important recommendations made by the health ombud. Notably, Recommendation 16, referring to the whole mental health system which should include resourced, developed community-based primary and specialist multidisciplinary teams. The reality however is that the health system still does not cater adequately for the thousands of people who continue to live with mental illness within the community. The concept of innovation drives me. I love taking calculated risks. I enjoy doing the associated R&D. Most of all I like to watch it unfold as a campaign. A friend and ex-colleague of mine, Rob Stokes (digital marketing pioneer, founder and non-executive chair at Quirk/Mirum Africa and Red & Yellow School) and I discussed this topic. Rob had this to share, with artificially intelligent machines poised to take most jobs, the ability to think creatively will become the most important skill of the future as it is uniquely human. I believe South African digital marketers produce innovative digital marketing all the time but often and unintendedly fail to get the global recognition they may deserve. Is it all about winning awards? I believe not. I think digital marketers should just love what they do and in the process to push boundaries. Winning awards is a bonus. Innovation requires nurturing and working with like-minded people I have and continue to work with SAs top digital marketers. To all those starting their careers in digital marketing make sure you always work hard, no idea is silly, ask questions, learn from constructive criticism, and dont give up on the hope of landing that job opportunity to work with SAs best. The war of innovation A factor to sometimes consider in the war for innovation is that locally we are often technologically hindered from creating innovative campaigns because the tech takes a while to be rolled out in SA, compared to the US and Europe (e.g. Google Home). However, this doesnt stop us from trying to squeeze everything we have out of the available technology. We must push ourselves every day and not use, well, were in SA and we cant do cool stuff like in the US or Europe. OK Google, who won a Grand Prix Lion at Cannes? Burger Kings recent OK Google (Google Home) campaign just won a Grand Prix Lion at Cannes. It is fantastic to see that digital-lead campaigns, powered by Google tech are getting recognised on a global level. South Africans pioneered OK Google digital marketing Im a search marketer by trade and Ive always been intrigued by Googles various technologies. I have first-hand experience with this type of digital marketing. I spearheaded an innovative OK Google campaign way back in 2015 for McDonalds South Africa together with leading digital marketers at Mirum (formally Quirk), who made it possible. At the time, we pushed the very edge of what could be done with Googles OK Google voice technology, long before Google Home devices existed. We were arguably the first in the world to launch an OK Google voice-activated campaign, merely a few days before Nestle UK launched their OK Google Kit Kat campaign. Ive been wanting to create a Google Home campaign ever since Google Home was launched in the US. Unfortunately, Google Home is not fully supported by Google in SA yet, which I understand. These things take time to roll out globally. Search marketing with a youthful touch How does one break through competitors' advertising clutter in a youthful way? Ive been fortunate enough to help drive another innovation in Search Marketing once more to harness emojis for a leading telcos youth marketing campaign. By combining and harnessing two local digital trends in a cutting-edge way. Google Search and the use of emojis by the youth segment are more popular than ever. First, I noticed that Google had just reintroduced the availability of emojis in their organic search results (not ads). I asked myself, how can this be taken advantage of in a useful way? Second, I developed an idea in the form of a competition entry mechanic. Website URLs on marketing material dont engage consumers like they used to. I believe consumers have become somewhat blind to them. URLs arent the strong call-to-action messages they used to be consumers are just too used to seeing them, almost everywhere these days. Third, the idea was finalised. People can simply tap a series of emojis into their cellphones Google Search bar, just like they would do in a WhatsApp message to a friend. A competition entry page would then present itself in the Google Search results. This is being promoted online and offline. The data doesnt lie, people are embracing this never-been-done-before marketing message. The pressure is on we need to innovate to stay relevant Im optimistic about the South African digital marketing industry. The increasing growth of local digital marketing output and its growing prominence will collectively guarantee that digital marketers need to innovate to stay relevant. According to packaging design agency Stratcom Branding, the packaging for the future requires bold, agile, visionary thinking beyond the aisle. It requires innovative designing for the experience and not just shelf impact and it requires smart enabling, to give proof of purchase, drive ROI and not loyalty awareness statistics. When a brand offers a full family of products, it is the duty of packaging to promote the individuality and consumer insight of each product within succinct brand architecture. Packaging mishaps An example of packaging mishaps is Lion Larger, where drastic measures had to be embarked upon to save a 110-year-old brand. The steps included a repackaging and labelling of the brand. Lion Lager was once a top selling beer in South Africa but hard times have fallen upon the brand with the current market share estimated at around 5% while rival Castle Lager enjoys 65% of the South African market. As consumer packaged goods and retail companies shift greater focus towards rethinking packaging design, they need answers to meet these growing demands for deeper consumer connections, world appeal and local pride. Brand owners must now focus on packaging designs not only with increased functionality and greater efficiency but also with stronger shelf performance, at niche consumer segments. In order to do this and avoid any future mishaps brand owners will need to explore innovative avenues for devising new packaging design strategies. However, before they can even think about incorporating new design features, brand owners must have their design processes down to a science, or they will quickly find themselves within the statistical majority of brand decline because of packaging failures. Early mover collaboration Brand owners are frequently realising that when it comes to the package design world, creating the box starts with thinking beyond its walls. However, collaboration is a team effort. In addition, the added complexities of consumer demands and industry standards, brand owners wanting to thrive in a competitive marketplace need to be able to see the big picture. They need a partner that not only understands the cycle for inventive packaging but also can lead them through the process. For brand owners, gaining early-mover advantage will mean finding ways to leverage the various forms of augmented reality (AR) to achieve goals such as: Enable the packaging to become a smart medium Provide more useful, more hands-on experiences Enable real-time access to rich data. Brands making the most of AR will find new ways to visualise problems and their solutions through utilising the package real estate, through digital mediums with the benefit of reduced media spend of the traditional channel. They will find smart ways to connect AR applications with colliding technology domains. AR off packaging opens the doors to so many exciting possibilities and, over time, may have an influence on the way branded products position themselves. M-commerce and AR In Africa, the leap to m-commerce as a business enabler opens the door for AR to aid in the model brand attributes of one pack at a time in high volumes for a brand. This empowers local and relevant content of common pack design and image recognition. Local brands looking to introduce AR should remember that it is less to do with the technology and everything to do with the delivery. In our experience, you either have people approaching AR campaigns from a platform perspective, where they are only interested in the coolness of the technology and lose sight of the strategy. Alternatively, are those who approach from consumer insight and are successful with the engagement and upturn on sales. It is clear that while AR may still be considered a new addition to the customer journey, the well-defined user cases, as well as the built-in support from packaging specialists and HR agencies, means there is no reason why local companies should not be embracing it. The key to successful AR initiatives is to ensure they are appropriate, effective, amplify traditional delivery channels and build deeper connections with the consumer. Poultry company Astral has created a "war room" to contain the outbreak of bird flu on its farm in Villiers. "Following on from the initial outbreak, abnormal mortality was reported on another site on the same farm over the past weekend, and in light of the risk posed by this disease to Astral's operations and the greater poultry industry, a decision was taken to depopulate all laying sites on this farm," Astral MD for agriculture Gary Arnold said in a statement on Tuesday. "This decision affected close to 150,000 broiler breeders representing approximately 6% of Astral's total breeding stock," Arnold said. image "Immediate actions were put in place to replace the lost hatching egg production from this farm by extending the production of all other breeding capacity and tapping into hatching egg stocks." He said the company was doing everything in its power to contain the outbreak. Once the infected sites have been depopulated and disinfected and the quarantine status lifted, the farm will be restocked and returned to normal production. Astral CEO Chris Schutte said that if further breeding operations were affected, the company had limited surplus capacity it could use. "We would also draw on our contingency planning to the full extent which incorporates our international poultry breeding partner, and the sourcing of hatching eggs and/or poultry livestock to ensure uninterrupted supply within Astral's poultry value chain," he said. The company's share price dropped by 6% to R148 a share on Wednesday after the outbreak was reported in the media. The price has since recovered slightly and the stock was trading at about R150 on Tuesday afternoon. The outbreak on Astral's farm was the first of two that have been confirmed. Namibia and Zimbabwe have both halted imports of South African poultry. Source: BDpro The EFF and the DA have succeeded in their application to be admitted as interested parties in former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe's bid to have the Labour Court set aside his firing. Brian Molefe Molefe has been embroiled in a complicated working relationship with Eskom following his resignation from it in December. The DA said Molefe's application in the Labour Court was an act of desperation in that he was contending that he had been unfairly dismissed as a counter to a pending High Court review of his reappointment. The EFF and the DA will argue in the High Court that Molefe's reappointment as boss of the power utility after he resigned - and then claimed that he had merely been on unpaid leave - was unlawful. "The two cases, the High Court application and the present application [in the Labour Court], are clearly intertwined. "The relief sought herein has an impact on the relief sought in the High Court. An order declaring that the dismissal of Molefe was unlawful and that he is entitled to relief clearly impacts on the relief sought by the EFF in the High Court application," said the EFF in its submission to the Labour Court. Molefe's lawyers said that "neither the DA nor the EFF have the requisite legal right to demand that they be granted leave to intervene in what is effectively a private dispute between Molefe and his employer." Arguing for the DA, senior counsel Paul Kennedy told the Labour Court yesterday: "The lawfulness of Molefe's reinstatement to Eskom is the very matter that is being challenged by the DA in a pending application before the High Court." The DA wants the High Court to set aside Molefe's reinstatement by Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown. Source: BusinessLIVE / The Times According to a new report by McKinsey Africa, Dance of the lions and dragons, China's involvement in Africa is bigger and more multifaceted than previous studies suggest. Through a study conducted across eight countries that together make up about two-thirds of sub-Saharan Africas GDP, the report finds that there are already over 10,000 Chinese firms operating in Africa four times the previous estimate. About 90% of these are private firms, of all sizes and operating in diverse sectors, with about a third in manufacturing. The China-Africa relationship has ramped up over the past decade with trade growing at around 20% per annum. FDI has grown even faster at an annual growth rate of 40%. Chinas financial flows to Africa are 15% larger than official figures suggest when non-traditional flows are included. China is also a large and fast-growing source of aid and the largest source of infrastructure financing, supporting many of Africas most ambitious infrastructure developments in recent years. Chinese firms are market-driven and investing for the long-term Operating across many sectors of the African economy, in addition to manufacturing, a quarter is in services and a fifth in trade and in construction and real estate. Chinese firms already handle 12% of Africas industrial production valued at $500bn a year in total. In infrastructure, Chinese firms dominance is even more pronounced, having cornered nearly 50% market share of Africas international engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) market. Chinese firms are making healthy profits. Nearly a quarter of the 1000 firms surveyed said they covered their initial investment within a year or less. A third recorded profit margins of over 20%. These firms are agile and quick to respond to new opportunities. They are primarily focused on serving the needs of Africas fast-growing markets rather than on exports. Chinese firms have made investments that represent a long-term commitment to Africa. Of the Chinese firms surveyed, 74% said that they are optimistic about their future in Africa. Clear benefits, but challenges must be addressed The report points to three main economic benefits to Africa from Chinese investment and business activity: Job creation and skills development: Of the 1,000 firms surveyed, 89% of the employees are local. The research suggests that Chinese firms employ several million Africans. Nearly two-thirds of Chinese firms provide skills training to their workers. Transfer of knowledge and new technology: Chinese firms are modernising African markets by introducing new products and technologies. Some 48% introduced a new product or service and 36% have introduced a new technology in the last three years. Financing and development of infrastructure: When asked what they value most from their Chinese partners, for some 50 African public-sector leaders, low-cost financing and improved infrastructure topped the list. They cited Chinese firms efficient cost structures and speedy delivery as major value-adds. While on balance, Chinas burgeoning partnership with Africa is a positive for Africas economies, governments and workers, there are areas that need significant improvement: Local sourcing: By value, only 47% of Chinese firms sourcing was from local African firms, which is lost opportunity for these firms to benefit from Chinese investment. Local managers: Too few locals are in managerial positions only 44% today. Pain points for both sides: Chinese firms cite personal safety and corruption in some countries as their top concerns. For African leaders, language and cultural barriers are pain points. There have been instances of labour and environmental violations by Chinese firms. Maximising the impact of the partnership Kartik Jayaram, a senior partner and co-author of the report said, Chinese engagement with Africa is set to accelerate by 2025 Chinese firms could be earning revenues worth $440bn, from $180bn today. Additional industries could be in play for Chinese investment, including technology, housing, agriculture, financial services and transport and logistics. However, to unlock the full potential of the China-Africa partnership, we have identified 10 recommendations for Chinese and African governments as well as the private sector. To highlight two key ones, African governments should have a China strategy and the Chinese government should open financing and provide guidance to Chinese firms. Few African countries have a clear strategy and engagement plan for China. Governments should develop such strategies, linked to national plans and priorities. They should also cultivate capabilities in their bureaucracies to support these strategies. Opening Chinese government financing and providing guidance on responsible business practices to Chinese private sector firms in Africa would accelerate sustainable investment. Download the full report here. Bordering Woodstock, Salt River is part of a R20bn urban renewal initiative across Cape Town. The Salt River urban renewal integrates several related projects that aim to increase and upgrade the current available space - from the renovation of industrial buildings and the upgrading of sidewalks to the creation of a community playpark and art installations. Dawie Swart from Investicore acquired 13 Brickfield Rd in May 2015 and, together with Construct Capital, a property finance and development company, have redeveloped it into a mixed commercial and retail space housing Deckle Edge, Bootleggers and the Woodstock Bakery, among a mix of creative businesses. I aim to create an environment that can accommodate an eclectic mix of businesses to serve the area. From a chefs academy, art supply store and restaurants to innovative tech companies and other creative industries, says Swart. He has already successfully redeveloped an old textile building at 97 Durham Avenue, now home to the Red & Yellow advertising school, Zando, The Creamery, Get Wine and Devils Peak Taproom, among others. Innovative funding solutions There is a growing demand for this area from creatives, with the City Improvement District in place to help rejuvenate the area. When we began converting buildings in Salt River, it was difficult to get people to see our vision, which required innovative funding solutions, comments Ryan Wintle from Construct Capital. Financial backers were weary of funding developments in areas like Salt River, preferring to focus on more established nodes, but this has changed significantly over the last couple of years. But while many could not see the value in investing large amounts of capital in Salt River, Swarts foresight has paid off. The rentals are not inexpensive in Salt River, driven by the demand for alternative space, less traffic and congestion than the CBD and its proximity to the train station, which provides staff transport. Swart said that while Woodstock had many homes, Salt River was once the industrial heart of the city, with steel, textile and locomotive industries thriving due to access to rail services. This means Salt River lends itself to redevelopment better than Woodstock, as industrial properties tend to be larger than Woodstock, meaning that the land assembly process is easier and less invasive to existing residential residents. To accommodate the predicted influx into the Brickfield precinct, a 200-bay parking lot next to 13 Brickfield will be available. The DA will on Tuesday apply to the Labour Court in Johannesburg to intervene as an interested party in an application brought by former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe. Molefe has applied to the court to have his axing from the power utility declared invalid. Molefe returned to Eskom in May, but shortly thereafter Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown directed the board of Eskom to rescind its decision to reinstate Molefe as CEO. The DA said Molefe's reappointment, which the party is challenging in the High Court, was irrational to begin with. "Mr Molefe's urgent approach to the Labour Court is an act of desperation, as he knows that he may have a better chance of arguing he was unfairly dismissed, rather than proving his reappointment was rational. Essentially, Molefe is 'forum shopping' from court to court, in a bid to find the easiest track to get more money. A win in the Labour Court could mean a large financial settlement," the DA said in a statement. "Lest SA forget how Molefe contrived, on national television, the Saxonwold Shebeen, to cover up his Gupta connections. Molefe is quite clearly inappropriate to head up Eskom. The DA will continue to fight for the Molefe saga to be brought to a close, in the best interest of Eskom and the country." Source: BDpro A former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) General arrested in suspicion of human trafficking and fraud in Pretoria is appearing at the Pretoria North Magistrate Court today. The suspect has allegedly conned more than 200 young people promising them training and placement at the SANDF. On Tuesday, the Gauteng Social Development Department officials rescued 237 young people who were found at a house in Karen Park not far from the Wonder Park mall, north of Pretoria. The man known, as General Ndaba, was arrested by the Akasia Police yesterday after the Gauteng Department of Social Development rescued the 237 young people who allegedly paid exorbitant sums of money for training and enlisting in the SANDF. The victims, most of whom are below the age of 30, were recruited mostly from KwaZulu-Natal. They reportedly paid R300 for their registration, R1,800 for training, as well as R200 per month since last year for lodging. They claim to have been trained as military war veterans under Amabutho Royal Defence in order to be integrated in the SANDF. About 22 social workers and social auxiliary workers, assisted by the Akasia Police and the local community policing forum, as well as members of the community rescued the youth and provided them with food. They were all taken to the Salvation Army in Akasia for accommodation last night and will be repatriated to their homes today. Department spokesperson Mbangwa Xaba told SAnews that they have started assisting the stranded young people with transport to return home. The first bus has already left and we are now busy assisting the next group with transport to go home, Xaba said. He said these people have been here since last year. The man who has recruited them told them that he provides workshops for people to be recruited to the military. "We have established that the SANDF does not have any middle people for recruitment. He is running an illegal operation from his house. We are awaiting the victims to lay charges, then police and social development will assist in the carrying out of justice." Xaba said the department made the discovery after concerned residents complained about the noise coming from a house where these young people were kept. Security has been a major influence in property buying decisions, with South Africans among the most security-conscience home buyers in the world. However, what about the rental market, is security as important? Due to financial and various other reasons, a large portion of the population remains in the rental market. Just because they do not own the property they are living in, does it means that safety will be any less of a factor? Of course not. Whether a tenant or owner, security is a top consideration which is impacting both sectors of the market. Where the challenge comes in is that while rental properties can be more cost effective and are less responsibility than owning, tenants are restricted in what they can do to the property themselves. Because of this, tenants should inquire about the security features a property has before they commit to signing a lease agreement. It might be difficult for tenants to get the landlord to upgrade the security after the fact. Additional security While landlords have a responsibility to ensure that the property is in good condition and well maintained with reasonable security precautions such as door and window locks, landlords are not required to provide any additional security. If there is a particular property that the tenant would like to rent, they could request permission in writing to install additional security features at their own cost. It is possible that the landlord may pay a portion of the upgrade, as it will increase the value of the home, along with the future potential rental income. Before searching for a property to rent, tenants should have an idea about their security criteria and type of property they want. While sectional title properties are perceived to be a safer than stand-alone homes, they are not untouched by criminal activity. Security goes beyond the property itself. If the rental property is within a sectional title complex, the tenant should find out about the security features of the complex as a whole, such as access control, security guards on site or patrols. There might be cameras or surveillance of some kind, which will vastly increase the security of the development. Property lighting Tenants should ask whether access codes or door locks are changed once tenants move out of the rental property. Another aspect to consider is the lighting surrounding the property - dark areas make it easier for intruders to approach and gain access unnoticed. Outdoor floodlights can mitigate the risk to some degree, and motion-sensor models are a value-for-money, effective option. The exterior is not the only place that requires good lighting. Goslett notes that a lighting timer for inside the home can create the illusion of someone being home even when the tenant is travelling. As an extra safety precaution, tenants should check whether there are fire extinguishers and where the fire escape stairs and exits are. Another important aspect to consider is the parking area and access from the property to where the car is parked - check whether the area is well-lit and if there is a garage to park the car in. Tenants should only sign a lease agreement and move into a rental property once all their security criteria have been sufficiently met - feeling safe is an important part of feeling at home. Mwabu Academy, in partnership with MRP Foundation, has made a major commitment to the South African market in terms of its extensive curriculum-focused online content, with plans to introduce translations in local languages, as it has successfully done in Zambia. The educational technology company recently launched its Mwabu Academy and innovative e-learning content in South Africa. Curriculum-focused content has already been introduced, via Mwabu educational tablets, in four schools in KwaZulu-Natal through the companys partnership with The MRP Foundation. These include St Christophers; Nyakana; Aldinville and Zilungisele. Teacher training was conducted in April through the Mwabu Academy. The introduction of the Academys enriched learning curriculum in South Africa has begun with Grade 4 maths, science and English and will grow to include Grades 5 and 6 in 2018. Part of what makes Mwabu unique is the depth of its enriched learning material, tailored for the markets in which it operates. The e-learning delves into topics providing example after example, guiding learners, says Erik Lnnroth, director of product at Mwabu. KwaZulu-Natal trial The MRP Foundation Schools programme hosted the Mwabu Academy during its inaugural educator training in South Africa. The educators were exposed to groundbreaking content in maths, as well as natural science and technology. The Mwabu trainers were fantastic, evidenced by the great level of engagement and enthusiasm from the educators who attended," says Karen Wells, MRP Foundation manager. Schools have come a long way since Mwabu was first introduced, with teachers already making effective use of the content in their Grade 4 Maths classes of up to 80 learners and more. Senior educationalist, Helen Radford, observed a class with 89 learners barely able to contain their enthusiasm to participate in interactive quizzes. Learners actively participate by predicting answers, cheering when their classmates are correct and groaning good-naturedly when they are not. A full range of learning objectives is covered in the enriched e-learning content. Each unit of the e-learning follows a set structure in which there is an introduction, explanation of concept and a core activity graded according to easy, medium and hard level. Network of support for teachers The Mwabu Academy is a centre for excellence when it comes to developing and supporting teachers. Through the Academy, teachers are involved in continuous learning to help them make the most of its products. The focus is on assisting teachers to raise the learning outcomes of learners through enriched student-teacher engagement, while helping to upskill teachers at the same time, says Eleanor Sykes, head of the Mwabu Academy. The Academy further provides enriched learning for teachers through training and observation visits as well as the development of action plans. An intelligent interconnected network of teachers, learners and parents, who share best practice with one another, provides long-term support. Resources available to teachers include comprehensive lesson plans, interactive lessons and highly useful teachers tips. Excellent results in Zambia Mwabus e-learning content and Academy has already delivered impressive results within the Zambian market. Multi-year studies were conducted in rural areas across the country comparing the progress of Mwabu learners with other control classes. The study found a considerable improvement in the literacy level of Mwabu schools in just one year when compared with the control group schools. Numeracy skills were also significantly better, with the average gain in performance for Mwabu pupils over one year 16% greater than that of the control group pupils. Evidence also shows that Mwabu-trained teachers deliver child-centred lessons that are more engaging. In Mwabu classes 50% of teachers used songs, games or stories compared to just 25% in the control group. Similarly, 40% of Mwabu teachers asked follow up questions when pupils gave the right answer, while none did this in the control group. Lnnroth believes that the educational technology market in South Africa is perfectly placed for disruption. While South Africa is one of the more advanced markets in Africa when it comes to educational technology, its also in dire need of educational innovation. Ultimately, our vision is for school pupils across Africa to benefit from a quality education and to make a difference in the lives of 100 million learners on the continent, he concludes. Vison to change Africas foundational education Formerly known as iSchool, the brand offers a full ecosystem of educational products and services into African markets, including core services such as the development of curriculum aligned teaching and learning resources, devices and hardware, as well as its Training Academy. Its clients include teachers, schools, parents, NGOs, donors and governments. Its vision is for pupils across Africa to benefit from a quality education, equipping them to access new opportunities and driving forward the development of the continent. To date Mwabu has influenced over 200 000 lives. For more information, go to www.mwabu.com. After crunching nearly 600,000 hours of search data accumulated by South Africans between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017, across the Cheapflights desktop and mobile websites, and its apps, Cheapflights has published its first analysis of the inbound and outbound travel trends for South Africa. The Cheapflights Compass Report 2017 aims to help travellers make good choices in their future travel plans and help industry players build profitable strategies. South Africans want to travel The Rand may have taken a couple of hard knocks in recent months, and the world may feel like an uncertain place at the moment, but that hasnt affected South Africans wanderlust. Quite the opposite, in fact. Our data indicates that more than 86,000 times in the last 12 month, our South African users went on from our platforms to make a flight or travel booking, a 51% increase from the corresponding period the previous year, reveals Andrew Shelton, managing director of Cheapflights. During this period some 592,292 hours were spent by South Africans searching for flights on the .co.za site and apps, the equivalent of an astonishing 68 years. Unsurprisingly, the most desirable travel times for South Africans correspond directly with holidays on the school calendar. December, June, July, and March account for 49% of all departure month searches, all of which are periods where there is a significant break in the school curriculum. These times of the year are also the most expensive to travel. January, July, and December are the most popular and the most expensive periods to travel from South Africa, with the average international airfare edging close to R10,000 in January. UK remains the principal destination The United Kingdom has long since been a favourite travel destination of South Africans and this shows no signs of waning. At a steady 29%, the UK is the most searched for destination by South Africans more than double that of its closest competitor, the United States at 14%. Other popular destinations include Thailand, France, and Italy. When to fly The cheapest month to fly from South Africa is May at an average fair of R7,414. Following this is November (R7,659), with October in third place, when travellers can expect to pay an average fair of R7,732 for international travel. Travellers can also save money by planning ahead by booking plane tickets three to six months in advance flyers can save 14% in airfare, compared to 9% when making reservations between one and three months in advance. Travellers can save if theyre prepared to fly in the middle of the week on Wednesdays. Mondays are the second cheapest day to fly and Tuesdays the third, says Shelton. Where to fly to When it comes to international destinations Dubai is the cheapest for South Africans to travel to at less than ZAR 6,000 per flight (leaving from OR Tambo). The second most affordable destination is Italy (ZAR 6,891), followed by the Netherlands (ZAR 7,652). During peak holiday periods specifically June, July, and December the Netherlands falls away and makes room instead for Thailand (R 7,851) and Hong Kong (R8,009). Even during peak season, the United Arab Emirates remains affordable for South Africans at R6,608. Flights to all other destinations during this period are north of R8,000, with the USA, Canada, and Australia topping the most expensive list. SA loves the UK and the UK loves SA While the most searched for destination by South Africans is the UK, the converse is also true: 65% of searches to South Africa originate in the UK. The USA and Germany are adrift as contenders in second and third place, at 11% and 10% respectively. Searches from the UK are so prevalent that they account for almost double the number of searches originating from the other six counties, combined. The Australia-Pacific region accounts for less than 15% of all flight searches, with the breakdown as Australia 7%, Hong Kong 3%, China 3%, and Japan 1%. Johannesburg vs Cape Town Cape Town may be renowned for its natural splendour, but it seems like the more bustling Joburg is the city of choice for foreigners travelling to the country. Significantly, more than half (62%) of inbound searches favour flights to Johannesburg over Cape Town - though it is worth noting that this number is heavily skewed by search data from the UK, from which there are more direct flights to Johannesburg than to Cape Town. At 83% and 80% respectively, travellers from China and Hong Kong strongly favour flying to Jozi, rather than the Mother City. With Chinas growing interest in the investment and economic growth possibilities in Africa, the preference for Joburg may well be business related. Germans, on the other hand, are twice as likely to choose Cape Town over Johannesburg, which also suggests travel for pleasure rather than business. The most popular time for travelling to South Africa December suggests that the bulk of visitors are here on holiday. Nineteen percent of travellers want to visit the country in December, right in the middle of the South African summer with Christmas and New Year falling over this period, shares Shelton. March and September are favourable times to visit too, with 11% of searches for March and 10% for September. The preference for March is likely related to the Easter holiday, while September is the beginning of spring in South Africa, which typically brings more moderate weather. The enduring attraction of South Africa Despite the economic uncertainty South Africa is currently experiencing, South Africans are still travelling abroad, possibly saving up to do so instead of travelling more frequently within the country, believes Shelton, and clearly international tourists still view South Africa as a prime destination both for work and play. The data also shows the enduring attraction of South Africa, especially in lucrative markets like the UK and US. The country is still seen as a safe, good value destination that almost guarantees good weather, great food, and a warm welcome to the sensible traveller, which is positive news for the travel industry here as global competition for tourism spend increases. We look forward to working with them on exploring how our products and brand profile in those markets can help them to maximise this opportunity, he ends. In a development likely to get conservationists worried, Zimbabwe has signed an agreement with Chinese investors to develop its 'Disneyland in Africa' concept near the prime resort of Victoria Falls. nike159 via pixabay Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi said the conference centre and theme park was part of a vision for a $5b tourism industry in Victoria Falls, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site. "We have signed an overarching agreement with some Chinese developers for a master plan to develop 300 hectares of land between the airport and the Masue River," Mzembi told a press conference this week. "We need to drive the convention business and direct traffic to ourselves," Mzembi said, in quotes carried by The Source news agency. "Already we are looking at 2020 where we are dreaming of a $5b tourism sector in Victoria Falls alone," he added. Developments needed to ensure visitors extend their stay The 'Disneyland in Africa' concept has been on the cards since 2013. The Source said the cost of the project has been put at $460m. Zimbabwe tourism officials complain that the Victoria Falls is often visited by short-stay visitors who fly in from South Africa, view the falls and then fly out without spending much money during their brief visit. Officials insist developments are needed to make sure visitors extend their stay. In an interview with CCTV News in 2015, Mzembi said in reference to the planned project: "You can call it what you want. You can call it an eco-Disney Land as the media is suggesting; you can call it an ultra-city... the bottom line is we want to modernise that section of the Victoria Falls." Are earmarked for development doesn't fall within the Unesco World Heritage Site It's understood that the area earmarked for development doesn't fall within the Unesco World Heritage Site, under which the Falls and its immediate surroundings are protected. The Victoria Falls airport, close to the site of this proposed development, was recently expanded and upgraded to allow bigger passenger aircraft to fly in. "Disneyland in Africa" concept unsuited to the Falls Charlene Hewat, the chief executive of conservation group Environment Africa told News24 that a "Disneyland in Africa" concept was unsuited to the Falls. "I am really not sure that this is the right kind of project for one of the seven wonders of the world," she said. "The Victoria Falls does need a conference centre but it needs to be done in a way that fits in with our environment and the surrounds," she added. "I hope that Minister Mzembi calls for input from the local stakeholders before going ahead with such an enormous venture." News24 Read this report on News24Wire.com. South African Airways (SAA) continued on its loss-making trajectory in 2016-17, notching up an unaudited loss of R1.9bn for the year to end-March, information provided to Parliament's standing committee on finance has revealed. Adrian Pingstone via WC The loss in the previous year was R1.5bn. The losses have continued into the current year, with a R734m loss suffered in the first month of 2017-18 on revenue of R4.7bn. The airline, which is facing liquidity challenges, continues to rely on the R19bn state guarantee to keep its operations in the air. The airline's written presentation to the committee showed that it generated revenue of R30.4bn in 2016-17 while operating costs amounted to R30.9bn. Finance costs totalled R835m and the operating loss was R533m. Future strategic plans SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni and her team appeared before the committee this week to report on the performance of the struggling airline and its future strategic plans. But MPs across the political spectrum were not satisfied with the non-appearance of board members at the meeting, which they said was critical so that the struggling airline could account to Parliament. The absence of deputy finance minister Sfiso Buthelezi was also noted with displeasure. Myeni said an invitation to attend the meeting had been issued to all board members. SAA's future strategy will address high loss-making routes; improved aircraft utilisation; enhanced labour productivity; and the renegotiation of aircraft lease agreements. Revenue is expected to be enhanced by R13.6bn over the next five years as a result of several initiatives, while costs are expected to be cut by R10bn. Included in the plan is a drive to strengthen the balance sheet including through a recapitalisation by the state. Finance minister Malusi Gigaba has already committed government to this equity injection. Source: BDpro The FemBioBiz Acceleration Programme, aimed at supporting women in biosciences, is having its South African finals today, 28 June 2017 at the CSIR. The programme was created to develop leadership, technological and business skills in female-owned businesses in the SADC region to support deal-making and business acceleration in the biosciences arena. It was launched on 21 February 2017, during the SANBio Annual Event 2017, by the NEPAD Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio) with support from the BioFISA II programme (a Finnish-Southern African Partnership Programme to strengthen the NEPAD SANBio Network). SANBio (The Southern Africa Network for Biosciences) is a platform for shared biosciences research, development and innovation to address health and nutrition issues of Southern Africa, and it is hosted by the CSIR. FemBioBiz Pitch Training Sessions have already been conducted in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana. The training sessions involve a free but intensive two-day training course on moving the participants businesses forward through pitches and presentations. Participants also gain exposure and become part of a network of like-minded people across borders. At the end of each training session, participants have the opportunity to pitch their businesses to a panel of judges. Winner gets R250,000 The top performers from each country then proceeds to a next round and will eventually have the opportunity to meet investors, business experts and potential mentors and visit Cape Town to participate at the 2017 SA Innovation Summit. The overall best performer will receive a grant of R250,000 from SANBio to move her business forward and will also include a trip to attend Europes leading start-up event Slush 2017 in Finland, where international opportunities await. The Johannesburg Global Pound Conference, being held on 29 June 2017 at Bowmans' offices in Sandton, will address the issue of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and the South African position. John Brand It is becoming increasingly urgent for South Africa to catch up with the rest of the world in the use of ADR for civil and commercial disputes. The country has fallen behind and this could further discourage foreign investors who are already jittery about the protection of their rights, says conflict resolution veteran, John Brand. Other African countries such as Nigeria, Namibia and Mauritius have well-established mediation and arbitration frameworks for domestic and cross-border disputes. This is to their advantage in attracting the growing number of investors interested in doing transactions across borders in Africa. South Africa cannot afford to continue lagging behind. This conference is a serious effort to have a meaningful conversation on where South Africa stands on ADR in the civil and commercial spheres, and where we should be heading, says Brand, a consultant to pan-African law firm Bowmans and director of Conflict Dynamics. The one-day conference is part of an international event involving 40 cities. Johannesburg will be the 39th city to host a Global Pound Conference event, with only London still to follow. Ahead in labour dispute resolution, behind in civil and commercial Commenting on why South Africa has fallen behind in civil and commercial dispute resolution, Brand said the problem appeared to have its roots in the apartheid years, when the rest of the world had taken major strides in the use and formalisation of mediation, arbitration and similar mechanisms to resolve disputes of all kinds. Post-1994, South Africa took large, swift leaps in labour dispute resolution, quickly mainstreaming arbitration and mediation mechanisms and infrastructure for resolving labour conflict. It is widely acknowledged internationally that our employment mediation and arbitration system is an example to follow. By contrast, South Africas processes and systems for resolving civil and commercial disputes - both inside and outside the courts - have all but stagnated. It doesnt help that dispute resolution through litigation is so expensive and time-consuming in South Africa. Other jurisdictions have overhauled their pre-action protocols and court proceedings but we have not followed world best practice in this regard. To make matters worse, the dti had cancelled South Africas system of bilateral treaties, provoking a negative reaction from foreign investors. At the very least, foreign investors expect access to a credible, well-established civil and commercial mediation and arbitration dispensation that meets international standards - which South Africa does not have. SA Law Reform Commission takes the lead Fortunately, the South Africa Law Reform Commission has established a committee to consider the development of legislation that will promote the optimal use of ADR to provide access to justice. The committee will be holding its first meeting in July 2017. In addition, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is participating in the deliberations of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), which is seeking to formalise instruments for international cross-border mediation. In South Africas case, this is putting the cart before the horse, continues Brand. A country needs to have a proper domestic mediation system in place before it can effectively participate internationally and this is lacking in South Africa. The dti is also trying to put mediation in place for party-state disputes, through the Promotion of Foreign Investment Bill. This is unlikely to succeed because if mediation fails, investors do not want to rely on local courts; they demand the international arbitration which has been removed in South Africa. Conference could steer the conversation The upcoming Johannesburg Global Pound Conference could help steer the conversation on civil and commercial dispute resolution in South Africa in the right direction. The theme is Shaping the future of dispute resolution and improving access to justice. The chair of the local organising committee is Judge Sharise Weiner. The GPC is intended for anyone with a stake in civil and commercial dispute resolution: individuals, business owners and executives, in-house counsel, lawyers in private practice, judges and court officials, conciliators, mediators, arbitrators, ombuds, academics, teachers in law and business schools, government officials, policymakers and NGOs. For more information, go to The Johannesburg Global Pound Conference. Imagine a world where your spice cabinet reminds you to buy salt, or your cell phone sends a text message about the amount of water left in your water tank. These are the wonders of the internet of things (IoT). An official checks data from an internet-based water monitoring device at a borehole in Basbedo, Burkina Faso. Photo: Panos/Andrew McConnell It has been over a decade since Kevin Ashton, cofounder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Auto-ID Center (now Auto-ID Labs), coined the term 'internet of things' to describe the network and communication of physical objects that have an IP address for the internet. Since then the world has transitioned into a digital age, one in which IoT devices are being harnessed to improve quality of life on a global scale. African countries such as Ghana, Niger, Rwanda and South Africa, among others, have seen a steady rise in successful IoT implementation meant to improve key areas of sustainable development water monitoring being one of the most popular sectors. In order to get the full picture of how IoT technology works to improve water monitoring, Africa Renewal talked to Ilana Cohen, the senior market engagement manager of the Mobile for Development Utilities Programme at the Global System for Mobile Communications Association or GSMA a trade body representing the interests of mobile operators worldwide. GSM, the global system for mobile communications, refers to the internet of things as a broad concept, describing it as an open, digital cellular technology used for transmitting mobile voice and data services. Machine-to-machine technology Mobile technology enables IoT applications to function machine-to-machine (M2M), meaning machines use network resources to communicate with remote application infrastructure, like a water meter, for the purposes of metering and control. For emerging utility models mostly operating in rural locations, GSM remains the most widely used machine-to-machine technology to transfer data over long distances. However, because GSM consumes a lot of power and relies on network coverage that is mostly unreliable in rural areas, utility companies are switching to NarrowBand (NB IoT) because it is cheaper and consumes significantly less power, which is ideal for utility applications that mostly require occasional connectivity with minimal throughput. The NB IoT standard is starting to emerge as the preferred mode by users. Sensors and actuators (a component in a machine that is used to induce or control motion) used by water-related IoT devices can detect anything from changes in temperature and chemical composition to water quantity and soil humidity. They can even report a faulty water pump. The good news is that the implementation of this technology in Africa is not a thing of the future; it is happening now with startups and institutions embarking on missions to conserve water, provide clean water, irrigate farms and monitor water usage, among other objectives. Inaccuracies of traditional meters Traditional water meters are notorious for inaccuracies in reporting water consumption; consumers sometimes pay for water not used, or find themselves unable to pay, where there is a dispute in payment, the accumulated cost of running water at home. The consequence of non-payment for services is that utility companies cannot sustainably provide safe drinking water to certain areas, and for customers it means possibly consuming unsafe water, or allocating more time and resources to finding clean water away from the comfort of their homes (e.g. from standpipes). In underserved communities in Niamey, Niger, where residents use CityTaps smart meters, consumers have gained access to running water at home, and spend 15 times less than they previously did. In Niger, CityTaps, a social and tech company seeking to provide running water to every urban home, provides IoT tech solutions via smart meters to the national utility company, Societe dExploitation des Eaux du Niger (SEEN), helping them provide drinking water to underserved communities in a sustainable manner. In Rwanda, SweetSense a tech company that provides low-cost remote monitoring for water, energy and environmental projects uses sensor technology to monitor water pump performance. In South Africa, EZ Farms, created by IBM Research, is an IoT remote water monitoring system that uses sensors on the field to tell small-scale farmers how to better manage water and agricultural aggregators (websites or a computer programme that sums up a specific type of information from multiple online sources) to enable farmers to identify the best prospects for business. IoT water metering projects in Africa Africa Renewal spoke with Patrick Thomson, the lead researcher on the water programme at Oxford Universitys Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and CityTaps, which are funded partly by the GSMA, to learn more about their work with water metering and conservation in East and West Africa. Africa has a plethora of ongoing IoT water metering projects, one of which was launched in 2013 by the University of Oxford, spearheaded by Thomson. The project started off with a 12-month smart hand pump trial in Kyuso town in Kitui County, Kenya, with the goal of resolving the problem of constant breakdown of water pumps. According to a report on harnessing the internet of things for global development by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency whose purpose is to coordinate telecommunication operations and services throughout the world, Water service reliability is closely correlated with extreme poverty and water insecurity in rural areas. Around one million hand pumps supply water to over 200 million rural water users across Africa, yet as many as one-third of all hand pumps are thought to be broken at any given time. Thomson described the impact of the water pump project on the community as money-saving and transformative. He mentioned a crucial thesis question posed by his colleague, Dr. Tim Foster: Could we do things differently if the hand pump itself could tell you it was broken? This thesis question has been answered by the success of the project. Thomson and his team found ways for a pump to literally tell you when it is defective, via a GSM network. How does this technology work? Thomson explained: A device in the pump handle uses an accelerometer, just like the one in your smartphone that works out which way you are holding it, to sense the movement of the handle. From this movement we can tell if the pump is working and how much water is being produced by it. This information is then transmitted over the GSM network to a central server, where we process and present this information. In a matter of 48 hours, as opposed to several weeks, the pump is repaired. Moreover, since the success of the Kyuso project, Thomson said other new and exciting findings have emerged that could completely prevent any kind of water pump breakdown in the future. In a new water pump project supported by UNICEF in Kwale County in southeast Kenya, new research is underway to determine how the data from the accelerometers can be used to determine the depth of the water beneath the pump in order to monitor the condition of the pump. This way an accurate breakdown prediction can be made before the pump actually stops working. The objective is to reduce pump downtime to zero, Thomson explained. CityTaps founder Gregoire Landel explained to Africa Renewal how the companys IoT tech solution works, saying that CityTaps provides utility companies with guaranteed pay for their water services via a prepaid meter system that uses mobile money. The utility company installs the smart pay-as-you-go water meters that help monitor the exact amount of water used. The companys goal is to supply communities in need with clean running tap water. Complexities and challenges Implementing these technologies involves complexities and challenges. While recounting his experience in West Africa, Landel said he has witnessed water and energy utility companies perform little miracles daily for the people they serve. Once people see the fundamental benefits of the product, they are usually willing to pay for what is generally a much better quality of life. In the case of the Kyuso project, Thomson said that while there isnt an excess of challenges, some communities and governments are more open to projects that meet their immediate needs. He and Landel believe it is important to watch, listen and develop solid relationships within the community in order to build technology that best serves it. It is, after all, the people that determine the success of the product and give meaning to the projects. Can we benefit if the water pump itself can tell you it is broken? The answer is a simple and definitive yes. A broken hand pump that goes unfixed is expensive and dangerous to the community that depends on it. Water is life, and the internet of things is doing its part to provide sub-Saharan Africa with smart and affordable ways of monitoring, metering and conserving, and by so doing bettering the lives of urban and rural communities in the region. Article republished courtesy of Africa Renewal. According to PwC Southern Africa's Hospitality and Gaming Industry Leader, Pietro Calicchio, Africa's hotel sector has remained resilient in the face of strong economic headwinds. PwC's 7th edition of thefeatures information about hotel accommodation in South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Kenya, and Tanzania. PwC has also taken a closer look at Ghana and Ethiopia as emerging hotel markets. Dereje Belachew via 123RF - Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania The hospitality sector in South Africa is poised for further growth in the next five years, strengthened by inbound travellers amid a difficult and volatile economic climate. The report projects that South African hotel room revenue will grow by 10.1% in 2017 to R17.5b. Overall hotel room revenue for South Africa is expected to expand at a 9.3% compound annual rate to R24.8b in 2021 from R15.9b in 2016. The outlook for 2017 is positive with an increase in the number of international visitors to South Africa expected. Domestic tourism is also anticipated to increase by 2.2% in 2017. One of the positive outcomes for the hotel market in South Africa was the amendment of visa requirements that required foreign visitors from certain countries to provide biometric data in person. International visitor numbers to South Africa rebounded significantly in 2016 with a 12.8% increase as compared to the 6.8% decrease in 2015, Calicchio comments. Visits from China and India increased in 2016 as a result of the relaxation in the visa requirements, travellers from China to South Africa increased by 38% and India recorded a 21.7% increase. Of non-African countries, the UK is still the largest source of visitors to South Africa at 447,840 in 2016. Of the African countries, the largest number of foreign visitors to South Africa in 2016 came from Zimbabwe at two million, followed by Lesotho at 1.8m and Mozambique at 1.3m. In addition, visits from East and Central Africa also rose by 11.2% in 2016. It is promising to note a growing number of new hotels planned for the South African market over the next five years. The overall number of available rooms is expected to increase at a 0.9% compound annual rate, thereby adding 2,700 rooms over this period. Nigeria is expected to be the fastest-growing market from a revenue perspective over the next five years with a projected 14.7% compound annual increase in revenue, benefitting from an improving economy, continued growth in domestic tourism, and expansion in the number of available rooms. South Africa is projected to be the next-fastest growing market with a 9.3% compound annual increase in room revenue, most of which will be generated by rising average room rates and continued but moderating growth in tourism. The emergence of peer-to-peer inventory from entities such as Airbnb has bolstered growth in non-hotel accommodation. Ongoing growth in the peer-to-peer sector over the next few years will make the market more competitive, which may limit room-rate growth for hotels. The revenue for the five markets as a group is forecast to rise at an 8.7% compound annual rate to R59.2b in 2021 from R39b in 2016. Hotel accommodation: South Africa Nigeria Mauritius Kenya Tanzania Overall, room revenue in South Africa rose 12.2% to R15.8 billion in 2016, the biggest increase since 2013. Over the past five years, the occupancy rate has risen, surpassing the 60% level and reaching 61.2% in 2016. This gain has stimulated interest and a number of new hotels are expected to open in the next five years. Five-star hotels have had the highest occupancy rates in the market at 79.3% in 2016. Room revenue for five-star hotels is expected to expand at an 11.4% compound annual rate to R4.2 billion in 2021 from R2.4 billion in 2016. The hotel sector in Cape Town flourished in 2016 as it is the dominant tourist destination in the country. Over the next five years, 55% of all the rooms expected to be added in South Africa will be in Cape Town. Durbans hotel market attracts more tourists than Johannesburg, but fewer than Cape Town. Although Durban benefitted from the pick-up in tourism in 2016, a weak business market held back overall growth. Elsewhere on the African continent, a number of initiatives have taken place to promote tourism and positively impact the hotel market. The hotel market in Nigeria rebounded in 2016 with a 5.2% increase in total revenue. In 2016 the number of tourists to Mauritius increased by 10.8%. The hotel market has benefitted from an increase in direct flights and government investments in tourism. Room revenue increased by 15.3% in 2016 due to the 9% increase in guest nights together with an increase in average room rates. The tourist market in Kenya rebounded in 2016 following four years after decline. The government has introduced a number of initiatives to boost tourism. Hotel room revenue is projected to grow at 6.2% compounded annually to 2021. Over the last year, tourism increased in Tanzania despite the imposition of an 18% VAT on tourism services. Calicchio adds: Many destinations have invested in improving and promoting the quality of their tourism offering and are reaping the benefits. In addition, we are seeing the impact of technological disruption play a part over the past year in certain countries. Outlook: South Africa 2017-2021 The number of available rooms is projected to rise at a 0.9% compound annual rate to 63,900 in 2021 from 61,200 in 2016. Guest nights are forecast to increase at a 1.8% compound annual rate to 15m in 2021 from 13.7m in 2016, with occupancy increasing to 64.3% in 2021 from 61.2% in 2016. Outlook: Nigeria Mauritius - Kenya - Tanzania A number of projects in Nigeria have been delayed or postponed in the wake of the recent economic uncertainty. An 18-month moratorium was placed on hotel construction in Mauritius in November 2015. Consequently we now expect a smaller expansion in the number of available rooms that we predicted in last years Outlook report, Calicchio adds. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of activity in the market for new hotels which will continue to expand overall hotel capacity. Nigeria is projected to be the fastest-growing market from a revenue perspective over the next five years. This is mainly due to an improved economy, continued growth in domestic tourism, and expansion in the number of available rooms. Overall hotel room revenue is expected to expand at a 14.6% compound annual rate to $517m (R7.6b) in 2021 from $261m (R3.8b) in 2016. Mauritius is projected to be the slowest-growing of the five countries, with a 6.2% compound annual increase in room revenue. While there is a moratorium on new projects in place in the near term and relatively few rooms expected to be added through 2021, growth in the non-hotel inventory will ease pressure on average room rates. In Kenya, the number of available rooms is projected to increase from 18,600 in 2016 to 21,000 in 2021. Total room revenue is forecast to rise by 7.5% compounded annually. Tourism is the largest industry in Tanzania, accounting for more than 17% of GDP. Total room revenue is expected to rise to $371m (R4.6b) in 2021 from $224m (R3.3b) in 2016. Calicchio adds: The hotel market in each country is affected by both the local and global economy, with some countries being more dependent on foreign visitors than others. We are also seeing certain local governments continuing to invest in infrastructure and implementing other plans to unlock the substantial potential that this industry has to bring. After holding an emergency session on the issue of the detained journalists from the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and the Irrawaddy, 25 media organizations attending the Ethnic Media Conference in Loikaw submitted the open letter. We demand the government release the detained journalists and stop making unfair arrests, director of Burma News International (BNI) Nai Kasauh Mon said. The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services announced on June 26 that Ko Aye Naing and Ko Pyae Phone Aung from the DVB and Ko Lawi Weng (also known as Thein Zaw) from the Irrawaddy were arrested between Namhsan and Hsipaw in Shan State on suspicion of having relations with the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The journalists were covering a drug eradication event in a TNLA-controlled area. The Irrawaddy has since reported that the military plans to charge the individuals under the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act which means they could face prison. Ko Toe Zaw Latt from the DVB said the exact situation of the detained journalists remains unknown as they could not be found at Namhsan Police Station and Lashio Police Station. If this continues to happen whenever we meet with ethnic armed groups that have not signed the ceasefire agreement, there will be [severe] problems around access to information, Ko Toe Zaw Latt said. Fifth Ethnic Media Conference participants expressed their concern about the intimidation against journalists and what this means in a newly-democratic Myanmar. The TNLA and the Palaung State Liberation Front also released a statement denouncing the arrests of the journalists and urged international organizations, media and the public to strive for their release. Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION Brandeis receives largest single gift in its history A $50 million bequest from Chicago philanthropists Rosaline and Marcia Cohn will support student financial aid On a pledge card in 1966, Rosaline Cohn wrote "something" rather than specify the type of gift she was considering. Brandeis University today announced it has received a $50 million bequest from the estate of Chicago philanthropists Rosaline and Marcia Cohn. It is the largest single gift in Brandeis 69-year history. In accordance with the Cohns wishes, the Jacob and Rosaline Cohn Endowed Scholarship and Fellowship Fund will provide financial aid each year for hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students who, in the words of Mrs. Cohn, will help solve the problems and conditions of today and tomorrow. We are deeply moved that Mrs. Cohn was so inspired by Brandeis values and mission that she chose our university to receive this remarkable gift, said Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz. For current and future Brandeis students, this gift will be life-changing and will, as Mrs. Cohn envisioned, enable them to help make the world a better place. TRANSCRIPT Jacob and Rosaline Cohns relationship with Brandeis began in 1951, when they gave $100 to the 3-year-old university. Fifteen years later, in response to a solicitation letter from Brandeis founding president, Abram Sachar, Mrs. Cohn returned a pledge card on which she checked off considering the establishment of and, in perfect handwriting, added something to describe the nature of the gift. If Mrs. Cohn intended to accomplish something, she has succeeded in an extraordinary way that will benefit students for generations to come, said Liebowitz. He noted that it is striking that no one in the Cohn family was a Brandeis alum or faculty member, or had any formal connection to the university. Like many generous philanthropic families, the Cohns were inspired by the very idea of Brandeis, a university founded by the Jewish community to be open to all students of talent, reflecting the Jewish values of reverence for academic excellence and dedication to using ones talents to improve the world. For that, we are profoundly grateful, Liebowitz said. In the mid-1970s, with a gift of $32,600, Mrs. Cohn established the Cohn Fund as a memorial to her husband, who died in 1968. She wrote to then-Brandeis President Marver Bernstein that she wanted the scholarships it created to support students in the social sciences and other academic disciplines that hold promise for ameliorating the problems and conditions of today and tomorrow. Throughout her life, Mrs. Cohn met and corresponded with many Brandeis leaders; attended university-organized events in Chicago; visited campus for Commencements and other special events; and built enduring relationships with senior administrators, faculty and staff. Her daughter, Marcia, often accompanied her to Brandeis events. President emeritus Jehuda Reinharz, PhD72, who led Brandeis from 1994-2010, played a central role in creating the bequest agreement with Mrs. Cohn in 2010 that ultimately led to the $50 million gift. Reinharz became friendly with Mrs. Cohn during his time as provost (1991-94), and the relationship grew when he became president. The more Mrs. Cohn learned about Brandeis, the more she fell in love with the university, said Nancy Winship, P10, P13, senior vice president for institutional advancement. She loved the fact that Brandeis was a great liberal-arts and research university that was informed by Jewish values. She was so proud of what Brandeis had become. One of the first recipients of the Cohn Scholarship, Daphne Greenberg 84, was thrilled to learn that the familys additional gift will support subsequent generations of Brandeis students. I will always be grateful for the scholarship support I received from the Cohn Scholarship. Without it, I would not have been able to attend Brandeis, says Greenberg, now Distinguished University Professor and head of the Center for the Study of Adult Literacy at Georgia State University. I used to worry that 18-year-olds today would not be as fortunate as I was. But with this gift from the Cohn family, students like me will continue to be given an opportunity. Jacob Cohn was a 19-year-old immigrant from Lithuania when he established the Continental Coffee Co. in Chicago in 1915. He sold coffee, tea and cocoa by horse and wagon to local restaurants and cafeterias, eventually building the company into a national distributor of beverages and food. In 1988, the company was sold to Sysco Corp. When Mrs. Cohn died in 2010 at age 97, she left her daughter her entire estate. The estate of Marcia Cohn, who died in 2015, maintained the same beneficiaries as her mothers. Update 10:46am: Four arrests have been made as part of an investigation into computer software service fraud, thought to cost hundreds of millions of pounds worldwide. Through a collaboration between the City of London Police and Microsoft, the investigation has been looking into the tens of thousands of reports of software service fraud made each year. It often involves the victim being contacted and told there is a problem with their computer and that, for a fee, the issue can be resolved. But no fix occurs and once the fraudster has access to the victim's computer they can install software which could potentially be malicious. Data for the financial year 2016/17 shows there were 34,504 computer software service fraud reports made to Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber reporting centre, with estimated losses of 22.5m. That accounts for 12% of all reports to Action Fraud, making it the third most reported fraud type, with the average loss suffered being 677 and the average age of victims 62. A 29-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, from Woking, Surrey, were arrested on suspicion of fraud and both have been bailed. A 37-year-old man and 35-year-old woman were arrested in South Shields, Tyneside, on suspicion of fraud and were later released pending further enquiries. Commander Dave Clark, City of London Police and National Co-ordinator for Economic Crime, said: "These arrests are just the beginning of our work, making the best use of specialist skills and expertise from Microsoft, local police forces and international partners to tackle a crime that often targets the most vulnerable in our society." The analysis has shown that many of the calls originate in India and that the worldwide losses from victims are thought to be in the hundreds of millions of pounds. Update 09:38am: The Irish impact of a global cyber attack is still emerging. At least three multinational companies here say they've been hit including pharmaceutical firm MSD. 'PETYA' ransomware locks up files and demands money to decrypt them. Hospitals, governments and multinational companies worldwide have all fallen victim to the virus. Cyber expert Paul Dwyer has said there is no easy fix. "You can recover if they have preventive measures already put in place. If you have for example, a set of clean back-ups for your data you are able to recover at that point. Is there some magic wand that some cyber geek that can come in with and wave to make this all go away, absolutely not," he said. Earlier:At least three multinationals based in Ireland have been hit by the worldwide 'Petya' ransomware attack. The virus started in Ukraine and has spread across the world, affecting banks, government IT systems and energy companies. The pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) which has operations in Cork, Carlow, Tipperary and Dublin says its network was infected. Danish shipping giant Maersk confirmed computers at its Dublin office in Blanchardstown were down. The ad agency WPP, which has offices in Dublin, also fell foul of the bug. Cyber security expert Urban Schrott from Eset Ireland said people need to be cautious about clicking links sent to them. "Be very careful and suspicious about clicking any links you might receive in emails or file attachments or anything else which might carry the initial infection," he said. Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau - named by the Taoiseach as one of his role models - is to visit Ireland next week. Mr Trudeau will make a two-day visit with his family, beginning next Tuesday. Update 5.06pm: Anti-abortion campaigners have defended their proposed use of graphic images in protests scheduled for Dublin and Cork airports. The placards show abortion imagery and also encourage women travelling for an abortion to stop and not get on their flight. The airports have stated no demonstrations will be allowed on their grounds but the Irish Centre For Bio-Ethical Reform says they will protest outside the properties. Jean Simonis Engela from the ICBR claims the images they plan to use are necessary. "We agree that these are people that are in a very vulnerable state, their abortion vulnerable, and they are being preyed upon - not by us - but by the abortion industry. "If the abortion industry started showing these images inside the clinics we would stop doing what we need to do. "It's precisely because they won't dare to show these images which establish the humanity of the pre-born and the inhumanity of abortion that we have to stand in the gap," he said. Update 2.40pm: The Coalition to Repeal the 8th says the decision by anti-abortion campaigners to protest at airports is unacceptable. The Irish Centre for Bio-Ethical reform says it will go ahead with demonstrations outside Dublin and Cork airports, aimed at convincing women not to travel for an abortion. That is in spite of the DAA saying it doesn't allow any type of protests at airports. Ailbhe Smyth, from the Coalition to Repeal the 8th, says that everyone respects each activist group's right to protest however, the chosen location is the problem She said these protests were being used to intimidate people. "That will only cause, and can only cause, greater distress and stress to women who are travelling to Britain for reproductive healthcare services," said Ms Smyth. Earlier: Dublin and Cork Airports are to ban anti-abortion protests that were due to take place in the coming weeks. The demonstrations, organised by the Irish Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, were to involve the use of placards with graphic images, aimed at convincing women not to travel for an abortion. Under bylaws, any protests or distribution of leaflets or pamphlets at airports are prohibited unless the airport gives permission. The Irish Centre for Bio-ethical Reform website still carries a call for volunteers and funding for the 'Airport Education Project' protests. The date range given is Saturday, July 29 to Sunday August 13 at Dublin and Cork Airports and in the city centres. It asks for up to eight volunteers to help with 'display', and others with experience in photography, video and graphic design. A statement on the planned protests adds: "This sort of strategy will ultimately need dedicated volunteers to be supported financially to work at this full time." Dublin Street parking services has suggested doubling the clamp fine if you have been clamped two or three times in the previous 12 months. Liam Keilthy, the parking appeals officer for Dublin City Council, would like to see repeat offenders hit with higher fines. He suggested a tiered system which would see people who have been fined several times getting increased fines. "To think, there are people out there who are quite happy to be clamped every three or four weeks. "They are effectively saying that they don't give a fiddlers care about the parking regulations," said Mr Keilthy. "I have suggested doubling the clamp release fee if you have been clamped two or three times in the previous 12 months," he added. Six cars have been clamped more than 50 times in Dublin city in the last four years. The standard release fee for a clamped vehicle is 80. Motorists must pay 160 to have their vehicle released if it was removed to the city pound. Over 56,000 vehicles were sanctioned in 2016 with more than 2,700 appeals. Three quarters of the appeals were turned down according to figures presented to Dublin City Councillors today. The Housing Minister is moving to reassure people about the safety of the headquarters of Cork County Council. It has emerged the cladding that was used in the Grenfell Tower block was also discovered at County Hall. A 52-year-old man has died following a farming accident in Co Clare, writes Patrick Flynn. The tragedy happened on Tuesday evening at around 7.20pm at a farm in Labasheeda in the south of the county. The alarm was raised by another man who was also working on the farm. It is understood the victim had been working with a tractor and trailer and was unloading slurry when the vehicle rolled backwards and knocked him into a slurry pit. Its believed the man then drowned however, all the circumstances of the tragedy are being investigated. Two units of the fire brigade and an ambulance from Kilrush were called to the scene where fire crews quickly set about recovering the man from the pit. Efforts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful however. The mans body was removed to University Hospital Limerick where a post mortem examination is due to be carried out. The victim has not yet been named. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) are due to visit the scene of the tragedy today while Gardai will also undertake a separate investigation. Update 16:43pm:Minister Simon Harris has confirmed that an elderly couple who have been married for 63 years will be reunited. Michael Devereaux, who will be 91 next month, and his wife Kathleen, 85, were seperated when Michael secured a nursing home bed and Kathleen did not. The Minister for Health has since contacted the elderly couple's son Tom to inform him of the good news that his parents would be reunited as soon as possible. Tom Devereaux received the call just after 1pm today and told Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline that his parents would be "much happier now." He said that his mother was "very down" today after the trauma of yesterday but that "she is so so happy with the good news." Arrangements are currently being made through the HSE's transitional care team to facilitate Mrs Devereaux's transfer to her husband's nursing home as soon as possible. "They [the HSE] confirmed what Minister Harris had already told me," said Mr Devereaux. He said that Minister Harris was "horrified at the application of the legislation" in his parents case. "There must be compassion shown in cases where people have been married for a considerable time and are elderly," he said. Director of the nursing home in which the Devereaux's will be reunited, Audrey Molony, said that Kathleen had been on their waiting list "for a while now." She explained that a pre-admission assesment would be carried out on Kathleen as soon as possible. "It's the first stage of getting to know that resident and where the care planning process begins," she said. Update 3.10pm: The Taoiseach has described the separation of an elderly couple who have been married for 63 years as "devoid of common sense and devoid of humanity", writes political correspondent Elaine Loughlin. Leo Varadkar has told the Dail that he was "personally very upset" to learn that the couple had been separated as a result of red tape governing the Fair Deal nursing home scheme. He said the rules now need to be reviewed to determine whether changes are required to make sure no other elderly couples are separated. It comes after Michael Devereaux, from Co Wexford, who will be 91 next month, and his wife Kathleen, 85, were left heartbroken after Michael secured a nursing home bed, but Kathleen did not. Their son Tom was forced to go on RTEs Liveline show to plead on behalf his parents. Mr Varadkar said decision to not to give a nursing home bed to Kathleen was not made for of budgetary reasons but on a clinical basis but he said: "It was the wrong decision, it was wrong to separate a very elderly couple in this way, it was inhumane." He said no elderly couple should be separated. The Taosieach said it may well be the case that the decision makers in the case followed the letter of the rule, but if that was the case then the rules should be changed. Under questioning from both Sinn Fein and the Labour party, Mr Varadkar told the Dail that Health Minister Simon Harris had since intervened and the couple would be reunited. However added that it was a shame it was not resolved before it entered the public domain admitting that "everyone in Government is very upset about it". Update 13:50pm: The HSE says it will reunite an elderly couple as soon as possible, after the pair were separated by not being housed in the same nursing home. In a statement, the HSE says it has initiated a review of the Wexford couples circumstances, but will move Mrs Devereaux into her husbands nursing home in the meantime. Earlier:The HSE has been told to resolve a heart-breaking situation in which an elderly couple have been separated after 63 years of marriage. Michael Devereaux, 90, is living in a nursing home in Wexford, where he was accepted under the Fair Deal support scheme. His wife, Kathleen, who is 86, was turned down for a place in the same home. Yesterday, in a highly emotional interview, Michael told Joe Duffys Liveline that he felt like his "head was about to burst" and that he was unable to sleep due to the separation. He said: "I cant sleep at night even. Im waking at three oclock, maybe at four oclock every morning, and what do I do? I pray first of all, and then I cry. The fact is we just love each other...Its a nightmare for me. And its a nightmare, Im sure, for my lovely wife." In a statement released to Mornin gIreland today, Minister for Health Simon Harris said he had instructed the HSE to resolve the issue "with compassion". He said he had instructed the HSE to address the Devereauxs special circumstances, with compassion being absolutely paramount, saying he expects to receive an update later today and "is very clear that this must be resolved." Meanwhile, nursing home charges will be discussed at a meeting between the Minister for Older people, Age Action and Nursing Home Ireland later. There will be particular focus on the extra fees charged by many providers for social programmes, which can typically amount to 70 a week. While core expenses are covered for those in the Fair Deal scheme, residents can incur charges for social schemes, newspapers and hairdressing. Minister Jim Daly said such extras must be set out in the contract, and that residents should never be charged for items they have not agreed to pay for. Under the Fair Deal scheme, older people are to retain at least 20% of their income, with the rest going to pay for their care. A protester who was tackled by the Canadian Ambassador at a 1916 commemoration ceremony in Dublin is appealing his conviction for a public order offence. Community worker Brian Murphy, 47, of Newcastle Manor, Newcastle, Co Dublin interrupted a 1916 commemoration service for members of the British army, held at Grangegorman military cemetery in May last year. Murphy, whose great great grandfather is buried in the cemetery, was an invited guest at the commemoration. During his trial he had said his paternal grandfather had fought in Bolands Mills in the 1916 Rising and was a republican who entered politics and later became a TD. Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers tackles protester at ceremony to honour British soldiers killed in 1916https://t.co/idQ3g16gG8 RTE News (@rtenews) May 26, 2016 The trial heard that as the event began, he rose from his seat and made his way forward shouting: This is an insult. This is an insult and free the Craigavon two before he was tackled by Canadian ambassador Kevin Vickers who was one of the dignitaries at the ceremony. He was found guilty following a district court trial last year on a Public Order Act charge of engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour. He had pleaded not guilty but was convicted and received a two-month sentence which was suspended for one year. However, he is has launched an appeal in a bid to clear his name. It came before Judge Petria McDonnell at the Circuit Courts district court appeals list on Wednesday. However, the case was not reached and Judge McDonnell ordered that it will take place on July 17 next. Mr Vickers, a former Canadian House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, was appointed as the Ambassador of Canada to Ireland in January 2015. He was hailed a hero two after he shot Islamist gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau who had killed a soldier at the Canadian House of Commons in Ottawa in October 2014. The 1916 event at Grangegorman military cemetery was attended by the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan as well as the British ambassador Dominick Chilcott and members of Irish and British armed forces. Talks aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resumed, with crucial discussions over future security arrangements set to top the agenda. High-level envoys to a new round of talks aimed at reunifying the country's Greek and Turkish communities after 43 years arrived for the UN-sponsored discussions in the Swiss Alps. First up will be discussions on issues such as territory and governance, before the focus turns to the thorny security discussions on Wednesday evening. One big disagreement between the two sides is on the future of the 35,000 Turkish troops on the island. In the highest level meeting for six months, the foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece have joined Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci for the talks in the resort of Crans-Montana. Arriving at the meeting, Mr Anastasiades said "there is always hope". Britain, a former colonial power in Cyprus, and the European Union are also represented at the talks that are aimed at securing a breakthrough to reunify the island that was divided along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkish troops invaded after supporters of union with Greece led a failed coup. About a dozen Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot activists from the peace group #UniteCyprusNow waved flags and held placards reading "peace" and "unite Cyprus now" outside the hall where the peace talks are taking place. "We want the leaders to know that the people are watching and they'll be held accountable for their actions," activist Andromachi Sophocleous said by phone from Crans-Montana. AP A man has crashed his vehicle into the new Ten Commandments monument in Arkansas, nearly three years after he was arrested over the destruction of Oklahoma's monument at its state Capitol, authorities said. The privately funded monument had been in place outside the state Capitol in Little Rock for less than 24 hours before it was knocked from its plinth and smashed to pieces. Michael Tate Reed, 32, of Van Buren, Arkansas, was booked into Pulaski County jail on preliminary charges of defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespass and first-degree criminal mischief. Arkansas Secretary of State's Office spokesman Chris Powell said officials believe a Facebook Live video posted on a Michael Reed's Facebook account that depicted the destruction is authentic. In the video, the sky is dark and the Arkansas Capitol's dome is visible. Music is heard followed by a female voice, likely on the radio, saying, "Where do you go when you're faced with adversity and trials and challenges?" The driver is then heard growling, "Oh my goodness. Freedom!" before accelerating into the monument. The vehicle's speedometer is last shown at 21mph and then a collision can be heard. Arkansas' monument fell from its plinth and broke into multiple pieces as it hit the ground. Oklahoma County Sheriff's spokesman Mark Opgrande said that Reed was arrested in October 2014 over the destruction of Oklahoma's Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol. Mr Opgrande confirmed that the suspect arrested in Arkansas was the same person arrested in the Oklahoma case. In a 2015 email to the Tulsa World , Reed apologised for wrecking Oklahoma's monument and said he suffered from mental health issues. "I am so sorry that this all happening (sic) and wished I could take it all back," Reed said. Arkansas' granite monument, which weighs 2,721 kilogrammes, was installed on Tuesday morning on the south west lawn of the Capitol with little fanfare and no advance notice. A 2015 law required the state to allow the display near the Capitol, and a state panel last month gave final approval to its design and location. "Obviously, I'm very disappointed that someone would carry out an act of violence that's actually against the people of Arkansas," said Republican Sen Jason Rapert, the state politician who led the push for the monument. Sen Rapert said he was confident he could quickly raise funds for a replacement. Travis Story, the general counsel of the American History and Heritage Foundation, which raised money for the monument, said the group has already ordered a replacement, but that it would take a couple of months. Republican Gov Asa Hutchinson, who signed the legislation requiring the monument's installation, called its destruction "very troubling". "Resorting to property destruction is never the answer to a policy disagreement," he wrote in a tweet. The American Civil Liberties Union said on Tuesday that it planned to file a federal lawsuit challenging the monument, calling it an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. AP A Venezuelan minister has denounced the international community for not condemning the actions of a helicopter pilot the government accuses of using gunfire and grenades to attack the Supreme Court and Interior Ministry. Foreign relations minister Samuel Moncada singled out Canada, the European Union and the United States for ignoring the attack. Venezuela's president has said a stolen police helicopter fired on the country's Supreme Court in what he called a thwarted "terrorist attack" aimed at ousting him from power. The confusing exchange took place as Nicolas Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists. More than hour after the flyover ended, he told the audience that the helicopter had fired on the court with grenades. He said the nation's air defence was activated and one of the grenades did not explode, preventing any loss of life. "It could have caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured," said Mr Maduro, who sounded alternately calm and angry as he told the audience about what had happened in the airspace just beyond the presidential palace where they were gathered. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a police pilot, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against Mr Maduro's "tyranny" as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. "We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government," the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what looked like assault rifles standing behind him. #Venezuela Un helicoptere a attaque la Cour supreme venezuelienne attaque qualifiee de terroriste selon #Maduro#Caracas pic.twitter.com/NVXeuKdnLL Rebecca Rambar (@RebeccaRambar) June 28, 2017 Later, information minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement saying the helicopter fired 15 shots at his ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people. It then flew a short distance to the government-stacked supreme court, which was in session, and launched what he said were four Israeli-made grenades of "Colombian origin", two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building. The president of the high court said there were no injuries from the attack and the area was still being surveyed for damages. Mr Villegas said security forces were being sent to arrest Perez, who the government accused of working under the instructions of the CIA and the US embassy in Caracas, as well as recover the helicopter. Meanwhile many of Mr Maduro's opponents took to social media to accuse the president of orchestrating an elaborate ruse to justify a crackdown against Venezuelan seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Venezuela has been rocked by anti-government protests during the past three months that have left at least 75 people dead and hundreds injured. Mr Maduro said one of the pilots involved in the alleged attack used to fly for his former interior minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, who he accused of working for the CIA. Mr Rodriguez Torres, who has been leading a campaign against Mr Maduro made up of left-wing supporters of the late Hugo Chavez, dismissed the accusation as baseless. The helicopter incident capped a volatile 24 hours that began with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and continued on Tuesday when opposition MPs got into a heated scuffle with security forces assigned to protect the National Assembly. At least 68 supermarkets, pharmacies and off-licences were looted and several government offices burned following anti-government protests in Maracay, about a 90-minute drive from Caracas. Mr Maduro condemned the violence but with a stern warning to his opponents likely to only further inflame an already tense situation. "We will never surrender. And what we couldn't accomplish through votes we will with weapons," he said. On Tuesday opposition MPs fought with national guardsmen as they tried to enter the National Assembly. At nightfall, a few dozen people were still gathered inside the neo-classical building as pro-government supporters stood outside, threatening violence. As the drama was unfolding outside the court, magistrates were busy issuing a number of rulings further hemming in the opposition. One dismissed a challenge against Mr Maduro's plans for a constitutional assembly by chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz, a longtime loyalist who broke with the government over the issue. Another broadened the powers of the nation's ombudsman, giving him the authority to carry out criminal investigations that until now had been the exclusive prerogative of Mr Ortega's office. - PA The ACT Auditor-General is set to launch a fresh probe into ACT Health's management of long-standing problems with its performance data systems. Auditor-General Maxine Cooper on Wednesday released her performance audit program for the 2017-18 financial year, including yet another detailed look at ACT Health's data woes. Auditor-General Maxine Cooper set to examine ACT Health's data management. Credit:Melissa Adams The Canberra Times first reported Ms Cooper was considering whether to conduct an audit in April this year, and the release of the 2017-18 program confirms an audit will be completed. It would be the fourth audit of the directorate's data management in seven years, and follows Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris launching a new "system-wide" review of the data problems in February this year. Israeli state employees and elected officials are forbidden from accepting gifts, but Mr Netanyahu has characterised the items in question as personal gifts from friends. Mr Packer and Mr Milchan are alleged to have given the Netanyahu family hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gifts, including tickets to Ms Carey's concerts in Israel. A spokesman for Mr Packer has been contacted for comment. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Packer. James Packer with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and (circled, next to him) son Yair Netanyahu. Credit:Channel 10 The report said the police wanted Mr Packer's version of events as they considered it the missing piece of the puzzle in their investigation. In an Israeli interview earlier this week, Mariah Carey appeared upset at suggestions she might also be summoned for questioning. "Oh, now they want to blame me? Someone wants to blame me for something now? What did I do? I didn't do anything," said Carey before closing down the interview. Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, which proposed sweeping changes to its small-cap market earlier this month to revive confidence in the venue, said it couldn't explain Tuesday's moves. Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission said it couldn't comment on whether it's pursuing any investigations. But the regulator did note that Tuesday's biggest decliners tended to have characteristics conducive to extreme volatility and market misconduct: multiple relationships between different companies and listed brokerage firms, high shareholding concentrations, low volume and small public floats. "What this really points to is the ongoing problems with our legal and regulatory system for listed companies," he said in an interview on Tuesday. Webb, an activist investor who's been a vocal critic of the Hong Kong exchange since he quit the board in 2008, called on authorities to do more to protect investors. While the stocks highlighted by Webb barely budged when he released his report in May, they accounted for all but three of Tuesday's 20 biggest losers in Hong Kong. Among the decliners were China Jicheng Holdings and GreaterChina Professional Services, which both fell more than 90 per cent. Even as traders struggled to nail down a trigger for the moves, many pointed to links between the companies and Lerado Financial Group, a brokerage that's under regulatory investigation. Lerado had previously disclosed an investment in China Jicheng and had an underwriting role on a GreaterChina share placement in 2015. Webb also has a history with Lerado. The activist was named as a substantial shareholder as far back as the company's 2008 interim report and has been one of the firm's biggest critics. Lerado has made a series of "highly questionable transactions" that diluted net-asset value per share, Webb wrote in March 2016, calling on the SFC and the stock exchange to require more disclosure from the company. The SFC suspended trading in Lerado's shares from June 6, saying a company circular dated October 26, 2015, included "materially false, incomplete or misleading information." In that 2015 document, Lerado outlined plans to raise money for the margin lending business of its unit Black Marble, and said that Black Marble was planning to underwrite a placement for GreaterChina Professional and an open offer for China Investment & Finance Group. China Investment fell as much as 94 per cent on Tuesday, before paring its loss to 50 per cent. The census has revealed the ACT is the fastest growing state or territory in the country, adding 40,175 people to its population between 2011 and 2016. This growth spurt, while good news for the capital, does have its own challenges. Adding the equivalent of the NSW city of Orange to one of the smallest jurisdictions in the country in half a decade is no mean feat; especially when more than half, or about 24,000, take up residence in Gungahlin. Gungahlin, ground zero for the bulk of the Land Development Agency's block releases since 2010, is now the second fastest growing area in the country. While these figures, and the concentration of population growth to the north, seems to vindicate recent investments in roads and the controversial light rail link, there is more to managing this rate of increase than schools and transport infrastructure. While the frustrations that led to Malcolm Turnbull turning up the heat on Tony Abbott and his supporters on Wednesday have been well documented, the reality is if the PM had the power to stop his arch political enemy he would have acted a long time ago. Mr Abbott, who never gave up the belief he was unfairly robbed of the fruits of his 2013 election win by ungrateful members of his own team, has a unique vision of what the Liberals should be. It is pretty much the manifesto he took to the electorate almost half a decade ago and was reiterated in his recent Institute of Public Affairs address in Brisbane. The key points now headline his website and include two and three word mantras such as "Fix the Parliament", "Make Australia Safe" and "Celebrate Australia". More to the point, the issue would dog the government generally, and the Prime Minister personally, at the next election if still unresolved. It was untenable that Mr Turnbull could continue the charade of pretending to back Tony Abbott's plebiscite model when he himself wants a parliamentary vote, I had argued. Malcolm Turnbull is being asked if he will allow a same-sex marriage bill to be presented to Parliament and if he would allow a free vote in that instance. The Prime Minister says 'no', knowing any other response would blow his leadership wide open and possibly split the Coalition. Technically he is right, but these are the wrong questions. Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The source agreed and went onto raise a fascinating prospect of gay marriage by stealth. Under this scenario, with the government's majority reduced to just one seat after last year's double dissolution election, it would only take a couple of pro-gay marriage MPs to be caught in the loo or fail to make the chamber for standing orders to be suspended and a private members' bill brought forward. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would be done, the source said. In this situation questions of a free vote, or a party room meeting to discuss a private members' bill are completely redundant. All the government and crossbench would need is just a few Liberal MPs, many of whom are on the record as saying they believe the issue is one of conscience, to cross the floor (both to suspend standing orders which requires an absolute majority of 76 and then again to help pass the bill) . Unlike Labor, the Coalition doesn't expel MPs for daring to vote against their party's policy, as Nationals MP George Christensen did last week on penalty rates. This ambush tactic appears to be founded with Christopher Pyne's indiscrete bragging to the moderates last week that the introduction of same-sex marriage "might be even be sooner than everyone thinks". "Your friends in Canberra are working on that outcome," he assured those he assumed were his political allies, one of whom was secretly recording the minister and promptly leaked it to the conservative commentator Andrew Bolt. Check your couch cushions for spare change ... noughties Hollywood It-girl Lindsay Lohan is launching a website promising an inside look at her life. For a price. For $US2.99 ($3.95) a month, fans can have access to Lohan's lifestyle content, which is part of a new celebrity site, Preemium. The monthly fee gives fans access to all her "secrets", with everything from personal diaries to fashion and beauty tutorials on offer. Lindsay Lohan says she will share exclusive content and her breaking news with fans before anyone else through a new website. Credit:Getty In a statement on the new website, Lohan said: "I will give you access to all my exclusive content and tell you all my secrets and breaking news before anyone else." It will include, "personal diaries, video updates, exclusive personal photos, breaking news, fashion and beauty tutorials, shopping guides, behind the scenes content . . . and much more", she continued. It's essentially layered suffering. You have a negative event, then a negative emotional experience, followed by a negative emotion about the initial negative feeling: guilt, shame, I shouldn't feel this way. Voila! A suffering sandwich. A recent study conducted by the University of Melbourne showed that overemphasising the importance of happiness actually results in an increase of depressive symptoms. The results of the study highlighted the external pressure we feel to be happy: the more a participant felt pressured to not feel sad or anxious, the more likely they were to report an increase in depressive symptoms. We feel bad about feeling bad. Have you ever encountered a suffering sandwich? No, I'm not referring to a baguette with tinnitus or a panini going through a divorce. Has there been a time where you have experienced a negative emotion, and then felt bad for feeling that way? If so, you're not alone. "The action of labelling and accepting the feeling (without judging it as good or bad) helps me feel less anxious." Credit:Stocksy These findings echo the work Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been promoting for years. ACT, fronted by Russ Harris in Australia, does not have "symptom reduction" as a goal. Rather, it posits that the constant urge to reduce symptoms and change these feelings is what causes a spike in distress. Sitting with discomfort and learning to reframe our relationship with our thoughts and feelings is more worthwhile than focusing on eliminating pain. Now, the idea is not to burst into primary schools shrieking "Life is pain!" whenever a classroom sings If You're Happy and You Know It, as fun as that would be. Rather, it's a subtle change in the way we view "normality" to include suffering life does have pain. Obviously it's not an equal playing field some people experience severe mental illness, others have disproportionately disadvantaged backgrounds but all of us feel frustration, sadness or fear from time to time. Why add to that by stressing about stress, or feeling bad for feeling bad? These findings are fairly important, given that an estimated 3 million Australians are living with depression, but the ideas can be applied to virtually everyone. Regardless of diagnosis, we can all benefit by acknowledging our feelings and honouring them, rather than judging or criticising them. It's natural that I feel bad right now, and that's OK. Acknowledging pain does not mean it will consume you; in fact, it's vital for building resilience and moving through it. This is essentially validation, which plays a role in helping us accept our internal experience, as well as when others around us are in crisis. Public servants at the Australian Taxation Office have voted to accept a new deal on pay and conditions with a landslide 83 per cent yes-vote announced on Wednesday afternoon. More than 16,600 of the ATO's employees voted, an 84 per cent turnout in the ballot, which brings three years of sometimes bitter industrial strife at the vital revenue agency to a close. The Tax Office is fighting with the Australian Services Union over a trial of hot-desking at two offices. Credit:Louie Douvis The result comes in the wake of yes-votes at the departments of Defence and Agriculture where resistance to the Coalition's hardline public service industrial policy forced an unprecedented five workplace ballots before a proposed deal was accepted. Thousands of scientists, researchers and other workers at the peak science body the CSIRO also voted last week to accept a new pay deal after a dispute lasting several years at the organisation. The federal government's largest department is to buck the trend of declining public service numbers and create up to 2000 new permanent jobs, the main public service union said on Wednesday The roles will mostly be in Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support Agency call centres around Australia, run by the behemoth Department of Human Services, and many of the jobs look set to be snapped up by some of thousands of casual workers already on DHS's books. "Enormously significant'. CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood Credit:David Tease But the Community and Public Sector Union says the decision by the department is "enormously significant", a win for customers of the agencies as well as the thousands of "non-ongoing" public servants who, the unions says, have been battling for several years for a workplace better deal. Details of the jobs, and who can apply for them, are still being worked-out, but Fairfax understands that DHS wants to reduce its roster of casuals from nearly 10 per cent of its 36,000-strong workforce to less than 2 per cent. Three people have been killed in a light plane crash near Mount Gambier airport in South Australia. The plane came down in a paddock at Suttontown about 10.30am on Wednesday, police said. A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman said police had confirmed that three people had died. A man has been charged with murder after he allegedly acted as a lookout in the gangland execution of crime figure Hamad Assaad. Just after 6am on Thursday, officers from the Bass Hill Region Enforcement Squad banged down the front door of a home in Greenacre in Sydney's south-west. Homicide Squad detectives then arrested 24-year-old plumber Osama Hawat inside. He was taken to Bankstown police station and charged over the alleged murder of Mr Assaad last October. As Premier Gladys Berejiklian unveiled plans for the long-awaited redevelopment of the Sydney Fish Market on Sunday, some fishmongers privately wondered whether their businesses would survive to see the new $250 million facility built. Behind the scenes, a dispute has been playing out between the market and seafood buyers over a new 2 per cent fee, which will apply to all seafood bought through the morning auction, as well as direct sales, from Saturday. Businesses expected to be hardest-hit by the fee are those that face additional transport costs in supplying regional and rural NSW, while many local businesses that trade directly from the Sydney Fish Market will be unaffected. Canberra-based John Fragopoulos, who commutes to the market twice a week to supply his three shops as well as clubs and pubs in the Canberra area, said the fee would push his family-run business to breaking point. He was also confined to his cell for at least 22 hours per day with no interaction and one weekly phone call, and complained staff members removed his mattress. The report recommended the government write to the teen, referred to as "Young Person A1", and apologise for unlawful segregation. In another incident, "Young Person A3" was held down and had his clothes cut off at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre after allegedly sitting on a kitchen bench and being non-compliant and aggressive. Fourteen youth detention staff were called to the incident in January 2013, and he was held on the ground for 23 minutes in leg and ankle cuffs, lifted and carried to a separation room, where his clothes were forcibly cut off, leaving him naked. The review argued reports of the incident by staff overstated the level of aggression displayed by A3. The use of a security dog at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre was "pervasive", the report says, even though they were supposed to be used as a visual deterrent to stop youths accessing building sites or climbing the roof. Security dogs are no longer used. An inspection from September 2015 revealed concerns a dog managed by a private security guard was aggressively barking and straining towards young people for no apparent reason while they were walking with staff. The dogs were removed after an unmuzzled dog was used to prevent three girls from exiting a pool. The girls had run and jumped in the pool, where they stayed for three hours, during negotiations. CCTV footage shows there were several times when the dog approached the edge of the pool aggressively, snapping and snarling, as the girls tried to get out. Staff said they were trying to make sure the youths did not get on the roof, but the review stated the precise reasons for using the dog were unclear. "It seems unlikely that the presence of a security dog at the edge of the pool, as is seen on the CCTV footage, would be of any use in encouraging the three young people who were in the pool to get out," the Review reads. In May, Ms D'Ath announced she would have the heavily-redacted report reviewed to see if more information could be released after criticism from the media and LNP opposition. Releasing the updated report on Wednesday, Ms D'Ath said it did not change the government's response or commitment to action, as they were based on the full report. "On April 26, the Palaszczuk government announced we had accepted all of the report's recommendations to improve practices and services and pointed out that many had already been addressed," she said. Ms D'Ath defended not deciding to review the advice from Crown Law to heavily react the report back in April, before releasing the first version. "It is important that we make sure that we're as transparent as we can be with this report and with incidents that happen within our youth detention centre," she said. "It is a fine balance to make sure we are releasing in the public interest as much information as possible but maintaining those obligations as well. "Yes, it was very conservative, but it was also in my mind to get this document out as quickly as possible." No individual staff member was responsible for the death of a newborn who suffered fatal head injuries during an emergency caesarean at Queensland's largest hospital, a coroner has found. Nixon Tonkin never breathed on his own after being delivered at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in June 2014. The coroner has ruled on the death of newborns at RBWH in 2014. An inquest into his death heard a midwife was asked to carry out a procedure she was not trained to do in a bid to free Nixon's head from the birthing canal. The midwife testified she approached freeing the baby as she would a vaginal examination, by splaying her index and middle fingers to try to break the suction but did not recall pushing on the skull. Former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has called for an overhaul of the law that allowed corrupt former health minister Gordon Nuttall to walk away with more than $1 million of his taxpayer-funded superannuation. Nuttall, 64, who is on parole after being sentenced to 14 years jail, was on Wednesday ordered to repay a quarter of his $1.58 million taxpayer-funded superannuation balance under the state's criminal proceeds laws. Gordon Nuttall was ordered by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to repay a quarter of his $1.58 million taxpayer-funded superannuation balance. Credit:Lisa Maree Williams Mr Beattie says while he respects the Brisbane Supreme Court's decision, he believes Nuttall should lose the entirety of his balance. He called on both sides of politics to look at changing the law to ensure politicians convicted of criminal offences while in office lost all access to their taxpayer-funded superannuation. Train services have begun to resume across the network however commuters can still expect lengthy delays, Queensland Rail says. Queensland Rail executive General Manager for city trains Nick King told ABC radio he was not exactly sure what caused the communication breakdown, but assured commuters the technical fault had been fixed. QR staff were answering questions for confused commuters at Central train station. Credit:Felicity Caldwell/Twitter "We are starting to resume services...it will take quite an extensive period of time," he said. Earlier Foreigners based in Australia used Google advertising to target bargain hunters in a shopping scam that netted more than a quarter of a million dollars nationwide, police allege. More charges are possible in other states after Queensland police charged two Latvians with more than two dozen counts of fraud over a network of "fake trader" websites selling cut-price barbecues, airconditioners and gym equipment. Two Latvian nationals. Nastasija Sveinika, 27, and Aleksandrs Gorikijis, 25, accused of running an online scam, have been arrested in Brisbane. Credit:QPS Media More than 200 people nationwide, 45 in Queensland alone, were alleged to have been caught by the scam, with many losing thousands of dollars, some of which went overseas. The number of alleged victims was tipped to rise as Queensland detectives worked with interstate and national counterparts to investigate whether Anastasija Sveinika, 27, and Aleksandrs Gorikijis, 25, had any links to organised crime or another type of wider international network. Gordon Nuttall will have to pay the Queensland government almost $400,000 in publicly funded superannuation after a successful legal bid to access his nest egg, but the disgraced former politician still gets to keep more than $1 million. Brisbane Supreme Court Justice James Douglas on Wednesday ordered the former Labor minister pay 25 per cent - or about $394,420 - of the taxpayer-funded portion of his super to the state government. It had been seeking to recoup the entirety of Nuttall's government super, which was valued at $1.5 million in February, after launching legal proceedings last July. But in his judgment Justice Douglas said the updated total, with interest, was now about $1.58 million. Surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegman died in June after being attacked outside Box Hill Hospital. Credit:Epworth Health "The college is sure others will step forward to provide that care, but the tragedy is we have a young surgeon who had committed his life's work to the delivery of care. That could have seen highly-specialised care for decades." Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann performed surgeries at six Melbourne hospitals, including Epworth Eastern, Box Hill Hospital, Austin hospital, The Northern Hospital and Knox Private. Royal Australasian College of Surgeons national trauma committee chair Dr John Crozier. Credit:Tamara Dean "Cardiothoracic surgery is some of the hardest and some of the most demanding. It requires extensive hours of training to acquire judgment and medical skills," Dr Crozier said. "There are very few cardiothoracic surgeons, really, throughout Australia and New Zealand, so the loss of someone just commencing their career really magnifies the tragedy of this incident." Dr Crozier said the young father's death underscored the everyday violence faced by health workers. "The College of Surgeons mourns the loss of a colleague and young surgeon cut down in his prime, extends sympathy to his family and the family of the alleged perpetrator, but critically emphasises that it will support measures that reduce and remove threats of physical violence to allied health care workers." Mill Park man Joseph Esmaili has been charged with intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury in relation to the incident and has been remanded in custody. A police spokeswoman said the investigation would now be overseen by homicide detectives. Floral tributes to Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann have been placed at the entrance to Box Hill Hospital. Australasian College for Emergency Medicine president Professor Tony Lawler said the doctor's contribution to the field of surgery and the positive impact he had on patients, trainees and colleagues "will not be forgotten". He said Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann's untimely death was also a reminder of the constant threat of physical violence that healthcare workers face. "Any workplace, including hospitals, should be safe and free of the threat of violence," Professor Lawler said. "We urge all stakeholders and governments to work together on a comprehensive whole-of-system approach to eradicate violence in our hospitals." Royal Australasian College of Surgeons president John Batten echoed those concerns, saying: "RACS campaigns for respect in the workplace and advocates against preventable injury, including single-punch attacks". Neurosurgeon Michael Wong, who survived a frenzied stabbing attack in the foyer of Western hospital three years ago, has also spoken out, describing the safety of medical staff as a "ticking time bomb". "My thoughts and prayers go out to the surgeon's family. I did not know him personally, but clearly Patrick was doing valuable, life-saving work for the Australian community when he was cut down in his prime. "It's a senseless loss that no family should have to endure, and one that tragically further underlines the importance of getting hospital security right." Earlier this year, Fairfax Media revealed hospitals were putting violent patients into comas as a last resort to protect staff who were being sprayed with blood, held hostage, and bashed on the job. Last year, Fairfax Media reported that there were 8627 reports of occupational violence in Victoria's public hospitals in the year to July, including 1166 that resulted in staff injury or illness. Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the state government "obviously" needed to do more to improve security at hospitals for staff and visitors. However, she did not detail how the government intended to do this. "The legacy of Patrick's medical work certainly lives on, the devastation that everyone feels at his death is absolutely focusing on the work to improve safety in our health services," she said. "We need to better protect our healthcare staff first and foremost, but also look at what more we need to be doing around the prevention of those behaviours in the first place." Ms Hennessy said the government was fast-tracking current changes, including creating behavioural assessment rooms at hospitals. The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched an investigation into Uber and whether its contracts with tens of thousands of Australian drivers are in breach of federal workplace laws. The employment watchdog undertook to probe the US-based company's contractual relationship with its large workforce of "driver-partners" earlier this month, after a request by a group of disgruntled drivers who argue they have been "misclassified" by Uber as self-employed. The Ombudsman is now preparing to interview drivers who use Uber's wildly popular, low-cost UberX platform, which has upended the taxi industry's established business model in Melbourne and around the world. A spokesman for the Fair Work Ombudsman said it had "commenced an investigation into Uber, with the purpose of determining whether the engagement of Uber drivers is compliant with Commonwealth workplace laws". Chinese authorities have released three activists who investigated labour conditions at factories that manufactured shoes for Ivanka Trump's brand and other US footwear companies. The men were granted bail roughly a month after they were arrested by authorities in southeast China, according to a Wednesday announcement by China Labour Watch, an organisation that has investigated workplace conditions at facilities that supply many of the world's best-known companies. Ivanka Trump has a thriving fashion brand that benefits from her profile as the President's daughter. Credit:AP "China Labour Watch hopes that the court will provide the investigators with a fair trial," the organisation said in a written statement. Working undercover between March and late May, the activists checked on the treatment of employees at the Dongguan Huajian and Jiangxi Huajian factories in southeast China. The monitoring documented numerous violations of labour rules, China Labour Watch said in a report issued earlier this month. Jerusalem: Yielding to pressure from his religious coalition partners, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backtracked on a decision to create a space at the Western Wall in Jerusalem where men and women can pray together and non-Orthodox rituals can be practiced. The agreement for the new egalitarian prayer space, adopted 17 months ago by the government after years of negotiations with Jewish leaders, was supposed to restore harmony at the ancient site, the holiest place where Jews can pray. The suspension of the plan is likely to deepen the divide between Israel and a majority of Jews in North America who are affiliated with non-Orthodox streams of Judaism. Visitors are seen at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City. The area where non-Orthodox groups would pray under the 2016 compromise is to the right of the main plaza. Credit:AP There was no immediate comment from Mr Netanyahu, but the decision not to move ahead with the plan exposed a rift within his right-wing coalition. "Today's cancellation of the decision is a severe blow to the unity of the Jewish people, the Jewish communities and the fabric of the relationship between the state of Israel and the Jews in the Diaspora," said Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the secular ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party. He called on other cabinet ministers to "return to rationality". June 26, 2017 The power constellations in the Middle East are growing ever more complex. On June 5, Saudi Arabia along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt broke off ties with Qatar, accusing it of a slew of trespasses, including support for terrorism. At first, Riyadh assumed that it could quickly forge a unified regional front against Doha and was counting on Washingtons support in this endeavor, particularly in light of US President Donald Trumps recent visit to the kingdom. However, not only has Riyadh failed to achieve this goal, it may have brought its rivals closer together. The move to blockade Qatar is in line with the Saudi tendency for drastic foreign policy decisions in recent years, including its war on Yemen. Now the remarks made by the conflicting parties as well as regional and international players reveal that a new framing of regional powers is to be expected. In a tweet on June 6, Trump voiced his support for Riyadhs maneuver and implicitly accused Qatar of being a sponsor of terrorism. It should be noted that Qatar hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East, which is perhaps why on June 7 Trump called Qatars emir and offered US help to resolve the deepening feud between the tiny emirate and its Persian Gulf neighbors. Meanwhile, on June 9, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on the Saudi-led coalition to ease its blockade of Qatar, saying the cutoff was hindering the fight against the Islamic State and provoking food shortages. A few days later, on June 14, the United States signed a $12 billion deal to sell Qatar dozens of F-15 jets, highlighting Washingtons confused policy toward the crisis a policy that could not be summed up in one tweet by Trump. However, a look at the opposing stances adopted by regional players proves the situation to be even more complicated. Turkeys decision to stand by Qatar has divided the region in two. On the one side are Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies who are against Doha, and on the other side are Turkey, Iran and, to a lesser extent, Russia, who supports Doha. Turkey, and especially President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has continually enjoyed close ties with Qatars leaders. Their joint support for the Muslim Brotherhood is strong commonality between the two nations. After the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Erdogan expressed full backing for the Brotherhood and Egypts president at the time, Mohammed Morsi. This is while Qatar has also had close ties with the Brotherhood and enjoys warm relations with the Palestinian Hamas movement. These two groups have always been at the center of Saudi hostility, which is why it was not surprising that on June 7 Turkey's parliament ratified military agreements that allowed its troops to be deployed to a Turkish military base in Qatar. Meanwhile, in reference to the UAE, Erdogan announced on June 10, We know very well who in the [Persian] Gulf was happy when the coup attempt took place in Turkey. If somebody has intelligence organizations, we also have an intelligence organization. Prior to the recent developments, Turkey enjoyed close relations with Saudi Arabia. In fact, Iran was concerned that their close ties could lead to Turkey joining Riyadhs anti-Iran front. However, Saudi Arabias attempts to isolate Qatar, without considering Dohas close relations with Ankara, have reignited differences between the two over their interpretation of the developments in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia during the Arab Spring and Abdel Fattah al-Sisis 2013 coup. Just as in the past, Turkey seems to have entered the Qatar crisis with little caution. Iran, meanwhile, was more cautious, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif posting a tweet on June 5 that read, Neighbors are permanent; geography can't be changed. Coercion is never the solution. Dialog is imperative, especially during blessed Ramadan. President Hassan Rouhani also sent a message to the Qatari emir, which was conveyed by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari during his visit to Doha on June 17. No details have been released about the content of this message. However, an informed source at Irans Foreign Ministry who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor, This message was not something new. We have enjoyed good relations with Qatar from before. This meeting and the message were also in line with our policy. In the message, Rouhani had assured the Qatari emir that he could count on Iran for food stuff and using Irans airspace for Qatari planes. Rouhani had further stressed that controlling tensions and resolving issues through dialogue would be the best [path forward]. Qatar itself did not sit idly in the face of the increasing pressures by Saudi Arabia and its allies. Qatars Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani made several trips to regional capitals in an effort to gain their support. Regional countries also sent envoys to Qatar and Saudi Arabia in an effort to mediate and solve the dispute. After meeting with Turkish officials in Ankara, Qatars foreign minister traveled to Moscow where he met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on June 10. That meeting ended with Lavrov pointing out that dialogue was the best way to tackle the political rift in the Arab world over Qatar. On June 15, Erdogan offered to set up a military base in Saudi Arabia, an idea that was rejected by Riyadh on June 17. This is while Tehran and Ankara shipped several tons of food to Qatar every day in an effort to reduce the impact of the sanctions imposed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Russia meanwhile took a very cautious stance regarding the conflict. It should be noted, however, that Russias similar viewpoints with Iran regarding the conflict in Syria are a sticking point with Saudi Arabia. Riyadhs list of 13 demands as a precondition for the resumption of diplomatic ties with Qatar which include the closure of Qatari-owned Al Jazeera news network, reducing diplomatic ties with Iran and halting the development of a Turkish military base in the country have once again brought Iran and Turkey closer together on one front. Meanwhile, on June 25, Erdogan described Saudi Arabias list of demands as a violation of international law. In this vein, former senior Iranian diplomat Nosratollah Tajik told Al-Monitor, It could be predicted from the start that Saudi Arabia could not forge unity against Qatar. Kuwait and Oman were the most important Arab players that did not accompany Saudi Arabia [in isolating Qatar]. Saudi Arabia wanted Iran to get involved in this situation, but we were wise and cautious. Not to mention that Saudi Arabias actions have also upset Turkey, and we can expect an overlap of interests between Tehran and Ankara. Saudi Arabia now finds itself in a difficult position. Riyadh, which had expected to create a united front against Qatar with the collective help of other Arab regional states, has instead created a bipolar Middle East. Saudi Arabia thought it could make Qatar obedient by using pressure, but instead it pushed Qatar and Turkey closer to Iran and strengthened Irans regional axis. Russia, meanwhile, has tried to not get too involved in the conflicts in the Middle East, although its viewpoints are close to Irans in terms of fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria issues that are points of conflict between Tehran and Riyadh. In addition to all this, Saudi Arabia was counting on full US support. However, Trump has shown that the United States has no intention of entering the situation unilaterally and the priority for the White House is to sell arms and make money which they successfully did to both of the conflicting sides in a short span of time. It should be noted that this Trump policy has the potential for stoking even more unrest in the region. It would be foolish to assume that Saudi Arabias measure will lead to the formation of a new alliance between Qatar, Turkey, Iran and Russia, but it will have several benefits for Tehran. First, Iran can be assured that Saudi Arabia will not be able to form a united coalition of Arab and regional countries against it, and second, it can draw the failed and middle players toward itself. It can also draw international attention to the fact that it is Riyadh, and not Tehran, who has a problem with other regional players. National aggregator PLAN Australia has offered a helping hand to brokers concerned about rampant regulatory change amidst increased industry scrutiny.At a recent digital professional development day earlier this month, CEO Anja Pannek said the aggregator would continue to assist brokers navigate the inevitable industry movements from the ASIC remuneration review and the Sedgwick report.One thing I am very passionate about is that we maintain competition and a very viable and healthy broker market, as this will lead to the best outcomes for consumers, she told attendees during the events opening session.In an interview with Australian Broker, Pannek said that PLAN ensures it will work closely alongside brokers to help them adapt and thrive in these challenging times.Through our professional development events and by providing regular compliance and regulatory updates, we ensure our members receive powerful, relevant insights and direction about the industry changes and challenges ahead, she said.At PLAN Australia, our duty as an aggregator goes well beyond day-to-day support. Were committed to contributing to the ongoing advancement of our industry by bringing the industry together and raising professional standards.In order to overcome this dynamic, challenging environment, Pannek called upon brokers to renew their focus on strong customer service and improved productivity to further grow their businesses.The key thing we need to keep top of mind is that customers should remain front and centre. Mortgage brokers play a critically important part in helping customers through some very challenging and tough decisions.At the event, which brought in a record 925 brokers out of a national total of 1,600 members, Pannek was joined by industry leading panellists such as AMP head of sales and marketing Glenn Gibson Buyers Choice managing director Mick McClure , and Pepper Money business development manager Nicole Campbell-Burns.Attendees were also updated on PLAN Australias performance this year. The group had seen continued momentum and was on track to exceed $65bn in total lending across the residential and commercial space, she said.The PD day also featured talks on other topics such as housing affordability and first home buyers, the technical aspects of investment lending, and using the aggregators broker portal Podium.Podium is one of the primary catalysts to evolving the businesses of PLAN's member brokers, Pannek said.Efficient, easy to use and functionally rich, the system is designed to help maximise customer relationships and grow brokers businesses further. Podium takes care of our member business management needs as they progress with the client along the customer lifecycle.As a CRM tool, Podium stores all client interactions, from notes about phone calls and preliminary assessments to marketing campaign details creating comprehensive client records which Pannek said is key to building both a profitable business and valuable, long-term customer relationships.The PD event also featured broker engagement with more than 60 live questions and comments submitted by members. On-the-go members also took advantage of the online format with more than 10% watching from their mobile devices.PLAN Australia is committed to providing high quality training and education to members in a variety of different ways, Pannek said. Considering our members who might be travelling, we made the PD Day digital, and also available on smartphones and tablets for a quicker and easier access. Discussing the nature and structure of proposed loans and the loan to value ratios with the lender; Suggesting to the lender that 'upfront valuations' be obtained; Discussing a consumer's credit history with the lender; Obtaining financial information and assisting the consumers to fill out loan application forms; and Arranging for consumers to sign loan and mortgage documents and in some cases witnesses their signatures. Given eight loan applications and 30 supporting documents to a lender that contained false information about the consumers' income and employment in circumstances where he knew or was reckless as to whether the loan applications contained false information; and Held out to six consumers that he held an Australian credit licence The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has reduced the banning period for former Sydney credit representative Tony Nguyen, of Petersham, New South Wales, from permanent to four years.The AAT affirmed the findings from ASIC's investigation that Nguyen had acted in the role of a credit assistance provider to nine consumers and/or as an intermediary between those consumers and the lender at a time when he was not authorised to do so under an Australia credit licence.As an 'introducer' or referral partner, Nguyen was entitled to only give the consumers' names and contact details to lenders. In breach of his agreements as an introducer or referral partner, Nguyen instead assisted the nine consumers to enter into loans with the lender, and in some cases suggested they enter into loans with the lender, by:The AAT said that Nguyen's actions clearly were directed at the procuring of loans from the lender for the consumers.The AAT upheld Nguyen's appeal against ASIC's findings that he had: Springfield quarry plan still unresolved as residents wait, worry Conditional Use Hearing on a proposed quarry along Rt. 309 in Springfield may be nearing an end after two years. Here's what residents have to say. latest news October 31, 2022 Buddy TV In November, there are hundreds of new and returning TV showsit can be overwhelming to try and choose what to watch. That's why we've selected some of the best options... An ingenious idea to help raise money for merchants' own local charities from Marsh Industries is now running successfully in more than 200 branches across the UK, raising thousands of pounds for worthy causes close to merchants' hearts. Over 200 Marsh mini tanks are on display on trade counters and are now filling up with cash. Every merchant that participates can choose which particular local charity should receive the donations collected in the tank. "The idea is such a simple yet ingenious one: our Appeal Tanks really do catch the eye and encourage conversation and donation. We know that thousands of pounds have already been handed over to local hospitals, hospices, community groups and national charities from merchants across the UK." The campaign will run throughout 2017, so interested merchants can still get involved. Merchants can email marshappeal@marshindustries.co.uk to get hold of a Marsh Merchant Appeal Pack and start raising money for the causes that mean most to them. Each tank holds around 350 in one pound coins and can be emptied and refilled many times over. Each Marsh Appeal pack contains a mini Tank, counter display and, as a thank you from Marsh, special merchant discount vouchers. Marsh Industries is a leading designer and UK manufacturer of water and wastewater treatment products for British and European markets. Michelmersh has announced its acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Carlton Main Brickworks Limited for a net consideration of 31.2 million. Carlton is a regional brick manufacturer operating from a 93-acre site brickwork based in Barnsley, Yorkshire. The factory, first established in the 1880s, currently manufactures up to 37 million wirecut bricks per annum, with a strong product offering that complements the geography and market segment of Michelmersh. Carlton is being acquired for a gross consideration of up to 38.4 million, which includes Carlton's cash balances at completion of 7.2 million. The acquisition is expected to increase Michelmersh's output to over 100 million bricks per annum, an expected increase of over 40% on Michelmersh's current output. Michelmersh is funding the acquisition through the issue of ordinary shares in the Company, its own cash resources and new debt facilities provided by HSBC, including a 20.0 million term loan, a 6.0 million RCF and a 1.0 million overdraft facility. According to the company, the Acquisition will give Michelmersh access to new regional markets, provide opportunities for cross selling and product synergies and increase output efficiency. Other operational synergies are expected to benefit the enlarged Group over time. The Acquisition is expected to be significantly earnings enhancing in the current financial year and increase the overall operational cash flow of the Company going forward, assisting in, post debt servicing and repayment, further investment within the Group and future shareholder distributions. In the 12 months ended 31 March, 2016, Carlton made an audited profit before taxation of 2.62 million on turnover of 13.1 million, which represents an unaudited adjusted EBITDA of 5.56 million after adding nonrecurring expenses (directors' emoluments). The audited net assets of Carlton at 31 March 2016 amounted to 9.3 million, including land and buildings at book value of 0.6 million, but which have been independently valued for the Group at 6.3 million. The acquisition was welcomed by the Brick Development Association. Chief Executive Officer Keith Aldis said: "This is an excellent time for a business with the experience and resources of Michelmersh to be investing in a strong regional brand such as Carlton. As a member of the Association, Carlton is an example of exceptional quality and service. Their portfolio of products and, more importantly, their customers will be well-served by Michelmersh's established supply chain and market strength. "As the UK undertakes initial exit negotiations with the EU, the stability and certainty of our sector is crucial to the sustained health of our construction industry. The opportunity for further investment and solidarity this acquisition represents is positive news for investors, developers and home-owners alike." Teen visits South Jersey in 50-state Flowers and Flags tribute to vets Preston Sharp of Calif. visits veterans graves in Cinnaminson cemetery in South Jersey on 50-state Flowers and Flags tribute to their sacrifices Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Masked robbers who forced staff at a Burton mobile phone shop to kneel down at knifepoint are still at large almost two months after the terrifying incident. Shocked phone shop workers at Carphone Warehouse, in Middleway Park, told the Burton Mail they were forced to kneel in a storeroom by hooded robbers brandishing knives during a broad daylight raid. The two men then escaped in a car with at least 40 Samsung mobile phones. A third man was waiting in a blue Renault, with the registration HV51 FAM, this was later found abandoned in Burton. The men fled the store in the Renault which was then abandoned in Horninglow Road, in the town, where some of the stolen phones were subsequently recovered. Detectives say the gang then fled on foot along Dallow Street into Victoria Street and were collected in a vehicle, a blue Astra, of which part of the registration was VE54. Of the two men who entered the store, one was described as black, wearing dark-coloured clothing, and one was described as white in light-coloured clothing. The incident happened on April 29 and Staffordshire Police have now revealed that while investigations are continuing, no one has been arrested. A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "The retail park, and surrounding areas, would have been busy with shoppers on Saturday morning. "We are appealing for anyone who saw the offenders at the retail park, or later in the Horninglow Road area, or either vehicle, to contact us with any information on 101 quoting incident number 289 of April 29, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111." Plc, the global technology and consultancy firm, has taken an aggressive acquisition plan entailing an investment of $1.8 billion. The company, which has seen nearly seven per cent revenue growth in dollar terms for the past two years, has been driving growth in digital technology areas through the acquisition of small firms. When .coms $13.7 billion bid to buy Whole Foods was announced, John Mackey, the grocers chief executive officer, addressed employees, gushing about Amazons technological innovation. We will be joining a company thats visionary, Mackey said. I think were gonna get a lot of those innovations in our stores. A major question about the acquisition is what Amazons technology will mean for those Whole Foods' workers. Will it make their jobs obsolete? In negotiations, spent a lot of time analysing Whole Foods distribution technology, pointing to a possible way in which the company sees the most immediate opportunities to reduce costs. Experts say the most immediate changes would likely be in warehouses that customers never see. The easiest place for to bring its expertise to bear is in the warehouses because that's where Amazon really excels, said Gary Hawkins, CEO of the Center for Advancing Retail and Technology. Whole Foods has 11 distribution centers specialising in perishable foods that serve its stores. It also has seafood processing plants, kitchens and bakeries that supply prepared food to each location. Those are the places where Amazon could initially focus, according to experts. As Amazons business has grown, its warehouses have become more specialised. Adding robots to warehouses hasnt dented Amazons hiring spree. The company had 351,000 employees at the end of March, up 43 per cent from a year earlier. Amazon has not had the fresh food sales volume to justify big investment in refrigerated warehouses. Whole Foods gives them an incentive to reinvent how groceries get to your store and doorstep. After automating warehouses, Amazon may bring the robots to the stores. But dont expect them to replace cashiers immediately. The first ones will likely navigate aisles to check inventory and alert employees when items run low, said Austin Bohlig, an advisor at Loup Ventures, which invests in robotics startups. Apollo Hospitals has launched a round-the-clock dedicated Air Ambulance Service Network to bring in patients in emergency from various parts of the country, especially from the smaller cities and towns to the major cities. The company has entered into partnership with Bengaluru-based Air Aviators Rescue, which currently offers air ambulance service on subcription basis. In a sector weighed down by bad for some time, has done relatively better. In the past month and a half, the stock has outperformed its larger pharma peers on positive flow. And, there could be more gains. The story of Nestle, the maker of Butterfinger candy bars and Purina pet food, starts with the coming together of bitter rivals in the late 1800s in Switzerland. In 2016, Korean auto major Hyundai Indias managing director Young Key Koo envisioned repositioning the company as a modern premium brand. If the vision translates into reality, it would not only boost sales for (HMIL) in the domestic market but also result in more Made in India exports. The company has identified three pillars creativity, innovation and quality to help transform into a modern premium brand. And as the company gears up to introduce more products, it is focusing more on quality. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. At a time when brands prefer to err on the side of caution when picking their celebrity endorsers, Ola is embracing the controversial with its choice of campaigns and ambassador. Virender Sehwag, who has raised quite a storm on his Twitter handle over a range of issues and is known to do anything but play safe on and off the field, has come on board as an influencer for Ola Share, a service that allows commuters to share their ride and competes with rival Uber Pool. True to form, Sehwag announced his association with the brand by offending many with a tweet early this month (June 2). His tweet called out all climate warriors in the country, insinuating that global warming might be a phenomenon in the US but wasnt a real issue for India. He drew the response he knew he would. He was roasted on Twitter by environmentalists, concerned citizens and even the media, though there were a sizeable number standing in his corner too. Sehwag waited a couple of hours and followed up with a tweet that cleared his name and promoted Ola Share as an environment friendly brand. An employee speaks over his phone as he sits at the front desk inside the office of Ola cab service in Gurugram (Photo: Reuters) Olas campaign during the Chennai floods in 2015 where it promoted Ola boat as a service to rescue stranded people is a classic example. The company has just one boat, which operated in just one area, but social media posts conveyed the impression that it was mounting a full-fledged rescue effort. Its all about creating some sort of friction in a users mind and using that to have them remember the brand. Its a fairly interesting idea and hasnt backfired in any enormous way except maybe once or twice. The good thing is that theyve managed to maintain that, said Karthik Srinivasan, national lead for social at Ogilvy & Mather. However there are risks. Given the capricious nature of social media, it takes very little time for the crowds cheering a brand on to turn against it. The most recent brand to be hit by online outrage is Uber; it all started with accusations of sexual harassment against the company and then the video with former CEO Travis Kalanick abusing a driver going viral and finally, his resignation from the board. The brand is being pilloried on Twitter with special handles created for complaints against its service and memes about Kalanicks outrageous behaviour dominating screen space on every media platform. Ola has been uncharacteristically restrained about Ubers troubles. According to sources, the company has been instructed to tone down the cheekiness when it comes to the present predicament of its rival by associates, but Ola refused to comment on the issue. Harish Bijoor, brand consultant said that there are many young that take marketing risks in the name of connecting with young and fun audiences. They havent been in the market for too long and dont have the same level of trust and when things backfire it can be devastating, he said. In this day and age of app uninstalls, it takes just a few minutes to fall flat on your face. Young brands need to understand this, and I feel they take unnecessary risks, added Bijoor. Online campaigns however will continue to play a big part in Olas brand story. We have seen tremendous response to our social campaigns such as #PeekeMatChala, (Dont drink and drive) #FarakPadtaHai (it makes a difference), and several others, where we not only drove the message home but also, succeeded in inciting action, says Subramanian. The campaign was launched on Christmas Eve (24 December 2016). Olas Twitter handle began spewing out absurd tweets, some humorous, some needling other brands and even a few individuals. The campaign that was looking to recreate drunk texts began driving conversations on the social network, with users speculating if the companys account had been hacked and much more. About those last tweets, drunk tweeting is dangerous; imagine what drunk driving can do. #PeekeMatChala, the company finally tweeted. Smart social media campaigns however are not enough to build a credible and lasting brand, experts point out. To stay the course in the long run, sassy brands need to grow beyond the comebacks and smart quips. Tamil Nadu's Minister for Milk and Dairy Development K T Rajenthra Bhalaji has alleged that two private dairy majors -- Nestle and Reliance -- have been supplying milk products containing hazardous chemicals such as caustic soda and bleaching powder, a charge both have denied. The Minister claims to have checked milk, milk powder and other milk products made by various in a laboratory in Chennai. With the cost of business going up in India and competition increasing from neighbouring countries, garment manufacturers are now looking at Ethiopia to set up manufacturing. Indian firms, which have lined up over Rs 600 crore in investments in that country, say Ethiopia gives duty-free access to Europe and US markets. US vice-president Mike Pence has expressed his desire to visit budget carrier SpiceJet's office on his trip to India in a meeting with the airline's chief Ajay Singh. The Indian no-frills airline was lauded by US President Donald Trump for an order of 100 new planes with American aircraft manufacturer Boeing and the massive jobs this will create in the country. Pence had met Singh yesterday on the sidelines of the annual gala of the US-India Business Council (USIBC). Thanking CEO Singh for thousands of high-value jobs the airline's order would create in the US, Pence said its deal with Boeing was extensively discussed in the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump, according to the airline's spokesperson. "Pence informed Singh that he was invited by the PM to visit India which he has accepted. The VP also expressed a desire to visit the office during his India visit," the spokesperson added. had announced an order for 100 Boeing planes worth USD 22 billion in January. The order is expected to create 1.32 lakh high-skilled jobs in the US. Last month, the airline also signed an initial pact for 40 Boeing 737 MAX planes. This includes conversion of 20 737 MAX 8 airplanes from its existing order of 737 MAX 10s. Singh also gifted a SpiceJet aircraft model to Pence for President Trump. While addressing the USIBC Pence said, "I know that American are going to continue to give India's aviation industry the wings it needs to soar.And let me just take the opportunity, as the President did yesterday, to say thank you to SpiceJet for investing and believing in American workers and American businesses." He also thanked Indian businesses "for your investment in our nation's future." In an interview with PTI, Singh said India should be looked upon as not only a strategic partner in a military context, and in the context of two countries together fighting terrorism, but also as a strategic partner that helps create jobs in the US. He also lamented that manufacturing of commercial planes in India "has not been given a thought to, at the moment". India's internet technology (IT) services firms such as Wipro and Infosys have seen revenue contribution from their top five clients decline as they have not been spending enough on traditional services and have shifted technology budgets towards areas such as digital and cloud. Wipro, India's third largest software exporter, said that that half of its 14,000 employees in the United States are American citizens, with nearly 1,600 local hires made in the last six months to deal with clients in emerging technology areas such as digital and cloud. " hired over 1,600 employees by attracting and nurturing local talent to drive innovation and help transform clients' businesses into digital enterprises. During the past decade, has invested over $2 billion in the US," said the company in a statement. The annual in Kashmir beginning tomorrow is facing a terror threat, according to an intelligence warning which has prompted the authorities to mobilise the "highest level" of security measures, including satellite tracking system. The 40-day-long pilgrimage to the holy cave of Amarnath in the mountainous region of south Kashmir will commence tomorrow from Jammu, about 200 kms from the shrine. Over 2.30 lakh pilgrims have registered for the yatra and the first batch of over 4,000 pilgrims will be flagged off by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh for the twin base-camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts. "Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials," according to a letter sent by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Muneer Khan to the Army, the CRPF, and range DIGs in the state. "The input is assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needs further corroboration," the IGP said in the letter. At this stage, the possibility of a sensational attack by a terrorist outfit cannot be ruled out, he said. "The attack may be in the form of stand-off fire on yatra convoy which they believe will result in flaring of communal tensions throughout the nation," the IGP said in the letter which is being circulated in many groups on Whatsapp. All the officers and officials deployed on the ground need to remain alert and maintain utmost vigil, he added in the letter whose copy got leaked and went viral on social media. Khan later tried to play it down, saying there was no need to panic as it was part of information being shared with agencies to check its authenticity. Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid said someone has spread it on social media to create panic. The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF. In addition to the existing strength of the CRPF in the state, the Centre has provided over 250 companies (25,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state government. The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra while the Army has provided 5 battalions (about 5000 personnel) and additional 54 companies (5400 personnel) of the police have also been mobilised. "This will have the highest-ever security setup to ensure an incident-free yatra," said Special Director General of CRPF S N Shrivastava. Asked about the intelligence warning, hesaid, "I will not like to discuss the issue in public but you are aware about the situation in Kashmir. We have taken measures as per the these intelligence inputs and have made appropriate security arrangements." Describing the yatra as "a big challenge to us", he told reporters, "All security arrangements have been made in view of the threat perception... Elaborate security has been put in place for an incident-free yatra and to ensure safety and security of pilgrims and camps." As a measure of security, satellite tracking system has been put in place for the safety of convoys carrying the pilgrims, said Shrivastava, who visited the base camp along with CRPF IG Ashkoor Wani to review the preparations. CCTV cameras, jammers, RoPs, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, QRTs, satellite tracking and other security gadgets are being used to maintain vigil in view of increased threat perception due to in increased terror incidents and violence in Kashmir. BSF DG K K Sharma said in Kolkata, "The situation is very tense this year. This time there is a high level of threat perception. We have taken all precautions regarding deployment of forces and our commandos." He added, "We will ensure that it passes off peacefully like previous years." Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said the authorities were cognizant of the security challenge and it had been conveyed to the security forces. This year's yatra will be eight days shorter against the last years' of 48 days and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal. "The administration is working in close coordination with various agencies to ensure smooth conduct of yatra," said Shah, who is also district yatra officer. At a meeting, he took detailed account of the arrangements put in place at base camp Nunwan, including the medical facilities, ration, accommodation, sanitation, power drinking water and communication to cater the rush of pilgrims. He said 450 tents have to be established at base camp Nunwan, out of which 271 have been pitched so far. The meeting was also informed that a 10-bedded hospital at Nunwan and 20-bedded hospital at Chandanwari have been established besides, ensured availability of adequate stock of life saving drugs and oxygen cylinders, an official spokesman said. Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) of the state police along with rescue teams of various security forces have been pressed into service along with well-equipped fire fighting teams at pre-determined points, officials said. Oxygen cylinders, ECG machines, defibrillators,oxygen concentrators, CPR machines, X-ray machines, ventilators, resuscitation sets have been installed and all required medicines are available are the hospital. At Baltal Base Hospital, Shrivastava interacted with doctors deputed from Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi, who are already treating the local residents and service providers. Residential accommodation and mess facilities for about 250 medical personnel, including those arriving from different parts of the country, to provide medical assistance for the pilgrims have also been put in place. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday condemned the lynching of a Muslim teen on board a Mathura-bound train and sought action against the culprits. Junaid (17) was stabbed to death while his brothers - Hashim and Sakir - were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled slurs against them on-board the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations last week. "Any incident of such nature is condemnable. It is brutal, atrocious. It will not be acceptable at all. People who are responsible for the same should be identified and dealt very firmly," Naidu told reporters here. Stressing that what happened in the case of Junaid was "totally wrong", the information and broadcasting minister said nobody can "take law into their hands whatever may be the reason". "I hope the concerned local agencies conduct an inquiry and take appropriate action," he said. Yesterday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had promised to take action against the culprits. In an interview with a daily, Khattar had said, "The government will not allow anyone to take the law in his hands." Faridabad Deputy Superintendent of Police (Government Railway Police) Mohinder Singh had said the police were scanning CCTV footage from various points in the vicinity of the place where Junaid was stabbed on-board the Mathura-bound train to find clues of the remaining accused in the case. "We are trying to procure the CCTV footage from various points which may help us in nabbing the remaining accused," he had said. Singh said investigations were under progress and expressed hope to nab the other accused in the case. "One accused has already been arrested," he had said. Police had also announced a reward of Rs one lakh to anyone who gives credible information leading to arrest of other accused in the case. Prime Minister will be visiting Israel from July 4 to 6, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday, as the West Asian country's embassy here welcomed the first ever prime ministerial visit from India. "During the visit, the Prime Minister will have detailed discussions with Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest and will also call on President (Reuven) Rivlin," the External Affairs Ministry statement said. "India established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 and since then the relationship has evolved into a multidimensional partnership," it stated. "This year both the countries are commemorating 25 years of diplomatic relations and the visit of PM will provide an impetus for deeper bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest." The Israeli Embassy here said that apart from calling on Rivlin, Modi will have a working meeting and dinner with Netanyahu. "It will also include high-level bilateral meetings and other various components which reflect the fabric of the Indo-Israeli relations," the embassy said in a statement. According to the External Affairs Ministry, elements of Modi's programme include homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa and address to the Indian community at an event in Tel Aviv. The Haifa Indian Cemetery contains the graves of 49 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War. According to the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv, there are about 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel. This apart there are about 10,000 Indian nationals in Israel, of whom around 9,000 work in the care-giving sector, while the rest are mostly diamond traders, IT professionals and students. Prime Minister Netanyahu on June 25 had announced Modi's visit in a tweet, saying "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, @NarendraModi will arrive in Israel, This is a historic visit to Israel." On Saturday, horrified by the murder of a 15-year-old Muslim boy in a train on the outskirts of Delhi two days earlier, Gurgaon-based filmmaker Saba Dewan posted a message on Facebook calling for a protest at Delhis Jantar Mantar on Wednesday evening against the recent spate of lynchings of Muslims and attacks on Dalits. She decided to call the demonstration Not in My Name. In a relief to law aspirants, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked Delhi University to continue admitting 2,310 students in its LLB course. A division bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Vinod Goel in an interim order allowed the university to take 2,310 students as against the Bar Council of India's (BCI) cap of 1,440 seats for the 2017-18 academic session. The court's order came on a PIL by lawyer Joginder Kumar Sukhija against the decision of the BCI to reduce the number of seats. "Don't reduce the number of seats. Students want to study, let them study. DU has been teaching 2,310 students till now. You (BCI) decided to reduce the seats to half. We need time to decide the case. Till then let 2,310 study," bench said. "Their (DU) faculty is one of the best in the court (for the course), they provide best facilities... Give them a chance," court said to the BCI. It posted the matter for next hearing on August 21. Delhi University opposed the reduction of seats for the law graduate course, saying it had improved its infrastructure and increased the strength of its teaching faculty. Earlier, the high court asked the Bar Council to consider the university's representation for increasing its LLB course seats. The PIL has claimed that a large number of students would be affected if the seats were reduced. The petition also said that by reducing the seats, public money, which was used to provide grant to the varsity, would not be put to optimal use. Since 2014, the DU's Law Faculty has been in trouble with the BCI for not following the council's rules regarding infrastructure and student intake. DU has three law centres. Law aspirants have also been protesting the BCI's cut in the number of seats for LLB course. --IANS gt/in/vt (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday rejected speculation that its grand alliance in Bihar is on the verge of collapse. But in an echo of anti-Congressism of socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, JD (U) also warned Congress to not take the party for granted. Syed Ali Shah Geelani being taken into custody Photo courtesy: Twitter user @need4geeks The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders on the direction of the Investigative Agency (NIA), including Altaf Ahmed Shah, son-in-law of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. These leaders are to be interrogated by the NIA in the capital over their alleged involvement in receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor unrest in the Kashmir Valley. The three leaders detained have been identified as Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Shah and Mehraj-ud-Din Kalwal. Earlier in the month, the NIA initiated raids at 23 places in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in connection with funding received from Pakistan for terror and violence in the Valley. The agency conducted search at the residences and offices of the separatist leaders. The US will help the Indian armed forces to obtain the resources and technology they need to support security in the region, Vice President Mike Pence has said. "You need look no further than yesterday's announcement that the United States will sell Sea Guardian UAVs, Apache attack helicopters, and C-17 transports to India," he said. Pence said the process to approve the sale was underway and expressed hope that it would "accurately" reflect commitment to mutual security among both the nations and the importance of their partnership for security. "A first-rate global power needs a first-rate military, and the United States will continue to enable the Indian armed forces to obtain the resources and technology it needs to protect the Indian people and support security in the region," Pence told members of the US India Council in a keynote address. Pence said the US and India can deepen their ties in many industries and areas and asked India to enact the necessary economic reforms to ensure that the bilateral trade relationship is both "fair and reciprocal". He said India and the US are strong partners in the fight against terrorism. "Like the United States, India is too familiar with the grave danger posed by radical Islamic terrorists," he said yesterday. "These barbarians have struck on Indian soil too many times over the decades, including the horrific attacks in Mumbai nearly a decade ago, claiming the lives of more than 160 innocents, including six Americans," Pence said. "The United States and India already collaborate to a significant extent. But in the face of terror networks that are ever-more sophisticated, ever-more dispersed, we will continue to take renewed action to facilitate two-way information and intelligence sharing to confront this threat," he said. India and Israel have been engaged in setting up state of the art centres of excellence in agriculture as part of the (IIAP) since 2008. The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the sale of government stake in debt-laden Air India, but the final modalities, including the quantum of stake sale, will be decided by a group of ministers, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced. As the key figure in the balance of power between the government and the Reserve Bank of India, former RBI Governor Y.V. Reddy once contemplated resignation, and had to even offer an unconditional apology to the minister, his autobiography reveals. In 'Advice and Dissent: My Life in Public Service', being released on Tuesday, Reddy, who was RBI Governor between September 2003 and September 2008, describes his differences of opinion with then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. These led him to also think of putting in his papers. The issue concerned opening the banking system to foreign ownership, which came to a head with Chidambaram in 2008. Reddy narrated his meeting where the Finance Minister told him: "Governor, this is a national commitment made to global financial community. How do we justify reversal of such a policy? Is it just because there is a change in the incumbency of the government? Do we review our commitments every time a governor or the RBI changes?" Reddy, according to the book, told him that "it has serious irreversible consequences. I believe it is better to go back on our comitment at this stage, in national interest." "But I believe that it is in our national interest," Chidambaram was quoted as telling the RBI Governor. Reddy writes that he confided his troubles to then Economic Affairs Secretary Rakesh Mohan. "'Rakesh,' I told him, 'it is better I leave this job. I believe that the issue is very critical to our national interest. I think opening up of foreign banks should not be done at this stage at all. Still, if the government feels that this has to be done, it has to be done. But I will not be able to put my heart in it'," Reddy said. "So, better I quietly leave the job," Reddy added. He writes that despite Chidambaram's unwillingness to relieve him as Governor, "I felt that there was a growing distance between us as months passed by. His (Chidambaram) image as a reformer pushing for double-digit growth was, in his view, being dented by my caution to the extent of resisting implementation of some of his policies," Reddy wrote. "At one stage, he said that he was cancelling his foreign tour because he could not face them with nothing to report on reform. His frustration was confirmed later, I think in early 2008," Reddy wrote. When he met the minister, Chidambaram said the RBI was not adequately reciprocating by progressing with reforms. "I expressed my unconditional apology to him and conveyed that I would keep in mind the issue of being supportive," Reddy said, describing how the matter ended. However, on the overall experience of working as RBI Governor "closely" with Chidambaram for over four years, Reddy writes: "Most of our tensions could be described as constructive or as discord that ultimately gave rise to better ideas or outcomes." Another contentious issue was that of farm-loan waivers, that continues to be controversial. "I opposed the proposal made in February 2008 to write off loans to farmers amounting to Rs 60,000 crore. I argued my case before the Finance Minister, and at one stage before the Prime Minister accompanied by the Finance Minister. Economic logic including preservation of credit culture was in favour of RBI's position," Reddy says. However, "I could see the government was acting out of broader concern for the welfare of farmers. I suggested that the government should pay the money to the banks on behalf of the farmers." Thus, a differnt aspect of the situation dawned on Reddy. "I believe that as governor, I could advance arguments from the point of view of money and credit, but I had no legitimacy to question the judgement of the government on social order," he said. In fact, the autobiography sets out Reddy's unique perspective as a central banker on the government-RBI relationship. "It is hard to find the government's version of dealing with the central banks. Since I worked in the government also, and dealt with the RBI, a part of the story relates to this," he writes in the introduction. Reddy, who famously described the RBI as "totally free, within the limits set by the government", has served as the Union Finance Secretary and was the Chairman of the latest 14th Finance Commission in 2013-14. Farm loan waivers have only added to the gigantic non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, of banks. Reddy has emphasised elsewhere that there is no "political economy consensus" on tackling the mounting problem of bad loans of banks, which cannot be resolved by their simple recapitalisation. (The NPAs of state-run banks at the end of March 2016 were Rs 5.02 lakh crore, according to an answer given by Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar in the Lok Sabha. Care Ratings said these NPAs went up to Rs 6.97 lakh crore by December 2016). Speaking of the government-RBI relationship in a recent short history of the RBI called 'Dialogue of the Deaf', economic journalist T.C.A. Srinivasa Raghavan says the balance of power has been in favour of the government because monetary policy has had to be subservient to fiscal policy in independent India. The commerce ministry has pitched for resumption of the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) mechanism of payment with Iran in order to promote bilateral trade. On December 23, 2010, Reserve Bank of India had stopped facilitating payments for Iranian crude imports through this mechanism. Under ACU, imports by nine nations are settled every two months with each member paying for imports after netting out its exports among the union. The central banks of nine countries in ACU are from India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Iran, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The commerce ministry has raised re-activation of this system during a meeting earlier this month with the Department of Financial Services and the RBI, an official said. Departments of commerce and financial services have decided to set up a joint task force to resolve all banks related problems of traders, the official added. Following the US sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, the payment problem with Iran began as RBI in December 2010 withdrew the ACU mechanism. The commerce ministry has also sought establishment of banking ties in Iran for euro transactions. It has pitched for opening up of Indian banking channels in those countries that do banking with Iran. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has said that although ACU is an easy payment mechanism, there are certain issues related with it such as verification of every transaction. India mainly imports crude oil from Iran. The bilateral trade between the countries stood at around $13 billion in 2016-17 against $9 billion in 2015-16. In the last fiscal, India imported goods worth $10.5 billion from that country. As the nation prepares for the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from midnight today, the government has prepared a FAQ sheet based on several questions it received on Twitter. With three more days to go before India's biggest tax reform in decades is implemented, the Narendra Modi-led government is all geared up to ensure that nothing goes amiss on July 1. For this, a mega rehearsal has been planned today in the Central Hall of Parliament. The rehearsal, scheduled to be held at 10 PM, may be supervised by either Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, his deputies Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and S S Ahluwalia, or Secretary Rajiv Yadav, official sources told Firstpost. Terming the scheduled rollout of the GST on July 1 as "another epic blunder of the Centre", the first one being demonetisation, West Bengal's chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, as a sign of protest of an early implementation, has decided not to accept union finance minister, Arun Jaitley's invitation of the celebration party on GST scheduled on June 30 at the Parliament House. "Our parliamentary party has decided not to attend the 30th June, 2017 midnight programme at the Parliament House to celebrate GST, as a mark of protest", she said adding that the pan-India economy is not ready for the rollout on the scheduled day. Retailers of consumer electronics and home appliances are rejoicing at the bumper pre- sale that has advanced the festive mood to June. While, a wide-spread disruption in trade is looming large over the sector once the much-awaited goods and services tax (GST) regime kicks in from 1 July, executives at brick and mortar outlets, selling air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and television sets, are busy counting money, in exchange of every last piece of inventory that was lying in their godowns. Several Opposition parties are likely to boycott the June 30 midnight function in Parliament to mark the rolling out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that her party Members of Parliament will not attend the event in protest. Beyond the visual headlines made by the Trump-Modi hug and the robust language of their joint statement on terrorism, Pakistan and on defence cooperation, sits a paragraph on trade relations that could be considered a setback for Indias Make In India ambitions. Although the Bank is yet to give an official word, there are speculations that the results of the 2017 SBI Probationary Officers (PO) Mains Exam may be declared in the first week of July. As all the students were keeping their finger crossed, the State Bank of India (SBI), in a surprising move, postponed the result. The results were expected to be out on June 19 (Monday). The official Notification on its website read: The result of Main Examination held on 4th June 2017 for recruitment of Probationary Officers in State Bank of India, which was tentatively scheduled to be declared on 19.06.2017, is under process and will be declared at a later date. Last year the results for the Exam, which was held on July 31 were declared on August 19. There are 2403 vacancies for the post of Probationary Officers as announced by the Bank for which it conducted the Examination. Eligible candidates after clearing prelims exams appeared for the Main exam. The candidates seeking to join the prestigious SBI as Probationary Officers will have to register online for the recruitment process to be undertaken by the Bank after officially declaring the results. The 6th India Myanmar Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting co-chaired by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce & Industry from India and Dr. Than Myint, Union Commerce Minister from Myanmar was held on 27th June 2017 at New Delhi. The Joint Trade Committee plays a key role in facilitating issues related to enhancement of the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries. . . Addressing the meeting The Minister stated that both countries have long history of shared religious, linguistic and ethnic ties. Myanmar is Indias gateway to South East Asia and ASEAN with which India is seeking greater economic integration through Act East Policy. Myanmar shares a long land border of over 1600 Kms with India as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. Our bilateral relationship has been further strengthened by the high level exchanges between our countries. Prime Minister of India visited Myanmar in November 2014 for the Twelfth India-ASEAN Summit. State counsellor of Myanmar visited India in October 2016. . Stating that Trade and Commerce play a significant role in the bilateral relationship of the two countries, Smt.Sitharaman noted that Indias trade with Myanmar grew by 6.01% from USD 2.05 bn in 2015 -16 to USD 2.18 bn in 2016-17. The total export achieved in 2016-17 was 1.11 USD Billion, reflecting an annual growth of 3.79%. The import stood at 1.06 USD Billion showing a growth of 8.43%. . . The Minister stated that the bilateral trade between either countries has a much larger untapped potential. She sought the cooperation of the Myanmar side in actively pursuing enhanced road, sea and air connectivity between the two countries. Highlighting the progress made by India in various components of the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project, she sought the cooperation of the Myanmar to expedite work on their side. She highlighted the need for the Myanmar side to allow expeditious completion of the inland waterway works linking the Port of Sittwe to the Myanmar hinterland. She drew the attention of the Myanmar side to an expeditious negotiation of a Motor Vehicle Agreement bilaterally which would facilitate seamless movement of cargo vehicles. . . During the meeting discussions were held on exploring the feasibilities of direct shipping lines with Sittwe port and Vizag/ Chennai. Similarly, the need for direct air connectivity with Chennai/ Guwahati was discussed. . . Noting the progress made on border trade, ever since both countries did away with barter trade and opened the border posts for normal trade w.e.f. 1.12.2015, the Minister sought the cooperation of Myanmar side in quick finalisation of the Mode of Operation(MoO) for making the Border Haats functional on the India-Myanmar border. It was noted that 10 points spread across 4 states viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur, have been identified for operationalising Border Haats. Both sides also agreed to explore opening of two new Border Trade Points at Pangkhuwa and Zoninpuri. . . Both sides also agreed to deepen their engagements in some of the mutually identified core sectors. Comprehensive MoUs would be explored in areas of Health Care and Textiles. The MoUs on capacity building between RBI and CBM signed on 22 September, 2015 and on cooperation in the field of Power Sector signed on 19 October, 2016 will be operationalised quickly. The proposed MoU between RBI and Central Bank of Myanmar on currency exchange rate fixation also needs to be expedited. Myanmar side was also requested to explore the suggestion of opening of a Counsellor Office in the North-East. . . Minister also highlighted that Project Development Fund for CLMV is under implementation. Since the first Inter-Ministerial Meeting on 25.4.2017, projects have been identified for preparation of DPRs and new areas have been identified for conducting pre-feasibility studies. Project identified for Myanmar for preparation of DPR includes setting up of a Multi-Specialty Hospital and/ or Medical College and an Educational Institute in Myanmar. It is proposed to consider Nursing and Paramedics Education for the pre-feasibility studies for the FY 2017-18. The Minister sought the cooperation of Myanmar in extending all assistance to EXIM Bank to facilitate implementation of the Projects. . . Smt. Sitharaman stated that the 4th India CLMV Business Conclave has emerged as the main B to B forum for countries of the region and India. The 5th Edition is now poised to be organized in Cambodia. She expressed the hope that the Conclave along with JTIF set up by the Ministry will help faster growth of business to business contacts and FDI inflows between the two countries. . . The Minister requested the Government of Myanmar and its business community to actively partner in Indias initiatives to strengthen her manufacturing capacities, viz Make in India and stated that India is also ready for a similar move in Myanmar. She expressed hope that together we can deepen our manufacturing capabilities, learn from each others experiences and create a better regional platform for trade and commerce. . . MJPS The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for development of six laning of Chakeri-Allahabad section of National Highway (NH) - 2 in Uttar Pradesh. . . The cost is estimated to be Rs.3691.09 crore including cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities. The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 145 kms. . . This work will be done under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase V on Hybrid Annuity Mode. . . The project will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh and in reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Chakeri and Allahabad. The development of this stretch will also help the socio-economic condition of this region in the State. . . This project on NH-2 is a part of Golden Quadrilateral between Delhi and Kolkata. The project road will have direct influence on the South-Western part of Uttar Pradesh. Important towns and urban settlements enroute are Kanpur Nagar, Ruma, Chaudagra, Malwa, Fatehpur and Kaushambi. Kanpur is one of the oldest famous industrial townships of North India. It is also included in the Counter-Magnets of National Capital Region. Allahabad is a famous pilgrimage centre, with ancient historical monuments and buildings as well as many educational institutions. . . In the project, there is a provision of 11 Truck Lay-bye where trucks stop mainly for loading and unloading. There is also provision of Bus lay-bye at 18 locations. Nine flyovers are also proposed in addition to 14 Vehicular Under Pass and 25 Pedestrian Under Pass. . . The project would also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities. It has been estimated that a total number of 4,076 mandays are required for construction of one kilometre of highway. As such, employment potential of 5,91,000 (approx.) mandays will be generated locally during the construction period of this stretch. . . Panchayats should proactively tackle poverty, social issues and needs of vulnerable groups-Tomar Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Rural Development and Drinking Water & Sanitation Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the Panchayats have been performing well under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji and underlined the importance of quality of training and use of technology by Panchayats. He suggested that National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and State Institutes of Rural Development should coordinate with other institutes for imparting quality training to the elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayats. He was speaking at the Conference of State Panchayati Raj Ministers at Bhopal. Shri Tomar highlighted that in the context of huge fiscal transfer to Gram Panchayats of about Rs.2,00,292 Crore in five years, by the way of the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) award, recent years have seen a significant increase in public expenditure through Panchayats in the areas of sanitation, civic amenities etc. He pointed out the importance of peoples participation and advised that Panchayats should take a proactive role in addressing poverty, social issues and needs of vulnerable groups. Through the local leadership of the Gram Panchayats, many villages have been able to successfully resolve difficult problems like availability of water, connectivity, open defecation, education for all and have brought about transformational changes in the lives of poor persons belonging to vulnerable groups. He also thanked State Ministers of Panchayati Raj for participating in the conference and assured that all their suggestions would be duly considered. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted the progress made by Madhya Pradesh and thanked Shri Narendra Singh Tomar for organizing the conference at Bhopal. He also pointed out that decisions taken through Panchayats are always fruitful and informed that he himself took decisions regarding various schemes by holding Panchayats with concerned stakeholders. Panchayati Raj Ministers of ten States made presentations and shared their experiences and gave suggestions for future development of Panchayati Raj Systems. In the conference more than forty Sarpanches of Panchayats from different parts of country were felicitated in appreciation of their outstanding performance. During the conference three panel discussions, one each on Water Conservation, Smart Villages for New India and Role of Panchayats in achieving Sustainable Development Goals were organized. Many recommendations emerged from these deliberations. Further, two books published by Ministry of Panchayati Raj with the support of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) were released. A set of twenty books published under collaborative projects of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, UNICEF and Tata Institute of Social Sciences was also released on the occasion. Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Jitendra Shankar Mathur, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Shri Basant Pratap Singh, Chief Secretary to the Government of Madhya Pradesh addressed the gathering. Ministers of Panchayati Raj of ten States, Senior Officers in-charge of Panchayati Raj Department of States, Representatives of National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), Directors and Faculty-Members of State Institutes of Rural Development (SIRDs), Officers of Social Sector Ministries, Representatives of multi-lateral organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF, leading NGOs working in this sector, and experts participated in the deliberations of the conference. <><><><><><> SNC Group Holding will invest another $1 billion to raise its stake in online mall Lazada Group SA to 83 per cent, securing control of a fast-growing start-up at the vanguard of its Southeast Asian expansion. At thirty, Steve Jobs had already revolutionized personal computing, and was a global celebrity. But in 1985, thanks to a power struggle in the boardroom, he got fired from the very company he had created. Fast forward to 2017, and Travis Kalanick has just faced the exact same fate after fundamentally disrupting the taxi industry. The point here is not that history is repeating itself in Silicon Valley, because many an icon have fallen in disgrace in the business world, and will probably continue to do so. The key questions are: How do these two exits compare, and will 40-year-old Kalanick be able to make the spectacular comeback that Jobs managed in 1997? Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. The count in the capital has remained about the same in the past four years, despite overhaul of regulations to ease the entry process. Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Noida, Pune, New Bombay are all cities that have grown substantially due to being desirable locations for the IT and ITES industries. The tech sector has run into a roadblock. This is partly caused by cyclical factors and geopolitics. It is also due to rapid, disruptive advances in technology. An industry-wide slowdown could mean a negative impact on consumption in tech-hubs. Industry association, Nasscom, recently came up with guidance that earnings would be almost flat through this financial year. Export revenues are likely to rise by 7-8 per cent in constant currency terms in FY2017-18. That's lower than the 8.6 per cent growth logged in FY2016-17. Exports were $116 billion in 2016-17 while domestic revenues amounted to $24 billion. Domestic revenues may however, rise by 10-11 per cent, which could be a saving grace. The industry may add 1.3 lakh to 1.5 lakh jobs this financial year, which is again, lower than net new hirings of 1.7 lakh in FY2016-17. Headwinds include uncertainty about H1B visas to service US clients and also increased threats of protectionism. A stronger rupee doesn't help since it makes services more expensive. New drivers could be growth in fintech and high potential in new digital businesses according to Nasscom estimates. Re-skilling is likely to be necessary for anywhere up to half of the 4 million-odd industry workers. McKinsey concurs about the need to retrain half or more of the workforce. But the consultancy outfit makes grimmer projections of 1.75 lakh to 2 lakh jobs being shed annually over the next three years. Analysts and investors have started to discount the IT slowdown over the past year. The industry has seriously underperformed the overall market. While the Nifty is up by 15.5 per cent in the past 12 months, the Nifty IT index is down 11.5 per cent. The Nifty PE is running at 24-plus (weighted free-float average) while the IT Index PE is at 16.5. This is a comedown for an industry used to high double-digit growth and high valuations. Every IT worker in India supports multiple other industries via consumption and also due to the necessity of support functions for the industry itself. The impact on those sectors has not necessarily been factored in, yet. Many industries thrive on demand generated by IT workers. Consider for example, the mushrooming of 24x7 eateries in IT hubs. Also think of the car-hire industry, which earns steady income by servicing call centres. Plus, there's the IT workers' willingness to spend on trendy clothes, cosmetics, multiplex tickets, high-end holidays, to buy flashy cars and bikes, pay exorbitant rents and take out mortgages, etc. According to Assocham, rents in IT hubs could ease by 10-20 per cent as the IT/ ITES industry experiences slowdown. If that is true, it's likely that there will also be a slowdown in real estate offtake, and mortgage growth could ease up. We've already seen some trouble in ride-hailing companies, like Uber and Ola, as Bangalore drivers complain about lower incentives. Stagnation in the IT industry could be an unstated, underlying issue here. Entrepreneurs providing transport services to IT/ ITES could also suffer stagnation. There may, at some stage, be lower occupancy in business hotels, in conferencing and in airline passenger growth. Obviously, lower consumption could have "negative trickle-down" effects. Industry associations don't usually issue downbeat advisories. So, take these projections from two influential industry associations seriously. If you have exposure to an industry with high dependency of revenue-accrual from IT, consider reducing exposure. Also consider the possibility that the IT industry itself could be due for another bout of valuation-downgrades. That looks to be on the cards now. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will start his two-day northeast visit from Sikkim on Thursday. In Sikkim, the Army Chief will take stock of the situation that has become tense after Chinese army destroyed two India bunkers in the Lalten post in the Doka La general area in Sikkim in the first week of June. General Rawat will meet the formation commanders and take stock of the Indian preparedness, reports suggest. The Army Chief's visit comes in the backdrop of China's attitude after the incident. On June 20, China created hurdles in annual Kailash Mansarovar yatra by saying that pilgrims will not be allowed to enter Tibet as 'a bridge had broken'. The Sikkim route to Mansarovar, which is in Tibet, was opened in 2015. The Chinese Government's mouthpiece The Global Times on Tuesday said in an op-ed piece that China must force the Indian troops to retreat "by all necessary means" and New Delhi must be "taught the rules". After India launched its protest over Chinese aggression in Sikkim, Beijing blamed New Delhi for the Sikkim stand-off. Chinese foreign ministry statement said, "The Indian border guards crossed the boundary in the Sikkim section of the China-India border and entered the territory of China, and obstructed normal activities of Chinese frontier forces in the Donglang area recently, and the Chinese side has taken counter-measures." Army Chief General Rawat will also visit a number of other formation headquarters in the Northeast. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has issued a statement in which it has confirmed the surrender of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) activist Abdul Rasool along with his group and ammunition on Wednesday. Rasool, according to the Dawn, and the ISPR statement, was said to be involved in terrorist activities in Pasni, Kulanch, Dashat and Mand areas of Balochistan. The surrender came amid an increase in the writ of state enabled through effective intelligence and successful security operations. "His surrender will go a long way in improving lasting peace and stability of Pasni, Kulanch, Dashat and Mand areas of Balochistan," the ISPR added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The daughters of an abducted Baloch doctor are on a hunger strike at the Karachi Press Club, demanding the safe release of their father. On the night of 28 June 2009, Pakistani security forces abducted Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch, who is also a member of Baloch National Movement, from Ornach area of Khuzdar Balochistan. His whereabouts still remain unknown since his abduction and his family has been striving for his safe recovery from past eight years. Sammi and Mehlab Baloch, daughters of Baloch, have been struggling for the release of their father and have knocked the doors of every court in Pakistan. They even organised dozens of protests, press conferences, held hunger strike camps and Sammi Baloch held a 3000 km "long march" from Quetta to Islamabad along with other victims' families but failed to get justice from Pakistani institutions and human rights organizations. The entire Muslim community is celebrating Eid with their families, while thousands of Baloch families are still waiting for their abducted loved ones from Pakistani dark torture cells to be released and reunited with their families. On 25 June Dr. Deen Mohammad's family announced to organize a three-day sit-in vigil outside Karachi Press Club from 26-28 (three days of Eid). Daughters of Baloch have appealed to the United Nations to play its role for the safe release of their father. Sammi Baloch, elder daughter of Dr. Baloch, said that she has used all the democratic and peaceful channels for her father's safe recovery but nobody has listened to her plea for help. She said if her father has committed any crime, he should be presented to a court of law and undergo trial according to law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The lawyer of Indrani Mukerjea, accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, has demanded the special Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) court to record her statement and to conduct the medical examination immediately in the Byculla jail riot matter. Earlier, Mukerjea's lawyer filed an application in the special CBI court, claiming that she was assaulted by the Byculla jail authorities. Her lawyer said in the application that bruise marks could be seen on Mukerjea's body all over after being beaten up by the jail staff. Reportedly, over 200 women inmates, including Mukerjea, have been booked for rioting and criminal conspiracy inside the Mumbai's Byculla jail. The Nagpada Police filed an FIR against six women prison staffers, including the jailor for the murder of Manjula Shetye, a 31-year-old convict inside the jail. A case of murder has also been registered in this case. On August 25, 2015, Indrani was arrested by the Mumbai Police in connection with the alleged murder of her daughter in 2012. She was charged under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Since September 2015, Indrani has been held in judicial custody at a women's-only prison in Byculla Jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The meteorological department on Wednesday continued its alert for 'heavy rains' in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand. "The state will continue to witness heavy rainfall in the next 3-4 days and so the alert for heavy rains is still on," Bikram Singh, Director of the meteorological department said. He further added that "the alert will remain on till Thursday, and it can be extended till we get a stable situation". The Director also said that the pilgrims must keep calm instead of panicking. Earlier on Tuesday, the government issued an advisory to all the District Magistrates asking them to be vigilant and to take all precautionary measures for the people's safety. The meteorological centre had issued a heavy rain advisory for parts of the state, especially those that fall on the Char Dham route. The Met office has also warned pilgrims against landslides and road blockages in hilly regions near the four shrines. Dehradun, Dhansali, Teri and Chamoli regions have received more than 100 mm rainfall in the earlier days creating blockades and damaging roads. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday commuted the death sentence of 31- year-old Sonu Sardar to life imprisonment. A Division Bench of Delhi High Court commuted the sentence of Sardar in a case relating to the murder of five persons including two children in 2004 in Chhattisgarh. The High Court had on March 2, 2015 stayed the execution of Sardar after which the Chhattisgarh government had moved the Supreme Court challenging Delhi High Courts' ruling to hear the matter. The apex court had asked the high court to decide the states application in this regard. Sardar, along with his brother and accomplices, had killed five persons of a family, during a dacoit bid in Chhattisgarh Cher village on November 26, 2004. The convict was awarded death penalty by a trial court in Chhattisgarh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Her scooter might be 'dilo ka shooter' but looks like, it now will 'shoot' out some real trouble for the so-called 'music-sensation' Dhinchak Pooja. But, no, her singing is not the reason! Her recently released song, the third trending one on Indian Youtube, sees Pooja riding a red scooter without a helmet, to which a Twitterer posted to the Delhi Police, "Aapke sandarbh mein ye mohtarma bina helmet scooter chala rahi hain aur khoob shor kar ke gaane gaa rahi hai" The tweet meant, 'This woman is driving a scooter without a helmet and singing loudly. In a reply, the Delhi Police assured that action would be taken against the 'Selfie Maine Leli Aaj' crooner. "Thanks,action will be taken," they wrote. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has lauded India for its commitment to renewable energy and the Paris Climate Agreement. "I commend India for its commitment to renewable energy and to the Paris Climate Agreement," he said in a joint statement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Catshuis. Prime Minister Rutte said the bonds between India and The Netherlands goes back to 1947 and these relations have become stronger over the years. He said Prime Minister Modi has announced major sustainability initiatives like 'Clean India' and 'Make in India' and asserted that The Netherlands is a key partner of India in a achieving its goal. Prime Minister Rutte further said that India's development is opening doors to trade and investment in both countries. Highlighting that India is a global economic power consisting of 1.2 billion population, he said Indian markets have a lot of potential and The Netherlands have a lot to offer to India. He also noted that 20 percent of India's export to Europe enters through The Netherlands. Prime Minister Modi on his part thanked The Netherlands for helping India get membership of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) last year. "It is with the help of Netherlands that India successfully got membership of Missile Technology Control Regime last year," PM Modi said in joint statement with Dutch PM Mark Rutte at Catshuis. PM Modi also expressed his gratitude to the warm welcome that has been accorded him and his entire delegation, adding that this shows Netherlands warm sentiments towards Indian people. "This visit of mine to Netherlands was decided at a very short notice and yet I have to put in the record that the way visit has been organized not only would you agree to accommodating this visit at a short notice but in a very short period of time a very substantive programme has been setup and it is very result oriented program," he said. Asserting that ties between India and Netherlands are very old, PM Modi said that the bilateral relations between both sides are very strong. Describing Netherlands as a natural partner in the economic development of India, PM Modi said the trade and economic ties between both sides are increasing. He added that the both countries have intention to always make the bilateral ties deeper and closer. "Today is inter dependent and inter connected therefore its absolutely natural that in our discussions that we will not only discuss bilateral issue but also international issues of importance.," PM Modi said. Emphasising on the Indian Diaspora in Netherlands, PM Modi said that they are the living links and living bridge between the two countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A state-run Chinese daily has said that India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. An opinion piece published in the Global Times warned India saying that "usually China avoids making an issue of border disputes." It said that Beijing has "indulged India's unruly provocations, but this time the Indian side needs to be taught the rules." The daily said that India lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the U.S. is superficial. However, the state media asserted that China has no desire to confront India. Emphasizing that maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy, the state media stressed that these ties must be based on mutual respect. The Global Times said that it's not time for India to display arrogance toward China and pointed that India's GDP is only one-quarter of China's. It also highlighted that India's annual defense budget is just one-third of China's. The daily advised India that having a friendly relationship and cautiously handling border issues with China is its best choice. Chinese and Indian soldiers are locked in a face-off at the Sikkim section of the China-India border. The state media said that allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare. It added that the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006 as there is no border dispute between China and India over this area. "It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government. Whatever the motive, China must stick to its bottom line. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary, and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," the Global Times said. The daily further said that India's national confidence has been greatly boosted with its GDP rising to fifth in the and the U.S. and West are willing to woo India to counterbalance China has particularly added to Indians' sense of strategic superiority. "Some Indians believe the US and Japan are building a circle to contain China, and India has an advantage over China by choosing whether to join this circle. Therefore, they can indulge themselves on issues, including border disputes, while China has no choice but to make concessions.," it said. As the China-India borderline hasn't been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas. China on Tuesday asked Indian border troops, who were alleged to have crossed the Indo-China border along Sikkim region, to withdraw and safeguard peace and tranquillity in the area. "The Chinese side requires the Indian side to respect the boundary convention and China's territorial sovereignty, immediately withdraw their border troops that have crossed the boundary, conduct thorough investigation into this and safeguard peace and tranquility of the Sikkim section," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said. China also clarified that the entry to the first batch of around 50 Indian pilgrims who were scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim were stopped due to security concerns. "The Chinese side has to put off arranging for Indian officially-organized pilgrims' entry through Nathu-la mountain pass in the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary out of security concerns. The Indian side has been informed through the diplomatic channel," Geng said. He further said that the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary was defined by the Convention between Great Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet in 1890. "The Indian government has repeatedly confirmed that in written forms since India's independence, recognizing that it concur with China on the boundary alignment at the Sikkim section," he said. Earlier, it was reported that the Indian border troops had overstepped the China-India boundary at the Sikkim section and there was an ensuing standoff with the Chinese border troops. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It seems like Stephen Colbert is really happy to be back in the U.S. The host of 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' returned to the U.S. from a trip to Russia on assignment for some future Late Show pieces and believed that the Russian intelligence was following him everywhere he went. He started by saying, "Man, it is good to be back in the U.S.A. I don't know if you knew this but I was in Russia last week," he told his audience, adding, "You know who did know I was in Russia? Russian intelligence. Hardcore fans evidently, followed me everywhere." Colbert also shared that American intelligence operatives also showed him a lot of attention. The 53-year-old host also joked how "important" it is to keep an eye on comedians abroad. "I could be giving state secrets to the Russians. Oh wait, someone's already got that covered," he continued. Colbert then moved forward and showed a series a tweets by President Trump in which he accused former president Barack Obama of knowing about Russia meddling in the U.S. election. He wrote, "The real story is that President Obama did NOTHING after being informed in August about Russian meddling," he wrote in a series of tweets posted yesterday. "With 4 months looking at Russia..under a magnifying glass, they have zero 'tapes' of T people colluding. There is no collusion & no obstruction. I should be given apology!" To which, Colbert said, "I am a big enough man to apologise and I think I speak for the majority of Americans when I say, 'I'm sorry you're president." He pointed to his heart as the audience cheered, adding, "It comes from here." Colbert also opened the show with a quick clip of himself in Russia, in which he insists he's in New York. "After all of the things I've said about Vladimir Putin, I'd be crazy to go to Russia," he said, bringing out a hot dog and a Yankees hat as evidence. His stealthy plan is interrupted when a woman comes up to him speaking Russian. He quickly responds in Spanish and walks off. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Michael Nyqvist, known for his roles in movies like 'John Wick' and original Swedish 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,' died on Tuesday after battling lung cancer. He was 56. According to The Guardian, Nyqvist's representative released a statement, which read, "It is with deep sadness that I can confirm that our beloved Michael, one of Sweden's most respected and accomplished actors, has passed away quietly surrounded by family after a year-long battle with lung cancer." Adding, "Michael's joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him." The Stockholm-born actor was best known for his role as Mikael Blomkvist in the original Swedish Dragon Tattoo trilogy, which included 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,' 'The Girl Who Played with Fire,' and 'The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest'. Nyqvist also appeared in Lionsgate's 'John Wick,' co-starring with Keanu Reeves, and as the villain nuclear scientist in Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol,' opposite Tom Cruise. Nyqvist was born Rolf Ake Mikael Nyqvist in Nov. 1960, and was educated at the School of Drama in Malmo. Before his death, the actor also completed roles in thriller 'Hunter Killer' with Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman and submarine disaster 'Kursk' with Colin Firth and Matthias Schoenaerts. Nyqvist is survived by his wife Catharina Ehrnrooth, a production designer, and his two children, Ellen and Arthur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai Crime Branch will take over the investigation of Byculla jail inmate Manjula Shete murder case from Nagpada Police today. Additional Commissioner of Police of Crime branch K. M. M. Prasanna confirmed to ANI that the formalities will be hopefully completed by the end of the day. On Tuesday, Mumbai Police registered a murder case in connection with the death of a woman inmate in Byculla Jail. Rashmi Karandikar, Public Relations Officer, Mumbai Police, on Tuesday told ANI that the Nagpada Police has registered a case under Section 302 / 34 of Indian Penal Code. "A lady named Manjula Shetye was serving her life imprisonment sentence in Byculla Jail. She was admitted in J.J. Hospital on Friday evening where she was declared dead. The Nagpada Police has registered case under section 302 / 34 of Indian Penal Code on the basis of the provisional report of the hospital and further investigations are underway," Krandikar said. Death of Shetye incited a protest by the inmates against the jail staff. Sheena Bora murder accused Indrani Mukherjea, and 200 other women inmates were booked for rioting in the jail. Indrani had moved a special CBI court alleging that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the protest over Shetye's death. Taking note of her complaint, a CBI court, which is hearing the Sheena murder case, directed the prison authorities to produce Indrani before it tomorrow. The jail authorities had suspended the jailer and five jail guards with immediate effect. It is alleged that Shetye was beaten up prison guards on Friday after an altercation. Shette was arrested in Bhandup in 2004 for the murder of her sister-in-law and was awarded life imprisonment. Meanwhile, Maharashtra state Commission for Women has written a letter to Additional Director General (ADG) Prisons, Maharashtra , and sought report on Shetye's death in Byculla jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel next week is expected to meet Moshe, survivor of 2008 Mumbai 26/11 terrorist attack. Moshe was barely two when his parents Rivka and Gavriel Holtzberg were killed along with six others, by Pakistan based LeT terrorists in the Chabad House attack in Mumbai in 2008. The Nariman House also known as the Chabad House was one of 5 locations that were targeted by the terrorists. Moshe is 10 years old now. During the deadly 26/11 attacks he was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra, who managed to escape the scene. Both were brought to Israel later, to live with Moshe's maternal grandparents, Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg. "PM Modi is expected to meet Moshe who was just a baby at the time...now he is all grown up. I think it will be a very emotional meeting with a very strong message," said Israel's ambassador to India Daniel Carmon in an exclusive chat with ANI. Counter terrorism will be one of the key focus areas of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel. "Terrorism is a plague which many countries suffer. India and Israel are victims of terror, 3 years ago we have signed a landmark agreement on homeland security and counter terrorism and we are doing a lot in this field," added Carmon. Nine years have passed since the 26/11 attacks, however, no arrests have been made. When asked if this issue will figure in talks with India the Israeli envoy added, "both our countries have to face terror threats, as long as these threats remain it will always be on the table." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from July 4-6, at the invitation of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. This will be the first ever visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has admitted that their star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been accused of tax evasion by authorities in Spain, is angry. He, however, believes that Ronaldo will stay at the club. The Portuguese superstar is accused of defrauding Spanish authorities of 14.7m euros (12.95m) between 2011 and 2014 and will now testify on July 31 The episode may cost Real Madrid their star winger as the 32-year-old feels hard done by the apparent excessive force with which the complaint has been dealt with. The Portugal international had knowingly used a "business structure" created in 2010 to hide his income in Spain from his image rights. As per reports, the alleged irregularities were in relation to money the Portuguese star had in the Virgin Islands, although officials acknowledged adjustments to this structure in 2014, where the player paid back an extra 7 million Euros in tax. Ronaldo is rumoured to want out of Madrid, but Perez feels that he will stay put this summer "I know Cristiano is angry, but I think he will stay," goal.com quoted Perez as saying. "I haven't spoken with him," Perez said of Ronaldo. The only thing that has to be done is to wait and talk after the Confederations [Cup]," he added. The Real Madrid star is currently with Portugal at the tournament in Russia, where the Euro 2016 champions will face Chile in a semi-final on Wednesday. The Real Madrid chief also backed Ronaldo in his current tax predicament, saying, "He is a man of integrity and has fulfilled with his duties." "There are many people who have wanted to hurt him with taxes and other topics and he feels it," he added. Ronaldo has helped Real win the Champions League thrice, scoring twice in last month's final as they became the first club to retain the title, and he is also the competition's record goal scorer with 105 strikes. He has also helped his team to win two La Liga titles after joining it on transfer from Manchester United for a ten record 80 million pounds in 2009. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, to attend the country's traditional Bastille Day military parade to be held on July 14. Macron invited Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to attend the parade that is held in the French capital every year on July 14 This year, the event will mark "the 100th anniversary of the US joining the war with French troops in War I," an official in Macron's office said. Both the leaders have differences over the Paris Agreement on climate change. President Donald Trump on June 2 decided to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord citing that the 2015 agreement was detrimental to the United States economy. In response, Macron invited American climate researchers to move to France. The Macron's administration even released edited version of a White House video explaining why the Paris climate accord was a 'bad deal" for the U.S. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least two United People's Liberation Army (UPLA) cadre namely Joy Rajbanshi and Ratul Boro were arrested in a joint operation conducted by the police and army in Bamunbari village of Assam's Dibrugarh district. Police also seized two .22 pistols, two magazines and nine bullets from the terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hero MotoCorp announced after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017 that Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) sold 2.026% stake in the company. The transaction took place between 1 October 2015 and 21 June 2017. Post transaction, LIC holds 5.136% stake in Hero MotoCorp, compared with 7.162% stake held earlier. TCS announced after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017 that TMX Group awarded TCS, the implementation of a single, integrated technology platform for Canada's clearing and settlement businesses. The innovative platform, called TCS BaNCS for Market Infrastructure, will replace the legacy systems deployed by The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited (CDS) and Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation (CDCC), subject to regulatory approval where required. Technology integration across TMX Group's cash and derivatives clearing businesses is the next significant step in the company's evolution as a premier client-driven solutions provider to the Canadian and global capital markets. Jagran Prakashan announced after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017, that Jagran Media Network Investment (JMNIPL) holds 60.63% in Jagran Prakashan. Blackstone GPV Capital Partners (Mauritius) V-Q (BCP-V) previously held 12.82% of the total equity share capital of JMNIPL. Pursuant to sale transaction concluded in two tranches on 1 March 2017 and 25 April 2017, BCP-V has sold its entire shareholding in JMNIPL to the existing promoters of JMNIPL. Subsequent to the sale, BCP-V ceased to be a shareholder in JMNIPL. Accordingly, there are no foreign investors in JMNIPL. Indiabulls Real Estate has acquired the entire minority stake of 10.08% in Indiabulls Infraestate (IIL), a majority owned material subsidiary of the company, from ILFS Fund entities namely IIRF India Realty XXI, Little Fairy and Vistra ITCL (India), its minority investors. The aggregate cash consideration paid for the acquisition is Rs 358.44 crore, including interest of Rs 94.85 crore against their aggregate total investment of Rs 250 crore. With this acquisition, IIL has become a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. IIL is developing a premium integrated marque residential project Indiabulls Blu in Worli, Mumbai comprising of 4 residential towers and additionally 2 office towers in the non residential area. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017. Country Club Hospitality & Holidays' board has approved to sell, liquidate, transfer or lease back or dispose such assets which add limited value to the operations and profitability of the company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017. Omax Autos said that the company has closed manufacturing activities in its unit Automax situated at Delhi-Jaipur Highway, Gurgaon, Haryana, with effect from closing hours of 24 June 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prabhat Telecoms (India) announced that AT Media S. R. L., an innovative communication company based in Italy has signed a Letter of Intent with Prabhat Telecoms (India) to enter into a proposal to embed an app having technology to capture 360 in Xccess Mobiles. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Signs PPA for its 4.2 MW wind farm in Porbandar, Gujarat K.P. Energy announced that DISCOMS had stopped signing PPAs at prevailing affordable rates; Company had not signed PPA under the distress of lower rates for its own WTGs commissioned at Kuchdi site in Porbandar, Gujarat. The Company has signed Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with prominent steel industry with Bulk Power Transmission Agreement under Medium term open access (MTOA) with Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO) for 4.2 MW wind farm constituting WTGs of 2.1 MW at Kuchdi site in Porbandar, Gujarat. Wheeling of 2.1 MW Power started with signing of wheeling agreement with third party at DISCOM, billing for the same started with effect from 19 June 2017. Further for the WTG of 2.1 MW at Mahuva, Bhavnagar in Gujarat, signing of agreement with third party sale of power is under process and shortly be executed. All the power sale arrangements under third party open access is sold as Green Power without availing Renewable Energy Certificate. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices continued to languish in the negative zone in mid-morning trade. At 11:17 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 48.24 points or 0.16% at 30,910.01. The Nifty 50 index declined 7.25 points or 0.08% at 9,504.15. The Sensex failed to hold the psychological 31,000 level which it briefly surpassed in early trade. Market sentiment was lackluster amid weakness in Asian stocks and lower closing on the Wall Street as policy uncertainty heightened in US with the Senate Republicans forced to delay vote on a crucial healthcare bill due to lack of support. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.36%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index advanced 0.21%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, turned positive from negative. On the BSE, 1,171 shares rose and 996 shares declined. A total of 114 shares were unchanged. Auto stocks edged higher. Eicher Motors (up 1.43%), Maruti Suzuki India (up 1.04%), Ashok Leyland (up 0.77%), Tata Motors (up 0.44%) and Mahindra & Mahindra (up 0.09%) advanced. Bajaj Auto (down 0.02%) declined. Hero MotoCorp was up 0.06%. The company said that Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) sold 2.026% stake in the company. The transaction took place between 1 October 2015 and 21 June 2017. Post transaction, LIC holds 5.136% stake in Hero MotoCorp, compared with 7.162% stake held earlier. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017. IT stocks were mixed. Persistent Systems (up 2.23%), Tech Mahindra (up 2.06%) and HCL Technologies (up 0.63%) edged higher. Wipro (down 0.53%) and Infosys (down 0.31%) edged lower. TCS was down 0.07%. The company announced that TMX Group awarded TCS, the implementation of a single, integrated technology platform for Canada's clearing and settlement businesses. The innovative platform, called TCS BaNCS for Market Infrastructure, will replace the legacy systems deployed by The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited (CDS) and Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation (CDCC), subject to regulatory approval where required. Technology integration across TMX Group's cash and derivatives clearing businesses is the next significant step in the company's evolution as a premier client-driven solutions provider to the Canadian and global capital markets. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017. HPCL gained 1.69% after the company said that it is contemplating issue of senior, unsecured notes in the overseas market and will not be offered for sale in India. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 27 June 2017. On 15 November 2016, HPCL's board of directors had approved the issue of secured/unsecured, redeemable non convertible bonds/debentures aggregating Rs 6000 crore from domestic as well as overseas market. The shareholders had approved the same on 6 January 2017. The company has appointed intermediaries for organizing investor meetings for the probable foreign currency denominated bonds. The bond offering may follow subject to market conditions. Pearl Global Industries fell 3.3% at Rs 159.95, with the stock sliding on profit booking after yesterday's rally. Shares of Pearl Global Industries had rallied 9.65% in the preceding one trading session to settle at Rs 165.40 yesterday, 27 June 2017, from its close of Rs 150.85 on 23 June 2017. Overseas, Asian stocks edged lower after the softer lead from Wall Street, with the vote on a bill to replace Obamacare in the US delayed. US equities closed lower yesterday, 27 June 2017 amid losses in large-cap technology stocks, while a Senate vote delay raised heightened policy uncertainty. In US, the Republican Party's seven-year crusade to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is on the verge of collapse, after Senate leaders were forced to delay a vote on a healthcare bill. Republicans, who hold the Senate 52-48, must find at least 50 votes to pass the bill, under a budget rules process known as reconciliation that would require only a simple majority. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Beirut, June 29 (IANS/AKI) At least 30 people were killed in air strikes in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province and many were injured. At least 50 people had died and "many" had been injured in the air raids on the outskirts of the provincial capital Deir Ezzor on Wednesday. The identity of the war planes that carried out the bombardments was not known, the reports said. On Tuesday at least 57 people died in an aerial attack on a prison run by the Islamic State jihadist group in the Deir Ezzor city of Mayadeen, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported. Those killed included 42 prisoners and 15 IS militants, the British war monitor said, adding that "in all probability" the air raids were carried out by the US-led international coalition against IS. The coalition has been accused repeatedly this year of causing civilian casualties as it targets IS's rapidly shrinking territory in both Syria and Iraq, but US military officials say higher civilian casualties were always expected as the IS militants are increasingly squeezed into shrinking territory. --IANS/AKI vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 300 pilgrims, mostly SIkhs, from different parts of India were stranded at the Attari railway station near Amritsar on Wednesday after the Centre didn't allow a special train from Pakistan that was to ferry them to that country to enter India. The pilgrims, who were going to Pakistan to observe the death anniversary of the Sikh empire's founder Maharaja Ranjit Singh, were stranded at the Attari railway station amid heavy rain. They were to visit various Sikh shrines and places associated with the warrior king in Pakistan. The pilgrims had availed Pakistani visas for the trip. Officials said the central government did not allow the train, which was standing at Wagah in Pakistan, to enter India. Railway officials at Attari said the train could not be allowed to come in the absence of permission from the central government. The pilgrims, who had come from Delhi, Punjab and other places, raised slogans against the government. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained owing to terrorist incidents and ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of pilgrims, mostly Sikhs, go to Pakistan in large groups on different occasions, including the birth and death anniversaries of Sikh Gurus and on Baisakhi festival. --IANS js/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moving ahead on the proposal for privatisation, the Union cabinet on Wednesday gave its in-principle approval for divestment of Air India, whose debt has mounted to Rs 50,000 crore besides huge losses. "In-principle approval for Air India divestment has been given," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press briefing after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Civil Aviation Ministry's proposal for formation of a group under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister to decide the modalities of divestment process has also been accepted," he said. Apart from Jaitley, the group will include Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and some other ministers to be decided by the Prime Minister. The group will guide the process on strategic divestment and decide that the treatment of unsustainable debt of Air India and hiving-off of certain assets to a shell company, officials said. The demerger and strategic divestment of three profit making subsidiaries, the quantum of disinvestment and the universe of bidders will also be taken up by the ministerial group to be headed by Jaitley. Jaitley has in the recent past expressed strong views on the need to divest Air India considering that it had acquired heavy losses over a long period. "There are many private airlines like Jet Airways, IndiGo, GoAir. If 86 per cent of the aviation market can be handled by private sector, then 100 per cent can also be handled by the private sector," Jaitley had said. National passenger carrier Air India currently has a market share of 14 per cent and a debt of Rs 50,000 crore. The private airlines enjoy 86 per cent of the market share. "Air India has a debt of Rs 50,000 crore. Its valuation of aircrafts will be at Rs 20,000-25,000 crore. The civil aviation ministry is exploring all possibilities," Jaitley had said. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha had also said that Air India's debt needs to be reduced and balance sheet restructured as part of its financial transformation. "Air India's balance sheet has to be restructured and debt reduced. The other issue is that corporate governance and professional management need to be put in place. Besides it has to be seen how best use can be made of the non-core assets of Air India," Sinha had said. In a recent report to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the NITI Aayog recommended strategic disinvestment in the loss-making Air India, by which government control would be transferred to a private owner. Currently, Air India's international network consists of 41 destinations across the US, Europe, Australia, Far East and South East Asia and the Gulf. The airline's domestic network covers 72 destinations, including far-flung areas of the North-East, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. --IANS rv/vsc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress appears undecided over attending the special midnight function in Parliament house on June 30 to mark the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and a final decision is expected on Thursday, party sources said. They said senior Congress leaders met at the residence of party chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday evening and discussed the issue. They said final decision would be taken by her on Thursday. The Trinamool Congress has already decided not to attend the June 30 midnight programme as a mark of protest against the "unnecessary disastrous hurry" to roll out the pan-India tax regime. Sources said that Trinamool Congress was keen that the Congress also adopt the same course. They said that the move to roll out GST was initiated during the Congress-led government, so the party had to carefully weigh various factors. "We are a bigger party and have to take a decision keeping in mind all factors. Smaller parties have their own considerations," a party leader said. According to the sources, while a section of the party feels that the GST is party's brainchild and the party should attend the meeting even though the BJP is seeking to take credit, another section feels that the party should abstain protesting against the way the tax regime is being implemented. The GST will be launched at a function in the Central Hall of Parliament on June 30. --IANS sid/ps (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death toll in the oil tanker fire in Pakistan's Punjab province has risen to 162, officials said on Wednesday. Aamir Bukhari, director of Emergency at the Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur, told Xinhua news agency that the death toll rose after four injured, including the driver of the oil tanker and two children succumbed to injuries at different hospitals in the province. The official said the death toll might rise further as 18 out of 107 injured were in critical condition. He said 125 unrecognisable bodies were buried on Tuesday evening. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-filmmaker Dhanush earlier this week left for Belgium for a month-long schedule of his upcoming Hollywood film "The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir", a source said. "Post the audio launch of 'VIP 2' on Sunday, Dhanush flew to Belgium to join the sets of his Hollywood film. He is expected to shoot there till the first week of August and then return home," a source close to the star told IANS. The film is based on the novel "The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir", who got trapped in an IKEA wardrobe, by Romain Puertolas. On being part of the project, Dhanush had said in a statement: "So happy to be a part of this film with collaborators from 3 continents, looking forward to an extraordinary journey ahead." Directed by Ken Scott, the film has music by Nicolas Errera, and Amit Trivedi has composed two Hindi songs for the film. The makers shot the first schedule of the film in Mumbai in May. The film also stars Uma Thurman. --IANS hp/dc/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) on Wednesday requested the Delhi University administration to look into the problem of slow university portal caused by increase in the website traffic, as it is the peak admission time. DUSU Joint Secretary Mohit Garid and NSUI State President Akshay Lakra met the Students' Welfare Dean J.M. Khurana and requested him to look into the matter. They submitted a memorandum raising students' demands and requested the Dean to solve the technical problems at the earliest, so the students did not face any problems. "Huge increase in traffic on the website has resulted in great distress to students who are looking for the cut-off lists and other admission-related information," Garid said in a statement. "The Dean has assured that four more engineers will be employed. We will continue our efforts to make the admission process as hassle-free as possible," he said. --IANS mg/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Every school in London is to be offered knife detectors to enable students to be screened for hidden weapons, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced. It forms one part of the biggest ever campaign in London against knife crime which has so far this year led to the stabbing to death of 24 people aged 25 or below on the streets of London, Xinhua news agency reported. Just this week, London's Metropolitan Police (Met) launched three separate murder probe following stabbings in Canning Town, East Ham and Islington. The Met on Tuesday revealed that during a week-long campaign, known as Operation Sceptre, 518 knives, 11 firearms and 50 offensive weapons were recovered in police operations. Police officers made 622 arrests, including 180 for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon. Khan said, "No young Londoner should have to accept crime and violence as a way of life. We are working to provide them with the skills, the resources and the confidence they need to turn away from knives and lead the life they deserve in our city." The Mayor has launched a new tough and comprehensive Knife Crime Strategy, with an additional $800,000 for knife and gang crime projects. Total spending in the war on knives and gang crime was $9 million. Measures in Khan's initiative include empowering communities with funds to do more to protect young people and spread the message that carrying a knife is more likely to ruin your life than to save it. More prevention and police work will also be introduced to crack down on offenders and get dangerous weapons off London's streets. The Mayor's office said that between 2014 and 2015, knife crime in London rose by 5 percent. In 2016, knife crime across England and Wales rose by 14 percent, compared to 11 percent in London. --IANS mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The FICCI Alliance for Re-Imagining School (FICCI Arise) on Wednesday advised schools to be extra sensitive towards students and parents with regard to payment of revised fees. Referring to reports of parents alleging harassment of their children due to delays in payment of revised fees, FICCI Arise Chairman Prabhat Jain urged schools to refrain from undertaking any such actions relating to fee hikes, which could have an adverse impact on the students. "The need of the hour is to provide them extra support and care to navigate through uncertainty, so that they can continue to focus on their education," he said in a statement. "At this juncture, it is important for schools to provide prompt and transparent communication to parents, who are concerned and committed to finding an amicable solution without compromising on the quality of education," he added. Jain also urged parents to help foster a conducive environment for a holistic deliberation on policy that would safeguard the future of students. He requested parents to exercise restraint and understanding to enable a conducive environment for thorough deliberation on this topic that directly impacts the future of their children. "Fee hikes are just a symptom of a larger issue that has gestated over the years. Administrators need to handle it carefully and with empathy," he said. "We should also rigorously hold to account a handful of schools that indulge in unethical practices and cause damage to the reputation of the entire private sector," he added. "Any such misuse of autonomy must be strictly dealt with. At the same time, regulation should be minimal so that good schools can focus on delivering quality rather than getting caught in a web of complex regulations," he explained. --IANS mg/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Donal Logue's 16-year-old son has gone missing and he has taken to social media to seek help. Logue's son went missing on Monday in Brooklyn, New York City. The "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star asked for help on Twitter on Tuesday, reports aceshowbiz.com. "Missing ... my child Jade Logue. 6'2" 180 lime green hoodie dark green military parka," he wrote alongside a photograph of Jade. Donal later deleted the tweet. He also appeared to have deleted his official Facebook account. Actress Maeve Quinlan showed her support for the actor by posting a screenshot of his announcement. "Please repost this ASAP for my friend Donal Logue whose son Jade has gone missing in NYC. Please repost and say prayers he makes it home," she tweeted. Celebrities like Olivia Wilde, Stana Katic and Mark Ruffalo also spread Donal's appeal. "Hey Brooklyn, if you've seen Jade, please let his father know," Wilde tweeted. Katic wrote: "Hello, community. Please see attached and notify Donal Logue if you have any information." Ruffalo later retweeted Katic's tweet. Fans wondered if Donal already found Jade since he deleted his tweet. Besides Jade, the "Zodiac" star has a son named Finn whom she shares with his former-wife, Kasey Walker. --IANS dc/nv/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A selection of works by Albuquerque sculptor and architect Bruce Warren Davis and multi-disciplinary artist and professor at the University of New Mexico, Mary Tsiongas. Runs through 6/30. Repurpose/Revision/Reconstruction Bruce Warren Davis and Mary Tsiongas What The Color Blue Sounds Like Mick Burson May 30July 14 Gallery Reception: Saturday, May 27, 68 pm Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present Repurpose/Revision/Reconstruction, a selection of works by Albuquerque sculptor/architect Bruce Warren Davis and multi-disciplinary artist and professor at the University of New Mexico Mary Tsiongas. Davis constructs three-dimensional artifacts that explore space and material. Tsiongas projects landscape paintings onto found architectural models to create mesmerizing photographs. As an architect, Davis has completed hundreds of projects throughout the Southwest and has recently turned his attention to sculpture. Davis focuses on objects like frames and boxes that normally serve to contain. He creates wooden assemblages and loosely painted colorful frames from raw and reclaimed construction materials. Born and educated in Illinois, Davis moved to New Mexico in 1972 and has maintained a private architecture practice since 1975. He has exhibited artwork in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. In her recent work entitled Aporia, Mary Tsiongas creates dimly lit sets by using small architectural models and old slides of landscape paintings. The projections are then photographed and printed digitally. Aporia comes from the Greek work meaning an impasse, a puzzlement, a contradiction. Born in Greece and now based in Albuquerque, Mary Tsiongas has performed, exhibited, and lectured extensively for the past twenty years. Her work has been shown in over fifty solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. She is currently a Professor of Experimental Art and Technology in the Department of Art at the University of New Mexico. In the Project Room the gallery presents What The Color Blue Sounds Like, a sculptural installation made from wood, metal, and paint by Mick Burson. He is also showing lithographs printed at the Tamarind Institute. The gallery commissioned Burson to paint a mural on the outside back wall of the building. It will be unveiled at this event. Originally from Waco, TX, Burson is currently in the masters degree program in studio art at the University of New Mexico. Gallery Reception: Saturday, May 27, 68 pm The Delhi High Court on Wednesday commuted to life term the death sentence awarded to a dacoit Sonu Sardar, guilty of murder of five persons, including two children, in Chhattisgarh in 2004. A division bench of Justice G.S. Sistani and Justice Vinod Goel commuted the capital punishment to life term, saying: "The mercy petition was processed in an extremely cavalier and casual fashion by the state government at all stages, right up to placing the note for the Governor." Sardar, along with his brother and accomplices, had killed five persons of a family, including a woman and two children, during a dacoity bid in Chhattisgarh's Cher village on November 26, 2004. The trial court had awarded him death sentence and the Chhattisgarh High Court had upheld it. The Supreme Court in February 2012 had concurred with the findings of two courts below and affirmed the punishment. His mercy petition was also dismissed by both state government and President of India in May 2014. In February 2015, the Supreme Court had also rejected his review plea. Sardar later moved the high court seeking direction that his death penalty be commuted to life imprisonment on account of delay in deciding his mercy plea as well as for allegedly keeping him in "solitary confinement illegally". Reducing the sentence, the high court said: "The relevant considerations of the mitigating circumstances, recommendation of the Jail Superintendent and the young age of the petitioner were not placed before the Governor, depriving him of the opportunity to exercise his power in a fair and just manner." The court noted that there were "numerous discrepancies and falsities" in the affidavits filed by the Chhattisgarh government. Making it clear that "life imprisonment means (till the) end of one's life", it said: "Further, the incarceration of the petitioner in solitary confinement without any judicial order has run awry of the fundamental rights, and this court, being the sentinel of the Constitution, is bound to intervene and give relief to the petitioner." --IANS gt/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police helicopter dropped grenades on the Venezuelan Supreme Court in a daring attack escalating the months-long crisis engulfing the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. The helicopter was reportedly stolen and piloted by an officer in the country's investigative police force, Oscar Perez. As it strafed the court building and the Interior Ministry in Caracas on Tuesday, the attackers fired shots and lobbed grenades on the court, officials said. Maduro condemned the incident as an "attempted coup", saying "terrorists" were behind the offensive and that an operation was underway to track down the perpetrators, CNN reported. No one was injured in the attack and one of the grenades failed to explode, government officials said. According to the reports, it was unclear how a rogue police helicopter circled high-profile buildings in the Venezuelan capital without being shot down. Eyewitnesses said the assault went on for about two hours. The attack came after months of protests against the political and economic crisis under Maduro's regime and ahead of a vote on July 30 to elect members of a controversial new body that could make changes to the country's Constitution. Before the attack began, a man who identified himself as Perez appeared in a video online saying an operation was underway to seize democracy back from Venezuela's "criminal government". Flanked by a group of armed men, Perez claimed to be speaking on behalf of a coalition of military, police officers and civil officials, said the report. In his video message, Perez said he was a pilot in the special response unit of Venezuela's Criminal Investigative Police and demanded that Maduro step down. Photographs posted online showed a helicopter with the initials of the investigative police unit on its side, flying above capital Caracas. Through an open door an occupant was seen holding a banner saying "Article 350 libertad" -- referring to an article in the Venezuelan Constitution that allows citizens to oppose the government should it subvert democratic principles. Minister for Communications and Information Ernesto Villegas said the attackers had thrown four grenades, two against a group of National Guards who were protecting the court building. About 15 shots were fired around the Interior Ministry, a few blocks away from the presidential palace, he said. Shortly before the helicopter incident, there was an attack on the Venezuelan Parliament building by armed civilian groups after a clash between lawmakers and the military police of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), Efe news reported. Two female members of Parliament were injured in the clash and the parliamentary session was interrupted. Following the ruckus, groups of armed civilians entered through the doors of the National Assembly building and launched fireworks rockets and other material inside the House. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Arjun Kapoor, who will be sharing screen space with his uncle and veteran actor Anil Kapoor for the very first time in the forthcoming film "Mubarakan", says that he spent so much time working with him on the movie that it helped them in taking their relationship to "another level". Asked if it's fun to work with a family member onscreen, Arjun told IANS over phone from Mumbai: "It's a blast (to work with a family member). Before the film began I was also keen to see how this pans out because I have not experienced this before. But it turned out to be a blast because you get to hang out with your family. Learn, work and watch a man who's iconic and a legend do his work." The 32-year-old actor says he got to learn and absorb. "At the same time, after 30 years my relationship with him can go up another level is only because we spent so much time working on a film. So, I think I am very happy about 'Mubarakan'," Arjun added. Directed by Anees Bazmi, "Mubarakan" features Arjun in a double role for the second time after the 2013 film "Aurangzeb". The film also features actresses Athiya Shetty and Ileana D'Cruz. The film is produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Ashwin Varde and Murad Khetani's Cine1 Studios and is slated to have it's worldwide release on July 28. --IANS dc/nv/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Wednesday said it has started proactive measures to keep the country insulated from the latest round of ransomware attack, which has hit Europe, adding that so far there was no large-scale impact on India. "We have been taking proactive steps... we have sent out advisories (on the cyber attack and the malware)... India is not much affected at this stage," IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here. He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day National Convention on 'Digitalization: Opportunities and Challenges'. Prasad said the government is keeping close watch on the issue. The Shipping Ministry on Wednesday said operations at one of the container terminals at Mumbai's Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) port was impacted due to a global cyber attack. According to the Ministry of Shipping, a private terminal operator at the the JNPT was taking steps to address the issue. It was anticipated that there could be bunching of in-bound and out-bound container cargos. "An unforeseen situation has developed at the JNPT owing to disruption in the operations of one of the private terminal operator, APM Maersk," said a Ministry statement. "It has been informed by the private terminal operator that this disruption is a consequence of a worldwide disruption being faced by them because of a cyber attack," it added. The Ministry said the JNPT was taking steps to ensure minimum disturbance to trade, transporters and local citizens. --IANS ag/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bo Xilai, a former Chinese leader serving a life sentence for corruption, has been released on medical parole due to liver cancer. According to Radio Free Asia, Bo's cancer might be in initial stages and treatable, Efe news reported. Bo, 67, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2013 for corruption, abuse of power and bribery in a scandal involving the killing of British businessman Neil Heywood in 2011. Bo's wife Gu Kailai was sentenced to life imprisonment for that murder. Bo was considered one of the emerging stars of the Communist Party of China because of his positions as Mayor of the northeastern city of Dalian, former Trade Minister and leader of the Chinese city of Chongqing. He had joined the exclusive 25-member Politburo of the Communist Party and nearly became a rival contender for the Presidential post against incumbent President Xi Jinping. Bo was diagnosed with cancer in the Qincheng Peking prison and sent to a hospital for treatment. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling BJP in Jharkhand has called a meeting of tribal leaders on Thursday to discuss the amendments to the two contentious land acts that were returned by Governor Draupadi Murmu. The BJP government in Jharkhand suffered an embarrassment when the Governor last week returned the amendments for reconsideration. The BJP has stepped in to defend the government and find ways to push the amendments. The opposition parties have told the government not to bring the amendments again in the state assembly. Jharkhand BJP president Lakshman Giluwa told reporters that the meeting of tribal leaders has been called to discuss the amendments in the two land acts. The party's view of the amendments will be later informed to the state government. Sources in the BJP said tribal MP Karia Munda, former Chief Minister Arjun Munda, tribal legislators, and the leader of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) Morcha of BJP have been invited for the meeting. "The amendments bills should have been brought keeping the interests of the tribal people in mind. The nature of land should not be changed. This is a sensitive issue and the government should go for a referendum or take the view of constitutional experts," former Chief Minister Arjun Munda told reporters. Karia Munda, eight-time BJP Lok Sabha MP from Khuti and a tribal leader, said: "The amendments are not in the interest of the state. When the bill is taken for reconsideration in the state assembly then even legislators of the ruling party will speak." BJP alliance partner, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), has been opposing the amendments. "Our party has been opposing the amendments in both acts," Chandra Prakash Chaudhary, Water Resources Minister and AJSU legislator, told reporters. Governor Murmu returned the amendments in the two land acts - Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act last week. The amendments were passed by the state assembly by voice vote amid stiff protest by the opposition parties in the assembly in November last year. The opposition members while opposing the amendments had misbehaved with Speaker Dinesh Oraon when the amendments were tabled. The Governor returned the amendment bills with a query asking "How will the amendments benefit the tribal people?" The amendments in both the acts were pending with the Governor since November last year. The opposition parties, Cardinal Telesphore Toppo and other tribal leaders had separately met the Governor and requested her not to clear the amendment bills. According to sources in the government, 192 petitions were filed by different political parties and associations to Governor Murmu requesting her not to clear the amendments. The amendments were also opposed by BJP legislators and Lok Sabha MPs. Ignoring all opposition, the BJP government led by Ragubar Das had passed the amendments. With the amendments, if approved by the Governor, agricultural land could be used for non agriculture purposes. The amendments had proposed that agricultural land can be acquired for development work, infrastructure and other works by the state government. --IANS ns/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The month-long Mumbai schedule of superstar Rajinikanth's Tamil gangster drama "Kaala" will be wrapped up on Thursday, a source said. "The Mumbai portion will be wrapped up on Thursday. The team will next head to Chennai where they will shoot in the replica of Dharavi slum set, which was constructed on a whopping budget, a source from the film's unit told IANS. Being directed by Pa. Ranjith, the film also stars Huma Qureshi, Anjali Patil, Samuthirakani and Pankaj Tripathi. Elaborating on the Mumbai schedule, the source said: "Most of the Mumbai portion was shot outdoors and the team had a tough time managing the crowd. They were always at the risk of a shot or pictures from the shoot being leaked." The project marks the second time collaboration of Ranjith and Rajinikanth after last year's "Kabali". Veteran actor Nana Patekar, who will be seen as a ruthless, conniving politician, plays the antagonist. Being bankrolled by Dhanush, the film has music by Santhosh Narayanan. --IANS hp/dc/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major step towards building an actual X-plane, NASA has completed the preliminary design review of its Quiet Supersonic Transport or QueSST aircraft design. QueSST is the initial design stage of the agency's planned Low Boom Flight Demonstration (LBFD) experimental airplane, otherwise known as an X-plane, NASA said in a statement on Tuesday. Senior experts and engineers from across the agency and the Lockheed Martin Corporation concluded that the QueSST design is capable of fulfilling the LBFD aircraft's mission objectives, which are to fly at supersonic speeds, but create a soft "thump" instead of the disruptive sonic boom associated with supersonic flight today. "Managing a project like this is all about moving from one milestone to the next," said David Richwine, Manager, NASA's Commercial Supersonic Technology Project. "Our strong partnership with Lockheed Martin helped get us to this point. We're now one step closer to building an actual X-plane," Richwine added. Flight testing of an LBFD X-plane could begin as early as 2021, NASA said. The LBFD X-plane will be flown over communities to collect data necessary for regulators to enable supersonic flight over land in the US and elsewhere in the world. NASA partnered with lead contractor Lockheed Martin in February 2016 for the QueSST preliminary design. After the success of completing the preliminary design review of the QueSST aircraft design, NASA's project team would start the process of soliciting proposals later this year and awarding a contract early next year to build the piloted, single-engine X-plane. The acquisition for the LBFD X-plane contract will be fully open and competitive, with the QueSST preliminary design data being made available to qualified bidders, the statement added. --IANS gb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar held separate phone talks with US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May, the media reported. In mid June, the Dail Eireann, Lower House of Irish parliament, voted to elect Varadkar as taoiseach (Prime Minister), making him the youngest taoiseach in the history of the country at just 38 years of age. In talks with US President Trump on Tuesday, both discussed migration, Brexit, climate change, free trade, and the undocumented Irish people in the US, Xinhua news agency cited a statement from the Irish government. They also discussed the peace process in Northern Ireland, the statement said. During their talks, Trump congratulated Varadkar on his recent election and invited the taoiseach to attend the annual St. Patrick's Day events in Washington next March. They agreed to continue strong cooperation between Ireland and the US on economic issues, shared culture, and family ties. The Irish government statement said Varadkar also held a call with British Prime Minister May. The two Prime Ministers discussed the ongoing efforts to restore the executive in Northern Ireland ahead of Thursday's deadline, and the supply and confidence agreement between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). On Monday, the DUP, a unionist political party in Northern Ireland, signed an agreement with the Conservatives to support May's minority government. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Come July 1 and India's oil and gas companies will be able to select exploration blocks on their own, without waiting for a formal bid round from the government, thanks to the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) launched on Wednesday by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who hoped to award the fresh blocks by December. As a necessary complement to the OALP, the country's first national data repository (NDR) was also launched here on Wednesday. The NDR will allow explorers to access seismic data on the sedimentary basin before making their bids. The twin launches of OLAP and NDR are set to give India's oil and gas exploration a big push. "The OALP and the NDR initiatives, being launched under the new Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), are two major steps in India's journey towards achieving energy security," Pradhan said at the launch, adding that the major part of Indian sedimentary basins continue to remain unmapped. Officials said this would be the largest such depository in the world for reliable sub-surface data, which can be accessed digitally. Stating that the government wanted to "propel hydrocarbons exploration to the next higher orbit", Pradhan said: "Investors from July 1 can carve their own area before the formal bidding." "And with the high-tech NDR, which only a few countries have, India has entered this league of nations." Speaking to reporters later on the sidelines of the event, he said bidding under the OALP would open twice a year, with the July bid winners to be slated for award of blocks by the time of the next round in January 2018. "We are hoping to award the first oil and gas field under HELP by December this year," he said. While HELP was approved by the government last year, the oil and gas industry has been pushing for including petroleum products under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), but the GST Council is yet to consider the proposal. The Minister explained that once a company demarcated the area by identifying the size and boundaries, the government would put it up for bidding and award it to the firm that offers the maximum. Bidders will be offered the choice of either a six-year Petroleum Operations Contract for exploration, development and production or a two-year Reconnaissance Contract for exploring hydrocarbons. Pradhan said these new initiatives were part of the government's efforts at significantly boosting hydrocarbons production through "minimum government and maximum governance". The government has already put up 67 small oil and gas fields for auction under HELP, approved in March 2016, which is based on a revenue-sharing model as opposed to cost-and-output-based norms earlier. The new model will replace the controversial production-sharing contract that has governed the bidding under nine earlier New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) rounds. The PSC regime, which allows operators to recover all investments made from sale of oil and gas before profits are shared with the government, was criticised by India's official auditor, who said it encouraged companies to keep inflating costs so as to postpone sharing of profits. Commenting on the development, industry chamber CII said the new licensing policy is a significant evolution of the earlier one with features such as uniform licensing for all hydrocarbons, an open acreage policy, a revenue sharing model and marketing and pricing freedom for domestic crude oil and natural gas. "CII believes that the considered approach of HELP to address industry's concerns by simplifying and substantially de-risking the highly uncertain business of oil and gas exploration will mark a huge transition for the Indian upstream sector," a statement here said. Oil major Cairn India's Acting CEO Sudheer Mathur said in a statement: "OALP is a fundamental shift and a transformative step in India's hydrocarbon exploration and production history." "Single license to explore all forms of hydrocarbons, no oil cess, reduced rates of royalty are just few of the many enabling provisions which will stimulate investments in the sector," he added. --IANS bc/rn (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Gautham Karthik starrer Tamil actioner "Sippai", after nearly two years in cold storage, is finally being revived as the team gears up to shoot the climax portion. A fortnight of shoot is still pending. "The delay was primarily due to financial issues. Producer Thangaivelan, who has taken over the project from the old producer, is very supportive and I'll be grateful to him. We will finish two weeks of shoot and another couple of days of patchwork next month and wrap up the project," director Saravanan told IANS. He is also thankful to his hero Gautham Karthik. "Both Gautham and Lakshmi are raring to go. Having understood the reason behind the delay in completion of the project, they have come forward with a lot of support and positivity," he said. Talking about the project whose title translates to soldier, Saravanan said: "It highlights the role of every citizen in the society. In some way, we are all soldiers and we have some duties to fulfill as citizens of this country." The film, which has music by Yuvan Shankar Raja, will highlight the need for everyone to have social awareness. --IANS hp/dc/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has met Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani weeks after several Gulf states snapped diplomatic relations with the US ally over its support to terror groups. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, the four Arab states that severed ties with Qatar had issued a list of 13 demands to end rift, including closing Al-Jazeera television and cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, Xinhua news agency reported. Tillerson met Al Thani on Tuesday and later Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the US Secretary of State was working towards finding a solution to solve the issue at hand, a CNBC report said. The statement added that Qatar's Foreign Minister "insisted that others must be genuinely willing to negotiate and to present evidence to support their allegations and demands." Tillerson said that "while some of the elements will be very difficult for Qatar to meet, there are significant areas which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution". He called on the relevant countries to "sit together and continue this conversation", and added that "each country involved has something to contribute to that effort". Qatar is a key US ally in the fight against the Islamic State group and the US military base in the country is one of the largest in the Middle East. On Tuesday, Tillerson also met Kuwait's Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah. Kuwait is acting as a mediator to end the worst Gulf crisis in years. --IANS soni/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US government is imposing new anti-dumping duties on softwood lumber imported from Canada, with the move coming less than two months before the start of negotiations among Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new duties of up to 7.72 per cent were announced in a statement released on Monday by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who said Washington was "committed to free and fair trade", Efe news reported on Tuesday. As proof of that commitment, Ross said, the measure excludes "softwood lumber from the Canadian Atlantic Provinces in the ongoing anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases". Coming on top of the duties announced in April, the total duties levied on the Canadian products range from 17.41 per cent to 30.88 per cent, the Commerce Department said. The US and Canada have been engaged in a long-running dispute over Canadian lumber used in construction, which Washington deems to be subsidized and sold at prices below market values. On August 16, Canada, the US and Mexico are scheduled to begin renegotiating the 23-year-old NAFTA, which President Donald Trump has described as a "disaster" for his country. Trump has said that he was determined to pull the US out of the trade pact but changed his mind after speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. In mid-May, Trump notified Congress of his decision to renegotiate NAFTA, opening a 90-day period for consultations before the talks with the two trade partners start. Trade within NAFTA, a market with 480 million consumers, totalled $1.1 trillion in 2016. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concern about the situation of unrest in the north Bengal hills, West Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi on Wednesday urged the Centre, state government and the GJM to find a solution through discussion. "The central government, the state government and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha should discuss the issue as early as possible and try to find out a solution," Tripathi said. The picturesque Darjeeling district in northern West Bengal is on the boil for more than two weeks now over the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. It has been facing an indefinite shutdown for the past 14 days. The GJM, which is spearheading the movement for Gorkhaland, has repeatedly rejected any possibility of talks with the Mamata Banerjee government, accusing it of "oppression and high-handedness", while the Trinamool Congress government in the state maintains that it is ready for a discussion after the situation in the area becomes normal. --IANS mgr/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for their silence over use of the phrase 'Indian-administered Kashmir' in a US government order, and asked whether it was a "selling out of national interests". The party also demanded a response from Modi for not protesting despite his being in the US. "I would like to make it clear that Jammu & is an integral part, was an integral part, shall remain an integral part of India," Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a press conference. "For Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), and his party, this can be a subject of political expediency to keep silent... Indian National Congress and other nationalist parties and secular parties will never remain silent," Azad said. The former Jammu and Chief Minister said that allowing of the phrase meant a "compromise with India's national security and sovereignty" and asked the Centre whether it was a "selling out of national interests". Similar objections were raised by party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Tuesday, when in a series of tweets he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of "pseudo nationalism" for the government not objecting to the phrase. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram also disapproved of the Indian government's lack of response. "US' official statement used the phrase 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir'. How did India accept this?" he said in a tweet. The phrase was used in a US government order designating Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist, ahead of the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump. -- IANS vn-sid/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Apropos Low-key diplomacy consolidates Indo-US ties (June 28), Donald Trump has enigmatic traits. After an effusive meeting with the Emir of Qatar in late May 2017 and pitching for sale of military hardware, he lands in Riyadh and secures $15 billion in deals in the kingdom, projected to go to $50 bn, and Lockheed Corp. commits to the assembly of 150 S-70 Black Hawk helicopters in Saudi Arabia. Then, in the same breath, Trump accuses Qatar of encouraging Islamic extremism, to ignite a major rift among Gulf nations. Now, within days, he is set to broker peace in the region, perhaps remembering that the biggest air base with one lakh US troops is based in Qatar. As completed 100 days in office as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on May 26, the Congress on Tuesday slammed his government for failing to improve the law and order in the state. "The law and order situation has worsened in Uttar Pradesh and nobody feels safe. Prime Minister Modi and Yogi Ji had raised law and order issue in the Uttar Pradesh election campaign and today the state is witnessing the worst law and order situation," Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed told ANI. He further said that people of the state are feeling cheated by the Modi Government in these 100 days. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government had assumed office on March 19 after winning 325 of the 403 Assembly seats along with its allies. After taking the office, the Adityanath-led government tried to fulfil the elections promises including waiving off farmers loan, improving law and order situation, curbing corruption, power supply and many more. Earlier on June 18, a review meeting of six departments, including Social Welfare, Disabled Welfare, Minority Welfare, Backward Class Welfare, Women Welfare, Food Safety and Drugs Departments, chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was held in Lucknow. The meeting was held to review the works done by the ministers in the 100 days of the Yogi-Government. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today said it has arrested two police officials for allegedly accepting a bribe ofRs 2 lakh for not taking action in a case. However, one of them escaped from police custody while undergoing medical examination yesterday, the ACB said in a release here. The arrested officers were identified as Inspector Subhash Govind Kale (55) and Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sitaram Chavhan (46), attached to Kuhi police station in rural Nagpur. According to the release, a hotelier had been locked in a land dispute with his brother and the latter recently filed a complaint against the former in Kuhi police station. The complaint related to alleged land encroachment by the hotelier. When the complaint came before Kale and Chavhan, they approached the hotelier and sought a Rs 4.5 lakh bribe for not proceeding against him in the case filed by his brother, the anti-corruption agency said. The hotelier agreed to pay the bribe and at the same time filed a complaint with the ACB (Nagpur) against the two police officials. Based on the complaint, a trap was laid yesterday and the two police officials were caught accepting the first instalment of Rs 2 lakh from the hotelier, the ACB said. However, Kale managed to escape from police custody while undergoing medical examination, it said. A senior ACB official said efforts are on to trace the absconding Inspector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Legal action will be initiated against unscrupulous colonisers for illegally occupying plots near the city, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has said. Police complaints will be lodged where the plots are covertly taken over as part of action in compliance with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's drive against the land mafia in the state, sources in GDA said. GDA vice chairman Kanchan Verma in a meeting ordered the enforcement officers of all zones to identify all land mafias in their areas who illegally occupy plots seeking to entice middle class buyers with land close to the city on cheap rates, said GDA secretary Ravinder Godbole. In all, illegal colonies in eight zones are on the radar of GDA. Colonisers who sold the plots under previous governments will be booked under the Gangster Act and officials involved will be punished, Godbole said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today held discussions with his counterpart in the commerce ministry, Nirmala Sitharaman, on ways to promote organic food products and their certification. In a tweet, Singh said that a single system for organic certification to cater to all stakeholders, including farmers, exporters and consumers, was also deliberated on. This meeting assumes significance as the commerce ministry is emphasising on promoting exports of organic goods and for that certification of products is important as it helps increase competitiveness in the global markets and fetch higher value. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the food regulator, has recently released a draft regulation for organic food products, seeking to ensure that these food items are actually organic. Organic foods will have to comply with the provisions under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) administered by the government or the Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India) run by the Agriculture Ministry or any other standards notified by the food authority. It has sought public comments on the draft regulations, which has been prepared in view of rising demand for organic food products, being considered as healthy, in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat will visit Sikkim tomorrow in the backdrop of a standoff between Indian troops and Chinese army along the Sino-India border in the sensitive sector which is threatening to further strain the bilateral ties. The Army chief will take stock of the operational matters and interact with top commanders in the formation headquarters of the force in the border state. Gen Rawat's visit to Sikkim comes amid mounting tension between the two armies along the border in Sikkim following a scuffle between Indian troops and the personnel of China's People's Liberation Army in a remote area earlier this month. The genesis of the latest face-off is understood to have had a link to Donglang, a narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. Official sources described Gen Rawat's visit as routine. During the two-day-long visit, Gen. Rawat will travel to a number of other formation headquarters in the Northeast and review various operational matters in the region -- a strategically key region having most of the 3,488-km-long- border with China. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. China has accused Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal, while asserting that it has shut down the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. China also said that it has lodged diplomatic protests with India, both in New Delhi and Beijing, alleging that the Indian troops trespassed into Chinese territory in the Sikkim sector. The Indian Army has not commented on the face-off. Chinese defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said on Monday that recently China has begun the construction of a road in Donglang region, but was stopped by Indian troops crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhutan today said it has issued a demarche to China over the construction of a road towards its Army camp in Zomplri area of Doklam and asked Beijing to restore status quo by stopping the work immediately. The demarche by Bhutan comes amidst the ongoing face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam (also known as Donglang) area of the Sikkim sector. "We have issued a demarche to China through its diplomatic mission here. Recently, the Chinese army (People's Liberation Army) started construction of a road towards Bhutanese Army camp at Zomphlri in Doklam area which is in violation of an agreement between the two countries," Ambassador of Bhutan to India Vetsop Namgyel told PTI. "Doklam is a disputed territory and Bhutan has a written agreement with China that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, peace and tranquillity should be maintained in the area," said Namgyel. The Bhutanese envoy also asserted that under the agreement, both Bhutan and China should refrain from unilaterally changing the status quo. "We have asked China to stop the road construction," he said. Meanwhile, China today virtually accused India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to China's efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. China had yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP today slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the alleged thrashing of two men in the Delhi Assembly by some of the ruling party MLAs for throwing paper missiles in the House and demanded a thorough probe into it by a fact-finding committee. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta felt it was strange that the "offending" visitors were ordered to be jailed for 30 days by the speaker but "not a word" was said against the AAP MLAs "who took law into their hands". "AAP dissenters who threw chits in the Assembly had got passes frm AAP MLA Rakhi Birla. CM Kejriwal can't deny rebellion within party anymore (sic)," he tweeted later. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari dubbed the incident as an "outcome of arrogance" of the AAP government and claimed that the two visitors were issued passes on the recommendation from a ruling party MLA. "The BJP has continuously been raising questions on the need of the so-called special Assembly sessions being convened by the government. After today's violence, we urge the LG to prorogue the current session, so that the next one cannot be convened without his permission," he said. The visitors, identified as Rajan Kumar and Jagdeep Rana, threw paper missiles from the visitors' gallery in the House while a session was underway, leading to a scuffle in which the two were allegedly thrashed by some AAP legislators. The BJP MLAs demanded the suspension of the AAP legislator, on whose recommendation, they alleged, passes were issued to the two visitors. "The passes were issued to the visitors by an AAP MLA, who should be suspended for two sessions of the Assembly," Gupta said in a statement. He demanded a five-member fact-finding committee, also comprising BJP MLAs, to look into the incident, especially the "manhandling" of the offenders and how they got entry to the visitors' gallery. A note found printed inside the paper missiles claimed that the two visitors were AAP workers, who took the step as they were unhappy with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and the alleged "corruption cases" against PWD and Health Minister Satyendar Jain. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CA Technologies today said it has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad (IITH) for setting up a co- innovation lab on the latter's campus. According to a statement issued by the IT giant, CA Technologies engineers will collaborate with IIIT-Hyderabad's research labs to build new technology prototypes. As per the agreement,CA Technologies engineers and IIIT-Hyderabad researchers will collaborate on applied research projects which will include next generation interfaces such as natural language processing (NLP), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Surya Panditi, general manager and senior vice-president, CA Technologies, said, "We are pleased to partner with IIIT-Hyderabad to set-up the co-innovation lab. We aim to combine the strengths of research with industry knowledge for significant breakthroughs in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning." P J Narayanan, Director, IIIT-Hyderabad, said the co-innovation initiative will benefit both research and the industry. "We believe that the research being done at IIIT-Hyderabad can be productised and will bring research from labs closer to real world problems that the industry is solving," Narayanan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people across the country today took to the streets in a citizens' protest named 'Not in My Name' against the recent incidents of mob killings. Holding placards that read: "Break the Silence", "No Place for Islamophobia" and "Shed Hate not Blood" among others, the protesters said they had gathered to send out a message that there is a need to unite for a cause. At the Jantar Mantar in the national capital, among those who took part were family members of 17-year-old Junaid, who was stabbed to death on June 22 onboard a train, which he had taken with his two brothers after Eid shopping in Delhi. A group of men allegedly hurled communal slurs and attacked them after an altercation over seats. Last night, over a 100-strong mob attacked a Muslim man on the suspicion that he had slaughtered a cow after finding the carcass of a bovine near his house in Giridih district of Jharkhand. The "Not In My Name" campaign began after a Facebook post by filmmaker Saba Dewan against the stabbing of Junaid. He sought to "reclaim the Constitution" and "resist the onslaught" on the right to life and equality. In Mumbai, people braved rains to come out in large numbers. Actors Shabana Azmi, Konkona Sena Sharma, Rajat Kapoor and Ranvir Shorey and social media activist Arpita Chatterjee were among those who participated in the protest held at Carter Road in suburban Bandra. Azmi said these are not isolated incidents and there is a need for a stringent law against the perpetrators. In Kolkata, among the protesters was filmmaker Aparna Sen. She said she was protesting against something which "we do not support and that is attacking any religious community". She stressed that liberal voice has to be heard. Protests were also held in cities like Allahabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kochi, Lucknow, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of Colombia's anti- corruption prosecution service was himself arrested to face graft charges in the United States, the Colombian attorney general has said. Luis Gustavo Moreno Rivero, head of the national anti- corruption department, was arrested under an order transmitted by Interpol, Attorney General Nestor Humberto Martinez said in a statement yesterday. The US Justice Department said in a statement that Moreno, 35, is charged in Florida with "conspiracy to launder money with the intent to promote foreign bribery." It said he is accused of meeting in Florida with a defendant from whom he sought tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. In return he allegedly offered to help spare the defendant a judicial investigation. Martinez said extradition proceedings would be launched against Moreno and a codefendant in the coming days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Competition Commission has given its nod to private equity major Warburg Pincus' entity buying 9 per cent stake in leading insurer ICICI Lombard. Under the proposed transaction, Mauritius-based Red Bloom Investment would acquire stake in the insurance firm from FAL Corp as per a share purchase agreement inked in May. An investment holding company, Red Bloom is part of Warburg Pincus group. In a tweet today, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it has approved "acquisition of 9 per cent stake by Red Bloom Investment in ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company". In another tweet, the regulator said it has cleared the merger of Chennai Network Infrastructure into GTL Infrastructure. Both companies are into the telecom infrastructure space. CCI keeps a tab on unfair business practices across sectors and transactions beyond a certain threshold require the regulator's approval. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Danish shipping mammoth Maersk said today it had shut down some of its computer systems after a global cyberattack disrupted operations at its terminals and hindered it from taking new orders. A number of Maersk's 76 container terminals were affected and were forced to run on manual systems, AP Moller Maersk chief operating officer Vincent Clerc told AFP, refusing to specify which terminals were impacted because of the "fluidity of the situation." "Some terminals that were down this morning are now up and running," Clerc said. Maersk's two terminals in Rotterdam, Europe's biggest port, were however "still affected" on Wednesday, Clerc said. The port, one of the top 10 in the world, handles more than 461 million tonnes of cargo a year, and welcomes the largest container ships in the world. APM Terminals, part of the AP Moller Maersk conglomerate, runs the two terminals at the sprawling port which stretches across 42 kilometres (26 miles). India's shipping ministry said meanwhile a terminal run by Maersk at the Mumbai port, the largest in India, was also affected. While the systems are down, "we have to manage on a manual basis... It's difficult for people in the terminals to tell the people on the ground -- the longshoremen -- which containers to unload," Clerc said. A spokesman for APM Terminals in Rotterdam, Tom Boyd, said the manual process was tough work. "Today we are handling 4,500 containers. It's more labour extensive, but we are making it work. We are communicating with our customers through gmail and other things because the IT system is down," he told AFP. Maersk said meanwhile that all new orders were also on hold. "Today we have not taken any new orders to our platforms. Customers are booking through third parties but not through our platforms as a precaution," Clerc said. "We are working on being able to open up for new orders from tomorrow, probably through alternate processes," he added. The series of cyberattacks began in Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting government and corporate computer systems across the world as the virus spread to western Europe and across the Atlantic. Several other multinational companies said they were targeted, including US pharmaceutical giant Merck, Russian state oil giant Rosneft, British advertising giant WPP and the French industrial group Saint-Gobain. Clerc said the cyberattack was "still ongoing" at Maersk on Wednesday at 1300 GMT, and that there had been a ransom demanded for the release of data but the Danish group had refused to pay. "We have it contained ... By proactively shutting down systems and computers to prevent it from further contaminating our systems. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death toll today rose to 165 in Pakistan's oil tanker fire, one of the deadliest accidents in the country, as five more critically burnt persons including the driver of the vehicle succumbed in Punjab province. Driver Gul Muhammad could not record his statement as he had received 90 per cent burn injuries, a Punjab government spokesman said. "The death toll in Bahwalpur oil tanker tragedy has risen to 165. The driver of the tanker also succumbed to his injuries," he said. So far, 125 people have been laid to rest after establishing their identity through DNA test, he said, adding that the identification of others was underway. On Sunday, a day before Eid, the oil tanker which was headed for Lahore overturned on the national highway at the Ahmedpur Sharqia area of the Bahawalpur district, some 400 km from Lahore, after one of its tyres burst and the driver lost control over it. Some 151 people lost their lives while collecting spilt fuel as the oil tanker caught fire and exploded. Over 140 others suffered injuries in one of the deadliest accidents in the country. Video images of the people gathered to collect petrol from the overturned oil tanker emerged showing young and old people filling their bikes with the spilled oil and collecting it in bottles and cans. The leaking fuel was even flowing along the highway in the fields. A number of people were seen sitting near the fields collecting fuel in cans and bottles. Suddenly, the tanker exploded and within seconds the fire erupted giving no chance to the people present there to leave the place. According to a preliminary report, the tragedy might have been averted had the motorway police reached there on time and cordoned off the area. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said "illiteracy and poverty" is a reason behind this incident. More than 40 injured are still battling for their lives in burn centres of Multan and Lahore. The preliminary report also said: "The fire broke out after someone lit a cigarette among the victims and threw its butt". A video before the incident also emerged on social media showing that a man was smoking a cigarette and he inadvertently threw its butt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the two men, who were thrashed allegedly by a few AAP MLAs after they had staged a protest inside the Delhi Assembly today, was admitted to a hospital here. Jagdeep Rana, a disgruntled AAP volunteer, had fought the 2013 Assembly elections in the national capital. After the assault incident, he was rushed to the city government-run Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital from the Assembly premises. "He was brought here at around 3:30 pm. He is currently in trauma centre to undergo medical tests to find if any internal injury has occurred," an official at the hospital said. Rana and Rajan Kumar hurled pamphlets inside the Delhi Assembly while a session of the House was underway, leading to a scuffle. The two men, wearing headgear were sitting in the Visitors' Gallery when suddenly they threw off the pamphlets inside the House and raised 'Inquilab Zindabad' slogans. In the pamphlets, the duo have claimed that took the step as they were unhappy with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and the alleged "corruption cases" against Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain. The protest drew the ire of the AAP lawmakers, and as the two men were being taken away by security personnel, some of the AAP MLAs jumped on to them and allegedly thrashed them while they were outside the House. The police personnel present in the Legislative Assembly premises then sought to bring the scuffle to an end, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes. The House was briefly adjourned after the incident and the proceedings were later resumed. Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel later ordered one- month jail for the two protesters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To improve its skewed child sex ratio, the Gurgaon district administration has launched a special drive to check pre-natal sex determination and female infanticide. It has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for individuals and organisations providing information on female infanticide. The child sex ratio in Gurgaon has shown some improvement in the past few years with the number of girls per 1,000 boys crossing 900-mark, but the district is lagging far behind other districts in Haryana. "Many cases of baby girls being dumped in garbage and deserted parts were reported recently. We have started the drive to curb such immoral practice. The health department also raided some maternity clinics to check pre-natal sex determination," an official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists held fresh demonstrations today for 'Gorkhaland' as security forces kept a strict vigil in the hills which remained tense on the 14th day of the indefinite shutdown. The Army, meanwhile, was withdrawn from the restive hills after the state government sought its pull-out. The GJM supporters had torched an office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration last night prompting the police to briefly detain two central committee members of the party, Samuel Gurung and R B Bhujal. Both were released after two hours. Protesters also ransacked a panchayat office in Bijanbari area, 25 km from here early today. The Army was withdrawn from the hills as the state government sought its withdrawal, a defence spokesman said in Kolkata. "Six columns of the Army were deployed in the hills on June 8 on requisition from the state government. The Army was withdrawn on June 24 as the state government sought its withdrawal", he said. Internet services continued to remain suspended in the hills. Hundreds of GJM supporters held demonstration at Chowkbazar with the security forces keeping a strict vigil. Children in traditional dress were also seen in the demonstration. Some of them had "We want Gorkhaland" slogan written on their chests. Tourism Minister and TMC leader Gautam Deb slammed the GJM for using children to serve their interests. "Do children understand anything about Gorkhaland? It is a violation of the human rights. We condemn it," he said. An all-party meeting is scheduled to be held in Kalimpong tomorrow to discuss the next course of action. "We have demanded withdrawal of security forces from the hills and restoration of internet services but nothing has been done. So we will discuss how the agitation can be intensified," a top GJM leader said. The police and security forces patrolled the streets and kept a tight vigil on all entry and exit routes. Barring pharmacies, all shops, schools, colleges were closed. In few areas of Darjeeling GJM supporters burnt copies of the GTA accord. The GTA agreement was signed by the Centre, the state government and the GJM in 2011 following a prolonged unrest in the hills. The GJM said that its 45 members had resigned from the GTA last week and the administrative body had ceased to exist. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen attacked a UN convoy near Libya's capital and abducted seven staff members today before releasing them unharmed, a top security official in the conflict-wracked country said. General Najmi al-Nakoua of the presidential guard service said the attack on the convoy took place near Zawiyah, about 50 kilometres west of the capital Tripoli. "They have been released, they are all safe," after an ordeal lasting only a few hours, he told AFP. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) confirmed the incident, saying "a UN convoy was hit today travelling between Surman and Tripoli" and added that it was later able to contact them and find out they were safe. Lawmaker Abdallah al-Lafi, who was involved in the negotiations leading to the release of the UN personnel, said they were all "in good health". But he said they were still with him at a police station in Surman, about 70 kilometres west of Tripoli, awaiting their transfer to the capital. Lafi said the UN convoy was made up of five men -- including one from Malaysia, another from Romania and three Libyans -- and two women, an Egyptian and a Palestinian. The assailants, he said, had abducted them in order to negotiate the release of relatives detained in Tripoli. But "we were able to convince them to release the UN staff before any negotiations," he added. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias battling for control of the oil-rich country. The North African country has rival administrations, with the authorities in the east not recognising the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital. In its statement, the UN mission to Libya said it had "made contact with the staff concerned. There are no reports of casualties among UN staff". "UNSMIL thanks the Government of National Accord, House of Representative Members from Zawiyah and local authorities for their help in ensuring the safety of UN staff and is looking forward to their safe return to Tripoli. "The UN remains committed to Libya and to supporting Libyans on their path to peace and stability," it added. The British ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, had expressed concern for the UN staffers on his Twitter account. "Disturbed by attack on @UNSMILibya convoy. Hope all safe. UN staff represent international community's commitment to help #Libya-n people," he tweeted before the of their release. Diplomats in Libya have been targeted regularly by assailants and kidnappers since the uprising that ousted and killed Kadhafi. On September 11, 2012, suspected jihadists linked to Al- Qaeda attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, killing ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. By 2014, most diplomatic missions had left the North African country, including that of the United Nations. UNSMIL is based in Tunis, the capital of neighbouring Tunisia, but its members regularly carry out missions inside Libya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's third largest software services firm Wipro has hired over 1,600 people in the US in the last six months, even as Indian IT outsourcing firms face accusations of taking away American jobs. Wipro, which has over 14,000 workers in the US, has also pumped in over USD 2 billion in its operations there towards STEM education programmes and forming academic alliances. "Over the past six months, Wipro hired over 1,600 employees by attracting and nurturing local talent to drive innovation and help transform clients' businesses into digital enterprises," Wipro said in a statement. Over 3,000 locals joined Wipro during FY2016-17, it added. The statement comes at a time when Indian IT companies are confronted by closer scrutiny and tighter visa norms in the US, a market that accounts for nearly 60 per cent of India's IT exports. With rising protectionism across markets, including Singapore and Australia, companies are beginning to adjust their business models to reduce their dependence on visas, hiring more locals instead. The ramp up in local hiring is also aimed at placating the Donald Trump administration in the US that has been critical of outsourcing firms. Wipro said it continues to recruit from top universities to build on the momentum of hiring locally in the US. The company has more than 40 facilities across 23 states in the US. "We will continue to build a strong local talent pool with diverse skill sets and make strategic investments in close proximity to our clients to serve them better," Wipro CEO Abidali Z Neemuchwala said. He added that the company is investing in building STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) capabilities within the US through teacher development programmes in the underfunded school districts of New Jersey, Dallas and Boston. The US had accused Wipro's peers Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys of unfairly cornering the lion's share of US H-1B work visas, taking jobs away from American workers. The tightening of visa norms not only pushes up operational costs for these tech firms, but also makes movement of skilled workforce difficult. Infosys had recently announced that it would hire 10,000 Americans over the next two years and set up four innovation hubs in the US. TCS, on its part, has said it has hired over 12,500 people in the US in the last five years and invested nearly USD 3 billion over the past three years towards generating employment, new innovation labs and various education programmes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hong Kong student pro-democracy campaigner Joshua Wong was detained by police today after an anti-China protest ahead of a visit by President Xi Jinping. Wong was among around 30 protesters who had staged a three-hour sit-in at a harbourfront statue and were led away into police vans. Xi's visit this week marks 20 years since Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain and comes at a time when fears are growing that Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi- autonomous city. Protesters had encircled the sculpture of a golden bauhinia flower which became the emblem of Hong Kong in 1997. The statue was given to the city by China as a present to mark the handover. Some activists chained themselves to the sculpture while others climbed into its petals. Police cleared the area and surrounded the statue, leading away protesters one by one. Most walked but Wong and young legislator Nathan Law lay down and were carried away from the scene. Before the arrests began, protesters shouted: "Civil disobedience, no fear!" and "Xi Jinping, can you hear us?" Police had warned them that they were causing a public nuisance and would be arrested if they did not move. As Wong was carried away to the awaiting vans, he shouted: "Protest on July 1!" -- the anniversary of the handover. His party Demosisto, which is calling for self- determination for Hong Kong, said in a statement that eight of its activists, including Wong and Law, had been arrested. The final protesters to be removed were inside the golden flower and helped down by firefighters. Xi is due to land in Hong Kong tomorrow for a three-day visit to attend anniversary celebrations and swear in the city's new leader Carrie Lam. Hong Kong is ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal, enshrined in the handover agreement, which allows it rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. But there are concerns that China is increasingly interfering in a range of areas, from politics to education and the media. Protesters at the bauhinia statue chanted "Long live the Umbrella Movement!" and "I'm a Hong Konger!" The Umbrella Movement was the name given to mass rallies in 2014 calling for democratic reforms. Wong and Law were among the student leaders of those protests, which ultimately failed to win concessions. Frustration over the lack of progress has prompted campaigners like Wong and Law to call for self-determination -- other activists are demanding a complete split from China. Protesters at the statue also called for the release of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo who was granted medical parole this week due to late-stage liver cancer but remains in the mainland. The writer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now 61, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion"after spearheading a bold petition for democratic reforms. The bauhinia statue stands outside the convention centre where Xi will attend anniversary events and is a stone's throw from the hotel he will stay in. The spot is popular with mainland visitors. Some of the demonstrators, including Wong, had already draped the statue with a black flag on Monday during an early morning anti-China protest. It was removed by police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sukinda Chromite Mines of Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA) has bagged the prestigious 'Hindustan Zinc Health & Safety Award' for 2016-17 for outstanding Health and Safety performance. The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) has decided to honour the company on the basis of desktop assessment followed by site-assessment. The award would be presented at the 51st Annual General Meeting of FIMI, the country's premier mining body, to be held at New Delhi shortly, a company official said. Expressing happiness over the honour, Subhrakant Panda, Managing Director of IMFA said: "We have worked hard over the past few years to make HSE the top priority for the organisation and bring about a cultural change so we are delighted by this recognition". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has allowed export of certain quantity of select commodities to Maldives for 2017-18 without any policy restrictions and prohibitions under a bilateral trade agreement. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the commerce ministry, in a notification has said this decision is effective April. It has permitted shipments of potato (11,714.45 tonnes), onion (19,466.36 tonnes), rice (67,640.24 tonnes), wheat flour (59,442.17 tonnes) and sugar (11,706.3 tonnes). Export of these essential commodities "has been permitted to Maldives under the bilateral trade agreement between India and Maldives during 2017-18". It added that the shipments of these items to Maldives will be exempted from any existing or future restrictions or prohibition on exports. To increase domestic availability of potato and onion, India sometimes imposes minimum export price on these agri commodities. In a separate notification, the DGFT has restricted the number of countries to which certain chemicals under the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) category can be exported without licence. Earlier, the export was allowed to states party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) without an export licence. However, these shipments are permitted subject to certain conditions. The exporter will have to notify the national authority CWC, the Cabinet secretariat, the Department of Chemicals and Petro-chemicals, the Disarmament and International Security Affairs division of the external affairs ministry and the DGFT, within 30 days of such export in a prescribed format. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China must force the Indian troops to retreat "by all necessary means" and New Delhi must be "taught the rules", a nationalistic state-run daily here said today amidst a standoff in the Sikkim section of the Sino- India border. "The Indian government made no objection to the Sikkim section of the China-India border. Allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge, but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare," a hard-hitting op-ed in the Global Times said. The Nathu La pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006, because there is no border dispute between China and India over this area, it said. "It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government," the article said. "Whatever the motive is, China must stick to its bottomline. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," said the op-ed piece in the daily, that is known for its nationalist stance. As the China-India border has not been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas, it noted. "However, almost all frictions are fed to the Indian media by the Indian military which they hype time and again," the article said. "China avoids making an issue of the border disputes, which has indulged India's unruly provocations. This time, the Indian side needs to be taught the rules," the article said. India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial, the article said, adding that China has no desire to confront India. "Maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy. But this must be based on mutual respect. It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," it said. The article comes amid tension on the Sino-India border following a scuffle between the personnel of the Indian Army and the PLA, leading to Chinese troops damaging bunkers on the Indian side of the border. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and the US will soon sign a pact for enhancing bilateral security cooperation that will include sharing of information on terror groups and counter- terror initiatives. A meeting of the Union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved signing of a memorandum of cooperation between India and the United States on homeland security. The Union cabinet's nod to the agreement came hours after the prime minister returned from the US where he had his first meeting with President Donald Trump. The memorandum of cooperation will further strengthen bilateral security relations between India and the US, and will help in coordination and interactions among the six sub- groups that are proposed to be formed under the homeland security dialogue between the two countries, an official statement said. Combating trans-national crime, countering illicit financing, accessing and sharing of data relating to terrorism are among key issues which come under the India-US homeland security dialogue. Other issues which are part of the bilateral security cooperation mechanism include coastal security, cyber security, mega city policing, providing homeland security equipment to each other and capacity building, sources said. In the homeland security dialogue, the Indian side is headed by the home minister while the US is represented by its homeland security secretary. The senior-level exchange between India and the US reinforces the strategic homeland security partnership and enhance operational cooperation in investigations, capacity building, and countering threats. The engagement ensures sharing lessons learned and best practices in police training and responding to mass casualty exercises, improving both nations' capabilities to respond to terrorist incidents and natural disasters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Engineering exporters body EEPC India today said the 'Petya' malware will impact the country's shipments to nations affected by the cyber attack by disrupting traffic at the ports, including the JNPT in Mumbai. EEPC India Chairman T S Bhasin said JNPT port being impacted by the malware attack "has serious consequences for the country's exports, since the operations of loading and unloading get hit not only from the originating ports but also at the destinations of the shipments". "Not only our shipments get delayed for loading at JNPT in Mumbai, but with over a dozen countries affected by the computer malware, the impact would be serious and long felt, as there would be clogging of the cargo. Ironically, the cyber attack has come about when the Indian exports were on a revival path," Bhasin said. Industry body Assocham too said the government should dedicate massive resources for securing the country's IT systems and forge a powerful global alliance which could immediately swing into action. "Halting of the container movement at the JNPT, Mumbai following global cyber attack is a big warning as to how India is no more insulated from such deadly computer viruses which are unleashed to hit the lifeline of the economy," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said. He said it is time massive resources were committed both by the government, large and critical public sector entities like port authorities, airports, railways and the corporate sector firms across a wide spectrum of sectors for securing our systems against such cyber attacks. One of the terminals at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) port has been impacted by the 'Petya' malware, prompting the authorities to contain the disruption in fire- fighting mode. The attack, which comes within weeks of a similar cyber attack called WannaCry, has been spreading through Europe, and seems to be making its way into India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 15-day long joint military training exercise between the Indian and Thai army will begin from July 3 in Himachal Pradesh. The joint exercise between the two armies is an annual event. "The armies of India and Thailand are conducting the yearly joint training exercise named Ex Maitree 2017 from July 3 to July 17 at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh", a Defence spokesman said here. The spokesman said that approximately 50 troops from Royal Thailand Army and an equal number of Indian soldiers from the Northern Command will participate in the exercise. "The aim is to build and promote bilateralArmy-to-Army relations and enhance inter-operability between the two armies", he added. As part of the exercise the two armies will jointly plan and execute a series of drills for the neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in counter terrorism environment. The conduct of 'Ex Maitree 2017' would go a long way in enhancing defence cooperation between the two countries, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel hit Syrian regime positions tonight after stray mortar fire struck the occupied Golan Heights, in the third such exchange within a week. A military spokeswoman said a mortar round hit open ground in the Israeli-controlled zone of the plateau and "forces responded and targeted the Syrian army position that fired the mortar." She did not say if the Israeli retaliatory fire came from ground or air forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli troops shot dead an armed Palestinian who posed an "immediate threat" to them today during an operation to search for weapons in the occupied West Bank, the army said. The military statement did not say if he opened fire at soldiers and did not report any injured Israelis. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Italy has threatened to prevent vessels flying under foreign flags from disembarking migrants rescued in the Mediterranean in its ports, a source close to the government said today. "We can't go on like this," the source told AFP after media reported that Italy's representative to the European Union, Maurizio Massari, delivered a letter to the bloc warning that the country was considering closing its doors. Massari is said to have met the European Commissioner for Immigration, Dimitri Avramopoulos, to insist that the latest wave of people saved from rickety vessels in the Mediterranean had meant "the situation has become unsustainable". Rome is threatening to deny the landing of boats that have picked up people setting off from crisis-hit Libya and are not flying Italian flags, the reports said. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Italy was "asking certain European countries to stop looking the other way, because we cannot go on like this". The threat follows a poor performance by the ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) at local elections this weekend, where it lost heavily to the centre-right Forza Italia and the anti-immigrant Northern League party. The anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), which is running neck-and-neck in national polls with the PD, has followed the Northern League in demanding a stop to new arrivals -- particularly in the capital Rome. "I wonder whether the proposed measure is legal at all," said Mattia Toaldo, an expert on Libya at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Denying docking rights to ships who have rescued people in distress at high seas (a legal obligation for all vessels, including commercial ships) sounds dubious. "It sounds more like a desperate way to get Europe's attention than a real measure that can be implemented," he said. More than 10,000 people were pulled to safety between Sunday and Tuesday off Libya -- including 5,000 on Monday alone. While the Italian coastguard coordinates the operations, many ships sailing under foreign flags take part including several aid ships chartered by privately-funded organisations from France or Germany. The NGOs have already faced a fierce campaign to discredit them this year after an Italian prosecutor alleged their collusion with smugglers -- an accusation they said was political and designed to thwart their rescue efforts. Critics have said the NGOs attract traffickers by sailing close to the Libyan coast. They insist they have no choice, because smugglers put the migrants out to sea in flimsy vessels that sink as they reach international waters. The Maltese organisation Moas was the first to launch a private rescue vessel in the summer of 2014. By last summer close to ten different NGOs, financed mainly through private donations, were taking part in migrant relief operations off Libya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki's house has burned down in a massive fire on Monday night. The 42-year-old actor was not at the property at the time of the fire and is unharmed, reported Variety. "My heart goes out to all in the area who are also experiencing loss from this vicious fire, the threat of which we live with constantly, which may seem crazy to some but we do so because living in our beautiful, rural area makes it worthwhile. "...Once the smoke has cleared, literally and figuratively, it's a time to reach out and rebuild. We've done it before, and will need to do it together again...I know you guys are fighting the good fight to keep us safe. So very relieved no one has been hurt," Galecki said. The hideway home was in San Luis Obispo, located in between Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to the TMZ, the 1,200 acre fire burned down the ranch and other property on the estate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court in Kyrgyzstan has jailed three people convicted of orchestrating a bomb attack on China's embassy last year, a court spokesman said today. At least three people were wounded when a vehicle driven by a suicide bomber exploded after ramming through a gate at the embassy in the capital of the Central Asian country in August 2016. Khasamidin Ismailov was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the court in Bishkek on Tuesday, while Hikmatillo Abdulazhanov and Kunazim Mansirova were both given 10-year sentences, the spokesman told AFP. All three defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of helping organise and finance the attack which was carried out by a man whom security services in Kyrgyzstan claimed was a member of an anti-Beijing Uighur separatist group. Their lawyers have said they will appeal. Kyrgyz authorities have also claimed, without offering proof, that the plot was hatched by Syria-based militants with ties to the ex-Soviet Muslim-majority country. Chinese state media reported Tuesday that Kyrgyz border troops had taken part in a joint anti-terror exercise with their Chinese colleagues in the restive Uighur-populated region of Xinjiang, which borders ex-Soviet Central Asia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syria's government has taken seriously the US warning against launching another chemical weapons attack, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said today. Speaking to reporters traveling with him to Brussels, Mattis noted there has been no such attack since the White House issued a surprise statement Monday night that threatened President Bashar Assad's government with "a heavy price" if it used chemical weapons. The US says it saw active preparations at Syria's Shayrat airfield for using such weapons. Mattis wouldn't say what specifically triggered US concerns that an attack might be imminent. He said President Donald Trump has showed "how seriously we took them." Trump's approach has been designed to "dissuade" Syria from using chemical weapons, Mattis added. Syria and its allies, Russia and Iran, have rejected the US allegation and say Assad's forces never previously used chemical weapons. The US so far hasn't provided details to bolster this week's claim of a chemical attack being planned. The UN has ascribed responsibility to Assad's government for three previous attacks during Syria's six-year civil war. In April, Trump ordered almost 60 cruise missiles to be fired at the Shayrat base after accusing Syria of killing dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack. Asked if any chemical weapons activity beyond Shayrat has been seen, Mattis told reporters traveling with him to Brussels: "I think that Assad's chemical program goes far beyond one airfield. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar today filed her nomination in the presence of top Congress and opposition leaders and said it marked the beginning of her "fight for ideology". Kumar, 72, who filed her papers with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh by her side, will launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on June 30. Accompanying the former Lok Sabha speaker as she filed her nomination in Parliament House were a host of opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Sonia Gandhi and other top Congress and other opposition leaders were amongst those who proposed and seconded her nomination. "I have filed my nomination papers as the opposition candidate for the presidential election. Along with Sonia Gandhi, leaders of 16 opposition parties were also present as were members of the electoral college. "From today, our fight of ideology has started. This ideology is based on democratic values, inclusiveness in society, freedom of the press and individuals, end of poverty, transparency and destruction of caste structure," she said after filing her papers. She also said she doesn't merely believe in talking about about this ideology, but in implementing it. Kumar said she had already appealed to all members of the electoral college that this was a very important time when the country stood at a crossroads. "There is one path which takes us towards narrow- mindedness and no concern for the poor and downtrodden, while the other path leads to upliftment of Dalits, poor, oppressed, downtrodden, women and labour and people of all religions. "I have urged everyone to hear the voice of their inner conscience and take the country forward." She said she would reach Sabarmati, from where she draws strength and inspiration, tomorrow evening itself and would start her campaign the next day. From there, she would go to Mumbai and Bangalore and be in Bihar on July 6. She ends her campaign on July 15. The nomination papers will be scrutinised tomorrow. Kumar, who will contest against NDA's Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections, had said yesterday that it was a battle of ideologies and not a 'Dalit versus Dalit' fight as was being made out by some. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over a 100-strong mob attacked a Muslim man on the suspicion that he had slaughtered a cow after allegedly finding the carcass of a bovine near his house in Giridih district, the police said. The group raided the house of the man at Barieya village last night shortly after the carcass of a cow was allegedly found, they said. The police rescued the man from the marauding mob and admitted him to a local hospital, but later shifted him to a hospital in Dhanbad owing to the seriousness of his injuries, the police said. The man was out of danger, they said, adding that some persons were also injured in the clash between the mob and the police. They have been admitted to hospitals in Dhanbad and their condition has been stated to be stable. Ten persons have been detained and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in the area, Deputy Inspector General of Police Bhimsen Tuti told PTI. Jharkhand Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Ashish Batra said the matter was under investigation and a case has been registered at Deori police station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over a 100-strong mob attacked a man and thrashed him badly, suspecting him to be involved in slaughtering a cow, whose carcass was found near his house in a village in Giridih district, the police said. The mob raided the house of the man at Barieya village last night shortly after finding the carcass of the cow, the police officials said. The man was rescued by police from the marauding mob and admitted him to a local hospital, but was later shifted to another hospital in Dhanbad owing to the seriousness of his injuries, they said. Jharkhand Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Ashish Batra told PTI that the exact reason for the mob violence could not be immediately ascertained as it was under investigation. The man is currently out of danger, the police officials said adding that some persons were also injured in the clash between the mob and the police. They all have been admitted to hospitals in Dhanbad and their conditions have been stated to be stable. Ten persons have been detained and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC imposed after the incident to maintain law and order, said Deputy Inspector General of Police Bhimsen Tuti. A case was registered at Deori police station and an investigation has been launched into the incident, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India-US relations touched new heights following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with President with a lot of "key takeaways", Chinese official media commented today. It was the first working dinner with a head of government since Trump took over as the US president in January, a news analysis commentary in the state-run Xinhua news agency on Modi's US visit said. Trump, who said he was a "true friend" of India, cemented ties that had deepened during former president Barack Obama's regime with substantial contributions by his predecessors George W Bush and Bill Clinton, it said. "While the meeting had been pegged as a "get to know each other" one by diplomats from both the sides, there were a lot of key takeaways for the two countries in the visit," it said. "It is being seen incredible by experts keeping in mind the fact that New Delhi and Washington had a face-off earlier this month after President Trump rejected the Paris Agreement on climate change, accusing India of demanding money in exchange of implementing the pact. "With his 'low on expectations' visit to the White House, Modi succeeded in winning endorsement of the US on some vital areas of interest for India. The most important of these was a joint agreement by both the countries to fight terror globally and what is being allegedly penetrated on Pakistan's soil," the report said. The two leaders vowed to ensure strong cooperation on terrorism. Trump also issued a message to Pakistan to "expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups," it said. Before this, the US declared terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist which India had long been seeking. Besides terrorism, trade and economy also featured majorly in the meeting. To cement this, the US cleared the sale of predator Guardian drones to India in the wake of similar security interests across borders and sea, a first by a non-NATO country, the report said. "On his part, Modi displayed pragmatism in the meeting by putting 'America first' rather than push for his 'Make in India' initiative and did not touch on issues of contention like the climate pact or the H-1B visa issues on which the Trump administration has made its conservative stance clear. "This was a clear effort to break the ice with a government that is playing by its own rulebooks -- the move seemed to have worked well for India, especially since President Trump spoke of cuts in trade deficit and boost for Indian service exports," the report quoted experts as saying. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen co-operation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fifth visit to the US in three years has yielded "very little gains" for India, the CPI(M) claimed today. The CPI(M) also criticised the joint statement Modi and President Donald Trump issued, saying it "reconfirmed" India's status as a "subordinate" ally of the US. The Left party rued India's major concerns like the status of H1B visas, racial attacks on Indians in the US, and that country's withdrawal from Paris climate change commitments, allegedly found no mention during Modi's meeting with Trump. Instead, CPI(M) politburo alleged, Modi only committed that India will open its economy to the US. "Modi's fifth visit to the US during these three years has resulted in very little gains for India or even attention to be paid by the US to India's immediate concerns. "The joint statement issued with President Trump only reconfirms India's status as a subordinate ally of the USA," the politburo said in a statement. On Modi allegedly committing India will open its economy to the US, the politburo said that it is being done when India has sharply increased its purchase of American defence equipment, particularly USD 2 billion worth of aerial drones. The Left party also alleged that the government has for the first time joined the US in condemning North Korea and also aligned India with the US on the South China Sea dispute involving China and its neighbours. "What is worse is that India now appears to have subscribed to the US position of equating terrorism with Islam, negating India's longstanding position reiterated even by this government's spokespersons in India's Parliament on several occasions that terrorism in India knows no religion," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden meeting at the White House sent a clear message around the world that the Indo-US ties are going to be "substantially closer", Energy Secretary Rick Perry has said. "There was a picture yesterday that I happened to see, that I thought was very reflective. And it was of these two individuals (Trump and Modi) embracing each other. I think that was a clear message around the world that the United States and India are going to be substantially closer," Perry told reporters at a White House conference. Energy is going to play a "very, very important" role in that, said Perry, who a day earlier attended the White House dinner hosted by Trump in honour of Modi. The camaraderie between Modi and Trump was on full display as the two leaders heaped praise on each other, voiced appreciation for each other's leadership and embraced more than once at the White House. The two leaders underlined the close ties between their countries, with Trump saying India has a "true friend" in the White House. Talking about the working dinner, the first for a foreign dignitary at the White House under the current administration, Perry said in the energy sector LNG (liquefied natural gas), clean coal and nuclear energy cooperation was discussed. "Last night at dinner, we talked about the three areas of which there will be great back-and-forth cooperation; deal- making, if you will. One of those is in LNG. The other side of that is in clean coal. Thirdly is on the nuclear side," Perry said. "So there is great opportunity for India and the United States to become even stronger allies, stronger partners, energy being the glue that will hold that partnership together for a long, long time," he said in response to a question. The State Department described Modi's visit as successful. "The Indian Prime Minister Modi departed Washington last night after a successful trip to Washington. He went to the White House at the invitation of President Trump," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said and quoted President Trump who said yesterday, "The relationship between India and the United State has never been stronger and has never been better." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had also met Modi on Monday. "The two talked about ways to further strengthen our cooperation, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, defence, and also trade," she said. "The Secretary reaffirmed the administration's support for India's as the leading security provider in the Indo- Pacific region. He also noted that he looks forward to working even more closely with India on shared regional and global priorities, including North Korea," Heather said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a woman convict who was lodged in the Byculla prison here, a senior police official said today. The Commissioner of Mumbai Police has issued an order, as per which the crime branch will investigate the death of convict Manju Shette, the official said. The police had earlier suspended six jail staffers and booked them on the charge of murder. Manju (45) died at the government-run J J Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on June 23. The Byculla jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. The police had earlier said Manju, whose death triggered protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted in her private parts. "These allegations are part of an FIR filed against the jail staff. We are probing the matter," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-3), Akhilesh Singh had said. Following Manju's death, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went to the prison's terrace, while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea, who is lodged in the same prison, for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Indrani yesterday moved a Mumbai court alleging that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the convict's death triggered a protest in the prison. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Activists, a few film personalities and youth today staged a protest here, opposing 'community-targeted' mob lynchings. Actors Shabana Azmi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rajat Kapoor, Ranvir Shorey, Kalki Koechlin and social media activist Arpita Chatterjee were among those who participated in the protest held at Carter Road in suburban Bandra this evening. Braving rains, protesters marched silently, holding posters and placards bearing slogans. "Killing over food. Not in my Name," read a placard. "Today's protest was against the savage culture of mob lynching," journalist and author Rana Ayyub said. Speaking to PTI, Shabana Azmi said, "We are demanding a law against mob lynching. I am a proud citizen of my country. This protest that has happened across the country is not specifically in support of Junaid (victim of lynching on Mathura-Delhi train a few days ago). "It is not for Junaid alone....It's for all forms of mob lynching, be it of police officer in Srinagar or Junaid or anyone. There is no fear of law....They (culprits) know nobody will do anything. We must recognise that citizens coming together led to justice in Nirbhaya case, so we need do this more. The government needs to take notice and create fear of and the perpetrators should be punished," she said. TV actor Vikrant Massey, who also took part in the march, said, "Bollywood celebrities are also part of the country and I feel every common person needs to stand up against this.....It's not about minority and majority, let's not get into communal angle. We need to follow the law." The anti-lynching movement has gained traction after Saba Dewan, a documentary filmmaker, posted on Facebook about a protest she wanted to organise at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Similar marches have been held in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru. A member of the Bandra West Residents Association, who participated in today's protest, said the campaign, started with the hashtag #NotInMyName, is an attempt to 'reclaim the Constitution' and resist the 'onslaught' on the right to life and equality. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned the alliance must step up its defence against cyberattacks, saying they could potentially trigger their Article 5 mutual defence commitment. Computer users around the world were scrambling today to reboot systems after a tidal wave of ransomware cyberattacks spread from Ukraine and Russia across Europe to the United States and then on to Asia. It seemed to be very similar to the WannaCry ransomware which hit more than 200,000 users in more than 150 countries last month. Stoltenberg said the "attack in May and this week just underlines the importance of strengthening our cyber defences and that is what we are doing." "We exercise more, we share best practices and technology and we also work more and more closely with all allies," he told reporters ahead of a NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday at which cyber-security will be a key talking point. Stoltenberg recalled that NATO leaders had agreed last year that a cyber attack could be considered a threat sufficiently serious to warrant invoking the alliance's 'all for one, one for all' security guarantee. They also made cyber a NATO domain -- on a par with the traditional air, sea and land arms to become part of overall alliance planning and resource allocation. NATO was also helping Ukraine, the country first hit by Tuesday's cyberattack, with its online defences, Stoltenberg said. In the NATO context, the greatest fear is that another state would attack an ally's networks to undermine key industrial and civil society infrastructure without firing a shot. In the event, however, it seems non-state actors may be able to cause just as much mayhem. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voting began in Nepal today for the second phase of its local-level polls being held in the country after a gap of two decades -- an election crucial for cementing democracy in the country. More than 6.4 million people are eligible voters in the 35 districts of Provinces 1, 5 and 7 that have gone to polls in the second phase of the local level polls to elect more than 15,000 local representatives. The first phase of local polls was held on May 14 in Provinces 3, 4 and 6. Though the local polls were earlier scheduled for two phases, the second phase had to be postponed twice -- and a third phase had to be declared -- in a bid to accommodate the dissenting parties, including the Madhesis, that are yet to commit to the polls to be held in Province 2 on September 18. The Nepal government had earlier this month postponed the date of local-level elections in the disputed Madhesi- stronghold Province 2 by nearly three months, adding a third phase in the polls that will take place in September. A total of 8,364 polling centres have been designated for today's voting, the Himalayan Times reported. In the first phase of polls, the voter turnout was estimated to be 74 per cent. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba cast his vote in the second phase of polls this morning. In a brief statement, Deuba said the local level elections were held so that the villages' governments are established by the villagers themselves. He expressed a belief that the Constitution's full- fledged implementation will take its course once the local government is established, and that the development works will move forward efficiently, rapidly and transparently. The Election Commission said 62,408 candidates were contesting the second phase of elections. Votes will be cast secretly under the first-past-the-post electoral system on the basis of one post, one vote pattern. The Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday that the government had made fool-proof security arrangements to ensure that the second phase of local level elections took place in a free, fair and peaceful environment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nitish Kumar government today decided to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the wife of a native of Madhubani who was stabbed to death by a Pakistani man in Saudi Arabia after Pakistan lost to India in the ICC Champions Trophy league match. The decision was taken in the meeting of Bihar cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here. The state cabinet shared grief of the deceased family while approving a proposal of the Home department to this effect, principal secretary of Cabinet Coordination Department Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters. He said the meeting took it as a special circumstance and gave green signal to the proposal to give an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to wife of the victim, Mehrotra said. Mohammad Sohail of village Shivotar Tola Sakri under Sakri police station of Bihar's Madhubani district was allegedly stabbed to death by a Pakistani citizen in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on June 10 last. The Pakistani was a co-worker-cum-room partner of the 28-year-old deceased Mohammad Sohail. The killing was triggered by anger after Pakistan lost to India in a league match in the Champions Trophy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A meeting today on a national no-fly list for unruly passengers was inconclusive as top officials of the ministry of civil aviation debated whether airline crew and ground staff should also be covered in the list. A framework for a no-fly list for unruly passengers is in the last stages of being finalised and a top official had said that the rules would be made public in the first week of July. The government had last month made its draft rules on no-fly list public and invited stakeholders' comments. As part of this exercise several people wrote to the ministry calling the proposed rules "lopsided" and demanded airlines should also be held equally accountable for misbehaviour of their crew. But the meeting today to finalise the rules failed to draw a consensus on expanding the scope of the national-no fly list and to apply it to the airline crew and ground staff as well, said a ministry official. "Chairing an important meeting to finalise the 'No-fly' list regulations today. We should have the norms in place very soon," Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju had tweeted earlier today. The draft rules had defined three different categories of misdemeanours which would invite a ban ranging from three months to six months to an indefinite period. The Centre aims to establish a national no-fly list for unruly passengers in the aftermath of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting an Air India staffer onboard a plane in March. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 204 persons were arrested as a special team of the Haryana chief minister's flying squad conducted raids at 604 places across the state in crackdown on various offences. The raids were conducted since yesterday to clampdown on manufacture of spurious products, including illicit liquor, illegal plying of passenger and transport vehicles. Cases were lodged against those found involved in such illegal activities. As many as 160 criminal cases have been registered by the team at different police stations, and 210 persons were arrested, Inspector General of Police (CID) Anil Rao said here today. He said the team had raided 68 places and seized 30,000 kg of adulterated desi ghee, 22,000 litres of adulterated palm oil and 56,000 litres of adulterated mustard oil. Besides, samples have also been collected from factories manufacturing various food items and sent for lab-testing. A total 353 illegal gas cylinders were also recovered from various districts during the raids, he added. Rao said the team also busted a gang in Karnal involved in illegal trade of black oil and recovered 61,000 litre of black oil, 2,000 litre of waste black oil, 108 drums of tar and 45 bags of bitumen from them. The team also conducted raids at 56 places on those stealing electricity. Raids were also conducted at 111 locations and 1.50 lakh bottles of illicit country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), and beer were seized. The flying squad team also impounded 243 vehicles, including buses, maxi-cabs, overloaded trucks and dumpers during surprise checks. These vehicles were plying in an unauthorised manner. In a drive to check hospitals functioning without authorisation, the flying squad team arrested 10 quacks during and took action in 54 cases which are being investigated by the local police. The team also raided several places in connection with illegal mining and also seized vehicles involved in it, Rao said. Cracking down on drug trade in the state, ten location were raided and cases were lodged against the accused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 22-year-old Pakistani man has been jailed here for five years for stabbing his compatriot co- worker to death because he had a smelly feet, according to a media report. The man, an electrician, and his countryman co-worker were resting in the air-conditioned electricity room during a break in July last year. The co-worker slept on the floor and put his feet up facing the electrician's face, before the latter asked him to remove his feet because of the bad smell. When the co-worker refused, the two got into a heated argument that developed into a fight before other workmates intervened and stopped the brawl, the Gulf reported. The 22-year-old rushed to a nearby warehouse at the construction site where they had been working, came back with a razor and stabbed the co-worker in his neck. On-site surveillance cameras showed the electrician hiding the razor behind him before he attacked the victim three or four times. Medical reports said the victim, who was bleeding profusely, was rushed to the hospital in a critical state on July 26 and slipped into a coma. Despite several operations, he succumbed to his injuries on July 31. The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of killing his countryman. During trial, he had pleaded not guilty. "We had a fight and when he tried to assault me, I assaulted him back," the defendant told the court. The presiding judge said the accused will be deported after serving his jail term. A supervisor testified that the incident happened shortly after he had permitted the workers to go and rest in the electricity room because it had a cooler. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government is engaging with Danish firm AP Moller-Maersk to ensure that normalcy is restored at the earliest at the JNPT port that was hit by the 'Petya' ransomware attack. Speaking to PTI, National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai said he, along with state and port authority officials, are at the venue to assess the situation. "We are here to assess the situation and damage that has been caused to the systems of the Danish company. We are looking at how fast it can be restarted (at the terminal)," he said. Operations at the terminal of the nation's largest container port Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) were impacted last night as a fallout of the global ransomware attack, which has crippled some central banks and many large corporations across Europe. Rai said the government is extending all help to the Danish company to address the situation. "The ICT infrastructure installed, managed and operated by government authorities, central and state, are functioning efficiently," he added. Some of the biggest corporations, including Russia's largest oil company Rosneft, Ukraine's international airport, shipping firm AP Moller-Maersk, and advertising giant WPP have been affected by Petya, which comes close on the heels of the 'WannaCry' ransomware attack. In India, private port operator APM Terminals Pipavav's operations too have partially been hit by Petya. AP Moller-Maersk operates the Gateway Terminals India (GTI) at JNPT, which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units. "We have been informed that the operations at GTI have come to a standstill because their systems are down (due to the malware attack). They are trying to work manually," a senior JNPT official had said. The official explained that JNPT is trying to help the company, but there is little that others can do as the problem is with the systems. Fearing some clogging up of cargo, additional parking space is being made available, the official said, promising to help in any possible manner. Meanwhile, in a post on its website, AP Moller-Maersk said it has "contained" the issue and is working on a technical recovery plan with key IT partners and global cyber security agencies. "We have shut down a number of systems to help contain the issue... Precautionary measures have been taken to ensure continued operations," it added. The Indian government has already issued advisories to all critical sectors, including power to stay vigilant against any possible threats. According to sources, the country's nodal cyber security agency CERT-In is also in touch with international agencies in this regard. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today returned home after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. Modi, upon arrival, was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The highlight of his four-day trip was the US leg of the visit as Modi met President Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. Modi first visited Portugal, where he held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. Modi, on the final leg of his trip, visited the Netherlands and held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also addressed the Indian community there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today met Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at Leh and offered prayers at the Thikse monastery. Prabhu, who laid the foundation stone for the final location survey of the 498-km-long Bilaspur-Manali-Leh railway line at Leh yesterday, also offered his obeisance at the Pathar Saheb Gurudwara in Ladakh. "Pleasure to be in the divine presence of Dalai Lama on my visit to Leh," Prabhu tweeted after meeting the spiritual leader. The all-weather Leh rail network is one of the four important railway connectivities identified by the defence ministry along the China border and is a strategically vital project for the country. Prabhu will also lay the foundation stone for five halt railway stations on Baramulla-Qazigund section at a ceremonial programme in Srinagar tomorrow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) None would believe Mohammed Yusuf and Abdul Shakoor are rag pickers. They are among 94 Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar living near here after fleeing their home land in 2012 amid deadly sectarian violence that had displaced tens of thousands of their community members. Neatly dressed and, clean shaven, the duo present a picture of contrast to the squalor all around their dwelling unit, a ramshackle government-run cyclone shelter at Kelambakkam on the city outskirts. The refugees belong to 19 families comprising 47 children, 25 women and 22 men. Thankful to the government for providing them shelter, the refugees, many of whom are doing odd jobs including rag picking for livelihood, are looking for better accommodation and gainful employment. Besides, the men folk say they could get job as truck drivers if the government granted them driving licence. The refugees live in a ground plus one shelter known as 'round building' locally indicating its circular shape. They have apportioned the space in the shelter for each of the family by turning clothes as "walls," albeit in a messy fashion with things strewn around with flies swarming everywhere. Each family has a traditional earthen kitchen on the open ground where they use twigs and fire wood. While six families live on ground floor, eight are on the first floor and five have put up shacks on open ground around the building. Electricity bill is borne by the government and water is available too. Mild-dark complexioned and several of them wheatish, one would believe they are local Tamils but for their distinctive language 'Rohingya',with a liberal mix of Urdu and Hindi. Yusuf recounts the pain of leaving their homeland when violence and rioting escalated in 2012. "My sister was arrested and is still in jail there and several were dead in clashes and we decided to flee to Bangladesh, fearing for our lives," he told PTI. Recalling the ardous journey to Bangladesh by boat and from there to a West Bengal border hamlet, he says their group of 94 "moved on to Kolkatta,later boarded a train to Chennai." All along their journey, they had to give handsome money to 'dalals, (brokers), he says. "We arrived in Tamil Nadu in 2012 and were roaming here and there, doing odd jobs," he says,adding their "tryst with nomadic life" ended when police caught them by the end of 2014. "Police and local officials brought us here. The only condition that was imposed on us was we should not associate ourselves with local politics or political parties," he says. Before they arrived at the cyclone shelter, they had stayed put at several neighbourhoods in coastal Kancheepuram like Tiruporur. Profusely thanking the government for giving them a 'pucca building,' Syed Alam, a butcher in a local meat outlet says we request the government to give us better accommodation, since this place has just two toilets and cramped." While Syed Alam is seconded by all others, Shakoor says several men have one more request, which is a driving licence. He says if they get a driving licence they could find employment as truck drivers, "a job which has good demand." On the requests of Rohingyas, a senior State government official told PTI that it may take some time to respond in view of norms involved in respect of refugees. Interestingly, several of the menfolk were fishers back in Myanmar. Yusuf and Shakoor had to take to rag picking as they had little else to do when they arrived here. They and others do several odd jobs apart from rag picking. Pointing to fish carts known locally as "meen body vandi" parked around the building, they say they ferry construction material, rubble or whatever 'cargo,' comes their way. Located right on the arterial Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road, close to the Information Technology corridor on the OMR (Old Mahabalipuram Road), the shelter is bang opposite the local Government Primary Health Centre where the refugees go in case they were ill. "If needed, the hospital sends the patients in ambulances to district hospital for better care, there is worry on the healthcare front," Yusuf and others say. On what vocation they had pursued while back in Myanmar, Yusuf says he used to do 'trading of wares,' while several were labourers, small traders, and others were fishermen. Praising the local Tamils as a very helpful and caring lot, he says 'we are also able to do Namaaz here properly unlike back home" and points to a makeshift hut abutting the shelter which is 'our mosque.' The local masjid and Muslims are lending a helping hand to them. Hafiz Usman, a 23-year old youth is the 'Maulvi,' who teaches the Koran,besides Arabic and Urdu to the children. "He stays put in the shelter and also takes care of our children whenever needed. We pay him a honorarium plus grocery," Shakoor says. On communicating in the local language Usman says, "we are picking up words like Akka (sister), Anna (brother) and trying to learn Tamil." Yusuf and others pitch in saying 'our children who go to balwadi and local school are quite conversant in Tamil." Womenfolk, too shy to talk and busy with daily chores thanked local officials and UNHCR for helping them get 'Aadhar' cards. However, a section of them are yet to get Aadhar though they have registered seeking it. The refugees who hail from regions including Maungdan in Myanmar, have registered with the Foreigners' Registration Office (Police Superintendent), in Kancheepuram and have a Residential Permit issued by the authorities. M Ponnusamy, among a local 'Anna (brother),' who helps the refugees says they are good people who work hard to make a living. He said "some NGOs, and philanthropists are also helping them. Years ago there used to be Sri Lankan Tamils, now Rohingyas are here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia "assumes" that President Vladimir Putin will meet his US counterpart Donald Trump during next week's G20 summit in Germany, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today. Any such meeting would see the presidents address "several questions", Lavrov said, without elaborating other than to add that "above all, we must normalise dialogue" with Washington. "We assume that a meeting will take place, given that the two presidents will be in the same town at the same time, same building, even the same room," Lavrov said at a press conference with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. "It wouldn't be normal if they didn't talk," the top Russian diplomat added. The G20 leaders will meet in Hamburg on July 7 and 8. Gabriel welcomed the possibility that the summit could bring Trump and Putin, who have yet to meet, together. During last year's US presidential campaign, Trump often suggested he wanted improved ties with Russia. At the end of March, Putin said he was ready to meet with Trump at the G20 summit, but neither Moscow nor Washington has confirmed any such plan. "Above all, it is necessary to normalise dialogue, so that dialogue is based on the vital interests of Russia and the United States," said Lavrov, stressing that there are always meetings "on the margins" of a G20 summit. But tensions have been mounting between the two powers. On Monday The White House warned of possible reprisals against the Russian-backed Syrian regime, in response to intelligence suggesting President Bashar al-Assad may be preparing a chemical weapons attack. The following day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced the US "threats" against the Syrian regime which he called "unacceptable". If the US carries out its threat Russia will "react, in proportion to the situation," Lavrov said today. Meanwhile Pentagon chief Jim Mattis accused Putin of making international "mischief". Speaking to students in Germany to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan to rebuild World War II- ravaged Europe, Mattis said Russia had chosen to challenge the "secure and peaceful" post-war order. The Russian people's "leader making mischief beyond Russian borders will not restore their fortunes or rekindle their hope," he said, in an apparent reference to the Ukraine conflict and Moscow's alleged meddling in the US electoral process. US intelligence suspects that Putin orchestrated a sweeping presidential election campaign to tilt the vote in Trump's favour. But Trump declared himself the victim of the "greatest witch hunt" in American political history, refuting accusations that he tried to quash a probe into collusion between his campaign team and Russia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid a standoff in the Sikkim sector of the border, China today warned India that future visits of its pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass will depend on whether it will "correct its errors". Beijing also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector of the Sino-India border as "legitimate", asserting that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. "Donglang is part of China's territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesn't belong to Bhutan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesn't belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Lu defended China's decision to shut the Nathu La pass in Sikkim for Indian pilgrims, saying that China had agreed to open the route as the boundary there has been delineated with the consent of both the countries. "For a long time in the interest of India-China relations, China provided great conveniences to the Indian pilgrims. Based on the consensus between the two countries' leaders, and on the fact that the Sikkim sector boundary is delineated and recognised by two countries, the Chinese side in 2015 opened the Nathu La pass for Indian pilgrims," he said. For two years it worked well and in fact this year also the Chinese authorities had prepared for the reception of Indian pilgrims and informed the Indian side about it, Lu said. "Now the suspension of the same is an emergency response to the situation there. I want to stress that the resumption of pilgrims pass requires necessary atmosphere and conditions. So the liability of the same totally lies with the Indian side and when it will be reopened depends on when or whether the Indian side will correct its errors," he said. China also hinted that India was objecting to its efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have any diplomatic ties with Beijing. Taking a dig at India, Lu said Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We don't want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chicken's Neck. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Asked about whether there was any progress in the talks between India and Chinese officials over the border standoff, Lu said, "the Indian troops crossed the boundary at the Sikkim side to the Chinese territory." "This is different to what was before in India-China boundary. China has made solemn representations against the same. India should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China," he said. Meanwhile, Chinese think tanks speculated that India stopped the road construction on behalf of Bhutan. Lu last night also had justified the move to construct a road in the Sikkim sector, saying that the area is "undoubtedly" located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty on Sikkim. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Lu said. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. China had yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following are the top foreign stories at 2130 hours today: FGN 10 INDOUS-PENCE Washington: Vice President Mike Pence says he is planning to visit India soon and asserts that the Indo-US partnership has never looked brighter with the best days for the two nations yet to come. FGN11 INDOUS-DEFENCE-PENCE Washington: The US will help the Indian armed forces to obtain the resources and technology they need to support security in the region, Vice President Mike Pence says. FGN12 LD RANSOMWARE 'Ransomware' wave seemed aimed at old flaw and Ukraine San Francisco: A global wave of cyberattacks have exploited an already patched vulnerability in Windows software and appeared to have Ukraine as a primary target, according to computer security specialists. (AFP) FGN18 CHINA-PAK-2NDLD TERROR Beijing: China puts up a strong defence of its all- weather ally Pakistan saying it was at the frontlines of the fight against terrorism, a day after India and the US asked Islamabad to rein in cross-border terror. FGN19 CHINA-SIKKIM-OPED Beijing: China must force the Indian troops to retreat "by all necessary means" and New Delhi must be "taught the rules", a nationalistic state-run daily here says amidst a standoff in the Sikkim section of the Sino-India border. FGN20 CHINA-LDALL SIKKIM Beijing: Amid a standoff in the Sikkim sector of the border, China warns India that future visits of its pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass will depend on whether it will "correct its errors". FGN21 PAK-INDOUS-TERRORISM Islamabad: Pakistan accuses the US of "speaking India's language", says it seems the "blood of Kashmiris" is "not at all important" to America, a day after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Islamabad to rein in cross-border terrorism. FGN26 NKOREA-SKOREA-PARK Seoul: North Korea threatens to "impose the death penalty" on the South's former president Park Geun-Hye over an alleged plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-Un. (AFP) FGN28 NEPAL-2NDLD POLLS Kathmandu: Millions of Nepalese vote in the second phase of the country's first local-level polls in two decades as the Himalayan nation takes a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil. FGN29 CHINA-INDIA-BHUTAN Beijing: China virtually accuses India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. FGN30 UN-SYRIA-CIVILIANS Geneva: As many as 1,00,000 civilians are trapped in Syria's Raqa, as US-backed fighters battle to retake the city from the Islamic State group, the UN rights chief warns. (AFP) FGN31 RANSOMWARE-EUROPOL The Hague: A wave of cyberattacks hitting Europe and North America are similar to last month's WannaCry ransomware havoc, but appear potentially "more sophisticated," the European police agency says. (AFP) FGN33 NETHERLANDS-PM-LD BICYCLE The Hague: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives an unusual gift -- a bicycle -- from his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte after the two leaders met here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top stories from the southern region at 2130 hrs today. MES5 KL-BANK-CABINET Thiruvananthapuram: Moving a step forward in the formation of the proposed Kerala Co-Operative Bank, the state cabinet of the CPI(M) led LDF government approves in principle an expert committee report in this regard. MES6 PD-BEDI-FINANCES Puducherry: Lt Governor Kiran Bedi says the Puducherry government's administrative and fiscal performance has to be kept under close scrutiny by the Centre and it's agencies, especially with the surge of finances expected due to Smart City and infrastructure projects. MES8 TN-CATTLE-LATHICHARGE Palani (TN): Five persons injured in a clash between two groups here over transporting cattle in a lorry, allegedly in violation of norms, say police. MES9 KL-EDUCATION Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government decides to reconstitute the Higher Education Council by making necessary amendments in the Kerala Higher Education Council Act-2007. BES10 TL-SEEDS-ARREST Hyderabad: Four persons, including a woman, arrested for allegedly selling spurious cotton seeds to farmers through their firm. BES13 TL-RAO-BHARAT RATNA Hyderabad: Former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh K Rosaiah, two Telangana ministers and the state BJP chief say that the country's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, should be bestowed upon the former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. BES24 TL-BOREWELLS Hyderabad: Telangana government orders filling up of all non-functional borewells in the state by July 10, against the backdrop of a baby losing her life after accidentally falling into an uncovered borewell recently ,at a nearby village. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police in Poland said they had evacuated passengers from a train travelling from Warsaw to Berlin today after receiving a bomb threat. The train stopped in Mogilno, western Poland, after Poland's state railways received an email with the bomb threat. "We've evacuated several hundred people from the train," Mogilno police spokeswoman Magdalena Pollack told AFP. "A bomb squad is checking whether this is a false alarm," she added. Unlike several countries in Western Europe, Poland has no recent history of terrorism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Days after holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, US President Donald Trump would now host his new South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in for a dinner. "Tomorrow evening, the two will meet here at the White House, along with President Moon's wife, Madam Kim. They will have cocktails and then a dinner together here at the State Dining Room," a senior administration official told reporters giving a preview of the trip. North Korea and China are expected to dominate the talks between the two leaders in addition to bilateral and regional issues. Moon is scheduled to arrive in Washington on a three-day visit beginning today. "This is really a chance for the two presidents, both of whom are fairly early in their terms...This will the first opportunity for the two presidents to meet face-to-face and really to reaffirm the US-South Korea alliance, which the president has spoken of as a linchpin of peace and security in the region," said the senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. During the meeting, Trump would talk about American commitments and reaffirm his commitments to South Korea, especially in light of the very urgent threat posed by North Korea. "North Korea is going to be a major subject of conversation between the two; coordinating the two governments on our approach to the North Korea threat; and also talking on a range of other issues as well in the bilateral agreement, including trade," the official said. Responding to a question, the official said both the United States and S Korea share the same goal of complete dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. "That is the hard challenge that we've been wrestling with for a couple of decades now. It's the challenge that both of them have made clear that they are willing and capable of jointly coordinating on achieving that goal," the official said. Trade deficit is another issue likely to figure up prominently in the talks between the two leaders. Trump on Monday hosted Modi at the White House where he gave a guided tour of President's residence quarters, including the Lincoln bedroom and showed him a copy of Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address and the desk on which he wrote it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Turkish army and Syrian Kurdish militia have exchanged fire in northern Syria, the Turkish military said today, amid growing tensions in the border region. The army said in a statement that forces of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) had fired on pro-Ankara rebels close to the rebel-held town of Azaz in northern Syria late Tuesday. The Turkish military launched artillery fire on the YPG in retaliation, destroying several targets belonging to the group. No further details were given. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has waged an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984. Ankara worries that the YPG wants to carve out a Kurdish region in northern Syria, a step Turkey vehemently opposes. But the United States is openly arming the YPG, as it considers the Kurdish militia group the most effective fighting force against jihadists in Syria. Last August, Turkey launched its Euphrates Shield cross- border operation aimed at clearing the border zone in northern Syria of both YPG fighters and jihadists. The operation was wound up in March but Turkish leaders, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have not excluded a new cross-border offensive should the need arise. Turkish media reports have said in the past few days that Turkey has stepped up its presence in rebel-held areas in northern Syria amid the growing tensions with the YPG, though this has not been officially confirmed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today said it has arrested two police officials for allegedly accepting a bribe ofRs 2 lakh for not taking action in a case. However, one of them escaped from police custody while undergoing medical examination yesterday, but was caught this evening, an ACB official said. According to an ACB release, the arrested officers were identified as Inspector Subhash Govind Kale (55) and Sub -Inspector Sanjay Sitaram Chavhan (46), attached to Kuhi police station in rural Nagpur. The ACB said a hotelier had been locked in a land dispute with his brother and the latter recently filed a complaint against the former in Kuhi police station. The complaint related to alleged land encroachment by the hotelier. When the complaint came before Kale and Chavhan, they approached the hotelier and sought a Rs 4.5 lakh bribe for not proceeding against him in the case filed by his brother, the anti-corruption agency said. The hotelier agreed to pay the bribe and at the same time filed a complaint with the ACB (Nagpur) against the two police officials. Based on the complaint, a trap was laid yesterday and the two police officials were caught accepting the first instalment of Rs 2 lakh from the hotelier, the ACB said. However, Inspector Kale managed to escape from police custody while undergoing medical examination, but was apprehended this evening from Dhantoli area of the city, the ACB official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK has frozen foreign accounts allegedly belonging to Peter and Indrani Mukerjea in connection with a money laundering and corruption probe case against them. Government sources said authorities based in London have informed Indian investigating agencies about the freezing of certain bank accounts related to the former media baron couple. They said the United Kingdom (UK) authorities took the action subsequent to some Letters Rogatories (LRs) sent to them. It is understood, they said, that the LRs were sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after consultations with the CBI, in connection with its probe against the duo, INX media and others. LRs is the synonym for judicial requests that are sent to seek information from a foreign country to take forward a criminal probe against an Indian entity. The freezing of accounts was a result of increasing mutual cooperation between the two countries in matters of fight against black money and tax evasion, they said. The exact amount lying in these frozen accounts could not be immediately ascertained. The ED had recently filed a criminal case against the Mukerjea couple, INX media and others under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). They said the freezing of assets would help the probe agencies in taking their investigation forward and subsequently also seek attachment or seizure of these funds under Indian laws. They said a probe had found these accounts receiving funds from various foreign shores. As part of the PMLA case, the ED had also booked Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram and others apart from the Mukerjeas', after taking cognisance of a recent CBI FIR against them. The CBI, last month, had carried out searches at the homes and offices of Karti across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm (INX media) owned by the Mukerjeas' to scuttle a tax probe. The Chidambarams' had denied all the charges made against them. The CBI had filed its FIR against Karti and the Mukerjeas' on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct. Karti allegedly received money from INX Media for "using his influence" to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 1,00,000 civilians are trapped in Syria's Raqa, as US-backed fighters battle to retake the city from the Islamic State group, the UN rights chief warned today. "The intense bombardment of Al-Raqa over the past three weeks has reportedly left civilians terrified and confused about where they can seek refuge," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement, cautioning that "up to 1,00,000 civilians are effectively trapped as the air and ground offensive intensifies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Venezuela's embattled president has repeated claims of a US-backed coup attempt against him and angrily warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move. President Nicolas Maduro's comments came a day after he announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion. It was one of the more dramatic in a regular series of anti-US harangues by the socialist leader, 54, who is resisting opposition calls for elections to remove him. "If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence... We would fight," Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters yesterday. If a coup prevented his side fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, "we would achieve it by arms." He said that an armed intervention in his country would spark a crisis that would dwarf those caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Addressing Trump, he said: "You are responsible for restraining the madness of the Venezuelan right-wing." Clashes at daily street protests against Maduro over the past three months have left 76 people dead, prosecutors say. The opposition blames Maduro for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine in the oil-rich country. They regularly accuse him of repressing and jailing opponents. Judicial NGO Foro Penal says there are 383 political prisoners in Venezuela. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Jack Stubbs, Pavel Polityuk and Dustin Volz MOSCOW/KIEV/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major global cyber attack disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month. The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign, which began on Tuesday, underscored growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. Businesses in the Asia-Pacific region reported some disruptions on Wednesday with the operations of several European companies hit, including India's largest container port, although the impact on companies and governments across the wider region appeared to be limited. The ransomware virus includes code known as "Eternal Blue", which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used in last month's ransomware attack, named "WannaCry". "Cyber attacks can simply destroy us," said Kevin Johnson, chief executive of cyber security firm Secure Ideas. "Companies are just not doing what they are supposed to do to fix the problem." The virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corp's Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. More than 30 victims paid into the bitcoin account associated with the attack, according to a public ledger of transactions listed on blockchain.info. Microsoft said the virus could spread through a flaw that was patched in a security update in March. "We are continuing to investigate and will take appropriate action to protect customers," a spokesman for the company said, adding that Microsoft antivirus software detects and removes it. AUSTRALIA, INDIA HIT Operations at one of the three terminals of Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai, India's largest container port, were disrupted. The impacted terminal is operated by Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk, which also reported disruptions in Los Angeles. JNPT chairman Anil Diggikar told the port has been trying to clear containers manually and is operating at about a third of its capacity. India-based employees at Beiersdorf, makers of Nivea skin care products, and Reckitt Benckiser, which owns Enfamil and Lysol, told the ransomware attack had affected some of their systems. In Australia, a Cadbury chocolate factory was hit, a trade union official said. Production at the Hobart factory on the island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Cadbury owner Mondelez International Inc said in a statement overnight staff in various regions were experiencing technical problems but it was unclear whether this was due to a cyber attack. Cybersecurity firms Kaspersky Lab and FireEye Inc told they had detected attacks in other Asia-Pacific countries but did not provide details. Globally, Russia and Ukraine were most affected by the thousands of attacks, according to Kaspersky Lab, with other victims spread across countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. The total number of attacks was unknown. Security experts said they expected the impact to be smaller than WannaCry because many computers had been patched with Windows updates in the wake of the WannaCry ransom attack last month to protect them against attacks using Eternal Blue code. Still, the attack could be more dangerous than traditional strains of ransomware because it makes computers unresponsive and unable to reboot, Juniper Networks said in a blog post analysing the attack. Other security experts said they did not believe that the ransomware released on Tuesday had a "kill switch", meaning that it might be harder to stop than WannaCry was last month. Researchers said the attack may have borrowed malware code used in earlier ransomware campaigns known as "Petya" and "GoldenEye". Following last month's attack, governments, security firms and industrial groups aggressively advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft patches to defend against the threat. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was monitoring the attacks and coordinating with other countries. It advised victims not to pay the extortion, saying that doing so did not guarantee access would be restored. 'DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME' The White House National Security Council said in a statement there was currently no risk to public safety. The United States was investigating the attack and determined to hold those responsible accountable, it said. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment. The spy agency has not said publicly whether it built Eternal Blue and other hacking tools leaked online by an entity known as Shadow Brokers. Several private security experts have said they believe Shadow Brokers is tied to the Russian government, and that the North Korean government was behind WannaCry. Both countries' governments deny charges they are involved in hacking. The first attacks were reported from Russia and Ukraine. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but said oil production had not been affected because it switched over to backup systems. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko said the government's computer network went down and the central bank reported disruption to operations at banks and firms, including the state power distributor. WPP, the world's largest advertising agency, said it was also infected. A WPP employee who asked not to be identified said workers were told to shut down their computers. "The building has come to a standstill," the employee said. A Ukrainian media company said its computers were blocked and had received the ransom demand. "Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service," the message said, according to a screenshot posted on Ukraine's Channel 24. Russia's central bank said there were isolated cases of lenders' IT systems being infected. One consumer lender, Home Credit, had to suspend client operations. (Reporting by European bureaux, Dustin Volz in WASHINGTON, Abhirup Roy in MUMBAI, Byron Kaye in SYDNEY, and Jeremy Wagstaff in SINGAPORE; Writing by Christian Lowe, Jim Finkle and Sam Holmes; Editing by Bill Rigby, Tom Brown and Paul Tait) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Timothy Mclaughlin (Reuters) - Beef Products Inc has settled a closely watched defamation lawsuit against American Broadcasting Co and its reporter Jim Avila, the meat processor said on Wednesday. BPI had claimed that ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co, and Avila defamed the company by calling its ground-beef product "pink slime" and making errors and omissions in a 2012 report. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. BPI attorney Dan Webb told the settlement came together "quickly this week," but declined to provide further details, citing a confidentiality agreement signed by both parties. BPI's signature product, commonly mixed into ground beef, is made from beef chunks, including trimmings, and exposed to bursts of ammonium hydroxide to kill E. coli and other contaminants. "While this has not been an easy road to travel, it was necessary to begin rectifying the harm we suffered as a result of what we believed to be biased and baseless reporting in 2012," South Dakota-based BPI said in a statement. "Through this process, we have again established what we all know to be true about Lean Finely Textured Beef: it is beef, and is safe, wholesome, and nutritious." ABC stood by its reporting, which it has said deserved protection under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment which guarantees freedom of religion, speech and the press. "Throughout this case, we have maintained that our reports accurately presented the facts and views of knowledgeable people about this product," ABC said in a statement confirming the settlement. "Although we have concluded that continued litigation of this case is not in the company's interests, we remain committed to the vigorous pursuit of truth and the consumer's right to know about the products they purchase." The trial began earlier this month in the tiny town of Elk Point, South Dakota, and had been expected to last eight weeks. BPI had claimed up to $1.9 billion in damages, which could have been tripled to $5.7 billion under South Dakota's Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act. During its reports, ABC used the term "pink slime" more than 350 times across six different media platforms including TV and online, Webb said during opening statements on June 5. In the aftermath of ABC's broadcasts, BPI closed three of its four processing plants and said its revenue dropped 80 percent to $130 million. The company had around 1,300 employees before the reports. Some 700 were let go shortly after, Erik Connolly, a BPI attorney, told on Wednesday. "If inaccurate information is being put out there by a organization, particularly one with a powerful reach, it can cause tremendous damage," he said. "There are real consequences to that for real people." Attorneys for ABC countered in opening arguments that the term was commonly used before ABC's reports and said that BPI's business was already suffering. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Phil Berlowitz) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Scott DiSavino NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil futures climbed on Wednesday to their highest in more than a week despite a surprise build in crude inventories, as buyers were encouraged by a small weekly decrease in U.S. production. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said crude stocks rose by 118,000 barrels during the week ended June 23, while weekly production declined by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 9.3 bpd. "Most interesting thing is crude oil production was down ... which is a significant decline given the increases in previous weeks," Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston, said. Lipow said production was most likely pressured by a storm in the Gulf of Mexico last week. Also, the production decline came after U.S. output reached almost 9.4 million bpd during the prior week, the most since August 2015. Brent futures were up 55 cents, or 1.2 percent at $47.20 a barrel by 11:28 a.m. EDT (1528 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 44 cents, or 1 percent, at $44.68 per barrel. That was the highest since June 19 for both contracts, which are on track for a fifth straight day of gains for the first time since mid May. Both contracts were up about 5 percent since June 21 when Brent fell to a seven-month low of $44.35 and U.S. fell to a 10-month low of $42.05. Oil rose after the EIA's weekly inventory report, even though data showed a build instead of the 2.6 million barrel draw that analysts had forecast in a poll. Some analysts believe the sell-off was overdone. Ian Taylor, head of the world's largest independent oil trader Vitol, said Brent will stay in a range of $40-$55 a barrel for the next few quarters as higher U.S. production slows a rebalancing of the market. Analysts at JBC Energy in a report saw room for prices to recover. "While the physical crude market remains steady at best, it is worth noting there is now significant room for speculative support for prices to develop if a catalyst were to emerge," JBC said. Still, global supplies are still ample despite the output cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producing countries of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) from January 2017. OPEC and the other producers, trying to reduce a crude glut, agreed in May to extend the supply cut through March 2018. Still, crude prices have been pressured on rising production from the United States and from Nigeria and Libya, two OPEC members exempt from cutting output. OPEC delegates have said they will not rush to cut crude output further or end the exemptions, although a meeting in Russia next month is likely to consider further steps to support the market. (Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Edmund Blair and Elaine Hardcastle) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new global ransomware attack, called Petya or NotPetya , exploits the same vulnerability as the WannaCry attack back in May. As Petya spreads across Europe , its becoming clear how few people and companies including major corporations actually update their software, even in the wake of major cyberattacks. WannaCry could have been avoided, or at least made much less serious, if people (and companies) kept their computer software up to date. The WannaCry attack demonstrated how hundreds of thousands of computers in more than 150 countries are running outdated software that leaves them vulnerable. The victims included Britains National Health Service, logistics giant FedEx, Spanish telecom powerhouse Telefonica and even the Russian Interior Ministry. The year-long wait is over for 50 lakh central government employees as the Union Cabinet approved recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission on allowances, reported news agency ANI quoting sources. It has been four weeks since the Empowered Committee of Secretaries handed over its proposals regarding allowances awarded by the 7th Pay Commission to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was to present them before the Cabinet for approval. It has not been possible due to either him or Prime Minister Narendra Modi being on frequent foreign visits during the last month. Here are updates on Cabinet decision on 7th Pay Commission and changes in allowance structure: 7:25 PM: The recommendations of Pay Commission regarding central government employees have been approved and improved upon, says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while addresing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting 6:58 PM: The Union Cabinet might approve higher allowance rates to compensate for the wait central government employees had to go through 6:49 PM: With PM Narendra Modi heading the Cabinet meeting after returning from his three-nation visit, a lot of important decisions are expected. But central government employees are all ears for news on 7th Pay Commission awards on allowances only 6:33 PM: Cabinet approves recommendations of 7th Pay Commission on allowances, ANI quotes sources 6:15 PM: Cabinet briefing took take place today evening at 6:15 PM at PIB Conference Hall, Shastri Bhawan tweeted Frank Noronha (Principal Spokesperson, Government of India & Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau) Flying in the black for the second year straight, Air India Express today reported net profit of Rs 296.7 crore for 2016-17, helped primarily by higher revenues and reduced costs. The low cost arm of state-owned Air India however saw its net profit fall from Rs 361.68 crore in financial year ended March 2016. Air India Express' remaining profitable assumes significance amid the government looking at various options, including possible privatisation, to revive debt-laden Air India. The results were approved by the airline's board during the meeting held here today. "The net profit earned in 2016-17 is particularly significant as the competition from Indian private carriers increased considerably during the year," Air India Express CEO K Shyam Sundar told PTI. "There was also the sluggishness of Gulf economies where 90 per cent of our capacities are deployed and the large increase in capacity offered by the airline, we had to strive harder to achieve this success," he said. The airline saw its revenue rise 14 per cent to Rs 3,335 crore. It has been registering operating profit for the last four years. "Prudent commercial and management interventions including better utilisation of its assets gave rise to reduction of about 5-7 per cent in unit costs contributing to the positive financial outcome. Average daily aircraft utilisation rose to 12.2 hours from 11.3 hours," the airline said in a press release. Air India Express, which started operations in 2005, has 545 weekly departures and flew 3.4 million passengers in 2016 -17. The carrier has a fleet of 23 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, each having a seating capacity for 189 people. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Union Cabinet has given in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India. Last week, union minister Jayant Sinha informed that inter-ministerial consultations on the future course of action for Air India had been completed and the Cabinet would decide on how best to move forward. Staying afloat on little over Rs 30,000 crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA regime, Air India is working on ways to improve its financial position amid stiff competition. The Civil Aviation Ministry is already looking into the recommendations made by NITI Aayog for the national carriers revival. Talks about privatising Air India have been going on for a month. It all started with an interview that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley gave to DD News where he said that if private airlines could handle 86 per cent passengers then they could also handle 100 per cent. While Air India's market share is just around 14 per cent, its debt burden has piled up to reach Rs 50,000 crore. Of the total debt, Rs 20,000-25,000 crore is related to aircraft valuation. Days after Jaitley's comments, the National Institution for Transforming India or NITI Aayog also rooted for its disinvestment. But a few days later, Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju admitted that finding a scapegoat - in the form of a strategic investor - might not be easy. And it was felt that even as the government machinery was pulling out all the stops to find a suitor, the sell-off could be tricky. However, last week it was reported that Tata Group was considering buying debt-ridden national carrier from the government in partnership with Singapore Airlines. Air India was founded by JRD Tata as Tata Airlines in 1932 which was nationalised in 1953. It is the third serious attempt by the Indian government to sell off Air India. In 1999, when Jaitley was the Disinvestment Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, he came up with a similar proposal, but it did not materialise. (With inputs from PTI) Finance minister Arun Jaitley held an inter-ministerial meeting on Tuesday to weigh risks related to virtual currencies (VCs) like bitcoins. Although several issues concerning bitcoins were discussed, no decision was taken, sources said. The meeting was attended by IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, economic affairs Secretary Tapan Ray, financial services secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal and other senior officials. The government has been debating over issues concerning bitcoins. Last month, it sought public opinion on allowing virtual currencies. The circulation of VCs has been a cause of concern among central bankers the world over for quite a while now. Reserve Bank of India had also cautioned the users, holders and traders of VCs, including bitcoins. How are Bitcoins created? Unlike paper currencies, Bitcoins cannot be minted, they can only be mined. There are only 21 million bitcoins that have been created. At present, only 16.8 million or 80 per cent of all the bitcoins have been mined. How to buy Bitcoins? You can look for various digital currency exchanges to buy bitcoin. You can purchase Bitcoins with a credit card. Coinbase.com and Coindesk.com are the most popular exchanges. They also offer tutorials on digital currencies. In India, you can purchase Bitcoin from Zebpay exchange. Zebpay has Android and iPhone app which lets you link your bank account for quick transfers. You can buy Bitcoins by making a payment to Zebpay's bank account. You can also withdraw the money to your bank account, and track data on Bitcoin valuation in the country. There is a KYC requirement and you need to verify your ID by simply clicking a photo of your PAN card. Unocoin, another India-based exchange, lets you trade Bitcoins. They can help you buy, sell, store, use and accept bitcoin. The company claims it has over 1,50,000 customers. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government going the whole hog to make India a less cash economy, digital cryptocurrency has caught the attention of many Indians. Post demonetisation, leading Bitcoin exchanges in India witnessed a rise in user base by up to 250 per cent. Sathvik Vishwanath, CEO of popular bitcoin wallet Unocoin had told BT that after demonetisation demand from India has increased manifold. Sandeep Goenka, CEO of Zebpay, one of the largest bitcoin exchanges in the country had said, "Indians are enquiring about bitcoins as an alternative and safe investment option. They are downloading Zebpay as they want to experiment with digital currencies. There has been a 50% increase in Zebpay downloads." To be able to store Bitcoins, you'll need a wallet which can be in your computer or smartphone. You can back up the wallet at another location so that you don't lose data if your hard drive crashes. Depending on your requirement, you can choose a wallet. How much returns can you get if you invest in Bitcoins? The decentralized virtual currency that took the world by storm has witnessed a 300 per cent rise in value in just one year. Its value hit an all-time high when Japan passed a law to accept bitcoin as a legal payment method. Despite RBI's reluctance to recognize the cyptocurrency, the interest in Bitcoins in India has not waned. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move, Ahmedabad-based bitcoin trading start-up Zebpay witnessed a 25 per cent surge in revenue. Unocoin, another bitcoin trading firm which had received funds from Blume Ventures, saw a threefold rise in its user base to 1,20,000 following demonetisation. Value of Bitcoins may not come down as there are limited number of Bitcoins and everyday more and more people are showing interest in investing in the cryptocurrency. Are Bitcoins legal in India? Even as economies like Japan and Russia move to legalize the use of Bitcoins, India, despite being at the cusp of a digital revolution is yet to officially recognize the cryptocurrency. India's central bank, the Reserve bank of India or the RBI, which regulates Indian rupee, had earlier cautioned users, holders and traders of Virtual currencies (VCs), including Bitcoins. "The creation, trading or usage of VCs including Bitcoins, as a medium for payment are not authorised by any central bank or monetary authority. No regulatory approvals, registration or authorisation is stated to have been obtained by the entities concerned for carrying on such activities," the central bank had said. In March, RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi warned against crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin. "They pose potential financial, legal, customer protection and security-related risks," Gandhi said. "Payments by such currencies are on a peer-to- peer basis and there is no established framework for recourse to customer problems, disputes, etc. Legal status is definitely not there," he added. However, the central bank hasn't unequivocally banned Bitcoins in the country. Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin Although Bitcoin is yet to become mainstream in India, the underlying technology behind it, the blockchain technology has caught the attention of several Indian banks. Last year, ICICI Bank announced that it successfully executed transactions in international trade finance and remittances using blockchain technology. Buying a house in Delhi is not easy, at least not for the middle class. Flats are expensive and way beyond what an average earning resident in the city can afford. This is the reason, in recent years, residential towers have mushroomed in NCR - Gurugram, Noida, Greater Noida, Gaziabad and Faridabad. But those who stay in rented apartments and dream of owning a house in Delhi, instead of the NCR, continue to pin their hopes on the DDA schemes. The new DDA scheme is expected to launch on June 30, according to reports. DDA will make the forms available in banks in Delhi from June 30 to August 9. About 13,000 flats will be up for grabs under the scheme. A total of 350 houses in the scheme are believed to be two-room middle income group (MIG) flats, while the rest are janta or LIG (one-bedroom) flats. Meanwhile, union minister Vijay Goel has urged Lt Governor Anil Baijal to review the allotment policy of the DDA schemes. Goel believes people living in Delhi for the past three years should be preference among buyers. "Flats or plots should be offered to persons who have been staying in Delhi for at least a period of three years and those people who are working here. In case it is found difficult to implement the policy in full, 20 per cent may be offered to the people from outside," the PTI quoted Goel as saying. In fact, Goel has written a letter to the Lt Governor, saying the DDAs allotment policy is important for the survival of the middle class and people belonging to the poor-income groups who look at DDA flats as the only means of affordable housing in the national capital. Goel said as per the extant allotment policy, DDA flats or plots are offered on a national basis "without considering the requirements of Delhiites who are already living here". The Lt Governor is also the chairman of the Delhi Development Authority. Goel alleged that the actual allotment of a large number of flats or plots is made to persons who are not residents of Delhi. "Due to non-allotment of plots or flats, gross injustice is done to the residents of Delhi, especially to those who leave their native places, to live in clusters and JJ colonies in Delhi," he said. He further said that many people from outside of Delhi, who are allotted flats or plots by the DDA, do not intend to settle down in Delhi, but take these properties to sell them off at a premium. Goel also underlined that overbooking of flats by people from all over the country also puts lot of pressure on the DDA. (With inputs from PTI) You may be worrying over the fact that it is almost the end of June, but your employer has not issued Form 16 - a certification which validates that taxes have been duly deducted from your salary. This form is of immense help when it comes to filing income tax returns, and it also provides a much-needed verification, stating that TDS (tax deducted at source) has been made on your salary. However, if your employer has not yet issued your Form 16, there are other ways to help you file income tax returns even without that all-important document. Guidelines issued under Income Tax Act The Income-Tax Act instructs that employers should issue the TDS certificate on or before June 15 every year, right after the financial year comes to an end when tax deduction happens. Failing to issue Form 16 to employees after TDS has been made can result in consequences where the employer will possibly face a penalty of Rs 100 every day until the certificate is issued. There are no legal solutions that can help an employee build a case against the employer even if the latter has not issued Form 16. However, an employee can report the matter to the concerned assessing officer, who will, in turn, take corrective measures and if necessary, will even initiate a penalty case against the employer. Some common misconceptions regarding Form 16 are: Employees unfamiliar with taxation think Form 16 is a salary certificate. Also, many assume that filing Income Tax Returns cannot be done in the absence of Form 16. In reality, even though Form 16 makes ITR filing much more convenient, it is not the only certificate that can be used as a verification for returns claim. In the absence of Form 16, the next best way to calculate your income from salary can be done with your payslip. But first things first. Deduct the non-taxable elements from your total income such as house rent allowance, leave travel allowance and any reimbursements. Taxpayers filing for ITR2A, ITR-2 and ITR-4 will have to produce a precise structure of the allowance break-up and perquisites that will be exempted from taxation. The overall salary break-up can be obtained from your salary portal or the human resource department of your company. While filing for returns, make sure that your income from sources other than your salary is also mentioned. Details on interests earned from bank savings account/s can be recovered from the bank statement or Form 26AS. Tax experts suggest that taxpayers must declare their rental earnings, capital gains, income from savings bank accounts, cash gifts received from a non-relative (above Rs 50,000) and even those incomes that are exempted from taxation (the dividend income). Don't have Form 16? Just refer to Form 26AS All the credentials required for filing ITR claims can be furnished from Form 26AS as well. Next to Form 16, Form 26AS is the most reliable source for verifying your entries. The details recorded in Form 26AS, which will help you in filing for tax returns, are listed below: All the income you earn from sources other than your salary The amount of TDS Statements of large-value transactions carried out by you within the financial year Income from sale of immovable property Part D of Form 26AS will provide all the verifications regarding your tax payment challan (s) numbers. If you have made payments towards an advance tax, it must be mentioned while filing income tax returns. It is also crucial to cross-check every detail meticulously as per the information given in Form 26AS because there have been many recent cases where the income tax returns filed by taxpayers mismatched the information reflected in the form. You must be cautious while filing tax returns. You should especially be wary if your employer is under some financial crunch. Reverify the TDS figures because many records show situations where TDS from employees had been deducted, but the deducted amounts had not been submitted by the employers to the government. Following the correct tax filing norms as a taxpaying Indian citizen will give you the right to avail the benefits of tax returns while educating you on the responsibilities of paying taxes on time. Vikas Dahiya is Founder and Director of All India ITR Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar on Wednesday filed her nomination in the presence of top Congress and other opposition leaders and said it marked the beginning of her "fight of ideology". Kumar, 72, who filed her papers with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh by her side, will launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on June 30. Accompanying the former Lok Sabha speaker as she filed her nomination in Parliament House were a host of opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury. "For us, it is a battle of ideologies, principles and truth and we will fight it," Gandhi said after the nomination filing. The Congress was represented by all its chief ministers - Amarinder Singh, Siddharamaiah, Virbhadra Singh, V Narayanasamy, Mukul Sangma - and its top leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ambika Soni. Former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh attended the event as well. Also present were CPI's D Raja, DMK's Kanimozhi, SP's Naresh Agrawal, BSP's Satish Chandra Misra, NCP's Tariq Anwar, JMM's Sanjeev Kumar and TMC's Derek O'Brien and leaders of other opposition parties. Sonia Gandhi and other top Congress and opposition leaders were amongst those who proposed and seconded Kumar's nomination. "I have filed my nomination papers as the opposition candidate for the presidential election. Along with Sonia Gandhi, leaders of 16 opposition parties were also present as were members of the electoral college. "From today, our fight of ideology has started. This ideology is based on democratic values, inclusiveness in society, freedom of the press and individuals, end of poverty, transparency and destruction of caste structure," Kumar said after filing her papers. She also said she doesn't merely believe in talking about about this ideology, but in implementing it. Kumar said she had already appealed to all members of the electoral college that this was a very important time when the country stood at a crossroads. "There is one path which takes us towards narrow- mindedness and no concern for the poor and downtrodden, while the other path leads to upliftment of Dalits, poor, oppressed, downtrodden, women and labour and people of all religions. "I have urged everyone to hear the voice of their inner conscience and take the country forward," the former speaker said. She said she would reach Sabarmati, from where she draws strength and inspiration, tomorrow evening itself and would start her campaign the next day. From there, she would go to Mumbai and Bangalore and be in Bihar on July 6. She ends her campaign on July 15. The nomination papers will be scrutinised tomorrow. Kumar, who will contest against NDA's Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections, had said yesterday that it was a battle of ideologies and not a 'Dalit versus Dalit' fight as was being made out by some. It was expected to be the jewel in Tata Power's crown. But is instead proving to be a millstone around the company's neck, one that it is reportedly trying to get off its back. In the third week of June 2017, the company sent a proposal to the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam to buy 51 per cent equity in the 4,000 MW Mundra Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) for Rs 1. The reason is huge losses on account of increase in prices of coal it imports for the plant from Indonesia. It had won the contract to build and operate the project in December 2006 after an intense bidding war. It quoted Rs 2.26 per unit, based on the assumption that it would use Grade 4 coal from Indonesia (coal of gross calorific value 6,322) which then cost $49.79 per metric tonne (MT). Accordingly, the company acquired coal assets in Indonesia and floated a company to ship coal to India. The power ministry floated a special purpose vehicle for the project - Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL) - for Mundra and transferred it to Tata Power. Now, CGPL is Tata Power's 100 per cent subsidiary. Though construction began only in 2008, Tata Power achieved the goal of completing the first unit (800 MW) by March 2012, two years ahead of the time mentioned in the bid norms. "We took only 54 months to commission the first unit, which is a record," Keshavraj Athavale, General Manager, CGPL, who handled the construction, had said then. But by then, calamity had struck: the Indonesian government had decreed the previous year that all long-term contracts for export of coal after September 23, 2011, would have to be at the prevailing global benchmark price, which for this particular type of coal was then $96.65 per MT. CGPL's input cost for the 12 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA) it needed to run the plant nearly doubled, making the tariff it had quoted unviable. Tata Power is still recovering from the shock. One of the oldest power companies in the country, started in 1910 - and the company which first lit up Mumbai - it, however, began expanding fast only a few years ago. By 2008, it had an installed capacity of 2,365 MW and hoped to reach 12,600 MW by March 2013, with a goal of 20,000 MW by 2025. Despite the coal setback, it completed all five units of the project by March 2013, even as Anil Sardana took over as managing director in January 2011. Sardana has been struggling to find a way out of the crisis. Other Tata Power projects are doing well, but CGPL, which accounts for 40 per cent capacity, is eating away its profits. Total debt rose from Rs 35,359 crore in 2012 to Rs 48,820 crore (net debt is Rs 47,781 crore) by end-March 2017, with interest payments going up from Rs 1,527 crore to Rs 3,114 crore in the period. The debt-equity ratio is 3.09, and needs to be lowered to around 2.33, considered healthy for a company the size of Tata Power. The 20,000 MW dream, and Mundra expansion, are on hold. Adverse Order CGPL has coped as best as it could by using coal from other destinations such as Colombia and the US and blending it with cheaper domestic coal. "But this is a super critical unit whose design cannot take large quantities of blended coal," K.K. Sharma, CEO and Executive Director, CGPL, had said during the peak coal crisis period. The company moved the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) pointing out the unexpected rise in coal price and sought relief (rival Adani Power, which has also set up a 4,000 MW plant at Mundra and was similarly affected, also appealed.) In 2014, CERC passed an order allowing the two companies to recover compensatory tariffs from the five state discoms with which they had signed power purchase agreements (PPAs). But the discoms balked and appealed to the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) against the CERC order. APTEL agreed with CERC, maintaining that the Indonesian policy change did qualify as a "force majeure" event - an unforeseen circumstance preventing the fulfilment of a contract - for which there was a provision in the PPA for reviewing the tariff. The discoms then appealed to the Supreme Court which, on April 11 this year, set aside the APTEL order, maintaining that consumers should not have to bear the brunt of changes in international laws. After this, tariff increase is virtually ruled out, but Tata Power is still seeking advice on whether it can appeal again to CERC for tariff change. It has so far invested Rs 18,000 crore in the project - Rs 6,200 crore equity and the rest as loans, mainly from a consortium of Indian banks led by SBI, ADB and IFC. "The interest burden started from 2013. Annually, we pay over Rs 1,000 crore as interest and repayment," says Sardana. "We have paid Rs 4,000 crore principal. The Mundra debt is now Rs 10,000 crore." The smaller loans from local banks have been restructured, but immediate priority is doing the same with the ones from ADB and IFC. CGPL's under-recovery was as high as 30 paise per unit in 2015/16 and 60 paise in 2016/17, leading to net losses of Rs 849 crore and Rs 999 crore, respectively. Operating income in the two years was Rs 5,908 crore and Rs 6,112 crore, respectively. These losses would have been even higher were they not offset by the stakes in coal mining companies in Indonesia and logistics companies - including a shipping company - Tata Power acquired as part of the Mundra project. Revenues from the mining companies were Rs 7,862 crore in 2016/17 with profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 854 crore, while the logistics companies earned Rs 709 crore with PAT of Rs 204 crore. But this is not enough. "We believe profits from the Indonesian mines are not sufficient to cover Mundra's losses at current prices," Hiren Trivedi and Kiran Gawle, analysts with Axis Securities, said in a report. This is due to not only the high cost of importing coal but also "the high tax (45 per cent income tax), double taxation on dividends (10 per cent in Indonesia, and 15 per cent in India) and no tax savings from the $900 million debt for the Indonesian mines as they are housed in a separate SPV." They estimate coal mining cash inflow at $53 million a year as against the $80 million loss from Mundra. Though coal prices have fallen since 2012, and the grade of coal the Mundra plant needs costs $70 per MT, this is not enough for the plant to turn the corner. "If coal prices fall further and procurers pay 40-50 paisa more on average, we could manage," says Sardana. "Rs 2.26 per unit is a dream cost. You are still getting the cheapest power if you pay Rs 2.60 or Rs 2.70 per unit." Sardana is considering several options to reduce debt to reasonable levels by the end of 2018. The non-core assets, such as stakes in other Tata companies, could be sold. Figures compiled by BT Research show that Tata Power holds, at current prices, Rs 986 crore worth of shares in Tata Communications (4.7 per cent stake), Rs 90.4 crore in Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd (7 per cent), and Rs 87.1 crore in Nelco. Tata Power also has a 40 per cent stake in the group's investment arm, Panatone Finvest. Similarly, some non-core businesses could be divested. "We are looking at selling businesses that do not impact the main business," says Sardana. However, efforts so far have run into hurdles. The sale of the 30 per cent stake in the Arutmin coal mine in Indonesia, which the Bakrie Group agreed to buy in 2014, is still hanging fire, even after Tata Power agreed to lower the price. Tata Power's strategic defence business unit, with revenues of Rs 600 crore, could also be considered for sale, though Sardana isn't sure. "That business has future potential," he says. Another option is to sell the 48 per cent stake in Tata Projects or stakes in JV companies in distribution and transmission or coal-related companies. Another alternative is to sell only a part of the power produced to the contracted discoms, offering the rest in the open market at higher tariffs. The discoms have refused to consider this. More Assets To offset the problems with Mundra, Tata Power has also been creating or acquiring more assets, mainly in renewable energy. A number of these have been outside the country. It has set up hydro projects in Zambia, Georgia and Bhutan, and a wind project in South Africa, creating 669 MW assets in three years at an equity investment of Rs 963 crore. But its biggest investment by far has been the takeover of Welspun Energy's entire renewable portfolio of 1,143 MW in June last year at a cost of $1.4 billion. Welspun Renewable Energy generated revenues of Rs 646 crore with PAT of Rs 116 crore in 2016/17, but it also brought with it an additional debt of Rs 5,549 crore. The deal has since become controversial with some analysts claiming that Tata Power paid too much. The ousted Tata Group Chairman, Cyrus Mistry, was accused of not keeping Tata Sons board and Tata Trusts properly informed while finalising the deal. A recent news report said Tata Sons was planning a forensic audit of the deal over corporate governance/valuation issues and speedy execution of the deal. Sardana, though, insists it was a good buy. "It is a promising asset with 100 per cent PPAs in place and revenues from day one," he says. With the Welspun acquisition, Tata Power is now the biggest renewable energy player in the country with nearly 2,000 MW operational assets and 326 MW in the pipeline. The biggest overall power company, however, remains Adani Power. Of these, the 423 MW operational and 326 MW under construction assets belong to Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), which reported revenues of Rs 437 crore and PAT of Rs 66 crore in 2016/17. Tata Power also owns some more standalone wind and solar assets, with revenues of Rs 296 crore and PAT of Rs 34 crore. No doubt, they also carry with them a debt of Rs 3,320 crore. "By 2018/19, the consolidated EBITDA on all Tata Power's renewable assets will be at Rs 2,400 crore and debt at Rs 13,600 crore," say Trivedi and Gawle of Axis Securities. Sardana is quite sure of the company's future direction, given the exigencies of global warming. "Going forward, non-fossil fuel-fired capacity will be 40 per cent of our generation," he says. Tata Power had assets of 10,200 MW, worth Rs 70,487 crore, as of March 2017, according to an analyst report. "Look at our assets, and we are still a very healthy and profitable company," says Sardana. "We are not overleveraged. It is not fair to only look at absolute debt. The Welspun acquisition was funded entirely by debt and once the equity portion is converted, the ratios will be normal." The Axis Securities' report says Tata Power's net debt-equity ratio will drop to 2.6 in 2017/18 and 2.2 in 2018/19. More Issues A capacity of 1,877 MW produces power that is bought by Mumbai discoms, for which the PPAs are up to only March 2018. Cash crunch has also made Tata Power seek external help in another venture - buying stressed coal-fired plants. It has formed a fund, Resurgent Power Ventures, to do so, with a corpus of $850 million, in which it has a 26 per cent stake. ICICI Bank holds 10 per cent, Canadian institutional investor CDPQ 30 per cent, Korea-based KIA 18 per cent, and Oman-based SGRF 16 per cent in the venture. Sardana has a lot of work ahead to bring about normalcy and stimulate growth. @pb_pbjayan Indian air carrier SpiceJet's shares surged 124 per cent in 2017, becoming the best performer on the Bloomberg Intelligence index, reported Bloomberg on Monday. The stock of SpiceJet rose 0.2 per cent to 128.30 rupees as of 9:30 a.m. in Mumbai on Tuesday. Today, the stock dipped 0.45 per cent on the BSE. Ajay Singh, Chairman of SpiceJet, said that the scrip is "greatly undervalued" even at these levels, reported Bloomberg TV. Further, he added that only 3 per cent of Indians fly which lays out a great scope for growth, thereby ruling out the option of selling any stake of the company. Analysts from Bloomberg attributed the air carrier's rise to Singh's capital drive and loss-reduction measures amid low crude oil prices. The airline gained more than 800 per cent, creating a $1.2 billion market value since its plunge in December 2014 when the airline was forced to ground its flights over dispute with fuel retailers who terminated fuel supply over non-repayment of past dues. Now, the company has received praise from US President Donald Trump over the order deal of new planes from US. The President called the order one of the "largest of its kind" and said it would help create jobs in the US. Spice Jet has placed an order of $22-billion for Boeing planes which is likely to help create more jobs in the aviation sector in the US. "This is a $22-billion order and these planes will be manufactured in the US. As per the US Department of Commerce, it creates 132,000 high-skilled, high-paid American jobs within the US," SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said. SpiceJet has also announced an order for the latest variant of Boeing's workhorse 737 model worth $4.7 billion on June 19 followed by the announcement of an order for as many as 50 Bombardier Q400 turboprops worth $1.7 billion. Aircraft manufacturers Boeing Co and Airbus SE see growth potential from the rising middle class. Additionally, India figured as the world's fastest growing aviation market in 2016 which have increased their interest in the Indian markets. US President Donald Trump made a special reference to Indian low cost carrier Spice Jet on Monday for ordering new planes from the US. Trump said that the order was one of the "largest of its kind" and would help create jobs in the US. Trump made the remark during a joint press conference with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I was pleased to learn of an Indian airline's recent order of 100 new American planes, one of the largest orders of its kind which will support thousands of American jobs," the US president said. Spice Jet has placed an order of $22-billion for Boeing planes which is likely to help create more jobs in the aviation sector in the US. "This is a $22-billion order and these planes will be manufactured in the US. As per the US Department of Commerce, it creates 132,000 high-skilled, high-paid American jobs within the US," SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said. Spice Jet has ordered 205 planes from Boeing, which include 40 Boeing 737-10 aircraft. Other Indian low cost carriers such as IndiGo, GoAir, Air Asia and Vistara buys planes from the France-headquartered Airbus. Donald Trump, who was a surprise winner in the US elections, had fought the elections on the plank of job creation. His protectionist rhetoric has caused concern among many countries, including India. The White House, under his administration, has alleged Indian IT companies take an unfair advantage of the H1B-Visa. In fact, the joint statement issued by the White House after the meeting between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi stressed on "free and fair trade", among other issues. "They (Modi and Trump) also resolved to pursue increased commercial engagement in a manner that advances the principles of free and fair trade. To this end, the United States and India plan to undertake a comprehensive review of trade relations with the goal of expediting regulatory processes; ensuring that technology and innovation are appropriately fostered, valued, and protected; and increasing market access in areas such as agriculture, information technology, and manufactured goods and services," the statement said. In the past, Donald Trump has also referred to India imposing high taxes on American motorcycle company Harley Davidson. He had hinted India should reduce the taxes to so that Harley Davidson could sell more motorcycles in India. A major global cyber attack on Tuesday disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that last month infected more than 300,000 computers. The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign underscored growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. It included code known as "Eternal Blue," which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used in last month's ransomware attack, named "WannaCry." "Cyber attacks can simply destroy us," said Kevin Johnson, chief executive of cyber security firm Secure Ideas. "Companies are just not doing what they are supposed to do to fix the problem." The ransomware virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. More than 30 victims paid into the bitcoin account associated with the attack, according to a public ledger of transactions listed on blockchain.info. Microsoft said the virus could spread through a flaw that was patched in a security update in March. "We are continuing to investigate and will take appropriate action to protect customers," a spokesman for the company said, adding that Microsoft antivirus software detects and removes it. Russia and Ukraine were most affected by the thousands of attacks, according to security software maker Kaspersky Lab, with other victims spread across countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. The total number of attacks was unknown. Security experts said they expected the impact to be smaller than WannaCry since many computers had been patched with Windows updates in the wake of WannaCry last month to protect them against attacks using Eternal Blue code. Still, the attack could be more dangerous than traditional strains of ransomware because it makes computers unresponsive and unable to reboot, Juniper Networks (JNPR.N) said in a blog post analyzing the attack. Researchers said the attack may have borrowed malware code used in earlier ransomware campaigns known as "Petya" and "GoldenEye." Following last month's attack, governments, security firms and industrial groups aggressively advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft patches to defend against the threat. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was monitoring the attacks and coordinating with other countries. It advised victims not to pay the extortion, saying that doing so does not guarantee access will be restored. In a statement, the White House National Security Council said there was currently no risk to public safety. The United States was investigating the attack and determined to hold those responsible accountable, it said. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment. The spy agency has not publicly said whether it built Eternal Blue and other hacking tools leaked online by an entity known as Shadow Brokers. Several private security experts have said they believe Shadow Brokers is tied to the Russian government, and that the North Korean government was behind WannaCry. Both countries' governments deny charges they are involved in hacking. 'DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME' The first attacks were reported from Russia and Ukraine. Russia's Rosneft (ROSN.MM), one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said its systems had suffered "serious consequences," but added oil production had not been affected because it switched over to backup systems. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko said the government's computer network went down and the central bank reported disruption to operations at banks and firms including the state power distributor. Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) said it was among the victims, reporting outages at facilities including its Los Angeles terminal. WPP (WPP.L), the world's largest advertising agency, said it was also infected. A WPP employee who asked not to be named said that workers were told to shut down their computers: "The building has come to a standstill." A Ukrainian media company said its computers were blocked and it was asked to pay $300 in the crypto-currency bitcoin to regain access. "Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service," the message said, according to a screenshot posted on Ukraine's Channel 24. Russia's central bank said there were isolated cases of lenders' IT systems being infected. One consumer lender, Home Credit, had to suspend client operations. Other companies that identified themselves as victims included French construction materials firm Saint Gobain (SGOB.PA), U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co (MRK.N) and Mars Inc's Royal Canin pet food business. India-based employees at Beiersdorf, makers of Nivea skin care products, and Reckitt Benckiser (RB.L), which owns Enfamil and Lysol, told Reuters the ransomware attack had impacted some of their systems in the country. Western Pennsylvania's Heritage Valley Health System's entire network was shut down by a cyber attack on Tuesday, according to local media reports. Last's month's fast-spreading WannaCry ransomware attack was crippled after a 22-year-old British security researcher Marcus Hutchins created a so-called "kill switch" that experts hailed as the decisive step in slowing the attack. Security experts said they did not believe that the ransomware released on Tuesday had a kill switch, meaning that it might be harder to stop. Ukraine's cyber police said on Twitter that a vulnerability in software used by MEDoc, a Ukrainian accounting firm, may have been an initial source of the virus, which researchers including cyber intelligence firm Flashpoint said could have infected victims via an illegitimate software update. In a Facebook post, MEDoc confirmed it had been hacked but denied responsibility for originating the attack. An adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said earlier in the day that the virus got into computer systems via "phishing" emails written in Russian and Ukrainian designed to lure employees into opening them. According to the state security agency, the emails contained infected Word documents or PDF files as attachments. LOGAN A two-day jury trial has been scheduled for Lucas Bennion, accused of raping a teenage girl multiple times. The 19-year-old North Logan man is charged with four counts of rape of a child, two counts of sodomy on a child and 10 counts of rape, all first-degree felonies, also one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. Bennion appeared in 1st District Court Tuesday morning. Public defender Shannon Demler said that he had been unable to reach a plea agreement with prosecutors. He asked the court to set the jury trial since the defendant had already waived his rite to a preliminary hearing. State attorney Jacob Gordon asked for the trial to be two-days because of the amount of evidence. Police allege that Bennion engaged in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl days after meeting her. The assaults allegedly occurred between last November and April of this year. He also persuaded her into texting him inappropriate photos of herself. He later confessed to having sex with her at least 30 times. During Tuesdays hearing, Judge Brian Cannell scheduled the trial for September 21-22. He ordered Bennion to appear again in court August 15 for a final pretrial conference. The defendant remains in the Cache County Jail on $200,000 bail.

will@cvradio.com PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) | BY Ricki Green | 303 MullenLowe, Perth has teamed up with Australias peak allergy bodies, the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) to develop and launch 250K a go to resource for the 250,000 young Australians living with severe allergies. The project, funded by the Australian government, began as a result of a survey conducted by the National Allergy Strategy team, which revealed an alarming number of teenagers with severe allergies were avoiding telling their friends about their condition and choosing not to carry their Epipen to avoid standing out at school or in their social circles. The team spent a number of months working with this group of young Australians to better understand what tools and support they needed to overcome the social and emotional challenges attached to being a young Australian coping with severe allergies and together, developed 250K in response. Group managing director Derry Simpson said it was a project that everyone in the agency was very passionate about. Says Simpson: It was heartbreaking to hear about the challenges this group was facing every day. Being a teenager is hard enough, without feeling like youre different all the time. Many of these kids avoided going out with their friends so they didnt draw attention to themselves and some hadnt even told anyone around them they had an allergy which is dangerous in itself. What they all wanted was a place they could go that was just for them. Somewhere they could find the answers to their questions and the tools and resources they needed to help them have conversations about their allergies with their friends. And a place where they could share their stories and talk to others their own age, who are going through the same thing. And thats exactly what 250K is designed to be. Says Peter Liddell, head of digital, 303 MullenLowe, Perth: Its really rewarding to see how the youth advisory group have responded to the 250K.org.auwebsite. They found the content really useful and relatable but in a really fun way. They love the animated characters and are asking for even more. So in response, well be optimising the site and launching some additional functionality over coming weeks to allow kids to share their feels and to create and share their own avatars. Over time were looking to add Snapchat geo-filters targeted to allergy clinics and related medical centres. These will be important tools in socially enabling the campaign, de-stigmatising the problem amongst teens and generally increasing awareness of the issue. Says Maria Said, co-chair of the National Allergy Strategy and CEO of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA): Increasing awareness around allergy management is vitally important, particularly amongst young people aged in their teens up to early twenties, when people may be reluctant to share information about their severe allergy, and may not be as vigilant about avoiding allergens. This new website provides teens and young adults with the information that theyve asked for, to help enable them to live safely and independently. The resource is designed to engage, interest and inform them. The media outreach was carried out by Lanham PR. | BY Ricki Green | Following a rigorous round of online judging by 133 industry experts, The Communications Council has today announced that 88 finalists from 24 agencies on behalf of 36 clients have made it into Round Two of the Australian Effie Awards. BMF leads the agency pack with 16 finalists, followed by The Monkeys with 12 and Ogilvy Australia with 10. Finalists will now compete for Effies, Australias only awards based on proven advertising effectiveness across 26 categories, assessed by a team of 50 senior marketers, consultants and researchers. Says Colin Wilson-Brown, chair of judges: A big thank you to all the first round judges for their tireless and vital contribution to this years Effies. We all know what an enormously difficult year this has been, so to welcome so many worthy finalists into Round Two sends a very positive message about the value of the work our industry continues to produce despite very challenging circumstances. Cases and results will now be assessed by panels of senior marketers, putting an important lens over how agency work is driving business performance. The Effie winners, Effective Agency of the Year, Effective Advertiser Award, and Grand Effie will be announced on Friday 30 October. Full details of the Effie Awards presentation will be announced soon. The Effies are jointly presented by The Communications Council and the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) in association with Think TV. Other sponsors and supporters include Ad Standards, Displayground, Google, Healthcare Communications Council, KPMG, oOh!media and UnLtd. | BY Ricki Green | Clemenger BBDO, Sydney has announced that it has nabbed Darren Wright (right) and Michael Pollard (centre) to join the creative team, reporting into chief creative officer Ben Coulson. The new appointments round out Clemengers expansion of the creative team following the recent hire of Tom Knighton (far left) and Sophie Horne (bottom, left). The hires are the first for Coulson who has been at the creative helm since February this year. Wright joins as creative director. Wright cut his teeth at Wieden+Kennedy London where he worked on Nokia, Honda, The Guardian, VisitWales and Nike including the D&AD yellow pencil-winning Run London campaign. Most recently Wright was part of the creative leadership team at Grey London working on Orangina, McVities, Vodafone and most notably a series of Cannes Lions-winning campaigns for Lucozade. Pollard, ex The Monkeys, joins as an art director. Pollard worked across the agencys major brands including MLA, Bingle, UBank, IKEA, Telstra, HCF, The University of Sydney and Guide Dogs. Prior to moving across the globe from hometown London, Pollard worked at RAPP London on Virgin Media, Google, Dulux, and Barclays. Pollard will now be teaming up with talented copywriter Salah Ben-Brahim. Knighton, ex DDB Sydney, also joins as an art director, teaming up with copywriter Adam Smith. Knighton was responsible for the award-winning print work for Minds for Minds, the not for profit research body for Autism. And finally, Horne, formerly Grey, joins as art director working with copywriter, Celia Mortlock. The young duo is already earning a reputation for themselves within the agency for their fresh approach to work. The team will work across the agencys major clients including Visa, Smiths, MasterFoods, Dry July and Tourism Australia. | BY Ricki Green | Creative experience agency, Enigma has delivered on its promise to add to its Sydney line-up, with new head of digital hire Janice Vella-Calman (pictured). Vella-Calman re-enters the Australian market after several years in New York at Syrup/DigitasLBi, HUSH Studios, and OgilvyOne, amongst others. Says Jennifer Peace, managing director, Enigma: After a long 10 years, it is wonderful to be working with Janice again; she epitomises the full creative experience capability we are rolling out at Enigma. Her energy, leadership and drive is enriched by her experience across traditional agencies, digital shops, production houses and full activation and experiential companies. Janice was clearly above and beyond the best person for the role, so it is an added bonus that she allows us to also highlight our real commitment to diversity by placing a strong inspirational woman into the role. | BY Ricki Green | One of Australias greatest start up success stories, T2, has engaged Cummins&Partners to take its brand story to the world. Says Jane Hoban, global director of marketing, T2: From our small beginnings in Melbourne, T2 Tea has taken the traditional art of tea and turned it on its head with 21 years of brewing experience, T2 has grown into a global omni-channel business with 97 stores across 5 markets with significant growth ambitions to build a generation of tea lovers on every continent. And there has never been a better time. Premium Tea is a high growth category and at a tipping point as consumers migrate to healthier beverage options. We were looking for a partner to help with our growth ambitions. The highly competitive pitch against 3 others saw Cummins&Partners emerge with the duties for the much-admired brand. Says Sean Cummins, the creative founder of C&P: We are humbled and thrilled to take on a brand that has such a wonderful sense of itself. Youd be hard pressed to find a more beautifully designed, diverse and attractive experience. From the stores to the remarkable flavours that you pour into your teacupthere is such a fulfilling and joyous aspect to T2. | BY Lynchy | The search for the 2017 Porsche Asia Pacific Driver of the Year has kicked off with the launch of a region-wide campaign called Licence to Thrill created by Havas Singapore. Spanning 13 markets* and harnessing digital and experiential marketing in an integrated approach, Licence to Thrill aims to seek out the regions most skilled drivers who best exemplifies the Porsche brand qualities skill, passion and flair. To enter, participants must first do an online theory test on the campaign site before July 31. The top 30 performers will then qualify for the next round of the competition, which will test skill and driving flair in a series of unusual and exhilarating practical tests held at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on September 8, including painting the number 718 on the track surface while driving the 718 Porsche Boxster with a drilled pot of paint mounted on the car, or doing a gymkhana in reverse with the Porsche Macan. All contestants will receive their Porsche Licence to Thrill at the awards dinner after the practical test, and the top performer will walk away with the title of 2017 Porsche Asia Pacific Driver of the Year, and the grand prize an all-expenses paid trip to the Porsche Experience Centre in Los Angeles, USA. Havas Singapore undertook all creative executions and content development for the campaign, which leverages digital and experiential programmes to create a seamless, omni-channel experience and brand engagement platform for Porsche fans. The Porsche brand values are synonymous with innovation, performance, exclusiveness and passion, and its vital that partners we work with also champion the same philosophy, said Yannick Ott, Marketing Manager, Porsche Asia Pacific. We were impressed by Havas Singapores ability to think outside the box and come up with such a unique campaign that links digital, social, creative, experiential marketing and PR, delivering a single brand voice across multiple platforms for maximum impact. The Licence to Thrill campaign comes on the back of Porsches participation at the recent Le Mans. We are incredibly proud to be working in partnership with Porsche Asia Pacific and be given free rein to produce content and exercise creative authority for the brand outside Germany, said Andrea Conyard, CEO, Havas Singapore. The Porsche Asia Pacific Driver of the Year competition is unlike any other. It is crucial the campaign embodies the spirit and promise of the Porsche brand as we celebrate the common passion with all Porsche enthusiasts. * The competition is open to the public in the following countries: Brunei, Cambodia, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Credits Andrew Hook, Chief Creative Officer, Havas Singapore Kelvin Lim, Creative Director, Havas Singapore Shervin Seah, Creative Group Head Y2 Villanueva, Copywriter, Havas Singapore Danli Lok, Agency Producer Antoine de La Seigliere, Regional GAD | Director of Operations SEA, Havas Singapore Glenn Chan, Account Manager, Havas Singapore Gereld Khoong, Strategic Planner, Havas Singapore Production Company: The Momentum Tov Belling, Director, The Momentum Pervyn Lim, Executive Producer, The Momentum Joshua Tan, Producer, The Momentum Production support: Tankers Music: Song Zu Lindsay Jehan, Music Director, Song Zu Damian Waddell, Head of sound design, Song Zu They texted often and had spoken on the phone, and she sometimes visited his room when she was in the building to see a friend who was in the same division. This is the latest in a series of exhibitions, or should it be crusades, at the Bilk Gallery to encourage the wearing of brooches, especially by men. Brooches have seemingly gone out of fashion. When did you last see someone wearing an interesting or eye-catching brooch? Yet brooches are the easiest of jewellery to wear they don't have to fit, they don't generally jangle or catch in your hair and are easy to put on. 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 ... 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. Hard as it may seem to believe now, there was a time when BMW didnt make SUVs or crossovers. But this ended in 1999, with the launch of the first-gen X5, and the German automaker has now confirmed the addition of yet another model to its already comprehensive fleet next year. That model is the X7, the new flagship crossover thats set to hit showrooms in late 2018. The announcement came as part of the launch of the new X3. Slated to be positioned above the X5 in BMWs growing crossover lineup, the X7 is poised to take on the Mercedes GLS with a larger format allowing for as many as seven seats or as few as four, depending on the specification. Moreover, hybrid and performance versions promise to further expand the appeal for whats surely to be a rather expensive set of wheels. The BMW X7 will be the fifth model to be produced at the companys Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, which has emerged as its largest in the world in terms of output. The manufacturer may need to expand its production capacity, however; last year it produced 411,000 vehicles at the American plant, nearing its peak output of 450,000 units per year. The models arrival will further cement BMWs status as the largest exporter of automobiles from the United States in terms of value. The US Department of Commerce reports that the Spartanburg plant shipped over $10 billion worth of metal out of the US, representing 70 percent of the its output. Thats a nice return on the $8 billion BMW has invested in the Spartanburg plant since opening it a quarter of a century ago, in September 1994. And its even better business for the U.S. economy, which, according to the University of South Carolina, is benefiting from $38.5 billion each year thanks to the plants operation. Thats free trade for you. Free trade has made this success story in the US possible. I firmly believe in free trade and open markets. It is essential for global businesses and economies around the world to flourish, said BMW chief Harald Kruger. The BMW Groups success story in the US would not have been possible without the open arms and warm hearts of the people and elected officials in the great state of South Carolina and the surrounding region. Our relationship with South Carolina has been built upon decades of professionalism, mutual trust and respect and goes far beyond just building great cars. Photo Gallery There have been various stories circulating over the years regarding odd traffic laws in different countries, but how many of them are real? According to a Top 10 list compiled by FoxNews, quite a lot of them, actually. The least weird is the one in Scandinavia that mandates that you must drive with the headlights on at all times, even during daytime. This is supposed to improve visibility in winter, but it applies for all seasons nonetheless. Luxembourg slides into the 9th place with yet another bizarre law, which makes sure that all cars have windscreen wipers even if they lack a windscreen, while number 8 is reserved to San Francisco, where car wash business are banned from using used underwear to buff or dry a vehicle. No issue with civilians, though they are free to use as many pants as they like. Running out of petrol on the famous Autobahn is illegal in Germany, and if youre in Denver, Colorado and you own a black car, then youre not allowed to drive it on Sundays. Of course, thats a remnant from the past thats practically no longer enforced, and yet it is still there. Trying to restrict heavy traffic in Manilla, the capital of Philippines, meant applying a law that forbids vehicles whose license plates end in a certain number from driving in various parts of the city at certain days; for example, if it ends in 1 or 2, you are not allowed to drive your vehicle into the city on Mondays. Russia misses the top 3 by an inch, but its home to a law that punishes drivers with dirty vehicles. Moreover, it is up to police officers to decide what qualifies as clean enough, and if they think yours is not, then they can give you a ticket. Before starting their engines in Denmark, drivers need to check under their cars for anyone working there, or for children playing, while in Thailand, its illegal for anyone to drive with their top off. The golden medal goes to the state of Alabama, where the local authorities forbid driving with a blindfold on public roads. Common sense, you might say, but we guess something must have prompted the legislators to draft it into a law. Is your country of residence home to some other bizarre traffic law? If so, tell us about it in the comments section below. PHOTO GALLERY Nico Hulkenberg is enjoying his new position after signing Renault F1 last year, and one of the benefits was driving the all-new Renault Megane RS. The 29-year old German racing driver gave his first impressions after taking the manual and automatic versions of the compact hot hatch out. He revealed the benefits of both, and underlined the fact that having two chassis settings to choose from will make things better, both on the track and during everyday use. Renault has yet to detail the new Megane RS, but they will likely do so during the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, where it will celebrate its world premiere. We do know that it will set itself apart from the fourth-generation car, on which it builds, with a more aggressive body kit, a stiffer suspension, limited-slip differential, and bigger brakes, alongside other mods. Power is expected to come from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine delivering some 300 horses to the front axle through either a 6-speed manual, or a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Making it more agile around corners will be the 4Control system, a four-wheel steering system that will allow the Megane RS to unleash its full power. VIDEO In order to sell Level 4 autonomous cars by the year 2021, Volvo, together with Autoliv and newly-founded Zenuity are teaming up with AI and visual computing giant Nvidia. The thinking behind this collaboration is for the Swedish automaker and its partners to use Nvidias AI car computing platform as the foundation for their own advanced software. This cooperation with Nvidia places Volvo Cars, Autoliv and Zenuity at the forefront of the fast moving market to develop next generation autonomous driving capabilities and will speed up the development of Volvos own commercially available autonomous drive cars, stated Volvo boss Hakan Samuelsson. Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, added that AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the essential tool for solving the incredibly demanding challenge of autonomous driving. We are building on our earlier collaboration with Volvo Cars to create production ready vehicles that will make driving safer, lead to greener cities and reduce congestion on our roads. The four companies will work together to develop systems that can utilize deep learning, which is a form of artificial intelligence, thus being able to recognize objects in their environment, as well as anticipate potential threats and safely navigate obstacles. These systems will also be able to compare real-time situational awareness with a high-definition map, which will allow them to plan a safe route and drive precisely along it, regardless of variables. PHOTO GALLERY Heres take two of the trailer for Leap!, the France/Canada co-production that The Weinstein Company (TWC) will release in the United States on August 30. TWC released a first trailer for the film last March. But then, Harvey Weinstein pushed back the films release from April to August, and decided to rework the English dub by re-casting certain voices. Dating back to the years when he owned Miramax, Harvey Weinstein has an extensive track record of re-writing, re-cutting, and re-casting the animated features that his companies release and the results often alter the original filmmakers intent. Among the more notorious examples is the Miramax cut of Richard Williams The Thief and the Cobbler, which was released by Weinstein as Arabian Knight. In 2006, TWC released the UK/France cg feature The Magic Roundabout as Doogal in the United States; the American version was re-written by Fairly Oddparents creator Butch Hartman, notably adding pop culture references and fart jokes, and bombed in the United States. Photo: Contributed I am certain I would travel regardless of my profession. However due to my diligence to ever expand my knowledge and experience, I make note of my surroundings and adventures during every vacation to later better advise my clients. The realities of driving in France is one for the record books. I would be the first to advocate the spontaneity and versatility that a self-drive holiday can offer, however the realities and constraints that driving in France entails is one that should be considered prior to arranging a rental car. The country is criss-crossed with a highway system ranging from six-lane high speed freeways to national four -lane routes and then a series of agricultural and departmental secondary road accesses. The freeways are denoted by the letter A and give the quickest most direct access however they also are subject to many tolls. At $3EUR and above per stop, these charges can quickly add up over the course of a holiday. For example, the drive from Paris to Aix en Provence can be as expensive as $100EUR one way. Both the freeways and national highways are subject to intense volume delays as well, which can add a debilitating and frustrating aspect to the drive. Photo radar is another liability to be cognizant of. Many clients choose to upgrade the size of the vehicle to accommodate luggage and/or have extra power on the freeway. This is another factor to re-consider. Parking is a premium pretty much anywhere you go. Underground parking access is incredibly narrow and stalls are teeny-weeny. Above ground parking is haphazard at best and vehicles are literally jammed in with but centimetres to spare. Few hotels include free parking and rates range from $3EUR/hour to $20EUR/day. Again, a cost to factor in. Smaller cars give you access to the twisting winding roads of the glorious scenic routes such as the Route des Cretes. The road less travelled is slower, but leads you to the most interesting sites. My suggestion would be to incorporate the incredibly efficient transit system into your travel plans. Trains are comfortable and air-conditioned and are cost effective if booked in advance or travelled during off peak hours. Utilize this service to travel distances or 400 km or more. The national bus service is excellent and very inexpensive. Frequency of service is fantastic and comfort is premium. The bus from Aix en Provence to Nice was two-hours at a cost of $22EUR roundtrip. Public transit within the cities themselves is also an easy and effective manner of discovery. Rent your car for specific areas and perhaps for a day at a time to explore specific scenic routes or to discover hidden treasures such as Les Baux-de-Provence or the exhilarating Mont Ventoux route made famous by the Tour de France. The iconic history, culture and cuisine of France is yours to discover in what ever way suits you best. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Kelowna RCMP officers marched through downtown streets to their new headquarters, Tuesday. Dozens of passers-by stopped to take in the parade of Mounties in red serge, auxiliary constables, RCMP volunteers and civilian staff from the regional detachment area. "This is a really big deal for our community. Most importantly, this will allow the RCMP to do their jobs more efficiently and make our community safer," said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran. "It's a very proud moment for myself and the other employees of our building to move into such a state of the art facility. This is the first opportunity I have been able to work in a new detachment," said said Supt. Brent Mundle. "The citizens of Kelowna and the city council have done an outstanding job at providing us with a professional building to do police services from." The detachments official opening took place today, but members have been reporting for duty at 1190 Richter St. since mid-June. Photo: File photo A Kelowna man had his sentence reduced after a judge found it didn't take into account his Metis background. A Kelowna man convicted of stabbing a fellow drug dealer in the neck and forcing him to steal a TV to repay a debt has successfully appealed the length of his sentence, after the appeals judge found the original sentence didn't take into account the man's Metis background. Jordy Moyan, 30, was sentenced to six years and nine months on March 10, 2016, for an aggravated assault he committed on June 1, 2015. The appellant stabbed a fellow drug trafficker in the lung with a knife to settle a debt and watched as associates kicked the victim on the ground, the original sentencing judge said. The victims wound was duct taped, he was given heroin and taken to a store by the appellant and his associates, and instructed to steal a television but was unable to do so. When the victims perilous situation became clear to the wrongdoers, they dropped him off at Kelowna General Hospital and left. A doctor testified at the trial that the stab wound would have killed the victim, had he not been treated. Prior to sentencing, the judge called Moyan's pre-sentence report one of the two or three most depressing" he had read in 25 years as a judge, and that violence and criminality ruled (Moyan's) life from the moment he was born. He has upwards of 60 criminal convictions, dating back to 2001, when he was just 14 years old. Moyan also suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome. The sentencing judge took Moyan's aboriginal background into account, known as Gladue sentencing principles, but said it is not an invisible shield of protection, and every case has to be dealt with (on) its merits. Justice Peter Willcock, the B.C. Court of Appeals judge, says the report shows Moyan and his family have been indelibly impacted by colonial policies of disenfranchisement. That evidence, in my view, bears upon the culpability of the offender; it sheds light on his level of moral blameworthiness, Justice Willcock wrote. Willcock changed Moyan's sentence to five years, minus time served prior to sentencing, for a total of three years, 313 days additional time. Photo: Danielle Nolan Armstrong to work with province on Meighan Creek flooding concerns. The City of Armstrong has had more letters of complaint about the serious flooding from Meighan Creek last month but the mayor said efforts are already underway to stop it from happening again. Currently, we are working with the provincial government to see what we can do, said Mayor Chris Pieper on Tuesday. Council received two letters on the flooding issue at this week's meeting from resident Margreet DenOudsten and the secretary of the Poplar Grove strata complex, Dan Romaniuk. We have had a few letters and these are two more, conceded Pieper. The mayor said Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo is currently working to set up meetings with officials from the environment and forests, lands and resources ministries. It doesn't matter if it's the Liberals or the NDP/Greens in power. When it's all settled, I think the meetings will start happening. Water swept through some of the community's streets in early May after rain deluged the area. Willowdale Drive took the worst flooding, according to the mayor. There was three feet of water in people's homes and in seniors' units. They had to strip and gut the whole thing, said Pieper, referring to Pioneer Square where senior citizens were evacuated to buildings in Vernon. Pieper believes the flooding event was weather-related and exacerbated by a lack of work on the creek itself. The quantity of water was above all expectations plus the creek itself has not been dredged for over 30 years. We need some kind of management plan so the environment can be maintained and residents' investments can be maintained. Photo: Contributed A man is dead after an assault in Vancouver Tuesday morning. Police responded to a call at the 200 block of East Hastings just after 8 a.m. for a report of a serious assault. On scene, they found an injured man who was taken to hospital and succumbed to his injuries. The investigation is ongoing, and police do not believe the public to be at risk. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 604-717-2500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Photo: Contributed New Westminster Police are looking for witnesses to a pair of random stabbings on June 25. Police were dispatched to Royal Columbian Hospital, where one man was being treated for a stab wound. The victim was attacked in the unit block of 8th Street near the bus loop at approximately 9:30 p.m., said Sgt. Jeff Scott. The suspect allegedly engaged the victim in conversation before stabbing him and fleeing the scene. About 20 minutes later, a second victim was stabbed on the 700 block of Columbia Street. A suspect, who police believe was responsible for both attacks, was quickly arrested. Both victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries, said Scott. There are no apparent connections between the victims and the assailant. These appear to be unprovoked attacks, and we are urging witnesses to come forward. The suspect, 35-year-old New Westminster resident Jonathan Jennings, has been charged with two counts of assault with a weapon and two count of assault causing bodily harm. Anyone who knows about the case is asked to call police at 604-525-5411. UPDATE: 5 p.m. Police are staked out at a Kelowna motel as the investigation into a 38-year-old man being assaulted continues. A motorcycle is parked directly in front of an open door at Canada's Best Value Inn. Inside the room, a large amount of blood can be seen splattered on the mattress. Blood was also smeared on the outside of the door, and blood-soaked towels are scattered on the concrete outside the motel. There is no word on suspects at this time or if charges have been laid. ORIGINAL: 3:22 p.m. A 38-year-old man was assaulted at a Kelowna motel early Tuesday. RCMP responded to an emergency call just before 5 a.m. about an assault at the Canada's Best Value Inn on the 2600 block of Highway 97 North. The scene was behind police tape Tuesday afternoon, and a police officer in a van was keeping an eye on the premises. The victim was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital. He sustained minor injuries considered non-life-threatening. The General Investigation Section of the Kelowna RCMP have taken conduct of this investigation, said Cpl. Jesse ODonaghey. Police said the attack was targeted and not random. RCMP continue to secure the scene of the alleged assault as they await the arrival of a search warrant for the premises. Anyone with information is asked to call 250-470-6302 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Photo: Darren Handschuh The trial of a man accused of manslaughter continues Wednesday. The trial of a man accused of the manslaughter of an Armstrong woman continues in Vernon Supreme Court Wednesday. Logan Scott, who moments before stood in the dock, walked out of of the courthouse Tuesday afternoon until the trial resumes tomorrow. Scott is accused of manslaughter in the Nov. 27, 2013 death of Jillian McKinty who was found in her home at Wolfenden Terrace. The mother of two was 27 when she died. Scott was arrested nine months later. A pathologist is the only person to have testified so far at the trial proper, according to Crown counsel Shirley Meldrum. More medical testimony is expected. Dr. Anny Sauvageau, former chief medical health officer of Alberta, was expected to take the stand in the morning. The trial is expected to last until the end of the week and follows a lengthy voir dire hearing in April at which certain evidence was reviewed. 'Come and relax' at legion Vancouver - 7:45 am Photo: Google Maps Police are urgently warning people in the Beaverdell area to avoid picking up any hitchhikers. RCMP are searching for a suspect, but are not saying what the 27-year-old man is wanted for, but only that they are actively looking for him. RCMP are advising the public to not pick up any hitchhikers in the area of Beaverdell, Highway 33, Beaver Creek Road, and Christian Valley Road, Midway RCMP said in a statement issued late Tuesday afternoon. The man is described as a 6-foot-3, 221 pounds with heavy stubble, wearing black pants and work boots. Police have asked anyone who sees the man to call 911, and not approach him. Photo: Twitter UPDATE: 5:15 p.m. BC Wildfire Service personnel are currently responding to numerous lightning-caused fires throughout the Arrow Fire Zone and the Kootenay Lake Fire Zone. None of these fires is currently threatening any structures or communities. Three separate lightning fires started on June 26 in the Arrow Fire Zone and each of them covers less than one hectare. BC Wildfire Service personnel are at the site of a fire burning about 12 kilometres southwest of Nakusp, near Saddle Bay. Another fire is about seven kilometres northeast of Nakusp near Mount Jordan, and fire suppression efforts there are being supported by a helicopter. The third fire is about three kilometres northeast of New Denver, and BC Wildfire Service personnel there are being supported by an air tanker. Five BC Wildfire Service personnel are currently heading to a wildfire near Blueberry Creek, about seven kilometres southwest of Castlegar. The fire was estimated to cover less than one hectare as of the afternoon of June 27. Castanet Staff ORIGINAL: 5 p.m. Lightning storms across southeastern British Columbia have sparked numerous wildfires. BC Wildfire Service personnel are at two separate fires burning just a few kilometres on either side of the village of Nakusp. The service says three more fires were started in the Kootenay Lake fire zone, and all cover less that a hectare in size. A 30-hectare wildfires was discovered near Bull River, northwest of Fernie, on Sunday and officials say it is being held back by firefighting crews and unlikely to spread further. The service says no structures are being threatened. It says half of the 26 fires that have started since the beginning of April were human caused. The fire danger in the southeast part of the province is moderate or high, with some areas at extreme fire danger in the Cranbrook fire zone. Photo: Darren Handschuh Kim O'Neill said going back to school was the best decision she has ever made. Kim O'Neill admits to a huge case of nerves as she prepared to return to school. While being a little anxious on the first day of school is normal, for O'Neill it was the first day of school in many years. In her late 30s, O'Neill decided to go back to college and on Tuesday, the 41 year old graduated from Okanagan College an Associate of Arts degree. But the two-year program does not mark the end of her schooling as she now plans to get her Bachelors of Social Work. The First Nations mother said going back to school was the best thing she has ever done. It was the best time of my life, she said while adorned in a black robe prior to the graduation ceremony at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre. I was nervous when I started. It was very intimidating, she said. But I made lots of friends and in my first year of school, my son and I sat next to each other. Not only did O'Neill receive a a classroom education, but she learned a lot about the younger generation, some of the struggles they face and their determination to achieve their goals. Some of them are working two jobs and carrying a full course load. They really are amazing, she said of her younger peers. And what advice does a 41-year-old mother have for someone thinking of returning to school at a mature age? Do it. Go for it. I do not think you will regret it, she said. Photo: Google Maps After an extensive police hunt that involved several RCMP detachments, a man who disappeared down a forestry road after a domestic assault at Big White was arrested Wednesday morning. Just before noon Tuesday, police responded to a report of an assault at a Big White home, only to find the suspect driving away from the area. Police attempted to pull the man over, but he fled. RCMP air support was called in, and located his abandoned vehicle on a nearby forestry road. Several RCMP officers from multiple jurisdictions, which included Kelowna, Midway and Penticton, responded to the area, along with RCMP Police Dog Services from the South Okanagan, said Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey. Police described the suspect as extremely motivated to avoid capture and obviously familiar with the back country. The search for the man was eventually called off, and a warning was issued to the public to not pick up any hitchhikers in the area. Wednesday morning, police received several tips from the public about a hitchhiker matching the suspect's description on Highway 33, between Westbridge and Rock Creek. Police found and arrested the man just before 8:30 a.m. The 27 year old is now in police custody in Kelowna. Photo: Dave Ogilvie A man suffered severe burns during a refueling accident. A man is in hospital with severe burns as a result of a workplace accident in West Kelowna Wednesday morning. According to West Kelowna Fire Rescue, a man was refueling a vehicle near the Kelowna Ready-Mix operation when an small explosion sparked a fire which caused the burns. Assistant fire chief Darren Lee says bystanders in the area helped put the fire out and tended to the man's injuries before crews arrived. Being an industrial area, operations in the area have first-aid attendants on staff, said Lee. He says they did an outstanding job tending to the man's injuries. No word on the extent of his burns. Photo: Google Street View A North Okanagan man is to be sentenced in September over a 2015 shooting incident in rural Enderby. A North Okanagan man faces sentencing in September in connection with a 2015 incident near Enderby that sent another man to hospital with serious gunshot wounds. Norman Dybdal, 59, pleaded guilty in Salmon Arm provincial court to use of a firearm while commiting an indictable offence and aggravated assault. A more serious charge of attempted murder with a firearm and another of intentionally discharging a firearm while reckless are expected to be stayed by the Crown when the case returns to court on Sept. 26, said a spokesperson for the Criminal Justice Branch. Dybdal was arrested Oct. 19, 2015 shortly after RCMP officers found a seriously wounded man on a property in rural Enderby. The unidentified male victim, who was 55 at the time, had been shot several times and was rushed to hospital for treatment. If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,... Sign up for our newsletter This is a scanning tunneling microscopy image of a 2-D material created and studied at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (orange, background). In the upper right corner, the blue dots represent the layout of tungsten atoms and the red dots represent tellurium atoms. An international team of researchers, working at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley, fabricated an atomically thin material and measured its exotic and durable properties that make it a promising candidate for a budding branch of electronics known as "spintronics." The material - known as 1T'-WTe2 - bridges two flourishing fields of research: that of so-called 2-D materials, which include monolayer materials such as graphene that behave in different ways than their thicker forms; and topological materials, in which electrons can zip around in predictable ways with next to no resistance and regardless of defects that would ordinarily impede their movement. At the edges of this material, the spin of electrons - a particle property that functions a bit like a compass needle pointing either north or south - and their momentum are closely tied and predictable. This latest experimental evidence could elevate the material's use as a test subject for next-gen applications, such as a new breed of electronic devices that manipulate its spin property to carry and store data more efficiently than present-day devices. These traits are fundamental to spintronics. The material is called a topological insulator because its interior surface does not conduct electricity, and its electrical conductivity (the flow of electrons) is restricted to its edges. "This material should be very useful for spintronics studies," said Sung-Kwan Mo, a physicist and staff scientist at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) who co-led the study. "The flow of electrons is completely linked with the direction of their spins, and is limited only to the edges of the material," Mo said. "The electrons will travel in one direction, and with one type of spin, which is a useful quality for spintronics devices." Such devices could conceivably carry data more fluidly, with lesser power demands and heat buildup than is typical for present-day electronic devices. "We're excited about the fact that we have found another family of materials where we can both explore the physics of 2-D topological insulators and do experiments that may lead to future applications," said Zhi-Xun Shen, a professor in Physical Sciences at Stanford University and the Advisor for Science and Technology at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory who also co-led the research effort. "This general class of materials is known to be robust and to hold up well under various experimental conditions, and these qualities should allow the field to develop faster," he added. The material was fabricated and studied at the ALS, an X-ray research facility known as a synchrotron. Shujie Tang, a visiting postdoctoral researcher at Berkeley Lab and Stanford University, and a co-lead author in the study, was instrumental in growing 3-atom-thick crystalline samples of the material in a highly purified, vacuum-sealed compartment at the ALS, using a process known as molecular beam epitaxy. The high-purity samples were then studied at the ALS using a technique known as ARPES (or angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy), which provides a powerful probe of materials' electron properties. "After we refined the growth recipe, we measured it with ARPES. We immediately recognized the characteristic electronic structure of a 2-D topological insulator," Tang said, based on theory and predictions. "We were the first ones to perform this type of measurement on this material." But because the conducting part of this material, at its outermost edge, measured only a few nanometers thin - thousands of times thinner than the X-ray beam's focus - it was difficult to positively identify all of the material's electronic properties. So collaborators at UC Berkeley performed additional measurements at the atomic scale using a technique known as STM, or scanning tunneling microscopy. "STM measured its edge state directly, so that was a really key contribution," Tang said. The research effort, which began in 2015, involved more than two dozen researchers in a variety of disciplines. The research team also benefited from computational work at Berkeley Lab's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). Two-dimensional materials have unique electronic properties that are considered key to adapting them for spintronics applications, and there is a very active worldwide R&D effort focused on tailoring these materials for specific uses by selectively stacking different types. "Researchers are trying to sandwich them on top of each other to tweak the material as they wish - like Lego blocks," Mo said. "Now that we have experimental proof of this material's properties, we want to stack it up with other materials to see how these properties change." A typical problem in creating such designer materials from atomically thin layers is that materials typically have nanoscale defects that can be difficult to eliminate and that can affect their performance. But because 1T'-WTe2 is a topological insulator, its electronic properties are by nature resilient. "At the nanoscale it may not be a perfect crystal," Mo said, "but the beauty of topological materials is that even when you have less than perfect crystals, the edge states survive. The imperfections don't break the key properties." Going forward, researchers aim to develop larger samples of the material and to discover how to selectively tune and accentuate specific properties. Besides its topological properties, its "sister materials," which have similar properties and were also studied by the research team, are known to be light-sensitive and have useful properties for solar cells and for optoelectronics, which control light for use in electronic devices. BASF and PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and entered exclusive negotiations to cooperate on the supply of raw materials for future battery materials production for lithium-ion batteries in Europe. BASF intends to invest up to 400 million in a first step to build industry-leading production plants for cathode materials in Europe. Through the prospective agreement, BASF would receive the raw materials from the Nornickel metal refinery in Harjavalta, Finland. Nornickel would also provide a secure supply of nickel and cobalt feedstock from its Russian mines at market prices. Along with its leading raw materials position, Nornickel also brings significant metals refining and trading experience to the cooperation. BASF is an established cathode materials provider in the Asian and U.S. markets through BASF TODA Battery Materials LLC in Japan and BASFs production facility in Elyria, Ohio. A cooperation with Nornickel will provide the foundation to further expand BASFs access to the developing cathode materials market in Europe and participate in growth opportunities in this region. The strategic cooperation will leverage both companies market positions and expertise to provide an optimized and secure supply chain for electric vehicle battery cell producers in Europe. The envisioned cooperation with Nornickel and the construction of new BASF battery materials production plants in Europe, will result in a robust supply chain and enable BASF to expand its production of battery materials on a global scale, said Kenneth Lane, President of BASFs Catalysts division. It also fits well with both companies growth strategies of expanding into sustainable technologies. For Nornickel this project is an opportunity to increase our exposure to the high-potential and fast-growing rechargeable battery materials market. We are interested in supporting this target market with our nickel and cobalt products. The electric vehicle industry is set to contribute to a sustainable development. BASF is a long-standing and trusted partner of Nornickel and a leader in chemistry-based solutions for the automotive industry. An expanded cooperation with BASF will enable us to strengthen our position as a leading nickel producer globally and offer customers the best product in the most suitable form, said Sergey Batekhin, Head of Sales, Commerce and Logistics at Nornickel. Nornickels site in Harjavalta is uniquely suited to the vertically integrated production of battery precursor cathode materials for the European market. Several battery cell producers have announced or have already started the construction of manufacturing plants for electric vehicle powertrain system batteries in Europe and the local production of precursor materials is an important step in fostering the development of this industry in Europe. This development of a regional supply chain for battery materials in Europe will reduce supply chain risks for battery cell producers and automakers. Five Minutes With Damien Geter Audio Article Vocalist, composer and Richmond Symphony artist in residence Damien Geters musical roots sprouted when he was a boy in the Matoaca District of Chesterfield County, where he was raised and... Enterprise CarShare is officially pulling out of Chicago, leaving only the company's traditional car-rental operations. (James A. Finley / AP) Enterprise CarShare is ending its regular service in Chicago and five other cities. But if you're a college student or professor, you might still be in luck. The company that bought Chicago's first car-sharing operation told members Wednesday it is officially closing its "retail" business in Illinois as well as Washington, D.C.; Boston; San Francisco; Salt Lake City; and Denver. Advertisement But the company says it still plans to operate around college campuses in those cities, as well as offer "business-to-business" rentals. In an emailed statement, Enterprise spokeswoman Laura Bryant said consumer demand for the general business "did not meet Enterprise's expectations." Advertisement The move for Enterprise CarShare, part of Missouri-based Enterprise Holdings, follows the company's suspension of the operation in Chicago earlier this month. Enterprise didn't blame Chicago crime as a reason for leaving the market as it had when it announced it was suspending business earlier this month. "In Chicago, we did experience significant vandalism, theft and fraud, but that was not a primary factor in our long-term business decision," Bryant said via email. Its largest car-sharing competitor, Zipcar, which has about 500 vehicles throughout the city, said it hadn't experienced similar vehicle security challenges in Chicago. Zipcar was acquired by Avis Budget Group in 2013. Car-sharing allows for by-the-hour rental of vehicles parked in locations throughout the city; particularly appealing for many is its 24-hour availability. Users find and reserve cars through the web or apps and access them with membership cards or smartphones. Gas and insurance are typically included. Enterprise's local car-sharing operation was born of its 2013 purchase of I-Go Car Sharing, which was funded through the nonprofit Center for Neighborhood Technology. I-Go, started in 2002 with a mission to provide affordable transportation to everyone regardless of neighborhood or income, was the first car-sharing program in the Chicago market. At the time of the purchase, I-Go had about 15,000 members and 250 vehicles in 40 neighborhoods. Enterprise would not say how many members it had when its program shut down. Bryant said no layoffs would be involved in the closing of the service but would not say how many CarShare employees worked in Chicago. Advertisement Enterprise says it will keep running its regular car-sharing operations in areas including Toronto, New York, Philadelphia and London. The company has started refunding prorated membership fees to Chicago customers, who have access to their accounts up until Aug. 21 to document their transportation expenses. Enterprise CarShare members will also get a 15 percent discount off daily rates for a year at local Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations, the company said. Cheryl V. Jackson is a freelance writer. Twitter @CherylVJackson When hiring engineers, Chicago-based cybersecurity firm Trustwave makes them prove ahead of time that they're up to the task. One tactic it uses is buzzworthy: Candidates must demonstrate their skills by coding the functions of an imaginary coffee machine before they can interview, said Mike Smart, Trustwave's director of talent acquisition and development. Advertisement "These are people who will spend up to four or five hours actually coding a coffee machine," Smart said. "It has nothing to do with security, but what we actually do is we look at their code probably more so than their resume." For this assignment, all the applicants are told is that a coffee machine is broken and they must code a way to fix it, a spokeswoman said. They can approach the task as creatively as they want. Advertisement Trustwave announced earlier this month it is planning to hire 100 employees across a number of disciplines this year, and another 300 after it completes its office expansion. The "Barista" assessment, as it's called, has helped Trustwave hire experienced engineers with educational backgrounds ranging from high school diplomas to degrees from the country's best universities, Smart said. For these roles, Trustwave likes to look at an engineer's actual code in order to judge it on quality and strength. Smart said the assessments help Trustwave weed out certain candidates. "Most people, when you say, '(For) our interview process, we're going to ask you to code a coffee machine,' their first answer isn't, 'Oh, that makes a lot of sense.' It's a pretty weird thing," Smart said. "It has nothing to do with (cybersecurity), but we love people who come back with really interesting solutions." For some higher-level roles, applicants are subjected to the "Horse Track" assessment, for which they must code an automated betting system for horse races, he said. But the company takes a close look at coders before they apply for jobs, too sometimes years before. The company sponsors and sends volunteers to various cybersecurity hackathons for students around the country. Sometimes Trustwave cybersecurity experts even participate in challenges, launching attacks that student teams must fend off to protect their networks. Smart said student participants in these events get to show off their skills. They also often get to meet Trustwave's coders the people doing the jobs the students may hold in the future, not just the people who do the recruiting. He said Trustwave doesn't necessarily go to events to find immediate candidates, since the company tends to hire engineers with more experience, but that he likes to start building relationships early. One example is Wildhacks, an annual 36-hour hackathon at Northwestern University. Advertisement "We go there to let people know who we are and let people meet our people," Smart said. "It's the definition of a long sell." aelahi@chicagotribune.com Twitter @aminamania The City Colleges of Chicago headquarters, photographed June 27, 2017, is at 226 W. Jackson Blvd., across the street from Willis Tower, seen at left. City Colleges wants to sell the 14-story building and plans to hire a broker to seek a buyer. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune ) City Colleges of Chicago wants to sell its headquarters building across the street from Willis Tower and move office workers to campuses in Englewood and Bronzeville. A sale would allow City Colleges to capitalize on a strong downtown Chicago commercial real estate market, bringing in a one-time cash windfall to the community college system. Advertisement The 14-story building, completed in 1904, is on West Jackson Boulevard, across the street from the city's tallest building, the 110-story former Sears Tower. The approximately 185,000-square-foot City Colleges building is only 33 percent occupied. The system has about 400 workers in the building. "Our headquarters is a prime Loop property, just across from Willis Tower and the financial district, and we expect it to be highly attractive to buyers," Chancellor Juan Salgado said in a news release. "Selling this underutilized asset allows us to invest more in our colleges, in our communities, and bring our staff closer to students." Advertisement The system declined to estimate the building's value. Salgado in March assumed leadership of City Colleges, named to the post by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to replace Cheryl Hyman. Hyman stepped down after receiving a no-confidence vote from the system's faculty. The system has about 90,000 students at seven colleges and five satellite locations. Within the next month, the system plans to hire a broker to seek a buyer for the Jackson Boulevard building. The planned sale comes at a time when large sums are being invested in nearby real estate, including Blackstone Group's $500 million addition to the base of Willis Tower. Another New York-based investor, 601W Cos., has begun a $500 million redevelopment of the old main post office into modern offices and retail. Also in the area, a venture led by Chicago-based Riverside Investment & Development plans a more than $1 billion redevelopment of Union Station. In another trend that could work in City Colleges' favor, many vintage office buildings have been acquired by developers and either upgraded or converted into new uses, such as boutique hotels or apartments. If it finds a buyer for its headquarters, the system said it will move staff to the Kennedy-King College campus in Englewood and Dawson Technical Institute in Bronzeville. Some staff will move to new office space in the central business district that has yet to be chosen. The city's community college system isn't the first educator looking to cash in on real estate it no longer needs. Advertisement Roosevelt University in May said it wants to sell a Michigan Avenue property for more than $20 million. In 2014, Chicago Public Schools sold its headquarters on Clark Street for $28 million and moved to leased space on Dearborn Street. rori@chicagotribune.com Twitter @Ryan_Ori No two ways about it: The University of Washington's new study of the jobs effect of Seattle's higher minimum wage spells trouble for supporters of minimum wage increases. That's not merely because the study released Monday found a steep reduction in jobs and income among the city's lowest-paid workers following the minimum wage raise to $13 an hour in January 2016, on its way to a nation-leading $15 for most employers within four years. It also found a strong increase in employment of workers earning more than $19 an hour. In the restaurant sector, for instance, the study found a 10.7% reduction in jobs paying less than $19, but no overall change in employment, implying that jobs paying more than $19 increased by 20%. Advertisement As my colleague Natalie Kitroeff observes, the findings are likely to cause shudders among the promoters of the minimum wage increase in Los Angeles, which will rise to $12 on Saturday and reach $15 for all but the smallest employers by July 1, 2020. That's because it seems to suggest that, even if a modest raise in the minimum wage say to $12 or $13 won't cost jobs, a bigger increase will. The minimum wage ordinance lowered low-wage employees earnings by an average of $125 per month in 2016. Jardim et al., University of Washington The real problem with the Washington report, however, isn't economic but political: The UW economic team that produced it has been held up as the ultimate arbiter on the effect of Seattle's minimum wage. Advertisement The group's initial report, issued last July and covering the first phase of the wage increase in April 2015 to as much as $11 an hour, found that the city's low-wage workers earned more, but that effect was muted by reduced hours, and the effects canceled each other out almost completely. This was hailed by the minimum wage lobby as a data point in its favor, especially because it was supplemented by a finding that the higher minimum wage hadn't driven employers out of business. You don't hear such huzzahs this time around, when the core takeaway from the report is that "the minimum wage ordinance lowered low-wage employees' earnings by an average of $125 per month in 2016." It's difficult to reverse course and flatly declare the latest findings erroneous, as many in the minimum wage camp did almost immediately. "Their findings are not credible and drawing inferences from the report [is] unwarranted," asserted UC Berkeley economist Michael Reich, who had issued a report on the Seattle initiative just days earlier, finding opposite effects "Wages in food services did increase. Employment in food service, however, was not affected." At the pro-labor Economic Policy Institute, Ben Zipperer and John Schmitt stated that the Washington paper suffered from data and methodological problems "that bias the study in the direction of finding job loss, even where there may have been no job loss at all." And Jared Bernstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and former chief economist to Vice President Joe Biden, judiciously pronounced the study "curious" and observed, as did other critics, that its findings are way out of line with other research on the minimum wage's employment effects. It's unwise, Bernstein said, to come to conclusions "based on one extreme outlier study with some eyebrow-raising quirks." The University of Washington researchers, led by economist Jacob Vigdor, defend their results, which are based on confidential data they see because they're on a study contract from the city but which hasn't been available to previous researchers in the field. The controversy does underscore a familiar feature of the minimum wage debate: The subject is so multifaceted that there may be no single answer to the question of where the wage should be. The answer will be different depending on the nature of the local economy, the prevailing wage, local politics and numerous other factors, including ideology. Their findings are not credible and drawing inferences from the report [is] unwarranted. UC Berkeley economist Michael Reich The most common standard is that the minimum wage should be about half the median wage. But as Zipperer and Schmitt observe, that would place the optimum minimum for Seattle at about $13 so why that wage should have such pronounced effects is a mystery. It may be impossible to solve the mystery until the UW study is peer-reviewed and its underlying data scrutinized more widely, if then. But a few points certainly are true. One is that its findings are out of line with almost all other studies of the minimum wage employment effect. That doesn't make them suspect, exactly, but it does warrant a close examination of the methodology to see whether the researchers missed or misinterpreted something. Another issue is that Seattle's unusually, and perhaps uniquely, strong economy may be warping the findings. Then there are the limitations that even the UW researchers acknowledge. One is that their study left out multisite employers such as fast-food and retail chains because they simply don't have sufficient data to include them. This group is among the biggest employers of low-wage workers, accounting for about 38% of the workforce, so its absence leaves a big gap. The study's critics say it's an especially important gap because chain employers have an easier time adjusting to higher hourly wages and can move workers from one place to another, so UW may have overstated the job losses. Advertisement Researchers also say they're unable to capture earnings in the informal or "contract" sectors cash employees or Uber drivers, for instance. It's possible that some of the lost jobs have been shifted to these arrangements. Still, it's difficult to understand why the UW team found such pronounced effects, including sharp gains among workers earning more than $19, from a wage increase to $13, and why they were so out of line with previous studies. The researchers turn this into a virtue, arguing that their access to new data allows them to reexamine the received wisdom. Critics argue that the very fact that the researchers' results are so out of line suggests that they're flawed. Where's the employment effect from the minimum wage? Job growth in Seattle has remained strong overall, even as lower wage jobs shrink. (EPI; data from Jardim et al., University of Washington) The biggest question is connected to the strength of the Seattle economy. The city's unemployment rate is among the lowest in the nation, with growth so powerful it may well overwhelm the impact of a minimum wage. The authors of the university's initial study acknowledged that a year ago, when they noted that "the city's low-wage workers did relatively well after the minimum wage increased [to $11], but largely because of the strong regional economy." Full-service restaurants in Seattle have had so much trouble finding help in this vibrant economy that their average wage rates already exceeded $13; it's conceivable that the lowest-wage jobs have disappeared in part because workers are getting paid more. That also would solve part of the mystery of the surge in jobs at $19 an hour or more. The UW study will be scrutinized closely in the coming weeks and months, and the next reports in the series will be as eagerly awaited as this one. But the one sure conclusion to be drawn from the latest study undoubtedly will be true of the next: If you expect research to definitively answer the question of whether a raise in the minimum wage is good or bad, or how high it should go, you're bound to be disappointed. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Advertisement Return to Michael Hiltzik's blog. ABC and a South Dakota meat producer announced a settlement Wednesday in a $1.9 billion lawsuit against the American network over its reports on a lean, finely textured beef product that critics dubbed " pink slime ." SIOUX FALLS, S.D. The terms of the settlement including its amount are confidential. Dakota Dunes-based Beef Products Inc. sued ABC in 2012, saying ABC's coverage misled consumers into believing the product is unsafe, is not beef and isn't nutritious. ABC spokeswoman Julie Townsend said in a statement Wednesday that throughout the case the network has maintained its reports accurately presented the facts and views of "knowledgeable people" about the product. "Although we have concluded that continued litigation of this case is not in the Company's interests, we remain committed to the vigorous pursuit of truth and the consumer's right to know about the products they purchase," Townsend said. Advertisement The coverage emphasized that the product at the time was present in 70 percent of the ground beef sold in supermarkets, but wasn't labeled. BPI and its family owners said in a statement Wednesday that the lawsuit was difficult, but necessary to start rectifying the harm suffered as a result of ABC's reports on lean, finely textured beef. After the reports aired, some grocery store chains said they would stop carrying ground beef that contained the product. BPI claimed in the 2012 complaint that sales declined from about 5 million pounds (2.3 million kilograms) per week to less than 2 million pounds (907,000 kilograms) per week. Advertisement BPI has said the sales drop forced it to close plants in Iowa, Kansas and Texas and lay off more than 700 workers. Only a Nebraska plant in South Sioux City remained open. "This agreement provides us with a strong foundation on which to grow the business, while allowing us to remain focused on achieving the vision of the Roth and BPI family," the company and family said in their statement. BPI lawyer Erik Connolly said the trial and settlement were opportunities for the company to vindicate its product "If you judge this product on the truth, there is not a better product that goes into ground beef," Connolly said. Lean, finely textured beef can be added to ground beef to reduce the overall fat content. It's made from trimmings left after a cow is butchered. The meat is separated from the fat, and ammonia gas is applied to kill bacteria. Former Department of Agriculture microbiologist Gerald Zirnstein named the product " pink slime " in a 2002 agency email. He was among several people who were dismissed from the lawsuit before trial, including ABC anchor Diane Sawyer, leaving just the network and correspondent Jim Avila as defendants. After the announcement, Avila thanked the jurors for their service, the Sioux City Journal reported. "I wish they had had the chance to hear my side of the story," Avila said, according to the newspaper. "It's important to note we're not retracting anything or apologizing for anything." BPI could have been seeking damages as high as $1.9 billion, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Disney, which owns ABC. BPI was also seeking "treble" damages, or triple the amount, under South Dakota's Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act and punitive damages. Advertisement The settlement announcement came on the trial's 18th day in state court in Elk Point, a town of less than 2,000 people in southeastern South Dakota. The trial was scheduled to last until late July. Jane Kirtley, a University of Minnesota media law professor who has followed the case, said it's "folly" to speculate what could have influenced ABC's decision to settle the case. But she said it's unfortunate whenever there's a settlement in a case that could have been defended. "As a general proposition, I think settlements are bad because they send a message to other litigants that news organizations basically will buy their way out of lawsuits," Kirtley said. "This is a powerful corporation and it represents a powerful industry, and I think everyone should be concerned about the future of investigative reporting when powerful entities can bring an action like this and bring a settlement." Major health care industry groups have well-oiled war machines that they have regularly deployed to bolster -- or torpedo -- proposed policy in the past. But with the Senate health bill threatening to reshape a sector that makes up one-sixth of the American economy, many of the most powerful industry voices have been notably absent from the public debate. After a year when insurers' high-profile pullouts and critiques of the marketplaces set up by the Affordable Care Act became fuel for Republican arguments the law was about to explode, the industry has been restrained recently, neither strongly supporting nor opposing the bill. In part, this reflects a strategy for a volatile political environment. Health care groups that have other items coming up on their agenda may be hesitant to burn bridges by antagonizing Republicans by being openly strident, several health care lobbyists said. But it also reflects a larger splintering within the health care industry, in which businesses are being guided by their direct financial interests. While the bill may represent an existential threat to some insurers, others see it as neutral. "There's no question the constituencies are fractured," said Sheila Burke, a strategic adviser at the law firm Baker Donelson. The bill grants insurers many of the short-term measures they have been seeking to make the individual marketplaces more stable and a tax repeal worth $145 billion over a decade. Drug and medical device companies would get major tax repeals. The trade groups representing those industries issued measured statements instead of an endorsement, narrowly supporting or disagreeing with specific elements of the bill. In contrast, the hospital industry, physician groups and patient advocacy groups have all come out in strong, united opposition to the bill. Hospitals, often among the largest employers in a region, are a powerful industry, but they were vocally supportive of the Affordable Care Act, a position that did not endear them to Republican lawmakers. Add to that the bill's harshest effects will be borne by the poor, a group without deep-pocketed organizations to represent their interests. "There really is no not-for-profit that really speaks up on behalf of low income patients" akin to the AARP, said J. Mario Molina, an outspoken critic of the Republican health care bill who was recently ousted from running the insurer, Molina Healthcare. "You look at what's happening -- hospitals don't like this bill, physicians' organizations don't like this bill, the cancer society doesn't like this bill, but there's no one that can unify them and lead the charge." When the Affordable Care Act was being implemented, many health care industries stood to benefit due to coverage expansion that was likely to bring them more insured customers. But the Senate bill is a cut, and industries - even sub-sectors of industries - are affected in different ways. Health insurance is a diverse business, made up of for-profits, non-profits, community plans and national companies. Some are big players in the Medicaid space, while others have little exposure to cuts in that area. Many of the big companies had already exited the Affordable Care Act markets that will be reshaped by the law. The industry's largest trade organization, which must balance the interests of a variety of members, has expressed concern about deep cuts to Medicaid. But plans that are heavily dependent on that business have been far more direct, launching highly critical attacks of the bill. That is far different than when insurers united behind the "Harry and Louise" ads to bring down the Clinton health reforms,or even the aggressive opposition insurers marshaled against the Affordable Care Act. "I did say to my board, I thought that we, as a plan, needed to be more vocal than our trade association, so that our 2 million members would know we were their advocates and our thousands of providers would know we are their advocates," said John Baackes, chief executive of L.A. Care Health Plan, which has 2 million Medicaid members. The hospital industry has mobilized, bringing hundreds of hospital representatives to Capitol Hill and flooding Senate offices with calls from employees, Rick Pollack, president of the American Hospital Association said in a conference call Tuesday. That pressure is also being exerted locally. Joseph Letnaunchyn, president of the West Virginia Hospital Association said that he brought his board's leadership to a meeting with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., two days before the bill was released, to air their concerns about a variety of issues, including the loss in Medicaid coverage. But one reason for the lackluster response is that many industries are looking beyond the health care bill. There's the prospect of tax reform, various legislative issues for each industry and the simple fact that they will continue to have to work closely with the government, a major health care payer. "I think first and foremost, they have to think about if they want to play scorched earth lobbying when they have a lot of things they need to do in Washington," said Kim Monk, a managing director at Capital Alpha Partners, a firm that provides political research for investors. "They want to be careful what they do here - pick their battles." Take the medical device industry, which unequivocally benefited from the law but nonetheless hasn't come out in support of it. Greg Crist, a spokesman for AdvaMed, the medical device lobby, said that the group two weeks ago hosted its largest fly-in in years, bringing 54 chief executives to Capitol Hill. Their priorities were getting rid of the device tax that was in the Affordable Care Act, and a completely separate issue - pending medical device user fee legislation. The organization put out a statement applauding the inclusion of the tax repeal in the Senate bill, but did not weigh in on the rest. Crist said that was in part because the majority of their patients - people who need pacemakers, stents or knee implants - are elderly and covered by a different government program, Medicare. Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), seen in a 2016 file photo, is on the board of directors of Innate Immunotherapeutics, an Australian firm whose stock fell sharply this week. He holds about 1/5 of the company's shares. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The value of stock in a multiple sclerosis drug company - which includes large holdings by members of Congress - collapsed Tuesday when company officials announced the drug failed during recent clinical trials. Large and lucrative investments in an Australian biotech company by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price came under intense scrutiny during his Senate confirmation hearings in January because, while a member of Congress, he bought them at a discounted rate through special offerings of the stock. Advertisement Investigations by senators and the media at the time also revealed that Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., told Price and at least three other House members about the stock offerings in Innate Immunotherapeutics. Collins sits on the company's board of directors and his family owns nearly one-fifth of the company's stock, records show, leading to accusations of "insider trading" for Price and other House members who bought the stock. The value of a share in the company stock was valued as high as $1.77 a share in January - totaling more than $20 million for Collins alone - but was down to just five cents a share on Tuesday by the close of trading on the Australian Stock Exchange. Advertisement Price was forced to sell his stock in Innate earlier this year - and tripled his profits in the process - after he was nominated to become HHS secretary. The department determined the investment was a conflict of interest. Price invested about $10,000 in 2015 and between $50,000 to $100,000 in the company last year. Records show he sold the shares in February for between $265,000 and $550,000, according to records filed with the federal Office of Government Ethics. Since stock purchases and sales must only be reported in ranges, his profits were ranged between $154,983 and $489,981. Collins's office did not return calls or respond to emails for comment. However, he told the Buffalo News in an interview Tuesday that he has not sold off his shares. He made no comments on whether his family members, friends and colleagues have recently sold shares. That question of timing on recent sales of Innate stock may be crucial. Sean O'Neill, an analyst at the Motley Fool website, wrote Tuesday morning that there appeared to be unusual trading activity Friday that "suggests that somebody with knowledge of the results was front-running the announcement," he said. "That's something I'd hope the regulator will be looking closer at." O'Neill also said that the stock "looks extremely risky and I would avoid it at all costs." The Washington Post called and emailed three Republican House members who invested in the company - Reps. Billy Long of Missouri, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Michael K. Conaway of Texas - to see whether they had sold the Innate stock they purchased. None of the offices responded to the requests for comment. Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y., the lead author of a 2012 law that aimed to stop members from making stock trades based on information they gleaned on Capitol Hill, said: "This development only raises more questions, and we need to get the answers. It cries out for an investigation." servers actively campaigned to overturn the results of a November referendum raising servers' salaries from $3.75 in 2016 to $12 by 2024, saying it would cause customers to tip less and reduce their take-home income. (AP) As the Maine House voted on a bill to reduce the minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers, Jason Buckwalter and a dozen fellow servers listening to the vote call from the backroom of a Bangor steakhouse all hoped to hear one thing: that state legislators had voted to lower their wages. Some cried with relief, Buckwalter said, when lawmakers voted 110-37 in favor of lowering the minimum wage. The June 13 vote brought a conclusion to a political saga that has upended conventional wisdom about the minimum wage. Advertisement Workers have traditionally supported such increases, which advocates say are critical to lifting millions out of poverty. But in Maine, servers actively campaigned to overturn the results of a November referendum raising servers' salaries from $3.75 in 2016 to $12 by 2024, saying it would cause customers to tip less and reduce their take-home income. Advertisement The bill was signed into law on June 22 by Republican Gov. Paul LePage, a strident critic of raising the tipped minimum wage, and will go into effect in January 2018. The servers' campaign against increasing the minimum wage was a blow to labor activists, who believed the Maine referendum could kick off similar votes in places such as New York, Massachusetts and D.C. Instead, some servers in those places are already mobilizing against a higher salary. "The next fight is on the national level," said Buckwalter, who organized other servers to lobby Maine politicians and is now working with waitstaff in Minneapolis and Seattle. "I had lost my faith in government. This restored it, a little." Federal labor law allows restaurants to pay their tipped workers less than the local minimum wage, provided that their total earnings, with tips, meet or exceed that minimum. If servers' earnings fall short of that, employers must pay the difference. In reality, it's not clear how often restaurants do that. Furthermore, activists say, workers who make the bulk of their income in tips depend on getting good shifts to make ends meet. That means they avoid any actions that could upset management, including asking for owed money or complaining about customers who harass or bother them. As a result, said Sylvia Allegretto, a labor economist at the University of California, Berkeley, tipped workers tend to have a poverty rate almost twice that of non-tipped workers, and they are more likely to rely on public assistance. "Not everyone is making a lot of money in tips," Allegretto said, "especially in an industry where you can't complain about it." Advertisement At first, that argument seemed to be persuasive in Maine, where more than 80,000 people work in food service, according to the state department of labor. The average annual wage is slightly over $17,000 a year for restaurant workers, but that includes both tipped servers at full-service restaurants and people who do not make tips, such as back-of-house staff and fast-food workers. A November referendum to raise both the regular and tipped minimum wages - $7.50 and $3.75, respectively - won with 55 percent of the vote. But almost immediately after the vote was tallied, tipped servers began to complain that the result would hurt their livelihoods. At a packed, 10-hour April meeting of the Maine Legislature's Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee, dozens of servers said some confused customers were already tipping less. Sue Vallenza, a 55-year-old bartender at the Pilot House in Kennebunk, Maine, said she saw her hourly tips drop by more than $2 per hour, from the $20 to $30 per hour she made before. "I don't need to be 'saved,' and I'll be damned if small groups of uninformed people are voting on my livelihood," Vallenza said. "You can't cut someone off at the knees like that." Activists maintain that the public never heard from the rural diner types, because those workers - the ones most in need of a higher minimum wage - are generally not in a position to complain about their earnings or to take time off work. Advertisement "We do not believe what we see in Maine is representative of the majority of workers," said Dave Palmer, the managing director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a national group of low-wage restaurant workers that fought for Maine's referendum. "We have enough of a sense from our members around the country that this is important to them." But James Dill,a Democratic state senator who initially supported the referendum, said he received hundreds of emails and phone calls from unhappy servers. After the outcry, he signed onto a Republican measure to lower the tipped wage down again. "I realize not everyone is in the same boat," said Dill. "But the ones who called me were saying, 'I make $20 to $25 per hour, I've bought a house with that income, I support my kids - it's really important that you don't mess with my tips.' " "I believe in a higher minimum wage," he added. "But the people who this was impacting didn't want it." 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio faces stiff competition from Jaguar and Porsche in the booming performance crossover segment, and does it without pretending to any off-road capability. (Supplemental video provided by TFLcar.com ) (Robert Duffer/Chicago Tribune) Alfa Romeo may be late to the crossover party, but the all-new Stelvio cuts a distinct mark in the crowded crossover space. The Stelvio is crucial to the Italian brand's successful return to the U.S. Jaguar, like Alfa, was known for clever cars with questionable quality. Within its first year of sales the Jaguar F-Pace became the British brand's best-selling vehicle, as well as one of the hottest cars in the U.S. Advertisement Alfa needs to replicate that success with Stelvio. After leaving North America in 1995, Alfa's return to the U.S. in 2015 commenced with the 4C and 4C Spider, a low volume but lovely two-seat sport kart. The Giulia midsize sedan followed in 2016. It has impressed critics but consumers aren't much interested in sedans. Advertisement Stelvio shares nearly everything from the powertrain to the interior with the Giulia. It's 2 inches longer, 9 inches taller, 2 inches higher off the ground, and costs $2,000 more. AWD comes standard with a rear-wheel-drive bias, so all the torque can go to the rear axle for efficiency at highway speeds. It has the versatility and cargo room of a crossover, but the driving feel of a car. The handling and steering are what most distinguish Stelvio. Alfa claims the vehicle has "the most direct steering ratio in its segment," meaning that every degree turn of the steering wheel is matched by a degree turn of the wheels, at a ratio of 12 to 1. The steering is precise and direct, so there's more confidence tucking into those S-curves and more reason to mash the pedal coming out of those turns. That sensitivity creates a welcome connection to the road that is missing on most crossovers. Despite having perfect 50/50 weight distribution, there is some inescapable body roll on longerturns such as cloverleaf ramps due to the taller ride height. The 280-horsepower turbocharged inline four cylinder engine is punchy enough, hitting an Alfa-estimated 0-60 mph time in 5.4 seconds. Lag is minimal and max torque of 306 pound-feet comes at just 2,000 rpm, so there's a pleasing and plentiful burst in nearly every driving scenario, even uphill. The available tow package has a 3,000-pound capacity. Alfa's gimmicky DNA driving mode selector (A stands for Advanced Efficiency instead of E for Eco) delays shift points in Dynamic mode and offers a more responsive throttle. The driving modes are augmented by a smooth eight-speed transmission. The shifts are quick and predictive, and the long, column-mounted paddle shifters give the driver plenty to play with. It sounds good, too, with a balanced note of engine growl and turbo whir that never overwhelms the cabin. For more performance, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, with the same excellent 505-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 engine from the Giulia Quadrifoglio, is planned for early 2018. The cabin is a spartan respite from the modern tendency to overwhelm with unclear buttons and complex controller options. The dashboard is stretched horizontally, the controls are simple, the design emphasis is on drivability and nothing more. The backup camera display is tiny, however, and with the coupelike roofline and large blind spots, Alfa could use the display space better with a wider camera. There is a missed opportunity in the gauge cluster between the speedometer and tachometer, where many premium makes are beginning to offer much of the info from the display screen in simpler form, so drivers only need to use the steering wheel control buttons to get the info they need. Advertisement Headroom is a little tight, but the rear seats can comfortably fit two adults. Cargo room is on par with the competition. Stelvio carves out a place in this crowded class with distinctive design, a pleasing powertrain and some of the best steering and handling in the class. It should replicate Jaguar's success with the F-Pace, and return Alfa to a place of distinction in our new crossover-crazy times. rduffer@chicagotribune.com Twitter @DufferRobert 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport at a glance Vehicle type: Midsize crossover Advertisement Base price: $46,495 As tested: $54,245 (excluding $995 destination) EPA MPG: 22 city, 28 highway Engine: 2-liter turbo inline four-cylinder Transmission: 8-speed automatic with manual mode Parting shot: A sharp alternative to cookie-cutter crossovers Before he was deemed a "silver fox," actor Steve Carell was a waiter in Chicago who rocked a Liz Claiborne powder blue windbreaker with "the biggest" shoulder pads. "It was like a dream. Talk about silver fox, my God. I loved it and I remember I was working at Houlihan's in Chicago as a waiter and the hostess commented and said, 'I really like that jacket,' and I wore it every day for eight months after that," he told Jimmy Fallon Tuesday on "The Tonight Show." Advertisement Carell, 54, lived in Chicago in the late '80s and early '90s as he trained and performed with Second City. He voices the lead characters in "Despicable Me 3," which opens in some Chicago theaters Thursday. Thanks to his new grey 'do, Carell has been called a "silver fox" and compared to George Clooney and Anderson Cooper while promoting the movie. Advertisement "The Tonight Show" airs 10:35 p.m. weeknights on NBC. RELATED STORIES: Watch Stephen Colbert recall playing an old black woman in Second City scene Watch Emma Stone and Steve Carell as tennis legends Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 'Battle of the Sexes' trailer 'Veep' star Timothy Simons calls Joe's on Weed 'the worst bar in America' Tom Hanks talks being 'rattled' by fame of his brother, a U. of I. professor 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) Situated in the third-floor screening room of the International Museum of Surgical Science, the wall-sized video projection on display now by New York-based artist Vincent Tiley, atmospherically shot by Fred Attenborough and edited by Drew Bolton, is by turns eerie, soothing and oddly monstrous. Evoking a looming creature out of a David Cronenberg flick, the da Vinci Surgical System stands in as mechanical Frankenstein and prosthetic appendage to the maternal figure who operates it but is never actually seen. For the entire length of the video Tiley's mother, Dr. Gina Busch, sits to the side of the operating platform, her face and head pressed into a large, boxy, army-green interface, fingers tucked through white plastic loops, fluidly working a system of control grips. Advertisement The artist, lying on a backrest in the middle of the machine and attended to by a nurse played by Marion Campbell, is surrounded by the wrist-jointed armatures of its four spiderlike robotic arms. Extending from the end of each is any number of switchable instruments: clamps, scalpels or scissors, as needed. Playing throughout is droning audio by Sam Hurt,who composed sound using sculptural instruments of his own devising. This is Tiley's newest video installation, "Material Eyes," an artistic exploration of the complex aesthetics of robotic interaction with our bodies that defines the state of modern surgery, and of the implications of his mother as its operator. That Cronenberg reference isn't far off, if you're talking about the gynecological instruments for operating on mutant women from his 1988 classic "Dead Ringers" turns out one of the main uses of the da Vinci System, aside from laparoscopies and fixing cardiac valves, is gynecological surgeries. Advertisement "My mother was a gynecological surgeon," Tiley explains during a morning call from New York to discuss the video. "She was doing births and taking care of pregnant women in her practice a long time ago and she uses this machine for surgeries on women, so that relationship that my mother has to women and her role as a mother is a part of the work, and there's a reason I didn't get my father or another male doctor to operate the machine. I think partly because the shared bodily experience of mother to child is so intimate and to interface that with a technological device is a subversion of how we typically think about mother-and-child relationships." Moreover, cinema is also an influence that the artist readily admits informs his process. "Sci-fi is an incredible source of inspiration for me," Tiley says. "I love its descriptions of utopia and how people may interact in the future and technology's ability to facilitate new types of human interactions. That robot is very science fiction to me." But what was depicted as a horror at the body and its fungible morphologies in much of the film auteur's work is in Tiley's a more playful turn. The artist imbues the machine with a curiosity about its subject's body that throughout the video it probes, prods and plucks at with all the apparent sentience of Doctor Octopus's evil appendages. Having worked with Terence Koh, Tiley brings similar interests to bear in his work here, including an impulse to queer the public perception of our own and others' relationship to our bodies, both artists employing media as diverse as durational performance, video and fashion design. "It was from a point in my studio practice in which I was reflecting on how technology is used in society and the space that takes up in relationships and trying to create situations in which that space is problematized or not used correctly," explains Tiley, "and this collaboration is about touch with my mother, who's doing it through a surgical robot. That's the way I was trying to do that." In fact, the video's investigative approach to the relationship between people and their machines seems as much the point as is the emotional distance that generally separates us from one another, and that specifically here divides Tiley from his mother. It's up for debate to what degree that's exacerbated by technological intervention. It could as well be a natural separation anxiety, a postpartum rift that forms the individuation of self from others that never quite entirely fades, and that we all just adapt to. It's that rift Tiley attempts to emblemize and explore in "Material Eyes," through depicting the clear, insurmountable separation between the material and the invisible world of our emotional reality. This is especially effective given the history of the da Vinci System as the first robotic instrument to enable remote surgical procedures, and thus its history of overcoming the problem of vast distances. Dubbed the "Lindbergh operation," it was put to historic use in 2001 by a team of French surgeons working in New York to perform a surgery on a patient thousands of miles away in Strasbourg. Paradigms shifted. But the machine is being used to bridge an altogether different distance here. Throughout the video, the robotic arms probe Tiley's orifices, pinching and lifting the labial swell of his upper and lower lips, grasping the teardrop-shaped lobule at the bottom of his left ear and probing in along the entrance to the ear canal. Then next, ever so gently, the arms rise into his left nostril and up further, approaching the eye, where it lifts his eyelashes one by one. Watching, you wonder if it won't pull a Bunuel and pop the cornea with a slash of the scalpel. It doesn't. Advertisement Instead it simply continues probing, perversely seeking a way in, trying without success to find a connection, and eventually it becomes apparent the body can't provide it. That is something, as human beings, we have to invent entirely on our own, out of thin air. That's where the magical transformation of something from nothing happens, of the shift from symbiosis to independence, of crippling reliance to self-sufficiency. For that, we need more than just our material eyes to peer into the unseen world. Michael Workman is a freelance writer. ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com Twitter @chitribent When: Through July 16 Where: International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore Drive Advertisement Tickets: Free; 312-642-6502 or www.imss.org RELATED STORIES: Christine McVie on comebacks and a tangled Fleetwood Mac history Bring comfy shoes and your ambition to tackle Art Institute Top-notch jazz in an unusual spot a shopping mall 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) Wilmer Catalan-Ramirez, a Guatemalan immigrant living in the United States illegally, entered the Dirksen Federal Courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn St., on Tuesday with his arm in a sling. He used the support of a guard to lift himself from the chair he was sitting in. Catalan-Ramirez, who is under deportation proceedings and under Chicago Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since March 27, 2017, filed a lawsuit against the ICE Chicago office, Chicago Police Department and the McHenry County Adult Correctional Facility on May 1, 2017. According to the suit, officials falsely listed Catalan-Ramirez as a gang member on the citys database which led to his detention at his home in Back of the Yards on March 27, said a spokesperson for OCAD. During the hearing, the defendants lawyers gave a status update on their requests for emergency relief, medical care and accommodations in the detention facility during the hearing made by Catalan-Ramirezs lawyers. The McHenry Detention Center lawyer assured the district court that the center had and will improve the undocumented immigrants health and treatment while in custody. At a press conference prior to the hearing, his family, friends and other supporting organizations demanded that Catalan-Ramirez, a father of three, is released from custody to receive the appropriate care for his current health issues. Despite the plead, the court scheduled another update in 30 days. Celene Adame, Catalan-Ramirezs partner, said he needs to be home with his family so that he can heal. Avame said that Catalan-Ramirez is doing better but the progress is not enough. Celene Adame, Wilmer Catalan-Ramirez's partner, speaks in a press conference at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Tuesday. (Julia Esparza) We have to keep on fighting so that my husband can receive the treatment and medical attention he needs. Its because of the support from the community that we have made it this far. It is not where we want to be but it is progress, said Adame. During the arrest, Ramirez sustained injuries by ICE officials who conducted a warrantless home raid and engaged in excessive use of force, according to the press release. Once in custody, the facility allegedly failed to care for his medical needs and denied accommodations for his physical impairments which then resulted in continued injuries. Because Catalan-Ramirezs was wrongly placed in gang database for the city of Chicago he was stripped of privacy protections established under the Chicagos sanctuary city ordinance according to a Tribune article. Catalan-Ramirez was never a gang member said his attorneys. One of Catalan-Ramirezs lawyers, Sheila Bedi from the MacArthur Justice Center, said they still plan on pursuing justice for the violation of his rights during his arrest. Our ideal outcome would be his release. We know that he cant receive the medical treatment he needs inside that facility, said Irene Romulo from OCAD. In January 2017, Catalan-Ramirez was injured in a drive-by shooting that left him with brain damage and partially paralyzed according to a Tribune article. Romulo said Avame called one of OCADs hotlines at the time of the arrest and they have been rallying support for Catalan-Ramirez since his arrest in May. The last five months under the Trump administration have witnessed extreme levels of racial prejudice and abuse, said Sejal Zota from the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. Zota said Catalan-Ramirez's case will set a precedent for future immigration cases. His inclusion on the gang database and subsequent arrest challenges the bounds of Chicago's claim to be a sanctuary city. A recent Snapchat update shook users of the social media app when it started sharing their exact locations. Snapchat's buzz about the update said, "Snapchatters on iOS and Android globally will have a new way to see what their friends are up to, what's happening around the world, and get inspired to go on an adventure. Introducing Snap Map." Advertisement The company said it was designed so people could leave their local story and view "Our Story," a feature that connects users globally. Though Snapchat was clear in sharing information about this update and its mission, many concerned Snapchatters took to social media to express their concerns and share a few laughs. Advertisement Snapchat then released a statement regarding the safety of the update. "The safety of our community is very important to us and we want to make sure that all Snapchatters, parents and educators have accurate information about how the Snap Map works," said a Snapchat representative. "With Snap Map, location-sharing is off by default for all users and is completely optional. Snapchatters can choose exactly who they want to share their location with, if at all, and can change that setting at any time." With that new snapchat update they know where everyone in the world is at almost all times. Scary thought GHOST (@MFROYALTY) June 26, 2017 The Snapchat spokesperson also mentioned that it is not possible to share a person's location with someone who isn't already a Snapchat friend. majority of interactions on Snapchat take place between close friends or (at least) familiar faces. The update does open a dialogue about location-sharing settings on mobile devices including parents with young teens who use Snapchat (You must be 13 or older to access Snapchat.) All smartphones include location sharing in some way. Find My iPhone and Find My Friends are the most popular, but there is a plethora of apps that allow a user to track or be tracked. Chicago-based IT systems engineer CJ Kreuz shared his advice on how to protect yourself from location sharing and the new update. "My best advice is to educate yourself on what you are allowing your phone to do," Kreuz said. "Location sharing is a thing now, and it's only going to get bigger. People don't take the time to look into settings or see what they are agreeing to in user terms and conditions. Once you accept it, you allow Snap Maps to access your location when it opens. You have the option to ghost, so if you are concerned, you should." Advertisement ebenmoche@chicagotribune.com Twitter @ebenmoche RELATED STORIES: McDonald's to hire more U.S. workers this summer, some via Snapchat Facebook is adding even more Snapchat-like features Pile Gate is the main entrance to Dubrovniks Old Town, which doubles as Kings Landing in the HBO hit series Game of Thrones. ( Getty Images ) DUBROVNIK, Croatia If you want to get an up-close look at King's Landing and the Red Keep or take a stroll on the same staircase featured in Cersei's naked walk of shame, head to Croatia. That's where fans of HBO's blockbuster series "Game of Thrones," returning for its seventh season July 16, are keeping tour guides busy. In the ancient city of Dubrovnik, hawkers sign up eager tourists for "Game of Thrones" tours at the square near Pile Gate, the main entrance to the stone-walled Old Town that features prominently as King's Landing, the harbor capital of the mythical Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Advertisement The series, based on the books by George R.R. Martin, is a fantasy drama of warring kingdoms, diabolical deceit and untamed lust, among other things. "What's not to love about blood, sex and violence?" jokes tour guide Ivan Vukovic, who lives in the old city and offers themed tours for fans. Vukovic says he's seen people re-enact Cersei's infamous walk of atonement through Old Town a couple of them, like the tyrannical queen, without clothing. Advertisement The old city's stone walls, fortresses, towers and courtyards seem unchanged from the days of Dubrovnik's golden age in the 14th to 16th centuries. The boulder-studded harbor, clear Adriatic waters and nearby Lokrum Island stand-in for the trading city of Qarth are captivating, whether you're a fan of the show or just an ordinary traveler. The series's producers say Dubrovnik's Old Town was a perfect match for the King's Landing described in Martin's books. "To find the full-on, immaculately preserved, medieval walled city that looks uncannily like King's Landing ... that was, in and of itself, just such an amazing find," the show's co-creator D.B. Weiss said in an HBO YouTube video. Croatian officials don't have statistics on how many tourists visit with "Game of Thrones" in mind. But it was clear from the street traffic during a June trip that tours related to the hit show are popular. Inside the old city, where the limestone streets have been smoothed and polished by visitors over the centuries, shops are well stocked with "Game of Thrones" souvenirs. Atop the city walls, spectacular views of the rocky coastline make any fantasy seem possible. Terri Colby is a freelance writer. RELATED STORIES: 'Game of Thrones' tourism takes off in Spanish village The 'Game of Thrones' travel guide Advertisement Add these locations from your favorite TV shows to your 'to-visit' list Families with young kids may think whitewater rafting isn't a vacation option, but Western River Expeditions offers a trip through southern Utah's Desolation Canyon for families with kids as young as 5. The five-day/four-night outing is on the Green River and features more than 60 Class II and III rapids. On some sections of the river, participants can tackle the rapids in two-person inflatable kayaks, or they can stay in the oar-boat with the Western River guide. When not on the water, guests can hike to spots where they can see sights like ancient petroglyphs and a historic homestead. The trip is priced at $1,595 per person, double occupancy, for ages 16 and up and $995 for ages 5 to 15. That includes a flight to the rafting starting point from Moab, Utah, camping gear and all meals. Departures are throughout July and early August. Info: 800-453-7450, www.westernriver.com/desolation-canyon Summer savings in Europe Advertisement It's not too late to find deals on summer getaways to Europe and other foreign destinations. Great Value Vacations has a dozen air-inclusive packages for travel in July and August that are barely over the $1,000 mark. The Irish B&B Getaway with Dublin, for instance, includes round-trip air, two nights' lodging in Dublin, five nights with bed-and-breakfast vouchers and a manual-shift economy-size rental car. In late August, it's as low as $1,239 per person, double occupancy, for departures from Chicago. The price from New York for the same date range is as little as $1,210, and other destination cities are available. Check out the Ireland package and other offerings at http://tinyurl.com/ycwszgwl. Spend days at sea Advertisement Spring and fall are good times to get more bang for your buck, thanks to repositioning cruises. In spring, for instance, ships that have been cruising in the Caribbean during the winter need to be moved to the Mediterranean for the summer season. Come fall, the tables are turned. These trans-Atlantic cruises involve lots of days at sea, so they may not appeal to some cruisers. That's why companies often offer sizable discounts. The Online Vacation Center has a variety of well-priced cruise packages for the coming fall, as well as spring and fall 2018 aboard Royal Caribbean International. Most of these packages include some hotel days in Europe plus some type of air incentive. For instance, a 19-night Miami to Dublin package for April 2018 includes air back to Miami, two nights' hotel in London and three nights in Dublin at the end of the cruise. It's priced from $2,999 for an ocean-view cabin. Air add-on from other cities includes New York for $200 and Chicago for $250. Details on all of these packages are at http://tinyurl.com/yde9yhbu. Phil Marty is a freelance reporter. I need your help with getting a refund from Travelocity. Last year, I booked a package online, flying from Washington, D.C., to London and staying at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London. I passed out in the airport and was taken to the ER by ambulance. The airline kept calling from the gate while I was in the back of the ambulance and asked where I was, since they were waiting on me to board. Advertisement I didn't have travel insurance, but it wouldn't have mattered. I read Travelocity's travel insurance policy, and if I understand it correctly, it would've covered me only had I requested a change in my flight 24 hours prior to departure. I "decided" not to make my flight from a gurney with paramedics roughly an hour before my flight was to leave, so I'm not sure if that would've mattered. I've asked Travelocity for a refund for the hotel and airfare. Virgin Atlantic won't give me a ticket credit because I was a "no show" for the flight, and the hotel portion of my trip was completely nonrefundable. Is there anything else I can do? Advertisement Beth Langston, Alexandria, Va. A: I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems. I'm glad you've recovered from your ER visit and are back to worrying about the less important things, like the fate of your canceled vacation. Travelocity, Virgin Atlantic and the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London should have been sensitive to your situation, and based on the correspondence you showed me, they kind of were. Travelocity tried to advocate your case with the two companies; the companies responded with sympathy for your situation. Unfortunately, your airline and hotel also responded with hard "noes" apparently without bothering to fully review your case. Rules are rules, except when they're not. While it's true that your vacation was nonrefundable, travel companies are known to make exceptions when a customer can't make it for reasons beyond his or her control. A sudden hospitalization definitely falls into that category. By the way, there's a reason your package wasn't refundable: If you don't show up, your airline or hotel can't easily resell your seat or room. Refunding you would result in a loss of revenue. When you booked your trip, you agreed to these rules. But this situation was extraordinary. You literally passed out at the airport and couldn't board the flight; Virgin Atlantic called you in the ambulance, and you told them you were en route to the hospital. You could have sent a round of appeals to all of the companies. I list the names, numbers and addresses of the Travelocity executives (the company is owned by Expedia) at elliott.org/company-contacts/expedia. Virgin Atlantic's executives can be found here: elliott.org/company-contacts/virgin-atlantic-airways. Advertisement And the contacts for Park Plaza (owned by the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group) are listed here: elliott.org/company-contacts/carlson-rezidor-hotel-group. I asked Travelocity to request that both of these companies review their decision one more time. Virgin Atlantic agreed to a full refund for your ticket. Unfortunately, Park Plaza refused to offer a refund or credit, noting that your rate was "highly restricted." I guess you know where not to stay the next time you're in London. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler." You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org. RELATED STORIES: This is the No. 1 thing Americans want to do on vacation Hey American Airlines, where's the refund for my fare difference? Advertisement The best time to book airfare? It's no science, but there are tricks. Social justice activists gathered at Chicago Police Department headquarters Wednesday to applaud the indictment of three officers accused of helping Officer Jason Van Dyke cover up the shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. The indictment, announced Tuesday, alleges that Detective David March and Officers Joseph Walsh and Thomas Gaffney each made false police reports, ignored contrary evidence and obstructed justice "to shield" Van Dyke. Advertisement The Rev. Michael Pfleger, a South Side pastor, said Wednesday that Chicagoans are "fed up" with the Police Department's "code of silence" and called the indictment an important first step in rebuilding trust between the community and law enforcement officials. "I am so tired of hearing about 'we've got to rebuild this connection between law enforcement and the community,'" he said. "Until there is justice, until police are held accountable, that's not going to happen. I cannot invite anybody to sit down at a table with police and rebuild a relationship when there's a double standard." Advertisement "There are hundreds, if not thousands, of police officers that work and serve our city every day, dedicated men and women of the law enforcement community," said Leon Finney of the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church. "We don't want to indict the entire Police Department. But there are members of this Police Department that have, or allegedly have, committed crimes against their fellow citizens." The Rev. Michael Pfleger addressed reporters outside Chicago Police headquarters Wednesday to applaud the indictment of three officers accused of covering up details in Laquan McDonald's 2014 shooting death. Kofi Ademola, a spokesperson for Black Lives Matter Chicago, said the community would be watching the outcome of the case. "The nation has seen the killer of Tyre King, of Tamir Rice, of Philando Castile and so many more not convicted," he said. "People are not going to stand idly by while we can continue to die in the streets from poverty and at the hands of police." March, Gaffney and Walsh were each charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice. They are scheduled to be arraigned July 10. nmoreno@chicagotribune.com Twitter @nereidamorenos Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke takes the witness stand at a hearing June 28, 2017, in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune ) In a surprise development, Officer Jason Van Dyke, charged with murder in the on-duty shooting of Laquan McDonald, took the witness stand Wednesday, uttering his first public words of substance since he was charged 19 months ago. The focus of the court hearing, though, was limited: Could the special prosecutor, in his case against Van Dyke, use separate statements that the officer gave to two police officials shortly after the shooting? Advertisement The hearing also included testimony by Detective David March just a day after authorities announced that he and two other officers were indicted on charges that they conspired to cover up the details of McDonald's death to protect Van Dyke. He and David McNaughton, a former deputy chief, both testified under grants of immunity that anything they said could not be used against them in criminal proceedings. Advertisement During about half an hour on the stand Wednesday, Van Dyke said he didn't recall if March or McNaughton warned him he would be disciplined if he didn't answer their questions, but he testified he believed he had no choice but to do so. "Sir, I don't remember, but the understanding is there that you have to cooperate," Van Dyke told Joseph McMahon, the Kane County state's attorney who was appointed special prosecutor in the McDonald killing. A long-standing legal rule prohibits statements that officers are required to give from being used against them in criminal proceedings. Judge Vincent Gaughan ordered Wednesday's hearing to determine if Van Dyke's statements to March and McNaughton are subject to that rule. Both March and McNaughton were expected to testify, but there had been no hint beforehand that Van Dyke would take the stand. That typically wouldn't happen until trial, if then. Van Dyke's face remained expressionless as he answered questions in short, deliberate sentences, always addressing McMahon as "sir." In arguing that Van Dyke's statements should be off-limits to prosecutors, his attorney, Daniel Herbert, said a Police Department general order required the officer to answer questions posed by March and McNaughton or face disciplinary action. "Every police officer knows that. It's clear, it's written, it's direct," Herbert told the judge. Prosecutors said that even if Van Dyke believed he could have been fired for refusing to cooperate with investigators, that belief was not reasonable, noting that Police Department guidelines do not necessarily require an officer's dismissal for refusing to talk. Advertisement "The police that questioned him ... they never told him or even suggested in any way 'talk or you'll be fired,'" said Joseph Cullen, a lawyer on the special prosecution team. In the end, Gaughan ruled that prosecutors could use Van Dyke's statements to March, but not his statements to McNaughton. In explaining his reasoning, Gaughan noted that McNaughton was the highest-ranking police official on the scene of the shooting that night in 2014 and that he was gathering facts for higher-ups, not investigating the shooting as March was. Neither March nor McNaughton was questioned in detail about what Van Dyke told them. McNaughton acknowledged that he had reassured Van Dyke after learning that McDonald had been armed with a knife. "Do you remember giving (Van Dyke) reassurance that everything looked fine, the guy had a knife?" prosecutor Dan Weiler asked McNaughton. Advertisement Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "Yes, I did," McNaughton said. "At the time, that's all I knew. I just stated the fact that the subject he engaged had a knife." March and McNaughton both left the Police Department after a city Inspector General's report recommended that they be fired as part of the alleged cover-up. March was indicted this week along with Officer Joseph Walsh, Van Dyke's partner that night, and Officer Thomas Gaffney, who was among the first officers to respond to the incident involving McDonald before the shooting. The indictment alleged that the three lied about the threat posed by McDonald, to shield Van Dyke from trouble. The accounts of officers at the scene dramatically differed from video from a police dashboard camera that showed Van Dyke shoot McDonald 16 times as he walked away from police while holding a knife. The court-ordered release of the video in November 2015 on the same day that Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder touched off angry, prolonged protests and resulted in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that castigated the Police Department for too often resorting to excessive force, particularly against minorities. mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @crepeau Beer with a Barrister Monks Corner Taproom, Albuquerque Wednesday, June 28, 2017 ALBUQUERQUE, NM Beer with a Barrister is a casual opportunity for the public to share a brew with an attorney and learn what environmental defense means in the Trump era of anti-environmental policies. This year it will take place on June 28 at 6pm, Monks Corner Taproom. Monks Corner Taproom will donate 20% of all revenues for pints and half pints of beer to the NMELC! Maya Restaurant will generously provide chips and guacamole. Staff attorneys from the New Mexico Environmental Law Center will discuss the status and ramifications of current cases, such as Santolina, the 90,000 house mega-development proposed for Albuquerque, and the Kirtland Air Force Base toxic jet fuel spill that threatens safe drinking water for half a million Albuquerque residents. Raffle! During the evening, ten people at the event will be randomly selected from an online raffle to win a stainless steel Klean Kanteen Pint Cup. The 16 oz cup comes with a recycled fleece reversible cozie, silicone pint ring and handy carabiner carrier. WHAT: Beer with a Barrister WHERE: Monks Corner Taproom 205 Silver Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 WHEN: Wednesday, June 28th Starting at 6:00 PM New Mexico Environmental Law Center is celebrating 30 years of fighting for environmental justice for the people of New Mexico. The NMELCs mission is to protect New Mexicos communities and their air, land and water in the fight for environmental justice. Ventra Cards-only turnstiles at the CTA Blue Line station at Halsted Street on April 29, 2015. The Chicago Board of Education is set to pay a private company to manage how schools distribute public transit fare cards, an effort that has been a target of investigations by the district's inspector general. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The Chicago Board of Education is set to pay a private company about $1 million to manage how schools distribute public transit fare cards, a joint effort of the Chicago Transit Authority and Chicago Public Schools that has been a regular target of investigations by the district's inspector general. A no-bid, three-year contract with Omicron Technologies Inc. is up for school board approval Wednesday, about nine months after the IG's office complained that district officials had interfered with an investigation into fare card theft. Advertisement Omicron is a longtime vendor to the school district that has already been responsible for handling the district's inventory of CTA fare cards, as well as managing student and staff identification cards and tools that document student behavior and attendance. "Under this proposed contract, Omicron will implement new safeguards to more effectively monitor Limited Use Tickets and better protect scarce District resources," district spokesman Michael Passman said in a statement. Advertisement District IG Nicholas Schuler said he supports the contract. "This appears to be a solid step toward solving an ongoing problem that the (the inspector general's office) first identified years ago," Schuler said in a statement Tuesday. The district purchases limited-use transit cards and then issues them to schools for use by homeless students or for outings and field trips. Other transit cards are combined with student identification cards. In a report published last year, Schuler's office accused CPS auditors of "significant interference" with an investigation into the alleged theft of tens of thousands of dollars worth of CTA fare cards by a former district employee. Schuler's office concluded the CPS employee who previously worked for the transit agency "participated in a criminal conspiracy" in which he would steal transit passes from his office, then distribute them to accomplices who sold them on the black market. Schuler's investigators believed the employee took at least $72,700 worth of transit passes over roughly seven months. The inspector general concluded the theft was linked to "insufficient inventory controls." Omicron was awarded a quarter-million-dollar contract by the CTA in October 2013 to provide the transit agency with consulting and customer service support amid the turbulent Ventra fare card system rollout. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > The CTA defended the company's work at the time, after the firm was reported to owe federal and state authorities overdue taxes, penalties and interest. Advertisement In 2015, Omicron won a two-year extension on a no-bid CPS deal that had paid the firm millions of dollars since 2004 to provide a broad array of hardware, software and services to CPS. That contract expires at the end of June, according to school district records. The pending CPS deal with the company, according to school board records, would have Omicron print and track district Ventra cards, operate a help desk and "provide secure storage of blank Ventra card stock." "Our office is hopeful that this contract will finally allow CPS to adequately track and account for the millions of dollars in fare cards that it buys each year," Schuler said. jjperez@chicagotribune.com Twitter @PerezJr Dwyane Wade might play for the Bulls, but his 78-year-old divorce attorney fights 'em. Bulls, that is. Real ones, with horns, in a bullring, in Spain. Advertisement And lawyer Jim Pritikin doesn't plan on retiring his red cape or his pinstripe suits anytime soon. "It's my fountain of youth," Pritikin told Chicago Inc. "I love it!" Advertisement The dean of Chicago's divorce lawyers didn't take up the torero's muleta (the red rag used to bewilder the bull) until he was 66, when his wife surprised him with a trip to a bullfighting school in Spain. A subsequent run-in with a 700-pound bull that broke his leg in 2008 wasn't enough to hobble his love of the sport. Though the injury forced him to hobble into court for several months on crutches Pritikin keeps a bloodstained muleta on his office wall he says he has been bullfighting a half-dozen times since and has no plans to stop. Nor is he looking for revenge. Though he admires professional matadors, Pritikin goes into the ring unarmed and has "never finished a bull: I think that would be taking it a bit too far," he said. When the bull enters the ring, he said, with delightful understatement, "you have to be a little careful." "You ask yourself, 'Is this my day?'" Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > A snappy dresser, even by the standards of divorce court, Pritikin said he has been tempted to commission a matador's suit, like the ones worn by the Mexican pros he watched on TV as a University of Illinois student decades ago. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 157 Heat guard Dwyane Wade reacts after scoring during the second half against the 76ers, Thursday, March 8, 2018, in Miami. (Lynne Sladky / AP) But he said, "for me to wear that would be pretentious they can do things I could never do." His only other high-risk hobby, he said, is "the practice of family law." Advertisement As in a bullring, in divorce court, "you never know what the other side is going to do next." Wade's ex, Siohvaughn Funches, would doubtless agree. A recent law school grad herself, she continues to litigate her settlement with Wade, a decade after Wade first filed for divorce. kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews A man shot Saturday morning in the East Garfield Park neighborhood for the second time in a year died Tuesday, according to authorities. Hakeem Howard, 23, was pronounced dead at 12:50 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Sinai Hospital after being injured in the 3800 block of West Chicago Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Howard, who lived in the 6300 block of South May Street, had previously lived a few blocks from where he was shot, according to public records. Advertisement Howard was shot about 9:55 a.m. Saturday in the 3800 block of West Chicago Avenue. Someone on foot went up to the 23-year-old man and opened fire, hitting him in the abdomen, police said. The shooting took place on the south side of Chicago Avenue, on the border between the Humboldt Park and East Garfield Park neighborhoods, according to authorities. The man was taken initially in in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. It was the second time in less than a year that Howard had been shot, according to officials. Advertisement Late on July 19, 2016, Howard, then 22, was wounded in a shooting in the 3900 block of West Ferdinand Street four blocks from where he was shot Saturday. Officers responded about 11:55 p.m. that day to a call of gunfire in the 3700 block of West Ferdinand Street and discovered the man inside a nearby business. Records show police determined the shooting took place two blocks west. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a wound to the left leg and was initially in good condition, police said. A Chicago police officer looks under a vehicle at the scene of a shooting in the 5800 block of West Ohio Street on June 24, 2017, in the South Austin neighborhood. A 28-year-old man was shot in the head and taken to Stroger Hospital. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) A man shot late Friday died almost two days later, bringing to five the number of people killed in shootings over the weekend in Chicago, authorities said. Ira Johnson, 28, of the 1500 block of North Waller Avenue, was pronounced dead at 10:17 p.m. Sunday following the shooting late Friday in the 5800 block of West Ohio Street, according to information released Tuesday. Johnson died from a gunshot wound to the head, the Cook County medical examiner's office determined following an autopsy Tuesday. Advertisement About 11:55 p.m. Friday, officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 5800 block of West Ohio in Austin and found the 28-year-old man, shot in the head, police said. He was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital. Police released no additional information about the killing. In all, five people were killed and at least 42 others were wounded, including a dozen teenagers, in shootings in Chicago over the weekend, according to police. Advertisement More than 1,700 people had been shot in the city this year as of Monday, about 180 fewer than this time last year when violence reached levels not seen in two decades. As of Monday morning, there had have been at least 314 homicides this year, seven fewer than this time last year, according to data collected by the Tribune. In addition to Johnson, among those killed this past weekend was a 17-year-old boy, who was shot about 10:40 p.m. Sunday. He was arguing with someone at a gas station on the Southwest Side when the other person took out a gun and shot him several times, police said. Two men were killed Saturday night. They were 29 and 44. The weekend's first homicide happened in the West Garfield Park neighborhood about 6:35 p.m. Friday in the 4700 block of W. West End Avenue, police said. A lawsuit sought to block the severance agreement with Doug Baker, who recently announced his resignation following a scathing state watchdog report and is poised to receive up to $617,500. (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune) A DeKalb woman has sued Northern Illinois University's board of trustees, seeking to block the lucrative severance agreement it reached with Doug Baker, the university president who recently announced his resignation following a scathing state report that alleged improper spending during his tenure. The suit contends that the trustees violated the state Open Meetings Act by not notifying the public that it intended to reach an agreement with Baker, and then at the meeting by not giving the public an opportunity to comment on the terms of the deal. Advertisement The suit seeks to have Baker's severance package which is worth up to $617,500 voided and the appointment of a new president put on hold. The board was scheduled to meet Wednesday morning to appoint Lisa C. Freeman, the university's executive vice president and provost, as acting president, starting July 1, among other actions. Advertisement The suit was filed in Dekalb County by Misty Haji-Sheikh, a county board member who is also taking graduate classes at Northern Illinois. Haji-Sheikh argues that NIU trustees violated the Open Meetings Act by not revealing details of Baker's severance until the end of their meeting, which did not give the public sufficient time to review the terms before board members ratified his exit contract. Usually, the suit says, the board holds an open session at the meetings and follows that with a closed session. But on June 15, it said, the board departed from that practice and reserved one item on the agenda for a second open session, after the closed session, which lasted more than seven hours. The only item to discuss in that second open session was Baker's departure vaguely described on the agenda as "presidential employment." No public comment was sought, the suit said. "The way the meeting unfolded, it was essentially orchestrated so as to prevent the public from having an opportunity to hear about the issues concerning the president or to comment," said Charles L. Philbrick, Haji-Sheikh's attorney. A spokesman for NIU declined to comment. Baker, who still had a year remaining on his five-year contract, left the meeting on June 15 with a total package including a one-time payment of $450,000, equal to a year of his salary; a lump-sum payment of $137,500, which is in exchange for resigning his tenured position in the College of Business; and up to $30,000 for his "reasonable, unpaid expenses for legal counsel" relating to his time at the university. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Baker has denied the report's assertions that administrators under his leadership routinely skirted ethics requirements to hire highly paid consultants, covered the consultants' housing and travel expenses, and then kept them on staff for too long at lofty pay levels. Advertisement He said he had reached the conclusion he could not continue as university president because the investigation, which was conducted by the Governor's Office of Executive Inspector General, proved a "significant distraction." The inspector general launched the inquiry into Northern Illinois' hiring practices in 2014 following several anonymous tips. Illinois law requires state agencies to publicly bid out contracts for professional services from an independent contractor worth more than $20,000. But the report found that the university hired nine employees between June 2013 and May 2015, paying them all more than $20,000, but never solicited bids for those jobs. In all, investigators wrote, Northern Illinois spent more than $1 million on the five highest-paid of those employees. drhodes@chicagotribune.com @rhodes_dawn Andy Thayer, of the Chicago Coaltion Against War and Racism, speaks before a city council committee in 2003 chaired by Ald. Joe Moore (background at right, with Ald. Ricardo Munoz at left). (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) Chicago aldermen approved a plan Wednesday to allow the public to speak at City Council meetings, though it isn't clear the move to let people have their say goes far enough to placate the plaintiffs who sued the city demanding the change. The new rule would set out 30 minutes near the beginning of a City Council meeting, with members of the public given up to three minutes each to speak about topics on the agenda that day. So if each speaker took the full time allotted, 10 people would get to talk. Advertisement The council sergeant-at-arms would collect forms on a first-come, first-served basis outside council chambers on the morning of the meeting from those who want to speak. Activist Andy Thayer, whose lawsuit spurred the debate, pointed out last week several ways he said the proposal is "totally inadequate" to meet aldermen's responsibility to hear from people in a city with about 2.7 million residents. Advertisement Thayer said the public should get "at least an hour" to comment and said a provision in the ordinance prohibiting "disruptive language" violates the state open meetings act. He also questioned a provision limiting comments to agenda items. "As a co-plaintiff in this suit, which is the whole reason we're here today discussing this, we could have saved a lot of money if the city had bothered coming to us and talked to either our attorneys or co-plaintiffs," Thayer said before the Rules Committee adopted the plan Wednesday. A handful of aldermen Wednesday said they agreed with Thayer that the ordinance should allow for an hour of public testimony, but Rules Committee Chairman Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th, declined to consider an amendment to the measure. Harris said she would consider changes to the ordinance at a later date The effort to come up with new rules follows a Cook County judge's ruling last year that not allowing comments at the full council meetings violates the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Currently, people can sign up to talk at committee meetings where ordinances are considered prior to the full council meetings, but there's no such provision at full council meetings. jebyrne@chicagotribune.com Twitter @_johnbyrne House Speaker Michael Madigan enters the blue room in the basement of the Capitol in Springfield, Ill., to answer questions following a meeting with the four legislative leaders June 27, 2017. (Ted Schurter / AP) SPRINGFIELD Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan introduced his long-awaited spending plan Tuesday, but didn't offer specifics on how to pay for the $36.4 billion proposal that would direct money to schools, universities and social service programs. That prompted Republicans backed by Gov. Bruce Rauner to accuse Democrats of refusing to "show their cards" on a tax increase, saying without details it's impossible to tell if Madigan's blueprint was balanced. Advertisement With a Friday deadline looming to strike an agreement before Illinois government enters a third-straight year without a budget, both political parties appear to be locked in a high-stakes game of chicken. Rauner, his Republican allies in the legislature and the Democrats who control it agree that an income tax hike from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent is a starting point to dig the state out of a multibillion-dollar hole. In the House, neither party wants to blink first and face the blame from voters who don't want to fork over more of their money. Advertisement "I have said from the beginning a revenue bill will be a joint effort," Madigan said Tuesday. But there are other major pieces in play besides a tax hike if a budget deal is going to be struck by week's end. Rauner has long had his wish list in return for agreeing to a tax hike, and Madigan added some of his own items to the mix this week. Rauner wants a statewide property tax freeze and a major overhaul of the workers' compensation insurance program to cut costs on businesses, which he views as key to economic growth. Madigan, who long argued Rauner should not hold the budget process "hostage" to political demands, now says he has "reluctantly" given in on the need for some changes in order to end the impasse. Still, Madigan warned that Democrats will not simply give Rauner everything he wants, repeatedly calling on the governor to be "reasonable." To that end, Madigan said Democrats planned to vote on several pieces of legislation Wednesday designed to meet the governor part of the way, though Republicans said they feared the proposals would be "watered down" to the point they would achieve little in the way of change. "I can't determine whether they are sincere or not," said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs. The GOP pointed to a Madigan pattern of offering up versions of legislation he knows they can't support, then blaming them when a deal falls apart. Democrats countered that Republicans were unable to recognize a fair bargain when offered, saying Rauner was immovable. All the while state government continues to crumble, as credit agencies threaten to slash the state's rating to junk status, road builders caution construction projects may be halted and the Illinois Lottery says payment of large prizes once again will be delayed if a budget isn't in place come Saturday. Negotiations are playing out against the backdrop of next year's race for governor, which has fueled an even deeper partisan divide at the Capitol. Advertisement With the airwaves already filled for weeks with ads from the governor and one of his potential Democratic challengers, J.B. Pritzker, a new Democratic-backed group launched an ad attacking Rauner and using the words of former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar to do it. Edgar told a Downstate radio station in May that the state is "in the worst condition I can ever remember. Even during the (Rod) Blagojevich years it wasn't this bad." A narrator then goes on to blame Rauner for "refusing to compromise," urging voters to call Rauner and "tell him to sit down, pass a budget and do his job." Meanwhile, Madigan defended his spending plan, saying that it would spend $36.4 billion below the $39 billion that's currently going out the door under a patchwork of court orders and laws that's essentially left spending on autopilot. Because those expenditures are several billion more a year than the state is taking in, the backlog of bills has climbed to more than $15 billion. That's forced those who provide goods and services for the state to wait six months or more to be paid, meaning some businesses and service providers have had to cut services, exhaust lines of credit or lay off workers. The situation could get more precarious Wednesday as Medicaid providers ask a federal judge to require the state to pay them quicker, which could result in about $550 million more a month in state money going out the door. Madigan's budget calls for a 5 percent cut in spending for most state agencies, as well as for universities and community colleges who've been hit hard during the impasse. Advertisement "I am not saying that this is perfect, I am not saying that it completely meets every request of the governor, but I think that it goes a long way toward giving the state of Illinois a good, solid spending plan that responds to the real needs of the state," Madigan said. Madigan would not detail how he proposed to pay for that spending, with his chief budget negotiator saying only that Democrats want to "live within the confines" of a tax plan passed last month by Senate Democrats. Under that proposal, an additional $5.4 billion would be generated by raising the personal income tax rate from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent and the corporate income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 7 percent, which would be retroactive to Jan. 1. Senate Democrats also called for extending the state's share of the 6.25 percent sales tax to services like tattooing and piercing, and imposing new taxes on satellite television and streaming services such as Netflix. House Democrats have been reluctant to support a retroactive tax hike, as it would take a bigger chunk out of paychecks. They've also raised concerns about putting in place new service taxes. Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, said one way to bring in more money could be through eliminating corporate tax breaks, which has historically been opposed by Republicans who view such "loopholes" as ways to spur business. While Durkin questioned Madigan's declining to introduce a tax bill, Republicans also have failed to sponsor their own revenue proposal, saying they too support the outline passed in the Senate. But the Republican backing comes with several caveats, chief among them that the income tax hike must be limited to four years and come with a corresponding four-year freeze on property tax increases. Without that, Durkin said, "my ability to provide votes to break the impasse becomes even more challenging." Madigan wants Durkin to put up 30 GOP votes for a tax hike, which needs 71 votes to pass. Advertisement Durkin said he was "confused" by Madigan's insistence to move ahead Wednesday with votes on items on Rauner's agenda, saying talks were still ongoing between Democrats and Republicans working to reconcile differences. House Democrats advanced a four-year property tax freeze plan Tuesday that would exempt Chicago, Chicago Public Schools and more than a dozen school districts the state has identified as being in financial distress. The freeze would not apply to levies that are used to pay debt or pension payments for employees, including police and firefighters. Republicans argued those exemptions are too broad, saying excluding pension payments means taxpayers would ultimately see little relief. Democratic Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, a top Madigan deputy, countered that it would be "unconscionable" to not give cities and towns some flexibility to cover increasing retirement costs while at the same time limiting their ability to raise taxes. She argued that despite being politically popular, a freeze would not necessarily mean that property tax bills stop growing, pointing to various factors including changes in property value. But Currie noted that the Democratic proposal also increases the homestead exemption, which means most homeowners would see some tax breaks. Currie said Democrats "have moved very significantly" off their initial negotiating stance that a freeze only be in place for two years. Republicans pointed to their competing property tax freeze legislation that would also allow voters to decide via a referendum if property taxes should be raised or lowered, saying it was "critical" to give taxpayers more control over how their government spends money. Advertisement Another area of disagreement centers on the workers' compensation system, which provides money to employees who are injured. Lawmakers signed off an on overhaul in 2011, but business groups argue those changes did not go far enough and resulted in only minimal savings. Initially, Rauner wanted tougher standards to prove an injury happened on the job, known as causation. Rauner has dropped that demand, but is pushing to limit the fees doctors, hospitals and pharmacies get for treating workers. While those fees were cut by 30 percent six years ago, business groups say the rates are still too high when compared with other states. They want the rates closer to those set by Medicaid, which are much lower. Opponents say such a dramatic reduction could limit a worker's access to care as medical providers simply choose not to treat employees because they aren't being paid enough. Madigan contends the insurance industry hasn't passed along premium savings in the wake of the 2011 changes, noting companies are largely free to set their own rates. The speaker wants Rauner to agree to legislation that would regulate rates, which the insurance industry says would decrease competition and could drive up premiums. Votes also are scheduled Wednesday on measures to alter the state's employee pension system and to change rules regarding government consolidation. "I can't ask the governor to get behind anything that comes out of this chamber until I can convince my members that this actually works for Illinois," Durkin said. "We have talked over and over again for the last two-and-a-half years that Illinois needs responsible and reasonable reforms. And we're not going to walk away from that." Chicago Tribune's Rick Pearson and Kim Geiger contributed from Chicago. Advertisement mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com Twitter @moniquegarcia Aerial view looking east along Addison Street of Wrigley Field and new development at Clark and Addison streets around the stadium in the Wrigleyville neighborhood on April 1, 2017. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th, have opposed the the Cubs request of closing Clark and Addison streets during games and other events at Wrigley Field. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The Cubs fired back at the city in an ongoing fight over security around Wrigley Field with a letter calling for more public help to prevent terrorist attacks at the famous stadium. The June 13 letter, which the Tribune received through a Freedom of Information Act request, is the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter war of words. It began when the city's emergency communications chief sent a letter to the Cubs early this month criticizing the team for not enacting various security measures in the crowded neighborhood near the historic ballpark. Advertisement Mayor Rahm Emanuel then hit the team for investing in clubs inside the park for VIP ticket holders while there were still security measures that needed attention outside. Cubs President Crane Kenney responded with a letter to Office of Emergency Management and Communications Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau, dated June 13, saying the team had already put in place some of the security items the city cited, like security cameras near the park, a security plan for the team's new outdoor plaza on Clark Street and an emergency communications upgrade. Advertisement Kenney also reiterated the team's long-standing request for the city to close streets surrounding the park, saying "the private sector cannot do this alone." "The tragic events in Manchester, England, on the heels of the horrific event in Times Square, New York, and terrorist acts around the world, underscore the need to work together to provide adequate protection," Kenney's letter reads. Emanuel and Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney, 44th, have opposed the idea of always closing Clark and Addison streets during games and other events at Wrigley Field, arguing the two main thoroughfares are too important to move traffic through the already congested neighborhood. The city sometimes shuts streets if crowds get too big. Kenney also called on the city to start security screening at the privately run parking lots in the blocks surrounding the stadium, saying they "bring hundreds of vehicles in close proximity to thousands of fans and yet have no security protocol in place." And he said the city should "properly screen" peddlers who want to sell goods within a hundred feet of the park. The bootleg merchandise being sold near Wrigley Field has drawn the ire of the Ricketts family since they purchased the team and began trying to consolidate the various streams of Cubs-related revenue under their control. "It falls to the city to implement many of the items on the public way around the ballpark," Kenney said. Kenney also said the city's letter "was delivered to the media before it was sent to the Cubs," and added "this makes your letter appear to have been calculated as a public relations campaign to distract attention from the city's lack of resources and the decision not to close the public streets around Wrigley Field." Tate-Nadeau responded with her own letter dated Wednesday, which the city included, unsolicited, in the response to the Tribune's public records request. Her response notes the lack of trust between the two sides but points to a possible upcoming agreement on the security fight. Advertisement "While we take exception to the assertion that there are falsehoods contained in our communication dated June 8, or the supposition that the letter expressing the concerns was a public relations tactic, we are optimistic that we are moving forward to resolve a majority of the matters in the next few weeks," it says. Tate-Nadeau said the city will help the team try to move forward with getting security bollards installed along Addison Street. As for the hot-button issue of street closures, Tate-Nadeau said the city agrees to "continue the dialogue on this topic," with the team offering to purchase barriers for the surrounding streets. She also agreed to talk further about security in private parking lots near the stadium. jebyrne@chicagotribune.com Twitter @_johnbyrne Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen in Izhevsk, Russia, on June 27, 2017. Kremlin leaders are convinced America is intent on regime change in Russia, a fear that is feeding rising tension and military competition between the former Cold War foes, the Pentagonas intelligence arm says in a new assessment. (Mikhail Klimentyev / AP) Kremlin leaders are convinced America is intent on regime change in Russia, a fear that is feeding rising tension and military competition between the former Cold War foes, the Pentagon's intelligence arm has assessed. The unclassified report by the Defense Intelligence Agency, which will be publicly released later Wednesday, portrays Russia as increasingly wary of the United States. It cites Moscow's "deep and abiding distrust of U.S. efforts to promote democracy around the world and what it perceives as a U.S. campaign to impose a single set of global values." "The Kremlin is convinced the United States is laying the groundwork for regime change in Russia, a conviction further reinforced by the events in Ukraine," the report says, referencing the claims by President Vladimir Putin's government that the U.S. engineered the popular uprising that ousted Ukraine's Russia-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovich, in 2014. Russia responded by annexing Ukraine's Crimea region and supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. "Moscow worries that U.S. attempts to dictate a set of acceptable international norms threatens the foundations of Kremlin power by giving license for foreign meddling in Russia's internal affairs," the report says. Titled "Russia Military Power," it is the agency's first such unclassified assessment in more than two decades. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report in advance of its public release. It harkens to Cold War days when the intelligence agency published a series of "Soviet Military Power" studies that defined the contours of the superpower rivalry. Those reports ended with the 1991 demise of the Soviet Union. Now they return, DIA's director, Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent R. Stewart, says, with an eye on the future of U.S.-Russian relations. "Within the next decade, an even more confident and capable Russia could emerge," Stewart wrote in a preface to the report. No new, global ideological struggle akin to the Cold War is forecast, but the report cautions that Moscow "intends to use its military to promote stability on its own terms." During President Barack Obama's eight years in office, the U.S.-Russian relationship deteriorated from an initial "reset" to American allegations that Moscow meddled in the 2016 presidential election to aid Donald Trump's victory. In between, were intense disagreements over Ukraine and Syria, where Russia has provided military help to President Bashar Assad's government and the U.S. has backed anti-Assad rebels. While Trump's campaign rhetoric was widely seen as sympathetic to Russia, ties have not improved in his first six months of his presidency. In April, Trump said U.S.-Russian relations "may be at an all-time low." Trump is expected to meet Putin for the first time at an international summit in Germany next week. Thursday's report, prepared long before Trump's election, reflects the Pentagon's view of the global security picture shifting after nearly two decades of heavy American focus on countering terrorism and fighting relatively small-scale wars across the Middle East. Russia, in particular, is now at the center of the national security debate in Congress, fed by political divisions over how to deal with Putin and whether his military buildup, perceived threats against NATO and alleged election interference call for a new U.S. approach. Rep. Adam Smith, the House Armed Services Committee's top Democrat, issued Wednesday a "national security manifesto" on Russia. He and a group of lawmakers writing in Time magazine cited the threat of "Putinism," which they termed "a philosophy of dictatorship" that seeks to extinguish democratic ideals such as government transparency by exploiting "discontented facets of democratic polities worldwide." At a Senate intelligence committee hearing Wednesday, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the panel's ranking Democrat, said Russia is becoming more brazen. "Russia's goal is to sow chaos and confusion to fuel internal disagreements and to undermine democracies whenever possible, and to cast doubt on the democratic process wherever it exists," Warner said. Jim Kudla, a DIA spokesman, said his agency's report is unconnected to any recent events. It wasn't requested by Congress. The 116-page document offers a deep assessment of every dimension of Russian military power. It contains no new disclosures of military capability but portrays Russia as methodically and successfully rebuilding an army, navy and air force that weakened after the Soviet Union collapsed. "The Russian military today is on the rise not as the same Soviet force that faced the West in the Cold War, dependent on large units with heavy equipment," the report says. It describes Russia's new military "as a smaller, more mobile, balanced force rapidly becoming capable of conducting the full range of modern warfare." It cites the example of Moscow's 2015 military intervention in Syria. The Kremlin cast the effort as designed to combat Islamic State fighters. Washington saw Moscow largely propping up Assad by providing air support for the Syrian army's offensive against opposition forces. The report says the Syria intervention is intended also to eliminate jihadist elements that originated on the former Soviet Union's territory to prevent them from returning home and threatening Russia. In any case, the report credits the intervention for having "changed the entire dynamic of the conflict, bolstering the Assad regime and ensuring that no resolution to the conflict is possible without Moscow's agreement." Warning: Video contains graphic material. Excerpts of dashcam footage from Sandra Blands traffic stop. Listen to the officer call his sergeant and explain the situation after he arrests Sandra Bland. Released July 21, 2015. (Texas Department of Public Safety) (Texas Department Of Public Safety/Chicago Tribune) A charge has been dropped against the only official to face criminal indictment related to the arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was found hanged in her Texas jail cell three days after her arrest and whose name became a rallying cry in protests against racial bias in policing. Former State Trooper Brian Encinia, who pulled Bland over on July 10, 2015, in Prairie View, Texas, for failing to use a turn signal, no longer faces a perjury charge for making a false statement about the arrest, according to papers filed Wednesday at the Waller County Courthouse in Hempstead, northwest of Houston. Advertisement The dismissal of the charge comes more than a year after a grand jury said Encinia lied when he wrote in an affidavit justifying the arrest that he removed Bland from her car to conduct a safer traffic investigation. Family members and civil rights officials had protested that assertion, pointing to a viral dash cam video of an escalating confrontation with Bland where the officer said he would "yank" her out of the vehicle, threatened to use a stun gun and said he would "light you up" as she refused to put out a cigarette and step out. Advertisement Three days after her arrest, Bland, 28, who could not make a $5,000 bond, was found dead in her jail cell. The death was ruled a suicide as protests grew over her arrest family representatives said it was a needless arrest and death for a routine traffic violation and activists aired criticism of the jail and about the circumstances of her death. They included pointing out that jail officials had insight into Bland's mental health history, including a suicide attempt the year before her arrest, but did not place her on suicide watch or check her cell often enough. Encinia's attorney, Houston-based Chip Lewis, hailed the dismissal of the charge on Wednesday. "My client was just a scapegoat. It was an answer to the public pressure over a young lady's death," Lewis said. "It wasn't Mr. Encinia's fault." "He did not commit any criminal act. He would do anything in the world to go back and change the circumstances if he could," said Lewis, who said his client was a victim of "righteous outcry over the death of Sandra Bland." Before the special prosecutor agreed to dismiss the charge, Encinia said he no longer wanted to work in law enforcement, and surrendered his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement license, Lewis said. Encinia was formally fired in March 2016 after the indictment. "He ended up the poster child for police brutality," Lewis said, and now, "He's got a family to raise." A Bland family lawyer, Cannon Lambert, said he was shocked at the news. He said he was dismayed the family was not given notice of it. A special prosecutor on Wednesday dropped any charges against Brian Encinia, the officer who controversially arrested Sandra Bland before she died in a Texas jail in 2015. (AP) "You cannot expect communities to feel confident with the system if officers are caught lying in written documents and are not held accountable," he said. "The notion that the special prosecutor would make a decision like this in the face of the kind of case this is without communicating with the family is deplorable." Advertisement The dismissal of the charge closes one of the last unresolved chapters of years of protests, investigations, civil court proceedings and legislation related to Bland's arrest and death. The same grand jury that had indicted Encinia also found no felony was committed by jailers or the Waller County Sheriff's Office. In September, Bland's family settled for $1.9 million with Waller County and the Texas Department of Public Safety in a wrongful death lawsuit. This month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the Sandra Bland Act. It forces county jails to send people with mental health and drug abuse issues to treatment, eases the ability of defendants to get personal bond if they have a mental or intellectual disability, and requires independent law agencies to investigate prison deaths. jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com mhennessyfiske@latimes.com A week before Darwin Martinez Torres was arrested for allegedly abducting and killing a Muslim teenager near a Virginia mosque, a woman arrived at a hospital emergency room and reported that a man later identified as Martinez Torres had punched, choked and sexually assaulted her and was a member of the MS-13 street gang, according to two people familiar with the woman's account. The acts allegedly occurred in the presence of a young child, which prompted a call to Loudoun County's Child Protective Services agency, which in turn filed a report with the county sheriff, the two people said. But the woman told CPS that she did not want to pursue charges or accept any social-services help, and so no further action was taken. Days later, 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen was dead. Details from the CPS report made June 12 on the woman's claims were read to a Washington Post reporter. An official for CPS declined to comment. Martinez Torres, a 22-year-old construction worker, is being held in the Fairfax County jail, charged in Nabra's slaying. The case has drawn national attention and questions about whether it could have been a hate crime. The CPS report indicates that Martinez Torres was accused of violence against a woman that appears unrelated to a hate-crime motivation. Martinez Torres lived in an apartment in Sterling in Loudoun County. Police charge that Martinez Torres dumped Nabra's body in a pond near his apartment on June 18, after he allegedly attacked her in the Herndon area, in Fairfax County, as she and friends were walking along a road headed back to their mosque after a late-night meal as they observed Ramadan. After his arrest in Nabra's killing, Loudoun County CPS staff recognized that he was the person allegedly involved in the domestic assault incident and flagged the connection to the sheriff's office, according to two people familiar with the investigation. In the June 12 Loudoun CPS report, the woman at the hospital identified the man she said had assaulted her but not by name, the report states and the two people familiar with her account also said. She was not cooperative at the hospital when asked to name him and refused help from a women's shelter, according to the details of her account filed with CPS. At the emergency room, she claimed that she had been punched in the stomach and choked, and she remained overnight at the hospital because she also said she feared the man, the report said. The woman also said the man who attacked her was an MS-13 gang member whose violence against her had been escalating, according to the report made to CPS. The woman told the hospital staff she did not want the incident or any of her claims reported to police, according to a person familiar with the investigation. The woman was released from the hospital on June 11, and the incident was reported to Loudoun Child Protective Services on June 12, the CPS report indicates. The initial intake report by CPS was sent to the Loudoun sheriff, which is routine for such reports and enables deputies to begin their own investigation in addition to the inquiries done by CPS, said several people familiar with the reporting process. The CPS report about the woman's account at the hospital had been categorized as an "R-3" as opposed to the highest "R-1" attention level, and a box requesting police involvement was not checked off, according to the information in the report. After her release from the hospital, the woman was visited and interviewed by CPS and again "indicated she did not want to press charges, she did not want law enforcement or social services involved," according to a person familiar with the CPS investigation. Reached by a Post reporter Thursday by phone, the woman, who acknowledged knowing Martinez Torres, repeatedly said "I don't want to talk about it" when asked about assault claims attributed to her in the CPS report. The Post does not generally name without their permission individuals who say they have been the victims of sexual assault. Kraig Troxell, spokesman for Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman, declined to answer questions about Martinez Torres, referring further questions to the Fairfax County police or commonwealth's attorney. He said by email that "any and all criminal activity regarding this suspect is part of an active investigation in Fairfax County, to include any alleged prior acts." Troxell declined to say when CPS notified the sheriff's office that the woman did not want to cooperate, or whether sheriff's deputies acted on the report. Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. would not comment on any actions taken or not taken by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Raymond Morrogh declined to respond to any questions about the Fairfax case. Roessler said detectives are exploring the possibility that Nabra had been sexually assaulted before she was killed. He said police were awaiting the results of forensic tests before making a final determination. The chief also said police are trying to determine whether Martinez Torres is a member of MS-13. "When you do an investigation of someone for a murder investigation you want to know everything about them, including their criminal history," Roessler said. Fairfax County Public Defender Dawn Butorac declined to comment on Martinez Torres's case. A composite of works to be included in Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: "Woman at Vanity (Girl Getting Ready for Date)" (Formerly "Going Out"), by Norman Rockwell, circa 1933, left; Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother," circa 1936; and Mort Drucker's "MAD: #58" cover, circa 1960. (Lucas Museum of Narrative Art) After Tuesday's announcement that L.A.'s Exposition Park would become home to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Mayor Eric Garcetti said, "People will visit from around the world to see the original Darth Vader mask and Norman Rockwell paintings." But what else from filmmaker George Lucas' 40,000-piece art collection will fill the 275,000-square-foot museum? Advertisement In August, Charles Desmarais, art critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, took a guided tour of more than 700 pictorial reproductions of pieces from Lucas' stash. Known as the Seed Collection, they'll be among the museum's first offerings, which Desmarais called "a study in contrasts." Beyond that, not much else is known about the museum's attractions. Visiting the official Lucas Museum website, however, gives an overarching, if overwhelming, view of how the institution categorizes pieces in its collection and what visitors can expect in a museum dedicated to "narrative art." Advertisement As explained on the museum's website, narrative art "tells a story. It uses the power of the visual image to ignite imaginations, evoke emotions and capture universal cultural truths and aspirations." The museum divvies up its collection into three categories: "The History of Narrative Art," "The Art of Cinema" and "Digital Art." Within "The History of Narrative Art," visitors will be privy to more traditional works of fine art, including paintings by Edgar Degas and Winslow Homer, along with several pieces from Lucas' expansive Rockwell collection. "History" also includes selections of "low art," such as the illustrations of Robert Crumb and comic strips from cartoonists Al Capp ("Li'l Abner") and Charles Schultz ("Peanuts"), and several Mad magazine covers. The Lucas Seed Collection also contains a wide variety of illustrations from classic children's books, including Jean de Brunhoff's "Babar," Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and E.H. Shepard's original "Winnie-the-Pooh" watercolors. The "Art of Cinema" section appears to hold the bulk of what the public might expect to find in a facility founded by the legendary director. Moving beyond the expected "Star Wars" sets and props, it examines the cinematic design behind Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 classic "Battleship Potemkin" and the visual effects of Georges Melies' 1902 film "Le Voyage dans la Lune." With its look into the world of "Digital Art," the museum examines how technology has revolutionized the modern conception of art, be it through the animation used by Pixar and Dreamworks or the visual effects employed in "Jurassic Park" and "Avatar." The Seed Collection also dissects how the digital revolution has affected the worlds of fine art, sculpture and architecture. In a statement Tuesday, the museum's board said it chose Los Angeles because it would "have the greatest impact on the broader community, fulfilling our goal of inspiring, engaging and educating a broad and diverse visitorship." Advertisement Looking at its offerings, it appears that the Lucas Museum will be well equipped to offer a little something for everyone in the diverse visitorship the board seeks. [ SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter ] Follow The Times' arts team @culturemonster. ALSO Times art critic Christopher Knight's latest reviews Times theater critic Charles McNulty's latest reviews Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne's latest columns Advertisement Times music critic Mark Swed's latest review Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had his feed cut mid-sentence while speaking via teleconference at the Economic Council of the Christian Democratic Union meeting in Berlin. The audience "laughed and clapped" in response. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP) Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was supposed to attend this week's Economic Council of the Christian Democratic Union meeting in Berlin, but suddenly canceled his travel plans on Tuesday. Ross was scheduled to give an address at the conference immediately before German chancellor Angela Merkel, so he instead gave his remarks by teleconference from Washington. Ross was allotted 10 minutes to speak. After speaking for more than 20, the conference organizers cut his feed midsentence. The audience "laughed and clapped" in response, according to Bloomberg. Merkel then rose and, during her remarks, disagreed with one of Ross's points. Advertisement The relationship between President Donald Trump and Merkel has been strained since his inauguration. His repeated insistence that Germany owes money to NATO and his unusual reticence to embrace that alliance has been one point of friction. His disparagement of Germany as "very bad" in a closed-door meeting was another. That claim centered on what Trump (and Ross) viewed as a trade disparity between the two countries and was the point with which Merkel took issue. In most other contexts, a laughing reaction from a small group of America's economic and geopolitical allies would be odd but not particularly noteworthy. In the context of the Trump administration, though, it's telling. Advertisement Trump's campaign rhetoric repeatedly centered on the idea that America was being laughed at internationally. His evidence for this claim was lacking, but it was a point he raised repeatedly. During his campaign launch, he said Mexico was "laughing . . . at our stupidity" on the border. In a speech before the Iowa caucuses, Trump claimed that the Islamic State was laughing at our leaders, a claim he repeated in a March debate. The whole world was laughing at us because of Barack Obama, he said in an interview in May of 2016 - and in speeches in June and October. As Election Day approached, he made the claim over and over. When he announced that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate accord last month, Trump claimed that it was necessary because we'd gotten a bad deal - so bad that we were being laughed at. "The Paris agreement handicaps the United States economy in order to win praise from the very foreign capitals and global activists that have long sought to gain wealth at our country's expense. ... The same nations asking us to stay in the agreement are the countries that have collectively cost America trillions of dollars through tough trade practices and, in many cases, lax contributions to our critical military alliance," he said. "At what point does America get demeaned? At what point do they start laughing at us as a country? We want fair treatment for its citizens, and we want fair treatment for our taxpayers. We don't want other leaders and other countries laughing at us anymore. And they won't be. They won't be." On Tuesday, The Post highlighted new survey data from the Pew Research Center showing that perceptions of America and our president have decreased substantially in most parts of the world following Trump's election. That includes Germany a country to which Trump was pointedly referring in his Paris remarks and where Trump's commerce secretary was laughed at literally. Views of the American people have held fairly constant over the years among Germans, Pew's polling revealed. But views of our government and president slipped during the George W. Bush administration, rose under Barack Obama and then collapsed this year. German confidence in the American president followed the same pattern. Last year, 86 percent of Germans had a lot of or at least some confidence in America's president. This year, more than half have none at all. It's easy to read too much into the reaction Ross prompted this week. But as a symbol of the relationship between the two countries at the moment, it's hard not to particularly given how often other countries' laughter was raised by Trump as something we should be concerned about. A cartoon from a participant for the upcoming Iran's 2017 International Trumpism caricature contest, is seen in a highway of Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2017. Media reported that Iran will hold an international Trumpism cartoon and caricature contest on July 3, 2017. (STR / EPA) Hearing American policymakers talk about regime change is like watching Wile E. Coyote open a package of dynamite he ordered. No matter how clever his scheme, you know that sooner or later, he'll get blown up. He never seems to figure out that explosives are something to avoid. Some people in Washington are sick of trying to get the government of Iran to change its ways which include financing terrorism, punishing dissent and supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad. They have embraced another idea: help topple the rulers in Tehran in hopes of getting someone more to our liking. Advertisement This is a reminder of the maxim that for many people, the only use of history is to disregard it. The United States has a long history of fomenting regime change in other countries including Iran, in a CIA-sponsored coup in 1953 and the results have generally been calamitous. Yet its appeal persists. While he was in Congress, CIA Director Mike Pompeo endorsed the removal of the existing government. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called for a "peaceful transition" to a new regime in Iran. Advertisement Among those captivated by the idea is Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. He told Politico, "I don't see how anyone can say America can be safe as long as you have in power a theocratic despotism." How could America be safe as long as Russia was ruled by a blood-drenched communist regime that enslaved half of Europe and had the capacity to destroy us in a nuclear holocaust? Through a strong military, firm alliances and a missile arsenal that ensured our capacity to destroy it in return. The same approach that worked against a hostile superpower could work against a hostile non-superpower. But there have always been Americans who yearn for perfect safety. It's a snare. A certain amount of danger is unavoidable in a multinational world. And the dangers of trying to achieve total security turn out to be the worst dangers of all. It was not Iran that spawned the scariest enemy now on the horizon the Islamic State group. It was the U.S. occupation of Iraq after we invaded in 2003 to, yes, topple the government. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were among those who thought America could never be safe as long as Saddam Hussein was in power. As it happened, America was safer with him than it has been without him. The invasion bogged us down in a bewildering civil war that left 36,000 Americans dead or wounded, destabilized the region and expanded the influence of ... Iran. The theocratic despotism in Tehran is stronger today than it was in 2003. "Iran not only lost an enemy when Saddam was hanged, it gained an ally in the new Iraq," wrote Thomas Ricks, author of two books about the war. It also came out ahead when we invaded Afghanistan to bring down the Taliban government, another enemy of Tehran. Our reward was the opportunity to fight a war that has lasted nearly 16 years and shows no sign of nearing the end. Advertisement Regime change in Libya didn't go so well either. Because it was hard to imagine that anything could be worse than the vicious rule of Moammar Gadhafi, President Barack Obama saw no downside in using air power to bring him down. But success was fleeting. Soon Libya was embroiled in anarchy and overrun by the Islamic State, with repercussions far beyond its shores. "The instability in Libya and North Africa may be the most significant near-term threat to U.S. and allies' interests on the continent," Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of the U.S. Africa Command, said in March. A half-million of the refugees flooding Europe came from Libya. So did Salman Abedi, who killed 22 people in a suicide bombing in Manchester, England, last month. Faced with a perennially hostile government, our best bet is to use pressure and diplomacy to moderate its behavior as Obama did with the Iranian nuclear deal. It's not ideal, but it's the best of our bad options. Relying on any means short of war to overthrow the government has little chance of working. Military force might be more effective, but it would mean full-scale war in Iran. Even if we were to win, the outcome would most likely yield more chaos, conflict and terrorism. As Wile E. Coyote could attest, it's one thing to light the fuse. It's another to escape the blast. Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/chapman. Advertisement Download "Recalculating: Steve Chapman on a New Century" in the free Printers Row app at www.printersrowapp.com. schapman@chicagotribune.com Twitter @SteveChapman13 Detective David March, patrol Officers Joseph Walsh and Thomas Gaffney were each charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice. Special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes said the grand jury probe is continuing. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune) The Chicago police officers who encountered Laquan McDonald on Oct. 20, 2014, conducted themselves with admirable restraint right up to the moment when one of them shot the 17-year-old 16 times. I'm not being sarcastic. Jason Van Dyke, the officer indicted for the slaying, didn't arrive at the scene until 10 minutes after the first call to police. In the interim, cops had been following McDonald as he walked nearly half a mile after being seen trying to break into vehicles. He was holding a knife; he strode down the middle of a major street; and he slashed the tire of a patrol car. Yet the officers did their best to contain him without resorting to lethal force. Advertisement They succeeded for an impressive length of time, and they might have managed to disarm and arrest McDonald without injury. But Van Dyke arrived, jumped out of his car and immediately emptied his pistol into the teenager, who had been walking away from him. Van Dyke was reloading when a fellow cop kicked away the fallen McDonald's knife and told him to stop shooting. At that point, I might have expected the other cops to confront Van Dyke for his reckless intervention in a situation they had done so much to defuse. I might have expected them to cut him loose deciding to tell the truth about what happened and let the hotheaded cop get what was coming to him. Advertisement They didn't. Van Dyke's fellow officers did their jobs well in dealing with McDonald, but apparently they chose to close ranks around the guy who did his job badly. The department itself staunchly defended the shooting. But the video and the truth eventually came out. This excerpt from video released to the public shows the most complete version of the shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. It is edited for length by the Chicago Tribune. Warning: This video contains graphic images. (Chicago Tribune) The city inspector general who investigated recommended that two high-ranking detectives be fired, as well as several other officers. Three were indicted Tuesday for allegedly conspiring to conceal what happened. The scandal is not just that one officer killed a civilian who might have been brought into custody alive. Any department can have a cop who melts down under pressure. The bigger, more disturbing scandal is that so many officers were willing to engage in deception to protect their colleague. The alleged cover-up is what made the McDonald killing much more than an isolated mistake. If the cops who handle trouble with courage and compassion don't speak up against bad cops, who will? Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/chapman. Twitter @SteveChapman13 Supporters and patients of Planned Parenthood take part in a "Pink the Night Out" rally at City Hall, which is part of a nationwide series of actions in support of the organization and in opposition to US President Donald Trump's health care proposal, in Los Angeles, California on June 21, 2017. (MARK RALSTON / AFP/Getty Images) California is taking steps to implement a single-payer health system. New York, Washington and 10 other states say they are committed to the carbon emission cuts called for in the Paris accord. Some states are aggressively raising the minimum wage. Others aren't. And Texas is moving toward ever more restrictive controls on abortion. These developments reflect a deep divide separating Americans. No doubt the recent presidential election exacerbated that divide. But President Donald Trump isn't the cause. He's a symptom of the divide. Advertisement Citizens of red and blues states have fundamentally different notions about the proper role of government. What should the government spend and how progressive should taxes be? Is health care a privilege or a right? There are certainly differences among people in any given state about the answers to these questions. But, on average, people in blue and red states have deeply held, fundamentally different views about critical policy issues. One symptom of the great and widening divide is the ongoing decline in split-ticket voting. In 1990, 63 percent of the states that held Senate races voted for a candidate from the same party as their presidential pick two years earlier. In 2014, 91 percent of states did that. Red states are getting redder and blue states are getting bluer. Advertisement So here's a proposal. Moderates and liberals in blue states should give conservatives what they want: Shut down all of the federal programs that subsidize red states. Blue states could use that money to fund the programs that they want. California could easily fund universal health care for its own. Minnesota and Illinois could fund smaller classrooms, extended maternity leaves and day care subsidies. Some blue states are too small to launch major initiatives on their own. But they could seek mutually beneficial agreements with larger blue states. In sum, blue states should regain control of the money that's currently flowing to red states for programs that red state citizens say they don't want (e.g. social insurance programs like food stamps and payments to Planned Parenthood). The blue states would then be free to use those resources to pursue the policies their citizens want. What's in it for the red sates? Right now their citizens feel over-regulated, overtaxed and constantly on the defensive from perceived federal encroachment on the way they want to live. Moving closer to our original federalist roots would help address those concerns. From its inception, the union has been a federal system that wrestled with the tensions inherent in joining together states as diverse as Alabama and Massachusetts. The Founding Fathers' genius was to recognize and celebrate, within reason, the right of citizens in different states to make different choices about the way they want to live. Citizens of Alabama and California don't have to agree on the best way to set up health care or education. Subject to the Constitution, we should accept that people in different states differ about the best arrangements between citizens and their government. Moreover, a key advantage of the federal system is that we can learn from each other's experiences. If you think Kansas' experiment of radical austerity was a huge success, copy it. If you think it was a failure, don't. So far this argument seems straight out of 1776. But the Founding Fathers couldn't have imagined that some states would expect other states to pay for policies that they say they don't want. Consider WalletHub's index of how dependent different states are on the federal government. These indexes rank states by the rate of return that they receive on their federal income tax investments. Topping the list of most dependent are Alabama, West Virginia, South Carolina, Montana and Tennessee. The least dependent states are Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, Illinois and California. Recognize the pattern? All of the most dependent states voted for Donald Trump. All of the least dependent states voted for Hillary Clinton. Expanded federalism makes both sides better off. Blue states get more resources to pursue initiatives. Red states get less interference from Washington. Would all of the blue-state initiatives work? Probably not. Would red state citizens actually be happy with fewer government programs like Medicaid? Probably not. But both sides would learn from concrete experience, both their own and that of states pursuing different paths. And if we don't converge to similar policies, that's OK too. Red and blue state folks have the right to live the way they want to live. And, you can always leave your state and go to one more to your liking. Many moderates and liberals will chafe at the idea that not everyone in the country will benefit from policies like Medicaid, and paid maternity benefits. But the current strategy for achieving those goals isn't working. Advertisement Time to try something different. E pluribus unum, or, out of many, one. Martin Eichenbaum is an economics professor at Northwestern University and co-director of the Center for International Macroeconomics. French President Emmanuel Macron talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as U.S. President Donald J. Trump walks by, during a line up for the group photo at the NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25, 2017. (Armando Babini, EPA) Judging by a just-released poll from the Pew Research Center, President Donald Trump is heading to next week's G-20 meeting in Germany with a resounding global vote of no confidence. Only 22 percent of more than 40,000 respondents from 37 countries had confidence in Trump doing the right thing regarding world affairs; 64 percent felt that way about Barack Obama at the end of his presidency. The only countries preferring Trump were Israel and Russia. Advertisement Nine out of 10 countries posting the biggest drops in confidence were U.S. treaty allies. Respondents in seven of them including NATO members Italy, Germany and Spain put greater confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin than in Trump. So much for the assertion by Republican candidates on the 2016 presidential campaign trail that, under Obama, our friends no longer trusted us. Advertisement On the other hand, these poll results validate President America First. As Trump told a joint session of Congress: "My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America." Trump could argue that our allies are upset because the U.S. won't play the global patsy anymore, giving them a free ride on defense, allowing them to practice unfair trade and saddling ourselves with treaty obligations that reduce our competitive advantage. Winning a global popularity contest isn't synonymous with defending U.S. national security and advancing U.S. economic interests. And it's true that the Pew survey shows that the public in many of these countries don't expect relations with the U.S. to change fundamentally under Trump, and that Americans in general remain well-liked. But being seen as unreliable and "arrogant, intolerant and dangerous" three qualities attributed to Trump by a thumping majority of all respondents is more than a perception problem. It can have concrete policy consequences. If other leaders know that their publics dislike, distrust and disrespect Trump, they have more political incentive to thumb their nose at him and spurn U.S. demands and entreaties. Consider recent developments with newly minted French President Emmanuel Macron, embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is facing a potentially tough re-election campaign. Macron got domestic mileage out of snubbing Trump and giving him a man-grip handshake at last month's NATO summit. Concern over public protests in the U.K. prompted Trump to postpone his planned visit there, and gives May good reason to keep her distance. Merkel seen more favorably by Pew respondents than Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump was recently attacked by challenger Martin Schulz for not standing up to an "erratic" Trump, notwithstanding her earlier declaration that the era of reliable relations with the U.S. "are to some extent over." That erosion of goodwill and re-alignment of domestic political incentives among trans-Atlantic stalwarts may not blow up treaty alliances or shatter the postwar liberal international order. But it can spell the difference between compromise and conflict in trade and investment, regulatory cooperation, and even security interests. A U.S. president reluctant to affirm the mutual defense commitment at the heart of the NATO charter may find himself getting a less receptive ear on troop requests for Afghanistan. Over-the-top bluster about raw deals on trade and investment can raise the political stakes in unrelated commercial and regulatory disputes. Moreover, while the Pew results suggest that the U.S. global brand is resilient, it's not indestructible. Favorable views of America are in decline, down from a global median of 64 percent in the final years of Obama to 49 percent in 2017. Respondents in 30 out of 37 countries had a less favorable view of the U.S.; the only countries to register a more favorable view were Hungary, Jordan, Nigeria, Greece, Vietnam and Russia, whose inhabitants gave Trump a big "Da" (up 26 points since Obama's last years). That's not great company to be keeping. Favorable views about U.S. democracy have also dropped, especially in Africa and Latin America a troubling decline at a time when autocracies are on the march. Opinion polls are a far cry from policies and actual results. Although previous Pew polls showed a dramatic rebound from the years of George W. Bush to those of Obama, all the world's problems hardly went away, and many U.S. voters expressed reservations about Obama's foreign policies. As the Middle East scholar Shadi Hamid archly asked at a Brookings Institution event on this year's survey, "What is the relationship between people hating our president and the world falling apart?" Advertisement Hamid got a good laugh. Even with Trump in office, after all, the world is likely to hold together. But for those Americans who care about their nation's hard-won place in it, the joke is likely to be on us. Bloomberg View James Gibney writes editorials on international affairs for Bloomberg View. He was features editor at the Atlantic, deputy editor at the New York Times op-ed page and executive editor at Foreign Policy magazine. He was a foreign service officer and a speechwriter for Secretary of State Warren Christopher, National Security Adviser Anthony Lake and President Bill Clinton. To support this crackdown on Americans, Trump claimed that "The previous administration's easing of restrictions on travel and trade do not help the Cuban people they only enrich the Cuban regime." But that claim does not survive contact with reality. American tourists give money directly to Cuban Airbnb operators, street musicians, private restaurant owners and artists, many of whom now own their own property. Sure, those entrepreneurial Cubans have to cough up various tributes to the state, but there is no doubt that their own personal lot has improved. As (Sen. Jeff) Flake told us, "You have about 25 percent of Cubans who work fully in the private sector. ... The big change (since 2001, when he started visiting there) is the number of Cubans being able to not have to rely on government and who therefore can hold their government more accountable." Matt Welch, Reason Advertisement A significant proportion of recent economic growth has relied on borrowed money today standing at a dizzying 325 percent of global gross domestic product. Debt allows society to accelerate consumption, as borrowings are used to purchase something today against the promise of future repayment. Unfunded entitlements to social services, health care and pensions increase those liabilities. The bill for these commitments will soon become unsustainable, as demographic changes make it more difficult to meet. ... Rising dependency ratios the number of retirees per employed worker provide one useful metric. In 1970, in the U.S., there were 5.3 workers for every retired person. By 2010 this had fallen to 4.5, and it's expected to decline to 2.6 by 2050. ... In Japan, the oldest society to have ever existed, the ratio will decrease to 1.2 in 2050, from 8.5 in 1970. Even as spending commitments grow, in other words, there will be fewer and fewer productive adults around to fund them. Satyajit Das, Bloomberg View In 2008, Jackie Lomax found herself at an impasse. Her daughter had expressed an interest in science and mathematics, but Lomax was unable to find opportunities for her daughter to explore these topics outside of the classroom. "I was just a mother trying to make my daughter's dream come true," Lomax said. "I wanted to take the cost of having a dream of a career in science and make it free to every girl." Advertisement Lomax set out to create her own program for minority girls around Chicago to encourage exploration of these topics. The following year, Lomax founded Girls 4 Science. Since its inception, more than 500 young women have taken part in free programming that operates out of two locations within Chicago, Malcolm X College (1900 W. Jackson Blvd.) and Olive-Harvey College (10001 S. Woodlawn Ave.), as well as an additional location in Joliet. Girls 4 Science hosts quarterly programs surrounding different topics over the course of six weeks. Any young woman aged 10 to 18 years old can register for the Saturday morning programming. The meetings revolve around lectures from STEM (science, tech, engineering and math) professionals and labs that give the girls hands-on experience with the topics they're covering. Subjects covered in the past have included zoology, personal health and biology, mathematics and, this summer, medical science. Advertisement "Even if you're not a STEM professional, volunteers are always needed for field trips or to support their learning and help them with labs," Girls 4 Science's Carleigh Rinefierd said. Since its creation, Girls 4 Science has seen a 100 percent college placement rate amongst its participants, with 90 percent of those young women entering STEM fields of study. Through its teaching programs and mentorship by volunteers and STEM professionals, Girls 4 Science allows young women in underserved communities the chance to feel more confident in their skills in scientific fields. "My daughter (now a sophomore in college) knew exactly the path she needed to take once she graduated high school," Lomax said. "I never knew a dinner table conversation would turn into something so important and meaningful." @shelbielbostedt | sbostedt@redeyechicago.com A Kane County Sheriff's Police officer secures an entrance to Delnor Hospital in Geneva during a hostage situation May 13. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune ) After a Kane County inmate took a corrections officer's gun and held two nurses hostage at the Geneva hospital where he was receiving medical treatment, the sheriff's office in neighboring Kendall County created new guidelines for watching and transporting suspects who are hospitalized. The changes issued this month to all corrections staff include new rules for moving and supervising detainees at hospitals or other places outside the Kendall County jail, according to documents provided to the Beacon-News. Kendall County sheriff's officials could not be reached for comment on the new policy, which was provided in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act. Advertisement Lt. Patrick Gengler, spokesman for the Kane County sheriff's office, said while the department's current policy calls for at least one officer to supervise detainees at the hospital, since the standoff, their practice has been two. However, Kane County sheriff's officials declined to release the department's policy related to transport or staffing while an inmate or suspect is hospitalized, saying sharing that information could jeopardize security. Advertisement The hostage situation May 13 at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital lasted several hours. It ended when a regional SWAT team stormed the room where 21-year-old inmate Tywon Salters had one nurse held hostage. A North Aurora officer on the SWAT team shot Salters in the head, killing him. Four nurses, including the two held hostage, are suing the sheriff's office, a specific officer, and a security company paid by the hospital. In the lawsuit, one of the nurses said Salters raped her during the standoff. One Kane County sheriff's deputy per shift was assigned to guard Salters in the hospital. The lawsuit alleges that corrections officer Shawn Loomis left Salters unshackled; then ran and hid after the inmate took his 9mm handgun. In addition, the lawsuit alleges officers routinely unshackled Salters; a nurse discovered an officer asleep on the couch in Salters' room; and on the morning of the hostage standoff, an officer assigned to guard the inmate sat on a recliner using a laptop. In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, along with Kendall County, Illinois State Police and the Aurora Police Department released documents including procedures for when people in their custody need medical attention. Kendall County's new directive does not call for multiple officers in all cases, but lists examples of situations that would require at least two. The Kendall directive, issued June 21 by Kendall County Undersheriff Harold O. Martin III, expanded on a version from March 2016, which did not specifically address hospitals. Now, Kendall County officers must ensure detainees taken to hospitals remain handcuffed or shackled at all times, unless medical staff specifically order restraints removed or the detainee is giving birth. While an inmate is in the emergency room or admitted to a hospital, deputies will rotate security details every four hours, according to the new directive. Visitors are prohibited, and deputies should use the phone only for emergencies or to update the sheriff's office. They may not go on social media, use the internet or play games, Kendall's directive states. Advertisement While old guidelines listed eight reasons for assigning two deputies to a transport, the new version adds a ninth, for inmates who are "two-man contact" in the detention facility. Longer-standing reasons include those a supervisor deems high risk and those going to Chester Mental Health. Supervisors and commanders can determine if a shift requires additional deputies, who are directed to always double-lock handcuffs and secure detainees considered high-risk transports with a belly band and leg shackles. In its denials of a public records request, the Kane County sheriff's office said detainees could use the policies to learn how inmates are classified and intentionally influence cell assignments. "Should inmates understand the security protocols or process of evaluating inmate movement both inside and outside the facility there is increased risk of harm should an inmate wish to attempt to circumvent the polices," the department wrote in its denial. A spokesman for Northwestern Medicine, Christopher King, said it was still too early, with internal investigations ongoing, to comment on the policies. Danny Chun, of Illinois Health and Hospital Association, said the association works with law enforcement on safety issues, though he also could not respond to specific protocol or changes. Advertisement While sheriff's offices have relationships with county jails that are different from city and state police setups, Aurora and Illinois State Police have guidelines for when people in their custody need medical attention. According to general orders revised in June 2016, the Aurora Police Department must maintain custody, and a supervisor should be notified when an inmate needs medical assistance. An Illinois State Police directive revised in June 2015 includes guidelines for when a prisoner becomes sick or injured during an arrest or transport. It directs the transporting officer to notify a supervisor and provide security. hleone@tribpub.com Twitter @hannahmleone As the Fourth of July draws near, many Kendall County communities are gearing up to crack down on illegal fireworks. "We seem to have more and more issues with illegal fireworks," Yorkville Police Chief Rich Hart said. "We have tried every kind of outreach newsletters, press releases, web and social media but it doesn't seem to have much of an impact." Advertisement Hart said his department stays very busy issuing citations that have just been increased to a range from $250 for a first offense up to $750 and a mandatory appearance at an adjudication hearing for subsequent violations. "While the Fourth of July is a holiday for most, it is a mandatory work day for all department employees, myself included," he said. Advertisement The City of Plano has also increased the fines for each offense and will be stepping up their policing efforts, according to Jonathan Whowell, Plano's chief of police. The City Council approved fees ranging from $250 to $750 for violations. "I think that upping the fines and increasing the enforcement will help," he said. He said the key is that "people really need to stop and think about their neighbors and the impact their fireworks will have on others. We get a lot of complaints overall about fireworks disrupting neighborhoods and keeping families awake." Mayor Rick Olson of Sandwich said he has not seen any significant change in the number of people using these fireworks and said, "every year there are a certain amount of people that just turn a blind eye to the law and use the Fourth of July as an opportunity or excuse to make some noise. If people were really celebrating the freedoms we have, it would be one thing, but people really just do it for fun." He said the city has also adopted a new adjudication policy which will allow them to address the issue locally rather than clogging up the court system with such cases. Hart, who has spent the last seven years as police chief in Yorkville, said that the Fourth of July is a frustrating time of the year for police officers. "Citizens get upset and demand that the police do something about the fireworks, then when we do catch people and issue citations they become enraged. It's a no-win thing," he said. Hart said "many states around us have legalized fireworks. It is a losing battle. If Illinois were to do that (legalize fireworks), it would take a burden off us and in the process maybe take away some of the intrigue that people have about doing something illegal." Advertisement He said that perhaps Illinois should consider legalizing sales but then regulating them closely. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, Illinois is one of four states that allow only wire or wood stick sparklers and certain other novelty items, while three states (Delaware, Massachusetts and New Jersey) ban all consumer fireworks. The association reports that nationally the revenue for consumer fireworks grew from $284 million in 1998 to $825 million in 2016. The state of Indiana benefits from people from Illinois crossing the state line to purchase their sky rockets, roman candles and other fireworks. Indiana charges sales tax for these purchases along with a mandatory 5 percent public safety fee which is used toward training for emergency personnel. Whowell said he just wants people "to be reasonable, conscientious and smart" this Fourth of July when it comes to fireworks. Susan Thanepohn is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News Boebert leading Frisch by more than 1,100 votes in CD-3 race Frisch had been in the lead, which was declining as more counties in CD-3 continue to report results after election day By Alexander Chipman Koty and Zhou Qian Chinas State Council released an updated foreign investment negative list for its 11 free trade zones (FTZs) on June 16, 2017, removing a number of restrictions on foreign investment. The new negative list, which comes into effect on July 10, 2017, cuts 10 items and 27 special administrative measures from the previous negative list released in 2015. The lifted restrictions on foreign investment apply to a number of industries, including mining, manufacturing, transportation, information, commercial service, finance, scientific research, and culture. The updated negative list presents new opportunities for investment in Chinas growing number of FTZs, and provides a glimpse into future economic reforms. FTZ negative list explained Chinas negative list specifies the industries where foreign investment is prohibited or restricted in the countrys FTZs. For prohibited industries such as those relating to national security foreign investment is not allowed. For restricted industries, foreign investors may need to acquire special approval or enter into a joint venture (JV) with a Chinese partner. Foreign investors enjoy domestic treatment in industries not listed on the negative list. China currently has 11 FTZs, with the seven latest in Chongqing, Henan, Hubei, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Zhejiang. The Shanghai Pilot FTZ was Chinas first FTZ, launched in 2013, while FTZs in Fujian, Guangdong, and Tianjin were opened in 2015. Changes in the new negative list Of the 27 special administrative measures removed from the 2015 list, 10 are related to manufacturing, four to finance, and four to other services. Overall, the new negative list reduces restrictions in over 20 industries, including railway transport equipment, pharmaceuticals, road transport, insurance, accounting and audit, and other commercial services. Foreign investors are no longer be obligated to enter into a JV when engaging in rail transport equipment or civilian satellite manufacturing, as well as certain types of civilian helicopter design and production, for instance. The full list of removed special administrative measures can be found at the end of this article. RELATED: Made in China 2025: Implications for Foreign Businesses Notably, restrictions may still apply for items removed from the negative list. An industrys absence on the negative list simply means that foreign investors will be treated the same as Chinese investors in that industry. For example, though military, police, political, and Chinese Communist Party special training institutions were removed from the negative list, those industries are blocked for Chinese investors as well, meaning that there is no effective change for foreign investors. The 95 special administrative measures remaining are exactly half as many as there were in the first negative list introduced in the Shanghai Pilot FTZ in 2013. In 2015, the total number of measures were reduced to 139, and then to 122 in late 2015. Evaluating the new negative list The updated negative list comes as Premier Li Keqiang reiterated Chinas commitment to trade and globalization at the World Economic Forum currently being held in Dalian, echoing the remarks President Xi Jinping made earlier in the year at Davos. It is part of another round of economic liberalization, which includes the new Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries, soon to be released by the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission. RELATED: Pre-Investment and Entry Strategy Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates The updated Catalogue is expected to introduce a similar style of negative list for the rest of China, effective in 2018, and to ease restrictions in similar industries as the FTZ negative list, including rail transport equipment and mining. FTZs are often treated as grounds for experimental reform in China, making it unsurprising that policies tested since the Shanghai Pilot FTZ opened in 2013 are now being carried over to the rest of China. Many of the newly liberalized industries, however, are sectors in which Chinese companies are already dominant. China is known for its high-speed rail development, for example, a strength it hopes to export through the One Belt, One Road project. Further, foreign investors in Chinas FTZs may still be subject to national security reviews when participating in sensitive industries. Although the updated negative list provides new areas for investment, foreign investors should carefully study the opportunities and challenges that may arise in practice prior to entry. About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017 This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting. Payroll Processing in China: Challenges and Solutions In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we lay out the challenges presented by Chinas payroll landscape, including its peculiar Dang An and Hu Kou systems. We then explore how companies of all sizes are leveraging IT-enabled solutions to meet their HR and payroll needs, and why outsourcing payroll is the answer for certain company structures. Finally, we consider the potential for China to emerge as Asias premier payroll processing center. Dezan Shira & Associates You are here: Home Brazilian film "Nise: The Heart of Madness", Tuesday won the best picture at the BRICS Film Festival in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. The film, directed by Roberto Berliner, tells the story of female doctor Nise, who refuses to use shock therapy to treat patients with schizophrenia but helps them with drawing, dogs and love. Ten films from the BRICS countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, competed for the Panda Award. Kim Druzhinin and Andrey Shalopa, who jointly directed Russian film "Panfilov's 28", won the best director. Alok Suresh Rajwade from Indian film "Turtle: Kaasav" won the best male actor and Zhou Dongyu from Chinese film "July And Ansheng" won the best female actor. "Where Has Time Gone?", jointly shot by directors from the five countries, debuted at the festival and won the artistic merit award. The five directors tell the same story from different cultural perspectives and this is a very interesting cooperation, said Marcos Caramuru de Paiva, Brazilian Ambassador to China. As China's film market grows, there will be more demand for good movies, said Zhang Hongsen, deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Zhang said in the future, more films from BRICS countries will be introduced to Chinese moviegoers and meanwhile, more Chinese films will meet audience in other BRICS countries. The 2nd BRICS Film Festival, held between June 23 and 27, is a major cultural event ahead of the annual BRICS summit in the southeastern Chinese coastal city of Xiamen in September. The next BRICS Film Festival is scheduled to be held in South Africa in 2018. Experts on Tuesday called for strengthening Africa's aviation industry so as to foster all-rounded development endeavors in the African continent. Speaking at the second International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meeting on air cargo development in Africa that was opened in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa on Tuesday, various experts including ICAO president Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu and group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde Gebremariam called for strengthening Africa's aviation industry to foster the continent's development. "No continent, no country can develop without civil aviation," Aliu told meeting participants comprised of policymakers, air transport regulators, and representatives from the global aviation industry. After announcing ICAO's ambition to assist the development of aviation in the African continent, Aliu indicated that strategic activities need to be done in Africa on various issues, with due emphasis given to aviation safety. Aliu further lauded the Ethiopian Aviation Academy as a center of excellence for crafting the future of Africa's aviation industry through trainings. Gebremariam, who reiterated the aviation sector's role for public transport service in Africa, indicated that air cargo is the most important factor for the socio-economic development of Africa than any other part of the world, where infrastructures for other modes of transport are underdeveloped. He also indicated that for African countries, possessing an economy largely dominated by agricultural and horticultural products export, air cargo is an ideal option. Gebremariam also urged all stakeholders to join hands and save Africa's air transport industry sector, saying that "the industry in Africa is dying. All of us have to join hands to save the industry from its natural death." The Second ICAO meeting, from June 27 to 29, is being held under the theme "Action for the Sustainable Development of Air Cargo in Africa." Kenya and China are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on tea trade in July, a Kenyan official said on Tuesday. Head of the Tea Directorate Samuel Ogola told Xinhua in Nairobi that under the agreement Kenya tea's industry will receive training on how to process tea that will appeal to Chinese consumers. "Kenya has high quality tea but we lack expertise in high quality processing. So the training will help Kenya to penetrate the huge Chinese tea market," Ogola said on the sidelines of the MOU signing agreement between the Export Promotion Council and Tea Directorate. Ogola said that China has a rich tea growing culture that spans over 3,000 years, which Kenya can borrow to expand its tea sector. The agreement will be signed in China by Kenya's Ambassador to China and the China Tea Marketing Association. Currently, Kenya exports between four and five million kilograms of tea annually to China out of a production of approximately 472 million kilograms. Kenya has been facing technical barrier to access the Asian nation due to standards. "Chinese standards are a bit too high for Kenya in terms of the rare earth metals that are present on Kenyan soils where there is tea cultivation," he said. He noted that Kenya has held discussions with China, so that Chinese standards can be relaxed so as to allow Kenyan tea exports. You are here: Home Foreign enterprises are welcome to participate in China's Internet Plus plan, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday, vowing to open the sector wider. He made the remarks when meeting with world business leaders during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos, in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian. China has opened many businesses and services to foreign investors in basic and value-added telecommunications, the highest level of opening up among developing countries, said the premier. Foreign investors have huge space for development in Internet Plus, including cloud platforms, telecommunications and cross-border electronic commerce, said Li. The central government will ensure inclusive and cautious supervision and regulation to help foreign enterprises and to boost Chinese economic growth, said Li. Joint efforts are needed to address Internet fraud, counterfeits sold online and the theft of commercial secrets, according to Li. From Tuesday to Thursday, around 1,500 politicians, officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and media representatives from over 90 countries and regions will discuss topics from inclusive growth to the new industrial revolution at the summer forum. Djiboutian Ambassador to China Abdallah Miguil. [Photo by Liu Ying/China.org.cn] Hanyuan Partners, a law firm based in Shanghai, is looking to provide legal services to Chinese investors seeking business opportunities in Djibouti. At the Chinese Legal Services in Africa Conference held in Beijing on June 27, Hanyuan was invited by the Embassy of Djibouti in China to introduce the legal services it could offer to diplomats of African countries, including Djibouti and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Djiboutian Ambassador to China Abdallah Miguil said the presentation offered a good opportunity for the law firm to explain how it could assist with Chinese outbound investment and projects in African countries. "Such physical contacts can help avoid misunderstanding or problems in the future. With the Belt and Road platform, China will invest a huge amount in Africa," the ambassador said. "I have confidence that in the future, we could reduce the risks, misunderstanding and problems in massive African-Chinese investment," he asserted. "I think law is always better than interpretation of agreements." Speaking at the conference, Zhu Xuefeng, the chairman of Hanyuan Partners, pointed out that there was insufficient knowledge of African legal systems in China, and such a situation should be improved in view of the good momentum of the China-Africa relationship. He urged Chinese lawyers to do more to pave the way for their country's investment in Africa. In regard to the future cooperation in legal services, Zhu said there are two issues that need to be addressed. First, African countries should know the needs and the worries of potential Chinese investors. Second, Chinese lawyers should help Chinese investors get familiar with African legal systems, investment environment and potential legal risks. The ambassador explained that Hanyuan was approached as it has provided legal services and consultation to Shanghai-based Touchroad International Holding Group, which is creating a special economic zone in Djibouti. He Liehui, the chairman of Touchroad International Holding Group, lauded the bold move made by Hanyuan in providing significant legal support to facilitate Chinese investment in African countries. He noted Djibouti's strategic position on the Horn of Africa gave it a geographical advantage as a gateway to the whole of East Africa. He said Djibouti had a relatively sound legal system and a stable regime. Moreover, it has loosened control on foreign currencies and has a high degree of currency stability not enjoyed by other African countries. Commenting on the significance of legal services to Chinese overseas investment, he said, "Wherever Chinese companies go, wherever Chinese law firms should follow." You are here: Home China released Tuesday an emergency response plan for Internet security incidents. The plan was formulated and released by the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs, to "improve handling of cybersecurity incidents, prevent and reduce damage, protect the public interest and safeguard national security, public safety and social order." The plan divides cybersecurity incidents into six categories, including pernicious procedural incidents, cyber attacks and information security incidents. It also defines four-levels of security warnings and response systems according to threat conditions ranging from "general" to "extremely serious." Under the top "extremely serious" condition, security incidents may "paralyse many important Internet and information systems and halt operations," or "cause loss or falsification of state secrets and important sensitive information, posing great threats to national security and social stability," according to the plan. Serious incidents will trigger measures including establishment of emergency headquarters, 24-hour monitoring and multi-department coordination in handling the aftermath. In May, China suffered from a global ransomware attack that had paralyzed online payment systems at petrol stations across China and invaded colleges to encrypt papers and other documents. The plan is also an implementation of the Cybersecurity Law adopted last year, which requires an emergency response mechanism from cyberspace authorities to avoid such threats. Authorities are asked to organize rehearsals and strengthen prevention, especially during important meetings or national events. Those who fail to implement the measures or conceal cybersecurity incidents will be punished, according to the plan. B&R Initiative promotes connectivity [Cartoon by Zhai Haijun] In a bid to enhance maritime connectivity and regional integration, China has shared a plan for three ocean corridors or "blue economic passages." Recently released by China's top planning bodies, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Oceanic Administration, it is a joint ocean governance strategy for all the countries situated along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Synchronizing development and promoting joint actions, the document enumerates an all-dimensional Blue Partnership enacted on various levels with a broad, open scope. Visualizing a "blue economy," maritime cooperation will help Belt and Road nations face challenges together to enhance regional stability. Creating a "blue engine" and inclusive platforms to bridge differences with consensus would result in a broader participation of governments and international organizations. According to Wang Hong, head of the State Oceanic Administration, it is a vision for the top-down design for advancing maritime cooperation among Belt and Road countries. It is the first time that the Chinese government systematically proposed such a blueprint. Ever since the framework for jointly building the Belt and Road was issued in 2015, remarkable achievements have been made. Giving details, Wang elaborated, "The vision is a programmatic document that promotes the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the field of coasts and oceans. It is a commitment to promoting employment, reducing poverty, and protecting and sustainably using maritime resources." Visualizing a "blue economy," Belt and Road nations could work together under a synchronized "blue engine" for sustained joint development and regional stability, along with more inclusive platforms for information-sharing and technological cooperation. Planning to bridge differences with consensus and working towards a common ground, broader participation of governments and international organizations would be sought for ocean cohesiveness. Signifying that the will of the countries along the Belt and Road would be taken into account, the document denotes bonds would be cemented by linking ocean corridors, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, while the China-Indian Ocean-Africa-Mediterranean Sea Blue Economic Passage would link with China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor. At the same time, a China-Oceania-South Pacific corridor towards the South China Sea leading into the Pacific Ocean is planned while another blue passage would lead up to Europe via the Arctic Ocean. It is worth noting that India's inclusion in the BCIM Economic Corridor completes regional connectivity; construction of this corridor is gradual, but an expanded "larger picture" of the Belt and Road has materialized. Under the heading "China in Action" the NDRC document goes on to list projects under implementation, most prominently the Gwadar port which is part of the flagship corridor, while CPEC and two projects in Sri Lankaare at more advanced stages. Other projects making good progress are the Malaysia Malacca Seaside Industrial Park, the Kyaukpyu port in Myanmar and railway projects linking Ethiopia and Djibouti, Mombasa and Nairobi and the Piraeus port in Greece. Along with the above, industrial parks in China's Qinzhou and Malaysia's Kuantan, the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone in Cambodia, Suez Economic and Trade Cooperative Zone in Egypt are all under construction. In collaboration with the Netherlands, China has developed offshore wind power generation while it is working on seawater desalination projects with Iran, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. One submarine communication project which is named the Asia-Pacific Gateway has been completed. Improved maritime connectivity along the Belt and Road would help increase interaction with port alliances, international shipping centers and service networks, pairing sister ports is also a possibility. As specified in the document, ocean observation and monitoring networks are planned in public services, marine scientific research and marine ecological conservation is specified under the Blue Carbon Program which would prepare a blue carbon report and establish a blue carbon international forum. Another interesting proposal in the document is the role played by supporting think-tanks in developing strategic partnerships with counterparts in other Belt and Road countries and international organizations. A 21st Century maritime Silk Road think-tank alliance would be formed to provide intellectual support. Likewise, policy co-ordination and multilateral cooperative mechanisms will be promoted to jointly participate in ocean governance under the Blue Partnership. Undoubtedly a comprehensive plan, it highlights the necessity to streamline the mega-project in all aspects as workable maritime access is intrinsic for strengthening strategic ties and security alliances. Intricate planning is required as the sheer scale of the Initiative impacts 63 percent of the world population. Ostensibly, advanced capacity and inclusiveness of all the nations involved will help evolve better synergy between sea and land legs of the Initiative. Providing an overview of the strategy, Zhuang Guotu of Xiamen University said that Maritime economy, especially port logistics, is an important aspect for deepening cooperation between China and other countries along the Road. Meanwhile, the document underlines the basic motto as, "We will plan together, develop together and share the fruits of cooperation." Sabena Siddiqui (Twitter: @sabena_siddiqi) is a foreign affairs journalist and lawyer based in Pakistan. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash China has lodged protests in Beijing and in New Delhi against the encroachment of Indian border troops into Chinese territory, and it demands that India take the proper course of action and withdraw the troops, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Tuesday. Beijing is sincere in its pursuit of developing friendly China-India ties, but also unswerving in its determination to uphold its sovereign rights and interests, Lu said at a daily news conference in Beijing. Observers said that India should refrain from further military action and ease the tension at an early date to avoid sabotaging the hard-won stability at the border. The Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Monday night that Indian border guards recently encroached on Chinese territory in the Sikkim section of the border and obstructed ongoing Chinese road construction in the Donglang area. China has taken countermeasures accordingly, and Beijing has asked New Delhi to thoroughly investigate this matter, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday night. Geng noted that the Sikkim section has been defined by a treaty and the Indian government has repeatedly honored the treaty in writing as it does not contest the section of the border. China urges India to respect boundary treaties and China's territorial sovereignty to maintain peace and stability in the border area, Geng said. Jiang Jingkui, director of the Center for South Asia Studies at Peking University, said India is expected to take action to remedy the situation. "Neither side, particularly India, should lead this into an armed conflict. The two emerging economies need each other for their domestic development," Jiang said. China and India had good high-level interaction this year when President Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Kazakh capital Astana earlier this month, and India has just joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. As Modi will come to China to attend the BRICS Leaders' Meeting in September, New Delhi should manage bilateral differences in an effective manner, as Modi has pledged to do, Jiang said. In another development, China has put off arranging for Indian pilgrims to enter China at the Nathu La Pass "in view of the incident" and "out of safety concerns", Lu said. China has informed India through diplomatic channels, he said. In the past, China has made great efforts to accommodate official Indian pilgrims' trips to China's Tibet autonomous region, Lu said. India must take the necessary measures to ease the safety concerns triggered by the current situation, Lu added. Flash China will give necessary support for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to improve their relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Tuesday. Lu's comment came as the ROK has approved a request by an aid group to send tuberculosis medication to the DPRK, and other material to build hospital wards there. The green light is the first of its kind since ROK President Moon Jae-in took office in May and the shipment will be made to the DPRK's western port city of Nampo via China in July, according to Yonhap. As the people of the DPRK and the ROK belong to the same ethnic group, improving the inter-Korea relationship and promoting reconciliation and cooperation serves the fundamental interests of both sides and regional peace and development, Lu said. "China is willing to give necessary support to this," Lu said. China hopes the DPRK and the ROK can continue goodwill toward each other and play a positive role in easing tension on the peninsula, the spokesperson said. Flash After Brazilian Supreme Court charged President Michel Temer of corruption on Monday, his two predecessors, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, were quick to call for his resignation on Tuesday. Speaking to Radio Itatiaia, Lula said that Temer might decide to resign, if pressure from the society was strong enough. "The ideal would be a peaceful process for Temer to call for an early election, so we can elect, before October 2018, a new president and new Congress," said Lula, who was the founder of the Workers' Party (PT) and Brazilian president from 2003 to 2011. Lula added that an investigation into Temer was needed to find out "if the accusations are true." Meanwhile, Rousseff also reacted to the charges against Temer by writing on her website that the "coup of 2016," referring to her impeachment, had left the country in the hands of a president charged with corruption. Rousseff, succeeding Lula as president from 2011 till her impeachment in last August for breaking budgetary laws, accused the political parties and industrial sectors which supported her impeachment of "being directly responsible for his (Temer) rise." Temer, then vice president to Rousseff, assumed the powers and became the president after the impeachment. Flash The University of Texas Dallas campus ordered an evacuation Tuesday afternoon after receiving a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax, according to the police. Campus police received the bomb threat around 2 p.m. local time from an anonymous caller who demanded a large amount of money, the Dallas Morning News quoted University of Texas at Dallas Police Department Lieutenant Ken MacKenzie as saying. The university ordered all students, faculty, visitors and employees to evacuate all buildings and parking garages on the campus, located about 30 km north of downtown Dallas. The university said they were working with police department to make sure the campus is safe. An hour later, university officials tweeted that campus police had determined the bomb threat was a hoax. The all clear was given at about 3:20 p.m. Students, teachers and others were seen headed back to the campus. Flash U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday, weeks after several Gulf states cut diplomatic ties with the U.S. ally. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, the four Arab states that have severed ties with Qatar over alleged support for terrorism, have issued a list of 13 demands to end rift with Doha including closing Al-Jazeera television and cutting diplomatic ties with Iran. Tillerson said in a statement issued on Sunday that "while some of the elements will be very difficult for Qatar to meet, there are significant areas which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution." He called on the relevant countries to "sit together and continue this conversation," adding that "each country involved has something to contribute to that effort." Qatar is a key U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State group and the U.S. military base in the country is one of the largest in the Middle East. On Tuesday, Tillerson also met with Kuwait's Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah. Kuwait is acting as a mediator to end the worst Gulf crisis in years. Flash Image provided by the Presidency of Colombia shows Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (L, front), shaking hands with the supreme commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Rodrigo Londono (R, front), during the ceremony of the handing over of weapons by the FARC, in Buenavista, a village in the municipality of Mesetas, Colombia, on June 27, 2017. The municipality of Mesetas in the department of Meta saw the final act on Tuesday of the disarmament of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), formerly Colombia's largest guerrilla group. This last handing over of weapons was supervised by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the supreme commander of the FARC, Rodrigo Londono, and the head of the UN Mission in Colombia, Jean Arnault. The UN team, which has been tasked with verifying that all weapons were handed over, certified 7,132 individual weapons during the ceremony. The event also saw the participation of ministers, representatives from guarantor countries, facilitators of the peace agreement signed between Colombian government and the FARC, and members of NGOs. The UN members, charged with receiving and storing the weapons, explained how the work had been carried out and formally closed the doors of the containers where the weapons will be kept until they are melted down to build three monuments to honor peace. Writing on Twitter, Santos said that "today, Colombia has the best news in 50 years: the FARC have left their weapons and words will be their only form of expression." The process is a symbolic end to the violence which wracked Colombia for over half a century after peace talks in Havana, Cuba, which lasted from 2012 to 2016, ended with a final peace accord. Flash Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Tuesday that Syrians won't forget the Russian support to Syria, according to the Syrian presidential media office. The president made the remarks during his visit to the Russian-run Hmeimim Air Base in Syria's northern city of Latakia, during which he reviewed the latest military gears. Assad visited the base "with all joy and pride," saying that the fighters and pilots coming from Russia help "their brothers of the Syrian army ... and the Syrian people in defending the unity and sovereignty of Syria and fight against the terrorists." He said Russia provided weapons and gears to support Syria in the war on terror, "and most importantly they gave blood, which is the most precious anyone could give to his fellow human ... and the Syrian people will not forget the stance of their Russian brothers." Assad's visit to Hmeimim is his first declared tour in the base, which has been run by the Russian forces since 2015 when they intervened to aid the Syrian government forces in face of the foreign-backed insurgency. The report said Assad toured the base and reviewed the modern military gears, including warplanes and armored carriers. Touring the site with Russian commanders, Assad also checked the latest Su-35 warplane. Photos of the president during his tour were also posted by the presidential media office. It's the latest in some high-profile visits Assad has recently made, starting with special prayers of the Eid al-Fitr feast in the central city of Hama, his first visit to the city since the beginning of the Syrian war six years ago. He also visited wounded soldiers in Hama, along with his wife and three children. But the visit to the Hmeimim base comes at a time when the White House warned there are "potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack" by the Syrian government forces and warned Assad that he would face a "heavy price" if one is carried out. The U.S. warplanes have also struck the Syrian army several times over the past two months when it was advancing toward Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) group, and the Iraqi borders. Russia repeatedly slammed the U.S. strikes amid reports that it equipped the Syrian army with high-tech military gears to defend itself against further attacks. The president's visit to the base apparently aims to showcase confidence and the strong alliance with Russia in the face of the U.S. threats. Flash The Zambian government on Tuesday dismissed reports that it bribed the head of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission in order to get a favorable treatment on a bailout package the country was seeking. Last month, an IMF delegation was in Zambia to continue discussions on a possible aid program under its extended credit facility. Discussions are expected to continue next month with the possibility of the country getting assistance in August. Some online publications have claimed that Zambian President Edgar Lungu bribed the IMF Team Leader Tsidi Tsikata as a way of improving the country's chances of getting the bailout. But Minister of Finance Felix Mutati dismissed the allegations, saying the talks with the IMF were being conducted in a transparent and honest manner. He said the government did not corrupt any of the officials from the IMF, adding that the negotiation team only presented facts obtaining in the country which require assistance. He told reporters during a press briefing that the IMF will make its decision based on the facts presented and will not succumb to any inducement from the government. The government, he said, was keen to ensure that the talks are concluded and presented to the IMF Board in August this year. Last week, the IMF Communications Department dismissed reports of bribery of one of its officials. Flash Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is to receive an 8-percent "pay rise" next year, worth nearly 7.7 million U.S. dollars, the office of the royal household announced Tuesday. The rise, equating to almost 150,000 U.S. dollars a week, comes after profits from the Crown estates rose by more than 30 million U.S. dollars. The taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, which pays for costs such as royal household salaries, official travel, and the upkeep of royal palaces, is expected to be 105 million U.S. dollars next year. Royal aides supported the cost of the Queen's annual grant saying it cost each person in Britain just 65 pence (0.83 U.S. cents) a year, the same price as a postage stamp. But anti-monarchists claimed that the real cost of funding the British royal family totaled more than 440 million U.S. dollars a year. The campaign group Republic said that same amount would be enough to pay the salaries of thousands of school teachers or firefighters. Republic's CEO Graham Smith, described the grant as a massive bill for British taxpayers to support the privileged lifestyles of the Royal family. The British monarch receives public funds linked to profits made from the Crown estate which manages a vast real estate portfolio across Britain. The Queen's official treasurer, Sir Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said: "The Sovereign Grant last year equated to 0.65 pence per person, per annum, in the United Kingdom. Consider that against what the Queen does and represents for this country; I believe it represents excellent value for money." Officials say that the Queen's main London residence, Buckingham Palace, requires extensive refurbishment, which is expected to cost more than 470 million U.S. dollars. The percentage of the Crown Estate profits given to the Queen is to increase to 25 percent for the next 10 years to help cover the cost of the work at the palace, one of London's best known tourist attractions. But Smith said: "Palace renovations should be paid for through opening up to tourists all year round. The grant has risen 167 percent since 2012. There simply isn't any good reason for this increase." "It's time the government took over the running of the palace finances and handed the management of the buildings to an independent body. The grant should be replaced with a simple annual budget, just like any other public authority." (1 British pound = 1.28 U.S. dollars) Flash China has donated 15 million Philippine pesos (about 300,000 U.S. dollars) for the relief operations and rehabilitation of Marawi, the southern Philippine city plagued by clashes between government troops and the Islamic State-linked Maute group, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Tuesday. Zhao Jianhua, the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, has presented the check to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. "The donation will significantly augment the resources of the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development - two government arms currently spearheading various health and welfare operations in Marawi including medical consultations, evacuation and logistical support," a statement from the Philippine presidential palace said. It added, "The said donation from China to the Philippines is an example of the flourishing partnership between the two countries and their shared commitment towards sustainable peace in the region." In a speech at the Malacanang presidential palace to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Duterte vowed to rebuild the city devastated by the conflict which has been raging for 37 days. "I will see to it that Marawi will rise as a prosperous city again," Duterte said. Duterte also assured the people of Marawi and the people affected by the violence and conflict in Mindanao that the government is committed to "securing just and lasting peace in the island, adding "the military and police remain hard at work to ending the crisis with dispatch, especially in Marawi." He added, "The amount of 20 billion pesos (397.5 million U.S. dollars) has already been allocated to ensure that this happens." The Armed Forces of the Philippines are conducting clearing operations to drive away the militants. The government said that 82,767 families of 403,052 people from Marawi and the nearby areas have been displaced in the ongoing war. Congressional-Executive Commission on China June 3, 2020 (Washington)Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) issued the following statement commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen protests and their violent repression. On this day we remember the courage and sacrifice of the students, workers, and others who were peacefully protesting in the streets of Beijing and over 400 other cities to call for democracy, human rights, and an end to corruption. Sadly, the Chinese Communist Party dispersed these peaceful protesters by using military force in Tiananmen Square, crushing their peaceful demands for rights and reform.To this day, all commemoration and discussion of the protests and their violent repression are censored. We stand with the surviving family members of the victims, including the courageous Tiananmen Mothers, who are still seeking truth and justice at great personal risk. We call on the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to provide a full public accounting of those killed and missing and to allow open discussion and study of the events surrounding June 4, 1989. Thirty-one years after the bloodshed, efforts by the people of China to exercise their fundamental freedoms too often continue to be met with brutal repression. We stand in solidarity with all prisoners of conscience and call for their unconditional release. We stand with Tibetans and Uyghurs, whose religion and culture are being methodically strangled. We stand with the people of Hong Kong, where promises of freedom and autonomy are being systematically dismantled. We stand with Chinese lawyers pursuing justice, religious groups seeking to worship without restrictions, organizers of independent labor unions and civil society, and those simply seeking to express their views, for which too many are harassed, punished, imprisoned, and even tortured. We know the spirit of Tiananmen is alive and well in Hong Kong where for three decades hundreds of thousands of people have come together in Victoria Park to hold a candlelight vigil. This year, for the first time, this peaceful commemoration has been banned by the Hong Kong police in a clear sign that Hong Kongs fundamental freedoms and human rights are under threat. We conclude with the words of the Tiananmen Mothers, renewing our pledge to always remember this tragic anniversary and to work for a day when the brave legacy of the Tiananmen generation can finally be realized in China and around the world. The hard facts of the massacre are etched into history. No one can erase it; no power, however mighty, can alter it; and no words or tongues, however clever, can deny it. ChinaAid Media Team Cell: +1 (432) 553-1080 | Office: +1 (432) 689-6985 | Other: +1 (888) 889-7757 Email: [email protected] For more information, click here Zhang Shaojie (Photo: ChinaAid stock) ChinaAid Updated at 3:01 p.m. on July 20, 2017 (Xinxiang, HenanJune 24, 2017) An imprisoned Christian pastor is struggling to stay alive after his prison was ordered to torture him using various methods, including starvation and sleep deprivation, ChinaAid learned recently. Zhang Huixin, who currently lives in America under her English name, Esther Zhang, sent ChinaAid a desperate appeal on behalf of her father, Nanle County Church pastor Zhang Shaojie. He has been in Xinxiang Prison of Henan Province for almost four years, serving a 12-year sentence. Nanle County Church was an officially sanctioned branch of Chinas government-run Protestant Churches, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Zhang Shaojie was one of the first Three-Self pastors to be sentenced like this since the time of the Cultural Revolution. When Zhang Shaojies church became involved in a land dispute with the county government in 2013, he led a group of Christians to Beijing to file a petition. The trip angered local officials, who conspired to have him detained on November 16, 2013 and eventually charged him with swindling and assembling a crowd to disrupt the public order on July 4, 2014. Recently, after an unsuccessful attempt to appeal his sentence in August 2014, Zhang Shaojie began the appeal process again, a move which brought the wrath of his prison down upon him. My father applied to file an appeal, Esther Zhang said, but the government officials said that they would not process the appeal unless he would plead guilty. They are treating him harshly in order to bend him. According to Esther Zhang, the recently appointed director of the Henan Provincial Prison Management Bureau, Wen Songshan, received an order to torture Zhang Shaojie from the secretary of the Development Research Center of the State Council, Huang Shouhong. The prison began a policy of what they call strict supervision for Zhang Shaojie, which includes the infliction of several different kinds of torture. They cruelly torture my father, Esther Zhang said. Hes unable to see the sun during the day. Hes deprived of sleep for 24 hours at a time. The prison gives him only one steamed bun a day and intentionally starves him. According to people who have been released from that prison, my father is barely alive, suffering both mentally and physically. Zhang Shaojies sister, Zhang Cuijuan, said that when she recently visited her brother in prison he was in poor condition. He was in a terrible mental state. His eyes burned from sleep deprivation. He said that he is forbidden to sleep during strict supervision. He was depressed, and I had no way to help him. The prison guard held the phone throughout our entire conversation and we were forbidden to talk about his case. Esther Zhang said that family members were only allowed to visit once a month for 30 minutes. During the visits, we cant tell him anything. We were only allowed to greet each other. (The guards) would immediately cut off the phone if he complained about life in prison or how they starved him. The guards watched us closely. My father was forbidden from telling me anything of the prison and I was forbidden from telling him of anything of the outside. Zhang Shaojie is a member of ChinaAids campaign for prisoners of conscience, the China 18. His case has been adopted by Congressman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.). Esther Zhang hopes that her testimony will raise awareness about her fathers condition and pressure China to release him. On June 26, she was interviewed by a ChinaAid reporter, the transcript of which can be found below. ChinaAid supports prisoners of conscience such as Zhang Shaojie, as well as their families, in order to combat the persecution inflicted by the Chinese government and expose abuses against Chinese Christians. Interview with Esther Zhang Q: Hi, thank you for agreeing to come and talk to me more about the appeal you wrote. Im also just going to get some background story just in case we have some new people who arent as familiar with your fathers case. My first question is what kind of person is your father? I know that he has helped people in the church with their human rights issues. Could you maybe explain a little bit about that? A: Yes, hes a pastor from Henan province. We have a big church. They have more than 8,000 members. We are growing very fast, and my father helped so many members in the town. Q: Do you think a lot of the persecution happened because of the growth of the church? Is that why they took him in? A: Yeah, and we have a big place with a deed. The government wants the deed. They want to keep the deed and give us another bad place, so we dont want to change (locations). We want something that is the same price as that place, and the government still hates that. Thats why, after they caught my father, they found all of my family members homes and the church members homes and tried to find the deed. Now, we still have the deed Until now, they still want my father to say he is a fool and want him to bring the deed. If he brings the deed to the government, and they say something is wrong, the government might say they can talk to each other, but now, my father is saying, No, Im right. Theres nothing wrong with me, and I dont want to give you my deed. Thats maybe why my father (went to prison), and until now they still have closed our church. Q: So the church is not meeting in one place? Is that what that means? Do you have people meeting in different homes, like smaller groups? A: Yes. We have a bigger church and another 36 home churches together. Now, they have closed the biggest one, and another two home churches are growing. Q: So its still rapidly growing? A: Yes, but theres no pastor. Q: So do the people teach, then? Like the people who are in the congregation? A: Yes. Q: I think in America, were just so used to the freedom, that we have no concept of that or what that would be like. On the topic of the church, I was doing some research. It sounds like it used to be a house church, and then it was forced to become a Three-Self Church? A: Its a Three-Self Church, yes, but now the government has closed it, and we have opened up as a house church without the government. Q: Okay, so right now, it is a house church, but before it was a Three-Self Church, when your father was pastoring it? A: Yes. Q: So I read also that your father helped people who were persecuted by the government. Was that a difficulty for him? Because he was also the president of the local Three-Self Patriotic Movement, right? A: Yes. Q: They took your dad on Nov. 16, 2013, right? A: Nov. 16, yes. Q: Can you describe that day to me in your own words? A: About now or before? Q: Before, but if you want to add details about now, too, thats fine. A: ChinaAid has a video that shows the day when they caught my father and brought him away. There were so many cars, and my father is wearing some different clothes. Q: A few days after your father was arrested, you and your husband and your baby daughter left Nanle County, and the officials were calling you and making threats against your family, right? A: Before I left, they caught me and the baby and put us in jail. She was just 13 months old. Then, she wasnt talking yet, but they had a very small window, and she showed it to me as if to say, Mommy, look! We can go that way to leave! They had five ladies watching us, and when they looked in, nobody felt sorry for me. Outside of the door, there were four men, and it was just me and the baby. They had nine people watching us. Q: And theres nothing you did wrong! Youre just a mom with a baby! A: And I cannot run from there. There were so many doors, and they were all locked. There were four cameras, and no way to run, and yet they still used five ladies and four men (inaudible). At that time, it was a good thing that I had my Bible with me. It was in my bag, and I read my Bible. At that time, I prayed and said, Okay, I can stay here half a year or one year. Q: With a little baby! Youre very brave. I cant imagine that. A: I said, Im very thankful to have the baby with me. Then I read the Bible in there, and they laughed at me, saying If theres a God, He will let you out! He will take you out! Then, they laughed at me, but I still stayed there. God was with me (inaudible). I felt safe. Q: So you werent really scared at all. You felt the presence of God with you. You felt that God was protecting you. A: Yeah, I didnt feel very scared, but after, when Im here, I dream that every night the government has caught me. If I hear a door opening in the middle of the night, Im scared! When my husband goes to the restroom and opens the door, I am like *startled noise*. I wake up like that. Q: Im sorry. So even though you werent scared then, its really kind of crept into your life. It affects the way you sleep. I cant imagine. Thats got to be awful. A: They just stopped me as I was driving (out of Nanle County), and they told me Get out! And I got out, and the police drove my car and left. The next day, I asked the police station, Wheres my car? and the police said, Oh, we dont know where your car is. Where is your car? Q: They took the car! A: And then the police said, Wheres the paperwork? And they said, Theres no paperwork. Without paperwork, of course its not the police! Q: Yeah, they cant do anything without showing ID or paperwork, right? A: Yeah, they just stopped me again, and I got out of the car to leave. Q: So was this when you were running away from Nanle County? You were driving the car, and then they pulled you over? A: Yeah. They let me stop and pull over to the side. Q: Thats incredible. So they were following you? A: No. They just stopped me on the way. They found me. Q: The officials were calling and making threats against your family afterwards (in order to get you to stop advocating for your father). You obviously have still done a lot of advocating for your dad. How did you get the strength to do that again? A: My family can visit him on the last Friday of every month for 30 minutes. Q: So theyll be visiting him pretty soon, right? At the end of June. This Friday, maybe? Next Friday? A: Last Friday. And the lawyer can see him once per month, but the lawyer is so busy that he cannot visit him for awhile (inaudible) I told (ChinaAid reporters name taken out for security reasons), do you know him? Q: Yes. A: I told him that people who have come out of the prison have told me that my father is bad, and another said that my family said my father is bad. Q: So thats something that the officials are telling other people in the prison? Thats ridiculous. A: Its so difficult for my father right now. When my father meets with my family, he always says, I dont think I can live until tomorrow. He says that they will not let him sleep for 24 hours at a time, and they will only give him (a steamed bun) to eat for one day. No salt, veggies, or meat. Nothing. And he has one small, single room to himself, and he cannot go outside for 24 hours. No sleep, and (the officials play a) loud noise that will not allow him to sleep, so its really, really, really bad. Q: I think you actually answered my next question, then, because we have people who will write in or call and say, Oh, how is Zhang Shaojie doing? You have a lot of people praying for you guys, and they really do care, and so if you could give me an update that I could give to them, that would be really good. A: Sometimes, the prison is very cold. Last year, I went to D.C. for a meeting, and at that time, nobody (inaudible) to the government. So at that time, my father was not very bad. We could make sure that he was healthy and could sleep. He worked in the prison clinic, so it was easy, and he could read the Bible, so we just made sure he was fine. In this short period of timeone monththe situation got really, really bad. Q: You mentioned in your appeal that they have a new head of the prison? Do you think the new head of the prison has made it worse? A: Hes a new person who works at the prison, and I dont think the prison head did anything wrong. Its not his fault, but maybe the higher authorities from the Beijing government let him do things to my father. Hes new there, has never met my father before, and has never known my fathers case, but maybe he wants to do some special things that will tell the Beijing government, See, I can do something to him. Q: So you think hes trying to prove himself? A: Maybe the Beijing government lets him do these things. Maybe he does it by himself to show to the Beijing government. Who knows? I dont know. Q: Thats scary, because people can be so bad sometimes, and you really dont know what kind of person youre going to interact with until theyre there. A: And my father, when hes in there, doesnt know whats happening outside, such as how many pastors and lawyers are in prison. He knows nothing about the outside. He talks to my family and just says, Are you okay? Im okay. Are you okay? Im okay. Just that. When we want to talk about the church, the police stop us. Theyll say, You cannot say that, and You cannot say that. My father can just ask How is Esther? and then my family will just tell him that Im good, so he doesnt know what I am doing or what is happening in the outside world. The officers told him, Nobody cares about you and Nobody wants you. Q: Im sure you know thats really not true. Its not true that no one cares about him. Because, like I said, we get people contacting me a lot, asking how he is and praying for him. Its actually really cool, because well just get random people who say, Oh, my prayer group at my church is praying for Zhang Shaojie, and a lot of people really want him free. So even though the officials will tell you guys that people dont care about you, thats completely not true. We care. Other people care. A: I know. My father sometimes can call my family once a month for six minutes. Some months he can and some months he cant. The last time he called me was in February. He cannot call me, but he can call my mom. My mom used WeChat video to call me. Then, I could talk with my father through the screen on the phone that he called on. I said, I already helped you, and I have already been to the White House. I had a meeting there, but they stopped it. Q: They stopped the meeting? A: No, (the officials) stopped the call. They stopped my fathers call. My father said (inaudible), and then the phone went dead. Q: And so you think that theyre really trying to get your father to believe that no one else cares about him? A: My father has already gone crazy, but nobody has given him pills. They just let him give up. Q: That would be a very hard situation for anyone to be in. What do you hope to accomplish with the appeal? I know you said your fathers release, but do you have a goal for it, like certain people you want to see it? A: Of course I want my father free! And I dont know what I should do or where I can go and who can help me or who I can talk to. I just dont know. I need to pray for him. Q: We can pray for him, and (ChinaAid president) Bob Fu has a lot of connections. A: Yes! I sent Bob many messages, saying, Please help, because my father said it is very difficult to live there. Maybe, the next day, he cannot see the sunshine and walk. He said if he has no family and no church, he must be dying. Q: And it must be really hard to live that alone and that out of the sunlight. So hopefully someone will see the appeal, and we have Congressmen that follow us, so hopefully we can find someone who knows what to do. A: I know the American government is so busy with American issues, but we still really need the help. Q: Did you hear about the last time ChinaAid was in D.C. and how the delegation got to meet with the Special Assistant to President Trump? They have a lot of people to care for, but theres also a lot of people who care A: Yes! Good, good. Thats good. Better than Obama. Q: Do you have any plans to help your father further, other than the appeal? A: In China, if our church and family does anything, the government can catch us without paperwork, so we can do nothing to help. We just made a group and update it everyday for people who want to pray for my father and for my family. We can only think of that. And also, I am just myself, and I still have ChinaAid. Thats my plan, and then my familys plan is to pray. Q: And thats a good plan. I think that people sometimes wish they could do more, but they forget that when they pray, theyre appealing to the highest authority. A: Yeah, and God can work in the situation. My father is on Gods side. Just in the middle of the situation, he needs help. Who knows? God is there. Q: If God can change the hearts of the Egyptian rulers in the Bible, He can change the hearts of people in China, right? A: Yes, I believe that! Q: A lot of times we get people who ask what they can do to help. As someone who has actually been in that situation, what would you say is the most helpful for you? A: We need to think about the Chinese government and what theyre afraid of. Theyre scared of the news (of their abuses) getting bigger, so we need to do something to help the news get bigger. So everybody can pray for us first, and secondly, use Facebook to copy and send the news to another person. The government cannot delete Facebook and Twitter. Q: So you think that just spreading the news on social media is helpful. And its a good time in the world right now to do that because everyone has their own little internet platform, and everyone can be their own news source. A: If I have a chance to go to D.C. or something to show that my father is bad right now, Id be glad to go. Q: Youd do anything, right? A: Yeah. I would go to prison if it let him out! Q: Is there anything else that we havent talked about that you would like other people to know? A: Just try to find a way to make more people know. If more people know, maybe the Chinese government will be scared that so many people know that bad things have happened to my father. Maybe my father will not be freed, but maybe it will help him a little bit to get more food. Q: The media pressuring worked for Zhang Kai, right? He was released after getting a lot of international attention. A: Yes! Q: Do you have anything else that you would like to say? A: No. Q: Okay, thats the end of my questions, then. Thank you for coming to talk to me! Esther Zhangs appeal My father is Zhang Shaojie. He was one of the first Christian church leaders from the Three-Self Church to be sentenced in recent years. Because our local Christian church in Henan grew rapidly, my father frequently defended the rights of his congregation and the churchs land. He was secretly imprisoned for this on Nov. 16, 2013. After two months of being missing, lawyers were able to meet with my father at a local detention center because of ChinaAids help, and because people from all walks of life called out. We exerted much effort to appeal for my father, hoping he will be released. Afterwards, in July 2014, my father was sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud, without announcement. We have continuously not given up appealing and have persistently gone to see my father every month to ensure that he is in good spirits and that he is healthy. However, this month, a new department head took office at the Henan Provincial Department of Justice. After taking office, he severely persecuted my father. There are more than 4,000 prisoners in Xinxiang Prison, more than 30 of which have not plead guilty. My father is in Section 20, which has more than 380 people, two of which have not plead guilty. My father is one of them. Previously, when he was in prison, the days were a bit better due to ChinaAids appeals and the American governments intervention. Recently, the Henan Judicial Bureaus new bureau chief considers the Nanle case very sensitive and specifically persecutes my father in order to obtain a confession. Therefore, my fathers days are not good, and he is not allowed to eat bread or sleep at night. For 24 hours every day, he is not allowed to see the sun. Under these conditions, a healthy person can become a sick person or die within several days because of the persecution. The only method of resistance our Chinese church and family members have is prayerpraying for my father and praying that the American government will help him. continuously comforted me by saying those who receive persecution are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. However, today my fathers work on earth is still incomplete, and they must not persecute him until he dies. The Bible hascontinuously comforted me by saying those who receive persecution are blessed,for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. However, today my fathers work on earthis still incomplete, and they must not persecute him until he dies. Trump Administration has done numerous righteous things, and I have also seen that the new administration has done many effective things for human rights. I also know that theTrump Administration has done numerous righteous things, and I have also seenthat the new administration has done many effective things for human rights. When I urgently pray for my father, I also earnestly request that the U.S. government extend a helping hand to free my father. I am filled with hope in you. I hope that within my lifetime I have the opportunity to show my father filial piety, and I also hope that I can see him soon. Esther Zhang, who requests help from (location details omitted for safety) ChinaAid Media Team Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985 Email: [email protected] For more information, click here Slightly more than 13 months in office, the approval rating of Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen continues to nosedive, and she faces growing questions about her competency. It is for the island's own good that its residents are finally waking up to the damage her "separatist stance" is doing to the Taiwan economy and are now seeking ways to restore healthy relations with the mainland. Unfortunately, Tsai and her colleagues who are responsible for this state of affairs and who are in the position to make a difference are still refusing to come to their senses. Instead, they appear even more intent on pressing ahead with what has proven to be so wrong and harmful. To the rising calls that they reflect on their refusal to uphold the 1992 Consensus, which has proved to be the reliable foundation for cross-Straits rapport, and recognize one China is the precondition for improving ties, Tsai and her team continue to turn a deaf ear. Not only that, Tsai and a number of her fellow Democratic Progressive Party politicians have expressed the idea that to "not give in" is the only way Taiwan can deal with the conundrum they have created. It is the refusal of Tsai and her party to uphold the one-China principle that has caused the problems, by putting an end to the cross-Straits rapprochement and subsequent "diplomatic truce" established by both sides of the Straits when her predecessor Ma Ying-jeou and the Kuomintang were in office. However, Tsai and her like-minded secessionists are dumping the blame on Beijing accusing it of squeezing the "international living space" for the island, after Panama became the latest country to shift diplomatic recognition to Beijing on June 13. That accusation is simply unfounded. While their belief that "as long as Taiwan does not succumb, the mainland will give in" is out of touch with reality. As are Tsai's idea to arm the local security forces with self-developed missiles and "defend" the island against an "invasion" by the mainland, and some die-hard anti-mainland elements' clamor to develop nuclear weapons. These could lead to actual conflict and inflict real harm. By pursuing their fool's paradise with such talk, the "independence" seekers on the island are creating a dangerous state of affairs. The peace and friendly interaction between Taipei and Beijing during the Ma Ying-jeou years showed the 1992 Consensus is the formula for healthy and mutually beneficial relations, and the guarantee for peaceful co-existence. This is something Tsai and her colleagues need to recognize. BEIJING - Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China have been held back from achieving their full potential by the hurdles they have had to navigate to obtain loans. Following lawmakers' second reading of a draft amendment to the law on the development of SMEs, which contribute the majority to the country's GDP and job creation, things are -- at last -- looking up. Panel discussions on the draft revision were held Tuesday on the last day of the bi-monthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. Generating about 60 percent of GDP and 80 percent of jobs, SMEs have emerged as important pillars that support both the economy and social stability, said Zhang Jingqiang, executive president of China Association of SMEs. "The revision is encouraging news for SMEs and will have a profound impact on the country's economic health," he added. The draft ordered authorities to set clear policies for tax preferences, ensure easy access to finance, lower the costs associated with establishing startups, as well as offer support for innovation and training. "An important highlight of the draft is that it specifies the leading government department for SME management," Zhang said. Currently, there is no designated leading department, meaning responsibilities are not defined and making it difficult to review the law's implementation, Zhang said. Amid a wider nationwide push to reduce taxes and charges, targeted measures designed to support SMEs will lighten the financial burdens carried by small companies, he added. The central government will reduce corporate costs by 1 trillion yuan ($146 billion) this year by slashing taxes and fees. Moreover, measures to streamline administrative approvals, delegate power and improve regulation and services have also been felt by companies. "At present, administrative efficiency is improving as is the policy environment, both good news for SMEs," said Zeng Ziyuan, founder of a Fujian-based sci-tech firm. However, SMEs are less competitive than large companies, thus, need tailored supporting policies, Zeng told Xinhua. Financing has always been a headache for small companies, including Beijing Petsknow Sci-Tech Co. Founder Gao Maoxiang said Petsknow had experienced the lack of well-functioning financing channels firsthand. "SMEs are unlikely to get bank loans under the current system, which mostly serves large companies. Private lending is not only expensive but also substandard," Gao said. Previously, financing support for SMEs has been included in documents and regulations, which lay down principles but are not operable, Zhang said. The draft, which is subject to further readings, included measures to regulate financing for small companies. However, the law should put more focus on small- and micro-sized companies, Wu Xiaoling, NPC Standing Committee member and former deputy governor of the central bank, suggested during a panel discussion. As 98 percent of companies are SMEs, it is impossible for policy banks to support all of them, Wu said. "We should focus on small and micro companies, which face the most difficulties." The UN General Assembly designated June 27 as "Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Day" starting this year. A man experiences augmented reality equipment during the World Economic Forum in Dalian, Liaoning province, June 27. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily] Experts stress importance of education in dealing with technological change The advance of robotics will create opportunities and need not necessarily destroy people's livelihoods, according to business leaders at the Summer Davos forum in Dalian. Vishal Sikka, chief executive officer of Indian technology services group Infosys' US operations, addressing the key theme of the forum that the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution should be inclusive, told a news conference at the opening of the meeting, that the workforce had to become more educated to deal with the challenge. "Education is the answer to this problem. The march of technology is inevitable and we have to move forward because there is no alternative," he said. "With self-driving cars, for example, the software technology does not fall from the skies. It is written by people like us. There is no reason why this can't generate thousands of jobs. It is about creating the jobs of the future." It is the speed of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0 as it is sometimes referred to, that concerns many. According to a survey by EEF, the UK manufacturers' organization, 80 percent of the respondents said robotics, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing and nanotechnology, could dominate industry by 2025 with the potential to destroy not just manufacturing jobs but those in the service sector too. Earlier revolutions, such as the first triggered by steam power, the second by mass production and the third, the digital revolution, all took place over longer periods of time, making it easier for society to adjust. Jean Liu, president of Xiaoju Science and Technology, the company behind Didi Chuxing, the mobile taxi app that has taken China by storm with more than 400 million users, said technology will drive change in society. "We are at an important juncture. Technology is changing all industries, including mine which is transportation," she said. Liu added that Didi had created new work for many of the 17 million drivers that now collect money through the service. "A number of them are people who have been laid-off by heavy industries," she said. Shu Yinbiao, chairman of the State Grid Corporation of China, the world's largest utility and the second largest Fortune Global 500 company, said new energy would be at the forefront of the new industrial revolution and that would also create jobs. "Energy has been the trigger for the previous three industrial revolutions and we now must be ready to meet the challenge of the fourth," he said. Thomas Luedi, Asia managing partner for energy and process industries for management consultants AT Kearney, who was also attending the forum, said the fast development of new technologies posed many questions. "If you automate you take away shop floor labor and create jobs for engineers to maintain the robots and also for data analysts. The challenge is what you are going to do with the people who have gone by the wayside and where you find that engineer who can maintain the robot." Edward Tse, founder and CEO of management consultants Gao Feng Advisory, however, said the new technology will create a job crisis in China and elsewhere within a decade. "It is going to create a lot of risks of employment for a large number of people. China, however, does not have any other option but to innovate, even though it is going to create quite a lot of pressures within society," he said. Zhang Yaqin speaks at 2017 Summer Davos in Dalian, Liaoning province, June 27. [Photo/VCG] Zhang Yaqin, president of tech giant Baidu Inc, has called on Chinese companies to grasp the opportunities that will emerge from research and development into "artificial intelligence". The AI sector is the new frontier for high-tech firms with the United States and China leading the way. "Even though the US enjoys an advantage in the development of algorithms, China's edge lies in its huge base of data," Zhang said before Summer Davos started in Dalian. "And without data, algorithms cannot work. "But we are fortunate (to live) during this time of AI technology," he added. "We are fortunate China is moving to the center stage." Baidu was one of the first Chinese companies to roll out research and development for AI projects. Back in 2013, the online giant set up a deep learning lab and since then it has invested heavily in R&D programs across the world, including in Silicon Valley, the technological hot house of the US. "Last year, we invested more than 10 billion yuan ($1.46 billion) in R&D," Zhang said. "That is more than 50 percent of our revenue. "It is probably the largest investment for a high-tech company in terms of percentage funding in R&D," he added. The cornerstone of development for Baidu is a system known as Duer, a Chinese phrase loosely meaning "secretary to AI". Zhang stressed that Duer was the operating system for "artificial intelligence", just like Windows for PCs or Google's Android and Apple's iOS for smartphones and tablets. The Duer system would be applied in home devices and driverless cars as well as run the Baidu Cloud. In March, the company linked up with home appliance makers, such as Haier Group Corp and Midea Group, to build AI technology-inspired refrigerators. These models will be able to interact through voice control. Baidu also launched its Apollo Project the following month to open up its autonomous driving system to car makers. "Because there are hurdles to overcome in autonomous driving, Baidu is working on developing software," Zhang said. The long-term aim is to mass produce driverless cars by 2020, according to earlier company statements. Data from Chinese research firm CCID Consulting showed China's AI market topped 23.9 billion yuan last year and is expected to reach 38 billion yuan by 2018. "China's AI industry is booming," Zhang said. "There are always arguments that there will be companies that will not survive. Maybe, 90 percent will go to the wall." "Back in 1998, there were a lot of internet companies," he added. "Then in 2000, there was a crash. A lot disappeared, but the internet survived and boomed." The same will happen to the AI sector, Zhang pointed out. Executives stand beside butterfly orchids cultivated by Foshan Dingliang Phalaenopsis Industry Development Co Ltd in Guangdong province on Wednesday, when the company's seedings were exported to the US for the first time. [Photo/Xinhua] Foshan Dingliang aims to be a key player after sending its first batch of seedlings to the competitive US marketplace Weng Minqiang has to get the temperature and humidity just right for his butterfly orchid seedlings. Environmental conditions inside his greenhouse complex in Foshan's Shunde district of Guangdong province are crucial to meet export regulations in the United States. "It is a very precise procedure," said Weng, general manager of Foshan Dingliang Phalaenopsis Industry Development Co Ltd, a company he set up. "Export rules are demanding." This will be his first US order, a batch of 10,000 seedlings, worth $30,000. To mark the occasion, Weng even held a special ceremony in Shunde district on June 21. "The butterfly orchids were given the green light by United States authorities after they passed a strict inspection and went through a quarantine period to meet the import standards required," he said. The seedlings will be packed in a container and will travel by sea. It will be the first shipment from a Chinese company and Weng confessed he was nervous. "I hope it is a good beginning," he said. Still, Weng is confident that this is just the start of an incredible journey, which will see other Chinese horticultural nurseries from the region break into the US market. After all, he has a track record of success. Last month, his company Dingliang Biological Technology exported 1,000 butterfly orchid plants, worth about $3,000, to Canada. It was a crucial, first step. But the big prize is the US as annual imports of butterfly orchids to the biggest economy in the world is 50 million, with 23 million seedlings, which are worth between $46 million and $115 million depending on their size. "Before we moved into the market only the province of Taiwan sold medium butterfly orchid seedlings to the US," Weng said. But now his company along with other Guangdong growers hope to export more than 1,000 containers, holding at least 20 million seedlings, worldwide in the years ahead. His plans might sound ambitious, but the rewards outweigh the risks, although Weng declined to reveal detailed financial figures such as sales and revenue. Butterfly orchid seedlings in the US alone sell for between $2 and $5 each, which is about 50 percent higher than domestic prices. "Production costs for exporting them are also higher than moving them around the country here," Weng said. Xian Yangfu, deputy head of Foshan's Shunde district, acknowledged that local government is pushing to develop high-tech agriculture. "Exports in flowers are expected to play a big part in the district's economic growth in the future," he said. Butterfly orchids, cultivated in Shunde, have been exported to Southeast Asia, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Located in the western part of the Pearl River delta, the region is known for its flowers and plants, which are sold across the country and overseas. Yang Guohai, deputy director general of Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, confirmed that tighter inspection procedures and quarantine requirements would help to promote exports in high quality flowers and plants. "We should be able to export more than 20 million medium butterfly orchid seedlings worldwide in the years to come," Yang said, adding that 11 Chinese companies involved in the sector have been given the green light to export to the US. A customer tries a shared power bank at a shopping center in Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo/China Daily] Recharging service now in restaurants, shopping malls and even metro stations Ubiquitous social networks, online shopping and mobile games are keeping smartphones constantly busy but they are also draining their batteries. Now, however, that need seems to have been taken care of. According to companies behind the initiative, people can now rent a power bank to charge their mobile phones, and they are becoming almost as commonplace in public as shared bicycles. The power bank rental service companies say their mobile chargers are usually placed in boxes at tables in restaurants or in cabinets in shopping malls, office buildings, metro stations and clubsjust about everywhere. Users scan a QR code to pay through their mobile phone. The rent is usually 1 yuan (14 cents) for an hour, with a 100 yuan deposit. But besides the rentals, income comes from advertisements on the power bank case and its payment platform. Users of shared power banks in 2016 reached 32 million in China, according to market research firm iiMedia Research. The firm also estimated the user base will rocket about 225 percent to 104 million in the current year. It said a dozen companies have entered the sector by investing billions of yuan. They include venture capital companies and internet giants such as Tencent. Laidian Technology Co Ltd, one of the earliest and biggest power bank rental service providers, told China Daily it has set up 5,000 charging stations in over 130 cities in China by May. CEO Yuan Bingsong, who runs a traditional battery factory, founded the startup in 2014 and regards it as a new opportunity to drive up his factory's shrinking profits. The startup managed to break even last April but soon started to lose money again, because more players entered the market. He says he needs to put more money into the operation, so it can expand as quickly as possible. Allen Zhu, managing director and partner of GSR Ventures, one of the earliest investors in the power bank industry, said he believes it is a very good business because establishment costs can be earned back within two to three months and the need to charge phones is constant. "But the competition will be even more fierce than in shared-bikes," he told a forum organized by US tech media TechCrunch on June 19 in Shenzhen. He said the winners in the battle would emerge in about half a year. Zhu said he believed the key to winning was to achieve as much market share as quickly as possible, which needed major capital investment. Charger startups are striving to grow by opening up in previously untouched markets. Xiaodian Technology, a shared-power bank startup Zhu invested in, is in discussions with partners to bring the business to foreign markets, including Japan, South Korea and countries in Southeast Asia. Another player, Jiedian Technology, in May received a 300 million yuan investment from Jumei.com, one of the biggest online beauty production retailers. Jiedian Technology CEO Yuan Yuan said battery and electric car maker BYD had become its supplier, beefing up power banks from the current 300,000 units to 500,000 units in July. But risks and concerns remain. The report by iiMedia Research shows only 25 percent of people surveyed use power bank to charge their smartphones. In addition, information safety is another major concern. Fan Zengyan, an analyst of iiMedia Research, said a shared-power bank can be plugged into hundreds of mobile phones, at a time when phones have become the primary carrier of important personal information. He warned that if a virus were inserted into the banks, users' personal information and even personal assets could be at risk. The analyst added that making information safety secure in their phones was a significant question that shared-charging startups needed to answer. Jiedian Technology's Yuan said his group had placed a safety device within their charging stations. "If a power bank is opened or modified, it can't be returned to our stations anymore." The automaking industry is among the potential sectors in which foreign companies can invest in Dalian. [Photo/China Daily] Foreign investment continues to flood into Dalian this year, proving the port city in Liaoning province is one of the most attractive investment destinations in Northeast China. According to the Dalian bureau of foreign trade and economic cooperation, more than 70 foreign-funded enterprises had been established in the city this year as of the end of May, with pledged investment amounting to $12.5 billion. The total amount invested in Dalian so far this year totaled $1.58 billion by May, increasing 4.39 percent from the same period of last year. Renowned global information technology giant Intel is one of the biggest sources of investment, with newly added funding of $479 million in place to expand the capacity of its Dalian plant. The newly added fund is part of its committed investment of $5.5 billion, announced in October last year, and will be used to upgrade its nonvolatile memory chip production facilities at its existing Dalian plant. Non-volatile memory, or non-volatile storage, is a type of computer memory that can retrieve stored information even after having been turned off and back on. Dalian is located at the southernmost end of the Liaodong Peninsula, at the conjunction of the Yellow Sea in the east and Bohai Bay in the west. It neighbors such countries as Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia. With a land area of 13,000 square kilometers and a population of 6.9 million, the city is one of the shipping hubs in Northeast Asia and one of the most favored foreign investment destinations in Northeast China. According to Liu Zhiguo, deputy chief of the Dalian bureau of foreign trade and economic cooperation, the city has approved about 18,000 foreign-invested enterprises in the past 30 years, with accumulated investment totaling $105.86 billion. He said more than 4,600 foreign-invested enterprises are currently operational in Dalian, including those funded by renowned multinational companies such as British Telecom, Volkswagen, Total and Canon. By the end of 2016, there were 262 projects funded by 113 companies on the Fortune Global 500 list. The Summer Davos Forum venue has become a landmark of the newly emerging Dalian Donggang Business District. [Photo/China Daily] Good environment Dalian has a good environment, for which it has won the title of one of the 500 best cities in environment from the United Nations, the China Habitat Award and the title of one of the best tourism cities in China. According to Lu Lin, deputy mayor of Dalian, the city has a batch of preferential policies to offer to investors. The city enjoys incentives relating to the nation's strategy for revitalizing Northeast China. It is the core area of the Liaoning Pilot Free Trade Zone. Lu said Dalian is expected to pilot the Liaoning FTZ scheme in terms of financial globalization, trade facilitation and investment liberalization. The city is also planning to develop a national-level innovation demonstration zone and a pilot zone for cross-border e-commerce. "Dalian is on its way to becoming a regional shipping and logistics hub, and a hub for opening to Northeast Asia," Lu said. The deputy mayor said such industries as shipping and logistics, finance, advanced manufacturing and high technology will be highlighted in the years to come and will also be prioritized for investment. Dalian Port is an important foreign trade port in Northeast Asia. More than 70 percent of bulk cargo and more than 90 percent of container shipping business in Northeast China has been done through the port. The port has connections with more than 300 ports around the world. Dalian International Airport has 148 air routes to link domestic and foreign cities. It served 13.55 million passengers in 2016. The city is also the foreign trade hub of Northeast China, with more than 21,000 companies and 700,000 people engaged in foreign trade business. In the first four months of this year, Dalian's foreign trade value reached 136.49 billion yuan ($20 billion), growing 33.39 percent from the same period of last year. Its exports amounted to 56.64 billion yuan, up 17.2 percent from a year ago. Its imports totaled 79.85 billion yuan, growing 47.83 percent year-on-year. During the four-month period, Dalian's exports accounted for 57.6 percent of Liaoning's total and imports 64.2 percent. HONG KONG - Johnny Ng, the first post-doctorate student from Hong Kong at Tsinghua University, could not understand Mandarin two decades ago and did not expect his business to thrive on the Chinese mainland. Ng, chairman of Hong Kong United Youth Association, came to Beijing in 2004 for study, and unexpectedly found technology professionals who lent support to his company Titanium Group, which specializes in facial recognition systems. Years later, his products are widely used on the mainland. His experience offers an example of closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland, with Hong Kong entrepreneurs finding business opportunities on the mainland and helping sustain Hong Kong's global competitiveness. July 1 marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return from British rule and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The past two decades witnessed the ascent of Hong Kong's global competitiveness, supported by a sound business environment, solid infrastructure, and a complementary Chinese mainland market. The HKSAR was rated the most competitive among 63 economies, followed by Switzerland, Singapore and the United States, the second year in a row to occupy the top spot, according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2017. Hong Kong ranked third on the IMD World Competitiveness scoreboard in 1997, trailing the United States and Singapore. Among the four competitiveness factors in IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2017, Hong Kong ranked top globally in "government efficiency" and "business efficiency," according to the HKSAR government. The indicators that stood out among the most improved economies were related to government and business efficiency as well as productivity, and these economies "have maintained a business-friendly environment that encourages openness and productivity," said Arturo Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center. The view was echoed by Xiao Geng, professor at the University of Hong Kong, who said that the competitiveness of Hong Kong mainly came from its open and free market tradition and institutions. "Although costs of production factors such as talent and land are very expensive, the transaction costs of making trade and finance deals are low, so that Hong Kong is becoming a global hub for trade, investment and finance," he said. The steady rise of Hong Kong's global competitiveness was reflected in other leading rankings including the Global Competitiveness Index released by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Ranked in the top 10 for the fifth consecutive year, Hong Kong achieved a strong and consistent performance, the WEF said in its Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017. The WEF cited the highly sophisticated and trustworthy financial sector, competitive and open market, as well as the flexible and efficient labor market as key factors supporting Hong Kong's high ranking. "Behind the highly efficient trade and financial markets is Hong Kong's solid public infrastructure, both hard and soft, including high-density urban housing and transport systems, independent and robust legal and financial institutions, stable currency regime, and clean and efficient civil services," said Xiao, also president of the Hong Kong Institution for International Finance. Hong Kong has been ranked among the world's most business-friendly economies since the World Bank began to release its Doing Business report in 2005. The Doing Business 2017 report ranked Hong Kong fourth for ease of doing business among 190 economies, compared to fifth in the previous report, said Klaus Koch-Saldarriaga, member of the World Bank's Doing Business team. The Doing Business report finds that Hong Kong has created a better business environment in the past decade. Since 2008, Hong Kong has implemented 21 reforms to make it easier to do business, which translated into substantive improvements in the local business regulatory framework, he said. HONG KONG-MAINLAND TOGETHER The rise of Hong Kong's global competitiveness was in tandem with the reform and opening up of the mainland, whose ranking on the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook climbed from 27 in 1997 to 25 in 2016 and jumped to 18 in 2017. The remarkable improvement of the Chinese mainland in the ranking can be traced to its dedication to international trade, and "this continues to drive the economy and the improvement in government and business efficiency," said Bris of the IMD World Competitiveness Center. Hong Kong is not alone in its competitiveness stamina, as it is partly a reflection of Chinese mainland's ascent in global competitiveness over the last two decades, said Wendy Liu, head of Nomura China equity research. Under the "one country, two systems," Hong Kong is not only able to preserve the free market ecosystem but also deepen its economic integration with the mainland, particularly with the neighboring Guangdong Province, Xiao said. "The complementary cities of Shenzhen as the mainland's top innovation center, Guangzhou as its major international and domestic trade hub, and Foshan and Dongguan as its key manufacturing bases, have helped Hong Kong deepen its financial markets for cross-border transactions, as demonstrated by the successful launch of a number of cross-border bridging services for trading of stocks and bonds in Hong Kong," Xiao said. "Unlike our parents' generation who made profits by setting up plants on the mainland, young people in Hong Kong can tap the career development potential given by opportunities like the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," Ng said. Challenges, hopes ahead The HKSAR is not without its challenges to keep its global competitiveness, including innovation bottlenecks and high living costs. "The challenge for Hong Kong is to evolve from one of the world's foremost financial hubs to become an innovative powerhouse," noted the WEF's Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017. Many say a top challenge facing Hong Kong is the lack of property supply. Hong Kong's low taxation, efficient governance, safe and clean environment and beautiful nature are appealing to talents and investors, but many have been held back by the high costs for housing and private education, said Liu. Xiao believes that the main challenge for Hong Kong in the future is keeping its competitive institutions while relaxing a number of its physical and social bottlenecks and constraints in land, property and talents. "Despite marked improvements, there are still areas to tackle in order to ease the business climate for local entrepreneurs in Hong Kong and achieve long-term sustainability of very good results, as there is room for improvement in the areas of registering property, trading across borders and resolving insolvency," said Koch-Saldarriaga of the World Bank. However, Hong Kong will be able to maintain its global competitiveness since the main factors behind its success, including strong commitment of the central government to the "one country, two systems," deep and expanding mainland markets, and resilient market systems, have not changed, Xiao said. "If Hong Kong entrepreneurs can fully tap the huge market and technology potential in the mainland, that will greatly help Hong Kong to keep its global competitiveness," Ng said. DALIAN - China's reform needs the participation of foreign capital, companies and wisdom, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday, pledging easier access to the Chinese market and a level playing field. The premier made the remarks when answering a question from Dutch multinational Royal DSM's CEO Feike Sijbesma in a meeting with global business leaders at the ongoing Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, or Summer Davos, in Dalian. "China's reform has always paralleled with the opening up...We welcome foreign firms to come to China and participate in corporate reorganization and will further lower the threshold of services to foster new growth engines," Li said. Li also promised that overseas companies will enjoy the same treatment as that for domestic firms. "China welcomes Royal DSM to increase investment here," he said. China remains an attractive destination for foreign investors. Foreign direct investment in the Chinese mainland maintained steady growth of 4.1 percent year on year in 2016 with strong investment in the service sector. The 2017 Summer Davos in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, has provided good opportunities for politicians, experts and business leaders to share their views on issues of common concerns. Here are some quotable quotes from the forum. Premier Li Keqiang delivers a keynote speech at 2017 Summer Davos Forum in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, June 27.[Photo by Wu Zhiyi/China Daily] We need to better steer and adapt to economic globalization, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and at the same time, reform and strengthen international trade rules to ensure equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules for all the countries in international economic cooperation. China will further expand market access in the service and manufacturing sectors, relax restrictions on foreign ownership, and treat domestic and foreign companies on an equal basis. -Premier Li Keqiang said, addressing the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also known as Summer Davos, in Dalian. DALIAN - Despite twists and turns, Sino-US economic and trade relations are sound, and the world's top two economies have formed an inseparable community of shared interests, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday. He made the remarks when meeting with world business leaders during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos, in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian. Bilateral trade has expanded from around $1 billion, before diplomatic ties were established, to over $500 billion in 2016, he noted. Stable China-US relations not only benefit the people of both countries, but are also a boon for world peaceful development and cooperation, he said. "No matter how our domestic situation changes, we firmly believe that despite the twists and turns, we continue to move on," Li said. From Tuesday to Thursday, around 1,500 politicians, officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and media representatives from over 90 countries and regions will discuss topics spanning inclusive growth to the new industrial revolution at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos. Established by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2007, the summer forum is held each year in China, alternating between the port cities of Dalian and Tianjin. DALIAN - Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday that China has helped reduce excessive capacity, contributing to a wider move by the international community. The capacity glut in some industries is the result of quantitative easing following the global financial crisis, and needs to be addressed by concerted efforts, Li said. He made the remarks when meeting with world business leaders during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also called Summer Davos, in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian. China eliminated more than 65 million tons of steel production capacity and over 290 million tons of coal last year, beating government annual targets. China "has not passed the buck but taken the initiative" in cutting excessive capacity, Li said. This year, the country aims to slash steel production capacity by around 50 million tons and coal by at least 150 million tons. The capacity reduction is part of China's supply-side structural reform, which is part of efforts to upgrade the economy, said the premier. Apart from reducing overcapacity, China has reduced market thresholds and cut taxes and fees for businesses, Li noted. Thanks to those measures, the number of enterprises in China has doubled in the past four years to reach 27 million, with new technology and business types emerging, according to the premier. Established by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2007, the Summer Davos is held each year in China, alternating between the port cities of Dalian and Tianjin. From Tuesday to Thursday, around 1,500 politicians, officials, entrepreneurs, scholars and media representatives from over 90 countries and regions will discuss topics from inclusive growth to the new industrial revolution at the summer forum. (from right to left) Boston Consulting Group managing director Jeff Walters, Alibaba Vice-President Gao Hongbing and BCG China President Carol Liao at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the New Champions 2017 in Dalian, Liaoning province, on June 28, 2017. [Photo by Zhu Lingqing/chinadaily.com.cn] Savvy, eco-conscious and single customers are among an emerging breed of cashed-up shoppers leading the rapid growth in China's consumer market, according to a report released by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and AliResearch on Wednesday. The report, released on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the New Champions 2017, also known as Summer Davos, in Dalian, Liaoning province, identifies a range of new consumer profiles springing up in China's consumer market labeling them as "fashionable city boy", "vibrant seniors" and "singles". Boston Consulting Group China President Carol Liao said the emerging consumer power of the upper-middle-class and affluent households combined with a younger population that is eager to spend and e-commerce, is boosting the healthy development of China's consumer market. "As changes have happened to consumer demand, consumer behavior and lifestyle, the consumer profiles in China are becoming personalized, precise and fragmented," Liao said. While the traditional consumption boundaries such as age and gender are disappearing, consumers are increasingly aware of brand, environmental issues and sustainability, the report found. For example, the report said Chinese men living in first-tier cities now spend more time and money on dress, hairstyle and fitness. They spend 24 minutes a day on average on grooming while 88 percent access grooming and fashion information online and 83 percent of 18 to 35 year olds think skincare is necessary. The report categorizes emerging consumers in China into five types of spenders - the "savvy shopper", "single person", "eco-conscious consumer", "experience consumer" and "anime or virtual social network consumer". Sixty-six million customers, or 16.2 percent of the consumers on Alibaba's China retail marketplaces, bought five or more green products in 2015 and were willing to pay an average of 33 percent more for sustainable products, AliResearch found. "Chinese consumers are trading up to higher-quality products," Jeff Walters, BCG managing director and co-author of the report said. "Digital technology is one of the underlying drivers that will continue to spur purchases." Walters said consumer companies in China should acknowledge that the idea of the average consumer is disappearing as consumers are becoming more diverse with distinct needs and preferences. Gao Hongbing, dean of AliResearch and vice-president of Alibaba Group, said that amid the growth of anti-globalization sentiments, consumption has become a key force to promote globalization and economic growth. "The rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce shows Chinese customers' appetite for foreign products are increasing. The seamless convergence between the online and offline retail is boosting the growth of consumption, which benefits both China and the world," Gao said. Walters predicted 90 percent of all purchases in China will involve digital at some point in the process, including browsing, comparing prices, or making the purchase, by 2021. The report said China will add $1.8 trillion in new consumption by 2021, which is roughly the size of Germany's consumption economy at present and more than one-fourth of all consumption growth in major economies. Senior officials from international financial institutions have urged governments and companies to accelerate the pace of financial connectivity and build closer relations with the private sector to participate in infrastructure projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative. International Monetary Fund deputy managing director Zhang Tao said measures including cross-border payment and mobile banking products, as well as relaxing financing supply restrictions would encourage financial institutions to provide more support to the real economy in markets related to the initiative. "Modern technologies can provide relatively cheaper methods to low-income households to use basic financial products and people who don't have access to the banks," he said. Regarding the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the IMF will establish a new skills training center in Singapore and other countries involved in the initiative soon. The IMF has already set up one skills training center in Dalian last month in partnership with the People's Bank of China. To avoid taking on too much risk in countries that have limited access for big-ticket infrastructure project financing, Zhang said all international investors should target countries with stable financial markets, ensure there is sufficient capital flowing in and have flexible policies to manage currency and foreign reserves. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Vice-President Danny Alexander said public-private partnerships is another way to finance the Belt and Road Initiative and the bank will help related parties to spread this model in Asia, Southeast Asia and Middle East. AIIB announced earlier this month that it has approved three applicants including Argentina and Madagascar to join the bank, bringing the bank's total approved membership to 80. Hu Weiwei, founder and president of Chinese bike-sharing major Mobike Technologies Co Ltd, said there is no possibility the company will merge with its arch rival, Ofo Inc, despite the mounting competition. "Unlike China's car-hailing and group-buying sector, where two frontrunners had merged, the bike-sharing sector features asset-heavy business models and there is no point in merging or acquiring others," Hu said in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also known as Summer Davos, in Dalian, Liaoning province. Her comments came after a rare photo of Hu smiling with Dai Wei, CEO of Ofo, went viral on the social networking platforms, which sparked speculation of a possible merger between the two. Previously, Chinese car-hailing company Didi Chuxing merged with its rival, Uber Technologies Inc's China operation. Meituan.com, a group-buying site, and consumer review service Dianping.com, also stopped the price war and joined hands with each other amid pressure from investors. But according to Hu, Mobike is different from these industries, where companies function as an online platform. Mobike is deeply involved in the whole industry chain, from bicycle design to manufacturing, and it now owns and operates more than 5 million bicycles. "It is almost impossible to merge two bike-sharing companies simply by integrating their smartphone apps. Also the products and operating efficiency vary significantly," Hu said. Mobike and Ofo are locked in a stiff competition for supremacy of the burgeoning sector at both home and abroad. Mobike, backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd, said it now has presence in 130 cities across China, the UK, Singapore and Japan and it is seeking to march into 200 cities by the end of this year. Mobike processes 25 million daily trips at peak times, but it did not provide details of its revenue. A worker at a steel company in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, in 2015.[Photo/China Daily] Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that China has taken the initiative to phase out excess production capacity through supply-side structural reform, thereby contributing to the international community. "Overcapacity in some industries, which has resulted from quantitative easing measures taken by many countries after the (2007-08) global financial crisis, needs to be addressed through resolute efforts by the international community," Li said. He spoke when meeting with global business leaders and media representatives on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017. The event, also known as Summer Davos, is hosted by Dalian in Liaoning province. Last year, the country eliminated more than 65 million tons of steel production capacity and 290 million tons of coal capacity, beating that year's targets. Li said the country's reforms need the participation of foreign capital, companies and wisdom. "Our reform has always run parallel with opening-up. ... We welcome foreign firms to come to China and participate in corporate mergers and reorganization," he said. The premier also vowed to further ease market access for foreign companies in the service sector and to use negative lists to manage the companies. Support given to domestic companies under the rules of the World Trade Organization will be applied equally to foreign-owned companies registered in China, he said. A negative list is a list of areas where investment is prohibited; all other areas are presumed to be open. Foreign direct investment in the Chinese mainland grew by 4.1 percent in 2016, with strong investment in the service sector, according to the Ministry of Commerce. During the meeting, Alex Molinaroli, chairman of the board of the US company Johnson Controls, asked about challenges facing the Made in China 2025 strategy. The premier said implementing Made in China 2025 also provides a remarkable market opportunity for foreign and domestic companies because Chinese companies need to improve the quality of their products by introducing better techniques and equipment. "To achieve that purpose, we have to work with developed economies. For example, we have started cooperation with Germany's Industrial 4.0 strategy as well as the United States. There will be more equipment and technologies to be introduced from overseas to the Chinese market," he said. Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of the US company Salesforce, said the premier was "really very good at asking businesses and CEOs to invest in China". He called China's recent efforts in investment facilitation "very impressive and exciting". Xinhua contributed to this story. Farmers use a drone to spray pesticides in Meishan, Sichuan province. [Photo/China Daily] Shenzhen-based drone maker DJI Innovation Technology signed a memorandum of understanding with Dow AgroSciences on Tuesday to work on the research and application of crop protection drones and technology. Dow AgroSciences, which is a wholly owned agricultural subsidiary of the United States' largest chemical company Dow Chemical, specializes in crop protection and seed products sold in more than 130 countries in the world. The two companies will conduct experiments to test the crop protection products carried and sprayed by drones. They will test and track the effect of drones spraying Dow AgroSciences' herbicide, insecticide, antiseptic products to come out with an optimized spray mode, pesticide formulation and dosage. The experiments will be first carried out in Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, starting the trial with rice. According to Zhu Yue, general manager of Dow AgroSciences in China, it is the first time that the agricultural company has worked with a drone maker. Even back in the US where Dow AgroSciences comes from, there is no such cooperation yet. They will look for opportunities in other markets once the attempt in China proves fruitful. DJI is the world's largest drone maker, accounting for 70 percent of the global consumer drone market. Its MG series crop protection drones will be adopted for the cooperation. Priced at 42,000 yuan ($6,163) each, the machines are mainly sold to professional crop protection teams who provide pesticide spraying services to farmers. The drones will only take 10 percent of the time used by human labor to spray pesticide on the same area of farmland. One such drone will bring in 3,000 yuan of income per day to the crop protection team as long as the weather permits, according to DJI. Cao Nan, global sales director of DJI's agricultural drones, said that more than 6,000 MG series drones have been shipped since the machines were first introduced in the market in March last year. The drones have been operated in most of China except Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. "China has overtaken Japan to be the home to the largest number of agricultural drones worldwide since the number of such machines has been increasing sharply over the past 12 months. We believe drones will help with China's agricultural industrial upgrading," he said. According to the 2016 China Drones Industry Report released by market consultancy iResearch, the market volume of China's agricultural drones will reach 20 billion yuan by 2025. While agricultural drones became a popular investment target in 2015, the coverage of such machines is only 2 percent at present, far below the average 40 percent coverage rate in Japan. Bruce Aitken, general manager of Amazon Reading, introduces the Kindle X Migu e-reader on Tuesday in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily] Amazon.com Inc announced a strategic partnership on Tuesday with China Mobile Communications Corp's subsidiary Migu Culture and Technology Group Co, and launched a new Kindle created exclusively for Chinese readers that integrates abundant online literature content into its e-reader. The device combines more than 460,000 Kindle e-books and over 400,000 online literature titles from Migu, one of the largest online literature platforms in China. With a price tag of 658 yuan ($96.6), the all-new Kindle X Migu e-reader, is the first-ever co-branded Kindle bringing a completely new digital reading experience to online literature. David Limp, senior vice-president of Amazon Devices, said China has become the largest market in the world for Kindle and enjoys double-digit growth annually, adding that Chinese readers are not just satisfied with reading on mobile phones, and they want to have an immersed reading experience through various Kindle e-reader devices. "Our cooperation with China Mobile is not only on devices, but also content and services. Digital reading is now favored by Chinese readers, who are also willing to pay for e-book content," said Bruce Aitken, vice-president of Amazon China and general manager of Amazon Reading. Sha Yuejia, executive vice-president of China Mobile, said China's digital reading market reached 12 billion yuan last year, with users surpassing 300 million, estimating the growth will remain over 20 percent this year. "The prospects for digital reading are very promising. We will carry out cooperation with Amazon in the R&D of digital reading content," said Sha. Kindle has witnessed rapid growth in the Chinese market. In comparison with January 2013, Kindle offers 14 times more e-book options in China, and the active Kindle subscribers each month increased 27 times as of the end of December 2016. China's e-reading market is expected to reach 14 billion yuan in 2017, up 18 percent from 12 billion yuan in 2016, according to an estimate from Beijing-based consultancy Analysis. Huang Guofeng, an analyst with Beijing-based consultancy Analysis, said Amazon aims to gain Chinese users who have high standards for digital reading through creating an excellent reading experience and cooperating with local publishers. He said China's digital reading market shows huge growth potential and the habit of paying for what you read is also being formed. "However, Amazon seems to pay more attention to buy copyrights, but not nurture or support local authors and original online literature directly," he added. Kindle, which enjoys the status as the pioneer of the e-book industry in the world, is not the only company betting on the e-reading market in China. Beijing-based iReader Technology Co Ltd, released its latest e-book reader iReader Light in early September, which weighs only 142 grams, priced at 658 yuan. The overall risk of China's government debt is under control and the momentum of steady economic growth is being maintained, according to the country's top auditor. The National Audit Office (NAO) said in a press release that mechanisms such as quota management, budget management, risk disposal and regular supervision are being improved, and the momentum of government debt growth has been effectively controlled. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the management of government debt, and has established a standardized borrowing and financing system for local governments, the press release said. NAO submitted its audit report on June 23 to the top legislature on the implementation of last year's central budget. The current audit, which focused on the 2016 situation, reveals that since 2015, following standards to regulate channels for local government borrowing, local government bonds have become the major channel of local borrowings, and the management of borrowing, lending and repayment is being increasingly standardized, with its structure continuously optimized. Using a problem-oriented approach, NAO selected and audited cities and counties in 16 provinces where government debts increased considerably. Although there was an 87 percent growth in debt balance that the local governments have committed to repay with public funds, and some counties and the western region with comparatively smaller debt balances in previous years saw their debt balances more than doubled, the average government debt ratio (the debt balance to be repaid with public funds by government divided by the comprehensive financial resources of the same government) in these regions reached 70 percent. Compared with the government debt ratio of other major economies, this is still relatively low, the press release said. A large part of the newly increased debt took shape as local government financing vehicles continued to implement loan contracts signed in previous years or renewed contracts in accordance with the framework agreements since the implementation of the new Budget Law. In addition, all those debts have been used for projects to develop social undertakings and improve people's livelihood and have formed effective assets, which help the sustainable development of local society and economy. The Chinese government has established a normal local government debt monitoring mechanism, and has strengthened accountability over irregular borrowings, the press release said. Most of the problems revealed by audit have been rectified and the rectification results have been announced to the public, and those held accountable have received severe punishments. Audit findings in recent years show that relevant departments and local governments have conscientiously adhered to the general work guideline of making progress while maintaining stability. They have strengthened efforts in streamlining administration and delegating more powers to lower-level governments. In addition, they have accelerated the shift of economic mode and adjustment of economic structure, speeded up the revitalization of idle funds and coordinated use of financial resources, promoted supply-side reform and implementation of the tasks of cutting overcapacity, reducing excess inventory, deleveraging, lowering costs, and strengthening areas of weakness, and steadily improved public services and capacity of safeguarding people's livelihood. With the good momentum for growth, progress has been achieved and stability ensured in economic development, according to the press release. Audit results of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) show that the management of their assets and SOE reform are being further deepened, transformation and upgrading of relevant SOEs are being accelerated and industrial layout is being optimized. The SOEs have been increasing income and decreasing expenditure, reducing costs and enhancing performance, promoting the disposal of inefficient assets, with their competitiveness and strength remarkably enhanced. The inflated revenues 200.16 billion yuan and profits of 20.295 billion yuan for 18 SOEs revealed in the audit report, were accumulated over the years, accounting for 0.8 percent and 1.7 percent respectively of their revenues and profits for the same period. Guards crossed over uncontested border, obstructed construction China has lodged protests in Beijing and in New Delhi against the encroachment of Indian border troops into Chinese territory, and it demands that India take the proper course of action and withdraw the troops, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Tuesday. Beijing is sincere in its pursuit of developing friendly China-India ties, but also unswerving in its determination to uphold its sovereign rights and interests, Lu said at a daily news conference in Beijing. Observers said that India should refrain from further military action and ease the tension at an early date to avoid sabotaging the hard-won stability at the border. The Ministry of National Defense confirmed on Monday night that Indian border guards recently encroached on Chinese territory in the Sikkim section of the border and obstructed ongoing Chinese road construction in the Donglang area. China has taken countermeasures accordingly, and Beijing has asked New Delhi to thoroughly investigate this matter, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday night. Geng noted that the Sikkim section has been defined by a treaty and the Indian government has repeatedly honored the treaty in writing as it does not contest the section of the border. China urges India to respect boundary treaties and China's territorial sovereignty to maintain peace and stability in the border area, Geng said. Jiang Jingkui, director of the Center for South Asia Studies at Peking University, said India is expected to take action to remedy the situation. "Neither side, particularly India, should lead this into an armed conflict. The two emerging economies need each other for their domestic development," Jiang said. China and India had good high-level interaction this year when President Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Kazakh capital Astana earlier this month, and India has just joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. As Modi will come to China to attend the BRICS Leaders' Meeting in September, New Delhi should manage bilateral differences in an effective manner, as Modi has pledged to do, Jiang said. In another development, China has put off arranging for Indian pilgrims to enter China at the Nathu La Pass "in view of the incident" and "out of safety concerns", Lu said. China has informed India through diplomatic channels, he said. In the past, China has made great efforts to accommodate official Indian pilgrims' trips to China's Tibet autonomous region, Lu said. India must take the necessary measures to ease the safety concerns triggered by the current situation, Lu added. Seven people involved in a high-profile telecom fraud case that led to the death of a university candidate stood trial at a court in Shandong province on Tuesday. The defendants pleaded guilty at the province's Linyi Intermediate People's Court to cheating others out of money by posing as officers of educational, financial and real estate institutions in telephone calls made between November 2015 and August 2016. One of the defendants, Chen Wenhui, also confessed to buying personal information online. "They rented rooms in several regions in the country, such as Haikou, Hainan province, and Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, and made them into bases for fraud. Their major targets for their swindles were college-bound students," said Linyi prosecutors. The stolen money amounted to over 560,000 yuan ($82,200) from more than 23,000 calls made, the prosecutors said. One of the victims, Xu Yuyu, an 18-year-old student in Linyi, was called on Aug 19. She had applied for financial aid from a local educational authority two days before she received the phone call. "In the call, I told Xu I was an educational authority officer and would provide her with about 2,600 yuan in student aid. I asked her to contact the local financial authority to find out how to receive the aid," Zheng Xiancong, 27, one of the defendants, said in court. Xu was given a number to call that connected her to Chen. Chen, 22, from Fujian province, said he asked Xu to transfer 9,900 yuan in tuition fees into a bank account, adding the student aid would appear in her student account. Chen also confirmed that he had obtained the personal information of Xu and others through QQ, an instant messaging tool. He added he bought more than 10,000 pieces of such information. After discovering the money was stolen, Xu, with her father, reported the theft to police on that same evening, and on her way back home, she died of cardiac arrest, officials said. Three forensic expert witnesses said during the trial that Xu's death was linked to the great anxiety caused by the telecom fraud. The prosecutors said Chen was the organizer of the group of fraudsters and had committed the crimes of fraud and infringement of personal information under Chinese Criminal Law. The other six had committed the crime of fraud. Chen's lawyer said Chen took the initiative to go to police after learning about Xu's death from media reports, but prosecutors said Chen's confession could not be considered legally valid because it was not clear. Chen, who wept in court, said: "I felt guilty for Xu's death. I wanted to get some money through telecom fraud at first, but I never thought my behavior brought such great pain to other families." Xu's father said he hopes the court will uphold justice and he is looking forward to a fair result. The court said it will announce verdicts at a later date. The Supreme People's Court has announced a new regulation taking effect on the exclusion of illegally obtained evidence in criminal cases, banning confessions made under torture or duress. The regulation, which took effect on Tuesday, specifies the conditions under which evidence must be excluded in court trials to prevent wrongful convictions and safeguard human rights. Under the regulation, it is illegal for police or prosecutors to extort confessions through torture, threat or subterfuge. Forced self-incrimination is also prohibited. Confessions, witness testimonies and victim depositions obtained by force may no longer be accepted as evidence. Jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and other departments, the regulation is regarded as major progress in the criminal procedure system in China. Dai Changlin, a member of the adjudication committee of the Supreme People's Court, said evidence is crucially important to the administration of justice. "In recent years, mistakes were made in adopting evidence in court trials that led to wrongful conviction and execution of defendants. The mistakes were the result of accepting self-incrimination under torture or duress," he added. Compared with previous versions issued in 2010 and 2012, the new regulation specifies the standards of illegally obtained evidence and makes clear the procedures for excluding such evidence, and this is expected to ensure that the evidence is collected, examined and employed in accordance with laws, Dai said. In addition, criminal suspects and their lawyers are allowed to apply for illegal evidence to be ruled out during the investigation, the regulation said. Prosecutors are required to ask suspects in major cases and examine whether they have been forced to confessor confronted illegal evidence collection before the conclusion of investigation, the document said. Chen Ruihua, a law professor at Peking University, said, compared with previous versions, the regulation grants the prosecutors more power to exclude illegally obtained evidence. The regulation requires prosecuting departments to accept the application from defendants and their lawyers to exclude illegally obtained evidence and requires that prosecutors not use the evidence when they issue arrest warrants, Chen said. Xinhua contributed to this story. Business leaders and experts share their insights at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, which is being held in Dalian from June 27 to 29. [Photo by SONG WEI/CHINA DAILY] The Annual Meeting of the New Champions, held every two years in Dalian, has become a showcase to display the recent development of the coastal city in Northeast China's Liaoning province, according to local officials and experts. The event, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, is organized by the World Economic Forum, a Geneva-based not-for-profit organization best known for its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. WEF began to hold the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in China in Dalian in 2007. Since then, the annual event has been held in Dalian and the northern coastal city of Tianjin alternately. The event is a summit meeting for the world's top growth companies with the greatest development potential, experts and government officials. Tan Zuojun, Party chief of Dalian, said the Summer Davos Forum has played a crucial role in displaying the city's image to the international community and promoting Dalian's local growth. "We hope to use the event as a platform to further promote Dalian's innovation-driven and opening-up strategies," Tan said. He added that Dalian wants to better integrate with the world, using global resources to facilitate the city's economic transformation and sustainable development. Since 2007, the coastal city has successfully hosted five sessions of the meeting. More than 1,500 delegates, including government officials and business leadersincluding the young entrepreneurs who are regarded as the "new champions" of their respective industriesas well as scholars and experts have attended the forum's every session in Dalian. According to Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, before the event's first session was held in Dalian in 2007, more than 70 percent of the foreign participants were not familiar with Dalian. After the 2007 meeting, about 90 percent of attendees said they had a better understanding of the coastal city, Schwab said. The Summer Davos Forum is regarded as an important platform for Dalian to understand global economic changes and growth trends. During past years' sessions, the event highlighted topics of pressing concern, helping Dalian to incorporate the world's advanced experiences for the city's development. Head of the Mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union Yang Yanyijoined a group of Chinese experts in Brussels on Tuesday at the Europe-China Forum where they urged the EU to start free-trade talks with China. [Photo by Fu Jing/China Daily] The European Union should reconsider its China policy and reset its priority portfolio by starting bilateral free-trade talks urgently, allowing both sides to make a strong commitment to globalization, experts from a leading Chinese thinktank urged on Tuesday. Following Premier Li Keqiang's recent call for a feasibility study on bilateral free-trade talks, the experts said such actions are essential in cushioning the rising negative impacts of a string of global challenges. "Against the fast-changing global environment, the European Union must accelerate its steps to reconsider its priorities in dealing with China," said Chi Fulin, president of the China Institute of Reform and Development, who was speaking at the two-day Europe-China Forum, which ended on Tuesday. "I believe one pressing priority should be EU-China free-trade negotiations, which the EU has already started or concluded with several Asian partners," said Chi, who led a group of Chinese experts to the forum that was organized by the Mission of China to the European Union, the Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe, and his organization. China Daily is a media partner of the policy discussion. Chi said the wide global recognition of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is mainly aimed at better connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa, should work as a "new trigger" for the EU to reset its economic and trade policy portfolio as it relates to China. Chi said China had proposed a wide "free-trade network" that would connect all countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, which should also be in the interest of the EU, which isa global forerunner and champion of free trade and globalization. "So, logically, the EU, of which many member states have been passionate about participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, should engage with China in launching free-trade feasibility studies as soon as possible," said Chi. But the EU has not responded to China's proposal. At the EU-China summit earlier this month, Premier Li said he would be "fully supporting" free-trade talks, should the EU agree to start them. The major impediment from the European side seems to be that both sides have already listed their 2020 cooperation plans, in which talks about a bilateral investment pact were high on the agenda. The Europeans believe trade talks can only be started after the investment pact negotiations have been concluded. Chi has urged the EU to combine the ongoing investment talks with free-trade negotiations, something that would indicate the "deepened ambitions" of both sides to strengthen economic relations. In responding to Chi's proposal, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said the EU would take a "realistic approach" in reviewing the proposal, and noted that it also takes time for the European Commission to "obtain a mandate" from member states to kick off such talks. Yang Yanyi, head of the mission of the People's Republic of China to the European Union, has also requested both sides deepen trust and cooperation to cope with global uncertainties. She confirmed that launching a feasibility study into free-trade talks is high on China's agenda. Representatives of businesses at the forum responded actively toward the China-EU free-trade proposal. "This arrangement, in my opinion, will be reducing the cost and tariffs hugely and removing barriers for both sides," said Liu Miao, chairman of LuzhouLaojiao Group, a leading Chinese liquor producer from Sichuan province. At the forum, Liao said Switzerland and Iceland have already set excellent examples to the EU of harnessing such trade deals with China. "We believe this can also be turned into a reality between China and the EU, the world's influential economies," Liao said. Zhao Jinping, a senior researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, a think tank for the central government, has also urged the EU to accelerate the speed at which it engages with China, economically and strategically. "Against rising elements related to globalization, we must recognize what are negative and what are positive," said Zhao."In my view, the Belt and Road Initiative is a positive contribution of global public good from the Chinese side." Zhao said investment and trade activities between China and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative are robust, which have laid a solid foundation to deepen free-trade talks and form free-trade networks. "Facing rising uncertainties and challenges, China and the EU should work together to inject more confidence and certainty into this multilateral world," said Zhao. Zhao noted that United States President Donald Trump has softened his tone with regard to China and shown interest in the Belt and Road Initiative. Zhao also said the risk of a trade war between the US and China have already greatly reduced following intensive contacts between the two nations in recent months. "This is a nice reminder to the EU and we hope that the EU can replace its China policies that were created in old circumstances," said Zhao."It must make its policies applicable to the new situation of the changing world." Highlighting Hong Kong's indispensable role as a bridge linking China and the UK as the Sino-UK partnership enters its "golden era", Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming called for concerted commitment to the "one country, two systems" principle to maintain the SAR's long-term prosperity and stability. Liu made the remark late on Monday to an audience of over 200, including lords and members of parliament, during a celebration to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. Praising Hong Kong's return as a landmark in modern Chinese history, the ambassador singled out a long list of achievements that show the "one country, two systems" principle has been hugely successful in the special administrative region. Hong Kong's GDP has doubled. It remains a global center of finance, shipping and trade, and continues to be one of the freest and the most competitive economies in the world. It houses the fifth-largest container port and is the eighth-biggest trading entity in the world. Citing the right balance between the governance of the central government and the autonomy enjoyed by the SAR as an example, Liu emphasized that the central government is consistent in its strict adherence to the Constitution and the Basic Law and, as a result, Hong Kong is making steady progress in its democratic governance. "From political stability, governance efficiency and regulatory quality to the rule of law, control over corruption, right to expression and accountability, many indicators are showing Hong Kong's improvement over pre-handover years," he said. To fend off worries about the future of the principle and concerns about a "policy change" by the Chinese government, Liu called for better understanding of Hong Kong's reality and the Chinese government's policy. "Hong Kong has been successful in the past two decades. That means 'one country, two systems' is a good principle," he said, "A good principle will not change." Liu also cited President Xi Jinping as saying, "Whatever difficulties and challenges there are, our confidence and determination for the 'one country, two systems' principle remain unchanged, and our confidence and determination in implementing this principle remain unchanged." He also reaffirmed the central government's staunch support for Hong Kong's ties and cooperation with the world. But he said China firmly opposes any interference in Hong Kong affairs by any foreign country for any reason. "Facts must be respected," he said, "that Hong Kong has returned to China; China has sovereignty over Hong Kong; the 'one country, two systems' principle must be seen in its totality; Hong Kong-related issues must be handled appropriately." Premier Li Keqiang urged Singapore on Tuesday to play a constructive role to promote China-ASEAN ties as China-ASEAN country coordinator and the organization's chairing nation next year. Li said China's ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are a vital part of its relations with neighboring countries and China supports the integration of the ASEAN community. The premier made the comment when meeting the city-state's Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the sidelines of the Summer Davos in Dalian, Liaoning province. The premier said China is willing to strengthen bilateral cooperation in regional connectivity and accelerate negotiations to upgrade the existing free trade agreement and for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which will send a strong signal to the world of China and ASEAN safeguarding free trade and promoting regional development. China and Singapore have engaged in frequent high-level exchanges, and the logistics center in Chongqing has helped strengthen regional connectivity, Li added. In response, Shanmugaratnam said his country is willing to expand bilateral cooperation in key areas, accelerate negotiations on the free trade agreement upgrade and the RCEP, and relentlessly endeavor to promote the development of the strategic partnership of ASEAN countries and the world's second-largest economy. Li also met with the prime ministers of Sweden and Finland on Tuesday on sidelines of the Summer Davos, where more than 2,000 participants gathered. All three foreign leaders extended their condolences over the lives lost in the landslide in Sichuan province last week. When meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Li said Sweden is one of China's important partners in Europe, especially in North Europe, as it was the first Western country to forge diplomatic ties with China. He said China is willing to align with Sweden's development strategies and boost cooperation in fields such as innovation, third-party markets, cultural exchanges and tourism, which will enhance understanding and communications between both peoples. Lofven said Sweden will enhance communications and coordination with China in multilateral affairs and move bilateral ties to a new stage. In his meeting with Prime Minister Juha Sipila, Li said China-Finland cooperation has great potential as the North European country has huge advantages in ecological protection, high technologies and winter sports. Sipila said his country supports China's hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and would like to strengthen cooperation in winter sports. Editor's note: In the run-up to the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, China Daily sent six reporters to live for a month in poor villages to see how China's poverty eradication plan is improving people's lives. Positive changes in his village over the past few years have helped Shi Quanyou find his Miss Right, and given hope to other villagers. Shi, 45, was one of 38 single men over 40 in Shibadong, Hunan province, which has a population of about 1,000. In poor mountainous areas like Shibadong, many single men have difficulty finding a spouse because of poverty and the harsh environment. "My family was too poor in the past. I was over 40 and I didn't dare to dream about being married," Shi said. As a migrant worker in Zhejiang province, Shi could only save about 500 yuan ($73) a month. In 2012, Shi invited a close female acquaintance, Kong Mingying, a native of neighboring Chongqing, to his home village for Spring Festival. But Kong, shocked by the poor conditions in the village, including Shi's home - a dilapidated traditional wooden house that leaked heavily during rainstorms - worried about the future and was reluctant to agree to marriage. "I grew up in a rural area, too, and I can do all kinds of farm work," said Kong, 36. "But when I first saw the conditions here, I wasn't sure how we could live. Even if I were willing to become a farmer, there isn't enough arable land." She decided to return to work in Guangdong province; Shi returned to Zhejiang. But the two kept in touch. The situation changed after President Xi Jinping visited the village in 2013. Thanks to poverty alleviation efforts by the local government, Shibadong has seen great improvements. Kong was contacted by Shi, who excitedly told her about the president's visit to his house and the series of positive changes in the village. He invited her again - this time to start a restaurant together, because many tourists had started coming to Shibadong, tracing the president's visit or simply to appreciate the beautiful natural environment. "I was thinking that even if we couldn't be a couple eventually, we could perhaps still be good business partners," Shi said. Kong, who used to work in a restaurant in Guangzhou and is good at cooking, eventually agreed to come, and the couple opened a restaurant in Shibadong in 2014. After struggling initially, the business started to go in the right direction. Occupying a spot with a good lookout view, the restaurant is a favorite dining place for tourists. "There are more customers now, and we can barely take in all of them," Shi said, adding that the family can earn more than 10,000 yuan a month from the business. Shi and Kong married in November 2014. The village is now looking to boost tourism by developing a few nearby karst caves. "I'm satisfied with my current life. We will try our best to run the restaurant well, and if tourism develops well in the future, we might also open a rural inn to welcome more guests," Shi said. He has been a good example for the many other villagers who are still single. Some of them, such as Shi Liujin, have also started their own home restaurants or other small businesses. "I think we are more confident," Shi Liujin said. "We can improve our economic conditions through hard work. Our village is not a place that ladies would shun anymore." The village is now helping people like Shi find wives. A group blind date was organized in 2015 by the village committee for some single men in the village. The event attracted many local women. In the past couple of years, several of the single men have successfully found marriage partners, and a large group wedding ceremony was held for them last year. An amendment to China's Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law - including a "river chief" system - was approved at the closing ceremony of the bimonthly session of the top legislative body on Tuesday. It will take effect on Jan 1. As enacted, the law includes provisions for a river chief system, a new mechanism under which leading officials assume major responsibility for addressing water pollution. It is expected to cover the provincial, city, county and township levels. "The new system has worked in some areas," said Tong Weidong, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission's Office for State Law under the top legislative body, in the closing news release on Tuesday. While no punishments are listed in the amended law for failures, officials' annual job performance assessments and promotions will be tied to the way they discharge their duties, Tong said. The amended law also strengthens controls on sewage and garbage treatment in rural regions. Central and local government are expected to build more facilities to process waste, and standards designed to protect water were introduced to govern the use of fertilizers. The law also requires the creation of a pollution risk evaluation system for drinking water. The government will release information about drinking water quality regularly and report any problems, Tong said. The amendment also raises the upper limit of fines for water pollution, with fines as high as 1 million yuan ($147,000), he added. At a higher level, China's Environmental Protection Law - a comprehensive statute that took effect on Jan 1, 2015 - also deals with some aspects of water pollution prevention. It gave authorities more powerful tools with which to punish violators. In the first five months of this year, 13,478 violations of the law have been investigated, triple the same period last year, Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Monday. The automaking industry is among the potential sectors in which foreign companies can invest in Dalian. [Photo by ZHANG CHUNLEI/CHINA DAILY] Foreign investment continues to flood into Dalian this year, proving the port city in Liaoning province is one of the most attractive investment destinations in Northeast China. According to the Dalian bureau of foreign trade and economic cooperation, more than 70 foreign-funded enterprises had been established in the city this year as of the end of May, with pledged investment amounting to $12.5 billion. The total amount invested in Dalian so far this year totaled $1.58 billion by May, increasing 4.39 percent from the same period of last year. Renowned global information technology giant Intel is one of the biggest sources of investment, with newly added funding of $479 million in place to expand the capacity of its Dalian plant. The newly added fund is part of its committed investment of $5.5 billion, announced in October last year, and will be used to upgrade its nonvolatile memory chip production facilities at its existing Dalian plant. Non-volatile memory, or non-volatile storage, is a type of computer memory that can retrieve stored information even after having been turned off and back on. Dalian is located at the southernmost end of the Liaodong Peninsula, at the conjunction of the Yellow Sea in the east and Bohai Bay in the west. It neighbors such countries as Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia. With a land area of 13,000 square kilometers and a population of 6.9 million, the city is one of the shipping hubs in Northeast Asia and one of the most favored foreign investment destinations in Northeast China. According to Liu Zhiguo, deputy chief of the Dalian bureau of foreign trade and economic cooperation, the city has approved about 18,000 foreign-invested enterprises in the past 30 years, with accumulated investment totaling $105.86 billion. He said more than 4,600 foreign-invested enterprises are currently operational in Dalian, including those funded by renowned multinational companies such as British Telecom, Volkswagen, Total and Canon. By the end of 2016, there were 262 projects funded by 113 companies on the Fortune Global 500 list. A local steel company in Dalian uses the latest automation technology to optimize its production process. [Photo by LIU DEBIN/CHINA DAILY] IBM Innovation Studio in Dalian is a successful example of the city's information technology industry combining the world's newest technology and innovation, local officials said. The second IBM Innovation Studios in China, which was founded in May in the Dalian High-Tech Industrial Zone, uses big data, cloud computing and cognitive technology to offer clients professional digital innovation services. The high-tech zone is currently home to more than 110 Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises as well as more than 1,200 software and service outsourcing businesses. Jin Guowei, head of the zone's administrative committee, said: "The zone has created a good industrial atmosphere and is attracting large enterprises by continuously improving the business environment." The zone has also continually fostered and improved the environment for entrepreneurship and innovation by gathering high-tech businesses, Jin added. Dalian Infobank Co, which has grown in the zone, has set up one of the world's biggest trade databases, in which data covering 157 countries and regions and dating back to 1988 are stored. More than 70 percent of bulk goods transported by sea and more than 90 percent of container transportation in China's northeastern region are shipped via Dalian. [Photo/CHINA DAILY] The Dalian area of the Liaoning Pilot Free Trade Zone aims to become an important area opening-up to and cooperating with Northeast Asia, local officials in Dalian said. On June 12, 150 noted companies, including Intel and Pfizer, recruited professionals at an employment event of the Dalian area. The Dalian FTZ area was launched in Dalian Jinpu New Area on April 10 and covers an area of 59.96 square kilometers, accounting for about half of the area of the Liaoning Pilot Free Trade Zone. Wang Qiang, director at the administration committee of Dalian Jinpu New Area, said that the new area recently issued 19 policies related to attracting and fostering professionals to create an excellent environment in Jinpu and the Dalian FTZ area. The Dalian FTZ area and the Jinpu new area will mainly boost such sectors as shipping and logistics, finance and commerce, advanced equipment manufacturing, high technology and modern services. They want to help Dalian to become the center of international shipping and logistics in Northeast Asia, local officials said. Xiao Shengfeng, mayor of Dalian, said that governments at different levels in Dalian should take the opportunity of the Dalian FTZ area to create a stronger and more open investment and trade environment. "The FTZ area needs to strengthen contacts and communication with companies, learn about businesses' demands and help companies to solve problems and provide better services to foreign-funded enterprises," Xiao said. In the first month after the Dalian FTZ area launched, it attracted 1,900 companies with combined registered capital of more than 5 billion yuan ($730.9 million). The companies cover such fields as finance, trade, logistics, leasing and information technology. Guo Ping, professor at the law school of Dalian Maritime University, said that free trade zones play an active role in promoting international trade, facilitating trade procedures and driving international transportation. She said the plan for deepening reform of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone released in March for the first time proposed the establishment of free trade port areas, making the zone's role in facilitating trade more obvious. If Dalian could have similar plans, it would further promote logistics and international transportation, Guo said. The Dalian FTZ area boasts distinct advantages and features, local officials said. It has a good location as Dalian is in the center of Northeast Asia's economic region and also one of the first cities in China to undergo opening-up. The area has a well-established system for its opening-up. It is home to the first bonded area, bonded port area, export processing area and high-tech park in Northeast China. DALIAN -- China's reform needs the participation of foreign capital, companies and wisdom, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday, pledging easier access into the Chinese market and a level playing field. The premier made the remarks when answering a question from Dutch multinational Royal DSM's CEO Feike Sijbesma in a meeting with global business leaders. BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping said the non-governmental forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) will contribute to regional peace and stability, and common prosperity. The two-day meeting of the forum, which carries the theme "25 Years of CICA: for Asia's Security and Development," began Wednesday in Beijing, and the Chinese president sent a congratulatory letter to the forum's second meeting. The non-governmental forum was established based on a proposal by Xi at the Shanghai Summit of the CICA in May 2014. The first meeting was held in May 2015, offering a new channel for publicizing CICA security concept and promoting regional security governance. Xi said in the letter that the CICA, which celebrates its 25th anniversary of founding this year, has served the common expectations of Asian countries seeking security and development in the region. Since holding the chair of the CICA in May 2014, China has made efforts to advocate and implement the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable Asian security concept, and support the establishment of a new regional security and cooperation framework. China has also sought to expand the partner network and mobilize non-governmental entities to offer advice and suggestions. According to China's Foreign Ministry, the second meeting was attended by around 300 former political leaders, scholars, experts, media professionals, NGO representatives and diplomatic envoys in China from member states, observer states, observer organizations of CICA and relevant regional countries. The attendees will discuss topics such as seeking common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia; establishing security architecture tailored to Asia; and implementing a consensuses concerning the Belt and Road Initiative. A 2-meter-high robot is helping drug addicts kick the habit at a drug rehabilitation center in Guangdong. The robot, named Le Le, from Cencun compulsory drug rehabilitation center in Guangzhou's Tianhe district can always attract many drug addicts when it is available in the center, a police officer from the center said. Le Le can respond quickly to addicts' questions and provide accurate information and advice on getting off drugs. "Le Le can also quickly recognize people via face recognition and human body induction," the police officer told local media. Le Le can also report on a drug addict's mental state, any issues of concern and mood swings, and can refer the addict to doctors and psychotherapists. "Le Le is very good at chatting with the drug addicts in the center," the police officer said. Le Le is the first robot that has been used to help addicts in the country, the officer added. More than 2,000 addicts have visited the Cencun compulsory drug rehabilitation center. As well as Le Le, the center has taken the lead on using VR (virtue reality) technologies to help addicts get off drugs. "Drug addicts will be able to reduce their dependence on drugs when they are in the virtue world through electronic games, cinemas and stories," the police officer said. BEIJING - The shutters will close permanently at Beijing's largest clothing wholesale market, known by many as Beijing Zoo wholesale market, by the end of 2017. The district government of Xicheng, Beijing, made the announcement as it called time on the 2,000-stall Wanrong mall in the zoo market late Monday. Wanrong mall will be occupied by finance and hi-tech firms, the government said. Built in the 1980s, the sprawling zoo market is loved by locals and outsiders alike for its expansive selection of sartorial products, many at rock-bottom prices. At its height, the market had a dozen malls like Wanrong, with thousands of tenants and as many as 70,000 visitors a day. The rise of e-commerce had taken its toll on business even before the closure. It was first announced in 2013 that the authorities intended to close the market, part of a wider push to upgrade Beijing urban functions. Low-end businesses will be moved outside the crowded capital. The district government said seven malls in the market have been shut so far. Officials said they will follow up on the promise to support vendors to relocate and underscored that their interests will be protected, and their businesses can grow. About 5,000 vendors have signed deals to move to malls in cities of Shijiazhuang, Cangzhou, and Tianjin, according to the government. Last year, Beijing relocated or repurposed 117 markets citywide. This year, another 120, which also include community food markets, will be moved or upgraded. A baby emperor penguin peeks out from under his father's thick coat at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. Photo by Qiu Quanlin/chinadaily.com.cn Two emperor penguins have successfully hatched at an ocean-themed park in Guangdong province. The two baby penguins, named Liuliu and En'en, weighed just 250 grams and 231 grams when they hatched on June 2 and 17 at the Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom. It took 66 days for the first egg to hatch and 66 hours for the little chick to make its way out of the shell. It's the second time this year baby penguins have hatched at such a low latitude in Asia. Two penguins, named PP and EE, hatched at the Zhuhai-based ocean park in August and are in good condition, weighing 25.2 kilograms and 20.5 kilograms respectively. Breeding emperor penguins in captivity has always been challenging as the eggs may not be fertilized when the females lay them. Usually, the female emperor penguin lays one egg each season and transfers it to the male to keep warm until it hatches. The park's female emperor penguins have so far laid 23 eggs, 16 of which have hatched. Prosecutors across China have been ordered to keep defendants and the public up to date on the progress of high-profile cases, including those involving corruption or minors. The Supreme People's Procuratorate, the top prosecuting authority, announced the move on Wednesday as part of efforts to improve transparency in the justice system. "Introducing such a measure will ensure prosecutors handle cases with impartiality and will fully protect the legitimate rights of defendants and other parties involved in a case," Xian Jie, deputy director of the SPP's Law and Policy Research Department said at a news briefing. "This will promote the establishment of a society based on the rule of law," she added. Chinese courts have handled a series of high-profile cases in recent months, including the trial this week of the gang behind a telecom fraud that resulted in the death of Xu Yuyu, a student from Shandong province. Xian said prosecutors are now required to issue timely oral or written statements to questions raised by defendants or the public, including on case facts, application of law and legal procedures. Editor's notes: In a modern society where women can be business executives, media tycoons or anything else they set their mind to, why are women still under-represented in the senior ranks? What does it really take for women to rise to the top of their field? A group of prominent players in the politics and business community gathered in Beijing for the 2017 Women Leadership Forum on June 26. Here are some of the participants' views on the issue. Empowerment Julie L. Kavanagh Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy Beijing Julie L. Kavanagh delivers a keynote speech at the 2017 Women Leadership Forum on June 26 in Beijing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Historically, diplomacy has been the preserve of men. Today, diplomatic leadership roles still heavily skewed towards males, but that doesn't mean females aren't making any progress. Taking the United States as an example, women made up only 4.8 percent of US Foreign Service officers in the 1970s. Nowadays, more women than ever are serving in the foreign policy arena. As Kavanagh points out that women accounted for 36 percent of 158 ambassadorships in 2016. "While women's political status has definitely improved since, there's still a long way to go," she said. Citing a report released by McKinsey Global Institute in 2015, Kavanagh said that if women performed an identical labor role to their male counterparts, the world's GDP would skyrocket to $28 trillion in 2025. President says nation is committed to working together on trust-building measures China has been pushing discussions on building a new framework for regional security and cooperation, and it is committed to deepening cooperation on trust-building measures, President Xi Jinping said. Xi made the comment as he elaborated on China's role in promoting security in Asia in a congratulatory message sent to an international conference held in Beijing on Wednesday. The gathering is the second conference of the CICA Non-Governmental Forum and it was attended by around 300 delegates including former political leaders, scholars, experts and media professionals. CICA is the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, a multilateral framework on Asian security. The forum, first proposed by Xi, held its first meeting in 2015 and has been a venue for promoting security ideas. Xi noted that since China took the chairmanship of CICA in May 2014, it has fulfilled its duties and has made efforts to advocate and implement an Asian security outlook that is common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable. China is serving a second two-year term as chair. China has also sought to boost the legal basis and institution-building of CICA, expand CICA and its partner network, and mobilize nongovernmental entities to offer advice and suggestions, Xi added. Lee Hae-chan, former Republic of Korea prime minister, told the forum, "As intraregional interdependence increases and the economies of each region develop together, security risks will lessen." The Belt and Road Initiative is "an excellent endeavor to enhance Asia's economic development and interdependence", said Lee, who visited Beijing in May as a special envoy of ROK President Moon Jae-in. Shakhrat Nuryshev, Kazakhstan's ambassador to China, told the forum that mutual trust in security is needed as the countries build the Belt and Road. The initiative, proposed by Xi, is a new "propeller for cooperation" among countries, he said. As CICA celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, Xi said in his message that it has served the common aspirations of Asian countries in seeking a path toward regional security and development. It has provided a helpful way to beef up communication, deepen mutual trust and strengthen cooperation for the past 25 years, Xi said. Andrey Denisov, Russian ambassador to China, said China "has attached great importance" to the institution-building of CICA, and its efforts include promoting semiofficial or nongovernmental dialogue. Yang Jiemian, former head of the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said that although the region "does not have a consensus on how to build a regional security architecture", forums like the Wednesday gathering will help. "Forums do not possess enforcement power. However, their discussions of the present problems and their vision of the future trends will definitely enlighten the relevant parties on their way to building a security architecture," Yang said. A launch ceremony for China's new-generation guided-missile destroyer is held in Shanghai on Wednesday.PU HAIYANG / FOR CHINA DAILY China launched a new domestically developed destroyer in Shanghai on Wednesday, marking a milestone in building a strong and modern naval force, according to the People's Liberation Army Navy. The launch ceremony was held at the Jiangnan Shipyard of the China State Shipbuilding Corp on Wednesday and was attended by General Zhang Youxia, head of equipment development for the Central Military Commission. The ship is the first of China's new-generation guided-missile destroyer class, with a full displacement of around 10,000 metric tons. It will be equipped with new types of air defense, missile defense, and anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, the Navy said in a news release without giving further details. Next, engineers will test and fine-tune equipment mounted on the ship and continue installing other devices. The vessel then will conduct mooring and sailing tests, the Navy said. Though the Navy has yet to reveal which class the new destroyer belongs to, observers believe it is the Type 055 class and call it one of the largest and mightiest of its kind in the world. Currently, the Navy's largest and most powerful surface combat vessel is the Type 052D destroyer, which has a full displacement of nearly 7,000 tons and carries 64 vertical launch cells capable of firing various kinds of missiles. Yin Zhuo, director of the PLA Navy's Expert Consultation Committee, said earlier that China is developing the Type 055 destroyer, which can carry more than 100 vertical launch cells. Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said the deployment of the vessel in the near future will mark the first time the Navy will have a 10,000-ton destroyer. The latest version of the United States' Arleigh Burke class, the largest destroyer family in the world, has a full displacement of 9,800 tons. South Korea's Sejong the Great class has 11,000 tons while Japan's Atago class has 10,000 tons. Compared with other destroyers in the Navy, Zhang said, the Type 055 class has more firepower, higher information capacity and better reconnaissance and early warning capabilities. He said the Type 055 will extensively improve the Navy's long-range operational capability, and such ships will play a major role in the country's carrier battle groups. Cao Weidong, another researcher at the institute, said a Type 055 destroyer can also be a good missile-defense platform because it can carry and launch China's advanced missile interceptors, effectively expanding the country's missile defense network. Also on Wednesday, China Shipbuilding Industry Corp, another State-owned defense contractor to the PLA Navy, announced it launched a new guided-missile destroyer on Monday at its Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co in Liaoning province. Although the company did not give the new ship's class, Chinese media reported that it is the 13th Type 052D destroyer. The Navy has commissioned five Type 052Ds. In late April, the nation launched its first domestically developed aircraft carrier at the Dalian shipyard. The carrier is now undergoing equipment installation and testing. Currently, the Navy operates a sole aircraft carrier, CNS Liaoning, which is a refitted Soviet-era vessel. zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn Students walk past PMQ, an incubator for Hong Kong's burgeoning creative industry.[Photo/Xinhua] In May, Zhang Feifei traveled to Hong Kong for the first time. The 24 year old was one of millions of people from the Chinese mainland who visit the city every year, but unlike many travelers who follow the regular tourist routes, Zhang chose PMQa hub that serves the city's evolving creative industryas her first stop. As a recent graduate of Sichuan University's College of Art in Chengdu, the provincial capital, Zhang is interested in the ideas and work of new designers, most of whom are her peers. "I wanted my trip to be unique, with a taste of the real, modern Hong Kong," she said. "My parents visited the city as part of a travel group 12 years ago, and their main purpose was shopping, like many other travelers back then. But in recent years, many of my friends have traveled here to explore different things, such as art and fashion." Built in 1951 as the Police Married Quarters, PMQ was preserved by the city government as a site for the creative industry, and the compound has now developed into a hub to help startups transform creativity into business. "I love working here, together with many young people who hold the same passion for making our future creative," said Micky Gangwani, head of events at Brinc, an internet of things accelerator in PMQ. Hong Kong-born, but with Indian heritage, Gangwani said PMQ is a good combination of people and their cultures: "It's a mix of old and new, just like Hong Kong is now experiencing from being a colony to a region with fresh blood and vitality." The compound is home to about 100 startups, from technology to art and design, and Gangwani said the small businesses are always happy to help each other: "If we have problems with product design or marketing, we turn to other teams in the building for help, just like a family." Although he can speak a few sentences in Cantonese, Gangwani has become aware of the importance of learning Mandarin because China has developed dramatically in the past decade and his company is closely connected with partners in the mainland. "We have offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou (Guangdong province). I go to the mainland every month. China is important for the world. Everything in the world is made in China. I think Hong Kong can be a good bridge between the mainland and the world, which also means good opportunities for us," he said. MANILA - The Philippine government will stick to its policy of not negotiating with extremists allied with the Islamic State group that overran Marawi City in the southern Philippines in May, a government spokesman said on Tuesday. Ernesto Abella said the talks initiated by Muslim religious leaders on Sunday to negotiate for the release of about 150 hostages in the besieged city in the spirit of Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr were not sanctioned by the government, the military and the political leaders. "The government policy is not to negotiate with terrorists. Any demands made inside, therefore, hold no basis," Abella said. If there was still any doubt over Japan's increasing strategic regional ambitions, the recent activities of its biggest warship Izumo have just laid that to rest. Last week, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces helicopter destroyer sailed near China's Nine-Dash Line in the South China Sea with military officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states on board as guests. And before that, in mid June, the Izumo joined the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in the South China Sea for a three-day exercise. Both incidents were interpreted by the international community as Japan's open defiance of China's so-called assertiveness in the waters. In fact, as soon as Japan announced that its biggest warship will disembark on a voyage to the South China Sea in May, its contentious military maneuverings were seen more as a provocation to China than deterrence against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as was claimed by Japanese officials. In recent years, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe clinging to his ultra-right, revisionist thinking, Tokyo has been constantly pushing the boundaries prescribed by its pacifist Constitution and creating a bigger role for its Self-Defense Forces to play both at home and abroad. Abe has even said he would amend the Constitution's war-renouncing Article 9 by 2020 so that the SDF is officially recognized as Japan's military. Clockwise from top: The Tibetan dance is shown at the sixth International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Chengdu; Handicraft of countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative is a highlight of the show. An artist perform Quanzhou Puppet Show from Fujian province during the event; Wooden carving requires both techniques and aspirations. A worker introduces an embroidery painting of giant pandas to visitors; The hand-knitted bamboowares of Chengdu are presented during the event. Photos Provided to China Daily More than 5,000 guests across the world gather in Chengdu to discuss and protect classic artforms, Ren Xiaojin reports. The sixth International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Chengdu started on June 10 has brought the beauty of cultural diversity and glamour under the spotlight. The nine-day event, themed "cultural heritage preservation and development through practice", showcased such folk arts as performing arts and handicrafts from the countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Promoting Chinese festivals, operas and arts, the festival attracting more than 3 million visitors was made of a series of exhibitions, international conferences and forums, competitions on intangible cultural heritage and live stage performances. The festival invited more than 300 foreign guests from over 100 countries, more than 5,800 representatives from around the country including 2,800 experts, performers and delegates from all over China to present their pride in Chengdu. Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) praised Chengdu as an excellent host city for such an event. Known as the world's capital of food, Chengdu has abundant intangible cultural resources and has showcased how such resources can drive the economy and promote sustainability. This year's festival also echoed the Belt and Road Initiative and set up a handicraft exhibition in particular for the countries related to the initiative. The exhibition was divided into two parts: how to preserve and develop traditional crafts and how to integrate ancient crafts into modern industrial design. Nineteen countries and regions from Asia, Europe and Africa have sent delegates to the exhibition, including traditional clothing, painting, china and embroidery. Arzu Tutuncu, a Turkish artist specializing in handmade carpet, has shown up in the exhibition with precious products, including a six-square-meter carpet. "Turkish carpets were seen as a way to express emotions," said Arzu. "Turkish women express their happiness and sorrow through the patterns, shapes and colors of carpets. The process is very complicated and one square meter can take up to four months to make." The event also brought bark-clothing painting, a unique art form from Uganda to Chengdu. Such painting can be hardly seen anywhere else in the world due to the rarity of the bark material it requires. It requires more than 10 separate processes and two years to complete from the collection of the bark to the completion of the painting. "Many arts from the world were showcased in the show, and it has highlighted the importance of maintaining a diversity of culture," Francesco Bandarin, assistant director-general of UNESCO, said after attending the opening ceremony. "I would like to thank Chengdu for the effort it has poured into intangible culture preservation and inheritance." The event has also highlighted the world's shortage of apprentices, which is a major hurdle standing in the way of culture heritage preservation. To address the issue, the event committee set up four competitions in handicrafts, martial arts, folk music and dragon boats to encourage participation and engagement in traditional culture. Luo Shugang, minister of culture, showed a warm welcome to guests from the world at the ceremony. "The splendid intangible cultural heritage carries on the rich sentiment and values of human beings. It is the carrier of the excellent traditional cultures of all countries and ethnic groups, as well as the embodiment of cultural diversity and creativity," he said. Luo said as the first national-level and global festival to boost the protection of intangible cultural heritage, the event has evolved into a vital platform for promoting traditions, showcasing distinctive cultures and deepening global collaboration from a cultural perspective. Yin Li, governor of Sichuan province, further underpinned the role Chengdu plays in intangible cultural heritage protection. "Sichuan will keep learning from successful cases of protection and inheritance of cultural heritage from around the world," he said. "I hope that all the guests and people from all walks of life will fully support the festival and the protection of intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan." To further protect and inherit intangible cultural heritages, the country has launched more than 2,000 cultural activities on the first China Cultural and Natural Heritage Day earlier this month. Those activities include exhibitions, presentations, shows, competitive events, seminars and folk customs. Contact the writer at renxiaojin@chinadaily.com.cn Cultural heritage institute to industrialize, modernize ancient arts A research and development platform for scientific innovation, the Institute of Industrial Development of Intangible Cultural Heritage, was established at the International Intangible Cultural Heritage Park in Chengdu on June 11. Supported by the Sichuan Federation of Social Sciences Circle and the Research Center of the Development of Cultural Industries under the Sichuan Provincial Department of Education, the institute focuses on the advancement and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan in such fields as education and research, protection of intellectual property rights and international communication. It combines the advantageous resources of government, inheritors, universities and enterprises to transform traditional cultures into intangible cultural heritages in the province. Gong Qiang, vice-president of the institute, said the core team of the institute consists of renowned domestic scholars, successors of intangible cultural heritage and experts on creative cultural industries. In the future, they will explore modern education focusing on the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, such as writing systematic teaching materials and making video courses. Chen Siqi, president of the institute, said that as a pioneer in launching the creative culture program in Sichuan, the institute aims to offer more development models for R&D on cultural heritage. He said that the institute will play a key role in boosting intangible cultural heritage in China and in overseas markets. To upgrade designs of traditional crafts and make them part of modern life, the institute will deepen cooperation with inheritors in the future by establishing training programs to improve creativity and foster artistic accomplishments. (China Daily 06/28/2017 page24) A quintet from the Juilliard School performs in Tianjin on June 15 to mark the 800-day countdown ceremony for the Tianjin Juilliard School's opening in September 2019. [Photo provided to China Daily] A year before he steps down as the president of the Juilliard School, the New York-based performing arts conservatory, Joseph Polisi, the school's sixth and longest-serving president, has fulfilled his vision of global expansion. The school has broken ground for its first overseas campus in Chinathe Tianjin Juilliard School. "Having this program in China means that the Juilliard School has a global presence," the 70-year-old says. Polisi is a bassoon player and took his position at Juilliard in 1984. "It (the expansion) is something that I am deeply committed to. I will continue to be involved in this project after I step down, overseeing standards, procedures and processes," he says. Polisi was in Tianjin for the ceremony at the Yujiapu Pilot Free Trade Zone in the Tianjin Binhai New Area, a one-hour high-speed train journey from the capital. The Tianjin Juilliard School, which is scheduled to open in September 2019, will offer US-accredited full-time master's degrees in orchestral performance, chamber-music performance and collaborative piano. It'll also offer part-time programs for pre-college students, adult education and public performances. More than 200 students will join the graduate program for a Master of Music degree in 2019. They're selected by interviews and TOEFL test scores. All the courses will be taught in English by resident faculty, comprising Chinese and US teachers, and a constant flow of faculty from the Juilliard School in New York. Charles Renfro, partner and architect at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the company that's designing the Tianjin Juilliard School's facilities, says the building will cover about 35,000 square meters. Four pavilions will flank the main building. Each will have a performance space. The school, which is located along the Binhai River, is about a 10-minute walk from the train station. The lobby of the school will be open to the public, which allows people to see the practice rooms and hear the sounds of music being taught and made. "This will be a new hub for the entire region and a new destination for people who want to experience music," says Renfro. Polisi says the school will introduce two core values. One is to require students to be involved in working in communities, such as hospitals and senior centers, playing their music for patients and the elderly people there. The other is to develop student entrepreneurship by asking them to think about public speaking, effective writing and presentation. "We do not just want to train the younger generation musicians ... but also produce efficient and happy young people," says Polisi. In celebration of China's first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, a series of performances were held in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong province. A Guangdong Han Opera performer is seen in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong province, June 21, 2017. [Photo/VCG] Guangdong Han Opera, once called Waijiang Opera, is one of the three main operas in the province. The opera is also popular in western Fujian province, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Stephen Fung (right) and Tony Yeung [Photo provided to China Daily] French actor Jean Reno will co-star for the first time with Hong Kong star Andy Lau in the upcoming action thriller The Adventures, the producers said recently in Shanghai. The movie also marks Reno's first time to shoot a film in China in his 30-year-plus acting career . The star-studded cast also includes Taiwan actress Shu Qi, who's known for Hou Hsiao-hsien's The Assassin, and Taiwan actor Tony Yeung, recently known for his tough-guy role in the Hong Kong action thriller Cold War II. Shooting most of the scenes in France and the Czech Republic, The Adventures fictionalizes a treasure-hunting quest of three thieves, respectively played by Lau, Shu and Yeung, who traverse Europe to dodge the pursuit of the police officer (Reno). Stephen Fung, the Hong Kong star-turned director, says his new feature achieved a better visual effect by shooting real chases, fights and other action instead of computer-generated scenes. The movie also marks Fung's first teaming up with Shu after they got married in September 2016. The movie is set to open across Chinese mainland on Aug 17. Baotou gets new flight to Russia 2017-06-28 14:51:08 chinadaily.com.cn Lu Wei Flight GS7943 left Baotou Airport on June 24, heading for Irkutsk, Russia, marking the launch of a new direct flight linking the largest city of North Chinas Inner Mongolia autonomous region with one of the largest cities in Siberia, according to baotounews.com.cn. Flight GS7943 left Baotou Airport on June 24, heading for Irkutsk, Russia, marking the launch of a new direct flight linking the largest city of North Chinas Inner Mongolia autonomous region with one of the largest cities in Siberia, according to baotounews.com.cn. The flight, operated by Tianjin Airlines using an Airbus A320, is scheduled to fly twice a week on Tuesday and Saturday. The flight leaves Baotou at 11:30, and reaches Irkutsk at 14:00. The return flight takes off at 15:40 and arrives in Baotou at 17:50. We gave up the idea of traveling to Russia years ago as we had to get to Beijing to take a direct flight to Russia, said a Dalad Banner resident surnamed Zhang who is in his 60s. Baotou city has become increasingly well connected to foreign countries and cities in recent years with new air routes recently launched including direct flights to Nha Trang, Vietnam; Inchon, Republic of Korea; and Ulan Bator, capital of Mongolia. Over the past few years, Baotou has formed partnerships with Russia in various areas as part of the implementation of national strategies for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Russia-Mongolia Economic Corridor. Also, to smooth travel to Russia, a new visa system will be introduced in September. Foreign tourists can fill in applications for an electronic visa on websites designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The electronic visa will be valid for 30 days and tourists can stay in Russia with the visa for eight days. Books donations help migrant children in Hohhot 2017-06-28 17:28:24 chinadaily.com.cn Hundreds of migrant children in Hohhot received books donated from Inner Mongolia Library on June 27. The event organizers hope to improve education standards for the children of migrant workers. Hundreds of migrant children in Hohhot received books donated from Inner Mongolia Library on June 27. The event organizers hope to improve education standards for the children of migrant workers. Over the past years, millions of Chinese migrant workers have left their rural hometowns and flocked to the big cities, where they can usually find better-paying jobs in manufacturing rather than through working as farmers back home. Many of the children of these workers have had tough lives. They are sometimes labeled a lost generation. Because of the high costs of urban life, many migrant workers leave their children back home the so-called left-behind children. Nevertheless, millions of migrant workers have brought their children with them to their jobs, and live with them in the cities where they work. Sometimes these children and their families lack a local community support network, and often they dont qualify for government schools because of Chinas hukou system, a household-registration system that determines the kind of welfare benefits residents can get in a specific place. Migrant children who inherit the so-called rural residence hukou from their parents dont get the same rights as their new urban peers. These children are forced to go to makeshift private schools, which often lack adequate teaching and basic facilities. Disconnected from their original communities in rural areas, but without regular attention from a nearby parent, many of these children are only slowly developing the skills needed to function as adults in society. In some cases, theyre getting a worse education than their parents did a generation ago in rural China. The number of migrant children is increasing. In 2010, one out of every four children in Chinas urban areas was a migrant child, according to a survey by the United Nations Childrens Fund. In 2013, that proportion rose to one out of three a total of 35.8 million children. Li urges Singapore to promote China, ASEAN relations 2017-06-28 07:30:29 China Daily Hu Yongqi Premier Li Keqiang urged Singapore on Tuesday to play a constructive role to promote China-ASEAN ties as China-ASEAN country coordinator and the organization's chairing nation next year. Premier Li Keqiang urged Singapore on Tuesday to play a constructive role to promote China-ASEAN ties as China-ASEAN country coordinator and the organization's chairing nation next year. Li said China's ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are a vital part of its relations with neighboring countries and China supports the integration of the ASEAN community. The premier made the comment when meeting the city-state's Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the sidelines of the Summer Davos in Dalian, Liaoning province. The premier said China is willing to strengthen bilateral cooperation in regional connectivity and accelerate negotiations to upgrade the existing free trade agreement and for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which will send a strong signal to the world of China and ASEAN safeguarding free trade and promoting regional development. China and Singapore have engaged in frequent high-level exchanges, and the logistics center in Chongqing has helped strengthen regional connectivity, Li added. In response, Shanmugaratnam said his country is willing to expand bilateral cooperation in key areas, accelerate negotiations on the free trade agreement upgrade and the RCEP, and relentlessly endeavor to promote the development of the strategic partnership of ASEAN countries and the world's second-largest economy. Li also met with the prime ministers of Sweden and Finland on Tuesday on sidelines of the Summer Davos, where more than 2,000 participants gathered. All three foreign leaders extended their condolences over the lives lost in the landslide in Sichuan province last week. When meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Li said Sweden is one of China's important partners in Europe, especially in North Europe, as it was the first Western country to forge diplomatic ties with China. He said China is willing to align with Sweden's development strategies and boost cooperation in fields such as innovation, third-party markets, cultural exchanges and tourism, which will enhance understanding and communications between both peoples. Lofven said Sweden will enhance communications and coordination with China in multilateral affairs and move bilateral ties to a new stage. In his meeting with Prime Minister Juha Sipila, Li said China-Finland cooperation has great potential as the North European country has huge advantages in ecological protection, high technologies and winter sports. Sipila said his country supports China's hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and would like to strengthen cooperation in winter sports. State Councilor calls for stable, strong China-Philippines ties 2017-06-28 22:01:46 chinadaily.com.cn Hu Yongqi China and the Philippines should further enhance political trust and align development strategies to develop a stable and strong bilateral relationship, State Councilor Yang Jiechi said during a meeting on Wednesday with Filipino Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano. China and the Philippines should further enhance political trust and align development strategies to develop a stable and strong bilateral relationship, State Councilor Yang Jiechi said during a meeting on Wednesday with Filipino Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano. Yang said China-Philippines relations have improved under the leadership of both countries' presidents over the past year. Now bilateral relations are maintaining a good momentum in all respects. In the next stage, both sides should further strengthen political trust, deepen cooperation in all fields and, maintain excellent interactions over maritime affairs, Yang said. By doing that, bilateral ties can remain stable and smooth and grow stronger, he said. China supports the Philippines as the chairing country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year. Cayetano said his country appreciates the positive role China has played in maintaining regional peace, stability and development. The Philippines would like to work with China to promote bilateral ties to make greater achievements with opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, the secretary said. HK seen as a bridge to the United Kingdom 2017-06-28 19:58:21 China Daily UK LEI XIAOXUN/DU XIAOYING Highlighting Hong Kong's indispensable role as a bridge linking China and the United Kingdom as the Sino-UK partnership enters its"golden era", Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming called for concerted commitment to the "one country, two systems" principle to maintain the SAR's long-term prosperity and stability. Highlighting Hong Kong's indispensable role as a bridge linking China and the United Kingdom as the Sino-UK partnership enters its"golden era", Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming called for concerted commitment to the "one country, two systems" principle to maintain the SAR's long-term prosperity and stability. Liu made the remark late on Monday to an audience of more than 200, including lords and members of parliament, during a celebration to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. Praising Hong Kong's return as a landmark in modern Chinese history, the ambassador singled out a long list of achievements that show the "one country, two systems" principle has been hugely successful in the special administrative region. Hong Kong's GDP has doubled. It remains a global center of finance, shipping and trade, and continues to be one of the freest and the most competitive economies in the world. It houses the fifth-largest container port and is the eighth-biggest trading entity in the world. Citing the right balance between the governance of the central government and the autonomy enjoyed by the SAR as an example, Liu emphasized that the central government is consistent in its strict adherence to the Constitution and the Basic Law and, as a result, Hong Kong is making steady progress in its democratic governance. "From political stability, governance efficiency and regulatory quality to the rule of law, control over corruption, right to expression and accountability, many indicators are showing Hong Kong's improvement over pre-handover years," he said. To fend of worries about the future of the principle and concerns about a"policy change" by the Chinese government, Liu called for better understanding of Hong Kong's reality and the Chinese government's policy. "Hong Kong has been successful in the past two decades. That means 'one country, two systems' is a good principle," he said. "A good principle will not change." Liu also cited President Xi Jinping as saying: "Whatever difficulties and challenges there are, our confidence and determination for the 'one country, two systems' principle remains unchanged, and our confidence and determination in implementing this principle remains unchanged." He also reaffirmed the central government's staunch support for Hong Kong's ties and cooperation with the world. But he said China firmly opposes any interference in Hong Kong affairs by any foreign country for any reason. He said facts that must be respected include: "Hong Kong has returned to China; China has sovereignty over Hong Kong; the 'one country, two systems' principle must be seen in its totality; Hong Kong-related issues must be handled appropriately." Contact the writers at leixiaoxun@chinadaily.com.cn Trump is said to look forward to meeting Xi at G20 2017-06-29 05:41:34 chinadaily.com.cn CHEN WEIHUA in Washington US President Donald Trump is looking forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Germany to continue to build a constructive and results-oriented bilateral relationship, a senior White House official said on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump is looking forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Germany to continue to build a constructive and results-oriented bilateral relationship, a senior White House official said on Wednesday. The official made the remarks in a background briefing about the visit to the US by South Korea President Moon Jae-in, which started late Wednesday. The official, whose name was not to be used for background briefing purpose, said that he doesn't have anything to announce in terms of the substance of the conversation. "But I know that President Trump is looking to continuing his conversation, his running conversation that he has been having with Xi Jinping since Mar-a-Lago, and phone calls, and, of course, correspondence since then," he said. "So he is looking forward to continuing what has been so far constructive and results-oriented relationship between China and the United States," he added. On June 22, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi told Trump during their meeting at the White House that Xi looks forward to meeting him again during the G20 Summit and welcomes Trump to make a state visit to China this year. Yang was in the US last week for the inaugural China-US Diplomatic and Security Dialogue (D&SD) held in Washington. This year's G20 Summit, the 12th such meeting, will be held on July 7-8 in Hamburg. During their first meeting at Trump's estate in Florida in early April, the 45th US president accepted Xi's invitation for a state visit to China this year. At the conclusion of the D&SD last week, China and the US recognized that maintaining close high-level exchanges is very important and are willing to make joint efforts to achieve positive outcomes for the Hamburg meeting between the two presidents and President Trump's state visit to China in 2017, according a press release from the Chinese delegation attending the talk last week. Both Trump and Xi have spoken positively of the achievement at their Mar-a-Lago meeting. At the meeting, the two governments announced a new comprehensive dialogue mechanism, which includes the just-held D&SD, and the upcoming Comprehensive Economic Dialogue, Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Dialogue, and Social and Cultural Issues Dialogue. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirmed on June 23 that Trump's daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, will also be visiting China later this year. US news reports cited White House official as saying that the couple's visit will take place ahead of Trump's state visit. Ivanka Trump is an assistant toTrump, while Kushner is senior adviser to Trump. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com Xi's trip to inject positive energy into global economy 2017-06-28 02:08:21 China Daily AN BAIJIE President Xi Jinping's trip to Russia and Germany is expected to give boost to the global economy amid China's efforts to boost free trade and open economies. President will make visits to Russia and Germany, attend Group of 20 summit President Xi Jinping's upcoming trip to Russia and Germany, starting on Monday, is expected to inject positive energy into the global economy amid China's efforts to boost free trade and open economies, analysts said. Xi will make the state visits through July 6 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who confirmed the trip on Tuesday. The president will also attend the 12th Group of 20 summit on July 7 and 8 in Hamburg, Germany. It will be Xi's fifth time participating in the G20 summit since he was elected China's president in 2013. Chen Fengying, a senior researcher on the world economy at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that at the G20 Hamburg summit, China is likely to offer its solutions to such issues as globalization, the revolution in intelligent industries and how to make development sustainable. During the G20 Hangzhou summit in Zhejiang province last year, China contributed to improving global governance by proposing innovation, structural reform and free trade, crucial elements for the recovery of the global economy, she said. The success of the G20 Hangzhou summit will help leaders reach consensus at Hamburg, she added. Chen Yurong, a senior researcher in Eurasian studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said that the countries should work together to keep the multilateral discussions going to achieve win-win cooperation at a time when the global economy is facing more challenges. China and Russia are facing more opportunities to boost pragmatic cooperation, especially in infrastructure and energy, amid the two countries' ongoing efforts to align the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union, Chen Yurong said. Cooperation projects in infrastructure construction and energy between China and Russia include the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, the Moscow-Kazan high speed railway, Arctic sea route exploration and energy pipelines. The two countries will be able to deepen cooperation in areas including education, energy, manufacturing, sports, tourism and trade under the framework of the Belt and Road as well as the EEU, she added. Jin Yong, a professor of international relations at the Communication University of China, said that Germany plays a key role in China's economic cooperation with Europe, and Xi's visit will bring more opportunities for the two countries to boost pragmatic cooperation. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the China-Germany diplomatic relationship, and Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Germany four weeks ago has also brought positive progress in bilateral ties, he added. Zhou Jin contributed to this story. Meet China's new 'savvy, sustainable and single' consumers 2017-06-28 15:57:36 chinadaily.com.cn Zhu Lingqing in Dalian, Liaoning province Savvy, eco-conscious and single customers are among an emerging breed of cashed-up shoppers leading the rapid growth in China's consumer market, according to a report released by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and AliResearch on Wednesday. Savvy, eco-conscious and single customers are among an emerging breed of cashed-up shoppers leading the rapid growth in China's consumer market, according to a report released by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and AliResearch on Wednesday. The report, released on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the New Champions 2017, also known as Summer Davos, in Dalian, Liaoning province, identifies a range of new consumer profiles springing up in China's consumer market labeling them as "fashionable city boy", "vibrant seniors" and "singles". Boston Consulting Group China President Carol Liao said the emerging consumer power of the upper-middle-class and affluent households combined with a younger population that is eager to spend and e-commerce, is boosting the healthy development of China's consumer market. "As changes have happened to consumer demand, consumer behavior and lifestyle, the consumer profiles in China are becoming personalized, precise and fragmented," Liao said. While the traditional consumption boundaries such as age and gender are disappearing, consumers are increasingly aware of brand, environmental issues and sustainability, the report found. For example, the report said Chinese men living in first-tier cities now spend more time and money on dress, hairstyle and fitness. They spend 24 minutes a day on average on grooming while 88 percent access grooming and fashion information online and 83 percent of 18 to 35 year olds think skincare is necessary. The report categorizes emerging consumers in China into five types of spenders - the "savvy shopper", "single person", "eco-conscious consumer", "experience consumer" and "anime or virtual social network consumer". Sixty-six million customers, or 16.2 percent of the consumers on Alibaba's China retail marketplaces, bought five or more green products in 2015 and were willing to pay an average of 33 percent more for sustainable products, AliResearch found. "Chinese consumers are trading up to higher-quality products," Jeff Walters, BCG managing director and co-author of the report said. "Digital technology is one of the underlying drivers that will continue to spur purchases." Walters said consumer companies in China should acknowledge that the idea of the average consumer is disappearing as consumers are becoming more diverse with distinct needs and preferences. Gao Hongbing, dean of AliResearch and vice-president of Alibaba Group, said that amid the growth of anti-globalization sentiments, consumption has become a key force to promote globalization and economic growth. "The rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce shows Chinese customers' appetite for foreign products are increasing. The seamless convergence between the online and offline retail is boosting the growth of consumption, which benefits both China and the world," Gao said. Walters predicted 90 percent of all purchases in China will involve digital at some point in the process, including browsing, comparing prices, or making the purchase, by 2021. The report said China will add $1.8 trillion in new consumption by 2021, which is roughly the size of Germany's consumption economy at present and more than one-fourth of all consumption growth in major economies. Nanjing University students take group photos after their graduation ceremony. [Photo/Xinhua] The Times Higher Education in June published its World Reputation Rankings, the list of the world's most prestigious universities compiled from research insight from leading global academics. Harvard University takes the top spot for the seventh year in a row. With 42 institutions in the top 100, the United States continues to dominate. Chinese universities also enjoyed a good run in this year's rankings. Tsinghua University is the highest ranking Chinese university, placing 14th, and is the second most prestigious Asia-Pacific university. The third is Peking University, which is 17th overall. Both have gained four places compared with last year's index. Zhejiang University has performed well, rising 30 places to the joint 51-60 bracket. It overtook both Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, both found in the 81-90 band. Nanjing University has broken into the top 100 for the first time and is ranked 91-100. The University of Hong Kong features in the top 40 for the first time in five years after climbing six places to joint 39th. The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology are in the 71-80 band. In total, the Asia-Pacific has 28 institutions in the ranking, with Japan's University of Tokyo the highest in the region in 11th place. Phil Baty, Times Higher Education rankings editor, spoke highly of Chinese universities' performance this year. "A striking feature of the World Reputation Rankings is the continued rise of China." According to the Times, its World Reputation Rankings are created using the world's largest invitation-only academic-opinion surveya unique piece of research. The Academic Reputation Survey, available in 15 languages, uses United Nations data as a guide to ensure that the response coverage is as representative of world scholarship as possible. It is also evenly spread across academic disciplines. The questionnaire, which is administered on behalf of the Times by Elsevier, targets only experienced, published scholars, who offer their views on excellence in research and teaching within their disciplines and at institutions with which they are familiar. The 2017 rankings are based on a survey carried out between January and March, which received 10,566 responses. Times Higher Education is one of the world's most authoritative sources of information about higher education. First cargo departs Urumqi for Bangladesh By Sun Hui ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-06-28 The UrumqiQingdao PortBangladesh train departs from Urumqi with cargo bound for Bangladesh on June 23. [Photo/ts.cn] A freight train hauling 56 cars of PVC products from Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co Ltd departed from Urumqi on June 23. The freight will first arrive at the Port of Qingdao, Shandong province, by train before being shipped to Chittagong, Bangladesh, via ocean freighter, as outlined in a strategic agreement signed between the Urumqi International Land Port Zone and Qingdao Port International Co Ltd on June 19. Qingdao is the second eastern port city to realize a rail-sea transportation agreement with the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District) following an accord with Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, in May. Containers of PVC products from Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co Ltd are loaded onto the Urumqi-Qingdao Port train in Urumqi on June 23. [Photo/ts.cn] The rail-sea freight model acts to better serve Xinjiang companies, saving in transportation time and cost, according to Jiao Jianmin, head of Qingdao Port International's Xinjiang office. Liu Haijiang, member of the Toutunhe district's standing committee, said that the Urumqi-Qingdao Port freight train will benefit from the infrastructure, favorable policies, port services and transportation resources of both cities. Edited by Zachary Dye An industrial robot interacts with a participant of the Dalian Summer Davos Annual Meeting at the Dalian International Conference Center in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, June 27, 2017. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn] Artificial intelligence, intelligent robots, e-commerce, big data: These are some of the technological advancements in the ongoing new industrial revolution that are profoundly changing our lives. As Premier Li Keqiang remarked in his opening speech at the 11th Annual Meeting of the New Champions on Tuesday, farmers in China's remote mountainous areas can now see their specialty products reach urban consumers in just one or two days, and at prices several times higher than if they were sold locallyall thanks to the booming online trading platforms and express delivery networks that have emerged in recent years. Li used this as an example to highlight how technology and innovation can accelerate more inclusive economic growth, featuring meaningful job creation and sustainable development, a main theme of the three-day meeting, known as the Summer Davos, which is being held in the coastal city of Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province. Indeed China has a lot to share on how jobs can be created by promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Over the last four to five years, more than 50 million new jobs, or around 10 million annually, have been created in the country, a remarkable achievement of the government's endeavor to promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation, which, as Li said, has seen 14,000 new enterprises registered each day over the past three years. By helping foster a rapid development of new industries and business models, such as e-commerce, mobile payments and the building of a sharing economy, technology and innovation are playing a key role in China's bid to upgrade and transition its economy to more sustainable growth. China can share that experience with the political and business leaders from other countries attending the meeting. The new growth momentum not only created 70 percent of all new jobs in the country last year, it also laid a firm foundation for China to realize its growth target of around 6.5 percent for the year. Such robust economic performance is a boon to the world economy that is still suffering from insufficient recovery momentum. And as Li noted in his speech, the Chinese economy will bring more opportunities to the world and continue to be a magnet for foreign investment as it further opens up. This, together with his pledge to give foreign and Chinese businesses fair and equal treatment, will surely contribute to global inclusive growth if, as he urged, countries seek convergent interests and complement each other's advantages. Photo taken on June 26, 2017 shows the China's new bullet train "Fuxing" at Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China. China's next generation bullet train "Fuxing" debuted on the Beijing-Shanghai line on Monday. A CR400AF model departed Beijing South Railway Station at 11:05 a.m. for Shanghai. At the same time, the CR400BF model left Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station for Beijing. The new bullet trains, also known as electric multiple units (EMU), boast top speeds of 400 kilometers an hour and a consistent speed of 350 kilometers an hour. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) Two new high-speed trains were put into operation on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail line on Monday. The two trains are a new model called Fuxing, or Rejuvenation, to which China holds the complete intellectual property rights. Compared with the other high-speed trains in service in the country that have been designed and built with foreign technologies to different foreign standards, the new trains use core technologies developed in China and are built to a unified Chinese standard. The lack of high-speed trains built on a unified standard has imposed high operating and support costs on China Railway Corp, the State-owned rail operator, and hampered China's efforts to export its rail technology and products. The launch of the new bullet trains means China's high-speed trains have now bid farewell to their follower status and embarked on a new journey as pacesetters. It also marks a substantial stride forward in China's bid to develop into a global high-tech power. The realization of self-developed technologies for the new trains, including their overall design and all key parts, such as traction, brake and control software, indicates that China has fully mastered the core high-speed train technologies and this is expected to boost the reputation and core competitiveness of its high-speed trains in the international market. The successful operation of the new bullet trains is not an accidental development but a reward for China's sufficient institutional guarantees and heavy technological inputs. The research and development into a standard Chinese high-speed train was listed as a key national project and China Railway Corp has mobilized technological personnel from various domestic research institutes to this end since 2012. In particular, reform measures aimed at smashing barriers in the way of technological innovation have been adopted in recent years, creating a favorable ideal institutional environment for innovation. Thus the Fuxing bullet trains and other science and technology breakthroughs are signs that China is starting to realize its long-cherished Fuxing dream, or the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. -XINHUA NEWS AGENCY A student from a primary school in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, practices for the aoshu, or math Olympiad, during a class in July 2014.[Photo/Xinhua] MANY MIDDLE-CLASS PARENTS in China seem in a state of permanent anxiety about their children's future, fearing that if they don't develop any artistic talent or lag behind in education they will be a loser for the rest of their lives. China Youth Daily comments: Such a mentality is understandable, as the huge demand means quality education resources are scare. As a result the best schools set enrollment tests so they can select the best students, that requires the kids to have the knowledge that they are supposed to learn in higher grades. And children only qualify to sit these tests if the parents own a house in the schools' catchment areas, which may mean buying a new property for that purpose. That could cost millions of yuan in big cities, thus fending off children from poorer families. Many expensive after-school training agencies have also sprung up warning parents not to let children lose the race on the starting line. Thus the children have no real choice, and they are compelled to receive education and training that is in advance of their ages and irrespective of their personal interests. This stressful trend has permeated the whole of society to such an extent that the children who do not go for extracurricular training are left behind in their class. But a question the parents should be asking is how many children lose their interests in math and science, just because they are forced to receive training for the International Mathematical Olympiad in extracurricular classes at an early age. Few parents heed the warnings of education experts that the overload in learning may quench children's thirst for knowledge. And in spite of the education authorities' ban on after-school training in public schools, the training has simply taken on other forms and has never abated. To relieve parents of their anxiety, local governments need to distribute the quality education resources more fairly and increase the supply of education resources across the country, reform the national college entrance exam system, which fosters the rote learning and exam-oriented education, and diversify the talent assessment mechanism and dredge the upward mobility channels in the society so that exam scores are not viewed as the be-all and end-all for a child's future. Splashing water may become a new mahjong strategy as it distract competitors -- some Chongqing residents play mahjong at a water park to have fun while cooling off, July 8, 2014.[Photo/Chinanews] A WOMAN AND HER THREE CHILDREN died in a fire at their home in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Thursday. The nanny was subsequently arrested on suspicion of arson. Beijing News commented on Tuesday: People are naturally asking why the nanny would start the blaze in the high-end residence in Hangzhou, especially since she was reportedly treated well by the family. Apart from a decent salary, the couple reportedly loaned her 100,000 yuan ($14,870) when she told them she needed the money to purchase a property in her hometown. Some assume the couple's total trust in the nanny cost four lives, while some urged households to think twice before hiring a nanny. But the tragedy in Hangzhou, if it proves to be the act of the nanny, was because of her psychological issues not her job. Judging by the nanny's heavy debt and record of frequenting casinos, it can be concluded that she has long been troubled by her compulsion to gamble and her inability to cover her losses, hence her desperate acts like theft and possible arson that make little sense to the clear-minded. So if the nanny does prove to be guilty, it is her obsession with gambling that should be held responsible for her acts. Gambling can easily become addictive to some, constituting a mental disorder . Since the nanny in Hangzhou had been accused of stealing and gambling by previous employers, the question that should be asked is how could she be recommended and hired as a live-in caretaker when it was known she had a gambling problem. The foreign enterprises service branch of China International Intellectech Corp, a human resource service and outsourcing agency, recently released the results of a health survey it conducted of white-collar workers. More than 60 percent of the thousands of respondents said they are obese due to overwork. The respondents also said obesity is a "common disease" among white-collar workers. And more than 65 percent of respondents, along with over 52 percent of human resources staff members, said obesity should be listed as "occupational injury". Impaired health is a common complaint of white-collar workers, who usually work in offices and don't get enough physical exercise. Health experts say that in some cases overwork can lead to obesity, especially when individuals don't get enough sleep and exercise, have irregular eating habits and are almost always under pressure. In developed countries such as the United States and Japan, many who regard "obesity due to overwork" as an occupational disease believe steps should be taken in advance to prevent it. In Japan, there are specific waistline standards for male and female employees. Once an employee exceeds the waistline standard, he or she will be urged to lose weight. And if an employee fails to do so, the enterprise may be fined. Many people say enterprises should provide health management services to prevent obesity due to overwork, including providing gyms and health consultations in the office. Children of She ethnic group sit in front of a monument that reads "China's No. 1 Poverty Relief Village" at Chixi Village, Panxi town, Fuding city in East China's Fujian province, Feb 14, 2016. The village has shaken off poverty thanks to assistance from Party and government officials at all levels over the past 30 years. [Photo/Xinhua] Human rights remain one of top global concerns in the era of globalization. But given the different views of different countries on human rights protection, how can we effectively promote human rights worldwide? The answer should be adherence to dialogue, exchanges, cooperation and coordination, because neither criticism nor confrontation is conducive to promoting global governance on any issue. Global exchanges have created common interests, as well as common risks. Since the Earth's resources are limited, the misconduct of one country could compromise the interests of the others, even push humankind as a whole toward destruction. So to seek common interests, tackle common risks and solve common problems, all members of the international community should work together in a constructive manner and avoid creating problems or intensifying contradictions by trying to undermine each other. If the world makes efforts to resolve international issues through consultation, all involved parties would benefit. But if it adopts a divisive or confrontational approach, all parties would suffer. In particular, this principle applies to military security, trade, natural resources, the environment and human rights protection. The perception and definition of human rights is different, even if slightly, across societies and civilizations. Ancient Chinese sages have stressed the importance of comparison, exchange, and learning from and paying respect to each other, while advocating that people should adjust their own attitude and actions to build social harmony. That's why China emphasized "respecting each other" when it advocated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in the 1950s, which, to some extent, reflects China's understanding of the essence of inter-state relations, that is, all countries should be equal when it comes to their legal status and they should recognize the legitimacy of other countries' cultures, customs and definitions of issues such as human rights. Only in this way can they carry out effective long-term cooperation. Trans-civilization and trans-border dialogue help countries to protect, not lose, their interests. All countries have the right to have their own definitions and concepts of human rights issues based on their economic and social development models. Instead of demanding that the definitions and concepts be identical or similar, the countries, especially the strong powers, should try to seek common ground for holding dialogue. If countries and regions with different historical and cultural backgrounds, and different political systems can share their experiences on human rights protection among themselves, their efforts will produce mutually complementary results and broaden their vision on the issue. If all countries sit together and discuss how the global risks and problems they face could and should be tackled, they can resolve thorny issues and strengthen human rights protection. International cooperation is mandatory for establishing sound global governance when it comes to human rights protection. Also, international exchanges and tolerance usually leads to friendly cooperation among countries while belligerency could lead to conflicts. Peaceful discussions on contradictory views on human rights will not lead to confrontation, but instead they could facilitate mutual understanding among different countries. It is naive for one country to adopt a haughty and prejudiced approach toward the others and ignore their social background, resource endowments and other factors. History tells us that criticisms have never compelled a country to improve its human rights conditions. Only a society built on the basis of consultations can become a community of shared destiny and realize win-win results. And only with mutual understanding and mutual tolerance can different countries find common paths and standards for human rights protection, and the world can march toward greater harmony and prosperity. The author is a professor of human rights studies at Jilin University and managing director of China Society for Human Rights Studies. SHI YU/CHINA DAILY Despite seemingly mixed messages, China's great shift from easing to tightening has begun. While growth will continue to decelerate, it can still remain on the deceleration track, even as deleveraging has begun. In May, Moody's Investor Service downgraded China's credit rating. But it took less than a day for China's financial markets to recover from the downgrade. Recently, index giant MSCI announced the partial inclusion of China-traded A shares in the MSCI Emerging Market Index, a move which was seen as overdue in the mainland because China is under-represented in global equity indexes relative to its economic influence. The inclusion is thus predicated on a long and gradual move. In brief, Moody's believes the rapid rise of Chinese debt has potential to degrade its future prospects, while MSCI thinks China's future is grossly undervalued. The first focuses on the cyclical story; the second on the secular potential. There is a reason for the seemingly mixed messages: Like advanced economies, China has now a debt challenge. Yet the context is different and so are the implications. In 2015, the United States' total debt (private non-financial debt plus government debt) exceeded 251 percent of the economy. Except for Germany (166 percent), the comparable figures in other major European economies, including the United Kingdom (249 percent), France (278 percent) and Italy (253 percent), are similar to that of the US. In Japan, total debt exceeds a whopping 415 percent of GDP. In China, it was 221 percent but it has grown very rapidly. The numbers illustrate the stakes, but not the story. In advanced economies, total debt has accrued over the past half a century, decades following industrialization. After rapid acceleration amid industrialization and the move to post-industrial society, their growth has decelerated, along with excessive debt burden in the postwar era. The advanced economies' debt is the result of high living standards that are no longer fueled by catch-up growth and are not adequately backed up by productivity, innovation and growth. So living standards are sustained with leverage. In China, total debt accrued in the past decade amid industrialization. Unlike advanced economies, different regions in China are still coping with different degrees of industrialization. As the urbanization rate is about 56 percent, intensive urbanization will continue for another decade or two. Due to differences in economic development, living standards in China remain significantly lower relative to advanced economies. Yet rising living standards, which the central government hopes to double by 2020, are fueled by catch-up growth and supported by productivity, innovation and growth. In advanced economies, debt is a secular burden; in China, it is cyclical side effect. In both, left unmanaged, it has potential to undermine the future. But why did Chinese debt rise so rapidly? Even in 2008, it was 132 percent. Only a tenth was central government debt (17 percent), and most involved private debt (115 percent). In 2015, government debt was about the same (16 percent), but private debt had soared (205 percent). The dramatic increase can be attributed to two surges. The first is the result of the massive $585 billion stimulus package of 2009, which contributed to new infrastructure in China and to global growth prospects. But the huge amount of liquidity it unleashed for speculation is today reflected in excessive local government debt (included in private non-financial debt data). Another sharp surge followed last year, which saw a huge credit expansion as banks extended a record $1.8 trillion of loans. It was driven by robust mortgage growth, despite government measures to cool housing prices. As a result, credit was growing twice as fast as the growth rate. But since late last year, the cyclical story has been shifting. For years, policymakers have advocated tougher measures against leverage. Concurrently, global pressures have increased with the US Federal Reserve's rate hikes. The big news is that deleveraging has already begun. Late last year, China's central bank adopted a tighter monetary stance and has increased tightening this year. In May, according to Reuters, the total social financing amount fell to $156 billion from $200 billion, much more than analysts expected. As the decline was driven by non-bank financing, broad M2 money supply expanded by less than 10 percent on a year-to-year basis, the weakest pace in two decades. For now, policymakers' deleveraging is on track, as long as it does not downgrade the growth target. In China, it is a medium-term project. In advanced economies, deleveraging is likely to take far longer. But they will not succeed without structural reformsjust as China is already executing reforms to rebalance the economy toward consumption and innovation. The author is the founder of Difference Group and has served as research director at the India, China and America Institute (USA) and visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore). South China Sea [Luo Jie / China Daily] If there was still any doubt over Japan's increasing strategic regional ambitions, the recent activities of its biggest warship Izumo have just laid that to rest. Last week, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces helicopter destroyer sailed near China's Nine-Dash Line in the South China Sea with military officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states on board as guests. And before that, in mid June, the Izumo joined the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in the South China Sea for a three-day exercise. Both incidents were interpreted by the international community as Japan's open defiance of China's so-called assertiveness in the waters. In fact, as soon as Japan announced that its biggest warship will disembark on a voyage to the South China Sea in May, its contentious military maneuverings were seen more as a provocation to China than deterrence against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as was claimed by Japanese officials. In recent years, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe clinging to his ultra-right, revisionist thinking, Tokyo has been constantly pushing the boundaries prescribed by its pacifist Constitution and creating a bigger role for its Self-Defense Forces to play both at home and abroad. Abe has even said he would amend the Constitution's war-renouncing Article 9 by 2020 so that the SDF is officially recognized as Japan's military. Last year, the Abe administration ramrodded a controversial security bill through parliament, giving the green light to the SDF for the first time since the end of World War II to engage in armed conflicts overseas even when Japan is not under attack. Against this backdrop, the maneuvering of the Izumo symbolized a significant step for Japan in its efforts to fulfill the Abe administration's strategic ambition overseas. And to extend the tentacles of the SDF overseas, Japan has used its maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea and other regional disputes, such as those in the South China Sea, as a pretext. Japan has nothing to do with China's maritime disputes with some ASEAN member states in the South China Sea. Yet it has developed a penchant for meddling in those disputes, which will disturb rather than build peace and stability in the region. The activities of the Izumo in the South China Sea highlight Japan's intention to fish in troubled waters. Japan may try to consolidate its role as the "deputy sheriff" of the United States in the region by whipping up anti-China sentiments in the countries involved in the South China Sea disputes. In the process, it could also strengthen its hold in the region. But despite all its machinations, Japan will ultimately realize that its ulterior intentions are nothing but wishful thinking. Since US President Donald Trump's administration appears to lack interest in containing China's rise owing to its "America First" principle, the prospects for Japan to jump onto the US bandwagon to confront China now looks bleak. Besides, Japan's intention of driving a wedge between China and some ASEAN members over the South China Sea disputes is doomed to failure, now that China and the 10-member bloc have completed the drafting of a framework for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The draft reflects the two sides' strong political will to resolve the maritime disputes through peaceful negotiation, and speaks volumes of the region's consensus on maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. And outside forces, be it Japan or some other country, cannot disrupt this process. As for Japan's ambition of playing a bigger role in the region and beyond, it has already invited criticism for its rightist stance and actions. Japanese leaders should understand that before they truly repent for Japan's militarist past, any move to build up the country's military muscle will only be counterproductive. The author is a senior writer with China Daily.wanghui@chinadaily.com.cn Xu Jinghu (L), the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, meets with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in kigali, capital of Rwanda, June 26, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] KIGALI - China is willing to work closely with Rwanda to implement consensus reached by leaders of China and Rwanda, a Chinese official said on Monday. Xu Jinghu, the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, made the remarks while meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 46 years ago, bilateral relations between China and Rwanda have been developing healthily and smoothly, said Xu, who was visit Rwanda from June 24 to June 26. During President Kagame's visit to China in March, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kagame reached important consensus on future development of bilateral relations. Under the consensus, China is willing to closely work with Rwanda to deepen friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, and make the two peoples better benefit from China-Rwanda relations. Kagame said at the meeting with Xu that Rwanda pays highly attention to developing relations with China. After his latest visit to China, the development of bilateral relations is showing a good momentum. BEIJING - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday a police helicopter attacked the Supreme Court in Caracas, when he was speaking live on state television. Maduro claimed that weapons could be used to protect his socialist government, as opposition protests have been going on for three months. US President Donald Trump flanked by US Senators Dean Heller (L) of Nevada, Susan Collins (2nd L) of Maine, Lisa Murkowski (2nd R) of Alaska and Orrin Hatch (R) of Utah, meet to discuss the healthcare bill at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2017. [Photo/VCG] WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that if the health care bill to repeal and replace Obamacare fails to pass in the Senate, he won't like it but "that's OK." He made the remarks shortly after Senate Republican decided earlier Tuesday to delay the voting until after the July 4 recess due to lack of enough supporting votes. "This will be great if we get it done and if we don't get it done it's going to be something that we're not going to like and that's OK and I can understand that." Trump told a gathering of Senate Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted Tuesday that the Republican effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare isn't dead, despite the Senate vote delaying. "No, no, we're continuing to talk about it. It's a very complicated subject. I remember how challenging it was for the Democrats," he told reporters, "We're still optimistic we're going to get there." With 52 seats, the Republican Party can only afford to lose two senators and still rely on Vice President Pence to break a tie. Pushback from several senators appeared too great to overcome this week, especially after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the Senate bill would increase the number of people without health insurance by 22 million by 2026. Earlier on Tuesday, four Republican senators said they would not support an initial vote on the bill, while five have said they couldn't support the bill without change on a final vote. The entire Democratic Party is expected to stand against the bill, which means the Republicans can only lose support of two lawmakers in the Senate. Before the budget office released its report on Monday, the American Medical Association officially announced its opposition to the bill, and the National Governors Association urged the Senate to slow down. Republicans have blasted Obamacare over the past eight years for various reasons, such as driving up the cost of healthcare and leaving consumers with fewer choices. Under Obamacare, those who do not purchase healthcare are levied a tax and many Americans have to pay high deductibles. In contrast, Democrats argue that Obamacare has helped some 20 million Americans now covered because of the law, while citing other benefits they believe have occurred, such as better preventive care. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua that the Republican Party is going to have to very carefully thread the needle between the concerns of moderate Republican senators and those who are very conservative on both healthcare policy and spending. It's not news that China and Africa have been accelerating economic cooperation since President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. Since then, Chinese companies have been seeking opportunities in Africa - opening branches, investing in local businesses and building roads and railways. These companies are forging a multinational workforce in Africa, with Chinese and local employees working under the same roof. They not only speak different languages, but also have different legal systems. In order to settle legal complaints properly, law professionals are required to understand the different legal systems. Here we interviewed some African law professionals who came to Beijing for a 20-day training course. A total of 30 students from 21 countries with experience as lawyers, judiciaries, or legal counselors attended the course hosted by Beijing Foreign Studies University. Beijing Foreign Studies University contributed to the video When British inventor John Shepherd-Barron applied his mind to finding an easier way to access money while traveling, he likely did not predict how universally his idea would be accepted. He looked at the ubiquitous chocolate bar dispenser found at railway stations throughout the United Kingdom, and reasoned that the same delivery method could be adapted to issue money. His idea resulted in the first ATM, or automated teller machine, being unveiled on June 27, 1967, outside a branch of Barclays Bank in Enfield, North London. Fifty years later, there are 3 million ATMs worldwide - with China home to almost 50 percent of them, according to World Bank statistics. Self-service cash machines are used for around 8.6 billion withdrawals a year. By using either a debit or credit card, bank account holders can use a simple pin code to withdraw cash, or check balances, anywhere in the world, avoiding the need to join a queue at a counter. Shepherd-Barron, who died in 2010, once told an interviewer: "It struck me there must be a way I could get my own money, anywhere in the world, or the UK. I hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser, but replacing chocolate with cash." He struck a deal with Barclays, signing the contracts in typically British fashion, over a pink gin. To mark the golden anniversary of the first ATM, Barclays has painted gold the modern day Enfield cash machine. Although ATMs remain popular - and convenient - the use of cash is declining in many areas, according to Bank of England Chief Cashier Victoria Cleland. She told the BBC that 94 percent of British adults use cash machines, with cash accounting for almost half of transactions. But changes in financial activities in countries including Sweden and China may mean cash machines have reached their peak. Both countries are known for their increasing use of electronic transactions - in which the buyer simply presents a smart phone code to a scanner at a point of sale. Systems in use include AliPay, WeChat, and Apple Pay. Sweden now has the lowest proportion of cash machines in Western Europe, with 333 per one million inhabitants. Portugal, on the other hand, has 1,516 per million people. ATM manufacturer NCR said it is now trying to make the machine a "bank branch in a box" after research showed 80 percent of transactions across the counter could be handled by a video teller on such a device. It's already a common scene in China Merchants Bank branches all over the Chinese mainland. Michael Bond, the former television cameraman who created the much-loved children's character Paddington Bear, has died at his London home after a short illness. He was 91. Paddington first appeared in a children's book entitled A Bear Called Paddington in 1958; he is described in the book as a marmalade-loving bear from "deepest, darkest Peru" who comes to London to live and is taken in by the Brown family. The Paddington character went on to inspire a series of books, an animated television series and a successful live-action feature film made in 2014. Britain's Prince William attended the film's premiere in Shanghai in 2015, and a sequel will be released later this year. Paddington, named after the London rail station he was found in, was famous for his love of marmalade, his duffle coat, floppy hat and wellington boots. He also managed to get into countless scrapes. In all the character's endearing traits meant that more than 35 million books were sold worldwide and translated into 30 languages. chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com US President Donald Trump is looking forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Germany to continue to build a constructive and results-oriented bilateral relationship, a senior White House official said on Wednesday. The official made the remarks in a background briefing about the visit to the US by South Korea President Moon Jae-in, which started late Wednesday. The official, whose name was not to be used for background briefing purpose, said that he doesn't have anything to announce in terms of the substance of the conversation. "But I know that President Trump is looking to continuing his conversation, his running conversation that he has been having with Xi Jinping since Mar-a-Lago, and phone calls, and, of course, correspondence since then," he said. "So he is looking forward to continuing what has been so far constructive and results-oriented relationship between China and the United States," he added. On June 22, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi told Trump during their meeting at the White House that Xi looks forward to meeting him again during the G20 Summit and welcomes Trump to make a state visit to China this year. Yang was in the US last week for the inaugural China-US Diplomatic and Security Dialogue (D&SD) held in Washington. This year's G20 Summit, the 12th such meeting, will be held on July 7-8 in Hamburg. During their first meeting at Trump's estate in Florida in early April, the 45th US president accepted Xi's invitation for a state visit to China this year. At the conclusion of the D&SD last week, China and the US recognized that maintaining close high-level exchanges is very important and are willing to make joint efforts to achieve positive outcomes for the Hamburg meeting between the two presidents and President Trump's state visit to China in 2017, according a press release from the Chinese delegation attending the talk last week. Both Trump and Xi have spoken positively of the achievement at their Mar-a-Lago meeting. At the meeting, the two governments announced a new comprehensive dialogue mechanism, which includes the just-held D&SD, and the upcoming Comprehensive Economic Dialogue, Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Dialogue, and Social and Cultural Issues Dialogue. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirmed on June 23 that Trump's daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, will also be visiting China later this year. US news reports cited White House official as saying that the couple's visit will take place ahead of Trump's state visit. Ivanka Trump is an assistant toTrump, while Kushner is senior adviser to Trump. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com President: Sino-German meeting enriches nations' communication President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that he hopes people-to-people exchanges between China and Germany will advance bilateral ties and China-Europe relations. Xi made the remark in a congratulatory message to the first meeting of the China-Germany people-to-people exchange dialogue in Beijing on Wednesday. Hailing the long-lasting friendship and the deepened pragmatic cooperation since the two countries established diplomatic relations 45 years ago, Xi noted that the bilateral ties had entered a mature development phase. "Cooperation in people-to-people exchanges in recent years has pulled the hearts of the two peoples closer," Xi said. The president hopes that the China-Germany people-to-people exchange dialogue will help enrich communication, widen exchanges and deepen cooperation between the two countries. Vice-Premier Liu Yandong, Chinese chairwoman of the exchange dialogue, said that the relationship between the two countries is having its best days and people-to-people exchanges are a bridge and a bond boosting friendship between the two countries peoples. To further increase mutual knowledge and understanding between the two peoples and nurture talent, the Chinese government will provide scholarships to 6,000 Chinese students studying in Germany in the following three years. The Chinese Government Scholarship program will offer 1,000 places to young, Germans studying in China during the three years. According to the Ministry of Education, 130,000 Chinese have studied in Germany in the past 45 years, and 80,000 Germans have studied in China. The establishment of the exchange dialogue will lay a solid foundation for the two countries to expand their cooperation, Liu said. German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, who is the German chairman of the exchange dialogue, said Germany and China are indispensable partners to each other, and people-to-people exchanges, which are instrumental in boosting mutual understanding, trust and cooperation, are a crucial part of the bilateral relationship. The German government will work with the Chinese government to deepen collaboration in people-to-people exchanges, he said. China and Germany have worked closely with each other in the past 45 years, not only in politics and economy, but also in many other fields, such as education, culture and sports. Xinhua contributed to this story. zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks at a bilateral forum on innovation cooperation, which is also attended by his German counterpart Angela Merkel, in Berlin, Germany, June 1, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] BERLIN - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Thursday China is ready to forge a closer innovative partnership with Germany. Li, who was in Germany for a two-day official visit, made the remarks at a bilateral forum on innovation cooperation, which is also attended by his German counterpart, Angela Merkel. Calling China and Germany a golden pair of innovation cooperation, Li said such a partnership has put a high-powered engine to China-Germany pragmatic cooperation. In 2014, the two countries launched a joint action plan themed "shaping innovation together," which set a precedent for science and technological cooperation between major countries, said Li. During the past three years, solid steps have been taken in bilateral innovation cooperation, namely the alignment between "Made in China 2025" plan and Germany's Industry 4.0 concept, the successful cooperation model of the Research Funding 2+2, and the rapid development of various China-Germany industrial parks. Unveiled in May 2015, the "Made in China 2025" plan helps transform China from a manufacturing giant into an innovation-motivated manufacturer. While Industry 4.0, a concept coined by the German federal government in 2011, aims to facilitate automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies, including cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things and cloud computing. Next month, Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Germany and attend the Group of 20 Summit in Hamburg, said Li, calling on the two sides to maintain close high-level exchanges, cement political mutual trust, speed up the synergy of their development strategies, and launch more demonstrative programs. He suggested that the innovation cooperation between the two nations should be market-oriented and encouraged the two sides to explore new models for commercial development. He also called on the two sides to accelerate applied research and technology transformation and strengthen cooperation on technology research and development as well as manufacturing sector. China is willing to learn from Germany its experience in fundamental research, he said, adding that China encourages deepened cooperation between their universities and institutions, so as to create a host of heavyweight research accomplishments in cutting-edge sectors, said the premier. In his speech, Li also encouraged innovation by small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and suggested the establishment of a governmental-level mechanism to serve the cooperation between SMEs of the two countries. China and Germany are both active players of economic globalization, he said, urging the two sides to create a free and open environment for trade and investment. He also called on the two countries to promote two-way opening-up and create a more convenient and fair environment for bilateral innovation cooperation. The premier encouraged the two sides to step up the exchanges between their students and scientists and wished the first innovation and entrepreneurship week for youth from China and Germany a success. China strictly protects the intellectual property rights of enterprises in bilateral innovation cooperation and does not require mandatory technology transfer, he said, welcoming German companies to explore China's new energy vehicles markets. Li also briefed the guests with China's economic situation as well as the progress of China's economic reform. Merkel, in her speech, appreciated China's efforts in easing market access and protecting intellectual property rights. She said Germany is ready to work with China to build a platform to synergize the innovation and high-tech development strategies of the two countries. She agreed with Li that the two countries should encourage mutually beneficial cooperation between big and small business, deepen cooperation between higher education and vocational education, and expand social involvement of Germany-China partnership of innovation. She believed that, through joint efforts, the two countries will better meet common challenges and boost shared development. Contents of this Article: The phrase May you live in interesting times is often and incorrectly described as a Chinese curse. Although there is in fact no equivalent Chinese phrase, for companies manufacturing in China, these are interesting times indeed. This very long post aims to provide an overview of the challenges of manufacturing in China, as well as strategies for minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities. It outlines the administrative and regulatory requirements, process and production challenges, and specific cultural and market-specific risks. I am writing this post after fielding dozens of requests over the years to put together in one place ALL of the basics necessary to manufacture in China successfully. In this post, Ive tried to include everything that is relevant close to 90 percent of the time, while not bogging you down with the things that happen ten percent of the time, or less. Every business and company is different, however, and the information and advice offered here is intended to alert business managers to the legal considerations specific to the China manufacturing environment; it is not intended to serve as a replacement for bespoke legal advice. You may be the company that actually needs legal help with what I describe above as things that happen ten percent of the time, or less. But no matter what your situation, I urge you to reach out to me if youd like to discuss your specific circumstances or feel you need some help in protecting your company against your China manufacturers. China Manufacturing Challenges Manufacturing in a foreign country can offer significant benefits especially in terms of cost but when the mountains are high and the emperor (thats you, the client) is far away (), problems can arise. The best way to reduce the likelihood of having problems with your China product suppliers is to recognize that most China manufacturing problems stem from something the product buyer failed to do to prevent the problem. In other words, it is mostly up to you to reduce your risks. But what exactly should you do to protect yourself when manufacturing overseas? Start with these six basic measures: Use a Good Manufacturer If you do not know how to find a good manufacturer, pay someone who does. At the very minimum, make sure the company you will be using to make your products actually exists and is licensed to engage in the business for which you will be paying it. If you cannot afford to do these things, you should not be manufacturing overseas. Not kidding. Use Good Manufacturing Agreements Good contracts ensure that your China manufacturer knows what is required of it and what will happen to it if it does not meet those requirements. More than half of the overseas manufacturing contracts our international manufacturing lawyers see are worthless because they were written by someone who either does not know manufacturing or does not know international law, or both. Many are worse than using no contract at all. Use Detailed Contracts Overseas factories that engage in contract manufacturing tend to do exactly what you tell them to do. This means you need to clearly convey what it is that you want them to do, and that means your instructions and specifications should be detailed and in their language. Be overly specific. Visit the Factory Either your own people or a third-party quality control company should pay regular visits to your factory. Doing this allows you to make sure your factory understands what you want and lets them know that you are serious about making sure you get it. It also humanizes you and tells them that you really do care and are not just putting things down on paper to look good to your own buyers or to abide by some regulation somewhere. Inspect Your Products Perform regular product inspections appropriate to the product you are having made. Register Your Intellectual Property If you have intellectual property (IP) worth protecting (and nearly every manufacturer does), make sure you do everything you can within reason to protect it wherever you are manufacturing your products and wherever you sell your products. This means trademarks, patents and/or copyrights. Intellectual Property Rights Protections Register Trademarks in China The Chinese trademark system is complicated: idiosyncratic, highly regimented, and overseen by capricious examiners. So why not register China trademarks via the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks? The one-size-fits-all Madrid application makes registering a trademark in China seem easy. Really easy: all you have to do is check a box marked China. As a result, Madrid applicants are lulled into a sense of complacency, but all too often the result is a rejection that could have been avoided with a national application in China. Madrid applications are supposed to be cheap and quick, but fixing Madrid problems after the fact is neither. Trademark prosecution in China is highly mechanical; for the vast majority of applications, you file an application, wait 18 months, and at the end of that time your trademark is either registered or rejected. (A slight oversimplification, but not by much.) For this reason, the meaningful work for Chinese trademark applications occurs before the application is filed. First of all, it is essential to conduct a pre-application trademark clearance (a.k.a. a trademark screening) to assess the trademarks registrability. Is the mark inherently distinctive? Does it run afoul of Chinas statutory prohibitions on trademarks? Does it conflict with any preexisting trademarks? Next, assuming the screening results dont scare you away, you must determine which class(es) to file in and the specific products or services (items) to be covered by the mark. This is a lot trickier than it sounds because the Chinese Trademark Office (CTMO) divides each Nice classification into a unique system of subclasses. For purposes of trademark registration, each subclass is treated discretely: a trademark for one item in a given subclass covers all items in that subclass, but is not effective on items in any other subclass. When you file a China national application, you determine the subclasses that you want your application to cover. But when you file a Madrid application, your list of items goes straight to a CTMO trademark examiner, who will decide from your list which subclasses the items should go in without consulting you. This lack of consultation, combined with the examiners often-tenuous grasp of English (or French or Spanish), means that imprecise descriptions of items can lead to problems of both overinclusiveness and underinclusiveness. It is possible to perform a pre-application screening before filing a Madrid application, and it is possible to craft a description of items in a Madrid application that will conform to the Chinese subclass system. But this requires working with an experienced China trademark attorney or agent, and it will cost nearly as much and take nearly as much time as a national application. In other words, you lose all of the advantages of the Madrid System, but keep all of the disadvantages. Finally, even if your Madrid System trademark is registered in China without a hitch, you may still have trouble enforcing your rights. Upon registration, the only formal certificate for Madrid System trademarks is the one issued by WIPO. China does not issue its own separate trademark certificate. In theory, this should not be a problem, because the WIPO certificate should be sufficient to enforce your trademark rights under Chinese law. In practice, Chinese bureaucrats and e-commerce customer service reps generally could care less about Chinas WTO obligations. Much of the time, before they will lift a finger against an infringing factory or website, they will demand a copy of a CTMO-issued Chinese trademark certificate. It is easy enough to request a Chinese trademark certificate based on a WIPO registration, but it takes another three to five months to get one. That can feel like an eternity when your trademark is being knocked off. Register Design Patents in China A design patent in China is generally analogous to a design patent in the U.S. or a Community design in the EU and it covers novel product designs that (1) incorporate shapes, patterns, and/or colors, (2) are rich in aesthetic appeal, and (3) are fit for industrial application. China registers design patents without conducting a substantive examination of the design patent application and so it does not take much at all to secure one. Substantive examinations only occur if a third party challenges a patents validity after registration. A design patent applicant need only submit an application to SIPO that satisfies the procedural requirements, particularly with respect to proper formatting of documents and drawings. As a result, in many circumstances companies must register a design patent on their product(s). If they dont, someone else will and then they find themselves having to challenge that patent in China (which is relatively expensive and time-consuming) or just walking away from China. Even though many of the design patents in China are nothing more than slight modifications of existing product designs, they still can have substantial value because their owners can sue for patent infringement and register the patent(s) with China Customs and have counterfeit or copycat products seized at the border. Even if you do not think your design is novel enough to be patented, there is a first-mover advantage to your filing for a China design patent simply because your design patent will be valid until successfully challenged by a third party. A Chinese design patent grants its holder exclusive use of the aesthetic features of a product, not its functioning portion. In other words, the patent is on how the product looks; its external appearance. What though, does it really mean to have a China design patent? A typical design patent case starts with a phone call from a Western company telling us a Chinese company (usually a company it already knows and usually either its manufacturer or a competitor) just contacted the Western company (or the Chinese company that makes the Western companys product) and said the Western companys product violates the Chinese companys China design patent. The Chinese company then threatens to sue the Western company (and/or its Chinese manufacturer) for patent infringement damages and to block any of the Western companys infringing product from leaving China. Though China Customs frequently blocks products from leaving China due to trademark infringement claims, blocking products due to a design patent claim is considerably less common. China Customs generally requires a party seeking to block a product from leaving China to post a substantial bond, which then becomes available to the party whose product has been blocked by customs. Many more companies are willing to bear this risk to stop trademark infringing products from leaving China than are willing to take this risk for a design patent claim. Whats the best way to nip design patent hijacking? Register your design patent first, before anyone else can do so. If you want to be sure to avoid your products being held up at the Chinese border on an IP claim, you should secure both a trademark and a design patent. Registering your IP with China Customs China Customs will block products that infringe on China IP from entering or leaving China. The leaving China part is why it is 100% essential that you register your IP in China even if all you are doing in China is having your products made there. The leaving China part is also why it usually makes sense for foreign companies that have registered their IP in China to also register that IP with China Customs. Even though manufacturing in China is on the decline, China still manufactures way more than any other country in the world and it is still by far the world center for product counterfeiting. If you register your IP in China, then also register that IP with China Customs, you will have positioned yourself to be able to block counterfeit versions of your products from leaving China for anywhere in the world. China NNN Agreements We love NNN Agreements for China. They are fast, cheap, easy, telling and effective. If in the course of conducting business in China, you are going to reveal anything (e.g. to partners, suppliers) that you do not want made public, you should consider an NNN Agreement. If you are going to be showing your products, prototypes or designs to a Chinese factory, you should consider an NNN Agreement. If you do not want your Chinese manufacturer competing against you with your products, you should consider an NNN. But the most important thing you need to know about China NNN Agreements is that they really should not be an NDA; they should be China-specific NNN Agreements, because Western-style NDA agreements do not work for China, and most of the time, using one is worse than having no protection at all. NDA agreements prohibit your Chinese counterparty from disclosing your secrets. They do not stop them from competing against you or going behind your back to your customers or clients or to anyone else. To prevent these behaviors, you need a China NNN (non-use, non-disclosure and non-circumvention) Agreement. 1. Non-Use Non-use requires your factory to agree not to make use of your idea/concept/product in a manner competitive with you, the disclosing party. The critical point is that this obligation arises by contract. This protection is not based on abstract property rights arising under intellectual property law. The prohibition protects you not because your concept is classified as some form of intellectual property such as a trademark, copyright, patent, mask work or even a trade secret. The factory is prohibited from using your work because it executed a contract that prohibits it from using your work. Getting a factory to sign a contract with a non-use provision means there is no need to look outside that contract to other areas of law for you (and Chinas courts) to be able to control the behavior of the Chinese factory. 2. Non-Disclosure The next element of an NNN Agreement is non-disclosure. This is the core of an NDA, or Non-Disclosure Agreement. Surprisingly enough, you need not be terribly concerned with having your Chinese counterparty disclose the information you want kept secret to an unrelated third party. This is because Chinese companies usually have no interest in letting others in on their good thing. If they want to use your concept, they want to use it for their own purposes, not to disclose it to others. But if you prohibit a Chinese factory from making direct use of your concept, the Chinese factory now has a problem. The clever Chinese entity will not directly breach your non-use prohibition; it will simply disclose your information to someone in its corporate group, then accurately claim it has not breached the non-use prohibition because it is not the one making use of your protected information. For this reason, it is important you understand the type of group with which you are dealing, and you must make clear in your NNN Agreement that disclosure is specifically prohibited within the group, and that if there is any infringement by any member of the group, the factory that signed your NNN Agreement and made the disclosure is fully liable. Often, some education of your Chinese counterparty on this issue is required, because Chinese companies often do not consider disclosure to a member of their own group as violating a non-disclosure prohibition. 3. Non-Circumvention Finally, you need to deal with non-circumvention. The Chinese factory knows you are purchasing the product at the China price, then adding a margin and selling it at a profit in the foreign market. In this situation, it is only natural for the Chinese factory to work to obtain a list of your customers to whom they can sell your product at the China price. After going through your customer list, they start marketing your product to the rest of the world. What would your customers do if offered your product for 50% less? In many industries (especially those where quality and servicing is critical), most customers would say no. But in many other industries including consumer products they quickly and almost uniformly say yes. Note also that if you have not registered your brand name and/or logo as your own trademark in China, there is nothing to stop your Chinese manufacturer from putting your brand name and/or logo on these very same products and selling them into any country where you do not have a corresponding trademark. This is circumvention, and you must prohibit circumvention by contract. There is no other way to do it. A good NNN agreement is your only protection. Finally, we always do our China NNN Agreements in both English and Chinese. We make the Chinese version the official one, and the English version just a translation for our English-speaking clients. Making them in Chinese means that the Chinese courts will be able to better understand them and enforce them more quickly. It also takes away the other sides argument that it did not know what it was signing. Should You Register Your Copyrights in China? Copyrights are automatically protected in China under the Berne Convention, but to be able to sue quickly for a copyright violation and to have full copyright protection in China, it almost always makes sense to file your copyrights there. Just as in the United States and the E.U., you need only submit a small portion of your software code to secure copyright protection on the entire program. Writing a Manufacturing Contract Some of the important considerations, issues and questions to consider when drafting a China manufacturing agreement: Decide if the agreement with your manufacturers will be exclusive or nonexclusive. Decide the manufacturers obligations to sell. There are basically two alternatives. The manufacturers are obligated to produce product under any purchase order you submit and their failure to produce at the agreed price would be a default. You would then almost certainly be required to purchase a minimum amount of product during a specified time period. This approach is best if you want to guarantee supply and you want to hold your manufacturers to their price commitments. Or, obligate your manufacturers to produce product only for those purchase orders it accepts. In other words, they will have the right not to accept purchase orders, at their discretion. The advantage of this to you is that it will not require you to purchase any specific amount of product. The disadvantage is that there is no guarantee of supply and there is no way to hold your manufacturers to any price commitment. Decide whether or not you want to identify specific ports of delivery. If you will have multiple ports and delivery locations in some of the countries where you will be receiving your product, the port/delivery location should be specified in the purchase orders rather than the manufacturing agreements. Decide on payment terms, e.g. payment 30 days after shipment, or 30 days after inspection. If you will provide for payment 30 days after shipment, you will need to determine when you will inspect the product. It is best to have inspection before payment, but this is not always practical. Decide on a warranty period. Decide on trade secrets/IP protection provisions, e.g. a monetary penalty for breach that might be both a lump sum penalty and a percentage of sales penalty. These penalties should be large enough to cause concern for the manufacturer, but not so large as to scare them into not signing. Decide on tooling provisions that may provide for a series of lump sum penalties. Manufacturers commonly refuse to return tooling and the most effective way to control this is to provide for a significant lump sum penalty for such a refusal. Additional considerations in drafting a manufacturing contract include: Product Testing: Where and how will you test your product? Will you do you own independent testing in China or will you wait until you receive the product in your home country? Will you require the Chinese factory to test and then provide you with test results? If you will do your own independent testing in China, it is important to set out the testing procedure in writing. Manufacturing Set-up Costs:Your factory may ask you to pay in advance for some of the manufacturing set-up costs. Though this is normal, it is important to clarify those costs and then get them in writing. Product Pricing: You will want to lock in your costs, especially in consideration of your factorys understandable desire to be protected from increases in the costs of materials. The normal way pricing is done for this kind of item in China is as follows: The product price is fixed for a set period, say, one year. The Chinese manufacturer takes the price risk during this time, both for changes in component prices and for RMB/USD exchange rate risk. It is easiest if the manufacturer builds in the cost of items from the approved suppliers and takes the risk of price changes. Often a manufacturer will calculate that amount at cost+ to cover the risk and to cover the costs of advance purchasing and warehousing. If your manufacturer is not willing to do the above, the quoted product price from them is not really a fixed price and it can change over time. The risk in this situation depends on the integrity and reputation of the manufacturer. Some Chinese manufacturers will double or triple their prices after production has started and after you are trapped into using them as your manufacturer. Reputable manufacturers typically will only raise their prices when there has actually been a material change in component prices. Product Packaging Costs: It should be made clear who has responsibility for packaging design, production, and payment. It should also be made clear how packaging costs will be included in the final cost of the product. It is important to get these costs agreed and in writing. Manufacturing Contract Duration: What will be the term of this agreement? The Three Main Types of Manufacturing Contracts Most manufacturing contracts involve one of three different types of manufacturing arrangements: Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), Contract Manufacturing (CM), and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM). These three different arrangements influence various legal issues inherent to overseas manufacturing. Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) In this arrangement, the buyer purchases from a factory a product that is already being manufactured by that factory. The product buyer then packages this product with its own trademark and logo. The buyer and the factory may agree to certain cosmetic changes (color, shape, minor added features) that further customize the product for the buyer. In an OEM arrangement, the intellectual property (IP) rights are usually clear: the buyer owns its branding (trademarks, logos and packaging) and the factory owns the product. Difficulty arises once the product is customized. Who owns the IP once the buyer has made changes to the product? An OEM agreement can provide clarity here. Usually, the buyer seeks to restrict the factory from using the customization in selling the base product to third parties. Contract Manufacturing (CM) In this arrangement, the buyer has a fully developed product design. Traditionally, this design was of a product that had been previously manufactured by the buyer. More recently, the product is a new design being manufactured for the first time overseas. In a CM arrangement, ownership may seem simple: the foreign buyer owns all the IP, both in design and branding, and the factory owns nothing. In practice, however, the division is not always so clear. For example, your factory may change your products design and use those design changes to modify its own products it sells in direct competition with your products. Difficulties exist in every contract manufacturing project, and they can be resolved with a clear, written agreement. Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) As external manufacturers are becoming more technically competent, foreign buyers have started entering into arrangements in which their overseas factories do some or all the product design work. There are many variations on this approach. In its most fundamental form, the foreign buyer provides drawings and a specification sheet, and the overseas factory does the rest of the work in consultation with the buyer. In an ODM arrangement, the obvious question is: who owns the design of the product? Both the foreign buyer and its overseas factory may claim ownership of the design using conflicting arguments. The overseas factory will agree to make the product on an exclusive basis for the foreign buyer, but the foreign buyer does not have the right to have the product made by a third-party factory. This position can come as a bad surprise to the foreign buyer, particularly when its overseas factory suddenly announces it will be doubling the price for manufacturing the product. These issues can get even more complex when the product incorporates or is based on technology clearly owned by the overseas factory. In this context, the factory will often state that the buyer can go anywhere it wants to manufacture the buyers own portion of the product design, but no third-party factory can make use of the factorys proprietary technology in the manufacturing process. Consider this case for a foreign buyer that has spent considerable time and effort to develop a product design only to learn after a year that its overseas factory has decided to terminate the manufacturing agreement. There is no simple default answer to these difficult issues; the only way to resolve them is to draft a detailed written ODM agreement in advance, setting out a path to resolution that is fair to both sides. The legal default in most countries will favor the position of the factory. Absent a clear agreement on how to proceed, the foreign buyer will lose pretty much every time. China Manufacturing Contracts Product Development Agreements Foreign companies that outsource their product manufacturing to China often co-develop their products with Chinese manufacturers. In some cases, the foreign company has completed its product development and the Chinese manufacturers only involvement is in setting up to manufacture the product in high volumes. In other cases, the foreign company side has only a general product idea and the Chinese manufacturer is tasked with turning the foreign companys napkin scribblings into a viable commercial product. Sometimes both the Chinese manufacturer and the foreign company contribute technology and know-how so the final product is a blend of both parties contributions. The product development stage is the highest risk stage for foreign companies manufacturing in China, yet it is also the stage most neglected by foreign companies. Foreign companies will use NNN agreements in the factory search stage and they will use OEM agreements for the production stage, but they rarely use product development agreements. This is a big mistake that often leads to one of two disasters for the foreign company. The first disaster can occur when the Chinese manufacturer does not charge the foreign company anything for the product development work. In these situations, the Chinese manufacturer often will claim that any intellectual property in the developed product is its own and will generously offer to make the product on behalf of the foreign company at price, payment, quantity, quality and delivery terms chosen by the Chinese manufacturer. No matter how outrageous the pricing or other demands from the Chinese manufacturer, there is little the foreign company can do because it waited until development was finished before even considering who would end up with its IP. The second disaster stems from foreign companies not considering the procedural issues necessary for successfully developing a product. Foreign companies far too often mistakenly assume that Chinese manufacturers can develop any product within the tight timeframes and close tolerances required by modern business. This often leads to the following: The product is never completed or never works properly. The product is not completed until after the market opportunity has passed. The product cost ends up being far higher than projected. The only good way to address the above product development risks is with a product development agreement enforceable in China. A good product development agreement covers the period between the NNN agreement stage when you are figuring out which Chinese manufacturer to use and the OEM agreement stage when you have already selected your Chinese manufacturer and know exactly what you will have manufactured. A good product development agreement generally includes provisions addressing the following: The product to be developed. The technologies the foreign company and the Chinese manufacturer will contribute. Who will provide the product specifications and in what form. Who will own the IP rights to the resulting product. Who will pay for product development costs? Who will pay for the molds and tooling? Setting of milestones. Chinese manufacturers often agree to do the development work, but fail to do so in a timely manner. Your product development agreement should provide incentives for your Chinese manufacturer to meet milestones and a penalty if it does not. Chinese manufacturers usually prefer to cover all of the costs of product development because they want to own the resulting product and foreign companies far too often go along with this, without realizing this likely means the Chinese manufacturer will end up with the product and its related IP. China Manufacturing Risk Management A China Manufacturing Compliance Checklist If you have familiarized yourself with the applicable Chinese laws and your business has done its utmost to comply with those laws, the odds of your company getting into legal hot water in China are low. We have helped countless foreign companies deal with China compliance failures, and very rarely have we concluded that our client was singled out for no good reason. Even when our client had done nothing wrong, we could still understand why the Chinese government had initially thought otherwise. On top of this, the foreign companies we represent have become much savvier in realizing the need to remain in compliance. It has truly been years since any of our clients have excused their non-compliance by claiming everyone is doing it. And yet we still get plenty of calls from companies that make this excuse after they have been caught operating illegally. Guess what in China like pretty much everywhere else in the world this is no excuse. But what exactly should you be doing now to ensure you are in compliance with Chinese laws? Corporate Compliance Are your companys activities still covered by the scope of business used during its registration? If you registered as an import/export company and you now own a factory, you should make some changes. Is your business in a different location from what is listed on your business license? That requires a change also. Is the person listed as your companys legal representative still with your company and still the person you want in this position? What about the general manager? The supervisor? Have there been any changes to the parent company? China Employment Compliance Chinas employment laws are complicated, localized, and pro-employee. Make sure you have appropriate written employment agreements with all of your employees in China, domestic and foreign. Review and update your employee manual (a.k.a. Employer Rules and Regulations). Review and update all other employment-related documents, from offer letters to severance agreements and everything in between. Make sure you otherwise stay in compliance: are all of your non-Chinese employees work permits and residence permits up-to-date? Have you secured approval from the local labor bureau for any employees under a non-standard working hours system? Have you secured all necessary renewals for such employees? Are you paying into the appropriate social insurance accounts for each employee? China Tax Compliance It is sometimes necessary to engage a competent local accounting firm. Your accountants must of course understand Chinese tax law, but they should also have at least a rudimentary understanding of your home countrys tax laws as well. For instance: make sure your transfer pricing is current and accurately reflected in your contracts and that your profit margins are high enough to keep Chinas tax authorities at bay. China IP Compliance We frequently get calls from foreign companies doing business in China that have let their China IP registrations fall into disorder (or never organized their IP in the first place). Most of the time, it is my law firms China IP lawyers who spot the problem. Even if you registered everything appropriately when you first came to China, have you kept up with newer products/services or brands? Are you registering design patents before you release your products? Are you keeping sufficient evidence of trademark use to fend off a non-use cancellation? Have you properly drafted and registered any trademark license agreements? Are you taking full advantage of Chinas trademark system to protect your brand name, slogans and logos? China Contract Compliance Many foreign companies do business in China in a way that makes it all but impossible for them to enforce their contractual rights. Do you have written agreements with all your major sources and clients? Are you using a lawyer to draft your design/manufacturing/licensing/purchase/etc. agreements? Are these agreements in Chinese? Enforced under Chinese law? Spend the time now on the above to avoid having to spend a lot more time later. Protecting Yourself from Scammers What can you do to help prevent China factory problems? The quick answer is to know your factory before you contract with them and especially before you send them any money. The way to know your factory is to do due diligence on them. The bare minimum due diligence on your potential China manufacturing partner should include the following: Obtain the Chinese manufacturers actual Chinese company name. This can then be verified by comparing it with the companys business license. Check with the official Chinese government registry to see if your Chinese manufacturer has actually been registered as a Chinese company. Check your Chinese manufacturers capitalization to see if it is sufficiently large enough and well-funded enough to handle your proposed deal. Check the Chinese companys corporate officers and shareholders to see if they have any conflicts of interest by owning other companies. This is quite common and often explains why they are insisting on you using certain sub-suppliers. Check the Chinese companys current operational status: Open, Irregular Operations, or Revoked. We have found that clients potential Chinese business partners had been placed on the irregular operations list by their districts Market Supervision and Administration Bureaus. The reasons for a company being flagged as such are often because of financial difficulties and mismanagement. You do not want to do business with such a company, because the consequences of a company being flagged as having abnormal operations include: Banking accounts and activities restricted or frozen. Services and licensing provided by government bureaus restricted or prohibited. Administrative penalties imposed. For example, a failure to notify the Bureau of a change in registered address carries a fine of RMB 10,000 to 100,000. The individuals in charge of the company restricted. Additionally, if the company has been flagged for three years, it will be placed on the list of companies that have seriously violated the law. We are seeing many more Chinese manufacturers on the irregular operations list than previously. Worse than that, we are also seeing more Chinese manufacturers showing up on the operations revoked list. Make sure the Chinese government has authorized your Chinese manufacturer (per its business scope) to do the type of business it is proposing to do with you. Companies in China must specify their intended business scope in their articles of association, and this scope is subject to approval by the government registration authorities and if a Chinese company exceeds its scope, it is operating illegally. Check the history of the Chinese manufacturer with which you might do business. Most fake companies do not bother to create a business history. If a company does not have a history you can verify, you should seriously consider walking away. Find out what property and IP your Chinese manufacturer owns. Companies that own property and/or IP are much less likely to scam you than those that dont. Check your Chinese manufacturers litigation history and whether and how often it has been in trouble with the government. A company that is constantly getting fined by the government and/or constantly getting sued by its product buyers is not a good company with which to do business. Have a good and China-specific manufacturing contract with your Chinese manufacturers. If the Chinese company formally declares bankruptcy (which does happen) and if it has some assets left (which also does happen) and if you have a China-centric manufacturing contract you at least have a chance at getting some or all of your money back. Pay as little as possible until your product has arrived and been quality-checked. One of the best things you can do to reduce your China product buying risks is to delay all or almost all payment until after you have confirmed delivery of conforming product. But few Chinese manufacturers will agree to this, and even fewer Chinese manufacturers that intend to scam you will do so. Use common sense. If a manufacturer seems too good to be true, it probably is not. Red flags: Insanely good proposed pricing Unrealistic promised delivery times Few questions to you about the details of the work Unresponsive to your questions to them Your Manufacturer Is Your Likeliest Competitor In deciding to manufacture in China, you will essentially be educating your Chinese manufacturer in how to compete with you. And guess what? It is perfectly legal for your Chinese factory to copy your products unless you have a contract forbidding that. It is also perfectly legal for them to use your brand name in China (or even to register your brand name as its own trademark) if you have not registered your brand name as a China trademark. Years ago, it was common to do business in China without a contract. Before China had modern trade laws and courts that were able to handle business disputes, this informal approach made sense because there was no alternative. To pursue a claim successfully against a Chinese company, there must be a written contract between the parties, executed by both parties in accordance with the Chinese law requirements. Unlike in the U.S. or the E.U., Chinese courts rarely allow for proving the existence of a contract by putting together pieces evidenced by scattered POs, invoices, emails and desperate phone calls. The court will insist on a written agreement that unambiguously names the parties and provides the basis for the agreement. Additionally, the contract must be enforceable in China. As a practical matter, Chinese courts incredibly rarely enforce foreign judgments, and it can be quite difficult to get them to enforce a foreign arbitration award. A contract enforceable in China must meet the following basic standards: Maute jihadists, affiliates of the Islamic State terrorist group, have been targeting Christians in Marawi City on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The terrorists are currently in conflict with the Philippines Army. Soldiers from the army have even reported finding at least five bodies decapitated by the Maute jihadists. The Christian Post reports that Christians and other civilians in Mawai City are trapped while the conflict goes on. Reports have emerged that Christians are especially being targeted by the terrorists and are being used as sex slaves and human shields. Although the Maute jihadists do not control much ground, they reportedly are holding about 100 Christians hostage. Some hostages have been able to escape and have reported on the hostage situation. Authorities report that at least 44 civilians have been killed in the conflict, in addition to 71 security forces and 299 jihadists. Also, 246,000 people have been displaced. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has called the jihadists dogs of hell and condemned their attacks. Some have called on the president to intervene to rescue the hostages. One hostage, Roman Catholic priest Teresito Soganub, appeared in a video last month begging the president to intervene. Soganub has not been heard from since the video, and his fate, along with the other 100 or so hostages, remains uncertain. Photo: Philippine security forces breaking through a door as they inspect inside empty houses within the vicinity of a military camp and a hospital for guns and ammunition which the enemy might use against them, on June 7, 2017 in Marawi city, Philippines. Now entering its third week, the battle for control over Marawi city between government forces and militant Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups continues inside the Islamic city in Mindanao, southern Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao right after the militants rampaged through Marawi city, which is home to some 200,000 people. Photo courtesy: Jes Aznar Publication date: June 28, 2017 Two new cases of human plague have been confirmed in New Mexicos Santa Fe County. Plague can be transmitted by fleas from wild rodents that have died. The fleas can be carried by pets back into the home, where they put people at risk. Plague can be treated with antibiotics, though it can be life-threatening if treatment is not given in time. Now consider what I call the parable of two trees. I was hiking in the woods over the weekend and came upon a tree felled by a beaver. The trunk was sawed in half and the trees branches lay on the ground. Returning to Dallas, I was walking in our neighborhood when I came upon a tree whose leaves are turning brown. Im no arborist, but even I know that leaves in Texas are not supposed to lose their color in June. A bit of research revealed that leaf scorch is a likely explanation. This condition is caused by nutrient deficiency, damaged roots, poor drainage, or insect damage. We have no beavers in our neighborhood, so we might assume our trees are safe. But what attacks a tree from the inside can be as deadly as what attacks it from the outside. We live in a conflicted world: another global cyberattack, a helicopter attack on Venezuelas Supreme Court, and chemical weapons activity in Syria all lead the news this morning. But like plague and leaf scorch, our greatest threats are already inside our home. Abraham Lincoln was adamant: If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. He claimed in 1838 that all the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. If America was safe from external attack 179 years ago, how much more secure is the worlds only military superpower today? But immorality is a greater threat than any foreign enemy. The Lord warned Babylon, then the greatest superpower in the world: You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, No one sees me; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, I am, and there is no one besides me. But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing (Isaiah 47:1011). Today the Babylonian Empire is no more. How does God feel about sins such as adultery, premarital sex, homosexual activity, pornography, and sex trafficking in America? Heres the answer: God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous (Hebrews 13:4). What does our Father want his children to do? Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23). How healthy is your heart today? NOTE: For more on todays theme, see Ryan Denisons Why 47% of younger evangelicals support gay marriage. Publication date: June 28, 2017 For more from the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, please visit www.denisonforum.org. Do you want to live a life in whole-hearted pursuit of loving God and others? Read today's First15 at www.first15.org. The U.S. Supreme Court has announced on Monday that it would hear a case involving a Colorado Christian baker who declined to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, one which many argue may lead to implications for businesses across the country. The case began when Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, had declined to bake a custom wedding cake for customers Charlie Craig and David Mullins in July of 2012. The couple then proceeded to file a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which ruled that Phillips actions were discriminatory. After the Colorado Court of Appeals agreed with the Civil Rights Commission, and the state Supreme Court refused to hear the case, the Alliance Defending Freedom submitted a petition on behalf of Phillips to the U.S. Supreme Court. Phillips case shares similarities with several others that have been considered in lower courts across the country. Barronelle Stutzman, a florist in Washington state, declined to provide floral arrangements for a same-sex couples wedding, an act which the Washington Supreme Court decided in February was discriminatory. Meanwhile, a Kentucky appeals court ruled in May that Blaine Adamson was not discriminating when he declined to print shirts that promoted a gay pride event. The business owners have similarly said that while they are happy to serve customers who identify as LGBT, they cannot participate in an act or event that they believe violates their religious conscience. Phillips declines lucrative business by not creating goods that contain alcohol or cakes celebrating Halloween and other messages his faith prohibits, such as racism, atheism, and any marriage not between one man and one woman, his lawyers wrote in a brief to the Supreme Court. Adamson similarly had said that he also declines to print shirts for other customers based on the messages they wish to print. For instance, he refused to print messages that were violent or sexually explicit. I will work with any person, no matter who they are, no matter what their belief system are. But when they present a message that conflicts with my religious beliefs, thats not something that I can print, Adamson told Fox News. Thats the line for me. Meanwhile, Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the School of Law at the University of California, Irvine, argues that when a customer requests a certain message for a cake, photograph, or T-shirt, for instance, the one engaging in speech is not the service provider, but the customer. If I choose the words on my cake, Im engaging in expression. The baker is simply putting my words on a cake, Chemerinsky told Fox News. The case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, will be heard next term, but the Supreme Court has not yet announced a date. The earliest it could be heard is the upcoming fall. Federation of Indian American Christians (FIACONA) is Very Disappointed in President Trump's Reluctance to Openly Defend the Church in India WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 / However, FIACONA is deeply disappointed that the President who emphasized the need to eradicate Islamic radicalism in public, missed a historic opportunity to speak out openly against the devastating impact Hindu radicalism has on Christians in India. Hindu radicals feel emboldened now that they know they could bleed the church and get away with it because, no one would question them. History would judge President Trump harshly for this omission to speak out openly in support of a 2000 year old church that is bleeding in the hands of the man he hosted Monday at the White House. American people fully understand the urgency in fighting radical Islamic fundamentalism, however, if that is done at the expense of fighting Hindu radicalism which is posing an imminent danger to the well-being of Christians, it may not bode well for our nation nor will it be consistent with our long-time commitment to the values we so cherish. Modi's government has been actively shutting down Christian worship places and social organizations at an alarming rate. Christendom which expected President Trump to be on the right side of the history is seen as abandoning the lives of over 300 million Christians and other non-Hindus for short term gains. The vulnerable Indian Christian population that has been bleeding under the radical Hindu extremism feels let down by President Trump. In Modi's India today, bigotry is masquerading as nationalism, creative freedom being proscribed, freedom of speech and expression being brutally crushed by the state and the Institutions of democracy slowly being undermined by Modi whom our President called a True Friend. It is about time the U.S. administration realizes that the so-called bond based on shared ideals is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. The man who is presiding over this historic wrong in India cannot be a friend of anyone, let alone our President. The President's reluctance to openly speak for the persecuted church is a great concern for the American people who elected him to office. Share Tweet Contact: John Prabhudoss, Federation of Indian American Christians (FIACONA) , 301-346-5736, 202-738-4704, John@fiacona.org WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- FIACONA is happy to note that President Trump raised concerns about anti-Christian policies and the Hindu radical vigilantism carried out by Prime Minister Modi's supporters against innocent people across India, in a private meeting with him Monday at the White House.However, FIACONA is deeply disappointed that the President who emphasized the need to eradicate Islamic radicalism in public, missed a historic opportunity to speak out openly against the devastating impact Hindu radicalism has on Christians in India.Hindu radicals feel emboldened now that they know they could bleed the church and get away with it because, no one would question them.History would judge President Trump harshly for this omission to speak out openly in support of a 2000 year old church that is bleeding in the hands of the man he hosted Monday at the White House.American people fully understand the urgency in fighting radical Islamic fundamentalism, however, if that is done at the expense of fighting Hindu radicalism which is posing an imminent danger to the well-being of Christians, it may not bode well for our nation nor will it be consistent with our long-time commitment to the values we so cherish.Modi's government has been actively shutting down Christian worship places and social organizations at an alarming rate.Christendom which expected President Trump to be on the right side of the history is seen as abandoning the lives of over 300 million Christians and other non-Hindus for short term gains.The vulnerable Indian Christian population that has been bleeding under the radical Hindu extremism feels let down by President Trump.In Modi's India today, bigotry is masquerading as nationalism, creative freedom being proscribed, freedom of speech and expression being brutally crushed by the state and the Institutions of democracy slowly being undermined by Modi whom our President called a True Friend.It is about time the U.S. administration realizes that the so-called bond based on shared ideals is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. The man who is presiding over this historic wrong in India cannot be a friend of anyone, let alone our President. The President's reluctance to openly speak for the persecuted church is a great concern for the American people who elected him to office. A Dead Body Resurrected by the Word of the Lord's (Malachi 4:5) Servant Contact: Archbishop Lupo, Repentance and Holiness, USA, 202-290-4379 WASHINGTON, June 27, 2017 / The daughter said that Pastor Rosa stretched her whole body, relieved herself, and died. Consequently, the body had stiffened and became colder with no pulse or heartbeat. She died at 12:50 a.m. Friday, June 22, 2017. The grieving family began to wail loudly. Upon hearing the sounds, the neighbors came to their home and found Rosa's body covered with a blanket. They confirmed that she was actually dead, and immediately joined the family in wailing and mourning. Thereafter, a message of reply from the mighty prophet of the LORD was received at the local church and it said, "IT IS WELL." The church members then stopped all mourning and sobbing about Pastor Rosa and rushed the message to the home where Rosa passed away. It was already a house of mourning where everyone was wailing for the loss. When the husband received that message from the Mightiest Prophet of LORD, he informed everyone present to stop mourning. Everyone was told to celebrate! Why? Because the reply message said, "IT IS WELL." The family went into the house and by faith began celebrating right beside the dead body of Pastor Rosa. After celebrating for one (1) and a half (1/2) hours, her dead body coughed, sneezed, and opened its eyes again, and began breathing! Pastor Rosa resurrected asking her husband to help her to sit up. She was also asking her daughter, "nani amenirudisha?" Meaning, "Who has brought me back?" The daughter answered, "It was the LORD Jesus." Pastor Rosa of West Pokot, having been confirmed dead for approximately two hours, now lives! By The Word of His Servant, the Malachi 4:5 Prophet of the LORD, Glory to the Mighty God of Israel! The God of Elijah! Prepare the Way, for surely, Jesus is Coming! Share Tweet Contact: Archbishop Lupo, Repentance and Holiness, USA, 202-290-4379WASHINGTON, June 27, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- On June 21, 2017, Pastor Rosa of West Pokot, Kenya, was extremely ill. Her husband, Pastor Samson, sent a message to the local church about the situation. At midnight, it was getting worse so he sent a prayer request via SMS to the Mightiest Prophet of the LORD, Dr. David Owuor. Not soon after, he received news from home that his wife passed on.The daughter said that Pastor Rosa stretched her whole body, relieved herself, and died.Consequently, the body had stiffened and became colder with no pulse or heartbeat. She died at 12:50 a.m. Friday, June 22, 2017.The grieving family began to wail loudly. Upon hearing the sounds, the neighbors came to their home and found Rosa's body covered with a blanket. They confirmed that she was actually dead, and immediately joined the family in wailing and mourning.Thereafter, a message of reply from the mighty prophet of the LORD was received at the local church and it said, "IT IS WELL."The church members then stopped all mourning and sobbing about Pastor Rosa and rushed the message to the home where Rosa passed away. It was already a house of mourning where everyone was wailing for the loss.When the husband received that message from the Mightiest Prophet of LORD, he informed everyone present to stop mourning. Everyone was told to celebrate!Why? Because the reply message said, "IT IS WELL."The family went into the house and by faith began celebrating right beside the dead body of Pastor Rosa. After celebrating for one (1) and a half (1/2) hours, her dead body coughed, sneezed, and opened its eyes again, and began breathing!Pastor Rosa resurrected asking her husband to help her to sit up. She was also asking her daughter, "nani amenirudisha?" Meaning, "Who has brought me back?" The daughter answered, "It was the LORD Jesus."Pastor Rosa of West Pokot, having been confirmed dead for approximately two hours, now lives!By The Word of His Servant, the Malachi 4:5 Prophet of the LORD, Glory to the Mighty God of Israel! The God of Elijah!Prepare the Way, for surely, Jesus is Coming! Alpha Omega Academy Student Wins Developer Scholarship from Apple, Inc. ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa, June 27, 2017 / To qualify for the scholarship, Schlaudt created a visually interactive scene in Swift Playgrounds that could be experienced within three minutes. Swift Playgrounds is an iPad exclusive app designed to teach Apple's Swift programming language. Because Colorado Springs has one of the nation's worst suicide rates, Schlaudt used his coding skills to incorporate the science behind preventing suicides into a short game. "When I started developing, I wanted to make a difference in the world and especially my community," Schlaudt wrote in his essay that was part of his winning entry. "I wasn't sure how I could impact people so greatly until a number of my friends started taking their lives in the last couple of years. This led me to create my playground. I made technologies for preventing suicides where users use feeling identifications, suggested action plans, and emotion-boosting colors." At WWDC, Schlaudt said he was able to briefly meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook. He said he also met people from many different countries, including Israel, France, Spain, and Germany. In addition, Schlaudt received a close-up look at Apple's latest work with augmented reality, a new technology which creates a composite view by superimposing a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world. The son of Joseph and Holly Gardner, Schlaudt is on schedule to graduate from Alpha Omega Academy in July. Although he remains undecided about his future, the promising developer is grateful for the opportunities he had to hone his coding skills while attending school online. "The great part about Alpha Omega Academy is being able to do what Im passionate about," Schlaudt said. "For me, my passion is coding, and I could do that and do school with my schedule at AOA." About Alpha Omega Academy Accredited by NCA CASI, Alpha Omega Academy is the K-12 online school of Alpha Omega Publications. Founded in 1977, Alpha Omega Publications is a leading provider of award-winning PreK-12 Christian curriculum, educational resources, and services to Christian schools and homeschool families worldwide. Visit Share Tweet Contact: Teri Elgersma, Alpha Omega Academy , 800-682-7391ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa, June 27, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Kasey Schlaudt, a senior at Alpha Omega Academy (AOA) from Colorado Springs, recently won a prestigious scholarship from Apple, Inc. to attend the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWCD), which was held June 5-9 in San Jose, California.To qualify for the scholarship, Schlaudt created a visually interactive scene in Swift Playgrounds that could be experienced within three minutes. Swift Playgrounds is an iPad exclusive app designed to teach Apple's Swift programming language. Because Colorado Springs has one of the nation's worst suicide rates, Schlaudt used his coding skills to incorporate the science behind preventing suicides into a short game."When I started developing, I wanted to make a difference in the world and especially my community," Schlaudt wrote in his essay that was part of his winning entry. "I wasn't sure how I could impact people so greatly until a number of my friends started taking their lives in the last couple of years. This led me to create my playground. I made technologies for preventing suicides where users use feeling identifications, suggested action plans, and emotion-boosting colors."At WWDC, Schlaudt said he was able to briefly meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook. He said he also met people from many different countries, including Israel, France, Spain, and Germany. In addition, Schlaudt received a close-up look at Apple's latest work with augmented reality, a new technology which creates a composite view by superimposing a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world.The son of Joseph and Holly Gardner, Schlaudt is on schedule to graduate from Alpha Omega Academy in July. Although he remains undecided about his future, the promising developer is grateful for the opportunities he had to hone his coding skills while attending school online."The great part about Alpha Omega Academy is being able to do what Im passionate about," Schlaudt said. "For me, my passion is coding, and I could do that and do school with my schedule at AOA."About Alpha Omega AcademyAccredited by NCA CASI, Alpha Omega Academy is the K-12 online school of Alpha Omega Publications. Founded in 1977, Alpha Omega Publications is a leading provider of award-winning PreK-12 Christian curriculum, educational resources, and services to Christian schools and homeschool families worldwide. Visit Alpha Omega Academy online or call 800-682-7396. home World Sweden considers adding 'gender identity' to hate crime law The Swedish government has recently announced that it is considering to amend its existing hate crime legislation to include "gender expression and identity" as criteria in protecting individuals against discrimination. Sweden's hate crime law, known as incitement to hatred, currently applies to speech aimed at individuals based on sexual orientation, race and religious belief, according to Breitbart News. Swedish Justice Minister Morgan Johansson said that the existing law would be amended to cover gender identity and expression. "This is a special vulnerable group, which has been exposed to hate for a long time," Johansson said. The justice minister noted that the new measure would also make it illegal for anyone to discriminate against individuals based on their gender expression, adding that it was important "to highlight that the government is concerned about this type of harassment." Since 2014, the Swedish government has looked into adding transgender as one of the criteria in the hate crime legislation, and the current administration had campaigned to amend the measure in the last election. The government also proposed changing the law even further by dropping the word "race" by July of next year. "We want to distance ourselves from the concept of race, which of course lacks any scientific evidence that we can divide mankind into races," Johansson contended. The proposal came just weeks after the Canadian Senate passed a measure that makes it illegal to use the wrong gender pronouns. The legislation, known as Bill C-16, adds gender identity and expression to Canada's Human Rights Code and to the Criminal Code's hate crime section. The measure, which was passed by the Senate by a vote of 67a11, is now awaiting royal assent from the House of Commons to become law. Critics have feared that the legislation would compel Canadians to use preferred pronouns under risk of fines and possible jail time. One of the bill's fiercest critics was University of Toronto psychology professor Dr. Jordan Peterson, who condemned Bill C-16 in one of his videos, saying it "requires compelled speech." Campaign Life Coalition, the political arm of Canada's pro-life movement, also denounced the passage of the legislation. "This tyrannical bill is nothing but social engineering to the nth degree, all in the name of political correctness," said Campaign Life's Toronto vice president Jeff Gunnarson. Jack Fonseca, the group's senior political strategist, expressed concern that the measure would be used against Christians. "Mark my words, this law will not be used as some sort of 'shield' to defend vulnerable transsexuals, but rather as a weapon with which to bludgeon people of faith and free-thinking Canadians who refuse to deny truth," he said. Times arrow: Albert Einsteins letters to Michele Besso Thomas Venning, Head of Books & Manuscripts at Christies in London, explores the touching correspondence between Einstein and his dear friend of more than 50 years illustrated with letters offered in past and upcoming sales Cataloguing the letters from Albert Einstein to his closest friend, Michele Besso, was a roller-coaster ride: intellectually exhilarating, funny, endearing and with an unexpected conclusion. Michele Besso and Einstein first met as students in Zurich in the late 1890s, and their friendship was cemented during their time working together in the early 1900s in the Swiss federal patent office in Bern. In the evenings after work, the two friends would stroll home together, and many years later Einstein would remember how thoughts of everyday life would fall away as they discussed scientific subjects. When Einstein changed the world of physics for ever in 1905 with four groundbreaking papers, Michele Besso was his only acknowledged collaborator. Open a larger version of this image 1937. In this letter Einstein looks back at the passage of time since he thought up the theory of special relativity in company with Besso more than 30 years previously: That makes roughly 109 seconds, after all, and it seems amazing that one couldn't manage to make more productive use of that time'. Einstein's regrets at the passage of time, Princeton, 9 June 1937. In German, 1 pages, 278 x 215mm, on paper with blind-stamped address heading Envelope. Estimate: $10,000-15,000. This lot is offered in Einstein: Letters to a Friend Part II, 29 November to 6 December 2017, Online Above all, there is his delight in his work, his relish for a new theory, his sense of elevation when grasping at fundamental truths which he expresses in one letter as getting closer to God. Working through these 56 letters was almost like getting to know Einstein himself. Whats more, this was a particularly attractive side of him, the side that his closest friend saw over 50 years. The most striking parts of his personality? His humility, his absolute love of what he did at one point, he says, I would not want to go on living if I didnt have my work and his ability, through that extraordinary mind, to see the universe in a perspective that is beyond the rest of us. Open a larger version of this image Einsteins pipe: I believe that pipe-smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgement in all human affairs (Einstein, 1950) Einstein, Albert (1879-1955), A billiard briar pipe. Sold for: 52,500 12 July 2017 at Christies in London, King Street Michele Besso died in March 1955, and the very last letter in the correspondence is written to members of Bessos family a few days later, and just weeks before Einsteins own death at the age of 76. The letter ends with a famous sentence, which reflects their deep friendship and the scientific understanding they shared, as well as the distance they had travelled since those happy days as patent clerks in Bern: Now he has again preceded me a little in parting from this strange world. This has no importance. For people like us who believe in physics, the separation between past, present and future has only the importance of an admittedly tenacious illusion. Open a larger version of this image 1953. On times arrow: Einstein explains that our subjective experience of time has no objective significance, and that the Big Bang must have happened independently of times arrow Einstein, Albert (1879-1955), autograph letter signed (Albert) to Michele Besso, [Princeton], 29 July [1953]. Estimate: 80,000-120,000. Sold for: 100,000 on 12 July 2017 at Christies in London, King Street Linn Energy and another oil company will form a new Oklahoma driller with acreage in the Scoop and Stack play in the Anadarko Basin. RELATED: Linn Energy to sell Wisconsin assets for $581 million Houston's Linn and Tulsa's Citizen Energy will combine 140,000 net acres of contiguous oil land across Oklahoma, with each taking half of the equity in the new company that will drill up the acreage, Roan Resources. Linn said Roan will be the first company to focus solely on the Scoop and Stack with a large footprint across the region. The firm plans to drill 58 wells this year with five rigs. Linn and Citizens expect to take Roan public in early 2018, depending on the market, after its oil production nearly doubles to 40,000 barrels a day over the next few months. Roan's acreage has roughly 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent in resources that could last two decades, the companies said. NextEra Energy is making one final plea with the Texas Public Utility Commission to reconsider its decision earlier this year that rejected the Florida power company's $18.7 billion acquisition of Dallas-based Oncor. In a blistering 44-page petition, lawyers for NextEra argue that the PUC overstepped its authority, ignored evidence, misinterpreted Texas laws and simply used bad judgment when the state commission refused to allow NextEra to purchase Oncor, which is the state's largest regulated utility. RELATED: PUC rejects NextEra-Oncor deal Energy Future Holdings, which was the parent company of Oncor, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2014. EFH claimed more than $45 billion in debt. As part of the restructuring, EFH proposed selling its profitable Oncor subsidiary to NextEra to meet the demands of creditors. NextEra also owns Houston retail power provider Gexa Energy and a dozen solar energy production operations in West Texas. The federal bankruptcy judge approved the Oncor sale, but the Texas PUC ruled in April that the deal is not in "the public's best interests." NextEra, in motion for rehearing filed Tuesday, says the PUC's opinion "constitutes arbitrary and capricious decision-making and an abuse of the Commission's discretion." The NextEra brief says the PUC's final order contains 14 errors of law and seems to lay the groundwork for a possible legal challenge that the energy company might want to bring against the PUC in court. "The Commission must determine whether a proposal to 'change the ownership of the largest utility in Texas is in the public interest' or whether the public interest is better served by leaving the state's largest utility under the constraints of ownership by financial investors mired in bankruptcy," NextEra's petition states. NextEra asks the commission to "reverse its ultimate decision to deny approval of a change in ownership that would provide Oncor with a traditional utility holding company parent that is A- rated, widely diversified, and highly liquid instead of subjecting Oncor to the continuing financial risk and credit rating contagion of EFH ownership, including exposure to the EFH legacy liabilities and the burden of servicing the approximately $11 billion in debt that currently resides directly above Oncor." The foundation of the PUC's opinion that NextEra "is a financially risky company" and that a NextEra bankruptcy would threaten Oncor is unjustified and unfounded, the petition states. "There is simply no credible substantial evidence in the record that the hypothetical circumstance of a NextEra Energy bankruptcy will come to pass," the brief argues. "The Order on Rehearing cites no evidence to support any risk of a NextEra Energy bankruptcy filing. Nor could it. NextEra points out that all three credit rating agencies have concluded that it "has a higher credit rating than Oncor itself." Finally, NextEra points out that the PUC order leaves Oncor under the umbrella of Energy Future Holdings, which is still mired in bankruptcy. For a longer version of this article, please visit TexasLawbook.net. Gabriel Rutledge Rutledge has made television appearances on Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham," Nickelodeon's "Nickmom Night Out," Comedy.TV and Comics Unleashed. When: 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: Joke Joint Comedy Showcase, 11460 Fuqua Tickets: $18-$29; jokejointcomedyshowcase.com Local Brews Local Grooves, Craft Beer & Music Fest Festival features beers from local breweries (including rare releases), live performances by local bands, brew-inspired pub food and more. When: 3-10 p.m. Saturday Where: House of Blues, 1204 Caroline Tickets: $15-$95; houseofblues.com/houston Ultimate Mega Fest Indoor concert featuring popular Caribbean performers as well as DJs in soca, reggae and Chutney music. When: 7 p.m. Monday and 4 p.m. Tuesday Where: Hobby Event Center, 9906 Interstate 45 S. Tickets: $30-$500; ultimatemegafest.com Sundown at The Grove Guests can partake in samples from local craft breweries served with food pairings by executive sous chef Ernesto Villareal. When: 5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday Where: The Grove, 1611 Lamar Tickets: $20; thegrovehouston.com/sundown At least one person was injured after gunfire broke out Wednesday morning at a southwest Houston strip mall. Officers headed just after 11:20 a.m. to the center at 7048, said John Cannon, spokesman for the Houston Police Department. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate St. Luke's Health System CEO Michael Covert has resigned, hospital officials announced Tuesday, the second surprise departure by a Texas Medical Center leader in a week. His resignation is effective Aug. 31. Catholic Health Initiatives, St. Luke's owner, informed employees of Covert's action Tuesday afternoon but gave no explanation, instead mostly noting his accomplishments during his nearly three years leading the Houston system. The email alerting employees said interim leadership should be named within the next two weeks. The Memorial Hermann Health System last week announced the abrupt departure of Dr. Benjamin Chu after just a year as CEO. Sources said he and Memorial Hermann turned out to be a mismatch. In all, there have been four departures of top Houston medical leaders this year. Dr. Ron DePinho resigned MD Anderson Cancer Center's presidency under pressure in March, and Dr. Robert Robbins in April left the Texas Medical Center's top job to become president of the University of Arizona. Forged from flames of two citywide blazes in the early 20th century, the Conroe Fire Department has a rich history with tragic beginnings and a bright future with unprecedented growth. The department's origins trace back to a fire in 1901 that burned down about 24 businesses on the east side of the Union Pacific railroad tracks, which is where downtown was originally plotted. The fire and its destruction forced businessmen to replant their livelihood on the west side of the tracks, although those buildings didn't last much longer. A small fire department did exist after 1901, although Conroe Fire Chief Ken Kreger said a second, more destructive event a decade later started forcing residents and city council to start taking the fire service and regulations more seriously. That second fire broke out on Feb. 21, 1911, gutting all but three buildings in downtown Conroe. That next year, Conroe's city council passed an ordinance forcing all new buildings to be made of brick. The fire also bolstered the fire service into something that more resembled an actual fire department. "But it wasn't very active," Kreger said. "The discussion is that none of these chiefs took it very seriously. They were all volunteer chiefs and held it as more of a social club." The first chief, who was the city's founder Isaac Conroe's son W.M. Conroe, held fire department meetings frequently but never actually held any formal training or practice for the department's volunteers. Those who would gather would hang out, play games and have a good time something firefighters do today, yes, but back then they had no formal training. After going through a handful of other chiefs following Conroe's retirement as the head of the department, someone new stepped up to lead and brought the department to the next level: Ed Grabein, who was the department's longest running fire chief from 1928 to 1950. "He basically turned the fire department into a fire department," Kreger said. "He took training seriously. If you came, you didn't socialize; you actually did drills and trained." Under Grabein, the first firefighters were somewhat paid they received $1 every month if they showed up for weekly training. This, of course, nearly cleared out all of the volunteers who were used to the laid-back style of firefighting. From Grabein on, the fire department began to grow with its effectiveness. Each fire chief left his own mark on the department with their own initiatives to bring the Conroe fire service up to what it is today. Up until the 1980s, most of the Conroe fire service members were volunteers, a group of local businessmen and other workers who gave their time to serve their community. They responded to fires throughout the entire county for much of the fire department's existence, dragging out their truck at the drop of a hat to go battle blazes. "Being the bigger department, they kind of ran the whole county," Kreger said. "They were the big brother. Whoever needed help, they had the equipment and know how to send a person to go do it. These volunteers that were there would go all over the county and help out wherever the call was needed." Soon enough, communities such as Willis and Montgomery began to form Emergency Service Districts to fund fire departments, which are still in existence today as the North Montgomery County and Montgomery Fire Departments. From there, more and more fire departments formed that eventually covered the entirety of the county. Now, Conroe Fire Department is bursting from its seams as it expands to serve the country's fastest-growing city. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houston's biggest Fourth of July celebration will take place, as always, at Eleanor Tinsley Park. Houston's suburbs also have planned spectacular July 4 events. Kemah, Galveston, The Woodlands, Atascocita and Kingwood offer fireworks displays on the water. And, the Pasadena Convention Center will host a car show and party of epic proportions. Click through the slideshow for a roundup of Houston-area celebrations. Country star Hunter Hayes and Joe Jonas' dance rock band DNCE will hit the stage before Freedom Over Texas' main event, the fireworks display over Buffalo Bayou. There will also be performances from the United States Air Force Band of the West and local and regional bands such as Mango Punch, ThunderSOUL Orchestra and The Juke Box, featuring Grammy award-winner Regina Belle. DANCE PARTY: Concert listings in the Houston area Tickets to Freedom Over Texas cost $10 the day of the event, but may be purchased online ahead of time for a discount. The issue regarding the office space in the county judge's office opened up once again in the June 27 San Jacinto County Commissioners Court meeting with local citizen Gerald Deeter expressing his concerns for public safety. The office space in the county judge's office is currently divided half. One half is being used as the county judge's current office space while the other half is being used by the county's probations department. This is due to a vote in a previous court meeting where the court decided in a 4-1 vote to give the space to the probations department. County Judge John Lovett opposed the vote and in the previous court meeting on June 3 brought it before the court with the same opposition. Lovett and Deeter made it clear to the court that the latter came to speak on the issue of his own will. Deeter said Lovett did not ask him to speak on the issue. "In light of the perilous times that we're living in and experiencing the unforeseen nationwide outbreaks of violence with lives at stake and often taken, this is the reason that I feel that I have the revelation that we need to do something and we need to do it now," said Deeter. Deeter further explained that he believes the probation department is a magnet for people who have proven to not use wise and prudent judgment, which he feels may lead to any of these individuals committing a violent act against other visitors to the courthouse. Issues for safety were further discussed with Deeter pointing out that the desk in the center of the foyer usually has a law officer occupying it during the day. "I haven't seen security in ages at this desk," he said. Deeter addressed other areas where he felt safety to be a top concern with visitors to the probation office making trips into the courthouse, such as the number of entrances into the building. He concluded by asking what the solution is to the probations department space and suggested the possibility to have them put in an office in the completed Coldspring Community Shelter. "For the good of the community and for the safety of the employees in this courthouse, this is not something that can be set aside because if there's any bloodshed after today that blood is on your hands," said Deeter. Pct. 2 Commissioner Donny Marrs countered Deeter by bringing up how many individuals with a need to go to the probations department, which is now located on the second floor, often originate in the district court. The district court is located on the second floor. "I didn't hear you recommend where we would move the district court," he said. "They have to go to court." Deeter countered that those prosecuted in court do not need a magnet to remain there after their sentencing. "My understanding is this county is full of drug addicts and the majority of the people that are put on probation are drug addicts," said Deeter. "The general public is the victim." Lovett spoke to Marrs and informed him how Polk County has their probation department in a different building. County Clerk Dawn Wright made a point that those who are on probation still have to come to the courthouse. "They have court fines and stuff they pay in my office," she said. Marrs also stated that the court is trying to resolve the issue but it will take time. "You know it doesn't happen overnight," he said. The court took no action on the item. In other news, the court approved reappointing Col. Howard Daniel as a member of the Burke Center board of trustees representing Polk and San Jacinto Counties for another two-year term while also accepting the resignation of Fire Marshal Carl Alders. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A casting director for a major TV network is seeking high school and college students in San Antonio and other cities with large Hispanic populations for a new reality show about young people who regularly cross the U.S.-Mexico border to visit family and friends back home. Sandra Philippeaux, who worked on the MTV series Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant, said she is looking for fun, outgoing, charismatic Latinos and Latinas with exciting lives who are between 16 and 22. RELATED: Reality star Bristol Palin confirms her move to the Lone Star State The aim is to make a show that would entertain but also enlighten viewers on hot-button topics such as crossing borders and building walls. More Information Questions young applicants should ask themselves: Do you work hard at school in U.S. during the week, and cut loose and party in Mexico on the weekends? Do you enjoy the finer things in life on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border? Is your group of friends the most talked about and envied? Does drama follow you and your squad wherever you go? See More Collapse The search focuses on Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California, Philippeaux said, where there are a lot of Mexican-Americans, Mexican bi-nationals and Mexican citizens, who cross for a number of reasons.. For us specifically, were looking for students on the U.S. side who cross weekly, monthly, maybe even daily because of their connections in Mexico, and we really want to explore these groups of friends and do a docu-series about them. Weve been having some luck in San Antonio, she added, and wanted to spread the word a little more. RELATED: Musical San Antonio area teens land TV show, movie Philippeaux described the show as being very similar to Kardashians or any other doc ensemble show on the air. The aim is to be unique and enlightening, she said, in light of a lot of discussion about borders and building walls and that type of thing. One goal would be to show how similar these lives are to any other American family, she said. Another would be to explore the uniqueness of having a foot in each country and show culturally what thats like on both sides of the border. Well be making decisions within the next couple of weeks, Philippeaux added., with plans to be ready to film a pilot by Julys end. If all goes well, wed love to have this on the air in the fall. RELATED: San Antonio teen wins big on reality TV show If this interests you and you fit the criteria, email Sandra.Philippeaux@viacommix.com with the subject line Cultural casting. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. In the email, they should include contact information, photos, their cities and states and where they spend most of their time. Also required is a description of the applicants lifestyle and an argument as to why he or she would be perfect for this series. jjakle@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A major war is brewing behind the scenes of Comic-Con, but don't expect Marvel's Avengers or DC's Justice League to be fighting it out. This one is strictly for the lawyers. The organizers between Salt Lake Comic Con and San Diego ComicCon International (SLCC) are locked in a legal dispute over what events have the right to call themselves a "comic con." According to a release from Salt Lake Comic Con filed to Business Wire, SLCC sent a cease and desist letter to their Salt Lake City counterparts three years ago ordering them to not use the phrase "comic con" in the promotion of a then-upcoming event. However, the Salt Lake City organizers claimed that, though popularized by SLCC, the term pre-dated the San Diego event and was ubiquitous for any event where fans of comics and sci-fi meet. Therefore, it should be allowed as a general term for such events, BusinessWire reports. The term comic con short for comic convention was first coined and used in the 1960s by British and American comic book stores to bring in customers to their stores. The first large scale convention took place July 27, 1964 in New York, as detailed in the book "The 1964 New York Comicon: The True Story Behind the World's First Comic Book Convention." Six years later, San Diego held it's first Golden State Comic-Minicom, rebranded years later to the now iconic global brand Comic-Con International. SLCC has attempted to trademark the name on multiple occasions. In 1990, SLCC attempted to trademark a number of terms related "comic con," however it was ruled that the term was "descriptive" rather than proprietary. Similar trademark attempts in 1995 and 2005 also failed. A legal conference between both parties took place June 15. Depositions were taken, however a meeting with a judge was cancelled, leaving the case open. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A new state law that allows police to ask legally detained or arrested people about their immigration status has garnered varied responses from Bay Area law enforcement and government officials. The law, known as Senate Bill 4 also says that sheriffs and police chiefs who refuse federal requests to hold immigrants detained for other alleged crimes could face jail time and fines. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio is considering whether to block the law. State Sen. Larry Taylor, a Friendswood Republican whose District 11 includes portions of Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties, had this to say about municipalities that limit cooperation with federal authorities to enforce immigration law: "I think when a city openly chooses not to obey federal law or cooperate with immigration officials, I think that's a problem. As for the particulars of the bill, we'll have to see how that works out." But state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat whose District 6 includes South Houston and part of Pasadena, opposes the legislation and recently addressed the Houston City Council before it voted to join a lawsuit against the state that contests the law. There is real fear in our communities related to this legislation," Garcia said later. "I think the thing about this is that anyone walking down the street, driving in a car or gathered somewhere can be stopped and questioned by police about their immigration as long as an officer feels there is some reasonable suspicion to ask. "The stereotypical racial profile motivation for all this is to be able to stop people who look out of place in neighborhoods. I think it is going to lead to racial profiling and will create a lot more tension in our communities. It is going to cause victims of crimes and witnesses to crimes not to report crimes." She said the law means that children could be questioned about their immigration status. "This means SB4 creates new issues for school districts," she said. "This law means the districts may have to start issuing student identification for all their students based on kids showing their birth certificates so kids can have identification with them at all times." The law could subject Texas to boycotts, she added, saying "There will be people not wanting to travel here." During his successful runoff campaign to be Pasadena mayor, Jeff Wagner indicated that he would not have his city join a lawsuit with Houston and other municipalities to contest the law. "No, we will enforce federal, state, county and city laws," Wagner wrote during the campaign. Law enforcement agencies assured that the law wouldn't alter how officers do their jobs. "We aren't looking to stop people to find out their status," said Jason Spencer, public affairs director for the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "We've never had a policy that prohibits our deputies from asking about anyone's status; so not much will change in that regard." Brazoria County sheriff's Lt. Varon Snelgrove said that the legislation wouldn't interfere with business-as-usual in the county. "Someone's status doesn't typically affect the direction we take when investigating a crime," he said. "If someone has committed a crime, we stop them and we ask for identification for everyone - that's common procedure. We don't go out actively seeking people who might be illegal." "Anyone that is stopped is required to give identification. All we want is their ID," Snelgrove said. "We're not going to go out and seek people who might be here illegally to send them to jail because of this new law. We don't do that anyway." Concerns have also been raised by lawmakers, residents and some law enforcement agencies who believe the bill could increase instances of racial profiling. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has discussed potential drawbacks with the bill. "Our sheriff has been pretty outspoken about what he feels could happen as a result of (SB 4)," said Spencer. "He believes strongly that it could potentially harm our efforts to keep folks safe. There's a possibility that victims of crime or people who know something about a crime are far less likely to come forward for fear of deportation, and when you get into that territory, it's not good for public safety." Spencer said that ultimately, regardless of the bill, the department will continue to serve the people of the county. "At the forefront of our minds is the safety of our residents," he said. "Our decisions and our priorities are driven by our desire to keep all of our residents safe, and that's where our focus is going to be, regardless of laws or mandates that the state hands down." Houston City Councilman Dave Martin, whose District E represents the Clear Lake part of the city, cast a dissenting vote in his council's 10-6 decision on July 21 to join Austin, San Antonio and Dallas in a lawsuit contesting the law. The city of Houston's attorney's office recommended that the city sue the state over the law, claiming that it authorizes unconstitutional searches, seizures and detentions and unlawfully limits local authority. President Donald Trump's administration has sided with Texas in the lawsuit. Attempts to reach Martin for comment were unsuccessful. City Councilman Larry Green, who voted in favor of joining the lawsuit against SB4, said the bill has major flaws. "Obviously our objective is to make sure cities have the right to make decisions in the best interest of cities and not be subjected to laws that don't allow that," Green said. Clear Lake community activist Sherrie Matula supports the council's decision, saying that the law would have a negative impact on law enforcement resources in some communities. "Areas like Clear Lake are already short-staffed (by police) because we are not a 'high-need' area, and anything that is going to pull away police officers and extra duties such as conducting police work for SB 4 is concerning to me having lived in area since 1974," she said. "We are a large city with an enormous amount of coverage, and we are always operating short of police staffing. We don't need other duties to call officers away when we're barely getting coverage as far as District E is concerned." The lawsuit was filed in May against Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton. The bill was introduced in the most recent Texas legislative session by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, after the new Travis County Sheriff, Shelly Hernandez, announced plans to limit the county's cooperation with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The lawsuit charges that SB 4 is a violation of constitutional free speech and equal protection. Construction again has been delayed on an H-E-B planned for the Heights reports The Leader. H-E-B Houston division President Scott McClelland told the neighborhood newspaper that groundbreaking for the store planned for 23rd Street and Shepherd Drive is planned for late August, putting the expected store opening in late summer 2018. Two University of Texas System regents said they had a "productive" conversation in a lengthy executive session on Wednesday, but they offered little insight into where the system is going after the private meeting concluded. At a board meeting in Houston, regents said they were looking ahead to a July retreat in which they would discuss the system's mission at length. Regents discussed individual personnel matters -- including potentially Chancellor William McRaven's contract -- and legal matters in the executive session. After the executive session concluded, Board of Regents chairman Paul Foster and regent Sara Martinez Tucker called the conversation "productive" but did not specify what was discussed. These conversations come as McRaven has said he needs to determine if his views on the best direction for UT aligns with the board's. McRaven, who is nearing the end of his three-year contract, has put out his vision for large-scale projects from the system itself, while several board members have indicated that they see the system as solely a support structure for UT's universities and health institutions. McRaven told the Texas Tribune early in June that he needed to see if the board wants him to stay and if there is a "match" between his views and the board's. "If some of the things that have occurred over the last couple years, have created friction for the board ... if I'm not adding value to the University of Texas system, then maybe I'm not the right guy for the job," he said. He indicated on Wednesday that he looked forward to moving ahead "with the direction from the board ... we are here to execute." In open session, Foster called Wednesday's meeting "chapter one" of an evaluative process of discussing the system's mission. "I think the system will be better for it for the long term," he said. Regents and McRaven immediately left the Houston meeting after it concluded. McRaven's idea for a Houston expansion, which he retreated from earlier this year, was one of his big system ideas that saw pushback from state lawmakers, new appointed regents and the governor's office, according to various state officials. Other projects were a leadership institute and a national security network. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Lone Star College System will soon offer some bachelor's degree programs. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed a law authorizing community colleges that meet certain benchmarks to offer bachelor's degree programs in applied technology, applied science and nursing. And Lone Star College-University Park is already making plans to expand its nursing and applied technology programs to offer a bachelor's degree. "This is great news for us," said Shah Ardalan, president of Lone Star College-University Park. "Our chancellor and our board were very supportive." The degree will be offered in about a year, after the campus works on the curriculum and classes. "It's going to be a great thing for our community," Ardalan said. "It's based on the need of industry. The universities cannot produce enough nurses. It passed very, very strongly." This comes as the Lone Star College System enrollment continues to grow. The University Park campus is continually working to meet the demands of a growing enrollment, now at 12,853 students. And health care is booming in region, along with the population, and there is a growing need for nurses. The Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce supported the measure, including sending a letter of support to the state Legislature, said president Barbara Thomason. "Our chamber advocated for it," Thomason said. "It is a huge step for community colleges to offer a bachelor degree." Both the nursing and the applied technology degrees will be important for businesses looking to move to the region, Thomason said. "When we get inquires for businesses wanting to come here, they look for certificate or associates in applied technology," Thomason said. "Those are really key jobs for manufacturing areas that are getting increasingly technical." And the demand for nurses continues to spike, she said. Health care has been expanding in Northwest Houston over the past several years, including Tomball Regional Medical Center's $4.5 million emergency room expansion and modernization project a year ago. CHI St. Luke's opened a new $120 million hospital in Springwoods Village a year ago. The hospital is building its facility in phases and has plans to continue growing along with the community. At build out, the hospital will have 250-beds. In addition to the initial investment for the project of $110 million, CHI St. Luke's has committed as much as $70 million for further development. Memorial Hermann also opened a new hospital in Cypress. The new $168 million Cypress medical campus is on 32 acres on the northeast side of U.S. 290 and the Grand Parkway, between Mason and Mueschke roads. Supporters of the new bachelor's degree bill say it helps Texas nurses receive bachelor's degrees, a credential that trade associations say improves care. Community college students would be more likely to earn a bachelor's degree - essential for upward mobility to management roles - if they do not have to transfer to another institution, advocates say. But critics have worried about bachelor's offerings overlapping with four-year universities, which could take away students and faculty from existing programs that receive state money. New bachelor's degrees to be offered at community colleges: Nursing Applied technology Applied science This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A second suspect was charged Tuesday in the death of a 10-month-old nearly two weeks after the shooting occurred. The suspect, 20-year-old Kravon Human, is facing a capital murder charge. If convicted, Human faces life in prison or the death penalty. He was arrested Tuesday and is being held in the Harris County Jail without bail. PREVIOUS STORY: Suspect charged with capital murder in slaying of Houston 10-month-old child The case, along with the shooting of another infant, has aroused the community and hundreds turned out for a citizen's meeting Monday night with city officials. In this case, a 10-month-old was gunned down on June 14 near Nob Hill Apartments on North Braeswood. Nigel Marshall was walking with his son, when three men approached and began firing multiple rounds, according to police. The father tried to protect his son from the bullets, but at least one bullet hit the baby. He died at a nearby Valero gas station. Prior to the June 14 shooting, Human did not appear to have a criminal record in Harris County. The first suspect identified by authorities, Jared Balogun, 24, was charged last week with capital murder, after confessing to the killing to police. Balogun was charged June 20 with aggravated assault related to an incident at the Nob Hill apartments nine days before Messiah Marshall's murder. He was already behind bars when charges related to the 10-month-old's death were filed. Prior to June 20, Balogun faced minor charges, such as marijuana possession and theft under $50. During a press conference last week, when just Balogun had been arrested, police said they believed two other assailants were at large. Police are still unclear about what led to the shooting, but said the violence may have been in retaliation to a previous altercation with the boy's father and possibly gang related. During the meeting Monday night at the Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, residents voiced their fears about the rising violence in the community. "There's a lot of concern that the apartments over the last five to 10 years have degraded to the point where they are not what our community represents," said Alan Lipman, associate director of the community center. There have been no arrests in the first shooting of an 11-month-old boy, who was injured while riding in the car with his mother and her 4-year-old daughter. Police have posted surveillance video showing a black Nissan Versa pursuing a damaged, gray Nissan Maxima. The mother, who asked to not be identified, said she was driving a gray sedan at the time of the shooting and was probably targeted by mistake. Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information regarding the incident. "Neighbors are angry, and we are doing whatever we can to take action and make our voices heard, because we want our neighborhood back," the mother said during the meeting Monday. Keri Blakinger, Mike Morris, and Mark Collette contributed to this report. Several people are cringing after President Donald Trump interrupted a diplomatic phone call with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Ireland's first gay prime minister, to compliment an Irish reporter. Caitriona Perry is a Washington Correspondent and US Bureau Chief with RTE News -Ireland. She, along with other Irish press members, were reporting on the phone call when Trump beckoned the young woman over to his desk. KEEPING A DISTANCE? Ivanka Trump says she tries to stay out of politics Perry who happens to look somewhat like Ivanka Trump shared a video of the moment on Twitter, with the caption, "Video of the bizarre moment when President @realDonaldTrump called me over during his call with Taoiseach @campaignforLeo Varadkar." Trump can be clearly heard telling about Varadkar "all of this beautiful press" in his office as he beckons Perry over, where he says Perry has a "nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well." Twitter users immediately began apologizing for Trump's behavior. "We apologize that our president is a weird, inappropriate creep," said one user. Another person commented, "there are simply no words to describe how violated I feel for her." "It's hell to be objectified. When POTUS has no fear of doing that surrounded by cameras... I'm so sorry. Your success is more than a smile," said another commentor. PLANNING AHEAD: Trump to host Trump re-election fundraiser at Trump hotel Other users saw no fault in Trumps' behavior. "So any man that says you're beautiful & you have a nice smile is a creep? I normally take that as a compliment. I see your minds in the gutter," argued one user. Another person said, "He complimented her on her smile. How the hell is that creepy?" Despite all the comments, Perry handled the situation gracefully with a polite chuckle and nod before walking away. Take a look through the gallery above to see some of the times President Trump assured the nation that he respects women. A group of people from the Texas "Mexikan" Mafia, a criminal organization that deals in drugs, assassinations, prostitution, robbery and other crime, was sentenced Tuesday, announced acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez of the Southern District of Texas in a news release. The group was involved in a Racketeer Influence Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy, which includes participating in narcotics distribution, extortion and money laundering from November 2013 through May 2014. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not allow organized criminal activities to wreak havoc our local communities," said Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI's Houston Field Office. "We will fight organized crime wherever it may surface and continue to hold accountable those who seek to profit through illegal means." Gilberto Garcia, 37, of Corpus Christi received a sentence of 222 months in federal prison. Juan Felipe Bazan, 45, of Gregory; Rogelio Ramirez, 33, of Corpus Christi, Eusebio Castillo, 37, of Taft, and Roman Jose Zapata II, 33, of Corpus Christi, received respective sentences of 216, 110, 70, and 70 months in prison. U.S. District Court Judge John D. Rainey heard testimony about Texas "Mexikan" Mafia during a hearing that began last week, which explained the organization's rules through their constitution. Group members of Texas "Mexikan" Mafia must contribute ten percent of their profits to what is known as "the dime," which is the organization's primary source of income. Members of TMM allegedly earn their income from threatening people with harm, if that person does not pay the group member for protection from other threats. They also attempt to extort others who traffic in illegal drugs. TMM members also earn income by trafficking illegal drugs like heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. All defendants are currently in custody and are pending a transfer to U.S. Bureau of Prisons facilities. Sandy Phan-Gillis, a Houston businesswoman who was deported back to the United States in April after two years of detention in China, where she was accused of being a spy, released her first public statement Wednesday since her return. She thanked everyone who had helped her during the ordeal, which began after she accompanied city officials on a routine business trip in 2015. "It has been a very difficult two years and a rocky part of my life," she said in the statement. "Today, I am able to breathe the air of freedom, and to be reunited with my family." The 57-year-old was arrested while leading a trade delegation including Houston's former mayor pro-tem Ed Gonzalez. The group was passing through an immigration control connecting mainland China with Macau, when she suddenly disappeared. Her imprisonment was a source of tension between Washington and Beijing, and her return two months ago came as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met to discuss North Korea's nuclear ambitions, an important issue for both countries. Her release was seen as a sign of improving relations. The case had stalled for two years until Tillerson reportedly raised it again in March. In April, a Chinese judge sentenced Phan-Gillis to three and a half years in prison on espionage charges, an unusually light sentence, suggesting she could be credited for having served most of it. Her homecoming marked the end of a bizarre saga that worried many Americans in China and reflected an increased aggression to go after people Beijing suspects of harming its interests. But it does little to answer why China thought she was a spy at all. A Vietnamese refugee of Chinese descent, Phan-Gillis spent decades forging strong partnerships with the communist country, leading delegations to China and hosting Chinese groups in Houston. She founded the city's Chinese New Year festival. But to Chinese authorities, Phan-Gillis was a spy, going to Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi region in southern China, in 1996 to conduct espionage, according to an indictment. Beijing accused her of recruiting Chinese citizens to spy for foreign agencies and spying herself in 1997 and 1998, though more detailed allegations were never made public. Her husband, Jeff Gillis, repeatedly maintained his wife's innocence, saying that her passport shows that she did not visit China at all in 1996. He has also said that she told him after she was arrested that her detention was related to people she knew two decades ago who were from the province of Guangxi but whom "she knew in the United States, not in China." In a 16-minute phone call in September 2015, their only verbal communication during her detainment, she told him that, according to Chinese authorities, these acquaintances "have been violating their law, and the law is catching up to them," Gillis said last year. A United Nations human rights panel last year demanded her release after finding that she had been arbitrarily detained and was denied access to lawyers. Phan-Gillis also told her lawyers that she felt forced to admit to the espionage mission but that the confession was "faked" because she was threatened with life imprisonment during daily interrogations. She even fainted and had a heart attack, causing her to be hospitalized twice, according to her lawyer and consular officials. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The former Texas trooper who stopped Sandra Bland on a Waller County roadside in 2015 had the criminal charge against him dismissed Wednesday, stirring painful emotions from Bland's family members who had hoped the case would go to trial. State District Judge Albert McCaig Jr. dismissed a misdemeanor perjury charge against Brian Encinia, who arrested the 28-year-old after a questionable traffic stop. She hanged herself three days later at the Waller County Jail, igniting nationwide protests over police treatment of African-Americans. The special prosecutors assigned to the case agreed to drop the charge under the condition that Encinia, who had been terminated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, turn over his police credentials and sign a sworn statement promising not to seek work as a licensed peace officer in Texas or elsewhere. Bland's eldest sister Shante Needham, who lives outside Chicago, wept as she recalled a private meeting she and her mother had with Encinia's prosecutors about the case in 2016. "In September, we were expecting to be in Texas sitting in the courtroom, but today they cut him a deal," she said. "Why? Why? Why? Why did you cut him a deal when you sat in our faces and you seen our pain and you told us you were going to take it to court?" Encinia's lawyer, Chip Lewis, said returning to police work was not a possibility for the former trooper. After videos of the traffic stop went viral, Encinia got death threats and was assigned police protection. "He was never was going to be a police officer after this saga," Lewis said. "He cares too much about his family and the law enforcement community as a whole. There would be a [large] target on his back and he's not going to do that." Lewis said he was prepared to call a long line of officers to testify that Encinia was duty bound to act as he did during the stop, and felt confident a jury would agree with the officers. "Brian and his family appreciate the thoughtful review by the prosecutors," Lewis said in a statement. "Dismissal was the right thing to do. The Encinias will remain forever grateful to their family, friends and members of the law enforcement community for all their support." Phoebe Smith, a private lawyer in Sugar Land tapped by the Waller County District Attorney to prosecute the case along with attorney Chad Dick, said she felt terrible about the family's loss, but she didn't want to risk the possibility of a jury acquitting Encinia. "We dismissed it based on the fact that he permanently surrendered his license," she said. "The bottom line is, we never wanted him to be a police officer again and we wanted to ensure that outcome. When you take a case in front of jury there's always that risk." Bland had recently relocated to Prairie View in Waller County from Illinois when Encinia pulled her over on July 10, 2015, for failing to signal a lane change. After a verbal exchange, Encinia asked her to step out of the car and booked her after holding her to the ground for becoming combative. After Bland's death, a Waller County grand jury indicted Encinia for making false statements about the circumstances surrounding her arrest. The charge stemmed from a statement he made in a one-page sworn statement filed after Bland's arrest that he removed her from her Hyundai Azera to "further conduct a safe traffic investigation." A police officer told the Chronicle he overheard Encinia telling another officer while Bland waited in a squad car that he didn't know what charges he should file. Encinia, who had been with DPS a little more than a year at the time, had been disciplined by the DPS for "unprofessional conduct" in the two months leading up to Bland's arrest, according to state records. He was given written counseling and received later evaluations as "competent." Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit over her daughter's death, and in September reached a $1.9 million settlement with Waller County and the state of Texas. In June, Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Sandra Bland Act, which beefed up protections at rural jails and added de-escalation training for police officers, though the bill was changed during the legislative process and didn't go as far as Bland's family had hoped. Needham said the watered-down bill made her family feel that "lawmakers and the criminal justice system are laughing at us." State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, who authored the original version of the bill, said the de-escalation provisions should help prevent future tragedies. But he said the decision to drop the perjury charge against Encinia was "upsetting." "The trooper's actions were the catalyst for Ms. Bland's death, and his roughing up of Ms. Bland was unacceptable," he said. "I'm sorry to Ms. Bland's family for how poorly Texas has treated their loved one ... At least Mr. Encinia will no longer be able to be a peace officer in Texas, and do to another what he did to Ms. Bland." Cannon Lambert Sr., the attorney who handled the civil case for Bland's mother, said the decision to drop the charge against Encinia was difficult for the family. "Why the special prosecutors would decide not to prosecute after assuring the family that they would is truly disturbing," he said, "particularly since they didn't even tell the family or I that they were not going to pursue the case any longer. "The idea that he's giving up his license to be a police officer isn't satisfying, since a conviction, which was something that would have easily been achieved, would have blocked Encinia from acting as a police officer in the future anyway." Activists stirred by Bland's death were disappointed with the decision. Hannah Bonham, a Methodist clergy member who is active in Sandra Bland events, said the Encinia case has continually disappointed Bland's supporters. "The manner in which this case has been carried out has seemed intended to cause the greatest possible psychological harm to Sandra Bland's family and supporters," she said. Needham said she visits her sister's grave in Willow Springs, Illinois, and dances there to Sandra's favorite Bruno Mars songs. She says her sister was an outspoken advocate for justice, meaning that the dismissal of the perjury charge "just adds more insult to an already open wound." "I definitely think they need to start holding these officers accountable," she said. "If you start holding them accountable and they're losing their jobs, losing their pensions, serving jail time, I'm willing to bet all of this foolishness will stop." A dozen demonstrators in wheelchairs rallied outside the downtown Houston office of Sen. Ted Cruz Wednesday to speak against proposed Senate healthcare bill cuts to the disabled and Medicaid. The action was organized by Houston members of ADAPT, a national grassroots group that organized disability rights activists. Texans looking to party in Austin for the Fourth of July holiday will face a damper on their partying: personal watercrafts won't be permitted on Lake Austin. According to the Austin Police Department, jet skis, wet bikes, motorized surfboards and similar devices won't be allowed on Lake Austin starting at sunset on Monday and ending Wednesday at sunrise. A teenage murder suspect is on the run in North Texas - and authorities are asking for the public's help locating him. Taymor Travon McIntyre, 17, is wanted for capital murder, according to the U.S. Marshals. He is described as 5-foot-7 and 124 pounds with black hair, brown eyes and a medium brown complexion. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Indictments in the Uvalde County bus crash, which killed 13 members of a New Braunfels church in March, are expected to be served by the end of the week, officials told mySA.com after a grand jury hearing Monday. "All the indictments that are tendered will go to the clerk's office, where they will generate files and issue any warrants that are needed. The indictments are sealed until the warrants are served, then they will become public," District Attorney Daniel Kindred said Monday. "Hopefully, by the end of the week, the clerk will have all of the indicted cases over to the sheriff's office for the warrants to be served." As families affected by the crash wait to hear this key update in the case, the daughter of one of the victims penned a letter to Jack D. Young, the 20-year-old driver who is believed to have caused the horrific crash. RELATED: Troopers testify on deadly crash before grand jury Young was driving a white Dodge pickup truck in Uvalde County March 29, when officials say he crossed the center line on U.S. 83 and collided with a bus carrying 14 senior members of the First Baptist Church New Braunfels. Murray Barrett was driving the church bus and was among those killed. The day before a grand jury hearing would hear the evidence against Young, Murray Barrett's daughter Jenn Barrett wrote a letter on her blog entitled "Dear Jack." "I've forgiven you from the beginning, since the day I first learned your name," she wrote. "I am sad and grieve the loss of my parents but you don't owe me anything." RELATED: Video: Erratic driver swerves on Texas highway moments before striking church bus, killing 13 Jenn Barrett said a police report from the crash details what her father did just before the collision. Murray Barrett saw Young's vehicle and moved the bus "as close to the guardrail as possible," she said, adding, "knowing my father, he was also laying on the horn. Did you hear it?" "But my heart is broken for you," she wrote. "My dad invested his entire life in fathering, loving, and mentoring boys. How would your life be different if you'd known him in your youth?" Young's attorney, Rogelio F. Munoz, said earlier this month that the 20-year-old and his family are "absolutely devastated by what happened." "We wish this thing had never happened. We feel for their families and their loss. It's just something that's tragic," he said. "It just happens that this young man became involved in it. So many people lost their lives." "I forgive you," Jenn Barrett said, ending her letter to Young. Staff writer Zeke MacCormack contributed to this report. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 Tim Duncan asked a federal court Tuesday to properly sentence his former financial adviser, who allegedly defrauded the San Antonio Spurs legend out of millions of dollars. "My biggest fear is that you will give him a sentence that will allow him to go out into the world and tell everyone as he has continued to do since his guilty plea that he did not do anything wrong and he proves by having very little to no jail time," Duncan said of Charles Banks. "I respectfully ask you, do not do that. I promise you, that if he has any excuse to get back into this line of business, he will be out hustling and doing the same to others." Mariano "Chano" Millan Vasquez chopped up a 6-year-old girl with an axe while she was still alive and made her parents watch. He then ordered the parents killed, and more than a dozen others, in the same gory fashion. And, former Zetas plaza boss Millan Vasquez also conspired with fellow cartel members who rounded up and slaughtered 300 people after one of their own turned U.S. informant. On Wednesday, Millan is to be sentenced in San Antonio for the horrors that were detailed at his July 2016 trial. He faces up to life in prison. Millan was arrested in 2015 while living under a fake name in San Antonio. At trial, he was convicted of several charges, including killing in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, distributing large amounts of narcotics and lying to federal agents about his identity. While part of the Zetas, he rose to become plaza boss of the Piedras Negras, Mexico area, an important smuggling corridor for the drug cartel. RELATED: 13 things to know about Los Zetas, the ruthless Mexican drug cartel A witness, a 39-year-old convicted marijuana trafficker who said the Zetas forced him to work for them, testified at trial that he was taken to different locations around Piedras Negras after the cartel held him responsible for a lost load of pot, and forced him to watch 18 people get killed most of them, like the family, hacked to death. It was a warning to come up with money to cover the loss, he said. The witness tearfully recounted how Millan was present for all but one of 18 executions. In some cases, the victims were blindfolded and kneeling, and he was also forced to kneel. His blindfold was removed so he could watch. The victims included men, women and children, he said. At one of the houses, there was a little girl, a woman and a man held captive in the patio, the witness said. A barrel containing fire was nearby. The girl was 6, he said. RELATED: Photos show death and destruction from 10 years of Mexican Drug War Chano began, the witness said. He got the axe and cut off her knee and an arm. She would cry. She would scream. The witness said Millan laughed and told the father, So youll remember me. The trial also revealed details of the mass slaughter in Piedras Negras and rural towns nearby. After a senior Zetas member began cooperating with U.S. authorities in 2011, the cartel came down with a vengeance. The Zetas then-top leader Miguel 40 Trevino Morales, who is now in Mexican law enforcement custody, ordered the roundup of anyone who smelled like the turncoat. As a result, more than 300 men, women and children were picked up many of them with no connections to the drug trade and were killed by the Zetas, who also burned their bodies in barrels of acid or with diesel fuel, according to an informants testimony. Millan was in the middle of it, according to the testimony. Check back for updates. gcontreras@express-news.net Twitter: @gmaninfedland This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston doctor is resuming his regular trips to Iran, four months after president Donald Trump's Middle East travel ban led him to cancel life-saving operations on three unborn babies there. The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court this week to reinstate a limited portion of Trump's travel order will not affect Dr. Alireza Shamshirsaz's plans to return to Iran next month and perform fetal surgeries on four pregnant women, he said. As for the three fetuses the surgeon from Texas Children's Hospital had planned to operate on in February: "They have all passed away," Shamshirsaz said Tuesday. "The twins died in their mother's uterus, and the third infant with a cardiac defect was delivered but couldn't make it." Shamshirsaz's decision to cancel his February trip made national headlines after first being reported by the Houston Chronicle. Opponents of Trump's original order restricting travel to seven predominantly Muslim countries seized on the story, arguing that it illustrated the human cost of the policy. "It was a disaster," Shamshirsaz said at the time, recalling separate video chats with two sets of Iranian parents who had been expecting him to perform life-saving surgeries on their unborn babies complicated operations no doctors in Iran can do. "They were sobbing, completely and totally devastated." Within weeks, Shamshirsaz said, all of the babies were dead. Technically there was nothing stopping the doctor and his team from making the trip. But the uncertainty surrounding the president's initial travel restrictions had made them worry they would not be able to return to Houston at the end of the 10-day visit. Shamshirsaz, 42, an Iranian-born professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, specializes in fetal surgeries, an emerging field in which doctors operate on babies in the womb, early in development, to correct deadly birth defects. Texas Children's Fetal Center is one of only a handful of centers in the world capable of performing such operations. Shamshirsaz began making return trips to Iran four years ago to teach others. In partnership with Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shamshirsaz created a fellowship program to mentor five Iranian doctors. In 2013, he and his team conducted an open-uterus operation on a fetus in Iran, the first of its kind performed in the Middle East. Since then, he has returned every few months, usually with a team of colleagues from Texas Children's, each time leading the Iranian fellows through a series of fetal surgeries, building their skills and saving babies' lives in the process. Shamshirsaz covers the cost of his travel and is paid nothing for the work. Since the initial travel order an attempt to crack down on potential terrorist attacks Trump has scaled back the edict, limiting it to six countries and making it explicitly clear that the restriction should not affect green card holders such as Shamshirsaz. "From the rules and regulations I've seen, it should not affect me," said Shamshirsaz, known by his patients as "Dr. Shami." The doctor said he is excited to return in July and resume his work training Iranian physicians. This trip, though, will be different than his previous visits: None of his colleagues at Texas Children's will join him. "They are still concerned about traveling to Iran right now, and I understand that," Shamshirsaz said. "I will be going alone." ___ Mike Hixenbaugh writes about health care and medicine for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send him tips at mike.hixenbaugh@chron.com. A woman gave birth on a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Phoenix over the weekend. Cristina Penton was picking up her two children roughly 15 minutes into the flight when her water broke and she began having contractions. The plane had to divert to New Orleans for an emergency landing, but it didn't arrive in time for Penton to go into labor at a hospital. Fortunately, a pediatrician and nurse were on board and helped her give birth. (Story continues below.) ANOTHER DIVERTED FLIGHT: Cleveland police officer describes harrowing mid-air incident that diverted Houston-bound flight Penton named her newborn Christoph, and his birthplace is marked as: "Other - airplane." In addition to the free flight he got on his way to Arizona, Christoph was also gifted with free Spirit Airlines airfare for him and a guest, for life. Penton, who was sitting next to her kids, 11-year-old Lulu and and 12-year-old Ramon was 36 weeks along when she boarded the plane. She said Lulu got a a "first-class ticket to the show." "He did what he wanted," mother Cristina Penton told KHOU. "We were just all along for the ride!" 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. Hyderabad June 28 : Get ready for goosebumps! Poorna who was last seen in Telugu film Jayammu Nischayamu Ra is coming up horror-thriller Rakshasi, a sequel of Calling Bell, which is gearing up for release on 7th July. She is quite excited about how the film has shaped up. She is playing the mother of two. She said, The films story is highly performance oriented. I have acted in many films which belongs to same genre but her role in Rakshasi is completely different from his earlier released films. The title of the film is Rakshasi but till the end, the audiences wont know who she is! The director has managed to deal very clearly with that aspect. Directed by Panna Royal, jointly produced by Ashok Manda, Raj Dalavay and Tony Jannu, the film also starring Abhimanyu Singh and Abhinav Sardar in crucial role. Poorna who is confident on her performance and content of the film, is pinning lot of hopes on Rakshasi. The mother of Philando Castile, a black motorist killed by a Minnesota police officer last July, has reached a nearly $3 million settlement with the city that employed the officer, avoiding a federal wrongful death lawsuit that attorneys said could have taken years to resolve. The settlement to be paid to Valerie Castile, who is the familys trustee, was announced Monday and comes less than two weeks after officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges connected to her sons death. Castile, a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker, was shot five times by Yanez during a traffic stop after Castile told the officer he was armed. Castile had a permit for his gun. The shooting gained widespread attention after Castiles girlfriend, who was in the car with her then-4-year-old daughter, livestreamed its gruesome aftermath on Facebook. The acquittal of Yanez, who is Latino, prompted days of protests, including one in St. Paul that shut down Interstate 94 for hours and ended with 18 arrests. The $2.995 million settlement for Valerie Castile will be paid by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, which holds the insurance policy for the city of St. Anthony. The plan for distribution of funds requires approval by a state court, which could take several weeks. Robert Bennett, who along with attorney Glenda Hatchett is representing Valerie Castile, said a decision was made to move expeditiously rather than have the case drawn out in federal court, a process that would exacerbate and reopen terrible wounds. The settlement will also allow the family, the city and community to work toward healing, Bennett said. No amount of money could ever replace Philando, a joint statement from the attorneys and city of St. Anthony said. With resolution of the claims the family will continue to deal with their loss through the important work of the Philando Castile Relief Foundation. Bennett said the foundations mission is to provide financial support, grief counseling, scholarships and other help to individuals and families affected by gun violence and police violence. Bennett said Castiles girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, is not part of the settlement. Reynolds has also hired an attorney, but its not clear if she is still planning a lawsuit or has any standing for a federal claim. Reynolds attorney did not return messages Monday. Darin Richardson, claims manager with the League of Minnesota Cities, said St. Anthonys insurance coverage is $3 million per occurrence. If Reynolds were to file and win a claim, the citys remaining $5,000 in coverage would be paid to her, and St. Anthony would have to cover any additional money awarded. The settlement happened faster than others stemming from the killings of black men by police officers elsewhere. Last week, a $1.5 million settlement was reached in the case of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old who was killed by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri. That settlement came nearly three years after the death of Brown, whose parents sued the city. Bennett said his decades-long relationship with Joe Flynn, the attorney who represented St. Anthony in Castiles case, helped bring a quick resolution. He also said the city of St. Anthony has a commitment to make positive changes to their police department. The city is undergoing a voluntary review by the Department of Justices Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, with the goal of improving trust between the police department and the communities it serves. During his trial, Yanez, 29, testified that Castile ignored his commands not to pull out his gun. The officer said he feared for his life. According to squad-car video that captured the shooting, Castile said: Im not pulling it out before Yanez fired seven rapid shots. Castiles last words after the shooting were I wasnt reaching Reynolds later said Castile was reaching for his wallet. The squad-car video shows the shooting, but does not show what happened inside the car or what Yanez saw, leaving room for reasonable doubt. After Yanezs acquittal, the city of St. Anthony said it was offering Yanez a voluntary separation agreement from the police department, and he would no longer be an on-duty officer. The department serves the cities of St. Anthony, Lauderdale and Falcon Heights, where the shooting occurred. The status of that separation is unknown. Messages left with the city were not immediately returned. Mondays joint statement said no taxpayer money will be used to fund Valerie Castiles settlement. The League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust is a cooperative in which Minnesota cities contribute premiums into a jointly owned risk pool that is used to pay claims. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Texas Mutual Announces Two Promotions to Vice President Positions Texas Mutual Insurance Company recently promoted Amy Green-Hinojosa to vice president of the project management office and Nathan Scott to vice president of investments. Green-Hinojosa joined Texas Mutual in 1995 in the premium audit department and has served in a variety of roles including premium audit processor, software support specialist, project leader and quality assurance manager. In her most recent role as information technology (IT) senior manager, her accomplishments included forming a formal Q&A testing department and leading the development of a standard Q&A testing methodology. Over the past year, Green-Hinojosa also developed a project management and business process engineering community to establish a formal Project Management Office (PMO) to support Texas Mutuals key initiatives. Scott joined Texas Mutual in 1996 and has been a member of the investments team since 1999. Over the past two decades, he has served in a variety of positions including financial analyst, business analyst and investment analyst. His most recent role was as senior manager of investments. During Scotts time in investments, he managed the production of all accounting and reporting for the investment portfolio and managed multiple relationships related to the investment portfolio, while also allocating assets across various market sectors. AXIS Insurance Promotes Hartman to Chief Operating Officer AXIS Insurance, a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, announced the promotion of Robert Hartman to chief operating officer, effective July 1, 2017. Hartman currently serves as senior vice president, Business Development, AXIS Insurance, and assumes the role following the recent promotion of former AXIS Insurance COO Pete Vogt to deputy chief financial officer of AXIS Capital. Hartman brings nearly 15 years of management experience spanning strategy, operations and business development. He has been a senior leader within AXIS Insurance since joining the organization in November 2015. He will report to Peter Wilson, CEO of AXIS Insurance, and will be based out of AXIS New York office. Prior to AXIS, Hartman was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the Pittsburgh office for five years and was a member of the firms Insurance Practice. During his more than 11 years at McKinsey, he counseled leading P&C insurance companies and their executive teams on corporate and business unit strategy, including distribution, underwriting, marketing, operations and claims. AXIS Insurance Appoints Nance to Lead U.S. Excess & Surplus Property Business In a separate announcement, the insurer announced the appointment of Marc Nance to executive vice president, Excess & Surplus Property. Nance is responsible for growing and managing AXIS Insurances E&S Property business in the U.S., including further diversifying the E&S Property portfolio and developing its strategic broker relationships. He replaces the recently retired Chris Endsley, and reports directly to Carlton Maner, CEO of the U.S. Division for AXIS Insurance. Nance is based out of AXIS Chicago office. Nance, who has 40 years of experience in the insurance industry, is one of AXIS longest-tenured employees, having joined the Company in January 2003 following its acquisition of Combined Specialty Insurance Company. He previously served as executive vice president, U.S. Property, after having joined AXIS as a senior vice president, E&S Property. He began his career at The Hartford, and also held various management-level retail and commercial property insurance roles at Lexington Insurance Company (now part of AIG), AIG and Chubb. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The nations largest wildfire has forced more than 1,500 people from their homes and cabins in a southern Utah mountain area home to a ski town and popular fishing lake. Firefighters battled high winds as they fought a fire that has grown to 72 square miles (184 square kilometers) and burned 13 homes larger than any other fire in the country now, state emergency managers said. Some flames reached 100 feet high, while fire crews faced dry, windy conditions Tuesday and a high potential for extreme fire behavior, officials said late Monday. The estimated firefighting costs now top $7 million for a fire started June 17 near the Brian Head Resort by someone using a torch tool to burn weeds, they said. Investigators said they know who the culprit is, but they havent yet released the persons identity or what charges will be leveled. Crews in California, meanwhile, had to deal with two new powerful and fast-growing fires, and Arizona firefighters had to ground aircraft because of unauthorized drones over a fire near Flagstaff. The Utah fire began near the ski resort town of Brian Head, generally known for weekend getaway homes for Las Vegas residents. It has spread several miles east to an area around Panguitch Lake, a popular spot for fishing. Authorities ordered more evacuations Monday in a sparsely populated area as stronger winds and lower humidity develop that could push fire growth north after calmer weather kept its growth in check over the weekend. The fire is about 10 percent contained. About 175 people have been briefly allowed back to their homes near Panguitch Lake since Sunday under escort, said Denise Dastrup with the Garfield County Sheriffs Office. Randi Powell said her grandfather is hoping to get up to see his cabin on Tuesday. Powell said it has been an emotional roller coaster for her and her grandparents, who live part of the year at a cabin near the fire. Powell said she and her sister helped grab family heirlooms, pictures and important documents last Thursday when her grandparents had to evacuate on short notice. Powell is relying on social media updates from friends and others who live or have homes in the area. So far, it appears her grandparents 5-bedroom cabin, built about 60 years ago, is still intact, she said. But that hasnt stopped them from worrying. There will be uncertainty until you get up there and walk through it, said Powell, 32, who lives about one hour away in Cedar City. Until its totally out, you wont know if youll be OK. At Brian Head Resort, they are hoping that hot spots near where the blaze started will calm down enough to allow officials to lift the evacuations in time for 4th of July festivities that usually bring an estimated 15,000 people to listen to music and watch fireworks, resort spokesman Mark Wilder said. If the events can happen, they will likely be scaled back with fewer visitors and with no fireworks, he said. Wilder said theyre hopeful but realistic. Things change day-to-day, Wilder said. This thing has been a beast. Meanwhile, a wildfire surging out of control on Californias Central Coast has forced about 250 people to evacuate from their homes. The blaze broke out late Monday afternoon and quickly grew to nearly 1.5 square miles (200 hectares), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The evacuation order is for a string of homes along sparsely populated rural roads in and around the small town of Santa Margarita about 10 miles (16 km) north of the much larger city of San Luis Obispo. The fire has grown to nearly two square miles (365 hectares). Another California wildfire, sparked by a traffic accident on a remote stretch of highway 80 miles east of Los Angeles, has grown to nearly two square miles (over 500 hectares) in just a few hours. The blaze was 10 percent contained. Two people were hospitalized in the solo-vehicle crash and subsequent car fire that caused the wildfire on Monday afternoon. Both California fires came amid soaring temperatures and dry air that are supposed to start receding early Tuesday. In New Mexico, Gov. Susana Martinez ordered flags to fly at half-staff in honor of a volunteer firefighter who died from injuries suffered while battling a brush fire in eastern New Mexico last week. Nara Visa Fire Chief Gary Girard tells The Eastern New Mexico News that John Cammack was severely burned after falling from a fire engine when the winds shifted and the flames changed direction. In Arizona, firefighters had to ground aircraft after they spotted drones being flown near the fire, Bureau of Land Management spokesman Dennis Godfrey said. The Arizona Republic reports another unauthorized drone was spotted Sunday, temporarily halting aerial efforts to put out a fire northwest of Flagstaff that is 88 percent contained. (Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Both the railroads and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division say the extension will help all parties make the best decision on how to proceed with the outstanding tentative labor agreements. By of the Break out the blue and yellow. It's official: Wisconsin's first IKEA, a retail store known for assemble-it-yourself furniture and all things Swedish, is planned for a site along I-94 in Oak Creek. Company representatives and Oak Creek city officials said Thursday a 295,000-square-foot IKEA store will be constructed on about 29 acres near the northwestern corner of the freeway and W. Drexel Ave. The store, expected to open in summer of 2018, will employ about 250 people. The IKEA store is expected to draw consumers from many areas of Wisconsin as well as northern Illinois. "It's a big thrill to have a company as large as IKEA come to Oak Creek," Mayor Steve Scaffidi said in an interview. In a news conference at Oak Creek City Hall Thursday, Liz Gabor, IKEA's U.S. real estate manager, said the company was filing applications for the project with city officials this week. "We hope to have government approvals in the fall and start construction in the spring of 2017," Gabor said. The blue-and-yellow store the colors of Sweden's national flag will have about 1,200 parking spaces and will include a 300-seat cafeteria-style restaurant featuring Swedish and American food. Its famous Swedish meatballs will be sold at an in-store Swedish market. Privately held IKEA said it doesn't disclose the costs of its new stores. It currently has 41 in the U.S. Altogether, there are more than 380 IKEAs in 48 countries. The Oak Creek project is expected to generate about 500 construction jobs, according to IKEA spokesman Joseph Roth. "IKEA does not open stores just anywhere, and not very often," Roth said. "But when we do, we make a commitment for the long term." Scaffidi said having an IKEA a "destination" store that would attract visitors from outside the local area is expected to lead to further development, such as hotels and complementary businesses, in Oak Creek. "They are going to be a very strong regional draw," said Anne Brouwer, a retail analyst with the Chicago firm McMillanDoolittle. "They are going to draw from a much larger radius than most retailers." The company has been considering a Milwaukee area location for almost a decade. While many details of the project have yet to be approved, including possible tax incentives, the stage was set for Oak Creek to move onto IKEA's radar when city officials began planning several years ago to build a traffic system that could accommodate such a high-profile business. When I-94 was being rebuilt, Oak Creek provided about $5 million to help construct a new interchange at Drexel Ave. a rare new connection to the Milwaukee County freeway system. Improvements have been or are being made to other major thoroughfares to ensure local traffic can move effectively even as the new interchange spurs development, Scaffidi said. "We've upgraded our roadways in anticipation of what we're going to do," Scaffidi said. The W. Drexel Ave. interchange already has encouraged the development of Drexel Town Square, a $162 million project that includes apartments, stores, restaurants, a hotel, a health care facility and a new City Hall and Oak Creek Public Library. Drexel Town Square is being built on 85 acres south of W. Drexel Ave. and west of S. Howell Ave. IKEA's Roth said there's no question the infrastructure put in place by the city not only the Drexel interchange but the improvements to other main roads to minimize the local traffic impact was essential to his company picking the site. "We've been evaluating opportunities in the Milwaukee area for quite some time now," Roth said. "And with some of the older, more-established markets, sometimes it's difficult to find available land with good access and visibility. In fact, the exit at Drexel did not exist several years ago." The future IKEA store is part of a larger site long owned by Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. Inc. The Milwaukee-based insurer owns about 30 acres adjacent to the IKEA site. In a statement Thursday, Northwestern Mutual said it has no specific plans for the remaining acreage. "But the IKEA brand name is attractive to businesses, such as restaurants or other retailers, that want to be located nearby," said Tom Zale, vice president of real estate for Northwestern Mutual. "We are excited by this development and look forward to discussions with interested parties that see the location's potential." Said Scaffidi: "I think Oak Creek could be the gateway to Milwaukee County to metro Milwaukee that it's never really been before." Although the announcement was made Thursday, Oak Creek officials have known about IKEA's interest in their city for at least months. A team of Oak Creek officials in January visited the Kansas City suburb of Merriam, Kan., where an IKEA store opened in 2014, to talk with Merriam leaders to help gauge the impact of having the retailer in town, according to Phil Lammers, Merriam city administrator. "Everyone wants to know what to expect and what's going on," Lammers said. Lammers said the city worked out an incentive in which IKEA gets back a portion of the sales tax generated at the Merriam store over 20 years, capped at $19.9 million. He said that deal was made without community controversy. A bigger concern was traffic the IKEA on a high visibility site just off an interstate would generate and how it might affect local roads. But that hasn't proven to be an issue, in part because roads already had been built to handle retail traffic and the fact that IKEA's busiest times don't conflict with rush hours, he said. Roth said 50% of IKEA's business takes place on weekends, with the other five days of the week accounting for about 10% each. Lammers said it became evident early on, after IKEA hired a local law firm to let Merriam officials know it was interested in opening a store there, that IKEA had done its homework. The company wanted a site that included 63,000 feet of largely unused retail space, and would raze it to clear the way for a 360,000-square-foot IKEA and 1,500-stall parking lot. "They just knew that that was what they were going to do, and that's what they did," Lammers said. The Merriam IKEA store hasn't lured hotels yet, Lammers said, but property tax values have increased. He said it hasn't led to an expansion of the police force. "It's been a good relationship," Lammers said. Oak Creek appears to have a site that can give IKEA what it needs, too. Brouwer said IKEA stores need big parking lots and a good interchange because of the furniture they sell. "They're flat-packed. You buy it, you take it with you. So there are people coming in vans and trucks and trailers, so they want easy access on and off the expressways and freeways," she said. Scaffidi said he thinks an IKEA store would lead to more hotels in Oak Creek. "I would expect that to increase over the next few years," he said. "I know we've already had some interest on a few different sites. I would expect that to continue." Oak Creek officials want their community to stand out among Milwaukee suburbs. "You'll continue to see development and big stories, because I just think that's how we're wired," Scaffidi said. "We're looking for things that are unique, things that are interesting and groundbreaking. Things that 10 years ago we couldn't do, we now go after." Some observers wondered why a site in Oak Creek was chosen over a location farther west in metro Milwaukee. An IKEA in Schaumburg, Ill., isn't necessarily a tedious journey for consumers in Milwaukee. But Brouwer said annoyances like tolls and traffic congestion in suburban Chicago can keep some people from making that trip. IKEA said it already has more than 206,000 customers in the metro Milwaukee area. "Any retailer would rather cannibalize themselves than have someone else cannibalize them," Brouwer said. "So if they move into this area, they move a little bit of traffic coming from Wisconsin. But they are going to pick up a whole marketplace that really doesn't shop them with any regularity." I don't know how many young women come to this blog or how many are parents of teenage or young adult women, but here are some safety tips from Kelsey's Army: T I P S 1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.Remember the acronym TIPS:ake Chargenform others of your whereaboutsrepare for any situationurvival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen)For more information, go to Kelsey's Army Technology companies, whose recent share volatility has captured much attention worldwide, have "more substance" now compared with the dotcom boom, the chief executive of a global investment firm said. Thomas Finke, chairman and CEO of Barings, told CNBC at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Dalian, China that companies such as Amazon are redefining the way customers are engaged and business are run factors that investor find difficulty placing a value on. "That model is hard to value. It's similar to the dotcom boom but there's more substance now. During the dotcom boom, you had companies created and people thought: 'oh, it could go to the moon'," Finke said on Wednesday. "The reality is: now there're more tangible companies like Amazon that are actually selling and generating revenues, but they're reinvesting in very different ways than traditional companies. And that's why it's hard to put a cap on it." High growth tech stocks led by Facebook , Amazon, Netflix and Google, collectively described by the acronym FANG have rallied sharply this year, leaving some investors concerned over the sustainability of those gains. Finke said he agrees with the view that there is still value in FANG stocks, but volatility would still persist with "periods where you'll see tech sell-offs." He added that Barings, with close to $300 billion assets under management, has turned more optimistic on emerging markets and has increased its equities allocation there, especially to Asia. The company is also "still fairly constructive" on the U.S.. "Could there be a correction based on disappointment with the Trump administration undoing some of the bump? Sure, but we're probably seeing that as buying opportunity for good value credits," he said. Former PBOC adviser Li Daokui (seen here at Summer Davos in 2016) says Chinese growth will accelerate in 2018 after a new crop of leaders are appointed at the 19th Party Congress. China's economic growth will accelerate because the country will finally get leaders who aren't scared, a former advisor to China's central bank said Wednesday. "The most important reason is that there is a new group of officials being appointed ... (who will emerge) around the 19th Party Congress which will be in mid to late October," said Li Daokui, who is now Dean of the Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Speaking to CNBC on the sidelines of World Economic Forum's annual June meeting in Dalian, Li said the Chinese economy will grow 6.9 to 7 percent by 2018 from 6.7 percent in 2017. China posted 6.7 percent GDP growth in 2016, the slowest in 26 years. "These (new) officials have been carefully, carefully scrutinized before they are appointed so they are clean. They are not worried about becoming targets of anti-corruption investigations," he added. The major political event will also usher in a new era of leaders who are likely to spearhead bold reforms of state-owned enterprises, in contrast to incumbents who are "very, very tentative" and "scared" as they do not know if their past dealings are now acceptable. Since assuming power in 2012, President Xi Jinping has embarked upon a sweeping campaign against corruption, taking down once-untouchable party, military and business leaders and their networks. Last week, the market was rocked by news of an ongoing probe into several of China's largest overseas asset buyers including high profile Chinese companies such as billionaire Wang Jianlin's Wanda Group, Anbang Insurance and Fosun. Li said the outcome of the investigation is likely to reveal few cases of misconduct as the huge investments under scrutiny were carried out in a "highly, highly intense political environment". "They were already very careful to begin with. These investments were not done 10 years ago. They were done in the past two years when the anti-corruption (drive), when the party disciplinary pressures were already there," he said. If the probe reveals widespread cases of wrongdoings, "then that is a big blow to the big decision makers, not these private enterprises," Li added. The news followed an earlier announcement in June from Anbang Insurance that its chairman, Wu Xiaohui, was no longer able to fulfill his duties. The brief statement cited unspecified personal reasons for the move, and it came after the China Insurance Regulatory Commission said in April that its head, Xiang Junbo, was being investigated for suspected disciplinary violations. In May, Anbang was suspended from issuing new products for three months over concerns about the design of one of its product offerings. Tsinghua's Li said a new "super agency" is likely to be set up after the party congress as the Chinese financial system is now too complicated and intertwined. "It doesn't doesn't make sense to have segmented regulations. They should have a single agency overseeing everybody," he said. Correction: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Wu Xiaohui. India's super rich - family business owners, entrepreneurs, celebrities and senior executives - are increasingly turning to family offices instead of private banks to manage their money. While banks can give investment advice, family offices act as one stop shops catering to all issues confronting the modern Indian business family, from succession and taxation to philanthropy and alternate investments. When a young Indian movie actress recently sought professional help to prepare a financial road map, she jettisoned chartered accountants and private bankers. Playing the starring role in sorting out her finances: A family office. "No one had even heard of this term [family office] 15 years ago, when I started my company, but now Indians are opening up to new ways of protecting and enriching their wealth," said Himanshu Kohli, whose multi-family office Client Associates currently manages $3 billion of assets on behalf of clients. Globally there are 10,000 single family offices, with India accounting for around 200 of those in addition to a handful of multi-family offices, according to industry estimates. Families with more than 10 billion rupees ($150 million) in assets usually set up their own exclusive single family offices. Others with 500 million rupees to 5 billion rupees may hire the services of a multi-family office, which looks after the interests of several families. Wealth waiting to be managed In India, family offices manage about 20 percent of the total wealth in the country, which Credit Suisse pegged at $3 trillion in its Global Wealth report 2016. Wealth creation in India only accelerated after the economy was opened to the world in the early 90s, which explains both the fewer number of millionaires relative to the size of the population as well as the limited avenues for the rich to manage their wealth. According to the Credit Suisse report, India has 178,000 millionaires compared to its Asian rival China, which has 1.6 million millionaires. Both countries have populations above 1.3 billion. "I don't think we have even scratched the surface. Between 2003 and 2013, the ultra-high net worth segment [$30 million and above] grew globally by almost 375 percent, fuelled largely by China," Soumya Rajan, chief executive officer of multi-family office Waterfield Advisors told CNBC. She added that over the next 15 years, India will be doing some serious catching up. While the Chinese economy is expected to slow owing to structural changes, "India's consumption linked story will drive wealth creation," said Rajan, who manages assets worth $2 billion. The deepening of capital markets, the maturing of local start-ups and a growing private equity industry, together with historically reticent family businesses in India becoming more open to share sales are going to create wealth like never before, which will need to be managed, experts said. "India's rich need someone who is sitting on their side of the table, someone whom they can trust," said Rajan, "A family office pulls all services under one big umbrella so that the client is not repeating to five different people but is able to tell one person who knows the entire piece. There is also a question of confidentiality." Handing over the baton India's rich are not very comfortable talking about their wealth and winning their trust is a big challenge for the family offices. "The entire space is quite secretive," said Aditya Gadge, founder of Association of International Wealth Management of India. Gadge has been holding family office summits for the past five years to raise awareness around the idea. Greater global exposure - rich Indian families now routinely go to American universities to take courses on succession planning - and the young inheritors are forcing families to loosen control and outsource certain aspects of their businesses. Israels involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will have negative consequences, Iranian Parliament Speaker said during a meeting with his Armenian counterpart. June 28, 2017, 15:22 Iranian speaker: Israels involvement in Karabakh conflict to have negative consequences STEPANAKERT, JUNE 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: Ali Larijani made the remark in a meeting with President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Ara Babloyan, on the sidelines of the second annual Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries' Parliaments in Seoul on Tuesday, adding that the issues between Armenia and Republic of Azerbaijan need to be settled without outside interference, Mehragency reported. Israel is one of the leading arms suppliers to Azerbaijan. Last year Azerbaijani leader said Israel and Azerbaijan had signed contract with a total amount of $5 billion during years of cooperation in military sphere. The Israeli experts, however, say the figure is exxagerated. JPMorgan Chase announced Wednesday that it has partnered with General Electric and its energy startup, Current, to reduce the company's environmental impact across 4,500 branches in the U.S. The company's goals are to reduce total energy consumption by 15 percent, including a 50 percent reduction in lighting consumption equivalent to removing 27,000 cars from the road annually for 10 years. The company will also reduce water consumption by 20 percent, pilot solar technology at branches across California, and invest more than $200 million to reduce its carbon footprint. These steps are all helping the company reach its long-term goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, offsetting 100 percent of employee air travel emissions on an annual basis and bringing new renewable energy capacity to the grid. David Owen, chief administrative officer of JPMorgan, listed multiple reasons for implementing these environmentally friendly changes. "As we think about the future of our branch and workplace, we're always looking for smart strategies that make our business and buildings more sustainable," said Owen in Wednesday's press release. "This technology will help us run our facilities more efficiently, reduce energy consumption and improve the experience for our clients, customers and employees." The initiative will also lead to some financial benefits. A spokesperson at JP Morgan said that the company expects to reduce their branch energy expense by around 15 percent and save about $200 million over 10 years. Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer reportedly praised her "friend," former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, at an event on Tuesday and suggested he might not have known about the toxic culture at Uber because the company grew so quickly. "I just don't think he knew," Mayer said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "When your company scales that quickly, it's hard." Kalanick stepped down from the CEO role earlier this month under pressure from investors, following months of news about rampant sexism and other cultural problems at Uber. An internal investigation suggested that standard human resources practices were not enforced at the company, which has more than 12,000 employees, and at least 20 employees were fired. Several executives close to Kalanick, including senior VP Emil Michael, also left in the wake of the allegations. Kalanick remains on the board of Uber while the company searches for several new executives, including a CEO and a COO. Read the full report at the San Francisco Chronicle. It's not easy building a successful nonprofit from scratch. Try running one focused on America's invisible children kids in foster care and you get a glimpse inside Danielle Gletow's world. Unlike autism or childhood diseases, middle-class Americans don't typically rally around the plight of the country's 400,0000 foster kids, she says. "There's almost a sense that the kids have done something to deserve this," says Gletow, founder of One Simple Wish, a Trenton, N.J., organization that grants wishes to foster children. "They didn't." A few years ago, Gletow says she was like most well-to-do suburban folks: She worked hard, brought home a good corporate salary, and spent disposable income on "fancy" stuff like Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choo designer heels. "That was my sign of success," she says. While she didn't have the easiest childhood due to her parents' divorce, she had no exposure to the child welfare system. Most people don't, she says. More from The Story Exchange: 10 expert tips for growing your business Meet the women who teach financial skills to the homeless This Philadelphia entrepreneur is helping fix a broken food system And then, in 2006, she became a foster parent. She and husband Joe were "super-busy" at work and for a variety of reasons, decided to foster a child with the goal of adoption rather than become pregnant. They had just completed certification when "the phone call came in," she says. An 18-month-old boy, Jose, arrived at their door, wearing a giant winter coat and a onesie. "This adorable little boy just looked so confused," she says. "Within a day we were like, 'We love this baby.'" After three months, Jose returned to his family. Then came Antonio. "He was two years old, and came from a very neglectful environment," she says. "We thought we were going to adopt him." That didn't happen. His biological mother completed a "very brief rehab," and regained custody, Gletow says. "One of the most devastating things I've had to deal with in my entire life was saying goodbye to him." The experience shattered them both. They took a break. They decided to get pregnant the old-fashioned way, with no success. And then, one last call came in this time, about a newborn girl. "And it was like this crazy feeling of, 'Oh my God, that's my baby,'" Gletow says, who recalls having to persuade her husband to trust the system one more time (he relented). Two weeks after they welcomed Mia, Gletow discovered she was finally pregnant. Daughter Liliana was born the following June; the sisters are now 9 and 8. "It was awesome," she says. Closing one door, but opening another While Gletow knew she did not want to take in any more kids, she felt she wasn't done with the foster care system. From their relatively brief exposure, she and Joe had witnessed a system full of predictable flaws, many not fixable by one individual or one organization. There were overloaded caseworkers, foster parents motivated by monthly stipends to take kids, and an archaic system filled with sometimes nonsensical rules. Gletow has a philosophy about this: "When you see a problem, just because you can't fix it doesn't mean you can't do something about it." While on maternity leave from her high-paying marketing job, "I did a lot of research on other organizations that were reaching out to foster youth, to see what the gaps were." Her conclusion: There was no national organization asking kids what they wanted, whether that was a skateboard or music lessons or a birthday party. "We knew that from our experiences," she says, a lot of foster children "were going without a lot of some of the most joyful parts of a childhood, and we wanted to give that back." The Gletows decided to invest $10,000 to build One Simple Wish in 2008. "The idea was we would have a registry of wishes, simple things that pretty much anybody could [grant], especially people in our situation in middle and upper-middle class America," she says. Still on leave, Gletow would go to Starbucks, "and I'd sit there with my car seat and my babies and my laptop, and I would plug away on a business plan and download every document I could think of about starting a nonprofit." She also made the rounds, visiting foster-child agencies, some private, some governmental, to get them on board with the idea. Busy caseworkers, she knew, would be the ones relaying kids' wishes to the site. Not all were receptive. "I was just one person with no non-profit experience," she says. "Maybe rightfully so they were a little hesitant." Eventually, she signed up 12 New Jersey agencies as part of One Simple Wish's partner network. Still, "it was pretty slow-going," she says. "It was mostly friends and family that were granting wishes." But the site started to grow. Gletow found herself running home from work, kicking off her Manolo Blahniks, and doing as much as possible at night. After a year of juggling, she quit her marketing job. "We cut our household income in half," she says, and learned to live more modestly. Flats or sneakers soon became her shoes of choice. Ramping up President Donald Trump's mixed messages to Seoul leave little doubt that there's likely to be some intense discussions behind the scenes this week during South Korean President Moon Jae-in's two-day summit in Washington. "Both of them are going to work very hard to put a positive public face on it," said Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian Washington think tank. "But the South Koreans are quite nervous." Moon, who took office in May, begins the summit Thursday and is likely to hear Trump's demands on renegotiating a U.S.-South Korea free-trade deal and the administration's latest approach to the nuclear and ballistic missile threat from North Korea, including ongoing efforts to get China to pressure Pyongyang. And Moon's push back on the U.S.-supplied THAAD tactical missile defense system is likely to be another hot-button issue for discussion. At the same time, during the presidential campaign Trump indicated Seoul should spend more money on its own defense, suggesting that if they didn't he would be prepared to pull out the roughly 28,000 U.S. forces stationed in South Korea. "The South Koreans need the United States a lot to help defend against the north," said Thomas Henriksen, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank at California's Stanford University. "So that tempers any sort of extreme views that the South may have toward President Trump." Moon, a former human rights lawyer, has been seen as more liberal in his approach to North Korea than his predecessor and open to engagement with the hermit regime. The new South Korean president could turn back the clock to the days when the so-called Sunshine Policy by Seoul allowed funds to go to Pyongyang from a Kaesong joint factory complex located in North Korea. Ironically, if Moon gets his way and reopens the Kaesong factory, it could turn back the clock to the early 2000s when Seoul had policies seen as softer to the North and had to contend with a more hardline stance from another Republican in the White House. "We could sort of see a replay like we had when George W. Bush was president and there was more of a hardline [policy] on North Korea," said Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based conservative think tank. "That was one of our less coordinated periods of U.S.-South Korea relations." Kaesong, a duty-free zone, opened in 2004 and at one time employed more than 50,000 North Koreans but was closed by Moon's conservative predecessor in 2016. More than 120 South Korean companies had participated in Kaesong and it represented around $2 billion in trade with North Korea. Reopening Kaesong could put Moon at odds with the Trump administration, which has been tightening economic sanctions against Pyongyang and pushing for more action by the United Nations' Security Council. Then again, some experts suggest the Trump administration may let Moon's more pro-engagement policy with the North to play out because Seoul may ultimately get its fingers burned in the process and then draw back to a more conservative approach in step with Washington. "The South Korean president might get mugged by reality," said Henriksen. "The North Korean regime is very hard to deal with." Added Henriksen, "Even though things are going along fairly smooth, then they'll [North Korea] just change their mind. They've broken so many agreements that this makes everyone a little bit wary of entering into a treaty or into some sort of deal with them." U.S. government debt prices pared losses on Wednesday after the European Central Bank tried to walk back comments made by its president, Mario Draghi. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note sat at 2.22 percent, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was up at 2.771 percent. Both yields had traded higher earlier in the session. Bond yields move inversely to prices. The ECB said it sees the market as misjudging Draghi's remarks from Tuesday, in which he said "the threat of deflation is gone and reflationary forces are at play." Investors also digested recent comments made by Federal Reserve members and economic data. Mortgage applications fell 6 percent last week. Pending home sales fell for the third straight month in May. Brexit risks stretching the EU's common budget to breaking point, Brussels warned as it braces for a clash with member states by setting out ideas to plug the financial gap. Tapping money that the European Central Bank makes from issuing currency, and applying common energy or environmental taxes to imports were among the options put forward by Brussels on Wednesday in a paper on reforming the EU budget. "The gap in the EU finances arising from the United Kingdom's withdrawal and from the financing needs of new priorities needs to be clearly acknowledged," the document said. "The new priorities have been accommodated under the current financial framework, mainly by stretching the existing flexibilities to their limits." The European Commission paper broached sensitive questions on how to reform EU farm spending and regional aid programmes, saying one option would be to ask national governments to part-finance some farm subsidies. In a section likely to raise hackles in some national capitals, Brussels also warned that life as a European civil servant was becoming less attractive and that "a further reduction in staff levels could jeopardise the good functioning of the EU institutions". "Previous reforms have reduced salaries, increased working time and pension age," the paper said. "There is clearly a declining interest of young people from member states with relatively high per capita income to join the EU institutions . . . the trend is clear." Gunther Oettinger, the EU budget commissioner, said the commission wanted to draw attention to the problem of a shrinking talent pool. "The number of young Germans interested in working for the European civil service is less than 5 per cent, but the corresponding figure at national level is more than 60 per cent," the German commission member said. "As an employer, we need to bear in mind that our attractiveness has decreased." The EU budget is equivalent to about 1 per cent of EU gross domestic product, and Britain's impending departure means the EU will lose one of its main contributors. While estimates vary because spending commitments are multiyear, a report from the UK's House of Lords earlier this year put the British contribution at 12 per cent. The funding gap, and the possibility of a big political fight over how to fill it, is one of the main factors behind the push from EU capitals for Britain to pay a hefty exit bill as part of its Brexit divorce. In its "reflection paper," the commission warned that Brexit comes as the EU is being asked to take on extra work. Managing migration, fighting terrorism, and defence policy have risen up the EU agenda since its last multi-annual budget was agreed in 2013. "We are going to be down 10bn-12bn in our budget once the UK departs, so we cannot act as if it is business as usual," Mr Oettinger said. "We need to be shifting expenditure and making cuts . . . But making cuts is not enough." About 80 per cent of the EU budget is financed by contributions from governments and a share of national VAT receipts, with much of the rest coming from customs revenues. Some of the ideas for future funding hinge on the bloc agreeing new policy measures, such as a financial transaction tax or common energy and environmental taxes. Other ideas include levies from the EU's emissions trading scheme, and fees linked to a planned online authorisation system for people travelling to Europe. Brussels is also straying into the sensitive question of whether countries should be denied support from the EU's various economic development funds if they fail to adhere to the rule of law. The commission has clashed with Poland's government over reforms that the EU fears could damage the independence of the judiciary. It also had repeated run-ins with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, most recently over a crackdown on foreign universities. Corina Cretu, the EU commissioner for regional policy, said: "This is a debate we need to have in the months to come." She added: "The respect or not of the rule of law does influence the quality of administration, the functioning of the justice system, the legal and institutional framework . . . and of course the EU budget." While Brussels will present more detailed proposals next year, the paper sets out five broad reform "scenarios", including scaling back the budget, establishing a system where groups of member states would establish common pots of money for particular projects, and a "radical redesign". More from the Financial Times: The internet of things: industry's digital revolution Brexit set to blow hole in common EU budget, Brussels warns Cabinet tension on Brexit breaks out into the open South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks at the National Assembly on the government budget on June 12, 2017 in Seoul, South Korea. "There's a possibility this won't go well," Bremmer said. The "worst plausible scenario is South Korea tries to stay in the middle and makes nobody happy." "I would probably focus a little more on the Chinese at this point," said Ian Bremmer, head of consulting firm Eurasia Group. The South Koreans "don't want to alienate the Chinese." The world's second-largest economy has significant clout over both the rogue state and the U.S. ally that form the Korean peninsula. Well over two-thirds of North Korea's trade is with China, while China imports more from South Korea than any other country. China will be a major factor in conversations between President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in when they meet this week and attempt to unify against North Korea. China is not afraid to use its influence on the Korean peninsula to protect its interests against the U.S., which is in the process of deploying a missile defense system in South Korea. Beijing says the system is a security threat and has retaliated against major South Korean businesses. "I think Moon wants to establish a good, working relationship with Trump, but they have some different ideas," said Robert Manning of The Atlantic Council. Trump and Moon are set to meet for the first time Thursday and Friday at the White House. Moon was elected in early May, ending months of leadership uncertainty in the country after President Park Geun-hye was impeached and arrested for alleged corruption. Moon campaigned on taking a more conciliatory tone in dealing with North Korea and earlier this month officially suspended deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or Thaad. Trump clashed with South Korea in an April interview with Reuters by saying the country should pay for the $1 billion Thaad system. Trump also said the U.S. should renegotiate or terminate its trade deal with South Korea. The "South Korean government doesn't want Thaad to be the official agenda for the summit meeting," said Hyun-Wook Kim, professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul. He's watching whether the key missile defense program and flashpoint for China will even be part of Moon's and Trump's joint statement. Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly growing increasingly frustrated with China. His relationship with Beijing had improved after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited in April, but Trump still threatened to use trade policy to get China to act on North Korea. Trump "seems to have over-estimated his personal bond with Mr. Xi," The Economist said in its June 24 issue. The President is "telephoning [Xi] so often to ask about Korea co-operation that Chinese officials grumbled to American contacts that their president is 'not our North Korean desk officer.'" On June 20, Trump tweeted that "while I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out." Tweet Analysts also worry that Trump may disrupt the meeting with tweets, or a cold persona as was the case in his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "With the North Korean security threat looming larger and larger, good chemistry between President Moon Jae-in and President Trump is essential," Thomas Byrne, president of The Korea Society in New York. The U.S. and South Korea do agree that China is important in working towards North Korea denuclearization. "In principle, I think they can get along as far as North Korea is concerned," Hyun-Wook Kim said. Moon "understands this is not the right time for dialogue." Thomas Galbato is a longtime Auburn-area businessman. He's owned salons and been a member of community organizations. He continues to operate Tom Thumb Drive-In, a popular seasonal ice cream stand overlooking Owasco Lake. He's also a state government employee. Since 2002, he's been employed as a part-time community liaison for Assemblyman Gary Finch. His salary is modest $8,851 annually, or $340 every two weeks. He's eligible for several taxpayer-funded benefits, including health insurance and a pension. But documents obtained by The Citizen during a two-month investigation and comments made by Finch, a Springport Republican raise questions about Galbato's role as a legislative aide. And these questions point to a lack of transparency and oversight with the state Legislature's hiring and payroll practices. A review of The Citizen's archives and other online resources found no public references to Galbato's work for Finch or other lawmakers. Finch said Galbato is a driver and photographer. He preemptively dismissed any suggestion that Galbato's position is a no-show job. "That's not the case," he said during the first of three phone interviews on the matter. "He's at events. He's been seen at events. He becomes a nuisance at some of the events with the photography." Galbato was contacted by The Citizen for this story. He briefly spoke by phone before asking The Citizen to email him questions about his employment. The questions were relayed to Finch, who said any inquiries about Galbato's job history should be directed to him. Longtime legislative aide Galbato, 81, began his career as a state legislative employee in the 1980s, according to personnel records obtained from the Assembly through a Freedom of Information request. In 1983, then-Assemblyman Clarence "Rapp" Rappleyea hired Galbato as a junior administrative aide. His starting salary was $5,000. Galbato said that he also worked for former state Sen. Tarky Lombardi. Rappleyea was in office until 1995. Lombardi retired from the Senate at the end of 1992. Galbato's personnel records show he was on Rappleyea's staff until the end of 1992, when the assemblyman's district was redrawn and no longer included Cayuga County. Following his service with Rappleyea, Galbato wasn't an Assembly employee for nearly a decade. When then-Assemblyman Dan Fessenden took office in 1993, Galbato didn't join his staff. Before becoming an assemblyman, Fessenden worked with Galbato on Rappleyea's staff. But that's all he could recall about Galbato's legislative work history. "When I came into office, I don't know that it was ever even a point or a consideration what his role was," Fessenden said. Despite not being employed by Fessenden, Galbato continued to have financial connections to Cayuga County's state legislative delegation. In 1993, Fessenden and newly elected state Sen. Michael Nozzolio shared office space at 268 Genesee St. in a building owned by Galbato. The arrangement was referenced in an article published by The Citizen in 1993 detailing an issue involving the property and the need for a wheelchair ramp. Directories and stories published in multiple newspapers, including The Citizen, indicate Fessenden's district office remained at 268 Genesee St. for at least five of the six years he served in the Assembly. More about the rental agreement isn't known. The Assembly's record retention policy mandates that lease and rental contracts are retained for up to seven years, which means the chamber no longer has records pertaining to Fessenden's office. Galbato's career as a legislative aide resumed in January 2002, according to his personnel records. He was hired as a community liaison by Finch, who succeeded Fessenden in 1999. The part-time position paid $5,000 and required Galbato to work 35 hours every two weeks. Finch said he's known Galbato for many years. They both were members of the Auburn Jaycees, a now-defunct community organization. They have also been involved in the local Republican Party. Galbato was chairman of the Owasco Republican Committee and served a stint as the county Republicans' finance chair. Galbato, Finch noted, has been a longtime activist on issues related to drunk driving. Galbato's wife, Carmella, was killed by a drunk driver in 1979. After her death, he founded Curb Alcohol Related Mortalities. The organization remains in existence and funds scholarships every year for two Auburn High School graduates. What also made Galbato appealing as a potential staffer, Finch said, are his photography skills and ties to the area. "He has a camera that he uses all the time," he said. "The pictures are all over Tom Thumb. And he's got his fingers on the pulse of the community in many ways." Finch added, "I felt it was valuable for the amount of the investment that I had to make in him, which was a modest salary. I don't think he's ever gotten a raise." However, Galbato's salary has increased during his 15 years with Finch's office. His 2015-16 personnel record shows he was slated to be paid $8,213 a year for his part-time position. Finch later confirmed his 2017 salary $8,851 after consulting with the Assembly personnel office. A job with benefits As a state legislative employee, even one who's listed as a part-time aide, Galbato is eligible for various fringe benefits the most significant of which is health insurance. An Albany Times-Union story published in March described how state legislators hire family members, friends and wealthy individuals to serve as community liaisons. Once they become state employees, they're eligible for benefits. To enroll in a state health insurance plan, employees must work at least 17.5 hours per week. Galbato's personnel records and time sheets indicate he typically works 18 hours per week and 36 hours every biweekly pay period. State agencies have been reluctant to share whether employees are actually receiving health insurance. Federal privacy laws have been cited as the main reason for not disclosing that information. But Finch revealed, after consulting with the Assembly personnel office, that Galbato is enrolled in the Empire Plan, one of the health insurance options available to state employees. Those enrolled in the plan don't have to pay a deductible for in-network services. For those enrolled in the Empire Plan, the state covers 88 percent of the cost. The cost to the state can vary depending on whether the enrollee is receiving Medicare. For individual coverage under the Empire Plan, it costs agencies $11,359.80 per enrollee. For those receiving a Medicare-primary individual plan, the cost is $5,083.92. The employee contribution for an individual plan is $39.91 every two weeks, although the cost of Galbato's coverage could be slightly different because he's eligible for Medicare. An added benefit of the Empire Plan: Retirees can receive lifetime coverage if they have at least 10 years of state government service. Galbato, who has logged 25 years as a state employee, would be eligible to continue receiving the state health insurance benefit if he were to retire from his position. What does Galbato do? A job description for community liaisons in the state Assembly isn't available. Michael Fraser, a spokesman for the Assembly Republican conference, said the responsibilities of a community liaison "are determined by each individual Assembly member." That flexibility allows members like Finch to determine what, if any, duties the community liaison will perform. In his first interview with The Citizen, Finch initially estimated that Galbato worked no more than six or 12 hours a week. He said Galbato may drive him to an event or attend a function on his behalf. He noted, though, that Galbato has a "language issue." (Galbato was born in Italy.) Galbato's main task, according to Finch, is photography. "A lot of those photographs either go on the website that we have or they'll go to people that are in the photos as kind of a courtesy," Finch said. He added that Galbato's photos are "occasionally" used for taxpayer-funded mailers, but not often because those responsibilities are usually handled by a professional photographer from Albany. Time sheets obtained by The Citizen, however, raise questions about Finch's description of Galbato's work. On June 10, 2016, Finch broke his ankle. In interviews with the The Citizen last year, he explained that the break was so severe that he needed to rehabilitate the injury at The Commons on St. Anthony in Auburn. He stayed there until Aug. 20. Galbato's time sheets, however, show that he continued to work his usual schedule six hours a day, three days a week while Finch was rehabbing his injury. Finch said Galbato would bring him paperwork and he'd visit two or three times a week. Since it was during the summer months when Tom Thumb is open, Finch said Galbato would usually visit after the restaurant closed for the night. Records from the first four months of 2017 show there were at least 20 days that Galbato said he worked a six-hour shift when Finch was actually in Albany. Finch's whereabouts were confirmed using roll call votes and member travel ledgers published on the Assembly's website. When asked in a follow-up interview how Galbato, who has been described as a driver and photographer, logged so many hours when his boss is in Albany, Finch responded, "That's a good question." "He's certainly not driving me around," he said. "He does not drive me around very much even when he was doing it. Mostly it's the photographic stuff and then he would be putting together those pictures." Finch said Galbato's additional duties involved editing photos and clipping articles out of the newspaper. The articles were then sent to constituents with a note from the assemblyman. "I would have to say, other than that, I think he probably, of course, is very busy monitoring the pulse of whatever is going on," Finch said. "Those are the jobs. It's not much of a job, that's for sure." Tim Hoefer, executive director of the Empire Center of Public Policy, questioned the necessity of having state lawmakers hire employees for constituent service positions. (Hoefer is a former state legislative staffer and worked for Finch.) "We elect our state legislators to do a fairly specific job, which is to carry out the business of the state," he said. "They're there to pass a budget and pass laws pertaining to running the state of New York. You have municipal elected officials and employees who are there to deal with what the Legislature sort of deems as constituent service, and that's the work that they do out of their district offices." Hoefer views Galbato's role with Finch as part of "normal operating procedure" in the state Legislature. Other members of the Assembly and state Senate have community liaisons or employees who serve similar roles. While it appears the practice won't change anytime soon, Hoefer emphasized the need for more transparency from the Legislature regarding its paid staff. "If we, as taxpayers, are going to be OK with having these representatives out and about, we need to have full access to what they're doing and how their time is being spent," he said. Galbato's status Galbato, according to Finch, suffered a heart attack on May 14 Mother's Day. Finch said in separate interviews that Galbato hasn't worked or submitted a time sheet since the medical emergency. "I haven't had him at an event at all," Finch said. "He's had a stent put in. I haven't even seen him. I've talked to him multiple times on the phone, but I haven't seen him since he had the heart condition." However, Galbato submitted time sheets after he reportedly had a heart attack. The documents, which were obtained by The Citizen through a Freedom of Information request, show he reported having worked May 15, May 16 and May 17. The following week, he used personal and vacation time to take four days off. He returned to his legislative duties May 30 and 31, according to his time sheets. Finch, as Galbato's supervisor, signed the time sheets. Galbato's days as a state employee may be numbered. Finch said Galbato has informed him that he will resign effective July 31, although no official notification has been received. In addition to the health care benefit that comes with the state job, Galbato is also eligible for a public pension. The state comptroller's office said he became a member of the state retirement system on March 8, 1983. He has accumulated 15.5 years of service credits as a Tier III employee. Membership in the state retirement system is mandatory for full-time employees. It's optional for Galbato and other part-time workers. The comptroller's office doesn't provide estimated benefits for those enrolled in the retirement system. If Galbato elects to receive a pension, he would get a monthly benefit. He could designate a beneficiary to receive the pension after his death. As of Monday, the comptroller's office said it hasn't received a retirement application from Galbato. If Galbato follows through on his plan to resign, Finch said he'll miss him. "He's a valued employee but deserves his retirement," he said. "They should double it I think China spends too little right now," said Yan Xuetong, dean of Tsinghua University's Institute of International Relations. DALIAN, China China should double its military spending in order to shore up both national and regional security, an international relations expert said Wednesday. At the very least, the world's most populous country should spend in proportion to the U.S., or roughly 3 percent of GDP for defense expenditures, he said at the World Economic Forum's "Summer Davos" meeting in Dalian, China. That could bump China's total military spending could approach $500 billion, according to some estimates. There isn't an internationally recognized standard for reporting defense spending, so China's official figures sometimes differ from outside estimates. Last year, Beijing said its budget was roughly $147 billion, whereas the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated China spent $226 billion. Whatever the figure may be, China's defense spending is closely watched it's one way to glean some insight into the country's strategic intentions, especially as tensions have flared over regional territorial disputes and neighboring North Korea has makes headlines as a nuclear hot potato. "Military provides security for your country that's why you need to spend the money," Yan said, noting that China shouldn't shy away from foreign defense contracts as getting the right technology is key. Plus, he pointed out that China's overall spending is still a fraction of the $600 billion the U.S. spent last year, according to SIPRI, which maintains a military spending database. Although China's defense spending has risen more slowly in the last few years, some experts say it's frivolous given the challenges in its domestic economy. Su Ge, president of the China Institute of International Studies, pointed out that national security also includes economic security, saying it's necessary "to build up a country's economy [and] raise people's living standards." It shouldn't necessarily be at the expense of physical security, but some experts, like Su, interpret the idea of shoring up the country more broadly. He also said that while the U.S. and China appear to have different ideas on how to handle the rising nuclear threat with North Korea, the two sides shared an important interest in denuclearization. "Both want stability, peace in the region," Su said. And to achieve that, one of the obvious solutions is to confer early to have early talks to prevent conflicts from occurring in the first place, Yan said. See more of CNBC's World Economic Forum "Summer Davos" coverage here. Several big banks announced significant increases in their plans to return capital to shareholders after passing the Federal Reserve's annual stress test. Financial shares jumped in extended trading. Citigroup was the highlight after hours, doubling its quarterly dividend to 32 cents per common share and announcing a common stock repurchase program of up to $15.6 billion. That would be the biggest ever buyback for Citi, surpassing a $15 billion buyback announced in 2005 before the financial crisis, according to Richard Peterson of S&P Global Market Intelligence. The shares jumped more than 2 percent in after-hours trading. The Fed approved Wednesday the capital return plans of all 34 banks, the first time the whole industry passed in the seven-year history of the tests. The Financials Select SPDR ETF (XLF) climbed more than 1 percent in after-hours trade, after closing 1.58 percent higher Wednesday in its third straight day of gains. "For some time, we have retained a significant amount of capital in excess of what is needed to prudently operate and invest in the firm. Now we can begin delivering on two of our most important priorities returning a higher level of that capital to our shareholders and improving Citi's overall returns," Citi CEO Michael Corbat said in a release. JPMorgan Chase said it would raise its quarterly dividend by 6 cents to 56 cents a share, effective the third quarter of 2017. The financial giant also said it has authorized share buybacks of up to $19.4 billion between July 1 and June 30 next year. That repurchase program was the largest in its publicly recorded history. JPMorgan shares climbed more than 2 percent in extended trade. Under the backdrop of "Energy Week" in Washington, Continental Resources and SK E&S of South Korea announced they will sign a memorandum of understanding Wednesday which expands their existing joint development agreement to consider pursuing other opportunities with US shale plays, including the development and exporting of liquid natural gas. SK E&S is a subsidiary of SK Group, one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea and part of SK Holdings. Under the JDA, Continental is currently running five drilling rigs in the Northwest Cana area of the Anadarko Woodford Shale. Harold Hamm, Chairman and CEO of Continental Resources said in a phone interview with CNBC that each rig currently employs approximately 100 people. "When Continental adds a new rig in October, that's an additional 100 new jobs in Oklahoma," said Hamm. "This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of jobs. Permits that were delayed under the former administration for years are now being approved under President Trump's administration. That means more jobs can be created." Under the original agreement inked in October 2014, Continental sold a 49.9 percent interest in approximately 44,000 net acres in the Northwest Cana area of the Anadarko Woodford Shale, including interest in 37 producing wells for a total of $360 million. Today, the JDA controls approximately 100,000 net mineral acres. "SK comes with the capital to develop resources here and has a market for this supply of natural gas." Explained Hamm. "By 2019 the United States will expand our exports 500 percent. In the US we are currently exporting 2.5bcf and will increase to 11 bcf by 2019. If we keep permits coming through on facilities, we can grow that amount of gas around the globe to 30 bcf by 2025, 2030. This creates jobs and opportunity for everybody." Hamm, who had a series of meetings in Asia in early June, is looking to expand Continental Resources LNG footprint. "This expansion gives CLR further entry into Asia. SK is set up to sell and trade LNG from America to other countries. Not just South Korea. Trade in America is very important to them. This signing is more than symbolic. It's the future of America's energy expansion." Hamm said. Some of the biggest names in business share the same worry for tomorrow's workforce that robots will take a record number of jobs from humans. As MarketWatch reports, both Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates have expressed concerns about automation at its effects on the labor market. Another billionaire, Mark Cuban, who made his fortune in tech, says technology will force many people into unemployment over the next few decades. "I'm willing to bet that these companies building new plants ... this will lead to fewer people being employed," Cuban told CNBC in an interview, adding that "people aren't going to have jobs." Oil may be enjoying a rally in recent days, but don't bet on it lasting, noted commodities trader Dennis Gartman told CNBC on Wednesday. Crude prices were higher on Wednesday, with U.S. crude futures closing up 50 cents, or 1.1 percent, at $44.74 a barrel. The move came after government data showed a bigger-than-expected drop in gasoline inventories and falling weekly U.S. crude output. "There's a real problem out there in the crude oil market. You're going to get a rally and the market is rallying today. It's been rallying for the past 4 or 5 days. It is nothing but a dead cat bounce," the editor and publisher of The Gartman Letter said in an interview with "Power Lunch." Those problems include the increase of oil coming out of countries such as Libya and Nigeria, which are ramping up much more quickly and higher than anticipated, Gartman explained. He believes prices could rally to $48 or $49 "at best" over the next two to three weeks, but longer term he's convinced crude will remain in a bear market. "I'll go with the Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who has made it abundantly clear that he thinks crude oil over the course of the next 20, 30 years is going to be essentially worthless." Read more: Harold Hamm warns oil prices below $40 will idle US drilling, cautions producers to be 'prudent' CNBC's Jackie O'Sullivan and Reuters contributed to this report. Disclaimer European bourses closed lower on Wednesday, as technology stocks slumped after weakness seen on Wall Street in the previous session. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was little changed, down 0.04 percent, with sectors and major bourses mixed. Europe's technology sector were among the worst-performers on Wednesday as jitters hit the market. In the U.S., the Nasdaq composite underperformed, falling 1.6 percent, as shares of Google-parent Alphabet declined more than 2 percent on Tuesday. The slump also follows a worldwide ransomware attack. The hack caused major disruption at banks and large firms including WPP , Moeller-Maersk , and Metro . Burberry dropped more than 3.4 percent, hitting the bottom of the benchmark after a Bloomberg report that it faces investors advisory groups' wrath on executive pay. In currency markets, the euro was volatile to monetary policy comments. The euro turned lower against the dollar, falling from a day's high, after media reports suggested that investors misjudged comments from President Mario Draghi of the ECB on Tuesday. At the end of the European session it had recovered ground, trading at $1.1355. Meanwhile, in the U.S., markets were higher with the Dow Jones industrial average jumping more than 100 points, with Goldman Sachs contributing the most gains. In the wake of a terrorist attack in London earlier this month, a U.S. congressman wrote a Facebook post in which he called for the slaughter of "radicalized" Muslims. "Hunt them, identify them, and kill them," declared U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican. "Kill them all. For the sake of all that is good and righteous. Kill them all." Higgins' plea for violent revenge went untouched by Facebook workers who scour the social network deleting offensive speech. But a May posting on Facebook by Boston poet and Black Lives Matter activist Didi Delgado drew a different response. "All white people are racist. Start from this reference point, or you've already failed," Delgado wrote. The post was removed and her Facebook account was disabled for seven days. A trove of internal documents reviewed by ProPublica sheds new light on the secret guidelines that Facebook's censors use to distinguish between hate speech and legitimate political expression. The documents reveal the rationale behind seemingly inconsistent decisions. For instance, Higgins' incitement to violence passed muster because it targeted a specific sub-group of Muslims those that are "radicalized" while Delgado's post was deleted for attacking whites in general. Over the past decade, the company has developed hundreds of rules, drawing elaborate distinctions between what should and shouldn't be allowed, in an effort to make the site a safe place for its nearly 2 billion users. The issue of how Facebook monitors this content has become increasingly prominent in recent months, with the rise of "fake news" fabricated stories that circulated on Facebook like "Pope Francis Shocks the World, Endorses Donald Trump For President, Releases Statement" and growing concern that terrorists are using social media for recruitment. While Facebook was credited during the 2010-2011 "Arab Spring" with facilitating uprisings against authoritarian regimes, the documents suggest that, at least in some instances, the company's hate-speech rules tend to favor elites and governments over grassroots activists and racial minorities. In so doing, they serve the business interests of the global company, which relies on national governments not to block its service to their citizens. One Facebook rule, which is cited in the documents but that the company said is no longer in effect, banned posts that praise the use of "violence to resist occupation of an internationally recognized state." The company's workforce of human censors, known as content reviewers, has deleted posts by activists and journalists in disputed territories such as Palestine, Kashmir, Crimea and Western Sahara. One document trains content reviewers on how to apply the company's global hate speech algorithm. The slide identifies three groups: female drivers, black children and white men. It asks: Which group is protected from hate speech? The correct answer: white men. The reason is that Facebook deletes curses, slurs, calls for violence and several other types of attacks only when they are directed at "protected categories"based on race, sex, gender identity, religious affiliation, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation and serious disability/disease. It gives users broader latitude when they write about "subsets" of protected categories. White men are considered a group because both traits are protected, while female drivers and black children, like radicalized Muslims, are subsets, because one of their characteristics is not protected. The Facebook Rules Facebook has used these rules to train its "content reviewers" to decide whether to delete or allow posts. Facebook says the exact wording of its rules may have changed slightly in more recent versions. ProPublica recreated the slides. Behind this seemingly arcane distinction lies a broader philosophy. Unlike American law, which permits preferences such as affirmative action for racial minorities and women for the sake of diversity or redressing discrimination, Facebook's algorithm is designed to defend all races and genders equally. "Sadly," the rules are "incorporating this color-blindness idea which is not in the spirit of why we have equal protection," said Danielle Citron, a law professor and expert on information privacy at the University of Maryland. This approach, she added, will "protect the people who least need it and take it away from those who really need it." But Facebook says its goal is different to apply consistent standards worldwide. "The policies do not always lead to perfect outcomes," said Monika Bickert, head of global policy management at Facebook. "That is the reality of having policies that apply to a global community where people around the world are going to have very different ideas about what is OK to share." Facebook's rules constitute a legal world of their own. They stand in sharp contrast to the United States' First Amendment protections of free speech, which courts have interpreted to allow exactly the sort of speech and writing censored by the company's hate speech algorithm. But they also differ for example, in permitting postings that deny the Holocaust from more restrictive European standards. The company has long had programs to remove obviously offensive material like child pornography from its stream of images and commentary. Recent articles in the Guardian and Suddeutsche Zeitung have detailed the difficult choices that Facebook faces regarding whether to delete posts containing graphic violence, child abuse, revenge porn and self-mutilation. The challenge of policing political expression is even more complex. The documents reviewed by ProPublica indicate, for example, that Donald Trump's posts about his campaign proposal to ban Muslim immigration to the United States violated the company's written policies against "calls for exclusion" of a protected group. As The Wall Street Journal reported last year, Facebook exempted Trump's statements from its policies at the order of Mark Zuckerberg, the company's founder and chief executive. The company recently pledged to nearly double its army of censors to 7,500, up from 4,500, in response to criticism of a video posting of a murder. Their work amounts to what may well be the most far-reaching global censorship operation in history. It is also the least accountable: Facebook does not publish the rules it uses to determine what content to allow and what to delete. Users whose posts are removed are not usually told what rule they have broken, and they cannot generally appeal Facebook's decision. Appeals are currently only available to people whose profile, group or page is removed. The company has begun exploring adding an appeals process for people who have individual pieces of content deleted, according to Bickert. "I'll be the first to say that we're not perfect every time," she said. Facebook is not required by U.S. law to censor content. A 1996 federal law gave most tech companies, including Facebook, legal immunity for the content users post on their services. The law, section 230 of the Telecommunications Act, was passed after Prodigy was sued and held liable for defamation for a post written by a user on a computer message board. The law freed up online publishers to host online forums without having to legally vet each piece of content before posting it, the way that a news outlet would evaluate an article before publishing it. But early tech companies soon realized that they still needed to supervise their chat rooms to prevent bullying and abuse that could drive away users. America Online convinced thousands of volunteers to police its chat rooms in exchange for free access to its service. But as more of the world connected to the internet, the job of policing became more difficult and companies started hiring workers to focus on it exclusively. Thus the job of content moderator now often called content reviewer was born. In 2004, attorney Nicole Wong joined Google and persuaded the company to hire its first-ever team of reviewers, who responded to complaints and reported to the legal department. Google needed "a rational set of policies and people who were trained to handle requests," for its online forum called Groups, she said. Google's purchase of YouTube in 2006 made deciding what content was appropriate even more urgent. "Because it was visual, it was universal," Wong said. While Google wanted to be as permissive as possible, she said, it soon had to contend with controversies such as a video mocking the King of Thailand, which violated Thailand's laws against insulting the king. Wong visited Thailand and was impressed by the nation's reverence for its monarch, so she reluctantly agreed to block the video but only for computers located in Thailand. Since then, selectively banning content by geography called "geo-blocking" has become a more common request from governments. "I don't love traveling this road of geo-blocking," Wong said, but "it's ended up being a decision that allows companies like Google to operate in a lot of different places." For social networks like Facebook, however, geo-blocking is difficult because of the way posts are shared with friends across national boundaries. If Facebook geo-blocks a user's post, it would only appear in the news feeds of friends who live in countries where the geo-blocking prohibition doesn't apply. That can make international conversations frustrating, with bits of the exchange hidden from some participants. As a result, Facebook has long tried to avoid using geography-specific rules when possible, according to people familiar with the company's thinking. However, it does geo-block in some instances, such as when it complied with a request from France to restrict access within its borders to a photo taken after the Nov. 13, 2015, terrorist attack at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris. Bickert said Facebook takes into consideration the laws in countries where it operates, but doesn't always remove content at a government's request. "If there is something that violates a country's law but does not violate our standards," Bickert said, "we look at who is making that request: Is it the appropriate authority? Then we check to see if it actually violates the law. Sometimes we will make that content unavailable in that country only." Facebook's goal is to create global rules. "We want to make sure that people are able to communicate in a borderless way," Bickert said. Founded in 2004, Facebook began as a social network for college students. As it spread beyond campus, Facebook began to use content moderation as a way to compete with the other leading social network of that era, MySpace. MySpace had positioned itself as the nightclub of the social networking world, offering profile pages that users could decorate with online glitter, colorful layouts and streaming music. It didn't require members to provide their real names and was home to plenty of nude and scantily clad photographs. And it was being investigated by law-enforcement agents across the country who worried it was being used by sexual predators to prey on children. (In a settlement with 49 state attorneys general, MySpace later agreed to strengthen protections for younger users.) By comparison, Facebook was the buttoned-down Ivy League social network all cool grays and blues. Real names and university affiliations were required. Chris Kelly, who joined Facebook in 2005 and was its first general counsel, said he wanted to make sure Facebook didn't end up in law enforcement's crosshairs, like MySpace. "We were really aggressive about saying we are a no-nudity platform," he said. The company also began to tackle hate speech. "We drew some difficult lines while I was there Holocaust denial being the most prominent," Kelly said. After an internal debate, the company decided to allow Holocaust denials but reaffirmed its ban on group-based bias, which included anti-Semitism. Since Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism frequently went together, he said, the perpetrators were often suspended regardless. "I've always been a pragmatist on this stuff," said Kelly, who left Facebook in 2010. "Even if you take the most extreme First Amendment positions, there are still limits on speech." By 2008, the company had begun expanding internationally but its censorship rulebook was still just a single page with a list of material to be excised, such as images of nudity and Hitler. "At the bottom of the page it said, 'Take down anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable,'" said Dave Willner, who joined Facebook's content team that year. Willner, who reviewed about 15,000 photos a day, soon found the rules were not rigorous enough. He and some colleagues worked to develop a coherent philosophy underpinning the rules, while refining the rules themselves. Soon he was promoted to head the content policy team. By the time he left Facebook in 2013, Willner had shepherded a 15,000-word rulebook that remains the basis for many of Facebook's content standards today. "There is no path that makes people happy," Willner said. "All the rules are mildly upsetting." Because of the volume of decisions many millions per day the approach is "more utilitarian than we are used to in our justice system," he said. "It's fundamentally not rights-oriented." Willner's then-boss, Jud Hoffman, who has since left Facebook, said that the rules were based on Facebook's mission of "making the world more open and connected." Openness implies a bias toward allowing people to write or post what they want, he said. But Hoffman said the team also relied on the principle of harm articulated by John Stuart Mill, a 19th-century English political philosopher. It states "that the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." That led to the development of Facebook's "credible threat" standard, which bans posts that describe specific actions that could threaten others, but allows threats that are not likely to be carried out. Eventually, however, Hoffman said "we found that limiting it to physical harm wasn't sufficient, so we started exploring how free expression societies deal with this." The rules developed considerable nuance. There is a ban against pictures of Pepe the Frog, a cartoon character often used by "alt-right" white supremacists to perpetrate racist memes, but swastikas are allowed under a rule that permits the "display [of] hate symbols for political messaging." In the documents examined by ProPublica, which are used to train content reviewers, this rule is illustrated with a picture of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that has been manipulated to apply a swastika to his sleeve. The documents state that Facebook relies, in part, on the U.S. State Department's list of designated terrorist organizations, which includes groups such as al-Qaida, the Taliban and Boko Haram. But not all groups deemed terrorist by one country or another are included: A recent investigation by the Pakistan newspaper Dawn found that 41 of the 64 terrorist groups banned in Pakistan were operational on Facebook. There is also a secret list, referred to but not included in the documents, of groups designated as hate organizations that are banned from Facebook. That list apparently doesn't include many Holocaust denial and white supremacist sites that are up on Facebook to this day, such as a group called "Alt-Reich Nation." A member of that group was recently charged with murdering a black college student in Maryland. As the rules have multiplied, so have exceptions to them. Facebook's decision not to protect subsets of protected groups arose because some subgroups such as "female drivers" didn't seem especially sensitive. The default position was to allow free speech, according to a person familiar with the decision-making. After the wave of Syrian immigrants began arriving in Europe, Facebook added a special "quasi-protected" category for migrants, according to the documents. They are only protected against calls for violence and dehumanizing generalizations, but not against calls for exclusion and degrading generalizations that are not dehumanizing. So, according to one document, migrants can be referred to as "filthy" but not called "filth." They cannot be likened to filth or disease "when the comparison is in the noun form," the document explains. Facebook also added an exception to its ban against advocating for anyone to be sent to a concentration camp. "Nazis should be sent to a concentration camp," is allowed, the documents state, because Nazis themselves are a hate group. The rule against posts that support violent resistance against a foreign occupier was developed because "we didn't want to be in a position of deciding who is a freedom fighter," Willner said. Facebook has since dropped the provision and revised its definition of terrorism to include nongovernmental organizations that carry out premeditated violence "to achieve a political, religious or ideological aim," according to a person familiar with the rules. The Facebook policy appears to have had repercussions in many of the at least two dozen disputed territories around the world. When Russia occupied Crimea in March 2014, many Ukrainians experienced a surge in Facebook banning posts and suspending profiles. Facebook's director of policy for the region, Thomas Myrup Kristensen, acknowledged at the time that it "found a small number of accounts where we had incorrectly removed content. In each case, this was due to language that appeared to be hate speech but was being used in an ironic way. In these cases, we have restored the content." Katerina Zolotareva, 34, a Kiev-based Ukrainian working in communications, has been blocked so often that she runs four accounts under her name. Although she supported the "Euromaidan" protests in February 2014 that antagonized Russia, spurring its military intervention in Crimea, she doesn't believe that Facebook took sides in the conflict. "There is war in almost every field of Ukrainian life," she says, "and when war starts, it also starts on Facebook." In Western Sahara, a disputed territory occupied by Morocco, a group of journalists called Equipe Media say their account was disabled by Facebook, their primary way to reach the outside world. They had to open a new account, which remains active. "We feel we have never posted anything against any law," said Mohammed Mayarah, the group's general coordinator. "We are a group of media activists. We have the aim to break the Moroccan media blockade imposed since it invaded and occupied Western Sahara." In Israel, which captured territory from its neighbors in a 1967 war and has occupied it since, Palestinian groups are blocked so often that they have their own hashtag, #FbCensorsPalestine, for it. Last year, for instance, Facebook blocked the accounts of several editors for two leading Palestinian media outlets from the West Bank Quds News Network and Sheebab News Agency. After a couple of days, Facebook apologizedand un-blocked the journalists' accounts. Earlier this year, Facebook blocked the account of Fatah, the Palestinian Authority's ruling party then un-blocked it and apologized. Last year India cracked down on protesters in Kashmir, shooting pellet guns at them and shutting off cellphone service. Local insurgents are seeking autonomy for Kashmir, which is also caught in a territorial tussle between India and Pakistan. Posts of Kashmir activists were being deleted, and members of a group called the Kashmir Solidarity Network found that all of their Facebook accounts had been blocked on the same day. Ather Zia, a member of the network and a professor of anthropology at the University of Northern Colorado, said that Facebook restored her account without explanation after two weeks. "We do not trust Facebook any more," she said. "I use Facebook, but it's almost this idea that we will be able to create awareness but then we might not be on it for long." The rules are one thing. How they're applied is another. Bickert said Facebook conducts weekly audits of every single content reviewer's work to ensure that its rules are being followed consistently. But critics say that reviewers, who have to decide on each post within seconds, may vary in both interpretation and vigilance. Facebook users who don't mince words in criticizing racism and police killings of racial minorities say that their posts are often taken down. Two years ago, Stacey Patton, a journalism professor at historically black Morgan State University in Baltimore, posed a provocative question on her Facebook page. She asked why "it's not a crime when White freelance vigilantes and agents of 'the state' are serial killers of unarmed Black people, but when Black people kill each other then we are 'animals' or 'criminals.'" Although it doesn't appear to violate Facebook's policies against hate speech, her post was immediately removed, and her account was disabled for three days. Facebook didn't tell her why. "My posts get deleted about once a month," said Patton, who often writes about racial issues. She said she also is frequently put in Facebook "jail" locked out of her account for a period of time after a posting that breaks the rules. "It's such emotional violence," Patton said. "Particularly as a black person, we're always have these discussions about mass incarceration, and then here's this fiber-optic space where you can express yourself. Then you say something that some anonymous person doesn't like and then you're in 'jail.'" Didi Delgado, whose post stating that "white people are racist" was deleted, has been banned from Facebook so often that she has set up an account on another service called Patreon, where she posts the content that Facebook suppressed. In May, she deplored the increasingly common Facebook censorship of black activists in an article for Medium titled "Mark Zuckerberg Hates Black People." Facebook also locked out Leslie Mac, a Michigan resident who runs a service called SafetyPinBox where subscribers contribute financially to "the fight for black liberation," according to her site. Her offense was writing a post stating "White folks. When racism happens in public YOUR SILENCE IS VIOLENCE." The post does not appear to violate Facebook's policies. Facebook apologized and restored her account after TechCrunch wrote an article about Mac's punishment. Since then, Mac has written many other outspoken posts. But, "I have not had a single peep from Facebook," she said, while "not a single one of my black female friends who write about race or social justice have not been banned." "My takeaway from the whole thing is: If you get publicity, they clean it right up," Mac said. Even so, like most of her friends, she maintains a separate Facebook account in case her main account gets blocked again. Negative publicity has spurred other Facebook turnabouts as well. Consider the example of the iconic news photograph of a young naked girl running from a napalm bomb during the Vietnam War. Kate Klonick, a PhD candidate at Yale Law School who has spent two years studying censorship operations at tech companies, said the photo had likely been deleted by Facebook thousands of times for violating its ban on nudity. But last year, Facebook reversed itself after Norway's leading newspaper published a front-page open letter to Zuckerberg accusing him of "abusing his power" by deleting the photo from the newspaper's Facebook account. Klonick said that while she admires Facebook's dedication to policing content on its website, she fears it is evolving into a place where celebrities, world leaders and other important people "are disproportionately the people who have the power to update the rules." In December 2015, a month after terrorist attacks in Paris killed 130 people, the European Union began pressuring tech companies to work harder to prevent the spread of violent extremism online. After a year of negotiations, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube agreed to the European Union's hate speech code of conduct, which commits them to review and remove the majority of valid complaints about illegal content within 24 hours and to be audited by European regulators. The first audit, in December, found that the companies were only reviewing 40 percent of hate speech within 24 hours, and only removing 28 percent of it. Since then, the tech companies have shortened their response times to reports of hate speech and increased the amount of content they are deleting, prompting criticism from free-speech advocates that too much is being censored. Now the German government is considering legislation that would allow social networks such as Facebook to be fined up to 50 million euros if they don't remove hate speech and fake news quickly enough. Facebook recently posted an article assuring German lawmakers that it is deleting about 15,000 hate speech posts a month. Worldwide, over the last two months, Facebook deleted about 66,000 hate speech posts per week, vice president Richard Allan said in a statement Tuesday on the company's site. Among posts that Facebook didn't delete were Donald Trump's comments on Muslims. Days after the Paris attacks, Trump, then running for president, posted on Facebook "calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." Candidate Trump's posting which has come back to haunt him in court decisionsvoiding his proposed travel ban appeared to violate Facebook's rules against "calls for exclusion" of a protected religious group. Zuckerberg decided to allow it because it was part of the political discourse, according to people familiar with the situation. However, one person close to Facebook's decision-making said Trump may also have benefited from the exception for sub-groups. A Muslim ban could be interpreted as being directed against a sub-group, Muslim immigrants, and thus might not qualify as hate speech against a protected category. The Food and Drug Administration will try to prevent major pharmaceutical companies from playing "regulatory arbitrage" in the generic drug business, the agency's commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, told CNBC on Wednesday. "We don't play a role in drug pricing, but we do affect drug competition in terms of getting new drugs on to the market, and create competition to older drugs, particularly with generic drugs," Gottlieb said on "Squawk Box." When asked directly how the FDA plans to deal with situations like ex-pharma CEO Martin Shkreli's raising of a lifesaving drug by 5,000 percent, Gottlieb said, "There's a second set of policies ... that I think would prevent the ability of people to come in and pick off low-volume generic drugs, where there might not be a lot of competitors because they're just not used a lot, and raise the price and basically take advantage of regulatory arbitrage, where it might take a year or more to get another generic copy to the market." Major drugmakers have been scrutinized for hefty price increases, especially after the outrage that stemmed from Shkreli's 2015 hike of the cost of Daraprim, a drug used to treat a certain kind of infection that's particularly dangerous for people who have weakened immune systems, such as AIDS patients and pregnant women. He later walked back the price increase. Shkreli is currently standing trial, with jury selection underway this week, on charges of securities fraud unrelated to the Daraprim scandal. He has pleaded not guilty. Gottlieb spoke to CNBC as Republican lawmakers are focused on trying to replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. But he said the FDA wants to focus on getting more low-cost generic drugs on the market faster to help ease the financial burden on American consumers. According to the FDA, not every drug has a generic. Most drug companies have a patent on their medications, and once that patent expires, competitors can start selling a generic version of the drug. "There are various techniques branded companies sometimes employ to block the generic companies from getting access to the samples that they need. One of them is taking advantage of certain rules the FDA puts in place to manage the risk of drugs in the post market, so-called risk management plans," he said. Gottlieb said the FDA is publishing a list of where there is only one drug on the market. He said the agency is also going to prioritize the entry of new generic drugs into each category until there are three competitors. "We really don't see the big price breaks for consumers until there are three competitors in the marketplace," the commissioner said. "We have to facilitate competition." Reuters contributed to this report. U.S. Rep. John Katko urged members of a House subcommittee to support legislation he's introduced that aims to crack down on the growing synthetic drug problem. Katko, R-Camillus, unveiled his bill last week during a press conference in Syracuse. The measure would establish a new chemical compounds schedule under the Controlled Substances Act and add 13 forms of synthetic fentanyl to the schedule. A key provision in the legislation would allow the Department of Justice to temporarily add a substance to the new schedule, which would give the federal government additional time to test the compound and determine it should be permanently added to the list under the Controlled Substances Act. In his testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, Katko said Syracuse-area hospitals handled a record number of synthetic drug overdose cases. And in Washington D.C., there were 439 ambulance trips due to synthetic drug abuse in June 2015. "The synthetic drug epidemic has swept our nation and crippled communities in central New York," he said. Katko is hoping his bill gains traction in Congress. There are nine cosponsors who have signed on to the House version of the measure, including U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Long Island Democrat. The Senate bill is backed by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committee's ranking member. New York firefighters on Wednesday evening battled a five-alarm blaze blocks from Union Square and Washington Square parks. The FDNY's Twitter feed said recently that no injuries had been reported in the fire at 60 East Ninth Street. Images and videos posted on social media showed smoke filling the surrounding area, including nearby Broadway. FDNY tweet Bystander tweet NBC 4 in New York reported that Broadway was closed south of East 11th Street a few blocks down to Astor Place. There was no immediate indication of what started the fire. The Bugatti Chiron on display at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 on March 8, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. The technology and automotive worlds are awash with debate over how quickly self-driving cars will arrive to end costly car ownership and begin the inexpensive ride-hailing revolution. And then there's the Bugatti Chiron, whose very existence blows a giant French raspberry in that general proletarian direction. The Chiron is the physical manifestation of stock market and real estate booms that have left the 0.01% crowd flush with cash to manifest their wealth. While names such as Ferrari, Porsche and Rolls-Royce say "rich," Bugatti says "don't ask." More from USA Today: In Trinity church ruling, Supreme Court strikes church-state balance As Republicans struggle, Obamacare's architects outline how it could be fixed 111 terminally ill people end their lives under California's new right-to-die law: California Department of Health At $3 million, the Chiron pronounced shee-ron, after fabled mid-century Bugatti racer Louis Chiron is the world's most expensive production car, the unrivaled crown jewel of the Volkswagen Group whose holdings also include Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini. At 1,500-horsepower and 1,180 ft-lbs of torque from 16 cylinders, it is also the world's most powerful automobile, capable of hitting 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and reaching a top speed of 236 mph. Unless you use a special key to unlock its true top speed of 261 mph, although where one might hit such a mark without losing your marbles or license is unknown. And at only 500 units, the Chiron is among the world's most exclusive works of mechanical art, handmade in a facility in Molsheim, France, so spotless it would wow a surgeon and by workers so meticulous they'd impress a jeweler. After a 2016 Geneva Motor Show debut, Bugatti has finally started delivering its new Chiron. Typically, Bugatti sells 40% of its exclusive cache to Europeans, 30% to Americans and 30% to Russian, Asian and Middle Eastern buyers. So far, just under half those 500 remain unclaimed. "People are putting money into hypercars, in part because they often retain their value very well," says Maurizio Parlato, chief operating officer of Bugatti North America. "But where many companies are essentially offering you a race car that you're helping them develop further, we're offering a fully tested, reliable supercar you can take to the theater." Parlato, a onetime Ferrari executive, is too polite to name names, but what comes to mind are the $2 million Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta and the $3 million McLaren P1 GTR. With a population of 1.4 billion and limited arable land, is trying hard to convince citizens to accept genetically modified (GM) food, but there is still consumer resistance to such crops. expected continuing public education will help. "It's all about education and based on providing facts and data in terms of driving productivity," said Peter Wong, the company's Asia Pacific president. The U.S. chemical giant is working with the Chinese government to drive public education in the area and taking a holistic approach to the issue, Wong added. "The approach is really looking from farm-to-fork total solution for food safety Agriculture is just part of it. Another important part is (about issues like) how you provide an effective packaging, how you recycle the packaging material?" he said. "As long as you can provide the total solution, promoting food safety, the people, the citizens will get it," Wong added. Dow has been seeing double-digit growth in China, he said, without specifying the time frame. Christine Lagarde is seen as one of the most powerful female leaders in the world today, but her story could've been very different. Early on in her career, Lagarde applied to attend Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA), a prestigious college in France which prepares students for careers in senior civil service. However, after reportedly failing to get in twice, Lagarde went on to join international law firm Baker & McKenzie, as an associate. ENA has seen many political leaders, French ministers and industry leaders walk through its doors. If she had succeeded in being a civil servant, however, Lagarde may not have gone on to undertake such impressive roles as French finance minister, a lawyer and the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). More from Life Hacks Live: Make time to just think, says CEO of world's biggest advertising firm It's critical to 'find your own style' if you want to lead successfully as a woman, says Anne-Marie Slaughter 3 lessons IMAX's CEO learned by saving his company from bankruptcy Looking back now, the influential leader admitted to CNBC that her life wouldn't have seen "so many turns" if she ended up pursuing a career as a civil servant. "My career might have been very boring had I attended that school, because there was certainly less opportunities to bifurcate, to move into another professional life," Christine Lagarde told CNBC's "Life Hacks Live" series at the Cannes Lions festival in France last week. "You know, I've change the course of my professional life many times over: From being a practicing lawyer to being in (a) management position eventually leading Baker McKenzie on a global basis, to then being drafted in government as agriculture minister. Then as finance, economy and industry minister for one of the G-8 countries, and then managing director of the IMF," she added. "So, if I had been a top notch civil servant, I would have continued being a civil servant and (well) my life might have been interesting, but it wouldn't have taken so many, so many turns." The field of high-tech and venture capital investment is known worldwide for its low percentage of women in senior roles. In Israel, with its leading position in some high-tech fields and its Startup Nation ambition, dozens of new initiatives have sprung up over the last couple of years to encourage women entrepreneurs in startups. But funding is key, say many. When VC (venture capital) crowdfunding company OurCrowd last week launched a new initiative to link some of the largest companies in the world more closely to Israeli startups, it was led by its business development partner Laly David. She's fully involved in investment decisions, a rarity for a woman in Israel, as it is in the international world of venture capital. Willie B. Thomas | Getty Images David calls the lack of women in VC and high-tech a "painful subject". In a telephone interview with CNBC she says it's something that OurCrowd and she herself are working to address but not enough is being done yet. "There are different initiatives in Israel that are focused on supporting female entrepreneurs, for example with mentorships, I also mentor different companies. But the really, truly efficient help is funding. So we're looking at ways for us to be stronger funders of female-led ventures," says David. Her emphasis on funding is echoed in conversations with female entrepreneurs and those working to address the gender gap in Israeli startups. Maya Gura, whose startup MissBeez offers online beauty and lifestyle services by and for women, earlier this year received the Israeli Geektime 2017 female CEO of the year award. "Right now only four percent of investors are female so when women entrepreneurs come to pitch VCs about their ideas, typically they're just not taken seriously," says Gura. She calls herself a serial entrepreneur and says she has a network of contacts that help her bypass this problem but it affects many of her colleagues. "Many ideas, in education, in beauty, in many markets, are not addressed seriously maybe because they less interest or are less of a priority or less of a theme to the people who listen to those ideas," she says. Merav Oren is another Israeli self-described serial entrepreneur who's taken an initiative to help women CEOs and founders of startups. WMN, in the Atidim high-tech park and elsewhere in Tel Aviv, is not only a co-working space but also an "ecosystem" to facilitate women-led ventures, she says. Syfy | Getty Images WMN helps to provide a physical space for startups with women CEOs and/or founders. "You need to feel at home in order to flourish. I think for women that's even more important," says Oren. At the same time, there are many other issues that WMN seeks to address. In Israel's particular high-tech environment, a lot of ties are forged in the army, often in special cyber units. "That's why we're working so hard to build an ecosystem for women, for the female founders so they can pay it forward between themselves as well," she says. Yet, the central problem that she also comes back to is one of funding: "If we had more women in VCs, women would get more support." Oren recognizes Maya Gura's observation that women are looked at differently by investment teams that are overwhelmingly male and says that would be different if more women were involved. "It's not that someone is going to support me because I'm a woman but sometimes when you walk into a room and let's say out of ten people there's maybe one woman and the rest men, I can't even put my finger on it but it's the atmosphere, the way it's looked at," she says. watch now Student protest leader Joshua Wong shouts as he is carried by policemen as protesters are arrested at a monument symbolizing the city's handover from British to Chinese rule, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive for the celebrations, in Hong Kong, China June 28, 2017. Hong Kong police have arrested protesters on the eve of Chinese President 's visit to the city to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China. The demonstrators had gathered around the Golden Bauhinia statue to express their frustration with what they perceive as Beijing's encroachment on democratic values. The police said that by climbing up the sculpture and displaying banners, the protesters "endangered their own safety and public safety." Authorities have yet to provide information on expected release times. Those detained include a handful of young activists who were propelled into the international spotlight during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when thousands poured into the streets, occupying major commercial areas of Hong Kong for 79 days. Pro-democracy party Demosisto confirmed that the police picked up at least seven of its members, including Umbrella Movement leaders Nathan Law, Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow. Law, 23, won a seat on Hong Kong's Legislative Council in September, making him the city's youngest ever legislator. NATO's secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has insisted that the defense alliance's commitment to support each other militarily is just as crucial for U.S. security as it is for that of Europe and Canada. "NATO is important for Europe but it's also important for the United States," Stoltenberg told CNBC Wednesday in a bid to preserve the group's commitment to this central principle after President Donald Trump failed to endorse it at a meeting with NATO members last month. The agreement, known as Article 5, has only been triggered once by the group, when European and Canadian members joined the U.S. in its war in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. "Hundreds of thousands of Europeans and Canadians have fought alongside U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan to fight terrorism and prevent terrorists again using Afghanistan as a base for attacks against the U.S. and other countries," Stoltenberg said ahead of the latest meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday. The President received criticism last month when he failed to mention this clause, despite it being included in a prepared speech. It is not clear, however, whether he personally omitted the reference or it was removed by White House advisers. However, Stoltenberg said that the group remained committed to continuing its combined efforts in Afghanistan. Tomorrow the group is due to discuss possible plans to send a further 3,000 troops to join the 13,000 already deployed in Afghanistan. watch now The global ransomware attack that hit major corporations from shipping giant Maersk to the world's biggest advertiser WPP , has affected over 12,000 machines, with companies and security researchers scrambling to find a fix. Ransomware is a malicious piece of software that locks files on a computer and demands payments to unlock them. The files on the computers are not accessible and are therefore useless. What is 'Petya' ransomware? The current attack appears to be carried out by a variant of malware known as Petya. It's a particular variation of Petya that some researchers have said they are seeing for the first time. One security source, who preferred to remain anonymous because the investigation is in its early stages, told CNBC that many anti-virus programs didn't recognize it and were unable to stop it. How does it work? The ransomware locks the computer's master boot record which is key for the machine to locate where the operating system and files are. Locking this makes the computer more or less unusable. It attacks networks through exploiting a security flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system that was originally used by the National Security Agency (NSA) which was then leaked earlier this year. The vulnerability, known as EternalBlue, was leaked online earlier this year, and is being used by hackers. It is the same security flaw that the WannaCry attack earlier this year which hit hundreds of thousands of users was based on. Another way this virus spreads is by getting the logins and passwords of users on a network, which allows it to spread and install on other machines. A laptop displays a message after being infected by a ransomware as part of a worldwide cyberattack on June 27, 2017. Rob Engelaar | AFP | Getty Images Once the computer is infected, a message appears demanding $300 worth of bitcoin to unlock the encrypted files. Where did it start? Security researchers and Ukraine's cyber police are pointing fingers at MeDoc, a third-party accounting software product, used by many industries in Ukraine including financial institutions. MeDoc pushed out an update which was then compromised by hackers. When this was installed, computer networks got this malware. In a post on Facebook, MeDoc denied the accusations and said this is "clearly erroneous". Who has been hit? Microsoft estimates over 12,000 machines have been hit by the cyberattack. According to security firm McAfee, the malware has spread across the U.S., large parts of Europe, South America, and big countries in Asia too. Major corporations have also been affected including WPP, Maersk, Russian oil giant Rosneft, and public and private institutions in Ukraine. Some of those businesses responded on Wednesday. WPP said that it has taken steps to contain the attack with the priority now to return to normal operations. Many of the businesses under the WPP brand were affected but they are "experiencing no or minimal disruption." Maersk said that IT systems were down across multiple sites and some business units, but the issues have been contained. It is now working on a "technical recovery plan". The impact on the business is still being assessed. Russia, which was one of the countries hit, said the cyberattack caused no serious problems at either a state or corporate level in the country. Who did it? Attribution is always difficult with cyberattacks and as of yet, no security researchers have found a culprit. This is likely to come over the next few days. Are you at risk? So far, major businesses have been attacked. You will know if you have been infected as a screen will appear demanding payment of $300 in bitcoin to unlock the file. Researchers have warned against paying the ransom because the email now associated with the hackers has been decommissioned, meaning even if you pay, there is no way to contact the criminals. If your organization is running a vulnerable version of Windows that hasn't patched (updated with the latest fix) then your business could be at risk. How to protect yourself? Authorities in the U.S. and U.K. have issued guidelines in the past about how to protect against ransomware. Individuals and small businesses should: Run Windows Update to get the latest software updates. Make sure any anti-virus product is up to date and scan your computer for any malicious programs. It's also worth setting up regular auto-scans. Back up important data on your computer so it can be recovered if it's held for ransom. Large organizations should: Apply the latest Microsoft security patches for this particular flaw. Back up key data. Scan all outgoing and incoming emails for malicious attachments. Ensure anti-virus programs are up to date and conducting regular scans. Make sure to run "penetration tests" against your network's security, no less than once a year, according to the Department of Homeland Security. WATCH: How practical is it to live on bitcoin in 2017? We tried it for a week Uber and Lyft have cleared the final hurdle to provide ride-sharing services in upstate New York. The state Department of Motor Vehicles has signed off on allowing the two largest ride-sharing companies to operate in upstate and Long Island. Drivers may begin transporting passengers Thursday. According to the state DMV, more than 20,000 drivers will participate in the initial launch of ride-sharing services. "New Yorkers have long demanded statewide ride-sharing services and I'm pleased that these services will now be available in time for the July 4 weekend," DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner Terri Egan said. To operate in New York, ride-sharing companies must have an application approved by the state DMV. The application fee is $100,000. The annual renewal fee is $60,000. Approved companies must have a mobile app that allows riders to hail a vehicle. The app should provide riders with at least an estimated fare for the cost of the ride. Other information, including a photo of the driver, the make, model and color of the vehicle and the vehicle's license plate number, should be displayed. Uber, Lyft and other operators must have a $1.25 million vehicle liability insurance policy when passengers are being transported. The companies will be required to adopt anti-discrimination policies and provide workers' compensation for drivers. Ride-sharing drivers must be at least 19 years old and pass a criminal background check, which will include a review of their driving record. Drivers must be enrolled in the state DMV's License Event Notification System, a database that provides information on tickets, license suspensions and other driving-related details. Drivers will be required to display an emblem on the passenger side of their vehicle's front windshield to verify which company they work for. And a complaint process has been established for consumers to report violations and other issues. Ride-sharing was adopted in the state budget and set to take effect in mid-July. But the state Legislature passed a bill to speed up implementation of the program. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure earlier this month. State Sen. Jim Seward, who spearheaded the effort to bring ride-sharing to upstate New York, said allowing companies like Uber and Lyft to operate across the state will have economic, environmental and public safety benefits. "Business executives, tourists, college students and everyone in between use ride-sharing apps, and expect them to be available," Seward, R-Milford, said. "I was pleased to help pave the way for this business model in upstate communities and look forward to many smooth rides ahead." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) talks to the media next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov before their meeting at the State Department in Washington, U.S., May 10, 2017. Russia doubled down on its rhetoric against the U.S. for the allegations that its ally Syrian President Bashar Assad was planning a new chemical weapons attack. In the latest salvo, a Russian Foreign Ministry official on Wednesday slammed the U.S. for not accepting assurances from the Syrian government that there are no preparations for a chemical attack. When the White House warnings were issued Monday and threats made about a response, a Kremlin spokesman the next day termed it "unacceptable." The new U.S. criticism was published on the Facebook page of the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova but also picked up Wednesday by Tass and other state media. "We know from the past that the (George W.) Bush regime has already used the falsification of facts on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq against its own people to carry out a military aggression against that country," said Zakharova. "We are seriously concerned over this." On Monday, a warning from the White House said that the U.S. had "identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children." Furthermore, the statement warned that if "Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price." Tass said, "Syria's leadership has denied these accusations." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke to his Russian counterpart on Monday, the State Department confirmed Tuesday. "The secretary has made his concerns clear in the past and continues to do so with regard to Russia," a State Department spokesperson told reporters. The White House warning Monday followed a chemical weapons attack on April 4 in Khan Sheikhoun, a rebel-held town in northern Syria, that claimed at least 70 lives, including children. The U.S. blamed that chemical attack on the Assad regime, and President Donald Trump responded by launching Tomahawk missiles against the Shayrat air base operated by the Syrian government. Syria continues to deny responsibility. In late May, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the French paper Le Figaro in an interview that "there is no proof" that Assad used chemical weapons and said when Russia proposed sending inspectors to the site of the alleged attack they were refused entry. Meantime, there are indications that the Syrians may have gotten the message on chemical weapons. "It appears they took the warnings seriously," Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters traveling with him to a NATO event, according to a report Wednesday in the Stars and Stripes newspaper. The event is a ministerial meeting in Brussels to go over ally troop deployments in Afghanistan and other issues. According to the paper, Mattis wouldn't divulge what the U.S. saw that made them concerned about another chemical attack. He also wouldn't confirm that it involved anything to do with the Shayrat base, which the U.S. linked to the April chemical attack. Blockchain is not a zero-sum game and its implementation across various sectors is going to be an overall positive for businesses, German software company SAP 's chief strategy officer said Wednesday. Deepak Krishnamurthy spoke to CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual June meeting in Dalian, where he said blockchain will complement SAP's supply chain business. "We believe blockchain will complement our supply chain. We have the largest supply chain product in the enterprise software industry, so having blockchain supply chains connect with SAP supply chains is going to be value-creating for our customers," he said. Earlier this year, SAP launched a Blockchain-as-a-Service offering as part of its Leonardo product line, which integrates and runs breakthrough technologies in the cloud. Blockchain is a term for a distributed digital ledger that can record and store transactions securely on a peer-to-peer network. It eliminates the need for middlemen, which industry stakeholders say can potentially speed up processes and make them cheaper. It is also the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ethereum. Krishnamurthy said the technology's adoption is going to benefit companies such as SAP by automating a lot of paper-based transactions. "So letters of credit, contracts, smart contracts all of these things will be automated and that's going to be net value creating for SAP and the customers," he said. "It's not a zero-sum game." Technology companies, financial institutions and banks, for example, are looking into blockchain as a way to settle domestic and international payments, as well as facilitate global trade for small and medium-sized businesses. Blockchain is not the only technology that SAP is focusing on. Krishnamurthy explained the company is also looking at internal innovations in other areas. "The policy is to continue driving organic growth. We have innovations in artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, Internet of Things around the SAP Leonardo platform. That's what's going to be the focus," he said. The Senate's Obamacare replacement bill is faring no better with the public than the highly criticized plan that passed the House earlier this year. Only 17 percent of Americans approve of the Senate GOP's Better Care Reconciliation Act, versus 55 percent who disapprove, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday. Some 24 percent of respondents said they had not heard enough about it to have an opinion. The poll was taken from June 21 to 25, even before the release of a Congressional Budget Office report that estimated the bill would lead to 22 million more uninsured Americans by 2026. The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll surveyed 1,205 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points. The global health-care industry faces a "huge disruption" as technology heavyweights jostle for consumers with traditional providers, the chief executive of a major pharmaceutical company said. Yitzhak Peterburg, interim president and CEO at Teva Pharmaceutical , told CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual June meeting in Dalian that digital disruption is an enabler for health-care and pharmaceutical companies to serve today's customers. "I am a very great believer that we are now in a huge disruption within the health-care (industry), and I think it will affect our industry," said Peterburg. "For me, the digital reform, or whatever we see, is a huge enabler." Teva Pharmaceutical, headquartered in Israel, calls itself he largest producer of generic medicines. In specialty medicines, Teva has treatment for multiple sclerosis as well as late-stage development programs for other disorders of the central nervous system. Big technology names have begun looking into ways they can disrupt the health-care sector through big data analytics, artificial intelligence and other technologies. Earlier this month, CNBC reported that a secretive team within Apple's growing health unit has been talking to developers, hospitals and other industry groups about bringing clinical data, such as detailed lab results and allergy lists, to the iPhone. Meanwhile, it was reported in May that Amazon was hiring a business lead to figure out how the company can break into the multibillion-dollar pharmacy market. Peterburg explained that pharmaceutical companies need to think about ways to navigate this changing landscape, where they face increasing competition from non-pharma players. Being good at manufacturing pills and injections is no longer enough for pharma companies, he said. Consumers, he added, have also changed and they expect very different value from pharmaceutical companies and the health care industry as a whole. A Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker enters a Harlem subway station where a morning train derailment occurred on June 27, 2017, in New York City. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has the power to fix New York City's recurring subway issues, former Gov. George Pataki told CNBC on Wednesday. "The MTA is an authority where the governor has a majority of appointees. So, ultimately, accountability lies on the governor," Pataki said on "Squawk Box." Pataki spoke a day after a subway train derailed in Upper Manhattan, injuring 34 people and halting service on four busy lines. The MTA apologized on Twitter for the "service disruption" the derailment caused and later blamed it on human error, not a track defect, according to The Associated Press. Service was restored Wednesday morning, though riders were told to expect residual delays. Cuomo called the derailment "an unacceptable manifestation of the system's current state." The derailment came as New York subway passengers have witnessed delays, power outages and mechanical failures at some of the city's busiest stations. In April, a New Jersey Transit train derailment took out several tracks at New York's Penn Station, creating long delays. That derailment came a week and a half after an Amtrak Acela train derailed there, causing disruptions for thousands of commuters. Last month, Cuomo told CNBC that Penn Station is "crumbling by the day," and has requested for aid. CNBC has reached out to governor's office for comment. "When it comes to transparency about climate change, the G20 meeting in Hamburg could be the dawn of a new era." Right now, however, most companies have stayed silent and refused to take that step. But as anyone in the business world knows, when there's more information, markets work better. And ultimately, outcomes improve. That means transparency yields stronger investments and helps us create a greener planet. It's not a market standard today but the G20 could change that soon. This week, the Financial Stability Board's Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures formed in 2015 at the request of the G20 to study this issue will release its recommendations, which will be presented to the full G20 in July. The recommendations will cover everything from board oversight of climate issues which we at the New York City Pension Funds have focused on for years to standardizing the metrics used to manage climate issues. Perhaps most important, the task force will encourage every company to disclose how their businesses, strategies, and financial planning would fare in world where warming is limited to 2-degrees Celsius or less. This process known as "scenario analysis" is a key step to understanding how transitioning to a low-carbon world would impact a company's long-term financial health. In other words, when it comes to transparency about climate change, the G20 meeting in Hamburg could be the dawn of a new era. For decades, institutional investors have pushed companies to recalibrate their strategies and prepare for a low-carbon world. The New York City Pension Funds have worked with groups like the Ceres Investor Network on Climate Risk and Sustainability a coalition of 130 members who collectively manage over $17 trillion in assets to make a difference. And this year marked a historic shift. Resolutions calling on ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum to analyze what a low-carbon future means for them received unprecedented majority investor support. I'm proud that the New York City Pension Funds co-filed these resolutions and also supported a similar resolution which passed at electric utility PPL Corporation. Across the business world, leaders are coalescing around these climate change disclosures. Consulting firms McKinsey and Deloitte along with credit ratings company Moody's have publicly endorsed them. Large asset managers like BlackRock are on board. And CEOs of dozens of companies have urged G20 governments to formally accept the task force's recommendations. These are all steps in the right direction but given the link between task force's recommendations and avoiding the dangers of climate change, we must do more. With the release of the recommendations and the G20 meeting approaching, there's a chance for scenario analysis and climate change disclosure to take a leap toward becoming a market standard. That means more corporate and investor voices are needed. With more than 2,000 companies, investors, universities, states and cities that have pledged to continue to support climate action, now we all need to stand up for corporate transparency, forward-thinking planning, and a greener planet. When it comes to climate change disclosure, we need to stand together and be visionaries. This isn't disclosure for disclosure's sake. It's about protecting our investments and our planet for generations to come. Commentary by Scott Stringer, the Comptroller of New York City. He serves as investment advisor to and custodian of the $175 billion New York City Pension Funds. Follow him on Twitter @NYCComptroller. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. The last tax havens to resist the global crackdown on evasion have bowed to intensifying political pressure over the leaked Panama Papers, experts said on Wednesday. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said "massive progress" had been made over the past year as it revealed there would be no significant offshore centres on the blacklist of "unco-operative tax havens" it had prepared for the G20 group of leading countries. It reported that only one country Trinidad & Tobago had failed to comply with international transparency standards. The OECD said it did not have a big financial sector and was not deemed to be a significant risk. It also said that tax amnesties over the past eight years had raked in close to 85bn of extra tax, as more than 500,000 taxpayers had disclosed offshore assets. In Indonesia, for example, $336bn in hidden assets have been declared. The move towards greater transparency is a result of the intensifying pressure on tax havens that began during the global financial crisis but was given fresh impetus last year with the release of the Panama Papers. These leaked documents from a Panamanian law firm showed the use of anonymous offshore shell companies and caused an international outcry. The latest commitments have reduced the risk that havens such as Panama, the UAE and the Bahamas attract money from other centres that had adopted more stringent rules.In the wake of the Panama Papers revelations, the G20 asked the OECD to draw up a list of recalcitrant tax havens ahead of the July 2017 G20 leaders' summit. The blacklist was to include countries that failed to meet at least two out of three criteria: being at least "largely compliant" on exchanging tax information on request, a commitment to automatic information exchange and a commitment to exchange information on a sufficiently broad or "multilateral" basis. The OECD said all relevant countries and financial centres had agreed to automatic information exchange and had signed, or asked to sign, the multilateral treaty to implement it. Four out of five countries had already put in place the laws needed to deliver on their commitments, which will result in details of bank balances, interest, dividends and income from insurance products being handed to foreign tax authorities from September. Alex Cobham, chief executive of Tax Justice Network, a campaign group, said the criteria did not go far enough, as some countries such as Switzerland and many OECD countries were planning to extend transparency further than absolutely necessary, excluding many lower income countries. He said: "Over the last few years, the OECD has indeed made great progress in some areas of tax transparency . . . It's disheartening then to see the OECD fall back into the old pattern of creating 'tax haven' blacklists on the basis of criteria that are so weak as to be near enough meaningless, and then declaring success when the list is empty." He added that the US was "the elephant in the room". "If you were going to produce a tax haven blacklist with only one member, it wouldn't be a small Caribbean island it would be tax haven USA." The OECD said the US had not agreed to commit to join the "common reporting standard", as the automatic exchange initiative is called. But it said the US was automatically exchanging certain information under its own automatic exchange rules, known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. More from the Financial Times: The internet of things: industry's digital revolution Brexit set to blow hole in common EU budget, Brussels warns Cabinet tension on Brexit breaks out into the open President Donald Trump may not have as great a grasp on health-care policy as he claims. The president "seemed especially confused" during a meeting with senators Tuesday when a senator "complained that opponents of the bill would cast it as a massive tax break for the wealthy," The New York Times reported. Trump then said he would address tax reform later, according to the Times, which cited an aide who had a readout of the exchange. Trump appeared to dispute the report in a pair of tweets Wednesday morning, alleging that the "failing" Times "writes false story after false story about me." Trump: The failing @nytimes writes false story after false story about me. They don't even call to verify the facts of a story. A Fake News Joke! He added that he knows health care "well" and wants "victory" for the United States. Trump: Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S. Trump ran on a campaign of repealing and replacing Obamacare, promising on the campaign trail to immediately do so if he won the presidency. He has repeatedly applied pressure on the House and Senate to pass an Obamacare replacement plan, though he has reportedly had less influence on senators than he did on House members. Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Charlie Munger is best known as Warren Buffett's business partner and right-hand man. But the billionaire investor has made a name for himself through imparting his own personal wisdom for decades. In the early 1990s, Munger gave a speech at Harvard University about the importance of exploring the intersection of psychology and economics (an animated version by investment firm Tiny Capital and animation studio Thinko can be found below). To support his claim, Munger dropped a quote from an unexpected hero of his: Albert Einstein. The theme throughout his speech is that of applying different disciplines to one's business and career decisions. Near the close of his speech, Munger poses the question: "How should the best parts of psychology and economics interrelate in an enlightened economist's mind?" Munger quotes Einstein: "The Lord is subtle, but not malicious." In this case, he connects Einstein's quote to the Earth's subtly changing axial tilt, the very reason our planet has seasons. "Over every 40,000 years or so there's this little wobble, and that has pronounced long-term effects [on Earth]," Munger says. "The world would be simpler for a long-term climatologist if the angle of the axis of the Earth's rotation, compared to the plane of the Euclyptic, were absolutely fixed. But it isn't fixed." To make his point, Munger adds, "I don't think it's going to be that hard to bend economics a little to accommodate what's right in psychology." This wouldn't be the last time Munger cites Einstein as his inspiration. Here are three other reasons that illustrate how the Berkshire Hathaway exec looks up to Einstein. He admires his philosophy on simplicity Munger is no stranger to combining his appreciation of science and his business thinking. In 2003, Munger gave an undergraduate lecture at the University of California, Santa Barbara on the strengths and faults in teaching academic economics. He cited Einstein as saying, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no more simple." Though Munger notes this was a redundant saying, he provided the quote as a way to criticize economics as just too complex. Keynes was smart but Einstein 'said it better' During the same University of California lecture, Munger says he thinks it's ridiculous the way people cling to failed ideas. He quotes the late renowned economist John Maynard Keynes as having said, "It's not bringing in the new ideas that's so hard. It's getting rid of the old ones." While Munger agrees with this statement, he adds "Einstein said it better, attributing his mental success to 'curiosity, concentration, perseverance and self-criticism.'" "By self-criticism he meant becoming good at destroying your own best-loved and hardest-won ideas," Munger says. "If you can get really good at destroying your own wrong ideas, that is a great gift." He's the world's most interesting man Tradeshift, a social network for connecting supply chains, does not necessarily see itself selling up anytime soon, its chief executive told CNBC on Wednesday. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Dalian, China, Christian Lanng cited advice that he had received on his first trip to Silicon Valley from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Years ago, Lanng said, the LinkedIn and PayPal entrepreneur told him that companies should never sell if they think their long-term market is bigger than the acquirers. "I think the track we are on right now and the growth we are seeing Our future market is pretty big so any potential acquirer would have to match that," he explained. When pressed whether his comments could be interpreted as the firm being willing to be acquired at the "right" price, Lanng replied, "Maybe." The start-up, which connects businesses to simplify their expense systems, is hoping to be ready to IPO (initial public offering) within the next couple of years and, according to Lanng, it was "very lucky" to have investors looking to position Tradeshift for the long term. "I don't think about an IPO as an exit, I think about it as a stage in a company's growth,"Lanng said. Legislation has been signed into law that will change the states sales tax on precious metals beginning Oct. 1. The following news release was issued by the Industry Council for Tangible Assets: New Louisiana Coins and Precious-Metals Bullion Exemption Enacted Last year, the Louisiana legislature, facing a $900 million deficit, held a special legislative session and increased Louisianas 4% sales tax to 5%. In addition to increasing the state sales tax, it eliminated nearly all tax exemptions and exclusions including numismatic coins and precious-metals bullion exemptions for three months, from April 1 through June 30. Beginning July 1, 2016, all the exemptions became effective again. Under this partial exemption, the state sales tax was reduced from 5% to 3% on all numismatic coins and precious-metals bullion sales from July 1, 2016, until June 30, 2018. Legislative discussions are underway to extend this current tax until 2022. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Over the next 24 months, each exempt group must demonstrate that the state will be better off financially if the group regains its exemption. The Louisiana Professional Coin Dealers Association spearheaded the battlewith leadership from Malcolm Self, Louis Pizzolatto, and Ritchie Self, along with ICTAto remove numismatic coins and precious-metals bullion from the special tax that went into effect on April 1, 2016. Louisiana representative Stephen Dwight introduced House Bill 396: Provides for the effectiveness and applicability of the state sales and use tax exclusion for sales of gold, silver, or numismatic coins, and platinum, gold, or silver bullion on March 31, 2017. Representative Mark Abraham coauthored the bill. Four other bills were introduced to accomplish the same goal: House Bill 127, by Representative Larry Bagley and Representative Mark Abraham; Senate Bill 31, by Senator Jean-Paul Morrell; and Senate Bill 202 and Senate Bill 203, by Senator Gary Smith, with a strategy to pass one instrument. On June 23, 2017, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards signed into law HB 396. The new law will take effect on October 1, 2017. Convincing our colleagues in the House and Senate of the exemptions importance was not an easy task, said the bills lead author, Representative Dwight. The collaborative efforts of coauthors Representative Mark Abraham, Representative Larry Bagley, Senator Jean-Paul Morrell, and Senator Gary Smith convinced them, which resulted in getting the bill passed and signed by the governor. Louisiana coin businesses owe Representative Stephen Dwight, Senator Jean-Paul Morrell, Representative Mark Abraham, Representative Larry Bagley and Senator Gary Smith a debt of gratitude for their leadership pushing the bill through the legislature, said Louisiana Professional Coin Dealers president Louis Pizzolatto. Were also grateful to the legislature for exempting all coin shows in our state and for exempting numismatic coins valued under $1,000 sold in our stores. Louisiana is now eligible to host a large national coin show such as the American Numismatic Association Worlds Fair of Money. Lowest mintage American Eagle, and a counterfeit 1902-O Morgan dollar struck to circulate: Another column in the July 10 Coin World examines a ghostly Kennedy half dollar We are very pleased that the Louisiana exemption is now restored, said ICTA executive director Kathy McFadden. We thank the Louisiana Professional Coin Dealers Association, lobbyist Randy K. Haynie, Louisiana representative Paul Hollis, ICTA legislative consultant and former U.S. congressman Jimmy Hayes (Washington Matters), ICTA members, and everyone who helped make this exemption a reality. Language for Louisianas new law: Section 1. R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii) and 302(AA)(introductory paragraph) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 47:302(AA)(29) and 321.1(F)(67) are hereby enacted to read as follows: 301. Definitions As used in this Chapter the following words, terms, and phrases have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning: (16) (b) The term "tangible personal property" shall not include: (aa) Platinum, gold, or silver bullion, that is valued solely upon its precious metal content, whether in coin or ingot form. (bb) Numismatic coins that have a sales price of no more than one thousand dollars. (cc) Numismatic coins sold at a national, statewide, or multi-parish numismatic trade show. 302. Imposition of tax (ii) Solely for purposes of sales and use taxes imposed by the state under R.S. 47:302, 321, and 331, gold, silver, or numismatic coins, or platinum, gold, or silver bullion. AA. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, except Paragraph (29) of this Subsection, beginning July 1, 2016, the following specific exclusions and exemptions shall be applicable to the tax levied pursuant to the provisions of this Section: (29) Beginning October 1, 2017: (a) Sales and purchases of platinum, gold, or silver bullion, that is valued solely upon its precious metal content, whether in coin or ingot form as provided in R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(aa). (b) Numismatic coins that have a sales price of no more than one thousand dollars as provided in R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(bb). (c) Numismatic coins sold at a national, statewide, or multi-parish numismatic trade show as provided in R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(cc). 321.1. Imposition of Tax F. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, including but not limited to any contrary provision of this Chapter, there shall be no exemptions or exclusions as defined in R.S. 47:301 to the tax levied pursuant to the provisions of this Section, except for the sales or purchases of the following items: (66) Beginning July 1, 2016, in addition to those exclusions and exemptions provided for in Paragraphs (1) through (65) of this Subsection, the following exclusions and exemptions shall be allowable for purposes of the tax levied pursuant to the provisions of this Section: (67) Beginning October 1, 2017: (a) Sales of platinum, gold, and silver bullion, that is valued solely upon its precious metal content, whether in coin or ingot form as provided in R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(aa). (b) Numismatic coins that have a sales price of no more than one thousand dollars as provided in R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(bb). (c) Numismatic coins sold at a national, statewide, or multi-parish numismatic trade show as provided in R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(cc). Components of the Buran OK-KS test space shuttle are loaded on a truck at RSC Energia's test station in Moscow to be delivered to the Sirius Science and Art Park in Sochi, Russia. (RSC Energia) June 27, 2017 A full-size mockup of a Russian space shuttle is leaving Moscow for an exhibition center opening at the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics. RSC Energia, Russia's lead contractor for crew spacecraft, handed over the winged orbiter to Sirius Science and Art Park in Sochi during a ceremony held Tuesday (June 27) at the corporation's control and testing station in Moscow. The Buran test vehicle, divided into its larger components, was loaded onto trucks for what is expected to be a week- long transport by road and sea. "We're giving Sirius our Buran, where it will find a new life," said Vladimir Solntsev, Energia general director, as quoted by the state news agency TASS. The Buran OK-KS space shuttle orbiter undergoes testing in RSC Energia's control station in Moscow in the 1980s. (Buran.ru) Slated to open in 2018, the Sirius Science and Art Park will comprise an indoor science-themed attraction in the space previously used as the media center for the XXII Olympic Winter Games. Plans for the park include the later addition of zones devoted to different science disciplines, including space and astronomy. One of ten Buran vehicles constructed between 1982 and 1992, Energia's OK-KS orbiter was built to support ground tests, including flight software development and electrical and radio trials of ship systems and equipment. Its exterior is missing the thermal protection, or heat shield, tiles that would have made it space-worthy, but the orbiter includes a flight-like interior. Only one Buran orbiter ever made it into space. Launched on Nov. 15, 1988 without a cosmonaut crew on an Energia rocket, the space shuttle completed two orbits of the Earth before landing on an airfield at its launch site, the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in what is now Kazakhstan. Five years later, the program was canceled due to budget constraints in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union. In 2002, the flown-in-space Buran was destroyed when the roof of the hangar where it was in storage at the Baikonur Cosmodrome caved in. "Buran!" in Cyrllic is written in one of the mock engine bells in the aft section of the Sochi-bound shuttle mockup. (RSC Energia) Of the remaining Buran craft, several are now on display. In addition to the Sochi-bound OK-GS, another test vehicle (OK-M) is exhibited outside of the museum at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Yet another, built up from various test parts, was moved in 2014 from its longtime display at Gorky Park to the All-Russian Exhibition Center, or VDNKh in Moscow. A full-size crew cabin that was used for human trials is now outside a clinical hospital, also in Moscow. OK-GLI, an atmospheric approach and landing test vehicle similar to NASA's prototype shuttle Enterprise, is exhibited at the Technik Museum in Speyer, Germany. It was earlier displayed at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia in 2000. Two other Soviet-era space shuttles still sit inside hangars in Kazakstan. Reaction control thruster pods, the payload bay and crew cabin of Buran OK-KS are prepared for shipping to Sochi. (RSC Energia) The convoy carrying the OK-GS is expected to travel along the Russian federal highway M4 beginning on Thursday or Friday (June 29 to 30) to arrive at Port Kavkaz by Monday, July 3. From there, the orbiter will be loaded onto a ship for a two-day trip to Imeretinsky cargo port in Sochi, built for the Olympics. Solntsev said that RSC Energia had been offered "a lot of money" for the Buran OK-GS, but they "decided to leave it in Russia to work for the future of the country." In addition to the shuttle orbiter, Energia is also providing the Sirius Science and Art Park with a mockup of its earlier proposed Kliper (or Clipper) winged spacecraft, which was intended to fly with a crew of six to the International Space Station but was canceled in 2006 due to budget cuts. Most parents start thinking about long-term savings for college when their children are still toddlers. Thats a good thing. Our culture and economy place a heavy emphasis on college education, but sometimes that emphasis becomes an obsession about a future, which supplants the importance of the here and now. The lives of many high school students and their parents are dominated by the focus of getting into a good college. Conversely, parents considering private elementary education are often daunted by even a modest tuition payment. The contrast between decisions made for a kindergarten student and a high school senior are marked. Often, the same parents who hesitate to invest in early education are later delighted to enroll their child in a very expensive Ivy League school. Raising and educating children requires a balance between the health and happiness of a child in the moment and the anticipated outcomes for the future. The two are integrally related. A college education is very important for those who aspire to an academic or professional career, but the choices made for a 5- or 10-year-old are not only just as important, they lay the foundation for future academic and social success. We dont prepare our children to be independent adults by leaving them home alone at age 5, nor do we prepare students for college by prematurely forcing them into honors classes and high-stakes testing. Obviously, the answer is not in the extremes, but in the middle ground: always focusing on the health, happiness and creative growth of the child at every stage in their development. As the month of June comes to a close, exams are taken, grades are received and plans for the following year are made. And parents are measuring and judging the successes and failures of their children. We all want our children to do well, but the emotional well-being of a child should never be overlooked when comparing student achievement to parental expectations. Sometimes the expectations are just too high and parents are over-invested. Yes, we want the best for our children, but it is their future, not ours. That is a hard lesson a parent will learn over and over. A recent article in The New York Times addressed the high-pressure world of preparing students for college in affluent suburban Lexington High School in Massachusetts. A national health survey found 95 percent of Lexington High School students reported being seriously stressed by school work and 15 percent had considered suicide. These are privileged students from a community of highly educated parents fortunate enough to provide the best for their children. The students and school administration have begun a campaign to come to grips with the stress and risk these students are faced with. This is a depressing reality, a reality that is created by expectations. Adults should all recognize that few things are more stressful than high expectations and fear of failure. Ironically, a parent or educator who stresses about expectations of success within their community, may project their own fears onto their children and students. Students from less affluent school districts without those family resources may be working hard to get to college, and some of their classmates may have no interest in college at all. However, I expect they may be happier and enjoying their high school experience more than their Lexington counterparts. Student futures are shaped by the sum of their experiences, the power of genetics and privilege, or the lack thereof. Making careful choices and investing your resources for your child throughout their childhood, embracing their strengths and their weaknesses, and putting well-being ahead of statistics will foster a more natural, unforced education. While there may be only a few public or private elementary or secondary schools to choose from in your community, there are over 3,000 four-year colleges and universities in America over 5,000 when two-year colleges are included. There is a college out there that will suit your child. Finding the right elementary school or the right college is about knowing your child and what makes them happy. Real learning and personal growth requires a joyful environment. There is a good college out there for every college-bound senior, and every student deserves a childhood where managing stress is not a constant burden. Lets face it: Sometimes our children are square pegs, and rather than forcing them into those round holes, find a school or a college that caters to the squares. Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (AP) A 14-year-old Delaware girl who survived falling off a New York amusement park ride has been released from a hospital. Officials say the teen was released Monday from Albany Medical Center, where she was treated for unspecified injuries after falling into the arms of bystanders gathered about 25 feet below the Sky Ride at Six Flags Great Escape. Police say the girl's actions caused her to slip beneath the restraining bars while riding in the two-person gondola with her brother Saturday night. She dangled briefly before dropping onto several people clustered on the pavement below. Police say the ride was functioning properly at the time. The park says the ride remains closed as it conducts an internal investigation. The police investigation into the exact circumstances surrounding the fall is continuing. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser We cannot be neutral in Islams internal struggle Islamism is a threat both inside and outside the Islamic world on a scale comparable with fascism and communism in the 20th century. It needs a comparable response. Trying to pretend that a few far-right extremists are comparable with the rise of Islamic State, an ongoing global terror campaign, or the contining failures of human rights in much of the Muslim majority world is simply wrong. There is an ongoing conflict within Islam, and we are not neutral in this struggle. We are involved in a struggle with Islamism whether we like it or not Not all versions of Islam are compatible with our society. There is no other way of saying this. Islamism believes that government must enforce (almost always a strict version of) Islam, and crucially rejects freedom of religion, thought, and secularism based on its readings of the Quran and the hadiths. It is incompatible with a secular liberal democracy, and is by nature extremist on the Government definition of vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This is not to say that Islam, the religion, is incompatible with a secular liberal democracy. There are various more tolerant versions of Islam and some Muslims focus on other parts of the Quran, such as those stating there is no compulsion in religion or action (e.g. verses 2:256 and 18:29). There are good and bad versions of Islam and most Muslims believe in a mixture of the good and bad elements. But Islamism believes in use of government power and brute force in enforcing its version of Islam on others, and attacks the moderate or tolerant strains. Islamists try to demand special treatment for Islam and, once they have it, use it to force their more aggressive version of Islam forward, arguing those who disagree are blasphemous or not respecting Islam. Countries which have tried to placate Islamist extremists became trapped in a cycle in which Islamists are given freedom to bully others, and have used this freedom to drive their version of Islam forward. This is why for Islamists and quasi-Islamist states such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan there is no crime worse than blasphemy because enforcing their version of Islam is the foundation of their power. When I worked in Number Ten, the people who grasped most clearly Islamisms threat were my Muslim co-workers, because they knew Islamists were determined to destroy more tolerant and decent versions of Islam and replace it with their own cancerous version using a mixture of theology, guilt and brute force to theorise and terrorise those who oppose them, both non-Muslims and Muslims. The ambivalence (not shared by David Cameron) in government came from guilt ridden non-Muslims and those Muslims who buy into one of the main Islamist narratives that no version of Islam is a problem, and only Islamophobia is the problem. This ignores the widespread abuse of human rights by Islamist states or states that want to placate Islamism. The Left has largely capitulated to Islamism With honourable and principled exceptions such as Nick Cohen, much of the Left has long since abandoned those who are women, LGBT, minority faiths or nonreligious, and others unfortunate enough to be born where Islamism is strongest. They will speak out against Saudi Arabia, but only in the same breath as condemning the USAs support for it because for them this is all about the West. They see themselves as educated multiculturalists but they are, ironically, deeply ignorant about what Islamism is and how it works. Their use of the weasel word Islamophobia and attempt to blame every failure in the Middle East on western intervention is deeply harmful. Western intervention has made things worse, but Islamism and the Middle Easts difficulties are part of an internal struggle with modernity that the Muslim world is going through. Islamophobia as opposed to discrimination against Muslims as individuals, and which should never be tolerated is a word that Islamists love because they can twist it. Cartoons of Mohammed Islamophobia. Stopping Islamist indoctrination in state schools Islamophobia. Concerns about basic human rights in Islamic countries Islamophobia. The Government needs a strong anti-Islamist approach Yet if the Left has capitulated, the Centre and Right have failed to understand what is necessary. In fighting Islamism, there are various key policies fortunately few of which require legislation: Islam is not to be given special treatment and sensitivity will not prevent enforcement of the law or the same treatment being given to Islam as other religions. Islamists (as opposed to Muslims) are to be excluded from every government funding source, platform, and other official interaction and publicly criticised. We will work with anti-Islamist Muslims wherever possible. Number 1 sounds easy. But consider a few cases recently where May and DCLG/the Home Office were found wanting. Luis Smith was temporarily banned by a Government backed quango for mocking Islam in a way mocking Christianity would never have been acted on. A girl who twerked in public in a hijab was sent death threats, and had to publicly repent after a religious interviewer talked to her, rather than being protected by the law. There have been occasions in which gender segregation has been used in meetings at universities. This is how Islamism works: bully and purify the believers, shut down any external criticism of Islam, obtain special treatment for Islam and then move even further. We have failed to live up to our standards. For number 2, Islamist groups and individuals should be ostracised and not a platform, penny or anything else that legitimises them should come to them from government. They should be publicly criticised. This includes in political parties. The Labour Party should be deeply ashamed it selected someone who has publicly celebrated the Iranian regime in Manchester Gorton. This is a regime that executes gay people and arrests people on blasphemy charges. The selection was a disgrace and we should have urged our voters to vote for the Liberal Democrat candidate to defeat him. Point 3 means working with and support anti-Islamist Muslims of all types. Zac Goldsmiths campaign for the London mayoralty was appalling because it came close to equating Muslims with Islamists by smearing Sadiq Khan. You can criticise Khan on many fronts but he is clearly no Islamist extremist. After the Charlie Hebdo shootings, the Muslim Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Abouteleb, told Islamists who dont like the Wests freedoms to pack their bags and f*** off a more courageous response that put him in physical danger but shows some Muslims get what is at stake. We cannot simply have non-Muslims criticising Islamists this is an internal conflict and we need to give all the support we can to non-Islamist Muslims who are prepared to stand up to Islamists whether Labour, Tory, Lib Dem, or apolitical. Sajid Javid has a key role here in co-ordinating integration policy at DCLG. We must realise that stopping Islamism is a fight for the very basis of our society and its freedoms. May needs to give it according priority. Sturgeon plays for time on indyref2 The First Minister of Scotland has announced a reset in her plans for a second referendum on Scottish independence, abandoning the timetable which would have seen one held during or immediately after the Brexit negotiations. However, the BBC reports that Nicola Sturgeon still insists that it is likely that a poll will be held before 2021, presumably in order to try to make sure that one is organised before pro-independence MSPs risk losing their majority in the Scottish Parliament. As Alex Massie points out in the Spectator, this isnt really much of a delay. All the First Minister has really done is concede a six-to-twelve month delay in her preferred timetable. There are obvious reasons, beyond truly believing in it, why the Nationalist leadership would find properly dropping another referendum so difficult. First, after this months slump support for independence now outpolls the SNP. Those pro-UK voters who backed the Nationalists as a competent, anti-Labour option appear to have moved decisively back to the Tories across a swathe of the partys former rural heartlands. Keeping separatist voters behind them is thus very important especially when the SNP coalition is otherwise very divided on actual policy questions. The prospect of an imminent poll also helps to keep nationalist activists motivated. But theres a second, more human reason, again mentioned by Massie: Sturgeon is suddenly running out of time. Just as Alex Salmond got reckless when he sensed his chance to be the man who led Scotland out of the Union was slipping away, so too does his successor seem very reluctant to accept that her chance may never come. Whilst this fudge might help to hold the Nationalist coalition together, it also suits their opponents: by keeping the constitution on the table Sturgeon has ensured that Ruth Davidson can keep playing her strongest card, opposition to another referendum, even as she harries the Scottish Government on its domestic record. Green candidate mounts legal challenge to Conservative/DUP deal During the Governments negotiations with the Democratic Unionists there were a lot of very bad takes on the implications for the Good Friday Agreement. Now the i reveals that a Green candidate from Northern Ireland has put his money where his mouth is. Ciaran McClean intends to challenge the deal, which was finally agreed on Monday, in the courts and has instructed his solicitors to serve notice on the Government. As Sam McBride (normally of the News Letter) points out on Twitter, the logic of this challenge would create a (genuine) constitutional crisis in the unlikely event it was upheld by the courts. It would place a formal legal bar on Northern Irish MPs participating in the government of their country and potentially contravene the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Such a severe reinterpretation of the Agreement might also have a severe impact on its support amongst Unionists. During the campaign to get it signed no party suggested that it would forever ban Ulster representatives from UK government whilst allowing Sinn Fein to take office in Dublin. Meanwhile, the SNP are trying to make hay from the arrangement by wilfully misunderstanding how the Barnett Formula works and demanding that David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, deliver either cash or his resignation. Hes having none of it. Adams says new approach needed for Irish nationalists as Brexit hopes fade Gerry Adams, the life president of Sinn Fein, has said that republicans need to change their tactics if theyre to persuade unionists of the benefits of a united Ireland. Instead of focusing purely on the negative aspects of our four centuries of shared history, he argued, nationalists should instead try to build a programme around good neighbourliness and the common good. (Whilst this sounds good, it remains rooted in classic republican refusal to credit unionists Britishness as something equally tangible and legitimate as Irish nationalism. Nobody is suggesting that Sinn Fein could ever move on sufficiently from the negative aspects of Anglo-Irish history, or re-imagine their sense of Irishness enough, to support the Union.) This change of tone comes after the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Arlene Foster, secured an extraordinary rebound at the general election, picking up two seats and taking almost 300,000 votes, up from just 185,000 in 2015. After a dire result in Marchs snap Assembly election, which saw Sinn Fein draw within one seat of tying with the DUP for largest party, this result seems to have taken some of the wind out of nationalist sails. Like the SNP, Sinn Fein strategists convinced themselves that, despite the balance of the economic case overwhelmingly favouring the Union with Great Britain, Brexit might provide them with an opening to tempt pro-UK voters into supporting accession to the Republic of Ireland in order to maintain EU membership. But the close-run Assembly elections, where the DUP were dragged down by a public spending scandal centred on Foster, appears to have had the counter-productive effect of rallying unionist voters behind the DUP even as nationalists consolidated behind Sinn Fein, leaving the more moderate Ulster Unionists and SDLP with no MPs. Congressman John Katko was furious that Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner would dare to protest the GOP's attacks on women's health care, stating "The Mayor should either resign her job and commit full time to protesting partisan issues, or stand up and lead our City." Congressman Katko, I am disgusted that you think that protecting women's health is a partisan issue. Unfortunately, it is your party that has made it one. Some other issues that your party has made partisan: 1. Climate change it is a dire problem already facing our nation and our world, already having severe impacts on farms throughout our region. However, Republicans who were once working for a solution, since Citizens United unleashed a flood of corporate money in our elections, are actively working against efforts to address it. 2. Democracy the McCain/Feingold Act signed by President George W. Bush limited campaign contributions from special interests. Now, President Trump lies about "millions of people voted illegally," Republican congresspeople refuse to support legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act or overturn Citizens United, Republican-controlled legislatures pass laws repeatedly thrown out by courts as tailored to exclude African-American voters, and our own state senators, Sens. John DeFrancisco and David Valesky were two of the four key votes on the Rules Committee that killed a bill that would have created early voting in New York. 3. Respect for immigrants: Ronald Reagan was the last president to provide mass amnesty for undocumented immigrants, but now Republicans rile up your base by fanning hatred and ignorance about the essential role that immigrants play in our communities and our economy. Another issue you made partisan that shouldn't be is requiring Donald Trump to reveal his taxes since you publicly stated you would vote in favor of this, youve voted against doing so more than 10 times. When I tried to get an answer from you about this, you attacked me personally as a "professional agitator" in the media. I have a job working on democracy, I live in Syracuse, am your constituent and like a doctor knows about healthcare, because of my job, I know the danger Trump's hidden corruption represents to our democracy. I have the right to ask you to explain your position without being publicly attacked by my congressperson. I applaud our mayor for standing up to your actions and I hope others will join her. Jonah Minkoff-Zern Syracuse Privatisation a safety hazard Three years ago a fire broke out in Melbournes Docklands area, in the Lacrosse apartment block, where inflammable cladding panels had been installed. The fire spread from the 6th floor to the 21st in eleven minutes, and fire fighters said theyd never seen anything like it. CSIRO testing of material taken later from the panels was stopped because of danger to laboratory equipment. Materials need to be tested, codes enforced, and inadequacies rectified by those responsible. Two weeks ago flames from a fire in a first-floor London flat escaped through a window and ignited external cladding panels. The fire quickly reached the upper floors and engulfed the 24-storey building, known as the Grenfell Tower. The death toll has now reached 79, and is expected to rise. Insulating work carried out to the Grenfell Tower building last year as part of a $14.3 million upgrade was in effect equivalent to preparing what one observer called a perfectly-formed bonfire around the buildings external surfaces. Cladding panels installed during the work had aluminium outer linings which melt in the presence of fire, highly flammable inner cores of polyethylene, and backing panels which emit extremely toxic fumes at high temperatures. Protesting former residents of Grenfell Tower say they asked repeatedly to have fire sprinklers installed on the building. However, they claim they were ignored because they are poor and working class, and this was verified when representatives of the local council and the British government failed to visit the area after the fire. Last week 4,000 residents were asked to leave their flats while investigations were carried out in dozens of London buildings. Criminal charges may now be laid against those deemed responsible for the Grenfell Tower inferno. The tragedy has prompted world-wide investigations of material now being used to clad high-rise buildings. Fires involving insulating panels have been reported in other British cities and in Dubai. No one died in Melbournes Lacrosse fire, which did not reach the interiors and was eventually extinguished. However, more than 30 Melbourne residential buildings have been clad with flammable insulation panels, and the Victorian government is considering suing construction company Lend Lease over the use of flammable panels during construction of the Melbourne Royal Womens Hospital and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Inquiries have now revealed that more than 100 Melbourne buildings have been clad in ways that do not comply with government regulations. Investigations are being carried out in other capital cities. A freedom-of-information request has revealed that 2,500 NSW buildings may be clad in non-compliant material, including flammable insulation panels. Where the buck stops Chinese firms that manufactured the Grenfell Tower panels have been blamed for the fire there. However, unlike asbestos products, flammable panels have not yet been banned. Until they are, designers and contractors are responsible for identifying the composition of the panels and using them responsibly. Regarding asbestos, the head of one Australian building company said last week: We now ... test everything ourselves, even if it has a stamp of approval on it. In contrast, last year contractors saved about $8,300 during the Grenfell Tower upgrade by substituting flammable panels for others which would have resisted the spread of fire but were more expensive. Non-flammable mineral wool panels would have been the best choice, but that would have doubled the cost of insulating the building. In Australia many people are being forced to live in high rise apartments because of the outrageous cost of housing, and because state governments are enforcing high-density development in city and suburban areas, often against the wishes of local governments and residents. There has been widespread criticism of property developers and builders for using unsafe materials in new high-rise buildings. The Melbourne city building surveyor recently ordered LU Simon, the corporation that built the Lacrosse unit block, to replace flammable panels. The surveyor denied the firm permission to install a cheaper option sprinkler system instead. However, the buildings residents are now being asked to pay much of the cost of repairing the building, even though the problem appears to have arisen from the builders negligence. Privatisation a safety hazard Local councils are often accused of responsibility for building failures. However, their involvement is frequently limited by state government legislation which allows developers or building owners to avoid council inspection by commissioning a private firm to certify that works carried out meet safety requirements. Private certification now constitutes a major conflict of interest within the building industry, just as predicted by councils when the practice was introduced. Two years ago a fire within a block of units at Bankstown in Sydney resulted in the death of a young woman. The fire could have been extinguished by sprinklers but the building was constructed just short of 25 metres, the maximum legal height for residential buildings without sprinklers. The buildings defects included a lack of adequate fire signage and low water pressure, but the council couldnt force the developer to install sprinklers or remedy the defects because a private certifier had given the building a clean bill of health. Since the introduction of private certification in 1993, widespread defects have become apparent in many high rise blocks, particularly regarding waterproofing and fire safety. Professional body Engineers Australia claims that 85 percent of apartments are defective when declared complete, and that on average post-sale remedial work costs body-corporate owners 27 percent of the cost of erecting the buildings. A representative of Engineers Australia has also predicted that a major fire will occur in a residential block in NSW, which he says has the worst system of certification in Australia. Despite Australian regulations limiting the use of flammable cladding to the lower storeys of high-rise unit blocks, cladding their entire exterior with that material has become widespread, probably because of private building certification. One observer has predicted that removing flammable panels will be as difficult as the decades-long process of removing asbestos. And now developers are claiming that unit owners must bear the cost of rectifying inadequacies in high-rise residential buildings. Corporate greed and government policies that cater to the needs of big developers are the real culprits regarding fire hazards and the other appalling problems that residents of our major cities now face. Editorial Repression and national security Suspected extremists from 14 years up will be detained and questioned for up to two weeks without charge. Post-sentence detention facilities to be built to hold suspected terrorists, without charge. Enthusiastic supporter of more repressive laws, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, made the agenda clear earlier this month: imprisonment in unaccountable maximum security is for those who on all the available intelligence present a risk but have not yet committed a crime. There are also proposals for the construction of purpose-built prisons and mandatory sentences to incarcerate suspects to be held with no public accountability (secrecy is used to cover up illegal activities carried out by the state, such as torture). At the same time amendments to the Citizenship Act now allow the minister to ignore decisions made on merit, after a lengthy process of hearing evidence from an applicant and witnesses and submissions from representatives. These developments represent an attempt to reconfigure the state, as seen in the breaking down of the separation of powers between government and the judiciary and in the attack on decisions by the courts: the government vests power instead to a minister who becomes prosecutor, judge and jury. Ill-informed on Venezuela Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson recently addressed federal Parliament on Venezuelas human rights violations and his position certainly needs a reply. We support many of the Greens progressive policies, however, Senator Whish-Wilsons assertions on Venezuela are surprisingly ill-informed. Whish-Wilson seems to ignore the pre-1998 Venezuela that was ruled by successive right-wing governments aligned with the United States. As the second richest country in the region at the time based on its GDP with many in desperate poverty; all the income from selling its vast oil production ended in private pockets or in the US. When President Chavez came to power Venezuela was ranked seven in the Human Development Index in South America, with more than 50 percent of people with no access to health, education and housing. The redistribution process he undertook to bring health and education to those whod previously had no access infuriated the United States and the rich 1%. Ever since they have been trying to overthrow the Bolivarian government by all means necessary including a short-lived coup detat on April 11, 2002. During those critical moments of the Bolivarian revolution the majority defended the gains of their government and reinstated their president who had been taken away by the lackeys of imperialism. By 2013 when Hugo Chavez passed away, in spite of the attacks and sabotage of the oil industry and other sectors of the economy by external forces, he left behind a Venezuela ranked four in the HDI in South America. The attacks by the US-sponsored right wing opposition have not stopped. As late as Saturday June 24, President Maduro announced his government managed to avert an imperialist oligarchy coup in progress, which included actions inside and outside Venezuela. Could it be that Peter Whish-Wilson has inadvertently played into the hands of these elites who would like to reverse the gains the ordinary Venezuelan people have achieved under the Chavez and Maduro governments. Would Whish-Wilson really want those people to again give up access to housing, health and education? The mass media has largely ignored these events. The media in Venezuela is still controlled by the wealthy Venezuelans who also promote the hoarding of food and medicine to create the disaster described in Parliament by the Greens senator. We suggest scrutiny more broadly through sources of information such as Telesur (English). Venezuela is forging peace and they need support. The violent opposition who cannot accept that the rich oil reserves and other natural resources are in the control of public hands, that the profits have been socialised and invested in public housing where, for example, 1.5 million apartments have been given to the poorest. With the solidarity of Cuba, Venezuela has been able to provide universal access to health and education: if this is considered a violation of human rights then clearly we have a different concept of human rights. Perhaps Senator Whish-Wilson could use his position in Parliament to form a fact-finding mission to Venezuela with the view of looking with both eyes. We cannot rely on a biased Four Corners segment recommended in his speech; a one-sided piece that did not interview Chavistas supporters. What is happening in Venezuela is a heightened class struggle in which we hope the forces of socialism continue in the interest of the 99% not the 1% who have found a voice in the Australian Parliament. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Flagstaff and much of northern Arizona for the second straight day. Smoke from the Goodwin Fire south of Prescott is moving in a clockwise direction, which will send high-level plumes northeastward toward Flagstaff, according to the National Weather Service. The Forest Service is saying that those sensitive to smoke should take precautions. A little bit of smoke in the area is also likely left over from a wildfire that burned 3.1 acres near Fort Tuthill Tuesday, but is now contained, said George Jozens, spokesman with the Coconino National Forest. Winds will gust to 35 mph today with very low humidity and highs in the mid-80s, creating critical fire weather conditions. The Coconino National Forest, as well as the city of Flagstaff and Coconino County, have banned campfires and outdoor smoking. In Prescott, a fast-moving wildfire has charred more than 28 square miles (72 square kilometers) in north-central Arizona and forced the evacuation of the town of Mayer as a precaution, along with other areas. Mayer has about 1,400 residents, and a shelter was set up at Bradshaw Mountain High School in Prescott Valley. Authorities said Tuesday that Mayer's post office has been closed until further notice because of the fire, which was fanned Tuesday by 35 mph winds. The communities of Pine Flat and Breezy Pines already have been evacuated with potential evacuations ordered for Walker, Potato Patch Campground, Mountain Pines Acres and Mount Union if the fire continues to grow, Yavapai County spokesman David McAtee said. More than 500 firefighters, including six hotshot crews, were battling the blaze, which was 1 percent contained as of 8 p.m. Tuesday. Tuesday update: Rain wasn't here to stay The summer rains aren't here to stay...at least not yet. After a downpour swept through Flagstaff Sunday afternoon, the area is back to dry, windy conditions with a Red Flag Warning issued for much of northern Arizona, including Flagstaff, for Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service is also ruling that Sundays rain was not associated with the monsoon. There is a lot of moisture over Mexico, which is one element of the monsoon pattern, but high pressure zones off the southeast coast of the United States and over the Four Corners that are also staples of the summer moisture circulation arent in place yet, said Mark Stubblefield, a general forecaster with the National Weather Service. It doesnt look like Flagstaff will receive much moisture throughout this week and through the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Stubblefield said. The forecast changes July 7, however, when models show the monsoon pattern setting up, he said. Long range models show quite a bit of moisture being pulled into Arizona by the second week of July, he said. On Sunday, the gauges measured 0.05 inches of rain in Flagstaff. The precipitation followed record and near-record heat across the state, including in Flagstaff. Saturday was the seventh day of above 90-degree temperatures in the area, making it the second longest stretch on record. In 1990, Flagstaff saw 11 consecutive days above 90 degrees. Daily temperatures in Flagstaff tied historical records twice during that time on Friday it tied the record high of 93 degrees and on June 18 it tied the record high of 92 degrees. Water use climbed in the city as well, reaching 10.45 million gallons per day last week, while yesterday the number was down to 9.18 million gallons per day. Rising temperatures and drying forest fuels pushed the Coconino National Forest into Stage 2 fire restrictions, which ban campfires across the forest. Even so, Forest Service patrols found 16 illegal campfires over the weekend and recorded one human-caused fire start that grew to one-tenth of an acre, according to Brady Smith, spokesman with the Coconino. Another seven fires totaling 3 acres were caused by lightning strikes, Smith said. The Kaibab National Forest to the west remains in Stage 1 restrictions, which allow campfires in developed campgrounds. The latest news from the Boundary Fire in the Kendrick Mountain area, by far the largest fire burning in the area, is nearly completely contained, with minimal if any smoke impacts predicted for surrounding communities, said Aaron Woods, a public information officer on the fire. The fire has burned more than 17,000 acres and is at 96 percent containment. It has cost about $8 million to manage, or about $400 an acre. Though containment lines have long been established around the fire, containment status indicates the portion of fire lines where the fire has actually burned out to, versus those with live fuels on either side, Woods said. Command of the fire will transition from a Type 2 team to a less resource-intensive Type 3 team on Tuesday. The Type 3 team is primarily made up of local crews, Woods said. Much of the current work on the fire is focusing on post-fire repair work like clearing out culverts along forest roads, repairing fences that had to be cut during firefighting operations and mitigating hazard tree risks in the area, he said. The fire operations team also sent out a notification that a drone flying over the fire on Sunday interfered with a helicopter that was assisting with firefighting efforts. Flying a drone over a wildfire to shoot video footage can create a serious safety issue for firefighting aircraft conducting aerial ignitions, bucket drops, or responding to a medical emergency, Fire Incident Commander Jeff Andrews said in a statement. Sometimes what seems like a fun, harmless activity can have major impacts to the safety of our firefighters. Housing as a financial commodity Housing, long accepted as a basic need and a human right, has now been transformed into a financial commodity with its value dependent on the vagaries of the market. In highlighting how the process of financialisation has become an impediment to the realisation of this right, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing has in her recent report suggested some remedial measures. The financialisation of housing is one of the greatest challenges to the right to adequate housing, with housing now being valued as a commodity rather than a human dwelling, a United Nations rights expert has charged. This admonishment came in a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, Leilani Farha, which was presented to the UN Human Rights Council on 1 March. The Human Rights Council held its 34th regular session in Geneva from February 27 to March 24. At a media briefing on March 2, Farha said the housing sector has been transformed by global financial actors and unprecedented amounts of excess capital. It is no longer as we once knew it. Housing has been financialised: valued as a commodity, rather than a human dwelling, it has become for investors a means to secure and accumulate wealth rather than a place to live in dignity, to raise a family, and thrive within a community. Housing has lost its currency as a human right, she said, noting that the amount of capital now being invested in housing is staggering. Global residential real estate is valued at US$163 trillion, more than twice the worlds total gross domestic product (GDP). Imagine if that capacity was harnessed for the realisation of housing instead of for speculation and profit. The impact of the commodification of housing and commodified housing markets is devastating, Farha added. Informal settlements are being razed to create space for luxury developments, communities are becoming devoid of human life as houses sit empty mere vehicles for capital gain and extreme unaffordability is pushing low- and moderate-income people out of city centres all in the name of investment. Financialisation has robbed housing of its function as a social good. In financialised housing markets, housing is no longer people-driven. Decisions about housing its use, its cost, where it will be built or whether it will be demolished are made from remote boardrooms with little if any consideration of the outcome, she said. In her report to the Human Rights Council, the rights expert referred to the financialisation of housing as structural changes in housing and financial markets and global investment whereby housing is treated as a commodity, a means of accumulating wealth and often as security for financial instruments that are traded and sold on global markets. It refers to the way capital investment in housing increasingly disconnects housing from its social function of providing a place to live in security and dignity, and hence undermines the realisation of housing as a human right. It refers to the way housing and financial markets are oblivious to people and communities, and the role housing plays in their well-being. The report noted that housing and real estate markets have been transformed by corporate finance, including banks, insurance and pension funds, hedge funds, private equity firms and other kinds of financial intermediaries with massive amounts of capital and excess liquidity. The global financial system has grown exponentially and now far outstrips the so-called real productive economy in terms of sheer volumes of wealth, with housing accounting for much of that growth. Housing and commercial real estate have become the commodity of choice for corporate finance and the pace at which financial corporations and funds are taking over housing and real estate in many cities is staggering. The value of global real estate is about US$217 trillion, nearly 60% of the value of all global assets, with residential real estate comprising 75% of the total. In the course of one year, from mid-2013 to mid-2014, corporate buying of larger properties in the top 100 recipient global cities rose from US$600 billion to US$1 trillion. Global investment Housing is at the centre of an historic structural transformation in global investment and the economies of the industrialised world with profound consequences for those in need of adequate housing, said Farha. In hedge cities, prime destinations for global capital seeking safe havens for investments, housing prices have increased to levels that most residents cannot afford, creating huge increases in wealth for property owners in prime locations while excluding moderate- and low-income households from access to home ownership or rentals due to unaffordability. Those households are pushed to peri-urban areas with scant employment and services. Elsewhere, financialisation is linked to expanded credit and debt taken on by individual households made vulnerable to predatory lending practices and the volatility of markets. According to the Special Rapporteur, financialised housing markets have caused displacement and evictions at an unparalleled scale: in the United States over the course of five years, over 13 million foreclosures resulted in more than nine million households being evicted. In Spain, more than half a million foreclosures between 2008 and 2013 resulted in over 300,000 evictions. There were almost one million foreclosures between 2009 and 2012 in Hungary. In many countries in the global South, where the majority of households are unlikely to have access to formal credit, the impact of financialisation is experienced differently, but with a common theme the subversion of housing and land as social goods in favour of their value as commodities for the accumulation of wealth, resulting in widespread evictions and displacement. Informal settlements are frequently replaced by luxury residential and high-end commercial real estate. According to the rights expert, millions of foreclosures, evictions and displacements and more than a billion people living in grossly inadequate housing conditions and homelessness worldwide signal, among other things, the failure of states and of the international community to manage the interaction between financial actors and housing systems in accordance with the right to adequate housing. Impact of financialisation According to the report, the financialisation of housing has its origins in neoliberalism, the deregulation of housing markets, and structural adjustment programs imposed by financial institutions and agreed to by states. It is also tied to the internationalisation of trade and investment agreements which make states housing policies accountable to investors rather than to human rights. The financialisation of housing is also the result of significant changes in the way credit was provided for housing and, more specifically, of the advent of mortgage-backed securities. The 2008 global financial crisis revealed the fragility, volatility and predatory nature of financialised housing markets and the potential for catastrophic outcomes both for individual households and for the global economy. In the United States, there were an average of 10,000 foreclosures per day in 2008, and as many as 35 million individuals were affected by evictions over a five-year period. Many expected that the global financial crisis and its impact on the human rights of millions of households would act as an alarm bell, forcing States and international financial institutions to reassess the value of unbridled financialisation and introduce reforms to ensure that the financial system addressed rather than exploited the housing needs of low-income households, said Farha. It seemed to have the opposite effect. Individuals and families who were affected by the crisis were often blamed for taking on too much debt, and new rules and regulations were put in place to restrict their access to mortgages. Austerity measures cut programs on which they had relied for access to housing options, and the march towards the financialisation of housing continued. States have continued to focus on attracting capital and wealthy investors with reduced taxes and other benefits. Countries like Cyprus, Greece, Portugal and Spain, where harsh austerity measures have been implemented, have enacted policies to entice foreign investors into their domestic markets. Great Wall of Money The report said the amount of money involved in the purchase of housing and real estate is almost impossible to digest. Cushman and Wakefield, an American global real estate services firm engaging in US$90 billion worth of real estate sales per year, publishes an annual report entitled The Great Wall of Money which includes a calculation of the amount of capital raised each year for trans-border real estate investments. The total in 2015 was a record US$443 billion, with residential properties representing the largest single share. Housing and urban real estate have become the commodity of choice for corporate finance, a safety deposit box for the wealthy, a repository of capital and excess liquidity from emerging markets and a convenient place for shell companies to stash their money with very little transparency. Housing prices in so-called hedge cities like Hong Kong, London, Munich, Stockholm, Sydney and Vancouver have all increased by over 50 percent since 2011, creating vast amounts of increased assets for the wealthy while making housing unaffordable for most households not already invested in the market. Corporate finance not only profits from inflated prices in hedge cities, it also profits from housing crises. The global financial crisis created unprecedented opportunities for buying distressed housing and real estate debt, which was sold off at firesale prices in countries such as Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Blackstone Group, the worlds largest real estate private equity firm, managing US$102 billion worth of property, spent US$10 billion to purchase repossessed properties in the United States at courthouses and in online auctions following the 2008 financial crisis, emerging as the largest rental landlord in the country. Other major institutional players invested US$20 billion to purchase approximately 200,000 single-family homes in the United States between 2012 and mid-2013. What is so stark about the pouring of those vast amounts of money into housing is that hardly any of it is directed towards ameliorating the insufferable housing conditions in which millions live, the rights expert noted. If even a portion of those amounts was directed towards affordable housing and access to credit for people in need of it, target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals, to ensure adequate housing for all by 2030, would be well within reach. The market rules Financialisation under current regimes, however, creates the opposite effect: unaccountable markets that do not respond to housing need, and urban centres that become the sole preserve of those with wealth. According to Farha, financialised housing markets respond to preferences of global investors rather than to the needs of communities. The average income of households in the community or the kinds of housing they would like to inhabit is of little concern to financial investors, who cater to the needs or desires of speculative markets and are likely to replace affordable housing that is needed with luxury housing that sits vacant because that is how best to turn a profit quickly. The report noted that more than 36,000 properties in London are held by shell companies registered in offshore havens such as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Isle of Man and Jersey. Many residential rental properties are now owned by bondholders or holders of public stock with no direct connection to properties. It is difficult to know who is accountable for human rights when the owner of housing is a multi-billion dollar fund, bondholders, public stockholders or a nameless corporate shell. The report said that increased prices of housing and real estate assets have become key drivers in the creation of greater wealth inequality. Those who own property in prime urban locations have become richer, while lower-income households confronting the escalating costs of housing become poorer. Patterns of inequality are often starkest in developing countries. In Africa, if current trends continue, the number of households living in informal settlements will continue to increase while the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals is predicted to rise by almost 50 percent in the next decade. The financialisation of housing has dramatically altered the relationship of states to the housing sector and to those to whom they have human rights obligations. Rather than being held accountable to residents and their need for housing, states housing policies have often become accountable to financial institutions and seem to pander to the confidence of global credit markets and the preferences of wealthy private investors. Given the predominance of housing-related credit in many economies, domestic housing policy becomes inter-twined with the priorities and strategies of central banks and international financial institutions, which are themselves rarely held accountable to States human rights obligations to ensure access to adequate housing and do not meaningfully engage with rights-holders. Accountability to global finance rather than to human rights has been rigorously imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other creditors when governments have faced foreign debt crises. Decisions made by central banks and finance ministers in consultation with international financial institutions are rarely informed by input from stakeholders or those involved with housing policy and programs. Austerity measures In circumstances where governments should be relying on positive measures and resource allocation to provide housing to households affected by economic downturns and widespread unemployment, many have been held accountable to austerity measures imposed by creditors. They have agreed to dramatically reduce or eliminate housing programs, privatise social housing and sell off massive amounts of housing and real estate assets to private equity funds. In many developing and emerging economies, said the report, the World Bank and other international and regional financial institutions continue to actively promote the financialisation of housing as the dominant strategy for addressing the critical need for housing, despite evidence that such strategies fail to provide housing options to the households that are most in need and lead to greater socioeconomic inequality. The report further pointed out that there are currently almost 2,500 bilateral investment treaties in force and almost 300 treaties with investment provisions. Provisions in investment treaties generally provide protection for investors from actions by states without imposing obligations on them to uphold human rights. Investors are guaranteed fair and equitable treatment, protection from direct or indirect expropriation, and other protections, and have access to an investor-state dispute settlement procedure to seek damages for breaches of those provisions. Claims have recently been brought against the Dominican Republic and Panama, for example, on the basis that government decisions to cancel planned luxury developments in order to protect Indigenous territories or environmental resources violated investors rights under bilateral investment treaties. The government of Mauritius is currently being taken to arbitration by a group of property development companies from the United Kingdom that invested in luxury real estate developments in Mauritius and are now seeking damages for a decision on the part of the government to change its planning policy to restrict such developments. The mere threat of those kinds of claims can have a directive effect on State housing policy. Investment treaty arbitration frequently involves millions of dollars in damages, and thus acts as a disincentive for States to enact and enforce any regulatory measures restricting the profitability of housing or real estate assets purchased by foreign investors, said Farha. In some instances, courts have played an important role in holding financial institutions liable for predatory and discriminatory lending practices, albeit without reference to international human rights obligations. In a recent case, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in the United States ruled in favour of a lawsuit brought by the city of Miami against Bank of America and Wells Fargo for discriminatory predatory lending practices linked to the mortgage crisis. Policy responses to the financialisation of housing have tended to prioritise support for financial institutions over responding to the needs of those whose right to adequate housing is at stake. Spending on bailouts of banks and financial institutions after the 2008 financial crisis far outstripped spending to provide assistance to the victims of the crisis. Nonetheless, a number of sub-national and national governments have started to address the effects of excess capital flows and financialisation on affordability and access to housing for low-income households. Initiatives have been advanced at both national and sub-national levels providing a number of tools that can at least curb the excesses of financialisation and mitigate its effects. The report cited the fact that a number of states, including Austria, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, have instituted restrictions on foreign purchasers of residential real estate. Conclusions What is lacking is for States to reclaim the governance of housing systems from global credit markets and, in collaboration with affected communities and with cooperation and engagement by central banks and financial institutions, redesign housing finance and global investment in housing around the goal of ensuring access to adequate housing for all by 2030, said the rights expert. Many states have been too deferential to the dynamics of unregulated markets and have failed to take appropriate action to bring private investment into line with the right to adequate housing. By providing tax subsidies for home ownership, tax breaks for investors, and bailouts for banks and financial institutions, states have subsidised the excessive financialisation of housing at the expense of programs for those in desperate need of housing. There seems to be a gross imbalance between the attention, mechanisms and resources that States have developed to support the financialisation of housing and the complete deficit of housing for the implementation of the right to adequate housing. The Special Rapporteur suggested that the way forward requires a shift to take hold so that states ensure that all investment in housing recognises its social function and states human rights obligations in that regard. That requires a transformation of the relationship between the state and the financial sector, whereby human rights implementation becomes the overriding goal, not a subsidiary or neglected obligation. The Special Rapporteur believes that can be achieved with more constructive engagement and dialogue between states, human rights actors, international and domestic financial regulatory bodies, private equity firms and major investors. The rights expert recommended, amongst others, that an international high-level meeting of states, international financial institutions, human rights bodies, civil society organisations and relevant experts be organised to design a strategy for engaging financial regulatory bodies and actors in the realisation of the goal of adequate housing for all by 2030. Third World Resurgence Corbyn proven right by history LONDON: Despite the force of the Tory mantra, it appears the electorate has rumbled that a government led by Theresa May would be neither strong nor stable, but instead would bring five more years of attacks on the poor and sick, an increase in zero-hours jobs, the privatisation of the National Health Service and further struggle for the working class outside the EU while ensuring the wealth of the rich and privileged continues to grow. Women and children stand near an armed British military soldier patrolling the streets in Belfast. Knowing Labour cannot be attacked for its policies, which are becoming increasingly popular, the Conservatives, in true nasty party fashion, have reverted back to Plan A by attacking Jeremy Corbyn personally. In the lead-up to the election, after the suspension of campaigning through the horrific murders in Manchester at the hands of a person whose name doesnt deserve to be mentioned on these pages, Corbyn stated that the UKs exploits in the Middle East had done little to reduce terrorism on our streets. May seized on this opportunity to sickeningly accuse Corbyn of political opportunism over the Manchester attack, which killed 22 people and injured many others, once again dragging out the well-documented but false allegation of Corbyn being an IRA sympathiser. Mays comments gave the green light to her friends in the mainstream media to challenge Corbyn over these claims at every opportunity, which conveniently deflected the attention from Labours popular policies which while her own manifesto unravelled day by day. Time and again Corbyn was asked by political reporters to condemn the IRA. Time after time he answered by saying that he condemned bombings on all sides. Those asking the question completely missed the irony that by raising the old subject of the IRA, it was they, not Corbyn, who were trying to exploit a long period in history which cost the lives of over 3,000 people and turn it into political gain for the Tory Party. By accident or design, it appears these so-called professional journalists seem to confuse the term understanding with condoning terms that I can fully relate to through my own past experience, which set me out on a road of enquiry many years ago. In 1972, as a young 18-year-old soldier, I served in both Londonderry (Derry) and Belfast, and witnessed events on all sides that will stay with me forever. I know what its like to be shot at (more than once) and to lose three comrades to IRA snipers. I have experienced the aftermath of sectarian killings, be it by bullet or bomb. I guess most former soldiers would have experienced some or all of these events too, however, this is where the connection between us ends. Unlike the majority of those who served in Northern Ireland, I have been openly critical of the role of the security forces and successive governments during the period of the Troubles. This has led to me too being labelled everything from IRA supporter to terrorist sympathiser. Again, the confusion seems to stem from the words understand and condone. I was critical because I witnessed how the Catholic community suffered unnecessary treatment at the hands of the security forces, some of which was not only unlawful, but also damaging to the role which I believed the British army was there to fulfil. Moreover, I would argue those actions helped to turn the Catholic community which in the early days of the Troubles was supportive or at least indifferent to the British army firmly against its presence in Northern Ireland. On reflection, I can see why the Catholic community felt aggrieved at being disadvantaged in what appears to be every aspect of civil rights. I can comprehend the frustration and anger as parents tried to clothe and feed their children while all the time being faced with inequality and poverty. I shudder to think what it was like in 1971, being subject to a curfew because you were a Catholic living in the Falls Road and having your possessions broken and floorboards ripped up during the search for weapons that the majority of people never had. I can understand the fear of children watching as their fathers and older brothers (it was predominately men) were stopped, searched and, on occasions, physically and/or verbally assaulted, before being taken away for screening. I have absolutely no idea how I would comfort my young children while soldiers with camouflaged, blacked faces carrying rifles woke them in their bed as they search the wardrobes, toy boxes and under the mattresses they sleep on. I cant imagine how I would react if a member of my family was shot dead by the security forces who had claimed that he was armed and had fired first when I knew that it was a blatant lie when no weapon existed and the authorities covered up the act, leaving an uphill struggle for the relatives to obtain justice for the victim. Having witnessed some of these events, can I understand why some people chose to join the IRA? Yes. Can I understand why they would want to harm the security forces? Yes. Do I condone the killing of anyone? No. And thats the difference. Does this make me a terrorist sympathiser? Absolutely not. What my experience did was provide me with an understanding of why someone may choose to join a terrorist organisation. Corbyn came to the conclusion that talking and compromise were the only solutions to the Troubles many years before the peace talks began and history shows he was right. This was because he took the time to understand the situation, which is a far cry from condoning what was being done. Finally, Corbyn is correct in suggesting the UKs actions abroad have done nothing to reduce the risk of terrorism and a fundamental change of policy is required. Morning Star Channel programs News Judge Sides With Creditors In Lumenate's Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing Michael Novinson Share this U.S. Bankrupcy Court Judge Stacy Jernigan has sided with creditors in Lumenate's Chapter 11 filing, paving the way for the potential dissolution of the company. "Dismissal of this Chapter 11 case is in the best interest of the debtor, its estate and creditors," Jernigan, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge for the Northern District of Texas, wrote in a June 26 order. Both Lumenate's former distributor Avnet Technology Solutions (owed $25.5 million) and secured creditor MidCap Financial (owed $2.1 million) called for outright dismissal of the case rather than a conversion to Chapter 7 liquidation. Both believe there are essentially no assets to be liquidated. [Related: Top 10 Unanswered Questions From Lumenate's Chapter 11 Filing] Avnet Technology Solutions has agreed to subordinate its secured debt to MidCap so that creditors can pursue other options under state law. The distributor had previously cut off its vendor financing and refused to engage in business activities with Lumenate, according to court filings. Jernigan's decision followed a hearing Monday on MidCap's motion to dismiss the case. Expected witnesses during the hearing, according to court filings, were: Lumenate President Reagan Dixon; Kenton Getz, Lumenate's vice president of finance and controller; Bruce Jennings, MidCap's managing director of due diligence; and Jolea Kidd, Avnet Technology Solutions' vice president of credit and collection. Dixon didn't immediately respond to requests for comment, while Tech Data which bought Avnet Technology Solutions in February for $2.6 billion declined to comment. Lumenate - No. 148 on the 2017 CRN Solution Provider 500 - indicated in a June 9 court filing that it was working out a long-term budget that paves the way for either a successful reorganization or sale. Now that the case has been dismissed, secured lenders such as MidCap and Avnet Technology Solutions would be able to go into Lumenate and obtain the collateral needed to satisfy the company's debt, according to Adam Stein-Sapir of bankruptcy claim buyers Pioneer Funding Group, which is not directly involved in the case. MidCap and Avnet Technology Solutions should have the cooperation of local law enforcement in taking possession of Lumenate's collateral, Stein-Sapir said, and aren't required to undertake anything more than a straightforward procedural filing to initiate this process. From there, any leftover money is returned to Lumenate, at which point Stein-Sapir said unsecured creditors can race back to the courthouse, obtain judgments against Lumenate, and look to enforce those judgments in order to get repaid on their debt. Lumenate has identified IT vendors and distributors such as Cisco, Westcon, Ingram Micro, Veritas, Pure Storage and Symantec as unsecured creditors with claims ranging from $170,000 to $2.1 million. MidCap said Lumenate's total debt might be as high as $50 million, while Lumenate indicated at the time of its May 26 bankruptcy petition that its assets only totaled between $1 million and $10 million. Although the dismissal of Lumenate's Chapter 11 filing doesn't automatically dissolve the company, Stein-Sapir said the only way Lumenate could continue operating is if it satisfied the obligations of all of its secured and unsecured creditors and still had money left over. "I think, for all intents and purposes, this spells the end of Lumenate," Stein-Sapir said. Stein-Sapir estimated that just one percent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases end with the judge cutting the case short via dismissal rather than providing the debtor with plenty of time to organize their affairs. Debtors in Chapter 11 are typically granted extension after extension to formulate a go-forward business plan, Stein-Sapir said, even if creditors are looking to speed up the case. "The default reaction is to allow the debtor more time to restructure itself and maximize value for everybody," Stein-Sapir said. "This is an unusual and extreme remedy." MidCap therefore must have met the tests in the bankruptcy code required for dismissal of a Chapter 11 case, Stein-Sapir said, which include no hope for rehabilitation, no need for the expense of a Chapter 7 trustee, and lenders capable of liquidating their own collateral without the assistance of a trustee or other third party. Lumenate's accounts receivable had decreased from $8.5 million at the end of April to just $2.5 million at the end of May, according to MidCap, which the creditor said is a sign that Lumenate has "essentially been in liquidation mode." Lumenate, for its part, said it court filings that it was unable to generate any new sales or accounts receivable after Avnet Technology Solutions stopped selling or shipping equipment to the solution provider. This, in turn, generated a liquidity crisis, according to Lumenate. Additionally, four of the nine members of Lumenate's leadership team had left the company since the start of May. And Lumenate's website was last viewable June 15, with a message now telling visitors that the HubSpot account associated with Lumenate's domain has expired. "Sometimes being in bankruptcy serves creditors, and sometimes it doesn't," Stein-Sapir said. "They [MidCap] got exactly what they wanted." Cloud News CloudHealth Raises $46M Funding Round, Founder Calls Cloud 'One Of The Biggest Opportunities For The Channel' Joseph Tsidulko Share this CloudHealth, a Boston-based startup offering a comprehensive cloud management platform that is seeing rapid adoption, raised $46 million in additional venture capital this week to scale more quickly. CloudHealth will mostly invest the latest funding in developing its products across partner cloud providers, but will also finance new sales and marketing efforts, as well as further expansion of a platform for enabling channel partners, Joe Kinsella, CloudHealth's founder and CTO, told CRN. The $46 million D Round was led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, with participation from Meritech Capital Partners, a late-stage investor with a track record of preparing companies for IPOs. [Related: Here's Who Made Gartner's 2017 Magic Quadrant For Cloud IaaS] Kinsella told CRN this is the right time "to grow as fast as possible." "There's an opportunity to build a business valued in the multiple billions of dollars if we do everything right," he said. When first launched, CloudHealth's management platform was only integrated with Amazon Web Services. But the technology has since expanded to encompass all three public hyper-scale providers, including Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. It also works across on-premises solutions, from VMware to OpenStack and bare-metal infrastructure. Kinsella said he founded the company in 2012 with the goal to develop what he calls "Gen-3 management." The first generation of management tools came during the client/server era and were ultimately consolidated by a handful of large vendors. The second generation of the technology saw innovative startups tackling single-point challenges, from application and log management to service desks. But the next decade will be characterized by tools that must master the multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments increasingly deployed by modern organizations, with applications and infrastructure that are dynamic, ephemeral, continually changing and with adoption decentralized across organizations. "As part of that, there will be a handful of big companies that get built here and we're going to be one of those big companies," Kinsella said. Behind a single pane of glass, CloudHealth offers integrated reporting, integrated recommendations, and active policy management. The design strategy is to span functionality by complementing and extending other vendors; not just cloud infrastructure providers but also configuration management, fault and performance management, application performance, log management and incident management solutions. "Across that whole span of categories, we make them work together as one product," Kinsella said. Currently, about one-fifth of CloudHealth's business goes through the channel. But in two years from now, Kinsella expects partners to account for half of his company's revenue. "We actually see the cloud as one of the biggest opportunities for the channel," he said. Cloud is enabling business transformation around agility and innovation, Kinsella said, and companies embracing the technology are attaining a real competitive advantage. "But it's really hard to do. That calls out to the channel opportunity," he said. "That's the market dynamic occurring, and we intend to be there supporting channel partners in what they need." One of its products is an integrated partner platform that overlays the management consoles, allowing partners to manage customers and even white-label CloudHealth functionality. Some of the new funding will go "to doubling down with what we've built and increasing the pace of innovation to have the best partner platform for hybrid cloud in the industry," Kinsella said. The 17th Annual Pepsi-Cola Taylor House Century Bike Ride benefiting The Taylor House will have a new course along Lake Mary Road this year. The Taylor House is a home away from home for friends and families of patients receiving care at Flagstaff Medical Center. It has served thousands of families since opening its doors in 2001. All routes 100 km, 80 km or 50 km of the bike ride start at FMC, wind through historic Flagstaff, then head out Lake Mary Road and finish back at FMC. The 100 km route will loop around Mormon Lake before heading back to FMC. Lunch will be provided at the end of the ride for all participants. The ride will take place on July 15, with a mass start at 7 a.m. Donation levels start at $60. For detailed course information and to register visit TaylorHouseRide.com. Library to host free lectures, performance The Flagstaff Public Library's free adult summer programming continues with two upcoming events. The lectures will take place at the downtown Flagstaff Public Library, 300 W. Aspen Ave. For more information, call 213-2375 or visit flagstaffpubliclibrary.org. On Thursday, June 29, from 6-7 p.m., a representative from the Arizona Attorney General's Office will talk about all the legal forms that one should have in order to prepare for any life changing events that may take place unexpectedly. Free "Life Care Planning Packets" will be provided. On Tuesday, July 11, from 6-7 p.m., there will be a performance and lecture on "Contemporary Composition and Free Improvisation in Context." Composer and percussionist Owen Davis frames a solo performance and his own compositions by drawing on performative and conceptual developments over the last 100 years. Davis will provide a rich historical backdrop for understanding the sometimes complex world of experimental music making. Networking News Silver Peak Teams With China Telecom, Westcon-Comstor To Provide Global, Managed SD-WAN Services Gina Narcisi Share this Silver Peak is making its relationship with China Telecom official. With the help of IT distributor Westcon-Comstor, the global service provider will deliver fully-managed SD-WAN services using Silver Peak technology to enterprises and channel partners. Silver Peak, a developer of SD-WAN technology and hybrid WAN products, will help China Telecom attract new, multinational business customers, as well as existing enterprise customers with international connectivity requirements. Westcon-Comstor will provide order fulfillment and integration of the SD-WAN services. Service providers are a relatively new audience for Silver Peak. But as enterprises move to cloud-based services and carriers provide that core connectivity, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based SD-WAN provider knew it needed to win them over, helping them bring hybrid networking solutions to market, Shayne Stubbs, vice president of service provider and cloud for Silver Peak, told CRN. [Related: Level 3 Launches SD-WAN Service For Partners, Business Customers ] "Combined, this offering will satisfy the requirements that large enterprises need as they move from dedicated networks to wanting something more agile that they can get from a carrier," he said. Today, Silver Peak provides the underlying SD-WAN technology for NTT Communications' SD-WAN service, as well as China Telecom's service, putting the provider's technology in more than 200 countries, Stubbs said. Beijing-based China Telecom's agent partners will also have access to resell the managed SD-WAN service. The managed SD-WAN services are based on Silver Peak's Unity EdgeConnectSP and Unity Boost SD-WAN products. Westcon-Comstor has integrated EdgeConnectSP into China Telecom's NetCare unified customer network monitoring and management platform using the EdgeConnect RESTful API, according to Silver Peak. This combination lets China Telecom provide real-time managed SD-WAN service monitoring and management to existing and new clients. Together, Silver Peak and China Telecom will offer customers "tiered" managed SD-WAN services that target a range of large enterprise requirements, Stubbs said, including SLA-based services. Business customers using the SD-WAN services will be able to take advantage of inexpensive connectivity options, such as broadband, to expand their networks cost-effectively while still meeting necessary security and reliability requirements. The Westcon partnership lets Silver Peak have local resources for customers around the globe, he added. Carriers had been uneasy about SD-WAN in the very beginning because of fears around MPLS network sales, but Silver Peak's tiered SD-WAN services let service providers monetize new networking products, such as SaaS optimization and cloud connect offerings, Stubbs said. "Enterprises want everything as a service and on-demand, and we have the platform to deliver it," he said. "Its a great opportunity for service providers to drive their next billion-dollar revenue stream." Security News Partners: Massive Global Ransomware Attack Highlights Critical Infrastructure, IoT Security Challenges Sarah Kuranda and Lindsey O'Donnell Share this On the heels of the most recent worldwide ransomware attack, partners said it is more important than ever for companies with critical infrastructure and IoT devices to secure their environments. Victims of this week's attacks include the government, banks, and state power utility in Ukraine, as well as the capital Kiev's airport and metro. It also reportedly hit hospitals in the U.S. and the nuclear radiation monitoring system at Chernobyl in Russia. While the attacks did not appear to target critical infrastructure companies also hitting companies in the pharmaceutical, shipping, and legal verticals partners said the instances show that critical infrastructure and IoT security remains a weak point for many companies. [Related: 5 Things Partners Need To Know About The New Global Ransomware Outbreak] Alton Kizziah, vice president, global managed services at Kudelski Security, said this latest strain of ransomware appears to be more sophisticated than the similar WannaCry ransomware outbreak last month. While it doesn't appear to be targeting critical infrastructure companies in particular, Kizziah said he "absolutely" sees a growing concern around ransomware and critical infrastructure and IoT. "We think it's just going to become more and more prevalent," Kizziah said, citing examples of ransomware in cars, movie theater kiosks, thermometers, and more. "You're starting to see a lot more of it." Kizziah said ransomware could severely impact a company's ability to access those control systems. Victims of this week's ransomware attacks cited examples of that by returning to manual systems or even ceasing operations until IT systems could come back online. Systems monitoring the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site, for example, had to monitor radiation levels manually after being hit by the ransomware. David Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing for The Fulcrum Group, a Keller, Texas-based solution provider, said that the channel plays a critical role in ensuring infrastructure security especially as more IoT devices come online. The Fulcrum Group, which works to secure networks for customers implementing connected devices like surveillance camera systems, makes sure that IoT devices get their own separate VLAN so if IoT devices become compromised, they are on a separate network that doesn't impact the rest of the company's infrastructure. "We recommend that IoT devices get their own separate logical network," he said. "If you look at some of the recent attacks such as Target Internet of Things devices like HVAC systems have been the jumping-off point for hackers. This wouldn't happen if they were on a separate network." The Fulcrum Group recently worked with one client who was setting up an array of new IoT devices, including audio-visual displays, cameras, HVAC controls, lighting controls and point of sale systems. Johnson said that the solution provider ended up isolating the IoT devices onto 22 separate VLANs overall, and designing the network infrastructure on the front end while working with the various IoT vendors to make sure all devices were secured. Beyond isolating devices, Johnson recommends that solution providers make sure IoT devices are behind a firewall and secured with virtual private networks, and that customers only open ports that need to be opened for access. "IoT security is becoming one of the major problems in the industry so many new kinds of devices are becoming plugged onto the network, and the people installing them are not necessarily IT or security professionals," he said. "Theres a lot of good revenue opportunities for the channel, and MSPs will become more involved in the design and implementation of IoT security measures." I WannaCry all over again On the morning of June 27th, reports began surfacing of widespread attacks against Ukrainian critical infrastructure sectors that included aviation, banking, and electricity. An unknown malware had begun affecting IT systems in these sectors. Business systems were made unavailable and normal processes stopped. Fortunately, no operational technology, the technology that runs the energy grid, was reported to be affected. Affected systems were widespread. They included Ukrenergo, the countrys electric transmission company, and Kyivenergo, the distribution company serving the Kiev region, While Ukrenergy reported no outages, Kyivenergy was forced to shut down all administratve systems, awaiting permission from the Ukraines Security Service (SBU) before restarting. Others victims in Ukraine and internationally included: The Ukrainian government, including parliament and cabinet Ukraines largest bank, Oschadbank Kievs Borysopil Airport, affecting departure boards and scheduling systems The Ukrainian state postal service Kievs metro system Television stations. Rosneft, a Russian government-owned oil firm Steel maker Evarz Three Ukrainian telecom companies, Kyivstar, LifeCell and Ukrtelecom. Danish shipping company Maersk reported that systems in the UK and Ireland were affected. The attack occurred, probably not by chance, only hours after the car bombing murder of Col. Maxim Shapoval of the Ukraine Chief Directorate of Intelligence and a day before Ukraines Constitution Day. The name game The offending malware was soon identified at PETYA, PETRYA, or PETwrap, depending upon the source. PETYA reportedly utilized the the NSAs leaked EternalBlue, the same Windows SMBv1 vulnerability as WannaCry, PETYA does not initially encrypt individual files, but replaces the master boot record (MBR), leaving the entire system unusable. Should the MBR not be available, it then goes on to encrypt the individual files. What part didn't you get about 'patch now?' Perhaps the most valuable lesson we can learn from this attack is that Charles Darwin was right. It's survival of the fittest; right along with that goes the smartest. Unless some completely new vector is discovered in action with this new threat, victims of PETYA have no excuse. The SMB vulnerability in question had been patched by Microsoft prior to WannaCry's May outbreak. During the WannaCry outbreak, Microsoft provided additional patches for legacy operating systems, those no longer supported by normal updates, like Windows XP and Server 2003. Even with these extraordinary measures to provide users with the protection they needed, some failed to update and/or patch. Those who failed to take action and install patches handed to them on a silver platter are now victims of PETYA, and themselves sources of the new infection to others. Akin to a neighbor with a garage full of dynamite, this is the kind of negligence that endangers the entire cyber neighborhood. ISACs to the rescue Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) in the U.S. were able to get ahead of the infection thanks to early warning and quick action. The Downstream Natural Gas and Electric ISACS combined forces to collect, analyze, and alert their sector members, providing early indicators and even links to algorithms successfully used to earlier decrypt the PETYA ransomware. Having just recently experienced the WannaCry worm, their members were patched and defended. There were no reports of infection in electric or downstream natural gas sectors. Ukraine was reportedly the intended target of the Petya ransomware attack, which is actually NotPetya but was likely created by the same developer of Petya. Its been suggested that NotPetya started after update servers for M.E.Doc accounting software used by Ukrainian companies were compromised. M.E.Doc issued a security warning, but the company later denied its tainted servers delivered the ransomware. Yet as it spread across the globe, other infected victims were a side effect of cyberwar. At least three hospitals in the U.S. were affected: Princeton Community Hospital in West Virginia and Heritage Valley Health System, which includes two hospitalsHeritage Valley Beaver and Heritage Valley Sewickley60 doctor offices and 18 community satellite facilities. After Heritage was infected, some surgeries were canceled and patients reportedly had to reschedule. Its been pointed out that the NotPetya attack occurred a day before a non-working holiday in the Ukraine and on the same day that a top Ukrainian military intelligence officer was assassinated. While a Washington Post article discusses Russias use of hybrid warfare, the intelligence officer was killed by a car bomb. Nevertheless, the Post talks about Ukraine needing to up its defense game against Russia. It writes, We should all be invested in this, because while Ukraine may be the testing ground, the target is all of us. Microsoft patches would have prevented attacks People unwilling or unable to apply Microsofts patches, which would have kept their boxes safe, should try the vaccine as described by Bleeping Computer. It is pointless to try to notify the ransomwares author because the German email provider Posteo shut down the email address wowsmith123456@posteo.net; it was the contact address in the ransom demand. Even if victims were willing to pay and sent $300 in Bitcoins to the authors wallet, they were instructed to send their Bitcoin wallet ID and ransomware installation key to the author at the now-not-working email address. At the time of publishing, the wallet showed 45 transactions. NotPetya is like Petya with worm capabilities, according to Microsoft. It watched the infections unfold, first hitting over 12,500 Windows boxes in Ukraine before spreading to 64 other countries. Given this new ransomwares added lateral movement capabilities, it only takes a single infected machine to affect a network, the company said. Microsoft added that the ransomware uses multiple methods to spread: Stealing credentials or re-using existing active sessions Using file-shares to transfer the malicious file across machines on the same network Using existing legitimate functionalities to execute the payload or abusing SMB vulnerabilities for unpatched machines NotPetya uses NSA-linked EternalBlue and EternalRomance, which were released by the Shadow Brokers; Microsoft released patches for both back in March. Its nearly July, so if you think no one will know you didnt deploy patches in a timely fashion, then get infected and think again. Yet clearly some people did not deploy the fixes, perhaps because a kill switch was so quickly found for WannaCry. Some organizations havent patched because they cant afford the downtime, but surely mitigating the problem would cause less downtime than being a ransomware victim? Shadow Brokers' July dump of the month and VIP service Speaking of EternalBlue and the Shadow Brokers, did the group ever follow through with the June data dump promised to subscribers? The Shadow Brokers claimed it was a big success, but security architect Kevin Beaumont noted that hed seen no evidence that the dump happened. Nevertheless, the Shadow Brokers are back and pimping their July dump of the month service. Although the group mentioned the global cyber attack, Beaumont said it had nothing to do with NotPetya and called the groups implying otherwise a sales pitch of nonsense. Its worth noting that the Shadow Brokers targeted one specific individual in its July dump of the month subscription pitch. Apparently, this doctor who hammered them via Twitter really got under the groups skin. It started digging into who the doctor really is, claimed he is a former NSA-linked Equation Group developer, and threatened to dox him if he kept trolling. The doctor, it seems, is @drwolfff. He tweeted: Apparently @shadowbrokerss threatened me in his new post. 1) don't feed trolls. 2) I was never equationgroup. 3) let's meet in vegas (@drwolfff) June 28, 2017 This month, the Shadow Brokers announced a VIP service in addition to the dump of the month club. 400 ZEC will allegedly get the groups attention enough to spill what it knows about specific questions asked, such as about a vulnerability or intel. The July monthly dump would cost subscribers 200 ZEC or 1000 XMR. The group said it would include a mystery gift as some people sent a small payment with a hidden service URL. The Shadow Brokers wont bite at the bait, but it is offering it to others. About this mystery gift, the group claimed, Smelling hidden service FBI hackish. Patrick Comins has been named the new executive director of the Fairfield-based Connecticut Audubon Society. Comins will start his new position on July 17, replacing Nelson North, who is retiring after 10 years as director of Fairfield operations and executive director. Comins started his career by conducting bird surveys for the Connecticut Audubon Society, and is currently director of bird conservation for Audubon Connecticut, the state office of the National Audubon Society. The Connecticut Audubon Society, founded in 1898, is an independent organization that predates the formation of the National Audubon Society. Comins will lead the organization as it focuses on inspiring an ever-greater spirit of conservation statewide, through its education programs, citizen science initiatives, and habitat improvement projects, and at its seven centers and 20 sanctuaries, Connecticut Audubon said in statement announcing Comins appointment. Our goal was to find an executive director with an impeccable record of success as a conservationist and a reputation for integrity and leadership throughout the state We are confident that we found him in Patrick Comins, said Peter Kunkel, chairman of Connecticut Audubons Board of Directors. Our members and the conservation community at large can be assured that with Patrick leading the organization we will build on the record of success that started when Mabel Osgood Wright founded Connecticut Audubon 119 years ago, Kunkel said. It is humbling to walk in the footsteps of Mabel Osgood Wright, one of the giants of the early bird conservation movement, he said. I intend to keep her original vision of inspiring people to conserve nature as a key tenet as we refine a vision for 21st century conservation at the Connecticut Audubon Society. Comins is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford and a resident of Meriden. He is a past president of the Connecticut Ornithological Association and was the 2007 recipient of its Mabel Osgood Wright Award and 2017 Presidents Award. He has written several articles on bird conservation and identification for the COAs quarterly journal, The Connecticut Warbler. He has also been a regular contributor to Connecticut Audubons annual Connecticut State of the Birds report. Comins said he would focus on working with the board, and with the organizations members, staff, and large network of grassroots volunteers, to continue Wrights vision of inspiring people to conserve by connecting with the natural world. Audubon Connecticut Executive Director Stewart Hudson said, On behalf of the staff and board of Audubon Connecticut and the National Audubon Society, we owe a big debt of gratitude to Patrick for the extraordinary accomplishments that he has led on behalf of birds, other wildlife, and people in our state. There is not a part of Connecticut that has not been touched by his vision, compassion, bird knowledge, and hard work. We are disappointed that he is leaving, but heartened by the fact that he is not going far. The good news is that we can continue to work with Patrick on these issues in the years to come. We wish him the best in his new position. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The loss of the special election in Georgia to fill the House seat of ultra-con Health & Human Services Secretary Tom Price brought up a fair amount of Democratic bile against House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Too much a caricature of coastal liberalism, too easy a target, they proclaimed. Pelosi seemed to acknowledge her role as GOP bulls-eye-in-chief, saying: Im worth the trouble. Connecticut Democratic House members were not among the strident finger-pointers. But their views of Pelosi, 77, who has been either house speaker or minority leader since 2003, were not uniformly sonnets of love. This is not my battle, said Rep. Elizabeth Esty. Ive got my hands full, working on getting stuff done in committee. Thats what Im doing. Although generally talkative, Rep. Jim Himes didnt want to touch this one when I queried his office. But in a New York Times story last week about election blowback against Pelosi, he had this to say: Its not enough to say, I want jobs. You need more than that, particularly when youre competing with a guy (President Trump) who is telling fantasies. The delegations chief Pelosi defender was no surprise Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who serves in leadership as co-chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. Leader Pelosi has been an unbelievably strong leader, and shell go down as one of the most productive speakers of the House in history, DeLauro said. I think Nancy Pelosi is working very hard to lead the party out of the woods. Possible opening for Obamacare The Senate GOP version of repeal and replace of Obamacare is on hold, lacking sufficient votes to push it through. And if Republicans cant get their disparate conservative and moderate wings to coalesce, it may never see the light of day again. That would mean negotiating with the Democrats on how to prop up the dreaded Obamacare, the object of seven solid years of Republican vitriol. So what would that negotiation look like? Theres an opening here, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, because Republicans are at their wits end and their effort to pass health care has gone from total secrecy to total chaos. It wont happen overnight, he said, but Trump will sign anything as long as he can say we reached a deal. Sen. Chris Murphy said: I dont think Democrats should be part of a negotiation that is a debate over how many people lose their health insurance. So what ground could Dems give? The Obamacare universal mandate everyone must have health insurance that Republicans revile? Its hard for me to imagine what a compromise would be on that issue, Murphy said. Medicaid as an open-ended entitlement no limits? Not negotiable. About the only element Murphy could conjure up for possible agreement is Obamacares requirement that insurers provide essential benefits a laundry list of services like mental health, maternal and newborn care, prescription drugs and lab fees. If they want a stripped-down plan, another version of catastrophic (coverage), I think there is a negotiation there. We can talk to them about it if they talk to us about the long-term stability of the (Obamacare exchanges, like Access Health CT). Fighting words With all the fireworks in Washington on health care, the Russia-Trump probe and even gaining TV network access to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicers off-camera gaggles, you could be forgiven for missing what might have been the shocker of the month. Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told the House Intelligence Committee that Russian President Vladimir Putin orchestrated the cyberattacks meant to influence the 2016 election, plain and simple. Sitting in the room was Himes, a member of the committee. This is the kind of stuff that starts war, Himes said afterward. This is not some kid experimenting with hacking voter rolls. This was major strategic effort that doesnt get done without direction from top. How exactly does U.S. intelligence know of Putins involvement? I have seen intelligence I cant talk about, Himes said, leaving it at that. But the Putin revelation wasnt even the most shocking thing to him, Himes said. What was shocking to me in that testimony was how the states and the DNC (Democratic National Committee) didnt take it seriously, he said. dan@hearstdc.com; @danfreedma Online retail sales in the United States are expected to reach $523 billion by 2020, up 56 percent from $335 billion in 2015. But, while this active market offers great opportunities for small businesses and independent online retailers, increased competition is making it harder for small- to medium-sized businesses to stay competitive with online giants. One of the main areas in which small businesses are losing money is in shipping costs. The fact that homes are approximately three times as expensive to deliver to as business addresses leaves retailers struggling to make ends meet, as most consumers now expect free shipping in line with the services offered by global eretail giants like Amazon and AliBaba who can afford to do so. In a recent Financial Times article, Alan Blackford, COO for an online outdoor furniture retailer, states that shipping is his companys second largest expense after marketing, even ahead of labor costs, and that costs are growing year over year. Related: Inventory Out of Control? Take Stock With These 3 iPad Apps. So, instead of eating into profits using expensive air delivery services like UPS and FedEx, how can retailers send cargo more cost effectively? Here are three tips to saving money shipping with ground transportation: 1. Use online load boards. While basic, online load boards such as directfreight.com and truckstop.com are a step in the right direction in terms of "sharing economy" freight services. Put simply, these platforms allow brokers and individual transport owners to post their routes online in advance to fill up any extra space available for the journey. While these boards wont help retailers with the home delivery dilemma, they can help reduce costs by shipping inter-state in a shared transport, and then paying a local delivery service to make the home delivery in the final leg of the journey. Using a load board allows shippers -- those needing goods transported -- to move overflow freight. Using the boards, shippers can match their load with empty carriers travelling from their base area to a desired destination. Using this type of service is particularly useful for companies that do not have a consistent group of carriers to choose from, or that dont need to ship frequently, such as a mom-and-pop store that does the majority of business in-store but also offers online retail options. Related: Unlimited Deliveries for $9.99 a Month Sounds Insane. For Postmates, It's the Future. On well traveled routes, load boards allow retailers to shop around for the best price by contacting a number of carriers at once. However, be aware that 90 percent of freight brokers also use these services, which means retailers will most likely receive offers from brokers, too. However, shippers should note that not all load boards are free; many require paying a membership fee. Also, in the world of shipping, you get what you pay for, so while sourcing transports on online load board is cheaper, retailers will have to accept slower delivery times and added risks in terms of security and insurance than are offered with leading air freighters. 2. Keep an eye on "off peak delivery" projects. Despite traffic congestion and fuel consumption -- and thus transportation costs -- being higher during peak hours, most land carriers still only haul during the day. According to a recent study, 95 percent of deliveries in New York are made between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., while only 5 percent are made between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. While prices are lower when the amount demanded is equal to the amount supplied, demand is higher in peak hours early in the morning when most retail supply occurs. Although daytime shipping options are cheaper now than in the past, this method is still a financial hit for retailers. Off-peak deliveries (OPD) have been trialed in cities like Chicago, New York and Toronto, and the results are extremely promising. Not only did these programs reduce congestion in cities, they showed considerable savings both in travel time and in the overall price of the journey due to fuel consumption. A study of OPD in New York showed that implementing various OPD policies would generate total savings of between $100 and $200 million per year in travel time savings and pollution reduction: Travel time savings to all highway users were estimated at approximately 3-5 minutes per trip. Off-peak delivery is estimated to be 30 percent to 40 percent cheaper for carriers (and thus shippers, too) than regular daytime deliveries. Carriers that switch to off-hours would save about 48 minutes in travel time per delivery tour and 1 to 3 hours in total service time per delivery tour. Related: 7 Tips for Reducing Your Shipping Costs Considering the success of the projects in leading cities, local business owners should consider petitioning their local authorities to trial similar policies. Until that point, when contracting carriers for individual trips, companies should ask about the carriers policy on OPD, and try to negotiate lower prices for trips that will be made in off-peak hours. For companies with regular land deliveries to make, it may be worth privately contracting a driver, or using on-demand shipping services, that make deliveries in OPD hours. 3. Use auction-like websites that auction freight. Made famous by the popular A&E show Shipping Wars in 2012, Uship is effectively the eBay of the freight industry. The platform features a network of more than 100,000 trucking companies and owner operators, who will bid for any ground shipping jobs posted. The winner is the lowest bidder, and who wins the contract to haul the freight. Similar platforms such as Cargo Trax exist in Europe, but Uship dominates the market in the U.S. Related: How Technology Is Infiltrating the Old-School Shipping Industry The benefit for retailers is that they can post a job, and wait for carriers to bid each other down to get the best deal. However, like using online load boards, this method means sending freight with unknown drivers, which in turn increases risk. However, compared to the prices of sending with services like FedEx, the risk might just be worth it. As the eretail market continues to grow, pumped up by mobile shopping, shipping is only going to become more of a cost for small businesses using traditional channels. For the time being, it is up to thrifty business owners to assess all of the options available to them, to make sure their goods arrive to their destination on time and in perfect condition, without having to break the bank for the privilege. Related: Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com PRESCOTT (AP) More than 500 firefighters braced for windy conditions Tuesday as they continued to battle a northern Arizona wildfire that has burned 6.8 square miles. Fire crews had contained 5 percent of the fire that is scorching areas 14 miles south of Prescott. Officials said the cause of the blaze is still unknown. Several nearby communities have been evacuated. Meanwhile, fire crews contained a wildire southwest of Fort Tuthill at 3.1 acres Tuesday, despite an illegal private drone forcing the grounding of Forest Service aircraft. Instead, fire crews used a power bulldozer to dig a trench that stopped the fire's advance. Previous thinning in the area also helped to reduce the intensity of the blaze. Flying a drone in a way that impedes firefighters is a federal criminal offense. Crews in Utah and California were continuing to fight fires that forced hundreds of people from their homes. Theres a quiet revolt going on. You see it happening in offices all over the world. Innovative CEOs are ducking into a Starbucks to collaborate on a few ideas with the CMO. Theyre working from home one morning a week just to clear their heads and prepare for a big pitch. Or theyre sticking their finger in one ear while pacing the hallway, trying to have a quiet conversation on their cellphones. These are the twisting work lives of CEOs everywhere who succumb to the idea of the open floor plan office, but who crave the luxury and privacy of a simple door. Its part of a bigger trend covered in the Wall Street Journal recently, going on from startups to Fortune 100 companies known as Activity-Based Working (ABW). ABW is a recognition that throughout the day peoples tasks and the spaces they need to perform them in, change. The one-size-fits-all office space doesnt work for anyone -- whether its an isolated corner office or the middle of the bullpen. Workers of every stature need workspaces that reflect the work and the culture of the company. Related: How the Color of Your Office Impacts Productivity A day in the life of the CEO Lets think about all the activities that a CEO has to do in a single day. As soon as she gets into the office, she's in go-mode. At 9 a.m. shell need a private conference room to rally the troops for their daily huddle. Then she'll need to hop on the phone for a private call -- in a quiet phone booth -- to handle an incoming client request. By 10:30 a.m., she's meeting with the global sales team for a video conference about the new product roll out. And by 11:30 a.m., she's meeting with the CMO and the rest of the marketing team in a collaboration space to discuss branding strategies for the upcoming trade show. Lets not forget about a 1 p.m. lunch where shell need a private area to catch up with the visiting IT team from India. And lets be honest, an allocated nap room to recharge from 3 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. would be fantastic. The list goes on. Many business leaders want to feel like they are a part of the team while they lead it. Thats why its critical to create spaces that allow employees to do their jobs as productively as possible in the spaces provided. Its part of the reason why two-thirds of employees feel disengaged at work -- theyre simply not in the right spaces to do their work and contribute effectively. Worse, according to research from furniture manufacturer Steelcase, many employees feel that the democratized open floor plan is implemented as an effort to cut costs and remove private offices and privacy altogether. While inaccurate, the message the employee may be receiving is: My company doesnt care about me. One thing we know for sure: The office space is the most tangible example of how leadership values the workforce. Related: Ready to Kill Your Company's Open-Floor Plan? Drop the Machete. Millennials to the rescue? The reality is, the open floor plan office can work masterfully for C-suite executives, and their employees -- just ask Michael Bloomberg, Tony Hsieh and Mark Zuckerberg, all of whom have adopted it in their own headquarters. The key is combining the open floor plan with thoughtful areas that empower them to do their best work. This is particularly the case across generational workers, who exhibit different preferences for how they work. Millennial workers, like many of us, want to feel connected to a bigger purpose. Being seated in earshot of the CEO and other relevant colleagues allows younger workers to understand the larger mission, their work styles and how to apply those cultural and management lessons to their own work. Millennial CEOs also thrive on the buzz and hum they feel working in a hive environment where they can activate clusters of workers just by leaning over starting a dialogue or brainstorming a new idea on the fly. Related: How to Create Productive Work Spaces for Your Company Millennials regularly cite the desire for informal mentorship and regular, not scheduled, performance reviews. In our office, this has become the norm. Rather than a private office with a closed door, my co-founder and CEO prefers a big desk where junior employees and senior executives can hash out ideas together and pull up a chair without impeding the workflow. He can also eavesdrop on a technical conversation and share a quick insight or correct an issue before the phone call with a client ends with an, Ill ask my boss and get back to you. More importantly, the openness gives him the opportunity to say, You did a fantastic job handling that complex client issue. Im really proud of the work youre doing, and Ill like to offer a few more point to kick it up a notch even further. Collaborative workspaces, balanced with options for privacy, creative, thoughtful, raucous celebration or meditative spaces -- many with doors that shut tight -- are the key to preserving CEO sanity and the teamwork that makes innovative offices thrive. Related: Why CEOs Want Their Offices Back and How Millennials Are Helping Them Get There (Kind of) Need Inspiration for Your Office Space? Check Out This Converted Train Station. A Quick Look Inside Quikr Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com WESTPORT Westports waterfront provides a scenic backdrop for the residents whose houses dot the shore, painting for them a different picture every day, depending on the weather on any given day. Old Mill Pond, also known as Compo Cove and Sherwood Mill Pond, is a tidal pond on Long Island Sound, a coastal sanctuary for more than 70 species of birds and aquatic life and the local residents who call it home. This magical place inspired local author and artist Judy Katz to visit almost every day for decades. Her paintings of Old Mill Pond are captured in her book, the beautiful POND (Two Birds Press). It also inspired architect Roger Bartels to design the sand-colored stucco colonial house at 32 Edgewater Hillside, which was built in 2007 and enjoys 122 feet of direct water frontage on the pond. Residents can go kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing right from their yard. Bartels was honored with a Home Building Industry, or HOBI, Award for Best Custom Home for his design of this 3,236-square-foot house, which was featured in Architectural Digest for best custom build. Each room has a water view. The house sits on a 0.35-acre level property on a private cul-de-sac steps from Old Mill Beach and within easy walking distance of Compo Beach and Longshore Club Park. The Saugatuck train station, shops and restaurants are minutes away. The property is beautifully landscaped with a variety of sea grasses, hydrangeas, roses, peonies and other plantings appropriate to the coastal conditions. More Information ABOUT THIS HOUSE TYPE: Colonial ADDRESS: 32 Edgewater Hillside PRICE: $2,599,000 NUMBER OF ROOMS: 7 FEATURES: waterfront property, water community, panoramic water views, dock/mooring approval in place, HOBI Award-winning home, Energy Star-rated, 0.35-acre level property, located on a private cul-de-sac, steps from Old Mill Beach, walking distance to Compo Beach and Longshore Club Park, convenient to town and train, tankless hot water, gym with rubberized flooring, audio system, sprinkler system, exterior lighting, patio, balcony, three fireplaces, central vacuum system, semicircular driveway, wood shingle roof, zoned heating and air conditioning, attached one-car garage, three bedrooms all en suite, three full and one half baths SCHOOLS: Greens Farms Elementary, Bedford Middle, Staples High ASSESSMENT: $1,669,800 TAX RATE: 16.86 mills TAXES: $28,153 See More Collapse Enter the house from the rounded door with rustic hardware and step into the casually sophisticated living space. There are Brazilian mahogany floors throughout. Some of the walls are adorned in shiplap, and the wood ceilings have various treatments. In the kitchen the ceiling is cerused, or bleached. The two-story foyer has French doors to a small wood deck. The living room features a poured concrete fireplace flanked by built-in window seats, each with a small bookshelf, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows from which to enjoy the spectacular view. The gourmet kitchen, eat-in area, and family room are all open one to the other. The family room has a stone fireplace and built-in cabinetry. In the kitchen there is a center island and perimeter counters topped in marble, a farm sink and high-end appliances including a Wolf six-burner range with a grill. On the second floor there are three bedrooms, all en suite. At the top of the stairs a wide landing has a long built-in window seat, another great vantage point from which to take in the view. French doors lead into the luxurious master suite, where there is a marble fireplace, decorative timber truss exposed wood beams, two closets and French doors to a Juliet-style balcony. Another set of French doors leads into the spa-like master bath, which has two separate vanities, a soaking tub, shower and frosted glass water closet. Yet another set of French doors leads into a turret with an octagonal ceiling that houses a gym with a rubberized floor. On the other side of this floor there is a sitting room, laundry room and two bedrooms. The baths in both rooms have limestone counters and rounded walls in the shower area. One bath has a combo tub/shower. The other shower has small stone flooring. For information or to set up an appointment to see the house, contact Judy Michaelis of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 203-247-5000 or judy@judymichaelis.com. PHOENIX A new ruling Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court could strengthen claims by gays that they're entitled to more than just the right to marry. In a 6-3 decision, the justices said their historic 2015 ruling stands for more than the fact that states may not limit the right to wed only to heterosexual couples. The majority in the unsigned opinion said that ruling also means that same-sex couples are entitled to the constellation of benefits that the states have linked to marriage. The case out of Arkansas voids a state law there which says that when a gay married couple gives birth, only the name of the biological mother is listed on the state-issued birth certificate. The justices noted that other Arkansas laws spell out that in opposite-sex marriages, the name of the husband is always listed on the birth certificate, even if the child is the product of artificial insemination. The new ruling could most immediate affect a case set for a hearing today at the Arizona Supreme Court where the justices are considering the rights of the non-biological parent when a same-sex couple gets divorced. Arizona laws, like those in Arkansas, generally require that the husband of the woman who has given birth be listed on the birth certificate. More to the point, that presumption of parenthood is key in questions of custody and visitation rights when the marriage breaks apart. But two different divisions of the state Court of Appeals have issued two diametrically opposed and conflicting rulings as to whether the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling extends those same presumptions in case of same-sex marriage. Potentially more significant, the broad language in Monday's ruling could give gay rights advocates the chance to argue that other laws which favor opposite-sex couples are similarly void. That includes one which says that in adoption, placement preference shall be with a married man and woman. But Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, who has taken a narrower view of the 2015 ruling, said he does not see what the high court decided on Monday as going that far. Because single persons, as well as married couples, can adopt, adoption is not exclusively 'linked' to marriage, he told Capitol Media Services. That contention drew fire from Jenny Pizer, attorney for Lambda Legal Defense Fund. She said it probably would be legal for the state to decide that married couples should be given first preference in adoption over single people. There would be, could be, nondiscriminatory reasons to say a household can be presumed to be more stable if there are two adults to raise children and they have a legal tie between them, Pizer said. But she said any law giving a preference for a different-sex married couple over same-sex married couple would be constitutionally suspect. Well, what's the state's reason for that? she said. And Pizer said gender stereotypes of men and women are not a legitimate reason for distinction. Montgomery caused a stir in 2015 when he refused to have his staffers provide the same legal help to couples seeking to adopt to gay couples as his office had been doing for years, as legally required, for opposite-sex couples. He insisted that rulings voiding Arizona laws banning same-sex marriage did not give gays the same legal standing to adopt. The Supreme Court case addressed marriage, he said at a news briefing. It didn't address adoption, so I didn't read it to affect that at all. In a bid to help Montgomery, Arizona lawmakers approved legislation to rescind the mandate that county attorneys provide legal help to couples seeking to adopt. But that was vetoed by Gov. Doug Ducey who said he wants more children adopted and does not particularly care if the parents are straight or gay. I want to see more kids in loving homes under the legal structure, the governor said at the time. And that's just something I'm going to continue to be a legal advocate for. But rather than having his own staff provide the help, Montgomery decided to farm out the legal help to private attorneys for all adoptions. Mia Garcia, spokeswoman for Attorney General Mark Brnovich, said the ruling is being reviewed. This office is committed to interpreting state statute and following decisions from the nation's highest court, she said. Two years ago, after the first court rulings legalizing same-sex marriage, Brnovich had advised the Department of Child Safety that he did not read them to revise other laws, including one which says only a husband and a wife may jointly adopt children. But DCS, at Ducey's instruction, ignored Brnovich's advice. PHOENIX Federal officials have agreed to analyze and revise if necessary their programs to catch predators in Arizona to ensure that they do not also harm the endangered ocelot. In a deal spelled out in new federal court documents, the Department of Agriculture and the Fish and Wildlife Service will examine the risks of how they snare and poison bobcats, coyotes, bears and other predators. More to the point, the agencies are required to consider changes to reduce the chances that the fewer than 100 ocelots remaining in the United States are killed. Collette Adkins, an attorney and biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity, conceded that the agreement does not provide the original relief sought when her group and the Animal Welfare Institute filed suit last year. That had sought to block further predator trapping in areas where there are ocelots until the violations of federal law ... have been corrected to the satisfaction of this court. In fact, the deal which ends the lawsuit against the federal agencies, does not require that actual changes be made to the trapping programs. Instead, it simply requires that they update what she called an outdated analysis, prepared in the 1990s, of their wildlife-control programs in Arizona. But Adkins said she believes changes will be suggested which I suspect will be banning certain practices where ocelots live, she said. If nothing else, Adkins said, an updated plan will account for what appears to be an increasing Arizona habitat for the cats. There's been several recent sightings of ocelots that show that it's expanding its range within the Huachuca Mountains and the Santa Ritas, she said. Earlier plans have examined only other areas where the cats have been seen, including the Whetstone Mountains and around Globe. We just want to make sure Wildlife Service isn't using methods that are indiscriminate in areas where they could catch ocelots. And if challengers believe the proposals fall short? If their analysis leads to bad decisions, that could give rise to another lawsuit from us, Adkins said. But for now, the first step was to get them to take a look. The underlying problem, Adkins said, is that the methods use to catch predators are fundamentally non selective, environmentally destructive, inherently cruel and often ineffective. She particularly cites leghold traps as inhumane. But that's not all of it. Adkins said there also are snares and poisons. That includes what's known as an M-44 device, a baited trap that, when tugged on, propels a dose of poisonous sodium cyanide into the mouth of the animal. While designed for coyotes, the environmental groups say that the devices unintentionally killed 822 bobcats, foxes and other animals from 2010 to 2016. Ocelots, which can weigh as much as 35 pounds and stretch four feet in length including the tail, have been detected at least five times in Arizona since 2009. That includes a road-killed animal near Globe in 2010, a treed ocelot in the Huachuca Mountains in 2011 and a male ocelot photographed in the Santa Rita Mountains in 2014. The environmental groups say the species hunts mostly at night, targeting rabbits, birds, fish, rodents, snakes, lizards and other small- to medium-sized prey. Ocelots were listed as endangered in 1982. Penny Junors biography of the Duchess of Cornwall offers a new perspective on the War of the Waleses Penny Junors riveting biography of the Duchess of Cornwall has been revelatory on a number of levels. Its not just that it offers a new perspective on the War of the Waleses; its also the way it contextualises events and provides the missing narrative in that toxic love triangle: Camillas. Theres another fascination, too. Reading the details of Dianas behaviour towards Camilla and vice versa, I realised that each of the women in Charless life represents the opposite side of the female psyche. Basically, the world is divided into two types of women: Dianas and Camillas. On the face of it, the Dianas have the upper hand. They are bewitching and beautiful, desirable and desired; but perhaps because of this they have an inherent selfishness they are not even aware of. They can be vain, petulant and impatient, sometimes cruel; but they are also capable of showing great affection provided, of course, it is reciprocated. Camillas are the pit-ponies to the Dianas thoroughbreds. They have to work hard to get noticed, since their appeal is not always obvious. But in doing so they acquire traits the Dianas often lack, such as an ability to fit in, to make others feel at ease, to entertain and enjoy life as it comes. Far from craving adoration, theyre just grateful if anyone can remember their name. The book reveals details of Dianas behaviour towards love rival Camilla. Pictured left: The Princess of Wales in Vienna, Austria in 1986. Right: Camilla attends a reception in Manchester Town Hall this year Unlike the Dianas, who when vexed, bored or, worst of all, ignored (indifference is what angers them most) are capable of the most destructive behaviour, the Camillas tend to put up and shut up. When displeased, the Diana will be found bashing up the furniture or indulging in melodramatic gestures such as throwing themselves down flights of stairs while pregnant the Camilla will vent her frustration by doing something useful, like sorting the sock drawer. She will, if necessary, put her foot down; but she will always put the good of others over her own needs. You may argue that it was because of this characteristic that Camillas two children, Tom and Laura, enjoyed a relatively stable upbringing, aware of their parents shenanigans but not party to much of it. Poor William and Harry, by contrast, seem to have been fully caught up in the nightmare. When Charles and Diana (pictured together in 1983) married she was also an adolescent with a head full of romantic nonsense That is not to say that all Camillas are saints; they can be stubborn, and their practical streak can spill over into controlling behaviour. But on the whole, they are comforting, calming creatures, the ideal anchors for difficult men with ambitions. Trouble is, men being men, tend to go after the glittering trophies, the more glamorous Dianas. Unless, of course, they are intelligent enough to be like Charles. That is the great irony of the whole saga. The Prince had already made a very shrewd choice when he first fell for Camilla. He had found the perfect companion the sort of witty, earthy female who loved him not so much because of who he was, but despite it. But he was compelled instead by stuffy royal convention to marry a girl who had kept herself tidy. Diana was also an adolescent with a head full of romantic nonsense, a girl who, during their honeymoon, had already decided that her new husband was a frightful old bore. More devastatingly, she was a girl who, lacking the maturity to deal with the situation, simply dug in her heels and, like Violet Elizabeth Bott, scweamed and scweamed and scweamed until she was sick. And in so doing, nearly brought down the monarchy. How to survive the small talk minefield Gyles Brandreth (pictured) wrote an article about the pitfalls of small talk for Mondays Mail Gyles Brandreth wrote a most entertaining article about the pitfalls of small talk in Mondays Mail. When I first became an MPs wife, I was spectacularly bad at it many would say I still am but here are a few tips Ive picked up . . . 1) Always assume that the person you are addressing has no idea who you are. Introduce yourself by name: Hi, Im X, how lovely to see you. Never say meet in case you just did, five minutes ago at the same gathering, and their face is so unmemorable youve already forgotten it. GENERATION OBESE New NHS figures released at the weekend show nearly half of young adults are overweight or obese. Yet this astonishing fact barely merited a mention in the nations news bulletins, obsessed as they were with Jeremy Corbyn at Glastonbury. I know we feel weve heard it all before but half? At this rate we wont have to worry about tuition fees: theyll have keeled over long before they get to college. Advertisement 2) Always check their identity before entering into specifics. I once engaged in what I thought was winning small talk with the wife of the Japanese Ambassador. After listening patiently to my views on cherry blossom and sashimi, the lady in question politely intimated that she was, in fact, the wife of the Chinese Ambassador. 3) A compliment always melts the ice. Nothing personal, though. Just a general: Youre looking well, what have you been up to, since it gives them an opportunity to tell you all about their Botox/holiday/lover. NEVER ask when the baby is due. 4) Avoid talking about other people in the room. God, look at the state of her, may not go down too well if the her turns out to be your interlocutors wife. 5) Ask questions that require long answers. That way you can enjoy the canapes while they do all the hard work. There's something about Laura Laura Kuenssberg is the first woman to hold the BBC political editor position Personally, I dont think Laura Kuenssberg, the BBCs political editor, is at all divisive, as some suggest. But thats probably because my husband, unlike practically every other man I know, doesnt fancy her madly. What is it about her? I asked one male friend, also an MP. Its something about the idea of being subject to firm interrogation by her, he replied, a slightly deranged glint in his eye. Which just goes to show: you can work twice as hard as the boys, be twice as tough, take twice as much flak and youll still be judged by your looks. Red Princess in the spotlight I cant help feeling there was something a trifle rum about Camden Councils snap decision to evacuate several tower blocks with just an hours notice. It seemed more for the benefit of officials than the residents. It did, though, afford the councils shiny new leader, Georgia Gould (daughter of the late Labour peer Baron Gould), a chance to showcase her talents. The Peoples Party, opportunistic? Never! Camden Council, led by Georgia Gould (pictured), evacuate several tower blocks with just an hours notice in the wake of the Grenfell disaster Its a common liberal conundrum: how do you reconcile your love for the religion of Islam with your commitment to diversity? Cue Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attending Gay Pride complete with rainbow maple leaf face paint and a pair of socks wishing everyone a happy Eid in Arabic. Im just glad he didnt try that one in downtown Mosul. However much the deal with the DUP is going to cost the taxpayer, its a lot less than it would have cost to implement Corbyns plans to scrap tuition fees (approx 12 billion) and refund previous ones (anything between 20 billion and 30 billion, depending on who you ask). Google has been fined 2.1 billion by the European Commission for operating a shopping monopoly a sum that still amounts to only three per cent of 2016s turnover. But where does that money go? Restocking Jean-Claude Junckers drinks cabinet, perhaps? When Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom chided Newsnights Emily Maitlis for not being patriotic enough, Twitter went into meltdown. And the BBCs reaction reminded me of the George Orwell comment, that most Left-wing intellectuals would rather be caught stealing from a church poor box than standing up to sing for the National Anthem. Kate Beckinsale (pictured with her new toyboy Matt Rife), 43, is living proof of the old saying: Youre only as old as the man you feel Judging by her fresh-faced appearance, actress Kate Beckinsale, 43, is living proof of the old saying: Youre only as old as the man you feel. Which in the case of her toyboy, Matt Rife, whom she was spotted embracing recently, is 21. She is enjoying unprecedented success as a designer after swapping Downing Street for the pages of Vogue. And fledgling fashion designer Samantha Cameron proved once again that she is her own best advert as she modelled one of her own designs in London today. The former PM's wife, 46, wore her sold-out cocoon coat to give a talk to movers and shakers of the fashion industry at trendy Groucho Club in London on Wednesday. The 390 collarless jacket, which has since been restocked, flew off shelves when it went on sale in Selfridges earlier this year. Scroll down for video She's her own best advert! Samantha Cameron wore her sold-out cocoon coat to give a talk to movers and shakers of the fashion industry at trendy Groucho Club in London today The fashion entrepreneur, who launched Cefinn in February, was giving a 'fireside chat' on 'Finding Your Target Market in the Fashion Industry' with tickets costing 26 a head. Speakers including Myleene Klass and Cath Kidston also gave talks at the event. Mrs Cameron, who recently celebrated her 21st wedding anniversary with husband David, has been busy on the social circuit since leaving Downing Street a year ago. Earlier this month she joined George Osborne's wife Frances at the star-studded V&A Summer Party. In March, MailOnline revealed how pieces from Mrs Cameron's debut womenswear line were already flying off the shelves just four weeks after going on sale. March: Mrs Cameron, 46, has seen her 390 belted cocoon coat sell out after modelling it at a number of high-profile events including the London Uprising book launch (pictured) March: The former Prime Minister's wife has also posted a stream of pictures on social media showing her wearing the sold-out 390 coat (pictured at Buckingham Palace earlier this year) Trendsetter: The utility-style coat had previously sold out in both khaki and navy, listed as 'coming soon' on Cefinn's website but is now back in stock once more The mother-of-four was spotted in her cocoon coat at countless high-profile events, including at London Fashion Week and a packed-out book launch at Sotheby's, and it's since sold out online. The belted, utility-style coat has since sold out both khaki and navy, according to Cefinn's website, and is not available from its other main stockists Net-a-Porter and Selfridges. The former Prime Minister's wife has also posted a stream of pictures on social media showing her wearing the ultra-modern designs including a 270 coral funnel neck midi dress. Mrs Cameron, who is mother to Nancy, Arthur and Florence, with husband David, has also modelled her own creations in glossy spreads in Vogue and the Sunday Times Magazine. Mrs Cameron leaving the Groucho Club in London today. She was giving a talk on new business start-ups at the celebrity haunt after launching Cefinn earlier this year The fashion entrepreneur, who launched her label in February, was giving a 'fireside chat' on 'Finding Your Target Market in the Fashion Industry' with tickets costing 26 a head No rest for the wicked! Mrs Cameron, who recently celebrated her 21st anniversary with husband David, has been busy on the social circuit since leaving Downing Street a year ago Overnight success: In March, MailOnline revealed how pieces from Mrs Cameron's debut womenswear line were already flying off the shelves just four weeks after going on sale Self-promotion: The former Prime Minister's wife has posted a stream of pictures on social media showing her wearing the ultra-modern designs including a 270 funnel neck midi dress Up and coming: The fine art graduate worked at Smythson while her husband is in office, a role which won her a British Glamour Magazine Award for Best Accessory Designer in 2009 The designer, who previously worked for British leather brand Smythson, unveiled her debut clothing line in an interview with Vogue following months of speculation. Her debut 35-piece collection, launched last month, is designed for 'practical, modern women who enjoy clothes' and aims to fill a gap in the market for contemporary designer clothing that is 'at the right price point'. Mrs Cameron clearly already has support from the fashion world, and modelled pieces from her own collection in the January issue of UK Vogue. During her time in No 10, she cemented her place as a key player in the fashion industry, winning plaudits for her support of British designers - with Roksanda Ilincic a particular favourite. Mrs Cameron models a black dress from Cefinn. The designer finally unveiled her debut clothing line in an interview with Vogue following months of speculation The fine art graduate worked at Bond Street luxury brand Smythson as creative director while her husband is in office, a role which won her a British Glamour Magazine Award for Best Accessory Designer in 2009. She then took a part-time consultancy role with the company when her family moved to Number 10 in 2010, stepping down to two days a week in order to support her husband. Mrs Cameron is also an ambassador to the British Fashion Council and in 2015 she topped Vanity Fair's Best Dressed Women list. All eyes were on Queen Letizia on Wednesday as she arrived at the Parliament's Lower Chamber with King Felipe VI. The Spanish royal wowed in a red lace gown as she stepped out in Madrid for the 40th anniversary of the 1977 democratic election. The 1977 election was Spain's first free election in four decades and in order to commemorate it the royal couple chaired a special special session on the occasion. The royal turned heads in a vibrant Carolina Herrera gown. King Felipe also delivered a speech in light of the 40th anniversary of the election; Spain's first democratic one in four decades Queen Letizia stunned in a scarlet red gown as she and husband King Felipe VI chaired a session at the Parliament's lower chamber for the anniversary of the 1977 democratic election The mother-of-two was sure to look her best to mark the momentous anniversary ditching her usual tailored look for her showstopping dress today. With such a statement outfit the former-journalist kept her accessories to a minimal opting for a pair of nude court shoes and a matching red clutch. With today being a formal occasion the Spanish queen chose to wear her hair up as a mark of respect. Meanwhile King Felipe polished up in a black suit, crisp white shirt and a pink patterned tie. The royal couple were treated to a red carpet arrival which made for a picture perfect moment when a rouge Letizia stepped out The king and queen were seated in velvet thrones in Parliament's lower chamber where they chaired the session to commemorate the election The couple were seated in a pair of velvet thrones in the lower chamber where they gave speeches before fellow dignitaries. Following the session the couple took time to pose for a group photograph with other attendees to mark the occasion. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the 1977 election in Spain which was the first free election in four decades. The 1977 election happened in light of the death of former Spanish PM Francisco Franco who ruled the country as a dictatorship Following the session the couple took time to pose for a group photograph with other attendees to mark the occasion King Felipe also delivered a speech in light of the 40th anniversary of the election which was Spain's first democratic one in four decades The royal couple gave a wave to gathering crowds as they left Parliament accompanied by PM Mariano Rajoy and politician Ana Pastor It followed on from the death of former Spanish dictator and Spanish Prime Minister Francisco Franco in 1975. Franco was succeeded as head of state by King Juan Carlos who helped Spain make the transition from dictatorship to democracy. In 1975 the country also withdrew from the Spanish Sahara, ending its colonial empire. Advertisement Glamorous Miss England hopefuls have donned their finery for a stunning beachside reception as they continue their tour of Sri Lanka ahead of next month's pageant final. Entrants from London, Nottinghamshire, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent gathered at Hotel OZO in Colombo for a glittering beachside reception overlooking the Indian Ocean. The British beauties from all corners of the country were also joined by Elizabeth Grant, who is the reigning Miss England and currently preparing to hand over the coveted tiara to her successor next month. The beauty queens - some as young as 17 - are vying for the coveted title of Miss England 2017, and are due to tour the country for two weeks culminating with the final showdown back in the UK in July. Scroll down for video Beauty queens: L-R Rachel Pitman (Miss Hertfordshire, age 23), Olivia Green (Miss Genting Stoke, age 20) and Elizabeth Grant, who is the reigning Miss England and is preparing to hand over the coveted tiara to her successor next month Bevvy of beauties: L-R Miss Genting Stoke, Miss Manchester, Miss Rugby, the reigning Miss England 2016, Miss Nottinghamshire, Miss Hertfordshire, Miss Yorkshire and Miss Hippodrome at tonight's Miss England reception, Hotel OZO The winner of the Miss England title will join Miss Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to compete for the Miss World crown, with its impressive first prize award of $100,000 (78,000) - L-R Miss Rugby, Miss Hippodrome and Miss Yorkshire Earlier, they kicked off their second day in Sri Lanka with a spot of retail therapy. The stunners were seen trying on a myriad of colourful saris in a local outfitters on Wednesday after landing in the country for their two-week tour of the island nation on Tuesday. Clearly gearing up for the Birmingham finals that will take place next month, several of the women could be seen parading their new wears down a catwalk in practice for the big event The young women could be seen posing in various traditional outfits all embellished with crystals and intricate beading in the store today, before heading back to the hotel for a party and buffet dinner. The hopefuls later took a tour around the bustling city centre, where they are currently situated, meeting with Paddy Withana, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Fierce competition: Despite being all smiles, L-R Rachel Pitman (Miss Hertfordshire), Paris Summer Allen (Miss Rugby), Maisie Hobbs (Miss Nottinghamshire) and Olivia Green (Miss Genting Stoke) will be going head to head for the crown next month The ladies were evidently keen to impress in a series of eye-wateringly tight dresses and short hemlines. L-R Olivia Green (Miss Genting Stoke), Jennifer Atkin (Miss Yorkshire) and Maisie Hobbs (Miss Nottinghamshire) The girls help themselves to a delicious-looking buffet. Earlier today, the beauties later took a tour of the area of Columbo, where they are currently situated, meeting with Paddy Withana, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority After posing up a storm on the terrace, Jennifer Atkin took to the microphone while her fellow entrants headed for the dancefloor to show off their best moves The tour is run alongside the Miss Premier Ceylon contests, which will feature Sri Lankan catwalk queens, and girls from both countries teamed up for a series of glamorous group photos earlier in the week. They will later fly back to Birmingham for the showdown on July 14 at Resorts World Hotel where Mr and Miss England will be crowned in a glittering ceremony. The winner of the Miss England title will eventually join Miss Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to compete for the Miss World crown, with its impressive first prize award of $100,000 (78,000). As well as taking part in the traditional catwalk style contest, Miss England contestants will travel Sri Lanka, getting to know their counterparts and learning about the country. The contest also has a charitable angle, with all contestants taking part in an 'Eco fashion round'. Earlier on Wednesday, the young women could be seen posing in various traditional outfits all embellished with crytsals and intricate beading in the store. They then took a tour around the bustling Colombo city centre with their hosts The British beauties could be seen trying on a myriad of colourful Saris in a local outfitters on Wednesday. Pictured: Cheraleigh Van Zanten Miss Hippodrome (left) and Elizabeth Grant who was Miss England's 2016 winner (centre) After their trip to the store the women slipped back into their sashes and tiaras for yet another photo call The women later took a tour of Columbo their first destination in Sri Lanka which they will travel across for two weeks The competition is run alongside local contest Miss Premier Ceylon, which will feature Sri Lankan catwalk queens The young women stopped for photos with local transport as they explored the Sri Lankan capital. Pictured: Cheraleigh Van Zanten (left) and Paris Summer Allen (right) A teenage girl with terminal cancer posed in a lingerie photo shoot as part of her last wish campaign to end sexual violenceso she can leave a safer, better world behind for her loved ones. Eva McGauley, 17, has nasopharyngeal cancer, which affects the head and neck. The teen, based in Wellington, New Zealand, has spoken eloquently about her desire to make a difference in the world with the time she has left. Several of Eva's friends have been sexually assaulted. After seeing them coping with the aftermath of the abuse, the teen started raising funds to support survivors of sexual assault. She has since created her own charity, EvasWish, due to launch on Thursday. Advocate: Eva McGauley, 17, has terminal cancer. She posed in a lingerie photo shoot as part of her last wish campaign to end sexual violence Movement: The teen partnered with New Zealand-based lingerie brand Lonely, which will support her charity's launch by donating all profits generated by this Thursday's sales New Zealand-based lingerie brand Lonely will support the launch by donating all profits generated by Thursday's sales (in stores and online) to Eva's charity. Lonely has also featured Eva in a special photo shoot as part of its Lonely Girls series, which sees inspiring women wearing its lingerie in their own way. Lena Dunham and her Girls colleague Jemima Kirke both posed for the label in 2016 in an unretouched campaign. For her photo session, Eva posed for photographer Harry Were in Auckland. The photo shoot came after the brand reached out to the teenage girl to say they loved her campaigning work and offer her some store credit. 'I was very, very grateful and said that I would love to help them if I ever could,' Eva told the New Zealand Herald. Origin: After seeing several of her friends coping with the aftermath of sexual assault, the teen started raising funds to support survivors of the abuse Advocate: The teen, based in Wellington, New Zealand, has spoken eloquently about her desire to make a difference in the world with the time she has left This first contact eventually led to the photo shoot, as Eva continued to campaign on behalf of sexual assault survivors. 'At the heart of EvasWish is my need to create a world that I can feel safe leaving my loved ones in without me being there to look after them,' she said. The teenage girl was first diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in 2015. She went through months of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and doctors at one point thought she was in remission. But they later revised their diagnosis. 'Then three weeks later they said they had got it wrong...and actually showed that [the cancer] was terminal,' Eva said. Campaign: Eva has created her own charity, EvasWish , due to launch on Thursday. 'When you know your days are numbered, it really makes it clear what matters to you,' she said Previously: Lena Dunham and her Girls colleague Jemima Kirke both posed for Lonely in 2016 in an unretouched campaign The girl previously explained how knowing her illness is terminal increased her desire to make a positive change in the world. 'When you know your days are numbered, it really makes it clear what matters to you. 'Sure, I could pin my hopes on meeting my favorite actress, or travelling the world,' she wrote on her Give A Little fundraising platform. 'But what I really want is to make a positive difference that will still be helping people's lives after I am gone to give more in life than that I have taken.' A Belgian model who revealed earlier this year she was born intersex has opened up about how she was kept in the dark about what was happening to her own body for years. Hanne Gaby Odiele, 30, first opened up about being intersex earlier this year, when the married Kortrijk, Belgium native explaining that she has XY chromosomes, and was born with internal male reproductive organs as well as a vagina. At just 10 years old, Odiele underwent surgery to remove her testes, after doctors told her parents she risked developing cancer if she didn't get the procedure. Scroll down for video Past: Belgian model Hanne Gaby Odiele, who revealed earlier this year she was born intersex has opened up about how she was kept in the dark for years Intersex: The married Kortrijk, Belgium native explained that she was born with XY chromosomes, and had internal male reproductive organs Freed: After learning she was intersex, Odiele (pictured with her husband model John Swiatek) met a 'wonderful group of people' in Holland and felt like it was the beginning of a new life The model has now campaigned against surgeries practiced on intersex children - people who are born with sex characteristics that are not exclusively male or female - before they can make their own decisions. 'My parents didn't really know what was happening,' Odiele told The Scene in a video released earlier this week. Up to 1.7 per cent of babies are born with such traits according to the United Nations, meaning being intersex is almost as common as being born with red hair. After Odiele's internal testes were removed, she was prescribed hormonal therapy, but no one explained to her why she was made to go through the treatment. 'They told me something was wrong with her bladder. That was always the reason,' she said. Odiele previously said she had another surgerya reconstructive procedure on her vaginawhen she was 18 years old. She has since spoken out against 'cosmetic' surgeries, which she and other intersex advocates have described as unnecessary. Young: At just 10 years old, Odiele underwent surgery to remove her internal testes, after doctors told her parents she risked developing cancer if she didn't get the procedure Cause: The model has now campaigned against surgeries practiced on intersex children before they're old enough to be able to make their own decisions The model also found out she wouldn't be able to conceive babies. 'My parents knew. That was the only thing they knew,' she said. As a teenager, Odiele says her biggest struggle was trying to cope with the idea that she was infertile. Now, she is 'quite over it'. Meanwhile, she says no one put a word on what was happening to her until she found out about intersexuality aged 17, and took it upon herself to ask for answers. 'I told my doctor. He was like, "Yes you're right, you've finally found out," ' the model said. 'I always felt very sheltered. I knew something was wrong but I didn't really know what. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what 'They always told me "It's all fine, it's all good, you're a completely normal girl." 'I knew something was different. Why would I go to the doctor's and have to take my pants off every single time?' After learning she was intersex, Odiele met a 'wonderful group of people'. 'For me that was a new life. Once I knew what it was and that I was not alone, for me, it was a new beginning,' she said. 'Once I found out and I didn't feel alone, I felt a little bit like I could be whoever I want, [be] more individual. I think that was important for me too. 'I didn't have to follow the norm, because I wasn't the norm. I think that was good.' Knowledge: Odiele says no one put a word on what was happening to her until she found out about intersexuality aged 17, and took it upon herself to ask for answers Liberating: 'Once I found out and I didn't feel alone, I felt a little bit like I could be whoever I want, [be] more individual. I think that was important for me too,' she said Advocate: Odiele (pictured on her wedding day) has campaigned to raise awareness against surgeries on intersex children, which she says are often unnecessary and are based on 'fear' Now, the model has become an advocate for intersex people who undergo surgeries as children, typically to get rid of one set of reproductive organs or to receive cosmetic procedures. The United Nations has also launched a campaign against these surgeries. 'There is typically no medical reason to perform these procedures with so many possible serious negative impacts on children. Carrying these out without consent violates human rights,' the campaign's website states. 'Intersex people should be free to decide whether or not they want to undergo such procedures when they are old enough to make an informed decision for themselves.' These arguments echo Odiele's position on the topic. 'What does bother me is a lot of us go through unnecessary surgeries that are non consensual. They're irreversible and they can have so many consequences,' she said. 'I think most of these surgeries are based on fear of non-binary bodies. Why do we have to change intersex kids if there's nothing wrong or they're healthy? Let them decide.' With July 4th less than a week away, now is the time to find the perfect bathing suit to wear to your upcoming beach gatherings and pool parties. If you are wondering how to look festive but not cheesy, take a cue from fashion forward stars like Hailey Baldwin, 20, Emily Ratajkowski, 26, Karolina Kurkova, 33, and Padma Lakshmi, 46, who have all recently donned stylish suits in patriotic colors. Here, FEMAIL rounds up the chicest red, white and blue swimsuits that won't leave you looking like a flag. Model behavior: Look to Hailey Baldwin, 20, (left) and Karolina Kurkova, 33, (right) for some sartorial inspiration this Fourth of July While in Miami recently, Hailey Baldwin, 20, showed off her killer figure in a stark white bikini by Solid & Striped. A solid white two piece is the perfect base for any holiday outfit. Throw on a pair of denim shorts and tie a red bandana in your hair for a sleek yet festive look. Or opt for a one-and-done suit like Karolina Kurkova's. The 33-year-old supermodel recently donned a stylish star-printed red, white, and blue one-piece with a sexy key-hole cut out. Festive vibes: Left: Hunza G, $210, topshop.com. Center: Kore one-piece, $244, korewear.com. Right: Lisa Marie Fernandez one-piece, $495, modaoperandi.com Sailor stripes: Left: Anna Kosturova bikini top, $88, matchesfashion.com + bikini bottom, $83, matchesfashion.com. Right: J.Crew one-piece, $84.99, jcrew.com Starry night: Frankies Bikinis bikini top, $90, frankiesbikinis.com + bikini bottom, $100, frankiesbikinis.com Modern one-piece: Left: Heidi Klein one-piece, $261.68, heidiklein.com. Center: Duskii one-piece, $185, duskii.com. Right: Lively one-piece, $65, wearlively.com Sporty spice: Left: Boohoo bikini set, $40, boohoo.com. Right: J.Crew bikini top, $34.99, jcrew.com + bikini bottom, $34.99, jcrew.com Pop of color: Rye bikini set, $240, net-a-porter.com Beach babes: Emily Ratajkowski, 26, (left) and Padma Lakshmi, 46, (right) looked uber stylish in their red, white and blue swimsuits Incorporate nautical stripes into your July 4th suit like Emily Ratajkowski, 26, did in Italy recently. The model/actress lounged seaside in a ruffled red and white bikini by Zimmermann. If prints aren't your thing, go the solid blue route like Padma Lakshmi, 46. The Top Chef host sported a sexy wrap-around bikini by L*Space while on vacation in Colorado earlier this month. Subtle details: Left: Mikoh bikini top, $112, mikoh.com + bikini bottom, $112, mikoh.com. Center: Solid & Striped bikini top, $78, matchesfashion.com + bikini bottom, $78, matchesfashion.com. Right: Sian Swimwear bikini set, $113, farfetch.com Seeing red: Left: Solid & Striped bikini set, $79.20, theoutnet.com. Right: Triangl bikini set, $79, triangl.com Lace it up: Pretty Little Thing one-piece, $26.25, prettylittlething.com White hot: Left: Melissa Odabash bikini set, $201, matchesfashion.com. Center: Adriana Degreas bikini set, $273, matchesfashion.com. Right: Minimale Animale bikini set, $360, topshop.com True blue: Left: Triangl bikini set, $89, triangl.com. Right: Eberjey bikini set, $165, net-a-porter.com She's been spotted at Ascot, Glastonbury and a glittering charity event all in the space of a week. And Princess Eugenie showed no signs of slowing down when she joined a host of VIPs at the Serpentine Gallery summer party in London tonight. The Queen's granddaughter, 27, was joined by Lady Amelia Windsor, who looked every inch the royal in a 895 Burberry dress for the annual society knees-up. They were also joined by a roll-call of society beauties including Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer, gemstone heiress Nadja Swarovski and Lady Alice Manners, daughter of David and Emma Manners, the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. Eugenie, who currently works for the Hauser & Wirth art gallery as an associate director, has been busy on the party circuit of late, having just returned from Somerset where she attended Glastonbury music festival. Scroll down for video While Amelia opted for Burberry, 27-year-old Princess Eugenie turned heads in a quirky midi dress bearing a striking multi-coloured print - adding a pair of grey silk court heels Royally good style: Lady Amelia Windsor turned to her favourite designer on Wednesday when she wore a 895 Burberry shirt dress to the Serpentine Gallery Summer Party in London Meanwhile Amelia, a 21-year-old University of Edinburgh student and fledgling model - who is 36th in line to the British throne - wore her dark blonde hair in a messy ponytail and added a touch of grunge with a pair of clumpy black leather boots. Lady Amelia, who has been dubbed 'Britain's most beautiful royal', was joined at the party in Hyde Park - just a stone's throw from Kensington Palace - by stars including supermodel Claudia Schiffer and Charlotte Dellal. The daughter of George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, is fast becoming something of a regular on the society circuit and recently turned heads at the Royal Academy of Arts in a 1,495 Burberry ensemble for the Royal Academy's VIP preview of it summer exhibition. The well-heeled student, who has joined the Queen on Buckingham Palace's balcony for Trooping the Colour, has already walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana and has a penchant for Chanel. Lady Kitty Spencer - niece of the late Diana, Princess of Wales - turned heads in a form-fitting floral maxi dress with frill detail that clung to her every curve Society beauty Lady Kitty Spencer recently featured on Tatler's list of 2017 English Roses - 26 of the most 'exciting, interesting and beautiful' young women in the UK The party never stops! Princess Eugenie of York, who currently works for the Hauser & Wirth art gallery as an associate director, has been busy on the party circuit of late Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's daughter has been spotted at Ascot, Glastonbury and a glittering charity event all in the space of a week Fun-loving Eugenie, who is dating nightclub manager Jack Brooksbank has reportedly just returned from Somerset where she attended Glastonbury music festival Model in the making: The 21-year-old University of Edinburgh student and fledgling model - who is 36th in line to the British throne - wore her dark blonde hair in a messy ponytail Lady Amelia, who has been dubbed 'Britain's most beautiful royal', was joined at the party in Hyde Park - just a stone's throw from Kensington Palace - by stars including Claudia Schiffer The royals were joined by Lady Victoria Hervey. Evidently opting for a risque look, the 40-year-old socialite turned heads in a figure-hugging navy top and tiny mini skirt Emma McQuiston, Viscountess Weymouth, was also seen posing up a storm on the red carpet on Wednesday night, in an eye-wateringly short black playsuit with oversized silver polka dots Society beauties included gemstone heiress Nadja Swarovski (left) and Lady Alice Manners, daughter of David and Emma Manners, the Duke and Duchess of Rutland (right) Fashion blogger Susanna Lau (aka Susie Bubble) made an appearance too, showcasing her quirky style in a green netted dress with floral embroidery and chunky espadrille platforms Fashion stylist Martha Ward wore a pretty blue lace dress as she joined celebrities and socialites for the Serpentine summer party with flared sleeves, adding a chain bag Her style credentials have made fashion houses sit up and take notice - Lady Amelia recently starred in a short film for shoe brand Penelope Chilvers, and after walking for Dolce & Gabbana in February, her future in modelling seems assured. She's signed to Storm - the same agency that represents Kate Moss - and has hinted that her interest in fashion extends beyond appearing in front of the camera in previous interviews. She told Vogue she wanted to understand 'every aspect' of a fashion house - down to how fabrics are made. Nature has a way of balancing things out. For every budding social butterfly, there is usually a little wallflower, all too keen to shrink into the background. Some children are just born shy. Why, then, are todays parents increasingly likely to seek professional help to cure their childrens bashfulness or endlessly move their child from school to school, blaming each institution for their little one not being gregarious enough? Indeed, in a world where its expected that your child should inhabit a busy whirl of birthday parties and play dates, it seems having a shy son or daughter has become a source of social shame. Online message boards are filled with tales of parents seeking help for perceived excessive shyness with some mothers even claiming their shy child is actually autistic (rather than admit that little Tabitha is just reluctant to put her hand up in class). PA Susan Murfitt, 35, (right) went to the doctor when her son Sam, four, (left) showed signs of persistent shyness and lack of ability to make friends at school Nowadays, with popularity measured in hundreds of Facebook friends, some painfully shy children have attracted their own clinical label: social phobics. Apparently, sufferers of social phobia often report blushing around others, feeling anxious when meeting new people or experiencing physical symptoms when talking to others, such as clammy hands, palpitations or feeling faint all the symptoms of shyness. Of course, seeing your child miserable because they dont have friends or havent been invited to a birthday party can be difficult for parents. But what if such shy behaviour is just the way they are something innate, that we shouldnt be attempting to label as a condition, much less rectify with methods that might seem over-the-top? Susan Murfitt, a 35-year-old PA from Welling, Kent, is one such mother who sought professional help when her little boy exhibited signs of shyness. From the moment our first son Sam, now four, could walk and talk, I knew he wasnt a mixer, she says. I encouraged him to play with others at mother and toddler groups, in parks, at play centres. But he never formed friends and always preferred to play alone. At first Susan, who lives with her husband Joe and other son Ethan, three, thought Sam just liked his own company. Then, when he went to pre-school at three he continued to be solitary, playing alone rather than joining in games. She says: After a few weeks, one of the teachers took me aside and said they were concerned about Sam. I felt sick if he was like this in the comfortable world of pre-school, I wondered how hed manage at big school. Id often see party invitations handed out to other children all except for Sam. At night when he went to sleep, Id burst into tears. Why did no one like him? Was his shyness pushing them away? Would he ever have a friend? I encouraged him to play with others at mother and toddler groups, in parks, at play centres. But he never formed friends and always preferred to play alone,' Susan explained A by-now tormented Susan told her husband how upset she felt, but he didnt share her fears. Joe had been a shy child, too and he told me I was being overly concerned. After all, hed turned out fine. But I had a gut feeling I had to do something to help Sam before it got worse. I found myself envying mothers whose kids went happily into social situations, she said. I always felt anxious that I had to justify Sams behaviour in some way to ensure people didnt just think he was being rude by not speaking to them. Susan spent hours scouring the internet for reasons why Sam might be so shy and wondered whether it was anything from a developmental delay to autism. At one point Sam had walked on tip-toes a lot, which I knew was a sign of possible autism, so I was concerned that maybe he was on the spectrum, she says. Despite her husband insisting Sam would be fine, Susan sought help from her sons teachers. They referred Sam to a speech therapist in the hope it might help him to become more vocal even though there was nothing wrong with his speech. When the therapist couldnt provide a solution, Susans next port of call was her health visitor who did a one-to-one session with Sam at pre-school and after watching him quietly playing alone, deemed that the little boy was deliberately choosing to isolate himself from others. Despite her husband insisting Sam would be fine, Susan sought help from her sons teachers. They referred Sam to a speech therapist in the hope it might help him to become more vocal even though there was nothing wrong with his speech Her recommendation? A referral to a paediatrician, who, for over an hour, played with Sam and monitored his reactions. After the intense examination, the paediatrician ruled out autism which Susan says was a relief but confirmed that Sam was painfully shy. Susan admits: Shyness is hardly a medical diagnosis, but I felt so relieved professionals were taking it as seriously as I was. They agreed it was best to do something now before Sams shyness crippled him. If youre a gregarious person with many friends, then the idea that your child doesnt have many friends can seem alien and very upsetting - Dr Rachel Andrew, clinical psychologist who works with children But Dr Rachel Andrew, a clinical psychologist who works with children and young people, says parents are not always the best judge of whether their childs shyness is actually a problem. She says: If youre a gregarious person with many friends, then the idea that your child doesnt have many friends can seem alien and very upsetting. But if youre a quieter person who enjoys their own company and only has perhaps one good friend, you wont react the same way or see your childs shyness as something terribly negative. A parents view of shyness can be based on their own personality, not just on their childs. Often, parents say their child is outgoing and then notice a change later on. Its not until four or five when they start school that children are suddenly thrown into an environment where theyre on their own, she says. School is often the first time theyre away from their parents and that can make any child even one who isnt prone to anxiety shy. Dr Rachel Andrew adds: The difficulty is a childs shyness can be equally hard for parents we all have hopes for what our childs life will be like. When it doesnt turn out that way, we want to intervene and make the child feel better. But, as a parent, its best to wait a while as most childrens anxiety will settle in time. Its best to contain your own anxieties, so refrain from asking: Do you have any friends? Did anyone play with you? This sort of questioning can perpetuate a childs anxiety and make things worse. A referral to a paediatrician, who, for over an hour, played with Sam (pictured) and monitored his reactions. After the intense examination, the paediatrician ruled out autism which Susan says was a relief but confirmed that Sam was painfully shy Natasha Gunter, a nurse from Edinburgh, moved her son, Yasin, to different schools no fewer than three times in an attempt to cure his shyness. Yasin, now 12, suddenly became, in her words, unbelievably shy at four. So diffident was he, she says, that it became debilitating for the family, particularly as he is nothing like his outgoing brothers Nick, six, and three-year-old Tarim. His shyness was made all the worse, says Natasha, 36, who admits to having been a shy child, because it appeared suddenly. As a young child, hed talk to anyone shopkeepers, assistants in the library, even strangers. I used to joke that the one thing I didnt have to worry about was him making friends. His contentment continued through pre-school, which he joined aged two. On his first day at infant school, he skipped happily into his reception class. But within weeks, Natasha says, everything changed. Yasin started coming home upset and withdrawn, she recalls. Instead of excitedly telling me about his day, hed sit quietly and say nothing. I hoped it was just a phase and that perhaps he was finding big school a bit difficult. But as the weeks passed, he became more withdrawn. On one occasion Yasin cuddled up to me and said: Mummy, nobody plays with me. He explained that while the other children played in groups at lunchtime, he would wander around on his own. I asked him who his friends were and he replied: Nobody, says Natasha. I put on a brave face for him and told him hed make friends in time, but that night, when he was in bed, I broke down. I imagined him walking around all alone while everyone else played. It was more than upsetting; it was devastating. Jenny Sheleby, 40, a model from Notting Hill, London, feared for her daughter Elouise because of her shyness A few weeks later, Natasha spoke to Yasins teachers. But they just told me that children will be children. It wasnt taken seriously. There was no actual bullying or violence going on, just a kind of silent social exclusion. The inference was that there was nothing to be done about it: Yasin simply had to come out of his shell. Natasha tried to win her sons schoolmates round with invitations to play dates, but they were never reciprocated and Yasin was excluded from birthday party invitations. Then, when Yasin was seven, the school called, saying he had been banging his head against the school railings. I snapped and told myself enough was enough. I removed him from the school and started him at another primary nearby. He was confident again at first this was his fresh start and for a few days he was the old Yasin I remembered. But, within days, he became withdrawn again and my stomach lurched as he told me: Mummy, no one plays with me. Natasha adds: To my shame, I began to wonder if it was something Yasin was doing. But then I thought his initial loneliness, which was allowed to fester at the first school, had actually become something self-fulfilling. Perhaps that loneliness had changed his personality. While Elouise still has no close friends, her mother admits there have been some positives to her shyness: She has developed into a very thoughtful and artistic young lady and enjoys her own company without getting bored. So should we ever worry about a childs bashfulness? Dr Lisa Doodson, a psychologist at Regents University London, believes extreme shyness isnt taken seriously enough. We tend to overlook people who find it hard to make themselves heard. Children who are shy can find themselves lost among their peers, particularly in large classes. She says if extreme shyness isnt tackled, the shy child can have difficulty making friends later in life, as well as problems making themselves heard in the workplace. Its just this fate that Jenny Sheleby, 40, a model from Notting Hill, London, feared for her daughter Elouise. Her older brother was gregarious and outgoing. But Elouise, now 15, was very different. She never received party invitations and never found a best friend. When she was five I sent out invitations and threw a birthday party for her. Her cousins turned up but not a single friend from school bothered to come. Up to 40 per cent of children and young adults identify as being shy, with 20 per cent believing they are social phobics' We sat around a table festooned with balloons and party bags on our own. I was absolutely devastated and tried hard not to cry. But Elouise seemed unfazed. She simply said: I have you, my brother and my cousins. Thats all that matters. Then, when Elouise was six, Jenny and her husband Stephen separated. Elouise became shyer and shyer, until, one day, when she was ten, some girls threw her lunch in some dog mess. I was furious and took her out of school. I thought moving her would cure her of her shyness. But it didnt. At her new school she remained just as withdrawn. While Elouise still has no close friends, her mother admits there have been some positives to her shyness: She has developed into a very thoughtful and artistic young lady and enjoys her own company without getting bored. She loves painting and sculpting, Jenny says. But I worry: is she missing out on the joy of friendship? Who will she confide in when Im not around? Will it affect her in adulthood? Dr Andrew is more circumspect: Many people I speak to who were a shy or anxious child come into their own in later life. Being a shy child isnt a life sentence. It's the astonishing biography of Camilla that has gripped the nation. Yesterday in the Mail, we told how Diana's death sparked a fallout between Charles and his mother. Today, royal author Penny Junor reveals how Camilla was accepted by the Queen, overcame appalling pre-wedding nerves and learned to excel in her public role... Early in the morning of her cold and blustery wedding day, Camilla was hiding under her covers and no one could coax her to get up. For the whole week leading up to her marriage to the Prince of Wales on April 9, 2005, she'd been at Ray Mill, her home in Wiltshire, suffering from sinusitis. Fearful that Camilla wasn't going to make her own wedding, her friend Lucia Santa Cruz who is from Chile, and the person who had first introduced Camilla to Charles 34 years earlier had arrived bearing home-made chicken soup. 'In Chile, everything is cured by chicken soup,' said Lucia. And she sat there and made her friend eat. Together at last: Charles and Camilla on their wedding day. A beaming Queen gave the couple her blessing with a touching speech Lucia had found her 'really ill, stressed'. And on the wedding day itself, by which time Camilla had moved to Charles's residence, Clarence House, 'she literally couldn't get out of bed'. She still wasn't feeling well, but now it was nerves more than sinusitis that kept her under the duvet. No one, least of all Camilla, knew what the reaction of the crowd at Windsor would be, what the media would say, or how the whole thing would go. Having once been widely reviled as an adulteress, she was almost paralysed with fear. The Queen's aide told the Prince: You have to marry her or let her go Camilla's sister Annabel and daughter Laura were there with her in her bedroom, along with her dresser, Jacqui Meakin, and a housemaid called Joy. But not one of them could persuade her to get up. Finally, her sister said: 'OK, that's all right. I'm going to do it for you. I'm going to get into your clothes.' Only at that point did the bride-to-be get up. The gradual emergence of Camilla as an important part of the Prince's life had begun in July 1996, almost a year before Diana's death, when Charles hired Mark Bolland, then the director of the Press Complaints Commission, as his deputy private secretary. His task was to rescue the Prince's reputation and make his lover acceptable to the British public. And he went about it with gusto, by whatever means it took. As Charles knew only too well, the Queen was keen for her son's lover to leave his life. But he was not prepared to let Camilla go. Both of them were now divorced, and Camilla was getting fed up with being marginalised. So Bolland boldly told Charles he should invite Camilla to a weekend party at Sandringham, the Queen's home in Norfolk. 'It will be a two-day wonder in the Press, and then it will go away. It won't be a problem,' he said. Camilla did indeed bring Charles back from the brink and give him the strength to face the world. And, eventually, what had begun as friendship and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on turned into a powerful love affair Next, he bypassed the Queen's private secretary Robert Fellowes who reinforced the Queen's view about Camilla and rang his deputy, Robin Janvrin, instead. Explaining the plan, Bolland told him that a story would be leaked to the Press, posing the question: has the Queen given her permission for Camilla to be invited? So, on Janvrin's advice, the Queen's official reaction was that it was a private party, it was up to Charles to invite whomsoever he wished and she would not have expected to be consulted. Thus Camilla got to attend her first private weekend party at Sandringham as a divorcee. The following year, Diana's tragic death made it impossible for the couple publicly to be seen together. It wasn't until two years later that Bolland engineered for them to be photographed coming out of a party at the Ritz hotel in London. Many people in the Prince's office thought it was too early for them to be seen together. As one of them says: 'But that was Mark he was always pushing things on because he wanted to get there; he wanted to achieve the goal of getting them married.' She has whatever it is that men go for. They're like bees round a honeypot Photographers came from far and wide to stake their positions, three deep, across the road from the side entrance to the Ritz. The shot they were waiting for the first of the two of them together since Diana's death came at the end of the evening, as Camilla and Charles stood briefly at the door. The sky didn't fall in. And, thanks to Bolland's gambit, public opinion started turning round. Next, Camilla started turning up unannounced at public engagements, dinners and events where the media was present. 'It was quite hard on her, people pointing and whispering, but she coped really, really well,' says one person close to her. 'What I noticed quite early on was the effect she had on the room. 'You'd have a load of guests standing around drinking, and then Camilla would come in and she really has whatever it is that men go for. The Press all criticised her looks and called her horrible names but when you see her in person, she does have that je ne sais quoi, and they were like bees to a honeypot. She'd suddenly be surrounded by this gaggle of men. 'I think she was quite nervous of doing things because she was absolutely hated. And I think she went through some really gruesome times, a lot of pain and hurt. 'But the great thing was I can't remember anybody ever being disappointed or rude about her once they'd met her.' It amused the Prince's team that, in the early days, Camilla would open her diary and say she wasn't sure she could fit more in. It had things in it like getting her hair done one day, or seeing an exhibition with a friend on another. 'I thought: 'You're hardly doing anything,' ' says one. 'It was a bit like that at the beginning she just wasn't used to working.' But the Prince's staff were warming to her. They couldn't help liking that fact that she was so normal and down to earth 'a bit kick your shoes off, have a fag, let's talk about Coronation Street' and they realised she had a very calming effect on Charles, whose temper can be ferocious. Because her happy childhood had given her the solid start in life that Diana had been denied, Camilla could address the Prince's needs. Pictured: Charles and Camilla in 2016 'She would be sitting at the table, listening to him behave badly, and all she would have to do is look at him and the whole atmosphere would change . . . It did make him behave a little bit better, because when she wasn't there, boy, could he kick off!' Camilla and the Queen finally met in the summer of 2000, when Charles threw a 60th birthday party at Highgrove for his cousin, the exiled King Constantine of Greece. It was the first time the two women had met in more than a decade. They shook hands, smiled at one another, Camilla curtseyed, and they had a moment or two of small talk before going to different tables for lunch. But it seemed a highly significant step forward. Or was it? At the beginning of 2002, Stephen Lamport announced his intention to leave his post as the Prince's private secretary in the summer. Bolland imagined he would get the job, but a deal had been done behind his back. The Queen was parachuting in her own man to sort out St James's Palace, to get adultery off the front pages and make sure the Prince's charitable work and more positive stories about the monarchy appeared there instead; and to get rid of Mark Bolland. Sanctuary where she loves to forget she's a Duchess After 11 years as the wife of Prince Charles, Camilla has inevitably changed in some ways but not fundamentally. Her saviours have been her family, who keep her feet on the ground; a couple of good friends who are prepared to tell her shes talking nonsense; and the fact that shes kept Ray Mill the home she bought in Wiltshire after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles. Retreat: Camilla uses Ray Mill in Wiltshire as an escape, where she was be a mum and an aunt, not a Duchess There, she can forget shes a duchess. She can be a mum and a grandmother, a sister and an aunt; she can put on old clothes, forget the make-up, ignore the hair, potter about in the garden, watch mindless television, cook everyone some lunch. She can be untidy in her own home without feeling that Charles is itching to send in the butler to straighten the pile of magazines or take away the empty glasses. And her family appreciate her. As her son Tom once said: What p***es me off most of all is when someone who doesnt know her says shes been a bad mother. Shes been an exemplary mother. She never judges, shes very funny, she cooks the food I like and coming home is a joy. These days, she spends most weekends at Ray Mill, and usually Mondays, too. Quite often, too, shell have dinner with Charles at Highgrove and, if theres nothing on the next day, go home for the night afterwards. Its not so much an escape from him he sometimes stays with her there himself as from the baggage that comes with him. Besides, hes up working most nights until well after shed like to be in bed and asleep. She also insists on dashing off to see her grandchildren on Christmas Day, after lunch with the rest of the Royal Family at Sandringham. Whether she will be able to keep her sanctuary at Ray Mill after Charles becomes King is something Camilla is not daring to think about. To lose it would break her heart. She enjoys a lot of her new life, but not everything about it; having somewhere to escape to thats entirely hers, entirely normal, entirely stress-free, is not a luxury. It has helped Camilla to keep a sense of reality in a very unreal world. Advertisement Following her marriage to Prince Charles, pictured right, Camilla, pictured left, became the butt of lewd jokes, crude cartoons, lurid headlines; she had disturbing phone calls at all hours of the day and night, received abusive letters, and became a virtual prisoner, alone for a lot of the time, in a big house in the country with no security That man was Sir Michael Peat, the inscrutable accountant who as Keeper of the Privy Purse had revolutionised the royal finances. Bolland duly resigned. The person most sorry to see him go was Camilla and with good reason, as Peat had arrived from Buckingham Palace with a clear agenda. His instructions were to sever Charles's relationship with Mrs Parker Bowles because it was a mess and was detracting from his work. Camilla had been the Prince's mistress, he'd admitted having an adulterous affair with her, and now she was sharing his bed, his house and his life. And she was being seen in public by his side, but not as his wife. For a man who would one day be Defender of the Faith and Head of the Church of England, this was an awkward situation at best. She had to go. But it didn't take Peat long to realise that this was an impossible dream. The Prince would never give up Camilla, no matter what and so Peat rapidly changed tack and, with the zeal of the freshly converted, became the loudest, fiercest advocate for their marriage. While Mark Bolland had laid the ground for it, Michael Peat was the man who made it happen. But there were obstacles to overcome first. It needed not just the Queen's permission but the agreement of the State, the Church, and the great British public. And, in his usual way, the Prince of Wales was dithering. He really is the most curious character. On the one hand he had stood his ground against his parents, the media and the voice of the nation in making Camilla non-negotiable. A man who for decades had dedicated himself to duty, to doing the right thing, suddenly put everything he stood for and had worked for in jeopardy because of Camilla. 'He'd been through a lot of bad times with the public,' says one of the team. 'And I think he was probably nervous about putting himself back in a negative situation, damaging the Monarchy, and he didn't know whether he could persuade the Queen to accept her . . . the Prince is too diffident and nervous and I think he was scared.' Peat was having none of that. He went to the Prince and told him very clearly that either Mrs Parker Bowles had to go or he had to marry her. They could not, under any circumstances, continue as they were. Without a doubt, she's in charge - she's the far stronger character Another person who was key in persuading Charles to do the right thing was Camilla's father, Bruce Shand, then aged 87. Although he loved the Prince dearly, he thought him weak, and was worried about how vulnerable he'd left Camilla by allowing her to live in limbo. Taking Charles aside, Bruce told him: 'I want to meet my maker knowing my daughter's all right.' Charles adored Bruce. He loved the whole extended Shand family and in turn they were very fond of him, but Bruce spoke for them all. They felt that Camilla's situation was precarious and a bit shoddy, and although she had never wanted marriage in the past, things were different now. She felt herself to be neither one thing nor the other and was secretly grateful to her father for putting pressure on Charles. Having been at Buckingham Palace for nearly 15 years, where he had been close to the Queen, Michael Peat was the perfect person to pull all the essential strands together and iron out the complications. Coming clean: Once the engagement was announced, Charles admitted that Camilla (right) had been one of his most intimate friends. But he reassured Diana (left) that, from now on, there would be no other women in his life. And he meant it She was raging, bingeing, vomiting and obsessing about Camilla and getting no meaningful reassurance from Charles. And he was being driven away and ever deeper into himself He knew Robin Janvrin who had been promoted and was now the Queen's private secretary well, and Janvrin, being sympathetic to the Prince, was willing to offer helpful advice to the Queen. And although Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, had been the one to christen Diana 'The People's Princess', he also admired the Prince and, like Janvrin, appreciated how important Camilla was to Charles. The final component was Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, who inevitably ruled out a church wedding because the Anglican Church frowns upon second marriages if a spouse is still living but sanctioned the solution, a civil ceremony with a church blessing. Charles finally asked Camilla to marry him at Birkhall, the Queen Mother's house on the Balmoral estate, over New Year. He had spoken to his mother, his sons, and the rest of the family when they were all together at Sandringham for Christmas, which Camilla had spent with her family. News of the engagement leaked out on the morning of February 10, 2005 a day that the couple were due to attend a charity ball at Windsor Castle. The Prince's staff sprang into action. Julia Cleverdon, who has worked with the Prince for more than 30 years and is his greatest and sanest supporter in all things, was uncharacteristically in bed at home with a raging temperature when Elizabeth Buchanan, one of the Prince's longest-standing private secretaries, rang and said: 'Julia, I've arranged for you to be on the other side of the Windsor doors as they come through because Mrs PB must be able to see somebody she knows in the flashing bulbs of the paparazzi.' Dazzling smile: Camilla shows off her 100,000 diamond and platinum engagement ring - a present from the Queen Julia pleaded a temperature of 102. 'I don't mind if you've got a temperature of 106,' responded Buchanan. 'Get to Windsor!' So as Charles and Camilla came through the doors, to a cacophony of requests to see the ring, Julia was right there. The ring, 100,000 worth of platinum and diamonds, had been a gift from the Queen. It was a Thirties Art Deco design, a central square-cut diamond with three smaller ones on either side, which had belonged to the Queen Mother and was one of her favourites. When asked how she felt, Camilla said she was just coming down to earth, but she coyly dodged the question of whether the Prince had been down on one knee. The Prime Minister sent congratulations on behalf of the government; the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were 'very happy' and had given the couple their 'warmest wishes'. The Archbishop of Canterbury was pleased they had taken 'this important step'. And William and Harry? They were '100 per cent' behind the couple. They were 'very happy for our father and Camilla and we wish them all the luck in the world'. After Camilla had recovered from her early morning terror, the wedding day itself went smoothly: a civil ceremony at the Guildhall, followed by a church blessing at St George's Chapel and a reception at Windsor Castle. There were a few boos when the royal car drove up, but the vast majority of spectators seemed delighted that Charles was finally marrying the woman he'd loved for more than 30 years. Tom Parker Bowles and Prince William acted as the couple's witnesses. Andrew Parker Bowles didn't come to the civil ceremony (although he did come to the blessing), but he'd already rung to wish his ex-wife luck. After the civil ceremony, the new Duchess of Cornwall and her husband went on to the castle for a blessing in the chapel. Her assistant Amanda MacManus, who was waiting for them with other staff, recalls: 'As they came up the stairs, they were both crying. And that set all of us off, so we were all sobbing. It was just so touching.' Slowly, as the day wore on, Camilla relaxed, reassured and supported by having her family around her. Her father, now 88 and ailing, had put off going to the doctor until after the wedding. When he finally did so, four days later, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he died 14 months later. But he'd seen his daughter getting married, and that mattered a great deal to him. The reception was in the state apartments. Charles gave a touching speech in which he thanked 'my dear mama' for footing the bill and 'my darling Camilla, who has stood with me through thick and thin and whose precious optimism and humour have seen me through'. The vast majority of spectators seemed delighted that Charles was finally marrying the woman he'd loved for more than 30 years But it was his mama's speech that was so perfect and laid to rest any lingering notion that she might still disapprove. The Queen is passionate about horse racing and the date coincided with the Grand National, in which she had a horse running. She began by saying she had two important announcements to make. The first was that Hedgehunter had won the race at Aintree; the second was that, at Windsor, she was delighted to be welcoming her son and his bride to the 'winners' enclosure. 'They have overcome Becher's Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves.' The romantic side of the day apart, their marriage heralded a complete change in Camilla's life and true to form, head in the sand, she had not wanted to think about it too carefully. For the Prince, that day brought an end to his loneliness. Camilla already shared his private life but not all of his public life, and it was on the long, gruelling foreign tours that he missed her the most. 'They have overcome Becher's Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles... I'm very proud and wish them well Henceforward she would be with him to share the travel, the feting by his hosts, the wining and dining, the concerts and spectacles that were laid on for him, the beautiful views that he was always taken to see. She'd be there to laugh with him at the absurdities and mishaps along the way and to chat, have a drink and unwind at the end of each day. She, on the other hand, was entering a whole new world. She had never been a great traveller she can't sleep on trains and is terrified of flying. But her future would be one of almost non-stop travel, long haul and short haul, helicopters, trains, cars. There would be state visits, receptions and formal dinners, there would be ceremonial occasions and religious ones, when she would have to be on parade with the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family, and charity work would take her all over the country. On all such occasions, she would have to dress and look and behave like a duchess immaculate hair, immaculate make-up and nails, outfits and hats. She had already shifted up a gear in her wardrobe, and the outfits for her wedding both by Anna Valentine were simply beautiful. But that was just the beginning. As she signed the register in that town hall, Camilla was signing away the rest of her life to obligation, duty and hard work. It is only when you follow a member of the family around that you realise just how hard it is to do what they do, and to keep on doing it day after day. The romantic side of the day apart, their marriage heralded a complete change in Camilla's life and true to form, head in the sand, she had not wanted to think about it too carefully It is like being at a wedding party that never comes to an end, where you have to smile, shake hands, remember people's names, make small talk to strangers, show an interest in widgets and whelk stalls, and stand when you are aching to sit down and your shoes are killing you. She was embarking on this at the age of 57, having previously done nothing much more taxing than weed a flower bed. But on that joyous day in Windsor, she was just happy to have got through it without anyone throwing an egg at her. As one guest put it, what people saw 'was two people in their 50s getting married and why not? It's a love story'. William and Harry were '100 per cent' behind the couple. They were 'very happy for our father and Camilla and we wish them all the luck in the world' The late Sir James Goldsmith famously said: 'When a man marries his mistress, he creates a vacancy.' That won't happen on Camilla's watch; she sees off anyone who shows the slightest designs on her husband. Knowing that Charles is very susceptible to flattery, she's wary of those who toady to him, who flatter him and laugh before he's even made a joke. 'He's a very bad judge of character,' says a person close to her. 'If someone's nice to him, he thinks they're wonderful, while she's very sharp on people. 'There's also a sense of slight unease when it's women who are prettier and cleverer and talking the same language as him, which she doesn't do. She can be quite dismissive of them, and she's quite right.' The other truth about marrying one's mistress is that the relationship changes. An affair can encompass love and support, but it's usually about good, exhilarating sex. Marriage, on the other hand, is about living with someone 24/7 and discovering that some of the things about a lover that seemed so cute or idiosyncratic are just plain irritating. There's often nothing like it for killing romance stone-dead. Someone who knows both Charles and Camilla well agrees that there's been an adjustment. 'I'm sure there's a bit of that thing that if you have a long affair with someone and you get married, you have a bit of a wake-up call. That's human nature.' The two of them were certainly very fixed in their ways by the time they married, and adjusting to life under one roof was difficult. Charles is obsessive about order and tidiness. Camilla has always been untidy. Her homes have always felt lived in, full of clutter, dogs and stuff that children have dumped; his are like country house hotels with not a photograph or a magazine out of place. He has never had to pick up so much as a dirty sock for himself; she has been chief cook and bottle-washer for a family of four. He has always had household staff to look after his every need; she has had no more than a cleaning lady to help. Knowing look: As Charles walked down the aisle (pictured), he looked over at Camilla (pictured in a grey suit and matching pillbox hat) with a 'slightly plaintive, sad look' on his face. Their wonderful affair was over, and reality was kicking in He has always had a punishing work ethic; she was new to the concept and found it hard to keep up. He likes people around him all the time and is a wonderful host; she needs a break from people and enjoys her own company and will often announce she's off to bed. He never eats lunch; she needs to, to keep her blood sugar levels up. He can be very down in the dumps; she is almost always buoyant. He has a terrible temper and can be moody and difficult; she can get angry but she is generally very easy-going and cheerful. One of her very old friends is married to a similar character. 'We laugh,' says the friend, 'because we both have pessimistic husbands. So I ring her up and say: 'How is the glass today?' ' 'Totally empty.' ' 'Mine is waterless.' But Camilla is strong: she makes her points and has strong views and lays them down. He takes that quite well.' As another close friend says: 'Camilla is very stubborn and there are all sorts of things she doesn't budge on, and he's probably found that quite testing. Without a doubt she's in charge, she's a far stronger character than he is.' Despite this, Camilla's family still worry for her. The pain of the past, the emotional damage wreaked by all those years as a figure of hate, have taken their toll. She has health issues that are almost certainly a legacy of that time. And even today she's living on her nerves, particularly with the 20th anniversary of Diana's death looming on August 31 a date that has also sent a faint chill running through the corridors of Clarence House. Camilla, pictured right with Prince Charles after their wedding, received a number of threatening and unnerving calls from Princess Diana in the middle of the night There is, and perhaps always will be, a feeling among some that there are still three people in the marriage. Camilla's relationship with Charles, however, remains strong. 'The Prince is incredibly happy and contented and amused since Camilla came back into his life,' observes a friend. 'They seem to be very keen on each other, they love each other, and they've come to a contented happiness in their late 60s.' The bonus is that this relationship is about more than a love affair, or two people being happy. Camilla has proved to be extraordinarily good at the job. No one is more surprised about that than she is, but friends say she is proud of being the Duchess of Cornwall. It's not just her people skills the easy, open, friendly manner and sense of merriment nor her ability to scrub up well, work a room, unveil plaques and glad-hand the public. She has put her stamp on issues such as domestic violence that no one else was prepared to touch, doing it in such a way that it's the issues that get the attention, and not her. Slowly at first, but with a gradually increasing workload, she started doing public engagements. Today, she works four full days a week and has almost 90 patronages; she also gets thousands of letters each year each and every one of which she reads and does two foreign tours and one to the Commonwealth each year. 'I don't think that she or anyone understood just how demanding it was going to be when she took on the job,' says Camilla's aide, Amanda MacManus. 'She's got extraordinary focus for someone who appears to be very relaxed; and if she's going to do something, she's going to do it well.' She is not on an ego trip and she's not seeking self-aggrandisement. On joint engagements, she watches Charles like a hawk, making sure to stay close so that he's always in any shot of her. This was never going to be the Camilla show. She's there to back him up, not overshadow him. Seeing photos of the newly married Pippa Middleton at a wedding recently, a few thoughts crossed my mind. Firstly: Ooo, she looks pleased with herself and quite rightly so, seeing as shes bagged a millionaire without breaking either a sweat or a nail. The other seeing the voluminous, eye-crossingly ugly, ankle-length Erdem frock she was wearing was an inversion of the old Scarlett OHara line: Take off that dress and make me some curtains! One word which didnt come to mind, however, was modest. Pippa engaged the camera with a full-on hands-off-hes mine grin. A good thing too, as Im no fan of modesty, especially for women, for whom this mild-sounding trait has been historically used as a tool of oppression. Commentator Julie Burchill has slammed the new 'modesty dressing' trend - despite it being modelled by everyone from Pippa Middleton to celebrities including Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured) But then I noticed others were joining Pippa in the great cover-up, too. Women whove plunged it down to there, slashed it up to here and left no part of their bodies unscrutinised for years are suddenly dressing in a way which would suggest theyre going straight from the premiere to do a spot of prison visiting. Let me stress, these dresses are not your usual lost-in-France-and-loving-it summer maxis. These garments cover every inch of a womans body, from her earlobes to her toes. Even the editors of womens magazines are at it. This week, former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman attended a swanky West End party in another floor-length, 1,095 Erdem dress, reminiscent of a shower curtain, while the editor of Cosmopolitan, Farrah Storr, appeared on a magazine front cover recently under the headline: Shes the Editor of Cosmopolitan So Why is She Covering Up? Farrah was wearing a shapeless, ankle-grazing sack, before leading us into a pious plug for the dubious pleasures of modesty dressing. Now Im not against modesty entirely: some people are born modest (and have much to be modest about), some achieve modesty (ageing divas who would previously disrobe at the drop of a prop get all censorious about young starlets stripping off) and some have modesty thrust upon them (that multitude of the worlds women born into certain religions). Though Im not a fan myself, I do have modest mates, and I admire their dainty ways. But what I dont like at all is when modesty is used as a shaming stick which women use to beat other women. 'And now Pippa, too, is passing for a Puritan. Maybe its the cynic in me which thinks that the humble dressing movement may be a way for stars whose every lump, bump or jutting bone has been savagely dissected on social media to hide from scrutiny' When applied to clothing, the word implies, by default, that any other form of dressing is immodest, that is, tarty, exhibitionist and wrong. And thats something I do have a problem with. I found it ironic that Miss Storr spoke in her article about her decision to eschew the figure-hugging clothes shed hoiked herself into in her youth as a rediscovery of her Pakistani fathers roots. Considering what an oppressive, bigoted, sexist country Pakistan remains today for women, it seems extraordinary for a woman who has benefited from the manifold freedoms the West has to offer to come over all dewy-eyed about the place. Sitting incongruously alongside this muddle-headed tribute to one of the worlds worst places to be female was a slurry of breathless gushing over celebrities who have allegedly adopted modesty dressing; Adele, Angelina Jolie, Emma Watson and Victoria Beckham have all been seen sporting floor-skimming numbers covering every inch of their bodies. 'Do we want to go back to the days when an uncovered ankle or a bare shoulder marked you out as a prostitute, as it did in English societies a few centuries ago? You dont need to be quoting the Bible or the Koran to be a sexist, judgmental bigot' (Pictured: Lily Collins) And now Pippa, too, is passing for a Puritan. Maybe its the cynic in me which thinks that the humble dressing movement may be a way for stars whose every lump, bump or jutting bone has been savagely dissected on social media to hide from scrutiny. Another, completely opposite view, is that it is a way of getting noticed. After all, what else is there left for an attention-seeking starlet, except putting a metaphorical tin-lid on things? Either way, looking at these beautiful women in ugly dresses even Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow managed to look like they were wearing their Nans brush-nylon nighties I couldnt imagine that anyone in the real world would want to copy them. Any sensible person would surely imitate their mother and tut: If Beyonce jumped off a cliff, would you do it do? Best just ignore it and it will go away. But theres a sinister side to this modesty manifesto that goes beyond the whimsy of fashion, that shouldnt be ignored. The reverse of this starts with modesty-dressing and it ends up with a woman walking down the street covered up from head to toe in the name of propriety In her article, Farrah Storr started to sing the praises of women on Instagram who wear modesty clothes such as hers, often with hijabs. She also spoke about what a relief it is to talk to men and have them look into her eyes rather than at her body, as if it was her responsibility to keep their lust in check rather than theirs. Other magazines have devoted pages to the voices of brave hijabi women, talking about how they see this ultimate modesty dressing as a symbol of feminism. Some call them brave for speaking out against the discrimination they face daily by abiding by their freedom to cover themselves. 'Either way, looking at these beautiful women in ugly dresses even Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow managed to look like they were wearing their Nans brush-nylon nighties I couldnt imagine that anyone in the real world would want to copy them' But its not in any way brave to cover up. These Western modesty dressers are unwittingly placing themselves on the side of the female oppressors; the imams telling women that not to cover themselves makes them a dirty sweet on the floor rather than an unwrapped delicacy for men to devour, obviously. Modesty dressing is having its moment because of a combination of cowardly cultural cringing on the part of the weak-willed West and the ceaseless desire of the fashion industry to find new ways of making women look ludicrous while paying handsomely or it. Make no mistake; when a woman dresses in a way which she boasts of as modest, she is telling the world that women who choose not to dress as she does are immodest. This places the responsibility for sexual harassment, abuse and ultimately rape squarely on women. If covering up is a sign of modesty, not covering up is a signal that a woman is asking for it. Do we want to go back to the days when an uncovered ankle or a bare shoulder marked you out as a prostitute, as it did in English societies a few centuries ago? You dont need to be quoting the Bible or the Koran to be a sexist, judgmental bigot. And, of course, this skewed way of thinking is not confined to the religious. Do we want to go back to the days when an uncovered ankle or a bare shoulder marked you out as a prostitute, as it did in English societies a few centuries ago? You dont need to be quoting the Bible or the Koran to be a sexist, judgmental bigot. I dressed revealingly when young and now at the age of 57 have settled for a sweater and pencil skirt uniform which takes me happily from church to bar crawl. Its natural to cover up as we age but to bring a moral dimension into this is strange, and probably says more about the insecurities of the coverer than the sexual incontinence of the uncovered. Does the fact that I no longer dress in the skintight leather, lace and fishnets of my size 10 salad days mean that I have lately seen the light of propriety? Of course, it doesnt. I am grateful I grew up in a society where those choices were open to me and continue to be. For they are indicators of greater freedoms. Ironically, only last year Cosmos Farrah Storr gave an interview to her own magazine in which she was asked What is your definition of feminism? to which she answered Equality pure and simple. We want to do everything on a level playing field, be a person first and a gender second. The reverse of this starts with modesty-dressing and it ends up with a woman walking down the street covered up from head to toe in the name of propriety. Samantha Cameron in a dress from her range, which she says she started because she didn't have enough disposable income She's the daughter of aristocratic multi-millionaires, the wife of an ex-prime minister and has enjoyed a successful business career of her own. But Samantha Cameron has complained that she didn't have enough 'disposable income' to afford designer clothes after paying for childcare and a mortgage. The mother of three, 46, who with husband David owns two homes worth 4.8million in total, said this was her inspiration for starting her own fashion label Cefinn in February, which is designed to be more affordable than luxury clothing. Yet despite her own apparent money worries, the items, which are made in Macedonia, aren't exactly bargains, ranging in price from 110 for a T-shirt to 390 for a coat. Speaking at an event celebrating female entrepreneurs, she said the idea behind the brand which is estimated to be worth 3.7million and is aimed at busy women who 'need clothes that are going to work hard' came from 'a very personal need'. She said: 'I'd been working in the luxury fashion business for a long time and didn't have the disposable income with childcare and mortgage to buy designer clothes. 'I wanted to find workwear, daywear, that had a fashion edge and felt a bit younger, more modern than what was available.' She added: 'There was a gap in the market in terms of price, because I come in between high street and luxury.' Mrs Cameron's financial complaints are perhaps surprising given her and her husband's deep pockets. Mr Cameron has been cashing in since leaving Downing Street by giving hour-long talks for 120,000 a time almost as much as the 143,462 he earned a year when he was in power. He is thought to be doing at least two talks per month which have included speaking at a lunch for Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk. The couple also have two homes, a 1.3million cottage in his former Oxfordshire constituency and a four-bedroom Notting Hill house which they bought for 1.1million in cash from profit on another home. It is now worth more than triple that. Houses worth 5m and shares valued at 500k... The Camerons own a 1.3million cottage in Davids former Oxfordshire constituency and an Edwardian four-bedroom house in upmarket Notting Hill in west London which they bought for 1.1million and is now worth 3.5million. Samantha Camerons father, Sir Reginald Sheffield, is the eighth holder of a 250-year baronetcy and has a property empire worth more than 20 million. The family seat is 18th-century Grade-I listed Sutton Park, near York. Mrs Cameron owns 77,000 worth of shares in one of her fathers firms, Normanby Estate Holdings. Family seat: Sutton Park, near York, owned by her father, Sir Reginald Sheffield But it is not just her father who has great wealth. When her parents divorced, her mother Annabel married aristocrat William Astor who owns an 18,736-acre estate on the remote Scottish island of Jura. Viscountess Astor is the co-founder and chief executive of luxury furniture retailer OKA, which was valued at 30 million in 2006 and made 1.7 million profit in 2015. Mrs Cameron herself earned a vast six-figure salary when she was the creative director at luxury brand Smythson, although she scaled back to become a creative consultant when her husband became prime minister. In 2005 the leather goods brand was bought for 16million, leaving Mrs Cameron with an extra 437,000 windfall from her shares. Mr Camerons mother Marys family owned a mansion in Berkshire on a 660-acre estate. The former PMs father Ian was a wealthy businessman who came from a family of bankers. In 2007 the Sunday Times Rich List estimated Ian was worth 10million. Cameron inherited 300,000 from his fathers will in 2010. During the six years the Camerons lived in Downing Street, the couple were renting out their London property for around 7,000 a month. Advertisement The Camerons did not have a mortgage on their London property until eight days before the EU referendum last year. It is unclear why they belatedly took out this loan, but it may have been to invest in other assets. And the family seem to have enough money for lavish purchases. In April Mr Cameron spent 25,000 on a shepherd's hut complete with a wood-burning stove, sofa-bed and wool insulation. Their three children, Nancy, Elwen and Florence, wanted it as a playroom, but Mr Cameron is using it as his writing room. She was also out-earning her husband as creative director at luxury leather goods brand Smythson before taking a back-seat role when he became PM Meanwhile privately-educated Mrs Cameron hardly needs to rely on her husband financially. Her father is a baronet and her parents, who are divorced, are worth tens of millions of pounds each. She was also out-earning her husband as creative director at luxury leather goods brand Smythson before taking a back-seat role when he became PM. Speaking at the All Bright's FoundHER Festival in London yesterday, Mrs Cameron said of her business venture: 'It's been incredibly hard work and frightening... I've had a lot of sleepless nights. 'The first few months it was just me on my own There's a period in which you're doing everything and answering your emails at 4 o'clock in the morning and dealing with lots of aspects of business that you might have never dealt with before.' An Atlanta mother issued a plea to parents to educate themselves on vaccines after her daughter was exposed to a life-threatening illness that could have been avoided. Camille Echols, 34, had to rush her daughter Ashley to an emergency room after the 11-year-old was exposed to chicken pox from another child. The little girl from Atlanta had a kidney transplant when she was two years old in 2008, making her highly vulnerable to infectious diseases. Upon seeing her little girl in tears while receiving potentially life-saving injections, Echols decided to call on parents to educate themselves on vaccines. The registered nurse of 10 years wrote in a post that since has gone viral: 'The people choosing to skip vaccinations put children like my daughter at risk. 'She has been through SO much already. And this was avoidable.' Camille Echols rushed her daughter Ashley, 11, to an Atlanta ER last week after the little girl was exposed to chicken pox. Ashley had a kidney transplant when she was two years old, so she is vulnerable to infectious diseases. Pictured: Ashley receiving injections at the ER Echols, a nurse, said a full vaccine wasn't possible due to Ashley's transplant and shared the photos to encourage parents to educate themselves about vaccines WHAT IS BILATERAL RENAL HYPOPLASIA? Bilateral renal hypoplasia means that both kidneys are smaller than usual, which cause complications. Some children are born with two small kidneys have no immediate complications. Others need more support at birth, including ventilation to help them breathe. All children with bilateral renal hypoplasia need monitoring, as some may go on to develop kidney failure. This occasionally happens while a baby or child is young. Children need to go back to the hospital or clinic throughout childhood to check how well their kidneys are working. Treatment can be started as soon as it is needed, to help your child grow and remain healthy. Eventually the kidneys may stop working and dialysis and/or a kidney transplant may be needed. Source: InfoKid Advertisement Like most mothers, Echols first held Ashley as a baby in a hospital. However, Echols was only Ashley's nurse at the time. Speaking to the Daily Mail Online, Echols explained that she adopted Ashley after her biological mother wasn't providing the level of care Ashley needed. She said: 'Ashley was born with kidneys that were small and didn't work well. She's been on dialysis since birth basically. 'Her birth mom couldn't provide what she needed. I became her primary nurse when she was 16 months old. 'We just had this bond. I would bring her clothes and other things. I was caring for her.' In 2008, Ashley was put on the kidney transplant list and received her transplant about two months later. Echols said Ashley was able to receive the organ so quickly because she had been on dialysis for so long, so her name was at the top of the list. Around this time, Child Protection Services took custody of Ashley and when Echols heard, she stepped in to adopt Ashley. Echols said: 'Everything was fine after that. She got the vaccines she should have gotten at her age. 'Transplant patients can't get certain vaccines because they have weakened immune systems. So it's a balancing act. 'She got one varicella vaccine but couldn't get the second because she was immunosuppressed and instead of developing immunity, she would have contracted the virus.' Because Ashley couldn't receive the full vaccine for chicken pox and because her immune system is especially vulnerable, being exposed to the disease is life-threatening. Echols adopted Ashley in 2008 after caring for the little girl as her primary nurse Echols said she doesn't know if the child who had chicken pox had a vaccine or not, but she said that wasn't the point. She added: 'The resurgence of chicken pox, whooping cough, measles and other diseases that were nearly eradicated years ago is a direct result of a large percentage of the population deciding not to vaccinate their children without sound research the support that decision.' Echols said she had to call Ashley's transplant nephrologist regarding her exposure, and was told to take Ashley to the emergency room to receive immunoglobulin injections. The medicine is an immune system drug and is used mostly for immunosuppressed patients and costs around $5,000, Echols said. While sitting in the emergency room watching her daughter cry, Echols decided to share what happens when diseases that could be eliminated by vaccines are not. Echols said called Ashley's transplant nephrologist regarding her exposure and was told to take Ashley to the emergency room to receive immunoglobulin injections, costing $5,000 ANTI-VAXXERS BLAMED FOR MEASLES OUTBREAK IN MINNESOTA Anti-vaxxers have been blamed for an historic outbreak of measles in Minnesota. More than 30 children have contracted the virus in May, primarily in the state's large Somali-American community, where many parents avoid the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine because of unfounded fears that it causes autism. Somalis are just the latest example of a tight-knit community in which the highly contagious disease has gained a foothold in the U.S. in recent years. Medical professionals and state health officials are working to contain the virus, but they expect more measles cases in coming weeks. A look at the situation: As of early May, 34 measles cases were confirmed in Minnesota. It's the largest outbreak in the state since 1990, when 460 people contracted measles and three died. Measles were declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Outbreaks in the U.S. are typically caused when international travelers are infected overseas and bring the virus home. Advertisement She said: 'I was frustrated. I had work the next morning and I was tired. 'All of this was preventable. The intent behind the post wasn't to shame parents, but to encourage them to educate themselves. 'I had a rare opportunity as a mother and nurse in one to share this information.' The debate on whether vaccines can cause other medical problems has been a hot topic for the past few years. An outbreak of measles in Minnesota has been linked to Somali families not vaccinating their children with an MMR shot. A 2014 study by the American Board of Family Medicine found 35 percent of Somali parents surveyed believed the measles vaccine causes autism, compared with eight percent of non-Somalis. Research that links the vaccine to autism has been widely discredited. Evidence-based research has repeatedly shown no relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism, and there should be no hesitations about vaccines, said Patsy Stinchfield, senior director of infection control at Children's Minnesota hospital. Other communities with low vaccination rates have also been affected by measles in recent years. Nearly 20 people in the Orthodox Jewish community in Los Angeles were sickened by measles in December. Fifty-eight were sickened in 2013 when the measles swept through Orthodox Jewish communities in New York. In Ohio, 360 people got the measles in 2014 after unvaccinated Amish travelers visited the Philippines and brought the disease home. The American Academy of Pediatrics released a map in April that showed the vaccination rates for each state for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), DTaP (diptheria, tetanus and whooping cough) and varicella (chickenpox) shots. Maine took the top spot with 92 percent for MMR, 96.6 percent for DTaP and 94.5 for varicella. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Nebraska were the other three states who appeared in the top 10 for each category. You may think eating traditional dishes when you go abroad is custom but you should think twice before doing so in Thailand. Koi pla, made of raw fish ground with spices and lime, is a favourite feast for parasites responsible for deadly liver cancer, doctors warn. The pungent meal is quick, cheap and tasty, and is popular in the rural northeast of the country in the poor remote Isaan region. But this area of Thailand, deemed the least-visited, has the highest reported cases of cholangiocarcinoma (CCG) bile duct cancer in the world, figures show. One of the major causes of CCG, which kills 20,000 Thais each year, is a parasitic flatworm native to the Mekong region and found in freshwater fish. Koi pla, made of raw fish ground with spices and lime, is a favourite feast for parasites responsible for deadly liver cancer, doctors warn Once eaten, the worms can embed undetected in the bile ducts for years causing inflammation that triggers the deadly disease, the World Health Organization warns. Narong Khuntikeo, a liver surgeon trying to battle the parasitic scourge, witnessed both of his koi pla-loving parents die from CCG. A huge health burden He told AFP: 'It's a very big health burden around here... it affects families, education and socioeconomic development. 'But nobody knows about this because they die quietly, like leaves falling from a tree.' After seeing hundreds of hopeless late-stage cases on the operating table, Narong is now marshalling scientists to attack the 'silent killer' at source. They are fanning out across Isaan provinces to screen villagers for the liver fluke and warn them of the perils of koi pla and other risky fish dishes. One of the major causes of bile duct cancer, which kills 20,000 Thais each year, is a parasitic flatworm native to the Mekong region and found in freshwater fish IS THERE HOPE FOR THAI PEOPLE? Narong and his team have developed urine tests to detect the presence of the parasite, which has infected up to 80 per cent of some Isaan communities. They have also spent the past four years trucking ultrasound machines around the region to examine the livers of villagers who live far from public hospitals. The initiative, called CASCAP, started as research at Khon Kaen University but received full government backing last year - putting it on Thailand's national agenda. Some 500 villagers were recently screened in the Kalasin province as part of the testing, as they all showed high-risk factors. They were all over the age of 40, had a history of eating raw fish and had family members with the cancer, Narong said. A third of them showed abnormal liver symptoms and four were suspected to have cancer. Advertisement No easy task But changing eating habits is no easy task in a region where love for Isaan's famously chili-laden cuisine runs deep. Many villagers are shocked to hear that a beloved dish passed down for generations is a danger rather than a comfort. Others are wedded to the convenience of a thrifty lunch they can whip up using fish caught in the ponds that border their rice paddies. Since learning of the cancer link many farmers have started frying the mixture to kill off the parasite - a method doctors recommend. A sour taste Yet not everyone is as easily swayed, according to Narong and his team. Many villagers complain that cooking the dish gives it a sour taste. Others simply shrug off the dangers and say their fate has already been fixed - a common belief in the Buddhist nation where karma can dictate decisions. Health officials are pinning their hopes on targeting the next generation, showing children cartoons of the risks of eating raw fish. For the elderly, who are much harder to sway into giving up old tricks, the target is to catch infections before it's too late, they said. A young Malaysian woman who was relentlessly bullied over her mole-covered face is defying her tormentors - and could be crowned the next Miss Universe. Evita Delmundo, 20, was born with large, hairy dark brown moles covering her face and body - as well as a birth mark across her neck and shoulders. Cruel classmates branded her a 'monster' and 'chocolate chip cookie' due to the lumps, which aren't caused by any condition - leaving her heartbroken and shy. But after attending secondary school she began to gain confidence as other pupils accepted her - supported by her mother who was a teacher there. Miss Delmundo, who refuses to have surgery to remove the unsightly moles, has now taken the bold step of auditioning for Miss Universe Malaysia. Evita Delmundo, 20, was born with the large dark brown spots covering her face and the rest of her body - as well as a birth mark across her neck and shoulders Lonely childhood She said: 'It definitely wasn't easy for me. I got bullied in primary school and the other kids would call me names like "monster" or "chipsmore", which was really tough to swallow as a young girl. 'In primary school, no one wanted to be friends with me. I remember a teacher having to ask two girls to accompany me during recess, and they were whispering 'why do we have to treat her like a princess?' 'It broke my heart. I told them that they don't have to follow me and they went off immediately. Basically, I was a lonely girl.' Miss Delmundo was born the second of five children to a Filipino mother and Malaysian father on the island of Borneo. As she grew up and became more aware of her moles, a number of which have tufts of hair growing, she dreamed of having them removed. Surgery risk But doctors warned that the procedure could put her health at risk, and at 16-years-old she decided to 'accept that this is the body I've been given.' Growing up, cruel classmates branded her a 'monster' and 'chocolate chip cookie' due to the hairy lumps - leaving her heartbroken and shy Miss Delmundo, who refuses to have surgery to remove the unsightly moles, has now taken the bold step of auditioning for Miss Universe Malaysia She took singing lessons and learned to play the guitar, which helped her to become more at ease with herself. IS THERE A CONDITION IT COULD BE? Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus are birthmarks that are present on the skin at birth. They can be light brown to black patches or plaques, and can be found all over a patient's body. The rare condition is estimated to affect one in every 50,000 births, according to figures. Doctors assumed Miss Delmundo was a sufferer - until specialist tests found they were just ordinary moles. Experts say it is caused by faulty genes and is reliant on a specific mutation that causes certain enzymes to become over-active. Source: National Organization for Rare Diseases Advertisement Although there were suggestions that her deformities could be due to a skin disease, specialists confirmed to her that they are ordinary moles. Miss Delmundo now works part-time at a local cafe and hopes her story and attitude can inspire others to accept their bodies. Waiting for the results She auditioned for Miss Universe Malaysia on June 17 - meeting last year's winner Samantha Katie James - and is waiting for the results to see if she has progressed to the next round. Miss Delmundo said that even if she doesn't progress in this competition it won't dent her confidence and she'll continue entering other beauty pageants. She added: 'I learnt to accept my birthmarks and love myself. I slowly gained confidence to show off my uniqueness. 'The judges asked me a couple of questions, like how would I promote Malaysia if I won Miss Universe Malaysia? 'I'm just keeping my fingers crossed. If I don't get through, there's always another platform.' Miss Delmundo said: 'It definitely wasn't easy for me. I got bullied in primary school and the other kids would call me names like "monster" or "chipsmore"' Doctors warned a procedure to remove her moles could put her health at risk, and at 16 she decided to 'accept that this is the body I've been given' Acupuncture may be the cure for embarrassing urinary incontinence, a condition that plagues the lives of millions, research suggests. The Ancient Chinese medicine reduces leakage when combined with electrical currents, a study found. Its effects lasted for six months after, sparking hope for many female sufferers who are afraid to leave their house. The method was tested on 504 women who had stress incontinence, which happens when the pelvic muscles become too weak. Childbirth is a common cause, while obesity can exacerbate the problem which can be triggered by sneezing, coughing and exercising. Acupuncture's effects lasted for six months, sparking hope of a new cure for many female urinary incontinence sufferers who are afraid to leave their house How was the study carried out? Researchers at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing used electroacupuncture on volunteers over a period of six weeks. Each participant was given 18 sessions over the time frame, while others received sham treatment with dummy needles. What did they find? Women who received electroacupuncture had a greater decrease in urine leakage after treatment, and after six months. At the end of the course, those in the real test group experienced an average of one less episode every 72 hours. ACUPUNCTURE'S OTHER BENEFITS Acupuncture could help men with premature ejaculation, a report claimed earlier this year. The improvements were small, and the studies were of varying quality. However, researchers in the UK concluded various alternative treatments have significant desirable effects. University of Sheffield scientists said the finding could bring welcome relief for men who have not got Viagra out of embarrassment, or are marred by a months-long wait to see a doctor. Advertisement After half a year passed, women who received electroacupuncture reported a greater reduction in episodes, the researchers said in JAMA. Lead author Dr Baoyan Liu said electroacupuncture was just as good as pelvic floor muscle training - and took half the time. This approach is the most commonly used one to help women reduce their leakage, but takes around three months for women to see results. 'Rapid response' Dr Liu added: 'Electroacupuncture was effective with rapid response, short treatment period and good compliance.' In some cases women are advised to drink less fluid and lose weight, while surgery is also an option for those severely affected. In China, acupuncture has long been used as a remedy for incontinence, with several studies backing up the claims, said Zhang Jianbin, a researcher at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine who wasnt involved in the study. Figures suggest that 25 per cent of women experience incontinence bad enough to spoil their quality of life at some point in time. The unidentified patient had been fitted with a Mirena coil by Dr Bhaskar Bora, 41 A mother-of-three lost a baby she never knew she was having after her doctor gave her a contraceptive device without checking if she was pregnant, it is claimed. The unidentified patient in her 30s, from Kent, had been fitted with a Mirena coil by Dr Bhaskar Bora, 41, ahead of a family trip to Disneyland Paris. However, seven weeks gone, the woman - known as Patient A - was unaware she was expecting another child as no checks were carried out before it was implanted. Three months later, she began to miscarry her unborn baby in a ladies toilet - only to return home two days later and discover she was 19 weeks pregnant. Given medication to induce her labour, she gave birth to a stillborn in a hospital corridor and had to undergo emergency surgery to remove the placenta. Dr Bora faces misconduct charges amid the allegations he failed to carry out thorough examinations before fitting her with the contraceptive. The GP, who is managing partner at The Elmdene & Bean Surgeries in Greenhithe, is already being sued by the woman in a separate hearing. Patient A told a tribunal: 'I was never asked whether I might be pregnant, I would not have even dreamed that I would have been pregnant.' A lump in my tummy She added: 'I told him there was a lump in my tummy and I could push it from one side to the other and he told me it was my thyroid. 'I told him the bleeding had persisted and the coil was not making it any better, it was just making me feel worse. 'I didn't say anything about being pregnant because as far as I believed I wouldn't have dreamt I was pregnant with the amount of blood I was losing. 'I remember the appointment as if it was yesterday, that was my very last appointment with Dr Bora. The GP, who is managing partner at The Elmdene & Bean Surgeries in Greenhithe, is already being sued by the woman in a separate hearing Dr Bora faces misconduct charges amid the allegations he failed to carry out thorough examinations before fitting her with the contraceptive 'I was shocked when he didn't examine me when I told him there was something in my tummy.' A tribunal heard the woman went to see Dr Bora, a father-of-two, in August 2011 when she experienced heavy period pains and fatigue. Already suffered a miscarriage She told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service that she had had suffered a miscarriage before, and had problems during one of her pregnancies. I was never asked whether I might be pregnant, I would not have even dreamed that I would have been pregnant Patient A But she claims Dr Bora didn't discuss the chance she could be pregnant at all as her period had been going on for around seven weeks. Patient A was referred for an ultrasound scan but when she was not contacted again she assumed the test came back fine. The bleeding did stop for a couple of weeks at Christmas, which was the only time she engaged in sexual activity that she can remember. Heavy bleeding But on March 12, 2012, she went back to surgery for a further consultation after suffering from heavy bleeding at her daughter's parents evening. She told the hearing that Dr Bora just said she fibroids and suggested she had the Mirena coil fitted to stop the bleeding. At a tribunal hearing, the woman, known only as Patient A, said: ''I remember the appointment as if it was yesterday, that was my very last appointment with Dr Bora' IS THERE A LEGITIMATE LINK? The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare of the RCOG published guidance on Intrauterine contraception in 2007. It said women who become pregnant while having an IUD implanted 'should be informed of the increased risks of miscarriage'. Removal would reduce adverse outcomes but is still associated with a small risk of miscarriage, its guidelines state. NICE guidelines issued in 2005 said that approximately six per cent of pregnancies occuring in women using an IUD are ectopic - which can be life-threatening. While around 60 per cent of pregnancies miscarry if the IUD is not removed, it previously warned. It clearly said that any form of IUD 'should not be used during pregnancy'. Official guidelines say women shouldn't have the device removed after 12 weeks gestation, regardless of if they intend to keep the baby. This is because after this time, the gestational sac occupies the entire uterine cavity and removal would endanger pregnancy. It is estimated that around one in 200 women become pregnant while having an IUD device inside them. Advertisement Patient A added: 'He never asked whether I was using any contraception. He didn't ask me about pregnancy, it wasn't even mentioned.' 'We discussed coming back in a few days time to have the Mirena Coil fitted. He never discussed any other options with me just said try the Mirena Coil. 'When your doctor tells you something you just take it. I was in and out in less than three minutes.' Coil fitting Patient A had the coil fitted on March 16 at the GP surgery. Three medical students were present in the room at the time. Patient A added: 'I wanted the coil fitted, I wanted the bleeding to stop. I would have done anything. 'I didn't believe I was or could be pregnant and I didn't say I thought I was or could be. 'No one would think they were pregnant with the amount of bleeding, it wouldn't have seemed possible.' It didn't help On May 25, Patient A went back to the surgery as the symptoms had not cleared despite the procedure. She said: 'He did tell me to leave it six months but I couldn't last six months, it was just getting worse and we were going to Disneyland Paris.' Dr Bora said she needed a hysterectomy, but she asked whether she could have keyhole surgery instead - to which the answer was no. The patient delayed having the hysterectomy so she could go on the planned family trip to Disneyland. Patient A claims Dr Bora didn't discuss the chance she could be pregnant at all as she had been bleeding for around seven weeks Dr Bora of Chislehurst, South London, claims he did take clinical history from Patient A but admits he failed to record it and failed to conduct a pregnancy test But while there, on June 5, she delivered what appeared to be part of an unborn baby's umbilical cord. Pregnancy confirmed She returned to the UK where a pregnancy test at a hospital A&E unit two days later proved positive and a doctor said she was having a miscarriage. Gavin McBride, lawyer for the General Medical Council said: 'She was told she was 19 weeks pregnant and her baby died several weeks previously. She was given medication to induce labour. 'On June 9 2012 she started having contractions and was transferred to casualty but ended up delivering the baby in the corridor of the hospital and had emergency surgery to remove the placenta. When the coil was inserted she was in the early stages of pregnancy. 'She said at no point did Dr Bora take any medical history from her, never asked whether she could be pregnant, discussed recent sexual activity or asked how her relationship was with her husband.' Dr Bora of Chislehurst, South London, claims he did take clinical history from Patient A but admits he failed to record it and failed to conduct a pregnancy test. The case continues. Children who pile on weight in their teenage years are 80 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke as adults. Being overweight as a child does not appear to lead to a stroke in later life. But boys of a normal weight at the age of eight see their risk soar if they overeat during puberty. In a warning to teenagers with a love of junk food, a study has linked teenage weight gain with high blood pressure in adulthood. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden suggest it is high blood pressure, known to weaken blood vessels in the brain, which raises the risk of having a stroke. Swedish scientists found for every two-point increase in body mass index (BMI) from the ages of eight to 20, men were 20 per cent more likely to have a stroke They found average eight-year-old boys who became overweight aged 20 had an 80 per cent increased risk of suffering a stroke in later life. Every two point increase in BMI, above a healthy range, increased the odds by 20 per cent. The study followed 37,669 men for an average of 38 years, during which 918 of them suffered a stroke. Co-author Dr Jenny Kindblom noted: 'The stroke rate has been increasing among young adults even while it has been decreasing for older people. While we don't know the reasons for this increase, it has occurred at the same time as the obesity epidemic.' Every five minutes someone in Britain suffers a stroke, which occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Obesity raises the risk of ischaemic stroke by clogging the arteries with fatty deposits which can cause a blood clot, cutting off the blood supply to the brain. It can also cause a haemorrhagic stroke, where a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts. FAT CHILDREN HAVE FEWER FRIENDS Overweight children have fewer friends and are more disliked than their thinner schoolmates, a study found earlier this month. Fatter children are also more likely to have unreciprocated friendships thinking other children are their friends when the feeling is not mutual. 'Fat-shaming' insulting or bullying children because of their weight is causing obese children to be treated a social outcasts, the University of South California researchers claimed. This can create a vicious circle which can lead to further overeating, the researchers warned, and anti-bullying strategies need to take into account anti-fat prejudice in schools. Advertisement The new study shows this risk may begin in childhood, when the seeds are sown for high blood pressure which damages blood vessels. Overweight children who become fat adults have a 70 per cent higher risk of suffering a stroke, but that rises to 80 per cent for those who start out at a healthy weight. This suggests rapid weight gain during puberty is more dangerous. The researchers, whose study is published in the journal Neurology, measured the men's BMI at eight and then at 20, following them for decades afterwards. Of the 1,800 who were normal weight at age eight and overweight as young adults, 67 had a stroke - or 3.7 percent. There were 990 people who were overweight at ages eight and 20, of whom 36, or 3.6 per cent, went on to have a stroke. The study also found that people with high increases in BMI from age 8 to age 20 also were more likely to have high blood pressure as adults. People with high blood pressure are more likely to have stroke. Dr Kindblom said the obesity rates in the study group of men born in 1945 to 1961 were lower than current rates. She concluded: 'Today's environment that is so conducive to obesity may even further heighten the relationship we saw between increase in BMI and risk of stroke.' Police in Georgia have discovered two new strains of fentanyl which are resistant to the overdose antidote Narcan. Acrylfentanyl, a highly potent opioid which could kill with just one dab, has been linked to 44 overdose deaths in Illinois, police confirmed on Tuesday. More worrying, authorities say, is the emergence of another strain called tetrahydrofureon, which is so new it is not on the list of banned substances. Both drugs overwhelm the brain with such intensity that Narcan (the brand name for naloxone) has little to no effect. They can both be absorbed through the skin, meaning users can overdose by simply touching it. 'We're talking about such trace amounts that literally the size of one grain of salt can kill,' Marietta Police Officer Chuck McPhilamy told First Coast News. Police said on Tuesday that they have spotted two new opioids: acrylfentanyl, which kills with just one dab, and tetrahydrofureon, which is so new it is not on the list of banned substances WHAT HAPPENS IN A DRUG OVERDOSE? An overdose shortens breath and weakens the pulse. It turns lips and fingertips blue and shrinks pupils to the size of a pinhead. It can cause drowsiness, disorientation, choking, vomiting, a gurgling sound known as the 'death rattle,' and, eventually, a loss of consciousness. Death occurs when the brain stops sending the signals that make breathing automatic. Symptoms can kick in within minutes or hours, depending on the strength of the opioid and the user's tolerance. Highly potent batches of heroin, some mixed with the powerful anesthetic fentanyl, can accelerate the timeline. Advertisement Nelly Miles, of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, added to Channel 2 Action News: 'There are multiple reports showing that this drug [acrylfentanyl] is resistant to naloxone.' Narcan works by blocking the brain receptors which fentanyl unlocks. Drug users experience their high from opioids because the substance seeks out receptors in the brain, attaches to them, and 'unlocks' them - like a key. Over the next few minutes and hours the drug repeatedly locks and unlocks those receptors, triggering a rush of joy, calm and pain relief. However, too much of a drug can overload those receptors and start to block the blood flow to the brain. This causes shortness of breath and a slow heart rate. Narcan can reverse this dangerous effects in a matter of seconds if it is administered early enough. Like fentanyl, the substance attaches to brain receptors. But unlike fentanyl, it does not unlock it. Rather, it blocks and protects it, warding off the opioids. However, authorities are seeing that people who overdose on synthetic forms of fentanyl, such as the two detected in Georgia this week, are so powerful that Narcan cannot stop the drug from continuing to pummel the brain's receptors. While Georgia outlawed acrylfentanyl in April, this is the first time authorities have come across its synthetic cousin tetrahydrofureon. The battle is hardly unique; investigations teams across the US are battling similar crises. Overdose deaths are now the leading cause of death among young Americans - killing more in a year than were ever killed annually by HIV, gun violence or car crashes. Preliminary CDC data published by the New York Times shows US drug overdose deaths surged 19 percent to at least 59,000 in 2016. That means that for the first time drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years old. The data, published in a special report by the Times' Josh Katz, lays bare the bleak state of America's opioid addiction crisis fueled by deadly manufactured drugs like fentanyl. Data from the Times shows drug overdose deaths surged 19 percent to at least 59,000 in 2016 The substance is the largest drug threat to the United States, and causes the death of 44 people every day. The DEA's National Drug Threat Assessment published its most recent data, stating that an average of 129 deaths per day in 2014 were caused by drug overdoses. The emergence of the synthetic opioid has increased the frequency of fatal drug abuse, as its incredible potency makes it up to 40 times stronger than heroin. In 2015, overdoses of opioids, including prescription drugs and heroin, killed more than 33,000 people. Of the total deaths in 2015, nearly 13,000 were caused by heroin overdoses. Eighty percent of people addicted to heroin started by using prescription drugs. A new report has laid bare how Americans fuel their drug habits - and which parts of the country spend the most to get their fix. As more states legalize marijuana and rates of overdoses have skyrocketed, data scientists are taking a closer look at how people are consuming illicit substances. A new study found that Alaskans spend a daily average of $384 on drugs, nearly five times as much as other states. Marijuana was the national favorite, making up more than 70 percent of all drug use, followed by cocaine at 6.5 percent. The report also found that college graduates are the most likely to turn to sex work in order to fund their drug habit. These findings suggest that America has a problem with illegal substances, spending more than $100 billion in sales annually. A new report reveals the extent and severity of America's drug problems. It found that marijuana is the nation's drug of choice. Pictured: Graph of most used drugs in America with cocaine coming in second place and opiates in third place The report was published and funded by Addictions.com, an organization that offers counseling and treatment options to addicts who are looking for help. The purpose was to investigate how users came by their drugs and to break down the aspects of their habit. A data scientist conducted the study by polling 1,000 drug users across the country and compiled data based on their state, substance of choice and educational background. Although most study participants reported using marijuana the most often, cocaine users spent the most money on their drug, around $83 a day. Researchers claim that if someone becomes addicted to cocaine, they could spend more than $16,000 during their life on the drug. Marijuana users' wallets still can take a hefty hit. Spending $25 a day add up to spending $9,000 yearly. With more states legalizing cannabis for recreational and medical use, these numbers can increase as the drug becomes more acceptable to use. In the US, both medical and recreational use of marijuana are legal in Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, California and Maine. Restricted for medical use only are: Montana, North Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware and Hawaii. Alaska spends more than any other state on drugs at a staggering $384 average daily. Pictured: Graph of states that spend the most and least on drugs Alaska spends more on drugs than any other state, topping out at $384 a day. Experts cite the state's growing heroin epidemic as the cause. Use of the opiate increased by nearly three times from 2008 and 2013, according to the study. Other states that had high daily levels of spending were Ohio, West Virginia and Alabama, at $77, $55 and $54 respectively. With so much money spent on drugs, study participants reported they had to find other ways to come up with the cash to fund their habit. More than half of participants reported they sold drugs themselves to pay for their highs, and 10 percent said they engaged in sex work for the money. These participants are expected to spend more than $15,000 on drugs in their lifetime. Shockingly, more than 70 percent of people who said they engaged in a form of prostitution held a bachelor's degree or higher. Opioid use was also high in the survey, and experts noted that prescription opiates including hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl are responsible for nearly half of U.S. opioid related deaths. America has a growing problem with opioid abuse. Nearly 1.3 million people were hospitalized for issues related to the drug and opioid overdoses are the leading cause of death for people under the age of 50. Pictured: Graph of most used pills Health agencies have been continually warning of the opioid problem that is currently sweeping the nation and a recent report is proof. Nearly 1.3 million Americans were hospitalized for opioid-related issues, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The agency said there was an overall 64 percent increase for inpatient stays and a 99 percent increase for emergency room treatment compared to rates from 2005. Fentanyl is considered so dangerous that two ingredients used to the make the drug were added to the United Nations's international list of controlled substances. The substance is responsible for the death of musician Prince last year and is a man-made opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine. Roughly 20,000 US overdose deaths in 2015 involved heroin or synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the CDC. The opioid crisis in Maryland is so severe that the governor called a state of emergency over the disaster due to its quadrupling rates of overdoses. These alarming numbers are contributing factors to the overdose epidemic, which is now the leading cause of death for people under the age of 50 in the US. When Danielle Dick began getting intense headaches, she thought it was just pregnancy brain caused by her unborn twins. But then the mother-of-one's symptoms became worse and she lost her speech, barely able to put three words together. Danielle was 17 weeks pregnant when she was rushed to a hospital in Goddard, Kansas, where doctors discovered she had stage 4 metastatic melanoma cancer in April. The 31-year-old had masses in her brain and abdominal wall, and was told by the time the disease progressed to this stage the survival rate was less than 20 percent. However, Danielle is opting to postpone most of her treatment until next month, risking her chances of survival until she can safely deliver her babies premature at 29 weeks. She is using her story to emphasize how serious skin cancer can be and to encourage others to get routine skin checkups. Danielle Dick, 31, was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma skin cancer in April. She was 17 weeks pregnant with twins when the masses were found in her brain and stomach Danielle, from Goddard, Kansas, is postponing her potentially life-saving treatment until she can safely deliver her twins in July. Pictured: Danielle after brain surgery in May (left) and with her daughter Taylor after her surgery (right) Doctors believe Danielle's melanoma cancer was caused by a mole that was removed in 2011. Her husband Tyler had noticed a strange mole on Danielle's back in 2010, but a dermatologist said it was benign after a biopsy and told her not to worry about it. However, the mole grew back and still looked funny, prompting the couple to seek a second opinion. This time, the biopsy confirmed it was melanoma and surgery was performed to rid Danielle of the cancer in late 2011. After the operation and bi-annual checkups at the dermatologist, Danielle was considered cancer-free after five years. She went on to become pregnant and delivered a healthy baby girl named Taylor in 2015. The small family was overjoyed when they learned Danielle was pregnant again, this time with twins in December 2016. It wasn't until April when Danielle was 17 weeks pregnant that they learned the melanoma had returned, this time in her brain and stomach. Doctors believe Danielle's cancer is caused by a cancerous mole that was removed in 2011. Pictured: Danielle with her daughter Taylor in November 2015 The mother-of-one is now using her story to emphasize how serious skin cancer can be and to encourage others to get routine skin checkups. Pictured: Danielle with her husband Tyler and daughter Taylor THE DEADLIEST SKIN CANCER: MELANOMA Melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, but they most commonly appear on the back, legs, arms and face and even underneath a nail. Though less common, they often spread to other organs in the body, making them more deadly. The most common sign is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole. A helpful way to tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma is the ABCDE checklist: Asymmetrical melanomas have two very different halves and are an irregular shape Border melanomas have a notched or ragged border Colors melanomas will be a mix of two or more colors Diameter melanomas are often larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter Enlargement or elevation a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma Advertisement Danielle had some operations to battle the cancer but is postponing the rest of her treatments to ensure the safety of her twins. She had surgery on May 1 to remove three masses located in her brain and then had a second surgery on May 4 to remove two masses on her abdominal wall. All masses were found to be melanoma, the same cancer as the original mole that was removed. In the first few weeks of June, Danielle had radiation on the sites where surgeons removed her brain masses. Additional MRI body scans revealed the cancer has spread to other parts of her body, but she can't take the potentially life-saving medicine while she is pregnant. She said to KWCH: 'Most of the cancer medications are among [the ones you can't take while pregnant]. 'They had to let it (cancer) run its course. I wasn't able to do anything until a week ago with limited treatment.' So she decided with her husband that they would put off any more treatment until she can deliver the babies prematurely at 29 weeks in the beginning of July, two months before they are due. The babies will spend a few months in the NICU, and each placenta will be tested for melanoma because in rare cases the cancer may spread to babies that way. Danielle then plans to start on the treatment but isn't sure if the drugs will work. She added: 'I don't really know. The targeted treatment is new. I don't really know if [the doctors] know.' The expecting mother is using her story to raise funds and to spread awareness of the seriousness of skin cancer. She said: 'I want people to know skin cancer is not something to be brushed aside. People need to get skin checked and wear sunscreen. People think [skin cancer] is more treatable, but if it metastasizes the prognosis isn't good.' Danielle is planning on delivering the twins prematurely at 29 weeks old in July so that she has enough time to start treatment to save her life Metastatic melanoma is the most serious case of skin cancer and is when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. It is the most common form of cancer for young adults and is the leading cause of cancer death in women 25-30 years old. Melanoma is a skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes, a special type of cell. As with other cancers, this occurs when the melanoma is not caught in the early stages. Oftentimes, symptoms only become present once it is has already spread. The most obvious sign is a new or strange colored mole. Most melanoma tumors are brown or black, though some appear pink, tan, or even white. Other symptoms include hardened lumps under the skin, swollen or painful lymph nodes, difficulty breathing, persistent cough, swelling near the liver and bone pain. An estimated 90 percent of melanoma cancer is caused by exposure to UV light, which includes exposure from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds. The five-year survival rate for stage 4 melanoma is less than 20 percent and the 10-year survival rate is 10 to 15 percent. The Cleveland Clinic last year claimed that skin cancer is more deadly for pregnant women and new mothers. The study found women diagnosed with melanoma during pregnancy or within one year of giving birth are five times more likely to die. Scientists said they believe hormones circulating in the body during pregnancy, namely estrogen, are responsible for the increased risk. American college students are increasingly seeking help for mental health issues, according to a new report. Rates of twenty-somethings who visited an university counselor doubled last year, with students reporting they are anxious, depressed and suicidal, according to researchers at Penn State University. These feelings may be sparked by leaving home for the first time, increased academic pressure and having access to alcohol and drugs. Experts said this time period is critical in addressing these potentially serious problems because 75 percent of mental conditions begin before the age of 24. Rates of college students who visited a mental health counselor have doubled in the past year and students are reporting they are stressed, depressed and suicidal Penn State University's Center for Collegiate Mental Health published its annual report for the 2016 year and found a significant jump in counselor visits. There were 150,483 students who sought help from a counselor, compared to the 100,736 students from last year. Data looked at 139 universities and colleges from across the nation and found 61 percent of students who stopped by a school's mental health facility reported high levels of anxiety. Nearly 50 percent said they felt depressed, 45 percent were stressed, 26 percent confessed they had intentionally hurt themselves and 33 percent had considered suicide. Ashley Stauffer, a project manager for Penn's mental health center, said to NBC News: 'What has increased over the past five years is threat-to-self characteristics, including serious suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behaviors.' Experts are concerned that these high numbers could lead to deaths down the road if they aren't addressed and treated in time. Nancy Roy, the clinical director at suicide prevention center JED Foundation, said the problem has grown to such an extent that schools need to take full ownership. CASUAL SEX IS MAKING COLLEGE STUDENTS ANXIOUS An older study from California State University found that young people who have casual sex are more likely to suffer from depression. The experts found higher levels of general anxiety, social anxiety and depression among students who recently had sex with someone they knew for less than a week. In a study involving 3,900 heterosexual students, 11 percent - the majority of whom were men - said they had engaged in casual sex in the past month and had these symptoms. Previous studies have found that women respond more negatively to casual sex than men, possibly because of double standards that allow men to have more sexual encounters with a greater number of partners than women. Advertisement Roy said to NBC 10 News: 'These issues need to become campus-wide responsibilities from a public health point of view and can no longer be relegated to the health and counseling centers, which is primarily who has been responsible.' According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 75 percent of all mental health conditions begin by the age of 24. The organization also said one in five young adults will experience a mental health condition during college. Experts suggest working while in school, pressure on academics and the partying lifestyle of college contribute to these mental issues. Judith Green, director of counseling for Ramapo College in New Jersey, said millennials are more vulnerable to these stessors. She said to NBC News: 'This generation has grown up with instant access via the internet to everything. This has led to challenges with frustration tolerance and delaying gratification. Green said the generation is more likely to hold onto their negative emotions and are under pressure to do as well financially as their parents, but aren't succeeding. Green added: 'Students are working so much more to contribute and pay for college.' Although rates of seeking help for mental health issues have doubled, this is seen as a sign of progress because more young adults are seeking treatment. Previous research from the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that only three in 10 people with a common mental illness such as depression get treatment. Professor Simon Wessely said to the Guardian that young adults with mental health issues were likely to get 'literally no' treatment. Dr Meg Arroll, a psychologist specializing in health, revealed to the Daily Mail in May some of the classic stressors that she has witnessed for people in their 20s. She said: 'Young adults get pretty bad press these days. Seen as unfriendly, lacking in discipline and work ethic by older people, those in their 20s also have to cope with all the difficulties of becoming adults in an increasingly volatile economy. 'The rates of mental health problems are higher during our late teens and early 20's than any other life stage. But this is the time when people find it hardest to seek out help. 'This is because young people want to be self-reliant, often misinterpret the signs of poor mental health and can feel embarrassed about it.' If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting 'Home' to 741741. A quarter of GP appointments are avoidable as they are taken up with form-filling or minor ailments, the new head of Britains doctors warned yesterday. This accounts for nearly 100,000million consultations a year equivalent to the work of 10,000 full-time doctors. Many are spent on patients needing sick notes, benefits forms or suffering from sore throats and hay fever. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the new chairman of the British Medical Association, said there was significant potential to free up tens of millions of appointments. Head of the BMA Dr Chaand Nagpaul said 'tens of millions of appointments' could be freed up. Pictured: A stock image of a doctor Approximately half the avoidable consultations were taken up by form-filling, including patients who needed advice or prescriptions following hospital procedures, he added. The remainder comprised patients with minor ailments who could self-care or go to a pharmacy. GP surgeries are in crisis due to the pressures of a rising and aging population plus a national shortage of family doctors. Many patients have to wait three or four weeks for an appointment or queue up early for one of a few same-day slots. But Dr Nagpaul said action to cut GPs bureaucracy as well as empowering patients to self-care would free up a huge number of consultations. There are approximately 390million GP appointments carried out each year so if these estimates are correct, then 97.5million could be avoided. Jeremy Hunt (pictured) pledged to recruit an extra 5,000 GPs to deal with the crisis Dr Nagpaul, a GP from North West London, becomes chairman of the BMAs council today, making him one of the most powerful doctors in the UK. He based his calculations on an audit by NHS England involving 250 surgeries and 5,128 appointments. This found that 27 per cent of appointments were avoidable or could have been dealt with by pharmacies, hospitals or councils. Some 16 per cent of patients had minor ailments and did not need medication or could have obtained a prescription at a pharmacy. Another 4.5 per cent wanted advice or medication after a hospital procedure and could have been helped by staff there. The remainder wanted doctors to sign sick notes or benefit forms, many of which were non-essential or could have been filled in by council staff. Yesterday Dr Nagpaul told the BMAs annual conference in Bournemouth that the system was bureaucratic and inappropriate and, above all, unfair on patients. Let us turn away patients if were too busy, say GPs Doctors have voted to be allowed to close their doors when surgeries are overwhelmed and send patients to A&E instead. They want to introduce an alert system, similar to that used by hospitals to divert ambulances elsewhere. Under the proposals, surgeries could send a black alert to NHS England, which would draft in locum GPs or send patients to hospitals or walk-in centres instead. Up to 250 doctors backed the policy yesterday at the British Medical Associations annual conference in Bournemouth. Dr Peter Holden, a GP from Matlock, Derbyshire, said the alerts would introduce a good, safe system of care. He claimed patients were currently being put at risk because overworked GPs were suffering from lapses in concentration and fatigue. Meanwhile, Dr Richard Vautrey, chairman of the BMAs GP committee, said it would give surgeries the power to say were really struggling and ask for help. However, some oppose the plans, fearing it would only shift the pressure onto struggling casualty departments. Advertisement It cannot be right for patients to get an appointment, wait an hour for something that, if they had the right support and information, could have avoided that whole visit, he said. There are still large numbers who will see us for sore throats, colds, hay fever. They can easily go to the pharmacist. Dr Nagpaul said the unnecessary appointments amounted to the work of 10,000 full time GPs. In England, there are 42,250 family doctors, full-time and part-time. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said patients could help by asking if they do actually need to see a GP. Ministers aim to hire an extra 5,000 GPs by 2020 to alleviate the crisis. A turf tussle has broken out in Haryana with the state Waqf Board, which is sitting on massive landholdings and facing accusations of mismanagement, refusing to cede ground even in RTI queries by denying information. The Haryana information commission has found the first appellate authority of the board guilty of stonewalling facts from the public regarding waqf properties and associated details of their current state of existence. More than that, the authority observed in its order dated June 20 that the waqf official instructed his junior public information officers to deliberately delay the furnishing of information to Gurugram-based activist Harinder Dhingra under 'ulterior motives'. The Haryana information commission has found the first appellate authority of the board guilty of stonewalling facts from the public Waqf is an endowment, typically devoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious, educational or charitable purposes. Under Indian law, it cannot be transferred or sold, and must be used for the community's welfare. In yet another surprising facet of what the Haryana information commission thinks might be going on in the dealings of the state waqf board is a directive to a state public information officer (SPIO) related to the case. It says to the officer to 'keep entire record pertaining to this RTI applications and show cause notice till date, in his personal custody and shall not hand over to any of the authority except Shri Ram Niwas, additional chief secretarywho is looking after the affairs of the Haryana Waqf Board' The Haryana state Waqf Board entrance A clutch of state waqf boards have been accused of selling land to builders and private buyers for low rates in return for kickbacks. 'My claim is that the waqf properties in the state have long been mismanaged and an inquiry into the matter was pertinent,' Dhingra told Mail Today. 'I wanted to get information regarding who these properties have been leased to and under what conditions to expose the reality. I was denied the information. But, ironically, the very act of denial has now become the reason for an inquiry in the matter by the additional chief secretary.' Due to Dhingra's efforts, the state waqf Board came under the purview of the RTI Act in 2012. While the board moved the high court against this, but lost in 2013. When board CEO Hanif Quereshi was asked about the matter, he denied having any knowledge of the order. 'I have not seen the order so I can't comment on it. But, we do publish the details of the board's properties in our annual reports,' he said. The commission has also directed Niwas to 'take appropriate action against Shri Imtiyaz Khizar, First Appellate Authority-cum-ADMO O/o Haryan Waqf Board, Ambala, who had shown total disregard and apathy to the spirit of the RTI Act, 2005, at his end'. The current SPIO of the board and well as another retired ASPIO gave ample testimony, as the records of the verdict of the commission bear, against Khizar and told the commission how he stonewalled the information sought by Dhingra. The commission also noted that the SPIO was not to blame for denying information and delaying it, and the blame rested with the first appellate authority'. The information panel also said tellingly: 'The commission is further aware of the constraints and limitation of junior officers, when their seniors interfere with their working with 'ulterior motive' with a view to defeat the very purpose of transparency which is cardinal to the RTI Act 2005' Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have been named in a complaint pertaining to a Rs 500 crore online ponzi scam that was allegedly sold to investors by a Ghaziabad-based firm. The CBI has taken over the probe. The actors have been named in the complaint as celebrities who endorsed addsbook.com, a portal launched by Webwork Trade Links. However, the actors have not been mentioned as accused by the Uttar Pradesh Police, which initially started the investigations. Shah Rukh Khan (pictured) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have been named in Rs 500 crore ponzi scam complaint According to the complaint, which is now part of an FIR, Webwork Trade Links was promoted by Anurag Jain and Sandesh Verma, who duped people by flaunting the two actors as brand ambassadors. The complaint said Webwork Trade Links launched a 'shadow company' named Addsbook Marketing Pvt, on December 10, 2016, for the purpose. 'People have invested heavily as they were influenced by both celebrities,' the complaint alleged, according to agencies. The complaint further stated that Jain and Verma allegedly took money from people by promising them that they would receive a handsome sum for each click that the advertisements on the site got. Nawazuddin Siddiqui appeared in Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday During its initial probe, the UP police found that over four lakh people had been roped in, in about four months for the click-and-earn scheme. The promoters made over Rs 500 crore, agencies quoted the police as saying. The investigation has been taken over by the CBI on the directive of Allahabad High Court. The investigating agency re-registered the FIR against Jain and Verma for violation of the Information Technology Act and alleged cheating. Both Shah Rukh and Nawazuddin are currently busy with professional commitments, and were unavailable for comment. While SRK is busy with the promotions of his next, Jab Harry Met Sejal, Nawaz will soon be seen in the Tiger Shroff-starrer Munna Michael, the action-comedy Babumoshai Bandookbaaz and Nandita Das' Manto. How long can a marriage of convenience last? In politics, often longer than it should. The oddest political couple today is Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad. Has the countdown to their divorce begun? Nitish, one of India's shrewdest politicians, has seethed for months over a series of barbs directed at him by Lalu's family. He knows that the alliance is no longer viable. But a break-up at this stage would launch him straight into the warm embrace of the BJP, a prospect he doesn't relish. Lalu Prasad Yadav (left) and Nitish Kumar (right) Yet the relationship between Nitish and Lalu has clearly passed the point of no return. Lalu's conviction and jail time in the fodder scam could earlier be dismissed as an old (1996) CBI case. But his recent contacts with jailed underworld criminal Shahabuddin, who has Islamist terrorist links, crosses several red lines. Allegations The benami property allegations by the income-tax department against Lalu's family couldn't have come at a worse time, just before the presidential election. The income-tax department is investigating benami properties valued at over Rs 1,000 crore belonging to Lalu's two sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, daughter Misa Bharti and wife Rabri Devi. Lalu believes the file containing details of the properties, on which the CBI and income-tax department based their raids on his family, were vetted by the Nitish government. The BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi has virtually confirmed this. Nitish's decision to back the BJP's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, despite Lalu pleading with him not to make 'a historical blunder' and instead support the Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar, drew a bitter response from Lalu's 27-year-old son and deputy chief minister. Mohammad Shahabuddin is a criminal turned politician. He was elected four times as a Member of Parliament from Siwan, Bihar Tejashwi stated, 'With our opportunistic behaviour or political manipulations, we may score a few goals and make or break governments, but history, unlike television anchors, shall bear witness to the fact that when people needed us to strengthen the cause of progressive and people-centred politics, we decided to look the other way.' Nitish has not restrained his party from hitting back. Sanjay Singh, the JD(U)'s spokesperson, said: 'We are not wearing bangles and are capable of giving replies, but it will only weaken the alliance.' KC Tyagi, the JD(U)'s Rajya Sabha MP, went further. He declared that the JD(U) was 'far more comfortable with the BJP' and that 'the alliance cannot be saved'. Alarmed, Lalu is trying to appease the JD(U), recognising that a break in the alliance would leave his family members even more vulnerable to the corruption cases against them. It is difficult to imagine a more dysfunctional family than Lalu's. He installed his wife as chief minister in 1997 after being forced to resign when an arrest warrant was issued against him on corruption charges. He promoted 'jungle raj' in Bihar. He befriended underworld don Shahabuddin in order to win misguided Muslim votes. He inducted his two sons, both in their twenties, into the Bihar cabinet, including making one of them deputy chief minister. Credibility Nitish cringed at all of this but, in the country's febrile political environment, held his peace. How long can he do so? For every day that he continues his alliance with Lalu, Nitish loses one more sliver of credibility. Lalu's family is meanwhile giving him reasons daily to break this ill-fated and ill-advised alliance. His son Tej Pratap, health minister in Nitish's cabinet, was accused of beating up his own RJD member during an iftar party at Lalu's residence last Friday. Tej Pratap abused and assaulted Sanoj Yadav who had spoken ill of Lalu in a television news channel debate. The decision to end the JD(U)'s alliance with the RJD, despite such daily aggravations, will not be easy for Nitish He is nearly half-way through his term as chief minister. The JD(U) has 71 seats in the 243-seat Bihar assembly. The RJD has 80 seats and the BJP 53. A JD(U)-BJP alliance government would have 124 seats - a working majority. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav (left), Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar, Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal (United) party, Lalu Prasad Yadav (right) of Rashtriya Janata Dal party pose for photographers Realignment Reviving a JD(U)-BJP alliance could help Nitish in three ways. First, he would free himself of the taint of Lalu. Second, like the Biju Janta Dal (BJD), the JD(U) can play a quasi-neutral role in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Third, as a state-level ally of the BJP, Bihar can expect generous fund allocations for the state. If anything, Nitish is as cautious as he is shrewd. Sensing the popular mood in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he made his first tentative move by supporting demonetisation even as every other Opposition party eviscerated it. By supporting the BJP's presidential candidate Kovind over the Opposition's Bihar ki beti Meira Kumar, Nitish has moved a step closer to the political realignments that will inevitably take place before 2019. Nitish is canny enough to do the electoral math for 2019. The Northeast, Tamil Nadu and Odisha are all in play. Rajinikanth's political debut could be a major swing factor. It may, therefore, be arithmetically impossible for the Congress-led Opposition mahagathbandan to stop an expanded NDA from forming a government under Modi in 2019. The BJP, meanwhile, needs to induct fresh talent into the NDA cabinet with defence, external affairs and environment calling out for special attention. Nitish and BJD rebels-in-the-making would be welcome additions to the 2019 Modi cabinet. Given these facts, Nitish will soon have to choose between Lalu, the convict, and Modi, the prime minister. Holidaymakers with health problems are being charged up to 60 times too much for travel insurance, research reveals. People with common conditions such as cancer, diabetes and epilepsy pay more for travel cover because statistics show that they are more likely to make a claim. But a Money Mail investigation has found that, in many cases, the cheapest deals on price comparison websites cost hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds more than those offered by specialist companies even though these sites claim to be able to help customers with pre-existing medical conditions find affordable cover. Experts say this is because the insurers on these websites, which compare hundreds of deals, do not take into account the intricacies of a customer's condition. The cheapest travel cover offered to some sick people on price comparison websites often cost hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds more than those offered by specialist companies In one example, the best price a 50-year-old traveller with breast cancer that has spread to their bones could get via MoneySuperMarket for a two-week holiday to Spain was 1,551 with Saga. Yet specialist firm Insurancewith says it would cover the same person for just 41, while Boots would charge 47. For a traveller of the same age, also going to Spain, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and had since been given the all-clear, the best price available through the website was 261 with Saga. Insurancewith would charge 20 and Boots 23. If the customer had been diagnosed with epilepsy in the past year and reported a seizure that required a hospital stay in the past three months, the cheapest price listed online was 103 with CoverCloud. Insurancewith would charge 17 and Boots 18. The City watchdog is so concerned about the vast differences in premiums being charged that it has launched an investigation into the way insurers are treating customers with long-term health conditions. It wants insurers to explain exactly how they calculate premiums and why specialist insurers can often provide cover for a fraction of the price that is charged by mainstream firms. Unfair: Cancer survivor Andrew Rowston could not visit daughter Liz At least 15 million people in the UK have one or more long-term illnesses, and there are around 2.5 million people living with cancer. Medical advances mean that many of these people are living normal lives and want to be able to go on holiday. But, because they are unable to get affordable travel insurance, they can't go. Andrew Rowston, 55, experienced this first-hand, after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer that had spread to his liver in 2011. He was originally told he had just two years to live. But, after months of chemotherapy and surgery, the former police officer has been cancer-free for five years. Following his treatment, Andrew wanted to visit his daughter, Liz, 26, who was living in Portugal. But the cheapest travel cover he could find was 550 for a week's break. Andrew, from Lincoln, says: 'I couldn't believe the cost. I could fly there and back for 100. There was no way I could afford it, so I didn't end up going. At a time when you want to make the most of your life and have adventures, it just seems so unfair.' Experts say that customers with health conditions struggle when using price comparison websites because they are set up to help those with straightforward needs, rather than complex conditions. Leonora Miles, senior policy adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, says: 'We don't feel insurers are asking the right questions. Often, there is a long form to fill in online that only allows for 'yes' or 'no' questions. This doesn't give customers a proper chance to explain their own circumstances and needs. 'We need more tailored medical screening across the industry, so insurers get a clear picture of the real risk a person poses and can price premiums more fairly.' Often, customers need only tweak an answer slightly for their premium to rocket higher still even if it doesn't really increase the risk they pose. For example, in the breast cancer scenario above, changing an answer to say that the cancer spread within five years after the customer was first diagnosed, instead of more than five years, adds 1,000 to the price of cover. The customer would pay 2,555 instead of 1,551. With Insurancewith, which charges 41, the premium wouldn't change, so this works out more than 60 times cheaper. In its report, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) highlighted Travel Insurance Facilities Group as an example of good practice. In one example, the best price a 50-year-old traveller with breast cancer that has spread to their bones could get via MoneySuperMarket for a two-week holiday to Spain was 1,551 Its screening tool 'Protectif', which is used by Boots and Insurancewith, looks at each customer as an individual, asking questions about everything from medication to their day-to-day activities. Fiona Macrae, from Travel Insurance Facilities Group, says: 'Much of the problem is down to some insurers perceiving certain medical conditions to be a higher risk when they are not. 'The actual travel risk of someone travelling with, say, a metastatic cancer (where cancer has spread in the body) can, in many cases, be less than someone who travels with a condition such as high blood pressure.' Christopher Woolard, executive director of strategy and competition at the FCA, says: 'Being able to access financial services is critical for people to fully participate in society.' The regulator aims to release its findings by the end of the year. James Bridge, of industry trade body the Association of British Insurers, says: 'Travel insurance is widely available for people who have long-term and serious health conditions, including people with cancer. 'Insurers are always striving to find new ways to develop products that are affordable and accessible.' Zena Carter, of MoneySuperMarket, says: 'We don't set the prices listed on our website, but we welcome the FCA probe. We will be sharing our thoughts on the issue of cover for people who have or have had cancer, and the way premiums are calculated. A spokesman for Saga says: 'We are confident that we offer comprehensive cover at a competitive price. We are working alongside the FCA to share our knowledge and support industry-wide changes.' A spokesman for CoverCloud says: 'The prices we charge are based on the rates set by our underwriter and a medical scoring system. Each individual case creates a score, which acts as a multiplier to generate the appropriate rate.' v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk Gas storage firm Infrastrata steamed ahead yesterday after its entire board was purged by embittered shareholders. More than 55 per cent of shareholders voted to remove all four of the company's remaining board members, including former chief executive Andrew Hindle and chairman Kenneth Ratcliff. The board's fifth member, Anita Gardiner, resigned from Infrastrata just one day before yesterday's extraordinary general meeting to 'pursue new opportunities'. They will be replaced by Adrian Pocock, who will become chief executive, and Peter Wale, who will become non-executive director and interim chairman. Boadroom cull: More than 55 per cent of shareholders voted to remove all four of Infrastrata's remaining board members The pair are both Infrastrata shareholders and first called for the board to be thrown out in May. Pocock, 58, has worked as a chartered surveyor with organisations such as the NHS, the Bank of England and British Land, while Wale, 47, is a non-executive director at miner Strategic Minerals. Pocock said: 'Peter and I are extremely grateful for the support of shareholders and look forward to beginning the process of validating that support by creating value for the company.' Investors in Infrastrata have faced something of a rollercoaster ride over the past year as the firm continues to develop a gas storage facility in Northern Ireland. In May, bosses said that it risked running out of cash by August after warning there was no certainty that rescue financing would succeed. STOCK WATCH - NATURE GROUP Waste treatment firm Nature Group sank to an all-time low yesterday after warning it is likely to need emergency funding. It expects its cash position to continue deteriorating despite efforts to improve efficiency and cut costs, due to a challenging market and delay to a significant oil and gas contract. It also tanked last month after revealing revenues declined by more than 25 per cent in 2016 due to restructuring costs. Nature Group shares fell 56.1 per cent, or 4p, to 3.12p. But the firm was boosted after the Government announced a special 400million funding deal for infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Yesterday, shares rose 6.9 per cent, or 0.05p, to 0.78p. In the main markets, van hire firm Northgate was the worst performer, suffering its poorest day in a year after revealing that profits fell by nearly 10 per cent in the year ended April 30. The company saw 114.6million wiped off its value after profits fell from 82.9million to 75million due to a lower number of vehicles on hire in the UK. Despite this, Northgate increased its full year dividend per share by 8 per cent to 16.3p. It has also restructured its UK team to support sales. But this couldn't stop shares falling 16.2 per cent, or 86p, to 446p. The FTSE 100 returned to the red (down 12.44 points to 7434.36) after Monday's gains, despite miners dominating the index after iron ore prices rose by 1.4 per cent. Glencore led the risers, up 3.8 per cent, or 10.45p, to 287.65p, while Rio Tinto rose 3.3 per cent, or 100p, to 3157p, and Anglo American jumped 3.2 per cent, or 31.5p, to 1006p. Bookies had a tough session after analysts downgraded FTSE 250-listed William Hill to 'sell' from 'hold', and cut its price target from 279p to 245p. Analysts said they saw further headwinds for the company after 'punter-friendly' sporting results over the past two months in competitions such as Royal Ascot. They also warned that the firm could be hit by a credit betting ban in Australia and increased interrogation from UK competition authorities. William Hill sank to a one-year low following the downgrade, dropping 4.5 per cent, or 11.7p, to 250.7p, while fellow bookies Paddy Power Betfair and Ladbrokes Coral fell 2.1 per cent, or 185p, to 8455p, and 1.1 per cent, or 1.2p, to 112.5p respectively. The small cap index remained relatively flat despite several poor company results. Housing and care services outsourcer Mears Group slumped 6.3 per cent, or 30.3p, at 449.75p after reporting losses in its care business, which accounts for 17 per cent of group revenues. Big banks are charging loyal homeowners up to 300 a year more than new mortgage customers. Over a standard 25-year term, this means existing customers could be paying as much as 7,500 more than those who regularly switch deals. A Money Mail investigation found that six of Britain's ten largest mortgage lenders charge their own customers higher rates than those switching from another lender. They are Halifax, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Virgin Money, Yorkshire Building Society and TSB. A Money Mail investigation found that six of Britain's ten largest mortgage lenders charge their own customers higher rates than those switching from another lender For the first time, we can expose the huge difference this can make to your yearly mortgage bill. Lenders argue that comparing rates for homebuyers and people remortgaging is not a like-for-like comparison. But experts say it doesn't matter and accuse lenders of exploiting their customers' loyalty. Andrew Montlake, of broker Coreco, says: 'It's time lenders woke up and smelt the coffee. There is no justification for charging your existing customers a higher rate than new customers. 'Lenders are trying to boost their profits, so they can offer eye-catching deals to attract new customers.' Halifax's best deal for new customers is a 1.03 per cent two-year fixed-rate, available to borrowers with a 40 per cent deposit. It costs 567 a month on a 150,000 loan, and will set you back 14,615 over two years, including the 999 fee. But the best rate on offer to existing customers is a 1.39 per cent two-year fix for borrowers with a 40 per cent deposit, costing 25 more a month and 596 more over two years. A spokesman for Halifax points out that the deal for new customers is only for borrowers buying a new home, whereas the deal for existing customers is for those remortgaging. TSB's best deal for new customers is a two-year fixed-rate at 1.29 per cent, costing 585 a month or 15,040 over the first two years, including the 995 fee. It's only available through brokers, for borrowers buying a new home. By comparison, its best deal for existing customers is a 1.43 per cent two-year fixed-rate, which is 10 a month more. However, as it doesn't have a fee, it works out 761 cheaper over two years. Santander's cheapest two-year fixed-rate is a 1.19 per cent deal reserved for new borrowers. It costs 578 a month and 14,878 over two years. Its best deal for existing customers is slightly more expensive, at 1.23 per cent. This nudges up the repayments by 3 a month, meaning it is 67 more expensive over two years. RBS has a 1.42 per cent two-year fixed-rate for new borrowers looking to buy a home. It works out at 594 a month, or 15,258 over two years. Its best deal for existing customers is a 1.8 per cent two-year fix, which costs 27 more each month and 648 more over two years. Banks are charging loyal homeowners up to 300 a year more than new customers Yorkshire Building Society's lowest fixed- rate deal for new customers is a 0.99 per cent two-year fixed-rate for borrowers with a 40 per cent deposit. This works out at 565 a month on a 150,000 loan, or 15,046 in the first two years with the 1,495 fee. However, it doesn't offer a 40 per cent deposit option to existing customers. For these borrowers, the cheapest deal is a 1.34 per cent two-year fix, for which you need at least a 35 per cent deposit. It costs 589 a month 24 more than the lowest rate on offer to new customers and 77 more in the first two years. A Yorkshire BS spokesman says: 'We seek to keep the rates offered to new and existing borrowers as close as possible and always offer competitive mortgages and great service to all types of customer.' Virgin Money offers the same rates to new and existing customers. However, it reserves its best deal for new borrowers who apply via brokers. For example, the cheapest fixed-rate deal for existing customers is a 1.28 per cent two-year fixed-rate for borrowers with a 35 per cent deposit. On a 150,000 loan, this deal costs 585 a month and 15,024 after two years. But it offers a 1.19 per cent two-year fixed-rate, its cheapest deal, only to customers who apply through brokers. A Virgin spokesman says: 'We occasionally offer products more suited to the types of customer served by the broker market. But the vast majority of the range is available to both direct and indirect customers.' By contrast, lenders such as HSBC and Coventry BS offer the same rates to new and existing customers. Nationwide gives loyal borrowers a 0.1 percentage point discount, and Barclays offers reduced fees on some loyalty deals. Ray Boulger, of broker John Charcol, says: 'This is a major issue for borrowers who can't move to a new lender because they don't meet their criteria. 'For everyone else, the best thing is shop around for a better deal, rather than just accept what your lender offers you.' p.thomas@dailymail.co.uk Payment protection insurance and flights attracted most complaints from British consumers, research shows. They used free online complaints tool Resolver to air more than one million gripes since its launch three years ago. A quarter, 262,000, were about mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI). Outlet: The Resolver website allows people to complain about almost any consumer product or service PPI is one of the biggest recent mis-selling scandals and banks have had to pay out billions in compensation. Flights attracted 211,000 complaints, while 155,000 involved packaged bank accounts where you pay a fee to get extras like phone and travel insurance. In-store and online shopping attracted the next largest number, followed by meals out and mobile phones. Consumers also made 23,000 complaints about takeaway meals. The website allows people to complain about almost any consumer product or service. Resolver then works directly with the company involved to get a response on behalf of the customer. Customers who have an issue with a firm can log on to resolver.co.uk, select the company they have a dispute with and fill out the appropriate form. The firm says it has recouped about 400 million for customers to date. l.eccles@dailymail.co.uk Campaigners have attacked the Co-op Bank for abandoning its roots over a rescue plan which will hand US vulture funds a 99 per cent stake. The lender has been battling to plug a black hole in its finances, and abandoned a sale this week after no compelling offers were received. This deal will see hedge fund investors take a larger stake in the bank and pump in nearly 700 million to keep it afloat. Campaigners have attacked the Co-op Bank for abandoning its roots over a rescue plan which will hand US vulture funds a 99 per cent stake But critics argued the lender should lose its co-operative status and be treated like any other large corporation. Members of the public who are bondholders face losing 55 per cent of their cash under the rescue plan. Labour MP John Mann said: The Co-op Bank is clearly no longer a co-operative and must be renamed. Anything else would be misleading to customers. The bank is already 80 per cent-owned by American hedge funds which saved it in 2013. Labour MP John Mann said: The Co-op Bank is clearly no longer a co-operative and must be renamed. Anything else would be misleading to customers Its traditional owner the Co-op Group kept 20 per cent but this will now be slashed to 1 per cent. A relationship agreement which saw bank services promoted to Co-op members will also end. The split raises questions about whether the bank is still a true co-operative as it is no longer controlled by members. However, the banks chairman Dennis Holt insisted it was still an ethical organisation which was worthy of the name. A MUTUAL QUESTION To be a co-operative, a company must have a voluntary membership open to all without discrimination, democratic control by members who can vote on decisions and independence from businesses and the Government. Education and training must be available for members. Under new owners, Co-Op Group will have a 1 per cent stake. A final decision on whether the bank remains a co-operative will be made in conjunction with the City watchdog. Being a co-operative is all about behaviour, its about values, its about ethics, and thats embodied in the DNA of this bank and the owners are fully committed to that, he said. The Financial Conduct Authority and Department for Business will decide if the lender can still call itself a co-operative. Neither would comment yesterday. Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operatives UK, said: We welcome the new capital agreement for the bank. We will continue to monitor and review our approval for the use of the name. The rescue will see 443 million raised by asking bondholders who are mostly the same hedge funds which own the lender to swap debt for shares. Another 250 million will come from the sale of more equity to existing investors. Holt would not say how many retail bondholders would be affected. However, it was announced that anyone with a holding of under 100,000 would receive up to 45p back for every 1 they had invested. A deal has also been reached over the 10 billion Co-op Group pension scheme, which the bank has been partly responsible for. The 90,000-member plan will be split in two, with the bank shouldering responsibility for 21 per cent of assets and liabilities. Bosses have pledged to pump in 100 million over the next decade to handle the schemes deficit. Bernie Sanders had ripped into the FBI over its probe into his wife's real estate deal for a now-defunct college describing her as 'the most honest person I know'. The investigation is looking into allegations Jane Sanders made fraudulent claims and promises while seeking $10 million in financing for a real estate deal while she was the president of Burlington College, from 2004 to 2011. It follows a complaint filed in 2016 by Donald Trump's Vermont campaign chairman, Brady Toensing, who also accused Sanders, the Vermont senator, of using his office to pressure a bank to approve the loan. Responding to that on Tuesday, Sanders told CNN: 'All that I will tell you now is it's a sad state of affairs in America when not only we have politicians being destroyed but when you go after people's wives. That's pretty pathetic.' Bernie Sanders had ripped into the FBI over its probe into his wife's real estate deal for a now-defunct college (pictured: with wife Jane) He explained: 'When she came to that college, it was failing financially and academically. When she left it, it was in better shape. 'Five years later, just at the moment - coincidentally, no doubt - when I am a candidate for president of the United States, Donald Trump's campaign manager, vice chairman of the Republican Party in Vermont, launched this investigation.' The FBI's investigation ultimately stems from a January 2016 complaint, claiming Jane Sanders falsified the $10 million loan application. The FBI's investigation ultimately stems from a January 2016 complaint, claiming Jane Sanders falsified the $10 million loan application Despite her husband's claims, it was reportedly launched more than a year ago by the Obama administration. He added: 'I think it's pathetic that when people are involved in public life, it's not only they get attacked, but it is their wives and their families that get attacked. That's what this is about.' Sanders, an independent, ran for president as a Democrat last year but was ousted in the primary by Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the general election. Bernie Sanders remains one of Vermont's most popular politicians. He took that popularity nationwide in the 2016 presidential primary campaign, and he remains a leader of the progressive political movement in the US Jane Sanders has hired a lawyer to look after her interests, a family spokesman said. In 2010, Jane Sanders was president of the tiny Burlington College when she brokered a $10 million deal for the college to buy the last undeveloped parcel of land in Burlington on the Lake Champlain waterfront. At the time Jane Sanders, a longtime political adviser to her husband, promised the deal would be paid for with increases in enrollment from about 180 to 500 students and $2.7 million in donations. She left the college in 2011. In a previously unreleased letter from Jane Sanders to the Burlington College board provided by Weaver, she wrote that during her seven years at the college she had improved its financial outlook, the accreditation had improved and the college had gone from not offering any financial aid to offering $400,000 in student aid. But the increase in the size of the student body and the promised donations didn't materialize. By 2014, the college had about $11 million in debt, and the only significant asset it had was the land. The college ended up selling much of the land, which is now being developed. The college closed for good in 2016. Richard T. Wilson, Sr., 63, of Sandusky was charged with domestic violence after he allegedly used both of his prosthetic limbs in an attack on his wife An Ohio man has been accused of using both of his prosthetic legs to attack his wife. Sandusky police say 63-year-old Richard T. Wilson Sr. was arrested Saturday after allegedly throwing one prosthetic leg at his spouse's head. Ronna Wilson told police he then used the other other to try to strike her again, but she managed to fend him off. She told police that her husband became angry after officers responded to a report of him being disorderly at his home the day before, according to the Sandusky Register. A man called police to say his mother had been assaulted by Wilson. After the police left, Ronna Wilson said her husband threw one of his prosthetic legs at her, striking her head, and threw her to the ground. She told police that he then tried to strike her with his other prosthetic leg but she was able to ward off the blows with her wrist. Wilson allegedly threw one of his prosthetic legs (not pictured) at his wife's head, then tried to strike her with his other, but she was able to block it with her arm Police noted that the woman's arm was swollen. Wilson was jailed in Erie County on Saturday and denies assaulting his wife. He reportedly said he was angry because his wife was 'getting him in trouble.' Court records don't indicate an attorney for him. Martin Shkreli's lawyer admitted the Twitter history of the 'Pharma Bro' is 'just horrific' during the second day of jury selection for the securities fraud trial of the former pharmaceutical CEO. Defense attorney Benjamin Brafman made the comment in Brooklyn federal court Tuesday after Judge Kiyo Matsumoto excused one prospective juror. The man told Matsumoto that he worked for a media company where he became aware of Shkreli's use of Twitter to troll his critics. 'I've seen some of the defamatory comments he's made on that platform,' the man said. Out of earshot of the man, defense attorney Benjamin Brafman told the sidebar: 'Unfortunately, the Twitter history is just horrific. 'The Twitter is probably the most prejudicial part of Mr Shkreli's (case),' Brafman added, according to CNBC. Martin Shkreli's, lawyer Benjamin Brafman, left, admitted the Twitter history of the 'Pharma Bro', right, is 'just horrific' during the second day of jury selection for the securities fraud trial of the former pharmaceutical CEO. The two are pictured leaving the courthouse Tuesday The court struggled to pick a pool of prospective jurors who could ignore the bad publicity surrounding Shkreli, right. No jurors were seated after Tuesday's selection proceedings Jury selection hit a rough patch on Tuesday as the court struggled to pick a pool of prospective jurors who could ignore the swirl of bad publicity for Shkreli, notorious for price-gouging. There were no jurors seated after Tuesday's selection proceedings. A third day of jury selection in Martin Shkreli's trial is expected for Wednesday with opening statements put off until Thursday morning. On Tuesday, defense lawyers complained to the judge that news coverage of potential jurors' negative remarks about him was tainting the process. Under questioning by the judge, one of them had called him 'the face of corporate greed,' a reference to his reputation for raising the price of a life-saving drug by 5,000 per cent and making no apologies about it. The judge denied defense requests to start the selection over and ban reporters from listening in on sidebars. She agreed to re-question about 40 people who had already qualified for the pool as a precaution. On Monday, jury selection for the trial was also hampered by Shrekli's infamous reputation. Several potential jurors were excused after telling the judge they couldn't be impartial toward the flamboyant former pharmaceutical CEO because of his notoriety for raising the cost of Daraprim, which treats toxoplasmosis and HIV, from $13.50 to $750 a pill. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto questioned the potential jurors out of earshot from Shkreli. After one prospective juror was excused by Judge Kiyo Matsumoto because of his knowledge of Shkreli's Twitter account, Brafman said to the sidebar in the court room: 'Unfortunately, the Twitter history is just horrific. The Twitter is probably the most prejudicial part of Mr Shkreli's (case)' Many did not not hold back when giving their opinions of the bad boy pharma bro. 'I think he's a very evil man,' said a woman from Brooklyn, according to CNBC. One frank juror was sent home after confiding that when she saw Shkreli sitting at the defense table, 'I said in my head, "That's a snake.'" What potential jurors said about the 'Pharma Bro' 'I think he's a very evil man.' 'I said in my head, "That's a snake.'' 'This is the price gouger of drugs.' 'The most hated man in America.' 'I have total disdain for the man.' 'He kind of looks like a d**k.' Advertisement 'I have total disdain for the man,' one man said. Another juror said: 'This is the price gouger of drugs. My kids are on some of these drugs.' One called him 'the face of corporate greed,' another labeled him 'the most hated man in America.' One man saved words and merely gestured as if wringing the defendant's neck. 'He kind of looks like a d**k,' said another man. One woman called the defendant 'the most hated man in America.' She added that her elderly father who had cancer was struggling to pay $1,000 a month for his prescriptions. Other jurors confused him with yet another astronomical drug price rise that drew outrage - the EpiPen. The life-saving drug for people with allergies had its price jacked by Mylan last year. 'Is this the person who raised the charge of the EpiPen?' a woman repeatedly asked the judge. Upon being told the case had nothing to do with EpiPen, the woman, seemingly unconvinced, told the judge she had three children who relied on EpiPen. Martin Shkreli, 34, a former pharmaceutical executive, gained notoriety for hiking up the price of Daraprim, which treats toxoplasmosis and HIV. He increased the price of the life-saving drug from $13.50 to $750 a pill Shkreli faces charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy for allegedly cheating investors out of more than $11million between 2009 and 2014 One woman, however, was dismissed not because she would be biased towards convicting Shkreli, but the exact opposite. 'I could never convict him,' she told the judge, going on to state that she believes the stock market is nothing but a scam. Opening statements are now expected to be on Thursday. Shkreli's brashness had continued even with a potential prison sentence hanging over his head. He has blatantly defied his attorneys' advice to lay low and keep quiet. The former pharmaceutical CEO, who became a pariah after raising the cost of a life-saving drug 5,000 per cent, has been preening for cameras and trolling on social media, potentially complicating his defense. 'I'm excited,' Shkreli said of the trial in a brief phone call last week to The Associated Press. 'I can't wait.' Shkreli is accused of mismanaging money in a 'Ponzi scheme' at his investment funds and he faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted The securities fraud trial of the former pharmaceutical CEO began Monday in Brooklyn federal court and after two days of jury selection, will continue to try to seat jurors on Wednesday. Opening statements are now expected to begin on Thursday Shkreli has been preening for cameras and trolling on social media, potentially complicating his defense. He spoke about the trial to the Associated Press last week and said: 'I'm excited. I can't wait' Since his high-profile arrest in late 2015 when he was led into court in a gray hoodie, Shkreli has been free on bail and free to speak his mind. He went on Twitter to label members of Congress 'imbeciles' for demanding to know why his company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, raised the price of Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill. He took to YouTube for a series of lessons on chemistry and stock market analysis. His Twitter posts mocking a freelance journalist turned so creepy - one showed a fake photo of him canoodling with her - that his account was shut down. And on Facebook, he mused about the possibility of being 'unjustly imprisoned.' The 34-year-old Shkreli 'travels to the beat of a very unique drummer,' exasperated-sounding defense attorney Benjamin Brafman said at a pretrial hearing this month. Legal experts say there are obvious reasons lawyers want clients facing serious criminal charges to keep quiet. 'It's twofold: You don't want to antagonize the judge and you don't want to get the attention of the jury in a way that hurts your case,' said veteran New York City defense attorney Gerald Lefcourt. Shkreli was arrested in late 2015, but has been free on bail and free to speak his mind Among a number of posts to his social media pages, Shkreli's tweets mocking a freelance journalist became so creepy - one showed a fake photo of him canoodling with her - that his account was shut down Columbia law professor John Coffee compared the situation to President Donald Trump's unruly tweeting habits. 'A lawyer can caution him,' he said. 'But just like Trump, he doesn't have to listen.' Though Shkreli's notoriety came from Daraprim, the federal securities fraud case is unrelated. Prosecutors say that after Shkreli lost millions of dollars through bad trades through his side business hedge fund, he looted a second pharmaceutical company for $11 million to pay them back. The defense has argued that he had good intentions. 'Everybody got paid back in this case,' his lawyer said. 'Whatever else he did wrong, he ultimately made them whole.' The defense has floated the possibility that it would put Shkreli on the witness stand to try to highlight how he grew up in a working-class Albanian family in Brooklyn, taught himself chemistry, interned at a financial firm founded by CNBC's Jim Cramer and struck out on his own to become a rising star in biotechnology startups. He wanted to develop new life-saving drugs after seeing 'several classmates and other children he knew struck down by debilitating disease,' court papers say. Prosecutors call it a ploy to portray the boyish-looking Shkreli as 'a Horatio Alger-like figure who, through hard work and intelligence, is in a position to do great things if only the jury would ignore the evidence and base its verdict on sympathy.' The real Shkreli was a con man often undone by his own mouth, they say. Though no jurors were seated in Brooklyn federal court (pictured) US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto agreed to re-question about 40 people who had already qualified for the pool as a precaution The government has cited claims by one of Shkreli's former employees that Shkreli harassed his family in a dispute over shares of stock. 'I hope to see you and your four children homeless and will do whatever I can to assure this,' Shkreli wrote the employee's wife, according to court filings. Prosecutors also used his boasts about some of his purchases of eccentric collectibles to undermine efforts to reduce his bail from $5 million to $2 million. If he needed to raise cash to pay legal fees and back taxes, they argued, why not sell the one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album that he brought for $2 million or his Nazi-era Engima code-breaking machine? Also cited were his offers to pay a $100,000 bounty for finding the killer of a Democratic National Committee staffer and $40,000 in tuition for a Princeton student who solved a math problem he posed during a guest lecture at the school earlier this year. Shkreli 'is not the demon he's been made out to be,' the student, Yuan Wang, told the AP. Still, he added, 'I haven't received the money yet.' The White House's warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about another possible chemical weapons attack was also aimed at Russia and Iran, according to President Donald Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. Nikki Haley said the goal of the warning was not just to send Assad a message, but to also warn two of Assad's key backers. During congressional testimony on Tuesday, the ambassador said she hopes the president's warning will force Russia and Iran to think twice about supporting Assad. Haley called Assad 'barbaric'. She said she doesn't 'see a healthy Syria with Assad in place'. Her remarks came about 12 hours after the White House said it had identified 'potential preparations' for another chemical weapons attack by Assad on the Syrian people. President Donald Trump's ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, pictured Tuesday, said the White House's warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about another possible chemical weapons attack was also aimed at Russia and Iran A picture released on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency today shows President Bashar al-Assad sitting inside a Sukhoi Su-27 during his visit to the Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria The Pentagon on Tuesday said it detected 'active preparations' by Syria for a chemical weapons attack, giving weight to a White House statement hours earlier that the Syrian government would 'pay a heavy price' if it carried out such an attack. The statement was issued without supporting evidence or further explanation. Assad's government rejected the allegations. The US accusation and ominous warning marked a further escalation of tensions in a country where the US is using Syrian Arab and Kurdish proxy soldiers to combat the Islamic State group in its remaining strongholds, even as Russia and Iran work to prop up President Assad, who has gained the upper hand in a long civil war. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt Jeff Davis, said the US had seen 'activity' at Shayrat airfield that 'indicated active preparations for chemical weapons use'. That is the same base from which the Syria air force launched an attack in April that the US and others said used lethal chemicals to kill civilians. Syria denied the charge. Haley spoke at a congressional testimony Tuesday, pictured. She commented that the goal of Monday's warning was not just to send Assad a message, but to also warn two of his key backers. She said she hopes the president's warning will force Russia and Iran to think twice about supporting Assad The UN ambassador also called Assad 'barbaric' and said she doesn't 'see a healthy Syria with Assad in place' The White House said that the impending attack will likely harm 'innocent children and civilians'. 'The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack. 'As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. 'If, however, Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price,' it said. There was no further detail given of how the US will respond to a fresh attack. If imminent, the attack would coincide with the end of Eid. President Assad greeted fellow worshipers as he left a mosque in Hama on Sunday to observe the holiday. On April 4, 89 people died in a Sarin gas attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun. Photographs taken in the aftermath of the atrocity of children writhing in pain as adults frantically tried to clean their bodies with water bottles shocked the world. The attack was so horrifying it prompted President Trump to launch missile strikes on one of the Assad regime's airbases. Assad not only denied having any role in the attack but suggested that it was a hoax that had been thought up by one of his many enemies. The White House has accused the Assad regime of preparing for another chemical weapons attack on 'innocent children and civilians' If the attack is imminent, it coincides with the end of Eid which draws to a close on Tuesday. Assad observed the Muslim holiday. He is pictured leaving a mosque in Hama on Sunday He suggested that the photographs which shocked the world including those of a grieving father weeping over his dead twin babies had been staged by terrorist groups eager to turn the West against him. He was bolstered in his offensive claims by the Kremlin which also criticized how the blast site was handled after the atrocity. US troops are already in Syria providing training and resources to Kurdish an Arab rebel forces in their ongoing fight against ISIS. As the White House posted its warning on Monday, news emerged that a group of Kurdish fighters had seized al-Qadisiy, part of the ISIS stronghold Raqqa. A spokeswoman for the group Syrian Democratic Force said it was the result of sustained airstrikes in the region since the start of the month. Civilians in the region reported artillery and rocket launches on Monday. They shared their observations on the Facebook group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, one of the few remaining ways for them to communicate with the rest of the world. Assad's military conflict predates the spread of ISIS in Syria which now dominates news of the country's catastrophic state. After his remarks about the April 4 attack, the parents of some of the children killed in it begged the rest of the world to expose him for the 'lying criminal' they say he is. One, whose twin babies died in the blast, told MailOnline of his anguish. 'How can he pretend that they are not dead? How? We saw them. We buried them with our own hands,' Abdul Hamid al-Yousef said. 'I pray that all the governments of all the world do not believe the lies of this criminal regime,' he added. Civilians had to be hosed down with water after the Sarin gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 to ensure there was no chemical residue left A father brings his child to one of few remaining hospitals in the region after the attack. It was images like these that President Assad suggested had been faked The White House issued its statement shortly before 10pm on Monday evening President Trump was quick in his response to April's attack, authorizing the missile air strikes just three days later. In an emboldened speech afterwards, he said: 'Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children. 'It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. 'No child of God should ever suffer such horror.' Ivanka Trump said she was proud of the move, saying: 'The times we live in call for difficult decisions.' It was later reported that the strikes had been ordered at her insistence after she saw the harrowing images from the attack site. The new Australia Post CEO has said the salary was not a factor in deciding to take the position, after it was revealed her pay packet was almost half of what her male predecessor was paid. Speaking to Sunrise co-host David Koch on Wednesday morning, Christine Holgate appeared to downplay the importance of her salary. 'This might sound peculiar to people, but I never asked what the salary was, it wasn't a factor in me deciding to do the job,' she said. Scroll down for video 'This might sound peculiar to people, but I never asked what the salary was, it wasn't a factor in me deciding to do the job,' 'I always said that they would pay me what they thought was fair. Taking the job had nothing to do with pay.' Ms Holgate, an expat from Britain, was appointed as CEO at Australia Post this month. She replaced former CEO Ahmed Fahour to become the first female chief executive at the company. Ms Holgate, who was the Blackmores CEO, is due to officially step into the Australia Post position in October. Her appointment to the position was followed by outrage when it was revealed on Tuesday she would be payed almost half as much as her male predecessor. 'I always said that they would pay me what they thought was fair. Taking the job had nothing to do with pay,' Ms Holgate said Speaking to David Koch on Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Christine Holgate appeared to downplay the importance of her salary Ms Holgate (pictured) will reportedly earn $1.375 with a potential bonus of the same amount Former CEO Ahmed Fahour resigned after almost eight years in the job after he was embroiled in scandal over his bloated $4.4 million salary and $2.2 million bonus. Ms Holgate will reportedly earn $1.375 with a potential bonus of the same amount. Outgoing boss Mr Fahour congratulated Ms Holgate via Twitter on Monday. 'Congrats to Christine Holgate on becoming Post's next managing director and CEO great fit for our people, customers and business,' he said. Outgoing CEO Ahmed Fahour tweeted his congratulations to Ms Holgate, saying she will be a 'great fit' Outgoing boss Mr Fahour congratulated Ms Holgate (pictured) via Twitter on Monday A Muslim mother-of-two claims Bradford Council told her they would not process her application because no Muslim children were up for adoption. Selena Afzal said she was advised not to waste her time filling in the forms as she was a Muslim and would not be considered to adopt children of other faiths. The 36-year-old said: 'They said they would not allow me to adopt a non-Muslim child and that even if I put an application in it would not be considered as I am a Muslim. 'The adoption team told me to call back in a year to see if they had any Muslim children then. I was dumbfounded.' A mother-of-two has claimed Bradford Council (pictured, Bradford City Hall) would not process her adoption application as no Muslim children were available Ms Afzal, who is on a career break from her job as a police sergeant, said she has two of her own children but had recently decided to pursue her dream of adopting. She added: 'It's something I have always wanted to do so I did a lot of research and decided to start the process. 'But last month when I was speaking to the adoption team they cut me off as soon as I mentioned I was Muslim. 'I didn't ever think race or religion would ever come into it so long as I can provide the child a safe, happy and secure home. 'I would naturally teach the child about my faith but I would never take the faith they were born into away from them. I would be duty bound to teach that child about their faith whether they were Roman Catholic or whatever. 'It would be their decision when they are older what faith if any they want to follow and the same goes for my own two daughters.' Ms Afzal, who is separated from the father of her two children, said she now cannot afford to pursue any other avenues of adopting and will be returning to work. She added: 'It's sad, I would have been happy to take any child who needed a home. 'It should be about raising good citizens not religion. 'Social services are always crying out for good parents to adopt and they shouldn't be turning people away on the grounds of race or religion. It really saddens me.' As no formal application was ever made Bradford Council could not find any record of Ms Afzal and her experience in applying to adopt in their records, so said they 'cannot comment on this specific case.' However, a spokesman added: 'Bradford Council's adoption services have now transferred to a newly established regional adoption agency. Sandeep and Reena Mander (pictured) said they were rejected as potential parents because only white children were available 'Bradford Council would be happy to pass on details of local adoption agencies, which could explore the lady's potential to offer an adoptive home.' It comes as an adoption agency which refused to allow a Sikh couple to adopt a white child because of their 'cultural heritage' was accused of racial discrimination last night. Sandeep and Reena Mander, who were both born in Britain, say they were rejected as potential parents because only white children were available. The couple, both business professionals in their 30s, told the agency they were happy to adopt a child of any ethnic background. But they were allegedly told that white British or European applicants would be given preference and were advised to adopt a child from India. Adopt Berkshire, an agency run by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, was widely criticised for its stance last night. THE CHANGING FACE OF ADOPTION By Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent for the Daily Mail Race laws to prevent white parents adopting ethnic minority children crept into the rulebooks used by social workers and adoption societies in the 1980s. Adoption became deeply unfashionable among social work chiefs, one of whom remarked in the 1990s: It is society itself that has decided it no longer wants to see babies farmed out to middle-class mothers. Social workers made efforts to match children only with parents of precisely the same racial background, calling, for example, for Algerian/Irish parents for a child of Algerian and Irish natural parents. Adoption rates improved after 2000, when Tony Blair took the view that children in state care had little chance of a decent life and the best option was to find a new family. David Camerons government insisted no adoption should be halted just because of attempts to racially match child and adoptive parents. The 2011 rules were pushed through by then Education Secretary Michael Gove, who was himself adopted. Support for transracial adoption has been widespread. In a landmark case in 2015, appeal judges overruled social workers who said two black boys should not be brought up by white parents and said the adoption should go ahead. The former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips, said when he stepped down in 2012 that if I had ordered an inquiry it would have shown clearly that the life chances of children are much, much better in a family of any race. He added: My regret is that hundreds of children, maybe thousands of children, would now be in families but got stuck in the care system. Advertisement Sociologist Dr Patricia Morgan said: 'It's an extraordinary decision. They should not be prevented from adopting because of their cultural heritage. 'If they are decent parents, I can't see the problem. Sadly, this does still happen and this kind of behaviour is rather racist.' Former children's minister Tim Loughton said the decision 'completely flies in the face of reforms to adoption' implemented by the Government in 2011. 'Discriminating against them for cultural heritage is something which should have been consigned to history,' the Tory MP said. 'This case absolutely needs to be challenged given that great strides have been made to encourage more families to come forward to offer a home to children in the care system. This sends out all the wrong messages to children who desperately need a loving family.' Government guidelines say it is 'unacceptable' for local authorities or adoption agencies to reject parents who have a different racial or cultural background to the child. The move was designed to end the adoption crisis of five years ago that led to thousands of children being left in state care as social workers searched for a perfect or partial ethic match. Despite this, councils and agencies are allowed to prioritise parents from the same ethnic or religious group. The Manders have launched a legal challenge against Adopt Berkshire. The couple, who live in a 1million detached five-bedroom home in Maidenhead, were assessed during a home visit from Adopt Berkshire, who allegedly told them they were suitable candidates except for their cultural background. Mr Mander, a 35-year-old sales executive, told the BBC: 'They took the colour of our skin as the over-riding reason not to progress with the application. 'I could tell it wasn't going to end nicely. She asked what background we were from. I said we were from an Indian background, and she said they were 'unable to prioritise us', and they wouldn't look at our case. 'We are angry and upset that this happens in this particular day and age. We know that we will be very good adopters.' Mrs Mander, 33, added: 'We want to make sure that this doesn't happen to other couples.' Adopt Berkshire said: 'We do not comment on ongoing court cases.' In another case, a Muslim mother says Bradford Council told her they would not process her application because no Muslim children were up for adoption. Selena Afzal, 36, who is on a career break from her job as a police sergeant and is separated from the father of her two children, said she was advised not to waste her time filling in the forms. She said: 'The adoption team told me to call back in a year to see if they had any Muslim children then. I was dumbfounded,' she said. As no formal application was ever made, Bradford Council said it could find no record of Miss Afzal and 'cannot comment on this specific case'. A Texas couple has been jailed after their baby son tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine. Rebecca Lynne Landry and her boyfriend Terren Gevon Morris were both arrested last week in Dallas. Child Protection Services says it had been investigating the pair since April after receiving a report that 21-year-old Landry was smoking marijuana while she was pregnant. The same report claimed she had been smoking methamphetamine while breastfeeding. Rebecca Landry, 21, and Terren Morris, 26, were arrested for endangering a child this week after their five-month-old son tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine Dallas News reports that in an interview with CPS, the young mother said she smoked marijuana heavily in high school but said she hadn't for years. She admitted smoking methamphetamine on New Year's Eve but claimed it was the last time, and also said she had snorted cocaine in April. Morris, 26, claimed he stayed away from drugs because he was on parole for burglary. But drug tests revealed both had been lying. They each had traces of cocaine and methamphetamine in their systems. The child also had 'high levels' of methamphetamine in his system. He was taken out of their care in May while the pair were investigated. Both Landry and Morris were charged with abandoning or endangering a child. She met her $10,000 bond and was released. He remains in Collin County Jail awaiting a court date. Riduan Isamuddinm Hambali (pictured) had allegedly been planning attacks on the US and Israeli embassies in Australia The man behind the Bali bombings had been plotting terror attacks in Australia, his charge sheet has revealed. Riduan Isamuddinm Hambali, who was charged in the United States over the weekend with plotting the 2002 attack which killed 88 Australians, had also plotted to hit the Israeli and US embassies in Australia, reported ABC News. His charge sheet alleges he had met with Australian man Jack Roche in 2000, funded his travel to Afghanistan and paid him $US4,000 to monitor the Israeli and US embassies in Canberra, and the Israeli consulate in Sydney. Roche was also a member of terror cell Jemaah Islamiah (JI), which had strong ties to Middle Eastern terror cells. Hambali is accused of masterminding the 2002 Bali Bombings, which killed 88 Australians (pictured) It is alleged Australian man Jack Roche had been paid $US4000 to monitor the embassies in Canberra and the Israeli consulate in Sydney (pictured: US embassy in Canberra) Hambali's charge sheet from the US Pentagon claims Hambali had close ties to 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden (pictured: mourners at the funeral for Bali Bombing victim Tim Hawkins) In 2004, he pleaded guilty halfway through his trial to conspire to bomb the Israeli consulate in Canberra. It is claimed Hambali had become close to Osama bin Laden, who masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, and became a violent terrorist at his bidding. His charge sheet, from the war prosecutor at the Pentagon, referred to him as an 'important' member of JI, and stated he 'became close to bin Laden and Al Qaeda associates.' The charge sheet claims Hambali had orchestrated the Bali attacks (pictured: mourners at the site of the blast) The charge sheet further claims Hambali 'did not expect so many people to die and he was surprised by the outcome' The US document further alleges the Bali Bombings, which killed 202 people, had been orchestrated by Hambali, but that he had not anticipated the high death toll. 'He did not expect so many people to die and he was surprised by the outcome,' the document states. Hambali was first detained by the CIA in 2003, and has been in Guantanamo Bay since 2006. He is the first person from the military prison to be charged since Donald Trump assumed the Presidency of the United States. If he is found guilty, he could face a death sentence. Now mom could join son behind bars as she awaits trial for aiding his flight 10 years probation but is currently jailed for violating terms of release The mother of 'affluenza teen' Ethan Couch was allegedly in possession of a gun, according to prosecutors, which would be a second violation of her bond. Tonya Couch, 49, had already been accused of violating her bond by drinking alcohol. Prosecutors filed a motion last week in Fort Worth, Texas, seeking to revoke her bond. They amended the motion Tuesday to include the allegation that she was in possession of a gun on June 24 on top of her alleged alcohol violation, which they say happened on May 20, the Star-Telegram reported. Couch has been charged with money laundering and hindering the apprehension of a felon, but has been free on bond since January 2016. Those charges stem from her 2015 flight to Mexico with son Ethan Couch, 20, who killed four in a 2013 drunk driving crash that his lawyers blamed on 'affluenza', meaning he couldn't tell right from wrong because of his affluent upbringing. Ethan Couch was sentenced to 10 years probation in that case but is currently behind bars after skipping a probation meeting and fleeing with his mother to Mexico in 2015. Scroll down for video With a cigarette in her hand, Tonya Couch is seen serving drinks last year at the Honky Tonk Woman Saloon in Azle, Texas, the same day she was released from home confinement Tonya Couch, left, is seen leaving court with her attorney after making a brief appearance in September. She could now be jailed after allegedly violating her parole by drinking and being in possession of a gun The 49-year-old (left) could now join her son Ethan (right) in Tarrant County Jail, where he is serving out a two-year prison sentence for violating his probation Because prosecutors have filed a motion to revoke Tonya's bond, she could join her son behind bars as she awaits trial, after prosecutors said she 'failed to abstain from the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages' in a motion reported by the Star-Telegram. Last year it was reported that she was working as a bartender at the Honky Tonk Woman Saloon in Azle, Texas. That job was approved by the county probation office, but the conditions of her bond prohibited her from consuming or possessing alcohol. Couch was spotted at the bar on the day she was released from her home confinement. In April, t he Texas Supreme Court denied an early release request for Couch, who was 16 when he got behind the wheel of his father's F-150 truck with three times the legal limit for alcohol in his blood. He smashed into a stationary white Mercedes SUV at 70mph, killing the driver, Breanna Mitchell, along with mother and daughter Holly and Shelby Boyles and pastor Brian Jennings, who were all trying to help Mitchell get her car going. Ethan Couch's father is also currently on probation, after he was found guilty of falsely impersonating a police officer last year. Fred Couch, 51, was charged in September 2014 with impersonating a police officer, which is a Class B misdemeanor. The charge stems from an August 2014 incident in which he was armed with a gun when he went to Keith Capo's doorstep along with a neighbor to talk about a disagreement that took place days earlier. Tonya Couch and her son left Texas and headed to Mexico after a video surfaced on social media in early December 2015 showing Ethan at an alcohol-fueled party, in likely violation of his probation deal. Couch is seen being taken into custody after she was captured while on the run her son in Mexico. She was charged money laundering and hindering the apprehension of a felon The county probation office approved Tonya Couch's bartending job at The Honky Tonk Woman biker bar, but she was prohibited from drinking or possessing alcohol A picture shows patrons enjoying a drink in the packed Honky Tonk Woman The mother and son then drove 1,200 miles to the Pacific beach resort of Puerto Vallarta where they stayed at the glamorous Los Tules resort. While there, Ethan Couch was said to have made repeat visits to a 'sex club' called Harem where he was allegedly spotted snorting cocaine and guzzling Pacifico beers - running up a $2,000 tab, which he was forced to ask his mother to settle. The two later moved to a run-down apartment four blocks from the beach but were discovered after a signal from one of their cellphones alerted authorities as they dialed out for Domino's pizza. Both initially contested their extradition from Mexico but Tonya was returned to the US in early January 2016 and was released from jail after posting a $75,000 bond. She was deported to Texas in January 2016 and posted bond after being remanded to Texas authorities. Ethan Couch is currently serving a nearly two-year jail sentence as a condition of his new probation terms as an adult. Four people died in 2013 when Ethan Couch, then 16, ran over them while driving with a blood alcohol content three times the legal limit. He is pictured at a court hearing in April Six teenage boys, aged between 14 and 16, are accused of stealing a Porsche and $200,000 during a Florida burglary - before blowing the cash on gold jewelry and teeth, and high end cars for themselves and their mothers. The teens; Rural Scott, 15, Jeremiah Laplace, 15, Michael Bush, 14, Joshua Sargeant, 14, Shomari Smith, 14, and Walter Walker, 16, all from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, were charged with burglary and grand theft this week. A St. Lucie County Sheriff's report said the group, who each have a long rap sheet despite their young ages, were all in custody in other jurisdictions in connection with other crimes when they were arrested Monday following a two-month investigation. Six teens are accused of stealing a Porsche and $200,000 during a Florida burglary: Pictured Joshua Sargeant, 14, (left) and Shomari Smith, 14, (right) The teens were charged all with burglary and grand theft this week. Pictured: Jeremiah Laplace, 15, (left) Michael Bush, 14, (right) Each of the teens have a long rap sheet despite their young ages. Pictured; Rural Scott, 15, (left) and Walter Walker, 16, (right) The investigation began after Brett Browning, of North Hutchinson Island, Florida, reported a break-in at his home on April 27. He told police he returned home to find his garage door open and his 2014 Porsche Cayman - worth $50,000 to $60,000 - was missing. When he went inside, he found his safe was missing containing his life savings - more than $200,000 cash - along with his .380-caliber Ruger pistol and a revolver. The group later confessed to the police that they had already spent the cash on flashy jewelry, gold teeth and cars for themselves. Several of them also splashed out on cars for their mom and other relatives. One of the teens claimed that he used his share of the money to buy mom an $80,000 Dodge Challenger Hellcat and his brother a $25,000 2009 Mercedes C300. He also bought gold teeth for $11,000; a gold chain for $10,000 and a gold bracelet for $3,500. One of the teens claimed that he used his share of the money to buy mom an $80,000 Dodge Challenger Hellcat (stock image) The same teen said he had also used the stolen cash to buy his brother a $25,000 2009 Mercedes C300 (stock image) A second teen said that he bought himself a four-wheeler and gave $40,000 to his mom. A third teen said he purchased a new Audi A4 for his mother and a fourth teen said that he had been robbed of his share of the loot while in Fort Lauderdale. As for the guns, one of the teens reportedly threw them into a garbage can at a mall in Fort Lauderdale. Scott, who has been arrested on no fewer than nine occasions since June 2015 for burglary, grand theft, grand theft auto, and criminal mischief charges, told investigators he had called his mother 'and told her about 'hitting' the house' they burglarized. His mother, Shanika Shorter, responded to police report, by telling Sun Sentinel reporters: 'Do you believe everything you hear?' before hanging up. Cops arrested one of the teens just two weeks after the burglary after they discovered the abandoned Porsche in Delray Beach, which had documents belonging to the boy. The other five were swiftly arrested and all but one of the six confessed to their part in the Browning burglary. Fingerprints of the teen who denied being involved in the theft were later found on the stolen SUV used to drive to Browning's house, police said. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office said this white Porsche Cayman was among the items six teens allegedly stole from a home on North Hutchinson Island, Florida on April 27 Authorities say that the teens stole this safe, containing $200,000, while robbing Brett Browning's home and spent the money on items including cars, jewelry and gold teeth During an interview with investigators, one of the teens said that he and 'his boys' came up with the house robbery plan while they were gathered at a motel in Pompano Beach, Florida, a short distance from their Fort Lauderdale hometown. They then stole a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV and drove about two hours north, to North Hutchinson Island, where they proceeded to knock on doors to determine whether anybody was at home. One of the teens interviewed by authorities said that when nobody answered at Browning's house, three of the group entered the home through an unlocked backdoor, sometime between noon and 3pm. The police report detailed that one of the teens took a safe from the kitchen, while another one took the guns off a table in the living room. They then drove off in Browning's Porsche and the SUV, heading south and rendezvousing at a service station in Fort Pierce, where they opened the safe and discovered cash in Ziploc bags. St. Lucie County Sheriff's officers said they found the empty safe later that day. 'It's clear through the interviews with these thugs that they intentionally targeted our community, searched out a house in an affluent neighborhood and stole their life savings,' Sheriff Mascara said in a statement. The teens allegedly traveled from their homes in Fort Lauderdale to various locations in South Florida while planning and executing their robbery All six teens were charged with burglary of a dwelling while armed, grand theft over $100,000, two counts of grand theft of a firearm, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. They are being held at the St. Lucie County Jail. Each has a long arrest record, including Laplace who has been arrested 14 times starting since he turned 14, for charges including grand theft, robbery by sudden snatching, grand theft auto, burglary, grand theft of a firearm and criminal mischief. Bush was first arrested age 13 last year for burglary, petty theft and has since been picked up for charges including burglary, larceny and grand theft charges. Both Sargeant and Smith have also faced similar charges during their multiple arrests in recent years, while Walker has also faced charges of cocaine possession and destroying evidence. Two of the teens are being held without bond, while the other four have bonds ranging from $210,000 to $250,000. The Palm Beach Post reports that the teens have not been charged as adults. The NHS is spending almost 10 million a year paying managers to oversee hospital cuts, an investigation has found. Health trusts across England are drawing up controversial cost-saving plans which recommend the closure of A&E units, maternity wards and some entire hospitals. But figures show that they have hired 150 high-earning managers to oversee these proposals with some earning six figure salaries. They include operations managers, communications executives, general administrators and financial analysts who collectively earn 8.5 million a year. Health trusts across England are drawing up controversial cost-saving plans which recommend the closure of A&E units, maternity wards and some entire hospitals On top of this, health trusts are also shelling out 1.1 million on private consultancy firms to help oversee these cuts. The figures were obtained by the British Medical Association through freedom of information requests to Clinical Commissioning Groups, local health boards. There are 44 Sustainability and Transformation plans in place in England and they are aiming to change how local health services are run to make them more cost effective. Many of the STPs recommend closing A&Es, maternity wards, general wards and smaller community hospitals forcing patients to travel much further for care. Dr Mark Porter, chair of the BMA, described the salaries of managers as eye watering. BMA chair Dr Mark Porter, pictured, said: It makes no sense to spend this kind of money on staffing and structure when we already know there is a huge shortfall in capital funding needed to actually put the plans in place' Millions of patients will be affected by hospital and bed closures under these so-called transformation plans. It makes no sense to spend this kind of money on staffing and structure when we already know there is a huge shortfall in capital funding needed to actually put the plans in place. Any money spent here runs the risk of being completely wasted. With the NHS at breaking point, doctors and patients will be horrified to see millions being spent on another layer of bureaucracy to deliver these controversial plans. The NHS needs more GPs, junior doctors and consultants - there is nothing sustainable or transformational about creating another costly team of managers while staff on the frontline struggle and patients suffer as a result. The son of a New York Mafia boss has warned that the Vatican will come to rue the day it excommunicates members of the famed Cosa Nostra, due to its protective role in Italy. Pope Francis has taken a hard line against mobsters, saying they are destined to hell, and the Vatican hosted a conference earlier this month to consider a new legal doctrine for the Catholic Church to drive out people convicted of mafia-related crimes. Giovanni Gambino, the son of a key figure in the Gambino crime syndicate, told Dailymail.com: 'Pope Francis considers excommunicating the mafia...in the meantime, priests accused of sex abuse get a second chance in South America.' Gambino also added that the mafia has played a crucial role in protecting Italy from ISIS - and that without it, the Vatican would likely cease to exist. The Vatican (pictured left, Pope Francis) is considering a legal doctrine to excommunicate those convicted of mafia-related crimes. But Giovanni Gambino said efforts to do so would only harm Italy since the Sicilian Mafia helps ward off ISIS Once all-powerful in Sicily, the world's most famous crime gang, known as Cosa Nostra, or 'Our Thing', has been squeezed over the past two decades. Mob bosses were put behind bars and many of its businesses were isolated, while locals were ready to defy the gang. Gambino blamed the Italian government for Sicily's changing demographic, telling Dailymail.com: 'Back in the days, Sicily was feared and illegal immigrants stayed away. Now, Sicily is getting drowned by illegal immigrants. 'The Italian government and the fight against the mafia are killing business in Sicily... Sicilians are moving to foreign countries and are slowly disappearing from the motherland while immigrants are taking over.' Pictured Gambino with Hillary Clinton. He asked for his drug kingpin father to be released early from prison in exchange for votes during the presidential primary in 2007 Gambino (left with Bill Clinton) also raised the issue of over-populated prisons during the 2007 meeting Gambino also said the Vatican was making a big mistake by considering a new doctrine that threatens the mafia with excommunication- one of the most severe penalties in the Catholic Church. He said: 'Pope Francis considers excommunicating the mafia...in the meantime, priests accused of sex abuse get a second chance in South America. Poll Should the Vatican excommunicate people convicted of mafia-related crimes? Yes No Should the Vatican excommunicate people convicted of mafia-related crimes? Yes 48 votes No 178 votes Now share your opinion 'To me, excommunicating the mafia from the Catholic Church is not a Christian gesture. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."' Gambino previously told the Dailymail: 'The Mafia has a bad reputation, but much of that's undeserved. 'As with everything in life, there are good, bad and ugly parts the rise of global terrorism gives the Mafia a chance to show its good side.' Gambino says that because ISIS fears the Sicilian Mafia, no underground terror cells have taken root on the island. 'The mafia served as a wall, stopping radical extremists from entering Italy,' he said. He was also adamant that without the mafia, 'radical Muslims are going after the Vatican'. He added: 'Within 15 years Radical Muslims are gonna convert the Vatican into a mosque. 'The Pope is gonna bite his tongue by excommunicating the mafia from Catholic Church. The heart can't tell the kidneys or liver "I don't need you anymore" and expect to survive.' Gambino is a pizzeria owner whose kingpin father Francesco 'Ciccio' Gambino was convicted as part of a massive drug round-up in the United States and Italy alongside fellow mafiosos Salvatore Mannino, Antonio Mannino, Grace Mannino and Enzo Varisco. Giovanni is the cousin of Carlo Gambino, above, the boss of the notorious crime family and one-time head of the American Mafia's governing body During his trial in 1987, prosecutors claimed Francesco was the leader of the Sicilian Mafia drug network. He was part of the same family business set up by his cousin Carlo. Born in Sicily, Carlo immigrated to the United States in 1921 as a ship stowaway, settling in Brooklyn and becoming a gang member under Joe 'the Boss' Masseria. He then worked for Salvatore Maranzano, Philip and Vincent Mangano, and finally, from 1951, Albert Anastasia. He inherited the crime syndicate when Anastasia was murdered. In 50 years of crime Carlo only served 22 months in prison. He was indicted for hijacking in 1970 and an order for his deportation was upheld in the same year, but severe heart attacks deferred trial or deportation. More heart seizures led to his death by natural causes six years later. The tax-and-spend economy championed by Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour left has won the backing of nearly half the country, according to a major report on shifting opinion. It said 48 per cent of people believe the government should raise taxes and spend more, and their numbers overtook those who want taxes to stay as they are last year. The switch in the core economic thinking of millions was detected by British Social Attitudes, a widely influential independent annual survey produced with the backing of a series of Whitehall departments. 48 per cent of people believe the government should raise taxes and spend more, and their numbers overtook those who want taxes to stay as they are last year The report said the move towards tax-and-spend reverses public sentiment in favour of low taxation that developed during Tony Blairs high-spending years in power and lasted throughout David Camerons premiership. It helps to explain the failure of Theresa Mays election campaign, which did not try to counter opposition calls for higher public spending by defending Tory economic successes since 2010. Among the reports editors is Professor John Curtice, the pollster whose television exit poll predicted the Tory failure to win a Commons overall majority with spectacular accuracy. Based on in-depth questioning of nearly 3,000 people, it found that 48 per cent said they wanted higher taxation to pay for more spending on health, education and social benefits. The last time support for higher taxes was found to be so high was in 2004. The tax-and-spend economy championed by Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour left has won the backing of nearly half the country Some 44 per cent want taxes to stay the same, and just four per cent say they want them cut, the report found. There are clear signs of increased support for a government that is more generous with its spending and a growing public willingness to pay for it, the report said. The last seven years have been ones of relative famine so far as public expenditure is concerned. It appears that gradually the public are beginning to react against that experience, as reflected in declining support for cutting expenditure as a way of helping the economy and some increase in support for spending on public services. The call for more spending is still well below what it was by the late 1990s, but it looks as though the tide may at least have begun to flow back in that direction. The report said that high employment levels may have contributed to a fall in public support for spending money on helping the unemployed. Backing for higher spending on unemployment benefits has more than halved since 1996, from 33 per cent to 16 per cent. Among the reports editors is Professor John Curtice, the pollster whose television exit poll predicted the Tory failure to win a Commons overall majority with spectacular accuracy The perception that older people enjoy high incomes has also led to a fall in numbers who think more government money should go on pensions, down from 76 per cent in 1996 to 55 per cent now. Only 22 per cent now believe that those who claim state benefits are fiddling, the lowest recorded since the survey first asked about dole cheats in 1986. The figure, down from 35 per cent in 2014, may be a result of the impact of Tory benefit reforms intended to make work pay and prevent abuse of the welfare system. Authors of the report said that there was also evidence of growing support for state intervention in everyday life for the sake of national security. More than half say terror suspects should be detained without trial, and four out of five back video surveillance in public areas. Seven out of 10 support the right of police to stop and search individuals suspected of terrorism. Research chief Roger Harding said: Peoples tolerance for austerity is drying up, even if that means higher taxes. This leftwards tilt on tax and spend is matched by a long-running conservatism on national security and law and order. In all, people want a more active state thats firm but fairer.' Liberal attitudes to sex and morality are now beginning to dominate the way most people think, an influential report said yesterday. It found that those who believe sex should be saved for marriage and who oppose same-sex relationships are a shrinking minority. Even most Christians, historically the biggest religious group holding conservative views about sex, now believe there is nothing wrong with sex between unmarried people. Even most Christians now believe there is nothing wrong with sex between unmarried people Opposition to pornography is dwindling, the report said, with six out of 10 young people under 35 now thinking that adults should be able to watch any film they like, no matter how violent or obscene. The survey also said seven out of 10 people think a woman should be able to get an abortion if she does not want a child, and nearly two thirds think an abortion should automatically be available if a couple cannot afford more children. Even among Roman Catholics, whose church leads the opposition to abortion, 61 per cent said when asked last year that abortion should be permitted if a woman does not want a child. The figure is almost double the level of Catholic support for abortion recorded in the mid-1980s, and appears to indicate that Catholic opposition to abortion is falling away in a manner similar to popular Catholic support for the religious ban on artificial contraception. However the British Social Attitudes survey, which charted the views of nearly 3,000 people in interviews last year, found there were limits to the extent of liberal thinking. The proportion of people who felt someone with a painful, incurable disease should be allowed to ask a doctor to help them die, has fallen to 77 per cent. This wass a fall from 2013, and the 20 years before then when more than 80 per cent were in favour of legalised euthanasia. Among Anglicans, 73 per cent think pre-marital sex is not wrong, and 55 per cent think gay sex is not wrong The figure suggests that the long-running campaign for assisted dying, which has won legal changes ordered by judges but resistance in Parliament, may have reached a limit in public support. The BSA report noted that 50 per cent of people support euthanasia being allowed in cases where someone is completely dependent on relatives for all their needs. It said this perhaps highlights why some anti-euthanasia campaigners worry that a legal change could result in people ending their lives out of a sense of being a burden on others. Research chief Roger Harding said: The rise of social liberalism continues seemingly undented by Brexit, Trump and Le Pen. In fact, if anything, the trend that has seen Britain happier than ever to accept greater diversity in relationships has accelerated in recent years. Unlike on Brexit and the election, this is an area where the generations are increasingly united. The report found 73 per cent of Anglicans now think that pre-marital sex is not wrong, and 55 per cent think gay sex is not wrong. The Church of England Bishop of Manchester, the Right Revd David Walker, said: The findings on same sex relationships emphasise the massive shift in attitudes in recent years, specifically since the advent of civil partnerships. What was, to a previous generation, an abstract question about physical sexual activity, is now about our friends and family members and the bonds of love which sustain them in their daily lives. The Archbishop of Canterbury has previously commended the stunning qualities he has observed in such deep and intimate relationships. In line with the survey results, couples are discovering that there are many parish churches across the country where they will receive a warm and genuine welcome. The Church of England and the Methodist Church are set to merge more than 200 years after their historic split, it was revealed yesterday. The two greatest protestant churches should declare themselves in communion and share each others priests and ministers, leaders said. The deal to repair the rift will mean the CofE once known as the Tory Party at prayer will join forces with an institution long regarded as a central pillar of working class culture. The Labour Party was famously said by one of its leaders to owe more to Methodism than Marx. However Methodist churches have lost more than a third of their membership over the past 12 years and it counted just 188,000 regular worshippers last year. The deal to repair the rift will mean the CofE once known as the Tory Party at prayer will join forces with an institution long regarded as a central pillar of working class culture. Pictured is York Minister, which is a Church of England building Under the arrangement Methodists will no longer elect a President once a year, but will be led by a President-Bishop. The President-Bishop will be ordained by a panel of three Anglican bishops, or bishops from some other churches which are recognised by the Church of England. Methodists, who broke with the CofE in 1795, shortly after the death of their first leader John Wesley, rejected the bishops and dioceses of the established church. Instead the Methodist connexion is made up of circuits and districts led by ministers, and the churchs conference appoints a President and Vice-President each year. A document on the merger published by both churches yesterday described these changes as a challenge for the Methodist Church. The first President-Bishop is thought likely to be ordained by Anglican bishops other than the Archbishop of Canterbury in order to avoid upsetting Methodist sensitivities. For the Church of England, joining with Methodists will mean tearing up church laws dating back more than 350 years which say that no-one but an ordained priest can hold office in the CofE. The full communion between the two churches would mean the CofE would have to allow unordained Methodist ministers to conduct services in its churches. The document published yesterday, Mission and Ministry in Covenant, has been under preparation for 14 years. In 2010 leading Methodist, the Reverend David Gamble, told the CofEs parliament, the General Synod, that both churches were struggling to deal with the modern world and added: We are prepared to go out of existence not because we are declining or failing in mission, but for the sake of mission. In other words, we are prepared to be changed and to cease having a separate existence as a church if that will serve the needs of the Kingdom. The last major barrier to merger between the two churches disappeared in 2015 when the Church of England appointed its first woman bishop, embracing the sexual equality long upheld by Methodists. Methodists, broke with the CofE in 1795 shortly after the death of their first leader John Wesley, pictured At the CofE Bishop of Coventry, the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth, said yesterday: The solution is built on the centrality of the historic episcopate and the bishop as minister of ordination. 'The scheme as proposed will enable dioceses, districts and local churches to engage in creative pastoral planning. The Bishop of Fulham, the Right Revd Jonathan Baker, who sat on the committee that drew up the merger plan, said: The separation between Anglicans and Methodists in Great Britain is a tear in the fabric of the Body of Christ. 'The proposals in this report are offered as a means of helping to repair that tear. They maintain the catholic, episcopal ordering of the church while at the same time acknowledging the real and effective ministry exercised by minsters in the Methodist Church. While the proposals preserve the Church of Englands claim to maintain tradition, they are likely to deter any deeper relations with the Roman Catholic church, which have already met a barrier when the CofE consecrated women bishops. The Reverend Canon Gareth Powell, Secretary of the Methodist Conference, said: Methodists and Anglicans urgently need a set of proposals to enable the two Churches to move towards fuller communion, sharing more profoundly in mission and ministry. The model of a President-Bishop in these proposals, upholding as it does the centrality of the Conference, is a deeply Methodist way for John Wesleys people to engage at every level with the Church of England in mutual planning for pastoral oversight and Christian mission. A polarising Muslim psychologist has described Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as a 'bigoted, Islamophobic offensive moron' for describing terrorism as a 'disease within Islam itself'. Hanan Dover, a hijab-wearing specialist from western Sydney, has taken aim at the prime minister's declaration about Islam made this week to a Christian Coptic Orthodox gathering. Mr Turnbull told St Mark's church at Arncliffe in Sydney's south that terrorism was 'a disease within Islam itself'. Scroll down for video Psychologist Hanan Dover (with comedian John Safran) wants more Muslims in parliament Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney meeting St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church leaders The prime minister had said political leaders needed to use more direct language in condemning terror, following a May attack that killed 28 Coptic Christians in Egypt. 'We mustn't mince words here,' Mr Turnbull said. 'One of the greatest tragedies of our times has been the persecution of Christians right through the Middle East.' However, Ms Dover was offended by Mr Turnbull's call for Islam to tackle extremists within its ranks. Hanan Dover says PM Malcolm Turnbull is 'Islamophobic' for describing terrorism as a 'disease within Islam itself' Hanan Dover gets a book signed by Muslim-convert academic Susan Carland in Sydney Malcolm Turnbull (right) with Waleed Aly (left) and Susan Carland (centre) in June last year 'Spoken like a bigoted, Islamophobic, and offensive moron,' she said. 'So, to address terrorism he stated that there was a 'disease' within the religion itself? 'Can you imagine if he stated that he wanted to address the 'disease within Judaism' or 'disease within Christianity' instead? And then add 'we mustn't mince words here'.' Ms Dover declined to mention how Mr Turnbull last year hosted an Iftar dinner at Kirribilli House in Sydney with Muslim leaders. He was even seated next to author Susan Carland, whose book launch Ms Dover attended in May, and Ms Carland's husband Waleed Aly who hosts The Project. Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in as prime minister on the Bible but Hanan Dover wishes more MPs took an oath on the Koran Hanan Dover has called for citizenship tests to be done in Arabic in her Facebook post In another Facebook post, Ms Dover celebrated how Islam is now Australia's second most common non-Christian religion. The psychologist jokingly lamented how Muslims made up just 2.6 per cent of the Australian population, after newly-released Census data showed Islam had overtaken Buddhism. 'We need more numbers on our team. Being stuck at 2.6 per cent is not good enough,' she said. 'One third of Australians have no religion according to new 2016 Australian census. 'That is a 7 per cent increase from previous census. 'Hooley dooleys. What can we do to convert that 'no religion' group to Islam?' Anne Aly is Australia's first female Muslim MP in the House of Representatives or the Senate Ed Husic became the first Muslim MP in federal parliament when he was elected in 2010 She also jokingly told her Facebook followers there weren't enough Muslims in parliament. 'We need enough Muslims so parliament can start its daily proceedings with 'Bismillah' and cheers of 'Allahu Akbar', and we can have more politicians being sworn into parliament with the Koran,' she said. 'The citizenship test will then be taken in the classical Koranic Arabic language only.' Ms Dover has recently called for Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to be given a head transplant and has urged Muslims to breed on her Facebook page, which regularly features provocative hashtags like 'creeping Sharia'. There are two Muslims in federal parliament with Anne Aly, a counter-terrorism expert, holding the marginal Perth seat of Cowan, and Ed Husic the member for the safe seat of Chifley in western Sydney. Hanan Dover described the PM as 'bigoted' for calling for Islam to address terrorism A 17-year-old driver is under police guard in hospital after crashing a four-wheel-drive car, which was allegedly stolen, into a wall. The teenager was taken into police custody after crashing into a wall in Canley Vale, west of Sydney's city, before being moved to Liverpool hospital as a medical precaution. Officers had attempted to pull over the young driver at 3am on Wednesday morning when he allegedly sped off instead. The teenager was taken into police custody after colliding with a wall in Canley Vale, west of Sydney's city, before being moved to Liverpool hospital as a medical precaution Officers had attempted to pull over the young driver at 3am on Wednesday morning when he allegedly sped off instead (pictured the alleged stolen vehicle he was driving) It is believed the 17-year-old then engaged police in a high speed chase. He crashed shortly after just off the Hume Highway with 9 News footage showing a large silver car with a bonnet that has almost been completely severed from the impact. It was initially unclear if the man had any passengers in the car so Cabramatta police called in the local dog squad and began door-knocking. They have yet to comment on whether they believe more than one person was involved in the crash. NSW police have told Daily Mail Australia that the driver is in a stable condition but still remains in hospital. It was initially unclear if the man had any passengers in the car so Cabramatta police called in the local dog squad and began door-knocking For the thousands of Britons who flock to the cobbled streets and winding canals of Bruges every year, no trip would be complete without indulging in a cone of frites the cherished national dish. While some may barely think twice before handing over a hefty sum for a portion of Belgian chips, the spend-thrifts left with a funny taste in their mouths may have had a point all along. Because it has emerged that some frite vendors in the medieval Belgian town have been hitting tourists with inflated prices, dubbed a 'tourist tax'. It has emerged that some frite vendors in the medieval Belgian town have been hitting tourists with inflated prices, dubbed a 'tourist tax' The bizarre pricing structure emerged when an aggrieved tourist contacted the country's national trade regulator after finding out that locals are often given a ten per cent discount. But claims that the practice is discriminatory were dismissed as traders were told they could lower prices for different customers so long as not on the grounds of race or religion. Local officials waded in by claiming that the six million tourists who visit Bruges every year vastly increase prices for the depleting numbers of locals still living there. At least two chip sellers in the city have admitted giving the discounts to 'regular customers' claiming that they do not simply cater for mass tourism. Claims that the practice in Bruges (pictured above) is discriminatory were dismissed as traders were told they could lower prices for different customers so long as not on the grounds of race or religion Philippe Thijs, owner of the Chez Vincent frites house, said the discount was 'just another button on the cash register' but admitted it may seem 'insensitive'. 'You have the normal price and the price for townspeople and students,' he said. The town's mayor Renaat Landuyt said that the discounts were 'small gestures' to those living there. 'It is the freedom of the operator to do so,' he said. 'And it is the freedom of the disaffected Ghent in Bruges to go to another frite house without discount.' Chantal De Pauw, from the Belgium's federal consumer protection watchdog, said the practice is 'perfectly legal' and that customers are informed what the rules are and no discrimination is employed. Australian tourists are heading in droves to a little-known Scandinavian location - and it's quickly becoming one of the world's most 'Instagramable' destinations. Forget the crystal blue waters of Greece or the concrete jungle of New York City, Stavanger in Norway is the now hottest tourist getaway for Aussies. The lure of a mysterious Nordic past has attracted 60 per cent more Australian travellers in 2017 and airfare prices to the Scandinavian paradise have dropped by 25 per cent in the past year, Escape reported. The sprawling mountain ranges and seemingly hidden hiking trails are a major attraction for Australian tourists The lure of a mysterious Nordic past has attracted 60 per cent more Australian travellers in 2017, and flights to the Scandinavian paradise had dropped by 25 per cent in the past year too Forget the crystal blue waters of Greece or the concrete jungle of New York City: The city of Stavanger in Norway is the now hottest tourist getaway for Aussies The magnificent destinations along the Scandinavia region are a photographer's dream and are perfectly captured on Instagram Scandinavian countries now account for three of the top five most popular European holiday spots for Australian tourists, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Instagrammers with a penchant for photography will adore the rolling mist-covered mountain views, lush picturesque hills and freezing ocean depths. The sweeping hidden fjordland is one of Europe's most affordable hot spots for tourists on a budget also willing to brave the brisk, icy Norwegian winter frost. Major Instagram attractions in Stavanger includes Kjeragbolten, a location which is home to two towering cliff faces which hold up a giant boulder. Scandinavian countries now account for three of the top five most popular European holiday spots for Australian tourists, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark Historic waterfront buildings in Stavanger, Norway. The buildings are converted in to restaurants and shops Instagrammers with a penchant for photography will adore the rolling mist-covered mountain views, lush picturesque hills and freezing ocean depths The Nordic city of Stavanger (pictured) is a picturesque little town which overlooks spectacular mountain ranges It sits at the end of a stunning hiking trail two and a half hours away from the main city of Stavanger. Also topping the list of Australian Instagram geotags in Norway is Preikestolen - a towering mountain range overlooking a pristine body of water. Standing an impressive 604 metres over the Lysefjord, Preikestolen is known even in Norway as one of the country's most spectacular photo subjects. But the unparalleled beauty of the region's Aurora Borealis is a photographer's dream and the biggest lure of the Scandinavian countries for Western tourists. Instagram is filled with photography of stunning locations around Norway and surrounding Scandinavian countries Vagen, Stavanger's inner harbour, Stavanger, Norway's third largest city and centre of the country's oil industry The towering cliff faces overlooking the deep water below are often snapped by keen photographers But the unparalleled beauty of the region's Aurora Borealis is a photographer's dream and the biggest lure of the Scandinavian countries for Western tourists New flight routes from Qantas and Emirates heading from Dubai to Stockholm have made the Nordics far more accessible from Australia than ever before, according to Expedia. 'With more affordable flights to Stockholm, Aussies have a more convenient gateway to explore the increasingly popular Nordic countries,' Travel expert Lisa Perkovic says. 'It's unsurprising that Aussies have now started to embrace the Nordics as the place to visit in 2017.' But it's not just low flight prices which have tickled the fancy of wanderlust-struck Australians. Travelling Scandinavia by rail is now a popular way to whisk around the scenic Nordic countries, with Australian travel specialist Rail Plus reporting a notable spike in the sale of Scandinavian Pass bookings. New flight routes from Qantas and Emirates heading from Dubai to Stockholm have made the Nordics far more accessible from Australia than ever before, according to Expedia Standing an impressive 604 metres over the Lysefjord, Preikestolen (pictured) is known even in Norway as one of the country's most spectacular photo subjects An x-rated pictured has been posted on a UK swingers' website showing a couple having sex in a fire engine. Greater Manchester Fire Service has launched an investigation after the image of the couple was uploaded online by someone claiming to be a fireman looking for 'fellow swingers'. The picture, which clearly shows a Manchester Fire Service website address, came from an online profile belonging to '6ft 5ins Callum', a 27-year-old who described himself as 'genuine fire crew' and a 'down to earth lad'. He claims to be bisexual and lists his interests as 'adult parties, group sex, cross-dressing and dogging', looking for partners and couples aged 18 to 60. This x-rated photo of a couple having sex in a fire engine in Manchester has sparked a probe by Greater Manchester Fire Service Meanwhile the woman, who is seen topless and pressed up against the vehicle's window during the lewd act, is 'Jodie 5ft 8ins' who is 58 and describes herself as 'genuine cabin crew' with an 'amazing personality'. DO YOU KNOW THE COUPLE? Email amie.gordon@mailonline.co.uk or ring 020 361 53729 Advertisement A source told The Sun: 'There is real anger within the fire service that a colleague abused his position by having sex in an engine and used the image on a swingers' site. 'From the image, we know at least two people were having sex and another was taking the photo, which means at least three people were probably in a Manchester fire station endorsing this indecent behaviour. 'It's not a laughing matter and heads will roll. Images like this don't help the service.' Greater Manchester Fire Service said it would do all it can to find out who the culprits were and said such acts had 'no place' in the organisation (file picture) A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire Service said: 'I cannot believe we're still seeing highly inappropriate images like this in the fire and rescue service in 2017. It's not who we are. 'Firefighters in GMFRS are hard-working and proud to serve their communities. They are professional and diligent. Crew will be embarrassed by this at best. 'Most people will be furious at the suggestion this is acceptable or a reflection of how we behave. It isn't. 'We'll do everything we can to find out about how this picture was made and who was involved. There is no place for this in our organisation.' Any fire personnel involved could face losing their job over 'misuse of brigade equipment'. British tourists were left terrified after a plane's wheels exploded upon landing at an airport in Tenerife. The Jet2 aircraft from Manchester touched down at Tenerife South Airport yesterday 'way too far' down the runway with witnesses claiming they heard a loud bang when the wheels hit the ground. A teenager aboard the flight said screams filled the cabin as overhead lockers popped open and heavy bags rained down on passengers who had to be treated with ice packs for injuries. It sparked travel chaos as thousands of holidaymakers faced delays when other flights were postponed or cancelled when the runway was temporarily closed. Shocking photos have revealed the damage to a Jet2 flight's wheels after it landed in Tenerife today The incident closed the runway at Tenerife South Airport, leaving passengers stranded, pictured, as flights were postponed and cancelled Many took to social media to vent their frustration, claiming communications were 'a joke' Airlines including British Airways, Ryanair, Thomas Cook and Monarch were all affected, while passengers reported confusion over the status of their flights. Sunseekers also reported fights broke out as tensions rose at the airport with some tourists 'trapped for hours'. Rachael Madigan said she was 'bounced down the runway' as the plane tried to land with shredded tyres. Speaking from Tenerife the 19-year-old, who is on her first holiday without her parents, said: 'It was terrible, everyone was panicking which made things worse. 'With everything that has gone on recently in the news, it was a horrible experience. 'We then had to sit on the plane for 20 minutes, until the coach came to take us to the terminal. 'Luggage was flying down and hitting people in the head. We were a bit early coming into land, and we could see some of the tyres were shredded or ripped, and the plane practically bouncing along - all you could hear was banging and screaming.' Passengers said they heard a 'loud bang' as the plane touched down, with the rubber on the tyres appearing to have been completely sheared off, pictured The Jet2 aircraft from Manchester touched down at Tenerife South Airport yesterday 'way too far' down the runway Julie Rittigan, 58, who was supposed to be flying to Birmingham with Ryanair, told The Sun: 'The place is just madness. 'We were told the flight was cancelled, then that it was back on, but there was no one at the gate and no plane on the runway.' Richard Cooper, due to fly to London Gatwick with Norwegian Air, told the paper he waited for five hours before travelling to another airport on the island because the 'communications were appalling', with others describing the lack of information as 'an absolute joke'. Jet2 confirmed the incident happened on the flight, which came from Manchester, and apologised for the inconvenience Easyjet, British Airways and Ryanair were among the airlines affected by delays, with passengers offered meals and hotels while they were stranded Jet2 confirmed the incident happened on flight LS917 with the plane's tyres 'damaged' and all passengers transferred to the terminal. A spokesman said: 'We apologise to all customers affected. The safety and comfort of our customers and crew is our number one priority at all times.' Ryanair and EasyJet confirmed their flights were affected and apologised to customers, with Ryanair providing 'refreshment vouchers' in compensation and EasyJet providing stranded passengers with hotels and meals. Advertisement Johnny Galecki's (pictured on June 7) home burned down in a fire that tore through San Luis Opispo, California, on Monday night The home of 'Big Bang Theory' star Johnny Galecki has been destroyed in a wildfire in California. Nicole Perna, a spokeswoman for the 42-year-old actor, says his home on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area was destroyed by the wildfire on the state's central coast. Fire officials have only confirmed that the blaze has destroyed one building and have no details. By Tuesday night, a 2.5-square-mile wildfire in the region was 60 per cent contained, officials said. Galecki plays Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the show, one of the most popular on TV. He also was a regular on the sitcom 'Roseanne.' The lost home, located about 190 miles outside of Los Angeles was described as the actor's 'getaway home,' and is not thought to be his primary residence. He reportedly hasn't seen the property since it burned down, but plans to visit the ranch when he's given the 'all clear' to see if he can salvage anything not ruined in the fire. 'My heart goes out to all in the area who are also experiencing loss from this vicious fire, the threat of which we live with constantly,' Galecki said to TMZ. He continued: 'It's never the structures that create a community, it's the people. And if the people of Santa Margarita have taught me anything it's that, once the smoke has cleared, literally and figuratively, it's a time to reach out and rebuilt. The fire ripped through 1,200 acres in the San Luis Obispo area, damaging Galecki's property and others around it. No one was hurt, and his house is not pictured The 'Big Bang Theory' actor's home was 'burned to the ground' according to a report obtained by TMZ (pictured is a stock image of the show Big Bang Theory. Galecki who plays 'Leonard' is center) He reportedly hasn't seen the property since it burned down, but plans to visit the property when he's given the 'all clear' to see if he can salvage anything not ruined in the fire. Galecki's house is not pictured Galecki's getaway home San Luis Obispo is located around 200 miles from Los Angeles, where he has another property Galecki explained that the area was rebuilt before, so they'll be able to do it again, and it will make their community 'even closer and stronger.' He also expressed his thanks to the California Fire and Sheriff's Offices. 'I know you guys are fighting the good fight to keep us safe. So very relieved no one has been hurt,' he said to TMZ. No one was hurt in the blaze. State fire officials canceled evacuation orders for dozens of homes and around 250 residents on Tuesday night on California's Central Coast. Hot weather has led to severe blazes across western states including Arizona and Utah. A new wildfire that broke out Tuesday has prompted evacuations for dozens more homes in San Bernardino County. It began shortly after 3 pm Tuesday and grew quickly to half a square mile (1.3 square kilometers). In Southern California a wildfire prompted further evacuation orders for dozens of homes. Authorities say a blaze pushed by winds is flashing through tinder-dry brush in foothills near the town of Highland in San Bernardino County. It began shortly after 3pm Tuesday and grew quickly to 300 acres. A fire activity near Parowan, during a tour by Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, in southern Utah The nation's largest wildfire has forced more than 1,500 people from their homes and cabins in a southern Utah mountain area home to a ski town and popular fishing lake Smoke billows from a wildfire locally called Goodwin Fire, near Prescott, Arizona on Tuesday The U.S. Forest Service says it's moving uphill on steep ridges. The flames are moving northeast, away from a subdivision, but they're still too close for comfort. Aircraft and more than 100 firefighters are battling the blaze. An ongoing heat wave has shriveled brush and increased the fire risk throughout California. In neighboring Riverside County, evacuation warnings are in place for homes near a 5,800-acre blaze south of Beaumont. Johnny Galecki sold his Hollywood Hills West house (pictured above) for $2.501 million last year. His San Luis Obispo was located around 200 miles from this property The home's lush interior pictured above. Actor Jason Statham, star of the 'Transporter,' 'The Expendables' and 'Fast and Furious' action film franchises has sold his home in the prestigious Outpost Estates in Los Angeles for $9.2 million to Galecki in 2015 That fire was sparked yesterday by a car crash. The fire is only 20 percent contained. However, it doesn't seem to be growing. In southern Utah a wildfire has burned 13 homes and forced the evacuation of 1,500 people. Firefighters are hoping to be able to put out hot spots on the southern end of the fire to allow residents to return to the ski town of Brian Head. Homes there have been evacuated since June 17 when authorities say it was started by someone using a torch tool to burn weeds on private land. The fire is the largest in the nation at 78 square miles (201 square kilometers). Dozens of homeless people have set up camp along Melbourne's Elizabeth Street, harassing pedestrians and blocking entrances to shops. Local businesses said the rough sleepers were seen abusing and spitting on passers-by, smoking drugs and fighting each other along the busy CBD street. They were believed to have migrated there over the past four weeks due to restoration works at their usual haunt beside Flinders Street Station. Dozens of homeless people have set up camp along Melbourne's Elizabeth Street, harassing pedestrians and blocking entrances to shops A homeless man sits in a corner keeping himself warm from Melbourne's winter chill under a blanket The major train station was the site of ugly scenes in January when police arrested several homeless and protesters after violent clashes as they cleared a camp. Similar scenes were now emerging on Elizabeth Street with sleeping bags, furniture and bags of possessions lining the footpaths. Businesses were afraid the anti-social behaviour kept customers away and said they called police numerous times to deal with it. 'It's quiet. Customers are scared. When they get together, they take up the whole footpath. [Customers] don't feel safe,' Hair 2 GO Superstore manager Sam Raniolo told the Herald Sun. The major train station was the site of ugly scenes in January when police arrested several homeless and protesters after violent clashes as they cleared a camp Hundreds of protesters showed up angry that the homeless were being evicted Sleeping bags, furniture and bags of possessions now line the footpaths of nearby Elizabeth Street Some of the items strewn around the camps include basic hygiene essentials, prescription drugs and vouchers 'They smoke dope... and that's when all the problems happen. They have pipes and alcohol and it gets rowdy.' Mr Raniolo said he called police four times in the past month and the problems were getting worse. Police were called to nearby Traveller Souvenirs and Luggage two weeks ago after a man walked in and urinated on stock. Businesses were afraid the anti-social behaviour kept customers away and said they called police numerous times to deal with it Victoria Police told the newspaper officers did regular patrols through the area and 'took appropriate action' when laws were broken Sugar Station worker Chloe Nelson said young families who frequent the confectionery shop were too afraid to come by. 'No one can get through. I had a customer who said she almost missed the shop because she couldn't recognise it with all the people out the front,' she said. Ms Nelson said one of the homeless had a large dog that frightened children and another man would hurl abuse at women, calling them 'sl*ts'. Victoria Police told the newspaper officers did regular patrols through the area and 'took appropriate action' when laws were broken. The Turnbull Government has moved to strengthen Australia's Defence by agreeing to buy up to five spy planes for $1.7billion from the US. The agreement to purchase the Gulfstream G550 modified intelligence and surveillance aircrafts was confirmed yesterday as the US praised the deal which will improve the self-defence of both countries. The planes will be added to six E-7A Wedgetail airborne jets as The Royal Australian Air Force continues to build an advanced and improved aerial intelligence, The Australian reports. Five Gulfstream G550 modified intelligence and surveillance crafts to be bought as the government move to strengthen Australia's Defence The Turnbull Government have moved to strengthen Australia's Defence by agreeing to buy up to five spy planes for $1.7billion from the US Gulfstream G550 aircraft specification The G550 can fly 12,500km nonstop and as well as travel over 12 hours in one journey It is powered by two Rolls Royce BR710 engines The plane has a wingspan of 28.5 metres and is 29.4 metres long The G550 can operate out of short-field, high-altitude airports which means it can spy on remote and difficult areas such as Afghanistan Unit cost of one aircraft is $80.8million Advertisement 'The proposed sale supports and complements the ongoing efforts of Australia to modernise its electronic warfare capability and increases interoperability between the US Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force,' the US State Department said. The deal was suggested in last year's Defence white paper as it is also confirmed plans are underway to buy eight Poseidon P-8A surveillance planes to further strengthen the RAAF. It is expected the modifed G550 planes will be able to fly 12 hours continuously, travelling as far as 12,500km in one journey. The $1.7billion cost will involve converting the high-end Gulfstream aircrafts into the latest and most innovative spy planes filled with intelligence and surveillance warfare systems as well as training their crews. It is expected the modifed G550 planes will be able to fly 12 hours continuously, travelling as far as 12,000km in one journey The $1.7billion cost will involve converting the high-end Gulfstream aircrafts into the latest and most innovative spy planes as well as the training of the crew Defence will buy up to five of the aircrafts from 2020 onwards, in two staggered acquisitions. Trump's administration have advocated the deal and noted its significant benefits for the US as well as Australia. 'This sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to improve the security of a major contributor to political stability, security and economic development. 'It is vital to the US national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defence capability,' the State Department added. Real estate agents across Australia have introduced an 'Airbnb clause' banning tenants from secretly subletting their rentals on the popular home-sharing site. The clause is a move to alleviate landlords' fears about security. Melbourne property manager Candice Deane said the clause she used in rental agreements stipulated tenants must not use Airbnb without the consent of the landlord. Real estate agents across Australia are updating their rental leases to include clauses banning tenants from subletting properties on Airbnb Ms Deane said the 'Airbnb clause' was standard at her agency and was enforced. 'We rented a property to a single lady recently and she had set it up as serviced apartment through Airbnb without the owner's consent,' she told Daily Mail Australia. After a simple search on Airbnb's website, the real estate agency found out and 'gave her notice to vacate'. 'It causes security issues, and more people means more wear and tear on the apartment,' Ms Deane said. Real estate agents are introducing 'Airbnb clauses' to ban tenants from secretly subletting their rentals on the popular house-sharing site (stock image) In another incident a tenant was leaving keys in a letterbox while on holidays, causing concern to other residents who saw different people coming and going from the property. 'That tenant was asked to leave,' Ms Deane said. Brent Thomas from Airbnb Australia told the ABC all people, including renters and owners, should have the right to share a home. 'Home sharing helps everyday Australians earn a little extra money to pay for their biggest expense- the cost of their housing,' he said. 'We ask all hosts to certify they have permission to list their space and remind them to check and follow local rules before they list and throughout the year'. Families of teens vulnerable to being brainwashed by the poison of the Islamic State can use a new hotline service to tackle the threat. Step Together is run by a team of NSW counsellors working to help the families of young would-be terrorists before they are driven to acts of extremism. The service, announced more than 18 months in the wake of the fatal shooting of police employee Curtis Cheng, is part of a $47 million package to fight terrorism, Minister for Counter Terrorism David Elliott announced on Wednesday. Experts have told Daily Mail Australia the program is a step in the right direction, but time will tell how it received by the communities under threat. Families of teens vulnerable to being brainwashed by the poison of the Islamic State online can use a new hotline and online support service 'This is an important step to curb the terror threat. The government has put a lot of work into this,' Australian National University terror expert Dr Clarke Jones said. More than 240 community groups consulted on the purpose and design of the service Basmala Academia, an independent Islamic research co-operative, also commended the program. 'There is an unmet need for advice and support that operates in a confidential, safe space and where callers can get appropriate, sensitive and professional advice, support and referral,' assistant director of Basmala Academia, Ansari Zainul Abidin, said. However Dr Clarke said a great degree of a community engagement is needed before family and friends of vulnerable teens are to be persuaded to reach out. 'There is a lot of distrust. The service could be quickly shot of the sky if there is suspicion in the Muslim communities.' A hotline and online support service has been launched to help families of teens falling victim to ISIS proaganda (pictured: an Islamic State flag) Terror police arrested a 22-year-old man at Sydney airport earlier this months allegedly attempting to leave for Syria after he was radicalisised online Australian-Bulgarian citizen John Zakhariev, 21, looks on at the start of a trial on charges of terrorism in Sofia's Special Criminal Court, Bulgaria 'They will need to try something different, more of a grass-roots approach. We have yet to see a de-radicalisation program that reaches where it needs to go.' It comes amid wave of fresh counter-terrorism measures from the government, inlcuding plans for Australia's first terrorist jail. A new $47 million 'mini-max' jail within Goulburn's Supermax Prison is a move Premier Gladys Berejiklian claims will tackle radicalisation within NSW jails. Australia has seen a series of 'lone wolf' Islamist-inspired attacks recently, prompting a review of police tactics and the powers of state and federal authorities. People can call Step Together on 1800 875 204 between 7am-9pm, seven days a week or visit www.steptogether.com.au The Department of Homeland Security is to start construction on prototypes for a border wall with Mexico this summer. Congress may not have agreed to President Trump's $2.6 billion budget proposal for his much-touted border wall, but that has not stopped Customs and Border Protection from preparing for the first stage of the project; testing prototypes for the border protection. Officials have used $20 million, allocated from other programs, to pay for between four and eight prototypes which will be used in the San Diego area and Rio Grande Valley region in South Texas in the coming months, to see which are the most effective at preventing people entering the US illegally. 'We own that land, have access to it and it's a good place to start testing in a real-world environment,' Ronald D. Vitiello, acting deputy commissioner at Customs and Border Protection, said at a news briefing, reported the New York Times. Trump made the border wall one of the key components of his campaign - along with the promise to to make Mexico pay for it. The Department of Homeland Security is to start construction on prototypes for a border wall with Mexico this summer (the U.S.-Mexico border fence in San Diego, California, U.S., 2015) The latter part of his pledge appears to have been quietly forgotten by the president who asked lawmakers for $1.5 billion to get the project started this summer that he says will be charged back to Mexico. They rejected his request and he submitted a new one as part of his 2018 budget on Tuesday. The total request is for $2.6 billion, with an appropriation of $1.6 billion set aside for the actual construction of the physical barrier that Trump wants to put on the United States' border withMexico. However, that funding would only cover '32 miles of new border wall construction, 28 miles of levee wall along the Rio Grande Valley and 14 miles of new border wall system that will replace existing secondary fence in the San Diego Sector.' Around 130 miles of the US-Mexico border will not require a border because of natural barriers such as rivers or mountains, leaving a total of 1,954 miles to protect. Trump's budget director said during a televised briefing on the administration's spending request that the wall is 'in the president's top three' priorities along with defense and veterans services. Trump made the border wall one of the key components of his campaign - along with the promise to to make Mexico pay for it 'We are absolutely dead serious about the wall,' Mick Mulvaney said, revealing in his comments that the administration has narrowed the number of prototypes it's looking at to less than a dozen. The money would go toward 'new wall,' 'replacement wall,' and 'land acquisition.' Mulvaney said Tuesday that money from the request will also go to funding infrastructure like roads and lighting that's needed for the project, as well as technology. 'We are going to continue to press on,' he said. 'It is an absolutely priority for the president.' More than 600 companies submitted designs for the wall before a March deadline, CNBC reported, including one that's based in Mexico. The administration processed those applications and was inviting many as 20 companies to San Diego, California, to produce examples. The government had plans to announce the businesses selected to compete on June 1. Mulvaney told reporters on Tuesday that the government was considering four or eight prototypes for production - though he could not remember which number was accurate. Chairman Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) criticized funding in the budget for a border wall 'We haven't decided yet on the best kind of wall,' he said. 'We fully expect that different barriers will serve best in different areas.' While Trump always referred to a wall during his election campaign, Vitiello said fencing had proved successful in the past in prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling. However, it appears, for the moment at least, Border Protection will have to keep themselves occupied with testing prototypes as Congress have been very reluctant to grant Trump the billions he is asking for. Republicans had immediately began picking apart the budget proposal the White House released Tuesday. Lawmakers immediately talked down the endurance of the budget proposal, suggesting it wasn't going far and that Congress would restore funding to favorite programs. Michigan Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, who helped get an Obamacare repeal through the House, mocked funding for Trump's beloved wall on the U.S. Mexico border, questioning the need for $1.6 billion to pay for it. 'I thought Mexico was going to pay for the wall, why is this in our budget?' Upton said, only partly joking. He went on to say he was concerned about billions being cut from medical research, and elimination of a Great Lakes cleanup fund supported by lawmakers of both parties. View of the metal fence along the border in Sonoyta, Sonora state, northern Mexico, between the Altar desert in Mexico and the Arizona desert in the United States. The White House said Tuesday that President Donald Trump is not backing off his request for funds to build it 'But you know it's only a proposal, it never gets to his desk,' Upton added. 'President Trump's $603 billion defense budget request is inadequate to the challenges we face, illegal under current law, and part of an overall budget proposal that is dead on arrival in Congress,' said Arizona Sen. John McCain. The administration didn't seem to signal its own vote of confidence by releasing the document during President Trump's first overseas trip. Every presidential budget is merely an administration's statement of priorities, and there is never any expectation it will survive Congress intact. Even so, the GOP backlash to Trump's budget was striking, as few lawmakers apart from the top leaders in the House and Senate seemed inclined to give the president much deference. That could have something to do with Trump's low approval ratings and the scandal over potential Russia collusion that has beset his young administration. 'Building a wall along the southwest border would divert critical resources away from more effective measures to ensure border safety, such as investing in port-of-entry security and procuring new technologies that monitor movements of people who try to cross the border,' Democratic senators said in a letter earlier this month. Congress has approved just $20 million to build the wall prototypes, and 40 miles of replacement fencing in California and Texas. Around 350 miles of the US-Mexico border currently has a fence, while another 300 miles are patrolled. The three Gold Coast women at the centre of a tragic suicide pact were members of a prominent euthanasia group and had recently purchased deadly gas canisters, it can be revealed. Margaret Cummins, 78, and her daughters Heather and Wynette, aged 54 and 53, died by suicide on Tuesday afternoon at the exclusive gated estate of Ephraim Island at Paradise Point. It's understood Wynette was disabled and had battled brain cancer. Speaking from Amsterdam on Wednesday, controversial euthanasia advocate and Exit International chief Dr Phillip Nitschke confirmed the family were members of his euthanasia group. Nitschke, widely known as 'Dr Death', said he was unaware of the Queensland suicide pact until Daily Mail Australia called. Scroll down for video The three Gold Coast women at the centre of a tragic suicide pact were members of prominent euthanasia group run by Philip Nitschke (pictured) and recently purchased deadly gas canisters Gold Coast's Ephraim Island (pictured) is an exclusive address on Australia's Gold Coast. It was the scene of the triple suicide which left Margaret Cummins, 78, and her daughters Heather and Wynette, aged 54 and 53 dead 'Yes, Cummins were Exit members (sic) who used (a brand of deadly gas),' he said via text. Nitrogen gas cylinders are often used for beer production and food processing, but can also be used to end people's lives. Dr Nitschke sells the cylinders online at a cost of AUD$780 via a home brewing company. In a later statement sent to Daily Mail Australia, Dr Nitschke said the triple suicide had been 'well planned and researched'. 'The Cummins had been members of Exit and subscribed to the on-line Peaceful Pill eHandbook so they could research the use of nitrogen for a peaceful reliable death,' he said. He claimed: 'The planning and research by the women that took place over a number of months indicated that this was a rational decision. 'Many people choose to use nitrogen as a way of peacefully ending their lives as it is reliable and quick and totally legal. 'There is no need to import restricted drugs, and many find the legality of the process appealing.' Dr Nitschke has been selling the canisters for at least half a decade. He spoke about his 'home brewing' company, based in Cairns, in 2012. 'Dr Death' explained to the ABC's 7.30 program: 'You can have a cylinder, you can brew with it, and if you want at some later stage I guess you can use the system to end your life.' He claimed using his equipment - which involves inhaling the gas - 'provides people with a peaceful, reliable totally legal means of ending your life'. His promotion of the equipment led to a complaint to the Australian Health Practitioners Agency (AHPRA). Dr Nitschke currently lives in Amsterdam. Daily Mail Australia understands the 'quiet, tight-knit' family were originally from Young, in western New South Wales, where Heather and Wynette went to St Mary's Catholic College. Wynette, 53, later lived in Canberra where she had her first brain tumour removed in the 1980s. She was married, but her ex-husband walked out on her. It's understood Ms Cummins had brain surgery much more recently, prior to her tragic death. The trio were discovered inside a ground floor unit at one of the most exclusive addresses on the Gold Coast. Ephraim Island is home to a lavish gated community boasting multi-million dollar apartments, pristine waters and rows of luxury yachts. The community, so accustomed to comfort, serenity and prosperity, was left shattered on Tuesday The bodies of 78-year-old Margaret Cummins and her daughters Heather and Wynette, in their 50s, were discovered just after 3pm The island is home to a lavish gated community boasting multi-million dollar apartments, pristine waters and rows of luxury yachts The exclusive man-made island is connected to the mainland by a 400m bridge (pictured right) But the community - so accustomed to comfort, serenity and prosperity - was left shattered with the news three residents had died in an apparent suicide pact. The bodies of the three women were discovered just after 3pm on Tuesday. Heather's partner had been out shopping and returned to the property to find the trio dead. It is thought they suffocated. 'He's not surprised that it has happened, I think he's surprised it's three of them at once,' Inspector Jim Plowman told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Inspector Plowman said it was 'fairly obvious' how the women had died and that the circumstances were not suspicious. The incident has shocked local residents, who said the mother had cared for her disabled daughter, Wynette, on the island for a number of years. 'It's a horrible feeling. I saw all the police and ambulances and tried to call Heather but there was no answer,' one resident said told the Bulletin. It is believed Heather and her partner had recently bought an apartment in a neighbouring building to her mother and sister. A man who grew up with Heather and Wynette in Young remembered them both as 'loving, caring people who would go out of their way to help others'. 'I knew them very well in our school years, I was in Wynette's class from pre-school until year 10,' the man, who gave his name as Michael, said. 'In fact, Wynette was my first girlfriend which was quite a milestone back then.' After losing contact with the sisters for several years, Michael said he re-connected recently with Heather through social media. 'She told my about Wynette's illnessI told her I wanted to go and visit Wynette, but Heather said she had pretty much shut herself off from the outside world,' he said. 'I think Wynette and her mum just shut-down and lived their lives as hermits. Another resident shocked by Tuesday's events said the exclusive island was usually a pleasant place to live. Three of the island's residents were found dead in an apparent suicide pact on Tuesday A 400 metre bridge from the mainland leads to this gate, which only residents can pass The tragic deaths on the exlcusive island may have been part of a suicide pact inspired by a website Police said said it was 'fairly obvious' how the women had died and that the circumstances were not suspicious The private residence, which is 30 minutes north of the Gold Coast, is a lavish man-made island popular with retirees Once a mangrove-covered sand island, it now boasts three pools, a spa and a sauna 'You very rarely have any incidents at Ephraim Island so to hear something like occur is quite alarming,' he told the Courier Mail. The private residence, which is 30 minutes north of the Gold Coast, is a lavish man-made island popular with retirees. A three-bedroom home on the same street where the tragedy took place is currently on the market for well over $2.5 million. The island was developed by property heavyweights Lewis Land and Mirvac and is connected to the mainland by a 400m bridge. With lush entertaining areas and luxurious facilities, the island is popular with retirees The bodies of the three women were discovered on the exlusive Ephraim Island on the Gold Coast A three-bedroom home on the same street where the tragedy took place is currently on the market for well over $2.5 million The island was developed by property heavyweights Lewis Land and Mirvac and is connected to the mainland by a 400m bridge (pictured centre left) 'Ephraim Island realises a sophisticated vision of island living,' according to Lewis Land's website. 'A place where stunning new apartments, villas and homes rest on the water's edge.' It continues: 'An atmosphere of relaxation and understated luxury, moments away from the conveniences of modern life.' Once a mangrove-covered sand island, it now boasts three pools, a spa, sauna and an expansive fitness centre. It is just a short sail from the world-famous Sovereign Islands, where the likes of Clive Palmer call home. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14, or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. 'Ephraim Island realises a sophisticated vision of island living,' according to Lewis Land's website The island (pictured) is just a short sail from the world-famous Sovereign Islands, where the likes of Clive Palmer call home A man is fighting for life after he was stabbed by a stranger on a suburban street during his morning walk. The man in his 30s was walking west on Cranbourne Road in Frankston, Melbourne, about 7.15am on Wednesday when he got into an altercation with another man. He was then stabbed multiple times in his upper body before the attacker fled the scene on Cranbourne Road between Coprosma Avenue and Lindam Road. A man is fighting for life after he was stabbed multiple times on a suburban street during his morning walk down Cranbourne Road in Frankston, Melbourne (pictured) The victim was rushed to The Alfred hospital in a serious condition. Police were calling for anyone with information about the attack to make contact as no arrests had yet been made. Australia's most wanted terrorist Neil Prakash could radicalise large numbers of inmates if extradited to Australia, according to a terror expert. The Melbourne-born ISIS fanatic has been held behind bars in a maximum-security prison since he was captured crossing the Turkish border in October. A treaty is currently underway to extradite the 26-year-old jihadist back to home soil, and Malcolm Turnbull last week called on him to 'face the music.' But ANU prison radicalisation expert Dr Clarke Jones told Daily Mail Australia the battle-hardened IS recruiter still poses a serious threat behind bars. Australia's most wanted terrorist Neil Prakash could radicalise large numbers of inmates if extradited to Australia, according to an expert Mugshots of Prakash after his arrest in Turkey following a tip-off from Australian security agencies 'He is an automatic threat to the prison system. He's got solid experience in Iraq and Syria. How could they stop him spreading that message?,' said Dr Jones. 'It could be a big risk bringing him back. It would be extremely problematic to keep an eye on him, not to mention change him.' But as a high-ranking member the group, Prakash holds valuable information for security agencies on the movements of local terror networks. For his own safety Prakash would likely be held in Australia's first terrorist prison, a $47 million 'mini-max' jail within Goulburn's Supermax. 'If he wasn't segregated, he would be at high risk of being knocked off by other inmates trying to win notoriety from his profile.' Last week, the jihadist denied committing any crimes and pleaded not to be sent back to Australia in a court appearance in Turkey. 'I did not commit any crimes, I did not kill anyone.' Prakash would likely be held in Australia's first terrorist prison, a $47 million 'mini-max' jail within Goulburn's Supermax (pictured) Prakash featured in slick propaganda films to promote ISIS' ideology to young Australians (pictured: a video where he call son Australians to take up arms in the Middle East) 'I do not want to be extradited to Australia. I want to be extradited to a Muslim country. I want to be released.' But Malcolm Turnbull made clear in a 2GB Radio interview last week he had other plans for the failed rapper. 'We want him to come back here... and then have a very, very long term of imprisonment for his crimes. I mean, he is one of the worst examples of terrorist financing and organisation.' Prakash is a wanted man in the US, the UK, Israel, Turkey and Australia over his role with the bloodthirsty group. Malcolm Turnbull calling for him last week to 'face the music' and return for a lengthy prison sentencein Australia As a high-ranking member the group, Prakash could could offer valuable information to security agencies with the movements on local terror networks Prakash has been linked to a number of conspiracies to slaughter Australians, including a foiled Anzac Day plot to behead a police officer in April 2015. The fanatic worked tirelessly with an English-speaking cell to radicalise Western people then lure them to the Middle East to fight for the group. Prakash featured in slick propaganda films to promote ISIS' ideology to young Australians, many of whom died in the war-torn region. A California deputy was shot in the face at a light rail station after getting into a fight with a suspect in Sacramento. A SWAT team arrested the unnamed suspect at the hotel he was hiding in after searching room by room on Tuesday. 'He was hiding in an alcove,' Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman Sergeant Tony Turnbull said. His victim was conscious and talking as he was transported to hospital on Tuesday night, according to Turnbull said. A California deputy was shot in the face at a light rail station after getting into a fight with a suspect in Sacramento (file photo of SWAT team in Massachusetts) He was rushed to surgery and is now believed to be in a stable condition. Turnbull added: 'It's promising that he was talking as he was leaving the scene in the ambulance.' The shooting occurred at the Regional Transit light rail station, near Watt Avenue and Interstate 80. The deputy, a four-year veteran assigned to the station where he was attacked, radioed to say he was in a fight with a suspect. Minutes later, he contacted the station again to say he had been shot. It's not clear what started the fight, Turnbull said. Other deputies and officers with Sacramento police and the California Highway Patrol responded quickly. Among them were deputies on a sheriff's helicopter who saw the suspect run into a Red Roof Inn hotel. A SWAT team arrested the unnamed suspect at the hotel he was hiding in after searching room by room on Tuesday (file photo of SWAT team in Massachusetts) About 100 officers were at the scene, and a SWAT team took about three hours to find the suspect. 'They are going to take their time for officer safety reasons and also for the safety of the occupants that are still at the motel,' Turnbull said earlier. Light rail stations in the area were closed, and traffic was blocked for several blocks around the hotel as officers searched it. A manhunt is underway after an inmate, 50, escaped from a Sydney prison on Wednesday morning. David Mellis was reported missing from the minimum security area of Long Bay prison just after 11.30am. Corrective services officers noticed he was missing after coming up short on a head check. Long Bay prison inmate David Mellis (pictured) escaped the minimum security area of the prison about 11.30am on Wednesday while he was performing maintenance on the Sydney complex A spokesperson from Corrective Services NSW told Daily Mail Australia Mellis was doing maintenance work on the prison complex when he escaped. Police have assembled a search team, but have so far failed to find the escapee. Mellis has pale skin, is about 175cm tall and has grey hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing prison greens under a hi-vis vest, and has previously frequented the Glebe area. The 50-year-old was still more than a year away from leaving jail legally, with his earliest possible parole set for August 2018. Officers urge anyone who sees the man or has information on his whereabouts to contact Triple Zero immediately. This is the terrifying moment shoppers dove for cover under tables in an Albany mall Apple store as a gunman opened fire outside. The shooting took place in November last year and sparked a manhunt in New York. On Friday, gunman Tasheem Maeweather, 20, was sentenced to up to seven years imprisonment for it after being convicted of reckless endangerment. In light of his sentence, the Albany County District Attorney released surveillance footage taken inside the store. It shows shoppers including mothers with strollers frantically scurry towards the back of the store as the shots rang out. Shoppers ran for cover inside the Apple store at Crossgates Mall in Albany, New York, on November 16, 2016, as a gunman opened fire outside Some clambered on top of store workers and dragged employees with them as they hid beneath Macbook Pros and iPhones. Mayweather had a specific target in mind when he opened fire outside the store, scaring thousands of other shoppers. He sprayed bullets near a Santa Land where young children played with their parents in a bid to catch his target. No one was injured in the shooting but it caused immediate panic in the mall. The thousands of shoppers were hurriedly evacuated afterwards as police stormed inside. Maeweather was on probation at the time for another offense and was wearing an electronic ankle bracelet when he traveled to the mall. The shoppers ran underneath tables displaying iPads and Macbook pros to try to take cover The gunman walked past the front of the store, firing shots as he walked past In a statement last week, Albany County District Attorney David Soares said: 'Citizens of Albany County should always expect to be safe when visiting public spaces,. Tasheem Maeweather was jailed last week for the shooting. He admits being at the mall but says he was not the one with the gun 'This defendant violated our sense of safety and has left a traumatic and indelible memory for those who were present that day. 'This incident is also a reminder that illegal guns are a problem for all communities and we must continue to remove them from the hands of people who place their own needs above the rest of ours. It wasn't made clear in court exactly who Maeweather was aiming for when he opened fire. His lawyer maintains that he was innocent, claiming that he was at the mall at the time - as his electric bracelet indicated - but that he was not involved in the shooting. His lawyer told ABC News: 'I think that the defendant's conviction on reckless endangerment will be overturned. 'Justice is a process. At trial, the people weren't able to show my client possessed or fired a gun that day. ... In time, through the appellate courts, I have confidence that the law is on our side.' An off-duty police officer testified to have seen him shooting the gun but no weapon was ever recovered from the scene. Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby is celebrating one month of freedom in Australia. Corby, 39, has been seen spending time with her family and exploring the country's beaches since she was deported from Bali on May 27. The 39-year-old took to Instagram on Wednesday to celebrate her month anniversary of as news broke that her Indonesian lawyer Haposan Sihombing has died suddenly. 'One month home today. In the car, where shall I go? #hopalong #wanderwherethewifiisweak,' she posted with a picture of herself in a low-cut red shirt. Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby (pictured) celebrated one month of freedom in Australia as it was revealed her Indonesian lawyer Haposan Sihombing has died suddenly Mr Sihombing, who was hired onto Corby's legal team after her arrest for trafficking marijuana in 2005, is well known for representing foreigners in Indonesia (pictured) Mr Sihombing, 48, was holidaying in his native Sumatra, an Indonesian island south of the Malay Peninsula, when he passed away suddenly on Wednesday morning, according to The Courier Mail. Mr Sihombing, who was hired onto Corby's legal team after her arrest for trafficking marijuana in 2005, is well known for representing foreigners in Indonesia. He has also represented Bali Nine heroin courier Renae Lawrence and most recently David Taylor, who is serving a six-year sentence for the death of a Balinese police officer. It is believed Mr Sihombing was in Medan on Friday to teach legal training seminars but was taken to hospital over the weekend. Mr Sihombing, 48, was holidaying in his native Sumatra when he passed away suddenly on Wednesday morning (pictured with Corby's sister Mercedes) The 48-year-old also represented David Taylor (pictured together), who is serving six years for killing a Balinese police officer It is unknown how the 48-year-old died. Colleagues have expressed their shock at his sudden passing. 'Mr Haposan has gone forever. He died at 2am this morning because of illness. His funeral will be conducted in his hometown in Litongnihuta in North Sumatera,' his law partner Elysabeth Raja Gukguk told The Courier Mail. 'He was admitted to hospital in Medan for a few days.' Erick P Sihombing, a fellow attorney, said Mr Sihombing felt a pain in his chest on Sunday before being rushed to the hospital. A Massachusetts man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison in the killing of a two-year-old girl who became known as Baby Doe after her remains washed up on the shore of a Boston Harbor island. Michael McCarthy, 37, will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years under the sentence imposed by Judge Janet Sanders. McCarthy was convicted Monday of second-degree murder in the 2015 killing of Bella Bond, the daughter of his girlfriend at the time. A computer-generated image of Bella was shared by millions on social media as authorities scrambled to identify her. Michael McCarthy (above on Monday) was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after he was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2015 killing of his girlfriend's daughter. On Monday a jury found him guilty of killing the two-year-old girl named Bella Bond Bella Bond (right) became known as Baby Doe after her remains washed up on the shores of a Boston Harbor island. McCarthy (left) seemed to be in shock after the jury found him guilty of her murder on Monday Her body was found inside a trash bag on Deer Island in Winthrop in June 2015 by a woman walking a dog. A computer-generated image (above) of the girl was shared by millions on social media after she was dubbed Baby Doe by authorities trying to determine her identity The widely shared image showed a chubby-cheeked, brown-eyed girl. Her body was found inside a trash bag on Deer Island in Winthrop in June 2015 by a woman walking a dog. Assistant District Attorney David Deakin asked the judge to set McCarthy's parole eligibility at 25 years - 10 years more than the minimum. McCarthy's lawyer called that recommendation 'vindictive' and asked Sanders to make him eligible for parole after 15 years. Bella's mother, Rachelle Bond (pictured together), and McCarthy were arrested in September 2015 after Bond told a friend McCarthy had killed her daughter. Bond was the prosecution's star witness Bond pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact for helping McCarthy dispose of the girl's body. She is pictured above testifying in court earlier this month against McCarthy The judge came out in the middle of the two recommendations at 20 years. The girl's mother, Rachelle Bond, who also was charged in the case, was the prosecution's star witness. She told the jury she saw McCarthy kill her daughter one night after the girl didn't want to go to bed. McCarthy's lawyer, Jonathan Shapiro, insisted that Bond was the real killer and cast a 'web of lies' to blame McCarthy. 'There was no justice for Mr. McCarthy here,' Shapiro said. Bond pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact for helping McCarthy dispose of her daughter's body. Under a plea deal with prosecutors, she is expected to serve less than two years in jail. The agreement calls for her to be released after her sentencing July 12. Bella Bond's father, Joseph Amoroso, gave a victim impact statement before McCarthy was sentenced, describing Bella as 'a happy and innocent child full of life.' 'I was robbed of my chance to be a father to Bella,' he said. Testimony during the trial showed the girl's short life was marked by turmoil. Both McCarthy and Bond were heroin addicts. A friend testified that he saw McCarthy discipline the girl by putting her in a locked closet. President Trump beckoned to an Irish journalist in the Oval Office on Tuesday to comment on her 'nice smile' during a phone call with Ireland's newly elected Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. RTE reporter Caitriona Perry was one of a group of reporters in the room when he made the 'bizarre' gesture. Trump was on the phone with Varadkar, who is Ireland's first gay prime minister, to congratulate him on his recent election win when he remarked: 'Well, we have a lot of your Irish press watching us. They're just now leaving the room. 'And where are you from? Go ahead, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press. Where are you from?', beckoning to Ms. Perry. President Trump beckoned Caitriona Perry over to the Truman desk as he spoke with Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Tuesday The president remarked that Ms. Perry had a 'beautiful smile on her face' He then told the Irish leader that she had a 'beautiful smile on her face' and added 'I bet she treats you well'. As she stood awkwardly beside the desk, Ms. Perry continued smiling before gingerly making her way back to her seat. Others in the room giggled at the president's remark. Caitriona Perry is the Washington Correspondent and US Bureau Chief for Irish news outlet RTE Finally, the president delivered a message from the Irish prime minister. 'He thanks you for the newspapers Caitriona,' he said, prompting more laughs from the room. Perry shared a video of their encounter on Twitter afterwards, describing it as 'bizarre'. Twitter users were quick to criticize the president's remarks. 'Ms.Perry, please accept the apology of at least 1 female American,' said one while others deemed the president 'gross'. 'We apologize that our president is a weird, inappropriate creep,' said another. 'I'm sorry our president treated you this way,' said another embarrassed US citizen. Actor Kevin Chamberlin said: 'He called you over to look you over. Gross,' adding the hashtag 'Embarrassed for my country'. Trump was on the phone with Leo Varadkar, 38, the youngest-ever Irish leader and the nation's first-ever gay government minister, and has Indian parentage and isn't a fan of Trump The outrage was of a similar tone to complaints about a 2005 recording of the president in which he boasted about 'grabbing women by the p****' while he thought he was off-camera. I managed to catch his eye and he called me over Critics on Tuesday also reminded their followers online of the many women who spoke out to accuse of him sexual misconduct before the election. Trump denies all of their claims. Perry, who is married, described herself as a 'one woman newsroom' in a 2013 article. She is due to remain in the US as RTE's correspondent until 2018. She appeared to take the encounter in her stride. In an interview with her own network afterwards, she said: 'One minute we were outside the window and the next minute I'm meeting the President of The United States. 'Usually we would shoot from outside the window of the White House and that's what we were expecting today but instead we were invited inside to witness the President's call to the Taoiseach. Others in the room laughed as Ms. Perry awkwardly made her way back from the desk with her recorder taping their reactions The journalist shared a video of the encounter on Twitter afterwards, describing it as a 'bizarre' experience Ms. Perry was inundated with messages from critics who labeled the president's remarks 'gross' Perry described herself in a previous interview as a 'one woman newsroom' for the Irish network. She is seen above at the Oscars earlier this year and with Bono 'When we went in he was already on the phone but I managed to catch his eye and he called me over,' she said. Trump had been put on hold for more than a minute and a half on Tuesday, waiting for Ireland's new prime minister to get on the phone and receive his congratulations. Varadkar, 38, eventually picked up. But the president was left fidgeting with papers, and intermittently smiling and grimacing at an Oval Office full of reporters who were brought in to witness the call. Trump wasn't the first foreign leader to reach him: French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel all beat him to it in the two weeks since Varadkar took office. But the U.S. president cranked up the small talk just the same, offering 'congratulations on your great victory. 'We have so many people from Ireland in this country. I know so many of them. I feel I know all of them. But I just wanted to congratulate you. 'That was a great victory that you had.' Varadkar Ireland's youngest-ever leader, its first openly gay government minister and the first of Indian heritage has indicated that he's not a regular passenger on the Trump Train. Trump was left twisting in the wind as Varadkar left him on hold for a minute and a half before a congratulatory phone call Eventually the U.S. president made his diplomatic connection and cranked up the small talk before reporters were hustled out of the Oval Office He said in February that he 'wouldn't be keen' on inviting Trump to Dublin for a visit if he ran the Emerald Isle. 'I wouldn't,' he previously told RTE Television. 'I'm not sure what purpose it would serve.' A month later at the White House, his predecessor Enda Kenny did just that, extending an official invitation for a state visit. 'I will not, of course, rescind that invitation,' Varadkar said last week, calling the idea 'inappropriate' and saying it could spark a 'diplomatic incident.' Trump has been a firm friend to the Irish since his inauguration. He was enthusiastically welcoming to Varadkar's predecessor Enda Kenny earlier this year, inviting him to Washington DC for a state visit which coincided with St. Patrick's Day. He seemed sympathetic to Kenny's plea for him to pardon the tens of thousands of undocumented Irish workers who currently live in the US illegally. The president's ties with Ireland also predate his political career. In 2002, Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland opened in Doonbeg. Varadkar's predecessor Enda Kenny (right) invited Trump for a state visit when the two men met in March, but the new PM indicated that's a step he would never have taken A chronic gambler posing as a financial adviser in Sydney's eastern suburbs duped three elderly investors out of their $745,000 life savings, a court has heard. Edward Charles Toller, 34, appeared in Central Local Court on Wednesday accused of ripping off three vulnerable victims - aged 70 to 85 - to gamble on horse racing and other sports. Police allege the Englishman made full admissions when arrested on Tuesday, saying simply of the money: 'It's gone.' 'I would say what I have done is completely illegal,' Toller allegedly said. Gambler Edward Charles Toller allegedly told police 'it's gone' when asked what happened to $745,000 elderly people invested with him Edward Charles Toller allegedly defrauding three elderly customers of $745,000 while posing as a financial adviser Toller, who lives in Sydney's exclusive eastern suburb of Vaucluse, is charged with three counts of dishonestly obtaining financial benefit by deception between October 2014 and March this year. Police prosecutor Sergeant Alan Maclean said Toller admitted having a serious gambling problem and had targeted vulnerable elderly victims to blow their money on his habit. He was already the subject of an intensive corrections order and had been on bonds in the past. 'He has made admissions he has a gambling problem,' Sergeant Maclean said. Magistrate Greg Grogin said one female complainant had lost $35,000, a 70-year-old man lost $400,000 and an 85-year-old man lost $310,000. 'It would appear that these three victims in this matter are targeted people,' Mr Grogin said. 'All he could say was "It's gone".' Mr Grogin rejected Toller's application for bail which had been partly based on him wanting to attend to his financial affairs, which were in a 'terrible mess'. Chronic gambler Edward Charles Toller was refused bail in Central Local Court over fraud offences on Wednesday Edward Charles Toller allegedly preyed upon vulnerable elderly investors whose money he used to gamble 'Too bad he won't be attending to the financial affairs of his victims,' Mr Grogin said. The court heard Toller lived with his de facto partner and her five-year-old child. Toller offered to refrain from any form of gambling, including online, and to stay away from venues such as casinos, pubs and clubs where punting occurred. He was regularly seeing a counsellor over his addiction. But Mr Grogin said police had a strong case against Toller, the alleged offences were serious and he would likely go to jail if convicted. He was arrested at his home in New South Head Road on Tuesday when documents were also seized. Accused fraudster Edward Charles Toller is undergoing counselling for his chronic gambling addiction Strike Force Penwell was formed late last year to investigate the activities of a Woollahra-based finance and investment company which had been deregistered. That followed reports of three elderly people losing their life savings through investments with the company. Toller was the sole director of the investment company through which his alleged victims lost their funds. Kings Cross detectives have been assisted by Canobalas local area command, in the state's central west. Investigations by Strike Force Penwell are continuing and detectives have asked anyone with information which would assist them to come forward. Toller will be back in court on July 11. Sir Ken Knight will be the chair of a new fire safety panel The chairman of a new fire safety panel set up in the wake of the Grenfell Tower inferno deemed sprinklers 'not economically viable' in a report on an earlier high-rise tragedy. An independent panel will be led by former London Fire Commissioner Sir Ken Knight to suggest immediate safety action following of the recent disaster, which killed at least 79 people. But, it has emerged that he was also behind a report on the Lakanal House fire in Camberwell - which killed three women and three children in 2009 - in which he shunned the use of sprinklers. In his report to the Department for Communities and Local Government, he wrote: 'It is not considered as practical or economically viable to make a requirement for the retrospective fitting of fire suppression systems to all current high-rise residential buildings. 'However it is a matter for individual housing owners and landlords to decide if automatic fire suppression is required as part of their fire safety strategy based on their fire risk assessment.' Sprinklers, as well as cladding, are expected to be among the details analysed by a public inquiry into the fire. Scroll down for video The Grenfell Tower disaster, in west London earlier this month, claimed at least 79 lives It comes as: A second tranche of inquests into people who perished in the north Kensington tower tragedy are expected to open today at Westminster Coroner's Court. Cabinet has been told 95 samples of cladding from tower blocks in 32 English local authority areas have failed fire safety tests. Nine hospital trusts have been identified as using cladding that is similar to that involved in the Grenfell Tower fire. The Care Quality Commission has contacted more than 17,000 care homes, hospices and private hospitals to tell them to check fire safety procedures. An 11-storey building in Wuppertal, west Germany, was evacuated over concerns about exterior insulation similar to that used at Grenfell. Sir Ken Knight was also behind a report on the Lakanal House fire in Camberwell (pictured) and said sprinklers were not viable More than 32,000 was raised in a charity auction which will see a character in a new Philip Pullman book named after a teenager feared dead in the fire. Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a 'major national investigation' into the decades-long use of potentially flammable cladding on high-rise towers across the country in the wake of the fire. Mrs May said 'something has clearly gone wrong' with the use of potentially flammable cladding on high-rise towers across the country. 'What we have seen from the investigations that have taken place of cladding material in tower blocks across the country is that 100% of these materials being combustible,' the Prime Minister said. 'Something clearly has gone wrong over a number of years and we need to find out what, why and how to make sure it doesn't happen again.' The latest tally of fire safety checks was presented to the Cabinet by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid - but a fire safety expert raised doubts over the combustibility tests being carried out on cladding samples by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a 'major national investigation' into the decades-long use of potentially flammable cladding David Metcalfe, head of the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology, a body which works with hundreds of contractors, architects and manufacturers, claimed samples are being tested 'severely' in a way which may be inflating the scale of the crisis. The appointment of an expert panel was announced on Tuesday and will 'advise on any immediate measures that can be put in place to make buildings safe'. It will be made up of building and fire safety experts, including the chief executive of the Building Research Establishment, Peter Bonfield, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Roy Wilsher, and president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Amanda Clack They are due to have their first meeting during the course of this week. Announcing the appointment of the expert panel, Mr Javid said: 'It's absolutely right that there will be an independent public inquiry to get to the truth about what happened and who was responsible for the Grenfell Tower tragedy. 'However, I want to know if there are measures we can put in place now to keep people safe and I want them done immediately. I want the public to be confident everything possible is being done.' It has also been revealed that nine hospital trusts have been identified as using cladding that is similar to that involved in the Grenfell Tower fire. NHS Improvement is now offering intensive support to these trusts as further checks are carried out. The trusts have been listed as "category one" for risk, meaning they have buildings that are over two storeys, that are used by staff and inpatients, and which have cladding similar to that on Grenfell Tower. An 11-storey building in Wuppertal, west Germany, was evacuated over concerns about exterior insulation similar to that used at Grenfell A spokesman from NHS Improvement said it was supporting trusts after concerns about how much capacity local fire services have for the checks. It is now helping trusts complete the checks. He said: "Following feedback from trusts regarding the capacity of some local fire services, we are now focusing our efforts on a number of trusts who appear to need more rapid and intensive support in the shorter term to complete these essential safety checks. "All other trusts will be required to complete these safety checks as soon as possible and further information on timelines will be released to trusts in due course. "We are continuing to support trusts as they work toward completing these checks in a short timeframe." The story was first reported by the Health Service Journal (HSJ). A group of teenagers were captured in shocking CCTV footage brutally bashing a 52-year-old man in broad daylight while horrified shoppers stood by and watched. About 30 bystanders witnessed four 18-year-old men throw punches, kick and stomp on the head of an older man in the middle of a Geelong shopping strip. The sickening brawl erupted when the 52-year-old man allegedly approached the younger group of men, Hayden Shaw, Michael Seiffert, Joshua Burns and Okuj Ajak, as they were 'minding their own business', the Geelong Advertiser reported. Scroll down for video Thirty bystanders witnessed four 18-year-old men throw punches, kick and stomp on the head of an older man in the middle of a Geelong shopping strip (pictured) The sickening brawl erupted when the 52-year-old man allegedly approached the younger group of men, Hayden Shaw, Michael Seiffert, Joshua Burns and Okuj Ajak, as they were 'minding their own business' Footage shows the scuffle take place on the pavement, beginning with only several people, but as it gained momentum it eventually flares into a free-for-all fight. Confused shoppers stood idly by as the man was pushed to the ground and pummelled with an onslaught of punches and kicks. After several moments three other bystanders rushed into the fracas in an attempt to break up the fight, but it proved fruitless as other angry 'mall rats' joined in. A man wearing a white shirt and sporting a long pony tail appeared to weave in and out of the scuffle as he tried to disperse the crowd. Footage shows the scuffle take place on the pavement, beginning with only several people, but as it gained momentum it eventually flares into a free-for-all fight About 45 seconds after the fight initially erupted, it slowly breaks up and the watching crowd begins to return to their shopping errands. The four 18-year-olds were charged with affray and pleaded guilty. Seiffert and Shaw were both given a six-month community corrections order with 40 hours unpaid community work. The two other teenagers,, Burns and Ajak, were placed on a six-month good behaviour bonds and made to pay $200 to the Magistrates Court Fund. The 52-year-old man, who was the alleged aggressor, failed to appear in court on charges of affray, recklessly causing injury and failure to answer bail, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Ex-Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has leaped to the defense of her friend Travis Kalanick after he was fired from Uber. Mayer believes that the former Uber CEO had no idea about the toxic culture brewing at the car-sharing firm which ultimately resulted in being forced to step down. 'I just don't think he knew,' she said, according to the SF Chronicle. 'When your company scales that quickly, it's hard.' Mayer, a rare female CEO in Silicon Valley firms, compared the situation to that of Google, in its early days, which was forced to bring in Eric Schmidt as CEO to help co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page manage the rapidly expanding company. Ex-Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer (right) has leaped to the defense of her friend Travis Kalanick (left) after he was fired from Uber Speaking at the annual Stanford Directors' College Tuesday, Mayer - whose name has been floated as a possible replacement to Kalanik - described the ousted CEO as a 'phenomenal leader;' and 'one of my friends.' 'Scale is incredibly tricky,' she added. Kalanick, the embattled founder of Uber, resigned on June 20 at a pivotal, and increasingly problematic, time for the company. It was not by choice however, with five of the company's biggest investors demanding his resignation according to The New York Times. In a letter to Kalanick, the investors also demanded that an experienced CFO be hired and that the founder and former CEO help the board in their search for his replacement. In the aftermath of that shocking revolt by the company's primary shareholders, it was revealed that while Kalanick was out as CEO he would remain a member of the Uber board. Leading ladies: Ousted Yahoo head Marissa Mayer (left in 2014) and Meg Whitman (right in June 2016) could step into the CEO role 'I love Uber more than anything in the world and at this difficult moment in my personal life I have accepted the investors request to step aside so that Uber can go back to building rather than be distracted with another fight,' said Kalanick. Meanwhile, one of the investors who demanded Kalanick step down, Bill Gurley of Benchmark, stepped down from his post on the company's board of directors on Wednesday. Gurley had been pushing for change ever since February, when former Uber employee Susan Fowler wrote about her year working at the company. Fowler alleged that she and other women at the company were subject to constant harassment by men, and that when she did take complaints to human resources they were always dismissed and nothing was done to change the toxic environment. Kalanick (above in February) will also still have a large say as a board member who owns 10 percent of the company, with his stake worth approximately $7 billion She even claimed that at one point an employee with the HR department stated that she might be the problem, and not the men. It was not just that either, and Fowler also detailed some members of the staff as doing everything they could to rise up in the ranks while sabotaging not only other workers but also the productivity of the company. Gurley was replaced by Matt Cohler, his co-worker at the venture firm and a close friend of Sandberg. It is unclear if he waited to take the position until after Sandberg made it clear that she would not take the job to avoid any possible conflicts of interest, as Gurley seemed to have already planned his exit early in the week. Among the name floating around as possible replacements for Kalanick are newly ousted Mayer, Meg Whitman of Hewlett Packard and Helena Foulkes of CVS. AOL head honcho Tim Armstrong, former Ford CEO Mark Fields, and departing GE chairman Jeff Immelt are also said to be in the mix. The decision to hire a female would send a strong message no doubt in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal plaguing the company, which led to the termination of 20 employees. Uber, which was founded in 2009, has raised more than $14 billion ove rthe past eight years. Maye recently stepped down as Yahoo CEO after Verizon completed its $4.5 billion acquisition of Sunnyvale Internet giant's Web properties. A cheap gourmet dinner in one of Australia's capital cities can be hard to find. But some lucky residents in Melbourne can get their hands on a delivered feast for just $1 on Wednesday. Deliveroo have launched the Tour de Melbourne, a delivery-themed tribute to the famed French bike race. Throughout the day, 50 dedicated riders will stream through Melbourne, starting in Collingwood before heading through the Melbourne city centre then on to Port Melbourne, Prahran and Richmond. Deliveroo has deployed 50 riders to flow through Melbourne on Wednesday and deliver $1 meals to lucky residents as part of Tour de Melbourne - a celebration of the famed French bike race Restaurants in Collingwood, Richmond, the city centre and Prahran are all getting involved and dishing up a $1 treat (pictured is the New York Margherita Slice from Lazerpig in Collingwood - available for $1 during Tour de Melbourne) People are able to order a $1 meal from the app or website when the riders are in their neighbourhood - but once they're gone, the offer has expired. Popular restaurants such as Lazerpig in Collingwood, Oriental Teahouse in the city centre and Tokyo Tina in Prahran are all offering up their meals on the cheap. For those with a sweet tooth, Gelato Messina in Richmond are offering up popular flavours such as their milk chocolate and coconut gelato with house-made lamingtons, and the Chillax Princess, which consists of white chocolate and coconut cheesecake gelato with salted caramel swirls. Some lucky residents will have already scooped up their bargain, as the ride began at midday on Wednesday. But for those who have missed the boat in their area, Deliveroo are still offering free delivery starting at 6pm from all the restaurants available on their app. The mother of a woman killed in a hit-and-run car crash pleaded for the driver that t-boned her vehicle to hand themselves in. Vanessa Hayward died when a Mitsubishi Magna didn't stop at and intersection and ploughed into her Holden Commodore in Hobart last Thursday. The cars skidded across the road and crashed into a fence, lying mangled and twisted against each other with the 42-year-old trapped inside. Vanessa Hayward died when a Mitsubishi Magna didn't stop at and intersection and ploughed into her Holden Commodore in Hobart last Thursday The cars skidded across the road and crashed into a fence, lying mangled and twisted against each other with the 42-year-old trapped inside Her mother Mary called on the driver and their passenger to come forward, as police identified the driver as a 'career criminal'. 'I dont believe that the people who killed my daughter did it deliberately. It wasnt a malicious act of cruelty, nonetheless it was total irresponsibility,' she told The Mercury. 'My daughter has died, she was young, she deserved a life... she didnt deserve to be killed.' Police named Zach Muir-Bennett, who was once described as a 'danger to the public' as someone they would like to speak to. Her mother Mary paid tribute to her daughter's 'kindness, her spirit of generosity, exuberance, and love of life', saying she touched everyone around her Police named Zach Muir-Bennett, who was once described as a 'danger to the public' as someone they would like to speak to They released a 'wanted' posted bearing his name and face that was widely shared on social media. Ms Hayward paid tribute to her daughter's 'kindness, her spirit of generosity, exuberance, and love of life', saying she touched everyone around her. 'She had such a positive impact on so many people and will be remembered for that. That is her legacy,' she said. She also praised witnesses who tried to save Vanessa, before emergency services spent an hour cutting her from the car - only for her to die of cardiac arrest on the way to hospital. Every local council in London was warned about the potentially lethal risks of cladding a month before the Grenfell Tower disaster. The London Fire Brigade urged local authorities to 'take appropriate action to mitigate the fire risk' after tests were carried out on the panels following an August 2016 blaze in Shepherd's Bush. More than 100 firefighters battled the huge blaze that engulfed the tower block in flames and smoke in west London, caused by a faulty tumble dryer. Huge plumes of grey smoke could be seen emerging from the Shepherd's Bush block, and videos posted on social media showed flames billowing out of a seventh floor window More than 100 firefighters battled the huge blaze that engulfed the tower block in flames and smoke in west London Huge plumes of grey smoke could be seen emerging from the block, and videos posted on social media showed flames billowing out of a seventh floor window. When the results came back in May, it suggested that the polystyrene and plywood were the probable cause of the blaze escalating quickly up the building's exterior, according to the BBC. Tests showed the cladding was able to withstand initial blazes, but when the polystyrene melted an underlying combination of wood and foam was poor for containing the flames. Every resident of the Shepherd's Bush fire managed to escape uninjured, but just a month after the LFB's warning Grenfell Tower in nearby Ladbroke Grove went up in flames, killing at least 79 people. Councils were advised to install insulation panels, but this was not done in time to prevent the Grenfell Tower inferno. Measures were also recommended to 'ensure any potential fire spread does not pose a risk to health and safety'. Councils were advised to install insulation panels, but this was not done in time to prevent the Grenfell Tower inferno (pictured) Risk assessors were also in need of more information on preventative measures, the letter said. The fire brigade's pleas to councils reinforced the findings of a coroner who had urged action after the 2009 Lakanal House fire, which left six dead. A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea Council - the authority responsible for Grenfell Tower, said: 'The Council is committed to co-operating fully with both the public inquiry and the criminal investigation. 'We do not think it is right to make comments relevant to the inquiry or subject to the investigation until this issue has been discussed with the police and the solicitors to the public inquiry once they have been appointed.' A British-based imam accused of recruiting Jihadists to fight for ISIS should be extradited to Spain to face terror charges, a court has heard. Tarik Chadlioui, 43, allegedly tried to recruit and radicalise fighters for ISIS as part of a terror cell from his home in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham. The Moroccan-born cleric has been living in Britain with his wife and eight children since 2015, after moving to the UK from Belgium. He is accused of posting video propaganda in support of Islamic State on his Youtube channel and other social media. The 43-year-old, also known as Tarik Ibn Ali, is understood to have preached hate-filled sermons at a Paris mosque attended by Bataclan bomber Omar Mostefai. Mostefai was one of three ISIS gunmen who entered a theatre during a co-ordinated terror attack on Paris in 2015 which killed 130 people. Scroll down for video The British-based imam accused of helping to recruit ISIS fighters has been named as Tarik Chadlioui The Muslim hate preacher was arrested by a counter terror unit in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham this morning as part of an international raid spanning three countries Chadlioui appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon after he was arrested in an early morning raid in the West Midlands City. Spanish authorities say Chadlioui is an imam subscribing to Salafism, an ultra-conservative form of Islam. The father-of-eight is said to have been wanted by several countries and is believed to be the 'spiritual leader' of a ISIS-supporting group in Spain. Dressed in a traditional Arab robe and speaking through an Arabic interpreter, Chadlioui appeared fed up and tired and only spoke to confirm his name and address. Benjamin Joyes, representing the Spanish authorities, said: 'We are opposing bail in the most strenuous of terms. 'This is an arrest warrant for Spain described as being a member of a terrorist organisation. 'In short these offences relate to what in this country fall under dissemination of terror material and encourage others to commit terror. 'It is alleged that the requested person with several others as a member of an organisation gave support to the terrorist organisation Islamic State by means of propaganda and incitement of new members to join the organisation. 'He produced audio visual material for the recruitment of jihadis on his YouTube channel for indoctrination and posted symbols and banners for Islamic State on social media. Mr Benjamin added: 'The requested person stated that he is a frequent traveller and goes to Belgium regularly.' Sermon: Chadlioui (pictured) is understood to have preached hate-filled sermons at a Paris mosque attended by Bataclan bomber Omar Mostefai Evil: Omar Mostefai (pictured) was one of the three ISIS linked gunmen who sprayed bullets into a crowd of music fans at the Bataclan concert hall before blowing themselves up According to Dutch media, Chadlioui visited several mosques in Antwerp, Belgium earlier this month before returning to the UK. Anti-terror police used a European arrest warrant to detain Chadlioui in the early hours of Wednesday morning in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham as part of a wider investigation into support for ISIS. He was one of six arrested across Europe, four in Majorca and another in Dortmund, Germany since the investigation, which focuses on terrorist material shared online, began in 2015. Chadlioui, known as Tarik Ibn Ali, was born in Morocco but later moved to Europe where he is said to have formed links with groups including Sharia4Belgium, who aim to impose Sharia law across the country and Europe. It took inspiration from Islam4UK - a group once led by convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. It has been reported that Chadlioui radicalised Bataclan attacker Omar Mostefai in his preached hate filled sermons at the Luce mosque in a Paris suburb. Mostefai was identified by a severed finger on the Bataclan floor after he and seven others killed 132 and left 352 injured in the Paris attack in November 2015. Saba Ashraf, defending, opposed the extradition citing his private life under article 8 of the Human Rights Act. She urged district judge Baynes to give Chadlioui bail, but was refused. Spanish police escort a suspect (pictured) that was arrested in Majorca as part of an international terror operation Ms Ashraf said: 'I have been given a copy of the European Arrest Warrant and on the face of the warrant the particulars are very vague. 'There is no time, place or sate there is no connection to Spain and there is no role for the requested person. 'It simply says that he is part of a terror organisation that provide propaganda material to others to join the organisation. 'Other than that there is no suggestion to what his particular involvement is.' She added: 'Mr Chadlioui is a 43-year-old man who has eight children all below the age of 18 bar one, the youngest being a three month old baby. 'They are at his home address in Birmingham. He has been here for two years since 2015 he was living in Belgium. 'He has a business selling perfumes at stalls and at mosques, that is how he supports his family, his wife is a house wife and does not work. 'There is no date given or time or place with any connection with Spain at all. 'To remand someone of good character who is the sole financial carer for eight children on the basis that he might be a member of an Islamic group seems to be onerous.' Chadlioui was remanded in custody until another extradition hearing next week. Spanish authorities arrested four people during the anti-terror operation in Majorca, as well as one in Germany and another in Birmingham, UK It is believed that Paris-born terrorist Mostefai was inspired by Chadlioui's speeches as he became increasingly radicalised District Judge Shenagh Bayne said: 'The allegations in the European Arrest Warrant could scarcely be more serious. 'The warrant relates to terrorism offences, the framework list is ticked at participation in a criminal organisation and terrorism. 'It is alleged that you are a member of a terror organisation and that you have actively engaged in terrorist activities. 'If you are convicted of this offence you face a possible sentence of 20 years imprisonment.' Chadlioui will appear back before Westminster Magistrates at a further hearing on July 5. The British-based preacher's Facebook page has more than 20,000 'likes' and he has more than 10,000 YouTube subscribers. It is understood that the investigation into Chadlioui and others arrested today began in 2015 after recruitment videos were found online. Referring to ISIS by its Arabic acronym Daesh, Spanish Police said in a statement: 'The investigation began in 2015 when a series of videos were discovered on a website which showed the process of indoctrination, recruitment and subsequent journey to Syria of a young Muslim living in Spain. The film promoter was identified as a Salafist imam.' It added that the man was suspected of 'exercising functions ranging from recruiting, indoctrination and radicalisation in favour of Daesh and becoming from that point on their spiritual leader.' A swimming teacher has been charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. The 48-year-old allegedly sexually abused the young girl while she was a student at his swimming school in Perth. The offences occurred between 2015 and 2017, it is alleged. A swimming teacher has been charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl 'Fremantle Detectives have charged a 48 year old man as a result of their extensive investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse by a swim teacher,' police said. In Fremantle Magistrates court on Wednesday the Beeliar man was charged with six counts of indecent dealing with a child while under supervision. He was also charged with four counts of using an electronic device to procure a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of procuring a child to engage in sexual behaviour. The man will reappear in court on July 17. Inquiries are ongoing and detectives urge anyone with any information to contact police. Civilians who fail to sing the Philippines' national anthem with gusto and enthusiasm face jail under a new bill, it has emerged. Anyone refusing to sing Lupang Hinirang 'with fervour' faces up to a year behind bars, fines of up to 1,560 and being publicly named and shamed in a national newspaper. Citizens must also adhere to official music for the song and are warned that 'any act which casts contempt, dishonour or ridicule upon the national anthem shall be penalised.' Civilians who fail to sing the Philippines' national anthem with gusto and enthusiasm face jail under a new bill, it has emerged The law, approved by the Philippine House of Representatives, states: 'The singing shall be mandatory and must be done with fervour.' The bill also demands that everyone must stand up and salute when the first note of the song is played. Schools are being told that students must memorise the words. Anyone refusing to sing Lupang Hinirang 'with fervour' faces up to a year behind bars, fines of up to 1,560 and being publicly named and shamed in a national newspaper According to an author of an earlier version of the bill, cinema audiences in the country often 'disrespect' the anthem by failing to stand when it is played before the film starts. Maximo Rodriguez Jr reportedly said: 'The national anthem embodies and expresses the aspirations, dreams, ideals, longings, commitment and determination, nationalism and patriotism, sentiment and spirit of the people.' The revised 'flag and heraldic code' bill must now go before the country's other house of parliament, the senate, for final approval. This is the heart-stopping moment an apartment balcony shatters into pieces then showers onto the sidewalk within a few metres of pedestrians. The footage, from Carlton in Melbourne, shows pedestrians strolling down the pavement blissfully unaware of the impending danger. The glass panel, understood to be manufactured in China, exploded without warning. Footage shows pedestrians strolling down the pavement before an apartment balcony explodes The Carlton footage is believed to have been captured in 2015 amid a sting of similar incidents involving cheap imported glass explosions. This week, a four-year-old boy was left scarred for life after a shower screen exploded in his face. Cruz Varrone suffered severe gashes to his face, torso, legs and arms when he innocently traced his finger along the screen while taking a shower and it shattered beneath his palm. He was rushed to a Perth hospital on Thursday evening for two-and-a-half hours of plastic surgery and 'dozens' of stitches which still haven't been removed from his body, the West Australian reported. The wounds were so deep they could have easily cut through muscles and tendons, doctors said. Cruz's mother Megan Tilbury was in her bedroom when she heard a loud noise and described the scene as horrific when she entered the bathroom to discover her son covered in blood. The glass panel was poorly manufactured in China, leading it to explode without warning Cruz Varrone (pictured) suffered severe gashes to his face, torso, legs and arms when he innocently traced his finger along the screen while taking a shower and it shattered beneath his palm The wounds were so deep they could have easily cut through muscles and tendons, doctors said 'I've never been through anything like it,' she told 7 News Perth. 'I was just screaming to my older kids to get me another towel, get me another towel because the blood was just gushing everywhere, my jumper was just soaked in blood.' Cruz's brother Luca was standing next to the shower when it blew apart but wasn't hit with any of the glass. Pictures of the family's modern bathroom show thousands of large and small shards of glass strewn across the room with only a small part of the screen still intact. The screen itself met all of Australia's safety standards but the family had experienced glass breaking before. Cruz's mother Megan Tilbury was in her bedroom when she heard a loud noise and described the scene as horrific when she entered the bathroom to discover her son covered in blood The screen itself met all of Australia's safety standards but the family had experienced glass breaking before A serial con artist defrauded the NSW government and charities of more than $18,000 by posing as a schoolgirl in foster care, a court has heard. Samantha Azzopardi posed as a 13-year-old Sydney foster child and received nearly $20,000 worth of services from the NSW government and charities before she was found out. Azzopardi has previously duped authorities in Ireland and Canada into thinking she was a child sex abuse and trafficking victim, forcing them to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars investigating her claims. A serial con artist defrauded the NSW government and charities of more than $18,000 by posing as a schoolgirl in foster care, a court has heard (stock image) The 28-year-old was arrested at the beginning of June after she repeated that same story while pretending to be a 13-year-old Sydney high school student named Harper Hart. Azzopardi pleaded guilty to four fraud offences earlier this month after she was given an iPad, phone and Opal card from the not-for-profit Burdekin House, an ambulance transfer paid for by Good Shepard Australia, and medication from the NSW Department of Family and Community Services. Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday heard the cost of her lies to Burdekin House totalled more than $10,200. That included case management services. The department spent about $6,700 on medication while Azzopardi's charges also cover $1,440 worth of counselling from a state government victim services group. Samantha Azzopardi posed as a 13-year-old Sydney foster child and received nearly $20,000 worth of services from the NSW government and charities before she was found out. She appeared in Hornsby Local Court (pictured) via video link on Wednesday She appeared via video link on Wednesday and kept her head down the entire time, quietly answering 'yes' when magistrate Daniel Reiss asked if she understood the outcome of the hearing. Azzopardi, who did not apply for bail, is due to be sentenced on July 19 when the court will consider a psychiatric assessment. The 28-year-old faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail, according to court documents outlining police arguments for denying her initial bail. Azzopardi pleaded guilty to four fraud offences after she was given an iPad, phone and Opal card from Burdekin House, an ambulance transfer by Good Shepard Australia, and medication from the NSW Department of Family and Community Services (stock image) The document cites her 'extensive history of providing false documentation, obtaining passports in false names and assuming identities of other persons' in Queensland, Western Australia, Ireland and Canada. Irish authorities were dumbfounded in 2013 when Azzopardi was found wandering the streets of Dublin and tricked them into thinking she was a trafficking victim from eastern Europe by drawing pictures apparently showing a woman being raped. The following year she was charged with public mischief after walking into a clinic in Calgary, Canada, and repeating a similar story. Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne has been stood down from riding after reportedly testing positive to a banned substance. Payne, 31, was notified of her failed test on June 23 after the Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) informed Racing Victoria. The RASL say Phentermine, a psychostimulant that increases activity of the body and suppresses appetite, was found in her urine sample. Payne gave the failed test on June 11 after an event at Swan Hill in Victoria. Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has been stood down from riding after reportedly testing positive to a banned substance Payne, 31, was notified of her failed test on June 23 after the Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) informed Racing Victoria Payne rose to fame after becoming the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015. She competed at the famous Royal Ascot meeting in England last week. Racing Victoria Stewards released a statement saying they will conduct an inquiry on Thursday. More to come. Police have warned Roxy Jacenko over her son and daughter driving a motorised toy vehicle on a public road but will not take further action due to the childrens age. The Sydney PR queen spent $1299 on a motorised ride-on toy tractor for son Hunter as a lavish third birthday present last month. She then posted numerous pictures and videos on social media of Hunter and his sister Pixie, 5, taking turns behind the wheel on the mini 4WD as they drove on eastern suburbs streets. Roxy Jacenko's children Pixie, 5, and Hunter, 3, were pictured last month driving a motorised toy on a public street Police have warned Roxy Jacenko about letting her children drive son Hunter's motorised toy car on public streets Roxy Jacenko, pictured the day before her husband Oliver Curtis's release from prison, has been warned by police Police said at the time they would be taking a close look at the footage to determine if if breaches to any road rules were made, including operating a motorised vehicle without a licence on a public street. The children were not pictured wearing helmets as they operated the vehicle without assistance, sharing a road with other motorists. Police told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that Jacenko had been warned about the incident and their inquiries had now finished. 'The childrens mother has been spoken to and informed that using a motorised toy on a road is an offence,' a police spokesman said. Roxy Jacenko's children Hunter, 3, and Pixie, 5, take a drive in Hunter's new motorised play car Roxy Jacenko's daughter Pixie, 5, was pictured last year in the front of Jacenko's car, not in her booster seat 'However, given the age of the children, no further action will be taken.' Police visited Jacenko's home in October last year after receiving complaints over an Instagram picture she shared in which Pixie was sitting in the front seat of a car, not in her required booster seat. Police later dropped that investigation as well. Jacenko's husband Oliver Curtis was released from Cooma jail last week after serving one year for insider trading. Drone footage has captured shockwaves rippling across the terrain after a bombardment by Syrian forces as two children are pulled from rubble in a separate missile strike in Damascus. One clip shows the Syrian armed forces bombarding targets they identified as terrorist militants as a second video on the ground shows innocent children were caught up in other explosions. In the drone footage, huge explosions can be seen followed by smoke billowing over the Ain Tarma area in east Damascus as Syrian Arab Army (SAA) troops carry out strikes against what it described as an al-Qaeda-linked allied militant group. But the second piece of footage shows the potential consequences of these strikes on the ground, as shell-shocked and bloodied children are left trapped under broken slabs of concrete surrounded by chaos. Scroll down for video The huge plume of smoke makes its way skyward after the missile crashes into its target One of the two boys who had to be rescued is see with a shell-shocked look on his face after the blast A team of rescuers rush to the two boys who are trapped under the huge pile of rubble in Syria The drone video shows three blasts, which are all understood to have happened on Tuesday. The first is an enormous explosion from which a smoke cloud is sent skyward and the impact of the blast can be physically seen. Then the clip cuts to two tanks pointing towards buildings when the armoured vehicle at the front unleashes a powerful round of ammunition. It soars across the landscape and slams into its target, again sending smoke into the air. A third, smaller blast can then be seen towards the end of the clip. The missile lands and explodes into a raging ball of fire on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria The fire quickly turns to smoke after the missile lands and obliterates the building it hits The size of the blast is illustrated by this still image of the strike which happened on Tuesday This still image from the video shows a tank firing toward its target with a second armoured vehicle stationed behind it The second video, from a different missile strike in Damascus, shows the frightening reality of what it means to residents living in the war-torn Middle East. It starts with men rushing into a building having been guided in by a hysterical woman ushering them inside. They are greeted by the sight of two boys, who appear to be no older than nine or 10, trapped up to their waists in rubble. Both boys have a petrified look on their bloodied faces and appear almost frozen with fear. The rescuers frantically remove the fallen rocks and slabs of concrete from the hole in which the boys have become stuck in and pull them out one by one. They are carried to a car which is in the middle of a street littered with debris after the blast thought to have happened on Monday. The group of men frantically remove the rubble in order for the two boys to escape the horror Both boys, whose shirts were covered in blood from their injuries, were carried from the building A devastated woman holds her head in her hands as she screams in the street in Damascus One of the men sprint down the street, which is littered with debris, with an injured boy in his hands Meanwhile, the Trump administration said Tuesday it has detected 'active preparations' by Syria for a chemical attack and threatened to retaliate - warning of action that could plunge America deeper into a civil war alongside the fight against Islamic State militants. The chemical threat and sudden White House warning illustrate the challenging complexities of the fighting in Syria, a country whose territory was used by Islamic State to march into Iraq in 2014 and prompt a US return to the Middle East's battlefield. Washington now has more than 5,000 troops in Iraq and about 1,000 in Syria. President Donald Trump has said he won't stand for Syria's use of chemical weapons, which are banned under international law and are particularly worrisome in the Arab country because they could fall into extremists' hands. An aerial shot taken from a drone showing Syrian Arab Army strikes on militant positions in Ain Tarma Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, who has said he will not stand for Syria's use of chemical weapons which his administration said was being prepared by Bashar Assad Syria's President Bashar Assad visits a Russian air base at Hmeymim, in western Syria The Pentagon said the preparations detected by the U.S. occurred at the same air base where Syrian aircraft embarked on a sarin gas strike on April 4, killing almost 90 people. Days later, Trump ordered a cruise missile attack against the base in retaliation. The Syrian government, under President Bashar Assad, has denied it ever used banned chemicals, and it rejected Washington's latest allegation Tuesday. Syria's two main allies, Russia and Iran, joined in bashing Washington. Iran's foreign minister called the U.S. threat a 'dangerous escalation.' A senior Russian lawmaker accused the U.S. of a 'provocation.' It was unclear if the US saw a Syrian attack as imminent. Nevertheless, the White House showed it wouldn't turn a blind eye. Since Trump's inauguration, US involvement in Syria has deepened. Syria's President Bashar al-Assad visits a Russian air base at Hmeymim Earlier this month, the US shot down a Syrian fighter jet for the first time. It has twice downed Iranian drones. The US cruise missile strike in April was the first intentional American assault on Syrian President Bashar Assad's government or military. The White House issued a brief written statement Monday night saying it had detected potential preparations for another chemical attack and emphasizing the Syrian government would 'pay a heavy price' if it proceeded. Hours later, the Pentagon elaborated without offering many specifics. 'We have observed activities at Shayrat air base that suggest possible intent by the Syrian regime to use chemical weapons again,' a Pentagon spokesman, Marine Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway, said. He said Assad's 'brutality' threatens the region and US interests, and any Syrian attacks with weapons of mass destruction risk prompting others to use similar weapons. Chemical weapons have killed hundreds of people since the start of Syria's six-year civil war. The UN has blamed three attacks on Assad's government and a fourth on the Islamic State group. The US and its Arab and Western allies, and Syrian opposition groups, accuse Assad's forces of many more instances of using sarin and chlorine against civilians. A four-year-old Australian girl with an inoperable brain tumour has touched down in Mexico with her family in a desperate bid to save her life. Annabelle Potts was diagnosed with the highly aggressive Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma cancer, which could kill her in just six months. Her parents Kathie and Adam Griffiths, from Canberra, got her accepted into a British clinical trial of Convection Enhanced Delivery. But doctors discovered the location of her tumour made the trail too dangerous - so the family turned to experimental treatment in Mexico. Annabelle Potts, four, has touched down in Mexico with her family in a desperate bid to save her life The youngster was diagnosed with the highly aggressive Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma cancer , which could kill her in just six months 'Annabelle has now had her first treatment in Mexico. She is very tired, very sore and very thirsty,' Ms Griffiths posted on Annabelle's GoFundMe page last week. 'Thank you all so much for helping Annabelle get to Mexico, we have come a long way but still have a long way to go!' The family are just one of many from around the globe living in the mountainside city of Monterey with children suffering from the aggressive cancer. 'There is another Australian family here, five from the UK and Europe and about 15 from America. (Annabelle) is scared being back in hospital but there is a great community here of other kids with the same condition,' Ms Potts told Nine News. Annabelle's mum Kathie was 'in shock for about two weeks' when she heard about her little girl's devastating cancer Doctors discovered the location of Aannabelle's tumour made the UK trail too dangerous - so the family turned to experimental treatment in Mexico 'Annabelle has made friends with another little girl and they have been able to talk about their ''little bumps in their heads'' and trade war stories. 'It's really cute to see her smiling and having fun.' Annabelle will need up to a dozen treatments, which combine intra-arterial chemotherapy with immunotherapy, at around $25,000 each treatment. The radical trial involves feeding chemotherapy drugs through an artery in the groin to breach the blood-brain barrier and get them to the tumour. Ms Griffiths and her husband Adam have raised $237,000 via a GoFundMe page that will go towards paying for the trial and all associated travelling costs. Parents Kathie and Adam try to have 'hope' and have never given up trying to find a way to extend their daughter's life Annabelle (left) with her brother William who is regularly minded by Ms Griffith's aunty while her three-year-old daughter is receiving treatment 'Kathie and Adam's main focus now is to buy as much time as possible for Annabelle while we all pray for a miracle,' the FundMe page reads. The Sydney-based doctors who diagnosed the youngster in December last year deemed it inoperable and gave her nine months to live. 'I was absolutely gutted. I was in shock for about two weeks,' said Annabelle's mum Kathie Griffiths. 'I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't do anything. All I had, and all I still have, is hope.' Annabelle began waking up seven times a night 'screaming' and Ms Griffiths would find her in the morning asleep on the floor outside her bedroom. 'She was having night terrors and dizzy spells which eventually led to behavioural changes and slurred speech, Ms Griffiths said. 'I didn't experience the ''terrible twos' with her so when she started having full on meltdowns I knew something wasn't right.' Over a six month period Annabelle's condition deteriorated. After visiting a GP it was thought she had a 'middle ear problem', which explained the slurred speech and dizziness, but didn't explain some of the other symptoms. A grim diagnosis: 'They said at this point they only talk in months. And the average is nine,' the mum-of-two said The Sydney-based doctors who diagnosed Annabelle in December last year deemed it inoperable and gave her nine months to live 'It was when she started vomiting and limping that we decided to seek a second opinion. That's when we were referred for tests at a Canberra hospital,' said Ms Griffiths. The doctors in Canberra immediately knew it was a brain tumour. They told the family that Annabelle would have to be taken to Sydney for further tests that very same day. 'My husband had to go home and pack clothes for us and my 18-month-old son William stayed at my sisters. Annabelle and I were taken in a helicopter up to Sydney immediately. 'The moment I heard brain tumour I knew it was the worst case scenario. After they told me her tumour was one of the biggest they'd seen of that kind I asked how long she had left. 'They said at this point they only talk in months. And the average is nine,' the mum-of-two said. A week ago Annabelle was accepted into a trial known as Convection Enhanced Delivery but the family need to raise $250,000 to travel to the UK and receive the treatment Hope at last: 'If successful the trial could give Annabelle a further 18 months of life,' said Ms Griffiths Annabelle underwent six weeks of radiotherapy which finished in February. The family stayed in Ronald McDonald House while their daughter endured five days of intensive treatment with adult dosages - all while under general anaesthetic. 'They had to put her to sleep because she's too little to sit still for that long. She has probably been under general anaesthetic 40 times in the last three months,' said Ms Griffiths. Despite the radiotherapy treatment Annabelle's tumour has only decreased a minuscule amount in size. It's still considered quite large for her size. But Australia doesn't have the resources to help the three-year-old. The family's only hope now is that the trial in Mexico will extend their daughter's life and the kindness of strangers will be enough to help them fund it. Incredible footage shows passengers helping a pregnant woman moments after she birth to an 'absolutely perfect' baby 39,000ft up in the air. Cristina Penton, 35, was ten minutes into her Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Texas when she thought she was having a panic attack. The Phoenix woman, who was 36-weeks-pregnant, alerted flight attendants but soon realised the stomach pains she felt were contractions - and they were getting faster and stronger. The pilot began to divert the jet to New Orleans so she could give birth in a hospital. But with the help of a pediatrician and nurse who happened to be on board, Cristina gave birth to a healthy seven-pound baby boy named Christoph just half an hour later. Incredible footage shows passengers helping heavily pregnant Cristina Penton (pictured) give birth to an 'absolutely perfect' baby 39,000ft up in the air Penton, 35, was ten minutes into her Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Texas when she started having contractions - and gave birth to Christoph (pictured) just 30 minutes later In the remarkable video of the mid-air birth, other passengers erupted into applause when she delivered the 19-inch-tall baby, with some saying the child just 'shout out'. 'Everything started happening very quickly,' Cristina later told the Advocate.'I didn't think I was having the baby because it was too soon. 'But after a few minutes I knew I needed medical attention... Soon after that, it was clear I was having my baby, and I was in pure panic.' After the plane landed, Cristina was taken to Oschner Medical Center in Louisiana where she was pictured cradling her newborn son in a 'Born to Fly' onesie. She told reporters she was flying with her two other children, 11-year-old Lulu and Ramon, 12, when she went into labor mid-flight. The beaming mother told of how she 'went into survival mode' when her water broke just 20 minutes after her contractions begun. With her daughter Lulu lovingly holding her hand, it took just ten minutes and a few pushes for Christoph to be born. Cristina gave birth to a healthy seven-pound baby boy named Christoph just half an hour after her water broke In the remarkable video of the mid-air birth, other passengers erupted into applause when she delivered the 19-inch-tall baby After the plane landed, Cristina and her son (pictured) was taken to Oschner Medical Center in Louisiana Once safely on the ground, she sent images of little Christoph to her husband but joked he would be mad because 'he missed it'. 'There was no time to prepare,' Cristina said. 'He just did what he wanted.' Fellow passenger Marlene Cabrera told the Washington Post how the flight broke into laughter and applause as news of the successful birth spread. 'I think the thing that surprised me and others the most was the woman made no noise,' she said. 'It was all quiet for about 20 minutes until you heard a baby crying, and then you heard people cheering and applauding. 'People on the plane were pretty good about it. I just think it was handled in such a positive way. Penton checked into Ochsner at around 10pm on Saturday and was discharged on Tuesday morning, a nurse told Cristina told reporters she was flying with her two other children, 11-year-old Lulu (pictured) and Ramon, 12, when she went into labor mid-flight She was discharged after the baby and mom were pronounced healthy, and on Tuesday morning they were preparing to drive to Phoenix with the new baby on board. Spirit spokesman Paul Berry said the airline would deliver gifts to the mother and baby, including free flights for Christoph and a guest to anywhere the airline flies on his birthday - for life. He went on: 'A baby being born during a flight is very rare, but our flight attendants are trained to handle medical emergencies in-flight and they have access to doctors on the ground via in-flight communication.' An Australian state is set to overtake Denmark as the most expensive place for electricity bills in the world, according to an expert. South Australian residents are set to pay the most in the world for electricity after an economics expert said retailers will introduce an 18 per cent increase causing a surge in household bills. Bruce Mountain from economics consultancy group CME said the prices are set to soar on Saturday. South Australia is set to become the most expensive place in the world for electricity bills South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill spoke about the government's plan to introduce alternatives to drive energy prices down 'After taxes, the [typical] household in South Australia will be paying slightly more than the [typical] household in Denmark, which currently has the highest prices in the world,' Mr Mountain told ABC radio. 'These things are complex just because the statement might be true for the representative customer might not mean it's true for you. 'But the broad picture is that these prices can be thought of as the highest in the world.' Using data from national and international energy market values, Mr Mountain concluded Australians are paying more for electricity then it is actually worth. Retailers are set to increase prices by 18 per cent on Saturday in South Australia South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said he did not agree with Mr Mountain's assessment, but the government did have the energy plan in motion. South Australian Labor Minister for Finance, Resources and Energy, Tom Koutsantonis, tweeted that while the state had extremely high electricity bills, there was no evidence to suggest they were the highest in the world. The energy plan is aimed at introducing additional gas-fired generating capacity and battery storage renewable energy to make the monopolised market more competitive. He said this will hopefully put pressure on prices so they drop. Two women have been charged over claims they had sex with underage asylum seekers at a migrant shelter in Denmark. The pair, aged 36 and 52, are facing up to four years in jail each after allegedly having sex with two 17-year-olds while working at Brnecenter Tulleblle, located on the Danish island of Rudkbing. The 36-year-old allegedly had sex with one unaccompanied teen asylum seeker at her house and in her car between May and July last year. Two women aged 36 and 52 have been charged over claims they had sex with two 17-year-old asylum seekers at a shelter in Denmark in 2016 (file image) Meanwhile the 52-year-old is accused of having sex with a different teen between January and February 2016 inside the centre and in her car. The charges were reported by local newspaper Ekstra Bladet. Sisi Eibye, head of the asylum programme in Langeland Municipality, where the attacks allegedly took place, was fired last year after it emerged that several staff knew for months about what was going on, but failed to report it. Under Danish law it is illegal for employees at institutions to have sexual relations with people under their care. Some of the sex acts were photographed and and videoed, according to claims published by local press last year. Sisi Eibye, who was responsible for overseeing the centre where the alleged attacks took place, was fired last year before the shelter was permanently closed Brnecenter Tulleblle was permanently shuttered in October last year amid multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour and violence at the centre. Several migrants were also accused of the rape and sexual assault of several women at the nearby Langelandsfestival. The two former employees were due to appear in court earlier this month, but their cases were postponed until August and October. Both are pleading not guilty to the charges against them. The issue of unaccompanied child migrants has caused some controversy in Europe, as it is often difficult to prove the ages of asylum seekers arriving without identity documents or papers. That has led to the belief that some are claiming to be underage in order to claim asylum, despite being much older than the 18-year cutoff point. The government's austerity plans were thrown into confusion today after ministers signalled the public sector pay cap was being scrapped - only for No10 to backtrack on the idea. Cabinet ministers suggested this morning that the 1 per cent limit on rises, which has been in force since 2010, was being abandoned. Senior Tory sources later indicated that the shift was under way. But within hours Downing Street insisted: 'The policy has not changed.' Chancellor Philip Hammond is thought to have been infuriated at being bounced into a move that would potentially leave a huge hole in his Budget plans. The shambles began this morning when Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said ministers were 'considering' the pay cap amid growing signs of a change in approach to austerity. Cabinet colleague Chris Grayling also fuelled speculation by saying the government was determined to 'learn the lessons' from the bloody nose suffered by the Tories at the election. Labour will seek to increase the pressure on Theresa May (pictured in the Commons today) later by tabling an amendment to the Queen's Speech demanding an end to the public sector pay cap and recruitment of more police and firefighters Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said ministers were 'considering' the situation on the public sector pay cap amid growing signs of a change in approach to austerity Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin (left) said 'carefully judged' measures to raise revenue would allow the government to 'ease up' on spending cuts. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling (right) said the government was determined to 'learn the lessons' from the election It is thought that Mrs May intended to make clear her intention to ease the pay cap at PMQs in the Commons at lunchtime - but was not asked about it. The restrictions are due to stay in place until 2020 as part of efforts to eradicate the deficit. Lifting the cap by 1 per cent for the country's five million public sector workers would cost an estimated 2billion a year - and that would still be well below the current CPI inflation rate of 2.9 per cent. After the session in the Commons, a senior Tory source told journalists: Ministers including the PM and Chancellor have been clear we are going to listen to the messages sent at the election. HOW DO PAY REVIEW BODIES WORK? There are eight different pay review bodies which together advise on the salaries for teachers, NHS staff, the Armed Forces and other public sector workers. In deciding what pay scales to suggest, the bodies must consider the need to recruit, retain and motivate staff. But importantly, the bodies must take into consideration the financial circumstances of the government. Ministers set the remits and the bodies take evidence from the government and groups which represent the public sector workers. They then publish their recommendations. But the government is not bound by these suggestions, and ultimately it is up to the Prime Minister and relevant secretaries of state to decide on pay. Advertisement We understand people are weary after years of hard work to rebuild the economy. He added: It is vitally important we balance the books and live within our means so future generations are not paying for that. But just hours later the Prime Minister's official spokesman sounded a very different tone. He said public sector pay review bodies were 'going about their work', and their recommendations would be considered as before. Asked if the government would still expect the recommendations to be within the 1 per cent limit, the spokesman said: 'The policy has not changed,' Tory grandee Oliver Letwin launched the push for a change in the balance of austerity this morning, when he said taxes should rise to meet voters' demands for an easing of curbs on public spending. Sir Oliver, one of the architects of the Coalition's austerity measures, said 'carefully judged' measures to raise revenue would allow the government to 'ease up' on restrictions. But he warned that while the rich would bear much of the burden there was no way to avoid asking 'large numbers' of people to pay more. In a speech at the Royal United Services Institute this morning, Sir Michael was asked whether defence budget increases would include a rise in wages. 'That is obviously a huge question,' he said. 'It's partly a matter for the pay review bodies but it also involves a forecast of where you expect inflation to be. 'I think we expect inflation to start falling back again from the autumn onwards.' He added: 'But it is obviously something we have to consider not just for the army but right across the public sector as a whole.' Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured giving a speech in Germany yesterday) has admitted that the public is tired of the 'hard slog' after seven years of austerity Jeremy Corbyn (pictured in the Commons today) demanded an end to austerity during the election campaign, saying he could fund more spending purely by taxing companies and the richest five per cent Theresa May dismissed claims from Jeremy Corbyn in the Commons today that austerity had contributed to the Grenfell Tower blaze Jeremy Corbyn later posed with all of his MPs in Westminster Hall in parliament. there were more MPs there than most would have anticipated just a few weeks ago after Labour performed better than elected in the June 8 poll Mr Corbyn, the king of selfies, takes a picture of himself and some of his fellow Labour MPs in parliament's Westminster Hall today The comments reinforce speculation that the government is preparing for an overhaul in its approach, after the election uncovered growing anxiety about the strain on the NHS and other services. In the aftermath of the election, which saw voters strip the Conservatives of their overall majority, Chancellor Philip Hammond admitted that the public was tired of the 'hard slog' after seven years of austerity. Labour will seek to increase the pressure on Theresa May this evening by tabling an amendment to the Queen's Speech demanding an end to the public sector pay cap and recruitment of more police and firefighters. CORBYN BLAMES CUTS FOR GRENFELL TOWER TRAGEDY Jeremy Corbyn blamed spending cuts for the Grenfell Tower blaze today. The Labour leader said the tragedy had 'exposed the disastrous effects of austerity'. But after his comments at PMQs a senior party source insisted there was no 'direct link' between austerity and the deadly fire. In the Commons, Mr Corbyn raged at Theresa May: 'When you cut local authority budgets by 40 per cent, we all pay a price in public safety. 'Fewer inspectors, fewer planning inspectors we all pay a price. Those cuts to the fire service have meant there are 11,000 fewer firefighters, the public sector pay cap is hitting recruitment and retention... 'What the tragedy of Grenfell Tower has exposed is the disastrous effects of austerity. 'This disregard for working-class communities, the terrible consequences of deregulation and cutting corners I urge the PM to come up with the resources needed.' Mrs May shot back: 'The cladding of tower blocks did not start under this government, it did not start under the previous coalition government. 'The cladding of tower blocks began under the Blair government.' After the session, a senior Labour source said Mr Corbyn was not directly blaming austerity for causing the blaze. But he said: 'I think it's quite clear you can't make, from the evidence we know now, a direct link between the deaths and cuts in the fire service. 'But what is absolutely clear is cuts in police numbers, cuts in the numbers of firefighters and the huge cuts to local authority funding that Jeremy referred to in the chamber have had a big impact overall on safety. Advertisement With the support of the DUP's 10 MPs, there is no real prospect of the amendment being passed - and the signal on the cap should encourage Tory MPs to toe the line. Asked about the pay cap, Mr Grayling told the BBC today: 'Philip Hammond has said we obviously have to learn lessons from the general election. 'We will have a budget later this year. He will set out our ongoing plans in that budget. 'Now is not the time or the place, in the Queens speech debate, to start setting out plans for the economy. That is what budgets are for.' Sir Oliver told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was clear on the doorstep during the election campaign that people were concerned about 'spending on schools, spending on health, spending on social care. He insisted that the government could not step back on its determination to keep tackling the deficit. But Sir Oliver made clear that he believed raising tax to increase spending was now a serious prospect. He said the better-off could 'bear a larger share of the cost' as they had done under the coalition, but dismissed Labour's claims that tax rises could be limited only to companies and the very rich. 'It may well be that, in one way or another, a large number of people will have to pay a little more tax if we are going to maintain the trend towards reduced deficits and yet spend a bit more on the crucial public services that do need more spending,' he said. Sir Oliver also suggested the public sector pay cap will soon need to be rethought . 'I think sooner or later there will need to be some movement on the rate of increase of public sector pay because we are getting close to the point at which the huge increase in public sector pay compared to private sector pay which we inherited in 2010 is levelling out. 'And I have no doubt that at some point or other we will need to look at that.' The British Social Attitudes study found 48 per cent of people believe the government should raise taxes and spend more, and their numbers overtook those who want taxes to stay as they are last year. It is the highest figure detected since 2004 - although support has been much higher in the past. The influential independent annual survey is produced with the backing of a series of Whitehall departments. The report said the move towards tax-and-spend reverses public sentiment in favour of low taxation that developed during Tony Blair's high-spending years in power and lasted throughout David Cameron's premiership. It helps to explain the failure of Theresa May's election campaign, which did not try to counter opposition calls for higher public spending by defending Tory economic successes since 2010. Among the report's editors is Professor John Curtice, the pollster whose television exit poll predicted the Tory failure to win a Commons overall majority with spectacular accuracy. Based on in-depth questioning of nearly 3,000 people, it found that 48 per cent said they wanted higher taxation to pay for more spending on health, education and social benefits. The last time support for higher taxes was found to be so high was in 2004. Some 44 per cent want taxes to stay the same, and just four per cent say they want them cut, the report found. 'There are clear signs of increased support for a government that is more generous with its spending and a growing public willingness to pay for it,' the report said. 'The last seven years have been ones of relative famine so far as public expenditure is concerned. It appears that gradually the public are beginning to react against that experience, as reflected in declining support for cutting expenditure as a way of helping the economy and some increase in support for spending on public services. 'The call for more spending is still well below what it was by the late 1990s, but it looks as though the tide may at least have begun to flow back in that direction.' The report said that high employment levels may have contributed to a fall in public support for spending money on helping the unemployed. Backing for higher spending on unemployment benefits has more than halved since 1996, from 33 per cent to 16 per cent. The Best Possible Summer program, put on by Beatrice Public Schools, is set to wrap up this week at Stoddard Elementary. The program, which hosted more than 300 students this year, gave children the chance to learn while participating in fun activities. The program is education disguised as something really fun. Thats the whole point of Best Possible Summer said Betty Replogle, principal of Stoddard Elementary. The goal is to make the activities educational, but to let the children have a lot of fun while they participate. It was awesome, Replogle said. We've gone to the Humane Society, we've gone to the Homestead National Monument, we've gone to the Extension Office, where the kids learned about healthy eating where they saw how much sugar was in some of their favorite drinks. That was an eye-opener. Split into groups, students spent the past few weeks learning about different subjects, with a little math, science and reading sprinkled in throughout the program. One group focused on the Wild West and got to learn about hats, horses, rodeos and how to do some rope tricks, said Norma Mercer, a paraeducator with the group. Students could even take turns brushing Moonshine and Applejack, a pair of Shetland ponies, in the field past the playground. In the library, the Escape Room group was tasked with searching for Burgess, the "missing" librarian. Burgess gave the students clues that could only be solved by completing projects. One project involved making smores in the hope that the librarian would be lured back with her favorite treat. The group deciphered codes, figured out locks, solved puzzles and used black lights to find hidden messages in invisible ink, all leading up to Thursdays field trip to the Lincoln Escape Room, where they will try to solve the final puzzles to find the librarian. Down the hall, students were using sewing machines and making nine-patch quilts or designing their own patterns. A separate class made barn quilts out of construction paper shapes and learned about patterns, like 3-D and marble. I really like the marble painting, said patterns student Naveah Orth. It was fun to do. The Underwater Adventure group is heading to the pool at the YMCA on Thursday for some treasure diving, but on Wednesday, they were counting fish. Goldfish Crackers were a substitute for real fish, and the children were meant to count the distribution of colors in a package of rainbow crackers. I got 29 yellows, said Raleigh Rash. They're pretty much all the same, except the green is a little crunchier. Kipton Lovitt and Brogan Ideus agreed before each picked up a fish for a taste inspection. Elsewhere, students in the Food is Fun class were hosting their own version of the Food Network cooking show, "Chopped." They had already made brownies with sweet potatoes, black beans and avocados. Wednesdays main event was pizza. Some students made a pesto, bacon, pepperoni and cheese pizza on a garlic dough base. Others made a pepperoni pizza with a garlic crust and a special ingredient: olives dipped in barbecue sauce. Another set of students made a rich chicken alfredo pizza with artichokes and a cheese-stuffed crust. Judges Replogle and Jeff Tunink, a YMCA liaison, judged the pizzas after trying each of them. Here's the question, Replogle said, if you were going to have one pizza for supper with your family, and you were going to eat three or four pieces, which one would you want to eat? Each pizza was delicious in its own way, but there had to be a winner. I loved the assortment of flavors, Tunink said. The pesto, bacon and pepperoni pizza ended up as the winner, though, if more had been offered, Replogle and Tunink said theyd definitely eat all of them again. The Best Possible Summer program is open to any child who wants to be involved, Replogle said, whether theyre from public schools, parochial schools or home schools. It was the third year for the program, which is usually held at Paddock Lane Elementary but held at Stoddard this year due to repair work. Planning for the program's fourth year is already underway for next summer. It just goes so fast, Replogle said. It is totally an awesome opportunity for kids. Advertisement The Sydney Opera House will light up every night after the installation of a permanent projection of Indigenous Australian art on the building's iconic sails. Crowds no longer have to wait for the three-week Vivid festival to be dazzled by a light show at the picturesque location following the launch of seven-minute display Badu Gili on Wednesday. The display - called 'water light' in the language of the Gadigal people who are the traditional custodians of the land - mixes music and images that celebrate Dreamtime stories of seasonal change, according to Sydney Morning Herald. The Sydney Opera House will light up every night after the installation of a permanent projection of Indigenous Australian art on the building's iconic sails Sails of the Sydney Opera House are lit up with projections from seven-minute display 'Badu Gili' (pictured) which launched on Wednesday The display - called 'water light' in the language of the Gadigal people who are the traditional custodians of the land - mixes music and images that celebrate Dreamtime stories of seasonal change Badu Gili will turn on at 7pm every night following its launch to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. More than 8million people who visit the Opera House each year will be provided with a 'gateway to Australia's First Nations history and culture', head of First Nations programming Rhoda Roberts said. The animated light show is inspired by art of late Aboriginal artist Lin Onus and will include works from five artists across Australia and the Torres Strait Islands. Artist Frances Belle Parker, 35, said it's 'amazing' to have her work on the same platform as people she looked up to, according to Sydney Morning Herald. Her artwork explores the idea of Aboriginal sovereignty and pays homage to the history of Ulgundahi Island, where her mother lived before being driven away by Scottish settlers. Badu Gili will turn on at 7pm every night following its Wednesday launch to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum The animated light show is inspired by art of late Aboriginal artist Lin Onus and will include works from five artists across Australia and the Torres Strait Islands The Sydney Opera House was last lit up during Vivid Sydney which ran for three weeks across May and June Alan Milburn, the former Labour Cabinet minister who chairs the commission, said parts of Britain were already being left behind (file picture) Britain is more divided than ever and politicians must make sure people have a fair chance at success, a major social mobility reports warns today. The split between the 'haves and have nots' will continue to grow without urgent action, the Social Mobility Commission warned. Alan Milburn, the former Labour Cabinet minister who chairs the commission, said parts of Britain were already being left behind. Government has failed to bridge the gap between rich and poor under Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May. Mr Milburn said the country was facing major questions about its future role in the world, national security, the economy and social cohesion. He said: 'As the recent general election seems to demonstrate, there is no consensus in the nation about how best to answer these questions. 'The public mood is sour, sometimes angry. 'Whole tracts of Britain feel left behind. Whole communities feel the benefits of globalisation have passed them by. 'Whole sections of society feel they are not getting a fair chance to succeed. 'The growing sense that we have become an us-and-them society is deeply corrosive of our cohesion as a nation.' The Social Mobility Commission rated a series of policy areas against a traffic light system. It found while over employment had gone up, which helped social mobility, Government policy had generally failed over the past two decades The report found: At current rates of progress it will take about 15 years before all children are school ready by the age of five and 40 years before the attainment gap between rich and poor at that age is closed. There is currently no prospect of the gap between poorer and wealthier children being eliminated at either GCSE or A-level, which Mr Milburn said was 'totally unacceptable'. In higher education, it will take about 80 years before the participation gap between students from rich and poor areas closes. One-in-five people are struck on low pay, a consistently higher proportion than in similar nations. There is 'currently no prospect of the Government achieving its ambition of Britain becoming a high-skilled, high-paying economy'. Economic growth in London and other cities has left parts of England behind and at risk of being 'hollowed out' as people leave in search of opportunities. The income and wealth divide has become 'more acute', between 1997 and 2017 the bottom fifth of households saw incomes increase by just over 10 a week compared with 300 for the top fifth. A new generational divide has emerged with growing inequality between the old and young, who are more reliant than ever on their parents for help to buy homes. The commission used a traffic light system to assess progress in improving social mobility at key stages in people's lives, early years, school, training or further/higher education and then into the world of work. No stage was given a green light, with early years and schools given an amber rating while the later 'young people' and 'working lives' stages received a red rating. Overall, only seven policies scored a green, with 14 ambers and 16 reds. The Government said it was prioritising creating apprenticeships to tackle social mobility (pictured is a file image of a Rolls Royce apprentice) Mr Milburn said: 'Our country has reached an inflection point. 'If we go on as we have been, the divisions that have opened up in British society are likely to widen, not narrow. 'There is a growing sense in the nation that these divisions are not sustainable, socially, economically or politically. There is a hunger for change. 'The policies of the past have brought some progress, but many are no longer fit for purpose in our changing world.' The commission recommended that the Prime Minister should put in place a single cross-government plan to deliver the social mobility agenda, with 10-year targets to halt the short-term nature of many interventions. A social mobility test should be applied to all new public policy and every Budget should identify how taxpayers' money is being redistributed to address geographical, wealth and generational divides. The report looked at the top of a series of professions to see how the number of people from private schools had changed since the 1980s. In some areas - notably CEOs and solicitors - far fewer people are from private schools. But in medicine and journalism, more private school students are at the top of the profession, while among barristers and judges it is almost unchanged The commission said the Prime Minister should 'abandon plans to extend grammar schools' and instead focus on new collaborative approaches to turning around failing schools. The Government has already reined in its plans for a new generations of grammars following the general election, with the Queen's Speech promising only to work with Parliament to bring forward proposals for school improvement 'that can command a majority'. A Department for Education spokesman said: 'Tackling social mobility is at the heart of the government's ambition to make Britain a country that works for everyone. 'There are 1.8 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools than in 2010, and we are delivering three million apprenticeship places, opening up access to our higher education system and investing 500 million a year into technical education. 'However, we know that more must be done, and that's why last year we launched our 72 million Opportunity Areas programme. This is bringing together local businesses, schools and councils in 12 social mobility 'coldspots' to create better opportunities for young people.' The commission recommended Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured in Bristol yesterday) should put in place a single cross-government plan to deliver the social mobility agenda Save the Children chief executive Kevin Watkins said the Government should make the quality of nursery education a top priority. He said: 'It's nothing short of a scandal that in this day and age, so many of our children are falling behind in their learning from the start and left to stay behind throughout their lives. 'We all know that unless we get education right in the early years of a child's life, so many of them - especially the poorest - will struggle right through to their GCSEs and beyond, into the world of work and even in their relationships.' Charlie Gard's 'utterly distraught' parents will meet with his doctors today as they prepare to say goodbye to their beloved son. European judges last night backed the British doctors who said it would be kinder to let the ten-month-old die. Charlie, who has a rare genetic condition, will now die at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London once doctors have removed an artificial ventilator. His parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates, who spent all their time at their son's bedside, are likely to speak with his clinical team about the next steps, although doctors insist there is 'no rush' to end his life. Outside Great Ormond Street members of 'Charlie's Army' - the group who raised 1.3million for US care denied to him - have tied messages of hope, ribbons and posters to trees. Charlie's parents and their supporters desperately wanted their son (pictured) to undergo treatment in America - now his life will end after the legal battle ended Chris Gard and Connie Yates, have been battling to save their son since he was diagnosed with a rare condition in September 2016 but must meet with doctors to discuss ending life support Outside Great Ormond Street members of 'Charlie's Army' - the group who raised 1.3million for US care denied to him - have tied ribbons and posters to trees Will Charlie's life support be switched off straight away? Charlie Gard's parents Connie Gard and Connie Yates have been forced to prepare themselves for the eventuality that their baby son's life would be ended by the courts. Great Ormond Street Hospital have said that although a deadline on continuing his care is in place, it will not be followed to the letter. Doctors say there is 'no rush' to end his treatment and they have discussed what will happen with his parents. The couple will have days rather than hours to say goodbye to their son. A spokesman for the hospital said: 'At Great Ormond Street Hospital, our priority in situations like this is to work closely with the family to discuss the next steps in their child's care. In Charlie's case we have been discussing for many months, how the withdrawal of treatment may work. 'There would be no rush for any action to be taken immediately. 'Discussions and planning in these situations usually take some days based on the experience of our clinical teams'. Advertisement A Great Ormond Street spokesman said the European Court decision marked 'the end' of a 'difficult process'. But she said there would be 'no rush' to change Charlie's care. She said there would be 'careful planning and discussion'. 'Our thoughts are with Charlie's parents,' she added. '(The) decision by the European Court of Human Rights marks the end of what has been a very difficult process and our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlie's parents as we prepare for the next steps. 'There will be no rush by Great Ormond Street Hospital to change Charlie's care and any future treatment plans will involve careful planning and discussion.' His 'heartbroken' parents have reached 'the very end of their journey' in their legal fight, a friend said. His parents had battled to be allowed to take him to America to undergo experimental therapy, but successive courts ruled in favour of Charlie's British doctors. Now the European Court of Human Rights has dashed their final hope, and last night a friend of the family told the Mail: 'Connie and Chris are absolutely distraught, utterly heartbroken. 'It has ripped their world apart. The agony they have gone through is unimaginable. 'Fortunately they have huge support from a very loving and close family but losing a child is every parent's nightmare. And for them the agony is more unbearable as they have fought so very hard for treatment they firmly believed would save Charlie's life.' It is likely Charlie's life support will be withdrawn in the next few days. Charlie's parents (pictured together after losing a Supreme Court case ) hoped that judges in France would come to their aid 10-month-old Charlie Gard (pictured) suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage Charlie's bereft mother indicated donations will be used to save lives of other children Connie Yates, 31, has indicated that the 1.3m raised for Charlie will be used to save other children and a foundation could be set up in his name. Miss Yates said in April: 'A few people have asked us what we'll do if we don't win the court case. 'We have thought long and hard about it and we would set up a charity for mitochondrial depletion syndromes (there are others that are more common than Charlie's specific gene)', she said in a statement which was posted on the website but has now been taken down. 'We'd like to save other babies and children because these medications have been proven to work and we honestly have so much belief in them. 'If Charlie doesn't get this chance, we will make sure that other innocent babies and children will be saved. 'We would like some of it to go to research at the specific hospital that is willing to treat Charlie, and the rest will be available to help other families to get the medication that their children desperately need. 'We hope that you can all support us in making treatments available so that nobody else ever has to go through what we have.' GoFundMe said officials would also have discussions with Charlie's parents about what would happen to money raised for treatment. Advertisement The hospital made it clear there was 'no rush' and that 'every possible support to Charlie's parents' would be provided. Miss Yates, 31, and Mr Gard, 32, of Bedfont, South West London, have previously lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Their last chance was the European court, based in Strasbourg, France, but its seven judges ruled the parents' application 'inadmissible', adding: 'The decision is final.' Charlie, who was born on August 4 last year, has a type of mitochondrial disease so rare he is only the 16th sufferer worldwide. The condition saps energy from organs and muscles, and his lungs are too weak to function without the ventilator. He is in intensive care at Great Ormond Street where doctors believe nothing can save him, despite his parents finding a US specialist willing to try an experimental drug treatment. The Supreme Court backed the High Court and Court of Appeal which had both accepted evidence that it would be 'futile' for Charlie to have further treatment because he has irreversible brain damage and cannot see, hear or move. His parents are adamant he is growing stronger and showing signs of improvement. They have raised 1.3 million from well-wishers who donated via an online fundraising page to fund the US treatment. It is unclear what will happen to the money. Well-wishers are continuing to donate to a fund set up by a couple who want to take their terminally ill baby son to the United States for treatment even though hopes have been dashed. The couple have raised nearly 1.4 million, after launching an appeal to pay for treatment in American on a GoFundMe website four months ago, and more than 300 has been donated since Strasbourg judges announced their decision. One well-wisher donated 100 at about 7am on Wednesday and posted a message to Charlie's parents saying: 'My heart goes out to you during this crucial time. Prayers are coming your way. I pray God changes the hearts of the doctors to allow Charlie to get the care he needs and deserves.' A mother-of-four removed from her home over cladding safety concerns today told an MP that he and others should be jailed over the Grenfell Tower disaster. Chantal Peters has been kicked out of her home in Camden, North London, while the council removes cladding with similar material to that used on the tower. And she lost her temper on Good Morning Britain while berating shadow housing minister John Healey over the failings that led to the fire in West London on June 14. Chantal Peters (right), who was removed from her home over cladding safety concerns, became angry at shadow housing minister John Healey (left) on Good Morning Britain today Ms Peters (left) became emotional on the ITV programme while berating Mr Healey (right) over the failings that led to the fire in West London on June 14 Ms Peters, who is currently staying in a hotel room, told the ITV programme: 'Outside my house it says 400 volts. I do not have sprinklers, I do not have a fire alarm. 'Near the lift there is a yellow box, there is not even a button to press to alarm us that there's a fire. I've got it on my phone, I will show you people. 'You've got my kids in a death trap. I'm sorry, you've got five year old people in a death trap. Disabled, there's people with pets, there's pregnant people. 'You have people in these blocks. You are messing with people's lives. You need to do something. I'm sorry, this is disgusting. You lot need to go jail. I'm sorry. Ms Peters and Mr Healey appeared on the show with DailyMail.com U.S. Editor-at-Large Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid (right) Ms Peters told the programme today that she was 'angry for my kids and everybody out there' Ms Peters told him that politicians are 'messing with people's lives' and 'need to do something' 'I'm angry, I'm angry for my kids and everybody out there. All of us need to come together as a community, London, Birmingham, Manchester we are all together. The Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington, West London, left at least 79 people dead Addressing Mr Healey on the show hosted by DailyMail.com U.S. Editor-at-Large Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Ms Peters added: 'We need to deal with this. They are up to something. I'm not having it. You lot are disgusting. You lot disgust me. I'm angry, sorry.' Ms Peters added that her family had at first been placed in a tiny room with two beds pushed together and two hobs on top of a fridge - but was grateful that she had now been moved into a Marriott. Mr Healey said: 'We're trying out best from opposition to make sure that things now need doing are done. The clearest warnings came four years ago after the fire in Camberwell, six years, after the fire in Southampton, two deaths. 'What is clear now apart from the help and the information and the promise that you and your family need Chantal, on the ground now, which wasn't there for the Grenfell residents, and they were really angry when I was down there before - I'm going back again this morning to try and check that things are in place. 'What needs to happen now is the Government needs to make sure that every block, high rise block, isn't just tested for one type of cladding, which is what the tests are now, which are too narrow and too slow. they've got to do a complete, thorough review of blocks like this to include what Chantal's talking about.' Ms Peters told Mr Healey on the programme that he had 'five-year-old people in a death trap' Emergency living arrangements for the Grenfell Tower survivors have been branded a 'total mess', two weeks after the area in West London was devastated by the blaze Today, emergency living arrangements for the Grenfell Tower survivors were branded a 'total mess', two weeks after the area was devastated by the blaze. You are messing with people's lives. You need to do something. I'm sorry, this is disgusting. You lot need to go jail Chantal Peters Families are in a state of flux as they are shifted between hotels or placed in accommodation 'not appropriate for their needs', a community leader said. And neighbours living in the shadow of the gutted high rise have been blighted by a lack of basic utilities such as hot water, Andrea Newton of Lancaster West Residents' Association said. The warning came as a nationwide fire safety operation grew, with 95 tower blocks across 32 English local authority areas so far identified with flammable cladding. Nine hospital trusts have also been flagged for using building material similar to that suspected of aiding the spread of the fire which left at least 79 people dead. Sir Charlie Mayfield (pictured), 50, thinks that human job replacement by robots is being underestimated but businesses should invest in robotics to improve productivity Robots could take jobs from human workers and potentially spark an employment crisis, the boss of John Lewis has warned. Sir Charlie Mayfield, 50, said new technologies, such as robots, would create massive changes across industry, with British businesses potentially among the hardest hit. Workers undertaking manual labour, such as stocking shelves in a department store or working as a cashier could be among the first to lose out to robots as the technology involved becomes more widespread - self-service tills already exist. Sir Charlie, the chairman of John Lewis Partnership, said yesterday that the impact of job automation was being grossly underestimated by British industry. I dont think that there is an option not to [embrace technological change],' he told The Times CEO Summit, according to the newspaper. 'We are not in the businesses of employing people, we are in the business of doing business. 'The likelihood is that the demand for employment will go down. A recent study by PwC estimates that up to 30 per cent of workers, approximately 10m people, may be affected by the increasing use of robots and artificial intelligence in business. The auditor predicts that the sector could be worth 222billion to the economy by 2030 and is expected to prompt a complete rethink about how employees spend their time. Retailers like John Lewis are likely to implement robots in their shops soon The John Lewis boss said that Britain should invest in robotics and concentrate on improving productivity in order to increase jobs and wages. He told the Times: What we therefore have to work harder at is creating productivity and the competitiveness that allows us to grow in order to create new employment opportunities, and hope that we get a soft landing. 'But my view is that there will be a period of transition that will be almost inescapably difficult. Sir Charlie's comments come just days after a former employment minister, who worked under Margaret Thatcher, said that robots will take the jobs that no one wants. Lord Young of Graffham, 85, told the Times on Monday: 'In the 1980s we had very high unemployment. I quickly realised that many people who had lost their jobs suddenly found they were getting almost as much from benefit as they were earning. 'So what technology has to do is get rid of all the nasty jobs' Retailers like John Lewis are likely to implement robots in their shops soon. A survey completed last month by Qmatic revealed that 14 per cent of retailers are expected to make use of humanoid within the next 12 months, 60 per cent of those surveyed believing that the technology would improve overall experience. An Iraqi man dubbed 'the beheader' after decapitating 50 ISIS fighters insists he 'can't explain how at ease' he is when killing them. Falah Aziz claims to have killed 130 people in total during the battle to drive the jihadists out of his homeland and says he has made beheading his 'specialty'. Gruesome footage shows him slaughtering a young man lying on the ground and parading through the streets with a severed head. A Facebook profile picture shows him posing with a bloodied knife. Scroll down for video An Iraqi man called Falah Aziz and dubbed 'the beheader' after decapitating 50 ISIS fighters insists he 'can't explain how at ease' he is when killing them Falah Aziz claims to have killed 130 people in total during the battle to drive the jihadists out of his homeland and has made beheading his 'specialty'. Video shows him cutting the head off a young man in Iraq Gruesome footage shows him hacking the head off a young man lying while another video shows a severed head being carried through the streets Aziz has been accused of committing war crimes in his hunt for fanatics and their supporters - but he has defended his actions, insisting: 'Every day, I swear, I slaughter them, as they've slaughtered us.' He added: 'You don't know what you're going to do. What they did to us, we must do to them.' According to the Swedish news website Expressen which spoke to Aziz, other videos show him walking around with Iraqi troops, carrying a severed head. Separate footage shows blindfolded men sitting on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs and hoods over their heads being beaten with batons and whips. Another prisoner can be seen being suffocated by someone's hands over his mouth. In the beheading footage, Aziz, who walks around in military boots and wears the same brand of jacket worn by a lot of Iraqi troops, can be heard crying: 'The knife has done its work!' Aziz has been accused of committing war crimes - but he has defended his actions, insisting: 'Every day, I swear, I slaughter them, as they've slaughtered us' Footage obtained by Expressen shows a severed head being carried through the streets. Aziz said of his killings: 'What they did to us, we must do to them' Social media pictures show Aziz posing with a bloodied knife. He insisted that ISIS had 'driven us to it' and that the terror group had 'killed our compassion' Nobody attempts to stop him and some even cheer once he has finished, describing him as 'the who's slaughtering ISIS'. He responds, telling the camera: 'This is your blood, you dogs.' Speaking to Expressen, he said the beheaded man had been captured in a toilet block. He told war correspondent Magda Gad how it felt to cut someone's head off. 'Just that feeling, I can't explain how at ease I am with it,' he said. After watching the footage, Donatella Rovera from Amnesty told Expressen it showed 'war crimes being committed' and called on Iraqi authorities and the international community to investigate. But Aziz said: 'They (ISIS) have driven us to it. What they've done has killed our compassion. Finding your brother slaughtered, or your mother slaughtered. What are you going to do? You don't know what you're going to do. What they have done to us, we must do to them.' Aziz poses with a severed head in another picture on his mobile phone. The Iraqi has been fighting ISIS since Mosul fell to the terror group in 2014 Aziz, who has been fighting ISIS since Mosul fell to the terror group in 2014, claims to have beheaded 50 people 'so far' and that they were all alive when he slaughtered them. But Aziz explained that part of his motivation was the death of his four older brothers Ahmad Aziz, Ghazwan Aziz, Bashar Aziz and Waed Aziz. 'Now they're martyrs. One of them was a teacher. What did he ever do to get slaughtered? He has five children. 'Four of my brothers died in my arms. I'm the youngest. My brother said, "Don't leave me." I can't explain. 'As they slaughtered my brothers, I slaughter them. I expect to die' Advertisement The 3.1billion HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier was today photographed making its way to the North Sea - with no planes on board. Instead, life-size models of the F-35 Lightning II jets will be pushed around tarmac at Cornwall's RNAS Culdrose so flight deck teams can get a feel for the world's most advanced warplanes. The real jets will be deployed on the 65,000-tonne vessel - named 'Big Lizzie' - which was put into the sea for the first time in Scotland on Monday. Aerial photographs show the huge vessel heading out to sea without any planes on board which has resulted in the Navy practising flight-deck drills on land Real jets will be deployed on the 65,000-tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth (pictured) which has been dubbed 'Big Lizzie' On Monday, HMS Queen Elizabeth (pictured) left Rosyth to commence its first stage sea trials off the coast of Scotland HMS Queen Elizabeth is seen with HMS Sutherland and HMS Iron Duke. The aircraft carrier proudly hit the waters earlier this week - but currently its crew only has replica planes to practise with The arrival of the four jets was announced by the Flight Deck School, which will provide training to enable air handlers to manage fast jets and helicopters. Chief petty officer Paul Ranson, Training Manager for all Embarked Training explained: 'We need to provide as realistic training as possible before the trainees go to sea. 'Aircraft handlers are vital to the new carrier, without them the Royal Navy cannot conduct safe aviation at sea. 'Flight decks are very dangerous, at sea even more so. It's our job to protect the aircraft and aircrew flying them. 'Managing the flight deck is mentally and physically challenging, so the training has to be quite rigorous and as realistic as possible'. She was delicately guided out of the Rosyth basin in Fife, where she was assembled, by navigators, pilots and tug boats in a three-hour operation Life-size copies of the F-35 Lightning II jets will be pushed around the tarmac at Cornwall's RNAS Culdrose by HMS Queen Elizabeth crews The arrival of the four jets was announced by the Flight Deck School, which will provide training to enable air handlers to manage fast jets and helicopters For the next six weeks, the huge vessel will spend her time in the North Sea and Moray Firth 'proving systems'. She will finally head to her new home of Portsmouth, Hampshire, later this autumn. Despite having no engines, sensors or weapons the four replica F-35s, dubbed the 'faux fighters' by the team at Culdrose, will be used as training aids so naval personnel can get used to moving bigger and heavier aircraft. Paul, who will join HMS Queen Elizabeth as Captain of the Flight Deck, explained that 99 per cent of handlers have never been near an F35-B yet or moved anything nearly that large. Two of the replicas have opening cockpits to practise rescuing injured pilots in a crash. Built from fibre-glass by Cornish firm Gate Guards UK are fitted with water tanks to simulate fuel and weapons loads between 16 and 25 tonnes. HMS Queen Elizabeth (pictured) conducted vital system tests off the coast of Scotland today after she left Rosyth on Monday The replicas have been dubbed the 'faux fighters' by the team at Culdrose, who will practise wheeling the planes around the tarmac Despite having no engines, sensors or weapons the four replica F-35s will be used as training aids so naval personnel can get used to moving bigger and heavier aircraft WHAT ARE THE MODEL PLANES MISSING? Although the replica F35s will be useful for flight deck crews for pushing heavier planes than they are used to they are a far cry from the real thing. The models are missing key elements that will be central to the actual jets. Weapons Engines Sensors However, the excess weight of these features will be made up with water, to maintain an accurate weight. Advertisement The margin for error was so small that HMS Queen Elizabeth's crew had to wait for the right tide in order to squeeze under the Forth Bridge The huge, 65,000-tonne flagship leaves Rosyth dockyard for the first time as the ship heads out on sea trials Owner of Gates Guards UK, David Hobson said: 'It is fantastic for a local company in Cornwall to be part of this and to have played a part in helping the new aircraft carrier.' Naval Airman Lee Gribble from IIIogan said: 'This is the closest that we are going to get to fast jets until we actually work with the real thing. 'I love being an aircraft handler - it's the best branch in the Navy.' The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment. A pre-operation transgender man charged with drug offences was 'absolutely terrified' of being sent to an all-male prison, a court heard. The man pleaded guilty in the Gladstone Magistrates Court in Queensland to a range of drug and noise related offences, The Observer reported. The man's defence lawyer said his client suffered from schizophrenia and he was petrified by the thought of jail. A pre-operation transgender man charged with drug offences was 'absolutely terrified' of being sent to an all-male prison (stock image) 'My client, who is pre-operation transgender, is absolutely terrified of going to a male prison,' he said, according to the paper. Prosecutors said police were called to the man's house twice in one night after noise complaints, before a bong and an electric grinder were found at his property. The Magistrate reportedly said a prison term wasn't justified for the man's offences. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service. NATO allies - excluding the US - will increase defence spending by 4.3% in a victory for Donald Trump after he warned member states that they 'must finally contribute their fair share'. America's European allies and Canada are projected to spend around $12billion more on defence this year amid pressure from the US President. Trump has repeatedly berated the allies for not doing more to share the defence burden and bluntly told them again at a leaders' summit in Brussels last month that they could not count on Washington coming to their aid if they did not do their bit. NATO allies - excluding the US - will increase defence spending by 4.3% in a victory for Donald Trump (pictured) after he warned member states that they 'must finally contribute their fair share' America's European allies and Canada are projected to spend around $12billion more on defence this year amid pressure from the US President (file picture) Alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels today: 'In 2017, we foresee an even greater annual real increase of 4.3 per cent. We are really shifting gears, the trend is up and we intend to keep it up.' Trump's comments in May caused consternation among many, notably Germany, but Stoltenberg said the president's demands were understandable given the challenges the US-led alliance now faces. 'I welcome the strong focus of Trump on spending and defence burden sharing,' he said. 'At the same time, I also underline that allies should invest more in defence not to please the United States but because it is in their own interest and they have made the commitment.' Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, recalled that the 28 allies had pledged at a 2014 summit in Wales to increase defence spending to the equivalent of two per cent of annual economic output within a decade. Alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels today: 'In 2017, we foresee an even greater annual real increase of 4.3 per cent. We are really shifting gears, the trend is up and we intend to keep it up.' Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, recalled that the 28 allies had pledged at a 2014 summit in Wales to increase defence spending to the equivalent of two percent of annual economic output within a decade That move, pushed by then president Barack Obama in response to the Ukraine crisis and a more aggressive Russia, had halted and reversed years of defence cuts, Stoltenberg said. So far only five allies have met that benchmark - the US, Greece, Britain, Estonia and Poland. But Stoltenberg said Romania was set to join them this year, and Latvia and Lithuania in 2018. In 2015, the allies turned the corner with an increase of 1.8 per cent overall, pushed that to 3.3 per cent in 2016 and now looked to go further again this year, he said. In all, the three years represented an overall increase of $46 billion dollars, boosting NATO's ability to face the Russian challenge in Europe and new threats such as ISIS-inspired jihadi terrorism across the Middle East and North Africa. The United States accounts for about 70 per cent of combined NATO defence spending and Washington has pushed the allies for years to do more to ease the burden. Trump, however, has pressed hardest of all, putting the allies on the back foot by dubbing NATO 'obsolete' and questioning the wisdom of the US security commitment if they failed to live up to their side of the bargain. A neurosurgeon who took cocaine and other illegal drugs with a close colleague, who later died of a heroin overdose, has been suspended for three months. The New South Wales men, who can't be named, were planning to wean themselves off the recreational drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, known as GHB, with the help of a pharmaceutical drug called Lyrica. The neurosurgeon was found to have misled an inquiry when he said his junior colleague never used GHB at work and that he himself didn't notice any withdrawal effects while at work. A neurosurgeon who took cocaine and other illegal drugs with a close colleague, who later died of a heroin overdose, has been suspended for three months (stock image) The Civil and Administrative Tribunal referred to texts he sent including: 'Hey bruz, I am suffering' and 'I am withdrawing like a motherf****r and I don't know what to do'. On Wednesday, the tribunal found the neurosurgeon DAC guilty of five counts of unsatisfactory professional conduct and one of professional misconduct. It also referred to 'alarming evidence' suggesting the widespread consumption of drugs both by qualified medical practitioners and by nursing staff in social settings. 'The tribunal's concern relates to the potential danger to patients as a result of the residual effects of drugs taken by practitioners and nursing staff.' The New South Wales men, who can't be named, were planning to wean themselves off recreational drug GHB, with the help of a pharmaceutical drug called Lyrica (stock image) It noted DAC was a specialist neurosurgeon currently working at a public and private hospital in NSW performing 'with a high degree of clinical skill'. 'There is no suggestion that his practice of medicine, or patient care of safety, have been compromised as a result of actions detailed in the complaints.' After his suspension expires, his registration is to be subject to lengthy conditions including seeing an addiction specialist and continuing random urine drug testing. On Wednesday, the tribunal found the neurosurgeon DAC guilty of five counts of unsatisfactory professional conduct and one of professional misconduct (stock image) DAC and Dr A, who he informally mentored and who died in April 2013, took cocaine, ecstasy and GHB while socialising outside work between October 2012 and February 2013. DAC was found to have failed to tell Dr A's superiors of his drug use or encourage him to seek professional help. He also prescribed him drugs. The tribunal accepted that since 2014, DAC had remained abstinent from addictive substances, except for alcohol, but found he was at high risk of relapse. In light of the 'alarming evidence' on drug use in the medical profession, the tribunal said a copy of its decision and reasons should be sent to the NSW health minister. With the completion of the pre-fair 4-H Presentations Contest and the Table Setting Contest, county fair season has officially arrived. The annual Gage County event was held on June 27 at the Gage County Extension meeting room. Bev Ewer, of Beatrice, evaluated the table settings and Sondra Germer, of Diller, served as the presentations judge. Table setting contest participants received premium money and a rainbow ribbon: Junior division - Stella Hillmann, Emma Hillmann, Claire Hillmann, Addison Mullins, Payton Smidt, Colton Herfel, Autumn Bartlett and Caleb Oltman, all of Beatrice; Jordan Musil, of Wilber; and Isabelle Barkoudah, of Brookline, Maine. Senior Division - Halie Parde, Hannah Parde and Jeffrey Lohse, all of Beatrice; and Shelby March, of Wymore. Creativity awards were selected by the judge. Presentations contest results: Junior division: blue - Braeden Humphreys, Peyton Humphreys, Shelby March and Austin March, all of Wymore. Senior division: purple - Jeffrey Lohse, of Beatrice. Awards will be announced at the 4-H all stars awards on Saturday, July 29. The event will take place at 4 p.m. in the 4-H building at the Gage County Fair and Expo. Award sponsors include Pinnacle Trust Department, Jeff and Krystal Hays family, of Diller, Wayne and Laurie Wallman, of Filley, Gage County Ag Society and the Gage County 4-H council. Presentations contest participants, ages 10 and older who received a purple ribbon, earned the right to advance to the Nebraska State Fair presentations contest, scheduled for Labor Day weekend in Grand Island. Alice Evans is accused of strangling her dog Big John Evans A Florida woman told sheriff's deputies she killed her 12-year-old Chihuahua because she was tired of the dog biting her. A Monroe County Sheriff's statement says 61-year-old Alice Evans told deputies on Saturday that the dog named Big John had bitten her on the hand the previous night. She was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of cruelty to animals. The arrest report says Evans told investigators she choked the dog with his collar, strangling him before burying him in the backyard. The report says the wound on Evans hand was 'no larger than a pencil eraser'. Evans told authorities that the chihuahua, named 'Big John Evans,' had bitten her three times this year, but could not explain why she didn't ask an animal shelter for help with the issue (file) She told investigators that the dog 'was becoming aggressive towards her'. The deputy dug up the dog's body and took it to a veterinarian for a necropsy, which confirmed the cause of death to be strangulation. Dr. Andrea DelPino 'confirmed the cause of death to be strangulation, a death resulting in the infliction of pain, suffering and injury'. Evans later went to a local hospital for treatment of the dog bite which left a wound 'no larger than a pencil eraser'. It was while she was there she told medical staffers that she had killed her dog. When asked by an officer why she had not contacted SPCA officials for 'assistance with Big John', Evans could not offer an explanation. Evans was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a third-degree felony. Her bond is set at $25,000. Shocking video has emerged of a five-year-old girl screaming after being strung up by her wrists by her cruel Vietnamese foster mother as punishment for taking a carton of milk. The tiny child, whose hands are tied, can be seen hanging several feet above the floor from a horizontal pole in a building in the Vinh Tuong District of northern Vietnam's Vinh Phuc Province. The footage, which is too distressing to show in full, sparked outrage in Vietnam and led to the arrest of the child's foster mother. Incredibly the youngster suffered no serious physical harm as a result of her ordeal. Shocking video has emerged of a five-year-old girl screaming after being strung up by her wrists by her cruel Vietnamese foster mother as punishment for taking a carton of milk Police detained Nguyen Thi Phuong, a grocer who was fostering the child, identified only as N.P.N.A. The sickening punishment was allegedly imposed because the little girl took a carton of milk to drink. She was in foster care after her parents, from the nearby Phu Tho Province, were both jailed for unreported offences. Phuong and her husband were the girl's foster carers, though her husband was not identified in reports and it was not clear whether he knew about how the girl was being treated. He was not arrested. The tiny child, whose hands are tied, can be seen hanging several feet above the floor from a horizontal pole in a building in the Vinh Tuong District of northern Vietnam's Vinh Phuc Province Phuong allegedly said that the girl would often steal her possessions to sell for pocket money. Deputy chairman of Vinh Tuong District Le Chi Thai confirmed that an arrest had been made. He added that the little girl in the clip had been taken to hospital for a check-up and found to have suffered no serious physical harm. Relatives had picked her up as soon as the film of her being punished became public, he said. Details of charges against Phuong were not reported but Thai added that treating a child the way she apparently had was 'unacceptable' and she would be prosecuted. It was unclear who shot the video or how it come to be shared online. People who live in the north of England are more likely to smoke and be admitted to hospital for drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol than their southern neighbours, according to new analysis of health data. Research by the Office for National Statistics shows that when it comes to living healthily, the country is hit by a stark north-south divide. The amount of physical exercise a person does, how many fruit and vegetables they eat and their drinking and smoking habits vary wildly depending on where they live, according to the analysis. Tower Hamlets is the least healthy, with men living there enjoying on average just 54 years of good health while women had just 52.4 years without complaints. But while the east London borough was the worst offender, nine out of the bottom ten boroughs for healthy life expectancy were in the north or in the Midlands. In Manchester, men can expect to enjoy just 55.6 years of healthy living, followed by Kingston upon Hull at 56.3 years and Tameside on 56.4 years. Whereas in the leafy south men are far more likely to enjoy good health for longer. In Wokingham the average is 70.6 years, in Buckinghamshire it is 69.6 years and in Windsor and Maidenhead - where Theresa May is one of the local MPs - it is 69.3 years. Meanwhile, there is also a clear north-south divide for women's health too. Women in Richmond enjoy the longest healthy life at 71.1 years, followed by those in Wokingham with 70.8 years and Rutland at 70.6 years. In contrast, the women in Tower Hamlets enjoy just 52.4 years of good health, followed by those in Hartlepool with 55.2 years and Kingston upon Hull 55.4 years. People living in the north of England are also far more likely to drink so much they end up in A&E. Blackpool is the booziest area with the average number of alcohol-related admissions to hospital per 100,000 standing at 1,223.2 - more than three times higher than the least which is Wokingham on 379.4. North Tyneside is the next worst with the figures at 1,028.4 and Stoke-on-Trent next on 991.3. While the numbers of people who smoke - which is still one of the biggest killers in the country - is also characterised by a north south divide. There are more smokers in Kingston upon Hull than anywhere else in the country with over a quarter (26.8 per cent) of people with the habit. This is followed by Blackpool on 25.3 percent and Nottingham on 24 per cent. People in Wokingham are least likely to smoke at 9.5 per cent, followed by Buckinghamshire on 11 per cent and Redbridge on 11.5 per cent. And there is a vast gulf in the number of people who are eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Those in Liverpool are least likely to eat well, with just over a third (36.5 per cent) eating their five day, followed by Thurrock where the figure is 40.1 per cent and then Birmingham at 40.4 per cent,. People in Rutland eat the most fruit and veg with 62.8 per cent getting through their five a day, followed by Cornwall at 62.1 per cent and Devon on 61.5 per cent. Newham residents are the laziest, with just 44.8 per cent judged physically active, followed by Oldham with 45 per cent and Barking and Dagenham on 46 per cent. While those living in York are the most likely to go for a run around the park, with some 69.8 per cent of locals judged physically active. This is followed by those living in Bath and North East Somerset on 69.5 per cent while those in Wandsworth are third on 69.3 per cent. The findings come fro figures on public health which date back to 2015 and have been analyses by statisticians. An Ohio judge hoping to send a message has sentenced two teenagers to jail time - and writing a five-page book report. Stark County Judge Frank Forchione on Monday sentenced 19-year-olds Jonas Rohr and Kyle Bodager to read a book about World War II or the Vietnam War and write a report. Police say the two teens and another juvenile were shooting targets in Tuscarawas Township when they struck Merle Webb, who was mowing his lawn, with a stray bullet last fall. An Ohio judge hoping to send a message has sentenced 19-year-olds Kyle Bodager (left) and Jonas Rohr (right) not only to jail time, but to read a book about World War II or the Vietnam War and write a report Police say the two teens and another juvenile were shooting targets in Tuscarawas Township when they struck Merle Webb (pictured), who was mowing his lawn, with a stray bullet last fall Webb was hit in the face, but survived. He told the teens in court that he recently had celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary, and that the injury left him with lost teeth, nerve pain, a scarred tongue and a nasty sinus infection, according to the Canton Repository. 'If it weren't for two inches and the grace of God, you'd both be looking at a manslaughter charge,' Judge Forchione said Monday during the sentencing hearing. Rohr and Bodager both pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm near prohibited premises. One received a seven day sentence and one received a 30 day sentence, reported Fox 8, but it is unclear which teen is serving which sentence. After they complete the jail sentence and report, they will have to perform 200 hours of community service at the Ohio Veteran's Memorial Park in Clinton, Ohio. Webb told the teens in court on Monday (pictured) that he recently had celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary, and that the injury left him with lost teeth, nerve pain, a scarred tongue and a nasty sinus infection Rohr (left) and Bodager (right, in court on Monday) both pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm near prohibited premises After they complete the jail sentence and report, they will have to perform 200 hours of community service at the Ohio Veteran's Memorial Park in Clinton, Ohio. 'The prisons are full. So I wanted to do something...that may give these young men a message that they need to make better judgment,' said Judge Forchione (Pictured left, Jonas Rohr, and right, Kyle Bodager) After they complete the jail sentence and report, they will have to perform 200 hours of community service at the Ohio Veteran's Memorial Park in Clinton, Ohio. Each will be subject to three years of community control and participation in the intensive supervision probation program. 'They didn't intend to hurt anyone, but they did,' Judge Forchione told Fox 8. 'I wanted the sentence to send a message. The prisons are full. So I wanted to do something, especially being around July 4th, that may give these young men a message that they need to make better judgments.' Advertisement The previously-unseen logbook kept by a Dambusters hero which documents the famous wartime raid has sold for nearly 9,000. Flight Sergeant Leonard Sumpter was a bomb aimer on the mission to destroy a series of German dams using Barnes Wallis' ingenious 'bouncing bomb'. His logbook, that has been owned by his family, dates from October 1941 to September 1945 and charts Operation Chastise - the official name for the Dams raid - on May 16, 1943. This is the logbook entry for Flight Sergeant Leonard Sumpter's recollection of the Dambusters raid where he states quite dryly: 'Op No 14. Via Holland to the Hun. Satisfactory attack on Eder Dam 18 miles west of Kassel. Average ht 100 feet .According to his record, the mission took six and a half hours to complete. What the log book fails to mention is the fact the crew of Sumpter's aircraft took seven attempts before releasing their bomb to ensure it struck its target On June 5, 1944 at 23.15, under the command of Squadron Leader David Shannon, Sumpter was involved in a 'special duty' on a mission which launched before the attack on June 6 in a flight which lasted four hours and 35 minutes. He was tasked with dropping 'Window' - small pieces of aluminium - designed to confuse enemy radar. On June 8, he and the squadron leader had switched to the two-seat Mosquito - aborting one mission due to an engine problem, but later attacking U-boat Pens, a Watten 'P' Plane nest and a 'good raid on a rocket installation Leonard Sumpter from Luton, Bedfordshire trained to be a bomb aimer on the Lancaster Bomber in Ontario, Canada According to his log book, he flew on aircraft from the pre-war Avro Anson to the prototype Canberra jet bomber of the 1950s Here Flt Sgt Sumpter has photographed a fellow Lancaster crew releasing a 10-tonne Grand Slam bomb over a target His entry for the May 16, 1943, lists the seven crewmen on his plane which took off from RAF Scampton at 9.50pm. He stated: 'Op. No. 14 via Holland to the Hun. Satisfactory attack on Eder Dam 18 miles west of Kassel. Average ht. 100 feet.' The incredibly risky mission involved 19 Lancaster bombers flying a low-level to avoid radar. Fl Sgt Sumpter's Lancaster, call sign AG-L hit their target but their bomb failed to breach the wall. Theirs was one of 11 bombers that made it back to Britain after the attack, with eight others shot down resulting in the loss of 53 of the 133 men involved. Here Sumpter is outlining two missions over France using the five-tonne 'Tall Boy' bombs causing - complete devastation on the Gnome Rhone Aero Engine works in Limonges, while four days later they attacked the Antheor Viaduct on the French Mediterranean coast at a height of 9,000 feet with an air commodore Sharp travelling along as a passenger The log bog shows the intensive nature of operations flown by the crews of Bomber Command during the Second World War Interestingly, the logbook shows Sumpter spent much of his career flying with a Flight Lieutenant Shannon, who by the time D-Day happened, had been promoted to a Squadron Leader involved in 'special missions' against the Germans During 1944 Sumpter was flying missions in both Lancaster bombers and the De Havilland Mosquito The logbook was sold for 9,000 at auction, while a Flt Sgt Sumpter's scrapbook raised a further 3,850 The log also lists 617 Squadron's last sortie of the war in April 1945 - an attack on Berchtesgaden, Adolf Hitler's 'Eagles' Nest' in the Bavarian Alps, with a 12,000lbs Tallboy bomb. It was sold at auction for a hammer price of 7,000 but with fees added on the total price paid was 8,890. Also sold was a unique scrapbook kept by Ft Sgt Sumpter which contained never-before-seen images of the men of 617 Squadron. The snaps include Guy Gibson's Lancaster on the runway with the bouncing bomb loaded underneath before taking off for the Dams raid, for which he won the Victoria Cross. He also had a scrap book with details on the missions Flt Sgt Sumpter completed with his crew during his wartime service As well as photographs from the missions, Flt Sgt Sumpter kept press clippings of their exploits in his scrap book, including his final mission - which was an effort to take out senior Nazis at Hitler's Eagle Nest refuge in Berchtesgaden Also included in Flt Sumpter's scrap book is a photograph of the very aircraft he was in during the daring Dambuster's raid There are also aerial images showing other huge bombs dropped by Flt Sgt Sumpter towards enemy targets during his wartime career. Two years after the war he did a tour of some of the sites he had bombed in France and Germany and his photos show the wrecked Mohne dam and a viaduct. The scrapbook sold for a total of 3,850. Richard Davie, of Nottingham-based International Autograph Auctions which sold the archive, said: 'The log book gives us an insight into what Bomber Command were concentrating on during the Second World War. Days after the Dambusters raid, some of the details - including the loss of eight aircraft - were revealed to the public Sumpter's scrap book contained photographs of the damage caused by his squadron on the night of the infamous raid Sumpter visited the Mohne dam in 1947 and said he bought this photograph from a German of the damage for one cigarette 'The highlight was the Dambusters raid which was one of the most famous operations of the war. 'The logbook is an extremely rare and historically important. 'While the logbook is an official record Flt Sgt Sumpter had to comply with and fill in all the details, this scrapbook is a much more personal record of the war through his eyes and includes press cuttings with written comments besides them.' Flt Sgt Sumpter, from Luton, Bedfordshire had served in the Grenadier Guards before transferring to the RAF in 1941. After he was assigned to 617 Squadron, which was set up specifically for the Dams raid, he took part in numerous low-level night-time training exercises over the English countryside, according to his log. The following year he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in marking bombing targets while flying in Mosquito planes. By the end of the war he had flown 35 operations. He died in 1993. Sumpter received a a telegram from the Air Chief Marshal Bomber Harris following the Dambuster's raid notifying him that he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for hitting the target during the daring mission Sumpter took a photograph in 1947 of the Bielfeld Viaduct, some two and a half years after the raid to show the damage On February 22, 1945, Sumpter attacked the Bielfeld Viaduct near Hanover with a Tallboy bomb demolishing nine spans Following the raid, Germans erected nets on the Mohne Dam to prevent any return Dambuster-style attacks Some photographs taken on the raids were released to the press to show the damage caused by 617 Squadron Not all of the photographs contained in the collection were of military targets or involved missions of extreme courage In October 1943, Sumpter flew a total of 25 hours and five minutes attacking targets from altitutes of 200 feet to 10,000feet On March 27, 1945 while attacking a U-Boat construction work at Farge outside Bremen his aircraft was 'holed' On April 25, 1945 Sumpter attacked Hitler's Berghtesgaden retreat in the Bavarian Alps with a five-tonne bomb A woman who tragically fell to her death near the iconic Seven Sisters country park has been named by police. Hyewon Kim, 23, was studying English in the UK when she visited the popular Seven Sisters cliffs on the East Sussex coast. Emergency services were called to the incident just east of Cuckmere Haven, near Eastbourne, at 2.22pm on Thursday, June 22, just an hour after a second cliff collapsed in Seaford. On Wednesday a dramatic cliff fall also took place at the shore, near Eastbourne, East Sussex The second cliff fall, pictured above, took place at Seaford Head just 24 hours after the second fall A giant crack tore into the 80ft chalk-face before a third cliff collapse took place on Thursday On the day Ms Kim was found, people were seen dangling their legs over the top of the cliff just hours before (It is not thought she is pictured) One person was seen with their arms spread out as they sat very closely to the cliff's edge (It is not thought to be Ms Kim in the photograph) The student's ID card and passport were found near her body at the bottom of the cliffs. Police are not treating her death as suspicious and do not believe the incident is connected to the cliff falls. A spokesman for Sussex police said: 'Early enquiries indicate her death was a tragic accident and the full circumstances will be subject to an inquest.' Last week, three cliffs collapsed at Seaford in three days, forcing the Coastguard to issue a warning urging people to avoid the area. The first happened last Wednesday afternoon, taking a huge section of the coastline with it. The next day a second cliff fell at Seaford Head, and a giant crack tore into the 80ft chalk-face before a third cliff fall took place. Hours after the second cliff collapse, sightseers were photographed peering over the edge and sitting on top of a cliff face in Birling Gap, roughly six miles from where 50,000 tonnes of chalk gave way and collapsed into the sea. People were seen peering over the edge at Birling Gap just hours after the second cliff collapse Lat week, Seaford Town Councillor Phil Boorman described the people seen enjoying picnics on the cliff edge as 'complete idiots' Last week, Seaford Town Councillor Phil Boorman said there was a real danger of further collapses and those people close to the edge were risking their lives. He said: 'Having visited the site with the coastguard emergency team it is clear there could be further cliff falls. 'As a safety precaution the emergency services have cordoned off a large section of Seaford Head. 'But all we can do is appeal to people to not put themselves in danger or be tempted to risk their personal safety for the sake of a simple photograph. Regrettably a lot of people still ignore anything even the coastguard say.' He described the people seen enjoying picnics on the cliff edge and visitors walking in the beach beneath the crumbling cliff face as 'complete idiots'. 'They do it all year round and that is bad enough with the erosion of these cliffs but to do it now is just madness.' Mark Dixie, 47, is accused of raping a woman in 1987 when he was 16 A former pub chef has appeared in court accused of sex attacks on two women. Mark Dixie, 47, is accused of raping a woman in 1987 when he was 16. He is also charged with indecent assault and grievous bodily harm over an attack on a second woman in 2002. Scotland Yard previously said all of the alleged offences took place in Greater London. Dixie appeared via video-link for the short hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning. The former chef from Streatham in south London, spoke only to confirm his name and did not enter a plea. Aisling Hosein, prosecuting, said: 'The first incident took place in 1987 when Mr Dixie was aged 16.' Caroline Johnston, chair of the bench, remanded Dixie in custody and sent the case up to Southwark Crown Court for a plea in trial preparation hearing on July 26. Dixie appeared via video-link for the short hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court She said: 'We have considered these matters, the next hearing will be at Southwark Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing. 'Until then you will be remanded in custody.' When the charges were announced last week, Rob Davis, district crown prosecutor for the London Homicide team, said: 'The Crown Prosecution Service has considered a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police relating to allegations made against Mark Dixie of historic sexual offences against women. 'Following a review of the evidence, the CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Mark Dixie, 46, with three offences against two women one of rape in 1987, and indecent assault and causing grievous bodily harm relating to another woman in 2002. 'The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mark Dixie are now active and that he has a right to a fair trial.' A former Catholic elementary school teacher from Canada was found to be having an affair with a student after his mother found naked photos of her on the boy's cellphone. Christina Albini, 43, admitted guilt to one count of sexual interference, touching the body of a person under 16 years old for a sexual purpose, last month. Albini will face a one a year jail term, be registered as a sex offender and must provide her DNA under a ruling handed down in the Ontario Court of Justice on Tuesday. Christina Albini, with her University of Windsor degree, admitted guilt to one count of sexual interference The paedophile seduced the boy by sending him explicit photos of herself Albini was a teacher at Christ the King Catholic school in Georgetown and arrested on July 18, 2016. The court was told how the teacher befriended the male student when he was 13 and started having sex with him soon afterwards. Albini would pick him up in her purple Dodge Challenger and then take him back to her South Windsor home for sex. She promised to 'be quick and have him back before his mother gets home', prosecutor Eric Costaris told an earlier hearing. The paedophile seduced the boy by sending him explicit photos of herself after yoga practice via the WhatsApp and Kik messaging apps on a cellphone she bought for him. She also had a secondary phone for the purpose. However the attempt to cover up the lewd messages and relationship failed after the boy's mother found the phone and alerted police. Police also found receipts for presents which Albini bought for the youngster, including the phone, an Xbox, bracelet and clothes. Albini told a court on Tuesday: 'I apologize to all of my supporters. I want to apologize to the public, my co-workers, teachers.' Christ the King Catholic school in Georgetown, Ontario where she taught Her lawyer Patrick Ducharme told the court: 'She's frightened to go to jail. 'But it's the type of crime that the government insisted that it's serious enough that people have to go to jail and she accepts that.' A spokesman for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board said Albini is no longer an employee. She will be on three years probation after her release and must register as a sex offender for 20 years. She is also banned from contacting the boy or his family. Charges of possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 based on photos found on a cell phone were dropped. A female Tory MP today told how her party posters had swastikas carved into them and someone urinated on her office doorstep in a campaign of hate during the recent election campaign. Sheryll Murray said she had been targeted by abuse online by trolls who posted offensive messages like 'burn the witch' and 'stab the C'. And she described how rogue activists plastered Labour posters all over her home and then took photographs of it. The Conservative MP for South East Cornwall said the abuse she suffered during the recent campaign was hardly an example of the 'kinder, gentler' politics Jeremy Corbyn promised when he was voted Labour leader. Conservative MP Sheryll Murray described the sick abuse she has received , which included online posts from trolls who called for her to be stabbed Theresa May condemned it and said that many female candidates during the recent election have found themselves on the receiving similar disgraceful abuse. Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons today, Ms Murray described what she had to endure. She said: Over the past months Ive had swastikas carved into posters, social media posts like burn the witch and stab the C, people putting Labour Party posters on my home, photograph them and pushing them through my letterbox. Someone even urinated on my office door. Hardly kinder, gentler politics. Can you suggest what can be done to stop this intimidation which may well be putting off good people from serving in this place. Theresa May condemned the abuse and warned that many women candidates during the recent election campaign have been on the receiving end of hate-filled abuse The PM, pictured today at the first PMQs of the parliament, said the abuse has 'no place in our democracy' The Prime Minister hit out at the abuse and warned that more and more female MPs are finding themselves on the receiving end of it. She said: You are right to raise this issue and you are not the only person who experienced this sort of intimidation during the election campaign. Particularly, I am sorry to say, this sort of intimidation was experienced by female candidates during the election campaign. I believe that this sort of behaviour has no place in our democracy. 'And I think you are right, I think it could put good people off from serving in this House, we want more people to become engaged, more people to want to stand for election to this House. 'And I think particularly as I stand here and look at the plaque that has been dedicated to the late Jo Cox, that we should all remember what Jo said we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than the things that divide us.' Jo Cox, was murdered by far-right extremist Thomas Mair in June last year. Today, Theresa May quoted her famous words that 'we have more in common with each other than the things that divide us' as she hit out at the abuse MPs receive - particularly women Brendan Cox and his children Cuillin, six, and Lejla, four, unveiled a plaque to the murdered Labour MP in the Commons at the weekend The revelations come after the family of murdered Labour MP Ms Cox unveiled a coat of arms dedicated to her in Parliament. Her husband Brendan and her children Cuillin, six, and Lejla, four, unveiled the plaque in the Commons chamber at the weekend. The late MP for Batley and Spen was shot and stabbed to death by far-right extremist Thomas Mair last year as she made her way to a constituency sugery last year. Her murder came amid growing alarm at the rising level of abuse directed towards MPs - particularly women. Results from a Freedom of information Act request revealed that a police team created to handle crimes against MPs investigate over 50 alleged offences between August last year and February this year. Senator Lee Rhiannon has been temporarily suspended from the Greens federal party room. Acting whip Senator Nick McKim announced the decision after the party met in Melbourne on Wednesday. Some of Senator Rhiannon's colleagues have accused her of undermining a potential deal with the Turnbull government on schools funding by authorising leaflets in inner Sydney against the Gonski 2.0 policy. She opposed the policy, in line with her state party, and insisted she has been faithful to Greens policy and process. Lee Rhiannon has been temporarily suspended from the Greens federal party room Some of Senator Rhiannon's colleagues have accused her of undermining a potential deal with the Turnbull government on schools funding by authorising leaflets in inner Sydney against the Gonski 2.0 policy She opposed the government's policy, in line with her state party, and insisted she has been faithful to Greens policy and process At Wednesday's meeting the party said it had highlighted a 'structural issue' and requested the National Council work with Greens NSW to stop NSW MPs being bound to vote against a decision of the Australian Greens party room. A motion 'that NSW Senators be excluded from Party Room discussions and decisions on contentious government legislation, including within their portfolio responsibilities, until these issues are resolved' was supported by all MPs except Senator Rhiannon and Adam Bandt. Earlier South Australian senator and Greens education spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young called for unity. 'People are upset,' she told ABC radio. 'But overwhelmingly what I am hearing from our Green supporters here in this state is ... get on, sort this out, start working together. 'Because it is important that we have a strong Green voice in the parliament and we can only do that if we're not divided.' Senator Rhiannon has rejected media reports she had been 'censured' by colleagues twice before. Senator Rhiannon has rejected media reports she had been 'censured' by colleagues twice before She opposed the policy, in line with her state party, and insisted she has been faithful to Greens policy and process. But it is understood colleagues have criticised her in the past for breaching party discipline. Many grassroots members of the Greens have come out in support of Senator Rhiannon, while others back disciplinary action including possible expulsion. Former leader Bob Brown has called for her to step down. Greens leader Richard Di Natale has been championing a more pragmatic and 'responsible' approach by the party, involving working closely with the coalition government. But some elements of the party fear it will undermine the party's progressive base. Barry Devonside, whose son Christopher, 18, was killed in the disaster, was seen punching the air with a look of quiet dignity on his face after leaving Warrington Parr Hall today The father of an 18-year-old who died at Hillsborough has revealed the families of the 96 victims clapped when it was revealed police chief David Duckenfield would be put in the dock. Barry Devonside, whose son Christopher, 18, was killed in the 1989 disaster, was seen punching the air with a look of quiet dignity on his face after leaving Warrington Parr Hall today. Mr Devonshire was close to tears as he emerged from the meeting where families of the 96 heard six people would be prosecuted for their role in the Hillsborough disaster. Among those are senior police officers Norman Bettison and David Duckenfield, which caused joy, he said, adding: 'Everybody applauded when it was announced'. Mr Devonshire drove to the match with his teenage son Christopher, a student from Formby, Merseyside. Chris died alongside his friends Simon Bell, 17, and Gary Church, 19. Describing the 28 year fight for justice, his father said today: 'Its been very, very hard. My son would have been 46. Were glad to fight because we knew it was something terribly wrong. It is only right and proper that we fought for our loved ones. We did that through the courts of law when we achieved the unlawful killing verdict and weve done it again today'. Liverpool fan Chris Devonside was just 18 when he died alongside his friends Simon Bell, 17, and Gary Church, 19, in the Hillsborough crush Asked what was going through his mind when the decision was read out he said: I was frightened, absolutely frightened that we were going to be let down again. Its so very hard to fight for justice over the period of time the families have had to fight and weve been smacked in the face a number of times'. He added: 'The families have acted with utmost dignity'. Previously he has said he had 'dreamt' of the moment a jury decided the 96 victims were unlawfully killed in 2016. Mr Devonside, who has attended every day of the inquest for two years, said: 'I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would get this decision. I always hoped and dreamt that we would get this decision. I'm glad we did. 'We did our best - we couldn't do any more'. Michael Reed (pictured Wednesday), 32, has been charged with defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespass and first degree criminal mischief An Arkansas man who livestreamed himself driving his car into a new Ten Commandments monument less than 24 hours after it was placed on state Capitol grounds has been arrested. Michael Reed, 32, has been charged with defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespass and first degree criminal mischief. An 18-second video of the incident on Reed's Facebook page begins with music playing in a car before the driver shouts 'Oh my goodness' and then 'Freedom' before smashing into the monument. Prior to ramming the monument, Reed shared another video on his Facebook page where he said his intent to start a GoFundMe to buy a new car afterwards. On the fundraising page where he is seeking $20,000, Reed simply wrote, 'I need a new car now #CHECKMATE.' The page has since been taken down after several people began donating money towards his campaign. In that video, Reed says he is using a 2016 Dodge Dart, paid for with money he received from a work injury. The new Ten Commandments monument outside the state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., is blocked off Wednesday morning, June 28, 2017, after Reed crashed into it with a vehicle, police say It was destroyed less than 24 hours after the privately funded monument was installed Reed also posted this message Tuesday night: 'Our constitutional rights have been violated and since no one will do anything about it, I will.' Other posts on Reed's Facebook page include several videos and religious posts. In one video, he says, 'Yes, I am a pothead,' but cites a Biblical justification. Secretary of State's Office spokesman Chris Powell says Capitol Police arrested Reed early Wednesday. Powell said a Capitol police officer on patrol saw a car enter the Capitol grounds from the south before making a u-turn after passing the monument. The officer realized something was wrong, but the vehicle had already rammed into the monument and stopped. An 18-second video of the incident on Reed's Facebook page begins with music playing in a car before the driver shouts 'Oh my goodness' and then 'Freedom' before smashing into the monument Prior to ramming the monument, Reed shared another video on his Facebook page where he shared his intent to start a GoFundMe to buy a new car afterwards. 'On the fundraising page where he is seeking $20,000, Reed simply wrote, 'I need a new car now #CHECKMATE.' The officer immediately arrested Reed, and said he was 'cooperative' at the time. The 32-year-old has been taken to St. Vincent for evaluation before being transferred to the county jail. The stone monument fell to the ground and broke into multiple pieces after it was rammed by the car. The privately funded monument was 6 feet tall and weighed 6,000 pounds. It was installed Tuesday morning on the southwest lawn of the Capitol with little fanfare and no advance notice. Before the ruin: The six-foot-tall monument is seen here on Tuesday A similar 10 Commandments monument at the Oklahoma State Capitol was destroyed in 2014 after Reed (pictured left in 2014 arrest photo) reportedly rammed a car into it. Reed was hit with several charges related to the incident after being detained by Secret Service agents A 2015 law required the state to allow the display near the Capitol, and a state panel last month gave final approval to its design and location. Sen. Jason Rapert, the man who sponsored the bill authorizing the monument, spoke on Tuesday about the project he raised funds for. Rapert said no taxpayer dollars were spent on the monument, and instead funds were donated by individuals from around the country. He created a GoFundMe seeking $16,635 on February 17, 21016 for the monument. By March 1, 2016, he raised more than $18,500 to fund the project. According to the GoFundMe page, the American History & Heritage Foundation was the private sponsor of the monument. The construction and installation for the monument cost $12,635, and another $5,000 was raised for 'incidental expenses,' Rapert said. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee took to Twitter and wrote: 'Some idiot in my home state broke all 10 commandments at the same time. He wasn't Moses and it wasn't Mt. Sinai.' Of the monument being destroyed, the Republican Arkansas state senator told Fox 19: 'My initial thought is that it's very disturbing, because this is an act of violence actually against the state of Arkansas, against the process. 'The super majority of the legislature passed this in 2015, Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed it into law. 'At zero tax payer expense, money was raised by the American History & Heritage Foundation and the donation was made to the people of Arkansas literally less than 24 hours after it was installed here yesterday. 'So my first thought is, we have a real problem with a lack of civility in this country. What kind of hatred is in people's hearts that would have them to come premeditated to drive to our state Capitol and carry out an act of violence, which is a felony and destroy property here in our state?' Rapert vowed to have the monument put back up again. Reed was released from an Oklahoma hospital in January 2015 'under an agreement with Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater for continued treatment and family support. He is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder' Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took to Twitter and wrote: 'Some idiot in my home state broke all 10 commandments at the same time. He wasn't Moses and it wasn't Mt. Sinai.' A similar 10 Commandments monument at the Oklahoma State Capitol was destroyed in 2014 after Reed reportedly rammed a car into it. The driver reportedly abandoned the car and fled the scene. Reed was hit with several charges related to the incident after being detained by an agent with the Secret Service in Oklahoma City due to threats he made against then-president Barack Obama, KWTV reported. During his interview with authorities at the time, he said 'voices in his head' and 'Satan' told him to urinate on the monument, and to 'smash it.' He also had admitted that he was a Satanist. Reed was released from an Oklahoma hospital in January 2015 'under an agreement with Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater for continued treatment and family support. He is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder,' the Arkansas Times reported. Marissa Mowry was arrested for giving birth to 11-year-old's baby A 25-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with sexual battery after giving birth to an 11-year-old's baby. Marissa Mowry and the boy are reported to have had sex in Hillsborough County, Florida, in January 2014. Mowry, of Port Richey, was 22-years-old at the time while the victim was 11. She gave birth to the child in October that year. She continued to have a sexual relationship with the victim until he was 14-years-old, ABC quoted officials as saying. Detectives managed to secure an arrest warrant after completing their investigation into their 'relationship'. Mowry was arrested Tuesday afternoon and charged with sexual battery and transported to the Hillsborough County Jail. Her three-year-old child is being placed with a responsible adult as the investigation continues. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Child Protective Division is assisting in the investigation. Thirteen people in China have been sentenced to death for selling drugs as part of a public hearing watched by some 10,000 people. According to local reports, they were accused of producing and selling drugs in the city of Shanwei, southern China's Guangdong province. The trial took place on June 24. Eight of those sentenced were executed immediately after the trial. 13 people were sentenced to death while five were handed suspended sentences Eight of those handed the death penalty were taken away and executed immediately 18 people were on trial at the joint court case by Shanwei Intermediate People's Court and the Lufeng People's Court, reported The Beijing News. The court case was held in an arena and was watched by some 10,000 people. Five were given suspended sentences while the remaining 13 were sentenced to death. Eight of those were immediately executed following the trial. It's understood the execution was not public. Photos show those given the death penalty being loaded into trucks. According to reports, Lufeng is a hotspot for drug trafficking with officers trying to clamp down on the sale and creation of drugs. This isn't the first time a public court case has been held in the city. In 2015, 38 drug dealers were put on trial in front of 10,000 people as part of a public event to try and stop the illegal drugs trade in the region. It was hoped at the time that the sentencing would showcase the government's hard line on drugs, reports Shanghai Daily. A public trial is held in 2015 in the city of Lufeng (File photo) Lufeng is a hotbed for drug trafficking in southern China with police cracking down (File photo) Guangdong is China's largest producer of methamphetamine. More than a third of the methamphetamine consumed in China was made by villages in Lufeng. William Nee at Amnesty International told MailOnline: 'The mass sentencing rally that took place - including the execution of eight people involved in drug-related crimes - is absolutely tragic and barbaric. 'Despite China continuously executing hundreds if not thousands of people per year for drug-related offences, China is actually experiencing a growth in drug manufacturing and trafficking - which obviously shows the limitations of the "kill the monkey to scare the chickens approach" 'China should immediately end the use of the death penalty for offenses that do not meet the threshold of "intentional killing" in international law, and devise other ways to tackle the drug problem that don't perpetuate a cycle of violence.' Last December, the Supreme People's Court overturned the wrongful conviction and execution of Nie Shubin. He had been executed 21 years earlier at the age of 20 after being wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of a woman in Inner Mongolia. Donald Trump delivered a swift kick on Wednesday morning to The New York Times, blasting the newspaper for reporting that he is ill-informed and disengaged as Republicans in the Senate tiptoe toward a health care compromise. 'Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S.,' the president tweeted. 'The failing @nytimes writes false story after false story about me. They don't even call to verify the facts of a story. A Fake News Joke!' Donald Trump hosted all 52 Republican U.S. senators at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, a meeting reportedly requested by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell so the president could demonstrate his understanding of a crucial health care bill After The New York Times painted the president as ill-informed and detached, he launched into a Twitter tirade The front-page Times story that grabbed Trump's attention described an aloof and clueless president with little knowledge about the details of how one of his central campaign pledges might be fulfilled. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the paper reported, had asked the president to schedule Tuesday's White House meeting with all 52 Republican senators specifically to project the opposite image. McConnell ignored reporters' questions outside the White House greeted McConnell with questions about the depth of Trump's understanding of the bill repealing and replacing parts of the Obamacare law. That, the Times hinted, was evidence of the president's cluelessness. Its reporters also noted the existence of a single Republican senator who they said 'left the meeting at the White House with a sense that the president did not have a grasp of some basic elements of the Senate plan and seemed especially confused when a moderate Republican complained that opponents of the bill would cast it as a massive tax break for the wealthy.' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) and Majority Whip John Cornyn (right) spoke to reporters at the White House bur McConnell wouldn't answer a question about whether Trump understood medical insurance legislation Trump's all-hands meeting in the White House's East Room left one senator fearful that he didn't grasp the nuts and bolts of the bill New York Times journalists leaped to defend their newspaper against Trump's slings and arrows on Wednesday shortly after he launched his tweeted tirade. Glenn Thrush, the Times scribe whom White House insiders most love to hate, reacted to Trump's claim that he and his colleagues 'don't even call to verify the facts of a story.' 'Call your office, sir,' Thrush tweeted. '@nytimes spoke to many, many, many members of your staff yesterday - & ran everything by your team.' The two Times reporters who wrote Wednesday's front-page skewering of Trump pushed back at the notion that they had done anything wrong The Times, one of the president's least-liked news organs, is fond of painting Trump as a know-nothing His co-author Jonathan Martin chuckled off the president's outrage du jour and said it was predictable and actually predicted. 'One leading Trumper admitted this was his fear about our story: that Trump would go ballistic in am when he saw [it],' Martin tweeted. Trump raised eyebrows on Tuesday when he began the all-hands meeting with senators by softening the ground for what could ultimately be a crashing legislative failure. 'This will be great if we get it done,' he said of the health care push. 'And if we don't get it done it's going to be something that we're not going to like. 'And that's OK. And I understand that very well,' he told the senators. Dozens of travellers from France have arrived with caravans and top-of-the-range cars to set up an illegal village camp on their summer holiday tour of Britain. The large group were spotted on land in Stapenhill, near Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire. Eyewitnesses said they arrived at around 5pm on Monday in seven caravans and were driving flash Mercedes and top-of-the-range BMW cars. It's understood that is the same group who pitched up at a site in Leicester earlier this month for four days, before being evicted. The large group were spotted on land in Stapenhill, near Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire The large group were spotted on land in Stapenhill, near Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire One passer-by said the travellers were talking to people in the area in French and some in English, telling locals they were here on holiday. It is unclear whether they are the same gypsies who descended on the East Midlands for their summer breaks for the last two years running. In 2015, 13 caravans pulled by plush Mercedes and Porsches pitched up on private land in Nottinghamshire. They said they had visited Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire and headed off to London afterwards. Last year the travellers only stayed in Derby to 'chill out and relax' at Markeaton Recreation Ground. Staffordshire Police confirmed they had been called about the latest invasion on council-owned land in the small village of Stapenhill. A force spokesman said: 'We received several calls at 6pm on Monday, June 26, reporting caravans sited on council land, off Waterside Road. 'Patrols attended and engaged with the travellers.' Locals said they were left horrified after seeing the group descending on the land near to the River Trent. It's understood that is the same group who pitched up at a site in Leicester earlier this month for four days, before being evicted One passer-by said the travellers were talking to people in the area in French and some in English, telling locals they were here on holiday Eyewitnesses said they arrived at around 5pm on Monday in seven caravans and were driving flash Mercedes and top-of-the-range BMW cars It is unclear whether they are the same gypsies who descended on the East Midlands for their summer breaks for the last two years running Resident Garry Davin, 44, said: 'I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this convoy of travellers. It's only a small place and we were surprised they had chosen here. 'I'm just concerned they will leave a lot of mess behind.' Another local, who did not want to be named, added: 'They've been friendly enough chatting to people in the town. They said they were here for a holiday. 'But there's not that much exciting around here to do, maybe they are doing a bit of a tour and we're just a stop off.' East Staffordshire Borough Council, which owns the land, said the travellers have been issued with a notice to leave otherwise enforcement action will be taken. A spokesman said: 'Officers from East Staffordshire Borough Council have visited the location, and the travellers have been issued a notice to leave the site. If the travellers have not departed by 11am on June 28, enforcement proceedings will commence.' An employee at the nearby centre in Evington said the families theusing the showers and facilities there each day (pictured) They are understood to be the same travellers who were recently evicted from nearby Leicester - where they had pitched up to attend a medical appointment. Leicester Council officials said the group who pitched up in Evington on June 12 were successfully evicted four days later. The caravans were parked on Downing Drive and Leicester City Council allowed them to stay for four day, because one of them needed to attend a hospital appointment. An employee at the nearby centre said the families had been using the showers and facilities there each day. Pictured are the travellers at Evington An employee at the nearby centre said the families had been using the showers and facilities there each day. A spokesman for Leicester City Council said at the time: 'We understand they are here for a local hospital appointment on Wednesday, and have served an order for them to be off the site by 10am on Friday.' The decision came months after another group of travellers refused to budge from an illegal camp in nearby Hinckley, Leicester, so a pregnant woman could give birth. The group cited Article 24 of the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child which permits special circumstances can be taken into account when dealing with illegal camps. President Donald Trump's popularity is slacking with independent voters who will make or break his next bid and could hand over control of the legislative branch to Democrats in 2018. Four months ago, in February, four in 10 independents gave Trump positive marks for his performance in office. An NPR survey with Marist and PBS Newshour taken this month captured 31 percent support for the Republican president among independents. Overall, Trump has a 37 percent approval rating that is buoyed up slightly by Republican voters, who remain loyal to their party leader. President Donald Trump's popularity is slacking with independent voters who will make or break his next bid. The president is pictured here yesterday at the White House with GOP senators A mere nine percent of Republicans told pollsters they though Trump was doing a bad job. Not only did 80 percent of Republicans praise Trump, 52 percent said they strongly approved of job he's doing, in spite of the investigations into his associates' conduct. Trump voters similarly gave him an 89 percent approval rating. Democrats reliably said 85-9 that they were displeased with the Republican. Trump's disapproval rating remains high at 51 percent in the new survey that asked Americans for their outlook on the economy and and world affairs, in addition to their opinion on Trump. Pollsters found that economic concerns were a driving factor for independents, who have swung a net 17 points since February away from Trump. Almost half of independents, 49 percent, doubt that Trump can improve the economy. A slim 31 percent still believe that he can. Three months ago, the tables were turned and 44 percent of independents thought the billionaire and his team of wealthy advisers could pad Americans' pockets, while 38 percent were not particularly hopeful. Then, Trump was promising grand tax reform legislation that would help the middle class and inspire businesses to expand and create more jobs in the US. As Republicans have continued to toil over health care reform, a tax package looks more and more distant. Congress will not begin serious discussions until this fall after it passes a budget, deals with the debt ceiling and handles Obamacare. Marist College's Lee Miringoff says the survey results should cause 'alarm bells to go off' at the White House. 'Independents were certainly willing to give Trump the benefit of the doubt when he entered office, but on issues like the direction of the country and the economy, they've really soured on him,' the political scientist said. 'It's hard for someone like him to make a second impression. Independents have come to the conclusion that what you see is what you get.' Marist College's Lee Miringoff says the survey results should cause 'alarm bells to go off' at the White House - independent voters are abandoning Trump five months into his presidency One of the warning signs for Trump is the percentage of Americans who think the country is on the wrong track - 61 percent. Most Americans think that he's weakened the United States' standing, 58 percent, and he should not have pulled the US out of the Paris climate change agreement, 53 percent. Trump's leadership has Americans longing for Barack Obama, who went through comparable lows his final years in office. Nearly six in 10 voters, 58 percent, said Obama was a more effective leader than Trump, who had 38 percent of the electorate in his corner. By and large, voters think that Trump is hiding something in his tax returns and 33 percent think it's illegal activity. Of the 61 percent that said it was concerning, 28 percent said they believed it to be something unethical, but not illegal. And, contrary to the president's opinion, 69 percent of Americans said they find Trump's tweeting 'reckless and distracting.' A mere 21 percent of voters said the president's messages are 'effective and informative.' Republicans are split, with 43 percent against and 42 percent in favor of his social media use. The computer systems at at least one nuclear power plant have been successfully targeted by hackers. Federal officials are said to be looking into the breach, which was first reported on Tuesday by the energy industry website, E&E News. It is not known which facility was hacked. 'US authorities are investigating a cyber intrusion affecting multiple nuclear power generation sites this year,' the report stated. Despite the security breach, which is being called 'Nuclear 17', there is no evidence whoever was behind the intrusions was able to gain access to any particularly sensitive or operational systems. The computer systems at at least one nuclear power plant has been successfully targeted by hackers. Pictured is a stock photograph of a plant in Pennsylvania E&E stated in its report the hack was not picked up public safety alert systems at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the International Atomic Energy Agency, which could be a sign the potential risk from the cyber break-in is low. A Homeland Security spokesman would not confirm whether the agency had been called in to help with the investigation into the breach. The hack came after US officials released consecutive cybersecurity warnings to ensure all grid operators across the country were on high alert to potential intrustions. It is not clear if the case is related in any way to any other known cyber attacks. However, it was reported on the same day hackers unleashed a major cyber attack causing huge disruption to companies and governments across the globe including in the UK, US and Russia. The hack was not picked up public safety alert systems at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the International Atomic Energy Agency, which could be a sign the potential risk from the cyber break-in is low (stock photo) The Petya ransomware hijacks victims' computers before encrypting their files and holding them hostage until a fee is paid. Chernobyl's radiation monitoring system has been hit by the attack with its sensors shut down while UK advertising giant WPP, the largest agency in the world, among dozens of firms affected. The ransomware appears to have been spread through popular accounting software and specifically targeted at bringing down business IT systems. The outage began in Ukraine as the country's power grid, airport, national bank and communications firms were first to report problems, before it spread rapidly throughout Europe. Companies in the US that were impacted included: pharmaceutical giant Merck, and Mondelez International, the owner of food brands such as Oreo and Nabisco. A Long Island woman is suing a Manhattan restaurant after tearing a knee ligament, claiming she was too drunk to ride the eatery's mechanical bull ride. Thirty-three-year-old West Babylon resident Jocelyn Burmeister says she was at Johnny Utah's in Midtown for a party on March 18. The lawsuit says restaurant employees shouldn't have let her get on the ride because she was 'visibly intoxicated'. Burmeister says she 'was violently thrown off the bull before having the chance to mount the device, causing life debilitating injuries and surgeries'. A 33-year-old woman is suing Johnny Utah's in New York City for allegedly letting her ride their mechanical bull drunk The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages from the bar, which is located in Midtown Manhattan Burmeister says she tore her ACL and underwent surgery last week to fix the injury and is in physical therapy. The lawsuit accuses the bar of operating the bull in a 'negligent and defective manner' - claiming that the bar failed to install safeguards and proper padding around the bull. This isn't the first time that someone has complained about the 'one and only mechanical bull in New York City'. At least two other patrons sued the restaurant after getting injured on the bull in 2011 and 2014. The 2011 patron busted his shinbone, while the 2014 patron was tossed from the bull on Super Bowl Sunday and landed awkwardly - breaking an ankle and tearing a ligament. Burmeister's attorney Alexander Karasik also represented the patron who sued in 2014. He said that case was settled for under $100,000. Burmeister is seeking damages from Johnny Utah's, which will be determined at trial. Johnny Utah's didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. On its website, the restaurant says patrons need to sign a waiver before riding the bull. Burmeister's attorney says she doesn't recall signing a waiver. 'Just like any activity, there is assumed risk involved,' Johnny Utah's website says. 'Our ring is completely lined in padding and offers a safe landing area. However, it is a 'ride at your own risk' attraction'. The lawsuit was filed June 16 in New York state Supreme Court. Police in Shanghai cancelled a fight between a Tai Chi expert and an MMA fighter who was determined to prove that Kung Fu was a scam. Video footage shows the moment police stepped into the venue where Xu Xiaodong, an ex-MMA fighter nicknamed 'Mad Man', arranged a duel with Ma Baoguo, a Tai Chi master who claimed to have defeated British MMA fighter Peter Irving. The duel, scheduled for June 26, was cancelled due to the venue being unlicensed and unlawful assembly. Xu Xiaodong (left) was set to fight Tai Chi master, Ma Baoguo (right), in Shanghai on June 26 Shanghai police claimed the martial arts club had not been submitted for approval to use A second duel between mixed martial arts and tai chi was forced to cancel as police barged in Shanghai police barged into Xiaolong Martial Club in the Pudong district just 10 minutes before the fight was due to commence. 39-year-old Xu Xiaodong, nicknamed 'Mad Man', was taken out of the club. The fight was due to have an audience of around 100 people local media reported. According to HK01, Shanghai police rushed into the venue and called for the fight to be stopped claiming the club had not submitted an application to hold the fight. It was set to start at 3pm with both fighters arriving at the scene before 2:30pm. The fight had gained media attention after a previous fight between Xu Xiaodong and Wei Lei. Mr Wei is a Tai Chi master practising 'thunder-style' martial arts, on April 27. However, he was knocked out by Mr Xu in just 10 seconds during their duel. The duel was forced to cancel just 10 minutes before the set time as they asked Mr Xu to leave Mr Xu was taken away by the police as nearly 100 audiences were watching and livestreaming Mr Xu can been seen warming up before his second challenge to prove 'kung fu is a scam' Mr Ma was seen walking to the venue with a red banner representing of his Hunyuan Tai Chi Mr Xu then challenged the 65-year-old Ma Baoguo, a martial arts master of Hunyuan Tai Chi, and arranged a duel to prove that Kung Fu is a scam. He previously wrote: 'They (the Tai Chi masters) are just brainwashing citizens, and I have to show people it is a scam.' Mr Xu also challenged all other Kung Fu masters on his Weibo account. His opponent, Mr Ma, had made his fame by claiming that he had previously defeated Peter Irving, a British MMA fighter as he posted a video as proof. However, Peter Irving made a public post on Facebook claiming the video was an acting job in a vanity project for Mr Ma. The duel between Wei Lei (left) and Xu Xiaodong (right) took place on April 27 in Sichuan Mr Wei (left) put on a crane-like pose while Mr Xu (right) took up a boxer's stand at a club Xu Xiaodong beat the Tai Chi master to the floor in just 10 seconds after the start of the fight 'Probably because of the tension about the MMA fighter challenging traditional martial arts in China, he decided to edit the footage and claim he'd beaten me in a real fight,' said Mr Irving. As the fight between Xu Xiaodong and Ma Baoguo was put on hold, the MMA fighter posted on a closed group on Wechat and stated that Mr Ma's nephew reported the incident to the police, according to HK01. The post read: 'The informant is Ma Baoguo's nephew, Ma Bin. If this is wrong, please sue me, Ma Baoguo!' He also mentioned that he had already left Shanghai. It is unsure whether or not there will be another fight scheduled. Early childhood education is crucial to a child's future success, with 90 percent of brain development occurring before age five. High-quality, early-childhood programs can have a lifelong, positive impact on young children and their families. Starting July 1, the Nebraska Department of Education will provide families a way to access ratings for licensed family child care homes and child care centers, Head Start and Early Head Start programs, public school-operated early-childhood programs, and community preschools through Step Up to Quality. Launched in July of 2014 as a result of legislative bill 507, Step Up to Quality is Nebraskas quality rating and improvement system, a method of assessing, improving, and communicating the level of quality in early care and education settings. Step Up to Quality supports all child care and early-childhood education programs with resources that improve quality. Programs are rated based on meeting quality standards, which include curriculum, learning environments, teacher-child interactions, child outcomes, professional development and training, family engagement or partnerships and program administration. There are five steps in the Step Up to Quality ratings: Step 1: committed to quality improvement. Step 2: approaching quality standards. Step 3: meets quality standards. Step 4: exceeds quality standards. Step 5: far exceeds quality standards. Families can access these ratings when making early care decisions for their young children. Search for a quality-rated program near you beginning July 1 at www.education.ne.gov/StepUptoQuality. An Idaho mother's blood alcohol level was 'nearly four times the legal limit' when she crashed her car with her four children inside, court documents showed. Lauren Weeks, 37, and her children had just left Rexburg Rapids water park where she had been drinking when she rear-ended a vehicle, drove off the road through a fence and came to a stop on railroad tracks, according to EastIdahoNews.com. When the Madison County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene, they gave Weeks two breathalyzer tests. One test showed a blood alcohol level of .312 and the other showed .306, according to court documents. The legal limit in Idaho is .08. Idaho mother, Lauren Weeks (left and right), 37, had a blood alcohol level of .306 when she crashed her vehicle with her four children in the back, according to authorities Weeks and her children (pictured) had just left Rexburg Rapids water park where she had been drinking when she rear-ended a vehicle, drove off the road through a fence and came to a stop on railroad tracks Authorities said Weeks was driving a 2005 Yukon when she crashed on US Highway 20 around 6pm last Thursday. A deputy said he could smell alcohol on Weeks and she was slurring her words. The deputy also said the woman's eyes appeared to be bloodshot and glossy, according to Idaho News. Weeks reportedly admitted to be being 'a little tipsy' and she fell to the ground more than once, authorities said. When the deputy searched the woman's car, a Gatorade bottle containing wine and a half empty box of wine were discovered, court documents showed. The four children were taken to Madison Memorial Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries after one child complained of chest pains. Weeks was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of excessive driving under the influence, possessing an open container while driving and injury to child by transporting while under the influence. She also received a citation for following too closely. Weeks pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday. She is still being held at the Madison County Jail on $25,000 bond. An Atlanta police officer has been caught on camera punching a defenseless suspect repeatedly in the head. Both the officer - who is not being named by authorities - and the suspect are black. The June 22 arrest was filmed and then posted online by Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, which is calling for the cop's termination. 'Black men aren't safe in Atlanta,' BLM GA presdient Sir Maejor wrote. 'This is what I call a #BlueOnBlackCrime, as an organization, we stand against police brutality regardless the color of the officer.' Scroll down for video A shocking act of violence was filmed in Atlanta on June 22, as a black suspect was held down by two cops and punched in the head by a third. All of the men involved are black The video shows the suspect being held down by two other cops and watched by a fourth as he is struck. All police on the scene are black. After the first punch to the head, the suspect writhes on the ground; after the second he cries out 'Stop!' Criminal defense attorney Page Pate told 11 Alive that 'police officers have a legal right to use force to make an arrest if the arrest is lawful.' 'But they can only use so much force as is required to make an arrest,' said Pate, who has been an attorney for 23 years. 'They had the guy on the ground,' he added. 'He may not have completely been complying with all of their requests, but they had him completely under control. He posed a danger to no one. 'From what I saw in the video, the officer was acting with excessive force.' The video was posted to the Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta page. A fourth cop (seen right), also black, watched. The officer who hit the suspect has been suspended However, Bill McKenney - an attorney and ex-police officer - told the channel that the cop was using 'pain compliance' in line with his training. He notes that the suspect appears to have a handcuff on one wrist, suggesting that he had broken away from the officers once the cuffs were put on him. 'Once the suspect became active, that officer was allowed to use reasonable force,' McKenney said. 'He did not club him; he did not kick him. He used what is taught in the academy, which is a closed slap, to get compliance. 'It's a form of pain compliance and I didn't see unreasonable force.' Atlanta police said in a statement: 'The officer involved in the use of force depicted in the video has been relieved of duty and is currently on administrative leave. 'Following the conclusion of the internal investigation, Chief Erika Shields will review the evidence therein to determine the appropriate disciplinary action, if any. 'Chief Shields has always held professionalism and honesty in high regard and will continue to hold her officers to the highest standard.' Commenters on Greater Atlanta's Black Lives Matter Facebook page were incensed by the video. Tyrone Carter said the PD's statement 'means nothing without the conviction.' Eddie Ingram wrote: 'Crazy part is they will b punished fired and debadged, which is wat should happen, bt if the cops are white they will b BK to work next Monday.' 'Their job is to arrest not assault! Resisting a lawful or unlawful arrest does not warrant them punching and or kicking a person!' wrote Jay Calloway. 'That is assault. You detain them without all of that and if you cant do that with 400 officers present then you need to find another profession.' Detectives tracked Derrick Roseland to the concert in San Antonio A swastika-tattooed fugitive was arrested at an Iron Maiden concert after his friend posts pictures of his ticket on Facebook. Detectives tracked Derrick Roseland, who is wanted on an aggravated kidnapping warrant, to the band's gig at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The picture suggested he would be sitting in either seat 13 or 14 in row 20, section 128. Officers went straight to the seat - located on the plaza level - and arrested him without incident. Austin police suspected he would be attending the concert, as part of the band's 'Book of Souls' gig, after his friend announced it on social media. Austin police shared the information with Bexar County authorities, who tracked him down. The Bexar County Sheriff's Office shared the story behind the arrest on its own Facebook page. Fugitive Roseland was arrested at an Iron Maiden concert after his friend posts pictures of his ticket on Facebook Kelly Green, 32, (left with her husband Shane Green) moved from Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the UK to Tristan da Cunha (pictured), one of a remote group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, in July 2013. The whole island descends from just seven families and has a population of just 138 inhabitants. It is only accessible by boat from Cape Town, South Africa, and the journey can take anywhere from a week to 15 days - depending on the weather. After going through a tough break up, Kelly travelled to the island to visit her parents in 2010 as her dad was a diplomat posted there. Kelly said she 'fell in love' with the island and it was there that she met her now husband Shane Green, 33. Shane, a carpenter who has lived on the island for his entire life, had helped Kelly carry her luggage off the raft and they soon became besotted with each other. Kelly made the move to Tristan da Cunha permanently in July 2013 and the couple now have two children together - Savannah, eight, and Seren, who is 16-months-old. An international student who was bashed inside his home after asking neighbours to turn down their music down is too traumatised to stay in Australia. Prabgheet Sandhu, from India, returned home to his apartment block in Mandurah, Western Australia, when he made the request to another resident in the complex. After he was yelled at, Mr Sandhu walked away and entered his unit but was followed and brutally bashed by an intruder. Prabgheet Sandhu, from India, who was bashed inside his home after asking neighbours to turn down their music down, is too traumatised to stay in Australia Mr Sandhu, who works as an Uber driver, reportedly suffered a fractured eye socket in the attack and can no longer drive his car 'I'm still in shock, I'm in trauma. I can't even live here anymore,' Mr Sandhu told Seven News. 'He started punching me so badly... and he hit me with something in the head.' In a desperate bid to escape his attacker, the project management student ran to his bedroom and barricaded himself inside. 'He started bashing on the door, then after a few minutes the other guy came in and just said ''let's go, let's go'',' he said. 'I'm still in shock, I'm in trauma. I can't even live here anymore,' Mr Sandhu said on Wednesday Mr Sandhu, who works as an Uber driver, reportedly suffered a fractured eye socket in the attack and can no longer drive his car. 'I can't even see properly from this eye, but I still manage to open it. And there's injuries in my head,' he said. Mr Sandhu is said to be making plans to return to India following the terrifying attack. A man is being questioned by police over the incident, but no charges have been laid, according to Perth Now. U.S. citizens could have their travel restricted to North Korea following 22-year-old American student Otto Warmbier's death. Two congressmen, Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat Adam Schiff, have introduced legislation to ban tourist travel to North Korea that's getting a work up in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It could receive a vote as soon as next month, a GOP committee aide told CNN. If the bill becomes law, Americans would have to apply for and receive a license from the Treasury Department to visit the communist country that has denied that foul play led to Warmbier's medical condition before he was returned to the United States and subsequent death. U.S. citizens could have their travel restricted to North Korea following 22-year-old American student Otto Warmbier's death North Korea has accused the U.S. of a 'smear campaign' and claims it did not abuse Warmbier while he was in the country's custody. The Ohio native had been on tourist visit to Pyongyang when he was arrested for stealing a political poster. He was imprisoned for 17 months before the State Department negotiated his return. Warmbier was released in a coma, with severe brain damage. He died six days after his release. Schiff, a California Democrat, and Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, want to ensure that a tragedy like Warmbier's doesn't befall an American again. If the bill becomes law, Americans would have to apply for and receive a license from the Treasury Department to visit the communist country that has denied that foul play led to Warmbier's medical condition before he was returned to the United States and subsequent death 'Time and time again, the North Korean regime has shown that it will treat Americans who visit their nation as hostages to extract concessions from the United States, and put their lives in danger,' Schiff said in a statement announcing the legislation. The lawmaker said Warmbier's brutal handling is 'tantamount to the murder of a U.S. citizen by North Korea' and it 'brings further into focus the need to go beyond simply warning Americans not to visit this pariah state.' Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says the legislation is necessary. 'People watch these websites that guarantee they can go into North Korea and be secure, be safe, these glossy presentations -- and the reality is that many of these visitors end up being used as bargaining chips by the North Korean regime,' the lawmaker said to CNN. Rep. Eliot Engel, a New York Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs committee, said he's mulling the travel ban legislation and what that would entail. 'I think that we've got to do something to keep our citizens safe,' Engel told CNN. 'It may be a travel ban or it may be something else. So right now, we're sort of discussing what the alternatives might be, if there is a travel ban, would it be in total, would it be a travel ban just with tourism?' Assuming the bill receive a favorable vote in Royce's committee, it will get a vote in the House, and most likely the Senate. Unless it's passed with a two-thirds vote, it will also need the president's signature to go into effect. A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com. Vice President Mike Pence suggested in a speech last Thursday in Washington that the administration would be open to such a law, however. Two congressmen, Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat Adam Schiff, have introduced legislation to ban tourist travel to North Korea that's getting a work up in the House Foreign Affairs Committee 'As the President said just a few days ago, North Koreas treatment of Otto Warmbier was a disgrace. And I can assure you it only deepens our determination to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people in the days ahead,' he said. Wilson, the Republican sponsor of the bill, said in a statement that Warmbier's death 'made it clear that it is past time that we restrict tourist travel to communist, totalitarian North Korea.' 'Every penny that goes to the brutal regime is used in the subjugation of its own people and unlawful detention of American citizens,' he said. 'By cutting off this source of income we can protect American families and deny the regime hard currency.' At least three Americans are known to be imprisoned in North Korea and 17 have been jailed there in the past decade. The bipartisan legislation in the House would prohibit most visits but would make exceptions for family reunification and humanitarian work. Schoolboys as young as five have been flagged as being at risk of becoming radicalised extremists or violent criminals. The Department of Education has revealed it is working to battle 'anti-social and extremist behaviour' in schools in New South Wales. Disturbed children who are disengaged from learning and have the potential to become criminals or terrorists are on the rise in the state, psychologists and researchers have warned. One primary school in Sydney's inner-west has ten males who have been identified as 'at risk' and have been put into a special program, The Daily Telegraph reported. Schoolboys as young as five have been flagged as being at risk of becoming radicalised extremists or violent criminals (stock image) Psychologist and school counsellor Rose Cantali said boys' disengagement in schools is on the rise, which increases the risk of children becoming involved in radicalisation and other criminal activity when they are older. She said during her time as a counsellor she encountered a Muslim mother who ended up rearing three extremists. 'The mother had needed to have many dealings with the counsellor due to her children's learning needs and poor behaviour at school,' she told The Daily Telegraph. 'Three of her boys ended up becoming terrorists. One in our jails at the current time and the other two jailed in other countries.' Psychologist and researcher at Macquarie University Wayne Warburton said many teenagers are feeling 'anxious, sad or suicidal'. '[Changed behaviour] must start with children who are young and it must be scaffolded in schools and the curriculum,' Dr Warburton, who specialises in aggressive behaviour, told the newspaper. A Department of Education spokesperson said there are 'robust systems' in place in the state's schools to identify students who may be easily influenced to engage in crime or extremist behaviour. ABC News has reached a settlement with a South Dakota meat producer that filed a $1.9billion lawsuit against the network over its reports on the company's lean, finely textured beef product that critics dubbed 'pink slime', the TV network said Wednesday. ABC spokeswoman Julie Townsend said in a statement that the network has 'reached an amicable resolution of its dispute with the makers' of the beef product. Townsend said the settlement terms are confidential. 'Although we have concluded that continued litigation of this case is not in the Company's interests, we remain committed to the vigorous pursuit of truth and the consumer's right to know about the products they purchase,' Townsend said. Scroll down for video ABC News has reached a settlement with a South Dakota meat producer that filed a $1.9billion lawsuit against the network over its 2012 reports (like the one presented on the air by host Diane Sawyer above) on the company's beef product that critics dubbed 'pink slime' In one report, former USDA scientist Gerald Zirnstein (left) said 70 percent of ground beef (right, file photo) contained 'pink slime', a food additive made from trimmings WHAT IS PINK SLIME? Also called 'lean finely textured beef', pink slime is a meat byproduct. It is made by heating beef trimmings, running them through a centrifuge, and exposing them to ammonia gas. The resulting product is added to ground beef, often without any labels. Pink slime is banned in Canada and banned for human consumption in the European Union. Advertisement Dakota Dunes-based Beef Products Inc. sued the television network in 2012, saying ABC's coverage misled consumers into believing the product is unsafe and led to the closure of three plants and layoffs of roughly 700 workers. In one report, former USDA scientist Gerald Zirnstein said 70 percent of ground beef contained 'pink slime', a food additive made from trimmings and exposed to ammonia gas before it was used as a filler in packages labeled 100 percent beef. After the reports aired, some grocery store chains said they would stop carrying ground beef that contained the product. BPI claims sales declined from about five million pounds per week to less than two million pounds per week. Beef Product Inc., (pictured) filed the lawsuit in 2012, claiming ABC's 'vicious' reports caused three plants to shutter and roughly 700 people to lose their job The defamation trial against ABC and correspondent Jim Avila started in June. Avila and Diane Sawyer both asked the judge in the case to dismiss the lawsuit. BPI didn't immediately respond to telephone messages requesting comment. The actual damages BPI was seeking could have been as high as $1.9billion, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Disney, which owns ABC. BPI was also seeking 'treble' damages, or triple the amount, under South Dakota's Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act and punitive damages. Kim Jong-un has threatened South Korea's former president with a 'miserable dog's death' over an alleged plot to assassinate the tyrant. Pyongyang vowed to 'impose the death penalty' on Park Geun-Hye claiming she 'pushed forward' a supposed plan by Seoul's intelligence services to eliminate the North Korean dictator. South Korea's spy agency has described the threats today as 'unpardonable'. The North's declaration comes after the killing of Kim's estranged half-brother Kim Jong-Nam by two women using the banned nerve agent VX at Kuala Lumpur international airport in February. Kim Jong-un (pictured) has threatened South Korea's president with a 'miserable dog's death' over an alleged plot to assassinate the tyrant Pyongyang vowed to 'impose the death penalty' on Park Geun-Hye (pictured) claiming she 'pushed forward' a supposed plan by Seoul's intelligence services to eliminate the North Korean dictator Both Malaysia and South Korea have blamed the North for the assassination, which retorts that the accusations are an attempt to smear it. North Korea's threat came from its security ministry and prosecutors and was aired in a statement carried by its official Korean Central News Agency. 'We declare at home and abroad that we will impose death penalty on traitor Park Geun Hye,' it said. The former director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) Lee Byung-Ho would meet a similar fate, it added. They 'can never make any appeal even though they meet miserable dog's death any time, at any place and by whatever methods from this moment'. Last month Pyongyang's powerful ministry of state security said it had foiled a plot by the US and South Korean spy agencies to kill Kim using a biochemical weapon. The lurid accusations came amid tensions over the North's nuclear and missile programmes and with Washington considering whether to re-designate Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism. The declaration comes after the killing of Kim's estranged half-brother Kim Jong-Nam (pictured) by two women using the banned nerve agent VX at Kuala Lumpur international airport in February The latest demand comes with Park's successor, new South Korean President Moon Jae-In - who backs engagement with the North - on his way to Washington for a summit meeting with Donald Trump. The Pyongyang statement demanded that Seoul hand over 'traitor Park' and the former intelligence chief 'as they committed hideous state-sponsored terrorism against the supreme leadership' of North Korea. Park is currently on trial in Seoul on charges of bribery and abuse of power related to the sprawling corruption scandal that saw her impeached. The United Nations and rights groups accuse the North of widespread abuses, including an absence of fair trials. Christopher Pyne says he is 'very sorry' for 'damaging' remarks which have widened the rift between moderates and conservatives within the Liberal Party. Mr Pyne caused a stir after boasting of the supremacy of his moderate Liberal faction on the sidelines of a party meeting in Sydney last Friday. He also suggested the legalisation of same-sex marriage could occur 'sooner than everyone thinks' and revealed he had voted for Malcolm Turnbull at 'every' leadership ballot he ran for despite being in Mr Abbott's leadership circle. Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne says he is 'very sorry' for 'damaging' remarks which have widened the rift between moderates and conservatives within the party Mr Pyne caused a stir after boasting of the supremacy of his moderate Liberal faction on the sidelines of a party meeting in Sydney last Friday Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday Mr Pyne's speech, which was leaked to the media, was 'remarkably ill-advised and indiscreet' and could not have come at a worse time for the government. 'I can understand why some of my colleagues might be saying his position as Leader of the House is difficult to maintain but this is a matter for the prime minister,' Mr Abbott said. Mr Pyne responded on Wednesday night, saying he was sorry his remarks had caused such a distraction. 'I'm very sorry that my comments at an event last Friday have caused such a distraction for the Government,' the South Australian MP said in a statement. Mr Pyne responded on Wednesday night, saying he was sorry his remarks had caused such a distraction Mr Pyne revealed he had voted for Malcolm Turnbull at 'every' leadership ballot he ran for despite being in Mr Abbott's leadership circle 'I apologise to anyone they have offended. My remarks were ill chosen and unwise and I can see how unhelpful and damaging they have been.' Mr Abbott has breathed new life into conservative forces, questioning the government's climate policy and commitment to economic reform and urging the party to stick to its same-sex marriage plebiscite policy. On Thursday he will deliver a speech questioning a multi-billion-dollar submarine contract with French firm Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS, and urging a Plan B based on nuclear-powered subs. 'I think I have a role as a standard bearer for Liberal conservative values here and in the wider world,' Mr Abbott told radio 2GB. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday Mr Pyne's speech, which was leaked to the media, was 'remarkably ill-advised and indiscreet' 'I'm very sorry that my comments at an event last Friday have caused such a distraction for the Government,' Mr Pyne said in a statement Mr Turnbull, who hails from the moderate faction, sought on Wednesday to declared himself a champion of conservative issues. 'There is nothing more conservative than ensuring you have affordable and reliable electricity,' he said at the Snowy Hydro plant at Cooma. Mr Pyne said in his statement the Liberal Party had long been 'the crucible of both liberal and conservative thought and values'. Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said differences should be kept inside the party room, rather than aired publicly. Malcolm Turnbull confers with Minister for Energy Josh Frydenberg, who said differences should be kept inside the party room, rather than aired publicly President Donald Trump has decided to take up France's Emmanuel Macron on his offer to visit Paris next month on Bastille Day to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I. The White House confirmed that Trump would be traveling to France for the July 14 event in a statement Wednesday morning that stressed the US' 'strong ties of friendship with France.' 'The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern,' it said, alluding to expected climate talks. President Donald Trump has decided to take up France's Emmanuel Macron on his offer to visit Paris next month on Bastille Day to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I An official of the presidential Elysee Palace said the invitation to the US president and First Lady Melania Trump was extended Tuesday during a telephone conversation to prepare for the two leaders' meeting during the G20 summit in Germany on July 7-8. France has celebrated Bastille Day, a turning point in the country's revolutionary war, with a military parade down the Champs-Elysees every July 14 since 1918, with the exception of a four-year period during WWII. Since 1880, the parade was has been held in or around Paris and sometimes features detachments of foreign troops. Trump is already scheduled to be in Europe next week, with stops in Warsaw and Hamburg previously confirmed. Bastille Day is the following Friday. It is not known whether Trump, who owns properties in Ireland and Scotland but is fighting a battle to get the GOP health law passed, will return to the US in between. Trump also spoke with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Tuesday to congratulate him on his election to prime minister. He invited the Irish PM to Washington for the White House's St. Patricks Day celebration in March of 2018. He is not expected to make a stop in London during the trip, however. He has been invited by the Queen Elizabeth II, but she did not mention a potential visit in a speech she delivered last week, despite White House claims that a trip is still on the table. The queen's speech laid out a two-year outlook for the UK and foreign visit next month by Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia. A Downing Street spokesperson told CNN that it did not come up because a date has not been set. Trump's visit was reportedly put on hold amid concerns that he would be protested in London. He hosted British PM Theresa May in January - the first foreign head of government to visit the White House. Trump met with Macron, shortly after the French president's election, in Brussels last month, where they had a firm handshake that looked more like a tug of war than a grip and grin. Macron won that round by refusing to let go Trump's hand until he eschewed dominance. In the US, Trump has a historically low popularity rating for a new president. He's even more disliked in France. A Suffolk University in May found that 82 percent of French citizens had an unfavorable view of him. A new survey of US voters from Marist, NPR & PBS Newshour that dropped today put his disapproval rating in the US at 51 percent. France has celebrated Bastille Day, a turning point in the country's revolutionary war, with a military parade down the Champs-Elysees every July 14 for 100 years The White House said that Trump and Macron discussed the need for a 'joint response' in case of a chemical attack in Syria during their talk Tuesday. Their call came a day after Washington said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may be preparing another chemical weapons attack and warned that his regime would pay a 'heavy price' if it went ahead with such an assault. A Pentagon spokesman said US intelligence had noticed suspect activity at the launch site of the regime's apparent chemical strike in April. Days after that strike on a rebel-held town, the United States launched a cruise missile strike on the airfield in retaliation the first direct US attack on the Syrian regime. The French foreign ministry refused to say Tuesday whether it too had information about possible preparations by the Syrian regime for a chemical attack. The leaders' call came after President Trump pulled out of the Paris climate change accord earlier this month. Macron called the move a 'mistake' and even borrowed from Trump's campaign slogan, saying, 'make our planet great again,' at the conclusion of videotaped remarks on the topic. During Tuesday's White House press briefing, a reporter asked Energy Secretary Rick Perry if he thought the Bastille Day invitation signaled a thaw in relations between the two countries on climate change. 'Do you see this as a way that the French are taking up his suggestion for negotiating a new climate change agreement?' the reporter asked. The room laughed at Perry's answer. 'I would always look at an invitation to a party as a good thing,' the former Texas governor said. Trump has said he would like to negotiate a new climate deal or change the terms of the United States' participation in Paris. 'The Paris Accord is very unfair, at the highest level, to the United States,' he said during a June 1 speech in the White House's Rose Garden. He contended then that 'the agreement is a massive redistribution of United States wealth to other countries.' 'This agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries gaining a financial advantage over the United States,' Trump said. Trump did not say then, and administration officials have not said since, what a better deal would entail. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Tuesday that the US does not need to sign an agreement 'that really doesn't call anybody to making any changes,' in a slap at the existing accord. 'You look at that agreement, and what China and what India are required to do, and they are nothing,' he said. 'Why would we sign on to an agreement, that is not holding other people to account, and asking us to give $3 billion? 'And the Trump administration said that's nonsense. I agree with them it's nonsense,' Perry said. The cabinet official told White House reporters that the United States is already a world leader in reducing carbon emissions. 'And we've done this through innovation and technology, not by signing agreements,' he said. 'The Paris Agreement put the taxpayer on the hook for a costly deal. There was a billion dollars already out the door. Thankfully, this President has the good sense to step in before billions more had been committed. Veterans across the UK have joined together to form a political party that has swelled to 8,000 members in just a month, is planning to run candidates in every seat during the next election. The Veterans' and People's Party hopes to have 650 candidates in place by the time of the next General Election which is due to take place in 2022. Chairman Danny Mitchell, who is a former aircraft technician said his party is at 'war with the politicians'. Danny Mitchell, chairman of the UK Veterans' and Peoples' Party said he wants to run 650 candidates during the next General Election which is due to take place in 2022 The Party's PR spokesman John Graham, fifth from the left, claims that 95 per cent of his 8,000 members are in favour of the death penalty, while he wants to slash the pay received by politicians at Westminster He founded the party with six other veterans in mid-May after becoming disillusioned by how politicians were campaigning during the election. Danny believes career politicians have not done enough with their lives to understand what needs to be done to 'fix' Britain - whereas he believes veterans have. The party plans to stump up candidates across the UK during the next election and their policies include slashing politician's salaries and a tougher stance on immigration using a points-based system. Other key policies include deprivatising the NHS and discounting pharmaceutical drugs so that patients get the medication they need easier and cheaper. Mr Mitchell, who served with The REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) as an Aircraft Technician and Mechanic, from Haydock, Merseyside, said: 'The British forces, since their establishment in 1707 have become renowned as world leaders in conflict around the globe. 'This time we consider it is a war with the politicians. We will take it to their door and show them first hand what we're made of. Courage, honour and integrity. 'I think that what we are doing is based on logical and common sense. 'Everybody will be treated with respect, there will be openness, we will listen to everybody. We will honour our forefathers and be tolerant to all religions. 'We have been working on our manifesto, which will likely be ready in around four weeks, and my colleague Damian McAndrew has been working on education reform and political reform.' Mitchell, back row, fourth from the left, said politicians who go to university with the prime objective of being elected have no experience of the wider world The UK Veterans' and People's Party have vowed to support Trident as a nuclear deterrent, a topic that prompted heated debate during the recent general election. However they said they would support a worldwide nuclear amnesty if it was ever agreed. One of the party's more controversial policies is another 'deterrent', the death penalty, which Mr Mitchell claims 95 per cent of the party support, particularly in light of current events, to hold terrorists accountable for their actions. Mr Mitchell said: 'Everybody in the military understands punishment. If you do something wrong, your punishment will be equal. 'If you take someone's life then yours may be taken too. 'I'd say 95 per cent of our members [are for bringing back to death penalty]. It's a deterrent like nuclear missiles - it doesn't have to be used. 'Just because I have an 8ft sledge hammer in my shed doesn't mean I need to use it. 'Imagine you are Michael Adebolajo who killed fusilier Lee Rigby. The man consciously decided what he was going to do so it's justifiable that he would lose his life too. 'If [capital punishment] is carried out in a humane way, it's over and done in a minute - lethal injection, hanging.' Going back to the party's roots, Mr Mitchell also touched on the treatment of veterans in the UK, branding it a 'sham', and vowed to honour them as one of the key principles of the party's policy. Mr Mitchell said: 'No matter how you look at it, the British forces are the only forces in the world to have never lost a war. 'The [treatment of] the military forces is a sham. When we leave the army, they shake our hands, give us a pat on the back and say there you go. 'The British government do not care. In America, the government can't bend over backwards enough for their veterans. 'However, we do not believe that the fact that we are veterans will affect our leadership in any way. 'Veterans accept a natural chain of command, as will like-minded civilians. 'Any post within our party will be gained by skillset, this may mean it is filled by a civilian or a veteran. 'The best person for the job will get the job. With one voice, we will stand united. 'However, the fact that the Party has been founded by veterans may unnerve some politicians who may have sent their new colleagues in the house into dangerous situations in the past.' Strongly against 'career politicians' who 'go to university with the intention of becoming politicians', the UK Veterans' and People's Party has pledged to slash politicians' wages, hold them accountable for their actions and fix things using 'common sense and plain English'. Mr Mitchell said: 'Current politicians and the sham that is the government are all in it for themselves. 'They go to university with the intention of becoming a politician. They think what's gone on before them is acceptable. 'From my point of view, if you want to fix something, you need to understand why it's broken. 'I'm an ex-marine aircraft technician and I have spent 20 years fixing stuff that's broken. 'That same logical process is the only way you can fix anything. 'These politicians don't understand how to fix things because they've never had to fix anything before. 'All politicians need to be held accountable for their actions.' One key focus of the party is to reorganise the NHS, with a plan to cut micromanagement and bring back matrons on hospital wards. Mr Mitchell said: 'We would like to see cuts in senior management roles and matrons back on wards rather than being office based. 'We're also keen to see discounts on pharmaceutical drugs. 'The ambulance service is currently graded as an 'essential' service and we'd also plan to see this upgraded to an 'emergency' service. This would be centrally-funded in order to relieve financial strain on the NHS. 'If we get into power, we will overhaul the NHS and deprivatise it. It has been stripped apart to its bare bones. 'Until career politicians started pulling the NHS apart, it worked perfectly well for 15 to 20 years.' John Graham, the PR officer for UK Veterans' and People's Party, said: 'We have started our political party to make a change in this country. 'The politicians just won't listen anymore and that's why we as veterans have gone down this route. 'We now have five years to build the party to be in a position to have candidates in next general election.' A Montana man who had homemade bombs in his house and is accused of shooting at a Kansas state trooper has been identified by authorities as the elusive serial bank robber known as the AK-47 bandit, according to the FBI. Richard Gathercole, of Roundup, Montana, was arrested last week in Nebraska, said Stephen Woolery, a special agent in charge at the FBI's field office in Los Angeles. Gathercole, 39, is suspected of committing six bank robberies in five states and attempting another in California, Washington, Idaho, Nebraska and Iowa since 2012, Woolery said. Scroll down for video Captured: FBI officials say Richard Gathercole (pictured), who was recently arrested for allegedly shooting at a Kansas state trooper, is the elusive serial bank robber dubbed the AK-47 Bandit Armed and dangerous: This undated image from surveillance video released by the FBI shows the bank robbery suspect known as the AK-47 Bandit in action FBI officials have been looking for years for the heavily armed crook they dubbed the AK-47 Bandit, who typically wore a balaclava mask and body armor, and carried the eponymous assault rifle equipped with a drum magazine during the heists. Investigators believe Gathercole pulled off his first robbery on February 29, 2012, in Chino, California. After robbing the California Bank & Trust, Gathercole, carrying an AK-47 rifle and wearing a ski mask, opened fire on a Chino police officer who was outside, said Chino Police Chief Karen Comstock. The officer was seriously injured, but has since recovered and returned to the force, Comstock said. Authorities believe the last robbery linked to the AK-47 Bandit took place Mason City, Iowa, in July 2015. Gathercole was first arrested after an 'interaction' with the Musselshell County Sheriff's Department and the Montana Highway Patrol on June 14. The 39-year-old posted bail but was rearrested on June 20 at a gas station in Lexington, Nebraska, in connection with an incident during which a Kansas State Trooper who was trying to pull a vehicle over was shot at. The trooper was not injured. He was stopped after he was found driving a stolen vehicle that was linked to that shooting. Authorities said the AK-47 bandit (pictured above) is responsible for six bank heists in five states between 2012 and 2015 A search of the vehicle yielded two Ruger 9mm handguns and one Bersa .380 handgun. After his arrest, a jailhouse phone call transcript showed Gathercole asked his mother to clear his home of 'all the guns.' Investigators searched the residence in the town of Roundup, Montana, about 50 miles north of Billings, on Saturday and found numerous improvised explosive devices, authorities said. 'There was nothing about this bank robbery series that was average,' Woolery said during a press conference on Tuesday. 'Most bank robbers stay local, within the same state, and thankfully we rarely see assault rifles and actual IEDs used during bank robberies.' Gathercole is being held on state theft and possession of stolen firearms charges in Nebraska, and Woolery said federal charges were pending against him. Prosecutors in San Bernardino County, California, said they planned to file a charge of attempted murder of a peace officer against Gathercole in connection with the 2012 shooting. The FBI previously offered up to $100,000 reward for information leading to the man's arrest and conviction. Courtesy of KRTV Reality television's most combustible couple are back in court Wednesday morning in a bid to bring to an end the vicious custody battle that has raged since last May. DailyMail.com exclusively revealed on Tuesday the brutal texts, accusations and counter-accusations that mark the latest developments in Southern Charm's Thomas Ravenel and Kathryn Dennis's ongoing fight over custody of three-year-old Kensington Calhoun Ravenel and one-year-old Saint Julien Rembert Ravenel. Today Ravenel, 54, arrived at Charleston County Courthouse, South Carolina, shortly before 9am, smartly dressed in chinos and blazer he carried a coffee as he walked briskly in to meet with his attorneys. Kathryn, 24, arrived moments later, her long red hair has been cut to her shoulders and dyed a bright magenta, she wore a striped shirt and navy cigarette pants. She carried a water bottle. Southern Charm's Kathryn Dennis leaves Charleston County Court on Wednesday morning after facing off ex Thomas Ravenel in ongoing fight over custody of their two children The 24-year-old reality star was seen sporting a new look, having cut her long red hair to her shoulders and dying it magenta Thomas Ravenel,54, Kathryn's on-again/off-again ex, and father of her two children, arrived dressed smartly dressed in chinos and blazer he carried a coffee as he walked in to meet attorneys Watching her arrival outside court 2D one of Ravenel's team joked, 'Look she's carrying her gin - that'll go down well in court.' Neither Ravenel nor Kathryn exchanged so much as a glance as they walked into court with their legal teams. DailyMail.com has learned that Kathryn is pushing for joint custody and more wide reaching random drug tests for Ravenel. Her attorneys have consistently claimed that he is spoiling results by shaving off all of his body hair prior to submitting to the mandatory tests. In her latest filings she has made shocking claims that Ravenel has been abusing drugs - including opioids and mushrooms- and alcohol while the children are in his care. She had not signed a proposed settlement offered by Ravenel's team and instead presented them with a counter 'five minutes before going into court,' that one adviser dismissed as 'crazy.' The battle begins: Kathryn Dennis, 24, arrived at Charleston County Court on Wednesday morning holding a water bottle at which Ravenel's friends joked was 'gin' Viewers of the Bravo show's season finale may have hoped - or feared - a reunion between the once passionate couple was in the cards as they kissed and seemed to make up in the final episode on Monday. But ten minutes into proceedings Ravenel and Kathryn emerged from the courtroom and the very different reality was writ large. They neither spoke nor looked at each other as each stalked in opposite directions to sit apart as their attorneys duked it out behind closed doors. Shortly after leaving the courtroom Kathryn tweeted a quotation from Mr Darcy to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice. The quote was an apparent dig at Ravenel who had quoted another line spoken by Darcy in response to Landon's perceived betrayal of him when, during dinner at Key West on Cameron Eubanks's birthday trip Landon told Kathryn she felt that Ravenel used her 'like a weapon' against the mother of his children. Following that incident Ravenel texted Landon, 'My high opinion once lost is lost forever.' After leaving the courtroom Kathryn tweeted a quotation from Pride and Prejudice as an apparent dig at Ravenel who had quoted another line spoken by Mr Darcy in response to Landon's 'betrayal of him' Elizabeth's response to the quote posted by Kathryn today is: 'And those are the words of a gentleman. From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize you were the last man in the world I could be prevailed upon to marry.' Texts submitted as evidence and sent between Ravenel and Kathryn between February and March of this year belie the on-screen image of them as a couple edging towards more harmonious co-parenting. In one sent by Ravenel at 9.59am on February 6, he told the mother of his children 'You're wasting time and money. But keep drugging. Hopefully it will be a moot point soon. 'The judge and guardian are shocked at your behavior. Shameful that you can't pass a drug test.' Texts submitted as evidence and sent between Ravenel, here with son Saint, and Kathryn between February and March of this year belie the on screen image of them as a couple edging towards more harmonious co-parenting Ravenel with his three-year-old daughter Kensie. In one text in court documents Ravenel asks Kathryn: 'please no more sexy lingerie panties with a bow and a heart for a three year old please' Hinting at concerns that Kathryn's lifestyle may have negatively impacted on both children's health the text continued: 'Did you even read the audiologist' report? 'All bc Kensey was under your care for two years. Hopefully I can reverse the damage. And poor Saint is suffering from what you put him through while pregnant. 'I never want to see your face ever again.' In later texts in the court papers Thomas tells Kathryn, 'You have nobody to blame but that person you're staring at when you (sic) caking on all that makeup' He goes on to ask her 'please no more sexy lingerie panties with a bow and a heart for a three-year-old please,' referring to their daughter. Kathryn has accused Ravenel of 'alienating the children' from her. In the documents filed last month she has accused Ravenel of denying 'court ordered visitationsince February 6' Despite the appearance of reconciliation on the reality show in the season finale on Monday night, the Southern stars are no closer to reaching an agreement in the fight over their two children that has raged since last May And though Kathryn tells him she has 'a huge empty and sad space' in her heart without her children' it is quite clear that Ravenel's patience and sympathy has run dry. On May 1, the day they were due to have appeared in court he texted her, 'You are stalking people that hv been sending me messages and sending them nasty notes. I'm so done with you. See you in court. You're mentally ill. Several hours after Ravenel texted: 'Keep on sexting and f***ing Ashley's friends. It's so sick' Kathryn decided to change her relationship status on Facebook, to 'In a Relationship with Ashley Pillar' - a Charleston local whom Ravenel also knows well 'So much discussing (sic) s*** its going come out on u in court you'll never work again or see your kids. 'Keep on sexting and f***ing Ashley's friends. It's so sick.' Several hours later, at 11:08 p.m., Kathryn decided to change her relationship status on Facebook, to 'In a Relationship with Ashley Pillar' - a Charleston local whom Ravenel also knows well. Coming at the end of the very day she had admitted being in contempt of court, it was a demonstration of what some might interpret as contempt of a different sort - directed very squarely at the father of her children. In the recent flurry of accusations and counter accusations each is now seeking to hold the other in contempt for alleged breaches in the court order that stipulated visitation guidelines for Kathryn, put in place mandatory drug tests for both and forbade either from speaking publicly about the other in a derogatory fashion. Perhaps most shocking of all are allegations made by Ravenel, 54, that 24-year-old Kathryn's drug taking, drinking and general lifestyle may have had serious consequences for both children's health. In court documents Kathryn claims that Ravenel 'has had illegal substances including mushrooms and cocaine at his house while the children were under his care' In the recent flurry of accusations and counter accusations each is now seeking to hold the other in contempt for alleged breaches in the court order that stipulated visitation guidelines for Kathryn, put in place mandatory drug tests for both and forbade either from speaking publicly about the other in a derogatory fashion The former couple was last due to appear before a Charleston judge on May 1 but settled out of court with Kathryn agreeing that she was in contempt for failing to provide the court with comprehensive medical and psychiatric records including details of a 31-day stint in rehab last year. Kathryn was previously found to have repeatedly evaded the mandatory drugs and alcohol tests, which she and Ravenel have both agreed to submit as a condition of her supervised visitation and his continued primary physical custody of three-year-old Kensington Calhoun Ravenel (Kensie) and one-year-old Saint Julien Rembert Ravenel (Saint). Now Kathryn has accused Ravenel of 'alienating the children' from her. In the documents filed last month she has accused Ravenel of denying 'court ordered visitationsince February 6.' Worse yet, she has claimed, Ravenel 'has allowed or encouraged the minor children to call their nannymother.' Ravenel's texts to Kathryn submitted as evidence in Thomas Ravenel/Kathryn Dennis custody battle Recent episodes of Southern Charm showed Kathryn attend Saint's first birthday party last November hosted by Ravenel in a park complete with petting zoo. His invitation to her seemed to signal a softening of the combustible ex-lovers' relations. But the court documents paint a very different picture with Kathryn claiming that Saint's nanny would not let her hold him at the reception for his christening on April 16. She goes on to claim that Ravenel told her that if she 'did not leave the reception he would call the police.' Attorneys acting on Kathyrn's behalf have gone onto claim that Ravenel has 'continued to disparage' her on social media and in the media in general and 'continued to send..harassing and disparaging texts and emails.' More shocking are her claims that Ravenel 'has had illegal substances including mushrooms and cocaine at his house while the children were under his careand is abusing alcohol while taking narcotics while the children are under his care.' Ravenel was infamously indicted for possession of cocaine with intent to supply a decade ago when he was serving South Carolina's State Treasurer. Friends of Ravenel insist that he is an 'exemplary and devoted father' yet according to Kathryn he is a man with 'violent and abusive tendencies' that he has exhibited to both her and their children. She also claims that he has been 'attempting to mislead the Court by shaving all of his body hair off prior to taking a drug test.' Her petition to the court demands that Ravenel pay $50,000 of her legal fees, a $50,000 punitive fine and that he submit to 'a full psychological evaluation' based upon his 'consistent use of opiates in conjunction with multiple instances of violent and erratic behavior.' Two days after Kathyrn's papers were filed Ravenel lashed back, blasting Kathryn with a claim that she has broken the court ruling banning either from speaking out against each other publicly. Perhaps most shocking of all are allegations made by Ravenel, 54, that 24-year-old Kathryn's drug taking, drinking and general lifestyle may have had serious consequences for both children's health Ravenel ahangs out with former supermodel Beverly Johnson at the Barbara Sinatra fundraiser The former couple was last due to appear before a Charleston judge on May 1 but settled out of court with Kathryn agreeing that she was in contempt for failing to provide the court with comprehensive medical and psychiatric records Ravenel claims that in interviews with gossip website Realitytea Kathryn accused him of orchestrating a 'smear campaign,' took advantage of his inability to respond publicly to slap down any question that her drug and drink use during pregnancy adversely affected Saint and labeled him the root cause of her drug abuse in the first place. In addition, he claims that she released partial medical records detailing drug test she had passed and failing to include ones she did not. As well as being held in 'criminal contempt' his attorneys are now demanding that in light of this partial release Kathryn should now be compelled to make public all her drug tests since her release from rehab, including 'the failed drug tests.' A man tackled the famous Tough Mudder course but took it one giant step further by doing it dressed as a T-REX. The mystery man turned up dressed in the outrageous costume and could be seen battling through the course on Long Island, New York, with his human companions. Towards the end, he even hitched a ride on the back of another runner while amused spectators looked on. A man tackled the famous Tough Mudder course but took it one giant step further by doing it dressed as a T-REX The mystery man turned up to the course dressed in the outrageous costume and could be seen battling through the course with his human companions Zac Hancock, from the Tough Mudder media team, said: 'The dinosaur is captured taking on some of our signature obstacles such as, Skid Marked, Mud Mile 2.0, Pyramid Scheme, The Block Ness Monster, Hero Carry and Birth Canal. 'Unfortunately we don't know who this mystery man was but were hoping to find out. 'He must have done it for fun as we encourage everyone to enjoy themselves and not too take themselves too seriously. 'Dressing up is quite common, although we think this is the best one.' The Tough Mudder contest is run every year and both professionals and amateurs can enter across the country. Mr Hancock said: 'As Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge, we do not record times but rather encourage the teamwork and camaraderie among participants.' The Tough Mudder contest is run every year and both professionals and amateurs can enter across the country A budget Japanese airline has apologised to a wheelchair-bound man after forcing him to crawl on to one of its aircraft. Hideto Kijima, 44, who runs the Japan Accessible Tourism Center, says he was attempting to board a Vanilla Air plane at Amami Airport, in southern Japan, earlier this month when the problem arose. Kijima said the small airport did not have any disabled equipment, and airline staff refused to help him due to 'safety concerns'. Incredibly, Kijima said friends he was travelling were also barred from carrying him up the steps for the same reason. Hideto Kijima, 44, a disabled access campaigner who is paralysed from the waist down, said Vanilla Air staff tried to bar him from a flight because of 'safety concerns' Eventually Kijima climbed out of his wheelchair and used his hands to hoist himself up 17 steps and on to the plane. Staff even tried to stop him from doing that, Kijima wrote on his blog, but he was able to push past them. 'I just had to ignore them and keep moving up, or I could not go back to Osaka,' he wrote. One of his friends helped push him, and at the top he was put into a wheelchair and taken to his seat. 'I've never thought I would be refused to fly for not being able to walk,' he said. 'It's a human rights violation.' The move was particularly surprising, he said, because staff had allowed passengers to carry him down from the aircraft when he arrived several days before. Vanilla Air has issued Kijima with an apology after he said he was forced to crawl up 17 steps in order to board one of their aircraft Kijima added that he has visited more than 160 countries and used 200 airports since he was paralysed from the waist down aged 11 while playing rugby, and has never had a problem before. Even in countries where disabled facilities are not commonplace, he said fellow travellers were always permitted to help him. Vanilla Air has since issued an apology, saying they are sorry for the 'unpleasant experience' and 'are taking measures to improve our service'. Several days after the incident, a stretcher was installed at the airport to help disabled passengers, Japan Times reports, and a lift is also being brought in. Vanilla spokesman Akihiro Ishikawa said Amami is the only airport on the company's 14 international and domestic routes without lifts for wheelchair users Kijima worked in advertising before leaving his job to campaign for better access to facilities for disabled people in Japan. His non-profit provides foreign tourists with disabilities with information about travel in Japan. He also works as a writer, consultant and motivational speaker. A US judge denied bond Wednesday to the Canadian man accused of stabbing a police officer at a Michigan airport, an incident authorities are investigating as an act of terror. Amor Ftouhi, 49, is charged with one count of committing an act of violence at an airport for stabbing police officer Jeff Neville in the neck at the Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan, on June 21. The attack comes amid a wave of jihadist-inspired attacks in Europe, but investigators have said there is no information to suggest that the Flint stabbing is part of a wider plot. Scroll down for video Amor Ftouhi, 49 (left), is charged with one count of committing an act of violence at an airport for stabbing police officer Jeff Neville while shouting 'Allahu Akbar' on June 21 Montreal Police guard the building in Montreal, Quebec where Flint, Michigan airport stabbing suspect Amor Ftouhi lived before traveling to the United States and stabbing a police officer During a bond hearing Wednesday at a federal court in Flint, Ftouhi's attorney said that the middle-aged father of three with dual Canadian and Tunisian citizenship would not ask for bond and consented to remain in jail pending trial. 'Based on the nature of this charge, the parties agree that there would be a presumption in favor of detention,' Ftouhi's attorney Joan Morgan told US Magistrate Judge Stephanie Davis. 'Immigration has a hold on him, so that even if this court were to grant him bond, he would not be released,' she said. Ftouhi, a resident of Montreal, Quebec, is accused of yelling 'Allahu Akbar' - 'God is greatest' in Arabic - before stabbing Neville, a veteran airport police officer, in the neck with a knife that has an 8-inch serrated blade Ftouhi stabbed Neville at the Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan on June 21 Police officers gathered at the airport on June 21 after Neville was stabbed Authorities, including the FBI, are investigating the incident as an act of terror, but believe it was an insolated incident. Ftouhi (headshot) has dual Canadian and Tunisian citizenship 'He further exclaimed something similar to, "You have killed people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are all going to die," ' according to a court affidavit submitted by authorities. Investigators said Ftouhi had unsuccessfully tried to purchase a gun while in the United States, prior to the attack. Neville, who was a deputy at the Genessee Sheriff's Office before becoming an airport cop, was released from the hospital on Monday and was said to be recovering. Ftouhi's charge which carries with it a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Additional charges could be filed when prosecutors take the case to a grand jury seeking an indictment. The iconic home featured in the Australian cult classic film The Castle is set to go on sale, and with the owner's motivation to sell, hopeful buyers are unlikely to be told 'they're dreaming.' The property, located at 3 Dagonet Street, Strathmore, in Melbourne, will go to auction at the end of July. It is only available for relocation. Owner Vicki Cosentino bought the home in 1993 for just $90,000 and, after a series of attempts to move the house to Bonnie Doon or to become a New South Wales pub, she will pass it on to a new family to soak up the serenity. The iconic home featured in Australian cult classic The Castle is set to go on sale, and with the owner's motivation to sell, hopeful buyers are unlikely to be told 'they're dreaming' The Castle, starring Michael Caton, was made on a shoestring budget of $750,000 and shot in only 11 days The Castle, starring Michael Caton, was made on a shoestring budget of $750,000 and shot in only 11 days. The three bedroom house is described by Brad Teal Real Estate as 'the ultimate piece of movie memorabilia.' 'A once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase a piece of Australian history.' The house features a central bathroom, a traditional living plan, but unfortunately does not have a pool room. Owner Vicki Cosentino bought the home in 1993 for just $90,000 and, after a series of attempts to move the house to Bonnie Doon or to become a New South Wales pub, she will pass it on to a new family to soak up the serenity The house features a central bathroom, a traditional living plan, but unfortunately does not have a pool room A Bonnie Doon pub owner has enquired about bringing the pub to the famed area where Daryl Kerrigan and his family would go on holiday. Federation Council in the Riverina region of NSW have also shown interest in moving the property to become a tourist destination. Unfortunately both offers fell through. The house was listed for rent last year at a weekly rate of $380. Successful buyers must organise to remove and relocate the property themselves. With competition sure to be fierce, Daily Mail Australia thinks buying the home would require 10% muscle, 95% brain and the rest just good luck. A senior Tory MP today warned protests in Britain were 'repelling' Donald Trump and damaging the special relationship. Nigel Evans, a former deputy speaker of the Commons, said the French were seizing the advantage by 'rolling out the red carpet and shouting ''Vive le Trump'''. The White House revealed today the President would travel to France next month to join the Bastille Day celebrations in his first bilateral trip to an EU leader. The visit comes amid continued wrangling in Britain over a state visit invite extended by Theresa May in January. The prestigious trip has been put on ice over fears of angry protests in Britain when Mr Trump arrives. No date has been set and the visit was not in the Queen's Speech. President Trump (left) first came face-to-face with new French President Emmanuel Macron (right) in May during a visit to the U.S. Embassy in Brussels. Macron invited Trump to a Bastille Day celebration in July Theresa May issued an invited to Mr Trump for a state visit when she visited the White House in January (pictured) The White House confirmed the President's visit to France in a statement today (pictured) Mr Evans told MailOnline: 'Donald Trump actually likes the UK but thanks to those who threaten to disrupt his visit here, he is now cosying up to the French. 'The repercussions are that our single biggest trading partner, with which we have a 1billion trade surplus, will be closer to one of our trading competitors with which we have a trade deficit. 'The consequences of repelling the President from the UK is that we will end up exporting jobs abroad.' Mr Evans added: 'We threaten protests while the French roll out the red carpet shouting ''Vive le Trump'' and this is damaging our special relationship with the USA.' Nigel Farage, the Former Ukip leader and friend of Mr Trump, told the Mail Online: 'Full marks to Macron for inviting Trump and upstaging the Government. 'It acts as a reminder, 100 years on, what a force for good the USA can be.' No 10 insisted today there was no change to Britain's plans. Downing Street has repeatedly insisted the 'invitation has been extended and the invitation has been accepted'. Nigel Evans, a former deputy speaker of the Commons, warned protests in Britain were 'repelling' Donald Trump Emmanuel Macron, the new French President, invited Mr Trump to join him at Bastille Day celebrations on July 14. The occasion will mark 100 years since US troops arrived in France to aid the country in World War I. The White House confirmed that Trump would be traveling to France for the today that stressed the US' 'strong ties of friendship with France.' 'The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern,' it said, alluding to expected climate talks. An official of the presidential Elysee Palace said the invitation to Trump and first lady Melania Trump was extended Tuesday during a telephone conversation to prepare for the two leaders' meeting during the G-20 summit in Germany on July 7-8. France celebrates Bastille Day with a military parade down the Champs-Elysees every July 14. The two leaders also discussed the need for a 'joint response' in case of a chemical attack in Syria. Their call came a day after Washington said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may be preparing another chemical weapons attack and warned that his regime would pay a 'heavy price' if it went ahead with such an assault. A Pentagon spokesman said US intelligence had noticed suspect activity at the launch site of the regime's apparent chemical strike in April. Days after that strike on a rebel-held town, the United States launched a cruise missile strike on the airfield in retaliation the first direct US attack on the Syrian regime. The French foreign ministry refused to say Tuesday whether it too had information about possible preparations by the Syrian regime for a chemical attack. The leaders' call comes after President Trump pulled out of the Paris agreement on climate change earlier this month. Macron called the move a 'mistake' and even borrowed from Trump's campaign slogan, saying, 'Make our planet great again,' at the conclusion of videotaped remarks on the topic. During Tuesday's White House press briefing, a reporter asked Energy Secretary Rick Perry if he thought the Bastille Day invitation signaled a thaw in relations between the two countries on climate change. 'Do you see this as a way that the French are taking up his suggestion for negotiating a new climate change agreement?' the reporter asked. Perry received laughs at his answer. 'I would always look at an invitation to a party as a good thing,' the former Texas governor said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has assured troops that he will protect them from any legal action if they accidentally kill civilians while battling militants who have besieged a southern city. Duterte ordered the army to destroy the militants aligned with the Islamic State group who attacked Marawi on May 23, sparking a bloody battle that has left more than 400 combatants and civilians dead. On Wednesday, retrieval teams recovered 17 more bodies believed to be those of villagers killed by the militants in an area of Marawi that has returned to government control. In a speech on live TV, Duterte said troops do not intend to kill civilians, but they should 'not hesitate to engage just because there are civilians'. A soldier carrying a captured ISIS flag while clearing a city street of militants in Marawi city Under-fire Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte answer questions during a press briefing A rescued resident points to the picture of one of the insurgent Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi city, Philippines June 21, 2017 An armoured vehicle moves amongst stuck vehicles of residents fleeing Marawi, in the southern island of Mindanao on May 25, 2017, as fighting rages between government forces and gunmen who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group An explosion is seen after a Philippines army aircraft released a bomb during an airstrike as government troops continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group in Marawi city on Tuesday The president said: 'It is the duty of the civilians to flee or seek cover.' He assured the troops that he would fight to keep them out of prison for accidental deaths. Duterte said: 'We will face charges, sometimes massacre, you know a bullet hits through and through, one squeeze of the Armalite, it bursts out about three, four. 'Keep on pressing it.' He declared martial law in the southern Philippines to deal with the Marawi crisis, in which hundreds of militants stormed into the predominantly Muslim city, occupied buildings, took a Roman Catholic priest and others hostage and hoisted ISIS-style black flags. He warned that if militants gathered elsewhere, he would consider taking more emergency steps, including empowering law enforcers to make warrantless arrests. In direct orders to his troops, he said: 'And my orders to you, if he carries a gun, he is not a soldier, he is not a policeman, just kill him. 'That is my order, because they will kill us.'. A rescued resident is seen with government forces after he was rescued from his home in Marawi Graffiti is seen on a wall of a back alley as government soldiers continue their assault against the Maute group, who have taken over parts of Marawi city A rescuer shows residents the way after they were rescued from their homes in Marawi city Soldiers take positions while evading sniper fire as they try to clear the city of armed militants one street at a time Such remarks have alarmed human rights groups, which have already expressed concern over the killings of thousands of suspected drug dealers and users under a crackdown on illegal drugs that Mr Duterte launched after taking office last June. US-based Human Rights Watch described Mr Duterte's first year in power as a 'human rights calamity'. Phelim Kine, the group's deputy Asia director, said: 'President Duterte took office promising to protect human rights, but has instead spent his first year in office as a boisterous instigator for an unlawful killing campaign.' Duterte has denied condoning extrajudicial killings but has openly threatened drug and terrorism suspects with death. If the 17 bodies discovered in Marawi on Wednesday turn out to be those of villagers killed in the conflict, it would bring the number of civilian deaths to 44 and the overall death toll to more than 400. At least 299 militants and 71 soldiers and police have been killed in the violence. Duterte apologised to troops for the military casualties and said he was sad each night as he reads a report about Marawi and learns 'how many soldiers I have lost for the day'. 'I really wallow in sorrow, because I'm the one who ordered you to go there and fight, that is the moral burden that I carry all day and all night,' he said. Riding the tailwinds of rising precious metals prices, a Canadian firm has agreed to buy 282 mining claims west of the Stillwater Mining complex with the hope of expanding mining in the Beartooth Mountain range. Before any major development occurs, however, Vancouver, B.C-based Group Ten Metals must do additional soil testing, mapping and other geological work to determine whether the ground is fertile enough in south-central Montana to extract platinum, palladium or gold, President and CEO Michael Rowley said Tuesday. Theres no question there is mineralization there. Its a question of how much, and is it minable?... The market has turned. Money has come back in, and theres a lot of attention on commodities again, he said in a telephone interview from his Vancouver office. The companys claims cover about nine square miles in two groups in Custer National Forest on the East Boulder plateau. Its along the Johns-Manville, or J-M reef, which boasts some of the worlds richest deposits of platinum and palladium. Group Ten signed the deal with a Red Lodge firm, Picket Pin Resources, which had started developing the claims in 2011, according to Justin Modroo, Picket Pins owner. Modroo, a Billings native, will work with Group Ten to develop the claims. Group Ten is a junior explorer, meaning the company buys existing claims, seeks to prove their viability, then sells the development rights to a larger mining company, Rowley said. The performance of palladium, which is used to make catalytic converters, jewelry and other metals, is the primary driver for Group Ten, he said. Palladium was selling for more than $800 an ounce Tuesday, according to Kitco, which tracks spot prices, and has nearly doubled since early 2016. Group Tens interest in the area was renewed with the news of the $2.2 billion takeover of Stillwater by a South African miner, Sibanye Gold Ltd. That deal was announced in November and completed in May. The Sibanye purchase helped make the Picket Pin claims more attractive to buyers, Modroo said. With the upswing, people are looking to acquire good projects, he said in an interview. A Sibanye spokeswoman said the company declines to comment on a deal involving two outside parties. To complete the deal, Group Ten must issue 3.6 million shares of the company, pay $40,000 cash and additional royalty payments to Picket Pin and a $50,000 annual management contract for Modroo. Picket Pin would also hold a 2 percent royalty on sales of material mined from the claims. Group Ten sold $2 million worth of shares to finance the deal, Rowley said. Past work in the area included broad soil and rock geochemical sampling, geologic mapping and initial drilling. Results showed deposits of palladium, platinum, gold, copper and nickel, according to Group Ten. Group Ten is focused on acquiring and developing high-quality platinum, palladium and gold assets in North America. The company holds property in Canadas Yukon Territory, Ontario province and in Alaska. The claims are in the same area where another Canadian company, Toronto-based Beartooth Platinum, held claims at the end of last decade that were never developed. Rowley noted that drops in commodities prices hampered exploration for most of this decade. With the completion of the deal, Group Ten will become the second-largest claim holder in the area, behind Sibanye Gold. Rowley founded Group Ten in 2006. He said the company struggled to hold on during the commodity collapse but emerged in a good position on the other end. The demand is coming back quickly. Its a good time to invest, he said. Democratic voters don't want to see the party ditch House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in the wake of Congressional candidate Jon Ossoff's loss last week in Georgia. A new Morning Consult/Politico poll shows that 41 percent of Democrats surveyed want Pelosi to stay, higher than the 27 percent who want her gone from the top of the party. Another 31 percent had no opinion. Scroll down for video House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi gets the support of 41 percent of Democratic voters, who say she should continue leading their party in the House of Representatives However, Nancy Pelosi (second from right), seen Tuesday on Capitol Hill, is more disliked by Republicans than liked by Democrats, the survey also showed However, when Republicans and independents are factored in, the percentages essentially swap. When all registered voters were asked the question on Pelosi's future, 43 percent said they thought she should be replaced. While 26 percent of total voters said she should stay. A similar percentage, 30 percent, held no opinion. Republican voters had a more visceral reaction to Pelosi's leadership than Democrats viewing her positively, the poll also found. Thirty-six percent of Democrats rated her job performance as 'mostly good,' while 59 percent of Republican voters said it was 'very bad.' All voters, and also Democratic voters, had more appetite for a progressive successor to Pelosi. Forty percent of Democratic voters said it was 'very important' for Pelosi's replacement to be a progressive, while 24 percent said the same thing about getting a moderate replacement for the House minority leader. Among all voters, 31 percent said it was 'very important' for Pelosi's replacement to be a progressive, while 26 percent said it was 'very important' for the next Democratic leader to be a moderate. Last week, a handful of Democratic lawmakers went on record saying they thought Pelosi's time as leader should be coming to an end. 'Nancy Pelosi was a great speaker, she was a great leader, but her time has come and gone,' said Rep. Kathleen Price, D-N.Y., during an appearance on Morning Joe. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who had challenged Pelosi for her leadership position at the beginning of this Congress, came out of the woodwork and talked about how ads linking Ossoff to Pelosi had been effective. 'I don't think it's fair,' he said to CNN's Don Lemon. 'But, clearly, these ads using her, linking her to our candidate is still working.' 'I mean, I wish it wasn't true,' Ryan added. The right has also pointed to the 77-year-old congresswoman, and much like conservatives did with Hillary Clinton, alluded to her having health problems. For instance, the website The American Mirror suggested Pelosi was wracked with 'brain freezes' at a recent New York City event. Pelosi defended herself during a news conference on Capitol Hill. 'I think I'm worth the trouble,' she said last Thursday. 'I feel very confident in the support I have in the caucus.' She went on to sing herself praises. 'I am a master legislator. I am a strategic politically astute leader. My leadership is recognized by many around the country and that is why I am able to attract the support that I do, which is essential to our election sad to say,' she said. 'I have experience in winning a Congress,' she added. A Melbourne street artist has admitted to turning the anti-vehicle bollards lining the CBD into a colourful piece of art, while New South Wales Police Minister has questioned the introduction of the blocks in Sydney's Martin Place. David Gray was jetlagged after returning from Europe and decided to wake up at 3am to decorate one of the stone bollard's lining Melbourne's Southern Cross station. Mr Gray said after hearing whispers of how ugly the bollards were, the artist decided to brighten up winter and to show locals the potential to see them as 'art, not advertising.' David Gray placed a colourful cover on one of the bollards outside Southern Cross station in Melbourne's CBD The artist said he would like the bollards to potentially be turned into a art space 'The City of Melbourne could turn this into a fantastic art space, there's five panels which artists could just cover with amazing temporary stuff,' Mr Gray told ABC radio. Mr Gray recognised the bollards are there for a serious reason, following the tragic death of six people when a car was driven into a crowd on Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD. 'I did not want to make any fun of that, or take away the memory of people who were affected in January this year,' the artist said. A nonchalant Mr Gray said he wasn't a Banksy, but created the colourful fabric after measuring the bollard precisely with a pink measuring tape and created the cover at little cost. Mr Gray said there was potentially another cover coming in the future Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore came under fire from NSW Police Minister Troy Grant after he claimed he was not told about concrete slabs positioned in Martin Place NSW Police Minister said he was not told about up to 20 concrete slabs being introduced into Martin Place in Sydney last week Up to 20 concrete slabs were positioned in Martin Place last week While he wasn't worried if someone removed the cover, another colourful piece could be on its way soon. Meanwhile, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore came under questioning from state Police Minister Troy Grant for putting up concrete barriers in Martin Place. Mr Grant said he was not warned that up to 20 large anti-terror concrete barriers were positioned in Martin Place. 'It was certainly alarming for me to suddenly see bollards outside our Martin Place offices so I appreciate the shock and concern it caused the thousands of others who also visit this area,' Mr Grant told The Daily Telegraph. 'It is disappointing that the mayor's best intentions instead caused unnecessary panic and confusion especially when there isn't a specific threat.' Police confirmed to the publication the barriers were not in response to any threat. A City of Sydney spokesperson claimed they did talk to police about using the barriers and there was discussions of replacing them with bollards, according to the publication. Eric Hummel, 33, is facing charges battery, neglect and reckless homicide over the shooting death of his nine-year-daughter, Olivia, on June 10 The harrowing 911 call a father made after accidentally shooting his nine-year-old dead has been released. Eric Hummel, 33, frantically called police after he shot his daughter, Olivia, shortly at 5pm on June 10 inside their home in Hobart, Ohio. Hummel had been trying to teach Olivia and her twin 10-year-old brothers about gun safety by showing them the weapon, when he pulled the trigger without realizing it was loaded. In his 911 call, the shocked father is heard saying: 'I had my gun, and I pulled the trigger and I didn't realize there was a bullet in there and I shot my daughter. 'Oh god, oh my god no, oh my god. I know CPR,' he said in the audio obtained by the Chicago Tribune, before the operator replied: 'Do you want to try it?' 'Should I press on her chest?, Hummel asked. 'She's got blood everywhere man.' He then sent his boys downstairs to wait for the paramedics to arrive. After they left the room, Hummel was heard saying: 'What the f*** just happened. He then started talking to Olivia, telling her: 'Please don't go. Oh my god, please don't go.' When police arrived on the scene later, he told the officers: 'She's dead... she's f***ing dead'. Olivia Hummel was shot in the head on June 10 inside her family home in Hobart, Indiana, when her father's gun accidentally went off Eric Hummel is pictured hugging Olivia and standing with two of his young sons after a Spartan Race Courts records show Olivia was shot in the forehead from about two feet away, according to the Tribune. The weapon used in the shooting was a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Hummel is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, where he will plead not guilty to charges of faces battery, neglect and reckless homicide. Earlier this month it was reported Hummel called Olivia's mother, Mandy Zormier, shortly after police arrived. He told her, according to the Tribune's reporting at the time: 'I shot her, Im so sorry.' He added he had been: 'Showing the boys the gun and it was stupid, it was so stupid'. Zormier started screaming and dropped the phone to the floor, she later told police. Hummel, according to CBS News, loaded the gun after demonstrating to his two sons in the room what not to do with a weapon. Olivia walked into the room seconds later, and he shot her in the head after forgetting he loaded the gun, according to the network. Hobart Police Lt. James Gonzales told the Tribune earlier this month the father's actions 'were neglectful and this was not an accident.' The 33-year-old is currently being held at Lake County Jail near Chicago. Olivia had a twin brother, as well as twins who were about a year older, and a big sister. A friend of the young girl's mother created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family. Olivia is seen with a woman, believed to be her mother, Mandy Zormier, in this picture posted online Eric Hummel is picutred driving Olivia and two of her brothers after a local football game The nine-year-old (pictured) had been in a room with her brothers and father at the time of the accident A 19-year-old woman allegedly stabbed a 14-year-old girl to death at a gas station in revenge for bullying and tormenting her younger sister for years. Tiffany James allegedly stabbed schoolgirl Madison Branch in the stomach in the Portland neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. James was arrested following the incident around 6pm on Monday and charged with Branch's murder. Tiffany James allegedly stabbed schoolgirl Madison Branch in the stomach at a gas station James' mother, Debra, claimed her daughter had acted in self-defense and had been defending herself and her sister. She said: 'It's been an ongoing bullying case with another juvenile. Right now it's just self defense.' Video courtesy of WDRB A fight had broken out between two groups of girls at a Speedway gas station near the intersection of N. 21st Street and Rowan Street. However Branch's family told a very different story. Branch's aunt, Christy Branch said: 'They are saying this so they think they have a self-defense case. They don't. They have a murder case. 'Maddie is the victim here. Nobody is a victim besides Madison. And we will get justice for her. 'Yes, the little girl was victimized, the little girl was bullied, I know that. But not by Madison Branch.' She added: 'She was great. She was awesome. She could bring a smile to anyone's face. Never, never-ever has my niece bullied anybody, never.' James' lawyer asked for home incarceration. The judge denied the request and upped her bond to $100,000 cash, Whas11 reported. Jefferson County Public Schools confirmed Branch graduated from Westoport middle school and was due to start 9th grade at the Academy at Shawnee next school year. James remains behind bars and is due in court again on July 7. A Primark worker accused of plotting a terrorist attack purchased a Samurai sword from a shop that sold sex toys and drugs paraphernalia. Tahir Aziz, 38, was walking past a shop called Riff Raff in Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent when he spotted the sword in the window and decided to purchase it, a court heard. Aziz is on trial accused of plotting a knife rampage with Mohibur Rahman, 32, Naweed Ali, 29, and Khobaib Hussain, 25, who called themselves the 'Musketeers' and allegedly shared 'the same radical belief in violent jihad'. Tahir Aziz (left) and Mohibur Rahman (right) have both denied preparing terrorist acts Naweed Ali (left) and Khobaib Hussain (right) were previously jailed when they admitted preparation of terror acts, after travelling to Pakistan to attend a terror training camp Prosecutors say the terror plot involved the samurai sword and a meat cleaver with the word 'Kafir' scratched onto the blade. Speaking at the Old Bailey today, Aziz said he bought the 'ornamental sword' from a shop which sold 'sex toys, drug paraphernalia' and items for 'dressing up' adding: 'It's a weird shop, they had weird stuff.' He bought the weapon at the end of 2014 for his 'own protection' and kept it by the passenger seat of his Ford Fiesta. 'I walked past and I saw the display in the window so I went in to inquire about it and when he said 20, I said that'll do,' he said. 'I was working in some rough neighbourhoods later at night, especially at weekends, where they have high crime rates and anti-social behaviour and where people like to congregate and drink,' he explained. 'I was intimidated on a few occasions, the majority of times it was racial abuse, when I felt vulnerable in certain circumstances. This meat cleaver with 'KAFIR' (infidel), scratched onto the blade was found in 29-year-old Naweed Ali's black Seat Leon car Aziz purchased a Samurai sword from Rif Raf in Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent 'for protection' 'Going to someone's address and not being able to deliver because it was very intimidating. 'There have been occasion when I've had glass bottles thrown at me and beers cans.' Aziz had been working part-time at Primark for ten years but had also been working at a series of takeaways as a delivery driver in the evenings. He said: 'I bought it as a deterrent, to scare people, there was no intention of using it.' Asked what he thought about the London Bridge and Westminster attacks, which both involved knives, he told the jury: 'They are sick psychopaths, only somebody who is sick in the head would go out of their way to attack innocent people.' Aziz said he had been drinking heavily and his marriage to an Irish woman was falling apart when he turned to Islam in early 2014. 'I had a drinking problem, I used to drink a lot of alcohol,' he said. 'When the kids weren't around I used to sit upstairs in my bedroom and drink. 'I found my father was ill. I thought he was going to die. I thought how can I even pray at your funeral. That was it, I dropped everything.' Asked if he was a 'good Muslim', Aziz said, 'I tend to oversleep but I did my best.' He had two children but his wife asked him to move out after the marriage failed and he was living with his mother, he said. His home was raided on January 16 last year after an allegation was made that he possessed indecent images but no material was found. However, the court heard that police found Aziz was sharing extremist material with his friend and co-accused Mohibur Rahman. Aziz was downloading jihadi chants known as nasheeds from YouTube and told the court: 'Jihadi nasheeds used to be one of my favourite nasheeds. 'Before I started to practice my weakness was music, I used to listen to a lot of music. 'I used to be into West Coast rappers, jihadi ones were no different to me listening to 2pac, Snoop Doggy Dog, Dre and things. 'It was another way of me listening to music without committing sin, it's catchy.' Bill Emlyn Jones, prosecuting, accused Aziz of comparing jihadi videos with 'a Snoop Doggy Dog video of him bouncing in cars with girls clad in bikinis.' He played one of the chants, which had images of men fighting and bomb explosions, to the words: 'Bomb the kuffar [non-believers], claim your victory, brothers rise up, let's go for jihad.' The group was arrested after undercover police and MI5 agents found a bag stuffed with weapons including a partially constructed pipe bomb and an imitation gun in the car Rahman, wrote in one message to Aziz: 'Bruv I know you wana get arrested and go jail but it seems like you're looking for a Co-D [co-defendant] and by the looks of it I'm going to end up being that fish in the bowl. 'Sorry akhi won't send you no more like that,' Aziz promised. But when Rahman complained that other Muslims came up with 'all the tired excuses in the world' to avoid jihad, Aziz replied: 'I support all those that fight fisabilillah [in the cause of Allah] regardless of what group they are in. They are better than me as they are fulfilling there [sic] obligation and i am getting left behind.' The Old Bailey previously heard all four men were arrested after a stash of weapons, ammunition, and a half-made pipe bomb were found in Ali's black Seat Leon car in Birmingham following a 'covert technical operation' on August 26 last year. They deny all charges and claim evidence has been planted by MI5 agents to frame them. Ali and Hussain, both of Sparkhill, Birmingham, Rahman and Aziz, both of Stoke, each deny a single charge of preparing for acts of terrorism between 25 May and 27 August last year under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. The trial continues. Mobster John Gotti's grandson, 23, and an 83-year-old suspect in the infamous Lufthansa robbery have pleaded guilty to torching a man's car in a road rage attack. John Gotti, 23, and Vincent Asaro were joined in pleading guilty by Matthew 'Fat Matt' Rullan during their court appearance in Brooklyn. Asaro, 83, ordered Gotti to firebomb a man's car in 2012 because he was angry at the victim over a traffic dispute that occurred in Howard Beach. John Gotti, 23, and Vincent Asaro, 83, have pleaded guilty to torching a man's car in a road rage attack Bonnano capo Vincent Asaro ordered Gotti to firebomb a man's car in 2012 because he was angry at the victim over a traffic dispute Gotti and Rullan also pleaded guilty to their part in a bank robbery in Queens in 2012, in which they allegedly made off with nearly $5,500. They were arrested in March. John J Gotti, 23, is already in prison serving an eight-year sentence for dealing drugs on the streets of Queens. Gotti's namesake grandfather known as 'Teflon Don' died in a federal prison in 2002 while serving a sentence for murder and racketeering In 2015, a Brooklyn jury found Asaro not guilty of charges he orchestrated the robbery of the Lufthansa cargo terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport in 1978 with James 'Jimmy the Gent' Burke He is the grandson of John Gotti was an Italian-American gangster who became boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti's attorney acknowledged his client's desire to put this behind him, but he added that leaving behind his famous name will not be as easy. 'If your name is Gotti and you think you can fly under the radar and do something undetected, your delusional,' attorney Charles Carnesi said. Matthew 'Fat Matt' Rullan during the court appearance in Brooklyn yesterday 'It was a good resolution for him,' Asaro's attorney Elizabeth Macedonio said. 'It was a fair resolution for him and we are expediting sentencing, hoping to get him through the system as quickly as possible.' In 2015, a Brooklyn jury found Asaro not guilty of charges he orchestrated the robbery of the Lufthansa cargo terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport in 1978 with James 'Jimmy the Gent' Burke. A turncoat mob associate testified that Asaro and Burke killed a suspected informant with a dog chain. The defense argued Asaro was framed. The legendary airport heist, which saw mobsters get away with $6million in cash and jewels, was the largest robbery ever at the time and it was later immortalized in Martin Scorsese's cult classic 'Goodfellas.' Rullan's attorney Eric Franz said: 'He's relieved to put this behind him. This conduct happened over five years ago, when he was much younger, and he's hoping the judge will exercise leniency.' The Norwegian businessman who launched Viking Cruises and his estranged wife are fighting over money at a London divorce court and have run up the best part of 10 million in lawyers' bills, a judge has been told. Torstein Hagen's battle with Ellen-Karine Hagen in the Family Division of the High Court is costing the best part of 100,000 a day in legal fees, Mrs Justice Roberts has heard. The estranged couple, who are both in their 70s, were in court on Wednesday as the judge began to oversee a trial scheduled to last nearly three weeks. Torstein Hagen's (left) battle with Ellen-Karine Hagen (right) in the Family Division of the High Court is costing the best part of 100,000 a day in legal fees, Mrs Justice Roberts has heard Torstein Hagen, who launched Viking Cruises (pictured), is locked in a divorce case with his wife Ellen-Karine and the pair are said to have run up almost 10million in legal fees already Mrs Justice Roberts is analysing evidence at a private hearing but she said Mr and Mrs Hagen could be named and some detail reported. She was told that Mrs Hagen wanted half her husband's fortune. The judge said neither the amount Mrs Hagen said her husband was worth, nor the amount Mr Hagen said he was worth, could be revealed. But she said a 'very substantial' amount of money was at stake. She said the public could be told how much had been spent on lawyers. The judge heard that Mrs Hagen had spent more than 4.5 million and Mr Hagen nearly 5 million. Mrs Justice Roberts indicated that she would review restrictions on reporting as the case progressed. Mr and Mrs Hagen's adult daughter, who is also called Ellen-Karine Hagen, and adult son, who is also called Torstein Hagen, are also embroiled in the litigation. A dozen barristers are featuring in the case and the hearing is taking place in one of the largest courtrooms in the Royal Courts of Justice complex in order to accommodate the number of people involved. Mr and Mrs Hagen are each represented by four barristers. Richard Todd QC is leading Mrs Hagen's legal team. Lewis Marks QC is leading Mr Hagen's legal team. Torstein Hagen (left), founder of Viking Cruises, leaves the High Court in London, where he and his estranged wife are fighting over money and have run up the best part of 10 million in lawyers' bills The trial will take place at the High Court, pictured, and Mrs Hagen is said to want half of Mr Hagen's reported 770million ($1billion) fortune Alan Boyle QC is leading the Hagens' daughter's legal team. Philip Cayford QC is leading their son's legal team. Mrs Justice Roberts told Mr and Mrs Hagen that they should negotiate and try to reach a settlement. She indicated that the case was being heard in London because the Hagens had links to England. Mr Marks told the judge that the case was a tragedy of which Shakespeare or Euripides would have been proud and said the family was in a 'vortex of conflict'. He said the 'main protagonists' were 'nearing the end of their lives' and the children had been 'dragged' into a dispute about their prospective inheritance. A barrister representing Norwegian reporter Eystein Rossum, who works for the Bergens Tidende newspaper, had asked Mrs Justice Roberts to allow the case to be reported. Gervase de Wilde said the public had a right to know some detail. President Trump tried to sound optimistic at the White House Wednesday about the fate of the Senate health care bill that faltered yesterday because it was lacking enough votes. 'I think we're going to get at least very close, and I think we're going to get it over the line,' Trump said during a meeting with Energy Secretary Rick Perry and American tribal leaders. 'There was a great, great feeling in that room yesterday.' Trump met with most of the senators from his party Tuesday at the White House, on the heels of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's announcement that the Obamacare repeal and replace vote would be delayed. It was the first time he'd had the Republican conference to the White House to discuss the Senate legislation that at least 11 Republican lawmakers have said they have concerns about. Scroll down for video President Trump again talked health care at the White House Wednesday, during a meeting with tribal leaders and his Energy Secretary Rick Perry 'I think we're going to get at least very close, and I think we're going to get it over the line,' Trump said Wednesday, as he needs 50 GOP senators to vote for the health care bill President Trump touted the Senate Republican plan as 'a health care that will be a fantastic tribute to our country' A report that ran Tuesday evening in The New York Times hammered Trump as ill-informed and disengaged as Republicans in the Senate tiptoed toward the health care compromise. The front-page Times story that grabbed Trump's attention described an aloof and clueless president with little knowledge about the details of how one of his central campaign pledges might be fulfilled. Trump fired back at the newspaper on Twitter early this morning, calling it 'fake news' and 'wrong.' 'I know the subject well & want victory for U.S.,' the president tweeted. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the deputy White House spokeswoman, pushed back on the report, too, telling reporters during an off-camera briefing that 'the president's been very engaged in this process, as have been multiple members of his administration.' Her only apparent example of the president's involvement was his meeting a day before with what she believed to be 46 members of the Republican caucus. A day before, Huckabee Sanders had said during an off-camera briefing that Trump called four Republican hold outs. One of them, Rand Paul, had also stopped by the White House. The Trump spokeswoman dodged a question from DailyMail.com about the president's activities leading up to the postponed vote - and what he'll do differently this time around to get it across the finish line. 'I think you're talking about it as if its over, and its certainly not. I mean, again, this is part of the process, is walking through. We've said from the beginning that there were going to be changes that would probably take place within this piece of legislation. That's where we are,' she said. 'Again, the President has been directly engaged and will continue to be so.' Entertaining a fresh set of guests Wednesday, Trump rehashed the meeting with senators Tuesday, calling it 'tremendous' and 'impressive.' 'We're talking about a great, great form of health care,' the president continued, bashing Obamacare and saying, 'it's essentially dead.' 'It's been a headache for everybody, it's been a nightmare for many and we're looking at a health care that will be a fantastic tribute to our country,' Trump said. 'A health care that will take care of people finally for the right reasons and also at the right cost.' Trump also excused away the delay. 'We're working hard,' he said. 'We're giving ourselves a little bit more time to make it perfect.' The GOP wants a new draft of the health care bill by Friday, according to CNN. 'I think we're going to have a great answer and hopefully we'll have it soon,' Trump said. Neither Trump nor Senate Republicans have tried courting Democrats to help win support for the measure, and the president suggested in another meeting Wednesday that he doesn't plan to. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's overtures have been disingenuous, Trump said. 'I don't think he's serious. He hasn't been serious. Obamacare is such a disaster. And he wants to try and save something that's hurting a lot of people. It's hurting a lot of people,' the president said during a meet and greet with the Chicago Cubs. President Trump (center) situated himself between two of the hardest Republican health care votes to get: Maine Sen. Susan Collins (left) and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (right) Sens. Dean Heller, R-Nev. (far left), Susan Collins, R-Maine (center left), Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska (center right) and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, listen to President Trump talk health care At the conclusion of his meeting, President Trump tweeted that it had been a success, using the opportunity to again bash Obamacare President Trump also noted how no Democrats were going to vote for the bill - despite the fact that Sen. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, said Tuesday they would negotiate Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (left), and Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., await a meeting Tuesday at the White House with President Donald Trump (center) Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., John Thune, R-S.D., and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attended a meeting with the president at the White House Tuesday. No Democrats were invited Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is photographed leaving the U.S. Capitol for a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday afternoon The Republicans were taken to the White House via bus, as Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. (right), is spotted boarding the vehicle Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is seen walking toward the buses that were taking Republican senators to the White House Tuesday afternoon In hosting the GOP senators on Tuesday, Trump tied himself more tightly politically to the Senate health care bill, while also giving himself some distance in case of failure. 'This will be great if we get it done. And if we don't get it done it's going to be something that we're not going to like. And that's OK. And I understand that very well,' the president said to a roomful of GOP senators. Huckabee Sanders expressed confidence Wednesday that the Senate would get it done as she told a reporter asking about Plan B, 'We're focused on Plan A.' The president had invited all 52 Republican senators to the White House Tuesday afternoon and strategically placed himself between Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, two votes he'll have to fight for. The president was seated two chairs down from Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., another holdout, who has re-election concerns in a blue-ish state in 2018. At the meeting, Trump said either all 52 Republicans, or 50 Republicans, were on hand, he couldn't be sure. 'So we're going to talk and we're going to see what we can do. And we're getting very close, but for the country we have to have health care,' Trump told the group gathered at the White House. 'And it can't be Obamacare, which is melting down.' While admitting that failure could occur, he said then that he wasn't ready to accept defeat. 'But I think we have the chance to do something very, very important for the public, very, very important for the people of our country that we love,' Trump said, showing a bit more encouragement. Donald Trump (C) leads a meeting with Senate Republicans to discuss healthcare legislation, in the East Room of the White House US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (L) and Majority Whip John Cornyn walk out of the West Wing of the White House after Republican senators met with President Donald Trump to discuss the healthcare bill Mitch McConnell gestures as the pair speak to the press outside the West Wing of the White House McConnell announced the decision to delay the vote, because he couldn't get enough GOP senators to the table He soon asked reporters to leave the room, so he could begin the real wheeling and dealing. 'We love you very much, you're very kind and understanding,' the president said to laughs, as the press left. At the conclusion of the meet-and-greet, Trump sent out a tweet that said: 'I just finished a great meeting with the Republican Senators concerning HealthCare. They really want to get it right, unlike OCare!' McConnell said to cameras outside the White House that 'good progress' had been made and the GOP had a 'really good chance of passing its Obamacare repeal bill. Earlier Tuesday, McConnell announced the decision to delay the vote, because he couldn't get enough GOP senators to the table. 'I think you may have already heard,' McConnell said stepping up to the podium on Capitol Hill. 'We are going to continue discussions within our conference on the differences that we have, that we're continuing to try to litigate, consequently we will not be on the bill this week, but we are still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place,' he said. The news of the vote delay had already leaked out from the Republican caucus luncheon. McConnell could only stand to lose the support of two GOP senators as the Republican Party holds the upper chamber 52-to-48, with Vice President Mike Pence available to act as a tie-breaker. At least eight GOP senators had said that they wouldn't back the Senate bill in its current form, prompting McConnell's decision to delay a formal tally-taking until after the Fourth of July recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell informed reporters Tuesday that the Senate health care bill would not come up for a vote before the Fourth of July holiday Mitch McConnell could only lose the support of two GOP senators to get the bill through. So far, five have said they can't support the Obamacare repeal The Senate majority leader said the president was purposely kept an arm's distance away from negotiations to start, but now President Trump is hosting GOP senators at the White House Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to delay the vote for the Senate health care bill, as a handful of members of his own party refuse to back the measure Speaking several minutes after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took his turn, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (pictured) said Democrats did want to be part of discussions Chuck Schumer, however, had a number of caveats, including that he didn't want Republicans to technically 'repeal' Obamacare Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders briefed reporters Tuesday and said President Trump continues to be 'optimistic' because he's not working on a 'timeline' Additionally, no Democrats had planned to vote for the bill. 'They're not interested in participating in this,' McConnell said Tuesday. 'We want to,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said minutes after, when making his own statement on Capitol Hill. He then, of course, added caveats. 'Abandon tax breaks for the wealthy, abandon cuts to Medicaid, abandon repeal,' Schumer advised. 'Abandon the closed-door secret process they have used. Go to regular order. Have committee hearings, allow amendments and go back to the idea that you need 60 votes, a bipartisan majority to pass the bill and we can start over again and work together and try to get some improvements in our health care system.' Schumer said if Republicans stuck with the current bill, which he called 'rotten to the core,' they should expect a fight. 'We're going to fight the bill tooth and nail and we have a darn good chance of defeating it, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now,' the Senate's top Democrat said. After the White House meeting with Trump, McConnell said he didn't even want the Democrats' help. 'Either Republicans will agree and change the status quo or the markets will continue to collapse and we'll have to sit down with Sen. Schumer,' the leader said. 'And my suspicion is that any negotiation with the Democrats would include none of the reforms that we would like to make on the market side or the Medicaid side.' Senator Ted Cruz, C, (R-TX) speaks with U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R, (R-WI) during the meeting Senators Mike Crapo (L) of Idaho and John McCain of Arizona in the East Room as the meeting commences Trump, in turn, acted as if the Democrats never offered. 'With ZERO Democrats to help, and a failed, expensive and dangerous ObamaCare as the Dems legacy, the Republican Senators are working hard!' the president tweeted after the White House meeting. Originally, McConnell, the Senate GOP leader, wanted a vote before the end of this week, with the idea that the House could approve the Senate version or lawmakers could reconcile the differences in a conference committee before they headed home again for the lengthy August recess. That would have provided President Trump with his first big legislative victory since taking office. It could still happen in the three work weeks before Congress' summer vacation from Washington if lawmakers are disciplined. 'I remember how challenging it was for the Democrats, when they were enacting this back in 2009 and 2010, it's a big complicated subject,' McConnell said Tuesday, begging pardon for the delay. 'We've got a lot of discussions going on and we're still optimistic we're going to get there.' Huckabee Sanders mimicked McConnell when she appeared on camera soon after, telling reporters, 'Obviously we're continuing to be optimistic.' Monday's offering by the Congressional Budget Office did not help matters, though as the nonpartisan scorekeeper found that 22 million more American would be uninsured under the Senate GOP plan, compared to Obamacare. 'It's never been about the timeline, but about getting the best piece of legislation that helps the most Americans and that's what we're continuing to do, day in and day out, that's the reason why the president has asked members of the Senate to come here today so that they can talk through that, so they can figure out the best way to move the ball forward,' she added. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was missing on Tuesday and Wednesday from the briefing room after guidance twice said he would be behind the podium. The crisis on Capitol Hill appeared to have the Trump spokesman, who is filling the role of communications director at the moment, tied up. He was spotted leaving the Capitol Tuesday afternoon, as the briefing was proceeding. One of Republican senators, Susan Collins, who raised a red flag said Tuesday that the president should have been more engaged in deliberations. The moderate Republican said she was unlikely to change her mind, at this point, about the legislation. 'I will say I have so many fundamental problems with the bill that have been confirmed by the CBO report that it's difficult for me to see how any tinkering is going to satisfy my fundamental and deep concerns about the impact of the bill,' Collins said on CNN. By 2026, if the Senate bill were to be implemented, an estimated 49 million Americans would be uninsured, compared to the 28 million who would likely lack insurance under Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act, the CBO also found. The White House had brushed off the bad news in a statement Monday evening that slammed CBO's 'history of inaccuracy' and said that the non-partisan entity 'must not be trusted blindly.' Huckabee Sanders made a similar statement Tuesday. 'I don't have a lot of confidence in that number,' she said. Collins also suggested that the Tuesday afternoon meeting was a good idea, but it might be too little, too late. 'Personal relationships do matter and I think the president is smart to bring the members of the caucus,' she said. 'I think it would have been more effective to have done so earlier in the process.' She said she had attended the one lunch President Trump had with senators. 'And made several suggestions, which were not adopted into the bill,' the Maine Republican added. When speaking to reporters Tuesday, McConnell said the president was purposely kept an arm's distance away from negotiations at the start. 'Well, we always anticipated the president would be very important in getting us to a conclusion. After all, under our system he's the man with the signature,' McConnell began. 'And in the early stages, it would candidly kind of been a waste of his time,' the majority leader added. 'We needed to get this far enough down the path to where there were a few extant that needed to be closed,' McConnell explained. 'And we're delaying the process so that we can close those remaining issues and he's fully engaged and being helpful in every way that he can, including the meeting this afternoon.' Spicer said Monday that Trump had been in touch with multiple senators, including four of the holdouts. Trump spoke to Republicans Paul, Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson, he said. The president also put in a call to Shelley Moore Capito and several others the Trump spokesman could not name off the top of his head. Paul said in a CNN interview shortly after that he told Trump he could get on board with the bill if we narrow the focus. Let's just say we aren't going to fix everything, he said. Let's say we're going to try to repeal as much of we can of Obamacare. However, Paul stayed in the no-column through Tuesday, inspiring the day's events. On Fox News Channel Tuesday evening, speaking with Neil Cavuto, Paul said he and the other GOP senators had a 'good discussion' with the president. 'And I told the president that I am open to supporting it, but it has to get better, and it has to be more of a repeal bill,' Paul said. 'But I thought the president was very open-minded towards trying to make the bill a better bill. And I get along very well at the president. I think I can work with him,' Paul added. Christina Fay, the owner of an eight-bedroom mansion in New Hampshire where more than 80 neglected Great Danes were seized, insists she is innocent The owner of an eight-bedroom mansion in New Hampshire where more than 80 neglected Great Danes were seized insists she is innocent. A lawyer for Christina Fay told The Associated Press on Wednesday that there is more to the case than they can talk about now and that his client 'maintains her innocence.' Earlier this month, police and animal welfare workers seized 84 neglected Great Danes. Rescue teams say the house, previously valued for tax purposes at $1.45million, was covered in feces across the floors, walls and furniture, while the food preparation area was littered with raw, rotting chicken. Fay has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty. Many of the 84 animals had free roam of the eight-bedroom, and nine bath, gated mansion. Others were kept in cages, or caged-off areas. Police rescued more than 80 Great Dane dogs from squalid conditions at a suspected puppy mill allegedly operated by Fay While some of the 84 dogs had free reign of the house, others were kept in cages or caged-off areas 'It was horrifying in and of itself, but I've never seen conditions like this in a house of that magnitude,' Lindsay Hamrick, N.H. State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, told Union Leader. Fay was reportedly selling the puppies for $2,500 each under the kennel name De La Sang Monde. The website shows photos of dogs in open grounds or in seemingly clean areas within the home. 'At some point, I got choked up. It is terrible to see animals treated like this,' said Tona McCarthy, a cruelty investigator with Pope Memorial SPCA in Concord, who received a tip off and photos of the Wolfeboro property. 'The conditions were deplorable. I'm trying hard to find words to describe it. It was certainly a situation that no animal should be kept in,' said Wolfeboro Police Officer Michael Straugh, who is the department's K-9 handler. Fay bought the home for $1.525 million in 2015. The real estate listing at the time called it a custom built, recently improved, 8 master suite home The dogs, which ranged in age from puppies just a few weeks old to adult dogs, were seized and are receiving veterinary treatment. Many were found with infections or eye irritation from the conditions. Two veterinarians brought in by The Humane Society of the United States said many of the animals also have skin conditions and viral infections contagious to other dogs. The dogs will not be available for adoption until the case against Kay is heard as they are evidence in the criminal case. Fay is scheduled to be arraigned in the Ossipee Circuit Court on August 3. The HSUS will be accepting donations towards the care of the animals here. The Emir of Dubai has stepped in to help a Cornish community buy a disused chapel to convert into a village hall. Villagers in Godolphin Cross, near Heston, made an audacious bid to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, after discovering his link with the global Godolphin horse racing empire. The sheikh's horses are all descended from a Godolphin Arabian, bred by the second earl of Godolphin in 1724, becoming the founder of one of the three most important breeding lines in top class racing. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at Ascot earlier this year. All his horses are descendants of the Godolphin Arabian Villagers in Godolphil decided to try their luck with the Emir when they wanted to buy this disused Methodist chapel This link has persuaded the Emir to help the village community buy the Methodist chapel and he has covered the shortfall in their efforts. The Godolphin Cross Community Association would only say it had received help from a mystery international donor but association chairman Richard McKie admitted that a generous offer had been made by the sheikh. He said: 'It was Sheikh Mohammed. 'These kinds of things don't normally happen. 'It's a fairytale really. It's not often a sheikh steps in to help a Cornish village.' The village shares a link with the famous Godolphin Arabian, above, which sired 80 foals Buoyed by their success, villagers are now launching a new fundraising campaign at their annual fete this Sunday in the grounds of Godolphin House' this time for 300,000 to pay for refurbishment of the chapel. The Godolphin Arabian The Godolphin Arabian was foaled in Yemen and moved several times before coming to England. It was named after Francis, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, its most famous owner, who bought him from Edward Coke after his death in 1733. The Arabian sired 80 foals, and huge influence. Even 50 years after his death, the first 76 British Classic winners had at least one strain of him in their pedigree. Source: Godolphin.com Advertisement Villagers first asked Sheikh Mohammed for help last November as they struggled to raise enough cash to buy the chapel, which is the only community space in the village. Its use as a village hall was cast into doubt after the Methodist Church announced in 2015 that it was selling off buildings around the Mount's Bay area. The news that Godolphin Chapel would close was revealed in April last year. Mr McKie said it would not be appropriate to say much the sheikh had offered, but it is understood the association has itself raised around 25,000 though events and donations towards the 90,000 needed to buy the chapel. The Godolphin Arabian was foaled in 1724 by the 2nd Earl of Godolphin. Mr McKie added: 'This is amazing for us and it meant we were able to make an offer. The chapel is now going to become a community centre after an offer to buy the building was verbally accepted 'It's been verbally accepted and we are just waiting for the solicitors now to do their work. 'This will allow us to turn the chapel into a proper community hub. A tale of two cities - Godolphin Cross and Dubai Godolphin cross, West Cornwall Population: A hamlet with 150 homes Leader: the area's councillor is John Keeling MBE, for the Conservatives Local dish: Cornish pasty Climate: up to 19C in summer and 4C in winter Notable buildings: Godolphin House, owned by the National Trust Dubai, United Arab Emirates Population: 2.789 million Leader: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Emir of Dubai Local dish: Stuffed camel Climate: up to 48C in summer, but 14C in winter Notable buildings: Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest man-made structure Advertisement 'We can't thank Sheikh Mohammed enough and we'd love to see him in this neck of the woods any time. 'He would be assured of a very warm welcome. 'I think this shows that he's interested in the history and values this Cornish link. 'He has put his money to help a community staring down the barrel of having nowhere to go for community events. 'We are thinking of using part of the chapel to explain about the link.' Its been a long time coming for Bighorn River dry fly anglers. For the first time this season there are significant black caddis hatches occurring on the Bighorn. Also of interest to fly anglers is they can still chase salmonflies on the Gallatin and upper Madison rivers. The Hysham Cat Havoc catfish qualifier on the Yellowstone River is Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. In Western Montana, this weeks top pick is the Blackfoot River. Salmonflies, such as the none-too-appealing Dog Puke and Cat Vomit flies, along with Caddis and Drakes, are the top choices by local anglers. The best section to fish on the river is from River Junction to Bonner. Top picks Big Hole River Its a dry-fly angler's dream. There are green drakes and brown drakes out, as well as golden stones, yellow Sallies, PMD, mahogany duns (14) and caddis (all the way to size 10). Frontier Anglers, Dillon. Bighorn River Flows have been stable this week and as of Monday were at 8,989.7 cfs. The water temp has warmed slightly and is at 60.4 degrees. The reservoir is 6 feet from full pool. Water turbidity is fair with 1-2 feet of clarity, but still quite fishable. Finally some good news on dry fly fishing as we are seeing some significant black caddis hatches on the river. Best patterns, though, have been black ant imitations. Try Mr. Bill's Black Flying Ant or a Black Hi-Vis Parachute Ant (12-14). Nymphing has been fair but streamer fishing remains solid. Patterns have changed slightly even though most are still crustacean patterns. Bighorn Scuds in either orange or pink (12-16) trailed with a beadhead Midge Larvae in red or black (16-18) have been producing. Streamer fishing has remained good as emerald shiner minnows are still being washed over the spillway into the river. White Zonkers with pearl or silver bodies and either white or ghost Cousin It's are the top patterns. Bighorn Fly and Tackle Shop, Fort Smith. Blackfoot River Salmonflies are out on the river and the fish are biting. The Dog Puke and Cat Vomit salmonflies size 8, along with Brown Drakes size 12 or Duns Caddis size 12-14 are popular flies. The best fishing is from River Junction to Bonner. Blackfoot Angler and Supplies, Ovando. Fort Peck Reservoir, dam area Fishing for lake trout has been excellent in 115 to 125 feet. Use regular spoons behind a cannon ball or a flasher and a squid or fly. Walleye fishing is hit-or-miss with the weather. The best area for walleye is around the Pines in 12 to 35 feet of water. Start in deeper water and work in. A crawler harness and crawler, pitching jigs and a minnow, or leeches are all working. Smallmouth bass fishing on the rock piles has been really good. Try slip bobbers and minnows or cast shallow-diving crankbaits for smallmouth. Northern fishing is always good. Lakeridge Motel and Tackle. Fort Peck Reservoir, Hell Creek Fishing has been really good for walleye, northerns and smallmouth in 12 to 16 feet of water. The best bite is from Hell Creek to Bone Trail. The lake is really full. The water temp is at 61-62 degrees. A bare hook with a leech or pink with a crawler has worked the best for walleye. Blue and silver or firetiger crankbaits will work for northerns. For bass, pitch jigs in the shallows on rocky points or vertical jig in 12 feet of water. Hell Creek Marina. Missouri River, below Holter PMDs are the ticket. A Hogan PMD, Crack Back PMD, PMD Emerger and Rusty Spinners will work. If it has to do with PMDs, use it. A CDC or Hi-Vis Caddis will work. Chubby Chernobyl is a good strike indicator on nymphs and every once in a while the trout will take the Chubby. Wire Worms and sowbugs are also good picks. Montana Fly Goods, Helena. Eastern Montana Ackley Lake It is fishing well. Flashy spinners tossed from the bank will work for rainbows. Larger spinners will take tiger muskies. For trout try a worm and a bobber from the bank. Dons, Lewistown. Beaverhead River The flow was 530 cfs. It is fishing great. There is fairly good dry fly fishing. A lot of PMDs, yellow Sallies and caddis are out. A P.T. Cruzer is a good pattern. Sparkle Spiders and Quigleys Spider Variant will work for PMD duns. A Split Case PMD will work for nymphs. Micro Mayflies will work, as well. Barrs Emerger is another good choice as are F.A. Foam Emergers. Frontier Anglers, Dillon. Boulder River The river is starting to come down from spring flows. There is still plenty of water, although we are likely on the downside of runoff. Currently in prime floating form but still too big to wade fish effectively. Should an angler get the opportunity to float this river in a raft, it could be a very productive day. Dry-fly patterns to fish are red and yellow Tarantulas, Stimulators or a Gold Chubby. Nymph patterns to fish include Rubber Legs, oversized Prince Nymphs and San Juan Worms. Streamer fishing can be the best way to fish this river during the chaos of high flows. Streamers to fish include Sparkle Minnows, Krystal Flash Buggers or the Grinch. East Rosebud Fly Shop, Billings. Bighorn Lake Conditions have improved, but there are still a lot of logs in the lake. The south end of the lake is muddy. With the exception of Dayboard 9 and Medicine Creek, most lake facilities are open. Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center, Lovell, Wyo. Canyon Ferry Reservoir Rainbow trout are being caught from shore using worms and/or marshmallows and while trolling cowbells and crankbaits in 5 to 40 feet of water. Walleye are being caught throughout the reservoir trolling crankbaits or worm harnesses, tipped with worms or leeches, in 20 to 40 feet of water. Vertical jigging on bay points in 5 to 30 feet of water, at first and last light, is also producing walleye. Yellow perch are being caught while trolling for walleye. FWP, Helena. Cooney Reservoir Walleye fishing has been picking up with the north shore and Fishermans Point producing limits trolling with crankbaits in about 15 feet of water. Fishing has been slow from shore but a few have been caught on crawlers or leeches on a harness. Trout have been OK with a few limits being produced with cowbells and crawlers on a harness out of the west end of the lake. A few have been caught on rainbow or brown No. 3 Rapalas trolled slowly. Boyd Store and Trading Post. Deadmans Basin Some days fishing has been good and others not as good. Shore fishing still seems to be the best with worms or PowerBait. Cozy Corner Bar, Lavina. Fort Peck Reservoir, Big Dry Arm Fishing has been good with anglers taking walleye and pike. The biggest walleye was 28.5 inches and 8.5 pounds by Jeremiah Barlow of Billings. Fifteen-year-old Caleb Van Doren, of Park City, boated a 13.6-pound, 36.5-inch pike. Bottom bouncing with worms has been producing walleye. Pike are hitting crankbaits. Rock Creek Marina. Fort Peck Reservoir, Crooked Creek Fishing was slow over the weekend. Anglers were jigging with worms or leeches, pulling bottom bouncers and worm harnesses or pulling crankbaits with minimal luck. Most fish caught were small and turned back. A few nice northerns were caught by bank fishermen late at night. Go to Fourchette Bay for clearer water. The water temps are 65-67 degrees. White and green seemed to be the best colors. Crooked Creek Marina. Fort Peck Reservoir, Fourchette Bay Lots of small walleye are being caught. Some nice smallmouth and northerns are biting. Head toward Timber Creek to get out of the muddy water. Westside Sports, Malta. Fresno Reservoir It is fishing well for walleye. Jigging will work, but bottom bouncers and spinners are beginning to produce. Crawlers and leeches are the top bait. Chartreuse is a good color, as is bright orange. Pike are hitting bright and shiny presentations. Stromberg Sinclair, Havre. Gallatin River The salmonflies are in the bushes and the females will start flying soon. The top of the valley and the bottom of the canyon is where anglers have found them. The river is still a little big to be wading, but working the banks is producing fish. Nymph rigs will be the most productive, especially stonefly patterns. There have been certain days where the fish have been gorging on stoneflies. Tight along the banks in soft water you can find some fish that will eat a dry fly for you. Try some adult caddis along the banks. Black streamers have been successful and will continue to work while there still is color to the water. A big Prince Nymph is a good bet behind your favorite stonefly nymph. A big stonefly under a Chubby right against the bank will also produce. Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman. Hauser Reservoir Shore fishing for rainbows is slow with a few being caught at Riverside while using worms or PowerBait. Rainbow fishing is good for boat anglers while trolling cowbells around the White Sandy and Black Sandy area and near York Bridge. Walleye fishing is fair in the Causeway while using jigs tipped with a leech or worm. Walleye are also being caught at night from shore at the Causeway Bridge. FWP, Helena. Hebgen Lake Fish are deep as the water is at 60 degrees. The lake is 3 inches short of being full. Try trolling spinners and Rapalas 15 to 30 feet deep. Streamer flies in yellow and orange will produce. Polished or gold Kamloopers with bright accents will work. Midges are hatching and fly anglers are doing well from boats in the Madison Arm. Bank fishing has slowed down as the fish have moved deeper, so best bets are from a boat. Below the dam between Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake on the Madison River is fishing well. Kirkwood Marina. Holter Reservoir Rainbow fishing is good throughout the reservoir with the hot spot between Split Rock and Holter Dam while trolling cowbells. Shore fishing for rainbows is slow. Perch are being caught around the docks and weed beds in the lower reservoir in 10 to 15 feet of water. Walleye are being caught while using bottom bouncers or jigs and leeches in 8 to 15 feet of water. The best walleye action is happening in the lower reservoir and in the canyon around Gates of the Mountains. FWP, Helena. Lake Frances Its fishing slow still with anglers having their best luck trolling spinners at various depths. Scheels, Great Falls. Madison River, Lower The river is getting warmer and the tubers have arrived. The fishing is definitely best in the mornings and evenings with the bite substantially slower in the afternoons. The flows are good and the water is in good shape. Nymph rigs and dry dropper rigs have been the most consistent producers. A big olive Zirdle Bug with a PMD or Yellow Sally nymph behind it has been producing fish throughout the day. On the surface, PMDs have been out and about especially on cloudy days. There have also been some drakes dancing gently in the sky before sundown. A good rig is a bigger PMD or Adams with a Pheasant Tail behind it. The caddis have also been out and we are seeing white millers. The fishing has been sporadic with these bugs, but a tan Snow Shoe Caddis will pick up the fish. Be aware of the crowds out here, especially on the weekends. It pays to fish early or late to avoid the crowd. Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman. Madison River, Upper The entire length of the upper river has great color and clarity and is fishable from Quake Lake to Ennis Lake. The morning hours can yield some good streamer fishing but it begins to taper off around 11 a.m. There are tons of sedge caddis on the river. The fish are feeding on the big sedges and black caddis in the mornings along with PMDs. The afternoon and evenings have more fish feeding on the surface looking for big bugs. Some of the fish are looking for golden stones. Speaking of stoneflies, salmonflies have been seen from Story Ditch to McAtee Bridge. With the high sun and slightly warmer temps, the hatch should only get better. Late afternoons and evenings bring caddis back out for the fish that are still looking up. Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman. Marias River Where it enters the Missouri, catfish are biting and the sturgeon are moving. No action on walleye or sauger as the water is dirty. Roberts Bait & Tackle, Great Falls. Martinsdale Reservoir Anglers did pretty well over the weekend fishing from shore using crappie rigs and yellow marshmallows off the bottom. The Musselshell River is fishing well and is in good shape. Use Thomas lures, sculpins or Girdle Bugs. Rays Sport and Western Wear, Harlowton. Missouri River, Fort Benton Smallmouth anglers are seeing best results on plastics and night fishing is starting to produce catfish. Scheels, Great Falls. Missouri River, Fred Robinson Bridge The temps are in the mid-60s and catfishing is excellent. A 15-pound catfish was caught over the weekend. Take bug spray to ward off mosquitoes. The river is a little warm for walleye. Dons, Lewistown. Nelson Reservoir It continues to fish well, with walleye anglers still having success. Try pulling a bottom bouncer and a worm or leech. Northerns are being caught on the weed lines. Smallmouth are also on the bite. Westside Sports, Malta. Rock Creek It is still high and fast so the wade fishing is sketchy. It should drop in a week or two. If an angler just can't wait any longer any pool or break from fast water will hold trout. The dry fly fishing is just getting started so this week stick to nymphs or streamers. Recommended nymph patterns include Tungsten North Fork Specials in black, as well as Rubber Legs or San Juan Worms. Streamer patterns include Home Invaders, Sparkle Minnows or Kelly Galloup's Mini Sex Dungeons. East Rosebud Fly Shop. Spring Creek Beadheads are doing well. The second option is a baetis or mayfly dry. Try a two-fly rig with two dry flies or a dry and a wet. The creek is clear. Dons, Lewistown. Stillwater River Flows and clarity have been yo-yoing the past few weeks in reaction to temperature fluctuations. Cooler weather dropped the flows and improved clarity. However, warmer weather this week will melt some of the higher-elevation snowpack and there will likely be another spike in flows and a decline in clarity. There may be some fishing along the edges, particularly up higher. Once it clears, float fishing may be doable, but the river will be swift in spots. Dead drifted dark Buggers, Rubber Leg patterns and San Juan Worms are good high-water patterns. For float fishing try a Chubby with a Rubber Leg as a dropper. The volume, speed and temperature of the water can still be hazardous. Use caution if wade fishing. Stillwater Anglers, Columbus. Tiber Reservoir It has begun to pick up with guys trolling spinners in 12-18 feet of water for walleye. Scheels, Great Falls. Tongue River Reservoir The walleye bite has slowed down a little, but anglers who are still having success have been dragging a jig tipped with a worm, minnow or leech in 10 to 20 feet of water. Brighter colors have done well. Some real nice northerns have been caught using bottom bouncers trailing a worm harness in 10 to 25 feet of water. Bass have been doing well in the coves targeting structure and one angler caught a nice one using a Booyah spinnerbait. The crappie are still in deeper water, but the bite has slowed down a little with most anglers catching 10 to 20 crappie instead of their limits. Tongue River Marina. Yellowstone River, Columbus It is starting to clear, and may not be too far away from being fishable. The warmer weather is likely to cause another spike. It is still flowing high and is not recommended for floating. Use caution if near the banks. Stillwater Anglers, Columbus. Yellowstone River, Huntley Target the backwaters or feeder creeks for 3- to 5-pound catfish and use cutbait or shrimp. The river is muddy, but on the main channel anglers can try the edges, current breaks, near rocks or trees. TeamMinnowBucket.com. Yellowstone River, Livingston It is still a bit too high to safely float and fish. The soft water edges are the best option, but the fishing has been inconsistent. There are still better options in the area. It will be best to wait until the flow is at 10,000 cfs to get out on this river. Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman. Yellowstone River, Miles City Most action is on catfish and sturgeon as the river is still high and muddy. Cut bait and crawlers are working for catfish. Red Rock Sporting Goods, Miles City. Western Montana The fishing is heating up across Western Montana. Runoff is almost a memory and rivers are now becoming the popular places to fish. The lower Clark Fork River, which has been experiencing runoff until this week, is now starting to fish well. Joe Cantrell Outfitting in St. Regis expects this week to mark the start of prime fishing conditions along the river. The Flathead River, Rock Creek, and Kootenai River are also fishing well. Only a few rivers are still experiencing salmonfly activity. But, caddis are beginning to emerge and are especially popular in the evenings. Bitterroot River The river is dropping and the conditions are improving. On Monday the West Fork was measured at 551 cfs, and the main fork near Darby was 2,170 cfs. The river is fishing well from Hannon Memorial to Woodside Bridge. Dry fly action is starting to get better, and some nymphs are still providing success. Some ideal dry flies are Golden Stoneflies and Green or Gray Drakes. Coffee or black Pats Rubber Legs, size 8-12, below a tungsten pink Gummy Worm or a size 12 Hares Ear is another good setup. FreeStone Fly Shop, Hamilton. Clark Fork River, Deer Lodge The fishing has been OK, mostly nymphing in the morning followed by caddis and PMD action in the evening. Caddis and PMD nymphs along with Scuds are popular flies to fish underneath, then fish the hatched patterns on top. Terrestrial hatches should be arriving in a couple weeks. OK nymphing mostly, Caddis PMDs, Scuds in the evening. The StoneFly Fly Shop, Butte. Clark Fork River, Missoula The river is finally fishing. Above Missoula some popular floats are from Clinton to Turah and Turah to Sha-Ron. Salmonflies and golden stones are currently the popular flies above Missoula. Below Missoula use droppers such as San Juan Worms, olive Woolly Buggers, or Sparkle Minnows. Popular floats are from Petty Creek to the rest stop and Kona Bridge to Harpers Bridge. Blackfoot River Outfitters, Missoula. Clark Fork River, St. Regis The fishing should be prime starting Wednesday when the river should drop below 10,000 cfs. By the weekend the river could drop below 8,000 cfs. Runoff peaked around 38,000 cfs this spring. Orange or red Chubby Chernobyls with a Pheasant Tail underneath should be a popular setup, along with a Black Rubber Leg or San Juan Worm. The caddis are beginning to appear in the evenings, and an Elk Hair Caddis could be a popular fly this weekend. Joe Cantrell Outfitting, St. Regis. Flathead Lake (North) Anglers are fishing along the delta and underwater rock ledges on the north side of the lake. At the delta, fish outside the mudline at about 80-100 feet. Rock ledges around Angel Point and Woods Bay are popular places. Jigging and trolling are both successful. Glowing jigs, squid jigs, or Z-Wigglers tipped with a piece of sucker or peamouth have been a successful setup for anglers jigging. For trolling try any color of Hoochie. The fishing has been great, and outfitters have been catching 40-60 fish per day. Snappys Sport Senter, Kalispell. Flathead Lake (South) There has been no drastic changes to the fishing, except the smallmouth are biting better than last week. Fish around the city docks of Polson and use a night crawler setup in the wacky technique. The lake trout are being caught in the narrows about 40 feet below the surface due to an inflow of cold water. If using a downrigger, troll with a Hoochie or T50 Flat Fish. For anglers not using a downrigger, a hammered brass red spoon or a Rapala Countdown in a perch pattern is successful. They are still biting on whole fish, as well. The perch are still biting around the city docks in Polson. Also, Zimmer Tackle will be purchasing baitfish for 40 cents apiece on fish less than 9.5 inches. Zimmer Tackle, Pablo. Flathead Reservation On Ninepipes and Kickinghorse reservoirs the largemouth bass are biting well on a bobber jig and watermelon Senko. Zimmer Tackle, Pablo. Flathead River, Kalispell The river is starting to fish well and anglers are having success nymphing using Stonefly Nymphs and Prince Nymphs. The river is still off-color, so be sure the fish can see the fly and dont use anything too small. Bigfork Anglers Fly Shop, Bigfork. Middle, North, and South Forks of the Flathead River It is mostly still nymphing on all three of the Flathead forks. However, some small Caddis and a Parachute Adams are hot dry flies. Fish under the surface with Prince Nymphs, Bead Head Hares Ears, and Pheasant Tails. The Middle Fork is fishing the best of the three, and the South Fork where it enters Hungry Horse Reservoir is also popular. Snappys Sport Senter, Kalispell. Georgetown Lake Olive and red Buggers, Black Leeches, Olive Damselfly Nymphs and a red or black Chironomid are still popular. A Goddard Caddis is also popular in the evening. Damselflies should be around in about a week. The south and east shores are closed until July 1. Flint Creek Outdoors, Phillipsburg. Kootenai River The fishing is picking up and the dry fly activity on the river is increasing. Caddis and PMDs are popular, along with some various nymph patterns. A tan Parachute Adams, size 14-16, along with a tan Elk Hair Caddis, size 16, have been popular dry flies. A Bead Head Prince Nymph and a Bead Head Hares Ear, in size 12-16, are hot patterns. The caddis bite has been active all day, but has been more pronounced in the evening. Linehan Outfitting Company, Troy. Lake Koocanusa Anglers have been catching their limit on salmon and one angler recently caught a 6.5-pound rainbow trout from the dock at Koocanusa Resort and Marina. The salmon are suspended above the trout about 20-25 feet below the surface. A pink or red Wedding Ring or a Kokanee Killer with a Beer Can Flasher is popular. Be sure there is something shiny to attract the fish. The rainbow trout are biting on pink/red Apexes and plugs. Fish the lake above McGillivray Campground. Koocanusa Resort and Marina, Libby. Lake Mary Ronan The salmon fishing has slowed down and anglers are catching more fish trolling. A Wedding Ring tipped with a maggot is a popular choice. The perch are still schooling around the edge of the weed beds about 15-18 feet below the surface. In front of the state park is a hot area. The perch arent picky, and will bite a worm on a basic jighead. Camp Tuffit, Proctor. Rock Creek A size 10-12 Golden Stone, or size 14-16 Caddis, Yellow Sally, or Green or Brown Drake are popular flies. The farther up the river, the slower the water and the better the wade fishing. Flint Creek Outdoors, Phillipsburg. St. Regis River The fishing has been great recently, and the pressure should clear once the Clark Fork begins fishing well. The river is still floatable with a pontoon or raft. The popular flies are the same as the Clark Fork. Start fishing with a Chubby Chernobyl before trying the other flies. Joe Cantrell Outfitting, St. Regis. Sun River The fishing has been pretty slow recently due to the heavy rains and runoff. The best fishing would be at the confluence of the North and South forks. Sun Canyon Lodge and Outfitting, Augusta. Swan Lake Not much going on fishing wise, but it should be picking up soon. Swan Lake Trading Post, Swan Lake. Swan River The lower portion of the river is slowing down due to the warmer water exiting Swan Lake. The upper part of the river is moving fast but fishing OK with stonefly nymphs. Bigfork Anglers Fly Shop, Bigfork. Wyoming Bighorn River, Thermopolis The water is high as the flow is 8,100 cfs. North Fork Anglers, Cody. Boysen Reservoir Water levels are still high and the water is still dirty. Jigging is a good bet. Fishing is excellent below the dam for walleye and trout jigging with worms or leeches. Boysen Lake Marina. Buffalo Bill Reservoir It is starting to clear up a little bit and the elevation is rising. Fishing is tough, but boat anglers are finding a few trout using spoons. In the area a hot spot for trout has been the Bighorn Mountain lakes, where anglers are casting spoons. Upper and Lower Sunshine Reservoirs have slowed down. Rocky Mountain Discount Sports, Cody. Clarks Fork The flow was 4,730 cfs on Monday. Conditions are improving daily. Up high it is fishable. Try small Hares Ears, North Fork Specials, beadhead Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs and stoneflies. North Fork Anglers, Cody. Cody-area lakes At East Newton Lake fish the evenings when there is dry-fly action. Streamers are also taking fish. Try mouse patterns. Hogan, Luce and Upper and Lower Sunshine Reservoirs are fishing well on Leeches, Buggers, Zonkers, Damsel Nymphs, Midges and Chironomids. North Fork Anglers, Cody. Lake DeSmet They are catching a few walleye now in Barkey Draw on walleye rigs or worm harnesses. Still catching a lot of rainbows on cowbells with a worm harness or Rapalas. The Lake Stop, Buffalo. Lower Shoshone The flow was 5,205 cfs on Monday and it is still blown out. North Fork Anglers, Cody. North Fork of the Shoshone The flow was 5,250 cfs on Monday and off-color. The farther west one goes, fishing chances will improve. Try Halfbacks, Stoneflies, Bitch Creeks, Yuk Bugs, North Fork Specials and Prince Nymphs. Fish deep. North Fork Anglers, Cody. Yellowstone National Park The Firehole is a little high, but PMDs and White Miller Caddis have provided plenty of dry fly fishing. With the warm, stable weather system, expect PMD hatches to start between 9 and 10 a.m. There may be white miller or Glossosoma emergences in the morning, which will certainly be there later in the day. Be sure to have the White Miller Razor Caddis, the White Miller Iris Caddis, and small soft hackles in the evening. The water has been getting a bit warm in the lower end of the river on the hottest days, so focus efforts on the upper river on hot days. The Madison has seen brief emergences of PMD and PMD spinners falls. There could be more caddis on this river in the next few days. Salmonflies can still be fished in prime holes and will bring up a few trout, though the hatch is pretty well finished for the year. Nymphing with Rubber Legs and Pheasant Tails will still be productive. Keep an eye on water temperatures here; if the Firehole is warm, the Madison is also likely to be. PMDs have hatched sporadically on the Gibbon. If one finds PMDs and caddis, there will be plenty of rising fish. Blue Ribbon Flies, West Yellowstone. Henrys Fork of the Snake River (Idaho) Harriman Ranch has had some good days and some bad. A few green drakes have been spotted, but it's still mostly PMDs hatching. Blue Ribbon Flies, West Yellowstone. A US Navy wife kept mum about being pregnant while her husband was at sea, waiting six months until his homecoming day to surprise him with the big news. Natasha Daugherty, who lives in Temecula, California, learned that she was expecting her fourth child just one week after her husband, Chris Daugherty, left home to begin his six month deployment aboard the USS Carl Vinson. Instead of telling him right away, Natasha decided to keep her pregnancy a secret until Chris returned home and she was able to give him the good news in person. Chris Daugherty is hugged by his daughter (left) as his wife Natasha (holding a sign) waits in the background before she surprises him with the news that that she is eight months pregnant Natasha finally got the chance to reveal all when the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier docked in San Diego on June 23 an event she had taped and then shared on her Facebook account. In the video, the three older Daugherty children are shown being first to rush over to greet their uniformed father. As Chris turns to hug someone off-camera, Natasha holding a large sign that reads, 'Welcome home baby daddy,' over her stomach hangs back until she has his full attention. When Chris finally approaches, arms wide to give her a hug, Natasha shakes the sign and says, 'Do you like my sign?' before whipping it away to reveal her pronounced baby bump. A stunned Chris slowly lowers his arms and stares at the bump as his welcome home party chortles in the background. Six seconds later, he hesitantly pokes Natasha's belly, saying, 'Is that real? Nuh-uh!' Natasha holds a sign over her belly, before whipping it away to reveal that she's actually eight months pregnant. Chris stands back, shocked that she's hidden her pregnancy for so long After asking 'Is that real?' a laughing, but still shocked, Chris hugs and kisses Natasha He can't stop laughing as he leans in to hug and kiss his delighted wife. Clearly still shocked, Chris continues to laugh as he steps back and takes it all in, before saying, 'Are you serious?' Speaking about the big reveal with KTLA, Chris admitted that he 'was confused' after Natasha showed him her eight-months pregnant belly. 'I actually poked her belly because I wasn't sure if she was playing a trick on me or not,' Chris said, smiling as he added, 'Clearly, she was not.' Natasha noted that neither she nor her husband were anticipating that they would have another child, since Chris 'was only home for a short time' between deployments. Natasha used emojis and careful placement of herself and other people, including her daughter, to hide her growing belly in pictures that she sent to Chris while he was deployed At his homecoming party, The Daughertys revealed that the baby, due in August, will be a girl Natasha said that she waited to tell Chris that she was pregnant because she didn't want to do it over e-mail while he was deployed. 'I figured that wasn't very memorable,' she said. To keep Chris in the dark, Natasha hid her growing stomach in the family pictures she sent him, carefully using other people or emojis to make it seem like business as usual. Natasha said that it was hard, at times, to keep the baby news hidden from Chris, particularly when the Navy extended his deployment by a month so that the USS Carl Vinson could anchor the carrier strike group that was used as a massive show of force off the coast of North Korea in the spring. 'I got emotional about it and I was wondering, "Should I tell him? Would I feel guilty if something happens and he doesn't know?" ' Natasha said, adding that that was when she waffled about her decision to keep the news secret. The Daughertys' newest addition is due in August and as revealed during Chris' homecoming party the baby is a girl. Chris is not scheduled to deploy again until January, so, while he might've missed out on the bulk of Natasha's pregnancy, he'll be around for the birth. A six-year-old Oregon boy was hospitalized Wednesday in critical condition with severe heat exhaustion after he was found locked inside his family's car trunk on a hot day, police said. Police hope to review surveillance video from a camera attached to a neighbor's house to figure out how the boy got into the trunk, said Lt. Kerry Curtis, a spokesman for the Medford Police Department. The child was likely in the trunk for up to an hour on Tuesday afternoon when temperatures reached 90 degrees, Curtis said. He was flown by helicopter to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland, where he remains unresponsive and is undergoing brain scans, he said. A six-year-old Oregon boy was hospitalized Wednesday in critical condition with severe heat exhaustion after he was found locked inside his family's car trunk on a hot day, police said. The trunk of the car is seen above in Medford, Oregon, which is about 275 miles south of Portland Authorities originally said in a statement that the case appeared to be an accident and not criminal. But Curtis said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that police have not ruled anything out. The surveillance video should provide more answers, he said. 'That's the million-dollar question that we're trying to answer, is how he got (in) there,' he said. Authorities said the boy was not playing hide and seek, Curtis said. Authorities originally said in a statement that the case appeared to be an accident and not criminal The boy's parents do not speak fluent English, and a language barrier hampered the investigation until authorities could get a translator to the home Tuesday night. The boy's father was working in the garage and the mother was inside their home when the boy disappeared, Curtis said. Both parents thought he was with the other parent. When they realized he was missing, they began to search and the mother spotted a cellphone the boy had been playing with in the back seat of the family's 2003 Honda Civic, which was parked in an alley behind the house, Curtis said. When she opened the car door to get the cellphone, she heard the boy whimpering in the trunk, Curtis said. Medford is about 275 miles south of Portland. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy turned down John F. Kennedy Jr. when he first asked her to marry during a 1995 fishing trip off Martha's Vineyard. In an interview with People, John Jr.'s former assistant RoseMarie Terenzino said that Carolyn kept the world's most eligible bachelor waiting for weeks before finally agreeing to walk down the aisle. 'He went into this thing about how everything's better with a partner, not just fishing but life,' said Terenzino. Carolyn was not so certain however, and found the fame that would come with marrying John Jr. daunting and scary. 'She held off the proposal for about three weeks. I think it made him all the more intent on marrying her,' said Terenzino. The two eventually wed the following year, but it was a brief marriage that was cut short after just three years when they were killed in a plane crash en route to the very same island where John Jr. first popped the question. Scroll down for video Girl boss: A new profile of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy reveals that she turned John F. Kennedy Jr. down when he asked her to marry him in the summer of 1995 (couple above in 1998 at the White House) No photos: Carolyn kept him waiting for weeks until she finally said yes, afraid about how his fame would impact her life (above in March 1996) Carolyn's trepidation about marrying John Jr. may have also had to do with her strained relationship with the only living member of his family, his sister Caroline. 'They had different lifestyles,' said a source. Caroline did however throw a party in the couple's honor shortly after their nuptials, which were held on Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia. The most difficult part of being a Kennedy for Carolyn was the paparazzi however, and she never grew uncomfortable with the constant photographs. Her husband's response was that she should just act like his late mother Jackie said one source, and give them one smile before going back about her business. 'I hate those bastards,' said Carolyn. The newlyweds were still however very much in love. 'To say their relationship was on the rocks is just inaccurate,' said Carole Radziwill, who was married to John Jr.'s best friend and cousin Anthony. There was however some difficult times, admitted Carole, due in part to Anthony's battle with cancer. 'Anthony's impending death was a strain on the marriage, no doubt,' said Carole. The 'Real Housewives of New York' star and author also noted: 'They loved each other - Carolyn was quite a lovable person. 'She was clever, she was naughty, and she had the balance of being able to be really serious and deep yet funny.' Carole later added: 'I still miss her after all these years.' Siblings: Sources said that Carolyn did not have a good relationship with John Jr's sister Caroline (above in March 1999), the only living member of his immediate family WWJD: Carolyn also loathed the paparazzi, and was urged by John Jr. to treat them like Jackie by just flashing one smile so they could get their picture (Jackie and John Jr at his college graduation above) John had taken off from Essex County Airport in Fairfield, New Jersey, at 8.39pm on July 16, 1999 bound for the airfield in Martha's Vineyard en route to the wedding of his cousin Rory. He never made it to the family gathering. The air traffic controller at the island airport alerted the regional FAA office in Connecticut just after 10pm when the plane had failed to arrive. In the end, it was the conditions that evening which are believed to have caused the tragedy which took three lives. Three days later, parts of the plane were detected on the ocean floor. On July 21, five days after the plane went missing, the three bodies were found and removed from the underwater wreckage. The ashes of John, 38, his wife Carolyn, 33, and his sister-in-law Lauren, 34, were scattered at sea on July 22 just off of Martha's Vineyard by friends and family, including Radziwill. John Jr. made the decision prior to his death to have his ashes be scattered at sea rather than be buried alongside his father, mother, sister Arabella and brother Patrick at Arlington National Cemetery. One month after the crash, Anthony died of cancer. He passed away just two weeks shy of his five-year anniversary. It was Carole who first realized what had happened to her two friends. She appeared on the HLN docu-series 'How It Really Happened with Hill Harped' in an episode entitled 'JFK Jr.'s Tragic Final Flight' earlier this year to take about that day. In the two-hour retrospective, she detailed her final conversation with Carolyn as well as how she went about trying to locate the couple when she learned their plane had never made it to Martha's Vineyard after taking off from new Jersey. 'I spent 15 years as a journalist and producer at ABC News, and I thought, "OK, I need to figure out this story and solve it somehow. I need to figure out where they are, because they're somewhere,"' explained Radziwill. In the end: Carolyn and John Jr. (above with Carole Radziwill in 1996) went missing during their flight from New Jersey to Martha's Vineyard on July 18, 1999 on John Jr.'s plane Tragic end: On July 21, the bodies of John, 38, Carolyn Bessette, 33, and her sister Lauren, 34, were found on the ocean floor near Martha's Vineyard (scattering the ashes on July 22 are Robert Jr and Carol on left, Anthony Radziwill and Ted Kennedy on right) Anthony was in his final days after a decade-long battle with cancer at the time, and the trip was expected to be one of the last occasions the cousins would be able to see one another. 'Carolyn called me from the plane right before they were taking off. And I think it was probably a little bit after 8 o'clock,' said Radziwill of her conversation with Bessette earlier that evening. 'I don't remember anything really important from that conversation, I didn't certainly think it would be the last time I would speak to my friend.' She then added: 'I remember at the end she said, you know, "I love you." And, I don't know, for some reason I didn't say I love you back and that always stuck with me. And she said 'I'll call you when I land.' And then that was the last I ever heard from her or anyone.' With the festivities set to get underway on Saturday, Radziwill got a call the night before when John and his wife failed to make an appearance on the island. 'The phone rang at midnight, and I got just this sick feeling in my stomach, and it was John's friend Pinky, and he said, you know, "Are they there with you? I'm at the airport and they're not here,"' recalled Radziwill. 'And then, and then I thought, "Oh. Oh s***." And I just bolted out of bed.' In the end, there was nothing she could do to help. 'One call led to another to another to another, and I called the Hyannis Airport many times, because I assumed that they had made a mistake,' said Radziwill. 'And the whole time I'm calling John's friend and screaming into the phone, "Please, you have to find somebody in John's family, to tell, tell them what's going on."' Radziwill's calls were not getting her anywhere however, and she soon started to realize that authorities would have to be notified about the two, who had been flying with Bessette's sister Lauren. 'It was probably between 2 or 3 when I realized I had to call the Coast Guard and report John's plane missing,' revealed Radziwill. 'I said, "My cousin's missing." And, and then he took the name, and I think there was a little bit of a, like, a gasp on the other end of the phone.' In the People interview, she reveals that she also spoke to John Jr.'s uncle Ted. 'He said, "Let's take it step-by-step.' He had the same tone that I had three hours earlier,' said Carole. 'I felt envious of him at that moment, because he was at the beginning, when you could still believe things would end differently.' A Northern California surgeon accused of sexually abusing children under 14 and planning to establish 'taboo sex families' had his bail set at $6.45 million Wednesday. Prosecutors had opposed bail for Dr James Kohut, 57, saying the neurologist is a public danger who recruits women to help find child victims. He also plotted to impregnate women in order to give birth to children he could sexually abuse in a so-called 'taboo family lifestyle,' The Santa Cruz district attorney's office claimed. Accused: Dr James Kohut is accused of abusing at least seven minors and on Wednesday his bail was set at $6.45m; his attorneys say he is innocent and is not a flight risk 'For nearly 20 years, the defendant has had a fixed sexual desire to be part of multiple "taboo families" where the parents raise their children sexually,' Assistant District Attorney Steven Moore claimed. He cited accusations made by women identified in court documents only by their initials. 'He has a specific desire to have sex with a mother and a daughter. He then wants to impregnate the daughter and raise the child sexually in the "taboo" family lifestyle,' Moore added. Moore also wrote that Kohut pressured the women to find children for him to abuse. There's no evidence that Kohut created such a family, but they have charged him with 11 counts of sexually abusing children under the age of 14. They include sodomy, lewd acts with children, forcible lewd acts with children, and other related offenses involving at least seven minors. Kohut has pleaded not guilty; his lawyer, Jay Rorty, has also denied the prosecutor's claims, although he did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. He argued in court papers that Kohut does not represent a danger to the public or a flight risk. If Kohut does post bail, he will be monitored electronically. Kohut was arrested in his Santa Cruz, California home last month along with Emily Stephens 29, and Rashel Brandon, 42, two nurses who are charged with participating in the alleged abuse. 'Accomplices': Kohut was arrested after the husband of one of Kohut's nurses, Rashel Brandon (left), 42, allegedly found a video of her abusing a child along with another of his nurses, Emily Stephens 29 (right). Brandon implicated Kohut, court records said He voluntarily suspended his California medical license while the case is pending and faces 165 years in prison if convicted. Kohut was arrested four days after police arrested Brandon, who worked with the surgeon at a Santa Cruz hospital. Brandon was arrested after her husband gave police a video recording he found that investigators say shows Brandon and Stephens sexually abusing children. It is alleged that the videos were made for Kohut's pleasure; court records and lawyers said Brandon implicated the doctor. Brandon is also charged with sexually abusing children and her bail has been set at $500,000. Stephens was arrested in Tuscon, Arizona and is being held there while Santa Cruz authorities seek a court-ordered transfer to Northern California to face similar charges. It was revealed by DailyMail.com last week that Kohut's wife, gynecologist Dr Karen Kohut, is standing by her husband. Loyal: Kohut's wife, Karen (pictured), a gynecologist, is holding back on judgement until after the court case is over, a friend told DailyMail.com While she declined to speak out, her friend said that the 55-year-old is not taking sides until the case is done. 'We don't know that yet, he hasn't been to trial, innocent until proven guilty.' That came even after they had a temporary split around five years ago because he was seeing younger women, said Sharon O'Hadley, who lives across from the couple. 'He had young girlfriends, he was always going after the young nurses,' she said. 'Karen found out and Jim left for a few months leaving her at home with the kids.' But she added that Karen eventually forgave her husband and he returned home. 'He wasn't around then all of a sudden Karen said, "Oh Jim's back, we're working through everything and everything's fine." Karen has always stood by him, she's very devoted.' Kohut was the Chief of Neurology Services at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz before he was asked to leave in recent months. Sources tell DailyMail.com that the surgeon had upset several staff in the unit and left following several warnings about his arrogant behavior and poor bed-side manner. Court filings show that he had been warned about his conduct in the past, including an incident during which he was caught downloading pornography at work. A 56-year-old worker has died after suffering a 'medical emergency' while being held a gunpoint during an armed robbery. The man, who has not been identified, was one of four contractors working at a Culver's in Madison, Wisconsin, when two armed men entered the restaurant about 3am on Tuesday. The robbers made one of the workers search for the safe for about an hour, and then open it after it was discovered. The other three were made to stand still with a gun pointed at them the entire time, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. Two investigators are seen outside a Culver's store a man died while being held at gunpoint during an armed robbery Police said after the 56-year-old collapsed from what is believed to be a heart attack, the robbers did not allow his co-workers to help him or call 911. Madison police told reporters they were shocked by the brazen robbery that resulted in the man's death. 'There was a certain vileness, a certain despicably about the whole thing because... you had an instance where the victim was scared to the point of death,' police chief Mike Koval said. '(The robbers) allowed the man to languish and subsequently to die while they handed themselves the greater priority of getting into the safe and getting the filthy lucre, or what I call blood money, and then left. A 56-year-old worker died after suffered a 'medical emergency' in the store on Tuesday morning. POlice are seen outside the Culver's on June 27 Two investigators walk away from the Culver's in Madison, Wisconsin, after speaking to people about the death of a contractor while he was held hostage on Tuesday morning during a robbery 'It wasnt until after they left that (the others) felt they had a sufficient margin of safety and were comfortable enough to call 911.' 'There was a certain vileness, a certain despicably about the whole thing because... you had an instance where the victim was scared to the point of death,' police chief Mike Koval said Koval added the 56-year-old's official cause of death has not yet been confirmed by a coroner, but he believed it could be considered a felony murder. 'It couldnt be clearer... Whoever causes the death of another human being while committing or attempting to commit a crime, thats a significant felony. The state needs only to prove that the defendants conduct was a substantial factor toward that end,' he told the State Journal. The other three contractors were aged 22, 33 and 34. Police only released limited descriptions of the two robbers, described them both as black men - one aged in his 20s or 30s and another in his early 20s. Police added they believe it as appears as though the robbery were aware of patterns regarding the store's hours, which were changed on Monday night so staff members could attend a picnic together. As a result, it was just the contractors inside overnight. A 30-year-old British woman spotted 'walking naked and drunk in the street' while on holiday in Spain has been arrested for abandoning her two young children. Police in the Canary Islands say the two youngsters, aged just two and four, were found in a flat 'hungry and dirty'. The late-night incident is said to have happened in the popular tourist resort of Mogan in the south-west of Gran Canaria. File image of Aquamarina beach, Anfi del Mar resort, Patalavaca, Arguineguin, Gran Canaria. The woman was seen stumbling around this lesser known part of the resort The Civil Guard said the two children were found in a house in Patalavaca, one of the lesser known spots on the island Witnesses were said to have been shocked when they saw a naked woman walking along the street outside where she was staying 'in an obvious state of drunkenness'. Children were also seen 'throwing objects' from the house into the road. Police said the British woman was on holiday, apparently visiting her father who lived on the island. Local residents called in the police after seeing her naked in the street at about 10pm. The Civil Guard went to the area to speak to witnesses who confirmed the woman seemed to have returned home. Civil Guard agents found the door open, according to reports in the Spanish press, and saw the mother 'naked and lying in bed with obvious symptoms of intoxication'. She has only been identified by the initials S.G.S. Patalavaca, Arguineguin, Gran Canaria. The woman was said to be naked and drunk when she was found, with two children left in an apartment It is understood the two children are being cared for by their grandfather, who they were visiting in the resort The 20-month-old child was found in a crib, crying and with scabby legs, and a dirty nappy which suggested having been left there for some hours. The four-year-old boy was said to have been crying and asking for food, according to a police statement, so they were fed and given water. Because of the state they were in, the emergency services were called and the two youngsters were given medical treatment at the scene. It is understood they are now being cared for by their grandfather. The woman is now facing prosecution for alleged abandonment of children and has been made available to the Maspalomas court. A Civil Guard spokesman said in a statement: 'Officers arrested a 30-year-old foreign woman on June 23, who was on holiday in Gran Canaria and was staying at Nayra Street in Arguinegin which belongs to the municipality of Mogan. 'They went to the area in question after receiving several calls about a woman who was apparently inebriated and walking naked through the streets, while her children were throwing objects into the street. 'When officers arrived, locals told them the woman in question had returned to the place where she was staying moments earlier. 'They went to the place in question, discovering the door was open and hearing children crying. 'They entered immediately and found it in a mess with two youngsters, a boy aged four and a girl aged one year and eight months, who looked neglected. 'The little girl was in her crib and her nappy was full of excrement with nappy sores on her legs, a clear sign she had had the same nappy on for several hours. 'The four-year-old was crying and asking for food. Officers offered them food and water which the youngsters gratefully accepted. 'They also saw that the mother - whose initials are S.G.S - was laid on the bed without any clothes on and looked drunk. 'The officers acted immediately to take charge of the youngsters and alert professionals able to offer them immediate medical care. 'Their grandfather, who lives in the area, ended up taking charge of them. 'The mother was subsequently arrested on suspicion of a crime of abandonment and handed over to a local judge for questioning.' It was not clear last night if she had been released on bail after a court quiz, or remanded in prison. Her immediate whereabouts was also unclear. A pub landlord has been arrested after allegedly attacking his spouse at a bar - with CCTV footage later appearing on his Facebook page with the caption 'wife sorted lol'. Tim Sheahan, 42, was sat down drinking at the bar at 11.21am on Sunday, June 18 when he appeared to get into an argument with another man. CCTV footage taken from inside The Field bar in Neasden, northwest London, later showed him put his hands on the man inside the venue. Mr Sheahan, who is the landlord of the pub, then walked behind the bar before he headed towards a group of men and a scuffle broke out. Tim Sheahan (pictured) was talking to a man at the bar he runs at 11.21am on Sunday, June 18 Mr Sheahan then appeared to place his hands on the man before a little scuffle broke out and a stool ended up on the floor The video of the alleged incident later appeared on Mr Sheahan's Facebook page with the caption 'wife sorted lol' A number of men could be seen grabbing each other on the footage and bar stools and Mr Sheahan both ended up on the floor. The CCTV footage then showed Mr Sheahan allegedly grab a woman - believed to be his wife Jurgita Janusauskiene - and drag her around the other side of the bar. Ms Janusauskiene was then left sitting on the floor after Mr Sheahan walked off. It is not known how or why the CCTV footage was posted on his Facebook page. Officers later arrested him on suspicion of assault and he was taken to a police station in north London. A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed the alleged incident is 'believed to be domestic-related'. Less than a minute later, a larger scuffle seemed the break out and Mr Sheahan ended up on the floor He then allegedly dragged a woman - believed to be his wife - by her hair from one side of the bar to the other The woman then remained on the floor for more than a minute as Mr Sheahan stood at the bar He said: 'Police are investigating an allegation of assault at licensed premises on Neasden Lane, NW10 on the morning of Sunday, 18 June. 'A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and taken to a north London police station. 'He was released under investigation pending further enquiries. The incident is believed to be domestic-related.' A longtime liberal CNN contributor was caught on hidden camera footage released Wednesday, calling claims of Donald Trump's ties with Russia 'a big nothingburger.' Van Jones, a former White House 'green jobs' czar who became the first senior official to resign in disgrace from Barack Obama's administration, made the comment in undercover video shot by Project Veritas. James O'Keefe, the conservative provocateur behind that organization, released damning footage on Tuesday showing a CNN producer describing the Trump-Russia narrative as 'mostly bulls**t.' CNN has led the drumbeat of news coverage focusing on allegations that the president and his campaign aides improperly colluded with Russia to swing the November election in his favor. But Jones' admission, and those of producer John Bonifield, hint at Republicans' contention that an undercurrent of 'fake news,' and not the president's own behavior, is responsible for giving him a public-relations black eye. Liberal CNN pundit Van Jones told a right-wing hidden camera group in an unguarded moment that claims about President Trump colluding with Russia to win the 2016 election amounted to 'a big nothingburger' In Wednesday's footage, which was shot Monday, a person Jones appears to recognize chats him up on a street corner about what is 'going to happen this week with the whole Russia thing.' 'The Russia thing is just a big nothingburger,' Jones replies, adding: 'Theres nothing there you can do.' CNN responded to the Bonifield video by standing by its producer, who works mostly on health-related stories. 'Diversity of personal opinion is what makes CNN strong. We welcome it and embrace it,' the network said. CNN has not issued a statement about Jones who is an opinion contributor, not a journalist. A hidden-camera video released Tuesday by the same 'Project Veritas' group stung a CNN producer who admitted that Trump is 'right' to complain journalists focused on Russia stories 'are witch-hunting me' Jones, like Barack Obama, was a longtime community organizer before joining the then-new administration in 2009. Months later a different kind of video surfaced this one recorded openly in which he was seen telling a U.S. Berkeley audience why he believes Republicans have outperformed Democrats in using congressional majorities to push their legislation. 'The answer to that,' he said then, 'is they're a**holes.' 'Now I will say this: I can be an asshole, and some of us who are not Barack Hussein Obama are going to have to start getting a little bit uppity,' Jones told the crowd of appreciative partisans. Months after Jones was named to Obama's White House Council on Environmental Quality, reports emerged that he had signed an online petition demanding congressional hearings into whether former president George W. Bush allowed the 9/11 terror attacks to occur so he would have an excuse to invade the oil-rich Middle East. He resigned days later. CNN hired him as an on-air commentator in 2013, at the start of Obama's second term in office. Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe is a consistent thorn in the sides of liberals whom he sees as hypocrites and corrupt opportunists CNN retracted a story on Friday about Donald Trump advisor Anthony Scaramucci, which had tied him to a Russian investment fund; three CNN journalists were forced to resign O'Keefe's back-story is equally colorful. He made his name by using a series of 2009 hidden-camera shoots to close down the liberal 'ACORN' housing and voter-registration group whose employees advised him on camera to commit tax fraud by hiding the nature of a proposed prostitution business, and by claiming a group of underage hookers as 'dependents.' The following year he and two associates were arrested for entering the office of a Democratic senator on false pretenses, posing as telephone repairmen. They pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and were handed community-service sentences. An official said a 90-year-old man who was indicted on Social Security fraud charges spent 40 years on the lam after escaping from a Maryland jail in 1970 simply by walking away. William Lewis is accused of collection more than $450,000 in retirement benefits that he wasn't entitled to from 1991 to March 2017, according to an unsealed indictment in Philadelphia. Gerard Shields, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety, said on Tuesday that Lewis was convicted in Wicomico County of breaking and entering and larceny. A Maryland official said 90-year-old William Lewis, who was indicted on Social Security fraud charges spent 40 years on the lam after escaping from jail in 1970 simply by walking away Lewis was then sentenced to three years in jail in 1969. He escaped the next year from the Poplar Hill Pre-Release Unit, a facility for low-risk offenders located in Maryland. His sentence would have ended in October 1972. Shields says while technically Lewis escaped, 'he didn't scale fences or barbed wire. He simply walked away'. According to the indictment, Lewis was not allowed to receive benefits because he was a fugitive from the law, having escaped from the prison. The Social Security Administration suspends or denies benefits to wanted people. Authorities said Lewis then made the alias, James Wilson, in October of 1971 and applied for a second Social Security number, according to Philly.com. Lewis was charged with two counts of mail and wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds and Social Security fraud. If convicted, he faces incarceration, supervised release, restitution and a fine. Pictured is an aerial view of the jail Lewis escaped from He listed a false date of birth and false names of parents, the indictment says. According to the indictment, Lewis applied for Social Security benefits under his real Social Security number in 1991 and then in 1994 he applied for benefits under his alias. Lewis was charged with two counts each of mail and wire fraud and one count each of theft of government funds and Social Security fraud. If convicted, Lewis faces incarceration, supervised release, full restitution to the government, a fine, and a special assessment. Melania Trump made a surprise trip to the Big Apple on Wednesday, just a few weeks after she and son Barron packed their bags and moved to the nation's capital. The First Lady was photographed making her way out of Trump Tower a little after 2pm in the afternoon, getting into an SUV while escorted by Secret Service members. She was alone for the trip and not accompanied by her son Barron. Melania tried to keep a low profile, covering her face with over-sized sunglasses after noticing that she was being photographed and wearing a cashmere coat despite the 80 degree heat. Meanwhile, down in Washington DC, her husband was getting the finger from Chicago Cubs star Albert Almora Jr. after welcoming the World Series champions into the Oval office. Scroll down for video Welcome to New York: The First Lady was back in New York City on Wednesday, visiting Trump Tower (above in her SUV without sunglasses) Future looks bright: The First lady hid her face with over-sized glasses after she realized she was being photographed (above) Pulling out: She was spotted exiting the building a little after 2pm and getting into a waiting SUV (above) No chill: She wore a cashmere coat despite the fact that it was 80 degrees in New York City Melania's trip home also came one day after President Trump was once again criticized for his treatment of woman after ordering a member of the Irish press to come stand by his side while on a call with that country's newly appointed prime minister, Leo Varadkar. 'Well, we have a lot of your Irish press watching us. They're just now leaving the room,' President Trump said to the openly gay Varadkar while calling over RTE reporter Caitriona Perry. 'And where are you from? Go ahead, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press. Where are you from?' President Trump then told Perry she had a 'beautiful smile on her face' and said to Varadkar: 'I bet she treats you well.' Perry continued to smile while standing by the desk, then eventually made her way back to stand with the rest of the media. Melania shared just how much she is loving her new life in the nation's capital on Friday in her first major interview since her husband was sworn into office back in January. Enviable envoy: Melania rushed away from Trump Tower in a fleet of SUVs (above) On a mission: It is unclear why the First Lady made a solo trip to NYC On the move: Melania spoke about how much she is enjoying life in the White House during an interview with Fox News last week Happy home She revealed she could not be happier after moving into the White House with son Barron Settling in: When asked how her 11-year-old son was handling the move, Melania said: 'He loves it, yes all settled. He loves it here' The First Lady spoke with 'Fox & Friends' host Ainsley Earhardt in a segment that was filmed on Thursday during the annual Congressional picnic, and revealed that she could not be happier after moving into the White House with son Barron. 'We are enjoying it very much,' Melania said of her time thus far at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When asked how her 11-year-old son was handling the move, Melania said: 'He loves it, yes all settled. He loves it here.' Melania and Barron made the move to Washington DC soon after President Trump's youngest son finished school for the year in Manhattan. Barron will be attending St Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland come September. Blarney: Her visit comes one day after President Trump came under fire for comments he made about the looks of a female reporter from Ireland (above on call with Ireland's prime minister) Flipping out: Back in Washington DC, her husband was getting the finger from Chicago Cubs star Albert Almora Jr. on Wednesday afternoon (above) He skipped out on the Congressional picnic Thursday however, which is held each year on the White House lawn. The President and First Lady were instead joined by staffers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at the soiree, with the couple bringing along their three children Arabella, Theodore and Joseph. Those two families both made the move down from the Big Apple in the wake of President Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton, and the First Lady said in her interview that she does not miss the place she has called home for the past two decades. 'I'm so busy and we're doing so many great stuff. So it's really special place and I love it here,' said Melania, who was born in Slovenia. She became a permanent resident of the United States back in 2001, and five years later she was able to obtain her citizenship after marrying President Trump. President Trump may have his own style, but he's standing up for American values, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNBC on Wednesday. 'I believe every president of the United States stands for our values and ultimately you being to see presidents react in that way,' Rice said. She pointed to the Syrian chemical attack, and Trump's forceful response, both in words and military action. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said President Trump, like every president, 'stands for our values' She also talked to CNBC about the Russia probe saying she has a 'lot of confidence' in Special Counsel Robert Mueller 'You heard President Trump say, for instance, after the Syrian chemical attack, we can't let that stand. What he was saying was the president of the United States can't let that stand,' Rice explained. She noted that the 'language may be different' under the Trump administration, but 'Americans' interests in values are always linked.' 'It's early days in this administration,' she added. 'Let's remember that.' She suggested that President Trump, who had never held elected office before winning the White House last November, would learn the 'value of democratic alliances' especially. 'You know, democracies are amazing, they don't attack their neighbors. They don't trade in child soldiers. They don't trade in human trafficking and the sex trade. They don't harbor terrorists,' she listed. Pivoting the conversation to the Russia, Rice said that the Vladimir Putin-led country should be 'sadly' considered a 'hostile power' after what they did during the 2016 U.S. election cycle. 'Because we need a decent relationship with Russia,' she added, explaining her use of sad. 'But any interference in our election has to be investigated and not just investigated to see what happened, but to see how it doesn't happen again,' the ex-secretary of state said. As for the most prominent Russia probe, the one being run by special counsel Robert Mueller, Rice said she had a 'lot of confidence' in the man. 'I know him well, he was the FBI director when I was the national security adviser and secretary of state,' she explained. 'This is someone who will go to where the truth leads him, and once we have that report we'll have more to act on, in the meantime we need to get about the business of governing because that's what the American people want,' she concluded. Security chiefs faced questions last night over how a hate preacher suspected of radicalising a Paris terrorist was allowed to live in the UK for two years. Tarik Chadlioui, 43, was arrested yesterday at the request of Spanish police, who say he is the spiritual leader of a jihadist network. He is accused of inspiring Omar Mostefai, who blew himself up during the Bataclan theatre siege that claimed 89 lives in Paris in 2015. Chadlioui has urged his followers including 29,000 on Facebook to wage holy war against infidels, promising paradise in return. Tarik Chadlioui, 43, pictured, was arrested yesterday at the request of Spanish police, who say he is the spiritual leader of a jihadist network, but is using human rights laws and legal aid to fight extradition Yet the Moroccan imam was allowed into Britain two years ago under EU freedom of movement rules because he holds a Belgian passport. He is now trying to use human rights laws to fight extradition to Spain and is likely to apply for taxpayerfunded legal aid, claiming he has a right to a family life here. Yesterday the Mail revealed that two Romanian fugitives cannot be extradited because jail cells in their homeland are too small to comply with rulings from the European Court of Human Rights. Chadlioui was arrested at his 800-a-month rented home in Birmingham he shares with his wife, who recently gave birth to their eighth child. Chadlioui claims he has been making a living selling perfume to mosques and market stalls. But Spanish investigators believe he has been flying in and out of Britain for clandestine meetings with jihadis recruited through the hateful sermons he has posted on YouTube and other social media. Spanish authorities arrested four people during the anti-terror operation in Majorca, as well as one in Germany and Chadlioui in Birmingham, UK The British-based imam is accused of helping to recruit ISIS fighters and is accused of inspiring Omar Mostefai, who blew himself up during the Bataclan theatre siege that claimed 89 lives in Paris in 2015 Ranil Jayawardena, a Tory member of the Commons home affairs committee in the last parliament, said: It is absolute critical that we make sure we take back control of our borders to ensure we can stop suspected terror sympathisers getting into Britain. It is unacceptable that those who want to divide us and stir up havoc on our streets should be able to come here. 'Ending free movement rules will guarantee we have complete say over who we allow in. Yesterday, Chadlioui appeared before Westminster magistrates to face extradition proceedings. The Muslim hate preacher was arrested by a counter terror unit in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham as part of an international raid spanning three countries Chadlioui, who is not thought to speak English, sat with his arms folded, listening through an Arabic interpreter. Benjamin Joyes, representing the Spanish authorities, said: It is alleged that the requested person with several others as a member of an organisation gave support to the terrorist organisation Islamic State by means of propaganda and incitement of new members to join the organisation. He produced audio-visual material for the recruitment of jihadis on his YouTube channel for indoctrination and posted symbols and banners for Islamic State on social media. Chadlioui produced his Belgian passport as an identity document before moving into his five-bedroom terraced house in Sparkbrook. His landlord, who asked not to be named, said the terror suspect told him he ran shops in Belgium. The landlord added: He told me he travelled to Belgium a lot because of his businesses, and sometimes imported goods from Egypt. But they would never let me in the house. Spanish police escort a suspect (pictured) that was arrested in Majorca as part of an international terror operation A neighbour said Chadlioui was led out of the house handcuffed and wearing his pyjamas during yesterdays early-morning raid, adding: The children were very pleasant. 'I dont think they went to school too often at one point people from the school came around knocking to find out why they hadnt been attending. Spanish investigators smashed an alleged IS network connected to the imam yesterday, arresting four men in Majorca and another suspect in Dortmund, Germany. A spokesman for Spains national police described Chadlioui as a radical cleric who allegedly acted as the spiritual leader of the group held in Majorca. He said: The investigation began in 2015 when a series of videos were discovered on a website which showed the process of indoctrination, recruitment and subsequent journey to Syria of a young Muslim living in Spain. 'The film promoter was identified as a Salafist imam, who is now under arrest in the UK and being investigated by several European countries. ATTACKS LEFT 130 DEAD The Bataclan Massacre took the lives of 89 people. It was part of a series of coordinated attacks by Islamic State terrorists across Paris on November 13, 2015, which cost the lives of 130 people. Another 352 were injured. Three of the gang stormed a concert by Californian band Eagles of Death Metal held at the Bataclan theatre, forcing the audience to lie on the floor before they began shooting. The terrorists killed 89 during the siege which lasted for two hours and forty minutes. Two of the killers detonated their explosive belts as police arrived at 12.30am. All seven of the terrorists involved were wearing suicide vests; six of them took their own lives and one was shot dead by police. Advertisement The Salafist preacher, whose public persona was very well known by European police forces and intelligence services, devoted himself in private to recruiting people to fight in Syria and collect money for the region. Also known as Tarik Ibn Ali, Chadlioui was born in Morocco but moved to Belgium, where he is said to have become the spiritual leader of Sharia4Belgium. The group took inspiration from Islam4UK, formerly led by convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. He has also been linked to the radical German-based Dawa FFM, which wants Sharia law. Peter Cuthbertson, of the Centre for Crime Prevention think-tank, said: Britain bears far more than our share of the burden of these foreign fanatics taking advantage of asylum rules and freedom of movement to live here and often live off the British taxpayer. 'These hate preachers and Islamic terrorists are just another reason to bring immigration back under proper control. Brussels rules mean that Britain could not have stopped the hate preacher from coming to the UK. European Union citizens can only be turned away if there is a genuine, present and serious threat. Yesterday, Chadliouis lawyers launched a battle against his extradition, citing his right to a private life under article 8 of the Human Rights Act. Saba Ashraf, defending, said: To remand someone of good character who is the sole financial carer for eight children on the basis that he might be a member of an Islamic group seems to be onerous. District judge Shenagh Bayne refused bail and remanded Chadlioui in custody ahead of a hearing at the same court next Wednesday. Security chiefs have already embarked on potentially humiliating investigations into why they missed the danger posed by terrorists who brought bloodshed to Manchester and London in the past two months. Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad were doing surveillance at the time Underworld figure was shot dead by gunmen in the driveway of his Sydney home Police have arrested a man over the gangland execution of hitman Hamad Assaad. The 29-year-old underworld figure was allegedly repeatedly shot in front of his 12-year-old nephew in Sydney's south-west in November last year. Two gunmen allegedly ambushed him on his driveway, at Georges Hall, as the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad conducted surveillance on his house. Following a lengthy investigation by Strike Force Pippa, heavily-armed detectives executed a search warrant at a home at Greenacre at 6am on Thursday. They arrested a 24-year-old man and took him to Bankstown Police Station, where he is expected to be charged with Assad's alleged murder and participating in a criminal group. Scroll down for video Police have arrested a 24-year-old Sydney man (pictured) over the alleged gangland execution of hitman Hamad Assaad in November last year Etched in ink around Hamad Assaad's (pictured) neck was the word 'executioner'. He was allegedly repeatedly shot in front of his nephew by two gunmen while in his driveway Assaad's execution-style murder on October 25 was over in 10 seconds. Detectives outside his Sturt Avenue house tried in vain to save Assaad, who died at the scene. Only one detective conducting surveillance saw the alleged murder, about 9.20am, as the other officers waited around the house for Assaad to emerge, the Sunday Telegraph reported at the time. That officer captured 23 seconds on a handheld video camera of the gunmen driving from the scene. Assaad's home was already the subject of a Firearms Prohibition Order, which meant it could be raided at any time without a warrant. Closed-circuit TV cameras around his house are understood to have captured better vision of the killing. The murdered gangland figure had the word word 'executioner' tattooed around his neck and below that an even more distressing tribute to himself and the lives he had allegedly taken. 'The souls I have taken will never haunt me only the ones I haven't will,' the tattoo said. The suspected underworld killer was the key suspect in the shooting of gangland boss Walid 'Wally' Ahmad who was executed in broad daylight at Bankstown in April. 'The souls I have taken will never haunt me only the ones I haven't will,' Hamad Assaad's tattoo read Assaad is believed to have boasted about the attack on Ahmad, who was known as a 'Mr Big' in Sydney's criminal underworld. He was also believed to have been involved in numerous other shootings in Sydney in recent years. In 2010 Assaad was charged with murder stemming from another drive-by shooting which killed Mohamad Alahmad, 37, but was found not guilty. Assaad, 29, was gunned down and killed in his driveway in Georges Hall Western Sydney in front of his 12-year-old son on Tuesday He is also believed to have shot and wounded convicted murderer Michael Ibrahim, underworld figure Pasquale Barbaro, and the mother and aunt of Bassam Hamzy who founded the Brothers 4 Life gang. Assaad had also allegedly stole about $350,000 worth of methamphetamines from an Asian drug syndicate in the weeks leading up to his murder. Assaad was well known to New South Wales police and detectives from the State Crime Commision and the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad. Assaad did not hide his disdain for authority figures and anyone who cooperated with the police, actively complaining about 'snitches' police informants online. The suspected hitman also complained about his friends letting him down on his social media accounts. 'I used to have a team every weekend ready to go drinking at the local pub and enjoying ourselves, these days all the men of Sydney seem to be too busy waxing their eyebrows and copping a**l beads,' he said. Assaad was farewelled last year at Sydney's Lakemba Mosque, his mother was seen sobbing as the coffin was carried out of the mosque The 'adopted' son of a New York jeweler has appeared in court on murder charges with a newly-styled bouffant as it is alleged he used a pair of jeans to choke his victim in his luxury apartment. James Rackover, 26, is accused of stabbing Joseph Comunale to death at a party in his Upper East Side apartment in November last year after a night of clubbing in Chelsea. The victim, a Hofstra graduate, had already been beaten unconscious and was bleeding when Rackover wrapped the pair of jeans around his neck, according to new court documents filed on Wednesday. The grisly details, which were filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by an attorney for witness Max Gemma, surfaced as the lawyers for the three people inside the apartment fought for separate trials in the murder. James Rackover, 26, appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday charged with the stabbing murder of Joseph Comunale in his New York apartment in November 2016 Rackover and Lawrence Dilione, 28, have been charged with murder in Comunale's death, as well as concealment of a human body, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence. They have both pleaded not guilty. Gemma, who was inside the apartment at the time, was also arrested but pleaded not guilty to charges of hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence. The new court documents filed by Gemma's attorney Mark Bederow allege that Rackover flew into a rage at the party during a fistfight between Comunale and Dilione. He 'punched and kicked (the victim) in the head and face several times, and smashed the back of his head into the hard wood floor several times,' the filings said. 'Rackover's attack left Comunale bleeding profusely and created a bloody mess in the living room floor. 'Rackover panicked about returning to prison. He ordered Gemma and Dilione to take off their clothes.' Comunale, a Hofstra graduate, was allegedly stabbed 15 times at an alcohol and cocaine-fueled party inside Rackover's luxury apartment after an argument over cigarettes Rackover, 26, (above) is accused of stabbing Joseph Comunale to death at a party in his Upper West Side apartment in November last year after a night of clubbing in Chelsea Rackover (right) and Lawrence Dilione (center) have been charged with murder in Comunale's death. Max Gemma (left) is charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence He then allegedly wrapped Dilione's jeans around the victim's neck 'as if he were preparing to choke Communale,' according to the court filings. Gemma was told to leave the apartment, his lawyer said in the documents. 'When Gemma left, Comunale was no longer on the living room floor and Rackover, who was standing in the bathtub, glared at Gemma,' the documents allege. It emerged recently that Rackover allegedly suggested to an undercover police officer shortly after his arrest that his 'roid rage' was to blame for the ordeal. It has previously been alleged that Comunale was stabbed 15 times at the alcohol and cocaine-fueled party inside Rackover's luxury apartment after an argument over cigarettes. His stabbed and burned body was found three days later by police in a shallow grave in Oceanport, New Jersey. Rackover and Dilione are accused of driving Comunale's body from the apartment to New Jersey on the same night he was stabbed and buried him in the shallow ditch. Rackover (right) and Dilione (left) were charged with Comunale's murder last month Rackover lived in the building with his 'adoptive' father, Jeffrey Rackhouse. The famed jeweler has designed baubles for the likes of Jennifer Lopez and was responsible for Melania Trump's $3million engagement ring Dilione previously told cops that he had punched Comunale unconscious after fighting over the pack of cigarettes but claimed it was Rackover who allegedly choked and stabbed the victim. He also alleged that Rackover tried to dismember Comunale in the bathtub with a serrated blade. They allegedly removed Comunale's body from the apartment by using a luggage cart from the luxury building. Rackover lived in the building with his 'adoptive' father, Jeffrey Rackhouse. The famed jeweler has designed baubles for the likes of Jennifer Lopez and was responsible for Melania Trump's $3million engagement ring. The jeweler has since distanced himself from Rackover but he was accused this week in a lawsuit of helping to cover up the murder. Comunale's father claimed 57-year-old Jeffrey provided cleaning supplies to Rackover and claimed the pair were in a sexual relationship. The lawsuit also says that Jeffrey let Rackover borrow his Mercedes-Benz to dispose of the victim's dismembered remains on the Jersey Shore. The man accused of fatally punching a heart surgeon who told him to stop smoking outside a hospital could have his charges upgraded to manslaughter, police say. Respected Melbourne heart and lung surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, had his life support switched off on Tuesday night. Four weeks ago, the married father was king hit in full view of CCTV and rushed to the state's premier trauma centre at The Alfred hospital. Mill Park man Joseph Esmaili, 22, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court earlier this month charged with intentionally causing serious injury. Police are waiting for the results of a post-mortem before reviewing the charges. If upgraded to manslaughter, Esmaili could face up to 20 years behind bars. Scroll down for video Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann (pictured with his twin daughters) has died four weeks after he was punched in the head outside a hospital for telling someone to stop smoking His alleged attacker, 22-year-old Joseph Esmaili (pictured), was charged with assault. Police said they would wait for the post mortem results before reviewing the charges. If upgraded to manslaughter, he could face 20 years behind bars Esmaili allegedly fled the scene after the alleged attack, and was only arrested the next day after police released CCTV footage of him getting out of a lift at Box Hill Hospital. 'Investigators will now await the results of a post-mortem before reviewing charges,' police spokeswoman Natalie Savino said in a statement. The investigation will remain in the control of the local crime investigation unit but will be overseen by the homicide squad. Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann leaves behind his wife, an accomplished lawyer, and their two young twin girls. 'Our family is devastated by Patrick's passing,' the heartbroken family said in a statement on Wednesday. 'We are grateful for the compassion and support we have received from friends, colleagues and the broader community over recent weeks. 'During this difficult time we ask that we are given the space and privacy we need.' Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann (pictured) sustained head injuries and was transferred to The Alfred Hospital, where he died on Tuesday night after four weeks in a critical condition A CCTV image of the alleged attacker, 22-year-old Joseph Esmaili, who faced court earlier this month charged with intentionally causing serious injury The married father of young twin girls told Esmaili off for smoking in the non-smoking area outside the front entrance of Box Hill Hospital It is alleged Esmaili had followed Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann into the foyer of Box Hill Hospital and allegedly hit the surgeon's head from behind. The heart surgeon told Esmaili off for smoking in the non-smoking area outside the front entrance of Box Hill Hospital. Esmaili was visiting a patient with friends. The court heard Esmaili had been suffering from drug withdrawals and psychiatric illness, and he did not apply for bail when he appeared in court earlier this month. 'He's currently withdrawing from a drug dependence,' his defence lawyer said. Magistrate Suzie Cameron remanded him in custody until August 24 and ordered a medical assessment. Photographs obtained by the Daily Mail show the young man posing clutching drinks and with cigarettes hanging out of his mouth. The young man's arrest has shocked neighbours at the Mill Park home where he lived with his family. He was 'friendly' and would often wave hello, one neighbour said. Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann has been remembered as a 'fine father, husband and surgeon' whose contribution made for a better health system and community Esmaili had been suffering from drug withdrawals and psychiatric illness, his defence lawyer told the court in a hearing earlier this month Eastern Health said Mr Pritzwald-Stegmann was an admired member of the senior staff who would leave a lasting legacy as a 'decent and genuine human being'. 'Patrick was a passionate patient advocate, a generous teacher and had particular skill in thoracic surgery,' chief executive David Plunkett said in a statement. 'His work was truly outstanding and his commitment and dedication will be sorely missed by his colleagues, friends and patients. 'Patrick not only leaves a lasting legacy as a surgeon but as a decent and genuine human being dedicated to the wellbeing of others.' Flowers, a portrait and a note were placed at the entrance to Box Hill Hospital on Wednesday in memory of surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann 'Patrick will be sorely missed by his many colleagues, friends and patients,' the note at the memorial read A memorial for Mr Pritzwald-Stegmann was created at the entrance to Box Hill Hospital on Wednesday. Flowers and a note accompanied a portrait of the surgeon at the site where he was hit. 'Patrick will be sorely missed by his many colleagues, friends and patients,' the note read. 'Eastern Health would like to acknowledge his outstanding contribution, and commitment and dedication to his work.' People were pictured at the makeshift memorial showing their respects to the late cardiothoracic surgeon. Staff and visitors were pictured at the makeshift memorial showing their respects to the late cardiothoracic surgeon The makeshift memorial includes a note which reads: 'Patrick will be sorely missed by his many colleagues, friends and patients' 'You are a courageous doctor and you will always be remembered...' a note at the memorial reads Mr Pritzwald-Stegmann also worked at several other hospitals in Melbourne including the Austin, the Northern, Warringal Private and Epworth Eastern. He was a 'fine father, husband and surgeon' whose contribution made for a better health system and community, Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy said. 'Our compassion and care is now with his loved ones and friends enduring this devastation and heartbreak. 'So too it is with those that worked alongside him at Box Hill Hospital and indeed, all of those across our health system who considered Patrick a colleague. 'Our health system and community are the better for his contribution.' Esmaili (pictured with friends) did not apply for bail in court and has not entered a plea Watched by horrified holidaymakers on a sun-drenched beach, a police speedboat carries the body of a drowned migrant into a pretty Spanish tourist port. The 30-year-old Algerian was shipwrecked in perilous seas when he set out, like hundreds of others, on an armada of rickety craft from North Africa to Europe. He was tragically unlucky. Last week, 1,025 migrants arrived illegally on the Andalusia coast, where millions of Britons holiday each year in the famous Costa resorts. Every day, more come on what is now the fastest-growing migrant sea route from Africa to Europe. In a distressing scene, the drowned Algerian in a body bag was dumped on the quayside at the port of Carboneras by police wearing white forensic suits and masks. It was just a few feet from 20 tourists, including Britons, climbing aboard a party cruiser for a late afternoon sail to watch dolphins at play off the coast. Police recovered the body of an Algerian migrant and carried the man into a pretty Spanish tourist port The coastguard boat Guardamar Polimnia brought in migrants who had just been rescued off the North African coast A large number of migrants were rescued off the North African coast and into Almeria, Spain Christofe, the 56-year-old owner of a local cafe overlooking Carboneras beach, saw the body brought in. 'Two others from the same shipwrecked boat were washed up here on the sand 50 yards away yesterday,' he said, referring to an eight-year-old boy and a man of 20 from Algeria. Of course, we're all tragically familiar with pictures of overloaded boats ferrying people from Libya to Italy. Indeed, nearly 9,000 migrants have been rescued from vessels heading for Italy since Saturday. The majority of the 83,000 migrants who arrived illegally in Europe by sea this year took this route, with more than 2,000 drowning during the crossing, according to official United Nations figures. But as I have discovered, there is a new route, from Africa to Southern Spain, where migrants are arriving in increasing numbers on busy holiday beaches. Since the beginning of this year, 5,082 have reached the 250-mile-long Andalusian coastline stretching from Cadiz, past Gibraltar to the Carboneras port resort. According to Spanish coastguards, between 5,000 and 10,000 more migrants mainly from impoverished sub-Saharan nations today wait in Morocco to make the same illegal trip, helped by people-trafficking gangs who charge them 1,300 each for a place on a 'patera', or small boat. Javier Pajaron, security correspondent of regional newspaper Voice Of Almeria, has watched the crisis develop this year. He says: 'Without doubt, most are economic migrants and not refugees. They are looking for a better life. Many never get deported, but just disappear into the black economy.' On the front line of this new sea crossing are Spanish coastguards, who race out of Andalusian ports to save migrants when their boats run into trouble. Around 9,000 migrants have been rescued in the Mediterranean Sea and last week 1,025 migrants arrived illegally in Andalusia Migrants had to be rescued by the coastguard after they had left North Africa together A police speedboat carried the body of a drowned migrant into the Spanish resort of Almeria In the booming resort town of Almeria, where 100,000 British holidaymakers flew in last month, Miguel Parcha is captain of an eight-man, 32-metre rescue vessel, the Guardamar Polimnia. The crew has brought hundreds to safety after answering SOS calls from migrants at sea. Under controversial EU rules, any vessel leaving Morocco and reaching international waters (starting 12 miles off the coast) must be helped by Spain because it's the nearest country. As Captain Parcha says: 'The migrants know we will rescue them if they run into difficulties when they set off from Morocco. That is a fact. We do our work because otherwise they will die.' On board the Polimnia in Almeria port, I was able to see how every wall of the cabin is plastered with photos taken by the crew of migrants they have saved. There are pictures of children, women and many, many young men. 'The children cry at first when we rescue them because they are traumatised,' says 57-year-old Captain Parcha. 'Then, when we bring them on board and they know they are safe, they laugh. Police officers helped transport the body of the Algerian migrant who was found in the water The coastguard (left) helped bring in migrants who had just been rescued close to the North African coast Migrants were waiting to get off the boat after being rescued by the coastguard when they got into trouble 'One six-year-old girl called Happiness had been raped on her long journey to Morocco from sub-Saharan Africa. She was very solemn. We wrapped her in a blanket and gave her sweets, and finally we saw her start to smile.' Captain Parcha and his crew reject the notion that by rescuing migrants they are effectively running a 'taxi service' to Europe, helping people-traffickers who operate with near-impunity in Morocco and Algeria. Newly arrived migrants undergo identity checks while their asylum claims are considered and a decision made about whether or not they should be deported back to their home nation. When the migrants are brought into the Polimnia's home port of Almeria, they walk straight to a reception centre a long, low building hidden behind gates on the quayside for initial registration. Under Spanish immigration rules, within 42 hours they must be taken to a migrant internment camp for further questioning, and a decision made about whether they can claim asylum or must be listed for deportation. However, many deliberately destroy or throw away their identity papers before they sail, to avoid being returned to their country of origin. The law decrees that migrants cannot be kept in the internment camps for more than 60 days. After that, they have to be freed. Those without permission to claim asylum receive a government document stating they are 'due for deportation' to their home countries. However, most simply disappear and are never removed. Desperate women and girls often turn to back-street prostitution. The men sell trinkets on the beach or become black-market labourers in the giant greenhouses which litter the coast, where fruit and vegetables are grown for European supermarkets. The illegals have to find work not only to survive (the state pays benefits only to asylum seekers) but also because they owe a vast sum of money to the trafficking gangs for their place on a boat. In a sophisticated enterprise, the gang members operating both in Spain and across Africa stay in touch with migrants in person, by mobile phone or social media, extorting the cash by threatening to harm their families back home. These debts can take years to clear. As Almeria charity worker Juan Mirelles explained: 'They arrive penniless, so they have to earn money to refund the fare to traffickers and to avoid starving.' In Carboneras on carnival day I meet Fatima, a 39-year-old mother-of-three who is selling Moroccan-made baskets outside busy promenade restaurants. She sits on a wall under a tree, her youngest son, Mohammed, asleep in a pushchair beside her. A group of migrants were photographed on an inflatable boat close to the shore after being rescued Some of the migrants on the boat put their arms up in the air after being rescued close to Spain They had bottles of water after being rescued by the coastguard boat Guardamar Polimnia Fatima was born in Senegal and came to Spain by boat. 'I make a living this way,' she says, looking exhausted at 9pm. 'There are a lot of people from my country in Spain, because there is no money for us at home.' I wonder despite Senegal's poverty why she and thousands of others from Islamic countries choose to come to Spain, a deeply Christian nation with a painful history of Muslim conquest which is still taught to children in schools. In Fatima's case, without doubt, it is a simple and understandable economic imperative to try to make a better life for her family. But there are increasing fears among European intelligence agencies that hiding among the migrants on the hundreds of 'pateras' are ISIS terrorists coming into Spain undercover. In a terrifying twist, the trafficking trade itself is believed increasingly to be run by ISIS terrorists with links to the gangs running migrant boats out of Morocco. In turn, the handsome profits are funnelled towards the terror group. Andalusia was occupied by Muslims (known as the Moors) from 711 to 1492. After that, the Christian re-conquest of Spain took place, during which 100,000 Muslims were killed. Islamic State believes Andalusia and much of Spain should still belong to them. ISIS declared in an official statement last year: 'Spain has for centuries done everything to destroy the Koran.' It called on jihadists to seize control of the country. An ISIS video crowed: 'Spain is the land of our forefathers, and we are going to take it back with the power of Allah.' The scenario Islamic State dreams of has chilling echoes of the recent past. In 2010, just before his regime's collapse, Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi demanded 4 billion a year from the EU to halt the flow of migrants from the North African coast. Gaddafi threatened to 'turn Europe black' and send in terrorists, too, if he did not get the money, which was refused. There are now fears that ISIS has adopted a similar strategy, and plans to overwhelm Europe by flooding it with migrants. Frontex, the EU's external border control agency, estimates that millions of people from sub-Saharan and Arab nations are preparing to leave for Europe from the North African coast. The problem is so huge that, last week, the British Government announced it is to spend 75 million of the controversial foreign aid budget on trying to send home migrants before they set out from North Africa. A three-year scheme to stem the crossings will include giving them free flights back to their own African nations. Anthony Glees, director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, has described Spain as a potential jihadist hot spot, with the holiday resorts being particularly vulnerable. 'They are a magnet for those who want to harm tourists,' he said. Meanwhile, the police in Almeria and along this coastline struggle to cope with the huge influx. One officer warned in a national newspaper last week that bringing in the drowned bodies (of which there are many) and ferrying the rescued to deportation centres means the police are short of officers to work on 'countering Islamic terrorism' in Spain. Like Professor Glees, the Spanish authorities say this is a 'hot point' for jihadis, who hide up and train in the coastal province, planning attacks on Europe. But, for now, it is the migrant numbers that are worrying the locals most. Maria Dolores Valencia, general secretary of the United Syndicate of Police, said: 'We have warned our government that many more migrants will arrive this summer, when the seas are calm and with their own countries in crisis.' Jose Antonio Alcarez, spokesman for the Spanish Police Federation, told the Mail: 'We have a huge problem. We just can't deal with the migrant numbers. If we don't get more police to help, we will not be able to control the streets in Andalusia this summer.' At a primary school in a town along the coast from Almeria, I watched as migrant families, mothers in hijabs and fathers with beards and sandals, waited to pick up their children. And I saw young Africans, on shiny new charity bikes, pedalling along the coastal roads. Back in Almeria, on a baking hot evening, I stood on the coast road and watched Captain Parcha's boat bring 48 more migrants into the port after rescuing them at sea. On an adjoining beach, Spanish families mixed with holidaymakers as the bright red vessel, full of waving migrants on the deck, raced in. Two local boys of about 11 standing near me saw the boat arrive, too. 'The Moors are coming again,' one remarked to the other, and the pair of them laughed. It was a childish joke, made without hostility. But if these migrants continue to arrive in such numbers, there must be a fear that ancient divisions will begin to rear their ugly head once more. Dozens of schools have provoked anger by threatening to cut the teaching week short, blaming the decision on Government cuts. Headteachers claimed they may have no choice but to close early on one or more days to cut down on staffing costs amid a budget squeeze. The proposals would cause chaos for working parents, who could have to pay for extra childcare or clock off early. It is also feared the reduced hours could have a negative effect on children's education, as in some cases it may add up to three weeks less per year. Parents have blasted Danemill Primary School in Leicestershire after it proposed ending the school day at lunchtime on Fridays from October A primary school in Leicestershire has become the first to confirm plans to send pupils home at lunchtime on Fridays from this October. In a letter to parents, Danemill Primary School in Enderby proposed pupils finish at 1.05pm two hours and 15 minutes early to allow staff to prepare for lessons. Yesterday, critics questioned whether such drastic action was necessary and accused schools of harming children's education. Tory MP David Morris said: 'I am disturbed by a school withdrawing education from children in a pre-emptive move to combat cuts which have not been confirmed by the Government nor will they be as under the fair funding formula no school will lose income.' David Morris, MP said he was 'disturbed' by the move Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: 'This is absolutely the wrong thing to do. The children's education must come first. Cutting teaching hours in this arbitrary way is not justified.' Although the Government says it has protected education funding in real terms, schools say there is still a shortfall because of rising staffing costs and pupil numbers. The Institute for Fiscal Studies recently concluded the extra 4 billion promised in the Conservative manifesto would still lead to a real terms cut in per pupil funding between 2016 and 2022. Danemill is believed to be the first school to create a concrete plan for such a measure. Its letter claimed the Government's new national funding meant it would receive 'significantly less money'. It added: 'In order to do this in the current economic climate we propose making the following adjustment which will have the least impact on your child's education.' The school said it will provide 'enrichment' activities for children if they cannot go home. Paul Chamberlain, who has a ten-year-old son at Danemill said: 'I want my boy to have as much lesson time as possible. I just don't want any missed time at school to hold him back.' Fellow parent Lauren Cummings said: 'It's hard enough to get child care at normal school closing times let alone at lunch times.' City Academy in Hackney, East London, which said it wanted to shorten the timetable by 30 minutes each day due to 'recent cash freezes and ongoing financial pressures' School executive headteacher Dawn White and headteacher Tracey Lawrence told parents the move was due to the school receiving 'significantly less funding' from the government A number of other schools have threatened to implement similar policies, including City Academy in Hackney, East London, which said it wanted to shorten the timetable by 30 minutes each day due to 'recent cash freezes and ongoing financial pressures'. By law, schools can reduce the number of hours they offer, but cannot take away a whole day. The Department for Education rules schools must meet for at least 190 days during any school year. The move is expected to save the school money on teachers wages, but will mean children from one of the poorest regions will lose the equivalent of three weeks learning per year. Meanwhile, in April, Selly Oak Trust School, a special needs school in Birmingham, announced it would have to shorten its working day as a result of budget cuts. In June Dr Anne Hudson, head of Langley Park School for Girls in Bromley, Kent, told parents she would have to possibly shorten the school week for some year groups to plug a 700,000 shortfall if Theresa May were to be re-elected. And in January, five Cheshire principals said they could cut the school week down, including Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School head teacher Denis Oliver. Peter Woodman, head of the Weald school in Billingshurst, above, said they were 'considering all the options' to save money In January, five Cheshire principals said they could cut the school week down, including Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School head teacher Denis Oliver He said he was investigating the possibility of having children working at home with their teachers online as virtual support, [thereby] saving on heating, lighting, cleaning and transport costs. In October headteachers at every school in West Sussex wrote to parents warning they may be forced to close for one day a week unless they receive emergency financial assistance from the Government. In a letter, headteachers warned the crippling effect of consistent underfunding has prompted schools to consider modifying opening hours in a bid to cut costs. Peter Woodman, head of the Weald school in Billingshurst and chair of the West Sussex Secondary Heads executive said: We are considering all the options and thats one option we have to consider. If we are trying to save money there are limited things we can do. The West Sussex letters were coordinated by the Worth Less? campaign run by a group of head teachers. By law, schools can reduce the number of hours they offer per week, but they cannot take away a whole day. In June Dr Anne Hudson, head of Langley Park School for Girls in Bromley, Kent, told parents she would have to possibly shorten the school week for some year groups Selly Oak Trust School, a special needs school in Birmingham, announced it would have to shorten its working day as a result of budget cuts Department for Education has decreed that schools must meet for at least 380 sessions or 190 days during any school year to educate their pupils. It comes after members of the NAHT head teachers union called for primary schools across the country to close for half a day every week in protest at a squeeze on funding. The school leaders said they wanted to introduce a four-and-a-half day week as a last resort if more funding was not promised. At its annual conference in April, a motion passed calling to explore every available option including reducing the school week to four and a half days. Speaking after the debate, Carlisle headteacher Clem Coady, who proposed the amendment said: We feel, when we put this amendment together, that the four-and-a-half day week must be seen as ultimately, the very last resort because we dont want to cut the offer that we are giving to parents, to children, to families, to our staff. But theres got to be some way of forcing and opposing these Government-imposed cuts. A DfE spokesman said: 'We want to make sure all children ... have a world-class education. The core schools budget has been protected in real terms since 2010 and is set to rise from 41 billion in 2017-18 to over 42 billion in 2019-20 ... We recognise schools are facing cost pressures and will continue to provide support to help them use their funding in cost effective ways.' Tony Blackburn is returning to Radio 1 for the first time in 33 years, for a special show marking its 50th anniversary He was the first DJ to broadcast on Radio 1, launching it as the BBC's new pop music station. And now Tony Blackburn is returning for the first time in 33 years, for a special show marking its 50th anniversary. Mr Blackburn, 74, will host an hour-long special on Saturday 30 September, alongside the station's current breakfast show host, Nick Grimshaw. The pair will invite other former Radio 1 DJs onto the show as guests, and play a mix of archive footage and hit records from the last five decades. They will also revisit some of the station's old jingles, sung by the likes of The Who and Abba. Yesterday Mr Blackburn was incredulous that pop music was barely broadcast on the BBC before Radio 1 existed. 'It is hard to imagine that there was a time when the BBC would only play 45 minutes of popular music per day and we, as teenagers, had to wait until 7pm in the evening for Radio Luxembourg [the pop music slot] to come on and play the music we wanted to hear.' Mr Blackburn's Radio 1 show will go out simultaneously on Radio 2 which will also be marking its 50th anniversary. And it will help to kick off a three-day 'pop-up' vintage station, playing 50 hour-long programmes hosted by different Radio 1 DJs from the ages. Most of the shows will be mined from the archives, but some DJs will come back on air to introduce their segment. Many older viewers hoping for a trip down memory lane are likely to be disappointed, however. The pop up station will not be broadcast on AM or FM, so they will only be able to listen online or via a digital 'DAB' radio. Yesterday, BBC Radio 1 boss Ben Cooper, was unapologetic, saying: 'We are doing this partly to promote digital listeningHopefully it will appeal to a generation who were brought up on a transistor radio, and hopefully this will push more people to buy digital radio.' He added that it would have been wrong to put the station on Radio 1 itself, because today's young people do not care about old-time DJs. Mr Blackburn, 74, will host an hour-long special on Saturday 30 September, alongside the station's current breakfast show host, Nick Grimshaw, above 'A 50th birthday feels like your parents, 50th anniversary feels like your grandparents to a young audienceIt was about saying we need to reflect Radio 1's history, but we felt that in terms of a modern audience 15 to 24 year olds that probably wasn't the right thing to do on our airwaves.' But whilst the BBC celebrates the station's high points, there will be no mention of the Radio 1 DJs whose fame has lasted for all the wrong reasons. A string of radio 1 DJs have been exposed as child sex abusers, rapists and other kinds of sex pests most notoriously Jimmy Savile. The Radio 1 DJ raped dozens of youngsters, including boys, in an astonishing campaign of abuse was only properly uncovered after his death. Chris Denning is in jail for child sex abuse and David Lee Travis was convicted of indecent assault. John Peel allegedly got a 15-year-old pregnant, but died before he could be charged. Meanwhile, Tony Blackburn was famously sacked from his Radio 2 show in 2016, after the BBC found that his testimony to its Jimmy Saville inquiry 'fell short'. He has since been reinstated and is host of Radio 2's Sound of the Sixties. Yesterday, Mr Cooper said that there was no need to go over old ground during the station's 50th anniversary broadcast. He said: 'I think that part of Radio 1's history is well-documented so for obvious reasons we're not going to go there.' Instead the BBC wants to 'highlight the fact that Radio 1 has been the soundtrack for so many people's lives in the UK,' he said. The Radio 1 boss also defended the station about a sharp fall in its audience figures. Tony Blackburn in Capital Radio in 1991, above. He was the first DJ to broadcast on Radio 1, launching it as the BBC's new pop music station The station has lost a fifth of its listeners over the last five years, as more and more youngsters give up on the BBC in favour of other stations or platforms like Spotify. But Mr Cooper said the station should be judged on its 'effect on young people's lives' and 'how important it is to the music industry' instead of simple audience figures. He said other BBC radio stations will soon follow in Radio 1's footsteps and lose 'live' listeners but win more digital followers. 'Radio 1 is at the cutting edge. We're at the coal face. What happens on Radio 1 today will happen on the other stations tomorrow.' Mr Cooper hinted that the BBC will try and maximise its impact on the music industry next summer, by staging a major music festival in place of Glastonbury. The longstanding festival is resting for a year. Asked whether the BBC would use the fallow year to launch its own event in a field, Mr Cooper said: 'We have been thinking about that, yes. We are currently thinking about that and formalising some ideas. I think we will be able to announce what BBC Music will do in 2018 very shortly.' Carved skull fragments found at an ancient site in Turkey reveal that the ceremonial grounds were used by a previously undiscovered 'skull cult' 11,000 years ago. The brutal modifications, which were etched into the skulls after death using sharp flint tools, have never been seen before among human remains of the time. Damage to fragments of bone found at the Gobekli Tepe site includes holes drilled into the top of skulls and deeply gouged strips across their surface. The ritual carvings could have been used to strip 'power' from the dead - either the remains of loved ones or the corpses of conquered enemies. They could also have been used to stabilise the skulls as they were strung up around the ritualistic site on display. Scroll down for video Carved skull fragments found at an ancient site in Turkey reveal that the ceremonial grounds were used by a previously undiscovered 'skull cult' 11,000 years ago. Pictured are details of the skull modifications. A, C, D show surface carvings, while B shows a drilled hole SKULL CULTS Throughout history, people have valued skulls for different reasons, from ancestor worship to the belief that human skulls transmit protective properties. This focus on the skull has led to the establishment of the term 'skull cult' in anthropology, and various such cults - each with characteristic modifications to skull bones - have been found before. Skull cults have been found to use a variety of modifications, the most popular of which is to remove the heads of the dead and place them somewhere. Other cults would paint skulls using lots of colours or even remove the flesh from them and plaster over the remains. Advertisement Because the carving technique is a world first for the time period, these modified skull fragments could point to a new 'skull cult' - or ritual group - from Neolithic Anatolia, the researchers said. 'These skulls had deep cast lines on the surface, not just cut marks which you would expect in de-fleshing, such as through animal scavenging of the corpses,' study lead author Dr Julia Gresky, from the German Archaeological Institute, told MailOnline. 'The carvings were intentional, people had cut in the same area many times I had never seen anything like it before.' The three skulls found at the site were likely carved to venerate ancestors not long after their death, the authors said, or to put recently 'dispatched' enemies on display. A hole drilled into the top of one of the skulls could have had rope fed through it to hang up around the site, the researchers said, while gouged markings along it's sides could have been used to hold the rope in place. 'We cant say what happened for sure at Gobekli Tepe but cultures throughout history have believed that special forces go from the dead to the living,' Dr Gresky told MailOnline. 'Some cultures would make cuts or carvings into skulls and then make contact with it to pass on these special forces.' The researchers, from the German Archaeological Institute in Munich, have been working on the ancient site since 2009. The brutal modifications, which were etched into the skulls after death using sharp flint tools, have never been seen before among human remains of the time. Using the fragments, scientists were able to reconstruct the three skulls they belonged to (pictured) THE GOBEKLI TEPE PEOPLE Little is known about the Neolithic people who used the Gobekli Tepe site. Rough estimates put the stonework at around 11,000 years old, meaning the first groups to use it would have been Neolithic. During the past eight years of excavations, Dr Gresky and her team have found few clues as to who the group were. 'So far we have only found a few fragments of the people living at the site,' she told MailOnline. 'We have found male and female adults, as well as children, and we know some of them lived to be as old as 50. 'The structures at the site tell us they were very strong - the stone pillars are up to 4 metres (13 feet) high and very heavy, and they moved everything by hand. 'They must have had a good reason to build it, which is what makes us think Gobekli Tepe was an early religious site.' Skulls were likely put up on display around the site or used as part of rituals. Advertisement They say that site's architecture points to it being a ceremonial or ritualistic ground, and that the strange skull carvings support this theory. 'This is not a typical settlement, it has large monumental structures in a circle in the centre, so it is not a structure you would live in,' Dr Gresky told MailOnline. 'It could be a place of ritual, but what kind of rituals we do not know. This reconstruction shows what the skull modifications could have been used for. A drilled hole at the top of the cranium is used to suspend the skull with a cord (red), while carvings were used for stabilisation to prevent the cord from slipping STUDYING THE SKULLS The researchers used scanning electron microscopes to look at the features of the cuts and found they were inflicted using a flint utensil known as a 'lithic tool'. Marks made with these tools - which leave distinctive marks - ruled out natural causes for the damage, like animal gnawing. The depth of the markings showed meant that the marks were not caused by scalping, the infamous skull modification used by Native American tribesmen. Reconstructions showed that each skull had intentional deep incisions along its sagittal axes, and that one of those skulls also displayed a drilled hole in the left parietal bone, as well as red ochre remnants - used to paint the skull after death. Advertisement 'In this context the fragments make sense because - together with sculpted limestone heads and other skull-focused features at the site - points to a cult with a special focus on the skull.' Throughout history, people have valued skulls for different reasons, from ancestor worship to the belief that human skulls transmit protective properties. This focus on the skull has led to the establishment of the term 'skull cult' in anthropology, and various such cults each with characteristic modifications to skull bones have been found before. Skull cults have been found to use a variety of modifications, the most popular of which is to remove the heads of the dead and place them somewhere. Other cults would paint skulls using lots of colours or even remove the flesh from them and plaster over the remains. But no Neolithic Anatolia skulls had ever turned up with the carvings found by the Munich team. This image shows one of the skull fragments found at the site with cut marks. The ritual carvings could have been used to strip 'power' from the dead - either the remains of loved ones or the corpses of conquered enemies The researchers used scanning electron microscopes to look at the features of the cuts and found they were inflicted using a flint utensil known as a 'lithic tool'. Marks made with these tools - which leave distinctive marks - ruled out natural causes for the damage, like animal gnawing. The depth of the markings showed meant that the marks were not caused by scalping, the infamous skull modification used by Native American tribesmen. Frontal bone fragment of skull 3 with carvings (1) and cut marks (2,3). Because the carving technique is a world first for the time period, these modified skull fragments could point to a new 'skull cult' - or ritual group - from the Neolithic period, the researchers said Reconstructions showed that each skull had intentional deep incisions along its sagittal axes, and that one of those skulls also displayed a drilled hole in the left parietal bone, as well as red ochre remnants - used to paint the skull after death. Little is known of the Neolithic people who used the Gobekli Tepe site. During the past eight years of excavations, Dr Gresky and her team have found few clues as to who the group were. An aerial view of Gobekli Tepe. Rough estimates put the stonework at around 11,000 years old, meaning the first groups to use it would have been Neolithic Part of the 11,000-year-old Gobekli Tepe site, known as 'Southeast-Hollow.' The skulls were likely carved to venerate ancestors not long after their death, say the authors, or to put recently 'dispatched' enemies on display 'So far we have only found a few fragments of the people living at the site,' she told MailOnline. 'We have found male and female adults, as well as children, and we know some of them lived to be as old as 50. 'The structures at the site tell us they were very strong - the stone pillars are up to 4 metres (13 feet) high and very heavy, and they moved everything by hand. 'They must have had a good reason to build it, which is what makes us think Gobekli Tepe was an early religious site.' Anthropomorphic statues found at Gobekli Tepe. (A) Intentionally decapitated 60-centimetre (23-inch) human statue. (B) A 26-centimetre (10-inch) gift bearer holding a human head in his hands. (C) 'Pillar 43' with imagery of a headless individual, one arm raised (bottom right) A pillar from Building D at Gobekli Tepe seen from the southeast, with a headless individual depicted in the bottom right hand corner While you might think of dentistry as a modern profession, a study of 130,000-year-old teeth suggests that Neanderthals could have been doing a prehistoric version of the job long ago. Researchers discovered multiple toothpick grooves, possibly created when trying to treat toothache, on four teeth from a Neanderthal's mouth. The findings undermine previous studies that have painted Neanderthals as having 'subhuman' abilities, and instead suggest they were intelligent beings. Scroll down for video Researchers discovered multiple toothpick grooves and signs of other manipulations on four teeth from a Neanderthal's mouth WHAT DID THEY FIND? The researchers analysed four mandibular teeth from the left side of a Neanderthal's mouth. Using a microscope, the researchers noted several damages on the teeth, including occlusal wear, toothpick groove formation, dentin scratches, and ante mortem, lingual enamel fractures. The mandible (lower jaw) has not been found, so it is unclear whether the Neanderthal suffered from any tooth disease. But the scratches and grooves on the teeth suggest that they were likely causing irritation and discomfort for some time, according to the researchers. Two of the teeth the premolar and M3 molar had been pushed out of their normal positions, and had several toothpick grooves. The other two teeth a premolar and third molar had several kinds of dental manipulations. Chips on the teeth were on the tongue side and at different angles, suggesting that the damage was done when the Neanderthal was still alive, the researchers said. Advertisement Researchers from the University of Kansas analysed the Neanderthal teeth. Professor David Frayer, who led the study, said: 'As a package, this fits together as a dental problem that the Neanderthal was having and was trying to presumably treat itself, with the toothpick grooves, the breaks and also with the scratches on the premolar. 'It was an interesting connection or collection of phenomena that fit together in a way that we would expect a modern human to do. 'Everybody has had dental pain, and they know what it's like to have a problem with an impacted tooth.' The researchers analysed four mandibular teeth from the left side of a Neanderthal's mouth. The teeth were found at the Krapina site in Croatia over 100 years ago, but in recent years, researchers have re-examined many items collected from the site. Using a microscope, the researchers noted several damages on the teeth, including occlusal wear, toothpick groove formation and dentin scratches. The mandible (lower jaw) has not been found, so it is unclear whether the Neanderthal suffered from any tooth disease. But the scratches and grooves on the teeth suggest that they were likely causing irritation and discomfort for some time, according to the researchers Two of the teeth had been pushed out of their normal positions, and had several toothpick grooves. Professor Frayer said: 'The scratches indicate this individual was pushing something into his or her mouth to get at that twisted premolar.' Using a microscope, the researchers noted several damages on the teeth, including occlusal wear, toothpick groove formation, dentin scratches, and ante mortem, lingual enamel fractures Two of the teeth the premolar and M3 molar had been pushed out of their normal positions, and had several toothpick grooves. The other two teeth a premolar and third molar had several kinds of dental manipulations The other two teeth a premolar and third molar had several kinds of dental manipulations. Chips on the teeth were on the tongue side and at different angles, suggesting that the damage was done when the Neanderthal was still alive, the researchers said. While the researchers are unsure what the Neanderthal used as a toothpick, they believe it could have been a bone or stem of grass. While the researchers are unsure what the Neanderthal used as a toothpick, they believe it could have been a bone or stem of grass. Pictured are toothpick marks on one of the teeth While previous studies have suggested that Neanderthals had 'subhuman' abilities, the researchers believe their findings suggest otherwised Professor Frayer told MailOnline: 'No one has ever found an actual toothpick at a Neanderthal site, even though many Neanderthals used them. 'Experimental work has shown that grass stems could have produced them or bone or wood. 'I have looked for small pointed, nonhuman bones in the Krapina collection, but never found anything.' Chips on the teeth were on the tongue side and at different angles, suggesting that the damage was done when the Neanderthal was still alive, the researchers said The teeth were found at the Krapina site in Croatia over 100 years ago, but in recent years, researchers have re-examined many items collected from the site Professor Frayer said: 'It's maybe not surprising that a Neanderthal did this, but as far as I know, there's no specimen that combines all of this together into a pattern that would indicate he or she was trying to presumably self-treat this eruption problem.' While previous studies have suggested that Neanderthals had 'subhuman' abilities, the researchers believe their findings suggest otherwised. Professor Frayer told MailOnline: 'Neanderthals are not the bumbling fools most people think of when their name is mentioned. 'This study just adds another piece of evidence to their complex behaviour. Professor Frayer added: 'It fits into a pattern of a Neanderthal being able to modify its personal environment by using tools, because the toothpick grooves, whether they are made by bones or grass stems or who knows what, the scratches and chips in the teeth, they show us that Neanderthals were doing something inside their mouths to treat the dental irritation. 'Or at least this one was.' BUTTE Democrat Senator Jon Tester got assurances Tuesday from Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt that he will enforce Superfund regulations despite seeking to slash $326 million from cleanup sites, including Butte, during a Senate hearing in Washington. Pruitt's hearing before the 15-member Senate subcommittee on appropriations for the environment and other agencies provided an opportunity for Pruitt to discuss the EPAs proposed budget for 2018. Both Tester and Republican Sen. Steve Daines are members of the committee. The proposed 2018 fiscal year budget is $5.65 billion. That is $2.6 billion below the 2017 fiscal year budget. Pruitt must get congressional approval. During the discussion Tester brought Butte to Pruitts attention, highlighting the Berkeley Pit a former copper strip mine now filled with metal-laden water. Butte, America has a pit a mile long and a mile wide that has been full of toxic water, Tester told Pruitt. You told me that you are going to punish bad actors. It is your job to hold these bad actors accountable and make sure they come to the table with a wallet that has money in it, and the EPA must oversee the cleanup. Tell me how this budget meets this core mission? Pruitt said that either the responsible party would pay for the cleanup or EPA would sue, which is the normal stratagem EPA pursues to get money for cleanup activity. In the case of Butte and Anaconda's cleanup, the responsible party, Atlantic Richfield, has been paying for the cleanup for years. Pruitt assured Tester that his proposed stripped-down budget does meet EPA's core mission and said that while serving as Oklahomas Attorney General, he knew what it meant "to make bad actors responsible. Pruitt also said he wants EPA, under his direction, to show progress, and if Superfund is not showing progress, he would advise and make you (Tester) aware of that. Despite Pruitt's assurances that the reduced budget would not mean a reduced EPA, Tester vowed to fight to restore the cuts as the Senate Appropriations Committee sets 2018 funding levels. Tester also raised concerns with Pruitt over the lack of community input during Superfund negotiations between EPA and companies responsible for the pollution. He specifically referred to Butte and its confidential negotiations, which have been going on for years over the Butte Hill cleanup. The EPA consistently goes into negotiations with these companies and the local community is never told what is going on, Tester said. They are left out in the cold. Can you give me assurance that it is not business as usual and folks will know what is going on during these negotiations? Its already not business as usual, Pruitt said. An email query to EPAs Washington, D.C., office seeking more information on what that might mean was not answered by press time. Critics of the proposed budget and of a new Superfund task force set to incentivize private investment at Superfund sites and implement "public-private partnerships," into the Superfund program say the real goal is to eliminate environmental regulations. During his testimony, Pruitt said he strongly supports cooperative federalism, and stressed making efforts to partner EPA with states. But whether that means Pruitt will continue to fund the Montana Department of Environmental Quality with roughly $15 million annually is not clear. DEQs overall annual budget is $60 million. An email requesting EPAs Washington D.C. office to clarify on whether state funding would be affected was not responded to by press time. The way that a volcano bulges and shrinks in size as it fills up with magma could help scientists predict eruptions weeks before they strike. Scientists studying Kilauea in Hawaii found that the summit of the volcano grows larger as magma pours upwards from a lava reservoir deep inside the Earth's crust. By studying the way the volcano bulges and shrinks 'like a balloon', as well as the amount of energy flowing through it, researchers were able to accurately predict when an eruption will happen. Scroll down for video The way that a volcano bulges and shrinks in size could help scientists figure out when a deadly eruption will strike. Pictured is Kilauea Volcano HOW CAN SCIENTISTS PREDICT AN ERUPTION? By studying the way the volcano bulges and shrinks 'like a balloon', as well as the amount of energy flowing through it, researchers were able to accurately predict when an eruption will happen. They monitored the energy running through the volcano using a technique called 'seismic noise interferometry'. Seismic noise is a persistent low-level vibration in the Earth, caused by everything from earthquakes to waves in the ocean, and can often be read on a single sensor as random noise. But by pairing two sensors together, the researchers were able to record how fast the vibrations were travelling. This is because they were able to record how quickly the vibrations moved from one sensor to another. The researchers found the speed at which seismic energy travels correlates with the bulging and shrinking of volcanoes. Volcanoes bulge and shrink 'like a baloon' as magma flows into them from deep-crust reservoirs. They found the swelling of a volcano corresponds to the speed at which seismic energy travels. By studying this relationship, they could accurately predict when a volcano would erupt. Advertisement Using a technique called 'seismic noise interferometry', the researchers measured the speed of energy moving through a volcano. Seismic noise is a persistent low-level vibration in the Earth, caused by everything from earthquakes to waves in the ocean, and can often be read on a single sensor as random noise. But by pairing two sensors together, the researchers were able to record how fast the vibrations were travelling. This is because they were able to record how quickly the vibrations moved from one sensor to another. This allowed them to isolate the seismic noise that was coming from the volcano. Clare Donaldson, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge, told MailOnline: 'Seismic noise can be generated by things like the oceans crashing around or fluid processes at a volcano. 'We look at how this seismic energy travelling between seismometers changes with time, specifically, if the seismic waves get faster or slower. 'This seismic velocity tells us something useful about the state of the volcano. 'The cracks in the rock of the volcano tend to open and close slightly, depending on how pressurised the volcano is - which is very important for eruption prediction.' The researchers found the speed at which seismic energy travels correlates with the bulging and shrinking of volcanoes. Data was collected by the US Geological Survey across Kilauea in Hawaii, a very active volcano with a lake of bubbling lava just beneath its summit. During a four-year period, the researchers used sensors to measure relative changes in the speed of volcanic tremors moving through the volcano over time. They then compared their results with a second set of data which measured tiny changes in the bulging and shrinking of the volcano's summit over the same time period. As Kilauea is such an active volcano, it is constantly bulging and shrinking as pressure in the magma chamber beneath the summit increases and decreases. The scientists studied the explosive behaviour of Kilauea volcano, which is on the Hawaiian island of Hilo Kilauea's current eruption started in 1983, and it spews and sputters lava almost constantly. Earlier this year, a large part of the volcano fell away and it opened up a huge 'waterfall' of lava into the ocean below. Due to this high volume of activity, Kilauea is also one of the most-studied volcanoes on Earth. Earlier this year, a large part of the volcano fell away and it opened up a huge 'waterfall' of lava into the ocean below KILAUEA VOLCANO It's thought that the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii formed anywhere from 300,000-600,000 years ago. And, it has been active ever since, according to the US Geological Survey. It erupts from three main areas, the summit and two rift zones, and most of these events are 'relatively gentle.' 'Every few decades to centuries, however, powerful explosions spread ejecta across the landscape,' according to the USGS's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. 'Such explosions can be lethal, as the one in 1790 that killed scores of people in a war party near the summit of Kilauea.' Advertisement One to two kilometres (around a mile) below Kilauea's lava lake, there is a reservoir of magma. As the amount of magma changes in this underground reservoir, the whole summit of the volcano bulges and shrinks. At the same time, the seismic velocity changes. As the magma chamber fills up, it causes an increase in pressure, which leads to cracks closing in the surrounding rock and producing faster seismic waves. Ms Donaldson said: 'Volcanoes tend to inflate when molten rock builds up below the surface, a bit like a balloon. 'Kilauea is constantly inflating and deflating as molten rock (magma) fills up and empties in a reservoir about 1-2km underground (we say the reservoir is 'pressurising when it fills up'). 'At the same time, the bubbling lava lake - which is so iconic - rises and falls. We see the seismic velocity getting faster and slower too.' By studying the bulging and shrinking of the volcano, as well as the speed of seismic energy, the researchers were able to accurately predict when an eruption will happen. Ms Donaldson added the technique had previously been used to predict eruptions weeks before they had happened. Scientists currently measure the risk of a volcanic eruption by monitoring the activity of small earthquakes inside the volcano. That's because when magma moves underground, it often sets off tiny earthquakes as it cracks its way through solid rock. But sometimes magma can flow silently, through pre-existing pathways, and no earthquakes may occur. A waterfall of molten lava pours out of Kilauea into the Pacific Ocean. The activity of the explosive volcano has helped scientists develop a method to predict eruptions The new technique developed by the researchers is able to pick up on the silent magma flows, which could allow scientists to detect eruptions that would otherwise be missed. Ms Donaldson said: 'This technique is still new, so there's lots more to find out, but we hope this piece of research will further the method for use at volcanoes around the world. 'Volcano monitoring is best done with a range of methods, for example by studying deformation of the ground surface using tilt and GPS, and by detecting earthquakes using seismometers. 'This is because many things may be happening at a volcano at any one time and the more information [that could detect an eruption], the better.' The researchers anticipate that this new research will allow the method to be used at the hundreds of active volcanoes around the world. Their results are reported in the journal Science Advances. Hen harriers are on the brink of extinction in England after the number of breeding pairs fell to four last year, according to worrying new figures. The fifth national hen harrier survey showed the number of breeding pairs of the bird of prey in England fell from 12 in 2010 to just four in 2016. Scotland which is home to 80 per cent of the UK population of hen harriers saw its number of breeding pairs drop to 460 in 2016 from 505 six years previously. Scroll down for video The fifth national hen harrier survey showed the number of breeding pairs of the bird of prey (pictured) in England fell from 12 in 2010 to just four in 2016 HEN HARRIERS Hen harriers mainly live in open areas with low vegetation, normally in the moorlands of Wales, Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In winter they move to lowland farmland and river valleys. They mainly feed on small birds and mammals and used to hunt free-range fowl which is how they got their name. Males are pale grey while females are brown with a white rump and long tail. Advertisement The number of breeding pairs in Wales fell to 35 from 57 while Northern Ireland also experienced a drop from 59 to 46. Hen harriers are the most threatened birds of prey in the UK due to illegal killings and destruction of heather moorland and forestry, their natural habitat. 'The latest figures back up a continued trend that we have seen for more than a decade hen harrier numbers are on the decline throughout the UK', said RSPB [Royal Society for the Protection of Birds] conservation director Martin Harper. 'The illegal killing of this bird of prey is a significant factor behind the diminishing numbers and a large barrier stopping their recovery. Hen harriers mainly live in open areas with low vegetation, normally in the moorlands of Wales, Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In winter they move to lowland farmland and river valleys. They mainly feed on small birds and mammals and used to hunt free-range fowl which is how they got their name. Hen harriers are the most threatened birds of prey in the UK due to illegal killings and destruction of heather moorland and forestry, their natural habitat WHY ARE NUMBERS DECLINING? The hen harrier population declined during the 19th century as they were extensively hunted. By 1900, they were only found on Orkney and the Western Isles in the UK and numbers remained low after they recolonised the mainland in the 1970s. They are often killed by game keepers looking to keep them off their grouse mooers. They also suffer from farm intensification which has reduced their natural habitat available. Advertisement 'Without purposeful action from all, including governments across the UK and the shooting industry, we may see hen harriers once again lost from more parts of the country.' The hen harrier population declined during the 19th century as they were extensively hunted. By 1900, they were only found on Orkney and the Western Isles in the UK and numbers remained low after they recolonised the mainland in the 1970s. They are often killed by game keepers looking to keep them off their grouse mooers. They also suffer from farm intensification which has reduced their natural habitat available. Scottish Natural Heritage head of policy and advice Eileen Stuart said: 'While Scotland remains the stronghold for hen harriers in the UK, the continuing decline is a serious concern, particularly the low numbers found in parts of the mainland.' Simon Wotton, lead author of the study, said: 'We hope these results will convince all those who are in a position to help hen harriers to take positive steps to ensure their protection and rebuild the UK's hen harrier population for people to enjoy for generations to come.' A swarm of nearly 900 earthquakes have hit Yellowstone National Park since 12 June, according to experts. The park sits on one of the world's most dangerous supervolcanoes and recent activity has raised fears the supervolcano is about to blow. If it were to erupt, the Yellowstone volcano would be one thousand times as powerful as the 1980 Mount St Helens eruption, experts claim - although they say the risk is 'low'. Scroll down for video A swarm of hundreds of earthquakes have hit Yellowstone National Park with up to 4.4 magnitude. The Grand Prismatic hot spring (pictured) is among the park's many hydrothermal features created by the supervolcano (stock image) EARTHQUAKE SWARM Researchers from the University of Utah's Seismograph Stations (UUSS) have been monitoring the activity since it began last Monday, June 12. A total of 878 quakes have been recorded over the past fortnight at Yellowstone. Earthquake swarms are common in Yellowstone and, on average, comprise about 50 per cent of the total activity in the Yellowstone region. Although the latest swarm is the largest since 2012, it is fewer than weekly counts during similar events in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2010. The tremors were recorded at depths from ground level to nine miles (14.5 km) below sea level. Seismic activity could be a sign of an impending eruption of the supervolcano, although this is currently impossible to predict exactly. Advertisement A total of 878 quakes have been recorded over the past fortnight at Yellowstone. When the earthquakes started on 12 June, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said it was the highest number of earthquakes at the park within a single week in the past five years. Researchers from the University of Utah's Seismograph Stations (UUSS) have been monitoring the activity since it began on Monday, June 12. The strongest quake of 4.4 magnitude hit on Thursday, June 15. 'The swarm consists of one earthquake in the magnitude 4 range, 5 earthquakes in the magnitude 3 range, 68 earthquakes in the magnitude 2 range, 277 earthquakes in the magnitude 1 range, 508 earthquakes in the magnitude 0 range, and 19 earthquakes with magnitudes of less than zero', the report said. 'Earthquake swarms are common in Yellowstone and, on average, comprise about 50 per cent of the total seismicity in the Yellowstone region'. 'UUSS will continue to monitor this swarm and will provide updates as necessary.' UUSS said the quake was part of 'an energetic sequence' of earthquakes magnitude two and larger in the area. A spokesman said: 'The epicentre of the shock was located in Yellowstone National Park, eight miles north-northeast of the town of West Yellowstone. 'The earthquake was felt in the towns of West Yellowstone and Gardiner, Montana, in Yellowstone National Park, and elsewhere in the surrounding region.' Earthquake swarms are common in Yellowstone and, on average, comprise about 50 per cent of the total activity in the Yellowstone region. Researchers from the University of Utah's Seismograph Stations (UUSS) have been monitoring the activity since it began last Monday, June 12. Pictured is the he location of the earthquakes that are part of the swarm as (red symbols) Although the latest swarm is the largest since 2012, it is fewer than weekly counts during similar events in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2010. The tremors were recorded at depths from ground level to nine miles (14.5 km) below sea level. Earthquake swarms are common in Yellowstone and, on average, comprise around 50 per cent of the total seismic activity in the Yellowstone region. Pictured - seismic data for the magnitude 4.4 quake which took place on Thursday, June 15 The University of Utah is part of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO), which provides long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake activity in the region. YVO is one of the five United States Geological Survey volcano observatories that monitor volcanoes within the United States for science and public safety. In a written statement, a spokesman for the team said: 'Yellowstone hasn't erupted for 70,000 years, so it's going to take some impressive earthquakes and ground uplift to get things started.' 'Besides intense earthquake swarms, we expect rapid and notable uplift around the caldera. 'Finally, rising magma will cause explosions from the boiling-temperature geothermal reservoirs. 'Even with explosions, earthquakes and notable ground uplift, the most likely volcanic eruptions would be the type that would have minimal effect outside the park itself.' Yellowstone is the site of the largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world. SCIENTISTS FIND A MASSIVE MAGMA CHAMBER UNDER YELLOWSTONE PARK Previous research found a relatively small magma chamber, known as the upper-crustal magma reservoir, beneath the surface In the heart of Yellowstone National Park, a supervolcano releases around 45,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide each day. But the magma chamber lying directly beneath its surface is not considered large enough to produce such levels, so researchers have been searching for an alternative source for years. In April 2015, by tracking seismic waves, geophysicists discovered a huge secondary chamber deeper underground that's so large its partly-molten rock could fill the Grand Canyon 11 times over. Previous research found a relatively small magma chamber, known as the upper-crustal magma reservoir, directly beneath the surface in 2013 that measures 2,500 cubic miles (10,420 cubic km). To discover the latest chamber, Hsin-Hua Huang from the University of Utah and his colleagues tracked seismic waves from almost 5,000 earthquakes. This USGS graphic shows how a 'super eruption' of the molten lava under Yellowstone National Park would spread ash across the United States These readings combined data from the University of Utah Seismograph Stations, which collected shallow readings from nearby quakes in Utah, Idaho, the Teton Range and Yellowstone, and from the Earthscope array, which revealed deeper readings from temblors from more further afield. Each of these quakes created waves that echoed around the supervolcano. The movement and structure of these waves could then be used to map the earth beneath. The researchers said in their paper: 'The Yellowstone magmatic system from the mantle plume to the upper crust', published in the journal Science, that the reservoir contains around 98 per cent hot rock. The remaining 2 per cent is molten rock and is too deep to directly cause an eruption, they added. Advertisement Seismic activity could be a sign of an impending eruption of the supervolcano, although this is currently impossible to predict exactly. While it has lain dormant for more than 70,000 years, scientists say that we can't rule out the possibility eruption may some day take place, although they say the chances are extremely slim. A magnitude 4.8 earthquake, which hit the park in 2014, was the most powerful to strike the area in nearly 30 years. In 2013, a study into the super volcano found the underground magma chamber to be 2.5 times larger than previously thought, with the cavern spanning a 56 mile (90km) by 19 miles (30km) area and capable of holding tons of molten rock. Experts say there is a one in 700,000 annual chance of a volcanic eruption at the site. Pictured is an artist's impression Yellowstone National Park spans the midwestern US states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana (pictured) The volcano a sits atop a huge reserve of molten rock that last erupted 640,000 years ago. It is one of the largest active continental silicic volcanic fields in the world. Silicic is used to describe magma or igneous rock rich in silica. The Grand Prismatic hot spring in Yellowstone National Park is among the park's many hydrothermal features created by the Yellowstone supervolcano. Experts say there is a one in 700,000 annual chance of a volcanic eruption at the site. If the volcano were ever to erupt, observers say the outflow of lava, ash and smoke would likely devastate the United States and affect the entire world. After a disastrous first-run with the Galaxy Note 7 that resulted in a recall of 2.5 million devices, Samsung is relaunching the smartphone with a 'Fandom Edition.' The handset is said to boast the same look as the original, but with a smaller 3,200 mAh battery it is also speculated to cost 30 per cent less than the Galaxy Note 7. The Galaxy Note FE will be available in South Korea from July 7, but it is unclear if it will be sold elsewhere. Scroll down for videos After a disasterous first-run with the Galaxy Note 7 that resulted in a recall of 2.5 million devices, Samsung is relaunching the smartphone with a 'Fandom Edition' GALAXY NOTE FE Samsung has renamed the smartphone 'Galaxy Note FE', which stands for 'Fandom Edition'. The handset is said to boast the same look as the original, but with a smaller 3,200 mAh battery it is also speculated to cost 30 per cent less than the Galaxy Note 7. The refurbished Galaxy Note FE is set to hit the South Korean market by July 7. And Samsung plans to release 30,000 units at launch. Advertisement The latest report was shared by the Wall Street Journal, which cited 'people familiar with the matter' as its source. The purpose of the revived handset is to market it towards fans of the device, all while minimizing the refurbished phone image. While Samsung launched its Galaxy S8 device in April, analysts have reassured that Galaxy Note FE will not compete with the smartphone. Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, told the WSJ: 'The Note 7 is a unique product for Samsung. 'This is a product for Note-series fans so it's going to address a different market segment from the S8.' Samsung first revealed plans to refurbish the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in February. The announcement came five months after activists and environmental groups urged Samsung to commit to a plan that would recycle millions of Galaxy Note 7 phones, instead of just tossing them into a landfill. But the firm revealed three principles 'to ensure the Galaxy Note 7 devices are recycled and processed in an environmentally-friendly manner'. 'First, devices shall be considered to be used as refurbished phones or rental phones where applicable,' Samsung shared in the announcement. 'Second, salvageable components shall be detached for reuse.' 'Third, processes such as metals extraction shall be performed using environmentally friendly methods.' And last month, the firm announced it had passed through Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification and consumers could buy a refurbished unit at the end of June. The handset is said to boast the same look as the original, but with a smaller 3,200 mAh battery it is also speculated to cost 30 per cent less than the Galaxy Note 7 (pictured is a Galaxy Note 7 that exploded in Richmond, Virginia in Oct 2015 At this time it was also stated that the refurbished smartphones would include smaller batteries, as it was 'irregularly sized batteries' that caused the handset to explode following its August release. When Samsung took to the stage in New York on August 2, 2016 to unveil the 5.7 inch Galaxy Note 7, it used the event as an opportunity to take a stab at Apple's iPhone 7. 'Want to know what else it comes with?' teased Samsung's vice-president of marketing, Justin Denison. GIRL, 13, SUFFERS MINOR BURN FROM NOTE 7 REPLACEMENT A Minnesota father says his daughter suffered a minor burn to her thumb when her replacement Samsung smartphone melted in her hand last week. Andrew Zuis of Farmington, Minn., said his daughter, Abby, was holding the Galaxy Note 7 in her left hand Friday when it melted. Zuis said that the family had acquired the new phone on the day the replacement phones were released. There had been no problem with the original phone, he said. The battery fiasco cost the firm at least $5 billion. Samsung had found that there were two issues that plagued the Note 7. Andrew Zuis of Farmington, Minn., said his daughter, Abby, was holding the Note 7 (pictured) in her left hand when it melted 'It's very fortunate Abby was not injured and was holding the phone,' Zuis said. 'If it was in her pocket, I think it would have been a whole different situation. I'm just very disappointed in Samsung and their product.' Zuis provided KSTP-TV with receipts showing that the family bought a Galaxy Note 7 in August and then exchanged it Sept. 21 after Samsung announced the recall. 'She's done with Note 7s right now,' Zuis said of his daughter. A Samsung representative told KSTP that an investigation is underway. 'We want to reassure our customers that we take every report seriously and we are engaged with the Zuis family to ensure we are doing everything we can for them and their daughter,' the representative said in a statement. Advertisement 'An audio jack. I'm just saying.' But little did Denison know that he would soon be eating his words. Days after the Galaxy Note 7 launched reports had surfaced that the devices were bursting into flames. And a month later, mobile chief D.J. Koh held a press conference in Seoul, South Korea where he announced the recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 devices, stating that users would eventually receive a replacement - a new and safe Note 7. However, the second device were also found to be faulty. When replacement phones - with batteries from another firm, largely thought to be Chinese manufacturer ATL - also started to combust, the company decided to kill off the Note 7 for good. Following its own investigation into the mysterious issue, Samsung had discovered that the phones were fitted with 'irregularly sized batteries' that caused battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing. And the replacement phones that were found to explode was a result of manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer. Days after the Galaxy Note 7 launched reports had surfaced that the devices were bursting into flames (pictured is a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 that combusted in September 2016) The major blunder has somewhat tarnished the Samsung brand and has also sparked many concerns among government and regulatory officials. But instead of simply tossing the Note 7, the firm is giving it one more chance. However, it is also said that the firm will not release units in the US or Canada, but Android Authority noted that users in these countries 'might be able to acquire it from re-sellers'. The world's first private space research centre will be built at a British Royal Air Force site in the UK. Plans have been announced for a 120 million ($150 million) 'Blue Abyss' facility that will be constructed at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire. The centre will offer domestic and international private space exploration firms access to the latest training facilities. These include the world's biggest diving pool at 50 metres deep (165 ft), a 120 room hotel, an astronaut training centre and a 'human performance centre' that will help divers, astronauts and athletes train at the highest level. Scroll down for video The world's first private space research centre will be built at a British Royal Air Force (RAF) site in the UK. Plans have been announced for a 120 million ($150 million) Blue Abyss facility (artist's impression) that will be constructed at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire, England BLUE ABYSS FACILITIES - Centrifuge base to expose trainees to extreme G forces - World's deepest diving pool at 50 metres deep (165 ft) - A 120 room hotel - An astronaut training centre with a range of a range of experiential space preparation packages - A 'human performance centre' that will help divers, astronauts and athletes train at the highest level Advertisement Because it will be built at RAF Henley, the site already houses some of the facilities needed for commercial astronaut training. These include a 'centrifuge base' that exposes trainees to extreme G forces. Blue Abyss is expected to fully open its doors to space exploration firms in 2019. Its pool will be three times deeper than Nasa's 12-metre (40-foot) Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), and won't just be used for space training. Offshore oil, gas and renewable companies will be able to hire out the pool for testing deep-sea equipment. The centre will offer a range of experiential space preparation packages for groups and individuals. These packages will run alongside its commercial astronaut training programme to allow ordinary people to undergo a full astronaut training programme. The programme is designed to ready groups for the wave of commercial spaceflight opportunities coming to market, Blue Abyss said. The company's chief executive John Vickers said its aim was to transform human life science research and performance training in extreme environments. Blue Abyss will focus on advanced commercial diving skills, underwater and space robotics, human spaceflight preparation, as well as professional athlete fitness through an understanding of human physiology under extreme conditions. Facilities will include the world's biggest diving pool at 50 metres deep (165 ft) (right), a 120 room hotel, an astronaut training centre and a 'human performance centre' that will help divers, astronauts and athletes train at the highest level The announcement comes at a key time for British space travel, after the UK government announced last week that it was introducing new legislation to encourage space exploration. Legislation aimed at making the UK the most attractive place in Europe for commercial space flight will be introduced over the next two years, a spokesperson said. The Space Industry Bill will feature new powers to license space ports, vertically launched rockets and space planes. This will help the UK increase its share of the global space economy from 6.5 per cent today to 10 per cent by 2030, according to the Government. The pool (artist's impression) will be three times deeper than Nasa's 12-metre (40-foot) Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), and won't just be used for space training. Offshore oil, gas and renewable companies will be able to hire out the pool for testing deep-sea equipment It is hoped that space flights will generate new business opportunities for technology and tourism in remote areas of the UK. Several coastal aerodromes that could be converted to space ports have previously been shortlisted, including Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute; Glasgow Prestwick; Stornoway, Isle of Lewis; Newquay, Cornwall and Llanbedr, Gwynedd. It is envisaged space planes could fly from a British space port both to place satellites in orbit and to carry fee-paying passengers on sub-orbital flights. Small satellite companies would benefit from new options for low-cost and reliable access to space under the legislation, which was featured in the Queens Speech. Throughout its 4.5-billion-year history, Earth has been repeatedly pummeled by space rocks that have caused anything from an innocuous splash in the ocean to species annihilation. Researchers have discovered most of the asteroids that are about a kilometers in size, but are now on the hunt for those that are about 140m - as they could cause catastrophic damage. Although nobody knows when the next big impact will occur, scientists have found themselves under pressure to predict - and intercept - its arrival. Scroll down for videos Researchers are knowing on the hunt for those that are about 140m, as they could cause catastrophic damage. Although nobody knows when the next big impact will occur, scientists have found themselves under pressure to predict - and intercept - its arrival THE NEXT BIG IMPACT The smallest type enter Earth's atmosphere daily, burning up prettily as shooting stars. The largest occur once every 100 million years, and the next impact could well ring in the end of human civilization. So far, experts have managed to list more than 90 percent of asteroids in the dino-killing range, and determined that none poses an immediate threat. A much bigger concern is the whereabouts of millions of asteroids in the 15- to 140-meter (49- to 460-feet) range. What is needed is cooperation between politicians and space agenciesand especially money. An asteroid deflection system would require 'something in the order of 300-400 million euros. Advertisement 'Sooner or later we will get... a minor or major impact,' said Rolf Densing, who heads the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, ahead of International Asteroid Day on Friday. It may not happen in our lifetime, he said, but 'the risk that Earth will get hit in a devastating event one day is very high.' For now, there is little we can do. And yet, the first-ever mission to crash a probe into a small space rock to alter its trajectory suffered a major setback when European ministers declined in December to fund part of the project. 'We are not ready to defend ourselves' against an Earth-bound object, said Densing. 'We have no active planetary defense measures.' Hitherto relegated to the realms of science fiction, tactics could include nuking an incoming asteroid, using lasers to vaporize it, sending a space 'tractor' to drag it off course, or bumping it into a new direction. But first, we need to be able to spot the threat. Astrophysicists monitoring the risk classify objects into sizes ranging from a few millimeters to behemoths 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) acrossthe size of rock that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. The smallest type enter Earth's atmosphere daily, burning up prettily as shooting stars. The largest occur once every 100 million years, and the next impact could well ring in the end of human civilization. But when would it happen? The largest occur once every 100 million years, and the next impact could well ring in the end of human civilization. Experts have said cooperation between politicians and space agenciesand especially money, as an asteroid deflection system would cost 300-400 million euros So far, experts have managed to list more than 90 percent of asteroids in the dino-killing range, and determined that none poses an immediate threat. A much bigger concern is the whereabouts of millions of asteroids in the 15- to 140-meter (49- to 460-feet) range. One such object, a 40-meter space rock, caused the largest impact in recent history when it exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30, 1908the date on which Asteroid Day is marked. The blast flattened some 80 million trees over 2,000 sparsely-populated square kilometers (772 square miles)an area bigger than greater London. ASTEROID THREAT While NASA is keeping an eye on the space rock, which is 230 meters (755 feet) in diameter, it says it won't come close enough to our planet to pose a threat. 441987 (2010 NY65) is travelling just 7.9 lunar distances (which is 1.8 million miles or 3 million km) from Earth. The asteroid was discovered in July 2010 and is expected to come very close to Earth every year until 2022. Advertisement Tunguska-sized events happen, on average, every 300 years or so. 'Imagine that this type of asteroid would fall in a very populated area like... Paris or Germany, I mean this is something that would be really, really a catastrophe,' said Nicolas Bobrinsky, program manager of the European Space Agency's Space Situational Awareness project, which surveys asteroids. At least the ones it knows of. The Chelyabinsk impact in 2013, for example, caught everyone unawares. A once-a-decade category rock of about 20m exploded in the atmosphere over central Russia with the kinetic energy of some 27 Hiroshima bombs. The resulting shockwave blew out the windows of nearly 5,000 buildings and injured more than 1,200 people. 'Now that we have discovered most of the (asteroids) that are about a kilometer in size and larger, the goal is to discover most of the ones which are (up to) about 140 m,' said Patrick Michel, an astrophysicist with France's CNRS research institute. 'This is the thresholdif an object of this size impacts the Earthfor regional damage at the scale of a country or a continent.' The Chelyabinsk impact in 2013 caught everyone unawares. A once-a-decade category rock of about 20m exploded in the atmosphere over central Russia with the kinetic energy of some 27 Hiroshima bombs Another unknown is long-period comets: wanderers of the Solar System which can take centuries or millennia to orbit the Sun, and whose passage has never been recorded. Europe is setting up a network of telescopes to provide us with a heads-up. Scheduled for completion in about two years, it 'will scan systematically the sky every night and any asteroid which is coming... would be detected with a warning time of approximately two to three weeks,' said Bobrinsky. This is admittedly 'not much, but it's better than what we have now,' he added. CHELYABINSK METEOR CRASH A meteor that blazed across southern Urals in February was the largest recorded meteor strike in more than a century. More than 1,600 people were injured by the shock wave from the explosion, estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs, as it landed near the city of Chelyabinsk. The fireball measuring 18 meters across, screamed into Earth's atmosphere at 41,600 mph. Much of the meteor landed in a local lake called Chebarkul. Other than the latest find, scientists have already uncovered more than 12 pieces from Lake Chebarkul since the February 15 incident. However, only five of them turned out being real Advertisement At the very least, it would allow for cities to be evacuated, or a shockwave warning to be issued. 'Contrary to all other natural risks that we face on Earth, like tsunamis, earthquakes and things like that, this is the only one that we can predict,' Michel said. What is needed is cooperation between politicians and space agenciesand especially money. The resulting shockwave blew out the windows of nearly 5,000 buildings and injured more than 1,200 people. Chelyabinsk, 900 miles east of Moscow and close to the Kazakhstan border, took the brunt of the impact An asteroid deflection system would require 'something in the order of 300-400 million euros' (dollars), according to Bobrinskya minuscule amount compared to the cost of disaster. The United Nations declared June 30 International Asteroid Day to raise public awareness about what event organizers describe as 'humanity's greatest challenge'. It was initiated by astrophysicist and Queen guitarist Brian May, and moviemaker Grigorij Richters who directed the sci-fi film 51 Degrees North about an asteroid headed for London. The initiative has the backing of dozens of scientists, astronauts, and celebrities, many of whom will take part in a special 24-hour live broadcast Friday, with round-the-clock asteroid programming by the European, Japanese and American space agencies. Apples highly anticipated iPhone 8 is still months away, but the smartphones screen protector and case have surfaced. The UK website MobileFun has shared a video online that provides users with a hands-on look of the accessories and design details of what to expect at the fall launch. The two Olixar products highlight a vertical dual camera setup, a near bezeless design and the most talked about feature of the smartphone - the edge-to-edge display. Scroll down for videos The UK website MobileFun has shared a video online that provides users with a hands-on look of the accessories and design details of what to expect at the fall launch IPHONE 8 SCREEN PROTECTOR AND CASE The protector has suggested that Apple is going for a near bezeless design and unlike its predecessors, the iPhone 8 could have a slimmer border at the top and the bottom, which points to an edge-to-edge display. There are also more visible cutouts towards the top, which has suggested the firm has found a new home for the front-facing camera, a speaker and a proximity sensor and it could be equip with facial recognition technology. The screen protector itself measures 2.5 by 5.4 inches leaving us to believe that the iPhone 8 will feature a screen size of around 5.8 inches. The case is designed for a phone with a vertical dual-camera and is much larger than the iPhone 7. It is 2.8 inches wide by 5.7 inches tall and less than an inch thick, putting it much bigger than the iPhone 7, but not as large as the 7 plus. Advertisement The video was shared with DailyMail.com by Mike Hart with MobileFun, who excitedly noted that the screen protector gives a lot of information regarding what the latest phone will look like. The protector has suggested that Apple is going for a near bezeless design and unlike its predecessors, the iPhone 8 could have a slimmer border at the top and the bottom, which points to an edge-to-edge display. This design means the firm has replaced the physical home button with a sensor that may well end up being located underneath the screen, Hart said. There are also more visible cutouts towards the top, which has suggested the firm has found a new home for the front-facing camera, a speaker and a proximity sensor and it could be equip with facial recognition technology. The screen protector itself measures 2.5 by 5.4 inches leaving us to believe that the iPhone 8 will feature a screen size of around 5.8 inches. Hart then brought out the Olixar case, which still boasts the iconic iPhone shape, but with a few noticeable changes. Placing the case on an iPhone 7, users can instantly see that the camera cutout is different it was made for a vertical dual camera setup. The other altered feature is the power button on the side of the case, as it appears to be much larger than that of the previous iPhone. And the case is much larger than the iPhone 7. It is 2.8 inches wide by 5.7 inches tall and less than an inch thick, putting it much bigger than the iPhone 7, but not as large as the 7 plus, explained Hart. Video courtesy of MobileFun The protector has suggested that Apple is going for a near bezeless design and unlike its predecessors, the iPhone 8 could have a slimmer border at the top and the bottom, which points to an edge-to-edge display There are also more visible cutouts towards the top, which has suggested the firm has found a new home for the front-facing camera, a speaker and a proximity sensor and it could be equip with facial recognition technology The other ports also appear to be as usual, so users should next expect Apple to bring back the small auxiliary port, he continued. Overall the iPhone 8 looks to greatly improve on the ground work set out by the iPhone 7 and is sure to be an extremely popular model with what will be undoubtedly a very stunning display. Although MobileFuns video shares the details of the smartphones design, it still leaves one question left unanswered where is Apple going to put the home button? The protector has suggested that Apple is going for a near bezeless design and unlike its predecessors, the iPhone 8 could have a slimmer border at the top and the bottom, which points to an edge-to-edge display The other altered feature is the power button on the side of the case, as it appears to be much larger than that of the previous iPhone. And the case is much larger than the iPhone 7 Samsung and Apple have been battling it out to develop the first invisible and unobtrusive fingerprint scanner for the past year. However, a new report has found that it was an unlikely competitor that has perfected the technology. The Chinese mobile phone maker Vivo, in collaboration with Qualcomm, has unveiled a prototype handset that boasts an ultrasonic fingerprint solution under its OLED screen. The two Olixar products, the screen protector and case, highlight a vertical dual camera setup, a near bezeless design and the most talked about feature of the smartphone - the edge-to-edge display IPHONE 8 RUMORS Several rumors have been circulating about the iPhone 8, and suggest the next device may have: - Dual-lens 3D camera - Augmented reality capabilities - Curved glass casing - Wireless charging - 5 inch (12.7 centimeter) and 5.8 inch (14.7 centimeter) model, will have a wraparound OLED screen - 5.8 inch will be designed with the Touch ID finger print sensor 'under the glass and in the active display area', with a pinhole through the glass for an optical or ultrasonic sensor or integrating a 'film' sensor into the screen - Aluminum back will be replaced with two reinforced glass panes and a metal frame in the middle - Facial recognition - 128GB will cost $999 - 256GB will cost $1,099 Advertisement The technology works by sending ultrasonic sound waves through the finger's skin, allowing it to capture a 3D image of the user's fingerprint and unlock the device without the need for an obvious sensor or button. 'We are excited to announce Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors because they can be designed to support sleeker, cutting-edge form factors, unique mobile authentication experiences, and enhanced security authentication,' said Seshu Madhavapeddy, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. 'This provides OEMs and operators with the ability to offer truly distinct, differentiated devices with added value on truly groundbreaking new devices.' The ultrasonic sensor was developed by Qualcomm, which has been used in other devices in the past - just not under the display, Mashable reported. The new system consist of sensors for display, glass and metal, detection of directional gestures, and underwater fingerprint match and device wake-up. And it works by sending ultrasonic sound waves through the finger's skin, allowing it to capture a 3D image of the user's fingerprint. The technology was developed with the ability to scan through OLED displays stacks of up to 1.2mm thick, up to 0.8mm of cover glass, or up to 0.65mm of aluminum - but it cannot work properly with an LCD screen. Other than recognizing the user's fingerprint, it is also designed to detect heart beat and blood flow for improved mobile authentication experiences. Although MobileFuns video shares the details of the smartphones design, it still leaves one question left unanswered where is Apple going to put the home button? But Vivo has designed a prototype (pictured) that places it underneath the display Although the sensor's capabilities have already surpassed Apple's physical Touch ID, as it is underneath the display, it is also designed to be more accurate. The technology is not affected by ambient light and will still read your print if your finger is wet one of the major flaws with Apple's sensor. Qualcomm has noted the sensor will be available as an integrated solution for its own Snapdragon and non-Snapdragon hardware. And consumers should expect smartphones with the new technology to ship in the first half of 2018. Apple and Samsung have been battling it out to design the perfect fingerprint sensor and although Samsung was the first to relocate it, it is not in an ideal place for consumers. Because the Galaxy S8 family is designed with the fingerprint scanner on the back to make room for the edge-to-edge screen, some users have found that the rear-camera is being constantly smudged, as you have to 'poke around to locate it'. And according to the many rumors surrounding Apple's highly-anticipating iPhone 8, the firm has not even offered the sensor under the display the options include on the back or embedded into the screen. Astronomers have spotted an incredibly rare 'backwards' asteroid. Asteroid 2015 BZ509, also known as Bee-Zed, orbits the Sun in the opposite direction to the planets. It takes 12 years to make one complete orbit around the Sun - roughly the same time as Jupiter travelling in the opposite direction. Researchers predicted it two years ago, and have now been able to prove their theory was correct. Scroll down for video Co-orbital bodies that orbit the Sun in the same direction as a planet can follow trajectories (blue curves with arrows) that, from the perspective of the planet, look like tadpoles, horseshoes or 'quasi-satellites' HOW RARE IS IT? Retrograde orbits are rare. It is estimated that only 82 of the more than 726,000 known asteroids are orbiting the 'wrong way'. By contrast, prograde co-orbitals that move 'with traffic' are nothing new; Jupiter alone is accompanied by some 6,000 Trojan asteroids that share the giant planet's orbit. Advertisement 'It's good to have confirmation,' Helena Morais, a professor at Sao Paulo State University's Institute of Geosciences & Exact Sciences (IGCE-UNESP). 'I was sure retrograde co-orbits existed. We've known about this asteroid since 2015, but the orbit hadn't been clearly determined, and it wasn't possible to confirm the co-orbital configuration. 'Now it's been confirmed after more observations that reduced the number of errors in the orbital parameters. 'So, we're sure the asteroid is retrograde, co-orbital and stable.' In partnership with Fathi Namouni at the Cote d'Azur Observatory in France, Morais developed a general theory on retrograde co-orbitals and retrograde orbital resonance. The paper by Paul Wiegert of the University of Western Ontario, Canada, published in March in Nature, describes how object 2015 BZ509, detected in January 2015, using the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) in Hawaii, was tracked using the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona. Retrograde orbits are rare. It is estimated that only 82 of the more than 726,000 known asteroids are orbiting the 'wrong way'. By contrast, prograde co-orbitals that move 'with traffic' are nothing new; Jupiter alone is accompanied by some 6,000 Trojan asteroids that share the giant planet's orbit. Bee-Zed is unusual because it shares a planet's orbit, because its own orbit is retrograde, and above all, because it has been stable for millions of years. The asteroid crosses Jupiter's path every six years, but owing to their co-orbital resonance, they never come closer than 176 million km, far enough to avoid major disturbances to the orbit of the asteroid. 'Instead of being ejected from orbit by Jupiter, as one would expect, the asteroid is in a configuration that assures stability thanks to co-orbital resonance, meaning its motion is synchronized with the planet's, avoiding collisions,' Morais said. The asteroid crosses Jupiter's path every six years, but owing to their co-orbital resonance, they never come closer than 176 million km, far enough to avoid major disturbances to the orbit of the asteroid. All the planets and most of the asteroids in the solar system orbit the Sun in the same direction because the solar system emerged from a revolving cloud of dust and gas, most of the constituent objects of which continue to revolve as they did before. The asteroid crosses Jupiter's path every six years, but owing to their co-orbital resonance, they never come closer than 176 million km, far enough to avoid major disturbances to the orbit of the asteroid. In their commentary in Nature, Morais and Namouni say the particularly long life of 2015 BZ509 in its retrograde orbit makes it the most intriguing object in the vicinity of Jupiter. 'Further studies are needed to confirm how this mysterious object arrived at its present configuration,' they conclude. Wiegert speculates that Bee-Zed probably originated in the Oort cloud, like the Halley family comets. Its the most ubiquitous liquid on the planet, and is essential for Earths ability to support life. And, while you might not think twice about its presence in everyday life, liquid water is far more complex than many would suspect. Water is known to behave unlike any other liquid, and scientists have now discovered a new property that allows it to exist as two different liquids at low temperature a low density form, and one of higher density. Scientists have discovered a new property that allows water to exist as two different liquids at low temperature a low density form, and one of higher density. An artist's impression of the two forms is pictured WHAT IT MEANS Researchers at Stockholm University have discovered that liquid water can exit in two different forms at low temperatures. X-rays revealed that a glassy state of water can become a viscous liquid and then, this can almost immediately become another, even more viscous liquid. This means that it can take the form of a low density liquid, or a high density liquid. The new results give very strong support to a picture where water at room temperature cant decide in which of the two forms it should be, high density, which results in local fluctuations between the two, says Lars GM Pettersson, professor in Theoretical Chemical Physics. In a nutshell: Water is not a complicated liquid, but two simple liquids with a complicated relationship. Advertisement The new remarkable property is that we find that water can exist as two different liquids at low temperatures where ice crystallization is slow, says Anders Nilsson, professor in Chemical Physics at Stockholm University. The researchers detected the two different structures through X-ray analysis at Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. Then, the dynamics were further investigated at the large X-ray laboratory DESY in Hamburg. And, this revealed that the two dynamics spotted in the first study were, in fact, two phases of liquid water. It is very exciting to be able to use X-rays to determine the relative positions between the molecules at different times, says Fivos Perakis, postdoc at Stockholm University with a background in ultrafast optical spectroscopy. We have in particular been able to follow the transformation of the sample at low temperatures between the two phases and demonstrated that there is diffusion as is typical for liquids. Water has all sorts of anomalous properties that set it apart from other liquids, including its melting point, density, and heat capacity. And, this new understanding takes it a step further. Scientists have speculated that a disordered form of ice, known as amorphous ice which differs from the crystalline phase we are used to can be related to low and high density forms of liquid water. There are two forms of amorphous ice, the researchers explain, and these can interconvert. But, testing this hypothesis has proved a challenge until now. Scientists have speculated that a disordered form of ice, known as amorphous ice which differs from the crystalline phase we are used to can be related to low and high density forms of liquid water. Stock image I have studied amorphous ices for a long time with the goal to determine whether they can be considered a glassy state representing a frozen liquid, said Katrin Amann-Winkel, researcher in Chemical Physics. It is a dream come true to follow in such detail how a glassy state of water transforms into a viscous liquid which almost immediately transforms into a different, even more viscous, liquid of much lower density. The findings add additional insight into the behaviour of water at different temperatures and pressures. It could also help inform the different ways it is affected by salts and the biomolecules essential to life, the researchers say. The possibility to make new discoveries in water is totally fascinating and a great inspiration for my further studies, says Daniel Mariedahl, PhD student in Chemical Physics. The findings add additional insight into the behaviour of water at different temperatures and pressures. It could also help inform the different ways it is affected by salts and the biomolecules essential to life, the researchers say. Stock image It is particularly exciting that the new information has been provided by X-rays since the pioneer of X-ray radiation, Wilhelm Rontgen, himself speculated that water can exist in two different forms and that the interplay between them could give rise to its strange properties. The discovery could ultimately help to make for better methods of water purification and desalination as well, according to the researchers. The new results give very strong support to a picture where water at room temperature cant decide in which of the two forms it should be, high density, which results in local fluctuations between the two, says Lars GM Pettersson, professor in Theoretical Chemical Physics. In a nutshell: Water is not a complicated liquid, but two simple liquids with a complicated relationship. Advertisement These enchanting photos reveal a melting pot of cultures and traditions in a region largely unknown to the rest of the world. The portraits were taken by photographer Alexander Khimushin and offer a fascinating insight into the lives of people in Siberia - some of them living in communities facing extinction. They are the latest additions to Khimushin's The World In Faces project. Now in its third year, it aims to celebrate the diversity of the world through the ordinary people who live in it. Pictured is a Tofalar man from the Sayan Mountains, Irkutsk Oblast, Siberia. Most Tofalar people still survive by hunting game and gathering wild mushrooms or berries Pictured is a Nanai girl from the Nanaysky District of Khabarovsk Krai, Siberia. The Nanai community is largely Shamanist, and believe that their shamans have the power to banish evil spirits with prayers to the gods Pictured is a young Ulchi man from Bulava, Khabarovsk Krai, in far east Siberia. The Ulch language is endangered with fewer and fewer people from this small community learning to speak it Pictured is a Dolgan girl from the Sakha Republic, Siberia. The Dolgans were orginally a nomadic people, traditionally engaged in hunting and reindeer herding Pictured is a Udege man from Primorsky Krai, far east Siberia. As well as hunting and fishing, the Udege people gather ginseng and other medicinal herbs to sell An Ulchi woman from the District of Khabarovsk Krai, Siberia, in traditional dress. Many Ulchi people wear clothes made from fish skin But now the globetrotting photographer has focused his attention on the indigenous people of Siberia, spending six months travelling across the vast, but sparsely-populated, country to capture those who live there on camera. From a little boy astride a reindeer to an older woman captured against a backdrop of yellow blooms, Khimshum has managed to tell the stories of ordinary Siberian people in just one image. Khimushin, who was born in Yakutia, Siberia - the coldest place on earth - wanted to explore his homeland because of its vastness and the fact that very little is known about the lives of the ordinary people who live there. Pictured is a Tazy woman from Mikhailovka, Olga Bay, Primorsky Krai, Siberia. The Tazy people live in a small village in the far east of Russia, which boasts a warm climate, even in winter. While official sensus figure is 274 tazy people, in reality there are no more than 30-50 of them left in the entire world, all in just one village. Pictured is a Shaman from the Bauntovsky District of Buryatia Republic A smiling herder boy sits astride a reindeer at Timpton river bank, Yakutia/Amur Oblast border, Siberia A little Uilta girl in traditional dress is all smiles as Khimushim takes her portrait in Sakhalin Island, Siberia. Some elderly Uilta people were born at the time when Sakhalin was part of Japan, and have Japanese names and surnames An Evenki elder from the south Yakutia/Amur Oblast border, Siberia, is pictured with his dog. The elder retired two years ago, having spent all his life as a nomad reindeer herder living in a tent Pictured is an Evenki mother and baby from the Neryungrinsky District, Sakha Republic, Siberia. The Evenki people wear western clothes in the summer months, but during the cold winters, the community wear traditional attire consisting of deerskins with a leather apron underneath. Embellishments such as beads differ depending on gender During his journey, which Mr Khimushin undertook alone, he visited communities all over the country including the coast of Japan sea and Lake Baikal, covering 25,000km in total. Siberia is an enormous area - almost double the size of Australia. However, the freezing climate and sparseness of the population means it remains unknown, undiscovered to much of the wider world. Khimushin was particularly interested in the cultural groupings in Siberia, noting that many of the communities were on the verge of extinction, with a total population of only 100 people in some cases. Pictured is a Soyot girl from the Republic of Buryatia, Siberia, in traditional dress. In ancient times the Soyots believed it was sinful to fish, but it became part of their way of life after the Russians taught them in the 19th century Pictured is an little Evenki girl in fur and jewellery from the Sakha Republic, Siberia. Sakha is one of the coldest places on earth, with temperatures as low as 71.2 C recorded Pictured is a Buryat Gelugpa monk from Atsagat Datsan in the Republic of Buryatia. Datsans are Buddhist monastic universities, and were built in Buryatia in the 18th century Pictured is a Russkoustintsi woman from Sakha Republic, Siberia. More than 40 per cent of the Sakha region lies within the Arctic Circle Pictured is a Sakha Girl from Sakha Republic. The diamond, gold and tin ore mining industries are central to the economy here Pictured is an Oroqen man from Inner Mongolia, North-West China. Oroqens traditionally live in conical-shaped dwellings made from around 25 pine sticks covered in summer with birch bark and in winter with deer fur 'I've got interested in visiting off the beaten path places, where ethnic minorities managed to preserve their culture and traditional way of living,' he said on his website. 'I realised that it was them, the people I met, who made my travel experience so precious and unforgettable. 'Meeting indigenous people living in remote places, listening to their stories and taking photos of them became the most inspiring part of my journey.' Pictured is an Even young man from Yakutia in traditional dress. The Even people are reindeer herders, who enjoy a nomadic existence in the north of Siberia Pictured is a young girl Buryat girl from Buryatia Republic, Siberia. Almost all Buryat women own a traditional costume, which they wear on holidays. Subtle differences in these outfits denote where precisely a woman is from and if she is married or not Pictured is a Tuvan Mongolian Man from the Altai region, North-West Mongolia. The Tuvans have a long-standing history of throat singing, where the performer produces a number of pitches simultaneously. The Mongolian landscape allows the sounds to carry over long distances Pictured is a young Ulchi girl from Bogorodskoe, Khabarovsk Krai, Siberia. Bogorodskoe is famous for the small wooden toys that have been made there for centuries Pictured is a Buryat man in Atsagat, Republic of Buryatia, Siberia. The Buryats are the largest indigenous group in Siberia, with a population of around 500,000 A girl from the Sakha Republic in Siberia is photographed wearing an intricate traditional wedding headdress Khimushin added in an email to MailOnline: 'The Siberian wilderness is just endless. I only managed to visit about half of the 41 ethnic groups there. These people are mostly unknown not only to the outside world, but within Russia itself. 'What have I learned? I learned that often you can drive 1,000km and see no towns or people, but maybe a bear crossing the road. I learned that Indigenous people use fish-skin clothing, that they keep their fur winter clothing in the forest on a special platforms made from hand-chopped trees. 'I learned how to eat salmon caviar by spoon, and that there are places that nothing, absolutely nothing - no fruit or vegetable grows because - it is not warm enough even in summer. Russia is not just Kremlin, vodka and balalaika. I am proud to be born in Siberia.' Pictured is a Negidal girl from Imeni Poliny in the Osipenko District, Khabarovsk Krai, Siberia. Nedigal basically means living by the river and this small community survive by fishing Pictured is a Udege Shaman in Primorsky Krai, Siberia. Shamanism is widely practised in many of Siberia's indigenous tribes Pictured is a Semeyskie woman from Pervomaika in the Republic of Buryatia. Semeyskie communities have a rich history of folk music and dance Pictured is an Orochi woman from the Vaninsky District of Khabarovsk Krai, Siberia, in traditional fish-skin clothing. The Orochi people never had a written language, but now their spoken tongue is on the verge of extinction Pictured is a Chukcha girl from Sakha Republic, Siberia. Chukchi means 'rich in reindeer' Pictured is an Evenki girl from the Republic of Buryatia, in traditional dress. The Evenki people can be divided into two distinct groups: the reindeer herders, and the cattle and horse pastoralists Pictured is a Shenehen Buryat girl from Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia, North-East China. The Buryats traditionally hold a deep respect for the environment, due to their nomadic way of life Pictured is a Yakut Shaman from Sakha Republic, Siberia. Traditional dishes enjoyed by Sakha communities typically include dairy products of mare and reindeer milk and salamat a millet porridge with butter and horse fat Pictured is a Nivkhi man from Okhotsk Sea shore, Siberia. Nivkhi are semi-nomadic, living on the coast in the summer and heading inland during the winter, to catch salmon in the rivers An Ainu man on Hokkaido island, Japan. Hokkaido is one of the most extreme areas of the country, with bitingly cold temperatures during the winter months and a landscape dotted with volcanoes Billings South Side has a wealth of history, and the Western Heritage Center wants to show it off. A new exhibit titled The Southsiders gives insight into the people who populated the South Side in the citys early days and what brought them to the Magic City in the first place. The exhibit will make its debut with a free open house Wednesday, June 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the center, 2822 Montana Ave. The idea came up a couple of years ago, and research got underway about a year ago, said Elisabeth DeGrenier, community historian at the WHC. It came from the heritage center's walking tours, she said. The center offers a variety of tours downtown and elsewhere in Billings to shed a historical perspective on various neighborhoods and places of interest. For instance, The Railroad Shapes Our Town tells how the railroad affected the makeup of the downtown area. More research led to the addition of the Bars, Brothels and Bok Choy tour, which explores the businesses that lined Minnesota Avenue and the existence of what was called China Alley. We started doing research in that area and then we realized how big a story there is to tell, and how neglected that had been, DeGrenier said. For instance, of all the historic photographs the WHC has obtained of the downtown area, 98 percent capture the north side of town and only 2 percent, the South Side. So DeGrenier relied on insurance maps that detail the buildings on each block. She found newspaper articles that detailed the time, as well as other sources, and she relied on longtime residents to provide oral histories. Out of all of that came the exhibit and a walking tour of the same name, which will take place three times over the summer, on Friday, July 21 and Aug. 25. In early Billings, DeGrenier said, the minority populations tended to live south of the railroad tracks and east of South 27th Street. They were mostly Hispanic, African-American, Chinese and Germans from Russia. The sugar beet factory brought in the Russian-Germans, she said. They emigrated from Russia and settled in the Midwest, Nebraska and the Dakotas, DeGrenier said. The factory ended up recruiting them from the Nebraska area around the 1900s. Eventually, they were able to buy farms of their own and settle around Billings, she said. But some remained on the South Side. The Chinese came to Billings to work on the railroad, DeGrenier added. And when the railroad was complete, they opened stores and restaurants, Chinese laundries and saloons. The block where the skate park is, that entire block was China Alley, DeGrenier said. The two buildings still standing both have the exact same architectural design. The histories of all four groups are detailed in the exhibit, with photos and artifacts. One thing frustrates me is telling stories of women, she said. If they got caught soliciting prostitution or smoking opium, you always heard about the bad stuff. The only stories we can find are the bad ones. But DeGrenier enjoyed all that she learned working with her exhibit committee of four people who grew up on the South Side and represented the four different populations. They included Jim Ronquillo, Nellie Foster, Zenda Koch and Ying Custer. They all kind of jumped in and finished each others sentences, she said. It was great to see the research matched what they were saying. Koch, 72, grew up in a Russian-German family. She remembers her father calling the neighborhood where they lived Dutch Row. I always have been very proud to grow up on the South Side, Koch said. I felt we were blessed that we grew up with diversity. With a Catholic mother, Koch attended Little Flower Church. But she remembers two German-speaking churches in the neighborhood, one thats now Pilgrim Congregational Church. Koch acknowledges these days that theres a certain stigma attached to the part of town that is south of the railroad tracks. She remembers walking four blocks to school, or going to the church in the evening for activities and always feeling safe. There was a sense of community there and people took care of each other, Koch said. It was a happy place to grow up. She enjoyed reminiscing with the other members of the group. They know a lot of the same people, she said, and shared what they knew with DeGrenier. The historian is looking forward to sharing all shes learned with people who till now havent known the South Sides interesting history. But DeGrenier knows theres more to discover. We kind of look at this as the start of how much there is left to be told and uncovered about the South Side, she said. In a bid to highlight the extortionate price of train travel in the UK, one man flew from Newcastle to London via Spain for more than half the price of a rail ticket. Joe Furness, 21, from Oldham, found that a one-way train fare from up north to the capital would set him back 78.50. So instead, he decided to do the journey a different way by hopping on a budget flight via Menorca, which came in at just 38.48 with car hire and a sex on the beach cocktail included. In a bid to highlight the extortionate price of train travel in the UK, Joe Furness, 21, from Oldham flew from Newcastle to London via Spain for more than half the price of a rail ticket Joe's first flight from Newcastle to Spain came in at 15.99 via Thomas Cook. Once he landed, he had 12 hours to do a bit of speedy exploring. After hiring a car for 7.50 he hit the road and drove to a beach boasting crystal clear waters. To his delight, his car was upgraded to a roomier model. Video footage of his unusual trip shows him navigating the landscape and stopping for a swift beer at a horse festival. After feeling the sand between his toes, Joe hopped on a bargain 10.99 flight taking him to London. Joe's first flight from Newcastle to Spain came in at 15.99 via Thomas Cook. Once he landed, he had 12 hours to do a bit of speedy exploring Quite the trip! This map shows the route Joe took on his thrifty adventure. While it took longer than the train, he had much more fun The avid traveller told MailOnline Travel that he's fed up with the price of rail travel in the UK, now the most expensive in Europe. 'Rail prices are a huge problem, it's seldom you ever feel like you've had value for money,' he explained. His top piece of advice for finding travel steals is to use flight comparison websites. The avid traveller told MailOnline Travel that he's fed up with the price of rail travel in the UK, now the most expensive in Europe He adds: 'And don't always think you have to book early, a lot of airlines have great last minute deals nowadays.' It's not the first crazy trip Joe has done. He revealed that he once flew from Manchester to Newcastle via Geneva in Switzerland. That journey was 25 cheaper than taking a direct train from Manchester to Newcastle with no Swiss fondue or chocolate to indulge in en route. Advertisement From stirring scenes of distress to dreamy images of natural wonders, these photos have been deemed the world's best iPhone photos. The tenth annual iPhone Photography Awards received thousands of entries - all submitted by amateur photographers from more than 140 countries around the world. Sebastiano Tomada, a photojournalist based in New York City and the Middle East, was named the grand prize winner with a shot of children playing in the streets of war-torn Iraq with smoke billowing in the background. Another entrant to impress judges was Branda O Se from Ireland who came in at first place in the Photographer of the Year category with his simple yet poignant shot of a dockworker's dirty hands. He took the close-up image while on an early morning stroll by the waters of Jakarta in Indonesia. Other categories included in the competition included 'the America I know', 'abstract', 'animals', 'architecture', 'children', 'flowers', 'landscape' and 'lifestyle'. Scroll down to see the award-winning images taken on one of the dinkiest pieces of photography kit around... Sebastiano Tomada is a photojournalist based in New York City and the Middle East, he took this grand prize-winning shot of children roaming the streets in Iraq on November 4, 2016 (left), meanwhile Xiaoying Tang from Zhejiang, China, came in second place in the 'sunset' category with this rural image (right) Joseph Cyr from Tucson, Arizona, won third place in the 'sunset' group. He says he's surprised how often he uses his phone while travelling. In a bid to get winning shots, he thinks about composition and timing before snapping away Branda O Se from Cork, Ireland, was named photographer of the year with this iPhone shot. Recalling the moment he took it, he said: 'I shot this photo on an early morning photo walk around the docks in Jakarta in April 2016. These were the hands of a dock worker who was taking a break. I was struck by the texture created by the accumulated dirt on his hands' Yeow-Kwang Yeo from Singapore came second place in the photographer of the year category. He went full-time into photography in 2007 after spending years working in business and engineering industries. It's not the first time his work has been recognised and in 2013 he won the first prize in the Sony World Photographic Awards Szymon Felkel, who is currently based in Edinburgh, came first place in the 'children' category. He says he loves to go different places and in search for interesting images with his iPhone. The photo titled 'childrens curiosity' was taken in August 2015 in New York's Times Square Patrick Kuleta was born in Poland in 1978. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz he moved to Warsaw and began working as a freelance graphic designer. His photo came second in the 'architecture' category (left), while Kuanglong Zhang from Guangdong, China, was named the winner of the 'sunset' category with this golden shot (right) Vlad Vasylkevych from Kiev in the Ukraine impressed judges with this zany portrait (left) while Dan Liu from Sichuan, China, went for a more classic approach to capture the wisdom of one woman's face (right) Dina Alfasi from Israel says she's not a professional photographer but for her taking pictures is a 'way of life'. She adds: 'It's like an additional sense that allows to tell a story through my eyes, my perspective. I shoot mostly street scenes and portraits, trying to capture intimate moments, the kind that carries a lot of emotions. Love, pain, fear, joy, no matter what emotion, as long as whoever looks at the picture will truly feel something' Zarni Myo Win, of Yangon, Myanmar, impressed judges with this reflective image showing a passer-by walking in puddle-ridden streets Gabriel Ribeiro from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, scored first place with this portrait of a young boy staring past the camera into the distance Samuel Nacar came first place in the 'news and events' category with this photograph. Samuel is a young photojournalist who has been covering the migrant crisis for the past four years. Everything started in Melilla in 2014 where he had his very first experience with migration. After doing an internship for three month in El Pais he moved to London to do a final career project about Spanish migrants in London Third place in the 'children' category went to Barry Mayes from the UK. He took the above shot of two children striking a cheeky pose for the camera while on his travels Naian Feng lived in the UK and studied at the London College of Communication. After graduating, he returned to China to continue his career as a freelance travel and landscape photographer as well as a photographic instructor based in Shanghai. This photo was shot during a trip to the Forbidden City in Beijing Kaiyuan Teng from Taipei, Taiwan, got third place in the 'trees' category with this bizarre photo showing a tree wrapped in cloth (left), while Dyllon Wolf came in at second place with this textured shot taken in Huntingtown, Maryland (right) This icy shot by Magali Chesnel came first place in the 'trees' category (left),while neuroscientist and photographer Joshua Sarinana took this sunny 'travel' shot in Cambridge, Massachusetts (right) Dongrui Yu from Yunnan, China, is a freelance photographer based in London. This shot was taken one cloudy morning at Surrey Docks. It won second place in the 'animals' category Juan Carlos Castaneda is a writer, director and cinematographer who has worked around the world for the past 20 years. His work has been broadcast nationally and internationally and has screened widely at International film festivals. The above picture was taken on December 5, 2016, at Standing Rock, North Dakota. Juan said: 'That day the water protectors, the people standing up for the Sioux tribe, were supposed to get evicted by the Morton County Sheriffs Department. Thousands of veterans came to the aid of those of us who were protesting' Marina Spironetti from Milano, Italy, captured this bright and sunny colour-coordinated shot (left) while Deena Berton - who says she's 'hopelessly eclectic' in her photographic interests - took this photo of a bird in a cage (right) Lee Jones is an designer and iphone photographer from Shanghai. Describing the photo above he said: 'I was at an exhibit viewing an art work with light shining through the spider net and most of the people were observing the spiders. There was dust flying in front of the net and captured the dancing particles' Smetanina Julia from Moscow, Russia, came second in the 'flowers' category with this shot of a flower gently unfurling Catherine Zeta-Jones was nearly unrecognizable while filming a Lifetime biopic of the infamous druglord Griselda Blanco in Vancouver on Sunday. The Swansea-born 47-year-old actress was spotted sitting on a park bench, her hair colored a dull shade of red and a black leather purse resting on her lap. Her costume included a button-down black blouse and a knee-length black pencil skirt, matching a set of black hose, black shoes and a black cardigan. Scroll down for video Becoming the character: Catherine Zeta-Jones was the spitting image of the infamous druglord Griselda Blanco while filming a Lifetime biopic of her in Vancouver The biopic's called Cocaine Godmother, after one of Griselda's many sobriquets, others of which included 'La Madrina' - 'The Godmother ' - and 'The Black Widow.' Born in Colombia in 1943, Griselda swiftly became a ruthless criminal who according to Maxim committed her first murder when she was only 11 - and her victim was 10. In the 1970s she made her bones as a brutally vengeful, groundbreaking player in the Colombia-to-Miami drug trade that flowered during that decade and the one after it. The look: The Swansea-born 47-year-old actress was spotted sitting on a park bench, her hair a dull shade of red, and a black leather purse was resting on her lap From the start: Born in Colombia in 1943, Griselda swiftly became a ruthless criminal who according to Maxim committed her first murder when she was only 11 - and her victim was 10 Marrying multiple times, Griselda wound up producing four children, the youngest of whom she named - in a flourish of black humor - Michael Corleone Blanco. The mid-1980s saw Griselda flung in jail for three murders, two of which were of drug dealers and one of which was of a two-year-old boy, the Daily Mail reported. In 2004, La Madrina was set loose and deported to Colombia, and in 2012, a motorcyclist shot her dead outside a Medellin butcher shop, per the Miami Herald. Repose: In the 1970s she made her bones as a brutally vengeful, groundbreaking player in the Colombia-to-Miami drug trade that flowered during that decade and the one after it Captured: The mid-1980s saw La Mirada flung in jail for three murders, two of which were of drug dealers and one of which was of a two-year-old boy, the Daily Mail reported Directed by Pan's Labyrinth cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, Cocaine Godmother is slated for release at some point during 2018, according to IMDb. It's facing down rather stiff competition in the form of yet another forthcoming TV biopic of Griselda, which will star Jennifer Lopez and is being put together by HBO. Though it's currently untitled, the HBO movie's landed Terrence Winter - screenwriter of The Wolf Of Wall Street - to rustle up the script, as Deadline reported last year. He made a hasty exit from an interview with KIIS FM's Kyle And Jackie O last week after being quizzed about his feud with Marco Pierre White Jr. And MasterChef judge Matt Preston has once again raised eyebrows after refusing to answer questions during a very awkward interview with Adelaide community radio station Fresh 92.7 this Tuesday. Little did the audience know, Matt's diva attitude was part of a plot hatched by radio host Alex Lokan to prank interviewer Cameron Doyle. Scroll down for video. Cringe alert! MasterChef judge Matt Preston has once again raised eyebrows after refusing to answer questions during a very awkward interview with Adelaide community radio station Fresh 92.7 this Tuesday 'They were battling the wind last night [on Masterchef]. Have you ever found yourself cooking in the elements like that with the wind?' Cameron asked during the interview. To Cameron's dismay, Matt refused to make eye contact and responded with a disinterested hum. 'Not a fan of that question?' Alex interjected. Just kidding! Little did the audience know, Matt's diva attitude was part of a plot hatched by radio host Alex Lokan (right) to prank interviewer Cameron Doyle (left) 'Alex hates you and wanted to throw you under the bus': The cringeworthy chemistry between Matt and Cameron continued for a few more minutes before Matt finally put him out of his misery The cringeworthy chemistry between Matt and Cameron continued for a few more minutes before Matt finally put him out of his misery. 'Alex hates you and wanted to throw you under the bus,' Matt confessed. Speaking about the incident, Cameron told News Corp: 'He was so nice when we first met, then he just completely ignored my questions. I thought, 'I'm done here, Matt Preston hates me and I have no idea why.' 'I need to go!' Matt (left) was taken by surprise last week when Marco Pierre White Jr (right) unexpectedly joined his interview on The Kyle And Jackie O Show Earlier this year, Matt sparked a bitter feud with celebrity chef Marco Pierre White by criticising his wayward son onThe Kyle And Jackie O Show. Last week, theMasterChef star returned to KIIS FM's breakfast program and was expected to address the controversy which resulted in Marco's high-profile defection to Channel Seven. But the 53-year-old food critic was left scrambling for a quick exit when 'Intern' Pete Deppeler called up Marco Pierre White Jr in England and put him live on the air. Headlines: During the interview, Kyle Sandilands (left) tried to get Matt talking about his rivalry with Marco Pierre White - but he resisted and repeatedly said the issue was 'over' During the interview, co-host Kyle Sandilands made several attempts to get Matt talking about his rivalry with Marco Pierre White - but he resisted and repeatedly said the issue was 'done and locked away'. He appeared slightly awkward and desperately tried to steer the conversation towards culinary topics and Kyle's recent health problems. Kyle joked that they would try to get Marco Jr on the air to settle their bitter feud - and remarkably 'Intern' Pete did actually manage to contact him in England. Bitter feud: In May, Marco Pierre White Sr (left) revealed Matt's comments about his son on The Kyle And Jackie O Show last year were the reason he decided to leave MasterChef Marco Jr, who sounded tired and confused as it was late at night in the UK, joined the conversation towards the end of the discussion. Unsurprisingly, Matt - who had made it clear the interview was supposed to cover only MasterChef-related topics - promptly shut down the segment. 'Is that the time? I need to go!' he said before making a swift departure. 'Good one, Pete! How awkward was all that?' said an exasperated Jackie 'O' Henderson afterwards. Kyle added: 'And in all honesty, you should have got him on-air four minutes ago when I first mentioned it!' 'No one should ever say that about someone else's children. I will never forgive that man': Marco Sr now hosts Hell's Kitchen on rivals Channel Seven. Pictured with Marco Jr (left) She's been jetting back and forth to the UK as The X Factor auditions get underway. And Sharon Osbourne was spotted touching back down in her home city of Los Angeles on Tuesday, looking stylish in a low key yet sophisticated look. The talent show judge, 64, was modelling an embroidered kimono style jacket as she made her way through the airport. Scroll down for video Travelling in style: Sharon Osbourne was spotted touching back down in her home city of Los Angeles on Tuesday, looking stylish in a low key yet sophisticated look Sharon topped off her look with a white fedora and tinted shades, accessorising with some layered necklaces. The TV personality slipped a pair of silver loafers on her feet, keeping her look comfy and practical. Cheeky Sharon recently revealed she ruined her niece's hen do with her brash antics. Smart: The talent show judge, 64, was modelling an embroidered kimono style jacket as she made her way through the airport Elegant: Sharon topped off her look with a white fedora and tinted shades, accessorising with some layered necklaces The returning X Factor judge, told The Sun that she recruited a male stripper who took things a little too far with the bride-to-be, getting too close for comfort. Her niece - who is the daughter of her previously estranged brother David Arden - was left traumatised by the whole scenario, she explained. '[The stripper] stripped off totally naked. [Her niece] was sat at the table and he went behind her and put his penis on top of her head she had long hair and he got her hair and he was wrapping it around his penis,' she recalled. Dressed down: The TV personality slipped a pair of silver loafers on her feet, keeping her look comfy and practical 'Then he stopped that and stood right at the side of her and he said "Can you tell me what time it is?" But he had wrapped his penis around her wrist. 'She started to cry so bad, she was sobbing and shaking, and I had to take her outside. I felt so bad. She is a nice girl not like me. I felt terrible I ruined her whole party.' Sharon - who is a mother of three, including daughters Aimee and Kelly - was announced to be returning to the X Factor judging panel earlier this month alongside exactly the same co-judges as last year. She was seen with Nicole Scherzinger, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell as the quartet arrived at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool for the first round of the judges auditions. She underwent a complete physical transformation in 2016 as she dropped a staggering five dress sizes. And Scarlett Moffatt decided to mix up her look yet again as she revealed she'd chopped off her luscious long locks. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, the 26-year-old Gogglebox star showed off her slick new look, which earned her plenty of compliments from fans. Scroll down for video Gogglebob! She underwent a complete physical transformation in 2016 as she dropped a staggering five dress sizes. And Scarlett Moffatt decided to mix up her look yet again as she revealed she'd chopped off her luscious long locks Beaming down the lens as she ran her hands through her shoulder length locks, she wrote: 'I've been for the chop'. 'Looks lovely xxx' one fan wrote, as others added: 'You look amazing SCARLETT', 'Wow it really suits you', 'Gorgeous' 'Wowww looks great.' 'Love her hair', 'Sexy', 'looks lush', 'Looks loads better', 'It looks fab, definitely suits you', 'Stunning xx', 'Very beautiful', 'Omg! This suits you so much x' Chopped off: Scarlett previously rocked chest length grey tip ombre locks After being crowned queen of the jungle in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, dropping 3 stone, relocating to London and nabbing a regular slot on Saturday Night Takeaway, Scarlett Moffatt is reportedly set to pen another book. The reality star is said to be in talks with publishers after the success of her last book Scarlett Says. A source told The Sun: 'Scarlett has been in talks with several publishers to write a new book. Moving on: After being crowned queen of the jungle in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, dropping 3 stone, relocating to London and nabbing a regular slot on Saturday Night Takeaway, Scarlett Moffatt is reportedly set to pen another book 'She knows that some of her ideas from her previous book have changed and she wants to get them down on paper. 'It has been a rollercoaster few months for Scarlett and she can't believe how fast things are moving.' Scarlett's star being on the rise since her I'm A Celebrity win means it was inevitable she'd get snatched away from the show that made her famous, Gogglebox, for other projects. They've been loyal confidants over the years, supporting each other with their latest projects. So it's no wonder Tana Ramsay, 42, stepped out in style to celebrate her family friend Brooklyn Beckham's book launch for his debut photography offering, What I See, alongside her children Jack, 17, and Megan, 19, on Tuesday night in London. The wife of Michelin starred chef Gordon looked sensational as she arrived in a pair of skintight leather pants at Christie's. Scroll down for video Stepping out: Tana Ramsay stepped out in style to celebrate her family friend Brooklyn Beckham's book launch for his debut photography offering, What I See, on Tuesday night in London Her figure-flaunting trousers hugged her toned pins as she navigated the wet path with aplomb. Adding a chic edge to her dark ensemble, she draped a tailored longline blazer over her shoulders, which she also used as shelter from the rain to protect her curly locks. Highlighting her petite frame, she donned a sleeveless black T-shirt for the evening with a burgundy neckline. She injected inches into her diminutive height in a pair of pointed black pumps which complemented her crocodile cross body-bag. Family affair! The mother-of-four attended the star-studded bash with her son Jack, 17, and Megan, 19 Getting chic done! Adding a chic edge to her dark ensemble, she draped a tailored longline blazer over her shoulders, which she also used as shelter from the rain to protect her curly locks Hell for leather: Her figure-flaunting trousers hugged her toned pins as she navigated the wet path with aplomb Accompanying his mother, Jack - who is the image of his father Gordon - sported a dapper black blazer and jeans for the festivities as he supported his pal Brooklyn, while his older sister looked darling in a light blue blouse and chic mini skirt. The family of the fiery TV star and the sporting legend regularly spend time together in London and also LA - where the two pals head to during the kids' school holidays. Although Gordon was noticeably absent the trio were there to support Brooklyn's first foray into photography alongside his parents David and Victoria as well as his siblings. The book, which contains 300 images, will be launched at the exhibition, which will run until 7th July before moving to Los Angeles the following month. Dapper: Accompanying his mother, Jack - who is the image of his father Gordon - sported a dapper black blazer and jeans for the festivities Walk this way: She injected inches into her diminutive height in a pair of pointed black pumps which complemented her crocodile cross body-bag Work it! Highlighting her petite frame, she donned a sleeveless black T-shirt for the evening with a burgundy neckline According to publishers, 'What I See offers [Brooklyns] followers a rare glimpse at the world through his eyes, and documents his travels around the world as well as offering an insight into one of the worlds most tightly controlled brands. However, in the corresponding interview with The Telegraph magazine admits he struggled to get the collection formally passed by his superstar parents, saying: It was hard to get them approved. Took bloody ages. Most times, Im secretive about taking them. If my mum sees me taking a picture, she kind of poses and stuff, and I dont really like that. [But] none of my photos are set; I like using natural light. Beaming: Brooklyn, 18, cut a casual figure in his Ralph Lauren polo and skinny chinos Making an appearance: David was spotted holding his hat as he arrived on Tuesday He's the KIIS FM shock jock known for his no-holds-barred banter. And Kyle Sandilands instigated a chat on Wednesday's Kyle And Jackie 'O' discussing how they rate strangers with points or 'bang or not bang' systems. The 46-year-old admitted he sometimes rates people based on the appearance of their knees, to the surprise of co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson. 'You've always had good legs!' Kyle Sandilands gushes over Jackie 'O' in awkward discussion about fat knees and 'bang or not bang' rating systems on Wednesday 'You know how you get the fat roll over the knee?' he attempted to explain, while Jackie insisted: 'Oh, come on. Now you're just being mean!' However, Kyle appeared to consider the 'fat roll' an admirable quality, adding: 'Well I rate those fat knees quite high!' 'What do you rate my knees then?' Jackie asked. 'Well, I think you've got good legs': Kyle said he considered 'fat roll' on the knee an admirable quality, and told Jackie 'O' she had good legs 'Well, I think you've got good legs,' he told the mother-of-one. 'You've always had good legs, the toes are good, the feet, the legs...' Kyle began listing, as Jackie quickly cut him off. The 42-year-old presenter jokingly pleaded: 'Shut up, shut up, I know where you're headed with that!' 'Shut up, shut up, I know where you're headed with that!' The mother-of-one cut Kyle off as he began gushing about her legs, listing: 'toes are good, the feet, the legs..' Earlier this month, Kyle shocked listeners when he took a swipe at the co-host's eating habits when she let it slip that she sometimes enjoys eating bread with salt and oil on it when dining out. 'Ugh, salt and oil on your bread?' a shocked Kyle responded. 'And you wonder why you're crying in the mirror. The salt bloats you up and the oil... you know where that's going.' 'And you wonder why you're crying in the mirror': Earlier this month, Kyle shocked listeners when he took a swipe at the co-host's eating habits when she let it slip that she sometimes enjoys eating bread with salt and oil on it when dining out Kyle has previously made a number of disparaging comments in regards to Jackie's weight. 'Lucky you didnt get any tattoos when you were young and cool because they would be all s**t and stretched out of shape,' Kyle remarked to Jackie on their breakfast show in 2016. Seemingly not surprised by the offensive comment, Jackie, who weighed a healthy 66kg at the time, sarcastically replied, 'Oh, that's hilarious.' Their striking features and sharp sense of fashion have prompted fans to draw more than a passing resemblance between Victoria Beckham and her sister Louise Adams. And the similarity seemed more acute than ever on Tuesday night, as Louise, 40, arrived at London's Christie's to support her nephew Brooklyn's photography book launch. The younger sister of 42-year-old Victoria even echoed the former Spice Girl's sartorial flair in a silky leopard-print trench coat and chic tan crossover mules. Scroll down for video Seeing double: Louise Adams, 40, looked strikingly similar to her older sister Victoria Beckham as she arrived at London's Christie's to support nephew Brooklyn's photography book launch She styled her glossy blonde locks in sleek waves - which were similar in length and style to Victoria's. Striding into the venue for the private viewing of Brooklyn's tome, What I See, Louise even sported her older sister's famously sullen pout. Victoria meanwhile, stuck to a monochrome palette on the night, rocking an androgynous blazer which she lent a feminine twist thanks to a cowl neck satin blouse. She teamed the garment with a pair of flared trousers which no doubt concealed a pair of her trademark towering heels. Simply stylish: The younger sister of 42-year-old Victoria echoed the former Spice Girl's sartorial flair in a silky leopard-print trench coat and chic tan crossover mules Mane attraction: She styled her glossy blonde locks in sleek waves - which were similar in length and style to Victoria's Sister, sister: Striding into the venue for the private viewing of Brooklyn's tome, Louise even sported her older sister's famously sullen pout Double trouble: Victoria shared the sweet snap as the look-a-like siblings enjoyed time at Lapland UK in Berkshire in December Like looking in a mirror! Over the decades, the siblings have cultivated a similar sense of style. Pictured at the 2000 Elle Style Awards The similarities between the pair also extend to their careers. Victoria owns a 6,000sq ft minimalist store, designed by renowned architect Farshid Moussavi, in Dover Street selling designer gowns costing up to 3,000. And in 2016, Louise opened a small boutique called Hidden Closet down an alleyway in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire where clothes start at just a few pounds and range up to around 60. And Louise once addressed the comparisons to her sister, insisting that she got into showbusiness first. Stunning: Victoria was a vision of beauty as she strolled into the venue All eyes on her: Victoria commanded attention in her stylish trouser suit 'I appeared in commercials and had an acting agent until I was a teenager,' she said. 'I was in the children's TV programme Dramarama and played a member of a gang. But I got sick of auditions and modelling in magazines and decided to quit. Victoria carried on and went to theatre school. 'If people think I'm just cashing in on my sister's success, I don't care because I know it was me that did it first.' Meanwhile Brooklyn's book, which contains 300 images, will be launched with an exhibition in London on 27th June which will run until 7th July before moving to Los Angeles the following month. Proud mama: Victoria draped her arms around her son inside the bash Proud parents: David (left) and Victoria Beckham (right) as they attended the launch and private viewing of Brooklyn's (centre) tome in London on Tuesday According to publishers, What I See 'offers [Brooklyns] followers a rare glimpse at the world through his eyes, and documents his travels around the world as well as offering an insight into one of the worlds most tightly controlled brands. However, in the corresponding interview with The Telegraph magazine admits he struggled to get the collection formally passed by his superstar parents, saying: It was hard to get them approved. Took b****y ages. Most times, Im secretive about taking them. If my mum sees me taking a picture, she kind of poses and stuff, and I dont really like that. [But] none of my photos are set; I like using natural light. Last year, unconfirmed rumours circulated that The Bachelor's Alex Nation was feuding with her ex-husband Joel Porter. But Alex, 26, silenced any critics when she was spotted embracing her former spouse in Melbourne recently. The pair's reunion took place in a car park this month, with Alex and Joel sharing a friendly hug before taking a stroll with their son Elijah. Friendly exes! The Bachelor's Alex Nation, 26, reunited with her ex-husband Joel Porter in Melbourne earlier this month - putting to rest any rumours the former couple were feuding The former couple, who briefly married after she gave birth to Elijah in 2011, appeared to be on amicable terms. Alex's boyfriend Richie Strahan was not present, however this is not unusual as the couple are in a long-distance relationship. Richie, who was chosen as The Bachelor following his appearance on The Bachelorette in 2015, is a rope access technician based in Perth. Hug it out! The pair's reunion took place in a car park, with Alex and Joel sharing a friendly hug before taking a stroll with their son Elijah Where's Richie? Alex's boyfriend Richie Strahan was not present, however this is not unusual as the couple are in a long-distance relationship Moving on: Richie, who was chosen as The Bachelor following his appearance on The Bachelorette in 2015, is a rope access technician based in Perth Friends: Joel and Alex have clearly put their differences aside to do what's best for their son Family ties: Joel is a doting father to his son Elijah and regularly shares family photos online Alex looked effortlessly chic for the occasion, wearing a tan-coloured duster coat, ripped blue jeans and a white halterneck top. She completed her look with a pair of stylish sunglasses and white sneakers. Joel dressed casually for the occasion, wearing a khaki jacket, black jeans and red Converse lace-ups. The whole gang's here! The proud parents smiled as little Elijah stepped out of the car Blonde beauty: Alex looked effortlessly chic for the occasion, wearing a tan-coloured duster coat, ripped blue jeans and a white halterneck top With their six-year-old son Elijah in tow, the friendly exes appeared to be relishing every moment of the sunny outing. Little Elijah was seen emerging from a car and holding his mother's hand as they walked down the street. The adorable youngster wore a white martial arts outfit and grey sneakers, and appeared to be ready for a karate lesson. Fun in the sun !With their six-year-old son Elijah in tow, the friendly exes appeared to be relishing every moment of the sunny outing Later, the family were spotted enjoying each other's company over iced drinks at a nearby cafe. Alex and Joel were all smiles as they chatted and joked together, putting to rest any rumours they did not get along. Alex previously spoke with Daily Mail Australia about her positive relationship with the father of her child. Keeping it simple: Joel dressed casually for the occasion, wearing a khaki jacket, black jeans and red Converse lace-ups He's a karate kid! The adorable youngster wore a white martial arts outfit and grey sneakers, and appeared to be ready for a karate lesson Catching up: Later, the family were spotted enjoying each other's company over iced drinks at a nearby cafe 'Joel and I will always have love for each other because we share a beautiful child. That will never go away,' she said. But while Alex claimed the pair 'co-parent beautifully together' she confessed things have not always been 'good' between them. Alex and Joel attempted to do the right thing by their son in the early stages of their relationship - but things quickly turned sour. 'Joel and I will always have love for each other': Alex previously spoke with Daily Mail Australia about her positive relationship with the father of her child 'We got married, we wanted to do everything right for our son but it ended up not being right for us as individuals,' she continued. 'There was a battle where we were asking ourselves, "Do you stick it out and not be with the one who is your soul mate?" 'There was a strain on us individually because you feel guilty for your child that you are separating,' she continued. Tough times: But while Alex claimed the pair 'co-parent beautifully together' she confessed things have not always been 'good' between them 'It was tough': Alex and Joel attempted to do the right thing by their son in the early stages of their relationship - but things quickly turned sour The winner of The Bachelor 2016 claimed she and Joel felt more 'heartbroken' for their son when their relationship ended. 'It was tough. It wasn't hard so much on Elijah because he wasn't two yet. He didn't know and was none-the-wiser to what was going on. 'But it was more heartbreaking for Joel and I because of course we wanted to do everything right.' Modern family: The winner of The Bachelor 2016 claimed she and Joel felt more 'heartbroken' for their son when their relationship ended She added: 'In an ideal world, you want your child to grow up with an intact family, but two really happy and loving homes is better than one unhappy home.' Last year, Joel's sister Kimberley appeared to take a thinly-veiled jab at Alex's modelling career on social media. Taking to Instagram before The Bachelor finale in September, Kimberley shared a photo with the text: 'She says I'm a model... but pays for her own shoots.' Family feud? Last year, Joel's sister Kimberley appeared to take a thinly-veiled jab at Alex's modelling career on social media And previously, Joel's girlfriend Ashy Smith also appeared to criticise Alex's parenting skills on Instagram. Ashy shared a cryptic Instagram post that read: 'Too bad you are only a good mother on Facebook and the rest of the time you neglect your child.' Alex responded to these statements by telling a Melbourne videographer during a night out with Richie: 'My little boy is everything to me.' When asked about online gossip she is 'neglecting' Elijah, Alex said: 'I know who I am and I know what kind of mother I am so they don't bother me.' She's on top of the world right now thanks to the mega success of Wonder Woman. And Gal Gadot, 32, says she has Beyonce to thank for landing the incredible role. The actress opened up in a recent interview with W Magazine to talk about her big role and the grueling audition process. Who runs the world? Gal Gadot, 32, credits Beyonce for helping her land the role of Wonder Woman 'When I auditioned for Batman v Superman, I didn't know it was for Wonder Woman,' the Israeli star told the publication. She says she put on a song to pump her up and help with her anxiety. 'I decided to put on Beyonce Who runs the world? Girls! I just started to dance, and I let my anxiety go. Thank you, Beyonce!' She reveals it helped her not lose her mind during the waiting process. Getting in the zone: The Israeli actress says she put on Beyonce Run The World (Girls) before the audition to pump her up and help with her anxiety It worked! Gal ended up going into the audition, killing it and winning the role 'The director, Zack Snyder, asked me to do a camera test. That was torture. They were looking at six or seven girls, and we were all in separate trailers and were told to stay inside until they called us. She continued: 'Waiting is my enemy Number One, and I was losing my mind.' Gal ended up going into the audition, killing it and winning the role. Killing it! Wonder Woman has taken in $318 million stateside and $652 million internationally, making it the highest-grossing live-action motion picture ever with a female director, in Patty Jenkins Wonder Woman has taken in $318 million stateside and $652 million internationally, making it the highest-grossing live-action motion picture ever with a female director, in Patty Jenkins. The film surpassed Phyllida Lloyd's 2008 adaptation Mamma Mia! for the record, which previously stood at $609.8 million. The 32-year-old actress signed a three-picture deal (Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman and the upcoming Justice League) that would earn her $300,000 per film, Variety reported in 2014. More Wonder Woman to come: The 32-year-old actress signed a three-picture deal, Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman and the upcoming Justice League But Gadot could be in line for a huge bonus due to the success of her stand alone film. The 32-year-old actress portrays Diana Prince, the Amazon demigoddess in the DC Comics blockbuster. Speaking previously about the casting, Gadot - who has daughters Alma, five, and three-month-old Maya with her husband Yaron Versano - said: 'I feel I was born to play Wonder Woman. Boys have always had a figure to look up to, whether it's Superman, Batman or Spider-Man. For girls it was always the princess being saved. 'Now we have Wonder Woman - she's fearless, proactive, she believes in herself and she believes she can do everything. That's a true woman for me.' She is set to reprise her role in the upcoming Justice League alongside Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman. Female superhero! The 32-year-old actress portrays Diana Prince, the Amazon demigoddess in the DC Comics blockbuster She was released from Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital on Tuesday after spending five days battling an infection. But bikini model Natalie Roser appears to still be suffering from poor health. The 27-year-old took to Instagram on Wednesday to tell her 859,000 followers: 'Here we go again at home nurse visits.' Scroll down for video 'Here we go again at home nurse visits': Model Natalie Roser has revealed she is still suffering from poor health after battling a mystery infection at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital Natalie shared a photo of medicine, syringes, and cloths spread out on a table alongside patient tags with her name on them. She had only recently arrived in Australia after spending time away with her actor boyfriend Harley Bonner. It was after Natalie returned that she was hospitalised for an infection, taking a makeup-free selfie from her hospital bed to alert fans. At the time, she appeared positive about her recovery. She wrote: 'I've spent the past four nights in at Royal North Shore Hospital battling an infection, and I am a very happy girl because I get to go home soon!' Road to recovery: On Wednesday, Natalie shared a photo of medicine, syringes, and cloths spread out on a table alongside patient tags with her name on them 'Nothing like a round of sickness to rebuild your motivation': Natalie appeared keen to get back to the gym this week, as she shared a throwback in activewear She also took the opportunity to thank the nurses and doctors at the hospital for taking care of her. 'I wanted to post a photo to express my appreciation for all the nursing staff and doctors... I was really cared for and I saw how long and tedious their days can be. 'They do such a tough job and do it so gracefully. So, thank you!' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Natalie for comment. New flame: Before being hospitalised, Natalie had only recently arrived in Australia after spending time away with her actor boyfriend Harley Bonner (right) A day earlier, she wrote: 'Can not wait to get back to the gym! Nothing like a round of sickness to rebuild your motivation.' Natalie also added the hashtags, 'Support our nurses' and 'Nurses rock'. Natalie confirmed her new romance Harley earlier this year, shortly after ending her engagement to Sydney personal trainer Dan Adair. Natalie and Dan had been scheduled to marry in October 2016 but postponed the wedding just weeks before the special day. A spokesperson for the couple said at the time: 'Their wedding's been moved not due to a third person in the relationship problem.' She was glowing when she won her defamation court case against Bauer Media earlier this month in Melbourne. And Rebel Wilson radiated confidence when she officially launched her own eponymous fashion line Rebel Wilson x Angels on Tuesday. The Australian actress, 37, struck a pose at the event in New York wearing one of her own designs. Scroll down for video Picture perfect! Rebel Wilson hosted the collection launch for her plus-sized label Rebel Wilson x Angels in New York on Tuesday Flaunting her fabulous figure, she modelling a black V-neck top with choker detailing and a matching pin-stripe pencil skirt. Rebel was all smiles on the pink carpet, adding a pop of colour to her look with fuschia heels and a bright pink handbag. The Pitch Perfect star's makeup was flawlessly applied for the important appearance, with a light dusting of blush, neutral-toned eye makeup, mascara and a light pink pout. Stunner! The Pitch Perfect star's makeup was flawlessly applied for the important appearance, with a light dusting of blush, neutral-toned eye makeup, mascara and a light pink pout Work it! Flaunting her figure, she modelling a black V-neck top with choker detailing and a matching pin-stripe pencil skirt Final touches: Rebel was all smiles on the pink carpet, adding a pop of colour to her look with fuschia heels and a bright pink handbag Sporting a voluminous hairstyle, the Hollywood funnywoman's blonde locks were teased up into an updo with her fringe left down to frame her face. She happily took the stage during the event to chat about the label and where it will be stocked. It's believed most items will be under $US100 and will be sold at department strores Nordstrom, Dillard's, Dia & Co, Hudson Bay, Addition Elle and Lord & Taylor. All eyes on her! She happily took the stage during the event to chat about the label and where it will be stocked 'It'll be David Jones or Myer, I'll post when I know xx': Rebel responded to Australian fans who asked if the line would be stocked down under too On Instagram she responded to Australian fans who asked if the line would be stocked down under: 'It'll be David Jones or Myer, I'll post when I know xx.' She was seen posing with Dia&Co co-founder and CEO of Nadia Boujarwah and the brand's co-founder Lydia Gilbert on the pink carpet. While Rebel made sure to mingle with high-profile guests, she also took selfies with eager fans. Happy days! She was seen posing with Dia&Co co-founder and CEO of Nadia Boujarwah and the brand's co-founder Lydia Gilbert on the pink carpet I'm very excited to announce that I'm starting my own plus size clothing line called REBEL WILSON x ANGELS,' she previously shared on Instagram. Speaking to InStyle about her debut collection, Rebel said: 'I've had to create my own plays, television roles, and movie projects in order to play the parts I've wanted.' 'It's what I've always done as an actress, but I never thought as a teenager that I'd someday have a fashion line,' she explained. The brand will cater to women between sizes 14- 24. Of the items on display at the launch, Rebel has included a variety of colourful ensembles and monochromatic looks. Leather and denim jackets, jeans, dresses and patterned T-shirts made the cut. The range: Of the items on display at the launch, Rebel has included a variety of colourful ensembles and monochromatic looks All sizes: The brand will cater to women between sizes 14- 24 Not sure if they will make it to the party. But that didn't stop Lindsay Lohan, who turns 31 on July 2, from extending an invitation to her birthday party to Beyonce and Britney Spears. The former child star sent the very personal invite to two of the most famous women in the world via Twitter. Scroll down for video Will they attend? Lindsay Lohan, 30, sent a very personal invite to Beyonce, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears to her birthday party in Greece via Twitter She likes them! Lindsay, whose birthday is July 2, hashtagged the post #nicegirls, perhaps reminding the famous ladies of her feeling about them She also invited Paris Hilton to join in on the festivities in Mykonos, Greece over the holiday weekend. Lindsay, whose birthday is July 2, hash-tagged the post #nicegirls, perhaps reminding the famous ladies of her feeling about them. The famous red head has stayed mainly out of the public eye in the past few years and spent a lot of time in London with ex-finace Russian property tycoon Egor Tarabasov, 24. The couple split in August after they were seen brawling on a Greek beach. In October the Mail revealed Lohan was facing bankruptcy after failing to pay 78,000 in rent. Wishful thinking: She invited the famous ladies to her birthday party in Mykonos this weekend All Lindsay, all the time: Lindsay just launched her own lifestyle website, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look into her life She has been to rehab several times for alcohol and drug problems, has previously spent time in jail and has been convicted of drunk-driving and shoplifting. She's now launching her own lifestyle website and giving fans a glimpse into her life. The app and website is also set to give fans glimpses of her acting projects. Recently, Lindsay was spotted on set with Harry Potter star Rupert Grint after starting filming the second season of hilarious comedy Sick Note, on which she will reportedly play Rupert's onscreen boss Katerina West. Like mother, like daughter: She posted a behind-the-scenes look at her life alongside her mother and sister Lindsay started out as a child model, staring in ad campaigns and commercials before she played the role of twins in The Parent Trap. The Disney film personality secured lead roles in Freaky Friday and Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen before landing her breakout role in 2004's Mean Girls. Lindsay's last acting role was in the short film Till Human Voices Wake Us in 2015. She works out regularly to keep her bikini body in check. And Tash Oakely showed off her incredible abs while holidaying in the Amalfi Coast in Italy on Tuesday. All the while, the blonde bikini blogger was tucking into a large bowl of seafood linguine pasta. She's not afraid of carbs! Tash Oakley shows off her cleavage in an orange bikini as she tucks in a large bowl pasta in Italy The stunning coastline was visible in the envy-inducing post, in which Tash was promoting her Monday Swimwear line. Seated right next to the water, the fashion entrepreneur flaunted her cleavage in her halterneck bikini top teamed with high-waisted briefs. Wearing little to no makeup, the striking model glowed thanks to her incredible tan. She accessorised with an expensive Rolex Watch and a lariat pendant that drew even more attention to her cleavage. Envy-inducing: Tash also shared a picture of herself floating on a lilo in the sea Tash got had a little fun with her Instagram caption, throwing in a pun for good measure. 'Stay clam and eat pasta... ' she wrote. Tash and her boyfriend Gilles Souteyrand recently celebrated their two year anniversary. The duo took to their Instagram accounts on Tuesday, posting a loved-up image of themselves in scant swimwear as they stared into each other's eyes. A shirtless Gilles, who showed off his muscly physique in the image, seemed enamoured with his lady love. '2 years and still truly happy,' he sweetly captioned the snap. Busty bikini babe Tash was just as complimentary to her beau. Alongside the photo, which was taken at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo in Italy, she wrote, 'You're funny @gilles_souteyrand' and added a heart emoji. To celebrate their official two-year anniversary last month, Gilles shared a gushing post of his girlfriend. 'You know you've met the right person when she/he makes you a better person,' he wrote next a photo of him kissing Tash. 'Honey, you make my heart go out of sync even after 2 years. Happy anniversary.' She's a famous super model who struts her stuff down the runway. And Martha Hunt, 28, showed off her famous pins on the streets of New York for a photo shoot on Tuesday. The accomplished Victoria Secret model smiled widely as she played with her hair for the photos. Maybe she's born with it: Martha Hunt, 28, showed off her famous pins in black leather pants on the streets of New York for a photo shoot on Tuesday She wore a simple white T-shirt that was glammed up with a corset-style belt that cinched in her tiny waist. The model wore tight leather pants that showed off her thin pins and opted for black booties with metallic embellishments. She wore her long blonde hair in loose waves around her shoulders and appeared to wear very natural makeup for the shoot. A tiny bit of eye shadow and highlighter showed off her naturally beautiful complexion. Completing the look: She also wore a simple white T-shirt that was glammed up with a corset-style belt that cinched in her tiny waist She later took some shots on the front steps of a New York City brownstone, looking stoic as she peered off into the distance. The clotheshorse accessorized with delicate gold jewelry around her neck and wrists. She also wore rings on almost all her fingers and tiny gold earrings in her ears. Various angles: She later took some shots on the front steps of a New York City brownstone, looking stoic as she peered off into the distance Martha is fresh off her latest Victoria Secret photo shoot where she was posing in various workout outfits and showing off her volleyball skills. The model has been a mainstay in the business and for the lingerie powerhouse. Martha, who is signed with IMG, has modeled in three Victoria Secret runway shows. Troian Bellisario revealed that she knew the identity of villain Uber A on Pretty Little Liars for two years. The 31-year-old actress during the series finale Tuesday was revealed as the show's villain Alex Drake, who is the evil British twin of her character Spencer Hastings. Bellisario told Elle.com that series creator I. Marlene King told her she was Uber A at the start of season five. Series finale: Troian Bellisario told Elle.com that she knew two years ago that she was going to play the villain Uber A in Pretty Little Liars that aired its series finale Tuesday 'Marlene took me aside and told me, "I have an idea, but I don't know if the network will let me do it..." Then she sat me down and explained this whole ending to me. 'She said, "You cannot tell anybody. It might not even happen." So I sat on it for over a year. Then at the end of season six, she said, "We're going to do it." It was like the starting gun at the races,' Bellisario said. The Los Angeles native showed her acting ability during the finale as imprisoned Spencer faced off against her evil twin Alex. She also described when the cast and crew got the script for the final episode titled 'Till Death Do Us Part'. Wedding time: Lucy Hale is shown as Aria Montgomery in a still from the series finale 'We had a massive table read in the same room where we'd had our very first table read of the show's pilot script. We sat around the same table and every single writer, every single producer was there, and so many people whose characters came back for the first time in a long time. 'We all got to sit down and read through the script, almost like a radio play. It was fun to read all the scenes between Alex and Spencer, where Alex is explaining everything that's going on to her twin. It was a total blast to play these two characters in a room, in front of everybody, to see how it was going to go over,' she added. Bellisario joined her co-stars Lucy Hale, Ashley Benson, Shay Mitchell and Sasha Pieterse during a PLL aftershow on Freeform. Group shot: The series star posed for a selfie as Pretty Little Liars ended with a two-hour finale Popular show: Pretty Little Liars was a summer success in 2010 and aired for seven seasons She said punk rocker Sid Vicious helped influence her portrayal of Alex. Bellisario and her co-stars also said they'd be open to a reunion 'in 10 years'. 'I think a reunion would have to be pretty special, to do it justice,' Bellisario said. It was the perfect outfit to show off her new lingerie line. Paris Hilton flaunted her fab frame in a sheer white dress in LA on Tuesday. The 36-year-old heiress rocked the gorgeous crocheted piece with a matching white sun hat, purse, choker and white pumps. Gorgeous: Paris Hilton flaunted her fab frame in a sheer white dress in LA on Tuesday. She tied her famous blonde tresses up in a pair of cute plaits. The stunner was spotted rolling up to a valet in Hollywood, when a couple of water bottles rolled out as she exited. She bent to scoop them up herself, teasing those who followed with a generous view through the revealing outfit. She skillfully managed to keep her tiny chihuahua clutched to her chest as she tidied up, before the valet finally stepped in to help her out. I got it! The stunner was spotted rolling up to a valet in Hollywood, when a couple of water bottles rolled out as she exited Gentleman: She skillfully managed to keep her tiny chihuahua clutched to her chest as she tidied up, before the valet finally stepped in to help her out Earlier in the day, Paris gave her 7.2million Instagram followers a smoldering first glimpse at her new self-titled lingerie line. The beauty flashed her taut tummy in the black lacy ensemble, which featured bra, panties, fishnet stockings, choker and even delicate finger-less gloves. They weren't even nearly the only outfits Paris showed off on Tuesday either, as she too to Snapchat to model TWELVE more. Wow: Earlier in the day, Paris gave her 7.2million Instagram followers a smoldering first glimpse at her new self-titled lingerie line. 'Getting ready for Ibiza,' the DJ mused as she fingered through a rail filled with dozens of gorgeous pieces. Choice among them was a skirt and bra seemingly made entirely of white neon lights, that flashed and pulsed on command. 'That's gonna look f*ckin sick when I DJ,' she accurately declared upon laying eyes on it. 'Oh my god this is literally lit as f*ck,' she exclaimed after trying it on. Dude I want to wear this to Burning Man 2!' Clotheshorse: They weren't even nearly the only outfits Paris showed off on Tuesday either, as she too to Snapchat to model TWELVE more Decisions, decisions: 'Getting ready for Ibiza,' the DJ mused as she fingered through a rail filled with dozens of gorgeous pieces 'Literally lit as f*ck': Choice among them was a skirt and bra seemingly made entirely of white neon lights, that flashed and pulsed on command Carol Vorderman was left devastated at the death of her beloved mother Jean - yet she admits she is yet to come to terms with the tragic loss. The 56-year-old former Countdown presenter spoke to Daily Mirror about her grief as she revealed she is yet to read a letter her mother left to read after her death, who passed away aged 88 following a battle with cancer. Having made the announcement on the day of her mother's funeral, as she took to Twitter to pay tribute to her mum as she shared an image of the duo together. Scroll down for video Tragic: Carol Vorderman was left devastated at the death of her beloved mother Jean - yet she admits she is yet to come to terms with the tragic death Carol spoke to the publication in the wake of her woes, as she said: 'I was about to text her this morning and then thought: "I can't"... 'At the moment I'm just telling myself she's gone on holiday. But she's left me a letter which she wrote for me to read after her death, which I haven't read yet. It's for me to read in private - and when I do, that will be when the floodgates open'. Carol is currently blazing the promotional trail for the imminent Pride of Britain Awards, an event she revealed her mother loved. Speaking on Tuesday's GMB, the former Countdown presenter praised her late mum for her unwavering support. She said: 'She was an amazing lady and was always with me. Shes worked with me since I was 25 and lived with me, so I miss her terribly. Devastated: The 56-year-old former Countdown presenter spoke to Daily Mirror about her grief as she admitted just days ago she went to text her mum, who passed away aged 88 at the hands of cancer, yet was shattered when she realised she couldn't Upbeat: Carol spoke to the publication in the wake of her woes, as she said: 'I was about to text her this morning and then thought: "I can't"... 'But there was nothing left unsaid or undone, and as she would say, "Its not a tragedy, I'm nearly 89 and have had a great life."' In a heartbreaking message, she tweeted: 'Some days are tough, today was one of them. Today was my amazing Mum's funeral..... Rest In Peace Jean Vorderman. You will always be loved.' Carol was inundated with messages of support from fans, with many offering their condolences. She had chosen to keep her mother's passing private, revealing her tragic loss on the social media site hours after laying Jean to rest. Looking good: The veteran presenter, 56, looked typically stylish in a fitted blue jumpsuit upon her arrival at ITV studios ahead of an appearance on daily breakfast show Good Morning Britain Finishing touches: Peep-toe heels added to the look, while a smart black handbag proved to be a welcome addition to her ensemble as she made her way inside Greetings: Carol was inundated with messages of support from fans, with many offering their condolences Carol's mother - who was known as Jean, but her real name is Edwina - had been diagnosed with terminal cancer just three months ago. She had battled three different forms of cancer over the last 12 years, with Carol previously revealing her mother had been treated for skin cancer and kidney cancer, as well as having an ovarian tumour removed. Carol revealed Jean's latest diagnosis on Mother's Day as she wrote: 'A precious Mothers Day x This wk Mum & I found out she has terminal cancer.Shes 88, beautiful inside and out & I love her beyond measure x.[sic]' Opening up: Speaking to host Piers Morgan, the former Countdown presenter praised her late mum for her unwavering support Looking back: 'She was an amazing lady and was always with me,' she said. 'Shes worked with me since I was 25 and lived with me, so I miss her terribly' Impressive: Carol's on-trend jumpsuit drew attention to her youthful figure as she posed for photos For a good cause: Carol was promoting the forthcoming Pride of Britain Awards Here she comes: The seasoned presenter offered another smile as she greeted photographers outside the studio later that morning Carol and her siblings cared for Jean at her home in Bristol, after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in March this year. Jean's illness meant Carol postponed her long-held ambition of jetting around the globe in her twin-engine propeller plane named Mildred. Carol - who obtained her licence to fly in 2014 - was planning to capture her journey through Europe, Asia, across the Pacific Ocean, the US and back to the UK on camera and turn it into a documentary called 'Carol's Incredible Solo Flight Around The World'. However, the mathematician revealed to Good Morning Britain hosts Piers and Susanna Reid that she had recently been to visit her plane, thereby suggesting her global flight could still take place. She bagged yet another credit to her critically acclaimed catalogue of work this year with the TV mini-drama, Big Little Lies. And Reese Witherspoon rewarded herself with a shopping spree at Barneys in Beverly Hills in California on Tuesday. The 41-year-old actress embraced summer chic as she put on a leggy display in a thigh-skimming white skirt which she paired with a Draper James gingham top. Scroll down for video Sartorially savvy: Reese Witherspoon, 41, embraced summer chic as she put on a leggy display in a white skirt which she paired with a Draper James gingham top for a shopping trip in Beverly Hills on Tuesday Reese looked sartorially savvy in her sensational ensemble, which consisted of the eye-catching top from her range and the trendy mini-skirt. The Legally Blonde star couldn't help but flaunt her toned pins, which she accentuated with a pair of open toe blue wedges. Adding to the stylish display, the talented star accessorised with a long gold pendant and matching hoop earrings. Reese's blonde mane framed her striking features, which were boosted with a coat of make-up. Trendy: The actress looked sartorially savvy in her sensational ensemble, which consisted of the eye-catching top and the trendy mini-skirt 'Sunday Funday essentials': The beauty has been making the most of the summer, and earlier this week she shared a snap of herself carrying a bottle of champagne as she headed to a picnic The mother-of-three looked ready to shop as she carried her chic brown tote on her arm. The beauty has been making the most of the summer, and earlier this week she shared a snap of herself carrying a bottle of champagne as she headed to a picnic. She captioned her photo: 'Sunday Funday essentials with Draper James' and she added a hashtag for 'picnic.' The Big Little Lies star looked sensational in a form-fitting summer dress from her line Draper James, retailing at $225. Reunion: Also on IG over the weekend Reese shared a photo with her old Wild cast including Laura Dern and the writer of the book the film is based on, Cheryl Strayed The floral frock was patterned with yellow and hot pink hydrangeas and boasted a flirty frilled hem that sat just above the knee. Also on IG over the weekend Reese shared a photo with her old Wild cast including Laura Dern and the writer of the book the film is based on, Cheryl Strayed. The girl in the photo is Cheryl's daughter who played a young Reese in the acclaimed drama, about a drug addict who walks the Pacific Coast Trail alone to give up drugs and change her life by finally emotionally dealing with her mother's death. Her caption read: '#WildWomen reunion!!!! Loved catching up with @cherylstrayed, @lauradern and Cheryl's daughter Bobbi who played young Cheryl in the film. #WildMovie.' Talented: Reese bagged yet another credit to her critically acclaimed catalogue of work this year with the TV mini-drama, Big Little Lies Two Yellowstone National Park visitors were injured Wednesday morning after a bison "butted" them at Mud Volcano, just north of Lake Village, park officials said. Utah residents Theodore Schrader, 74, and Patsy Holmes, 72, were taking photos on a boardwalk when a bison approached them. The animal "butted" Holmes, who fell into Schrader. Park rangers helped get the couple to a nearby clinic. Schrader had minor injuries, but Holmes was flown to an Idaho Falls medical facility, according to a release from the park. There were no citations issued in the incident. This is the first confirmed incident of bison injuring visitors this year. In 2015, five people were injured after approaching bison. In a press release, the National Park Service cautioned visitors to stay 25 yards away from all large animals bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Gerard Butler has paid tribute to 'incredible talent' Michael Nyqvist following his death from lung cancer. The Scottish star said he was moved to speak out in memory of the Swedish actor, who he starred with in the forthcoming action film Hunter Killer. And he said he was left with a 'broken heart' when he learned on Tuesday his friend had died aged just 56. Heartbroken: Gerard Butler paid tribute to 'incredible' Michael Nyqvist on Tuesday following his death from lung cancer The 47-year-old 300 favourite said: 'I just found out that he passed today. It feels important to send my condolences because of all the movies Ive made, he was right up there. 'Hes one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in terms of somebody who just had such incredible talent and childlike qualities and playfulness. But more than anything, just incredible humility and warmth and this cheeky kind of glint in his eyes. 'And to see all the young actors we worked with thinking how are they going to be if they ever make it, and if you see somebody like that and see how they handle themselves with such dignity and integrity and fun like he still loves what he does, and anyway it breaks my heart.' In the caption to his Instagram video he added: 'Sending my condolences to Michael Nyqvist and his family. Incredibly talented and an extraordinary human being. My heart is broken.' His favourite: Gerard said he became close to the actor when they worked on the forthcoming Hunter Killer Sad news: Michael Nyqvist has died at the age of 56 it was revealed on Tuesday A post shared by Gerard Butler (@gerardbutler) on Jun 27, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT Nyqvist is best known for his role in the Swedish movie adaptations of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series. In a statement his family said: 'Michael's joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. 'His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him.' Michael was best known for his role as Mikael Blomqvist in the original 2009 adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, where he starred alongside Noomi Rapace. On screen: Michael was best known for his role as Mikael Blomqvist in the original 2009 adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, where he starred alongside Noomi Rapace In the American adaptation - also based on Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy - his character was played by Daniel Craig. The Swedish actor also starred in Colonia alongside Emma Watson and played a main role in John Wick with Keanu Reeves. He was also known for playing the main villain in Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. Michael is survived by his wife Catharina and their children Ellen and Arthur. Tragic loss: 'Michael's joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. 'His charm and charisma were undeniable' read a family statement Michael was adopted and revealed that his quest to find his biological parents consumed his childhood and early adulthood. The star always possessed a passion for acting, and was educated at the School of Drama in Malmo. It is believed he decided to pursue acting as a career after travelling to Omaha, Nebraska for one year as an exchange student aged 17. The children of PR maven Roxy Jacenko, Pixie, five, and Hunter, three, were all smiles after welcoming their dad back home last week. The kids, who are known for being both stylish and adorable, are absolutely beaming in recent images shared to their Instagram accounts. And it's no surprise they're so happy after their investment banker father Oliver Curtis, 32, recently returned to the family home from serving a 12-month prison sentence. The children of PR maven Roxy Jacenko, Pixie, five, and Hunter, three, are all smiles after welcoming their dad back home In one image, Pixie wore her red hair in a neat ponytail with a pink bow, while her younger brother described as being 'overprotective' in the caption had his blonde short cut styled with a side part. Pixie and Hunter believed their father was on business in China during his jail term, and Roxy said she has no intention to reveal the truth about their father's disappearance to them. The giddy pair have also posed for pictures of them in their pyjamas, on their way to school and also during a 'crafternoon'. Both Pixie and Hunter have become social media personalities in their own right and each boast thousands of Instagram followers. Cheeky pair! The giddy twosome have also posed for pictures of them in their pyjamas, on their way to school and also during a crafternoon Their dad Oliver Curtis had an emotional homecoming with his wife Roxy, 37, and their two children. Socialite Roxy hired a private jet to take Pixie and Hunter from Sydney to Cooma so they could meet Curtis as soon as he left prison in rural NSW. Pixie and Hunter believed their father was on business in China during his jail term, and Roxy said she has no intention to reveal the truth about their father's disappearance to them 'Dada, Dada!' the children squealed from inside the plane, as they caught sight of Curtis for the first time as he walked toward them on the airport tarmac. Oliver was released from prison early on good behaviour after serving 12 months of a two year sentence for conspiracy to commit insider trading. He was chosen to be the godfather of her sweet daughter India, who she welcomed with partner Josh 'JP' Patterson two weeks ago. So it is no wonder Ollie Locke looked incredibly excited on Tuesday, as he headed to Binky Felstead's home to meet his newborn goddaughter. The 29-year-old, who was in the States when the tot was born, appeared in very high spirits as he arrived at his best friend's London abode to visit the sweet little girl and the new mum - with a large bag of presents in hand. Scroll down for video Proud: It is no wonder Ollie Locke looked incredibly excited on Tuesday, as he headed to Binky Felstead's home in London to meet his newborn goddaughter India Ollie kept things casual and comfortable for the visit as he arrived at Binky's home in a simple navy polo shirt and matching trousers. Clearly excited about the prospect of becoming a godfather, the reality star was also seen carrying a large gift bag of presents for the tot and the new mum, 27, following the birth on June 12. Not alone however, Ollie was also flanked by a cameraman as he arrived at her house - implying his first meeting will air on their new reality show Binky And JPs Baby: Born In Chelsea. Chic: The hunk was immediately greeted at the door by the brunette beauty, who showed no signs of fatigue from looking after a newborn The hunk was immediately greeted at the door by the brunette beauty, who showed no signs of fatigue from looking after a newborn - sporting a stylish bardot top and glowing make-up look. Despite holidaying in the US over the last few weeks, Ollie had gushed of his excitement at meeting India on his Instagram - after she was born while he was away. Posting an image of a New York skyline to the site on Monday night, he had admitted to fans: 'More and more I hate leaving you New York.. but I can't wait anymore to meet my beautiful goddaughter @binkyfelstead @joshuapatterson_jp Xx' Excited: Ollie had gushed of his excitement about meeting the tot on Instagram, writing beside the image of a New York skyline: 'I hate leaving you New York.. but I can't wait anymore to meet my beautiful goddaughter' Binky and JP welcomed their first child together on June 12, and confirmed the news with a sweet snap of JP holding her hand, captioned: 'IM A DADDY' (sic) Revealing her full name, India Elizabeth Felstead-Patterson, in Hello! magazine, the pair confessed the little girl had made them even closer as a couple. JP explained: 'Having India has cemented us - even more than we were before.' New chapter: Binky and JP welcomed their first child together on June 12, and confirmed the news with a sweet snap of JP holding her hand, captioned: 'IM A DADDY' (above) Happy family: Revealing her name, India Elizabeth Felstead-Patterson, two weeks later, the pair confessed the tot had made them even closer, explaining: 'Having India has cemented us' Before Binky, who has had an on/off relationship in the past with the hunk, continued: 'We're a family now. She just loves cuddles and everyone's saying she looks like Josh, but she has both our dark hair.' While many mothers feared the delivery of their children, Binky surprisingly admitted that hers was all smooth sailing: 'There was no screaming or crying and it wasn't like in a movie. It was all over very quickly.' Baby India was born at the Lindo Wing at St Mary's hospital at 2 in the afternoon, and weighed seven pounds and thirteen ounces. Besotted: Binky, who has had an on/off relationship in the past with the hunk, continued: 'We're a family now. She just loves cuddles and everyone's saying she looks like Josh' Her name comes as a surprise - given that Binky and Josh's pal Ryan Libbey revealed they had a change of heart about it after another celebrity opted for the same name. Ryan had told BANG Showbiz: 'It was someone from 'The Only Way is Essex' or something like that, I can't remember but the baby was called India... 'They've gone against it purely, because someone's beat them to it. Which I don't know, I don't know if that's just like reasons why you shouldn't but...' She recently opened up about kissing Colin Farrell for their latest flick. And Elle Fanning looked in good spirits as she left Little Dom's restaurant in Los Feliz, California, on Tuesday. The American actress, 19, looked summer-ready in a bright ensemble as she ended her girly night out. Scroll down for video Summer ready: Elle Fanning looked in good spirits as she left Little Dom's restaurant in Los Feliz, California, on Tuesday Putting on a casual display, Elle rocked a baby blue ruffled skirt with a delicate lazer cut-out pattern. Adding a further splash of colour, the Malificent actress wore a baby pink jeans jacket and her hair in a high bun. Teaming it with a pair of loafers with silver buckle detail, she pulled the ensemble together with a silver envelope bag. Turning heads: The American actress, 19, looked summer-ready in a bright ensemble as she ended her girly night out Going for minimal make-up, she showed off her natural looks as she waited for a cab with a pal. The duo appeared to be waiting for a while, as they eventually sat down on the pavement. And taking advantage of the warm night, the pair enjoyed an al fresco natter before going their separate ways. Relaxed: Putting on a casual display, Elle rocked a baby blue ruffled skirt with a delicate lazer cut-out pattern Coordinated: Teaming it with a pair of loafers with silver buckle detail, she pulled the ensemble together with a silver envelope bag The Live by Night actress - who boasts 1.3M followers - recently took to Instagram to promote her latest flick The Beguiled. The Miu Miu muse reunited with her Somewhere director Sofia Coppola for the Civil War drama, which hit limited US cinemas on June 30 and UK theaters July 14. Elle admitted she and the 46-year-old Cannes-winning director 'blushed' while filming the scene where her rebellious student Alicia awakens Colin Farrell's Union soldier with a sneaky kiss. Understated: Going for minimal make-up, she showed off her natural looks as she waited for a cab with a pal Girly night: The duo appeared to be waiting for a while, as they eventually sat down on the pavement 'It's good!' 19-year-old Fanning told ET on Tuesday of locking lips with the 41-year-old Irishman. 'Colin was totally comfortable and nothing weird at all. He was super cool about it and made you feel fine. It wasn't too weird, but also you are like, "Oh God, I am kissing Colin Farrell!"' The Beguiled - also starring Nicole Kidman - is not a remake of the 1971 Clint Eastwood flick, but rather an adaptation of Thomas P. Cullinan's 1966 Southern Gothic novel. His marriage is thought to be on the rocks, after it was claimed he had a six-week affair with Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding. And Danny Dyer looked strained in the wake of his marriage woes on Wednesday, as he headed to the EastEnders set after another lonely evening at a North London hotel. The actor, 39, cut a fatigued figure as he left the residence with his wedding band firmly on - despite reports his wife Joanne Mas has booted him out of their family home. Scroll down for video Tough times: Danny Dyer looked strained in the wake of his marriage woes on Wednesday, as he headed to the EastEnders set after another lonely evening at a North London hotel The actor, known for his role as Mick Carter on the BBC soap, looked more tired than usual as he headed to his car to return to set. Clearly keen to stay comfortable, he stepped out in a white T-shirt and cardigan combo, paired with casual jeans and boots as he ventured back to set for another day of filming, with his script tucked under his arm. Leaving the hotel in the morning, it is assumed that Danny is still staying in the hotel - amid reports Jo has banned him from the house, following claims of an affair. Staying strong: The actor, 39, cut a fatigued figure as he left the residence with his wedding band firmly on - despite reports his wife Joanne Mas has booted him out of their family home Their relationship is reportedly now under 'serious pressure' - just weeks after Danny returned from an extended break from work. However following the claims of infidelity, the Canning Town native appeared in good spirits on Monday as he was pictured leaning outside of his car and happily greeting fans. The Human Traffic star - who shares three children with his long-term love - playfully lifted his wedding band-clad hand into a thumbs up for the impromptu selfie, implying their marriage could be on the up. Defiant: However following the claims of infidelity, Danny appeared in good spirits on Monday as he was pictured leaning outside of his car and greeting fans - with his wedding ring firmly on His appearance comes as he battles reports that he indulged in an affair with former Girls Aloud star Sarah. Despite the rumoured tryst taking place five years ago, friends of the couple have revealed Jo feels humiliated by the news, according to The Mirror. The source said: 'Jo has been left humiliated by the reports over the weekend of Danny's fling with Sarah.' Joanne also recently reportedly kicked Danny out of their marital home, for becoming involved with a shifty crowd. Turmoil: The soap actor's marriage is said to be on the rocks after his wife Joanne Mas (Pictured above) was left 'humiliated' by reports of a six-week affair with Sarah Harding The source continued: 'She is already unhappy with some of the crowd Danny is hanging round with again and things are not rosy between them. 'It is fair to say their marriage is under serious pressure again. Jo has forgiven a lot of things Danny does, but it can't go on forever.' A representative for Danny Dyer has been contacted by MailOnline for further comment. Despite the drama, Danny, who plays Mick Carter in the long running BBC soap, is said to be carrying on as normal. Troubled water: Danny's marriage is on the rocks after a source revealed his wife Jo was left 'humiliated' following reports of the actor's six-week affair in 2012 Steamy scenes: It is said to have happened when the pair filmed the 2012 flick Run for Your Wife together The pair allegedly had a six-week fling when the pair filmed the 2012 flick Run for Your Wife together. It is claimed Sarah, 35, didn't know the EastEnders' hunk had a long-term partner at the time, according to The Sun. A source told the publication of their affair: 'For a while they were head over heels and had a wild sexual relationship. He fell in lust with her.' The insider, and so-called friend of Sarah, further claimed: 'She was flattered by him and soon they had become an item. 'They had a wild sexual relationship': Danny (pictured at BAFTA 2017) and Sarah Harding allegedly had a six-week fling 'She's really not the kind of girl to get involved with someone with a partner. Things would never have gone so far.' Danny is said to have told Sarah he was single and living with his father in Canning Town at the time. Sarah's representative refused to comment when contacted by MailOnline, while a representative for Danny has been approached. The shocking revelation comes just days after it emerged his wife Joanne, 40, 'sent him packing' from their home. It was reported last week that Danny has been living in a hotel in Hertfordshire while he films BBC soap EastEnders, despite only living 19 miles away. Moving apart: It was reported last week that Danny has been living in a hotel in Hertfordshire while he films BBC soap EastEnders, despite only living 19 miles away Danny, who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter on the BBC soap, previously stayed at the same hotel alone in 2015 after claiming the show had 'rinsed the life out of him'. However a BBC spokesperson told the paper: 'He's filming as usual nothing has changed. Sometimes, if cast members have an early or late call, they stay nearby.' His alleged affair with Sarah occurred while they filmed Run For Your Wife, which saw them play a married couple on set. The 2012 movie tells the story of John (Danny) who lives a double life despite being a married man but his secret is let out the bag when he does something heroic. Tough: Danny, who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter on the BBC soap, previously stayed at the same hotel alone in 2015 after claiming the show had 'rinsed the life out of him' For the role, the actor and actress were required to practice their lines together and share smooches. But it is reported the couple found themselves unable to deny the sexual chemistry between them when they were off set. The alleged fling is said to have kicked off when they couldn't resist locking lips when they weren't filming. Sarah was reported to be 'devastated' when she was faced with the reality the soap star was dating someone long-term. Danny and Joanne have shared a 20-year relationship - and share three children together - but only wed in September 2016. The actor has been led astray by other woman during their long-term relationship. In June 2014, it was reported he had 'spent the night with a 21-year-old student after meeting her in a club and was allegedly pictured naked on her mobile phone. Exposed: The alleged fling is said to have kicked off when they couldn't resist locking lips when they weren't filming Earlier that year, Cara Chamberlain, 29, came forward after a night out she reportedly spend with the actor in 2010, which involved partying in a nightclub, and then going back to his hotel room. But he vowed to change and in 2015 said: 'I don't want to go there again. I have cheated in the past and I suffered the consequences quite badly. 'Jo's always been the girl for me. Those things happened a long time ago and what we've got together is much more important than that.' In February 2017 he was embroiled in another cheating scandal after allegedly sending pictures of his penis to a fan. According to the young mother, who he met at an Essex book signing event the previous year, he told her 'bend over and show me that bottle' - cockney rhyming slang for her backside. They've been teasing at a romance for weeks. And despite still not confirming the status of their union, Lucy Mecklenburgh sent tongues wagging as she headed to an airport in Greece to mark the end of her getaway with Ryan Thomas on Wednesday. The former TOWIE star, 25, showed off her enviably toned and tanned figure as she emerged from the car with her suitcases alongside the soap-star, 33 - after setting her Instagram alight with sizzling snaps. Scroll down for video Officially a couple? Lucy Mecklenburgh sent tongues wagging as she headed to an airport in Greece to mark the end of her getaway with Ryan Thomas on Wednesday Twosome: The former TOWIE star, 25, showed off her enviably toned and tanned figure as she emerged from the car with her suitcases alongside the soap-star, 33 Lucy, who reportedly struck up a romance with the Coronation Street star while filming for Bear Grylls' survival show, looked sensational as she showed off her lean legs in a pair of tiny shorts. Sticking to the colour scheme, the reality sensation teamed the look with black shirt, which was emblazoned with a funky Guess logo. Proving that her time in Greece has been spent well, Lucy flaunted her golden glow as she carted along a large grey suitcase, while also harbouring her essentials in a chic black handbag. A few steps ahead of her was Ryan - who was clearly still in the summer mood as he kept his multi-coloured shirt unbuttoned. Summer chic: Lucy looked sensational as she showed off her lean legs in a pair of tiny shorts Fashionista: Sticking to the colour scheme, the reality sensation teamed the look with black shirt, which was emblazoned with a funky Guess logo Stunning pair: Lucy carted along a large silver suitcase as she emerged from the vehicle with hunky Ryan Beginnings: Lucy reportedly struck up a romance with the Coronation Street star while filming for Bear Grylls' survival show The TV hunk completed the look with a pair of black short and white sandals, which provided him with the utmost comfort as he juggled two suitcases and a large carry on bag. Ryan and Lucy were rumoured to have hit it off during filming for survival show Bear Grylls' Celebrity Island. The genetically blessed duo's secret romance became apparent when Lucy shared a racy snap of herself posing nude in what appeared to be the same Panama hotel room as Ryan. Adding further fuel to the fire, the pair also posted identical videos of their pancake and maple syrup breakfasts - an unusual treat for fitness fanatic Lucy. Hunk: A few steps ahead of Lucy was Ryan - who was clearly still in the summer mood as he kept his multi-coloured shirt unbuttoned Trendy: The TV hunk completed the look with a pair of black short and white sandals, which provided him with the utmost comfort as he juggled two suitcases and a large carry on bag Rumoured romance: Ryan and Lucy were rumoured to have hit it off during filming for survival show Bear Grylls' Celebrity Island It was claimed earlier this month that Lucy and Ryan had managed to strike up a romance in the midst of water shortages, extreme hunger and tropical storms while filming for Bear Grylls' survival show. The Daily Star first reported that the two TV stars have got close during filming for the new series of the Channel 4 programme. Ryan and Lucy have apparently got very close very quickly after landing in Panama last week for training for the show. A show source told the paper: 'There's definitely a mutual attraction which is getting everyone excited. Suggesting something? The genetically blessed duo's secret romance became apparent when Lucy shared a racy snap of herself posing nude in what appeared to be the same Panama hotel room as Ryan 'A mutual attraction': The Daily Star first reported that the two TV stars have got close during filming for the new series of the Channel 4 programme The insider added that producers are keen to sex up the reality show, and are delighted by the prospect of a blossoming romance: 'There's a real buzz from the producers as they reckon it's their sexiest series to date,' claimed the source 'The crew are going to do everything they can to try to make it happen between them.' The insider added that producers are keen to sex up the reality show, and are delighted by the prospect of a blossoming romance: 'There's a real buzz from the producers as they reckon it's their sexiest series to date,' claimed the source. Ryan has been single since his split from girlfriend Lana Martin last September, after struggling to make the long distance between them work. The former Corrie bad boy began dating marketing consultant Lana in February, and will reportedly 'always be grateful' for the help and support she gave him once he left the ITV show. Making waves! Meanwhile, Lucy continued to set her Instagram alight as she shared a sizzling bikini snap on Wednesday The actor is dad to daughter Scarlett, who he shares custody with with former love and Corrie co-star Tina O'Brien. Lucy meanwhile has previously had high-profile splits from Louis Smith and Mario Falcone. Meanwhile, Lucy made the most of her washboard abs as she slipped into a pair of tiny fluorescent bikini bottoms for her latest sizzling holiday snap. Teaming them with plunging triangle bralet, she made the most of her bronzed decolletage a she took control of the boat's steering wheel. 'Captain Meck. This is how u travel around Mykonos', she captioned the sizzling snap. Rear view: The Essex beauty showcased her tanned and toned physique in a black bikini as she enjoyed her sun-soaked vacation in Mykonos On Tuesday she took to social media to showcase her peachy posterior, sharing further sizzling snaps from her sun-soaked trip to Santorini. Rocking a high-cut black bikini, she took a snap as she faced a picturesque backdrop of sea and sky. 'Never want to leave but Off to the next adventure,' she captioned the racy snap. This came after Lucy displayed her enviably toned stomach and impossibly tiny waist in a stylish monochrome bikini, as she continued to top up her tan on the idyllic island location. Beach body: Lucy was certainly not afraid to show off her killer body on Wednesday, as she shared further sizzling snaps from her sun-soaked trip to Santorini While Lucy appeared to be cooling off from the heat in the snap, she certainly got her followers hot under the collar as she posed in another skimpy two-piece. Cutting into a wide V neckline, her triangle top gave a glimpse of her delicate cleavage to all as she posed, before it cut off just below her bust - to leave her impressive washboard abs and flat stomach on show. Paired with nothing but barely-there bottoms, which tied into single strings at the side, the star then drew attention to her enviably long and slender legs as she posed seductively for her followers. Slender: She posed at the very edge of a boat with her back to the camera in another sizzling shot, once again displaying her incredibly petite waist in her high-waisted shorts Letting her incredible body take centre stage, the brunette simply left her hair in loose waves and sported minimal make-up, to leave her clear, glowing skin on show. Not stopping there however, she later uploaded even more envy-inducing snaps for her fans, as she made the most of her idyllic getaway. One saw her posing at the very edge of a boat with her back to the camera, once again displaying her incredibly petite waist in her high-waisted shorts. Ideal: She also posted a more glamorous image of her sat beside her swimming pool with a glass of wine, which she simply captioned: 'In heaven' Proving to be fully relaxing while away, she also posted a more glamorous image of her sat beside her swimming pool with a glass of wine, which she simply captioned: 'In heaven'. Lucy had already set her fans' pulses racing in strapless orange swimsuit on Friday, as she posed on a yacht in another stunning Instagram. The reality star showed off her incredible figure in the high cut swimming costume as she got bronzed in the Mediterranean. Beach babe: Lucy had already set her fans' pulses racing in strapless orange swimsuit on Friday, as she posed on a yacht in another stunning Instagram The brightly coloured number featured a zip, which came down to her navel as she posed seductively by the hot springs. The reality star shielded her eyes with a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses and wore her tousled raven locks down. Lucy jetted into Greece on Thursday and seems determined to make the most of her stay. On Thursday, the former TOWIE star visited Athens and Vouliagemi, just down the coast from the capital. Fun in the sun: The former TOWIE star, 25, jetted into Greece on Thursday and showed off her bronzed figure in a striped bikini in Voula Lucy showed off her toned physique in a striped bikini as she relaxed in the town of Voula. The strapless bikini top featured a ring in the middle, which joined the skimpy material together. The reality star lay in a floral swing seat and laughed as she posed next to an iced coffee and some fresh fruit. Beach babe: Lucy Mecklenburgh was reminiscing about her Dubai trip as she shared a stunning throwback snap on Instagram The jet-setting star has visited Ibiza, LA and Rome over the last few months. In February, Lucy posted a stunning throwback snap to her holiday to Dubai. Clad in a tiny red bikini, Lucy showed off her enviable figure as she enjoyed a cocktail on the beach. The scanty two piece offered a look at her impeccably toned abs and perky bust as she smiled down the lens. The reality starlet turned fitness guru captioned the shot: 'Summer bodies are made in winter girlies!!!' It comes after Lucky showed off the fruits of her labour with a sexy lingerie selfie. Slipping her incredible body into racy matching pink bra and knicker set, the star seductively smiled into the mirror as she slipped her gown off her shoulders. She wrote: 'Behind the scenes shooting!' While Lucy has moved on to her exercise empire, her former fiance Mario Falcone is said to be going back in time and returning to TOWIE. Holy Meck! Fitmess guru Lucy certainly showed off the fruits of her labour last week as she showed off her incredible body into racy matching pink bra and knicker set Two years after his dismissal for touting slimming pills - a banned act for castmembers - sources tell The Sun that the hunky star has been vying for a comeback on the ITVBe reality show, leading to interest from producers in bringing him back in 'cameos' where storylines permit. Despite reports, the 28-year-old tailor previously lashed out at producers for trying to 'dumb him down' by restricting his vocabulary - after which he claimed he had 'sold his soul to the devil'. Mario has reportedly been attempting a comeback, meaning insiders claims will no doubt delight fans, particularly with his new girlfriend Becky Miesner. A source said: 'Mario has been quite keen to come back for a while and 'TOWIE' have invited him back to film the odd cameo and will use him where story permits.' Mario, who proposed to his ex-girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh on the show - a decision he later lamented, recently hinted about a return to the show but admitted his girlfriend Becky isn't interested in the limelight. Hello Mr Falcone? Sources tell The Sun that the hunky star has been vying for a comeback on the ITVBe reality show, leading to interest from producers in bringing him back in 'cameos' where storylines permit Of his return, he said: 'There may be a development on that front but I can't actually say anything about it. I love that Becky isn't interested in the public eye. It's nice to keep one thing to yourself that you really enjoy and cherish. 'She's so grounded. The world I'm from doesn't interest her. I can't stand to think about upsetting her like I have with other girls in the past. In my eyes, she's perfect.' Atop the information from sources, his former co-star and love interest Chloe Sims, with whom he enjoyed a number of steamy kisses, penned an apparent confirmation in her Star magazine column. She wrote: 'I was thrilled when Mario Falcone hinted that he might be returning to TOWIE. I love old cast coming back, and hes so funny. 'Mind you, I reckon it will only work if he comes on the show with his girlfriend Becky Miesner, and Im not sure if hell do that, as being on TV hasnt worked for his relationships in the past.' Shes embraced motherhood in the weeks following the birth of daughter Vienna, her first child with partner Luis Morrison. But after a difficult pregnancy and gruelling 32-hour labour, Cally Jane Beech has emphatically proved her baby weight is gone in a series of unairbrushed images taken on behalf of New! magazine. The Love Island star displays her slender physique in striking black lingerie while cradling Vienna, just seven weeks after her birth in March. Scroll down for video Proud mother: After a difficult pregnancy and gruelling 32-hour labour, Cally Jane Beech has emphatically proved her baby weight is gone in a series of images taken with daughter Vienna on behalf of New! magazine Offering the camera a warm smile, Cally appears to have moved on from what she freely describes as 'her worst nine months,' during which her relationship with Love Island co-star Luis came under strain. The barest hint of make-up serves to accentuate her features, while the reality star's hair is casually styled with a simple side parting. Meanwhile baby Vienna, who bears a striking resemblance to her handsome father, reveals she is already developing a thick thatch of hair while resting against her mother's chest. Looking good: The Love Island star displays her slender physique in striking black lingerie In an exclusive interview with the publication, Cally confessed it will take her a while to overcome the difficulties she faced during her pregnancy. The reality star has shockingly confessed she didn't speak to baby Vienna's dad, her Love Island beau Luis Morrison, for two weeks before she went into labour in May. 'I think we took on a lot at the same time,' she explained of the tense second half of her pregnancy. 'You know at the start of the relationship you have a honeymoon period - I want that all the time.' She went onto explain that the stress of moving to a new house near Leeds in January and Luis starting a business contributed to the arguments, which ultimately led Cally to decide to stay with her mum two weeks before the birth, admitting the couple needed a break. Candid chat: New mum Cally Jane has confessed it will take her a while to overcome what she has dubbed 'the worst nine months I've had in I don't know how long' Break: The star has spoken about about her pregnancy, confessing she didn't speak to baby Vienna's dad, her Love Island beau Luis Morrison, for two weeks before she went into labour 'We weren't really talking before I went into labour - I just didn't want it to turn into another argument,' she said. 'It was only about two weeks that we weren't speaking. I said "I'll just call you if I go into labour."' In the end Luis was by Cally's side throughout her gruelling 32 hour labour which resulted in an emergency cesarean when Vienna's heart rate plummeted. Cally also explained that the surgery has meant she hasn't been able to exercise yet following the birth, and she's still not regained her body confidence. Traumatic: During the interview, Cally was honest about her first experience of motherhood, revealing that arguments with Luis contributed to the unsettling time 'I'm dying for my boobs to go back down. I hate big boobs and I'm not very confident with than at the minute. Lu was like "Oh you look great, don't worry about it", but I feel a lot better now my bump is gone. I don't miss it one bit,' she admitted. The reality star confessed she didn't enjoy her pregnancy at all, and it has made her think twice about having more children anytime soon, although she'd love to give Vienna a sibling one day. Cally was reunited with former flame Luis on Love Island's first rebooted season in 2015 and the pair instantly became a couple once more, before announcing their pregnancy in October. Fast forward to May 7 and the happy couple revealed they had welcomed a baby girl. Motherhood: Cally confessed she didn't enjoy her pregnancy, and it has made her think twice about having more children anytime soon, although she'd love to give Vienna a sibling one day Doting dad: In the end Luis was by Cally's side throughout her gruelling 32 hour labour which resulted in an emergency cesarean when Vienna's heart rate plummeted Sizzling: The 25-year-old former beauty queen and Love Island star has been looking gorgeous since the birth and things are back in track with Luis The couple have been candid about their gruelling route to parenthood as shortly after the birth Cally voiced her dismay on social media as she questioned the modern day 'labour procedures'. Cally shared a note reading: 'Just wanted to say Hull women's at Children hospital midwifes and student nurses was absolutely fantastic with me from the moment I went into labour couldn't be more grateful they never left my side... 'However I can't get something off my brain and i need to say I definitely do not agree with today's labour procedures at all, a woman knows her own body and if I didn't listen to mine my labour result could have been a whole lot worse and Iv thought about this every time I look at my baby. 'I find it actually upsetting to talk about my labour with my mum and luis who had to experience it with me and that's really sad at such a special time (sic)'. She is no stranger to sharing a scantily-clad shot on Instagram. And Louise Thompson shared one of her cheekiest snaps of all time on the social networking site on Wednesday. The Made in Chelsea star - who is currently holidaying in Ibiza with boyfriend Ryan Libbey - no doubt delighted fans after posting a picture of herself picking lemons in nothing but a pair of skimpy bikini bottoms. Scroll down for video Jeez, Louise! Louise Thompson flashed her perky behind as she posed in nothing but a pair of tiny bikini bottoms while picking lemons in Ibiza on Wednesday The reality star turned fitness enthusiast reiterated her body confidence as she flashed her perky behind in patterned monochromatic bikini bottoms - and nothing else. Using nature to her advantage, Louise smouldered as her brunette tresses, which have been noticeably lightened by the sun, blew away from her face. The ex Jump contestant then turned and flashed a coy smile for the camera. Copping a feel: Louise's boyfriend Ryan Libbey couldn't resist grabbing the Made in Chelsea star's as they posed in the sun-soaked location Smitten kittens: The couple - who have been dating since last summer - have shared a series of loved-up snaps on the social networking site 'Picking lemons in our juicy orchard (dodging the sprinkler system: ugly black cable),' she captioned the raunchy snap. The saucy shot came mere hours after Louise shared an image of boyfriend Ryan copping a feel of her peachy behind. This time concealing her torso beneath a white T-shirt, the TV personality smiles for the camera while leaning against the muscle-bound trainer's chest. 'A whole lotta luv (& tan),' she wrote alongside the loved-up post. While they are regulars on the London party scene as cast members of Made In Chelsea, it seems the couple are keen to be anywhere but the capital this year. Cheeky: Louise looks to be having the time of her life during her seemingly never-ending holiday run Breakfast in bed! The reality star posted a cheeky bedroom photo last week, holding up a pair of doughnuts to hide her bare chest Their trip to Ibiza marks their ninth holiday in 2017 alone, having already enjoyed luxurious trips to Mykonos, Dubai, Sri Lanka and the Maldives in just six months. Louise has been dating personal trainer Ryan since last summer, and recently revealed he was part of the reason she decided to embark on her fitness journey. Admitting to Women's Health she has ditched alcohol since finding love, she said: Getting in shape has been a combination of being with Ryan, the timing and changing my outlook. 'Im done drinking. Before, I would go wild once a week. But I mean wild. 'Then I realised that I dont actually enjoy drinking and its taken me the past few months to see how much better my life is without it.' Scott Disick was spotted leaving Malibu sushi restaurant Nobu solo on Tuesday evening. The 34-year-old reality star was dressed down in a long-sleeved tan top over blue jeans for his dinner outing. When the KUWTK bearded bad boy reached his expensive car, it appeared to be parked illegally in a handicap spot. Scroll down for video Fish feast: Scott Disick was spotted leaving Malibu sushi restaurant Nobu solo on Tuesday evening Solo mission: The 34-year-old reality star was dressed down in a long-sleeved tan top over blue jeans for his dinner outing Not cool: When the KUWTK bearded bad boy reached his expensive car, it appeared to be parked illegally in a handicap spot Careerwise, Scott last hosted the June 10 bash at 1 OAK Las Vegas, and his boozy behavior has some pals worried for his health. 'Scott's on a fast track to liver disease the way he's going,' a source told Radar Online on Tuesday. 'He's already starting to look kind of yellow in his pallor which has set off alarm bells his liver could be failing. He looks jaundiced and has to get a spray tan to give himself a credible color.' The insider added: 'He'll easily down several bottles of champagne in a day, a large bottle of vodka, tequila shots and wine and that's not sharing either.' 'Scott's on a fast track to liver disease': Careerwise, Scott last hosted the June 10 bash at 1 OAK Las Vegas, and his boozy behavior has some pals worried for his health 'He'll easily down several bottles of champagne': The hard-partying father-of-three completed his fourth rehab stint at Cliffside Malibu in 2015 Unresolved issues? The preppy 'Lord' Disick - who was once hospitalized for alcohol poisoning - suffered the deaths of his father Jeffrey in October 2013 and mother Bonnie three months later in January 2014 The hard-partying father-of-three completed his fourth rehab stint at Cliffside Malibu in 2015 after previously receiving treatment at centers in Florida and Costa Rica. The preppy 'Lord' Disick - who was once hospitalized for alcohol poisoning - suffered the deaths of his father Jeffrey in October 2013 and mother Bonnie three months later in January 2014. Meanwhile, the real estate heir's latest rumoured fling Bella Thorne was busy Tuesday Snapchatting herself holding a kitten with its paw and head dyed pink and blue. At 19, the You Get Me starlet is 15 years younger than Scott and on June 21 she coyly tweeted: 'Ugh really starting to like you and it's kind of annoying.' Poor cat! Meanwhile, the real estate heir's latest rumoured fling Bella Thorne was busy Tuesday Snapchatting herself holding a kitten with its paw and head dyed pink and blue At 19, the You Get Me starlet is 15 years younger than Scott and on June 21 she coyly tweeted: 'Ugh really starting to like you and it's kind of annoying' Canoodling: The bisexual wild child and the self-described 'sex addict' partied together last Friday at Lana Del Rey's 32nd birthday bash at WeHo hotspot 1 OAK A source told People: 'Scott looked very tired. He was drunk. Bella was clinging onto him. They have been hanging out every day' The bisexual wild child and the self-described 'sex addict' partied together last Friday at Lana Del Rey's 32nd birthday bash at WeHo hotspot 1 OAK. 'Scott looked very tired. He was drunk. Bella was clinging onto him,' a source told People. 'They have been hanging out every day. She seems to love the attention she gets from hanging out with him. Their relationship doesnt even seem romantic.' Make a wish! As for his babymama Kourtney Kardashian, the 37-year-old reality star shared a Snapchat of her sister Khloe getting ready to blow out the candles on her 33rd birthday cake Family: The Calabasas couple officially ended their on/off nine-year romance two years ago, but they've remain amicable for the sake of their children - Mason, 7; Reign, 2; and Penelope, 4 As for his babymama Kourtney Kardashian, the 37-year-old reality star shared a Snapchat of her younger sister Khloe getting ready to make a wish and blow out the candles on her 33rd birthday cake. The Calabasas couple officially ended their on/off nine-year romance two years ago, but they've remain amicable for the sake of their sons Mason, 7; and Reign, 2; as well as daughter Penelope, who turns 5 next month. The half-Armenian socialite has been reportedly casually dating former boxer Younes Bendjima for the last month. She's the the Australian model known around the world for her beauty. And it seems Cheyenne Tozzi enjoys keeping company with those who are similarly blessed with good looks. On Tuesday, the 28-year-old stunner took to Instagram to share a snap of herself sightseeing in Paris with fellow Aussie model Jordan Barrett and Brazillian looker Marlon Teixeira. The beautiful people! Cheyenne Tozzi was seen hanging out with male models Jordan Barrett and Mario Teixeria in Paris on Tuesday, joking that she needs 'better looking friends' 'I need better looking friends' Cheyenne ironically captioned the photo which showed the attractive threesome posing on a staircase by the Seine. A long way from The Shire, the Cronulla-born beauty looked Parisian chic in an all-white ensemble. The blonde wore a pair of white linen pants teamed with a loose button down, leaving her long locks out to blow in the breeze. What a trio! The lookers were seen earlier in the week on another outing in Paris Meanwhile, party-boy Jordan wore a similar looking loose linen top, that he paired with black pants and light brown leather brogues. The Australian pals were spotted spending time together in Paris earlier in the week-with Marlon also seen a picture uploaded to Jordan's Instagram account. 25-year-old Marlon who boasts over 668,000 Instagram followers, is one of the world's most in-demand male models. In-demand male model: 25-year-old Marlon boats over 668,000 Instagram followers The Brazilian is just the latest in a long-line of lookers who have been spending time with Jordan in recent weeks. Cindy Crawford's model son, Presley Gerber, has also been hanging out with Jordan in Paris. The pair have previously been pictured posing at the Met Gala with celebrity offspring Sofia Richie and Sistine Stallone. And the Byron Bay-born bad boy set tongues wagging earlier in the month, seen inside Bella Hadid's apartment with the supermodel appearing at the window wearing only her underwear. Squad goals! Well-connected Jordan counts Presley Gerber as a pal, with the two male models seen posing with Sofia Richie and Sistine Stallone at the recent Met Gala Jeff Bridges played a president in "The Contender," a political flick released nearly two decades ago in the wake of President Bill Clinton's White House scandals. But when it comes to critiquing the role of today's real-life president, Bridges is a lot more laid back than some of his fellow celebrities. How would The Dude, the character he played in "The Big Lebowski," handle things? He likely wouldn't be dangling a severed head in the likeness of President Donald Trump, as comedian Kathy Griffin came under fire for doing. Neither would The Dude joke about killing the president, as Johnny Depp recently did. Griffin and Depp later apologized. "Everybody has something different and unique to contribute to society and with different ways of doing it," Bridges said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, after taking part on a panel focused on child hunger at a meeting of the Western Governors Association in Whitefish, Montana. "Some people will be blatantly out there talking about their disappointments and ridiculing the way President Trump is acting," said Bridges, who supported Hillary Clinton in last year's election. "I'm rooting for him to do well by our country," he said. "I'm rooting for him as a human being to do the cool thing," Bridges said, as he pivoted back to his work against childhood hunger. Bridges said he is especially concerned about proposed cuts to federal food assistance programs, which he said could harm the well-being of more children. The actor has been an ambassador for the "No Kid Hungry" campaign, a national effort to address food insecurity among struggling families. He founded the End Hunger Network in 1983 and became the national spokesman for No Kid Hungry in 2010. Bridges splits his time between homes in Southern California and Montana. He has helped Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and the state's first lady, Lisa Bullock, on expanding school breakfast programs. "The health of our children is a wonderful compass that can tell us if our country is going the right direction," he said. "That means we're off course, so I'm rooting for the president to get on course." Nicole Kidman leads a host of TV's biggest stars in a sultry new photo shoot for W magazine. The 50-year-old poses in a pale pink Miu Miu negligee and a thick blue Miu Miu jacket while giving the camera a smoldering stare. But she revealed the life of an actress isn't always so glamorous, admitting in the interview that she once ate moth larvae on her 1983 debut film - and enjoyed it. She confessed: 'I wanted to eat them. I was excited to do that.' Scroll down for video 'I could eat anything': Nicole Kidman flashed a bit of leg in a nightie-like pale pink Miu Miu dress as she posed for Lynn Hirschberg's TV star showcase in W Nicole had reminisced that her 'first professional job was Bush Christmas, which was a film I did in Australia. I was 14, it was shooting out in the bush in Queensland, and I got to eat witchetty grubs. Do you know what witchetty grubs are? They are worms that live in the earth, and they're a milky white color, and I eat them in the film.' Of her desire to eat the creatures, Nicole confided: 'I'm one of those people. I could go on Survivor and I wouldn't be good at the climbing and all of the physical stuff, but I could eat anything. Just so you know.' The Moulin Rouge! actress went on: 'That's my secret skill. Give me a cockroach, I'll eat it! Spider, I'll eat it! You name it, I've tried it. I'm adventurous.' Colleague: Alexander Skarsgard, who plays Nicole's character's abusive husband on Big Little Lies, posed for W in a blue and black herringbone Cleverly Laundry robe Nicole starred on this year's HBO miniseries Big Little Lies as the outwardly glamorous and happy but secretly battered lawyer-turned-housewife Celeste. Alexander Skarsgard, who plays her abusive husband, posed for W in a blue and black herringbone Cleverly Laundry robe over a white Schiesser Revival shirt. Recalling that 'My first crush was Jessica Lange in Tootsie' back when 'I was maybe eight or nine,' he quipped: 'Im still not over her. Every time I meet someone, I compare her to Jessica Lange in Tootsie. Thats probably why Im not married.' Teaming a Messika Paris bracelet with a gleaming baby blue sleeveless Louis Vuitton dress, Claire Foy posed lounging on a sofa and staring off enigmatically. Uneasy lies the head: Teaming a Messika Paris bracelet with a gleaming baby blue sleeveless Louis Vuitton dress, Claire Foy posed lounging on a sofa and staring off enigmatically She's been playing Queen Elizabeth II during the early years of her reign on The Crown, a Netflix series written by Peter Morgan, who's previously written both the film The Queen and the play The Audience about the Sovereign. Recalled she: 'I went to work on The Crown four months after giving birth. The queen didnt wear a corset, but I did in the beginning.' She's revealed that 'Now, in the second season, I have to wear a significantly padded brassiere. In the first season, it was all my own breast work, but now its: "Ha! Where have they gone?" The queen would be so ashamed of me.' Relaxed: Genius star Johnny Flynn left his Calvin Klein Jeans Established 1978 top open over his chest and had slid himself into a pair of skintight matching jeans Genius star Johnny Flynn left his Calvin Klein Jeans Established 1978 top open over his chest and had slid himself into a pair of skintight matching jeans. The Johannesburg-born actor's said: 'In playing Albert Einstein, I found out that he was not the archetypal absentminded professor. He was an energetic, slightly rebellious, rakish, sort-of-bohemian poet.' On top of which 'he was quite amorous - he had many lovers. Einstein wasnt exactly a "player," but he enjoyed women, and when his first marriage fell apart, he became what you would call a ladies man. He gave up on monogamy.' Coordinated: This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia showed off his toned arms in a blue Current/Elliott short-sleeved shirt he'd complemented with faded jeans that'd got folded-up hems This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia showed off his toned arms in a blue Current/Elliott short-sleeved shirt he'd complemented with faded jeans that'd got folded-up hems. While watching movies, to hear him tell it, 'Im not a big crier. Its more like moments get me, you know? Like Interstellar, Matthew McConaughey is just trying to get back to his family, things like that. Family stuff kind of gets me.' Specifying: 'Impactful relationships like that get me; fathers and parents and children,' he's joked that 'I guess if I wasnt on my show Id be just a wet noodle watching my show all the time.' 'Biggest thrill': Sanaa Lathan of Shots Fired was radiant while draped in a feathery Lanvin coat and recalled when her Sesame Street director father brought her on the show's set Sanaa Lathan of Shots Fired was radiant while draped in a feathery Lanvin coat, and has pointed out: 'My dad, Stan Lathan, was one of the first black TV directors.' She's reminisced: He used to direct Sesame Street, and he blindfolded me once, and when he took the blindfold off, I was on the set. I got to meet Big Bird. It was my birthday, and the whole cast sang to me. That was the biggest thrill of my life.' James Franco, who'll starring on HBO's upcoming The Deuce, stood for photos looking faintly confused while wearing a blue and white checked Prada shirt. New work: James Franco, who'll starring on HBO's upcoming The Deuce, stood for photos looking faintly confused while wearing a blue and white checked Prada shirt He's looked back on an old scheme of his: 'I worked at McDonalds for a few months, and I got a couple of dates from taking orders at the drive-through window. I was enrolled in an acting class, and I would practice different accents.' James went on: 'I was really bad, but people believed me. A young lady would say: "Oh, I forgot to order the strawberry milkshake," and ask me about my Italian or Irish or Brooklyn accent,' he remembered to the magazine. 'We would go out on a date, go back to the McDonalds parking lot, and make out. Eventually, I had to break it to them that I wasnt Italian or Irish or from New York. The girls would usually end it right then and there.' Star in the making: Millie Bobby Brown, the 13-year-old Stranger Things star, wore Balenciaga Millie Bobby Brown, the 13-year-old Stranger Things star, wore Balenciaga and told the magazine: 'During the screen test for Stranger Things, one of the directors came up to me and said: "Bzzz," over my head. He then asked: "Are you ready?"' As she's said, Millie 'was like, For what? And he said: "To cut all your hair off!" The next day I got the job and I cut it. My hair was down to here, but its only hair. After that, I was called "boy" a lot,' she's recollected. The White Princess actress Jodie Comer bared a generous bit of cleavage in her ornately patterned Marc Jacobs dress and dished that 24-year-old she and her 21-year-old brother still live at their parents' digs in Liverpool. 'I said to my mom: "Were going to be 30-, 40-odd years old and were still going to be living in the kids rooms." Im hoping I will be able to leave the nest at some point.' Showing what she's got: The White Princess actress Jodie Comer bared a generous bit of cleavage in her ornately patterned Marc Jacobs dress Personal experience: Riz Ahmed of The Night Of wore a Bottega Veneta sweater and held: 'I usually get stopped in the U.K. before I board a plane' Riz Ahmed of The Night Of wore a Bottega Veneta sweater and held: 'I usually get stopped in the U.K. before I board a plane. Whats funny is that Heathrow is in a heavily South Asian neighborhood, and the kids working at the airport are fans of mine. So while theyre swabbing me for explosives, theyre asking me for selfies.' He's gone on to say that 'While theyre going through my underwear, theyre quoting my raps back at me. Its quite a surreal experience that speaks to the insider/outsider status Ive felt all my life.' The OA's Brit Marling showed off her legs in a plush scarlet Prada dress, as did Homeland's Rupert Friend, who'd worn no trousers over his Sunspel boxers but had put on a voluminous bluish green Hermes turtlenecked sweater. Keri Russell of the Americans posed crawling across the frame wearing a Michael Kors Collection crop top and a patterned pair of briefs from Philosophy. Leggy: The OA's Brit Marling showed off her legs in a plush scarlet Prada dress, as did Homeland's Rupert Friend, who'd worn no trousers over his Sunspel boxers She got her start in Dolly magazine's model search competition. And as she gears up to judge the Girlfriend Priceline Model Search, model Samantha Harris has admitted she doesn't think introducing young girls to a cut-throat industry is problematic. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, the 26-year-old said it was 'a great platform' for those starting out. Not too young! Samantha Harris (pictured) told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday that she doesn't think introducing teenagers to the cut-throat modelling industry is problematic 'It's a teen magazine, so we're aware that teenagers are still very young,' she told Confidential. 'We kind of nurture them and if they're keen to dip their foot into modelling I think it's a great way.' In her personal life, Samantha appears to be going from strength-to-strength with her former jailbird husband Luke Hunt. Samantha and Luke are looking happier than ever, a year after his release from prison. The 26-year-old shared a loved-up video of the couple on Instagram, as she planted a kiss on her longtime partner's cheek. True love! Australian model Samantha Harris and Luke Hunt look happier than ever Samantha and Luke appear to have got their relationship back on track following his release from prison in May 2016. In the short video, the Australian beauty looks at her husband with affection before kissing him on the cheek. The couple secretly married in 2014, two months before Luke began a prison sentence for his role in a fatal car accident in 2012. Wedded bliss! The 26-year-old shared a loved-up video of the couple on Instagram, as she planted a kiss on her longtime partner's cheek Luke was behind the wheel in a tragic accident that resulted in the death of grandfather Kenneth Lay, 78. Mr Lay was killed in May 2012 when Sam and Luke's Commodore crashed into his Hyundai Lantra in Narraweena on the Northern Beaches. The court heard at the time Luke was going about 95 km/h in a 60 km/h zone and was aggressively changing lanes. Luke was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, and was jailed in May 2014. He was released two years later. Not your typical love story: The couple secretly married in 2014, two months before Luke began a prison sentence for his role in a fatal car accident in 2012 Speaking of their wedding, Samantha hinted the couple decided to keep it under wraps out of respect for Mr Lay's family. She told Marie Claire last year: 'Would our wedding have been bigger under normal circumstances? Probably not, but I would have posted a photo or something on social media.' The grief from the accident also took its toll on her husband. Samantha confessed: 'We don't talk about the accident much because I can't handle it, but I know he feels deeply for Mr Lay's family and always will.' She's been busy promoting her new Netflix drama, To The Bone. And Lily Collins took a break from her hectic work schedule when she headed to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in New York on Tuesday. The 28-year-old actress looked undeniably chic as she dressed to accentuate her slender frame in a stunning copper-coloured dress. Scroll down for video Stylish appearance: Lily Collins took a break from her hectic work schedule when she headed to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in New York on Tuesday The daughter of Phil Collins ensured all eyes were on her in the stunning metallic coloured gown which plunged down the middle and boasted a sexy keyhole cut-out. Falling at a stylish midi-level, Lily teamed the flirty number with a pair of super comfortable black sandals. It looked like she had filmed a fun segment as she sported wet locks and clung onto a denim jacket in order to warm up. Keeping it simple: Falling at a stylish midi-level, Lily teamed the flirty number with a pair of super comfortable black sandals Clearly ecstatic about her appearance on the show, Lily took to her Snapchat to document a number of stunning images of herself from behind the scenes. Speaking on The Tonight Show, Lily confessed she has always aspired to be in the limelight. 'When I was younger, I wanted to be the youngest talk show host! I would go into boardrooms at 15, 16 years old with legit pie charts that I had done research on why we needed a young talk show host,' she explained. 'So Id go into networks with my blazer and my cell phone and I would pitch my show!' Lily is currently in New York to promote her drama To The Bone, which tells the story of Ellen, 20, who is suffering from a severe eating disorder. Beauty: Clearly ecstatic about her appearance on the show, Lily took to her Snapchat to document a number of stunning images of herself from behind the scenes Loving life: Lily looked like she was having a blast as she got preened to perfection by the hair and make-up team The trailer - released on Tuesday ahead of its premiere on July 14 - shows Ellen performing a string of harmful behaviours including: calorie counting, food restriction and obsessive exercise. Lily explained that it was a risk to remind herself of her own traumatic experiences of suffering with an eating disorder when she took on the role of Ellen. Speaking on The Today Show, she said: 'Theres always going to be that thought of stepping back into the shoes of something that wasnt positive for you may be painful but that was so therapeutic for me but also to give to Ellen as the character. 'I suffered from an eating disorder as a teenager for quite a few years.' But the rising starlet discussed how she wanted to bring attention to the 'taboo subject' as discussed how it is important to talk about eating disorders. Stunning: Lily continued to giggle as she chatted along to her make-up artist, as he continued to beautify her New project: Lily is currently in New York to promote her drama To The Bone, which tells the story of Ellen, 20, who is suffering from a severe eating disorder 'This project came along on my desk when I was in the middle of writing my book unfiltered talking about my experiences. 'It was kinda like the universe saying this is something you need to talk about for yourself but also to bring to the attention of people in general,' she added. 'I was playing a character. My experiences with this were a beautiful gift to be able to give to the character.' In June, the British beauty expressed her delight at being able to grace the cover of fitness magazine Shape in a swimsuit, having beaten her weight demons. No doubt Lily has a busy summer ahead of her as she is also promoting her film Okja which tells the story about a young girl who is searching for her pet pig. She recently returned from an idyllic sun-soaked getaway in the Cote d'Azur. And Vogue Williams looked understandably glowing as she arrived for a private dinner at Fortnum and Mason's in London on Wednesday. The 31-year-old Irish model flaunted her shapely bronzed legs in a hot pink miniskirt, while fellow guest Tess Daly rocked a navy floral dress. Scroll down for video Radiant: Vogue Williams looked understandably glowing as she arrived for a private dinner at Fortnum and Mason's in London on Wednesday The brunette beauty looked every inch the fashion darling in her thigh-grazing skirt, which featured 80s-style ruffles. Injecting a summery dose of pared-back glamour to her outfit, she rocked a white sweatshirt adorned with pink floral embroidery. Vogue - who is dating former Made In Chelsea lothario Spencer Matthews - swept her dark hair into a sleek ponytail and plumped her pout with a dusky pink lipstick. Budding beauty: Tess Daly, 48, rocked a navy floral dress and simple metallic barely there heels Chic: The 31-year-old Irish model flaunted her shapely bronzed legs in a hot pink miniskirt and killer vertiginous silver heels at the exclusive department store Looking good: Injecting a summery dose of pared-back glamour to her outfit, she rocked a white sweatshirt adorned with pink floral embroidery Vogue's outing comes after she sparked controversy earlier this month with her comments over the internment of terror suspects. Writing in her column in Ireland's Sunday World, she called for suspects to be rounded up and held without trial to protect the public, in the wake of the devastating London Bridge attack. Her comments were met with a backlash, with Vogue revealing that she has received 'death threats' as a result of her column. Double trouble: Producer Jonathan Sothcott looked dapper in a suit as he arrived at the event Wrapping up: Actress Una Stubbs, 80, looked chic in a trench coat and studded loafers Admitting that she had made a 'mistake' in her latest column, she wrote: 'Like many others, I felt frightened and angry. 'I jumped to the conclusion that if the U.K. government had insight into the individuals or network that carried out the attacks, then the country should act on that with a zero tolerance approach.' The beauty continued: 'Everyone has the right to a fair trial and to be heard and I of course do not believe in a dictatorship type of government. 'I made a mistake and I'm sorry for that, but the reaction I got - death threats, hate, pure vilification - doesn't promote debate.' Suited and booted: Comedian Jimmy Carr and politician Nick Clegg were also in attendance She also went onto state that online abuse only leads to only a 'small majority voicing their opinion', whereas everyone should be adding to the conversation. Vogue's original statement saw her pen: 'This is something that should be decided by the people, but I certainly agree with it. The only way to stop these senseless attacks is to put any potential threats away.' But people were not impressed by her contribution to the debate, telling her to stick to modelling and accusing her of huge ignorance of Irish history. Internment was introduced in Northern Ireland in 1971 in an attempt to quell the rising violence, and over four years almost 2,000 alleged paramilitaries were held without trial in makeshift camps. But it led to an upsurge in bloodshed as well as political protests, and was later abandoned. The ex-wife of Brian McFadden said she agreed with Muslim former police chief Tarique Ghaffur who recently told The Mail On Sunday that special centres should be set up to detain as many as 3,000 extremists. They're both regular faces on the party scene. So Pascal Craymer, 30, and Lizzie Cundy, 47, naturally teamed up for a night out on Tuesday, arriving at the Pierre Haute Coiffure Beauty & Spa salon in Marylebone, London hand-in-hand. The former TOWIE star and the ex WAG were two peas in a pod in their risque ensembles, both flashing a liberal amount of flesh. Scroll down for video Dynamic duo: Pascal Craymer, 30, and Lizzie Cundy, 47, teamed up for a night out on Tuesday, arriving at the Pierre Haute Coiffure Beauty & Spa salon in Marylebone, London hand-in-hand Pascal opted to showcase her ample assets in a white bodycon dress with an oval keyhole cutout at the bust highlighting her cleavage. The quirky number boasted a contrasting collar and a grey ruffled hemline, set off by a pair of gold heels. Determined not to be outdone, Lizzie showed off some serious skin in a black lace dress, flashing her black lingerie through the sheer material. Cheeky: Pascal opted to showcase her ample assets in a white bodycon dress with an oval keyhole cutout at the bust highlighting her cleavage Sheer delight: Determined not to be outdone, Lizzie showed off some serious skin in a black lace dress, flashing her black lingerie through the sheer material The radio presenter completed her look with a shoelace inspired choker and chunky heels. The dynamic duo looked like they were ready to lead their hair down as they strutted over to the beauty salon. Pascal recently revealed she used to self-harm as a teenager and battled with her body image - finding it tough going from a gymnast's figure to a normal one. Glammed up: Pascal's quirky number boasted a contrasting collar and a grey ruffled hemline, set off by a pair of gold heels She told The Sun: 'When I was around 16 I used to self-harm with a razor. Ive never told anyone before but I didnt know how to cope with my body changing, and I was bullied because of it. The reality star also admitted she has been seeing a therapist for the last two years to deal with body dysmorphia and 'hates' her boobs. 'I had them done about five years ago, and now I really regret it. I look so out of proportion - I hate it,' she said. Dakota Johnson was photographed under an umbrella on Wednesday as she filmed her movie The Peanut Butter Falcon in Savannah. Her rain-ready costume included a charcoal anorak she'd flung over a knee-length skirt with pink and green floral patterns splashed onto a black field. When the 27-year-old Fifty Shades Of Grey actress took the jacket off, she revealed she'd got on a tight white tank top that emphasized her svelte frame. Cute: Dakota Johnson had some fun on the set of The Peanut Butter Falcon in Georgia on Wednesday Premise: The Peanut Butter Falcon stars Zack Gottsagen as 22-year-old Zak, who's got Down syndrome and who - in hopes of going to wrestling school - flees his nursing home The Peanut Butter Falcon stars Zack Gottsagen as 22-year-old Zak, who has Down syndrome and who - in hopes of going to wrestling school - flees his nursing home. He soon winds up with an outlaw played by Shia LaBeouf and the nursing home employee Dakota's playing as travel companions, according to a synopsis on IMDb. With a cast that also includes Bruce Dern and MacGyver actor Jermaine Rivers, the movie's co-written and co-directed by the duo of Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz. The look: When the 27-year-old Fifty Shades Of Grey actress took the jacket off, she revealed she'd got on a tight white tank top that emphasized her svelte frame Dakota, the scion of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, shot to fame leading the 2015 film Fifty Shades Of Grey, based on the first part of E.J. James' 2011 bonkbuster trio. She's returned as the Anastasia Steele to Jamie Dornan's Christian Grey for this February's Fifty Shades Darker and will be back in Fifty Shades Freed next February. Dakota's also slated to star in an Amazon Studios co-produced remake - out sometime this year - of the 1977 Italian ballerina horror film Suspiria. Directed by Dario Argento, the original film follows an American ballet student played by Jessica Harper whose training at a dance academy in Freiburg is interrupted by hideous murders and malevolent witchcraft. Luca Guadagnino is directing the new version, which along with Dakota stars Chloe Grace Moretz, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth and Jessica Harper herself, per IMDb. Dario, however, gave an interview Indiewire ran last August, expressing therein his view that 'honestly, I do think it would be better if it wasnt remade.' Reese Witherspoon represented her own lifestyle label, Draper James, while running errands in Santa Monica on Wednesday. The 41-year-old Oscar winner paired her brand's blue-gingham shirtdress with the $165 'Stripe Straw' tote, and she boosted her 5ft1in frame with white espadrille platforms. The Sing star - sporting beige-framed shades - relies on her stylist Leslie Fremar for more red carpet, designer fashion. Check it! Reese Witherspoon represented her own lifestyle label, Draper James, while running errands in Santa Monica on Wednesday Summery: The 41-year-old Oscar winner paired her brand's blue-gingham shirtdress with the $165 'Stripe Straw' tote, and she boosted her 5ft1in frame with white espadrille platforms Fresh faced: The Sing star - sporting beige-framed shades - relies on her stylist Leslie Fremar for more red carpet, designer fashion Witherspoon - who boasts 15.7M followers - later shared a cute snap of her French Bulldog Pepper and her Labrador Retriever Hank snuggling together on a blue-striped dog bed. As recent as 2010, Reese (born Laura Jeanne) owned three dogs, two pigs, three goats, 20 chickens, two donkeys, and a horse under her care. For her '#MondayMuse,' the Louisiana-born blonde selected a picture of her Big Little Lies castmate Laura Dern in costume as Agent Cooper's ex-secretary Diane Evans on Showtime's Twin Peaks. Reese, Laura, and Nicole confirmed that the second season of their HBO hit series might happen after discussing it with author Liane Moriarty. 'The snuggle is real': Witherspoon - who boasts 15.7M followers - later shared a cute snap of her French Bulldog Pepper and her Labrador Retriever Hank snuggling together 'Can't get enough!' For her '#MondayMuse,' the Louisiana-born blonde selected a picture of her Big Little Lies castmate Laura Dern in costume as Diane Evans on Showtime's Twin Peaks 'There's definitely room for exploration!' Laura, Reese, and Nicole confirmed that the second season of their HBO hit series might happen after discussing it with author Liane Moriarty 'It never started that way, the idea of another chapter. But at the same time, the thought of continuing the lives...there's definitely room for exploration,' 50-year-old Kidman told the LA Times last Thursday. Witherspoon teased: 'The only thing about a season two is that Renata (Laura) and Madeline (Reese) wouldn't get to torture each other. Now we're friends. That's no fun!' At that, 50-year-old Dern replied: 'We'll figure out somebody new to torture. A new character. And we can hate them together. Renata and Madeline united!' The Golden Globe winner has her hands full with her four-year-old son Tennessee with second husband Jim Toth, and her 13-year-old son Deacon with first husband, Ryan Phillippe. CAA agent beau: The Golden Globe winner has her hands full with her four-year-old son Tennessee with second husband Jim Toth (L), and her 13-year-old son Deacon with first husband, Ryan Phillippe Mini-me: The former Cruel Intentions couple also have a daughter Ava - turning 18 in September - who's managed to already amass 330K Instagram followers The former Cruel Intentions couple also have a daughter Ava - turning 18 in September - who's managed to already amass 330K Instagram followers. Reese replaced Rose Byrne as single mother Alice Kinney in the LA roommate dramedy Home Again, which hits US theaters September 8 and UK theaters September 29. The Open Road Film marks the directorial debut of rom-com queen Nancy Meyers' 29-year-old daughter Hallie, and it stars Candice Bergen, Michael Sheen, Lake Bell, and Nat Wolff. Next gig: Reese replaced Rose Byrne as single mother Alice Kinney in the LA roommate dramedy Home Again, which hits US theaters September 8 and UK theaters September 29 Katie Holmes isn't usually one to have a hair out of place. And while the 38-year-old talent looked pretty when heading out from yoga class in Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday, the actress' hair appeared wild and untamed post-workout. The ex-wife of Tom Cruise was also making a very peculiar facial expression. Messy tresses! Katie Holmes was spotted with messy hair as she headed out from yoga in Montreal, Canada on Tuesday Katie's brown tresses were piled into a messy bun on top of her head where several tendrils of hair hung down loose, and still sweaty from class. But the mother-of-one's outfit looked effortlessly chic as she donned a breezy off-the-shoulder dress with intricate lace hem. The Logan Lucky star glitzed up her look with a shimmered necklace and several bangles. Cool kicks: While the Dawson's Creek alum paired her sweet dress with strappy brown sandals with a practical block heel, she carried a pair of Converse sneakers with her in case While Katie paired her sweet dress with strappy brown sandals with a practical block heel, she carried a pair of Converse sneakers with her in case she wanted to make a comfy change. The actress - who has 11-year old daughter Suri from her marriage to Tom Cruise - kept a roomy handbag in a dusty pink hue by her side. Before her workout, the The Kennedys star arrived at the studio looking more polished, wearing her short tresses down while masking her face with tortoiseshell sunnies. The Dawson's Creek alum is currently in Montreal shooting The Gift opposite Patrick Stewart. Lacey lady: The mother-of-one's outfit looked effortlessly chic as she donned a breezy off-the-shoulder dress with intricate lace hem Last week the talented thespians were seen shooting scenes around the French-Canadian city. There aren't many details about the drama, which is yet to be listed on IMDB, but does have Quebecois director Claude Lalonde helming it, according to the Montreal Journal. It's said the movie will be shot in different locations in the Canadian city until mid-July, with Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Advertisement He bad mouthed her during her short-lived stint in the Love Island villa, claiming she dumped him in order to chase fame on TV, while she alleged he had cheated on her countless times. But Chloe Crowhurst and her ex-boyfriend Jon Clark kissed and made up on Tuesday night, sharing a passionate smooch outside DSTRKT nightclub in London following a blazing argument in the street - mere hours after vowing never to get back together with him. The blonde bombshell - who was enjoying a reunion with fellow Love Island star Jess Shears after being voted out of the villa by her housemates - was the picture of fury as she gave TOWIE star Jon a piece of her mind. Scroll down for video Passionate pair: Chloe Crowhurst and her ex-boyfriend Jon Clark kissed and made up on Tuesday night, sharing a passionate smooch outside DSTRKT nightclub in London following a blazing argument in the street Chloe was spotted shouting and swearing at Jon, who was no doubt insisting she had been 'mugging him off'. After letting off steam, the gossip-loving reality star burst into tears, sobbing into the Essex lad's shoulders as he consoled her. She then came over all amorous and was seen locking lips with Jon - who she had previously branded a liar and a cheat. The pair couldn't keep their hands off each other as they smooched in the street, making up for lost time. Emotional: The blonde bombshell - who was enjoying a reunion with fellow Love Island star Jess Shears after being voted out of the villa by her housemates - was the picture of fury as she gave TOWIE star Jon a piece of her mind Fuming: Chloe was spotted shouting and swearing at Jon, who was no doubt insisting she had been 'mugging him off' Bad blood: He bad mouthed her during her short-lived stint in the Love Island villa, claiming she dumped him in order to chase fame on TV Chloe's accentuated her post-Mallorca tan in a white chain print dress, set off with gold accessories. Meanwhile Jon - who found fame on Love Island in 2015 before joining the cast of TOWIE - was looking dapper in a grey blazer. The outing came after Chloe accused her ex Jon, 27, of cheating on her numerous times during their seven month relationship while continuing to protest that she was single when she entered the ITV2 series earlier this month. The reality starlet - who left the villa on Monday night alongside Sam Gowland - took to her social media on Tuesday to hit back at the TOWIE star's claims, sharing a screen grab of a Whatsapp message she reportedly had with Jon. Golden girl: Chloe's accentuated her post-Mallorca tan in a white chain print dress, set off with gold accessories Tactile: Jon put the moves on the outspoken blonde outside the venue, placing his hands on her waist Tearful: After letting off steam, the gossip-loving reality star burst into tears, sobbing into the Essex lad's shoulders as he consoled her Dapper: Jon - who found fame on Love Island in 2015 before joining the cast of TOWIE - was looking dapper in a grey blazer Touchy feely: She then came over all amorous and was seen locking lips with Jon - who she had previously branded a liar Taking to Twitter, she captioned the picture: 'I was 100% single when entering the villa, as Jon cheated more times than once. I have not and will not try to win him back.' In the alleged screen grabbed message to Jon, she wrote: 'No need to be so nasty! And youre saying Im going to come running back. wtf. You cheated on me numerous of times, then accused me to be the b**** and try to make people feel sorry for you. 'Now trying to make out Im begging you back, the reason I went on the show was to grow as a person learn about myself and get away from a cheat and someone who mentally abused me. 'I understand you are angry at me but you really cant be as our relationship was over when you was sexting then texting Charlotte. I'm glad youre happy and enjoying trying to make me feel worthless.' Row: Jon previously claimed Chloe blindsided him by signing up for the ITV2 dating show while they were still a couple which she vehemently denied - insisting they had broken up when she was approached by producers Single: Despite going on the show to find love, Chloe walked away without any romantic interests, having spent her last week in the villa coupled up with her friend Sam Gowland Just one day earlier, she vowed: 'I was 100% single when entering the villa, as Jon cheated more times than once. I have not and will not try to win him back' Chloe's outburst online comes after Jon alleged that she reached out to him hours after she left the ITV2 reality show, failing to have found love. Following his former flame's lead, he also took to Twitter to share a cutting message, appearing to suggest that she had been in contact The ITVBe reality star shared: 'Didn't take long did it? #goaway'. Jon previously claimed Chloe blindsided him by signing up for the ITV2 dating show while they were still a couple which she vehemently denied - insisting they had broken up when she was approached by producers. Despite going on the show to find love, Chloe walked away without any romantic interests, having spent her last week in the villa coupled up with her friend Sam Gowland. She continued: 'No need to be so nasty! And youre saying Im going to come running back. wtf. You cheated on me numerous of times, then accused me to be the b**** and try to make people feel sorry for you' They were on their way back from Mexico where they celebrated the wedding of Bachelor In Paradise couple Evan Bass and Carly Waddell. But as Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi flew home from Puerto Vallarta, they were said to look 'miserable.' 'They didnt exchange five words the entire flight. They were angled completely away from each other,' according to a new report from Us Weekly. 'They really don't seem to like each other': A new report claims that Vanessa Grimaldi and Nick Viall had a tense flight home from Evan Bass' wedding in Mexico, the couple is pictured in May An onlooker observed: 'Nick grabbed his bag and ran ahead of Vanessa. They really dont seem to like each other.' It was also noted that Vanessa, who is seven years younger than her 36 year old beau, recently stepped out in LA without her 3.5 carat Neil Diamond ring, given to her during the March finale episode. Breakup chatter has followed them since the finale of Nick's season, but on Monday, Grimaldi posted a Man Crush Monday photo of her fiance taking a shirtless nap. Keeping up appearances?: Vanessa posted this pic of her sleeping fiance on Monday after the weekend wedding 'He must not be getting his way in his dream,' she wrote along with the photo of Nick resting on a hammock. Nick's last post about Vanessa was on June 19, where he shared a smiling selfie congratulating his lady love on her new foundation. 'Couldn't be more proud of my girl for using her platform for such a great cause,' he said. Trouble in Bachelor Nation?: The last post Nick shared with his lady love was on June 19 It is said their strain is partially due to the fact that he lives in Los Angeles and she resides in Montreal, Canada. While she has been living with Nick in Los Angeles, Vanessa has maintained she is not giving everything up for love. She told E! earlier this year about making a move to be with her partner: 'My family was very supportive of the idea of moving. Where it all began: The 36-year-old Bachelor proposed on the March 13 episode of the show 'I'm still bringing and carrying on my work from home with me. I'm still planning on teaching. I'm still planning on being part of that life that I had in Montreal. 'It was a decision we both made together and we're both very happy about that decision. Both of our families are very happy that we're together and we're starting our life together.' Nick had vied unsuccessfully for Andi Dorfman's hand - coming in second to Josh Murray - on the 10th season of The Bachelorette, which ABC broadcast in 2014. The Custer County Attorney will not pursue charges stemming from a use-of-force complaint against a corrections officer. The decision is based on a Montana Department of Justice investigation into the alleged actions of Sgt. Tim Crews, a Custer County deputy. The inquiry began in December. Custer County Attorney Wyatt Glade said Wednesday that the Montana Attorney General's Office is looking into the complaint to avoid any conflict of interest within the county. The office returned its recommendations in late April. The (Attorney General's) Office did decline to pursue charges in this matter, Glade said. The inmate involved in the allegations has not been identified and no other details of the allegations have been released. Both the DOJ and the Miles City Police Department looked into the matter. Olivia Buckland has posted a furious thinly-veiled rant after Jodie Marsh branded her a 's**t' for her bed-hopping antics on Love Island. Jodie had called out Olivia for sleeping with Rykard Jenkins and then her now-fiance Alex Bowen on last year's series of the ITV2 dating show. And now the reality star, 23, has hit back on Twitter - appearing to slam the 38-year-old for 'picking on a girl half your age' with comments that she classed as 'bullying'. Scroll down for video Feuding: Olivia Buckland has posted a furious thinly-veiled rant after Jodie Marsh branded her a 's**' for her bed-hopping antics on Love Island Jodie said on Wednesday: 'That Olivia Buckland last year slept with one bloke one night and another bloke the other night - she slept with two blokes on the telly!' Viewers had seen Olivia confess to sleeping with Rykard Jenkins in the Love Island villa, before going on to find love and having sex with her now-fiance Alex Bowen on the show. Hours later, Olivia wrote on Twitter: 'A public figure double my age, who has never met me, has yet again publicly in the press, with no motive, referenced me a bed hopper and a s**t. 'I feel picked on and goaded into responding in a similar way but that is not the way I like to handle stuff and as girls we should not be rising to this, we need to speak up and call people out in the hope that bullying will end.' Oh dear: Jodie had called out Olivia for sleeping with Rykard Jenkins and then her now-fiance Alex Bowen on last year's series of the ITV2 dating show Not impressed: 'Being called names again in the press by the same person is really upsetting,' she added Online rant: And now the reality star, 23, has hit back on Twitter, appearing to slam the 38-year-old for 'picking on a girl half your age' with comments that she classed as 'bullying' 'Being called names again in the press by the same person is really upsetting,' she added. Olivia, who claimed she was asked about the woman in a recent interview, claimed she decided to stay 'very middle grounded' and 'respect' her by comparison. She continued: 'To comment on something or have an opinion is a human right, however to single out a girl half your age again and again is to me and I don't want to silently tolerate that anymore. 'I accept myself, I accept my past and I like to look to the future with my gorgeous fiance and try and be positive as much as possible even with my down days.' Her boyfriend Alex proposed to Olivia during a trip to New York at the end of last year and they are currently living together in Essex. It comes as Jodie found herself embroiled in a heated Twitter row with a bevy of reality stars including Olivia, after condemning them for having sex on TV. But insisting she doesn't regret commenting on their bedroom antics so publicly, Jodie Marsh has claimed that viewers' attitudes towards steamy scenes airing on reality shows has now changed. Feuding: Olivia Buckland has posted a furious thinly-veiled rant after Jodie Marsh branded her a 's**' for her bed-hopping antics on Love Island The documentary maker, 38, praised Love Island 's new female stars for being 'a lot more respectful' while taking a swipe at the dating series' former contestants. Jodie had come to blows with a slew of reality stars back in January, after she took to Twitter to share her thoughts on Chloe Ferry's surprising early exit from Celebrity Big Brother. She had tweeted: 'RIP Geordie Shore, Love Island & Ex On the Beach. You had a good run but your time is up. The public have spoken & they want classy! PEOPLE HAVE WOKEN UP.' The blonde-haired beauty then found herself feeling the wrath of Gaz Beadle, Aaron Chalmers, Scotty T and Olivia Buckland, who all referenced her reality past in their response. Olivia had accused Jodie of being 'bitter', while Scott had posted old photos of Jodie clad in a series of scanty outfits - including her famous belt look - and labelling her a 'f**king scruff'. Smitten:Smitten: Olivia slept with Rykard Jenkins in the Love Island villa, before going on to find love and having sex with her now-fiance Alex Bowen on the show The Love Island star seemed determined to put her feud to one side on Wednesday night however as she attended the screening of The House held in London, ensuring all eyes were on her thanks to her eye-popping ensemble. Olivia's crop top featured a perilously low-cut neckline that left her plentiful cleavage firmly on display and boasted a cute frill around the hem. Stealing a look at her impressively taut abs underneath, she teamed her white bralette with a pair of pinstriped cigarette trousers that sat high on her waist. The blonde beauty added some height to her attire by sporting a pair of clear perspex barely-there heels on her feet that came complete with jewelled ankle straps. She covered up with a pastel pink denim jacket she shrugged over shoulders and chose to slick her blonde tresses back into a sleek style. Olivia finished off her glamorous look with perfectly applied make-up, including highlighted cheekbones, a subtle smokey-eye and a bold red lipstick. Leggy display: She was joined by her Love Island co-star Tina Stinnes who donned a black mini skirt and floral bomber jacket On arrival to the event, she appeared in high spirits as she struck up a series of poses for photographers. The starlet was joined by her Love Island co-star Tina Stinnes, who had joined Olivia on the second series of the dating show as a latecomer. Tina put on a leggy display as she stepped out in a black mini skirt and lace cami top that she paired with a floral bomber jacket. Also in attendance had been former Made In Chelsea star Ashley James and DJ Charlotte De Carl. Rubbing shoulders: Famous Made In Chelsea star Ashley James was in attendance with her DJ pal Charlotte De Carle Stylish: While Charlotte (left) opted for a casual look in an animated pink jumpsuit, Ashley (right) flashed a hint of her black bra underneath a sheer vest top Olivia's appearance in the capital comes after she penned an emotional poem about her appearance in a defiant statement against her critics. Opting to show a different side to her personality by posting a candid snap in which she went make-up free and sported a low-key outfit with her hair scraped off her face. But not content with just showing off a different aesthetic side, she also stunned fans by penning an emotional poem about her feeling towards her body and looks, complete with the admission: 'My skin is not flawless, not on my face nor my legs.' Opting to show a different side to her personality by posting a candid snap in which she went make-up free, in a low-key outfit with her hair scraped off her face. Not content with showing off a different aesthetic side, she also stunned fans by penning an emotional poem about her feelings towards her body and looks complete with the admission: 'My skin is not flawless, not on my face nor my legs'. Candid: Olivia's appearance in the capital comes after she penned an emotional poem about her appearance in a defiant statement against her critics She confessed to being taken by the candid image snapped by her beau as she penned a caption reading: 'I don't usually share things like this. It's a part of me no one really knows. Alex took this photo of me today and it inspired me to write.' She wrote: 'This is me in this photo, it's me at my best. I've not brushed my hair, and there's dirt on my vest. My skin is not flawless, not on my face nor my legs. 'My body is content, my mind is at rest. So close to the earth, so grounded, so calm. I think we forget, we all have a hand; we all have the same ability to stand. 'I am like you and you like me. I am human, I am blood and I am flesh. Can we sit for a minute to reflect and refresh? Lest we forget the world is our key. It's for the place, the home, inside you and me'. Olivia had shot to stardom in June last year when she appeared on the second season of ITV2 dating show Love Island. She went on to meet her now-fiance Alex Bowen on the series, after enjoying a month of bikini-clad frolics with her beau in the sunshine. 'I'm hot on contraception': While she may be planning to wed her beau Alex, Olivia has ruled out the pair starting a family soon, after realising they are not yet ready to become parents after seeing their close pal and co-star Cara de la Hoyde (above) fall pregnant They had announced their engagement in December last year, after Alex had popped the question during the couple's trip to New York that he had planned for Olivia's birthday - eight months after they previously met onscreen. While the pair are busy planning their upcoming nuptials, they have insisted they won't be starting a family anytime soon - realising they are not yet ready to become parents after seeing their close pal and co-star Cara de la Hoyde fall pregnant. She is expecting her first child with ex-boyfriend and fellow Love Island winner Nathan Massey. Speaking to new! magazine, Olivia said: 'I've always been hot on contraception because I don't want a baby! It's not happening until I want it to and I'm quite traditional. People might not believe that because I had sex on TV but I want to get married first and then have a baby.' Alex's broody feelings appear to have an influence on Olivia's decisions: 'He wants one before he's 30... I only want one because Alex wants one. I'm the only one who can give him a baby so that makes me broody. I reckon when I'm 27 or 28'. Eugenio Derbez got down on one knee and popped the question to his castmate Anna Faris in Vancouver on Wednesday. But it was only for the cameras as the pair filmed a remake of 1987 comedy Overboard alongside co-stars Eva Longoria Baston and Jesus Ochoa. The 40-year-old SAG Award nominee plays Kate while the Mexican 55-year-old produced the flick and portrays Leonardo. Scroll down for video Will you marry me? Eugenio Derbez got down on one knee and popped the question to Anna Faris in Vancouver on Wednesday but it was just a scene from their new movie Overboard The Mom funnywoman flaunted the B-cup breast implants she got back in 2008 in a bright yellow triangle bikini, Daisy Dukes, and Ray-Ban aviators for the picnic scene. At one point, 42-year-old Eva was spotted feeding Faris potato chips in between takes during the seaside shoot. In real life, Anna has a four-year-old son Jack with her hunky second husband Chris Pratt, with whom she'll celebrate eight years of marriage on July 9. The charismatic couple met at an early 2007 table read for Take Me Home Tonight - shortly after she filed for divorce from her love interest in Lovers Lane, Ben Indra. Just kidding! It was only for the cameras as the pair filmed Bob Fisher and Rob Greenberg's 2018 remake of the 1987 comedy Overboard alongside co-stars Eva Longoria Baston (2-R) and Jesus Ochoa (R) Babe: The 40-year-old SAG Award nominee - who plays Kate - flaunted the breast implants she got back in 2008 in a bright yellow triangle bikini, Daisy Dukes, and Ray-Ban aviators Open wide: At one point, 42-year-old Eva was spotted feeding the Mom funnywoman potato chips in between takes during the seaside shoot Anna went under the knife when she turned 30, after starring as a Playboy Playmate in comedy The House Bunny. She told RuPaul on the drag queen's What's the Tee podcast: 'I was like, Im turning 30. I wanted to make a change. So I got my boobs done.' 'It had nothing to do with the industry. It was something that I wanted to feel.' 'My main men!' In real life, Anna has a four-year-old son Jack with her hunky second husband Chris Pratt, with whom she'll celebrate eight years of marriage on July 9 The Baltimore-born blonde also keeps busy with her advice podcast Unqualified, which Dutton will publish a 320-page book version of on October 24. The Alvin and the Chipmunks stunner will next voice Jailbreak in in the Sony animated comedy The Emoji Movie, which hits US theaters July 28 and UK theaters August 4. The expressive 'app-venture' in Textopolis also features Sofia Vergara, T.J. Miller, Patrick Stewart, James Corden, Christina Aguilera, Maya Rudolph, and Steven Wright. Chatting with RuPaul (L): The Baltimore-born blonde also keeps busy with her advice podcast Unqualified, which Dutton will publish a 320-page book version of on October 24 It looks like things were heating up on the set of Avengers: Infinity War this week. Benedict Cumberbatch was in full costume as he navigated flames and wreckage with fellow Avenger Iron Man Wednesday. Although they were shooting in Atlanta, Georgia the dystopian set was designed to look like a crumbling New York City street for the Marvel series. Larger than life! Benedict Cumberbatch fended off flames besides a stunt actor in Iron Man attire while on the set of Avengers: Infinity War in Atlanta Wednesday. He plays Dr. Strange in the Marvel series Heating up! The 40-year-old actor was in full hero mode as his character Dr. Strange fought fire while donning a flowing red cape and blue waistcoat Benedict, 40, was ever the super-hero on set, donning a red cape and blue waistcoat to play his character Dr. Stephen Strange along with a stunt actor donning an Iron Man suit fitted with motion-capture sensors on the legs. During the action packed-scene, the English gent added to his usually dapper appeal with some facial hair and a silvery streak running through the side of his locks. The Avengers were joined by castmate Benedict Wong, who plays Wong, a 'master of the mystic arts' in Marvel franchise, as they fended flames surrounded by the rubble of New York City. Salt and pepper! During the action packed-scene, the English gent added to his usually dapper appeal with some facial hair and a silvery streak running through the side of his locks Third time's the charm! Infinity War will be Benedict's third Marvel film. The three-time Oscar nominee made his debut as Dr. Strange last fall After shooting the firey scene, the Sherlock star stood in the shade courtesy of an umbrella-yielding assistant. Avengers: Infinity War will be Benedict's third film in the Marvel Universe. The three-time Oscar nominee made his debut as the character as the eponymous Dr. Strange in last fall's franchise addition where he acted alongside Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, and Benjamin Bratt among others. On-set action: Castmate Benedict Wong, who plays Wong, a 'master of the mystic arts', joined the Sherlock actor for the scene along with the Iron Man stunt actor Caped crusader: He looked fantastic in his superhero garb Ready for his close-up: The talented actor enjoyed a bit of downtime in between takes Later this year he'll also appear in Thor: Rangarok, which is currently in post-production and hits theaters November 3. In addition to two turns as his character from the hit Marvel franchise, Cumberbatch has a hearty four other projects slated for the rest of 2017 and 2018. He also has three additional films which currently in the 'announced' stage of production, with no timeline or production schedule at the time being. Hero hits the screen... Later this year Benedict appears in Thor: Rangarok, which hits theaters November 3 She tied the knot with her long-term love, Boniface Verney-Carron, earlier this month. And Arizona Muse was making her red carpet debut as a married woman when she attended the Serpentine Gallery's Summer Party in London on Wednesday night. The model, 28, cosied up to her new husband as they made their grand entrance, sharing a sweet kiss. Scroll down for video Wedded bliss: Arizona Muse was making her red carpet debut as a married woman when she attended the Serpentine Gallery's Summer Party in London on Wednesday night Arizona flashed her diamond encrusted ring as she posed hand on hip, a coy smile playing on her lips. The high fashion star looked lovely in a classic white sundress with silver detailing at the waist and on the straps. She pulled her look together with a simple clutch and matching sandals. French hunk Boniface planted a tender kiss on Arizona's cheek as they cuddled up at the glamorous event. Bling: Arizona flashed her diamond encrusted ring as she posed hand on hip, a coy smile playing on her lips Boho chic: The high fashion star looked lovely in a classic white sundress with silver detailing at the waist and on the straps Natural beauty: Arizona opted for simple, natural make-up and wore her hair in a wet look style Arizona was the picture of beauty and elegance when she wed Boniface, chronicling her special day on Instagram. The supermodel was the epitome of class as she posed for photos with her other half in a breath-taking spaghetti-strap Temperley London gown while they celebrated their wedding day at Marylebone eatery Hardy's, surrounded by family and friends The fashion star's silk sleeveless gown was teamed with a statement choker necklace from Chopard, while she opted for a chic floor-grazing ivory overlay during the ceremony. Loved-up: French hunk Boniface planted a tender kiss on Arizona's cheek as they cuddled up at the glamorous event Smitten: Arizona was the picture of beauty and elegance as she wed Boniface in London earlier this month, chronicling her special day on Instagram Keeping her beauty look minimal, she worked her chin-length locks into a soft wave while accentuating her model features with a light dusting of blush as she puckered up to her handsome French beau. Complementing his bride, Boniface sported a statement cream blazer, white shirt and navy bow-tie while he covered his tresses in a straw panama hat. Documenting her day on social media, she shared a number of photos of her nuptials as she gushed over her new husband, unable to contain her love. Special day: Later sharing another candid photo from her wedding day, the covergirl posted a darling snap with her new hubby and her brother Theodore (L) Diamond day: The fashion star's silk sleeveless gown was teamed with a statement choker necklace from Chopard She captioned the smooch-filled snap: 'My husband, I loved every single second of marrying you yesterday. It was as I had been told it would be, the happiest day of my life.' Later sharing another candid photo from her wedding day, the covergirl posted a darling snap with her new hubby and her brother Theodore. Writing alongside the picture, she said: 'My wedding was the most beautiful day I've experienced. Picture of love: Documenting her day on social media, she shared a number of photos of her nuptials as she gushed over her new husband, unable to contain her love Style: The loved-up couple couldn't contain their joy as they celebrate their wedding day in style Touching: Arizona lovingly rested her head on her loves arm while they addressed their guests 'Thank you to @alicetemperley for making this divine dress and @chopard for lending me the most elegant diamonds from their Green Carpet collection. ' In January, she announced her engagement to 'Boni Boveca' on Instagram, writing: One month ago today you asked me to marry you. I haven't stopped smiling since. I have never been happier than I am now I know I will be your wife @boveca #LifeIsBeautiful #Beloved. Arizona is now an industry icon who has appeared on countless international Vogue covers and even landed the much-coveted September issue of US Vogue in 2014 alongside Delevingne, Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls while also fronting campaigns for the likes of Fendi, Yves St. Laurent, Louis Vuitton and David Yurman. Family affair: The happy couple posed with their siblings following their 'I do's' In addition, Muse is one of the rare few in the business to land a multi-million dollar beauty contract, which she did when she joined the Estee Lauder family back in 2012. Elsewhere, Arizona is mother to eight-year-old Nikko, with ex partner Manuel Quintana. The pair had a tumultuous relationship since they first met in New Mexico when Quintana was 21 and Muse was just a teenager still in high school before her career took off. Cosy: Keeping her beauty look minimal, she worked her chin-length locks into a soft wave while accentuating her model features with a light dusting of blush as she puckered up to her handsome beau He arrived home from an extravagant getaway to Bora Bora with his girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough, 33, earlier this month. And Karl Stefanovic, 43, enjoyed yet another trip this week as he whizzed across the country in a private jet owned by Avmin Air Charter. The reporter was joined by Today Show crew as he jetted between Hamilton Island and Dubbo earlier this week. He's a high-flyer! Karl Stefanovic, 43, enjoyed yet another trip this week as he whizzed across the country in a private jet owned by Avmin Air Charter Avmin is the chosen airline for Chris Hemsworth and has hosted the likes of Matt Damon, Harry Styles, Greenday, Coldplay, Mumford And Sons, and the Brisbane Broncos. The airline's official Instagram account documented Karl's travels this Tuesday, uploading a photo of Karl, Lisa Wilkinson and a slew of Today crew-members kicking back during their flight. 'Even the Kardashian's would be impressed with the amount of luggage onboard - but we got it all on [sic],' read the caption. High life: An image shared to airline's Instagram account on Wednesday depicts Karl posing in front of his aircraft with presenter Richard Wilkins Regular client: Avmin is the chosen airline for Chris Hemsworth Another image shared to the account on Wednesday depicts Karl posing in front of his aircraft with presenter Richard Wilkins. 'All good things must come to an end. Final stop is Dubbo!! Thanks for flying with us,' the caption read. Avmin offers exclusive services to it's VIP clients, including 24/7 concierge support, luxury vehicle transfers, courtesy luxury vehicles and private departure and arrival lounges. Rock-star royalty! Former One Direction star Harry Styles flew with the exclusive airline in 2015 Karl is no stranger to the finer things in life, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting his earnings as hitting nearly $3 million a year. Earlier this month, Karl flew to Bora Bora with his new girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough for a week-long holiday on buddy James Packer's yacht. He has also enjoyed several romantic getaways with his new squeeze Jasmine, including his week-long break trip to Mexico in April. He also took an extended Christmas break this year, during which time he holidayed in the US for six weeks. It was after this time, the newly-separated father-of-three was spotted getting cosy on a yacht with his new model girlfriend Jasmine. Plum holiday: Earlier this month, Karl flew to Bora Bora with his new girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough for a week-long holiday on buddy James Packer's yacht He was released from prison last week after serving twelve months of a two year sentence for conspiracy to commit insider trading. And Oliver Curtis, 31, has been pictured looking merry during an outing with his PR maven wife Roxy Jacenko at her Sydney offices this Wednesday. Flanked by his beaming wife, the father-of-two was seen pulling animated facial expressions as he carried boxes and a bunch of flowers to the boot of Roxy's Range Rover. She's found a job for him! Oliver Curtis, 31, has been pictured looking merry during an outing with his PR maven wife Roxy Jacenko at her Sydney offices this Wednesday Clad in a sleek grey suit and blue business shirt, Oliver looked worlds away from his days as a prisoner at Cooma Correctional Centre. Oliver coiffed his hair with styling product and matched his outfit with a pair of brown suede dress shoes, sassy sunglasses and a Rolex watch. Roxy also had her hands full as she carried a laptop and several shopping bags toward the black SUV. Flashing those pearly whites! The father-of-two was seen pulling animated facial expressions as he carried boxes and a bunch of flowers to the boot of Roxy's car The father-of-two was seen pulling animated facial expressions as he carried boxes and a bunch of flowers to the boot of Roxy's car Chic: Clad in a sleek grey suit and blue business shirt, Oliver looked worlds away from his days as a prisoner at Cooma Correctional Centre The blonde bombshell looked typically stylish in a black leather jacket layered over a black A-line dress. She accessorised her look with a pair of black sling-back heels with lace-up detailing. Neither Oliver nor Roxy wore their engagement rings. Suave: Oliver coiffed his hair with styling product and matched his outfit with a pair of brown suede dress shoes, sassy sunglasses and a Rolex watch Black on black! Meanwhile, Roxy looked typically stylish in a black leather jacket layered over a black A-line dress Speaking out: On Monday, Roxy broke her silence about Oliver's prison release during a quick chat with Sydney paparazzi Breaking her silence: 'Roxy, is it good to have Oliver home?' asked the photographer, prompting Roxy to respond: 'Yes the children are very happy' On Monday, Roxy broke her silence about Oliver's prison release during a quick chat with Sydney paparazzi. 'Roxy, is it good to have Oliver home?' asked the photographer, prompting Roxy to respond: 'Yes the children are very happy'. 'Are you happy?' they asked again. She responded: 'Yes, of course.' Where's that bling? Neither Oliver nor Roxy wore their engagement rings Ab-tastic! Roxy took to Instagram with yet another workout selfie early on Thursday morning Oliver returned to work this week and is rumoured to have taken a position his father Nick's medical technology business E-Nome. He is yet to respond to recent photos of his wife kissing her ex-boyfriend Nabil Gazal during a party at his lavish apartment in May, however. Roxy's intimate photos with Nabil followed reports that the former flames had been enjoying intimate dinner dates while Oliver was behind bars. Hands on! Oliver helped Roxy pack the boxes into the boot of her car Care to weigh in? He is yet to respond to recent photos of his wife kissing her ex-boyfriend Nabil Gazal during a party at his lavish apartment in May The June 14 inferno at Grenfell Tower, a residential block in west London, left 79 people presumed dead after the fire spread rapidly up its 24 storeys The US supplier of the cladding which encased London's Grenfell Tower before it was destroyed by a devastating fire announced Monday it was stopping sales of the material for high-rise buildings. "Arconic is discontinuing global sales of Reynobond PE for use in high-rise applications," a company spokesman told AFP. The firm put the decision down to "issues that have arisen in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy" and differences in building regulations around the world. The June 14 inferno left 79 people presumed dead after the fire spread rapidly up the 24-storey residential block in west London. As emergency services continue to search through the ashes of the gutted building, suspicion has fallen on the recently installed cladding with allegations it may have contributed to the ferocity of the blaze. The Arconic spokesman said the company "will continue to fully support the authorities as they investigate this tragedy". Sales of the Reynobond PE cladding for use in low-rise buildings will continue. An estimated 600 tower blocks in England believed to have similar cladding to that used at Grenfell are currently going through tests. Samples taken from 75 high-rises tested so far have all failed safety tests, communities minister Sajid Javid said on Monday. "We have witnessed a catastrophic failure," he told MPs, lamenting the slow speed at which samples were being submitted for tests. Buildings which have already undergone safety checks include four tower blocks in north London which were evacuated on Saturday, with Javid saying inspectors discovered 1,000 fire doors were missing. The minister also warned unsafe cladding "may not be a problem unique to social housing or tall buildings". All hospitals have been asked to conduct additional checks and 15 government buildings "require further investigation", he said without giving further details. - Child identified by teeth - As work continues to prevent a repeat of the Grenfell Tower blaze, a London coroner's court heard how a five-year-old victim choked to death on fumes as he tried to escape. The boy had to be identified by dental records after his body was found on the 13th floor, five levels lower than his home as he family tried to flee. "It can't really be explained in enough detail how complex an investigation this is in terms of identification and in terms of recovery of bodies on a dangerous site that my team are not allowed to enter because the building is being shored up," Westminster coroner Fiona Wilcox told the court. So far 18 people have been identified including Khadija Saye, a 24-year-old photographer who had exhibited at the Venice Biennale and lived on the 20th floor. Saye was discovered on a hallway in the ninth floor and is believed to have died from fumes and burns. Her mother Mary Mendy, 52, was identified by dental records after being found on the 13th storey. Her sister Betty Jackson said she will "be missed for a lifetime". "My beloved sister, words can never describe the pain of losing you. I can't believe you are gone," she said in a statement published through London's Metropolitan Police. Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton holds aloft the America's Cup on stage with Helmsman Peter Burling, Principal Matteo de Nora and skipper Glenn Asby in Hamilton, Bermuda on June 26, 2017 Team New Zealand will "do the right thing" in formulating the next America's Cup, chief executive Grant Dalton vowed after the Kiwis' stunning victory over Team USA plunged the sailing world into suspense. "We will put into place rules and an organization of our own team New Zealand that if we're good enough we'll hold onto it and if we're not we won't," he said. "We will not try and impose our will on it to make sure we can hold it at any cost." In January -- months before competition began in the 35th America's Cup on Bermuda's Great Sound, defenders Oracle Team USA -- backed by tech billionaire Larry Ellison -- and four would-be challengers trumpeted a framework agreement for future Cups. It included a regatta every two years, rather than the erratic schedule that has been the norm over the 166 years of Cup competition. It made the America's Cup World Series an integral part of qualifying and foresaw the continued use of the spectacular foiling catamarans that produced a breathtaking show in Bermuda. Those who signed the agreement said stability would bring down costs for competitors and broaden the appeal of the sport. Dalton and Team New Zealand declined to opt in, however, leading to hand-wringing in the sailing world over what their defense will bring. Dockside in Bermuda, speculation was rife that they planned strict nationality rules for crew and design staff, and possibly a return to monohull yachts -- a move hinted at by New Zealand team principal Matteo de Nora's comment that the Kiwis want to bring the America's Cup "back to the future". Emirates Team New Zealand (R) and Oracle Team USA race in the final leg of the 35th America's Cup in the Great Sound off Hamilton, Bermuda on June 26, 2017 "Everybody says it would be a mistake to change the boats," Franck Cammas, skipper of vanquished challenger Groupama Team France said. "I can't see how you can change the boats without going backward in terms of pure performance and spectacle." But regatta director Iain Murray said that there are those who are frustrated that the bulk of the work for the six crew aboard the AC50 catamarans is grinding to power the hydraulics systems. "I know certain sailors, one of them in particular (USA tactician) Tom Slingsby, has been quite vocal in (wanting) more sailors, more ropes, more things on the boats for sailors to do other than just provide power," Murray said. - The yachting aspect - Dalton echoed that sentiment. "I think it's important that we don't take away from the yachting aspect of it," he said. "It's still a race of yachtsmen. Pumping oil around a boat is not necessarily yachting." Dalton said there were some aspects of the framework agreement that New Zealand backs, and others, such as the biennial calendar, it disagrees with. "I think it's important that we need to make it affordable," he said. "But we also need to remember that it is the America's Cup. It's the top of the sport and so it's not a little beach regatta. It's never going to be cheap. "No matter how many things you impose on it, people will always spend a fortune if they want to." Dalton said plans for the 36th Cup would emerge in the coming weeks, after New Zealand sit down with the newly announced challenger of record Luna Rossa. The Italian syndicate backed by Patrizio Bertelli, head of luxury fashion house Prada, pulled out of the 35th America's Cup in 2015 over a rule change. "We do have a plan," Dalton said. "The sport needs stability. The sport is very fragmented." Dalton said yachting has a number of great events ranging form the Volvo Ocean Race to the TP52 World Series. "As the pinnacle, the America's Cup is an opportunity to play our part in trying to bring it all together and not stay fragmented," he said. "Rest assured, we'll do the right thing." Syrian children receive treatment in the town of Maaret al-Noman, following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhun, a nearby rebel-held town in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, on April 4, 2017 The US warning that Syria may be preparing another chemical weapons attack was based on suspect activity at the launch site of the regime's apparent chemical strike in April, the Pentagon said Tuesday. "We have seen activity at Shayrat airfield... that indicated preparations for possible use of chemical weapons," said Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis. "This involved a specific aircraft, a specific hangar -- both of which we know to be associated with chemical weapon use." The White House late Monday said the preparations were similar to those undertaken by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ahead of an apparent chemical attack on a rebel-held town in April. Days after that strike, Washington launched a cruise missile strike on the airfield in retaliation -- the first direct US attack on the Syrian regime and President Donald Trump's most dramatic military action since he took power in January. The White House warned Assad that he would pay a "heavy price" if his regime went ahead with another chemical weapons attack, which "would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children." Russia, which has supported the Syrian regime since 2015 with air strikes against what it says are Islamist extremists, voiced anger at the tough rhetoric. "We consider such threats against the Syrian leadership to be unacceptable," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Moscow has consistently rejected accusations that Damascus was behind the April attack. Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta is gearing up for a tight race against longtime rival Raila Odinga in August elections with five million new voters registered to take part Kenya's election commission announced Tuesday that there would be five million new voters taking part in August polls, raising the stakes for incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and his longtime rival Raila Odinga. After the first-ever audit of the voter's register -- often seen as a key point at which an election can be rigged -- the election commission (IEBC) announced a final list of 19.6 million voters. "Comparatively, the register of voters has increased by 36 percent (5,222,642 voters) since 2013," IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a statement. During the audit, 88,602 deceased voters were removed from the list, however the KPMG audit firm said in a report earlier this month that there may still be around one million dead voters on the list. KPMG said many detailed death records were not provided by the Civil Registration Department (CRS), and also bemoaned the lack of reliable data on deceased persons. "We are aware that the register of voters cannot be completely rid of deceased persons. However, we are confident that the (election) technology provides foolproof authentication on election day and there will be no room for mischief," said the IEBC statement. Kenya's vote for a president and lawmakers on August 8 is set to be a hard-fought election decided in large part along ethnic lines, with coalitions between different tribes crucial to winning enough votes. Kenyatta is seen as the favourite in his run for a second term, however he is facing an unprecedented challenge from a united opposition. His longtime rival Odinga, 72, is holding the ticket for the National Super Alliance (NASA) which banded together five main opposition leaders. Six other candidates from smaller parties are taking part. Odinga has lost three previous elections, in 1997, 2007 and 2013 -- a bad-tempered and disputed poll in which he fell short of victory by 800,000 votes. This year's vote comes a decade after a disputed poll between Odinga and former president Mwai Kibaki, which sparked two months of politically motivated tribal violence that left over 1,100 dead. During the subsequent largely peaceful poll in March 2013, a host of hi-tech safeguards -- including a biometric voter registration system -- failed on the day leading many to doubt Kenyatta's victory, and the ability of the commission to deliver a credible election this year. Kenyatta and Odinga are from bitterly competing political dynasties in Kenya: their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga were rivals in the independence era and the decades that followed. The rivalry reflects tribal divisions in Kenya with Odinga's Luos commonly complaining that Kenyatta's Kikuyu community has monopolised power for its own gain. CASPER The federal government may jointly administer some services to the two tribes sharing Wyomings Wind River Reservation, a U.S. District Court judge ruled last week. The order gives legal force to a long-running but disputed practice and could set a crucial precedent for the governments obligations to the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes, two distinct governments given jurisdiction over the same reservation. Judge Brian Morris ruled that the Bureau of Indian Affairs may take practical impact and cost into account when deciding whether to allow each tribe to operate federally-funded services independently. Specifically, the order states that while the BIA must allow the Arapaho to operate its own tribal court, it was justified in rejecting the tribes proposal for its own game and fish department and water engineer. The federal government is legally mandated to provide certain public services on Indian reservations, but it must provide funding for tribes to operate these services independently, arrangements known as 638 contracts. Two tribes, one reservation That poses a problem on the Wind River Reservation. Because the two tribes share sovereignty over the same area, it is difficult for them to independently operate services that impact the entire reservation. For example, two distinct tribal game and fish departments might have different hunting policies for the same piece of land. More, the BIA argued that the cost of funding two versions of the same service was prohibitive. This issue was long addressed through the Joint Business Council, which was composed of representatives from the Arapaho and Shoshone business councils and used to enter into contracts with the federal government for shared services. After the Arapaho left the JBC in 2014, the BIA continued to negotiate with the body despite it being composed solely of Shoshone representatives in what the agency said was an effort to convince the Arapaho to start participating in the council again. In making that argument, the BIA invoked both the technical difficulties and cost of negotiating separately with both tribes. But the Northern Arapaho lawyers have repeatedly claimed that the federal government is required to negotiate directly with any sovereign tribe regardless of convenience or cost. BIA complains that it has insufficient funds, but Congress obligated the Secretary to accept every qualifying... contract, notwithstanding that at the same time it may not yet have appropriated sufficient funds to pay each tribal contractor in full, the tribes attorneys wrote in an earlier motion. Arapaho lawyers also disputed the BIAs argument that any reservation-wide service required consent from both tribes. Morris, however, ruled that the BIA was justified in rejecting Arapaho claims for the wildlife department and water engineer for just those reasons: A distinct Arapaho department would be costly and would operate without Shoshone consent. The law requires the BIA to transfer funding to a 638 contracting tribe, but at the same time to maintain ... services to the non-contracting tribe, Morris wrote. Conditions put on negotiations The Arapaho proposals had requested 100 percent of the total game and fish funding for the reservation and 70 percent of the total funds allocated for water resource management. Morris sided with the BIA in ruling that the agency would not be able to maintain services for Shoshone members at Wind River if it granted the Arapaho requests and was thus justified in rejecting them. It was the question of law enforcement on the reservation that proved the most pressing when federal service contracts expired last fall, causing a period of confusion as to which court had jurisdiction over crimes on the reservation. The Arapaho prevailed in their bid to operate an independent tribal court, though that decision had long been expected. Morris ruled that the BIA had improperly rejected NATs initial proposal for a tribal court and ordered the BIA to return to negotiations. Those talks have been ongoing since Morris ordered the Arapaho and BIA into mediation earlier this year. Earlier in the case, Morris, and the BIA itself, acknowledged that the agency must negotiate directly with the Arapaho and cannot exclusively work with the Shoshone through the JBC in an attempt to woo back the Arapaho representatives. But his decision that the BIA can put conditions such as cost, efficiency and consent of both tribes on those negotiations is likely to prove significant in the long run. Arapaho members make up around 70 percent of enrolled tribal members on the reservation and would have benefited from negotiating contracts directly with the BIA because any per-capita funding formula would see them receive more funding than in any shared agreement with the Shoshones. In contrast, the Shoshones have expressed a clear preference from jointly negotiating contracts for federal funding, either through the JBC or a different forum, because they have more influence in those forums than in funding models based solely on population. (Historically, some Shoshone leaders have bristled at any perceived attempts by the Arapaho to gain a larger share of resources on the reservation because the federal government originally promised the Wind River site for exclusive Shoshone use before locating the Arapaho there.) By ruling that the BIA may consider both total funding available for various services on the reservation and what impact that granting 638 contracts to the Arapaho would have on the Shoshone may encourage NAT to return to some form of a joint negotiating body. Representatives for both Arapaho and Shoshone business councils have not responded to any requests for comment about the lawsuit. Morris' ruling closes the case, which started in 2015, though if the Arapaho feel that BIA is not negotiating in good faith on funding the tribal court they may ask the judge to intervene. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadian troops training Kurdish fighters have orders to fight in defense of coalition soldiers Canada's supposed non-combat role in Iraq is being questioned after a special forces sniper took out an IS fighter in Iraq. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday would have none of it, saying Canadian troops training Kurdish fighters have orders to also fight in defense of coalition soldiers. "I can tell you that defending our allies in the coalition has been an integral part of our mission," Trudeau told a press conference marking the end of the parliamentary session. "This is completely in keeping with our responsibilities as Canadians, as members of the coalition in northern Iraq and it will continue to be that way," he said. The military confirmed to AFP that a member of its Joint Task Force 2 unit deployed in Iraq had "successfully hit a target from 3,540 meters," or 2.2 miles. According to a media report, the soldier was positioned on a high-rise rooftop last month and, using a McMillan TAC-50 rifle, killed an IS fighter who was attacking Iraqi soldiers. Since then, opposition parties have used the incident to challenge the government's claim that JTF2's mission is simply to "advise and assist" Kurdish militia, and accused Trudeau of waging a secret war without parliament's nod. "It seriously calls into question your government's claim that Canadian forces are not involved in direct combat in Iraq," New Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair said in a letter to the prime minister. Trudeau's Liberals came to power in 2015 promising to end Canadian airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq. At the same time, preferring to support the Iraqis in their fight, over direct military intervention, the government tripled the number of Canadian military trainers on the ground to more than 200. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) escorts Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (L) prior to talks on the simmering dispute between key US Gulf allies. Three top Gulf diplomats were in Washington Tuesday as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to help resolve the stubborn Qatar crisis. With a one-week Saudi deadline looming for Qatar to meet its tough demands, Tillerson had talks with Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He quickly followed that with a meeting with Kuwait Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, whose country has taken on the official role of mediator. And he was planning to meet in a working dinner late Tuesday with the Kuwaitis and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has offered to help resolve the row. But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, also in Washington, was unbudging over the three week old squabble, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said via Twitter. Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. Qatar meanwhile has gotten some lifeline support from Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Last week United Arab Emirates' state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbors. - 'Struggle of wills' - While initially stepping back from what it viewed as a regional spat that would sort itself out, Washington has accepted that it will have to take an active role in resolving what has the makings of a foreign policy disaster for the young government of President Donald Trump. Washington has close economic and security ties with both sides of the quarrel. Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. And the US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well. Kuwait is the official arbitrator for seeking a settlement, but a US role will be crucial in what is taking the form of "proximity talks", said Hussein Ibish, a scholar on Gulf affairs at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "It's an all-out struggle of wills," he said. "The way out for both sides is a kind of an American mediation which is face-saving for everybody." The United States has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable." Asked about Jubeir's stance Tuesday, Tillerson replied: "We hope all the parties will continue to talk to one another in good faith." State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday that talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained "challenging" for Qatar. "Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to," she said. "We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out." Killing protected native wildlife is a serious offence with fines of up to Aus$36,500 (US$28,000) or 24 months' imprisonment A kangaroo dressed in leopard-print has been found shot dead on an Australian roadside tied to a chair and holding a bottle of booze, sparking outrage over the killing Wednesday. The animal, wearing a patterned shawl and propped up with the ouzo drink in its lifeless arms, was discovered in Melbourne's northeast by a passer-by. "The kangaroo had been shot at least three times, prior to it being arranged in the chair," said Victoria state Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning senior investigator Mike Sverns. "This is appalling and immoral behaviour," Sverns added. A dead kangaroo tied to a chair was found at the roadside on the outskirts of Melbourne on June 28, 2017 "It would have taken some time to stage the kangaroo in that position on the side of the road and we are certain that someone would have seen something, given the public area and traffic flow of this main road." In appealing for information, he warned that killing protected native wildlife was a serious offence with fines of up to Aus$36,500 (US$28,000) or 24 months' imprisonment. Investigators suspect the animal was killed at a different location and moved to the roadside, where a passer-by made the gruesome discovery. North Korea has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the start of last year North Korea recently tested a small rocket engine, a monitoring group said Wednesday, after a US official had reportedly suggested the test could be a step to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile. The respected 38 North analysis group however said it was not clear whether the test, conducted at the North's Sohae satellite launch site, involved an ICBM engine. Based on satellite imagery analysis, the Washington-based group said the nuclear-armed state appeared to have conducted a "small rocket engine test" on or around June 22. Previous satellite imagery of the site taken on June 10 showed no signs of test preparations, which showed North "possesses the technical and logistical capabilities to conduct such tests with little or no advance warning", it added. An unnamed Washington official told Reuters last week that the North had tested an engine that "could be for the smallest stage of an ICBM rocket". But 38 North, which is part of Johns Hopkins University, remained cautious, saying it was "not possible" to confirm whether the latest test was for an ICBM engine using satellite imagery alone. The impoverished, isolated North has staged two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of last year, raising concerns over the gradual upgrade in its disputed weapons programmes, which have seen it subjected to multiple rounds of United Nations sanctions. The country has repeatedly boasted that it had developed an ICBM capable of carrying its nuclear warhead to the mainland of the "imperial enemy" the US. Most analysts doubt the claim, but agree that the nation had made a significant progress in its missile capability since leader Kim Jong-Un took power in 2011 after the death of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il. US President Donald Trump has made halting Pyongyang's weapons programme a top foreign policy priority and on Tuesday called on threats from the North to be "dealt with rapidly." The tsunami-sparked reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant that set off the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986 Three former executives at Fukushima's operator stand trial this week on the only criminal charges laid in the 2011 disaster, as thousands remain unable to return to homes near the shuttered nuclear plant. The hearing on Friday comes more than a year after ex-Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, 77, and former vice presidents Sakae Muto, 66, and Ichiro Takekuro, 71, were formally charged with professional negligence resulting in death and injury. The indictments are the first -- and only -- criminal charges stemming from the tsunami-sparked reactor meltdowns at the plant that set off the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. "We hope the trial will shed light on where the responsibility for this accident...lies," Ruiko Muto, who heads a group that pushed for the trial, told AFP. "The accident hasn't been resolved. There is nuclear waste from the cleanup efforts everywhere in Fukushima and there are still many unresolved problems," she said. The quake-tsunami disaster left some 18,500 people dead or missing, but the Fukushima accident itself is not officially recorded as having directly killed anyone The trial follows a battle over whether or not to indict the Tepco executives. Prosecutors had twice refused to press charges against the men, citing insufficient evidence and little chance of conviction. But a judicial review panel composed of ordinary citizens ruled in 2015 -- for the second time since the accident -- that the trio should be put on trial. That decision compelled prosecutors to press on with the criminal case under Japanese law. "We want a verdict as soon as possible," Muto said. "Some victims of this tragedy have died without seeing the start of the trial." If convicted, the men face up to five years in prison or a penalty of up to one million yen ($9,000). - Internal report - A 2015 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said a misguided faith in the complete safety of atomic power was a key factor in the Fukushima accident Tepco declined to comment on the trial, saying the men "have already left the company". The three are reportedly expected to plead not guilty, and argue it was impossible to have predicted the size of the massive tsunami that slammed into Japan's northeast coast following a huge undersea earthquake. However, a 2011 government panel report said Tepco simulated the impact of a tsunami on the plant in 2008 and concluded that a wave of up to 15.7 metres (52 feet) could hit the plant if a magnitude-8.3 quake occurred off the coast of Fukushima. Executives at the company -- which is facing huge clean-up and liability costs -- allegedly ignored the internal study. Waves as high as 14 metres swamped the reactors' cooling systems in March 2011. The disaster forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes near the plant. Many are still living in other parts of Japan, unable or unwilling to go back home, as fears over radiation persist Although the quake-tsunami disaster left some 18,500 people dead or missing, the Fukushima accident itself is not officially recorded as having directly killed anyone. The charges against the executives are linked to the deaths of more than 40 hospitalised patients who were hastily evacuated from the Fukushima area and later died. Around a dozen others -- including Tepco employees and members of Japan's Self Defense Forces -- were injured during the accident. The disaster forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes near the plant. Many are still living in other parts of Japan, unable or unwilling to go back home, as fears over radiation persist. A 2015 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said a misguided faith in the complete safety of atomic power was a key factor in the Fukushima accident. It pointed to weaknesses in disaster preparedness and in plant design, along with unclear responsibilities among regulators. A parliamentary report compiled a year after the disaster also said Fukushima was a man-made disaster caused by Japan's culture of "reflexive obedience". An angry public pointed to cosy ties among the government, regulators and nuclear operators for the lack of criminal charges. Campaigners have called for about three dozen company officials to be held accountable for their failure properly to protect the site against a tsunami. The accident forced the shutdown of dozens of reactors across Japan, with just a handful online more than six years later. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and utility companies are pushing to get reactors back in operation, but anti-nuclear sentiment remains high and there is widespread opposition to the idea. Hyundai must recall some 40,000 vehicles in China Chinese authorities have announced the recall of more than 44,000 South Korean-branded vehicles over "potential safety risks", in another setback for the South's automakers already hit by a diplomatic dispute. Authorities on June 23 announced a recall of 43,764 Hyundai Santa Fe models over a defect that can cause the engine to fail. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Wednesday that 601 Kia Borrego autos would also be recalled, over loose wheel nuts. And 40 Kia Sorento vehicles would also be called back over a defective engine pipe that can leak and catch fire. Hyundai's bottom line has already been hit hard by a row between Beijing and Seoul over the deployment of a US missile shield on the Korean peninsula, which has sparked Chinese economic retaliation. Both Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Motors have posted dramatic falls in sales in China. Hyundai's first-quarter net profit dropped 21 percent to 1.46 trillion won ($1.3 billion), its 13th consecutive quarter of profit downturn. In recent months China banned tour groups to South Korea and dozens of Lotte retail stores in the country were shut down. The defence system is intended to guard against missile threats from nuclear-armed North Korea, but South Korea's dovish new President Moon Jae-In has suspended further deployment of the shield. China fears the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system will weaken its own ballistic missile capabilities and says THAAD upsets the regional security balance. A superstitious passenger on China Southern Airlines will not be prosecuted for tossing coins at an aircraft engine An elderly passenger who threw coins at the engine of a plane at a Shanghai airport for good luck will not face police action, Chinese state media said on Wednesday. The superstitious 80-year-old woman delayed the China Southern Airlines flight on Tuesday for nearly six hours after she tossed nine coins at the engine from the tarmac while boarding, with one nestling inside. Police at Shanghai Pudong International Airport said the woman surnamed Qiu was a devoted Buddhist and believed the coin offering would ensure her safety on the flight to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. She was taken away by police after a fellow passenger reported the bizarre incident. However the People's Daily newspaper, citing police, said that while she had broken the law and would normally serve five days behind bars, she is exempted because she is aged over 70. Taiwan has offered to treat China's cancer-stricken dissident Liu Xiaobo (L) in a move that will likely enrage mainland authorities after Beijing announced it released the Nobel Peace laureate on medical parole Taiwan said Wednesday that it was willing to offer cancer-stricken Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo treatment after prison officials granted him medical parole, in a move likely to rile Beijing. The offer came a day after China rejected criticism over its treatment of Liu, as the United States urged Beijing to give the paroled activist freedom to move and choose his own doctors. Liu's lawyer Mo Shaoping revealed on Monday that the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate had been hospitalised after being diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in May. The writer, now 61, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion" after spearheading a bold petition for democratic reforms. Lawyer Mo told AFP that people on medical parole usually cannot leave the country, but if he was treated as a "special case" it would be possible for him to seek treatment abroad, according to Chinese law. Taiwan said it would "welcome" Liu for treatment at a time when relations with Beijing have worsened dramatically under China-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen. China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified. But the self-ruling island has developed its own democratic political system and has become home to some activists fleeing China. "We urge Beijing to immediately release Liu and let him choose wherever he wants to receive treatment," said Chiu Chui-cheng of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top policy-making body on China. "We welcome Liu if he chooses Taiwan and we will provide him with the best medical care possible. Taiwan has very good expertise treating liver diseases," Chiu told AFP. Chinese dissident Wang Dan, a Tiananmen protest leader who lives in exile in Taiwan, said that he has contacted Germany's foreign ministry in the hope the country would take Liu for treatment, as it has a hospital famous for treating liver cancer. The new US ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, said on Wednesday he would like to see Liu treated abroad. Human rights groups have also called on Chinese authorities to give Liu the chance to seek treatment elsewhere. Ties between Taiwan and China have deteriorated rapidly since Tsai took the reins last year. Beijing has stepped up pressure on her government, from luring away the island's diplomatic allies to arresting a Taiwanese activist on "subversion" charges on the mainland. China has cut off all official communication with Taipei and has upped military drills while Taiwan is developing home-grown defence systems in response to what it sees as a growing threat. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani(L) heads into talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on June 27, 2017 Qatar on Wednesday condemned Saudi Arabia's refusal to negotiate the demands of the kingdom and its allies for ending a crippling embargo on the emirate. Speaking from Washington, where he held talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable. "This is contrary to the principles that govern international relations because you can't just present lists of demands and refuse to negotiate," Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published in Doha. His Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, who is also in Washington, was unbudging on Tuesday over the three-week-old dispute, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said on Twitter. With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home. Last week, Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, including ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United Arab Emirates warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours. "The hour of truth is near," tweeted UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash. "It's time for our brother (Qatar) to choose... honesty and transparency and to realise that media furore and ideological heroism are illusions. "We have long suffered (Qatar's) conspiracy against our stability and witnessed its support for ideologies that aim to sow chaos in the Arab world. Enough. Return to reason," Gargash wrote. The rift between its allies has been a blow to Washington just as its campaign against the Islamic State group comes to a climax in Iraq and Syria. Tillerson has held repeated meetings with both sides as well as with mediators Kuwait and the United Nations. Supporters of seven Hong Kong police officers who were found guilty of assaulting activist Ken Tsang during the 2014 pro-democracy protests attend a rally in the city Three Hong Kong police officers who were jailed for beating a protester during mass pro-democracy Umbrella Movement rallies in 2014 were released on bail Wednesday in an emotionally charged case. The trio were among seven cops convicted and jailed for two years in February for assault causing actual bodily harm to activist Ken Tsang, an attack filmed by a local TV network in footage that shocked local residents and was beamed around the world. It showed a group of men hauling a handcuffed Tsang into a dark corner in a public park near the government headquarters, where he was beaten by one man who stood over him inflicting blows while others repeatedly kicked him. They were bailed a day before the highly anticipated visit by Chinese president Xi Jinping to mark the 20th anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China. In the February sentencing, judge David Dufton described the attack as "a vicious assault". But the officers' imprisonment triggered a backlash from some in the force, with supporters saying they had been under too much pressure during the protests, which brought parts of the city to a standstill for more than two months. More than 30,000 officers and their relatives gathered to protest after the sentencing which they said was unfair. On Wednesday judge Wally Yeung said the punishment handed to three of the seven men may have been "excessive", the South China Morning Post reported. They were released on bail pending an appeal. Yeung said the officers had to work long hours with no rest in the face of violent protesters and said Tsang, a social worker, showed offensive behaviour, the Post reported. The date of the appeal hearing was not set. Tsang was himself found guilty last year of assaulting and resisting officers on the same night, when he splashed an unspecified liquid on police. He has served his five-week sentence and was released in April. The 2014 rallies were largely peaceful but saw some late-night clashes between police and demonstrators, particularly in the main protest zones in the business district of Admiralty and the busy commercial area of Mong Kok. CASPER With the community's input, Casper's new city manager hopes to hire a permanent police chief before the end of the year. City Manager Carter Napier said Tuesday his second day on the job that he has three immediate tasks: hire a police chief, hire a fire chief and review the city's budget. But none of those tasks can be accomplished overnight and he hopes to meet with a variety of people both inside and outside the city before making any decisions. "I think I know what I want in a good chief," he said. "I've hired good chiefs. But each community is different." Napier said that he did not yet have a specific process outlined for hiring either position but will consider candidates from within the department and from outside agencies. He hoped to have a permanent police chief hired within the next six months and will be searching for a fire chief in the same time. "I don't think I have the luxury of waiting until I have a police chief hired," he said. Casper Fire Chief Kenneth King announced in October that he would retire from that role in January 2018. The announcement came hours after he apologized for sending an email asking an investigator to delete the "bad parts" from video evidence during the 2015 Cole Creek Fire. He sent it while the fire, which destroyed 14 homes, was still burning. City officials said in October that the process to hire a new fire chief would begin "immediately" and that they hoped a formal search would begin in January. Napier said Tuesday that as far as he could tell, the hiring process hadn't begun. Before making decisions about the police chief position, he hoped to meet with community members, police officers and city leadership to determine what they are looking for in a candidate. He planned to meet with Interim Chief Steve Schulz on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. "I want to make sure I have a crystal clear idea of what is needed in this community because I don't want to get it wrong," he said. So far, Napier hasn't heard from anybody interested in the position, but he said that may be because he has attempted to stay removed from Casper business while still working as Gillette's city manager. Schulz previously declined to comment on whether he was interested in the position. While hiring for the positions, Napier will also consider a more abstract challenge: How does he help rebuild relationships between city government, police and the community at large after a period of turbulence? "I've been asking myself that question," he said. Ideally, he hopes to dissect each problem individually whether the problem is internal issues within the police department, criticism from the community about police services or pleas for calm from business leaders. By meeting with those involved on all sides of each issue, Napier hopes to better understand how to mend those relationships. That same process helped him in Gillette when the city realized it would need to make a series of cuts and changes due to the economic downturn, he said. "I think when you do that piece by piece ... the invariable outcome is that you slowly build back that relationship of trust," he said. The series of cyberattacks began in Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting government and corporate computer systems across the world as the virus spread to western Europe and across the Atlantic. A wave of cyberattacks wreaking havoc across computer systems worldwide disrupted operations at India's largest container port, the government said Wednesday. India's shipping ministry said a private terminal run by Danish sea transport giant A.P. Moller-Maersk at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai had been affected. Maersk earlier tweeted that the attack had impacted "multiple sites and business units", without confirming which ones. "It (JPNT) has been informed by the private terminal operator that this disruption is a consequence of a worldwide disruption being faced by them because of a cyberattack," said the statement. "While the terminal operator is taking steps to address the issues disrupting the operations, it is anticipated that there could be bunching of in-bound and out-bound container cargo," it added. The series of cyberattacks began in Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting government and corporate computer systems across the world as the virus spread to western Europe and across the Atlantic. Several multinational companies said they were targeted, including US pharmaceutical giant Merck, Russian state oil giant Rosneft, British advertising giant WPP and the French industrial group Saint-Gobain. The first reports of trouble came from Ukrainian banks, Kiev's main airport and Rosneft, in a major incident reminiscent of the recent WannaCry virus. Some IT experts identified the virus as "Petrwrap", a modified version of the Petya ransomware which hit last year and demanded money from victims in exchange for the return of their data. However global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab said they thought it was not a variant of Petya ransomware "but a new ransomware that has not been seen before". India's shipping ministry said it was "alive to the situation and are taking steps to ensure minimum disturbance to trade, transporters and more importantly local citizens". The cyberattacks recalled the WannaCry ransomware outbreak last month which hit more than 150 countries and a total of more than 200,000 victims. The journalists were charged under a draconian law that was widely used against reporters and activists by the former military junta, which stepped down in 2011 Myanmar on Wednesday charged three journalists for reporting on an armed ethnic group in a case that has fuelled alarm at the erosion of press freedom. Five men, including the trio, have now been transferred to Hsipaw prison in Shan State to await their first day in court, a police officer in the station told AFP. They were charged under section one of the draconian Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. The legislation was widely used against journalists and activists by the former military junta, which stepped down in 2011, paving the way for the party of pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi to assume power last year. "Five men -- three journalists and two drivers -- were charged under 17/1 of the Unlawful Association Act this afternoon," said the police officer, who asked not to be named. "They arrived here at 12:30 pm and were later transferred to Hsipaw prison department." They were among seven people detained by the military on Monday as they left a drugs-burning ceremony organised by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), one of several rebel groups fighting the state. A girl wears a T-shirt denouncing a defamation law which critics say damages press freedom in Myanmar The journalists included reporters from The Irrawaddy and DVB, which for years challenged the former junta's iron grip on free expression with their covert reporting. Earlier a senior aide to Suu Kyi, who herself spent almost two decades under house arrest for defying the junta, defended the charges. "It's true that they broke the law by going to meet ethnic groups," Win Htein, also a former political prisoner, told the Central News Bureau broadcaster. He said it was wrong for the army to initiate proceedings but insisted that "the government should take action" against the journalists. - 'Affront to democracy' - The military said Monday the group was stopped near Phayargyi village in Shan State, not far from where TNLA fighters have been clashing with the army. Several soldiers and four insurgents have been killed since fresh fighting erupted last week after troops discovered a training camp for the ethnic armed group, state media reported Wednesday. The clashes come just weeks after Suu Kyi met several ethnic insurgent groups, including the TNLA, at talks aimed at ending decades of fighting in Myanmar's borderlands. "Getting peace is more important than amending this (Unlawful Associations) Act," said Win Htein. The detention of the journalists has drawn condemnation from activists and diplomats concerned at growing curbs on press freedom. The Committee to Protect Journalists' Asia Program coordinator Steven Butler called the arrests an "affront to democracy in Myanmar". It comes amid a groundswell of activism among local journalists aimed at quashing a controversial broadly-worded online defamation law which has been used to curb criticism of the government and army. Prosecutions under the legislation have surged since the National League for Democracy came to power last year, with social media satirists, activists and journalists increasingly targeted. Pro-democracy demonstrators climb the Golden Bauhinia statue in Hong Kong ahead of a visit by President Xi Jinping to mark 20 years since the city was handed back to China by Britain Pro-democracy protesters climbed a statue in Hong Kong Wednesday and staged a sit-in ahead of a visit by President Xi Jinping to mark 20 years since the city was handed back to China by Britain. Xi's visit this week comes at a time when fears are growing that Beijing is tightening its grip on semi-autonomous Hong Kong. High-profile student activist Joshua Wong was among more than 20 demonstrators who encircled the sculpture of a golden bauhinia flower which became the emblem of Hong Kong in 1997. The statue was given to the city by China as a present to mark the handover. Some activists chained themselves to the sculpture while others climbed into its petals. Pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Leung Kwok-hung, also known as Long Hair, were among the protesters sitting at its base as police cordoned off the square, which is a popular tourist attraction. Xi is due to land in Hong Kong on Thursday for a three-day visit to attend anniversary celebrations and swear in the city's new leader Carrie Lam. The city is ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal, enshrined in the handover agreement, which allows it rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. But there are concerns that China is increasingly interfering in a range of areas, from politics to education and the media. Protesters at the bauhinia statue chanted "Long live the Umbrella Movement!" and "I'm a Hong Konger!" The Umbrella Movement was the name given to mass rallies in 2014 calling for democratic reforms. Wong and Law were among the student leaders of those protests, which ultimately failed to win concessions. Activists on Wednesday also called for the release of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo who was granted medical parole this week due to late-stage liver cancer but remains in the mainland. The writer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now 61, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion" after spearheading a bold petition for democratic reforms. "Free Liu Xiaobo! Free all political prisoners! Universal suffrage now!" the protesters chanted. They have pledged to remain overnight at the harbourfront square, which is outside the convention centre where Xi will attend anniversary events and a stone's throw from the hotel he will stay in. The spot is popular with mainland visitors. Police cleared tourists from the square shortly after the protesters occupied the statue. Demonstrators were livestreaming the sit-in and asking others to join them. Some, including Wong, had already draped the statue with a black flag on Monday during an early morning anti-China protest. It was removed by police. Pro-democracy campaigner Joshua Wong (C) and other demonstrators link arms as police prepare to remove them from the base of the Golden Bauhinia statue, given to Hong Kong by China to mark the 1997 handover Hong Kong student pro-democracy campaigner Joshua Wong was detained by police on Wednesday after an anti-China protest ahead of a visit by President Xi Jinping. Wong was among at least 20 protesters who had staged a three-hour sit-in at a harbourfront statue and were led away into police vans. Xi's visit this week marks 20 years since Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain and comes at a time when fears are growing that Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city. Protesters had encircled the sculpture of a golden bauhinia flower which became the emblem of Hong Kong in 1997. The statue was given to the city by China as a present to mark the handover. Some activists chained themselves to the sculpture while others climbed into its petals. Police cleared the area and surrounded the statue, leading away protesters one by one. Most walked but Wong and young legislator Nathan Law lay down and were carried away from the scene. Police had warned the protesters they were causing a public nuisance and would be arrested if they did not move. Some demonstrators remain on top of the statue, with at least one chained to it. As Wong was carried away to the awaiting vans, he shouted: "Protest on July 1!" -- the anniversary of the handover. Xi is due to land in Hong Kong on Thursday for a three-day visit to attend anniversary celebrations and swear in the city's new leader Carrie Lam. The city is ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal, enshrined in the handover agreement, which allows it rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. But there are concerns that China is increasingly interfering in a range of areas, from politics to education and the media. Protesters at the bauhinia statue chanted "Long live the Umbrella Movement!" and "I'm a Hong Konger!" The Umbrella Movement was the name given to mass rallies in 2014 calling for democratic reforms. Wong and Law were among the student leaders of those protests, which ultimately failed to win concessions. Activists on Wednesday also called for the release of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo who was granted medical parole this week due to late-stage liver cancer but remains in the mainland. A pro-democracy demonstrator gestures while chanting slogans on the Golden Bauhinia statue, given to Hong Kong by China to mark the 1997 handover, after storming the sculpture in front of the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Hong Kong on June 28 The writer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now 61, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion" after spearheading a bold petition for democratic reforms. The bauhinia statue stands outside the convention centre where Xi will attend anniversary events and is a stone's throw from the hotel he will stay in. The spot is popular with mainland visitors. Some of the demonstrators, including Wong, had already draped the statue with a black flag on Monday during an early morning anti-China protest. It was removed by police. A rebel tries on a gas mask seized from a Syrian army factory in the north-western province of Idlib US President Donald Trump's warning to the Syrian government not to carry out a chemical weapons attack appears to have worked, Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Wednesday. "It appears that they took the warning seriously," Mattis said, referring to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. White House spokesman Sean Spicer warned Monday night that if "Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price." The warning came after US intelligence noticed suspect activity at the airbase used to launch a suspected chemical strike two months ago. "I think the president speaking about (these preparations) says how seriously we took them. He wanted to dissuade them," Mattis told reporters as he flew into Brussels for a NATO defence ministers meeting. The April 4 attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun was reported to have killed at least 87 people, including many children, and images of the dead and of suffering victims provoked global outrage. Washington launched a retaliatory cruise missile strike days later against the Shayrat airbase -- the first direct US action against the regime, which denies any use of chemical weapons. When asked how he knew Trump's warning had worked, Mattis said: "They didn't do it," a reference to the fact no chemical strike had occurred since Monday. At the same time, he cautioned that "Assad's chemical programme goes far beyond one airfield." Palestinian bulldozers clear an area as Hamas begins creating a buffer zone along the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, on June 28, 2017 Gaza's rulers Hamas said they had begun building a new buffer zone along the southern border with Egypt on Wednesday, as the Islamist movement seeks to improve ties with Cairo. The 100-metre wide "safe area", stretching 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) along the border between the Palestinian enclave and Egypt, will be equipped with surveillance cameras and military posts, officials said. "It will be a closed military area and therefore it will be easier to oversee the border and prevent smuggling of drugs and infiltrators," Deputy Interior Minister Tawfiq Abu Naim told AFP. Bulldozers were expected to demolish a series of homes and structures along the border. Islamists Hamas have had strained relations with Egypt since the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood president, in 2013. The current Egyptian government led by former military leader Abdel Fatah al-Sisi has closed hundreds of smuggling tunnels along the border and accused Hamas of supporting Islamist radicals inside Egypt, including near the frontier. Members of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas patrol a section of the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on June 28, 2017 Cairo also all but closed off the border between Egypt and Gaza, adding to the isolation of the impoverished territory under blockade by Israel for a decade. In recent months though, relations between Gaza and Cairo have somewhat thawed. Last week, Egypt began delivering a million litres (264,200 gallons) of fuel to Gaza, temporarily easing a power crisis that has left the Palestinian enclave's two million residents with only a few hours of electricity per day. The deliveries came two days after Israel started to reduce the electricity it supplies to Gaza, following Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's decision to stop paying for it amid a dispute with Hamas. A delegation of Hamas leaders, led by its Gaza head Yahya Sinwar, also recently met with Egyptian officials in Cairo, discussing the border and security, as well as humanitarian suffering in the strip. "These measures come in the context of the productive recent visit of the security delegation to Egypt and the understandings reached in this context," Abu Naim said. He said Hamas wanted to assure Cairo "that Egypt's national security is Palestine's national security." A Hamas official told AFP that during the Cairo talks the two sides had reached an understanding to reopen the Rafah border crossing in September. In April 2016 Hamas set up dozens of new border posts in an attempt to improve relations with Egypt. - 'Period after Abbas' - Hamas, considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union, has ruled Gaza since seizing it from rival Palestinian faction Fatah in a near civil war in 2007. Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas stand by as bulldozers clear an area for a large buffer zone on the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza strip town of Rafah, on June 28, 2017 Fatah leader Abbas, the internationally recognised Palestinian leader, has sought to force Hamas to hand back power. The recent Saudi-led isolation of Qatar, a longtime Hamas supporter, has also threatened Doha's financial backing for Gaza. Amid those challenges, Hamas has sought better relations with Egypt and is also said to have met with longtime adversary Mohammed Dahlan. Dahlan was a senior Fatah leader in Gaza until 2007 and fought to stop Hamas' violent takeover, which followed elections the Islamists won. He has since fallen out with Abbas and lives in exile in the United Arab Emirates, where he is considered a potential successor to the 82-year-old Palestinian president. He has received backing from Cairo. During the Cairo talks, Sinwar met with Dahlan, an official close to Dahlan told AFP, saying there were "positive" talks under the auspices of Egypt's head of intelligence Khaled Fawzy. Naji Shurrab, a political scientist at Al Azhar University in Gaza, said the agreements seemed focussed on economics and security. "They are preparing for the period after Abbas," he said. South Korean ousted leader Park Geun-Hye (left) arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on May 25, 2017 for her trial over the massive corruption scandal that led to her downfall North Korea threatened on Wednesday to impose the death penalty on the South's former president Park Geun-Hye over an alleged plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-Un. Park had "pushed forward" a supposed plan by Seoul's intelligence services to eliminate the North's leadership, Pyongyang's security ministries and prosecutors said in a joint statement carried by its official Korean Central News Agency. "We declare at home and abroad that we will impose death penalty on traitor Park Geun Hye," it said. The former director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) Lee Byung-Ho would meet a similar fate, it added, along with "their groups". They "can never make any appeal even though they meet miserable dog's death any time, at any place and by whatever methods from this moment". The declaration comes after the killing of Kim's estranged half-brother Kim Jong-Nam by two women using the banned nerve agent VX at Kuala Lumpur international airport in February. Both Malaysia and South Korea have blamed the North for the assassination, which retorts that the accusations are an attempt to smear it. Last month Pyongyang's powerful ministry of state security said it had foiled a plot by the US and South Korean spy agencies to kill Kim using a biochemical weapon. The lurid accusations came amid continuing high tensions over the North's nuclear and missile programmes and with Washington considering whether to re-designate Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism. Park is currently in custody and on trial in Seoul on charges of bribery and abuse of power related to the sprawling corruption scandal that saw her impeached. Wednesday's statement from Pyongyang demanded that Seoul hand her over along with the other accused "without delay" as "organisers of the hideous international terrorist crimes". The demand came with Park's successor, new South Korean President Moon Jae-In - who backs engagement with the North - on his way to Washington for a summit meeting with Donald Trump. In a statement, the South's National Intelligence Service said: "As we have repeatedly clarified, the North's allegations are groundless." It added: "It is intolerable that the North openly threatens the lives of our people." - 'Dirty bodies' - When Pyongyang announced in May it had uncovered the alleged plot it said the CIA and NIS had suborned, bribed and blackmailed a North Korean citizen which it identified only as Kim to carry out the attack. Possible locations included the mausoleum where Kim Jong-Un's father and grandfather -- the North's founder -- lie in state, or a military parade. "The villains even thought about disguising the operation as car or train accident," it added Wednesday. Any such operation would be extremely difficult to prepare and carry out successfully. The North's leader is surrounded by tight security at all times, and Pyongyang maintains a gigantic surveillance system over its own population that is ingrained at every level of society, where open dissent is unknown. In May, analysts said the accusations could be a pre-emptive attempt to try to dissuade Washington from any attempt at a surgical strike on its leadership, as suggested by some commentators. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (right) arrives at an opening ceremony for 'Rymoyong street', a new housing development in Pyongyang on April 13, 2017 Leader Kim was "a symbol of the dignity and might of the DPRK and it represents the life and destiny of the army and people of the DPRK", Wednesday's statement said, using the acronym for North's official name. Its army and people were determined to "ferret out" those who would harm the supreme leadership "wherever they might be on the earth", it added, "and mercilessly cut their dirty bodies to pieces". Experts had warned Park that "regime change will be difficult" in the North, it claimed, but she had examined and "directly signed" the alleged NIS "secret operational plan". The United Nations and rights groups accuse the North of widespread abuses, including an absence of fair trials. Pyongyang has a history of overseas killings. As well as the Kim Jong-Nam murder, 21 people including four South Korean government ministers were killed in a bombing in the Myanmar capital Yangon in 1983 targeting Seoul's then president Chun Doo-Hwan. North Korean commandos also infiltrated Seoul in January 1968 in a failed attempt to assassinate its then leader Park Chung-Hee. Bullet holes are still visible on a tree above the presidential Blue House. Acclaimed Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong'o says he will give Scandinavia's largest book fair a wide berth in solidarity with fellow authors decrying an invitation to a far-right newspaper Kenyan literary icon Ngugi wa Thiong'o, often tipped for the Nobel literature prize, has pulled out of an annual Swedish book fair in protest at the presence of a right-wing extremist newspaper, his publisher said Wednesday. The 75-year-old author of "A Grain of Wheat" (1967) and "Petals of Blood (1975), wrote an e-mail to his Swedish publisher Modernista informing them he would cancel his attendance at the Gothenburg Book Fair "in solidarity with the writers withdrawing and of course with the concerns behind their withdrawal," referring to the newspaper Nya Tider, which will be represented at the fair. "We can confirm that Ngugi wa Thiong'o has cancelled his attendance at the book fair in Gothenburg in the autumn," Kristofer Andersson, development director at Modernista, told AFP. Birgitta Jacobsson Ekblom, head of communications for the fair, added they had received this information and were in contact with Ngugi, a fierce critic of post-colonial Kenyan society. The event, to be held September 28 to October 1, is Scandinavia's largest book fair and draws around 100,000 visitors each year. On April 21, more than 200 Swedish authors signed an article in daily Dagens Nyheter saying they would boycott the book fair if Nya Tider is represented. Additionally, 12 European national institutes of culture -- from Germany, France, Romania, Spain and Portugal among others -- sent an email to organisers Tuesday expressing their concern about Nya Tider's attendance and urging it to bar the publication, which has received state press subsidies since 2012. "The purpose of the email, for me, was to ask where to draw the line between freedom of speech and providing hatred with a free platform," Laurent Clavel, head of the French Institute in Sweden, told public broadcaster SVT on Tuesday. Fair organisers have, however, refused to budge on the issue. "We believe that an open dialogue is the best way to beat forces involving intolerance, racism and xenophobia," Ekblom told AFP, adding the newspaper had requested to attend the fair. Martin Shkreli (L), the former Turing Pharmaceuticals executive who became known as "Pharma Bro," could face 20 years in prison if convicted of federal fraud charges The US securities fraud trial of Martin Shkreli, a former pharmaceutical executive who gained notoriety for jacking up the price of an HIV drug by 5,000 percent, got underway on Wednesday after being delayed over difficulties in finding impartial jurors. Shkreli, the ex-boss of Turing Pharmaceuticals, stands accused of lying to investors and running a Ponzi-like scheme across multiple firms. The charges -- which could land him 20 years in prison if convicted -- are unrelated to the price hike that brought him widespread public scorn. His trial had been set to begin in federal court in Brooklyn on Monday following the selection of jurors, a process that normally takes a few hours. But many potential jurors were ruled out for having overtly negative opinions about the 34-year-old Shkreli. According to the New York Post, one juror described him as a "snake" while another called him "the face of corporate greed." Such comments prompted Shkreli's attorney, Ben Brafman, to demand -- in vain -- that the trial be called off. On Wednesday morning, Judge Kiyo Matsumoto summoned a new group of some 150 potential jurors after having to excuse dozens Monday and Tuesday, prosecutors said, and the court was able to impanel the jurors and alternates needed to proceed. The prosecutor in the case, Assistant US Attorney Karthik Srinivasan, told the court in opening arguments that Shkreli told "lies upon lies upon lies" to swindle investors. He allegedly stole $11 million in stock from his first pharmaceutical company Retrophin to pay off investors who lost money in two of his hedge funds. But his defense attorney Brafman argued that Shkreli was sidelined from the company not because of corruption but because he did not fit the image of a corporate CEO. "You may not like Martin Shkreli. You may have reasons to hate Marin Shkreli, but that is not the basis upon which you can convict Martin Shkreli," he told the jurors. Shkreli resigned from Turing shortly after his indictment in December 2015, after which he was released from prison on bond. He earned the label "the most hated man in America" after his astronomical price hike on Daraprim from $13.50 a pill to $750. He smirked through a congressional hearing scrutinizing his actions in early 2016, and has since gone on to earn a reputation for an extravagant, self-publicizing lifestyle. His Twitter account was suspended in January after he was accused of harassing a journalist, though he contended he was banned for his support of President Donald Trump. Shortly after Trump's election victory, Shkreli leaked a one-of-a-kind album by Wu-Tang Clan, which he bought for $2 million with the stipulation that he doesn't release it commercially for 88 years. On Tuesday morning, the Yellowstone County jail held 481 inmates. Most have addictions to alcohol or other drugs. A key to reducing the jail population is to get people off drugs before they commit another crime. Thats the purpose of the Yellowstone County Drug Intervention Program. The brainchild of County Attorney Scott Twito, the program launched in January with support from the county, Justice Court, District Court and Montana Department of Corrections. The aim is to get first-time felony drug possession offenders into effective addiction treatment and out of the criminal justice system for good. Cases involving guns or sale of drugs arent considered for YCDIP. Court numbers illustrate the scope of this problem: 677 total felony cases filed in Yellowstone County District Court in 2010. 1,324 filed in 2016 198 felony drug possession cases in 2010. 546 in 2016. 6 drug trafficking cases in 2010. 60 in 2016. The vast majority of all criminal cases not just drug offenses are related to illegal drug abuse, according to Twito. First-time drug offenders dont go to prison; they get probation. But about 70 percent fail at probation, usually because they keep abusing drugs and often commit new offenses. Sometimes, drug offenders get a couple more charges while waiting for the first case to be resolved. The YCDIP targets first-time offenders who are determined by screening to be low-risk, low-need. The program involves a team that includes Twito, Lisa Ereth, the countys jail screening coordinator; a state Department of Corrections probation officer, a state public defender and New Directions Counseling, a private addiction treatment provider. Were trying to minimize resource usage and get these people into treatment within 30 days of arrest, Twito said in an interview last week. Between Jan. 1 and June 22, the YCDIP had screened 43 defendants. Thirty agreed to be interviewed for the program, and actually showed up for the interview. Fifteen were determined to be ineligible for YCDIP and 14 of those were referred to drug treatment courts, which typically take tougher cases. Among those eligible, eight actually accepted the offer to join the program and two more were considering it last week. Heres the deal: If the defendant pleads guilty, the county attorney will ask the court defer imposition of sentence for two years, which will automatically be reduced to 12 months and dismissed by the county attorney upon completion of YCDIP. Program participants have gotten quicker court dates and spent less time in jail than under the usual process. They receive a chemical dependency evaluation within two days, and are required to follow recommendations for treatment. Probation officer Laura McKee requires participants to submit to random drug testing. She has also helped participants find jobs, housing, transportation and access to treatment. Yellowstone County needs more innovative ideas like YCDIP to reduce drug abuse and the crimes that flow from addiction. Its been difficult to scrape together money for this treatment track, but the county pays much more to keep drug offenders locked up. We commend Twito and Yellowstone County court officials for trying to stop the cycle of drugs, addiction and recidivism. Tanzania plans to build a hydroelectric dam in Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest fauna reserves in the world Tanzania's President John Magufuli plans to speed up the building of a hydroelectric dam in one of Africa's largest game reserves, despite criticism from environmentalists and UNESCO. The long-planned dam in the Selous Game Reserve, already listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in danger, could provide 2,100 megawatts of power to a country where only two percent of rural people and 39 percent of urbanites have access to electricity, according to UN figures. In a presidency statement issued Tuesday, Magufuli called for "the dam to be built as quickly as possible ... so that we can produce electricity which is vital to industrialisation." Experts from Ethiopia, which last year unveiled its own hydroelectric dam aimed at doubling its electricity output, were in Tanzania on Wednesday to consult on the project, the statement said. Magufuli earned his nickname "bulldozer" during his time as public works minister, when he was credited with overseeing several mega projects and was elected on a promise to develop Tanzania, smash corruption and improve the lives of the poor. However since coming to power he has been accused of riding roughshod over due process and being intolerant to dissent. UNESCO, which meets in Poland to review its world heritage sites next week, has repeatedly called for the dam project to be abandoned, saying it was "incompatible" with world heritage status. Poaching, lack of funding and mining are other threats to the reserve which covers 50,000 square kilometres (19,000 square miles) and is home to one of the largest concentrations of elephant, black rhino and other species. "The reserve also has an exceptionally high variety of habitats including Miombo woodlands, open grasslands, riverine forests and swamps, making it a valuable laboratory for on-going ecological and biological processes," according to UNESCO. According to UN figures, at least 173 civilians have been killed by air and ground strikes in the Syrian city of city since June 1 but the toll could be much higher As many as 100,000 civilians are trapped in Syria's Raqa, as US-backed fighters battle to retake the city from the Islamic State group, the UN rights chief warned Wednesday. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein voiced grave concern for the fate of civilians caught up in the anti-IS offensive in Raqa. According to data collected by his office, at least 173 civilians have been killed by air and ground strikes in the city since June 1, but it acknowledged that that estimate was likely conservative, and the real death toll could be much higher. At the same time, "up to 100,000 civilians are effectively trapped as the air and ground offensive intensifies," it said in a statement, adding that IS fighters were reportedly preventing people from fleeing. Civilians who try to leave also risk being killed by landmines or getting caught in the crossfire, it said. "The intense bombardment of Al-Raqa over the past three weeks has reportedly left civilians terrified and confused about where they can seek refuge as they are caught between ISIL's monstrosities and the fierce battle to defeat it," Zeid said in the statement, using another acronym for IS. "The large number of civilian casualties indicates that much more needs to be done by the parties to ensure protection of the civilian population," he said. The alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), broke into Raqa on June 6 after a months-long operation to surround it and have since seized about a quarter of the city. Before the offensive began, an estimated 300,000 civilians once lived under IS rule in Raqa, including 80,000 displaced from other parts of Syria before the group seized the city. IS overran Raqa in 2014, transforming it into the de facto Syrian capital of its self-declared "caliphate". It became infamous as the scene of some of the group's worst atrocities, including public beheadings, and is thought to have been a hub for planning attacks overseas. Zeid on Wednesday called on all forces battling IS in Raqa, including international forces, to review their operations and ensure they were in "full compliance with international law, including taking all feasible precautions to avoid loss of civilian lives". "Civilians must not be sacrificed for the sake of rapid military victories," he insisted, calling on all sides to help ensure that civilians who want to leave the city can do so safely. Zeid also voiced alarm at reports of violation by SDF forces in areas under their control, including "looting, abductions, arbitrary detentions during screening processes as well as the recruitment of children". South Korean electronics giant Samsung announced plans for a new factory in South Carolina to produce appliances and employ about 900 people Samsung plans to invest $380 million and hire nearly 1,000 workers for a new plant in South Carolina to manufacture home appliances, the company announced Wednesday. Samsung Electronics America described it as a "state of the art" facility that starting next year will build premium home products, including washing machines, and will be staffed with craftsmen, engineers and operators. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who is leading President Donald Trump's "America First" manufacturing and trade strategy, applauded the announcement and appeared at a signing ceremony with South Carolina officials. Ross said in a statement the investment was "a direct reflection of the fact that America is becoming an even stronger destination for global businesses looking to grow." Samsung said ultimately facility in the southern US state will be "serving as the US hub for home appliance manufacturing across the business unit." "For nearly 40 years, Samsung has steadily expanded our operations in the United States," said Tim Baxter, chief executive of Samsung Electronics America. "With this investment, Samsung is reaffirming its commitment to expanding its US operations and deepening our connection to the American consumers, engineers and innovators who are driving global trends in consumer electronics." The company alluded to incentives granted by the state government as a factor in the decision to invest in the project, which upgrades a plant formerly owned by machinery manufacturer Caterpillar. The South Carolina commerce department said it approved job development credits for the project by the South Korean technology giant. The facility also will receive $2.75 million in incentives from Santee Cooper, an electric utility owned by the state, the Post & Courier newspaper reported. A Samsung spokesperson declined to comment on the incentives package. On its website, the South Korean company said the investment decision was driven by the high-skilled workforce in South Carolina, the state's record in attracting and retaining other global businesses, "strong local government leadership" and strong highway and port facilities. The Samsung spokesperson denied news reports saying the company was moving operations to South Carolina from Mexico. "We're expanding our footprint in the US to meet the surging demand for our products in that market and to increase the speed with which we can adapt our products to the preferences of American consumers," she said. "Mexico is an important market for Samsung and our manufacturing operations in the country continue to serve as a major production bases for the company in Latin America." A picture taken May 18, 2017 shows South Sudanese refugees at a UN camp in al-Waral, in Sudan's White Nile, the state which UNICEF said was the most affected by acute diarrhoea, with more than 5,800 reported cases Suspected acute diarrhoea has killed 38 Sudanese in the past month and 317 since August 2016, the UN said Wednesday, warning the outbreak could worsen ahead of the rainy season. The UN children's agency -- or UNICEF -- said cases of suspected acute diarrhoea were reported across 12 of the North African country's 18 states during this period. "Over 16,600 cases of acute watery diarrhoea in the past 10 months alone were reported with 317 deaths, which is a rate double than the alert level," UNICEF said, raising a previous death toll of 279 reported by UN agencies in late May. The central state of White Nile was the most affected, UNICEF said in a statement, with more than 5,800 reported cases. "In the White Nile state, with almost 100,000 refugees living mostly in camps, the situation could worsen as the rainy season begins," the statement quoted UNICEF Sudan representative Abdullah Fadil as saying. "This is deeply worrying." The other most affected states were East Darfur, North Darfur, South Darfur, South Kordofan and West Kordofan, said UNICEF. "Children continue to be the hardest hit," Fadil said, adding that immediate help was needed to support them. Hundreds of people suffer from water-borne diseases every year across Sudan given the lack of access to clean drinking water. The country's dilapidated health care sector further aggravates the situation, especially in rural areas during the rainy season. This image grab released by Al-Jazeera in August 2012 shows three hostages taken in northern Mali by Al-Qaeda as they appear in an undisclosed location: South African Stephen McGown (C), Swede Johan Gustafsson (L) and Dutch Sjaak Rijke (R) A South African who has been held hostage by Al-Qaeda in Mali since 2011 is alive and well, his father said Wednesday, having received information from a recently released Swedish captive. Stephen McGown's father Malcolm said he had spoken twice to Johan Gustafsson, who was detained alongside Stephen, since his release earlier this week. "He said they were both well, he says Stephen is well. So there has not been any sort of abuse or anything like that," McGown told AFP. "We just sort of hope that Stephen will come out soon. At this stage he is now on his own," he said in a phone interview from his Johannesburg home. McGown added that Gustafsson reported that the two men were together until he was taken to be released. McGown, 42, was abducted in Timbuktu in northern Mali in November 2011 along with Gustafsson and Dutchman Sjaak Rijke by a group of armed men while on the terrace of their hotel. Rijke was freed in April 2015 by French special forces. Stephen's father, who lost his wife to a chronic illness a month ago, said he remained optimistic that his son would soon return home. "He is gonna come out. I'm sure he will be out in 2017, hopefully it will be in July, August or whatever." He said that Gustafsson was "very positive" about McGown's situation, adding that "it's a pity they both didn't come out at the same time". Swedish authorities have not released details of how Gustafsson was released. South African officials have told the McGown family that they are working hard to secure Stephen's freedom. A South African charity, Gift of the Givers, has also been involved in efforts to secure his release. McGown said "that I don't know, and I don't want to know" if there has been a ransom demand from the kidnappers. "Just bring me my son and put him next to me and I don't want to know how," he said. Al-Qaeda's North African affiliate Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings. It was one of several jihadist groups that took control of Mali's north in 2012 before being ousted by a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri, chairman of Qatar's National Human Rights Commission, said his group would take action against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which cut ties with Qatar this month A top Qatari human rights group said Wednesday it will employ Swiss lawyers to seek compensation for those impacted by the decision of Gulf countries to cut ties with the emirate. Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri, chairman of Qatar's National Human Rights Commission, said his group would take action against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which cut ties with Qatar this month. "We'll be coordinating to start legal action with those affected by these sanctions," Marri told a news conference. "The three countries are responsible to compensate those affected," he said, adding many Qataris qualified for compensation. "Some cases will be filed in courts in those three countries and in some courts that have international jurisdictions, like in Europe, related to compensation." Marri refused to say which Swiss firm would be employed, but said a statement would be released in the near future. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced the suspension of political, economic and diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the emirate of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. The four states closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home. Many Qataris own properties and businesses in these countries. One senior official said recently that most Qataris own "two or three properties and a villa" in Saudi alone. Thousands of families are also affected as parents are drawn from Qatar and one of the countries opposed to Doha, and will have property in both. The Gulf crisis, the worst to hit the region in years, shows no sign of abating. Last week, Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar to meet by July 3, including ending support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United Arab Emirates has told Qatar it should take the demands seriously or face a "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours. Qatar said it rejects all foreign interference in its policies. Controversy broke out over the production of Julius Caesar in which the emperor appears as a blond businessman who tweets from his bathroom and is married to a woman with a thick Slavic accent American filmmaker Michael Moore has donated $10,000 to a New York theater that staged a controversial production of Julius Caesar in which the Roman emperor bears a striking resemblance to Donald Trump. The play, in which Caesar appears as a blond businessman who tweets from his bathroom and is married to a woman with a thick Slavic accent -- similar to Melania Trump -- was strongly criticized by pro-Republican media, which denounced the assassination scene as a call to kill the president. The 63-year-old director and vocal Trump opponent tweeted to his five million followers a photograph of the check, made out to The Public Theater, and called on his fans to support the establishment. "I'm donating my total advance pay from my B'way show to Shakespeare in the Park after conservative media bullied Corp sponsors 2 pull out," wrote Moore, who will make his own stage debut on July 28 with a one-man Broadway show on the rise of Donald Trump. The Julius Caesar controversy first broke out during preview showings, even before the play appeared at the "Shakespeare in the Park" theater festival in New York's Central Park. The few scheduled shows were played to packed audiences, while one was briefly interrupted by a female protester. Sponsors Delta Airlines and Bank of America later announced they were withdrawing their support. Artistic director Oskar Eustis defended the play as a parable for those trying to fight for democracy, while denying that it encouraged violence. Many others have come out in support of the theater and announced their intention to donate. In May, Moore announced he was working on a "take down" documentary of Trump, titled "Fahrenheit 11/9" -- a nod to the date Trump was elected, as well as Moore's own film "Fahrenheit 9/11." FedEx's unit TNT Express saw its operations 'significantly affected' by the cyber attack that hit companies worldwide, and trading in FedEx shares was halted in New York for more than an hour ahead of the announcement Shipping giant FedEx said Wednesday that deliveries were slowed at its Dutch unit TNT Express after the firm was hit by the latest major computer virus attack. Trading in FedEx shares was halted for nearly an hour Wednesday ahead of the announcement, although operations of the parent company and other units were not impacted. FedEx said TNT's operations were "significantly affected" by the information system virus, which was causing delays at TNT Express' domestic, regional and inter-continental services. "While TNT Express operations and communications systems have been disrupted, no data breach is known to have occurred," FedEx said in a statement. "Remediation steps and contingency plans are being implemented as quickly as possible." The hacking did not affect FedEx operations, and the company said it could not yet estimate the financial impact of the disruption, but said "it could be material." Shares of FedEx rose 1.1 percent at $216.61 at midday. Thousands of computer users across the globe scrambled to reboot on Wednesday after a fresh wave of ransomware cyberattacks spread from Ukraine and Russia worldwide on Tuesday. Besides TNT, others hit included Russian oil giant Rosneft, global shipping firm Maersk, British advertising giant WPP, and US drug giant Merck. Michael Reed, 32, will face charges of defacing objects of public interest and criminal trespass after slamming his vehicle at a newly-erected statue of the Ten Commandments in Little Rock, Arkansas A 32-year-old man has been arrested for ramming his car into a monument to the Ten Commandments outside the Arkansas state legislature early Wednesday, shattering the statue less than 24 hours after it was erected. The suspect, identified as Michael Reed, will face charges of defacing objects of public interest and criminal trespass, the Little Rock, Arkansas sheriff's office told AFP. Reed apparently live-streamed video of himself charging his vehicle at the granite stele. "Freedom!" he cries as the car slams into the six-foot (1.8-meter) tall monument, according to footage posted on his Facebook account and re-posted by the Arkansas Online news site. "Some idiot in my home state broke all 10 commandments at the same time," Southern Baptist pastor and conservative ex-governor Mike Huckabee wrote on Twitter. "He wasn't Moses and it wasn't Mt. Sinai," added Huckabee, a former Republican presidential hopeful. In October 2014 the suspect, Reed, destroyed another Ten Commandments monument that had been installed at the foot of the Oklahoma state legislature. Local media reported that Reed also broke that monument by ramming it with a vehicle. The latest incident has added fuel to controversy over raising religious symbols on public land. The first amendment to the US Constitution states that Congress "shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" -- and on this basis the American Civil Liberties Union said it would challenge the placement of the monument in court. Defenders of the monument claim the engraving references the country's historically Christian roots -- and that since it was built with private money, it cost taxpayers nothing. They also point to a 2005 US Supreme Court ruling that allowed a similar monument at the foot of the Texas state Capitol to stand. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi Gunmen attacked a UN convoy near Libya's capital and abducted seven staff members on Wednesday before releasing them unharmed, a top security official in the conflict-wracked country said. General Najmi al-Nakoua of the presidential guard service said the attack on the convoy took place near Zawiyah, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital Tripoli. "They have been released, they are all safe," after an ordeal lasting only a few hours, he told AFP. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) confirmed the incident, saying "a UN convoy was hit today travelling between Surman and Tripoli" and added that it was later able to contact them and find out they were safe. Lawmaker Abdallah al-Lafi, who was involved in the negotiations leading to the release of the UN personnel, said they were all "in good health". But he said they were still with him at a police station in Surman, about 70 kilometres west of Tripoli, awaiting their transfer to the capital. Lafi said the UN convoy was made up of five men -- including one from Malaysia, another from Romania and three Libyans -- and two women, an Egyptian and a Palestinian. The assailants, he said, had abducted them in order to negotiate the release of relatives detained in Tripoli. But "we were able to convince them to release the UN staff before any negotiations," he added. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias battling for control of the oil-rich country. The North African country has rival administrations, with the authorities in the east not recognising the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital. - Diplomats targeted - In its statement, the UN mission to Libya said it had "made contact with the staff concerned. There are no reports of casualties among UN staff". "UNSMIL thanks the Government of National Accord, House of Representative Members from Zawiyah and local authorities for their help in ensuring the safety of UN staff and is looking forward to their safe return to Tripoli. "The UN remains committed to Libya and to supporting Libyans on their path to peace and stability," it added. The British ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, had expressed concern for the UN staffers on his Twitter account. "Disturbed by attack on @UNSMILibya convoy. Hope all safe. UN staff represent international community's commitment to help #Libya-n people," he tweeted before the news of their release. Diplomats in Libya have been targeted regularly by assailants and kidnappers since the uprising that ousted and killed Kadhafi. On September 11, 2012, suspected jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, killing ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. By 2014, most diplomatic missions had left the North African country, including that of the United Nations. UNSMIL is based in Tunis, the capital of neighbouring Tunisia, but its members regularly carry out missions inside Libya. The website for Bismarck Public Schools has received a makeover. The school district responded to suggestions from community members on what they would like to see when they search www.bismarckschools.org. The district's response was a more easy-to-use website that also works better for people with vision disabilities. "Once youre used to it, you will flat out love it. It will work better on your smartphone than the old website did. Its just more intelligent, more user-friendly and it just has more symmetry and use," said Superintendent Tamara Uselman. Last year, the district gathered feedback from residents via an online survey, and those suggestions were vetted and reviewed by a 10-person committee. The district used current controllable budget funds to purchase the new website design and development costs, which ran about $20,052, as well as an $8,835 initial annual fee and $11,780 for future annual fees. In March, a person filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, citing the school district's website for not being in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Uselman said the website didn't have features that made it easy to use for people with low vision, including drop-down menus for screen readers. "It feels good knowing that someone in the past who couldnt use it can use it now, in addition to parents and students who are using cellphones as their main computer," she said. The website is scheduled to officially launch Friday. South African Wayde van Niekerk reacts during the IAAF World Challenge Zlata Tretra (Golden Spike) athletics tournament in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on June 28, 2017 Wayde van Niekerk had promised to get "ridiculous" and the South African tyro hailed as Usain Bolt's likely successor did just that when sprinting to a world record in the rarely-run 300m on Wednesday. The 24-year-old raced home at the Golden Spike meet at the Mestsky Stadium in the northeastern Czech city of Ostrava in an outstanding 30.81 seconds. The previous world record of 30.85sec was set at altitude in Pretoria in 2000 by American Michael Johnson. It was the second time the 24-year-old South African has usurped Johnson, having broken his 17-year-old 400m world record when racing to victory at last year's Rio Olympics. Van Niekerk's time also shattered the meet record of 30.97sec -- previously the second fastest time every run -- set by Jamaican sprint star Bolt in 2010. "I'm so pleased and grateful for this big achievement," said Van Niekerk, whose first professional appearance on the IAAF circuit was over 400m at Ostrava. "Thanks to all the people of Ostrava for this wonderful meeting. I'm honoured to be a small part of history. "I have to rest a little but after that I hope I can continue to make babysteps to be better day by day." Running in lane five, Van Niekerk enjoyed a scintillating start that saw him catapult down the back stretch and pass Isaac Makwala of Botswana after the first 80 metres. Negotiating the bend with aplomb, the South African shot into the home straight well in the lead. - Final spurt - As he seemed to pull up slightly, Makwala pushed but a final spurt saw Van Niekerk ease past Johnson's previous best. The result is another feather in the cap for the world and Olympic 400m champion, who this year has set a leading mark of 19.84sec in the 200m and a personal record of 9.94sec in the 100m. Van Niekerk is also the first athlete to break 10sec for the 100m, 20sec for the 200m and 44sec for the 400m, and it is little wonder Bolt himself tips the South African as his most likely successor when he hangs up his spikes come the season's end. Van Niekerk will aim to double up in the August 4-13 World Athletics Championships, in the 200 and 400m, meaning a packed racing programme of six back-to-back days of competition. "There's still a lot of work to be done," he insisted. "I have faith in my coach, I just go out and try to execute to the best of my ability. "This world record is a blessing. It's a massive confidence booster," he acknowledged, dubbing it an "honour" to twice better Johnson. Smoke billowing from the Syrian side of the border is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights June 26, 2017; The Israeli side has been hit sporadically by what is thought to be stray fire from Syrian government-loyal forces and rebels fighting Israel hit a Syrian regime position on Wednesday night after stray mortar fire from the war-torn country struck the occupied Golan Heights, in the third such exchange within a week. A military spokeswoman said a mortar round had hit open ground in the Israeli-controlled zone of the plateau and "forces responded and targeted the Syrian army position that fired the mortar." She did not say if the Israeli retaliatory fire had come from ground or air forces. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been visiting the Israeli settlement of Katzrin, further south in the Golan, at the time of the exchange of fire. "During my speech, shells from the Syrian side landed in our territory and the Israel Defence Forces have already struck back," the Israeli premier said in an English-language statement. "I said that we will not tolerate spillover and that we will respond to every firing," he said. "Whoever attacks us -- we will attack him. This is our policy and we will continue with it." On Sunday Israel hit "two artillery positions and an ammunitions truck belonging to the Syrian regime," and the army ordered Israelis to keep away from open areas near the ceasefire line. The day before, Israeli aircraft hit two Syrian army tanks and what Israel said was a machinegun position, after 10 projectiles from Syrian internal conflict fell in the Israeli-held zone. Israel has conducted several air strikes in Syria since that country's civil war erupted in 2011, most of which it has said had been against arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah, which is a key supporter of the Syrian regime. In April, Israel shot down what it identified only as "a target" over the Golan, hours after Syria accused it of hitting a military position near Damascus airport. Israel did not confirm or deny the reported Damascus attack. Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control. The Israeli side of the Golan has been hit sporadically by what is thought to be stray fire from fighting between forces loyal to Syria's government and rebels. Syria and Israel are still technically at war. The three-day visit is Xi Jinping's first since becoming leader in 2013 and comes at a time when there are growing fears that Beijing is threatening semi-autonomous Hong Kong's freedoms President Xi Jinping arrives in Hong Kong on Thursday to mark 20 years since it was handed back to China by Britain, with leading democracy activists already in police custody after a protest in the politically divided city. The three-day visit is Xi's first since becoming leader in 2013 and comes at a time when there are growing fears that Beijing is threatening semi-autonomous Hong Kong's freedoms. High-profile pro-democracy campaigners including Joshua Wong and young legislator Nathan Law were arrested Wednesday night for causing "public nuisance" after staging a protest outside the convention centre that will host some of the anniversary events, a stone's throw away from the hotel where Xi will be staying. More than 20 activists remained in custody Thursday morning as supporters gathered at the police station where they were being held. "They want to prevent people like Joshua Wong and Nathan Law from going onto the streets," said fellow activist Derek Lam who was among supporters waiting outside. The area around the convention centre has been cordoned off by giant water-filled barricades and police have said they are taking "counter terrorism security measures" to ensure Xi's safety. Animosity towards Beijing has grown in recent years, particularly among young people. The failure of mass rallies in 2014 to win democratic reform has sparked a new wave of "localist" activists, keen to emphasise Hong Kong's own identity, with some calling for a full split from the mainland. Since the return to China in 1997, the city has been governed under a "one country, two systems" deal that gives it rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. But there are now concerns Beijing is trampling the agreement by interfering in a range of areas, from politics to education and media. Chinese authorities and local officials insist Hong Kong's semi-autonomous status is intact, but have railed against calls for self-determination or independence. - Party atmosphere - Although young activists have promised to continue protesting during Xi's visit, other residents said they would celebrate his trip to Hong Kong. Stages were set up in squares opposite the convention centre for music and dancing with excited crowds gathering ahead of his arrival. "It should be an honour to get the number one person in China to come to a very small city," said one 38-year-old man at the gathering who gave his name as Mr Fan. "He's offered three days to Hong Kong -- it's a luxury," he added, saying that things were better in the city than under British rule. Xi's visit will culminate in the inauguration of new city leader Carrie Lam, who was appointed by a pro-China committee. She has promised to heal divisions but has already alarmed critics by saying children should be instilled with Chinese identity from a young age and suggesting that independence activists could face punishment under the law. A Beijing-backed framework for what would have been the city's first public leadership election sparked the protests of 2014 after it said candidates must be vetted. Since then, the debate on promised democratic reforms has stalled with Lam saying she is unsure the time is right to revisit it. Lam has said she wants to focus on livelihood issues instead, in a city where the wealth gap is at a record high and many cannot afford decent housing, fuelling tensions. Xi is due to fly out of Hong Kong on Saturday, after Lam's inauguration. The Federal Reserve weighed in on plans by large US banks to pay out dividends and buy back stock in the final part of the two-phase stress tests, where all 34 big US banks it examined could withstand a severe recession The Federal Reserve gave the green light on Wednesday to plans by all 34 large banks seeking to provide big payouts to shareholders after the firms passed the annual stress tests. It is the first time since the rigorous tests were instituted in 2009 the Fed did not object to the banks' capital plans. The decision reflects the industry's improved resilience after years of building up capital in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Fed officials said. The US central bank required just one bank, Capital One Financial, to submit a new capital plan by the end of the year, but did not oppose shareholder payouts under the program, the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR). "I'm pleased that the CCAR process has motivated all of the largest banks to achieve healthy capital levels and most to substantially improve their capital planning processes," Fed Governor Jerome Powell said in a statement. The Fed results were swiftly followed by a barrage of generous payout announcements the major banks. While the payouts are popular with investors, some analysts have criticized banks for returning huge sums to shareholders instead of investing in their core businesses or increasing lending. Bank of America boosted its dividend by 60 percent to 12 cents per share, and said it planned up to $12 billion in share buybacks over the next year, plus another $900 million to offset shares awarded under executive compensation plans. JPMorgan Chase increased its dividend by six cents to 56 cents per share and said it could spend up to $19.4 billion in share repurchases. Meanwhile, Wells Fargo, which has been hammered by a fake accounts scandal, was cleared to boost its dividend by a penny to 39 cents per share and spend up to $11.5 billion on share repurchases. "We are pleased by today's CCAR result, which demonstrates the strength of our diversified business model, strong capital position, and our continued focus on risk management," said Wells Fargo chief executive Tim Sloan. - Looser regulations? - The stress test is designed to examine how large US banks would handle a financial crisis similar in severity to the one in 2008. The first phase of the test, released last week, showed all 34 banks could withstand a downturn in which US unemployment soared to 10 percent and commercial real estate prices plummeted 35 percent. The second phase of the results followed qualitative and quantitative examinations of large banks. The industry's strong performance in the tests likely will embolden the bank lobby to push for an easing of regulations imposed in the wake of the crisis, an initiative that has strong support from President Donald Trump and his administration. Fed Chair Janet Yellen on Tuesday warned that "memories tend to fade" about the 2008 crisis, hinting of risks in a big regulatory retreat. The regulations and processes put in place in the years since the start of the crisis mean banks now have much stronger capital and are able to withstand "enormous shocks," she said. In the case of Capital One, despite getting approval for its payouts, the bank still "exhibited material weaknesses in its capital planning practices," the Fed said. It cited concerns about planning in "one of its most material businesses" and issues with internal controls. A senior Fed official said it could block Capital One from making capital distributions down the road if it does not meet expectations. Capital One held its dividend at 40 cents a share and said its board authorized it to spend up to $1.9 billion for share buybacks, a relatively modest sum compared with other banks. "We will resubmit our capital plan and are fully committed to addressing the Federal Reserve's concerns with our capital planning process in a timely manner," said Capital One chief executive Richard Fairbank. American Express initially was projected to have insufficient capital under the stressed scenario, but later cleared the hurdle after submitting an adjusted capital payout plan, the Fed said. AmEx boosted its quarterly dividend by nine percent to 35 cents per share, and said it would repurchase up to $4.4 billion in stock, up from the $3.3 billion authorization over the prior 12 months. Shell was alleged to have helped in the arrest of Nigerian men who had sought to peacefully disrupt oil development in the region because of health and environmental impacts Four Nigerian women are taking legal action in the Dutch courts against Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell accusing it of complicity in the 1990s executions of their husbands by the Nigerian military, Amnesty International said Thursday. The civil case has been brought by Esther Kiobel, the widow of Barinem Kiobel, who was hanged in 1995 along with writer and campaigner Ken Saro-Wiwa and seven others. Three other widows are also joining the action in The Hague. A writ was set to be placed before a civil court in The Hague on Thursday alleging that Shell was complicit "in the unlawful arrest, detention and execution of nine men who were hanged by Nigeria's military government in the 1990s," Amnesty said in a statement. Saro-Wiwa, president and founder of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), and eight fellow activists were executed on November 10, 1995 after a military tribunal convicted them of the murder of four traditional Ogoni chiefs. The executions provoked a global outcry and led to the suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth. The west African country was re-admitted with the return of civil rule in 1999. Shell was alleged to have helped in the arrest of the men, who had sought to peacefully disrupt oil development in the region because of health and environmental impacts. "Shell has been dodging accountability for its complicity in these deaths for more than 20 years but now, thanks to Esther Kiobel's determination and bravery in taking on this corporate Goliath, the past is finally catching up with it," said Audrey Gaughran, senior director of research at Amnesty. After her husband's death, Kiobel fled to Benin in 1998 and then moved to the United States where she still lives. She had sought with others to pursue her case through the American courts, but in 2013 the US Supreme Court ruled that the American justice system did not have jurisdiction over the case. Amnesty is now hoping the court in The Hague will agree to hear the case, although a decision on whether it will go ahead could still be some months off. The Ogoni movement was set up in 1990 to fight against pollution and the destruction of the ecosystem of the 500,000-strong Ogoni community, which lives on an oil-rich parcel of land on the northern edge of the Niger Delta. In 2015 a Dutch appeals court ruled that four Nigerian farmers demanding compensation and a clean-up in four heavily-polluted Niger Delta villages can bring a case against the energy giant in the Netherlands. A 2011 report by the United Nations Environment Programme found that decades of oil pollution in Ogoniland region may require the world's biggest ever clean-up. BOSTON (AP) - Danielle Ramos' student-debt nightmare was supposed to be over. Like thousands of others who studied at failed for-profit colleges, she was promised by the U.S. Education Department under President Barack Obama that her federal loans would be forgiven by now. But as the weeks tick by with no reprieve, the 30-year-old college student fears the financial burden will force and her 4-year-old son to move back with her parents. "I'm a single mom, so that's really scary," said Ramos, of Framingham, near Boston. "It's just a lot of uncertainty. I'm probably going to have to rely on family to help me, and it doesn't feel fair." In this June 16, 2017, photo, Danielle Ramos, 30, poses at MassBay Community College in Wellesley, Mass., where she pursued her education after being defrauded by a for-profit college. Thousands of students who were defrauded by for-profit colleges were told by the Obama administration that their student loans would be forgiven, but the Trump administration has yet to keep that promise. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Borrower advocates say the pipeline to loan forgiveness appears to have slowed significantly since President Donald Trump took office, stirring concern that some students may be left in the lurch. Some also see it as a sign that the department is veering from its predecessor's years of work to rein in fraudulent for-profit colleges. Education Department officials dispute those claims, saying they're working quickly to clear a backlog that was inherited from the previous administration. When Obama left office, 16,453 borrowers were waiting for loan cancellations that had already been approved, and more than 64,000 others had filed new applications. For months, advocates say, it appeared few or none of those cases were being processed. Democrats in the Senate requested an update from the Education Department in May but say they received no response. On Monday, the Education Department released data showing that 7,085 of the 16,453 previously approved claims have now been discharged, amounting to $92 million in loans. According to the data, which were provided first to The Associated Press, another 7,300 cases are in the final stages of the process and will be discharged shortly, while the remaining 2,000 are currently being processed by the department. Still, the wait has left some borrowers paying for loans that were promised to be wiped clean by now. Some have lost wages and tax returns to debt collectors. Ramos ran up $15,000 in debt to attend the American Career Institute, a chain of for-profit colleges that abruptly closed in 2013 after she received nine months of training as a medical assistant. Now enrolled at MassBay Community College and working toward a certificate in surgical technology, Ramos says she hasn't heard any update on her debt cancellation and worries she'll still have to pay it back. "Because of the education I got at MassBay, I'm going to be able to get good-paying job. But it's not fair that I'm going to have to use that money to pay back something that didn't deliver," she said. The Obama administration cracked down aggressively on for-profit colleges that enticed students to take on hefty loans with promises they couldn't keep. It pressured chains including Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute to close , and it approved at least $655 million in loan cancellations from those chains. Under Trump, the department's new data suggest, no new loan discharges have been approved from the pool of 64,301 pending applications. A department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "In its last three months, the Obama administration approved more than 12,000 loans for discharge," said Pauline Abernathy, executive vice president of the Institute For College Access and Success, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Oakland, California. "In its first five months, the Trump administration has approved zero, while tens of thousands of applications languish and borrowers are left waiting for relief." In May, a group of Democratic lawmakers urged Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to speed up the process. Attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., later told DeVos the delay was harming borrowers. And a coalition of 31 advocacy groups for military veterans sent a letter to members of Congress this month saying many veterans are waiting for loan discharges, adding that "any delay is an affront to defrauded service members." After publicly saying little on the topic for weeks, DeVos said this month that nearly 16,000 cases are now being processed and that "some borrowers should expect to obtain discharges within the next several weeks." Her statement didn't provide an explanation for the delays. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a Democrat, said the slowdown can't be explained as a hiccup in the new Republican administration's transition to office. "This is the Trump administration stepping on a bunch of people who have already been stepped on many times before," Warren said in an interview. "Students who were cheated by predatory for-profit schools should not have to wait another day to get their loans canceled." For some borrowers, the wait has stretched more than a year. Sarah Dieffenbacher is waiting on an application she filed in March 2015 after taking out $50,000 in federal loans to attend a Corinthian Colleges campus in Ontario, California. She has since defaulted on her loans, and a collector is trying to garnish her wages. On June 9, a federal judge reviewing her case told the Education Department to make a decision within 90 days. On June 14, DeVos drew a new round of criticism from borrower advocates when she announced plans to rewrite Obama-era rules that were meant to streamline the complex path toward loan forgiveness. She described the rules, which were set to take effect in July, as "a muddled process that's unfair to students and schools." An Education Department spokeswoman said the 64,301 pending cases will be reviewed under current rules. ___ Find Collin Binkley on Twitter at @cbinkley. In this June 16, 2017, photo, Danielle Ramos, 30, poses at MassBay Community College in Wellesley, Mass., where she pursued her education after being defrauded by a for-profit college. Thousands of students who were defrauded by for-profit colleges were told by the Obama administration that their student loans would be forgiven, but the Trump administration has yet to keep that promise. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) In this June 16, 2017, photo, Danielle Ramos, 30, poses at MassBay Community College in Wellesley, Mass., where she pursued her education after being defrauded by a for-profit college. Thousands of students who were defrauded by for-profit colleges were told by the Obama administration that their student loans would be forgiven, but the Trump administration has yet to keep that promise. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) BAMAKO, Mali (AP) - A Swedish man kidnapped by Islamic militants in northern Mali nearly six years ago has been released from captivity, the Swedish government confirmed Monday. There was no immediate word on the fate of a second hostage, from South Africa, who was also seized in Timbuktu. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom announced the release of Johan Gustafsson - who had been on a motorcycle tour through Africa - without giving details on what had finally led to his freedom, leaving also open whether the Nordic country's government paid a ransom in exchange for his freedom. Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallstrom, smiles in front of a picture of freed hostage Johan Gustafsson, centre, and his family at Arlanda airport after his arrival in Sweden on Monday afternoon, during a press conference about the release of Sweden's Johan Gustafsson who was kidnapped in Mali by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in 2011, at the government headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday, June 26, 2017. Gustafsson was flown back to Sweden where he arrived Monday afternoon. (Marcus Ericsson /TT via AP) Gustafsson, 42, was flown to Stockholm on a special Swedish government plane later Monday but he did not appear before media. Following his arrival, Wallstrom said during a news conference that Gustafsson was set free "a few days ago" but declined to give any details on the negotiations except to say that "diplomacy and police work" along with tight international cooperation led to his release. "The Swedish policy is not to pay ransom in connection with kidnappings," Wallstrom said, referring to her government's general guideline, but refused to take questions on Gustafsson's case. There was no immediate word on the fate of Stephen McGown, the South African hostage. A third foreigner had been freed in 2015 by French special forces. The kidnapping of Gustafsson - who Wallstrom said was the longest-held Swedish kidnapping victim "in the modern history of Sweden" - took place in November 2011 as Islamic extremism was gaining a foothold in northern Mali. Not long after, jihadi groups seized control of the major towns, including Timbuktu, and began enforcing their harsh interpretation of Shariah law. The extremists were forced from their strongholds in early 2013 by a French-led military operation but continue to launch attacks on peacekeepers and Malian forces. French hostages held in the region were released through a series of operations but Gustafsson and McGown had languished in captivity. ___ Associated Press writer Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland, contributed. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - President Donald Trump's homeland security adviser has announced a new cybersecurity partnership with Israel. Tom Bossert says the new working group will focus on key cyber issues and encourage international cooperation. He says the partnership is aimed at "stopping adversaries in networks and identifying ways to hold bad actors responsible." Bossert spoke at Israel's Cyber Week conference in Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the conference that his country experiences dozens of cyberattacks each month. He said the government has created a "cyber net" with dozens of companies to work together on security issues. He says Israel is now ready to cooperate with other countries. Monday's announcement brings together two cybersecurity powers. Netanyahu says Israel attracts roughly one-fifth of global private investment in cyber security. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on Minnesota Vikings player Michael Floyd's Arizona court hearing (all times local): 5:20 p.m. An Arizona judge has ordered Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd to serve one day in jail for failing alcohol tests that he blames on a type of fermented tea. Floyd and his lawyer did not attend the Scottsdale City Court hearing and had a teleconference with Judge Statia Hendrix. The hearing was meant to give Floyd the chance to make his case regarding the failed alcohol tests and another one he missed earlier this month, which stemmed from a 2016 drunken driving arrest where Scottsdale police say they found him passed out behind the wheel. Vikings officials say they encouraged Floyd to drink a fermented tea called kombucha. Hendrix ordered Floyd start his additional jail time Monday evening in Phoenix before concluding his final five days of house arrest. ___ 12:39 p.m. Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd is expected to appear in an Arizona court after being flagged for failed alcohol tests that are part of his monitoring for house arrest in Minnesota. The Scottsdale City Court hearing Monday will give Floyd a chance to make his case regarding the failed breathalyzer tests and one he missed earlier this month. Vikings officials say they encouraged Floyd to drink a fermented tea called kombucha he says was the reason he was flagged for drinking alcohol and violating terms of his house arrest. Floyd pleaded guilty on Feb. 17 to extreme drunken driving. Police say they found Floyd passed out behind the wheel on Dec. 12. He had a blood-alcohol level of 0.217, more than 2 times the legal limit in Arizona COLUMBIA, Conn. (AP) - Independence Day traditions in one small Connecticut town are clashing with an effort to protect an iconic symbol of the United States. Authorities in Columbia are asking residents this year to forgo shooting off fireworks for the sake of a family of bald eagles. Last summer, a pair of eagles became the first to call Columbia Lake home since the species returned to the state in 1992. This 2017 photo provided by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shows a baby bald eagle in a nest in a tree in Columbia, Conn. Independence Day traditions in the small Connecticut town are clashing with an effort to protect an iconic symbol of the nation. Authorities are asking residents to forgo shooting off fireworks for the sake of a family of bald eagles. (Brian Hess/CT Deep via AP) This spring, an eaglet appeared in the nest, which is located about 100 feet (30 meters) up in a tree. The bird is not yet old enough to fly and Brian Hess, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said there is a real concern that the noise of fireworks could be enough to scare the eaglet out of the nest before it is ready. "Eagles and fireworks are both sort of this great American tradition," he said. "But I can't think of a more perfectly startling thing than a firework." The town has shared a letter from Hess urging residents to avoid shooting off fireworks during their Fourth of July celebrations. Hess also is advising people not to visit the nest. Disturbing it, he said, could lead the birds to leave the area for good. Eagles, which mate for life, normally return to the same nesting site for years. Hess said the eaglet should be ready to fly in a couple of weeks. He said it likely will stay with its parents through August before heading out on its own. There is no official fireworks display in Columbia, but Mark Walter, the town administrator says illegal displays are common, especially at the 282-acre (114-hectare) lake. It once was a popular summer vacation destination, but is now a year-round home to many middle-class and wealthy New Englanders. "It's similar to many towns that have a lake," he said. "The Fourth of July is a holiday that people celebrate with fireworks." Bald eagles, though no longer considered an endangered species, are still threatened and are protected by federal and state laws because of their unique status as a symbol of the nation, Hess said. Anyone found to have set off fireworks leading to harm would be prosecuted and could face fines and jail time. "The DEEP will be available for dispatch if needed," Walter said. "The resident trooper will be the enforcement agency to make any finds concerning illegal fireworks." Janice Thibodeau, who has lived on the lake for 28 years, said several of her neighbors already have purchased thousands of dollars in high-end fireworks, as they do each year. She said the local homeowners association also has sent out a letter urging everyone to refrain from shooting them off this holiday, but she fears some people will just ignore it and go on with their celebrations as planned. "I would not be happy if something happens to that eaglet," she said. "I hope maybe they can just wait and shoot them off for Labor Day." DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Saudi Arabia is demolishing centuries-old homes in a Shiite town, leveling a historic district that officials say has become a hideout for local militants. The destruction has sparked shootouts in the streets between Saudi security forces and Shiite gunmen and stoked sectarian tensions that resonate around the region. The violence in the Shiite town of al-Awamiya, which is centered in the Sunni kingdom's oil-rich east coast, adds a new source of instability at a time of increasing confrontation in the Gulf. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and its Shiite-led rival Iran have spiked in recent weeks. Also, Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with neighboring Qatar, demanding among other things that it cut off ties with Iran. Bulldozers began demolishing al-Awamiya's historic district on May 10, with plans to tear down several hundred homes. This Thursday, June 1, 2017 photo released by Saudi Interior Minister, shows the remains of a car following action by Saudi security forces in al-Awamiya in the governorate of Qatif. The two men inside the car were killed in the explosion. The Interior Ministry said the car was carrying explosive devices and weapons. Saudi Arabia is demolishing homes hundreds of years old in a Shiite town, levelling much a historic district that officials say has become a center for militants. The destruction has sparked shootouts in the streets between Saudi security forces and Shiite gunmen, stoking sectarian tensions that resonate around Gulf and the region. (Saudi Interior Ministry via AP) At least six security officers, six Shiite gunmen and a number of civilians have been killed in al-Awamiya's skirmishes, shootings and bombings this year, most of them in the weeks since government contractors began tearing down the town's historical center. The old district is known as al-Mosawara, Arabic for the "walled fortress," named for its 400-year-old walls that protected the area from raiders. Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki told The Associated Press that "terrorists in al-Awamiya... have increased their armed violence" since the start of the "development project in al-Mosawara." Security forces patrol the town's streets in armored vehicles, frequently coming under fire from militants. Police say a South Asian construction worker was killed by an improvised explosive device targeting the demolition workers. Activists say security forces frequently open fire in the streets. A two-year-old girl died when shots were fired at her parents' car, a shooting that activists blamed on police. The sensitive security operation in al-Awamiya now rests with newly appointed Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud. The 33-year-old was installed earlier this month at the same time that King Salman declared his own 31-year-old son, Mohammed, as next in line to the throne. The new interior minister's father, Prince Saud bin Nayef, is the governor of the Eastern Province, where al-Awamiya is located and where most Saudi Shiites live. Though the Eastern Province sits atop most of Saudi Arabia's oil reserves, al-Awamiya lacks basic services like a functioning hospital. It has no major ports. Garbage sits uncollected for weeks on the streets. Youth complain of rampant unemployment. The town is surrounded by checkpoints. Power has been cut to certain quarters. "It's collective punishment," Ameen al-Nimr said of the situation in al-Awamiya. He left the town in late 2011 at the height of protests there and now resides in the U.K. The demolition is "erasing the identity of the area and its history," he said. Residents in the town declined to speak with the AP directly about the ongoing unrest, citing fear of repercussions. Three United Nations experts on cultural rights, adequate housing and extreme poverty have also criticized the demolition, saying the "destructions erase the traces of this historic and lived cultural heritage." They said in a statement that the Saudi government has "ignored our concerns" and its only response "has been these violent actions." The Saudi government says the district's roughly 500 houses are being demolished because they do not comply with safety standards. It also accuses Shiite militants of using al-Mosawara's narrow alleys as "a safe haven" to "plan and carry out their terrorist operations." The kingdom has implicitly accused Iran of being behind al-Awamiya's armed Shiites, saying they are acting "under instructions from abroad." The demolition sends a message to Iran that its perceived efforts to destabilize the Gulf are being met head on by Saudi security forces, said Christopher Davidson, author of several books about Shiites in the Gulf, as well as the latest, titled "Shadow Wars." He argues the demolition of al-Mosawara is also a way for the kingdom to demonstrate it is doing something about Shiites and bringing them into subordination. "This as much about destroying identity and heritage as it is about catching wanted criminals," he said. Al-Awamiya, a town of 25,000-30,000 residents, has long been a flashpoint of tensions with the kingdom's Shiites, who complain of discrimination at the hands of Saudi Arabia's ultraconservative Sunni clerics. Prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr rallied thousands in al-Awamiya during Arab Spring protests in 2011, linking their movement for social justice and greater rights with the Shiite-led sit-ins in nearby Bahrain. Al-Nimr was executed last year for his role in the protests. His execution sparked backlash in Iran that led to the ransacking of the Saudi Embassy and a complete severing of ties between the two countries. The immediate response in his hometown of al-Awamiya, however, was more muted - a result of years of police crackdowns and arrests. At least 51 people - 30 of them from al-Awamiya - have been killed in related violence in the Eastern Province between March 2011 and June 1 of this year. The Interior Ministry says militants there fired a rocket-propelled grenade at police in May, killing an officer. Local activists say the gunmen are armed locals defending themselves. Activists on the ground deny RPGs were used, according to activist Malik al-Saeed, who fled al-Awamiya in late 2015 over fears of arrest. Davidson says he too would need to see more evidence that armed groups in al-Awamiya have access to RPGs. He says the police report serves to bolster the official narrative of a foreign-backed insurgency. Al-Saeed says the demolition of al-Mosawara is intended to deepen rifts between Sunnis and Shiites in Saudi Arabia. "It's meant to keep us (Shiites) hated and sow fear among the public against Iran." __ Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ayaelb NEW YORK (AP) - For a president seemingly at perpetual war with "fake news," the resignation of three CNN journalists over a retracted story about a Donald Trump Russian connection is a gift from the political gods at a time the struggling effort to repeal Obamacare dominates the headlines. Trump quickly took advantage with a series of tweets on Tuesday, and conservative provocateur James O'Keefe piled on by releasing a video with a CNN producer caught on camera talking about the network's Russian coverage being ratings-driven. The network on Monday accepted the resignations of journalists Thomas Frank, Eric Lichtblau and Lex Haris over last week's web story about Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci's pre-inaugural meeting with the head of a Russian investment fund. CNN retracted the story a day later, saying it had not met its standards, and apologized to Scaramucci. FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2017 file photo, Anthony Scaramucci, a senior adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, talks to reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York. CNN isn't commenting Monday, June 26, as to what led it to retract a story about a supposed investigation into a pre-inaugural meeting between an associate of Trump and the head of a Russian investment fund. The story posted Thursday on CNN's website said Senate investigators are looking into the meeting between Scaramucci and Kirill Dmitriev, whose Russian Direct Investment Fund guides investments by U.S. entities in Russia. Scaramucci, in the story, said he exchanged pleasantries in a restaurant with Dmitriev. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Trump has been unhappy with CNN since he was a candidate last year, and hasn't granted the network an interview since he's been president. He's been particularly annoyed by its reporting on connections with Russia. The misstep on a relatively minor story - it was never mentioned on any of CNN's television networks - left some White House staff members jubilant, believing it has handed them a new talking point to use as a cudgel against mainstream media organizations they feel are largely biased against them. Trump tweeted that "they caught Fake News CNN cold." He lumped ABC, CBS, NBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post together in the same "fake news" category. He said that "CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories. Ratings way down!" A spokeswoman for CNN chief Jeff Zucker didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. CNN's public relations staff refuted Trump's notion that the network is hurting, saying it is completing the most-watched second quarter in the network's history. The president was livid at CNN's story but also felt vindicated because it seemed to confirm his belief that the cable network was trying to undermine his presidency, according to one staffer who demanded anonymity to discuss private conversations. The White House was considering unleashing its surrogates on the network, planning to hit the mistakes hard in order to change the subject for what has been a stretch for the presidency, with questions about the Russia probe swirling and the Republican health care bill in dire straits. Aides also believe that highlighting media mistakes could be a useful way of questioning the credibility of much of the reporting on the scandals surrounding the White House to convince supporters that Trump was the victim of a witch hunt. Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., suggested in an interview with Breitbart News that "maybe Jeff Zucker should do an on-camera briefing about CNN's fake news scandal before the White House does any more of them." CNN's White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, has been particularly vocal in protesting the administration's dwindling number of on-camera news briefings. He also tweeted a link to the video posted by O'Keefe's Project Veritas. The hidden-camera video showed John Bonifield, an Atlanta-based producer in CNN's medical unit, talking about how the "ratings are incredible" for the network's Russian coverage. He said the network has no "smoking gun" showing wrongdoing by Trump and that "the president is probably right to say, look, you are witch-hunting me." CNN said in a statement that it is standing by Bonifield. "Diversity of personal opinion is what makes CNN strong," CNN said. "We welcome it and embrace it." O'Keefe said Project Veritas got the video last Friday and that a portion, in an elevator, was recorded at CNN's headquarters. He said that Project Veritas plans to release another video involving another CNN employee, with the timing dependent on how CNN reacts to the Bonifield material. O'Keefe and Project Veritas have a track record of aiding Republican causes, often by using hidden cameras and hiding identities, and Trump's nonprofit foundation has made two $10,000 donations to the organization. His sting operation led to the downfall of ACORN, a community organizing group that O'Keefe portrayed as engaging in criminal activity via hidden camera. Before last November's election, Project Veritas released a series of heavily edited videos that included a Democratic activist appearing to brag about deploying troublemakers at Trump rallies. The fallout included the two people most prominently featured, Scott Foval and Robert Creamer, cutting ties with the Democratic National Committee. Creamer's firm recently sued Project Veritas alleging the sting violated federal wiretap law. He declined in an interview to discuss how the Bonifield video came about. O'Keefe said his efforts are journalistic and, since they include video, he contends that it is more believable than media stories based on anonymous sources. The retracted CNN story was heavily dependent upon on anonymous source. One social media exchange about the CNN story indicated how feelings about the network were running strong among Trump supporters. John Podhoretz, a conservative columnist for The New York Post and editor of Commentary magazine tweeted that "CNN published a bad story, pulled it, apologized. 3 journalists quit. That's impressive and decisive action. Yelling 'fake news' is unfair." That drew a quick retort from Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, an ardent Trump backer. "John wtf has happened to you?" Hannity wondered online. Podhoretz declined to respond to Hannity online and denied an interview request. ____ Associated Press correspondents Jonathan Lemire and Julie Bykowicz in Washington contributed to this report. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Authorities say 10 more mass graves have been uncovered in the restive region of central Congo where the Catholic church has estimated more than 3,300 people have died. Maj. Gen. Joseph Ponde told journalists that armed forces were alerted to the graves by Red Cross officials and villagers in the area. He said seven of the 10 new mass graves were located in Diboko. A U.N. team is due to arrive on the scene Wednesday. Human rights officials say 42 mass graves already had been documented in the Kasai provinces, where violence erupted last August after a traditional chief was killed in a military operation. Among the victims were two foreign U.N. experts - American Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, a Swedish-Chilean national. BERLIN (AP) - Germany's foreign minister says the crisis over Gulf Arab state's dispute with Qatar will only get worse the longer it lasts, and appeals on all sides to engage in direct dialogue. Sigmar Gabriel told reporters Tuesday that "now is the time to not inflame the conflict further and to talk with one another," and suggested that Kuwait's emir should moderate between the two sides. He spoke following talks in Berlin with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Gabriel was asked about the Gulf Arab's demand to have Qatar's Al Jazeera be shut down. He says "it's necessary to come to the table and then negotiate." Zarif also called for talks, saying "what is needed for all countries in the Persian Gulf is to engage in dialogue." BANGKOK (AP) - An appeals court in Thailand on Tuesday overturned the guilty verdict of a man convicted of shooting four people, one fatally, by opening fire with an assault rifle concealed in a sack during a political confrontation in February 2014. The shooter, afterward dubbed the "Popcorn Gunman" after the logo emblazoned on the sack, was part of a protest mob that sought to disrupt preparations for a snap election, and the shooting was directed at counter-demonstrators. The court ruled Tuesday that there was not enough evidence to convict Vivat Yodprasit in the shootings, which were carried out by a man wearing a balaclava to conceal his identity. Last March, he received a 37-year, 4-month sentence for murder, attempted murder and illegal possession of weapons, halved from the original term because of his confession to police. However, he recanted his confession in court, claiming he had been tortured. The shooter was part of a mob that sought to disrupt preparations for the election, and one or more opened fire on counter-demonstrators. The "Popcorn Gunman," who carried out his shooting in front of hundreds of people and was captured in many photos and videos, wounded four people, among them a 72-year-old man who was left paralyzed. He died seven months after the incident. The shooter was believed to have fired his weapons from inside the sack in order to catch the expended bullet casings so they could not be gathered as evidence. The prosecution based its case on Vivat's confession to police and also on video and photos showing a man identified as Vivat at the same protest with the same build and clothing as the shooter - but without the balaclava disguising his face. "The evidence presented by prosecutors was not enough to confirm that the defendant was responsible for the crime," said his lawyer, Puangtip Boonsanong. The confrontation was one of several bloody incidents in months of unrest stirred up by opponents of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government, who called themselves the People's Democratic Reform Committee. They succeeded in disrupting the election, and the confrontations they staged served as a reason for the army to take power in a coup that May. Thailand remains under military rule. Thailand has been buffeted by political turmoil since 2006, when protests against Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother and prime minister since 2001, led to an earlier coup. Since then, Thaksin's supporters and opponents have been engaged in a sometimes violent power struggle. Thailand's traditional power holders, including the military and the courts, have been among Thaksin's foes, and Tuesday's court ruling is likely to revive criticism that the judiciary rules with a political bias against Thaksin's supporters. Despite the reversal of the guilty verdict, the court ordered that Vivat remain in custody pending a possible appeal by the prosecution. His lawyer said Vivat would attempt to raise 3.7 million baht ($109,000) in bail for his release. BERLIN (AP) - A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party has been elected governor of Germany's most populous state following an election last month that produced an unexpected center-right majority. Armin Laschet, a liberal-minded deputy leader of Merkel's Christian Democrats, succeeds Hannelore Kraft of the center-left Social Democrats as governor of North Rhine-Westphalia. The state legislature in Duesseldorf elected Laschet on Tuesday. The new governor's coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats has a one-seat majority. Armin Laschet, designated governor of North Rhine-Westphalia, gestures at the state parliament in Dusseldorf, Germany, Tuesday, June 27, 2017. A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party has been elected governor of Germany's most populous state following an election last month that produced an unexpected center-right majority. The state legislature in Duesseldorf elected Laschet Tuesday. The new governor's coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats has a one-seat majority. (Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP) North Rhine-Westphalia is a traditional center-left stronghold. Last month's result raised hopes among some conservatives of a center-right comeback in a national election Sept. 24, in which Merkel is seeking a fourth term. The Christian Democrats and Free Democrats governed Germany together from 2009 to 2013, when voters ejected the latter from the national parliament. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old Indianapolis boy (all times local): 1:35 p.m. A coroner has identified a 9-year-old Indianapolis boy who police say was fatally shot as he and a friend played with a gun. Marion County Chief Deputy Coroner Alfarena Ballew says the boy killed in the accidental shooting Monday night was Mykah Jackson. She says there's been no ruling yet on the cause of his death. Police said Mykah and his friend found an unsecured gun at an apartment complex on the city's north side and were playing with it when it discharged, striking Mykah in the face. Relatives rushed him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No arrests have been made in the case. ___ 10:35 a.m. Indianapolis police say the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old boy was an accident that occurred as the boy and a friend were playing with a gun. Police said the boy and his friend found an unsecured gun Monday night at an apartment complex on the city's north side and were playing with it when it discharged, striking the boy in the face. A relative took the child to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The boy's name hasn't been released. Police Chief Bryan Roach called the youngster's death a preventable tragedy. He says gun owners should keep their guns secure and have "a healthy respect for that machine." No arrests have been made. Roach says the gun's owner is a 27-year-old man and the shooting remains under investigation. ___ 8:01 a.m. Police say a 9-year-old boy has died after being shot at an Indianapolis apartment complex. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says officers responded Monday night to the apartment complex on the city's north side and a family member took the child to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The circumstances of the shooting are under investigation. Police Captain Mike Elder says investigators are working to determine how many people were present at the time of the shooting and exactly where at the apartment complex the shooting took place. The child's name hasn't been released. Elder says at least two witnesses are being interviewed. LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Montana man who had homemade bombs in his house and is accused of shooting at a Kansas state trooper is a bank robber the FBI dubbed "the AK-47 bandit" and is suspected of holding up at least six banks in five states, authorities said Tuesday. Richard Gathercole of Roundup, Montana, was arrested last week in Nebraska, said Stephen Woolery, a special agent in charge at the FBI's field office in Los Angeles. Gathercole, 39, is suspected of committing six bank robberies and attempting another in California, Washington, Idaho, Nebraska and Iowa since 2012, Woolery said. This undated booking photo provided by the FBI shows Richard Gathercole of Roundup, Mont. Stephen Woolery, special agent in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, said Tuesday, June 27, 2017, that Gathercole was arrested last week in Lexington, Neb., and that he is suspected to be a bank robber dubbed "the AK-47 bandit" by the FBI. (FBI via AP) FBI officials have been looking for years for the man they called the "AK-47 Bandit," who typically wore a balaclava mask and carried an AK-47 rifle with a drum magazine during the robberies. Investigators believe Gathercole's first robbery was on Feb. 29, 2012 in Chino, California. After robbing the California Bank & Trust, Gathercole, carrying an AK-47 rifle, opened fire on a Chino police officer who was outside, said Chino Police Chief Karen Comstock. The officer was seriously injured, but has since recovered and returned to the force, Comstock said. Gathercole was arrested after he shot at a Kansas state trooper who was trying to pull him over last week. The trooper wasn't injured. A jailhouse phone call transcript showed Gathercole asked his mother to clear his home of guns after his arrest. Investigators searched the home in the town of Roundup, Montana, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Billings, on Saturday and found "numerous" improvised explosive devices, authorities said. Gathercole is being held on state theft and possession of stolen firearms charges in Nebraska, and Woolery said federal charges were pending against him. Prosecutors in San Bernardino County, California, said they planned to file a charge of attempted murder of a peace officer against Gathercole in connection with the 2012 shooting. It was not immediately clear if Gathercole had an attorney who could comment on the allegations. ___ Follow Michael Balsamo on Twitter http://twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1 . This undated image from surveillance video released by the FBI shows the suspect known as the AK-47 Bandit. Authorities say a Montana man accused of shooting at a Kansas state trooper is a bank robber dubbed "the AK-47 bandit" by the FBI. Stephen Woolery, special agent in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, said Tuesday, June 27, 2017, that Richard Gathercole of Roundup, Mont., was arrested last week in Lexington, Neb. (FBI via AP) ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Latest on the eruption of an Alaska volcano (all times local): 4 p.m. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says seismic activity at an Aleutians Island volcano has diminished. Bogoslof (BOH-gohs-lawf) Volcano about 850 miles (1,400 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage erupted at 3:17 a.m. Tuesday and sent an ash cloud to 30,000 feet (9,100 meters). The eruption lasted 14 minutes. The observatory says no further ash emissions have occurred and seismicity remains low at Bogoslof. The observatory lowered the aviation alert code from "warning" to "watch" late Tuesday afternoon. Bogoslof has erupted periodically since mid-December. The observatory says more eruptions producing ash could occur at any time. Ash clouds above 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) can harm engines of airliners flying between Asia and North America. ___ 7:50 a.m. A 14-minute eruption by an Alaska volcano sent an ash cloud to 30,000 feet (9,100 meters) in the Aleutian Islands. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says Bogoslof (BOH-gohs-lawf) Volcano erupted at 3:17 a.m. Tuesday. Ash clouds above 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) can harm airliners flying between Asia and North America. The observatory raised the aviation alert code to "warning" level, the highest level. Winds were blowing to the northeast, which would push a cloud into the Bering Sea. The observatory says the cloud was not expected to drop ash on Aleutian communities or the mainland. A cloud was not immediately spotted but the World Wide Lightning Location Network detected lightning strokes with the volcanic cloud. Bogoslof has erupted periodically since mid-December. The volcano is 850 miles (1,400 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage. WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is urging Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to stay "open to negotiation" with Qatar as they try to resolve a major diplomatic crisis with their neighbor. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met separately Tuesday with top Cabinet-level officials from Kuwait and Qatar. Kuwait has been trying to mediate the spat between Qatar and its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says Tillerson and the Kuwaiti official agreed all parties need to "exercise restraint" so productive diplomatic conversations can occur. That comes after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that there was no need for negotiation, only for Qatar to decide whether or not to comply with its list of demands. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local): 10 p.m. Evacuation orders have been lifted and residents are returning after a wildfire on California's Central Coast. This Saturday, June 24, 2017, photo, shows a cabin near Panguitch Lake near Panguitch, Utah., that was not burned by a wildfire. Nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a Utah wildfire that grew Sunday morning that has prompted the evacuation of over a 1,000 people from hundreds of homes and cabins. (Jordan Allred/The Spectrum via AP) State fire officials canceled the evacuation orders for dozens of homes on Tuesday night. The blaze has grown to 2.5 square miles (6.5 sq. kilometers) since it broke out outside San Luis Obispo on Monday afternoon. The fire is now 60 percent contained. A new wildfire that broke out Tuesday has prompted evacuations for dozens more homes in San Bernardino County. It began shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday and grew quickly to half a square mile (1.3 sp. kilometers). ___ 6:15 p.m. A Southern California wildfire has prompted evacuation orders for dozens of homes. Authorities say a blaze pushed by winds is flashing through tinder-dry brush in foothills near the town of Highland in San Bernardino County. It began shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday and grew quickly to 300 acres. The U.S. Forest Service says it's moving uphill on steep ridges. The flames are moving northeast, away from a subdivision, but they're still too close for comfort. Aircraft and more than 100 firefighters are battling the blaze. An ongoing heat wave has shriveled brush and increased the fire risk throughout California. In neighboring Riverside County, evacuation warnings are in place for homes near a 5,800-acre blaze south of Beaumont. That fire was sparked yesterday by a car crash. The fire is only 20 percent contained. However, it doesn't seem to be growing. ___ 9:02 a.m. A wildfire in a rugged inland area of Southern California grew substantially overnight to nearly 8 square miles (21 sq. kilometers). The blaze burning in Riverside County about 80 miles (129 kilometers) east of Los Angeles is only 10 percent contained Tuesday morning. Several small communities have been warned to be ready to evacuate. Weather is expected to continue hot and dry, with gusts as high as 25 mph (40 kph). On California's Central Coast, evacuation orders remain in place for sparsely populated rural areas of San Luis Obispo County east of the town of Santa Margarita due to a nearly 2-square-mile (5 sq. kilometer) fire. Containment is estimated at 40 percent. ___ The nation's largest wildfire has forced more than 1,500 people from their homes and cabins in a southern Utah mountain area home to a ski town and popular fishing lake. Firefighters battled high winds as they fought a fire that has grown to 72 square miles (184 square kilometers) and burned 13 homes - larger than any other fire in the country now. Officials say that fire crews are expected to face dry, windy conditions Tuesday and a "high potential" for extreme fire behavior. They say the estimated firefighting costs now top $7 million for a fire started June 17 near the Brian Head Resort by someone using a torch tool to burn weeds. Crews in California, meanwhile, are dealing with two new powerful and fast-growing fires. In this Saturday, June 24, 2017, photo, a resident of Panguitch Lake, Utah, carrys belonging out of his cabin as a wildfire approaches the area. Nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a Utah wildfire that grew Sunday morning that has prompted the evacuation of over a 1,000 people from hundreds of homes and cabins. (Jordan Allred/The Spectrum via AP) This Saturday, June 24, 2017, photo, shows a cabin burnt to the ground by a wildfire fire on the west side of Panguitch Lake, near Panguitch, Utah. Nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a Utah wildfire that grew Sunday morning that has prompted the evacuation of over a 1,000 people from hundreds of homes and cabins. (Jordan Allred/The Spectrum via AP) This Saturday, June 24, 2017, photo, shows a home near a burnt hillside caused by a wildfire fire on the west side of Panguitch Lake, near Panguitch, Utah. Nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a Utah wildfire that grew Sunday morning that has prompted the evacuation of over a 1,000 people from hundreds of homes and cabins. (Jordan Allred/The Spectrum via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the investigations into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia (all times local): 8:45 p.m. A longtime confidant of President Donald Trump is set to appear before the House intelligence committee next month. In a statement, Roger Stone's lawyer says the political operative has been "much maligned by innuendo and misinformation" regarding the investigations into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. Stone has denied coordinating with Russia during the election. Lawyer Robert Buschel says Stone looks forward to providing "a timeline based only on the facts." Stone's appearance before the House committee will be behind closed doors. ___ 8:40 p.m. Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman has met with a House committee investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. John Podesta spoke with members of the House intelligence committee behind closed doors Tuesday. He told reporters afterward that he was "happy to cooperate" but couldn't say what questions he'd been asked or detail his answers. The hacking of Podesta's personal email account and the release of those emails by WikiLeaks during the late stages of the campaign is one focus of the committee's investigation. While President Donald Trump has previously declined to name Russia as responsible for election meddling, in recent days he has referred to Russia in criticizing the Obama administration's response to the hack. Podesta says the Obama administration was "trying to make the best judgment they could." SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a law enforcement officer shot in Sacramento (all times local): 8:55 a.m. Authorities have released the name of a man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a sheriff's deputy in Sacramento. The Sacramento Bee reports (http://bit.ly/2tkRNwR ) that 27-year-old Nicory Marquis Spann was arrested for shooting a Sacramento County Sheriff's deputy in the face with his own service weapon at a light-rail station Tuesday night. The deputy was identified as Alex Ladwig, a four-year veteran of the sheriff's department. Ladwig underwent surgery for a gunshot to the jaw and is in stable condition. The shooting happened at a light rail station. Authorities say the deputy and the shooter got into a fight, which escalated into a shooting. It's not clear what started the fight. ___ 8:30 a.m. Authorities say a Sacramento County transit deputy who was shot in the face at a light-rail station is out of surgery and in stable condition. Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman Sgt. Tony Turnbull says the suspect was arrested Tuesday night following the shooting. The Sacramento Bee reports (http://bit.ly/2tkRNwR ) the deputy underwent surgery for a gunshot wound to the jaw. The shooting happened at the Regional Transit light rail station near Watt Avenue and Interstate 80 in Sacramento. Turnbull says the deputy and the shooter got into a fight, which escalated into a shooting. It's not clear what started the fight. ___ 10:00 p.m. Authorities say a man suspected of shooting a transit officer in the face has been arrested at a motel. Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman Sgt. Tony Turnbull says the suspect was found hiding in an alcove late Tuesday. Turnbull says the deputy is in surgery. The officer is a four-year veteran with Regional Transit District police. The suspect was arrested after a SWAT team searched for him room to room. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An FBI agent has been indicted on accusations that he lied about firing at a rancher in 2016 when officers arrested leaders of an armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in rural Oregon. Sources familiar with the case say the agent will face allegations of making a false statement with intent to obstruct justice, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Tuesday (https://goo.gl/M1Mk3p). The indictment stems from more than a yearlong investigation by the U.S. Justice Department inspector general. The agent will be identified when summoned to appear Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland. FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2016 file photo, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, center, a rancher from Arizona, talks to reporters at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Ore. An FBI agent has been indicted on accusations that he lied about firing at Finicum in 2016 when officers arrested leaders of an armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in rural Oregon. Sources familiar with the case say the agent will face allegations of making a false statement with intent to obstruct justice, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Tuesday, June 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) Authorities moved in on Ammon Bundy and other leaders as they were driving in two vehicles from the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to a meeting on Jan. 26, 2016. The Deschutes County sheriff said that as Robert "LaVoy" Finicum left his truck, an FBI agent shot twice at Finicum, though none of the hostage team members said they discharged their firearms. The county sheriff's office was tasked with investigating the Finicum shooting. The FBI agent's bullets didn't hit Finicum, 54, an Arizona rancher who was the spokesman for the takeover near Burns in Harney County. State police troopers then shot Finicum three times after he emerged from his truck and reached for his inner jacket pocket, where police said he had a loaded 9mm handgun. One bullet pierced his heart, an autopsy found. The Oregon investigators determined that one agent fired at Finicum's pickup, hitting it in the roof and missing on the second shot. Federal law forbids "knowingly and willfully" making any false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation or concealing information. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Gorder Jr. revealed in court papers last year that a grand jury was reviewing the FBI actions. Less than two months after the shooting, the FBI acknowledged that a federal agent was under investigation for firing shots, and four other members of his FBI team were under investigation for covering up the gunshots. The status of the investigation into the other FBI team members is unclear. It's not clear if the indicted agent is on leave or has been dismissed from the job. The hostage team is part of the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group, based out of Quantico, Virginia. U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams in Oregon has scheduled a news conference Wednesday afternoon at the federal courthouse. His spokesman, Kevin Sonoff, declined comment. Portland's FBI spokeswoman Jennifer Adams said she was unaware of the matter. ___ Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The Latest on a helicopter attack on Venezuela's Supreme Court. (all times local): 11:40 p.m. Venezuelan Information Minister Ernesto Villegas says that a stolen helicopter fired 15 shots against the Interior Ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people. It then flew a short distance to the pro-government Supreme Court and launched what he said were four Israeli-made grenades of "Colombian origin," two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building. Authorities said there were no injuries from Tuesday's attack and that the area was still being surveyed for damages. Villegas said security forces were being deployed to apprehend Perez, who the government of President Nicolas Maduro accused of working under the instructions of the CIA and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. The helicopter incident capped a volatile 24 hours that began with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and continued Tuesday when opposition lawmakers got into a heated scuffle with security forces assigned to protect the National Assembly. ___ Follow Goodman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APjoshgoodman BEIJING (AP) - A self-described "farm boy from Iowa" who befriended China's president three decades ago is tasked with smoothing relations between the world's two largest economies amid increased unpredictability in American foreign diplomacy under President Donald Trump. Terry Branstad, 70, a former six-term governor of Iowa, made his debut Wednesday as the new U.S. ambassador in Beijing. He's known China's president since Xi Jinping visited Iowa as a county-level Communist Party cadre on a 1985 trade trip. The two struck up a lasting friendship that's expected to be a major asset as Branstad seeks to ease strains over the U.S.-China trade imbalance, China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions. U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, second from right, walks with his wife Christine Branstad at right and other members of his family during a photocall and remarks to journalists at the Ambassador's residence in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. A self-described "farm boy from Iowa" who's known China's president for more than 30 years, Terry made his first public appearance as the new U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Wednesday, assuming the post at a time when President Donald Trump has injected a strong dose of unpredictability into America foreign diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Less certain is how much influence Branstad will have with Trump. The two first met during the 2016 election campaign. Their dynamic will be closely watched by China as it seeks to make sense of the new administration's sometimes volatile shifts in policy, said professor Shi Yinhong with Beijing's Renmin University. "His task is going to be complicated," Shi said. "The ambassador is a good choice, but he does not decide Sino-U.S. relations. Everything depends on Trump and his policy toward China." In a video greeting to the Chinese public, Branstad said he will focus on resolving the trade imbalance and neutralizing the North Korea threat. Both areas have proven fertile ground for disagreement between Washington and Beijing, North Korea's biggest trade partner and source of diplomatic and economic assistance. U.S. lawmakers have long complained Beijing's protectionism disadvantages foreign companies and helps drive America's multi-billion dollar trade deficit with China. On North Korea, China strongly opposed U.S. sponsorship of a missile defense system in South Korea in part because it has a radar system that Beijing said could be used for spying on China's military. Trump has said he hoped China could use its influence with North Korea to convince Pyongyang to cease its nuclear and missiles tests. However, this week he tweeted that Xi and China's efforts to help with North Korea have "not worked out." Trump has also seemed to toy with dropping Washington's decades-old commitment not to recognize Taiwan by accepting a congratulatory phone call from the island's president. However, shortly afterward he reaffirmed the "One China" policy that recognizes only Beijing. Against that background and amid Trump's "bombastic and erratic statements about China," Branstad's appointment gives Beijing some assurance that the U.S. remains interested in stability, said Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Immediately upon his arrival, Branstad was forced to confront another area of disagreement between the two nations - China's human rights record. Controversy over the authoritarian nation's treatment of dissidents resurfaced this week with news that imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo had been hospitalized and diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer. Branstad said Liu should have the chance to seek medical treatment outside China if it could help. How hard he pushes Beijing on the matter remains to be seen, but he's already signaled a willingness to confront Xi. During a May confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Branstad expressed disappointment on the slow pace of political reforms in China since he first visited in 1984. He told lawmakers that the problem has continued under Xi and that he would be willing to challenge his "old friend" on the issue. "He has not done what I'd hoped would happen, and that is become more open and more willing to accept freedom of press and stop the repression of minorities," Branstad testified. "He's got to recognize that some of the things that are being done in China today are very much against what I think (are) the right policies for a world leader." Early in the 2016 campaign, Branstad expressed doubts Trump would last after the candidate arrived at the Iowa State fairgrounds aboard a private plane. He later said he'd been wrong about the New York billionaire and appeared unfazed by the many controversies that erupted around Trump in the lead-up to the election. On Wednesday, Branstad remarked that he's developed "a lot of personal relationship" with the Trumps and recently had dinner at one of the family's namesake hotels with the president's daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner. Branstad grew up on a farm in Leland, Iowa, and predicted when he was still in elementary school that he would one day become the state's governor, according to his former law partner, Richard Schwarm. Schwarm said he'd first heard that story from Branstad's mother and it had been repeated so many times that it "was taken as gospel." After earning a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Iowa, Branstad was drafted and served as a military policeman in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Branstad was quoted by the website togovern.com as saying he arrested actress and activist Jane Fonda during a 1969 protest against the Vietnam War. He's clarified that in recent interviews and said that while he compiled a dossier on why Fonda should have been arrested, he did not do it himself. Several years after his military stint and while still attending law school at Drake University, he entered politics with a successful run for the Iowa House of Representatives. He never lost an election and by the time he resigned to become ambassador, Branstad was the longest-serving governor in U.S. history. His arrival in China came just weeks after the top-ranking career U.S. diplomat in Beijing, David Rank, resigned after criticizing Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate accord. China's leaders also have criticized the U.S. withdrawal. During his confirmation hearing, which took place before Trump's withdrawal announcement, Branstad emphasized future opportunities to collaborate with China on renewable energy projects "in a way that can benefit air quality and the whole world." ___ Associated Press writers Ryan J. Foley in Iowa City and Barbara Rodriguez in Des Moines contributed to this report. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at www.twitter.com/matthewbrownap U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad speaks during a photocall and briefing to journalists near his family at the Ambassador's residence in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. A self-described "farm boy from Iowa" who's known China's president for more than 30 years, Terry made his first public appearance as the new U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Wednesday, assuming the post at a time when President Donald Trump has injected a strong dose of unpredictability into America foreign diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, walks with his wife Christine at right and other members of his family during a photocall and remarks to journalists at the Ambassador's residence in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. A self-described "farm boy from Iowa" who's known China's president for more than 30 years, Terry made his first public appearance as the new U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Wednesday, assuming the post at a time when President Donald Trump has injected a strong dose of unpredictability into America foreign diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, speaks near his family during a photocall and remarks to journalists at the Ambassador's residence in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. A self-described "farm boy from Iowa" who's known China's president for more than 30 years, Terry made his first public appearance as the new U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Wednesday, assuming the post at a time when President Donald Trump has injected a strong dose of unpredictability into America foreign diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad carries his granddaughter Sofia after a photocall and remarks to journalists at the Ambassador's residence in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. A self-described "farm boy from Iowa" who's known China's president for more than 30 years, Terry made his first public appearance as the new U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Wednesday, assuming the post at a time when President Donald Trump has injected a strong dose of unpredictability into America foreign diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio woman set on fire by her ex-boyfriend and whose injuries prompted legislation that would allow longer sentences for crimes that permanently maim or disfigure victims has died. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien confirmed Tuesday that 33-year-old Judy Malinowski has died after being hospitalized for nearly two years. O'Brien says his office is working with Gahanna police and the original arson investigator to determine whether a homicide case can be pursued. Michael Slager, the man accused of dousing Malinowski with gasoline in August 2015, pleaded no contest to charges including aggravated arson and felonious assault and was convicted in 2016. He was sentenced to the maximum 11 years in prison. The legislation inspired by Malinowski's injuries and approved by the Ohio House is now in the Senate. A pastor faces trial for not alerting authorities when his two-year-old granddaughter was dying of pneumonia last year, a judge ruled Wednesday. Rowland Foster, who heads a fundamentalist congregation which eschews modern medicine, is charged with failing to properly report suspected child abuse. District Judge Ann Young said prosecutors had enough evidence to send the case to Berks County Courthouse for trial, reversing another judge's decision in April. Young called the death of Ella Foster 'tragic, sad, beyond belief' - and told Foster she was not questioning his religious beliefs. Ella's parents Jonathan and Grace Foster, who told police their faith forbids any kind of medical treatment, await trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. Rowland Foster (pictured), who heads a fundamentalist congregation which eschews modern medicine, is charged with failing to properly report suspected child abuse District Judge Ann Young said prosecutors had enough evidence to send the case against Rowland Foster to Berks County Courthouse for trial Her decision came after watching a video of state police questioning the Foster, 72, but she said an important part of her decision was testimony at the previous preliminary hearing by Dr. Neil Hoffman, a forensic pathologist. Hoffman did not testify Wednesday, but Young drew from the transcript of the earlier hearing in which he said Ella's condition would have been easily treatable and if she had been treated she almost certainly would have survived. Young called Hoffman's testimony 'clear, convincing and compelling.' Foster, of Lebanon, ignored questions as he left the hearing, but his defense attorney, Chris Ferro, said prosecutors will have difficulty getting a conviction at trial, which will require a more stringent level of proof than was needed before Young. 'I think the commonwealth is going to be unable to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt,' Ferro said. Ella's parents Jonathan and Grace Foster, who told police their faith forbids any kind of medical treatment, await trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. Pictured: Foster arrives for an arraignment Prosecutor Jonathan Kurland argued to the judge that Ella had been subjected to child abuse and that her grandfather, as a pastor, was required by law to report suspected abuse and willfully failed to do so. 'Dr. Hoffman testified (that) in the morning before she died it would have been apparent to a reasonable person that Ella was in need of medical care and medical intervention,' Kurland said. He said Foster's comment to a detective that he has never been to a doctor was evidence of 'rationalization and justification and awareness.' Ferro called his client 'a grieving grandfather, not a criminal,' and said Ella's death was 'a crater in the heart of the community.' Ella was being cared for before she died, Ferro said, including being given food and liquids. The judge called Ella's death 'tragic, sad, beyond belief' - and told Foster (right) she was not questioning his religious beliefs 'This is not a mandatory reporter who is turning his blind eye to child abuse,' Ferro said. Rowland Foster leads the Faith Tabernacle Congregation, which instructs members to avoid doctors and pharmaceutical drugs. An advocacy group that tracks faith-based medical neglect says the church's position has resulted in the deaths of dozens of children from preventable or treatable conditions. SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) - The home of "Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki has been destroyed in a wildfire in California. Nicole Perna, a spokeswoman for the 42-year-old actor, says his home on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area was destroyed by the wildfire on the state's central coast. By Tuesday night, a 2.5-square-mile (6.5 sq. kilometer) wildfire in the region was 60 percent contained. Fire officials have only confirmed that the wildfire has destroyed one building and have no details, but the full damage done by wildfires often can't be assessed until they have been mostly contained. In this Oct. 20, 2011, photo, Johnny Galecki arrives at the premiere of "In Time" in Los Angeles. A spokeswoman for, Galecki, the 42-year-old actor, says his home on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area was destroyed by the wildfire on the state's central coast. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) About 250 residents were ordered from their homes in the area of Santa Margarita after the blaze erupted Monday, but on Tuesday night they were told they could return home. Galecki plays Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on the show, one of the most popular on TV. He also was a regular on the sitcom "Roseanne." HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Two 911 calls and a tweet about the possibility of an active shooter at a military installation set off a day of panic and confusion in Alabama. The emergency calls Tuesday came from within the Redstone Arsenal base near Huntsville and led the installation to tweet a warning to its 30,000 government employees, civilians and contractors: "run hide fight." Police cars with flashing lights rushed to the scene and blocked entrances to the post, home to Army missile defense programs, NASA's rocket propulsion operations and federal law enforcement agencies. Even before any gunfire was confirmed, the governor offered her prayers and social media lit up with worried friends and families talking about the lockdown. Madison County Sheriff's Deputies and Huntsville Police officers block Martin Road leading to Redstone Arsenal Gate 1, Tuesday, June 27, 2017 in Huntsville, Ala. Authorities locked down the Alabama military post on Tuesday amid reports of possible active shooter, and workers were advised to "run hide fight." Redstone Arsenal spokesman Christopher Colster told WAFF-TV that the base near Huntsville received reports of a person possibly armed with a weapon at a building. (AP Photo/Eric Schultz) At one point, Redstone spokesman Christopher Colster acknowledged he didn't know whether the lockdown was part of a drill or an actual threat. In the end, an investigation found there was no active shooter and no shots were fired, garrison commander Col. Tom Holliday said. He said authorities would continue to investigate what happened, including whether the 911 calls were part of a hoax. "We did have initial reports of someone hearing shots fired and someone seeing a weapon. That in itself drove us to our response," he said. "I would say that the situation that we live in in the United States today leads to caution. Honestly, if we have to overreact, I would rather overreact than underreact." He said the phrase used in the tweet - "run hide fight" - is a standard response during an active shooter situation. An active shooter drill planned for Wednesday was canceled. "We believe we have learned everything we needed to as part of the event today," he said, adding that the response worked as designed. Images on social media showed an ambulance and what appeared to be civilians standing outside the Sparkman Center, which includes offices, an auditorium, cafeteria and an interior courtyard. Holliday said the 911 calls came from the Sparkman complex and that some people who evacuated the building needed medical attention unrelated to the 911 calls. It took two hours to give the all-clear for the installation and another two hours to make sure the sprawling Sparkman complex was secure. Amy Jay said her husband, who was working at the Sparkman Center, was told the situation was over through an announcement over the building's public address system. "Feeling like I can breathe again!" Jay wrote in a message to The Associated Press. "My husband is a contractor and a veteran so when we hear things like this we're reminded of what happened at Fort Hood," she said, referring to the 2009 shooting at a military base in Texas. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey's office said after the lockdown was lifted that she didn't know what led to the alert. "The important thing is everybody's safe," Ivey said. ___ Associated Press writers Kim Chandler in Montgomery and Jay Reeves in Birmingham contributed to this report. Col. Thomas Holliday, the garrison commander at the Redstone Arsenal installation near Huntsville, Ala., holds a press conference on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Holliday said authorities locked down an Alabama military post on Tuesday after two 911 calls were made about a potential active shooter, but no shots were fired. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) Huntsville Police officers block an entrance to Redstone Arsenal, Tuesday, June 27, 2017 in Huntsville, Ala. Authorities locked down the Alabama military post on Tuesday amid reports of possible active shooter, and workers were advised to "run hide fight." Redstone Arsenal spokesman Christopher Colster told WAFF-TV that the base near Huntsville received reports of a person possibly armed with a weapon at a building. (AP Photo/Eric Schultz) Huntsville Police officers tell drivers to turn around on Martin Road leading to Redstone Arsenal Gate 1 , Tuesday, June 27, 2017 in Huntsville, Ala. Authorities locked down the Alabama military post on Tuesday amid reports of possible active shooter, and workers were advised to "run hide fight." Redstone Arsenal spokesman Christopher Colster told WAFF-TV that the base near Huntsville received reports of a person possibly armed with a weapon at a building. (AP Photo/Eric Schultz) Authorities block an entrance to Redstone Arsenal, Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in Huntsville, Ala. The military post said in a tweet it was on lockdown Tuesday amid reports of possible active shooter, telling workers to "run hide fight." More than 30,000 government employees, civilians and contractors work daily at Redstone. It is home to Army missile defense programs and other military offices. (AP Photo/Eric Schultz) Madison County Sheriff's Deputies and Huntsville Police officer block Martin Road leading to Redstone Arsenal Gate 1, Tuesday, June 27, 2017 in Huntsville, Ala. Authorities locked down the Alabama military post on Tuesday amid reports of possible active shooter, and workers were advised to "run hide fight." Redstone Arsenal spokesman Christopher Colster told WAFF-TV that the base near Huntsville received reports of a person possibly armed with a weapon at a building. (AP Photo/Eric Schultz) Madison County Sheriff's Deputies and Huntsville Police officers block Martin Road leading to Redstone Arsenal Gate 1, Tuesday, June 27, 2017 in Huntsville, Ala. Authorities locked down the Alabama military post on Tuesday amid reports of possible active shooter, and workers were advised to "run hide fight." Redstone Arsenal spokesman Christopher Colster told WAFF-TV that the base near Huntsville received reports of a person possibly armed with a weapon at a building. (AP Photo/Eric Schultz) Col. Thomas Holliday, the garrison commander at the Redstone Arsenal installation near Huntsville, Ala., holds a press conference on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Holliday said authorities locked down an Alabama military post on Tuesday after two 911 calls were made about a potential active shooter, but no shots were fired. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) WASHINGTON (AP) - Three months ago, Republicans condemned political groups aligned with President Donald Trump for doing almost nothing to promote a health care bill. Now they think one of the groups may have gone too far. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided Tuesday to call off a planned vote this week on a proposal to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health care law. Some on the Hill blamed the unexpected delay on aggressive tactics by America First Policies, a politically active nonprofit run by a former White House aide and Trump campaign veterans. The group spent four days on a pull-no-punches campaign against Republican Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, beginning shortly after he surprised members of his own party with a Friday afternoon news conference denouncing the Senate plan as written. Heller expressed concern about Medicaid cuts in the GOP bill. President Donald Trump, center, speaks as he meets with Republican senators on health care in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Seated with him, from left, are Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) In a social media push, the group first roped Heller to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. By Tuesday morning, ads had spread to radio and television in Heller's home state, where he faces a tough re-election fight next year. "Call Senator Heller. Tell him America needs him to keep his promise: Vote 'yes' to repeal and replace Obamacare," the ads say. McConnell told White House chief of staff Reince Priebus over the weekend that the group's attacks were "beyond stupid," according to a Republican with knowledge of the exchange. The person demanded anonymity to share the private conversation. McConnell allies argued that the approach alienated Heller and other Republicans rather than making it easier to get their votes. Heller brought up the ads when he and other Republican senators met with Trump on Tuesday at the White House, according to South Dakota Sen. John Thune. Shortly thereafter, America First Policies said it decided to take down its Heller ads because "he has decided to come back to the table to negotiate with his colleagues on the Senate bill," spokeswoman Erin Montgomery said. Across social media and on cable shows, Republican strategists denounced the intra-party battle as counterproductive. "More than political cannibalism, attack ads vs Heller are shortsighted, disrespectful to voters who sent him there to vote his conscience," Republican political commentator Ana Navarro wrote on Twitter after making that same point on CNN late Tuesday. But so far, the group makes no apologies for its aggressive strategy. "It's not @AmericaFirstPol job to protect R seats. It's to support/promote #AmericaFIRST policies. If you don't we'll let your voters know," the group's communications chief, Katrina Pierson, wrote on Twitter Tuesday afternoon. She attached an American flag emoji and wrote her message in response to a tweet asserting that McConnell was irritated about the group's Heller ads. A person familiar with America First Policies' decision-making said the group watched Heller's press conference and viewed him as a lost cause - unless some bold action shook him up. The person demanded anonymity to discuss political strategy. The group's idea: Perhaps other wavering Republicans would see the Heller haranguing and decide to vote yes. The person added that the radio and television ads against Heller took a milder tone than the initial social media campaign, simply urging voters to call him to express their frustrations. They were similar to a batch of ads that America First Policies piped into states with Democratic senators who could face tough re-election campaigns. America First Policies, which is not legally required to disclose its donors, had planned to spend $1 million or more on Heller ads, and it telegraphed its plans through the media. The group also had threatened to expand its TV advertising to include other GOP senators opposing the bill: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. The pro-Trump engagement marks a dramatically different approach than during the first health care debate of his presidency. In March, Republicans - both on Capitol Hill and in the White House - trashed America First Policies and other outside groups supportive of Trump for sitting on their wallets as House Speaker Paul Ryan's health care plan fell apart. The House later revived its bill, but in the aftermath of the initial failure, the White House dispatched deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh to America First Policies. Walsh was a longtime top lieutenant to Priebus, first at the Republican National Committee and then in the White House. "It was abundantly clear that we didn't have air cover when it came to calls coming into lawmakers," Priebus said when Walsh joined the group. "No one can fix this problem better than Katie." Brad Parscale, the Trump campaign's digital and data director, and Nick Ayers, a political adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, also are involved in the group. There are several outside efforts to promote Trump's agenda, but America First Policies has the closest ties to the Trump family and is seen by donors as being the preferred group - on par with the Organizing for Action nonprofit that President Barack Obama's former campaign aides started to help him. Asked Monday whether the White House approves of the Heller ads, press secretary Sean Spicer declined to answer directly, instead saying "we're going to work with all of the senators to try to get their support." ___ AP Congressional Correspondent Erica Werner and AP writers Andrew Taylor in Washington and Alison Noon in Carson City, Nevada, contributed to this report. TOKYO (AP) - Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday it is suing its joint venture partner Western Digital over the U.S. company's opposition to a plan to sell the Japanese electronics and energy giant's memory chip unit. Toshiba said in a statement that it was seeking a permanent injunction and 120 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in damages for what it called interference in the effort to sell Toshiba Memory Corp. Financially strapped Toshiba needs the cash from selling its flash memory unit to survive, but Western Digital contends its Japanese partner has no right to sell the memory chip unit without its consent. This May 26, 2017 photo shows Japanese electronics and energy giant Toshiba Corp. headquarters in Tokyo. Toshiba has delayed its deadline for reaching an agreement on selling its lucrative computer memory chip business. The company said Wednesday, June 28, negotiations were continuing on a 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) deal with a consortium led by a Japanese government-backed fund. Tokyo-based Toshiba had hoped to have an agreement in time for Wednesday's shareholders meeting, being held in a city east of Tokyo. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Such sales can be sensitive because they involve the transfer of valuable technology. Western Digital owns some SanDisk chip operations including the joint venture in Japan with Toshiba. It has submitted its own bid for the memory chip business, but last week Toshiba announced it had chosen a consortium led by a Japanese government-backed fund and Bain Capital Private Equity LP as the preferred bidder. There was no immediate comment from Western Digital as 140-year-old Toshiba convened a shareholders meeting Wednesday outside Tokyo. Toshiba had said it hoped to reach agreement with the consortium on the proposed 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) sale before that meeting. But earlier in the day it said negotiations were taking longer than expected. The lawsuit Toshiba filed in Tokyo District Court contends that Western Digital has exaggerated its right to a say in the planned sale. "WD's claims are false, designed only to interfere with the sale process, and have damaged Toshiba and TMC (Toshiba Memory Corp.)," Toshiba said in a statement. It also accused Western Digital of "improperly obtaining" trade secrets by transferring SanDisk employees holding confidential information into the U.S. company. Toshiba's sprawling business includes everything from TV sets to high-speed trains. But the company's losses have mounted in recent years, and its U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse Electric Co. filed for bankruptcy protection in March. In 2015, Toshiba acknowledged it had been systematically falsifying its books since 2008, trying to meet overly ambitious targets. An outside investigation found profits had been inflated and expenses hidden across the board. Toshiba risks having its shares delisted and is facing an Aug. 10 deadline for getting auditors to sign off on its long-delayed earnings. The company's nuclear business is in deep trouble: Reactors that Westinghouse is building in the U.S. are still unfinished, partly because of beefed-up safety regulations following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Toshiba, is also responsible for decommissioning of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, where three reactors suffered meltdowns after a massive earthquake and tsunami. Toshiba shareholders arrive at the venue for the annual shareholders' meeting in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Japanese electronics and energy giant Toshiba has delayed its deadline for reaching an agreement on selling its lucrative computer memory chip business. The company said Wednesday negotiations were continuing on a 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) deal with a consortium led by a Japanese government-backed fund. Tokyo-based Toshiba had hoped to have an agreement in time for Wednesday's shareholders meeting. The sign reads: "Toshiba Corporation. The venue for the annual shareholders' meeting. Please do understand that we do not provide you souvenirs or lunch boxes." (Michi Ohno/Kyodo News via AP) Toshiba shareholders arrive at the venue for the annual shareholders' meeting in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Japanese electronics and energy giant Toshiba has delayed its deadline for reaching an agreement on selling its lucrative computer memory chip business. The company said Wednesday negotiations were continuing on a 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) deal with a consortium led by a Japanese government-backed fund. Tokyo-based Toshiba had hoped to have an agreement in time for Wednesday's shareholders meeting. The sign reads: "Toshiba Corporation. The venue for the annual shareholders' meeting." (Kyodo News via AP) PARIS (AP) - French chef Alain Senderens, who rejected his Michelin stars and was acclaimed as a visionary, rebel and a force in the development of nouvelle cuisine, has died. He was 77. Senderens was being cremated Wednesday in the central Correze region after his death Sunday, according to the town hall of his village of Saint-Setiers. Senderens was regarded by his peers as a visionary and a cerebral chef who helped open the way to new approaches to gastronomy. FILE - In this May 20, 2005 file photo, top French chef Alain Senderens is photographed in the kitchen of his Parisian restaurant Lucas Carton. Senderens, an acclaimed chef who was a force in the development of nouvelle cuisine, a visionary and a rebel who rejected the elite star system, even trying to give up awards, has died. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File) He was among the chefs who pushed forward the lighter nouvelle cuisine that captures the flavors of regional products. And he pared down in other areas, too, including prices. In 2005, he transformed the Parisian temple of gastronomy Lucas Carton, which he took over in 1985, into a lower-priced establishment. That was after he tried to give back his years of three star-ratings, only to win two stars the following year. "I wanted to make another style of restaurant," Senderens told The Associated Press in 2006, after winning the two stars. "I didn't want the stars anymore, but I can't do anything. Michelin says they give stars to whomever they want." Senderens was fed up with the rigors of the star system and the competition in the kitchen, and the inaccessible prices for his creations. Senderens said in 2005 that after 27 years of being listed in the guide, he wanted to make a break, and make dining more affordable by cutting costs. When he reopened under a new name - Senderens - prices fell to the $80 range, without wine - about a quarter of the average price at the time of Michelin establishments. He told the newsmagazine L'Express in 2012 that he was "ashamed ... by this excess of luxury." Asian-inspired dishes that he was known for continued, such as pigeon with crab and vermicelli, and Javanese lamb curry with citronella and mango. His signature dish through the decades was Canard Apicius, a duck dish based on a recipe from Roman times. Wine propelled Senderens' creative talents. Among chefs emphasizing the need for harmony between a wine and the food on the plate, he took it a step further, creating dishes around particular wines. Senderens sold his restaurant in 2013 and it reverted to the name of Lucas Carton. Born Dec. 2, 1939, in Hyeres, on the Cote d'Azur, Senderens went to Paris in 1962, working in top restaurants, including Lucas Carton - which he took over three decades later - honing his skills in various roles in the kitchen brigade. Top chefs voiced high praise for the loss of a trend-setter in the kitchen. Celebrated French chef Paul Bocuse, now 91, paid hommage to Senderens in a Facebook post as a "giant of a chef with infinite talent." The Paul Bocuse restaurant outside Lyon, in southeastern France, noted that "Monsieur Bocuse" had presented Senderens with the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honor several years ago. "A great chef indeed," said Thomas Keller, one of America's top chefs, best known for his Napa Valley restaurant The French Laundry. Alain Passard recalled his mentor as a man of "remarkable sensibility." "We knew we had before us something other than a cook," Passard was quoted as saying in the daily Le Figaro. "He wanted us to enter a world where no one else had been." Passard worked under Senderens from 1977 to 1979, at L'Archestrate, on Paris' Left Bank, where Senderens began his climb to acclaim. When Senderens moved to Lucas Carton in the Place de la Madeleine, Passard took over the old haunt, renamed it Arpege and began winning his own Michelin stars. BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - The presidents of Bulgaria and Romania insisted Wednesday that they weren't opposed to Russia, despite both Eastern European countries being members of NATO and the European Union. The EU recently agreed to extend sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine, following the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula three years ago. And Moscow views NATO with suspicion, after the alliance has beefed up its presence in Eastern Europe. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said "communication lines with Russia should be kept open, so there is a sincere and open dialogue with Russia, which will ease tensions and avoid possible risks." Bulgaria, one of the poorest EU members, is heavily dependent on Russian gas. Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev, right, attends a welcoming ceremony with Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, June 28, 2017.(AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) "For us... it is important to have various deliveries and energy grids, which will give us greater freedom in making decisions, greater security, and importantly lower prices," Radev said after meeting with Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis. Radev, who was elected Bulgaria's president in November 2016, favors closer relations with Russia, and the Balkan country of 7 million traditionally enjoys good ties with Moscow. Iohannis said Romania had "no problem" with Bulgaria over its relationship with Russia. Moscow has criticized Romania for hosting a U.S. missile defense site in the southern town of Deveselu. The Romanian president repeated the base was "strictly defensive," adding: "(NATO) has no strategy against Russia." Russia is unhappy that NATO is moving into countries that were previously under its influence. NATO has staged exercises in the region with thousands of troops in recent months, and the alliance also has bases in Eastern Europe. Romania and Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004. Radev, on a two-day visit to Romania, discussed NATO, Black Sea security, trade and EU issues with Iohannis. Radev said the neighbors had bilateral trade worth 4 billion euros ($4.48 billion) last year. Radev praised Romania's anti-corruption fight which has targeted top officials in recent years. He said Bulgaria could borrow "principles" in its anti-graft campaign. The leaders talked about the presidency of the EU, which Bulgaria takes over on Jan. 1, 2018, and Romania a year later. The neighbors joined the EU in 2007. Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev, left, attends a welcoming ceremony with Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, June 28, 2017.(AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, has been barred from racing and track work pending an inquiry into a positive doping test. Racing Victoria, which governs thoroughbred racing in Australia's Victoria state, said it would conduct an inquiry on Thursday into the results of Payne's urine sample from the Swan Hill Cup on June 11. Racing Victoria said stewards received a report from Racing Analytical Services Limited confirming the presence of Phentermine, an appetite suppressant and banned substance in accordance with Australian Rule of Racing 81B, in the sample provided. The 31-year-old Payne rode and trained two horses on the nine-race program at Swan Hill, picking up a place on a four-year-old mare Sovereign Wealth. Payne, who rode the 100-1 outsider Prince of Penzance to victory in Australia's richest race in 2015, was stood down from riding last Friday. She has recently returned to Australia following a trip to Britain, where she rode Kaspersky to fifth place in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, and has requested to attend the inquiry in Melbourne. HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - A Zimbabwean pastor and anti-government activist who was arrested for addressing protesting university students has been freed on bail. Evan Mawarire was released Wednesday. He had been in police custody since Monday. He is charged with disorderly conduct in a public place and is free on $200 bail. Mawarire rose to prominence in July 2016 when he used social media to organize the Zimbabwe's biggest anti-government protest in a decade. Zimbabwean Pastor Evan Mawarire, centre, arrives at court handcuffed with an unidentified person in Harare, Wednesday, June, 28, 2017. The anti government activist pastor Mawarire was detained Monday for addressing protesting university students, and appeared in court charged with disorderly conduct to be freed on bail Wednesday.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) He later left for the United States after a court dismissed charges against him, claiming his life was in danger. He returned to Zimbabwe in February. He is due to appear in court on Sep. 25 on other charges of allegedly subverting a constitutionally elected government. Zimbabwean Pastor Evan Mawarire, centre, arrives at court handcuffed with an unidentified person in Harare, Wednesday, June, 28, 2017. The anti government activist pastor Mawarire was detained Monday for addressing protesting university students, and appeared in court charged with disorderly conduct to be freed on bail Wednesday. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A former police chief in South Carolina has been charged with robbing a bank. Simpsonville police investigator Cheryl Manley said in a court hearing Tuesday that Richard Inman had been cooperative in the investigation. News media outlets reported that Inman is charged with robbing a bank in Simpsonville on Saturday. Investigators say a man handed a teller a note demanding money and saying he was armed. Inman was arrested Sunday in Franklin County, Georgia. He had been the police chief in Williamston until he resigned in 2011. A magistrate has ordered that Inman wear an electronic ankle monitor if he is released from jail. Inman said at a bond hearing Tuesday that he did not have an attorney. Simpsonville is about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southeast of Greenville. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has been accused of a violating a law limiting government employees' political activity by voicing support for a South Carolina congressional candidate. In a letter sent Tuesday to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, accused the former South Carolina governor of violating the Hatch Act when she retweeted one of President Donald Trump's Twitter messages earlier this month supporting Republican Ralph Norman. On June 19, the day before Norman faced off with Democrat Archie Parnell in South Carolina's 5th District, Trump sent several tweets praising the millionaire real estate developer as someone who would be a help to him in Congress and urging voters to "#VoteRalphNorman tomorrow!" U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 28, 2017, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: 'Advancing U.S. Interests at the United Nations'. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Later that day, according to CREW, Haley retweeted the first message from her verified Twitter account, which lists her as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. At the time, the group said, Haley had at least 356,000 followers. Haley deleted the message after journalists questioned it on Twitter. The group said Haley should still be investigated and disciplined. A Haley spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a text message. Haley wouldn't be the first Trump administration official accused of sending tweets in violation of the Hatch Act, a 1939 law allowing government officials to personally donate money to political committees or engage in a variety of partisan activities, so long as they do so during their personal time and don't use government resources. Earlier this month, White House social media director Dan Scavino was issued a warning for using an official-looking Twitter account to call for a Michigan congressman's defeat. CREW filed a complaint in that case also, and Scavino was warned if he engages in such activity in the future, the office will consider it a "willful and knowing violation of the law." Other Cabinet officials campaigned in a special election to fill Georgia's 6th District seat, with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue stumping for Republican Karen Handel earlier this month. An invite for that event reportedly didn't mention the title "secretary" instead calling the two Cabinet officials "special guests." Earlier this year, Haley made a nominal donation of $100 to the GOP primary campaign of Norman, a former state lawmaker who was one of her chief legislative supporters when she served as governor. ___ Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. Read more of her work at https://apnews.com/search/meg%20kinnard. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 11:30 p.m. Israel's military targeted a Syrian military post that fired a mortar into the Israeli-controlled side of the Golan Heights during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the area. This frame grab from video released Wednesday June 28, 2017, by ANHA news agency for the semi-autonomous Kurdish areas in Syria, that is consistent with independent AP reporting, shows Brett McGurk, left, the top U.S. envoy for the international coalition combatting the Islamic State group, leaving after a visit to Ayn Issa, Syria. McGurk met with members of a local council expected to administer the city of Raqqa in Syria following its capture from the militants. (ANHA News Agency, via AP) Netanyahu was visiting an Israeli town in the Golan Wednesday. He said Israel's policy is "whoever attacks us, we will attack him." The military said the mortar was "errant fire" from Syria and landed in an open area causing no injuries near the border, far from where Netanyahu visited. It was the latest shell in several such incidents this week. Israel has tried to stay out of the six-year civil war in Syria. It has carried out airstrikes on suspected weapons convoys to Hezbollah, whose Iran-backed militants are fighting in Syria. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war. ___ 9:30 p.m. Turkish officials say U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has told his Turkish counterpart that Washington's decision to back Syrian Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State militants in Syria was out of "necessity" and not by choice. Mattis met with Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik in Brussels on Wednesday ahead of a NATO meeting. Turkey has been angered by a U.S. decision to arm Syrian Kurdish fighters which Ankara says are affiliated to Kurdish militants fighting Turkey. Turkish defense officials said in a statement that Isik reiterated Turkey's concerns to Mattis. They quoted Mattis as telling Isik that Washington's ties to the Kurdish fighters were a "temporary, short-term arrangement that derives from necessity and not from choice." Last week, Turkish officials said Washington pledged to reclaim weapons provided to the Kurds. ___ 7 p.m. The U.N. human rights chief is urging world powers fighting the Islamic State group in Raqqa to review their operations after his office tallied at least 173 civilian deaths by air and ground strikes in the Syrian city this month. Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein says the "conservative estimate" of the civilian death toll since June 1 comes as up to 100,000 others remain "effectively trapped" in Raqqa. Zeid, a prince from neighboring Jordan, also cited "worrying reports" about looting, abductions, arbitrary detention, and "the recruitment of children" by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in areas they control - like the town of Tabqa. In Raqqa, intense bombardment has left civilians "confused about where they can seek refuge as they are caught between ISIL's monstrosities and the fierce battle to defeat it," the rights chief said in a statement. He said civilians "must not be sacrificed for the sake of rapid military victories," and urged all sides to help civilians who wish to flee the fighting to do so safely. 1 ___ 5:15 p.m. The top U.S. envoy for the international coalition combatting the Islamic State group has met with members of a local council expected to administer the city of Raqqa in Syria following its capture from the militants. A member of the Raqqa Civil Council, Abdullah el-Erian, told the Kurdish-run ANHA news agency, that Brett McGurk's visit Wednesday is an "important message" as the U.S- backed fight to seize Raqqa continues. The two-hour meeting took place in Ayn Issa, a town about 30 miles north of Raqqa city, where the council is based. Details of the meeting were not immediately available. The fight for Raqqa began in earnest in early June, as Kurdish-led forces, backed by airstrikes from the international coalition, slowly advanced on several neighborhoods of the city considered the de-facto capital of the militant group. The local council was formed in April, including Arab and Kurdish local leaders, and has been assuming its duties to administer liberated areas in the province. ___ 2:45 p.m. Activists say a cluster bomb attack on an Islamic State-held village in eastern Syria has killed at least 15 people, including women and children. Two Syrian monitoring groups, Deir Ezzor 24 and Justice For Life, say the weapons were dropped by an unidentified jet over Doblan, a village on the Euphrates River. Russian, Syrian, and U.S.-led coalition aircraft are all known to fly sorties in the area. Cluster bombs are designed to spread small bomblets across a wide area. But many fail to explode, endangering civilians long after the fighting has ended. Omar Abou Layla, the head of Deir Ezzor 24, says the bodies of 15 victims have been recovered in the village. He said residents expect to find many more killed. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the initial toll at 30 dead. At least 57 people were killed in an airstrike on an IS-run jail in the Euphrates River Valley on Monday. ___ 9:30 a.m. Turkey's military says it has returned fire after a cross-border attack by Syrian Kurdish forces. A statement Wednesday said the People's Protection Units, or YPG, fired on Turkish territory overnight with anti-aircraft weapons from Syria's Afrin region. Turkish artillery units returned fire, destroying the "detected targets." The YPG is the main component of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S.-backed militia that is battling the Islamic State group in the extremists' de facto capital, Raqqa. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its southeast. Turkey was angered by a U.S. decision last month to arm the Syrian Kurds, fearing the weapons will end up in the hands of Kurdish rebels in Turkey. ROME (AP) - Italy's ruling center-left Democratic Party is picking up the pieces after a weekend drubbing in local elections while former Premier Silvio Berlusconi is basking in his latest political rebound and alliance with the anti-immigrant right. Democratic leader Matteo Renzi acknowledged internal divisions that have torn the Democratic Party apart, saying in a Facebook post Wednesday that he wanted to move beyond them to confront issues that Italians care about. But his culture minister, Dario Franceschini, said the party had to do some soul-searching after it lost its longtime stronghold of Genoa and other cities to a center-right alliance headed by Berlusconi's Forza Italia and the anti-immigrant Northern League. Matteo Renzi waves as he arrives to attend a panel on "The challenges of Jihadism and populism", in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Center-left alliances anchored by former Premier Renzi's Democrats lost, Sunday June 25, several key mayoral runoffs to center-right forces, including an anti-immigrant party. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Berlusconi said he was particularly pleased with the win in L'Aquila, which suffered a devastating 2009 earthquake when he was premier. TOKYO (AP) - A Japanese airline said Wednesday it has apologized for making a wheelchair user hoist himself up a staircase from the tarmac to board his flight. Hideto Kijima faced the problem earlier this month while returning to Osaka from the southern island of Amami with friends. Vanilla Air, the budget affiliate of Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways, told him before boarding on June 5 that the small airport requires the use of stairs and has no lift to safely carry a disabled person onto the plane. Vanilla also refused to let his friends carry him in his wheelchair or separately. Hideto Kijima of Japan speaks to the media in Osaka, western Japan, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Vanilla Air, the budget affiliate of All Nippon Airways has apologized for making wheelchair user Kijima hoist himself up the stairs from the tarmac to board his flight. Kijima faced the problem this month while returning to Osaka from the southern island of Amami with his friends.(Yuki Sato/Kyodo News via AP) Kijima, 44, who is paralyzed from the waist down, wrote on his blog that he got out of the wheelchair, resisted airline staff who tried to stop him and hoisted himself up the stairs with his arms, a process that took several minutes. "I just had to ignore them and keep moving up, or I could not go back to Osaka," he wrote. One of his friends helped push him, and at the top he was put into a wheelchair and taken to his seat. "I've never thought I would be refused to fly for not being able to walk," he said. "It's a human rights violation." Vanilla said it has apologized to Kijima and that new lifts are being installed. "We apologized to him for the unpleasant experience," Vanilla spokesman Akihiro Ishikawa said. "We also explained that we are taking measures to improve our service." Japanese media reported on his ordeal on Wednesday. Kijima, an advocate of barrier-free traveling, says he has visited 158 countries and used 200 airports, and has never been rejected before. He says he is not asking for fancy equipment but just some assistance. Ishikawa said Amami is the only airport on Vanilla's 14 international and domestic routes without lifts for wheelchair users. ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at twitter.com/mariyamaguchi Her work can be found at https://www.apnews.com/search/mari%20yamaguchi WAVERLY, Ohio (AP) - A family who Ohio authorities have called the "special focus" of an investigation into the slayings of eight members of a different family say they are being harassed by the state attorney general's office despite their cooperation. The family's attorney, John Kearson Clark, told the Cincinnati Enquirer (http://cin.ci/2uhorMM ) on Tuesday that the four Wagner family members provided laptops, phones and DNA samples to investigators, and agreed to be interviewed about the Rhoden family slayings in Pike County in April 2016. The Wagner family lived in Peebles, Ohio, at the time of the killings but recently moved to Alaska. "The authorities (using the media) want the public to believe that the Wagners are responsible and have absconded," Clark told the newspaper. "If that were true, why would the Wagners have come forward on their own and agreed to give whatever limited information they had?" Clark said the family is being "harassed while the real killer or killers are out there." Last week, Attorney General Mike DeWine and Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader issued a statement asking for information about the Wagners and included driver's license photos of George "Billy" Wagner III, his wife, Angela, and their two adult sons, George and Edward "Jake". DeWine wouldn't say this week why investigators are focusing on the Wagners, the newspaper reported. The release said investigators wanted to hear from people who had conversations with the Wagners, including information about vehicles, firearms and ammunition. The Wagners have denied any involvement in the shooting deaths of Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; his wife, Dana Manley Rhoden, 37; his children, Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20; Hanna Rhoden, 19; Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16; his brother, Kenneth Rhoden, 44; cousin Gary Rhoden, 38; and Frankie Rhoden's fiancee, Hannah Gilley, 20. Angela Wagner has said her husband and Christopher Rhoden Sr. were more like brothers than friends. Jake Wagner was once Hanna Rhoden's boyfriend and shared custody of their 3-year-old daughter at the time of the massacre. Investigators earlier this month searched the Wagners' farm in Peebles, a farm owned by Billy Wagner's father, and the family's packed belongings for the move to Alaska. The family was in Alaska during the searches. Authorities suspect there were multiple attackers who were familiar with the Rhodens' homes and the surrounding area. The motive behind the April 22, 2016, killings remains a mystery. ___ Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis gave the Catholic church five new cardinals Wednesday, somberly instructing them to act as servants and not "princes" in a world where innocents are dying from wars and terrorism, slavery persists and refugee camps often are living hells. Reflecting Francis' attention to the poor, three of the five cardinals hail from developing nations and regions: Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun of Laos; Bamako Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Mali; and Monsignor Gregorio Rosa Chavez, who continued working as a parish priest while serving as San Salvador's auxiliary bishop. The other two elevated churchmen are Barcelona, Spain, Archbishop Juan Jose Omella, who early in his clerical career worked as a missionary in Zaire; and Stockholm Bishop Anders Arborelius. The Swedish prelate last year welcomed Francis to his country, where Lutherans are the majority Christian group. Pope Francis arrives in St.Peter's Basilica to celebrate a mass on the occasion of a Consistory where he will elevate five new Cardinals, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinals are often referred to as "princes of the church," a reflection of their prestigious roles of advising the pope and electing his successor, as well as their often-posh residences. But Francis in his homily told the five new cardinals that Jesus "didn't call you to become 'princes,' in the Church," but instead chose them to "serve" God and people. Some media had speculated that Zerbo, Mali's first-ever cardinal wouldn't show up for the ceremony or even be made cardinal after recent European news media reported that Zerbo was one three Mali prelates who had multi-million euro Swiss bank-accounts. If Francis was upset by the reports, it didn't show when he placed the prestigious red biretta, the square, three-ridged hat cardinals wear, on Zerbo's head. As he did with the other four cardinals, Francis gave the African prelate a fraternal embrace and said a few words to him. Zerbo, on his knees, leaned forward, his head bowed. Francis, an Argentine and the first Jesuit pope, has said he wants the church hierarchy to serve the poor. The pope told his newest cardinals to be focused on the suffering in the world. "The reality is innocents who suffer and die for wars and terrorism; slaveries that do not cease to deny dignity even in the age of human rights," he said. .The pope also spoke of "refugee camps that sometimes resemble more a hell than a purgatory," and decried what he called "the systematic discarding of all that isn't needed any more, included persons." Zerbo has worked for reconciliation in Mali, an impoverished country bloodied by Islamist extremism and where Muslims constitute the predominant religious majority. But as the cardinal-making ceremony neared, his reputation as a peacemaker was overshadowed by news reports that 12 million euros ($13.5 million) were held in Swiss bank accounts in the names of Zerbo and two other top-ranking Catholic churchman from Mali. A fellow Mali bishop who has been identified as one of the account-holders and who came to Rome for the cardinals' ceremony, declined in an interview with The Associated Press to explain where the money came from or for what it might have been use. Vatican officials have said it is common for bishops working in unstable countries to deposit church funds in either the Vatican or European banks and made clear Francis would go head and make Zerbo a cardinal. New Cardinal Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, from Laos, is greeted by Pope Francis after receiving the red three-cornered biretta hat during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) An unidentified Cardinal holds his biretta hat as he waits for the start of a mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the occasion of a Consistory where the pontiff will elevate five new Cardinals, in St.Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) New Cardinal Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, from Laos, receives the red three-cornered biretta hat from Pope Francis during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) New Cardinal Jean Zerbo, of Mali, leaves after he received the red three-cornered biretta hat from Pope Francis during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) New Cardinal Jean Zerbo, of Mali, is greeted by Pope Francis after he received the red three-cornered biretta hat during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) New Anders Arborelius, Archbishop of Stockholm, receives the red three-cornered biretta hat from Pope Francis during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) New Cardinal Juan Jose Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, receives the red three-cornered biretta hat from Pope Francis during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, center, waves to faithful prior to the start of a mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the occasion of a Consistory where the pontiff will elevate five new Cardinals in St.Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinal designate Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Mali arrives in St.Peter's Basilica for the Consistory where he will be elevated, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinal designate Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Mali arrives in St.Peter's Basilica for the Consistory where he will be elevated, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) New Cardinal Jean Zerbo, of Mali, receives the red three-cornered biretta hat from Pope Francis during a consistory inside the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinal designate Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Mali arrives in St.Peter's Basilica for the Consistory where he will be elevated, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinals gather in St.Peter's Basilica prior to the start of a mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the occasion of a Consistory where the pontiff will elevate five new Cardinals, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinals gather in St.Peter's Basilica prior to the start of a mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the occasion of a Consistory where the pontiff will elevate five new Cardinals, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinal designate Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Mali arrives in St.Peter's Basilica for the Consistory where he will be elevated, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Cardinal designate Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Mali arrives in St.Peter's Basilica for the Consistory where he will be elevated, at the Vatican Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump attacked The Washington Post and Amazon on Twitter Wednesday, arguing that the online retailer was not paying "internet taxes." Trump stated on Twitter Wednesday: "The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!" It was not immediately clear what Trump meant by "internet taxes." The White House declined to answer questions about the president's statement. Amazon.com collects state sales taxes in all 45 states with a sales tax and the District of Columbia, according to their website. State governments have sought to capture sales taxes lost to internet retailers, though they have struggled with a 1992 Supreme Court ruling that retailers must have a physical presence in a state before officials can make them collect sales tax. Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Washington Post spokeswoman Shani George declined comment. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2013. He made the purchase as an individual and Amazon.com Inc. was not involved. Bezos was one of a number of technology executives who visited the White House recently for a strategy session on modernizing government. Trump has taken shots at Bezos and Amazon on Twitter before. In 2015, he wrote that Bezos bought the Post "for purposes of keeping taxes down at his no profit company, @amazon." He added that "If @amazon ever had to pay fair taxes, its stock would crash and it would crumble like a paper bag. The @washingtonpost scam is saving it!" In a break from long-held presidential tradition, Trump has so far refused to release his federal tax returns. ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (AP) - The mother of a 16-year-old transgender boy who is being denied access to the boys' restroom at his high school is suing a Florida school board. The boy, identified as Drew Adams in the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court, attends the Allen D. Nease High School, in Ponte Vedra, Florida. Drew was born a girl but has identified as a boy since 2015. According to the complaint filed against the St. Johns County School Board, the boy's mother says her son began being denied access to boys' restrooms after an anonymous report was made in September 2015. After the report was made, school's counselors instructed the boy to refrain from using boys' restrooms and to use gender-neutral restrooms instead. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A Pakistani man has been sentenced to four years in prison for laundering nearly $20 million as part of an international computer and telephone hacking scheme. Muhammad Sohail Qasmani, formerly of Bangkok, Thailand, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday by a federal judge in New Jersey, along with two years of supervised release and ordered to pay nearly $72 million in restitution. Prosecutors say he laundered the money as part of a scheme where hackers reprogrammed unused telephone extensions from businesses to make calls to premium telephone numbers. Qasmani pleaded guilty to laundering money to about 650 people in at least 10 countries. The Pakistani man prosecutors say ran the scheme remains a fugitive. ___ Based on updated information from prosecutors, this story has been corrected to show that Qasmani was sentenced to four years in prison, not more than four years. LONDON (AP) - The Latest on British Prime Minister Theresa May's minority government: (all times local): 7:15 p.m. Britain's Conservative minority government has passed its first test in Parliament since an election wiped out its majority, with lawmakers rejecting an opposition demand for an end to public-spending cuts. British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street in London, to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) The House of Commons voted 323 to 309 Wednesday against a call by the main opposition Labour Party for a pay raise for public-sector workers and an end to cuts to police and firefighting budgets. The vote was the first the government faced in Parliament since the June 8 election. It came after several days of debate on last week's Queen's Speech, which laid out government plans for the next two years. May's government defeated Labour's proposal thanks to a deal with the 10 lawmakers from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, who have agreed to support the Tories on key votes. ___ 4:10 p.m. A victory for Britain's Labour Party on a proposal to raise the pay of public-sector workers could topple Prime Minister Theresa May's new minority government. Weariness with austerity was a factor driving voters in this month's early general election away from the Conservatives and toward Labour, which to boost spending. The election left the Conservatives several votes short of a parliamentary majority and severely undermined May's authority. In a possible sign of compromise, ministers suggested they might ease up on austerity and lift a wage cap that has limited public sector pay increases to as little as 1 percent a year. Treasury chief Philip Hammond said the Conservatives were "not deaf" to the message delivered by the election. May called the June 8 snap vote in a misjudged attempt to increase her grip on power. ___ 11:45 a.m. Britain's Conservative minority government is facing its first test in Parliament since the June 8 election, as lawmakers vote on an opposition demand for an end to public spending cuts. The main opposition Labour Party is calling for a pay raise for public-sector workers and an end to cuts to police and firefighting budgets. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says that, after recent disasters and deadly attacks, "you can't have safety and security on the cheap." The Conservatives have slashed public spending since 2010 in an attempt to reduce Britain's deficit. This month's election left the Conservatives several votes short of a parliamentary majority, and defeat Wednesday could topple Prime Minister Theresa May's government. But it is likely to survive thanks to a support deal with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party. British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street in London, to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Advertisement A Chicago Cubs outfielder flipped the bird while posing with President Donald Trump during an Oval Office meet-and-greet with the World Series champions on Wednesday. Albert Almora, Jr, the Cubs center fielder, extended his middle finger while standing just a few feet from Trump as the president sat down at the Resolute Desk. Almora has his hands in his pocket, but the left middle finger is clearly extended. The photograph was snapped by the Chicago Sun Times and later posted on Twitter. Before arriving at the White House, Almora told the Sun Times he was looking forward to meeting Trump. 'I just look at it as its not every day you get to meet the President of the United States,' he said. 'And in a year I get to meet two.' Trump welcomed the manager and several players from the Cubs to the White House. The president met with manager Joe Maddon and some Cubs on Wednesday, and he calls the Cubs a 'great team'. Scroll down for video Albert Almora, Jr (seen right in the checkered shirt), the Cubs center fielder, extended his middle finger while standing just a few feet from President Donald Trump as the president sat down at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office on Wednesday Almora, Jr came to the Obama meeting dressed in business attire - in stark contrast to his casual appearance at Trump's side Trump welcomed the manager and several players from the World Series champion Chicago Cubs to the White House on Wednesday. They gave him a team jersey printed with '45' in recognition of his status as the 45th US president The president met with manager Joe Maddon (right) and some Cubs on Wednesday, and he calls the Cubs a 'great team'. Trump is seen standing in front of the World Series trophy The Cubs are in Washington to play the Nationals. This is the second time they've visited the White House in the past five months Maddon said he was going to the White House out of respect for the Ricketts family, which owns the Cubs and donated to Trump's campaign. Trump shakes hands with Todd Ricketts (left) They gave him a team jersey printed with '45' in recognition of his status as the 45th US president. Maddon had said the visit was voluntary for players and not an official trip. Maddon said he was going to the White House out of respect for the Ricketts family, which owns the Cubs and donated to Trump's campaign. In November, then-President elect Trump nominated Ricketts to serve as deputy secretary of commerce in his administration, but Ricketts eventually withdrew from consideration because he was unable to meet ethics requirements related to his business holdings. In January, the Cubs visited President Barack Obama at the White House after winning the World Series and shortly before his term ended Almora's face is circled in the above photo. Before arriving at the White House, Almora told the Sun Times he was looking forward to meeting Trump While 10 Cubs players skipped the meeting with Trump on Wednesday, just four were reportedly absent for the trip to the White House in January The Cubs are in Washington to play the Nationals. In January, the Cubs visited President Barack Obama at the White House after winning the World Series and shortly before his term ended. During that trip Almora looked a lot smarter, wearing a suit for the occasion rather than the plaid shirt and jeans he wore Wednesday. According to the Sun Times, 10 Cubs players surveyed before the event said they planned to skip the visit to Trump's White House. Since taking office, a number of professional athletes have expressed displeasure over the prospect of visiting the polarizing Trump in the White House. Earlier this month, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said that if the team is invited to visit the White House after winning the NBA championship then he probably won't go. 'Somebody asked me about it a couple months ago, a hypothetical, if a championship were to happen, what would I do,' Curry said. 'I answered I wouldn't go. I still feel that way today.' Curry's comment came two days after Golden State defeated Cleveland 129-120 to wrap up their series in five games and earn their second NBA championship in three years. Since taking office, a number of professional athletes have expressed displeasure over the prospect of visiting the polarizing Trump in the White House, but Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo above said it was 'an honor' It is a tradition in the United States that professional sports teams visit the White House as the Chicago Cubs did in January when they spent time with Obama after capturing their 2016 Major League Baseball title. In April, several members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots declined to attend a celebration at the White House as an act of protest against Trump. Nonetheless, some members of the Cubs insisted it was important to go to the White House. 'I'm going because its the United States of America, and Id rather not live anywhere else except this country,' said first baseman Anthony Rizzo. In April, several members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots declined to attend a celebration at the White House as an act of protest against Trump. The president is seen above accepting a jersey from Patriots owner Robert Kraft (right) 'Its an honor. No political ties. Its the White House.' In fairness, a number of Cubs didn't make it to the White House when Obama was president - Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Jon Lester, and Hector Rondon. Rondon said that he prefers to get ready for his team's game against the Nats this evening. 'I prefer to stay in my room, get rest and get prepared for the game,' he said. Lackey said he plans to go Wednesday, though he wouldn't elaborate. 'Im not saying anything political for a quote,' he told the Sun Times. Another Cubs star, Jason Heyward, said he would not be attending. 'Some guys didnt go last time,' he said. 'Some guys arent going this time.' 'I just dont feel like I want to go,' said reliever Pedro Strop. SAO PAULO (AP) - A prosecutor says government budget cuts could affect the Federal Police investigation into the country's biggest corruption scandal. Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima is involved in the probe into billions of dollars in inflated construction contracts and kickbacks to politicians that has landed dozens of the country's elite and politicians in jail. The federal police have announced they will temporarily stop issuing passports because of a lack of sufficient funds. Lima says on his Facebook page Wednesday that the lack of funds shows that President Michel Temer's government is "suffocating" the Federal Police. He says other investigations across the country could be affected. The president's office and the federal police had no immediate comment. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the announcement of new security measures for international flights (all times local): 4 p.m. The Homeland Security Department is demanding that airlines around the world step up security measures for international flights bound for the United States. If they don't, they could face the possibility of a total electronics ban for planes. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly announced the rollout of new security rules on Wednesday. Compliance with the new rules could lead to removing a ban on laptops and other large electronics from passenger cabins on flights to the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East and Africa. It could also stave off a much-discussed expansion of the ban to flights from Europe. ___ 11 a.m. The Homeland Security Department is set to announce new security for international flights bound to the United States. Industry and U.S. officials briefed on the announcement said airports and airlines around the world will be required to implement the measures. If they don't, their passengers may be barred from carrying laptops and other large electronics in passenger cabins. Such a laptop ban has been in place at 10 airports in the Middle East and Africa. The new policy could lead to those bans being lifted. Neither official provided a timeline for compliance. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the changes publicly before the government announcement. ___ AP writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report. Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ___ June 28 The New York Times on the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights: Civil rights organizations and some members of Congress are troubled by the Trump administration's rollback of civil rights enforcement generally, but they are particularly worried by what is going on at the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. The office has played a crucial role in protecting the rights of transgender students and victims of sexual assault and especially in forcing school districts to abandon disciplinary policies that unfairly single out minority children for suspension and expulsion. This issue came to the fore this month when the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Candice Jackson, sent a memo to the office's regional directors backing away from a policy that requires investigators to look for systemic problems - and whole classes of victims - when civil rights complaints emerge. The department says the new policy will expedite investigations, but critics rightly argue that it could discourage the staff from opening cases at all. Over the past decade, investigators often looked at years of data to determine if discrimination, harassment and other problems raised in a complaint indicated a systemic problem that affected other students in the same school district or institution. That kind of data collection has allowed the department to ferret out trends that might otherwise have been missed - notably concerning school disciplinary practices. For example, in 2014 parents and educators across the country were startled to learn that minority children were subjected to excessive disciplinary practices at every level in the public schools. Federal data showed that minority preschoolers - mere 4-year-olds - were nearly four times as likely to be suspended as their white peers, at an age when they cannot absorb the lesson from such a punishment. Federal civil rights officials issued guidance showing districts how to avoid such discriminatory policies. Beyond that, the data has had a powerful effect on researchers wo have begun looking into the roots of this serious problem. Civil rights groups and lawmakers are worried that the Education Department is preparing to abandon the role it is supposed to play in prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex and disability. The United States Commission on Civil Rights - an independent bipartisan agency that advises the government - has begun an investigation into the administration's retreat, citing the Education Department as a place of particular concern. And on Tuesday, Senate Democrats demanded that the department furnish information about how investigations are being handled and why the policy was changed. In addition, a bipartisan group of House members have asked the department to maintain guidance issued by the Obama administration for combating sexual violence in schools of kindergarten through 12th grade. This represents a good start. But civil rights groups and federal lawmakers need to keep bird-dogging this agency whose job is to protect America's schoolchildren Online: https://www.nytimes.com/ ___ June 27 The Washington Post on Ford's shift to China: As a candidate for the White House, Donald Trump blasted the Ford Motor Company for planning to shift production of its leading compact car, the Focus, to Mexico. He even went so far as to threaten a huge tariff on any and all U.S. cars formerly produced in this country that might be exported from Mexico back into the United States. After Mr. Trump's election, Ford seemed to cave by announcing it would not be building the cars in Mexico after all. So what are we to make of the surprising facts that Ford now plans to make the Focus in President Trump's other trade nemesis - China - and that the Trump administration's response is, essentially, "whatever"? Ford's move just "shows how flexible multinational companies are in terms of geography," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross observed. You don't say! Lesson one: Economic reality is stubborn. Gas prices are plunging. Ergo, the American consumer can afford to indulge a preference for larger vehicles, to the detriment of smaller, fuel-efficient models such as the Focus, U.S. sales of which fell 31?percent between 2012 and 2016. Assembling these slow-selling vehicles in high-wage American factories is not profitable; even nonunion Japanese and Korean carmakers are de-emphasizing small-car production in the United States, in favor of SUVs and crossovers. Mr. Trump's coercion was bound to fail, and while it's not ideal to see any production shift overseas, kudos to Ford for calling Mr. Trump's dictatorial bluff - especially because the company plans not to lay off workers but to redeploy them producing pickups and SUVs in Michigan. A second lesson, though, is that government subsidy can't overcome fundamental market dynamics either. Ford was the recipient of a $5.9?billion low-interest loan from the Energy Department, authorized under a bipartisan program signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007 but funded by the Obama administration in 2009, the purpose of which was to help Ford produce the next generation of fuel-efficient vehicles in the United States. "We have an historic opportunity to help ensure that the next generation of fuel-efficient cars and trucks are made in America," President Barack Obama said . A declared purpose of the huge loan was to convert two truck factories to car production. The loan did, indeed, help Ford raise the fuel efficiency of its best-selling F-150 pickup (which it might have done anyway to meet stricter federal standards). But as Ford's recent moves demonstrate, the dream of hot-selling gas sippers, made in the U.S.A., has apparently died, a victim of low gas prices and high U.S. production costs. Is it too much to hope that the federal government will stop purporting to micromanage specific business-location decisions using either threats or bribes? The right approach is to enhance business conditions generally - especially through corporate tax reform - so that the United States remains competitive with all the other places in the world where capital may freely locate. Mr. Ross seemed to concede this, noting that after Ford's move, German and Japanese automakers will be attracted to this country by Mr. Trump's "reforms." So we're wondering: What was the point of all that protectionist fuss? Online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ___ June 27 The Los Angeles Times on a Supreme Court decision on playgrounds: On Monday, the Supreme Court decided a case that despite its mundane subject matter - the resurfacing of a preschool playground - was viewed by some conservatives as an opportunity for the court to radically redefine the constitutional relationship between church and state. Fortunately, the court did no such thing. That's good news at a time when the culture wars over the role of religion in public life have become inflamed. At issue in the case was an application by the Trinity Lutheran Church Child Learning Center of Columbia, Mo., for a state grant to resurface its playground using rubber from recycled tires. The state rejected the request, citing a provision in Missouri's constitution, similar to those in many other states, that says, "no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion." By a 7-2 vote, the court ruled that Missouri had violated the constitution in rejecting the preschool's application. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. explained that the 1st Amendment's Free Exercise Clause "protects religious observers against unequal treatment and subjects to the strictest scrutiny laws that target the religious for special disabilities based on their religious status." Roberts insisted that Monday's ruling "is unremarkable in light of our prior decisions." He's right. In 1947, for example, the court upheld a New Jersey law enabling a school district to reimburse parents for the public transportation costs of sending their children to parochial as well as public schools. But if this case was so straightforward, why did religious conservatives attach so much importance to it? The answer is that they hoped that the court would rule for Trinity Lutheran Church in much more sweeping terms that would make it clear that states couldn't ban subsidies even for pervasively religious educational programs at parochial schools. Some conservatives also hoped that the court would overrule a 2004 decision in which it upheld the state of Washington's refusal to include students studying for the ministry in a state scholarship program. Instead, Roberts highlighted the distinctions between the two cases; the 2004 case involved longstanding concern about state subsidy of the clergy, not merely the resurfacing of a playground. We had urged the court to hand down a narrow decision focused on the specific facts of the playground program. The court has followed that advice. Online: http://www.latimes.com/ ___ June 27 The Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Senate health care bill: Twice now, the Congressional Budget Office has provided a clear message to Republicans rolling out health reform legislation: The "cures" the party has proposed are far worse than the Obamacare ills the bills try to fix. Late Monday, the CBO's nonpartisan group of economists released its review of the Senate bill that has been crafted with little input from consumers, patients, medical providers or the state leaders who would be forced to grapple with the drastic cuts to Medicaid the legislation calls for. Not surprisingly, the CBO's "score" of a bill written by politicians for politicians signals that the reforms serve wealthy GOP supporters at the expense of the poor, the seriously ill, early retirees and working-class families struggling to pay for health insurance. Compared with former President Barack Obama's reforms, 22 million fewer people would have health insurance in 2026. The Senate bill also pulls out $772 billion from the Medicaid program over the same time period, recklessly leaving states, which jointly fund the program, to deal with the fallout. Premiums for consumers buying individual health insurance would rise across the board in 2018 and 2019. After that, most - particularly those who are older or sicker - would pay considerably more to maintain the level of coverage they have under Obama reforms. On its face, the Senate bill's score is slightly better than the CBO's assessment of the previously released House plan, which would result in 1 million more Americans lacking coverage. But the CBO score doesn't reflect the steeper cuts the Senate bill makes to Medicaid after 2026. Minnesota experts are understandably issuing extraordinary warnings about these steep future cuts. "Nursing homes, a lot of them, will probably close because they will not be able to survive," said Lynn Blewett, a nationally respected University of Minnesota health policy expert, at a Saturday health reform forum in Burnsville. Blewett's concern is justified. Both the House and Senate plans go far beyond rolling back the Obama law's expansion of Medicaid to needy adults. The program, which is jointly funded by the states and the federal government, provides medical care for the poor and, as part of this, pays for the bulk of long-term care for the elderly and disabled. One in two Minnesotans in a nursing home relies on Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. In assessing the Senate bill's potential damage, it's also important to remember the expensive remedy the Minnesota Legislature crafted this year to stabilize the state's individual health insurance market, where consumers were hit with soaring price hikes. The solution: a $600 million "reinsurance" program to offset the cost of patients with costly, ongoing medical needs. In turn, it was hoped that this would reduce by 20 percent the premiums of the roughly 5 percent of Minnesotans who buy insurance on their own. Many Minnesotans struggling to afford individual policies under Obamacare earned slightly too much to qualify for the financial aid the law made available to discount premiums. But the Senate bill does the opposite of what's needed by significantly lowering the financial eligibility line to qualify for premium assistance. The aid also would be skimpier for many of those who qualify. The result: more individual market consumers unable to afford coverage, leaving legislators in Minnesota and elsewhere on the hook for future rounds of reinsurance or other pricey aid. The skimpier premium aid could also affect MinnesotaCare funding, creating another legislative budget headache here. The Senate bill's path through the chamber is far from assured, even as a vote is expected before August. The CBO has provided a factual analysis raising multiple red flags. Senators ought to heed, not ignore, these concerns. Online: http://www.startribune.com/ ___ June 26 The Chicago Tribune on the U.S. Supreme Court's travel ban decision: Because President Donald Trump failed to devise a reasonable and effective short-term travel ban, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in Monday to help. And a good thing too. The checks-and-balances system exists to handle these moments. Here we have a mess that goes back to the first week of Trump's presidency, when he issued a sweeping executive order on national security grounds that would have shut down travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries for 90 days. The order, meant to protect America from terrorism, was overly broad. The rollout was thoroughly botched too. Remember those chaotic scenes from O'Hare and other airports when some legal U.S. residents were detained? Federal courts blocked the program, which represented the first step in guiding Trump back onto solid constitutional ground. Trump tried again with a narrower order targeting citizens of six countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen (Iraq was omitted). That order also was blocked - until the Supreme Court's Monday action. The high court said it will hear arguments on the ban in October, but until then split the difference between Trump's wishes and lower court concerns: The ban on visitors from six countries can be enforced, except on individuals who have an ongoing relationship with the United States. They still can enter. Those individuals include, for example, someone with close family here or acceptance to an American university. The same ground rules apply to another part of the order putting a 120-day stop to the U.S. program for admitting refugees. Trump has legitimate cause to look closely at how the U.S. screens travelers and refugees to determine whether the system keeps the country safe or has deficiencies. The profile of a would-be terrorist has changed since the rise of Islamic State, with Europe suffering a number of serious attacks by individuals who had connections to Syria. Trump's decision to freeze travel from certain countries and suspend refugee arrivals could have been within his purview, if he had implemented his order responsibly. He didn't. The problem with Trump's effort is that it looked like the U.S. government was discriminating against a broad group of people based on their religion, in violation of the First Amendment. Trump, in the eyes of federal courts in Hawaii and Maryland, wasn't so much protecting America as targeting Muslims. Both courts reached their conclusions in March in part by examining Trump's record as a candidate, which included his 2015 statement "calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States." Appeals courts upheld the rulings, with one questioning whether Trump's actions breached the scope of authority granted by Congress. The issue of whether one can divine a presidential order's intent by parsing a presidential candidate's heated rhetoric is an interesting one, but the Supreme Court may not even need to go there. We don't like Trump's bombast, including his Twitter rants, because he often sounds irresponsible. But often his verbosity is irrelevant to his job responsibilities. In this situation, the details of Trump's immigration order are what count. Lower courts saw enough to sideline Trump's order. The Supreme Court will hear the full arguments. In the meantime, the administration doesn't have to sit on its hands. Officials can get on with the task of vetting U.S. immigration policy while blocking from entry foreigners without any U.S. ties. From a national security perspective, Trump could have been done with this process by now. If the president had gotten the details right the first time, the U.S. could have been admitting foreigners under newly tightened rules. Trump failed that early test of issuing rules within the confines of the law. Now the Supreme Court will have its say. Online: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ ___ June 27 The Khaleej Times on the U.S. travel ban: A partial ban on travelers from six Muslim countries is still a ban. It's discriminatory at its core though it may have the seal of approval from the US Supreme Court. But judges are human, after all, even in this age of artificial intelligence. They can be biased in their rulings. We can't blame them for lacking in intellect, but what is of concern is their inability to take into consideration the spirit of the law. The issue is about emotional intelligence - which fell short in this case. There is bias in the ruling even it is for the sake of security. From being a country that is open to people from different countries, religions and races, the US has now fallen victim to the fear of the unknown. US President Donald Trump finally got what he wanted after creating a climate of suspicion in the country. Two attempts were beaten back by the lower courts, but this verdict will please the administration. It will keep the president's White and male constituency of voters happy by pinning the blame on those who are yet to enter the country for a better life - they are not from here, so they could be dangerous. Guilty before arrival, is the verdict. The six countries included in the ban - Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya - have been rocked by civil war for decades. In the case of Iran, the government had fallen foul of Washington in the late seventies, after the revolution that wracked the country, and brought to power a regime of clerics. But this ban is about people, ordinary citizens of these countries who are fleeing strife and persecution. The argument made by the administration is that security measures at airports in these nations are inadequate and do not fall in line with US standards. Terrorists could slip through and make a break for it to the US. The argument is not without merits because these are places that are inimical to US interests. Under the revised rules, only people with bonafide links to the US may be considered for a visa. How do officials interpret these rules? Who gets to get in, and when? Get ready for another round of confusion. Online: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/ ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on the wife of the Orlando nightclub shooter (all times local): 3:30 p.m. The wife of the gunman in the Orlando nightclub shooting has been dropped from a civil lawsuit brought by survivors of the massacre and victims' families. An amended complaint filed last week in state court in South Florida dropped Noor Salman from the lawsuit, leaving only the security firm for which gunman Omar Mateen was employed as a defendant. The lawsuit alleges negligence and wrongful death by security firm G4S for maintaining Mateen's firearms license even though he had made threats against co-workers. Salman is facing two charges in federal court. Plaintiffs' attorneys didn't respond to calls and an email seeking further explanation. Forty-nine people were killed during the massacre last year. G4S has said it will vigorously defend itself and that the lawsuit is without merit. ___ 2:35 p.m. Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to keep an obstruction charge against the wife of the Orlando nightclub shooter. Prosecutors this week filed a response to a request from Noor Salman to dismiss a count she's facing. Salman was charged with aiding her husband, and obstruction for allegedly misleading investigators. The obstruction charge was filed in a federal district that covers Orlando, but she's accused of misleading investigators during an interview in Fort Pierce, which is in the Southern District of Florida. Salman argued that the obstruction charge was filed in the wrong venue. Prosecutors say Orlando is the proper place since that is where the investigation and court proceedings are taking place. Forty-nine people were killed after Salman's husband, Omar Mateen, opened fire at the Pulse nightclub last year. BOSTON (AP) - In a story June 24 about the auction of items connected to famous gangsters, The Associated Press, relying on information from the auction house, erroneously attributed the music and lyrics of a piece titled "Humoresque." While Al Capone did write down the music and lyrics, the piece was originally composed by Antonin Dvorak and written by Howard Johnson. A corrected version of the story is below: Al Capone pocket watch, song fetch over $100K at auction Artifacts connected to some of the nation's most notorious gangsters have sold for more than $100,000 By CRYSTAL HILL Associated Press BOSTON (AP) - Artifacts connected to some of the nation's most notorious gangsters sold for more than $100,000 at auction Saturday. A diamond pocket watch produced in Chicago in the 1920s and a musical composition that belonged to Al Capone were among the items that sold at the "Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen" auction. The watch fetched the most - $84,375 - according to Boston-based RR Auction. The winning bidder of the watch was not identified. The buyer is a collector who has an eye for interesting American artifacts, said RR Auction Executive Vice President Bobby Livingston. He was among about 30 internet, telephone and in-person bidders. A musical piece entitled "Humoresque" sold for $18,750. Capone wrote down the music and lyrics from the piece - originally composed by Antonin Dvorak and written by Howard Johnson - while he was in Alcatraz in the 1930s. It contains the lines: "You thrill and fill this heart of mine, with gladness like a soothing symphony, over the air, you gently float, and in my soul, you strike a note." Livingston told The Associated Press he wasn't surprised that the piece sold because of the way Capone "resonates in the American imagination." "The musical artifact gives insight into who this man was," Livingston said. "It humanizes him." Several items from infamous couple Bonnie and Clyde were big hits at the auction. An autographed "So Long" letter written by Bonnie Parker and signed by Clyde Barrow just before their deaths sold for $16,250. A pair of Texas arrest warrants fetched $8,125. Parker's silver-plated, three-headed snake ring fetched $25,000. The ring was not made by Barrow - a skilled amateur craftsman who engaged in jewelry making, woodworking and leathercraft behind bars - as originally believed, according to RR Auction's website. Clyde Barrow's nephew, Buddy Barrow, and Bonnie Parker's niece, Rhea Leen Linder, were in attendance. "I asked Buddy Barrow what his uncle would be thinking about the auction, he felt that Clyde would have said 'make as much money as you can,'" Livingston said. A letter written by John Gotti, the reputed head of the Gambino crime family in New York, didn't sell. The 1998 letter to the daughter of a mob associate urges the recipient to tell her father "to keep the martinis cold." Shane Allen Schindler, 30, admitted he attacked a police 'decoy mannequin' with a hammer, thinking it was a real person A Nevada man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder after trying to kill a mannequin that was staged to look like a homeless person. Police created the 'human decoy' in order to catch a man they believe bludgeoned two men to death and injured a third in downtown Las Vegas. They caught Shane Allen Schindler, who admitted Tuesday he attacked the mannequin with a hammer, thinking it was a real person. Under his plea deal, Schindler faces between eight to 20 years for attacking the mannequin - but he won't face charges in the January 4 bludgeoning death of Daniel Aldape, the February 3 killing of David Dunn and a November 30 assault on a sleeping homeless man. At least part of the reason is a lack of evidence in those attacks. 'This is good for the community, that he's taking this deal,' police Captain Andrew Walsh, commander of the downtown area where the attacks took place, said Wednesday. 'He's off the streets.' Schindler, 30, a former resident of Bay City, Michigan, remains jailed pending sentencing August 24. Walsh, who came up with the mannequin ruse, said it appeared clear that the deaths of Adalpe and Dunn were related. Both were attacked as they slept on the street and died of severe head injuries, although police couldn't say if a hammer was used each time. Neither had been robbed. The man who was attacked in November also was hit on the head while he slept, but he never saw his assailant, Walsh said. Prosecutors dropped a concealed weapon charge against Schindler relating to a four-pound ball-peen hammer police said he used to bash the blanket-covered head of the mannequin. Police watching on video swooped in to arrest Schindler immediately after the February 22 attack on what prosecutors referred to in court documents as a 'human decoy.' It had been placed by police in a normally deserted area of downtown Las Vegas in the hope of luring someone Walsh believed was a serial stalker of defenseless homeless people. The plea deal also avoided a possible legal fight over whether it is possible to kill an inanimate object in a state where legal precedent appears to support the charge. Under his plea deal, Schindler faces eight to 20 years for attacking the mannequin in downtown Las Vegas. He won't face charges in the January 4 bludgeoning death of Daniel Aldape (left), the February 3 killing of David Dunn (right) Laws in most states take into account what a defendant is thinking at the time of a crime, said Deborah Denno, a Fordham University law professor who has written about the legality/admissibility of decision-making by people who commit crimes. 'Most people would think you wouldn't get charged' for a mannequin attack, Denno said. 'This teaches us that criminal law really focuses on what's going through someone's mind,' she said Wednesday. 'That's what makes people dangerous and a threat to society.' In 1976 and 1989, the Nevada Supreme Court chose intent over effect when it rejected arguments about what justices termed 'the niceties of distinction between physical and legal impossibility'. Clark County Public Defender Phil Kohn wasn't available Wednesday to comment about Schindler's case. Schindler's court-appointed public defender, Ashley Sisolak, called the plea deal 'tough but fair,' and said it was in Schindler's best interest. The mother of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has criticised the Ministry of Defence, saying it failed to support her family. Fusilier Rigby, 25, was stabbed to death outside the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south London, in May 2013 while off duty. On the fourth anniversary of his murder, his family was celebrating his life when Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb, killing 22 people at the end of the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena. Lee Rigby was murdered in May 2013 (Ministry of Defence/PA) Lyn Rigby told the BBCS Victoria Derbyshire programme she had received no contact from the MoD to check were OK in the wake of the attack. She said: The support we had was from people wed never met the public. The Ministry of Defence barely support people who arent listed as next of kin. The main charities didnt want to know. Flowers left on London Bridge for the victims of the terrorist attack (Dominic Lipinski/PA) She told the programme the London Bridge terror attack in June felt like a repeat of the murder of her son who was also struck by a vehicle before being attacked with knives and a cleaver. I do get angry, but you cant give in to these people. You cant let them win, she said. Fusilier Rigbys killers, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, were sentenced to life in prison in December 2013 after they were found guilty of his murder. The Dutch government is partially liable for the deaths of some 300 Muslim men murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, an appeals court has ruled. The ruling largely upheld a civil courts 2014 judgment that said the state was liable in the deaths of the Bosnian Muslim men who were turned over by Dutch UN peacekeepers to Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995 and subsequently killed. Hague Appeals Court presiding judge Gepke Dulek says that because Dutch soldiers sent the men off the Dutch compound along with other refugees seeking shelter there, they were deprived of the chance of survival. Bosnian Serb army Gen Ratko Mladic drinks with Dutch commander Col Thom Karremans at a meeting a day before Dutch U.N. peacekeepers evacuated Bosnian Muslims from the troops' compound in Srebrenica in 1995 (AP) The men were among around 8,000 Muslim men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb forces in Europes worst massacre since the Second World War. The ruling angered a group of female relatives of victims of the massacre who were in court for the ruling. The court estimated the mens chances of survival if they had stayed in the Dutch compound at around 30%. It said in a statement: The state is therefore liable for 30% of the losses suffered by the relatives. Lawyers for the victims can now begin discussions with government lawyers about compensation. Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday is on his way to Austria to complete a season-long loan to Azerbaijani outfit Qabala. The boyhood Gers supporter has been told he is no longer part of Pedro Caixinhas plans and is free to leave this summer. Former Livingston player Halliday has sorted his Ibrox exit out just 24 hours after it emerged he had been left out of the Light Blues Europa League squad. He is currently heading to Salzburg, where Qabala are holding a summer training camp ahead of their new season. Talks are planned for tomorrow but the 25-year-old is expected to seal a 12-month loan deal. Halliday scores in last year's Scottish Cup final against Hibs (Jeff Holmes/PA) Qabala finished second in the Azerbaijan Premier League and will kick-off their own Europa League campaign against the winners of the tie involving Georgians Dinamo Batumi and Jagiellonia Bialystok of Poland next month. Meanwhile, Press Association Sport understands Rangers have been told Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean is not for sale. The Light Blues lodged an offer in the region of 300,000 last week but that has been booted out by Dons chiefs. They value the Scotland squad member closer to the 1million mark but are reluctant to sell to their Ladbrokes Premiership rivals after watching former club captain Ryan Jack make a switch to Govan earlier this summer. A 44-year-old man has been detained by police on suspicion of terrorism offences after a European Arrest Warrant was executed in the early hours of Wednesday. West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit arrested the man at an address in Sparkhill, Birmingham, on behalf of Spanish authorities who are investigating support for terror group Islamic State. The force said the investigation focuses on terrorism material created for use online. The arrested man is due before Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday (Kirsty O'Connor/PA) The arrested man is due before Westminster Magistrates Court today, police added. The man arrested in Birmingham was one of six people detained across Europe at the request of Spanish authorities investigating an alleged IS-supporting extremist group on the Balearic island of Majorca. The Spanish interior ministry said four people had been arrested in the islands capital, Palma de Mallorca, while another was held in Germany. Brexit is not at the top of the agenda for Germany, the countrys ambassador to the UK has confirmed in a further indication the European Union is looking to a future without the UK. But Peter Ammon said the UKs decision to leave the EU would not mean a divorce from Germany and the two countries would maintain close links. His comments came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron held a symbolic joint press conference at last weeks EU summit in an effort to show they were looking to the future rather than focusing on the UKs decision to leave. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron address the media at an EU summit in Brussels (Olivier Matthys/AP) On BBC Radio 4s Today programme, presenter Nick Robinson said people saw the two leaders together and thought: The truth is thats the future of Europe and Brexit is not terribly important to them, is it? Mr Ammon said: Unfortunately that is true. If you talk to people in Germany they would say that Brexit is not the top of the agenda, yes. The diplomat said he was unnerved about the tone of the Brexit debate but said both sides have to come together to address the issue of citizens rights. I am unnerved about this debate about a divorce. This is as if the two countries would be separated forever and not talk to each other after Brexit, he said. I think this overlooks the fact that we have so much in common. Even after Brexit we will, of course, trade, we will have exchange of students, of culture, of the arts. We share the same values in a very difficult and aggressive world around us, so we will not be separated. PM: I want all those EU citizens who are in the UK to have certainty about the future of their lives. pic.twitter.com/0l8TfK3JQn UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 23, 2017 Theresa Mays proposals for protecting the rights of the 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK and British expatriates on the continent have received a lukewarm response in Brussels and Mrs Merkel said the initial presentation of the plan at last weeks summit did not represent a breakthrough. Mr Ammon said: We are at the beginning of negotiations. I have never seen a negotiation starting with total agreement, where we could simply go home and probably you have made the wrong offer if that was the case. I think both sides have to come together. There was a strong will to do that, he added. The ambassador said it was worrying that the number of people learning German had fallen in recent years and said Britons should be more willing to learn another language. On the whole I find the readiness to learn a foreign language here is declining in this country and the German figures are really mind-boggling. In the last 10 years we have seen a reduction of 50% of students learning German. I can understand that it is tempting to rely on your lingua franca, English is the language of the world. The governor and lieutenant governor will not have to testify about their communications relating to the McKenzie County sheriff's removal case, but two prosecutors and the governor's attorney will. Special Commissioner Karen Klein issued an order Wednesday that said Doug Burgum and Brent Sanford do not have to give sworn interviews about any behind-the-scenes involvement they have had in the removal proceedings against Gary Schwartzenberger. Deputy Attorney General Troy Seibel, Governor's Counsel Leslie Oliver and former special prosecutor Bill O'Driscoll are required to give such interviews, Klein ordered. Schwartzenberger's attorney, Mike Geiermann, subpoenaed all of the above people, because he said he thinks Burgum's office improperly intervened to remove the sheriff. Burgum will ultimately judge if Schwartzenberger will lose his job, and Geiermann contends that means his office should not talk to or try to influence the prosecutor. Burgum's office has argued in case documents such communication is fine. The former U.S. magistrate said it would be inappropriate for the governor to testify, because he is the ultimate decision maker. Klein said that the defense had not shown enough involvement from Sanford to allow for his deposition. She is allowing subpoenas for O'Driscoll, the former prosecutor, and Oliver and Seibel, because it appears they communicated about the case. O'Driscoll wrote the governor a letter in March saying he wanted to dismiss the case for lack of evidence. Shortly thereafter, Oliver emailed him for an update, and the next day, O'Driscoll asked to continue with the case. He later asked to recuse himself entirely and the governor let him withdraw, case records show. Klein's role in the case is to oversee it and provide a recommendation to the governor, she wrote. "The governor and his counsel can reach their own conclusion about what is appropriate, and, if they are wrong, their position can be tested by the defendant when and if an appeal is taken to district court on this matter," she wrote in the order. Geiermann said he considers the ruling to be a "win" that will show whether the governor's office "prejudged this case." "I believe we will be able to find out most if not all of what we want to know," he said of such information as why O'Driscoll changed his position on the case and what role the governor's office played. Geiermann said he plans to schedule depositions next week. O'Driscoll did not respond to a phone and email message seeking comment on Wednesday. Liz Brocker, spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, which is prosecuting the case and representing the governor's office, declined to comment. "We don't comment on ongoing litigation," she said. "We do, of course, comply with court orders." Schwartzenberger, who remains suspended from his duties, is accused of bullying and retaliation within the office and is charged with a misdemeanor accusing him of misusing a county credit card. He has pleaded not guilty and is set for trial in September. GP services are on the brink of collapse, a leading doctor has said as it emerged that a record number of practices closed last year. Doctors at the British Medical Associations (BMA) annual meeting in Bournemouth heard that nearly 200 practices shut their doors to patients last year. Meanwhile there has been a stark rise in the number of patients seeking care from their GP, yet a quarter of appointments are avoidable, the conference heard. Nearly 200 general practices shut their doors to patients last year, the conference heard (Anthony Devlin/PA) One in four patients seen by GPs could have cared for themselves at home, been seen by another health professional or their appointments had been made for inappropriate or bureaucratic purposes, leading medic Dr Chaand Nagpaul said. He added: Every wasted GP appointment is an appointment denied to a sick patient. Dr Nagpaul, who is to take over as chair of the BMA council later this week, accused the Government of turning a blind eye to patients by ignoring pleas from the profession. He told delegates: The individual GP practice unit is frighteningly vulnerable, with one in 10 practices surveyed saying theyre not financially sustainable. A record number of practices closed last year - not surprising with one in three practices unable to fill GP vacancies. Real terms pay cuts damage morale across the NHS, when services are already understaffed. Time to #scrapthecap https://t.co/nNUpYkUf2d pic.twitter.com/abGl6RRQ78 The BMA (@TheBMA) June 28, 2017 He added: General practice remains on the brink of collapse, since fundamentally demand totally outstrips our impoverished capacity. Were seeing 50 million more patients annually in general practice compared to five years ago, with increasing care moving into the community and a growing older population - yet latest figures show that today we have fewer GPs per head than then. This mismatch has resulted in unmanageable workload with over eight in 10 GPs saying they cant provide safe care, which is an indictment of government policy that promotes safety in the NHS. We know that one in four GP appointments are avoidable - thats for patients who could have self-cared, or seen another professional, or appointments taken up for inappropriate or bureaucratic purposes. The priority must therefore be to liberate these appointments - that would in effect increase GP capacity by 25%, far greater than the political mirage of 5,000 more GPs - remembering that every wasted GP appointment is an appointment denied to a sick patient. Not wasting GP appointments is also key to addressing hospital pressures, since just a 6% reduction in GP appointment capacity would double the number of patients attending A&E if they went there instead - highlighting why under-resourcing general practice is so damaging for the NHS. Oxford are halfway through their interview process to appoint a new manager, amid reports that the League One club are interested in speaking to Frank Lampard about the vacancy. The Us are looking for a new boss after a compensation package was agreed with Leicester last week for Michael Appleton to become Craig Shakespeares assistant. Oxford chairman Darryl Eales has complied a shortlist of six candidates, with half of them having already been interviewed, although the club have remained tight-lipped about the identities of those in the running for the job. | Darryl Eales on how #oufc's search for a new Head Coach is well under way! https://t.co/tSKwdTVPEm Oxford United FC (@OUFCOfficial) June 22, 2017 Former England and Chelsea midfielder Lampard has been linked with the opening, along with ex-Stamford Bridge team-mate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and former Leeds assistant manager Pep Clotet, but Eales would not comment on any individuals. He told the Oxford Mail: We are 50 per cent of the way through interviews. There has been an absolutely superb quality of candidates. Lampard retired from playing last season after bringing the curtain down on a glittering career with a short stint at New York City. Frank Lampard celebrates The 39-year-old, who won the Champions League, three Premier League titles and four FA Cups with Chelsea en route to becoming the clubs record goal scorer, has yet to move into management but has publicly said it is a route he would like to take. MPs have rejected Labours amendment to the Queens Speech on day five of the debate, but what does that mean? Heres what you need to know. What was Labour proposing? Jeremy Corbyns party proposed scrapping the 1% cap on annual public sector pay rises, a restraint which has seen public sector wages lose value over the past four years. Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons The opposition also called for the recruitment of extra police officers and firefighters, and an end to police and emergency services cuts. How did the parties vote? Some 313 Conservatives were backed by the DUPs 10 MPs to defeat the amendment by 14 votes, in the minority Governments first Parliamentary test. There were 256 Labour votes in favour of the amendment, in addition to 35 SNP votes, 12 votes from the Liberal Democrats, four from Wales Plaid Cymru, one Green vote from party leader Caroline Lucas and one from independent Lady Hermon, a Northern Irish MP. Why was there confusion about the cap before the vote? The vote came after Downing Street sowed confusion about the fate of the cap. At one point in the day, a senior Treasury source suggested ministers were ready to review it, with a decision to be made in Chancellor Philip Hammonds Autumn Statement. However, a spokesman for Theresa May later denied the claim, saying the policy has not changed. The cap, which affects five million public sector employees, will remain until 2019/2020. What were the arguments during the debate? Nurses, firefighters and members of the police force are among the five million public sector workers who have been affected by the restricted wage increases, set in 2013. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Government will not make a decision on public sector pay until the pay review body has reported. Downing street maintained that keeping the cap for the time being would help to redress the economy. The spokesman said: We understand that people are weary after years of hard work to rebuild the economy. Public sector pay restraint is one of the tough choices weve had to make to balance the books after Labours crash and what was left behind. Some in support of the amendment pointed to the 1 billion deal the Tories struck with the DUP this week, suggesting the Government did not have its priorities in order if it could not find extra money to fund public sector wages. Following the vote, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Government had the perfect opportunity to walk the walk, but marched through the lobby to show Tory austerity is business as usual. While the money is there when the Conservatives need it to keep themselves in office, the rest of the country now face more devastating cuts to our emergency and other vital services. PARIS, June 26 (Reuters) - France's public deficit could stand at 3.2 percent in 2017, once again above the EU limit of 3 percent, broadcaster TF1 said on Monday, citing information from the national audit office. Earlier in June, France's central bank said that public finances were on course for a deficit of 3.1 percent of economic output this year, higher than the 2.8 percent predicted by the previous government. TF1 said that national audit officials, who will publish a review of estimates on Thursday, anticipated the deficit would be at 3.2 percent this year. "We shall see on Thursday," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told TF1. "The only thing I can confirm is that if we don't do anything before the end of the year, then we will not meet our European commitments." (Reporting by John Irish and Sophie Louet; editing by Mark Heinrich) By Anna Pujol-Mazzini LONDON, June 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Children and adults were forced to pick cotton in at least one project funded by the World Bank in Uzbekistan, where the cotton industry has been tainted by widespread forced labour, rights groups said on Tuesday. The Uzbek government forced students, teachers and doctors to plant cotton and harvest it from 2015 to 2017, stopping children from receiving a full education, Human Rights Watch and the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights said in a report. "The quality of education at all levels is greatly undermined even when children aren't sent out to work because their teachers are sent out to work," Jessica Evans, a Human Rights Watch researcher, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Half the time the kids are left alone because there aren't teachers in the room," she added. Those who refused to work on cotton fields risked being fired, expelled from school or having their welfare payments slashed, the report said. In one irrigation project funded by the World Bank spanning an area where the government had agreed to prohibit forced and child labour, researchers found children as young as 13 working in fields as well as adults who had been coerced into working. The World Bank provided almost $700 million in loans to the Uzbek government for agriculture and water projects in 2015 and 2016. "The World Bank Group does not condone forced labour in any form and takes seriously reports of incidents in the cotton sector of Uzbekistan," a World Bank spokesperson said in response to the report. "We continue to voice our strong concerns on labour issues to the government of Uzbekistan." Uzbek authorities could not be reached for comment. Human rights groups say Uzbekistan is concealing a state-orchestrated forced labour system that underpins its position as the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter. They cite regular arrests, intimidation and harassment of activists. This has sparked a global boycott almost 300 companies, including fashion giants such as Zara and Yves Saint Laurent, who pledged not to knowingly source Uzbek cotton until the government ends forced and child labour in the industry. Rights groups said the systemic nature of forced labour in the Uzbek cotton industry made it highly unlikely that any company sourcing a significant amount of cotton from Uzbekistan was free of forced labour in their supply chain. A leading campaigner against forced labour in Uzbekistan, Elena Urlaeva, was arrested in March ahead of an international meeting where she was scheduled to give evidence on human rights violations. She was released three weeks later. One of the few independent rights defenders in Uzbekistan, Urlaeva has regularly been beaten, arrested and sexually abused by Uzbek authorities, rights groups said. In early 2017, the International Labour Organization (ILO), found that although Uzbekistan is making progress in eliminating child labour from its cotton industry, forced labour was still widespread. ILO monitoring did not find any instances of forced or child labour in projects supported by the World Bank. (Reporting by Anna Pujol-Mazzini @annapmzn, Editing by Ros Russell. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) By Tom Miles GENEVA, June 27 (Reuters) - A major cholera outbreak in Yemen may have reached the halfway mark at 218,798 cases as a massive emergency response has begun to curb its spread two months into the epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. Two years into a devastating civil war between a Saudi-led coalition and Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, Yemen became a perfect breeding ground for the disease, which spreads by faeces getting into food or water and thrives in places with poor sanitation. Soon after the outbreak began, the WHO saw a risk that it could affect 300,000 people within six months. But it spread at double that speed, prompting a far-reaching emergency response that may have turned the corner. "We have never seen something so explosive in Yemen," Ahmed Zouiten, WHO's senior emergency adviser for Yemen, told Reuters. "We are really scaling up very aggressively our response and we hope that those results will start to show very rapidly." Although most of Yemen's health infrastructure has broken down and healthworkers have not been paid for more than six months, the WHO is paying "incentives" to doctors, nurses, cleaners and paramedics to staff an emergency cholera network. With funding help from the World Bank, the WHO is setting up treatment centres with 50-60 beds each, overseen by shifts of about 14 staff working around the clock. The aim is to reach 5,000 beds in total. But the bigger impact is being made by oral rehydration points with about 10 staff, whose job is to catch cholera cases before they become severe and need hospitalisation. The WHO wants to have 2,800 such sites - 10 for every treatment centre. "They are as close as possible to the people's dwellings, and we are able to get people who have just started to get diarrhoea," Zouiten said. The results are visible in the fatality rate, which show almost all governorates reporting daily deaths in single figures, or even zero. "The case fatality rate that is going down is a real thing," he said. A map of the outbreak shows that the worst hit areas are largely controlled by the Houthi rebels. The worst cholera blackspots are Amanat al-Asimah, around the capital Sanaa, the port region of Hodeidah, and Hajjah governorate. Case numbers in the first two have fallen sharply in the past week, and although Hajjah repeatedly topped 1,000 new daily cases, Zouiten said many were old cases being newly counted. Despite the war, trucks taking vast amounts of supplies to fight the epidemic have not encountered great difficulties in reaching areas in need. "So far, whenever we needed road permits, we've got (them), from both sides," Zouiten said. Normally an epidemic would be expected to recede as fast as it grew, but the WHO hopes that its aggressive response will stop the outbreak even faster than it erupted, helped by growing awareness in the community and the natural immunity of the many thousands of people who got sick and survived. (Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Mark Heinrich) AMSTERDAM, June 27 (Reuters) - The Dutch state on Tuesday announced plans to sell down its stake in ABN Amro bank from 70 percent to 63 percent. The Netherlands nationalised the Dutch parts of ABN Amro and former Fortis of Belgium during the 2008 financial crisis, and then partially reprivatised it via a 2015 initial public offering of shares. The NL Financial Investments agency, which oversees Dutch government investments, plans to gradually sell the state's stake in ABN down to zero. (Reporting by Toby Sterling, editing by David Evans) By Ian Simpson June 27 (Reuters) - A North Carolina man accused of murdering his neighbor and offering to pay an undercover agent to kill his parents was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for plotting mass shootings in the name of Islamic State, U.S. prosecutors said. Justin Sullivan, 21, of Morganton, was sentenced in federal court in Asheville on one count of attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, the Justice Department said in a statement. Sullivan had pleaded guilty in November 2016, and the agreement with prosecutors called for the life sentence. Prosecutors said Sullivan conspired with Junaid Hussain, a British hacker who was an online recruiter of people to carry out attacks on behalf of the militant group Islamic State. Hussain was killed by a U.S. air strike in Syria in 2015. Islamic State has carried out or inspired attacks in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Sullivan had discussed his plot online with an undercover federal agent, making plans to buy a semi-automatic rifle at a gun show and discussing potential targets. Sullivan said he would use the rifle at a concert, bar or club in an effort to kill as many as 1,000 people, the Justice Department statement said. At Sullivan's request, the undercover agent sent a homemade silencer to his home. Sullivan's mother opened the package. When his parents questioned him about the silencer, Sullivan offered to pay the agent to kill them so they would not interfere with his plans, the statement said. He was arrested in June 2015. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger likened Sullivan's plan to the deadly nightclub attack in Orlando in 2016. But he said his plot to use a silencer to kill as many people as possible made it even more sinister, prosecutors said in their statement. Sullivan told the judge he was not "a cold-blooded killer," the Charlotte Observer newspaper reported. Sullivan also faces a murder charge in state court in the 2014 death of his neighbor, John Bailey Clark. Prosecutors, who plan to seek the death penalty in that case, have said Sullivan told investigators he stole his father's rifle for use in that crime. (Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Dan Grebler) By Scott Malone BOSTON, June 27 (Reuters) - A Connecticut official said on Tuesday the state would reconsider policies that can limit gender-neutral bathrooms in public buildings following a lawsuit by Yale University, the latest skirmish in the broader U.S. fight about gender identity. The Ivy League school said in the lawsuit it wants to designate all single-occupant restrooms at its law school as gender neutral, but the plan runs afoul of the state building code, which does not count gender-neutral bathrooms when it assesses whether a public building has enough toilets. A spokeswoman for Governor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, said on Tuesday his administration would seek to grant Yale's request, which was made in a lawsuit filed on Friday in Connecticut Superior Court in New Haven. Yale sued after receiving complaints from law school students, seeking a waiver from requirements that single-user restrooms have an assigned gender label to count toward state requirements. "We stand firmly with Yale in their effort to create a more welcoming campus," Malloy spokeswoman Meg Green said in an email. "This has been a priority for Governor Malloy's administration and, now that this issue has been brought to our attention, we are prepared to work with Yale toward a solution." Restrooms have become a flashpoint in the fight over transgender rights, after North Carolina passed a law last year requiring people to use public restrooms that corresponded with their birth gender. The measure was partially repealed in March after the state lost hundreds of millions of dollars from economic boycotts. Texas lawmakers are expected to consider a similar measure next month. Proponents of the bathroom bills say they aim to protect individual privacy. That is not a factor in the Yale case, which focuses on single-occupant restrooms. "The proposed shift in designation to gender neutral ... would facilitate quick access to a bathroom within the building for persons of all gender identities," the 315-year-old university wrote in the lawsuit. The state code would require Yale to build more bathrooms to be in compliance with rules about the number of restrooms for men and women. The school said it would be impractical and unnecessary in its century-old law school building. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Bill Trott) By Silene Ramirez and Eyanir Chinea CARACAS, June 27 (Reuters) - A Venezuelan police helicopter strafed the Supreme Court and a government ministry on Tuesday, escalating the OPEC nation's political crisis in what President Nicolas Maduro called an attack by "terrorists" seeking a coup. The aircraft fired 15 shots at the Interior Ministry, where scores of people were at a social event, and dropped four grenades on the court, where judges were meeting, officials said. However, there were no reports of injuries. "Sooner rather than later, we are going to capture the helicopter and those behind this armed terrorist attack against the institutions of the country," Maduro said. "They could have caused dozens of deaths," he said. The 54-year-old socialist leader has faced three months of protests from opposition leaders who decry him as a dictator who has wrecked a once-prosperous economy. There has been growing dissent too from within government and the security forces. At least 75 people have died, and hundreds more been injured and arrested, in the anti-government unrest since April. Demonstrators are demanding general elections, measures to alleviate a brutal economic crisis, freedom for hundreds of jailed opposition activists, and independence for the opposition-controlled National Assembly legislature. Maduro says they are seeking a coup against him with the encouragement of a U.S. government eager to gain control of Venezuela's oil reserves, the largest in the world. Venezuela's government said in a communique the helicopter was stolen by investigative police pilot Oscar Perez, who declared himself in rebellion against Maduro. Images shared on social and local media appear to show Perez waving a banner from the helicopter reading "Liberty", and the number "350" in large letters. The number refers to the constitutional article allowing people the right to oppose an undemocratic government. A video posted on Perez' Instagram account around the same time showed him standing in front of several hooded armed men, saying an operation was underway to restore democracy. Perez said in the video he represented a coalition of military, police and civilian officials opposed to the "criminal" government, urged Maduro's resignation and called for general elections. "This fight is ... against the vile government. Against tyranny," he said. Local media also linked Perez to a 2015 action film, Suspended Death, which he co-produced and starred in as an intelligence agent rescuing a kidnapped businessman. On Tuesday, witnesses reported hearing several detonations in downtown Caracas, where the pro-Maduro Supreme Court, the presidential palace and other key government buildings are located. Opponents to Maduro view the Interior Ministry as a bastion of repression and also hate the Supreme Court for its string of rulings bolstering the president's power and undermining the opposition-controlled legislature. VOTE CONTROVERSY Opposition leaders have long been calling on Venezuela's security forces to stop obeying Maduro. However, there was also some speculation among opposition supporters on social media that the attack could have been staged to justify repression or cover up drama at Venezuela's National Assembly, where two dozen lawmakers said they were being besieged by pro-government gangs. Earlier on Tuesday, Maduro warned that he and supporters would take up arms if his socialist government was violently overthrown by opponents. "If Venezuela was plunged into chaos and violence and the Bolivarian Revolution destroyed, we would go to combat. We would never give up, and what couldn't be done with votes, we would do with arms, we would liberate the fatherland with arms," he said. Maduro, who replaced Hugo Chavez in 2013, is pushing a July 30 vote for a special super-body called a Constituent Assembly, which could rewrite the national charter and supersede other institutions such as the opposition-controlled congress. He has touted the assembly as the only way to bring peace to Venezuela. But opponents, who want to bring forward the next presidential election scheduled for late 2018, say it is a sham poll designed purely to keep the socialists in power. They are boycotting the vote, and protesting daily on the streets to try and have it stopped. Maduro said the "destruction" of Venezuela would lead to a huge refugee wave dwarfing the Mediterranean migrant crisis. "Listen, President Donald Trump," he said earlier on Tuesday. "You would have to build 20 walls in the sea, a wall from Mississippi to Florida, from Florida to New York, it would be crazy ... You have the responsibility: stop the madness of the violent Venezuelan right wing." Opposition to the July 30 vote has come not just from Venezuelan opposition parties but also from the chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega and one-time government heavyweights such as former intelligence service boss Miguel Rodriguez. Rodriguez criticized Maduro for not holding a referendum before the Constituent Assembly election, as his predecessor Chavez had done in 1999. "This is a country without government, this is chaos," he told a news conference on Tuesday. "The people are left out ... They (the government) are seeking solutions outside the constitution." The government said pilot Perez was linked to Rodriguez. Neither men, nor representatives for them, could be reached immediately to comment on the accusations. (Additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago, Girish Gupta, Eyanir Chinea, Andrew Cawthorne and Andreina Aponte; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Andrew Hay, Paul Tait and Himani Sarkar) North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven said Tuesday he doesnt support his partys health care legislation in its current form. Weve got to do some more work on it, he said. Hoevens comments came hours after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would delay a vote on the bill until after the July 4 recess. That dealt a setback to Republican efforts to repeal major parts of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. McConnell faced questions about whether he would have enough votes to pass the bill with a slim Republican majority after a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Monday predicted the legislation would increase the number of uninsured by 22 million by 2026. The CBO said the bill would reduce the federal deficit by $321 billion over the next decade. Hoeven said in a Monday evening statement the CBO score indicates that this legislation needs additional work and that health care reform will be a process, not one bill. After meeting with President Donald Trump and other administration officials with fellow Republican senators at the White House, Hoeven elaborated on his position Tuesday in an interview. What I want to see is to make sure that for lower income individuals, that they have access to health care and health care coverage either through Medicaid or through a refundable tax credit where they can buy their own policy, he said. The idea is to give people more choice, to have competition in the market. Hoeven said the elimination of the individual mandate largely accounts for the 15 million additional people the CBO score predicted would be uninsured next year. Its not that they dont have access to coverage, its just that youre not forcing them to sign up for coverage, he said. Theres more work to do on this, but theres also more understanding that has to be provided in terms of the CBO score. Republican leadership can only afford two no votes from their party in the Senate, assuming all Democrats vote against the health care legislation. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said the Senate bill is just as bad as the bill the House passed in early May. You cant put a few band-aids on a bad bill and think North Dakotans wont feel the pain, Heitkamp said in a statement issued Monday evening, calling severe cuts to Medicaid a cruel joke to the 90,000 North Dakotans who rely on this lifesaving program for affordable, quality care. The Kaiser Family Foundation said the Senate Republican bill, known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act, would result in a 76 percent increase in monthly premiums for a silver plan in North Dakota after tax credits, compared with a 65 percent increase in Minnesota. Still, Hoeven argued something to needs to be done to address the failing ACA, citing rising premiums. We need to stabilize the health insurance market to make it more competitive so consumers have access to better and more affordable health care policies, he said in his Monday statement. By Heba Kanso BEIRUT, June 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Before she begins her Wednesday morning, Iranian activist Masih Alinejad spends hours sifting through scores of videos and photos sent to her of women in Iran wearing white headscarves or white clothing as part of a growing online protest. To campaign against the obligatory wearing of headscarves - or hijabs - Alinejad last month encouraged women to take videos or photos of themselves wearing white and upload them on social media with the hashtag #whitewednesdays. "My goal is just empowering women and giving them a voice. If the government and the rest of the world hear the voice of these brave women then they have to recognise them," Alinejad told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. Under Iran's Islamic law, imposed after the 1979 revolution, women are obliged to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothes for the sake of modesty. Violators are publicly admonished, fined or arrested. Although no official records have been collected, a report by campaign group Justice for Iran in 2014 found over 10 years nearly half a million women were cautioned and more than 30,000 women arrested in cities across Iran over the hijab law. The #whitewednesdays campaign is part of a larger online movement started three years ago by Alinejad, a journalist who has lived in self-imposed exile since 2009. She has received death threats since her campaigning started. She created social media platforms and a website called My Stealthy Freedom where women in Iran take photos of themselves without hijabs to oppose Iran's dress code. The 40-year-old activist wanted to raise the visibility of her online movement so women could identify each other in the streets of Iran by wearing white, "the colour of peace". "I want people to talk. I want people to have a platform and talk together because having a free conversation is something Iranian society needs," said Alinejad, who now lives in New York. Some of the videos, which are subtitled by volunteers, have several hundred shares on the My Stealthy Freedom Facebook page that has more than a million followers. Some Iranian men have taken part in the campaign, and Alinejad also invites Iranian women who wear the hijab willingly to join as well - emphasising that the campaign is not against hijabs, but being forced to wear them. Alinejad said she doesn't consider herself courageous - unlike the Iranian citizens before the lens. "They are more brave ... Honestly, these are the leaders and I am following them," she said. (Reporting by Heba Kanso @hebakanso, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit www.trust.org) BUCHAREST, June 28 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Wednesday. NEW PRIME MINISTER Romania's ruling Social Democrats are expected to unveil the cabinet lineup of designated prime minsister Mihai Tudose. At least several of the outgoing ministers are likely to retain their posts. ISSUANCE Romanian debt managers may announce debt issuance plans for July. In June, they sold domestic bills and bonds worth 5.93 billion lei ($1.48 billion) and 100 million euros. TENDER Romania sold a planned 100 million euros ($112.67 million) worth of February 2021 domestic bonds at an average accepted yield of 0.36 percent, central bank data showed on Tuesday. CEE MARKETS The Romanian leu gained more than 0.2 percent versus the euro on Tuesday, outperforming central European peers, as the nomination of a new prime minister raised hopes of an end of a political crisis. EBRD The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has launched a 100 million euros ($113.46 million) funding facility for Romanian banks to grant loans to Romanian households willing to improve energy efficiency, renewable energy and water-saving solutions. CYBER ATTACK A major global cyber attack on Tuesday disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that last month infected more than 300,000 computers. For the long-term Romanian diary, click on For emerging markets economic events, click on For an index of all diaries, click on For other related news, double click on: --------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian equities RO-E E.Europe equities .CEE Romanian money RO-M Romanian debt RO-D Eastern Europe EEU All emerging markets EMRG Hot stocks HOT Stock markets STX Market debt news DBT Forex news FRX For real-time index quotes, double click on: Bucharest BETI Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ---------------------------------------------------------------- ($1 = 4.0166 lei) ($1 = 0.8814 euros) DUBAI, June 28 (Reuters) - Gulf Arab states are considering fresh sanctions on Qatar and could ask their trading partners to choose between working with them or Doha, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to Russia said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain severed diplomatic and travel ties with Qatar this month, accusing it of funding hardline Islamist militant groups in the region, a charge Doha denies. "There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now," Omar Ghobash told the newspaper in an interview in London. "One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice," he said. He said the expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation Council was "not the only sanction available". (Reporting by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Nick Macfie) By Kanupriya Kapoor MARAWI CITY, Philippines, June 28 (Reuters) - The decapitated bodies of five civilians have been found in a Philippine city occupied by Islamist rebels, the military said on Wednesday, warning the number of residents killed by rebel "atrocities" could rise sharply as troops retake more ground. The discovery of the five victims among 17 other bodies retrieved would be the first evidence that civilians trapped in besieged Marawi City have been decapitated during the five-week stand by militants loyal to the Islamic State group, as some who escaped the city have previously reported. Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Garcia of the Western Mindanao Command said in a text message to reporters the five decapitated were found with the other 17 civilians killed by militants. Garcia did not respond immediately to repeated requests for more details. It was not clear when the bodies were found. A civilian rescue worker, Abdul Azis Lomondot, told Reuters earlier there were body parts found on Wednesday, but there was "no proof of beheading". The battle for Marawi entered its 36th day on Wednesday, with intense gunfights and bombing in the heart of the town and black-clad fighters seen from afar running between buildings as explosions rang out. Marawi is on southern Mindanao island. The rebels' hold on Marawi, while incurring the full force of a military for years trained by its U.S. counterparts, has much of the region on edge, concerned that Islamic State's influence may run deeper than thought. Those fears are also being felt in Malaysia and Indonesia, whose nationals are among the Maute group of rebels fighting in Marawi, suggesting the group may have built a cross-border network that has gone largely undetected. Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said it was likely that many civilians had been killed and the death toll - already at 27 before the latest 17 were announced - was only what the authorities could confirm independently. He said a "significant number" of dead had been seen by those who had escaped fighting. "(It) may increase significantly once we are able to validate all this information," Padilla told reporters. "There have been a significant number that have been seen but again, we cannot include many of these," he said. Padilla said the cause of those deaths would be "atrocities committed by the terrorists". Among those atrocities, the army says, have been residents being forced to loot homes, take up arms, or become sex slaves. SEVERE IMPACT Videos have appeared this month on the website of Islamic State's Amaq news agency and its social media channels of hostages in Marawi pleading for their lives, saying they would be beheaded if air strikes were not stopped. Clips have also appeared of people on their knees, shot in the head from behind. Reuters was unable to confirm the authenticity of the reports. The military has so far been reluctant to discuss the possibility that the real impact of the fighting on civilians could be far more severe than has been reported. It has played down the impact of daily air strikes and mortar assaults aimed at rebel sniper positions, which have reduced areas of the lakeside town to rubble and alarmed people stuck there, some of whom have said the shelling was a bigger threat than the militants. Disaster officials are keen to start dangerous missions to recover what they believe are large numbers of bodies in the streets near the conflict zone. President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he was prepared from the outset for a long fight against a well-armed Maute motivated only by murder and destruction. "It seems to be limitless supply. They were able to stockpile their arms," he said. "Some of those who travelled to the Middle East got contaminated, brought the ideology back home and promised to declare war against humanity." Military spokesman Padilla called for patience and said troops needed more time to flush out the gunmen and secure the city. "Our combat environment is sensitive. First, there are trapped civilians that we have to protect. They also have hostages and third, there are many traps so we have to clear buildings slowly," he said. Some 71 security forces and 299 militants have been killed and 246,000 people displaced in the conflict, which erupted after a failed attempt on May 23 to arrest a Filipino militant commander backed by Islamic State's leadership. (Additional reporting by Neil Jerome Morales in MANILA; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Robert Birsel and Paul Tait) PHNOM PENH, June 28 (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered an investigation on Wednesday into The Situation Room, a consortium of rights groups which criticised local elections this month that handed a victory to Hun Sen's ruling party. Speaking on the 66th anniversary of his ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), Hun Sen ordered a probe into the groups which monitored the June 4 commune elections. Cambodia's embattled opposition did well in the local election, which government critics hope will pave the way for an opposition victory to end Hun Sen's 32-year rule in the impoverished country come a general election in 2018. Hun Sen's CPP won 1,156 communes to the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party's (CNRP) 489, according to official results released on Sunday. Hun Sen has repeatedly said he will hold onto power. Earlier this month he warned of civil war if his party is toppled. "The Interior Ministry must immediately take measures against what they have been doing under the pretext of election monitoring," Hun Sen said, referring to The Situation Room. Members of the Situation Room could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Opponents accuse Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge guerrilla, of unfair maneuvering to try to keep his three-decade grip on power at local elections in June and a general election next year. Hun Sen on Wednesday proposed an amendment to a law that would make it illegal for convicted politicians to take part in politics, including posting messages of support online, in a further move aimed at straitjacketing the opposition. He singled out former opposition leader Sam Rainsy who lives in France. Rainsy faces a jail term after he was convicted in absentia for posting a fake government pledge to dissolve the Southeast Asian country's border with Vietnam. The Situation Room said in a statement on Sunday that issues including political suppression, lack of an independent judiciary and the intimidation of civil society groups persist, summarizing that election in Cambodia cannot yet "be considered fully free and fair." (Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Michael Perry) MADRID, June 28 (Reuters) - Six people have been arrested in Spain, Britain and Germany accused of links to the Islamist militant group Islamic State, and the indoctrination and radicalisation of potential members, the Spanish interior ministry said on Wednesday. The arrests, organised by Spanish police in conjunction with police in Germany and Britain, detained four people in Palma de Mallorca, one in Britain and one in Germany, the ministry said. The police forces from the different countries co-operated using European Union agencies set up to help share information related to fighting crime within member states - Europol, Eurojust and Sirene, the ministry said. Those arrested devised and circulated videos with violent content and organised secret weekly meetings to recruit young people to travel to conflict zones to fight. The police investigation began in 2015 after discovering a web page with a series of videos showing the indoctrination, capture and journey to Syria of a young Muslim resident in Spain. The producer of the films, an ultra-conservative Salafi imam, was arrested in Britain as part of the operation. He was already under surveillance by several European countries, the ministry said. He recently travelled to the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca where he met the four arrested in Spain, urging them to capture and indoctrinate others, the ministry said. The man arrested in Germany had contact with the others and had taken part in recruitment videos made by the group. Since Spain raised the security alert to level 4, the second highest, in June 2015, Spanish police have arrested 178 people accused of links to Islamist militancy. (Reporting by Paul Day; Editing by Sonya Dowsett and Toby Chopra) By Radu-Sorin Marinas and Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST, June 28 (Reuters) - Romania's prime minister designate said on Wednesday he would focus on implementing the government's programme, as he presented a cabinet of mostly familiar faces after a rift over anti-corruption policy forced out his predecessor. Mihai Tudose was named premier after lawmakers from his Social Democrat Party last week ousted Sorin Grindeanu for failing to stick to legislative plans that helped them win an election in December. But critics said that, with some leading political figures facing allegations of graft, Grindeanu was more likely fired for not doing enough to water down anti-corruption legislation. "I don't feel like I won a prize," Tudose told reporters as he prepared to seek parliamentary approval for his cabinet. "I was designated ... to go work for the country. The top priority will be implementing the governing programme." The leu was up 0.3 percent to the euro at 1505 GMT, boosted by hopes of an end to the political crisis that pushed the currency to a five-year low earlier this month. Romania is the European Union's fastest-growing but least-developed economy, and its authorities have been under close scrutiny from Brussels as a crackdown on high-level corruption has exposed internal divisions. The European Commission keeps its justice system under special monitoring. An attempt in February by the outgoing cabinet to decree abuse of office offences exempt from prosecution below a certain amount of financial gain triggered the largest street protests in Romania since the fall of communism in 1989. The decree was subsequently rescinded. Most outgoing ministers featured again in the line-up Tudose and Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea presented on Wednesday. Tudose is a close ally of Dragnea, who keeps a tight rein on the party and is himself currently on trial in an abuse of office case. Tudorel Toader, who retained his portfolio as Justice Minister, has said he would seek a wide debate this time before, in line with a constitutional court ruling, setting a financial gain exemption cap. In theory, the higher the cap, the greater an offending politician's chances of being shielded from prosecution. In the most high-profile cabinet change, Ionut Misa replaced Viorel Stefan as finance minister. CRITICS Both the finance and justice posts will play a key role as the Social Democrat-led government also seeks to answer critics over the state of the economy. Its programme envisions hefty public sector wage and pension hikes, as well as a fiscal overhaul that includes income tax cuts and shifts the burden of social security contributions solely onto workers, not employers. Those plans have raised concerns among analysts, the European Commission and the IMF, that Romania will overshoot the EU's deficit ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product. Another priority is setting up a sovereign wealth fund worth billions of euros and incorporating state-owned companies. Fund managers and brokers have said if done well, the fund would boost the performance of these companies. However, it raises concerns over transparency, they added. "The chances for the stability of this government are evenly split," said Sergiu Miscoiu, political science professor at Babes-Bolyai University. "One the one hand, we have a prime minister who is more loyal to the party leader. But within the government itself there are potentially clashing personalities." New Defence Minister Adrian Tutuianu will oversee an ongoing military acquisitions programme as Romania, on NATO's European easternmost flank, boosts its military spending. (editing by John Stonestreet) SEOUL, June 28 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Wednesday it has issued a standing order for the execution of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her spy chief for a plot to assassinate its leader. The North's official KCNA said "revelation showed" Park had masterminded a plot to execute its "supreme leadership" in 2015 and it was imposing the "death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye". KCNA did not disclose the source of the revelation but a Japanese newspaper reported this week that Park in 2015 approved a plan to overturn the North Korean regime of leader Kim Jong Un. Park was ousted in March over a corruption scandal and is in detention while on trial. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing byn Robert Birsel) By Phillip Stewart MUNICH, Germany, June 28 (Reuters) - South Sudan has deported three U.S. citizens, two of whom served in the military and a third who deserted, U.S. and South Sudanese officials said on Wednesday, another chapter in an unusual tale of unofficial foreign interventions in the country. Social media accounts and a magazine interview in the names of two of the men suggested they had recently been fighting pro-Russian forces in Ukraine. Craig Austin Lang, William Wright-Martinovich and Alex Zwiefelhofer were detained on June 21 trying to cross to South Sudan from Kenya, said Lieutenant Colonel Joe Buccino from America's 82nd Airborne Unit. They were deported to Kenya, he added. Private First Class Zwiefelhofer was absent from the 82nd without leave, he said. "We are working with U.S. authorities in the area to return Private First Class Alex Zwiefelhofer to U.S. military control. They are in Kenya," he said in an email. It was not clear when the three were transferred to Kenyan custody. Kenyan authorities did not return calls seeking comment. South Sudanese foreign affairs ministry spokesman Mawien Makol said the three had been deported because they did not have visas but said they may have claimed to be journalists. "I heard about three American journalists who were detained on the border between Kenya and South Sudan because these journalists had not received visas," he told Reuters. South Sudan's four-year-old civil war has displaced more than three million people and briefly sparked a famine earlier this year. A Facebook page and Instagram account in Zwiefelhofer's name show him in military uniform and photographs of flags, weapons and buildings that appear to have been taken in Ukraine, where foreign volunteers are helping to fight pro-Russian separatists. Foreign citizens have showed up in South Sudan's conflicts before, when it was fighting neighbouring Sudan before independence in 2011. The life of former drug addict turned pastor Sam Childers featured in the 2011 movie "Machine Gun Preacher", although officials later cast doubt on some of his story. In 1991, British aid worker Emma McCune married rebel fighter Riek Machar, who is leading the rebellion in the current civil war. She died in a car accident in 1993. (Editing by Ken Ferris) By Steve Scherer and Gabriela Baczynska ROME/BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Italy on Wednesday appealed to the European Union for help in taking in African migrants, even raising the possibility of closing its ports to humanitarian rescue ships to pressure EU partners, sources familiar with the matter said. Rome's EU ambassador, Maurizio Massari, met EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos and told him that "the situation we are facing is serious and Europe cannot turn its back", an Italian government source said. "The idea of blocking humanitarian ships flying foreign flags from returning to Italian ports has been discussed," another Italian government source told Reuters. That may force EU partners to take them instead because many of the charities that operate rescue ships are based in other EU countries, including Malta and Germany, the source said. "Italy has reached saturation point," he said, adding that Rome had planned for 200,000 beds for asylum-seekers and those were almost all taken. Italy has brought in over half a million boat migrants since 2014, and a record 181,000 came last year. This year arrivals are up about 14 percent on the same period last year to 75,000. Italy is the main point of arrival for mostly African migrants to European shores this year, and more boats are sent out almost daily. All of those rescued off the coast of Libya are brought to Italy, often by private charities. Meanwhile, Italy's neighbours have closed their borders to try to keep migrants from moving north as they did in the past, and some EU partners such as Poland and Hungary have refused to host some asylum-seekers to ease the burden on Italy and Greece, another frontline country. MIGRANT ISSUE SWAYS ELECTIONS At the weekend, voters punished Italy's ruling Democratic Party in local elections, opting instead for centre-right rivals led by the anti-immigrant Northern League and four-time former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who want Italy to take a tougher stance on migration. While EU members have been at loggerheads for two years now about moving asylum-seekers from Italy and Greece, the bloc's 28 leaders agreed last week the two southern states should get more help to manage arrivals. The bloc's executive European Commission will give more emergency funding to Italy and wants EU states to put up more money to assist African countries, an EU official said, hoping that better conditions at home will keep people from leaving. At a meeting in Tallin next week, EU migration ministers will discuss Rome's request to have EU peers let some of the boats arriving with migrants disembark in their ports, the official said. Since Saturday, some 11,000 migrants have been pulled from unsafe and overcrowded boats, but overall numbers for the month of June are in line with last year and the year before, according to Flavio Di Giacomo, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration in Rome. "The number of June arrivals is normal. They are high, but they should not be worrying," Di Giacomo said. An Italian navy boat brought about 700 migrants to the Sicilian port of Pozzallo on Wednesday, including an infant boy who was born on a migrant boat but who died from respiratory problems after he and his mother were rescued, port doctor Angelo Gugliotta said. Because of the summer heat, some migrants dove off the ship into the water when it arrived in port. Several were carried off on stretchers, including one severely malnourished man, and injuries included gunshot wounds, the doctor said. "This has been going on for years and it is increasingly dramatic," Gugliotta said. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Mark Heinrich) State Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, told the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education Tuesday that the state could probably do with fewer campuses. Becker questioned the need for the current roster of 11 North Dakota University System schools in an opening address at the boards monthly meeting. He attributed the number of colleges solely to a drive for parochialist economic development at a time when North Dakota had little white schoolhouses every couple miles. That time is over, Becker told the board. The discussion needs to be had about repurposing some of the campuses. Its a hard pill to swallow, but if were honest, thats where we need to go eventually. Becker has introduced bills pertaining to higher education during the most recent legislative session. He put his comments about NDUS schools within a broader address about the nature of changes facing higher education as a whole. He used his time to also speak to a need for greater emphasis on two-year schools and tech certifications and a rethinking of tuition reciprocity agreements with other states. Much of his address echoed sentiments brought to the board by Gov. Doug Burgum, who has also questioned the need for the full NDUS collection of schools and has advocated for greater use of online teaching in higher ed. Before Becker turned his own comments to the number of schools, he also encouraged a deeper embrace of digital learning tools. Placing more courses on an internet-accessible platform, he said, could overturn a status quo he defined as physical attendance in NDUS classrooms. Things are going to go online, he said, comparing higher education to a video rental store considering the implications of online media streaming. In line with his view of the necessity of 11 full campuses, Becker also questioned the need for what he described as redundant administration across the NDUS. As a blasphemous suggestion, Becker asked why a full slate of administrators was necessary at each campus. He followed that line by pointing out that the population of students enrolled in the system is low compared to other states, where a single administration might cater to a number of students equivalent to all of those in the NDUS and suggested the states research universities might play a bigger role in providing administration to other campuses. You could look at UND at Minot, NDSU at Bismarck, Becker said. There are ways, they take some change, but there are ways to actually address this, grab it by the horns and get a handle on some of the costs of the administrative bloat. As is standard, Beckers opening statement wasnt followed by much board discussion, though board Chair Kathleen Neset thanked him for his ideas. By Paola Totaro LONDON, June 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - More than 80 per cent of the world's major mining, oil and gas-producing countries fail to adequately govern the way they extract and manage natural resources, according to an index that tracks accountability and corruption. Eritrea was the worst performer in the annual index released by the New York-based Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), while Norway ranked top, closely followed by Chile, Britain and Canada. The index ranked 81 countries according to the transparency and accountability of their oil, gas and mining sectors. Sixty-six countries were found to be "weak, poor or failing" in their governance of extractive industries, with less than 20 per cent achieving "good" or "satisfactory" overall ratings. Launched in 2013, the index aims to help commodity-rich nations avoid the pitfalls of the "resource curse", in which their economies grow slowly due to poor institutional management and oversight of their natural resources. "Good governance of extractive industries is a fundamental step out of poverty for the 1.8 billion poor citizens living in the 81 countries we assessed...," said Daniel Kaufmann, president and chief executive of the NRGI, an independent non-profit organisation. "It is encouraging that dozens of countries are adopting extractives laws and regulations, but often these are not matched by meaningful action in practice." The index showed some middle-income countries including Colombia, Indonesia, Ghana, Mongolia, Peru, Mexico and Botswana achieved good or satisfactory overall ratings. Burkina Faso was placed highest among the low-income countries studied and its mining sector ranked 20th overall. The NRGI said the situation is worse in countries where corruption is systemic, including in policy areas such as environmental and social impacts, and the sharing of resource revenues by national governments with local authorities. The index also looked at how well citizens and local communities could voice concerns and hold governments to account. It also examined the transparency of management of sovereign wealth funds in 33 countries. Eleven sovereign wealth funds, managing $1.5 trillion in wealth, were rated as failing. The best governed of those studied was Colombia's Savings and Stabilization Fund followed by Ghana's Stabilization Fund. Chiles Codelco state mining company was rated the best-governed of 74 extractive sector state-owned enterprises that were assessed for their disclosures and corporate governance. The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India came second. In total, 48 countries state-owned companies were given "unsatisfactory" ratings. The NRGI called on governments to support transparency measures, including laws to ensure the identities of the true beneficiaries of oil and mining companies are clear. (Reporting by Paola Totaro, Editing by Astrid Zweynert @azweynert. 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 news.trust.org) June 28 (Reuters) - Vectura Group Plc said on Wednesday it has signed an exclusive deal with Sandoz AG, a unit of Swiss drugmaker Novartis, to develop a generic copy of an existing combined lung therapy for the U.S. market. British drugmaker Vectura has been trying to build a specialised lung drug business since it merged with Skypeharma last year and said it would prioritise three to five generic projects each year. However, the firm hasn't had it easy, following delays in its generic drug with Hikma coming onto the market, a royalties row with GSK, and delays in Novartis launching its Ultibro inhaler in the U.S. "This programme represents the first partnered collaboration of this series of projects and offers substantial potential for future value creation," Chief Executive James Ward-Lilley said in a statement issued after trading hours. Vectura, which hopes to get a foothold in the $40 billion global respiratory market, said the deal could result in payouts of $10 million if the drug achieves some development milestones. The company also said it would develop the therapy's formula and manufacture clinical batches to use in pilot studies, while Sandoz would head the drug's clinical development, manufacturing and commercialisation. The therapy, which is expected to seek regulatory approval and then be launched in the early to mid-2020, is an inhaled combination treatment for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (Reporting by Esha Vaish in Bengaluru; Edited by Martina D'Couto) TRIPOLI, June 28 (Reuters) - Gunmen opened fired on a United Nations convoy on a coastal road west of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Wednesday, an incident that could complicate the gradual return of diplomatic and other international staff to Libya. "The U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) confirms that a U.N. convoy was hit today travelling between Surman and Tripoli," a statement from the mission said, adding there were no reports of casualties among U.N. staff. A member of parliament for Zawiya, Abdallah Alafi, said five male U.N. staff and two female staff had been held briefly and then released and would be transferred to Tripoli. It was not clear why the convoy was hit and whether the staff had been detained or held for their own protection. A picture circulating on social media showed an unmarked white vehicle of the kind used by U.N. staff in Libya apparently immobilised on the edge of a road, with the front wheel casing badly damaged and shatter marks on two of the windows. "UNSMIL thanks the Government of National Accord, House of Representative Members from Zawiya and local authorities for their help in ensuring the safety of U.N. staff and is looking forward to their safe return to Tripoli," the U.N. statement said. Surman is just west of the city of Zawiya. A number of militias have a presence in the area and the road is often closed because of local disputes. Kidnappings are common. UNSMIL along with most diplomatic missions evacuated from Tripoli to neighbouring Tunisia in 2014 as rival factions battled for control of the Libyan capital. Since last year, when the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) arrived in Tripoli, the mission and U.N. agencies have gradually been increasing their presence in Libya with regular visits by international staff. Diplomatic staff have also been visiting more frequently, and the Italian and Turkish embassies reopened in Tripoli earlier this year. However, the security situation in and around capital remains fragile, with armed groups retaining the power that they have held since the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. (Reporting by Aidan Lewis and Ayman al-Warfalli; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) BRASILIA, June 28 (Reuters) - Brazilian senator Renan Calheiros on Wednesday announced he will no longer be the leader of the ruling PMDB party in the upper chamber, signaling growing chances of approval for a government-sponsored overhaul of the labor code. Calheiros, former Senate president until last year, has long opposed President Michel Temer's labor bill saying the government has no credibility to approve his agenda of economic reforms. His decision exposes a rift with Temer, but suggests he lacks support of a majority of fellow PMDB senators. (Reporting by Silvio Cascione; Editing by Marguerita Choy) JERUSALEM, June 28 (Reuters) - Israeli troops on Wednesday shot and killed a Palestinian gunman who fired at them during a raid to uncover an arms cache in the occupied West Bank town of Hebron, the Israeli military said. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the death of the man but did not immediately release details of his identity. The military released a photo of a makeshift automatic weapon lying on the ground that it said belonged to the gunman. The Israeli military frequently carries out patrols and searches in Palestinian areas looking for suspects and munitions and arrests suspects. A wave of Palestinian street attacks that began in October 2015 has slowed in recent months but has not stopped. At least 254 Palestinians and one Jordanian citizen have been killed since the violence began. Israel says at least 172 of those killed were carrying out attacks while others died during clashes and protests. Thirty-eight Israelis, two American tourists and a British student have been killed in Palestinian stabbings, shootings and car-rammings. Israel blames the violence on incitement by the Palestinian leadership, while the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, says desperation over Israeli occupation of land sought by Palestinians for a state is the cause. U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sides broke down in 2014. Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to try to reach a "historic deal" between the sides and his envoys met Israeli and Palestinian leaders last week to try to facilitate the restart of talks but there has been no indication when they might actually resume. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Sandra Maler) Education was taken over by the State by privatization of schools in the name of free education, a political decision, considered a good move to make free education available to all citizens. A grievous mistake was made by making the medium of education Sinhala Only. Dropping English converted the country into a Third World within a few years. The country is still struggling to get over the backlash. We as Ceylon were economically ahead of all countries in Asia other than Japan at that time. Our neighbour India continued English education and now they have overtaken Sri Lanka in IT and many other fields. Our English in the past was better than in English Speaking Countries. We have now gone to the extent of suggesting importing teachers of English from India. Sometime ago we had a programme funded by England / Australia to train Teachers to Teach English when current Prime Minister was Minister of Education. After the mistake was realized, the same government that took over private schools was compelled to allow private schools. Restriction being placed that GCE examinations be conducted as London General Certification of Education, subjects in English. Many private schools in the English Medium sprung up all over the country. Some with high quality, some below quality but students sat a common London GCE examination. Many private schools in the English Medium sprung up all over the country. Some with high quality, some below quality but students sat a common London GCE examination. No private school in Sinhala Medium has started. Parents and Investors realized the value of English Education. All these schools educated students to sit for the London GCE Examination. GCE standards was set by the University of London International Examinations Department. The GCE Sri Lanka standard was set by the Department of Examinations. Now the opportunity is given to students to sit for the Sri Lanka GCE Examinations in English. Private schools as well as State schools are gradually starting classes for Sri Lanka GCE English Medium. Obstacle being, the lack of Teachers who are able to teach in English as they have been educated in Sinhala. This is one country where State Education is considered superior to Private Education as the demand to enter State schools and State universities is far greater than available capacity. For the good fortune of the students of the country Private Schools as well as Degree awarding Private Colleges affiliated to numerous Colleges / Universities overseas were allowed to be operated in the country. Yet approximately Three to Four Thousand students of affluent parents leave the country each year for higher education to overseas universities of G7 Countries and some to less developed countries who offer recognized degrees affiliated to G7 Universities in high profile professions. Very few of these students come back to paradise. A brain drain of affluent students encouraged by governments in power since 1960. Now we come to the debate of Private Medical Education. Should State be the Only Educator and Graduator in Medicine in Sri Lanka? Then all Doctors who have obtained their Medical Degrees oversees, should be disqualified from practicing in Sri Lanka although they have passed the Eligibility Requirement to Practice Medicine ERPM Examination conducted by Government of Sri Lanka as the Degree has not been awarded by Government of Sri Lanka Medical Colleges. Approximately 1000 Foreign Qualified Graduates from Universities outside of Sri Lanka sit ERPM conducted by GoSL. The pass rate is 25 30%. The quality of these Foreign Universities is so poor although Government has recognized these Universities as suitable for Medical Degrees. Male Graduates who attend Medical Colleges in countries where Islam is practiced are Not given opportunity to treat females or touch a female during Clinical but they have Graduated as MBBS, passed ERPM and practice medicine in Sri Lanka. There are many who call themselves Doctors in Business and Other Professions as they could not pass ERPM. The Kotalawala Defence Academy Medical Faculty although Fee Leaving does not fall in to a Private Degree awarding Medical College as it is owned by the State and the Number of Students are 25 30 per batch. This gives them better opportunity to interact with the Faculty. A quick fix for the current crisis at the Malabe Private Medical College as well as Medical Colleges to be set up in future would be for Medical Students of all Faculties to sit for the same examination conducted by the State Medical Colleges as done for Sri Lanka GCE OL/AL. Immediate action be taken to adjust, curriculum of the Malabe Medical Faculty to be compatible to Defense Academy Medical College as the Teaching Faculty of both colleges are Retired State University Practitioners and Lecturers. A cut off mark be set by Government as done for Entrance to State Colleges for Entrance to Private Colleges according to number of seats available in Private Medical Colleges to ensure that students with high marks follow the Degree and Not Duds with Money that are allowed follow the Degree. As per GMOA and Students Unions they object to Medical Degree being awarded by the Malabe Medical College stating the degree is not in par with standards. Or is there jealousy that some of the students in Private Medical Education are from International Schools who have had their Education in English and sat for London GCE Advanced Level Examination. Has GMOA or Students Unions specified the standard, or offered a solution other than objecting to the functioning of the Private Medical College and Award of Degree. Once the standard is specified by the Government. All Doctors in practice who do not meet this standard must be compelled to meet the specified standard or resign from service. As per GMOA and Students Unions, we cannot have two standards and rules in the same playing field. By this method a common MBBS Degree can be awarded by Malabe / Kotalawala and any other Private Medical Colleges to be set up. A cut off mark be set by the Govt as done for Entrance to State Colleges for Entrance to Private Colleges according to number of seats available in Private Medical Colleges to ensure that students with high marks follow the Degree and Not Duds with Money Another big question is, Does Sri Lanka need this many doctors?. Approximately 1200 doctors pass out of the medical system each year. If the per capita Doctor / Population ratio is studied. Sri Lanka compares well with the developed world but Doctors are not available in the required rural areas. Most of the MBBS Doctors have not obtained Post Graduate Qualifications and Specialized. Those who have specialized try to concentrate in the big cities where private practice is rampant and educational facilities for their children are available. The poor farmer or those living in rural areas do not have a Doctor for many, many Kms or population ratio. It must be made mandatory for a Doctor qualifying from a rural area, serve the said area for a minimum of five years before being eligible to serve in another area. There should be a good appointment and transfer scheme to ensure Doctors serve at least ten years in rural areas. Government must ensure the facilities in rural hospitals be improved and family accommodation provided in all Rural Hospitals for Doctors and Secondary Staff. Kolambata Kiri Gamata Kakiri is rampant in the Medical Service. The not so well to do have to travel all the way to Colombo and other big cities in the early hours of the morning to receive treatment in General / Base Hospitals. This is highlighted by Media whenever there is a work stoppage by Doctors. The wise move would be to improve the facilities of the existing Medical Colleges. Colombo Medical College was ranked amongst the World Best up to about 1970. Set up Research Facilities in Medical Facilities. We have many deceases endemic to Sri Lanka. Research could be done to find solutions for these. We are to import Anti Dengue products from Australia. Our Scientists are doing great in developed countries. Why cannot we do it here. It is quality of the medical service that matters not quantity. There were no work stoppages by the Medical Profession and Medical Students when they were of quality. Medicine was a profession. Now there is no difference between Doctors and Bus Conductors. At the rate that Sri Lanka is producing doctors, there will not be capacity to offer internship in Government Hospitals. There will not be vacancies in the Government Medical Service to offer jobs for doctors. If Protests Vs Loss to the economy if calculated, the government could have improved the health services ten fold. Eventually it is the people who suffer not Malabe Medical College, GMOA or Student Union. Students who boycott lectures and their parents need to realize that it is they that suffer the loss and not those who incite boycotts and protests. If a serious calculation is done on loss to State, public life, disruption of services to the public, damage to property will run to billions. Can this loss to economy be recovered from those who encourage disruption of services, incite work stoppage, damage property. 99% of the population pay for the loss caused by less than 1% of the population. It is very strange to see Buddhist Priests in the protest march of medical students. These are the persons that should be arrested, charges filed and put in jail. The Most Venerable Mahanayakas will stand by Justice. Our judicial system is so slow, it will be another burden on the public Those who are against Private Medical Education will have to give serious thought with respect to loss to the economy. With this low quality of mentality of the educated and to be educated. Breast cancer is a type of cancer developing in breast cells. Breast cancer usually begins in the inner lining of milk ducts or lobules supplying milk. A breast cancer that starts off in the lobules is known as lobular carcinoma, while one that developed from the ducts is called ductal carcinoma. It should also be noted that a malignant tumour can spread to other parts of the body. Daily Mirror spoke to Consultant Oncologist Dr. Jayantha Balawardene on how breast cancer forms and spreads. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females globally and in Sri Lanka. Though breast cancer is more common in women, it is also present in men. There are many factors that lead to the occurrence of breast cancer; the most common being genetics. It also occurs among unmarried women, childless women and those who have their first child after the age of 30 or during early puberty and late menopause. The anatomy of a female breast A mature human females breast consists of fat, connective tissue and thousands of lobules [tiny glands which produce milk]. The milk of a breast-feeding mother goes through tiny ducts [tubes] and is delivered through the nipple. The breast, like any other part of the body, consists of billions of microscopic cells. These cells multiply in an orderly fashion. New cells are made to replace those that die. In a cancer, cells multiply uncontrollably and progressively. Cancer beginning in the lactiferous duct, known as the ductal carcinoma, is the most common type. Cancer beginning in the lobules, known as lobular carcinoma, is much less common Symptoms of breast cancer Symptoms are felt by the patient and the first of these are usually an area of thickened tissue in the womans breast, or a lump. The majority of lumps are not cancerous; however women should get them checked by a healthcare professional. Some of the symptoms of breast cancer: A lump in the breast Pain in the armpits or breast that dont seem to be related to the womans menstrual period Pitting or redness of skin in the breast resembling the skin of an orange Rash around [or on] one of the nipples Swelling [lump] in one of the armpits Area of thickened tissue in the breast A nipple discharge that may contain blood The nipple changes appearance, may become sunken or inverted The size or shape of the breast changes The skin of the breast or nipple may start to peel, scale or flake Causes of breast cancer Genetics Women who have a close relative who has/had breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to develop the disease. Women who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a considerably higher risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Having had certain types of breast lumps Women who have had some types of benign [non-cancerous] breast lumps are more likely to develop cancer later on What does Patali know about politics that Harini doesnt know? Sri Lanka is going through great pains to get its economy in order after the Chinese troops entered India in the Sikkim sector and jostled with Indian army personnel guarding the Sino-India frontier, destroying two bunkers. The face-off has been going on in Doka La general area in Sikkim for the past ten days and the Chinese troops have also stopped the batch of pilgrims that was proceeding for Kailash Mansovar yatra, official sources said on Monday. The Indian troops had to struggle hard to stop the Chinese personnel from advancing further into Indian territory. They formed a human wall along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to stop the PLA personnel, some of whom also videographed and clicked pictures of the incident. The Hindustan Times reported it was not the first time that such a transgression has happened at the Doka La, a place at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. New Delhi, (Hindustan Times), 26, June, 2017 DPA, 28th JUNE, 2017 After more than 50 years of armed conflict with the Colombian government, the leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have officially handed over all their weapons in line with last years peace deal. The handover was marked by an official ceremony on Tuesday in Colombia, attended by President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leader Rodrigo Londono in a camp near the municipality of Mesetas in the department of Meta. Goodbye weapons, goodbye war, welcome peace, Londono said at the ceremony in the countrys centre which had been a FARC stronghold for years and where the group comitted many violent crimes. The website of Commercial Bank of Ceylon was adjudged the best in Sri Lankas financial sector at the inaugural SLT ZeroOne Awards presented by Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT). The countrys largest private bank was presented the award for Best Website or Microsite Finance Sector at the gala event at Hilton Colombo recently. The prestigious award recognises excellence in website or microsite design and development and considers how the overall functionality of the site, structure, navigation, content and design meet the sites objectives. In determining the winners, the creativity and complex interactive features of contending websites were taken into account. The panel of eminent judges looked at the overall architecture of the sites, the user interface and how it follows current design principles to create a seamless experience for users, as well as the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) set for the site. Our website is a vital part of our engagement with our customers in Sri Lanka and around the world and in the delivery of services in the anytime, anywhere paradigm, Commercial Bank Deputy General Manager Marketing Hasrath Munasinghe said. Every effort is made to keep pace with evolving technology to ensure that the website offers the best and most secure service possible. This award affirms the success of our efforts. Presented for the first time, the SLT ZeroOne Awards event was organised to recognise institutions, individuals and brands for achievements by leveraging digital technologies. The use of the latest technologies for animation and interaction augmenting speed and user experience, along with several important changes in the way information is organised and presented and made user-responsive are the standout features of Commercial Banks website. Furthermore, the site offers enhanced responsiveness to access via phone devices and tabs. An enhanced geo-location functionality for the banks branch network enables the website to automatically pick up the locations of users who have allowed it and show them the closest available branch, with distance calculations. The streamlining of product information through an all-inclusive mini product portal from which users can get whatever information they need without clicking through to other pages and persistent favourite pages that make it possible for users to save pages they frequently visit, significantly enhance the user experience. Another key feature of the website is a needs-based user guidance wizard which simulates the personalised interaction experienced at a branch via a tool that captures a users needs and guides that user to the product or service that is most suitable for the requirement at hand. Sri Lankas overall exports to the European Union (EU) can increase by US $ 480 million almost 15 percent on average from the current earnings of US $ 3,275 million to US $ 3,756 million, as a result of regaining the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP Plus) benefit, according to the preliminary estimates using a partial equilibrium model. The estimation is derived employing the SMART Simulations of the World Integrated Trade Solutions (WITS) and disaggregated trade data (at HS 6 digit level). This figure is slightly higher than the number quoted by the EU a benefit of over 300 million euros (about US $ 335 million) reported in the local media. Reinstatement of GSP Plus On May 19, 2017, the EU granted Sri Lanka better access to its market for exports under GSP Plus. While the scheme is conditional on Sri Lanka making progress on human and labour rights and sustainable development, it can boost exports to the EU, Sri Lankas largest export market. GSP Plus aims at furthering Sri Lankas development through more trade, as well as by diversifying exports and attracting investment with the removal of custom duties by the EU. Sri Lanka is now among eight other GSP Plus beneficiaries, which include, Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines. Aside from GSP Plus, the EU has two other trade arrangements 1) a general arrangement (Standard GSP), which is targeted at developing countries that are classified by the World Bank as lower or lower-middle-income countries and 2) Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement for 49 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Biggest beneficiaries of GSP Plus What is the likely economic impact of GSP Plus on Sri Lankas exports? Previous studies show that the GSP benefit can lead to an increase in export but numbers vary significantly between the three different arrangements, product groups and beneficiary countries. Table 1 contains results from simulating the removal of tariffs by the EU on Sri Lanka, with the exception of tariffs on some sensitive (agricultural) items. While Sri Lankas exports are likely to grow on average at 15 percent, the growth rates differ depending on the export category in question. For example, exports of animal and animal products are estimated to grow by as much as 32 percent (or US $ 30 million). Sri Lankas main exports to the EU, textiles and apparel, accounting for bulk (62 percent) of the total exports to the regional bloc, is likely to grow by more than 21 percent (or US $ 424.6 million) as a result of GSP Plus. A breakdown of the above overall figures indicates that exports, which stand to benefit the most from the duty free access to the EU, include articles of textile and apparel, fish (fresh or chilled), bicycles and other cycles and coconut oil, to name a few (Table 2). Currently, under the normal GSP scheme, the average duty levied by the EU on HS61 is 9.34 percent but the number varies between 6.76 to 9.6 percent, depending on the items in question. Similarly, the duties on other items of export interest are high and vary significantly at the disaggregated product level. Under the GSP Plus scheme, these would be brought down to zero, providing a substantial duty advantage to the Sri Lankan exporters, trading with the EU. Due to tariff reductions by the EU, there will be trade creation effects, as products from Sri Lanka become cheaper and there will be new buyers in the EU who would now want to buy from Sri Lanka. At the same time, there will be some trade diversion, that is, there will a shift of demand from other competing, supplying countries to Sri Lanka in the EU market. Countries which are likely to be most affected as a result of Sri Lanka regaining GSP Plus will include China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Turkey and India. It appears from the numbers that trade diversion will be marginally higher than trade creation. Caveat According to available literature, the EUs GSP scheme has had an overall positive impact on the beneficiary countries; it has increased the developing countries exports and welfare. In addition, the literature further suggests that the EUs GSP has helped with export diversification and foreign direct investment (FDI). While the SMART model yields important (positive) quantitative results, the model captures direct effects of a trade policy change only in one sector of an economy, that is, the model assumes that changes in that sector have no or minimal impact on other sectors. Thus, the results may be sensitive to assumptions and parameters used. Despite its shortcomings, a partial equilibrium framework is useful as it allows the utilization of widely available trade data at the appropriate level of detail to capture variables of interest to policymakers and others. It is also important to bear in mind that the impact on exports occurs within two years after the preferences have been granted, according to economic assessment of the EU GSP arrangements in developing countries. Further, the utilization rates vary significantly from country to country and differ by arrangement types. Of the three schemes Standard GSP, GSP Plus and EBA the utilization rate was found to be the lowest for the GSP Plus arrangement, reportedly 66.1 percent in 2014. Nonetheless, GSP Plus can make an important contribution to increasing Sri Lankas exports to the EU market, especially at a time when Sri Lankas exports are performing poorly. (Dr. Janaka Wijayasiri is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). To view this article online and to share your comments, visit the IPS Blog Talking Economics - http://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/) There is now a commitment to increase the number of students entering universities by 2020 and also to allocate more funds for vocational training. The current intake to government universities is around 25,000 per year. Nearly 60 percent (150,000) of the students, who sit for the exam and satisfy the minimum requirement, cannot enter the universities. While this proposal is certainly a positive move, the challenge however would be to improve the teaching quality and the curriculum of the government universities. To teach four times as many undergraduate students, would require additional faculty and high-quality investments to build better infrastructure. If the pool is unchanged, curriculum not revised and facilities not modernized, the increased demand will result in lower-quality faculty being hired and the education system would deliver poor quality graduates. The faculty quality is the principal determinant of university quality. Therefore, the government needs to create career opportunities to attract, develop and retain good academics. In a competitive global world, if a nation does not continually improve its system of higher education, its relative performance will decline. In the medium term, this is likely to show up in reduced economic competitiveness. Sri Lankas public expenditure on education stands around 2 percent therefore by increasing this spend and disbursing it effectively, the country can improve its labour productivity. However, simply increasing public spending on education would not serve any purpose, if the country does not change its curriculum and style of teaching to suit a modern economy. Sri Lankas current labour productivity is low compared to many industrialized countries. For example, US labour is five times more productive. Research suggests that there is a direct positive relationship between the amount spent on education and the level of productivity. Total funding of higher education as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) is highest in the US and Korea followed by Canada, Chile, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Competitiveness Therefore, there is little debate about the need to improve the quality of university education in Sri Lanka. For years, official data show a majority of the graduates in the arts stream are unemployable. But we continue to invest to run those degree courses. Their career path is that of conducting street protests and then getting absorbed into government service. The key to improving labour market competitiveness in the economy lies in raising human resource capabilities, that is, to make appropriate investments in human capital through higher education and professional training in order to more efficiently generate and manage new technologies to create wealth. In this new era of intensified globalization and international competition, we can no longer rely on cheap labour to gain competitiveness. We must continue to invest in our human resource, since the high growth industries of the future such as the information technology (IT) and biotechnology industries, require an increasingly skilled labour force. Lessons learned from other successful countries in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) indicate that the ability to create a skilled human resource base is crucial for multinational companies to relocate firms and world class high-tech plants to new markets. In Sri Lanka, we are often told that the trained talent we have in the country is not sufficient to meet the local demand. The three main reasons for this emerging situation are: a) Because the education system in the country is not delivering the volume and quality desired. b) We are losing our highly trained talent to other developed markets. c) The existence of stringent labour market regulations limits training opportunities for young people to learn and grow new skills. The areas of growth for the Lankan economy in the future according to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would be in the services and knowledge sectors. Therefore, given the current development of the business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism industry as well as skilled opportunities in foreign countries, there is now a need to revamp our education and training infrastructure according to the job market and lure back some of our brightest people back to strengthen our talent pool. Budget 2017 Today the most mobile people are the skilled and they are sought after. Most governments are easing restrictions on the entry of qualified people. For a start the government should focus on wooing our highly skilled professionals working abroad by making it very attractive for them to come back. The governments move to offer dual citizenship is a good start, however other benefits are required in the 2017 budget proposals to entice back some of our top Sri Lankan expatriates who have gone abroad to make their money, but still feel the tug of their home country to return. Therefore, we need to be more imaginative about attracting our trained talent abroad and developing and retaining our skilled talent that we have in Sri Lanka. To achieve that we need a framework to strengthen the overall governance in the country, a framework that provides a way of looking at the skills and abilities of our people and how these skills can be used successfully to create wealth for our country. (Dinesh Weerakkody is a thought leader in HR) Sri Lanka has been rapidly developing since the end of a three-decade civil war. The political stability of the country and its infrastructure development has helped the economy progress over the last few years. In addition, the growth in non-traditional industries such as Apparel, Information Technology and Tourism have all contributed for Sri Lanka to be an Emerging Hub in Asia. Historically there has been a strong correlation between urbanization and GDP per capita especially in emerging countries. Rapid urbanization continues to impact the Sri Lankan economy. The economic growth of the country and overall infrastructure development has made local and international investors to actively seek out opportunities in the real estate sector. This transformation has resulted in both the demand and supply of housing, retail and commercial spaces to increase year on year. Though the key focus has been within the economic hub - Colombo - several residential and commercial projects have gradually begun targeting the suburbs and other districts. This exemplifies that investors see the potential, not just in the commercial capital, but in what Sri Lanka has to offer as a whole, especially in terms of real estate and the property industry. If we focus on the residential segment of the Western Province of Sri Lanka in particular, the demand for property and housing is continuously on the rise. This has also resulted in property prices to virtually sky rocket due to the natural scarcity of land. As a result, suburban areas in the Western Province such as Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia, Wattala, Negombo, Battaramulla, Nawala, Kaduwela, Rajagiriya, Thalawathugoda, Homagama, Athurugiriya, Malabe, Moratuwa, Piliyandala and Panadura has seen a renewed interest by both prospective buyers and developers. This is due to its lower price compared to Colombo City limits, visible improvements in infrastructure and also overall level of economic activity. From a Sri Lankan perspective, these areas can be referred as Tier II cities. An interesting trend evolving in Sri Lanka is the concept of Gated Communities or Gated Living. This concept has been very popular across the world with countries like Malaysia embracing it in the early 1990s. This concept is not new for Sri Lanka either but what is clearly evident is that the trend is towards suburban areas with a smaller number of units typically 10 -20 in total. Over the years many authors have attempted to define the concept of Gated Communities. In the simplest form, a Gated Community is a physical space or development which has restricted access to outsiders whilst having a common code of conduct among tenants (residents) within the development. A typical development therefore, may be surrounded by fences, walls, or other natural barriers that limit the access to people who are not part or residents of the development. A Gated Community Development can include Town Houses, Duplex Units, Semi-Detached Houses, Bungalows, Villas and also Apartments. However, there are some design and functional characteristics that differentiate a Gated Community or Gated Living development with other residential developments. The main characteristics are as follows: 1) Increased Emphasis on Security The prime consideration of any gated community is security. From the starting point or entrance of the development to the individual residential units, security and safety is managed through physical personnel and the use of technology such as CCTV cameras and IOT Based devices. 2) Integrated Facilities Gated Communities often have common internal roads, recreational facilities such as a swimming pool, clubhouse facilities, mini-mart, gymnasium, walking paths, a common park(s), round the clock maintenance, childrens play area etc. 3) Lifestyle Based Living Gated Communities often have people who have similar lifestyle preferences and aspirations. Most Gated Community developers allow prospective buyers the flexibility to customize their units which may not necessarily be the case with an apartment complex. 4) A Quiet Living Experience Gated Communities are well known to offer a quiet and serene environment in comparison to the noise, pollution and traffic associated with a typical city development. Research conducted by Paramount Realty recently identified opportunities for growth and development in Tier II cities and believes that these cities provide significant opportunities for both developers and investors. Paramount Realty focuses on bringing the 'affordable living concept' to these emerging cities through novel concepts. Inspired by a vision to be the market leader in providing innovative real estate solutions, Paramount identifies the need to fulfil the emerging trend for Gated Communities/Living in suburban Sri Lanka. Therefore, the company will be launching two Gated Community projects in Panadura and Hokandara. These Emerging Tier II Cities have been selected due to its demographic and psychographic profiles, existing and planned infrastructure, close proximity to city limits and the overall demand for housing in these locations. Each of the Gated Community Projects of Paramount will have enhanced security features, common facilities, comfortable living spaces, functionality based design and modern amenities all at affordable price. The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) yesterday said they will take a decisive decision tomorrow during its Central Committee meeting if the government would not address their demands with regard to the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM). GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen De Soyza told a news briefing that the coming couple of hours would be crucial and added that their final decision may be a token strike or a certain step beyond it. Earlier, we called off the strike believing President Maithripala Sirisenas words. We respected his word and had hoped he would mete out justice. But there were many contradictions in the statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat, he said. He said they have held meetings with several trade unions which were in support of them regarding the SAITM issue. He also said that they just need to announce the dates for the token strike. Meanwhile, he said that the Cabinet approval to permit the government to take over the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) attached to the SAITM was a good decision. However, the solution for our demands is not to take over the NFTH but to nationalize the SAITM, he said. (Kalathma Jayawardhane) By Chandeepa Wettasinghe The government may have to attract foreign expertise in order to wrap up the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with China, India and Singapore, Sri Lankas Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake said yesterday. We continue to prioritize our free trade agreements with India, China and Singapore. If our local resources are overstretched, we should seek the external expertise and training to conclude these negotiations, he said. Karunanayake was speaking during the Emerging Issues in the Indian Ocean seminar held at the Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies, yesterday. Sri Lankas chief negotiator for the FTAs, Institute of Policy Studies Executive Director Dr. Saman Kelegama, passed away last week. Prior to Dr. Kelegamas demise, the cabinet issued a statement that the FTAs would be finalized by the end of this year. Following Karunanayakes comments yesterday, it is possible that the trade negotiations might be delayed until the foreign expertise required is absorbed by the negotiators. However, the trade negotiations are carried out under the Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry, which was created in 2015, while legally the powers lie within the Industry and Commerce Ministry. Karunanayake, who was until last month the countrys Finance Minister, too is now entering the fray with his policies of commercial diplomacy, which bear striking resemblance to the economic diplomacy policies of National Policies and Economic Affairs Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva, who before the same ministerial reshuffle was Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister. Meanwhile, Singapore Member of Parliament Professor Mahdev Mohan noted that the countries with limited experience in negotiating international trade pacts could possibly end up getting lesser benefits from an agreement compared to the countries with more experience in negotiations. China, India and Singapore all have experience negotiating dozens of FTAs. Sri Lankas two bilateral agreements with India and Pakistan, which arent full FTAs due to the lack of trade in services, are largely considered to be weak with many arguing that they are failures. Sri Lanka exported US $ 375 million in goods under the Indo-Lanka FTA in 2016, down from US $ 407 million in 2015, while under the Sri Lanka-Pakistan FTA Sri Lankas exports fell to US $ 52 million in 2016 from US $ 59 million in 2015. Imports from these countries are several times Sri Lankas exports, although the imports are mostly outside the FTAs. Sri Lankas two regional trade agreements, the South Asian FTA and Asia Pacific Trade Agreement, have also failed to create substantial economic dividends for the country with exports of US $ 8 million and US $ 126 million, respectively in 2016. Despite Sri Lankas past failures with regard to FTAs, the current government is focused on fast-tracking the FTA negotiations. According to the initial statements made by Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama in mid-2016, the Singapore-Sri Lanka FTA would have been negotiated in less than six months, a record, considering that Singapores current record for finishing FTA negotiations is 21 months, with Turkey. While the FTA negotiations with China have been dragging for some time, the new FTA with India, which is based on an older, controversial agreement, was also expected to be negotiated in record time. It is not unusual for FTA negotiations to take over five years. Mohan said that every possible eventuality arising out of an FTA needs to be discussed exhaustively. Once the power brokers have decided to get into agreements, we technocrats have to pick up every possible thing that could go wrong and discuss it, he said. The Chinese and Indian FTAs have drawn heavy resistance locally, mainly from protectionist nationalist elements, which have claimed that the agreements would leave Sri Lanka at a disadvantage. A section of trade economists in Sri Lanka argue that the countrys FTAs are negotiated mainly for geopolitical purposes and lack strong dispute resolution mechanisms and exit strategies. Arguments are instead made to reduce tariffs and improve domestic trade facilitation to create a positive step towards free trade, as opposed to FTAs, which are a regressive step towards free trade due to the discouraging of trade from other states, which may currently or in the future have potential for more competitive production processes, thereby promoting misallocation of resources. However, Mohan predicted that these agreements could be just the start of Sri Lanka negotiating multiple pacts with India and China. Sri Lanka was upgraded to Tier 2, the annual Trafficking in Persons Report (2017) released by the US State Secretary Rex W. Tillerson said. The report stated that the Sri Lankan government demonstrated increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period and therefore, Sri Lanka was upgraded to Tier 2. However it said, Sri Lanka did not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, however, it was making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated increasing efforts by establishing new anti-trafficking units and creating a Special Police Division for the protection of witnesses and victims of all crimes. While respecting due process, the report recommended Sri Lanka to improve efforts to investigate and prosecute suspected traffickers, including complicit officials, and convict and punish offenders with sentences commensurate with other serious crimes. While official complicity in human trafficking persisted, the Government investigated 18 officials for allegedly creating fraudulent documents to provide workers employment abroad, and it prosecuted and convicted more traffickers than in the previous reporting period, it said. However, the Sri Lankan Government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. At times, the governments inconsistent identification of victims resulted in the penalization of victims for prostitution and for immigration violations committed as a result of the victims subjection to trafficking, the report added. The Government provided no specialized services to male victims and sometimes housed child victims in Government detention centers. The Government maintained specific requirements for migration of female migrant workers including those migrating for domestic work, which observers stated increased the likelihood women would migrate illegally and therefore heightened their vulnerability to human trafficking. The report recommended: Increase efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims and train officials on victim identification and referral procedures, especially to ensure victims are not detained or otherwise penalized for unlawful acts, such as immigration violations or prostitution, committed as a direct result of having been subjected to human trafficking; improve protection services to ensure identified victims, including men and children, receive specialized care services; take steps to eliminate all recruitment fees charged to workers by labor recruiters and instead ensure they are paid by employers; expand the bureau of foreign employments (SLBFE) mandate to include the regulation of sub-agents; promote safe and legal migration and ensure migration regulations do not discriminate on the basis of gender; and increase efforts of the task force to meet regularly with all members to enhance government coordination efforts the report also recommended. Tier one Countries are whose governments fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Acts (TVPA) minimum standards. Tier two countries are whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Acts (TVPA)s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards. Earlier Sri Lanka was below that which is Watch List. There are countries through who do not comply with these regulations. A 35-year-old Sri Lankan man was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night while he was attempting to smuggle gold jewellery worth Rs. 25 million into the country, BIA Deputy Customs Director Parakrama Basnayake said. He said the suspect was arrested around 11.35 pm with more than two kilograms of gold jewellery at the customs Green Channel after he arrived at BIA from Bangkok. The gold jewellery was found hidden inside his luggage. The gold jewellery was found with pearls and diamonds embedded in them. The suspect was a businessman from Bandaragama area in Horana, he said. Mr. Basnayake said this suspect was previously arrested for similar offence and released after Rs. 100,00 fine imposed. The jewellery (rings, necklaces, bangles and bracelets) was found in four transparent parcels concealed inside one of his baggages. The suspect used to bring the jewellery under the guise of importing shoes. The jewellery was found when the customs officers tried to expand the luggage. The assessment of the jewellery was done by the Gem and Jewellery Department specialists and valued at Rs. 25 million, he said. Due to the high customs security at the BIA, smugglers used to seek support of airport officers, security officers and duty free shop employees when transporting their counterfeits, drugs and illegal goods, he said. The raid was carried out by the Assistant Customs Superintendents Duncan Hettiarachchi, Ajith Ilesinghe and Lasath Dharmasena. The Investigation was carried out under the supervision of Customs Director Rohitha Uduvawala and Deputy Customs Director Parakrama Basnayake. (Chaturanga Pradeep, T.K.G. Kapila and Deepa Adikari) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe In the wake of controversy involving human rights lawyer Lakshan Dias and allegations of extremism, Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe spoke to Daily Mirror responding to allegations against him. Excerpts of the interview : Action initiated to disbar lawyer Lakshan Dias I associate myself with statement by Asgiriya Chapter Not included in SL delegation after that, do not know what happened Majority religion, culture feel threatened by NGO and extremists activities Informed UNHRC that hybrid court unconstitutional in Sri Lanka during initial talks Most NGOs act with objectives detrimental to national interests, reconciliation Mentally retarded Muslim, Sinhala MPs make allegations against me involving Ven. Gnanasara Thera Unity government a good experience Every government has its pluses and minuses NGO fellows have no public support Q There is controversy surrounding your statement, disputing the figure representing the attacks on Christian religious places of worship. You even vowed to act to disbar lawyer Lakshan Dias who presented the figure. What is the next step? Action has to be taken in this regard in terms of the Judicature Act. This particular lawyer told a blatant lie. It is an affront to the dignity of the legal profession. It even sowed discord, affecting reconciliation among different communities in the country. The Supreme Court will examine the matter and decide on his future. I have already taken necessary steps in this respect. Q There were some NGOs, civil society movements and individuals behind the installation of the Yahapalana government. They seem to have thrown their weight behind this lawyer. You are also part of this government. How do you face the situation? We are not ready to allow anyone to act in a manner detrimental to the national interests and the countrys sovereignty, merely because he or she worked or voted for the government. Q These NGOs and groups appear to be active under the present government. What is your view? They have been very active under every government. When they sense a change of any incumbent government, they throw their weight behind the emerging force ahead of the elections. Then they try to become heroes soon after the formation of the government, staking a claim for it. This organization called Purawesi Balaya, boasts of playing a role in the formation of the government. It cannot get even10,000 votes single-handed, in reality. They cannot get even a member elected to a local authority. Wickramabahu Karunaratne has been in politics for such long years. Yet, he cannot get elected even to a local body. Though these NGO fellows crow over, they do not have public support. We are the ones elected by the people. We command their support. These elements always try to project a chaotic image of the country, as a point to raise funds internationally in terms of US dollars. They depend on dollars. Q The need to regulate NGO activities has been in the debate for a long time. Once, a Parliamentary Select Committee also looked into it. Some NGOs that remained barred during the previous rule are active again. Do you advocate the position that NGO activities should be regulated in this scenario? That should happen necessarily. We do not pinpoint all the NGOs in our criticism. We find that a few NGOs engage in their activities with genuine interest to serve the people and the country at large. Numerically, they are very small. Most NGOs act with objectives seriously detrimental to the national interests. They have become a hindrance to national reconciliation and religious harmony. They even fiddle funds raised with the promise to serve the people otherwise. The government has paid heed to the need for regulation of their activities. Q As the Justice Minister, have you initiated any action? Actually, I cannot take the lead in this case. It is not a subject coming under my purview. It is a matter coming under the purview of National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages Minister Mano Ganesan. We will discuss it with him soon. Q You have become a lone voice in the government on certain matters. You come under attack from those in the government. Alongside them, you are attacked by your own party members such as Minister Sarath Fonseka. How comfortable are you in the government? I am quite comfortable. It is a personal slander against me. But in truth, they harp on reality on the ground. It is not I who is being criticised in the end. I was slandered when I was critical of the Hambantota Port deal. But it amounts to a slander on the whole country. When I talked about ISIS, I was subjected to a scathing attack. I spoke of the reality in the country only. When I mentioned ISIS in Parliament, some Muslim Ministers turned uproariously against me. However, the Prime Minister went to India and affirmed what I said about it. Then, nobody shouted. That is the reality. It is not criticism levelled at the Muslim community as a whole.The people should know the truth. They are entitled to it. Most NGOs act with objectives seriously detrimental to the national interests. They have become a hindrance to national reconciliation and religious harmony. They even fiddle funds raised with the promise to serve the people otherwise Q Do you see a real threat from ISIS to Sri Lanka? There is no such threat to Sri Lanka. What I said was about the involvement of some locals in ISIS activities. It shows the need to take preemptive action in the future. Thats it. I do not brand the entire Muslim community as ISIS. During the JVP insurrection, it was Sinhalese youths who were involved in the armed struggle. We did not brand the entire Sinhala community as terrorists at the time. The LTTE was named a terrorist outfit but not the entire Tamil community. This has to be understood in the proper sense. Q You are the Minister in charge of Buddha Sasana. We hear remarks from different quarters that the majority religion and culture are threatened by the activities of some extremist elements. Is this true? That actually exists. The activities of these extremist organizations and some NGOs have created fears that the majority religion of this country is faced with a threat. Q You slammed the UNHRC report and accused the former UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Monica Pinto of falling prey to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) when compiling a report on Sri Lanka. How do you see the UNHRC resolution adopted on Sri Lanka against this backdrop? It was adopted some time ago. When the resolution was in the initial stage, I also attended official talks. I pointed out certain aspects. I informed both the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein and the delegation from the United States in writing that a hybrid court, with the participation of international judicial personnel, was not realistic under the Constitution of Sri Lanka. I gave my legal opinion in this regard and requested them not to include anything in the resolution that would contravene the constitutional provisions here. Q Regardless of your legal advice, it has been included. Not only that, Sri Lanka co-sponsored the resolution even. What is your response? Afterwards, I was not included in the Sri Lankan delegations. I have no idea of what was done by Sri Lankan delegates since then. When I mentioned ISIS in Parliament, some Muslim Ministers turned against me. However, the PM went to India and affirmed what I said about it Q You are accused of giving protection to the Bodu Bala Sena monk Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera. What have you to say about it? That accusation has been made by a few mentally retarded Muslim and Sinhala Ministers. During the period concerned, I was not even in the country. I was out for three weeks. He surrendered to court a few days ago. If he wanted to be in hiding, he would not have done so. A desperate set of people make such allegations against me. It is not only Ven. Gnanasara Thera but many others who take time to seek legal redress whenever they are confronted with issues. If he actually intended absconding courts, he would not have surrendered at any stage. Q Recently, the Asgiriya Chapter issued a statement. It said that though the manner in which Ven. Gnanasara Thera conducted himself was unacceptable, there was substance in the questions he raised. What is your position on this statement? I also associated myself with the stand taken by the Asgiriya Chapter. That is also my opinion. We do not condone the way he conducts himself. However, there is substance in what he says that there is a threat to national security and interests. Q How long can you be in this government amidst attacks from all quarters? I believe I can proceed with the government. These ministerial posts are worth nothing to me in terms of monetary gains. Ministerial positions matter as long as one can serve the country and its people at large. I was offered a ministerial post during the time of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga. I declined to accept it. During the time of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, I chucked up my post after five months. Whoever is President or Prime Minister, a ministerial post is important for one to act with conscience and to serve in the greater interests of the country. For me the country is foremost. Q Do you pursue politics even without ministerial perks? I do not do politics as my profession. By profession, I am a lawyer. I take part in politics as a social service only. Q But will you engage in politics without perks? I will do it as long as I can. I will continue to do whatever I can. Q There is speculation that you are building ties with the political camp headed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. How do you respond to this? There should be reason for such speculation. What is the reason? Q You are heavily critical of things happening under the government. Then, you are also countered by those in the government. How do you respond? It is the responsibility of those in the government to get on track when and wherever necessary. If someone interprets it from a different angle, it is his problem. I act according to my conscience. There is no need for me to deviate from it. Q What is your assessment on the current political situation? The government is not facing a crisis situation as such, quite contrary to the picture projected by the media. The situation will change for the better. There is a unique situation where several parties have got together for governance. We will resolve the issues at hand and proceed. What I said was about the involvement of some locals in ISIS activities. It shows the need to take preemptive action in the future. Thats it. I do not brand the entire Muslim community as ISIS. During the JVP insurrection, it was Sinhalese youths who were involved in the armed struggle Q The unity government has been there for two years. What do you think of this experience? It is good. No government is perfect. Every government has pluses and minuses. We have acted with optimism for the last couple of years compared with the previous rule. There are some unpleasant aspects also. There are concerns about some having scant regard for collective Cabinet responsibility. If we speak the truth, there is media freedom today. In the past, there was virtually dictatorship. The Elections Commission yesterday said the Local Government elections can be held before the year end if technical issues pertaining to the Local Government Election Law are resolved by July this year. Addressing the media at the Elections Secretariat, Commission's Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya also said that it is technically possible to hold the Provincial Council elections before the Local Government elections. Eastern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa PC elections were held in December 2012 and therefore official term of those councils will expire in September and October this year. The Elections Commission has to issue an election notification within seven days after the term expires. Therefore the Commission has to issue the date of the announcement of the elections on October 2, he said. Deshapriya said the elections for the Northern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils could be held by December 10 if these councils term end in August this year. The circular on collecting statistics to Local and Provincial Council elections would be issued on July 1. The circular would be issued to collect the information of the State sector officials and government school teachers, he added. Only if the Bill is passed related to resolve the technical issues in the Local Government elections within the month of July, the Local Government elections can be held in October. The two main political parties have come to an agreement on holding the Local Government elections, he said. The Elections Commission was prepared to announce the LG elections by the first week of October. (Chaturanga Pradeep) A new wave of powerful cyberattacks hit Europe and beyond on Tuesday in a possible reprise of a widespread ransomware assault in May. Accordig to the Washington Post reports it said affected were a Russian oil giant, a Danish shipping and energy conglomerate, and Ukrainian government ministries, which were brought to a standstill in a wave of ransom demands. The virus even downed systems at the site of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, forcing scientists to monitor radiation levels manually. Cyberattacks also spread as far as India and the United States, where the pharmaceutical giant Merck reported on Twitter that our companys computer network was compromised today as part of global hack. The New Jersey-based company said it was investigating the attack. Cyber researchers say that the virus, which was linked to malware called Petrwrap or Petya, used an exploit developed by the National Security Agency that was later leaked onto the Internet by hackers. It is the second massive attack in the past two months to turn powerful U.S. exploits against the IT infrastructure that supports national governments and corporations. The onslaught of ransomware attacks may be the new normal, said Mark Graff, the chief executive of Tellagraff, a cybersecurity company. The emergence of Petya and WannaCry really points out the need for a response plan and a policy on what companies are going to do about ransomware, he said. WannaCry was the ransomware used in the May attack. You wont want to make that decision at a time of panic, in a cloud of emotion. The attack mainly targeted Eastern Europe but also hit companies in Spain, Denmark, Norway and Britain. Victims included the British advertising and marketing multinational WPP and a shipping company, APM Terminals, based at the port of Rotterdam. But the damage was worst in Ukraine. Researchers at Kaspersky Labs Global Research and Analysis Team, in Russia, estimated that 60 percent of infected computers were in Ukraine and 30 percent in Russia. The hacks targeted government ministries, banks, utilities and other important infrastructure and companies nationwide, demanding ransoms from government employees in the cryptocurrency bitcoin. The hacks scale and the use of ransomware recalled the massive cyberattack in May in which hackers possibly linked to North Korea disabled computers in more than 150 nations using a flaw that was once incorporated into the National Security Agencys surveillance tool kit. Cyber researchers have tied the vulnerability exploited by Petya to the one used by WannaCry a weakness discovered by the NSA years ago that the agency turned into a hacking tool dubbed EternalBlue. Petya, like WannaCry, is a worm that spreads quickly to vulnerable systems, said Bill Wright, senior policy counsel for Symantec, the worlds largest cybersecurity firm. But that makes it difficult to control or to aim at anyone in particular, he said. Once you unleash something that propagates in this manner, its impossible to control, he said. Although Microsoft in March made available a patch for the Windows flaw that EternalBlue exploited, Petya uses other techniques to infect systems, said Jeff Greene, Symantec government affairs director. Its a worm that has multiple ways to spread, he said, which could explain why there are victims who applied the EternalBlue patch and still were affected. The initial infection was in Ukraine and spread to Europe, said Paul Burbage, a malware researcher with Flashpoint, a cyberthreat analysis firm. Petya differs from WannaCry in that it does not appear to reach out to the Internet and scan for vulnerable systems, he said. It limits itself to the computers linked to the same router, he said. The ransomware used in the attacks is a variant of Petya called GoldenEye, which was sold on underground forums used mainly by Russian-speaking criminal hackers, he said. The ransomware hit Europe in the early afternoon. Ground zero was Ukraine. Breaches were reported at computers governing the municipal energy company and airport in the capital, Kiev, the state telecommunications company Ukrtelecom, the Ukrainian postal service and the State Savings Bank of Ukraine. Grocery store checkout machines broke down, ATMs demanded ransom payments, and the turnstile system in the Kiev metro reportedly stopped working. The mayhem reached high into the government. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko on Tuesday tweeted a picture of a computer screen warning in English that one of your disks contains errors, then adding in all capital letters: DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR PC! IF YOU ABORT THIS PROCESS, YOU COULD DESTROY ALL YOUR DATA! Ta-Dam! he wrote. It seems the computers at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine have been knocked out. The network is down. His spokeswoman published a photograph showing demands for a ransom in bitcoin to release data encrypted by the virus. Suspicions in Ukraine quickly fell on Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and has been blamed for several large-scale cyberattacks on Ukraines power infrastructure. But no proof of the attack was presented, and Russian companies, like the oil giant Rosneft, also complained of being hit by a powerful hacking attack. Photographs leaked to the news media from a Rosneft-owned regional oil company showed computers displaying ransomware demands similar to those in Ukraine. The virus also brought havoc to Western Europe. A.P. Moller - Maersk, a Danish transport and energy conglomerate, announced that Maersk IT systems are down across multiple sites and business units due to a cyber attack. The company was trying to determine exactly how broad the attack was. We are assessing the situation, and of course the safety of our employees and our operations alongside our customers business these are our top priorities, Maersk spokeswoman Concepcion Boo Arias said. Trishaw drivers are believed to be operating a racket targeting luxury vehicles in Colombo to claim money, sources said. They said several incidents had been reported, where trishaw drivers had claimed money from unsuspecting motorists claiming that the side mirrors of their trishaws had been damaged. It was also reported that in some of the cases when the motorists got out of their vehilces to negotiate the culprits had fled off with the wallets. The Police advised motorists to complain to the nearest police station in case they were victims of such incidents. Joint Trade Union Alliance of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) yesterday warned of a possible disruption of power supply today due to its scheduled protest march and conference attended by its members from around the country . The Alliance General Secretary Ranjan Jayalal said more than 22,000 employees of the CEB would participate at the conference. Mr. Jayalal said that they would hold the conference following a protest march demanding solutions to the CEB employees salary anomalies. He said around 1,200 officials of the CEB hierarchy were attempting to hoodwink the employees and a proposal has made to the Cabinet to privatise the CEB. We would not tolerate authorities actions anymore. The country will experience the trade union action, There could be disruptions in the national power supply however; most of the breakdowns will be attended, he said. Further, he said the billing centres and other services will be affected during the conference period though the power stations will be in operation. Jayalal said CEB employees had reached the limit of their patience and would soon take stern trade union actions against the government. (Thilanka Kanakarathna) Sri Lanka has had several disasters in the past, but yet to see a proper contingency plan. As a result many human lives are lost and severe damages caused to private and government properties. Politicians and officials who suppose to act during disasters must consider it as a privilege and opportunity in helping the affected people and pre-plan to face such situations. I saw several announcements through the media advising people to evacuate from certain areas. Have the people being told in advance where to go, what to take and other things to attend before evacuating. Once Load Buddha saw a row of Black Ants and slightly smiled and when Ananda Thera inquired why, Lord Buddha said each and very Black Ant had been a Sakvithi King in an earlier birth. Anyone not doing good karma can go to hell in the next birth irrespective of whatever position he now hold. One need to be intelligent to understand the danger and suffering in this long samsara journey. I mention below in brief my recommendations under different headings. A doctor and at least 2 nurses with adequate medical equipment and drugs should be made available at all refugee camps during activated period. Arrangements must be made to have the services of an Ambulance AWARENESS All people in identified areas should be made aware in advance by pasting a notice in all such houses informing them the place allocated for them to go for shelter and advising them what should be taken along with them including documents. Issue them identity cards for identification. Issue life jackets to each persons with instructions. Paste notices, re-important contact nos. to contact before or during disaster. Paste notices on how to protect properties of people leaving their houses. MANAGEMENT OF REFUGEE CENTRES: Refugee Centres in each Divisional Secretarial area should be identified and attend to have a record of how many male and female refugees can be accommodated. Plan temporary separations for changing cloths. Install permanent generators.Prepare names and addresses of people with their working skills to be accommodated and copies to be given to Divisional Secretary, Grama Sevaka and Head of Centres. Obtain the consent of the Heads of Centres. Identified skilled persons can be used to attend to electrical, Plumbing, Civil, Cooking work etc. Construct male female toilets on permanent basis with water Tanks, Shower cubicles, Store Rooms, working staff accommodations, Doctor room with the clinic & sick room, Kitchen. Install temporary Radio communication sets. Lockers to take charge valuables and store during occupation. Temporary make available water & gully bowsers when activated. Deploy security staff 24 hrs at entrances. Adequate staff to manage during operations, Government officers can be detailed similar to election duties. Provide adequate lights, plug points etc.. Install TV in a common sheltered area during operations or permanently. Keep notice of all important Agencies to contact for assistance. Provide adequate Holdalls to each person with pillows & sheets when possible. Provide separate areas or tents for each family. Activate operations centres for 24 hrs. Managed by the Police and Grama Sevaka. Whenever possible a study Room for students. Receipt books and registers to acknowledge all donations. Appoint committees consist of Head of the centre, Police, Grama Sevaka, Important few Civilians in the area to meet daily and monitor operations of the Centre and take suitable action when necessary. Provide Petty Cash imprest through the Divisional Secretary. Common standing order! Circular must be issued to all centres re- its management. ROLE OF THE DIVISIONAL SECRETARY Each office must have a generator in case of electricity failure. D.S. Offices of all affected areas must have additional building with space for storage of goods such as cooking utensils, Holdalls, Tents etc., with a room for the Divisional Secretary to rest who should be on 24 hrs duty. Should prepare a standing order/Circular giving Divisional Secretaries more powers in spending, hiring etc., during disaster period. Have detailed lists of all people with addresses their skills, contact nos, under each refugee Centre under each Divisional Secretary. Identify the requirement of staff to each Centre and how their services can be obtained. Identify the requirements of vehicles, logistics etc., and how and from where they can be obtained or hired. All emergency and contacts where services can be obtained. Activate the operation Room for 24 hrs. Have a Radio communication set installed permanently. Prepare common standing orders, circulars re-the responsibilities of Divisional Secretaries and Grama Sevakas during disaster period. Have maps of affected areas indicating the refugee centres, place of floods, Landslides etc., with the number of female, males to be given shelters. Appoint officials to accept donations manage stores, distributions and maintaining records and issuing receipts for all donations. Provide Petty cash to each centre with a standing order to manage. Prepare lists of requirements to each centre including repair work and how and from where such facilities can be obtained. Have a list of stand by Electricians, Plumbers, Civil workers, Generator Technicians etc., to obtain services during affected period on payments. DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE: Activate the operation room 24 hrs with representatives from all government and private agencies involved in disaster management work. Have adequate telephones and radio communication sets of Police, 3 forces etc., operated by those officers. Maintain all records of affected areas including people and properties. Appoint a Media officer with staff. Arrange daily discussions. Prepare a standing order/circular as to how the Management Centre should be operated. Appoint staff to obtain foreign donations, store and issue through the relevant officials. Rent or purchase .a large stores to store all foreign donations and other purchased items which can be used during a disaster. Prepare a detailed work plan re-prevention of disasters in consultation of professionals and ensure implementation. Appoint a team of Architects, structural engineers, Civil Engineers etc., to plan out to build houses on concrete coloums with costs and provide free professional services to public and when possible arrange bank loans and provide financial assistance. Prepare a detailed plan re-post disaster period for implementation. COLLECTING CENTRES All private collecting centres collecting donations must be registered with the Disaster Management Centre in advance. A form should be issued for all who seek registration and the local police and Grama Sevaka should make their recommendation before accepting them as collecting centres. All such collecting centres should be made accountable for all collected donations and the manner the distributions done. A Circular must be issued re-the management of such centres and the records to be maintained. Collecting centres once registered should be issued with a registration number and a certificate. A house damaged in the aftermath of the Meethotamulla collapse RESPONSIBILITY OF POLICE and military Police at station, Division, Range and Police Head Quarters level must activate operational rooms. Sufficient Boats with life Jackets should be issued to all Police stations in affected areas since they will have difficulty in road transportations. All OIC stations should ensure protecting the lives of affected people and their property. Police personnel also should be deployed to provide security to all refugee centres and also to manage the operation room of such centres with a police radio communication set. Officers of Armed Forces have carried out their duties very satisfactory in the past and will continue the good work on a more planned manner. However, the Army must be issued with adequate boats and life jackets to carry out their duties more effectively. RESPONSIBILITY OF MEDICAL STAFF A doctor and at least 2 nurses with adequate medical equipments and drugs should be made available at all refugee camps during activated period. Arrangements must be made to have the services of an Ambulance in a short period to all centres. All government hospitals must have adequate staff, equipment, drugs etc. I have given a very brief report above and recommend to appoint a team of Professionals and Administrators for study and prepare a detailed report indication and guidelines, instructions and logistical and human resources requirements etc., under each responsible person, organization, institution and refugee centres. This subject should be treated as urgent and important in view of all damages caused to human lives and private and government properties. Despite export earnings making a brisk upturn in April, extending the gains in March, Sri Lankas trade deficit remains at worrying levels as the countrys imports bill continues to rise. According to the latest Central Bank data, Sri Lankas exports earnings in April rose by 11.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US $ 795 million. This is the second month in a row where the export earnings grew after many months of contraction albeit some intermittent increases seen in a few months in between. However, April export earnings are less than half of the countrys import bill, which grew by 9.8 percent YoY to US $ 1.6 billion. While the commodity-wise breakdown of imports is yet to be published, the spike in the oil bill has driven most of the expenditure of the import basket. The data shared by the Central Bank last week suggested that the total imports during the first four months have risen by 13.7 percent to US $ 6.9 billion of which a little under a fifth or US $ 1.2 billion has been spent on importing oil. This marked a whopping increase of 76 percent over the same period last year as the country was forced to opt for expensive thermal power due to the worst drought in four decades drying up its hydropower capacity. This was also exacerbated by the normalizing global crude oil prices from record lows. These developments expanded Sri Lankas trade deficit to a record US $ 3.3 billion by the end of the first four months of the year, which was higher than in both 2015 and 2016. Sri Lankan policy makers bank on the restored GSP Plus facility to stimulate the exports but any benefits, will only be available for no more than a couple of years before the facility being deprived as the country is set to hit the middle income bracket earliest by 2020. A recent study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a state-funded policy think tank based in Colombo has estimated a 15 percent increase or US $ 480 million increase in overall exports to the European Union (EU) as a result of regaining the GSP Plus. This estimate is slightly higher than the Euro 300 million or US $ 335 millionthe number quoted by the EU. It is also important to bear in mind that the impact on exports occurs within two years after preferences have been granted, according to economic assessment of the EU GSP arrangements in developing countries, said Janaka Wijayasiri, the author of the IPS study titled, Crunching the numbers: What is the real export benefit of GSP Plus to Sri Lanka ?. While the EUs GSP scheme has had an overall positive economic impact on beneficiary countries in increasing exports through export diversification and attracting export-driven foreign direct investment, the facility comes at the expense of many EU imposed conditions, many of which could be seen as inimical to the culture and the national interests of a beneficiary country. (Read full article on Page 7) REUTERS, 27th JUNE, 2017- Russia denounced a U.S. warning to the Syrian leadership that it will pay a heavy price for any chemical weapons attack, and dismissed White House assertions that a strike was being prepared as unacceptable. The White House said on Monday the preparations in Syria were similar to actions before an April 4 chemical attack which killed dozens of civilians and prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to order a missile strike on a Syrian air base. But Russia, which is President Bashar al-Assads main backer in Syrias six-year-old civil war and has used its veto power on the United Nations Security Council several times to shield his government, challenged the U.S. intelligence. I am not aware of any information about a threat that chemical weapons can be used, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. Certainly, we consider such threats to the legitimate leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic unacceptable. Russian officials have privately described the war in Syria as the biggest source of tension between Moscow and Washington, and the cruise missile strike ordered by Trump in April raised the risk of confrontation between them. The South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) or the Malabe private medical college issue seems to have reached an impasse. The government and the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), the main contenders are intransigent and sticking to their respective stances on this matter. The GMOA is demanding the closure of the private medical college, while the government is rigidly opposed to such a demand. If the demonstration and the storming of the Health Ministry office at Maradana by medical students last week on this matter were aimed at attracting public attention to their struggle, they had achieved it, irrespective of whether they were able to muster any more public support with such unruly behaviour. The same question applies to the subsequent work stoppage by the GMOA on the next day over the SAITM issue and as a protest against the attack on the demonstrating students. The SAITM issue has been highly politicized with the leaders of the previous government led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who had provided loans and scholarships to the SAITM now taking a 180 degree turn and supporting the struggles by the university students and the government doctors. Therefore people, like the demonstrating students and the doctors have also have taken a stance on this matter in line with their political party alignments and seem to be unable or refusing to look at it objectively. Hence, it is difficult now for the doctors and the students to muster more support to their struggle through demonstrations and strikes that have become exceedingly annoying and inconveniencing the people. And the government is also struggling to contain the situation while attempting to justify its stance. After all, the situation is such that it has surpassed the limits of intellectual discourse and entered a stage of might is right. The media was divided in reporting last weeks students demonstration inside the Health Ministry premises with some of them showing images of the pandemonium that reigned inside the premises while the others, especially the State media highlighting the damage done to the ministry buildings and the vehicles parked in the premises. The doctors, students and opposition politicians condemned the government for the brutal attack on the students while conveniently ignoring the vandalism and the unruly behaviour by the students. However, the students did not deny allegations of vandalism either. The STF Chief alleged that the STF personnel who were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) after being injured while attempting to quell the violence during the demonstration had not been treated even after three hours by the doctors on duty. This had compelled him to take the injured personnel to the police hospital. This allegation of course had been denied by the CNH Director. State media, on the other hand highlighted the hooliganism by the students while being indifferent to the severity of the attack on the students. Meanwhile, the politically divided masses are also attempting to justify their respective views without looking at the incident objectively. Negotiations on the matter are being held apparently to impose the rigid view points of one party on the other and not to arrive at a consensus through a compromise. If the compromise is considered always as a defeat, there cannot be a solution to any problem. This is a very unfortunate situation. It will further encourage the respective parties to cross the Lakshman Rekha whenever they want to and aggravate the situation even further. The respective parties now have to look at the issue afresh. They must give up their egos and dogmas as the SAITM issue appears to be taking the country, though slowly at the moment, towards a situation like the one which prevailed in 1988/89, because it too is being highly politicized. REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares closed slightly lower yesterday as blue chips fell, but foreign buying capped losses while local investors continued to wait for more clarity on a new tax bill. The Colombo stock index ended 0.09 percent weaker at 6,697.08, its lowest close since June 19. The bourse fell 0.05 percent last week. Foreign investors net bought Rs.208.6 million worth of shares, extending their year-to-date net inflow to Rs.21.7 billion worth of equities. It was a flat market throughout the day and there were a lot of block trades. Foreign investors still continue to be net buyers, said Acuity Stockbrokers CEO Prashan Fernando. Government funds have been very quiet and we do not see many retail investors. Brokers said local investors have been waiting for some clarity on the proposed Inland Revenue Act, which some companies expect will result in higher cost of production. The International Monetary Fund, which has long urged Sri Lanka to boost tax revenue through modernisation and simplification of its fiscal system, has urged the government to submit to parliament a new Inland Revenue Act. Turnover was Rs.1.1 billion, well above this years daily average of Rs.929.8 million. Shares of Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC fell 3.84 percent, while Hatton National Bank PLC lost 0.96 percent. The importance of political commitment for the development and implementation of sustainable tourism goals was highlighted during an international tourism conference currently taking place in Manilla, Philippines. Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, John Amaratunga who is representing Sri Lanka at the 6th International Conference on Tourism themed Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism observed that while sustainable tourism was important, the tools to measure sustainability were equally important. The conference is being jointly organized by the Department of Tourism, Philippines and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The conference kicked-off in Manila on the 21st with a ministerial roundtable where tourism leaders from UNWTO, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Seychelles, South Africa, Fiji, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, South Korea, China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, Peru, Kenya, Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, France, Egypt, Canada, Belarus, Belgium, and Germany are participating. The roundtable will focus on the need for more integrated, credible data to manage and promote a more sustainable tourism sector. A declaration will be adopted on the need for tourism ministers, statistical chiefs, and environmental officials to work together in developing and implementing statistical tools to assess and measure tourisms contribution in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics, which is organized every 5 to 10 years, serves as a forum to advance and to set an agenda for better understanding of the statistical and planning side of tourism based on international standards. This 6th edition is also an official event to celebrate the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Sustainable tourism is increasingly relevant in national agenda for its role in fostering economic growth, social inclusiveness and the protection of cultural and natural assets. This is now also recognized at the highest international level with the UN General Assembly having adopted four resolutions since 2012 acknowledging the role of tourism in sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. Tourism Minister John Amaratunga also held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Tourism of the Philippines, Wanda Corazon T. Teo on the sidelines of the conference. The discussions focused on strengthening tourism sector relations between Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Infotechs-IDEAS coordinated the annual visit of the Cranfield University UK postgraduate students to Sri Lanka recently. The students are linked up with selected SME companies who would like to have some help in specific areas of business development to undertake a specific project. The student groups start interacting with the respective partner companies whilst in UK and then visit the companies and work with them on arrival in Sri Lanka. The total number of students is usually about 20-25 and they are on placement for a period of one-to-two weeks. After returning to the UK they follow up and finalize the project plan. Infotechs-IDEAS is a multi-disciplinary development consultancy company based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The company was established in 1999 and today is one of Sri Lankas leading and much sought after companies in providing consulting and project management services in Sri Lanka, and South Asian and African countries. Over the years the company has provided consultancy services to a portfolio of projects with an aggregated value of over US$2 billion. Infotechs IDEAS has been associated with the University of Cranfield on this Postgraduate student placement programme for the past four years. Their main resource person who conducts the initial orientation programme for the students has been Srilal Miththapala, a senior tourism and business personality in Sri Lanka. Miththapala brings to the programme his wide knowledge and experience of Sri Lankan businesses, giving a quick and wide overview of the key economic indicators and relevant business statistics, including tourism, during the orientation programme. He then introduces Sri Lankas extensive biodiversity and environment (being an avid environmentalist & wild life enthusiast) and then outlines the need for sustainable development. HINDUSTAN TIMES, 27th JUNE, 2017 Five decades since it heralded a transformation in the way people obtained and used cash, the worlds first ATM was turned into gold for celebrations of its fiftieth anniversary. The brainchild of Scottish inventor Shepherd-Barron, the first ATM (automated teller machine) was opened on June 27, 1967 at a branch of Barclays Bank in Enfield, north London, the first of six cash dispensers commissioned by the bank. English actor Reg Varney, who starred in the British TV comedy show On The Buses, was the first person to withdraw cash from the new machine. 1. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei talked about the ongoing Kashmir conflict in his Eid ul-Fitr remarks. India's official response: A response from the Ministry of External Affairs is awaited. 2. Chinese troops transgress Sikkim sector, jostle with Indian troops. The Chinese also destroyed two bunkers. Indian troops have had to form a human wall along the Line of Actual Control to stop the People's Liberation Army personnel. To add insult to injury the PLA soldiers took pictures and video-graphed the incident and ensured it went viral on social media. 3. China has abruptly blocked the movement of pilgrims going to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet and said no pilgrims will be allowed till the face-off is resolved. All newspapers reporting the incident wrote a bland single line "a response from the MEA is awaited". And, that in a single line is the institutional crisis that has gripped India's foreign policy establishment, created a series of forest fires in our neighbourhood and ensured a lame and tardy response to them. Why are newspapers forced to write this line? When was the last time Swaraj, an extremely able minister, went on a foreign visit? External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was in office and very much present in the South Block. So was the entire MEA establishment. Swaraj has tweeted about the opposition's presidential candidate, Meira Kumar, accusing the latter of not allowing her to speak as the leader of Opposition. She posted a video of a 2013 Lok Sabha speech in which the former Speaker was seen repeatedly interrupting the then Leader of Opposition, Swaraj. Trouble is that, according to authoritative sources, the Iran and China instances are illustrative of the MEA having been entirely muscled out of foreign policy and security space which is run as a three-man show by the trio of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an all-powerful BJP general secretary, Ram Madhav, and the national security advisor, Ajit Doval, who has a penchant for publicity. Consider this headline, which was across all media, yesterday: "PM Modi saved from a possible embarrassment by NSA Ajit Doval". The story was about how Modi's sheaf of papers with his prepared remarks blew away and how Doval with much agility retrieved them twice. Headlines from PM Modi's first meeting with President Donald Trump in the White House! Not really, but that's how media management of foreign policy is being done these days. P Chidambaram, senior congress leader and former Union home and finance minister, says, "Using the Army as the principal instrument to resolve the unrest in Kashmir valley has caused a huge setback to national security. The evidence lies in the increase in infiltration, displacement of villagers in the border and the huge rise in casualties among security forces and civilians." A fair indictment when you see the spiralling death toll even among the Jammu & Kashmir Police, and the fact that even a school was attacked. And a delegitimised Mehbooba Mufti clings to office in alliance with the BJP sans any solutions on offer. As India's only Muslim majority state goes back inexorably to the worst time of militancy of the early 1990s, the BJP with its muscular majoritarianism virtually holds Muslims across India hostage to the violence in the Valley. Witness the studied silence on the spate of lynchings of minorities (post the murder of Mohammad Akhlaq in 2015) in BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana. It has become a daily bloody tally drawing little or no condemnation and action. MEA sources say the world is watching with great interest as we commit blunder after blunder in the Valley and in our treatment of minorities. Iran has always been India's friend and while they have spoken about Kashmir earlier it was not so pointed. Issues that had been treated as settled by history are open again. This is a fundamental shift and needs to be immediately checked, say experts. "It's quite simple you cannot use the Valley to score points against Muslims across India to get votes. You have virtually made them disappear electorally in Uttar Pradesh by not giving a single ticket to Muslims despite their huge presence. Ensured polarisation against Muslims in the fray from other parties. Sent out a message by all ministers boycotting the President's Eid celebrations. This minority baiting while yielding electoral results is going to draw huge international attention and help Pakistan and China," says a senior MEA official. It's no accident that China made incursion into Sikkim after the hugely publicised "surgical strikes" against Pakistan which does not seem to have gained any of the results which the government had promised. While most prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, wanted a big say in foreign affairs, their office and the NSA had not hobbled the foreign office to this extent. The foreign minister still had a say in policy matters and did make frequent visits overseas. When was the last time Swaraj, an extremely able minister, went on a foreign visit? Swaraj has been to Myanmar in August 2016 and also visited west Asia in 2016. When she took office she visited Bangladesh in June, Bhutan and Nepal. China and Pakistan have quite simply ganged up and are running rings around the security establishment. Doval, who has no domain experience in foreign affairs and was exposed to be out of his depth during India's abortive NSG exemption bid, is in a bind. Sources say China has ensured that Nepal is now completely in its sphere of influence, it is making economic inroads into Sri Lanka and Bhutan and via its belt and road plan has effectively sewn up the neighbourhood. This is Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative, which seeks to rebalance globalisation and ensure an open world economy. As of now we seem to have no efficacious institutional response to even the threat to our influence in our neighbourhood. We react on a crisis-to-crisis basis such as boycotting the one belt, one road summit held by China in May this year. Immense discussions have rocked media networks on the action adopted by the US in declaring Syed Salahuddin, the head of the Hizbul Mujahideen as a global terrorist. Discussions have varied from the positives of the US supporting India on its aims and intentions of curbing Pakistan-sponsored terror and seeking diplomatic isolation of Islamabad, to comments that even Dawood Ibrahim and Masood Azhar have also been declared global terrorists by the US and have high bounties on their heads, yet roam free in Pakistan, protected by its deep state. This action of the US may be symbolic, yet had Pakistan reacting violently. Pakistan claimed that those supporting the "right of self-determination" of the Kashmiri people were being singled out. Pakistan lamented the US action, claiming that it was hindering the "freedom struggle" of the Kashmiri people. The statement continued with the Pakistan government insisting that it would continue "providing political, diplomatic and moral support to the freedom struggle". The US action has rattled Pakistan for many more reasons, most remain unstated, though convey a strong message. The J&K is not disputed in the official eyes of the US and belongs to India. Hence, the struggle there is not a 'freedom struggle' as claimed by Pakistan, but terrorism. The first message that it conveys is that the J&K is not disputed in the official eyes of the US and belongs to India. Hence, the struggle there is not a "freedom struggle" nor the "right to self-determination", as claimed by Pakistan, but terrorism. Thus, violence in the Valley is officially supported by Pakistan and its local stooges. Indirectly, the US supports Indian actions of employing force to subdue the violence, since it is a terror-supported violence and not a "freedom struggle". It would also support any offensive action which India may take on account of any terror strike on its soil. The second message which it conveys and which has truly rattled Pakistan is that terrorism prevailing in J&K is state-sponsored and the state sponsoring it is Pakistan. This again conveys to Pakistan that it is now closer to being designated as a terror-sponsoring state. The message has overruled all that Pakistan has been projecting for years and seeking to convey to the world. The third and final message is that the Hizbul Mujahideen is a terror organisation, supported by Pakistan and does not have anything to do with the freedom struggle. It is neither Kashmir-based nor assists the Kashmiri people, but is a terror group officially supported by Pakistan. India and Indians were clearly aware of these facts, however for the world there had to be a lead to support the Indian position. This lead has flowed from the US. Pakistan may now cry hoarse and as before their prime minister would raise the Kashmir bogey in every forum, including the UN. However, his words would appear hollow as the right message has been released to the world. Hence, Pakistans position may carry little international weight, irrespective of Chinese support in preventing Masood Azhar being declared a global terrorist by the UN. Indias decision not to resume dialogue is now justified as major terrorist and criminal leaders operating from Pakistan, have been marked as global terrorists and since they roam freely within the nation, Pakistan being a state sponsor of terrorism is aptly proved. On ground, nothing much may change. The designated terrorists may roam free as before, protected by the deep state. However, whenever their involvement in terrorist strikes is proved and announced by India, it would embarrass Pakistan as it is the official supporter of terror. There is also a requirement to link the official message given by both, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump, asking Pakistan to ensure its soil is not used for cross-border terror activities. Pakistans three important neighbours India, Afghanistan and Iran are accusing it of providing official support to terror groups on its soil. The US is equally impacted as the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network are based in Pakistan. The message slowly spreading is that Pakistan cannot be trusted to end terror support on its own and hence needs to be compelled to do so. It has faced military actions by all its three angry neighbours in some form. The US would soon be compelled to apply diplomatic, financial and military pressure on Islamabad. Hence, by declaring Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist, it has added strength to its future actions of application of pressure. Hence, while not much may change on the ground in Kashmir and in Pakistan, a clear message has been conveyed. The isolation of Pakistan is moving forward, its involvement in terror activities is being officially conveyed and Indias position in avoiding talks on terror supporting actions is gaining support. Pakistan would begin feeling greater pressure as the new Afghan strategy is released by the US. It would come under increased drone strikes angering terror groups which it supports, adding to its woes. By Jim Baggett, Head, Archives and Manuscripts Department BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The Awards Committee of the Society of Alabama Archivists calls for nominations for the 2017 Marvin Yeomans Whiting Award. Named for Marvin Whiting, the Birmingham Public Library's first archivist and a pioneer in the professionalization of archives in Alabama, this award recognizes individuals, organizations, or institutions that have made a significant contribution to the preservation and dissemination of local history in Alabama. The award recognizes the preservation of historic documents and oral history but not buildings, historic sites, or artifacts. The Birmingham Public Library co-sponsors the award. The award was created in 2012 and the past recipients are Ed Bridges, retired director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History; Elizabeth Wells, former head of Special Collections at Samford University; Coll'ette King of the Mobile County Probate Court; Bobby Joe Seals of the Shelby County Museum and Archives; and Tom Turley of the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The deadline for nominations is July 28, 2017, and the award will be presented at the Society of Alabama Archivists Annual Meeting at the University of Alabama on October 13, 2017. For more information and to access the nomination form, visit the SALA web site at http://www.alarchivists.org/whiting-award.html. Questions may be directed to: Jim Baggett, Head Department of Archives and Manuscripts Birmingham Public Library 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 205-226-3631 (voice), 205-226-3633 (fax) jbaggett@bham.lib.al.us www.BirminghamArchives.org http://www.facebook.com/BirminghamArchives 125 Years of Progress takes you inside The Daily Progress' archives every day in celebration of our 125 years serving Charlottesville and the rest of Central Virginia. Sponsored by Hanckel-Citizens Insurance Charlottesville The spirit of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest hovered over Charlottesville recently, and the fiery cross, symbolic of the Invisible Empire and of the unconquered and unconquerable blood of America, cast an eerie sheen upon a legion of white robed Virginians as they stood upon hallowed ground and renewed the faith of their fathers. Which is by way of saying that the Ku Klux Klan has been organized in this city. Hundreds of Charlottesvilles leading business and professional men met around the tomb of Jefferson at the midnight hour one night last week and sealed the pledge of chivalry and patriotism with the deepest crimson of red American blood. It is said that the reorganization of the Klan is proceeding rapidly throughout the State, the South and the Nation. The Daily Progress June 28, 1921 The following day, The Daily Progress reported: Thousands of members of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia will assemble in Greensboro, N.C. on Friday July 1st for one of the largest celebrations ever held since the organization was founded six years ago. A rally, organized by the North Carolina group of the Ku Klux Klan is scheduled to be held July 8 in Justice Park. Yusef Daher Descends to New Low | Main | The Washington Post Manages to Outdo the BBC with Anti-Israel Headline June 28, 2017 NBC's Blinders on Egyptian Blockade In an article about Hamas banning dog-walking in the Gaza Strip, NBC News believes it's important for readers to know that Israel blockades the Gaza Strip. On the other hand, NBC would prefer that readers not know that Egypt also blockades the Gaza Strip, even though the Egyptian blockade is much more restrictive than the Israeli blockade by any measure ("Hamas bans dog-walking in the Gaza Strip"). The article, a collaborative effort by NBC's Wajjeh Abu Zarifa , Dave Copeland , Lawahez Jabari and F. Brinley Bruton reported: Hamas the militant group that runs the poor, Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip recently decreed dogs cant be walked in markets, roads and along beaches. Israel allows in virtually all products aside from weapons and items defined as dual-use items (ie can be used for military purposes), a fact confirmed by the Israeli NGO Gisha, which is highly critical of Israel's policies with respect to Gaza. Both goods and people can much more easily pass through the Israeli blockade of Gaza than through the strict Egyptian blockade. That Egypt's blockade, ignored by NBC, is significantly more restrictive than the Israeli blockade (which NBC singled out), is confirmed by recent UN data. The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that this past May, for example, (the most recent UN data available), the Israeli crossing for people (Erez Crossing), was open for 25 days, enabling 6,328 times in which people crossed from Gaza to Israel. In contrast, the Egyptian crossing for people (Rafah Crossing), was open for just four days, enabling just 3,068 times in which people crossed in either direction (Egypt to Gaza and the reverse). (Graphic below from OCHA's report.) More than 200 trucks exited Gaza into Israel via the Kerem Shalom crossing over the course of 17 days in May. Zero trucks exit Gaza for Egypt. As for the entry of goods into Gaza, the Kerem Shalom Crossing from Israel operated for 19 days in May, enabling over 10,000 trucks carrying goods to enter from Israel. In contrast, Egypt's "Rafah crossing exceptionally opened on four days, allowing 381 truckloads of goods to enter Gaza, the largest volume through this crossing since June 2015." In 2015 Reuters, which had likewise initially ignored the Egyptian-blockade in a graphic entitled "Gaza blockade," commendably added the information when the omission was pointed out. CAMERA has contacted NBC to request that they likewise amend their report to include the more severe Egyptian blockade. Stay tuned for an update. Posted by TS at June 28, 2017 03:29 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy CHARLES CITY An Amtrak train got stuck on the tracks in Charles City County on Tuesday, stranding its 84 passengers for more than five hours. The Northeast Regional Train 67 was damaged on its way to Newport News after hitting stray pieces of metal lying on the tracks near Roxbury Road. The incident occurred about 11:20 a.m., and passengers didn't step off of the train until close to 5 p.m., Amtrak said. Bryan Garmon, a train passenger, described the wait as "hell." Temperatures in the Richmond region reached the low 80s Tuesday afternoon. He said a woman went into an anxiety attack from the heat and her eyes went glossy. "Her temperature dropped so she was overheating," he said. The woman recovered, and no other injuries were reported from the incident, according to Amtrak. Michael Mulheran, another train passenger, said the air conditioning would turn on periodically because power wasn't consistently available. "It got worse and worse," he said. Mulheran added that passengers weren't given water and emergency snacks until after 3 hours on the tracks. Ryan Gaskin of New York was riding the train with his two children on their way to a beach vacation. Gaskin said it was dark on the train, but "thankfully (the kids) found some other kids to play with." The train was scheduled to arrive in Newport News at 11:25 a.m. after beginning is journey at 3:15 a.m. in Boston. The train had made stops in Connecticut, New York and Washington, D.C. After the lengthy wait, the passengers were loaded onto charter buses and arrived in Newport News about 6:50 p.m. According to the passengers, the Amtrak staff announced that all passengers were likely to receive full reimbursement for their trips and a travel voucher. CSX Transportation owns the tracks and worked with Amtrak to remove the debris. CSX spokeswoman Laura Phelps said the company will look into the cause of the damage and any reports of debris on the tracks. NEWPORT NEWS Dominion Energy's proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line near Historic Jamestowne, along with the 17 towers almost as high as the Statue of Liberty that will bear it across the James River, cleared another hurdle Tuesday when the Virginia Marine Resources Commission signed off on the 4-mile portion that will be anchored to the riverbed. The commission voted unanimously to authorize the utility to cross state-owned river bottom for the project, which will involve 656 pilings driven into the bottom, towers as high as 295 feet tall, and "fenders" in navigation channels built across the river from Surry County to James City County. From there, a proposed but yet-to-be approved switching station will connect to a 230-kilovolt line that will run down the Peninsula to Hampton. The approval came over what the commission's staff said were more than 1,000 letters or emails in protest and the objections of representatives from conservation and historic preservation groups. They argued at the meeting that the line's construction could affect aquatic life in the James and forever mar the experience of heritage tourists visiting Historic Jamestowne, Carter's Grove Plantation, the Colonial Parkway, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and other historic sites in the area, which includes a view of the river largely unchanged for some 400 years. "It's worth restating again and again that this is where America began," Jamie Brunkow, lower James riverkeeper for the James River Association, told the commission. "It's very hard to believe there's only one practical option to get power from one side of the river to the other." Dominion says it has exhaustively explored all options for meeting power demands in the Peninsula area as it retires two coal-fired units at the Yorktown Power Station and insists the project is the only cost-effective option. "It's the last place we would target if there were other options," said Kevin Curtis, Dominion's vice president of technical solutions. The line has already been endorsed by the State Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which issued Dominion a provisional permit earlier this month contingent on approvals from the marine commission and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Several members of the marine commission said they were reluctant to overrule other agencies that have spent considerable time evaluating the need for the transmission line and alternatives pushed by opponents. "I am reluctant to superimpose my judgment here and now by those entities and their jurisdiction after years of study and a decision," said John M.R. Bull, VMRC commissioner and chairman of the board. While many on the nine-member body might wish the project "looked otherwise," he said the commission's authority was limited to the effects of construction on the river bottom. "In many regards I'd like to say no to this project, but given the scope of our influence and charge within the laws of the commonwealth, I don't know how we could say no," said board member John E. Tankard III. The commission did impose construction conditions, including prohibiting pile-driving between Feb. 15 and June 15 to protect vulnerable aquatic species such as shad, herring and Atlantic sturgeon from what experts told the commission could be potentially fatal sonic effects of construction. The commission also directed Dominion to employ bubble curtains, isolation chambers and cushion blocks to protect fish from sound waves and limit its work to two towers at a time. It will require a royalty of about $170,000 for the project. "The commission has a limited jurisdiction and we realized this was a tall ask for them," said Sharee Williamson, associate general counsel for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has opposed the transmission line and commissioned a consultant to analyze alternatives to the line. Critics of Dominion's plan insist the alternatives never got more than a cursory look by the Corps and Dominion. "Dominion presents themselves as the experts and says, 'Trust us,'" Williamson said. "We'll trust them when we see their homework." James City also has yet to approve the switching station for the line. The county's Board of Supervisors is expected to take up the issue next month. The total price tag for the transmission line is $270 million, including about $90 million Dominion has pledged in mitigation efforts that include landscape and viewshed enhancements, shoreline protection and water-quality improvements in the area. They are part of a 64-page memorandum of agreement between Dominion, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the Army Corps and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. "The governor's concern has been the provision of reliable power to the Peninsula," said Molly Ward, Virginia's secretary of natural resources, who oversees the Historic Resources Department and whose office negotiated the memorandum of understanding. Ward said the importance of preventing blackouts, particularly for federal installations such as Joint Base Langley-Eustis and major businesses such as Newport News Shipbuilding, was key for the administration. "A $90 million settlement, while many people may feel it won't pay for the viewshed damage, is the largest settlement I'm aware of for historic resources," she said. PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Pascagoula police are investigating an overnight shooting that happened at Willow Creek Apartments on Eden St., according to Capt. Doug Adams. The shooting, according to Adams left the victim with gunshot wounds to the hand and thigh -- the injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, he said. Adams said shots were fired around 8 p.m. when an altercation broke out between two people. Investigators are following up on leads and speaking with witnesses Adams said and motive is not known at this time. If anyone has any information regarding the shooting, you're encouraged to call the Pascagoula Police Department at 228-762-2211 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-877-787-5898. Mumbai: Flight tickets just got cheaper with SpiceJet announcing its Mega Monsoon Sale on Wednesday that offers attractive fares starting from Rs 699. All tickets fares under this sale are inclusive prices which will be available on a first come, first served basis. The seven-day sale was launched today and will be on till July 4, 2017. The offer is for tickets booked for travel between July 14, 2017 to March 24, 2018. The sale is applicable for SpiceJet's non-stop domestic flights along routes like Jammu - Srinagar, Srinagar -Jammu, Guwahati - Agartala, Agartala - Guwahati, and Aizwal- Guwahati amongst others. Apart from the 'Mega Monsoon Sale', SpiceJet is also hosting a lucky draw that gives flyers the chance to bag exclusive holiday packages to luxury destinations like Dubai, Male, Colombo, Bangkok or Muscat. Experts believe that under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), economy class air travel will become cheaper. The GST rate is 5 per cent as opposed to the existing 6 per cent rate. However, business class tickets will become more expensive as they will attract GST rate of 12 per cent as opposed to the existing 9 per cent. Washington: US Vice President Mike Pence has expressed his desire to visit budget carrier SpiceJet's office on his trip to India in a meeting with the airline's chief Ajay Singh. The Indian no-frills airline was lauded by US President Donald Trump for an order of 100 new planes with American aircraft manufacturer Boeing and the massive jobs this will create in the country. Pence had met Singh yesterday on the sidelines of the annual gala of the US-India Business Council (USIBC). Thanking SpiceJet CEO Singh for thousands of high value jobs the airline's order would create in the US, Pence said its deal with Boeing was extensively discussed in the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump, according to the airline's spokesperson. "Pence informed Singh that he was invited by the PM to visit India which he has accepted. The VP also expressed a desire to visit the SpiceJet office during his India visit," the spokesperson added. SpiceJet had announced an order of 100 Boeing planes worth USD 22 billion in January. The order is expected to create 1.32 lakh high-skilled jobs in the US. Last month, the airline also signed an initial pact for 40 Boeing 737 MAX planes. This includes conversion of 20 737 MAX 8 airplanes from its existing order of 737 MAX 10s. Singh also gifted a SpiceJet aircraft model to Pence for President Trump. While addressing the USIBC Pence said, "I know that American companies are going to continue to give India's aviation industry the wings it needs to soar. And let me just take the opportunity, as the President did yesterday, to say thank you to SpiceJet for investing and believing in American workers and American businesses." He also thanked Indian businesses "for your investment in our nation's future. "In an interview with PTI, Singh said India should be looked upon as not only a strategic partner in a military context, and in the context of two countries together fighting terrorism, but also as a strategic partner that helps create jobs in the US. He also lamented that manufacturing of commercial planes in India "has not been given a thought to, at the moment". Mumbai: Central government employees can finally heave a sigh of relief as the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the 7th Pay Commissions (SPC) recommendations for hiked allowances of government employees, including house rent allowances (HRAs). This decision, which comes 18 months after the SPC recommended the hiking of allowances is likely to affect more than 50 lakh central government employees both serving and retired. HRA makes up 60 per cent of the total allowance of a government employees pay. The Union Cabinet modified the recommendations made by the SPC, which will be applicable from July 1. Union Cabinet approves Recommendations of 7th CPC on Allowances with 34 modifications; revised rates effective from 1 July 2017. ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 The Union Cabinet had not been able to take a decision on this matter in its last meeting on June 7. Central government employees are likely to start receiving the revised allowances under the SPC from July. The approved HRA will be 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of the revised basic pay, depending on the type of city and its population. According to a report in Hindustan Times, a government statement read The HRA will not be less than Rs 5,400, Rs 3,600 and Rs 1,800 depending on the type of city and calculated at 30%, 20% and 10% of minimum pay Rs 18,000. The financial implication of revised allowances would be around Rs 30,748 crore per annum, the statement said. Other allowances that have been revised are: Rates of Siachen allowance for soldiers has been hiked from Rs 14,000 to Rs 30,000 per month and from Rs 21,000 to Rs 42,500 for officers per month for extreme risks and hardship. The mandatory medical allowance given to pensioners has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per month. The allowance for keeping constant attendance for those with 100 per cent disability has been increased from Rs 4,500 to Rs 6,750 per month. Rate of nursing allowance has been hiked from Rs 4,800 to Rs 7,200 per month. The allowance for operation theatre has been increased from Rs 360 to Rs 540 per month. Hospital patient care allowance has been increased from Rs 2,070 to Rs 4,100 per month. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday declared that Union Cabinet has given in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India. This announcement comes amid debates regarding privatisation of Air India. The in-principle approval by the Cabinet is the first step towards a long-drawn process. A group will be set up to finalise modalities/details of disinvestment of Air India, including the quantum of stake sale, said Arun Jaitley. Group will be set up to finalize modalities/details of disinvestment of Air India, such as extent etc.: FM Arun Jaitley. pic.twitter.com/YeTX9tUs5Y ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 The civil aviation ministry is charting out the disinvestment of the state-run carrier. In addition to the existing players, if private players also participate in Air Indias proposed privatization, it will add to the competition in terms of quality and the speed of growth of the sector too, Jaitley had said in an interview with CNBC TV18. Last week, an official of the Tata Group had revealed that the company in partnership with Singapore Airlines was considering buying stakes in the national airline. Government think-tank Niti Aayog had also suggested the privatisation of the debt-ridden company. The Union Cabinet chose between two options tabled by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) after much deliberation with a Committee of Secretaries. The discussions considered both Niti Aayog's proposal and the civil aviation ministry's proposal of a sale of subsidiaries and assets of the company prior to privatisation. The airline has a debt of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is surviving on a Rs 30,000-crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA government in 2012. New Delhi: India needs to develop its own path to attain capital adequecy for public sector banks (PSBs) as required by the Basel III global norms, former RBI Governor Y V Reddy said today. The finance ministry, incidently, had made a case recently for pushing back the Reserve Bank's deadline for implementing these norms in view of higher capital requirement to deal with bad loans which have reached unacceptable levels. "Basel III banking norms are sort of guidelines in international standards. In principle we want to go towards the Basel III banking norms. The pace of implemenation is left to each country," Reddy told PTI in an interview. "I think it is appropriate that India decided its own path to the comprehensive basel III norms. So I would not consider it as an unwelcome thing, if it is being done wisely, I am sure," he said. In a recent meeting with RBI, senior officials from the finance ministry pitched for deferring the implementation of Basel III norms beyond March 2019, saying it will help banks meet the capital needs and increase credit flow to productive sectors along with balance sheet clean-up. These global capital to risk norms, called Basel III capital regulation, are being implemented in phased manner by Reserve Bank of India since April 1, 2013. They are to be fully implemented as on March 31, 2019. As per the norms, banks have to maintain a minimum common equity ratio of 8 per cent and total capital ratio of 11.5 per cent by March 2019. Most of the 21 state-owned banks are already above the average prescribed by RBI as of now but there are 6 PSU banks including IDBI Bank, Bank of Maharashtra and Central Bank of India, which have been put under prompt corrective action (PCA) requiring course correction and higher capital to come out of poor financial health. However, provisioning levels for the Indian banking sector have risen sharply over the last few quarters in response to rising bad loans, with the RBI's asset quality review initiated in December 2015 pushing the bottomline of several PSBs into the red. Their toxic loans rose by over Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 6.06 lakh crore during April-December of 2016-17, the bulk of which came from power, steel, road infrastructure and textile sectors. Gross non performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans of PSBs nearly doubled to Rs 5.02 lakh crore at the end of March 2016, from Rs 2.67 lakh crore at the end of March 2015. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced capital infusion of Rs 10,000 crore for PSBs in the current fiscal in line with the Indradhanush scheme. This will be over the Rs 70,000 crore that banks will get as capital support from the government. Of this, the government has already infused Rs 50,000 crore in the past two fiscals and the remaining will be pumped in by the end of 2018-19. As per the scheme, PSBs need to raise Rs 1.10 lakh crore from markets, including follow-on public offer, to meet Basel III requirements, which kick in from March 2019. According to sources, discussions are ongoing with RBI and the finance ministry has made the point of deferring Basel III norms given the circumstances. RBI had already extended the deadline from March 2018 to March 2019 in 2014 after getting representation from various quarters. The implementation may necessitate some lead time for banks to raise capital within the internationally agreed timeline for full implementation of the Basel III capital regulations, RBI had said. RBI believes that there is a set framework and it should not be disturbed and any divergence from Basel III norms by the RBI can impact the perception on Indian banks and the central bank globally. Basel III reforms are the response of Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) to improve the banking sector's ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic stress, whatever the source, thus reducing the risk of spill over from the financial sector to the real economy. Following the global financial crisis 2007-08, during Pittsburgh summit in September 2009, the G20 leaders committed to strengthening the regulatory system for banks and other financial firms. They aimed at implementing strong international compensation standards aimed at ending practices that lead to excessive risk-taking, to improve the over-the-counter derivatives market and to create more powerful tools to hold large global firms to account for the risks they take. As a result of this Basel II replaced Basel III reforms on capital regulation. New Delhi: Several training partners and franchisees today stormed into the office of the skill development ministry here, protesting against non-allocation of seats or skilling targets under the government's flagship PMKVY 2 scheme. Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy was out of New Delhi, meeting Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh in Raipur, at the time of the protest. The protesters carrying banners and placards laid siege to the ministry's office at the Shivaji Stadium annexe, alleging that influential training partners were being allocated centres whereas they were left out. According to senior officials, the government has suspended further allocation under the skilling scheme PMKVY 2.0 in three states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, after finding irregularities like fraudulent enrolment of ghost candidates by the franchisee skill centres. Many protesters whom PTI spoke to threatened to commit suicide, saying they were neck-deep in debt since they had invested heavily in setting up such training centres by taking loans and could not repay them as they were not allocated seats. The National Skill Development Corporation has been tasked with implementing the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). "We are not shutting down all franchisees, but only the bad ones. There are some good franchisees whom we will engage as direct training partners. So eventually, franchisee system will go. A formal decision to this effect has been taken by the ministry and will be announced soon," NSDC MD and CEO Manish Kumar said. He refuted allegations about discrimination in allocation of seats or skilling targets, saying these were being levelled by disgruntled people who have been identified as bad players. Following is a list of companies and organisations that have reported being hit by cyber attacks: A global ransomware attack on Tuesday hit computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukraine's international airport, global shipping firm A.P Moller-Maersk and the world's biggest advertising agency WPP. Following is a list of companies and organisations that have reported being hit by cyber attacks: Rosneft Russia's top oil producer Rosneft said its servers had been hit been a large-scale cyber attack but its oil production was unaffected. A.P Moller-Maersk Danish shipping giant A.P Moller-Maersk, which handles one out of seven containers shipped globally, said a cyber attack had caused outages at its computer systems across the world. Maersk's port operator APM Terminals was also hit. Dutch broadcaster RTV Rijnmond reported that 17 shipping container terminals run by APM Terminals had been hacked, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world. WPP Britain's WPP, the world's biggest advertising company, said computer systems within several of its agencies had been hit by a suspected cyber attack. Merck & Co Pharmaceutical company Merck & Co said in a tweet its computer network was compromised as part of a global hack. Russian Banks Russia's central bank said there had been "computer attacks" on Russian banks and that in isolated cases their IT systems had been infected. All Russian branches of Home Credit consumer lender are closed because of a cyber attack, an employee of a Home Credit call centre in Russia said. Ukrainian banks, Power Grid A number of Ukrainian banks and companies, including the state power distributor, were hit by a cyber attack that disrupted some operations, the Ukrainian central bank said. Ukrainian International Airport Yevhen Dykhne, director of the capital's Boryspil Airport, said it had been hit. "In connection with the irregular situation, some flight delays are possible," Dykhne said in a post on Facebook. Saint Gobain French construction materials company Saint Gobain said it had been a victim of a cyber attack, and it had isolated its computer systems to protect data. Deutsche Post German postal and logistics company Deutsche Post said systems of its Express division in the Ukraine have in part been affected by a cyber attack. Metro Germany's Metro said its wholesale stores in the Ukraine had been hit by a cyber attack and the retailer was assessing the impact. Mondelez International Food company Mondelez International said employees in different regions were experiencing technical problems but it was unclear whether this was due to a cyber attack. TNT Express The Netherlands-based shipping company said it was experiencing interference with some of its systems, following a global ransomware attack. Evraz Russian steelmaker Evraz said its information systems had been hit by a cyber attack but its output was not affected. Norway A ransomware cyber attack is taking place in Norway and is affecting an unnamed international company, the Nordic country's national security authority. Mars Inc A unit of candy manufacturer Mars Inc has been targeted by cyber attackers, and the company has isolated the issue, a spokeswoman for the company said. Beiersdorf AG India-based employees at Beiersdorf AG, the maker of Nivea skincare products, told Reuters the ransomware attack had impacted some of the company's systems in the country. The extent of the impact was unclear and Beiersdorf, which is based in Germany, could not be reached immediately for comment in India. Reckitt Benckiser The Indian unit of British consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, which owns brands such as Enfamil, Dettol and Lysol, was also hit by the ransomware attack, employees in India told Reuters. The extent of the impact on its systems was not immediately clear and the company could not be reached for comment in India. Mumbai: In damage control mode after NotPetya ransomware virus hit its terminal operated by AP Moller-Maersk in Denmark, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has urgently brought in cyber experts from the Centre and the state to avoid further harm. JNPT has also made an alternative arrangement to divert container traffic from its terminal Gateway Terminals India (GTI), which was hit by the virus on Tuesday night. The terminal handles 4,500 containers per day. The state government is helpless as the virus attack has taken place at the main server of the AP Moller-Maersk company in Denmark. Terming the attack as global, Anil Diggikar, chairman of the JNPT, said the government has made alternative arrangements if needed. Its a global virus attack. The AP Moller-Maersk have their headquarters in Denmark and hence we have little to do from here. But we have made alternative arrangements to divert the cargo to other terminals, DP World and JNPTC. Our emphasis is that the import export is not affected, as the APs terminal was handling 4,500 cargo containers on a daily basis, Mr Diggikar said. The GTI terminal server is completely down, but other terminals are functioning normally, he added. The ministry of shipping said National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai was rushed to Mumbai to assist the company. The situation is being closely monitored and further steps to deal with the traffic situation will be initiated based on an assessment during the course of the next few days. Dr Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator, is proceeding to JNPT to further deal with the situation, a release said. Brijesh Singh, Maharashtra state cyber cell chief, said, The state governments departments such as customs, excise, etc., are not affected in this attack. The computers used in these departments are safe and functioning. The computers used by various firms and Maersks system, which handles the movement of ships, is affected. The state government has also asked for cyber support from Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), the national team for cyber security. The additional manpower will be helpful in finding a solution. Operations at JNPTs GTI were impacted on Tuesday night as a fallout of the global ransomware attack, which crippled some central banks and many large corporations in Europe. Mumbai: Contrary to the misgivings raised by the meek Box-office figures for the latest Salman Khan starrer 'Tubelight,' the films director Kabir Khan is all set to reunite with the 'Tubelight' superstar for a film that promises to be even more daringly unconventional and un-Salman. A source very close to Salman Khan reveals, See, bhai is not really bothered with what the critics say. He wants to play characters now, and not just be Salman Khan the superstar now. The same critics slammed him for just going in front of the camera and not doing anything to change into characters. Now when hes keen to play characters he will do what he wants without fear of criticism. Kabir and bhai had already discussed another project during the making of 'Tubelight,' and that commitment remains unchanged. In fact, during an Eid get-together at Salmans home, Kabir jokingly asked Salman if he still wants to go ahead with another project with him. Salman apparently grinned and mock-punched Kabir. The new Salman-Kabir project would require the superstar to age from 40 to 75. The reliable source further divulged, Bhai got scared of that film because he would have to use a lot of prosthetics to show age. Bhai is not comfortable with prosthetics. He always says no to roles that require him to put on disguises, fake beards, etc. because of his neuro-condition. However, now when he is in the mood to stretch himself as an actor and the old mans role with Kabir, this will happen. Mumbai: Be it Baaghi, Heropanti or A Flying Jatt,' all of Tiger Shroffs films have had action, dance and romance as a crucial component and his upcoming film Munna Michael is no different. The trailer focused primarily on his action and dance skills and the first song Main Hoon saw him completely going into the Michael Jackson zone, and the second one Ding Dang displayed his mischievous side with some masala dance steps. The third song Pyar Ho is also out now, which brings out his romantic side as well. Tiger and Nidhhi Agerwal are seen getting cozy in the deserts and other exotic locales in Egypt and Jordan in the melodious song. Tiger still can't hold himself back and is seen jumping from the wall again. The cinematography in capturing the beauty of the locations also deserve a special mention. Vishal Mishra has composed the song which he has sung along with Sunidhi Chauhan. Munna Michael, directed by Sabbir Khan is gearing up for release on 21 July and also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead. Watch the song here: Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan referred to himself as an ageing movie star in an inspirational talk show he delivered recently, but the actor has said he has no plans to retire from acting ever. The 51-year-old star, who considers his audience like a family, said he was confident that he could continue being an actor throughout his life. I think work becomes a part of your life. I don't think I would ever be able to retire from acting, unfortunately for a lot of people... Am I blindly believing that I can act for the rest of my life? No, with my eyes open I believe I can act for the rest of my life. Will I become the bad actor and be finished and done with it?... Maybe. But this thought has never come (of retirement), Shah Rukh said in an interview. SRK is often criticised for not trying anything different in terms of his films, but the actor said he had evolved with each and every film and matured as a person. I tell them try with me, but not out of anger because I do believe I do different acting with all humility. I try new things all the time. I am also evolving as a person as I started 25 years back. I am 51 years old now, I must be really stupid if I haven't evolved, he said. Shah Rukh said even his kids ask him if is he bored of acting in films? Sometimes when they (family) come to see the shooting they get tired. Yesterday, my daughter (Suhana) saw a song from Imtiaz Ali's film (on screen). She had seen the same song when I was shooting for it in Punjab. I must have shot it ten times... So when it got over she asked me, 'Papa it's only for three seconds. How are you doing it 20 times? Don't you get bored? And I genuinely told her, 'I don't get bored of doing it', he said. Telugu actress Ritu Varma rose to fame with Pelli Choopulu, which went on to impress film buffs across the world. In fact, the film became her calling card to step into the Tamil film industry. Her subtle performance in the film made Gautham Menon take notice and sign her up for one of the lead roles in his ongoing film, Dhruva Natchathiram, which has Vikram and Aishwarya Rajesh as the prime cast. While we were thinking that Dhruva Natchathiram would be her debut in Tamil, she took us by surprise when she was spotted in the trailer of VIP 2, directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth. Her inclusion in the movie was kept under wraps and it looks she may play an extended cameo in the sequel to the super-hit flick Velai Illa Pattadhari, that starred Dhanush and Amala Paul as the leads. A source in the know tells us that Ritus role would be similar to what Surabhi essayed in the prequel. Her character would be significant in helping Dhanush choose his dream job and take the story forward. The actress who is currently in Bulgaria shooting for Dhruva Natchathiram, was unavailable for comment. VIP 2, which boasts of an ensemble cast including Dhanush, Kajol, Amala Paul and Samuthirakani, will release simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi on July 28. Mumbai: Malayalam actor Dileep and his friend, filmmaker Nardirshah on Tuesday provided evidence to the Aluva Police in Kerala regarding the recent blackmail attempt they had been subjected to, in relation to the abduction and assault of a top actress from the industry. The duo had claimed that a person had demanded Rs 1.5 crore on behalf on Pulsar Suni, who is the primary accused in the actress' assault case, to not frame Dileep in it. "Don't feel bad. I don't want to stand before a media trial. Whatever I have to say, I will say to the police and the court," Dileep was later quoted as saying by The New Indian Express. Post Dileeps complaint, the police had arrested two persons named Vishnu and Sanal Kumar. The former is said to have made the blackmail call to Dileep, while the latter is said to have given a mobile phone to Pulsar Suni. Previously, an alleged audio tape of a person blackmailing Dileep got leaked and was aired on Malayalam television channels. Mumbai:Nearly 200 inmates of a womens prison here, including Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, have been booked for rioting after they allegedly staged a protest over the death of a convict here. The spark for the protest was the death of 45-year-old Manju Govind Shette, a convict, at the government-run J.J. Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of Byculla Jail. Following Shettes death, the next day, enraged women inmates rose in protest, some of them went up to the prisons roof while some others made a bonfire of newspapers inside the premises to express their anger, a police official said. Subsequently, six jail staffers were placed under suspension. Indrani, lodged in the Byculla prison after arrest in August 2015, is among nearly 200 inmates against whom a case was on Sunday registered for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on public servant and other relevant sections under the Indian Penal Code, a police official said on Monday. Mumbai: Arguing that the role of Mustafa Dossa, one of the six convicts in the 1993 serial blasts case, was "more severe" than that of hanged convict Yakub Memon, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday sought capital punishment for him. The agency also sought gallows for another convict Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, saying his role is parallel to that of Yakub, absconding accused Tiger Memon's brother, who was held guilty in the case in 2007 and hanged in 2015. Special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court judge G A Sanap is currently hearing the arguments of the prosecution on the point of sentence. In the second installment of the trial, the court on June 16 convicted five accused, including Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem, under the charges of murder, conspiracy and sections of now repealed TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act), while the sixth accused Riyaz Siddiqui was convicted only under TADA Act. As many as 257 people were killed in the coordinated blasts that ripped through the city on March 12, 1993. The trial of the seven accused -- Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum -- was separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial. The court acquitted Abdul Quayyum of all the charges. Special CBI counsel Deepak Salvi told the court that Dossa was one of the "brains" behind the conspiracy and that his degree of responsibility towards the commission of the crime was the highest. "If not for him (and other absconding accused) the crime would never have taken place," Salvi told the court. He said that first conspiracy meeting held at Dossa's Dubai residence had sowed the first seeds of the conspiracy. Salvi argued that Dossa was one of the masterminds and was in a dominant position of authority. "Dossa was from among the prime conspirators giving instructions to others," the counsel told the court. He argued that Dossa financed for landing of arms and explosives and sending people to Pakistan for arms training etc. Dossa had the effective control over the incident and he was one of the architects of the blasts, he said. "Just like the supreme court had held that Yakub Memon's deeds cannot be viewed distinct from the act of Tiger Memon (a wanted accused in the blasts case), the same can be attributed to Dossa and other suggestion would be futile and worth discarding at the first glance", Salvi argued. He said Dossa was among the "archers wearing the quiver and releasing arrows and one of the principal perpetrators who got the work done through others". "The offence could have been averted had it not been hatched by the absconders (including Dossa) or if he had not initiated it by sending the first consignment of arms," Salvi said. From the execution of the conspiracy, there is a clear instigation by Dossa and he was directly responsible for the blasts as he was one of the brains behind plotting the attacks, the CBI counsel said. "The crime of terrorism is in itself the aggravating circumstances as it carries a 'special stigmatisation' due to the deliberate form of inhuman treatment it represents and the severity of the pain and suffering inflicted," Salvi argued. He said Dossa was a known smuggler and has criminal antecedents. "The crime committed by him is of the utmost gravity, heinous, dastardly, diabolical and demonic with no regard towards the country and her citizens, and was carried out pruriently relishing the act of spilling the blood and slaughtering," Salvi argued. Seeking capital punishment for Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, Salvi said his role is parallel to that of Yakub. "He was an aide of Dossa who was privy to the object of the conspiracy and its aim, and hence performed the same with vigor and determination," he said. The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders on the direction of the National Investigative Agency. (Representational Image) Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday detained three second-rung leaders of Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference faction on the direction of the National Investigative Agency (NIA). They are Altaf Ahmed Shah alias Fantosh who also the son-in-law of the octogenarian separatist leader, Ayaz Akbar and Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, the police sources said. The sources added that they are being flown to Delhi to be handed over to the NIA for interrogation. The NIA had recently conducted raids at 23 places in Srinagar, Delhi and Haryana in connection with alleged hawala operations between Pakistan-based terror groups and Kashmiri separatists. Those whose houses and offices were searched besides these three included Naeem Ahmed Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bita Karate, Gazi Javed Baba, Zaffar Akbar Butt alias Saif-ul-Islam and Shahid-ul-Islam and business tycoon Zahoor Ahmed Watali. Later some of these leaders and activists were called to Delhi by the NIA for further questioning. They have also been accused of funding the unrest in the Kashmir Valley. The separatists have strongly denied receiving any foreign funding and alleged that the Indian government is making false claims in order to defame the Kashmiri freedom struggle. The alliance of key separatist leaders Syed Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement issued in Srinagar termed fresh wave of arrests across the Valley as part of political vendetta and revenge against them. Delhi is leaving no stone un-turned and uses military might and arm twisting methods to crush every voice being raised in the support of Kashmiri peoples sentiment and aspirations, they alleged. They accused the government and official agencies, particularly NIA, of harassing and scaring the Hurriyat Conference activists which is highly deplorable. Such totalitarian moves are being adopted by Delhi and its agencies with a view to pressurize the pro-freedom leadership in Kashmir and weaken the people's struggle but the leadership will not be cowed down by all these illegal and unethical methods or in any way deter people from their just struggle nor can these help towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, the statement said. On Monday, a resolution read out by the Mirwaiz while addressing an Eid congregation through phone after he was placed under house arrest and subsequently passed amid pro-aazadi slogans had termed the NIA raids on the houses of separatist leaders and activists and a few Kashmiri businessmen as illegal. It alleged that New Delhi was using new ploys to defame the freedom struggle of Kashmiris which is based on truth and priceless sacrifices. It threatened that if such raids do not stop there will be serious repercussions and the entire responsibility will lie on the State government and Delhi itself. Prime Minister Narendra Modi being received by Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on his arrival after a successful visit to Portugal, USA and Netherlands, at AFS Palam in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday left for home after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. Modi, who arrived in the Netherlands earlier on Wednesday for a brief visit, held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also addressed the Indian community in Netherlands. "After a series of programmes in three nations- Portugal, USA and the Netherlands, PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi," the Prime Minister's office tweeted. In the US, Modi held talks with President Donald Trump on Tuesday during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen co- operation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. In Portugal, Modi held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. Describing the Netherlands as India's "natural partner" in its economic development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invited Dutch companies to invest in the country which he said is the "land of opportunities". Focusing on trade, technology and investment, Modi interacted with CEOs of major Dutch companies after holding bilateral talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. The two countries signed three MoUs in the fields of social security, water cooperation and cultural cooperation. During his interaction with top Dutch CEOs, Modi said the reforms introduced by his government seek to enhance ease of doing business and bring standards at par with global standards. In his hour-long speech, Modi mostly focussed on his government's efforts aimed at women's empowerment as he talked about the endeavour to ensure progress and modernisation of India. He highlighted the diversity existing in India and said it was the country's "speciality" which puzzled people in other parts of the world. "India is a federal country in true spirit," he said as he wound up his three-nation tour which took him to the US and Portugal too. The prime minister said his government's thrust has been on "jan bhagidari" (people's involvement) in governance as he believed that the country's progress cannot be ensured only through the government's work. In this context, he referred to construction of toilets under the Swacch Bharat campaign. He mentioned about various initiatives taken by his government in the sectors like banking, energy and digitalisation and talked about progress being made in areas like space, healthcare and sanitation. "The 21st century India should not lag in global standards in infrastructure and other areas," the prime minister told the gathering of about 3000 in Hindi amid repeated chants of 'Modi Modi'. Devoting much time of his speech to women's empowerment, he referred to the contribution of the 50 per cent of the population in areas like dairy, farming, teaching, healthcare and entrepreneurship. He said the women were also going into new frontiers including flying fighter jets and space and bagging awards in international competitions like Olympics. The prime minister said India not only needs progress, but also modernisation in all areas. He said while the earlier governments also have done work, they could satisfy the amibitions by done "one or two tasks". However, the aspirations in India have grown so much that the people expected much more development and modernisation, he said. Taking the example of power, Modi said his government had set an ambitious target of generating 175 gigawatt of renewable energy, that too at rapid pace. "For some of you, gigawatt may be a new concept because earlier we never thought beyond megawatt... Now there is a big change," he said. Referring to solar energy, Modi said its cost has fallen drastically and was almost at par with fossil fuel. "Did the Sun start appearing only after I became the Prime Minister? Was it not there earlier? I coudl see it but they (previous governments) could not," he said. Talking about electrification, Modi said when he came to power, he was told that 18,000 villages did not have electricity even 70 years after independence. He then asked, "What is the difference between 18th century India and 21st century India, if even after 70 years of independence, 18000 villages do not have electricity?" He said after becoming the prime minister in 2014 he asked officials how long it would take to electrify all the 18000 and was told that it would take 60 years. "I told them it has to be speeded up.. And then, from the Red Fort on the Independence Day, I announced that the 18000 villages will be electrified in 1000 days. Those 1000 days are yet to end but 13,000-14,000 villages have already been electrified and the work in the rest of the villages is being done at a fast pace," Modi said. He also said that optical fibre cable is being laid in 2.5 lakh villages to connect their panchayats digitally. In the note found printed inside the paper rockets, the two men have claimed that they were AAP workers. (Photo: ANI Twitter) New Delhi: Two unidentified men on Wednesday hurled paper missiles inside the Delhi Assembly House while a session was underway leading to a scuffle in which the duo was allegedly thrashed by some of the AAP legislators in its premises. The two men, wearing headgear were sitting in the Visitors' Gallery of the House when suddenly they threw paper rockets inside the House and raised 'Inquilab Zindabad' slogans. Soon after the interruption, the security whisked them away even as AAP lawmakers demanded strict action against the two men for violating the sanctity of the House. As the two men were being taken away, some of the AAP MLAs including Nitin Tyagi, Amanatullah Khan and Jarnail Singh stepped out of the House amid scenes of uproar and chaos. As the duo was being taken away by security personnel, some of the AAP MLAs then jumped on to these men and allegedly thrashed them. The police personnel present in the Legislative Assembly premises then sought to bring the scuffle to an end, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes. One of the two, assaulted in the scuffle, was later seen being taken inside a medical ambulance. In the note found printed inside the paper rockets, the two men have claimed that they were AAP workers and took the step as they were unhappy with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and the alleged "corruption cases" against Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain. The House was briefly adjourned after the incident and the proceedings were later resumed. Kolkata: Crossing sword once again with the Modi government, this time over the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) across the country from July 1, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday opposed the Centre's move and described it as an "epic blunder" after its demonetisation drive. She declared that no Trinamool MP, in a mark of protest, would attend the midnight meeting at the Parliament on June 30 over the GST. Her announcement comes as her government's appeal to the Centre to postpone the GST implementation for the time being has gone into "deaf ears." In a Facebook post Banerjee said, "We are deeply concerned about GST implementation. After #demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre. We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the Central Government is going ahead with the implementation." Venting her anger she alleged, "Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen on deaf ears. The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening!" According to the Trinamool chief, "Essential commodities such as medicines are not available in many places and prices of various commodities are rising for lack of clarity and mismanagement." Banerjee added, "We have always been fighting for maintaining the federalist structure of the country, even if Bengal at times was the lone voice and conscience of the GST Council. There are almost 20 different taxes in the present tax regime and we felt that one single tax and integration of all markets across the country will provide big relief to all. She added that the current ruling party at the Centre had initially strongly opposed GST for over 7 years and suddenly did a somersault on coming to office as a champion of GST. The chief minister explained, "We are saying that the economy is not yet ready to face the GST from the 1st of July, 2017. The 3 days strike declared by the Textile Industries of India provides evidence to our deep concerns on the lack of preparedness. Small business entities are not yet ready with the basic requirements like invoice, accounting system, IT system and others. Another piece of evidence of unpreparedness comes from the fact that the Return Form had to be simplified for the first six months as all systems are not in place. It is shocking that the e-Waybill System is not yet designed and States are being asked to run their own systems as a stopgap arrangement." Offering a suggestion for GST postponement Mamata Banerjee underlined, "We feel, at least 6 months will further be necessary to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises to successfully implement the GST. Otherwise a chaotic situation may arise in our vast economy for which the Government of India will be primarily responsible." She mentioned, "I hope the voices of the people and businesses is being heard and being paid heed to, by the Central Government. Our Parliamentary Party has decided not to attend the 30th June, 2017 midnight programme at the Parliament House to celebrate GST, as a mark of protest. I thought of sharing this with all of you." New Delhi: Four fresh arrests have been made on Wednesday in the Haryana hate crime incident that has made headlines over the week now, for the stabbing on a train of teenager Junaid Khan by a mob armed with knives. "4 more accused arrested, one of them is 50-yr-old Delhi govt employee. We have leads on person who attacked with knife," said Kamal Deep,SP GRP Haryana. The lynching of Junaid has triggered national protests on Wednesday - in different cities, people are marching as part of a campaign called 'Not In My Name'. The protests are to call for an end to the recent spate of mob attacks, some of which have been undertaken by self-declared cow vigilantes who accused the victims of carrying or eating beef. One man, identified as Ramesh, had been arrested by the Haryana police over the weekend. The mob attacked teenage boy, Junaid, after accusing him and his companions of carrying beef in his bags, was made up of about 20 people, Junaid's relatives have said. Junaid Khan was traveling home from Delhi to his village of Ballabgarh in Haryana on Thursday with his brothers when the mob turned on them. Around 20 men pulled out their knives and attacked the brothers, hurling anti-Muslim comments and claiming that one of the packets they were carrying contained beef, Junaid's brother, Haseeb Khan, had said. On Tuesday, Haseeb was shown security camera footage of three men riding a bike in the village where Junaid was thrown off the train, about 30 kms from Delhi. One of the bikers had a bloodied bandage wrapped around his head, which led the police to believe he may be linked to the deadly assault. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has described Junaid Khan's killing as 'extremely painful and shameful' and said the government will not tolerate such attacks. Hyderabad: The city has witnessed an increase in the number of family dispute cases in the last decade that from one family court, the Ranga Reddy district now has three more in Kukatpally, LB Nagar and Malkajgiri. This is not sufficient to clear the pending cases. And yet more cases are being added every day. Lawyers say between 100 and 200 family dispute cases get registered daily. At a recent event conducted by the Council for Alternative Dispute Resolution Trust, Ranga Reddy district principal district and sessions judge Renuka Yara said, The institution of family is under stress. A huge responsibility lies on advocates to find solutions to save our generation. Advocates must not support divorce as the first step. Lawyers mention how family matters escalate in court. When either party approaches the court or the police station, 90 per cent of the times the marriage ends there. The court is barely seen as a mediator now, said advocate Ratan Singh. The opposing parties file charges on each other ranging from cruelty, to 498A and domestic violence to strengthen their case. Most couples spend years seeing the divorce proceedings through, and passing on the bitterness to the children. High Court advocate Deepak Bhattacharjee said advocates and judicial officers must take the first step and assume the role of panchayat heads, as the families have turned nuclear and have no elderly influence to sort out matters. Apart from this, lawyers see duality in the Family Court Act, 1984 and substantive law to be causing delay. The Family Court Act says a gist of evidence would suffice for a judgement. This was initiated to reduce pendency of cases and provide for quick redressal. But the courts insist on proper proof of cruelty or violence in order to give a judgement. How can cruelty be proved in a gist? This duality of substantive law and Family Court Act must be reconciled, said advocate Vani. Alternative dispute redressal centres are also being pitched as an option. Trained judicial officers and lawyers must be a neutral third party to help couples solve their marital problems outside courts, bringing ease and comfort to the litigants, said advocate Mahendar Reddy. Bengaluru: Two editors of Kannada tabloids have approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the state Assembly resolution sentencing them to a one-year jail term for their alleged "defamatory" articles against legislators. In their petitions filed before Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri, the two have sought quashing of the resolution adopted by the House, contending that it was "illegal and unconstitutional." The June 21 last Assembly resolution sentencing Ravi Belagere of 'Hai Bangalore' and Anil Raju of 'Yelahanka Voice' has triggered protests from the media with the Editors' Guild of India terming it as a "gross misuse" of power which "violates" the fundamental right of freedom of speech. The guild has also urged the Assembly to withdraw its resolution "without delay". In an unusual and drastic step, the Assembly awarded the sentence, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the two journalists, based on the recommendations of Privileges Committee of the House. In their petitions filed yesterday, the two journalists contended that the sentencing was illegal and unconstitutional as the Speaker KB Koliwad, cannot be an adjudicator for his own complaint. Belagere had published an article against Koliwad in September 2014 issue of 'Hai Bangalore'. Former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa had referred the issue to the Privileges Committee after Koliwad, then an MLA, had lodged a complaint against Belagere. Congress and BJP MLAs, BM Nagaraju and SR Viswanath had raised the issue in the House and recommended action against the journalists. The sentencing violated the norms of natural justice because the Speaker had not given sufficient hearing opportunity to them before levelling charges, the petitioners said. "Proper notices also were not served to the Editors." The petition also said, legislators do not have any power to award a jail term. The court is likely to hear the petitions on Thursday. A bill to reauthorize the federal career and technical education law is so popular that it recently got unanimous approval from House lawmakers. Is there any other big K-12 bill that will get the same kind of love? Dont bet on it. That doesnt mean federal lawmakers dont have a honey-do list when it comes to education policy. True, the Every Student Succeeds Act covers a lot of the ground when it comes to public schools. (Were still watching for when #FixESSA starts trending on Twitter, however.) But weve put together a list of policy issues that the 115th Congress could address, at least in theory. Scroll down to see them in detail, or click a policy issue in the menu below to jump to that one. Budget Higher Education School Choice Student-Data Privacy Education Research Career and Technical Education Juvenile Justice Budget: It might be the thing Congress tackles first on this list. Remember, the current budget deal only runs through Sept. 30. And lawmakers in charge of the U.S. Department of Educations budget so far have had mixed things to say about President Donald Trumps plan for itone top GOP senator all but publicly put a fork in it. As lawmakers craft their own potentially very different spending plan for the department for fiscal 2018, theyll have big questions to answer. Will Congress adopt some, all, or none of the school choice proposals in it? (More on that below.) Will it preserve funding for big-ticket and popular programs like Title I and special education, or even give them increases? The Education Departments budget probably wont be the thing that sends budget negotiations into a tailspin, but how much of Trumps budget blueprint Congress rejects is something to watch. Higher Education: As we wrote earlier this year, an update to the Higher Education Act is a priority for Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate education committee. Alexander reiterated this during a budget hearing in early June. At the same time, Alexander might be tied up for some time with other matters, since hes a key player in Senate attempts to overhaul health care. Secretary of Ecucation Betsy DeVos is attracting a lot of scrutiny in how she handles higher education issues. And compared to just a few years ago, the governments handling of student debt is a much higher-profile issue. The possibility that an update to the HEA could get politically sticky ultimately might scare off lawmakers, at least for awhile. School Choice: While DeVos gets a ton of attention for her plans to promote school choice, she cant do a whole heck of a lot to actually expand choice without Capitol Hill. And we havent seen any lawmaker single out maybe the more hotly disputed portions of the proposed 2018 budgeta $250 million private school choice initiativefor specific praise. But irrespective of the budget, Congress may consider expanding school choice in some way, and in its own way, at some point. Theres continuing speculation that Congress might adopt a tax-credit program to boost private school scholarships as part of a broader plan to overhaul taxes. But that might be tricky to include in any such package , and there may not be much political appetite for it even among school-choice-friendly Republicans. Student-Data Privacy: This and the next item on the list are strongly connected to each other. In 2015 and 2016, lawmakers made a bipartisan effort to update the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act , or FERPA to you federal policy junkies. The two lawmakers Im referring to are Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., and Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo. Their FERPA-refresh bill got some attention when they introduced it last year, but didnt really go anywhereeducator groups liked the bill, but industry groups did not. Polis recently announced that he will run for governor of Colorado next year, so its unclear how much time hell spend writing legislation and shepherding it through Congress. And theres speculation that Messer, for that matter, will run for Senate in 2018 . One incident that might weigh on lawmakers minds is that the Education Department recently shut down the federal student aid tool due to a hackers attempt to gain access to Trumps tax info . Education Research: Some people thought that legislation to restructure the Institute for Education Sciences would be the next bill to get over the finish line after ESSA was signed in late 2015. But after the Senate passed the Strengthening Education Through Research Act around the same time ESSA became law, the issue went dark in Congress . Part of the reason may have been that lawmakers wanted to tackle FERPA and how it handles student data before tackling this issue. No FERPA overhaul, no education research update, goes the logic. Its worth noting that IES still does not have a permanent director, and hasnt had one for over two years. Career and Technical Education: Yes, the House passed that bill we mentioned at the start of this post. But the House did the same late last year, only to see the legislation flop in the Senate due in part to a quarrel about the proper role of the education secretary in monitoring states. Folks on the Hill have pointed out to us that the 2016 bill was hurt because it got momentum so late in the 114th Congress, and right before a presidential administration. Still, it will be interesting to see how that House-backed bill fares in the upper chamber. Juvenile Justice: The House passed a bill to reauthorize federal law governing juvenile-justice issues back in May. (It also did so last year.) The legislation doesnt deal extensively with education, but it does affect how data is collected on young people in the justice system, and also restricts the use of certain disciplinary measures (called dangerous practices) in juvenile facilities, such as the use of pepper spray. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday appointed a retired Judge of the court as administrator of the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TMC) till an elected body comes into existence. Justice M Duraiswamy ordered the appointment of Justice K Venkataraman, retired judge of the High Court, as the Administrator of TMC, a unit of the Medical Council of India and disposed of the writ petition filed by one T Sadagopan. The petitioner had sought a direction to appoint an independent Administrator to hold elections to TMC within a time frame and in the interregnum, permit the Administrator act along with the Registrar S Kandasamy, to administer the day-to-day affairs of the Council, including its financial transactions from June 20 till the new Council takes charge. The judge in his order said, "In view of the submissions made by the learned senior counsel appearing on either side, by consent I appoint Hon'ble Justice K Venkataraman, Retired Judge of Madras High Court to be the Administrator to conduct the election of the Tamil Nadu Medical Council and to administer the day-to-day affairs of the council, including the financial transactions from the date of assuming charge as Administrator till new Council takes charge of the Council." The petitioner submitted that he is one of the elected members of the Council, which was formed in 2012 with seven elected members and three nominated members. As per the Act, the Council functions with the aid of the President and every act done by it needs the consent of the President, he noted. Further, the President, along with the Registrar, is authorised to perform all activities such as enrolment of medical practitioners, carrying out financial transactions, including disbursal of salary to staff of the Council and for payment towards day-to-day activities of the medical body, he submitted. However, the tenure of the Council ended on June 19, he added. After hearing the arguments, the judge said the Administrator will have all the powers, including signing of cheques and certificates. He also directed the Administrator to conduct the elections for the council as expeditiously as possible. An official said the Gujarat solar canal projects capacity was 1 MW. Besides, the cost of setting up solar units is double that of a land-based project.(Representational image) Hyderabad: A 1,000-MW solar power project proposed to be built in the state two years ago has been stalled for want of land. The National Thermal Power Corporation had decided to set up the unit in the state on the Centres directions. Energy department officials identified land in Gattu in Mahbubnagar district it takes five acres and Rs1 crore to set up a 1-MW solar unit. The 1,000-MW solar power project required 5,000 acres and cost Rs 4,000 crore investment. NTPC officials who visited the site along with state energy officials were worried about having to pay more compensation. State officials then searched in Nizamabad and Adilabad districts but could not find a big enough parcel of land at one place. The matter has stuck there for two years. Asked about the status of the project, Mr G. Raghuma Reddy, chairman and managing director, TS Southern Power Distribution Company, said 5,000 acres of land had been identified Mahbubnagar district, but it was assigned land. Sources said the Centre did not want the assigned land. An official said they had found a 1,000-acre site in Indravelli mandal of Adilabad district, but the land was big enough only for a 200-MW solar power plant. Gujarat model will not work, says state The Gujarat model of building solar power plants on canals is frequently cited as a good example. One of the most famous is the solar power unit built on the Sanand branch canal of the Sardar Sarovar Project. Building the space-hungry solar projects on canals can save vast tracts of land. Besides, it also cuts down on evaporation of water as the units cover the canals. Energy department officials acknowledged that solar power units set up on canals produce 15 per cent more power than those set up on land. Energy department officials said that it was not possible to set up a 1,000-MW capacity solar power project on canals. An official said the Gujarat solar canal projects capacity was 1 MW. Besides, the cost of setting up solar units is double that of a land-based project. Setting up a 1,000-MW solar power project on on hundreds of kilometres of canals was not possible, the official told this newspaper. Indian armed forces personnel patrolling along the Line of Control, in Kashmir. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Srinagar: The Pakistan army on Wednesday violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali sector. The Indian Army is retaliating to the unprovoked ceasefire violation which took place at around 2:45 pm. Earlier this week, the Pakistan Army had initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the same sector of the state. Earlier on June 5, Indian Army Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General AK Bhatt had warned the Pakistani counterpart in connection with the unprovoked attacks which India has been witnessing for last few months. Hyderabad: About 700 officials from 16 countries including India, China and Australia would gather in Hyderabad in July to negotiate the proposed mega trade deal - RCEP. This would be the 19th round of negotiations for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. The last meeting was held in the Philippines in May. The five-day negotiations will start from July 24 and it will be inaugurated by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, an official said. RCEP aims at liberalising norms for trade in goods and services and boost investment among 16-member countries. This will be the key round of talks as the member countries have yet to finalise the maximum number of goods on which duties will be eliminated. As the talks for RCEP requires a big convention centre, the meeting is being organised at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, which can hold a 6,000-delegates. It also has 37 breakout rooms including specialised meeting rooms. Lack of a large convention centre in the national capital had forced the government to host the negotiations at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida near here in December 2014. The members comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Several of the members want India to eliminate duties on about 90 per cent of traded goods as part of the ambitious RCEP pact. But, according to experts, it would be difficult for India to agree to this proposal as China is also part of this pact. Indian industry has already raised concerns over widening trade deficit and dumping of goods from China. The agreement aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights. On the services side, a key area of interest for India, talks are going slow. Most of the RCEP members are hesitating to open this sector for India. Easing of norms in services sector results in smooth movement of professionals within this bloc. The talks for the pact started in Phnom Penh in November 2012. The 16 countries account for over a quarter of the world's economy, estimated to be more than $ 75 trillion. The negotiations are not likely to conclude this year and may move into the first half of 2018. Mumbai: Former media entrepreneur and a key accused in the Sheena Bora murder, Indrani Mukerjea, testified to her fellow inmates death on Wednesday, saying that she saw the latter dragged with a saree around her neck by the jail authorities. Manju Shette, the victim, died after she was stripped naked by four women police officials, who allegedly inserted a lathi (wooden stick) into her private parts. A murder case has been also registered in the incident by the Nagpada police. Appearing at a Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court in Mumbai, Mukherjea also accused the jail authorities of threatening her with the "same consequences" as Shette. "Tujhe hum dekh lenge. Joh unke saath hua woh tumhare saath hoga (You will face the same consequence as her (Ms Shette)." Meanwhile, the court permitted Mukerjea to approach police to lodge FIR against Byculla prison officials. Mukerjea's lawyer, Gunjan Mangla, demanded in court that her statement be recorded and medical examination be done immediately. Her lawyer also told the court that she too was thrashed by jail officials and has bruises on her arms and legs. Mangla said Indrani also said that she was verbally abused by jail officials and the superintendent and was threatened with sexual assault for protesting against the death in jail. Indrani had on Tuesday moved a court alleging she was beaten up by the jail officials and threatened with sexual assault. Taking note of her complaint, a CBI court, which is hearing the Sheena murder case, directed the prison authorities to produce Indrani before it on Wednesday. Shette, 45, had died at the government-run J J Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on June 23. "These allegations are part of the FIR filed against the jail staff. We are probing the matter," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-3), Akhilesh Singh said. The Nagpada police, investigating the case, have filed an offence of murder against the jail staff. "We are seeking information from eyewitnesses and other inmates in this connection," a police official said. Following Manju's death, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went up to the prison's terrace while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Indrani, on charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). Gunjan said Indrani requested her to bring the incident to the notice of the court and seek her production to lodge a complaint against the jail officials. "She informed me that several inmates want to give their statements against the jail officials who were involved in the incident," the lawyer said. When Judge J C Jagdale asked the lawyer if Indrani wants to file an FIR, she said "yes". An official from the prison department had alleged that Indrani "instigated" the inmates by asking them to shun food and "use their children as shields" when prison staffers tried to stop them from agitating and gathering together. Declining to comment on the matter, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Bhushankumar Upadhyay said, "Police have registered an offence against the jail staff and an investigation is on." Six jail staffers were placed under suspension and police registered a case under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder) against them. The jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. Mumbai: The special CBI court on Wednesday directed Indrani Mukerjea to register a complaint at Nagpada police station against the Byculla women prison officers who assaulted her and then threatened her with dire consequences. Special CBI Judge J.C. Jagdale has directed jail authorities and escorting authorities to take her to J.J. Hospital for treatment and then escort her to the police station to register a complaint. Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, is currently lodged at the Byculla prison and witnessed the brutal assault on inmate Manjula Shetye. On Friday, I heard loud voices from other barracks. I saw some jail officers were taking her (Shetye) outside the barrack. She was being dragged by her hair with a sari wrapped around her neck, said Mukerjea. I heard she was assaulted with a stick inserted in her private parts and was later admitted to J.J. Hospital, she added. New Delhi: China has removed an old bunker of the Indian Army located at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan in Sikkim by using a bulldozer after the Indian side refused to accede to its request. This was after the Indian side did not agree to a request by the Chinese authorities to dismantle it, sources have told agencies. China had objected to India building new bunkers and upgrading older ones along the border in Sikkim in the recent past to shore up its defences. With the defence ministry, the home ministry and the external affairs ministry maintaining a deafening silence on the latest stand-off the Doka La general area in the Sikkim section of the Indo-China border, it is the Chinese narrative that is acquiring prime media space. While the standoff first took place on June 17, no official Indian government reaction has been forthcoming since then. Indian officials have been offering a terse no comment while Chinese state-owned media criticised the Indian side for violating the consensus on border issues and agreements between the two governments, seriously endangering peace along the border areas. The Global Times ran a story: Indian troops provocation brings disgrace to themselves. Both the Indian Army and the ITBP guard the Sikkim stretch of the border, with the latter coming under the home ministry. New Delhi: After returning from this three-nation tour of Portugal, the United States and Holland on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now visit Israel from July 4 to 6. The travel dates were confirmed by the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday. According to reports, Mr Modi will be received by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu at the airport along with a top protocol team comprising Israelis from various fields including rabbis. This is a special gesture only accorded to the Pope or the US president, Israeli envoy in New Delhi Daniel Carmon was quoted by news agencies as saying. The Israeli Prime Minister will also host a dinner for Modi on July 4, the envoy said. PM Modi will also meet 26/11 Mumbai terror attack survivor Holtzberg Moshe, who was only two when he was saved by his Indian nanny Sandra Samuel. Moshes father Rabbi Gavriel and mother Rivkah were among Israeli nationals killed in the attack. Mr Netanyahu will accompany Mr Modi to most of the events, including the community reception on July 5 after their official discussions during which the two leaders are expected to explore ways to enhance cooperation in key strategic areas. The two sides are also expected to sign number of agreements in the field of innovation, development, science and technology and space. Apart from boosting cooperation in the water and agriculture sectors, the two sides will also discuss ways to strengthen air connectivity and investments. The visit will be a keenly-watched one, given the billions of dollars worth of sophisticated defence equipment and weaponry that India has already purchased in the past more than a decade and is in the process of acquiring from the Jewish State. India has also been pursuing a delicate balancing act in its ties between Israel and Palestine. Hyderabad: The state government is trying to make a last ditch effort to secure GST exemption or reduction for Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya, irrigation projects and the 2BHK housing scheme during the final GST Council meeting to be held on June 30 ahead of its roll-out on July 1. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has already written to the Centre raising objections over bringing government projects that were being taken up for the larger benefit of the people under GST net. The government fears that the GST would impose a burden of over Rs 20,000 crore on the state exchequer. IT minister K.T. Rama Rao who attended the previous GST Council meeting in New Delhi two weeks ago had highlighted the governments concerns to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley. He assured that these issues would be taken up at the final meeting of the council. With Mr Chandrasekhar Rao himself camping in New Delhi for the last one week and slated to attend the GST launch in Parliament on the midnight of June 30 along with Chief Ministers of other states, there are expectations that he would take up these issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Jaitley. TS finance minister Etala Rajender who will attend the GST Council meeting on June 30 held day-long meetings with officials to finalise the details that need to be taken up. Representatives of textile and film industries submitted representations to the state government on Wednesday to pitch for tax reduction under the GST regime. The state government has already increased prices for tickets in movie theatres, ahead of the implementation of the GST from July 1. Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday suspended operation of proceedings issued by the Telangana state government allotting some portion in APNGOs Home at Gunfoundry here to the Bhagyanagar Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers' Association. Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with a petition by the AP Non-Gazetted Officers Association challenging the May 30, 2015, memo issued by the state government. The petitioner said that the APNGO Home was private property and the state government had no power to interfere with it. The petitioner urged the court to direct the respondents to restore the possession of the premises and direct the government not to interfere. The judge while suspending the operation of the proceedings of the state government issued notices to the respondents asking them to file their counter affidavits. Online rummy only outside TS The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday asked the state government to allow certain companies that host online rummy games to carry on their business outside the state till further orders. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice T. Rajani was dealing with petitions filed by Junglee Games India Pvt Ltd, Mumbai; Play Games 24x7 Pvt Ltd, Delhi; and Head Infotech (India) Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, challenging an ordinance issued by the state government bringing online rummy under the Gaming Act by amending provisions of the Gaming Act, 1974. The June 17 ordinance had prohibited online rummy in the state. Counsels appearing for the companies contended that online rummy was predominantly a game of skill and not a game of chance. They said the state government had no jurisdiction to issue the ordinance. They told the court that a player who wants to play online rummy registers on the website of the company and pays no fee for access to the website. The player can choose to compete in free practise games and promotional tournaments as well as cash games. Posting the case to Monday to hear the government, the bench asked the government to allow the petitioner companies to carry on their business outside the state till further orders. This fall, five South Carolina high schools will offer an aerospace curriculum to develop the next generation of aviation technology talent in a state where officials say the industry is thriving. South Carolinas department of education will award these high schools $50,000 each to incorporate an aerospace curriculum that teaches the ins and outs of aircraft design. With this effort, the state joins a trend in high schools across the country to better prepare students for local jobs, while also helping them to build skills needed in college and in life. The curriculum provides students the opportunity to design, build, and test a pilot seat in the intro to Fundamentals of Aerospace Technology, and an airplane wing in the advanced course. Next up, students will learn to fly using simulators in Aeronautics Engineering Applications class. In the final course, Astronautics Engineering Applications, students design a laser communication system and develop a plan for space survival. All aerospace courses integrate math, science, and literacy, but students will still have to take standalone courses in the traditional subjects in order to graduate. "[The aerospace] courses not only prepare students for post-secondary success but also teach them critical skills needed to fill jobs in one of our states most thriving industries, said South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman in a statement . This is another great example of South Carolinas leadership and collaborative approach that will ultimately lead to a concentration of highly skilled talent in our state. Teachers will get training in how to teach these courses at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. To qualify, theyll need strong math skills and experience in career education. Candidates will spend two weeks over the summer learning how to teach each course and to use a project-based approach. The training for teachers involves tackling the same design projects their students will eventually have to do. The more than 400 aerospace companies in South Carolina, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, have overseen an average employment growth rate of 11.4 percent since 2010. Thats eight times higher than the average annual growth rate for the state overall, according to SC Aerospace , a group that works to expand the aerospace industry and its talent pipeline. SC Aerospace recommended the curriculum to South Carolinas department of education in December 2016. Private-sector aerospace jobs pay on average $70,000 a year, according to SC Aerospace, whereas the states average annual pay is just $41,000. For young people who may be attracted to this high-tech, steadily growing industry, I can tell you that if you learn skills to work on or around airplanes, its likely youll have a well-paid job for life, said Steve Townes, chairman of SC Aerospace and president and CEO of Ranger Aerospace in Greenville, S.C. South Carolina projects it will have 20 new positions every year specifically for aerospace engineers, up until 2018, and 10 new positions yearly over the long-term ,.according to data the state supplied to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the curriculum aims to prepare students to compete for a broader range of careers within the aerospace industry: aircraft mechanic, air traffic controller, technical writer, radar technician, pilot, drone designer, as well as aerospace engineer. Whats more, the skills that students master under the aerospace curriculum are transferrable to jobs in advanced manufacturing, which also has a strong presence in South Carolina, according to Summer Ramsey, the director of communications for the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. But Ramsey also stressed that the curriculum fosters skills that students need no matter which direction they choose after high school. The curriculum will instill teamwork, communication, determination, she said. These soft skills are just as important as content knowledge in todays economy for students, whether theyre competing for jobs or pursuing higher education. The curriculum, which was developed by the Southern Regional Education Board to improve career and technical education, will be offered in an additional South Carolina high school in 2018. The curriculum has already been adopted by schools in Ohio, North Carolina, Delaware, West Virginia and Alabama. Image by Bill Abbott on Flickr , licensed under Creative Commons . Related stories: Textile shops down shutters in protest against GST in Secunderabad for the second day on Wednesday. (Photo: DC) Hyderabad: The biggest worry for textile traders over the Goods and Services Tax, to be implemented from July 1, is the additional burden and threat to small and medium traders. Traders associations claim that it may lead 25 per cent of direct and indirect employees losing their jobs, totalling about 7.5 lakh. Textile traders remained shut on Wednesday as part of their protest at the GST. Traders in the districts carried placards, wore black badges and submitted representations against the GST to local officials. Traders said they would hold a rally in the city on June 30. The Centre estimates that the textiles sector is the second largest after agriculture and provides direct and indirect employment to 12 crore people. Telangana state has 40,000 recognised small and medium cloth merchants who employ at least 30 lakh people. Mr Ammanabolu Prakash, president of the Telangana State Federation of Textile Association, said each small merchant would employee at least five persons, and merchants with medium sized outlets, eight. The-se includes clerks, assistants and salespersons. Transporters depend on the textile sector to transporting stock from Telangana state to Mumbai and other destinations. These transporters also employ workers. Each cloth shop hires at least 30 tailors, he said. Mr Ch. Srikant of the Secunderabad General Bazaar Cloth Merchan-ts, said small and medium cloth merchants must pay Rs 2.5 lakh. Mr Prakash said the GST would hit consumers as well, As per our estimates, 25 per cent of traders will shut down their businesses which will impact direct and indirect employment of about 7.5 lakh jobs, he said. The 8-member team from Chennai reached the committee office around 11 am and undertook detailed search until 7.30 pm and reportedly recovered several documents. Puducherry: A team of CBI officials raided the office of the Centralized Admission Committee (CENTAC) of Puducherry government on Tuesday following widespread complaints of corruption in admission of students to post graduate medical courses in private colleges and deemed universities. The 8-member team from Chennai reached the committee office around 11 am and undertook detailed search until 7.30 pm and reportedly recovered several documents. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi also sought a probe into the alleged irregularities in the admission process. Ms Bedi, alleging a medical seats allotment scam in the admission of students to post-graduate courses by private medical colleges in the Union Territory, asked CBI probe into the matter. The involvement of Ms Bedi in the admission issue had recently escalated the ongoing tussle between the elected government and the Lt Governor where the Chief Minister dared Ms Bedi to prove her allegations against the admission process. Continuing her allegations against Centac, Ms Bedi said she had even requested the Central vigilance to enquire into administrative lapses committed by officials in the admission process. They have taken up criminal investigations as requested by LG office to CBI to investigate complaints of fraud, deceit, cheating and breach of trust committed by commercial medical colleges in Puducherry on their own and or in connivance with public officials of CENTAC and any others involved directly or indirectly. Central Vigiliance also has been requested to inquire into the administrative lapses committed by officers responsible for the proper and fair conduct of PG Counselling and allocation of medical seats, Ms Bedi said in a Whatsapp message. "Deserving students have suffered enormously already. Investigations and inquiries now will establish the culpability each of them," she said. The Lt Governor also said that Public Interest Litigation- writ petition too is likely to be heard on the court of Chief Justice Court on Wednesday on the same matter of contempt committed by Colleges and Centac of violating Court directions of ensuring and admitting students on seats which belonged to students of Pudu-cherry. CBI officials are likely to conduct a raid in deemed universities and private medical colleges in Puducherry on Wednesday, sources said. Chennai: After facing back-to-back disasters in the form of floods and cyclone, the Chennai Corporation has now made arrangements to have a full-fledged 24-hour disaster management cell at Ripon Buildings. The team led by an executive engineer has now been asked to monitor the daily weather forecast so that the field staffers are kept ready. The full-fledged control room has connected CCTV cameras, wireless facilities and is an upgradation of an existing disaster response cell. A corporation flood map, the phone numbers of nodal officers and a road map to be executed in case of floods, are now getting updated. The baseline data prepared during 2015 Chennai floods and the Vardah 2016 is upgraded with the new findings and phone numbers, an informed city corporation official said. As a preliminary work, the Chennai city flood map with observatory wells is now digitised and will soon be available for the volunteers and the corporation officials. A disaster management book comprising details of Chennai and its vulnerable areas along with the contact numbers is ready for publication and will soon be circulated. Though it is too early as the capital city receives a lot of rain only during the northeast monsoon (October), the administrators have instructed to keep the data ready, explained the official. The civic body has pressed the disaster management button early this year and activists and residents admit that they are yet to come out of the impact caused by the recent disasters. Authorities administrating city are yet to learn from their mistakes. The corporation and the metro water find it difficult to maintain the storm water drain and the drainage connections and I wonder how they are going to address the annual monsoon woes, rued Egmore MLA K.S. Ravichandran. The corporation is also lagging behind in waste management and is running short of lorries to clear debris and garbage in my constituency, he alleged. V.Santhanam, a social activist said, The local bodies were underprepared and couldnt efficiently manage the wreckage caused by the floods in December 2015. But now residents want better measures in place. Though the city and suburbs received helping hands from various quarters, the floods played havoc in the capital city exposing the poor arrangements and this has to be changed. New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of compromising with national security and sovereignty by not objecting to the mention of 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir' in the US order on Syed Salahuddin. The party also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue that emerged at a time when he was in the US and was to meet US President Donald Trump. "Shocking that the US government order on Syed Salahuddin refers to 'Indian-administered J&K. This is a compromise with India's national security and sovereignty," senior Congress spokesperson and party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said. "Why has the Prime Minister not protested despite being on US soil? Why are the foreign minister, defence minister and home minister of India and information and broadcasting minister keeping mum on the issue? "Why is BJP silent? Is it not a sellout of national interests," he asked. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so, even though it may be a subject of debate for Modi and his party. He also said that "empty chest-thumping, false bravado and captive TV studio warfare" by the BJP government cannot hide its failures in compromising with national security. He said terrorism should never be politicised and a collective effort is needed to eradicate it, which should be sans partisan considerations. Chennai: The CPI state unit will launch a week-long campaign of processions and public meetings against the BJP government at the Centre on June 29. Party state secretary R. Mutharasan said the campaign would focus on the pro-corporate policies of the Centre and said such policies are severely affecting the lives of poor people, workers, agricultural labourers and small traders. He said the Centre had supported Karnataka government on the Cauvery issue and refused to implement the Supreme Court order to form the Cauvery Management Board, he added. The BJP government is acting against secularism, he charged and said the Centre is rejecting federalism and acting against the welfare and development of Tamil Nadu. New Delhi: In a bid to send a signal of intent on GST in its present form, the Congress on Tuesday hit out at the government and called GST tax terrorism. Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said, The BJP and Narendra Modiji were the biggest opponents of GST when they were in the opposition. Now, the GST in its present form is tax terrorism rather than tax simplification. The BJP in its manifesto had talked about GST rates between 14 per cent and 15 per cent but the current rates are higher than this, he added. He also ridiculed the government by asking that in other countries tax rates decrease after GST but in India they increase. Meanwhile, the Congress is yet to firm up its position on attending the joint session called to roll out GST. New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government and the Congress sparred over the contents of the the Indo-US joint statement on Tuesday with the Congress criticising it as "disappointing and old hat" that lacked "new or big ideas" in the relationship between the two countries. However, Union Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu hit back at the Opposition Congress and stated it "deliberately refuses to see" the outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US due to "sheer jealousy" and "guilt" of lost opportunities during the UPA's regime. Speaking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump's joint statement, AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari stressed it emphasised more on "diversions" in the bilateral ties than "conversions". "The joint statement between India and the US is disappointing to say the least. It was old hat. There was no big idea in the relationship," Tewari said. He further stated that Trump administration and India were not on the same page when it came to interpretation of Islamist terrorism. "President Trump's interpretation of Islamist terror is very different from the interpretation that we have of cross border terrorism which is being sponsored by Pakistan," he added. In their joint statement, Modi and Trump Tuesday struck a common note on terrorism, vowing to strengthen efforts to fight the scourge and eliminate safe havens for terrorists. Meanwhile, the I&B Minister pointed out that the "grand and warm welcome" extended to Modi by the White House and the US President speaks for the rising importance of India in the global economic and geo- political order. "Congress deliberately refuses to see and believe the significant outcomes of this visit of PM and his meeting with the new US President for the first time. This is borne out of sheer jealousy and guilt as the prime minister's every foreign visit holds a mirror to the lost opportunities during the 10 years of UPA rule," Naidu said. Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar files her nomination in the presence of top Congress and Opposition leaders. (Photo: ) New Delhi: Opposition candidate Meira Kumar on Wednesday filed her nomination for the presidential poll in presence of top Congress and Opposition leaders. Kumar, who filed her papers with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on one side and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the other, will launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on June 30. Accompanying the former Lok Sabha as she filed her nomination in Parliament House were a host of opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Sonia Gandhi and other top Congress and Opposition leaders were amongst those who proposed and seconded her nomination. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on Thursday. Kumar, who will contest against NDA's Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections, had said on Tuesday that it was a battle of ideologies and not a 'Dalit versus Dalit' fight as was being made out by some. Rampur/New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has kicked up a storm again, this time with remarks about the Indian Army that were on Wednesday condemned by the BJP, which urged the SP to sack him. Addressing party activists in Rampur on Tuesday, the SP national general secretary referred to shameful violent happenings in places such as Kashmir, Tripura, Jharkhand and Bengal. Khan said excesses by security forces had led to women in some places chopping off the private parts of Army men. The BJP hit out at the SP leader, demanding that his party to sack him for seeking to divide the country on religious lines. A video clip of an event in Rampur shows the SP leader saying, Armed woman attacked soldiers and cut off their private parts. They did not cut the hands, the head or the legs. They cut the part they had problems with. India should be ashamed. How will the country face the world now? He further said Soldiers have been beaten by women in Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam and their private parts were also chopped off. Indias truth is that women are forced to act against Army rapists. It is a message that Hindustan should be ashamed of. Azam has often triggered controversy with his remarks on rape. He was quoted as telling a rape victim, If you keep talking about the crime, how will you show your face to the world?. On another occasion, he said mobile phones were responsible for the rape of minors. Prime Minister Narendra Modis summit meeting with US President Donald Trump went off nicely on Monday. First Lady Melanias presence at the South Portico of White House, despite Mr Modi being single, and the attendance at the press interaction by daughter Ivanka, her husband Jared Kushner, vice-president Mike Pence and senior Cabinet members signified American hospitality at its fullest. Mutually laudatory statements at the press meet set the scene for the India-US joint statement. The US state departments move to separately notify that it had designated Syed Sallahuddin, leader of the already-proscribed terrorist organisation Hizbul Mujahideen, as an international terrorist gave India boasting rights about the US pillorying Pakistan, which in the past has simply worked past such listings by reinventing groups or changing their modus operandi. Prime Minister Modi basically aimed to assess where President Trump stood on the US consensus, over the two earlier presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, that an economically and militarily stronger India was in the American interest and an essential counterweight to an assertive China, increasingly contemptuous of the global security order and elements of international law. The US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, its cynical assessment of Natos utility, broadsides at treaty allies about their refugee policies, etc. had raised concerns that Mr Trumps anti-globalisation, anti-immigration and isolationist rhetoric spelt a redrawing of Americas global role. Mr Trumps participation in the Riyadh summit, leading to exacerbating divisions along Shia-Sunni and Arab-Iranian or Arab-Turkish lines, have fractured the Islamic world. The joint statement addresses these concerns. It has five segments, the first one titled Democratic Stalwarts in Indo-Pacific Region. It revisits themes in the Vision Statement of 2015, issued during President Barack Obamas India visit. The reference to democracy recalls the Bush era attempts at a Quadrilateral Dialogue between Australia, Japan, India and the US in 2006, on the sidelines of the Asean Regional Forum meeting. China had reacted angrily then, seeing it as a ploy to isolate it. There is a demand now for common principles of conduct, observance of international law, freedom of navigation, peaceful resolution of disputes and regional connectivity, while respecting sovereignty, environment and responsible debt-financing. The clear reference is to Chinas unilateral seizure and development of islands and military facilities in the South China Sea and its Belt and Road Initiative. The sovereignty argument espouses Indian objections to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), transversing Gilgit-Baltistan, which India claims as its territory. The United States thus indicates its willingness for offshore balancing of China provided that the democracies of the Asia-Pacific region assume primary responsibility. This is Mr Trumps version of the US as a 21st century global hegemon. The second segment issues a Call on other nations in the region to adhere to these principles, the focus shifting to Indias western neighbourhood. The stated intent is to increase cooperation, consultation and collaboration with partners in the Middle East. Surprisingly, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) figures here, when as a Chinese protege it is best treated in the Indo-Pacific context. This part dissimulates differences between the Indian and US approaches. Mr Trumps presence at the Riyadh summit exacerbated divisions in the Gulf, where the livelihood of six million Indians and the countrys trade and energy interests are at stake. India cannot endorse the US taking sides against Iran and Qatar and with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It would be surprising if the US didnt discuss Iran and try push India to boycott it. This has the potential to be a future irritant as Mr Trumps regional vision is divisive and confrontational vis-a-vis the Shias. The Shoulder to Shoulder Against Terrorism part of the statement is old hat, plus bells and whistles. The US asking Pakistan to check terrorists using its territory against neighbours primarily refers to Afghanistan. But with Americas own policy on Afghanistan being under review, the Indian perspective presented by Mr Modi might help to counter Pakistani sympathisers in the US administration. But sources in the US state department told the media that Washington does not see a zero sum game here. Empathising with India does not tantamount to declaring Pakistan a state that sponsors terror, as Pakistan figures in the Saudis Sunni alliance and is critical to the US endgame in Afghanistan. Some paragraphs follow on strategic convergence and defence cooperation, including the sale of unarmed Sea Guardian drones only fit for surveillance, and the expanded Malabar naval exercises, besides lukewarm support for Indias aspiration to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group and a reformed UN Security Council. The last segment turns to Increasing Free Trade and Fair Trade, which hinges on Mr Trumps core ideas. By conceding a comprehensive review of current commercial and economic links, India has bought some time but also accepted that currently fairness is moot. The challenge will be to now tweak the regulations, seek co-production in India in exchange for market access to US companies and encourage Indian industry to adapt and innovate, seeking partners in Europe, Japan and the Republic of Korea, to survive in a Trumpian world. It will be an uphill haul. President Trump pointed out that the Constitutions of both countries begin with We the People. But he omitted to note that the US First Amendment and Articles 15 and 19 of Indias Constitution safeguard freedom of faith, speech and a free press. President Trump gleefully added that he and Mr Modi have around 30 million-plus followers each on Twitter. But both are economical in condemning attacks on their own people by those who share their faith or race. To be truly democratic stalwarts, both must show adherence to the values that they preach. Only then can America remain Great and India become so one day. San Antonio Advocating for maximum federal funding of ed-tech programs is front-and-center at ISTE 2017, with a kiosk that greets thousands of conference visitors on their way into the Expo Hall. As of mid-way through the show, more than 1,200 educators stopped by to send nearly 4,000 letters to their members of Congress from the exhibit, according to Ally Bernstein, a legislative counsel for ISTE from the Bernstein Strategy Group. The lettersto their two senators and representative for each educatorare part of the organizations push to garner support for increasing federal funding to the maximum $1.6 billion authorized for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants, under Title IV Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA. These grants are designated for students to have a well-rounded education, for their health and safety, and effective use of technology in schools. A copy of the letter can be viewed here , after filling out a form. When they send their letter, every educator is entered into a raffle to win an Alexa. But we have found that many more people are interested in their civic duty to tell Congress about the importance of ed-tech funding, said Bernstein in an email. For 2017-18, Congress appropriated only 25 percent of the $1.6 billion authorizedor $400 millionand President Trumps proposed budget for 2018-19 recommends no funding for the block grant. This years block grant funding will be released July 1. The money is to be allocated to states via a formula based on Title I, which provides financial assistance to districts with high percentages of children from low-income families. The states, in turn, will distribute those funds to the local education agencies. Distribution of the Title IV, Part A block grant funding to states is governed by a tiered formula, so that schools or districts that receive more than $30,000 must conduct a needs assessment, then use 20 percent for safe and healthy school activities, 20 percent for well-rounded education programs, and the remaining 60 percent as they see fit for any of the three priorities, including technology. Spending on devices, equipment, software, and digital content would be capped at 15 percent. Schools or districts that receive less than $30,000 must spend money in at least one of the three designated categories. Again, spending on hardware, software, and content would be capped at 15 percent. No needs assessment is required for grants under $30,000. The issue of appropriating more for Title IV, Part A is a high priority, Bernstein explained, because state education staff and school district leaders are concerned that they will not be able to make meaningful investments with reduced funding. Over 60 organizations in D.C. are fighting very hard for this program to get adequate funding, Bernstein told an audience in a policy session at ISTE. Also complicating matters is the fact that, in 2017, states can choose to run competitions to distribute the funding when it is released July 1. My colleague Alyson Klein explains this development, and what it means in more detail. The ISTE advocacy letters also ask for the recently modernized E-rate program to be unchanged, and for sensible data privacy legislation. Jon Bernstein, who provides legal counsel for ISTE, noted that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai says the E-rate program is worth fighting for, but he thinks the program could be more efficient. One way to make it more efficient is by turning it into a per-pupil block grant, in Pais view. Bernstein argued that this would adversely affect schools in rural areas or states. In general, ISTE is concerned about federal funding cutbacks across the board. I consider education to be the nations first line of defense, said Craig Thibaudeau, ISTEs chief external relations officer, in introducing the federal policy session. Only 2 percent of our $4 trillion budget is spent on education. Were in a position now where funding is less than it was 10 years agoand its dropping. Image: Jon Bernstein, left, and Ally Bernstein, who are both legislative counsel for ISTE and who are NOT related to one another, stop to talk ed-tech policy in front of the advocacy kiosk at ISTE 2017. See also: Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently called for the empowerment of Muslim women. One would have expected this message to receive acceptance and support. It did not. There was resistance on several fronts. Some saw Mr Modis move as a political stunt. Some questioned whether Mr Modi was doing anything meaningful in the education and empowerment area. Others came out against it because of a connection to the triple talaq controversy. There is no gainsaying that there is a critical need to empower Muslim women through education for India to achieve its full potential. The status of education in general was captured by the 2001 census which revealed that the Muslim literacy rate was only 59 per cent. In response to these and other findings on Muslims and others among the weaker sections, the Sachar Committee Report of 2006 disclosed a development deficit in many areas. The report resulted in the creation of an across-the-board programme for the development of minorities. This programme and other initiatives had a beneficial effect. In the 2011 census, the overall literacy rate for Muslims went up substantially to 68.5 per cent. But the numbers within numbers tell a different story. The worst literacy rate for women in India is among those in the Muslim community at less than 52 per cent. Even more worrying is the performance of Muslims in higher education. A US India Policy Institute report released in 2013, six years after the Sachar Report, showed that only 11 per cent of Muslims in India pursue higher education compared to a national average of 19 per cent. The literacy rate and the higher education statistics represent a double whammy for Muslim women as it relates to empowerment. In education, literacy is the starting line and higher education is the finishing line for becoming fully empowered. That must change. For the Muslim woman, education itself is empowering. It is an opportunity creator. For the Muslim family, education prepares the Muslim woman to be a change agent. Too many Muslim families are trapped in poverty because of a lack of education. For India, education delivers on the promise of the largest representative democracy in the world. Central to that promise are equality, opportunity and inclusive economic mobility. Education levels the playing field and makes that promise a reality. In the 21st century, higher education is becoming more important for climbing that ladder. By higher education, I dont just mean colleges or universities. I include technical, vocational and professional education at the secondary levels. It might seem that I am a little delusional given the current circumstances in talking about Muslim women and higher education. But that is not the case. On my last visit to India in February this year, I had the good fortune to meet young Muslim women students at Fatima Girls Inter College in Azamgarh and Abdullah Womens College at Aligarh Muslim University. During that visit, my wife Debbie and I also dedicated the new management complex at AMU, and, I predicted that from this complex will come the future leaders who will make India and the world a better place. Many of those leaders will be educated and empowered Muslim women who will be in the forefront of empowering other Muslim women. When that occurs, those Muslim women would have realised their full potential. When he had last visited the United States, when Barack Obama was still at the White House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had confided to the US President that India was resolved to overcome the hesitations of history and embark on broadening and deepening ties with America in every conceivable arena from the political to technological, from global to regional (close coordination in Afghanistan), from health to space. All that and more was to the fore when President Donald Trump, Mr Obamas successor, widely viewed by almost everyone including Americas closest allies with circumspection and wariness, hosted Mr Modi at the White House on Monday. Not only did the two call one another wonderful things but used uncommonly open language to speak of third countries China, North Korea and Pakistan. North Korea was pulled up in the joint statement for its destabilising pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and all parties that support this ambition were also hauled up. Doubtless the finger was pointing at China and its surrogate Pakistan. Pakistan was also told not to let its soil be used for launching terrorists in other countries and to speed up the trials over the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the Pathankot attack. Indirectly, Chinas OBOR was ticked off by expressing support to regional connectivity that was transparent and respected the sovereignty of other countries. In fundamental ways, the areas covered in the ever-deepening strategic partnership appear little different from the Obama era, and ultimately the test of all proclamations will be how they work on the ground. But it can be said that Modis India has found in the US its true haven. Speaking to the media, standing beside Mr Trump, Mr Modi (who refused to take questions though) had no hesitation broadcasting that the US was Indias primary partner. He also underlined that India and the US were not partners by chance. The PMs American visit started on a nervy basis. In off-the-record remarks, senior South Block officials made no secret of their uncertainty over how the Modi visit would unfold, given Mr Trumps unpredictability. What was highlighted was the getting-to-know-one-another-aspect. These officials must be so relieved now. Indias Think West policy has been expressly revealed in the joint statement. This sums up the spirit of things. India has offered the US prime place in its defence, space, maritime, energy and technological development. In return, India has demanded that it be treated every inch with the same closeness as Washingtons nearest allies. The two will fight the scourge of terrorism everywhere together. Of course, Mr Modi had prepared well before the trip by announcing his governments keenness to do massive defence shopping from the United States. The appointment of a new nine-member panel to reset the National Education Policy will only delay reforms in elementary education, besides giving a thrust to our outdated college education. The earlier panel, headed by former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, had done extensive work for 30 months in collating information and opinion from stakeholders, academics and experts. It appears the change at the helm of the HRD ministry, from a flamboyant Smriti Irani to a more sober Prakash Javadekar, led to this change of heart, with a new panel to do much the same work of giving Indian education a contemporary touch. Of course, a fair deal of ideologically-driven motivation is likely in the fresh exercise as the inputs of Sangh affiliates will also be sought afresh by the panel headed by former Isro chief K. Kasturirangan. The earlier committees 230-page report drawn from 5,000 responses addressed several crucial issues, from rote learning and overdependence on board exam marks down to the quality of teachers, assessment methods and management of education. Its the quality of instruction that was found lacking, with the colonial legacy leading to a shocking lack of critical thinking by students. A complete overhaul of the exam system is needed so that it tests understanding. The spirit of inquiry is what we must instil in students. But if this whole exercise is to rewrite a few history books to give them a saffron tinge, it will be an exercise in futility while our graduates continue to remain largely unemployable. The faceoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Doka La area (in Sikkim) of the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction, ongoing since late last week, showed no signs of abating on Tuesday as the Chinese foreign ministry angrily held Indian soldiers responsible for the impasse. The faceoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Doka La area (in Sikkim) of the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction, ongoing since late last week, showed no signs of abating on Tuesday as the Chinese foreign ministry angrily held Indian soldiers responsible for the impasse. Indias external affairs ministry is yet to go on record, suggesting it may not be interested in ratcheting up a war of words as it seeks a behind-the-scenes working dialogue with Beijing. This is a mature approach. In an interview, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat has also sought to downplay the friction, saying Chinese soldiers had not crossed the Line of Actual Control at Nathu-La Pass, although this has been the narrative in our media. Where, then, is the problem? It is Beijings case that Indian soldiers crossed the LAC to obstruct Chinese road-building near the perceived border. Quoting sources, the Indian media reported that Chinese soldiers had crossed over to the Indian side and broke up bunkers. Our soldiers had to form a human wall to prevent the situation deteriorating, but there was pushing and scuffling. An angry Beijing has stopped Indian pilgrims going to Mansarovar through the motorable Nathu-La route until the security situation improves. This is understandable. Civilians should not hang around if the border is tense. However, Beijing could have avoided abrasiveness in its approach. Of late it has been feeding the Communist Partys English daily Global Times, which has emerged as a vehicle of crass propaganda, and raising the pitch when there is the smallest difference of perception. It is laughable that the Chinese side should object to the Indian protests over their road-building, if there was any. We have seen lately that scarcely a day passes when the Chinese do not shoot off statements warning India not to build roads and bridges on its own side of the border. China is a powerful country. It does not behove it to act so insecure. The equilibrium in Sino-Indian relations has been disturbed in recent times. New Delhi is upset with Beijing for blocking, at Pakistans behest, the Indian request at the UN to declare Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar a global terrorist so that he may be sanctioned. India is also unhappy that China is using its veto against India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Lately, China has also got rattled by the Indian opposition to One-Belt-One-Road, its geopolitical leverage-seeking effort through infrastructure-building. With the United States agreeing with India that connectivity should not mean transgressing the sovereignty of nations (as Chinas road-building is doing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), the Chinese appear even more bitter. Let the two foreign ministries find less dramatic ways to talk things over instead of plastering the media with propaganda. The deliberate intrusion into our lives is to gain more control and information over citizens, by being able to either deny us the benefits to which we are entitled or threatening us that no secrets can be kept from an all-knowing state... (Representational Image) The way the Narendra Modi government has been trying to push the use of the Aadhaar number, or UID, into all facets of life show a desperation that is unnerving. The latest two instances of its intentions are the step to link a persons PAN number, used in many financial dealings, specially in the payment of taxes, with UID, to stop the use of duplicate PAN numbers and the unbelievable step to stop all bank transactions by the end of the year unless they are backed by Aadhaar. If the courts dont step in and stop this stupidity, it will create unprecedented chaos in the banking system. People wont be able to pay their taxes or withdraw their money from banks or issue cheques. The disruption will be far more intense than that caused by demonetisation, and its economic effects far more sinister. The new rules issued by the finance ministry require existing bank account holders to submit their Aadhaar details to banks by December 31, 2017, failing which the accounts will cease to be operational. It was a coup by the backdoor, and the stealthiness of the process was confirmed as the rules were gazetted a full fortnight before the news of it leaked out and a week before the Supreme Court ruled on linking PAN numbers to Aadhaar. The insidious thing about UID was that it was introduced as a money bill earlier in the year, without informing MPs or having a discussion in Parliament on making Aadhaar mandatory for the filing of income-tax returns. The bill also said those who file I-T returns without an Aadhaar-linked PAN card will have their PAN declared invalid. This has been the story of Aadhaar and UID so far, from being a purely voluntary registration to increasingly assuming more functions till it becomes mandatory from things like getting a marriage registered, to free mid-day meals for schools, getting subsidised gas connections to rehabilitating bonded labour or prostitutes. The reason given by the government on why it is necessary to insist on the Aadhaar number in addition to the PAN card was the alleged vast duplication of PAN cards which made it easy for people to avoid paying tax. But going by the governments own figures, the number of fake cards is just 0.4 per cent of the total number. While this may not be insubstantial, given that a few crore PAN cards have been issued, it does compare to the discrepancies within UID itself. These are not fully known since the Unique Identification Authority of India, the body that oversees Aadhaar, citing national security, refused to answer a Right to Information request on the number of fake or duplicate Aadhaars that are in existence. Besides this, UIDAI has thousands of private operators who collect data and often sell it. The UIDAI has since 2010 suspended over 34,000 operators private individuals who carry out enrolment for Aadhaar for polluting the Aadhaar database. It has also received hundreds of complaints over issues like two Aadhaars registered for the same individual, fake data and Aadhaars being registered even for animals and gods. In Andhra Pradesh alone, out of 48.8 lakh cases recorded, 2.3 lakh were false. In 2013, it was reported that UIDAI had to cancel 3.84 lakh fake Aadhaar cards because of a specific procedural loophole. Obviously, the system is riddled with major faults and inconsistencies, and cannot be more foolproof than PAN. Moreover, in Telangana, for instance, an alarming 36 cent of people applying for the rural job guarantee scheme failed to authenticate their identities with fingerprints. The Economic Survey shows authentication failure rates as 49 per cent for Jharkhand, six per cent for Gujarat, five per cent for Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh and 37 per cent for Rajasthan... Failure to identify genuine beneficiaries results in exclusion errors. While opposing Aadhaar, Supreme Court lawyer Usha Ramanathan wrote: It is possible that, given the enormous porosity and magnitude of untried technologies being deployed in the unique identification (UID) project, it may crumble or implode... But by then, many systems may be destroyed which will be difficult to resurrect, many vulnerabilities created, many people made into ghosts and duplicates, and many a problem erected as testimony to a project that should never have been. Given the many vulnerabilities in society that an experiment like Aadhaar reveals, it is surprising that so many people with a taste for power should stand so solidly behind it. It cant be a matter of administrative efficiency or simply of ensuring that the poor get a better deal. Coercion has been used throughout in the Aadhaar project. At the outset, the UPA government that introduced the idea was restrained in backing the project. Now, as the statements of the finance minister and attorney-general indicate, people are increasingly being compelled to part with their biometrics. Indian and foreign companies which use this information to beam multiple advertisements into our homes from banks, mobile phone companies and Internet firms are only a part of the story. There are companies which were involved at every stage, from pilot to execution, and from enrolment to control over the database. They have a close relationship with many intelligence agencies of foreign governments. It is difficult to believe, however, that they are powerful enough to influence the policies of a large country like India. The deliberate intrusion into our lives is to gain more control and information over citizens, by being able to either deny us the benefits to which we are entitled or threatening us that no secrets can be kept from an all-knowing state. Its a step towards an all-powerful state, with surveillance and monitoring as in George Orwells 1984. It is only the courts and the political Opposition that can act as a brake to the increasingly authoritarian tendencies of the government. Computer systems from Ukraine to the US and India too were hit Tuesday-Wednesday in a second cyberattack, similar to the WannaCry assault that crippled machines worldwide in May. Ransomware known as Petwrap was the culprit that hit systems, including at container giant Maersk Group, which operates Gateway Terminals India at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. India is more vulnerable as not all systems and antivirus programmes are licensed and they may be compromised more easily by stray or planned attacks, which are only going to increase in future. Now cybercriminals have found a way to monetise their attacks, todays connected world is in greater peril. A possible solution is to act with alacrity on every patch put out by tech giants like Microsoft and security firms, but then most computer users are notoriously lax about security. The intriguing aspect of these widespread attacks is that the attackers used the same US National Security Agency hacking tool called Eternal Blue. This raises questions on whether the NSA can help defuse the situation, by letting everyone know how to handle the hacking tools it may have unleashed, perhaps unwittingly, to the cybercriminals. The NSA may not be able to acknowledge the role its shadowy operations played, with the world held to Bitcom ransom. But the least it can do is to direct major players in the right direction to overcome the distress caused by the cyberattacks. How perilous these attacks are getting was made obvious by nuclear power stations switching to manual monitoring of radiation levels. These attacks endanger us all. Musk, technopreneur, has built a small spaceship called Dragon and if you slap down enough money maybe a hundred million dollars or so hell fly you to the Moon. Want to fly to the moon? Well, now you wont have to bother with all those years of rigorous astronaut training all you need is a huge wad of cash. Elon Musk, technopreneur, has built a small spaceship called Dragon and if you slap down enough money maybe a hundred million dollars or so hell fly you to the Moon. The first flight is set for 2018, a target so ambitious it verges on the incredible. Musks moonshot plan has been greeted enthusiastically by most space fans but some are a little doubtful. Other commentators remain totally uninspired, ridiculing the idea as a gigantic waste of money. This ambivalence isnt surprising really, since history shows that soon after the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, people switched their televisions to more down-to-earth events while wondering why NASA kept going back to the Moon again and again with Apollo 12, then Apollo 13, then Apollo 14 all the way up to Apollo 17. Natural process, or a social one? Musk would tell you hes not using taxpayer funds for his moonshot and that his SpaceX venture is a private commercial business. But SpaceXs only significant customer so far has been NASA a taxpayer-funded agency that pays it to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. And even before SpaceX had delivered anything, NASA made a massive investment in the firm to get it up and running. Any claim that SpaceX is purely a commercial business, then, is also incredible. Like many space fans, Musk will tell you that this moonshot is the first step in the natural process of human space expansion. The next steps involve the colonisation of the Moon and then Mars. But space travel is not a natural process; its a social process involving domestic politics, international competition, the marketing of patriotic heroism, and the divvying up of state funds. Harkening back to the dark past The colonisation theme of space expansion is also problematic since it signifies a potential re-emergence of the social injustices and environmental disasters wrought by past colonial ventures. Being a fan of space colonisation, then, can be likened to rejoicing in the displacement of native peoples and celebrating the destruction of wilderness. Unfortunately, too often space expansion has utilised historic conquests to map out the future; witness Star Treks Space: the Final Frontiertheme, or Musks own idea to colonise Mars. Calling for a new age of exploration in space recalls past voyages of discovery ignores how Chritopher Columbus decimated native tribes with smallpox and how Spanish conquistadors ransacked Meso-Americas temples to loot gold. Space fans might argue that there are no people in space to be colonised, that the Moon and Mars are uninhabited lands. But the plan to settle Mars, for example, and then to set about extracting valuable resources without working out if some alien species is living there even if those life forms are microbial seems reckless. It also smacks of anthropocentrism since humans will doubtless carry to Mars the attitude that microbes are lower lifeforms and that its OK to stomp all over their planet spreading pollution and mucking up their environment. Even if they are lifeless, we should consider that the Moon and Mars belong to all of us; they are the common heritage of humankind. And those who first to get to the Moon or to Mars shouldnt be permitted to plunder these worlds just for the sake of their own adventure or profit. An alliance of interests One prominent fan of American space expansion is US President Donald Trump. Space is terrific, he said in Florida last year. Trump also called for more space exploration in his recent speech to Congress. Many scientists are wary of Trumps attitude to science but, in a surprising willingness to embrace both science and the wider universe beyond America, the president wants NASA to explore the mysteries of deep space. In the process, Trump is also working out how to rid NASA of the those pesky climate scientists who, he claims, are peddling politicised science. Trump met Elon Musk within days of assuming the presidency and, with their shared love of capitalism and penchant for self-promotion, they seem to be entering a working relationship, described by some as cronyism. Trump seems willing to support Musk if the entrepreneur can help Make America Great Again by shooting Americans off to the Moon before China gets there. Musk may seem confident about his 2018 plans because he believes he has presidential blessing. A note of caution But perhaps its too soon to worry about Moon grabs or Martian colonialism. First, both Trump and Musk are notorious big talkers and they may be playing with the macho spectacle of space travel. If their space plans gurgle into an economic sinkhole, theyll probably quietly abandon them. And the 2018 moonshot is not going to actually land on the Moon; its merely going to shoot around it and then head back to Earth. Nobody will get the chance to plant a flag. Space tourism, moon bases and Martian colonies have all been predicted for decades and nothing has ever come of them. Wernher von Braun, the Apollo rocket hero (and ex-Nazi) showcased such prospective space endeavours on a television show with Walt Disney in the 1950s (using whizzing Disney graphics). But 70 years later, a space colony is nowhere to be found. An outright Moon grab would also be illegal, since the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty forbids such acts. The US has re-interpreted this treaty to suggest that it permits resource extraction from the Moon and the planets in the Solar System, but not all nations accept this view. Not what we all want If Musk does get his rich clients to circle the Moon next year, and then manages to set up bases and colonies on the lunar surface and then Mars, it wont be because hes made a business success out of space expansion. And it wont be due to the scientific merit of moon bases. Rather, it will be because he has managed to dupe the American taxpayer with expensive technological fantasies and because hes broken the ideal of the common heritage of mankind enshrined in international law. Humanity and the Earth will be diminished in the process. Its possible the cosmos will be diminished and despoiled too with mining firms digging up the moonscape, rocket fuel spilled all over the Martian surface, and neon lights flashing in shiny space casinos. Of course, some space fans believe the only way theyll realise their space fantasies is to ride behind the glory of visionaries such as Musk and the unknown mega-rich space passengers set to shoot off around the Moon next year. But the Earth abounds with those willing to poke fun at such showy space adventures, which is good Musk needs to know that not everybody is on board. This article has been taken from The Conversation. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Googles array of chat-based applications can get truly confusing. The search-giant has finally decided to do away with the complexity, starting with killing off its Google Talk service. The service is now being replaced by Google Hangouts. Google introduced Google Talk (Gchat/GTalk) back in 2005, making it one of oldest messaging applications to exist. Now that Google Talk is no longer functional, users will be forced to shift to using Hangouts. The chats existing in the former will automatically be transferred to the latter, so you need not worry about that. Switching to Hangouts wont be all that bad as it caters to the modern requirements of an individual with features like chat bubbles and GIF support. Google in March this year also announced that it has decided to end support for carrier SMS on Hangouts. Users can instead make use of Android Messages. The company has even tried adding newer features to Hangouts such as the video conferencing service, making it similar to other enterprise services such as Slack or Microsoft Team. It seems like this is just the beginning of Googles initiative to make all their services simple and user-friendly. There are still a number of chat-based services by Google that suit ones individual needs. The latest example of the same is Google Allo. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. top companies such as Amazon India, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Flipkart and Ola said their systems were unaffected. India's cyber security agency has yet to receive any reports of a latest ransomware attack hitting computers there, its boss told Reuters on Tuesday, after a Swiss government agency identified India as one of the main victims. Sanjay Bahl of the New Delhi-based Computer Emergency Response Team said he was monitoring the situation. Spokespeople for top companies such as Amazon India, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Flipkart and Ola said their systems were unaffected. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Santiago: Chile on Tuesday placed a temporary ban on meat imported from Colombia, citing an outbreak there of foot-and-mouth disease. Chile's government authority responsible for grain and livestock cited an outbreak of the highly contagious ailment in the eastern Colombian department of Arauca as the reason for the move. Officials in Santiago said the ban would remain in effect until they are convinced that the outbreak has been brought under control. Shipments of Colombian meat to Chile began just last month, after an exhaustive, years-long approval process. Authorities here are eager to avoid any outbreak of foot-and-mouth, sometimes referred to as hoof-and-mouth, after having succeeded in keeping the ailment at bay since January 1981. The illness affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, deer, goats and sheep. It can be spread by dust, animal-to-animal contact in herds, through consumption of contaminated animal products, and even by farm implements and vehicles. Although adult animals normally do not die from the disease, they must be destroyed once infected to keep it from spreading. Adults see black girls as less innocent , more independent, and less in need of nurturing and protection than their white peers, a report released Tuesday by Georgetown University says. The report is the first to explore perceptions of black girls, building on previous research that found black boys are wrongly perceived as older than they actually are and more likely to be viewed as guilty when they are suspected of a crime. Its a trend researchers call the adultification of black children. The results carry implications for fields from education to criminal justice, and they may help explain why black girls are disciplined in school at disproportionately high rates compared to their peers of other races, say the authors of the report, called Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls Childhood. Simply put, if authorities in public systems view Black girls as less innocent, less needing of protection, and generally more like adults, it appears likely that they would also view Black girls as more culpable for their actions and, on that basis, punish them more harshly despite their status as children, the report says. The study is based on responses to a nine-item survey by 325 adults recruited through an online service, a relatively small sample size compared to many other research projects. But the reports authorsJamilia Blake, an associate professor at Texas A&M University; Rebecca Epstein, the executive director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality; and Thalia Gonzalez, an associate professor at Occidental Collegesay the findings should spur further research into the well-being and perception of black girls, who have received less attention than their male peers in recent years. Survey respondents were from various racial and ethnic backgrounds and they live throughout the United States. Half of respondents were asked questions about white girls at varying age ranges. The other half answered the same questions about black girls in the same age ranges. Respondents were asked to rate their responses on a 5-point response scale: (1) not at all; (2) a little; (3) undecided; (4) somewhat; and (5) a great deal. They were asked the following questions: How often do Black [or white] females take on adult responsibilities? How much do Black [or white] females seem older than their age? How much do Black [or white] females need to be supported? How much do Black [or white] females need to be comforted? How independent are Black [or white] females? How knowledgeable are Black [or white] females about sex? Across all age ranges, participants viewed Black girls collectively as more adult than white girls, the study concludes. Responses revealed, in particular, that participants perceived Black girls as needing less protection and nurturing than white girls, and that Black girls were perceived to know more about adult topics and are more knowledgeable about sex than their white peers. The most signifcant differences were found in the age brackets that encompass mid-childhood and early adolescenceages 5-9 and 10-14and continued to a lesser degree in the 15- to 19-year-old age bracket. No statistically signifcant diferences were found in the age group 0-4. Why do adults see black girls as less innocent than their white peers? There could be multiple explanations for the adultification of black children, the study says. One explanation suggests that children are socialized to act more mature out of context and necessity, especially in low-resource community environments. Alternatively, adults may carry the kind of bias addressed by the studys findings, based on stereotypes about childrens behavior, researchers say. Civil rights advocates say these biases are to blame for higher discipline rates for black children in U.S. schools . While 6 percent of all K-12 students were suspended in 2013-14, the suspension rate was 18 percent for black boys, 10 percent for black girls, 5 percent for white boys, and 2 percent for white girls, according to the most recent federal data. Those disparities may also be attributed at least partially to more punitive discipline philosophies in schools that educate high percentages of students of color, some groups have said. Interest in the treatment of black boys culminated when President Barack Obama launched his My Brothers Keeper initiative. In response, a group of advocates have pushed for equal attention to girls of color, particularly black girls, in recent years. The reports authors said they hope their findings will encourage more research. While the scope of our research is limited, the potential implications are profound, the report says. Further exploration of the implicit bias manifested in adultification could lead legislators, advocates, and policymakers to engage in reform to counteract negative outcomes for Black girls. We challenge researchers to develop new studies to investigate the degree and prevalence of adultifcation of Black girls, as well as its causal connections to harmful outcomes for girls across a diverse range of public systems, including the education, juvenile justice, and child welfare systems. In any such work, the voices of Black girls themselves should remain at the center. Bonus: Check out these video interviews with four researchers about nurturing black girls in school. Further reading on black girls and equity: Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox. Local 100, workers from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority respond to the scene of a subway derailment. (Photo: AP) New York: Dozens of people were injured Tuesday when two New York subway train cars careened off the tracks, leaving hundreds of people stuck for more than an hour, a fire department spokesman said. The incident which occurred mid-morning on the a train line between two stations in Harlem in northern Manhattan left 36 people with minor injuries, the spokesman said. Evacuating everyone from the underground station took more than an hour and a half, he said. The cause of the derailment, which continued to disrupt traffic throughout the day, was not immediately clear. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which manages the city's aging public transit system, said the situation was under investigation. Joseph Lhota, the newly appointed MTA chairman, said a local television station that the derailment would have been preceded by the activation of the emergency brake, but could not say why it had been triggered. One rider described a sudden jolt "like a bucking horse," saying that "people were flying all over the cars." "People were panicking, jumping out of their seats, just crying and praying out loud," said another passenger. "It was just very traumatizing." Riders told of smoke and fire on the tracks, which Lhota explained could have resulted from litter igniting after the crash. The episode intensified scrutiny of New York's antiquated subway system one of the world's busiest, with more than 5.6 million average daily trips which has drawn the ire of riders as delays soar and incidents build up. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat whose office controls funding for the MTA, has vowed to improve the broken system as the frustration of city residents grows. Cuomo turned to Lhota, who is returning to the MTA for a second stint as its chairman, to take on the challenge. Lhota oversaw the subway system's recovery after it was flooded by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) programme which allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States. (Photo: AP/Representational) Washington: Low-risk Indian travellers to the US from now on would experience speedy entry into the country after landing, with India making a formal entry into an American initiative. US President Donald Trump welcomed India's entry into the International Expedited Traveller Initiative (Global Entry Program), saying it would facilitate closer business and educational ties between the citizens of India and the US. The India-US joint statement, issued after talks between Mr Trump and Prime Minister Modi, said the US president applauded the entrepreneurship and innovation of Indians and Indian-Americans that have directly benefited both nations. The citizens of Switzerland and the United Kingdom are also part of the programme, which India has now joined. Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) programme which allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States. On landing at select airports, the programme members enter the United States through automatic kiosks, instead of queueing up to clear the immigration by meeting an immigration officer. At these airports, the members proceed to the Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or US permanent resident card, place their fingerprints on the scanner for fingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration. The kiosk then issues the traveller a transaction receipt and directs him or her to the baggage claim and the exit. Travellers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry programme. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment, the CBP website says. It says that while Global Entry's goal is to speed up travellers through the process, members may still be selected for further examination when entering the United States. The select US airports that offer the facility include all major ones, including New York, Newark, Washington, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas, Miami and Seattle. Besides those in the US, the airports at Dublin in Ireland, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada and Abu Dhabi are also on the list. These airports have been chosen as an air traveller can clear US immigration at these airports, virtually making their onward flight from there to an American city a domestic one. China: Pakistan has been smoothly implementing an ambitious plan to build an economic corridor with China, despite experiencing some challenges, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday. China has promised $57 billion in investment in projects along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of its ambitious Belt and Road plan linking China with the Middle East and Europe. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road project in 2013, but it is still short on specifics. We are smoothly implementing and we are very satisfied with the speed of the implementation, Iqbal, the Islamabad lead on the project, told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Chinese city of Dalian. In addition to the investment pledges from China, Pakistan would invest close to $10 billion, he said. The economic corridor, to be completed in three phases by 2030, will boost Pakistans energy security and infrastructure, helping it attract more foreign investment, he said. Iqbal told the forum there were some challenges to be addressed, including on coordination among different government ministries and among internal and external stakeholders. There are a number of challenges which have to be addressed, he said. There are actually many gaps that we have to correctly address. First and foremost is the coordination gap, he said. Pakistan and China aim to build a network of rail, road and energy infrastructure as part of the Belt and Road initiative. Pakistan has been one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the initiative, in part because many projects are for power plants to alleviate its chronic energy shortage that leads to frequent blackouts. In a joint communique after their bilateral meeting, they also and reiterated the need for a unified and collective effort by the international community to eliminate terrorism through a holistic approach. (Photo: AP) The Hague: India and the Netherlands on Tuesday strongly condemned the use of double standards in addressing the menace of terrorism, saying there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds. Expressing concern about the serious and grave threat posed by the spread of terrorism and violent extremism to both the countries and the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte reaffirmed their commitment to combat terrorism and prevent radicalisation that could lead to violent extremism. In a joint communique after their bilateral meeting, they also and reiterated the need for a unified and collective effort by the international community to eliminate terrorism through a holistic approach. The two prime ministers stressed that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever agreeing that there should be zero-tolerance on terrorism, the statement said. They affirmed that the fight against terrorism should "not only seek to disrupt and bring to justice terrorists, terror organisations and networks, but should also identify, hold accountable and take strong measures against all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups and falsely extol their virtues". Both leaders strongly condemned the use of double standards in addressing the menace of terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism both at the bilateral level and within the multilateral system. In this regard, they called for early conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, the statement said. Modi is in the Netherlands on the last leg of his three nation tour that included Portugal and the US. Mateusz Kijowski, leader of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy. (Photo: Warsaw: Poland's prosecutors said Wednesday they have charged the former leader of a massive anti-government movement with misappropriation of the movement's funds and false statements in its financial documents. Mateusz Kijowski, the former head of the Committee for the Defense of Democracy, or KOD, and the movement's former treasurer were questioned by prosecutors in Swidnica, in the southwest. The movement, which accuses the government of anti-democratic policies, has led massive street protests across Poland but its power seems to be waning, partly due to the investigation into payments for Kijowski. Spokesman for the prosecutors, Tomasz Orepuk, said the charges against Kijowski include wrongly invoicing KOD in 2016 and being paid some 121,000 zlotys (29,000 euros, $33,000) for IT services he did not provide. Payment of another 15,000 zlotys was blocked by other KOD board members. Moreover, the money came from the movement's public collection "For democracy" and the payment to Kijowski was in violation of the collection's goal, Orepuk said. Conviction on the charges, which were also lodged against the former treasurer, identified only at Piotr C., carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison. After being questioned, Kijowski said reporters he did not confess to any wrongdoing and insisted that all of the movement's financial decisions were taken collectively, in line with its rules. "I have committed no crime," Kijowski said. Last month, the movement voted in a new leader to replace Kijowski, who did not seek re-election. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from July 4-6, at the invitation of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. This will be the first ever visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. During the visit, the Prime Minister will have detailed discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest and will also call on President Rivlin. Elements of his programme include homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa and address to the Indian community at an event in Tel Aviv. India established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 and since then the relationship has evolved into a multi-dimensional partnership. "This year both the countries are commemorating 25 years of diplomatic relations and the visit of the Prime Minister will provide an impetus for deeper bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel, This is an historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the country's existence no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited and this is further expression of the State of Israel's military, economic and diplomatic strength," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced at a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. Netanhayu added that cabinet will also approve decisions regarding ties with India that will pass include increasing exports, deepening cooperation in the fields of water and agriculture, establishing a joint fund for research and innovation, and increasing Indian tourism to Israel. Earlier in November last year, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin came to India on a week-long state visit - the first by an Israeli President in nearly 20 years. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel in October 2015, symbolizing the growing partnership between the two nations. Doha: Qatar on Wednesday condemned Saudi Arabia's refusal to negotiate the demands of the kingdom and its allies for ending a crippling embargo on the emirate. Speaking from Washington, where he held talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable. "This is contrary to the principles that govern international relations because you can't just present lists of demands and refuse to negotiate," Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published in Doha. His Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, who is also in Washington, was unbudging on Tuesday over the three-week-old dispute, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said on Twitter. With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home. Last week Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, including ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United Arab Emirates warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours. The rift between its allies has been a blow to Washington just as its campaign against the Islamic State group comes to a climax in Iraq and Syria. Tillerson has held repeated meetings with both sides as well as with mediators Kuwait and the United Nations. According to ISIS, Yazidis are neither Arab nor Muslim and believe that they are devil-worshippers.(Photo: Representational Image) Baghdad: A Yazidi sex slave unknowingly ate her one-year-old son, who was killed, cooked and served by Islamic State fanatics after starving her for three days, an Iraqi lawmaker said during a television interview. According to a report in Daily Mail, the woman was held captive for days in a cellar without food and water before she was deceived to eat the food served by her ISIS handlers, Iraqi MP Vian Dakhill said during her interview to Egyptian TV channel Extra News. Dakhill said, ISIS handlers, who kept woman hungry for three days, brought her a plate of rice and meat. She ate that food because was very hungry. When she was done eating, the militants told her that We cooked your one-year-old son who we took from you, and this is what you just ate", the lawmaker said to the interviewer. The lawmaker broke down live while recollecting the ghastly, unfortunate incident following which the interview was stopped for minutes. The lawmaker further stating atrocities of extremists said, in another incident, a 10-year-old girl was raped to death in front of her father and five sisters. With a rush of emotions, Dakhill said The question that we ask yourselves is: "Why? Why did these savages do this to us? According to ISIS, Yazidis are neither Arab nor Muslim and believe that they are devil-worshippers. From its inception, seven years back, ISIS jihadists has captured Yazidi women and turned them into sex slaves to be sold and exchanged across their self-proclaimed 'caliphate'. Around 3,000 of them are believed to remain in captivity. A number of mass Yazidi graves were uncovered in 2015. Syrian President Bashar Assad inspects with the Russian Army's Chief of Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the Russian Hmeimim air base in the province of Latakia, Syria. (Photo: AP) Beirut: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited a Russian air base at Hmeymim in western Syria on Tuesday, his first visit to the base from which Russian jets have played a crucial role in support of his war effort. Photos circulated showed the Syrian leader in the cockpit of a Russian Sukhoi SU-35 warplane. He inspected weapons, personnel and armoured vehicles at the base near Latakia. He was accompanied by Russian chief of staff General Valery Gerasimov, state news agency SANA reported. The Syrian people will not forget that its Russian brothers stood next to them in this national war, Assad wrote in a visitors book at the base, SANA reported. The base has been at the heart of Moscows military effort in support of Assad since 2015, when the Russian air force began bombing insurgents who were threatening his grip on power. Assad has also been backed in the war by Iran. Assad has been touring areas north and northwest of Damascus in recent days, a rare trip out of his seat of power in the capital that has reflected his confidence, with his military position seemingly unassailable in western Syria. On Sunday he performed Eid prayers in the city of Hama, the first time he has visited the city since the start of the conflict. Assad has also visited wounded soldiers in the Hama countryside, accompanied by his wife Asma and children, state media reported on Tuesday. The article comes amid tension on the Sino-India border following a scuffle between the personnel of the Indian Army and the PLA (Photo: Representational/File) Beijing: China must force the Indian troops to retreat "by all necessary means" and New Delhi must be "taught the rules", a nationalistic state-run daily here said on Wednesday amidst a standoff in the Sikkim section of the Sino-India border. "The Indian government made no objection to the Sikkim section of the China-India border. Allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge, but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare," a hard-hitting op-ed in the Global Times said. The Nathu La pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006, because there is no border dispute between China and India over this area, it said. "It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government," the article said. "Whatever the motive is, China must stick to its bottomline. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," said the op-ed piece in the daily, that is known for its nationalist stance. As the China-India border has not been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas, it noted. "However, almost all frictions are fed to the Indian media by the Indian military which they hype time and again," the article said. "China avoids making an issue of the border disputes, which has indulged India's unruly provocations. This time, the Indian side needs to be taught the rules," the article said. India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial, the article said, adding that China has no desire to confront India. "Maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy. But this must be based on mutual respect. It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," it said. The article comes amid tension on the Sino-India border following a scuffle between the personnel of the Indian Army and the PLA, leading to Chinese troops damaging bunkers on the Indian side of the border. PTI KJV ASK AKJ Did Colorado Legalize Texting While Driving? As if Millennials needed another reason to move to Colorado, reports are flowing in that the third highest state has just legalized texting while driving. However, before your thumbs start flying across your touchscreens while behind the wheel, like legal pot, there are a few hazy caveats drivers need to know. First off, texting while actually driving is not legal in Colorado. The new law will allow drivers to text so long as they don't do it in a "careless and imprudent manner." Lawmakers noted that this includes anytime the vehicle is actually moving. Additionally, if a person is caught texting in a "careless or imprudent manner," they will be facing a much harsher penalty. Wait ... What? The new law is aimed at the heart of the problem with texting behind the wheel: distracted driving. Texting while stopped at a light, or maybe even while stopped in traffic, does not present the same level of danger as texting while moving. Countless studies have shown that texting while moving is incredibly dangerous because of the time it takes for a person to look at and focus on a smartphone screen. In just three seconds at 25 mph a car will travel over 100 feet. Critics of the law believe that officers and prosecutors will have a hard time deciding and proving "careless or imprudent" texting while driving. However, lawmakers clarified that any texting while a vehicle is moving is "careless driving" per se, which is actually a much more serious offense than a normal traffic infraction like speeding. Furthermore, local police believe the change clarifies the issue of what's really dangerous, and that the increased penalty for texting while driving will deter more drivers from texting while actually driving. Increased Penalty for Texting While Driving The new Colorado law reclassifies texting while driving from a $50 fine and one point on a person's license to a $300 fine and four points. This significant increase in the fine and points is expected to deter would-be texters from sending messages while actually driving. For those caught texting and driving, the new law now requires that a prosecutor prove that the person was driving carelessly. This means that officers will need to testify about what specifically was "careless" about the way a person was driving. But, given the studies on texting while driving, anyone driving at more than a snail's pace will likely have an uphill battle on that front. Related Resources: The vessel is the first of China's new generation of destroyers. (FIle Photo) Beijing: China's Navy on Wednesday launched its biggest new generation destroyer weighing 10,000 tonnes as part of a massive expansion to become a global naval power. The Navy's new destroyer, a domestically designed and produced vessel, was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard (Group), Shanghai. The vessel is the first of China's new generation of destroyers. It is equipped with new air defence, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The vessel marks a milestone in improving the nation's Navy armament system and building a strong and modern Navy. According to the plan, tests will be carried on the vessel, including equipment operation, berthing and sailing. The biggest naval destroyer was an addition to two aircraft carriers which China is in the process of deploying to compete with other naval powers liked the US and India, specially in the India Ocean. The Chinese Navy is currently trying to form battle groups that accompany the aircraft carriers when they set out on missions far from shores. The first aircraft carrier Liaoning has left with a flotilla of Chinese naval ships on June 25 on "routine training mission" from Qingdao in east China. The naval formation includes destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan, frigate Yantai and a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters, a Chinese defence ministry statement said. The training mission, like the previous ones, is expected to strengthen coordination among the vessels and improve the skills of crew and pilots in different marine region. This is the first exercise being carried out by Liaoning, a refurbished aircraft carrier, built from the hull of a Soviet ship bought from Ukraine after China had launched a home-made carrier in April this year. The new aircraft carrier was expected to be operational by 2019. Liaoning has earlier carried out exercises in the disputed South China Sea as well as East China Sea along with its battle formation group. Beijing: China on Wednesday virtually accused India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to China's efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We dont want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. At a regular foreign ministry briefing, Lu also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate" and asserted that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. "Donglang is part of Chinas territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan," Lu said. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesnt belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chickens Neck. Donglang is under Chinas control. China said that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Meanwhile, Bhutans ambassador to India, Major General (Retd) Vetsop Namgyel said that Bhutan has issued a demarche to the Chinese envoy, asking Beijing to restore status quo in the Doklam area where a section of Chinese soldiers tried to unilaterally build a road towards its Army camp in Zomplri area. If Slager goes to trial for murder, there is evidence recorded by Malinowski in January that could be used in the case. (Photo: Facebook) Gahanna (Ohio): A woman in the United States died of severe burns on Tuesday, after her ex-boyfriend poured gasoline on her and set her on fire at a gas station. According to a report in the Daily Mail, 33-year-old Judy Malinowski got into a fight with Michael Slager after which he doused her in gas and set her on fire. The incident which took place at a gas station at Gahanna, Ohio gas station after a fight in August 2015, left Malinowski with fourth and fifth-degree burns to 80 per cent of her body. The victims ears and parts of her fingers had melted off in the fire and she couldnt speak louder than a whisper due to major injury to her trachea. She underwent 56 surgeries, was unable to walk and needed a ventilator to her breathe. Doctors said there were massive open wounds on Malinowskis back and buttocks which could not be operated since she was too weak to lie on her stomach. She was hospitalised till May and then moved to palliative care. Slager, at first, claimed that he had accidentally ignited the fuel when he lit a cigarette which caused her to catch fire. He was charged with felonious assault, aggravated arson, and possession of criminal tools but did not plead guilty to any of them. In December, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison. After Malinowski's death prosecutor Ron O'Brien said his office is pursuing murder charges against the accused. It would be our intention, and it has been all along, that should she pass away it was our intention to pursue a homicide charge, O'Brien said. If Slager goes to trial for murder, there is evidence recorded by Malinowski in January that could be used in the case. Notorious smuggler Mustafa Dossa, one of the key men behind the 12 March, 1993 serial blasts, who was part of the conspiracy and oversaw the landing of RDX and Kalashnikov assault rifles in the Raigad coast of Maharashtra, died on Wednesday following a massive heart-attack - a day after the CBI sought death penalty for him. On 16 June, Additional Sessions Judge GA Sanap, who presides over a special court set up under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), convicted him besides five others including Abu Salem, and is currenlty conducting hearing on quantum of sentence. Dossa, 61, who was lodged at the Arthur Road prison, was shifted to the jail ward of the government-run Sir JJ Group of Hospitals at around 0330 hours following high-fever, hyper-tension and uncontrolled diabetes. He died of a heart attack around 1430 hrs. Last year, he had undergone a by-pass surgery. The body is being sent for post-mortem before being handed over to the family. "Mustafa Dossa had died of heart attack," Dr TP Lahane, the Dean of Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, said. His lawyer, Rizwan Merchant and CBI counsel Deepak Salvi, had been informed of the death. On Tuesday, Salvi had described him as one of the "brains" behind the conspiracy and equated his role to that of Yakub Memon, who was hanged to death two years ago. "If not for him (and other absconding accused) the crime would never have taken place....Just like the Supreme Court had held that Yakub Memon's deeds cannot be viewed distinct from the act of Tiger Memon (an absconding accused in the blasts case), the same can be attributed to Dossa and other suggestion would be futile and worth discarding at the first glance," Salvi had told the court. In fact, the first conspiracy meeting was held at Dubai residence of his brother Mohammed Dossa, in which he too was present. In attendence were Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon. Thereafter, he oversaw the landing of RDX, AK-56 rfiles and grenades in the Raigad coast of Maharashtra ahead of the blasts. The trial of the seven accused Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum was separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial. Of the seven accused, Abdul Quayyum was acquitted for lack of evidence. In the main trial, 100 accused were convicted of which Yakub Memon was executed. What's the Law on Gun Rights Outside the Home? The U.S. Supreme Court has firmly established that the Second Amendment protects the rights of Americans to own guns, and at least possess those guns inside their homes with few exceptions. But what about taking a gun outside the home? Whether a person can legally walk outside their home with a gun is a different issue entirely, and one that states can regulate more easily. At least, that's what SCOTUS seems to be saying by refusing to hear the appeal of the Ninth Circuit decision, in Peruta v. County of San Diego. The Ninth Circuit upheld California's "good cause" requirement and explained that "the Second Amendment does not preserve or protect a right of a member of the general public to carry concealed firearms in public." Good Cause for Carrying a Weapon Some states restrict gun possession outside the home by requiring individuals who want to carry a weapon to obtain a permit. Depending on the state, and how one wishes to carry the weapon, either openly or concealed, the permitting requirements can vary. For example, in California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, a person seeking a concealed carry permit must have "good cause" to be approved. Typically, self-defense without a particular reason will not qualify. For instance, if a person makes large cash deposits or withdrawals for their employer, or is a retired prison guard or law enforcement officer fearing retaliation, good cause will likely be found. Open Carry, Wider Breadth While gun control laws vary from state to state, there is an important distinction that some states draw between openly carried guns and concealed guns. In many states, even those that require a permit to carry a concealed weapon, a hand gun or rifle may still be carried openly in public. Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. all prohibit the open carry of rifles and handguns. California, New York, Rhode Island, and South Carolina only prohibit the open carry of handguns, but allow rifles. However, in every state, there are certain restrictions on where firearms can be openly carried. For example, primary schools and government buildings generally do not allow individuals to openly carry firearms of any kind, and sometimes even can restrict permitted concealed weapons as well. Private businesses can also restrict gun carriers from entering their business. Related Resources: A day after violence returned to the Darjeeling hills, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters set ablaze an office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) on day 14 of the indefinite shutdown today. The office of the GTA's engineering division was torched last night. Protesters also ransacked a panchayat office in Bijanbari area, 25 km from here. The police and security forces were patrolling the streets and keeping a tight vigil on all entry and exit routes. Barring pharmacies, all shops, schools, colleges were closed and Internet services remained suspended. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has plans to take out rallies and burn copies of the GTA accord today. The GTA agreement was signed by the Centre, the state government and the GJM in 2011 following a prolonged unrest in the hills. The GJM asserted that its 45 members had resigned from the GTA last week and the administrative body had ceased to exist. Hundreds of GJM activists held a demonstration in Darjeeling yesterday and burnt copies of the GTA accord. Some shirtless GJM workers during the demonstration smashed tubelights on their back leading to injuries. Activists of the Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the GJM, had threatened to commit self-immolation and launch a fast unto death if the Centre did not pay heed to their demand for a separate state. GJM activists and pro-Gorkhaland supporters had also set fire to the house of the chairman of a development board in Kalimpong district on Monday night. Supreme Court: Church Can Receive Public Funds for Playground Renovation In a 7-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Trinity Church in Missouri should have been awarded public funding for resurfacing their playground with recycled tire rubber. While, at first blush, this may not sound so shocking, the ruling tows the line on the separation of church and state. While seven justices concurred in the result, even among those justices, there was a difference in opinion regarding whether the decision was limited based on the facts of the case. Basically, the Trinity Church applied for a state grant to provide money to rubberize their playground, but was denied due to being a religious organization. The church filed suit, alleging the denial violated the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. Church Run Public Playground The majority opinion in this case relies upon the fact that the Trinity Church's playground renovation is not an expression of religion. This fact allowed the Court to find that the denial of funding was discriminatory as the money being sought was not to be used for any religious purpose, but rather to renovate a (privately owned) public playground. The church, which was otherwise eligible, was denied solely because it is a church. The Court concluded that "the exclusion of Trinity Lutheran from a public benefit for which it is otherwise qualified, solely because it is a church, is odious to our Constitution all the same, and cannot stand." However, this decision is not without criticism and dissent from within the court. Separation of Church and State Among the most well known concepts that the United States is founded upon is the separation of church and state. This concept essentially prohibits the government from taking any actions that would be seen as an endorsement, or conferring an unfair advantage, to one religion over any other religion, or secular institution. This decision, as the dissenting opinion, authored by Justice Sotomayor, points out, cannot truly be squared away with the separation of church and state. While providing a public playground may not be a specific religious expression, it cannot be removed from the religious mission of the church. Justice Sotomayor, along with Justice Ginsburg, dissented, finding the decision to run afoul of the same constitutional Amendment the majority relied on to reach their decision. Related Resources: After Nevada Win, Is Wells Fargo on Comeback Trail? Wells Fargo stock ticked up another percent after the U.S. Supreme Court handed a significant win to the bank at the close of the summer session. The decision, along with other recent developments at the company, pushed the bank slowly upward since its fall from grace several years ago. Shares climbed a modest three percent in the past twelve months, holding its spot as the nation's third largest bank. Wells Fargo has survived the Wild West since 1852, but can the company really bounce back from an expose that has cost the bank billions? For some shareholders -- especially executives and corporate counsel -- their fate may rise or fall with the bank's legal challenges. Mortgage Lenders Win In the Nevada case, the Supreme Court left intact an appeals court decision that held unconstitutional a state law that allowed homeowners' associations to foreclose without notice to lenders. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said in Bourne Valley Court Trust v. Wells Fargo Bank last year that the associations should give notice to lenders before foreclosing on a property for delinquent dues. The Nevada law allowed the HOA to strip the bank's title without notice, unless the lender "opted-in" beforehand. "How the mortgage lender, which likely had no relationship with the homeowners' association, should have known to ask is anybody's guess...." the appeals court said. "But this system was not just strange; in our view, it was also unconstitutional." Wells Fargo Wins The decision was a most welcome win for Wells Fargo, which has been reeling from unrelated legal actions claiming the bank pressured employees to create fake accounts to generate fees. The Los Angeles Times broke the story in December 2013, and the repercussions continue to hit the bank. In February, Wells Fargo saw a 55 percent plunge in credit card applications. CNN reported that it was the sharpest decline since the fake account scandal erupted and a sign that customers did not trust the bank. The news pushed stocks down one percent, but then Wells Fargo executives parried by buying 100,000 shares. Reuters reported the chairman and chief executive officer bought the shares as the bank aims to bounce back. Related Resources: Operations at the Jawaharlal Nehru port at Nhava Sheva in Raigad district across the Mumbai harbour one of the biggest container ports in the country were hit since Tuesday night as a fallout of the global cyberattack. The Ministry of Shipping and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) are monitoring the situation and taking counter measures. Dr Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator, and other top officials from the CERT-In, country's nodal cyber security agency, have been rushed to Mumbai to work with the port and state government officials, to address the issue. JNPT Chairman Anil Diggikar briefed the Ministry of Shipping on the measures taken so far. The virus GoldenEye (a variant of the Petya ransomware) - hit Danish shipping and energy company Maersk, in turn affecting its global operations. According to reports, private port operator APM Terminals Pipavav's operations have been partially hit. AP Moller-Maersk operates the Gateway Terminals India (GTI) at JNPT, which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units in a year. "We have been informed that the operations at GTI have come to a standstill because their systems are down. They are trying to work manually," a senior JNPT official said. Traffic congestion While the operator is taking steps to address the disruption, it is anticipated that there could be bunching of in-bound and out-bound container cargo. Ministry of Shipping and JNPT are alive to the situation and are taking steps to ensure minimum disturbance to trade, transporters and more importantly local citizens. Since the congestion could create difficulties in traffic management, JNPT has opened up its parking lots for cargo destined to this private terminal. CFSs (Container Freight Stations) have been advised to hold the cargo in their yards, a statement by Ministry of Shipping said. JNPT is also working with local authority CIDCO, to identify more parking areas. Traffic control teams are being deployed to address potential road congestion. Some of the biggest corporations, including Russia's largest oil company Rosneft, Ukraine's international airport and advertising giant WPP have been affected by the attack, which comes close on the heels of the 'WannaCry' ransomware attack a few weeks earlier. The Indian government has already issued advisories to all critical sectors, including power, to stay vigilant against any possible threats. Users scramble; focus on defences Thousands of computer users across the globe scrambled to reboot on Wednesday as calls grew to step up defences after a fresh wave of ransomware cyberattacks spread from Ukraine and Russia worldwide, AFP reports from Kiev. The virus, which demanded a payment worth $300 as it locked up files at companies and government agencies, including the Chernobyl nuclear site, was reminiscent of the WannaCry ransomware that swept the world last month, hitting more than 2,00,000 users in more than 150 countries. Report on Page 14 The state governments request to denotify and declare some stretches of national highways (NHs) passing through cities as district or municipal roads will not materialise in the immediate future as the Centre is yet to a take a decision on the issue. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has received requests from several state governments, including Karnataka, to denotify certain stretches of national highways as either district roads or city municipal roads. However, the ministry is yet to take a call on this issue, a senior official in MoRTH told DH. As denotifying certain stretches of NHs requires a policy decision at the highest level, we are still discussing its pros and cons, the official added. This could make the task of the state government to renew licences of bars or liquor vends on NHs beyond June 30 difficult, which in turn could result in their closure. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had plans to meet Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday to press for the state's demand to denotify some stretches of NHs as over 5,000 bars/liquor shops in Karnataka were staring at closure on June 30. Siddaramaiah was in New Delhi to second Meira Kumars nomination for the Presidential election. The Supreme Court has ordered the closure of all bars, liquor shops and restaurants selling liquor up to 500 metres from national and state highways. Though the state government can denotify state highways as district highways to avoid closure, for declaring NHs as district or municipal roads, the MoRTH has to take a call. Since Gadkari himself is aggressively pursuing closure of liquor shops to curb accidents, the ministry is in a piquant situation whether to denotify the highways to circumvent the apex court order, said another official. Earlier this month, the state government had written to the ministry to denotify 858 km of the total 6,578 km of NHs as district or city municipal council roads. Can Immigrants Get Public Welfare? One of the most contentious issues in the U.S. immigration debate involves the provision of public assistance to immigrants. Recently, during a rally, President Donald Trump riled up his crowd by stating that he planned on passing a law preventing immigrants from receiving welfare benefits for their first five years in the country. This statement not only drew cheers from Trump's crowd, known to be anti-immigration, but it also drew much criticism. The criticism focused on the fact that a law to this effect has already existed for 20 years. Clearly there is some confusion on this issue. Although immigrants are banned from federal welfare benefits, it's important for immigrants to know that there are some exceptions. Also, there are non-federal resources an immigrant may be able to utilize. Pay to Play Citizenship Under the 20-year-old law, immigrants are not entitled to federal public assistance, or benefits, until the individual has been in the country for five years. This eligibility requirement is intended to prevent immigrants from coming to the country solely to receive public assistance. However, true to our nation's ideology, there are exceptions for refugees, children, and individuals victimized by crime or corrupt governments. Generally, the exceptions in place already provide for those immigrants that qualify to be eligible for limited federal welfare programs tailored to help by providing food stamps, and other assistance. Public Benefits for Immigrants While federal welfare benefit programs impose this five-year limit on eligibility for immigrants, many state and local social welfare programs do not. In addition to state and local assistance programs, there are private non-profit organizations that will provide assistance regardless of citizenship, residency, or documented status. Even though it may seem fiscally unsound to provide public benefits to recent immigrants, doing so is much more likely to lead to a successful transition. By allowing immigrants the same resources available to residents and citizens, society on a whole benefits, as those denied welfare assistance generally are at a higher risk of needing more costly emergency, or medical, assistance, or worse. For assistance with legal immigration issues, contact an experienced immigration lawyer as soon as possible. Related Resources: City-based RxPrism, a global healthcare-focussed, digital marketing and customer engagement services and solutions provider, will open a regional innovation hub in the UK, in order to expand its footprint in the UK and EU. It was one among the 20 startups that was selected in this years India Emerging 20 (IE20) programme, which supports Indian companies to grow their international business through London. Dr Maruthi Viswanathan, Founder CEO RxPrism Health Systems, said, London was an immediate choice as the place is appropriately positioned to cover the USA and APAC time zones. We have already registered our subsidiary in the UK. Therefore, we aim to complete this expansion plan in about three months from now and get the UK centre functional by this October-December. It is planning to invest $2 million in two years. While a part of which would come from the companys innovation fund, the rest would come from UK-based venture capitalists. When asked why he chose London, Viswanathan said, We believe in Innovation through collaboration, and we prefer to separate the Research and the Development. We constantly validate the progress of our innovation by remaining closer to our customers in the USA, UK, EU, and the APAC, while we bring down the cost of innovation by working out of India, adding, We aim to engage five persons in India for every one person employed in the UK. He also said that the company will create over 250 job opportunities for software developers and creative specialists in the next two years, with 30% of this strength working in its R&D lab. He added that more than 15 institutes in the UK offer specific courses in medical technology, and moreover, Londons taxation system is favourable for IP-centric businesses that own patents. Founded in September 2013, the company offers alternative physician and patient engagement services and solutions to global life science companies. It caters to more than 40 customers in India and over 20 customers overseas. It works with pharmaceutical players like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Sanofi, Abbott, Merck, Takeda and Novartis, among others. RxPrism has been seeing multi-fold growth over the past three years, with about 50% increase in revenue year-on-year. Apart from the UK, the company is also planning to set up another innovation hub in the US by the end of next year, Viswanathan added. Lok Sabha member C S Puttaraju has been slapped a fine of Rs 40.69 lakh by the department of mines and geology as the charges of illegal mining activities at Bebi Betta forest range near Pandavapura stand proven. Right to Information (RTI) activist K R Raveendra had recently lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta in Bengaluru, against STG Mining Company and other firms for illegal quarrying activities at Bebi Betta. The STG company, in which MP Puttaraju is a shareholder, is owned by his nephew and zilla panchayat member C Ashok. The Lokayukta had directed the department of mines and geology to conduct a probe. After investigation, the department found the allegations of illegal quarrying to be true and senior scientist Nagabhushan levied a penalty of Rs 90.81 lakh on 18 people involved in illegal mining. According to reports, STG company has been involved in illegal mining since May 6, 2013, and is found to have transported around 3,900 tonnes of stone. This is a clear violation as per the Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994. Raveendra said the officials had shirked from their responsibility by just levying fine on the companies. The whole district administration and Puttaraju have been involved in illegal activities. As this is a serious crime, it must be handed over to CBI for a probe, he said. Puttaraju should resign as MP and face investigation, he demanded. Puttaraju was not available for comments. Police are investigating after a deer was shot dead by a crossbow in the Derbyshire countryside. After a lengthy investigation, officers from a team established to deal with wildlife crime said a crossbow bolt was used to kill the animal near Bakewell, in the Peak District. It happened sometime between midnight on May 4 and 9am the next morning. The officers said the animal would have suffered before it died because the bolt would not have killed it outright. A spokesman for the team, which was established by Derbyshire police earlier this year, said: "After a lengthy investigation, I can now reveal that this deer was killed by a crossbow bolt. It is illegal to kill deer with a crossbow bolt or any type of arrow. The use of such an item would have meant that the deer would have suffered before dying, as the bolt would not have killed the deer outright. "This is why these types of weapons are banned in the UK for hunting purposes. This happened at night which, again, is a crime - because there are no licences issued in England for taking deer at night and definitely none for the use of a crossbow. Please help us catch whoever is out there killing our wildlife with a crossbow." "If anyone has any information about someone using such a weapon to poach deer or kill any wildlife, we ask them to please call 101 and speak to PC 2581." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Ever fancied yourself as the next Hollywood star? A movie starring Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan will be filming in Derbyshire and producers are looking to cast hundreds of local people! Working Title Films are behind a new Mary Queen of Scots biopic and casting company Piece of Cake are looking for Derbyshire extras to form part of the rival queens courts. Ronan has starred in a number of blockbusters, including Atonement and Brooklyn, and more recently featured in Ed Sheeran's Galway Girl video. She has been cast as Mary Queen of Scots to Robbies Queen Elizabeth I. Robbie had her big break playing Donna Freedman in Australian TV soap Neighbours and her film credits include starring roles in The Wolf of Wall Street and Suicide Squad. Little has been revealed about the films plot so far but an early synopsis on the Internet Movie Database says: Mary Stuart's attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution. Piece of Cake Casting is holding a talent search to find hundreds of local people to fill roles as extras in the film. Film makers are looking for men and women aged 16 to 99 and of all ethnicities, with natural-coloured hair and no visible piercings or tattoos. As part of the casting process, hopefuls will need to upload two photos a head shot and a full-length shot of themselves. Were looking for nice and natural photos not too much makeup, natural eyebrows we want to see you. They need to be clear too, a spokesman for Piece of Cake Casting said. The photos will be sorted into look books to fit the profile of each type of extra the producers are searching for. They will then go to the director for consideration. Those handpicked few will then be contacted to check their availability, and a costume fitting will be arranged. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Producers are unable to reveal where in Derbyshire the scenes will be filmed even those who are cast wont be told the location until days before shooting but filming in the area is planned to take place over a fortnight in September. The casting company spokesman said: Its all about the location, especially with historical films, theyve got to be in keeping. There are some amazing locations in Derbyshire, thats why weve chosen the area we have. It is important to us to have local people in the area to get the work. Its their town and they should be the ones receiving the benefits of payment. We have a database full of people who are willing to travel for the work and, if we cant fill the slots with people who fit the bill from Derbyshire, we will then look to fill them from the database. Those selected will be paid a minimum of 110 a day. To be considered, applicants must be legally allowed to work in the UK and have a National Insurance Number. Photo ID and NI Numbers must be brought to the casting. To register for a slot to be seen, go to www.pieceofcakecasting.com/become-an-artiste Wells Fargo's Win on Nevada Lien Law Left Intact by Supreme Court In a tacit affirmation of another U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision this week, the U.S. Supreme Court left intact the appeals court's ruling that Nevada's lien law violated due process rights of mortgage lenders. The Ninth Circuit said in Bourne Valley Court Trust v. Wells Fargo Bank last year that homeowners' associations should have to give notice to lenders before foreclosing on a property for delinquent dues. The Nevada law allowed the HOA to strip the bank's title without notice, unless the lender "opted-in" beforehand. "How the mortgage lender, which likely had no relationship with the homeowners' association, should have known to ask is anybody's guess..." the appeals court said. "But this system was not just strange; in our view, it was also unconstitutional." Wells Fargo Wins The decision was a welcome win for Wells Fargo, which has been reeling from unrelated legal actions after an expose that has cost the bank billions. According to reports, the bank pressured employees to create fake accounts to generate fees. In the case from the Ninth Circuit, the bank had argued that the "opt-in" provision in Nevada's Revised Statutes, Section 116.3116, was unconstitutional. The statute allowed the HOA to foreclose without notice to the first mortgage holder unless the lender had previously asked to be notified. The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision, said the statute violated due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. The court said it became a state action, subject to constitutional scrutiny, when the legislature passed the law. Uncertainties The Nevada legislature amended the provision in 2015, but Wells Fargo pursued the case because of its impact in federal and state courts. Phyllis Gurgevich, president of the Nevada Bankers Association, said the Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case will leave uncertainties in the law. "The Supreme Court decision not to hear the appeal continues the contradiction between state and federal interpretations on due process and regulatory taking," she told Bloomberg. "These types of uncertainties tend to increase costs to borrowers and decrease lender participation in the state." Related Resources: Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss a story and read the latest headlines with our free email updates Almost 30 residents formed a barricade with their cars at a Derby park on Wednesday evening to stop the return of "nightmare" travellers. People in Oakwood had feared the travellers would return to the site in Bishops Drive, near Springwood Leisure Centre. The travellers had moved from there to another site in Oakwood known as the Big Dipper where people living nearby had complained of anti-social behaviour, rubbish and loud music being played into the early hours. Bailiffs were due to evict travellers from that site on Thursday but locals feared they would simply return to the land near the leisure centre and so set up a barricade. Instead it appeared the travellers had moved on to Chaddesden Park, where at least ten caravans had parked up near a children's play area. A spokeswoman for the Oakwood residents' group, who did not want to be named, said she was afraid the travellers would continue to cause problems if they returned to the site that was being guarded. She said: "There are all sorts of problems music until 4am, cars being driven around late at night, people shouting abuse, defecating next to people's houses. "The public space at the Big Dipper is now basically a no-go area. Some are fearful to go there, and others are not fearful but they just can't use it. "We don't want the same thing to happen to this space." Patrick Ward, who was part of the group of travellers who were living in Oakwood, turned up with his brothers at the residents' barricade to talk to the Derby Telegraph. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now The 20-year-old denied accusations of anti-social behaviour and branded the complaints "racist". He also said he would be happy to make a contribution to local city council services. He said: "We think there should be another council site for us. We don't want to pull into these kind of places. "All of the sites that the council provides in Derby are full. There should be more of them. We do pay council tax where we have properties in Nottingham but we can't in Derby. "There should be metres on the sites so we can pay for our services. It's impossible to pay money to the council if there's nowhere to do it." Derby city councillor Frank Harwood, who represents Oakwood, joined the residents' barricade to show support for what they were doing. He said the travellers decreased the standard of living for those who have bought houses in the suburb. He said: "It's just not acceptable. People have bought houses here and they have to look out the window and see people who do not abide by the rules of decent citizenship. "As far as I am concerned, regarding their wish for more places for them to go, if they acted properly then it would be different." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox The University of Derby was conned out of more than 314,000 by a criminal conspiracy which defrauded bodies including the NHS hospitals and councils out of 12.6m. A sophisticated crime network targeted 22 organisations with stolen money transferred to international accounts. Once under criminal control, the funds were laundered through legitimate businesses. The bold scheme, known as a divert fraud, had the potential to have siphoned off as much as 20 million, largely from the public sector. In each case, a bogus email, fax or letter was sent, claiming to be from a legitimate firm already carrying out contract works for the organisation targeted. The letter would supply new bank details for existing contract cash to be paid into. However, these accounts were in fact controlled by the criminals. The cash was diverted and then laundered on through overseas bank accounts. The University of Derby paid out 314,438, with 173,818 of the money later recovered by its bank. A spokesman for the university said it would not be commenting on the case. Sentencing 10 of those involved at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Philip Head said: "This was a sophisticated and widespread fraud in its conception and execution." Jailing the conspirators for between 22 weeks and 10 years, he said: "These bodies were selected because it was hoped their accounting processes would be vulnerable." He added: "The loss falls necessarily on those who are not able to pay it, ultimately the members of the public whose taxes fund these bodies." The fraudsters took full advantage of the fact that public sector contracts were freely available to see, under financial transparency rules. The co-conspirators would write, either by email or fax, claiming to have changed their banking details, and supply instead an account controlled by the criminals. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Several of those convicted for their part provided the accounts used, or administered how the money was moved while others took a leading role in targeting organisations. However, what the judge called the "prime-mover", identified in court as Nigerian national Bayo Awonorin, was still at large, having failed to answer to police bail. After a Lincoln-based NHS hospital first raised the alarm, diligent investigation work by detectives from Lincolnshire Police led them to uncover a "seamless process" of a fraud and money laundering operation crossing international borders, involving not just the UK, but Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The conspiracy's "trusted lieutenant" Stephen Tyndale, 47, of Albany Road, Southwark, London, was jailed for 10 years for conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to launder money. Asif Habib, 53, of Al Barsha, Dubai, Imitiaz Khoda, 44, of Dallas Road, Lancaster, Abdul Naeem, 36, of Lineholt Close, Redditch, Worcestershire, and his brother Mohammed Nadeem, 33, also of Redditch, were convicted of conspiring to launder the dirty cash. Habib was jailed for 40 months, Khoda for 54 months, and the brothers for 67 months each. Father-of-seven Oghogho Ehanire, 42, of Brackenbury Road, Preston, Lancashire, was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years for laundering. Also given suspended jail terms for laundering were Yagnesh Patel, 46, of Rookery Road, Staines, Surrey; 15 months, Zaheed Muhammed, 48, of Tinto Road, Glasgow; 21 months, and Abdul Ghaffar, 68, of Lineholt Close, Redditch; 22 weeks. Tariq Khan, 35, of Meadway, Ilford, Essex, was jailed for eight months and ordered to repay 20,000 to the Lincolnshire NHS trust after admitting perverting the course of justice by supplying false documents to police. An 11th person, Monica Thomson, 40, of Ivy Way, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, will be sentenced for her part in the conspiracy next month. Colorado Green Lights Texting While Driving From the state that brought you recreational marijuana, Colorado now invites you to text while driving. Whether you are a resident or just passing through, apparently you can text, browse, or use your cell phone for selfies with one-hand while steering with the other. Just don't do it in a "careless or in an imprudent manner." In practice, this means don't text while your car is moving. "Sounds like a political decision made under the influence of legalized marijuana," wrote Benno Kushnir. Who Is Benno Kushnir? For the record, Kushnir is a follower on Australian futurist and songwriter Luigi Cappel's Twitter account. Kushnir's not a legal authority, but the comment shows that Colorado's new law has spawned incredulous comments across the globe. The question is not, who is Benno Kushnir? The question is, what are Colorado lawmakers smoking? Apparently, local law enforcement there think it's a good idea, too. Mike Phibbs, legislative chair for the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, is all in. "I think it's actually helped clarify the issue and targets what's really causing the problem," he said. What Is the Problem? Colorado seems to think the problem is not texting per se, since some people still manage to text without crashing. For example, drivers who are at a stoplight or stopped in traffic will not likely be cited. But lawmakers throughout the country have dealt with the problem differently, generally by making it illegal to text while driving at all times. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 47 states ban texting for all drivers. Some have tried to place the blame on the makers of cell phones and cars, expecting those industries to disable the devices when in motion. Only Colorado has the unique solution to legalize texting while driving and increase penalties for "careless" texting behind the wheel. So if you happen to be driving in Colorado, feel free to light up a joint and text at the same time. Just don't use both hands. Related Resources: This new EIA is just like the one from 2013. They have not held any meetings with local residents, said Mon States Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dr Min Kyi Win. The MCL submitted an EIA for the project to the Myanmar Investment Commission in 2013, but the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment instructed the company to resubmit the report due to insufficient information. MCL submitted a revised EIA including information on rock quarrying, factory operations and the use of a coal-fired plant in energy production, along with an initial environmental examination (IEE) to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment this month. Additionally, Union Minister of Natural Resources and Environment U Ohn Win visited the cement factory on June 24. Resident of Mei Ka Yo area Nai Shwe Win said we heard about the union ministers visit to the factory but we dont know what he has inspected. We went to the factory after hearing about his visit, but he already left, Nai Shwe Win said. According to Nai Shwe Win, the residents of Kun Ngan, Kawt Dun and Kawt Pa Naw areas will continue to protest if the MCL cement factory uses a coal-fired plant in the Pyar Taung area. The MCL cement factory project has already attracted major opposition from local residents including a protest of some 7,000 people near the site in February. MCL is a joint venture between Siam Cement Group (SCG) and Pacific Link Cement Industries. Construction of the factory began in 2013 and it started commercial production in April this year. It is currently producing 5,000 tonnes of cement per day. Petya is a well-known ransomware app that has attained a new, deadly virulence, with thousands of new infection attempts hitting Kaspersky Lab's honeypots; security firm Avira attributes this new hardiness to the incorporation of EternalBlue the same NSA cyberweapon that the Wannacry ransomware used, which was published by The Shadow Brokers hacker group into a new Petya strain. The attacks have shut down Spanish law firm DLA Piper, Ukrainian media company 24tv and other companies around the world. As with Wannacry, the ransomware appears to be operated by petty criminals who demand a mere $300 in Bitcoin to unlock the affected system. This may reflect the scattergun nature of the attack, which compromises deep-pocketed victims and broke individuals alike pricing the ransom in the thousands of dollars would mean that many of the more vulnerable victims would be unable to pay, and might also prompt the better-resourced victims to opt for a more time-consuming response like rebuilding their systems from backup, rather than paying up. Security researchers from Kaspersky Lab reported that the ransomware hit Russia, Ukraine, Spain, France, among others. Several people on Twitter reported witnessing or hearing reports of the outbreak in their respective countries, and across a wide range of industries. Companies around the world also reported computer outages. Hours after the initial outbreak, Rob Wainwright, the executive director of Europol said in a tweet the European law enforcement agency was "urgently responding" to "another major ransomware attack" across Europe. Chris Sistrunk, a security researcher at Mandiant, said that it looks like there's "another global outbreak attack." Ransom ware attack reportedly used against TRK Luks (majority held by Lviv mayor Sadoviy), includes 24 Kanal too. https://t.co/K8ESouloCK pic.twitter.com/SK7Y62yBsz Devin Ackles (@DevinAckles) June 27, 2017 A Ransomware Outbreak Is Infecting Computers Across the World Right Now [Joseph Cox and Lorenzo Franceshi-Bicchierai] Oregon increasing trophy trout releases this summer Tweet An ODFW hatchery technician with a trophy trout raised at Rock Creek Hatchery near Roseburg. - ODFW Photo - Wednesday, June 28, 2017 SALEM, Ore.Thousands of extra-large rainbow trout will be released at locations around the state this summer as the as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife enters the second year of its Trophy Trout program. Bred to fight, more large rainbow trout than ever are being released at locations around the state this year, adding excitement to what is already one of Oregons most popular outdoor activitiestrout fishing. ODFW considers a trout a trophy once it reaches a length of 15 inches. The department will release more than 65,000 of these fish into Oregon waters in 2017. ODFW has been releasing large trout for years into many lakes around the state. However, during the 2015 legislative session, Rep. Greg Smith (R-Heppner) worked with ODFW to program even more big fish into the mix through a Trophy Trout pilot program, which focused on using bigger fish to promote economic development in communities that rely on hunting and fishing dollars. Initially, five waterbodies were designated as Trophy Trout lakesPhillips Reservoir in Baker County, Willow Creek Reservoir in Morrow County, Timothy Lake in Clackamas County, Trojan Pond in Columbia County, and Garrison Lake in Curry County. So far this year, ODFW has released a total of 10,500 trophy trophy trout to jumpstart angler success. Dozens of other locations will receive an additional 55,000 trophies before trout stocking ends in the fall. First reactions to the program have been positive. At Timothy Lake, a mid-elevation Trophy Trout lake on the Mt. Hood National Forest, biologists are tagging both 8-inch and trophy-sized trout in an effort to get them to call with information about their experience. With stunning views of Mt. Hood, Timothy is generating some buzz among anglers both for its trophy trout and kokanee salmon. Almost every angler we talked to was very happy about their fishing experience at Timothy Lake, said North Willamette District Fish Biologist Todd Alsbury, who would like to see the program expanded even further. Alsbury said he expects angler enthusiasm to grow throughout the summer as the larger fish begin to move around in the lake and anglers begin to discover effective methods of catching them. Bill Duke, the district fish biologist in Pendleton, reported similar results. So far the angler response has been excellent, said Duke, who also implemented a tag reward program on one of the other Trophy Trout lakes Willow Creek Reservoir, where anglers have returned six of 15 tags worth $50 each. Anglers seem to be putting in considerably more angling effort than I was expecting, he said. They are very positive about the larger-sized trout. Trophy trout are generally two years old, according to Jake Rice, manager of ODFWs Roaring River trout hatchery. He noted that as the fish get larger they need more space and food to minimize stress from rearing densities. As with bigger fish, they take more food based on body weight. The additional time in the hatchery means staff needs to keep an eye on potential disease issues longer with the additional year of rearing. All of the fish are inspected monthly by a pathologist, and feed programs are updated on a daily basis to account for size, density, water flow, water temperatures and release date. We really stress the importance of health fish, and this take a little more effort and time over the additional year of rearing, he said, noting there are additional costs associated with bigger fish. There are extra costs associated with raising larger fish but he sees the benefits. Our biggest compliments come from the quality of our trophies, he said. Trophy trout comprise a small portion of the 2 million trout catchable trout that ODFW releases in more than 300 locations around the state every year. The vast majority of these are referred to in the agencys Trout Stocking Schedules as legals which are released as soon as they are 8 inches long and meet the legal minimum size for retention fishing in Oregon. Fishery managers believe that shifting hatchery production to a higher percentage of larger fish may help spur interest in trout fishing in Oregon, which ODFW is promoting as a family-friendly outdoor activity through its Trout 365 campaign, 36 Family Fishing Events, and the Weekly Recreation Report. Erika Forsythe with her 11-pound trophy trout taken in Haystack Reservoir in April 2017. - Photo by Marc Forsythe - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 2017 Trophy Trout Releases NORTH COAST Alder Lake (180), Cleawox Lake (822), Dune Lake 180, Munsel Lake (600), Siltcoos Lagoon (141), Olalla Creek Reservoir (600), Big Creek Reservoir #2 (700), Big Creek Reservoir #1 (50), Thissell Pond (380) Eckman Lake (50), Cape Meares Lake (300), Coffenbury Lake (500), Lost Lake (300), Sunset Lake (150), Town Lake (300). SOUTHWEST Applegate Reservoir (800), Lost Creek Reservoir (3,100), Fish Lake (1,800), Garrison Lake (1,000), Floras Lake (150), Libby Pond (250), Bradley Lake (400), Lower Empire Lake (650), Upper Empire Lake (650), Johnsons Mill Pond (50), Powers Pond (250), Ben Irving Reservoir (1,000), Bowman Pond (200), Clearwater Bay-2 (100), Cooper Creek Reservoir (1,500), Hemlock Lake (1,600), Lake in the Woods (100), Lemolo Reservoir (1,700), Lake Marie (800), Red Top Lake (500). WILLAMETTE VALLEY Trojan Ponds (1,500), Harriet Lake (972), Huddleston Pond (225), Timothy Lake (2,500), Trillium Lake (533), Sheridan Pond (225), Olallie Lake (305), EE Wilson Pond (75), Junction City Pond (100). CENTRAL OREGON Bend Pine Nursery (150), Prineville Youth Pond (300), Shevlin Pond (340), Fall River (400), Haystack Reservoir (75), Walton Lake (150), North Twin Lake (2,250), South Twin Lake (2,250), Antelope Flat (150), Hosmer Lake (150), Sparks Lake (125), Three Creek Lake (150), Rock Creek Reservoir (700), Pine Hollow Reservoir (200), Bikini Pond (50), Clear Lake (700), Lost Lake (1,600), Frog Lake (600), Pine Hollow Reservoir (750), Taylor Lake (750). NORTHEAST OREGON Willow Creek Reservoir (2,250), Murry Reservoir (250), Thief Valley Reservoir (500), Hwy. 203 Pond (625), Morgan Lake (250), Holliday Park Pond (100), 7th Street Pond (100), Weaver Pond (75), Marr Pond (400), Victor Pond (50), Kinney Lake (1,000), Phillips Reservoir (4,000), Weston Pond (200), Hatrock Pond (190), McNary Ponds (400), Salt Creek Pond (150), Cavender Pond (100), Honeymoon Pond (150), Teepee Pond (150), South Umatilla Forest Ponds (112), Twin Ponds (225), Brandons Pond (100), Wallowa Lake (1,600), North Umatilla Forest Ponds (270), South Walla Walla Forest Ponds (157), Bull Prairie Reservoir (690), Cutsforth Pond (90), McGraw Pond (125), Magone Lake (1,350), North Walla Walla Forest Ponds (180), Anthony Lake (3,450), Fish Lake (200), Twin Lake (200), Jubilee Lake (1,000), Long Creek Ponds (100). SOUTHEAST OREGON Burns Gravel Pone (100), Fish Lake (500), Poison Creek Reservoir (200), Priday Reservoir (500), Lofton Reservoir (1,150), Holbrook Reservoir (1,250), Heart Lake (250), LD Bennett Pond (50), Vee Lake (100), Lake of the Woods (3,500), Fourmile Lake (2,500). ### I have to admit that when I first saw the trailer for Okja, a Netflix original film directed by South Korean director Joon-Ho Bong, I thought it to be a quaint mix of science fiction, action & adventure. I was wrong. Okja is quaint for sure, but its so much more than an action-adventure with elements of science fiction thrown into the mix. Okja is a tale of friendship, a story of loyalty, and at the same time, a sordid expose of corporate greed and the dark side of biotechnology. It is no surprise that biotechnology has some very well kept secrets, those that could destroy the very balance of nature. We live in a brave new world where scientists are working at artificially synthesizing organisms and giving them molecular kill switches. A world where entire nations survive on genetically modified and engineered foods; one of the biggest crises of the 21st century. While modern biotechnology is making progress by leaps and bounds, a very heavy cost is being paid by our environment, and the beings that exist in it. What has all this got to do with Okja? Actually, a lot. Okja is a story about a teenage girl named Mija, beautifully portrayed by Seo-Hyun Ahn, and her pet pig Okja. Okja is a super-sized pig, born as a result of an experimental gene modification programme run by Mirando corp. The organisation bears an eerie resemblance to agrochemical giant Monsanto (also responsible for a majority of the worlds supply of genetically modified foods). Tilda Swinton plays the odious CEO of Mirando corp, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the role of an eccentric animal expert for hire, Shirley Henderson (Myrtle from Harry Potter) plays Swintons slave secretary and Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine) plays the leader of a secret rebellion organisation fighting animal atrocities. The relationship between Mija and Okja is captured with utmost detail, a bond that can only be understood by someone who has grown up with pets, or has closely observed the sibling-like connection between children and their pets. The story unfolds when Mija is separated from Okja, who is sent to New York for a pseudo super pig contest, which is ultimately a front for Mirandos devious genetic modification programme and a death knell for the giant animal. This is followed by Mijas various attempts to rescue Okja and her forced partnership with the Animal Liberation Front as the one and only resort to get her pet pig back home safely to the mountains of South Korea. There are multiple moments of brilliance in the film which can melt a hardened soul. John Denvers Annies Song reverberates through a scene where Mija and Okja are trying to escape Mirandos forces, crashing through glass, walls, stalls and people. You know that moment in a movie where your heart soars and drowns at the same time, and you pat yourself on the back for taking the time to watch a good piece of cinema? Thats exactly how I felt, and there are plenty such moments in Okja. Parts of the film shed light on the grisly reality of slaughter houses and the cold-hearted attitudes of corporate mongers, evoking a familiar feeling of guilt and hate at the same time. Its difficult to walk the line when it comes to loving animals and killing them for food, and like the famous KFC documentary, Okja conjures up some conflicting emotions. For animal lovers, like this writer, its tough to watch those parts of the film, even though they add to the emotional appeal of the storyline. Is Mija able to save Okja and pull the shutters down on Mirando corp at the end? That is something you will have to watch and find out. All we would like to conclude with, is the fact that Okja is probably one of Netflixs best this year and is a must watch for those who subscribe to the platform. Charlie Chaplin's 1940 movie The Great Dictator features one of the greatest anti-authoritarian speeches of all time, so it's no surprise that Thailand's censorship-crazed king is abusing his country's grotesque lese majeste laws to order Youtube to remove clips of Chaplin's masterpiece. Internet users reported on June 24 that the video clip with Thai subtitles was inaccessible on YouTube. The page for the video instead displayed the standard message: "This content is not available on this country domain due to a legal complaint from the government." June 24 is the day when Thailand commemorates the 1932 revolution which ended the country's absolute monarchy. The group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said the request to block the video clip was probably made by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. Veteran journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk wrote on Twitter that the junta's order is "hilariously insane and dictatorial." Petya ransomware has infected a private terminal operated by Maersk at JNPT. The disruption is part of global attack and the facility is unable to load or unload shipments. The ransomware is similar to last month's WannaCry that demands ransom in the form A new ransomware dubbed 'Petya' has been found damaging major businesses across Europe and the United States. The cyberattack comes in the wake of last month's WannaCry, and victims are reportedly unable to unlock their computers even after paying the ransom. This new attack was first reported in Ukraine, and has disrupted major businesses including government organisations, banks, state power utilities, airport and metro systems. The ransomware is reportedly infecting all Windows servers, PCs and laptops. The attack also hit Chernobyl's radiation monitoring system, forcing employees to use hand-held monitors instead. Affected businesses include France's Saint-Gobain, Russia's Evraz and Rosneft, and advertising giant WPP. Other major companies that were hit include legal firm DLA Piper, container shipping company Maersk Line, and Pittsburgh-based Heritage Valley Health System. Affected firms are asking their employees to not turn on their systems or access network-connected devices. New #ransomware spreading through SMB... Its #rebooting OS and encrypting files. Any idea which one it is? pic.twitter.com/DaEyqIKBvH Ankit singh (@ankit5934) June 27, 2017 The ransomware, initially found infecting computers in Europe and US has now made its way to Asia. The Petya ransomware has now affected a private terminal operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai. Bloomberg reports that the facility called 'Gateway Terminal India' is unable to load or unload shipments. The shipping ministry has issued a statement that the disruption is a consequence of global outage faced by Maersk Line. The cyberthreat has also been found spreading to China but there has been no large-scale attack, says Zheng Wenbin, chief security engineer at Qihoo 360 Technology Co. The computers affected by Petya are displaying a message demanding a ransom of $300 in the form of Bitcoin. The attackers are demanding that the users of affected computers to send payment confirmation to an email, which has been shut by the email provider. "We do not tolerate any misuse of our platform," German email provider, Posteo said in a blog post. Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure says that the original Petya ransomware was developed by Janus Cybercrime Solutions in late 2015. However, the spreading mechanism and the origin of this Petya ransomware remains unknown. Many organisations worldwide affected right now by a new variant of the Petya ransom trojan. Spreading mechanism unknown at the time. Mikko Hypponen (@mikko) June 27, 2017 Last month's WannaCry or WannaCrypt ransomware affected more than 2 lakh computers from over 150 countries. Symantec's threat analyst says Petya or Petrwrap also uses SMB to exploit Windows devices but it doesn't seem to have originated via email. Analysts at Kaspersky Labs claim that this new cyberattack is not a variant of Petya, but a new ransomware that has not been seen before. Since the attack originated from Ukraine and targeted state-level organisations, there is a growing suspicion that Russia might be behind this ransomware. The Petya ransomware is now expected to spread further due to lack of a global kill switch. The number of infected computers and servers is expected to rise further as more unpatched systems are expected to get exposed to this vulnerability. The Steel HR is essentially a rebranded variant of the Withings Steel HR and Nokia claims it will offer more than three weeks of battery life While HMD and Nokia made a big splash earlier this month by launching its new of range of smartphones in India, it seems like that won't be the only Nokia-branded devices that we will be seeing in the country this year. At MWC Shanghai, Julien de Preaumont, Head of Marketing, Nokia Asia told us that the company plans to bring its entire range of smartwatches to India later this year. While de Preaumont didn't give us a specific month, he did mention the devices could be launched in the later half of this year and that too via an online partner. Nokias smartwatche range currently consists of three smartwatches, the Steel HR, Steel and GO, which carry forward the same design and specifications as Withings' watches. While the Steel HR and Steel look and feel quite premium, the Nokia Go seems like the more inexpensive option. The Steel HR, which is the newest among the three, features an OLED display. It apart from tracking your sleep and activity, also has a heart rate sensor. Nokia claims that the watch will give up to 25 days of battery life, even with features like Smart Wake Up. The Nokia Steel is essentially the Withings Activate that we reviewed last year, while the Nokia Go is a coin-sized activity tracker, which can be worn via strap. It uses an e-ink display and the company claims that it can offer a battery life of 8-months and is water resistant up to 50m. Out of the three, the Nokia Steel and Go are available in India under the Withings brand name. Besides the watches, Nokia is also making other fitness and health-centric products like heart rate sensors, weighing machines and there is even a thermometer that connectes to smart devices via an app. However, there is no clarity on whether the company will be bringing these products to India. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) The Metropolitan King County Council has voted to sell the 4-acre bus station in downtown Seattle to make way for the Washington State Convention Center. The Seattle Times reports the council voted Monday to sell the station for $162 million. . . . Subscriber content preview NORWALK, Conn. (AP) Police say a Connecticut real estate broker has been charged with taking more than $400,000 worth of personal items from a foreclosed home. The News-Times reports that 66-year-old Barbara Morris, of Ridgefield, was charged with attempt to commit first-degree larceny. . . . Did Tom Cruise buy babies on the black market? Did Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have a secret Bahamas getaway? Has Queen Elizabeth refused to bless Prince Harry's wedding? When have the tabloids ever been wrong? It's yet another week of fact-challenged stories in the dubious tabloids and celebrity magazines. Barbra Streisand has allegedly undergone $360,000-worth of cosmetic surgery to rebuild her face and "save her crumbling marriage" so that she is now "totally unrecognizable," reports the 'Globe.' The mag unhelpfully includes a photo of the new-look Streisand who is unmistakably recognizable as the famed diva. Also allegedly rebuilding her face is "plastic surgery junkie" Melanie Griffith, who in a "desperate bid to live to 100" has returned to the ACQUA Klinik in Germany to receive stem cell treatments, reports the 'National Enquirer.' But even if the treatments succeed in making the actress look younger, they aren't intended to prolong life that's pure tabloid fantasy they're supposed to make her appear younger. 'Us' magazine devotes its cover and four inside pages to Affleck and Garner's "Secret Bahamas Reunion!" So secret was their rendezvous that it's also pictured extensively in the 'Enquirer' ("Ben & Jen's Hookup in Paradise!"), which touts the story as an 'Enquirer Exclusive.' From the photos it's plain that they're not hiding from the paparazzi. No secrets to hide here. Did Tom Cruise, John Travolta and other celebrities adopt babies in "Scientology's baby black market' as the 'Enquirer' claims? Its breaking news about events 20 years ago claims that the stars adopted children through an unlicensed broker but buried deep within the "ten-month investigation" report is an admission that the adoptions were ultimately handled by an attorney "to be done correctly" completely undercutting the story. No black market, and nothing illegal. Has the Queen refused to give her blessing to Prince Harry's wedding to American actress Meghan Markle, as the 'Globe' claims? It seems unlikely, since the couple are not even engaged yet. The 'Globe' explains that "the divorced TV actress 'isn't a good fit' with the royal family." But since Prince Charles divorced and remarried divorcee Camilla Parker Bowles, surely Markle's status as a divorcee is hardly an impediment? Fortunately we have the crack investigative team at 'Us' mag to tell us that Victoria Justice wore it best (do you really "wear" a clutch purse and can one really be judged for carrying it best? Did Lauren Cohan really carry her clutch bag the worst? Sad), that La La Anthony totally hates mustard, former Bachelorette contestant Ashley Iaconetti (really scraping the bottom of the celebrity barrel here) carries almonds, mascara and a sewing kit in her Forever 21 tote, and that the stars are just like us: they ride bikes, make phone calls, and use umbrellas when it rains. Wow. I always thought celebrities walked everywhere, sent telegrams, and got wet when it rained. Bringing us truly important news we can use, 'Us' mag also brings us "Hollywood's Hottest Hunks!" while 'People' magazine offers "Gorgeous Celebrity Weddings" and devotes its cover to John F Kennedy's Jr's wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: "Her Untold Story." It's a tale that might have been more interesting when she died, rather than 18 years later when it just feels dated. Proving that rap stars are people too, Sean Combs, at home with his six children, tells 'People': "I'm the luckiest man alive," and the mag explains why Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have hired a surrogate to have their third child: "Kim was told she couldn't carry another baby that it would be too dangerous," says an unnamed source. Maybe she keeps dropping them? Maybe she can't even carry a clutch bag? Enquiring minds want to know. In other up-to-the-minute news, the 'National Examiner' bring us the 'Bizarre Secrets of 'Men in Black,'" which will be great if they ever invent a time machine and take us back to 1997 when this article will appear more like breaking news. Failing to find any evidence of aliens, Bigfoot, Yeti or the Loch Ness Monster this week, the 'Examiner' tells us that the "mystical crane will bring you luck, love, prosperity and vitality." But you don't have to catch your own bird to have all that luck and the sort of long life that sends Melanie Griffith scurrying to mysterious German Kliniks you simply have to "clip & save" the photo of an origami paper crane that the 'Examiner' has helpfully included in its article. "For a boost in prosperity, place the crane image just inside your front door," advises the mag. Or put the image in your wallet to attract love, in a sunny window for healing energy, or in a bowl of fruit "to smooth family discord." That's news you can use. Onwards and downwards . . . Computer systems from Ukraine to the United States were struck on Tuesday in an international cyberattack that was similar to a recent assault that crippled tens of thousands of machines worldwide. The hackers have caused widespread disruption across Europe, hitting Ukraine especially hard. Company and government officials reported serious intrusions at the Ukrainian power grid, banks and government offices. Russia's Rosneft oil company also reported falling victim to hacking, as did Danish shipping giant A P Moller-Maersk and French construction materials company Saint Gobain. British advertising giant WPP said it too was among the victims of the cyberattack. In Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, ATMs stopped working. About 80 miles away, workers were forced to manually monitor radiation at the old Chernobyl nuclear plant when their computers failed. And tech managers at companies around the world - from Maersk, the Danish shipping conglomerate, to Merck, the drug giant in the United States - were scrambling to respond. Even an Australian factory for the chocolate giant Cadbury was affected. Ukrainian deputy prime minister Pavlo Rozenko on Tuesday posted a picture of a darkened computer screen to Twitter, saying that the computer system at the government's headquarters has been shut down. Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said the attack was ''unprecedented'' but ''vital systems haven't been affected''. It was unclear who was behind this cyberattack, which started as an attack on Ukrainian government and business computer systems - an assault that appeared to have been intended to hit the day before a holiday marking the adoption in 1996 of Ukraine's first Constitution after its break from the Soviet Union. The attack spread from there, causing collateral damage around the world. The outbreak was the latest and perhaps the most sophisticated in a series of attacks making use of dozens of hacking tools that were stolen from the National Security Agency and leaked online in April by a group called the Shadow Brokers (See: Hacking group publishes NSA exploits online). Like the WannaCry attacks in May, the latest global hacking took control of computers and demanded digital ransom from their owners to regain access. The new attack used the same National Security Agency hacking tool, Eternal Blue, that was used in the WannaCry episode, as well as two other methods to promote its spread, according to researchers at the computer security company Symantec (See: Major cyber-attack hits nearly 100 countries; Asia mostly spared). The National Security Agency has not acknowledged its tools were used in WannaCry or other attacks. But computer security specialists are demanding that the agency help the rest of the world defend against the weapons it created. The vulnerability in Windows software used by Eternal Blue was patched by Microsoft in March, but as the WannaCry attacks demonstrated, hundreds of thousands of groups around the world failed to properly install the fix. Because the ransomware used at least two other ways to spread on Tuesday - including stealing victims' credentials - even those who used the Microsoft patch could be vulnerable and potential targets for later attacks, researchers at F-Secure, a Finnish cybersecurity firm, and others told The New York Times. A Microsoft spokesman said the company's latest antivirus software should protect against the attack. Ukrainian officials pointed a finger at Russia on Tuesday, although Russian companies were also affected. Home Credit bank, one of Russia's top 50 lenders, was paralysed, with all of its offices closed, according to the RBC news website. The attack also affected Evraz, a steel manufacturing and mining company that employs about 80,000 people, the RBC website reported. In the United States, the multinational law firm DLA Piper also reported being hit. Hospitals in Pennsylvania were being forced to cancel operations after the attack hit computers at Heritage Valley Health Systems, a Pennsylvania health care provider, and its hospitals in Beaver and Sewickley, Penn., and satellite locations across the state. The ransomware also hurt Australian branches of international companies. DLA Piper's Australian offices warned clients that they were dealing with a ''serious global cyber incident'' and had disabled email as a precautionary measure. Local news reports said that in Hobart, Tasmania, on Tuesday evening, computers in a Cadbury chocolate factory, owned by Mondelez International, had displayed ransomware messages that demanded $300 in bitcoins. Qantas Airways' booking system failed for a time on Tuesday, but the company said the breakdown was due to an unrelated hardware issue. The Australian government has urged companies to install security updates and isolate any infected computers from their networks. ''This ransomware attack is a wake-up call to all Australian businesses to regularly back up their data and install the latest security patches,'' said Dan Tehan, the cybersecurity minister. ''We are aware of the situation and monitoring it closely.'' A National Security Agency spokesman referred questions about the attack to the Department of Homeland Security. ''The Department of Homeland Security is monitoring reports of cyberattacks affecting multiple global entities and is coordinating with our international and domestic cyber partners,'' Scott McConnell, a department spokesman, said in a statement. Computer specialists said the ransomware was very similar to a virus that emerged last year called Petya. Petya means ''Little Peter,'' in Russian, leading some to speculate the name referred to Sergei Prokofiev's 1936 symphony ''Peter and the Wolf,'' about a boy who captures a wolf. Reports that the computer virus was a variant of Petya suggest the attackers will be hard to trace. Petya was for sale on the so-called dark web, where its creators made the ransomware available as ''ransomware as a service'' - a play on Silicon Valley terminology for delivering software over the internet, according to the security firm Avast Threat Labs. That means anyone could launch the ransomware with the click of a button, encrypt someone's systems and demand a ransom to unlock it. If the victim pays, the authors of the Petya ransomware, who call themselves Janus Cybercrime Solutions, get a cut of the payment. That distribution method means that pinning down the people responsible for Tuesday's attack could be difficult. Rep Jeb Hensarling [R-TX/+1 202 225-3484/@RepHensarling] is the sponsor of HR 10, the Financial CHOICE Act of 2017, which will ban investors from putting petitions to the shareholders and board of publicly traded companies, except when investors own more than 1% of the company for at least three years. Under the present system, any shareholder with a $2000 or more stake in the company for at least a year can make a proposal. Small investors are likely to put forward motions limiting executive compensation, opposing layoffs, and advocating for ethical business practices in terms of pollution, subcontracting and accounting. By contrast, large shareholders are more likely to vote for extraordinary dividends, share buybacks, selloffs of assets, and similar measures. A group of fiduciaries and members of the New York State Office of the Comptroller have issued a stinging statement denouncing the act as an attempt to "to silence investors, large and small, who seek a vote on corporate action that could put our investments at risk and diminish corporate accountability." A broad coalition of state fiduciaries joined New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer [on June 6, 2017] in issuing a Joint Statement on Defending Fundamental Shareowner Rights in strong support of the use of shareholder proposals as an essential tool in maintaining corporate transparency and accountability. The Statement is in response to provisions of the Financial CHOICE Act, legislation pending in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would effectively prohibit most investors from filing shareholder proposals. "This Act attempts to silence investors, large and small, who seek a vote on corporate action that could put our investments at risk and diminish corporate accountability," DiNapoli said. "Publicly-owned companies are responsible to their shareholders, but this Act is trying to overturn that core principle by allowing only a select few of the largest investors to question corporate behavior." "There is nothing about the CHOICE Act that provides 'choice.' It's a deliberate attempt to undermine shareowner rights and erode accountability at companies big and small. This legislation was written by corporate executives, for corporate executivesat the expense of the rest of us," Stringer said. [H.R.10 Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 /Sponsor: Rep. Hensarling, Jeb [R-TX-5]] Federal Bill Attempts to Silence Investors [Gianna McCarthy and George Wong/The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation] (via Naked Capitalism) Attorneys representing Torrie Ethridge and the Dothan City Schools in a federal sexual harassment action Ethridge has against the system have agreed to a timeline for the case. The attorneys held a teleconference June 21 and agreed that all discovery in the case should be completed by April 22, 2018, that the two parties should have until early 2018 to join parties and amend pleadings, that a final pre-trial conference be held in early September and that the trial should start by October 15, 2018. A federal judge will need to approve the plan. Ethridge, a former employee of the school system, is suing the system in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. Ethridges suit asserts claims of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, retaliation and constructive discharge in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Ethridge was hired as the public relations manager of grants for the city school system in 2014. Later that year, Ethridge resigned, alleging Wilder had made a series of sexual comments to her and had treated her in a manner that made her feel her job was in jeopardy. The city school board investigated Ethridges claims and later terminated Wilder. In Ethridges suit, she alleges that school system officials failed to take appropriate action when Ethridge reported Wilders alleged conduct. Ethridge claims that she felt she had no other choice but to resign because of the systems inaction and was not offered her former position back after the board terminated Wilder. Louth Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick, raised yesterday in the Dail, the issue of the proposed treatment plant in Warrenpoint harbour which is to be used to store and transfer hazardous waste. The proposal, which is at a planning stage in Northern Ireland is greatly worrying residents and businesses in North Louth due to the potential impact the facility will have on Carlingford Lough. The plant has applied for a pollution prevention and control, PPC, permit to operate as a hazardous waste transfer station and bulking facility which will be used to bulk and store both hazardous and non-hazardous materials. It is also proposed to include a chemical treatment plant which will be used for the physico-chemical treatment of waste and the storage of treated effluent waste. Deputy Fitzpatrick, in his speech, said that it is believed that at any one time the proposed plant would store '200 tonnes of carcinogenic waste, one tonne of readily combustible solids and one tonne of spontaneously combustible solids.' Deputy Fitzpatrick voiced his concerns as follows: 'What worries me most about this proposal is that it appears that no proper assessment has been carried out. 'There was no impact assessment study in regard to the effects a toxic waste spillage or emission would have on the well being of the residents of the Carlingford Lough area. 'The company behind the proposal indicated that it is very probable that an accidental spillage may occur as a result of the treatment of hazardous waste at the site. 'It should also be noted that the proposed location of this plant has been vulnerable to flooding in recent years. 'I am amazed that this proposed plant has not received any scrutiny from elected representatives in the North. 'I represent the people of Louth and they are deeply concerned at this proposal. 'The proposed plant is within 120 m of residential areas in Omeath yet in the impact statement the proposers of the plant state that the nearest residential area is over 400 m away. 'This is a very serious issue and one into which we in the South must have an input.' In his response to the Deputy's request that Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten, contact his counterpart in the North on the issue, Minister Naughten confirmed: 'I give Deputy Fitzpatrick a commitment that I will make contact with my counterpart. 'The difficulty is that I do not have a counterpart at the moment. 'I had a good working relationship with my counterparts over the six months that the North-South Ministerial Council was in place, and I look forward to working with them once the Government in Northern Ireland is re-established.' To encourage employers to harness the skills of Australias ageing population, the Federal Government is providing a financial incentive to employers who engage and retain mature-age workers. Available through jobactive the Federal Governments $6.8 billion job placement program the Restart wage subsidy entitles an employer to up to $10,000 for hiring eligible workers aged 50 and over. Employers can put this subsidy, paid to them over six months by their local jobactive provider, towards training and related costs (e.g. a forklift license, IT courses) and any necessary workplace modifications. One of the many employers taking advantage of jobactives Restart subsidy is Grant Walker Parts. Based in Bayswater, Victoria, the business is a supplier of new and used automotive parts to mechanical workshops and accident repair shops. Of the 42 workers employed by the business, one in seven were recruited through jobactive, including two delivery drivers, both aged over 50. In fact, four out of the businesss ten delivery drivers are aged 50 and over. According to Justin Walker, the general manager of Grant Walker Parts, the mature-age workers who were engaged through jobactive bring a very different element to the mix. Our mature age workers like to be a part of a team that not only utilises their skills but achieves something, he told Dynamic Business. While their stamina is lower than our Gen X and Y staff, they are not distracted by social media and they dont need constant praise. In the case of those who were previously in long-term unemployment, their social skills and networks are often limited and their confidence can be low. Work acts as a solution by renewing their sense of purpose and otherwise providing mental health benefits. I certainly feel that if a business offers mature-age workers the right type of work and the right leadership as well as empathy, they can be great additions to and balance out the workforce. Darren Bail is a recruitment Manager with Sarina Russo Job Access. In its capacity as one of the largest private sector jobactive provider, the agency has helped Grant Walker Parts recruit staff that meet their requirements needs at zero cost to the business. According to Bail, Sarina Russo has become invaluable to Grant Walker Parts and other employers by establishing a rapport founded on trust and a familiarity with their staff requirements. Regarding the Restart wage subsidy, Bail said Sarina Russo Job Access is approached by employers who seek to take advantage of the financial incentive for hiring mature-age workers; however, the agency also promotes the subsidy to employers who might not realise the potential gains of tapping into this often-overlooked talent pool. What employers should keep in mind is that a person aged in their early 50s today might have an extra ten to fifteen years of work left in the tank, he said. The mature-age workers weve placed in jobactive positions have tended to be reliable, punctual and hard-working. In fact, many employers specifically ask us for workers aged 50 and above due to their strong work ethic and maturity. Moreover, they come with a lifetime of experiences, which can be a real advantage for employers, many of whom seek them out for administrative and warehousing roles. Bail said that where an employer can really unlock productivity gains is when they have a complementary mix of young and mature age staff. He explained, The older workers are often useful as mentors to staff who are new to the workplace and still finding their feet. In addition, having a mature-age worker amidst the younger ones can take some off the heat off the managers because theyve got someone who helps keep everyone in line by virtue of the respect their age draws. Just as younger workers stand to benefit and grow from the experiences of an older colleague, being paired with a younger colleague can help a mature-age worker upskill information technology is a common example. Having made a business case for age diversity, Bail said employers should consider taking advantage of both jobactives Restart subsidy in conjunction with the wage subsidies for hiring eligible workers aged 15 to 24 years of age. For more information on jobactive, including the services available to employers and the wage subsidies they may be eligible for, visit the jobactive website. See also: Mature age workers: the talent pool that will boost your bottom line If youre an aspiring entrepreneur who can express their business idea in 25 words or less, HubSpot is giving you a shot at winning $100,000 to put towards launching your dream venture. As part of their #SummerStartup contest, the inbound marketing and sales software company is inviting business hopefuls from the US, UK, Ireland, Singapore and Australia to pitch their idea on Facebook, while staying within a 25 word limit, for a chance to secure $100,000. The winner will also receive three years of free access to HubSpots Growth Stack software suite and the opportunity to be mentored by business minds from companies like Netflix, Atlassian, Moz, Harvard Business School, and HubSpot. To support the initiative, HubSpot has released the findings from its recent US study, investigating the factors that influence job satisfaction plus peoples career aspirations. Two in five respondents (38%) admitted their dream job involved running their own company. Although 67% said they had considered starting their own business at one point in their lifetime, only 10% had ever attempted to do so. When asked why, respondents named lack of capital, mentorship, and tools as the top three reasons. According to Ryan Bonnici, Senior Director of Buzz at HubSpot, #SummerStartup was designed to help one person overcome these barriers and get their idea to market. Today, the ultimate dream job has shifted dramatically and now more people are realising the benefits of running their own company, he said. With the right resources and support, entrepreneurs can turn their ideas into reality. Were excited to offer an opportunity that helps make one big dream come true. The HubSpot study also found that many workers invest significant time and money in the pursuit of a career, yet remain unhappy in their jobs. Specifically, two in three respondents had spent four or more years pursuing education, at an average cost of $52,000, and 44% were still paying off an education debt. Respondents also cited additional challenges to pursuing careers, ranging from the balance of school, work, and family, to finances, and academic rigor. Ultimately, 40% of those in full time employment indicated being unhappy in their job. When asked what would make them happy in their career, 42% said starting their own business, more than those who cited changing careers, getting a promotion, or getting a new boss. Providing evidence that there is a connection between happiness and business ownership, the study found that of those respondents who had left jobs to start their own businesses, 90% reported being happier in their career. Of the business owners surveyed, 57% attributed success to having access to the tools they needed. Meanwhile, 48% said they had the mentors and support they needed, and 35% said they had the capital to get started. To enter the HubSpot #SummerStartup contest, participants must submit their business ideas in the comments section below the launch video on Facebook in 25 words or less. Selected entrants will be asked to create a short video providing more detail about their idea to be shortlisted for the $100,000 prize; three years of HubSpots Growth Stack, free of charge; and one-on-one mentorship from executives. The contest is open to Australia. The deadline to enter is Sunday, 23 July 2017 and the winner will be selected on Monday, 11 September 2017. For more information and contest terms and conditions, please visit https://www.hubspot.com/startups/tools. The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is working to confirm reports of two Australian companies affected by Petya, a ransomware attack sweeping the globe. The government agency has referred to Petya as a global ransomware campaign and noted that it appears to leverage the same vulnerability as WannaCry, another malicious software that renders data or systems unusable until the victim makes a payment. Cyber Security Minister, Dan Tehan has advised business that have been affected by Petya to isolate the affected computer fromtheir network to prevent the software spreading and use backup data to restore information. I urge all businesses to visit the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) website or call 1300 292371 (1300 CYBER1) for more information and to contact the ACSC if you have been infected, he said. All businesses should immediately update their Windows operating system with the latest security patches and there are instructions on the ACSC website to do this. This ransomware attack is a wake-up call to all Australian businesses to regularly backup their data and install the latest security patches. Advice from the ACSC The ACSC has advised all organisation, large and small, to examine their cyber security posture and have arrangements in place to protect the security of their information systems. It also issued the following advice: Patch/update systems immediately, including Microsoft operating systems. Using unpatched and unsupported software increases the risk of cyber security threats such as ransomware. Back-up your data. If you do not have back-ups in place you can arrange to use an off-site backup service. This is good practice for all users. Ensure your antivirus software is up-to-date. Individuals and organisations should not pay the ransom. Reports indicate that the contact email address provided in the ransom message has been disabled, which means the files are highly unlikely to be recovered by paying the ransom. Those affected by the Petya ransomware incident have been told to contact their service provider immediately. Meanwhile, Small businesses can contact ACORN (Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network). Large organisations are advised to follow their normal procedures and report to the ACSC via the number 1300 CYBER1. The ACSC said organisations can minimise the risk of being infected by exploits taking advantage of unpatched vulnerabilities by following the Australian Signal Directorates (ASD) Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents. These strategies include, but are not limited to: patching operating systems and applications to the latest versions backing up important data on a daily basis to an offsite location implementing application whitelisting to prevent execution of untrusted code restricting administrator privileges. Further ASD advice, such as the Essential Eight Explained, Detecting Socially-Engineered Emails, Minimising Admin Privileges Explained and Application Whitelisting Explained, is available from the ASD Publications page. Updates are available on the Stay Smart Online website, Facebook page, and Twitter account. Cybersecurity vendors respond Ross Brewer, VP and MD, International Markets, LogRhythm: With WannaCry still so fresh in our minds, this follow-up attack proves just how real this is all becoming and the worst is probably yet to come. These public outings of large, high-profile attacks are becoming more frequent, faster-acting and more damaging. Every organisation, regardless of size or industry, is vulnerable. As security vendors, we are often criticised for fear mongering and exaggerating the possible consequences of a cyberattack but I think we can agree that recent events are starting to show that the warnings were warranted. These attacks are targeting our top businesses, banks, healthcare institutions and other critical national infrastructure, are revealing the chaos that ensues when organisations lose control of their data when are we going to do something about it? The recent attacks associated with WannaCry and Petya have re-enforced the lack of accountability and focus on basic IT and security fundamentals. Core IT operational competencies, such as patch management, backups, disaster recovery, and incident response are not well implemented or maintained. These are absolutely essential in protecting your company from damaging cyber threats and without them you are left in a perpetually vulnerable state, a sitting duck for these types of attacks, merely hoping that you arent compromised. The only actions you take are responsive, only after some other unlucky company was compromised. Unfortunately, events like the Petya incident today and what occurred previously with WannaCry have been and will continue to be the normal state of things. A determined hacker only has to be right once. The odds are heavily in their favour with compromise likely, if not inevitable. As such, we need to stop focusing solely on defence and protection and put more effort into monitoring, detection and response as true compensating controls to the mess that is IT today. As we saw with WannaCry and what I fully expect to see by the end of today,its not always about stopping the initial compromise, the inevitable, but how quickly you can respond and contain a threat before it becomes a full blown incident or global outbreak. Jim Cook, ANZ Regional Director, Malwarebytes: Petya/ NotPetya is another example of a know, patchable vulnerability causing tremendous issues for people and businesses around the world. If possible, apply MS17-010 Microsoft patch to all PCs immediately. If you are running unpatched systems with Admin privileges this malware has the ability to spread inside your network using the in-built PSExec utility, which our research team say makes its ability to damage businesses significant. If [hacker group] The Shadow Brokers keeps their promise to continue releasing [United States National Security Administration] exploits, it seems that this sort of mass infection will become common so now is the time to ensure you have a decent back up system, patch process and a current end point security solution in place. Gavin Millard, Technical Director, Tenable: If this attack turns out to be leveraging the same vulnerabilities WannaCry leveraged to spread, or other known bugs that have had patches available for months, there are going to be some awkward conversations between IT teams that failed to patch or protect and businesses affected. The publicity around WannaCry couldnt have been larger, probably eclipsing Heartbleed, yet if this is the same attack vector, it demonstrates a distinct lack of taking threats like this seriously. See also: How to plug one of the most overlooked security vulnerabilities for any business, WannaCryptor: what is it and how do you know if your business has been attacked?, WannaCryptor: what to do if your business comes under attack from this ransomware, In the wake of a WannaCryptor: how to prevent ransomware attacks in your business. Harmonisation paves the way for a European banking market Statement by Sabine Lautenschlager, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB and Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB, at the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority 15th anniversary event, Bonn, 28 June 2017 There are two questions on the future of European regulation that we have to answer. First, will regulation continue to be shaped by global standards? Second, how European must regulation in Europe be? Regarding the first question, I am still a firm supporter of global regulation. The financial crisis of 2008 showed us the interconnections of the global banking system. If a bank fails, it can destabilise markets worldwide and nationally. The stability of the system can only be ensured by global rules, and thats exactly what the Basel Committee is working on. So once the Committee has concluded its work on Basel III this year, all the major financial markets should implement the new standards in Europe and elsewhere. And in that context I find the most recent proposals by the US Department of the Treasury worrying. It looks as if elements of the global reform might be postponed or not even implemented. This involves important areas such as the new rules on the trading book. In my view, purely national initiatives will not improve the stability of the financial system, quite the opposite. It is all the more important that the EU implements the Basel standards. The rules should be harmonised as far as possible for Europes banking market. And this brings us to the second question: how European must regulation in Europe be? The single market is a key element of a united Europe, and we also need a single European market for banks. This involves harmonising the rules for banks wherever it makes sense. But we should not forget that the European banking sector is characterised by diversity, not least as a result of national specificities, because this diversity contributes to the stability of the financial system. What we need, then, is a balance between harmonisation and diversity. There are some areas that require greater harmonisation and other areas that require less. For example, small banks in the euro area need somewhat less harmonisation. Taken in isolation, a small bank poses a limited risk to the financial system. It only becomes problematic if many small banks run into trouble at the same time, and for this eventuality we need sound institutional protection schemes that are ready to be activated. Overall, though, the rules for small banks can be less strict than for big banks. And this is already the case: in many respects smaller banks have an easier life than the large ones for example, in financial reporting and supervision. Should a further easing of the rules be discussed, this would however throw up a difficult question: how big, or rather how small, should a bank be to be considered for this easing? What are the right thresholds? In other areas, we need greater harmonisation. That becomes apparent when you take a closer look at the European rules they are neither uniform nor complete. Certain areas of supervision which would benefit from a single European rule continue to be determined by national regulations. Lets take the example of a British bank. In the event of a hard Brexit the bank could lose its EU passport, which gives it access to the internal market. In order to continue to do business in the internal market, it would need to establish a base in the EU. Ideally, the country in which it sets up its business should be an unimportant factor. But it is not. Despite the banking union, location still plays an important role in a banks life. If a British bank conducts its business via a branch in the euro area, then it is subject to national supervision and national rules. This results in the bank having different capital and liquidity requirements, depending on the country where the bank has set up its branch. Of course, the bank will also look closely at the different national recovery and resolution conditions. And they have only been marginally harmonised, so there is no uniform toolset for crises. For instance, I have sorely missed the opportunity to declare a moratorium recently. The examples I have mentioned show how many national barriers are still blocking the way to a European banking market. In Europe too the principle for banks should be: same business, same risks, same rules. This ensures fair competition and prevents banks from exploiting regulatory differences. Ultimately, harmonised rules pave the way for a stable banking market. Thank you for your attention. Michigan Governor Rick Snyders Flint Water Crisis continues apace with Flint residents still being told that their drinking water is completely safe but that they should not drink it without filtering it first. First we have gubernatorial candidate (and state attorney general) Bill Schuette telling reporters that hes not going to charge Gov. Snyder in his investigation, at least not yet. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said Wednesday that Gov. Rick Snyder is not being charged with any crimes related to the Flints lead-contaminated water but left the door open to the possibility. [] When asked at a Wednesday morning news conference why Snyder has not been charged, Schuette said no crime has been established, and were not filing charges at this time. However, Schuette IS calling for the resignations of Michigan Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon who has been charged with manslaughter and the states chief medical officer, Dr. Eden Wells, who was charged with obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer: Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Thursday called for two top state officials to resign after his legal team filed criminal charges against them in an investigation of Flints water crisis. Nick Lyon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office, while the states chief medical officer, Dr. Eden Wells, was charged with obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer. The charges are related to state health departments failure to issue a public alert about a Legionnaires disease outbreak in the Flint area in 2014-15 that resulted in 12 deaths and 79 other illnesses. Despite Gov. Rick Snyders vow to stand behind Lyon and Wells and keep them on the job, Schuette told The Detroit News editorial board it would be proper for them to step down. We charged those individuals with serious crimes, Schuette said. Former Flint director of public works Howard Croft has also been charged with manslaughter in the most recent round of action stemming from the investigation being conducted by Schuettes office and with other charges earlier this year. His attorney publicly criticized Schuettes office for trying his client in the media: An attorney representing one of the Flint water crisis defendants criticized the state prosecutors Monday for stoking the fires and trying the case in public before it even goes to trial. James White, who represents former Flint director of public works Howard Croft, said he was concerned about Attorney General Bill Schuettes news conference last week announcing more charges in the case amid heavy media coverage with another release of mug shots of his client and others. [] Although mug shots are not unusual in a case like this, said White, whose client is also accused of felony false pretense and conspiracy to commit false pretenses. Our concern is that these mug shots were released six months after the charges. We find that timing suspect. Crofts lawyer also took aim at Schuettes news conference last week as a carnival-like atmosphere with a Flint water tower mural as a backdrop. The photos served one purpose, he said, and that was to inflame this community, to inflame a potential juror pool and prejudiced Mr. Croft. Schuettes grandstanding is little more than a crass exploitation of the calamity that has been inflicted on the residents of Flint. However, were in a position of having to support the investigation because it is likely the only path for justice for the people of Flint. Based on the recent charges filed against Snyder administration officials, the state of Michigan has increased the budget to defend them by $4 million, bringing the total to $8.5 million. That means Michigan taxpayers will be paying to defend those charged with millions of their tax dollars. The Root has an excellent op-ed up at their site pointing out that the malfeasance resulting in the manslaughter charges filed by Schuettes office last week bring responsibility for the Flint Water Crisis directly to Gov. Snyders door: In October 2016, when the investigation into Lyon was announced, several articles drawing on state emails noted that Harvey Hollins, Snyders director of urban initiatives, had been informed of a Legionnaires outbreak back in March 2015. Now that Lyon has been charged with failing to act on this knowledge, however, the Legionella connections to Snyder have dropped out of the media coverage. Our review of emails released by Snyder shows that Snyders then-deputy press secretary Dave Murray knew about the outbreak in January 2015, two months earlier than Hollins. We dont know if Murray is the first Snyder aide to hear about Legionnaires and a possible link to the water. But it places the news directly in Snyders office a full year before Snyder said he was told in January 2016, the same time Lyon first heard about the outbreak. If we are to believe them, neither Murray nor another two aides notified in March saw Legionnaires as serious enough to alert the governorperhaps because the Department of Environmental Quality employees writing them referred to the possibility of Legionnaires as bad public relations rather than a public health problem and called efforts to solve it political flank cover. [] Obfuscation continued far beyond the public discovery of Legionella. Schuettes warrant (pdf) for Nick Lyon describes Lyon issuing threats to Wayne State University professors investigating the cause of the outbreak. When they expressed concern that people would die in a new outbreak, Lyon allegedly said, They have to die of something. A senior Snyder adviser was present when Lyon said this, an adviser who told their professors their boss (Snyder) was very unhappy with the professors public statement of findings. Meanwhile, the residents of Flint got a stark reminder about who is actually in charge in Flint. Despite accusations that the Flint Water Crisis is the sole fault of Flint government officials, the state had total control of their city government through Gov. Snyders appointed Emergency Managers. Although they are no longer under the control of an Emergency Manager, their city is still occupied and controlled by the state through the Receivership Transition Advisory Board (RTAB) which is stacked with yet more Snyder appointees. Yesterday the RTAB rejected a decision by the Flint City Council to place a one-year moratorium on tax liens on homes that have overdue water bills. Many Flint residents understandably chose not to pay for poisoned water they could not drink or bathe in and, as a consequence, now face losing their homes to tax foreclosure. The RTAB is,apparently, totally fine with that, setting up a showdown between the state and the city: A state oversight board rejected Tuesday the citys one-year freeze on forcing nearly 8,000 residents to pay their delinquent water bills, a move the citys mayor said shed defy. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said Tuesday that she disagrees with the state board and will withhold the water tax liens from Genesee County a move that she said essentially would continue the moratorium on water payments that the City Council approved last month. It also might delay foreclosures on homes with delinquent bills totaling $5.1 million. It seems that RTAB felt it was necessary due to Councils decision of not supporting the longterm water source recommendation, which means the city will now have to purchase water at a much higher price along with several other costly financial obligations that could have been avoided, Weaver said in a statement Tuesday. I am ordering the citys chief financial officer to not transfer the liens to the county. Another week of sadness for the countrys most beleaguered city. Please keep this story alive and dont ever allow the people of Flint to be forgotten. UPDATE: No sooner had I hit publish then this bombshell headline popped up on my phone: State sues Flint over delays in approving drinking water source. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality sued the city of Flint today over the city councils foot-dragging in approving Detroits Great Lakes Water Authority as its long-term drinking water source. The city has been buying water from the GLWA by extending contracts for several months at a time. The mayor wants to strike a 30-year agreement. The lawsuit is a striking turnabout for the DEQ, the agency that investigations have shown was largely to blame for the citys disastrous switch away from Detroit water to the Flint River as a temporary drinking source in April 2014. [] Flint Mayor Karen Weaver has negotiated a long-term agreement to keep the city on GLWA water, which Flint has been using again since October 2015, the suit alleges. Continued use of that reliable source is necessary to ensure the protection of public health in Flint, the suit alleges. Despite proposing no other reasonable alternative, the Flint City Council has refused to approve the agreement negotiated by the mayor. The DEQ wants the court to declare that the City Councils inaction will result in a violation of applicable law and that Flint must enter into the agreement. If this story was a Netflix series, youd think it was too wild to be plausible. Yesterday the Trump administration put out a press release titled President Donald J. Trump Unleashes Americas Energy Potential. In it, the release describes how Trump has done this: Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord Rescinding the Obama Administrations Clean Power Plan Fast-tracking approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline Ending the Obama Administrations coal leasing moratorium on Federal land Rescinding the Obama Administrations Stream Protection Rule Directing the Department of the Interior to reconsider the Obama Bureau of Land Managements Hydraulic Fracturing Rule Notice anything missing? The 771-word press release that describes how Trump is achieving American energy dominance has exactly zero references to renewable energy sources. It brags about how the energy sector employs 6.4 million Americans and how it is a leading driver in hiring American workers, adding 300,000 new jobs last year. It goes on and on about coal and gas and pipelines and drilling and mining. However, despite the fossil fuel fetishism of the Trump administration, it is renewable energy that is driving the energy sectors success. Consider: Nationally, clean energy jobs outnumber all fossil fuel jobs by over 2.5 to 1; and they exceed all jobs in coal and gas by 5 to 1 41 states and Washington, D.C. (80% of the total) have more clean energy jobs than fossil fuel jobs from all sources. Only six states have more jobs in coal and gas than clean energy Solar and wind jobs have grown at rates of about 20% annually in recent years and are each creating jobs at a rate 12 times faster than that of the rest of the U.S. economy. The solar and wind industries experienced the strongest growth, as solar jobs rose 25% over the past year and the wind sector expanded 32%. The energy efficiency industries also experienced an upswing in jobs, adding 133,000 jobs to reach 2.2 million total jobs. In other words, the boom in energy sector jobs and economic output is being driven by the very sector that Trump is trying to kill at the expense of the fossil fuels industry. In other other words, hes killing the energy goose that lays golden energy eggs. Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club cuts to the chase: Right now, clean energy jobs already overwhelm dirty fuels in nearly every state across America, and that growth is only going to continue as clean energy keeps getting more affordable and accessible by the day. These facts make it clear that Donald Trump is attacking clean energy jobs purely in order to boost the profits of fossil fuel billionaires. The fact is, rather than America dominating the world when it comes to energy production, we are literally ceding that dominance to other countries like China that are showing the true global leadership, all to promote dying, dirty energy sources that pollute our air, harm our environment, and are irreparably changing our global climate for the worse. Dont forget that our Secretary of State is the former CEO of ExxonMobil and our Energy Secretary is Texan Rick Perry, a man who loves nothing more than Texas crude. We have many things to thank Barack Obama for but his promotion of renewable energy is one of his most unsung accomplishments. Which is just one more reason Donald J. Trump is trying to kill it. I was at Qualcomm last week, listening to an economist talk about Apples complaints that Qualcomm had charged Apple too much for access to patents. What I thought was fascinating was that Apple had folks focused on the 5 percent that Qualcomm had charged it instead of on the massive profit that Apple made on each phone. The price of the iPhone 8 is rumored to be well over US$1,000 but it could cost well under $500 to build. (Check out this WSJ video on how you can build a decent smartphone for less than $70 in China.) All other smartphone prices seem to be trending down, while Apples appear to be trending up. This near-magical behavior is an example of expert manipulation, and in a world of fake news, its suddenly a more interesting topic to cover. (It also suggests that Apples level of control over its customer base could be an anti-customer, if not an antitrust, problem.) Oh, and thats on top of the issues that may prevent the iPhone from being shipped in the first place. Ill use Apple as an example to illustrate the art of manipulation and misdirection although its hardly the only one that engages in it. Ill close with my product of the week: a new router from Symantec that may be the perfect thing for securing your home in a hostile world. Art Appreciation Theres an art to manipulation and misdirection. I first became aware of this skill in college while doing my undergraduate work. One of the modules in a class I took on manpower management was on manipulators people who were good at getting people to do things for them, changing minds, and generally, well, manipulating others. There was a test for measuring this skill, and the scoring range was 1-20. Anyone who scored more than 12 had a high inherent ability to manipulate, according to the test. One poor guy scored 15 and everyone in the class made fun of him. However, there was another student who scored 17, and no one even noticed. He was the one who focused the rest of us on the guy who scored 15 and he didnt even know he was doing it. People with this skill often end up in marketing where their ability is valued and utilized. If you are observant, however, youll see the same skill applied by friends, family and coworkers both to accomplish their unique goals and often just to mess with people. Surprisingly, the person doing it often doesnt even seem aware of the behavior. The Talented Steve Jobs The most powerful natural manipulator Ive ever seen was Steve Jobs (much of what Im talking about is covered in the book iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business). Jobs changed a lot in skill level from when he first helped found Apple to his return to the company. At first, he seemed to be unaware he was doing it. Sometime between when he was fired from the company and his comeback, he became an expert. Before he left, there were stories of all the drama that seemed to go on around him, which often is one of the indicators of a manipulator operating on autopilot. They tend to enjoy getting people worked up and often havent yet realized that to be effective they need to be very subtle. Jobs wasnt, and eventually he overreached and got himself fired. When he came back, though, he seemed able to get what he wanted without as much drama. Things just seemed to fall into place magically, and his skills at marketing blossomed. For example, Apples product line sucked at the time, and prior to coming back to the company, Jobs had been outspoken about that. After getting the job, he immediately reversed himself and praised the products, becoming their greatest advocate. Throughout his time, he successfully prevented strong challengers for the iPod from HP and Dell, and disparaged the Microsoft Zune so successfully characterizing as stupid unique compelling advantages like video playback (which the iPod back then didnt have) that the iPod largely remained unchallenged by anything but the iPhone. Even with the iPhone, he caught the market flatfooted. The first iPhone was basically an iPod with poor phone features, but Jobs convinced massive numbers of people they had to have it long before it was really a competitive product. He achieved that through a combination of brilliant placement, advertising, and a very nice but largely cosmetic design. While Jobs is no longer at Apple and I really dont see anyone there with his kind of manipulative genius the firm clearly is still operating like it can control hearts and minds. However, without a hit since the iPad, it should be becoming clear to most that post-Jobs Apple doesnt have the capability that Steve Jobs Apple had in spades. Apple vs. Qualcomm While the Apple vs. Qualcomm fight seems to be about pricing, it is potentially much more than that for Apple. This is largely because most people still see Apple the way it was and not the way it is. Otherwise, its market valuation would have fallen sharply. I saw this when Steve Ballmer ran Microsoft. It held value for a long time, but when Steve tried to buy Yahoo something that appeared to most to be incredibly stupid the market suddenly realized that Steves Microsoft and Bills Microsoft were very different and even though Microsofts financial performance was stable for the most part, its valuation fell like a rock. To hold, Tim Cook cant have a moment like Steve Ballmer did at Microsoft, when people suddenly open their eyes and realize that Apple doesnt seem capable of producing hits or worse, when Apples only differentiator is that it is far more expensive than the rest. To be clear, that was pretty close to what Apple almost became before Steve Jobs came back and saved the firm. This lawsuit with Qualcomm is forcing a lot of folks to look at Apples falling quality, to start looking at the problems with their Apple devices as less unique and more endemic of that falling quality, and to start seeing Apple as having shifted too sharply from being focused on creating magic for customers to being far too focused on increasing margins. At the very least, its forcing people to realize that Apple is shifting from using the best technology in its very high-priced products to trying to cover up that the devices arent very competitive anymore in either capability or price. Like the Apple Watch, the new HomePod appears to be just a different expensive spin on an existing market unique only because of its high price and connection to Apples ecosystem. Even in Apple accounts, the Amazon Echo is surveying as the more popular product and outside of Apple accounts, the HomePod almost falls beneath consideration. In short, the products clearly art showcasing that Apple has weakened significantly, but the disclosures from the Qualcomm lawsuit could become the trigger that finally gets people to look at the company differently much like Yahoo did for Microsoft. Wrapping Up: Trump Its hard to write anything about manipulation and misdirection without mentioning our president, who seems also to be a natural at it. However, unlike old Jobs, he seems to do a lot of it without focus or purpose, which is why so many of the problems President Trump is dealing with seem to be self-created. It is this contrast between the older Jobs and President Trump I want to leave you with. Manipulators can be incredibly powerful tools or they can be self-destructing disasters depending on their focus and maturity. Young Steve Jobs was the latter, old Steve Jobs the former, and he clearly made Apple great again. President Trump has the core capability, but he currently lacks the maturing experience that, ironically, I think Jobs got as a result of being fired from Apple. Apple either needs to recreate the capability it lost when Jobs died, or stop tempting fate by taking risks that will cause people to see the company differently. As Steve Ballmer discovered, once the market corrects, the eventual outcome is not a great one for the career of the CEO or the image of the firm. One final thought: At some point, manipulators need to realize that without good goals theyll end badly, and the rest of us have to decide if were OK with being manipulated. In this age of fake news from all sides, Im wondering how many of us have made an unfortunate decision in this regard, by accident. We live in a very hostile world, and back at CES I saw one product that I thought addressed best the kind of threats we now face as homeowners or owners of small businesses. Symantec announced a high-performance router, the Norton Core Router, that not only provided distributed wireless networking but also incorporated a comprehensive security solution. NortonCore Router Using a combination of Qualcomms advanced wireless networking technology and Symantecs antimalware resources, you could have one product and a subscription that, on paper, should keep your home or small business not only well connected with the highest speed 4X4 MU-MIMO technology providing speeds that rival what you can get with wired connections but also better protected, ensuring your connected devices arent infected by viruses or otherwise used against you. The system just became available for preorder at a $30-off price of $249. It isnt even bad looking, with a design that could allow you to put it in a far more visible and advantageous networking position than in a cabinet or in a closet (if your wiring allows it). We need more comprehensive solutions like this if we are going to protect our ever-more-connected homes from an ever-more-hostile world. As a result, the Norton Core Router is my product of the week. 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Private school enrolments declined from 32.7% to 31.8% between 2011 and 2016, however, there was a slight increase in the proportion for secondary school students (42.1% to 42.8% in non-government schools). This means the proportion across all schools was roughly stable (36.5% in 2016 compared to 36.7% in 2011). According to Nicholas Biddle, associate professor, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University (ANU), these results show the move to the non-government sector seen over previous periods may have slowed, or even reversed. Another important current policy debate relates to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), he wrote in The Conversation. While the census isnt ideal for understanding changes in rates of disability, there is a very important question about whether people have a core activity need for assistance. Biddle says the one particular result that stands out is the rapid increase in the number of children and youth reported to have such a need. Between 2011 and 2016, the proportion of those aged 19 years or under reported as having a core activity need for assistance increased from 2.1% to 2.7%, excluding the not-stated population, he said. Biddle pointed out that while these proportions might not seem large, it represents an extra 38,209 individuals, or a 34.5% increase in children and youth with a core activity need for assistance. Bilingualism needs urgent attention The Census 2016 data showed the number of people who only speak English at home has risen by more than 500,000, compared with the 2011 data. This figure highlighted that the share of this group declined from 77% in 2011, to 73% in 2016. Mandarin remains the second-most commonly spoken language in Australia after English, followed by Arabic, Cantonese and Vietnamese. Tim Mayfield, executive director of the Asia Education Foundation, told SBS World News the data demonstrates the need for a greater emphasis to be placed on bilingualism for secondary school students. It's interesting to note that Australian students are learning second languages less and less, compared to our historical track record as a country - at a time where we're becoming more immersed in the region, Mayfield said. In the 1960s we had roughly 40% of school leavers graduating year 12 with a (second) language, now it's down to 10%. That's at a time where our overall engagement with the Asian region has increased. Clearly there's a problem there. Do we view language learning as important as numeracy and literacy? And if so, we need to come up with strategies to fund it appropriately, but also come up with a united approach across all jurisdictions. If students dont feel like they belong in their school environment, they can feel like impostors, said Dena Simmons, the director of education at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a former middle school teacher. That feeling can create fear and anxiety that hijack students learning experiences or lead them to believe they are not capable of success, she said. Simmons views are not just informed by her professional and academic work; they are also shaped by her experiences as a child of an immigrant mother who transferred from a public school in the Bronx to a mostly white boarding school in Connecticut. In a TED Talk, Simmons discusses the time a teacher at her new school loudly confronted her in front of her peers about the way she pronounced asking. The moment, she said, made her feel like she didnt belong. Simmons says students in all kinds of schools pick up on cues like she did. Disproportionate discipline rates for children of color, a lack of literature featuring characters who look or live like them, or a sense that their identity isnt present or reflected in their teachers or peers can create hurdles to belonging. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Those two are connected, righta students environment and their confidence about performing in that environment? Yes, and theres different things that can tell you that [this environment wasnt created for people like you]. You can look into your books and see nothing like you. Your teachers very rarely, if youre a person of color, look like you. Or, if youre a student with a disability, you rarely see teachers who look like you as well. Constantly youre getting all these messages where your experience, or your identity, isnt present. In some ways, your experience, your identity, is erased; its invisible. You start to look around and try to find pictures of you and you cant, and so you start to panic. You start to say, Do I belong here? Thats why I think its crucial for educators to, if they dont represent their students backgrounds or cant relate, that they make a concerted effort in inviting those experiences into the classroom through expanding the curricular experience of students and inviting mentors in the classroom that can speak to their own experiences, and many times those are experiences that are marginalized. We have a status quo in this country, and if you dont fit it ... you will feel like an impostor. How did you experience this at your boarding school? My boarding school did have nurturing aspects to it. Like I shared, leaving the Bronx and not having to hear gunshots out my window, and going to a place where it was quiet when I went to sleep was a very welcome novelty for me. There were definitely things that I welcomed about that experience. However, it did not come without its trauma. I think what happens in, I mean a lot of the boarding schools in the country, and I dont want to downgrade them, they do really great work. But, in my research on bullying, and you talk to any of those private schools and theyll say, We dont really have a problem. That, to me, I think is the largest issue. When you dont identify that you potentially have a problem, then you dont think you need to address it. In general, if [educators] think that they are saving people, then they dont think that they can actually do harm in their saving. I think that happens a lot, not only in privileged schools, but also in any district or charter school in our nation. We send these narratives of saving these black and brown kids from urban environments that we, in many ways, through our narrative, disempower the communities that we say were trying to save. How can teachers address these factors and build belonging so that students dont feel like impostors? If you dont fit into the status quo, then you are made to feel like you do not belong. Thats why its crucial and important that as we educate our students, as people in front of the room working with our students, that we address our own bias. We need to address and reflect on our positionality. What does it mean for me to be a white woman from Arkansas teaching in the Bronx? What does it mean for me personally as a black woman from the Bronx whos acquired all of this social capital who is now teaching in the Bronx? Regardless of who we are, if were in the room as the educator, theres a certain level of power and privilege that we have that we have to reflect upon and speak on. We have to be vigilant about it so that we dont inadvertently abuse our powers, inadvertently suggest that there is one way to do things because it is our way of doing things. I tell people that if we approach the world like it is art, then we will begin to see the beauty. If we walk into our classrooms with the mindset that ... there are assets from which we can learn, we will shift our thinking away from thinking that we are coming in to save these kids, and I put that in quotes because I hate that. ... Instead, [teachers should] see our children, the communities we serve, as artas people who we can learn from, people who are beautiful, communities that are beautiful, as lessons to be learned. Brazilian meat sector suffers another setback as US rejects beef imports The US has suspended all fresh and frozen beef imports from Brazil, dealing another blow to the South American countrys beef industry, which has reeled from the widely publicised tainted-meat scandal. The US decision came after the Brazilian government had suspended five processing facilities that were exporting to the US due to food safety and quality concerns. The US market, however, is relatively small as it accounted for only 5% of Brazilian exports in May. Brazil, meanwhile, continues to expand into China, where it remains the market leader. Shipments to the US totalled just below 4,500 tonnes shipping weight (swt) in May, making it Brazils eighth-largest beef export destination for the month. Brazilian cattle prices moved lower through the first half of 2017, down 15% since January in Brazilian Real terms and showing the effects of economic instability and the aforementioned industry setbacks. In US dollar terms, however, Brazilian cattle prices have been further compounded as a result of a weaker currency trading close to the historical lows. The Brazilian meat scandal erupted in mid-March when the police announced that 21 Brazilian meat companiesincluding Brazils largest meat producers, BRF and JBS-might have bribed government officials to approve spoiled meat. The scandal led at least 25 countries to temporarily suspend imports of Brazilian meat. Brazil is the worlds largest exporter of beef and poultry, and the fourth-largest exporter of pork. Norway's seafood export value grows 13% in May Norway's seafood export volume in May (163,000 tonnes) remained at the same level as a year before. Export value at NOK7.6 billion (US$901.58 million) , however, increased 13%, or by NOK 888 million, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) said. In the five months through May, Norway exported 1.1 million tonnes, or 3% more of seafood worth NOK39 billion ($4.63 billion). Year-on-year growth in value was 9%, or NOK3.2 billion. "In May, we saw growth in exports for all the major commercial species such as salmon, cod, haddock and saithe. In particular, demand for Norwegian salmon in Asia increased. This means that an increasing proportion of Norwegian salmon goes to raw consumption. The salmon price was NOK70 per kg in May, which is the second-highest price measured this year", said Paul T. Aandahl, analyst at the NSC. Norway exported 73,000 tonnes of salmon, 5% down (equivalent to 3,800 tonnes) with a value of NOK 5.3 billion in May. The value increased by NOK535 million, or 11%, from May last year. During the first five months, Norway exported 377,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK26 billion. The average price of fresh whole salmon in May rose to NOK69.98 ($8.30) per kilogramme from NOK60.17 ($7.14) per kg in May 2016. Poland, France and Denmark were the largest importers of salmon from Norway in May. Trout exports Norway exported 2,900 tonnes of trout in May, 43% down from May last year. Value amounted to NOK 236 million, down 16%, or NOK45 million. From January to May, Norway exported 14,000 tonnes of trout worth NOK1.1 billion. Japan, Thailand and the US were Norway's largest trout markets in May. Norway exported 70 tonnes of king crab in May, a decrease of 10% (or 8 tonnes). Value, however, increased 5%, or by NOK 801,000. South Korea, Japan and the US were the most important king crab markets in May. Exported prawns in May totaled 842 tonnes, an increase of 5%, or 42 tonnes. Value was about NOK60 million, unchanged from May last year. Sweden, Finland and the UK were the main markets for prawn in May. News / National by Staff reporter THE behaviour by Government officials who attack State programmes like Command Agriculture can no longer be tolerated and must stop, the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga said yesterday.In an exclusive interview with our Harare Bureau in Harare, Gen Chiwenga - in apparent reference to Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, and his Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment counterpart Patrick Zhuwao who have been attacking Command Agriculture - said the security services were fully aware of the forces sponsoring the spirited attacks.Prof Moyo has been on a campaign against Command Agriculture which he derided as "Ugly-Culture'' equating reports of its success as ''Command Lies'' while Minister Zhuwao vented against Zimpapers accusing the Group's titles of promoting Command Agriculture at the expense of Zim-Asset. This is despite the fact that Command Agriculture falls under the Food and Nutrition Cluster of Zim-Asset.At the two Presidential Youth Interface Rallies he addressed in Marondera and Mutare recently, President Mugabe hailed the success of Command Agriculture amid indications from Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made that the programme would exceed the projected yields.Gen Chiwenga said of all Government interventions to promote food production since the launch of the fast-track land reform programme at the turn of the millennium among them Operation Maguta and the various phases of the Farm Mechanisation Programme, Command Agriculture had been the most successful in moving the Zimbabwe to national food self-sufficiency."So we ask the question: who is saying this is a bad programme? A programme which has been spearheaded, approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Head of State and Government, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe."You go and say no that is not right? He (President Mugabe) pronounced himself in Marondera when he was addressing the youth. He pronounced the same thing in Manicaland."And you say no, this is now bringing Communism some of these people, they have farmed 80 hectares with inputs seeds, fertilisers from Command Agriculture, and they are talking of a bumper harvest."So these people who are talking against Command Agriculture, linking it to unthinkable things, they are no different from those in Sodom and Gomorrah; those homosexuals, where Lot's wife was turned in a heap of salt," Gen Chiwenga said.He added that it was unthinkable during the liberation struggle for senior officials to leak private discussions held by the leadership for their own selfish ends."We have fought a bitter armed struggle and we have never seen it that whatever was discussed at the High Command was leaked to the cadres. What was discussed at the Central Committee of the party was respected and they would tell the cadres what they need to know."They could argue and no one would ever talk. We were in the front. We would meet the commanders and sometimes disagree on strategy but it would never reach the ears of the fighters."Even those who were there to record what was being discussed would never open their mouths."Now before a meeting is complete we already see it on Twitter. What is that? Discipline has been completely lost. Now it shows when individuals come and say I will destroy, not only the party, but the entire system from inside."The papers are there for everyone to read. We say enough is enough. This nonsense can no longer be tolerated at all. People have perished because of this land. They died for the land."Gen Chiwenga went on: "You think you can divide people, to divide and rule, and bring confusion to the people."No, it doesn't work like that."This spirit of Sodom and Gomorrah, of homosexuals should go back where it came from "And this programme (Command Agriculture) we will support it, and support our Commander-in-Chief. It must continue until the end."Gen Chiwenga said over and above his right as a citizen to speak on such issues, the military was part of Command Agriculture's implementation by virtue of Air Marshal Perrance Shiri's vice-chairmanship of a subcommittee involved in steering the policy.And then again apparently reverting to Prof Moyo's recalcitrant behaviour, Gen Chiwenga said: "This guy who is vomiting that nonsense, didn't he get support from Command Agriculture? He has some other forces behind him. Hasn't he written in his books that he is going to destroy from within?"We read. We are all educated. We read. He has said that. Everyone must see. He rebelled before. Not once. He rebelled when we were in the struggle, he ran away. When he was here he did all his nonsense, his column in the Financial Gazette."And in his book, when he was teaching, in his commentary on why he went to America we know. When he left and went independent, was he repentant? And we know now that the tweeting is coming from Baba Jukwa and company; we know that."But I think he has got to where we wanted him to. Let me leave it at that," Gen Chiwenga said. Read full statement below: NPP is disturbed by the persistent threats against civilians by ZDF Commander Gen. Constadino Chiwenga.Particular attention is drawn to his most recent behaviour as published by the press today, in which he threatened unspecified action against those criticising the so-called Command Agriculture programme. NPP wishes to remind the general that his duty, together with his officers, men and women in the ZDF, is quite the opposite of what he is doing.The ZDF's mandate is to protect the land and its citizens, not to threaten them like Gen. Chiwenga is fond of.Citizens have a right to discuss and dialogue on issues of public interest and the military has no business controlling what people can or should think about.It would appear Gen. Chiwenga's latest tantrums are reinforcements to his preferred faction within the ruling establishment.In that vein, the good general has stepped out of his military confines and must retreat and leave politics for politicians.If he does not change his embarrassing conduct, surely, we will be justified to conclude that he is a rogue general.Methuseli Moyo, NPP spokesperson News / National by Staff reporter Zanu-PF structures, war veterans and Mnangagwa alligned political commentators yesterday rallied behind Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga calling for the dismissal of Professor Jonathan Moyo from both Government and Zanu-PF.Gen Chiwenga warned the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister and his Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment counterpart Patrick Zhuwao against attacking Government's Command Agriculture programme.The ZDF chief said the security services were fully aware of the forces sponsoring the spirited attacks.Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association chairman Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday backed Gen Chiwenga for defending, firstly President Mugabe, and secondly, Zimbabwe's integrity under attack from malcontents within the party and Government.He said it was high time someone knocked Professor Moyo off his pedestal."It is about time," said Mr Mutsvangwa. "ZNLWVA is on one and same page with Gen Chiwenga. Jonathan Moyo has carved a notorious reputation as the James Bond 007 knock off of the celluloid spy."He started his treacherous journey as a Zanla wartime deserter from Mgagao camp. He turned traitor as commander of Chimwenje, the ill-fated rag tag army of (Ndabaningi) Sithole that was trained by Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator."Of late, he is a Wiki-Leaks spy morphed into kleptocratic thief of Zimdef funds."Mr Mutsvangwa said Professor Moyo was taunting President Mugabe and should resign from both Zanu-PF and Government."Jonso is an incorrigible deviant who trashes all that has attributes of history and the Chimurenga pedigree," he said. "Even as the success of the Command Agriculture rings loud and clear, Jonso runs amok in sulking opposition."Mr Mutsvangwa called on the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and police to be given the executive and judiciary latitude to arraign Prof Moyo over fraud allegations at Zimdef.Zanu-PF provincial chairman for the Midlands, Daniel Mackenzie Ncube, said Gen Chiwenga was right in defending Government's integrity and programmes.He called on the party to take necessary steps to deal with the errant ministers."These malcontents should be censured and brought to book," he said.Political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said Gen Chiwenga was guided by the principles of the liberation struggle."No-one can doubt the historical narrative between Government and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces," he said. "It is premised on the liberation struggle where cadres were guided by strict disciplinary measures."These are the principles that guided the fighters. The principles of honesty to the people. The attacks are coming from Politburo members who are in Cabinet, hence betraying the people."Mr Mureriwa said Gen Chiwenga noticed the indiscipline that could breed chaos in Zimbabwe.He said Zanu-PF should take a stance against those trying to destablise the party and Government.Another political analyst Mr Elton Ziki said people should understand Gen Chiwenga's constitutional mandate and other State security agents."It is necessary for these arms of the State to defend and work towards the success of Government spearheaded programmes," he said. "For the CDF to issue that statement is to make sure that these programmes reach fruition."He is key and integral to what is happening in the country because when such a programme fails they would be food shortages leading to strife."Mr Ziki said Zimbabwe fought for land so that people would be productive, hence programmes like Command Agriculture."Criticising programmes aiming to ensure food security and stability with a potential for economic development leaves a lot to be desired," he said.Tanzanian-based Zimbabwean political analyst Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi said: "It should be treated and handled as a serious security breach for Cabinet members who have sworn to their confidence, all matters discussed therein."This is serious breach in a sovereign, the world over and smacks of fatal treason."Mr Mugwadi said Command Agriculture was a success."No amount of factional malice and Twitter rants will erase it," he said. "However, it is ironic that Zanu-PF has allowed a parallel Government to exist with its own parallel agenda that is documentarily, historically and factually nurtured around Professor Moyo whose 'full of I know it all' approach to policy discourse is both academically disproved and realistically errant to say the least."Mr Mugwadi said Prof Moyo's behaviour illustrated "how gate-crushers, late-comers and sell outs turned revolutionaries in a people's revolution behave."Prof Moyo has been on rabid campaign against Command Agriculture deriding it as "Ugly-Culture'' and equating reports of its success as ''Command Lies''.Minister Zhuwao has also rapped Zimpapers, accusing the group's titles of promoting Command Agriculture at the expense of Zim-Asset.This is despite that Command Agriculture falls under the Food and Nutrition Cluster of Zim-Asset.President Mugabe is also on record hailing the success of Command Agriculture, amid indications that the programme would exceed the projected yields. More than 2,500 migrants were rescued and 50 went missing at sea over the 10 June weekend after leaving Libya. According to the UN refugee agency, the migrants originated mainly from sub-Saharan Africa and were sent onto the sea in dilapidated boats off the coast of the troubled North African country. The International Organization for Migration said that that the arrivals of migrants are rising again with the number having already reached an estimated 60,521 by 24 May with around four-fifths of them arriving in Italy. By mid-May, more than 1,500 had died at sea as well. Most of these migrants travel to Libya, which makes the country the center of bilateral and multilateral efforts to tame migration flows to the EU. The country itself is a very dire security situation, facing a complex transition of power after Muammar Gaddafi had been toppled in 2011. The country has had difficulties imposing order on the many armed militias that have been fighting for power since Gaddafis fall. In February, Libya signed a migrant deal with Italy to address illegal migration, which was the first step in organized efforts from the side of the EU to step up the combat against smugglers. During the Valletta Summit in Malta, the EU further intensified its efforts to support Libya, which included programs to train the coast guard, strengthen border control in the south and boost the countrys hosting capacity for blocked and readmitted migrants. The sort of migrant deal that Europe struck with Libya, however, does not gather much support in Brussels. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Libya and Italy was blocked on 22 March by the Tripoli Appeals Court for the lack of approval by Libyas House of Representatives and, outside the country, analysts think that relying on conflict-ridden Libya for an effective governance of migration flows is a stretch. To deal with migration effectively, one must address the political economy created by migrant smuggling. The main goal should be to break the transnational networks that have been in making for a couple of years, gradually isolate their criminal leadership from other groups and individuals whose livelihoods have become dependent on smuggling amidst the lack of other alternatives. However, a viable long-term solution requires economic alternatives to develop the regions of the country that have been hit most by smuggling routes as well as alternative forms of livelihoods for the locals. This can be achieved only through a settlement of the political conflict and economic recovery including the rebuilding of infrastructure. Libyas Illegal Migration: The Urgent Need for a New Strategy Opinion by Luigi Narbone European University Institute. (The Opinion can be downloaded here) Since 2014, the EU has shown unprecedented unanimity on sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis. Despite diverging national interests and ranging economic dependencies on Russia, the EUs 28 Member States have managed to maintain a united policy. While the six monthly renewals may have looked like rubber stamp exercises they have in fact been a struggle between economic interests, geopolitical considerations and normative goals. The dividing lines between pro and anti-sanctions states are not clear-cut though. Economic dependency on Russia for trade and energy is not sufficient enough to explain Member States attitudes towards sanctions. While Greece, Cyprus and Italy are among the least dependant on trade with Russia, they are the most vocal proponents of lifting sanctions. In contrast, Finland, Poland and the Baltic states are the main economic losers of EU-Russia tensions. Nevertheless, they are amongst the strongest advocates of sanctions. The latest EU Summit (22-23 June) showed similar divisions among the countries in the wake of sanctions extension. The aim of this article is to provide a better understanding of which factors impact the EU Member States positions. Based on their statements, the article categorises the attitudes into five groups: Russia-hawks Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, the Baltic States, Denmark, and Finland are the hard-liners advocating sanctions as a tool to stop Russian aggression and resolve the frozen conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Aligned with the US position, the UK and Denmark traditionally support a tougher transatlantic stance on Russia. The position of Poland, Sweden, Finland and the Baltic states is driven by geopolitical concerns. Located in Russias geographic proximity with negative historical relations, these countries perceive Russia as a security threat and advocate the strengthening of sanctions. The position of Germany has undergone a drastic change. While in 2013-2014 the position was shaped by Schroders strategic partnership with Russia, after the downing of the Malaysian MH17 in July 2014, Germany ended its business as usual approach. Despite the intertwined economic links and the dominance of Putin-Versteher group, Germany embarked on a leading role in advocating sanctions. Lukewarm supporters Although France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Croatia have (almost) never questioned the effectiveness of sanctions as an EU instrument, they havent been strong proponents either. Due to either their geographical distance or considerable economic ties with Russia, their support has been rather lukewarm. Despite Frances active participation in the Normandy Format, Paris has followed Germanys first fiddle in the conflict resolution. The traditionally close French-Russian relationship made it hard for Paris to take a tougher stance, as the case with the Mistral warships illustrated. Spains and Portugals geographic distance and significant dependency on Russias investment in real estate and tourism has resulted in a reserved attitude towards sanctions. The Netherlands position became tougher only after the shooting down of MH17. Having very close economic relationships with Russia the country is Russias third largest trading partner, while the Royal Dutch Shell is a main investor in Russias LNG project in Sakhalin and Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Netherlands were reluctant to strengthen sanctions. Divided from within Domestically very divided, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria send ambiguous signals vis-a-vis sanctions. The ambiguity of these countries positions arises from the tensions between pro- and anti-sanctions political forces driven either by geopolitical concerns or by business ties with Russia. While one half perceives Russia as an economic partner, the other sees it as a geopolitical threat. The two competing narratives lead to the polarisation of political and business elites, mass media and the public. With significant dependency on trade with Russia or its energy resources, the countries often defend their national interests over the EUs. This explains incoherent positions. For instance, while Slovakias Prime Minister Fico defends national interests and claims that sanctions are disastrous for the countrys economy, President Kiska firmly supports the punitive measures and urges the EU to stay united on Russia, to ensure that Russia cannot exploit differences between EU countries and break our internal unity. Russias friends Italy, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus and Austria are united in their sympathy for Putins regime and openly advocate the lifting of sanctions. They traditionally share close political, historical, cultural and religious ties with Russia. All of these countries have held meetings with Putin despite the EUs informal policy to refrain from any diplomatic events with Russian officials. These countries pragmatic approach is explained by their strong economic interests, including the banking and energy sectors and tourism. For example, about 70% of Austrian gas comes from Russia, Russias Gazprom was invited to build the Austrian stand of the South Stream project and to invest in domestic infrastructure. Hungary is currently 100% dependent on Russian gas. Budapests exposure to Russia was further increased after the government signed deal with Russias Rosatom to build two nuclear reactors in the country. Bystanders Ireland, Luxemburg, Belgium and Malta have shown no particular support or objection during the EUs discussion on sanctions. These countries low profiles in the discussions can be explained by their geographical distance, weak historical ties, lack of negative experience with Russia and low economic dependency on Russian energy resources. Conclusions As each countrys case illustrates, economic factors alone fail to fully explain EU Member States attitudes towards sanctions. It is a combination of overlapping historical, cultural, geopolitical and economic factors that shape EU Member States positions. By understanding the full range of factors affecting countries positioning, EU policy-makers would be better equipped to preserve the EUs fragile unity. It is especially relevant in light of the Nord Stream 2 launch and the US Senates sanctions proposal, where geopolitics and economic interests clash again. While Germany and Austria consider Nord Stream 2 as a purely commercial project, Poland, the Baltic states and the Nordic states strongly oppose it due to EU energy security, Ukraines future and environmental issues. The Senates proposed bill to sanction any US or foreign firm investing in Russian oil or gas pipelines has further polarised the relations between the US and Germany. Germanys pivot towards its economic interests will negatively affect the EUs internal dynamics. As the main driving force behind the EU sanctions, Germanys preference of its own national interests might discourage other Member States from complying with the EU official position. The German and Austrian opposing joint reaction to the Senates draft sanctions might significantly weaken the US- and the EUs united response against Russias activities in Ukraine. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You wouldn't need to set up a company. You'd just need permission from your employer to do outside work. I will be brutally honest and tell you that your chances are slim. Many of the papers have just laid off large numbers of staff and are cutting back big time. So you're literally competing with tens of people who've lived here for years, know the drill and know what they're talking about and they're all looking for job, full-time or otherwise. Also about 15 magazines have just been shut down - now is really not the time. No, you wouldn't have freedom to write what you want, you'll pretty much get told what you can and cannot write. Many subjects and countries do not exist as far as the UAE is concerned and many of the political stories come from the national news agency and you may only re-write their content. Your monthly salary is fine - contrary to what some might say, many have never earned that much here and still do ok. Join the facebook group, UAE Freelancers. Expats from European Union nations will have to apply for an identity card if they want to continue to live in the UK after Brexit under current proposals outlined by the British Prime Minister.New details of the deal that the UK wants for expats reveal that there will be a special settled status for EU citizens where they will be registered on a Home Office central database and they will be able to bring family members from overseas.But Theresa May said she is now willing to compromise on British Courts having jurisdiction after Brexit and that it will not be given to the European Court of Justice, but no expats will be sent home.Under the detailed plan EU citizens living in Britain would retain all their rights until the day of Brexit. But they will then have to apply for a new immigration status to retain access to public services and the jobs market.Anyone with continuous residence of at least five years on the cut-off date will qualify for settled status, effectively an indefinite leave to remain, with access to healthcare, education, welfare and pensions.People who have moved more recently to the UK will be asked to apply for temporary leave to remain until they have been living in the country for five years when they can apply for settled status.Those arriving after the cut-off date, likely to be around the end of March 2019, will be given a grace period, expected to be two years, to apply for another form of immigration status such as a work permit that would allow them to legally live in Britain and then after five years can apply for settled status.May added that, subject to negotiation, the UK would like to continue to participate in the European Health Insurance Card scheme so UK cardholders continue having free or reduced cost healthcare on visits to the EU, and vice versa.Lord Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, described the British proposals as very generous. This is a very generous offer that fully respects the reasonable demands of EU citizens who have made their lives here. Despite previous scaremongering, no one will be asked to go home, he said.Clearly there needs to be some form of judicial oversight of the rights of EU nationals in the UK. This cannot possibly be the ECJ. Having decided to leave the EU, the public would never accept the jurisdiction of a foreign court over our internal affairs, he added.But the identity card plan has not been welcomed by all. We cannot fathom why they are making individuals who already have applied for Permanent Residence or a Residence card apply again, said Saira Grant, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI).These are people who have already proven their right to be here to the Governments satisfaction under a very stringent process. Many of them will have done so in order to feel more secure in the UK after Brexit, she pointed out.It is astonishing that the Government wants to take on the expense and administrative hassle of reprocessing all of those applications under a new scheme and thereby creating more bureaucracy and continued anxiety for EU nationals, she added. News / National by Staff reporter THE High Court has rescinded an erroneous court order that compelled First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe and her son Mr Russell Goreraza to vacate three houses belonging to a fugitive Lebanese businessman Jamal Ahmed.Judge President George Chiweshe set aside the order after the First Family's lawyer Mr Wilson Manase of Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners argued that his clients had nothing to do with the alleged grabbing of the property and that Dr Mugabe's name had unfairly been soiled.The police have since told the court that they placed the houses in question under police guard as part of their investigations into criminal allegations against Jamal.Details to follow.... Organizations around the world, including banks, multinational companies and one law firm with offices in Texas, were hit Tuesday in a global wave of cyberattacks. Law firm DLA Piper was experiencing issues with some of its systems due to suspected malware, a spokesperson from the firm said in a statement Tuesday. The firm has offices in Austin, Dallas and Houston, but it was unclear if those specifically were impacted. The wave of cyberattacks follows the recent ransomware attack known as WannaCry, which spread quickly and infected more than 300,000 computers in about 150 countries. The firm, like many other reported companies, has experienced issues with some of its systems due to suspected malware, the spokesperson for DLA Piper said in a statement. We are taking steps to remedy the issue as quickly as possible. It is not clear if every hack was connected, and more information specific to the attack on DLA Piper was not immediately available. Many researchers attributed the sweep of attacks globally on Tuesday to a new strain of a familiar ransomware called Petya. Ransomware infects a computer and blocks access to the machine, or its data, until a ransom is paid, usually in Bitcoin. Motherboard reported Tuesday it was sent a photo of an infected computer the source said was in DLA Pipers Washington, D.C. office. Their source claimed that employees had been told to leave their workstations. The photo shows a black screen with red text that demands a ransom, a screen that looks similar to others posted online throughout Tuesday, and a photo taken by Reuters. Moscow cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab countered some reports in a statement Tuesday, saying its preliminary findings suggested the recent attacks are not a variant of Petya ransomware, but a new ransomware that has not been seen before. While it has several strings similar to Petya, it possesses entirely different functionality, Kaspersky said in an emailed statement. Lines at all three Texas locations of DLA Piper were busy when the Express-News made calls throughout the day. San Antonio network and information security firm Digital Defense said Tuesday that its clients, so far, were untouched. So far to the best of our knowledge none of our clients are impacted, and weve advised all our clients to patch the vulnerability that gives rise to EternalBlue, Digital Defense Chief Technology Officer Gordon MacKay said to the Express-News. Symantec analysts said via Twitter on Tuesday that the new strain of Petya ransomware, like WannaCry, is using the EternalBlue exploit to spread. Microsoft issued a fix for the vulnerability used by the supposedly National Security Agency-developed tool, but its clear that some organizations still have not patched their systems. Symantec analysts have confirmed #Petya #ransomware, like #WannaCry, is using #EternalBlue exploit to spread, Symantec said in a tweet. The continued use of a known exploit drove some Tuesday to blame companies for not fixing their systems after WannaCry, but MacKay said its not that simple. A lot of people youll see on Twitter, theyll say well you guys deserve it because you should have seen after WannaCry, what happened there, it should have been a big red flag and a warning that hey, you should go patch the known vulnerability that EternalBlue gives rise to, and EternalBlue wouldnt be impacting you, he said. But the challenge is that organizations understand where theyre vulnerable, but they cant always just go patching their machines, they have to also consider their business, and so it takes them time to get to that point where theyre comfortable. It will take time, MacKay said, to completely eradicate this vulnerability. The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) said in a release Tuesday that it has received multiple reports of Petya ransomware infections occurring in networks in many countries around the world. We think its a variant of Petya, said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist for McAfee, in a phone call with the Express-News. This happens quite a bit, where theyll take an existing piece of malware and then change it to adapt to different needs. So we think its a strain of Petya, and thats what weve seen pretty consistently. And weve got the samples, and it seems to be playing out in the samples as well. Davis said the attacks reported throughout Tuesday appear to be connected, and that McAfee has seen the bulk of the hits taking place in Europe. The head of strategic intelligence for Santa Claras McAfee, Raj Samani, said in a statement that the wave of attacks does not appear to be as great as WannaCry but the number of impacted organizations is significant. It appears that its using the same propagation method as WannaCry, at least based on the data we have right now, Samani said. Anybody running operating systems that have not been patched for the vulnerability WannaCry exploited could be vulnerable to this attack. Kaspersky Lab said its data showed there were about 2,000 attacked users so far. Organizations in Russia and Ukraine are the most affected, and we have also registered hits in Poland, Italy, the UK, Germany, France, the U.S., and several other countries, Kaspersky Lab said in a statement. It named EternalBlue as one of the ways cyber criminals are spreading the malware through networks. 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. The lab said it is working to figure out whether its possible to decrypt data locked in the attack. We advise all companies to update their Windows software, to check their security solution and ensure they have back up and ransomware detection in place, the lab said in the statement. Pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. said via Twitter that its company was impacted. We confirm our companys computer network was compromised today as part of global hack, the company wrote on its verified account. Other organizations have also been affected. We are investigating the matter and will provide additional information as we learn more, it added in an additional tweet. And shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk said Tuesday via Twitter that it was hit with a cyberattack. We can confirm that Maersk IT systems are down across multiple sites and business units due to a cyberattack, the company said in a tweet. In a later update, Maersk mentioned Petya specifically. Global cyber-attack Petya is affecting multiple businesses, the company said in a tweet. We are responding to limit impact on customers and to uphold operations. Update to follow. A hospital and health care system based in western Pennsylvania also said Tuesday it was dealing with a widespread cyberattack. A spokeswoman for Heritage Valley Health System says the attack Tuesday is affecting the organizations entire health system and employees are working to ensure safe patient care continues. The Associated Press contributed to this report. sehlinger@express-news.net Twitter: @samehlinger For most of human history, people have looked up at the starry night and wondered if there was life beyond Earth. A growing body of research shows that alien life is indeed possible, and San Antonio is the source of some of the newest breakthroughs. A graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio has found that hydrogen can be produced between reactions between radioactive rock and water on spatial bodies within our solar system, potentially providing support for alien life. Physics doctoral student Alexis Bouquet, working at Southwest Research Institute as part of a joint program between the organization and the university, was part of a team that discovered that the crust of chondrites, such as moons and asteroids, contained radioactive material necessary to create hydrogen through a process called radiolysis, which is already a known reaction on Earth. One of the best ways to advance planetary science in general is to take what has already been done here on Earth and apply it to bodies of the solar system, said Bouquet, who was the lead author of the study. RELATED: Air Force doc wins NASA Space Poop challenge will take astronauts where they've never gone before Southwest provides adjunct professors and research opportunities for UTSA students in space physics and was started in 2006, according to a Southwest Research Institute spokesperson. The discovery is an expansion of an earlier finding made by a team of scientists, including Southwest Research Institutes Hunter Waite, that showed one of Saturns moons had hydrogen in the water on its oceans. It was a pretty big deal because, hydrogen, its a tiny molecule. It escapes very easily, Bouquet said. You cant really store it in a small body. So if youre seeing it, that means theres chemistry happening and its being produced right now. The other discovery, announced in April, showed that hydrogen had been discovered in plumes of water erupting from the surface of the moon Enceladus. Scientists originally proposed that the hydrogen was caused by hydrothermal reactions, similar to hydrothermal vents on Earths sea floor that support life. RELATED: NASA's Juno mission reveals cyclones, fierce magnetic fields on Jupiter Hydrothermal activity requires constantly exposing water to new, hot rock, something that is not always possible on these smaller spatial bodies, Bouquet said. His finding shows that radiolysis, in which radioactive decay from rock splits water molecules, can supplement the hydrogen production to sustain these life-forms. The scientists learned about the hydrogen in the water of Enceladus from Cassini, a space vehicle that has been orbiting Saturn since 2004 and is slated to finish its mission by crashing into Saturn later this year. There are plumes of ice and gas surrounding Enceladus, as water fired into the atmosphere by geysers escapes the moons weak gravitational pull. Enceladus is about the size of the state of Arizona, so it doesnt have much gravity to speak of. Most of the gas that comes out just goes off into space, said Waite, Bouquets graduate adviser. The Cassini spacecraft then flew through these plumes, collecting data about the composition of the moons ocean through the material that had been ejected. What the ocean sees is basically the vacuum of space, Waite said. You can imagine the thing just kind of explodes or expands into the vacuum of space when it sees that low pressure. RELATED: NASA just discovered the first food source for potential aliens 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. The lack of gravity also plays into radiolysis as well, Bouquet said. As smaller spatial bodies cool, their crust cracks. Without the strong gravitational forces that can compact the crust, water rushes into these cracks and reacts with the newly exposed rock, resulting in more hydrogen production, even if the rock is not hot enough for hydrothermal reactions. The next step for the scientists will come in 2022, when a mission to Europa, one of Jupiters moons, is scheduled to launch. The Europa mission will include two devices designed by researchers at Southwest. Much of the Europa mission will be confirming findings scientists already have through other means, said Kurt Retherford, a staff scientist at Southwest who is part of the Europa project. Europa is expected to have hydrogen present in its plumes. We always keep open the possibility of finding something new and exciting, and as a scientist thats what you really hope for in your career, Retherford said. But we do have a plan to make really dedicated measurements of things that we have already seen with (the Hubble telescope) and that we already expect there to be on the surface. Once the mission to Europa begins, it will take the spacecraft about three years to reach the moon, Waite said. jpound@express-news.net Twitter: @jesserpound This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Emel Hyusein and Kashish Kukreja walked past cage after cage at Animal Care Services, two teenage girls looking for a dog to play with. They settled on a brown lab mix named Shorty. Emel laughed as she waved a plush red toy shaped like a bone, the dog loping after her on a grassy area. The shelter was their second stop that April morning, as Kashish, from Pakistan, and Emel, from Bulgaria, sought to volunteer as much as possible and make the most of their limited time as exchange students. Earlier they had spent hours side by side in a freezer at the San Antonio Food Bank, sorting packages of donated meat into cardboard boxes. I personally like this place because when she tells us how many people we served, I get a good feeling, Kashish said after emerging from the freezers chill, rubbing her hands to warm up. Ayusa, a cultural exchange program more formally called Academic Year in the U.S.A., brought them to San Antonio. The girls, now 17, spent their junior year at John Marshall High School and logged more than 160 community-service hours, an effort they say helped acquaint them with the city and America. Taking the bus when necessary, they ladled stew for the hungry. They worked with special-needs children at a therapeutic horse farm in Helotes. At the animal shelter, they played with abandoned dogs and stray cats. They went everywhere together, and grew as close as sisters. For more than three decades, Ayusa has enabled high school students from across the globe to live and study in the United States. It remains unclear how this years congressional budget decisions will affect the exchange network, which has a scholarship program funded through the State Departments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Ayusa established the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program to provide scholarships to students from countries with large Muslim populations. Program coordinators believe that long track record, and bipartisan support, will work in their favor. Its kind of an aspect of foreign diplomacy, in a sense, said Connie Coutu, an Ayusa regional manager who hosted the girls at her home. Over the years, Coutu and her husband have hosted 44 exchange students. We get to know people from countries that many of us would never travel to or have the opportunity to travel to. At the same time, it gives students the opportunity to learn about American culture, and that were all basically just people, she said. Kashish and Emel lived here during the 2016 presidential election and its aftermath, with its political and social strife and the Trump administrations effort to ban travelers from several Muslim-majority countries. Days after they left for home this month, the Supreme Court allowed part of the ban to take effect, pending a hearing on challenges to it. So far, Ayusa coordinators say, that has not affected applications, though organizations that support the program reported a decrease in popularity this year, and an increase in interest in programs in other English-speaking countries. Pakistan wasnt included in the travel ban, but for a time Kashish feared it would be added and prevent her from completing her year here. Friends back home gave up on their exchange applications, she said. When Emel, who also is Muslim, reached out to friends in Bulgaria, she said it seemed like the situation had chilled excitement about traveling to America. After everything had happened, theyre like, I dont want to go there. America doesnt want us. Why would I want to go there if theyre trying to ban us, and theyre basically kicking us away? Emel said. I feel like that creates a bad image for the U.S., for our part of the world. Despite the turbulence, most Ayusa exchange students reported in a survey this spring that they were welcomed as international students, said Alison Gold, executive director of Ayusa International. Kashish and Emel said they believed their classmates at Marshall accepted them in fact, most considered their backgrounds unremarkable, as Texas is already home to so many immigrants. That diversity was something Emel really appreciated. Bulgaria can be homogenous, she said, especially when it comes to religion. The girls, who both hail from small towns, appreciated living in a big city. After several months here, Kashish, who used to be shy, found the words spilling out. It has changed me emotionally, physically and mentally, she said. They also learned from each other, sharing their languages each speaks several and stories from back home. Kashish and Emel hope to put lessons theyve learned to use, especially from their experience as volunteers. After their frequent animal shelter visits, Kashish said shed like to promote that work in her own town, in addition to helping Pakistans homeless, who she believes should be treated with more respect. Emel aims to combat pollution and help stray animals. Coutu considers Kashish and Emel among the most remarkable students that she has hosted. They just seemed to be really wanting to give back to the community and to learn what they could about the people in the community, Coutu said. Halfway through her stay in San Antonio, Kashish penned an essay about her experience for a contest. Those months living in America, she wrote, had already taught her so much. The main thing these five months have taught me is to be tolerant, she wrote. They taught me to be tolerant of different religions, ethnicities, cultures, races, classes and opinions. Humanity is the thing that matters. lcaruba@express-news.net BANDERA Construction of the Silver Spur Skate Park has resumed off Maple Street after a two-month pause while city leaders examined whether it was better suited for the spot in City Park that long was advertised as its future location. The City Council last week approved using the city-owned lot at Maple and Eighth Street after reviewing soil sample tests by an engineering firm that indicated it was the more viable of the two sites, Mayor Suzanne Schauman said last week. I supported that decision wholeheartedly, she said of the June 19 council vote, adding, There was quite a bit of public interest and there are supporters and opponents of both sites. The decision came just two days before the Fourth Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal initiated by Janet Henry, a resident who lives near the Maple Street location and had sued the city in a failed challenge to the site selection process. In April, a lower court dismissed the suit that accused city officials of cutting corners in approving the $134,000 facility. Henry and others complained of being blindsided by a little-noticed decision in October to change the location of the skate park from City Park. Scott Tschirhart, the citys attorney, argued that the city enjoys sovereign immunity and that the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to sue. The councils regular meeting on June 19 followed a special meeting where Lynn Palmer was appointed to serve until November in the council seat formerly held by Sheila Pumphrey. The post was declared vacant by council in May due to Pumphrey now residing in a nursing home located outside city limits. Palmer, a former council member who Schauman said was the only person to seek the appointment, could not be reached for comment. Following the skate park vote, additional soil compaction work commenced at the Maple Street lot, which required demolishing the foundation work previously done there. They just asked me to rip it out and recompact it, Jim Chastain, the contractor, said Friday as a bulldozer and grader worked nearby. Schauman said no opening date has been set yet for the facility to be built by American Ramp Co. Were hoping to frame it by next week and pour it by June 30, she said, noting the concrete must then cure for at least 30 days. Although theres been a lot of back-and-forth among locals and officials about the decision to move the skate facility from its originally planned site, Schauman said, I didnt care which site it was on. I just wanted to go forward. zeke@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Billowing clouds of smoke poured from the Shops at Rivercenter just before noon Tuesday after a fire broke out at a River Walk restaurant, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people. Authorities responded to the 800 block of Riverwalk around 11:40 a.m. About 45 units responded to the blaze, which was finally extinguished hours later after 4 p.m. Woody Woodward, a spokesman for the San Antonio Fire Department, said firefighters were focusing on an area of duct work near Tony Romas and Luciano. He said firefighters were chasing the fire through the duct works. Joe Arrington, a spokesman for SAFD, said firefighters believe the blaze started as a grease fire and then spread to the duct works. Everyone was evacuated from the building, including the Marriott Rivercenter, and there were no reported injuries, officials said. Marriott Rivercenter spokesman Robert Ramirez said there was no damage to the hotel building, but guests could smell smoke in the main lobby. About 500 people were in the building at the time of the fire, Ramirez said. In addition to the police officers and fire fighters working the scene, a full battalion of kitchen staff many still wearing toques and aprons could be spotted congregating in a parking lot along Bowie Street. The sight is not an uncommon one. More than a half-dozen San Antonio restaurants, including some high-profile spots, have been impacted by fire in just over a year. The list includes Jacala Mexican Restaurant, Folc, Francis Bogside, King's Bowl, El Tipico and a Gradys BBQ location. Though the causes were different, including an electrical fire and a fire that began in a pizza oven, all experienced damage that derailed dinner plans for owners and customers alike. Some were closed for weeks; while others have not yet reopened. Woodward couldnt say from the information available to him Tuesday if the number of restaurant fires in San Antonio this year was above average for that type of business. Restaurants do present some unique challenges to firefighters, Woodward said. The duct work required for sophisticated ventilation systems can snake through walls and ceilings, making access to the point of origin difficult. Grease fires, when they occur, must be smothered to effectively extinguish them. This is the fourth fire-related incident in the past seven years at this location. Nationally, the number of restaurant fires has fallen significantly in recent years. The National Fire Prevention Association reported a total of 8,470 restaurant fires in 2014, a nearly 64 percent decrease from the 23,300 restaurant fires reported in 1980. Jacala owner Lucille Hooker said the staffs of Tony Roma and Luciano would be wise to plan for the long haul. There are so many things that go into it. Its not just shutting it down to repair, Hooker said. There are so many people you cant get in touch with to let them know it closed. Thats the hardest part. Theyd drive in from New Braunfels only to be disappointed. Then they get so used to going other places, they get comfortable there, so you lose that business as well. The fire disrupted guests at the Marriott Rivercenter. Pamela Dickerson, 46, and Lachounda Johnson, 54, said they were asleep when hotel employees made an initial announcement around 11:35 a.m. telling guests to disregard the nearby fire. Johnson was watching television and noted the increased presence of fire and police vehicles from her hotel room window when hotel management ordered the evacuation via the hotels PA system. The women smelled smoke as they descended the stairs from the 22nd floor. I got my exercise, Johnson said. That's what I was thinking, too, Dickerson said before the two women laughed. Savannah Hernandez, 33, works on the street level at Life in Alamo City, a souvenir shop. She and several others said they evacuated on their own as the smoke began rising. I kept asking the security guard Are we going to evacuate? Hernandez said, noting that she could see all the smoke from the large windows of Rivercenter mall. Much of the atmosphere was calm during the early moments of the fire, she said. We still had customers but then you just see dark smoke, she said, adding that it began spreading into their area. Hernandez decided to close shop and evacuate about 20 minutes before the order was given. Thats when a text was sent out by mall officials telling all businesses to leave because of an outside fire. In April 2016, a portion of Tony Romas experienced roughly $25,000 worth of damage when, investigators said at the time, a bundle of hot towels were left near some chemicals at the restaurant and were believed to have caught fire. Commerce Street was closed off in June 2011 when fire crews were called out to the rib joint after smoke began pouring out of the restaurant's air conditioning vent. And in December 2010 a duct at the restaurant suffered damage as firefighters battled a grease fire that started at Lucianos Staff writers Madalyn Mendoza, Kelsey Bradshaw, Jacob Beltran and Joshua Fechter contributed to this report. pstephen@express-news.net Twitter: @pjbites Instagram: @pjstephen Opinion / Letters Editor,I am a concerned citizen who is worried about the level of corruption at Jumbo road. I live at Mazowe and 7,5km away from my place of residence is a Mine called Jumbo where i make my short trip to market and sell my poultry.Now early in the morning Bogus traffic cops who are usually on standby duty make their way to Jumbo Mine they hide under a tree and once they set sights on a hondafit, Toyotq Raum or Funcargoi vanobva vati kuna driver tipe mari yedu, The assumption being you are carrying passengers from Jumbo to Mazowe Inn hapanyorwe ticket ipapo. The officers demand between $3 and $5 for, once you pay you enjoy free ride.Traffic Cops usually knock of at 10am and soon after Mazowe Station comes and takes over, Sometimes vanomira vese on the same stretch at a distance of 3km apart.We thank First lady Grace Mugabe for chasing them away at Gushungo turnoff which used to be their permanent point.The first lady chased them for corruption because you could see them demanding bribes in broad daylight infront of passengers. Now these bogus cops are back again and now conduct their operations and Masamba bustop at JumboMine kwavasingaonekwe neConvoy yaFirstlady when she visits her farm.On Saturday the 24th of june Traffic Cops had to flee when they saw a convoy comprising of Zanu Pf youth going to visit the first familys farm.I want to make an appeal to the responsible authorities be it anticorruption unit to investigate Mazowe Police Station corruption is rife there.Sometimes you hear the police saying" tauya kuzotsvaga mari dzemashefu edu".Someone do something about this it daylight robbery.Concerned citizen. WASHINGTON Farm groups are praising a recent decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to withdraw the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) final rule. The EPA and the USACE now begin a replacement rulemaking process to gather input and re-evaluate the definition of WOTUS. Two-step process Earlier this year, President Trump issued an executive order, directing EPA and USACE to propose a rule rescinding or revising the final 2015 WOTUS rule. We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nations farmers and businesses, said Administrator Scott Pruitt in a release from the EPA Office of Water. This is the first step in a two-step process EPA is taking to redefine waters of the U.S., said Pruitt. According to the EPA, the proposed rule would recodify the identical regulatory text that was in place prior to the 2015 Clean Water Rule and that is currently in place as a result of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuits stay of the 2015 rule. This action, when final, will not change current practice with respect to how the definition applies. The agencies have also begun the second step of rulemaking involving a re-evaluation and revision of the definition of waters of the United States following the Executive Order. Farm groups applaud U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, said in a release that he is pleased Administrator Pruitt and the EPA listened to farmers concerns. With a rewrite of the WOTUS rule, I look forward to seeing a rule that recognizes and respects the environmental strides taken by the American farmer and rancher, said Roberts. This is great news for Americas pork producers, said National Pork Producers Council President Ken Maschhoff, a pork producer from Carlyle, Illinois. The WOTUS rule was a dramatic government overreach and an unprecedented expansion of federal authority over private lands, he said. The National Pork Producers Council said based on several U.S. Supreme Court decisions, EPAs jurisdiction had included navigable waters and waters with a significant hydrologic connection to navigable waters. But the WOTUS rule broadened that to include, among other water bodies, upstream waters and intermittent and ephemeral streams such as the kind farmers use for drainage and irrigation. It also covered lands adjacent to such waters. The goal of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the integrity of the nations waters. The 2015 rule moved us further away from that goal, said Wesley Spurlock, president of the National Corn Growers Association and Texas farmer. Repealing it is an important first step toward providing farmers the certainty and clarity we have long desired, he said. House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway, R-Tex., said the announcement is an important first step to getting the federal government out of Americas backyards, fields and ditches But there is still work to be done, as the case of California farmer John Duarte highlights the need to re-evaluate and revise enforcement of the Clean Water Act and WOTUS to protect farmers from onerous fines and penalties, said Conaway. I have confidence this administration will get the policy right and allow farmers and ranchers to be the capable stewards of the land theyve always been, he said. This is another great step in the right direction said National Cattlemens Beef Association President Craig Uden. However, he noted its important to remember the rule isnt dead yet, and NCBA will continue to submit and solicit comments on behalf of Americas cattle producers. Not a fan However, some environmentalist groups are not thrilled with EPAs decision. A statement from Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, said although far from perfect, the Clean Water Rule was a step in the right direction; now Trump wants to take giant steps backwards in clean water protections, back to the days of massive fish kills and rivers on fire. Hauter added, Trump is firmly cementing his place in history as the worst environmental president to ever hold office. Environment Ohio, a statewide, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organization, said Repealing the Clean Water Rule turns the mission of the EPA on its head The group stated the Clean Water Rule restored federal protection for 60 percent or 51,000 miles of Ohio streams that feed waterways and provide drinking water. The rule also protects wetlands and wildlife habitats. Environment Ohio is calling on the EPA to reconsider. Comment period The Trump administrations proposed withdrawal will require a 30-day public comment period, after which EPA and the Army Corps would have to consider the reaction and the make a final decision which likely will draw suits from groups that favor the regulation. Congressman Bob Gibbs said the EPA should treat farmers, ranchers, homebuilders, local governments, or state environmental agencies as collaborators in drafting a new WOTUS rule and should take all their opinions into account. Related coverage: Donkers gives back through Breakfast on the Farm By Kaitlynn Anderson Farms.com Shedden-area farmer Ed Donkers is a perfect example of rural resilience overcoming tragedy. In December 2013, Donkers lost 900 goats in a barn fire. The blaze made its way onto national newscasts. Donkers made news on Saturday for a different reason, hosting a sold-out Breakfast on the Farm, an event organized by Farm & Food Care Ontario. To the consumers who maybe dont know where food always comes from, I hope we showed them a great place, said Donkers. We gave away cheese and pasteurized milk, and that was very popular. I dont know the numbers yet, but it was a perfect day, and I hope everyone had a good time. Farm & Food Care Ontario flickr photo (From L to R: MP Karen Vecchio, Ed Donkers, MPP Jeff Yurek) The Southwold Township producer explained that his barn fire was an experience that changed him from being solely a farmer into being an activist for farming. So, an ideal candidate to host a Breakfast on the Farm. Farm & Food Care Ontario, the agricultural advocacy group based in Guelph, should be credited for the events success, Donkers reports. Farm & Food Care did an amazing job of organizing. They deserve a lot of praise for what they pulled off. Donkers started farming with his parents 25 years ago, running a dairy operation. He moved to goats in 2008. By Ryan McGeeney Grow for the Green, the perennial competition that challenges the states soybean producers to put their growing know-how to the test, is hoping 2017 will be the year for at least one grower to hit 120 bushels per acre. The prize for for clearing that lofty bar is an additional $10,000, on top of any additional prize money a grower might collect, including $7,500 for the states top yield. The contest, now in its seventh year, is sponsored by the Arkansas Soybean Association. Dawn Howe, the associations executive director, said 2017 is actually the second year the 120 bu/ac bounty has been offered. We had one grower who got awfully close last year, Howe said. The 2016 contest was dominated by the Wray family of Poinsett County. James Wray produced a yield of about 118.8 bu/ac; his mother, Barbara Annette Wray, took second place in the northeast delta region with about 109.8 bu/ac, barely edging out her husband, James E. Wray, Jr., who turned in 109.7 bu/ac. In Desha County, Martin Henry yielded about 113.9 bu/ac., putting him in second place state-wide. Overall, six producers throughout Arkansas yielded 100 bu/ac or more. Contestants typically isolate plots of about five acres, Howe said, putting their best fields into competition, Howe said. They really pamper these fields, she said. The association is using the tag line 120 by 2020, hoping to inspire growers to achieve the previously unthinkable, she said. The 2017 contest invites growers to enter in one of seven geographic regions, as well as the state-wide competition category for non-GMO soybean production. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three producers in the state with a minimum yield of 60 bu/ac. The top producer in the state will also receive a trip to the 2018 Commodity Classic, to be held in March in Anaheim, California. Experts with both the Arkansas Soybean Association and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will help compile information and results from contestants. Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist with the Division of Agriculture, said the contest is a way for growers throughout the state and region to see the latest in agricultural technology and skill put to the test. These contests and the production information gleaned from the producers show the continued potential of soybean production in Arkansas, Ross said. All producers should be interested in the results. The final day of Canada's Farm Progress Show, presented by Viterra, wrapped up on Friday. Overall attendance was 38,000, which is down slightly from 2016. The cool, rainy and windy weather was likely a factor, but organizers are pleased with the numbers and the show's success. "Attendance is certainly one measure of the show's success, but we pay close attention to the business generated at the show because our main purpose is to bring qualified buyers and sellers together," said show manager Shirley Janeczko. "I attend farm shows across North America and around the world, and our show is always renowned for the success we have in facilitating business by having one of the highest percentages of qualified buyers through the gates." Although tracking domestic sales generated from the show is difficult because they don't always happen immediately, the International Business Centre once again had a successful year and tracked $360 million in sales. Attendees from nearly 65 countries were registered and were able to learn and experience the latest trends and technology in the Canadian agriculture industry. Trade delegations from several countries, including Australia, the United States, Latvia and the Ukraine, attended the show to make formal connections with suppliers at the show. "In my time as show chair, I've seen the International Business Centre expand, both in terms of the number of countries and delegates attending, but also in reputation," said Rene Carpentier. "Canada's Farm Progress Show is well recognized as the premier show that introduces our guests to leading-edge exhibitors that export their equipment and technology. It's a global marketplace right here in Regina." Since the show's beginnings, innovation has been a core element. This year's Farm Credit Canada Innovation Program had several entries with four that won the Sterling Standard Award. Two of the highest-ranked entries received the Gold Standard Award. Learn more about the Innovation Award winners and the program. New to the 2017 show was the Farmyard Inventions competition, presented by Peavey Mart. Entrants showcased their creations that were designed to advance agriculture and improve productivity on the farm. The winner was Ryan Dennis who invented the Better Buncher that is used for making pile to facilitate the burning of straw. The Better Buncher inventor took home a $5,000 Peavey Mart gift card. Also new to the 40th edition of Canada's Farm Progress Show was the Empowering Women conference, headlined by Rachel Mielke, founder of Hillberg & Berk. The sold-out conference was added to this year's show because 42 per cent of attendees are women who are taking a more active role as agricultural entrepreneurs, producers and industry experts. One of the final day's highlights was the hilarious "rant" from CBC funny man Rick Mercer on the FCC Farm Progress Forum stage. Mercer gave his take on what it means to be Canadian in 2017, and shared his experiences from his travels across the country talking to people about what makes us unique. As for next year's show, planning is already underway. In 2018, Canada's largest trade show will get even larger with the addition of new exhibit space. The new 150,000 sq. ft. International Trade Centre will open later this year, and two buildings no longer suitable for events will be removed this summer. "Our footprint will grow again next year with the new International Trade Centre, and we look forward to the opportunities it will bring," said Janeczko. "We have a waiting list of exhibitors each year, so we're happy to accommodate them with the new building and the additional outdoor space." Source : Canada's Farm Progress Show The U.S. Army Attached Laser Cannons To Apache Attack Helicopters Trending News: Why The U.S. Army Is Betting On Lasers As The Future Of Warfare Long Story Short Real-life star wars just got a whole lot closer as the U.S. Army revealed it's testing high-energy laser cannons on Apache attack helicopters and military vehicles. Long Story From Star Wars to Austin Powers, laser beams have been prophesized as the weapon of the future, but it's 2017 and we're still without frickin' laser beams. What gives? Sure, we've had lasers on weapons and helicopters for decades now the Apache helicopter has had them since the first model developed back in the 1980s, reports Popular Mechanics. But we've never had laser beams that can explode sh*t. And we still don't, but the U.S. Army is getting closer. Defense contractor Raytheon just tested flying an Apache attack helicopter with laser cannons strapped to it, and it looks pretty terrifying. But looks can be deceiving. The energy in the beam isn't deadly. Although, according to Art Morrish, vice president of Advanced Concept and Technologies for Raytheon, "This data collection shows we're on the right track." To perform the test, "Raytheon coupled a variant of the Multi-Spectral Targeting System, an advanced, electro-optical, infrared sensor, with a laser," according to a press release. The MTS allows the laser to find information about its target, be aware of the situation and channel the beam. This demonstration came on the exact same day as another laser-related announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense. The other one, an announcement to include more laser weapons on vehicles and for training exercises. So why is the U.S. so laser happy? First off, lasers are cheaper than missiles, as pointed out by Defense News. Second, lasers "would also increase the number of targets an Apache can take out in one mission." But Matthew Ketner, branch chief of the High Energy Laser Controls and Integration Directorate at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, put the usefulness of lasers most bluntly: "Unlike a traditional gun, lasers don't run out of bullets." Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question How much will lasers destroy the infrastructure and landscape compared with traditional bullets? Drop This Fact A U.S. Army training exercise in 2016 demonstrated a 10-kilowatt laser successfully shooting down several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Martha Hunt has partnered with Pluma to raise awareness of scoliosis. Martha Hunt (c) Instagram The 28-year-old model has admitted she suffers from the medical condition, which is when a person's spine curves sideways, and in honour of Scoliosis Awareness Month the star has collaborated with the company to create a choker necklace, which will see all of the proceeds raised from purchasing the item go towards Scoliosis Research Society. And the blonde-haired beauty is "excited" to launch the product and recognise those who, like her, battle with the disease. Alongside a picture of the catwalk icon adorning the garment, which was shared on her Instagram account, she wrote: "I'm so excited to launch this necklace collaboration with @pluma_italia in honor of those living with #scoliosis! I'm proud that percent of the proceeds will benefit Scoliosis Research Society. (sic)." And Martha has named the product after her mother because her parent was her "biggest supporter" during her "scoliosis journey". She added: "I named the necklace after my mother, my biggest supporter throughout my scoliosis journey! Big thank you @luisaviaroma. Shop the #linkinbio #gotyourback (sic)." And the brand was honoured to work with Martha on the product. A post on Pluma Italia's photo-sharing site read: " Scoliosis Awareness Month We had the honor of co-designing necklaces for @marthahunt to raise awareness for scoliosis. (sic)." Martha's fellow Victoria's Secret model, Sara Sampaio, is also "so proud" of her friend for her latest venture and by making the illness more well known because she also battles with the condition. The 25-year-old fashion muse posed in a picture on social media, which captured her wearing the product with a black bralette and denim jacket, that she captioned: "As someone who also has scoliosis I'm so proud of my girl @marthahunt for creating this necklace in collaboration with @pluma_italia. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the scoliosis research society! #gotyourback (sic)." Iggy Azalea has slammed Halsey for being "judgemental" after the star called her a "f***ing moron". Iggy Azalea The 'Colours' hitmaker caused a stir last week when she branded the 27-year-old rapper as a "moron" for having a "complete disregard" toward black culture and claimed the pair would never work together. Speaking at the time, 22-year-old Halsey said: "There's a lot of people I wouldn't put on my record ... Iggy Azalea: absolutely not. She had a complete disregard for black culture. F***ing moron. I watched her career dissolve and it fascinated me." Now, Iggy has responded to the comments as she claims she's "never met" the 'Now or Never' hitmaker, and believes she should be more "empathetic" towards those who are being judged, because she is in the same situation. Speaking on Australian radio show 'Smallzy's Surgery', the 'Fancy' hitmaker said: "It's a bit weird to bring someone up in an interview that you weren't asked about. To me, because I'm a famous person and I know a lot of the time people have opinions and they're not always accurate, I really try very hard not to give my personal opinions about people that I don't know. And I don't know her, I've never met her. "I thought it was a bit of a strange thing to throw that out there, but she's young and I hope she learns maybe to be a bit less judgmental when she's kind of in the same shoes. I'm sure she's getting judged all the time as well by people who don't really know her. So I think maybe it'd be good for her to try to be a little more empathetic to other people that are in the same situation." Prince Philip has attended the funeral of his late cousin Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Prince Philip The 96-year-old royal was joined by members of his family - including his wife Queen Elizabeth, his sons Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, and his daughter Princess Anne - as he arrived at St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge to mourn the loss of his relative, who passed away at her home in Mersham, Kent, earlier this month. Prince Charles - who was also the godson of the Countess - was seen giving his parents a kiss on the cheek as he arrived at the ceremony, where he later gave an address to the 500 people who attended the service. According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the service was around one hour long, and was attended by Countess Mountbatten's sister Lady Pamela Hicks, as well as all six of her surviving children and grandchildren, including heir Nicholas Knatchbull. Countess Mountbatten - who was also known as Patricia Knatchbull - was 93 years old when she passed away, and the news was broken in a statement released by her grieving family. It read: "Patricia Mountbatten died peacefully on Tuesday 13 June at her home in Mersham, Kent, surrounded by her children." Meanwhile Charles, the Prince of Wales, has spoken out about the loss of his "very special" late godmother, and he has admitted he is "deeply saddened" by the news of her death. In a separate statement, the 68-year-old royal said: "I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of my very special godmother, Lady Mountbatten, whom I have known and loved ever since I can first remember. She played an extremely important part in my life and I shall miss her presence most dreadfully." It was also reported that Philip and the Queen, 91, have shared their condolences "privately". A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said: "[The Queen and Prince Philip] privately passed on their condolences". At Fethiye Times we receive lots of messages from readers sharing their experiences and love of Fethiye with us. In March this year we received a very excited message from Yuriy and Lena, a couple from the Ukraine, who were planning a trip to Fethiye. Yuriy and Lena had such an amazing time they wanted to share their visit with us. A message from a reader March 2107 Good morning. I really like your articles in Fethiye Times and am very keen on Fethiye. I have used Google Earth to explore the sights and it is amazing. I am trying to understand more about this place, not just the blue lagoon, paragliding and sightseeing and your articles have given me some things to think about. My wife and I are going to be in Fethiye in June. Being a filmmaker, I have made a lot of plans to film about Fethiye but my wife is talking to me Its just a holiday trip. Thank you again. True to their word, Yuriy and Lena visited Fethiye in June and this is what they had to say. Fethiye in the words (and photos) of Yuriy and Lena. June 2017 Kyiv Ankara Antalya FETHIYE Antalya Ankara Kyiv. It was not by chance that our choice fell on Fethiye. On long winter evenings an overwhelming yen for our sweet Turkey crept up on us. We have already visited Turkey several times , but mainly in Istanbul, Antalya, and once briefly visited Fethiye during a bus tour. After detailed consideration of the map, and having read lots of reviews, we decided to spend a week in Fethiye, and rent an apartment through Airbnb. Finally, it was a sale on tickets to Ankara that urged us to plan our journey. The package tours option, the type of all inclusive, was never on the list for us. We love the true thing in every sense. Ankara is not the nearest city to Fethiye, which added to the excitement. Complications often imply possibilities for an adventure, therefore we chose not a direct flight, but a trip with two transfers. First impressions Our first impression was the road from Antalya to Fethiye. A way down the valley made our hearts beat quicker. Considerably quicker, than expected! The bus terminal in Fethiye a few blocks down the streets and we are at the sea front. It is quite difficult to describe that rush of feelings when faced with the sea and the mountains. It is as if you are inside a cup with the warm sea gently swashing at your feet. Smiles, cats, sportsmen, people on the promenade, the yet unfamiliar Merhaba from a smiling salesman. People are fuss-free glad to see you, ready to render assistance and not to bother you, if youre not in the mood. Any stereotypes about obtrusive service here go against the reality, which is friendly and nonintrusive. That feeling, as if you returned home. Home which you have almost forgotten, yet still you are remembered by the inhabitants. Where did we stay? We were very lucky with the rent of an apartment. We were about to stay in Oludeniz, close to the Blue Lagoon, but fortune brought us to Fatihs apartment, which is located next to Cals Beach. We spent 6 days there, a marvelous experience for us, both because of a very friendly and hospitable house-owner, and of the extremely convenient location itself. Saying that we got moneys worth is an understatement! Getting around Its about 5 kilometres from Fethiye to the apartment we rented. Fatih, the apartments owner, did explain how to get there by public bus. Do you think we ever used it? No! In spite of magnificent buses, we just couldnt help walking along the seafront. We are fond of an active style of life and choosing Fethiye was just right. We walked round the town and rode bicycles from Karatas Plaj up to Orman Piknik Alan. We must admit, its rather difficult to move on, as we stopped to take a picture every five meters along the way! You need to just stand still! Back at home, in Kyiv, I set up an intensive program for each day. Reality amended it! It turned out that, in order to get the charge of positive emotions or an unforgettable experience you need to juststand still! I exaggerate a bit, but we were in a state of delight at every step. Did anything upset us? Were there any things that upset us? Perhaps, yes. Lots of smokers, but this is true about all Turkey, and we almost came to terms with it. Then, lots of garbage on the slopes of Orman Piknik Alan. It disappointed us, of course. We believe that this question will be gradually decided by the local community. Markets Because we cooked at home, the Market (Bazaar) was on our program. We were lucky to visit two Markets on Friday which is held in Fethiye, and on Sunday, not far from our apartment in Cals. I would call the Market the most active tourist attraction in Fethiye. Even if you understand not a word in Turkish, you must visit this place. Apart from an enormous choice of products, you will dive into the atmosphere and feel the real life of the place much better. A visit to Kayakoy On one of our last days there, the owner of the apartment took us to visit his friends in Kayakoy. Its written much about Kayakoy, so Ill not go into details. The strongest impression we took out of this visit was the communication with this nice couple and their attitude to life positive, unhurried, open, full of dignity. Making friends Another problem is, if you are positive and ready to communicate, youll get acquainted with lots of people pretty soon, and in a week some of them you will consider your friends. In this way we made friends with a lady named Deniz, the owner of the sorbet stand at the seafront. We were talking about cooking and application of some spices in Turkish cuisine. Within in a few days we were invited to visit her for a cup of tea or coffee next time we were in Fethiye. Amazing! We do not claim to fully understand Fethiye and people living here, but that what we felt touched us to the depth of the hearts. And what we finally understood, is that one week in Fethiye is almost nothing, but the positive emotions of this only one week will last for a long time. This was the first real visit and it made us understand that this is only the beginning! Love, miss, and be back. Yura, Lena. Postscript I have to mention some people, who made our trip colorful. Fatih Koc Tourleader we hired his apartment. He was really great host and friend. He also invited us to meet his friend, Cetin Bilgin in Kayakoy. It was an amazing trip. In Fethiye, on the seafront we met a great woman Deniz the owner of a small sorbet shop. Several evenings Helen talked with her about local spices. And special thanks to Lyn! Your articles and attitude gave us more confidence in our exploring in Fethiye. THANK YOU for your time (maybe even Fethiye Time) More about Yuriy and Lena Lena is a professional photographer and interpreter (Russian-Ukrainian-English). She studied Japanese and Spanish at the University. She is also keen on Indian astrology (Jyotish) and vegetarian food. In her free time shes a semiprofessional rower. Yuriy runs his own small video production (commercials) company and sometimes works as a director or a producer on short movies. They live in Kiev, but are originally from Odessa (Black sea coast). Arvind Envisol, subsidiary of Arvind Limited, will partner with the Ethiopian government in its drive for green industrialisation. Arvind Envisol has inked MoU with the government to implement the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology for industrial parks in the country. The initiative will boost Ethiopia's GDP and will create employment opportunities. A zero liquid discharge water treatment plant with the capacity of treating 11 million litres of waste water per day has already been set up at Hawassa Industrial Park by Arvind Envisol, according to Ethiopian media reports. The Ethiopian Investment Council (EIC) and Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) will also develop ten mega industrial parks in various parts of the country. In an attempt to lower negative effect on the environment, the government intends to use ZLD technology in these industrial mega parks. ZLD ensures that the industrial parks use the minimum amount of ground water and has a zero liquid discharge outside the park. A study on environmental sustainability in Ethopia's textile and garment sector will be undertaken by the government of Ethiopia and Arvind. The study will focus on identifying various sustainable solutions and know the impact of the rapid industrialisation drive of Ethiopia. Various Ethiopian Universities have also signed MoU with the government to include a curriculum on sustainability in the wake of industrial development. "The world has seen examples of several nations that, in a bid to boost economic growth, have ended up causing enormous environmental damage, eventually creating problems for their own people," said Punit Lalbhai, executive director, Arvind Ltd. "The Green Industrialisation platform that Ethiopia is seeking to build, I believe, is a sustainable industrial development strategy for the whole of Africa to emulate. We are happy to partner with Government of Ethiopia in this landmark initiative and hope that these joint efforts will go a long way towards bringing greater prosperity to the people of this great nation, while preserving the environment at the same time," said Lalbhai. (RR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The women's wear market will overtake men's apparel by 2025 in India, according to a recent report. The apparel market of women's wear claimed a share of Rs 1 lakh crore in the 2.6 lakh crore apparel market of India in 2015. It is growing at the rate of 11 per cent CAGR and the branded segment within women's apparel is recording a growth of 20 per cent. The branded apparel market within women's wear is likely to grow at the rate of 20 per cent, which will lead to the segment claiming a 40 per cent share, says the Avendus report titled 'Women's Apparel Landscape in India'. The growth of the market can be attributed to the entry of foreign labels in the India market, rising number of working women and their increasing spending power, shift to ready-to-wear shopping and ease of retail trade, notes the report. The women's wear market will overtake men's apparel by 2025 in India, according to a recent report. The apparel market of women's wear claimed a share of Rs 1 lakh crore in the 2.6 lakh crore apparel market of India in 2015. It is growing at the rate of 11 per cent CAGR and the branded segment within women's apparel is recording a growth of 20 per cent.# "Impulsive buying, online and digital shopping, availability of a plethora of niche brands and the influence of social media are also changing the women's apparel landscape," said Abha Agarwal, director-investment banking, Avendus Capital in a statement. Ease of payment, visual merchandising and seamless shopping and delivery experience will also help in the growth of the women's apparel market in the future, added Agarwal. The report adds that 70 per cent of the women's apparel market is present in the top 10 cities. The growth will gradually shift to tier I and II cities, as the top cities become saturated. A shift has also been observed from traditional sarees to western wear and ethnic wear which are growing at the rate of 11 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively, as per the report. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) will host over 800 exhibitors at the 65th National Garment Fair, Indias largest apparel trade show. More than 1000 fashion brands will keep on display their latest festive range of clothing at the three day programme. The textile fair beginning from July 10, 2017 will be held in Mumbai. "This B2B fair will be spread over approx. 6 lakh square feet, covering all the halls at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. This will be Indias largest ever garment fair held so far. Approximately 50,000 retailers from all over India are expected to visit this three day B2B Fair," said Rahul Mehta, president CMAI. The textile fair will also host various sessions including business networking. The programme will host talks on various topics including agents & distributors, high street retailers and national chain stores & e-commerce companies. The fair will be inaugurated by the minister of textiles Smriti Irani. The national fair will be organised in association with Bhumiworld Industrial Park, the fastest developing integrated industrial hub in Bhiwandi. (RR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Indian government is probing anti-dumping allegations against a select Chinese polyester yarn following complaints from SRF and Reliance Industries. The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), has "sufficient" evidence of dumping of high tenacity polyester yarn from the neighbouring nation, according to an agency report.SRF and Reliance Industries have alleged dumping of the yarn and asked for an investigation into the matter. If established that dumping has caused material injury to domestic players, the DGAD will recommend imposition of anti- dumping duty. Anti-dumping duties are levied to provide a level playing field to local industry by guarding against cheap, below-cost imports, the report said. Indian government is probing anti-dumping allegations against a select Chinese polyester yarn following complaints from SRF and Reliance Industries. The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), has "sufficient" evidence of dumping of high tenacity polyester yarn from the neighbouring nation, according to an agency report.# The probing authority "hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping, and consequent injury to the domestic industry", the DGAD, under the commerce ministry, said in a notification.The investigation will cover the period from April 2016 to March 2017. These yarns are used for manufacture of tyre cord fabric, seat belt webbing, slings, ropes, coated fabric and conveyor belt fabric, according to the report.Increasing imports and dumping of goods from China have always been a concern for Indian companies. Exports to China were only USD 9 billion in 2015-16, but imports totalled USD 61.7 billion in the fiscal.The DGAD is also probing dumping of several other products such as chemicals from China.India is one of the most attractive markets for global producers due to its large middle class population. Imposition of anti-dumping duty is permissible under the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime, of which both India and China are members. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Lectra, a leader in integrated technology solutions for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles, and composite materials, gathered more than 100 professionals from around the world at its state-of-the-art technology centre in Bordeaux-Cestas, France for Fashion 4.0 event, to look at how Industry 4.0 is transforming the global fashion business.The conference brought together brands and manufacturers to discuss the major challenges fashion businesses are facing in todays digital marketplace, and identify practical steps companies can take to digitalise their value chain. Lectra, a leader in integrated technology solutions for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles, and composite materials, gathered more than 100 professionals from around the world at its state-of-the-art technology centre in Bordeaux-Cestas, France for Fashion 4.0 event, to look at how Industry 4.0 is transforming the global fashion business.# During two days of in-depth presentations and workshops, Pr Celine Abecassis-Moedas and Pr Valerie Moatti, ESCP Europe shed light on innovative new retail models; Liz Doupnik, associate editor, Womens Wear Daily, shattered myths and set straight misconceptions about the millennial generation; and Fred Lemoine, vice president, Weave Services, delved into the advantages of a digitalised supply chain. Among the attendees were some of todays most prominent fashion brands, such as H&M and Shanghai-based Dayang Group, one of the worlds largest suit manufacturers.Lectra announced the launch of Lectra Fashion PLM 4.0, proof of its commitment to empowering its customers with the best technology possible as they take their first steps towards Industry 4.0. With the widest functional scope on the market, the modular PLM solution acts as a connected, intelligent nerve centre for todays digital supply chain, from planning through design to production, ensuring a consistent flow of error-free data between processes, technologies and people, and providing companies with the agility to adapt to different business models and jump on trends quickly.Manuel Castaldo, business analysis and sourcing operations manager for leading Italian fast-fashion retailer OVS said, When you decide to make digital changes in your company, you are not only selecting the right tool, you are selecting the right partner to help you make those changes in your daily and future work. Thanks to Lectras PLM solution, OVS has improved the quality of information shared throughout their process, positively impacting product development and quality.Fred Walck, director, project management for Mexico-based clothing supplier Grupo Kaltex said, In the spirit of Industry 4.0, what interests us as a vertical manufacturer is connecting our physical supply chain with our virtual supply chainour software, ERP, and WRMS. For us, Lectra offers the most comprehensive solution: an end-to-end system designed specifically for fashion and apparel.During the events keynote speech, Edouard Macquin, chief sales officer, Lectra, explored mega trends that are turning the fashion industry on its head, and demonstrated how Lectras visionand fashion-specific digital solutionsare helping fashion companies adapt to this fourth industrial revolution. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Problem On The First Day Of Shoot In Bangkok Amy Jackson will be making her debut in Kannada film industry with The Villain. Before she even joined the sets of The Villain, she had suffered due to the mismanagement by the airway authorities. Misplaced Bags Amy was set to join The Villain team in Bangkok. She had a flight from Bombay to Thailand. When she got down in Thailand, she realised that her baggages were misplaced on a different plane and that it was travelling to some other part of the world. The airlines company that had misplaced her bags promised her to return them to her within 2 days. Stranded In Thailand With No Extra Clothes Amy was stranded in Thailand without her clothes and luggages. She had to stay in Thailand for two days until her baggages arrived. Amy is said to have shopped in local Thai markets for temporary clothes for 2 days. Amy's Dedication To Work In spite of her missing bag, Amy Jackson was very cooperative on the sets, according to sources. Without ever showing her displeasure, Amy worked with 100% dedication for the movie. During the free schedules, she used to roam the streets of Bangkok for street shopping. An Elated Amy Jackson Amy Jackson was happy when she received her misplaced bags after two days. The Villain Film Team In Ladakh Presently, The Villain film team has wrapped up their shooting in Bangkok and have returned to India. They are presently shooting for some chase scenes in Ladakh. Hattrick Hero Shivarajkumar will also be joining the film team. Manvita Harish, the bubbly girl who became a talk of the town when Kendasampige released, is all set to act along with the British actor, Danny Sapani. Now, do not assume that Manvita is flying abroad for her chance to work in international films. It's not that. It is indeed true that Manvita Harish is going to share screen space with Danny Sapani but not in an international movie. It is a Kannada movie. The Kannada movie starring these two actors will be directed by Chandrashekar Bandiyappa of Rathavara fame. Danny and Manvita will be next seen in the Kannada movie, Tarakasura. Manvita Harish will be playing the female lead role. This is the first time Manvita Harish will be seen sharing screen space with an international actor. Manvita has posted the picture on her Facebook account, and believe it or not, she seems to be in a state of bliss. The film team has already completed Danny's part of filming in Mysore and Thalakaadu. It is unclear what role Danny will be playing in Tarakusara. But, what we do know for sure is that Vybhav, son of Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy's Secretary, Narasimhalu, will be playing the lead role in the movie, while his father, Narasimhalu will be producing the movie. By the way, this is the second Indian film for the British actor, Danny. He was first seen in the Tamil movie, Singham 2 as an international drug lord. Kamya Punjabi, who plays the role Preeto, on the show Shakti, was recently rushed to hospital after feeling uneasy and vomiting multiple times. The actress was rushed to a hospital in Kandivali. Kamya's daughter was quoted by TOI as saying, "Yes, mom is unwell. She was vomiting and was not feeling well so she has been hospitalized at Gokul Hospital in Kandivali." Apparently, Kamya Punjabi was not well from since the past one month, but she still continued to shoot. As a result, her health got worse and the sudden change in climate also deteriorated her health. The actress was quoted by Dailybhaskar as saying, "All this while, I was on medicines so that the show doesn't suffer. But last night, I was left with no option rather than getting admitted." Kamya further added, "Currently, I am on saline water and feeling much better now. The reports have not come yet and so the exact reason behind the bad health is not known yet. I am hoping for a discharge soon and join the shoot as soon as possible." We wish Kamya, a speedy recovery. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/17 -- Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. (Enbridge) has received approval from the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for new rates, effective July 1, 2017. Typical residential customers(i) who buy their gas supply from Enbridge will see a total bill increase of about four per cent, or $36 a year. As a result, their total annual bill will be about $944. The increase is due to higher natural gas prices in North America and an increase to the Cost Adjustment. The Cost Adjustment reflects the difference between forecast costs and actual costs from the past twelve months. "Natural gas continues to provide great value to our customers, with the typical customer's total annual bill still less than it was 10 years ago," says Kerry Lakatos-Hayward, Director of Energy Supply and Gas Storage at Enbridge. "Natural gas remains the most affordable and reliable choice for home and water heating in Ontario," added Lakatos-Hayward. "Outages rarely happen, and over the past five years, natural gas has been on average over 65 per cent less expensive than electricity and oil(ii)." Quarterly Rate Review Enbridge submits rate adjustment applications every three months to reflect changes in the market price of natural gas and transportation services. The applications are reviewed and approved by the OEB. Enbridge does not earn a profit on the price of natural gas. Gas supply costs are passed through to customers without any mark-up. Any difference between forecast costs and actual prices is either collected from or returned to customers through a Cost Adjustment. For more information on how natural gas rates are set, a video is available at enbridgegas.com/rates. Options to help manage energy bills: -- Customers can find tips to manage their energy use and current rebate and incentive programs at enbridgegas.com/energyefficiency. -- For qualifying customers: -- The OEB's Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) (enbridgegas.com/LEAP) provides emergency financial assistance towards past due energy bills. -- The Home Winterproofing Program helps residential customers in financial need with free home energy efficiency improvements. Qualifying customers may have free energy efficiency improvements, such as insulation, installed to reduce their energy costs. Learn more at enbridgegas.com/winterproofing. -- Customers who are having trouble paying their bills should call Enbridge as soon as possible to set up payment arrangements. About Enbridge Gas Distribution Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. has a more than 165-year history and is Canada's largest natural gas distribution company. It is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution, and has ranked as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations for the past eight years. Enbridge Gas Distribution distributes natural gas to over two million customers in Ontario. For more information, visit www.enbridgegas.com or follow us on Twitter @EnbridgeGas. (i)Calculations are based on the assumption that typical residential customers, who buy their gas supply and transportation from Enbridge, use about 2,400 cubic metres of natural gas a year for home and water heating. (ii)Natural gas rates are based on Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.'s residential rates effective July 1, 2017. Electricity rates are based on Toronto Hydro's Ontario Energy Board approved rates up to and including those effective July 1, 2017. Oil prices are based on publicly posted Statistics Canada historical prices up to and including rates available as of May 2017. Costs have been calculated for the equivalent energy consumed by a typical residential customer and include all service, delivery and energy charges. HST is not included. Contacts: Scott Foster 1-855-884-5112 enbridgegasmedia@enbridge.com Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. MOSCOW, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 26th - 28th Shanghai, China is hosting SYLVA WOOD 2017 - the international exhibition, a landmark event for the global timber processing industry. The timber industry complex of Russia was represented by a group stand "Russian Timber Industry". Ten leading companies of the industry were able to demonstrate their products to foreign partners and potential investors. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528237/Russian_Timber_Industry_Logo.jpg ) "China is our reliable trading partner. In recent years the development of Russian-Chinese cooperation has shown positive dynamics. So the volume of trade turnover has increased with the output of the timber industry complex. We count on the expanding of mutually beneficial partnership," said Viktor Yevtukhov, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Recently, export supplies of Russian products of added-value wood processing to China have increased: the volume of plywood supplies almost doubled, and the supply of chipboards began. A number of large projects involving Chinese companies are being implemented in the Russian Federation: a pulp mill is being built in the Zabaikalye Territory, sawmills and pellets' projects are being implemented in the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Irkutsk Region, and the Khabarovsk Territory. "Russia is a reliable partner, providing state guarantees for investments. Today, investors receive long-term lease of forest plots on preferential terms. The state subsidizes the creation of new manufactures," - said Viktor Yevtukhov. Prospects for further growth for forestry enterprises are predetermined by the high demand for wooden housing in many countries of the world, as well as increasing demand of paper products and pulp. The exchange rate and governmental support allow us to maintain low prices for the products of the Russian timber industry with a high quality and make them competitive. Having participated in SYLVA WOOD 2017, Russian companies gained the opportunity to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Chinese partners. Participants of the Russian stand of the timber industry complex at the SYLVA WOOD 2017 exhibition were companies representing such types of woodworking as LVL lumber production and OSB boards, plywood, finishing wall and flooring materials, furniture components and other products of added-value wood processing. Federal Press Center programlesprom.ru Contacts: info@programlesprom.ru Kristina Bolshedvorskaya +7(915)283-15-99 +7(926)142-03-36 Roman Kirichenko +7(925)887-87-41 CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/17 -- Eagle Energy Inc. (TSX: EGL) announced that, at today's annual general meeting, the shareholders re-elected Eagle's directors. The vote results by director are presented below. "I would like to thank shareholders for their support and patience during the proxy contest," said David Fitzpatrick, Eagle's Chairman. "Eagle's Board and management do not take lightly the trust placed in them by Eagle's shareholders. We remain focused on Eagle's operations and plans, are committed to reducing costs, and will continue to act in the best interests of Eagle and all its shareholders." The voting results at the meeting for the election of directors were as follows: Votes Votes For Withheld Richard Clark 11,838,473 365,122 David Fitzpatrick 11,861,773 341,822 Bruce Gibson 11,680,933 522,662 Warren Steckley 11,839,281 364,314 Full voting results will be available shortly under Eagle's profile at www.sedar.com. Laurel Hill Advisory Group acted as Eagle's proxy solicitor and Bennett Jones LLP acted as Eagle's legal counsel in connection with the proxy contest. About Eagle Energy Inc. Eagle is an oil and gas corporation with shares listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "EGL". All material information about Eagle may be found on its website at www.EagleEnergy.com or under Eagle's issuer profile at www.sedar.com. Contacts: Eagle Energy Inc. Richard W. Clark Chief Executive Officer (403) 531-1575 rclark@EagleEnergy.com Kelly Tomyn Chief Financial Officer (403) 531-1574 ktomyn@EagleEnergy.com VEVEY (dpa-AFX) - Nestle SA (NSRGY.PK, NSTR.L) said that its board approved a share buyback program of up to 20 billion Swiss francs, to be completed by the end of June 2020. Should any sizeable acquisitions take place during this period, the share buyback program will be adapted accordingly. The buyback program is scheduled to start on 4 July 2017. The volume of monthly share buybacks will depend on market conditions but is likely to be backloaded in 2019 and 2020 to allow the pursuit of value-creating acquisition opportunities, the company said. Based on current projections, the company expects a net debt to EBITDA ratio of circa 1.5 in 2020. The company's recent announcement that it would explore strategic options for its US confectionery business is consistent with this overall approach. The company will continue to adjust its portfolio in line with its strategy and growth objectives, Nestle said. The company noted that it will also continue to assess opportunities for margin improvement through targeted efficiency programs that do not undermine the company's performance in attractive long-term growth categories. 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. MENLO PARK, California, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As of today, there are now two billion people connecting and building communities on Facebook each month. It's a milestone that wouldn't have happened without the millions of people and communities who make meaningful contributions every day. Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8129251-facebook-2-billion-people-connecting-building-communities/ They say love makes the world go round. Every day across the planet, more than 175 million people share "love" on Facebook, over 800 million people "like" something on Facebook, and over 750 million new friendships are made on Facebook. What's more, over 1 billion people use Groups every month to build communities and connect around shared interests. To show appreciation for all that peopledo tosupport one another on the platform, Facebook will be celebrating you, the global community, with personalized experiences in the coming days, including: A "Good Adds Up" video: Starting today, you may see in your News Feed a personal video to celebrate bringing the world closer together. You can also access it by clicking "Watch Yours" on a friend's video that they've shared, or by visiting www.facebook.com/goodaddsup. Here's how it works: If you visit the site before your video is ready, you will see a "coming soon" message. You may also have the option to request your video so that it will be ready sooner. Facebook will also let you know if you don't have enough Facebook content to generate a video. After watching your video, you can share or edit it to customize the posts and photos that are included. If you choose to customize your video, Facebook will produce a new video for you and post it to your timeline when it's ready. A "thank you" for the good you do: After you react to a friend's post with love, wish someone happy birthday, or create a group, you will see a message in your News Feed thanking you. A hub for community stories: Facebook is also featuring fun facts about how people are contributing to the community at www.facebook.com/goodaddsup. And, if you live in the US, you will be able to see inspiring stories of people connecting with one another, contributing to their local communities and helping make the world a better place, like the Moms of Beverly. While you may be just one human on this planet, Facebook just made it a little bit it easier for you to connect, regardless of where you live, or what language you speak. Contact:Lisa Stratton |lstratton@fb.com NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Anadarko Petroleum Corporation ("Anadarko" or the "Company") (NYSE: APC) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, and docketed under 17-cv-01372, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Anadarko securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you are a shareholder who purchased Anadarko securities between February 17, 2016 and May 2, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until July 3, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] Anadarko Petroleum Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and gas properties. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, Midstream, and Marketing. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Anadarko's maintenance and safety protocols in respect to certain of its vertical wells were inadequate; (ii) due to the foregoing shortcomings, these wells were at an increased risk of explosion; and (iii) that as a result of the foregoing, Anadarko's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On April 17, 2017, a deadly explosion killed two individuals and critically injured another in a recently built home located within 170 feet of an Anadarko well. On April 26, 2017, post-market, The Denver Post reported that Anadarko "plans to shut down 3,000 vertical wells in northeastern Colorado" following the April 17 explosion. On this news, Anadarko's share price fell $2.84, or 4.73%, to close at $57.12 on April 27, 2017. On May 2, 2017, the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District, through a joint effort with the Firestone Police Department and with the assistance of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, concluded that the fatal home explosion on April 17 was linked to a faulty gas line connected to an old well owned by Anadarko. Officials stated that the gas line had been abandoned, but not disconnected from the wellhead and sealed at both ends. Consequently, the line only stopped leaking gas after Anadarko shut down 3,000 wells in the region following the explosion. On this news, Anadarko's share price fell $4.54, or 8.07%, to close at $51.74 on May 3, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against KBR, Inc. ("KBR" or the "Company") (NYSE: KBR) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, and docketed under 17-cv-01840, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired KBR securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you are a shareholder who purchased KBR securities between February 27, 2014 and April 27, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until July 3, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] KBR provides professional services and technologies across the asset and program life-cycle within the government services and hydrocarbons industries worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Government Services, Technology & Consulting, and Engineering & Construction. Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company's United Kingdom ("UK") subsidiaries had violated applicable bribery and corruption laws; and (ii) as a result of the foregoing, KBR's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On April 28, 2017, the United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office confirmed that it had opened an investigation into "the activities of KBR's UK subsidiaries, their officers, employees and agents for suspected offences of bribery and corruption." On this news, KBR's share price fell $1.43, or 9.24%, to close at $14.05 on April 28, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against United States Steel Corporation ("U.S. Steel" or the "Company") (NYSE: X) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired U.S. Steel securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you are a shareholder who purchased U.S. Steel securities between November 1, 2016 and April 25, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until July 3, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] U.S. Steel is an integrated steel producer of flat-rolled and tubular products with major production operations in North America and Europe. Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) while the Company was implementing its Carnegie Way program, it was focused on cutting costs and was not making investments necessary to position U.S. Steel so that it could respond to improved market conditions; (ii) Defendants' failure to invest in improving capital assets during the industry downturn, in order to report apparent financial improvements, meant that U.S. Steel had higher production costs than its competitors, even in the face of improved pricing, which would negatively impact its financial results; and (iii) Defendants were forestalling expensive capital equipment upgrades in order to boost the Company's short-term financial results at the expense of long-term financial performance, leaving U.S. Steel in need of accelerated, costly equipment upgrades that would leave the Company years away from generating improved financial performance; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, U.S. Steel's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. During the Class Period, steel market conditions improved substantially. Indeed, in the first quarter of 2017, the average price of U.S. hot-rolled steel coil, a benchmark product used in a variety of products ranging from bridges to microwaves, rose 55% from a year earlier, helped by successful U.S. trade cases against foreign imports. By all accounts, U.S. Steel appeared primed to pounce on the domestic steel market turnaround. After the market closed on April 25, 2017, however, the Company reported what analysts labeled "hard-to-fathom" and "abysmal" financial results, as U.S. Steel revealed shortcomings that, according to Bloomberg, "choked earnings even as prices of the metal surged." Specifically, the Company reported a net loss of $180 million, or negative $1.03 per diluted share, and adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA") of $74 million. The Company's earnings release revealed negative operating cash flow of $135 million, a significant decline in the Company's Flat-Rolled segment, and a reduced 2017 outlook that widely missed analyst expectations, including a 35% reduction to 2017 EBITDA guidance. 2017 guidance was worse at the earnings level, where guidance was cut 50% from $3.08 per share to $1.50. The $1.50 earnings per share ("EPS"), however, included the benefit of an accounting change that cut $175 million from operating costs. Factoring that positive accounting change out of the mix, the Company's adjusted EPS guidance was closer to $0.85, a cut of approximately 72%. The Company also eliminated language about being "cash positive" for the year. The Company's earnings release quoted Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") Mario Longhi ("Longhi") as stating, in part, that "operating challenges at our Flat-Rolled facilities prevented us from benefiting fully from improved market conditions." Longhi also added that U.S. Steel would "not let favorable near-term business conditions distract us from taking the outages we need to revitalize our assets in order to achieve more reliable and consistent operations, improve quality and cost performance, and generate more consistent financial results." He also added that U.S. Steel "made the strategic decision to accelerate [its] efforts to resolve the issues that challenge our ability to achieve sustainable long-term profitability." During a conference call before the market opened on April 26, 2017, Longhi stated that in 2017 the Company would "be taking more downtime at our facilities, which will limit our steel production volumes." On this news, U.S. Steel's share price fell $8.33, or 26.78%, to close at $22.78 on April 26, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Monday. The U.S. dollar rose to a 5-day high of 0.9599 against the Swiss franc, from Friday's closing value of 0.9583. Against the euro, the pound and the yen, the greenback advanced to 1.1404, 1.2995 and 112.57 from last week's closing quotes of 1.1417, 1.3026 and 112.38, respectively. Against the Australian, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the greenback edged up to 0.7667, 0.7314 and 1.2993 from last week's closing quotes of 0.7682, 0.7331 and 1.2962, respectively. If the greenback extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 0.98 against the franc, 1.11 against the euro, 1.27 against the pound, 114.00 against the yen, 0.74 against the aussie, 0.71 against the kiwi and 1.33 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - A massive cyberattack has hit Europe on Tuesday, spreading to U.S. and Asia, affecting businesses and government systems with ransom demands. The new ransomware attack, in a possible reprise of a widespread WannaCry assault in May, is said to be caused by the virus linked to malware called Petrwrap or Petya. The affected users are told to pay $300 in cryptocurrency per infected computer to unlock their systems. The organizations in Russia and the Ukraine were the most affected. Kaspersky Lab analysts reportedly said that about 2,000 users had been attacked as of midday Tuesday in North America. Russian oil giant Rosneft PJSC, advertiser WPP Plc and Ukrainian government ministries were all hit by the attacks. The site of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant was also hit, forcing scientists to monitor radiation levels manually. The pharmaceutical giant Merck on Twitter said, 'our company's computer network was compromised today as part of global hack.' The virus has reached as far as India blocking the operations of a terminal operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust near Mumbai. The biggest container port in India was unable to load or unload as they can't identify which shipment belongs to whom. The virus reportedly is starting to spread in China, but a large-scale outbreak is yet to be detected. According to cyber researchers, the Petya virus used an exploit developed by the National Security Agency that was later leaked onto the Internet by hackers. Mark Graff, the chief executive of Tellagraff, a cybersecurity company, said, 'The onslaught of ransomware attacks may be the 'new normal. The emergence of Petya and WannaCry really points out the need for a response plan and a policy on what companies are going to do about ransomware. You won't want to make that decision at a time of panic, in a cloud of emotion.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Halton and shipyard company Meyer's ventilation contractor MAC Hamburg have agreed on providing Halton's indoor air solutions for 13 cruise ships built on the company's shipyards in Germany and Finland during the following 5 to 6 years. The contract includes six direct orders and options for seven ships. The contract covers energy-saving Halton M.A.R.V.E.L. galley hoods that enable appropriate ventilation. Deliveries are tailored specifically for each ship according to their varying needs. Halton's advantages are the quality and energy-efficiency of their systems, and delivery process management from hood and air volume planning to implementation. Professional kitchens are generally extremely demanding environments in terms of indoor air temperature, humidity, and cooking emissions conditions. In addition, reliability, fire safety, and hygiene are emphasised in a cruise ship environment. "We are developing and testing our solution in close collaboration with the customer. We are also putting Halton's exceptionally extensive expertise on demanding indoor air environments to use for developing new solutions for our customers," says Tommi Rantanen, the executive responsible for Halton Marine's operations. Halton provides the world's widest range of indoor air solutions for demanding special environments from professional kitchens and ships to energy production environments, health care and laboratories, as well as demanding public buildings and workspaces. Halton is the global market leader in galley ventilation solutions, as well as fire dampers, for ocean cruise ships. The company also manufactures state-of-the-art solutions for cabin ventilation. "We have established our position in several international shipyards. With the deal signed now and the hood deliveries included in it we are further strengthening our market position with cruise ships", says Rantanen. The contract with MAC Hamburg was signed in November 2016. Deliveries for the first project begin in the autumn of 2017. The deliveries, along with their options, are worth over 10M. For more information, please contact: Tommi Rantanen Executive Halton Marine Tel. +358(0)40-520-7582 Email: firstname.lastname@halton.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/halton-group/r/halton-s-kitchen-solutions-for-13-cruise-ships-on-meyer-s-shipyards-in-germany-and-finland,c2296207 The following files are available for download: Regulatory News: Legrand (Paris:LR) today announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase1 US company Milestone AV Technologies LLC ("Milestone"), a frontrunner in Audio Video (AV) infrastructure and power, a high-value segment of the digital infrastructure market. Highlights: Milestone Strong leading positions in high-value segments Attractive business driven by megatrends (100% of Milestone sales are in new business segments 2 Strong market positions, with over 75% of Milestone sales made with products #1 or #2 in their market; Well known, trusted and innovative brands with a best-in-class customer-centric approach; A knowledgeable and experienced management team; Highly complementary to Legrand's existing positions in AV in the US (Middle Atlantic Products brand); In 2016, sales of $464m, adjusted3 operating4 margin of 21% and free cash flow4 at 12.5% of sales. A synergetic move with Legrand Mid-term sales synergies through leverage of customer coverage and development of AV infrastructure and power business in other distribution channels and geographies; Short and mid-term cost synergies in purchasing, production and administrative areas. Financial rationale Legrand's financial criteria all met based on an EV (Enterprise Value) of $950m, net of a discounted 5 tax benefit 6 of $250m: 2016 EV/EBITDA 4 of around 9.0x; Mid to high single-digit accretion on EPS before PPA 7 Value creation within 3 to 5 years. tax benefit of $250m: Financed by new debt; post-deal robust balance sheet; net debt/EBITDA8 expected at less than 2. Gilles Schnepp, Chairman and CEO of Legrand, commented: "The acquisition1 of Milestone allows Legrand to pursue its ongoing reinforcement in digital infrastructure, more specifically in the high-value AV infrastructure and power segment in the United States where Legrand is already #1 in AV enclosures with its Middle Atlantic Products brand. Milestone will bring Legrand leading positions in commercial and residential AV mounts, as well as in projector screens enabling the Group to provide AV customers with scalable, end-to-end offerings. Milestone's robust leading positions, well-known brands, businesses supported by strong social and technological megatrends, customer-centric approach, ongoing innovation, and active CSR9 policy are key assets which make this acquisition a highly valuable move that 'ticks all the boxes' of Legrand fundamentals. 1 Subject to standard conditions precedent. 2 Digital infrastructure, energy efficiency, assisted living and home systems. 3 Adjusted Legrand definition: adjusted for amortization and depreciation of revaluation of assets at the time of acquisitions and for other P&L impacts relating to acquisitions and, where applicable, for impairment of goodwill. 4 Excluding non-recurring items. 5 Discounted at a rate of 7.0% over the period of goodwill amortization (15 years). 6 US tax benefit resulting from standard goodwill amortization starting in 2017. Gross price paid of $1,200m less a $400m cash tax benefit discounted to $250m. 7 Purchase Price Allocation. 8 Including Milestone's EBITDA on a full year basis. 9 Corporate Social Responsibility. Milestone Strong leading positions in high-value segments The global AV infrastructure and power market accounts for more than $5bn of Legrand's total digital infrastructure market of over $15bn1 Milestone, which is a frontrunner in the US AV infrastructure and power business, has built its success on disciplined acquisitions of leading well-known brands: Chief, #1 in commercial AV mounts; Sanus #1 in residential AV mounts; and Da-Lite, #1 in projector screens. Over 75% of Milestone sales are generated by products that rank #1 or #2 on their markets. Combined with Legrand's #1 positions in AV enclosures in the US under the Middle Atlantic Products brand, Milestone will enable the Group to provide US customers with scalable, end-to-end offerings on a market driven by both social megatrends (communication, security, distance and collaborative working etc.) and technological megatrends (digitalization, new display technologies, streaming technologies etc.). Ongoing R&D efforts (more than 100 professionals in engineering and product development, over 360 patents and more than 5,000 SKUs) focusing on AV integrators' needs safety, ease of installation, reliability and a customer-centric approach (100 direct sales technical support and 90 dedicated customer care personnel, digital best customer training, excellent delivery service) have helped develop strong customer loyalty and made Milestone's brands the "preferred partner" for about 80% of the SCN2 top 50 AV integrators. Milestone has also built lasting trust-based ties with strong distribution channels offering wide geographical coverage and access to a variety of end markets (corporate, hospitality, houses of worship, education, government and retail stores/restaurants). These have helped distribute Milestone products both efficiently and widely. Moreover, Milestone has an active CSR3 policy based on three pillars: environmental responsibility through eco-friendly product development and three ISO-14001-certified operating facilities; socially responsible sourcing with robust CSR3 audit programs of its supplier base as well as safety and responsible practices by suppliers; and community involvement through special consideration for activities in which Milestone employees are involved. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Milestone recorded 2016 revenues of $464m, 90% in North America. Over the same period, adjusted4 operating5 profit and free cash flow5 stood at respectively 21% and 12.5% of sales. Milestone has about 1,000 employees and has locations in the United States, Canada, China, Hong-Kong, Australia and the Netherlands. A synergetic move with Legrand Legrand's acquisition6 of Milestone should generate mid-term sales synergies. Milestone's strong relationship with 6,000 professional AV dealers should build up Legrand's existing basis of about 3,500 dealer relationships tied to its Middle Atlantic Products brand. Likewise, Legrand's strong relationship with electrical, IT and data communication distributors could allow Milestone to move in these distribution channels. With locations in North America, Europe and Asia, Milestone could offer Legrand opportunities to expand its AV infrastructure and power business into new geographical areas. Resulting operations should also benefit from short to mid-term cost synergies stemming from (i) direct and indirect sourcing with scope for combining purchasing platforms, (ii) streamlining of production facilities particularly in Asia, and (iii) opportunities to optimize administrative areas. 1 Legrand's accessible market is now estimated at more than $115bn, split between electrical infrastructure for less than $100bn and digital infrastructures for more than $15bn. 2 Systems Contractor News. 3 Corporate Social Responsibility. 4 Adjusted Legrand definition: adjusted for amortization and depreciation of revaluation of assets at the time of acquisitions and for other P&L impacts relating to acquisitions and, where applicable, for impairment of goodwill. 5 Excluding non-recurring items. 6 Subject to standard conditions precedent. Financial rationale Legrand is acquiring1 Milestone for an Enterprise Value (EV) of $950m, net of a discounted US tax benefit of $250m2, resulting from standard goodwill amortization starting in 2017. Legrand's cash tax rate and free cash flow will benefit fully from this tax gain which will have no impact on Legrand's IFRS P&L (either on income tax rate or net income). Based on this EV of $950m, the Milestone acquisition1 meets all of Legrand's financial criteria: 2016 EV/EBITDA 3 of around 9.0x; of around 9.0x; mid to high single digit accretion on EPS before PPA 4 value creation within three to five years. Legrand should keep a robust balance sheet structure with an expected post-deal net debt/ EBITDA5 ratio of less than 2. The financing of the Milestone acquisition1, which ultimately will be made via new debt, is fully secured in the short term by a commitment letter for a bridge-to-bond loan and by Legrand's existing credit facilities. Milestone ticks all the boxes of Legrand's key fundamentals The acquisition1 of Milestone represents a strategic move for Legrand based on the two companies' strong business complementarities. Driven by sustained social and technological megatrends, both Legrand and Milestone have built strong leading positions in their respective markets. Legrand and Milestone products are known for their reliability, ease of installation, valuable design and functionalities, and although they represent a small share of installation costs, they are critical to the overall infrastructure in which they are installed. Both Legrand and Milestone thus focus on innovation. In particular, Milestone's annual R&D to sales ratio is consistent with Legrand's long-term average ambition of 4% to 5%. Along with technical excellence, best-in-class customer relationships based on training, technical support and short lead-time have built lasting customer loyalty to both companies' brands. Lastly, both Legrand and Milestone have overall strategies aiming at robust financial discipline but also take an integrated approach to their respective businesses through strong CSR6 commitments. 1 Subject to standard conditions precedent. 2 Discounted at a rate of 7.0% over the period of goodwill amortization (15 years). The gross amount of the tax benefit is $400m. 3 Excluding non-recurring items. 4 Purchase Price Allocation. 5 Including Milestone's EBITDA on a full year basis. 6 Corporate Social Responsibility. AUDIO WEBCAST A live and replay teleconference on the Milestone acquisition 1 will take place on June 28, 2017 , at 8.45 am CET (Paris time) will take place on , The teleconference will be available on Group website: http://www.legrand.com/EN/ Key financial dates 2017 first-half results: July 31, 2017 "Quiet period 2 " starts July 3, 2017 "Quiet period " starts July 3, 2017 2017 nine-month results: November 7, 2017 "Quiet period2" starts October 7, 2017 ABOUT LEGRAND Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing its strategy of profitable and sustainable growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings-including Eliot* connected products with enhanced value in use. Legrand reported sales of more than 5 billion in 2016. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the CAC 40, FTSE4Good, MSCI World, Corporate Oekom Rating, DJSI World, Vigeo Euronext Eurozone 120, Europe 120-France 20 and World 120, and Ethibel Sustainability Index Excellence. (ISIN FR0010307819). http://www.legrand.com *Eliot is a program launched in 2015 by Legrand to speed up deployment of the Internet of Things in its offering. A result of the group's innovation strategy, the Eliot program aims to develop connected and interoperable solutions that deliver lasting benefits to private individual users and professionals. http://www.legrand.com/EN/eliot-program_13238.html 1 Subject to standard conditions precedent. 2 Period of time when all communication is suspended in the run-up to publication of results. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006623/en/ Contacts: Investor relations Legrand Francois Poisson Tel: +33 (1) 49 72 53 53 francois.poisson@legrand.fr or Press relations Publicis Consultants Vilizara Lazarova Tel: +33 (0)1 44 82 46 34 Mob: +33 (0)6 26 72 57 14 vilizara.lazarova@consultants.publicis.fr or Eloi Perrin Tel: +33 (0)1 44 82 46 36 Mob: +33 (0)6 81 77 76 43 eloi.perrin@consultants.publicis.fr LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Distribution and outsourcing Group Bunzl plc (BZLFY.PK, BNZL.L), in its trading statement for the period since 30 June 2017, said that overall performance is consistent with expectations at the time of the half year results announcement in August. At constant exchange rates, Group revenue for the third quarter has increased by 11% compared to the same period last year due to improved underlying growth of between 5% and 6% and a 6% impact from acquisitions, partly offset by the effect of fewer trading days. The increase in underlying revenue growth was principally due to the previously announced additional business won, albeit at lower margins, in North America towards the end of 2016. The proposed acquisition of the Hedis group of companies in France, which had aggregate revenue of 155 million euros in 2016, was announced on 20 July 2017. The consultation process with the relevant works councils of the target companies has been completed and the final sale and purchase documentation has been entered into. It is currently expected that the acquisition will be completed by the end of the year, subject to the approval of the transaction by the French competition authority. With an active pipeline and ongoing discussions taking place, the Company expects to make further acquisitions over the coming months. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian currencies on Wednesday, as the U.S. Senate's move to delay a vote on healthcare bill to replace Obamacare until after next week's 4 July holiday rekindled U.S. policy worries. Concerns whether the Trump administration will be able to deliver pledged tax cuts and infrastructure spending also dampened sentiment. Investors also digested European Central Bank President Mario Draghi's comments that the central bank could trim its stimulus this year. In the Asian trading, the U.S. dollar fell to nearly a 1-year low of 1.1355 against the euro and a 4-month low of 1.3138 against the Canadian dollar, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.1338 and 1.3198, respectively. If the greenback extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.15 against the euro and 1.30 against the loonie. Against the NZ dollar, the greenback dropped to 0.7285 from an early 5-day high of 0.7259. The greenback may test support near the 0.73 region. Against the pound, the yen and the Swiss franc, the greenback edged down to 1.2821, 112.03 and 0.9594 from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.2812, 112.34 and 0.9604, respectively. On the downside, 1.31 against the pound, 108.00 against the yen and 0.94 against the franc are seen as the next support levels for the greenback. The greenback slipped to 0.7617 against the Australian dollar, from yesterday's closing value of 0.7581. The currency is likely to find support around the 0.77 region. Looking ahead, Swiss Credit Suisse economic expectations index for June and Eurozone M3 money supply data for May are due to be released later in the day. At 9.30 am ET, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, Bank Of England Governor Mark Carney and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda are expected to participate in a panel discussion at the European Central Bank Forum on Central Banking, in Portugal. In the New York session, U.S. advance goods trade balance for May, wholesale inventories for May, pending home sales data for May and U.S. crude oil inventories data are slated for release. At 2.20 pm ET, Bank of Canada Deputy Governor Lynn Patterson is expected to speak about intelligence gathering techniques at the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of Calgary. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de PUNE, India, September 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global big data security market size is expected to grow from $12.22 billion in 2017 to $26.85 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 17.1% driven by the evolving regulatory landscape, increasing variety and volume of business data generated from various sources, and increasing cyber-attacks demanding scalable high security solutions according to ReportsnReports.com. Browse 83 Market Data Tables and 43 Figures spread through 166 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Big Data Security Market Global Forecast to 2022"http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/1194234-big-data-security-market-by-software-encryption-data-masking-access-control-security-intelligence-data-governance-technology-iam-siem-utm-ids-ips-service-deployment-organization-size-and-industry-ver-st-to-2022.html . The big data security market in Asia Pacific (APAC) region has started to gain momentum and is expected to witness the highest growth rate in the coming years. The growth can be attributed to the continuous increase in the focus of companies on improving their customer service to drive competitive differentiation and revenue growth. Also, enhanced business productivity, supplemented by big data security software and services, has led APAC to become a highly potential market. In addition, rapid developing economies in APAC such as China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia are migrating to cloud-based big data security software and services. The big data security market is a growing market and the major vendors present in the market are IBM (US), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) (US), McAfee LLC (US), Symantec Corporation (US), Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Israel), Fortinet, Inc. (US), FireEye, Inc. (US), Rapid7, Inc. (US), LogRhythm, Inc. (US), Proofpoint, Inc. (US), Imperva, Inc. (US), Thales e-Security (France), AllenVault, Inc (US), Amazon Web Services (US), Centrify Corporation (US), Cloudera, Inc. (US), DataVisor, Inc. (US), Gemalto NV (Netherlands), Gigamon (US), Hortonworks, Inc. (US), Informatica Corporation (US), LogRhythm, Inc. (US), Oracle Corporation (US), Microsoft Corporation (US), Pivotal Software, Inc. (US), Proofpoint, Inc. (US), Rapid LLC (US), and Zettaset, Inc. (US). Order a copy of Big Data Security Market by Software (Encryption, Data Masking, Access Control, Security Intelligence, Data Governance), Technology (IAM, SIEM, UTM, IDS/IPS), Service, Deployment, Organization Size, and Industry Vertical -Global Forecast to 2022 research report at http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=1194234 . Encryption, tokenization, and data masking as software segment is expected to hold the largest market size during the forecast period. Advanced encryption-based cyber security software solutions are integrated with other security solutions to provide enhanced data security at a lower cost, on both cloud and on-premises. Tokenization software can be used for payment security, user authentication, and compliance management. Data masking is particularly common for software testing and user training. It ensures that the confidential company data and customer information is unavailable beyond the permitted environment. All these factors are fueling the overall growth of this segment in the big data security market. Increasing cyber-attacks demanding scalable high security solutions and evolving regulatory land scape are expected to propel the big data security market growth. Growing demand for third-party managed security services and growing adoption among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are expected to evolve the big data security and thus will create opportunities for the growth of this market. However, lack of data security awareness, and low data security budget and higher installation cost are the factors that might hinder the overall growth of the big data security market. Make an Inquiry on "Big Data Security Market Global Forecast to 2022" research report at http://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/inquirybeforebuy.aspx?name=1194234 . In the process of determining and verifying the big data security market size for several segments and subsegments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews were conducted with key people. The break-up of the profiles of the primary participants is given below: By Company: Tier 1: 22%, Tier 2: 30%, and Tier 3: 48% By Designation: C-level: 30%, Director level: 45%, and Others: 25% By Region: North America : 48%, Europe : 30%, and APAC: 22% The report segments the big data security market based on services, which is segmented into managed services and professional services. Under professional services, the report is further segmented into support and maintenance, consulting services and education and training. Based on deployment models, the market is segmented into on-premises and cloud. By organization size, it is segmented into SMEs and large enterprises, whereas by component, the market is segmented into encryption, tokenization and data masking; access control; security intelligence; big data governance; and others (audit and reporting, and big data classification and discovery). Further, under industry verticals, the market includes retail and eCommerce; manufacturing; government and defense; healthcare and life sciences; energy and utilities; telecommunications and IT; media and entertainment; and Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI). The regions are segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Another research titled Cloud Security Market Global Forecast to 2022 says, the cloud security market size is expected to grow from $4.09 billion in 2017 to $12.73 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 25.5%. The application security segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The data center security segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Companies such as Trend Micro, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), Intel Security (California, U.S.), Symantec Corporation (California, U.S.), IBM Corporation (New York, U.S.), Cisco systems (California, U.S.), CA Technologies, Inc. (New York, U.S.), CSC (Virginia, U.S.), Fortinet, Inc. (California, U.S.) have been profiled in this 169 pages research report available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/283158-cloud-security-market-cloud-iam-idaas-dlp-web-security-email-security-cloud-ids-ips-siem-encryption-services-bcdr-network-security-cloud-database-security-virtualization-security-global-advancements-forecasts-analysis-2014-2019-.html . Explore more reports on IT & Telecommunication Market at http://www.reportsnreports.com/market-research/information-technology/ . About Us: ReportsnReports.com is an online market research reports library of 500,000+ in-depth studies of over 5000 micro markets. Not limited to any one industry, ReportsnReports.com offers research studies on agriculture, energy and power, chemicals, environment, medical devices, healthcare, food and beverages, water, advanced materials and much more. Contact: Hrishikesh Patwardhan 2nd Floor, Metropole Building, Next to Inox Theatre, Bund Garden Road, Pune - 411001. Maharashtra, India. +1-888-391-5441 sales@reportsandreports.com Connect with Us: LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/reportsnreports RSS/Feeds: http://www.reportsnreports.com/feed/l-latestreports.xml SeaSpeed provides the only ultra-low latency route from 1400 Federal NJ to B3 Sao Paulo BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Seaborn Networks ("Seaborn"), a leading developer-owner-operator of submarine fiber optic cable systems, announced today it has delivered SeaSpeed Tier 1 on Seabras-1 to its customers of record. SeaSpeed Tier 1 is the lowest latency route between 1400 Federal in Carteret, New Jersey and B3 in Sao Paulo, with an actual measured latency of 105.05ms RTD between the exchange data centers. This is a direct exchange-to-exchange service with no intermediate drops at the cable landing stations permitted. In addition, Seaborn also deliveredits SeaSpeed Tier 2 (fka Carrier Class) latency service from 1400 Federal to B3 to its customers of record, with actual measured latency of 106.54ms RTD between the exchange centers. Seabras-1 Tier 2 is a lower-cost method for financial trading firms to get on the newest, most direct route between Carteret and B3. Both SeaSpeed Tiers 1 and 2 offer the most reliable connectivity between U.S. and Brazil trading exchanges. Seaborn manages all six fiber pairs of Seabras-1 for its customers. This is accomplished via Seaborn's own 24X7 network operations center ("NOC") manned with Seaborn employees, its own disaster recovery NOC, along with control of its cable landing station in Praia Grande and underlying ownership (together with Partners Group on behalf of its clients) of all six fiber pairs on Seabras-1. Seaborn's management of the full system applies regardless of whether such parties have SeaSpeed or, through Seaborn's Wholesale offering, purchase IRUs or leases for fiber pairs, spectrum or lit capacity. This enables Seaborn to offer its SeaSpeed and Wholesale offerings with the following unique attributes: SeaSpeed Tiers 1 and 2 are available only from Seaborn through its exclusive channel partner, Spread Networks, to financial industry customers, are not permitted to be resold or swapped to third parties, and both include industry-leading latency service level agreements ("SLAs"). All Seaborn non-financial customers (including carriers, OTTs, ISPs and resellers) have Seabras-1's Wholesale service, which is also managed by Seaborn. Seaborn believes its Wholesale offering provides a lower latency than competing submarine cables between NJ/NY and Sao Paulo and also provides a wide range of on-net POP locations to choose from in the U.S. and Brazil . However, Wholesale does not include a latency SLA nor does it include a direct path to B3. . However, Wholesale does not include a latency SLA nor does it include a direct path to B3. Actual measured latency POP to POP for Wholesale offerings varies depending on the wide array of POP locations Seaborn offers, and we believe these are lower than any other existing US-Brazil cable system between the POPs we serve. As an example, our Wholesale service between SP3 in Sao Paulo and 800 Secaucus in New Jersey benefits from a latency of 107.76ms RTD. Station-to-station latency of our Wholesale solutions also differ from SeaSpeed offerings. Seaborn's latency and quality of service for its SeaSpeed customers is without precedent. With more than $520 million invested in Seabras-1, it's the first-ever submarine cable project designed from the ground up to offer the fastest path between the largest exchanges of North America and South America. About Seaborn Networks Seaborn is a leading developer-owner-operator of independent submarine fiber optic cable systems, including now fully operational Seabras-1 U.S./ Brazil, ARBR between Brazil /Argentina (RFS Q4 2018), and SABR between Brazil /South Africa (RFS 2019). Seaborn has offices in the U.S., Brazil and England and fully operational 24/7 NOCs. Management has experience in designing, building, financing and operating many of the world's largest submarine and terrestrial networks. www.seabornnetworks.com Media Contact Kate Wilson, Seaborn Networks Tel: +1 978 471 3169 kate.wilson@seabornnetworks.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/600844/Seaborn_Networks_Logo.jpg DUBLIN, November 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Market Analysis & Trends - Industry Forecast to 2025" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. The Global Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Market is poised to grow strong during the forecast period 2017 to 2025 Some of the prominent trends that the market is witnessing include increasing demand for semi-autonomous technologies and rising demand for comfort and convenience vehicles in developing countries. This industry report analyzes the market estimates and forecasts of all the given segments on global as well as regional levels presented in the research scope. The study provides historical market data for 2014, 2015 revenue estimations are presented for 2016 and forecasts from 2017 till 2025. The study focuses on market trends, leading players, supply chain trends, technological innovations, key developments, and future strategies for the existing players, new entrants and the future investors. Key Topics Covered: 1 Market Outline 2 Executive Summary 3 Market Overview Increasing Demand for Semi-autonomous Technologies Rising Demand for Comfort and Convenience Vehicles in Developing Countries Recent Technological Developments in Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Growth Opportunities/Investment Opportunities 4 Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Market, By End User Healthcare Third party or law firms Government Transportation 5 Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Market, By Automation Level Level 2 Level 3 Level 1 6 Autonomous Cars/Driverless Cars Market, By Geography 7 Key Player Activities 8 Leading Companies Uber Mercedes-Benz Alphabet Inc. (Google) Nissan Toyota Volvo Car Corporation Tesla Motors General Motors Honda Motor Corporation Audi Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kft9vx/global_autonomous 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 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, 2017-06-28 11:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd.("Standard Lithium" or the "Company") (TSX-V:SLL) (FRA:S5L) (OTCQX:STLHF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andy Robinson to the Company's Board of Directors. Dr. Robinson, who joined Standard Lithium in April, 2017 as President and COO, previously served as Chief Operating Officer and board member for Pure Energy Minerals, where he was responsible for leading the first Inferred Resource assessment for a lithium brine deposit in North America, in accordance with 43-101 guidelines. During his tenure at that company, he was instrumental in developing innovative exploration, sampling and assessment techniques for lithium brine resources, and was responsible for developing a world-class lithium brine process engineering team. This team successfully developed and tested efficient and effective modern brine processing techniques that will help shape the way in which lithium products are extracted from brine in the future. Standard Lithium CEO, Robert Mintak commented, "I had the pleasure of working with Andy for the past four years, and know that his excellent management and strategic planning capabilities will strengthen our Board as we continue to rapidly grow the Company." Prior to joining Pure Energy in 2014, Andy held a series of senior technical and executive management roles with publicly listed companies in the energy, power and engineering sectors, and has been responsible for successfully taking projects from inception to production while developing sustained corporate growth. Andy is an experienced geoscientist with 20+ years of experience, a PhD in Geochemistry from the University of Bristol, UK, and has worked on a wide range of projects in the resource, power and energy sectors in Europe, Africa, and North and South America. About Standard Lithium Standard's value creation strategy encompasses acquiring a diverse and highly prospective portfolio of large-scale domestic brine resources, led by an innovation & results oriented management team with a strong focus on technical skills. The Company is currently focused on the exploration of its 16,000+ acre Bristol Lake, Brine Project located in the Mojave region of San Bernardino County, California. The location has significant infrastructure in-place, with easy road and rail access, abundant electricity and water sources, and is already permitted for extensive brine extraction and processing activities. Standard also recently announced the acquisition of the 40,000+ acre Paradox Basin Project located in Grand County, Utah. On behalf of the Board, Standard Lithium Ltd. Robert Mintak, Director & CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Contact: 604 409 8154 Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de New revenue opportunities in insurance and in-car services will help auto OEMs widen margins, finds Frost & Sullivan's Mobility team LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --The thinning margins in the automotive industry are making a strong case for vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to explore revenue streams beyond sales and periodic maintenance. As customers become accustomed to digital transactions, OEMs will look to tap the hitherto underutilised fintech services segment to generate additional revenues. Active partnerships with fintech companies will enable OEMs to offer multiple use cases that enrich in-vehicle experience, which will ultimately influence customers' purchase decisions. Fintech in the Global Automotive Industry, Forecast to 2025 is part of Frost & Sullivan's Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Subscription. The study examines key application areas of fintech in the automotive industry: leasing and finance, insurance, digital retailing, digital payments, and automotive services. Europe, followed by North America, is anticipated to lead in digitising finance, and North America, followed by Europe, in automotive service investments. The average investment in fintech is estimated to grow from $16 million in 2016 to $230 million by 2025 with the emergence of digital car retailing and new business models in insurance. To find out more, or to talk to us, please email Anna Zanchi, Corporate Communications: anna.zanchi@frost.com "As new subscription-based fintech services grow and vehicles become more widely connected with drive-thru restaurants and fuel stations, auto OEMs will enthusiastically adopt monetisation platforms and mobile wallets for service execution," said Frost & Sullivan Mobility Research Analyst Isaac Abraham. "Technology companies such as Google, Whatsapp and WeChat are expected to lead the digitisation of on-demand convenience services, while OEMs ensure that revenues stay within the core automotive ecosystem." The synergies between automakers and technology companies will power next-generation financial service infrastructure. Even though fintech partnerships with big banks slow down transactions, it is important to note that banks manage almost 32% all new vehicle financing in North America. Besides: The competition for market share between banks and captives finance companies is expected to digitise new car sales and result in a $1 trillion auto financing market ; and ; and Fintech will monetise services based on subscription models and on-demand vehicle features. "Both fintech companies and auto OEMs will need to arrive at a uniform service delivery system to encourage mass adoption of services across vehicle models, demographics and regions," noted Abraham. "As the availability and ease of transaction through digital platforms increase, OEMs will be able to achieve a 3-4% increase in sales by developing advanced digital leasing and finance tools. Overall, automotive manufacturers and suppliers have demonstrated an eagerness to expand their fintech portfolio and pilot finance and insurance use cases by 2018, and in-car convenience features by 2022." About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion Contact: Anna Zanchi Corporate Communications - Europe P: +39.02.4851 6133 E: anna.zanchi@frost.com Twitter: @Frost_Sullivan or @FS_Automotive Linkedin: Future of Mobility - A Frost & Sullivan Forum http://www.frost.com MOUNT LAUREL, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 -- inTEST Corporation (NYSE MKT: INTT), an independent designer, manufacturer and marketer of thermal management products and semiconductor automatic test equipment (ATE) interface solutions, is pleased to announce that inTEST management will participate in the 9th Annual CEO Investor Summit, taking place Wednesday July 12th, 2017 in San Francisco, California. About The 9th Annual CEO Summit The CEO Summit is an accredited investor and publishing research analyst event held concurrently with SEMICON West and Intersolar 2017 in San Francisco. The event is hosted by executive management from participating companies and will feature a "round-robin" format consisting of small group meetings, each 30 minutes in duration. During the event, investors and analysts will have the opportunity to meet with up to 10 of the 18 management teams during the 30-minute group meeting sessions, as well as opportunities to meet with additional management teams during the breakfast and lunch networking sessions. The 18 management teams collectively hosting the 2017 CEO Summit include: Aehr Test (AEHR), Axcelis (ACLS), BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI.AS), Brooks (BRKS), Cabot Micro (CCMP), Camtek (CAMT), Cohu (COHU), CyberOptics (CYBE), Electro Scientific (ESIO), FormFactor (FORM), Ichor Systems (ICHR), inTEST (INTT), Intevac (IVAC), Kulicke & Soffa (KLIC), Nanometrics (NANO), Rudolph (RTEC), Soitec (SOIT), and Ultra Clean Technology (UCTT). Sponsoring the networking luncheon is Cowen & Co. The CEO Investor Summit is by invitation only and is open to accredited investors and publishing research analysts. As space is limited, please RSVP early. Hosts reserve the right to limit attendance as necessary. Last day for registration is July 7, 2017. While held concurrently with SEMICON West and Intersolar 2017, the event is not affiliated with the show. RSVP Contacts for 9th Annual CEO Summit 2017 To RSVP for the CEO Summit, please contact either of the Summit's co-chairs. Laura J. Guerrant-Oiye Guerrant Associates Phone: (808) 960-2642 Email: lguerrant@guerrantir.com Claire E. McAdams Headgate Partners LLC Phone: (530) 265-9899 Email: claire@headgatepartners.com About inTEST Corporation inTEST Corporation is an independent designer, manufacturer and marketer of thermal management products and ATE interface solutions, which are used by semiconductor manufacturers to perform final testing of integrated circuits (ICs) and wafers. The Company's high-performance products are designed to enable semiconductor manufacturers to improve the speed, reliability, efficiency and profitability of IC test processes. The Company's products are also sold into the automotive, consumer electronics, defense/aerospace, energy, industrial and telecommunications markets. Specific products include temperature management systems, manipulator and docking hardware products and customized interface solutions. The Company has established strong relationships with its customers globally, which it supports through a network of local offices. For more information visit www.intest.com. Contacts inTEST Corporation Hugh T. Regan, Jr. Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Tel: 856-505-8999 Investors: Laura Guerrant-Oiye, Principal Guerrant Associates lguerrant@guerrantir.com Tel: (808) 960-2642 Ingersoll-Rand plc (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, will host a conference call to discuss its second-quarter 2017 financial results on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at 10 a.m. ET. The company plans to issue its second-quarter 2017 earnings release and earnings presentation in advance of the call; both will be available on Ingersoll Rand's website. A real-time, listen-only webcast of the conference call will be broadcast live over the internet. Individuals wishing to listen can access the call through the company's website at www.ingersollrand.com under the investor relations section. For those unable to listen to the live event, a replay will be available at approximately 1 p.m. ET, July 26, 2017, on the company's website. About Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands including Club Car, Ingersoll Rand, Thermo King and Trane - work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005231/en/ Contacts: Ingersoll-Rand Media: Misty Zelent, 704-655-5324 mzelent@irco.com or Investors: Zac Nagle, 704-990-3001 investorrelations@irco.com SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 -- Eco Building Products, Inc. (OTC PINK: ECOB) announced today that its subsidiary, Wood Protection Technologies, (WPT) has received replenishment orders against its national distribution agreement, indicating an accelerated sales pace at the retail level. In April, the Company reported that WPT had entered into an exclusive licensing and national distribution agreement with one of the Industry's largest wood fencing manufacturers. The Company expects widespread geographic distribution and market penetration across all of the various wood fencing channels, including home centers and pro distribution yards, by year end. WPT has been shipping well ahead of the original forecast as new distribution centers and stores were added to the agreement six months ahead of the plan. The Company reports that sales at the retail level have also been advanced ahead of the original forecast, leading to the first replenishment orders. "These replenishment orders mark a critical milestone for the Company as they indicate important acceptance at the consumer level. WPT's Eco D-Fence is a new product -- and really a new category of fence picket -- so having these orders is a tremendous ratification of the vision -- both from a product standpoint and the business model. We are proving that WPT can be a pure product development company that goes to market through the most streamlined, cost-effective channel strategy in the Industry. The 'sawmill as a channel to retail sales' model eliminates layers of transportation and distribution costs that otherwise disadvantage our competitors," said Tom Comery, WPT's President and CEO. WPT's D-Fence is an environmentally friendly wood fencing treatment that combines WPT's patent pending, Wood Surface Film Concentrate chemistry that protects wood from mold, termites and fungal decay with an added, proprietary, fade resistant stain formulation. WPT is committed to protecting the wood in, on and around your home. The Company's chemistry serves multiple end use wood markets, and fencing alone is roughly a $1.5 billion segment. About Eco Building Products, Inc. Eco Building Products, Inc. (Eco) is a manufacturer of proprietary, environmentally conscientious chemistry utilizing patent pending ECOB WoodSurfaceFilm and FRC technology (Fire Retardant Coating). Eco's products protect against fire, mold/mycotoxins, fungal-decay, wood ingesting insects and termites. Eco is headquartered in San Diego, CA and goes to market through licensed Affiliates nationwide. Safe Harbor Statement: This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act, and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance that may be suggested in this release. ECOB takes no obligation to update or correct forward-looking statements, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties. Company Contact Eco Building Products, Inc. Phone: 1 (858.780.4747) Email: info@ecob.net Web Site: www.ecob.net Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2017) - Virtus Oil and Gas Corporation (OTC Pink: VOIL), has sold its first load of oil this month. Virtus finally is generating oil revenue for the first time in its history. After extensive workovers on its water disposal well, the Tin Cup Mesa field has been placed into production. The Company sold oil in June to Western Refinery and expects the sales to continually increase. The Company is finalizing its financial statements from May 2016 to the current period. The Company expects to post "Management" financials (unaudited) on its website during the first week of July and follow up with submissions to the SEC. Further the Company will engage its auditor in August to audit the financials for 2016. "The Company is in a much stronger position now than it was a year ago," said Dan Green, CEO. "We look forward to increasing our production and to acquire other assets," he further stated. About Virtus Oil and Gas Corporation Virtus Oil and Gas Corp. (OTC Pink: VOIL) is a Nevada-based oil and gas exploration and production company currently focused on producing assets in the State of Colorado and Utah. Virtus' strategy is to acquire proven and producing assets and/or develop oil and gas resources in proven, onshore basins in the United States. Forward-looking Statements This news release may contain "forward-looking" statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward looking-statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include such factors as uncertainty of consumer demand for the Company's products, as well as additional risks and uncertainties that are identified and described in the Company's SEC reports. The company will need to raise additional financing in order to advance its exploration and drilling program. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. The Company does not undertake, and it specifically disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, events or circumstances after the date of such statement. Contact: Dan Green Virtus Oil and Gas Corporation 848 North Rainbow Blvd. #170 Las Vegas, NV 89107 (775) 636-3132 www.virtusoil.com Industry peers called upon to help recognize the best innovations in retail banking today Voting has opened for the 5th Efma-Accenture Distribution Marketing Innovation Awards program, which recognizes the most-innovative projects in retail banking worldwide. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Oct. 25 in Rome. This year, 183 financial services institutions from 59 countries submitted more than 450 innovations, from which 48 have been selected as finalists, split across eight categories. Efma members and non-members from financial institutions may now vote online for the winners and runners-up in each category. Votes may be cast until Sept. 29 at https://www.efma.com/innovations/nominees, where voters will evaluate the innovations and rank their top choices, awarding a bronze, silver and gold medal to three of the six nominees per category. Those attending the awards ceremony in person or via live webcast will be able to vote for the 'Best New Product or Service category' during the event. Each nominee will have seven minutes to pitch and demo their innovation to participants to get those all-important final votes. The 2017 finalists are: Best New Product or Service 1. comdirect bank -Finooptimizer The smart tool to multiply your money; a financial management tool to help optimize customers transactions 2. Emirates NBD - Liv. The First Digital Lifestyle Bank Globally; promoting social and financial wellness 3.OP Group - OP Kulku Care-free electric car leasing service utilizing omnichannel sales to optimize the customer experience 4. DenizBank - Augmented Agricultural Banking App Banking backed by technology enhanced intelligence and algorithm driven agricultural platform 5. Alior Bank - HAIZ Banking communicator for tech-savvy customers 6. BBVA- BBVA Valora Helps assess how much a consumer's home can be worth by grouping expenses and related information Big Data, Analytics and AI 1. Isbank - Isbank's Marketing Brain Creating relevant, contextual, consistent and personalized interactions 2. mBank - ChatMe&mAIA Program Full chat interaction service program focused on providing an omnichannel experience with AI support) 3. Banco Bradesco - Nuveo Uses AI to capture and interpret information from legal documents and contracts 4. Sberbank - Tips in Sberbank Online Helps users change their financial habits for the better 5.Mashreq Bank - Mashreq Chat Banking The world's first chat banking platform integrated with Facebook Messenger 6. Leumi Card - Secured Touch Behavorial biometric technology that replaces second-factor authentication Customer Experience Engagement 1. DenizBank DenizBank Senior Banking Service Model A social responsibility service model for pensioners 2. KBC Bank KBC's My car Driving customer experience in car loans 3. La Banque Postale La Banque Postale Digital Inclusion Program in the Banking Sector Developing digital use of banking services 4. Siam Commercial Bank Easy Van An entertaining, movable digital banking classroom 5. Nordea Bank Nordea Car portal Online car leasing platform 6. Garanti Bank Mobile Interactive Assistant An assistant to conduct self-service transactions on the mobile banking platform Digital Marketing 1. Zagrebacka Banka Cash Loans "I live for today" Digital platform for customers to share answers to inquiries 2. DBS Bank - DBS Sparks Digital content marketing, inspired by true client stories 3.DenizBank The Visible Man-Scenario integration to an internet series Creating 'native content' 4. Banco Bradesco Content House SXSW 2017 Up-to-date content that democratizes access to discussions and connects the brand to consumers 5. Self Bank - Pequenos Inversores Little Investors, bringing investment funds to all consumers in a simple way 6. La Caixa imaginBank chatbot Spain's first Facebook chatbot provided by a financial institution New Business Ecosystem 1. mBank mPower Business Starter Facilitating new business with an intuitive experience 2. Yapi Kredi Bankasi Code.YapiKredi Software providing education and support for bright young minds 3. Mizuho Financial Group Diving into API Banking to explore the IoT ecosystem 4. Citigroup Citi Developer Hub Collaborative ecosystem delivering cutting-edge solutions 5.Fidor Bank Fidor Bank's digital marketplace "Finance Bay" Customers 'shop' for trusted FinTech, InsurTech and TradeTech apps 6.Standard Bank Feenix Crowd Funding Platform Connecting students looking for finance with donors looking to make a difference Phygital Distribution 1. Standard Chartered Bank Korea SCBK X Payco Collaboration of banking and payment services 2. comdirect bank cominvest The Modern Digital Asset Management by comdirect 3. ICICI Bank Next generation features in iMobile- ICICI Bank's mobile banking application 4. Banco Bradesco Offering Credit to SMEs through mobile 5. Idea Bank Idea Hub Express Mobile co-working space 6. Axis Bank Augmented Reality feature in Near Me Section of mobile banking services Wallets Payments 1. DBS Bank POSB Smart Buddy Programme Contactless payments ecosystem, cultivating sensible savings and spending habits among students 2. Barclaycard Barclaycard Grab+Go New payment concept that transforms shoppers' smartphones into a 'pocket checkout' 3.Intesa Sanpaolo JiffyPay Mobile payment system leveraging ultrasound to transform payments from 'push' to 'pull' 4. Soldo - Soldo Family Wallet Multi-user account that manages the entire family's expenses 5. Maybank Berhad New Maybank2u Pay Open API platform for digital payments to e-commerce merchants 6. Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ - MUFG COIN New digital payment instrument: a form of virtual currency issued using blockchain technology Workforce Empowerment Behavior 1. DenizBank I Have a Solution! Gamified platform that creates open innovation and "coopetetive" (cooperative competitive) idea playground 2. Mouvement Desjardins Desjardins Group's entourage service Proactively addresses complaints to ensure friends and family are getting great service 3. Sberbank Smart Learning System Individual approach to mastering managers' skills through big data analytics 4. OCBC Bank HR in your Pocket (HIP) Provides more than 6,000 employees in Singapore access to HR resources at their fingertips 5. Intesa Sanpaolo ISP Digital Learning Portal and Smartphone App to Learn Anytime, Anywhere 6.Kotak Mahindra Bank - Executive Assistance Bot (Cognitive Data Analytics with NLS) Instant insights and decision making for senior management leaders Two special categories Global Innovator Challenger and Global Innovator Established Player will be selected by an impartial Expert Jury Committee, which will vote on the quality and quantity of each institution's innovations. The finalists are: Global Innovator Challenger Players: 1. CheBanca! 2. DenizBank 3. Fidor Bank 4. Idea Bank 5. N26 6. SolarisBank 7. Widiba Global Innovator Established Players: 1. BBVA 2. Banco Bradesco 3. Caixabank 4.DBS Bank 5. Emirates NBD 6. Garanti Bank 7. HDFC Bank 8. ICICI Bank 9. Sberbank 10. USAA To find out more about the Efma-Accenture Distribution Marketing Innovation Awards or to reserve your space at the ceremony, click here. About Efma A global non-profit organization established in 1971 by banks and insurance companies, Efma facilitates networking between decision-makers. It provides quality insights to help banks and insurance companies make the right decisions to foster innovation and drive their transformation. Over 3,300 brands in 130 countries are Efma members. Headquarters in Paris. Offices in London, Brussels, Barcelona, Stockholm, Bratislava, Dubai, Mumbai and Singapore. Learn more at www.efma.com About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions underpinned by the world's largest delivery network Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 411,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170927005773/en/ Contacts: Efma Alys Singh, +33 1 47 42 67 71 alys.pr@efma.com or Accenture Melissa Volin, +1 267-216-1815 melissa.volin@accenture.com Chemical company Oxea, one of the world's leading manufacturers of oxo chemicals, announced today the successful closing of a EUR 900 million equivalent first lien term loan. Also, the company entered into a new and significantly upsized EUR 137.5 million six-year revolving credit facility. The new term loan extends Oxea's debt maturity profile and reduces the overall cost of debt. Furthermore, the company's liquidity is improved through the upsizing of the revolving credit facility. The term loan comprises a EUR 475 million euro-denominated tranche and a USD 500 million dollar-denominated tranche, both due 2024. Oxea will use the proceeds from the term loan to refinance its existing first lien term loan ahead of its 2020 maturity. Oxea has seen strong performance in both its oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives businesses in 2017, driven by improved industry fundamentals and benefits of management initiatives. The company received an upgrade in outlook from credit rating agencies in September 2017: Standard Poor's changed its outlook from stable to positive, and Moody's changed its outlook from negative to positive. "The successful refinancing reflects the success of our forward-thinking risk management and the support from our board. With sustained momentum in performance and continued support from our shareholder Oman Oil Company, we now have a clear runway and great flexibility to implement our strategy underpinned by innovation, growth, and optimization. Oxea will continue to generate strong cash flows and is well positioned for the next phase of its growth," said Dr. Salim Al Huthaili, CEO of Oxea. Perella Weinberg Partners served as advisor to Oxea for the transaction. Bank of America Merrill Lynch (lead-left on the dollar-denominated tranche) and HSBC (lead-left on the euro-denominated tranche) were lead bookrunners in the process, with J.P. Morgan and UniCredit as joint bookrunners and LBBW acting as lead arranger. About Oxea Oxea is a global manufacturer of oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives, such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and amines. These products are used for the production of high-quality coatings, lubricants, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, flavorings and fragrances, printing inks and plastics. Oxea employs more than 1,400 people worldwide. Oxea is part of the Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C. (OOC), a commercial company wholly owned by the Government of Oman. Established in 1996, it pursues investment opportunities in the wider energy sector both inside and outside Oman. OOC plays an important role in the Sultanate's efforts to diversify the economy and to promote domestic and foreign investments. For more information about Oxea, visit www.oxea-chemicals.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171013005223/en/ Contacts: OXEA GmbH Thorsten Ostermann Communications and Press Relations Phone: +49 (0)2173 9993-3009 communications@oxea-chemicals.com COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/30/17 -- Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE American: GORO) (NYSE MKT: GORO) (the "Company") today announced drill highlights from its phase five drill campaign at its Gold Mesa exploration property located in Mineral County, Nevada. Drill highlights include 9.14 meters of 1.59 grams per tonne (g/t) gold drilled from surface. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer, developer and explorer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and Nevada, USA. The Company has returned $110 million to shareholders in monthly dividends since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010, and offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. Gold Resource Corporation's phase five reverse circulation drill campaign followed-up on five targets previously tested at its Gold Mesa property with multiple drill holes encountering surface and near surface high-grade gold mineralization. The Company has now tested a total of eight exploration targets at Gold Mesa. Gold Mesa Drill Highlights include (m = meters, g/t = grams per tonne) (see full table below): Hole GMA-142 4.57m of 0.82 g/t gold, 21.34m downhole incl. 1.52m of 1.93 g/t gold, 22.86m downhole Hole GMA-150 13.72m of 0.50 g/t gold, from surface incl. 3.05m of 1.74 g/t gold, from surface Hole GMA-151 9.14m of 1.59 g/t gold, from surface incl. 4.57m of 2.85 g/t gold, from surface Hole GMA-157 7.62m of 0.95 g/t gold, 13.72m downhole incl. 3.05m of 1.86 g/t gold, 16.76m downhole Hole GMA-162 3.05m of 1.49 g/t gold, 7.62m downhole incl. 1.52m of 2.51 g/t gold, 7.62m downhole Hole GMA-177 6.10m of 0.79 g/t gold, 10.67m downhole incl. 1.52m of 1.79 g/t gold, 10.67m downhole Hole GMA-142 was drilled vertical intercepting 4.57 meters grading 0.82 g/t gold with mineralization beginning 21.34 meters downhole; including 1.52 meters grading 1.93 g/t gold beginning 22.86 meters downhole. Hole GMR-150 was drilled vertical intercepting 13.72 meters grading 0.50 g/t gold from surface; including 3.05 meters grading 1.74 g/t gold from surface. Hole GMA-151 was drilled vertical intercepting 9.14 meters grading 1.59 g/t gold from surface; including 4.57 meters grading 2.85 g/t gold from surface. Hole GMA-157 was drilled vertical intercepting 7.62 meters grading 0.95 g/t gold with mineralization beginning 13.72 meters downhole; including 3.05 meters of 1.86 g/t gold beginning 16.76 meters downhole. Hole GMA-162 was drilled vertical intercepting 3.05 meters grading 1.49 g/t gold with mineralization beginning 7.62 meters downhole; including 1.52 meters grading 2.51 g/t gold beginning 7.62 meters downhole. Hole GMA-177 was drilled vertical intercepting 6.10 meters grading 0.79 g/t gold with mineralization beginning 10.67 meters downhole; including 1.52 meters grading 1.79 g/t gold beginning 10.67 meters downhole. ---------------------------------------------------- GOLD MESA PHASE FIVE DRILL HIGHLIGHTS Aug-17 ---------------------------------------------------- Hole # Angle From Interval Au Ag -------------------------------------------- deg Meters Meters g/t g/t ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-142 -90 21.34 4.57 0.82 8 ------------------------------------- Incl. 22.86 1.52 1.93 18 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-143 -90 1.52 10.67 0.46 5 ------------------------------------- Incl. 9.14 3.05 1.03 10 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-150 -90 0 13.72 0.5 2 ------------------------------------- Incl. 0 3.05 1.74 3 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-151 -90 0 9.14 1.59 1 ------------------------------------- Incl. 0 4.57 2.85 2 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-153 -90 4.57 6.1 0.65 11 ------------------------------------- Incl. 4.57 1.52 1.79 26 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-157 -90 13.72 7.62 0.95 3 ------------------------------------- Incl. 16.76 3.05 1.86 6 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-162 -90 7.62 3.05 1.49 5 ------------------------------------- Incl. 7.62 1.52 2.51 6 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-167 -90 3.05 7.62 0.38 1 ------------------------------------- Incl. 4.57 1.52 1.23 1 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-177 -90 10.67 6.1 0.79 1 ------------------------------------- Incl. 10.67 1.52 1.79 2 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-183 -90 1.52 4.57 0.58 0 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-187 -90 24.38 4.57 0.58 11 ------------------------------------- Incl. 27.43 1.52 1.17 24 ---------------------------------------------------- GMA-188 -90 15.24 12.19 0.28 3 ------------------------------------- Incl. 18.29 1.52 1.03 7 ---------------------------------------------------- Assays by Inspectorate America Corp., Sparks, Nevada, USA. Meters Down Hole, Not true width. Reverse circulation drilling. ---------------------------------------------------- Gold Mesa phase five drill results reported in this press release add to previously reported high-grade drill results, which included 33.54 meters grading 1.89 g/t gold, 15.24 meters grading 6.27 g/t gold, 12.19 meters grading 2.42 g/t gold, 9.1 meters grading 2.42 g/t gold, 12.19 meters grading 3.34 g/t gold and 6.10 meters grading 2.09 g/t gold (see press releases dated June 14, 2016, October 13, 2016, March 21, 2017, and June 21, 2017). The Gold Mesa property has potential for a high-grade gold open pit, or multiple gold open pits, with surface and near surface mineralization. Mr. Barry Devlin, Vice President of Exploration, stated, "We have now completed five successful phases of shallow drilling at Gold Mesa over the past sixteen months testing eight different targets. Each phase of drilling has encountered surface and near surface high-grade gold values, at depths typically less than 30 meters below surface. Our goal now is to begin connecting portions of these eight different targets at Gold Mesa into a larger near surface mineralized zone conducive to open pit mining, as well as test the mineralization at deeper depths." The Gold Mesa property is part of the Company's Nevada Mining Unit, which also includes the development stage Isabella Pearl Project, the Mina Gold exploration property, and the East Camp Douglas exploration property. All four Nevada properties have surface and / or near surface high-grade gold drill intercepts and potential for future high-grade open pit heap leach operations. The Isabella Pearl Project is in advanced stage design, engineering and permitting with the goal of production at the earliest possible point in time. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit covers more than 27,000 acres in south central Nevada's Walker Lane Mineral Belt. About GRC: Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer, developer and explorer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and Nevada, USA. The Company has 56,891,484 shares outstanding, zero warrants and has returned $110 million back to shareholders since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010. Gold Resource Corporation offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. For more information, please visit GRC's website, located at www.Goldresourcecorp.com and read the Company's 10-K for an understanding of the risk factors involved. Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding Gold Resource Corporation's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to Gold Resource Corporation on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's 10-K filed with the SEC. Contacts: Corporate Development Greg Patterson 303-320-7708 www.Goldresourcecorp.com LONDON, November 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Man Gaming announces the appointment of Ian McGregor as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), with effect from 1 December. A veteran of the video game industry, Ian has held senior leadership roles at top game publishing brands including EA and Activision, heading up International Marketing for best-selling game franchises such as FIFA, Call of Duty and The Sims. Ian's extensive industry experience, coupled with his passion for gaming and business, will play a key role in taking Green Man Gaming's brand to the next level globally. As Chief Marketing Officer, Ian will be responsible for building and transforming Green Man Gaming's brand internationally, as well as the company's marketing and customer experience activities. Building on the outstanding work of the team to date, Ian will focus on expanding Green Man Gaming's marketing initiatives internationally as the business continues to drive rapid growth in new markets. He will also work with his team to innovate and deliver a strong value proposition to all Green Man Gaming's stakeholders, including its customers, partners and the wider gaming community. Ian was previously Head of International Consumer Marketing at both EA and Activision, where he worked on over 80 game titles and led innovative marketing campaigns such as the launch of FIFA Interactive World Cup, the largest online gaming tournament in the World, that grew significant market share and achieved global record-breaking launches. He also led a number of high profile accounts at Publicis London across the technology and entertainment sectors and headed up the British Army account. Before joining Green Man Gaming, Ian worked with several Technology and eCommerce early stage start ups, helping to drive fast growth and revenue. "We are very excited to have Ian join the senior management team at a time when we are looking to take Green Man Gaming's brand and marketing activities to the next level, as we continue expanding the business internationally. Ian's extensive industry experience at top game publishers, innovative marketing mind-set and ability to bring different teams together to deliver impactful results is critical for us to achieve our aggressive targets to continue our fast growth," said Paul Sulyok, CEO and Founder of Green Man Gaming. "I have closely followed Green Man Gaming's remarkable journey over the years as it has grown to become a critical part of the gaming ecosystem. This is the perfect time for me to join the business, as it seeks to accelerate growth, build market share and deliver more products and services to its growing customer base. The passion I have for video games is shared by everyone in the Green Man Gaming team, and I look forward to working with all of them to plan for the future as the business expands and grows at fast pace," said Ian McGregor. Download Ian McGregor photo (Dropbox) About Green Man Gaming Green Man Gaming is a global technology company at the heart of the video games industry. Greenmangaming.com is an eCommerce store and community platform offering millions of gamers a single destination for all things gaming. With customers in 195 countries, the store stocks a wide catalogue of multi-platform digital games at the best prices and provides the latest game data tracking, reviews and discussions on itscommunity. Green Man Gaming Publishingworks with independent development studios globally to market their own games and increase the visibility of games in a challenging marketplace. The industry expertise and knowledge of the publishing team provide developers with hands on and collaborative support that includes in-depth market analysis, integrated Marketing and PR campaigns, finishing finance options and global retail strategy. Leveraging its patented technology, Green Man Gaming also partners with game publishers and leading hardware manufacturers to support their marketing initiatives. Announced at CES 2017, Green Man Gaming's digital storefront is currently being made available on millions of Lenovo laptops worldwide through the Lenovo Entertainment Hub. Green Man Gaming has also partnered with Intel to build and manage their software distribution hub which offers digital games to hundreds of hardware partners as part of the IntelTechnology Provider Gold and Platinum Partners Program. Green Man Gaming has been recognised by leading bodies in the video gaming, business and technology sectors with over 30 awards received since it was launched in 2010. The company was featured in London Stock Exchange Group's 1,000 Companies to Inspire 2017 list and ranked in The Sunday Times 2016 Tech Track 100 celebrating the UK's fastest growing companies. It was also one of 25 companies named as part of Tech City UK's first Future Fifty programme, recognising and supporting fast growth digital technology businesses in the UK. www.greenmangaming.com MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 -- Amex Exploration Inc. ("Amex or the Company") (TSX VENTURE: AMX) announces that Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (the "Optionee") has informed the Company of its decision to let its option to acquire 51% of the Perron property lapse. Under the terms of the option agreement entered into June 21, 2013, and amended twice thereafter to extend the termination date at the request of the Optionee, the Perron Property fully reverts to Amex, who will now control and direct all exploration activities. Pursuant to an extensive review of the data to be provided by the Optionee on all the work completed to date, in the amount of $2.5M, Amex expects to launch an exploration program that will primarily focus on the original Amex discovery hole PE-13-03 which returned an intercept of 41.4 meters at 2.19 g/t Au, including of 19.1 g/t Au over 2 meters (see PR2013-03-19). "Now that Perron is back in our hands, we will be launching an exploration program to be defined following a full review of the extensive database and the creation of a 3D model which will highlight the main gold features of Perron," said Jacque Trottier, Chairman of the Board and Head of Exploration at Amex. "We are eager to start working on the property again and to be able to focus our exploration efforts in areas which we feel have the highest potential to host a gold rich polymetallic deposit on the property. Since the original discovery hole made in 2013, Perron has always been a very interesting target and we are excited to be directing the exploration program again with the added benefit of the exploration work completed by Agnico Eagle in the area. "I am very pleased to have recuperated 100% of this property so that Amex can put together a focused exploration program that can test the potential of our initial discovery, which was not the primary focus of recent exploration," said Victor Cantore, President and CEO. The Optionee was to drill 6,500 meters in 2017, of which they completed drilling on 8 out of 16 targets. Most of the targets were located within the Normetal Mine Horizon where the Optionee has concentrated its exploration work since 2015. The Normetal Mine Horizon is approximately 1 km from the Amex Perron discovery area. About Amex Amex Exploration Inc. is a junior mining exploration company, the primary objective of which is to develop and bring into production viable gold and base metals deposits in mining-friendly jurisdictions. Amex has multiple highly prospective projects: the 100% owned Perron gold project located 110 kilometres north of Rouyn Noranda, Quebec, consisting of 116 adjacent claims covering 4518 hectares; the 100% owned Eastmain River gold properties consisting of 135 claims covering 7,102 hectares and the 100% owned Cameron project located in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Quebec, comprising 263 claims covering 14,743 hectares. In addition, Amex has an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Gowan Property located near the Kidd Creek Mine. 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: Victor Cantore President and Chief Executive Officer Amex Exploration: 514-866-8209 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2017) - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (OTC Pink : GZD IF) ( FSE: G6H) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") announces that the Board of Directors has granted stock options ("Options") to directors, officers, and consultants of the Company to acquire up to an aggregate 2,300,000 common shares of the Company ("Shares") under the Company's Stock Option Plan, of which 1,400,000 were granted to insiders of the Company. The Options are exercisable at a price of $0.05 per Share, vest immediately upon issuance, and expire on July 7, 2022 or earlier in accordance with the provisions of the Company's Stock Option Plan. The grant of options and the exercise price are subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. 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. COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwired - June 28, 2017) - AMETEK Solidstate Controls, Inc. (SCI), a leading manufacturer of highly customized uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), unveiled the Dennis Dellinger "Stache" Award at its recently held 11 th biennial Nuclear Owners' Group Conference. The nuclear power industry experts who attended the June symposium, held at AMETEK SCI's headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, offered presentations and shared insights into power protection and plant operation within the nuclear industry. "The nuclear industry has seen many challenges in the last two years. This conference provided an ideal way for the top nuclear energy providers to share best practices through an open forum of presentations and seminars," said Jim Amicon, AMETEK Solidstate Controls' Director of Sales - Power Generation. "Attendees found the presented information and highlighted topics extremely useful, as plant operations, engineering and system maintenance experts communicated issues, mitigations and solutions." The eponymous "Stache" Award was created to honor recently retired Dennis Dellinger, a 45-year SCI veteran, who sported a distinct handlebar mustache, in recognition of his unmatched dedication to the nuclear power industry and the Nuclear Owner's Group Conference. The award seeks to commend and promote integrity within and commitment to the nuclear power generation industry. The award recipients also included John Niemi, who recently retired from SCI; Marco Migliaro of ESA Consulting; and David Anders from DP Engineering. At the 2017 Conference, SCI welcomed representatives from the following nuclear power providers: AMEREN, APS, Dominion, Duke, Entergy, Exelon, PSEG, SCE&G, Southern Nuclear, TVA, and Xcel. Along with covering discussion topics ranging from safety-related equipment design and parts obsolescence to battery maintenance, the conference showcased SCI's recently released Nuclear Digital ProcessPower (NDPP) Class 1E qualified UPS system. Solidstate Controls has more than 45 years of proven experience supplying and servicing power protection products. Its users include more than 75 percent of the U.S. nuclear power generating stations as well as a large global footprint of commissioned equipment. For more about AMETEK Solidstate Controls nuclear products and services, visit www.nuclearups.com. About AMETEK Solidstate Controls: Solidstate Controls is a recognized leader in highly customized inverters and UPS systems for critical processes involving harsh environments such as power generation and petrochemical processing (including fossil fuel and nuclear power utilities). Solidstate Controls has administrative and manufacturing operations at its world headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and it is a unit of AMETEK, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with annual sales of approximately $4.0 billion. For additional information, visit: www.solidstatecontrolsinc.com. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/6/28/11G141989/Images/SCI_Conference_Image-8e1d7adf038692f5b40eb16e42760e00.jpg Media Contacts: Kirsten Woodard Kirsten@masterplanpr.com (714) 366-6003 or Ashton Maxfield Ashton@masterplanpr.com (949) 289-6493 VANCOUVER, BC -- (Marketwired) -- 10/19/17 -- Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (CNSX: FFT) (OTCQB: FFRMF) is pleased to announce it has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Derek Ross of Cannatech LLC for the acquisition of a 120-acre licensed industrial hemp farm in Amity, ME (the "Farm"). The Farm has just finished harvesting its first crop, which is now being prepared for further processing into high-grade cannabidiol oil, or CBD hemp oil. As part of this acquisition, Future Farm and Cannatech have also entered into a new joint venture agreement to continue operating the Farm. With this acquisition, Future Farm is now strategically positioned in both the fast growing hemp market as well as the cannabis market. Derek Ross of Cannatech will stay on as the operator and grower of high CBD strains and retain a 20% interest in the Farm. The Farm is currently the largest operating hemp farm in Maine. "This strategic acquisition puts Future Farm in the CBD business in a big way and opens the door for growing, researching, developing, and selling premium hemp and CBD oil, which contain a broad range of cannabinoids used to treat a growing population of CBD oil consumers," comments Bill Gildea, CEO of Future Farm. "We are pleased to be working with Derek and his team of experienced growers and we look forward to adding value by installing new state of the art CBD oil extraction equipment on-site to meet the increasing demand of CBD oil." Derek Ross, CEO of Cannatech comments, "I'm excited to grow this business with Future Farm. Partnering with a public company will allow us to scale this business faster, enabling us to process large amounts of hemp flower into highly pure CBD concentrates." Mr. Ross continues, "We are still in the early stages and already have germinated over 6,000 hemp plants and 750 clones for cultivation." Hemp is a fast growing, high margin closely-related business to the cannabis business growing at a 22% CAGR currently valued at over $688 million, and estimated to grow to $1.8 billion by 2020 in the USA. Hemp is a member of the Cannabis Sativa L family, but unlike marijuana it contains only 0.3 percent or lower tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive chemical that causes a euphoric response. Grown for centuries for its seeds and stalks, hemp was once a staple crop and legal to cultivate in the United States until the 1930s. It can be used to produce a multitude of products, including food, paper, textiles, building materials, and body care products. As consideration for the acquisition of the Farm, Future Farm agrees to pay Derek Ross $80,000, payable in equal installments over the course of six months. Mr. Ross is also entitled to receive 250,000 shares of the Company's common stock upon closing of the real estate transaction. There is no finder's fee associated with this transaction. On behalf of the Board, Future Farm Technologies Inc. William Gildea, CEO & Chairman About Future Farm Future Farm Technologies Inc. is a Canadian company with projects throughout North America including California, Florida and Maryland. The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants, with a focus on cannabis. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generate yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including 90% less water, fertilizer and land used, less travel costs, seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability. The Company also utilizes a leading cannabis oil extraction technology, which enables the Company to process 20lbs/hour of cannabis plant to yield approximately 908 grams/hour of oil. The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com, which caters to B2B customers, is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com, which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers. The Company recently acquired the exclusive right to use a patented, augmented reality (AR) technology in the cannabis industry. The Company will work with its partner to merge AR and ad-tech with the cannabis industry through the CannaCube LiveTM platform. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results 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, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, 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 except as required under the applicable laws. For further information, contact William Gildea Director 617.834.9467 bill@futurefarmtech.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/21/17 -- Integrated Asset Management Corp. ("IAM") (TSX: IAM) and its private corporate debt group, IAM Private Debt Group ("PDG"), announce the closing of a senior loan to Shaman Power Corporation. The capital raised by Shaman Power Corporation will assist in the construction of a one megawatt hydro-electric generation facility located on the Grand River in downtown Elora, Ontario. PDG manages and provides funding from Integrated Private Debt Fund LPs on behalf of a number of pension funds and other institutional investors. PDG offers fixed rate, investment grade term loans to mid-market companies for such purposes as refinancing existing debt, acquisitions, plant expansion or modernization, project financing and management buyouts. IAM is one of Canada's leading alternative asset management companies with approximately $2.5 billion in assets and committed capital under management in real estate and private debt. Contacts: Brian Ko Managing Director IAM Private Debt Group 416-367-3492 bko@iamgroup.ca Philip S. Robson President IAM Private Debt Group 416-367-3972 probson@iamgroup.ca www.iamgroup.ca SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - June 28, 2017) - A junior explorer has taken back the reins of a project in Portugal that is showing results. Company included in article: Avrupa Minerals Ltd. Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: AVU) (FRANKFURT: 8AM) announced on June 19 that it has restored 100% ownership in the Alvalade copper-lead-zinc project in Portugal, reaching agreements with its two partners. In a June 26 press release, Avrupa announced a private placement to raise $500,000, which will "be used for exploration and operations in Portugal, Kosovo, and Vancouver, and for general working capital." Paul Kuhn, Avrupa's president and CEO, commented, "Now that we have successfully consolidated the Alvalade copper-zinc project, we have work to prepare for the next stage of drilling." Kuhn explained that Avrupa already has "a number of compelling targets [at Alvalade] in the immediate surrounding sectors at Sesmarias, as well as drill-ready targets at Monte da Bela Vista (10 km north of Sesmarias) and in the Pombal area (15 km south of Sesmarias)." Continue reading this interview: Canadian Company Regains 100% Ownership of Portugal Project About Streetwise Reports/ The Gold Report Investors rely on The Gold Report to share investment ideas for the precious, base and critical metals sector. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. DISCLOSURE: The following companies mentioned in this article are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Avrupa Minerals. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services. The full disclosure is provided at the end of the published article: Canadian Company Regains 100% Ownership of Portugal Project For more information, please contact: Melissa Farley Associate Publisher Email contact WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The global app market would be worth $6.3 trillion by 2021, compared to $1.3 trillion in 2016, according to a new report from analyst firm App Annie. The expected growth in the global app market is said to reflect the significantly increasing number of smartphone owners and their use of mobile apps. As per the report, mobile commerce, i.e., purchasing of goods through a smartphone app, will be the single largest driver of growth for the app economy, growing to $946 per user by 2021 from $344. Asia will grow the quickest with $3.2 trillion in 2021, while Americas will be worth $1.7 trillion, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa or EMEA will reach $1 trillion. The report said, 'Compared to U.S. consumers, Chinese consumers are nearly three times as likely to buy food and groceries via their devices, twice as likely to transfer money using apps, and four times more likely to spend a majority of disposable income on mobile.' In 2016, the 3.4 billion app users spent, on average, $379 in apps across all three forms of monetization, or $0.80 per hour per person. This is expected to grow to $1,008 per user by 2021. The change would be different from market to market. In Japan, users generated an average of $13.98 per user per hour, and they spent more than 68 billion hours in apps in 2016. The U.S., meanwhile, generated $2.36 per user per hour and China generated $2.01. It is also reported that consumer spend across app stores will grow 18 percent to reach $139 billion by 2021. Apple's iOS App Store will remain the largest single store, growing to over $60 billion. However, Google Play combined with third-party Android marketplaces would overtake the iOS App Store by year's end, largely thanks to China. In the app stores, games will continue to drive revenue, growing to $105 billion in 2021 from $50 billion in 2016. Non-game revenue will triple to over $34 billion in 2021 from $11.5 billion in 2016, with apps for video, music, dating, education, and productivity leading the way. As per the report, the expected increases in the coming years would especially be impacted by the shift of physical transactions to mobile ones. Western markets will lag behind this shift, including consumer spending and ad spending's move to mobile. However, developing markets are building infrastructure designed for mobile, the firm explained. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de ROSEMONT, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 --The Quality Show, the only trade show focused exclusively on quality education, technology, equipment, and products, is excited to announce two Keynote Presentations being planned for the upcoming event, scheduled for October 24-26, 2017 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. On Wednesday, October 25th, Matt Napoli, VP of In-Space Operations will present Made In Space: Manufacturing at 17200mph. Prior to Matt's presentation the editors of QUALITY Magazine will present the Plant and Professional of the Year Award. On Thursday, October 26th, Harry Moser, Founder and President of Reshoring Initiative will discuss Better Quality and Lower Cost via Reshoring. "We are thrilled to welcome these two industry leaders who will provide The Quality Show participants knowledge and understanding of amazing uses of 3D Printing and the benefits of reshoring production," said Darrell Dal Pozzo, Group Publisher of Quality Magazine. "Following each of the keynote presentations, attendees will then have a chance to visit the trade show floor where they will see the newest technology and equipment available in the marketplace to help implement the ideas presented from our speakers." On Wednesday morning, Matt Napoli will discuss how in 2014, manufacturing was brought off-world for the first time with the 3D Printing in Zero-G Experiment on the International Space Station. By manufacturing space assets in space, as opposed to launching them from Earth, it is possible to accelerate and broaden space development like never before. With it comes the unprecedented challenge of remotely manufacturing and assuring items without physical access to them. Matthew will share his experiences on what it is like to command and control the first manufacturing presence off Earth. On Thursday morning, Harry Moser, Founder and President, Reshoring Initiative will discuss the increasing advantages of producing near the customer which have been driving some companies to reshore production and sourcing. The trend will be accelerated by the election of Donald Trump, and an increasing recognition of the many costs and risks due to offshoring. The most frequently mentioned offshore cost is quality. Even before November, reshoring and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) had brought about 260,000 manufacturing jobs to the U.S. since January 2010. Attendees will learn how and why to use the free Initiative TCO Estimator to quantify the onshore advantages for their own sourcing and siting decisions and for selling against imports. In addition to the keynote presentations, attendees will have access to a series of conference sessions, and an interactive show floor with 100+ Exhibiting Companies, including, Platinum Sponsor Mahr; Silver Sponsor BSI; Bronze Sponsor Innvometric and Collaborative Partners CMSC and UL, to name a few. The exhibit hall will be open Tuesday, October 24 from 1:00pm - 7:00pm (with a Welcome Reception from 4-7 pm); Wednesday, October 25 from 10:00am - 5:00pm, and Thursday, October 26 from 10:00am - 3:00pm. The Quality Show 2017 will be held Tuesday, October 24 - Thursday, October 26 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. The Show is produced by Quality Magazine (www.qualitymag.com), a monthly trade journal serving the quality assurance and process improvement needs of more than 50,000 manufacturing professionals. The Quality Show is produced by BNP Media (www.bnpmedia.com), one of the country's leading business-to-business media companies serving industry professionals across 60+ industries through magazines, custom media, e-newsletters, webinars, events and market research. For more information, visit www.qualityshow.com For Further Information, Contact: Amy Riemer Media Relations Representative 978-475-4441 (office) or 978-502-4895 (cell) Email Contact NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Axiom Holdings, Inc. ("Axiom" or the "Company") (OTC PINK: AIOM) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 17-cv-04756, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Axiom securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you are a shareholder who purchased Axiom securities between October 14, 2016 and June 19, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until August 21, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] Axiom Holdings, Inc. is an independent power producer and real estate developer that develops, builds, owns & operates power generation plants and hotels. Axiom continues to leverage its global partnerships with real estate owners and hydropower developers and expand its asset portfolio through acquisition and development of identified pipeline. On October 10, 2016, Axiom Holdings, Inc. entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the "Agreement") with CJC Holdings, Ltd. (together with its subsidiaries, "CJC"), a Hong Kong corporation, and the two shareholders of CJC, Hu Dengyang and Yang Chuan (collectively, the "CJC Shareholders"). CJC, through its subsidiaries, operates and constructs hydropower electric generation stations located in China with two in operation, a third under construction and a fourth in the planning stage and slated for operation in 2019. In addition, CJC, through its subsidiaries, operates two hotels in China. Pursuant to the Agreement, Axiom was to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of CJC from the CJC Shareholders in exchange for the issuance to the CJC Shareholders of 200,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Axion lacked control over the merger process sufficient to ensure that the Agreement with CJC would be completed; (ii) accordingly, the Agreement with CJC was never completed; (iii) the Company's issuance of shares to the CJC Shareholders was thus improper; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Axiom's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On June 19, 2017, Axiom issued a press release disclosing that the Company had identified discrepancies related to prior news announcements in response to a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The following day, Axiom issued a second press release, advising investors that "it now appears the merger was never completed" and advising investors that it would rescind the shares that were issued to the CJC Shareholders in connection with the merger. On this news, Axiom's share price fell $0.44, or 37.93% over two trading days, to close at $0.72 on June 20, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation ("Booz Allen" or the "Company") (NYSE: BAH) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Booz Allen's securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you are a shareholder who purchased Booz Allen securities between May 19, 2016 and June 15, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until August 18, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] Booz Allen is an American management consulting firm. The Company purports to provide management and technology consulting, engineering, analytics, digital, mission operations, and cyber solutions to governments, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations in the United States and internationally. At all relevant times, Booz Allen has derived substantially all of its revenues from services provided to the U.S. government. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Booz Allen engaged in improper accounting practices in its contracts with the U.S. government; (ii) consequently, the Company's revenues derived from services provided to the U.S. government were inflated and unsustainable; (iii) discovery of the foregoing conduct would subject the Company to heightened regulatory scrutiny, potential criminal sanctions, and jeopardize its business relationship with the U.S. government; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Booz Allen's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On June 15, 2017, post-market, Booz Allen disclosed that on June 7, 2017, the Company's subsidiary Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. "was informed that the U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a civil and criminal investigation relating to certain elements of [its] cost accounting and indirect cost charging practices with the U.S. government." On this news, Booz Allen's share price fell $7.43, or 18.89%, to close at $31.90 on June 16, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP Lost productivity is costing the global service industry more than $5 trillion annually Three-quarters of office workers believe new technology can improve their productivity Unit4, world leader in enterprise systems for services organizations, announces the findings of an independent multi-national research study into global productivity and the time office workers spend on primary work. On average across all of the countries in this study, office workers spend 552 hours a year completing administrative or repetitive tasks; the equivalent to 69 work days or roughly one-third of the working year. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005817/en/ Office workers lose a third of their work time to admin, costing the global service industry more than $5 trillion annually. The research shows that the cost of this lost productivity to the service industry in 11 countries is more than $5 trillion USD annually. The United States ($2.87 trillion) has the largest administrative cost annually based on responses to this study combined with official figures1. Singapore ($26.3 billion) has the lowest administrative costs in monetary terms. The most productive workers from the countries surveyed are in Norway, spending 81% of their time on primary duties, followed closely by Sweden (78%) and France (76%). Respondents in Singapore spend the least time performing the primary duties of their role at 60% but also the least time on repetitive administration. Most striking are the differences between generations. Professionals over 41 spend more time on primary responsibilities than those between 26 and 30. At the same time, people over 50 spend the longest collating and entering data. Despite this, workers aged between 26 to 35 say they support automation more than those aged 36-40 and 56-60, and younger professionals are more likely to think it will improve their happiness. They are confident this technology will be available soon (even within a year). When asked if they would trust technology such as a digital virtual assistant or software application to manage repetitive tasks, around 9 in 10 workers in Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands said they would, while fewer than three quarters of respondents in Germany and Australia said the same. Two-thirds (67%) agreed that implementing this type of technology would be important to remain competitive. The 26-40 age group is significantly more likely to think this than those over 56, and those with management responsibility are also more likely to agree. "Unit4 strives to make software self-driving to unburden the services industry. We commissioned the research to understand the views of workers, like those employed by its customers, on how adopting new technology to help automate non-value add tasks, could help them be more productive," said Stephan Sieber, CEO of Unit4. "To compete effectively for talent in the future, service organizations will need to make systems automated and self-driving to ensure productivity, but also to help younger workers to better engage at work by delivering them a similar experience to what they are used to at home. This will help them to feel they are spending their time on the right things, on their primary work and being effective. Left unchanged, the situation could be crippling for business, particularly services organizations who rely on the strengths and output of their people." The survey was conducted by DJS Research in April/May 2017 among office based employees in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The findings are based on responses from 1,505 employees of companies with at least 100 staff members, and with at least 100 responses from each country (400 in the US). The findings of the survey have been summarized in an infographic. A report of the survey findings is available on request. About Unit4 Unit4 is a leading provider of enterprise applications empowering people in service organizations. Thousands of organizations from sectors including professional services, education, public services, not-for-profit, real estate, wholesale, and financial services benefit from Unit4 solutions. Unit4 is in business for people. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.unit4.com/about/our-company follow us on Twitter @Unit4global or visit our LinkedIn page 1 Total hours spent on admin x people working in service industries as a percentage of total working population (OECD) x average hourly wage (World Bank). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005817/en/ Contacts: Unit4 Emma Keates, +44 (0) 1423 537977 Global PR Manager Emma.Keates@unit4.com Twitter:emmajkeates NEW YORK, NEW YORK and TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 -- TouchBistro today announced that it has extended its integration with Square to restaurants in the UK. Restaurants of all sizes in the UK using the TouchBistro iPad mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) solution will now be able to process payments seamlessly using Square. The TouchBistro iPad mPOS is designed specifically to help restaurants increase their sales, improve the customer experience, and make informed decisions to profitably grow their business. By simplifying tasks and reducing serving time, TouchBistro has proven to markedly increase table turns and sales. "The integration with Square UK is part of our commitment to restaurant success, and can have tremendous impact on the bottom line of TouchBistro users of all sizes, from small cafes to large, full-service restaurants," said Alex Barrotti, founder and CEO of TouchBistro. "With the Square Reader, TouchBistro UK users can improve efficiency and the customer experience by accepting payments at the bar, counter, or table. The integration also facilitates easy access to all the benefits of Square's suite of services." TouchBistro has revolutionized restaurant operations by mobilizing the point of sale. With just a tap, servers can enter table-side orders and send them directly to the kitchen for preparation without running back and forth. Secure, integrated EMV payments can also be taken at the table with Square. Sarah Harvey, who leads Square in the UK, said: "Larger sellers using Square - like full-service restaurants - often have specialist requirements, but still want to integrate with Square's easy-to-use payments technology and beautifully designed hardware. TouchBistro is a great example of a Point of Sale solution that serves a specific industry well. With this integration, their customers can now use Square to start accepting chip & PIN and contactless payments, and receive their money as soon as the next working day." It takes just seconds to connect TouchBistro to Square. Square enables sellers to accept card payments and also provides reporting and analytics, next-day settlement, and chargeback protection. Square was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Ireland, and the UK. About TouchBistro TouchBistro is the easy, smart, and complete iPad point-of-sale solution designed specifically to meet the unique needs of food and beverage venues. TouchBistro provides restaurants of all sizes with an affordable, flexible and powerful point-of-sale solution that works as the hub of efficient restaurant operations to help increase sales, improve service, and provide managers with the business intelligence they need to make informed decisions about growing the business. TouchBistro is the top grossing food and beverage app in 37 countries. Contacts: Media Contact: Kari Wise Boulevard PR (for TouchBistro) 818.588.8074 kari@boulevardpr.com EMERYVILLE, CA--(Marketwired - June 28, 2017) - Global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm Berkeley Research Group announced today that Jared Willis, an Associate Director in the firm's Kuwait City office, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the American Business Council of Kuwait. Since 1985, the American Business Council of Kuwait Ltd. (ABCK) has acted as an advocate for American companies in the State of Kuwait. ABCK is a nonprofit organization comprising American corporations, small- and medium-sized companies and prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs, both American and Kuwaiti. Through the support of its members, ABCK has become the recognized voice of US business in Kuwait. ABCK provides a platform through which executives pursue and discuss issues impacting business operations between the US and Kuwait. The Board of Directors post is for a three-year term. Willis led BRG's initiative to establish a 100 percent foreign-owned subsidiary in Kuwait under Kuwait's 2014 Direct Investment Promotion Law. BRG was only the ninth international company, and only consulting firm, to receive an investment license under this law, joining companies including IBM, GE and Huawei. BRG's office in Kuwait City was established in 2016 and is staffed by Kuwaiti nationals with diverse academic credentials and strong experience in a variety of sectors and industries. The office has worked on a number of strategic and high-profile engagements in Kuwait. In August 2017, the office will release a study on entrepreneurship in Kuwait, in partnership with Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and KAMCO Investment Company. About Berkeley Research Group, LLC Berkeley Research Group, LLC (www.thinkbrg.com) is a leading global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm that provides independent advice, data analytics, authoritative studies, expert testimony, investigations, and regulatory and dispute consulting to Fortune 500 corporations, financial institutions, government agencies, major law firms and regulatory bodies around the world. BRG experts and consultants combine intellectual rigor with practical, real-world experience and an in-depth understanding of industries and markets. Their expertise spans economics and finance, data analytics and statistics, and public policy in many of the major sectors of our economy, including healthcare, banking, information technology, energy, construction and real estate. BRG is headquartered in Emeryville, California, with offices across the United States and in Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. User conferences showcase the world's largest and most successful Digital Workforce deployments built on Blue Prism's world-leading Enterprise RPA platform Blue Prism, the company delivering the world's most successful digital workforce, last week hosted its second Blue Prism World event this year in London, recording even greater attendance rates than its recent New York conference. The conferences collectively attracted more than 1,200 attendees, making Blue Prism World the largest RPA event of the year. "Blue Prism World is by far the largest RPA vendor event we've seen yet," said Phil Fersht, CEO of HfS, the leading RPA and digital labor analyst firm who presented at Blue Prism World London. "The quality of attendees and presenters made the size of the conference that much more impressive. It was extremely valuable to hear leaders from several of the world's most recognizable brands out in force to share their successes and challenges with RPA. Blue Prism has set the standard with a unique community that is helping make RPA technology mainstream." The conferences were highlighted by presenters from world-renowned enterprises, consulting and delivery partners and thought leaders in RPA, including Accenture/Avanade, BNY Mellon, Capgemini, Deloitte, EY, Fidelity, HSBC, IBM, KPMG, Lloyds Banking Group, Met Life, Pfizer, Prudential, Wells Fargo, Western Union, Williams Martini Racing and Zurich Insurance Group, to name a few. Industry standards committees and academia were also strongly represented by presentations from Lee Coulter, CEO of Ascension Shared Services and Chairman of the IEEE standards; Leslie Willcocks, professor of technology work and globalization at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Political Science; and Mary C. Lacity, professor of information systems at the University of Missouri and visiting scholar at MIT Center of Information Systems Research. "These events put the spotlight on our customers and partners who provide us with invaluable support, collaboration and guidance," said Alastair Bathgate, CEO of Blue Prism. "The marquee clients who have stepped up to tell their remarkable stories of success and delivered business value understand the impact automation is having on the evolving nature of work. It is their success stories, shared with industry peers, teamed with our fantastic partner ecosystem that will help drive the adoption of our digital workforce going forward." Each client success story highlighted how the Blue Prism enterprise RPA solution is the only true and trusted enterprise-grade RPA platform available today, where the software robots are designed to handle mission-critical transactions securely and at scale and automate hundreds of processes simultaneously, all while delivering millions and millions of hours annually back to the more than 300 Blue Prism enterprise clients across the globe. "Blue Prism is on a roll," said John O'Brien, Research Director at TechMarketView. "The event in London was packed to the rafters, with several hundred people attending, and others not able to get in at all. This shows first-hand the level of adoption and surging interest in RPA. Blue Prism backed it up yesterday when it announced that company revenues more than doubled in the first half of 2017." Coinciding with Blue Prism World events, the company unveiled Version 6.0 of its RPA platform as the Operating System for the Digital Workforce. Most notably, the latest platform supports deployments incorporating cutting-edge cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, accelerating the use of, and productivity of, cognitive technology within the enterprise. Customers can work with leading cloud service providers such as AWS, Google, IBM and Microsoft to have Blue Prism RPA solutions now delivered as a service. And for access to AI and cognitive capabilities, Blue Prism's ecosystem of technology partners includes industry heavyweights Appian, Captricity, Celaton, Expert System, IBMand Minit. RPA Successes Abound The Blue Prism Customer Awards were a tremendous success, pulling in outstanding submissions from customers to be judged by independent RPA experts from Gartner, Forrester Research, HfS, McKinsey Company, the IEEE Working Group on Standards in Intelligent Process Automation, University of Missouri St. Louis and Knowledge Capital Partners. In New York, the winners of the 2017 Customer Awards were: BNY Mellon , for Best Use of Blue Prism to Deliver Business Value, honoring its use of Blue Prism to deliver outstanding business benefits, including greater ROI, an improved customer experience, top-line growth and increased customer retention. Prudential Financials also earned an honorable mention in this category. , for Best Use of Blue Prism to Deliver Business Value, honoring its use of Blue Prism to deliver outstanding business benefits, including greater ROI, an improved customer experience, top-line growth and increased customer retention. also earned an honorable mention in this category. AMEX , for Best Enterprise Implementation of Blue Prism, which assesses numerous criteria including speed of deployment, buy in from key stakeholders in both business and IT, design and implementation, as well as delivery methodology. , for Best Enterprise Implementation of Blue Prism, which assesses numerous criteria including speed of deployment, buy in from key stakeholders in both business and IT, design and implementation, as well as delivery methodology. Lighthouse Works, for Most Innovative Use of Blue Prism RPA, awarded to the team that used Blue Prism in conjunction with other technologies, including AI, cognitive and cloud capabilities, to drive a digital transformation. This nonprofit uses Blue Prism software robots to help blind and visually impaired workers perform daily jobs. In London, a similar awards ceremony was held, acknowledging the following global enterprises: nPower , for Best Use of Blue Prism to Deliver Business Value, with Telefonica O2 earning an honorable mention , for Best Use of Blue Prism to Deliver Business Value, with earning an honorable mention HSBC , for Best Enterprise Implementation of Blue Prism RPA, with Raiffeisen Bank International earning an honorable mention , for Best Enterprise Implementation of Blue Prism RPA, with earning an honorable mention Al Rajhi Bank , for Most Innovative Use of Blue Prism RPA, with Shop Direct earning an honorable mention , for Most Innovative Use of Blue Prism RPA, with earning an honorable mention Barclays, for Most Value Derived by a Long Standing Customer (10+ years), with The Co-operative Bank earning an honorable mention Blue Prism also took the opportunity to recognize its partners for outstanding commitment to customer success. The 2017 Partner Awards were broken down into three categories for partners-Global, Americas and EMEA. Blue Prism acknowledged two key global partners who were: Accenture/Avanade , for Global Reach Investment, offering the largest digital workforce capability and accredited resources worldwide and; , for Global Reach Investment, offering the largest digital workforce capability and accredited resources worldwide and; EY, for Global Delivery Excellence, demonstrating superiority in delivering and implementing Blue Prism RPA projects worldwide In the Americas, the partner winners were: Ascension , for Authorized Training Partner of the Year , for Authorized Training Partner of the Year IBM , for the Innovation Award , for the Innovation Award Lateetud , for Best Client Value Award , for Best Client Value Award Solai Cameron , for Most Promising Newcomer of the Year , for Most Promising Newcomer of the Year Symphony Ventures, for Best Practice Implementation Partner In EMEA and Rest of World (ROW) the 2017 Partner Awards went to the following: Robiquity , for Authorized Training Partner of the Year Award , for Authorized Training Partner of the Year Award Thoughtonomy , for the Innovation Award , for the Innovation Award Accenture/Avanade , for the Best Client Value Award , for the Best Client Value Award Digital WorkForce, for the Most Promising Newcomer of the Year for the Most Promising Newcomer of the Year Neoops, for Shared Services Award for Shared Services Award ISG, for Best Practice Implementation Partner of the Year Later this year, Blue Prism World will come to Japan, Australia and San Francisco, and plans are already taking shape for a dramatically expanded Blue Prism World 2018. For more information on Blue Prism or Blue Prism World Conferences, please visit www.blueprism.com. About Blue Prism Blue Prism delivers the world's most successful digital workforce. Its Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software operates within the most demanding enterprise administrative environments to automate high-risk, manual, rules-based and repetitive tasks and radically improves agility, efficiency, accuracy and compliance. Blue Prism provides a scalable and robust execution platform for best-of-breed AI and cognitive technologies and has emerged as the trusted and secure RPA platform for the digital enterprise. Blue Prism's RPA software has executed more than one billion transactions for enterprises including Aegon, BNY Mellon, Commerzbank, IBM, ING, Maersk, Nokia, Nordea, Procter Gamble, Raiffeisen Bank, Siemens, Westpac and Zurich. For more information about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), visit www.blueprism.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005840/en/ Contacts: Blue Prism Andre Fuochi, +1-469-394-7274 andre.fuochi@blueprism.com NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 28 June 2017 RECOMMENDED OFFER FOR INNOCOLL HOLDINGS PLC BY GURNET POINT L.P. ACTING THROUGH ITS GENERAL PARTNER WAYPOINT INTERNATIONAL GP LLC (through Lough Ree Technologies Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary) to be implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement under Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Irish Companies Act 2014 Announcement relating to the results of the Scheme Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting ATHLONE, Ireland, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innocoll Holdings plc ("Innocoll" or the "Company") announces today that in relation to the recommended offer for Innocoll by Gurnet Point L.P. (acting through its general partner Waypoint International GP LLC) ("Gurnet Point") through its wholly owned subsidiary Lough Ree Technologies Limited ("Gurnet Bidco"), the resolutions required to approve the scheme of arrangement under Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Irish Companies Act of 2014 (the "Scheme") were passed by the requisite majorities at the scheme meeting (the "Scheme Meeting") and the related extraordinary general meeting ("EGM") held earlier today. The detailed voting results of the poll taken in respect of each of the resolutions at the Scheme Meeting and EGM are set out below. 1. Scheme Meeting: Resolution: THAT the Scheme in its original form or with or subject to any modification(s), addition(s) or condition(s) approved or imposed by the High Court be agreed to. Number of % of Innocoll Number of % of Innocoll Number of Innocoll Shareholders Innocoll Shares voted Innocoll Shareholders who voted Shares voted Shares voted who voted as a % of Innocoll Shares* For 18 94.74 21,970,315 99.70 73.00 Against 1 5.26 65,251 0.30 0.22 Total 19 100 22,035,566 100 73.22 Withheld 1 5.26 419,427 1.90 1.39 *The total number of Innocoll Shares in issue at the Voting Record Time was 30,095,931. 2. Extraordinary General Meeting: Resolution 1 - Special Resolution: Amendment of Memorandum of Association Number of Innocoll % of Innocoll Shares Number of Innocoll Shares voted voted Shares voted as a % of Innocoll Shares* For 21,983,381 99.71 73.04 Against 63,350 0.29 0.21 Total 22,046,731 100 73.25 Withheld 420,583 1.91 1.40 *The total number of Innocoll Shares in issue at the Voting Record Time was 30,095,931. Resolution 2 - Ordinary Resolution: To Approve the Scheme of Arrangement Number of Innocoll % of Innocoll Shares Number of Innocoll Shares voted voted Shares voted as a % of Innocoll Shares* For 21,981,945 99.71 73.04 Against 64,841 0.29 0.22 Total 22,046,786 100 73.26 Withheld 420,528 1.91 1.40 *The total number of Innocoll Shares in issue at the Voting Record Time was 30,095,931. Resolution 3 - Special Resolution: Cancellation of Cancellation Shares Number of Innocoll % of Innocoll Shares Number of Innocoll Shares voted voted Shares voted as a % of Innocoll Shares* For 21,960,733 99.63 72.97 Against 81,861 0.37 0.27 Total 22,042,594 100 73.24 Withheld 424,720 1.93 1.41 *The total number of Innocoll Shares in issue at the Voting Record Time was 30,095,931. Resolution 4 - Ordinary Resolution: Application of the Reserve arising on the Reduction of Capital in Paying up and Issuing Shares Number of Innocoll % of Innocoll Shares Number of Innocoll Shares voted voted Shares voted as a % of Innocoll Shares* For 21,977,415 99.70 73.02 Against 66,130 0.30 0.22 Total 22,043,545 100 73.24 Withheld 423,769 1.92 1.41 *The total number of Innocoll Shares in issue at the Voting Record Time was 30,095,931. Resolution 5 - Special Resolution: Amendment of Articles of Association Number of Innocoll % of Innocoll Shares Number of Innocoll Shares voted voted Shares voted as a % of Innocoll Shares* For 21,980,296 99.71 73.03 Against 64,490 0.29 0.21 Total 22,044,786 100 73.25 Withheld 422,528 1.92 1.40 *The total number of Innocoll Shares in issue at the Voting Record Time was 30,095,931. Completion of the Acquisition remains subject to satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions set out in the Definitive Proxy Statement (as defined below), but is expected to occur in July 2016. In order for the Scheme to become effective, the sanction of the Scheme by the High Court of Ireland at a hearing is required. It is intended that, on 30 June 2017, Innocoll will apply to the High Court of Ireland to fix a date for a hearing to sanction the Scheme, which date is expected to be 21 July 2017. ENQUIRIES Innocoll Holdings plc Anthony Zook, Chief Executive Officer TZook@innocoll.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this announcement are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can typically be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "expects", "believes", "may", "will", "could", "should", "intends", "plans", "predicts", "envisages", "estimates", "forecast", "outlook", "guidance", "possible", "projects", "potential" or "anticipates" or other similar words and expressions and include, without limitation, any projections relating to results of operations and financial conditions of either Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco or Innocoll and their respective subsidiary undertakings from time to time, as well as plans and objectives for future operations, expected future revenues, financing plans, expected expenditures, expected synergies and divestments relating to Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco or Innocoll and discussions of Gurnet Point's, Gurnet Bidco's or Innocoll's business plans. All forward-looking statements in this document made by Gurnet Point and / or Gurnet Bidco are based upon information known to Gurnet Point and / or Gurnet Bidco on the date of this document and all forward-looking statements in this document made by Innocoll are based upon information known to Innocoll on the date of this document. Except as expressly required by law, Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco and Innocoll disclaim any intent or obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. None of Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco or Innocoll undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save as may be required by law. Although none of Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco or Innocoll undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, you are advised to consult any additional disclosures that any of Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco or Innocoll may make directly to you or through reports that any of Gurnet Point, Gurnet Bidco or Innocoll, in the future, may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Unless otherwise indicated, the information in this document is as of June 28, 2017. It is not reasonably possible to itemize all of the many factors and specific events that could cause the forward-looking statements in this document to be incorrect or could otherwise have a material effect on the future operations or results of the Company. Further information on the primary risks of the business and the risk management of the Company is contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, which is filed with the SEC. Statements Required by the Irish Takeover Rules The Company's Directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Company's Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this announcement for which they accept responsibility is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. Piper Jaffray & Co. ("Piper Jaffray"), which is a securities broker-dealer registered with the U.S. SEC and subject to regulation by the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is acting as financial adviser exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the Acquisition and the other matters referred to in this announcement, and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of Piper Jaffray or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this announcement. No Offer or Solicitation This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer to purchase, sell, subscribe for, exchange or otherwise dispose of, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell, subscribe for, exchange or dispose of, or an invitation to purchase, sell, subscribe for, exchange or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise, to or from any person to whom it is unlawful to make any such offer, invitation or solicitation in such jurisdiction nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or an equivalent document. Rule 8 Dealing Disclosure Requirements Under the provisions of Rule 8.3 of the Irish Takeover Rules, if any person is, or becomes, 'interested' (directly or indirectly) in 1% or more of any class of 'relevant securities' of Innocoll, all 'dealings' in any 'relevant securities' of Innocoll (including by means of an option in respect of, or a derivative referenced to, any such 'relevant securities') must be publicly disclosed by not later than 3:30 p.m. (New York time) on the 'business day' following the date of the relevant transaction. This announcement will continue until the date on which the 'offer period' ends. If two or more persons cooperate on the basis of any agreement, either express or tacit, either oral or written, to acquire an 'interest' in 'relevant securities' of Innocoll, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Irish Takeover Rules. Under the provisions of Rule 8.1 of the Irish Takeover Rules, all 'dealings' in 'relevant securities' of Innocoll by Gurnet Point or Gurnet Bidco or by any party acting in concert with any of them, must also be disclosed by no later than 11:59 a.m.(New York time) on the 'business day' following the date of the relevant transaction. A disclosure table, giving details of the companies in whose 'relevant securities' 'dealings' should be disclosed, can be found on the Panel's website at www.irishtakeoverpanel.ie. 'Interests in securities' arise, in summary, when a person has long economic exposure, whether conditional or absolute, to changes in the price of securities. In particular, a person will be treated as having an 'interest' by virtue of the ownership or control of securities, or by virtue of any option in respect of, or derivative referenced to, securities. Terms in quotation marks are defined in the Irish Takeover Rules, which can be found on the Irish Takeover Panel's website. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to disclose a dealing under Rule 8, please consult the Irish Takeover Panel's website at www.irishtakeoverpanel.ie or contact the Panel on telephone number +353 1 678 9020 or fax number +353 1 678 9289. General Certain capitalized words used in this announcement and not herein defined have the meanings given to such words in the Rule 2.5 Announcement dated April 4, 2017 issued by Innocoll and Gurnet Point (the "Rule 2.5 Announcement"). The bases and sources set out in the Rule 2.5 Announcement have been used in this announcement, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires. A copy of this announcement will be available, free of charge (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions) on the Gurnet Point website at www.gurnetpointlpoffer.com and the Innocoll website at www.innocoll.com by no later than 12.00 p.m. on the business day following this announcement and throughout the course of the Acquisition. The contents of Gurnet Point website, Innocoll website nor the contents of any other website accessible from hyperlinks are incorporated into, or form part of, this announcement. Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japanese conglomerate Toshiba Corp. (TOSYY.PK, TOSBF.PK) and Western Digital Corp. (WDC) agreed to settle a dispute over Toshiba's planned sale of its memory-chip unit, the companies said, clearing a major hurdle to about $18 billion deal. The announcement is a big step forward for Toshiba, which is looking to the chip unit sale to make up for losses at its U.S. nuclear affiliate, Westinghouse Electric Co., after Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy protection in March. Western Digital, which last year acquired Toshiba's longtime chip-unit partner SanDisk, had maintained that the sale couldn't go through without its approval. As part of the global settlement agreement, Toshiba, Western Digital have agreed to withdraw all pending litigation and arbitration actions. Yasuo Naruke, Senior Executive Vice President of Toshiba Corporation and President and CEO of TMC said,'.... With the concerns about litigation and arbitration removed, we look forward to renewing our collaboration with Western Digital, and accelerating TMC's growth to meet growing global demand for flash memory. Toshiba also remains on track to complete our transaction with the consortium led by Bain Capital by the end of March 2018.' As part of this agreement, Toshiba Memory Corporation or TMC and Western Digital will participate jointly in future rounds of investment in Fab 6, the state-of-the-art memory fabrication facility now under construction at Yokkaichi, including the upcoming investment round announced by Toshiba in October 2017. Fab 6 will be entirely devoted to the mass production of BiCS FLASHT, the next-generation of 3D flash memory, starting next year. TMC and Western Digital similarly intend to enter into definitive agreements in due course under which Western Digital will participate in the new flash wafer fabrication facility which will be constructed in Iwate, Japan. The parties will strengthen their flash memory collaboration by extending the terms of their joint ventures. Flash Alliance will be extended to December 31, 2029 and Flash Forward to December 31, 2027. Flash Partners was previously extended to December 31, 2029. The parties' agreement to resolve all outstanding disputes ensures that all parties are aligned on Toshiba's sale of TMC to K.K. Pangea, a special purpose acquisition company formed and controlled by a consortium led by Bain Capital Private Equity, LP. The parties have agreed on mutual protections for their assets and confidential information in connection with the sale of TMC, and on collaborating to ensure the future success of TMC as a public company following an eventual IPO. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Company Strengthens Leadership in Europe with Magento Cloud LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Magento, the worldwide leader in cloud digital commerce innovation, today announced significant growth and adoption of its next generation cloud platform and solutions across Europe. The record-breaking year includes significant growth in its flagship platform with 42% year over year growth in new license revenues in Europe. The company's impressive momentum is a product of its long-term vision and sustained investment in hiring top-talent, product development, as well as expanding its global ecosystem of top-tier partners, and developers in the European market. Magento was named a leader by Gartner in the April 2017 Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce, which evaluates digital commerce platforms based on their ability to execute and completeness of vision. Magento is proud to be named a leader in this report, which the company believes is based on the strength of its unique ability to provide customers with the agility and scalability they need to grow their business, respond to shifting market demands and maintain a low total cost of ownership. "More than $1 trillion in IT spending will be directly or indirectly affected by the shift to cloud during the next five years," said Gartner, Inc. "This will make cloud computing one of the most disruptive forces of IT spending since the early days of the digital age."1 "In the age of the customer, merchants must anticipate and deliver exceptional customer experiences that are true to their brand, and distinguish themselves from the competition. The Magento Commerce Cloud offers merchants the agility they need to innovate and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving and competitive environment," said Mark Lavelle, CEO of Magento. "Over the past year, we've seen increased demand and accelerated adoption of our commerce suite across B2B and B2C merchants in the region, and more than 60 percent of our new customer deals are with our cloud-based digital platform." Investing in Europe Over the past year, Magento increased its presence in the UK and across Europe, Middle East and Africa regions with dedicated sales, marketing, customer support and development personnel. In addition, Magento is actively growing strategic partnerships in the EMEA region with technology vendors such as Amazon Pay, Vertex and Nosto, to name a few. These local partnerships with the added local staff have expanded Magento's footprint and has contributed to Magento's growth in the European market. Company highlights include: Growing adoption of its next generation Magento 2 platform to over 12,500 live sites More than 1,300 extensions are now available in the Magento Marketplace Significant investment in platform enhancements including Magento Business Intelligence, Magento Social, Advanced CMS and Shipping Evolving the Magento Commerce Suite Magento also announced the rebranding of its commerce suite, and will now be called the Magento Cloud, to better align to customer needs and reflect the growing adoption of its technology platform. The company is simplifying the names of its flagship digital platform and order management products to Magento Commerce (formerly Magento Enterprise Cloud Edition and Magento Enterprise Edition) and Magento Order Management (formerly Magento Commerce Order Management). Magento is also recognizing the contributing of its global ecosystem beyond a single product and renaming Magento Community Edition to Magento Open Source. These announcements were shared at MagentoLive UK 2017, held June 27 and 28 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London Hotel. 1 Gartner Press Release, Gartner Says by 2020 "Cloud Shift" Will Affect More Than $1 Trillion in IT Spending, July 20, 2016, http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3384720 Gartner Disclaimer 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 Magento Commerce Trusted by more than 260,000 businesses worldwide, Magento Commerce is the leading provider of cloud commerce innovation to merchants and brands across B2C and B2B industries. In addition to its flagship commerce platform, Magento Commerce boasts a strong portfolio of cloud-based omnichannel solutions that empower merchants to successfully integrate digital and physical shopping experiences. With more than $101 billion in gross merchandise volume transacted on the platform annually, Magento Commerce is the #1 provider to the Internet Retailer Top 1000, the B2B 300, and the Top 500 Guides for Europe and Latin America. Magento Commerce is supported by a vast global network of solution and technology partners, a highly active global developer community and the largest eCommerce marketplace for extensions available for download on the Magento Marketplace. More information can be found at www.magento.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528955/Mark_Lavelle_CEO_of_Magento_Commerce.jpg Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. released the following statement, after the Trump Administrations announcement Tuesday it would withdraw the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The Environmental Protection Agency rule, which the prior administration issued to expand federal authority over local waterways, potentially including puddles and drainage ditches, threatened private property rights, state law, and Tennessees agriculture industry: The Obama Administration set the record for new pages of rules and regulations, the Waters of the U.S. rule one of the worst examples. It was a federal land grab, pure and simple, threatening citizens property rights and state authority, as well as the Constitutions separation of powers. The rule would have cost jobs and economic growth, especially in the agriculture sector. Tennessee has ample expertise to regulate natural resources within its borders and to promote environmental health. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump ordered the EPA and Army Corp of Engineers, responsible for implementing it, to review the rule. In Congress, Rep. DesJarlais, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, has voted to cancel it. A federal appeals court rejected the rules expanded definition of navigable waterways to include temporary bodies of water and even adjacent land. Regulatory News: Over a one-year time period, Air Liquide (Paris:AI) signed new supply-contracts covering a period of 10 to 15 years with three major Chinese fiber optics manufacturers. In the frame of these new contracts with Futong Group Communication Technology, Yangtze Optical Fibre, and Zhongtian Technology Fine Materials, Air Liquide will supply a total exceeding 6,000Nm3 per hour of hydrogen and 4,000Nm3 per hour of nitrogen, together with bulk oxygen, helium, argon and carbon dioxide. Air Liquide will thus support the further development of China's fiber optics industry. Industrial gases are used to consolidate the center of the fiber, which consists of a silica glass rod. In practice, the first step in manufacturing fiber optics is to produce this glass rod, called "preform". Hydrogen, oxygen and helium are then used to strengthen the preform before heating and drawing. In the final step, helium and argon are used to cool the drawn fiber efficiently. Air Liquide signed a new 10-year contract for the supply of hydrogen and nitrogen to Futong Group Communication Technology (FGCT) in Jiashan City, Zhejiang Province. FGCT is one of the world's largest fiber optics cable manufacturers. Two other agreements in the same field of large-scale fiber optics production were also signed with Yangtze Optical Fibre and Zhongtian Technology Fine Materials. For a 10 to 15 year duration, Air Liquide will deliver to each customer nitrogen and hydrogen on-site generator solutions, as well as bulk oxygen, helium, argon and carbon dioxide With these new contracts, Air Liquide is reinforcing its leadership withChina's top fiber optics companies, who account for more than 30% of the Chinese production. In China, demand for fiber optics has experienced rapid growth in recent years, driven by 4G deployment and wideband "Fiber to the home" and "Fiber to the office" plans. Francois Abrial, member of the Air Liquide group's Executive Committee, supervising Asia Pacific, said: "We are proud to support our customers' business development. These new projects illustrate Air Liquide's ability to accompany the rise of fiber optics in China. These gases supply contracts reinforce the Group's position in this growing market and demonstrate its ability to deliver competitive and reliable solutions." Air Liquide's Industrial Merchant Business Line Air Liquide's Industrial Merchant Business Line delivers industrial gases and innovative solutions, including application technologies, equipment and services. From independent professionals to large industrial companies, our 33,500 employees serve over 2 million customers daily across 75 countries. In 2016, revenues were 7,565 million. Air Liquide in China operates nearly 90 plants and employs more than 4,000 employees. With a strong presence in the key coastal industrial areas, the Group is further expanding into the center, south and west of the country. Its main business activities include industrial and medical gas operations, as well as Engineering Construction (designing, manufacturing and installing air separation units/hydrogen facilities). The world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 67,000 employees and serves more than 3 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide's scientific territory and have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide's ambition is to lead its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability. The company's customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders. Air Liquide's revenue amounted to 18.1 billion in 2016 and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes. www.airliquide.com Follow us on Twitter @airliquidegroup View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005722/en/ Contacts: Air Liquide Corporate Communications Caroline Brugier, +33 (0)1 40 62 50 59 or Aurelie Wayser-Langevin, +33 (0)1 40 62 56 19 or Investor Relations Paris +33 (0)1 40 62 50 87 or Radnor +1 610 263 8277 or Air Liquide Asia Pacific Communications Laurie Underwood, +8621 6091 5883 Teleperformance in the Nordics to provide Scandic Hotels with customer support for its booking services and loyalty programs Regulatory News: Teleperformance (Paris:RCF), the worldwide leader in omnichannel customer experience management, today announced its partnership with Scandic Hotels, the largest Nordic hotel operator. Teleperformance in the Nordics will serve Scandic Hotels' growing customer base with services out of its contact center in Tampere, Finland. The addition of Scandic Hotels adds to Teleperformance's strong and expanding list of travel customers. "We look forward to working together with Teleperformance to provide the best possible customer service to our guests," said Christian Borg, Finland Scandic Commercial Director. "Even as digital services demand constantly grows, it's crucial that we are able to still provide great guest experiences also over the phone service, and this partnership will put us in the position to do so." The Teleperformance team in the Nordics will provide customer support for Scandic Hotels' booking system and loyalty programs through voice both and digital channels. "Customer service remains a top priority for businesses and we're happy to assist Scandic in providing its fast growing customer base with the experience they expect," said Jonas Olsson, Chief Executive Officer, Teleperformance Nordic. "With our vast footprint of customer service centers and decades of expertise, we are well positioned to deliver success." "Customers are the most important stakeholders for any business," said Paulo Cesar Salles Vasques, Worldwide Chief Executive Officer, Teleperformance Group. "Providing exceptionally positive customer experiences on behalf of our partners directly contributes to their success and we are really excited to be able to help Scandic Hotels drive its business forward." ABOUT SCANDIC HOTELS Scandic is the largest Nordic hotel operator with a network of close to 230 hotels with about 45,000 hotel rooms in operation and under development in seven countries and annual sales of SEK 13.1 billion 2016. Scandic Friends is the biggest loyalty program in the Nordic hotel industry with 2 million members. Responsibility is a part of Scandic's DNA and Scandic is the 'best hotel brand' in the Nordics (BDRC). http://www.scandichotelsgroup.com/en/in-brief/ ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE Teleperformance (RCF ISIN: FR0000051807 Reuters: ROCH.PA Bloomberg: RCF FP), the worldwide leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, serves companies and administrations around the world, with customer care, technical support, customer acquisition (Core Services), as well as with online interpreting solutions, visa application management services, data analysis and debt collection programs (Specialized Services). In 2016, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 3,649 million (US$4,050 million, based on 1 $1.11). The Group operates 163,000 computerized workstations, with 217,000 employees across 340 contact centers in 74 countries and serving 160 markets. It manages programs in 265 languages and dialects on behalf of major international companies operating in a wide variety of industries. Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: STOXX 600, SBF 120, Next 150, CAC Mid 60 and CAC Support Services. They also have been included in the Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index since December 2015, with regard to the Group's performance in corporate responsibility. For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us on Twitter: @teleperformance View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005926/en/ Contacts: TELEPERFORMANCE PRESS RELATIONS MARK PFEIFFER Tel: + 1 801-257-5811 mark.pfeiffer@teleperformance.com or INVESTOR RELATIONS QUY NGUYEN-NGOC SVETLANA SAVIN Tel: 33 1 53 83 59 87/ 59 15 investor@teleperformance.com AS5900, a 26-bit, 128-channel current-input ADC for photodiode arrays, offers world-class performance in noise, resolution, linearity, speed and power dissipation ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor solutions, today released the AS5900, a current-to-digital converter for use in Computed Tomography (CT) scanners which offers ultra-low noise, very high resolution and excellent linearity. The outstanding analog performance of the AS5900 will enable new CT scanners to produce sharper, more detailed images. Medical CT scanners equipped with the AS5900 will feature an improved X-ray detector module, and will help physicians to produce more accurate diagnoses while subjecting patients to lower doses of radiation. The AS5900 detector interface chip for CT X-ray scanners sets new performance benchmarks in crucial parameters: Ultra-low noise: As little as 3,200 electrons for a full-scale range at an input current of 1 A and 30 pF input capacitance. The circuit's very high signal-to-noise ratio allows the flexible use of any pixel size, enabling it to digitize extremely low-current outputs from the latest high-sensitivity photodiodes. As a result, the CT scanner can render more detailed images. Furthermore, low noise allows CT equipment to maintain high spatial resolution while reducing the X-ray dose to which the patient is exposed. As little as 3,200 electrons for a full-scale range at an input current of 1 A and 30 pF input capacitance. The circuit's very high signal-to-noise ratio allows the flexible use of any pixel size, enabling it to digitize extremely low-current outputs from the latest high-sensitivity photodiodes. As a result, the CT scanner can render more detailed images. Furthermore, low noise allows CT equipment to maintain high spatial resolution while reducing the X-ray dose to which the patient is exposed. Very low power dissipation: Power dissipation as low as 1mW per channel reduces the requirement for cooling capability in the CT scanner, lowering the overall system cost. Power dissipation as low as 1mW per channel reduces the requirement for cooling capability in the CT scanner, lowering the overall system cost. High resolution: The 26-bit sigma delta ADC integrated in the AS5900 produces a richer grayscale palette for sharper and more detailed images. The 26-bit sigma delta ADC integrated in the AS5900 produces a richer grayscale palette for sharper and more detailed images. High linearity: 250 ppm of Read inputs (1 ppm of full-scale range) to give improved contrast, accurately rendering slight variations in image brightness. The new ams detector chip provides detailed motion-free medical images while operating at very high acquisition rates: the adjustable integration time can be set as low as 50 s. The configurable design of the AS5900 gives it the flexibility required for integration into different types of end equipment that use a multiple-slice photodiode array. The chip is ideal for use not only in medical equipment, but also in industrial and security CT scanners. Equipment designers can configure or adjust: gain setting, to configure the input-current full-scale range and the noise floor power modes, to adapt power consumption to the detector requirements clock frequency, to balance the resolution with the required integration time The AS5900 integrates all the functions of a current-input ADC to minimize the requirement for external components. It includes an internal reference voltage and temperature sensor. This reduces the bill of materials, thus lowering system cost. The AS5900 also provides a standard LVDS interface to a host FPGA, running at a data rate of up to 80 Mb/s for optimized power consumption. "The ultra-low noise and high resolution of the AS5900 will enable CT scanner OEMs to produce better images at higher full scale ranges, allowing for flexible pixel sizing. Medical practitioners will see a marked difference in the quality and clarity of images from the next generation of CT scanners based on this new, high-performance current-to-digital converter. Its low-noise operation at high speed and low power consumption produces CT images free of motion artefacts even at the highest rotational speeds while exposing the patient to a lower dose of radiation", said Josef Pertl, Product Marketing Manager at ams. The AS5900 is available in a 10 x 10mm BGA package for sampling now. Unit pricing is $1.00 per channel, or $128.00 for the 128-channel AS5900 in an order quantity of 1,000 units. An evaluation board is available on request from ams. For datasheet, sample-/eval board requests or for the fact sheet, please go to www.ams.com/Medical-Imaging/AS5900. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005878/en/ Contacts: ams AG Patricia Moosburger, Media Relations phone: +43 (0) 3136 500 31235 press@ams.com www.ams.com Regulatory News: Genkyotex (Paris:GKTX) (Brussels:GKTX) (Euronext Paris Brussels: FR00011790542 GKTX), a biopharmaceutical company and the leader in NOX therapies, announced today that world-renowned diabetes experts Professor Mark Cooper, Head of the Department of Diabetes at Monash University, and Professor Jonathan Shaw, Deputy Director (Clinical and Population Health) at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, will lead the conduct of a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Company's lead product candidate, GKT831, in patients with type 1 diabetes and kidney disease (diabetic kidney disease). This investigator-initiated study will be based at the Baker Institute and will include multiple study sites across Australia. This research is financially supported by JDRF Australia, the recipient of the Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative in Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes funding, with additional financial support by the Baker Institute. Genkyotex shall provide GKT831 Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) material for the trial. The trial is expected to begin patient enrollment during the second half of 2017. Diabetic kidney disease is a fibrotic disorder where progressive glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis leads to end stage renal disease. GKT831 is a NOX 1 and 4 enzyme inhibitor that has shown potent anti-fibrotic activity in a broad range of preclinical models including several DKD models [1-4]. In a previous, short-term phase 2 trial in patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, GKT831 demonstrated an excellent safety profile and achieved statistically significant reductions in several secondary efficacy endpoints. However, improvements in albuminuria, the study's primary efficacy endpoint, was not achieved after 12 weeks of treatment. The Baker Institute study will be a placebo-controlled, double blind, randomized, parallel group phase 2 trial to evaluate the effect of oral GKT831 on the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in patients with type 1 diabetes and persistent albuminuria despite treatment with optimal standard of care. The primary endpoint of the study will be UACR difference between means at the end of treatment period of 48 weeks, adjusted for baseline. A key secondary endpoint of the study will be the effect of GKT831 on renal function, as defined by changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate. Patients will receive 200mg of oral GKT831 or placebo twice a day for 48 weeks. A total of 142 patients are planned to be enrolled into the study at up to 15 investigational centers in Australia. Professor Cooper has stated that "We are very excited to be commencing this study which arises in part from original research performed in our laboratories and which was initially supported by JDRF. This work is a classic example of bench to bedside clinical translation. We appreciate JDRF greatly assisting us in providing us with an opportunity to bring this new treatment forward for what is a major burden of T1D kidney disease." "We are delighted to be working with Professor Cooper and his team to pursue the clinical evaluation of GKT831 in this severe diabetic complication," said Dr. Philippe Wiesel, chief medical officer of Genkyotex. "The design of this phase 2 trial was informed by previous phase 2 results in patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease performed by Genkyotex, in particular the extended 48-week treatment duration, a more homogenous and earlier stage patient population, and a higher dose throughout the dosing period. We also wish to thank JDRF for supporting this study, as well as previous preclinical studies, which has enabled a number of investigators to evaluate GKT831's impact on ophthalmic, vascular, and renal complications caused by type 1 diabetes." References: 1. Gorin Y et al. Targeting NADPH oxidase with a novel dual Nox1/Nox4 inhibitor attenuates renal pathology in type 1 diabetes. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2015 Jun 1;308(11):F1276-87. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00396.2014. 2. Gray SP et al. Combined NOX1/4 inhibition with GKT137831 in mice provides dose-dependent reno- and atheroprotection even in established micro- and macrovascular disease. Diabetologia. 2017 May;60(5):927-937. doi: 10.1007/s00125-017-4215-5. 3. Jha JC et al. Genetic targeting or pharmacologic inhibition of NADPH oxidase nox4 provides renoprotection in long-term diabetic nephropathy. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2014 Jun;25(6):1237-54. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2013070810. Epub 2014 Feb 7. 4. You YH. Metabolomics Reveals a Key Role for Fumarate in Mediating the Effects of NADPH Oxidase 4 in Diabetic Kidney Disease. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2016 Feb;27(2):466-81. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2015030302. About Genkyotex Genkyotex is the leading biopharmaceutical company in NOX therapies. Listed on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Brussels markets, Genkyotex is established in France and, via its GenKyoTex Suisse SA subsidiary, in Switzerland. A leader in NOX therapies, its unique therapeutic approach is based on a selective inhibition of NOX enzymes that amplify multiple disease processes such as fibrosis, inflammation, pain processing, cancer development, and neurodegeneration. Genkyotex's platform enables the identification of orally available small-molecules that selectively inhibit specific NOX enzymes. Genkyotex is developing a pipeline of first-in-class product candidates targeting one or multiple NOX enzymes. The lead product candidate, GKT831, a NOX1 and NOX4 inhibitor is expected to enter a phase II clinical trial in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, a fibrotic orphan disease) during the first half of 2017. This product candidate may also be active in other fibrotic indications. Its second product candidate, GKT771, is a NOX1 inhibitor targeting multiple pathways in angiogenesis, pain processing, and inflammation, and should enter a phase I clinical study at the end of the second half of 2017. Genkyotex also has a versatile platform, Vaxiclase, that is particularly well-suited to the development of various immunotherapies. A partnership covering the use of Vaxiclase as an antigen per se (GTL003) has been established with Serum Institute of India Ltd (Serum Institute), the world's largest producer of vaccine doses. This agreement covers territories outside the United States and Europe, and could generate up to $57 million in revenues for Genkyotex, before royalties on sales. It will enable Serum Institute to develop acellular multivalent combination vaccines against a variety of infectious diseases, including whooping cough. The last preclinical milestone foreseen in the agreement was reached in November 2016, opening the path to formal preclinical testing prior to potential clinical development and subsequent commercialization. For further information, please go towww.genkyotex.com About JDRF and type 1 diabetes JDRF is the leading global organisation funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF Australia is built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on an international stage to pool resources, passion and energy. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested nearly $2 billion since our inception. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers in seven countries are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org.au About the Australian Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network (T1DCRN) The Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network (T1DCRN) is an innovative clinical research program led by JDRF Australia and funded by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Special Research Initiatives scheme. The T1DCRN's goal is to accelerate patient benefit through supporting the most promising research projects, promoting and retaining outstanding scientists and attracting new researchers to the field of type 1 diabetes research. For more information, please visit t1dcrn.org.au Disclaimer This press release and the information it contains does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or hold Genkyotex shares in any country, in particular any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or other qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This press release may contain forward-looking statements by the company with respect to its objectives. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs, estimates and expectations of Genkyotex's management and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as the company's ability to implement its chosen strategy, customer market trends, changes in technologies and in the company's competitive environment, changes in regulations, clinical or industrial risks and all risks linked to the company's growth. These factors as well as other risks and uncertainties may prevent the company from achieving the objectives outlined in the press release and actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, due to various factors. Without being exhaustive, such factors include uncertainties involved in the development of Genkyotex's products, which may not succeed, or in the delivery of Genkyotex's products marketing authorizations by the relevant regulatory authorities and, in general, any factor that could affects Genkyotex's capacity to commercialize the products it develops. No guarantee is given on forward-looking statements which are subject to a number of risks, notably those described in the registration document filed with the French Markets Authority (the AMF) on 1 April 2015 under number R.15-015, as updated in the Document E filed with the AMF on 31 January 2017 under number E.17-004 and in the Annual Financial Report of the company on 27 February 2017, and those linked to changes in economic conditions, the financial markets, or the markets on which Genkyotex is present. Genkyotex products are currently used for clinical trials only and are not otherwise available for distribution or sale. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628006005/en/ Contacts: INVESTISSEURS NewCap Dusan Oresansky, Tristan Roquet Montegon et Emmanuel Huynh +33 1 44 71 94 92 genkyotex@newcap.eu or MEDIA ALIZE RP Caroline Carmagnol et Margaux Pronost +33 6 64 18 99 59 + 33 1 44 54 36 65 genkyotex@alizerp.com or US LifeSci Advisors, LLC Brian Ritchie, +1-212-915-2578 britchie@lifesciadvisors.com Technavio has announced the top six leading vendors in their recentglobal chocolate market 2017-2021report. This market research report also lists 15 other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005998/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global chocolate market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) Competitive vendor landscape According to the research analysis, the global chocolate market is highly fragmented because of the presence of numerous small and large vendors who compete based on numerous factors such as price, quality, innovation, service, reputation, distribution, and promotion. The increasing vendor competition can encourage vendors to reduce their product prices, negatively affecting their vendor margins and market growth. "The influx of private labels in the market is also on the rise. Innovative packaging is one of the best ways to attract new consumers and create demand. Packages that express freshness and temptation, communicate health and power, and are creative and original are likely to grab more attention of the consumers," says Sharan Jagannath, lead foodanalyst from Technavio. The report also states that many players in the market are switching to omni-channel retailing as they realize the vital role this channel plays in ensuring that the product gets maximum visibility. Omni-channel retailing uses a mix of distribution channels like retail stores and online stores for enhancing customer engagement. Players are also selling products through e-commerce websites like Amazon as the e-commerce segment has seen a rapid growth over the last few years. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free Technaviomarket research analysts identify the following key vendors: Mars Mars is a privately-held business that manufactures and markets food products, confectionery, and pet care products. It markets its products under the brand names M&M's, Snickers, Orbit, Dove, Mars, Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, Uncle Ben's, Flavia, and Cirkuhealth. Mondelez International Mondelez International is one of the largest players in the snack segment. It sells and produces its snack foods and beverages in more than 165 countries worldwide. The company's product portfolio includes 53 brands and its brands provide five categories of products: biscuits; cheese and grocery; beverages; gum and candy; and chocolate. Nestle Nestle manufactures and produces packaged food products. The company focuses on the emerging markets, the positioning of its products, premiumization, innovation, and renovation. The company holds popular brands like Maggi, KitKat, Gerber, Toll House, Milo, Nestle Pure Life, Nescafe, and others. Ferrero Ferrero is an Italian manufacturer and distributor of chocolate. The company's product portfolio includes chocolate, cream spreads, sugar confectionery, and drinks. It sells its products directly or through authorized distributors. The company's brands include Kinder, Nutella, TicTac, and Ferrero Rocher. THE HERSHEY COMPANY THE HERSHEY COMPANY is one of the leading players in the global confectionery market. The company has more than 80 brands, some of which are Jolly Rancher, Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Ice Breakers, and Brookside. It offers products in various categories including syrups, candies, bars, baking products, and spreads. Chocoladefabriken Lindt Sprungli The company, along with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and sells chocolate products worldwide. Lindt offers its products in 120 countries worldwide. The company offers its products under the brands Caffarel, Ghirardelli, Hofbauer, Kufferle, Lindt, and Russell Stover/Whitman's. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Browse Related Reports: Global Snus Market 2017-2021 Global Noodles Market 2017-2021 Global Tortilla Chips Market 2017-2021 About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005998/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com Zuora connects clients to allpago's state-of-the-art payment gateway in Latin America Integration will help merchants increase acceptance of payment methods by up to 300 percent in the region allpago, the leading payment service provider in Latin America, today announced that its state-of-the-art payment gateway has been integrated into Zuora Inc.'s subscription management platform. allpago provides all relevant local payment methods alongside industry leading levels of security and integrated risk management systems to help merchants improve conversion rates, boost revenues and run compliant e-commerce operations in Latin America. This partnership enables all Zuora clients to immediately accept card payments made in local currencies as well as a wide range of popular alternative payment methods in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, without further integration or IT development work. These payment methods account for 70 percent of e-commerce transactions made in Latin America. allpago currently covers more than 80 percent of the e-commerce market in Latin America. It will expand its coverage to more than 90 percent of the region by moving into Chile, Peru and Ecuador over the next 12 months. Philipp Bock, founder CEO of allpago, comments: "The payments landscape in Latin America is complex. Less than a third of shoppers have cards that can process foreign currencies, leading to high decline rates on cross-border transactions. By integrating with allpago, Zuora's merchants can now offer all relevant local payment methods through their existing infrastructure and potentially more than treble the volume of customers they can sell to in Latin America." John Phillips, general manager of EMEA, at Zuora, Inc., comments: "Customers have changed and are looking for new ways to engage with businesses around the world. The addition of allpago as a payment provider on our platform will give digital merchants in Latin America the freedom to offer their subscribers the flexibility they are asking for. Through allpago's payment gateway and their local teams, our customers can offer the best buying experience for their Latin American subscribers and do business with tens of millions of online shoppers in the region" ENDS View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005072/en/ Contacts: allpago James Taylor Roaring Mouse PR E: james.taylor@roaringmousepr.com T: +44 (0)114 3600716 M: +44 (0)7796 138291 CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2017 / Emerald Bay Energy Inc. (TSX Venture: EBY) (the "Company" or "Emerald Bay") announced today that the Company has entered into an agreement whereby Emerald Bay will spend $1,270,194.56 U.S. ($1,689,358.76 Cdn.) to increase its ownership in the Wooden Horse and Nash Creek projects in Guadalupe County, Texas from 27.78% to 50%. The Company will use funds from the previously announced loan facility agreement (see press release dated June 6, 2017) to facilitate the purchase with an effective date of June 1, 2017 and anticipated closing date of July 15, 2017. The Company considers this purchase to be strategic, as the increased ownership percentage will enhance the Company's ability to move the projects forward to the next phases of development. At Wooden Horse, the Company has drilled and tested 1 horizontal and 3 vertical test wells to date in the Edwards, Buda, and Austin Chalk formations. Additionally, the Company has drilled and completed a successful salt water disposal well and the tank battery is in place for future development. The Company also completed an extensive 3D Seismic program and drilled the Kuhn 3 well in 2016. The Kuhn 3 well has recently been completed in the Austin Chalk formation and flow testing began on June 5, 2017. The well is flowing approximately 212bbls/day of total fluid with associated gas. Based on results from an offset well, the Company anticipates that, in the coming weeks and months, the natural gas volume will decrease and the oil cut will increase. At that point, the Company will add a pumpjack or submersible pump to begin commercial production or, alternatively, drill a short radius horizontal wellbore to increase production volume. The Kuhn 1H horizontal well was drilled several years ago and to date is not commercially viable. At the time that Kuhn 1H was drilled, the decision was to complete the horizontal section in one of two possible intervals, the Edwards A Zone or the Edwards C Zone. Although the A Zone had significantly higher permeability and porosity, as well as higher hydrocarbon content, the decision was made to drill the horizontal in the C Zone primarily because the C zone was thicker than the A Zone and there were concerns at the time about the directional drilling tools ability to stay in the A Zone. The Company has been in recent discussions with several directional drilling companies about the technological advancements over the past few years that have greatly increased their ability to stay in zones like the Edward A Zone. Furthermore, recent successes of other companies, now producing in the Edwards A zone, has encouraged the Company to focus efforts on raising the capital to move forward with plans to recomplete the Kuhn 1H well in the A zone or drill an entirely new horizontal well. A recompletion of Kuhn 1H in the A zone would cost approximately $300,000 ($150,000 net to the Company). A new Edwards horizontal in the A zone would cost approximately $600,000 ($300,000 net to the Company). Subject to financing, the Company also has plans in place to drill short radius horizontal legs in the Edwards A zone of the Kuhn 2 vertical well in July or August at a cost to the Company of approximately $60,000. At Nash Creek, the Company acquired the lease with an existing well on the lands that has produced over 60,000 barrels of oil since it was originally drilled in 1937. The Company completed an extensive 3D seismic program over the lands in 2016 and two test wells have now been drilled to acquire sonic log and amplitude confirmation. Completion operations of the BeauMar 1 well are now underway as the oil "fingerprint" compares to the existing producing well on the lands. Subject to financing, the Company plans to drill short radius horizontal legs to the fault detected by the 3D seismic in the BeauMar 1 well in July or August at a cost to the Company of approximately $68,000. About Emerald Bay Emerald Bay Energy Inc. (EBY)is an energy company with oil producing properties in southwest Texas as well as non-operated oil, natural gas, and electricity generation interests in Central Alberta, Canada. EBY is the operator of the Wooden Horse and Nash Creek Projects in Guadeloupe, Texas, where the Company currently now owns a 50.00% working interest in those projects. The Company also owns 75% of Production Resources Inc., a South Texas oil company. To stay informed on Emerald Bay Energy, please join our Investor Group at www.8020connect.com for all upcoming news releases, articles, comments and questions. For further information, please contact: Emerald Bay President, Shelby D. Beattie, by telephone at (403) 262-6000 Email: info@ebyinc.com www.ebyinc.com Except for statements of historical fact, 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, the use of proceeds of the aforementioned equity financing. 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, the United States and globally; industry conditions, governmental regulation, including environmental regulation; commodity prices; unanticipated operating events or performance; 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; competition for, among other things, capital, skilled personnel and supplies; changes in tax laws; and and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the applicable securities regulators. 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 TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Emerald Bay Energy Inc. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Christoph, born on-board a Spirit flight destined to Dallas from Fort Lauderdale airport, can celebrate all his forthcoming birthdays in life with a free travel on Spirit airline. The airline also handed over gifts to the new born and his mother Cristina. The airline said it is also planning a special sale in honor of Christoph. The flight had to be diverted to New Orleans Armstrong airport as Cristina Penton of Phoenix, Arizona felt labor pain up on the sky after 30 minutes of travel. The crew arranged all possible help with the assistance of a Pediatrician and a nurse on-board. Cristina was 36-weeks pregnant when she boarded the flight. The baby weighed seven pounds and 19.5 inches tall. The mother and son were taken to Ochsner Medical Center in Kenner, Louisiana Spirit informed in a statement. Recently, Jet Airways of India has offered lifetime free travel to a baby born on-board at 35000 feet high. A trained paramedic was there to assist Cicymol Jose, mother of the baby on-board. She was 30 weeks pregnant when boarded the flight from Saudi Arabia to Kochi in India. A baby girl was born on a Turkish Airline at a height of 42,000 feet in April. 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. Iconic Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ICM) (OTC Pink: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB) (the "Company" or "Iconic") announces that it has signed a binding term sheet with St-Georges Platinum Base and Energy Metals Ltd. ("St-Georges") pursuant to which St-Georges has agreed to provide research and development (the "R&D") utilizing products, extraction methods and proprietary technology to develop the Company's Bonnie Claire property (the "Property") in separation, recovery, and purification of lithium from sediments. In consideration for the R&D, which will include engineering services, and once a definitive agreement has been entered into (the "Definitive Agreement"), the Company has agreed, subject to receipt of acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, to issue St. Georges up to 5,000,000 common shares in the capital stock of the Company in stages over a 36 month period (the "Compensation Shares") commencing on the date of execution of the Definitive Agreement. St-Georges has agreed that any and all Compensation Shares issued to St-Georges will be held by a third party escrow agent and released to St-Georges at the end of the 36 month period, contingent on St-Georges reaching certain performance benchmarks. The Parties will establish a royalty stream on the commercial output of the Property for the entire mine life, which will be opposable to any successors of Iconic as a lien on the mining assets. St-Georges and Iconic will negotiate a right of first refusal in favor of Iconic. The royalty, to be negotiated within the guidelines of the "Royalty Formula", will take the form of a 5% Net Revenue Interest or Net Revenue Return. A further News Release will be disseminated once the Definitive Agreement has been entered into. About the Technology Initiative: St-Georges R&D initiative with Iconic is primarily focused on developing a commercially viable lithium extraction process. St-Georges metallurgists are currently perfecting its proprietary mineral extraction technology. This technology is being developed to economically extract lithium carbonate from lithium bearing sediments. This process involves leaching lithium and other commercially viable minerals from the sediments, utilizing solvent extraction, pyrometallurgy and precipitation. The Bonnie Claire Lithium Property: The Property is located within Sarcobatus Valley that is approximately 30 km (19 miles) long and 20 km (12 miles) wide, the associated drainage basin covers an area of 2,070 square km (800 sq mi). Quartz-rich volcanic rocks that contain anomalous amounts of lithium occur within and adjacent to the drainage basin. Geochemical analysis of the local salt flats has yielded lithium values up to 340 ppm. The gravity low within the valley is 20 km (12 miles) long, the current estimates of the depth to bedrock range from 600 to 900 meters (2,000 to 3,000 feet). The current claim block covers the gravity low and the associated mud flats. Richard Kern, Certified Professional Geologist (#11494) and CEO of Iconic is the Qualified Person who has prepared and reviewed this press release in accordance with NI 43-101 reporting standards. On behalf of the Board of Directors SIGNED: "Richard Kern" Richard Kern, President and CEO Contact: Keturah Nathe, VP Corporate Development (604) 718-2800 (x 312) For further information on ICM, please visit our website at www.iconicmineralsltd.com. The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com Forward Statement: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements or information. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Iconic 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 otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. 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. SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump has continued his assault on one of his favorite targets on Wednesday, lashing out at major media outlets in a series of posts on Twitter. Trump singled out the New York Times and the Washington Post in his tweets, describing the newspapers as 'fake news.' The tweets about the Times seem so stem from a story raising questions about Trump's level of engagement in Senate Republicans' efforts to pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. The Times story claimed Trump was largely on the sidelines until holding a meeting with Republican Senators at the White House on Tuesday. 'The failing @nytimes writes false story after false story about me. They don't even call to verify the facts of a story. A Fake News Joke!' Trump tweeted. He added, 'Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S.' Times reporters Glenn Thrush and Jonathan Martin, who wrote the story, responded to the president's criticism with tweets of their own. 'Call your office, sir. @nytimes spoke to many, many, many members of your staff yesterday - & ran everything by your team,' Thrush tweeted. A subsequent tweet from Martin claimed 'one leading Trumper' was concerned the president 'would go ballistic' when he saw the story. Trump also attacked the Washington Post in a separate tweet, suggesting the newspaper is protecting online retailer Amazon (AMZN) from tax liabilities. 'The AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!' Trump tweeted. The Washington Post is owned by Nash Holdings LLC, Amazon founder, chairman, and CEO Jeff Bezos' personal investment firm. Trump has recently stepped up his attacks against the media after CNN was forced to retract a story that claimed Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials. 'So they caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News!' Trump tweeted on Tuesday. (Photo: Michael Vadon) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Donna Christian Lowe, senior vice president and COO of MSi Workforce Solutions has been chosen to be the emcee and facilitator at the Causeway Challenge Kickoff Reclaiming Civic Engagement. This year the Causeway Challenge is about empowering individuals to solve problems in their own communities through creative ventures. Ms. Lowe was selected to facilitate this event because of her work in her community, her experience and background in human resources and her commitment to creating an environment where every person has equitable opportunities in their workplace no matter their race, sex, or socioeconomic background. Ms. Lowe was the winner of the 2015 Causeway Challenge and a member of The Wild Card Team. In 2015 the subject of the challenge was Live, Learn, Work, and Play and Ms. Lowe has continued to keep the goals set forth by that challenge in every social and business venture she has been a part of. Donna was recently named 2017 Chattanooga Community Activist Leadership Award and serves as the co-chair for the Economic Development Committee for The Mayor's Women Council of Chattanooga," said Mayor Andy Berke. " Additionally, Mrs. Lowe is known for being a champion for the underserved in our community. Chattanooga is a vibrant city because of its diverse perspectives. Engaged citizens like Donna elevate the voices of people in our community to ensure they are heard, Donna is a force and Chattanooga and all cities need more people like her to step up and help build more inclusive, fairer communities." CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 -- Shaw Communications Inc. ("Shaw") (TSX: SJR.B)(TSX: SJR.PR.A)(TSX: SJR.PR.B)(NYSE: SJR)(TSX VENTURE: SJR.A) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared monthly dividends of $0.09875 on the Class B Non-Voting Participating Shares and $0.098542 on the Class A Participating Shares, payable on each of September 28, 2017, October 30, 2017 and November 29, 2017 to holders of record at the close of business on September 15, 2017, October 13, 2017 and November 15, 2017, respectively. The foregoing dividends are designated as "eligible" dividends for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial legislation. Shaw's Board of Directors reviews the applicable dividend rates on a quarterly basis. Shareholders will not be entitled to receive a particular dividend unless they are holders of record on the applicable record date. There is no entitlement to any dividend prior to such date. About Shaw Communications Inc. Shaw is an enhanced connectivity provider. Our Consumer division serves consumers with broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video and digital phone. Our Wireless division provides wireless voice and data services through an expanding and improving mobile wireless network infrastructure. The Business Network Services division provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony, and video. The Business Infrastructure Services division, through ViaWest, provides hybrid IT solutions including colocation, cloud computing and security and compliance for North American enterprises. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (TSX: SJR.B)(TSX: SJR.PR.A)(TSX: SJR.PR.B)(NYSE: SJR)(TSX VENTURE: SJR.A). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca. Contacts: Shaw Communications Inc. Investor Relations investor.relations@sjrb.ca www.shaw.ca Teter joins Stanford Seed with over 20 years of experience in international development, economic growth and humanitarian program management Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies, known as Stanford Seed, today named Darius Teter as its new executive director. Stanford Seed is led by the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) and receives university-wide support. It is designed to promote greater economic prosperity through leadership and innovation training in Africa and India. In this role, Teter will lead Seed's growth and expansion, building upon the success it has achieved since its inception in 2011. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005034/en/ Darius Teter (Photo: Business Wire) Teter previously served as vice president of global programs at Oxfam America, where he oversaw the humanitarian emergency response team and regional development programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as research, learning and evaluation. His experience spans the field of international development, from responding to humanitarian emergencies to financing public infrastructure mega-projects, including leadership positions with the Asian Development Bank and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent U.S. government foreign aid agency. "Darius is passionate about promoting global economic prosperity, making him the ideal leader for Stanford Seed," said Jonathan Levin, the Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business. "As Stanford Seed continues to grow and evolve, Darius' deep experience will help guide the institute to its next level of success." "Within just a few years, Stanford Seed created a lasting impact in West and East Africa, and the future is looking bright as we now expand to India," Teter said. "I'm thrilled and humbled to join this dynamic institute as we equip some of the most promising business leaders in emerging markets with the tools to scale their businesses and, in turn, drive sustainable regional prosperity in their part of the world." After Seed's founding in 2011, the first Seed Transformation Program launched in Accra, Ghana, in 2013 and expanded to Nairobi, Kenya, in 2016. Since then, the Seed Transformation Program has trained and mentored 565 entrepreneurs and senior staff members, leading to increased revenue and new job creation throughout the region. In addition, participating companies have raised almost $11 million in funding and 79 percent have grown their customer base. In May 2017, Seed announced its expansion into India through its new location in Chennai, which will serve entrepreneurs from across the country. The first annual program will run from August 2017 to August 2018 and will be held at the state-of-the-art Infosys corporate campus. "We've made great strides with Stanford Seed over the past five years and I look forward to the continued momentum under Darius' leadership," said Jesper Srensen, faculty director of Seed and the Robert A. and Elizabeth R. Jeffe Professor of Organizational Behavior at the GSB. Teter will work closely with Srensen, who served as executive director of Seed from 2015 to 2017, and Raj Chellaraj, associate dean for finance and administration at the GSB, who served as chief operating officer of Seed during the same time period. Teter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Yale University and a Master in Public Policy degree from Harvard Kennedy School. He has also completed advanced studies in resource economics at the University of British Columbia. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005034/en/ Contacts: Stanford Graduate School of Business Kristin Harlan, 650-546-1831 Director, Global Media Relations kharlan@stanford.edu PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to visit France to celebrate Bastille Day on July 14th, the White House announced on Wednesday. The White House said Trump looks forward to reaffirming America's strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, and to commemorating the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I. The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern, the White House added. The French government said Trump and Macron will attend the Bastille Day parade in Paris, with American soldiers set to take part in the parade alongside their French brothers in arms. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) 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. Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Wall Decor Market in Europe 2017-2021" report to their offering. The analysts forecast the wall decor market in Europe to grow at a CAGR of 7.81% during the period 2017-2021. Wall Decor Market in Europe 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is digital printing. At present, digitalization is being adopted extensively by all types of markets, and the home decor space is no exception. Within the home decor space, wall decor is one major area where digital integration is adopted eminently. Manufacturers of wall decor items are producing decorative products with the help of digital printing. Wall art or artwork is the major segment of wall decor where digital printing is used. One of the major drivers for this market is premium and aspirational product collection. Consumers from upper-income and upper-middle-income classes mostly prefer premium wall decor products. This set of consumers have higher disposable income and hence do not hesitate to spend an extra amount on home decor products, including wall decor. Key vendors Amazon Carrefour IKEA Kingfisher Walmart Other prominent vendors Eurobaustoff Home24 Inter Gamma Kesko Les Mousquetaires OTTO GROUP Sherwin-Williams Tesco Travis Perkins Wayfair Key Topics Covered: Part 01: Executive summary Part 02: Scope of the report Part 03: Research Methodology Part 04: Introduction Part 05: Region profile: EU Part 06: Market channel for wall decor Part 07: Market landscape Part 08: Market segmentation by devices used for online shopping of wall decor items Part 09: Market segmentation by products Part 10: Market segmentation by distribution channels Part 11: Key leading countries Part 12: Decision framework Part 13: Drivers and challenges Part 14: Market trends Part 15: Vendor landscape For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rvgzhl/wall_decor_market View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628006284/en/ Contacts: 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 Topics: Interior Design and Decorative Arts Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2017) - American CuMo Mining Corporation (TSXV: MLY) (OTC Pink: MLYCF) ("CuMoCo" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received a decision from the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") that the surface management notice for the Company's Calida Gold project, located in Salmon, Idaho is complete and the reclamation cost estimate has been approved. The notice will remain in effect until June 13, 2019, unless the Company notifies the BLM Salmon Field Office beforehand that operations have ceased and reclamation is complete. The BLM reviewed the reclamation cost estimate and determined that the estimate of US$39,207 is sufficient to meet all anticipated reclamation costs for the notice. CuMoCo has submitted a financial guarantee of US$39,207 with the appropriate form to the BLM Idaho State Office and has received written notification from that office accepting and obligating the financial guarantee, thereby allowing the Company to commence operations immediately at Calida Gold, pursuant to the notice. "We are delighted to have received on schedule the BLM's decision enabling us to start work on our Calida Gold project. We are currently doing some minor road work which should be completed within a week in preparation of Timberline Drilling arriving after that and our 2017 drilling program commencing. We look forward to keeping shareholders updated on our progress," said Shaun Dykes, President and CEO of American CuMo Mining. The Company also announces that the necessary environmental surveys required for completing the permitting process for its CuMo Project are well underway and further updates will be announced shortly. Finally, with regards to the proposed strategic financial partnership with Millennia Minerals Pte Ltd. ("Millennia"), the Company is pleased to provide additional information to the last update provided to shareholders in its June 7, 2017 news release. As previously reported, after they entered into the February 27, 2017 MOU (the "Original MOU"), the Company and Millennia engaged in further negotiations that changed the timing and structure of Millennia's proposed investment. The details of the modified structure and timing of the proposed investment, which were set forth in the Company's June 7, 2017 news release, were agreed to in a Letter of Intent between the Company and Millenia (the "LOI"), which superseded and replaced the Original MOU in its entirety and, subject to certain exceptions set forth in the LOI, is non-binding. Since the June 7, 2017 news release, the Company and Millennia have agreed to the following additional modifications to the proposed terms of Millennia's investments in the Company, Poly Resources, LLC ("Poly Resources") and Idaho CuMo Corporation ("Idaho CuMo"): Millennia has requested and CuMoCo has agreed to extend the due diligence period under the LOI through July 13, 2017, and Millennia is continuing its legal, technical and financial due diligence. Each of Millennia's US$5 million initial contribution to Poly Resources, of which US$1 million has already been paid, and which would give it the right to acquire a 25% interest in Poly Resources, and Millennia's second $5 million contribution to Poly Resources, by which it would earn an additional 25% interest in Poly Resources, would be made in instalments to be agreed, and the first instalment would have to be made on or about July 10, 2017. The remaining US$500,000 of the US$1 million payment already delivered by Millennia to Poly Resources is now released for use by Poly Resources on the drilling program at its Calida Gold project, subject to the potential repayment obligations set forth in the LOI. Millennia's US$10 million initial contribution to Idaho CuMo, which would give it a 2% equity interest in Idaho CuMo, would be made in instalments to be agreed, and the first instalment would have to be made on or about July 20, 2017. Millennia's subscription for 11 million common shares of the Company for an aggregate subscription price of US$3 million would occur at the same time as the first instalment of the Idaho CuMo contribution was made. The transactions contemplated by the LOI, as modified, remain subject to negotiation and execution of mutually satisfactory definitive agreements, receipt of all required board and shareholder approvals by the Company and Millennia, receipt of all applicable regulatory, governmental and third party consents and Millennia's satisfaction in its sole discretion with its ongoing due diligence. Mr. Shaun M. Dykes, M.Sc. (Eng), P.Geo., President and CEO of the Company is the designated qualified person for the CuMo Project and Calida Gold, and prepared the technical information contained in this news release. About CuMoCo CuMoCo focuses on advancing its CuMo Project towards feasibility. CuMoCo also intends to advance its newly-acquired Calida Gold project. Management is continuing to build an even stronger foundation from which to move the Company and its projects forward. For more information, please visit www.cumoco.com, www.idahocumo.com and www.cumoproject.com. For further information, please contact: American CuMo Mining Corporation Shaun Dykes, President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: (604) 689-7902 Email: info@cumoco.com 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 new release. Forward-looking information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation including, but not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as Millennia satisfactorily completing due diligence and Company, Idaho CuMo, Poly and Millennia subsequently entering into a definitive agreement; Millennia completing the aforementioned private placements; the Company's ability to move its CuMo Project to feasibility and production, and to become one of the largest and lowest-cost molybdenum producers in the world as well as a significant producer of copper and silver. Forward-looking information is based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including the result of exploration activities, the completion of Millennia's due diligence and its ability to complete the aforementioned financings, the ability of the Company to raise the financing for a feasibility study and to put the CuMo project into production, that no labour shortages or delays are experienced, that plant and equipment function as specified that the Court will not intervene with the Company's proposed exploration activities at the CuMo Project, and the ability of the Company to obtain all requisite permits and licenses to advance the CuMo Project and eventually bring it into production. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future prediction, projection or forecast expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of molybdenum, silver and copper; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents, including the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ended March 31, 2017. 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 forward-looking information 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 information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. ### The global food beverage industry is now worth a staggering US$8 trillion, representing more than 10% of the world's GDP. While the global food and beverage industry continues to enjoy steady growth, many of the world's leading food and beverage companies are dominating the market the most, with Nestle, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola at the top, according to the 2017 Forbes Global 2000. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628006303/en/ BizVibe Announces Their List of the Top 10 Largest Food Beverage Companies in the World for 2017 (Graphic: Business Wire) BizVibe is home to over 254,500 food and beverage companies around the world. In a recent article titled Top 10 Largest Food Beverage Companies in the World for 2017, BizVibe discusses the top vendors in the global industry. Here are some of the world's largest food beverage companies: 1. Nestle - headquarters: Switzerland, market value $229.5 billion Nestle has always been one of the world's largest food beverage companies. Now it has over 328,000 employees and more than 2000 brands ranging from global icons to local favourites from 191 countries around the world. 2. PepsiCo - headquarters: US, market value: $159.4 billion Founded in 1965, PepsiCo is one of the largest beverage companies in the US. With over 264,000 employees, PepsiCo has a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes 22 brands, and each generated more than $1 billion in estimated annual retail sales in 2016. 3. Coca-Cola - headquarters: US, market value: $182.9 billion Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, Coca-Cola company's portfolio features 21 billion-dollar brands. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, Coca-Cola is also the world's leading provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of beverages made by Coca-Cola are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries. 4. Kraft Heinz Company headquarters: US, market value: $110.4 billion The Kraft Heinz Co. is one of the world's largest producer for processed food and beverages. The company's leading products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, ambient meals, frozen and chilled meals, and for infant and nutrition. 5. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA headquarters: Belgium, market value: $213.1 billion Anheuser-Busch InBev SA is one of the world's leading beverage companies. Its activities include manufacturing, marketing and distribution of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Anheuser-Busch owns many world's famous beer brands across the globe, such as Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois, in addition to many more. Read the entire list: Top 10 Largest Food Beverage Companies in the World's for 2017 In addition to 254,500 companies in the food and beverage industry, BizVibe is also home to over 7 million company profiles across 700+ industries total. Using BizVibe's platform, users can generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world, and trade seamlessly. The BizVibe platform allows you to discover the highest quality leads and make meaningful connections with companies of interest, all in real-time. Claim your company profile for free and let BizVibe connect you with potential business partners. For mobile, don't forget to connect on-the-go via BizVibe's mobile app About BizVibe The single-minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly. BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto, and has offices in London, Bangalore and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628006303/en/ Contacts: BizVibe Jesse Maida BizVibe Media Marketing Executive media@bizvibe.com MONACO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/28/17 -- Safe Bulkers, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: SB), an international provider of marine drybulk transportation services, announced today that its Board of Directors has called an annual meeting of the stockholders to be held on September 8, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. French local time at the Fairmont Hotel, 12 Avenue des Spelugues, Monte Carlo, 98000 Monaco. Stockholders of record at the close of business on July 10, 2017 will be entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting, or any adjournments or postponements thereof. Formal notice of the meeting and/or the Company's proxy statement will be sent to stockholders of the Company in due course. About Safe Bulkers, Inc. The Company is an international provider of marine drybulk transportation services, transporting bulk cargoes, particularly coal, grain and iron ore, along worldwide shipping routes for some of the world's largest users of marine drybulk transportation services. The Company's common stock, series B preferred stock, series C preferred stock and series D preferred stock are listed on the NYSE, and trade under the symbols "SB", "SB.PR.B", "SB.PR.C", and "SB.PR.D" respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and in Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended) concerning future events, the Company's growth strategy and measures to implement such strategy, including expected vessel acquisitions and entering into further time charters. Words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "anticipates," "hopes," "estimates" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, changes in the demand for drybulk vessels, competitive factors in the market in which the Company operates, risks associated with operations outside the United States and other factors listed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. For further information please contact: Company Contact: Dr. Loukas Barmparis President Safe Bulkers, Inc. Tel.: +30 2 111 888 400 +357 25 887 200 E-Mail: directors@safebulkers.com Investor Relations / Media Contact: Nicolas Bornozis President Capital Link, Inc. 230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536 New York, N.Y. 10169 Tel.: (212) 661-7566 Fax: (212) 661-7526 E-Mail: safebulkers@capitallink.com Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft). 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. 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. STOCKHOLM, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LINK Mobility Group ASA ("LINK"), one of Europe's leading and fastest growing providers of B2C mobile messaging and mobile services, has entered into a term sheet regarding the acquisition of Polish mobile messaging company ComVision Sp. z o. o., providing services under the brand of SMSAPI ("SMSAPI"). SMSAPI was established in 2007. SMSAPI has 37 employees and consultants based in Gliwice in Poland. SMSAPI had in 2016 a revenue of EUR 9.27 million and an adjusted EBITDA of EUR 2.05 million. SMSAPI serves 5,800 Polish and international customers. SMSAPI has a strong presence in the Polish market and leads the market for self-service mobile messaging in Poland with a market share of more than 40%. "This is another milestone for the development of LINK into the leading mobile messaging and solution company in Europe. This is LINK's first acquisition in Poland and the Polish market is under strong development and growth. We are also very pleased with the fact that SMSAPI has a large SMS customer base of more than 5,800 customers and good balance of SME and large corporate customers. The company also has a very strong branded mobile messaging solution called SMSAPI. This is a state of the art self-sign on solution that is very scalable and will be used in our other markets as well. We will also capitalize on the strong marketing position in the Polish market and introduce our suit of innovative mobile solutions. With this latest acquisition in Poland LINK confirms again its ambition to drive consolidation in this market the same way that we have driven consolidation in the Nordic markets," says Arild E. Hustad, CEO of LINK. "We are very proud and happy to partner with LINK. As an SMS marketing leader in the Polish market we are seeking new markets and challenges, and so we see this partnership as an unique opportunity to grow our company, and become part of an international group. We will bring our technology and experience to the LINK group and look forward to take advantage of the solutions developed by LINK and bring them to the Polish market," says Wojciech Kaczmarek, CEO of SMSAPI. The agreed enterprise value of the transaction is EUR 16.00 million, on a cash-free and debt-free basis and assuming a normalized level of working capital. The enterprise value is based upon an estimated EBITDA for SMSAPI in 2017 of EUR 2.66 million multiplied by a factor of 6, and will be subject to adjustments if the actual EBITDA differs from the expected EBITDA. The purchase price under the transaction will, subject to customary adjustments, be settled as follows: 40% of the purchase price in cash upon closing; 34% of the purchase price as sellers' credit to be paid no later than 36 months from closing. Interest of 4.75% per annum is to be paid in quarterly arrears; and 26% of the purchase price of shares in LINK valued at the closing share price at the Oslo Stock Exchange as of today, 28 June 2016 . LINK intends to acquire all shares in SMSAPI from the sellers Grzegorz Aysiuk and Marek BardziA"ski, and the acquisition is conditional upon a satisfactory result of a due diligence process to be performed by LINK, and upon LINK and the sellers agreeing on the terms and conditions of a final share purchase agreement for the consummation of the transaction, containing, inter alia, customary closing conditions. The acquisition is furthermore subject to approval of the Board of Directors of LINK. LINK has a solid cash position due to strong cash flow from its operations and the successful placement of a EUR50 million bond in February 2017. The cash part of the transaction will thus be fully financed through LINK's corporate fund and bond. The transaction is expected to close mid-September 2017. For further information, please contact: Arild Hustad, CEO LINK Mobility Group ASA Arild.Hustad@linkmobility.com Mob: +47 95 24 19 30 About LINK Mobility Group ASA LINK is one of Europe's leading and fastest growing providers of B2C mobile messaging and mobile services. LINK believe strongly in the power of mobilizing the interaction between businesses and consumers and have developed a range of attractive solutions to meet this growing demand and market trend. LINK is headquartered in Oslo, and has offices in Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, Malmo, Copenhagen, Kolding, Tampere, Helsinki, Madrid, Hamburg, Riga and Tallinn. LINK has experienced stellar growth during the last years, in terms of both revenue and profits. In 2016 LINK delivered 3 billion mobile messages on behalf of its 6,300 customers, reported a pro forma revenue of NOK 1 billion and had an adjusted EBITDA of NOK 122 million. About SMSAPI ComVision's brand is SMSAPI - the largest SMS marketing provider in Poland with 10 years of experience. Last year SMSAPI delivered more than 500 million SMS and expect to grow significantly during 2017. There are more than 5,800 customers in SMSAPI and it's service and database is still growing. This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/link-mobility-group-asa/r/correction--link-mobility-group-asa-signs-term-sheet-regarding-acquisition-of-smsapi-in-poland,c2297523 Summer is here and the Front Porch Alliance has provided funding to various nonprofits to ensure that students are keeping engaged, active and off the streets this summer. The Front Porch Alliance has awarded more than $200,000 in grants to 65 local agencies and nonprofits that are supporting summer activities and programs for hundreds of Chattanoogas youth. The 2017 grants are exposing youth to employment opportunities to get practical work experience, the ability to participate in academic and cultural enrichment and develop life and leadership skills. Many of the programs address areas such as literacy, youth employment, college and career readiness, and physical fitness activities such as sports. The summer programs funded by Front Porch Alliance are making a difference in young peoples lives now and into their future as I have personally witnessed their impact, said Kenneth Simpson, interim executive director of the Front Porch Alliance. These programs allow our citys children and teens to continue growing, learning new skills and having experiences that will serve and enable them to become successful self sufficient adults. The Front Porch Alliance has supported more than 300 organizations and invested more than $1 million since the organization opened its doors in 1999. To learn more about the Front Porch Alliance, visit www.fpachatt.org. Hamilton County Coalition is able to host the Youth Empowerment Society Program as a result of funding received from the Front Porch Alliance. This summer program educates high school students about the consequences of using drugs. Through field trips, panel discussions, and lectures students are learning the negative impact using and abusing drugs have on their lives, the lives of their families, and the Chattanooga community. Students will have an opportunity Thursday to visit Federal Court to hear a prescription drug case. Following the case, students will speak with Federal Judges and Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston. Benhamou Global Ventures, a Palo Alto, CA- and Tel Aviv, Israel-based early-stage venture capital firm, closed its third fund, at $80m. BGV IIIs limited partners include several unnamed American, European and Chinese investors. The fund focuses on making investment in enterprise IT including cyber security, cloud-based infrastructure services and applications, web scale infrastructure, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence as well as industrial Internet of Things (IOT) companies. The firm will continue its cross-border investment strategy, identifying and investing in promising companies originated in Israel, Europe and Asia and helping them build a presence in Silicon Valley. So far, BGV III has made investments in: Secret Double Octopus (SDO), an Israeli cyber security company whose technology enables a password-free environment with trust channels established via a mobile phone app. That investment was completed in April 2017 and was syndicated with JVP, Iris Capital, and Liberty Media Ventures. Sherpa Digital Media, an Augmented Reality platform for the enterprise to securely manage, measure and automate video content and reach customers, prospects and employees across all devices and locations. 6d bytes, an emerging leader in robotics, machine vision and AI to transform the way the food and beverage industry approaches the preparation and serving of healthy foods. Drishti, a computer vision spin-off of SRI (Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park) which provides an innovative solution to improve the efficiency of human operators in manufacturing assembly lines. The partners of BGV III are Eric Benhamou, Anik Bose, Eric Buatois, Yashwanth Hemaraj, Marina Levinson, Amir Nayyerhabibi, Janice Roberts based in BGVs Palo Alto office, and Barak Ben Avinoam (based in BGVs Tel Aviv office in Israel). FinSMEs 28/06/2017 Capnamic Ventures, a Berlin and Cologne, Germany-based early-stage venture capital firm, closed its tech fund, at 115m. Investors include AXA Innovation Campus, Cisco and entities of the Sparkassen Group, Rheinische Post Media Group, European Investment Fund, Formuesforvaltning, KfW and NRW.Bank. The firm will make individual investments between 500k and 3m in early-stage tech companies, predominantly in the German-speaking region, focusing on B2B solutions, digital infrastructure and digital transformation. Capnamic also provides portfolio companies with follow-on funding rounds as well as business development and mentoring support. Led by general partner Jorg Binnenbrucker, Olaf Jacobi and Christian Siegele, the firm has invested in data-driven startups such as Adjust and zeotap, B2B-SaaS such as leanIX and Staffbase, and marketplaces like Chronext. FinSMEs 28/06/2017 Shapr, a Paris, France and New York-based provider of a professional networking app, raised $9.5m in funding. Backers included Franck Riboud, chairman of Dannon, the Bouygues family and the Afflelou family. The company will use the funds to hire 15 employees for its Paris and New York offices in the next 12 months and launch Shapr Premium, a paid subscription model. Led by CEO and Co-Founder Ludovic Huraux, Shapr provides a professional networking app that enables people to make meaningful connections with relevant professionals. To get started, users select up to ten interests such as #Startups, #AI or #GraphicDesign. People are also encouraged to add a few more personal interests such as #Meditation or #Running. The app then uses a proprietary algorithm to curate a daily selection of 15 profiles to browse, making the networking experience highly relevant, manageable and enjoyable. Available for iOS and Android as a free app, Shapr now counts over half a million users. It has generated more than 3 million professional matches in 2017 alone. Over the last year, Shapr has helped professionals in the US, UK, and France to find investors and cofounders, launch new businesses, and sign new job offers. Before the end of the year, Shapr Premium will launch, offering Shapr users more options to enhance their networking experience. Upcoming features include the option to browse up to 50 profiles per day, increasing the number of potential matches. In addition, the Premium version will include manual location settings, so that users can set up meetings before heading to a new destination or continue to network remotely while traveling. Additional features will be announced later this year. FinSMEs 28/06/2017 New Delhi: American online retail giant Amazon, which has committed investments to the tune of US $5 billion in India, will "keep investing and growing in India", its chief Jeff Bezos has said. After his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bezos tweeted: "Terrific meeting with @narendramodi. Always impressed, energized by optimism and invention in India. Excited to keep investing and growing." Terrific meeting with @narendramodi. Always impressed, energized by optimism and invention in India. Excited to keep investing and growing. https://t.co/xhQ58dik3y Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) June 25, 2017 Bezos was among the 20 US business leaders who interacted with Modi as part of a round table interaction. Others in the group included Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google's Sunder Pichai, John Chambers from Cisco, Shantanu Narayen from Adobe and Ajay Banga from Mastercard. Amazon, which has recently completed four years of operations in India, is locked in an intense battle for leadership with homegrown e-tailer Flipkart. The company has been aggressively investing in setting up fulfilment centres across India to ensure speedy delivery to consumers. It has 41 such warehouses across 13 states. Its seller base in the country has also increased to two lakh currently, from 100 in 2013. Previously, Bezos has said the company will keep investing in the Indian market to strengthen technology and infrastructure. "Our India team is moving fast and delivering for customers and sellers... It's still Day 1 for e-commerce in India, and I assure you that we'll keep investing in technology and infrastructure," Bezos had said. New Delhi: As the key figure in the balance of power between the government and the Reserve Bank of India, former RBI Governor Y.V. Reddy once contemplated resignation, and had to even offer an unconditional apology to the minister, his autobiography reveals. In 'Advice and Dissent: My Life in Public Service', being released on Tuesday, Reddy, who was RBI Governor between September 2003 and September 2008, describes his differences of opinion with then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. These led him to also think of putting in his papers. The issue concerned opening the banking system to foreign ownership, which came to a head with Chidambaram in 2008. Reddy narrated his meeting where the Finance Minister told him: "Governor, this is a national commitment made to global financial community. How do we justify reversal of such a policy? Is it just because there is a change in the incumbency of the government? Do we review our commitments every time a governor or the RBI changes?" Reddy, according to the book, told him that "it has serious irreversible consequences. I believe it is better to go back on our comitment at this stage, in national interest." "But I believe that it is in our national interest," Chidambaram was quoted as telling the RBI Governor. Reddy writes that he confided his troubles to then Economic Affairs Secretary Rakesh Mohan. "'Rakesh,' I told him, 'it is better I leave this job. I believe that the issue is very critical to our national interest. I think opening up of foreign banks should not be done at this stage at all. Still, if the government feels that this has to be done, it has to be done. But I will not be able to put my heart in it'," Reddy said. "So, better I quietly leave the job," Reddy added. He writes that despite Chidambaram's unwillingness to relieve him as Governor, "I felt that there was a growing distance between us as months passed by. His (Chidambaram) image as a reformer pushing for double-digit growth was, in his view, being dented by my caution to the extent of resisting implementation of some of his policies," Reddy wrote. "At one stage, he said that he was cancelling his foreign tour because he could not face them with nothing to report on reform. His frustration was confirmed later, I think in early 2008," Reddy wrote. When he met the minister, Chidambaram said the RBI was not adequately reciprocating by progressing with reforms. "I expressed my unconditional apology to him and conveyed that I would keep in mind the issue of being supportive," Reddy said, describing how the matter ended. However, on the overall experience of working as RBI Governor "closely" with Chidambaram for over four years, Reddy writes: "Most of our tensions could be described as constructive or as discord that ultimately gave rise to better ideas or outcomes." Another contentious issue was that of farm-loan waivers, that continues to be controversial. "I opposed the proposal made in February 2008 to write off loans to farmers amounting to Rs 60,000 crore. I argued my case before the Finance Minister, and at one stage before the Prime Minister accompanied by the Finance Minister. Economic logic including preservation of credit culture was in favour of RBI's position," Reddy says. However, "I could see the government was acting out of broader concern for the welfare of farmers. I suggested that the government should pay the money to the banks on behalf of the farmers." Thus, a differnt aspect of the situation dawned on Reddy. "I believe that as governor, I could advance arguments from the point of view of money and credit, but I had no legitimacy to question the judgement of the government on social order," he said. In fact, the autobiography sets out Reddy's unique perspective as a central banker on the government-RBI relationship. "It is hard to find the government's version of dealing with the central banks. Since I worked in the government also, and dealt with the RBI, a part of the story relates to this," he writes in the introduction. Reddy, who famously described the RBI as "totally free, within the limits set by the government", has served as the Union Finance Secretary and was the Chairman of the latest 14th Finance Commission in 2013-14. Farm loan waivers have only added to the gigantic non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, of banks. Reddy has emphasised elsewhere that there is no "political economy consensus" on tackling the mounting problem of bad loans of banks, which cannot be resolved by their simple recapitalisation. (The NPAs of state-run banks at the end of March 2016 were Rs 5.02 lakh crore, according to an answer given by Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar in the Lok Sabha. Care Ratings said these NPAs went up to Rs 6.97 lakh crore by December 2016). Speaking of the government-RBI relationship in a recent short history of the RBI called 'Dialogue of the Deaf', economic journalist T.C.A. Srinivasa Raghavan says the balance of power has been in favour of the government because monetary policy has had to be subservient to fiscal policy in independent India. New Delhi: Indian Angel Network has expanded its operations to Israel and will invest in areas like healthcare, agritech, cybersecurity and cleantech. IAN, which claims to be the worlds largest angel investor group with over 450 institutional and individual members, has presence in the US, the UK, Canada, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Hong Kong, apart from India. We now have operations in 3 of the 4 top start-up hubs in the world. Israel is also a leader in terms of patents being filed. We are keen on working with some very interesting companies in Israel, IAN co-founder and president Padmaja Ruparel told PTI. She added that some areas of interest include healthcare and related devices, agri-tech, cybersecurity and cleantech. We will work with investors from India and Israel. The idea is to connect the most innovative companies in the world to the largest and fastest growing markets and the most savvy investors globally, Ruparel said. IAN has also partnered with entrepreneur Anat Bernstein- Reich, who is also the chairperson of Israel-India Chamber of Commerce and President of the Israel-India Friendship Association (IIFA). I have long believed that bringing together the entrepreneurial ecosystems of Israel and India would be of great benefit to both countries and indeed to the world...I am delighted to partner IAN in Israel, Bernstein-Reich, managing director of A&G Partners, said. Mumbai: The nation's largest lender State Bank on Wednesday ruled out the additional provisioning towards the 12 largest NPA accounts which have been referred to insolvency proceedings denting the bottomlines very hard as most of the provisioning has already been done. "The increased provisioning requirements, more or less, in all of these accounts we have pretty large provisions. But yes, we have to make a little more but it should not very badly impact our earnings going forward," chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya told reporters after the annual general meeting there late evening on Tuesday. She was responding to questions from the media about the possibility of increased provisioning towards the 12 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) - referred accounts impacting the banks bottomlines. It can be noted that domestic ratings agency Crisil had on Monday estimated that led by public sector banks, lenders will have to take a huge haircut towards these NPAs. It has pegged an additional burden of Rs 40,000 crore or 25 percent more towards provisioning for these 12 accounts which have been sent for insolvency by RBI. These 12 large accounts had become NPAs by end-March 2016 and Crisil estimates show the banks had already provisioned 40 percent for these NPAs worth Rs 2 trillion or about Rs 80,000 crore. "We estimate a 60 percent haircut would be needed on these loan assets. That would mean banks will have to increase provisioning by another 25 percent or Rs 40,000 core more this fiscal, compared with 9 percent in the last," Crisil said in a note. The total NPA provisioning of banks stood at Rs 2.2 trillion as of FY17, up from Rs 2 trillion in FY16. Parrying a question on whether RBI has been very stringent or overcautious on with these accounts, she said "the regulator has done what it felt was right. Now whether it is overcautious or whether it is in order, we will come to know with time." "The only thing is that they have given us three quarters to do it which I think is adequate. Also, provisioning doesn't mean write-offs. It merely means that you keep the provisions if things are better, and then we can write it back," the chairman of SBI which is the lead banker to six of these 12 accounts said. But she was quick to point out that the problem with higher provisioning is that "if a buyer comes to take over that account will immediately take that as the lowest level of write-off or haircut. So, to that extent, we may have realised better value if we havent exactly quantified the amount of provisioning that we made." Bhattacharya said the remaining six accounts from the RBI list will be taken up within the stipulated time of 15 days itself or even earlier. "All the preparation that were required to be done most of them is already done. To that extent we are doing things as per book. And we expect that this will enable quick resolution," Bhattacharya said. The largest 12 accounts named by RBI are Bhushan Steel (Rs 44,478 cr), Lanco Infra (Rs 44,365 cr), Essar Steel (Rs 37,284 cr), Bhushan Power (Rs 37248 cr), Alok Industries (Rs 22,075 cr), Amtek Auto (Rs 14,075 cr), Monnet Ispat (Rs 12,115 cr) Electrosteel Steels (Rs 10,274 cr), Era Infra (Rs 10,065 cr) Jypaee Infratech (Rs 9,635 cr), ABG Shipyard (Rs 6,953 cr), and Jyoti Structures (Rs 5,165 cr). Of these six accounts have already been sent to NCLT by banks -- Bhushan Steel, Essar Steel and Electrosteel Steels by SBI; Bhushan Power by PNB; Lanco Infratech by IDBI; and Amtek Auto by Corporation Bank- for possible liquidation. Adnan Sami is going to be seen in a romantic musical-adventure film titled Afghan sometime in the first half of 2018. After the musician's cameo in Bajrangi Bhaijaan (on Salman Khan's request), this movie will see Sami on screen once again playing an Afghan musician who comes to India after facing severe discrimination in his own motherland. Upon arrival, Sami's character goes on to find love in many shapes and forms in the diverse Indian subcontinent. The movie is by director duo Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao of Lucky: No Time for Love (2005) fame. The shooting for the movie is expected to commence in August this year. Sami will be seen portraying a character that is close to his heart, along with being similar to him and his journey in real life. According to a Mumbai Mirror report, Sami feels that facing the camera for music videos is an easy task, as he usually plays himself on screen and the songs tend to have a lot of his heart and soul in them. Sami hasn't been to Afghanistan in years, however the movie's shooting schedule will see him returning there, as the film celebrates the brotherhood between India and Afghanistan. Having come to India in 1999, Sami recently received his Indian citizenship (on 1 January 2016) after what can only be described as a long winded and tumultuous process. Under a Special Clause the Government of India can grant citizenship to someone for exemplary services in the field of art, science and sport. The clause, in existence since 1955, was applied for the first time in my case. And finally, the country Id accepted as my aashiyana 17 years ago, the India jise mein qabool tha, became my own. It was a spectacular finale, Sami said according to Mumbai Mirror. Sami will not only be seen in the lead role, but also be composing seven songs for Afghan. In partnership with the National Park Service, Eastern National will host author Dr. Andrew S. Bledsoe at the Visitor Center at Chickamauga Battlefield on Saturday. Dr. Bledsoe will be signing copies of his book, Citizen-Officers: the Union and Confederate Volunteer Junior Officer Corps in the American Civil War, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. He will also provide a special program at 1 p.m. During his program, Dr. Bledsoe will answer the questions: What is a company officer? How can one become a company officer? What is the role of a company officer? and Why is it so hazardous? "Citizen-Officers fills a major gap in the literature on the American Civil War," said Gary Gallagher, author of The Union War. "It offers perceptive analysis of volunteers who filed junior ranks among officers in both the Union and Confederate armies. The authors careful attention to the republican example of disinterested served, the transition from civilian to military cultures, the impact of combat, and change over time, among other virtues, lends distinction to this book. Dr. Bledsoe is assistant professor of history at Lee University and a historian of the Civil War and of American military leadership traditions. Dr. Bledsoe earned his MA and PhD in American History from Rice University and in 2015 was a Fellow at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The funds generated by the purchase of Citizen-Officers: The Union and Confederate Volunteer Junior Officer Corps in the American Civil War supports the interpretive programs at National Parks. After fighting many battles with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the trailer of Alankrita Shrivastav's directorial venture Lipstick Under My Burkha was released on Tuesday in Mumbai. During the film's trailer launch, Ekta Kapoor, who will be presenting and distributing the film, said that she had no problem with the CBFC, but with the society. ''I have no issue with CBFC. My problem is with the society, which talks about the same thing, but in its own way. So, the CBFC is mirroring the society. We will trivialise this whole thing if we make it about CBFC. Its a larger issue. If you talk to a woman she will give you at least five incidents in a day, five-10 in a month for sure, where she had to give proofs of being a woman, maybe at a male-dominated work place or when she has to try to come across as smarter because she is good looking,'' Ekta said. Talking about the middle finger shown in the poster of the film, Ekta said: "The middle finger is not for the CBFC but pointed towards the patriarchal society that does not let us come out, which compels us to suppress our voice. That is why this issue is not just the CBFC's; this issue is about ideology, it is about patriarchy." During the press conference, the panel consisted of Ekta Kapoor, Alankrita Srivastava, Konkana Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur. The film, produced by Prakash Jha, was stuck with the CBFC for six months as it revolves around four women and their sexual desires and freedom. But finally, the CBFC has passed the trailer of the film with 'A' certificate. Ratna Pathak Shah, who was one of the senior-most actors among the four women in the film, said the film should not be loaded with any label as it is difficult to live with, and that she did this film as she found it very interesting and funny. "Let's not load the film down with words such as 'life changing movement' or 'new wave' etc., as these things, these labels, can be very hard to live with. When I saw the film, I found it extremely interesting, extremely sensitive, funny film. I enjoyed watching it and I think even the audience will do," said the Sarabhai vs Sarabhai actress. She also addressed the issue of Goods and Services Tax (GST) by saying: "Not just lipstick, but sanitary pads should also not be taxed by the government. It's a necessity for a woman's hygiene." Ekta Kapoor, too, spoke about the issue, and said, "Personally, I think the necessity of a woman cannot be taxed. Be it a choice, a need or a desire. We have to stop using words like 'that time of the month' or other things. Say it, I have my periods. There is nothing to be shy or embarrassed about." Konkona Sen Sharma said that sanitary pads should not be taxed under luxury goods, as they are meant for a bodily function over which women have no control. Lipstick Under My Burkha, starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aahana Kumra, Plabita Borthakur and Vikrant Massey, has already created a great buzz among the audience. The film will be released on 21 July. (With inputs from IANS) In the third week of June 2017, Sridevi was in Chennai to promote her upcoming thriller Mom, which also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna. Mom is Sridevi's first Hindi film in five years after the critical and commercial hit English Vinglish, directed by Gauri Shinde. It is also being dubbed into Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Mom's an important milestone for Sridevi it's said to be her 300th film, and marks her 50th year in the industry. It is being produced by husband Boney Kapoor, while Ravi Udyawar makes his directorial debut with this film. In an interview with Firstpost, Sridevi spoke about Mom, and how she connected with the role: Its been a long journey since you started as a child artiste in Tamil and Telugu films 50 years ago. And then you ruled south cinema, and Hindi films in the '70s and '80s. Now you're back with Mom... I love Chennai... I grew up here and did hundreds of films here before I went to Mumbai. My life is an open book and I've received a lot of respect and love from the audiences here in the south. There is some kind of connect between the audiences here and me and even though I went to Mumbai, I still get that love and affection. What more can I ask for? What attracted you to Mom, a thriller ? The plot of Mom is what attracted me. As a real-life mother to two kids who are growing up, I could connect with Ravis story emotionally. The film is all about a relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter, the values and special bond that they share. My instinct tells me that it will work at the box-office. Is it a woman-centric film like English Vinglish? Im basically a directors actor. I loved Sasi of English Vinglish, though now I have fallen more in love with Devki of Mom. There is a new market for women-oriented film as proved by recent hits like Queen, Kahaani, Piku and of course, my English Vinglish . But there are also other actors in Mom... like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who has done a terrific role in the film, along with Adnan Sidiqqui, Akshaye Khanna and Sajal Ali, who plays my daughter. Sajal is somebody to watch out for. Is Mom a revenge drama of a mother avenging her daughter? I cannot reveal the plot. Let us keep it under wraps till 7 July, when the film releases, to know the extent to which a mother would go for her daughter. Mom is a well-made commercial entertainer with lovely music by AR Rahman. There's been a lot said about you turning down the role of Sivagami in Baahubali, which was offered to you by SS Rajamouli... Another actor (Ramya Krishnan) did the role well and the film is a hit. Now what is the point in talking about it? It doesn't make sense to me. Is it true your daughter Jhanvi Kapoor is being groomed to be an actress? When are you launching her? It may happen, and you will get to know about it soon. Although the response to Tubelight has been mixed, among the aspects that has met with unequivocal praise is the cinematography by Aseem Mishra. Mishra, who has worked on all of Kabir Khan's films apart from Kabul Express, says one of the things that guided how Tubelight was shot, was the simplicity at its core. "Tubelight is a very simple film. The look of the film too is simple, because of the script and because it deals with a simple character (Laxman, played by Salman Khan). So the film too was shot in a simple way: the camera is almost always at eye-level. We never go really low angle, or top-angle. The film is captured in a very real way. Even if you see the tones, textures and colours of the film... there's nothing artificial in the film, there's nothing artificial about the film," Mishra told Firstpost in an interview. Mishra and Kabir Khan studied together, and then they worked on documentary films together. That translates into a level of comfort on the sets that's possibly the envy of many collaborators. With Tubelight, Mishra and Kabir followed their usual process: First the director gave Aseem a narration of the story, then presented him with a script to read. What followed was a conversation "over a cup of tea" about how both of them saw the film. Once these notes are exchanged, they're ready to start work. "There's a completely non-verbal communication that happens between us," Mishra said, of his equation with Kabir Khan. "From the time that he gives me the script till we see the final rushes, we never have a 'heavy' conversation about how we're going to approach the film... We did our Master's together, and we share a similar political viewpoint and sensibilities, so that makes it easier. Kabir is also a very honest person when it comes to visualising and executing a scene, he's a good taskmaster and he does his homework. I feel very comfortable working with him. He has a good eye for detail, and because he has a camera background, it easy for us to communicate. By the time I am setting up my frame, he already knows what kind of lighting I'm going to use, how he's going to put the characters in the frame. That's why we shoot so fast and so easily." When Mishra was going through the script for Tubelight, he and Kabir Khan agreed that with the backdrop of the story being the 1962 India-China War, the attempt would be to depict the film in the most real possible way. "We decided that we would not deviate from reality, we would show it as it is. And that was why we chose Manali and Ladakh as the locations... We originally intended to shoot the film in Kashmir, but then had to do it in Manali (because of the situation in the Valley)," said Mishra. And shooting in Ladakh presented its own challenges. "I don't find situations 'challenging', but there are difficult situations," Mishra said, of the experience. "When you're shooting at a particular altitude, at a height, your breathing becomes difficult... I really loved shooting in Ladakh, however." With his background in documentary filmmaking, does that affect how he approaches big-budget Bollywood films at all? "It's not that because I have worked on documentaries, I believe every film should be shot in a documentary way," counters Mishra. "Every film is different. It's not that I think a Paan Singh Tomar should look the same as an Ek Tha Tiger or a New York. In fact, if you see these films, they all look very different. I shot Paan Singh Tomar after New York, and both films have a very different look shot by the same person, with the same eye. So I'm not saying that if you've trained in a documentary background, you can't shoot commercials, or you can't shoot big-budget films." He does admit that shooting a film of the scale of Tubelight makes for a different experience. "When you're shooting a film of this scale, your lensing will become different... the way you visualise the film, the way you see the characters in the film becomes very different," Mishra said. But having a documentary films background does come in handy. "There are advantages... for instance, if we're shooting a scene and it is not happening in terms of the lighting or weather, we take a very quick decision and we change the scene according to the situation. There were lots of scenes we shot in Manali that were very difficult weather-wise. Sometimes, it would be rainy or cloudy. And we'd change the scene or do a very quick breakdown this is how we're going to shoot the scene. Because we've done this so many times, it's very easy for us to change according to the weather." Were there any techniques Mishra got to try during the making of Tubelight that he hadn't before? The difficult part about the film is that it's based in 1962. And in no way did I want to give it a tone that would make it seem like it was a flashback... one thing that bothered me was, how to light up the whole film. I thought bulbs were an interesting way, so I designed this Chinese lantern with bulbs inside. And that helped me a lot, it gave the film the look that it had been lit up by bulb," says Mishra. And was there a substantial opportunity to use VFX during Tubelight, which meant teaming up with another longtime collaborator Prime Focus for Mishra? "Tubelight is not a VFX-heavy film. Maybe a little bit of crowd multiplication, maybe the background here and there. It's a small component because it's a very real film," Mishra said, adding, "I've been working with Prime Focus for almost 13-14 years, and I've always loved the experience." Gotham actor Donal Logue's 16-year-old son has gone missing and he has taken to social media to seek help. Logue's son went missing on Monday in Brooklyn, New York City. The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star asked for help on Twitter on Tuesday, reports aceshowbiz.com. "Missing ... my child Jade Logue. 6'2" 180 lime green hoodie dark green military parka," he wrote alongside a photograph of Jade. Donal later deleted the tweet. He also appeared to have deleted his official Facebook account. Actor Maeve Quinlan showed her support for the actor by posting a screenshot of his announcement. "Please repost this ASAP for my friend Donal Logue whose son Jade has gone missing in NYC. Please repost and say prayers he makes it home," she tweeted. Please repost this ASAP for my friend Donal Logue whose son Jade has gone missing in NYC. Please repost and say prayers he makes it home pic.twitter.com/SYoIOs72UY Maeve Quinlan (@maevequinlan) June 27, 2017 Celebrities like Olivia Wilde, Stana Katic and Mark Ruffalo also spread Donal's appeal. "Hey Brooklyn, if you've seen Jade, please let his father know," Wilde tweeted. Katic wrote: "Hello, community. Please see attached and notify Donal Logue if you have any information." Ruffalo later retweeted Katic's tweet. Hey Brooklyn, if you've seen Jade, please let his father know. https://t.co/ZoweZ2tu1H olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) June 27, 2017 Hello, community. Please see attached & notify @donallogue if you have any information. https://t.co/AEWAjt1dlP Stana Katic (@Stana_Katic) June 27, 2017 Fans wondered if Donal already found Jade since he deleted his tweet. Besides Jade, the Zodiac star has a son named Finn whom she shares with his former wife, Kasey Walker. Breaking her silence for the first time since she was kidnapped earlier this year, a popular Malayalam actress said she has full faith in the police probe in the case. The young actress was kidnapped on 17 February when she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi by road, but later dumped near the house of director-turned-actor Lal, who upon hearing her harrowing experience, informed the police. In a written statement issued in Thrissur by the actress and her family, she said she had not spoken about the incident till now, on the police's instructions. "Now, this news has again surfaced in the media and lots of things are happening, and hence I decided to share for the first time with you (media). The case probe is going on very well and I am fully satisfied with it. I have shared everything with the police. It was done neither to implicate anyone or to allow anyone to escape, and I have never named anyone at all," the actress said. She said that now some names, accused of being involved in the incident, are being heard in the public domain. "I do not have any evidence with me to say that the names that are being heard are behind the incident, nor do I have any evidence to say they are not behind it. I was saddened when I heard a remark made by an actor who said that the prime accused in the case Pulsar Suni and I were good friends, and he also mentioned that when selecting friends one should be careful. I was pained by this statement and if need be, I might even consider taking legal steps against this statement. My hands are very clear and I have only told the truth to the police," added the actress. The actor she is referring to is Dileep, who made these allegations in an interview on TV. He came under fire for these comments. Just last week, the abduction case turned murkier with popular Malayalam film personality Nadir Shah alleging he received a call from a close aide of Pulsar Suni, the prime accused, linking superstar Dileep to the case. He told reporters that in March he got a call from Vishnu, who asked him to tell Dileep to cough up Rs 1.50 crore. On Sunday, the police arrested two persons for blackmailing Dileep and Shah. One of the two is Vishnu, who is alleged to have threatened Dileep and Shah to cough up Rs 1.50 crore or else he would "reveal" their role in the kidnap conspiracy. Vishnu told them there were others in the film industry who have offered him Rs 2 crore for naming Dileep in the case. Dileep had filed a petition against this in April. On Wednesday, the actor-director duo gave their statement to police in Aluva to Additional Director General of Police B. Sandhya. (With inputs from IANS) Mumbai: A court in Mumbai has issued a summons to Ram Gopal Varma on a complaint filed against the filmmaker for "poking fun at Lord Ganesha" on Twitter. The Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Andheri issued the summons to the filmmaker last week, directing him to appear before it on 8 August. The complaint against Varma was filed by Viveck Shetty, the managing director of Indus Communications. It alleged that the producer-director, apart from questioning the ability of Lord Ganesha to remove obstacles from the path of his devotees, had made fun of the elephant god's physical attributes on the microblogging website. The complainant also alleged that Varma's comments were in "bad taste" and an insult to Lord Ganesha. "These tweets are per se outrageous and are on the face of it, hurting and inciting religious feelings and sentiments of people who practise, preach and propagate Hindu religion," the complaint read. The court had earlier said that during the inquiry, the police had found that the filmmaker had, during the Ganesha immersion in 2014, commented about the elephant god on Twitter, which could have outraged the religious feelings of Hindus. Varma was not available for comments. "Ye bandhan to pyaar ka bandhan hai... janmon ka sangam hai" This song from Rakesh Roshan's 1995 Shah Rukh-Salman-starrer Karan Arjun is a reminiscent of the bond these two actors have shared throughout their film career. Often pitted as rivals, they have had really rough times in the past, where both of them have not missed any opportunity to diss each other (in a subtle way). They also share a deep friendship. They started their careers almost at the same time and have ruled the industry since. In these years, as a token of their bonhomie they have made special appearances/cameos, and even acted in a supporting role, in each other's films. Remember Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam, and much recently Tubelight? Shah Rukh Khan played the role of a magician Gogo Pasha in Tubelight who instills confidence in Salman's character in the film. Now, after this, there were speculations that Salman might also return the gesture by appearing in one of Shah Rukh's upcoming movies. But now, Shah Rukh himself confirmed the news and said that he and Aanand L Rai are trying to rope in Salman for a small guest appearance in their upcoming 'dwarf' film. The superstar spoke to DNA and said, "There is a guest appearance in Anands film that Id like Salman to consider. We are still working on it. But, I would like him (Salman Khan) to play the role. Whether he is playing himself or not, just like Gogo Pashas role, we will keep it a secret till the end. Aanand L Rai's film is yet to be titled and stars Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma along with Shah Rukh Khan. Mustafa Dossa, one of the six convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, has been admitted to the JJ Hospital in Mumbai after complaining of chest pain. "Dossa was admitted to the jail ward of the hospital at 3 am," hospital dean TP Lahane told PTI. Dossa (lodged in Arthur Road Jail) complained of chest pain and had hypertension, diabetes and infection, Lahane added. 1993 Bombay blast case convict, Mustafa Dossa hospitalised after he complained of hypertension. Dr said uncontrolled diabetes is the reason pic.twitter.com/dlSUkOl0LD News18 (@CNNnews18) June 28, 2017 Dossa also informed the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court about his heart condition and said he wanted to undergo a bypass surgery. On Tuesday, the CBI sought capital punishment for Dossa, arguing that his role in the blasts was "more severe" than that of hanged convict Yakub Memon. Special CBI counsel Deepak Salvi told the special TADA court that Dossa was one of the "brains" behind the conspiracy and that his degree of responsibility towards the commission of the crime was the highest. "If not for him (and other absconding accused), the crime would never have taken place," Salvi had told the court. He told the court that first conspiracy meeting held at Dossas Dubai residence had sowed the first seeds of the conspiracy. Salvi had argued that Dossa was one of the masterminds and was in a position of authority. "Dossa was from among the prime conspirators giving instructions to others," the counsel had told the court. He had argued that Dossa financed for landing of arms and explosives and sending people to Pakistan for arms training etc. Dossa had the effective control over the incident and he was one of the architects of the blasts, he had said. "Just like the supreme court had held that Yakub Memon's deeds cannot be viewed distinct from the act of Tiger Memon (a wanted accused in the blasts case), the same can be attributed to Dossa and other suggestion would be futile and worth discarding at the first glance", Salvi argued. He had said Dossa was among the "archers wearing the quiver and releasing arrows and one of the principal perpetrators who got the work done through others." "The offence could have been averted had it not been hatched by the absconders (including Dossa) or if he had not initiated it by sending the first consignment of arms," Salvi said. The CBI counsel had said that from the execution of the conspiracy, there is a clear instigation by Dossa and he was directly responsible for the blasts as he was one of the brains behind plotting the attacks. "The crime of terrorism is in itself the aggravating circumstances as it carries a special stigmatisation due to the deliberate form of inhuman treatment it represents and the severity of the pain and suffering inflicted," Salvi had argued. He had said Dossa was a known smuggler and has criminal antecedents. "The crime committed by him is of the utmost gravity, heinous, dastardly, diabolical and demonic with no regard towards the country and her citizens, and was carried out pruriently relishing the act of spilling the blood and slaughtering," Salvi had argued. In the second installment of the trial, the court had on 16 June convicted five accused, including Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem, under the charges of murder, conspiracy and sections of now repealed TADA, while the sixth accused Riyaz Siddiqui was convicted only under TADA Act. As many as 257 people were killed in the coordinated blasts that ripped through the city on 12 March, 1993. The trial of the seven accused Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum was separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial. The court had acquitted Abdul Quayyum of all the charges. With inputs from PTI Mustafa Dossa, one of the six convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, has died hours after he was admitted to the JJ Hospital in Mumbai after complaining of chest pain, CNN News 18 reported. The channel quoted Mumbai Police as saying that Dossa succumbed to hypertension and chest pain at around 2.30 pm on Wednesday. JJ Hospital dean Dr TP Lahane confirmed the news and told Firstpost, "Dossa died of a cardiac arrest. The post-mortem is at underway under the supervision of a three-doctor panel. It is being conducted as per the jail manual. Further details will only emerge after post-mortem is complete." Early in the morning, Dossa was admitted to JJ Hospital after he complained of chest pain and hypertension. "Dossa was admitted to the jail ward of the hospital at 3 am," Lahane told PTI. Dossa (lodged in Arthur Road Jail) complained of chest pain and had hypertension, diabetes and infection, Lahane added. Dossa also informed the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court about his heart condition and said he wanted to undergo a bypass surgery. On Tuesday, the CBI sought capital punishment for Dossa, arguing that his role in the blasts was "more severe" than that of hanged convict Yakub Memon. In fact, the family of the deceased feared for his life after he was convicted by the TADA court. Reacting to the verdict, Dossa's son, Shahnawaz said, Everything is over... My dad is not going to come back now. Special CBI counsel Deepak Salvi told the special TADA court that Dossa was one of the "brains" behind the conspiracy and that his degree of responsibility towards the commission of the crime was the highest. "If not for him (and other absconding accused), the crime would never have taken place," Salvi had told the court. He told the court that first conspiracy meeting held at Dossa's Dubai residence had sowed the first seeds of the conspiracy. Salvi had argued that Dossa was one of the masterminds and was in a position of authority. "Dossa was from among the prime conspirators giving instructions to others," the counsel had told the court. He had argued that Dossa financed for landing of arms and explosives and sending people to Pakistan for arms training etc. Dossa had the effective control over the incident and he was one of the architects of the blasts, he had said. "Just like the supreme court had held that Yakub Memon's deeds cannot be viewed distinct from the act of Tiger Memon (a wanted accused in the blasts case), the same can be attributed to Dossa and other suggestion would be futile and worth discarding at the first glance," Salvi argued. He had said Dossa was among the "archers wearing the quiver and releasing arrows and one of the principal perpetrators who got the work done through others." "The offence could have been averted had it not been hatched by the absconders (including Dossa) or if he had not initiated it by sending the first consignment of arms," Salvi said. The CBI counsel had said that from the execution of the conspiracy, there is a clear instigation by Dossa and he was directly responsible for the blasts as he was one of the brains behind plotting the attacks. "The crime of terrorism is in itself the aggravating circumstances as it carries a special stigmatisation due to the deliberate form of inhuman treatment it represents and the severity of the pain and suffering inflicted," Salvi had argued. He had said Dossa was a known smuggler and has criminal antecedents. "The crime committed by him is of the utmost gravity, heinous, dastardly, diabolical and demonic with no regard towards the country and her citizens, and was carried out pruriently relishing the act of spilling the blood and slaughtering," Salvi had argued. In the second installment of the trial, the court had on 16 June convicted five accused, including Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem, under the charges of murder, conspiracy and sections of now repealed TADA, while the sixth accused Riyaz Siddiqui was convicted only under TADA Act. As many as 257 people were killed in the coordinated blasts that ripped through the city on 12 March, 1993. The trial of the seven accused Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum was separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial. The court had acquitted Abdul Quayyum of all the charges. With inputs from PTI Mumbai: With the death of Mustafa Dossa, convicted by the TADA court for being one of the masterminds of the 1993 Mumbai blasts conspiracy, some prominent lawyers on Wednesday said the case against him will abate. Dossa died of cardiac arrest at the government-run JJ hospital on Wednesday even as the court is hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence to be given to him and five others. "As of now there is no judgment against Dossa as a judgment consists of both conviction and sentence," said advocate Yug Choudhary, one of the lawyers who had approached the Supreme Court for a midnight hearing on the last-ditch application filed by Yakub Memon before he was hanged in the 1993 blasts case. Choudhary said the conviction against Dossa was no longer valid. Senior criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani concurred, saying that the case abates as a sentence cannot be passed against a dead man. Hiten Venegoankar, special CBI and Enforcement Directorate counsel, said since any sentence was yet to be awarded, the trial is "in process", and it abates against Dossa now. Special public prosecutor in the 1993 blasts case, Deepak Salvi, said generally the case abates in such situations, but the convict's family members can approach the court if they want to clear his name. In that case, the trial court will pronounce the sentence (so as to complete the judgment) after which they can file an appeal to get the judgment reversed. In that case, the trial court will pronounce the sentence (so as to complete the judgment) after which they can file an appeal to get the judgment reversed. As per the trial court's verdict, Dossa "actively, willfully, deliberately and consciously" participated in the first meeting (held at the residence of his elder brother Mohammed Dossa in Dubai) "which gave birth to the original design of the heinous criminal conspiracy". "For achieving the object of the conspiracy he took the first step and sent arms and ammunition from Dubai and Pakistan to Dighi (in Raigad district) on 9 January, 1993," the court had noted. HYLA, Inc. officials announced on Wednesday that the company will open a new facility in La Vergne. The specialized mobile device reverse logistics technology and services provider will invest more than $1 million and create approximately 225 new jobs in Rutherford County. I want to thank HYLA for choosing to locate its new operations in Rutherford County and for creating over 200 new jobs in La Vergne, Governor Bill Haslam said. With our strong workforce and central location, Tennessee is the prime location for companies like HYLA to call home. I appreciate HYLA for its commitment to Tennessee and for bringing us one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. When a company chooses to locate new operations in Tennessee, it sends a strong message that our states business-friendly environment and highly skilled workforce are assets that will help companies succeed, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe said. We thank HYLA for investing and creating new jobs in Tennessee and look forward to building a lasting partnership in the years ahead. HYLA works closely with Fortune 100 companies, including the largest mobile service providers, mobile device manufacturers and technology retailers. HYLA provides technology and expertise that powers the collection, processing, renewal and distribution of previously owned mobile devices. HYLAs customized software solutions and pricing expertise drive the collection of mobile devices at thousands of customer locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Upon receipt of mobile devices, HYLAs La Vergne facility will assess the condition of each device, remove all customer data, conduct repairs as needed and resell the devices into secondary markets throughout the U.S. and around the world. HYLA also offers software solutions including Analytics and Omni-Channel Device Collections for its customers. To date, HYLA has collected and repurposed over 43 million devices, diverted over 9,500 tons of e-waste away from landfills, and avoided 51.5 billion gallons of ground water pollution. We are excited about our new mobile device reverse logistics technology facility. We selected the state of Tennessee, Rutherford County and La Vergne due to its central location, business friendly environment, and high-quality talent pool. We look forward to becoming an active member of the community and working together with local organizations to bring additional employment and prosperity to this region, Biju Nair, president and CEO of HYLA, Inc., said. HYLA will locate its new operations in a 100,000-square-foot facility in Rutherford County. With the new facility, HYLA will be better equipped to serve its global customers. Local officials and the Tennessee Valley Authority thanked HYLA for its investment in Rutherford County. Rutherford County continues to attract new companies with its pro-business environment and strong workforce, Destination Rutherford Chairman Bill Jones said. We welcome HYLA to our community and wish them much success. We are very excited to have HYLA in La Vergne and are grateful for the jobs it will bring, La Vergne Mayor Dennis Waldron said. "TVA and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation congratulate HYLA on its decision to locate in La Vergne, Tennessee," said John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of economic development. "We are privileged to partner with the State of Tennessee, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, the City of La Vergne and Rutherford County officials to help companies create new jobs and prosperity in the community." Beijing: China on Wednesday justified the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector, saying the area "undoubtedly" is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said. The statement came a day after the Chinese military accused the Indian army of stopping the construction of the road in what it claims to be China's "sovereign territory" in the Sikkim section of the India-China border. Lu said the Sikkim segment of the China-India border was recognised by both China and India. "Indian leaders, the Indian government-related documents, the Indian side in the Sino-Indian boundary issue Special Representatives meeting confirmed that the two sides signed the treaty in 1890, the 'Sino-British treaty' and the China-India boundary of Sikkim to have the direction of a consensus," he said. "Compliance with these treaties and documents is an international obligation that not to be shirked by the Indian side," he added. Last night a Chinese foreign ministry statement said "the Indian border guards crossed the boundary in the Sikkim section of the China-India border and entered the territory of China and obstructed normal activities of the Chinese frontier forces in the Donglang area recently, and the Chinese side has taken counter-measures." Earlier in the day, Lu said China lodged a diplomatic protest with India accusing Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. He also asserted that it has shut the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. Also a hard-hitting article posted on the website of the state-run Global Times tonight on the issue said, "Indian troops' provocation brings disgrace to themselves" and they should be forced to retreat "by all necessary means". "The Indian government made no objection to the Sikkim section of the China-India border. Allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge, but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare. The Nathu La pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006, because there is no border dispute between China and India over this area," it said. "It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government," it said. "Whatever the motive is, China must stick to its bottom line. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," it said. As the China-India borderline hasn't been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas, it said. "However, almost all frictions are fed to the Indian media by the Indian military which they hype time and again". "China avoids making an issue of the border disputes, which has indulged India's unruly provocations. This time the Indian side needs to be taught the rules," it said. "India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial," the article said, adding China has no desire to confront India. "Maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy. But this must be based on mutual respect. It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," it said. Jammu: The first batch of Amarnath pilgrims left for the cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, amid extraordinary security arrangements after intelligent inputs cautioned of militant attacks, police said. The Amarnath Yatra begins on Thursday. A total of 2,280 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here for the Himalayan cave shrine in Anantnag district in 72 vehicles at 5.22 am, a police official said. The pilgrim convoy consisting of 1,811 males, 422 females and 47 holy men was escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicles, he added. Given the prevailing law and order situation in the valley, a multi-layered security arrangement manned by the Army, CRPF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been provided for the safe passage of the 'yatris' right from their entry into Lakhanpur in Kathua district. Authorities have decided that no vehicle carrying pilgrims would be allowed to cross the Jawahar Tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway after 3.30 p.m. "This has been done so that the yatris reach the Baltal base camp within seven hours from the tunnel. They don't have to make a night halt midway. This will ensure that they don't travel after nightfall," the police official said. Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has said the pilgrims are guests of the people in the valley and nobody would harm or obstruct the performance of their religious duties. Authorities have heightened security for the 40-day long Yatra because of intelligence inputs that militants might attempt to disrupt it. This year 2.12 lakh 'yatris' have registered for the pilgrimage to the Hindu cave shrine situated nearly 14,000 feet above the sea level. The cave houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes with the size of the visible moon. Devotees believe the structure symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva. They approach the shrine both from the traditional Pahalgam route in the south and the Baltal route in the north. Jammu: Militants are planning to target 100 policemen and as many pilgrims participating in the Amarnath Yatra which will begin from Jammu on Wednesday amid the "highest-ever multi-tier security setup", according to intelligence reports. "Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials," IGP Kashmir Zone Muneer Khan said in a letter which was sent to the Army, the CRPF, and range DIGs in the state. A copy of the letter sent to the 15 Corps Headquarters, Srinagar, got leaked and went viral on social media. The 40-day-long annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas will commence tomorrow, Divisional Commissioner Mandeep Bhandari told reporters. The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF. The first batch of over 4,000 pilgrims will be flagged off by the deputy chief minister for twin base-camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts. This year's yatra will be eight days shorter against the last years' of 48 days and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on 7 August. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 kilometres from Baltal. "The attack may be in the form of stand-off fire on yatra convoy which they believe will result in flaring of communal tensions throughout the nation," the IGP said in the letter which is being circulated in many groups on Whatsapp. "The input is assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needs further corroboration," the IGP said in the letter, adding that at this stage the possibility of a sensational attack by a terrorist outfit cannot be ruled out. All the officers and officials deployed on the ground need to remain alert and maintain utmost vigil, he added. However, Khan later played down the letter, saying there was no need to panic as it was part of information being shared with agencies to check its authenticity. Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid said someone has spread it on social media to create panic. Asked about the intelligence issue, Special Director General of CRPF, SN Shrivastava said, "I will not like to discuss the issue in public, but you are aware about the situation in Kashmir. We have taken measures as per the these intelligence inputs and have made appropriate security arrangements." "This (yatra) is a big challenge to us. Elaborate security has been put in place for an incident-free yatra and to ensure safety and security of pilgrims and camps," Shrivastava, who visited base camp along with IG Ashkoor Wani, told reporters. He also reviewed the elaborate security arrangements. Replying to questions on security, the Special DG said, "All security arrangements have been made in view of the threat perception." CCTV cameras, jammers, RoPs, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, QRTs, satellite tracking and other security gadgets are being used to maintain vigil in view of increased threat perception due to in increased terror incidents and violence in Kashmir. In Bagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu, over 3,000 pilgrims from different parts of the country have arrived for their onward journey to Lord Shiva's shrine. "For the security of camps and pilgrim in yatra cavalcades, security has been put in place. Most of the pilgrims will go in convoys including private cars," he said. Shrivastava said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in all camps, railway stations, Amarnath foot track and the cave shrine. "This Amarnath yatra will have the highest-ever security setup to ensure an incident-free yatra," he said. Apart from the existing CRPF in the state, the Centre has given over 250 additional companies of paramilitary forces to the state government. The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra. The Army has given 5 battalions and additional 54 companies of the police have also been mobilised. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said elaborate measures have been put in place for an incident-free yatra. Over 2.30 lakh pilgrims have registered for the yatra. Linking up joint control rooms with the MET Department and the District Disaster Management Units has been done, officials said. The deployment of Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) of the state police along with rescue teams of various security forces, deployment of well-equipped fire fighting teams at pre-determined points has also been done, they said. Oxygen cylinders, ECG machines, defibrillators, oxygen concentrators, CPR machines, X-ray machines, ventilators, resuscitation sets have been installed and all required medicines are available are the hospital. At Baltal Base Hospital, Shrivastava interacted with doctors deputed from Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi, who are already treating the local residents and service providers. Residential accommodation and mess facilities for about 250 medical personnel, including those arriving from different parts of the country, to provide medical assistance for the pilgrims have also been put in place. Mumbai: Forty-one-year-old Manjula Shetye, better known as Manju didi among jail inmates, succumbed to her injuries after being allegedly beaten by the staffers of Byculla Jail on 23 June. She was thrashed to death because she complained about two eggs and four slices of bread. Before being imprisoned, Manjula used to be a teacher at Navjeevan School in Mumbai's eastern suburb of Bhandup. If given a chance, she would have liked to continue a career in academics but destiny had other plans. In 1996, Manjula along with her mother was convicted of murdering her sister-in-law Vidya. Jail sources said in 2003, the court had rewarded her a 14-year sentence and in October this year, she would have walked free after having served her sentence sincerely to the best of her behaviour. Her 'helpful' and 'soft-spoken' nature had earned her the position of warden of her barracks, a role she took rather seriously. Manjula was initially lodged in Yerwada Jail in Pune and shifted to Byculla three months ago after her mother's death. A police official in the jail said Manjula wished to be shifted to another jail and since Byculla was looking for a warden, she was shifted here. In a short span, she had become quite popular among the other inmates but not with the guards and jailors, sources in the jail said. There were sporadic incidents of rifts with the jail authority. Manjula's brother Prakash reminisces the joy of his sister when he used to visit her in prison. "She had plans of resuming normal life like other women after her release," Prakash said. He added that those responsible for her murder deserve to be punished and should spend as much time as she did behind the bars. True to her profession, Manjula would take the initiative of teaching other prisoners English and Marathi alphabets; she would also read their letters out to them. She would also intimate other inmates about their duties and responsibilities, never failing to help them out in any situation. As a warden, Manjula had started questioning certain malpractices in the prison every day. A senior police official said that Manjula had noticed corruption in purchase and distribution of food items and written to higher authorities regarding this. Many inmates would often complain about the quality and quantity of food served and Manjula would get into an argument with the guards for this. On 23 June morning, like many other occasions, there was a shortage of eggs and bread served to inmates which led to a heated argument between Manjula and jailor Manisha Pokharkar. Before long, six staffers pounced on Manjula, thrashed her and inserted lathi into her private parts. The statement that was recorded by other inmates at Nagpada police station mentioned how Manjula was stripped and assaulted repeatedly in front of other inmates for over an hour. Manjula fell unconscious at around 7 pm the same day. The senior police official of Byculla said that Nagpada police has registered a case of murder and FIR has been filed against six women including jailor Pokharkar for Manjula's death. Dozens of Byculla inmates, including Indrani Mukerjea and Mariam Shaikh, have recorded their statements. Both the statements, on what exactly happened on the day of Manjula's death, matched, said a senior official of Byculla Jail on terms of anonymity. Talking to Firstpost, JJ Hospital dean confirmed that Manjula was brought dead from Byculla Jail. Her body and skull bore injury marks but we are waiting for the viscera report to find out the real reason of Manjula's death, said Lahane. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Akhilesh Kumar, however, refused to comment on the incident. Manjula's family is yet to cope with the news of her untimely death, but the former teacher's hope of making the wrong right in women's prisons flickers on. Mumbai: The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a woman convict who was lodged in the Byculla prison in Mumbai, a senior police official said on Wednesday. The Commissioner of Mumbai Police has issued an order, as per which the crime branch will investigate the death of convict Manju Shette, the official said. The police had earlier suspended six jail staffers and booked them on the charge of murder. Manju, 45-year-old, died at the government-run JJ Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on 23 June. The Byculla jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. The police had earlier said Manju, whose death triggered protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted in her private parts. "These allegations are part of an FIR filed against the jail staff. We are probing the matter," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-3), Akhilesh Singh had said. Following Manju's death, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went to the prison's terrace, while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea, who is lodged in the same prison, for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Indrani on Tuesday moved a Mumbai court alleging that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the convict's death triggered a protest in the prison. Chandigarh: Nearly 300 pilgrims, mostly Sikhs, from different parts of India were stranded at the Attari railway station near Amritsar on Wednesday after the Centre didn't allow a special train from Pakistan to enter India. The pilgrims, who were going to Pakistan to observe the death anniversary of the Sikh empire's founder Maharaja Ranjit Singh, were stranded at the Attari railway station amid heavy rain. They were planning to visit various Sikh shrines and places associated with the warrior king in Pakistan. The pilgrims had availed Pakistani visas for the trip. Officials said the Central government did not allow the train, which was standing at Wagah in Pakistan, to enter India. Railway officials at Attari said the train could not be allowed to come in the absence of permission from the central government. The pilgrims, who had come from Delhi, Punjab and other places, raised slogans against the government. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained owing to terrorist incidents and ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of pilgrims, mostly Sikhs, go to Pakistan in large groups on different occasions, including the birth and death anniversaries of Sikh Gurus and on Baisakhi festival. New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of compromising national security and sovereignty by not objecting to the mention of 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir' in the US order on Syed Salahuddin. The party also questioned the silence of prime minister Narendra Modi on the issue that emerged at a time when he was in the US and was to meet US President Donald Trump. It further demanded the prime minister's response on China stopping Mansarovar Yatra and its incursion into Indian territory in Sikkim. "Shocking that US government order on Syed Salahuddin refers to 'Indian-administered J&K. This is a compromise with India's national security and sovereignty," senior Congress spokesperson and party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said. "Why has the Prime Minister not protested despite being on US soil? Why the foreign minister, the defence minister, home minister and for that matter, our I&B Minister, none of these ministers have issued a single statement of apology or the protest? "Why is the BJP, so-called Nationalist Party - the only Nationalist Party of India who is holding the sole agency of Nationalism of our country, silent on this? Is it not a total sell-out of National interest by the so-called Nationalist Party?" The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so, even though it may be a subject of political expediency for Modi and his party to keep silent but Congress will not. He demanded that prime minister and ruling party should answer to the nation for this absolutely unacceptable act of usage of such terminology. "Modi and BJP drum beat and preach pseudo-Nationalism every day. The country would expect them to answer why have they, why has this Government accepted US phrase of 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir'," he said. Azad also lamented that no media house has written about or telecast this issue and committing such an act would have been unpardonable for the UPA or any other government. "We have seen in the past that even on minor mistakes, which have taken place, how the BJP, the BJP leadership and the media - both print and electronic - have torn the government to pieces. "But when it comes to the gross violation and the mistakes being committed by this present government and by no less than the prime minister of India himself, no media house has guts to point out and bring this to the notice of the government of India," he said. Azad also said that "empty chest-thumping, false bravado and captive TV studio warfare" by the BJP government cannot hide its failures in compromising with national security. He said terrorism should never be politicised and a collective effort is needed to eradicate it, which should be sans partisan considerations. The Congress leader said this is not the first time that US government has taken a decision against Salahuddin, as several times in the past with efforts of UPA. He said the US administration has acted against Dawood Ibrahim, Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI), and Indian Mujahiddin. It had also put a 10 Million USD bounty on Lashker-e-Taiba chief Hafeez Sayeed wanted for Mumbai attacks by efforts made by UPA government. On China stopping the 'Mansarovar Yatra', Azad said the Government is totally mum on that and has not taken any step. The Chinese incursions into our territory in Sikkim, stoppage of Holy Kailash Mansarovar Yatra have hurt and shocked the entire Nation and while the BJP, PM and other BJP leaders who used to, at the slightest, made such a hue and cry are keeping totally silent now, he said. "They have to break their silence on this, the Nation demands it," he said. By Delna Abraham & Ojaswi Rao Muslims were the target of 51 percent of violence centred on bovine issues over nearly eight years (2010 to 2017) and comprised 86 percent of 28 Indians killed in 63 incidents, according to an IndiaSpend content analysis of the English media. As many of 97 percent of these attacks were reported after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government came to power in May 2014, and about half the cow-related violence32 of 63 caseswere from states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when the attacks were reported, revealed our analysis of violence recorded until 25 June, 2017. Of the 28 Indians who died over the seven-year period, 24 were Muslim, or 86 percent. As many as 124 people were also injured in these attacks. More than half (52 percent) of these attacks were based on rumours, our analysis found. National or state crime data do not distinguish general violence from cow-related attacks and lynchings, so the IndiaSpend database is the first such statistical perspective to a growing national debate over such violence. 2017 on track to be worst-ever year for cow-related violence In the first six months of 2017, 20 cow-terror attacks were reportedmore than 75 percent of the 2016 figure, which was the worst year for such violence since 2010. The attacks include mob lynching, attacks by vigilantes, murder and attempt to murder, harassment, assault and gangrape. In two attacks, the victims/survivors were chained, stripped and beaten, while in two others, the victims were hanged. These attackssometimes collectively referred to as gautankwad, a portmanteau of the Hindi words for cow and terrorism, on social mediawere reported from 19 of 29 Indian states, with Uttar Pradesh (10), Haryana (9), Gujarat (6), Karnataka (6), Madhya Pradesh (4), Delhi (4) and Rajasthan (4) reporting the highest number of cases. No more than 21 percent (13 of 63) of the cases were reported from southern or eastern states (including Bengal and Odisha), but almost half (six of 13) were from Karnataka. The only incident reported in the northeast was the murder of two men in Assam on 30 April, 2017. About half the cases of cow-related violence32 of 63were from states governed by the BJP at the time; 8 were run by the Congress, and the rest by other parties, including the Samajwadi Party (Uttar Pradesh), Peoples Democratic Party (Jammu & Kashmir) and Aam Aadmi Party (Delhi). How we built the database To compile the list of attacks centred on cow-related issues over the past eight years, we ran Google searches with keywords that included, cow vigilantes, gau-rakshaks, beef, lynching, cow slaughter, cattle thieves, beef smuggler and cattle trader. Where information was incomplete, we spoke to the journalists who filed the original reports. Muslim victims were identified by name. In 8 percent of the 63 cases, the reports explicitly stated that those attacked were Dalits, who are also targets because many among them clear cow carcasses, skin them and eat beef. In a few cases, religion was difficult to determine. In 50.8 percent (32) of the cases, the targets were Muslim, in 7.9 percent (5) Dalit, 4.8 percent (3) Sikh or Hindu (names appeared Sikh, but it wasnt certain) and 1.6 percent (one) Christian; in 20.6 percent (13) cases, religion was not reported. Among 14.3 percent (9) cases, the targets were Hindus, but their caste was not clear. Police officers and onlookers were injured in 8 percent (5) of the attacks; 27 percent of those targeted were women. Note: This study was built around searches in English-language media and may omit cow-related violence reported only in Hindi and other language media. A cursory search through Hindi media appeared to throw up the same incidents. Lynching does not find mention in the Indian Penal Code. No particular law has been passed to deal with lynching, India Today noted on 25 June, 2017. Absence of a codified law to deal with mob violence or lynching makes it difficult to deliver justice in the cases of riots. However, Section 223(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 says that persons or a mob involved in the same offence in the same act can be tried together. But, this has not proved to have given enough legal teeth to (the) justice delivery system. In a fifth of the cases, police registered cases against victims/survivors Of the 63 attacks over eight years, 61 (96.8 percent) occurred, as we said, after Modis government came to power (2014-2017), with 2016 reporting the most attacks: 25. In the first six months of 2017, 20 attacks were reportedmore than 75 percent of the 2016 figure. In 5 percent of the attacks, there was no report of attackers being arrested. In 13 attacks (21 percent), the police registered cases against the victims/survivors. Note: Data as of June 25, 2017. Compiled by IndiaSpend from media reports. In 23 attacks, the attackers were mobs or groups of people who belonged to Hindu groups, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and local Gau Rakshak Samitis. During the period under consideration2010 to 2017the first such attack occurred on 10 June, 2012, in Joga town in Mansa district, Punjab, after carcasses of about 25 cows were found near a factory, as The Hindu reported the next day. Led by activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Gowshala Sangh, villagers gathered in the morning and broke into the premises of the factoryThe mob went on the rampage damaging the factory and setting ablaze the houses of at least two of those running the unit, Ajaib Singh and Mewa Singh, the report said. Four persons were injured and three arrests were made in the case. In August 2016, in Mewat, Haryana, a woman and her 14-year-old minor cousin were allegedly gang-raped after being accused of eating beef. Two other relatives were murdered. The woman later denied eating beef. Four men were arrested and charged with rape and murder. In June 2016, Gurgaon Bajrang Dal convener and a Gau Raksha Dal (cow protection group) volunteer were injured when men transporting cows opened fire. Abhishek Gaur and Harpal Singh, the gau rakshaks, chased a vehicle in which smugglers were allegedly transporting beef. A case of attempt to murder was filed against the unidentified smugglers. In January 2016, Maharashtra amended its 2015 beef ban lawbanning people from possessing the meat of cows, bulls and bullocks, slaughtered within or outside the state. However, serving beef in restaurants across the state was allowed. Two cow-terrorism attacks were reported from the state, Indias richest by gross domestic product, in 2017. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Bihar reported one attack each. On 30 May, 2017, a PhD scholar in Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, was at one of the vegetarian messes on campus, when he was attackedallegedly for eating beef. An FIR was registered against the alleged attacker, while the scholar was booked based on a complaint by the alleged attacker who termed the incident a minor scuffle. Rumours spawned 52 percent of the attacks Of the 63 attacks since 2010, 33 (52.4 percent) were based on rumours, according to our analysis of media reports. On 1 April, 2017, 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, a resident of Haryana, was beaten by cow vigilantes in Rajasthans Alwar district. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital two days later. Azmat (age 22), who was with Pehlu Khan, said that they were returning from a Saturday fair in Jaipur, where they bought two cows and had all the valid documents, as The Indian Express reported on April 5, 2017. A group of people affiliated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal stopped four vehicles, near Jaguwas crossing on National Highway eight, and alleged that they were illegally transporting bovines. On hearing a Hindu name, the attackers allowed the driver, Arjun, to run away and attacked five people in the vehicles including Pehlu Khan, according to reporting by Scroll.in. All five were beaten and severely injured, The Indian Express reported. On 11 June, 2017, despite having a no-objection certificate (NOC) and official permission from police and other authorities, officials of the animal husbandry department of Tamil Nadus government were attacked by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan for transporting cows in five trucks. They were rescued by the local police. A case was registered against 50 attackers and four were arrested. Seven policemen were charged with dereliction of duty, The Indian Express reported on 12 June, 2017. (Abraham and Rao are interns at IndiaSpend.) Darjeeling: A day after violence returned to the Darjeeling hills, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters set ablaze an office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) on day 14 of the indefinite shutdown on Wednesday. The office of the GTA's engineering division was torched on Tuesday night. Protesters also ransacked a panchayat office in Bijanbari area, 25 km from Darjeeling. The police and security forces were patrolling the streets and keeping a tight vigil on all entry and exit routes. Barring pharmacies, all shops, schools, colleges were closed and Internet services remained suspended. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has plans to take out rallies and burn copies of the GTA accord on Wednesday. The GTA agreement was signed by the Centre, the state government and the GJM in 2011 following a prolonged unrest in the Hills. The GJM asserted that its 45 members had resigned from the GTA last week and the administrative body had ceased to exist. Hundreds of GJM activists held a demonstration in Darjeeling on Tuesday and burnt copies of the GTA accord. Some shirtless GJM workers during the demonstration smashed tubelights on their back leading to injuries. Activists of the Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the GJM, had threatened to commit self-immolation and launch a fast unto death if the Centre did not pay heed to their demand for a separate state. GJM activists and pro-Gorkhaland supporters had also set fire to the house of the chairman of a development board in Kalimpong district on Monday night. Randi Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media, will debut Sues Tech Kitchen on July 28 in Chattanooga. Sues Tech Kitchen is a tech-fueled wonderland for the mouth and mind, featuring a STEM-inspired adventure for the whole family to empower kids to engage with tomorrows technologies and revolutionize family dining in the process, said officials. Envisioned by Ms. Zuckerberg and designed by NASA scientist Sam Pfister, Sues Tech Kitchen is an space that combines dining and technology while immersing guests in a tech playground, allowing them to experience cutting-edge technologies and enjoy an interactive dining experience. Diners will be able to eat in the digital age, while composing music with their food, 3D printing their dessert, coding videos game with candy and so more. Im always encouraging parents to embrace technology into their familys lives in an interactive and healthy way instead of being afraid of it, says New York Times bestselling author, Ms. Zuckerberg, So when I was at a restaurant with my two boys, I thought how cool would it be if a drone could deliver our food? Or if we could code with candy? As a result, Sues Tech Kitchen is coming to life, and I couldnt be more thrilled to be bringing it first to Chattanooga. After visiting Chattanoogas Innovation District and seeing how positively the city embraces entrepreneurship and how they foster start-ups, Ms. Zuckerberg knew immediately it was the ideal place to launch Sues Tech Kitchen and BETA test the technology. Sues Tech Kitchen will make its debut at the Tomorrow Building in Chattanooga on Friday, July 28. After a week in Chattanooga, Sues Tech Kitchen will then commence a national tour that will run into 2018. Fans interested in experiencing Sues Tech Kitchen BETA will have the opportunity to vote to bring the roadshow to their cities or towns. For more info on Sues Tech Kitchen and reservations visit http://suestechkitchen.com. London: Every school in London is to be offered knife detectors to enable students to be screened for hidden weapons, mayor Sadiq Khan has announced. It forms one part of the biggest ever campaign in London against knife crime which has so far this year led to the stabbing to death of 24 people aged 25 or below on the streets of London, Xinhua news agency reported. Just this week, London's Metropolitan Police (Met) launched three separate murder probe following stabbings in Canning Town, East Ham and Islington. The Met on Tuesday revealed that during a week-long campaign, known as Operation Sceptre, 518 knives, 11 firearms and 50 offensive weapons were recovered in police operations. Police officers made 622 arrests, including 180 for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon. Khan said, "No young Londoner should have to accept crime and violence as a way of life. We are working to provide them with the skills, the resources and the confidence they need to turn away from knives and lead the life they deserve in our city." The mayor has launched a new tough and comprehensive Knife Crime Strategy, with an additional $800,000 for knife and gang crime projects. Total spending in the war on knives and gang crime was $9 million. Measures in Khan's initiative include empowering communities with funds to do more to protect young people and spread the message that carrying a knife is more likely to ruin your life than to save it. More prevention and police work will also be introduced to crack down on offenders and get dangerous weapons off London's streets. The Mayor's office said that between 2014 and 2015, knife crime in London rose by 5 percent. In 2016, knife crime across England and Wales rose by 14 percent, compared to 11 percent in London. Controversial former UP minister Azam Khan has yet again grabbed the headlines as he was recorded at an event where he levelled serious allegations against the Indian Army. In the video, Khan is heard describing armed women attacking the forces. He said that after killing the men, they cut off a part from the bodies. 'Generally heads or hands are cut off. But on this occasion, the female terrorists cut off the private parts of the men. They didn't have complaints against the hands, heads or feet. They had complaints specifically against the private parts so they cut and took them off. It is a huge message for which the entire country should be ashamed and think how we'll face the world,' said Khan. #WATCH Senior SP leader Azam Khan's statement on the Army pic.twitter.com/17v4x6I92A ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 28, 2017 Khan is a close aide of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and has held the position of General Secretary in the Samajwadi Party. He is a nine-term MLA from Rampur and is an influential leader in Uttar Pradesh. He is no stranger to controversies as he has made many statements which have led to angry reactions. In May, while reacting to a molestation case in Rampur, he told people to 'keep their daughters inside the houses under strict vigil.' Then in December, he was forced to apologise for saying that the Bulandshahr gangrape may have been a political conspiracy. In 2015, he told a rape victim not to try and find "popularity in such a thing of infamy and shame". His latest statement too has drawn criticism. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that Khan, "who often politicises the issues of defence has yet again demeaned the Indian Army." SP Leader Azam Khan, who often politicize the issues of defence has yet again demeaned the Indian Army- Shri @sambitswaraj BJP (@BJP4India) June 28, 2017 International Business Times reported that SP leader Deepak Mishra too had condemned Khan's statement saying that the latter should not make such statements as it affects the morale of the Indian Army. New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will visit Sikkim on Thursday in the backdrop of a standoff between Indian troops and Chinese army along the India-China border in the sensitive sector which is threatening to further strain the bilateral ties. The Army chief will take stock of the operational matters and interact with top commanders in the formation headquarters of the force in the border state. General Rawat's visit to Sikkim comes amid mounting tension between the two armies along the border in Sikkim following a scuffle between Indian troops and the personnel of China's People's Liberation Army in a remote area earlier this month. The genesis of the latest face-off is understood to have had a link to Donglang, a narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. Official sources described General Rawat's visit as routine. During the two-day-long visit, General Rawat will travel to a number of other formation headquarters in the Northeast and review various operational matters in the region -- a strategically key region having most of the 3,488-km-long-border with China. Of the India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-kilometres section falls in Sikkim. China has accused Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal, while asserting that it has shut down the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. China also said that it has lodged diplomatic protests with India, both in New Delhi and Beijing, alleging that the Indian troops trespassed into Chinese territory in the Sikkim sector. The Indian Army has not commented on the face-off. Chinese defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said on Monday that recently China has begun the construction of a road in Donglang region, but was stopped by Indian troops crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Kolkata: The army has been withdrawn from the north Bengal hills with improvement in the situation, an official said on Wednesday. The army had been deployed in the hills following large-scale violence unleashed by Gorkhaland protesters. "The six columns of army that was posted in hills have been de-requisitioned after the state government said that they do not need the army and would be able to handle the situation with their own resources," said Wing Commander SS Birdi, chief public relations officer of defence ministry. One column of army comprises 43 personnel, he said. The officer said the proposal from the state was sent to the army command on 24 June and the de-requisition process was started over the weekend. The army was called in after thousands of angry Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists demanding a separate Gorkhaland state indulged in arson and pelted stones at police, injuring 15, while around 45,000 tourists were stranded in the northern West Bengal hills due to the violence. New Delhi: A Delhi University professor has begun a week-long fast at Jantar Mantar as a mark of protest against mob lynching incidents. Prem Singh, a professor of Hindi in Delhi University, launched his protest on 25 June, days after 17-year-old Junaid was killed by a mob on board a Mathura-bound train. "All of us have collectively failed in stopping incidents of mob lynching. It is because of this guilt, I have started the protest," said Singh, a member of the Socialist Party (India). His seven-day protest entered fourth day on Wednesday. The protest could be extended as support poured in from wide circles. A Delhi resident and working professional, Laraib Akram, said he would ensure the protest continued until the government took firm action to stop such incidents. "We will mobilise people from wide circles including students and hold relay fast until the government comes up with a solution for this," Akram said. The Socialist Party (India) has demanded immediate arrest of those who lynched Junaid. "We want immediate arrest of those who killed Junaid and also condemn the indifferent attitude of the Haryana government," said former chief justice of Delhi High Court, Rajinder Sachar. Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers -- Hashim and Sakir -- were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled communal slurs against them on board the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations last week. Earlier this year, a dairy farmer, Pehlu Khan, was lynched in Alwar in Rajasthan while transporting cattle. In a major breakthrough in the Hafiz Junaid lynching case, four people, including two Delhi government staffers, were arrested on Wednesday. The arrests were made in connection with the stabbing of the Muslim youth onboard a Mathura-bound train, The Times of India reported. The report said that the two government employees, a 31-year-old health department official and a 50-year-old Delhi Jal Board employee, were hurling communal abuses at the victim, which instigated the mob. With the fresh arrests, the total number of accused persons held in the case has risen to five, the police said even though the man who had stabbed 17-year-old Junaid is still at large. "We have arrested four more persons, including three youths, who are aged between 24-30 years and one 50-year-old man," Kamaldeep Goel, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Government Railway Police (GRP), Faridabad, told PTI over the phone. The sequence of events which led to the killing of the 17-year-old has also become clear to a large extent, he said. According to Goel, it was the 50-year-old man arrested on Wednesday who had entered into an altercation with Junaid and his brothers over seat sharing. "Our investigations show that this man entered into an argument with the victim and his brothers from Okhla over seat sharing. He passed some remarks hurting the victims' religious sentiments. However the quarrel escalated after three youths, who had boarded the train at New Town Faridabad, also entered the fight," the SP said. Asked if the person who had stabbed Junaid had been arrested, Goel replied in the negative but added that the police had "got crucial leads and he too will be in custody soon". Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers Hashim and Sakir were injured by a mob which allegedly hurled slurs against them onboard the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations last Thursday night. Junaid's body was dumped near Asaoti village in Faridabad district. The killing was widely condemned. On Monday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had condemned the incident and appealed to the people to maintain peace. Union Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday that any incident of such nature is condemnable, brutal and atrocious. The police had announced a reward of Rs one lakh for credible information leading to the arrest of the accused persons. The one accused who was arrested earlier and remanded to judicial custody by a court in Faridabad district, had earlier, while speaking to reporters alleged that he was in an inebriated state and had attacked the teenager on being instigated by fellow passengers. Chandigarh: As many as 204 persons were arrested as a special team of the Haryana chief minister's flying squad conducted raids at 604 places across the state in a crackdown on various offences. The raids were conducted since Tuesday to clamp down on the manufacture of spurious products, including illicit liquor, illegal plying of passenger and transport vehicles. Cases were lodged against those found involved in such illegal activities. As many as 160 criminal cases have been registered by the team at different police stations, and 210 persons were arrested, Inspector General of Police (CID) Anil Rao said in Chandigarh on Wednesday. He said the team had raided 68 places and seized 30,000 kg of adulterated desi ghee, 22,000 litres of adulterated palm oil and 56,000 litres of adulterated mustard oil. Besides, samples have also been collected from factories manufacturing various food items and sent for lab testing. A total 353 illegal gas cylinders were also recovered from various districts during the raids, he added. Rao said the team also busted a gang in Karnal involved in illegal trade of black oil and recovered 61,000 litre of black oil, 2,000 litre of waste black oil, 108 drums of tar and 45 bags of bitumen from them. The team also conducted raids at 56 places on those stealing electricity. Raids were also conducted at 111 locations and 1.50 lakh bottles of illicit country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), and beer were seized. The flying squad team also impounded 243 vehicles, including buses, maxi-cabs, overloaded trucks and dumpers during surprise checks. These vehicles were plying in an unauthorised manner. In a drive to check hospitals functioning without authorisation, the flying squad team arrested 10 quacks during and took action in 54 cases which are being investigated by the local police. The team also raided several places in connection with illegal mining and also seized vehicles involved in it, Rao said. Cracking down on the drug trade in the state, ten locations were raided and cases were lodged against the accused. Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan who grabbed the headlines with his allegations of rape against the Indian Army on Wednesday has refused to apologise. The Samajwadi leader instead said, "I just want the government to pick ballot over bullet." Speaking about incidents of violence in Kashmir, the Samajwadi leader had said on Wednesday in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur that the Indian Army could be misbehaving with people in the Kashmir Valley. "Generally heads or hands are cut off. But on this occasion, the female terrorists cut off the private parts of the men. They didn't have complaints against the hands, heads or feet. They had complaints specifically against the private parts so they cut and took them off. It is a huge message for which the entire country should be ashamed and think how we'll face the world," Khan was caught saying in a video recording at an iftar party. Khan is a close aide of the Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and has held the position of general secretary in the Samajwadi Party. He is a nine-time MLA from Rampur and is an influential leader in Uttar Pradesh. Khan, is also no stranger to controversies as he has made many statements which have led to angry reactions. In May, while reacting to a molestation case in Rampur, he told people to "keep their daughters inside the houses under strict vigil". Then in December, he was forced to apologise for saying that the Bulandshahr gangrape may have been a political conspiracy. In 2015, he told a rape victim not to try and find "popularity in such a thing of infamy and shame". His latest statement too has drawn criticism. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that Khan, who often politicises the issues of defence has yet again "demeaned the Indian Army". One of the two recruiters behind the mysterious Islamic State online identity, Yusuf al-Hindi, could have been Mohammad Sajid aka Bada Sajid, an Indian Express report has revealed. The report quoted sources as saying that an Islamic State sympathiser, Amzad Khan, had indicated to his interrogators that Sajid was behind the online identity while identifying al-Hindi's photograph. Sajid, as per the report, was a part of the Indian Mujahideen module before fleeing to Pakistan after a crackdown in 2008. It is believed that he and Karnataka-born Shafi Armar went on to Afghanistan and Syria from there. Armar, the fugitive chief recruiter for the Islamic State in the Indian subcontinent was recently named a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US, becoming the first Indian leader of the dreaded terror outfit against whom America has slammed sanctions. Armar was said to have left for Pakistan along with his elder brother after the crackdown. After a fight with Bhatkal brothers, including Riyaz, the founder of Indian Mujahideen, in Pakistan, Armar is believed to have created Ansar ul-Tawhid, which later pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State. There have been many reports of him having died in a drone attack or crackdown by the allied forces. However, every time intelligence agencies began giving credence to such reports, his name or voice cropped up in intercepts. Armar and Sajid, as per the report, had radicalised several Indians online using al-Hindi's identity. "It is possible that after Sajids death, Armar has been handling the account," sources told Indian Express. According to the sources quoted by the report, Khan told interrogators: "In the beginning, Yusuf had set a photo taken from his back as his profile picture (on his Telegram account). By the end of December 2015, he changed it to one taken from the front." "I came in contact with Yusuf in June-July, 2015, and wanted to go for hijra (migration) There was Bhatkali written on his Telegram user ID Yusuf informed me that he belonged to Bhatkal, Karnataka. Yusuf also informed that he along with his brothers migrated to Afghanistan and joined Taliban. After some time, they shifted to Iraq-Syria after they had some dispute with the Taliban. Yusuf informed that he was at Raqqa in Syria," Khan told interrogators. Sajid was named by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as one of the perpetrators of the Indian Mujahideen bombings of 2008, that killed at least 166 people and injured hundreds in New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. Who is Yusuf Al-Hindi? Al-Hindi is a common surname that is given or taken by Indian Muslims who join the Islamic State in Syria or Iraq and it is done for identification purposes. Hailing from the port town of Bhatkal in Karnataka, Yusuf al-Hindi was a former Indian Mujahideen terrorist. Wanted in previous cases related to the Indian Mujahideen, Armar allegedly told Mudabbir Mustaq Sheikh, who along with 13 others, was arrested by the NIA in January, that he is an ally of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed Caliph of the captured territory in Syria and Iraq and the dreaded chief of Islamic State. Khan, who pointed the agencies towards Sajid, was arrested by the NIA after he was deported from Saudi Arabia, in connection with its probe into activities of the West Asia-based terror group and its affiliates in the country. In a statement, the NIA had said that Khan, who operated online with a number of aliases was arrested after his deportation on 4 April. The 37-year-old Khan, a resident of Rajasthan, had emerged as a major suspect in the case against unknown and unidentified persons involved in Islamic State-related activities in countries at peace with India. With inputs from agencies Mumbai: A special CBI court on Wednesday allowed Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea to approach the police and lodge her complaint that she was beaten up and threatened of sexual assault by Byculla jail officials for joining a protest in the prison. Mukerjea, who has been booked along with around 200 other inmates for rioting in the prison, was on Wednesday produced in the court, a day after she moved an application alleging she was roughed up by jail officials when the inmates protested the death of 45-year-old woman prisoner Manju Govind Shette. Special CBI judge JC Jagdale said Mukerjea be first taken for a medical examination and later to the Nagpada police station in the city to file her complaint. The court, which is hearing the Sheena murder case, had on Tuesday directed prison authorities to produce Mukerjea before it. Notably, the court's nod to Mukerjea to lodge a police complaint came close on the heels of the probe into the death of Manju being handed over to the crime branch. Mukerjea told the court that she was threatened and assaulted after she said that she would give a statement (in connection with the case) to a magistrate under section 164 CRPC, which unlike a police statement is admissible in court. Mukerjea said she had witnessed the prisoner being allegedly assaulted and when inquired about Manju's health she was told that she was fine but later learnt that she had passed away. She said that after a case was registered in connection with Manju's death, she came forward as a witness and told the jail officials about that. Recalling the events on the day of the protest, she alleged that the superintendent ordered a baton charge after turning the lights off in the jail. She alleged that the inmates were baton charged by even male officials in the jail. "I was hit on the hand and legs... I can barely walk," Mukerjea alleged and added that the superintendent told her 'tu witness banne ja rahi hai.... tereko bhi dekh lenge'. She said the superintendent threatened her, saying "We will do the same thing that we did to Manju". According to the application filed by her lawyer Gunjan Mangla, Mukerjea told her that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the death of Manju. "She showed me her bruise marks and injuries which were very prominent on her hands, legs and head," the lawyer claimed in the application. Mukerjea also informed Gunjan that she was verbally abused by jail officials and the superintendent and was threatened of sexual assault for protesting in the jail. The lawyer had said Mukerjea wanted the incident to be brought before the court and seek permission to lodge a complaint against the jail officials. She also said, according to the lawyer, several other inmates of the prison wanted to give their statements against the jail officials. When Jagdale asked the lawyer if Mukerjea wants to file an FIR, she said, "yes". Following the death of Manju on Friday, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went up to the prison's terrace while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Mukerjea, for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. An official from the prison department had alleged that Mukerjea "instigated" the inmates by asking them to shun food and "use their children as shields" when prison staffers tried to stop them from agitating and gathering together. Manju died at the state-run JJ Hospital after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on 23 June. The Commissioner of Mumbai Police on Tuesday night issued an order entrusting the crime branch with the investigation in the death of Manju. The Byculla jail, located in the heart of the city, has around 251 inmates lodged there. The police had earlier said Manju, whose death sparked protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted into her private parts. ShapeShifter Gallery will have its opening at Apothecary Gallery on July 7 during First Friday. Apothecary Gallery is at 744 McCallie Ave., on the corner of Palmetto and McCallie. The show and reception will last from 5-9 p.m. Artist Carina Pearson will be present. Review for ShapeShifter Gallery: This show explores the feminine psyche. Examining emotions complex and simple through pastel colors and vibrant tactility. Two artists will be featured Kirby Miles, and Carina Pearson. Michigan based artist Kirby Miles assembles touch thirsty relief sculptures made of sugar and textiles. Nashville artist Carina Pearson creates large and small scale mixed media drawings on paper with ultra feminine, playful symbols and mark making. ShapeShifter Gallery is a contemporary moving gallery, highlighting forward thinking artists, helping to evolve Chattanoogas art scene. This gallery features one night gallery shows taking place in variant spaces throughout Chattanooga. ShapeShifter gallery is dedicated to providing a new and affordable take on art collecting in Chattanooga. A man was beaten up and his house was set on fire in Bariabad of Jharkhand's Giridih district on Tuesday, after the carcass of a cow was allegedly found outside his house, media reports said. According to Hindustan Times, around 1,000 villagers, including gau rakshaks, set 55-year-old dairy owner Usman Ansari's house on fire. Ansari was rescued by the police while his family was shifted to a safer location under protection. He is said to be in a stable condition now, and has been moved to a hospital in Dhanbad. A report in The Indian Express said the police had to fire a few gunshots after the mob started stone-pelting which injured two men. The report also said the stone-pelting left many policemen injured in the process. Jharkhand police spokesperson and ADG (operations) RK Mullik told India Today the crowd tried to prevent the police from taking Ansari to the hospital. The Hindustan Times report said North Chhotanagpur zone DIG Bhim Sen Tuti reached Giridih on Wednesday, as hundreds of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and police were rushed to the area. A report on NDTV said there is heavy security in the village one day after the incident, with senior police officers deployed. The police said even though no one has been arrested for the attack so far, they will question about 15 people in the village on Wednesday. The incident took place the same day four personnel were injured in stone pelting, while a police vehicle was damaged in Uttar Pradesh's Khala Par locality, when the cops had arrived there to arrest three persons on allegations of cow slaughter. Three days before this, a 16-year-old was beaten to death inside a local train in Ballabgarh, Haryana, by a mob which accused him of carrying beef. New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday urged the people to boycott the Chinese products as a mark of protest against China's refusal to allow pilgrims to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The neighbouring country has reportedly refused entry to the first batch of some 50 pilgrims, who were supposed to travel to Kailash Mansarovar via Nathu La in Sikkim. Reacting sharply to this, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Kumar Jain alleged that China had its eye on Tibet, which it had been "illegally" occupying. He urged the Centre to take up the issue with the neighbouring country immediately and requested the people to boycott the Chinese products. Meanwhile, China said the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to a border stand-off and alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim section of the Indo-China border. Haryana Police arrested four more people in relation to the lynching of a teenager Hafiz Junaid, who was returning to his Ballabhgarh home after shopping for Eid, reported ANI. A total of five people has been arrested till now. Haryana: Four accused arrested in Palwal lynching incident ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 Last week, a 35-year-old man who was identified as Ramesh Kumar was taken into custody, The Indian Express reported. In the report, it is stated that Kumar claimed that he was in an inebriated condition when he stabbed Junaid. After the incident, police had on Sunday announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone providing credible information leading to arrest of other accused in the case.The Hindustan Times had reported on Tuesday that Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured that those who participated in the lynching will be punished What actually happened? In an earlier report, Firstpost said that while travelling on the Delhi-Mathura passenger train, Junaid had a fight with other passengers over a seat. The fight turned violent as someone claimed that the food packet that the group was carrying had beef in it. People watched and even encouraged the mob who proceeded to repeatedly stab Junaid with a knife, all the while branding him "anti-national". Junaid was killed while his two brothers, Hashim and Sakir, were injured while the mob hurled slurs against them on Thursday night. The lynching has caused outrage across the country and sparked a debate over nationalism. To protest against the killing, "Not In My Name" marches were held in various cities across the country on Wednesday. With inputs from agencies Editor's Note: KK Venugopal has taken over as the new Attorney General of India. This article, originally published on 28 June, 2017, is being republished in keeping with the latest report. After former attorney-general, Mukul Rohatgi asked the NDA government to not reconsider him for reappointment to the top constitutional post, the race to become the country's new top law officer has intensified. After Rohatgi's term came to an end on 19 June, a number of prominent names are making the rounds. While the current solicitor general Ranjit Kumar and former solicitor general Harish Salve are among the favourites to take over from Rohatgi, another name has now entered the contention: senior constitutional expert KK Venugopal. According to a report in The Times of India, 86-year-old Venugopal has emerged as the front-runner for the top job, and the government is waiting for a final approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, once he returns from his three-nation tour to Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. If appointed as the Attorney General of India, he will probably the oldest Indian ever to hold the post. However, Venugopal brings over five decades of legal experience with him. Born in 1931, Venugopal was a meritorious student of the prestigious Madras Christian College. However, according to an article in Lawyers Update, he was forced to opt for the law after falling ill just before graduating from college. Interestingly, his father MK Nambiar was also a renowned lawyer, who fought the AK Gopalan versus the State of Madras case. Venugopal graduated with a law degree from Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belgaum. Enrolled as an advocate in 1954, he was designated as a senior advocate by the Supreme Court of India in 1972. A major highlight of Venugopal's career came in 1979 when he was made the Additional Solicitor General by the then Janata Party government. KK Venugopal takes over as the next Attorney General of India pic.twitter.com/CKU9En8rym ANI (@ANI_news) July 3, 2017 Being a constitutional expert, Venugopal has appeared for various cases involving the infringement on the Constitution of India. He has appeared in high profile cases like the Puducherry Assembly speaker election case, Karunanidhi Ministrys dismissal case (1976) and the Babri Masjid case. He was also instrumental in urging the Supreme Court to stay the implementation of the Mandal Commission to stop an escalation in student violence. It is his expertise in constitutional law which prompted Nepal and Bhutan to seek his help in drafting their respective constitutions. A Padma Vibhushan awardee, Venugopal is also one of the highest paid lawyers in India, with a report in Legally India, pegging his fee per appearance between five to 15 lakhs. The Chennai-based lawyer was also the amicus curiae in the 2G Spectrum scam, helping the Supreme Court in monitoring the CBI and ED investigations, The Times of India reported. With over five decades of experience in the judiciary, Venugopal is a supporter of judicial reforms in India. On the question of increasing burden of cases on higher courts, the eminent lawyer has given the idea of establishing final courts of appeal in the four metros of Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata. "His experience and stature in the Supreme Court and legal circles make him stand head and shoulders above the others," The Times of India quoted an anonymous source as saying. Tariq Ahmad, a Jammu and Kashmir police officer, on Monday travelled to a mosque in district police lines of Srinagar with a sense of dread, to offer Eid prayers. He avoided going to his neighbourhood mosque which is only a few hundred metres from his home in Srinagar. Apprehensive after the lynching of deputy SP Mohammed Ayub Pandith outside Jamia Mosque in Srinagar, for the first time in his more than two decades of service in police, Ahmad chose to offer prayers in a barricaded mosque, instead of going with his family and friends to the neighbourhood mosque. The very thought of being cautious among your own people is terrifying, Ahmad said on Tuesday. He has been following the advisory issued by the Kashmir police a few days before the end of the holy month of Ramadan, asking its men to avoid offering prayers in isolated" or general mosques or Eidgahs. The neighbourhood children, who we used to give candies and chocolates, now in their teenage have developed immense hatred for Kashmiris in uniform. When I get out of the house, I pray that they shouldn't be around, Ahmad says. The public lynching of Pandith exposed the deepening fault lines between the locals and the men in uniform, majority of whom are from the Valley and are Muslims. But never has the animosity reached such level of brutality as witnessed when the officer was lynched on the holy night of Shab-e-Qadr. To blame the Kashmir police of human rights violations and illegal detentions greatly underestimates their work. The force does everything under the sun: It leads from the front in almost every counter-insurgency operation, manages traffic on roads, handles local crime, provides helping hand during natural disasters, helps pregnant women from far flung areas to reach the hospital, cooks food for ministers and bureaucrats and even guards the shrines. When other institutions of the state fail, the police can be relied upon. In the more than two decades of conflict in Kashmir, if there are two kinds of professionals who have worked despite tremendous odds, it is the doctors and the police personnel. The job that we have done for the last 27 years in Kashmir is not normal policing, says Raja Aijaz Ali, a retired inspector general of police (IGP), who is also a member of ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Normal policing gives a sense of security and assurance to the common man that they are safe when the police is around." But the level of animosity against the cops has grown so much that recently when six policemen were killed by militants in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and the police came to collect the bodies, they were attacked by people with stones. Former DGP K Rajendra Kumar says this anger should be seen as an emerging situation where both the sides are hardening their positions. The role that the Kashmiri cops have played in counter-insurgency operations should also be taken into account. This did not happen overnight. Earlier, incidents of police officers getting beaten up and their families being threatened and houses vandalised were also reported Kumar told Firstpost. Kumar points out that the lynching incident happened immediately after Zakir Musa released a video threatening not only the police, but the Hurriyat too. When this incident took place, slogans were raised in favour of Musa because of political and religious radicalisation among the youth, says Kumar. I cant recall the time when the Kashmir police, majority of whom are from the Valley, were seen as enemy by their own people the way they are today, Kumar said. The Kashmir Police is now caught between the devil and the deep sea. In the Valley, the police is seen as an extension of the Indian state and is blamed for all that's wrong. But in the mainland, Hindu right-wingers have often accused it of being complacent with the militants. Ashoke Pandit, a filmmaker and an RSS ideologue, after some students were beaten by the police inside the NIT campus in Srinagar tweeted: We always said #J&K police are #terrorists in the police uniform. Their heart has always been with #Pakistan. We always said #J&K police are #terrorists in the police uniform.Their heart has always been with #Pakistan.#NITCampusTension Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) April 7, 2016 For the very first time, allegations were levelled against the state police during the NIT crises, after which its officers expressed anger and disappointment on social media. Within the police force also, there is a plethora of problems. When a young officer, Feroz Ahmad Dar, was killed in south Kashmirs Anantnag town, his father was worried about supporting his two granddaughters and Feroz's wife, apart from repaying the bank loan that the police officer had taken to build his home. After Feroz's death, Kashmir police asked its men to donate a day's salary to the families of the cops who were killed in line of duty in the state this year. "To show solidarity and their concern for the bereaved families, Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel will donate one day salary of the current month," the police directive had read. But not everyone was happy with this directive. "Why deduct our salary? Why should not the government give at least Rs 1 crore to each of the families? Are we fighting for ourselves or the government? Our men give blood, face bullets and stones. Now, we should give money too, a senior police officer wrote in one of the WhatApp groups. An officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police recently told Firstpost that there is resentment among the men. There are more than 70,000 policemen from the Valley. Even if 20 percent of them are unmarried, there are 50,000 families of the policemen in the Valley, Ali says. The moment they decide enough is enough, there is going to be a civil war in the Valley, Rajendra says. For the widening gap, Ali blames the inaccessibility of the police to the public, which was better when the doors of the police stations always remained open. Dialogue between the locals and police have ceased. Today, if people have to go to SSP, the doors of their offices, in most of the cases, are shut on their faces," he says. Former DGP, Gopal Sharma, disagrees. The "outsider element", according to Sharma, has always tried new methods to destabilise the Valley and adopt new methods to create fissures. Initially, they tired attacks. Then they brought car bombs and now stone-pelters. It is a provocation, Sharma says. The lynching is a evolution of the phenomenon of stone-pelting. But Sharma says the Jamia Mosque episode is going to backfire on stone-pelters. The way it has created resentment in the Valley, he says, has given out a strong message that no well-meaning person supports such brutal actions. The truth is that a local policeman was targeted by the locals. Hopefully, balance will be restored soon and the lynching of Pandith can be treated as an exception, he says. Kolkata: Accusing Kolkata police of harassment in the name of interrogation, Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel on Wednesday claimed that the case against him was "planted and fabricated". "They are asking me questions that are irrelevant to the case they have summoned me for," Samuel alleged. "From day one I am saying that it is a fabricated, planted and prepared case by Kolkata police. Just one thing I want to tell you that it is the men in uniform who are asking me all these questions," said Samuel, who went to the Calcutta High Court with his lawyer for consultation. Samuel is being interrogated by Kolkata police in connection with an alleged extortion call to a former legislator from Bihar. He was quizzed at the Muchipara police station by senior officers of Kolkata police for nearly eight hours on 22 June and was asked to come back for the interrogation on Wednesday. Earlier this month, Samuel was interrogated for three successive days at the police station in connection with the same case. Denouncing the role of the police, Samuel's lawyer Arunava Ghosh said they were planning to lodge a case of police harassment by naming the officers involved in the interrogation. "The officers at Muchipara Police Station are only interrogating him for four minutes and making him sit for the rest of the eight hours. They are saying they have instructions from Kolkata police headquarters Lalbazar," Ghosh alleged. "We will file a case against them by mentioning who all are there in the interrogation panel. This includes the Officer-in-charge of the Muchipara police station and the assistant commissioner, who is heading the panel," he added. Police sources said Samuel was being questioned about his alleged connection with a person named Bikram Singh, who made the extortion call to former Bihar MP DP Yadav from a Kolkata lodge under the Muchipara police station's jurisdiction. According to a FIR lodged at the police station, the former MP was asked to cough up Rs 5 crore if he did not want the alleged footage of him accepting a bribe to be made public. Following the FIR lodged by Yadav in February, the officers raided the said lodge but failed to catch Singh. Police, however, recovered a laptop from there with a picture that resembled Samuel's. Samuel's company Narada News stirred a hornet's nest by releasing a sting video footage days before last year's assembly election in West Bengal that purportedly showed several senior ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and an officer taking cash. On Calcutta High Court orders, the Central Bureau of Investigation is probing the case and has since booked 12 senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including members of Parliament and ministers, and an Indian Police Service officer. Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Gujarat from Thursday, during which he will attend a number of programmes in different parts of the state, including a roadshow in Rajkot. This will be Modi's fourth visit to the state this year, where Assembly elections are slated to take place by the end of the year. The poll battle is a matter of prestige for the Gujarat BJP as this is the home state of the prime minister. On Thursday morning, Modi will visit Sabarmati Ashram, which is celebrating its centenary year, and release a commemorative coin and a postal stamp on Shrimad Rajchandra, considered the spiritual guru of Mahatma Gandhi, a BJP release said. Modi would then head to Rajkot, where he would attend a programme of distributing various aid and assistive devices to 'divyangjans' (specially-abled people). "The prime minister will distribute aid and devices worth Rs 35 crore to over 18,000 divyang people at a grand function at the Race Course ground on 29 June. This will be the country's biggest camp in terms of the number of beneficiaries," Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Pradeepsinh Jadeja had said on Tuesday. After that event, Modi would reach Aaji dam on the outskirts of Rajkot city in the evening to "welcome the water of river Narmada", he had said. The dam will be filled up with water from the Narmada river under the Sauni (Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Irrigation) project. Later, he would lead a roadshow from Aaji dam up to Rajkot city airport late in the evening. After that he would head to Gandhinagar. On Friday, Modi would visit Modasa town in Aravalli district in north Gujarat to inaugurate two water supply projects worth Rs 552 crore for the region. He will also address a large gathering at the venue, the BJP release said. From Modasa, he would go to Gandhinagar in the afternoon to take part in the International Textile Conference and Exhibition at Mahatma Mandir, it said. In the evening, he would arrive in Ahmedabad where he would address youths at a programme in Maninagar area. The event will be held at TransStadia, a stadium complex in Maninagar area, the release said. Ahmedabad: A defence witness in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case on Wednesday told a special court in Ahmedabad that VHP leader Jaideep Patel, one of the accused, was in Godhra on 27 February, a day before the riot. Mahendra Nalvaya, who was posted as mamlatdar (revenue official) in Godhra in 2002, said he handed over bodies of 54 victims of train burning incident to Patel in Godhra on 27 February. He produced an official letter to support his claim. The train burning incident had led to riots across Gujarat. The Naroda Gam riot, in which 11 Muslims were killed, took place on 28 February. According to victims' relatives, Jaideep Patel and former BJP minister Maya Kodnani were in the mob which carried out killings. Naroda Gam is one of the nine major riot cases probed by the Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT). A total of 82 persons, including Kodnani and Patel, are facing trial in the case. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday detained Altaf Ahemed Shah, son-in-law of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and two others in connection of alleged terror funding received by separatists for carrying out subversive activities in the Valley. Two other Hurriyat leaders Ayaz Akbar and Mehraj ud Din Kalwal were also detained by Srinagar Police, ANI reported. Police in Srinagar have detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders who were to be questioned by NIA in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/DWcrx46aqv ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 A report in The Times of India stated that NIA had questioned Altaf Shah, popularly known as Altaf Fantoosh, on 12 June over his movable and other properties, including houses in the Valley as well as in Jammu, and the source for their funding. According to reports, the police raided the houses of these leaders and arrested them. Police also raided the residence of another Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Pir Saifullah, India Today reported. Saifullah, however, was not at home. Hindustan Times had reported that the NIA team had arrived in Srinagar on Thursday last week. They collected the memory devices and cameras used in the sting operation to verify the contents. The report further added that they were subjected to forensic tests. NIA on 3 June had raided 14 places in Srinagar, including the houses of three separatist leaders Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Ghazi Javed Baba, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Farooq Ahmed Dar aka Bitta Karate, and suspended Hurriyat leader Nayeem Khan and their aides. The agency is probing all aspects of alleged terror funding of separatist leaders by Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistan sources, and use of this money in fuelling unrest in the Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight on 8 July, 2016. Nayeem Khan had allegedly confessed to receiving money to incite trouble in Kashmir. The video clipping was released by India Today TV channel on 16 May. The separatist leadership in a joint statement said that the policy of "witch-hunt launched by the Indian state against the resistance leadership and the business community of the Valley to defame and weaken the peoples political struggle and simultaneously cripple the economy of Kashmir is despicable and deplorable to say the least." Mumbai: Several activists, film personalities and youth on Wednesday staged a protest, opposing 'community-targeted' mob lynchings. Actors Shabana Azmi and Konkona Sena Sharma were among those who participated in the protest held at Carter Road in suburban Bandra on Wednesday evening. Protesters marched silently, holding posters and placards bearing slogans. "Killing over food. Not in my Name," read a placard. "Today's protest was against the savage culture of mob lynching," journalist and author Rana Ayyub said. The anti-lynching movement has gained traction after Saba Dewan, a documentary filmmaker, posted on Facebook about a protest she wanted to organise at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Similar marches have been held in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru. A member of the Bandra West Residents Association, who participated in today's protest, said the campaign, started with the hashtag #NotInMyName, is an attempt to 'reclaim the Constitution' and resist the `onslaught' on the right to life and equality. Auto refresh feeds "We see more and more that mobs are getting away with murder across the country and I'm here to stand in solidarity with everyone demanding justice for that and the government atleast address this issue," Ranvir Shorey says on speaking to Firstpost at the Mumbai march. "We're here to say, you know want, there are Hindus who love peace. We don't believe in differentiating religions," she says. Speaking to Firstpost, Chatterjee says that the crowd has showed up because their of their common need to heard. Speaking to Firstpost, one of the prominent journalists at the venue says, "There are more journalists than ordinary people at the protest. Flop show!" At the #NotInMyName citizens rally in my home town. This poster says it best. pic.twitter.com/6ZKgcdIHKS Speaking to Firstpost, one of the prominent journalists at the venue says, "There are more journalists than ordinary people at the protest. Flop show!" 'Govt should go out of the way to bring justice in lynching cases' Ranvir Shorey to CNN-News18 #NotInMyName pic.twitter.com/ohzbv2u3Br Government should go out of the way to bring justice in lynching cases: Ranvir Shorey to CNN-News18 "Perhaps we should plan a larger campaign on 2 October and reclaim Gandhi from the politicians to celebrate it as Humanity Day. Celebrate it as a day of diversity, plurality, amity and harmony. Share stories of everyday heroes who've who stand up for each other in these troubled times," he writes. Following filmmaker Saba Dewan's Facebook post calling people to protest against the lynching of Muslim teenager Hafiz Junaid on a local train in Haryana, thousands have pledged to attend the protest marches scheduled to be held in various cities across the country on Wednesday. "Not In My Name" protest marches will be held in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Boston and Karachi, among others. Dewan said that the campaign reflects the anger and grief of people. The protest march in Delhi will be held from 6-8 pm at Jantar Mantar on 28 June. Junaid's family will also be invited to join the demonstration, Dewan said. The protest in Delhi will start with the gathering offering condolences to the family of Junaid and Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer who was lynched by cattle vigilantes in Rajasthan in April, The Huffington Post reported. Initially planned as a silent protest, Dewan said that there will also be music and poetry but no speeches. 'Not In My Name' is a citizen protest against the recent spate of targeted lynchings of Muslims in India, reads the description of the Facebook event page. "Please carry banners with the slogan - Not in My Name. This is a citizens' protest open to all. Everyone is welcome but without party or organisational banners," the invite reads. Dewan told The Huffington Post that he called it "Not In My Name" because it is a rallying cry from the anti-Vietnam war movement from the United States in the 1970s and it has been part of a public consciousness. He also said that a poster designed by Orijit Sen is being used everywhere. Event organisers told The Indian Express that they sought to question the pattern of the attacks on the minorities in the country and the silence of the government over the killings and cases of lynching of Muslims and Dalits. "I never realised the response would be so overwhelming. Despite the debilitating violence, these protests will make us feel we are alive and spark hope," Dewan told PTI. The campaign sought to "reclaim the Constitution" and "resist the onslaught" on the right to life and equality, the Gurgaon-based documentary filmmaker said. On 24 June, Dewan had asked every citizen repulsed by the violence to gather at Jantar Mantar. He called for protests against the spate of lynchings that have taken place in different parts of the country in recent weeks. Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday criticised the Indo-US joint statement asking Islamabad to rein in cross-border terrorism, saying it failed to address key sources of tension and instability in South Asia and "aggravates" an already "tense situation". The meeting in Washington between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a missed opportunity to induce India to alter its policies inimical to peace in the region, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The joint statement is singularly unhelpful in achieving the objective of strategic stability and durable peace in the South Asian region, it said. "By failing to address key sources of tension and instability in the region, the statement aggravates an already tense situation," it said. During Modi's visit to the US, India and the US vowed to strengthen cooperation against terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba and D-Company, while asking Pakistan to ensure that its soil is not used for terror strikes against other nations. In a joint statement released after talks between Modi and Trump, the two nations called on Islamabad to "expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups." The foreign office, criticising the Indo-US joint statement, said "India's persistent gross human rights violations in Kashmir and state-backed persecution of religious minorities in India need to be replaced by respect for basic human dignity, protection of life, property and freedom of speech". "Democratic stewardship, as claimed in the statement, demands that as a minimum," it said. Pakistan firmly believes in the legitimacy of the Kashmir cause and supports the peaceful struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self determination a right promised to them by the international community through repeated UN Security Council resolutions, it said. "Any attempt to equate the peaceful indigenous Kashimiri struggle with terrorism, and to designate individuals supporting the right to self determination as terrorists is unacceptable," the foreign office, apparently referring to the designation of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a "global terrorist". Equally unacceptable is the "willful disregard of the atrocities being committed by Indian security forces against innocent Kashimiri civilians". This undermines the ideals and principles of the UN Charter. It endangers peace and security in the region, it said. Pakistan stands ready and committed to resolve all outstanding disputes, especially Jammu and Kashmir, with India through peaceful means and in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions that underscore the importance of addressing the aspirations of the people of Kashmir, the foreign office said, adding that this is a commitment that India also needs to make publicly. Pakistan has been the "primary victim of terrorism" in the region and claimed that its contributions and sacrifices in fighting terrorism are un-matched, it said. "Through relentless security operations, we have achieved significant success in eliminating terrorists and their networks from our soil without discrimination. We are committed to bring the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion by eliminating this scourge from our soil. Pakistan expects the international community to unequivocally stand with it in this fight against terrorism," the foreign office said. Regrettably, those who seek to appropriate a leadership role in the fight against terror are themselves responsible for much of the terror unleashed in recent years in Pakistan, it said. "India has supported the Tehrek-Taleban as a proxy against Pakistan from across the border. India's culpability in creating this further source of regional insecurity cannot be ignored," the foreign office said. Pakistan is also deeply concerned on the sale of advanced military technologies to India. Such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia, it said. This further emboldens India to adopt aggressive military doctrines and even contemplate military adventurism. Transfers of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions made for India have dis-incentivised India to engage in efforts to establish a strategic restraint regime and a durable security architecture in the region, the foreign office added. Mathura: Scores of farmers on Tuesday staged a protest at the Mahaban Tahsil office in Mathura, demanding better price for potato. "The minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 487 per quintal for potato, declared by the government, is inadequate as it does not cover even the cost of production," said Buddha Singh Pradhan, district president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union. Hundreds of farmers from nearby villages took part in the protest. They threw 500 bags of potato at the Tahsil office gate. The farmers called off the protest after sub-divisional magistrate Garima Singh assured them that the government would be apprised of their demands. "The demands of the farmers include MSP of at least Rs 1,200 per quintal for potato, subsidy in agriculture inputs and pension to every farmer," Singh said. Mumbai: Bihar minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Jai Kumar Singh on Tuesday defended his party's decision to support BJP-led NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind and rejected RJD's criticism of the JD(U)'s stand. Singh said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has always supported "good people" and the JD(U)'s move to back Kovind reflects that stand. Nitish is also JD(U) national president. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has been critical of the JD(U) for supporting Kovind, a former Bihar governor, in the 17 July polls for the top constitutional post. The RJD has thrown its weight behind former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, the joint candidate of the Congress-led opposition parties who hails from Bihar. The JD(U) leader made light of the RJD's criticism of his party over the presidential polls. "There is nothing to criticise in this (the JD-U's decision to back the NDA nominee). I know Kovindji personally and he is a very nice person," Singh told PTI in Mumbai. The industries minister was in Mumbai to take part in the Bihar Investors' Roadshow organised along with CII. "It is also a moment of pride for Bihar that its (former) Governor has been selected as a nominee for President," Singh added. Yadav had appealed to Nitish not to make a "historic blunder" by extending support to the NDA nominee in the presidential polls. Describing Meira Kumar as "Bihar ki Beti" (daughter of Bihar), Yadav had appealed to Nitish to "mend the historic blunder" of supporting Kovind, whom the former chief minister had described as "an RSS man". The JD(U) and the RJD are ruling alliance partners in Bihar. The Congress, too, is part of the ruling coalition in the eastern state. The JD(U)'s decision to chart its own course in the presidential polls has brought fissures among the alliance partners to the fore. The Congress, too, is miffed with Nitish over his party's decision. Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday assured NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind of its support in the forthcoming election to Rashtrapati Bhawan. The assurance of support was given to Kovind during a joint meeting with the MLAs of the PDP, the BJP and the Peoples Conference coalition partners in the state government held at the residence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, a senior PDP leader said. State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu said the meeting with Kovind was called to garner support. "It is a traditional practice that the designate or the nominee actually starts canvassing for the support. So the coalition partners, the BJP, the PDP, all legislative members and MPs had come. He sought support. "He spoke about at how he stands for inclusive India which is above politics and how diversity is the real ethos of India and how that will become a very important in his dealing with it," Drabu said. He said a broad direction from the party leadership is that "we must all vote and ensure that he wins. His victory almost seems decided." Kovind, accompanied by Union minister Venkaiah Naidu, arrived here earlier in the day to drum up support for his campaign. "We had a very fruitful meeting with the chief minister and her party colleagues, MLAs and MPs. Then she introduced the candidate also. We met each one of them. They were all very happy," Naidu told reporters after the meeting. He said while the NDA was united, the opposition is divided on the presidential election. "We are united, we in the NDA are united. The opposition is divided. We are going forward, they are looking backward," he said. The PDP-BJP coalition enjoys support of 58 MLAs and seven MPs from the state. Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has 89 members 87 elected and two nominated who are eligible to vote in the polls to be held on 17 July for electing the 14th president of the country. The state also has 10 MPs six in Lok Sabha and four in Rajya Sabha. While one MP each belongs to opposition Congress and the National Conference, the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat is vacant as by-polls to it were cancelled in May this year following large scale violent protests in south Kashmir. Srinagar: NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind will on Wednesday meet MLAs of PDP, BJP and Peoples Conference as part of his campaign for the 17 July election. Kovind arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday afternoon and is scheduled to hold a joint meeting with the MLAs of PDP, BJP and Peoples Conference, coalition partners in the state government, later in the day, officials said. A senior PDP leader said the meeting is scheduled to take place at the official residence of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and all MLAs of the ruling coalition are expected to attend it. The PDP-BJP coalition enjoys the support of 58 MLAs and seven MPs from the state. Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has 89 members, 87 elected and two nominated, who are eligible to vote for electing the 14 President of the country. The state also has 10 MPs, six in the Lok Sabha and four in the Rajya Sabha. While one MP each belongs to opposition Congress and National Conference, the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat is vacant as by-polls to it were cancelled in May this year following large-scale violent protests in south Kashmir. The Hague: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday left for home after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. Modi, who arrived in the Netherlands earlier on Tuesday for a brief visit, held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also address the Indian community here. The Prime Minister's office tweeted, After a series of programmes in three nations- Portugal, USA and the Netherlands, PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi. pic.twitter.com/03VvQefFMz PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 27, 2017 In the US, Modi held talks with President Donald Trump on Monday during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen co-operation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. In Portugal, Modi held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. By Tommy Wilkes and Roli Srivastava | NEW DELHI/MUMBAI NEW DELHI/MUMBAI Protests were held in cities across India on Wednesday against a wave of attacks on Muslims by mobs that accuse them of killing cows or eating beef.The protests follow the stabbing to death last week of a 16-year-old boy accused of possessing beef on a train. Several people have been arrested. On Tuesday, a man was beaten and his house set on fire by a mob that accused him of slaughtering a cow in eastern Jharkhand state.Waving "Not in My Name" banners and "Stop Cow Terrorism" placards, actors, writers and young mothers cradling babies braved monsoon rains in Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities, while in Delhi a cast of intellectuals and activists were joined by relatives of recent lynching victims."I feel afraid. I don't even know if I will be able to reach home safely," Bashruddin Khandawali, a 24-year-old cousin of Junaid Khan, who was killed last week on the train, told Reuters next to a huge "Lynch Map of India" banner.Critics accuse right-wing Hindu groups, some linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, of fomenting or not doing enough to stop violence against Muslims and lower-caste Hindus who eat beef or work in the meat and leather industries.Modi denies the accusation and has publicly criticised so-called cow vigilantes. Many Hindus worship the cow as sacred to their religion.Almost all of the 63 attacks since 2010 involving cow-related violence were recorded after Modi and his Hindu nationalist government came to power in 2014, IndiaSpend, a data journalism website, said in a report.Twenty-eight Indians - 24 of them Muslims - have been killed and 124 injured since 2010 in cow-related violence, IndiaSpend said. Modi's information minister, Venkaiah Naidu, called the killing of Khan "atrocious" and said local authorities must take action. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a leading commentator, this week described the lynchings as "a protracted riot in slow motion"."What makes this violence chilling ... is that it is acquiring an atmosphere of a religious communion about it," he wrote in the Indian Express. Anjali Arondekar, a professor visiting from California, said she had attended the Mumbai protest because "nobody seems to care any more that a young Muslim man is being killed."India's history is pockmarked by Hindu-Muslim communal clashes, although the vast majority of people live peacefully together.Community leaders called on Modi to do more to protect the 14 percent of India's 1.3 billion people who are Muslim."I fear that if this goes on, there will be a counter-reaction that would be dangerous for peace and tranquillity," said Navaid Hamid, president of the All India Muslim Majlise-Mushawarat. (Additional reporting by Nita Bhalla in NEW DELHI, Jatindra Dash in BHUBANESHWAR and Subrata Nagchoudhury in KOLKATA; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. There are just three days left before hundreds of bars and pubs in Bengaluru shut shop to honour the Supreme Court ban on sale of liquor near highways. As many as six highways crisscross the Karnataka capital, and some 400 pubs, bars, liquor shops, about 20 star hotels, and many swanky clubs stand to lose their licences because of the ban. The ban originally meant about 6,000 bars and liquor shops in Karnataka would have had to relocate or shut shop, since they were situated within 500 metres of national and state highways. But the Siddaramaiah government saved about 1,500 of them by denotifying parts of state highways running through cities and towns and classifying them as roads run by municipalities. The Centre has so far ignored the state's demand to de-notify a total of 45 km of six national highways coursing through Bengaluru. Many bars and liquor outlets in danger of being asked to shut are in or are close to nightlife hotspots like MG Road, Church Street, Brigade Road, Hosur Road, Koramangala, Mysuru Road and Ballari Road. The city has about 3,000 bars, pubs, liquor shops, clubs and restaurants with liquor licenses. The state is making last-ditch efforts to persuade the Centre to rescue Bengaluru's drinkers and liquor businesses, and may even move the Supreme Court in the next two days, but as the month-end deadline approaches, the one hotly debated question is: Will Bengaluru lose its hard-earned honour of being India's pub capital? A bottoms-up approach towards the topic throws up an answer that is clear as day. Call it tipsy-turvy and get a kick out of it if you will, but here is the answer: Even if that's a big if Bengaluru loses the 'pub capital' title, it will be only in letter. The city will retain the honour in spirit, at least. In any case, even if 400 places close, the city will still have some 2,600 watering holes. The endless and meaningless uproar over Bengaluru losing its pub capital title is no more than a passing storm in a beer mug. Here is why. To begin with, what is a pub? A pub is a pub is a pub, you might say. Officially, in Karnataka at least, it's an establishment where only beer is served. And a bar? Officially again, it's a watering hole where all types of liquor can fill your glass, and that includes beer, of course, whether it's draught beer or the bottled variety. So all bars could also be pubs, right? Right, agree excise officials without blinking eyes. A bar can be a pub, but a pub can never be a bar, right? Wrong. A pub can take on the avatar of a bar too, if it gets the appropriate licences and still calls itself a pub. That's what has been happening all the time in Bengaluru. Pubs end up serving all liquors, very much like the bars. So we have pubs-turned-bars that still call themselves pubs. And there are bars-turned-pubs which also call themselves pubs. And there is a jolly good reason for it. Even Janata Dal leader Ramakrishna Hegde, who brought in the city's "pub culture" when he became the Karnataka chief minister in 1983, was unable to foresee this. Hegde himself relished only made-in-Scotland products, but he preferred people to savour "draught" beer. So pubs were permitted faster than paan shops. That's how the "pub culture" hit Bengaluru in 1984 (then it was Bangalore, though a wag called it Bargalore or Bars-galore) when a pub called Ramada came up on a road off MG Road. Soon there were more. And then more. The outlandish interiors and the beer, light and cheap, that came from the tap of an awesome barrel and served in a mug or a pitcher were a novelty that the city's tipplers had never set their eyes on before. But soon the pub owners began to ask why only draught beer? To poach guzzlers from bars, pubs didn't take long to add other liquor to their menus. And seeing that customers were attracted to pubs like flies to streetlights, bars affixed the word "pub" to their names. Or the beer-available boards that they hung did the job. By 1990s, there were so many pub-bars and bar-pubs though all of them called themselves pubs in the city, that it came to be called the country's "pub capital", though few of them served only beer. But nobody really counted how many fell strictly under the definition of a pub serving only beer. Though real pubs became a rarity, the city had earned its title. Novelties have a habit of wearing off, and by year 2000, many pubs began to shut shop or change into eateries. Again, nobody really counted how many real pubs closed and whether Bangalore could continue to call itself a pub capital. But the title survived. It survived, though the "pub" culture had begun to give way to "club" culture, "party-at-home" culture and then later "lounge" culture, and finally to "microbrewery" culture. The highway liquor ban too poses no threat to Bengaluru's title of honour. When pubs, bars, pubs-turned-bars and bars-turned-pubs within 500 metres of highways, finally shut shop, it will be a question of travelling 501 metres or a little more for a drink. The establishments that close will be permitted to relocate to a legal distance. Even in Bengaluru's hellish traffic, what's 501 metres? It may no longer be one for the road. But it will be two for the side-road. The ease of finding a place to toss down a drink or two in Bengaluru will keep intact the city's reputation as a tipplers' paradise. But who said bars and pubs are the only places where a drinker can get tight? There is a liquor shop around every street corner. Though officially they are allowed only to sell liquor as "parcel", people drinking at the counter or in a room adjacent to the shop is a common sight in Bengaluru. A drinker's best friend in Bengaluru is the law-enforcer, be it the cops or excise officials. Grease the palm, and the head turns the other way in an automated motion designed to waste no time. Corruption and alcohol make up a potent cocktail. It's headier than any drink that the mixologists can dish out at any of Bengaluru's pub-bars or bar-pubs. The US government's decision to designate Hizbul Mujahideen and United Jihad Council (UJC) chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist is unlikely to have any major impact on Kashmir militancy. In 2012, when the US had put a bounty on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, it didn't affect the militant outfit's operations in Kashmir. The LeT has carried out some of the deadliest strikes in Kashmir. In a recent attack, militants remained holed up inside Delhi Police School (DPS) near the army headquarter in Srinagar. Heavy gunfire were exchanged between the security personnel and the militants, a CRPF sub-inspector was killed, while three other security officials were injured. While LeT has many Pakistani militants in its ranks, the Hizbul has local youths in its cadre. However, the LeT has more trained militants and have inflicted more casualties on the security forces. It is not the presence of militants, whose number has significantly reduced to 300 over the years, but the street protests and convergence of local youths at the encounter sites that worry the security officials. In the past one year, these have triggered a cycle of protests in Kashmir, resulting in deterioration of security situation. Even on Eid, youths protested in most of parts of Kashmir in which some, including policemen were injured. The decision to designate Salahuddin and Hizbul as global terror sponsor has come for the first time in the state's history of militancy, said Noor Mohammad Baba, a political commentator in Kashmir. He added that the decision is more symbolic as Americans have a direct stake but it will not deter the political resistance in Kashmir. "In the past, many have been characterised as terrorists, but US did not get involved. As long as Pakistan is supporting Kashmir resistance movement, there will not be much change on the ground," he said. The US Department of State noted in its statement that it was designating "Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as (AKA) Syed Salahuddin, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. s a consequence of this designation, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with Salahuddin and all of Salahuddins property and interests in property subject to United States jurisdiction are blocked." The statement further noted: "Syed Salahuddin, is the senior leader of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). In September, 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir valley into a graveyard for Indian forces. Under Salahuddins tenure as senior HM leader, HM has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people." "Todays action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Mohammad Yusuf Shah, AKA Syed Salahuddin, has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism. Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the US financial system. Moreover, designations can assist or complement the law enforcement actions of other nations, the statement read. In 2012, US had put a $10 million bounty on Saeed, the founder of Pakistan-based militant group LeT and the founding member of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an Islamist organisation dedicated to installing Islamic rule over parts of India and Pakistan. The Indian government has designated him as the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 166 people, including six American citizens. US had designated LeT as a foreign terrorist organisation in December 2001 and Jamaat-ud-Dawa in April 2008. The United Nations followed suit in December 2008. But these measures have hardly had any impact, the LeT has continued with their attacks on government forces. The move has, however, angered some of the separatists. Senior leader of Quami Mahazi Azadi, Azam Inquilabi, said that the US will face repercussions of its imperialist policies. "Narendra Modi and Donald Trump have simply added to the resolve of Kashmiris and we will take on both the powers," he said. Hurriyat executive member, Abdul Gani Bhat, refused on comment on the issue. After the US action, Salahuddin has said that Trump has made a mockery of the UN charter, international conventions and ground realities. UJC spokesperson, Syed Sadaqat Hussain, told a local news agency that Salahuddin is the leader of the indigenous Kashmiri pro-freedom people who are fighting against the Indian occupation. Kashmiri people and Hizbul are fighting the Indian occupation and the world knows about India's human rights violations in Kashmir. International rights bodies like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are witness to these violations, he said. Trump administration has announced the decision to keep Modi in his good books. As per UN resolutions, the Kashmir movement is a genuine struggle and Salahuddin is its real representative. We believe that the freedom loving nations will reject this announcement, he said. He further said that the Indian government should read the writing on the wall and understand that the struggle in Kashmir is at such a stage where nobody can stop or weaken it. "Entire Kashmir is at the forefront and will achieve its goal," he said. Bengaluru: Two editors of Kannada tabloids have approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the state Assembly resolution sentencing them to a one-year jail term for their alleged "defamatory" articles against legislators. In their petitions filed before Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri, the two have sought quashing of the resolution adopted by the House, contending that it was "illegal and unconstitutional." The 21 June resolution sentencing Ravi Belagere of 'Hai Bangalore' and Anil Raju of 'Yelahanka Voice' has triggered protests from the media with the Editors' Guild of India terming it as a "gross misuse" of power which "violates" the fundamental right of freedom of speech. The guild has also urged the assembly to withdraw its resolution "without delay". In an unusual and drastic step, the assembly awarded the sentence, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the two journalists, based on the recommendations of Privileges Committee of the House. In their petitions filed on Tuesday, the two journalists contended that the sentencing was illegal and unconstitutional as the Speaker KB Koliwad, cannot be an adjudicator for his own complaint. Belagere had published an article against Koliwad in September 2014 issue of 'Hai Bangalore'. Former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa had referred the issue to the Privileges Committee after Koliwad, then an MLA, had lodged a complaint against Belagere. Congress and BJP MLAs, BM Nagaraju and SR Viswanath had raised the issue in the House and recommended action against the journalists. The sentencing violated the norms of natural justice because the Speaker had not given sufficient hearing opportunity to them before levelling charges, the petitioners said. "Proper notices also were not served to the Editors." The petition also said, legislators do not have any power to award a jail term. The court is likely to hear the petitions tomorrow. PTI Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh): Seven persons were arrested from Nawabganj area in Bahraich after some local residents alleged that a man was forced to convert to Islam. However, Brijmohan of Shivnagra village said he embraced Islam on his own volition to marry a Muslim woman. The man reached an Eidgah on 26 June for namaaz after which the news of his conversion spread in the area, the police said. Brijmohan's wife left him and settled in Nepal. The father of two was persuaded by his brother Jagmohan alias Jamal, who had earlier converted to Islam, into adopting the religion and marrying a Muslim woman. Their elder brother Sunder Gupta and some local residents objected to the conversion, alleging it hurt their religious sentiments. Based on Gupta's complaint, an FIR was filed on Tuesday against Brijmohan, Jamal, Nanku, Irfan and three others for "luring people into religious conversion". "A matter of religious conversion has come to light. It is being probed. Seven persons have been arrested in this connection," Superintendent of Police (rural) Ravindra Kumar Singh said. In the immediate aftermath of demonetisation in November last year, when Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar broke ranks and defied alliance partners to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he used a significant line in all public statements: He said the stated objectives of curbing black money and corruption could be achieved only if "notebandi" was followed up with a war on benami property. In the following months, it so happened that the first high-profile target of Modi government's crackdown on benami property was his alliance partner, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. The problem for Nitish Kumar was that those charged also included Lalu's family members, including state deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, who sits next to him at Cabinet meetings, senior minister Tej Pratap, and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti, who were accused of acquiring benami property worth Rs 1,000 crore through unscrupulous means. That placed Nitish in an uncomfortable situation. A focussed crackdown on benami property and holders was his specific demand. When the central government acted on this, he couldn't afford to be seen backing out from his stance by supporting Lalu. But he knew that Lalu needed him in order to continue being a part of the state government, much more than Nitish needed Lalu. If the release of tapes proving Lalu's complicity with arrested gangster Mohammad Sahabuddin put Nitish at a great deal of unease, benami charges against his alliance partner in government took his discomfort to an entirely new level. On the other hand, RJD supporters were also unhappy with Nitish and the JDU's continued silence on the subject. Nitish's USP is his governance record, relatively clean politics and maintenance of law and order. He may have aligned, backed out, and realigned with one party and another, turned friends into foes and back into friends, but what's significant is that he has a clean image. He simply cannot afford to let that go. Which is why it's significant to consider the war of words between Lalu and Nitish over Meira Kumar's candidature for the presidential election. Tejashwi's apparent taunts through a Facebook post, albeit without naming Nitish, have to be seen in perspective the differences between the two over 'Bihar ki beti' provided the spark to what has been building up over months. As for other alliance partner Congress, Nitish's JDU colleagues have a long list of grouses here. Even when the party was part of the NDA, it was being wooed by the Congress. And ahead of the 2015 Assembly election, before RJD could reconcile with JDU under Nitish Kumar's leadership, the Congress announced him to be the chief ministerial candidate of the 'mahagathbandhan'. Nitish then convinced Lalu of the merits of giving Congress more seats than what was considered the party's perceived strength. A number of JDU leaders confirmed to Firstpost about Nitish being in direct contact with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, but his opinion on several matters was ignored by the Congress. Ghulam Nabi Azad may have turned into a villain for the JDU today and perhaps rightly so, but there the seeds of discord between Nitish and Congress was sown months ago by Rahul Gandhi. Ahead of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, there was again an understanding between JDU and Congress that they would contest the polls together, but Rahul unilaterally decided at the last minute to align with Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party instead. That decision hit Nitish hard. But he kept his cool and reached Sonia Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence in April to have a consensus on a combined opposition candidate. Relations between Nitish and Congress reached a critical point on 4 June, when Rahul Gandhi declined to announce Gopal Krishna Gandhi as the Opposition's joint presidential nominee, as proposed by JDU and seconded by NCP, Left parties and other opposition leaders when they met in Chennai to mark the 94th birthday celebrations of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. Nitish and the other leaders felt this was the best occasion to announce their candidate, but Rahul thought otherwise. He simply asked them to meet in Delhi at a later date to talk about it. So when BJP announced Ram Nath Kovind as its nominee, and given the excellent rapport Nitish had developed with the Bihar governor, he sensed the moment to assert his position had come. He immediately drove to the governor's house to congratulate Kovind and a day later, after convening a meeting of senior party leaders, announced his unconditional support. Ghulam Nabi Azad may have unwittingly jumped in the middle to play the ultimate spoiler, but if a reunion between Nitish Kumar and BJP is to take place in the months to come, he can claim some credit for it. New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday criticised the government for not objecting to the US reference to "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir" in designating Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist. "Shocking that US government order on Syed Salahuddin refers to 'Indian Administered J&K'. No protest from Modi government. Complicit sell-out?" AICC chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted. Shocking that U.S Govt order on Syed Salahuddin refers to "Indian Administered J&K". No protest from Modi Sarkar. Complicit sell-out? 1/n pic.twitter.com/ozoc1AVtkZ Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) June 27, 2017 In a series of tweets on the issue, he said, "Modiji and BJP drumbeat and preach 'Pseudo Nationalism' everyday. India asks - why have you accepted US phrase of 'Indian administered J&K'?" Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA government, he said, "Empty chest thumping, false bravado and captive TV studio warfare by BJP government cannot hide its failures in compromising National Security". Modiji & BJP drumbeat and preach "PseudoNationalism" everyday.India asks-why have you accepted US phrase of "Indian Administrated J&K"?2/n Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) June 27, 2017 Surjewala also said terrorism should never be politicised and a collective effort is needed to eradicate it, which should be sans partisan considerations. The Congress leader said one should remember that on 2 June, 2006, the US imposed heavy sanctions on India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim after a motion by then Congress-UPA government. He also said that on 6 August, 2010, Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) was declared a designated terrorist organisation by the US, again by UPA's efforts. Similarly, on September 15, 2011, Indian Mujahideen, another terrorist group responsible for a series of attacks was declared by the US as a terror organisation. "On 3 April, 2012 - US had put USD 10 million bounty on Lashkar-e-Taiba's Hafiz Saeed, wanted for the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, again by UPA's efforts," he said. The US last night declared Salahuddin, the chief of Kashmiri militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, as a "global terrorist", dealing a major blow to Pakistan just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first meeting with President Donald Trump. Citing part of the text on the US government's order, Surjewala said it read: "In September 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers and vowed to turn the Kashmir Valley 'into a graveyard for Indian forces'. "Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior HM (Hizbul Mujahideen) leader, HM has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people," he said quoting the order. In a notification, the US State Department said Salahuddin, who hails from Kashmir and is based in Pakistan for the last 28 years, "has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism". Flanked by prominent United Progressive Alliance leaders, Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar, filed her nominations on Wednesday, the last date for filing of nominations, in the presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and a number of Opposition leaders. Kumar filed a set of four nomination papers which were proposed and seconded by leaders of a number of Opposition parties. She filed her papers before the Lok Sabha secretary general, the returning officer for the 17 July Presidential Election. Sonia Gandhi and other top Congress and Opposition leaders were amongst those who proposed and seconded her nomination. Kumar also visited Rajghat and Samta Sthal, the memoirs of Mahatma Gandhi and her father Jagjivan Ram, to pay her respects just before heading on to file the nominations. Leaders of a number of opposition parties including Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s Sitaram Yechury and Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien and other leaders representing Opposition parties like the DMK, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha also accompanied her during her nomination filing. Speaking to the press after completing the nomination formalities, Kumar said, "From today our fight for ideology starts." Congress vice president Rahul gandhi, who is currently vacationing in Italy also tweeted on the occasion and said he was proud that Kumar was chosen to represent the values that represent the nation. Against the ideology of divisiveness she represents the values that bind us as a nation&a ppl.Proud to have @meira_kumar ji as our candidate https://t.co/R7M5udN44y Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 28, 2017 The 75-year-old Kumar is the joint opposition candidate of 17 non-NDA parties against the ruling NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind. Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, will launch her campaign from 30 June from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat, soon after the scrutiny of nominations on 29 June. She said that for her it is a battle of ideologies and not a 'Dalit versus Dalit' fight. Kumar had earlier made an emotional appeal to the electorate comprising MPs and MLAs to cast their vote with their "inner conscience". She also said the president's post cannot be used for narrow political interests. Taking a leaf from former prime minister Indira Gandhi's appeal made during the 1974 presidential poll in favour of VV Giri, Kumar said, "This is that moment when one should heed to the inner voice of conscience and set the course of the nation." With inputs from agencies Following the recent developments in Bihar and the differences which have emerged in the ruling grand alliance, all eyes are fixated on Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar's next move. Earlier, Nitish had a packed schedule on Friday but now some of the programs in his schedule have been shifted ahead. People close to him indicated that he might be taking part in the GST launch function which will be held at Central hall of Parliament and is organised by the Centre. This move may further weaken his alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as the latter has openly critcised him for supporting National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind. Initially the chief minister was supposed to participate in the foundation laying programs of various schemes in Aurangabad and Jahanabad on 30 June but now his visit has been shifted to Thursday. As per information which is trickling in, Nitish will hold a conference with district magistrates on Friday morning and leave for Delhi in the evening. He may seek personal appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said. Apparently Bihar was the first non-BJP ruled state to ratify the GST Bill and Nitish, while delivering a speech in the state Assembly, had termed this tax reform 'historic'. It was in continuation of his support to BJP-led NDA government. He had previously supported the NDA government over the demonetisation issue, the surgical strike across the LoC, and crackdown on Benami properties. His tacit support to Modi precipitated fissures within the Mahagathbandhan, which surfaced soon after JD(U) decided to support Kovind for president. The home ministry has invited all chief ministers and members of Parliament for the launch of the GST. Opposition parties have criticised Modi for launching the tax regime in a way which many feel is an attempt to replicate Jawaharlal Nehru's tryst with destiny speech. Trinamool Congress (TMC) has already announced that it won't take part in the function. The principal Opposition party, Congress, is in dilemma as GST was its own brainchild. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj made the first strike against the joint opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar with a tweet and a video post regarding Kumars term as Lok Sabha speaker. The Congress party responded with its own tweet and video. And the daggers were drawn in this exchange between the ruling party and the largest opposition party. Presidential elections in India have traditionally been a keen contest with most political parties aligning to support one or the other leading candidate. Swarajs opening counter came as a surprise as she has kept herself out of contentious matters since becoming the Minister of External Affairs. But it is not unusual for her. She has played a prominent role in the last three presidential campaigns including the most highly contested presidential poll of 2007 that resulted in the election of Pratibha Patil, the first woman to be elected as the President of India. Sushma Swarajs recent tweet said: "This is how (then) Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar treated the (then) leader of opposition." Accompanying the tweet was a 6.23 minute video clip of her speech during the Budget Session in the Lok Sabha in 2013. This is how Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar treated the Leader of Opposition - https://t.co/hxHWHaJ4D9 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 25, 2017 She also retweeted an article published in the Pioneer newspaper of 2013 that said, Speaker interrupted Sushma 60 times in (her) six-minute speech. The article seemed to substantiate Swarajs retort. The video clip showed the minister addressing the Lok Sabha and about four minutes into her speech, the speaker (Meira) politely asking her to wind up her address. A day later, Congress countered with a post of its own with a video clip and a tweet that said: Sushmaji taking you down memory lane- Watch @SushmaSwaraj praise Lok Sabha Speaker Smt #MeiraKumar in her farewell speech pic.twitter.com/2xoG6q8OYj INC India (@INCIndia) June 26, 2017 In the short video, Swaraj is seen praising the speaker (Meira) for never losing her temper which helped in the smooth functioning of the House. The external affairs minister is known to be social media savvy and was recently lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her effective use of social media to help Indians abroad during times of distress. Heaping a high praise on his Cabinet minister, Modi told a gathering of the Indian community during his recent visit to the US: It is now well-known in India anyone in trouble tweets to Sushmaji, she promptly replies and the government takes prompt action." Any Indian living abroad now has faith that their issues will be resolved, he said. The 2007 presidential election was the most bitterly contested presidential election in recent times. The contest was between the UPA-Left nominee, Pratibha Patil and the BJP-backed independent candidate, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who was vice president at that time. The BJP launched a full-scale attack against Patil, making charges of nepotism and irregularities in a cooperative bank and educational institutes managed by a family trust. Arun Jaitley also released a website www.knowpratibhapatil.com and a booklet carrying media articles, but the main part of the charge against the UPA nominee was led by Swaraj. As the NDA spokesperson, Swaraj held daily press conferences throughout the campaign period. Despite that Patil won the election with nearly two-thirds of the votes polled, to become the 12th president of India. In the next presidential election, which was held in 2012, Swaraj was the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha. The BJP was beset with internal dissensions and a power struggle, and at that time it had not planned its strategy for the presidential election. In an informal interaction with the media, Swaraj ruled out a political candidate for president (which meant rejecting Pranab Mukherjee as the presidential nominee) and questioned the stature of Vice President Hamid Ansari as a prospective presidential candidate. Swarajs comments put the BJP on the backfoot when other NDA allies criticised her remarks even before the NDA had met to decide on its candidates for the two elections. The BJP eventually adopted former speaker PA Sangma as the NDA nominee whose name had been mooted by its allies, the Biju Janata Dal and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Swaraj is a powerful orator and an aggressive campaigner, and the BJP has often used her talent for campaigning. In September 1999, the BJP nominated her to contest against Congress president Sonia Gandhi from the Bellary constituency in Karnataka. Swaraj ran a spirited campaign in Bellary and learned Kannada to make a credible showing in a traditional Congress bastion. A year earlier, in October 1998, Swaraj had stepped down from a Cabinet position to take charge as the chief minister of Delhi but lost the state elections two months later, when a Congress government led by Sheila Dixit came to power. Swarajs oratory can take on a shrill tone as it did when she threatened to shave her head, wear white and sleep on the floor if Sonia Gandhi were to become the Prime Minister of India. But over time, the strident anti-Sonia image has abated and she developed an equable relationship with the Congress president. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will soon head to Madhya Pradesh, to lead a Kisan Mahapanchayat in the wake of the six farmer deaths in police firing in Mandsaur district. Despite questioning the government on its failures fairly consistently, why is Rahul failing to get himself and hence the Congress party be taken seriously during polls? Rahul has only himself to blame for this situation, political analyst and author of 24, Akbar Road Rasheed Kidwai said in a January 2017 interview with The Diplomat. "He had a perfect mentor in Dr Manmohan Singh [the former prime minister] but he ignored the good doctors advice to join the government. If he had served as a minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office and later moved to foreign affairs, or the infrastructure ministry, today he would have had a different standing in public life." A reputation to deliver would have stood Rahul in good stead when he sought votes for the Congress from an electorate that has moved on from judging leaders through the ideological lens. "We have firmly moved into the governance era, where leaders are born on account of their decisive actions in getting things done," Rajat Sethi, the mastermind credited with the BJPs recent Assam win, told Firstpost, commenting in his personal capacity. Today, constituents evaluate the image of the leader ahead of the partys image and ideology, said Vivek Singh Bagri, CEO of Leadtech, a political consultancy. "The image of a leader who has a firm track record of service delivery strengthens the image of the political party," said Sethi. Yes, and it wins votes. By this yardstick, Rahul who has no delivery track record falls very, very short. What accentuates his weakness, and hence lowers the Congress partys value proposition, is his lack of passion to revamp the Congress organisation, whatever that may mean for him, and to capitalise every win, however small (think Goa state election). Now when some voters can start to see the cracks in the incumbent government and are clamouring for the opposition to get its act together, when the Congress reorganisation should shift into top gear, a roadmap to improve the partys prospects is still conspicuously absent. Instead all we see is Rahul take up the incumbent governments failures. This lack of action shows up painfully against the BJP, which is consistently playing to its strength, sweeping election after election on the plank of a winning manifesto promising governance, development and Hindutva. In fact, today, a BJP brimming with confidence is also making the call for a strong opposition hear Union minister Venkaiah Naidu talk on the subject here and BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav here. It is ironical that their motivationstrengthening Indias democracyholds a strong message in democratisation for the Congress, the largest single party in opposition. Rewind to 1964. With the passing away of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, political author VM Sirsikar expected the Congress central leadership to be "more responsive to popular pressure as people who tolerated the lapses of Pandit Nehru would be now more exacting in their demands." Within the party itself, the rank and file would become more critical and articulate. Indirectly, this might be a gain as it would democratise the party-machine, he said in a 1965 paper, Political Leadership in India, in The Economic Weekly. In a twist of fate, prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away the following year, and the gungi gudiya Indira Gandhi metamorphosed into a mass leader par excellence, a woman of substance who was famously dubbed the only man in her cabinet, who even the RSS chief KS Sudarshan had praised for being "a lady of determination". Her rise put the democratisation of the Congress on the back-burner. Where it remained through the transition from Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 when a nation in shock decisively voted in the politically inexperienced son of their slain leader until 1991, when for the second time in the history of India (excluding Gulzarilal Nandas brief stints as acting prime minister), a person outside the Nehru-Gandhi family occupied the prime ministers chair during a Congress government. "PV Narasimha Rao was brought in to fill a vacuum," Kidwai pointed out to Firstpost. "So yes, the Congress party has shown itself willing and capable of filling a vacuum when it is needed." Has the Congress party also shown itself capable of passing over a Gandhi for the sake of its prospects and India? Not quite. In "humbly declining" the prime ministerial position and nominating Manmohan Singh for the top job in 2004, Sonia Gandhi showed an astute understanding of the Indian voter. But the call to nominate Singh came from Sonia, not the party. Will Rahul follow suit? Unlike his father in 1984, Rahul faces an experienced opponent who enjoys a larger-than-life image. Senior party leader AK Antony may believe now is "the right time for him [Rahul] to take charge" but so far the voter has disagreed. As someone who has pushed for organisational elections and internal democracy, Rahul faces a great opportunity to make good. "Moving beyond the Gandhis would certainly be untested waters for the Congress but their body politic would be healthier," Sethi said. "There is no alternative to internal party democracy." Sonias ascension of Singh is proof enough that if the nominator is firm, the party will rally round the nominee, and avert unrest and infightinga concern of some of those who, to quote Kidwai, "push the durbari [royal court-style] argument that Rahul bought during Dr Singhs tenurethat as a Gandhi family member, he should always be on top." With the odds of winning every upcoming election stacked against it, the Congress does not have the luxury ofdeferring reorganisation at the top level. Panaji: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has accepted the resignation of the party's Goa unit chief Luizinho Faleiro who stepped down from the post last week, senior leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said in Panaji on Wednesday. Faleiro had tendered resignation claiming that "some MLAs feel that his continuation was creating hindrance to the formation of party's government in Goa". "The party high command, as well as the state party president himself, informed all the MLAs that his (Faleiro's) resignation has been accepted by the AICC president," the opposition leader told reporters. Kavlekar said the party leadership was initially reluctant to accept Faleiro's resignation, but he insisted on being relieved of the responsibility. He said a new president of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) would be appointed once the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi returns from his foreign tour. He said the Congress will hold elections for the posts of state unit president and vice-president, besides for the executive committee, between 16 September and 15 October this year. The Congress, which won 17 seats in the recently-held Assembly elections, failed to form the government despite having a numerical advantage over the BJP. While the Congress was busy in deciding their leader, the BJP forged an alliance with the Goa Forward Party, the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Paksha (MGP) and independents, and formed the government under Manohar Parrikar. New Delhi: A Congress leader, who recently courted controversy after he referred to Rahul Gandhi as Pappu, in a Whatsapp post, resigned from the party on Wednesday. In the resignation letter submitted to party president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday morning, former Meerut Congress district president Vinay Pradhan alleged that he wasn't given fair hearing before being stripped off all party posts. Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Pradhan claimed that the Whatsapp post was, in fact, in praise of the party's vice-president "for putting the interest of the nation before his own and not joining hands with Adani, Ambani, and Mallya". "By taking action against me, Rahul Gandhi has proven that he is indeed pappu who cannot understand that the words I had said were in his praise. Now my political career has been cut short," said Pradhan. A bitter Pradhan said he felt "cheated" by the Congress party, which he claimed to have served for 22 long years. In his diatribe against the Congress, Pradhan said there was "growing sycophancy" in the party, and held the Congress vice-president responsible for the party's recent poll upsets. "Rahul Gandhi is surrounded by a bunch of sycophants who are responsible for reducing the Congress to the status of an 'also-ran' party. "The Congress is losing its relevance and going by Pappu's current track record, there is no reason to believe that the party will win any election in future," he said. While Pradhan claims he meant to praise Rahul, his choice of the word pappu, a favoured term of Rahul Gandhi's detractors - backfired, and Pradhan was promptly removed from all posts, elected and nominated, within hours after the message was circulated on a Whatsapp group of the party. Chicago Dyke March & Women Asked To Leave It Offer Different Accounts Of Conflict Over Star Of David Pride Flags By Rachel Cromidas in News on Jun 27, 2017 10:05PM Dyke March 2017, Photo by Tyler LaRiviere/Chicagoist With the controversy over Chicago Dyke March organizers' decision to eject two women carrying rainbow pride flags with Stars of David from the Saturday afternoon rally reaching a national audience, Chicago Dyke March Collective released a new statement on what happened Tuesday afternoon, with a longer explanation for why the women were told to leave. Dyke March previously released a statement saying the women were asked to leave because the women "repeatedly expressed support for Zionism" (a controversial Israeli political ideology) "during conversations with Chicago Dyke March Collective members." Dyke March organizer Iliana Figueroa also told Chicagoist on Sunday afternoon that the women were asked to leave because their flags symbolized a threat (whether inadvertent or intentional) to Palestinians for some people at the march. In this new statement, Dyke March organizers say the women were ejected because they expressed "Zionist views that go directly against the marchs anti-racist core values"in particular, by changing the wording of pro-Palestine chants during the march. The statement also shows that one of the women had texted with an organizer before the event to ask whether her flag would be welcome there, and she was told it would be: The group in question was heard disrupting chants, replacing the word Palestine with everywhere, saying: From everywhere to Mexico, border walls have got to go. One of the individuals, Laurel Grauer, is the Regional Director of A Wider Bridge, an organization with ties to the Israeli government that was protested for pinkwashing at the Creating Change Conference in Chicago in 2016. It was later revealed that Laurel was aware of Dyke Marchs anti-Zionist position from pro-Palestine memes and art that were posted on the Dyke March page, and was also aware of the fact that her flag could be interpreted as being at odds with that position. The night before, she contacted an organizer to ask if her flag would be protested. The organizer told her the flag was welcome, but reminded her that the space is one that supports Palestinian rights. The statement also links to a video interview in which a man says he witnessed the women changing chants and behaving disrespectfully. The video also explains the Dyke March Collective's stance on Zionism, a controversial political ideology that some people believe advocates violent oppression, and others says has actually been misrepresented and distorted in the wake of the Dyke March controversy. The two women ejected from the post-Dyke March rally, Eleanor Shoshany Anderson and Laurie Grauer, told Chicagoist on Tuesday afternoon that the Dyke March Collective's statement is inaccurate. They never changed the language of chants during the march, they said. If they were unsure about participating in a chant, they simply remained silent, they said. "That never happened," Grauer said, in response to the claim about her disrupting or changing marching chants. "I would never do that. I understand when you're in a social action or march that there are many things they're standing for, and I agree with a lot. So for the chants I agreed with, I chanted, and for those I didn't, I still marched, and I remained respectfully silent." Grauer and Shoshany Anderson also dispute the claim that they were marching as a group. They said they separated numerous times during the march and were not together during much of the march's collective chanting. They also reiterated that Dyke March organizers told them to leave specifically because they refused to fold up their pride flags. "I didn't change any chants," Shoshany Anderson said. "I purposely stayed away from chanting just to avoid embroiling myself in some confrontation like this." And that's not the reason she was asked to leave, she added. "The chants were not something anyone talked about while they were kicking us out. They very specifically said we could furl the flags, or leave. what they are writing is just plain inaccurate. They were very, very clear that the problem was the Star of David and the choice was to furl the flag, or to leave... Anyone who was there can tell you that our flag was the sticking point, the focal point of everything." Shoshany Anderson also said that she did not discuss Zionism with anyone at the march or rally. In our phone call, she did however note that she believes the Dyke March Collective's statement that Zionism is an "inherently white-supremacist ideology" is wrong. "There's an ignorance about the nuances of the history behind all of this," she said. Chicagoist has reached out to the Dyke March Collective for a response, and will update this post whenever possible. The full statement from Dyke March reads: On June 24th, 2017, a small group of individuals were asked to leave Chicago Dyke March for expressing Zionist views that go directly against the marchs anti-racist core values. In the days following, articles have appeared in a number of major news outlets that put forward false reports based on testimony that is purposefully misleading. We wish to clarify the circumstances under which organizers and community members alike asked the group to leave. The group in question was heard disrupting chants, replacing the word Palestine with everywhere, saying: From everywhere to Mexico, border walls have got to go. One of the individuals, Laurel Grauer, is the Regional Director of A Wider Bridge, an organization with ties to the Israeli government that was protested for pinkwashing at the Creating Change Conference in Chicago in 2016. It was later revealed that Laurel was aware of Dyke Marchs anti-Zionist position from pro-Palestine memes and art that were posted on the Dyke March page, and was also aware of the fact that her flag could be interpreted as being at odds with that position. The night before, she contacted an organizer to ask if her flag would be protested. The organizer told her the flag was welcome, but reminded her that the space is one that supports Palestinian rights. (Screenshot of text messages sent from Laurel Grauer to CDMC organizer the night before Dyke March) Upon arrival at the rally location in Piotrowski Park, Palestinian marchers approached those carrying the flags to learn more about their intentions, due to its similarity to the Israeli flag and the flags long history of use in Pinkwashing efforts. During the conversation, the individuals asserted their Zionist stance and support for Israel. At this point, Jewish allies and Dyke March organizers stepped in to help explain why Zionism was unacceptable at the march. There was an earnest attempt at engagement with these marchers, and the decision to ask them to leave was not made abruptly nor arbitrarily. Throughout a two-hour conversation, the individuals were told that the march was explicitly anti-Zionist, and that if they were not okay with that, they should leave. Zionism is an inherently white-supremacist ideology. It is based on the premise that Jewish people have a God-given entitlement to the lands of historic Palestine and the surrounding areas. This ideology has been used to justify dozens of laws that discriminate against Palestinian citizens of Israel, segregated road systems in the West Bank, and forced removal of Palestinian families from their homes in order to make way for Jewish-only housing, among other violent and discriminatory practices. We recognize that Zionism is not synonymous with Judaism, but instead represents an ideology that uses legacies of Jewish struggle to justify violence. Chicago Dyke March Collective is a grassroots mobilization and celebration of dyke, queer, bisexual, and transgender resilience. Our priority is to ensure a safer space for those who are most marginalized. We welcome and include people of all identities, but not all ideologies. We believe in creating a space free from oppression, and that involves rejecting racist ideologies that support state violence. We welcome the support we have received from Jewish allies and marchers who are as invested in liberation as we are. The threats that have been made to Chicago Dyke March and its organizers by Zionists worldwide does not even compare to the violence that Palestinians endure on a daily basis while living under Israeli military rule in the name of Zionism. Palestine is being occupied by Israeli military forces, and at the time of writing, Gaza is currently being bombed. This is what we as a collective are most concerned with. Palestinians deserve to live free from violence, and Dyke March will continue to fight for Palestinians alongside all other oppressed communities around the world. Dyke March has received statements of solidarity from several local organizations, including Jewish Voice for Peace - Chicago, Black and Pink Chicago and Fed Up Fest Chicago. Statements of opposition have also been released by several organizations, including a Change.org petition from A Wider Bridge, the Israeli LGBTQ organization where Grauer works as a regional manager. The petition, which calls for an apology from Dyke March, has over 6,400 signatures. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday urged bank officials to not issue any notice or take action against farmers benefiting from the crop loan waiver scheme. His remarks came after reports that some farmers in the state were allegedly issued bank notices despite being beneficiaries of the loan waiver scheme. Adityanath, addressing bank officials at a special state-level bankers committee meet, said the crop-loan waiver scheme will be successful only when the state government is able to ensure that relief reaches the bank accounts of every small and marginal farmer. "The development of 22 crore population of the state is directly linked to the development of villages. For holistic development of the state, co-operation of banks is needed to run welfare-centric programmes for the rural populace. This will also ensure that economic and social condition of the farmers, poor and those living in villages improve," he said. Observing that 78 percent of Uttar Pradesh's population resides in its villages, Adityanath said that 93 percent of the farmers of the state fall in the small and marginal category. "This makes it clear that the economy of the state is largely dependent on the small and marginal farmers. In the past few years, it is these farmers who have been forced to bear the brunt of natural calamities. In these circumstances, there are strong possibilities that the farmers will fall into trap of money lenders," he said. Adityanath lamented that bank branches in the state are few in number. At present in the state, there are 16,583 bank branches, of which 8,176 are in rural areas. "The population-bank proportion in Uttar Pradesh is 12,000 people per bank, while the all India average is 9,000. As far as the population-bank proportion of rural areas is concerned, the state average is nearly 21,000, while the pan-India average is 17,400," he said. The chief minister also observed that in order to boost digital payments and ensure that banking services reach the lowest strata of society, it is important to open more bank branches in rural areas. He cited an RBI order in this regard, and promised that the state government will extend all possible help. "The Uttar Pradesh government is sensitive to the safety and security of banks and bankers," he said. Adityanath also said that for development of eastern region of the state, a concrete workplan should be made and more loans should be given to those who approach the bank. Beijing: China on Monday virtually accused India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to China's efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We don't want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. At a regular foreign ministry briefing, Lu also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate" and asserted that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. "Donglang is part of China's territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesn't belong to Bhutan," Lu said. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesn't belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have a complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chicken's Neck. Donglang is under China's control. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. New Delhi: Bhutan on Wednesday said it has issued a demarche to China over the construction of a road towards its army camp in Zomplri area of Doklam and asked Beijing to restore status quo by stopping the work immediately. The demarche by Bhutan comes amidst the ongoing face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam (also known as Donglang) area of the Sikkim sector. "We have issued a demarche to China through its diplomatic mission. Recently, the Chinese army (People's Liberation Army) started construction of a road towards Bhutanese Army camp at Zomphlri in Doklam area which is in violation of an agreement between the two countries," Ambassador of Bhutan to India Vetsop Namgyel told PTI. "Doklam is a disputed territory and Bhutan has a written agreement with China that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, peace and tranquillity should be maintained in the area," said Namgyel. The Bhutanese envoy also asserted that under the agreement, both Bhutan and China should refrain from unilaterally changing the status quo. "We have asked China to stop the road construction," he said. Meanwhile, China on Wednesday virtually accused India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to China's efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. China had on Tuesday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. Brasilia: Brazil's President Michel Temer defiantly rejected a bribery charge against him as a "soap opera" on Tuesday, saying there is no proof and vowing to fight on. "The charge is a fiction," Temer said in his first public reaction since the country's top prosecutor, Rodrigo Janot, filed the corruption charge with the Supreme Court late on Monday. "Where is the concrete proof of my receiving this money?" Temer asked as he made a nationally televised statement at the presidential palace in Brasilia. Temer attacked Janot for creating "a soap opera plot" that sought to "paralyze" Latin America's biggest country as it tries to exit a painful recession. "I will not allow myself to be accused of crimes that I did not commit. My intention is to work for Brazil. I will not shirk the battles," he said. Temer, the first sitting president of Brazil to face criminal charges, is accused of accepting bribes from a giant meatpacking company. He is also under investigation for obstruction of justice and belonging to a criminal organisation. If the lower house of Congress votes by a two-thirds majority to accept the charge, the center-right president would be suspended for 180 days and face trial in the Supreme Court. However, Temer's aides say they are confident he has sufficient support in the scandal-plagued Congress where dozens of lawmakers have been caught up in the same sweeping graft probe to get the charge thrown out. A source in the presidency, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the task of securing at least one-third of the votes in the lower house would not be "the end of the world." Janot responded to Temer's statement, insisting "there is masses of evidence... leaving no doubt about the substance or the authorship of the crime of passive corruption." Unpopular but resistant Many regular Brazilians say they are losing faith in all their politicians. Temer's latest approval ratings are just seven percent, lower even than his leftist predecessor Dilma Rousseff, whom he replaced last year when she was impeached and removed from office by his congressional allies for the relatively technical fault of breaking budgetary rules. "Of course you could switch the political class with other people but the most corrupt ones in this whole affair would probably escape unharmed," said Nicolas Crapez, 34, on his way to work at the state government in Rio de Janeiro. But with the public so far failing to exert pressure in the streets, as happened during mass demonstrations against Rousseff, Congress may prefer to keep its head down. Many lawmakers are themselves facing corruption investigations. Also, there is no agreement on a corruption-free consensus candidate who could fill Temer's shoes until scheduled elections in October 2018 if he were removed. Still, Janot appears intent on denying Temer an opportunity to clear his name quickly, since the bribery charge is likely to be followed separately by others -- each one going to the lower house of Congress for a vote. Public anger at Temer could eventually intensify. One of his strongest comments Tuesday, stating "I don't know how God put me here," immediately came in for withering mockery on social media, with memes juxtaposing the words alongside comic photos such as a cow stuck on a telegraph pole. Cash and secret tape The bribery charge is linked to the arrest of a close former presidential aide caught carrying a suitcase stuffed with 500,000 reais (about $150,000) in cash that prosecutors say was part of payments from JBS meatpacking executives to Temer. Temer acted "in violation of his duties to the state and to society," Janot said, citing "abundant" proof of bribe taking. Temer says that his former aide was acting independently and that there is nothing to link him to the suitcase. The aide is in detention facing corruption charges, but has so far refused to cooperate with prosecutors. Meanwhile, the obstruction of justice investigation accuses Temer of approving a plan with Joesley Batista, owner of JBS parent company J&F, to pay hush money to a politician jailed for corruption. Batista secretly recorded Temer allegedly discussing the hush money and gave the recording to prosecutors in a plea bargain to secure leniency in his own corruption case. Mesetas(Colombia): Colombia's leftist FARC rebel force has declared its disarmament complete after half a century of war against the state, bringing an end to Latin America's oldest armed guerrilla force. "Farewell to war. Farewell to arms, welcome to peace!" said commander Rodrigo Londono, alias Timochenko, in a speech in the central town of Mesetas on Tuesday, the group's historic base. The move is a key part of efforts to end the territorial and ideological conflict under a 2016 peace accord. The accord was narrowly rejected by Colombians in a referendum last year before it was redrafted and pushed through Congress. Since then, the process has been blighted by ongoing violence involving other armed groups. United Nations monitors said on Monday that they "have the entirety of the FARC's registered individual arms stored away." That excluded some arms that were exempted for transitional security at rebel demobilization camps until 1 August. Separately, the UN mission is destroying other weapons and munitions stashed in remote hiding places. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said "our peace is real and irreversible." "The laying down of arms is a symbol of the new country that we can be," he said in a speech following Timochenko's. The former fighters are now due to make the transition into civilian life. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) aims to transform into a political party after a congress in August. Critics such as conservative political leader Alvaro Uribe said the peace accord was too lenient on FARC members. Those accused of crimes in the conflict will be tried by special courts and some will get amnesties or reduced sentences. The FARC has complained of delays in setting up the courts system to try some 3,400 of its members who it says are in jail. "It is terrible that many of the guerrillas, militia members, supporters or those accused of belonging to our ranks are still in prison six months after the amnesty and pardon law was passed," Timochenko said. The FARC launched its uprising in 1964 to fight for land rights and protection for poor rural communities. The conflict drew in leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitary groups and state forces. It has left 260,000 people confirmed dead, more than 60,000 missing and seven million displaced. The FARC has pledged to use its assets to compensate victims. The accord promises land and credit lines for rural communities, with millions of dollars of investment. "It marks the end of the main guerrilla group in the western hemisphere," said Jorge Restrepo, director of the conflict analysis center CERAC. "It marks the beginning of the post-conflict period...and of a difficult process of reconciliation in the country." Santos says he wants to seal a "complete peace" by reaching a deal with the country's last active rebel group, the 1,500-member leftist National Liberation Army (ELN). The ELN started talks with the government in February, but has been blamed for ongoing confrontations with state forces and kidnappings. Officials say remnants of right-wing paramilitary groups are also fighting the ELN for control of the drug trade. Three women were killed at a shopping center in Bogota on 17 June, in a bombing blamed on a fringe extremist group. Norway, a sponsor of the peace process, cautiously welcomed the disarmament. "It is very rare for a guerrilla force to give up its arms and prepare for a transition to civilian life," said Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende in a statement. "But even if the arms have been laid down, much remains to be done before we can be sure that the peace process has led to a durable peace." British prime minister Theresa May struck a deal on Monday to prop up her minority government by agreeing to at least 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) in extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for the support of the province's biggest Protestant party. After over two weeks of talks and turmoil sparked by May's failure to win a majority in a 8 June snap election, she now has the parliamentary numbers to pass a budget and a better chance of passing laws to take Britain out of the European Union. May and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster presided at the signing of a three-page so-called "confidence and supply" deal that is some way short of a more formal coalition agreement. "I welcome this agreement, which will enable us to work together in the interest of the whole United Kingdom, give us the certainty we require as we embark on our departure from the European Union, and help us build a stronger and fairer society at home," May said in a statement. Major takeaways on the deal - DUP's 10 lawmakers will now vote in support of May's 318 Conservatives in the 650-seat parliament on the budget, legislative agenda, motions of confidence and Brexit. - May agreed to at least 1 billion pound ($1.3 billion) in extra funding over two years for Northern Ireland, agreeing to raise pensions annually by at least 2.5 percent and to keep universal winter fuel payments for the elderly. According to a report in Politico, Northern Ireland is set to receive more cash for roads, hospitals and other infrastructure projects. Corporation tax could be devolved to the Belfast legislature, and money made available for broadband, education and agriculture. - Though the deal will most likely benefit Northern Ireland by virtue of the close ties to Westminster, many have dismissed such claims as the critics argue that the deal negates or undermines the political cohesion in the country. - As per the agreement, both parties have expressed their desire to restore devolution in Belfast. Since Northern Irelands power-sharing administration collapsed, there has been no devolved government there. Who are the DUP and why is the deal 'controversial'? A CNBC report notes that such a partnership is not unheard of in British politics. It states, "Indeed, in 2010 the Conservative party formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats to form a ruling majority. However, the proposed deal with the 10-seat regional party, fifth-largest in the UK, has provoked particular consternation, with critics suggesting that it could undermine British democracy and threaten to disrupt the hard-fought Northern Ireland peace process." So, just why is the deal so controversial? Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party has caused alarm in some circles over its incendiary views and virulent past. The self-styled "Christian fundamentalist" party has softened its fiery anti-Catholicism and other harsh stances over the years it no longer calls for padlocking children's playgrounds and closing cafes and bars on Sundays. But the party that in 1977 launched the "Save Ulster (Northern Ireland) from Sodomy" campaign still holds tight to what critics call its puritanical views, particularly on social issues such as abortion and sexual equality. And its negotiations with May's government had prompted warnings in the Republic of Ireland of a disrupted balance of power in Belfast that could, in turn, upset a delicate peace struck after decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. In mainland Britain, protests have erupted over the DUPs opposition to gay marriage and abortion, as well as many senior members' support for teaching creationism, and a history of links to paramilitaries who fought Catholic nationalists during the Troubles. 'Deal weakens United Kingdom' Leaders of Scotland and Wales accused May of weakening the ties of the United Kingdom by "throwing money" at a Northern Irish party to prop up her minority government. Scotland's leader denounced as "grubby" the deal between May and the Democratic Unionist Party that will free 1 billion pounds in extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for the parliamentary support of the DUP, the British province's biggest Protestant party. While some in May's Conservative Party are unhappy at Monday's DUP deal, fearing it could imperil the 1998 peace settlement between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, leaders in Scotland and Wales asserted that it could compromise the make-up of the United Kingdom itself. "Today's deal represents a straight bung to keep a weak prime minister and a faltering government in office," said Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones of the Labour party. "It is outrageous that the prime minister believes she can secure her own political future by throwing money at Northern Ireland whilst completely ignoring the rest of the UK," he said. "(It) flies in the face of the commitment to build a more united country and further weakens the UK." Fragile peace in Northern Ireland While May negotiated the DUP deal, senior Conservatives such as ex-prime minister John Major raised concerns the deal risks pitching the province back into turmoil by convincing "hard men" on both sides of the sectarian divide to return to violence. The fear was that increasing the influence of pro-British unionists over the British government could create the perception that London was no longer an honest broker of the peace settlement reached in 1998. The US-brokered Good Friday agreement brought an end to three decades of violence in Northern Ireland that killed 3,600 people. Northern Ireland has been in crisis since Sinn Fein pulled out of its government in January, prompting an election in March and a series of missed deadlines to restore the compulsory coalition between Catholic nationalists and pro-British Protestant unionists. "I will be returning to Northern Ireland to continue our discussions as we attempt to re-establish the Northern Ireland Executive," Foster said. "Now more than ever, political leaders, both locally and nationally, need to work together to find solutions for all the people we serve." The latest deadline set by May's government for the parties in Northern Ireland to reach a deal is Thursday. Sinn Fein said the extra money for Northern Ireland would not in itself guarantee that power-sharing in the province would be restored by the new deadline. "Time is running short for the parties to come together and reach an agreement to re-establish power-sharing," May said. "Northern Ireland needs a functioning devolved government at this important time." With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to join his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on 14 July, French and US officials said Wednesday. Trump will attend the traditional military parade for France's national day on the Champs-Elysees avenue, where US soldiers will march alongside French troops to commemorate the centenary of America joining World War I, Macron's office said. The White House confirmed the visit. "Trump looks forward to reaffirming America's strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, and to commemorating the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I," his administration said. The two leaders, who sealed their first encounter last month in Brussels with a white-knuckle handshake, will "further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries," the White House added. The invitation from France's new 39-year-old president comes despite his public disagreement with Trump on climate change. When Trump announced his decision to pull the US out of the 2015 Paris climate accord Macron hit back with an English-language appeal to "make our planet great again" a riff on Trump's own promise to "make America great again". This year's Bastille Day parade comes 100 years after US troops landed in western France to help the Allied Powers to victory over Germany and its allies in World War I. Opposition to UK visit Trump's trip will follow a visit to France by Vladimir Putin in May when Macron hosted the Russian leader at the Versailles palace west of Paris. Macron will hope the invitation does not meet with the opposition that the prospect of Trump visiting Britain has faced. The invitation, extended by Prime Minister Theresa May when she visited the White House soon after Trump was sworn in, has been lambasted by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Khan, a Muslim who was criticised by Trump over his handling of this month's London Bridge terror attack, said "many British people disagree with many of Donald Trump's policies" and the visit should be scrapped. British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has echoed Khan's criticism of the invitation and has also called for the visit to be shelved. A date for the visit has not been set, but May's office say there is "no change" to the plans. Tehran: Iran says the US Supreme Court's decision to reinstate parts of a travel ban applied to six Muslim-majority countries is "racist" and "unfair". Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by state TV on Wednesday as saying it is "regrettable" that Washington "closes its eyes to the main perpetrators of terrorist acts in the US", without elaborating. The Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to forge ahead with a limited version of his ban on travelers from Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia. The justices will hear full arguments in October in the case. Critics say the ban is intended to meet Trump's campaign promise of keeping Muslims out of the country. The administration says the restrictions are needed to keep out terrorists while it tightens vetting procedures. BERLIN German federal police have warned parliamentarians they may have been spied on by Turkish intelligence and may also face potential security risks from Turkish nationalists, Die Welt newspaper reported on Wednesday.The report could further strain already frayed ties between Germany and Turkey, which are at loggerheads over a wide range of issues."The Federal Criminal Police Office carried out so-called 'security discussions' with several members of parliament in recent weeks," Die Welt reported. "The discussions reportedly centred on the possible surveillance of Turkish intelligence and security risks posed by Turkish nationalists."The Federal Criminal Police Office was not immediately available to comment on the report. Germany's chief federal prosecutor in January launched an investigation into possible spying by clerics sent to Germany by the Turkish government, and in March opened a second, unrelated probe into suspected espionage.At the time, German media reports said the Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT) was suspected of spying on supporters of U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of organising a failed coup last July. Ties between Germany and Turkey have been strained for more than a year over issues including the German parliament's approval of a resolution classifying the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces as a genocide; Berlin's criticism of a domestic security crackdown after the July coup; and Turkey's jailing of a German-Turkish journalist.Germany's parliament this month approved the planned withdrawal of troops from the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey after Ankara's refusal to allow German lawmakers access to German soldiers there.Turkey has also accused some German lawmakers of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), a charge they reject. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Doha: Qatar on Wednesday denounced Saudi Arabia for its refusal to negotiate the demands presented by Riyadh and three allies to end the diplomatic row with the emirate. Qatar foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani said the stance was "contrary to the principles" of international relations and said the Saudi position was "unacceptable", BBC reported.He was speaking from Washington where he met US secretary of state Rex Tillerson on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain all cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar on 5 June, after officially accusing it of "sponsoring terrorism".Later, Qatar was presented with a list of 13 demands that the Saudi foreign minister on Tuesday called "non-negotiable". The restrictions have caused turmoil in Qatar, an oil and gas-rich nation that is dependent on imports to meet the basic needs of its population of 2.7 million. The four nations asked Qatar to severe ties with Iran, close down Al Jazeera, a media network that has reportedly been critical of the monarchy in Saudi Arabia. These countries also want Doha to shut a Turkish military base and pay up "compensation" for "damages" from purported terror sponsorship. Qatar was given 10 days, as of 23 June, to meet those demands. The UAE ambassador to Russia, meanwhile, told the Guardian newspaper that the Gulf states were considering fresh economic sanctions on Qatar. "One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice," Omar Ghobash said. "If Qatar was not willing to accept the demands, it is a case of 'Goodbye Qatar'. We do not need you in our tent any more," he said. The UAE said Qatar should take the demands of its neighbours seriously or face "divorce" from them."The hour of truth is near," UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on his Twitter account. "It's time for our brother (Qatar) to choose... honesty and transparency and to realise that media furore and ideological heroism are illusions." Known as one of the most important sideline events of the BRICS Summit, the 2nd BRICS Film Festival has now concluded in Chengdu. The 2nd BRICS Film Festival closed with a five-country co-production winning the Artistic Merit Award. Film makers and actors from five BRICS countries celebrate the premiere of the first BRICS co-production, Where Has Time Gone? in Chengdu, China on June 23rd, 2017. Chinese director Jia Zhangke (Third from left) has teamed up with four established directors from Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa to make a movie, which is scheduled to be released in September this year. [Photo: China Plus] "Where Has Time Gone?" premiered during the festival. It's an anthology of five short stories made by filmmakers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Each short film showcases a different understanding on the subject of time. Jury president Xie Fei explains why the movie is worthing of the festival's top award. "This movie is a fine example of our endeavor in promoting the cultural exchange and consolidating public support for cooperation among BRICS countries. It also brings diversity to the world cinema. " The celebration of diversity is definitely the norm for this year's BRICS Film Festival. Two films were honoured with the Jury Special Award: "The Second Mother" from Brazil and "Ayanda and the Mechanic " from South Africa. Another Brazilian drama "Nise: The Madness of Heart" was named Best Film; Russian filmmakers Kim Druzhinin and Andrey shalopa were crowned Best Director; Indian actor Alok Rajwade took home the trophy for Best Actor. Indian delegates pose for picture during the 2nd BRICS Film Festival in Chengdu, China on June 23rd, 2017. [Photo: China Plus/Zhang Jie] Zhou Dongyu received the Best Actress award for her performance in the romantic drama "July and Ansheng", She said she was impressed by the opportunity that the 2nd BRICS Film Festival offered since it served as a platform for industry insiders from various cultures to exchange ideas. "I think different cultures share the same language through movies." The statistics have proved her point. Wu Yan is the operations manager from the UA Cinemas, one of the film festival venues. "Attendance levels in our cinema reached 73.3% during the BRICS Film Festival, which breaks the record for any film screened in Chengdu. Usually, a film would screen at 20% to 50% of attendance. So 73% is quite impressive. Some films selected during this festival became so popular that the tickets were sold out." But screening movies from other countries is not enough. A South African delegate is posing for picture before the opening ceremony of the 2nd BRICS Film Festival in Chengdu, China on June 23rd, 2017. [Photo: China Plus/Zhang Jie] In order to deepen cooperation among BRICS member states, during the festival, delegations have also agreed to release a plan for film collaboration in the next five years and a talent development program. The 2nd BRICS Film Festival ran from June 23rd to June 27th. The next edition will be held in South Africa. Washington: Saudi Arabia has reiterated that its demands on Qatar are not negotiable, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with the Qatari foreign minister on the Gulf states crisis. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir, who was also in Washington Tuesday, was unyielding amid attempts by US and Kuwaiti diplomats to mediate the row which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said via Twitter. Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United States though has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable." Shortly after Jubeir's comments, Tillerson met with Qatar's top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He was to meet later with Kuwait foreign minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, who has sought to work resolve the standoff. State department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained "challenging" for Qatar. "Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to," she said. "We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on 5 June they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups: A claim Doha denies. They have also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. The move placed Washington uncomfortably in the middle, with its close economic and security ties with both sides. Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. The US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well. By Venus Wu | HONG KONG HONG KONG Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested pro-democracy protesters, some of whom scrambled up a monument symbolising the city's handover from British to Chinese rule, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive for the celebrations.Hong Kong marks the July 1, 1997, handover on Saturday, amid calls for democracy and fears of creeping influence of Communist Party leaders in Beijing undermining the "one country, two systems" formula under which it operates.The city is under lockdown, with a massive security presence expected for Xi's arrival on Friday.About 30 protesters, including student protest leader Joshua Wong, gathered at the six-metre "Forever Blooming Golden Bauhinia" statue on the Wanchai waterside, a gift to Hong Kong from China, in front of the Chinese national flag and hundreds of perplexed Chinese tourists.The sweet-smelling bauhinia is the official Hong Kong emblem. They unfurled a black banner demanding full democracy for the city and the unconditional release of Nobel Peace Prize winning activist Liu Xiaobo, who was recently diagnosed with terminal liver cancer."Democracy now. Free Liu Xiaobo," the protesters shouted. "We do not want Xi Jinping. We want Liu Xiaobo." Xi is due to arrive on Thursday afternoon and make a speech before joining celebrations to mark the handover on Saturday, when he will also swear in the citys next leader, Carrie Lam. Police said the demonstrators, including Wong who helped lead the 2014 "Occupy" street protests that blocked key streets for 79 days, were arrested for causing a public nuisance."We want to tell Xi Jinping that Hong Kong's prosperity is just a facade," Wong shouted into a microphone as he sat at the foot of the statue. "When democracy is not in sight, we need to take action to confront this system."Before the visit of Xi Jinping, it is time to urge the Chinese president, a hardliner, to release Liu Xiaobo."Four policemen carried Wong by all four limbs into a police van as he shouted: "Hong Kong people, don't give up. Protest on July 1!" Right next to the statue, staff were making preparations for the celebrations and lining up hundreds of chairs for guests to observe the flag-raising ceremony on Saturday.A couple of hundred Chinese tourists, gathered for the sunset flag-lowering ceremony, looked confused as they took photos of the protest before the area was cordoned off by the police.Many asked each other, "Who is Liu Xiaobo?""It will be the 20th anniversary of the handover. Foreigners will be watching. This is not good for the image of Hong Kong," said a 58-year-old tourist from the southern Hainan province who gave her surname as Fu.Tens of thousands are expected to join an annual pro-democracy demonstration on Saturday. (Reporting by Venus Wu; Editing by Nick Macfie) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The Hague: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a strong pitch for women's empowerment, saying he is working for a women-led development of India. "There is a government sitting in the Centre that is thinking about women-led development," Modi said while addressing a gathering of 3,000-strong diaspora at The Hague. Implying that it was paying dividends, he said that when the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana was launched aiming at people who did not have bank accounts, most of those who availed of it were women. "We created Mudra Yojana to promote entrepreneurship and turn job-seekers into job-creators," Modi said. "Around seven crore people have taken advantage of it and 70 percent of them are women." Stating that Parliament took a decision to extend maternity leave of working women to 26 weeks, he said: "It is an investment meant for the benefit of our future generations." He said that when the then US president Barack Obama came to attend the 2015 Republic Day parade in New Delhi as the chief guest, each of the three services giving the guard of honour was commanded by a woman. He said that women were starting to play a major role in India's security and mentioned that Indian women were now flying fighter aircraft. Referring to the launch of 104 satellites in one go, firing of the world's heaviest launch vehicle and GSLV MkIII-D1 earlier this month and the simultaneous launch of 30 nano-satellites last week, the Prime Minister said that three of the most prominent scientists working behind these projects were women. He said that more and more women were handling the education and health sectors in India and added that Olympic medals were being won by the country's daughters. "It is not just working for the development of India but working for a modern India," Modi underlined. In this regard, he said that India was targeting 175 GW of renewable energy to meet its energy needs. "Solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy it is these that will meet our energy needs," he stated. Modi also said that the target of providing electricity to 18,000 villages within 1,000 days was set to be met soon. "Under the Digital India mission, we are laying optical fibre network, so that those living in our villages can use mobile phones." Modi urged the Indian diaspora across the world to maintain their connections with their motherland. The Netherlands is home to around 220,000 people of Indian origin, many of whom are Surinami Hindustanis, descendants of Indians taken there in the 18th century to work as indentured labourers in sugarcane plantations in Suriname. He appreciated the Surinami Hindustanis for maintaining their Indian culture and traditions even after 150 years of their ancestors leaving the shores of India. "However heavy or big an iron ball is, it will roll away if one or two people will give it a strong push. But a tree with strong roots cannot be moved," said the prime minister. Madrid: Police on Wednesday arrested six suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group, four in Spain and one each in Britain and Germany, Spain's interior ministry said. A ministry statement said the man arrested in Britain was a Salafist imam who led the group and who was sought by several countries. The 44-year-old imam was detained in the city of Birmingham at Spain's request. The four arrests in Spain occurred in Mallorca, where the cell was allegedly based. Germany's dpa news agency said a 28-year-old Spanish citizen was detained in the western city of Dortmund as part of the operation. According to the prosecutors' office in nearby Hamm, the suspect, whose name was not released, was not known to authorities. Spain's interior ministry said the person arrested in Germany maintained contact with the cell and helped make propaganda videos. The suspect may be extradited to Spain. The prosecutor's office said it was not aware of any concrete attack plans. No details were immediately available on the names or nationalities of the other five. Police said investigations began in 2015 when they detected videos promoted by the imam that documented the recruitment, indoctrination and sending of a young Muslim resident of Spain to Syria. Around the same time, the imam was said to have visited the Spanish island of Mallorca to begin organizing the cell and to become its spiritual leader. It said the imam was known by European police to have been recruiting militants and seeking finance for Islamic State but that security measures he took and constant changes in address made his arrest difficult. The ministry said the cell held regular meetings to recruit new members and actively promoted IS armed activities on social media. It said its increasing radicalization and willingness to commit jihad attacks led police in the three countries to make the arrests. Spain says its police have been involved in the arrests of 178 suspected jihadis since the country raised its security alert to one step below the maximum in June 2015. Ivanka Trump, the daughter of and advisor to US president Donald Trump is all set to visit India this year, when she is expected to lead an US delegation to the eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), reported The Indian Express. The Global Entrepreneurship Summit is a personal initiative of former president Barack Obama to bring entrepreneurs from across the globe on one platform. The first GES was held in the US in 2010; thereafter it has been hosted by Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Morocco and Kenya. In 2016, Silicon Valley had hosted the summit. According to the report, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Ivanka to attend the summit, during his meeting with the US president on Monday. Ivanka had also taken to Twitter to thank Modi. Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for inviting me to lead the U.S. delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India this fall. pic.twitter.com/ZNwmTTnGYD Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 27, 2017 India was granted the opportunity to host the eighth edition of the event after Modi's June visit. The joint statement released after the visit had confirmed the news. Taking note of the Government of Indias "Startup India initiative launched in 2016 to foster greater entrepreneurship and innovation, the Sides committed to further collaboration between Indian and US startups, venture capitalists and other stakeholders. The Sides also look forward to co-hosting the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India, which will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, educators, government officials and business representatives from around the world, creating new opportunities for investments, partnerships and collaborations. To move forward on this engagement, the Sides signed a Statement of Intent to Co-Host GES 2017. However, the details of the summit have still to be finalised and a final decision will be taken by the Union Cabinet. Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has welcomed the declaration of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a "global terrorist" by the US. "The announcement to declare him (Salahuddin) a global terrorist has completely exposed Pakistan as a home, safe sanctuary and launching pad of top terrorists including Salahuddin," Singh said on Tuesday. Over the years, Pakistan has been giving shelter to terrorists including Salahuddin, Osama Bin Laden, Hafiz Saeed, Azhar Masood and Dawood Ibrahim, he said. The US had yesterday declared Salahuddin as a "global terrorist", dealing a major blow to Pakistan. In a notification, the US State Department has said Salahuddin, who hails from Kashmir and is based in Pakistan for the last 28 years, "has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism". "The US took the step against the militant group's 71-year-old head, whose original name is Mohammed Yusuf Shah, as he had vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir Valley into a graveyard for Indian forces," Singh said. "It is a welcome step. This announcement by the US is a big development as the world has now accepted that Pakistan has waged a proxy way by using its terror stooges like Salahuddin, Azhar Masood and Hafiz Saeed against India," he said. "Salahuddin is to us, what Osama was to US. He is involved in all types of terror attacks through his Hizbul outfit in Kashmir killing people and security persons for the past 27 years," he said. Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Pentagon chief Jim Mattis accused Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday of making international "mischief" and said America's commitment to NATO remains unwavering. Speaking to students in Germany to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan to rebuild a ravaged Europe after World War II, Mattis said Russia had chosen to challenge the "secure and peaceful" post-war order. The Russian people's "leader making mischief beyond Russian borders will not restore their fortunes or rekindle their hope," he said, in an apparent reference to the Ukraine conflict and Moscow's alleged meddling in the US electoral process. Mattis' visit to Germany is his fourth to Europe since becoming US defence secretary in January. Jittery European partners have looked to him for reassurance about America's international intentions after President Donald Trump on the campaign trail repeatedly questioned long-established alliances. Matters haven't improved much since Trump entered the White House, with his administration embroiled in a simmering scandal about alleged ties to Russia. The US president further stoked concerns when he visited NATO and the G7 summit in Europe last month, where he upbraided allies over their levels of military spending. Any message of reassurance his presence was intended to provide was overshadowed by images of the billionaire tycoon shoving his way past other leaders at the NATO summit in Brussels. But Mattis stressed that America and Trump should be judged by their actions. He pointed to continued US support through 2020 for NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence in the alliance's east to counter Russia. And he said Trump had requested a huge increase for the European Reassurance Initiative, up from $3.4 billion last year to $4.8 billion this year. "Beyond any words in the newspapers, you can judge America by such actions," Mattis said. He also pointed to Article 5, NATO's mutual defence guarantee, calling US commitment to the measure "iron-clad". Mattis is a former four-star Marine Corps general who fought with NATO and Western allies in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ganzhou, China: A worker with blood dripping from his head marked a low point in the tense, grinding life at a southeastern China factory used by Ivanka Trump and other fashion brands. An angry manager had hit him with the sharp end of a high-heeled shoe. Workers from the factory, including one current and two former employees who spoke to The Associated Press, reported overtime that stretched past midnight, steep production quotas and crude verbal abuse at Ganzhou Huajian International Shoe City Co. They said beatings were not unheard of, but the shoe attack, which all three say they witnessed last year, was violent enough to stand out. "He was bleeding right from the middle of the head," the current worker said. "There was a lot of blood. He went to the factory's nurse station, passing by me," said a second man, who said he quit his job at Huajian because of the long hours and low pay. The three workers are the first people with direct knowledge of conditions at the Ganzhou factory to speak with the media. All three spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution or arrest. Last month, three men investigating conditions at the Huajian Group factory in Ganzhou were detained, accused of illegally using secret recording devices to steal commercial secrets. They, like one of the three men The Associated Press spoke with, worked with China Labor Watch, a New York nonprofit that has been investigating Ivanka Trump's Chinese suppliers for more than a year. Li Qiang, founder of China Labor Watch, describes Huajian's Ganzhou factory as among the worst he has seen in nearly two decades investigating labor abuses. His group says pay can be as low as a dollar an hour, in violation of China's labor laws. According to China Labor Watch investigators, until recently, workers might get only two days off or less per month. China Labor Watch said the company forced workers to sign fake pay stubs with inflated salary numbers and threatened to fire workers if they didn't fill in questionnaires about working conditions with pre-approved answers. Workers also said the company pressured people not to speak with outsiders about conditions at the factory. In comments to the AP, the Huajian Group declined to respond to specific questions, but broadly denied all allegations, calling them "completely not true to the facts, taken out of context, exaggerated." The company said it operates lawfully and that China Labor Watch "invented so-called 'facts' by illegal means of buying undercover work, which has already affected the enterprise's normal business seriously and affected the survival and employment of tens of thousands of staff." The company noted its significant contribution to the economy and to society, particularly through its employment of disabled people. Before taking on an official role as adviser to her father, Ivanka Trump stepped back from day-to-day management of her brand, but she has retained her ownership interest. In Washington on Tuesday, she spoke at a ceremony unveiling the annual US Trafficking in Persons Report, in which China was demoted to the lowest ranking over its human trafficking record. She said the report is "clarion call into action in defense of the vulnerable and the exploited." She has not commented, however, on the detentions or the reports of poor working conditions at one of her brand's suppliers. Her spokeswoman declined to comment for this story. Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, said "the integrity of our supply chain is a top priority and we take all allegations very seriously." The company says its products have not been made in the factory since March, but China Labor Watch said it had an April production schedule indicating that nearly 1,000 pairs of Ivanka Trump shoes were due in May. In the past, some brands have used China Labor Watch's reports as a tool to help keep their supply chains clean. Walt Disney Co., for example, investigated and ultimately decided to sever its relationship with at least one supplier following reports of poor conditions, and sought to improve labor practices at others. China Labor Watch outlined its findings in letters sent in June to Ivanka Trump at the White House and to other brands. So far, the group says it has gotten no response. The group said it also sent Ivanka Trump a video taken inside the factory in May. That video included a clip in which a manager threatened to rough up a worker who had apparently arranged shoes in the wrong order. "If I see them f---ing messed up again," the manager yells, "I'll beat you right here." The video has not been released to the public, but it was shown to AP at China Labor Watch's office in New York. Marc Fisher, which has made shoes for Ivanka Trump and Easy Spirit at the Ganzhou factory, has said it would look into the allegations. G-III Apparel Group, which produces shoes for Karl Lagerfeld, said it had not received a letter but "fully supports the independent monitoring of global supply chains." "When workplace safety and fairness issues are brought to our attention, we take them very seriously and work with our partners to resolve them," G-III spokesman Chris Giglio said in an email. Ann Taylor spokesman Shawn Buchanan also said the company takes the allegations "very seriously" and is "actively conducting an investigation to assess this facility's compliance with our code of conduct and applicable laws and regulations." The Kendall & Kyle brand said its "footwear manufacturer works with many footwear production factories and all factories are required to operate within strict social compliance regulations." Other brands identified by China Labor Watch as customers of the Ganzhou factory include Nine West, Naturalizer and the Camuto Group, which makes shoes for BCBG Max Azria, Jessica Simpson and Tory Burch. None responded to requests for comment. The current Huajian employee who spoke to the AP said life at the factory has changed since the arrests of the three investigators brought the glare of public attention. Overtime was radically reduced this month, he said. Shifts used to run from 7:10 am until after 9 pm or 10 pm, and sometimes after midnight, with two daily breaks, he and a former employee both said. But for the last few weeks, workers have been released before 7 pm. They're also starting to get every Sunday off, which is standard under Chinese labor law, said the current employee, who also moonlights for China Labor Watch. City government officials turned up recently, he said, and the factory gave everyone an egg to eat in the middle of their afternoon shift. Life inside Ganzhou Huajian is focused on a single number: the monthly quota of shoes that must be produced, according to China Labor Watch investigators and workers. A single production line of 50 workers may need to produce close to 30,000 pairs of shoes, depending on seasonal demand, the current employee and one former employee told AP. Those who miss their targets do not collect the full salary, said the current employee. "It is impossible to meet the target, actually, because it just keeps on going up," the former employee said. The new abbreviated working hours are a mixed blessing, the current employee said, because they haven't been able to meet production targets. Huajian, meanwhile, has been moving production to Ethiopia, where workers make around $100 a month, a fraction of what they pay in China, according to Song Yiping, a manager at Huajian's Ethiopian factory, who spoke to the AP in January. He said he's heard President Trump talk about bringing jobs back to America, but he doubts that will happen with shoes. Even Chinese vocational school dropouts don't want to work for Ethiopian wages. "The American clients push down the price," Song explained. "Consumers want to buy cheaper shoes." So the Narendra Modi-Donald Trump joint statement has been read and the nuances and body language debated in the media. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-awaited US visit is now behind us, and different factions are claiming victory or defeat. Afghanistan and terrorism were among the many issues touched upon by both sides, particularly the Indian delegation. The joint statement also, much to the pleasure of both sides, delivered a stinging rebuke to Pakistan. The statement told Pakistan to refrain from hosting terrorists, which appeared to elevate Indias diplomatic position on terrorism vis-a-vis Kashmir. However, even as Modi and Trump were breaking bread, another notable event took place closer to home. On 26 June, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang announced that Beijing would conduct shuttle diplomacy between Afghanistan and Pakistan. This was the result of foreign minister Wang Yi visiting both countries. The announcement included several interesting points, including a mechanism to manage crises that stressed intelligence and operational cooperation and a mechanism to set up the meetings of Chinese, Afghanistan and Pakistan foreign ministers, presumably to enable this shuttling to take place. The statement also backed the Quadrilateral Coordination Group made up of China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States with the specific intention of bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table and into the peace process. Further flying the peace flag, the statement called for a revival of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) contact group with Afghanistan, presumably to include Russian interests. That China is the reigning SCO power is a separate issue. As an added palliative to Afghanistan, the statement also backed The Kabul Process, President's Ashraf Ghani's pet project. On one level, Beijing is simply acknowledging the confusing mix of powers that have influence in Afghanistan and have a role to play. Russia, which has been in and out of Afghanistan, had been, for years, cooperating with the United States in eliminating Al-Qaeda leaders. However, since 2015 there has been a sea change. Russian presidential envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov reportedly stated that Russia and the Afghan Talibans interests objectively coincide due to the formation of the Islamic State. Since then, Russian officials have admitted to meeting with Taliban leaders while Afghan intelligence officials have been quoted as saying that such meetings occurred in Moscow and Tajikistan. The Russians also reportedly frequently visit Kunduz province which abuts Tajikistan, a strong Russian ally. Still others allege that some of these meetings have taken place in Iran. Whatever the truth, the fact remains: Russian president Vladimir Putin has held four multinational meetings on Afghanistan. This showcases that Russia is once again a major player in Afghanistan and has positioned itself directly against US interests. Why Russia is negotiating with the Taliban is not entirely clear. It could be alarmed by the Islamic State's growing influence in Afghanistan it calls itself the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) which it sees, correctly, as a threat. The Islamic State in Syria, with its several hundred Chechens and Uzbeks, has Moscow squarely in its sights. Recently, there have been reports of the Islamic State expanding its presence in the north Afghanistan, towards Jowzian. Meanwhile, according to Al Jazeera's Afghan sources, "thousands" of Islamic State cadres have moved to Afghanistan. While some movement cannot be ruled out, there has been no indication that the group has more than 3,000 cadres. And this was before the US bombed their Nangarhar base using the Mother Of All Bombs. So a Russian finger in the Afghan pie is probably the precursor to a large Russian fist making its presence felt in its old sphere of influence. But given Russias continuing economic woes its GDP is below India's it is unlikely to be able to sustain its Afghanistan venture. Analysts are already predicting the advent of a New Cold War as Russia and US continue to be at loggerheads, exacerbated after the proxy bombing in Syria. In Afghanistan, the New Cold War has seen the United States eschewing Russian equipment while rearming the Afghan National Army. Russian interference is also likely to smoothen the way for the US-China cooperation, at least on this issue. Although China's links to the Taliban go back to the 90s, it has no Cold War lineage in this theatre of war. It does, however have an economic interest. Afghanistan lies smack dab in the way of the Dragon's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While China may not be the lynchpin that some claim, Afghanistans importance is apparent from rising Chinese economic aid, which, despite being small change relative to the size of BRI, has been quickly ramped up from a few million dollars to a pledge of more than $300 million. The now standard housing projects are apparent in Kabul, while about 3,000 Afghans have been sent to Beijing for training. Most importantly, it announced the first train linking Hairatan in northern Afghanistan to China. While China used the existing rail links of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, it nonetheless counts as an achievement. Beijing has also, for the first time, offered Afghanistan security assistance and there have been talks of patrolling the Pamir area together. China has also offered to provide $85 million for a mountain brigade for Badakshan. The Dragon could do far more for Afghanistan and it is this promise and "persuasion" that it is expected to exert on Pakistan that attracted the attention of the Kabul presidential palace. On the other side is long time player Iran, which remains suspicious not just of the United States which retains facilities on the Afghan-Iran border but also of the Saudis, who have long had an active hand in Kabul while simultaneously engaging with Pakistan. Taliban heads such as Motasem Agha Jan traveled to Riyadh at least thrice a year to collect funds for the terrorists' coffers. While the Saudis denied that they provided such funds, a leaked 2014 telegram from former secretary of state Hilary Clinton stated that this funding was fallout of the fight between the Saudis and Qatar for influence in the Sunni world. Given the ongoing Gulf diplomatic crisis, this is an action replay of the worst kind. Saudi Arabia has long resented the role that Qatar played in hosting the Taliban office and its role in negotiations. Meanwhile, Iran, which once lined up with Russia and India against the Taliban, did a spectacular somersault by hosting Taliban leaders including its then chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour who was later killed in a US drone strike and has been using its considerable clout with the Taliban to expand its influence. With the Obama administrations policy up in smoke, Tehran is hardly likely to cooperate with the US in reigning in the Taliban. So at what price our position on Afghanistan and more importantly, Pakistan the central spider in the web? With Iran and Russia finding common ground with China, it would seem that India has already been edged out from influence in Afghanistan. This particularly when the US is also encouraging Afghanistan and Pakistan to cooperate in areas very similar to what China has set. However, Indias position has never been wishing away geography. Afghanistan and Pakistan are neighbours. They have to sink or swim together. That we would rather see Islamabad sink into its own terrorist swamp is a separate issue. At the moment, we are seen by Afghans as a country that has been loyal to Kabul through good times and bad. Most of all, our aid, which must be ramped up, is being channelled for stability. Hopefully, it will push connectivity in the future. That counts for something. Especially since US drone strikes continue to hit Pakistani territory, killing a Haqqani commander or two. The author is former director of the National Security Council Secretariat A few days before Narendra Modi's scheduled meeting with Donald Trump, Firstpost had posited that the maiden encounter could exceed conservative estimates and turn out to be a lot more fruitful. The assumption was based on a calculation that a leader whose strategic logic is impulsive and amorphous would be more amenable to suggestions during negotiations, and may display a greater risk-taking ability than a career politician, if he is swayed by personal chemistry. But following the meeting, Modi has managed to walk out with substantial gains, and India-US relationship far from being thrown into the throes of uncertainty now stands on firmer footing than ever. But first a brief look at how media analysts and policy wonks have interpreted the proceedings and subsequent statements issued by both countries (a joint statement available here, and a 'fact sheet' released by the White House here). Indrani Bagchi has written in The Times of India that 'India, US move closer on Pakistan than during Obama years'; Suhasini Haider notes in The Hindu 'Modi-Trump meeting exceeds expectations, and the language on Pakistan is the most direct yet'; The Indian Express calls the joint statement "different, sharp, direct"; while Chidanand Rajghatta writes from Washington in The Times Of India that "any doubts about US-India ties slackening" have been laid to rest and "Trump and Modi have committed to advancing a strong strategic relationship". Among policy wonks, Joshua White, professor at Washington-based Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, who has prior experience as part of Barack Obama's team to draft such joint statements, notes: The section on energy is surprisingly balanced. Very similar to Obama-Modi statements w/ addition of "clean coal" Joshua White (@joshuatwhite) June 27, 2017 Among Indian strategic thinkers, Dhruv Jaishankar, foreign policy fellow at Brookings India highlights the most obvious, solid takeaway: Let this sink in: India persuaded the U.S. to endorse India's position on China's One Belt, One Road at the highest level. #ModiTrumpMeet Dhruva Jaishankar (@d_jaishankar) June 27, 2017 Make no mistake, the thinly veiled focus on the China-sponsored Belt and Road Initiative and a complete approval of India's position is a more significant gain than the slapping of "global terrorist" label on Syed Salahuddin. One look at the language of the joint statement will reveal its remarkable similarity with the MEA press release where India clarified the reasons why it cannot participate in the OBOR Forum. In accordance with the tenets outlined in the UN Charter, they committed to a set of common principles for the (Indo-Pacific) region, according to which sovereignty and international law are respected and every country can prosper. To this end, the leaders: Reiterate the importance of respecting freedom of navigation, overflight, and commerce throughout the region; call upon all nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law; support bolstering regional economic connectivity through the transparent development of infrastructure and the use of responsible debt financing practices, while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law, and the environment; and call on other nations in the region to adhere to these principles. Now take at look at MEA's press note issued on 13 May when India announced the boycott: Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities; balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards; transparent assessment of project costs; and skill and technology transfer to help long term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities. Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the world of diplomacy and vision statements, where even a comma is pregnant with weight, such similarity of language is momentous. It is also to be noted that the relevant paragraph in the joint statement is titled 'Democratic Stalwarts in the Indo-Pacific Region', a reference to shared democratic values of both nations. These are no semantic accidents, but a coherent message to China that the US stands firmly in India's corner when it comes to enforcing a rules-based order in a strategically sensitive zone. The stress on "debt-financing" is equally significant. It marks the first time US and India have come out publicly against China's propensity to use debt-trap as a tool for neo-imperialism. China co-opts infrastructure-hungry countries within its sphere of influence with massive debt-funded projects that ultimately turn these nations into Beijing's client state. A clutch of nations are on the cusp of being colonised and the power balance in South Asia is in danger of being permanently altered. The ongoing OBOR project may further deepen the crisis, a fact that has alarmed critics as noted here, here and here. A clear reference to South China Sea is missing, and the statement instead confines itself to reiterating "the importance of respecting freedom of navigation, overflight, and commerce throughout the (Indian Ocean) region". This may be interpreted as a climbdown compared to the Obama-Modi era, where South China Sea found specific mention. Yet, the current declaration should be seen in conjunction with simultaneous actions being taken by the Trump administration against China which signals that the Trump-Xi Jinping chemistry has worn off. On Tuesday, the US State Department released the annual report in global human trafficking where it placed China among the world's worst offenders in Tier 3 (the lowest) for sex-trafficking, forced and bonded labour, alongside delinquents such as North Korea, Iran and Congo. China now ranks below countries such as Afghanistan and Qatar. While releasing the report, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, appearing alongside president Trump's daughter Ivanka, said China was downgraded "in part because it has not taken serious steps to end its own complicity in trafficking, including forced laborers from North Korea that are located in China", according to a report in Foreign Policy journal. The downgrade carries economic sanctions, but more than a pecuniary measure it is a veritable slap on Beijing's face and carries a deep strategic import. News agency Reuters reported that Trump is getting impatient with China's inability to make headway with North Korea and is considering "possible trade actions against Beijing", according to three senior administration officials. These include tariffs on steel imports, says the report. Taken together, and seen alongside Trump's bonhomie with Modi and the apparent synergy in vision statement, it is fair to propound that US is getting strategically closer to New Delhi, a fact that has got Beijing hot under the collar. Global Times, one of the State-run Chinese media outlets, has warned India against getting close to the US and has threatened "catastrophic results". "Washington and New Delhi share anxieties about China's rise. In recent years, to ratchet up geopolitical pressure on China, the US has cozied up to India," it says, adding that for India to assume a role as an "outpost country in US' strategy to contain China is not in line with India's interests and could even lead to catastrophic results." The other clear takeaway apart from other smaller but significant ones is on terrorism where Pakistan has been unambiguously named and shamed and its strategy of using terrorism as a foreign policy tool and rent-seeking exercise has been exposed. "The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups," it said. The paragraph on Pakistan in surprisingly brutal to be used against a 'Major Non-Nato Ally' and signifies complete synergy between Modi and Trump on this subject. Not just that. Apart from rebuking Pakistan, India and the US have more significantly agreed on "expanding intelligence-sharing and operational-level counterterrorism cooperation" and "welcomed a new consultation mechanism on domestic and international terrorist designations listing proposals". The last sentence refers to close bilateral cooperation in "listing of terrorists" and should be read as a mechanism to counter China's ploy of blocking the move to designate terrorists at UN. Both countries also "affirmed their support for a UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that will advance and strengthen the framework for global cooperation and reinforce the message that no cause or grievance justifies terrorism". This, as analysts have noted, is yet another departure. Former US president Barack Obama sought to place terrorism within a narrative of grievance. Under Trump, the rhetoric just got a little sharper and suits the interest of New Delhi which has long argued in favour of an unequivocal fight against the global scourge. Notable that both leaders affirmed support for UN Comprehensive Convention on Int'l Terrorism. Obama admin was very reluctant to endorse Joshua White (@joshuatwhite) June 27, 2017 There are several other takeaways. Noteworthy among these are India's formal entry into the US-founded Global Entry programme, which will allow low-risk Indian travelers speedy entry into the US through automated kiosks bypassing the immigration queue. The joint statement also makes a mention of sale of UAVs to India and pledges "to deepen defense and security cooperation, building on US' recognition of India as a major defence partner". The Fact Sheet (FS), released by the White House, takes this forward. It says "completion of these sales would increase bilateral defense trade to nearly $19 billion, supporting thousands of US jobs. If selected, US offers to sell F-16 and F/A-18 fighter aircraft to India would represent the most significant defense cooperation between the United States and India to date". Along with these progressions, the FS reinstates that US-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) will remain "the premier forum for deepening collaboration on defense co-development and co-production" and synergies will deepen in areas of military-military engagements, counter-terrorism partnership, law enforcement cooperation and strategic trade. On trade, Trump's transactional attitude was evident as he urged Modi to remove barriers to correct the current imbalance. Instead of marring the effectiveness of the Joint Statement, or running counter to the spirit of "true friendship", this actually introduces an element of honesty into the dialogue. It signifies that the India-US bilateral tie is based on transparency, not deception. You are here: Home A joint venture between Airbus and Chinese partners, delivered its 1,000th locally manufactured rudder for the Airbus A320 family on Monday in Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Center (HMC) held a ceremony to celebrate the delivery at its No.2 workshop. "HMC is an integrated part of Airbus' global supply chain. Today's delivery is a milestone for the manufacturing center and for our long-term partnership with China's aviation industry," said Francois Mery, Airbus commercial aircraft China chief operating officer. Rudders manufactured at HMC are delivered to an Airbus site in Stade, Germany, where they are fixed to the A320 family vertical stabilizer before being delivered to A320 final assembly lines around the world. HMC is a joint venture between Airbus China and a group of Chinese partners, including some subsidiaries of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and Harbin Development Zone Heli Infrastructure Development Company Limited. Airbus China holds 29 percent of the equity of HMC. The center started production in December 2009. Now, it produces parts and components for Airbus single-aisle and the A350 XWB aircraft. According to Airbus China, all Airbus commercial aircraft have parts made in China. The total value of cooperation between Airbus and China's aviation industry reached about 500 million U.S. dollars in 2015. Airbus expects the figure to reach one billion dollars by 2020. As of May 2017, more than 1,430 Airbus aircraft serve Chinese operators. More than 80 percent of them are of the single-aisle A320 family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just returned from the US where he held bilateral deliberations with the new US president Donald Trump for the first time. There have been mixed reactions with some analysts describing the trip as very fruitful to reaffirm the faith in strategic ties including defence collaborations between the two countries and the resolve to fight terrorism arising out of radical Islam jointly. But there are others who say, and rightly, perhaps, that the trip was devoid of both hype and substance. As Indian-American Professor Amit Gupta reminds this author, always, there are five India-US relationships: the government to government relationship; the military to military relationship, the one between Bengaluru and Silicon Valley; the one between Indian students and American universities; and finally, the one between Indian Diaspora and India. Of these, the first two are the ones on which the Indian government pins the most hopes, but these are also the most problematic. In fact, relationships at the political and military level having grown considerably over the recent years seem to have plateaued somewhat. For instance, the much-talked-about cooperation in the purchase and investment of defence material has its obvious limitations, given the fact that India is in the minor leagues for American manufacturers compared to Saudi Arabia which has inked a deal for $110 billion in arms. Besides, when one talks of US investment in Indian defence sector, it should be realised that the investible resources are in the US private sectors, which, in turn, make their own judgments of where to invest, depending on the recipient countrys infrastructure, legal regime, administrative machinery, and above all, broad political consensus on liberalisation of the economy. And here, India is not up to the mark. There is another limiting factor: the present inabilities of Indias arms industries to absorb the technologies that foreign companies are prepared to transfer. However, the other three parameters of the India-US relationship are extremely important and have tremendous potential to bring the countries closer since they are less complicated. Unfortunately, under the Trump presidency, there are serious question marks over them, but the Trump-Modi parleys don't seem to have taken care of them properly. Broadly speaking, the relation between Bengaluru and Silicon Valley, the one between Indian students and American universities and the one between Indian Diaspora and India imply that there are free interflows of finance, technology and people between India and the United States. But that is precisely in jeopardy today with the Trump Administration imposing restrictions on issuing H1B visas for the high-skilled Indians, discouraging American companies from investing abroad under the plea of generating jobs for Americans in America, and finally, not doing enough to prevent racial attacks on the lives and properties of Indians or those of Indian origin living in the United States. Trumps immigration policies and the spate of attacks on Indians in the recent months are undoubtedly making things complicated. It may be noted that the nearly 2.5 million-strong Indian diaspora in the US consisting of people of Indian origin (PIO) and non-resident Indians including students, professors, scientists, technologists may comprise about one percent of the total American population, but it is one of the richest and highly skilled population in that country. The PIOs and NRIs in the US stand for more than five percent of Americas scientists, engineers, and software specialists; they also account for 10% of the doctors. They are successful in the fields of engineering and law as well. As high as 35% of Boeings technical work force is said to be of Indian origin. In the Silicon Valley, 15 percent of the start-ups are held by Indian-Americans, who, between them, produce IT assets of around $300 billion per year. A study in the year 2010 showed the average per capita income of an Indian-American to be around $88,000, much higher than that of all Asian Americans ($66,000) and all US households ($49,800). This figure, which might have gone up in the last seven years, is not surprising, given the high education levels of the Indian diaspora. According to Pew Research Centre (PRC), 40.6% of Indian Americans aged 25 and above have graduate or professional degrees, 32.3% have bachelors degrees; and an additional 10.4% have some college education. The corresponding figures among the overall US population are much lower. One likely factor for the above is the fact that most of the Indians migrating to the United States are already well educated. Many of them enter the country under the H1-B visa programme that allows highly skilled foreign workers in designated "specialty occupations" to work in the US. In fact, some estimates suggest that 70% of the 85,000 H-1B visas awarded annually go to Indians. Even otherwise, according to the US State Department, as of November 2016, more than 3.3 lakh of the 40 lakh applications on the waiting list for permanent residency were Indians. Trump has vowed to rein in this trend. It is true that Modis latest trip to the US resulted in Indias formal entry into the International Expedited Traveler Initiative (Global Entry programme) in order to facilitate closer business and educational ties between the citizens of India and the United States, something that has been mentioned in the "Joint Statement United States and India: Prosperity Through Partnership" issued on 27 June. But that should not detract us from the fact that this will facilitate expedited clearance only for pre-approved and low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports. The issue involved here is the increasing restrictions on getting visa, not hassle-free entry into the US after getting visa. It may be noted that it is in the Indian diaspora in the United States that India has a powerful constituency to influence American decision makers for strengthening the ties between New Delhi and Washington. And when this "constituency" of India is not given its due importance by the Trump administration, it is a matter of concern. Why is it so? If PRC is to be believed, 65% of Indian Americans are Democrats or leaned toward the Democrats, making them an Asian-American subgroup most likely to identify with the Democratic Party or traditionally voting for the Democrats. It is not that there are no Indian American Republicans; there are the likes of Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and governor-turned-ambassador to the United Nations (a cabinet-rank post in the American system) Nikki Haley. In fact, some reports suggest that as Indian Americans have become wealthier, they are becoming more conservative and are leaning towards the Republican Party, evident from their increasing financial contribution to the Republican Party in recent years. But overall, more Indian-Americans are Democrats, possibly to the disliking of Trump. Secondly, it is also a fact that only about half (51%) of Indian Americans are Hindu, according to a 2012 survey by PRC. In this study, 18% of Indian Americans identified themselves as Christians and 10% said they were Muslim. This religious denomination could be important as non-Hindus in the Indian diaspora may not like the frequent reports of discrimination and harassment of minorities in India under Modi. And that being the case, the Indian diaspora may not work that sincerely and powerfully to generate a favourable climate of opinion in the US Congress, approve pro-India legislations and defeat anti-India measures through India caucus there, as was the case in the past (for example, Kargil War and India-US nuclear deal). All this is not to suggest that things are going downhill as far as the overall India-US relations are concerned. The relationship does enjoy ample bipartisan support in Washington. Yet, the fact remains that not everything is smooth sailing in this supposedly safe relationship at the moment. New Delhi: India and Israel will elevate their ties to a strategic partnership during Narendra Modi's visit of "unprecedented importance" to that country from 4 July, the first ever by an Indian prime minister. Announcing the three-day visit, the external affairs ministry said it will provide an impetus for deeper bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest. Interacting with a select group of journalists in New Delhi , Israeli ambassador Daniel Carmon said Modi's visit is of "unprecedented importance with bilateral ties going through changing paradigm and changed architecture where there is no zero sum game and commitments and good relations with both sides can be maintained without contradiction", in reference to India's ties with Israel and the Arab countries. Modi will be received by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu at the airport along with a "top protocol team" comprising Israelis from various fields including rabbis. This is a special gesture only accorded to the Pope or the US president, Carmon said. The Israeli prime minister will also host a dinner for Modi on 4 July, the envoy said. Netanyahu will accompany Modi to most of the events, including the community reception on 5 July after their official discussions during which the two leaders are expected to explore ways to enhance cooperation in key strategic areas. The two sides are also expected to The two sides are also expected to sign number of agreements in the field of innovation, development, science and technology and space. During the visit, a deal with the Uttar Pradesh government is also likely to be signed to clean-up a patch of river Ganges apart from setting up of industrial research and development fund of USD 40 million, he said. Modi, whose visit is aimed at commemorating 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, will also pay homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa. The Israeli Embassy in a statement said the visit will also include high-level bilateral meetings and other various components which reflect the fabric of the Indo-Israeli relations. "This significant visit, the first by an Indian prime minister to Israel, takes place on the backdrop of marking 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel, and will further upgrade the ever-growing partnership between the two countries," the embassy said. By Eric Auchard, Jack Stubbs and Alessandra Prentice | FRANKFURT/MOSCOW/KIEV FRANKFURT/MOSCOW/KIEV A cyber attack wreaked havoc around the globe on Wednesday, crippling thousands of computers, disrupting operations at ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting production at a chocolate factory in Australia.The virus is believed to have first taken hold on Tuesday in Ukraine where it silently infected computers after users downloaded a popular tax accounting package or visited a local news site, national police and international cyber experts said.The malicious code locked machines and demanded victims post a ransom worth $300 in bitcoins or lose their data entirely, similar to the extortion tactic used in the global WannaCry ransomware attack in May.More than 30 victims paid up but security experts are questioning whether extortion was the goal, given the relatively small sum demanded, or whether the hackers were driven by destructive motives rather than financial gain.Hackers asked victims to notify them by email when ransoms had been paid but German email provider Posteo quickly shut down the address, a German government cyber security official said.Ukraine, the epicenter of the cyber strike, has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical power infrastructure since its powerful neighbor annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014.The Kremlin, which has consistently rejected the accusations, said on Wednesday it had no information about the origin of the global cyber attack, which also struck Russian companies such as oil giant Rosneft (ROSN.MM) and a steelmaker."No one can effectively combat cyber threats on their own, and, unfortunately, unfounded blanket accusations will not solve this problem," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.ESET, a Slovakian company that sells products to shield computers from viruses, said 80 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, with Italy second hardest hit with about 10 percent.The aim of the latest attack appeared to be disruption rather than ransom, said Brian Lord, former deputy director of intelligence and cyber operations at Britain's GCHQ and now managing director at private security firm PGI Cyber."My sense is this starts to look like a state operating through a proxy ... as a kind of experiment to see what happens," Lord told Reuters on Wednesday. ETERNAL BLUE While the malware seemed to be a variant of past campaigns, derived from code known as Eternal Blue believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), experts said it was not as virulent as May's WannaCry attack.Security researchers said Tuesday's virus could leap from computer to computer once unleashed within an organization but, unlike WannaCry, it could not randomly trawl the internet for its next victims, limiting its scope to infect.Bushiness that installed Microsoft's (MSFT.O) latest security patches from earlier this year and turned off Windows file-sharing features appeared to be largely unaffected.There was speculation, however, among some experts that once the new virus had infected one computer it could spread to other machines on the same network, even if those devices had received a security update.After WannaCry, governments, security firms and industrial groups advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft (MSFT.O) security patches. Austria's government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said "a small number" of international firms appeared to be affected, with tens of thousands of computers taken down.Security firms including Microsoft, Cisco's (CSCO.O) Talos and Symantec (SYMC.O) said they had confirmed some of the initial infections occurred when malware was transmitted to users of a Ukrainian tax software program called MEDoc.The supplier of the software, M.E.Doc denied in a post on Facebook that its software was to blame, though Microsoft reiterated its suspicions afterwards."Microsoft now has evidence that a few active infections of the ransomware initially started from the legitimate MEDoc updater process," it said in a technical blog post.Russian security firm Kaspersky said a Ukrainian news site for the city of Bakhumut was also hacked and used to distribute the ransomware to visitors, encrypting data on their machines. CORPORATE CHAOS A number of the international firms hit have operations in Ukraine, and the virus is believed to have spread within global corporate networks after gaining traction within the country.Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide, has a logistics unit in Ukraine.Other large firms affected, such as French construction materials company Saint Gobain (SGOB.PA) and Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O), which owns chocolate brand Cadbury, also have operations in the country.Maersk was one of the first global firms to be taken down by the cyber attack and its operations at major ports such as Mumbai in India, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Los Angeles on the U.S. west coast were disrupted.The company said on Wednesday it was unable to process new orders and its 76 terminals around the world were becoming increasingly congested.Other companies to succumb included BNP Paribas Real Estate (BNPP.PA), a part of the French bank that provides property and investment management services."The international cyber attack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack," the bank said on Wednesday.Production at the Cadbury factory on the Australian island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down.Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said on Tuesday its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but oil production had not been affected because it switched to backup systems. (Additional reporting by Helen Reid in London, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Maya Nikolaeva in Paris, Shadia Naralla in Vienna, Marcin Goettig in Warsaw, Byron Kaye in Sydney, John O'Donnell in Frankfurt, Ari Rabinovitch in Tel Aviv and Noor Zainab Hussain in Bangalore; Editing by David Clarke) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Pyongyang: North Korea threatened on Wednesday to "impose the death penalty" on the South Korea's former president Park Geun-Hye over an alleged plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-Un. Park had "pushed forward" a supposed plan by Seoul's intelligence services to eliminate the North's leadership, Pyongyang's security ministry and prosecutors said in a statement carried by its official Korean Central News Agency. "We declare at home and abroad that we will impose death penalty on traitor Park Geun Hye," it said. The former director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) Lee Byung-Ho would meet a similar fate, it added.They also said that they "can never make any appeal even though they meet miserable dog's death any time, at any place and by whatever methods from this moment". The declaration comes after the killing of Kim's estranged half-brother Kim Jong-Nam by two women using the banned nerve agent VX at Kuala Lumpur international airport in February. Both Malaysia and South Korea have blamed North Korea for the assassination, which retorts that the accusations are an attempt to smear it. Last month Pyongyang's powerful ministry of state security said it had foiled a plot by the US and South Korean spy agencies to kill Kim using a biochemical weapon. The lurid accusations came amid tensions over the North's nuclear and missile programmes and with Washington considering whether to re-designate Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism. The latest demand comes with Park's successor, new South Korean President Moon Jae-In who backs engagement with the North on his way to Washington for a summit meeting with Donald Trump. The Pyongyang statement demanded that Seoul hand over "traitor Park" and the former intelligence chief "as they committed hideous state-sponsored terrorism against the supreme leadership" of North Korea. Park is currently on trial in Seoul on charges of bribery and abuse of power related to the sprawling corruption scandal that saw her impeached. The United Nations and rights groups accuse the North of widespread abuses, including an absence of fair trials. By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Khaled Abdelaziz | ANKARA/KHARTOUM ANKARA/KHARTOUM A U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing partial implementation of President Donald Trump's travel ban has stirred anger and confusion in parts of the Middle East, with would-be visitors worried about their travel plans and their futures.The blanket 90-day ban on visitors from six Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - and a 120-day ban on all refugees was completely blocked by lower courts after Trump issued it on March 6, saying it was needed to prevent terrorism attacks. On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled the bans could proceed, though only for foreigners with no "bona fide relationship" with an American entity or person, and it did not specify what that meant. The ruling left some in the Middle East wondering if they would be able to enter the United States."It's a big disappointment for me," said a 52-year-old Sudanese man in the capital Khartoum, who believed he would now be rejected for a visa to visit relatives in the United States.The man, who declined to be identified, said he wouldn't know the outcome until at least Sunday, when the U.S. Embassy opens again after a string of national holidays. "I've travelled to America before and I don't know why I'm prevented from travelling (now). I didn't violate American law during my previous visits," he told Reuters.At the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, where there is normally a queue out the door of people waiting to process visa applications, a Reuters reporter saw few people. Middle East airlines have yet to receive a directive from the United States following the ruling, industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday. The sources said U.S. flights would continue to operate as normal until guidance is received.Major airlines based in the region include Dubai-based Emirates Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways.Iranian nationals attempting to get visas at the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara - Washington does not have an embassy in Iran - also expressed concern. "What is the reason behind this law? It's all very unclear," said Masoud, a 28-year-old engineer who was applying for a student visa after being accepted into a doctoral programme at a university in Dallas, Texas. "This is not fair." Nearby, another Iranian national, 27-year-old Nima, also said he was hoping to get a visa to pursue an advanced degree in the United States."I just hope that I can get my visa soon and on time," he told Reuters. "We don't know anything about where this may lead, but I wish they would extract Iran from this country list." (Additional reporting by Dominic Evans in Istanbul and Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; Writing by David Dolan; editing by Mark Heinrich) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Madrid: Six suspected members of the Islamic State were arrested in Spain, Britain and Germany on Wednesday in an operation led by Spanish authorities investigating a jihadist recruiting network, the Spanish interior ministry said. Raids were continuing on Wednesday morning targeting the group, based on the island of Majorca and led by an Islamist imam, who was arrested in Britain, the ministry said in a statement. The imam, 44, was the target of a European arrest warrant and seized by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit on behalf of the Spanish authorities. "The investigation focuses on terrorism material created for use online," the West Midlands police said, adding that prosecutors would seek his extradition to Spain later on Wednesday. The investigation began in 2015 after authorities discovered videos posted to the internet describing a young Muslim living in Spain and his radicalisation, and his eventual departure for Syria. The imam, "whose public discourse was well known to European police and intelligence services, focused in private on the recruitment of fighters and collecting funds for Syria," the Spanish interior ministry said. The group organised "weekly underground meetings of youths with similar ideologies in order to convince them to travel to conflict zones," the ministry said. "The group's engagement and total allegiance to Islamic State directives, the defence of terrorist actions carried out by lone operatives in Europe, and its readiness to carry out violent jihad, justified this operation." Four arrests were also made in Palma, the capital of Majorca, and one in Germany, and searches were still underway in Germany and Britain. The intelligence and police services of Spain, Britain and Germany, along with European agencies, took part in the raids coordinated by the Spanish state prosecutor, which oversees terrorism cases. Nairobi: Eight people, including four children returning to school after Eid celebrations, were killed and several wounded on Wednesday by a roadside bomb in eastern Kenya near the border with Somalia, police said. "We have eight victims four children and four police", a police spokesman told AFP following the explosion between Mararani and Kiunga, just a handful of kilometres (miles) from the border. The blast bore the hallmarks of similar bombings blamed on Shabaab Islamists who have targeted security forces in the past in the region. Seven police officers and a civilian were killed at the end of May when an armoured vehicle drove over a roadside bomb in southeastern Kenya, a week after 14 others died in three similar attacks the group claimed. Across the border, the Al-Qaeda linked extremist group last week claimed responsibility after driving an explosives-laden minibus into local government offices in the capital Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people. That attack followed hot on the heels of assaults on two Mogadishu restaurants which killed at least 18 people. The group has also launched attacks in Uganda, which, like Kenya, contributes troops to a 22,000-strong African Union force in Somalia. ROME Three migrants died in the Mediterranean on Monday night, a German aid group said, during rescue operations in which thousands more were pulled to safety from rickety boats.About 5,000 migrants were picked up off the Libyan coast by emergency services, Italy's navy, aid groups and private boats on Monday, and further rescues were ongoing on Tuesday, an Italian coastguard spokesman said.German humanitarian group Jugend Rettet, which patrols the stretch of sea into which smugglers have sent more than half a million people over the past four years, said rescue boats in the area were struggling to cope. "Despite all efforts, three people died from a sinking rubber boat," Jugend Rettet wrote on Facebook. "We reached the capacity limit of our ship, while our crew is seeing more boats on the horizon. Currently, all vessels are overloaded." About 72,000 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea in 2017, a roughly 20 percent increase on the same period last year, and more than 2,000 have died in the attempt, according to the International Organization for Migration. At Europe's southern frontier, Italy has become the main destination for primarily sub-Saharan African and Bangladeshi migrants since the European Union struck a deal with Turkey which blocked a once-busy route to Greece. Italy and the EU are trying to work with Libyan authorities to fight smugglers, but the same chaos which allowed the gangs to establish profitable businesses is hampering their efforts. (Reporting by Isla Binnie, editing by Ed Osmond) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jeff Mason and Dmitry Solovyov | WASHINGTON/MOSCOW WASHINGTON/MOSCOW A U.S. warning to Syria's leadership against staging a chemical weapons attack was based on intelligence about what appeared to be active preparations at a Syrian airfield used for such an attack in April, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main international backer, denounced the warning and dismissed White House assertions that a strike was being prepared as "unacceptable," raising the tension between Washington and Moscow over the Syrian civil war.Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the United States had recently seen activity at Shayrat airfield, the same base targeted by a U.S. cruise missile strike on April 6."This involved specific aircraft in a specific hangar, both of which we know to be associated with chemical weapons use," Davis said.Davis said the activity occurred during "the past day or two." He did not say how the United States collected its intelligence.The White House said on Monday it appeared the Syrian government was preparing for another chemical weapons attack and warned Assad that he and his military would "pay a heavy price" if it went ahead.The U.S. strike on Shayrat followed the deaths of 87 people in what Washington said was a poison gas attack in rebel-held territory two days earlier. Syria denied it carried out the attack. Russia challenged the U.S. intelligence about a possible attack."I am not aware of any information about a threat that chemical weapons can be used," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. "Certainly, we consider such threats to the legitimate leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic unacceptable." Russian officials have privately described the war in Syria as the biggest source of tension between Moscow and Washington, and the April cruise missile strike ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump raised the risk of confrontation between them. Assad visited a Russian air base at Hmeymim in western Syria on Tuesday, his first visit to the base from which Russian jets have supported his war effort.Photos circulated showed the Syrian leader in the cockpit of a Russian Sukhoi SU-35 warplane, and inspecting weapons, personnel and armoured vehicles at the base near Latakia.U.S. WARNING The Syrian military and Foreign Ministry did not comment on the White House warning, although a Syrian state-run television station, al-Ikhbariya, said the allegations were fabricated. U.S. Senator Bob Corker, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the concerns about preparations for a chemical weapons attack were authentic."The claims that they made, from my perspective, are valid claims," he said. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said the Trump administration intended its warning to be aimed not just at Syria's government but also at Russia and Iran, another supporter of Assad. "I believe that the goal is, at this point, not just to send Assad a message but to send Russia and Iran a message that if this happens again we are putting you on notice," Haley said in a hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives.She stressed the primary U.S. goal in Syria is to fight Islamic State, not to remove Assad. "I don't see a healthy Syria with Assad in place, but the U.S. priority has and continues to be to fight ISIS," she said.Senator Tim Kaine, a Democratic member of the foreign affairs and armed services committees, who has been leading a bipartisan push for Congress to debate and vote on the use of military force in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere, said there was no legal justification for extracting a heavy price from Syria.U.S. and allied intelligence officers had for some time identified several sites where they suspected Assad's government may have been hiding newly made chemical weapons from inspectors, said a U.S. official familiar with the intelligence.That assessment was based in part on the locations, security surrounding the suspect sites and other information that the official declined to describe.Although the intelligence was not considered conclusive, Washington decided to issue the public warning to the Syrian leadership to try to deter such a strike, said the official, who declined to discuss the issue further.The number of people killed in suspected chemical attacks is a small portion of the total dead in Syria's civil war - a figure the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, estimates is close to half a million.But television footage of victims of April's attack, including children, writhing in agony, caused revulsion across the world. After the April attack, Trump accused Assad's government of going "beyond a red line" and approved what U.S. officials called a "one-off" strike to deter future chemical attacks. (Addition reporting by Phillip Stewart in Munich, Eric Beech, Patricia Zengerle and John Walcott in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Mike Holden in London; Writing by Timothy Heritage and Alistair Bell; Editing by Paul Simao and Bill Trott) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Senior officials of China and Japan exchanged views on a number of economic and trade issues at the 18th regular vice ministerial negotiation between the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on Tuesday. Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Yan and Japanese Vice-Minister for International Affairs at the METI Hirofumi Katase co-chaired the talks. The two sides held constructive discussions on Asian infrastructure connectivity as the Chinese side gave a briefing on the Belt and Road Initiative, while the Japanese side introduced "Partnership for Quality Infrastructure." The Chinese side also demanded that Japan should comply with its international obligations and completely quit the "analogue country" practice in anti-dumping investigations on imports of carbon steel butt-weld fittings from China. The two sides also exchanged views on cooperation in important areas such as energy saving and environmental protection, modern service industry, intellectual property rights and automotive dealing, as well as on regional and multilateral issues such as the China-Japan-ROK free trade area, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and issues involving the World Trade Organization (WTO). Beirut, Lebanon: In three years, Lebanese grocer Ali Khiami hired six staff, invested in property and funded his children's university education. Business is booming thanks to Syrian refugees using UN debit cards. Displaced Syrian families in Lebanon are using electronic cards, topped up each month by the United Nations' World Food Programme with $27 (Rs 1740) per person, for their grocery shopping. The WFP scheme has both helped refugees and delivered a windfall to cash-strapped Lebanese shop owners. "This programme changed my life. I bought an apartment in Beirut and I paid for my three children's college degrees", said Khiami. Since registering with the WFP, he has seen his personal income skyrocket from $2,000 (Rs 01,20,000) per month to $10,000 (Rs 06,45,000), allowing him to pay off a long-standing debt. A small blue sticker in the window of his cosy store in southern Beirut identifies it as one of the 500 shops taking part in the WFP scheme. Lebanon, a country of just four million people, hosts more than one million refugees who fled the conflict that has ravaged neighbouring Syria since 2011. The influx has put added strain on Lebanon's already frail water, electricity, and school networks. The World Bank says the Syrian crisis has pushed an estimated 200,000 Lebanese into poverty, adding to the nation's one million poor. With 07,00,000 Syrian refugees benefitting from the programme, the debit cards are offsetting at least some of that economic pressure. When they buy from Lebanese shops, the country's "economy is also benefitting from WFP's programme, not just Syrian refugees", WFP spokesman Edward Johnson told AFP. The UN agency says Syrian refugees have spent $900 million at partner shops in Lebanon since the programme was launched in 2012. It selects stores based on their proximity to gatherings of Syrian refugees in camps or cities, as well as cleanliness, prices and availability of goods. Ali Sadek Hamzeh, 26, owns several WFP-partnered shops near Baalbek in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, where dozens of informal refugee camps have sprung up on farmland. "In eight months, I rented three new locations to stock merchandise and opened up a new fruit and vegetable store," Hamzeh told AFP. He said Syrian refugees make up around 60 percent of his customers, but he has also attracted new Lebanese clients with his lower prices. The debit card scheme is set to scale up after three large supermarket chains signed contracts with the WFP. They include the United Company for Central Markets (UCCM). Its 36 stores across Lebanon are even offering a seven percent discount on purchases made using the cards. But for some shop owners, partnering with the WFP has had a downside. Omar al-Sheikh manages a shop in Nuwayri, a district of western Beirut. Since he registered his store with WFP in 2013, his monthly profits have nearly doubled. "My profits went up, but I've lost about 20 percent of my Lebanese customer base. Lebanese customers don't like it when it's busy, and maybe they have some racist views", he said. Sheikh, 45, said a Lebanese shopper was annoyed one evening last week when he found the store's bread supply had run out. "You're just here for the Syrians, you only work for Syrians now!" the customer said. But Sheikh said he would continue to serve his Syrian customers. "These are human beings. Their country is at war and we should help them." Miami: A top Colombian anti-corruption official and a lawyer are facing US money-laundering-conspiracy charges in an alleged foreign bribery scheme, federal authorities said on Tuesday. Luis Gustavo Moreno Rivera, 35, and Leonardo Luis Pinilla Gomez, 31, were both arrested in Colombia, said Acting Miami US Attorney Benjamin Greenberg. Moreno is director of the anti-corruption office for Colombia's chief prosecutor and Pinilla is the attorney. Moreno and Pinilla sought to obtain thousands of dollars in bribes from a former governor of Colombia's Cordoba region identified in the document as a confidential source, or CS who was under a separate corruption investigation, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) affidavit filed in Miami federal court. The DEA document does not name the former governor, but he was identified in a statement today by Colombia's chief prosecutor, Nestor Martinez, as former Cordoba governor Alejandro Lyons. The DEA affidavit says the former governor is in negotiations to plead guilty in the other corruption case and to cooperate against others in that case. According to the DEA, Pinilla conveyed a message to the ex-governor that Moreno "was willing to use his official position to obstruct the corruption investigation against the CS in exchange for a fee." Many of the discussions between Pinilla and the CS took place in Miami including at a suburban shopping mall and an inexpensive hotel where the former governor has been living since April, the DEA said. DEA agents conducted surveillance during these meetings and recorded the conversations. One meeting occurred earlier in June, on the same day Moreno came to Miami to give an anti-corruption presentation to the Internal Revenue Service, according to the affidavit. In that meeting, outside a local La Quinta Inn, "Moreno told the CS that he had the power to judicially control how the CS's investigation would proceed." The DEA says Moreno discovered a hidden cellphone inside the car where the meeting took place and allegedly began to backtrack on the bribe demand. "Moreno accused the CS of recording the conversation and began to contradict himself stating he was not asking for money and that he was sharing information with the CS because he wanted to avoid an injustice in CS's case," the affidavit says. Eventually, however, Pinilla told the CS that Moreno wanted $20,000 while he was in Miami, separate from the $1,32,000 he sought for obstructing the investigation. The men worked out a plan to exchange an envelope of $10,000 money the DEA uses for investigative purposes in a restroom at the Dolphin Mall west of Miami. Some of the bills with serial numbers matching the DEA funds were found in Moreno's luggage and photographed by customs officers before he left Miami for Bogota, Colombia. Moreno and Pinilla were arrested soon after. Neither man has an attorney listed in the US court case. It was not immediately clear when they would be extradited from Colombia. Salt Lake City: Insisting that logging could have cleaned up dead, bug-infested trees that are fueling a Utah wildfire, a Republican state lawmaker blamed federal mismanagement and lawsuits by "tree hugger" environmentalists for the blaze that has burned 13 homes and forced the evacuation of 1,500 people. A conservation group called that contention "shameful" and misleading, saying it fails to take into account climate change and drought. In addition, a US Forest Service researcher said logging probably would not have made a big difference in the high-altitude fire that is sending embers from tree-to-tree over long distances normal for the ecosystem. Utah state representative Mike Noel said on Tuesday that he wants to use the fire near the ski town of Brian Head and a popular fishing lake to highlight the imbalance of power afforded environmental groups under previous presidents and to ease bureaucratic and legal blockades for logging companies. He believes the Trump administration will provide a more receptive audience for his plea. The blaze is one of several in the West. Crews in California were making gains against two new fires that spread quickly, and firefighters in Idaho battled five lightning-sparked wildfires burning in grass and brush. Crews dealt with windy conditions as they battled a northern Arizona wildfire that has burned nearly 7 square miles (18 square kilometers). Authorities say the Utah fire was started on 17 June by someone using a torch tool to burn weeds on private land. Noel contends it wouldn't have spread as fast if federal forest lands had been cleared of dead trees. A video of his Monday rant against environmentalists generated social media buzz and sparked new debate about whether logging could help prevent Western wildfires. He joined several other state and county officials in speaking out. "When we turn the Forest Service over to the bird and bunny lovers and the tree huggers and the rock lickers, we've turned our history over", Noel said. "We are going to lose our wildlife and we are going to lose our scenery, the very thing you people wanted to try to protect. It's just plain stupidity". Steve Bloch, legal director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said Noel's assertion is an over-simplification of wildfires that are the result of fire suppression, climate change, drought and unpredictable winds. "It's shameful that Noel has chosen to exploit the fire and mislead the public by saying that conservationists are to blame for this event", Bloch said. Stiff winds and hot temperatures have made the Utah blaze the largest in the nation at 78 square miles (201 square kilometers). The estimated cost of fighting the blaze has reached $11 million. Finney said logging companies generally can't make money in operations at high elevations because the trees don't grow back quickly enough and logistics are difficult. Bloch said his group hasn't challenged logging in the area of the Utah fire in two decades. But Noel says the lawsuit in the early 1990s delayed a Forest Service plan to get rid of an emerging cluster of bark beetles before it spread. Meanwhile in California, firefighters had two major blazes under enough control to allow evacuated residents to return to their homes. Mandatory evacuations for dozens of homes were called for in a wildfire in rugged foothills east of Los Angeles that broke out Tuesday, but residents there were allowed back home within a few hours. The blaze erupted and quickly surged in hot, dry, windy weather. A half-square-mile (1.4 square kilometer) wildfire erupted and quickly surged in hot, dry, windy weather near Highland in San Bernardino County. It was climbing ridges and moving away from homes but came frighteningly close to a subdivision, prompting the evacuations, US Forest Service spokeswoman Gerrelaine Alcordo said. In Central California, a 2.5-square-mile (6.5 square kilometer) wildfire that burned at least one building was 60 percent contained. About 250 residents were ordered from their homes in the area of Santa Margarita after the blaze erupted Monday, but on Tuesday night they were told they could return home. Washington: Senate GOP leaders abruptly shelved their long-sought health care overhaul Tuesday, asserting they can still salvage it but raising new doubts about whether President Donald Trump and the Republicans will ever deliver on their promises to repeal and replace "Obamacare." Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced a delay for any voting at a closed-door senators' lunch also attended by Vice-President Mike Pence. McConnell's tone was matter-of-fact, according those present, yet his action amounts to a stinging setback for the longtime Senate leader who had developed the legislation largely in secret as Trump hung back in deference. Now Trump seems likely to push into the discussion more directly, and he immediately invited Senate Republicans to the White House. But the message he delivered to them before reporters were ushered out of the room was not entirely hopeful. "This will be great if we get it done, and if we don't get it done it's just going to be something that we're not going to like, and that's OK and I understand that very well," he told the senators, who surrounded him at tables arranged in a giant square in the East Room. Most wore grim expressions. In the private meeting that followed, said Marco Rubio of Florida, the president spoke of "the costs of failure, what it would mean to not get it done: The view that we would wind up in a situation where the markets will collapse and Republicans will be blamed for it and then potentially have to fight off an effort to expand to single payer at some point." The bill has many critics and few outspoken fans on Capitol Hill. It was short of support heading toward a critical procedural vote on Wednesday, and prospects for changing that are uncertain. McConnell promised to revisit the legislation after Congress' 4 July recess. "It's a big complicated subject, we've got a lot discussions going on, and we're still optimistic we're going to get there," McConnell told reporters after the lunch. It hasn't been easy, as adjustments to placate conservatives, who want the legislation to be more stringent, only push away moderates who think its current limits on Medicaid for example are too strong. In the folksy analysis of John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate GOP vote-counter: "Every time you get one bullfrog in the wheelbarrow, another one jumps out." McConnell has scant margin for error in the closely divided Senate, and the legislation to eliminate Obamacare's mandates and unwind its Medicaid expansion has shed support practically from the moment it was unveiled last Thursday. By Tuesday morning at least five GOP senators had announced their opposition to a procedural vote on the bill, and after McConnell announced the delay several more went public with their criticism. McConnell can lose only two senators from his 52-member caucus and still pass the bill, with Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote. Democrats are unanimously opposed, and in recent days they have stepped up protests, delivering speeches on the Senate floor for hours and holding vigils on the Capitol steps. Medical groups are nearly unanimously opposed, too, along with the AARP, though the US Chamber of Commerce supports the bill. A number of GOP governors oppose the legislation, especially in states that have expanded the Medicaid program for the poor under former president Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Opposition from Nevada's popular Republican Governor Brian Sandoval helped push GOP Senator Dean Heller, who is vulnerable in next year's midterms, to denounce the legislation last Friday; Ohio's Republican Governor John Kasich held an event at the National Press Club Tuesday to criticise it. But the Republicans' own divisions are what has stymied them. In one illustration, an outside political group run by Trump allies has run ads against Heller and threatens more against other GOP senators opposed to the bill. That infuriated McConnell, who called Reince Priebus, White House Chief of Staff to label the attacks "beyond stupid." Heller himself raised the issue in the Tuesday White House meeting, Senator John Thune of South Dakota told reporters later. The group took down the ads Tuesday night. The House went through its own struggles with its version of the bill, pulling it from the floor short of votes before reviving it and narrowly passing it in May. So it's quite possible that the Senate Republicans can rise from this week's setback. But McConnell is finding it difficult to satisfy demands from his diverse caucus. Conservatives like Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah argue that the legislation doesn't go far enough in repealing Obamacare. But moderates like Heller and Susan Collins of Maine criticize the bill as overly punitive in throwing people off insurance roles and limiting benefits paid by Medicaid, which has become the nation's biggest health care program, covering nursing home care for seniors as well as care for many poor Americans. GOP defections increased after the Congressional Budget Office said Monday the measure would leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026 than Obama's 2010 statute. McConnell told senators he wanted them to agree to a final version of the bill before the end of this week so they could seek a new analysis by the budget office. He said that would give lawmakers time to finish when they return to the Capitol for a three-week stretch in July before Congress' summer break. The 22 million extra uninsured Americans are just 1 million fewer than the number the budget office estimated would become uninsured under the House version. Trump has called the House bill "mean" and prodded senators to produce a package with more "heart." The budget office report said the Senate bill's coverage losses would especially affect people between ages 50 and 64, before they qualify for Medicare, and with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level, or around $30,300 for an individual. The Senate plan would end the tax penalty the law imposes on people who don't buy insurance, in effect erasing Obama's so-called individual mandate, and on larger businesses that don't offer coverage to workers. It would let states ease Obama's requirements that insurers cover certain specified services like substance abuse treatments. It also would eliminate $700 billion worth of taxes over a decade, largely on wealthier people and medical companies: Money that Obama's law used to expand coverage. It would cut Medicaid, which provides health insurance to over 70 million poor and disabled people, by $772 billion through 2026 by capping its overall spending and phasing out Obama's expansion of the program. Of the 22 million people losing health coverage, 15 million would be Medicaid recipients. By Andrew Cawthorne and Victoria Ramirez | CARACAS CARACAS The Venezuelan government hunted on Wednesday for rogue policemen who attacked key installations by helicopter, but critics of President Nicolas Maduro suspected the raid may have been staged to justify repression.In extraordinary scenes over Caracas around sunset on Tuesday, the stolen helicopter fired shots at the Interior Ministry and dropped grenades on the Supreme Court, both viewed by Venezuela's opposition as bastions of support for a dictator.Nobody was injured.Officials said special forces were seeking Oscar Perez, 36, a police pilot named as the mastermind of the raid by the helicopter that carried a banner saying "Freedom!"In 2015, Perez co-produced and starred in "Death Suspended," an action film in which he played the lead role as a government agent rescuing a kidnapped businessman.There was no sign on Wednesday of Perez, whom officials condemned as a "psychopath", but the helicopter was found on Venezuela's northern Caribbean coastline."We ask for maximum support to find this fanatic, extremist terrorist," vice president Tareck El Aissami said.The attack exacerbated an already full-blown political crisis in Venezuela after three months of opposition protests demanding general elections and fixes for the sinking economy.At least 76 people have died in the unrest since April, the latest a 25-year-old man shot in the head near a protest in the Petare slum of Caracas, authorities said on Wednesday. Hundreds more people have been injured and arrested in what Maduro terms an ongoing coup attempt with U.S. encouragement.The attack fed a conspiracy theory by opposition supporters that it may have been a government setup and overshadowed other drama on Tuesday, including the besieging of opposition legislators by gangs in the National Assembly. The helicopter raid also coincided with a judicial measure weakening the powers of dissident chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega, who has emerged as a major challenger to Maduro."It seems like a movie," said Julio Borges, leader of the opposition-controlled legislature, of the helicopter raid."Some people say it is a set-up, some that it is real ... Yesterday was full of contradictions ... A thousand things are happening, but I summarize it like this: a government is decaying and rotting, while a nation is fighting for dignity." Though Perez posted a video on social media showing himself in front of four hooded armed men and claiming to represent a coalition of security and civilian officials rising up against "tyranny," there was no evidence of deeper support. "CHEAP SHOW" The government, however, accused the policemen of links to the CIA and to Miguel Rodriguez, a former interior minister and intelligence chief under Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez, who recently broke with the government. "I'm not at all convinced by the helicopter incident," Rodriguez told Reuters on Wednesday, saying the figures behind Perez in the video looked like dummies and expressing surprise the helicopter could fly freely and also not injure anyone."Conclusion: a cheap show. Who gains from this? Only Nicolas for two reasons: to give credibility to his coup d'etat talk, and to blame Rodriguez," he added, referring to himself.Around the time of the attack, the pro-government Supreme Court expanded the role of the state ombudsman, a human rights guarantor who is closely allied with Maduro, by giving him powers previously held only by the state prosecutor's office. Opposition leaders described that as an attempt to supplant chief prosecutor Ortega, who has confronted both Maduro and the Supreme Court this year after splitting ranks.Adding to Venezuela's tinder-box atmosphere, opposition supporters again took to the streets nationwide on Wednesday, to barricade roads. In Caracas, security forces fired teargas at some groups of protesters, while elsewhere demonstrators stood in the roads waving banners and chanting slogans under drizzle.One opposition lawmaker, Juan Guaido, filmed himself bleeding from wounds he said were inflicted by rubber bullets. Opposition supporters hope that cracks within government may swing the crisis their way, and have been delighted to see heavyweights like Ortega and Rodriguez oppose Maduro.Their main focus is to stop a July 30 vote called by Maduro to form a super-body known as a Constituent Assembly, with powers to rewrite the constitution and supersede other institutions. Maduro says the assembly is the only way to bring peace to Venezuela, but opponents say it is a sham vote intended solely to keep an unpopular government in power. "We can't let July 30 happen, we mustn't," said children's health worker Rosa Toro, 52, blocking a road with friends. "We're being governed by criminals, traffickers and thieves," added lawyer Matias Perez, 40, protesting with a plastic trumpet.Government officials lined up on Wednesday to condemn the helicopter attack, insisting it was the work of a few individuals and not representative of wider dissent. Foreign Minister Samuel Moncada complained about the lack of international condemnation of the attack, saying it contrasted with the barrage of foreign criticism of the government."In Europe it's now eight at night, but we've not had any reaction from European Union countries," he said of a bloc that has been strongly critical of Maduro in recent months.The minister rejected accusations that the attack was carried out by the government for its own purposes. "Who can believe we are that sophisticated? Sending someone to throw grenades, who can believe that?" he asked. (Additional reporting by Eyanir Chinea, Silene Ramirez, Brian Ellsworth, Herbert Villaraga, Diego Ore, Corina Pons and Girish Gupta; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Andrew Hay) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Caracas: President Nicolas Maduro said a helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court in a confusing incident that he claimed was part of a conspiracy to destabilise his socialist government. An Associated Press reporter heard gunfire as a blue helicopter buzzed through downtown but was unable to confirm where the shots were being fired from. The gunfire took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists gathered at the presidential palace. He said the chopper fired upon offices of the court and launched a grenade that didn't explode before buzzing over the interior ministry. He said the nation's air defense was activated, thwarting what he called a "terrorist attack" and part of an ongoing coup attempt. "It could've caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured," said Maduro. But many opponents on social media accused the president himself of trying to spread fear to help justify a crackdown against Venezuelan seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a pilot for the police squad, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against the Maduro's "tyranny" as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. "We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government," the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what look like assault rifles standing behind him. Caracas: Armed civilian groups have attacked the Venezuelan Parliament building after a clash between lawmakers and the military police of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), opposition legislator Julio Borges has said. The clash on Tuesday left at least two female members of parliament injured, Efe news quoted Borges as saying. According to the National Assembly's Twitter account, opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano and several reporters were also injured. "Different lawmakers and Assembly personnel saw (GNB) officers entering (the building) with boxes from the National Election Council... and a clash occurred there between the GNB officers and the lawmakers," Borges said. As a result, the parliamentary session was interrupted. Borges then proceeded to talk with the officer responsible for the institution's security in order to resolve the conflict. However, immediately groups of civilians entered through the doors of the National Assembly building, he said. These people launched fireworks rockets and other materials inside the House, according to some videos published on social media. The civilian groups have attacked the front of the building and threatened to enter "by force", the opposition said. Lawmakers and workers currently remain locked inside the Parliament, the Chamber's press chief Alicia de La Rosa told Efe. Borges has blamed President Nicolas Maduro for the attack. He said: "Nicolas Maduro... said on Tuesday that if the ballots are no use, then the violence will be, that if the ballots are no use, then the bullets will be." Borges, however, said that the attack would give "more strength" to parliamentarians to continue fighting for "a democratic and free country". Regarding the boxes from the National Election Council, he indicated that the lawmakers went to see what happened with them, since it was "irregular" to keep such contents in the Legislative building. However, the GNB forces did not allow the parliamentarians to have access to the boxes, Borges said, adding that the troops claimed that the boxes contain data on the validation of political parties. Venezuela has been facing socio-political upheavals which have been exacerbated by waves of demonstrations, both against and in favour of the government, for three months. Some of these demonstrations have become violent, leaving so far at least 75 people dead and about 1,500 injured, according to data from Venezuela's Prosecutor General's Office. The Libyan coastguard has rescued Tuesday morning 147 African migrants attempting to reach Europe. More than 8,000 migrants have been rescued in waters off Libya during the past 48 hours in difficult weather conditions, according to Italy's coastguard. People were pulled to safety by coastguard vessels, military ships operating under the EU's border agency Frontex and aid boats run by privately funded organizations. Their efforts were coordinated by the coastguard. "Together with Sea Watch and Sea Eye our crew was able to save more people last night under bad weather conditions," the German NGO Jugend Rettet tweeted on Tuesday, referring to two other nonprofit groups. It said that "three people died", though it was not clear whether the victims were found dead or died during the rescue. Those rescued included 17 minors, two babies and 23 women, seven of whom were pregnant. Traffickers on the North African coast take advantage of periods of good weather to set large numbers of migrants seeking passage to Europe out to sea, a notoriously dangerous crossing. On Sunday, over 3,300 people were rescued in 31 separate operations, while two bodies were recovered. The record for migrants rescued on a single day stands at 7,000, plucked from their unseaworthy vessels on August 29, 2016. Over 73,300 migrants have landed in Italy since January, a 14 percent increase from the same period last year. Just over 2,000 people have died attempting the crossing or are missing feared drowned since the beginning of 2017, according to the UN's refugee agency. The relationship between the Donald Trump administration and the US media reached another new low on Tuesday, after the deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders publicly snapped at the White House press corps, and slammed the media over "fake news" around Trump's alleged Russia links. Sanders conducted the daily press briefing as Sean Spicer was attending a GOP Senate luncheon at the Capitol Hill. Her briefing was also the first one to be televised in a week. The press corp earlier complained that the White House was not allowing briefings to be broadcast. The bone of contention was a CNN story on Donald Trump's alleged links with Russia, which was later retracted. The three reporters involved in the story also resigned on Monday. Tense moment in briefing as reporter confronts White House's Sarah Sanders after she decried "fake news", etc. pic.twitter.com/kVEPNipPt9 Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) June 27, 2017 When a Breitbart News reporter asked Sanders over the retraction of the CNN story, she went on a rant against "fake news: in mainstream media. "I think that we have gone to a place where if the media cant be trusted to report the news, then thats a dangerous place for America. And I think if that is the place that certain outlets are going, particularly for the purpose of spiking ratings, and if thats coming directly from the top, I think thats even more scary and certainly more disgraceful. And I hope that thats not the direction were headed. I hope that outlets that have continued to use either unnamed sources, sometimes stories with no sources at all weve been going on this Russia-Trump hoax for the better part of a year now with no evidence of anything." Sanders also said that the mainstream media has not been focusing on the various programmes of the Trump administration, adding, "America deserves better from the news media." Sanders was then interrupted by Playboy journalist Brian Karem, who rebutted her claims. Karem said: "Come on, youre inflaming everybody right here, right now, with those words. This administration has done that as well. Why in the name of heaven: Any one of us are replaceable, and anyone of us, if we do not get it right, the audience has the opportunity to turn the channel or not read us.You have been elected to serve for four years at least. There is no option other than that. Were here to ask you questions. You are here to provide the answers. And what you just did is inflammatory to people all over the country who look at it and say, See, once again, the president is right and everybody else out here is fake media. And everybody out here is only trying to do their job," In response, Sanders kept her cool and stuck to her argument that the mainstream media is "dishonest". Majority support bicycle, car sharing in China [Xinhua] China's transportation regulator said Tuesday that the majority of people approve of bicycle and car sharing. The Ministry of Transport has issued draft guidelines on bicycle and car sharing and asked for public comment. The government encourages this kind of sharing, which allows people to rent bicycles and cars for short periods of time and can help ease congestion and parking pressure. The ministry received altogether 874 comments. More than 760 were in support of the businesses. Concerns were raised about the security of personal information, the specific scope of applications and illegal activity. The ministry will amend the guidelines in accordance with the response before release, said Wu Chungeng, a spokesperson with the ministry. China is home to more than 40 car-sharing firms, which own more than 40,000 cars, most of which are new energy vehicles. According to the China E-Commerce Research Center, there were 18.9 million users of shared bicycles nationwide at the end of 2016. The number is expected to hit 50 million by the end of 2017. Wan Gang, minister of science and technology of the People's Republic of China, speaks on June 27 at the 2017 Dalian Summer Davos. [Photo by Gong Jie/China.org.cn] China will prioritize green development and focus on clean technology, according to Wan Gang, minister of science and technology, speaking on June 27 at the 2017 Dalian Summer Davos. He stressed the global benefits of clean energy, and said China would work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations. According to the minister, China has developed the world's most advanced technology for ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission. In addition, there were 400 million households using smart meters in China. It is fair to say we are leading in clean technology development, he said. Investment in innovation is a crucial factor in driving growth, and, added Wan Gang, the private sector has a key role to play in clean tech innovation. Chinese people are getting back on their bikes, a mode of transport that, until recently, was seen as old-fashioned. This is partly due to the rising popularity of bicycle-sharing companies like ofo and Mobike, and the rapid adoption of quick and easy mobile payment technology. Wan Gang also emphasized the need for flexible policy-making, declaring: We encourage the adoption of clean energy. We should also make it easier for clean energy to gain market access. Technology innovation goes hand-in-hand with innovation in the institutional support arrangements, he said, while acknowledging the challenges ahead: Over the past two decades, development has boosted our economy, but it has brought about some negative impacts as well, like air pollution. Wan also highlighted the importance of international collaboration and said China should learn best practice from others and share its experiences with developing economies. Established in 2007, the Summer Davos has become a key gathering on science, technology and innovation. Over 2,000 prominent leaders from politics, business, civil society, academia and the arts are meeting in China's northeastern coastal city Dalian from Tuesday to Thursday. The participants are from 84 countries and regions, and 56 percent of them are from overseas. Following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco in 2016, Samsung bounced back with an impressive Galaxy S8 this year that has been praised for its design as well as performance. Now, a latest report from the Wall Street Journal states that Samsung is all set to sell refurbished Galaxy Note 7 next month. The company is planning to release Fandom Edition (FE) of the Galaxy Note 7 on July 7 in South Korea, said the report. The FE model will be a refurbished Note 7 with upgraded components. Currently, it is not clear if these phones will be available outside South Korea. The Galaxy Note 7 FE model will be a bit cheaper than the original Note 7. Samsung is expected to release at most 400,000 devices among three major telecom companies in South Korea. As per the WSJ report the phone will be priced below 700,000 South Korean won, which roughly translates to $613. Samsung had permanently killed Galaxy Note 7 last year following reports that devices caught fire while charging. Source Another massive ransomware attack it hitting across the globe including UK, US and Russia. Several companies confirmed so far to have fallen victim to GoldenEye/Petya ransomware. The attack makes use of the same vulnerability that allowed for the spread of the WannaCry ransomware in May. The Petya ransomware hijacks victims computers before encrypting their files and holding them hostage until a fee is paid. According to Bitdefender Labs, Chernobyls radiation monitoring system, law firm DLA Piper, pharma company Merck, a number of banks, an airport, the Kiev metro, Danish shipping and energy company Maersk, British advertiser WPP and Russian oil firm Rosneft have been the targets so far. GoldenEye /Petya operators have already received 13 payments in almost two hours. That is $3.5K USD ($3,500) worth in digital currency, Bitdefender Labs researcher Bogdan Botezatu, said in a note. The ransomware virus includes code known as Eternal Blue, which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used WannaCry. Unlike most ramsonware, the new GoldenEye variant has two layers of encryption: one that individually encrypts target files on the computer and another one that encrypts NTFS structures. This approach prevents victims computers from being booted up in a live OS environment and retrieving stored information or samples. Just like Petya, GoldenEye encrypts the the entire hard disk drive and denies the user access to the computer. However, unlike Petya, there is no workaround to help victims retrieve the decryption keys from the computer. Additionally, after the encryption process is complete, the ransomware has a specialized routine that forcefully crashes the computer to trigger a reboot that renders the computer unusable until the $300 ransom is paid. Source We have already seen a couple of leaks and reports about the Samsung Galaxy Note8. Now, a 3D CAD drawing of the upcoming flagship from Samsung has been shared by BGR. The render shows back of the Galaxy Note8 that highlights the fingerprint sensor and dual camera setup. The fingerprint placement looks unchanged and is still placed next to the dual cameras. Although the Samsung Galaxy S8 has received praise for the design and features, it has been criticized for its awkward fingerprint scanner placement. The fingerprint sensor was shifted to the back from the front due to the infinite display however, many users have stated that unlocking the phone is cumbersome. Meanwhile, the dual camera setup is horizontal with lenses and LED flash placed next to each other. Earlier rumor revealed that the phone will have a 12 MP wide-angle lens supporting dual photodiodes, along with a 13 MP telephoto lens, OIS on both. The Galaxy Note8 is expected to sport a 6.3-inch AMOLED display with the same 18.5:9 aspect ratio and QHD+ (1440 x 2960) resolution of the S8 series. It might be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895 chipset depending on the region, have 6GB RAM and a 3300mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 is said to come in Black, Blue and Gold colors. According to a latest report, the Note8 will be launched at the end of September for about 999 Euros (US$ 1118 / 72120 approx.). Source Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, in Dalian. The following is the full text of Li's speech: Address by Premier Li Keqiang at the Opening Ceremony of Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017 Dalian, 27 June 2017 Professor Klaus Schwab, Your Excellencies Heads of Government, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, It's a great pleasure to meet you again in this beautiful city of Dalian. On behalf of the Chinese government, let me offer our warm congratulations on the opening of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the New Champions, and extend a sincere welcome to all guests coming from afar and to members of the media. Yesterday evening after my meeting with Professor Schwab and some of the delegates, we went to a viewing deck and enjoyed the sceneries around us. We saw green hills in the distance shrouded in a thin mist, which sometimes hid them from view. But it was only temporary. The mist eventually cleared away, and the mountain is always there. This scenery reminded me of the current state of the global economy. On the one hand, signs of world economic and trade recovery have begun to emerge and the new round of industrial revolution has given people new hope. Economic globalization has become an irreversible trend. On the other hand, global economic recovery remains weighed down by lack of growth drivers and structural imbalances that are yet to be fundamentally addressed. Backlash against globalization has worsened, compounded by rising geopolitical risks. If the hills represent stability of the global economy and the mist uncertainty, then stability will prevail over uncertainty as long as we harden our resolve and make relentless efforts. In his keynote speech at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum early this year, President Xi Jinping elaborated on China's firm commitment to economic globalization and free trade, which has been widely acclaimed by the international community. The theme of this annual meeting, "Achieving Inclusive Growth in the Fourth Industrial Revolution", is highly relevant to our times. A review of world history shows that each of the industrial revolutions has brought about leapfrogging expansion of productivity and huge progress of civilizations in general. This round of industrial revolution, fostered in the era of economic globalization, is changing our world in a way unseen before in terms of speed, scope and depth of transformation, giving a strong boost to economic growth of all countries. However, if not managed properly, this round of change may also lead to lack of inclusiveness in growth. Some people may benefit more than others, traditional industries and jobs may take a hit, and returns on capital and labor may diverge further. Addressing these issues well is of both social and economic importance. Lack of inclusiveness will render part of the workforce and resources idle, and deepen the divide within society and between regions. This would hinder the tapping of market potential, aggravate the social divide, and make growth unsustainable. In contrast, inclusive growth makes societies fairer and development more widely beneficial. Realizing inclusiveness and achieving sustainable development are therefore two sides of the same coin. Compared with the previous times, the new industrial revolution offers greater promise in fostering inclusive growth. Driven by Internet, digital and intelligent technologies, it has created new supply and demand, greatly expanded development space and brought unprecedented opportunities for equal participation. Now, it is much easier for anyone to log on the Internet to start a business, pursue innovation and create wealth. SMEs can get on the same starting point as big companies and foster new champions through integrated innovation. Developing countries can better leverage their comparative strengths and latecomer advantage. The key is to take vigorous and effective steps to turn these possibilities into reality and help more people, businesses and nations achieve greater progress in the new industrial revolution. Promoting inclusive growth in our times calls for upholding economic globalization, which has greatly facilitated the flow of goods, capital and people, and provided bigger markets for producers and more choices for consumers than ever before. All countries are beneficiaries in this process. At the same time, countries, both developing and developed, have encountered challenges of different forms in adapting to economic globalization. However, these problems cannot be blamed on economic globalization per se. What is important is how to adapt or respond to it. To give an analogy, one cannot blame the uneven ground for his sprained ankle and stop walking altogether. Instead, we must better adapt to and steer economic globalization forward, uphold the authority and efficacy of the multilateral system, and promote investment and trade liberalization and facilitation. In the meantime, we need to reform and improve international economic and trade rules to secure equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules for all countries in international economic cooperation. Some people talk about the question of "fair trade". In fact, free trade, as the underlying driving force for economic globalization, is the prerequisite for fair trade. Restricting free trade will not make trade fairer. Fairness is an inherent requirement of free trade, and unfair trade will not be sustainable. When problems and trade disputes arise, it is advisable to take into account the national conditions of the other side, conduct consultation on the basis of equality and mutual accommodation, seek areas of converging and balanced interests and find win-win solutions through complementarity. All countries should be treated equally under international and multilateral rules. Imposing unilateral rules on others is much less advisable than pursuing all-win outcomes. Promoting inclusive growth requires the hard work of countries themselves. Against the backdrop of economic globalization and new industrial revolution, a country's ability to seize the opportunities to speed up economic development and address challenges of unemployment, widening income gap and poverty is very much shaped by its own choices and actions. We should put in place better institutional arrangements incentivizing efficiency and equity, develop a model of balanced and inclusive growth, and provide opportunities for equal participation by all. We should make education future-oriented to help the workforce better adapt to industrial transformation, remove structural hindrances to employment, and give more support to vulnerable groups to enable all to benefit from development. Talking about sustainable development, one should not fail to mention responding to climate change, which is the shared responsibility of the international community. China will honor its commitments under the Paris Agreement and carry out climate response measures on the ground, as this is also required for China's green development. Not long ago, China successfully held the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative, which follows the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, provides a wide platform for inclusive development and offers new opportunities for all countries and businesses. We look forward to the active participation of all sides for interconnected and win-win development through mutually beneficial cooperation. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. The European Union came down hard this week on Alphabet-owned Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL), fining the tech giant about $2.7 billion for a[abusing] its market dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search results, and demoting those of competitors," said EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager. Google said it arespectfully disagreeda with the ruling. The backlash, particularly in the American online business community, was swift. The EU's actions were "anti-American" some commenters said, citing other recent actions against U.S. tech companies like Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB). Others accused the EU of "shaking down" rich companies for money to make up for their communityas own lack of innovation. But perhaps it is just that the rich companies face the biggest headline-grabbing fines, as they are based on a percentage of revenue (up to 10%). The EU's fine, as disagreeable as it may seem to some, is but a blip on this giant companyas P&L and will have little impact on Google's continuing ability to innovate. The companyas market cap is nearing $700 billion. That being said, there's no question that Google's search capabilities are monopolistic. Do you use any other search engine? Does Bing even exist anymore? Don't you regularly use the word "Google" in place of "research" or "encyclopedia" or "wise person" when you say to your friends "I don't know, let's look it up on Google" or "how fascinating that Beyonce owns a Cosmetology Center in Brooklyn, let's Google it" or "I have no idea how much Johnny Depp spent on wine last month, let's just ask Google." Of course you do. And Google always has the answers. OK - maybe they're not always the right answers, but they're usually much more accurate than your dad ever was. Google owns the Internet search game because Google is excellent. It's fast. It's easy to use. And it's mostly reliable. If Google wasn't as good as it is, then - believe me - the online backlash would be ruthlessly severe and competitors would pop up everywhere. The fact is that you don't hear that much criticism of the search giant in the Twitter-sphere because for the most part people are happy with product. Oh yeah, plus it's free. Almost forgot that little point. But here's the thing: the EU has raised an issue that many, particularly those of us who run small businesses, can understand. The issue isn't about what Google does. It's about how Google does it. How exactly does Google do it? Ask any business owner, marketing manager or search specialist about how Google works and no one can provide you with a straight answer. It's a giant, cash-sucking mystery. I say cash-sucking because that's what Google does with my money the minute my company hands over our credit card. Google mysteriously sucks away our cash. And we don't really know what we just bought. Let me ask you: do you know how AdWords really work? When your small company's $1,000 AdWords budget is drained by Google almost as fast as an Atlantic City roulette table -- do you know why? Google will tell you it's because of the "clicks" and the "impressions" you received. They'll provide with you all sorts of free analytics and data about who, where and when your ad was clicked. But wait, isn't this data all provided by...Google? It's like asking the fox to produce evidence that there were only 10 chickens in the barn that night, not 11. aOf course there was sir,a he says licking the blood off his whiskers. aAnd I dare you to prove otherwise.a Foxes are known to be very polite, by the way. We believe Google's analytics because we have no other alternative. I'm assuming that it's all on the up and up, but who really knows? If you're a Fortune 500, your Google ad spend is a mere drop in your billion-dollar marketing budget. But for a small business, online advertising can have an enormous financial impact, particularly if youare not fully aware of what youare doing. And weare not. For pretty much all of my clients a including me - the data behind Google AdWords remains a mystery...if not a little bit sketchy. That's what the EU's getting at. The same goes for general search. When someone is searching for your business are they finding you? Is your business ranked at the top half of the first page's search results? Yes? Good for you - you're probably doing something right. But you're not entirely sure what you're doing right and if you'll still be in the same position tomorrow. So you hire a search engine optimization (SEO) expert who, for thousands every month, performs some kind of dark magic behind the scenes so that lo and behold, your ranking goes up. Or not. Or does for a blip and then drops. Is this system rigged? And why do you have to keep paying these guys a monthly fee to maintain that ranking? Does your company get better search results if you advertise on Google? What about listing your company on Google My Business? Who creates these search algorithms that have such an enormous impact on your lead generation, brand awareness and professional livelihood...the masons? The illuminati? The Russians? Like Google AdWords, no one I know really knows. So business owners like me struggle to figure out how to "beat" the system like we're counting cards in Vegas or playing a carnival game. Again...sketchy. The EU is not just fining Google. Theyare saying ahey, does anyone really understand how this all works and if not, why not?a As a business owner, I get that: they, like many of my colleagues are confused - if not just a little suspect - of the sorcery behind search and online advertising. Gene Marks is an author, columnist and President of The Marks Group, a ten-person technology consulting firm near Philadelphia. Gene is also a Certified Public Accountant and a small business expert. He is looking forward to Game of Thrones in July. Computers around the globe were hit by a ransomware cyber attack Tuesday which asked for $300 in ransom. Phosphorus founder Gregory Keeley discusses how to protect your computers from cyber attacks such as this. People need to get off their butts and start to patch and look after their endpoint security, Keeley told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo. According to Keeley, consumers need to be aware of all the devices in their household that could be at risk from potential cyber attacks and secure them. You look at a household right now, a general household, its not unusual for it to have 20 or maybe 30 IoT (Internet of Things) devices. Those devices are made with no secure backend. So people arent patching and theyre not protected. Keeley says it is a similar issue for companies with small businesses often having a similar number of computer devices to consumer households. So, if you have a house, and thats equivalent of what a small, medium enterprise was just a year or two ago, you need to be patching those, you need to detect, you need to patch. But Keeley says not all patches are created equal. The fix that is out there right now, Keeley says, Our guys have run it down, its not a fix, its what they call a zombie patch, that will protect your machine or your IoT hardware from infection, but it wont clean your machine. In the case of the latest ransomware, Bartiromo asked whether people should pay the ransom to unlock their computers. Absolutely not, Keeley responded, continuing, As of last night there was no way to actually pay that ransom because German authorities shut down the email account they were using to collect that money. Keeley then weighed in on the potential source of the ransomware, telling Bartiromo, Where its come from were not sure, my money if I was a betting man would be on Russia. Keeley suspected the ransomware wasnt actually about collecting money. If theyre really spending all this time to develop a ransomware to collect money off of victims, theyve done a pretty bad job about it. That suggests to me that this actually isnt a ransomware attack in so much as its perhaps and potentially a state-sponsored sort of denial of service. The Federal Reserve announced the results from the second round of this year's stress tests on Wednesday. The news clears the way for Citigroup (NYSE: C) and roughly three dozen other large banks to raise their dividends and buy back more stock. Citigroup responded immediately, saying that it will indeed increase the amount of capital it returns to shareholders. The bank will double its quarterly dividend to $0.32 per share and add $15.6 billion to its share buyback authority. These planned capital actions total $18.9 billion over the next four quarters. "Today marks a significant milestone for Citi and our shareholders," said CEO Michael Corbat. The Dodd-Frank Act stress tests Citigroup's showing in the first round of this year's stress tests telescoped today's announcement. The results from the first round, referred to as the Dodd-Frank Act stress test, or DFAST, were published last Thursday. Citigroup demonstrated in the DFAST that it has far more capital than it needs to survive a severe economic downturn akin to the financial crisis. To pass DFAST, a bank must maintain a common equity tier 1 capital ratio, or CET1 ratio, of 4.5% through the test's nine-quarter time horizon. So long as a bank does so, it will pass. If it comes up short, then it fails. It's a purely quantitative exercise. In Citigroup's case, the New York-based bank comfortably cleared this mark. It entered the test with a CET1 ratio of 14.9%. This declined by more than 500 basis points to 9.7% at the low point in this year's DFAST, but even then it was still well over the 4.5% regulatory minimum. The Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review The second round of the stress tests, the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR), goes a step further than the first round, by giving the Fed the authority to veto big bank capital plans. As the Fed explains: Although Citigroup has struggled on the CCAR in the past, there were no signs of trouble this year. After factoring in its planned capital actions, its minimum CET1 ratio fell to 8%, which is still well above the 4.5% minimum. Expectations that Citigroup would pass the 2017 CCAR, and thereby accelerate its capital return program, sent the bank's stock up 1.5% on Wednesday. It was up a further 2.4% in after-hours trading. 10 stocks we like better than CitigroupWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Citigroup wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of June 5, 2017 John Maxfield has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Shares of Square (NYSE: SQ) are already trading around their all-time high price, but they could climb higher still. The company is operating in an increasingly crowded field, but Square keeps attracting new merchants and retaining old ones. Even with the influx of competition, there's a ton of room for Square to grow both domestically and internationally. It's also doing an excellent job of expanding horizontally into new verticals such as Square Capital, point of sale services, and other offering like Caviar, a food delivery service. Here are three reasons Square stock could keep climbing. Just scratching the surface Square estimates there are 21 million small and medium-sized businesses in the United States, and they combine to generate around $6 trillion in revenue. About half of that revenue is collected via debit and credit cards, which gives Square a total addressable market of $3 trillion in the U.S. For reference, gross payment volume across Square's platform over the last 12 months totaled just $56 billion. In other words, Square has only captured 1.8% of what it sees as its potential market. Even if Square only manages to capture 9% to 10% of the total market, that's still a fivefold increase from today. And there are a couple big catalysts that could drive adoption still. For one, the switch to EMV chip readers could put more eyes on Square versus traditional card readers. Sixty-four percent of businesses still don't have chip readers installed, and that's concentrated in smaller businesses that Square caters to. Additionally, businesses are increasingly looking for an all-in-one solution for their in-store and online sales, which Square is well positioned to provide. Square has managed to maintain a lead in the market thanks to its brand strength. That's an intangible asset that provides a small moat around its business. Additionally, it's become very adept at locking customers into its ecosystem through its value-added services, making it easier to pull up the drawbridge, so to speak. New services generate revenue twice Square Capital has quickly turned into one of Square's greatest success stories. The small business loan division extended over $250 million of cash to 40,000 businesses in the first quarter of 2017. Square sees the small business loan market as a $14 billion revenue opportunity based on a rate of 4% to 6% of outstanding small business loans. Square thinks the market for services like Caviar, which picks up orders from restaurants and delivers them to customers, is $11 billion. Square also develops software for merchants like its payroll software, which it believes is an $8 billion market. But beyond monetizing these products directly, Square also gives itself an opportunity to earn more revenue from transactions. Businesses generally take on loans because they believe they'll grow sales. Caviar can increase sales by connecting restaurants with more customers. All of these value-added services end up feeding back into the core payment processing business. The result is a 113% revenue retention rate. That is, for every dollar Square's current merchants generated last year, they're generating $1.13 in revenue this year. And value-added services speed up the payback period for Square on its marketing efforts from four to five quarters per merchant based on transaction revenue to three to four quarters based on total revenue. Expanding internationally While there's still plenty of opportunity left in the U.S., there's even more in international markets. Square estimates the addressable market is five to six times bigger internationally compared to the U.S. And the company has even less presence outside of the country. It only recently expanded to Europe with its arrival in the U.K. in March. That's just the fifth country overall where Square operates. CEO Jack Dorsey said the company intends to expand to the rest of Europe eventually. International expansion represents a huge opportunity to increase revenue, but it could also come with more marketing expenses as well. Not only is there more established competition in Europe already, Square's brand recognition isn't nearly as strong. Square may see its payback period fall as it enters Europe, but it will pay off in the long run, especially as it continues to develop more value-added services. Overall, there's a lot of opportunity for Square to pursue, so it should keep expanding at a steady pace as it goes after new markets both internationally and domestically. 10 stocks we like better than SquareWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Square wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of June 5, 2017 Adam Levy has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. North Dakota's governor, top law officer and military leader all said Wednesday they were unaware that a private security firm hired by the developer of the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline has been operating illegally in the state without a license. North Dakota's Private Investigative and Security Board first notified TigerSwan in September it was unlicensed, and in December rejected its application, citing the alleged criminal history of the company's president. Despite that, TigerSwan remained an integral part of the pipeline developer's security operation and assisted law officers. Internal company documents published by online news outlet The Intercept last month make references to planning and communication with law enforcement, the placing of a company liaison in the law enforcement joint operations center, and a meeting with the state attorney general's office's Bureau of Criminal Investigation "regarding video and still photo evidence collected for prosecution." Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, the state's top law enforcement officer, said he did not "recall being made aware" of TigerSwan's involvement or lack of a license. "Certainly, If I had known they were operating, I would have advised them to comply with the law," he said. The regulatory board's attorneys, Monte Rogneby and Justin Hagel, were hired by Stenehjem's office. Rogneby said neither the board nor the attorneys had "communications" with Gov. Doug Burgum, who inherited the pipeline protest issue when he became governor in December. "I can't comment on who else the board has discussed this with because it's an ongoing investigation," Rogneby said. Kelly Ivahnenko, a spokeswoman for Gov. Doug Burgum, said the governor-appointed regulatory board was not obligated under state law to inform Burgum of problems with the private security company. "The governor had no knowledge or communication with the board on this issue," she said. The regulatory board on Tuesday asked a state judge to stop TigerSwan's armed workers from continuing to monitor the pipeline system and requested administrative fines be levied against the company and its president, James Reese, for operating without a license, a misdemeanor carrying a potential sentence of 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine. TigerSwan didn't answer phone calls or respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday. Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners confirmed that it uses TigerSwan for security but declined to comment further. The pipeline this month began moving oil from western North Dakota to a distribution point in Illinois where it can be shipped to the Gulf Coast, though American Indian tribes who fear environmental harm continue to fight in court. The pipeline was delayed months by the legal battle and protests in southern North Dakota that resulted in 761 arrests between August and February. The regulatory board alleges in court documents that TigerSwan employees with semi-automatic rifles and handguns protected workers and equipment at construction sites, conducted intelligence on protesters including placing or trying to place undercover agents within the protest groups, and even monitored traffic on a state highway. The board also says TigerSwan is still providing round-the-clock security along the pipeline in the state. According to the board, it notified TigerSwan in September that the company wasn't properly licensed, and the company denied conducting private security in the state but at the same time applied for a license. The board denied the request in December, citing in court documents Reese's alleged criminal history without specifying the offenses. The board said Reese told the group he had never been convicted of a crime. A month later, the board rejected the application again, saying it was incomplete. Rogneby, an attorney for the board, said "multiple private security companies" were hired by the company during the protest and that some were properly licensed and others are "still under investigation." He would not elaborate. North Dakota officials say the state incurred nearly $40 million in law enforcement costs resulting from the protests. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of opponents camped in southern North Dakota, often clashing with police and National Guard soldiers. The pipeline company's private security personnel and their vehicles were often visible among the uniformed officers and military personnel. Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, the leader of the state's National Guard, said he did not know until Wednesday that TigerSwan was operating illegally. "The National Guard had absolutely no interaction with them," said Dohrmann, whose troops spent months monitoring the protest and helped law enforcement remove protesters from the site in south-central North Dakota in February. "If there was any interaction between our folks and them, it was only through casual conversation," Dohrmann said. "Through official Guard channels, there was no coordination." TigerSwan was founded by retired military special forces members. Internal company documents indicate that employees conducted an aggressive, multifaceted operation against pipeline protesters that included maintaining a close working relationship with public law enforcement. "When you have an organization like TigerSwan come in and start to influence decisions by law enforcement and even leadership in the state, you have to step back and say, where is the safety, where is the justice?" Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault said. Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, who spearheaded the law enforcement response to the protests, didn't immediately reply to a request for comment. ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake and follow James MacPherson at http://twitter.com/macphersonja . After a month behind bars, three Chinese investigators who went undercover at a factory that made Ivanka Trump shoes walked freely out of the local police station Wednesday. But they still face an uncertain future and the threat of a trial. "I appreciate the media following my case the last month," Hua told The Associated Press, "but I'm not ready to speak yet." One of the activists, Hua Haifeng, was clearly relieved as he held his 3-year-old son outside the police station in Ganzhou, a city in southeastern Jiangxi province. "This is a way of keeping people under pressure, under police control, without subjecting them to actual confinement," said Jerome Cohen, a law professor at New York University and a Chinese human rights expert. "Whether they are prosecuted depends on how they behave." But they're not in the clear yet. Political dissidents and other activists who are released in China typically face restrictions on what they can do and say including comments to the media. Chinese authorities released the three, who have been accused of breaking the law by using secret cameras and listening devices. They were freed on bail, which is extremely rare for individuals who have been detained for alleged crimes, a possible sign they won't be formally charged and put on trial. When they disappeared in late May, Hua, Su Heng and Li Zhao of the labor rights group China Labor Watch were preparing to publish a report alleging low pay, excessive overtime, crude verbal abuse and possible misuse of student labor at Huajian Group factories. Some of the factories produced Ivanka Trump shoes, among other brands. Huajian Group has denied allegations of excessive overtime and low wages. It says it stopped producing Ivanka Trump shoes months ago. Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brands company, said that its products had not been produced at a factory in Ganzhou since March but "the integrity of our supply chain is a top priority and we take all allegations very seriously." NYU's Cohen said he suspects the case now may follow the pattern of the one against Ai Weiwei, the dissident artist who was released on bail in 2011 and never faced trial. "I think this is face-saving way to get rid of the case," Cohen said. "Formally, the case will exist for another year, then it will be dropped unless these people misbehave." Li Qiang, founder of China Labor Watch, said the Huajian's factory in Ganzhou was among the worst he has seen in nearly two decades investigating labor abuses. His group says pay can be as low as a dollar an hour, in violation of China's labor laws. According to China Labor Watch investigators, until recently workers might get only two days off or less per month. China Labor Watch alleges the company forced workers to sign fake pay stubs with inflated salary numbers and threatened to fire them if they didn't fill in questionnaires about working conditions with pre-approved answers. Separately, the AP recently spoke to three workers at the Ganzhou factory one current and two former employees who confirmed some of what the labor group has reported. The three workers told the AP that beatings were not unheard of and that they had each witnessed a particularly gruesome scene one day: A worker with blood dripping from his head after an angry manager had hit him with a high-heeled shoe. "There was a lot of blood. He went to the factory's nurse station, passing by me," said one of the former workers, who said he quit his job at the Huajian factory because of the long hours and low pay. All three workers spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution or arrest. The detention of the three activists prompted the U.S. State Department to call for their immediate release. At the time, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the men had been accused of using secret recording devices to disrupt normal commercial operations and would be dealt with under Chinese law. "Other nations have no right to interfere in our judicial sovereignty and independence," she said, adding, "the police found these people illegally possessed secret cameras, secret listening devices and other illegal monitoring devices." The White House directed any questions about the detainees on Wednesday to the State Department. Anna Richey-Allen, a department spokeswoman for East Asia and the Pacific, said: "We urge China to afford them the judicial and fair trial protections to which they are entitled." Marc Fisher, which produces shoes for Ivanka Trump and other brands, has said it is looking into the allegations. Ivanka Trump's lifestyle brand imports most of its merchandise from China, trade data show. The detentions came as China has cracked down on perceived threats to the stability of its ruling Communist Party, particularly from sources with foreign ties such as China Labor Watch. Faced with rising labor unrest and a slowing economy, Beijing has taken a stern approach to activism in southern China's manufacturing belt and to human rights advocates generally, sparking a wave of reports about disappearances, public confessions, forced repatriation and torture in custody. As he left the police station Wednesday, Hua was surrounded by family members. "I'm happy to be out," he said. "I just want to spend some time with my family," Hua said he had not been mistreated but declined further comment. ___ Condon reported from New York. AP writers Gillian Wong in Beijing and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed. Government officials, institutions and businesses around the globe are still scrambling to secure their systems after a massive software epidemic spread like wildfire on Tuesday. In Ukraine, where the data-scrambling ransomware is thought to have originated, government representatives said Wednesday that "all strategic assets, including those involved in protecting state security, are working normally." However, in other regions of the world, the battle was still ongoing. M.K. Sirkar, a manager at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai, said that no containers could be loaded or unloaded at the terminal operated by shipper A.P. Moller-Maersk on Wednesday. In a statement, Moller-Maersk acknowledged that its APM Terminals had been "impacted in a number of ports" and that an undisclosed number of systems were shut down "to contain the issue." The company declined to provide further detail or make an official available for an interview. Thousands of computers worldwide have been struck by the malware, according to preliminary accounts published by cybersecurity firms, although most of the damage remains hidden away in corporate offices. Other organizations affected include U.S. drugmaker Merck, food and drinks company Mondelez International, global law firm DLA Piper, London-based advertising group WPP. As IT security workers turned their eye toward cleaning up the mess, others wondered at the attackers' motives. Ransomware which scrambles a computer's data until a payment is made has grown explosively over the past couple of years, powered in part by the growing popularity of digital currencies such as Bitcoin. [These type of attacks are] absolutely becoming more common, SonicWall president Bill Conner told FOX Business Tuesday. This is a threat vector that is increasing dramatically and creating a lot of havoc. Security experts say Tuesdays cyberattack shares something in common with last months WannaCry attack: Both spread by using digital break-in tools purportedly created by the U.S. National Security Agency and recently leaked to the web. These new threats have increasedsomeone can create some of these for disruption and other people can [initiate] them for money, he said. Some believed that this latest ransomware outbreak was less aimed at gathering money than at sending a message to Ukraine and its allies. That hunch was buttressed by the way the malware appears to have been seeded using a rogue update to a piece of Ukrainian accounting software and the timing coming the same day as the assassination of a senior Ukrainian military intelligence officer in the nation's capital and a day before a national holiday celebrating a new constitution signed after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Federal Reserve has approved plans from the 34 largest U.S. banks to use extra capital for stock buybacks, dividends and other purposes beyond a cushion against possible catastrophe. On Wednesday, the Fed said all of the 34 banks had passed the second, tougher part of its annual stress test, showing that many of the biggest lenders have not only built up adequate capital levels but also improved their risk management procedures. One bank, Capital One Financial Corp, must resubmit its scheme by year-end, though the Fed is still allowing it to go forward with its capital plan in the meantime. Fed Governor Jerome Powell, who is acting as regulatory lead for the U.S. central bank, said the process "has motivated all of the largest banks to achieve healthy capital levels and most to substantially improve their capitalplanning processes." The banks' own plans on how they will use extra capital will not be known until they make their own announcements. The verdict marks a significant victory for the banking industry, which has worked for years to regain its stature following the 2007-2009 financial crisis. The green light could also serve as a watershed moment for Wall Street, which is eager to get a lighter regulatory touch from policymakers in Washington. Capital One must resubmit plans because it did not appropriately account for risks in "one of its most material businesses," the Fed said. The Fed did not specify which business. Capital One's most significant business is credit card lending. It has also built up a presence in auto lending. Both areas have been flagged by bankers and analysts as showing signs of weakness. Capital One has until year-end to deliver an improved submission, but the Fed gave it permission to move forward with its plan until then. Capital One had already resubmitted a plan with a reduced capital request since the first set of stress-test results was released last week. American Express Co had also resubmitted a plan with reduced requests, improving its capital ratios, and the Fed did not require it to resubmit again. Other big banks, including JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bank of America Corp, Wells Fargo & Co, Citigroup Inc, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley also cleared the Fed's bar. (Reporting by Pete Schroeder in Washington and David Henry in New York; Writing by Lauren Tara LaCapra; Editing by Leslie Adler) You are here: Home China's top legislature on Tuesday adopted a law on intelligence to safeguard national security and interests. The National Intelligence Law was approved at the end of a bi-monthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee which concluded on Tuesday afternoon. The 32 articles cover the general provisions, organization and duty of the intelligence authorities, and punishments for misconduct. The law requires intelligence agencies and their staff to safeguard human rights and to protect the legal rights and interests of individuals and organizations. Those who leak state secrets, commercial secrets or personal information will be held accountable. The law provides legal support to the intelligence community, according to Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. Zhang urged agencies to implement the law and carry out their duties in accordance with the law. The law will enter into effect on Wednesday. FedEx (NYSE:FDX) said an information system virus hit the shipping giants TNT Express unit, which experienced service disruptions on Wednesday. FedEx, which acquired Dutch parcel company TNT Express last year, said the virus significantly affected worldwide operations and communications systems at TNT Express. The rest of FedExs businesses continued normally. The Memphis, Tennessee-based company added that no data breach is known to have occurred. TNT Express domestic and regional network services are running slowly, and the virus caused delays to inter-continental services. FedEx Express services are available as an alternative. FedEx said the financial impact of the disruptions could be material. Shares of FedEx rose 1.1% to $216.63 in recent trading. The stock was halted for less than an hour before FedExs announcement. Earlier this week, a cyber-attack affected organizations around the globe, including pharmaceutical company Merck (NYSE:MRK), U.K. advertising agency WPP and Russian oil producer Rosneft. FedEx was among the companies targeted in another ransomware attack dubbed WannaCry in May. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Halliburton is in late-stage talks to acquire a fast-growing U.S. oilfield equipment supplier backed by Oklahoma energy and banking billionaire George Kaiser, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move comes after the No. 2 oilfield services company was rebuffed in two earlier efforts to acquire similar products. Houston-based Halliburton has set its sights on Summit ESP Inc, said the sources, who spoke in recent days. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are not public. Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Summit ESP makes pumps used to maintain well pressure to increase oil and gas production in aging wells. The devices, components in a business called artificial lift, increasingly are being used to prolong the life of shale wells. Halliburton's 2014 attempt to buy Baker Hughes was opposed by U.S. regulators and its 2016 bid for a Russian company has been stalled by Russian regulators. Halliburton declined to comment on Tuesday. Summit did not return calls seeking comment. Argonaut Private Equity, Kaiser's investment vehicle, declined to comment. Summit ESP was founded in 2011 and is led by executives who had earlier held senior posts at Baker Hughes, including Chief Executive John Kenner. It has expanded quickly in the United States and Canada, and in May announced it had installed its 8,000th electric submersible pump (ESP), an increase of 1,000 since November. ESPs are a worldwide business of about $5 billion a year, according to market researcher Frost & Sullivan. The main providers are Schlumberger NV, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International PLC. Halliburton, which has a small ESP business, "is trying to catch up to Schlumberger and Weatherford," Anand Gnanamoorthy, industry manager at Frost & Sullivan, said in an interview this month. ESPs generally cost between $50,000 and $200,000 for a complete system, he said. Summit, said one of the sources, wants to reach a deal soon to pre-empt the announcement of Baker Hughes' closing on its merger with General Electric oil and gas unit, which is expected at mid-year. Kaiser, who controls Kaiser-Francis Oil Co and is the majority owner of BOK Financial, which owns banks from Arizona to Missouri, financed Summit ESP through his Argonaut Private Equity investment firm. It has more than $3 billion of capital deployed in more than 100 investments. Sales talks between Halliburton and Summit have been on and off several times in the last year over valuation differences. Summit ESP's revenue last year was about $180 million, a decline of 10 percent from 2015, according to market researcher Spears & Associates. After initial talks with Summit last year, Halliburton shifted its focus to reaching an agreement with Novomet Oil Services Holdings, a Russian supplier of electric submersible pumps that has operations in about 17 countries. In December, Halliburton disclosed it had sought Russian government approval for a deal to acquire up to 100 percent of Novomet. Halliburton Chief Executive Jeff Miller twice this year has told analysts the company was looking to fill a gap in its artificial lift business through mergers and acquisition. Halliburton renewed talks with Summit this year after Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service failed to rule on the application. A Halliburton spokesman declined to comment on the status of that application. A representative of the FAS told Reuters earlier this month it had not decided whether a government strategic review would be needed. A source familiar with the matter said the Russian review has been stalled over concerns about the strategic implications of a U.S. company owning a domestic supplier whose gear keeps aging Russian fields producing. (Additional reporting by Maria Kiselyova in Moscow; Editing by Matthew Lewis) The Latest on the announcement of new security measures for international flights (all times local): 4 p.m. The Homeland Security Department is demanding that airlines around the world step up security measures for international flights bound for the United States. If they don't, they could face the possibility of a total electronics ban for planes. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly announced the rollout of new security rules on Wednesday. Compliance with the new rules could lead to removing a ban on laptops and other large electronics from passenger cabins on flights to the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East and Africa. It could also stave off a much-discussed expansion of the ban to flights from Europe. ___ 11 a.m. The Homeland Security Department is set to announce new security for international flights bound to the United States. Industry and U.S. officials briefed on the announcement said airports and airlines around the world will be required to implement the measures. If they don't, their passengers may be barred from carrying laptops and other large electronics in passenger cabins. Such a laptop ban has been in place at 10 airports in the Middle East and Africa. The new policy could lead to those bans being lifted. Neither official provided a timeline for compliance. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the changes publicly before the government announcement. ___ AP writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report. The health insurance landscape in New Hampshire continues to shift as the fifth enrollment period under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law approaches. While Republicans in Congress continue trying to dismantle the law, the New Hampshire Insurance Department released information Wednesday about what consumers will face when the next enrollment season starts on Nov. 1 for the online marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Underscoring how quickly things can change, the presentation came just days after one insurer that applied to sell plans in the marketplace announced it is closing and plans to re-open as a for-profit company. "It's no secret to anyone that a lot has happened since last year, and there's a lot of uncertainty right now," Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny said. "Not knowing where the feds are going with it, the state is in the mode of having to act and react as quickly as possible." Nothing is final yet, but three companies Ambetter from New Hampshire Healthy Families, Anthem and Harvard Pilgrim plan to offer 15 plans for individuals and six for small businesses, the insurance department said. For 2017, there were four companies offering 32 individual plans and 17 small-group plans. The 2018 figures don't include Minuteman Health, which announced Friday it is closing and plans to reopen as a for-profit insurer in January, selling plans both on and off the exchange. In 2014, the first year of the online marketplaces, Anthem was the only participating insurer in New Hampshire, and it faced criticism for its narrow provider network of 16 hospitals. In 2018, Anthem plans to contract with 21 hospitals, Ambetter with 23 and Harvard Pilgrim with 18. Anthem and Ambetter have statewide networks; Harvard Pilgrim excludes Belknap and Carroll counties. Of the state's 26 acute care hospitals, all but Parkland Medical Center, in Derry, are included in at least one network. At the insurance department's request, state lawmakers passed legislation this session that would give the department the authority to take steps to shore up the state's individual market, including seeking a federal waiver to help fund the availability of health insurance. Sevigny said the department is looking to hire a consultant to research that option, in part by examining what other states have done. "It's the state's effort to jump out ahead of this so we can be in a position to act as quickly as possible," he said. In Washington, the Senate has delayed its consideration of the measure until after the July Fourth holiday after failing to get the minimum number of votes needed to begin debate. Oil futures climbed more than 1 percent on Wednesday to their highest in more than a week as buyers were encouraged by a small weekly decrease in U.S. production and shrugged off a surprise build in crude inventories in the world's top oil consumer. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said crude stocks rose 118,000 barrels last week, while weekly production declined 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 9.3 million bpd. That was the biggest decline in weekly output since July 2016. "The most interesting thing is crude oil production was down ... which is a significant decline given the increases in previous weeks," Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston, said. Other analysts and traders noted the U.S. production decline last week was related to temporary factors like Tropical Storm Cindy in the Gulf of Mexico and maintenance work in Alaska that will likely be reversed in coming weeks. U.S. output during the week ended June 16 reached almost 9.4 million bpd, the most since August 2015. Futures rose after the EIA's report, even though data showed a build instead of the 2.6 million-barrel draw that analysts had forecast in a Reuters poll. Brent futures gained 66 cents, or 1.4 percent, to settle at $47.31 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 50 cents, or 1.1 percent, to settle at $44.74 per barrel. That was the highest close since June 16 for the contracts, the first time since mid May that they rose for five days straight. Both were up over 5 percent since June 21 when Brent fell to a seven-month low of $44.35 and WTI fell to a 10-month low of $42.05. Ian Taylor, head of the world's largest independent oil trader Vitol, said Brent will stay in a range of $40-$55 a barrel for the next few quarters as higher U.S. production slows a rebalancing of the market. Analysts at JBC Energy in a report saw room for prices to recover, saying "there is now significant room for speculative support for prices to develop if a catalyst were to emerge." Still, global supplies are ample despite output cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other producing countries of 1.8 million bpd since January. OPEC and the other producers, trying to reduce a crude glut, agreed in May to extend the supply cut through March 2018. But OPEC has exempted Nigeria and Libya from cutting output. OPEC delegates have said they will not rush to cut crude output further or end the exemptions, although a meeting in Russia next month is likely to consider further steps to support the market. (Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Elaine Hardcastle) Pending sales of U.S. homes posted a surprise drop in May, marking the third straight month of declines amid a shortage of homes listed for sale. The Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors fell 0.8% to 108.5, reflecting a drop in the number of contracts signed in May. The results bucked expectations. Economists were looking for an increase of 0.8% compared to the prior month, according to a Thomson Reuters poll. The NAR noted that pending home sales were down in the Northeast, South and West. Buying activity in the Midwest held steady. Demand for housing remains strong, thanks to an improved labor market and stronger economy. But with a lack of available homes, rising prices have kept many potential buyers on the sidelines. Buyer interest is solid, but there is just not enough supply to satisfy demand, said Lawrence Yun, NARs chief economist. The decline in May pending home sales signals that existing sales could weaken in the coming months, when those contracts are finalized. The NAR said existing home sales are on pace to hit 5.63 million this year, a 3.2% gain year-over-year. The national median existing home price is forecasted to increase around 5%. Home prices climbed 5.1% in 2016, while sales of existing homes were up 3.8%. Pope Francis has praised labor unions as the prophetic face of society, but called for a new social contract to bring more young people into the workforce. Meeting with one of Italy's biggest trade unions Wednesday, Francis said it was both "foolish and myopic" for companies to force people to work into their golden years while depriving young people of the dignity and societal good of a job. Italy's youth unemployment is around 40 percent. Francis has long defended labor unions, part of his overall denunciation of today's capitalistic, globalized society which he says has left the poor on the margins. In his remarks, Francis denounced both the "golden retirements" given to some pensioners and the meager ones given to others, saying both are an offense to the dignity of work. Every day, Wall Street analysts upgrade some stocks, downgrade others, and "initiate coverage" on a few more. But do these analysts even know what they're talking about? Today, we're taking one high-profile Wall Street pick and putting it under the microscope... It was a rough day for oil investors today, with analysts at New York-based Guggenheim Securities downgrading more than a half dozen stocks in the oil services sector, including big names like Baker Hughes, Halliburton, and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB). Things could get especially rough for investors in Schlumberger in particular, with StreetInsider.com (requires subscription) reporting that it received a second downgrade from Atlantic Equities this morning as well. Here are three things you need to know. 1. Forecast calls for clouds Let's start with the latest forecasts for oil prices. The U.S. Energy Information Administration published its latest update on oil prospects earlier this month, noting that Brent crude averaged just $50 per barrel in May. (U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude, more commonly used in the U.S., generally sold for about $2 a barrel cheaper here.) Peering into its crystal ball, EIA suggested that oil might average $53 overall this year, and only $56 next year. This suggests a nice bounce back from recent price levels below $44 in the U.S. -- but muted growth next year. 2. ...with a possibility of storms And that's not the worst of it -- EIA estimates could even prove optimistic. A day after EIA's estimates came out, Goldman Sachs cut its estimate for this year's average oil price to under $53 for WTI, and perhaps $55 and change for Brent. JPMorgan went a step further, predicting that Brent prices might not rise a few dollars in 2018, but rather fall steeply -- to $42 per barrel for WTI and $45 for Brent. 3. What it means for Schlumberger Thus the story shaping up for oil prices appears to range from slim prospects for prices rising to a real possibility of a plunge to prices even more deeply discounted than where they sit today. What does this mean for Schlumberger? Guggenheim isn't 100% sure, but it seems certain the news isn't good. This morning Guggenheim cut its rating on Schlumberger from buy to neutral and withdrew its $90 price target entirely. Atlantic Securities is a bit more specific about its concerns. Cutting its rating from overweight to neutral, and its price target from $86 per share to $68, Atlantic warns that it sees only a "limited rebound in oil prices" forthcoming, and worries that this will result in "only modest activity growth across SLB's businesses." Why is that? "For many Oilfield Services segments," explains Atlantic, "a slow recovery implies capacity utilization will take longer to tighten." This is probably because more oilfield services firms will survive (or at least take longer to die) in an environment of modestly growing oil prices. The result of more competition hanging around for longer, though, is that it will keep more capacity open and make it harder for Schlumberger to raise its own prices (and profits). Customers will play oil-field service providers off against each other, continuing "to exert downward pressure on [their own] costs" at Schlumberger's expense. The upshot for investors Thus, an oil environment like today's, with oil prices low growing only modestly, is "inconsistent with strong pricing power for service providers," says Atlantic. The most the analyst thinks investors can expect out of the stock is for Schlumberger to trade at about the same 19 times forward earnings multiple that the stock has enjoyed since about 2005. Applied to 2019 earnings, Atlantic values says that works out to a target price of $68 a share. Of course, Atlantic didn't say exactly how much it expects Schlumberger to earn in 2019 -- but it's apparently not a lot. Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence show that most analysts believe Schlumberger stock will earn as much as $4.46 per share in fiscal 2019. Apply that to Atlantic's offered earnings multiple of 19, and it would work out to a target price closer to $85 than to $68. In sticking with a $68 target price, therefore, Atlantic seems to be implying that it expects Schlumberger to earn a lot less than everyone else on Wall Street is expecting -- as much as 20% less. If Atlantic is right about that, though, then maybe it should actually be downgrading Schlumberger more aggressively. Maybe it should even be downgrading to sell. 10 stocks we like better than SchlumbergerWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Schlumberger wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of June 5, 2017 Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (1st R) co-chairs a diplomatic and security dialogue with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (1st L) in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 21, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] More than two months ago, Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, for the first moves towards a better understanding between their two countries. The strengthening of dialogue has been a priority in assisting China and the U.S. to find a modus vivendi despite obvious differences, and the first China-U.S. Diplomatic and Security Dialogue took place a few days ago in Washington. The significance of the initiative was outlined by the participation of State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as well as Secretary of Defense James Mattis. For China and the U.S. to be talking about security at all can only be considered a breakthrough, because this issue had been lagging behind in comparison to economic relations, trade, culture and people-to-people exchanges. There's no doubt the international community urgently needs Beijing and Washington to find common ground and cooperate in the field of diplomatic and security affairs, and the fight against terror perhaps constitutes the greatest priority. During the recent dialogue meeting, Middle East issues in general and the situation in Afghanistan, Iraq and other regional scenes of conflict were on the agenda. Both sides agree Islamic State should be defeated; however, due to longstanding mutual suspicion, they don't often proceed together as much as they could and should. From the Chinese perspective, cooperation in counter-terrorism has to be based on the principles of mutual respect, equal treatment and mutual benefit. And from an American perspective, the commitment to a policy that aims to expand cooperation with China where it is possible and also to narrow differences on key issues is obvious. In fact, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton clearly stated this in a special briefing. Within this context, the two states are prepared to deepen cooperation in common areas of humanitarian aid, disaster relief, anti-piracy and military medical assistance, and examine other confidence-building measures. Notwithstanding the common will for joint steps in counter-terrorism and other military-related activities, the Diplomatic and Security Dialogue found the two countries separated by their approach to the South China Sea and the North Korea nuclear program. To start with the former, Beijing strongly believes that only the countries directly involved should be engaged in negotiations to solve any disputes, or at least manage them in an efficient way. This said, the stance of the Philippines under Rodrigo Duterte, who is slowly abandoning the policies of his predecessor Benigno Aquino III, cannot be ignored. By contrast, the U.S. lays emphasis in what it calls "freedom of navigation" operations that cause alarm in Beijing. Speaking during a recent visit to China, the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Scott Swift confirmed American policy, although saying it was not being largely promoted in public as before. With reference to the North Korean crisis, China's eventual objective is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, it prefers negotiations to take place under the "six-party talks" framework, and does not want to see the Pyongyang regime immediately collapse or be humiliated and the country and its people be damaged beyond repair. By contrast, the U.S. insists a solution of the problem solely depends on more pressure to be exerted by the Chinese administration on Kim Jong-un. Beijing responds that it is not able to define Kim's future actions and that its policies vis-a-vis North Korea are in line with decisions of the UN Security Council. Obviously, the current moment is complicated and emotional following the death of American student Otto Warmbier upon his return from imprisonment in North Korea. It would have been unwise to expect China and the U.S. to solve their differences in one meeting. What is more important is that the two sides are working to guarantee that their bilateral relationship is advancing towards a healthy and stable direction. In a sign that this is happening, Reuters reported that Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, had been invited by the Chinese government to visit the country later this year, even before the president himself. Constructive talks will follow on several new occasions. The G20 Hamburg summit in July provides a fresh opportunity for additional fruitful exchanges of views. Although Trump remains unpredictable and his foreign policies have not been completely formulated and understood yet, he is certainly more of a realist towards China today in comparison to the period between his election victory and his inauguration. It will certainly be unprecedented for an American president, if he practically shows his openness to the "Belt and Road" Initiative, as it has begun to be discussed in the American media in the aftermath of the Dialogue. George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. After a first-quarter earnings report that saw comparable-restaurant sales turn negative for the first time since its IPO, Zoe's Kitchen (NYSE: ZOES) stock is currently trading right around its all-time lows. At a recent conference appearance, Zoe's management provided details on how it expects to get things moving in the right direction again. New menu items to help drive sales and traffic While Zoe's isn't the only restaurant struggling with a decrease in diners, its comps slowdown was swift and steep. In the first quarter of 2016, comps rose 8.1%. A year later, comps declined 3.3%, and the company now expects full-year 2017 comps to come in between flat and negative 3%. In an attempt to revive its flagging traffic and comps numbers, Zoe's is rolling out several new menu items -- its largest revamp since 2012. The company is introducing three new bowls (a new category for Zoe's): Cauliflower Rice, Power Grains, and Mediterranean Salad Trio. Diners can customize these with a choice of proteins, including a new lamb kofta that has performed very well in test markets. There are also two new pita sandwiches (lamb and salmon) along with a variety of new sauces (Greek tzatziki, Israeli skhug, Moroccan harissa, and Italian salsa verde) that will help Zoe's menu reflect a broader set of Mediterranean flavors. In addition, Zoe's is introducing pre-made grab-and-go snack boxes, aimed at customers who don't always have the option to wait for takeout. The new menu will be launched over the next couple of weeks. While that's too late to impact the company's second-quarter numbers, by the third quarter, management should have a good understanding of whether the new items have been able to boost sales and/or traffic. More efficient, targeted digital marketing Zoe's previous efforts at marketing and advertising have centered around building Zoe's brand and showing the type of food it serves. Going forward, the company's marketing investments are shifting toward more digitally focused tactics that it can use to directly drive traffic to its stores. The company will be rolling out a new online ordering platform later this summer, as well as a new loyalty app that it can use to target consumers with customized offers. Zoe's also plans to ramp up social media marketing and has made additional investments in making Zoe's more visible when consumers are searching online for things like catering or Mediterranean food. Zoe's expects one big improvement...in 2020 One additional disappointment from last quarter's results was Zoe's restaurant-level profit margin, which slid 2.1 percentage points to 19.9%. The company expects this trend to continue throughout the year, and lowered its guidance for full-year restaurant-level margin to 18.3%-19%. One of the primary reasons for this is that Zoe's continues to aggressively open new restaurants that, on average, have lower average sales and higher labor costs during their first two years of operation. At the end of 2016, those less-profitable restaurants (less than three years old) still made up around 54% of Zoe's total store base. But as restaurants mature, they become more efficient, with stores that are at least 3 years old averaging restaurant-level margins of 23%. By the end of 2020, the company estimates that 60% to 70% of its stores will fall into this more mature category, turning Zoe's lower-margin headwind into a higher-margin tailwind. At that point, CFO Sunil Doshi stated during the William Blair Growth Stock Conference, the company should be in a much better cash position, too, where cash from operations could be used to fund additional store growth. Will any of this be enough? While Zoe's clearly hopes the efforts above can help reverse its comps situation, management said surprisingly little else about the factors that led to last quarter's poor performance, and didn't give any update on second-quarter trends. The company is continuing to test delivery, but that option is still only available in less than half of the company's stores. And with profit margin relief seemingly a long way off, Zoe's has an awful lot riding on the company's new menu features and digital initiatives. 10 stocks we like better than Zoe's KitchenWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Zoe's Kitchen wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of June 5, 2017 Andy Gould owns shares of SBUX and Zoe's Kitchen. Andy Gould has the following options: short January 2018 $57.5 puts on SBUX, long January 2018 $57.5 calls on SBUX, short January 2018 $30 puts on Zoe's Kitchen, and long January 2018 $30 calls on Zoe's Kitchen. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends SBUX and Zoe's Kitchen. The Motley Fool owns shares of PNRA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved its bill to reform the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday, which includes spinning off air traffic control into a private, non-government organization. We thoroughly debated the legislation, considered approximately 80 amendments, approved substantial improvements offered by Members from both sides of the aisle, and voted to move forward to give Americans the safe, efficient, modern aviation system they deserve, said the Committees Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa, following the decision. The committee voted 32-25 to approve the legislation, called the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization Act (21st Century AIRR Act) after a nearly 10 hour markup. The bipartisan bill aims to provide a better flying experience gate to gate for customers, make air travel timelier and more efficient and modernize Americas air traffic control systemsomething the Trump administration has advocated for since the president took office. Under the legislation, a non-profit organization would be created to operate air traffic control in the U.S., thus taking oversight out of the hands of the FAA. Shuster told FOX Business in April that this reform would have a very positive impact on taxpayers. Taxpayers have spent over 30 years and billions upon billions of dollars on our air traffic control system, he told FOX Business adding, We have spent well over a billion dollars on next generation technology that was studied and scrapped without any use. We are literally throwing away taxpayer money. Republican lawmakers have been tasked with reaching a compromise on health care by Friday, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and senior GOP officials told Fox News Wednesday. This comes after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Tuesday that a vote on the Senates draft bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare, which was expected this week, would be delayed until after Congress July 4 recess. An increasing number of lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), have come out in opposition to the health care bill introduced by the GOP last week. Its an ongoing discussion and members ... several of them want more time, McConnell said during a briefing on Capitol Hill Tuesday. We have a number of different discussions going on this is a big, complicated subject. President Trump hosted a meeting with GOP senators at the White House Tuesday afternoon where they were expected to discuss advancing the health care efforta pivotal part of the Trump administrations agenda. McConnell said the president has been very involved in trying to get the bill passed. If Republicans can iron out their differences on a bill by Friday, it will be sent for another round of scoring by the Congressional Budget Office next week and likely put up for a vote when lawmakers return to Capitol Hill during the week of July 10. Of the 52 GOP senators in the chamber, the Republican Party can only afford to lose the support of two for the bill to pass, assuming it receives no backing from Democrats. We're optimistic that we're going to get a result thats better than the status quo, McConnell said. A replica of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, used for high school and community theater groups, was stolen in Kansas City, Mo. in early June. The non-functioning prop was locked in the back of a trailer in the A to Z Theatrical Supply & Service, Inc.s parking lot. James Hunter, chief operations officer at A to Z Theatrical Supply, told The Kansas City Star, This car has hundreds of hours of highly skilled artisans involved in creating this very unique piece. Its priceless to us. Its unique and it cannot be easily replicated. The car was being stored in a locked trailer that was parked in a lot near the companys building. The surveillance video shows the thief driving the trailer off the lot that had the replica car inside. Ashley Personett, with A to Z Theatrical Supply & Service, Inc., told Fox News that police had called last Thursday saying they are now starting to look for the car. This comes almost three weeks after they filed the initial report claiming the car was stolen. Personett believes the thieves didnt know what they were stealing, and that they were more interested in the trailer. There had been multiple vans and trailers stolen and broken into in the Brookside area where the business is located. Personett said they are trying to figure out how to fix the problem in their own lot. A to Z doesnt plan to press any charges for the stolen vehicle and is offering a $500 reward for its return. We want the car back, no questions asked, Personett said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki's ranch was destroyed by a wildfire in Central California. Nicole Perna, a rep for the 42-year-old actor, says his home on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area was destroyed by the wildfire that erupted Monday on the state's central coast. TMZ reported that the property, 190 miles north of Los Angeles, was Galecki's "getaway place." Galecki has played Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" since it premiered in 2007. "My heart goes out to all in the area who are also experiencing loss from this vicious fire, the threat of which we live with constantly, which may seem crazy to some but we do so because living in our beautiful, rural area makes it worthwhile," Galecki told TMZ. About 250 residents were ordered from their homes in the area of Santa Margarita after the blaze began Monday, but on Tuesday night they were told they could return home. Officials said by Tuesday night, a 2.5-square-mile wildfire in the region was 60 percent contained. "Endless thanks to CalFire and the Sheriff's Office," Galecki added to TMZ. "I know you guys are fighting the good fight to keep us safe. So very relieved no one has been hurt." Britney Spears wants to set the record straight. The pop star said in a new interview denied the long-time rumor that she lip-syncs. When asked by an Israeli television show reporter Tuesday if she sings during her live shows, Spears said, "I'm glad youre addressing this question." "A lot of people think that I dont sing live," she continued. "I usually, because I'm dancing so much, I do have a little bit of playback but theres a mixture of my voice and the playback." She added, "It really pisses me off because I am busting my ass out there and singing at the same time and nobody ever really gives me credit for it, you know?" Spears is playing a concert in Tel Aviv on July 3. Bill Busbice of Outdoor Channel and A&E's "Country Buck$" has been fined $23,000 and given a suspended jail sentence for poaching in Wyoming. The October incident took place on Spring Creek Ranch, a property owned by the "Wildgame Nation" star, Billy A. Busbice Jr. Busbice was caught when Kemmerer Game Warden Chris Baird was told by other hunters of an odd hunting incident. The hunters told Baird they saw a man filming a hunter who shot two elk. Baird said he met with Busbice, who admitted to having accidently killed a calf elk while trying to harvest a large bull. Busbice had all of his game and fish license privileges revoked for two years, including in his home state of Louisiana. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Adam Driver shocked a military family when he turned up to present them with a college scholarship for their daughter. In a video posted online Tuesday, the 33-year-old actor is spotted driving to Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania, where he delivered a scholarship to Hayley Grace Williams, who is studying to become a nurse. Her father was injured during a training exercise before Operation Desert Storm. The scholarship comes from a partnership between Budweiser and Folds of Honor, a foundation that provides educational scholarships for the children and spouses of disabled and fallen service men and women. Before Driver found fame with Girls and Star Wars, he joined the Marines at age 17. Time Magazine previously reported he was sidelined by an injury while the rest of his platoon headed off to Iraq. Driver ultimately chose to pursue acting and later founded Arts in the Armed Forces, a non-profit organization where actors perform for military audiences around the world. A woman who was breastfeeding her child at a restaurant in Boca Raton, Fla., claims she was told to cover up, then eventually asked to leave. Anala Leichtman was dining with her husband and a few of their friends at Relish & More on Wednesday when she was approached by one of the employees after they noticed she was breastfeeding her child, Yahoo reports. Leichtman was covered with a blanket, but other restaurant-goers complained to the employee who told Leichtman, Honey, you have to cover that up. You cant do that here, according to Yahoo. BILL MURRAY CRASHES GRAND OPENING OF BROOKLYN RESTAURANT Leichtman told Yahoo, I got up and went to my car to finish feeding my son. When I returned, the employee apologized but said that another table was complaining and threatening to leave. She gave us a $25 gift card for our trouble. According to Florida state law, Leichtman did have the right to breastfeed her son inside the restaurant. The law states: A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mothers breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeed. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The couple, unhappy with the actions of the restaurant, took to social media to express how they felt about the way they were treated. They posted a picture to Facebook with the caption, This was absolutely humiliating. Almost a year old and until this point, we had never had a word said to us about breastfeeding until today. The restaurant made a public apology on its Facebook page after receiving hundreds of critiques and negative reviews saying they have fired the employee and are deeply sorry for the incident. Leichtman replied with this statement on Yahoo, As it stands the law decriminalizes the act of breastfeeding in public, but does not protect mothers from the embarrassment and shame they endure when they are singled out by someone who believes it is inappropriate or shameful behavior. Flash An agreement on Cooperation and Joint Establishment of the Union of Social and Human Sciences was signed here between Shanxi Normal University of China and the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan on Monday. The press service of the academy said the document was signed by Vice President of Shaanxi Normal University Fen Xudong and Acting President of the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan Murat Dzhumataev. This agreement, initiated under the One Belt One Road project, provides the two parties with project cooperation, training of personnel, joint use of scientific resources, the creation of an intellectual databank and cultural exchange, the report said. The "Silk Road" Union is intended for cooperation between research organizations and higher education institutions on the basis of joint development. What exactly is steak? Is it a specific cut of beef? A product made from such cuts? Or is it more a measure of quality? Well, whatever it is, a New York resident claims there's none of it inside the Angus Steak and Egg Sandwich at Dunkin Donuts. Chefun Chen, of Queens, has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Dunkin Brands, Inc. in the Eastern District of New York, alleging that the companys Angus Steak and Egg Sandwich doesnt contain any actual steak. 7 MISTAKES YOU MAKE WHEN COOKING A STEAK Instead, Chen argues that the Steak in Dunkins sandwich refers to an inferior product of minced meat which contains fillers and binders, and therefore is misleading to consumers, according to court documents. In advertising their product as steak, Chen alleges that Dunkin implies the sandwich is a superior product to its Classic sandwiches and wraps. Chen also feels that by marketing the item in this fashion, the chain has been able to charge a premium for the sandwich. In the lawsuit, Chen claims to have paid $3.99 for the sandwich at a Queens location on June 21, which is a full 50 cents more than the Egg and Cheese Bagel with bacon, ham or sausage. On June 24, Chen also purchased an Angus Egg Snack N Go Wrap for $1.99, or 60 cents more than the classic version with ham, bacon or sausage. DUNKIN' DONUTS SETTLES BUTTER LAWSUIT WITH MASSACHUSETTS MAN As evidence of Dunkin Donuts alleged misrepresentation, Chens lawsuit points to the companys past ad campaigns, including a commercial called Fellow-Steak-Lover Handshake, in which a voiceover claims its a big day for steak fans and later encourages viewers to celebrate with steak. Another ad cited in the lawsuit was Dunkins Angus Steak & Egg Sandwich TV Spot, in which the phrase steak and eggs is repeated several times: Its worth noting that at the end of the latter commercial, a voiceover can be heard explaining that Dunkins Steak and Egg Sandwich is oven-toasted and made with angus beef. The items product page also describes the sandwich as containing the irresistible flavors of Angus Steak, egg and American cheese, served on an oven-toasted bagel. "[The] products ingredients deviate from the label and product description," the suit states. Per Dunkin' Donuts' website, the ingredients of the sandwich's "Beef Steak Patty" contain angus beef; a marinade made with beef flavor; yeast extract; hydrolized vegetable proteins; and over a dozen other ingredients. Chens lawsuit, however, may call into question the semantics of the term steak. As Food and Wine points out, a hamburger without its bun is also referred to as Hamburg steak. And another popular dish Salisbury steak is made from ground meat that has been formed into patties and topped with gravy or meat sauce. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS But Chen likely isnt swayed by such arguments, seeing as Chen included the USDAs definition of steak in her suit. By the USDA definition, the Steak in the Dunkin Donut product (Angus Steak and Egg Sandwich & Angus Steak and Egg Wrap) suggests that the 'product consists of a boneless slice or strip of poultry meat of the kind indicated.' Chen is seeking unspecified monetary, compensatory, treble and punitive damages, as well as disgorgement of all moneys obtained by means of Defendants unlawful conduct, among other restitution and attorney fees. Dunkin Donuts initially debuted their Angus Steak and Egg sandwich in March 2012, Brand Eating reported. Do you want fries with that doughnut? To honor Canadas upcoming 150th birthday, the Canadian fast-food joint Tim Hortons will serve up some cuisine inspired by its home country at select locations in the United States. The celebratory menu, beginning July 1, will include a poutine doughnut Tim Hortons Honey Dipped Donut topped with potato wedges, gravy and cheese curds, according to Thrillist. Also added to the special menu is the Maple Bacon Iced Capp an iced cappuccino with whipped cream, maple flakes and bacon bits, according to WKYC-TV and maple Timbits Tim Hortons fried dough balls. The Timbits will sell for $0.25 each or $1.99 for 10. The cappuccino will be priced at $3.49 for a medium size; the poutine donut will cost $1.49 At Tim Hortons restaurants, were proud of our Canadian heritage and we want to share a piece of that in the United States, said Felipe Athayde, executive vice president of Tim Hortons U.S. in a statement. Our new Canadian inspired treats are a great way for Americans to get in on the 150th celebration of their friendly neighbor next door. While the maple Timbits will be available for the entire month of July, the doughnuts and iced cappuccino will only be sold at the select U.S. locations on July 1, Canada Day, Thrillist reported. The participating restaurant locations include: Derby, New York Hamburg, New York East Aurora, New York Columbus, Ohio Rochester Hills, Michigan Tim Hortons is headquartered in Ontario. Two parents in South Carolina were expecting their third child to be big, but they were in for the surprise of their lives when their new bundle of joy turned out to weigh a whopping 14 pounds. On Friday morning, Cindy Richmond gave birth to Colin, a 14 pound, 4 ounces newborn boy, at Lexington Medical Center in Lexington. Most newborns weigh between six and nine pounds, according to AmericanPregnancy.org. We were just like WHAT?! Donna Hinton, Clinical Coordinator for Labor and Delivery at the hospital, told FOX Carolina. What did you say? Weigh that baby again! FLORIDA BABY WEIGHS 13 POUNDS, 5 OUNCES AT BIRTH Colin, who was born via cesarean section, has set the record for the biggest baby born in the medical centers history. His parents were expecting a big baby, taking into consideration the sizes of their older children at birth -- 7 pound, 6 ounces and 9 pound, 8 ounces -- but they werent expecting him to be this big. My vote was 12 pounds, said Cindy. I wasnt thinking 14. Newborns on average, according to FOX 57, wear size 0-3 months clothing when theyre born, but at Colins size, he wears 3-6 months. MISSISSIPPI GIRLS HELPS DELIVER BABY BROTHER "I went down to the gift shop because I wanted to find him something that he'd be able to fit into, Arthur Keisler, Colins father said. "They're like Hey how can I help you today? I was like: Well I'm here to find something my son can fit into... and they said Oh! Is he a preemie? I was like: No, he's kind of the biggest baby ever born here." Colin became an instant celebrity at the hospital, according to Keisler. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest baby on record was born in 1879 weighing in at 22 pounds. Georgia authorities have confirmed two new strains of fentanyl so potent that they may be resistant to the lifesaving antidote naloxone, also known as Narcan. Georgia Bureau of Investigators (GBI) warned on Tuesday of acrylfentanyl, which has been linked to at least 44 overdose deaths in Cook County, Illinois, this year, and tetrahydrofureon, which is so new that its not on Georgias banned synthetic designer drugs list. According to GBI, the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office submitted forensic drug evidence containing the two new drugs in March. The state officially outlawed acrylfentanyl in April, with officials warning that its not clear how the body will respond to either drug. OKLAHOMA DOCTOR CHARGED IN OPIOID DEATHS OF 5 PATIENTS There are multiple reports showing that this drug is resistant to naloxone, Nelly Miles, of the GBI, told Channel 2 Action News of acrylfentanyl. Police are also warning that simply touching any form of fentanyl or fentanyl residue could result in a life-threatening overdose. Were talking about such trace amounts that literally the size of one grain of salt can kill, Marietta Police Office Chuck McPhilamy told First Coast News. HIGH HOPES RIDE ON MARIJUANA PAINKILLERS AMID OPIOID CRISIS Georgia was hit with a rash of overdoses in June, which was believed to be linked to a street version of Percocet and resulted in four fatalities and more than a dozen hospitalizations. At the time, the overdose clusters were concentrated in southern and central areas of the state. It is not clear if the two new strains have appeared outside of Forsyth county. Opioid overdoses, including prescription drugs and heroin, killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than half of the fatalities involved a prescription opioid. A Canadian mother who was devastated to learn she had stage 4 cancer days after suffering the stillbirth of her son, has surpassed her fundraising goal to donate cuddle cots, workshops and money toward cancer research in his name. In January, Loan Woll, who was 34 weeks pregnant, was rushed to the hospital after she began throwing up blood, Toronto Star reported. Throughout her pregnancy, doctors had struggled to determine what was causing her low hemoglobin levels. At the hospital, doctors found it had dropped to a critical level and she was given a blood transfusion, according to her GoFundMe page. Once she had stabilized, doctors could not find her baby's heartbeat. SOUTH CAROLINA MOM GIVES BIRTH TO 14-POUND BABY On January 14th, our son Finnick Ngoc Woll was born stillborn. He was perfect in every way and were so thankful to have met him, Woll wrote on the GoFundMe page. But tragedy struck again just days later when doctors discovered stage 4 non-hodgkin lymphoma had been causing her low hemoglobin, and that a tumor in her stomach had been slowly bleeding out. We were just letting the stillbirth sink in, Woll told the Toronto Star. And when the cancer hit, I decided I didnt want anyone to know. Woll told The Sun that doctors explained she had been throwing up blood because the tumor had burst, and that in an effort to get blood to her heart and other vital organs, her body cut off blood supply to Finns placenta. CANCER RETURNS IN TODDLER WHO OVERCAME DISEASE WITH IDENTICAL TWIN AS INFANT His death was a direct result of my lymphoma he had been absolutely perfect in every way, Woll told The Sun. Woll has completed radiation and chemotherapy and said her latest checkup signaled it had worked and that the cancer was gone. She has a few more tests before shes considered to be in remission, Woll told The Sun. Together with her husband, Benjamin, Woll began fundraising for causes that helped them with their grief over their son and her cancer battle. They raised more than $62,000 after setting out to gather $40,000 and have donated $10,000 for Cuddle Cots by Flexmort to Trillium Health Partners to allow parents more time with their baby, $10,000 to Look Good Feel Better workshops for women battling cancer and $20,000 to the OneWalk to Conquer Cancer. Our hope is that, down the road, we might encounter someone we can really help, Woll told the Toronto Star. Tragedies happen, definitely. But youre not alone. When Sharon Gall-Dunn got wind that one of her former students had cancer and needed a tutor, the second-grade teacher, who herself was on medical leave for cancer treatments, immediately volunteered to help. I didnt do anything a lot of teachers dont do, Sharon Gallo-Dunn, a teacher at Shawsheen Elementary School in Massachusetts, told the Lowell Sun Online. We always hope to make a difference in a kids life. Thats why you teach. MOM DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 4 CANCER DAYS AFTER SON'S STILLBIRTH RAISING FUNDS FOR OTHERS Gallo-Dunn underwent surgery for colon cancer in October 2015, but missed the remainder of the school year to complete chemotherapy. While she would periodically visit her students, which included Brodie Rawson, there was a six-week period where she was too ill, the Lowell Sun Online reported. During her six-week absence, Rawson was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma, and was also absent from school, the news outlet reported. Ive had, in my career at the Shawsheen, several children with life-threatening things, Gallo-Dunn told the Lowell Sun Online. As a parent, its your biggest fear. I called [Brodies] mom to ask if I could visit and I went in the next day and visited him at Tufts Floating Hospital. LSU PARENTS SAVE UNCONSCIOUS FAN'S LIFE AT COLLEGE WORLD SERIES She then began tutoring her student at the hospital and later at home when he was discharged. With her help, Rawson was able to join his classmates for third grade a few weeks late and is on track to start fourth grade in the fall. He was recently recognized at a school event, and surprised Gallo-Dunn by thanking her during the ceremony, the Lowell Sun Online reported. Brodie talked about some things that had happened to him and she had no idea that this was going to incorporate her in any way, Lisa King, the schools principal, told the news outlet. Shes just a very kind, very sweet and thoughtful teacher and colleague. Shes just always there whenever anybody needs anything inside and outside of school. BLIND BASEBALL PLAYER INSPIRES OTHERS AT THE PLATE Gallo-Dunns relationship with the Rawson family is quite finished yet, as shell have Brodies younger brother in class next year. To me, children and families are the foundation of our society and our world, Gallo-Dunn told The Lowell Sun Online. We need to protect them and nurture them and teachers try to do their part in that. So if we can make a difference, I think thats our job besides math and reading. A Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Arkansas state capitol has been destroyed less than 24 hours after it was erected. The suspect, Michael Tate Reed, was taken into custody after he plowed his vehicle into the $26,000 monument toppling the historical and moral foundation of American law. Click here for a free subscription to Todds newsletter a must-read for conservatives! Reed was arrested in 2014 in connection with a similar attack on a Ten Commandments monument in Oklahoma. This was an act of violence against the people of Arkansas, State Sen. Jason Rapert told me. Rapert sponsored the 2015 Arkansas Ten Commandments Act, a law that required the installation of the commandments on the lawn of the capitol building. The monument was installed on Tuesday. Click here to see photos. The first thought that came to me who else in the world destroys monuments is it the same hatred that ISIS uses in the communities that they go into, he said. Rapert said he hopes the person responsible for ramming the memorial is punished to the fullest extent of the law. When people are so disturbed and they carry out acts of evil it all comes from the same place its the root of evil, he said. You have people taking sticks and bats on college campuses and covering their faces just like Hamas does in the Middle East. In California they tore up a students sign much like the same act of violence that was perpetrated on the Arkansas state capitol grounds. Rapert said he is resolved to rebuild the monument and fulfill the law. It will be rebuilt, he said. Are we going to maintain our civility with each other or are we going to let these groups that carry out hatred and violent acts intimidate us into submission? I say no, he told me. Its unfortunate that some aggrieved thug destroyed the monument but its not all that surprising when you consider the level of violence and hatred in the public discourse. People need to focus on being civil and debating issues rather than thinking they can take the law into their own hands and commit acts of violence against people with whom they disagree, the senator said. Our country is better than what we are seeing. We have to settle down and find out who we are as a people. Maybe the good people of Arkansas should consider adding an additional commandment: Thou Shalt Not Be a Pinhead. So now the shoe is on the other foot. A Trump surrogate has gotten the FBI to open an investigation of Jane and Bernie Sanders for alleged bank fraud. The couple has lawyered up, as is their right. The allegations seem more civil than criminal but the Trump surrogate is demanding that criminal charges be brought. Welcome to the world of tit-for-tat criminalization of political differences. Its just as wrong to use this dangerous tactic against Democrats as it is against Republicans, but don't expect to hear the same convoluted arguments in favor of an expansive view of fraud from the get Trump zealots as they are making with regard to prosecuting Trump for obstruction of justice. Both statutes require vague accordion-like criteria, such as fraudulent intent and/or corrupt motive, which are capable of being expanded or contracted depending on who is being targeted. Welcome to the world of tit-for-tat criminalization of political differences. Its just as wrong to use this dangerous tactic against Democrats as it is against Republicans. Both are wrong. And both are endangering the civil liberties of all Americans. The anti-Trumpers want to see it expanded to get Trump. And pro-Trumpers want to see it expanded to get the Sanders. Both are wrong. And both are endangering the civil liberties of all Americans. Here is the story with regard to the Sanders. In April last year a local Vermont news publication revealed that the Justice Department was looking into the possibility that Jane OMeara Sanders the wife of Bernie Sanders and former president of Vermonts Burlington College had previously made questionable financial disclosures in order to secure a loan for the liberal arts school she headed. It was alleged that in seeking a $10 million loan in order to execute her plan of expanding the college, OMeara Sanders inflated $2 million that she said donors had promised to repay the loans for the land purchase. It has also been alleged that Bernie Sanders who was the former mayor of Burlington used his Senatorial office to help move the loan along. In May 2016, after securing the loan, the college was forced to close citing the crushing weight of debt. It is important to note that the driving force behind calls for an investigation into the Sanders' has been attorney Brady Toensing the vice chair of the Vermont Republican Party and Donald Trumps Vermont campaign chair. In a four page letter (with additional exhibits) addressed to the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, Toensing stated: Ms Sanderss privileged status as the wife of a powerful United States Senator seems to have inoculated her from the robust underwriting that would have uncovered the apparent fraudulent donation claims she made. He continued to argue: this privileged status, however, should not inoculate her from the scrutiny, culpability and accountability of a federal investigation. Now the Republican National Committee is circulating an attack memo against the Sanders that is reminiscent of the attack memos against Trump circulated d by the Democratic National Committee. Let me be clear. I don't like Bernie Sanders. He forever disqualified himself from receiving my political support when he went to England to campaign for the anti-Semite Jeremy Corbyn; when he pushed for the appointment of Keith Ellison, who had worked with the anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, as chair of the DNC; and when he appointed BDS supporter Cornel West to the 2016 Democratic platform committee. I don't know whether he or his wife did anything wrong or criminal. But when a Republican political operative initiates a criminal investigation of a leading Democrat, my civil liberties antenna goes up. I worry that conduct that would ordinarily be handled civilly after all, fraudulent conduct gives rise to both civil and criminal sanctions, depending on the degree becomes the subject of a criminal investigation for partisan political reasons. Republican zealots try to get even with Democratic zealots who are investigating members of their party. The process of criminalizing political differences escalates on both sides, and the losers are the American people and their civil liberties. So lets declare a mutual disarmament. Let's stop deploying accusations of crime in questionable cases as the weapon of choice in the political wars now being waged by both parties. Let's leave it to non-partisan, neutral prosecutors to decide on their own whether to conduct criminal investigations of grey area conduct based on established criteria and unambiguous statutes. Lets stop stretching already overbroad statutes to fit targeted political enemies. And lets apply the age old and salutary principle of lenity to all conduct before prosecuting it as criminal. The principle of lenity requires, according to the Supreme Court, that ambiguity concerning the ambit of criminal statutes should be resolved in favor of the person being investigated or prosecuted. Under this principle, neither President Trump nor the Sanders should be charged with crimes based on ambiguous terms such as fraudulent intent or corrupt motive. Criminal prosecution should be a neutral sanction of last resort, rather than a primary partisan weapon used to target political opponents. Sarah Palin is suing the New York Times, the once-storied newspaper that still brags it publishes all the news thats fit to print. It does not. Palin correctly accuses the Times of defamation by blaming her in an editorial for the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the murder of six people. Specifically, editorialists claimed Palins political action committee incited the violence. The Times asserted the cause or link was clear and direct. Such a link has never been established, and all known evidence confirms the opposite. Which may suggest that the editorial page of the Times is populated by well-educated fools. Here is a legal look at the merits of the Palin lawsuit. 1.) WAIT DONT GROAN! I always groan when a celebrity or politician sues for defamation. Good luck with that. Ever since the landmark case of New York Times v. Sullivan, it has been nearly impossible for public figures to win, even though their good names have been roundly trashed by certain mendacious news organizations (which, I realize, is redundant). But Palins lawsuit is different. Why? Because the newspapers own published stories demonstrate that the editorial it ran was false. A reasonable journalist would know it was false. Youd have to be a complete idiot not to know it. Hence, the Times only defense to the Palin defamation case is to argue, were idiots, were morons, we dont read our own newspaper so we never knew that what we were publishing was an obviously false and defamatory editorial. Again, were idiots. 2.) PRIMER ON THE LAW OF DEFAMTION Defamation is a false statement that damages someones good name and reputation. However, opinion is normally protected speech under the 1st Amendment and, as such, is not defamation. Except, when the opinion also asserts as fact any matter that is undeniably false. This is precisely what the Times editorial did. The editors offered their opinion based on demonstrably false facts. Indeed, the editors repeated those false facts within the editorial itself. Therefore, the otherwise protected opinion is no longer protected under defamation law. 3.) PALIN IS A PUBLIC FIGURE Clearly, Sarah Palin is a public figure. So, under the law, she has a higher burden of proof. She has to show what is called actual malice. That is, the New York Times either knew its editorial was based on false facts or it recklessly disregarded the truth (in other words, the editors probably knew their statements were false). Here is where the newspapers own reporting defeats the normal defense. The Times reported extensively that Palins PAC did not cause the shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords and that such claims by some to the contrary were mistaken. Yet, the editorial blamed Palin for the shooting and recited, as proof, the false facts. This would appear to be the definition of a knowingly false statement or recklessly disregarding of the truth. 4.) THE NY TIMES SCREWED UP THEIR CORRECTION The law on defamation allows a defendant to vitiate any damages if the publisher makes a prompt, full and fair correction. Yet again, the Times managed to screw it up. Yes, the correction was almost immediate. But it was neither full nor fair. The newspaper admitted making false statements, but never bothered to mention Palin by name. Nor did it apologize to Palin. It seems the paper wanted to admit its mistake without taking any responsibility. Under the law, the correction is meaningless. 5.) KEEP READING THE NEW YORK TIMES I wake up every morning to the New York Times. Wouldnt miss it. I need a good laugh to start off my day. The Times never disappoints. And by the way, my above-stated reference to idiots and morons is not defamatory. Because truth is a defense to defamation. The constant drumbeat by the Left and the liberal media is really getting old. The never-ending push to link President Trump to Russia is not only absurd but even has many Democrats urging party leaders to stop talking about Russia. Lets not forget how this really began. Just weeks ago, fired FBI Director James Comey admitted under oath that he leaked privileged documents to a friend to give to reporters at the New York Times. Memos that he had written in the course of his official government duties about privileged conversations with the president. The reason: Comey testified that he did so to manipulate the situation and force the appointment of a Special Counsel. And, as we know thats ultimately what occurred. Since that testimony, there have been news reports indicating that President Obama actually knew about the attempts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to disrupt and discredit the U.S. presidential race through a cyber campaign. Lets find out what happened in August why did the president not reveal this information at that time? And why did he not respond forcefully to the Russian hacking and other cybercrimes? President Obama had this information in August 2016 three months before the election. But instead of taking substantive action to respond to these troubling findings, President Obama and his team largely remained silent until after the election and basically ignored this disturbing information. The Obama administration expelled some diplomats, closed a couple of Russian compounds action so minor that it was described by those inside the Obama administration as largely symbolic. So why did President Obama sit on this information? I am sure he thought former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would win and perhaps didnt want to muddy the waters in the run-up to the election. And he probably figured she would address this issue when she got into the White House. But, of course, that did not happen. Almost immediately after Donald Trump was sworn in as the nations 45th president, the infatuation with Trump and all things Russia began. And thanks to James Comey a Special Counsel is appointed to look into all of this. The truth is theres no need for a Special Counsel. Whats really needed is an investigation into the actions (or lack thereof) by President Obama last summer when he became aware of this Russian bombshell. Lets find out what happened in August why did the president not reveal this information at that time? And why did he not respond forcefully to the Russian hacking and other cybercrimes? Important questions that must be answered. That should be the focus of an investigation. President Trump deserves an apology. Every year, almost every industry improves. We get more choices -- usually better choices, for less money. "But of all the products we make and the services we provide, there's one that stands out as an exception," according to the Cato Institute's Andrew Coulson. "One activity in which excellence doesn't spawn countless imitators or spread on a massive scale: schooling." Why not? What can be done about it? These questions are asked and often answered by Coulson's new PBS TV series "School Inc." It's a wonderful three hours, reaching back years to America's first experiments in education and traveling the world to look at schools in Chile, England, Sweden, India and Korea. In Korea, top teachers make millions. Why haven't American schools improved? The education establishment says, "We don't have enough money!" But American schools spend more per student than other countries. Spending tripled during Coulson's lifetime and class sizes dropped. But test scores stay flat. "Schools adopted all sorts of new technologies, from projectors to personal computers to 'smart' whiteboards," says Coulson. "None of these inventions improved outcomes ... (E)ducational quality has been stuck in the era of disco and leisure suits for 40 years, while the rest of the world has passed it by." The main reason for that is that most schools are controlled by government. Government is a monopoly, and monopolies resist change. Actually, most of us resist change. We don't want to give up the way we've always done things. Certainly, few of us want to work harder, or differently. We get set in our ways. But when there is competition, we can't get away with that. If we don't adopt better ways of doing things, we go out of business. That forces innovation. But government-run schools never go out of business. Principals, school boards and teachers -- especially union teachers -- have little incentive to try anything new. One of the documentary's illustrations of this might be familiar because the story was also told in the movie "Stand and Deliver." In that film, actor Edward James Olmos played math teacher Jaime Escalante. Escalante taught at California's Garfield High School. The student body was, and is, composed of some of the most "disadvantaged" students in America. Yet more Garfield High students passed advanced placement calculus tests than did students from Beverly Hills High. Escalante was the reason. He was simply a better teacher. Coulson interviewed some of his former students, who said, "Escalante worked as if his life depended on the success of his students." The results were beyond belief ... literally. His students did so well on the state calculus test that authorities accused them of cheating. They made them take the test again. The students aced the test the second time. What made Escalante a better teacher? One student tells Coulson, "He built a relationship with each student, knew them by name, knew their story. ... Students didn't want to disappoint him." The movie made Escalante famous, but he didn't change. He kept teaching at Garfield, telling students that even though they were poor, "With enough drive and hard work, the sky is the limit." "The lessons I learned from Jaime, I apply them every day," a former student told Coulson. "With my children I talk about Jaime and about 'ganas' -- desire. Nothing's for free. You have to work really hard if you want to achieve anything." "Stand and Deliver" has a happy ending, but what happened in real life was no fairy tale. Coulson says, "In any other field, we might expect this combination of success, scalability, and publicity to have catapulted Escalante to the top of his profession and spread his teaching model across the country." That isn't what happened. Garfield's union teachers resented Escalante's fame and work ethic. A former Garfield student who now is a teacher told Coulson, "The problem was that Escalante's classes were big. ... He was setting a precedent, giving the message to the administrator: 'If Escalante can do it, why not you?'" The union used its organizing power to get votes to oust Escalante as math department chairman. Escalante then quit. Unfortunately, Coulson did not live to see his TV series finished. He died while completing it. "School Inc." is a wonderful memorial to Andrew Coulson and inspiration to all of us. Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in the The Fiscal Times. As things stand, Democrats dont have a prayer of retaking the White House in 2020. Unless they make a sharp course correction, they will continue to be defeated by the Electoral College, the bane of coastal elites. Voters in pesky swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania will rule, and they arent buying what Democrats are selling. A recent piece by Frank Rich in New York magazine is instructive. He wonders how long Donald Trump will survive in office. Margaret Sullivan, The Washington Posts media columnist, formerly of The New York Times, predicts that Trump will make it through his first term but then decide not to run again. (This is not entirely implausible; who would choose four more years of relentless left-wing demonization?) Mike Pence, Sullivan suggests, will run for a seat in the Oval Office instead, but will be beaten by New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Seriously, Kirsten Gillibrand? The junior senator from New York, who ranks as the fifth most liberal member of that august body and least sixth bipartisan? Shes the candidate who will win back all those blue-collar workers who traditionally vote Democrat but who crossed the line to elect President Trump? I get it that Sullivan is a displaced New Yorker, and perhaps doesnt stray much beyond the Beltway, but her forecast is as delusional as expecting $100 billion to buy Irans friendship. The reality is this: Trump supporters still support Trump. That includes members of the white working class who voted for Trump by a margin of two to one. They are certainly not dissuaded by the liberal media, whose bias has utterly undermined its credibility. Thats a change; were Walter Cronkite shaking his sorrowful head and telling voters that Trump had colluded with Putin, they might be paying attention. But Chuck Todd? Bill Maher? I dont think so. Democrats need a tune-up. They need to change leadership and change their message. After failing to hoist one female New Yorker into the Oval Office, the last thing they need is to double down with another. To continue reading Liz Peek's column from The Fiscal Times, click here. The end game is near for ISIS and its Caliphate in Iraq and Syria and President Assad of Syria continues to slaughter civilians. But what is the plan for ruling the areas they devastated? How about letting them have self-determination. The existing nation states of Iraq and Syria have failed and fragmented. The people in the regions ISIS once controlled are highly skilled at insurgency, and harbor tremendous dislike of their respective central governments. It is unlikely they can be forcefully reintegrated into either country, and it would be unjust to make them do so. Like much of the post-colonial world, the borders and states of Iraq and Syria were arbitrarily formed. This was done more for the convenience of the powers that previously controlled them, the British and French in this case, than for the good of the people who live there. There is no reason those current borders should remain if they are actually obstacles to peace and stability in the region. The areas ISIS formerly controlled are populated mostly by Sunni who have been poorly treated by the governments of Iraq and Syria. This was one of the reasons for ISIS support from some in those regions. The central government of Iraq is dominated by the Shia majority which is closely aligned with Iran. There is no love lost between the two and for Baghdad to rule there now it would require an iron sandal on the necks of the populace. The same dynamic is in play with the Assad regime and its Sunni citizens. So why do that? Lets stop trying to force groups that hate each other to coexist in states that have no legitimate rationale for their existing borders. ISIS effectively erased the border between Iraq and Syria when it formed the Islamic State straddling it. We have an opportunity to take a fresh look at the entire region and come up with a better way for the people there to control their own destinies. Security Studies Group has just released a plan to do just this called Iraq and Syria after ISIS and Assad. The Sunni regions are devastated by the horrors ISIS brought, and many of the tribal leaders who would normally run things there were slaughtered. An internationally sanctioned protectorate for those regions in Iraq and Syria would give them time to rebuild the civil society that was destroyed. The US could partner with the Gulf Cooperation Council to provide peacekeepers and some resources to rebuild. Then, after enough time has passed, the citizens of this region can vote on whether they want to rejoin Iraq and Syria or form their own state or states. The Kurds present another reason why an eventual partition to allow self-determination in the region makes sense. The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) runs a nation state in basically every way short of international recognition. They have scheduled a vote on independence from Iraq for September 25th. The United States must decide whether to support them, or turn our backs on the only real allies we have in the current mess. We should absolutely support them as they have supported us in the fight against ISIS. The Assad regime must also be removed from power in Syria. Assads crimes are too many to count or tolerate and there can be no legitimate peace unless he goes. This will likely require a compromise where the Russians can effectively replace him to maintain their partnership and their warm water port in Tartus. All the same, the removal of Assad will be a powerful symbol of the international communitys refusal to accept nations that commit war crimes against their own people. This is an audacious plan to let the people who live there remake the region, but can anyone say the current situation has been the slightest bit successful? If the United States says we want this and President Trump puts his deal-making skills to work, this path has a better chance to succeed than doubling down on failures of the past. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday delayed the vote on his ObamaCare overhaul plan amid dwindling support from rank-and-file Republicans, touching off what is sure to be a furious scramble to revise the bill and win over GOP holdouts. "We're going to continue the discussion," the Kentucky Republican said after emerging from a closed-door meeting with Republicans. "We will not be on the bill this week." President Trump, meanwhile, invited all 52 GOP senators to a White House meeting Tuesday afternoon in hopes of determining the way forward. "I think the Senate bill is going to be great," Trump said at the start of the East Room meeting, while acknowledging more work to be done. I think we have a chance to do something very, very important. McConnell emerged from the meeting to say the senators, Trump and Vice President Pence made good progress but acknowledged that a vote is at least a couple of weeks away. He also said much of the senators concerns to the president focused on insurance market reform and the future of Medicaid, whose future growth is curbed by the Senate bill. I think we have a very good chance of getting there, McConnell also said. The status quo is simply unsustainable. Still, the delay is another setback for Washington Republicans, considering all of them including Trump campaigned on a promise to repeal and replace the former President Barack Obamas signature 2010 health care law. GOP leaders had wanted to bring the bill to the floor before lawmakers head back to their districts for the break. This spring, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., also had to delay a final vote on his chambers overhaul bill upon realizing he didnt have the votes. It eventually passed. McConnell needs at least 50 of his senators to vote in favor of the bill. But his problems began almost immediately after he introduced the bill late last week when five of them publicly said they could not support the measure. Support further dwindled Monday after a financial analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that 22 million more Americans would be uninsured by 2026 if the measure replaces ObamaCare. McConnell apparently delayed the vote upon realizing he didnt even have votes to even start debate on the measure. At least five GOP senators -- Susan Collins of Maine, Dean Heller of Nevada, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rand Paul of Kentucky -- indicated after the CBO analysis that they wouldnt vote in favor of starting debate. More came out against the bill after the delay was announced. Collins this past weekend expressed concerns about the bill curbing Medicaid and cutting Planned Parenthood funding. McConnell and other GOP congressional leaders pointed to bright spots in the CBO analysis -- including the bill in the coming decade cutting federal deficits $202 billion more than the House version passed in May. No Senate Democrat supports the measure, though many have publicly acknowledged insurance under ObamaCare has become too expensive and offers Americans too few options. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer chided Senate Republicans after McConnell's announcement Tuesday but acknowledged they are determined to prevail. "This Republican bill is rotten to the core. ... We know the fight is not over," said the New York Democrat, who also suggested McConnell will "cut back-room deals" and use a slushfund to "buy off" unsupportive GOP senators. The CBO projected the House version would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured, which prompted President Trump to call the measure mean and prod the Senate to produce a package with more "heart." Trump reportedly phoned some GOP senators before calling for the White House meeting, after largely steering clear of helping McConnell and his 12-member team write the bill behind closed doors. McConnell said Tuesday that Trump has been "fully engaged" throughout the process and that his input has been "helpful." Fox News' Chad Pergram and Joseph Weber and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Senate Republicans hope to strike a deal on its controversial health care legislation by Friday in order to give the Congressional Budget Office a chance to review the law during lawmakers July 4 recess. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and other GOP aides told Fox News that GOP senators must reach an agreement on the legislation by Friday. I think that we would like to get a solution in place as quickly as possible, get our members there so then its just a question of getting the [Congressional Budget Office] score and setting up the timeline for votes when we get back after the 4th of July break, Thune said. So, I mean, I dont know that there is any particular rush, other than I think the longer this drags out, the harder it becomes. The CBO released its cost estimate for the Senates ObamaCare replacement plan earlier this week. The announcement came after some GOP senators expressed opposition to the bill in its current form. Some senators warned that they wouldnt push for a vote on the health care legislation dubbed the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 until the CBOs audit was released. Heres a look at what the CBO found and how it could impact lawmakers. What does the score say? Along with the Joint Committee on Taxation, the CBO audit of the Senates health care bill determined that 22 million people would be uninsured by 2026 should the legislation be enacted. The figure may further complicate Senate GOP leaders' plans to pass their bill this week. It's barely an improvement upon the health care bill that passed the House which would have resulted in 23 million more uninsured. The CBO estimated that the legislation would cut the deficit by $321 billion by 2026 approximately $202 billion more than the House bill would save. The audit also estimated that 15 million more people would be uninsured with the Senate legislation than under current law primarily because the penalty for not having insurance would be eliminated. Will this influence lawmakers decision to support the bill? Some GOP senators had said they would wait to issue support for the legislation until the CBO score was released. SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL: HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE HOUSE LEGISLATION Five Republican senators have already announced that they do not support the health care bill as is. Several senators have remained uncommitted promising to review the legislation before declaring any opinion. How does this compare to the House bill? The latest CBO score of the Houses health care legislation estimated that 23 million fewer Americans would be uninsured by 2026. It also predicted that the average cost of premiums would be lower, and the plan would reduce the deficit by $119 billion in a decade due to Medicaid cuts and private insurance subsidies. SOME GOP SENATORS WILLING TO WAIT ON CBO SCORE BEFORE VOTING ON HEALTH CARE BILL Earlier estimations predicted the deficit could be lowered by as much as $337 billion or $150 billion in 10 years. Why does the score matter? Aside from just revealing the monetary aspect of the Senates legislation, the CBOs score also predicts how many Americans would be left without insurance under the plan. And while it doesnt restrict lawmakers actions, the score can help influence their decisions. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday called for new airline security measures, including increased screening, for flights into the U.S. from around the world. "We send a clear message that inaction is not an option," DHS Secretary John Kelly said in Washington. U.S. officials briefed on the plans told Fox News that the DHS will push for the measures on domestic and foreign carriers coming into the U.S. from all 280 ports of departure across 105 countries. Officials said the changes will be "seen and unseen" and will include increased explosive screening as well as a beefed-up security posture across the board. "The idea is to raise the bar on global airline security," a senior DHS official said. The department will need cooperation from airlines, since the DHS does not have jurisdiction over airports in foreign countries. DHS officials said that if the measures are not fully implemented, they could potentially pursue additional steps. This could include banning electronic electronic devices larger than a phone -- the so-called "laptop ban" which was being discussed and already is in place at 10 airports overseas. Officials are operating off a deadline, but did not want to publicly give a precise date -- saying they'd rather not give the "bad guys a timeline." The FBI is reopening its probe of a taxpayer-funded online school for military servicemembers after a six-month Fox News investigation exposed its alleged Chinese military ties, according to a senior Republican lawmaker. "They've told us they're looking more seriously at it, that they're quote, unquote, reopening that investigation, and I hope to get some answers," retiring Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told Fox News. Reached by phone, an attorney claiming to represent the university told Fox News hes unaware of any current criminal justice probe implicating his client. Separately, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) confirmed in a statement to Fox News that the investigation into the University of Management and Technology (UMT) "is still an active multi-agency investigation so there's nothing we can say at this point." In 2012, the FBI raided the Rosslyn, Va.-based UMT and the home of its president, Yanping Chen Frame, a Chinese-born naturalized U.S. citizen, and her husband J. Davidson Frame, the school's academic dean. CONGRESS PROBING TAXPAYER-BACKED SCHOOL OVER ALLEGED CHINESE MILITARY TIES Documents reviewed by Fox News, as well as recently unsealed court records, show the FBI focused on whether UMT's military personnel records could be remotely accessed from China, potentially compromising military histories of U.S. servicemembers, as well as Chen's alleged false statements on immigration documents that eventually allowed her to gain U.S. citizenship. Chaffetz stressed that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is going to take the reins on the case from the congressional side. I know he'll be tenacious in trying to get to the truth, but we want to know about [Yanping Chen] specifically, about what has this school been doing -- remember its taxpayers' funds that are going to perpetuate this, and yet there are a lot of question marks on whether or not that data, that information, is going directly to the Chinese government." With heavy marketing to members of the U.S. military, government records show the school has collected upwards of $250,000 per month from U.S. taxpayers via the Department of Defense (DoD) through the GI Bill and tuition-assistance programs. Fox News investigation found the school's president has long-standing ties to the Chinese military or PLA (People's Liberation Army). While attending George Washington University, where her education was funded by the Chinese government, Chen wrote about her family's PLA connections, thanking her father, Chen Ben, who was a senior general in the Chinese military in charge of technology and arms acquisition. She received a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the school in 1999. DOD-FUNDED SCHOOL AT CENTER OF FEDERAL PROBES Photos obtained exclusively by Fox News, and reviewed by a leading national security expert on Chinese military uniforms, appear to show Yanping Chen as a young PLA officer and wearing a PLA uniform alongside family members. "Her father joined the Communist Party in the 1930s. He supposedly participated in the Long March and that gives her credentials not unlike being an officer in the continental army," said Peter Mattis, a fellow with the Jamestown Foundation and a leading expert on China. The Long March, from 1934-1935, has long been referred to as a bloody pillar of the Chinese Communist Revolution which ultimately led to the creation of the People's Republic of China. Mattis said a school like UMT could be valuable to China for two reasons: "The first is, militaries everywhere want to know what a potential adversary might look like -- what are their capabilities; how will they act? The second is, this might also serve as a vehicle for recruiting individuals." The high-profile 2012 FBI raid did not result in any charges against UMT or Yanping Chen. After the initial report on the school aired in February, Fox News was told there was a logjam between the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia over how to proceed and whether evidence could potentially compromise intelligence collection methods. Since the raid five years ago, UMT has received in excess of $6 million in government funding. Four congressional committees are now demanding answers as to why the school still receives taxpayer dollars. The rub here is that it's all being funded by taxpayers' money, and so here we are, the American taxpayers, feeding this beast that may potentially be giving information directly to the Chinese government, and that better not be the case, Chaffetz said. Regarding the UMT investigation, Chaffetz added, "There has been a lot of smoke coming here, and you got whistleblowers who are close to the situation saying something's wrong here, something's not right. So I hope the Department of Justice, specifically the FBI, is taking it much more seriously than they have in the past. Stephen Rhoads -- a whistleblower, former UMT employee and veteran who came forward to Fox News called it very encouraging that the House Oversight and Senate Judiciary committees are getting involved and law enforcement is no longer turning a blind eye to Yanping Chen and UMT." "I want to thank Fox News for following up on a story that deeply impacts our servicemembers, tax dollars, and national security, he said. "As a servicemember, it is important that allocated funds are not misappropriated." Yet money keeps flowing to UMT. The Defense Department admitted via email that they put the school under review but continue to fund it. "The Department's Memorandum of Understanding with UMT has not changed. Funding under the MOU flows directly from the Services to institutions," a spokesperson said via email. Grassley sent a three-page letter on June 14 to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly citing Fox News' reporting. With a deadline of June 28, Grassley sought information on any Yanping Chen immigration records that may have been "falsified...to conceal her affiliation with the Chinese military." In the first phone call returned to Fox News, attorney John C. Kiyonaga said he represents Yanping Chen and the University of Management and Technology. Kiyonaga said his client has been charged with absolutely nothing and characterized the U.S. governments handling of the case as full of bluster and innuendo. The FBI had no comment. Legal experts said it would be unusual for the bureau to notify an individual or entity in the event a case is re-opened. Majorities of American voters are unhappy with the current administration -- as well as the former one -- when it comes to Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election. By a 53-31 percent margin, voters disapprove of the way the Obama administration responded to cyberattacks by the Russian government. And by a 53-37 percent margin, voters dislike how the Trump White House is handling investigations into the issue. Thats according to a new Fox News Poll of registered voters released Wednesday. READ THE FULL RESULTS OF THE FOX NEWS POLL. Half of voters say Russian cyberattacks didnt matter to the election outcome (50 percent). However, a large 43 percent minority believes Russia helped Donald Trump win. On the issue of the Trump campaign coordinating with the Russian government, 52 percent say there was no collusion, yet 40 percent think there was. Seventy percent of voters approve of a special counsel being appointed to investigate Russian meddling, even as only 33 percent feel confident Robert Mueller will treat Trump fairly. Fewer still, 28 percent, are confident U.S. intelligence agencies can stop Russia or others from hacking into the countrys election systems. President Trumps ratings hold steady, despite the ongoing investigations. Currently, 47 percent have a favorable opinion of Trump. That matches his previous record high set in December -- and is nine points higher than when he was elected (38 percent). In addition, 44 percent of voters approve of the job hes doing as president, while 50 percent disapprove. Last month, it was 40-53 percent (May 2017). For Trumps handling of foreign policy, 41 percent approve and 52 percent disapprove. More specifically, 56 percent of voters think he hasnt been tough enough on North Korea and 62 percent disapprove of sending additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Forty-eight percent think the United States and its allies are winning the war on terrorism, up from 44 percent a year ago. Trump gets positive job ratings for his handling of terrorism (48-45 percent) and the economy (48-43 percent). Has the Trump administration been competent and effective in managing the federal government? Over half, 52 percent, say no. That might sting less for the White House knowing this: 53 percent said the Obama administration was incompetent in May 2015. And that was down from a high of 59 percent incompetent in October 2014. Some 44 percent think the Trump administration has been competent. When asked who they would rather have as president, its a tight race between Trump and Vice President Mike Pence: 44 percent Trump vs. 37 percent Pence. Republicans pick Trump (70-23 percent), while Democrats choose Pence (49-22 percent). Its a long time before any voting, but the poll shows Democrats with a six-point edge in the Congressional ballot test: 47 percent would back the Democratic candidate in their district vs. 41 percent the Republican candidate. How does Trump play into that? Twenty-eight percent say expressing opposition to Trump will be a reason for their vote for Congress, while 18 percent say their vote will be to express support for the president. Half say he wont be a factor in their vote (50 percent). The number of Democrats (52 percent) saying their vote is to show opposition to Trump is larger than the number of Republicans (38 percent) voting to express support for him. Pollpourri Voters prioritize current investigations over previous ones. For example, more think its extremely important to keep probing Russian hacking (35 percent) or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia (31 percent) than Hillary Clintons use of a private email server (26 percent). And more think Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey (33 percent) is extremely important to investigate than say the same of President Obamas Attorney General Loretta Lynch telling Comey not to call his investigation into Clintons emails an investigation (25 percent). Some 23 percent feel its extremely important to continue looking into the Obama administrations handling of the Benghazi terrorist attacks. The Fox News poll is based on landline and cellphone interviews with 1,017 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from June 25-27, 2017. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points for all registered voters. Lets face it: Nobody likes this health care bill. Not the Republicans, certainly not the Democrats, and according to polls, not much of the public. And thats why the Senate GOP had to yank the bill yesterday. Mitch McConnell doesnt have the votes. And given a choice between a delay and an outright defeat for President Trump, he kicked the can down the road. When the Senate majority leader set a July 4 deadline for the vote, I saw two possibilities. One was that forcing a vote gave him the best chance to solidify his support quickly, before the opposition could build and before lawmakers went home for the recess. The other was that McConnell was willing to let the bill go down if he couldnt salvage it and move on to tax cuts and infrastructure, rather than allowing the health debate to consume the rest of the year. McConnell brushed off the setback, saying its a big, complicated subject, and saying he was confident they would achieve a result thats better than the status quo. Not exactly a great bumper-sticker slogan. Chuck Schumer, for his part, called the measure rotten at the core. After seven years of promises, it is proving increasingly difficult to revamp ObamaCare, since the bill in play does not repeal or replace it. Fashioning a compromise that satisfies both the partys conservatives and moderates is just extremely difficult. This is the dilemma that initially sunk the effort in the House, and the Senate is a tougher challenge because moderates have a stronger voice and McConnell can lose only two Republicansand at least three have said theyll oppose bringing the measure to a vote. The lousy CBO scoring didnt help. And even if you buy the administrations argument that the Congressional Budget Office has a lousy track record, its report certainly made the Senate bill a tougher political sell. An estimate that 22 million people would lose coverageeven if many are opting out with the elimination of the mandateputs the Republicans on the defensive, along with estimates of premiums tripling for some older folks. And Democrats charge that this helps pay for a tax cut for the affluent. Its hard to square the circle. If you make the bill more generous, it costs more, creates more government intrusion and you lose the conservatives. If you pare back the tax credits, benefits and Medicaid expansion, you lose the moderates. In a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, 16 percent said the House health bill was a good idea, and 48 percent called it a bad deal. At the same time, the media are barely focusing on the existing problems with ObamaCare, which Republicans havent tired of pointing out. Trumps decision to meet with all Republican senators after the bill was pulled underscores his determination to get something done. And I never underestimate the ability of Congress to paper over problems with vague promises of future reforms and study commissions. Whether a health bill ultimately passes or not, lots of people are going to be unhappy with the final prescription. Illinois isn't the only state dealing with financial headaches these days. Connecticut, too, is facing big budget problems as major corporations flee the state's high taxes and its fiscal future gets murkier by the day. While Illinois is facing the possibility its credit rating hitting "junk" status, Connecticut has the distinction of the third-worst ratings in the country -- behind Illinois and New Jersey. S&P Global Ratings, Moody's and Fitch all downgraded the state last month -- which threatens to increase the cost of borrowing -- in what officials described as a "call to action" for state leaders. Weve been downgraded by everybody in the last six months, and in the last year two or three times, Senate Republican President Len Fasano said. If we dont pass a budget, I think we will see a further downward spiral. Connecticut, like 15 other states including Illinois, has yet to pass a fiscal 2018 budgetthe deadline to do so is June 30. We must immediately take the necessary steps to mitigate the current year deficit and then balance the ... budget with recurring measures to reduce spending and structural solutions to our long-term problems, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management said in response to Moodys downgrade. ILLINOIS CAREENS INTO FINANCIAL MELTDOWN--AND NOT EVEN THE LOTTERY IS SAFE Connecticuts deficit has reached $5 billion. According to an analysis by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the state only has $240 million in its 'rainy day fund' only five states have a smaller cushion. Much of the financial troubles are tied to the states pension system, which two-term Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloys office is seeking to address with a new plan to save the state $24 billion in coming years. Malloy wants to require new state employees to be covered under a new hybrid pension system. The agreement, which Malloys office made with the state union, is tentative and awaiting legislative approval. Connecticut can and will adopt a responsible, balanced budget for the coming bienniumthe question is how best to handle our finances until that happens, Malloy said. He offered a short-term mini-budget to allow more time to negotiate a full budget, without making our current problems any worse and without further jeopardizing the states bond rating. But Fasano told Fox News the governors budget is not seeing support on either side of the aisle. His proposal decimates municipalities, social services and has no support, so we did our own budget, Fasano said. He has really shown the propensity of turning this state in a very negative direction. Fasano serves as the State Senates Republican president in conjunction with the Democratic president. This is a special situation, as for the first time in decades, the State Senate is split evenly in the historically blue state. We are tied, 18-18, and thats making it more difficult because the Democrats can no longer plow across the finish line a progressive agenda, fiscally speakingso they cant figure out what to do, Fasano said. Senate Republicans are the only ones with a line-by-line, detailed and balanced budget. Fasano claimed the budget put forth by Senate Republicans changes taxes and includes structural provisions that would help keep businesses in the state. We are doing things to try to attract people to stay here as best we can, given the fact that we have a $5 billion deficit, Fasano said. If we do not pass a budget by June 30, we have sent a message, I think to everyone, that we have no idea what were doing, and that is not going to give [comfort] to people to buy or stay here. ILLINOIS IN DANGER OF ENTERING A FINANCIAL 'DEATH SPIRAL' The state has been losing corporations crucial to its economy. Just last month, Aetna Inc. announced negotiations with several other states to move its corporate headquarters. Aetna, the health insurer which has been based out of the states capital, Hartford, since 1853, is reportedly exploring a move to Boston or New York. Hartford has been struggling with a financial quagmire of its own, even meeting last month to discuss the option of filing bankruptcy. We know that now more than ever, we are in competition across all industries not just with Massachusetts or New York state, but more specifically with Boston and New York City, Malloy said last month. Malloy said he believed the vast majority of Aetnas almost 6,000 jobs in Connecticut will stay. Connecticuts unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in April, up from 4.5 percent in January. Keeping those employees in Connecticut is far more important than where Aetna plants its corporate flag, Malloy said. Malloy is looking to boost jobs with the approval this week to begin construction on the states third casino. But Aetna is not the first major corporation to explore exiting -- General Electric left its headquarters in Fairfield, Conn., last year after more than 40 years. GE aspires to be the most competitive company in the world, then-GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said last year in announcing the move. We want to be at the center of an ecosystem that shares our aspirations. Despite the loss of GE and potential loss of Aetna, Malloys office told Fox News that companies like Xerox, Sikorsky, and Vineyard Vines, among others, have committed to the state over the last two years. But Fasano said he spoke with GE executives before they left and they cited state financial issues. They said Connecticut continues to tax at rates that make it unaffordable for businesses, people to stay here and didnt see what Connecticut looked like seven or eight years from now, he said. ... Thats the same analysis Ive heard from a number of businesses as to why theyre leaving. The progressive agenda this governor put forth is now coming home to roost. All eyes focused on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., this week. McConnell faced mounting opposition from his own ranks on an effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Few saw a way out of this legislative cul-de-sac. A veteran Senate aide had few ideas as to how McConnell could jimmy free the necessary votes to pass the Republican health care bill. But the aide offered this gem: McConnells a lot like Wesley Snipes in Passenger 57, observed the staffer. Always bet on McConnell. And sure enough, thats what everyone did. Democrats and Republicans alike. Never underestimate a parliamentary tactician and legislative mastermind like Mitch McConnell. Foes do so at their own peril. I dont count Senator McConnell out, conceded Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. I expect to have the support to get it done. And yes, we will vote this week, predicted Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas. But it never looked like McConnell even made it to the casino. Senate Republicans appeared uncharacteristically jittery last week, hours before McConnell unveiled the GOP health care benchmark to a closed-door conclave. Until you see it in writing, you dont know if its real, said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., of provisions that were promised in the discussion draft. Until its there, it aint there. Everyone knew that Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, could be a swing vote on the health care plan. A coterie of reporters briefly chased Murkowski last Wednesday night, asking if she wanted to talk about health care. Not really, hollered the Alaska Republican over her shoulder as she disappeared into the Senate chamber. Heres McConnells gambit. Republicans hold 52 Senate seats. The leader aimed to cobble together a coalition of 50 GOP senators who would vote yes on the bill and deploy Vice President Pence to break the tie. McConnell could only lose two GOPers and still thread the needle. But it didnt take long for Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Mike Lee, R-Utah; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; and Dean Heller, R-Nev., to oppose the health care package. The key was not whether McConnell had the votes to pass the bill, but whether the leader had the votes just to start debate on the plan. The Senate requires 51 yeas on whats called the motion to proceed to the health care bill. But McConnell lacked even that meager support. Consider this: Republicans knew that Democrats would filibuster a bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Conventional legislation needs 60 votes to break a filibuster to start debate and 60 votes to halt debate. McConnell knew Democrats would block the GOP at every turn, as Republicans only commanded 52 votes. But theres a way around that. A special process called budget reconciliation lowers the threshold to a simple majority (51 yeas) to bring a bill to the floor. Budget reconciliation turns off most filibusters. But you still have to figure out a way to get onto the bill. Still, a motion to proceed even to a budget reconciliation plan is debatable in the Senate. That means its subject to a filibuster. In this case, a Republican filibuster. Four GOP senators announced they opposed beginning debate on the health care plan: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined Paul, Johnson and Heller in threatening to short-circuit McConnells effort to bring the bill to the floor. Most filibusters dont imitate Jimmy Stewart talking all night. Filibusters often unfold when a senator or a coalition of senators threatens to keep the Senate from advancing to a given subject such as on the motion to proceed. You cannot change congressional mathematics. McConnell never had the votes to even begin the debate, felled by a GOP filibuster. This of course was an irony of ironies. House and Senate Republicans went to great lengths to assemble a budget reconciliation vehicle under which to repeal and replace ObamaCare. They feared a Democratic filibuster. Yet a Republican filibuster derailed the health care bill. For now. McConnell and a small group of Republican senators prepped their health care plan for weeks away from public view. Despite the repeal and replace mantra of the past eight years, the GOP measure still isnt baked. An indictment of McConnell? No, he replied when asked. Why not? Its an ongoing discussion, replied McConnell Several (senators) want more time. Schumer knew his GOP counterpart was struggling. Even his legislative wizardry is having a rough, rough time, observed Schumer of McConnells plight. Part of McConnells conundrum stems from which senators are noes. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., joined the other five nay votes on Tuesday. The group of eight nays cuts across the political spectrum -- from conservative Republicans to moderates. One source told Fox News it would be easier if the problems were all on one side. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., faced a similar phenomenon when the House tried to approve its health care measure. Ryan would fix one issue to court conservatives yet lose moderates. But heres the difference: the margins are wider in the House. McConnell has a turning radius of two votes. Thats a challenge. Its no surprise that Cornyn likened the exercise to trying to keep a colony of bullfrogs in a wheelbarrow. You get one bullfrog back in the wheelbarrow and another one jumps out. So its back to work. President Trump invited GOP senators to the White House Tuesday afternoon. The president strategically positioned Collins on one side of him and Murkowski on the other. A pessimist might view Tuesdays meeting as a face-saving effort for the president. But Trump may have one ace in the hole: McConnell and his parliamentary finesse. Just like betting against Wesley Snipes in Passenger 57. I wouldnt bet against Mitch McConnell, argued Paul Ryan Tuesday morning. And thats a wager the president and congressional Republicans are still willing to take. Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there. Senate Republicans have been told to strike a health care deal by Friday, amid concerns that the party's window for overhauling ObamaCare could soon close. As foes of the original GOP plan try to deliver a death blow to Republicans' repeal efforts, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly is working nonstop to negotiate new legislation after abruptly delaying a vote on his initial version amid flagging support. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and several GOP aides told Fox News on Wednesday they have been tasked with reaching a health care agreement by Friday. While a vote would not be expected until after the July 4 recess, the Friday deadline would allow time for a bill to be evaluated by Capitol Hill's budget scorekeepers so lawmakers can take it up when they get back. If we dont reach an agreement by Friday, its probably the end of the sole party effort on health care." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. I think that we would like to get a solution in place as quickly as possible, get our members there so then its just a question of getting the [Congressional Budget Office] score and setting up the timeline for votes when we get back after the 4th of July break, Thune told Fox News. So, I mean, I dont know that there is any particular rush, other than I think the longer this drags out, the harder it becomes. Thune added:, Ive said this beforethere comes a point where you got to make some decisions, you've got to move forward, you got to voteand I think we are at that point. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on MSNBC if a deal isnt reached by Friday, it could be the end of Republicans plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare. If we dont reach an agreement by Friday, its probably the end of the sole party effort on health care, Graham said. If we dont reach by Friday, then the way forward is ObamaCare collapse, it challenges Democrats to work with us to find something better. The new timeline comes after Republican senators went to the White House on Tuesday for a closed-door meeting with President Trump to discuss the health care plan. SENATE HEALTH BILL PULLED, BUT 'DON'T COUNT SENATOR MCCONNELL OUT' Trump said on Wednesday that he had a tremendous meeting with Republican senators, calling them impressive, and saying there was a great feeling in that room. We are looking at a health care that would be a fantastic tribute to our country, Trump said during an energy discussion on Wednesday. We are sending a lot back to the states where it belongsthis will be something really special if we can get it done. Trump acknowledged that dozens of senators attended the White House meeting, but said we need almost all of themthats never easy. We had 50 show up and the other two are on our sideI think we are going to get very close, Trump said. Were working very hard, weve given ourselves more time to make it perfectthats what we want to do. Five Republican senators came out in opposition to the plan, even before the CBO released the score on Monday, which estimated the Senates plan would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 22 million in 2026, relative to current law, and would lower the deficits over the next decade by $321 billion. SENATE HEALTH BILL WOULD LOWER DEFICIT, INCREASE NUMBER OF UNINSURED, ESTIMATE SAYS But after the CBO released their forecast, others came out against the bill, making it nearly impossible to advance through the chamber in its original form. With a slim 52-seat majority in the Senate, Republicans need a minimum of 50 senators to pass the health care plan, plus Vice President Pence as the tie-breaker. The clock is ticking as Democrat-aligned groups escalate their bid to block Republicans from fulfilling their long-running campaign pledge to end ObamaCare. On Wednesday morning, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said his labor organization was running ads and social media campaigns in five key states to kill any form of a Senate health care bill. Trumka told reporters on a conference call Wednesday that the bill would deprive millions of working people of health insurance. The group is running thousands of ads to pressure Senate Republicans in Alaska, Ohio, West Virginia, Nevada and Maine. Trumka also urged Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to oppose the bill. Publicly, Senate Democratic leaders say they want to start over. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Wednesday challenged Republicans and Trump to "abandon" Medicaid cuts and "tax breaks for the rich" and tackle the problem of rising premiums and deductibles. "President Trump, I challenge you to invite us, all 100 of us, Republican and Democrat, to ... discuss a new, bipartisan way forward on health care," he said. But despite the lack of support for the original draft of the plan, McConnell is firm on getting a bill done. We have to get this done for the American people, McConnell said on the Senate floor Wednesday. Sitting on the sidelines and accepting the status quo wont bring help to anyones constituents. We have the opportunity to provide relief to those struggling familieswe should take it. Fox News Brooke Singman, Mike Emanuel, Peter Doocy, Jason Donner and Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Susan Rice, the Obama national security adviser under fire over her alleged involvement in the unmasking of Trump associates during the 2016 presidential election, suggested in a fresh interview that race and gender might be playing a role in the scrutiny shes faced. In an interview with journalist Michael Tomasky for New York Magazine, Rice reportedly questioned the criticism shes faced dating back to the Benghazi controversy. Why me? Why not Jay Carney, for example, who was then our press secretary, who stood up more? she asked. Tomasky noted in the piece that Carney isnt an African-American woman, of course and apparently asked Rice whether that is the key factor. Rice, in response, left the door open: I dont know I do not leap to the simple explanation that its only about race and gender. Im trying to keep my theories to myself until Im ready to come out with them. Its not because I dont have any. SUSAN RICE REQUESTED TO UNMASK NAMES But Rice mentioned other prominent female figures like Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice who faced ad hominem attacks, suggesting a correlation. Asked about the comments, a Republican Capitol Hill source pushed back. This is screaming out for attention Shes saying I dont know why they all started picking on me to begin with. As to the suggestion of race and gender being a factor, the source countered, then why would there be a subpoena for a white male? That was a reference to the fact that Rice is not the only focus of the congressional probe into unmasking. Investigators have issued subpoenas to three different agencies: NSA, CIA and FBI. Those subpoenas have asked for unmasking information related to three individuals: former CIA Director John Brennan, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, and Rice. Shes not the only focus of congressional frustration, either. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., had a tense exchange with a top intelligence community lawyer at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday where he complained he still doesnt have an answer on whether his communications have been monitored. Am I ever gonna get [the response] in my lifetime? he asked. Rice told Judy Woodruff on PBS on March 22 that she knew nothing about the unmasking of Trump associates. But weeks later on MSNBC, she admitted she sometimes sought out the identities of Trump associates who communicated with foreigners, a request known as unmasking in the intelligence community. But I leaked nothing to nobody, Rice told MSNBC. Rice initially became a target of Republican criticism back in 2012 for giving misleading information about the origin of the Benghazi terror attack. On Sept. 16, 2012, just days after the attack, Rice appeared on all five Sunday political talk shows to claim the Benghazi attack spun out of a protest over an anti-Muslim video produced in California. Former CIA Director David Petraeus reportedly told lawmakers later that the intelligence community considered the attack an act of terrorism at the time. Four Americans were killed in Benghazi, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. The agency in charge of U.S. border security plans to start building prototypes for President Trumps proposed wall with Mexico later this summer. Ronald Vitiello, Customs and Border Protections acting deputy commissioner, said Tuesday that four to eight companies will get contracts for prototypes in San Diego that could be models for the roughly 2,000-mile border. Companies will have 30 days to complete the models. Vitiello says its impractical to build a wall on about 130 miles of border where there are already natural barriers, like lakes or canyons. Trumps budget proposal for 2018 includes $1.6 billion for 74 miles of wall in Texas Rio Grande Valley and San Diego. There are currently 654 miles of fencing. Earlier this month, Trump mentioned building the wall with solar panels. Think of it, Trump told a crowd at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The higher it goes, the more valuable it is. Pretty good imagination, right? Trump has been criticized by some of his supports for what they see as a lack of attention to one of his key campaign promises. Construction has not begun and there has been resistance from Congress. The White House insists that the plan is on track. Days after taking office on Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order calling for a "physical wall along the southern border." But the order didn't include specific details or say how it would be funded or how much it might cost. The Associated Press contributed to this report The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the latest version of President Trump's controversial travel ban that affects residents of some majority-Muslim countries. The ban applies to people from Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It also placed limits on people from North Korea and Venezuela. Since the president signed an executive order in January 2017 establishing a ban on travel of people from Muslim-majority nations, it has been a point of contention and challenged in court. Heres a look at the bans journey through the legal system. June 26 Supreme Court upholds ban In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court issued its first substantive ruling on a Trump administration policy on June 26, upholding the travel ban. The court said the president has substantial power to regulate immigration. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, which was joined by his four conservative colleagues. The sole prerequisite set forth in [federal law] is that the President find that the entry of the covered aliens would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. The President has undoubtedly fulfilled that requirement here, Roberts wrote. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who dissented, said "a reasonable observer would conclude that the Proclamation was motivated by anti-Muslim animus." April 25 Supreme Court hears oral arguments In the last case the justices will hear until October, oral arguments on the travel ban will be delivered before the Supreme Court on April 25. This is the first time the justices are considering whether it violates immigration law or the Constitution. People waited for a seat inside the courtroom for days ahead of the hearing. A decision is expected by June. April 10 Chad removed from travel ban The Trump administration removed Chad from the travel ban because the African country had improved its identity-management and information sharing practices enough, press secretary Sarah Sanders said. It had been included on the list because of an office supply glitch that prevented it from supplying homeland security officials with recent samples of its passports. It was also unable to adequately share public safety and terror-related information with U.S. officials who screen foreigners seeking to enter the country, officials said. March 30 More than a dozen states back lawsuit against ban Washington, D.C. and 16 states backed Hawaiis lawsuit against the travel ban with an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court. President Trumps discriminatory ban both hurts the families caught up in the chaos of his draconian policies, and undermines our states residents, institutions, businesses and economies, New York Attorney Gen. Eric Schneiderman said in a statement. Jan. 19 Supreme Court announces it will rule on the travel ban The Supreme Court announced on Jan. 19 that it will rule on Trump's controversial travel ban. The justices plan to hear arguments in April and issue a final ruling by late June. Dec. 4 Supreme Court OKs full enforcement of Trump travel ban Handing the White House a huge judicial victory, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trumps travel ban affecting residents of six majority-Muslim countries. Lower courts had said people from those countries with a "bona fide" relationship with someone in the United States could not be prevented from entry. Grandparents and cousins were among the relatives courts said could not be excluded. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor said they would have left the lower court orders in place. Oct. 17 Federal judge temporarily blocks travel ban U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson granted a request from Hawaii to temporarily block a version of Trump's travel ban, which was supposed to take effect at midnight ET on Oct. 18. Hawaii argued that the revised ban which included citizens from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, and some Venezuelan government officials and their families was a continuation of Trump's "promise to exclude Muslims from the United States." "Todays dangerously flawed district court order undercuts the Presidents efforts to keep the American people safe and enforce minimum security standards for entry into the United States," the White House said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will vigorously defend the Presidents lawful action." Oct. 10 Supreme Court dismisses one case The Supreme Court didnt take action on a case that originated in Hawaii pertaining to Trumps travel ban and a ban on refugees. However, it did dismiss another case that originated in Maryland. That case involved a ban that has since expired and been replaced with a new one by the administration. Oct. 5 Justice Department asks Supreme Court to drop travel ban case The Department of Justice asked the nations highest court to dismiss the case challenging the administrations travel ban. The administration argued the case should be dismissed because it was regarding a previous travel ban that is now moot. Sept. 24 Trump signs new travel ban As Trumps original ban was set to expire, the president unveiled new restrictions on travel to the U.S. from certain countries citizens. The revised ban included citizens from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. It also included some government officials from Venezuela. Sept. 12 Supreme Court lifts restrictions The Supreme Court blocked a lower courts decision that would have allowed refugees to enter the country under certain conditions, blocking a ruling that said a resettlement agency counts as a bona fide relationship. Sept. 7 Appeals court limits travel ban The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling that would allow for more refugees to enter the country despite the ban. The federal court ruled that refugees working with a resettlement agency would be considered to have established an approved bona fide relationship with a contact in the U.S. WHO DOES TRUMPS TRAVEL BAN BLOCK FROM ENTERING THE US? It also expanded the scope of a bona fide relationship to include other family members, such as grandparents and other relatives. July 19 Supreme Court allows for strict enforcement of refugee ban The Supreme Court, temporarily, allowed for the administrations travel ban to keep a strict enforcement on its ban of refugees. It did, however, leave in place the court order that made it easier for travelers from the six Muslim-majority countries to enter the U.S. and allowed a previous expansion of bona fide relationships to stay. July 13 Federal judge expands scope of travel ban U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson, in Hawaii, ruled that a bona fide relationship certain travelers need before entering the U.S. could be expanded to include grandparents and other relatives. The Justice Department filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court for clarification. June 29 Travel ban goes into effect After the Supreme Courts ruling, the Trump administration issued guidance on who would be allowed into the country and who would be barred. June 26 Supreme Court allows for travel ban to continue The Supreme Court announced it would allow Trump to forge ahead with a limited version of his travel ban. Trump hailed the decision as a victory for national security. HAWAII GETS CHANCE TO MAKE CASE FOR FIGHTING 3RD TRAVEL BAN The court said it would hear arguments in October, but until then, the ban on travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen could be enforced if the visitors lacked a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States. May 25 Travel ban blocked by federal court The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia blocked the travel ban from being implemented. It had begun to hear the case earlier in May. We remain unconvinced [the ban] has more to do with national security than it does with effectuating the Presidents promised Muslim ban," the court said at the time. March 30 Trump administration appeals ruling The Department of Justice filed an appeal with the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to challenge the ruling against the travel ban. March 29 Federal judge continues to block travel ban U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson granted a request to continue to halt the travel ban. March 16 Another federal judge temporarily blocks the order Sitting in Maryland, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang temporarily halted the executive order. The injunction was not as comprehensive as the one issued earlier in Hawaii, but it did contend that the ban was discriminatory toward Muslims. The order did not change the previous injunction in Hawaii, but rather just reinforced it. March 15 Federal judge blocks travel ban U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson prevented the travel ban from being implemented just before it was set to take effect. Watson granted the state of Hawaiis request for a temporary restraining order. Trump called the decision an unprecedented judicial overreach. March 8 Hawaii sues to block the travel ban The state of Hawaii sued in an attempt to halt the Trump administrations travel ban from going into effect. Lawyers said the new executive order is resulting in the establishment of religion in the State of Hawaii contrary to its state Constitution. Lawyers also argued that the ban would damage Hawaiis economy, educational institutions and tourism industry; and it is subjecting a portion of the states citizens to second-class treatment and discrimination, while denying all Hawaii residents the benefits of an inclusive and pluralistic society. March 6 Trump unveils new travel ban Trump signed a new executive order which barred travel from six predominantly Muslim countries for 90 days removing Iraq from the new ban. The new order also exempted permanent residents and current visa holders from the travel ban. Syrian refugees were still included in the new order but only for 120 instead of indefinitely. Feb. 15 Trumps travel ban gets a defender Texas Attorney Ken Paxton split with other states and defended the travel ban as he filed documents with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit asking to reconsider a decision blocking the ban. Paxton argued that the order is a legal exercise of presidential authority. Feb. 13 Federal judge grants injunction against ban A federal judge in Virginia granted an injunction to prevent the administration from implementing the ban. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said the ban was unconstitutional as it had a religious bias. Feb. 9 Travel ban is again blocked The travel bans suspension was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in a unanimous decision. MUSLIM ADVOCATES, LEGAL ORG FILES SUITS OVER TRAVEL BAN Those judges were Michelle Friedland, appointed by former President Barack Obama; Richard Clifton, appointed by former President George W. Bush; and William Canby, appointed by former President Jimmy Carter. The court began to hear arguments from the Justice Department and lawyers from the states of Washington and Maryland in opposition to the ban on Feb. 7. Feb. 6 Justice Department asks federal court to intervene The Justice Department filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit asking it to intervene and reverse a previous judges decision to halt the travel ban. Sixteen attorneys general filed an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit against the travel ban. Those included: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Feb. 3 Judge declines to extend injunction against travel ban U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton did not extend a temporary injunction against the administrations travel ban. But U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle did issue a temporary block of the ban on the same day. The state has met its burden in demonstrating immediate and irreparable injury, Robart said as he ruled in favor of lawyers from the states of Washington and Minnesota. Feb. 1 Administration tweaks travel ban The Trump administration tweaked its travel ban to exempt legal permanent residents of the U.S. AFGHAN GIRLS ROBOTICS TEAM ARRIVES IN US JUST IN TIME They no longer need a waiver because if they are a legal permanent resident, they wont need it anymore, then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer said of green card holders. Jan. 30 Senate Republicans save travel ban from Democrats Senate Republicans squashed an effort by Democrats to overturn the executive order. When Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. sought a vote on legislation to reverse the ban, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., objected. Trump also fired acting Attorney Gen. Sally Yates on this day when she refused to defend the travel ban. Jan. 29 Temporary stay issued on travel ban A Boston federal court temporarily put Trumps travel ban on hold for one week. The ruling stipulated that previously approved refugees, valid visa holders and lawful permanent residents or travelers from the seven countries included in Trumps order could not be detained or removed from the U.S. because of the executive order. Jan. 28 Federal judge issues emergency injunction against ban A federal judge in New York issued an emergency order blocking, in part, the executive order. U.S. District Judge Ann Donnellys ruling temporarily barred the U.S. from deporting people who arrived with a valid visa or who had already completed a refugee application. As dozens of people were detained after their planes landed in the U.S., massive protests erupted at airports nationwide. Jan. 27 Trump signs executive order barring travel from seven Muslim-majority nations Trump signed an executive order which immediately barred entry into the U.S. for the citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The order, dubbed Protection the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, also halted the U.S. refugee program for 120 days, but indefinitely barred all Syrian refugees from entering the country. Fox News' Barnini Chakraborty, Bill Mears and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have come a long way since they were hanging out in Eric's basement on "That '70s Show." Kutcher and Kunis recently purchased a $10 million beach house on the California coast, Trulia reports. The classic California home has expansive windows with plenty of natural light, and with six bedrooms and six bathrooms, there is lots of room for the couple and their two young children to enjoy. The Kutcher-Kunis' new ocean-front home is a 15-minute drive from Santa Barbara and Montecito, where other A-Listers like Natalie Portman and Ellen DeGeneres have vacation properties, though DeGeneres' 16-acre estate is on the market for $45 million. The area is known for its picturesque beaches and charming ambience, making it a quiet respite for the famous family. The Santa Barbara escape has views of the ocean on one side and the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other, and has a ground-level porch as well as a second-floor balcony to enjoy the scenery from outdoors while soaking up the Santa Barbara sun. The eat-in kitchen has a large peninsula for casual family get-togethers, and the outdoor dining and living space is perfect for entertaining guests. With 3,100 square feet to decorate, Kunis has her work cut out for her, but this won't be her first time taking on a major home-design project. Earlier this year, the then-pregnant actress [starred in an episode of "My Houzz," surprising her parents with a condo renovation. Kutcher and Kunis' primary residence a 10-bedroom, 7,351-square-foot property is in nearby Beverly Hills, 90 miles south of Santa Barbara. According to Us Weekly, the couple purchased that home in 2014 for $10.215 million. It's official: SpaceX's rockets and spaceships have caught the selfie bug in the final frontier. When SpaceX launched a Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station this month, the spacecraft popped up in a "selfie" taken by the upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that launched the ship into orbit. "Dragon photobombs stage 2 before heading to @Space_Station earlier this month," SpaceX representatives wrote in a Twitter post on June 19. In the photo, the Dragon spacecraft appears as a distant interloper in an otherwise picturesque scene of the Earth and Falcon 9 second stage engine on June 3. But the photo fun doesn't stop there. The Falcon 9 booster also made its own photobomb in a photo taken from the Dragon spacecraft. [Launch Photos: SpaceX's 1st Reused Dragon Spacecraft] "Stage 2 returns the favor," SpaceX tweeted with the image , which shows the Falcon 9 second stage backlit by a dazzling blue Earth as seen by a camera on Dragon. One of the space capsule's solar arrays is also visible. The first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets can return to Earth and land, but the second stages currently cannot at least, not yet. Earlier this year, on March 30, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk hinted that the company was studying ways to make Falcon 9 completely reusable. SpaceX is pursuing reusable rocket technology to lower the costs of spaceflight. The company has already reused one Falcon 9 rocket booster this year, and has said it hopes to reuse another on Friday (June 23) when SpaceX will launch a Bulgarian communications satellite into orbit from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In fact, even the Dragon used in the June 3 launch was reused. It first flew to the International Space Station in 2014. After launch, the spacecraft rendezvoused with the station to deliver about 6,000 lbs. (2,700 kilograms) of fresh NASA supplies for the orbiting lab's crew. Original article on Space.com. Liquid water comes in two forms low density and high density, scientists have found. The findings add to the anomalous properties of this ubiquitous, life-giving liquid, which is like no other on Earth. "The new remarkable property is that we find that water can exist as two different liquids at low temperatures where ice crystallization is slow," Anders Nilsson, a chemical physicist at Stockholm University in Sweden, said in a statement. [The Mysterious Physics of 7 Everyday Things] Essential element for life Water is essential for life (at least on Earth). And wherever liquid water exists whether it's in icebound lakes or scalding hydrothermal vents tiny microbes have been found. That is why scientists have been excited by the possibility of salty water flows and other evidence of ancient water on Mars it means there may well have been life early on in the Red Planet's history. It turns out that water has strange physical properties found in no other liquids known to scientists. For one, it can exist in all three phases at Earth-like temperatures and pressures. For another, its molecular configuration two hydrogens mated to an oxygen molecule creates strong polarity, or a highly positively charged region and a highly negatively charged region. That, in turn, allows almost any substance to be dissolved in it; in that way, substances such as calcium ions can travel (dissolved) within water into and out of a cell, for instance, Brian Glazer, an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, who has studied astrobiology, previously told Live Science. Already, scientists have identified 70 properties of liquid water that differ from other liquid substances. Researchers have long known that ice can exist in two solid forms: a highly ordered, crystalline form with individual molecules neatly lined up in a repeating pattern, and an amorphous version, where the molecules are scattered more haphazardly. In fact, this amorphous ice is the most abundant type on our planet, and can transform between both a low- and high-density version. Two phases of liquid water Scientists wondered whether a similar transition may occur in liquid water. To find out, Nilsson and his colleagues used X-rays to track the distance between individual molecules of H20 at low temperatures. Using this technique, they watched as the water transitioned from an amorphous, glassy, frozen liquid state (essentially, uncrystallized ice), to a viscous liquid, and then almost immediately to another, more viscous liquid with a lower density, the researchers reported today (June 26) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings shed new light on the bizarre behavior of liquid water. "The new results give very strong support to a picture where water at room temperature can't decide in which of the two forms it should be, high or low density, which results in local fluctuations between the two," study co-author Lars G.M. Pettersson, a theoretical chemical physicist at Stockholm University, said in the statement. "In a nutshell: Water is not a complicated liquid, but two simple liquids with a complicated relationship." Originally published on Live Science . Amazon expanded its lineup of discounted Android phones available exclusively to Prime members on Tuesday, adding the Nokia 6, the Moto E4, and three new Alcatel handsets. Prime members will get a $50 discount on three phones, bringing the Nokia 6 down to $180, the Alcatel A50 to $100, and the Alcatel A30 Plus to $80. The Alcatel Idol 5S gets an $80 discount, bringing its price for Prime members to $200, while the recently-announced Moto E4 is $30 off, for discounted price of $100. In exchange for the price reductions, Prime members who opt for one of these phones will have to deal with personalized offers and ads displayed on the lock screen, a tactic Amazon also uses to reduce the price of its Kindle e-readers. Despite this nuisance, Amazon says the one-year old program is popular: Prime exclusive phones have consistently ranked among the top five best-selling unlocked Android smartphones on Amazon. At these prices, you won't get performance to rival the latest and greatest Android handsets such as the Google Pixel or the Samsung Galaxy S8. You can, however, be among the first Americans to buy what could be very promising budget phones. The 5.5-inch Nokia 6 is the first new Nokia model to be sold in the US since Finnish conglomerate HMD Global took over the brand. It will be available exclusively on Amazon in matte black and silver starting in July, with blue and copper versions coming later this summer. The Moto E4 is also a newcomer to the US. Despite having a mediocre camera and limited internal storage, it won a PCMag Editors' Choice award for features that you won't normally find in its price range, like a fingerprint sensor and dual-band Wi-Fi. This article originally appeared on PCMag.com. Arizona officials are concerned drones are getting in the way of their ability to fight wildfire. As crews were battling a fire just north of Flagstaff Tuesday, officials say a drones presence delayed air crews from putting out the blaze. It was not reported how long teams were delayed because of the drone and ground crews were later sent in. George Jozens, Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the Coconino National Forest said the owner of the drone was not apprehended and the fire was said to have been started due to a campfire left smoldering. The fire was later fully contained that same day coming in around 3 acres in size. WOMAN BRANDISHES GUN, SCARES OFF DRONE Jozens added that it could have been much worse. This year has been dramatic on our forest [for drone incursions] and thats all I can speak of. Jozens says two firefighting aircraft were delayed. A helicopter set down in a meadow and a fixed wing aircraft continued to fly away from the area until confirmation was made that drone was out of the area. The incident in Arizona was not the first time a case like this has occurred. Drones present a huge risk for firefighters and pilots flying over large fires trying to extinguish them. There are concerns collisions could occur and people can be injured. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that there were 41 drone incursions in the U.S. last year while aerial firefighting was underway. Three of those occurred in Arizona. The agency works with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Weather Service. The U.S. Forest Service even launched a campaign warning drone pilots that If you fly, we cant. HUGE DRONE CAN LIFT 500 POUNDS In a Fact Sheet compiled by the U.S. Forest Service, officials outlined the scope of the FAA regulations surrounding Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). FAA approval is required for all pilots and organizations to fly UAS for other than hobby or recreation purposes in the National Airspace System (NAS). A spokesperson from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) tells Fox News that it is against federal regulations per the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 43 CFR 9212.1(f), it is illegal to resist or interfere with the efforts of firefighter(s) to extinguish a fire. Doing so can result in a significant fine or a mandatory court appearance. Theyre not up there helping anything. Theyre up there for personal use. Its not worth the lives of our firefighters who are up there trying to kill the fire," said Jozens. NEW YORK Facebook is deleting about 66,000 posts a week as the social media giant cracks down on what it considers to be hate speech. The company said in a blog post Tuesday that deleting posts can feel like censorship, but that it is working on explaining its process better. Facebook says it defines hate speech as attacks on people based on their race, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics. The Menlo Park, California, company says it mostly relies on its nearly two billion users to report any hateful posts they see. Workers then review the posts and decide whether to delete it. Facebook Inc. says it has 4,500 workers reviewing posts and plans to hire 3,000 more in the next year. The deleted posts went up over the last two months. First pizza, then donuts, now hot dogs. Recent events clearly suggest fast food fans will be very well catered for once full-fledged drone delivery services get off the ground. Oscar Mayer is the latest to join the party, this week unveiling the WienerDrone as part of its WienerFleet, which of course includes its famous WienerMobile. The WienerDrone can whizz along at speeds of up to 50 mph for the super-fast delivery of its "1 hot dog" payload. It can fly up to 1200 feet from the ground, too, which Oscar Mayer helpfully informs us is a distance equivalent to "2400 hot dogs end-to-end." The unique quadcopter looks a lot like the WienerMobile, only smaller and with propellers attached. If we're honest, the delivery method looks rather haphazard and could result in a messy rearrangement of any sauces slathered on your snack. Instead of landing on the ground and gently plopping out the goods la Amazon Prime, or carefully lowering the item via a winch la Project Wing, it simply releases the hot dog from a great height for the customer to catch. Good luck with that. No, we don't expect to see the WienerDrone coming to a barbecue near you anytime soon, but it was fun seeing Oscar Mayer's take on this whole delivery drone malarkey. Besides the drone and the car, the new WienerFleet also includes the WienerMini for guaranteed rapid delivery, the autonomous WienerRover for off-road missions, and the WienerCycle for fast navigation of busy urban streets. Thefleet plans to hit the road on the July 4 holiday, heading for Weiner, Arkansas where the drone will no doubt be lobbing a hot dog or two into an expectant crowd. Pizza and donuts Domino's Pizza in New Zealand is already offering a limited drone delivery service for fans of the cheesy delight, flying orders from one of its outlets to customers in under 10 minutes. The service complements its bike-based delivery riders, and Domino's has no plans to replace them, though the company has noted that as many as 70 percent of its customers would be more than happy to receive a drone-delivered pizza. Domino's flying machine, built by Nevada-based drone specialist Flirtey, lowers the boxed pizza using a tether. Safety features include low-battery return-to-safe-location programming and auto-return-home commands in case of a low GPS signal or communication loss. More recently, a number of donut deliveries were made by the flying machine to city officials in Denver in a trial run organized by LaMar's Donuts. Denver mayor Michael Hancock, who was one of the recipients of the sugary snack, described the delivery as exciting stuff, adding that autonomous technology is our future [and] this is how were going to become a more efficient 21st-century nation. And with all that fast food flying about, possibly a slightly-larger-around-the-waist nation, too. Security experts say that a digital "vaccine" can protect individual computers from the crippling Petya ransomware. Petya sparked mass disruption after it emerged Tuesday. Ukraine and Russia appeared hardest hit by the new strain of ransomware malicious software that locks up computer files with all-but-unbreakable encryption and then demands a ransom for its release. In the U.S., the malware affected companies such as the drugmaker Merck and Mondelez International, the owner of food brands such as Oreo and Nabisco. Cybereason security researcher Amit Serper found a way to prevent the ransomware affecting computers, according to the Bleeping Computer security news site, which notes that other experts agreed with his findings. Users can create a read-only file called perfc in their C:/Windows folder to vaccinate their computers and stop Petya. However, while this approach can stop the ransomware on individual computers, experts have not yet found a so-called kill switch that would completely stop the ransomware attack. HUGE 'PETYA' RANSOMWARE ATTACK HITS EUROPE, SPARKS MASS DISRUPTION Petyas pace appeared to slow as Tuesday wore on, in part because the malware appeared to require direct contact between computer networks, a factor that may have limited its spread in regions with fewer connections to Ukraine. The malware's origins remain unclear. Researchers picking the program apart found evidence its creators had borrowed from leaked U.S. National Security Agency code, raising the possibility that the digital havoc had spread using U.S. taxpayer-funded tools. Symantec Security Response reported Tuesday that the latest round of ransomware is harnessing the same EternalBlue Windows exploit as the WannaCry ransomware that wreaked havoc across the globe last month. Microsoft issued a patch for EternalBlue in March. 22-YEAR-OLD CYBERSECURITY RESEARCHER HELPED THWART UNPRECEDENTED CYBERATTACK Experts say that Petya highlights the need for organizations to keep their systems up to date with the latest security measures. Its alarming that were seeing another large-scale, global ransomware attack on the heels of the recent WannaCry incident, said Varun Badhwar, CEO and co-founder of cloud security company, RedLock, in a statement emailed to Fox News. Every company and consumer connected to the internet needs to immediately install the patch that Microsoft released back in March to fix the EternalBlue vulnerability that the new Petya ransomware attack is leveraging. For companies that forego implementing the latest security patches and updates, vulnerabilities like EternalBlue are ticking time bombs. The recent attacks associated with WannaCry and Petya have re-enforced the lack of accountability and focus on basic IT and security fundamentals, added James Carder, chief information security officer LogRhythm, in a statement emailed to Fox News. Core IT operational competencies, such as patch management, backups, disaster recovery, and incident response are not well implemented or maintained. On Wednesday, the mysterious Shadow Brokers group also re-emerged to taunt the NSA. It's a possible hint at the shadowy spy games being played behind the scenes of the cybersecurity crisis. RANSOMWARE ATTACK COSTS SOUTH KOREAN COMPANY $1M, LARGEST PAYMENT EVER The Shadow Brokers, who have spent nearly a year publishing some of the American intelligence community's most closely guarded secrets, posted a new message to the user-driven news service Steemit carrying new threats, a new money-making scheme and nudge-nudge references to the ransomware explosion that continues to cause disruption from Pennsylvania to Tasmania. "Another global cyber attack is fitting end for first month of theshadowbrokers dump service," the group said, referring to a subscription service which purportedly offers hackers early access to some of the digital NSA's break-in tools. "There is much theshadowbrokers can be saying about this but what is point and having not already being said?" The Associated Press contributed to this article. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers A robot developed by researchers at Georgia Tech has a knack for music that would have made Beethoven jealous. Shimon is robot that composes and plays his own beats. He uses a process called deep neural learning along with artificial intelligence to decode different genres of music eventually creating his own chimes on the marimba. Dr. Gil Weinberg, the director of the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology, created Shimon nearly 10 years ago, but now the robot musician has learned how to do things on his own. Weinbergs goal is to use the technology to collaborate with humans rather than replace them. FORGET PESTICIDES, FARMERS CAN SHOOT BAD BUGS WITH LASERS Lets invent what will be the new technologies that can enhance music that can let people play and create music in completely new ways, Weinberg said. One of them is building robots that combine digital brains that can understand music and physical bodies that can actually play music. Both of them enhancing what humans currently do. The new technology was debuted in a video at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Doctoral candidate Mason Bretan has worked for the past seven years to help develop Shimon into the budding artist that he is today. Shimon uses deep neural networks, Bretan says, to learn from the over 5,000 songs in his memory banks. Shimon now thinks like a human musician as he composes his songs rather than from note to note as he did before. YALE ARCHAEOLOGISTS MAKE AMAZING ANCIENT EGYPTIAN 'BILLBOARD' DISCOVERY When we play or listen to music, we dont think about the next note and only that next note, said Bretan. An artist has a bigger idea of what he or she is trying to achieve within the next few measures or later in the piece. Shimon is now coming up with higher-level musical semantics. Rather than thinking note by note, it has a larger idea of what it wants to play as a whole. Shimons tunes are a mix of everything that hes learned. They sound like a fusion of jazz and classical, said Bretan. I definitely hear more classical, especially in the harmony, but then I hear chromatic moving steps in the first piece, thats definitely something you hear in jazz. Looking to the future, Weinberg hopes to one day have a symphony of both robots and humans playing together. So far Shimon has already played with a group of musicians in the past and he will perform live at the Aspen Ideas Festival this week. A Colombian airline is considering a novel way of making flying even cheaper by removing seats and making passengers stand up during their flight. Its not the first time an airline has floated the idea, but low-budget carrier VivaColombia says it was very interested in the radical idea, which could help drive down the cost of airfares and make them more accessible to more people. MAN WITH PROSTHETIC LEG CLAIMS AIRLINE FORCED HIM TO MOVE There are people out there right now researching whether you can fly standing up, VivaColombias founder and chief executive William Shaw told The Miami Herald. Were very interested in anything that makes travel less expensive. Airbus first started discussing the possibility of standing-room flights back in 2003 when it came up with the concept of a vertical seat that would allow passengers to stand while being braced. In 2010, Irish no-frills airline Ryanair announced plans to offer discounted tickets as low as $7 to passengers willing to stand on flights. The airlines chief executive Michael OLeary proposed Airbus vertical seats for special standing-room only sections of the flight, however the idea was met with resistance from British and European aviation authorities and never came to pass. Another standing seat was built in 2010 the SkyRider, by Italian seat design company AvioInteriors which was designed for people to perch on. The SkyRiders design allowed for a space of just 58 centimeters between seats, meaning more could be packed onto a plane but it never got the required approval for use. AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHTS IN PHOENIX CANCELED AS TEMPERATURES SOAR Even Chinese carrier Spring Airlines discussed introducing vertical seats as recently as two years ago. So far none of these ideas have taken off, and it seems like VivaColombias ideas may also fall short. Discussing the idea on Colombian radio, the countrys Civil Aviation Director Alfredo Bocanegra said it was not going to happen on his watch. People have to travel like human beings, Mr Bocanegra said. Anyone who has ridden on public mass transit knows that its not the best when youre standing. This article orginally appeared on News.com.au President Trump will have a speaking role when his animatronic statue is added to the Hall of Presidents at Disney, despite a widely-circulated report by Vice that claimed otherwise. The Vice report is inaccurate, Jacquee Wahler, the vice president of communications for Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement sent to Fox News. As we have stated, President Trump will have a speaking role in the Hall of Presidents like every president since 1993. We have been working closely with the White House and the presidents recording session has been scheduled, Wahler added. We have repeatedly stated that the attraction will re-open in late 2017." DISNEY PLANNING SCULPTURE FOR 2-YEAR-OLD KILLED BY ALLIGATOR The controversy over Trumps inclusion in the attraction stems from an article first published Vice in May of 2016 one which reported on the alleged secret backstage Trump drama at Walt Disney World. In the article, an inside source for Vice said Disneys Imagineers were probably not going to give Trump a speaking role given how polarizing the president is right now. Vice later printed a correction in a June 26 article, writing, The original version of this story was imprecise in describing tension at Disney around the Trump installation in the Hall of Presidents. Vice further explained that, while their source spoke with several employees of Disney, he/she never got direct confirmation from anyone at Disneys corporate level. A day after Vice printed their retraction, Thomas Smith, the editorial content director for Disney Parks, posted an update to the Disney Parks Blog further refuting reports that Trump would be silent during his Hall of Presidents debut. HAZMAT CREW CALLED TO DISNEYLAND AFTER GEESE POOP ON GUESTS Smith also echoed Wahlers claim that the exhibit would reopen in late 2017, which is a bit earlier than Disney CEO Bob Iger estimated last month, Wahler pointed out to Fox News.. However, Trumps exclusion from Disneys Hall of Presidents is the subject of multiple Change.org petitions, some of which aim to gain support for excluding him entirely, while another merely wants to relegate his robot to a non-speaking capacity. (As of Wednesday afternoon, the latter had earned nearly 15,000 signatures.) The Hall of Presidents was one of the original attractions at Walt Disney World upon its grand opening on Oct. 1, 1971. Located in the Magic Kingdoms Liberty Square, the show features a short film focusing on the history of the United States, augmented by the animatronic likenesses of each U.S. President. Since 1993, the presentation has also concluded with a pre-recorded speech delivered by the sitting presidents likeness. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Prior to 1993, the show simply ended with a speech delivered by an animatronic Abraham Lincoln, as recited by a voice actor. The attraction originally closed for refurbishments in January. In addition to Trumps likeness, Smith says the Hall of Presidents will be returning with a complete theater upgrade including a new sound system, lighting and high-definition projection system. How do you celebrate Americas birthday? How about a wild rodeo? Or a parade with your patriotically-dressed pet? Or maybe you want to see some Revolutionary-era weapons fired? Of course, on the Fourth of July, there will be fireworks, patriotic music, burgers and beer everywhere you go maybe even a red, white and blue cocktail. But there are also plenty of unique ways to add something new and different to this years festivities: 1. Go back to where it all began. Meet some of the founding fathers at the brand new Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, which is dedicated to telling the story of the American Revolution in the city where the Declaration of Independence was written. There will be a huge collection of revolutionary weapons, theater experiences and historical moments brought to life. Also new is the The American Revolution Museum in Yorktown, Va., where the July Fourth Liberty Celebration will include military drills and artillery demonstrations as well as immersive indoor exhibits. Meet up with Continental Army soldiers where the British surrendered to end the Revolutionary War. 2. View a Washington D.C. wonder. Go to the nations capital for the 50thSmithsonian Folklife Festival; this year theyre celebrating circus arts and the culture of migration. It starts on the National Mall on June 29, with concerts, a marketplace, food, dances and presentations continuing through July 9. There are even more ways to celebrate July Fourth in this museum-filled city, like seeing the original Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in the National Archives. 3. Celebrate the outdoors. Get outdoors in ski country, where youll find plenty of celebrations. In Breckenridge, Colo., for instance, there's a 10K Trail Run followed by the popular Firecracker 50 Mountain Bike Race, Viper Car Show and Street Arts Festival. A few hours north you'll find Steamboat Springs celebration, which starts on June 30 and includes Cowboys Roundup Days and a Pro Rodeo series theres even a ski jumping competition. At the family-centric Keystone Resort, less than 90 minutes west of Denver, there will ba petting zoo and face-painting, as well as boat rentals, snow-tubing, and, of course, live music and a BBQ before the fireworks. And in Stowe, Vermont, all of the floats are put together on the morning of the parade the rule being that no more than $10 can be spent on decorations. 4. Be a daredevil. See a human slingshot at Fair St. Louis, July 2-4. Theres plenty of live music, fireworks each night, and even a zipline. Browse local artists wares on the Fairway. 5. Relax at a resort. Join the Fourth of July Freedom Fest at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona, which salutes Americas heroes with a vintage airshow featuring 30 military aircraft piloted by retired Veterans. There's also plenty of red, white and blue frozen drinks served at the huge pool complex. At the Four Seasons Resort Vail, guests can attend the Vail America Days parade celebrating Great Moments in American History. Vail also has a childrens carnival complete with potato sack races, home-smoked barbecue, a make-your-own ice cream bar, a live DJ and pool games for all. The Omni Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire will celebrate all American soldiers, from the Revolution to today, at its Annual Salute to Freedom with music, demonstrations, and massive water balloon fight and pie-eating contest. 6. Parade around with your pet. See llamas, turtles, sheep, and pigs at the Fourth of July Pet Parade in Bend, Ore., a community tradition since the 1930s that now draws thousands. And in Hailey, Idaho, the Old West Fourth of July weekend includes horses, which might drop road apples in front of you, making you eligible to play Road Apple Roulette (a fund raiser for the local Rotary Club). If a horse drops a road apple on the GPS designated square that youve purchased, your name goes in the drum for a prize. 7. Chill out this summer. Hit the ski slopes in California where you can Catch the Winter Wave on July Fourth. Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows in North Lake Tahoe will be open July Fourth. In Southern California, snow enthusiasts can ski or ride at Mammoth Mountain. With record-breaking snowfall in recent months, Californias springtime snowpack is at nearly double its normal level. Wherever you are and however you celebrate, raise a glass to all those brave men and women who keep our country safe. And have fun! President Trump's freshly reinstated travel ban takes effect Thursday, sparking concerns of another round of airport nightmares and legal chaos. The travel ban, which restricts visitors from six Muslim majority nations, was shelved due to injunctions issued by lower courts until the Supreme Court ruled Monday it could be largely reinstated pending a hearing on the merits in the fall. But when it was initially rolled out earlier this year, it triggered confusion in airports and courtrooms throughout the country. This time, the Trump administration hopes will be smoother. We will keep those traveling to the United States and partners in the travel industry informed as we implement the order in a professional, organized and timely way, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told Bloomberg News. But language in the high court's order may only contribute to confusion this time around, say some legal experts. By carving out an exception for travelers with "bona fide" relationships to people in the U.S., the revised ban could be vulnerable to endless legal challenges. The State Department told Fox News that it is awaiting a determination from the Department of Justice on how to define a bona fide relationship, and also how to implement the policy once it's defined. State officials are in consultation with the DOJ on the bona fide relationship policy. People who do not have a verifiable relationship with individuals or entities, such as companies, in the United States after June 26, 2017, will likely be prevented from entering the country. Tourists from Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Libya and Syria also may be barred admission. There were just 110,365 tourists from those six countries last year, according to State Department data. Generally, there are relatively few individuals from the ban countries who are issued visitor visas, said immigration attorney Matthew Kolken. "It is exceptionally difficult to prove that they will return to a country where there is civil unrest, or where their lives are in danger. SUPREME COURT DECISION SHIFTS MOMENTUM IN TRUMP TRAVEL BAN CASE The Supreme Courts ruling affects refugees who lack any connection to the U.S. That means that a visitor from the six countries who cannot demonstrate a bona fide relationship with individuals or entities in the United States after June 26, 2017, will likely be precluded from entering the country. Tourists may also be barred from admission if they don't have any established links to the country, said Kolken. I see nothing in the courts order which would preclude connections to the U.S. from being developed going forward as long as they are not developed for the purpose of avoiding the travel ban, said David Leopold, former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. It could be fertile ground for legal debate if refugees begin creating connections with people in the U.S. now, and somehow avoid the appearance of trying to avoid the key part of the ruling. My guess is the Trump administration will take the narrowest possible view and try to exclude as many people as possible under the narrow stay, said Leopold. Advocates for limited immigration say the executive order should be fully implemented. The Supreme Courts decision, while helpful to some degree, said Andrew Arthur of the Center for Immigration Studies, will lead to significant litigation from individuals who claim they have the requisite relationship to be admitted, until the court issues its final ruling. Immigrant rights groups raised the possibility that the ruling may have a deleterious effect on professionals trying to move between countries, such as a doctor from Iran hired by a U.S. company. Once again, it may depend on the timing of the relationship. Physicians from Iran with a (current) job offer from a U.S. hospital will likely be issued a visa absent any other security concern, said Kolken. If there was a relationship in the past, but no likelihood of a future relationship, the doctor will likely be excluded from entering the U.S., added Arthur. TRUMP TRAVEL BAN: SUPREME COURT REINSTATES KEY PARTS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER We handle many foreign physicians, researchers, IT professionals and others who qualify for professional and extraordinary ability visas, said Leopold. Most, if not all, have a bona fide relationship with a U.S. employer and therefore should not be affected. But Leopold still has harsh criticism for the Trump administrations immigration policies. This administrations purpose is to disrupt and slow-walk the visa process. The anti-immigrant extremists setting Trump Administration policy are aiming at putting a huge Closed for Business sign on the Statue of Liberty. These policies will hurt and cost America dearly. But Arthur pointed out that the travel ban was always intended to be temporary. The administration is attempting to catch its breath, determine what we dont know and determine what additional requirements we need to put in place to make sure individuals who pose a danger to the U.S. wont be able to get in. The strategy may be working in some countries. Fox News has reported that the new U.S.-leaning Somali government has taken steps to beef up its vetting of prospective emigres. U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Stephen Schwartz told Fox News that the countrys president was receptive to new vetting requirements, like biometric identification and even taking in deported Somalis, which has increased under the Trump administration. Given the unsettled history of Somalia, the government can attempt to reconstruct the institutions that would have existed, such as registries, in order to help us verify visas for Somalis seeking to come to the United States, said Arthur. Due to Somalias long-running civil war, and no central government, most of the countrys residents dont even have valid birth certificates. Meanwhile Kolken, whose firm helps foreigners gain legal entry to the U.S., has said that the Trump administration treats refugee children better than the prior administration. President Trump deprioritized the deportation of refugee children from Central America that were at the top of the list under President Obama, said Kolken. The FBI said Tuesday it located the car that a missing Chinese scholar studying at the University of Illinois was last seen getting into earlier this month. The FBI said in it's received "numerous leads" regarding the black Saturn Astra and won't need any further information on the vehicle. Authorities also said they've developed "several additional leads" in the investigation into the whereabouts of Yingying Zhang. FBI spokesman Brad Ware declined to say where the car was found but told The News-Gazette "we are still looking for her." Zhang's disappearance has been labeled a kidnapping, but police haven't ruled out other scenarios. Surveillance video on June 9 showed the 26-year-old getting into the vehicle in Champaign as she was on her way to sign a new lease at an apartment complex. Zhang's family members have traveled to the central Illinois school and are staying in university housing as the search continues. Her father made an emotional appear last week for his child's safe return, saying in an interview: "Give my daughter back." Ronggao Zhang spoke to The News-Gazette through a translator. Yingying Zhang's aunt, Liqin Ye, also traveled from China and wiped away tears as the father spoke. "Ying, be strong. Dad is waiting for you here," Ronggao Zhang said, addressing his daughter directly. "I hope that being a good person you will be safe forever." The FBI is offering a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to the location of Zhang, and the University of Illinois and Champaign County Crime Stoppers are offering a reward of up to $40,000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read more from The News-Gazette. When the Trump administration's travel ban takes partial effect this week, immigrant-rights lawyers plan to head to the nation's major airports to make sure eligible foreigners are able to get into the country. But attorneys say few people are likely to be affected, and they don't expect a repeat of the mass confusion that resulted earlier this year when President Donald Trump rolled out his original ban on travel from a group of mostly Muslim countries. "Our hope is unlike the chaos that previously occurred, there will be a much smoother and much less traumatic result," said Caitlin Bellis, an attorney at Public Counsel in Los Angeles. The Department of Homeland Security hasn't offered any guidance on how this week's Supreme Court ruling on the ban will be interpreted, so attorneys are preparing for anything and will monitor airports from Los Angeles to New York in case they are needed to assist foreigners held for questioning or denied entry by customs and border agents. Advocates have a hotline and email addresses where relatives can seek help if family members get stuck. There's also an app that routes information about troubled travelers to lawyers monitoring the airports. On Monday, the Supreme Court said it will hold a full hearing on the ban in October, but until then, the Trump administration can bar travelers from Syria, Sudan, Iran, Yemen, Libya and Somalia if they lack a "credible claim of a bona fide relationship" with someone or some institution in the U.S. Immigration lawyers said they believe that visas already issued to travelers from the six countries will probably still be considered valid for entry into the U.S. But for those who are seeking a visa from here on in, there are many unknowns. Exactly what constitutes a "bona fide relationship" could become a matter of dispute, though the justices suggested that a close family member such as a spouse or a mother-in-law, a job in the U.S., a speaking invitation or enrollment at a university could qualify. Others, such as would-be tourists or some scholars, could find themselves shut out. The partial ban is expected to take effect Thursday. When Trump's earlier, broader ban was announced in January, travelers found themselves detained for hours and in some cases sent back, prompting large demonstrations outside airports and a flurry of lawsuits. Trina Realmuto, litigation director for the National Lawyers Guild's national immigration project, said the government's guidance on how it plans to implement the order is key. Homeland Security said the order will be carried out "professionally, with clear and sufficient public notice." Nicky Smith, executive director of the International Rescue Committee's Seattle office, said she worries about refugee children traveling to the U.S. for medical care. "If kids can't get into the country, some of the cases that we've had over the past few months, if they had been delayed by a week, they wouldn't have made it," she said. At Dulles Airport outside Washington, lawyers are planning to be there to assist travelers as necessary and also show customs and border agents they are watching, said Sirine Shebaya, a board member with the Dulles Justice Coalition. She said it's too early to know whether lawyers will be needed there long term. "One of the best ways to know that is just to be there," she said. ___ Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California. Associated Press writers Deepti Hajela in New York and Matthew Barakat in McLean, Virginia, contributed to this report. A law enforcement officer was shot Tuesday off Interstate 80 in Sacramento, according to local media. The shooting took place near a light train station off the highway, FOX 40 reported. Officials have not said what agency the officer worked for. Authorities are searching for the suspect near a Red Roof Inn nearby, according to FOX 40. The officer was transported to Mercy San Juan hospital. The officers condition is not known. Read more from FOX 40. The Pentagon on Tuesday said it detected "active preparations" by Syria for a chemical weapons attack, giving weight to a White House statement hours earlier that the Syrian government would "pay a heavy price" if it carried out such an attack. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said the U.S. had seen "activity" at Shayrat airfield that "indicated active preparations for chemical weapons use." That is the same base from which the Syria air force launched an attack in April that the U.S. and others said used lethal chemicals to kill civilians. Syria denied the charge. President Bashar Assad's government and Russia dismissed the White House allegation that Damascus was preparing a new chemical weapons attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "such threats to Syria's legitimate leaders are unacceptable." Russia is Assad's key backer and sided with him when he denied responsibility for a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people in Idlib province on April 4. The U.S. responded to that attack by hitting the airfield with dozens of cruise missiles. A Monday evening statement by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. had "identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children." Spicer said the activities were similar to preparations taken before the attack in April, but provided no evidence or further explanation. __ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Josh Lederman, Lolita C. Baldor, Vivian Salama and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. . Two people were killed after a small airplane crashed in Arizona's Gila Bend Mountains on Tuesday, the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office said. The plane took off and never returned to Buckeye Airport, the sheriff's office told Fox 10. A public affairs manager with the FAA said the plane was supposed to return to Buckeye around 10 a.m, KNXV reported. The wreckage of the VANS RV-7 turned up 17 miles southwest of Buckeye. POLISH GOVERNMENT RECEIVES FIRST WESTERN-MADE OFFICIAL JET Its unclear what caused the crash. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Click for more from Fox 10. Sacramento County sheriffs have identified Nicory Marquis Spann as the man who shot a deputy at a Sacramento light rail station Tuesday evening. The 27-year-old shot the deputy in the face with his own gun around 6 p.m. on the light rail station platform near Watt Avenue and Interstate 80. Spann was able to get hold of the deputys gun during an altercation between the two. GIRL, 16, SHOT 5 TIMES OUTSIDE BARBECUE After the shooting, Spann fled to the nearby Red Roof Inn and wasnt taken into custody until 9:15 p.m. when a robot located him. Spann was arrested for attempted murder on a peace officer and was booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail. He is currently ineligible for bail. The injured deputy has been identified as Alex Ladwig. The sheriffs department says the deputy was alert and talking when he was transported to the hospital after the shooting. He was said to be stable but will undergo facial reconstruction surgery due to his injuries. Ladwig is a four-year veteran of the Sacramento Sheriffs Department and had been assigned to light rail duty for about a year. READ MORE FROM FOX 40 SACRAMENTO. In what family members describe as a YouTube stunt gone wrong, a 22-year-old man from Halstad, Minnesota is dead and his pregnant girlfriend is in jail. Around 6:30 p.m. Monday night, Norman County sheriffs deputies responded to the 500 block of U.S. Highway 75 on a report of a shooting. Life-saving efforts were made and a medical helicopter was called, but 22-year-old Pedro Ruiz was pronounced dead at the scene. Ruizs girlfriend, 19-year-old Monalisa Perez, was booked into jail for reckless discharge of a firearm. ACLU PLANS SUIT AFTER TEN COMMANDMENTS MONUMENT INSTALLED IN ARKANSAS CAPITOL Ruizs aunt told Valley News Live that the couple had been trying to get famous on YouTube, and their pranks were escalating. "He had told me about an idea. I said, don't do it, don't do it, Claudia Ruiz told Valley News Live. Why are you going to use a gun? Why? Pedro Ruiz apparently gave Perez a 50 caliber handgun and instructed her to shoot a round into a book he was holding, thinking it would stop the bullet. The couple had apparently tested the stunt before attempting it on video. Click here for more from Fox 9. A U.S. Army Green Beret who shot and killed a man who entered his Colorado Springs garage at night has been found not guilty of negligent homicide. In November 2015 Robert Carrigan was shot three times in the back when he entered Michael Joseph Galvins home. The defense argued Carrigan lunged for Galvins pistol before the shooting, and that Galvin was protecting his family. Attorneys argued over whether or not Galvins actions were justified under Colorados Make My Day law, which protects homeowners who use deadly force against intruders they fear could harm them. I think the jury sent a clear message today that if someone is coming onto your property and is stealing things, you have the right to shoot them, defense attorney Jeremy Loew told KRDO. DEADLY SHOOTING OF HOME INTRUDER SHINES LIGHT ON STATE'S 'MAKE MY DAY' LAW District Attorney Dan May reacted, Were disappointed. We felt the grand jury brought these charges and we felt there was a basis for that. So yes, disappointed, but we very much support the jurys decision. May said it was too early to tell if this case would determine the boundaries for future Make My Day cases. Galvin, 35, serves at Fort Carson as a communications sergeant and Arabic language expert. He has been a member of the Army Special Forces for 12 years. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Florida woman has been arrested on Tuesday after she allegedly raped and had a sexual relationship with an 11-year-old boy starting in 2014 and getting pregnant as a result. Marissa A. Mowry, 25, was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office and taken to the countys jail, Fox 13 reported. FLORIDA MAN CHARGED WITH THREATENING STATE LAWMAKER ON FACEBOOK Mowry reportedly started a sexual relationship with an 11-year-old boy in 2014 when she was 22, police said, adding that the relationship went on until the boy was 14. In October 2014, Mowry gave birth to a child who is now 3, deputies said. ACCUSED FLORIDA KIDNAPPER WAS ACTUALLY HELPING LOST CHILD, POLICE SAY Mowry is facing sexual battery and sexual assault charges. The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office Child Protective Division is also investigating the incident, WFLA added. The child has been put in a home with a responsible adult as the investigation proceeds, deputies said. Click for more from Fox 13. It started with a temper tantrum. Jessica Gore's then 2-year-old son was in the middle of a store, wailing for a dropped lollipop, when she thought, "If I could just spray this with something and give it back to him, the meltdown would be totally averted." That's how her product, "Tasty Clean" was born. It's a anti-bacterial spray that's edible and tastes like candy, with all-natural ingredients -- that happens to sanitize surfaces. Jessica is now marketing her invention to other parents who can use it for pacifiers, bottles, toys, dental retainers, anything. She also thinks athletes could benefit from it to spray their mouth guards, if they happen to fall in the dirt. "There's no such thing as the three second rule, scientifically speaking," she chuckles. Gore is one of hundreds of small business owners who were invited to pitch their products to Walmart buyers, at the retail giant's corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. For the fourth year, the retailer is hosting a one-day "Open Call" event where entrepreneurs from around the country gather to pitch their products. Five hundred businesses from 47 different states were selected from the thousands that applied. It's the kind of thing that can launch a business, like Gore's, into the stratosphere. CHRISTIE BRINKLEY: IT'S AN EXCITING TIME TO BE 'SIXTY' IN BUSINESS "It would be the most amazing experience ever, you know, for my kids to be able to see mommy's spray in Walmart," Gore said. "It would just blow their minds." The benefits to entrepreneurs are obvious. Business owners get quick access and face-to-face time with the people who can get their products into Walmart and Sam's Club stores, across the country, as well as online. There will be some 750 meetings in just one day and it's estimated that about half will receive a deal. Even if a product isn't selected for a contract with Walmart, the companies get valuable advice about packaging, pricing and distribution. Some companies are encouraged to make changes and try again next year. Walmart says the entire event benefits the company as well. Walmart executives say they find great new products each year. "We want to see products of all types. We want to see them across categories, from companies large and small. We see a lot of great new products and a lot of great innovation," said Cindi Marsiglio, Walmart's Vice President of U.S. Manufacturing and Sourcing. All of the products must be made in America, so the event helps get Walmart further along on its goal of spending an additional $250 billion (over ten years) on products that support American jobs. "We believe that it will create as many as 1 million new American jobs, both directly and indirectly," Marsiglio said. But what's most interesting about the day is what you hear about the individual products from each entrepreneur. There are the Banana Wave guys from Florida, roaming Walmart's halls in banana suits pitching their non-dairy banana drink, a recipe from the founder's grandmother. There are the Beard Balm guys from Detroit, donning loud pattern pants and sporting huge beards to pitch their facial hair-grooming product. All the entrepreneurs are hoping for a coveted green ticket which means they've been green lighted to get a deal from Walmart. Most have spent years working toward this moment, having suffered failures and rejection, all to get their product into the hands of consumers. The fate of their hopes and dreams may rest in the space of a single , 30-minute meeting, here. Turns out, it was a successful meeting for Jessica Gore. Her product, "Tasty Clean," will be picked up by at least 100 Walmart stores, with the possibility of expanding to even more in the future. An Idaho woman tried to drive her children home from a local waterpark where she got drunk, tried to drive her four children home, and then crashed Thursday, investigators revealed. Lauren Weeks, 37, was found in a 2005 Yukon with her four children on U.S. Highway 20. She had rear-ended a vehicle before skidding off the road and through a fence, coming to a stop on railroad tracks, East Idaho News reported. NEW ZEALAND NEWSPAPER NAMES ALL DRUNK DRIVERS ON FRONT PAGE A Madison County sheriff's deputy reported that Weeks had alcohol on her breath, slurring her words, her eyes bloodshot and glossy, and she wasnt making any sense. She admitted to being tipsy and fell to the ground more than once. A Gatorade bottle of wine and a half empty box of wine were found in the car. Weeks blew into a breathalyzer twice. One test showed .312 and the other test showed .306, while the legal limit in Idaho is .08. ON THE MOVE LARGE IDAHO SEQUOIA TREE FINDS NEW HOME Weeks was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of excessive driving under the influence, possessing an open container while driving, and injury to a child by transporting while under the influence. The children were taken to Madison Memorial Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries. On Friday, Weeks pleaded not guilty and remains in the Madison County Jail on a $25,000 bond. Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin signed a bill Tuesday allowing Bible courses to be taught in public schools. The bill allows local school boards the option of developing a class for students to understand the role the Bible played in American history, according to WDRB-TV. The class would be an elective. The idea that we would not want this to be an option for people in school, that would be crazy. I don't know why every state would not embrace this, why we as a nation would not embrace this, Bevin, who is a Republican, said during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. Rep. D.J. Johnson, R-Owensboro, sponsored the bill and said the Bible was the foundation for the developments of the Declaration of Independence and other important documents in U.S. history. The measure had easily passed the state House and Senate. The ACLU of Kentucky said it was concerned about the courses would be implemented. A Bible literacy bill that, on its face, may not appear to be unconstitutional, could in fact become unconstitutional in its implementation, Advocacy Director Kate Miller told WDRB-TV. We want to make sure that teachers can teach and make sure that they don't go in to preach. Johnson said as the curriculum is carefully developed, there should not be constitutional issues. The legislation is set to go into effect Friday. A Vermont farmer has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing his daughter's boyfriend and burying his body beneath a manure pile. Stephen Pelletier, 62, last year agreed to plead no contest to second-degree murder in a plea deal, according the Rutland Herald reported . Prosecutors said the Castleton man shot Michael Wisell, 25, on Pelletier's farm in May 2014 while the two were stacking firewood. Investigators said Pelletier told them Wisell, of Hubbardton, Vermont, had been physically abusive to his daughter. Judge Cortland Corsones said Tuesday that he was initially inclined to reject the plea deal to send a message that people should not take the law into their own hands. He noted that Pelletier never sought police help or a restraining order before shooting Wisell, who lived with the family. But he said without the plea deal, a pending motion to suppress statements Pelletier made to police would advance. John Treadwell, an assistant attorney general, said Pelletier treated Wisell "like he would a cow's carcass." He said he shot him in the back, turned him over and shot him in the head, and then cut his throat after he was dead. Wisell was described during the sentencing hearing as a violent man, who introduced his girlfriend to heroin and repeatedly threatened to kill her and her family. Wisell's family strongly disagreed with the descriptions of Wisell, saying he was a kind and funny man who should have been given a chance to improve his life. Pelletier apologized on Tuesday. "I gave into anger and did something terrible," he said. "I tried to reach Mike and failed." A former member of a secret U.S. special operations task force described to Fox News Tuesday how close American forces came to killing ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in December 2011. Brett Velicovich, the author of the new book "Drone Warrior," told Fox News' "Hannity" that a targeting unit "had actually located Baghdadi and pinpointed him to a house on the ground." AMERICANS 'DESERVE BETTER' The feud between the Trump White House and CNN reached a fever pitch Tuesday during a feisty press briefing where Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders slammed fake news and said Americans deserve something better. Sanders conducted the first televised briefing in a week, following complaints from the press corps that too many are being held off-camera. She took the podium in place of Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who was on Capitol Hill for a GOP Senate luncheon. MCCONNELL DELAYS VOTE Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday delayed the vote on his ObamaCare overhaul plan amid dwindling support from rank-and-file Republicans, touching off what is sure to be a furious scramble to revise the bill and win over GOP holdouts. "We're going to continue the discussion," the Kentucky Republican said after emerging from a closed-door meeting with Republicans. "We will not be on the bill this week." BELLWEATHER A group of Iraqi Christians facing deportation under President Trumps tough new border controls has been given a temporary reprieve, but could still be sent back to face what their attorney calls almost certain death. A U.S. District Judge issued a stay this week on the deportation of 82 Chaldean and Assyrian Christians from the Detroit area, who have criminal records, but who have served their prison time and paid their debt to society. COMING UP ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL 10 AM ET: Senate Intel Committee holds hearing on Russian interference in European elections. Watch live on FoxNews.com 11:30 AM ET: NYPD briefing regarding the unsolved 2016 Central Park explosion. Central Park. Watch live on FoxNews.com COMING UP ON FOX BUSINESS 6;00 AM ET: Alex Azar, former Lilly USA president, will be a guest on Mornings with Maria 8:30 AM ET: Wil James, Toyota Motor Manufacturing president, will be on Mornings with Maria 8:40 AM ET: Richard Fain, CEO Of Royal Caribbean cruises, will appear on Mornings with Maria 9:16 AM ET: Sen. Rand Paul will be on Varney & Company At least one person was hurt in an explosion at a residence hall at a college in southwest Kentucky Wednesday that officials believe was caused by a gas leak. Murray State University said in a Facebook post the blast happened around 4:53 p.m. in New Richmond Hall, and is believed to have been caused by a gas leak. At this time, one injury has been reported, according to Kentucky State Police. The injured man was transported by ground ambulance to Murray-Calloway County Hospital where he is listed in stable condition. Individuals are being asked by the school to stay out of the affected area until emergency officials have given the all clear. Images posted on social media showed a large amount of debris across an open area next to the building. The residence hall has four floors and houses approximately 268 residents, according to the school website. The Governor's Scholar Program, through which hundreds of students stay at Murray State every summer, according to WDRB-TV, tweeted that all its members are safe and accounted for. A witness on the scene told WDRB the explosion sent debris into a nearby parking lot, and caused minor damage to nearby buildings. The university is located about 120 northwest of Nashville, Tennessee. Read more from WDRB. An inmate was shot and killed Wednesday after attacking a sheriff's deputy at a Nashville mall during a medical visit, officials said. Two deputies from the Robertson County Sheriff's Office were taking the inmate to a doctor's appointment at the Vanderbilt Medical Center location at the 100 Oaks Mall when the inmate somehow broke free and shot one deputy, FOX 17 Nashville reported. The deputy was critically injured in the shooting, and the other deputy returned fire, Metro Nashville police said. The inmate was pronounced dead at the scene. An officer was attacked. The inmate has been shot, and is now deceased," Robertson County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ryan Martin told The Tennessean. John Howser, a spokesman for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said in a statement to FOX 17 there were "no other injuries from this incident." This afternoon at one of our clinics on the Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks campus there was an incident involving law enforcement officers from Robertson County escorting an inmate," he said. "The incident was quickly resolved but resulted in the inmate being shot and is deceased and one officer being transported to Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital for treatment." According to an alert from Vanderbilt, there is no longer an ongoing threat. The incident caused a massive response from police, which shut numerous roads in the area to make room for emergency vehicles responding to the scene. Multiple entrances to the mall are closed, and traffic is backed up through the area. Read more from FOX 17 Nashville. Read more from The Tennessean. Two more men were arrested Wednesday -- for a total of four suspects in handcuffs -- after a violent robbery in New Orleans' French Quarter Saturday night left two tourists in the hospital, police said. Rashaad Piper, 20, and Nicholas Polgowski, 18, were taken into custody early Wednesday morning, Fox 8 reported. Two other suspects -- DeJuan Paul, 21, and Joshua Simmons, 18 -- were also arrested earlier this week. Paul also faces drug charges after police discovered two bags of a powdery white substance in his packet when he turned himself in Monday night. The four men were charged with second-degree robbery; however, the charges could be upgraded to homicide. BOSTON MAN REMAINS CRITICAL FOLLOWING VIOLENT ATTACK IN NEW ORLEANS Two tourists, identified as James Curran and Tim Byrne, were visiting the city from Boston on Saturday when the four men ambushed them from behind. Curran and Byrne were attending the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association that weekend. Surveillance video showed Paul punching Curran in the head and placing him in a chokehold. Byrne was hit in the back of the head and collapsed to the ground, hitting his face. The attackers rummage through Curran and Byrne's pockets before fleeing the scene. Byrne was said to be in critical condition, but police said "he has somewhat improved." Click here for more from Fox 8. The worlds largest financial monitor of nonprofits finances, which began applying a left-wing organizations hate group label to some conservative nonprofits but stopped after a backlash, may soon resume the controversial practice. Earlier this month GuideStar, which monitors the finances of more than 1.6 million NGOs and nonprofits, began adding the Southern Poverty Law Centers (SPLC) hate group labels to more than 40 nonprofits. But after an outcry last week from 41 people, most affiliated with conservative groups, who signed and publicly released a letter blasting GuideStar for using the SPLCs labels, the group pulled the labels. But the group implied it was open to reverting back to using the designation after it studies the issue. They said the SPLC classifications are biased against conservative groups and that -- solely because of views that SPLC deems as opposite of theirs -- many peaceful organizations were inaccurately lumped with ones that actually promote violence. If they're going to use something from a highly ideological group like the SPLC, GuideStar should also ask conservative groups to draw up [hate-group] lists. Scott Walter, president of Capital Research Center They assert that SPLC turns a blind eye to nearly all leftist groups that have been linked to hate-fueling activities and violence, and has no warning labels about them. They are concerned that as the most influential source for information about charities, GuideStars use of a list that targets only groups that lean conservative and that are peaceful could end up costing them donations. Its a vicious way to smear people by lumping them in with genuinely nasty groups, said Scott Walter, president of Capital Research Center, a conservative think tank that monitors nonprofits. I prefer that they not use anybodys list. But at the barest minimum, if theyre going to use something from a highly ideological group like the SPLC, GuideStar should also ask conservative groups to draw up [hate-group] lists. On Monday, GuideStar said that after the many complaints it received about the SPLCs list and approach for labeling a group as one that encourages hate, it was temporarily suspending the annotations. It also cited threats against its employees as a reason for taking down links to SPLC. It is a growing concern in the nonprofit community that there are some groups who use a nonprofit designation to advance hateful agendas, GuideStar said in a statement to Fox News. Weve begun to engage the community in a conversation to figure out how we can best go about the process of identifying organizations that use the nonprofit form for this reason. Through these conversations, we hope to find a productive means to serve all the people who use GuideStar Nonprofit Profiles as a valuable resource for reviewing nonprofits missions, operations, goals, and results. Asked what the next step is and when it will happen, GuideStar said: The timing of the next series of changes is dependent on the outcome of our conversations with the nonprofit community. SPLC, meanwhile, downplayed the move by GuideStar in a statement to Fox News. At a time when hate groups increasingly present a mainstream veneer, the public deserves such information. Southern Poverty Law Center At a time when hate groups increasingly present a mainstream veneer, the public deserves such information, the organization said. We respect that GuideStar is reassessing how to make that information available. Some Christian groups complained that they were pegged as hate groups by SPLC because they oppose same-sex marriage. They argued that it wrong to lump them in the same category as, for instance, the Ku Klux Klan and skinheads. The Washington Post noted that SPLC flags 52 organizations as anti-LGBT, among them churches and nonprofit Christian ministries. SPLC points out that some of the groups support criminalization of gay sex and actively are working against bathroom bills that would ban transgender people from using public restrooms in accordance with their gender identities. Those views, conservatives say, do not rise to the level of "hate group" or violence. "The 'hate-group' list is nothing more than a political weapon targeting people it deems to be its political enemies," said the letter sent to GuideStar. "The list is ad hoc, partisan, and agenda-driven." A daredevil who died after plunging over Niagara Falls in an apparent stunt with an inflatable ball might have brought a boa constrictor along for the ride. After Kirk Jones' death, New York State Park Police found a website with a photo of him and the 7-foot snake named Misty previewing his plans and selling T-shirts and photos, the Niagara Gazette reported Wednesday. "Believe in the Impossible Kirk Jones + Misty Conquer Niagara Falls NY 2017," read the site, which has since been taken down. Jones' body was recovered from the water below the falls on June 2. Investigators believe he died April 19, the same day tourists spotted an 8-foot plastic ball, its zippered hatch clearly open, spinning in the Niagara River rapids before it went over the brink. The snake hasn't been found, though an empty snake cage was found in Jones' parked van. Exotic-pet experts told police it wouldn't have survived the cold water. Footage from a crashed drone belonging to Jones, found by a parks employee April 20, shows only rushing water. Police began looking for Jones after the discovery of the ball and drone and after a call from Jones' wife telling them she feared her husband had gone over the falls. That led to the discovery of the website: www.kirkjonesniagarafallsdaredevil.com. "We were looking for him and a 7-foot boa constrictor," Park Police Detective Sgt. Brian Nisbet said. Police don't know whether Jones fell or climbed out of the ball before reaching the brink. Jones, 53, became the first person known to survive the plunge over Niagara Falls without a safety device in October 2003, when he climbed over a rail and into the water in an apparent suicide attempt. The feat brought fleeting fame for the then-unemployed salesman from Canton, Michigan, and a brief stint in the circus, but he had been out of the public eye in recent years. Police listed his most recent address as Spring Hill, Florida. Although such stunts are illegal, several daredevils have survived trips over Niagara Falls in various contraptions, beginning with Annie Edison Taylor, who rode over in an oak barrel in 1901. At least two other men have survived unprotected plunges since Jones did it. ___ Information from: Niagara Gazette. Two New York City transit workers have been suspended following Tuesdays subway derailment that injured 34 people, officials said. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the employees suspension while they investigate the incident. The two supervisors who were responsible for the oversight of the work have been suspended without pay pending a formal review process, Beth DeFalco, an MTA spokesperson, said. Transit officials said late Tuesday that the reason the A train derailed in Harlem earlier that day because it appears that an improperly secured piece of replacement rail was stored on the track. NYC SUBWAY DERAILMENT: IMPROPERLY SECURED REPLACEMENT RAIL CAUSED CRASH THAT HURT 34, OFFICIALS SAID Theyre fast to point the finger at employees, Mike Carrube, a union boss, told the Daily News. To blame them right away, when the investigation is not even complete and point the finger at two employees is ridiculous. A new look at derailed subway train and all the damage caused when the A train jumped the tracks . More at 5 #nyc @abc7ny pic.twitter.com/Wr8saIpdsa Kemberly Richardson (@kemrichardson7) June 27, 2017 The derailment sent travelers tumbling to the floor and forced hundreds of passengers to evacuate through darkened tunnels. Sparks from the train briefly ignited garbage on the track, but there was no serious fire. Service on the A, B, C and D lines were suspended for a portion of the day on Tuesday while transit officials investigated the derailment. The derailment caused numerous delays on New York Citys massive transit line on Tuesday. MTA suspends 2 supervisors who oversaw work on track where A train derailed. (Photo credit: Enrique Garcia) pic.twitter.com/R4KCWiBNEL Fox5NY (@fox5ny) June 28, 2017 The MTA reported service changes for Wednesday and said they are repairing the Harlem station where the derailment occurred. SARAH PALIN SUES NY TIMES OVER EDITORIAL TYING HER TO GIFFORDS SHOOTING Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., called the derailment an unacceptable manifestation of the systems current state. It is my expectation that with new leadership brought by Joe Lhota, the MTA will address the fundamental issues plaguing the transit system and overhaul the organizational structure of the MTA, Cuomo continued. The MTA has come under fire from riders over a growing number of major delays. In April, a power outage backed up trains around New York City and closed a key Manhattan station for 12 hours. The MTA reported that there were more than 60,000 delayed trains and nearly 25,000 late trains in January alone, The New York Times reported. The MTAs Long Island Railroad is also having trouble. A report released earlier this month found that rush-hour cancellations and delays on the railroad are at the highest level in ten years. The derailment comes less than two weeks before Amtrak's infrastructure project to update Penn Station is set to start which will likely result in delays and cancellations on the Long Island Railroad. The Associated Press contributed to this report. An FBI agent has been indicted after he allegedly lied about shooting at a rancher in 2016 when officers arrested leaders of an armed occupation at a federal wildlife refuge in rural Oregon. The agent will reportedly "face allegations of making a false statement with intent to obstruct justice," sources told The Oregonian. The agents identity will be revealed on Wednesday after he appears in U.S. District Court in Portland. RAINBOW FAMILY MEMBERS START GATHERING IN OREGON The indictment followed an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department inspector general which has been going on for more than a year. On Jan. 2, 2016, Ammon Bundy, the son of Cliven Bundy, who was known for the 2014 Bundy standoff in Bunkerville, Nev., and six co-defendants seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and occupied it for 41 days. Bundy and the armed occupiers were protesting the prison sentences given to Dwight and Steven Hammond, two local ranchers convicted of setting fires. They demanded the government free the father and the son and relinquish control of public lands to local officials. The refuge took a violent turn on Jan. 26 when Bundy and other key figures were arrested in on Jan. 26 traffic stop outside the refuge that ended with police fatally shooting Robert LaVoy Finicum, 54, an Arizona rancher and an occupation spokesman. The Deschutes County Sheriff said when Finicum got out of his his truck, an FBI agent shot at the spokesman two times, though none of the occupiers said they discharged their weapons. The office was asked to investigate the shooting. Finicum, who was armed with a loaded 9mm handgun, was fatally shot by state police troopers, the office concluded. The office determined that one agent fired at Finicums pickup truck, striking its roof and completely missing on the second firing. OREGON TO BEGIN OFFERING NON-GENDER OPTION ON DRIVERS LICENSE Federal law prohibits knowingly and willfully making any false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation or concealing information," according to The Oregonian. Some time after the shooting, the FBI admitted that one of their federal agents was under investigation for opening fire, and four other members of his FBI team were also under investigation for covering up the gunshots. It is not immediately certain if the indicted federal agent is on leave or was fired. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A 16-year-old girl was shot multiple times early Wednesday while at a barbecue in southwest Philadelphia. Diamond Whitaker, 16, was shot while standing with a group of friends outside a home in the Kingsessing neighborhood, KYW reported. Bullets reportedly hit her chest, hip, a leg and both arms. She left a trail of blood as she ran inside the home, Fox 29 added. #BREAKING 16-Year-Old Shot Multiple Times In Southwest Philadelphia https://t.co/em4psRGt2W CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) June 28, 2017 Whitaker was scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday. Police were searching for the gunman and investigating if Whitaker was an intended target. PENNSYLVANIA MAN TOLD TO STOP PLAYING TAPS OUTSIDE HIS HOME EVERY NIGHT It appears that the shots were intentionally fired at this group because not only was this female struck multiple times, two bullets entered the window of a house right where she was standing, Chief Inspector Scott Small told CBS Philly. So we dont know if the 16-year-old victim was the intended target, but it appears that the shooter was firing into the crowd of people that the 16-year-old was with. HISTORIC PENNSYLVANIA TRAIN STATION DESTROYED IN FIRE Whitakers mother, Tywanda Davis, said her family lives in Johnstown, Pa., not the Philadelphia area, and is not sure why a person would want to harm her daughter. Im just hurt right now. I dont know. I dont know. This has got to stop, Davis said. Because the one that went across her chest, it just missed it, it could have killed my child. She said the whole time she was in the back of the cop car, she just said she thought she was going to die." Click for more from Fox 29. A puppy's injuries are the worst a York County rescuer has seen. The rescuer and a veterinarian believe it's a case of animal abuse. Karma's the name of the 5-month-old dog. He underwent surgery for a serious leg injury, believed to be the result of a beating. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to sign Libre's Law which would increase the penalties for animal abuse. Karma's a Shepherd mix puppy, rescued from a home in Wrightsville, York County. The pup's in pretty bad shape, emaciated and suffering multiple broken bones. "Rib fractures and a break through the growth plate and the left, hind leg," said Dr. Chris Runnels, a surgical specialist at Lititz Veterinary Care, where Karma had surgery. A rescuer brought Karma to Beth Ludwig after his owner surrendered him. Ludwig is the director of The Last Dog Resort in Red Lion. "I got a phone call, a voicemail that was pretty frantic. She said her daughter told her that the man had beaten the dog," said Ludwig. The Last Dog Rescue takes in dogs and provides them with foster homes and care until they're ready for adoption. "He was one of the worst cases in this rescue," explained Ludwig. Karma has a long road ahead of him, following major surgery for his broken leg. "Whether it's an amputation or a repair, I'm not going to know until I get there," said Dr. Runnels. Dr. Runnels says Karma's injuries are a result of blunt force trauma, believed to be sustained by an abuser. "This is comparable to being hit by a car, being hit by a human instead," Dr. Runnels. Read more from FOX 43. A judge set bail at $6.45 million on Wednesday for a Northern California brain surgeon charged with sexually abusing children. Prosecutors had opposed bail for Dr. James Kohut, saying the neurologist is a public danger who recruits women to help find child victims. The Santa Cruz district attorney's office said Kohut also discussed impregnating women to give birth to children he could sexually abuse in a so-called taboo family lifestyle. Prosecutors have said there is no evidence he created such a family, but they have charged him with 11 counts of sexually abusing children under the age of 14. Kohut has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Jay Rorty, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment but has previously declined the prosecutor's allegations. Rorty argued in court papers that Kohut does not represent a danger to the public or a flight risk. Kohut was arrested in his Santa Cruz, California home last month along with two nurses who are charged with participating in child sex abuse with the 57-year-old doctor. If Kohut does post bail, he will be monitored electronically. He voluntarily suspended his California medical license while the case is pending and faces 165 years in prison if convicted. Kohut was arrested four days after police arrested Rashel Brandon, a nurse who worked with the surgeon at a nearby hospital. Brandon was arrested after her husband gave police a video recording he found that investigators say shows Brandon and another nurse, Emily Stephens, sexually abusing children. Court records and lawyers said Brandon implicated Kohut. Brandon is also charged with sexually abusing children and her bail has been set at $500,000. Stephens was arrested in Tuscon, Arizona and is being held there while Santa Cruz authorities seek a court-ordered transfer to Northern California to face similar charges. Brandon's attorney Anthony Robinson did not immediately respond phone message seeking comment. It is unclear if Stephens has retained an attorney. Native American tribes and environmental groups preparing for a legal battle to stop President Donald Trump from dismantling Utah's new national monument will face a tougher challenge than anticipated. Utah Republican officials who oppose Bears Ears National Monument asked Trump to rescind it, something no president has tried before. But U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has instead recommended Trump shrink Bears Ears, something past presidents have done 18 times to other monuments. Legal experts disagree on whether the law allows a president to downsize a monument, and it's something that has never been challenged in court. Environmental groups and others gearing up for a court fight say they think the law is on their side, but others, including Utah Republicans, disagree. A young Wisconsin boy was injured last week after a slide he was riding bubbled up and exploded, according to a local report. Check out this slide in West Allis. It exploded & burned a 9 yr old. Hear from the city & victim's family only on @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/Rvoih9xEJJ Coreen Zell (@CoreenZell) June 23, 2017 Giuseppe Storniolo, 9, was at the Reservoir Park in West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, with his parents, sister and brother when the incident unfolded, according to WTMJ. "I just heard like a big explosion so I thought maybe something fell," Storniolos mother, Diana told the news station. WISCONSIN FATHER WHOSE DAUGHTER DONATED HER HEART VISITS MAN WHOSE LIFE SHE SAVED She ran over to the playground to see what happened and saw her injured son near the distorted slide. The slide exploded when a hole was created at the bottom of it causing it to bubble up. Storniolo just so happened to be on the slide when it burst. It was like the slide had almost been inflated, West Allis Mayor Dan Devine said. It just opened up, bubbled. Experts coming to determine why West Allis slide exploded, injuring New Berlin boy, reports @JaneS_NOW. https://t.co/ATRKKStqli MyCommunityNow (@MyCommunityNOW) June 27, 2017 The young boy suffered second-degree burns on his leg due to the incident, his mother said. Devine said the city took action immediately by closing the slide then taking it down completely. SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW PARTISAN REDISTRICTING IN WISCONSIN CASE Police said the incident does not appear to be suspicious but officials are investigating why the slide exploded. We had been in touch this morning with the manufacturer, with the designer, the installer, none of them had never seen anything like this before, Devine said. "They have put these structures (slides) all over the world, in all sorts of climates, all different countries," he said. A former member of a secret U.S. special operations task force described to Fox News Tuesday how close American forces came to killing ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in December 2011. Brett Velicovich, the author of the new book "Drone Warrior," told Fox News' "Hannity" that a targeting unit "had actually located Baghdadi and pinpointed him to a house on the ground." However, a planned raid to capture or kill the terror leader was hindered by the Obama administration which had changed the rules of engagement to make way for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq. OBAMA'S TEAM HAD THE CHANCE TO KILL ISIS LEADER BAGHDADI -- AND BLEW IT "So, typically a raid that would have occurred that same night by an assault force ... then had to essentially wait two weeks for the call to be made to allow these guys to go in," Velicovich told host Sean Hannity. "and by that time he was gone. Baghdadi doesnt stay anywhere for two weeks." Velicovich added that by the time his team turned their sights to Baghdadi, they had already killed ISIS' two original leaders. "We were going after these guys before really anyone necessarily cared about them," he said, "and we were taking them out constantly because we knew a small group of people in our organization knew how bad these guys were." next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Wildlife researchers in Cambodia say they've found a clutch of eggs from one of the world's most endangered crocodiles, raising hopes of its continuing survival in the wild. The New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said in a statement Wednesday that its researchers, along with Fisheries Administration employees and local residents, found six eggs of the Siamese Crocodile in Sre Ambel District in the southern province of Koh Kong as they were exploring for tracks, signs and dung of the reptile. It said it was the first Siamese Crocodile nest recorded in six years of research and protection in the Sre Ambel area. The group says the crocodile, with an estimated global population of around 410, is found only in Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, with the greatest number in Cambodia. The species is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because its numbers are rapidly shrinking "To avoid any threats, we moved the eggs to a safe place to hatch and track their progress," the statement quoted In Hul, a staff member of the Fisheries Administration, as saying. Such threats, said the statement, "include illegal hunting of adults and hatchlings and collecting of eggs to supply crocodile farms in Cambodia and Thailand, especially during the last two decades." Other threats include the "degradation of habitats, decrease of natural food, low chance of breeding in the wild due to low number of individuals in the wild and weak law enforcement such as regulations on crocodile farming and trading." A former Catholic elementary school teacher in Canada was sentenced Tuesday to one year in prison after pleading guilty to having a sexual relationship with a teenage student. Christina Albini, who worked at the King Catholic Elementary School in Windsor, Ontario, located across the border from Detroit, was arrested last July in connection with the relationship, CBC News reported. The 43-year-old was also charged during her arrest with possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 based on photos found on a cell phone, according to the National Post. Albini befriended the male student when he was 13, and started having sex with him soon afterwards, according to an agreed statement of facts read in court in May. She would frequently pick up the boy in her purple Dodge Challenger and take him back to her home for sex, the court was told. The former teacher will also be registered as a sex offender and must provide her DNA under a ruling handed down in the Ontario Court of Justice. She will be on probation for three years. Her lawyer, Patrick Ducharme, told CBC News she's "frightened to go to jail." "But it's the type of crime that the government insisted that it's serious enough that people have to go to jail and she accepts that," he told CBC News. Read more from The National Post. Read more from CBC News. The parents of an American college student who disappeared in China in 2004 said they are convinced their son was kidnapped by the North Korean regime to teach English and is alive inside the Hermit Kingdom -- citing a plethora of circumstantial evidence collected over the years indicating an abduction. David Sneddon, a 24-year-old student at Brigham Young University, was last seen in August 2004 hiking through China's Yunnan Province. His parents, as well as sources inside Japan and South Korea, believe Sneddon -- a devout Mormon fluent in Korean who would be 37 now -- was kidnapped by North Korean agents to serve as an English tutor, possibly to Kim Jong Un, the nations dictator. "We want him home," Sneddon's mother, Kathleen, told Fox News this week. "David was taken for a purpose, to help with English," Sneddon and husband Roy said Monday from their home in Logan, Utah. "We will never stop looking for him." The family's comments come shortly after the death of Otto Warmbier, another American college student. Warmbier was released by North Korea after more than a year in captivity, accused of stealing a propaganda poster. He was serving a sentence of hard labor. He was let go on June 12 and flown to the U.S. in a vegetative state. Warmbier died days later at a Cincinnati hospital. The Chinese government claims Sneddon -- an experienced traveler who had served as a missionary in South Korea -- plunged to his death while backpacking through Tiger Leaping Gorge and drowned. But Sneddon's body was never found and his family members -- several of whom retraced his footsteps -- do not believe China's explanation. "There's no evidence of that zero," said Kathleen Sneddon, noting her son is the "only American missing in China since World II whose body has not been found and whose whereabouts remain unknown." David's the 'only American missing in China since World II whose body has not been found and whose whereabouts remain unknown.' Kathleen Sneddon, David's mother When Sneddon failed to meet his brother days later in Seoul, South Korea, his family immediately contacted the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. An official there told Kathleen Sneddon, "You cant lose an American in China," and dismissed her concerns, she said. Skeptical of the Chinese police reports, Roy Sneddon and his two other sons flew to China in September 2004 and walked the very trail David had hiked. Along the way, the three showed David's photo to the locals, many of whom recalled seeing a young man matching his description. One tour guide said he had walked the entire gorge with Sneddon until they reached a youth hostel at the end of the hike called Tina's Guesthouse -- indicating Sneddon made it across alive. "We spoke to the youth hostel and found out David successfully traversed the gorge," Roy Sneddon said. As the Sneddons continued their trek, they encountered more people at guest homes and shops well beyond the gorge who recalled in great detail meeting David. Roy Sneddon also told Fox News he and his sons did not consider the hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge a dangerous one. "It was nothing difficult," he said. "It was no big deal compared to the areas of Wyoming we had backpacked through as a family." The search for David took the family to the small tourist city of Shangri-La -- not far from Tiger Leaping Gorge -- where a cafe owner said she met David, describing his appearance and what food he liked to eat. Then the trail grew cold. The family said they turned over their findings to the U.S. State Department, but officials there deferred to the Chinese police theory of a drowning. Information that Sneddon was kidnapped by North Korea would trickle in to the family over the years, eventually building to an "overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence" the Sneddons and others say cannot be ignored. Melanie Kirkpatrick, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and an expert on North Korea, said the region of China where David was last seen is a known route for the underground railroad -- a pathway used by North Koreans to flee the country. "The typical route of the underground railroad goes right through Yunnan Province, which is where David was vacationing," Kirkpatrick said. "It's a crime to leave North Korea and we know that North Korean operatives were active in that region around the same time David was there -- with China's full permission." "One theory is the North Koreans kidnapped him to take him home to Kim Jong Il as a gift -- an American who could be useful to him," Kirkpatrick said. She cited a September 2016 Japanese news report in which a South Korean organization specializing in North Korean abductions claimed Sneddon was kidnapped for the purpose of teaching English to North Korean government officials -- including the late ruler's son, Kim Jong Un. The report went on to claim Sneddon was currently living in Pyongyang, where he teaches English and is married with two children. "The evidence [of a kidnapping] is circumstantial, but its very strong," Kirkpatrick said. She also said in 2013 that Keiji Furuya -- Japanese minister of state for the abduction issue -- told her, "It is most probable that a U.S. national has been abducted to North Korea," when asked about the Sneddon case. The Sneddon family, meanwhile, said it believes David was snatched by North Korean agents who mistakenly thought he was helping North Korean defectors, given his religious background and unique linguistic skills. "My thought initially is they mistook him for someone who was trying to move North Koreans out," Roy Sneddon told Fox News. Further, the idea of a North Korean abduction is very plausible given the regime's well-documented history of abducting foreign nationals for various purposes. "North Korea has a long history of kidnapping people forcing them to work at whatever position the North deems it needs," said Kirkpatrick, who wrote a book titled, "Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia's Underground Railroad. In 2002, Kim Jong Il admitted to the visiting Japanese prime minister that North Korea had kidnapped 13 Japanese citizens. The Japanese were abducted for the purpose of teaching North Korean agents the language and culture so they could pose as Japanese nationals, according to Kirkpatrick. The regime also kidnapped "hundreds" of South Koreans, as well as individuals living in Italy, England, Singapore, Thailand and Austria, she said. The State Department told Fox News, "We have been in contact with the Sneddon Family" -- though the Sneddons said they have not heard from the State Department "in years" and that no one within the Trump administration has contacted them about their son. "Thus far, we have not been able to verify any information suggesting that David Sneddon was abducted from China by North Korean officials or is alive in North Korea, but we will continue our efforts to search for any verifiable information," said a State Department spokesperson for the East Asia and Pacific Bureau. On Monday, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, sent a letter urging Trump to probe North Korean involvement in the disappearance of Sneddon, according to Fox affiliate KSTU-TV, which obtained a copy of the letter. "Research from regional experts has uncovered disturbing parallels between David's disappearance and the known operational patterns of kidnappings of citizens from many counties, including our close allies Japan and South Korea, conducted by North Korean security agents in East Asia over the past four decades," the two lawmakers wrote. For the Sneddon family, the anguish over their son -- one of 11 children -- is as painful today as it was 14 years ago. Kathleen Sneddon said David emailed her two to three times a day while backpacking through China -- silly and light-hearted notes about his adventures. In one correspondence, the college student said he wished he had more money on hand -- to which his father joked, "Don't worry -- we wont leave you in China." "That message haunts me to this day," his mother said. If there is a silver lining in their son's disappearance, it is the thought he might be helping a population living under one of the most oppressive and brutal regime's in the world, the family said. "If my son has a part in helping North Koreans have a normal life in any way, I would just be thrilled," Kathleen Sneddon said. "If he, by being there, can bring attention to how North Korea is treating its people, we would be most pleased." Cristina Corbin is a Fox News reporter based in New York. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaCorbin. Warning: Photo below may be graphic for some Authorities in Australia launched an investigation into a "tasteless" stunt that left a dead kangaroo dressed in a leopard costume and tied to a chair with a bottle of alcohol in its hands. A passersby found the kangaroo shot to death in Melbourne last month, the BBC reported. A bottle of Ouzo, an anise-flavored liquor, was tied to its hands. Authorities released the disturbing photo of the kangaroo this week, hoping someone will come forward with information. "This is appalling and immoral behaviour and we are urging anyone with information to come forward," said spokesman Mike Sverns, spokesman for the Victoria's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, told the BBC. "It would have taken some time to stage the kangaroo in that position on the side of the road and we are certain that someone would have seen something, given the public area and traffic flow of this main road," Sverns added. In Australia, people could face up to $27,700 fine or up to two years in jail for killing protected wildlife. About 34.3 million kangaroos are currently found in Australia. The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 11:30 p.m. Israel's military targeted a Syrian military post that fired a mortar into the Israeli-controlled side of the Golan Heights during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the area. Netanyahu was visiting an Israeli town in the Golan Wednesday. He said Israel's policy is "whoever attacks us, we will attack him." The military said the mortar was "errant fire" from Syria and landed in an open area causing no injuries near the border, far from where Netanyahu visited. It was the latest shell in several such incidents this week. Israel has tried to stay out of the six-year civil war in Syria. It has carried out airstrikes on suspected weapons convoys to Hezbollah, whose Iran-backed militants are fighting in Syria. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war. ___ 9:30 p.m. Turkish officials say U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has told his Turkish counterpart that Washington's decision to back Syrian Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State militants in Syria was out of "necessity" and not by choice. Mattis met with Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik in Brussels on Wednesday ahead of a NATO meeting. Turkey has been angered by a U.S. decision to arm Syrian Kurdish fighters which Ankara says are affiliated to Kurdish militants fighting Turkey. Turkish defense officials said in a statement that Isik reiterated Turkey's concerns to Mattis. They quoted Mattis as telling Isik that Washington's ties to the Kurdish fighters were a "temporary, short-term arrangement that derives from necessity and not from choice." Last week, Turkish officials said Washington pledged to reclaim weapons provided to the Kurds. ___ 7 p.m. The U.N. human rights chief is urging world powers fighting the Islamic State group in Raqqa to review their operations after his office tallied at least 173 civilian deaths by air and ground strikes in the Syrian city this month. Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein says the "conservative estimate" of the civilian death toll since June 1 comes as up to 100,000 others remain "effectively trapped" in Raqqa. Zeid, a prince from neighboring Jordan, also cited "worrying reports" about looting, abductions, arbitrary detention, and "the recruitment of children" by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in areas they control like the town of Tabqa. In Raqqa, intense bombardment has left civilians "confused about where they can seek refuge as they are caught between ISIL's monstrosities and the fierce battle to defeat it," the rights chief said in a statement. He said civilians "must not be sacrificed for the sake of rapid military victories," and urged all sides to help civilians who wish to flee the fighting to do so safely. 1 ___ 5:15 p.m. The top U.S. envoy for the international coalition combatting the Islamic State group has met with members of a local council expected to administer the city of Raqqa in Syria following its capture from the militants. A member of the Raqqa Civil Council, Abdullah el-Erian, told the Kurdish-run ANHA news agency, that Brett McGurk's visit Wednesday is an "important message" as the U.S- backed fight to seize Raqqa continues. The two-hour meeting took place in Ayn Issa, a town about 30 miles north of Raqqa city, where the council is based. Details of the meeting were not immediately available. The fight for Raqqa began in earnest in early June, as Kurdish-led forces, backed by airstrikes from the international coalition, slowly advanced on several neighborhoods of the city considered the de-facto capital of the militant group. The local council was formed in April, including Arab and Kurdish local leaders, and has been assuming its duties to administer liberated areas in the province. ___ 2:45 p.m. Activists say a cluster bomb attack on an Islamic State-held village in eastern Syria has killed at least 15 people, including women and children. Two Syrian monitoring groups, Deir Ezzor 24 and Justice For Life, say the weapons were dropped by an unidentified jet over Doblan, a village on the Euphrates River. Russian, Syrian, and U.S.-led coalition aircraft are all known to fly sorties in the area. Cluster bombs are designed to spread small bomblets across a wide area. But many fail to explode, endangering civilians long after the fighting has ended. Omar Abou Layla, the head of Deir Ezzor 24, says the bodies of 15 victims have been recovered in the village. He said residents expect to find many more killed. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the initial toll at 30 dead. At least 57 people were killed in an airstrike on an IS-run jail in the Euphrates River Valley on Monday. ___ 9:30 a.m. Turkey's military says it has returned fire after a cross-border attack by Syrian Kurdish forces. A statement Wednesday said the People's Protection Units, or YPG, fired on Turkish territory overnight with anti-aircraft weapons from Syria's Afrin region. Turkish artillery units returned fire, destroying the "detected targets." The YPG is the main component of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S.-backed militia that is battling the Islamic State group in the extremists' de facto capital, Raqqa. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its southeast. Turkey was angered by a U.S. decision last month to arm the Syrian Kurds, fearing the weapons will end up in the hands of Kurdish rebels in Turkey. Drawing a line on a map is a task simple enough a child could do it. But in some cases, carefully drawn lines can result in long lasting political power.Thats what four advocates for Wisconsins Legislature to turn over its ability to redraw legislative boundaries to a non-partisan group maintain. Redistricting is done every 10 years. In Wisconsin, it was last done in 2012, after the 2010 election where Republicans took control of the state Assembly and Senate. Dawn Garcia, an Eau Claire business owner of the Milwaukee-based political advocacy group Citizen Action, said in the 2016 election 42 of the 50 states did not have competitive Congressional elections. She did not specify the source of that information. They have pre-decided the results for us, said Sachin Chheda, director of a group called the Fair Elections Project. That redistricting is now being considered in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Wendy Sue Johnson, a former Eau Claire School Board member and a lawyer, is one of the plantiffs in that case that will be heard by the court in October. We want to have a fair election process so every vote is heard, she said. Jeff Smith, a former Democratic state representative, is an organizer for Citizen Action. Everything is affected by gerrymandering because if we have legislators not paying attention to voters, were all losers, he said. Redrawing legislative boundaries to political advantage is called gerrymandering. It is illegal. Smith said the case in which Johnson is involved in thats before the U.S. Supreme Court deals with the current legislative boundaries. He said what is group is pushing for is for the state to have a non-partisan group, and not the legislature itself, do redistricting. Iowa is one state that allows a non-partisan group to set legislative boundaries. Chheda said Wisconsin is a polticially divided state, which goes back and forth between Republicans and Democrats. He said the state has split U.S. Senators, one Democrat and one Republican. The competitiveness is there. Its not reflected in the Legislature any more because theyve rigged the maps, Chheda said. In 1971, the parties compromised in drawing the boundaries. Courts imposed boundaries in 1981, 1991 and 2001. But Republicans had full control after the 2010 election. This is the biggest bias we can find in American history, he claimed. Garcia said most Wisconsin residents are frustrated by the political divisiveness of the system. Johnson added when a politician has a safe seat, the politician doesnt have to listen to voters anymore. Smith called on State Rep. Kathy Bernier (R-Lake Hallie) to call a hearing on a bill to have a non-partisan group draw legislative boundaries. Bernier, chair of the Assemblys Campaign and Elections Committee, has had an informational session on the topic. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Former U.S. President Barack Obama and his family wrapped up a five-day vacation on Indonesia's resort island of Bali and headed to the historic city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday during a nostalgic trip to the country where Obama lived for several years as a child. Obama, his wife Michele and daughters Malia and Sasha arrived on a private jet at the city's military airport, said Indonesian air force base commander Air Vice Marshal Novyan Samyoga. Samyoga said the family looked relaxed and smiled at onlookers who greeted them with cheers. The Obamas later visited Borobudur, a ninth century Buddhist temple complex. They are also expected to visit the ancient Hindu temple of Prambanan during their two-day stay in the city. Samyoga said about 650 Indonesian security forces were deployed to protect the family in Yogyakarta, an ancient city where Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, spent years doing anthropological research. Obama moved to Indonesia in 1967 at age 6 after his divorced mother remarried an Indonesian man. She stayed on after the marriage broke up, working as an anthropologist and development aid worker, but Obama returned to Hawaii when he was 10 to live with his grandparents. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has invited the Obamas to visit the Bogor Palace in West Java during their nine-day visit to Indonesia. Obama is also scheduled to speak at an Indonesian Diaspora Congress in Jakarta on July 1. A Philippine bill that would require people in the Philippines to enthusiastically sing the national anthem, or face a steep fine, is one step closer to becoming a law. The bill, known as the "Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines," states that "singing [of the national anthem] shall be mandatory and must be done with fervor," according to the BBC. The existing legislation does not make this a requirement. Residents will also be required to sing "Lupand Hinirang," the national anthem, when its played during public gatherings, facing the Philippine flag, band or conductor during that time. PHILIPPINES HOSTAGES FORCED TO FIGHT, BECOME SEX SLAVES, ARMY SAYS Anyone who breaks the rules will be fined as much as $5,590, increasing penalty amount by 14 times, according to the proposed bill. Repeat offenders will also be "named and shamed" in a national newspaper. "Any act which casts contempt, dishonor or ridicule upon the national anthem shall be penalized," the bill says. The law will also make a rendition of the national anthem the standard song to be played, The Philippines National Inquirer stated. The bill passed in the House of Representatives this week. It is waiting for approval in the country's Senate. Police on Wednesday arrested six suspected members of the Islamic State group, four in Spain and one each in Britain and Germany, Spain's Interior Ministry said. A ministry statement said the man arrested in Britain was a Salafist imam who led the group and who was sought by several countries. Tarik Chadlioui, who was detained at his home in the city of Birmingham, England, at Spain's request, appeared at a London court later Wednesday accused of producing propaganda encouraging people to take part in violent jihad. Chadlioui held a Belgian passport and has lived in Britain since 2015, according to Britain's Press Association. Spanish authorities gave his age as 44, but PA reported his age as 43. It wasn't immediately possible to explain the discrepancy. The four arrests in Spain occurred in Mallorca, where the cell was allegedly based. Germany's dpa news agency said a 28-year-old Spanish citizen was detained in the western city of Dortmund as part of the operation. According to the prosecutors' office in nearby Hamm, the suspect, whose name was not released, was not known to authorities. Spain's Interior Ministry said the person arrested in Germany maintained contact with the cell and helped make propaganda videos. The suspect may be extradited to Spain. The prosecutor's office said it was not aware of any concrete attack plans. Police said investigations began in 2015 when they detected videos promoted by Chadlioui that documented the recruitment, indoctrination and sending of a young Muslim resident of Spain to Syria. Around the same time, the imam was said to have visited the Spanish island of Mallorca to begin organizing the cell and to become its spiritual leader. Police said Chadlioui was known by European police to have been recruiting militants and seeking finance for IS but that security measures he took and constant changes in address made his arrest difficult. Spanish authorities said the cell held regular meetings to recruit new members and actively promoted IS armed activities on social media. They said its increasing radicalization and willingness to commit jihad attacks led police in the three countries to make the arrests. Chadlioui will remain in custody until a London hearing on July 5. Spain says its police have been involved in the arrests of 178 suspected jihadis since the country raised its security alert to one step below the maximum in June 2015. ____ Associated Press writers Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, and Sylvia Hui in London, contributed to this report. Qatari-owned camels were left starving and nearly dead at the countrys border with Saudi Arabia after the diplomatic feud between the two countries led Saudi officials to block the animals from entering, according to their owners. On June 5, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states cut diplomatic ties with Qatar over allegations that the Persian Gulf country funded terrorism and the countrys relationship with Iran. Qatar has denied funding terrorist groups. UN EXPERT: AL-JAZEERA SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED IN QATAR STANDOFF The Gulf Arab states halted trade as well as air and sea traffic, and deported thousands of Qatari camels. The camels were stranded at the Saudi-Qatar border with minimal food and water, Foreign Policy reported. Some of the animals were close to death despite being able to survive for long periods of time without drinking water. Last week, Reuters reported that thousands of the trapped camels were given back to their owners. Qatari officials reportedly were enraged after seeing pictures of the starving camels in local media and sent food and water to the border. The camels were normally kept in the Saudi Arabian desert during the winter so owners could train and breed the animals. LIST OF DEMANDS ISSUED TO QATAR WILL BE DIFFICULT TO MEET, TILLERSON SAYS We fought wars over camels, Ali Magareh, a Qatari camel owner, told Reuters. Its one of our traditions. Not having camels in Qatar is like being a cowboy who has no cows. We just want to live out our days, to go to Saudi Arabia and take care of our camels and go back and take care of our family. We dont want to be involved in these political things. We are not happy. The commander of U.S. Pacific forces said Wednesday that ISIS-linked militants returning from the Middle East are intent on opening a new front in Asia, The Wall Street Journal reported. Adm. Harry Harris used the battle in the southern Philippines as a prime example. He warned that the militants may be losing ground in Syria and Iraq, but their supporters are still willing to fight. Marawi is a wake-up call for every nation in the Indo-Asia Pacific, he told the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. These terrorists are using combat tactics that weve seen in the Middle East to kill in the city of Marawi, in Mindanao, the first time ISIS-inspired forces have banded together to fight on this kind of scale. About 500 gunmen, including several foreign fighters, stormed the lakeside city of 200,000 people, occupied buildings, burned schools and hoisted Islamic State group-style black flags on May 23. Faced by his worst crisis, President Rodrigo Duterte responded by declaring martial law in the south and ordering a massive offensive. The fighting has forced more than 300,000 people to abandon their homes in Marawi and outlying towns and flee to evacuation centers, which rapidly became overcrowded. Harris said militants are attempting to indoctrinate people in the town. He called on Muslim leaders to attempt to confront the threat. We can counter violent extremists organizations like ISIS collaborating with regional allies and partners that may have elements in their countries sympathetic to ISISs cause, he said. WASHINGTON In 1983, President Ronald Reagan delivered his Evil Empire speech, which immediately offended Soviet leaders and the foreign policy establishment. (Reagan must have been equally pleased by both.) I believe that communism is another sad, bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages even now are being written, he said. I believe this because the source of our strength in the quest for human freedom is not material, but spiritual. And because it knows no limitation, it must terrify and ultimately triumph over those who would enslave their fellow man. In a Siberian jail, Russian dissident Natan Sharansky read the speech and secretly spread the news to his fellow prisoners. According to Sharansky, The dissidents were ecstatic. Finally, the leader of the free world had spoken the truth a truth that burned inside the heart of each and every one of us. That was a long time ago Reagans speech was about as close to World War II as we are to Reagans speech and it sounds strangely quaint to modern ears. But this was more than rhetorical fluff. The speech embodied a strategic insight that the hope of oppressed people for lives and dignity and freedom is eventually favorable to the community of free nations. It was hard power tanks and missiles that kept the Cold War from being lost. It was soft power the superiority of a spiritual ideal of freedom to a materialistic vision of historical forces that allowed the Cold War to be won. Is the world now fundamentally different? Is the spiritual ideal now outdated or overmatched by distorted but powerful appeals of nationalism and religious fundamentalism? It is the theory of America First foreign policy that this ideal is outdated. The urgency of defeating terrorism, in this view, requires the active cooperation of Middle Eastern leaders, and it matters little or nothing how oppressive they are at home. We are not here to lecture, President Trump said in Saudi Arabia. We are not here to tell other people how to live. Trump has extended this approach, in various forms, to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt (doing a fantastic job), to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, and to President Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines (doing an unbelievable job). Some of this warmth for strongmen is surely due to Trumps personal fascination with authoritarianism. But this is also proposed as a strategy as a way to maximize American interests in a dangerous world. And here it is less realistic than simplistic. The main problem is not moral but temporal. This foreign policy approach assumes that the current order in oppressive countries can be indefinitely preserved as long it is not destabilized by meddling outsiders. In reality, the instability of oppressive governments emerges from within. They prevent the diffusion of choice and power, which is the source of economic and social success in the modern world. Monopolizing power encourages cronyism, corruption, resentment and discontent. Strongmen can succeed for a time by feeding hatred of enemies, real and imagined. But this is the path of arrogance, mediocrity and insurrection. In such societies, a few eyes and mouths open often resulting in imprisonment or house arrest. These are the dissidents that Trump seems intent on betraying and discouraging. The message is thereby sent that America values the good opinion of strongmen more than the dignity and liberty of the people they rule. This is resented, and remembered. The Middle East is no exception to this rule. In Egypt, for example, decades of military rule resulted in a mismanaged, dysfunctional economy while weakening all forms of political authority and organization outside the radical mosque. When the revolution came, democratic institutions and attitudes were too weak to consolidate a new, more democratic order. America did not determine the timing of Egypts revolution, and will not control the timing of the next one. The question a realist must ask: What is America doing now to encourage the reforms, ideals and institutions that will make Egypts transition successful rather than abortive? Our levers, of course, are limited. But it is those who think that Sissi-ism is permanent who are living in a dream world. A more sophisticated version of foreign policy realism requires living with a tension. America must find common interests on a daily basis with governments that it finds oppressive and unjust. But it is also in our national interest to hold up an ideal that speaks to current dissidents and future leaders who are often one in the same. THE GOPs victories in four special congressional elections speak to the Republican Partys impressive political machine and allied network. For all the hand-wringing inside the GOP establishment, these special elections confirm that no anti-Trump or anti-GOP downdraft has developed so far. However, the bad news is that special elections are not necessarily predictive. And in politics, what is supposed to happen tends to happen. That means Republicans will have to fight against the powerful tide of history that propels the presidents party to experience an average loss of 26 seats in the House of Representatives and 2.5 seats in the Senate in midterm elections. Specifically, according to Gallup, Since 1946, when presidents are above 50 percent approval, their party loses an average of 14 seats in the U.S. House in the midterm elections, compared with an average loss of 36 seats when presidents are below that mark. Remember, Republicans have only 46-seat and 2-seat majorities in the House and Senate, respectively, and President Trumps approval rating is hovering just below 40 percent. And yet, the Democrats appear lost and without a messageuncertain of who is leading their partywhile Republicans continue to score important victories in elections. Democrats confidence was high going into the Georgia election, but their optimism was no match for the GOPs stellar operation online, in the field and on the air. In particular, Republican campaign management proved extremely effective in developing plans to target reluctant voters and keep those who were committed to supporting the GOP engaged throughout the special elections. As executive director of the American Action Network and the Congressional Leadership Fund, Corry Bliss spearheaded a $10 million assault in the four major special elections. His emphasis on ground-game engagement resulted in the CLF knocking on nearly 500,000 doors, sending more than 1 million pieces of mail and making over 500,000 phone calls. In Georgia, specifically, the CLF identified 75,000 low propensity Republican voters, including 38,000 Republicans who skipped the April 18 primary election. . . . [as well as a] universe of 23,000 regular GOP early voters to ensure summer vacation did not prevent them from voting in the runoff. Democrat Jon Ossoff received an influx of cash from the usual Hollywood and liberal elites, but it was not enough to overcome the CLFs ground game, which won this race for Republican Karen Handel. Bliss seems to have a Lee Atwater-esque focus and certainty about Americas disposition and mood. He knows a candidates limits and can feel what motivates voters. In the race for Georgias 6th Congressional District, the mechanics of the ground game were not all that mattered. There was a steady dose of motivation in the form of advertisements that featured House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who serves as a constant living motivator for Republicans to go vote. Every election cycle is different, but Bliss realizes that the era of campaigns saving cash and launching three- or four-week advertising blitzes is no longer applicable. Voters are so cynical and suspicious of what they hear in campaigns and from politicians in general that it takes longer to persuade them to support a candidate. Therefore, all aspects of campaigning need to begin earlier. Conventionally, a campaigns success is often determined by a candidates advertising dollars, social media presence and virtual community of online supporters. But the Republican machines emphasis on bootstrapped door-knocking, yard signs and phone-banking in the recent special elections seems to be experiencing a quasi-renaissance under Blisss direction. And by any measure, it is working. For their part, Democrats are doing enough to help Republicans maintain the majority in 2018. They continue to identify with the Wall Street billionaire class and pride themselves on sanctimoniously supporting the poor while neglecting the working class. Democrats and their allies in the media will continue to shout that Republicans are destined to fail in the age of Trump, but they have no message to rally voters support. And simply being anti-Trump is probably going to be insufficient. Just look at how that worked for Hillary Clintonor any of the four Democrats who lost in special elections this year. The GOPs 40 record suggests Republicans are not only prepared to control their destiny in the age of Trump but to outpace the Democrats in todays campaigns. For good reason, that is what should keep Democratic strategists up at night. Ed Rogers is a political consultant and a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush White Houses. He is the chairman of the lobbying firm BGR Group. GOV. TERRY McAULIFFE made a none-too-subtle statement recently by choosing a high school as the setting as he signed two bills that are designed to combat bullying. His recent trip to Forest Park High School in Woodbridge signaled the governors desire to bring attention to the bullying that occurs in and around Virginias high schools and middle schools. Studies are increasingly identifying school-related bullying as a contributor to some students mental health issues and, in some extreme cases, their suicides. The first bill was introduced by Sen. Jeremy McPike, a Prince William Democrat who lost his brother, a student attending high school in Prince William County at the time, to suicide. McPikes legislation requires school counselors to be trained to recognize mental health disorders and behavioral distress, including depression, trauma, violence, suicidal tendencies and substance abuse. School counselors are often considered the first line of defense in identifying victims of bullying, mental health issues or behavioral problems. Children sometimes shield their parents from such issues or dont feel comfortable discussing their troubles with them. The second bill McAuliffe signed was introduced in the House by Del. Eileen FillerCorn, a Fairfax Democrat who became aware of a situation involving 17-year-old Brandon Farbstein. Farbstein, diagnosed with a form of dwarfism, had been a victim of cyber-bullying when his parents reached out to FillerCorn for help. Another House member, Del. Marcus Simon, a Falls Church Democrat, related that he became aware of how the family of the alleged bully handled the situation immediately after becoming aware of it. He said the family called the school to confirm the incident, contacted the other family involved and then discussed the son's behavior with him. Simon said the father wished he had been contacted by the school sooner, when the allegation was first made, so he could have dealt with it sooner. That episode helped result in a law that requires schools to contact the parents of an alleged bully within five days of the initial report, establishing a protocol for such cases that schools had never had before. Some opponents of the legislation had advocated a 14-day deadline for contacting parents, in order to give schools more time to sort out the matter. But in the end, lawmakers decided that parents should be notified and involved sooner than later. Any act of bullying, whether its real or perceived, is a serious thing, and it needs to be treated as a priority, Del. Dickie Bell, a Staunton Republican, said when the bill was passed earlier this year. He makes a good point. Bullying continues to be viewed by some people as typical childhood behavior. That must change. The laws take effect July 1, and school divisions will have to prepare to carry them out when the next academic year starts. These laws show that what matters most is the childs perception of whats going on, even when bullying doesnt include the typical violence or intimidation, or the more insidious form of online attacks. Education and communication are the best weapons to fight bullyingexactly what the two pieces legislation signed by the governor aim to provide. Just as important, however, is the need for people to recognize bullying for the dangerous behavior it is, and stop trying to rationalize it. This editorial was updated to include corrected information. Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. America's Christian Origins Spotlighted in New Free Video; Produced by Award-winning Christian Company Contact: Kim Kent, Heirloom Audio, 815-259-0137, kim@heirloomaudio.com THOMSON, Ill., June 28, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- The executive producer of an award-winning Christian audio adventure series has produced a special Fourth of July video recounting America's Christian heritage and warning that the nation's future depends on returning to "the source of law in God's revealed Word." Bill Heid, an entrepreneur and the executive producer of Heirloom Audio Productions, said he made the video, in part, because the word "liberty" as it is used in political debates -- lacks a clear definition. The special Independence Day video is titled "The Lost Secrets of Liberty." "For starters, no one has the right to do what he or she pleases," Heid says in the short video, noting that one specific dictionary defines it that way. Heid then turns to Scripture to give the true definition of liberty. "Real liberty springs from the Gospel," he says. The video can be viewed or downloaded for free at TheLostSecretsOfLiberty.com. A license is not needed to show it in public. In the video, Heid recounts little-known facts about America's Christian heritage, such as: Ethan Allen demanding the surrender of the British at Fort Ticonderoga "in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." John Adams declaring that the centralization of religion had as much to do with American independence as did taxation without representation. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin promoting a scene out of the book of Exodus as the national seal. "While we're still free, and while we've still got time," Heid said, "we've got to teach the next generation that our country can only be protected from tyranny, moral relativism and anarchy by finding the very context for freedom itself the source of law in God's revealed Word." Heirloom Audio Productions, which was founded by Heid, produces audio adventures that bring Christian heroes from history to life. The company won three Voice Arts Awards last year, including Outstanding Production, for The Dragon And The Raven, which chronicles how King Alfred the Great (849-899) led an army that beat the barbaric Vikings, saved the English lands and brought the country back to God. It starred Helen George (Call The Midwife), John Rhys-Davies (The Lord Of The Rings, Indiana Jones), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who, The Hobbit), John Bell (The Hobbit), Brian Blessed (Star Wars, Tarzan, King Lear) and Katherine Kellgren (award-winning narrator). Heirloom Audio just released its eighth CD, Captain Bayley's Heir, which follows a story about the California gold rush. The company's CDs feature top actors and actresses, along with original musical scores and sound effects. Each drama includes two CDs and spans more than two hours. New Book on Gosnell Trial Reveals that Mental Illness Plagues the Abortion Cartel Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- A new book, The Trial of Kermit Gosnell, uses real-life examples to show that aspects of Gosnell's "criminal enterprise" can be found in abortion facilities around the nation. One such aspect revealed in the book is mental illness, which plagued some of Gosnell's employees and is more common among abortion workers than is commonly known. Several of Gosnell's workers were diagnosed with mental health issues such as depression, bouts of anxiety, and bi-polar disorder. Even Gosnell showed signs of mental illness through the squalid conditions where he lived and worked, the cold-hearted "snipping" of spinal cords on babies born alive, and the ghastly behavior of displaying jars of severed baby feet. Author Cheryl Sullenger, who attended Gosnell's 2013 murder trial, calls on her years of research into abortion abuses to reveal that Gosnell and his employees were not alone. Sullenger relates the case of a Michigan abortionist, Robert Alexander, whose clinic rivaled the filthy conditions found at Gosnell's "House of Horrors" facility, and his bizarre testimony at a recent medical board disciplinary hearing. Alexander testified in his own defense for slightly under an hour, detailing his battle with bipolar disorder since he was nineteen years old. Alexander read a lengthy list of symptoms experienced by those with that mental illness and told the administrative judge that he is heavily medicated in order to manage his condition, taking Lithium three times per day and Prozac twice a day. Alexander claimed to be under the regular care of a psychiatrist and a psychologist. . . "I mean, to be honest with you, as I listen to Dr. Alexander tell me about all the various symptoms that a person may have, I question whether anyone should be practicing medicine with a lot of those symptoms," the judge said. Sullenger also describes other abortion workers who suffered from mental impairment that left them unsafe to practice medicine, including one who committed suicide after years of battling mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, and paranoia. "There are hidden risks at our nation's abortion clinics that are rarely discussed. America has a right to know about them," said Sullenger. "Mental health issues are only a part of the dangers that lurk unseen behind the abortion clinic doors." The Trial of Kermit Gosnell is available now at Amazon.com. Sullenger, who serves as Senior Vice President of Operation Rescue, is available for interview at 316-516-3034. Read this release on the Operation Rescue website. About Operation Rescue Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue. EU farm leaders have warned that a total ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments would have a devastating impact on crop production. After a three-year moratorium on three types of neonicotinoid pesticides for use on flowering crops, the European Commission (EC) is considering an extension of the ban to cover all crops. Environmentalists are lobbying the commission to introduce a complete ban on neonics to protect bees and other pollinators. See also: MEPs block Conservative bid to stop total ban on neonics EU farmers association Copa-Cogeca held a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (27 June), involving the Polish Federation of Agricultural Producers (FBZPR), hosted by Polish MEP Czeslaw Siekierski. Delegates debated the impact of a total ban and considered how the EU could balance productivity and competitiveness alongside environmental protection. Marian Sikora, from FBZPR, told the event: The commissions proposal for a near blanket ban on neonicotinoids would make producing crops such as sugar beet, potatoes, cereals as well as fruits and vegetables simply unviable with no evidence of added benefit to the health of bees. We call on the EC to enact policies that balance sustainable agriculture production with environmental protection. Drop in oilseeds area Max Schulman, chairman of the Copa-Cogeca cereals working party, highlighted a study by Copa using data from six countries which showed the ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments had seen a 10% drop in the oilseeds area since 2013 and a rise in farmers costs and a cut in their incomes as no alternative products exist. Farmers have to use more spray on their fields to limit the impact of insect attacks, he said. Overall, the increased production costs would force farmers to change their cropping systems. A [total] ban would also contradict the development of precision farming which looks for targeted action at the right time. Wrapping up, Graeme Taylor, director of public affairs at the European Crop Protection Agency, warned: A near blanket ban on neonicotinoid would be devastating not just for European farmers, food security and the viability of the agriculture sector, but also for the environment and biodiversity, while doing nothing to improve bee health in Europe. Crops certainly need bees, but bees also need crops. Canada still has some untouched frontiers for bold farmers looking for cheap land, as well as a supportive government and a lower cost of living. We look at the opportunity. Hundreds of farmers left Britain for Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s as the BSE and foot-and-mouth crises rocked UK agriculture. Since then, sharp rises in Canadian land prices and soaring dairy quota costs have slowed the influx of British farmers to a trickle. However, there are still ways to find a foothold in the country and make a decent living, says Jason Bent, director of policy research at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. One such avenue for farmers with a pioneering spirit, says Mr Bent, is to establish large units in some northern areas, such as northern Ontario, where the provincial government is promoting the resettlement of a large belt of about 1m acres of clay land. The area has production potential and has been farmed in the past but has since been left to return to wilderness, says Mr Bent. See also: International farmland: Guide to the global land market He estimates the land value to be as low as $1,000/acre (582/acre), although there is little infrastructure, a short growing season between harsh winters and a tiny population. It is one of the last frontier areas where there is an opportunity to settle although, as we say in Canada, its a place where you dont get to choose your friends, Mr Bent says. What to consider Providing farmers do their homework and appreciate the differences involved between Canadian and UK farming, it is still possible to make a successful switch, says Mr Bent. While Canada is a single country with a federal government, it is made up of 10 provinces and three large territories, which have a high degree of autonomy in policy and strategy, he says. Canada farming facts 193,492 farms cover 64.2m ha (UK farmed area is just 17m ha) Average farm size is 330ha Crops account for 58.8% of farmed area Off-farm income accounts for 49% of total income (2014) Gross farm receipts totalled $69.4bn (40.5bn) in 2015, while operating costs reached $57.5bn (33.5bn) Therefore, interested farmers should consider the rules in each province and never assume that what is true in one, is true in another. Weather and land characteristics are also diverse and distances between population centres can be large. Even within a single province the conditions can vary enormously, says Mr Bent. For example, in the central eastern province of Ontario, the majority of the population and prime arable land is located in the South, where competition means prices are at a premium of around $15,000/acre (8,750/acre). In contrast, the larger, northern part of Ontario is sparsely populated, with cold winters and heavy forestation. Prospective buyers need to think carefully before moving to a sparsely populated area, cautions Hugh Maynard, former executive director of the Quebec Farmers Association and owner of development consultancy Quanglo. The distances are huge and it can be a seven-hour round-trip to the nearest vet. The sheer scale of some arable operations requires a different mindset. Arable yields are lower where soils are poorer quality in the western provinces, and the operation may have to extend to thousands of acres to be profitable, says Mr Maynard. Growing conditions are different, with a short season between May and October. The winters are long and the onset of spring is rapid because the temperature and day lengths swing very quickly and can catch out unsuspecting farmers. It means operations are intense and require a lot of large machinery and equipment, he explains. He says most incoming farmers take five years to fully adjust. Set-up costs can be high Certain areas and industries have higher setup costs that prospective buyers should be aware of. Land values have risen by 10% a year over the past decade and more productive arable areas now often match values in the UK, meaning there has been a consolidation of land into fewer hands, with competition from large companies and investors. The dairy sector is also tougher to break into, with expensive and limited quotas making it almost impossible for start-up businesses, Mr Maynard warns. Quota rarely becomes available but when it does prices are between $25,000 [14,802.50] and $30,000 [17,763] per cow, he says. This means, to set up a 100-cow unit, farmers would need to invest $2.5m (1.48m) before purchasing land, accommodation, cattle and machinery. Beef and sheep are potential openings for newcomers. However, uncertainty, driven by US president Donald Trumps threat to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement is causing beef prices to fluctuate. The US is our main market and competitor and as Donald Trump is ramping up the pressure to renegotiate Nafta, it is a worrying time for beef producers. Many are looking at cropping where possible, Mr Maynard says. Government support mechanisms Canadian farmers benefit from federal and provincial government support in the form of insurance schemes, contingency funds and interest-free loans. The most popular programme is Agri-Insurance, where the government pays half the premium to protect against incidents such as poor crop yields or low prices. Payouts are triggered under the policy when yields fall below 80% of the historical level for an individual farm. Further protection against income loss comes from the Agri-Recovery programme, which is a government-backed disaster relief programme paying up to 70% of income losses in emergency situations. Some provinces also take part in the Agri-Invest Programme a contingency fund match-funded by the federal government and local administration. For every dollar the farmer puts in up to $15,000/year (8,881.50) $2 (1.18) is added to provide a growing pot of money for a rainy day. New businesses can also secure short-term, interest-free loans, which can be taken out to cover times when cashflow has slowed to pay bills while crops are in storage, for example. For young entrants, some provinces provide one-off, start-up payments of up to $40,000 (23,684). This is dependent on qualifications and experience so, for example, a farmers daughter who completes an agricultural degree should obtain the maximum allowable funding. The payment is per head, which means spouses can combine their individual payments to create a fund of as much as $80,000 (47,368). Further help for entrants is also available through government-guaranteed loans to encourage banks to lend to new starters. The federal government underwrites the risk for the first five years of production, picking up the bill if anyone defaults. Case study: From County Durham to Ontario Dairy farmers daughter Katie Cheesmond emigrated from County Durham to Canada with her parents in 2002 and endured a tough start to life abroad, but the move has eventually paid off. My parents and grandparents farmed in partnership and had steadily improved the 130-cow herd by importing embryos and live Canadian Holstein cattle, says Ms Cheesmond. When my brother wanted to work on the farm it meant five people were trying to eke a living from the dairy herd and there was not enough profit in the herd to support us all, she says. The decision to sell the farm and move to Canada was taken in 2001, with the family buying a 40ha (100-acre) farm in south-west Ontario for $330,000 (195,393). At 19 years old, Katie was the first to head for Canada to take possession of the farm, with the rest of the family joining her in 2002. The family needed a lender to help buy cows as they had no credit history in Canada. The banks were initially negative, which caused a panic, until a chance meeting with the Royal Bank of Canada at a local Holstein event changed their fortunes. With a letter of reference from their bank in the UK, a loan was secured to buy cattle and quota. But then cow prices spiked, hitting $3,200 a head (1,868 a head) and the quota price reached $17,000 a cow (9,925 a cow). It was a difficult time as we had moved from a well-regarded, purebred herd in the UK to only being able to afford 36 commercial Holsteins. We then decided to look at Jerseys, which were a fraction of the price at just $400 a cow [236 a cow] and graded as multiple excellence. Ms Cheesmond says it is important to look beyond the basic exchange rate to see how valuable the milk price is compared with the cheaper cost of living in Canada. In Canada 1.5 litres of milk is the equivalent of a litre of gas. In the UK petrol costs four-and-a-half to five times the milk price, so we get paid far more favourably, she says. After five years the Cheesmond family sold their farm for about $1m (592,100) and invested in a 48ha (120-acre) unit for $450,000 (262,700). With a herd of about 60 milking cows the farm now supports Katies father and brother. Typically with many Canadian farm businesses, both their spouses work off the farm to bring in additional income. Since the purchase 10 years ago the farms value has soared and has recently been valued at $1.6m (94,736). With the higher quota costs and cows the overall value is about $3.5m (2.7m), roughly 10 times the amount paid for the original unit 15 years ago. What you can get for your money For 500,000 $875,000 (509,000) Beef farm Cochrane, Ontario Bungalow, plus 587-acre beef unit, 59 breeding cows and 41-acre private lake For 1m $1,900,00 (1.1m) Crop farm Viscount, Saskatchewan Bungalow with a total of 1,591 acres Cropped land of 1,254 acres at $1,292/acre (752/acre) For 2m+ $13.5m (7.9m) Dairy Farm Kootenay, British Columbia Going concern with 400 acres of pasture, 28-stall parlour, quota, modern buildings and a three-bedroom house A farmer in west Somerset is stepping up security after some of his sheep were butchered and stolen from his field. The flock at Steyning Manor Farm, near Bridgwater, was targeted overnight Saturday (24 June). Farm manager Matthew Linford said rustlers drove across a field of grass in Adams Lane, Stogursey, which had recently been mowed for silage. See also: Rustlers nab 50 sheep from Devon farm The rustlers made a hole in a hedge to gain access to the flock of Texel-cross breeding ewes. Mr Linford told Farmers Weekly he felt sickened after finding eight pools of blood on the ground. Initially, the farm reported to Avon and Somerset Police that about five or six sheep had been slaughtered. But Mr Linford later counted his flock and found 17 were missing. Some of the sheep were slaughtered in the field, dragged off and taken away in a van. We think they may have slit their throats in the field. The sheep were definitely not shot. They were bled out, he said. There are big pools of blood and they have drained the sheep off in the field. Its possible they killed all 17 of them and put them in bags. If you were to try to carry a live lamb out of a field, over a stock net, two strands of barbed wire and over a ditch, youd think you would see more evidence of theft. Wool on the wire, or something. But all you can see is the drag marks. I think they put them in bags and dragged them out. We have got friends who have had 50 to 60 sheep stolen in a box overnight. But knowing their throats have been slit in the field feels worse than having them stolen, he added. Lack of evidence Neighbours said they did not see or hear anything. Mr Linford reported the incident to police, who gave him a crime number, but said there was not enough evidence to track down those responsible. The theft will cost the farm around 1,700 in lost income. However, the insurance policy will cover the loss of some of the sheep. A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: We had a report of a theft of five or six lambs on 26 June and the victim reported that there were signs of blood in the field. This incident has been passed to the Rural Crime Team who take livestock theft extremely seriously. We understand the impact of livestock theft on farmers and smallholders, it can be devastating. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Story Highlights 35% in U.S. say immigration should be decreased About as many (38%) say immigration should stay at present level 12-point dip in Republicans who want immigration decreased WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As a whole, Americans' attitudes about immigration haven't changed significantly since Donald Trump's presidential campaign platform promised action against illegal immigrants. U.S. adults remain about as likely to say they would like to see immigration kept at its present level (38%) as they are to say it should be decreased (35%). About one in four say immigration should be increased (24%). These data, collected in a June 7-11 Gallup poll, are similar to last year's figures from when Trump was campaigning for president. Since his election in November, Trump has reaffirmed his pledge to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. He also had recent success with immigration policy when the Supreme Court decided to allow some aspects of his program for banning travelers into the U.S. from six Muslim-majority countries. But Trump's well-known stances on these issues, which propelled him as a presidential candidate, have not had any meaningful effect on Americans' preferences for U.S. immigration policy. Fewer Republicans This Year Favor Less Immigration to U.S. Republicans' and Republican-leaning independents' appetite for decreased immigration has fallen since Trump's election. Whereas six in 10 wanted less immigration last year, this figure is now slightly less than half (48%). Republicans' substantial drop in desire for an immigration decrease is balanced, however, by small increases among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, as well as independents who don't lean toward either party. Both groups edged up three percentage points in their preference for a decrease in immigration. Democrats' and Democratic-leaning independents remain most likely to say immigration should be kept at its present level (42%), while a third say it should be increased (33%) and 23% say it should be decreased. Preferences for U.S. Immigration Levels, by Party With Leaners In your view, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased or decreased? Present level Increased Decreased % % % Republicans and Republican leaners 2017, June 7-11 35 14 48 2016, June 7-July 1 27 11 60 Democrats and Democratic leaners 2017, June 7-11 42 33 23 2016, June 7-July 1 46 31 20 GALLUP The shift in Republicans' attitudes could reflect a sense of political victory among Trump supporters who believe the president is fulfilling the immigration-related promises he made on the campaign trail. Republicans could, thus, feel more satisfied with the current status of immigration than they did during the height of the presidential election. Also, some Trump supporters might believe immigrants are being more thoroughly vetted by the Trump administration. Bottom Line Though preventing illegal immigration was one of the president's key campaign promises, the general desire to decrease immigration is near its historic low in Gallup's trend over more than half a century. Among Trump's own party, the decline in the percentage of Republicans who prefer to decrease the level of immigration into the U.S. could be related to a greater trust in federal vetting of immigrants rather than a decline in their concern about potentially dangerous immigrants entering the country. However, more Americans may want to decrease immigration if they begin to feel the administration has wavered in its commitment to stricter immigration policies. Trump's pledge for a border wall, for example, will be politically challenging to fund. Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Story Highlights U.S. adults are more likely than in 2007 to say immigrants make things better Majority of Americans say immigrants make "food, music and the arts" better Democrats have more positive views of immigration's effects than Republicans WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans are more positive now than a decade ago about the effects that immigration has on the U.S. This increase in positivity is seen across six different aspects of life in the U.S., spanning the economy, culture and jobs situation. Americans More Likely to Say Immigrants Improve Life in the U.S. -- 2007 vs. 2017 For each of the following areas, please say whether immigrants to the United States are making the situation in the country better or worse, or not having much effect. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]? 2007 2017 Change % Better % Better (pct. pts.) Food, music and the arts 40 57 +17 The economy in general 28 45 +17 Social and moral values 19 31 +12 Taxes 11 23 +12 Job opportunities for you and your family 12 20 +8 The crime situation 4 9 +5 Gallup These results, from a June 7-11 Gallup poll, are a marked departure from 2007 when Americans were more likely to say they preferred a decrease in immigration to the U.S. than an increase. Americans currently hold more positive views of the effects of immigration despite having recently elected a president who has made derogatory statements about immigrants. U.S. adults' views of immigrants' impact on the country have become at least modestly more positive on each of six aspects of American life. On some measures, they are the most positive views about immigration that Americans have expressed in Gallup's trend since 2001. A majority of Americans now say immigrants have a positive effect on food, music and the arts (57%), while nearly half say immigration benefits the economy in general (45%) -- with both of these measures up 17 percentage points from 2007. Americans' views that immigrants have a positive effect on social and moral values (31%) and taxes (23%) are both up by 12 points. Meanwhile, smaller but statistically significant increases are seen among those who say immigrants positively affect job opportunities (20%) and the crime situation (9%). Nearly Half of Americans Say Immigrants Make Crime Worse Despite their more positive views about immigration now compared with 2007, Americans' overall net assessment of the impact of immigrants on these six aspects of American life is mixed. On two measures -- "food, music and the arts" and the economy -- Americans are more likely to say immigrants make the situation in the U.S. better than worse. U.S. adults are divided on immigration's effect on social and moral values. On the three other measures -- taxes, job opportunities and crime -- Americans are more likely to say immigrants make the situation in the U.S. worse than better. On the issue of crime, Americans are five times more likely to say immigrants make the situation worse rather than better (45% to 9%, respectively). Sizable percentages of Americans on each measure believe immigrants do not have much effect on the country either way, including a slight majority, 51%, who say immigrants have little effect on job opportunities for them and their families. Americans' Views of Immigration's Effects in 2017 For each of the following areas, please say whether immigrants to the United States are making the situation in the country better or worse, or not having much effect. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]? Better Worse Not much effect % % % Food, music and the arts 57 10 29 The economy in general 45 30 22 Social and moral values 31 28 38 Taxes 23 41 33 Job opportunities for you and your family 20 28 51 The crime situation 9 45 43 Gallup, June 7-11, 2017 New Highs in Percentages Saying Immigrants Make Things Better Across four measures -- the economy, social and moral values, taxes, and job opportunities -- Americans are the most positive they have been since Gallup began asking this question in 2001, besting their previous highs by five points or more. Democrats Have More Positive Views of Immigration's Effects On all issues, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are significantly more likely than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents to say immigrants make the situation in the U.S. better. The partisan gaps are largest for food, music and the arts; the economy in general; and social and moral values. Democrats Significantly More Positive About Effects of Immigration Republicans/Leaners Democrats/Leaners Difference % Better % Better (pct. pts.) Food, music and the arts 39 73 34 The economy in general 29 61 32 Social and moral values 16 45 29 Taxes 13 33 20 Job opportunities for you and your family 11 27 16 The crime situation 3 14 11 Gallup, June 7-11, 2017 Bottom Line Americans' more positive views of the effects of immigration on various aspects of American life come as the public's desire for decreasing the level of immigration hovers near record lows. Though Americans' party affiliation relates closely to their views of immigrants' contributions to the U.S., these views could change over the course of Donald Trump's presidency. Republicans may come to view immigration less negatively if the new administration's vetting process becomes stricter. Many Americans, regardless of political party, could seek an influx of foreign talent as the country struggles to compete globally. Meanwhile, crime remains the issue for which the fewest Americans see a benefit from immigrants. These views could change if Trump's emphasis on "law and order" -- particularly concerning illegal immigration -- diminishes the threat of crimes committed by noncitizens. Immigrants' contributions to food, music and the arts, however, is somewhat unifying, as this remains the sole area in which a majority of Americans feel immigration has benefited U.S. life, though fewer than half of Republicans agree. Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Judicial Watch Sues EPA for Records on Agency's Use of Social Media Platform for Alleged Propaganda GAO Found EPA's Use of Thunderclap to Promote Clean Water Rule Violates Prohibition on Propaganda by a Federal Agency Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5172 WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for all records related to the EPA's use of the Thunderclap social media platform. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit on June 21 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Judicial Watch vs. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (No. 1:17-cv-01218)). The suit was filed after EPA failed to respond to a May 3, 2017, FOIA request seeking: All internal emails or other records concerning project administration, management, or assignment of tasks related to the EPA's use of the Thunderclap social media platform. A December 2015 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report concluded the EPA's use of Thunderclap to send out messages boosting the Waters of the United States rule (also known as the Clean Water Rule) "constitutes covert propaganda" and violates the legal prohibition on propaganda by a federal agency. The GAO report found that the EPA reached 1.8 million social media users through Thunderclap, which uses a synchronized social media blast to amplify a message on platforms such as Twitter: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated publicity or propaganda and anti-lobbying provisions contained in appropriations acts with its use of certain social media platforms in association with its "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) rulemaking in fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Specifically, EPA violated the publicity or propaganda prohibition though its use of a platform known as Thunderclap that allows a single message to be shared across multiple Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr accounts at the same time. EPA engaged in covert propaganda when the agency did not identify EPA's role as the creator of the Thunderclap message to the target audience. The EPA said it sent the message through Thunderclap to clarify what it says was misinformation being spread about the Clean Water Rule. The GAO report, however, said the EPA failed to disclose it was the source of the Thunderclap message. Federal agencies are permitted to promote polices, but are prohibited from engaging in propaganda, which is defined as covert activity intended to influence the American public. Agencies are also prohibited from using federal resources to conduct grass-roots lobbying to prod the American public to call on Congress to act on pending legislation. "EPA appealed to the public to contact Congress in opposition to pending legislation in violation of the grass-roots lobbying prohibition," the GAO said in its report. "The Obama EPA has a checkered history on transparency and accountability," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. "Judicial Watch wants the details on the Obama EPA's sketchy effort to secretly peddle propaganda to protect its regulatory power grab." It was recently reported that the Trump administration is taking action to repeal the Waters of the U.S. rule, "an Obama-era regulation that gave Washington broad powers over streams and other small bodies of water across the country." MORE: www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-sues-epa-records-agencys-use-social-media-platform-alleged-propaganda/ Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, left, discusses the states broadband with other state and local officials from Franklin County towns Tuesday at the Town Hall in Shutesbury. RECORDER STAFF/Paul FranZ SHUTESBURY The drawn-out broadband saga experienced by many small towns continued Tuesday with a roundtable discussion among state lawmakers and local civic leaders, who expressed tentative excitement about progress toward connectivity. What we have found is leverage the pressure that Carolyn (Kirk, deputy secretary of the Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development) has is a lot more effective when the state is speaking for us than when Bob is speaking for Leyden, said Robert Ryan, of Leydens Broadband Committee, speaking to Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and peers from Shutesbury, Colrain, New Salem, and Wendell. Also in attendance were Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, Kirk and Peter J. Larkin, chairman of the quasi-public Massachusetts Broadband Institute, created in 2008 under Gov. Deval Patrick to bring broadband to underserved towns. Ive heard the stories. Whether its the difference of working from home or not, or just from a public safety standpoint, this has to get done, Polito said. It has been a hard struggle, Kulik noted, Its a partnership, and towns have been frustrated for a long time. Politos visit comes on the heels of more than $15 million in state broadband grants announced this year the latest financial infusion in a years-long drama to bring high-speed internet into the region. Looking ahead, We will have every community on a pathway to connection by the end of the year, Polito said. As previously announced, under the grant contract, the state will pay for a third of qualifying and participating towns broadband connection costs, with the rest coming from taxpayers. In Hampshire County, those towns are Cummington (awarded $840,000) and Plainfield ($650,000), as well as the $890,000 award announced this week for Chesterfield. In Franklin and Berkshire counties, Shutesbury has received $870,000, while the remainder has been divided among 14 communities. The contract outlines that at least 96 percent of the residences in those towns be connected to broadband when all is said and done. However, because two-thirds of the work is paid for by local taxpayers, Ryan said were hoping to wire all of the houses. If the town is going to be paying from its tax base, we feel compelled to bring in broadband to all of the community. In Shutesburys case, Broadband Committee member Gayle Huntress estimated it will cost about $2.5 million to build out the towns network. To that end, Huntress said town officials intend to hire Westfield Gas & Electric, owned and run by the town of Westfield, to plan and begin the build-out process. She said work is expected to be completed by 2019. Over the years, the regions lack of broadband infrastructure has forced residents to purchase expensive and spotty satellite internet service or physically transport their computers to places that are connected. People drag home computers in here to get an update, said Shutesbury Broadband Committee member Steven Schmidt, standing in the town hall after the discussion. He described the years-long process as very frustrating. Initial efforts began in the early 2000s, but it really took off a few years ago, said Craig Martin, another Shutesbury committee member. Looking to the future, were thrilled that things are moving. There are a lot of entrepreneurs out here, and that will increase. Later Tuesday afternoon, Polito and Kulik held roundtables about broadband in Rowe and Ashfield, speaking to leaders from Charlemont, Heath, Rowe, Ashfield, Cummington, Plainfield, Windsor, and Chesterfield. A Pinch of Salt: The election is over, I think, so what now? Hopes for a network of bicycle and pedestrian paths in and around Monroe took another step forward this week with the presentation of a planning document to the Benton County Board of Commissioners. At Tuesdays work session, the board got its first look at a new connectivity plan for the area. The 56-page document, the result of a joint city-county effort launched in April of last year with $30,000 in county funding, lays out a three-phase approach for creating the multiuse trail system. Phase 1 would involve building a path along the former Bailey Branch rail line from Alpine Road or Alpine Cutoff to the Monroe Grade School. The path would parallel Highway 99W, the main drag through town, and provide a route for walkers, joggers, cyclists and skaters to get around without trying to share the road with motor vehicles. The path would also serve as a north-south trunkline from which other bicycle and pedestrian paths could branch off in Monroe, a south Benton County community of 677 residents that generally lacks amenities such as sidewalks and bike lanes. One potential future addition would be a cross country path that would head east along Main Street to Reservoir Heights Park, then run north along city streets before returning to the main path at the Monroe Community Library, creating a 5-kilometer loop that the high school cross country team could use for training. Other items on the wish list include a connecting path along the west bank of the Long Tom River, a footbridge over the river to provide walking and biking access to Monroe City Park, and intersection improvements to create safer access to the grade school. Phase 2 would extend the network of biking and walking paths from Monroe to the neighboring communities of Alpine and Bellfountain, and Phase 3 would push the trail system still farther out to create connections with outdoor recreation destinations such as Alsea Falls, the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge and the Willamette River. The plan, which builds on work begun by the South Benton County Recreation Alliance in 2012, was created by a stakeholder committee with professional assistance from Seth Sherry, a planner for the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments working under contract to the county. At Tuesdays work session, he told the Board of Commissioners that Monroe residents have been asking for a more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly community since at least 1979, when the city created its first comprehensive plan. People want a way to safely get around town, get to schools, get to parks, get to what is actually a growing commercial district, Sherry said. The plan is still in the conceptual stage, with no cost estimates or construction timelines. But it does describe specific routes and broad design standards for Phase 1 and identifies potential funding sources for the work. Laurie Starha, interim director of the Benton County Natural Areas and Parks Department, said the document should be a useful tool when the time comes to apply for state, federal or private funding. It does help support those grant applications, she told the commissioners. In the meantime, Monroe City Administrator Rick Hohnbaum told the board, the city may have a chance to get some help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on its Long Tom River footbridge project. The corps has some concrete I-beams and other materials left over from a bridge-building project that its willing to donate to the cause if the city can arrange for transportation and storage and put together a construction plan. The commissioners expressed support for that idea and offered to discuss it in a meeting with Army Corps of Engineers officials. The connectivity plan was adopted by the Monroe City Council in a unanimous vote on May 22, and the Benton County commissioners are scheduled to vote on it at their July 18 meeting. After the meeting, Hohnbaum called the connectivity plan a good first step toward creating better bicycle and pedestrian transportation routes in and around Monroe. The city was just wanting to create this foundational concept and get the conversation started, he said. If we get Phase 1 done and start planning for Phase 2, were farther ahead than we are now. Looking still further into the future, Phase 3 could position Monroe to capitalize on growing interest from cyclists in riding south Benton Countys scenic rural roads and hitting the new network of mountain bike trails at Alsea Falls. Hohnbaum said hes already talking to Travel Oregon officials about adding some amenities that would make the town more attractive to the emerging market for bike tourism. We would really like to do more bicycle stuff, he said. We see Monroe as the jumping-off point from urban Eugene and Lane County to rural Benton County, where people can get out of their cars and ride their bikes to Alsea Falls. Pastor Bill Seagren remembers well the laugh he shared over dinner with a church district supervisor. The year was 2001 and Seagren had spent time that day getting know people at the College United Methodist Church. It was an opportunity to see if Seagren's appointment to Philomath would be a good fit. District superintendent Gary Oba was on hand and the evening featured dinner at a restaurant in Corvallis. "At the end of our time, I looked at him and said, 'Now, you'll guarantee me that my youngest daughter can finish high school here' she was 3 at the time," Seagren remembered. "We both laughed knowing that was completely ridiculous and I knew it was ... I was just joking with him." But it turned out to be no joke. "She graduated from high school here two years ago," Seagren said. "We feel very thankful that we've been able to have 16 years here." Seagren, 59, performed his final service at the church last weekend with a new pastor set to step in this coming Sunday. He and his wife, Jenny, have been visible in the community during those 16 years, but they found a calling to serve as missionaries in the Czech Republic. Seagren had been a pastor for 18 years when he arrived in Philomath with his wife and family during the summer of 2001. His past included service for six years in the Chiloquin area north of Klamath Falls, followed by another six years in Dallas, and then six years in Marquam, a small town located between Silverton and Molalla. The Seagrens were happy at Marquam. "I wasn't looking to move from there but I made a strange comment to my wife one morning, I said, 'there's no place in our conference that I really would want to go except Philomath,'" Seagren recalled. "And I don't know why I said that because I'd been to Philomath just once I did a wedding at the Lutheran church for some friends of mine that I met." Each spring, the bishop has the responsibility of making all pastoral appointments in the conference, which here includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. The bishop receives help for appointment decisions from district superintendents. Pastor parish committees can request a change in leadership and the pastors themselves can indicate whether they wish to stay at their current appointments. In the spring of 2001, Seagren had a speech prepared for why he didn't want to move from Marquam. "When he said we'd like you to consider going to Philomath, that just took me back and I thought, 'maybe that's why I said that' even though I didn't understand it at the time," Seagren said, referring to the comment he had made to his wife. "I had a sense of God's hand in this." Jenny Seagren has been involved in local education. All three of their children were home-schooled their older daughter all the way through and their son received a Philomath High diploma although he took Linn-Benton Community College classes. "After Rachel, our youngest, decided she want to go to public high school, Jenny started subbing," Bill Seagren said. "She has a degree and has loved subbing in the schools." All these years later with their children on their own, the Seagrens began to talk about their next move. Seagren had taken a class at Suburban Christian Church in Corvallis on perspectives on the world Christian movement. The adventuresome spirit started to take hold. The couple came across particular work that had been going on in Prague and it seemed to be a good fit. "It's not United Methodist work there, but I'm still a United Methodist pastor working within an interdenominational mission agency, which was our choice, and the bishop and our leadership were willing to affirm that for us," he said. Seagren will be an extension minister through United World Mission to Prague. The couple will be headed there this fall after going through missionary training in North Carolina. They're planning on a five-year mission. Although Seagren said he would never predict, he said he has a hunch that they will return to Oregon after the Prague work. All of their children are well-established in Oregon along with other family members. The Rev. Michael Gregor will succeed Seagren, coming to Philomath from Veneta. "I've worked men's retreats with him, I really like him," Seagren said. "I think he'll be a good fit here. I was excited when I heard who was going to be here." Gregor, whose first service will be July 2, will come in as an intentional interim pastor, which Seagren said is something newer to the church. "The idea is he's coming, he's going to be here two years and then they'll appoint someone in the normal way again," Seagren said. "He has special training in interim and he's also receiving more oversight and supervision while he's going to be here as well in terms of helping people deal with the change." A congregation often experiences grief when a longtime pastor moves on. "He's trained to help them walk through the change and deal with anything that comes up and have the church ready to move ahead with someone new in two years is the thinking behind it," Seagren said. Seagren said there are definitely things he's going to miss about Philomath, including the people. But as he moves on, he also said there's something he's come to realize after 35 years in the church. "You can do all kinds of things building a program or even numbers of people, but the thing that lasts is what God does in individual people and that's what's really important," he said. "It's the relational thing that's really more lasting. I can say there's been that." This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later! Cooperation with U.S. firm Astrobotic : DHL will send keepsakes to the moon Bonn U.S. firm Astrobotic and Bonns DHL are cooperating in a project that will send personal items into space. For a price, people will be able to send mementos to the moon for generations of safekeeping. A wedding ring, a photo of a daughter or a lock of hair from a loved one: Interested persons will be able to send such keepsakes to the moon, beginning in 2019. The U.S. company Astrobotic will transport the items, packed in a Moonbox from DHL. Its one way of preserving the objects for future generations. But customers who want to take advantage of the offer should have a big purse. The smallest capsule is 1.27 centimeters long, 32 centimeters wide and 2.54 centimeters high. That little trip to the moon costs 460 dollars. A photo and certificate are to document that the packet was on board a lunar landing vehicle. Everything is allowed in a time capsule as long as it isnt electric, doesnt contain fluids and cant explode. If the memento is heavier and larger, it gets really expensive: One kilo costs 1.2 million dollars. Our main goal is to make the moon accessible to everyone, said Dan Hendrickson, Vice President for Business Development at Astrobotic. He was in Bonn on Tuesday. The firm Astrobotic spun out of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2007. It constructed the Peregrine Lander to take payloads to the moon. With our price per kilo, we are incomparably cheap, said Hendrickson. Their first commercial mission is to take place in 2019. In earlier NASA missions, payload transports came at a cost of 300 million dollars per kilogram. Deutsche Post is responsible for the logistics of the project. Arjan Sissing, Senior Vice President for Global Brand Marketing said, In our branch, we have been working with pioneers of innovation for many years already. Through the partnership with Astrobotic, Deutsche Post is playing a key role in the development of lunar logistics. Airbus Defense and Space contributes engineering support to the project and U.S. space agency NASA is also a partner. Astrobotic originally wanted to send its first mission in fall of 2017. The start-up wanted to win the Lunar X-Prize sponsored by Google for a total of 30 million dollars. But it pulled out of the competition at the end of 2016 when it became clear that it would not be able to realize the project until 2019. The lunar logistics firm has since proved successful within the competition, winning a total of 1.75 million dollars for the Landing Prize, Mobility Prize and the Imaging Prize. 16 firms are still competing for the final prize. Orig. text: Claudia Mahnke Former slaughterhouse terrain : New concept for Westwerk combines work and lifestyle Foto: Benjamin Westhoff Bonn An investor group has given the city of Bonn a new concept for a lifestyle, gastronomy and work area on the former slaughterhouse terrain in the west of Bonn. Plans include a big event hall and club, office space and a food court. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken After a drawn out five-year negotiating and planning phase, an investor group has presented a concept for repurposing the former slaughterhouse area on Immemburgstrae between Bonn-Endenich and Weststadt (western part of Bonn). Highlights of the concept include an event hall with a capacity for 1,750 visitors, a club which can accommodate 500 people and a food court with up to 15 different eating places. The investor group, which includes Holger Jan Schmidt, Dirk Langenfeld and Thomas Klaser, also plans office space for creative industries, IT companies and start-ups. The Westpark would offer around 8,000 square meters for such businesses. According to GA information, there would also be an office building for Bonnorange, the sanitation department, as well as a waste burning facility. Towards the train track area, there would be a parking garage for 400 cars, with an E-bike station and bicycle parking spaces. Now its up to the Bonn City Council to decide if the proposal gets a green light - a decision is expected in September at the latest. His ideal plan would be to open the new event hall in fall of 2018, but Holger Jan Schmidt says, After five years of the planning period, I am careful about what I wish for. Herbert Spoelgen, council member from the SPD party, said he was amazed at the patience and tenacity demonstrated by the investors and that he completely supports the project. The Green party also welcomes the fact that the project is finally moving along. Most important is that it moves forward. The project is extremely important for Bonn, because its an essential building block for the cultural identity of the city, said Hardy Lohmeyer. With Westpark, and Westwerk as the centerpiece, more than 300 jobs would be created in the area. Schmidt sees it as unique combination of work, lifestyle and gastronomy, also found in cities such as Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. With his Bonn Promotion Department, he organizes concerts and festivals, taking an interest in ecological sustainability. Between the buildings, their plans call for plenty of green spaces. 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. Android 7.1.1 Nougat rolling out for several Sony Xperia smartphones News oi -Samden Sherpa Several of Sony's slightly older devices are now receiving Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Sony seems to have picked up the pace in rolling out Android Nougat updates for its smartphones, Last week we saw the update being rolled out to several smartphones like Sony Xperia X, Xperia X Compact, Xperia XA Ultra amongst others. And this week again, Sony is rolling out Android 7.1.1 Nougat update for several of its older devices which include Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Premium, Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z4 Tablet, and Xperia Z3+. Coming back to the update, it takes the build number from 32.3.A.2.33 to version 32.4.A.0.160. Further, the update includes the latest 1 June 2017 Android security patch as well. However, we are expecting Nougat 7.1.1 firmware to also bring additional emojis, app shortcuts, support for circular app icons, keyboard image insertion, unlisted bug fixes and performance improvements along with few new features. Besides, Android Nougat 7.1.1 will be rolled out as an over-the-air (OTA) update, therefore, users might have to wait for it until it is available on their smartphone. In any case, Sony Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Premium, Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z4 Tablet, and Xperia Z3+ users should receive a notification regarding the update. If not then they can also manually check for the update by diving into the system settings and looking for software updates. So users can go to Settings>About Phone>Software Update. While a firmware update generally comes at a size of about 1 GB users should connect their devices to a Wi-Fi network instead of using their cellular network to download the update. Sony also suggests that users should have at least 50percent of battery life for the update to finish successfully. Source Best Mobiles in India Samsung Galaxy S9 could have both 8nm Exynos and 7nm Qualcomm chips News oi -Chandrika Samsung would have to buy the Snapdragon 845 chipsets from TSMC. Not even six months have passed since the launch of Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus and rumors regarding their successors have already started pouring in. Recently, a Weibo user suggested that the Galaxy S9 will be coming with an Exynos 9810 processor along with CDMA network support. However, he hasn't mentioned whether there will be Snapdragon variants of the flagships or not. Usually Samsung flagships come in two versions; one powered by an Exynos chipset and another powered by a Snapdragon chipset. Now, we have come across a new report which suggests something interesting. According to Investors, Samsung is "highly likely" to use both 8nm Exynos chipsets and 7nm Qualcomm chipsets in the Galaxy S9. You might be wondering what is so surprising about this. Well as some of you may know we have been hearing that Qualcomm and Samsung are not really in good terms. Reportedly, the former is moving to TSMC for the production of its next high-end processor the Snapdragon 845. Moreover, a few months back, Taiwan's fair Trade Commission accused Qualcomm of abusing the "Standard Essential Patent" by not allowing Samsung to sell its chipsets and modems to other smartphone companies. Now the question is why would Samsung would continue making chips on an 8nm process when a better technique is available for next year. Also, why would it buy the chipsets from Qualcomm despite the licensing issue between them. Presumably, the South-Korean smartphone manufacturer will reduce investment in its 7nm production line to focus more on making 6nm processors for 2019. 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 German Inquiry Into NSA Spying Slammed for Heavily Redacted Final Report Sputnik News 17:49 28.06.2017 The number of omissions from the final report from the German parliamentary committee investigation into the NSA spying scandal is "unacceptable," Die Linke politician Andre Hahn told Sputnik. On Wednesday, the German Bundestag committee into the NSA spying scandal is to discuss its final report after more than three years of investigation. After it was handed to Bundestag President Norbert Lammert, a heavily redacted copy of the report was released to the media. The large number of ommissions was criticized by Germany's leftist Die Linke party and the Greens, which have one deputy each on the committee. The CDU and SPD, which govern Germany in a coalition, have three each. Andre Hahn is a Bundestag deputy who represents Die Linke and also steps in to deputize for committee chairwoman Martina Renner. He told Sputnik Deutschland that almost 500 pages of the 1822-page report have been redacted. "That's nearly 500 pages. It's completely unacceptable that we want to suppress this into secrecy," Hahn said. "I've been involved in a lot of investigation committees, but I've never seen anything like this before. The CDU committee chairman is now trying to prevent even the final report by members of the opposition, which really says a lot. There will also be a legal review, in the coming weeks." The parliamentary committee has frequently faced divisions between members of the coalition and the opposition sitting on the committee. On Wednesday, as the report was handed over to Bundestag President Norbert Lammert; Martina Renner of Die Linke and Konstantin von Notz of the Greens also handed over a document to Lammert containing their views, which put them in the minority on the committee. According to the German newspaper Die Zeit, the document from the minority members of the committee wanted to draw attention to the failures of the Federal Chancellery, while the majority from the coalition largely identified failures by the Federal Intelligence Service (BND). Political differences were apparent on the committee since its inception in 2014. In May 2013, the Greens and Die Linke pushed for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to appear in Germany for questioning by the committee, but their requests were turned down by the CDU and SPD. The German Bundestag launched the cross-party investigative committee into the NSA spying scandal in March 2014, after former CIA and NSA employee Edward Snowden leaked details of extensive internet and phone surveillance by US and UK intelligence, which collected and shared information on millions of ordinary people, as well as intercepting the communications of European politicians. Among the revelations were allegations that the NSA had bugged German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone, which caused the government to take the unusual step of summoning the US ambassador. However, the CDU/SPD government was unwilling to upset its relationship with Washington by bringing Snowden to Germany for questioning, since the US wants to extradite him to the US to face espionage and theft of property charges. Last November, the Federal Court of Justice ruled that the German government should provide the conditions for Snowden to be questioned in Germany by the committee, such as a guarantee not to extradite him to the US. However, the CDU, CSU and SDP coalition government successfully appealed the court's ruling, rather than provide such a guarantee. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Police Warn Politicians About Alleged Spying By Turkish Intelligence Sputnik News 15:50 28.06.2017(updated 16:03 28.06.2017) Amid deep political differences between Ankara and Berlin, the German media reports that the Turkish intelligence agency MIT has been caught spying on German politicians. Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has informed German politicians that Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MIT) is spying on them, the German newspaper Die Welt reported on Wednesday. The politicians, who work in the interior, foreign and defense areas of government, have been warned about a "hazardous situation." A BKA spokeswoman confirmed that the security talks with parliamentarians took place. "The possible activities of foreign intelligence services were also one of the topics here," the spokeswoman said. In February, Spiegel Online reported that Turkey had spent months pressuring the German security services to take more action against Kurdish organizations and followers of the Fethullah Gulen movement in Germany, apparently to no avail. In March, it was reported that federal prosecutors in Karlsruhe had opened an investigation into 20 alleged agents from the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB), which is believed to be spying on Gulen followers in Germany. Following the failed military coup in July 2016, Turkey launched a crackdown against alleged followers of Fethulluh Gulen, a US-based cleric who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes organized the coup attempt. In early May, Ankara was angered after Berlin agreed to offer asylum to hundreds of Turkish army officers and diplomats who had fled to Germany as a result of the crackdown. Unofficial sources in the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees [BAMF] told Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung, WDR and NDR news networks that the immigration authorities had been waiting for the result of the recent constitutional referendum before making their decision. In retaliation, Turkey refused German Bundestag politicians the right to visit soldiers stationed at the Incirlik air base, and Berlin has since decided to move its air force contingent taking part in US-led anti-Daesh operations to an air base in Jordan. Relations were also strained by Germany's refusal to allow Turkish political rallies in support of April's referendum on constitutional change and the resulting comments by Turkish politicians comparing modern Germany to the Third Reich. In addition, Berlin continues to demand the release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel, who was arrested in Turkey in February on terrorism charges. The migration agreement between Turkey and the EU is also a source of tension, as Berlin has recently accused Ankara of failing to cooperate to enable the repatriation of 6,514 Turks living illegally in Germany. "With regard to the implementation of the EU-Turkey readmission agreement, there are divergent views between Germany and Turkey in some areas," Die Welt quoted a German Interior Ministry spokesperson as saying. For its part, Ankara has also accused Germany of supporting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), paramilitary groups banned in Turkey and the EU which are conducting insurgencies against the Turkish government. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis June 27, 2017 Media Availability with Secretary Mattis en route to Europe SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS: Well, thanks for going, first of all. And we're off to Germany. First thing we're going to do there is basically -- why am I going to Germany? It's the start of our strategic dialogue -- U.S. dialogue for one thing. By that I mean we're going to sit down with my counterpart and talk about issues that are on her mind about the German-U.S. relationship. And this is -- we've had a very good relationship. Might remember -- (inaudible) -- is one of the first MOD -- might have been the first -- to come to D.C. and meet with me. So, just continuing that dialogue. They're in the mix of a political campaign right. That's a reality. But it doesn't have really any impact externally. Of course, I deal with whoever is the minister of defense. And I think too, you pay a respect to an ally when you go and visit them. So that's part of it. And I like going back to first principles for why we did things. Go back -- why did we ever get together with German? What brought us together? We were, you know, unholy allies -- enemies in a world war, and we ended up, you know, being allies to this day. And doesn't mean it's always tidy, doesn't mean it's always deep, but we've been allies through and through. And -- (inaudible) -- if you go back to first principles to remind yourself, what was it that started this whole thing, what were the shared values, that sort of thing, since no alliance can last this long unless you have something more than just a temporary, transient need to deal with each other. I'll go at -- (inaudible) -- over to the German Marshall Center -- the German-U.S. Marshall Center. One thing that's interesting about that, it's the only regional center we have in Department of Defense that's shared with another nation. Our Africa Center is U.S. only. Our Asia-Pacific Center in Hawaii is American only. So that sort of thing. So she -- both Minister von der Leyen and I, both of us, she and I will speak there, and one of the purposes of Marshall -- (inaudible) -- this is the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, and that's what I'm going to use to look at the founding principles over -- go back and actually look at what was going on then. Not just talk about something that came out of the blue; it didn't just come out of the blue. So -- and after World War II and the destruction of that, this is one of those elements that have brought a lot of people together. For example, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a lot of former Soviet republic generals also came over and went to this center. And to those dialogues, it helps us a lot to keep open lines of communication, reduce miscommunication and build trust. After Germany, I'll go to Brussels for my second, as secretary of defense, ministerial, where the ministers of defense all get together. And it's the first ministerial -- first real NATO meeting since the leaders met there at, I think it was like the end of May or early June, somewhere around there. But this will be the first time Montenegro's in there as a full ally, so that's kind of a big deal in NATO. There's only 28 nations, so, you know, it's kind of a big deal when you build by one. And I think I go there with a lot of clarity. I don't think I'm going to be asked some of the questions I've been asked in the past. And the reason is that when the Romanian president, another NATO ally was there at the White House, he came right out and said what he, I think, tried to say with his presence in Brussels a few weeks before: that we're with them 100 percent on the Article 5 security guarantee. And I think you'll also notice the U.S. Senate voted 100 to zero. How often does that happen in the U.S. Senate, our wonderfully contentious, argumentative Senate? There we are with a unanimous resolution, we stand with them. So between the president saying something, 100 members of the Senate saying something, obviously that says a lot. Further, we're going to talk about the threat, some issues that have to do with NATO. I mean, view of the problem of terrorism, every other -- cyber attack, everything. I'm sure they'll all come up in the ministerial. And NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg is going to recognize the increasing defense investments we're seen coming in, and discuss the national plans for how they're going to spend. Something they all agreed to do. But really it's a much broader -- it's not that -- that (inaudible) will not take very much of the time in the much broader ministerial. And I just point out that I know there's a lot of news reports that report on tension on certain things in the NATO alliance, about how much money people are spending, are the Americans with them or not. And I think that when you look at not just what happened in Washington with the vote or the president's statement, when you look at the increase in money the president asked for for the European Reassurance Initiative, ERI for short, when you see the amount of money he's asking for, you get the sense that oftentimes you can tell where someone really stands by following the money, follow the budget. And there it is, in plain and simple terms the increase in spending this year over last year on European Reassurance Initiative. Some of you, I think, were with me out in the forests in Lithuania. Went out and we saw the U.S. troops, the -- (inaudible) -- troops, all sorts of different Canadian troops out there under German, Italian command as part of a Lithuanian brigade out in the forest. And you saw they had been training well together. They obviously had a sense of purpose to walk around and talk to them. Very proud of their roles. I think when you look at that, when you look at everything that's going on with the framework nations, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the United States, there are the four nations that provide basically the battalion combat group. Then you look at the number of nations that have allowed troops to join, directed troops to join. Then you look at the welcoming from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and you get a sense of NATO's reality from these actions, from the expected actions from everything else. So, why don't I stop there -- kind of give you a snapshot why we're going place to place. We'll just throw it open to your questions. Q: Mr. Secretary, can you talk to us a little bit about Afghanistan? You're going to NATO. There's going to be, obviously, discussions there about increasing international support. What are you looking for from your NATO allies? And, obviously, General Dunford is in Afghanistan now. You've wanted him to go -- you wanted -- you dispatched him there to gather information. Can you talk to us about that? SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. On Afghanistan, the chairman flew out yesterday to go there and review and clarify and confirm what we call the lines of military effort, and ancillary efforts, not just military. But that's his primary focus. But there're also efforts that you know in something like this that are integrated with other aspects of it, of the campaign. So he is there getting (inaudible) basically, and he'll report back to me. While I'm in Brussels, we'll be talking to the other nations and, first of all, gauging their advice. They've got advice on this. They've all been in this from the beginning after America was attacked. These are all nations that have contributed troops. So I'll be getting advice from them. They have their own -- (inaudible) -- of information coming back from their troops in the field. I'll share with them our appreciation of the situation, assessment of the situation, and talk about what we're doing in terms of framing the strategy and filling in any gaps left in the strategy. I'll also meet privately with Secretary General Stoltenberg on the same issue, but -- (inaudible) -- will of course will look across the alliance, at the alliance's capacities and capabilities. Then I'll return home with that information. We will have talked in some level detail about nations willing to commit more. That will be a dialogue; I don't think it's logged in yet. What we need -- for example, if we need training NCOs, you don't send an infantry platoon with a lot of privates, okay? So, what you're gonna do is try to construct a -- a capability that fills specific gaps, not just throws numbers against the wall. I'll return back to Washington with that information, and with Secretary Tillerson and the chairman, finish out some things, the intelligence community updating us on their assessment. And then we'll present to the president a strategy that's been informed by our allies, to include Afghanistan of course, and given a framework that is regional in nature and focuses on how we end this war. But on conditions that remove the danger to the Afghan people and to us and to all the nations that have been attacked by terrorist groups out of that region. Q: Well, do you know -- MATTIS: Does that help? Q: Yes. Getting specific, I know you don't have a lot of specifics, but do you have at least some general idea of the total number of troops you'd like to see come out of all the allies? MATTIS: Total number of troops out of all them? No, right now I'm still looking at capabilities and that sort of thing. I want to get updated before I make a decision like that. The easiest thing in the world to do is to start talking numbers. And to me it's the worst place to start. I want to do everything else that builds to it. I don't want extra troops there. This is an Afghan army fight. And we're going to do everything we can to help them be successful in their fight. But this -- this is something where you can start off even, at this point, just throwing numbers. You gotta -- you gotta refine it and what might've worked six months ago may not be right today. Q: I have a question about Turkey. We all reported last week that in a letter that you sent to your Turkish counterpart, who I think you're gonna be meeting in Brussels; General Dunford announced that. SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Q: Can you let us know -- in that letter apparently the Turks said that you offered to have weapons recovery. So, weapons that are going to YPG will be recovered at some point. Can you speak a bit to that? And what extent was that -- how detailed is that recovery going to be? SEC. MATTIS: Okay, first of all, the weapons that we're talking about here -- you know, they had plenty of weapons. They were beating ISIS in every battle. They never lost an inch of terrain to them. What we gave them were weapons for urban fighting, basically. These are weapons -- number one, we'll be recovering them during the battle, repairing them. When they don't need certain things anymore we'll replace those with something they do need. That sort of thing. I mean, this is going to be a fight, and there's a lot of -- (inaudible) -- maybe they'll just collapse and run. Well, maybe they will, but we don't count on that. We're going to give them what engineering gear they need and that sort of thing. And yes, we will recover that -- that gear when it's no longer needed by them. Q: Gear or weapons? I'm sorry, I mean, so you mean like the MRAPs you're going to recover but not necessarily the -- (CROSSTALK) SEC. MATTIS: Don't need anymore once this fight is over. And we've been very clear we're going to equip them for the fight, and if they have another fight and they need, you know, the light trucks they've been using, you've noticed them on TV -- (inaudible), and they need that, then we'll get them that. We're going to continue the fight against ISIS until we get them. Q: Sir, when you're not -- SEC. MATTIS: So, it's dependent on the battle on -- Q: So, is it full weapons recovery or is it only -- SEC. MATTIS: I'm sorry? Q: Do you envision a full weapons recovery after the fight's over? SEC. MATTIS: Well, you know, we'll -- we'll do what we can. I -- I mean obviously they've got full weapons, you know, going in. This is stuff they needed for this fight. That's what we wanted to give them, the weapons they need for this fight. Q: So, at the end of the fight, we'll go back to (inaudible)? SEC. MATTIS: Well, we'll see. It depends on what the next mission is. You know, I mean it's not like the fight's over when Raqqa's over. Q: Sir? SEC. MATTIS: Yes. Q: Hi, when you're in Brussels, do you anticipate discussing the enhanced forward -- SEC. MATTIS: Sorry? Q: When you're in Brussels, do you anticipate discussing the enhanced forward presence and potentially committing additional U.S. troops to that presence? SEC. MATTIS: Enhanced forward presence? That's a good question. I've not considered it yet. Let me listen to what they come up with, both SACEUR, the supreme allied military commander -- the military committee will have recommendations on that. That's the three-stars or the chiefs of defense, General Dunford's guys. And we'll see where they stand on it. Right now, I don't recall any requests for that. But I'll have to look. I know there're requests to keep some of the European Reassurance Initiatives on track. So I don't want to say that won't come up. I just -- it's not something I'm focused on right now. Q: So, potentially extending the -- potentially extending the current commitments, say, through 2020? SEC. MATTIS: No -- yes, we -- we got the money to extend. I don't know if it needs to be broadened or anything. I haven't had any requests for that. Q: Well, I have a philosophical question for you. SEC. MATTIS: Sure. Q: So -- I mean, I couldn't help noticing when you were testifying on the budget the bipartisan support for -- you know, a lot of people expressed the sentiment that they were reassured that you were the secretary of defense. But at the same time, we see a lot of people in Washington questioning whether a former military officer is really the right fit. (inaudible), I saw an op-ed in the Post the other day that said -- (inaudible) -- a military technocrat and -- and suggested that because of your military background, you wouldn't be looking at all the political aspects. What do you say to people who read that kind of stuff and worry about whether you're the right guy for the job? SEC. MATTIS: Well, the first thing I'd say is, it's the first time I've ever been called a technocrat, so it sounds rather impressive actually. I'm happy with that. That's funny, T. M. You can smile, okay? Q: I can't hear a thing. (Laughter.) SEC. MATTIS: We made a joke. Don't worry about it. It wasn't that good. It's kind of, truly, that decision about whether I was the right person or not was under our constitutional form of government mostly decided by the U.S. Congress. The House of Representatives, in my case, had to also add their votes. And then besides that, the Senate still had to do its duty on confirmation. So, with the advice and consent of the Senate, but in my case because it needed a waiver or exemption of some kind. Q: So you enjoy widespread support, but what do you say to someone who thinks that you just have a military mind -- SEC. MATTIS: Yes. Q: -- you have a military solution, you're not going to be looking at the broader picture? I mean, we know you. You're not that kind of person. But what would you say? SEC. MATTIS: I mean, we all adjust to the responsibility of the position we're put into. And you know, we've paid enough of a price in this country for the freedoms we have. I think making certain to use strategy to guide your way forward is critical and you can't talk strategy by staying military only. That's a relatively narrow part of a strategy. I think the best way to show that, perhaps, I'm more than -- I would use instead of technocrat, a little bit of automaton, would be that Rex Tillerson and I probably talk -- Secretary Tillerson and I probably talk twice a day on any given day, maybe three of four times a day, have breakfast together once a week. I live across the street from his office; it's not a sacrifice to go to breakfast with the secretary of state at all. I had good teachers, and those teachers were former secretaries of state, male and female, Republican and Democrats. They're former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs. They're former high-ranking members of Congress on Armed Service and Foreign Affairs Committees. And, you know, I just -- I do the best I can. Q: Mr. Secretary, we know the line from the building and from the administration in Syria is that -- sorry, can you hear me? The line -- SEC. MATTIS: Speak up just a little. Q: The line that we hear is basically -- vis-a-vis Syria is that you're there to fight Isis. Now the recent events that have played out over the last couple of weeks suggests that that kind of dogmatic focus on that one goal isn't going to be practical in the coming weeks and months. So how can you -- how can you reassure America that it's not stumbling into Syria's -- (inaudible)? SEC. MATTIS: That's a good question. It's how do you avoid mission creep? Really it's -- it would be mission creep if you just stumble into something else. First of all, you stay focused on where the enemy is. And you set up any number of coordination efforts if you're getting near converging forces. Converging would be either Assad regime or Russian, and we have to assume there are Iranian either officered or Lebanese Hezbollah elements with them. So what we do is we keep moving against ISIS. We deconflict with the Russians; it's a very active deconfliction line. It's on several levels, from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the secretary of state with their counterparts in Moscow, General Gerasimov and Minister Lavrov. Then we've got a three-star deconfliction line that is out of the Joints Chiefs of Staff out of the J5 there. Then we have battlefield deconfliction lines. One of them is three-star again, from our field commander in Baghdad, and one of them is from our CAOC, our Combined Air Operations Center, for real-time deconfliction. And you just make certain there's open communication: "We're here you're there, we know where you're at," or "You're coming towards us, you're -- you're aiming at us, don't do it." You know, that sort of thing. Another thing is we won't make people under fire unless they're the enemy, unless they're ISIS. The only exception to that is if under legitimate self-defense, if somebody comes after us, like bombs us or takes a heading on us or fires on us, then under legitimate self-defense, we'll do whatever we have to do to stop it. Sometimes that's a deconfliction line; sometimes it might mean we have to fire back. So we just refuse to get drawn in to a fight there in the Syria civil war. We try to end that one through diplomatic engagement. Q: I appreciate what you're saying about the deconfliction in various channels, but, as we've seen in recent weeks, they're not perfect. With the Iranian-backed militia in the south, they have -- they have ignored the -- (CROSSTALK) SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, the Iranians have not lived by the rules. We think the Russians have tried to dissuade them on occasion from doing things. Q: Are you worried about -- are you worried about an increase in conflict between the coalition and the Iranian militia? SEC. MATTIS: Not if the Iranian militia doesn't attack us, no. Q: Sir, how do you, kind of, see the fight in the RV playing out? I mean you have the Syrian -- SEC. MATTIS: Where? Q: In the Euphrates River Valley. You have -- you have the airbase at Deir ez-Zor, which I would assume the regime backed by Russia would handle maybe that. The U.S., the Iraqis -- (inaudible) -- Abu Kamal and maybe trying to set up a deconfliction line or deconfliction area to the north of Deir ez-Zor. I mean, can you, kind of, explain how you'd like to see that fight play out? SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Well, we'll continue to deconflict, (inaudible). Raqqa is our main effort right now. As you know, we always look towards the next fight and things are going on with that as well. Deir ez-Zor has held. Looks like the pro-Assad forces have linked up and broken through to them after -- what? -- year, year and a half being isolated. But we'll work that fight again with the deconfliction efforts ongoing. Generally there'll be established, I would call it from above, but the actual deconfliction on the ground, in other words shifting it 10 kilometers south here, five kilometers north there, be worked out by the field commander. And again, the deconfliction lines through all of these contentious months that we've been through have never gone down. Q: So, have you -- basically you're saying that you're going to compartmentalize Euphrates River Valley, so, we'll be there, they'll be there, and then -- (inaudible)? SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. It's probably not going to look that neat. You know, it'll be based on where does the river bend here and where is it -- which side of the river is a town on there -- you know, this sort of thing. So, it may look a little more squiggly. But as long as it's worked out by the commanders and enough people know about it in -- in sufficient times, there are ways that are proven that we can do this. However, as you mix more forces more closely together, what worked before for deconfliction won't. It's going to take more precision. Q: So, do you see that being done at the company level? Maybe -- (inaudible)? SEC. MATTIS: No, I think it would have to be established above that level. It's deconfliction, it's not coordination. So, you got to deconflict either in time or in space. And -- and oftentimes it's both, because as it compresses, a fast-moving airplane can fly in and out of deconfliction zones. So you've got to -- you've got to really play this thing very carefully and the closer we get, the more complex it gets. Q: Thank you, (Off mic). http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1231010/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary General stresses value of OSCE dialogue in Vienna NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 27 Jun. 2017 NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller stressed the value of the OSCE as a forum for dialogue in a keynote speech at the Annual Security Review Conference in Vienna on Tuesday (27 June 2017). "The OSCE is a pillar of the international rules-based order, and essential for continued peace and security in Europe," she said. Ms. Gottemoeller emphasised that this rules-based order has "helped to keep the peace in Europe for more than seven decades," and should be maintained and strengthened. In this context, she highlighted that Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of eastern Ukraine has undermined trust, predictability and security in Europe. She added that while NATO has sought and will seek a positive relationship with Russia, the Alliance must take steps to deter and defend against Russia's aggressive actions near NATO borders. During her visit to Vienna, the Deputy Secretary General will also meet with the Secretary General of the OSCE, Lamberto Zannier, and other senior officials. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dutch Appeals Court Says State Partially Liable In 300 Srebrenica Deaths RFE/RL June 27, 2017 A Dutch appeals court has ruled that the state was partially liable in the deaths of some 300 Muslim men killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. The ruling by The Hague Appeals Court on June 27 largely upheld another court's 2014 judgment that said the state was liable in the deaths of the Bosnian Muslim men who were expelled from a Dutch UN base in July 1995 and subsequently killed by the surrounding Bosnian Serb troops. Both the relatives, who seek Dutch responsibility for all Srebrenica victims, and the Dutch government appealed the ruling. The appeals court's presiding judge, Gepke Dulek, said that because Dutch soldiers sent the men off the Dutch compound along with other refugees seeking shelter there, "they were deprived of the chance of survival." The 300 men were among around 8,000 Muslim men and boys who were killed by Bosnian Serb troops under the command of General Ratko Mladic at Srebrenica in July 1995, the worst mass killing on European soil since World War II. The UN's International Court of Justice ruled in 2007 that the massacre in the Srebrenica enclave was a genocide perpetrated by Bosnian Serb forces against the Muslims. The 2014 ruling also provided for compensation for the relatives of the 300 victims. The Hague Civil Court ruled in 2014 that Dutch peacekeepers could have known that the 300 men seeking refuge at their base in the village of Potocari would be murdered by Bosnian Serb troops if forced to leave. However, in a departure from the earlier ruling, the appeals court said the Netherlands should pay only 30 percent of damages, as it estimated the odds at 70 percent that the victims would have been dragged from the base and killed regardless of what the Dutch soldiers did. The court did not say at the time how much compensation the families should receive. The amount of damages is determined in a separate procedure unless the victims and the state can reach a settlement. In the 2014 trial, which was launched by relatives of the victims under the name Mothers Of Srebrenica, the Dutch state was cleared over the deaths of more than 7,000 other men killed in and around Srebrenica. That decision was upheld by the appeals court on June 27. The ruling is seen as exceptional as the United Nations enjoys immunity from prosecution. The government of Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok resigned in 2002 after acknowledging its failure to protect the refugees. However, the Netherlands says the Bosnian Serbs, not Dutch troops, bear responsibility for the killings. Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serbs, is on trial for genocide, with a verdict expected later this year. With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and the BBC Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/dutch- appeals-court-srebrenica-state- partially-liable/28581565.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Briefing on the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report Special Briefing Susan Coppedge Ambassador-at-Large, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Press Briefing Room Washington, DC June 27, 2017 MS NAUERT: Hi, everyone. Welcome to the State Department. Do you see those two junior reporters in the back? Those are my kids. Hi, boys. Welcome to mommy's new job. (Laughter.) So that means you all have to try to be a little bit nice today, or at least keep it clean. All right. Good afternoon, everybody. I know we've got a lot to get to today. QUESTION: A blatant play for sympathy. (Laughter.) MS NAUERT: No, I wish. This morning, Secretary Tillerson released the 17th installment of the Trafficking in Persons Report, also known as the TIP Report. To go into greater detail about that report today, we have with us Susan Coppedge, who is the ambassador-at-large to monitor and combat trafficking in persons. She'll join us in just a second. Ambassador Coppedge will deliver remarks and then take a few of your questions. If you'd like to ask a question, just raise your hand, let her know which outlet you're with since she isn't here for you every day, and she can take your questions. So if you do have any questions about the TIP Report, please do ask those questions of her now so that she can best address them. When she's finished, then I'll take over and answer your questions about other matters at that time. So with that, I'll hand it over to Ambassador Coppedge. Thank you so much for joining us. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Thank you. MS NAUERT: Let me move this for you so you don't have to -- AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Thank you. Good afternoon, although I've lost all track of time today. It's been quite busy. Thank you, Heather. Thank you very much. This morning, Secretary Tillerson released the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report, a reflection of global leadership on this key human rights issue and our principal diagnostic tool to assess government efforts across the three Ps of prosecution, protection, and prevention. The TIP Report is also a symbol of our moral and legal obligation to combat human trafficking and is in keeping with our country's historical commitment to advancing human dignity and freedom around the world. This year's TIP Report I brought a copy; I'm sure you'll all want one emphasizes that governments must do everything in their power to hold traffickers accountable, from passing and enforcing tough anti-trafficking laws to prosecuting complicit officials who betray the public trust and profit from the suffering of others. As the Secretary said this morning, the complicity and corruption that facilitates human trafficking must end. Justice must be served both to deter potential traffickers but also to restore the dignity of survivors. To accomplish this, governments needs to speed up the delivery of justice while respecting due process, impose adequate terms of imprisonment commensurate with the heinous nature of the crime, and prosecute all criminally culpable parties and intermediaries. Trafficking in persons is a hidden crime rooted in deception. Victims are coerced or intimidated into silence, and they often fear that if they do come forward they will be punished. When governments enact and enforce strong, comprehensive anti-trafficking laws, they send an unmistakable message to criminals: We will not tolerate this. Traffickers, not their victims, should and will face punishment. This morning, the Secretary highlighted some positive examples of government action to hold human traffickers accountable, and we commend these and other governments that take up difficult cases and prosecute them to the end. But with more than 20 million estimated trafficking victims globally, prosecutions are still inadequate given the scale of the problem, and we all have more work to do. Here are a few quick statistics from this year's report. Of the 187 countries assessed under the minimum standards, 36 countries were placed on Tier One, 80 on Tier Two, 45 were placed on the Tier Two Watch List, and 23 countries were on Tier Three. In all, there were 21 downgrades, meaning a country moved down a level, and 27 upgrades. But no matter the tier, every country, even those on Tier One, should do more to combat trafficking. Tier One countries only meet the minimum standards to address trafficking, which is why the TIP Report offers recommendations for Tier One countries as well as others. A key concern for many countries is a failure to impose sentences for traffickers that are sufficient to deter the criminal activity or reflect the nature of the crime. We still see instances of government officials protecting brothels, taking bribes from traffickers, and obstructing investigations for profit, and while we still see governments criminalize and penalize victims for crimes their traffickers force them to commit. This is why we continue to use the Trafficking in Persons Report as an instrument in diplomacy, a means to effect global change and motivate tangible progress around the world. We hope it will continue to prompt foreign governments to enact legislation, establish national action plans, and implement meaningful anti-trafficking policies and programs. I am very proud of this report, and I am happy to take any questions you might have. Yes. QUESTION: Hi, yes, I'm with Reuters. I wanted to ask about the Child Soldiers Prevention Act list. So Iraq and Burma were taken off the list this year, and Human Rights Watch put out a statement about an hour ago saying that as of even as of last week there were children that were part of Burma's armed forces, and in Iraq children have died fighting the Islamic State along with Iraqi Government units, meaning that both of those governments are still complicit in the use of child soldiers. I'm just wondering, what is the reasoning for taking those countries off the list? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So the State Department will continue to monitor and report on the recruitment and use of child soldiers and will continue to engage the governments of Iraq and Burma on this issue. And in the report narrative, for example, for Iraq, we recognize that children remain highly vulnerable to forcible recruitment and use by armed groups, including ISIS, the Popular Mobilization Forces or PMF, tribal forces, and the Kurdistan Workers' Party. We are also concerned as well in the trafficking report about what happens to those children when they are recovered and make sure that governments continue to provide services for those individuals when they are released from military forces. Similarly, with respect to Burma, we continue to remain concerned that that government's response to past instances of child soldiering the government has punished some military officers who engaged in the unlawful recruitment of child soldiers, but these punishments were not sufficiently stringent. They were more administrative than they were criminal sanctions. And I was able to directly raise this point with the government officials while traveling to Burma in December. The 2017 report urges the Burmese Government to cease official involvement in compelling civilians to perform any type of forced labor, to reform the military's self-reliance policy and others that drive the demand for forced labor, and to look at child soldier conscription, and then again, when children are removed from the military to work on reintegrating them into society. So the narratives for those countries accurately and factually report what happened in those countries during the reporting period which ended March 30th of 2017. QUESTION: But do you see any improvement? I mean, is there what's the justification for then removing if there are all these continued concerns, what's the justification for removing them from that list? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So we look at various factors under the minimum standards when determining a tier ranking for those countries, and that analysis is reflected in the report. So certainly for these countries, we talk about areas where improvements need to be made, but Burma has made significant strides in removing children from military service. Yes, ma'am. QUESTION: Thanks. China obviously responded with some displeasure, calling it irresponsible. So what effect do you expect this to have on working with China on North Korea, and is it possible that it might actually have the opposite effect? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Well, we have to continue working with all governments that are ranked in the report, and sometimes there is initial displeasure with that ranking. However, the report is seen worldwide as a real factual and accurate analysis of what's going on in countries such as China, and there are recommendations for China as there are for other ranked countries Tier Two and Tier Two Watch List as well. And so all countries have recommendations, including the United States. We certainly look at ourselves as well and talk about areas where progress can be made and hope to continue those good working relationships diplomatically. QUESTION: So what expectation do you have that this will be a positive pleasure pressure that will spur them to act in the way that the U.S. wants them to do towards North Korea? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So the Trafficking Victim Protection Act sets out these minimum standards and the analysis that officials in the State Department are to use, and this is done by people in the field at our embassies as well as here. So we don't consider whether it's going to be positive or negative. We want to be truthful and accurate, and we certainly hope to continue our diplomatic engagement. Historically, we have heard that this report does make a difference. When I travel, I meet with senior government officials who want to do more to address this issue and want to do more to improve their ranking. And so I hope that internal pressure on a country as well as diplomatic pressure from other nations will continue to be an impetus for change. QUESTION: Can I ask a question on (inaudible)? QUESTION: What was it that what was it that tipped the edge tipped the edge for China? Because it's been on the Two Watch List for a while, and according to reports there was some pressure other years to put it down to three. Was it the North Korean forced labor? Because that's what Secretary Tillerson decided to emphasize in his remarks. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Secretary Tillerson did highlight the concerns with forced labor with respect to North Korea, but there are other forced labor concerns in China as well. There have been NGO reports that indicate there is still government complicity with respect to drug rehabilitation facilities where individuals continue to be detained without judicial process. Human rights organizations and media continue to report that local officials in western China coerced Uighur men and women to participate in forced labor outside that province there. And then despite the local government issuing a decree in early 2017, that practice has not ceased. Last, international media and the ILO report that children in some work-study programs supported by local governments and schools are forced to work in factories. So forced labor in China is not one-dimensional. QUESTION: One more on China. I'm Felicia Schwartz with The Wall Street Journal. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Thank you. QUESTION: So in terms of just to follow up on Barbara's question, in terms of one thing tipping the scale, I guess. You listed several things that are of concern, but did one of them tip the scale? And then in general, was downgrading China part of a broader strategy on China or is this just happening in the context of this relationship without a connection? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So it's hard to say that any one thing for any one country will tip the scale, because there are so many minimum standards we look at. We look at whether the law is comprehensive. In China, for children under 18, it appears that Chinese law does not require or does require force, fraud, and coercion, which is an international standard for those over 18. Children under 18 who are placed in sex trafficking should automatically be viewed as victims, because they are not consenting based on their age. So there's a concern about the law there. There's a concern about victim services in China as well, that once individuals are identified they're not screened for trafficking indicators, they aren't provided the services they need, and they aren't assisted with reintegration into society. So there are many factors that go into any country's ultimate tier ranking. QUESTION: Question on child brides? QUESTION: And then anything about the broader relationship, about downgrading China this year to pressure them in any way? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So the minimum standards that are in the law don't really allow for consideration of strategic relationships or other factors. Yes. QUESTION: Can I question on child brides. My name's Said Arikat from Al Quds daily newspaper. About child brides, especially Syrian refugees on the side of the Jordan border in the Zaatari camp in particular and in Lebanon as well, where girls as young as 13 and 14 are married off to wealthy, middle-aged men from the Gulf region and so on. And it seems to be sanctioned by both the Jordanian Government or the Lebanese Government and the clerics. I wonder what you're doing about that. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Certainly if there's -- QUESTION: And the UN. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Certainly if there are instances of sex trafficking with respect to forced marriage, that is recounted in the report. Forced marriage is one of those truly horrible issues that may not, however, always be trafficking. It can be that you're forced into marriage without the continued exploitation via force, fraud, and coercion. But we do look at forced marriage as a component of sex trafficking in cases where it's indicated. Yes, ma'am. QUESTION: Patty Culhane, Al Jazeera English. What will be the real-world impact of China being put in this tier? Will the sanctions, cultural programs how will we see an impact? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So there are restrictions that can come with a Tier Three ranking. We have a 90-day process to put that into place and the White House makes the final determination on those restrictions, so we don't yet know. QUESTION: Are you aware of any time that sanctions have been imposed, that a president since has imposed sanctions on a country for being in Tier Three? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: I've been in the office for two years, and last year there were partial restrictions that were imposed is my understanding. QUESTION: On which countries? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: I can't recall right now. We can get back to you on that. QUESTION: I'm with The Washington Post. Some of the human rights groups have said that some of the current policies, such as putting an end to sanctuary cities, might make it more difficult for the U.S. to remain on Tier One next year. Is I'm just pulling that one out, just to be straightforward about it. Is that a realistic possibility, that something like ending sanctuary cities could cause the U.S. ranking to take a hit? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: So one of the vulnerabilities that the report addresses worldwide is individuals who are in a country unlawfully and may not have access to documentation or lawful work. That then makes them more vulnerable to traffickers, who can then impose upon them work requirements that could lead to forced labor and labor trafficking. And so it certainly is a concern globally how to address and how to screen for indicators among those who might not be in a country lawfully to see if they are, in fact, victims of trafficking. And here in the U.S., if that is found to be the case, that someone is here unlawfully but is a victim of trafficking, they are allowed to apply for a T visa, and that T visa allows them to stay and work with the prosecution in their case and to move forward. And one of the messages while I have been in this office is has been that we really need to focus on not criminalizing victims who are committing crimes due to the situation of being trafficked for example, the trafficker brings them across the border or the trafficker puts them into employment or the trafficker puts them into prostitution. These are crimes in this country, but the victim is not the one perpetrating the crime, it's the trafficker. MS NAUERT: Last question. QUESTION: This may be a question for DHS, but how if you've been deported, how do you apply for a T visa? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: You can still apply for a T visa with the Department of Homeland Security. In fact, I had a victim in a trafficking case who was back in Central America, and we needed to bring her here to testify, and she received a T visa for that. QUESTION: Who had been deported for being here illegally? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: She had been deported. Yes. Yes, ma'am. QUESTION: And she has come back and testified? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: She did. She was able to obtain a T visa from abroad. Yes, ma'am. QUESTION: So last year, China actually was given a waiver to stay on the Tier Two Watch List. Can you speak a little bit to whether that was considered in this particular year or kind of generally speaking how the department considers whether or not to issue a waiver? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Sure. So for two years, a country can be on the Watch List without a waiver. And then for two years a waiver is required to remain on the Watch List. And to be eligible for that waiver, a country must submit a national action plan that if it were fully funded would lead toward significant efforts to eliminate trafficking. So that decision is made every year that a country needs that waiver. So it didn't impact this year's decision. We analyzed the minimum standards and made a determination that China was not making significant efforts and therefore belonged on Tier Three. QUESTION: Did they issue an action plan or send you an action plan, China specifically? AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: I don't recall. MS NAUERT: Thanks, everybody. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Thank you. MS NAUERT: That's all the ambassador has time for. QUESTION: Thank you. AMBASSADOR COPPEDGE: Thank you all. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Upcoming Cyprus Conference 'a unique opportunity,' says UN negotiator 27 June 2017 A fresh round of talks on Cyprus will last "as long as it takes," but there are no guarantees of success, the United Nations negotiator facilitating the process said today. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Espen Barth Eide, the UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, said that the reconvening of the Conference is "not the last chance" but the "the best chance" of reaching an agreement between Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots. "It is a unique opportunity, and it would be extremely sad if it was wasted [] and I think frankly that's recognized by all participants." He highlighted however that sticking points remain between the delegations as they prepared to meet tomorrow in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland. "Make no mistake; it's not going to be easy," he said, explaining that the he and Secretary-General and will "do our utmost" to help. So would the Security Council which has remained "very united" throughout the process, so would the [European Union], which is lending extremely important and productive support, and so would the international financial institutions which are directly involved. "But none of us can do it for the participants, they have to take the responsibility and try to make the best out of what I see is a unique opportunity," Mr. Eide underscored. After decades of division in Cyprus dating back to 1974, the UN envoy said that this was the "best chance" for successful talks and not the last chance, despite the "risks" and the "tense situation" on the Mediterranean island. There are six main topics up for discussion; they include new territorial boundaries, power-sharing and the economy. Agreement has been found on most of these so-called 'chapters,' broadly, and concrete progress achieved, Mr Eide said. The Turkish-Cypriot delegation had assented to what he called a "significant return of territory" to the Greek-Cypriots, and both sides had also exchanged maps in Geneva in January an historic first, the UN negotiator told journalists. Nonetheless, Mr. Eide said that the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot positions still diverge on the issue of security and guarantees. "What I'm saying is that on these five chapters, we have made substantive process, on the issue which is most complicated right now and very much in focus now and by the guarantors Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom and others who will be present, is the security and guarantees chapter; that's where the sides are so far opposed," he said. "But they have also told each other and the world many times that are trying to seek a common vision also on that chapter, and that is what we are trying to do," said Mr. Eide, insisting that this shared viewpoint is something only the Greek-Cypriots and the Turkish-Cypriots could do by talking together. The UN would be there to help both sides find common ground, he said, so that an agreement owned by the people of Cyprus could prevail. In a statement issued in New York, the Secretary-General picked up that thread saying that welcomed the reconvening of the Cyprus Conference and that the "the opportunity for the reunification of Cyprus is now finally before us." Calling on all concerned players to seize this opportunity, "for Cyprus first and foremost, but also for the wider Eastern Mediterranean region," Mr. Guterres reiterated his steadfast commitment to supporting this effort. "I urge all participants to demonstrate the will and leadership required to conclude a comprehensive settlement," he concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Sends Fresh Troops to Afghanistan as Policy Debate Continues By VOA News June 27, 2017 The Army is deploying about 1,500 soldiers to Afghanistan this week, but U.S. officials say the troop movement is not part of any increase in forces in the war zone. Troops of the 82nd Airborne Division began leaving Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Tuesday. A U.S. military official told VOA the troops will be assigned to duty in Kabul, Kandahar and Helmand provinces, in addition to areas in the east and north of Afghanistan. General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been in Afghanistan this week for meetings with Afghan and American officials as well as coalition leaders and troops. The Marine general is said to be working on the final elements of a military strategy that will include expanding the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan by nearly 4,000 soldiers. Joe Buccino, an Army spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division, said the troops leaving Fort Bragg this week are replacing a unit of the 101st Airborne Division, a regular movement to keep fresh units in the field. President Donald Trump's administration has been considering how many additional troops to send to Afghanistan. 'Not winning' in Afghanistan Defense Secretary James Mattis told Congress two weeks ago that the United States and its NATO allies "are not winning" the fight against extremist insurgents in Afghanistan, and that a new strategy is needed. U.S. forces are helping Afghan government forces resist incursions by the Taliban as well as the Islamic State group. "We will correct this as soon as possible," Mattis said, promising members of the Senate Armed Services Committee he would provide details of the new U.S. direction in Afghanistan by mid-July. Mattis is off to Brussels on Thursday to consult with other members of the NATO alliance about troop contributions and other support in Afghanistan. No matter what decision the Pentagon chief announces next month on how many more American troops to send to help defend the Kabul government, the strategy will still rely on Afghan forces taking the lead role in providing security around the country, analysts and U.S. officials have said. Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution suggests the Trump administration's strategy will not depart significantly from former President Barack Obama's Afghanistan policy. "Mattis and Trump are just repairing a mistake, in effect, that I think President Obama made," O'Hanlon told VOA. And they are, he added, "more properly carrying out Obama's own strategy than Obama did himself." The mistake Obama made, according to the veteran analyst, was in reducing U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan from about 100,000 in May 2011 to less than 10,000 over a four-year span. "That was probably too fast and too low," O'Hanlon told VOA. "So by restoring just a few thousand more [troops], I think we can get advisers out in the field with some of the key Afghan units and, hopefully, really stabilize the situation." VOA's Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tillerson Meets Qatari FM on Persian Gulf Crisis By VOA News June 27, 2017 U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson meets in Washington Tuesday with Qatari's foreign minister, three weeks after Saudi Arabia and other Arab states imposed trade and diplomatic embargoes on the oil-rich American ally. Tillerson's State Department meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani comes days after Qatar rejected demands that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates had made in return for lifting their sanctions against the small monarchy on the Arabian Peninsula. The four Arab countries said they would not normalize relations until Qatar complied with 13 demands, among them cooling its relations with Iran and closing the Qatari-state-funded Al Jazeera news network. The Saudi-led group suspended all relations after accusing Qatar of supporting extremist groups and destabilizing the region. Qatar has denied all such claims. Tillerson has called for dialogue among the Gulf states as the best way to try to reach a diplomatic solution to their dispute. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert recently questioned whether Qatar's alleged support for terrorist groups is the real reason for the embargoes. In addition to severing diplomatic relations, the four countries have closed their airspace to Qatari airlines and blocked its only land border, a vital route for food imports. Tillerson is tasked with balancing U.S. interests in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in particular. The Trump administration is hoping to close business and investment deals with the Saudis worth more than $350 billion, while the biggest U.S. military base in the region, Al Udeid Air Base, is in Qatar. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mattis Salutes NATO Collective Security During Marshall Center Speech By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the United States will continue to build on the legacy of George C. Marshall and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to NATO's system of collective defense during his speech today at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. "The U.S. commitment to our NATO Article 5 security guarantee is ironclad," Mattis said during his speech, part of an event marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Marshall Plan a plan that saved millions of Europeans from starvation and Soviet domination. Under Article 5, an attack on one NATO partner nation is considered an attack on all. The Marshall Plan initiative, named after American statesman and soldier George C. Marshall, provided more than $13 billion in economic support to help rebuild western European economies after the end of World War II. George C. Marshall: U.S. Statesman, Soldier Marshall was born on Dec. 31, 1880, and died on Oct. 16, 1959. He was commissioned an Army officer out of the Virginia Military Institute and fought in World War I. He served in the Army through the 1920s and saw the effects of the Great Depression on his countrymen. Nazi Germany invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, beginning the European portion of World War II. Marshall became Army chief of staff the same day. He was one of the architects of victory in the war, building and deploying a 10-million-man Army that worked in conjunction with the Allies to defeat dictatorships that brought untold suffering to the world. After Marshall left active duty, he served as the Secretary of State, and in that capacity he proposed his Marshall Plan, which he announced during a commencement speech at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1947. The war had ravaged Europe. Fully 14 percent of the pre-war population was dead or displaced, Mattis noted. "Our nations experienced the horrors that can happen when freedom is imperiled, when peaceful pursuits of civilized life are suspended, when deterrence fails and our societies are engulfed in total war," the secretary said. Under the plan, the United States spent $13 billion to feed the continent and invest in building the economies of these shattered nations so they could provide for their citizens. Marshall's vision saw a Europe that was "a peaceful, industrious, and prosperous continent, free from tyranny, possessing the military strength to defend itself from aggression," Mattis said. Security in Europe But it was more. It was the American realization that security in Europe -- indeed around the world -- was in the country's best interests. "Longing for a safer future, the Greatest Generation saw their own security in the security of others, the secretary said. "They had the courage to recognize all collective efforts had to be taken to avoid repeating mistakes that open the door to war." He added, "And, should freedom be threatened and war truly unavoidable, then all efforts must be taken to bring war to a decisive end as swiftly as possible." The post-World War II generation saw the need for collective defense; they saw the need to work with allies, and they saw the interconnected aspects of diplomacy, economics and military power to shape the world, Mattis said. "Marshall knew history swings on a hinge," the defense secretary said. "The Marshall Plan permitted hundreds of millions to keep their humanity, confident of basic social order: food, security, rule of law and essential political freedom." By 1967, the per capita gross domestic product of Britain, France, Italy and Germany had more than doubled, he noted. European Partnership, Leadership The plan required European partnership and leadership -- it could not be imposed by the United States or international organizations, Mattis said. And they did, building on the Marshall Plan to create the institutions that have underwritten stability and peace in Europe since World War II, the defense secretary said. "Europe transformed from a security consumer into a security provider, something Marshall ardently desired, for he never envisioned that America would carry this burden alone," Mattis said. "He knew from experience it had to be shared, both its benefits and its burdens." In the 72 years since the end of World War II, America's European allies have contributed to large-scale, U.S.-led global operations, he said. "At peak contributions, 39,000 allies fought with the United States in Afghanistan, and 59,000 allies fought with us in Iraq," Mattis said. "We must not allow the years passed since 1947 to blind us to reality. For those of us who grew up with freedom from fear, starvation and the burden of world war, we cannot turn away from our responsibility to pass these same freedoms intact to the next generation." Berlin Airlift Shared history and commitment mean something, the secretary said, and spoke of the solidarity of the allies when the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin in 1948. He spoke of the sacrifice of a young U.S. Air Force officer -- Capt. Billy Phelps -- who died when his plane crashed delivering food and coal to the beleaguered city. "A German boy named Wolfgang Samuel saw it happen," Mattis said. "Wolfgang wrote that Phelps' plane, 'Fell like a rock out of the sky.'" The two American pilots were killed, the secretary said. "And then, the child had a flash of insight: 'Only three years ago they were fighting against my country, and now they were dying for us. I wondered what made these people do the things they did?'" Mattis said. He added, "Captain Phelps knew he owed future generations the same freedom he had. And, what young Wolfgang, a little German kid, saw that cold December night in 1948 we can see -- clearly -- today in 2017: We can see foreigners putting their lives on the line for others; whether Captain Billy Phelps of the Berlin Airlift, or the men and women of NATO's enhanced forward presence." European Reassurance Initiative The secretary mentioned the U.S. commitment to the European Reassurance Initiative, which grew to $4.8 billion in the fiscal 2018 budget request and the continuation of the U.S. participation in NATO's forward presence through 2020. "Beyond any words in the newspapers, you can judge America by such actions," he said. "This is who we are. We -- America, Germany, Europe, the West -- we risk life so a child in Berlin can eat; we hunt terrorists in the dark so they cannot murder innocents at concerts. Our nations stand together, democratic islands of stability in a world awash with change." The Marshall Center's faculty, staff, students and alumni carry the legacy of this center's namesake, Mattis said. "For you students, when you return home, you have a golden opportunity to operate history's hinge to close the door to war, exercising your moral authority and your generation's responsibility to protect freedom," he said. "Western values -- respect for a rules-based international order and for national sovereignty, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the dignity of the human person are worth defending." Those values are under attack on the continent. Russia is trying to assert itself to undermine the goal of a continent whole, free and at peace, the secretary said. Relations With Russia "The United States seeks to engage with Russia. So does the NATO alliance," he said. "But Russia must know both what we stand for and, equally, what we will not tolerate: we stand for freedom and we will never surrender the freedom of our people or the values of our alliance that we hold dear." The secretary said there are millions of discouraged people in Russia in need of inspiration. "Their leader making mischief beyond Russian borders will not restore their fortunes or rekindle their hope," he said. While the NATO allies will meet aggression with determination, deterrence and purpose, the alliance will leave the door open for a Russia that changes its stripes and "honors its people enough to abide by international law and so win for them the peace we all offer," Mattis said. NATO is doing its part, he said, deploying troops to the frontline states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to demonstrate the alliance's resolve. "This is a profound example of a united NATO," Mattis said. "Our alliance has long been a stabilizing force in Europe. It helps preserve the rules-based international order. And it serves to keep the peace and defend the shared values that grew out of the enlightenment." The world is at another hinge of history, Mattis said. "Our hands rest purposefully on history's door and it depends on us to push it in the right direction," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ohio National Guard Strengthens Partnership with Allied Nations By Senior Master Sgt. Beth Holliker June 28, 2017 As part of the National Guard's State Partnership Program, the Ohio National Guard deployed to Kecskemet Air Base in Hungary to participate in a Hungarian-led, multinational, air-to-air and air-to-ground exercise, Load Diffuser 17, May 24 through June 9, 2017. Approximately 200 members of the 180th Fighter Wing, 179th Airlift Wing and 107th Calvary Regiment joined forces joined forces with an additional 200 military members from six allied and partner nations and 10 different airframes from throughout Europe for the two-week exercise, to include Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and the United States. Load Diffuser 17, the largest Hungarian-led, large-force integration exercise, to-date, in the country's history, took more than a year to plan and four planning meetings at the Hungarian Air Base with both Ohio National Guard and the Hungarian Air Force mission planners. Though the last Load Diffuser took place seven years ago, when the Ohio National Guard's 178th Fighter Wing participated in the exercise, the U.S. has maintained a positive relationship with the Hungarian military for more than 20 years, recently supporting several other integrated training exercises, including a Heavy Airlift Wing partnership at Papa Air Base, Hungary; a bilateral KC-135 air refueling training event in June, 2015, an F-15 Eagle fighter jet training event in September, 2015, at Kecskemet Air Base; and an F-16 Fighting Falcon training exercise at Papa Air Base in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The Ohio National Guard and Hungary began their partnership in 1993 as part of the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, linking the unique capabilities of the National Guard with the armed forces of allied nations. Ohio was specifically partnered with Hungary because of the high population of citizens with Hungarian ancestry in addition to the vastly similar geographical characteristics of both regions. By connecting a state's National Guard with a partner nation's military, both build cooperative, mutually beneficial relationships, focused on enhancing capabilities and readiness, and a stronger commitment to the collective defense and security of Europe through combined operations and interoperability. Multinational training exercises like Load Diffuser 17 allow both the U.S. Air Force and participating NATO allied and partner militaries to hone joint warfighting capabilities through operational training while building successful and progressive relationships leading to tangible and mutual benefits during peacetime, contingencies and crises through regional security and coalition operations. "Here at Exercise Load Diffuser, we have touched every mission in the air domain, from interdiction, to air superiority, to strike, to surveillance, to airlift, and to command and control," said Gen. Tod Wolters, commander of United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. "And what we know after this exercise is that each and every one of our maintainers, operators and mission supporters will be much more capable in their ability to defend the nation and the cause." Wolters, along with several other senior military and government officials from the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, U.S. Air Force, Hungarian Defence Forces and Ohio National Guard, visited the air base throughout the exercise, underscoring the impact multinational exercises, such as Load Diffuser, have on the enhancement of joint readiness and interoperability. Highlighting the strong friendship between the U.S. and Hungary, Wolters touted that U.S. Air Force participation in the exercise was made possible by the Total Force team of the Ohio National Guard. "The Ohio National Guard has been the state partner with Hungary for more than two decades," said Wolters. "I am pleased that the Ohio Guard's six F-16s and two C-130s could deploy here to engage with our NATO allies, support defense security goals and take advantage of these valuable training opportunities." The Air National Guard has long provided critical support throughout the USAFE-AFAFRICA region and areas of operation by deploying and interacting with a variety of nations in combined exercises that strive to enhance capabilities and skills among allied and partner air forces. Participation in multinational exercises improves overall coordination with allies and partner militaries, helps to ensure interoperability and enables our European allies and partners to globally deploy their forces alongside the U.S. It is exercises like these that are the key to maintaining joint readiness and reassuring our regional allies and partners. "Exercise Load Diffuser is emblematic of what it takes to have a functional and effective defense alliance," said Mr. David J. Kostelancik, Charge d'Affaires, U.S. Embassy in Budapest. "Behind all of the ideas and planning and agreements and discussions and paperwork, it comes down to talented, committed men and women in uniform who will reach across language, cultural and historic divides and do the difficult work of communicating, coordinating and solving problems, and that's what we see here today." Along with the rare chance to interact with foreign militaries, Load Diffuser 17 also provided the opportunity to conduct force integration sorties, training with dissimilar aircraft, such as the Hungarian and Czech Republic JAS 39 Gripens, Slovenian PC-9 Swift, Croatian Mi-17 HIP Helicopter, the L-39 Albatros and L-159 Atlas from the Czech Republic, and U.S. C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. Training with dissimilar aircraft allows allies and partner militaries to work together on mastering combat tactics and operational-level campaigns in a controlled, strategic, advanced and realistic environment. "Conducting these realistic training missions in this environment was an intentional aspect specifically built into the exercise to help pilots and mission planners learn to overcome the obstacles they would face in a real-world coalition effort, such as language barriers and differences in operational procedures," said Lt. Col. Greg Barasch, 112th Fighter Squadron Commander and deployed detachment commander. "Many of the issues can be easily resolved from using brevity words, short phrases used by pilots to communicate information contributing to the ability to successful execution of world-wide deployments and coalition missions." Throughout the exercise, the Ohio National Guard's F-16s and C-130s flew 125 missions totaling 147 flying hours training in simulated combat missions with a high number of allied aircraft attacking or defending against a high number of adversary aircraft and ground targets. Flying a variety of missions to include basic fighter maneuvers, air combat maneuvers, defensive counter air, close air support, strike coordination and reconnaissance, rescue efforts and airlift missions, this exercise honed vital readiness skills by enhancing multilateral air operations, and promoting stability and security throughout the European region. Not only that, this training provided the strategic agility needed to fight against a formidable and aggressive adversary by training as they would integrate to maintain air superiority and conduct offensive and defensive tactics in combat situations. "We demonstrated the capability to operate in a complex, multinational environment with precise execution," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Markovich, Commander, Ohio Air National Guard. "We must have a deep bench of Airmen with first-hand experience operating in these types of environments with different regional partners. This type of exercise builds confidence, identifies opportunities for improvement and creates trust between partners." "Our ability to manage the challenges of today's dynamic security environment hinges on how well we work together," said Wolters. "Load Diffuser is an opportunity for allies to learn from each other and recognize the unique strengths each nation brings to the fight and it highlighted that our greatest strength is working together." This exercise is supported by the European Reassurance Initiative, which enables the U. S. to further support the defense and security of NATO allies and to bolster the security and capacity of U.S. partners. Our persistent, rotational presence in Central and Eastern Europe is fully in line with our international commitments and agreements, and a visible sign of our commitment to collective defense. "The participation of six NATO allies in this exercise proves that we are stronger together than we could ever be by ourselves," said Wolters. Throughout the past 20 years, the National Guard's State Partnership Program has built 79 partnerships with allied nations around the world. The partnerships have cultivated unique cultural exchange experiences, provided valuable training opportunities and improved international relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India should immediately retreat the border troops that illegally entered into China: Foreign Ministry People's Daily Online (People's Daily Online) 08:43, June 28, 2017 China has taken necessary and emergency measures in response to the Indian border troops crossing into the Chinese territory at the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang told a press briefing on Tuesday. The Indian government has been informed of the matter through the diplomatic channel, Lu said. "The Indian side should take necessary measures to alleviate the tension caused by their border troops' illegal entry, and create conditions for their pilgrims' travel to Xi Zang via the Nathu-la pass," Lu told reporters on what could come next. There is solid legal evidence to support the delimitation of the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary. It is stated in article one of the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet (1890) that "the boundary of Sikkim and Tibet shall be the crest of the mountain range separating the waters flowing into the Sikkim Teesta and its affluents from the waters flowing into the Tibetan Mochu and northwards into other rivers of Tibet. The line commences at Mount Gipmochi on the Bhutan frontier, and follows the above-mentioned water-parting to the point where it meets Nepal territory." It is without any doubt that the spot where the Indian border troops trespassed is on the Chinese side of the boundary. Both China and the successive Indian governments recognize that the Sikkim section has been delimited. It has been confirmed by the Indian leader, the relevant Indian government document and the Indian delegation at the special representatives' meeting with China on the boundary question that India and China share common view on the 1890 convention's stipulation on the boundary alignment at the Sikkim section. To observe the relevant convention and document is the inescapable international obligation of the Indian side. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Qatar denounces Saudi refusal to negotiate demands Iran Press TV Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:19PM Qatar has denounced Saudi Arabia for its refusal to negotiate the demands presented by the kingdom and three of its allies to end the diplomatic row with the emirate. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable. He was speaking from Washington, where he met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday. "This is contrary to the principles that govern international relations because you can't just present lists of demands and refuse to negotiate," Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published in Doha. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain all cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, after officially accusing it of "sponsoring terrorism." Shortly after that, the Saudi-led bloc of states issued a list of demands for Qatar to meet in return for a normalization of ties. Among them was that Qatar sever ties with Iran. Doha was also asked to close down Al Jazeera, a media network that has reportedly been critical of the absolute monarchy in Saudi Arabia, shut a Turkish military base, and pay up "compensation" for "damages" from purported terror sponsorship. Qatar was given 10 days, as of June 23, to meet those demands. On Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Arab states' demands from Qatar are non-negotiable. The United Arab Emirates also warned that Qatar should take the demands of its neighbors seriously or face "divorce" from them. "The hour of truth is near," UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said on his Twitter account. "It's time for our brother (Qatar) to choose... honesty and transparency and to realize that media furore and ideological heroism are illusions." "We have long suffered (Qatar's) conspiracy against our stability and witnessed its support for ideologies that aim to sow chaos in the Arab world. Enough. Return to reason," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. House Votes 423-4 To Reaffirm NATO's Mutual-Defense Guarantee June 28, 2017 The U.S. House of Representatives has voted nearly unanimously to reaffirm NATO's guarantee that all members defend each other, weeks after President Donald Trump raised doubts about U.S. support for that guarantee. The House, which is controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans, voted 423-4 on June 27 for a resolution "solemnly reaffirming" the U.S. commitment to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It also called for every NATO member to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense by 2024 -- an issue that Trump has pressed on allies, most of whom fall short of that goal. During a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels in May, Trump did not mention whether he supported NATO's mutual-defense guarantee, rattling allies. Instead, he demanded that member states pay more for their own defense. Trump later said he backed the mutual-defense agreement, and other senior administration officials rushed to express U.S. support. "With all the threats we and our partners face around the globe, a strong and secure NATO is more important than ever before," said House Speaker Paul Ryan, who co-sponsored the House resolution with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-votes-423 -4-reaffirm-nato-mutual-defense-guarantee- trump-brussels/28582940.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Chief Sees Continued Rise In Defense Spending Across Allies RFE/RL June 28, 2017 NATO allies -- with the exception of the United States -- will increase defense spending by 4.3 percent this year, marking a cumulative $46 billion increase since 2014, the alliance's chief says. "After years of decline, in 2015 we saw a real increase in defense spending across European allies and Canada," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels on June 28. "In 2016, this continued, and this year, in 2017, we foresee an even greater annual real increase of 4.3 percent. That is three consecutive years of accelerating defense spending," Stoltenberg told a news conference, one day before NATO defense ministers meet to discuss greater military expenditures. "This means, over the last three years, European allies and Canada spent almost $46 billion more on defense," he said. NATO sets a goal of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense for each member, but only the United States, Britain, Estonia, Greece, and Poland now meet that guideline, leaving the United States shouldering about 70 percent of the alliance's expenditures. During a meeting with EU leaders in Brussels on May 26, U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized many NATO members for failing to meet military spending targets. Stoltenberg said that the alliance expects three other member states to reach the 2 percent threshold this year and in 2018. "Last year, five allies met NATO's benchmark of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense. This year, we expect Romania to join them and in 2018, Latvia and Lithuania will spend 2 percent of GDP on defense as well," he said. Twenty-five of NATO's 29 allies plan to lift spending this year, Stoltenberg said, ahead of a June 29 meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. NATO officials have said that while Trump's tough stance had put pressure on member states to spend more on defense, Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014 had a bigger impact, with allies agreeing to end years of defense cuts. Stoltenberg also said that several days ago, four multinational NATO battle groups in the three Baltic countries and Poland became fully operational, which he called a "historic achievement." NATO defense ministers will also discuss the future of the alliance's mission to Afghanistan during their meeting in Brussels, Stoltenberg said. NATO ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in December 2014, and the withdrawal of foreign troops led to a deteriorating security situation in the country. NATO countries currently have some 13,450 troops in Afghanistan, including 8,400 U.S. military personnel, who are mainly training the Afghan armed forces. "We are not planning to go back to combat operations but we are looking into the exact troop level in our train, assist, and advice mission," Stoltenberg said, adding that NATO allies were "particularly looking into how we can train more special operation forces in Afghanistan." U.S. media report that the Trump's administration is weighing sending another 3,000 to 5,000 troops to Afghanistan in order to break what Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has called a "stalemate" between government forces and the Taliban. With additional reporting by Reuters, AFP, dpa, and Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato- stoltenberg-europe-canada-raise- defense-spending/28583444.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Perpetrators of Helicopter Attack in Venezuela Demand Maduro's Resignation Sputnik News 07:52 28.06.2017 The group of people who perpetrated the attack on Venezuelan Supreme Court demanded immediate resignation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and general elections. MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Venezuelan Communication and Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said that a hijacked helicopter of the police investigative agency, known as CICPC, attacked the buildings housing the country's Supreme Court and Interior Ministry. Local media said Oscar Perez, who used to serve in the CICPC, piloted the helicopter during the attack. "Nicolas Maduro Moros, we demand your and your ministers' immediate resignation and immediate announcement of general elections," Perez said in a video address, published simultaneously with the attack on the Supreme Court. Perez noted that he along with his supporters wanted to return the power to the people and restore the constitutional order. The number of Perez's supporters, who he calls nationalists and patriots, is unclear to date. Maduro labeled the helicopter attack as an act of terrorism and pledged to catch the perpetrators. Venezuela entered into turbulent times in January 2016, when a new legislature was elected and relations between Maduro and the parliament became strained. In October, the National Assembly voted to initiate impeachment proceedings against Maduro. In January 2017, the parliament declared that Maduro abandoned his post as result of refusing to carry out his duties. The Supreme Court of Justice, however, stated that the National Assembly does not have the constitutional powers to declare abandonment. Maduro classified the parliament's actions as a coup attempt. In late March, the Venezuelan Supreme Court decided to restrict the power of the state's National Assembly. The decision was immediately reversed amid backlash, but supporters of the opposition-controlled parliament, who strive for the dismissal of the court members, took to the streets on April 4, marking the start of a of protests, which have claimed at least 75 lives. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haley Tells Congress US Assuming More Assertive Role at UN By Ken Bredemeier June 28, 2017 Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told a congressional panel Wednesday that the United States is now taking a more assertive role at the world body to hold North Korea, Syria, Venezuela and other authoritative regimes accountable. "Our friends and our rivals know that America has once again found its voice at the United Nations," Haley told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "The international community is now very clear about what the U.S. is for and what the U.S. is against." Haley, a former South Carolina governor who has served in the U.N. post for five months, said she successfully pushed the U.N. Security Council to adopt additional measures against North Korea's continued nuclear weapons development and missile tests, while drawing "a red line" against Syria's use of chemical weapons that led President Donald Trump to launch a missile attack against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. "The more pressure we put on North Korea, the better," Haley said. "You are dealing with a paranoid leader [Kim Jong Un] who thinks we are trying to assassinate him. Who thinks we are trying to do regime change. Who keeps his public in the dark, only hearing what he wants them to hear. And what we need to remember is that he is building a nuclear program." On Syria, she said, "I think that by the president calling out Assad, I think by us continuing to remind Iran and Russia that while they choose to back Assad, that this was something we were not going to put up with." She said, "The U.S. mission now refuses to tolerate one of the U.N.'s most disreputable and dangerous habits: obsessive bashing of Israel." She said the U.S. had "steered the Security Council's monthly debate on the Middle East away from unfairly targeting Israel, and toward the true threats in the region, such as Iran and Hamas." Haley said she has "made the case that human rights violations and conflict are directly connected. History has played out that when governments don't respect the rights and voices of the people, conflict will soon follow." Reaction from Democrats The top Democrat on the panel, Congressman Eliot Engel of New York, praised Haley's tenure, saying she had approached the job "with a zest and verve that is very refreshing." But he criticized a call by Trump to cut U.S. funding of the United Nations operations. "My job was to go in and see if I could find value in the U.N.," Haley said about the prospective cut in U.S. funding. "That was the directive all of you gave me, that was the directive the president gave me. There are a lot of places that the U.N. is very effective. There's a lot of fat around the edges, and some abuses that happen at the U.N., but I do think it is very important that we make the most of it." Another Democrat, New York's Gregory Meeks, told Haley that it was "absolutely shocking to me" that Haley said she had not talked with Trump about Russian meddling in last year's election, a key focus on the Washington political scene at the moment. Haley responded that she has told Trump that she accepts the U.S. intelligence community's finding that Russia interfered in the election. But she said the issue had not once come up in her dealings with the world's diplomats at the U.N. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Type 055 Guided Missile Cruiser Type 055 is China's newest generation of guided-missile destroyers, or more properly, guided missile cruiser. The 180-meter-long, 20-meter-wide destroyer will be equipped with 112 vertical launch missile cells capable of launching a combination of surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, land-attack cruise missiles and anti-submarine missiles. It has a displacement greater than 13,000 tons and can fire various kinds of missiles, including China's long-range land-attack cruise missile. Its firepower is thought to be twice that of the Type 052D, the largest and most powerful surface combatant commissioned in the PLA Navy. While the Type 055 is classifed as a destroyer, outside China it would be considered a cruiser as its large size and heavy displacement are comparable to that of the United States' Ticonderoga class cruiser. Li Jie, a senior researcher for the PLA Navy, said the vessel displaces about 13,000 tons. The latest version of the United States' Arleigh Burke class, the largest family of destroyers in the world, has a full displacement of 9,800 tons. South Korea's Sejong the Great class displaces 11,000 tons while Japan's Atago class displaces 10,000 tons. China's new Type 055 guided missile cruiser/ destroyer entered the water at Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard during a launching ceremony on the morning of June 28, 2017. Type 055 is the most advanced surface combatant ship ever built at home. China's increasingly powerful navy launched its most advanced domestically produced destroyer taking a giant stride in building complex naval platforms indigenously at a time of rising competition with other naval powers such as the United States, Japan and Europe. In the 2019 maritime review, the new domestic 10,000-ton destroyer Nanchang ship was first displayed as an active military ship, with the 101 ship number. this ship number was used for the Anshan ship. Now why is it used for the Nanchang ship? some commentators said that this is the watershed of the two navies. If the old 101 Anshan ship opened the "initial version" of the Chinese navy, then the new 101 Nanchang ship opened the Chinese Navy 2.0 era. China's Type 055 destroyer is very roughly analogous to something between the U.S Ticonderoga class cruiser and the Zumwalt class destroyer. It has similar capabilities and size to the Ticonderoga class, but it also packs new technologies that will impact the future of Chinese surface combatant design like the Zumwalt class does. The ship's stealthy exterior and its enclosed sensor mast are situated in between the latest Arleigh Burke class destroyers and the Zumwalt class. Type 55 destroyers use a common vertical launch system that can launch anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, anti-ship missiles, and can also launch land attack cruise missiles. The number of vertical launch units of the 055 may be between the 122 units of the U.S. Ticonderoga cruiser and the 96 units of the "Arleigh Burke" class III, or may slightly exceed the Ticonderoga level of 122 units. A substantial increase in payload will give the Type 055 powerful anti-ship, air defense, anti-missile and anti-submarine combat capability. In contrast, the design of the DDG-1000 in the United States is biased towards land attack capability with obvious weaknesses in air defense. The combat capability of the air defense at sea is weaker than that of Type 055 and the overall combat capability is different. The tonnage of the Arleigh Burke III destroyer is less than that of the Type 055. The emergence of the 055 missile destroyer is a historic turning point for the Chinese navy moving far into the sea. According to the "White Paper on Military Strategy," the strategic positioning of the Chinese navy is the two main lines of coastal defense and distant guard. The mission of far-sea guarding includes not only the protection of the shipping of the Gulf of Aden, but also the protection and control of China's overseas investment, overseas Chinese and important strategic interests. Chinse military experts told reporters that the modern maritime anti-ship operations require more and more various anti-ship missiles of high mobility and rapidity, requiring the ship's air defense system to operate in a relatively short period of time. Surface ships are now vulnerable to multiple attacks on successive attacks. The anti-aircraft capability of surface ships has not only been solved by a good radar or a good anti-aircraft missile, but the tactical functions of modern warships depend on a large amount of electronic technology and weapons systems onboard ships. The Chinese Navy Type 055 large-scale missile destroyer has an overall length of 182.6 meters, a breadth of 20.9 meters, 7.2 meters draft, full load displacement of 13,200 tons. Armament includes 112 units of universal vertical launch system, H/PJ-38 single tube 130 mm naval gun, 1130 short-range defense artillery systems, two triple anti-submarine torpedo launchers,Red Flag 10 short-range air defense missile system, and four 726-4 multi-purpose jamming missile launching system. Electronics include a dual-band phased array radar, integrated mast and integrated radio frequency system. Other features include dual independent helicopter hangars, ship hull sonar system, and a main passive towed sonar system. The Type 055 in the power system will use the latest domestic-made gas turbine, pushing forward the way towrds all-electric propulsion. In the future, the naval weaponry system will be constantly updated and the number will increase constantly. Only with powerful naval power systems can the Navy's future operational requirements be met. Such as the new concept of laser weapons, guns and other weapons in a short period of time need huge energy, which requires the intelligent allocation of the entire ship through the computer power, through the all-electric approach to achieve this change is a revolutionary Chinese Navy improvement. Now that the PLA Navy has the Type 055 destroyer, its comprehensive combat capability will surely be greatly enhanced. Not only will the Navy's traditional anti-ship defense capabilities, anti-aircraft capabilities and anti-submarine capabilities be strengthened, but also its capability of attacking the mainland and the anti-missile capability. This is the succession and development of the existing "China Aegis" ship, which fully shows that Chinse large destroyer have gradually matured. The Type 055 destroyers are among the world's most powerful destroyers, the first Chinese Navy surface warship to displace more than 10,000 tons. The Type 055 destroyer combat mission, compared with the previous Chinese naval destroyers which operated within the island chain or peformed limited break throughs of the island chain to perform combat tasks, should be located in the second island chain. Far at sea and even global strategic services, it can to defend the interests of Chinse waters and combat hostile sea, air and land-based weapons. At the same time, it is also the main surface warship that complements the aircraft carrier combat group, and shoulders very important tasks. Yin Zhuo, a Chinese military expert, said in an interview 08 January 2015 with China Military Online that speculation that the so-called type-055 destroyer will change the rules of the game is just an exaggeration. Yin argued that "the interpretation of the type-055 new missile destroyer by Western media was excessive. Since the World War II, the emergence of nuclear weapons transformed conventional war into nuclear war; the emergence of the aircraft carrier has shifted the leading role in water battle from fleet to aviation personnel. These two forms of weapons have changed the war significantly. At present, relying solely on the destroyer could not change the rules of war. Even the DDG-1000 destroyer of the U.S. cannot change that." To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Navy, the Navy and China Post issued a series of commemorative covers, postcards, commemorative postal stamps, etc. The souvenir cover on the Type 055 destroyer is: the ship is about 180 meters long, the ship is about 23 meters wide, and the standard displacement is more than 11,000 tons. It is equipped with an advanced air-to-sea-to-submarine weapon system. From the introduction, the standard displacement of the Type 055 destroyer is about 11,000 tons, so its full-load displacement must exceed 12,000 tons, and it is likely to be close to 13,000 tons. It surpasses the South Korean "Sejong King" class destroyer and becomes the largest missile destroyer in Asia. It is a veritable "Asian First Ship". The introduction did not mention the ability to attack the land, indicating that the ship has not yet integrated the land-attack cruise missile into the vertical launch system. The Nanchang, China's first Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned in the People's Liberation Army Navy on 12 January 2020 in the port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. The 10,000 tonne-class destroyer officially debuted at the multinational naval parade in celebration of the Chinese navy's 70th founding anniversary on April 23, 2019. Launched on June 28, 2017, the destroyer was equipped with new air defense, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, said a statement from the Navy. The commission of Nanchang marked the Navy's leap from the third generation to the fourth generation of destroyers, according to the Navy statement. China is running out of provincial capitals to name new destroyers, and it might have to turn to other big domestic cities, which reflects the country's rapid naval development in recent years. Chinese destroyers and frigates should be named after big and medium Chinese cities, according to the naval vessels naming regulation. This means naming of destroyers does not necessarily have to use provincial capitals, as it was a non-binding tradition. A few Chinese destroyers have been named after big cities other than provincial capitals, like the Shenzhen, a Type 051B destroyer. At the maritime parade in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province in late April 2019 to celebrate the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's 70th anniversary, the PLA Navy confirmed that it has named its first Type 055 destroyer Nanchang, the capital city of East China's Jiangxi Province. One of the three other Type 055 destroyers will be named Lhasa, the capital of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With other provincial capital names being used by other destroyers, the naming of the Nanchang and Lhasa left only Nanning and Taipei available. As China runs out of provincial capitals to use, more examples like the Shenzhen and Qiqihar will be used. The naming issue reflects the rapid development of the PLA Navy in recent years. While new destroyers might have to use names of big cities other than provincial capitals, older destroyers that use provincial capital names might be decommissioned in the future and their names could be used again on newer ships. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Blasts US Top Court Ruling on Trump Travel Ban By VOA News June 27, 2017 Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has denounced the U.S. Supreme Court's partial reinstatement of a travel ban affecting six predominately Muslim countries and said the decision could energize terrorist groups. "It is regrettable that the citizens of the countries on the list have never participated in any act of terrorism against the U.S. and yet they are being punished for acts of terrorism," Zarif told reporters Tuesday during a visit to Berlin. Zarif added the reinstatement was the "greatest gift" for terrorist groups seeking new recruits. In an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia, Zarif said the travel ban punishes people who have never been "involved in terrorism" while citizens of other countries involved in past terrorist acts were not affected. Osama Bin Laden and 15 of the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks on the United States were Saudi nationals. During a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump closed arms deals worth nearly $110 billion. The Supreme Court says it will consider the case of Trump's executive order restricting travel while allowing much of the order to take effect. Trump's revised executive order, often referred to as a travel ban, halted entry to the U.S. for people from six mostly Muslim countries for 90 days and the nation's refugee program for 120 days. The order said these steps were necessary in order to revise security screening to safeguard the nation from external threats. The travel order had been stayed by two separate federal courts, one in Hawaii and one in Maryland. Both rulings were upheld by separate appeals courts. US link crucial for travelers The nation's highest court took a more nuanced view, allowing the ban on travelers from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and the suspension of the refugee program. But the justices said the ban on travel cannot be enforced against "foreign nationals who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States." The court goes on to define relationships that would qualify: for individuals, a family relationship; for students; admittance to a college or university; for workers, a job offer. Trump has said that the travel order would go into effect 72 hours after the high court ruling. In a statement Monday, he called the Supreme Court decision "a clear victory." The president added that the ruling helps him protect the homeland. "As president, I cannot allow people into our country who want to do us harm. I want people who can love the United States and all of its citizens, and who will be hardworking and productive." The justices are expected to hear the travel order case later this year, but noted that they will also consider whether the case will be moot at that point. The measures spelled out in the order are meant to be temporary while the government reviews its security procedures. Becca Heller, executive director for the International Refugee Assistance Project, said individuals most likely to be affected are those seeking tourist visas from the six countries in question. This is due to their potential inability to prove a relation to the United States that the court's ruling calls for. As for refugees, Heller said their clients will largely not be affected and neither should the clients of other resettlement organizations. As of May 31 of this year, 46,403 refugees have been admitted into the United States, near the cap of 50,000 the Trump administration put into place. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Is 'Ground Zero' For Hackers In Global Cyberattacks Alan Crosby June 28, 2017 Ukraine's heavy reliance on Russian technology impairs its ability to adequately defend against cyberattacks such as the Petya virus ravaging computers around the world and has helped make the country ground zero on the front lines of the global cyberwar. The "unprecedented" June 27 attack started in Ukraine, which hit government computer networks and websites of banks, major industrial enterprises, the postal service, Kyiv's international airport, and its subway system -- before spreading to other countries and international companies around the world. Ukraine bore the brunt with more than 60 percent of the attacks, with the virus even hitting radiation-monitoring systems at the shuttered Chernobyl power plant, site of the world's worst-ever nuclear accident. Engineers were forced to use manual operating plans after the virus locked up its computer system. Analysts from Microsoft and the Slovakian-based cybersecurity company ESET both said the attack targeted M.E.Doc, a Ukrainian tax-accounting software company, before the ransomware quickly spread to at least 64 other countries. M.E.Doc first admitted its systems had been compromised, though it later denied being "patient zero" in the attack. 'A Test Bed For Attacks' While the source of the attack using the Petya virus is still not clear, it was not the first to originate in Ukraine and probably won't be the last to start there. Petya is a version of the WannaCry virus, which also used the EternalBlue exploit to infiltrate systems and shut down more than 200,000 computers in some 150 countries in May. The hackers that launched it demanded that users pay hundreds of dollars to regain access to their computer and not lose data. Ukraine "is considered a test bed for attacks on major infrastructure. Targets over the years include the national power grid, national railway system, one of their major stock exchanges, and Boryspil, Ukraine's busiest airport," said Ryan Brack, a senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs and the co-organizer of the Global Cybersecurity Summit (GCS) held in the Ukrainian capital earlier this month. Kyiv, which has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical energy infrastructure since Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, has blamed the Kremlin for previous cyberattacks, including one on its power grid at the end of 2015 that left part of western Ukraine temporarily without electricity. Ukraine has also seen a number of cyberattacks on private companies and government systems, while a number of hacked government documents have appeared on the Internet. Most notably, Russian hackers tried to influence Ukraine's 2014 elections targeting voting infrastructure and using fake news reports to try to sway the outcome in what is widely seen as a precursor to tampering attempts in recent elections in the United States and France. Oleksandr Turchynov, the secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council, said there were signs of Russian involvement in the June 27 cyberattack, though he did not give any direct evidence. Several large Russian companies were also hit in the attack. Cyberattacks on Ukrainian infrastructure "should serve as a wake-up call for all those responsible for the security of critical systems around the world," according to Anton Cherepanov, a senior malware researcher at ESET. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-petya-ransomware- cyberattack-ground-zero/28583931.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine, Russia, Poland Still Grappling With Major New Ransomware Attack RFE/RL June 28, 2017 Companies across the world are still grappling with the effects of a major new ransomware cyberattack that struck their computer systems, with Ukrainian firms and government sites among the worst hit. Ukraine initially seemed to be the target of the cyberattack, which started on June 27, affecting websites of banks and major industrial enterprises, but it also hit other countries and international companies around the world. The virus's pace appeared to slow by June 28, partly because the malware seemed to require direct contact between computer networks, a factor that may have limited its spread in regions with fewer connections to Ukraine. However, businesses in the Asia-Pacific region reported some disruptions on June 28 with the operations of several European companies hit. Mysterious Shadowbrokers Like last month's outbreak of ransomware, dubbed WannaCry, the new attack spread by using the EternalBlue intrusion tool that cybersecurity experts believe was created by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and released online by a still-mysterious group known as the Shadowbrokers. The malicious software freezes the user's computer until an untraceable ransom is paid in the digital Bitcoin currency. Russian antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab said it had traced some 2,000 attacks -- most of them in Ukraine, Russia, and Poland. Ukraine reported heavy disruption from the malware, with computer networks of the government, banks, the state power distributor, the postal service, and Kyiv's international airport being affected. Radiation monitoring at the Chernobyl nuclear facility had to be performed manually due to a related systems failure. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman said on June 27 that his country was suffering an "unprecedented" cyberattack but that "vital systems" were not being affected. The Ukrainian government said on June 28 that it had managed to restore its computer networks after they went down. "The situation is under the full control of cybersecurity specialists," a statement said. "They are currently working on recovering lost data." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 28 that the cyberattack caused no serious problems at a corporate or state level in Russia. Other Countries Hit Russia's central bank said there were isolated cases of lenders' IT systems being infected. One consumer lender, Home Credit, had to suspend client operations. Rosneft, Russia's largest oil company and one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said its servers were attacked but that oil production was not affected because it switched over to backup systems. Elsewhere, British advertising firm WPP, U.S. law company DLA Piper, and Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk were also infected. The White House National Security Council said government agencies were investigating the attack and that the United States was "determined to hold those responsible accountable." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security advised those targeted by the attacks not to pay the ransom, saying there was no guarantee that access to files would be restored. It said it was monitoring the attacks and coordinating with other countries. Speaking on June 28 at a press conference in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the cyberattack "underlines the importance of strengthening our cyberdefenses and that is exactly what NATO is doing." No 'Kill Switch' Security experts believe the impact of the current attack will be smaller than WannaCry, which hit hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide after it emerged on May 12. The experts say many computers have been patched with Windows updates in the wake of last month's WannaCry attack to protect them against attacks using the same EternalBlue exploit, Nonetheless, the attack could be more dangerous than traditional strains of ransomware because it makes computers unresponsive and unable to reboot, they say. Meanwhile, the BBC reported on June 28 that security researchers have discovered a "vaccine" for the cyberattack -- a single file that can stop the attack from infecting a machine. However, it said, experts could not find a so-called kill switch that would block the ransomware from spreading to other vulnerable computers. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and the BBC Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-cyberattack- ransomware-global-turmoil/28583147.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address International cooperation key to keeping WMDs away from terrorists, Security Council told 28 June 2017 The United Nations disarmament chief today called for stronger international cooperation to prevent terrorists from accessing and using weapons of mass destruction, warning that technological advances such as unmanned aerial vehicles, 3-D printers and the Dark Web make it easier for terrorist groups to effectively use such weapons. "The possibility of non-State actors, including terrorists, acquiring weapons of mass destruction remains a significant threat to global security, and the international community must step up its efforts to ensure that the disastrous scenario of WMD terrorism is avoided," Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, told the Security Council in an open date on the topic. She cautioned that while globalization fosters new opportunities for economic growth and development, it also allows for greater mobility of materials and technologies, as well as scientific discoveries and personnel with "relevant expertise to use and exploit them with malicious intent." Ms. Nakamitsu also underlined the importance of both international dialogue, between governments and industry, as well as greater coordination and information-sharing among security agencies within each country. When weapons are used, the senior UN official urged the international community to seek accountability. "The international community must uphold the norms that have been established in this area, and to prosecute those responsible for committing or supporting such acts," she said. In addition to dozens of representatives from UN Member States, the Security Council also heard today from Joseph Ballard, Senior Officer from the Office of Strategy and Policy at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW which is an independent, autonomous international organization with a membership of 192 member States has a working relationship with the UN. Its main function is to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention, which entered into force in 1997. Mr. Ballard echoed Ms. Nakamitsu's concerns about the dual-use of materials and technologies, and underlined the need for greater collaboration and transparency in ensuring that toxic chemicals do not fall in the wrong hands. The use of chemical weapons by non-State actors, Mr. Ballard said, "is no longer a threat but a chilling reality." Today's debate in the Security Council focused on practical measures that the 15-member body, Member States and international organisations can adopt to prevent non-State actors from acquiring or using nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. According to a note from the Security Council ahead of the debate, discussions are anchored by resolution 1540 (2004), which is considered the overarching legal instrument on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Representatives are also discussing aspects of resolution 2325 (2016), which notes the need for more attention to "enforcement measures; measures relating to biological, chemical and nuclear weapons; proliferation finance measures; accounting for and securing related materials; and national export and transhipment controls." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Amazon Founder Bezos Aims To Replace Russian Engines In U.S. Launches June 27, 2017 A private space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced on June 26 that it plans to build a new rocket engine for space flights to replace engines now provided by Russia. Blue Origin President Robert Meyerson said his company is seeking a production contract with United Launch Alliance (ULA), which launches satellites for the U.S. government, for a powerful BE-4 engine designed to end dependence on Russian-built engines by 2019 -- a key goal laid down by Congress. Blue Origin is considered a leading contender for the contract after it and ULA entered into a partnership last year with the U.S. Air Force to develop a new rocket propulsion system to power Vulcan, ULA's new rocket designed to carry heavy payloads into space. Blue Origin said it would invest $200 million in the new engine fueled by liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas. Republican Senator Richard Shelby, whose state of Alabama would host the new engine manufacturing plant, praised it for making independence from Russia possible. "You are going to do well here, and we're going to replace that Russian engine," he told Blue Origin officials at a news conference in Huntsville, Alabama. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/amazon-founder-bezos-aims- replace-russian-rocket-engines-for- us-space-launches/28580891.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pro-democracy Protesters Arrested in Hong Kong By VOA News June 28, 2017 Hong Kong police have arrested about 30 pro-democracy protesters Wednesday, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is to make his first state visit to the city to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the territory's transfer from Britain to China. The protesters huddled around the "Forever Blooming Golden Bauhinia" statue, a gift from China placed at the site of the 1997 handover ceremony. They demanded open democracy and the release of Nobel Prize-winning activist Liu Xiaobo. "Democracy now. Free Liu Xiaobo," protesters shouted while draping a black banner that read "We do not want Xi Jinping. We want Liu Xiaobo" over top of the golden bauhinia statue. According to the police, the protesters were arrested for causing a public nuisance. Liu, a 61-year-old writer who was recently diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, was arrested on charges of "subversion" in 2009 for circulating a petition urging democratic reforms. The demonstrators included Joshua Wong, 20, who helped lead the 2014 "Umbrella Movement" protests. As Wong was carried away from the statue and into a police van, he continued shouting. "We want to tell Xi Jinping that Hong Kong's prosperity is just a facade. When Democracy is not in sight, we need to take action to confront this system," Wong hollered. "Hong Kong people, do not give up. Protest on July 1!" 'One country, two systems' Xi is to arrive Thursday in Hong Kong to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the city's handover on July 1, 1997. A heavy police presence is expected for his visit. While Xi is in the city, tens of thousands are expected to participate in a pro-democracy demonstration. After 156 years of British rule, Hong Kong was handed over to China with an understanding the former colony would be allowed certain freedoms not guaranteed in mainland China, like freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. According to some, this "one country, two systems" policy has been gradually eroded under Communist rule. "The joint declaration has been breached [by China], I have no doubt," the last British governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten recently told The Guardian. He pointed to the alleged abductions of Hong Kong residents who wrote books critical of Chinese political leaders. The arrests came the same day the Chinese legislature approved a law to grant sweeping new surveillance powers to the government. Although the state news agency Xinhua said that the law is "needed to ensure the nation's security interests are met," Chinese activists fear the new powers will enable broader suppression of dissent. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctions Pinching North Korea Regime, High-level Defector Tells VOA By Baik Sungwon June 27, 2017 Editor's Note: In a two-part series, VOA's Korean Service spoke with senior-level North Korean defector Ri Jong Ho in his first public interview since his defection in late 2014. A senior North Korean defector told VOA Korean that the current efforts to tighten economic sanctions on the North are effective and could over time destabilize Kim Jong Un's regime. "Economic sanctions, if continued, will erode the North Korean regime's grip on power, create more opportunities for market activities and stir all kinds of corruption and disorder in the country," said Ri Jong Ho in his first public interview since his defection in late 2014. "That loosening of government control will strike at the very foundation of the [top-down] leader-based system." His remarks came in advance of President Donald Trump's summit this week with his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, where they are expected to focus on the common threat posed by the Kim regime and its nuclear ambitions. Having served in high-level roles in central agencies of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, Ri spent 30 years overseeing the country's overall production and trade, and replenishing the Kim regime's critically-important foreign currency reserves. His last posting was in Dalian, China, as the head of the Korea Daehung Trading Corporation, which is managed by Office 39, a secretive branch of the North Korean government. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Office 39 engages "in illicit economic activities and managing slush funds and generating revenues for the leadership." According to Ri, who observed firsthand the North's efforts to keep the regime afloat during a severe famine and financial crisis in the mid-1990s, when Pyongyang faces "an immense amount of pressure," it becomes "more defiant" and focuses on weapons development. And that may be the case today, as the international community expands sanctions and Kim continues to make public demonstrations of his advanced weapons programs. The regime has conducted a nuclear test and launched a string of missiles since early 2016. While North Korea has made no secret of its desire to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the U.S. mainland, Ri said Pyongyang considers South Korea as the primary target of its nuclear strike plan. Sanctions hit key mineral exports Current international efforts to limit North Korea's trade are damaging its economy, which is heavily dependent upon mineral exports, Ri said. Minerals such as coal and iron ores constitute more than 45 percent of North Korea's exports, which total $3 billion annually, according to Ri. Worried about too much reliance on one sector, Pyongyang capped its annual anthracite coal exports at 5 million tons in 2008, Ri said. But that fell apart, as by 2013, North Korea exported twice that, and in 2016, four times the cap, generated that much more in needed funds. "This clearly shows how North Korea is suffering from a lack of hard currency," Ri said. "It is inevitable that any disruption on North Korea's [mineral] trade will have a significant impact not only on its people at large but also on its leadership." The three-month suspension of the North's coal exports following the execution of Kim's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in early 2014 is a case in point, Ri said. The break, he explained, not only hit the country's mining industry hard, but also hurt all sectors of North Korea's economy including small businesses in Pyongyang's local markets. When asked about recent reports of a continued surge in gas prices, Ri said, "There is a high chance that sanctions might have disrupted North Korea's imports of gasoline from China." Connecting Korean buyers with Russian oil North Korea imports up to 200,000 to 300,000 tons of diesel from Russia every year, he said. Companies in Singapore, Asia's commodity trading hub, have been acting as a bridge between the two countries for more than two decades. "We first strike a deal with Singaporean firms, which then enter into another contract with Russian oil companies," Ri said. By having respected or highly rated Singaporean intermediaries do business with Russian companies, it is even possible for North Korea to have the oil delivered before making any payment, said Ri, who was deeply involved in transporting the Russian oil to Pyongyang between 1997 and 2005. Given the continued movements of North Korea's oil tankers, it is likely that transactions between Pyongyang and Singaporean companies continue to take place today, he added. Moscow is not alone in providing oil to Pyongyang, Ri said. Beijing exports some 50,000 to 100,000 tons of gasoline by tanker every year. There are about 10 to 12 North Korea oil tankers capable of carrying up to 3,000 tons that sail in and out of Russian and Chinese ports, he said adding that China also supplies the North with roughly 500,000 tons of crude oil by pipeline, all of which though goes toward Kim's massive military, all of which is free of charge. "If the U.S. government begins to crack down on Pyongyang's imports of oil, the North Korean regime will inevitably suffer heavy damage," Ri said. "If the operations of the North Korea-bound tankers carrying oil from Russia and China come to a full stop, the regime's lifeline will be severed." In Washington, Trump, who views Beijing's leverage as key to resolving the North Korean nuclear threat, is urging greater engagement by China. During last week's U.S.-China security talks, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to "implement in full all relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. Gauging China's appetite for sanctions While North Korea analysts agree with the Trump's administration that Beijing plays a critical role, many are skeptical of China's stated willingness to impose sanctions over North Korea's belligerence. "Sanctions directed against North Korea's mineral exports or its import of crude oil could have an impact on changing the Kim regime's approach, there is no evidence -- and in fact evidence to the contrary -- that Beijing would actually implement restrictions/embargoes on mineral imports or exports of crude oil to North Korea," Anthony Ruggiero, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who is former deputy director of the Treasury Department and an expert in the use of targeted financial measures, told VOA Korean on Monday. Ri shares this view, saying, "I do not think the Chinese government will continue to be on the same page with the U.S. and impose sanctions against North Korea because China's strategic goal is different from that of the U.S." He said despite the growing North Korean threat, Beijing is well aware of the fact that it does not have much -- if anything -- to gain from a North Korean regime collapse or a unified Korean peninsula, which would likely come under U.S. and South Korean sway, if realized. Ri defected to South Korea in October 2014, and came to the United States in March 2016. He lives in the greater Washington, D.C., area with his wife and two children. Jenny Lee contributed to this report which originated on VOA Korean. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea vows to kill former South Korea President Park Iran Press TV Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:58PM North Korea has put on its list of wanted people for execution the name of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye, saying she and her spy chief had plotted to kill North Korea's leader. "We declare at home and abroad that we will impose death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye," two of Pyongyang's security ministries and prosecutors said in a joint statement on Wednesday, adding that Park, along with former director of South Korea's National Intelligence Agency (NIS) Lee Byoung Ho had "pushed forward" a supposed plan in 2015 to assassinate North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. The statement, carried by official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), said Park and Lee would receive a "miserable dog's death" and that North Korea would carry out the sentence at "any time, at any place and by whatever methods from this moment." It called the two former officials "criminals of hideous state-sponsored terrorism who hatched and pressed" for a heinous plot, calling on Seoul to hand over them. The KCNA provided no more details on the source of the revelation and how the plan to assassinate Kim could have been executed. A Japanese newspaper, however, reported this week that Park had indeed approved a plan two years ago to oust Kim. Asahi Shimbun said Monday that that the assassination plot signed off by Park was orchestrated by the South's spy agency. The NIS denied North's report on the issue and said it "had no grounds". It would not elaborate on the request for hand-over of the two former officials to Pyongyang. Huge street protests led to the ouster and then arrest of Park in March after a corruption scandal emerged involving her and a close associate. Like many other South Korean officials, she had been very tough on North Korea and used her best to contain the nuclear-armed neighbor through international pressure and sanctions. She also allowed the United States during her time in office to deploy a controversial missile system in South Korea in response to potential threats from the North. North Korea's execution verdict for Park comes a month after it accused the US and South Korean intelligence services of plotting to assassinate Kim through biochemical weapons. Both Washington and Seoul dismissed the claims as pure propaganda. In its latest statement, Pyongyang warned the US and South Korea of summary punishment for senior officials in case new plots are hatched against North's leadership. "We declare that in case the US and the South Korean puppet forces again attempt at hideous state-sponsored terrorism targeting the supreme leadership ... we will impose summary punishment without advance notice," said the KCNA. The two Koreas are technically at war since the end of a conflict in the peninsula in 1953. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Lawmakers Ready North Korea Travel Ban By Michael Bowman June 28, 2017 Both chambers of Congress are readying legislation to bar Americans from traveling to North Korea after the death of a U.S. citizen held by Pyongyang and amid the continued detention of three others. "There's no question we shouldn't have people on a willy-nilly basis going to North Korea," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said Wednesday. "We should have a travel ban, and we're working on legislation right now." "We need to protect Americans and I think we need to restrict access by Americans because we can't protect them [in North Korea]," said the committee's top Democrat, Ben Cardin of Maryland. The perils of travel to North Korea were highlighted earlier this month by the death of 22-year-old American student Otto Warmbier, who was imprisoned in the country for allegedly stealing a poster, and then was returned to the United States in a coma with fatal brain damage. Corker said the concern extends beyond the safety of individual American tourists who might be tempted to visit North Korea. "We've got three Americans [detained] there now. It ends up affecting our own national security," the chairman said. "We've seen it happen in Iran and other places. It ends up affecting negotiations, creates leverage [for an adversary]. Having a few Americans in prison someplace ends up having collateral effects on other things that matter greatly to the whole of American citizenry." The House Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to take up the North Korea Travel Control Act in a matter of days or weeks. The bill bars tourist travel and would require a special permit for other travel purposes to North Korea. A Senate version is said to be on a similar timetable. Arguments for, against In both chambers, restricting travel to North Korea has bipartisan support. "It's problematic that Americans travel there," said Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Warmbier's home state. "Now we've got to get the three Americans out and Americans shouldn't be traveling there." Backing is not universal, however, with some lawmakers bristling at the idea of telling their constituents where they may travel. "I'm not a fan of travel bans, with Cuba or anywhere," said Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake. Regardless of what Congress does, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia offered some advice for Americans making travel plans. "I don't think any American should go to North Korea, whether we bar it or not. It is incredibly foolish to do it," Kaine said. Senators spoke after the Foreign Relations Committee received a classified briefing by the State Department's top North Korea policy specialist. Corker declined to discuss the specifics of the briefing, but said he is less optimistic that a negotiated agreement on Pyongyang's nuclear program can be reached. "China is not doing what they said they would do [to pressure Pyongyang]," the chairman said. "Our interests and their interests just don't align on this." VOA's Katherine Gypson contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar Rebels Accuse Army of Arresting Journalists to Hide Reality of War By Joe Freeman June 28, 2017 The arrests of three journalists who visited a ceremony held by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Myanmar this week are part of a deliberate attempt to block information about the conflict, a spokesman for the group said, alleging that dozens of similar cases have occurred this year with civilians. TNLA Major Tar Parn La said in an interview with VOA the Myanmar military wants to "cut off the connection between" the group and the public. "That's why they are trying to stop the media," he said. "It means you are not allowed to contact the rebels and not allowed to expose the real situation of the war to the people." The TNLA, which is one of several ethnic armed groups in Myanmar engaged in intermittent clashes with the military, with a new bout of fighting occurring as recently as this past week, condemned the arrests in a separate statement. Tar Parn La said the arrests are part of a pattern this year and that so far more than 30 civilians have faced action for possessing photos of the group or their territory in Namhshan Township in northern Shan State. In some instances, the images were just downloaded from the internet. The journalists are Lawi Weng - also known as Thein Zaw - from the Irrawaddy news magazine, and Aye Nai and Pyae Phone Naing from the Democratic Voice of Burma media group. Government claims journalists broke the law Zaw Htay, a government spokesman, told news outlets this week the three are to be charged under the Unlawful Associations Act, a colonial-era statute dating back to 1908 that has been used as a tool of repression in Myanmar's borderlands. The Irrawaddy reported on Wednesday that the three were charged and remanded to prison in Shan State's Hsipaw Township, with a court date set for July 11. The U.S. embassy said in a statement that "journalists need to be able to do their work, as a free press is essential to Myanmar's success." Rights groups have called for their immediate release. Both the Irrawaddy and the Democratic voice of Burma reported in exile before setting up in the country after it embarked on a transition from military rule in 2011. The transition included reforms abolishing censorship and led to elections in 2015 that elevated pro-democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi to power. Criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi But despite benefiting from years of media coverage while under house arrest in Yangon, Suu Kyi has proved a poor advocate for free expression, critics say. Since forming her government in April last year, she has done only a handful of interviews, most out of the country. Her image has suffered further from a rash of online defamation cases against critics of her administration. In April, the advocacy group PEN Myanmar conducted a survey of freedom of expression to mark the one-year anniversary of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy-led government. It received a score of 8 points out of a possible 60. PEN Myanmar's scorecard made several recommendations, including allowing journalists more access to "conflict and frontline areas." Many of these regions require government permission to visit, but it is rarely if ever granted. Major Tar Parn La said the TNLA issued an invitation to the media to attend a ceremony to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The event, which involved the large-scale incineration of narcotics, occurred at 8:00 am on Monday. He said after attending, doing interviews and breaking for lunch, the three journalists left. They were arrested a few hours later. Four others in the convoy, including drivers and a monk, were also arrested, he said. Whether they too will be charged remains unclear. He said they spent two to three days in detention before being transferred to Hsipaw. The government had said they would be transferred to another town, Lashio, but authorities there seemed uninformed. "We don't know where they are," said Lashio deputy police officer Sai Ko Ko. "We can't ask the military where they detained them. Though Tar Parn La sees the arrests as an attempt to restrict the free flow of information, he remains puzzled by the thinking. The group is not a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and has been branded a terrorist outfit by the military, but the TNLA attended peace talks in the capital Naypyitaw in May, where exchanges with reporters and government officials flowed freely. "I myself I was there," he said. "In Naypyitaw I gave a lot of interviews, met a lot of media, but we don't understand why when the media comes to our land they are arrested. In good health An editor at the Democratic Voice of Burma said they have not been able to contact the journalists yet, but the Irrawaddy reported, citing police and a colleague, that they appear to be in good health. Media watchdogs in Myanmar have sent letters to the authorities about the arrests. Thiha Saw, the director of the Myanmar Journalism Institute, said the implications of the case are far-reaching. The outcome could warn off those who want to interview groups that have not signed the ceasefire agreement. "The case will have a huge impact in reporting on the peace process," he said. "The best case scenario is that they will be released." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia eliminated 99% of own chemical weapons: Moscow Iran Press TV Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:56PM Russia says it has so far annihilated "99 percent of its chemical weapons" to meet the conditions specified in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which it began implementing some 20 years ago. Major General Valery Kapashin, the head of Russia's Federal Administration for the Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons, announced the news, in an interview with the Interfax, published on Monday He added that the remaining one percent, some 400 tons of weaponized chemicals, is currently kept "at the last facility in operation to store and destroy the chemical weapons, in the Kizner village in the Udmurt region." In an attempt to meet the conditions of the CWC, Russia paved a long way since late 2002 and early 2003, when it managed to destroy the first batch of chemicals, one percent, followed by another 20 percent in 2007. In 2009, Moscow announced that it was ahead of the planned schedule, having got rid of 45 percent of its chemical arsenal. By the end of 2014, Moscow announced that it had destroyed 84.7 percent of its air-delivered chemical munitions. "We're finishing Stage Four a year earlier, too, and will destroy all 100 percent of the chemical weapons stockpile by the end of 2017, not 2018," he added. Now, Russia meets the standards of the CWC, Kapashin further said. In January 1993, Russia signed the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the production, development, possession, sharing or use of chemical weapons. Russia ratified the convention in 1997. At the time, Moscow declared that it possessed some 40,000 tons of toxic ammunition, including nerve agents Sarin, Soman and VX-type chemical agents. Moscow says it uses completely safe technologies to eliminate chemical weapons, and since the commencement of the elimination process 14 years ago, no single emergency situation has occurred during the processes of destroying the toxic substances. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia successfully test-fires sub-launched ICBM across Eurasia Iran Press TV Tue Jun 27, 2017 4:51AM The Russian military says it has successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from a nuclear-powered submarine in the Barents Sea near Norway. "The strategic Borey-class nuclear submarine, Yuri Dolgoruky, has successfully fired the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from a designated area in the Barents Sea to the Kura Missile Test Range in Kamchatka (Peninsula)" in the Far East, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday. "The launch was made from an underwater position in accordance with the combat training plan," said the statement, adding that "the ICBM units completed the full flight program and successfully hit the targets in the range." With an estimated range of 9,300 kilometers (about 5,770 miles), the Bulava missile must have traveled at least 4,600 kilometers across nearly the whole Asian part of Russia to hit its target. The Yuri Dolgoruky is a fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear submarine serving with the Russian Northern Fleet. This type of submarines can carry up to 16 intercontinental sea-based Bulava missiles. They are planned to be the basis for Russia's strategic naval nuclear forces in the future. Russia has two more such subs, while another five are in development and estimated to be in active service by 2020. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Officially Extends Russia Sanctions By Six Months RFE/RL June 28, 2017 BRUSSELS -- Ambassadors from the European Union's member states have officially extended the bloc's economic sanctions against Russia by another six months. The 28 EU heads of state and government agreed last week during a two-day summit in Brussels that they would extend the measures until January 31. The Kremlin on June 28 responded by saying Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory steps against the EU. At the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron gave an assessment on compliance by Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine to the 2015 Minsk agreements, which are aimed at ending a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014. EU diplomats told RFE/RL that there was broad agreement among member states to stay firm with Moscow on Ukraine, while at the same time being open to dialogue on other foreign policy issues. The EU sanctions, which mainly target Russia's banking and financial sectors, were first imposed by Brussels in the summer of 2014 in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine. The sanctions package has been renewed every six months since then. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-officially- extends-russia-sanctions-crimea- ukraine/28583520.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Navy Confirms Plans to Build New Aircraft Carrier Sputnik News 13:30 28.06.2017(updated 13:38 28.06.2017) According to reports, Russia is planning construction of a new aircraft carrier. ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) The Russian Navy plans the construction of a new aircraft carrier to accompany the Admiral Kuznetsov, Vice-Adm. Viktor Bursuk, deputy navy commanded in charge of procurement, said Wednesday. "The Navy will build an aircraft carrier," Bursuk told reporters at the International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg. He said the Krylov State Research Center had submitted a carrier mock-up and added that additional designs are being looked at. The work to modernize Admiral Kuznetsov, the Russian Navy's only aircraft carrier, will begin in 2018, ice-Adm. Viktor Bursuk, deputy navy commander in charge of procurement, said Wednesday. "Next year, in 2018, we shall begin the modernization of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier," Bursuk said at an international navy show in St Petersburg. In October 2016, a Russian naval group, headed by the Admiral Kuznetsov which also included the Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser and, the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine destroyers, the Admiral Grigorovich frigate, and support vessels, deployed for three months to the Mediterranean Sea to support Russian combat operations in Syria. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian army forces seize areas in Homs, Dayr al-Zawr Iran Press TV Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:30PM Syrian government forces, supported by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have continued to progress in the country's central provinces of Homs and Dayr al-Zawr, killing scores of foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants during their counter-terrorism operations. A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Syria's official news agency SANA that Syrian soldiers and their allies could take full control of al-Dhaliyat region in the Humeima district, which lies on the border between Homs and Dayr al-Zawr provinces, on Monday. The source added that scores of Takfiri Daesh terrorists were killed and their munitions destroyed during the operation, noting that bomb disposal teams are now clearing the area of landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the extremists. The fighter jets of the Syrian Air Force also carried out a series of airstrikes against Daesh positions and supply routes across Dayr al-Zawr Province, leaving a large number of the Takfiris dead and injured. Separately, Syrian army units struck Daesh positions in the vicinity of al-Maqaber and al-Panorama areas, killing 18 Daesh terrorists and destroying an armored vehicle as well as two pickup trucks equipped with heavy machineguns. Elsewhere on the southern outskirts of the capital Damascus, Syrian soldiers, backed by artillery units and Air Force jets, engaged Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, militants in Beir al-Kassab and Rajem al-Sarikhi districts, killing many Takfiris. Syrian government forces also repulsed a militant attack, killing a number of terrorists and destroying five pickup trucks equipped with heavy machineguns, two ammunition trucks and two rocket launchers. Syria has been fighting different foreign-sponsored militant and terrorist groups since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimated last August that more than 400,000 people had been killed in the crisis until then. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement from the Press Secretary The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release June 26, 2017 The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack. As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. If, however, Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US to keep arming Syria Kurds after Raqqah: Mattis Iran Press TV Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:37PM Defense Secretary James Mattis says the United States will continue to provide weapons to Kurdish fighters in Syria after the campaign to dislodge Daesh (ISIL) terrorists from Raqqah is over, an announcement that would further infuriate Turkey. Speaking to reporters traveling with him to Germany on Monday, Mattis said the US would try to recover the weapons supplied to the Syrian Kurds, but added it would depend on when or where the next mission is. "We'll do what we can," he said when asked if all the weapons would be returned. The comments marked the first time the Pentagon chief has publicly talked about the US pledge to take back the arms from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). In a letter to his Turkish counterpart Fikri Isik on Thursday, Mattis sought to ease Turkey's security concerns, saying the US would provide Ankara with a monthly list of weapons and equipment supplied to the YPG. Mattis also reassured Turkish officials that arms given to the Syrian Kurds would be taken back. The Donald Trump administration's decision last month to arm the YPG roiled Turkey, which views the fighters as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting for an autonomous region inside Turkey since 1984. The initial arms deliveries began at the end of May, with the Pentagon saying they included small arms and ammunition. But officials have indicated that 120 mm mortars, machine guns, and light armored vehicles were also likely going to Syria. Early this month, the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the YPG is a major component of, launched an operation to drive Daesh out of the northern city of Raqqah, the de facto capital of the terror group in Syria. "We're going to equip them for the fight. If they have another fight and they need, you know, the light trucks that they've been using ... we'll get them that," Mattis said. The provision of arms depends, he said, on the battle and what weapons the Kurds need. "When they don't need certain things any more, we'll replace those with something they do need." Turkey fears the weapons provided to the Kurdish fighters in Syria will end up in the hands of PKK militants operating in Turkey. The US also considers the PKK a terrorist organization and insists it would never arm that group. Mattis said the battle against Daesh was growing more complex as it moved into the Euphrates River Valley, underscoring the importance of maintaining communication with Russia. So-called "deconfliction" hotlines have been used by the US and Russia to notify each other where they are operating in order to avoid accidents. In recent weeks, the Russians have threatened they would not use the deconfliction lines after the US shot down a Syrian government warplane. Mattis said communications with Russia were taking place at several military levels to insure that aircraft and ground forces were safe. 'US won't be drawn into Syria war' Despite the increasingly complicated battlefield, the Pentagon chief asserted that the US would not be drawn into the Syrian conflict. "We just refuse to get drawn into a fight there in the Syria civil war, we try to end that one through diplomatic engagement." The US will not fire "unless they are the enemy, unless they are ISIS," Mattis said, using another acronym for the Daesh terror group. The comments came shortly before White House spokesman Sean Spicer accused the Syrian government of making "preparations" for a chemical attack against civilians. Spicer warned that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian military would "pay a heavy price" if they went ahead with the alleged plan. State Department officials, who would "typically" be consulted before such statements are made, told the Associated Press that they had been caught "completely off guard" by the statement. The AP report also said that the content of Spicer's statement "didn't appear to be discussed in advance with other national security agencies." A US-led coalition has been active in Syria since late 2014, bombing purported Daesh targets and training local militants to carry out assaults against the group as well as pro-government forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House Says Relevant US Agencies Involved in Syria Chemical Weapons Claim Sputnik News 18:30 27.06.2017 All relevant US government agencies participated in the assessment of the situation in Syria prior to White House's announcement that there may be potentially new chemical attacks in that country, a White House official said on Tuesday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the White House claimed that Washington had identified "potential preparations" for a chemical attack by Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces. The Kremlin commented on the claims and said that it considers US' threats against Syrian legitimate leadership to be "unacceptable." Damascus also denied the information. "In response to several inquiries regarding the Syria statement issued last night, we want to clarify that all relevant agencies-including State, DoD [Department of Defense], CIA and ODNI [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] were involved in the process from the beginning," the official stated as quoted by the pool. Some media reports indicated the White House announcement was not coordinated with relevant agencies, and moreover, the US-led coalition fighting Daesh and the Defense Department were not informed about the upcoming release and the intelligence the announcement was based on. On April 4, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces supported by the United States blamed the Syrian government for an alleged chemical weapon attack in Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's Idlib province. Reacting to the incident, Washington, which had not presented any proof of the chemical weapons use by Damascus, launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian governmental military airfield in Ash Sha'irat on April 6. Damascus has repeatedly denied any involvement in the incident and said that the Syrian government doesn't possess chemical weapons as the full destruction of Damascus' chemical weapons stockpile had been confirmed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in January 2016. In an interview with Sputnik on April 21, Assad characterized the alleged chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun as a provocation to justify the US strike on Ash Sha'irat. The Syrian leader also warned of the possibility of the new provocations similar to the one in Khan Sheikhoun. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Battered by US Airstrikes, IS Tries New Strategy in Raqqa By Rikar Hussein June 27, 2017 With Islamic State in disarray in Raqqa, its fighters are switching to small-scale suicide attacks to fend off a rapid offensive by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and a stream of coalition airstrikes, SDF commanders say. Unlike past battles, when IS militants attacked SDF front lines with hundreds of fighters and car bombs, the terror group's new strategy involves using small groups of suicide bombers six or seven -- to cause large numbers of casualties, SDF commanders on the scene told VOA. "This new method involves scattered attacks and most likely ends in the killing of all attackers," SDF commander Agid Muhammad told VOA from Raqqa. He said IS continues to rely on car bomb operations to hold onto its grip of the city, but its fighters avoid group attacks and large gatherings. He said the new tactic might be a result of repeated U.S.-led coalition airstrikes that have wiped out tens of IS fighters' gatherings. "IS thugs try to hide in public buildings such as schools and civilian homes to avoid airstrikes," he said. "They come out from those buildings in small groups only when they know they can avoid airstrikes." But the new IS strategy is unlikely to help the fighters who have been struggling to hold territory across Iraq and Syria for months, U.S.-backed forces say. "More than 40 percent of Raqqa is under our control now, and we will soon advance into the heart of the city," SDF fighter Shoresh Kobane told VOA. He said the SDF forces, supported by coalition airstrikes, are pushing from the east and west across the Euphrates River to control southeast Raqqa, thus encircling the city. Pentagon officials see the defeat of IS in its self-proclaimed capital as just a matter of time. But they expect the Syrian battlefield to become more complicated and crowded after Raqqa's fall when U.S.-backed forces, pro-Syrian government troops and Russian jets likely will be fighting near each other. Speaking Monday to reporters on his way to Germany to meet with European allies, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said the campaign to liberate Raqqa is the main focus, but he's also looking "toward the next fight, and things are going on with that as well." "You have to play this thing very carefully," Mattis said. "The closer we get, the more complex it gets." Mattis' comments come as U.S.-backed forces and militants allied with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have separately intensified efforts to control IS territory in southeast Syria and in the Euphrates River Valley. The Pentagon considers the regions to be the next place to go against IS after Raqqa. But Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias also have made efforts to move into the area, leading to a series of skirmishes in recent weeks -- including the downing of a Syrian government jet and two Iranian-made drones by U.S. aircraft. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Defense Secretary Says Syria Appears To Have Heeded Warning On Chemical Attack RFE/RL June 28, 2017 U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said that Syria appears to have heeded a U.S. warning against launching a new chemical attack, as Russia accused the United States of "bellicose rhetoric." "It appears that they took the warning seriously," Mattis told reporters on June 28 who were flying with him to Brussels for a meeting of NATO defense ministers the next day. "They didn't do it." Mattis's comments came a day after the United States said Syria's government appeared to be preparing for a chemical weapons attack and warned that it will "pay a very heavy price" if one takes place. The Pentagon said that activity was detected at the Syrian Army's Shayrat airfield. And the White House said similar activities had been seen before the nerve agent Sarin was allegedly dropped on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 4. Dozens of people were killed, prompting U.S, President Donald Trump to order a missile strike on the Shayrat airfield, from where the United States says jets departed before the Khan Sheikhoun incident. The Damascus government denies that it is preparing a chemical attack. President Bashar al-Assad has previously said the Khan Sheikhoun incident was fabricated. Iran accused the United States of a "dangerous escalation" in Syria, while the Kremlin, another key Assad ally in Syria's six-year civil war, denounced Washington's "unacceptable threats." Iran provides Assad with troops, while Russia provides air support in his war against rebels and IS extremists. "As for Washington's bellicose rhetoric, we believe it is necessary to warn our U.S. colleagues against further irresponsible steps in violation of the United Nations Charter and the generally recognized norms of the international law," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a June 28 statement. "Another dangerous U.S. escalation in Syria on fake pretext," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on June 27, adding it "will only serve [the Islamic State group] precisely when it's being wiped out by Iraqi and Syrian people." Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron agreed with Trump in a phone call on June 27 on "the need to work on a joint response in the event of a chemical attacks in Syria," the French presidency said. U.S. forces have increased their presence in Syria to about 1,000 in recent months as the Pentagon steps up its campaign against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which is being targeted by U.S.-backed rebel forces in its stronghold of Raqqa. But the U.S. forces have increasingly clashed with Iran-backed forces operating in the same battle space. The United States has shot down several Iranian drones, bombed Iranian-backed militia allied with Syria, and shot down a Syrian jet that the Pentagon said was preparing to bomb U.S.-backed rebel troops. The White House made it clear on June 27 that the latest warning against Syrian chemical attacks was not aimed only at Assad but targeted his allies as well. "The goal is at this point not just to send Assad a message, but to send Russia and Iran a message," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said. Assad did not respond to the U.S. warnings as he toured an air base in western Syria that hosts Russian aircraft and troops on June 27. Accompanied by the Russian Army's chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, Assad climbed into the cockpit of a Russian Su-35 fighter jet. "The Syrian people will not forget the support of their Russian brothers," Assad wrote in the visitors' book at the Hmeimim base. With reporting by AP, dpa, Reuters, BBC, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-zarif- warns-us-against-dangerous- escalation-syria-fake-pretext-chemical- weapons-attack-assad/28582819.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan's first Apache combat squad enters service ROC Central News Agency 2017/06/28 17:26:04 Taipei, June 28 (CNA) Taiwan's first Apache combat squad was formally commissioned Wednesday under the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command in a ceremony at the command's 601st Brigade base in Taoyuan's Longtan District. During the ceremony, Wang Shin-lung (), commander of the Republic of China Army, announced the commissioning of the squad and then watched a parade by soldiers of the squad from a military vehicle. The 601st Brigade has been training its personnel and upgrading its equipment since 2013 and after undergoing more than two years of training on Taiwan's most advanced attack helicopters, one of the country's two Apache squads was formally commissioned that day, which is expected to contribute greatly to improving the army's combat capability, according to the command. The other Apache squad will be formally commissioned at a later date, it said. Taiwan purchased 30 AH-64E Apache helicopters from the United States under a deal announced in 2008, and took delivery of the choppers from November 2013 to October 2014. One of the aircraft was destroyed in a crash during a training flight in Taoyuan in April 2014 and the other 29 all belong to the 601st. Taiwan's Apaches are among the world's most advanced attack helicopter models, according to the command. The AH-64E is also known as the "tankbuster" or "tank killer." It is equipped with a powerful target acquisition radar that is capable of 360-degree operation to a range of 8 kilometers and can track over 128 simultaneously and sort out the 16 most dangerous targets. It carries 16 Hellfire missiles and can deploy them in under 30 seconds, according to the command. (By Lu Hsin-hui and Evelyn Kao) ENDITEM/J NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Forces Detain Over 850 Suspected PKK Members Within Week Sputnik News 19:54 28.06.2017 866 militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were detained in a total of 835 counterterrorism operations conducted from June 19 to June 28, during which a large number of militants' weapons were destroyed, according to local media. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Turkish armed forces have detained 866 militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group outlawed in Turkey, and killed 36 others during hundreds of counterterrorism operations carried out over the past week, local media reported Wednesday, citing the Turkish Interior Ministry. The PPK militants were detained in a total of 835 counterterrorism operations conducted from June 19 to June 28, during which a large number of militants' weapons were destroyed, the Daily Sabah newspaper reported. Some 50 suspected members of the Daesh terror group, outlawed in Russia and many other countries, were also detained by Turkish forces in the operations, according to the newspaper. In addition, the Daily Sabah said that 474 people suspected of having links to US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of staging a failed coup attempt in 2016. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group in Turkey. Tensions between Ankara and the PKK escalated in July 2015 when the ceasefire collapsed because of a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by the militants. In July 2016, Turkey experienced a military coup attempt. The takeover was suppressed by government forces, but resulted in over 240 people being killed, and an estimated 2,000 being wounded. Ankara has accused Gulen, who has lived in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers of playing a key role in the plot. Following the attempted coup, the Turkish forces arrested thousands of people, including journalists, servicemen and activists on suspicion of having ties to Gulen. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ICBM Country: Hill AFB workers play key role in future of strategic defense By Micah Garbarino, 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs / Published June 27, 2017 HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- Editor's Note: Hill Air Force Base units are helping ensure the nuclear triad remains an effective strategic deterrent now and into the future. This is the second in a two part series. The nation needs a robust nuclear deterrent. Not just any missiles, but the most responsive strategic weapon systems in the world. The Air Force is responsible for two legs of the U.S. strategic nuclear triad, intercontinental ballistic missiles and bombers. Airmen, civilian employees and contractors at Hill AFB are working hard to provide that strategic ICBM need by overseeing the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, the ICBM for the future. Why a new weapon system? For more than 50 years the Air Force's ICBMs and the Airmen who operate and maintain them have helped ensure peace by operating and sustaining this leg of the nuclear triad. "We have Airmen right now, as we speak, defending the homeland, and that nuclear deterrent underwrites every military operation on the globe," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, in a recent speech prioritizing the nuclear enterprise. He also noted that while conventional wars go on, the major nuclear powers have not gone to war since World War II because of the deterrence nuclear weapons provide. As nations develop more sophisticated anti-ballistic missile systems, the U.S. needs a weapon system that can effectively survive those capabilities and provide a credible threat. The current ICBM, the Minuteman III, has technology that was developed in the 1960s. Since Minuteman III missiles are no longer in production, inventory will dwindle in the coming years due to testing and attrition issues as the missiles provide near 24/7 alert coverage. "Future capability requirements drive the need for a new weapon system. Attrition of Minuteman III drives our schedule," said Col. Heath Collins, the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center's ICBM Systems Directorate's Ground Based Strategic Deterrent System program manager. However, while the Minuteman III is typical of a system decades past its original design life, Collins is confident they are viable for another 30 years, if required, due to current sustainment and maintenance programs, such as programmed depot maintenance. What's next? The Air Force determined the most cost-effective way to increase ICBM capabilities was to acquire an entirely new weapon system, the GBSD. Developing and fielding this system has been called a "foundational" priority by service leaders. "The warfighter needs these capabilities and we can't just make incremental improvements to Minuteman III. It would be like taking your VHS player and trying to make it a Blu-Ray player by swapping out parts," Collins said. Government and contract workers at the ICBM Systems Directorate already sustain the Minuteman III and all the associated systems. Now, around 300 of them are playing a large part in development of the future ICBM. Fifty more Air Force civilians are being added this year. "It's a big program 400 missiles, 450 silos across five different states, control centers, command and control infrastructure, thousands of miles of cables, transportation equipment," Collins said. "While we'll use some of the existing infrastructure, like the silos, the entirety needs to be engineered for the new missile." Who will build it and what's Hill AFB's role? The new weapon system will be produced by a defense contractor, selected by the Air Force after a design competition. To begin the process, the GBSD program office at Hill AFB created a library for the bidders with hundreds of documents, along with a weapon system specification and capability requirements to guide the companies in their design process. "We've provided a wealth of information. Even before we presented the request last year, we released five draft requests for proposals to industry and received comments back. We had more than 250 discussions with industry to review the request," Collins said. "We want to make crystal-clear they understand exactly what the government is looking for. We are being as transparent as possible to better inform them and, in turn, receive better proposals from them." The program is currently in the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction phase, which means defense contractors are simultaneously preparing "end-to-end" preliminary designs of a full weapon system. Up to two of the companies will be awarded 36-month development contracts by the end of this fiscal year. Eventually, the competition will be narrowed to one supplier who will finish the final design of the weapon system and produce missiles to be tested and fielded. The plan is for the first missiles to be produced by the late 2020s and fielding will be completed in the 2030s, Collins said. During the entire time, the men and women of the ICBM Systems Directorate will continue to oversee the process. "Hill is ICBM country. We're very humbled by the opportunity we have here and very honored to do it," Collins said. "We have a lot of work ahead of us but this workforce is very driven, very committed. It means a lot to us. It means a lot to Hill AFB and it's going to mean a lot to this Utah community." Collins says it's hard to say exactly how many new jobs the program will bring to Utah but there will definitely be an increase during the decade-long overlap while GBSD is rolled out and Minuteman III remains at the ready. It's likely the prime contractor, support contractors and other government agencies will need workers at Hill AFB to support the GBSD program, which is scheduled to remain in service into the 2070s. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mithra signs EXclusive license and supply agreement with FUJI Pharma for donesta in japan and asean Fuji Pharma obtains rights to commercialize Donesta, Mithra's Hormone Therapy (HT) product candidate based on Estetrol (E4), in Japan and ASEAN [1] 20-year agreement to generate low double digit million development, regulatory and commercialization milestones plus long-term supply revenues Exclusive License and Supply agreement follows binding term sheet announced in March 2017 Liege, Belgium, 28 June 2017 - Mithra (Euronext Brussels: MITRA), a company specialized in Women's Health, announces that it has signed an exclusive License and Supply Agreement (LSA) with Fuji Pharma, the leader in Women's Health in Japan, for the commercialization of Donesta in Japan and ASEAN territories. Donesta is Mithra's next generation Hormone Therapy (HT) candidate for which a dose-finding Phase II study is currently ongoing, with top-line results expected late Q1 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, Mithra is entitled to EUR 1 million upon signature as well as future low double digit million development, regulatory and commercialization milestones. Fuji Pharma and Mithra or one of its partners will undertake and equally fund the development of Donesta Phase III in Japanese subjects in the HT indication. Furthermore, based on the annual minimum order quantities agreed upon, the exclusive supply agreement will provide Mithra's CDMO[2] with a steady flow of production work, and will be a source of recurring revenue for Mithra for the duration of the contract. The Donesta LSA follows the binding term sheet announced in March 2017. Mithra and Fuji Pharma already have an exclusive LSA in place, agreed in August 2016, for Estelle, Mithra's combined oral contraceptive candidate which is also based on the E4 platform and is currently in Phase III studies. The Japanese and ASEAN HT markets are valued at approximately EUR 42.6 million[3]. Fuji Pharma is fully committed to expanding the current market with Donesta, given the potentially improved safety profile of E4 versus currently available HTs, including a lower VTE risk profile and a reduced risk of drug-drug interactions[4],[5]. Francois Fornieri, CEO of Mithra: "We are very pleased to sign this agreement with Fuji Pharma for Donesta in Japan and ASEAN, and signing as early as Phase II highlights Fuji Pharma's commitment to the program. As the leader in Women's Health in Japan and our existing partner for Estelle in these territories, Fuji Pharma is our partner of choice for the commercialization of Donesta. Partnering our lead E4-based products in territories outside of Europe and the US is also a key part of our strategy and we look forward to creating additional partnerships with Women's Health players for both Donesta and Estelle. These innovative product candidates could provide women with potentially safer alternatives to currently marketed hormone-based menopause and contraception products." For more information, please contact: Investor Relations Sofie Van Gijsel, IRO +32 485 19 14 15 investorrelations@mithra.com svangijsel@mithra.com Consilium Strategic Communications Jonathan Birt, Sue Stuart, Philippa Gardner, Hendrik Thys, Cameron Standage mithra@consilium-comms.com +44 2 037 095 700 Press Julie Dessart Chief Communication Officer +32 4 349 28 22 / +32 475 86 41 75 press@mithra.com About Donesta Donesta, the Company's next-generation hormone therapy (HT) with oral administration of E4, entered into a Phase II dose-ranging study in Europe. In total, the study will recruit 225 patients in Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK, for a treatment period of 12 weeks. The main objective of the Phase II clinical trial is to identify the minimum dose required to effectively treat vasomotor menopausal symptoms (VMS), or hot flushes. In total five doses will be tested in this blinded study, including placebo. About Fuji Pharma Fuji Pharma is a Tokyo based company founded in 1965, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (4554:JP) with a 61.3bn JPY market capitalization and 2016 revenues of 34.23bn JPY. It specializes in development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, such as injection agents, internal drugs, drugs for external use, and diagnostic products. Their products and services are focused on medical care for women, in vitro diagnostics, acute medical care products and curative medicine (injection agents), and information regarding pharmaceuticals and health. About Mithra Mithra (Euronext: MITRA) is dedicated to providing innovation and choice in Women's Health, with a particular focus on fertility, contraception and menopause. Mithra's goal is to develop new and improved products that meet women's needs for better safety and convenience. Its two lead development candidates - a fifth generation oral contraceptive Estelle and next-generation hormone therapy Donesta - are built on Mithra's unique natural estrogen platform, E4 (Estetrol). Mithra also develops, manufactures and markets complex therapeutics and offers partners a complete spectrum of research, development and specialist manufacturing at its CDMO. Mithra was founded in 1999 as a spin-off from the University of Liege by Mr. Francois Fornieri and Prof. Dr. Jean-Michel Foidart. Mithra is headquartered in Liege, Belgium. Further information can be found at: www.mithra.com Important information The contents of this announcement include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes", "estimates," "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "plans", "continue", "ongoing", "potential", "predict", "project", "target", "seek" or "should", and include statements the Company makes concerning the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. To subscribe to Mithra's mailing list, visit investors.mithra.com [1] Association of Southeast Asian Nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam [2] Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization [3] IMS Health 2016; data based on Japan and 6 ASEAN countries (no data available for Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Brunei) [4] Kluft et al. 2017. Contraception 95(2) : 140-7 [5] Visser et al. 2012. Oncotarget 6(19): 17621-36 Danville School Board Chairwoman Sharon Dones will be arraigned Friday morning on charges involving Danville Public Schools. The Danville Circuit Court indictments were obtained by the Danville Register & Bee on Tuesday morning after a grand jury indicted Dones on Monday. The first indictment for attempted grand larceny states Dones is accused of attempting to steal money having a value of $200 or more, belonging to Danville Public Schools. The other two indictments are for defrauding the Danville Public School system with false receipts from a Pilot gas station. Virginia State Police Special Agent Matthew Wade provided the evidence for the grand jury, according to the indictments. Dones was arrested and released on bond Monday, according to online court documents. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. Friday in Danville Circuit Court. Dones was elected to the school board in 2014 and selected as chairwoman in July 2016. A LinkedIn profile for Dones lists her as a human resources manager for Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center in Danville. Online court records indicate the offense date for the attempted grand larceny charge was March 27. The charges of felony uttering forged receipts listed offense dates of April 3-4. According to Danville School Board policy and the Code of Virginia, Any school board may in its discretion pay each of its members mileage for use of a private vehicle in attending meetings of the school board and in conducting other official business of the school board. On Tuesday, Danville Superintendent Stanley Jones directed all inquiries to school board attorney Alan Spencer when asked about the indictments. Spencer declined to comment when asked for more information, but directed the Register & Bee to a statement released by Steven Gould, school board vice chairman, late Monday. Virginia State Police and did not respond to phone calls asking for more details about the investigation. In a voicemail, Danville Commonwealths Attorney Michael Newman did not respond to questions including if more charges were pending. In the statement Monday, Gould acknowledged the charges against Dones and said the board would continue to focus on supporting student achievement. Gould and school board members Terri Hall and Ed Polhamus declined to comment on the indictments when reached by the Register & Bee. Dones and school board members Phillip Campbell, Renee Hughes and Jeff Hubbard did not respond to phone calls. Michael Livingston contributed to this report. Company Provides Corporate Update CZN-TSX CZICF-OTCQB VANCOUVER, June 27, 2017 /CNW/ - Canadian Zinc Corporation (TSX: CZN; OTCQB: CZICF) ("the Company" or "Canadian Zinc") announces the results of its 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders held in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 27, 2017. Mr. John F. Kearney, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Zinc, provided shareholders with an update on the Company's activities, noting the considerable progress has been made this past year in advancing the project towards production. During the past twelve months, CZN advanced the Prairie Creek project on several fronts. The Definitive Feasibility Study, that will provide the detail needed to obtain financing, is nearing completion. CZN has engaged financial advisers to arrange debt financing and the Company is examining various financing options to secure the necessary capital to put the project into production. The Environmental Assessment of the all season access road to the Prairie Creek Mine has entered the final phase and the Mackenzie Valley Review Board is expected to make its decision during August. Importantly, all of this progress on the project is being made against the background of a very positive outlook for metal prices, especially for zinc but also for lead. Feasibility Study Nearing Completion Following the completion of the Prairie Creek 2016 Preliminary Feasibility Study, CZN engaged AMC Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd. and Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. to complete a Definitive Feasibility Study to support the project debt financing of the Prairie Creek Mine. In addition, the 2016 PFS recommended certain aspects for further detailed study and identified a number of opportunities for optimizing and potentially enhancing the project economics, including a front-end engineering and design phase that would complete engineering to the stage where the design can be used to obtain fixed pricing from construction contractors. As part of this process, Ausenco is undertaking project development planning services for the Prairie Creek Mine and will deliver a robust optimized project development plan focused on making the best possible use of existing infrastructure and construction materials on site so as to provide a lower cost or faster time-frame to production for the project. The project development plan is being undertaken with the objective of converting it to an Engineering Procurement and Construction Management ("EPCM") contract at the appropriate time. The Definitive Feasibility Study is now nearing completion, the field work and testing has been finished, various trade-off studies have been undertaken and the study is now at the compilation and review stage. Canadian Zinc expects that the DFS will be completed within the next six to eight weeks. Mineral Processing Optimization As part of the Feasibility Study, CZN engaged SGS Canada Inc. to undertake further mineral processing optimization testing on new composite bulk samples obtained from the 2015 underground drill program at the Prairie Creek Mine. The principal objectives of the program are to optimize the proposed mineral processing flow sheet and to simplify the flotation circuit design, thereby improving the projected metal recoveries and lowering milling production costs. It is expected that the new mineral processing testing will lead to improvement in projected metal recoveries, and the results of this metallurgical testing program will be incorporated into the DFS. Alternative Energy Options In February 2017, CZN signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Northwest Territories Power Corporation to examine the supply of electrical power for the development and operation of the Prairie Creek Mine. In the MOU, NTPC and CZN have agreed to evaluate the integration of other energy alternatives, and specifically Liquefied Natural Gas, as part of the energy supply for the mine and thereby reduce the dependency on diesel fuel. All Season Road Permitting Over the past ten years Canadian Zinc has successfully completed six environmental assessments and obtained all the significant regulatory permits and social licences required to complete construction and development at the mine site and a winter access road to allow commencement of mining and milling at Prairie Creek. An environmental assessment for the Company's permit application for use of the access road on an all season basis is now nearing completion. The Review Board held Community Hearings in Nahanni Butte April 24th and Fort Simpson April 25th and Technical Hearings in Fort Simpson April 26th to 28th. There was strong support shown for the Prairie Creek Project from both communities. With the Hearings completed, closing submissions were made in early May and the Review Board closed the public record on June 6th. CZN is now awaiting the Board's decision, which is expected during August when the Review Board will issue its Report of Environmental Assessment and submit the Report to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Newfoundland Central Milling Facility Research Program Canadian Zinc also owns an extensive mineral land package in central Newfoundland covering three large VMS projects with known mineral deposits and excellent exploration potential, including the South Tally Pond project, which hosts the Lemarchant deposit; the Tulks South project, which hosts the Boomerang and Domino deposits and the Hurricane and Tulks East prospects; and the Long Lake project. The Company's exploration strategy in Newfoundland is to continue to build on its existing polymetallic resource base with the aim of developing either a stand-alone mine, similar to the past-producing mine at Buchans or the Duck Pond mine, or a number of smaller deposits that could be developed simultaneously and processed in a central milling facility. During 2016, CZN, in collaboration with Buchans Minerals Corp., successfully completed a research program investigating the viability of a central milling facility to process several volcanogenic massive sulphide base metal deposits in central Newfoundland. The metallurgical research program was largely funded by the Research & Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador through the GeoEXPLORE Industry-led program. The metallurgical research study demonstrated that the ore from the Company's Lemarchant and Boomerang-Domino deposits can be successfully processed in a central mill using a sequential flotation flowsheet, and that selective zinc, lead and copper concentrates at marketable grades can be produced from these deposits. The positive results of the research project provide valuable direction to guide future exploration on the Company's central Newfoundland deposits and the conceptual economic modeling provided key information on which to focus future economic studies and development plans for advancing the development of these deposits through a centralized milling facility. 2017 Winter Drilling at Lemarchant Deposit, South Tally Pond Property CZN completed a winter 2017 diamond drill program on its Lemarchant copper-lead-zinc-silver-gold volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit located on the 100%-owned South Tally Pond project in central Newfoundland. Ten drillholes and three drillhole extensions, totaling 3,070 metres were completed at the Lemarchant massive sulphide deposit. Highlights of the drilling program include significant massive sulphide mineralization intersected in drillholes LM17-115 and LM17-116, with assays of: LM17-115 : 10.23% zinc, 2.19% lead, 0.78% copper, 148.4 g/t silver, 2.41 g/t gold over 7.1 m. LM17-116 : 14.06% zinc, 6.27% lead, 1.88% copper, 382.9 g/t silver, 2.01 g/t gold over 6.0 m. The drilling successfully extended the Lemarchant mineralization up to 65 metres up-dip on two sections located 125 metres apart and 25 metres along strike to the south. The vertical depths of the mineralized drill intercepts range from 130 to 170 metres and remain open for further expansion up-dip and along strike. A summer drill program was started this week to follow up on these successful results and to test other targets around the Lemarchant deposit. Outlook Canadian Zinc's focus for the second half of 2017 will be to complete the Definitive Feasibility Study and seek the financing required to begin initial development of the Prairie Creek Project and advance the Mine towards production. The DFS is well advanced and will be completed in the coming weeks. The all season road environmental assessment is in its final phase with a decision expected in August. LME zinc prices averaged US$1.26 per pound in the first quarter of 2017, an increase of 10% from the previous quarter and up 66% from the first quarter a year ago and most forecasters are predicting zinc prices to remain strong for the balance of the year. Zinc concentrate treatment charges have dropped to historically low levels. It has been reported that zinc concentrate annual benchmark treatment charges for 2017 was agreed at US$172 per tonne without any price participation, a substantial reduction of approximately US$100 per tonne from treatment charges agreed for 2016, with spot treatment charges reported much lower. The lead price increased by over 14% since the beginning of 2017 as LME warehouse stocks decreased. Demand for lead continues to be driven by lead-acid batteries. According to Wood Mackenzie 85% of global lead demand is used to make batteries, mostly for automobiles, demand for which is growing in countries such as China, Brazil, Argentina and Russia. Renewable technologies such as wind and solar power have created a need for suitable storage capacity and, large-scale industrial batteries, which use lead, are in increasing demand. The long-term price environment for lead and zinc remains very positive and, supported by the completion of the DFS, Canadian Zinc will continue to evaluate all alternatives and possibilities for raising the senior financing necessary to complete the development and construction and put the Prairie Creek Mine into production. Results of the Annual General Meeting All of the director nominees set out in the management information circular dated May 10, 2017 were unanimously elected as directors by a show of hands, to serve until the next annual general meeting of shareholders or until their successors are elected or appointed. The detailed results of the proxies submitted for the vote on the election of directors are as follows: Votes For Percentage of Votes For Votes Withheld Percentage of Votes Withheld John F. Kearney 70,668,757 94.07% 4,454,172 5.93% Dave Nickerson 74,123,901 98.67% 999,028 1.33% Jean-Charles Potvin 74,084,723 98.62% 1,038,206 1.38% Malcolm JA Swallow 73,876,327 98.34% 1,246,602 1.66% Alan B. Taylor 70,711,918 94.13% 4,411,011 5.87% Ian Ward 73,911,600 98.39% 1,211,329 1.61% John Warwick 74,136,410 98.69% 986,519 1.31% The shareholders voted in favour of all matters brought before the Meeting. The results of the other matters considered at the Meeting including the appointment of auditors are reported in the Report of Voting Results as filed on SEDAR on June 27, 2017. About Canadian Zinc Canadian Zinc is a TSX-listed exploration and development company trading under the symbol "CZN". The Company's key project is the 100%-owned Prairie Creek Project, a fully permitted, advanced-staged zinc-lead-silver property, located in the Northwest Territories. Canadian Zinc also owns an extensive land package in central Newfoundland. Qualified Person: Alan Taylor, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Company, who is a Non-Independent Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), has prepared, supervised the preparation of or reviewed, the parts of this News Release that are of a scientific or technical nature. Cautionary Statement Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain forward-looking information, including, among other things, the advancement of mineral properties. This forward looking information includes, or may be based upon, estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, among other things, the completion of transactions, the issue of permits, the size and quality of mineral resources, future trends for the company, progress in development of mineral properties, future production and sales volumes, capital costs, mine production costs, demand and market outlook for metals, future metal prices and treatment and refining charges, the outcome of legal proceedings, the timing of exploration, development and mining activities, acquisition of shares in other companies and the financial results of the company. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves. Cautionary Note to United States Investors The United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms in this press release, such as "measured," "indicated," and "inferred" "resources," which the SEC guidelines prohibit U.S. registered companies from including in their filings with the SEC. SOURCE Canadian Zinc Corp. CALGARY, June 28, 2017 /CNW/ - PRIZE MINING CORPORATION ("Prize" or the "Company") (TSXV:PRZ ) (MQSB:GR:FRANKFURT) is pleased to report that Phase 1 fieldwork is now underway at the Daylight and neighboring Toughnut gold properties, located near Nelson, British Columbia. Collectively, the 1550 ha Daylight and the 1010 ha Toughnut properties strategically cover a 5-km strike-length of the central and eastern segments of the >1 km wide Silver King shear system. The overall purpose of the Phase-I field program this summer is to refine the locations and geochemical and geophysical signatures of known historical workings on the properties. Prize will use this information to spearhead upcoming Phase-II trenching and Phase-III drilling programs later in 2017. Feisal Somji, president and chief executive officer of Prize Mining, commented: "With the recent acquisition of the Toughnut gold property and an oversubscribed $6mm funding, Prize is well positioned to undertake a discovery focused exploration program." Terralogic Exploration Inc. of Cranbrook BC is responsible for carrying out the 2017 exploration program, with Phase-I including an infill soil geochemical program, strategic high-resolution ground based magnetic & VLF-EM geophysical surveys, and detailed prospecting, geological and structural analysis. The 3-week Phase-I exploration program is expected to continue until July 16th. Within the first week of the program, several new forest service roads have been identified that provide new prospective cross-cut exposures over the main mineralized trends at both Daylight and Toughnut property areas. At the Daylight, one such road replaces at least two proposed cat trenches from the upcoming Phase-II program. New road cuts will be systematically mapped and chip sampled during the Phase-I program. Baseline environmental water quality sampling will also be initiated during Phase-I in anticipation of bulk sampling activities planned for the Daylight and Kena properties in subsequent years. As a 3rd party contractor, Terralogic personnel will institute and maintain a rigorous and independent QA/QC program throughout the duration of fieldwork and reporting portions of the 3-Phase exploration program. Sample chain-of-custody will be instituted with sample analysis being completed by Bureau Veritas, in Vancouver BC, utilizing ICP analysis of rocks (MA250) and soils (AQ252), with additional gold fire-assay analysis (FA430) of all rock samples and screen-metallic assay (FS631) of select high-grade samples. Bureau Veritas is wholly independent of Prize Mining and TerraLogic and is accredited under CAN-P-4E (ISO/IEC 17025): General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories ISO/IEC 17025-2005. Jarrod Brown, P.Geo., of Terralogic Exploration Inc., a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About Prize Mining Corp. Prize is a Calgary-based junior mining issuer with offices in Calgary, Alta., and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Prize is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mining properties. Find out more at: www.prizemining.com. Follow Prize Mining Corp. on Facebook Follow Prize Mining Corp. on Twitter Follow Prize Mining Corp. on LinkedIn We seek Safe Harbor. SOURCE Prize Mining Corp. TSX:TML TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Treasury Metals Inc. (TSX: TML) ("Treasury" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert MacDonald, P.Eng., as Vice President, Goliath Gold Project. Mr. MacDonald brings extensive senior level expertise in mine production and technical services to the Company and has worked for some of Canada's leading mining companies and mining operations, including Goldcorp's Musselwhite and Red Lake Gold Mines and Kirkland Lake Gold's Macassa Complex gold mine in Ontario. In addition, he worked with Cameco Corp. at its Cigar Lake and McArthur River's uranium projects in Saskatchewan. As Vice President, Goliath Gold Project, Mr. MacDonald's primary focus will be on overseeing all activities related to the advancement of the Goliath Gold Project towards construction and production, with an initial focus on completion of the mine permitting process and the feasibility study. Mr. MacDonald is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario and holds a Bachelor of Science, Mining Engineering, from Queen's University and has more than 30 years of experience in the sector. In addition, the Company announces that Mr. Norm Bush will retire, effective June 30, 2017, from his full-time role with Treasury to enjoy more time with his family. We thank him for his efforts over the past few years in advancing the Goliath Gold Project and we wish him well in his retirement. Mr. Bush will continue to assist the Company with community affairs and educating the local stakeholders about the Goliath Gold Project on a consulting basis. Chris Stewart, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "On behalf of the Company I would like to welcome Bob to the team and thank Norm for his ongoing dedication to both the local communities and the project. I am delighted to be working with Bob again on another exciting Ontario gold project and I know his experience in technical services, project management and mine management will benefit the Company greatly. He will provide a huge boost to our efforts to bring the Company's flagship Goliath Gold Project to production." To view further details about the Company and Goliath Gold Project, please visit the Company's website at www.treasurymetals.com Follow us on Twitter @TreasuryMetals Treasury Metals Inc. is a gold focused exploration and development company with assets in Canada and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") under the symbol "TML". Treasury Metals Inc.'s 100% owned Goliath Gold Project in northwestern Ontario is slated to become one of Canada's next producing gold mines. With first-rate infrastructure currently in place and gold mineralization extending to surface, Treasury Metals plans on the initial development of an open pit gold mine to feed a 2,500 per day processing plant with subsequent underground operations in the latter years of the mine life. Forward looking Statements This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expect, are forward-looking statements. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Treasury Metals disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Treasury Metals Inc. Vancouver, June 28, 2017 - Equitorial Exploration Corp. (TSX-V: EXX, Frankfurt: EE1, OTCQB: EQTXF) ("Equitorial" or "Company") is pleased to report that it has received a land use permit for its 100%-owned Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group (LNPG) Lithium Property in the Northwest Territories. The permit is valid for 5 years and allows Equitorial to conduct diamond drilling from a camp located on the property. The work program is scheduled to begin in mid-late July, 2017. CEO, Jack Bal comments, "Our LNPG property is worthy of serious attention. The LNPG NI 43-101 released March, 2017 concludes that there are 'sufficient grades to bring the rock to within economic values'. The focus of our summer drill program is to further expand the economic potential of this significant Li property." Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group (LNPG) Project Highlights Please see Property Location Map below -Contains a system of Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum-type (LCT) pegmatite dykes -13km strike length deeply incised by several east- or west-facing cirques -"Sufficient grades to bring the rock to within economic values." (NI 43-101 March, 2017) -Dyke continuity over a vertical range of 300+ meters demonstrated by natural exposure and past drilling. Each "swarm" of dykes is up to 300 m thick. The dykes are well exposed on the cirque walls and strike northerly, with near vertical dips -Where sampled, each dyke swarm is up to 52.60 m wide and contains multiple dykes that range from 0.2 to 10 m in width. Reliable channel sampling performed in 2016 -Careful measurement of dyke width and host rock intervals have enabled bulk samples to be calculated -"Results such as 10.35 m at 1.13% Li2O, 71.1 g/t Ta2O5 and SnO2 are highly encouraging." (NI 43-101 March, 2017) Drill Program Summer 2017 The work program is scheduled for mid-late July and will include diamond drilling, channel sampling, resampling of 2007 drill core, and geological mapping and prospecting. Diamond drilling will target the pegmatite dyke swarms near the cirque floors in order to extend the vertical extent of these dykes. The 2017 field program on the Li Property will be managed by Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Limited ("Archer Cathro"). About Equitorial Exploration Corp Equitorial is aggressively developing three 100%-owned, high-potential, lithium projects in North America. The Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group (LNPG) is a 43-101 compliant, hard rock, lithium property in the NWT. The Tule and Gerlach Lithium Brine Projects are located in lithium-rich Utah and Nevada within easy reach of the Tesla Gigafactory #1. Technical information in this news release has been approved by Matthew R. Dumala, P.Eng., a geological engineer with Archer Cathro and a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. For more information please visit: http://www.equitorial.ca Equitorial Exploration Corp. _____________________ Jack Bal, CEO and Director For further information, please contact Jack Bal at 604-306-5285 Click Image To View Full Size FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the Tule, Gerlach and Little Nahanni Pegmatite Project: statements pertaining to the ability of Equitorial Exploration Corp.("EXX"); the potential to develop resources and then further develop reserves; the anticipated economic potential of the property; the availability of capital and finance for EXX to execute its strategy going forward. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by EXX in light of its experience and perception of current and expected future developments, as well as other factors that EXX believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause EXX's results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements, including: discrepancies between actual and estimated results from exploration and development and operating risks, dependence on early exploration stage concessions; uninsurable risks; competition; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; currency fluctuations; defective title to mineral claims or property and dependence on key employees. 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, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company 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. 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. Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Edmonton, June 28, 2017 - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (OTCPK: GZDIF) (Frankfurt: G6H) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has been advised by Kinross Gold Corp. 's wholly owned subsidiary, KG Exploration (Canada) Inc. ("Kinross") that it has approved its 2017 work program on the Grizzly Greenwood property, located near Greenwood in southern B.C. The 2016 work program yielded identification of epithermal and skarn precious metal mineralization at the Mt Attwood-Overlander and Midway target areas, which will be a continuing focus of the 2017 program. The portions of Grizzly's Greenwood Project being explored by Kinross are 100% owned by Grizzly Discoveries Inc. and includes 131 claims that form a contiguous package totaling approximately 27,346 hectares, representing approximately one third of Grizzly's land holdings at Greenwood. Under the terms of a September 2015 agreement, KG Exploration (Canada) Inc. can earn a 75% interest on the optioned land pursuant to an Option Agreement with Grizzly on portions of its land holdings in southeastern British Columbia, by incurring US$3 million in exploration expenditures over a five year period. By the second anniversary of the agreement, 750 metres of diamond drilling must be completed along with US$750,000 in expenditures by September 23, 2017. Planned 2017 Work Program Highlights 1,250 metres diamond drilling at Mt Attwood-Overlander and Midway areas Generative work of mapping and sampling of high priority targets Planned expenditure totals US $352,000 Summary of 2016 Kinross Results The 2016 exploration program focused primarily at the Mt Attwood-Overlander and Midway target areas and included trenching, soil, rock and stream sediment sampling, geological mapping, along with geochemical analysis and reporting. Exploration at the Mt Attwood-Overlander and Midway target areas yielded newly-identified epithermal precious metal and skarn mineralization, as well as confirmation and extension of epithermal and skarn alteration and mineralization discovered during 2015. Fieldwork conducted at five separate target areas took place between May 1 and October 5, 2016. A total of 3,131 soil samples, 411 rock samples and 34 stream silt samples were collected, as well as 12 trenches were excavated during the 2016 program. A total of 421 field man-days of work were conducted during the period. At Mt Attwood-Overlander, the newly discovered quartz veins included extensions to the two veins discovered in 2015 which bring the number of veins discovered in 2015 and 2016 to seven. Visible gold (Au) was found at one new vein with historic assays in the area up to 37.9 g/t gold. At Midway, the area was subdivided into four target areas including the Texas-Bruce, a previously known skarn area. One of the sub areas is a newly identified epithermal silicification occurrence, and another sub-area is defined by a gold in soil anomaly in the northwest portion of the area. 2017 Kinross Work Program Kinross has approved further exploration including up to 1,250 metres of drilling, focusing on 3 high priority targets,in the Midway and Attwood-Overlander target areas . Generative follow-up is also scheduled to the northeast of the Texas skarn showing. MIDWAY The primary objective of the 2017 program is to proof-of-concept drill test the Midway epithermal target area to determine if deposit signatures and grade are continuous at depth. The Midway program is comprised of 750 metres of diamond drilling (3-5 ~200m drill holes). MT ATTWOOD-OVERLANDER The primary objective of the 2017 program is to proof-of-concept drill test beneath the gold bearing Attwood drusy quartz veins, to determine if deposit signatures and grade are continuous at depth. The Mt Attwood-Overlander program is comprised of 500 metres of diamond drilling (3-5 ~100m drill holes) GENERATIVE The primary objective of the 2017 Kinross generative program and target delineation work is to test high priority and quality targets. . Generative work and target delineation will be undertaken at 4 high priority target areas: 1. Midway continue mapping and sampling the area with low sulfidation epithermal signatures 2. Attwood A geologic mapping of strong geochemically anomalous area to better define deposit type and potential 3. North Target geologic mapping and sampling of an underexplored skarn in prospective rocks with historic gold anomalies 4. Attwood B geologic mapping and sampling of historic gold soil anomalies with potential for VMS or Skarn type deposit ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange with 52.4 million shares issued, focused on developing significant Potash assets in Alberta and its precious metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. The Company holds over 235,000 acres of precious-base metal properties in British Columbia; more than 220,000 acres of properties which host diamondiferous kimberlites in the Buffalo Head Hills region of Alberta; and metallic and industrial mineral permits for potash totaling more than 143,000 acres along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. The content of this news release and the Company's technical disclosure has been reviewed and approved by Michael B. Dufresne, M. Sc., P. Geol., who is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. On behalf of the Board, GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Brian Testo, CEO, President Tel: (780) 693-2242 For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact: Nancy Massicotte, Investor Relations IR PRO COMMUNICATIONS INC. Tel: 604-507-3377 Toll Free: 1-866-503-3377 Email: ir@grizzlydiscoveries.com www.irprocommunications.com or Ian Lambert COO, Grizzly Discoveries Inc. Tel: 416-840-9843 Email: ilambert@grizzlydiscoveries.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. Caution concerning forward-looking information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law. Vancouver, June 28, 2017 - A.I.S. Resources Ltd. (TSX - NEX: AIS.H, OTCQB: AISSF) (the "Company" or "AIS") is pleased to announce that it has delivered brines from Guayatayoc Salar that have been concentrated by solar evaporation, and is processing these brines at the pilot plant in Salta, Argentina. Lithium carbonate samples will be delivered to downstream lithium manufacturers in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. One of these manufacturers completed a tour of the salar and pilot plant on 9 June 2017. Completion of the mass balance chemistry will enable the first phase of production modelling to be completed. The second phase will be completed when production tests are finalized. The Company is also pleased to announce that it has signed a land access agreement with the Quebralena community. This is a key part of the process to obtain our drilling permits. We have had two meetings with the Director of Mines in Jujuy to get an update on the approval of our environmental impact statement and drilling and seismic application. Phil Thomas COO stated, "We are very pleased with progress to date. The brines evaporated satisfactorily at the average rate of 4.5 kilograms of brine per square metre, per 24 hours. The production of samples will assist us greatly with the feasibility studies to determine how much of the raw materials we need. When the drilling permit is issued the seismic and drilling will be the last part of our exploration investigations before we start modelling the processes in the plant. The samples will assist us in our negotiations for off-take contracts of lithium carbonate. " On Behalf of the Board of Directors, A.I.S. Resources Ltd.. Marc Enright-Morin CEO About A.I.S. Resources A.I.S Resources Limited a TSX-V listed investment issuer, was established in 1967 and is managed by experienced, highly qualified professionals who have a long track record of success in lithium exploration, production and capital markets. Through their extensive business and scientific network, they identify and develop early stage projects worldwide that have strong potential for growth with the objective of providing significant returns for shareholders. The Company's most recent activities have been the exploration of lithium properties in Northern Argentina. Contact A.I.S. Resources Ltd. Marc Enright-Morin President and CEO T: 778-892-5455 E: memorin@aisresources.com W: www.aisresources.com ADVISORY: This press release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, this press release contains statements concerning the anticipated use of the proceeds of the Private Placement. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Corporation can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The intended use of the proceeds of the Private Placement by the Corporation might change if the board of directors of the Corporation determines that it would be in the best interests of the Corporation to deploy the proceeds for some other purpose. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Corporation undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. GOP governors opposed to the Senate healthcare bills changes to Medicaid are exerting influence on their home-state senators, making it more difficult for Republican leaders to net the 50 votes they need to pass the legislation.The GOP governors could give cover to senators who oppose the bill, but they could also make it more difficult for a Republican senator to stake out a dissenting position.Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) announced his opposition to the Senate bill at a press conference where he stood side by side with Gov. Brian Sandoval (R), highlighting the issue.Sandoval has been protective of his states Medicaid expansion, and Heller seen as the most vulnerable senator up for reelection next year raised doubts about whether he could support any phase-out of federal funds for Medicaid expansion.Its going to be very difficult to get me to a yes, Heller said. You have to protect Medicaid expansion states. Thats what I want.The mounting criticism from GOP governors may be enough to convince some Republicans to kill the Senates ObamaCare repeal legislation. So far, nine GOP senators oppose the bill, which leaves Republicans with a steep climb to get the measure through the Senate.With a slim 52-48 majority in the upper chamber, GOP leaders can only afford to lose two votes, assuming Vice President Pence breaks a tie. The Chicago police investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald unfolded like hundreds of others had before it, with an officer who claimed he fired in fear of his life, fellow cops who backed up his story and supervisors who quickly signed off on the case as a justifiable homicide.The routine way the Police Department went about clearing Officer Jason Van Dyke -- who now stands charged with murder in McDonald's death -- is at the heart of what critics of the department have often referred to as the code of silence.It's an issue that City Hall finally acknowledged amid the fallout over the McDonald scandal. But now a Cook County grand jury has alleged the code of silence is much more than just a problem -- it's criminal.In a move some lawyers called unprecedented, the special prosecutor appointed to look into how police handled the probe into the McDonald shooting announced that three veteran officers were indicted on felony charges alleging they conspired to cover up the details of the death to protect Van Dyke.Detective David March and patrol Officers Thomas Gaffney and Joseph Walsh, who was Van Dyke's partner on the night of the shooting, were each charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice, according to the 12-page indictment.At an afternoon news conference, special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes said the three officers lied to keep the truth from independent criminal investigators."The indictment makes clear that it is unacceptable to obey an unofficial code of silence," Holmes said.Police dashcam video of Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times as he walked away from police while holding a knife has caused a firestorm of controversy and led to calls for major reforms of the Police Department. The accounts of several officers dramatically differed from the video.The indictment stopped short of criminally charging department higher-ups in the alleged cover-up even though several had been recommended for firing by the city inspector general's office for their actions.The charges noted, however, that several undisclosed supervisors completed or approved some of the allegedly falsified police reports.Holmes said that the grand jury probe continues but declined to say whether others could still be charged."We will follow all roads where they lead, and we will seek the truth," Holmes told reporters.The most serious charge -- obstruction -- carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, prosecutors said. The three officers are scheduled to be arraigned July 10 at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.A representative of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents rank-and-file officers, said it had not reviewed the indictment and declined comment. It was not known if any of the three officers have criminal defense attorneys.But in a statement emailed through a publicist Tuesday night, attorney Daniel Herbert, who represents Van Dyke, blasted the indictment as a political effort to silence witnesses in his murder case and prevent a fair trial."Apparently, the rule of law is trumped by special interest groups and politicians," he said.Herbert also shifted blame to the police command staff, saying that if the allegations are true they must be part of the conspiracy as well because "they were aware of the reports and video when they signed off on the shooting."Critics who have long fought to get the city to acknowledge the code of silence said Tuesday that the charges could mark a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to reform a police culture that many have labeled among the worst in the country."This does really send a message that you could be charged just for sitting back even if you aren't the primary actor," said Christopher Smith, an attorney who represented two former officers who alleged they were ostracized for trying to blow the whistle on the code of silence. "That gives good officers the excuse to come forward and say I am not going to risk my family, risk my job."Civil rights lawyers who pushed for a special prosecutor in the hot-button case praised the charges, even if department higher-ups weren't indicted."The indictment may not go high enough as it stands right now," said G. Flint Taylor of the People's Law Office. "But it certainly is a historic and significant event in terms of criminally charging police officers who engage in a code of silence."Prosecutors have said Van Dyke was less than an hour into his overnight shift when a radio call reported the 17-year-old McDonald had been caught breaking into trucks and stealing radios in a parking lot.Responding first to the scene in their police SUV, Gaffney and his partner said over the radio that McDonald was walking away with a knife in his hand, according to police reports. Gaffney, who was driving, tried to block McDonald's path, but the teen popped the tire on their squad car with the knife, the reports said.Arriving on the scene in the 4100 block of South Pulaski Road, Van Dyke and Walsh got out of their marked Chevrolet Tahoe with their guns drawn. Van Dyke took at least one step toward the teen and opened fire from about 10 feet away within seconds after exiting the squad car, prosecutors said.The video showed McDonald's arm jerk as he spun around and fell to the street. As he lay motionless, Van Dyke emptied his gun and was in the act of reloading when his partner kicked away the knife and told him to hold his fire, prosecutors said.The indictment announced Tuesday alleged that March, Walsh and Gaffney each made false police reports, ignored contrary evidence and obstructed justice "to shield" Van Dyke from criminal investigation and prosecution.Van Dyke himself -- identified in the indictment only as Individual A -- was an active participant in the conspiracy, the indictment alleged.The charges alleged the officers coordinated their efforts with Van Dyke "and others known and unknown to the special grand jury," writing virtually identical reports to make it appear that McDonald's actions were justified.Among the false claims cited by the officers, according to the indictment, were that McDonald injured Van Dyke; that McDonald swung his knife around and raised his arm as if to attack; and that McDonald attempted to get back up off the ground as Van Dyke continued to fire.Despite what the video captured, one report authored by Walsh stated the footage "was viewed and found to be consistent with the accounts of all the witnesses," the indictment charged.The defendants also failed to interview at least three witnesses to the shooting whose accounts differed from those of officers, according to the charges. In addition, the indictment alleged the officers deleted or failed to preserve communications with each other."The co-conspirators understood that public airing of the events surrounding Laquan McDonald's killing, including the video recordings, would inexorably lead to a thorough criminal investigation," the indictment said.March was slated to testify Wednesday at a hearing in Van Dyke's murder case.The inspector general's office had recommended that 11 officers -- from rank-and-file patrol officers to command-level personnel -- be fired for making false statements exaggerating the threat posed by McDonald.As a result of those recommendations, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is seeking to fire four officers -- none of whom was indicted -- in addition to Van Dyke. The inspector general had recommended that both March, 58, and Walsh, 48, be fired, but both resigned before any action could be taken against them. Gaffney, 43, who remained on the force, was suspended without pay after word of his indictment Tuesday, a police spokesman said.In a prepared statement Tuesday, Johnson said the department has "fully cooperated" with the special prosecutor and reiterated his goal to put in place new and improved policies for the department."The shooting of Laquan McDonald forever changed the Chicago Police Department, and I am committed to implementing policies and training to prevent an incident like this from happening again," Johnson said.The indictments are the latest consequence of a shooting that threw policing and politics into upheaval 19 months ago.Mayor Rahm Emanuel fought against releasing the video for more than a year before a Cook County judge ordered it publicized in November 2015. The video touched off angry, prolonged protests, particularly among African-Americans with longstanding grievances about unfair treatment by Chicago police.A few days after the video's release, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it was investigating whether the Police Department had systematically violated citizens' civil rights.Emanuel, meanwhile, pressed changes designed to get ahead of those the federal authorities were expected to seek. He has moved to overhaul the city's main police disciplinary agency, reworked the department's use of force rules and expanded the use of Tasers and body cameras, among other changes.About six months ago, the Justice Department concluded its investigation, issuing a stinging report criticizing the Police Department from top to bottom, calling Chicago's cops badly trained, lackadaisically supervised, rarely disciplined and prone to using force, particularly against minorities.The report also alleged that the code of silence pervades the department, protecting cops from the consequences of their actions, with little threat of discipline for officers who lie.While the DOJ sought to enter a consent decree with the city, Emanuel backed away from his pledge to do so earlier this month, instead pressing a plan for an independent monitor to oversee changes without a judge's supervision.Meanwhile, the city has declined to make public Inspector General Joseph Ferguson's report on the shooting. But thousands of pages of records of that probe obtained by the Tribune months ago raise questions about Johnson's response to the inspector general's findings against top command officers.The documents revealed that Ferguson recommended firing Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy and Deputy Chief David McNaughton in addition to numerous lower-ranking officers. Ferguson found that Roy, who had supervised the department's investigation into McDonald's shooting, was "incompetent in the performance of his duties."But Johnson never acted on the recommendation. Instead, Roy quietly stepped down as he neared the mandatory age for retirement. McNaughton, the highest-ranking officer at the scene of McDonald's shooting, also since retired.The records of Ferguson's investigation also detailed a meeting at police headquarters among the top brass about 10 days after the McDonald shooting. Among those at the meeting was Johnson, then a deputy chief who was later promoted to superintendent after former Superintendent Garry McCarthy was fired days after the release of the video.Of that meeting, Lt. Osvaldo Valdez told the inspector general's office, "Everyone agreed that Officer Van Dyke used the force necessary to eliminate the threat, and that's pretty much it."Through a spokesman, Johnson has disputed that characterization of the meeting but said little more in public about the matter since it was reported by the Tribune in December.In his interviews with the inspector general's office, March said that the department leadership's stance on the shooting shifted after the video was released and that no one had "voiced any reservations or concerns" to him at the time of his investigation."I was informed the entire command staff concurred with the findings and conclusions of my investigation," he told investigators. He also defended his work and the accuracy of the statements of other officers, as well as McDonald's shooting."Is it really being suggested that the police should have done nothing and permitted Laquan McDonald to continue on his way and not stop him?" March asked.The inspector general also found that Walsh filed false department reports and made inaccurate statements to detectives and disciplinary investigators. Ferguson noted that Walsh told detectives that McDonald advanced on officers, swung the knife and tried to get up as Van Dyke pelted him with bullets.He also faulted Walsh for failing to ensure that his police vehicle's video and audio recording system was functioning; the car Walsh rode in that night failed to record audio, and its microphone was not connected to a charger. (TNS) -- As the Camden County Commission considers a contract proposal from Huber & Associates to fully manage its Information Technology (IT) network and administration, both sides are in agreement that one ongoing issue needs to be addressed immediately.Presiding Commissioner Greg Hasty learned that the county has not been backing up sensitive network data and files to a secure off-site location when he met with two Huber associates and newly-appointed Auditor Jimmy Laughlin on Monday morning. Associate commissioners Bev Thomas and Don Williams were not present."Until we get this contract in place we are not backing up off-site from this building," Huber's Clayton Shepard said. "Right now everything is being backed up in two places, in case something happened, but under the contract, that all changes and we would back up to our office."Shepard explained that one of the county's most important midrange servers - a high-powered, multi-purpose operating system designed for business applications, known as the AS/400, and used by the collector's office for property tax bills - is currently being backed up on physical tapes that are stored in a fireproof safe in the basement of the administration building, while the county's other servers and data files are backed up on the actual hardware."Honestly, I didn't know we were doing that and I believe we need to make a step on that right away," Hasty said. "That needs to be on an agenda for a meeting, immediately, before the end of the week."The Huber representatives said they could add the backup work to the county's current billing statement, which is contracted on an hourly basis for the work needed.Huber officially proposed a full-time, all-inclusive contract last week, but the commission wanted to seek a legal opinion from County Attorney Charles McElyea regarding the potential need to request for qualifications and undergo a bidding process.It was unclear whether or not guidelines to obtain qualifications and bids had to be applied to a professional service such as IT administration before signing a contract.The Huber representatives suggested still using tapes, but encrypting them first, and then moving them to a secure location, either at a county-owned property or in a lock box at a local bank. The county currently does not have an encryption drive for the tapes."Can we do that immediately? That, really we should do," Laughlin commented. "My only concern is if something happens, you're really hanging out there. It's way risky."Laughlin said that the problem with storing the tapes in a fire-proof safe is that if a fire occurred, the water from the sprinkler system would damage the tapes if the safe isn't also waterproof.Another issue Laughlin mentioned was backing up data at another county property that could be affected by a tornado or other major natural disaster, and suggested using a bank in Osage Beach if the county decides to go that route.The Huber representatives said that they would set up a back-up cloud at their Jefferson City office to locally route the data safely and store in a place that's easily accessible by technicians, should systems ever go down again like they did in September 2016. An alleged security breach and subsequent confiscation of servers by the FBI caused a shutdown in network systems, email and phones."That's something we can do on the fly now. We can bill that into the statement of work to get the AS/400 off-site as well," Shepard said. "The big need coming up is getting somebody on site as things are starting to get better around here. People are wanting more and more. As we grow users are needing more help."Hasty recommended Huber send the commission an email with the proposed backup work to begin this week and said he would place the item on an upcoming agenda for a full vote with his fellow commissioners present.According to an agenda sheet received Monday after the meeting, the commission will discuss the off-site backup as well as "computer services - request for qualifications" on Thursday, June 29."We had a nuclear explosion that was getting ready to happen here, it was going to happen," Hasty said. "We were in a horrific condition. Unbelievable. This county government can never ever be in a position that we were put in last fall. That could never occur again." (TNS) -- Come Saturday, July 1, all communities within Randolph County will officially launch an enhanced version of its emergency preparedness and mass notification services for citizens, introducing a product called CivicReady to be used in lieu of the current Code Red system that expires June 30 announced Monday by Jim Charrier, Emergency Management Director for Randolph County and Moberly.This mass communication tool allows Moberly and Randolph County emergency personnel to communicate with citizens quickly and efficiently before, during and after an emergency. In addition, it can be used for routine events and community updates. Citizens can be reached through email, SMS, and voice calls depending on preference."With the enhanced communication system, the Moberly and Randolph County will be able to increase its community engagement and be better prepared in the event of an emergency," Charrier said. "Citizens will benefit from easier profile management, increased communication speeds and other improvements to the quality of communication."Charrier said he has been studying the possibility of switching the current emergency system named Code Red to CivicReady with Randolph County commissioners and City of Moberly Manager Brian Crane for nearly one year."Code Red is a fairly expensive system yet having limited options compared to what Civic Ready offers. In our study, we learned that CivicReady not only does everything that Code Red does, but it also provides several options for our managers and citizens, it's more enhanced and there is a cost savings of 20-to-30 percent from the price of Code Red," Charrier said. "We all feel this new system will be a great benefit to our citizens. It will give improved notification ability and options to the people here in Randolph County while providing some cost savings for the taxpayers."Charrier said Code Red cost about $15,000 annually to operate while CivicReady brings roughly a $4,500 savings.Unfortunately, persons who receive Code Red now cannot have their data and information automatically transferred over to the new system. New registrations to CivicReady are required for everyone."We are unable to perform a data base shift from Code Red to CivicReady. Therefore, everybody that signed up for Code Red will have to register themselves over to CivicReady and I encourage them to do so as soon as possible as well as any resident in this county who has never done so before," Charrier said. "While it is not a great thing that we are not be able to transfer the database from one system to the other, there is an upside for managers of the system. It will allow us to purge names and information of all the people who are no longer living in this county, allowing us more accurate, up-to-date information on our residents that will help us to keep them better informed and more safe when an emergency situation does occur."The CivicReady system provides flexibility on how the public is notified for certain emergency preparedness or notification purposes.When registering, each person will have control on how they will receive messages by selecting one or more choices. They have options to receive voice messages by land line phone and/or cell phone, cell phone text message, or by email explained Charrier.There are additional, enhanced options for persons to consider such as being part of a group notification such as being among the National Weather Service automated weather alert messages, disaster problems associated within an emergency management group, law enforcement announcements, and public utility announcements for boil orders, school notifications, and the parks department may use this to announce cancellation of ball games for example."From my perspective as the emergency management director, CivicReady is an outstanding system that I believe we will get a lot of mileage out of. Hopefully, we will not have to use it often, because its purpose is to notify persons about key emergency or disaster situations of magnitude. But we will have the comfort knowing it will be here to let others know what is going on," Charrier said. "In the disaster business we have three things we want the public to know about as soon as we can; here's what's going on, here's what we're doing about it, and here's what you can do to help."Local media outlets will continue to be a source to help disseminate emergency management notifications and situations when they arise. However, Charrier explained that for those who register for CivicReady, they will get direct and more timely notices almost instantly as they occur.To sign up online, visit the City of Moberly webpage or the Randolph County website , click on the link named CivicReady found on the respective home page home page. From here, persons will follow the directions listed.For persons who do not have a computer or who are not Internet savvy, they may visit the Moberly Police Department, the City Manager's office in Moberly City Hall and Randolph County Sheriffs Office in Huntsville to pick up a CivicReady form to fill out and leave at those respective offices.These documents will be given to Charrier, allowing him to input data into the new system so that those persons will be notified accordingly during times of an emergency. Charrier said he would follow up this measure by calling persons who registered by such means. Meanwhile, for those who use the Internet to register, an electronic reply is sent.Charrier said the new system allows persons to access their account at any time and make changes to their personal liking on how they are to be notified, and by which groups. For Internet users, this can be done instantly online while for non-Internet users they will need to visit one of the designated offices listed above to fill out a new form to make necessary changes. (TNS) -- Emergency dispatchers say they fear a threatened veto of a bill that would extend funding for 911 call centers could hamper life-saving efforts.Senate Bill 1839 would raise telephone surcharges dedicated for 911 services from 87 cents to $1.50 a month in most of the state and from $3.90 to $5 in Chicago. The increases are seen as a way to maintain funding levels in light of sharp declines in the number of people who still have landline telephone service.The existing funding mechanism expires Friday. Gov. Bruce Rauners administration has called the increases excessive and Rauner has asked lawmakers for a new version.Without an extension or other legislation in place, dispatch centers could lose funding, administrators say.Morgan County Emergency Services Director Phil McCarty said the surcharge hike in central Illinois would be about $7.68 for a single-line customer. A hike would provide updated technology to call centers, he said, allowing for such service upgrades as 911 texting and video communications.Its not just that we would lose funds for our upgrades, we would lose funds totally, McCarty said. Our 86 cents expires on June 30 and until they pass something again, its lost. Theres no recovery to that. That money is gone and yet we will still have to provide services.He stressed that services would continue, but it takes funding to provide services and that sets a dangerous precedent.Jason Heffley, policy adviser for the Office of the Governor, said Rauner supports 911 services. He cited two increases Chicago has put into place in the past four years as reasons for the governors belief the hikes are unacceptable.Mayor Andy Ezard urged aldermen to contact the governor and request action be taken to keep 911 services funded.We need the governor to take action on this bill, McCarty said. Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer and Sen. Sam McCann support this bill. Theyve done their part. Its in the governors hands to take action on it.I respect change and respect the need for resolution and compromise, but I dont think this should come at a cost to public safety. Less than five years ago, autonomous vehicle (AV) technology was merely a concept a look at what the future may hold. But autonomous vehicles entering the public sphere has quickly become a question of when, not if; a reality in which AVs on our roadways is rapidly approaching. And more than 80 state bills introduced across the country are working toward regulating this developing industry.The federal government also is working on regulation; during a congressional hearing on June 27, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committees Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection subcommittee discussed 14 proposed pieces of self-driving vehicle legislation that it plans to compile into one legislative package.Traditionally states regulate drivers while the federal government regulates the vehicle. States have created the rules for driver eligibility through licensing and insurance requirements, and maintaining surface street and freeway conditions. Meanwhile the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determines what type of vehicles are able to operate within the United States by enforcing the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).But as U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., noted during the questioning period, Vehicles are now the driver.As such, subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, noted in his opening statement that "we must define the right roles for federal, state and local government."That being said, he insisted on a standard framework for highly autonomous vehicles because we cant have cars that stop at state lines. The purpose of the meeting was to begin crafting the framework that will ultimately lead to bipartisan legislation that regulates self-driving vehicles, he explained.The 14 bills before us today represent the starting point, by no means the ending point, said subcommittee Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., adding that the bills were created solely by the committee's Republican majority members, but she and fellow members of the Democratic minority are willing to work with colleagues to craft the best legislation possible.The bills in their current form rely on increasing the number of exemptions NHTSA is able to grant to vehicles that do not adhere to FMVSS, which were created with human drivers in mind. For example, there is a requirement for a steering wheel, acceleration and brake pedals. Increasing the number of exemptions the agency can grant has been requested by AV manufacturers, which are hampered in the amount of testing they are able to complete because of these exemptions. The suite of bills also codifies a national framework for federal legislation to overrule or pre-empt state regulations.The key elements of the majority approach are exemptions and state preemption, she said. Notably absent from these bills before us is any direction for rulemaking by NHTSA exemptions are no substitute for updated safety standards.Frank Pallone, D-N.J., echoed the sentiments of Schakowsky. Frustrated that a representative from NHTSA was not able to testify, Pallone urged caution in moving forward with any legislation without the agencys input.[We] should not move bills out of committee without hearing from the administration about how the bills could or would be implemented," Pallone said, and then described the leadership vacuum at the agency. He also mentioned how the budget released by the White House prescribes NHTSA an agenda driven by deregulation, which is counterproductive to the current challenge of regulating autonomous vehicles.After the opening statements, the spotlight was on the panel composed of representatives from the automotive and technology industries, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and consumer protections groups. Making sure safety was the motivating factor in all policy decisions, certain members of the panel also spoke about avoiding a patchwork of regulations.Mitch Bainwol, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, offered his support of the current package of bills. As a representative from the traditional automobile companies, Bainwol argued that the country needs a standard framework so auto companies can set uniform manufacturing settings. He along with other members of the panel applauded the proposed increase in the number of exemptions allowed by NHTSA.A dissenting viewpoint came from Alan Morrison, associate dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law at the George Washington University Law School, who urged legislators to set clearer requirements by which exemptions from federal motor vehicle safety standards will be granted, if they plan to expand the limit.Morrison also said he found the strategy relating to federal pre-emption of state laws perplexing. "I know of no law in which Congress has attempted to preclude states from acting when neither it nor any federal agency has taken any action in that subject area," he said.This technology is transformative not only in terms of safety, but also increasing mobility options for underserved communities. In one exchange, David Strickland, spokesperson for the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, acknowledged that there are 36 million Americans in the disabled community, and more than 20 million are able to work but are hampered by mobility obstacles. Similarly with an aging population, self-driving vehicles could prolong independence for seniors.Some legislators questioned the panel on the level of consumer confidence. While several surveys have shown the hesitancy of the public to enter self-driving vehicles, Bainwol offered the perspective that the more exposed to self-driving technology people are, the more accepting they will be. He said he believes that the most common exposure will be through ride-sharing services, such as Lyft, Uber, Maven and Chariot. AV technology will be available in less than five years,"he said, "and ubiquitous within 40.Because there are so many aspects surrounding the onset of autonomous vehicles to consider, Latta explained that "we want to make sure we get it right. [This] is a huge issue, so weto make sure we get it right AUSTIN, Texas 19,519. That is the number of cities that exist in the United States. Over the past decade, each one of those cities experienced major shifts brought on by changes in technology, business and overall consumer behavior.And this week, the Smart Cities Connect Conference kicked off to unpack the latest trends, technologies and tools that cities are using to tackle some of these shifts. In fact, a major topic of conversation was what the next generation smart city or Smart City 2.0 will look like.Looking back, the smart city movement has been focused on the core infrastructure needed to support it (think broadband and sensors). This week, however, the conversation began to shift to an even more important element Austin Mayor Steve Adler, pictured above, alluded to this shift in his opening remarks when he explained Austins definition of a smart city.At its very core, a smart city is a city that has been able to look inside and identify what its challenges are what its people and residents need to have the quality of life they want to have and to craft unique solutions that enable the city and the community to deal with those challenges," he said. "That truly is what a smart city is.Additional validation of this approach came from Salesforce Chief Digital Evangelist Vala Afshar, who stressed that cities can look to the private sector for inspiration.Companies that are growing and obtaining market share have the customer at the center of their design thinking principles," he said. "And as you [the government] think about building and evolving smart cities, you have to have citizens at the center.Even with that knowledge, one of the biggest challenges for government is trying to identify what citizens' expectations are. And again, Afshar said, juridictions can look to the private sector to see that citizens expect engagements that are personalized, immediate and intelligent.The math seems simple, companies incorporate those elements to keep customers and survive, and government agencies can use those same elements to more effectively serve and engage their citizens.Take the town of Cary, N.C. , where Innovation and Analytics Manager Reid Serozi is leveraging this people-centric approach with One Cary, an omni-channel government strategy for its citizens. Whether delivering citizen information through its Amazon Echo skill or through its main website, the town is focused on building the experience of government around its people and their needs.Technology will remain a vital aspect of the smart cities conversation, and the backbone of how much of it will be delivered, but cities that focus and design technology around their people will be more prepared for the inevitable future.Afshars closing words sum it up best: Companies dont disrupt, cities dont disrupt," he said. "People disrupt. (TNS) -- Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train service is starting.Trains will begin carrying passengers Thursday as part of a soft launch of service that will be free. SMART rail officials expect trains to be crowded as the system works its way toward daily commuter service.It wont be perfect, but we want to see how it goes and hear from the public, said Jeanne Belding, rail agency spokeswoman.Based on more than 1,000 responses from the public in recent weeks, SMART developed a schedule of preview rides that will build in the coming weeks.SMART will kick off a trio of public preview rides in the coming days, including service tied to the Marin County Fair.On Thursday, SMART will offer round-trip rides between its Rohnert Park and Marin Civic Center stations. Trains will depart southbound from the Rohnert Park Station at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Trains will depart northbound from Marin Civic Center at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. Trains will likely be available at other times as well on Thursday, but SMART wanted to set some type of schedule the public could rely on.People will be packing the trains, said Belding, noting each two-car train set can carry as many as 300 people. A more detailed schedule will be given to passengers on Thursday.On Saturday and July 4, SMART will run one train on each day from the Sonoma County Airport Station to the Marin Civic Center for the Marin County Fair. A third train might be added if demand warrants it, Belding said.Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. All trains depart promptly.For the time being, passengers shouldnt expect a full-fledged commute service that will be reliable enough to get them to work. That would come later, possibly by next month.The preview service will be free. Another free period will ensue once service officially starts, and then it will be half price until Labor Day, rail officials said.The Federal Railroad Administration must approve SMARTs Positive Train Control safety system before the agency gives the agency final approval to operate full commuter service.We expect that very soon, Belding said.Schedules for upcoming preview rides will be issued later this week. More information is available at sonomamarintrain.org Commuter rail service in Marin has been a long time coming. Plans for BART in Marin unraveled in December 1961, when San Mateo County pulled out of the plan, saying costs were too high. With San Mateo out, the tax base to support the BART plan was weakened. Marins small population could not provide adequate tax to support the project, and it was asked to pull out.But in the 1970s, the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Authority and the Golden Gate Bridge district took control of the existing Northwestern Pacific Railroad right of way. It was turned over to SMART when the agency was established by the state Legislature in 2002.County voters rejected rail tax measures in 1990, 1998 and 2006, but in 2008 approved Measure Q, a quarter-cent sales tax over 20 years to help fund the train.The initial phase will take passengers from San Rafael to Santa Rosa, but there is money to complete construction of SMARTs rail extension from San Rafael to Larkspur by 2019. Cloverdale in Sonoma County is the planned northern terminus, but funding still must be found to get there.We knew this day would come and it took time, but we wanted to do it right, said Judy Arnold, SMART board member and Marin supervisor. Its a relief to see this starting. (TNS) -- California faces a growing class of under-connected households that rely only on smartphones for online access, a trend that may worsen the states economic inequality, according to a report released Monday by UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.In 2017, more Californians 87 percent of the states households had broadband Internet connectivity at home. But of those, 18 percent had smartphones as their only computing devices, more than double the 8 percent just two years earlier.While smartphones provide a cheaper, more portable way to get online, their limited computing power hinders the development of basic computing skills, leaving smartphone-only households much less likely to be integrated into Californias booming tech economy, experts said.Our efforts are to get everybody online to minimize the inequalities in our society and economy, said Sunne Wright McPeak, president of California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) which sponsored the study. Internet for all now is a 21st century civil right.Thirty-four percent of those without broadband at home cited the expense. They also acknowledged they felt disadvantaged in developing new career skills or taking classes, according to the poll, which surveyed more than 1,600 adults in six different languages.There is a real desire by lower income people to get workforce skills, said McPeak. They have expressed to us in focus group after focus group that they know its important for the future of their kids but for themselves as well.To bridge the gap, California lawmakers wrote the Internet For All Now Act of 2017, which would invest funds into broadband infrastructure projects in low-income and rural areas. The bill passed the Assembly, 67-5, earlier this month and has moved onto the Senate.Smartphone-only households were also less likely to use the internet for their personal benefit. For example, 78 and 74 percent of households who owned a computing device like a desktop or a laptop banked and obtained personal health information online, respectively; only 46 and 41 percent of smartphone-only households performed the same tasks.The population who are smartphone-only is using the device for far fewer activities, said Berkeley IGS director Mark DiCamillo. The downscale segment of Californias household population is the segment least likely to be connected.Certain demographics lagged significantly behind in owning internet access. Those who were older than 65, born outside the United States, disabled or did not graduated from high school were at least 10 percentage points likely to not have Internet at home compared to their counterparts.When broken down by race, Latinos were the least connected. Among Latinos, Spanish-speaking Latinos only reported 70 percent with broadband access and only 32 percent had a computing device. In early 2017, Floridas House Government Operations and Technology Appropriations subcommittee launched a legislative assault on the autonomy of the states centralized IT shop, the Agency for State Technology (AST). That affront, better known as House Bill 5301 , did not survive Gov. Rick Scotts veto June 26.When the bill was originally introduced in March, the chief sponsor of the bill, Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, R-District 35, raised issue with the 3-year-old agencys authority over the states data center oversight, and targeted what he perceived as unnecessary costs and ballooning IT expenses.He called for agencies to conduct their own cost-benefit analyses around data center use, which would have allowed them to unilaterally move to individual cloud services at will. Experts worried the plan would have driven up costs for agencies remaining under the data centers cost recovery model.Officials within the agency and experts in the states tech community voiced concern about the plan to essentially decentralize the agency, but the bill proceeded, eventually being tied to the states budgeting and appropriations process. In May, word filtered down that through budget conference negotiations, the agency had secured its at-risk funding and would remain intact. As a result of the budget conference , AST was able to increase some measure of authority in the form of a new chief data officer position and the creation of the geographic information office, though 20 positions would be cut eight of which were staffed as of May 4.The negotiations also netted some additional reporting requirements for AST, but those leading the agency said they were happy to oblige.Though officials within the agency are pleased their charge will remain, they are not dwelling on the events of the past several months. Rather, Erin Choy, spokesperson for the agency, toldthat they are focused on the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January, and the many initiatives they would like to see come to fruition.Because of the way, in even-numbered years, the legislative session begins the second week in January, AST folks are working on proposed legislative budget requests and policy proposals, she said. So, yes, we were waiting for the governors action on the bill, but we are very focused on improving the current environment.Ashas reported, Florida's IT agencies have faced considerable challenges at the hands of the states Legislature to this point. In 2005, the Florida State Technology Office was shuttered after losing its funding. And in 2012, the Agency for Enterprise Information Technology was pulled by Scott rather than allowing it to stand in title and function without funding. (TNS) -- The Department of Justice is trying to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court a landmark email privacy case that bars the government from accessing emails held by U.S. companies but stored on overseas servers.Justice Department attorneys filed a motion to take the case to the nations highest court Friday, claiming a lower federal court seriously misinterpreted the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the 31-year-old Reagan-era legislation and the basis of the governments case, which grants law enforcement default access to any stored electronic communications after 180 days.The petition comes after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last July that ECPA does not authorize courts to issue and enforce against U.S.-based service providers warrants for the seizure of customer e-mail content that is stored exclusively on foreign servers.The panel reached that unprecedented holding by reasoning that such a disclosure would be an extraterritorial application of the Act even though the warrant requires disclosure in the United States of information that the provider can access domestically with the click of a computer mouse, DOJ said in its Friday filing.Microsoft and DOJ have been battling it out over the Outlook emails of a suspected drug trafficker in Dublin, Ireland since 2014, when the government ordered the Redmond-based tech giant to turn over those emails as part of an FBI investigation.Under ECPA passed in 1986 the government can subpoena U.S. companies business records after theyre 180-days old. In recent years, the definition of eligible business records has expanded to include Americans stored emails after they reach the six-month threshold.In an effort to protect users private data in the wake of mass surveillance programs disclosed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013, Microsoft along with the ACLU and others have spent years fighting the order and lobbying for ECPA reform. They and other privacy advocates argue the DOJ has no authority to compel the Windows maker to turn over data stored on another countrys sovereign soil, and that DOJ must request the emails from the foreign government in question.The government argues that as a company based in the U.S., Microsoft is obligated to adhere to the law, regardless of the physical location of the server itself.In July 2014 the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York agreed with DOJ and ordered Microsoft to comply with the search warrant. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision last July.Microsoft President Brad Smith responded to the DOJ motion in a blog post Friday, arguing [i]t seems backward to keep arguing in court when there is positive momentum in Congress toward better law for everyone.The DOJs position would put businesses in impossible conflict-of-law situations and hurt the security, jobs, and personal rights of Americans, Smith wrote, repeating the argument Microsoft made in court that DOJ was forcing it to decide whether to obey U.S. laws or those of another country in Europe, where user data and privacy have much stronger protections than in the U.S.The case has spurred a round of congressional hearings , including one each in the House and Senate in June, examining the issue of ECPA reform. Revisiting the 31-year-old law with the intention of strengthening privacy protections over Americans email has been a rare point of bipartisanship of Capitol Hill since the case went to court.The litigation path DOJ is now trying to extend in parallel to legislative progress seeks to require the Supreme Court to decide how a law written three decades ago applies to todays global internet, Smiths post reads. The previous decision was soundly in our favor, and were confident our arguments will be persuasive with the Supreme Court.If the decision is reversed, he warned, there would be little basis for us to reject requests from other governments for American email.Congress has yet to propose a bill outlining ECPA reform and updating mutual legal assistance treaties (MLATs), through which the government typically obtains this type of information for criminal proceedings. But the European Union is less than a year away from implementing the General Data Protection Regulation, which would strengthen data privacy protections for EU citizens and make it illegal for a company to bring customer data from Europe into the U.S. in response to a U.S. search warrant. Left Alone After Parting Ways With Jagan! The Left parties in Andhra Pradesh, which were trying to regain their political base by forging alliance with the YSR Congress party and win a few seats in the next assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, are left in quandary with YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy sending feelers to the Bharatiya Janata Party for support. Now, the Left parties are left with no option but to look for other alternative forces to sustain in the field. As such, it has only two friendly parties now a defunct Lok Satta and a non-functional Jana Sena Party. But they are not sure how far these two outfits would help them in the next elections. But they need programmes to remain in the people. The other day, when Jagan held a massive rally in Visakhapatnam against the sensational land scam, the Left parties could not join him because of his latest pro-BJP stand. A couple of days later, the Communists had to hold a separate agitation programme at the same venue Gandhi statue near GVMC, to show their presence. And they raised the same old demand -- CBI probe or judicial inquiry with a sitting judge into the land irregularities. They alleged that the government had ordered a SIT inquiry instead of the public hearing for only to manipulate the case in favour of the culprits. COLUMBUS Platte County residents living outside the city will continue to receive Columbus Public Library services, including the Bookmobile. A new three-year library services agreement with the city of Columbus was approved Tuesday by the Platte County Board of Supervisors. The county will pay $140,000 during the first year of the contract, which starts July 1, and increase its funding by $5,000 each of the next two years. Library Director Drew Brookhart said the agreement is based on feedback received during a series of meetings with county patrons that started in January. I think we can continue to provide quality service with whats proposed, Brookhart said. Under the agreement, Platte County residents will have access to walk-in services at the library and Bookmobile services will also be provided to residents living outside Columbus. The agreement was approved by a 6-1 vote, with Supervisor Ron Pfeifer voting against it. He questioned the frequency of non-Columbus residents using walk-in services. It appears to me people out in the country are subsidizing the library. Of course the library and the city are going to welcome this type of contract because they are gaining the advantage, Pfeifer said. Brookhart said a quarter to a third of library patrons each month live outside Columbus. The librarys operating budget annually is $1.2 million. If you divide a quarter of the use into our operating budget, you can clearly see that the county residents are getting a good deal, Brookhart said. Also during the meeting, the board went into executive session for about an hour to discuss possible litigation. After the closed session, the supervisors voted in favor of appointing a special investigator to look into possible violations of the employee handbook regarding discrimination and/or harassment in the county workplace. A second motion authorized the special investigator to temporarily suspend any county employee whose continued presence in the workplace may compromise the investigation. In other action, the board approved: a request to hire two sheriff's deputies to fill vacancies. seeking bids to replace a boiler at the Platte County Detention Facility. a resolution recognizing Allan Vyhnalek for his years of service with the Platte County Extension Office. bids for cutting edges for motor graders used by the Platte County Highway Department. The bids are from Nebraska Machinery for $37,493, Midwest Service for $33,149 and Road Builders for $22,050. BASF recently signed an agreement to sell its electrolytes manufacturing site in Suzhou, China, to Shenzhen Capchem Technology Co., Ltd. (Capchem), one of the leading suppliers in the global electronic-chemicals and functional materials industry. Financial details of the transaction will not be disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the next 60 to 90 days, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. BASF is shifting its focus in the battery materials space to high energy cathode materials where it has a strong IP and technology portfolio. We are focusing our resources where we are best positioned to grow and serve our customers with high value products. Jeffrey Lou, Senior Vice President, Battery Materials, Catalysts division, BASF Capchems acquisition of the Suzhou manufacturing site allows the company to expand its electrolytes capacity, improve the international influence and consolidate its global leadership. CAPS is a compact, lightweight, quiet, low-vibration and efficient hybrid-electric diesel generator set capable of supplying up to 2kW of electric power while running on Jet Propellant 8 (JP8) or diesel fuel. The CAPS Genset prototype objectives include less than 30 pounds (13.6 kg) (dry weight), 1.5 ft 3 (bounding volume), and less than 60db at 7 meters. This is a 75% reduction in generator weight compared to the MEP-501A, the current 2kW JP8 generator in use today, which weighs 124 pounds (56.3 kg). LiquidPiston, Inc. (LPI), a developer of advanced multi-fuel-capable rotary combustion engine technology, has been awarded a $3-million Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) award from the US Army to develop an innovative ultra-portable 2kW diesel Compact Artillery Power System (CAPS). The RIF process is extremely selective, with only five percent of whitepapers ultimately being selected for the award. This marks the first hybrid application of LPIs engine technology. The project team is led by LiquidPiston and also includes HDT Expeditionary Systems (HDT), a leading supplier of expeditionary military equipment including generators sets; and General Atomics (GA), a leading developer of military technology including battery and energy systems. The CAPS hybrid electric 2kW diesel generator integrates a Lithium-ion Fault Tolerant (LiFT) battery technology developed by GA, which safely increases the CAPS power delivery quality, provides a silent watch capability, and optimizes the usage and life of the combustion engine. The 2kW CAPS generator, either as a standalone genset or as a hybrid electric power solution, is a capable solution for powering various military as well as non- military applications. To be demonstrated initially to power the Howitzer M777 Digital Fire Control System, the new CAPS will address the Armys need to extend mission duration, reduce fuel consumption, and reduce noise and heat signatures in powering digitized towed howitzers. This marks a shift from research towards a product and a first real commercial application. We also are happy to be working with partners. Developing the technology is one thing, developing the business unfortantely is an almost equal aspect. You cant develop the technology without developing the business. Its really hard to start an engine company from scratch. Our model is to work with partners. We bring technology development and innovations. What we find in partners like HFT and General Atomics is the proven capabuility to deliver systems to end users, sales, manufacturing and distribution. We leverage leverage each others strengths. Dr. Alexander Shkolnik, Founder, CEO LiquidPiston LiquidPiston develops compact, quiet, fuel-efficient, low-vibration, multi-fuel- capable rotary combustion engines that are scalable from 1hp to more than 1,000hp based on the companys patented High Efficiency Hybrid thermodynamic Cycle (HEHC) and rotary X engine architecture. (Earlier post.) The company has been looking at a variety of engine architectures to embody HEHC, Shkolnik said, and has patented dozens of types of engines that look different. HEHC is a patented thermodynamic cycle that combines the advantages of Diesel, Otto and Atkinson thermodynamic cycles. The cycle elements include: For maximum efficiency, air is compressed to a high compression ratio, fuel is injected and compression ignited (CI-HEHC). The X Mini utilizes a spark-ignition (SI-HEHC) version of the cycle with a lower compression ratio standard for gasoline engines. A dwell near top-dead-center forces combustion to occur at nearly constant-volume conditions. Combustion products are over-expanded using a larger expansion volume than compression volume, as in the Atkinson Cycle. Cycle-skipping power modulation allows high efficiencies at low power settings while simultaneously cooling the engines walls internally and providing partial heat recovery. Water may be injected to internally cool the engine. Some of this cooling energy is recuperated, as the water turns to steam, increasing the chamber pressure. The combination of high compression ratio, true constant volume combustion, expansion into a larger volume than intake, and (optionally) water turning to high pressure steam cumulatively add to the efficiency of the engine. An air-standard analysis predicts an ideal thermodynamic efficiency of 74% at an 18:1 compression ratio. LiquidPiston previously developed the X Mini prototype, a 2.2kW, 70cc SI engine operating LiquidPistons HEHC, which was demonstrated in a go-kart. (Earlier post.) XMv3 engine gas path flows. Green is the intake charge, red is the exhaust, and blue is the cooling flow. The blue outlines represent the outer engine shroud, which separates the stationary part and rotor cooling flow paths at the orange dashed lines. Shown in red, three triangular openings on each side of the engine allow the passage of rotor cooling air and exhaust flows. Costa et al. (2016) Click to enlarge. LiquidPiston was also recently awarded a contract by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop an ultra-efficient and compact 30kW diesel rotary X engine that fits in a ten inch box and weighs just 30 pounds, with fuel efficiency better than a heavy duty truck engine. (Earlier post.) Resources SCHUYLER Authorities have identified the 33-year-old man who was shot and killed early Tuesday morning in Schuyler. The Colfax County Attorney's Office says Janner Ramon Torres Diaz died from gunshot wounds he suffered shortly before 2 a.m. at the Schuyler Inn. According to the Schuyler Police Department, officers were dispatched to the motel just south of West 16th Street and west of Adam Street for an unknown situation. Officers found the victim on a second-story balcony at the motel suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. They performed CPR before Torres Diaz was transported by ambulance to CHI Health Schuyler, where he was pronounced dead. Schuyler Inn owner Javier Arizmendi said the victim worked at the local Cargill plant and had lived at the motel for a few months. Schuyler Police Chief K.C. Bang said it's unclear at this time what led to the shooting, which is being investigated as a homicide. Law enforcement had not reported an arrest linked to the case as of Tuesday night. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Schuyler Police Department at 402-352-2415. The Nebraska State Patrol and Colfax County Sheriff's Office are assisting in the investigation. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close COLUMBUS A 57-year-old Columbus woman who was on work release from the Platte County Detention Facility in late March when she drove back to the lockup drunk was sentenced to 90 days behind bars. Platte County Court Judge Frank Skorupa sentenced Pamela Bolte to the jail term Tuesday for her conviction of third-offense driving under the influence in connection with an incident in which she stopped at her fathers Columbus home before returning to the jail on March 24. Bolte pleaded no contest to the charge. Skorupa also fined the local woman $1,000, revoked her operators license for 15 years and ordered her not to drive for 45 days after completing the jail term. She was given credit for four days already served in jail in the case. The judge ordered Bolte to apply for an ignition interlock permit and install an approved device on any vehicle she operates during the revocation period. When Bolte returned to the jail in March, corrections staffers noticed she appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, a violation of the terms of her work release agreement. Sheriffs Deputy Matt Daniels said Bolte, who admitted consuming alcohol at her fathers house before driving her personal vehicle back to the jail to resume her sentence, agreed to provide a preliminary breath sample. The breath test showed a blood alcohol content above the 0.08 legal limit for driving, Daniels wrote in his probable cause arrest statement. Bolte, who contended that all she did was take a swig of gin, was arrested for third-offense driving under the influence. Bolte began serving a 45-day jail sentence on Feb. 26 for a 2016 second-offense DUI conviction in which she struck the parked van of an off-duty police officer in a grocery store parking lot. The officer happened to be sitting in his van at the time. A preliminary breath test showed a reading of 0.26, more than three times the legal limit for driving. Bolte was also convicted of DUI in July 2014. Even as members of Common Cause NC and the League of Women Voters held a press conference to call for an end to gerrymandering, the N.C. General Assembly was working to extend its increasingly sophisticated method of vote-rigging to the judiciary. The events of Monday perfectly showcased two key tactics in the Republican campaign to achieve one-party rule in North Carolina: delay and overwhelm. The press conference was held at the L. Richardson Preyer Federal Courthouse, where a court hearing on Common Cause v. Rucho, scheduled to begin Monday, had been delayed. Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, both nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations, filed separate lawsuits contending that the partisan gerrymandering used in drawing the 2016 Congressional districts is unconstitutional. The cases were joined by the court. While the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional, the high court has not done the same for partisan gerrymandering, the practice of drawing districts to maximize one partys advantage and the other partys disadvantage. Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a Wisconsin case challenging the constitutionality of gerrymandering using a metric called the efficiency gap to reveal the extent to which votes of each party are wasted by being concentrated on just a few seats. The League of Women Voters case used the efficiency gap, while the Common Cause lawsuit challenges the entire practice of partisan gerrymandering as a violation of the First Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, and Article I, sections 2 and 4 of the Constitution relating to the manner in which representatives are elected by popular vote. The state asked the court to stay the hearing until after the Wisconsin case is decided, said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina, which works to ensure a fair democracy. The desire of our attorney was to get this expedited in time to have an impact on the 2018 elections, but that would completely knock that out, Phillips said. Delay tactics have been employed by the General Assembly in every redistricting suit filed against it, to prolong its illegitimate rule and forestall justice. When ordered to redraw maps, they have dragged out the process, generally producing a new set of maps with the same problems, spurring more lawsuits. Six years since the original maps were created, some are still being litigated, and the legislature has yet to produce maps that meet an acceptable standard for those declared unconstitutional. GOP leaders, primarily House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) and Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), have also sought to overwhelm opponents by attacking so many facets of voting rights that advocates for fair representation have had multiple battles to fight simultaneously. The pursuit of Republican rule through redistricting began after the 2010 census. With a GOP majority, the N.C. General Assembly gerrymandered U.S. Congressional Districts, N.C. legislative districts, and even began redrawing districts for municipalities, including Greensboro and Wake County. The General Assembly also passed the most restrictive voting law in the nation in 2013. It required that voters show a photo ID, rolled back early voting, eliminated same-day registration and Sunday voting provisions which, a judge wrote, target African-Americans with almost surgical precision. That law was struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in July 2016, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by the state in May. Berger and Moore promptly vowed to enact a new voter ID law this session. Many observers expected that to happen this week, since the GOP leadership frequently waits until the waning days of the session to force through controversial bills in order to avoid normal legislative consideration and debate. Instead, Rep. Justin Burr (R-Montgomery, Stanly) tweeted out new voting maps Sunday evening that model some prosecutorial and judicial districts on congressional districts already declared racial gerrymanders by the court. House Bill 717 redraws the districts for Superior Court judges and district attorneys. Colon Willoughby, a former Wake County district attorney and past president of North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, told WRAL that the map double-bunks a number of judges, which would force them to run against each other for re-election. This is the end game in the GOP quest for one-party rule. Though the state has a Democratic governor, the GOP has a veto-proof majority in both houses of the General Assembly. Gerrymandering the judiciary would remove the last check on the legislatures power and put the state under complete Republican control. Democrats may very well have done the same had they been in power when the tools to achieve gerrymandering were perfected. There is only one answer that ensures fair and competitive voting districts take the process out of the hands of politicians. Until that happens, fair elections will slip further and further out of reach. And so will the two-party system. Liberty Oak at 100 W. Washington St. in downtown Greensboro has new ownership. Executive chef Kristofer Reid has taken over the restaurant. It has always been a dream of mine to own my own restaurant, said Reid, 38, who has been at Liberty Oak since February. With the help of his father, Durwood Reid, and brother, William Reid, Kristofer Reid bought the 40-plus-year-old restaurant from Eddie Gramisci. Eight years ago Gramisci and Scott Rudolph bought the eatery from longtime owner Walter Fancourt. Rudolph eventually sold his share of the restaurant to Gramisci. Gramisci wanted to get out of the restaurant business and was looking for a buyer when Kristofer Reid filled an executive chef vacancy. When I got here it was going downhill a little bit, said Reid. I found out the place was for sale. It had a good foundation of customers and I felt like it was an opportunity that fell into my lap. Brothers Walter and John Fancourt and partner Maria Salakovic originally opened the restaurant on Battleground Avenue as a wine and cheese shop. Soon they started serving lunch and dinner. In 1999, the Fancourts moved the restaurant to its current location in an historic downtown building. Reid is proud that the restaurant will be family-owned again. We want to keep the restaurant going. Its got a lot of history, Reid said. Our main goal is to take that and run with it. Enhance it, even. Reid said he has been in the restaurant business since he was 14. He credits another brother, who is also a chef, with the inspiration for a career in restaurants. He said he learned a lot from working with his brother. Most recently, Reid has been a chef at Finnigans Wake in Winston-Salem and a general manager for Aramark food service at High Point University where he learned the business side of food service. Reid says he will keep the core dishes that have been mainstays for the restaurant for decades but plans to add new dishes and change menu items seasonally. You cant be stagnant, Reid said. Well keep it with what theyve been doing, but do it better. Reid is temporarily closing the restaurant on Sunday to give it a fresh coat of paint. The restaurant will reopen July 7. Barbecue restaurant reopening soon Stameys Barbecue at 2812 Battleground Ave. in Greensboro will reopen. Our Battleground store renovation has been a huge undertaking, but has given us the opportunity to fully remodel the restaurant, said Stameys owner Chip Stamey. We are quickly approaching the finish line and are hoping to open doors in the first weeks of July. A fire from a drink dispenser a year ago caused over $100,000 worth of damage, mostly from smoke. It quickly became clear that reopening would require a great deal of work on the 40-plus-year-old restaurant. When it reopens, the restaurant will have a completely new look. In the meantime, Stameys flagship restaurant at 2206 W. Gate City Blvd. is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Burlington gets wing chain East Coast Wings and Grill has opened at Holly Hill Mall at 309 Huffman Mill Road in Burlington. It opened next to Dunham Sports. East Coast Wings, a Winston-Salem-based chain, offers 58 flavors of chicken wings and eight heat indexes. The restaurant also offers burgers, sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads. Hours for the Burlington store are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. The restaurants phone number is 336-270-4456. Chain items Bravo Cucina Italiana two-course dinners with a choice of chicken and shrimp scampi, sliced skirt steak or grilled shrimp and cous cous pilaf. Dinners start at $16.99 and include soup or salad. two-course dinners with a choice of chicken and shrimp scampi, sliced skirt steak or grilled shrimp and cous cous pilaf. Dinners start at $16.99 and include soup or salad. Sonic Drive-In has brought back Pretzel Dogs. The dogs, nestled in a pretzel bun, come as Cheesy Bacon Pretzel Dog and the Original. COLUMBUS Loup Public Power District filed a motion to temporarily halt provisions in its updated hydroelectric license with mixed results. Ten years after the utility initiated the relicensing process for its hydroelectric system, Loup received its new order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on May 22. The order included provisions LPPD President and CEO Neal Suess said would severely hinder the districts generation capabilities. The district and its attorney, Nancy Skancke, filed an emergency motion for stay and began a request for another hearing with FERC, which sent a response June 9 saying it would give the district additional time to submit drawings and exhibits before monitoring begins. However, FERC denied a request to delay a provision that requires the utility to stop diverting water from the Loup River into the canal that serves the hydroelectric system under certain conditions. That provision forces LPPD to stop diverting water into the canal for 72 hours when the water temperature in the Platte River reaches 93 degrees at the Louisville gauge. During Tuesday's board meeting, Suess presented a graph showing temperature readings over the past month. A lack of rain at the western end of the Loup River has reduced flow levels, allowing the water temperature to reach 85 degrees at a few points in June. A concern for the utility is demand for electricity generated by the hydroelectric system as well as irrigation water pumped out by farmers increases during the hottest months of the year, when LPPD may be forced to shut down the canal. FERC needs a quorum of three commissioners before it can rule on LPPDs request for a rehearing. There are currently two commissioners with one stepping down at the end of June. Once FERC has a quorum it has 30 days to rule on LPPDs request. Skancke told the board the most likely scenario will be a tolling order that gives FERC between four months and a year to consider the request. Another possible avenue is through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Regional director Noreen Walsh, who is based in Denver, contacted Suess to discuss the districts objections to the order. Suess told the board a better option would be if Walsh can get Loup, Fish and Wildlife and FERC representatives in a room to discuss an amended order. In the meantime, canal operators are monitoring river temperatures in case they need to stop diverting water into the canal. Loup sent letters to irrigation users to warn them about potential restrictions. Board member Jim Donoghue said some members of the Genoa-area Farm Bureau told him they want to start a letter-writing campaign opposing the canal rules. After the Fourth of July holiday, Suess said Loup will put together a compliance plan for the other provisions to submit to FERC. In other business, construction is complete on the second phase of the Creston Ridge Wind Farm. The three additional wind turbines went into operation on June 21. The seven total turbines generate 13.7 megawatts of electricity, which is approximately 6 percent of the district's peak demand. Under its wholesale power purchase agreement with Nebraska Public Power District, Loup can receive up to 10 percent of its peak demand from sources other than NPPD, so Suess said there are other renewable projects planned in the near future. The state and local chapters of the NAACP will hold a rally and a news conference Wednesday in Winston-Salem at the local office of U.S. Sen. Richard Burr. The "Stand Up Fight Back for Health Care" rally will begin at 10 a.m. at 2000 W. First St., the N.C. NAACP said in a statement. The rally will feature speakers whose lives will be affected if Congress changes or repeals the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, the NAACP said. Demonstrators also will call on Burr, a Republican, to vote against the Senate Republican health care bill. Burr said last week that he supports the measure. Senate Republican leaders have abruptly delayed the vote on their health care bill until after the July 4th recess. The GOP faced five defections from its ranks just hours after the Congressional Budget Office said the bill would force 22 million off insurance rolls. The Rev. William Barber, the president of the N.C. NAACP, said that pressure from millions of Amercians might have delayed Senate action on the bill. "But we can't stop now," Barber said in a statement. "Health care is a human right. When senators and politicians deny health care, they are allowing inhumanity to go mainstream. This is immoral and un-American. COLUMBUS The night will be full of booms and bangs as fireworks light up the sky for the annual community Independence Day celebration. Red, White, KaBoom will be held Monday at Platte County Agricultural Park. An evening filled with family-friendly activities will be topped off by a fireworks show at dusk by Stromsburg-based Midwest Pyrotechnics, which is owned by Ryan Peterson. Ag Park does a great job with the setup. Its a great place to go and hang out with a bunch of people and hear a live band, said Jo Suess, who heads the Red, White, KaBoom Committee. The music comes courtesy of Freedom Road, which will play tunes from 7:30-9:30 p.m. and after the fireworks show ends. There will also be fun and games for children provided by the Columbus Family YMCA prior to the fireworks. For the second year in a row, carnival rides from Moores Greater Shows will be set up in the parking lot. Food and drinks will be sold by Ag Park. The fireworks show will start at approximately 10 p.m. after the American Legion Choir sings the national anthem. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to fund future shows. Suess said the evening has a price tag of $30,000 and a couple thousand dollars still need to be raised. Members of local veterans' organizations will be at the Ag Park entrances to collect freewill donations that evening. Because it's a celebration of the nations independence, there is reserved seating in the grandstand for veterans and active military members. There are 245 seats available for veterans, who can go to the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce office at 753 33rd Ave. to receive a free wristband for seating. They will also be honored during the preshow festivities. The whole purpose of it is to honor veterans. The whole reason we have Independence Day is because of what the veterans have done, Suess said. A shuttle service will be available from the Nebraska Public Power District parking lot to Ag Park. The fireworks show is synchronized to music played on KLIR. Suess said the committee starts meeting with the fireworks company in November to plan the display and music. Last year, the crowd was wowed by fireballs during the show. We could feel the heat where we were sitting, Suess said. There are more surprises in store for this year's version of Red, White, KaBoom. He goes to a conference every year to get the latest and greatest ideas. Every year he adds something new, Suess said of Peterson. The ingenious inventor, the savvy entrepreneur, the innovative scientist, the imaginative writer No matter what our field or area of expertise, we all seek to be more creative and innovative. We all want to be original. Many of us regard creativity as an awe-inspiring, almost magical gift that some people are simply born with. But just as creativity can be expressed in many different ways, it can also be learned and sharpened like any other skill. In the modern world, there is no room for the humdrum or mundane. A clever and inventive mind opens doors to success. Here are five ingenious ways you can begin training your mind to be more creative and innovative. 1. Seek to use both sides of your brain. Dont fall for the myth that right-brained people are more creative while left-brained people are more analytical. True creativity comes from using both sides of your brain. The most imaginative ideas must be logical and rational in order to work. The most scientific and analytical of approaches must still be unique, thoughtful and ingenious. Roger Sperrys research into his split-brain hypothesis in the 1960s showed that some activities, such as spatial reasoning and appreciation of beauty, stimulate the right hemisphere of the brain, while things like analytical thinking and language stimulate the left hemisphere. But creativity requires a whole-brained approach because it requires lateral thinking, or thinking about things in new ways. When we think outside the box, we devise fresh approaches to solving problems and meeting challenges. Work to build your whole brain by using both right and left sides. Try juggling or doing origami, or just do daily activities like writing your name or brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand. Start looking at things differently -- literally -- by wearing your watch upside down or using your phone upside down. Try writing backward: it worked for Leonardo da Vinci, who wrote his notes in mirror writing. Related: Surprising Truths About the Left and Right Halves of Your Brain (Infographic) 2. Cultivate a thirst for knowledge. A lifelong thirst for knowledge will fuel your creativity. A thoughtful and intelligent mind demands a constant flow of information. By continually learning and growing, you feed your mind with ideas and expand your thinking. Seek to be broad-minded and open to new concepts and approaches. This includes being willing to try different ideas and not just dismissing something you disagree with out of hand. Communication isnt a one-way street. It means being willing to question everything, to keep yourself motivated and curious about the world around you. Work to develop both vertical knowledge, which is a deep dive into a particular topic, and horizontal knowledge, which means having a solid amount of understanding in a wide variety of fields. Having a broad range of knowledge in different areas will give you the background to pull new ideas from. But being deeply familiar with one area will give you the insight necessary to innovate within that field. Related: Why You Should Strive to Be a Lifelong Learner 3. Explain things back to yourself. Being creative also requires that you understand the information you have been given. Its one thing to read a book and study a subject, but its another thing entirely to be able to explain that topic to someone else (or yourself). Being able to explain new knowledge shows that you have processed and internalized the information on a deeper level. If you can explain something back to yourself, you can also expand on it, reshape it in your own unique vision or integrate your own ideas. You can follow threads of ideas and create new concepts. To be a good explainer requires you be a good listener. After all, you cant fully absorb and retain information if you havent really heard what has been said. Get in the habit of explaining things back to yourself to further solidify knowledge. This process can also help you think through areas that may be improved, which will boost your ability to brainstorm and build on concepts. Related: 7 Hobbies Science Says Will Make You Smarter 4. Take breaks to switch on your creative side. Have you ever been hard at work at a task that required problem-solving, feeling like you're on a roll, only to realize later your ideas were mostly redundant and uninspired? According to Harvard Business Review, our natural inclination is to keep working on a problem even when we arent making headway. When working on an idea that requires creativity, we often reach a dead end without realizing it. Research shows that its crucial to take breaks at regular intervals to give your mind a chance to refresh. Set a timer, and when it goes off, switch tasks. Do something else for a while, and then return to your original task. Doing this will help you switch on your creativity and keep your problem-solving productive and innovative. If youre having trouble, try approaching a problem from a different perspective. It may help to work backward, starting with the solution, or to turn a problem on its head and conceptualize it from a different angle. Related: How to Train Your Creative Mind 5. Let your imagination run wild. One of the best things you can do to hone your creativity is to tap into the natural imaginativeness and ingenuity that you had as a child. We loved to play and pretend as kids. We learned how to create imaginary worlds where anything was possible. We enjoyed challenging ourselves with games and tests of skill. Give yourself time to let your mind wander, to explore, to daydream, and then use the ideas that surface as part of your brainstorming. Challenge yourself with creative exercises, such as doodling in a sketchbook or writing flash fiction. Keep a journal of your ideas, however fantastical or impractical they might be. Giving your mind time to dream and problem-solve is a great way to build your creative muscle. If you cultivate a mind that is imaginative, open to all possibilities, balanced, full of knowledge and refreshed frequently, your genius and creativity will start to flourish. Related: 5 Brain Training Techniques to Cultivate Your Creative Genius Neuroscience Tells Us How to Hack Our Brains for Success How Our Brains Trick Us Into Choosing Instant Gratification Over Long-term Goals Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Shutterstock Quick poll: If youre sitting at your desk doing work right now, is your phone sitting in your eyeline, just waiting for you to take a break and scroll through Facebook or Twitter? Even if you manage not to check it, youre still thinking about it, right? Youre not alone. So much so that researchers at the University of Texas at Austin recently conducted a study to figure out just how much your phone -- even its presence, not you actually using it -- affects your brains capacity to focus on the task at hand. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK Its not easy to stump the marine experts at the Maritime Aquarium. But thats exactly what happened after fishermen from Copps Island Oysters hauled in four unusual, clawed critters last week on the south side of the Norwalk Islands. Dick Harris, marine specialist for Copps Island, said the fishermen were unsure of what the creatures were and what to do with them so they tossed three back and brought one to the aquarium. Aquarists identified the 2.5-pound crustacean as a male dungeness crab, native to the icy waters of the Pacific. Were doing our own research on this right now, said Sandi Schaefer-Padgett, senior aquarist at the aquarium. Its not normal. We dont often get things that no ones seen before. She said no one believed it could possibly be a dungeness crab until they finally identified it. Once they did, the Googling began, and a tank was set up for the yet-to-be-named out-of-towner. Dungeness crab, named after a small town in Washington state, has been harvested commercially along the Pacific coast since the late 1800s. It is known for its sweet meat, and is one of the most valuable commodities on the West Coast, worth nearly $170 million in Washington, Oregon and California in 2014, according to Washington Department of Agriculture. Test fisheries in Washington State show the Dungeness populations are down by perhaps as much as 30 percent from last year, but 2015 and 2016 were record breaking years for the industry. The annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival is held in Port Angeles, Washington each October, and the crab is the state crustacean of Oregon, one of only three states to have such a designation. The crab has been reported in recent years in the Atlantic, off the coasts of Florida, North and South Carolina and Alabama. The most recent report of the crab in the Northeast was in 2006 off Massachusetts. Though considered an invasive species, experts from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said theres no reason to panic. Yet. Wed have to wait and see if more are caught, said Mark Alexander, DEEP fisheries division director. But I dont think theres an immediate cause for concern. It is interesting that they caught more than one, and if more are caught we will want to know the gender. Schaefer-Padgett offered a couple theories about how the crabs came to be in Long Island Sound. Its most likely someone purchased them at a market and set them free. The mystery, she said, is that four were caught in the same area, which means its possible they somehow migrated here. She said there is less of a threat if they were released, because its unlikely any females would have been among them. According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, only mature male crabs 6.25 inches across the shell are harvested. Juvenile males and all females are returned to the Pacific waters. The crab at the aquarium is living in isolation while researchers work to identify algae and barnacles attached to his shell. Schaefer-Padgett said if the additional organisms came with him from the Pacific, they could also pose a threat to local ecosystems. They can bring diseases and plant life were not familiar with here that can be harmful to everything else that lives in the Sound, she said. Schaefer-Padgett said fishermen should contact the aquarium and DEEP if more crabs are found. The aquarium guest appears to have adjusted to his living quarters, and has taken to side-sauntering across his home with ease. His buggy eyes pop up when curious onlookers approach his tank, situated behind the scenes of the shark exhibit. Hes going to hang out with us for a while, Schaefer-Padgett said. Were all taking a crash course in learning about crabs right now. It will probably be up to DEEP where he goes. We could make an exhibit or I guess we could eat him. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt GERING Scientists have visited a western Nebraska city to recruit volunteers to take photographs of the United States' first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years. Gering was visited Monday by Laura Peticolas, a senior fellow at the University of California-Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory, and Chris Cable, a consultant with the laboratory's education group Multiverse. "This area is going to see the moon completely cover the sun," Peticolas said. "We haven't had this type of event since 1979 in the U.S." The scientists are gathering volunteers to take photographs of the Aug. 21 eclipse for a video project. The 2- to 3-minute video will be pieced together with images from various points along the eclipse path. The data will help NASA better understand the sun. The project is seeking 1,500 volunteers with specific equipment, including a DSLR camera, lens minimum of 300 mm, tripod and the ability to identify GPS coordinates. Those interested in participating must apply by July 15 and get trained. Photographers will be able to send photos into the project for a week after the eclipse. "Either way you can contribute to the science," Peticolas said. The only time to view the eclipse safely without glasses is during totality. Cable said not everyone will have solar viewing glasses, but that a colander or a piece of cardboard with a hole cut into it can project the image onto the ground. "You can even use your hands to project a shadow on the ground," he said. "The only time you can look directly at the sun is during the very short window of totality." Other projects that will be occurring during the eclipse include studies of what happens to the clouds as well as how plants and animals react. Nokia 6 available in the US via Amazon Prime Exclusive, Alcatel IDOL 5S and Moto E4, too Today, Amazon has added five new smartphones to its Prime Exclusives category of unlocked smartphones. This category of smartphones gives you a deal on the phone if you dont mind Amazons ads on the lock screen. Alcatel has three new Prime Exclusive devices: Alcatel IDOL 5S, A50, and A30 PLUS. Both the IDOL 5S and A50 feature a 5.2-inch display, though the A30s is 720p and the IDOL 5S is 1080p. Meanwhile, the A30 PLUS has a larger 720p 5.5-inch display. As for CPUs, the A30 PLUS and A50 run a MediaTek 6738 Quad Core CPU 1.5GHz while the IDOL 4S runs a beefier octa-core Snapdragon 625. Storage on the IDOL 5S is 32GB with 3GB of RAM. The other two have 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Otherwise, the A30 PLUs and A50 Alcatel handsets are expandable up to 128GB of storage via microSD card slot (IDOL 5S can be expanded up to 512GB). All handsets come with Android Nougat out of the box. The Nokia 6 has finally landed in the US and is available exclusively on Amazon. The Nokia 6 has a 5.5-inch 1080p display and is powered by a Snapdragon 430. Powering the phone is a 3,000 mAh battery and 4GB of RAM ensures smooth performance. In addition, theres 16GB of internal storage and a 16MP rear-facing camera. Finally, the Moto E4 features a 5-inch display, 8MP main camera, and comes with Android 7.1 Nougat on near-stock Android. A Snapdragon 427 paired with 2GB of RAM supports the software with a 2,800 mAh battery to power everything. Heres the pricing breakdown: the first price is the Prime edition with lockscreen ads while the second one is the standard unlocked price. All phones are available to pre-order now. The US wont be getting the Honor 9 any time soon While the Honor 9 isnt spanking new, the Huawei-backed company announced European availability at its press event in Berlin. Unfortunately for the US, though, Honor currently does not have plans to launch the phone in The States. In a statement to Android Central, Eva Wimmers, Vice President of Honor EU/Global, noted that a States-side release for the Honor 9 is not planned at this moment. While that doesnt rule out the phone actually making it here, you can bet it wont be happening for quite some time. Honor 9 Last year, Honor held a press event in San Francisco, announcing the Honor 8 in a full-blown presentation. Unfortunately, the Honor 8 didnt meet expectations in the US' unlocked smartphone market. This must have prompted Honor to hold off until it can (possibly) figure out a way to cater to the US. The Honor 8 was met with fierce competition from the likes of the OnePlus 3 and the Alcatel IDOL 4S, both of which were priced similarly to the Honor 8s $399 price point. In the United States market, some kind of carrier deal is needed as the majority of smartphone buyers in the US buy smartphones directly from their service providers. We dont doubt that the Honor 9 can do well in the prepaid segment, where value is a higher priority than brand recognition over the post-paid market. Source Haiti - Politics : Minimum wage, call for calm and serenity Tuesday in a press conference, the day after a demonstration of workers of subcontracting https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21354-haiti-flash-textile-workers-and-moise-jean-charles-take-the-street.html Rudy Heriveaux, the Director General of the Ministry of Social Affairs and President f the Superior Council of Wages (CSS) followed up on the progress of the CSS's work on the "burning record" of the minimum wage. Recalling that the CSS was the only state entity to have the prerogative to foster consensus among the different protagonists, he welcomed the work that the members of the Council are carrying out. He promised that the Council's report (late), with minimum wage proposals for the different sectors of activity, will be submitted to the Executive in early July. He assured that there will be a balanced arbitration by the Executive and the Prime Minister, for a satisfactory decision by all parties, stressing that macroeconomic index experts, entrepreneurs and economists have been and are still being consulted, to document the arguments of these proposals. In the meantime, he called for calm, serenity and dialogue "to those who in the shadows manipulate the most radical fringe of the trade union sector for high-risk events that can seriously affect employment in Haiti "Recalling a letter from companies from the textile sectors to the Prime Minister, which mention their major losses and which do not exclude to leave Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21344-haiti-flash-several-textile-companies-do-not-exclude-leaving-haiti-if.html . Affirming "these professionals of destabilization" do not have "the monopoly of solidarity and empathy", a reference to a replica of Valery Giscard d'Estaing to Francois Mitterand in May 1974, who had said during a Debate TV, "you do not have the monopoly of the heart." To conclude, he said that these manipulative individuals "would do better to encourage dialogue for a consensual solution, between the protagonists of the issue of minimum wage, instead of throwing oil on the fire". See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21354-haiti-flash-textile-workers-and-moise-jean-charles-take-the-street.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21344-haiti-flash-several-textile-companies-do-not-exclude-leaving-haiti-if.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21272-haiti-economy-dismissal-of-workers-interamerican-wovens-sa-explains.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21167-haiti-flash-installation-of-members-of-the-commission-of-the-superior-council-of-wages.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21159-haiti-politics-minimum-wage-trade-unions-observe-a-6-day-truce.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21054-haiti-political-the-economic-forum-worried-about-the-negative-effect-of-the-demonstrations.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20989-haiti-flash-workers-forced-to-take-the-street-companies-close.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20586-haiti-politics-trade-unions-call-for-a-228-increase-in-the-minimum-wage.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17434-haiti-economy-adih-scandalized-by-the-blockage-of-the-textile-sector.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17424-haiti-economy-thousands-of-textile-workers-took-to-the-streets.html HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Funeral of the poet Claude C. Pierre "The funeral of the poet and Academician Claude C. Pierre, who died last Saturday https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21338-haiti-culture-the-literary-world-loses-a-major-poet.html will be sung on July 2 in Montreal "according to a note from the Haitian Creole Academy. Passport in 5 days ? The capacity to produce passports in Haiti will soon be doubled and delivery will be made within five working days as promised by the Minister of the Interior Max Rudolph Saint-Albin, during a visit earlier this week to the Immigration Service. The 814 a # for tourists "814" is the telephone number made available to tourists who need information and support. Conference on human trafficking Past week, Brian C. Shukan, Charge d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Haiti participated in the first National Conference on Human Trafficking https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21281-icihaiti-politics-first-national-conference-on-human-trafficking-in-haiti.html thighlight the United States' commitment to this scourge. The United States encourages constructive partnerships to prevent vulnerable populations from becoming victims https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21358-haiti-flash-good-news-haiti-removed-from-the-black-list-of-shame.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21358-haiti-flash-good-news-haiti-removed-from-the-black-list-of-shame.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21281-icihaiti-politics-first-national-conference-on-human-trafficking-in-haiti.html Vocational integration of the disabled As part of the celebration of World Public Service Day, the Office of the Secretary of State (Gerald Oriol Jr.) for the Integration of People with Disabilities (BSEIPH) called for the professional integration of qualified people living with a handicap, the team of BSEIPH advocated, among other things, for the respect of quota required by the law of 13 March 2012 and for the accessibility of public spaces. Health : strengthening of academic capacities Tuesday, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant met with Dr. Madsen Beau of "Rochars" and Arch Mainous of the University of Florida. Discussions focused on research strategies and academic capacity building in the field of health in Haiti. Martine Moise celebrates Tuesday, the day of the Blessed Virgin, consoler of the afflicted, First Lady Martine Moise, accompanied by Stephanie Auguste, Minister of Haitians Alive Abroad and Deputy of Delamas Gary Bodeau, attended the celebration of the Solemn Mass in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the Parish of Fragneau-Ville. See alos : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21361-icihaiti-diaspora-message-from-the-chicago-consul.html HL/ HaitiLibre By William Schwartz | Published on 2017/06/27 By the end of episode twenty we get to the big exciting climax where Woo has figured out a way to expose a conspiracy. It's satisfying as expected, because even if there's no direct evidence implicating Gi-joon, his participation in the broader scheme can definitely be used to put his credibility into question somewhere down the line. But why did we need four episodes to get to this point? The conspiracy only had minimal exposition, and the remaining screentime has mostly just been about the love triangle. Advertisement Which does have its moments. Prince Darhan keeps breaking my heart with all these sincere emotional stories explaining his motivation. The scene with Prince Wonja (played by Choi Ro-woon) is especially good, because we can see that Woo is trying to make everything go smoothly. However, jealous little brother that he is, Prince Wonja doesn't want to give up his silly dream of seeing his awesome teacher marry his awesome sister. While there are other good moments in other subplots as well, what makes these scenes stand out is their brevity. Shim Hyung-tak barely has any scenes as Chung-joon yet manages to steal almost all of them through faux idiotic charm. Se-ho, of all people, gets a love interest. Hee is fighting a losing battle in Da-yeon's clique and annoying though Hee may be, I'm worried what will happen to her when Da-yeon realizes there really is no hope of her getting together with Woo. ...You know, maybe the pacing isn't off after all. It's just that "My Sassy Girl - Drama" has a lot to get through in terms of various subplots. And all of these are likely to be relevant in the long run one way or another. Well, it's hard to see how Se-ho's romance is going to be relevant to anything. It also seems likely that Prince Darhan will just go back to China. Although, geez, after that bromantic fight scene I really just want to watch Prince Darhan and Woo run off and fight the conspiracy together as a team. On the other hand "My Sassy Girl - Drama" has been faltering in the teamwork department lately when it comes to Princess Hyeomhyeong. Lately all she does is brood. One attempt by Princess Hyeomhyeong to try to attack the conspiracy without Woo's help ends disastrously and geez, that more than anything else makes me want to see them get back together again. Their teamwork is where all the chemistry comes from. Review by William Schwartz "My Sassy Girl - Drama" is directed by Oh Jin-seok, written by Yoon Hyo-je and features Joo Won, Oh Yeon-seo, Lee Jung-shin, Kim Yoon-hye, Son Chang-min, and Yoon Se-ah. Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Published on 2017/06/28 | Source Added episode 11 captures for the Korean drama "Fight For My Way" (2017) Advertisement Directed by Kim Dong-hwi, Lee Na-jeong Written by Lim Sang-choon Network : KBS With Park Seo-joon, Kim Ji-won, Ahn Jae-hong, Song Ha-yoon, Son Byung-ho, Kim Ye-ryung,... 20 episodes - Mon, Tue 22:00 Synopsis A drama about a man and a woman who live a life with nothing to show for. Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2017/05/22 More In April, global insurer Aviva announced it would be offering employees retraining for another role in the company in the event that their jobs are replaced by automation. Aviva has extended the offer to some 16,000 of its employees in Britain. The offer is considered the worlds first, as other employers have introduced automation without consultation. Aviva employees who work in call centres, assess customers credit ratings and calculate the price of insurance policies are most likely to have to retrain. These developments pose unheralded challenges to HR professionals, not least of which is the dilemma faced by Aviva and the re-training of staff. Even more important is the fundamental issue of whose interests should be protected in such a case the operational requirements of a business or an employee and their job? On the latter, Kristy Peacock-Smith, a partner in the Sydney office of international law firm Bird & Bird, cites an example. Acme Pty Limited employed 50 staff members in its food processing plant to sort heads of lettuce. Two of the employees are team leaders who manage 24 workers each. The main KPI of the team leaders is to train the employees on the tasks required in the plant. However, a robotics firm has recently designed robots with sensors to measure the density of items such as heads of lettuce. Acme decided to acquire two such robots and accordingly, made the 48 workers redundant. The two remaining team leaders now train and manage the robots to assess the heads of lettuce and to reject a lettuce if non-compliant with company standards. Once the robot has memorised the task, it can autonomously perform the task without human assistance, leaving the team leaders free to perform other more sophisticated tasks. Undoubtedly the automation has both taken away and created jobs, said Peacock-Smith. However, the question for HR professionals remains are the 48 workers who lost their jobs entitled to redundancy benefits? The long-standing principle of redundancy, as currently set out in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), is that a role is redundant if an employer no longer requires the job to be performed by anyone because of changes in operational requirements. The Explanatory Memorandum to the Act provides an example of a change to an enterprise's operational requirements: where a 'machine' becomes available to do the job performed by the employee. So the question then becomes is a robot a machine? Robots can be autonomous or semi-autonomous, said Peacock-Smith. By mimicking a lifelike appearance or automating movements, a robot may convey a sense of intelligence or thought of its own. However, the short answer to this question is yes a robot is a machine; it is simply a machine that is capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. Peacock-Smith added that robots are of course not classified as employees indeed they currently have no legal personality at all. This means that until lawmakers give robots some form of legal personality, an employer who makes an employee redundant in order to introduce a robot into the workforce would still have to say that they no longer require the job to be performed 'by anyone'. Therefore, based upon these simple legal principles, a redundancy situation may still arise even if the employer still requires the employee's activities to be undertaken by a robot, she said. This means that an employee whose job is replaced by a robot is still entitled to receive severance pay as a result of the redundancy of their role. tralia is becoming a nation of workaholics with many not realising the urge to constantly check emails is creating an 8am to 8pm work day, according to Zac de Silva, Co-Owner of Nurture Change.De Silva added that reading over documents, emails and creating to do lists are happening outside the office on a daily basis and people fail to see theyve just worked a twelve hour day.Business owners and management are so engaged in their work, striving to get ahead that theyre unknowingly setting similar expectations of long hours on staff, said De Silva.While it may appear that you have a focussed hard working team of employees you will end up with the exact opposite productivity will plummet simply from exhaustion.A US survey of a thousand people found 59% of employees regularly received emails from their co-workers after hours and 75% have themselves sent emails after 6pm.After 9pm the figures are surprisingly high 62% of men send work emails after 9pm and 46% of women surveyed have.Further, 61% of those surveyed check work emails while on holidays.Employers need to encourage workers to switch off by 6pm with no emails, internal or external, to be sent until the morning include it in workplace policy, said de Silva.I dont believe there is a need for punitive action if the ban on after hour emails is broken but it needs to be discouraged because the health and productivity of staff is the priority.De Silva added that one in five people have tried to change their email habits in the past 12 months so people are realising they are not as getting as much done because theyre too bogged down by emails.Talio, a facilities management services provider in Brisbane banned internal emails two years ago and staff are encouraged to pick up the phone in response to client emails sales jumped 30% and productivity increased 40% within the first 12 months.Atomic 212 advertising agency implemented a Talk First campaign to recreate the high energy in the work place that existed before everyone stared at a screen and emailed.The initiative is designed to give employees their personal lives back and recharge because emails keep staff constantly linked to the office, whether they are out at lunch, on a walk or even sleeping.When business owners and managers gather at Nurture Change retreats, email is labelled as one of the biggest challenges in the workplace time wasting and productivity zapping.In France, companies with more than 50 employees must negotiate with staff their rights to switch off outside work hours and if no agreement is reached then a charter must set out the hours when workers should and should not send work emails, said De Silva.Moreover, Germanys employment ministry released guidelines that banned its managers from calling or emailing staff out of hours, except in emergencies. This came after a number of firms including Volkswagen and BMW imposed similar restrictions.De Silva suggests following these steps to better manage emails and increase productivity: After Hour Ban : Dont look at emails once you have left the office. Auto Alert : Set up an automatic alert to let people know you wont be checking your emails until the morning that way if it is urgent they can call you. This should also reduce your inbox because people wont send you emails at night once they realise you wont check them. Email Time : Set aside several periods in your day to action and delete emails. Verbal communication : Sometimes picking up the phone or walking down the hall is quicker in the long run than sending an email. Living labs, test beds, proving grounds, hatcheries: they have become an important development in modern cities around the world. For the past decade or so, the city has become a site for experimentation. Around the world, urban renewal is being approached as a grand experiment for addressing community concerns and enlisting citizens for their input. But do the results always best serve citizen interests? Why have urban experiments become so popular? Perhaps more importantly, do they live up to their expectations? Urban experiments are a response to the growing complexity and interconnectedness of urban living. They aim to provide localized solutions to some of the communities most pressing problems, addressing the concerns of citizens instead of policy makers. Often, the solutions can be exported to other locales around the globe sometimes on a much larger scale. In this way, urban experiments are key to more innovative and sustainable cities. But just how can urban experiments live up to expectation? One challenge is that the focus on local problem solving tends to come at the cost of more general lesson-drawing. A second challenge concerns the users or citizens: Their interests often play a marginal role in the experiments, even though these are supposed to be central to many forms of urban experimentation. In Amsterdam, for example, the redevelopment of the industrial port area of Buiksloterham has been the setting for a number of urban experiments. For decades, people were reluctant to reuse some of the land because the soil was strongly polluted. In 2012, the city nevertheless put out a call for tenders for the temporary use of a highly polluted plot of land that had been the De Ceuvel shipyard. Here, an innovative working community was born. The start-ups that won the tender immediately put old house-boats on shore. Young creatives, who would otherwise have been forced to move out of the city now had access to temporary and affordable office space. Meanwhile, a long-term experiment started with a novel, nature-based soil remediation process. One experiment led to another, both of a technical nature and of a more social one. In 2017, within five years after the winning of the tender, the whole Buiksloterham district has become a living lab, with off-the-grid self-built houses, a biodigester for local waste water collection, a timber flat building with adaptable floorplans, and further space allocated for even more new and novel experimentation. Key to the success of this Amsterdam living lab is the highly active role of a small group of entrepreneurial citizens. They made sure that citizens concerns were addressed in the developments, contributing to ownership and acceptance by the local community. Larger-scale urban experiments are also taking place across the global south, in cities where inequalities are high and where technological innovation will be key in providing greater access to resources and services. In Asia, Latin America and Africa, many urban experiments focus on the use of information and communication technologies. These experiments are highly technology-driven, with global companies playing a leading role. Even though citizen participation is strongly emphasized in these experiments, citizens are usually approached for their role as users and as data-providers. The South Korean master-planned city of Songdo for example, aims to accommodate its growth in a sustainable and smart way. On one of the busiest shopping streets, U.S.tech giant Cisco Systems established a small building called the Internet of Things Cube. From this Cube, with a transparent glass facade, innovations for smart streets could be tried and tested. Real-time data and user-generated feedback from passers-by was collected and displayed for analysis. Despite the citizen focus, it is unsure how the interests of citizens are served by such technology-driven innovation. In India, technology companies experiment with providing free Wi-Fi to unconnected districts, just as in the favelas in Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. In Bogota, big data analytics and local network-building have become crucial to understanding both citizens needs and how to form the effective public-private knowledge partnerships needed to make a real and tangible difference in the lives of city inhabitants. However, true citizen participation and involvement remain challenging in such technology-driven projects. The Ciscos of the world are understandably more interested in the large-scale testing of technologies than serving particular citizens interests. In the long run, this may lead to resource efficient, smart and healthy cities, in which citizens needs are better served. Whether this also contributes to other values, such as identity, privacy, happiness and inclusiveness remains to be seen. Despite the challenges, the experimental turn in urban development has succeeded in spurring engagement of public and private stakeholders and citizens. To significantly improve the impact of experiments, more monitoring and evaluation is needed. The cities of the future will only be as innovative and sustainable as the experiments we put them through today. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to poke, prod and experiment until we find the most effective solutions to our urban problems. Professor Ellen van Bueren holds the chair of Urban Development Management at the Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. She is also Principal Investigator at AMS, the Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions in Amsterdam. The governance and management of sustainable built environments is at the core of her research and teaching interests. She is the lead editor of the book Sustainable Urban Environments: An Ecosystem Approach. Juvonen was one of the 22 legislators who left the parliamentary group following the election of Jussi Halla-aho as the chairperson of the Finns Party on 11 June, 2017, but unlike most of the legislators she opted not to join the newly-established New Alternative Parliamentary Group. Arja Juvonen, a second-term Member of the Parliament from Kuopio, has decided to return to the Finns Party Parliamentary Group. You have to stand up for your own, she tweeted on Tuesday. She revealed in a press release that she weighed up her options over the past two weeks but that discussions with her party comrades and supporters convinced her that her political allegiance lies with the Finns Party Parliamentary Group. The Finns Party has stayed the same for me, and I see no conflict between the my own ideological agendas and those of the party, she elaborated. Juvonen also underscored the importance of respecting the democratic processes of the party conference of the Finns Party in Jyvaskyla on 1112 June. The selections made in the party conference were a message from the membership: the membership election was a democratic process, and it must be respected. She has been widely believed to be one of the most liberal members of the Finns Party. She, for example, defied the whip by voting in favour of a citizens initiative to grant same-sex couples the right to marry, an act that resulted in her receiving a reprimand from ex-party leader, Timo Soini. Helsingin Sanomat reminds that Juvonen encouraged other parliamentary groups to approach her following her departure from the Finns Party Parliamentary Group. She told the daily newspaper last weekend that she has been contacted by every parliamentary party, including the arch-nemesis of the Finns Party, the Green League. Yes. Every single one, she stated to Helsingin Sanomat. Juvonen was a candidate to become one of the deputy chairpersons of the Finns Party in Jyvaskyla on 11 June. She announced after the party conference that the results of the leadership election indicate that the party is heading in a direction she does not approve of. She was not the first legislator to re-consider her decision to leave the Finns Party Parliamentary Group. Ritva Elomaa, a second-term Member of the Parliament from the electoral district of Varsinais-Suomi, last week resigned from the New Alternative Parliamentary Group to return to the Finns Party Parliamentary Group. Her decision reduced the majority of the three ruling parliamentary groups in the 200-seat Parliament to 10 seats, 105 to 95. Juvonens decision, in turn, will help the Finns Party Parliamentary Group consolidate its status as the second largest group in the opposition after the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Linda Manner Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Gardai cordon off the area around Ashington Avenue as army bomb disposal experts deal with the device Thirty children were evacuated from a Dublin creche after a suspected pipe bomb was discovered within metres of the building. The army bomb disposal unit arrived on the scene in yesterday morning when the alarm was raised by a resident at around 10.30am. People living in and around Ashington Avenue were also evacuated from their homes. Gardai put a cordon in place while the bomb disposal team carried out an assessment before making the suspect device "safe". In the meantime, gardai knocked on doors around the immediate area, telling locals to move to the top of nearby roads in order to ensure their safety. An employee at the nearby creche, described the incident as "scary" but said staff acted quickly to prevent any panic. "They came knocking at the door and said to get all the kids out - so we went up to the top of the road and waited," she said. All parents had to be contacted to come to collect their children from the creche, which was subsequently closed for the rest of the day. "There was kind of panic [from the kids], they didn't know what was really going on," she added. Another staff member said they had to act quickly once the gardai had alerted them. "Some of the children had no shoes on, so we had to put their shoes on, their jackets on and carry some of them," she said. "People off the road have said they drove over it [the suspect device] three and four times during the week, it's just been lying there, it was like something that fell out of a bin," she added. Gangsters Another nearby resident told the Herald that he arrived home straight away when he got word of the incident from one of his children. "You see these things on the TV but it's very strange to happen in your area," he said. "There's no gangsters or anything that we know of here," he added. The scene was declared safe at 11.55am. The device was removed to a secure military installation for further examination. Material will be handed over to An Garda Siochana to assist with its investigations. The drama was the latest in a spate of incidents in recent weeks that the bomb disposal unit has been called to in the capital. Two such cases were attended to in Ballymun last week, while a 6kg Semtex bomb plot was foiled in the north inner city earlier this month. The Court of Appeal has upheld a murderer's conviction after branding his lawyers' call for the jury to explain its guilty verdict as a "recipe for enormous difficulty". Garrett O'Brien (40), from Clover Hill in Bray, Co Wicklow, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27-year-old father-of-two Seamus O'Byrne at his home in Tymon North Park, Tallaght, in March 2009. He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and was given the mandatory life sentence by Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley on November 6, 2012. The three-judge Court of Appeal dismissed O'Brien's appeal yesterday, in which his lawyers argued their client's fair trial rights were breached because the jury did not provide an explanation for its verdict. Mr Justice Alan Mahon said that, after a gunman had shot Mr O'Byrne four times outside his home, he ran off, leaving behind his gun, a Red Bull can and a mobile phone. A Volkswagen Passat found near to the scene the following day had in it a live round of ammunition and a petrol can. Evidence connecting O'Brien with the crime included the Red Bull can and mobile phone. O'Brien's barrister, Feargal P Kavanagh, said the prosecution "rode two horses" by opening their case on the basis that it was a "joint enterprise" but ending up on the basis that O'Brien was the "triggerman". Gopher O'Brien did not know at this juncture whether he had been convicted of being a gunman or a "gopher". Mr Kavanagh submitted that it was an inherent weakness in the procedure and O'Brien's "fair trial rights" were breached. Mr Justice Mahon said it was "entirely novel" to suggest that a jury could be questioned as to how it reached its verdict. He said O'Brien was charged with and tried for specific offences and clear verdicts were returned in respect of each. "A requirement that a jury should, in effect, give reasons for, or explain its verdict, is impractical and a recipe for enormous difficulty," he said. "The secrecy of the manner in which a jury conducts its deliberations has long been a hallmark of our criminal legal system." A pub-goer has denied breaking another man's nose in an attack after he was ejected from the premises. Lee Grufferty (26) is accused of assaulting and injuring the man in an incident outside a pub in west Dublin. He pleaded not guilty and the case was adjourned for hearing on a later date at Blanchardstown District Court. Mr Grufferty, of Caragh Meadows, Naas, Co Kildare, is charged with assault causing harm. He is also accused of using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour with intent to cause a breach of the peace. Defence barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin said a hearing date would be required. Judge David McHugh adjourned the case to a date in October. The court had previously heard that the defendant made no reply when he was charged. Laceration Gda Thomas Balfe said the DPP was directing to summary disposal of the case at district court level. The offences are alleged to have happened at The Laurels, Main Street, Clondalkin, last October 23. Giving an outline of the prosecution's case, Gda Balfe said it would be alleged that the accused was ejected from the pub on the date in question. He became irate and hit a man a number of times, causing injuries, the garda alleged. A medical report was presented to the court. The court heard the alleged victim suffered a fractured nose and a laceration at the back of his head. He sustained this injury when he fell against a wall, Gda Balfe said. There was also a cut above the man's left eye. Asked by the judge what the alleged victim's present condition was, the garda replied that all the injuries had healed up well and there were no neurological problems. Judge McHugh accepted jur- isdiction to deal with the case. The defendant was remanded on continuing bail. Just over a week ago, Thomas Power, a 40-year-old farmer, was rushed in a car driven by his pregnant wife, Bernie, to hospital in Waterford. He was suffering from chest pains. On arrival at the hospital they were told the cath lab cardiac service unit was closed for the weekend. Thomas would have to be taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where one was in operation. He died of cardiac arrest before he got there. Following his tragic death, his sister, Catherine Power, spoke with Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline programme, telling of the grief, desolation and anger of the Power family at their terrible loss. It was a heartbreaking interview. Suffering Catherine spoke of the death of her brother and the grief and suffering it had inflicted on his wife, his aged parents and his extended family. Her anger was directed at Waterford Hospital for its inexcusable and inexplicable decision to shut down life-saving cardiac services after 5pm on weekdays and at weekends. Her eloquent and powerful condemnation of this insane policy upset many callers, who were up in arms about such a sorry state of affairs. What is even more baffling is the fact that, during the phone-in, it was revealed that it would take only a relatively paltry 2.5m to keep the unit open and fully-staffed at weekends. In the vast, multi-billion euro budget of the HSE, this would amount to a drop in the ocean. Despite repeated pleas from concerned pressure groups - including the vast majority of doctors and consultants - Health Minister Simon Harris remains deaf to their concerns. Mr Harris dismisses all criticism on the grounds that he is relying on the report of a study he commissioned several years ago, carried out by Dr Niall Herity. Dr Herity recommended in that report the closure regime at Waterford, especially on weekends. Mr Harris is not for turning. The Herity report is viewed as a holy writ. That is despite almost 100pc of doctors and consultants in the south-east believing the Herity Report is flawed because its terms of reference were too narrow and restrictive. It was based on his conclusion that a quarter-of-a-million people were dependent on this service, whereas the real figure is close to half-a-million. Dr Herity also believes that cardiac patients in emergency can be transferred from Waterford to Cork in 90 minutes. Fire Brigade experts and other professionals have flatly contradicted this. Shameful Medics agree it is imperative that cardiac patients are treated within 90 minutes. Waterford is the only major hospital in the country that does not have 24/7 cardiac cover. It is frankly inconceivable and shameful that in this modern republic of ours the people of the south-east are denied this life-saving service. It's no wonder these people are up in arms at being treated like second-class citizens. As things stand, it would appear the only advice from the dysfunctional health service is: "If you live in the south-east, don't have a heart attack after 5pm on weekdays and not at the weekend." If this crazy policy in Waterford Hospital is not reversed, there will be many more deaths like Thomas Power's. A schoolgirl who drowned in a swimming pool in Crete had been celebrating the end of her Junior Certificate exams. Flags flew at half-mast at Greystones Sailing Club yesterday in tribute to Laura Dempsey, who was an active member of the junior sailing groups at the club. The popular 15-year-old from Greystones, Co Wicklow, was found unconscious in a hotel swimming pool on the Greek island on Sunday afternoon. Sympathy Frantic efforts were made to resuscitate her but she was later pronounced dead. Laura had just completed her Junior Certificate examinations and was enjoying a holiday in the Stalida resort with her parents John Dempsey and Nicola Smith. She was a pupil of Temple Carrig Church of Ireland Secondary School in Greystones. The patron of the school, Archbishop of Dublin Dr Michael Jackson, offered his sympathy to Laura's family. "It was with deep sadness that I heard of the death of Laura Dempsey at the weekend," he said in a statement issued yesterday. "To her family, we extend our sincere sympathies and pray that they know God's strength in their heartache and devastating loss. "Laura was a third year student in Temple Carrig School, Greystones, of which I am patron, and had just completed her Junior Certificate exams. "We hold Laura's friends and the whole school community in our thoughts and hearts as they struggle to come to terms with their loss. "We also pray for the principal, teachers, chaplain and staff of the school as they support the students in their grief," he added. A Greek police officer told the Herald yesterday that an investigation into the tragedy was ongoing. A report on Laura's death was being compiled for the authorities by a forensic doctor. She been taken to a local hospital following the tragedy and an autopsy had been scheduled. Last night, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that officials based at the Irish embassy in Athens were involved in providing consular assistance to the grieving family. Stalida, also known as Stalis, is a beach resort midway between the towns of Malia and Hersonissos. It is popular with Irish holidaymakers. Greystones Sailing Club's commodore, Daragh Cafferky, previously said that the family, friends and fellow club members were devastated by the news of Laura's death. "She was a really enthusiastic sailor", and the loss of a girl as young as Laura was "particularly tragic", he said. Sadness The "tragic death of one of our young and valued juniors" has been greeted with "extraordinary sadness". "A bright light has been extinguished and it is beyond words to express the grief we all feel for our friends Nicky and John," he added. Wicklow County Council members have also expressed their sadness and said the community was united in grief at Laura's death. Jennifer Whitmore, Cathaoirleach of Greystones Municipal District, and Leas-Cathaoirleach Gerry Walsh said Laura was a "devastating loss". BRISTOL, Tenn.A Bristol, Tennessee man faces multiple charges after a resident said he saw an unknown man with a gun in his home. Jason Brian Onyszczuk, 40, was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and violation of an order of protection. On Sunday, a resident on Shelby Street said he came out of the bedroom and saw a man he did not recognize standing over his mother, who was lying on the floor, according to an affidavit of complaint. The resident said the man had a handgun. The resident said he then went back into his bedroom and heard gun shots. The affidavit said the man, later identified as Onyszczuk, exited the residence. The residents mother said she met the man at a State Street gas station. She returned with the man to her apartment, but did not want him to go inside, the affidavit states. At that point, the affidavit said the man forced his way in the home. Police said they found Onyszyzuk at a residence on Broad Street, at the same site an order of protection had previously been placed. No injuries were reported in the affidavit. The man is being held in the Sullivan County jail on $10,000 bail. Nearly 80 PA people have been charged for Jan. 6 riot. Three are dead. news ASHEVILLE Before sentencing him to life in prison Tuesday morning, U.S. District Court Judge Martin Reidinger told Justin Nojan Sullivan he is cold, calculated, despicable and cowardly. Sullivan, 21, pleaded guilty in November to one count of attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. When he was given the chance to address the court, Sullivan said the things said about him in court make him seem like a bad person, and he said he is not a bad person. You cant judge me until you know me, Sullivan said. He said most people would probably like him if they got to know him. Im not a troublemaker, your honor, Sullivan said. He said people calling him a cold-blooded murderer is not true, and he told the judge a sentence of life in prison isnt justified. But Reidinger said Sullivan not only was planning a mass murder similar to the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting, but he took affirmative steps to affect that mass murder. Reidinger said Sullivans plans for a mass murder were stealthy and silent so as to kill more people like sitting ducks. Reidinger said Sullivan planned to hide behind a mask and a silencer and had disrespect and disregard for human life, and particularly, innocent human life. Federal documents say Sullivan intended to carry out a mass casualty attack on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Sullivan told an undercover FBI agent he was a Muslim convert and wanted to kill as many as 1,000 people using cyanide-laced bullets and a vehicle filled with bombs, according to federal documents. A criminal complaint at the time of his arrest alleged the FBI became aware of Sullivans plans to obtain a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle at the Hickory Gun Show that he planned to use to kill a large number of U.S. citizens on behalf of ISIS. He was arrested before getting the chance to attend the gun show in Hickory, according to federal documents. Sullivan told an undercover agent, Our attacks needs to be as big as possiblewe can do minor assassinations before the big attack for training, according to federal documents. He talked about using a moving van filled with explosives and detonating it. Federal officials say Sullivan conspired with ISIS member Junaid Hussain to commit terrorist acts transcending national boundaries. The documents state Sullivan had a text conversation with Hussain that was recovered from Sullivans phone. The governments analysis of Sullivans laptop revealed a library of jihadist ISIS videos, writings and songs exhorting followers to commit attacks wherever they are in the world, according to federal documents. Sullivan, a Muslim convert who called himself The Mujahid online, is still a Muslim, Attorney Fredilyn Sison said in court Tuesday. Islam is Islam. People cant change it to meet their desires, Sullivan said during his address to the court. Reidinger called Sullivan self-centered and said him seeking to murder innocent people, on a massive scale, is a rejection of ordered society. The judge said the public needs to be protected from Sullivan and his sentence needs to be an example to others who might try to do the same thing. Sullivan also is accused of first-degree murder in the killing of a neighbor, John Bailey Clark, who was 74 years old when he died Dec. 18, 2014. District Attorney David Learner and several assistant district attorneys were in the courtroom Tuesday, but Clarks murder wasnt addressed during the proceedings. Sullivan faces the death penalty in the murder case. Sullivans parents, Rich and Eleanor Sullivan, were in the courtroom, as they have been each time their sons case has been to court. Federal officials previously said Justin Sullivan tried to solicit an undercover FBI agent to kill his parents. It was Sullivans father who called law enforcement in April 2015 to say something was amiss with his son. He told a 911 dispatcher his son had broken religious figurines and used gasoline inside the home to try to burn something. But Rich and his wife came home and interrupted their sons destruction. It was two months later, June 19, 2015, when Rich Sullivan called law enforcement again asking for help with his son. The FBI arrested Justin Sullivan later that day. He was 19 years old. Rich Sullivan is a retired U.S. Marine captain who served 21 years in the corps. After his son was arrested, he said, When you take an oath, its to defend against enemies foreign and domestic. I just didnt know it would be that close to home. In addition to a life sentence, Reidinger ordered Justin Sullivan to undergo a psychological evaluation and take any mental health medications doctors prescribe him. James Hilkey, a psychologist who is now in private practice but spent 25 years with the Bureau of Federal Prisons, testified that Sullivan is taking an anti-depressant and has done well while being held in the Buncombe County jail. He said Sullivan should be sent to a medium security federal prison rather than a maximum security prison. The Union Cabinet on Wednesday formally approved the privatisation of national airline Air India Ltd and five of its subsidiaries. Disclosing this, finance minister Arun Jaitley said at a press briefing that he would be heading a group to work out procedures for the Air India disinvestment. The move will not only embellish the credentials of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as a reformist administration, but also ease the fiscal pressure on the union government especially in indirectly servicing the airlines outstanding debt burden of Rs52,000 crore. The group under Jaitley will decide on the treatment of unsustainable debt of Air India, hiving off certain assets to a shell company, spinning off and selling stakes in three profit-making subsidiaries, the quantum of disinvestment, and the eligibility criteria for the bidders, the government said in a statement. This group will then report back to the Union cabinet for final approvals. The constitution of the group will be done quite fast, Jaitley said without mentioning any timelines. Air India was launched in 1932 by JRD Tata as Tata Airlines. Its name was changed to the current one in 1946. The government decided to take it over in 1953. In 2000 too, also under a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, there was a move to privatize Air India but it went nowhere. The airline has the largest domestic and long-haul fleet of 140 planes in the country and flies to nearly 41 international and 72 domestic destinations. Apart from the planes, the airline also has vast land holdings, including nearly 32 acres in central Mumbai, besides its iconic headquarters on Marine Drive valued at more than Rs 1,600 crore. It also has properties in New Delhi, London, Hong Kong, Nairobi, Japan and Mauritius. Amrit Pandurangi, formerly the head of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLPs aviating practice, welcomed the governments move but said it should not be hurried. Its a right decision but it has to be executed correctly; if not, it will become a bigger mess than what it already is, he said. Pandurangi said it is important to extract value from Air India. Valuation should take into account valuable bilaterals that Air India holds, he added, referring to bilateral flying rights. And there should be some thinking on the airlines highly unionized employees, and the state of its finances even before the process begins, he said. The civil aviation ministry declined comment. A former employee said privatization was the only way ahead. The last 10 years have shown that in its current avatar Air India cannot be transformed into a great airline under government ownership , said former Air India executive director Jitender Bhargava. Its good that the government is acting swiftly as time is not on Air Indias side because the longer you delay the more marginalized Air India gets. Because there is bound to be opposition to the move, the government should justify it using facts and figures, Bhargava said. Emphasis should be laid equally on the debt and also the huge assets the airline has so that the privatisation is not treated as a distress sale, he added. The airline has so far received Rs 23,993 crore of the Rs 30,231 crore equity infusion promised by the government under a financial restructuring plan in 2012. It reported a loss of about Rs 3,587 crore in 2015-16, compared with a loss of Rs 5,859 crore in the previous year. The Economic Survey 2017 recommended that the government privatize Air India. Late last month, finance minister Jaitley disclosed that the aviation ministry had been asked to look at all options of privatization. A committee of top bureaucrats which included civil aviation secretary RN Choubey then sent its views on Air Indias divestment to the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (Dipam), which moved the cabinet note that was approved on Wednesday. (Published in arrangement with livemint.com) Pandora co-founder Tim Westergren on Tuesday stepped down as chief executive and from the board of directors, as the internet radio pioneer strives to win more listeners in the face of competition from Apple and Spotify. Chief financial officer Naveen Chopra will take over as interim CEO during the search for a permanent replacement for Westergren, said the Oakland, California-based company. The departure was part of a major shake-up in Pandoras top management, with president Mike Herring and chief marketing officer Nick Bartle also leaving the company. Over the past several weeks, the board has taken a number of steps to refocus and reinforce Pandora, board member Roger Faxon said in a statement announcing Westergrens departure. As listeners continue to move from traditional terrestrial radio to more dynamic and flexible offerings, it is the boards belief that this transition continues to present a massive opportunity, and that Pandora is in an ideal position to capture an increasing share of this audience. Another board member, Tim Leiweke, thanked Westergren for stepping up last year to serve as CEO at a critical time for the company. Westergren was quickly able to reset relations with the major labels, launch our on-demand service, reconstitute the management team and refortify our balance sheet by securing an investment from Sirius XM, Leiweke said. We support Tims desire to identify a new CEO for Pandoras next stage. Sirius investment Satellite radio network SiriusXM recently said that it will invest $480 million in Pandora, forging a union between two companies that have operated on parallel tracks. The move comes amid rapid changes in the music business. Pandora, which has seen its model lose ground to on-demand online platforms such as Spotify, last month appealed for buyers. Pandora is also selling Ticketfly, a ticketing company popular with independent rock venues, for $200 million to event management site Eventbrite. The sale marks a significant loss as Pandora bought Ticketfly less than two years ago for $450 million, seeing it as a new way to broaden its reach. SiriusXM relies on a core base of older listeners in cars that has driven healthy profits but it has little presence on smartphones -- a strong point for Pandora. SiriusXM got a 16% stake in Pandora and three seats on its board. Cutting costs by letting go top executives is more indicative of an acquisition than a mere investment, signalling that SiriusXM may have gotten control at Pandora as a result of the deal, according to analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group. The size of the investment is big enough to indicate control -- and you cant fix a problem unless you have control, Enderle said. Changes in music habits Pandora -- best known for internet-generated radio stations based on users likes -- had some 76.7 million active listeners as of last month. While substantial, the number had dropped from a year earlier as the market shifts away from free, advertising-backed sites and toward paid subscriptions for on-demand music. Led by Spotify as well as rivals such as Apple Music, Deezer and Tidal, streaming revenue soared by more than 60% globally last year alone, according to the IFPI industry group. We invented a whole new way of enjoying and discovering music and in doing so, forever changed the listening experience for millions, Westergren said. We rebuilt Pandoras relationships with the music industry; launched a fantastic premium on-demand service, and brought a host of tech innovations to our advertising business, he added. With these in place, plus a strengthened balance sheet, I believe Pandora is perfectly poised for its next chapter. The city was jolted out of their extended weekend slumber after heavy rain lashed the city on Tuesday morning. Water-logging, traffic snarls and rail disruptions on the central and harbour lines made life difficult for commuters. A high tide measuring 4.81m hit the city at 2.39pm after which two cases of drowning were reported 17-year-old Preeti Krishna Pise drowned was swept away into the sea at Marine Drive, while the fire brigade was, at the time of going to press, still searching for a young boy, who locals feared drowned at Mahim creek. Senior police inspector, Vilas Gangawane, Marine Drive police station, said, The Marine Drive promenade was crowded and we were constantly making announcements about the high tide. Gangawane said. He said Pise, a resident of Chunabhatti studying at Wilson College, was jumping as waves lashed the promenade. Suddenly, a big wave swept her away, Gangawane said. Heavy intermittent rain resulted in water-logging at many locations across the city, although the BMC claimed water-logging was reported only at Sion and Vidyavihar. A civic official, on condition of anonymity, said, Even if there was water-logging, it lasted for less than 15 minutes because the pumps were made operational immediately. According to the BMC, 79 de-watering pumps were operationalised on Tuesday afternoon to mitigate flooding 38 were operational in the island city, 26 in the eastern suburbs and 15 in the western suburbs. Citizens, however, took to Twitter to complain about water-logging at Sion, Matunga, Mahim, Hindmata, Ghatkopar, Dadar, the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli linking road (JVLR) and parts of Malad and Andheri. Nikhil Desai, a resident of Matunga said, It rained for half-an-hour and several locations were flooded. Why is the BMC claiming to be monsoon ready every year when it is clearly not. The rain threw three suburban services on the main and harbour lines of Central Railway (CR) out of gear. Services were running around 30 minutes late during morning peak hours. Trains on the Western Railway were running behind schedule by 10-15 minutes. Even the Thane-Vashi transharbour line services were hit because of a technical snag in a local train. According to railway sources, more than 50 suburban services were cancelled and several others were delayed because of water-logging and a technical snag. A CR spokesperson, however, said only 16 services were cancelled, while the Westerbn Railway (WR) spokesperson did not respond. Main and harbour line services on CR were mainly hit because of water-logging on the tracks between Sion-Kurla and Chunabhatti-Kurla respectively. Water-logging at Mahim also added to commuters woes on harbour line. Railway sources said a snag in the signaling system at Kurla and Mankhurd led to the disruption of services. This is the second time suburban services on CR were thrown out of gear because of rain in less than three days. Earlier, CR suburban services were badly hit because of water logging at Kalwa and Thane stations on Sunday. Railway authorities had blamed the Thane Municipal Corporations road-widening work for water-logging at Kalwa station. While two incidents of drowning were reported, a 52-year-old lady was rescued by locals near the Dahisar river. Mahananda Butte was found drowning at the river at 8am on Tuesday. A road cave-in was reported at building number 9, Sangarsh Nagar in Chandivli. The fire brigade moved people living in the building out and barricaded the entire road as a precaution. Until Tuesday morning, 22 trees had been uprooted across the city, followed by another 39 between 8am and 3pm on Tuesday. Of these, nine were in the island city, 16 in the eastern suburbs and 24 in the western suburbs. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in any incident. Rains in the catchment areas have also increased water levels by 3,000 million litres as of Tuesday morning, close to one days supply for the city. The lakes supplying water to the city currently has 3.5 lakh million litres. Weathermen have predicted heavy showers for Mumbai on Wednesday too. Mumbai will also witness another high-tide measuring 4.60m at around 3.23 pm on Wednesday. Heavy rain coupled with a high tide only increases the chances of inundation. The death of 38-year-old woman murder convict after being brutally assaulted by officials at Mumbais Byculla Jail last week has sparked an outrage. Manjula Shetyes death triggered violent protest in the jail as around 200 inmates, including former media entrepreneur Indrani Mukerjea, climbed up the prisons terrace and also allegedly hurt staff and damaged property. Police have booked six jail officials for the death of Shetye, who was serving a life imprisonment sentence after being convicted of the murder of her sister-in-law. Since her conviction, Shetye was lodged at Yerwada jail and was moved to Byculla prison about three months ago. Here is how the events unfolded on June 23: 9.00am: Jail officials hand over food to Shetye, who was made warden of her barracks because of her good behaviour, to distribute among other inmates. 10.30am: Shetye finds two eggs and five slices of bread missing from the ration. She asks jailer Manisha Pokharkar and her staff the reason behind the shortage. 10.35am: Jail inmates hear Shetye cry for help while being beaten up by jail officials. Later, they saw her being pulled by a scarf tied around her neck till her barrack number 5. 12pm: Jail officials go inside Shetyes barrack and start assaulting her again. According to an eyewitness, women constables strip her in front of everyone and shove a stick inside her private parts. She was left bleeding in the barrack and no help was offered by authorities, the witness said. 7pm: Shetye asks her fellow inmates to take her to the bathroom and falls unconscious there. The inmates request jail officials to call doctors. The resident doctor at the jail immediately asks officials to transfer her to JJ Hospital. 9pm: She is declared dead at JJ Hospital. The autopsy report says Shetye had about 11 to 13 contusions all over her body. According to the dean of JJ Hospital, the womans lungs were damaged. A probe will be ordered in Doons DAV Post Graduate College to track missing funds amounting to 22 crore, higher education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said on Wednesday. Rawat took the decision after representatives of student outfits, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the National Students Union of India and the Students Federation of India, on Wednesday drew his attention to the irregularities. Established in 1948, the DAV Post Graduate College is affiliated with the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna University. The college comes under the management of Dayanand Shiksha Sansthan, Uttar Pradesh that runs 12 post graduate colleges at Kanpur, Unnao, Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh) and Dehradun. Manvendra Swaroop is the secretary of Dayanand Shiksha Sansthans Kanpur chapter. The corpus in question was created for maintenance of the college, its construction and other needs. No records or details of the funds purportedly exist with the college management even as it charged students for the same over the years, the student outfits alleged. Interestingly, the Uttarakhand government was providing grants to the college for the same purposes including for construction of classrooms and washrooms, for equipping library and for establishing better environment for teachers, students and staff. We havent found details of funds worth nearly Rs 22 crore. I am sure the management is aware of this corpus. I will order a probe into this matter. If the management fails to provide details, then we will take over this college, Rawat told Hindustan Times. No papers regarding the money deducted from student fees under various subheads were found in the college. The head of the board tried to contact me through various ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, but I refused to entertain the request, Rawat said, referring to the college managements eagerness to meet him on the matter. When contacted, the colleges principal Devendra Bhasin expressed ignorance over the matter. Its a management issue and I am not aware of it, he told. This reporter tried to contact Swaroop through mail, but there was no reply until filing of this report in the evening. The management should give details of money of students to the Uttarakhand government. We hope this probe will help in strengthening better facilities to students here, Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) state president Ramakant Srivastava said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The body of a seven-year-old girl, who was missing since June 21, was today found in a box floating in a canal in north-east Delhis Bhajanpura, the police said. There were no external injury marks on the body, they said, adding that an autopsy would reveal if the girl was sexually assaulted before being killed. The girl lived with her family in New Usmanpur. On June 21, at around 10 am, she had left her house for her aunts place nearby, along with her elder sisters. After spending some time there, the girl had left her aunts house alone, the police said. Her sisters returned home later and found the girl missing. Subsequently, the family members started looking for the her but as she was nowhere to be found, they lodged a police complaint. On Wednesday morning, the police were informed by a man about a leather box floating in the canal. The box was retrieved from the canal and the body was recovered from it. The hands and legs of the girl were found tied and the body had decayed, the police said, adding that an initial probe pointed towards the involvement of a person who was possibly known to the girls family. New Delhi The decomposed body of a seven-year-old girl who was missing since June 21 was found on Wednesday inside a box dumped in a drain in northeast Delhis Usmanpur, police said. The girls limbs were tied. Initial investigations revealed the girl was strangled. The police ruled out sexual assault but were waiting for her autopsy report to confirm it. A case has been registered. Investigators suspect that the girl was kidnapped, murdered and her body was stuffed in a box that was later dumped in the drain. A police officer said the girl lived with her family in Gamri village near Shahdara. She was a Class 2 student at a government school. On June 21, around 10 am, the girl and her three sisters left home to visit their aunts home in the same locality. While her sisters stayed back, the girl left. But she did not return home till late evening. Her family members started looking for her in the nearby areas but could not locate her. They approached the local police and filed a missing complaint. A case of kidnapping was registered. Our teams made efforts to search the missing girl. We alerted other police stations and shared her photographs and other details. But she could not be found, said the officer. On Wednesday, around 10 am, the police control room received a call about a box floating in a drain at Kartar Nagar area in Usmanpur. The caller claimed a human leg was dangling out. The box was opened and a girls decomposed body was found. The police then matched the clothes of the deceased with the clothes the missing girl was wearing. The missing girls family members were called in and they identified her as their missing daughter. We suspect the role of somebody known to the girl. The case is being probed from the personal enmity angle, said the officer.. The gruesome killing of 16-year-old Junaid on a Haryana-bound train sparked off a series of Not In My Name protests in 12 cities across India. In Delhi, a few thousand braved the rain to come out to Jantar Mantar in solidarity with victims of the targeted violence. Amid the activists and civil society organizations, the voices that stood out loudest were those of ordinary citizens who had gathered out of a sense of duty. Pooja, a class eight student from Gole Market, and five of her friends held a painted banner with a bloodied slipper and stick. They had spent two hours this morning replicating the protest logo. No one has the right to kill anyone. We should not decide who eats what or wears what, she says. Her friend, Aarti says, By killing someone, we are taking away peoples right to equality. Today it is happening to a Muslim boy, next time it could be us. This isnt the first time they had come out on the streets. They had also attended the recent farmers protest at Jantar Mantar. Wheelchair-bound Faisal Ashraf, 29 gave a thumbs up as he passed the girls. An NGO worker, he said he felt insecure as a Muslim man in light of the killings. Humanity seems to have died. The brutality of Junaids killing would probably not even happen in a jungle. Muslims are also Indians first, he said in anger. As he spoke, Anushree Sengupta, a speech therapist from Vasant Kunj joined, filming a Facebook Live. She said, Desh andhere se guzar raha hai. Government chup kara deti hai hamari awaz isliye zaroori hai ki hum chup nahi baithe. (The country is undergoing a dark phase. The government will try to silence our voices so it is important to speak up) Imtiaz Ahmed Khan with his daughter. Like her, there were many first-time protestors. Imtiaz Ahmed Khan, 31, a computer engineer, had travelled an hour and a half from Ghaziabad with his father, brother and two-and-a-half -year-old daughter, Noya. He shared his apprehension about the direction in which the country was headed. It started with the killing of Akhlaq and never stopped. Im scared at the India in which my daughter is growing up. I brought her as she should also be a part of this moment, he said. Sara Dethier, 23, from Belgium, has been in India for 10 days but accompanied her colleagues. Citing Belgians own troubled relationship with its Muslim population, she said, There are divisions against Muslims all over the world and that is wrong. She hoped that a citizens protest would make the government sit up and take note. The ruling regime has come under sharp criticism for not condemning the spate of killings that have taken place in the guise of cow protection. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Lalit Vishal hasnt been to a demonstration in six years but on Wednesday evening, he braved a burst of afternoon showers to show up at a citizens protest in Jantar Mantar. The reason? The 20-year-old says he couldnt sit at home as hate piled up in the name of Hinduism, a faith he belongs to. The feeling that Hindus have been cheated for so many years is being used to fan tension. There is complete abdication of responsibility by the governmentnot even a formal condemnation, the Delhi University student fumed, a white poster with the words Not in My Name written across it dangling from his hand. Around him, hundreds of people from school and college students to middle-aged men with babies dangling from an arm and seasoned activists to political greenhorns had gathered to protest against what they called a wave of hate sweeping India that has claimed mostly Muslim and Dalit lives. Many appeared shaken by the stabbing of 16-year-old Junaid last week in a train over a seat-sharing dispute. The incident is shocking and thats why I am here, said Mirza Shafkat Beig, a civil services aspirant. The protests began at 6pm with Vaishnava Jana to..., the 15th-century hymn immortalized by Mahatma Gandhi as an anthem for secularism and non-violence. This ideology, many protesters said, had been destroyed by the current spate of violence unleashed in the name of Hindutva and cow protection. This isnt the India we want to live in because we dont see them as isolated incidents, said lawyer Vrinda Grover. Around her, people waved the Tricolour and banners that read not in my name and no more lynching a giant lynch map on the right side of the makeshift stage mapping every incident of lynching since 2015, when Mohammad Akhlaq was killed by his neighbours in Greater Noidas Bisada over cow slaughter rumours. The protests had few speeches awash with poetry, songs and performances, all speaking forcefully against communalism and sectarian violence. Away from the stage, many said what forced them out on the streets was the fear that their community could be the next target. There was violence earlier too but now there is fear. Today, Muslims are getting targeted, tomorrow it could be me, said Paramjeet Bernad. A group of schoolgirls standing nearby nodded in agreement. We are here because innocents are getting murdered. We want this to stop, said Kajal Satish, a Class 10 student. For others, the Saharanpur Dalit-Thakur clashes that left two people dead was the trigger. They have started killing people in the name of Muslim and Dalit. I have been upset since Saharanpur, said Anand Mhatre, who described himself as a Buddhist monk and a Dalit. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two men, claiming to be AAP workers, created ruckus inside Delhi assembly and levelled corruption allegations against health minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday. The Speaker later ordered one-month jail for the two men for disrupting the House. They were later detained by the Delhi police after the Speaker Ram Niwas Goel ordered their arrest as a scuffle broke out allegedly between AAP supporters and the protesters. The men had allegedly thrown pamphlets questioning chief minister Arvind Kejriwals silence on corruption charges. The two men were allegedly detained and beaten up inside assembly and amid the chaos rebel AAP leader Kapil Mishra made a PCR call. The injured is taken to hospital. He had contested from AAP in 2013 assembly election. @htTweets @htdelhi pic.twitter.com/mPDPlJXH5D Faizan Haidar (@FaiHaider) June 28, 2017 one of the protesters identified as Jagdeep Rana, who was beaten up inside the Delhi Assembly is a former AAP member and had contested from the party in 2013. The other protester is reportedly an AAP member from Punjab. The injured have been rushed to the hospital. The days business was on in the Delhi Assembly, which is in session, when the two men who were sitting in the Visitors Gallery of the House, stood up and started shouting slogans against Jain. They called him corrupt, and threw bits of paper into the hall where the legislators were sitting. Soon after the interruption, the security whisked them away even as AAP MLAs demanded strict action against them. As the two men were being taken away, some of the AAP MLAs, including Nitin Tyagi, Amanatullah Khan and Jarnail Singh, stepped out of the House. As the duo were being taken away by security personnel, some of the AAP MLAs then allegedly jumped on to them and thrashed them. The police personnel present in the Legislative Assembly premises then sought to bring the scuffle to an end, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes. The House was briefly adjourned after the incident and the proceedings were later resumed. A resolution was moved to send the two to jail for 30 days for protesting in assembly. They had entered the Assembly through passes issued with the help of an assembly employee, the Speaker said. He then ordered one-month-long jail for the two protesters. Earlier in May, the Delhi assembly had witnessed a scuffle as rebel leader Kapil Mishra was dragged out by AAP MLAs. The two-day session of the Delhi assembly, which began on Wednesday, was expected to be fiery as the opposition has accused the government of adopting undemocratic means to thwart them. The opposition claimed that the government had deliberately delayed circulation of the session agenda to prevent the opposition from raising important issues. Government officials said some of the major issues that are likely to be taken up during the session include a short duration discussion on granting ownership rights to the landless who were allotted plots in villages in the 70s and reservation for local students in Delhi University colleges aided by the Delhi government. (With PTI inputs) Help poured in for Savita, 35, who has spent the past two years curled up in bed in a foetal position because a crippling condition -- ankylosing spondylitis -- makes it impossible for her to move. After reading a report in HT, people started calling with offers and within 24 hours, enough funds were generated for her to undergo correctional surgeries. Savita needs hip replacement and spine-correction surgeries to replace the damaged bones. While the surgeries will be done free at the government-run Lok Nayak hospital, where she has been undergoing treatment, the implants cost around R 3 lakh, which the family cannot afford. Around 12 people, including some non-profit organisations, have come forward to help. After the story was published, I have received calls from people, including two non-profit organisations, who want to help her get the surgery done as soon as possible, said Dr Ajay Gupta, professor of orthopaedics at Lok Nayak hospital, who is treating Savita. For the last two years, she has not been able to gather funds for the surgeries. The family has also not been able to get help under the Delhi Arogya Kosh as they do not belong to the economically weaker sections, defined as families earning less than R3 lakh a year. Ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis affecting the spine and the large joints of the body such as the hip, affects around 0.1% to 1.4% of the population, but is usually seen in men. The onset of the disease is during the teenage years and the bone damage starts in the 30s. But this case is uncommon because it has happened in a woman and her joints are almost completely damaged and she is just 35, said Ajay Gupta. After the surgeries, she will be able to move around on her own and will no longer be in pain as the damaged joints will completely be removed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The savage assault on a prisoner in Mumbai by her jailors because she dared to complain about missing food rations two eggs and five pieces of pav (bread) is symptomatic of what ails Indias justice system. That the jailors assumed they were above the law and that convicts had no rights was evident in the brutality displayed not satisfied with beating up the woman, they inserted a lathi into her private parts and left her writhing in pain in her prison cell. By the time the prison doctor sent her to hospital, it was too late to save Manjula Shetye. A witness has identified the jailors who committed the atrocity and the police have booked them, but they continue to roam free. On mere suspicion, ordinary citizens would have been behind bars by now. Indias prisons have long gained notoriety as overcrowded hells that militate against the modern ideal of reformative justice. Corruption is rampant; abuse of power by jailors an everyday occurrence that draws little protest. Those who can afford to pay and those with political connections want for little in the prisons, even cellphones are available; the others make do as best they can. The horrors perpetrated are well-documented. Numerous committees of experts have submitted voluminous reports suggesting steps to improve matters, but successive governments have ignored these recommendations. The underlying assumption appears to be that convicts, and even undertrials, have no rights. Across India, jails are filled with people awaiting trial. Often they end up spending more time in jail than the maximum sentence for the crime they stand accused of. The sheer numbers add to the strain on infrastructure. Every jail holds many more than its capacity. The money allotted to feed the prisoners is barely adequate to begin with and things get worse when corruption kicks in. But no one seems to care. Wasnt Shetye a murderer? Why should we care about feeding and housing criminals properly? Why should we care about their human rights when they have broken the law? But civilised societies do; dignity of the individual is the cornerstone on which they are built. Every criminal deserves the chance to reform. A society that treats people, whatever their crime, as less than human can hardly claim to be law-abiding either. But the larger share of the blame must lie with the administration, with those entrusted with ensuring justice for all. Those responsible for brutality in Mumbai must be made an example of. The rule of law must prevail and be seen to have prevailed. Making rounds to Delhi University (DU) for admissions? Dont miss out on befriending foreign nationals, who have crossed miles just to study here. Over 4,000 applications in the undergraduate, post graduate and PhD courses, have been received from foreign students this year, which is higher than last year . DU is a premier university of India and its ranking as compared to other universities in India, is good. The culture of DU is such that we dont differentiate on any given grounds. We try to accommodate all the foreign students in the same way as our regular students. We also have international hostels to make the foreign students feel more comfortable, says Ashutosh Bhardwaj, officer on special duty, admissions, DU. So, what brings these international students to DU? Some of the existing international students share the expectations they had before they landed in Delhi, and the experiences of studying in the varsity. DUS RANKING IMPRESSED ME BUT THE EVENT AT RAMJAS COLLEGE WAS DISHEARTENING Firoz Ahmed from Bangladesh is an MBA student in DUs North Campus. (Facebook/ Firoz Ahmed (Ozil)) Firoz Ahmed from Bangladesh, final year student of MBA at Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) says, DU is one of the top rank universities in India and I wanted to study here. After pursuing my graduation from Bangladesh, I realised that the practical aspect was limited. Thats why I chose to take admission in DU, and as expected, the curriculum provided me a good exposure to the corporate world. But I dont appreciate the political activities that happen regular in North Campus and the influence of national politics on college students, for instance, what happened at the Ramjas College. SRCC SHOWED ON TOP WHEN I SEARCHED ONLINE FOR INDIAS COMMERCE COLLEGES Hamed Barmaki at SRCC. Hamed Barmaki from Afghanistan, a final year student of B Com (Hons) at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) says, I wanted to study commerce in India. When I researched on the internet, about colleges that offer commerce as a subject at graduation level, SRCCs name came on the top. I decided to take admissionin this college only and was happy when I made it through. Once I came here, I conveniently found accommodation at the International Students House in North Campus. I let myself loose in the university life, made friends and even learnt Hindi from them! INDIAS CULTURE INTRIGUED ME Dorcas Chawarika from Zimbabwe chose to pursue BA Programme at Miranda House college. Dorcas Chawarika from Zimbabwe, second year student of BA Programme at Miranda House says, I knew I wanted to come to India, because the culture here is so different. Then a friend recommended me to take admission in DU because quite a few people know about the university in my country. Studying in Miranda has been an amazing experience because I get to meet people from different cultural backgrounds. I dont like to run around with my documents for paperwork and my classmates are so nice that they help me with all this. Even the faculty makes me feel welcomed. What else does a student need if you have amazing people supporting you! I WILL RECOMMEND EVERYONE TO STUDY IN DU ONCE Prachi Aryal from Nepal, found DU the most viable option to pursue higher studies. Prachi Aryal from Nepal, a second year student of BA (Hons) Journalism in Kalindi College, says, My society gives a lot of importance to education so when I had to go for higher studies, DU was the best choice. It was one of the most viable options for me and the events organised by the Foreign Students Registry at regular intervals make me feel a vital part of the university. As a foreign student, initially, I did face multiple challenges assimilating the environment, but the friends I made on campus and in my PG, made the process easier. I will recommend everyone to study in DU at least once in their life! Follow @htTweets for more Lucknow: The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIML) will conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT)-2017, a gateway to IIMs and other leading B-schools of the country. Prof Neeraj Dwivedi of IIML will be the convener of the examination to be conducted either in October or November. IIM-L will be conducting the test after a gap of many years. In the 2016 CAT results as many as 20 candidates had scored 100 percentile. Registrations for the Common Admission Test (CAT) to IIMs and other leading B-schools shot up to a seven-year high in 2016, with 2,32,434 candidates applying for the entrance test to IIMs and other prominent B-schools. From the period CAT 2010 to CAT 2016, this is the highest number of applicants. While we still have a majority of male candidates (67%), the percentage of female candidates has marginally increased by 1% compared to last year, which is a good sign but not good enough, Rajendra K Bandi, convenor of CAT 2016, had told HT lin 2016. New Delhi: In what comes as a major relief to those aspiring to join the Delhi University (DU) Law Faculty, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked that 2,310 students be admitted in the LLB course. A division bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Vinod Goel, in an interim order, allowed the university to take 2,310 students as against the Bar Council of Indias (BCI) cap of 1,440 seats for the 2017-18 academic session. The courts order came on a PIL by lawyer Joginder Kumar Sukhija, against the decision of the BCI to cut the number of seats. Dont reduce the number of seats. Students want to study, let them study. DU has been teaching 2,310 students till now. You (BCI) decided to reduce the seats to half. We need time to decide the case. Till then let 2,310 study, Bench said. Their (DU) faculty is one of the best in the court (for the course), they provide best facilities... Give them a chance, court said to the BCI. It posted the matter for the next hearing on August 21. DU opposed the reduction of seats for the law graduate course, saying it had improved its infrastructure and increased the strength of its teaching faculty. Earlier, the high court asked the Bar Council to consider the universitys representation for increasing its LLB course seats. The PIL has claimed that a large number of students would be affected if the seats were reduced. The petition also said that by reducing the seats, public money, which was used to provide grant to the varsity, would not be put to optimal use. Since 2014, DUs Law Faculty has been in trouble with the BCI for not following the councils rules regarding infrastructure and student intake. DU has three law centres. Law aspirants have also been protesting the BCIs cut in the number of seats for LLB course. As the admission procedures resumed on Tuesday, after the long weekend, the Delhi University also saw students flocking to its conference centre to get their queries cleared. While many left reassured, others were left in tears, as they saw their dream of a seat at a prestigious DU college crumbling right before their eyes. Issues ranged from confusion over subjects, best four guidelines, and glitches in the payment system. Prashant G of Tamil Nadu had only just convinced his DU college of choice to accept his provisional certificate as the Tamil Nadu state board has yet to issue their Class 12 marks sheets, that he realised that his payment of the admission fees was not going through. I need to submit the receipt of the admission fees to apply for the hostel. My father even offered to get his card swiped at the campus, but we were told that all payments need to be made online. However, they say their server is down currently, and they are unable to process payments, he said. A DU official said that though there were glitches around noon, they had been resolved by late afternoon. Approximately 6,200 students have completed their payments and confirmed their admissions by Tuesday night. Siddharth Sunil Panicker, a student from Kerala who completed his grade 12 under the state syllabus, had a different issue. Mathematics is titled Mathematics-Com in my marks list. This is something they started this year, and is used to specify that I was a commerce stream student, even though the maths we do is the same as science stream students. I was told that they do not recognise this as Mathematics, and I would not be eligible for the BA (Hons) in Economics programme, said Panicker, who has submitted a copy of his syllabus and his prescribed textbooks to the DU grievance cell, which allegedly states that though the book is published by the SCERT in Kerala, the syllabus is as prescribed by NCERT. Another student from the Karnataka state board, who wished to remain unnamed, had a similar battle with Mathematics. Mathematics, here is called basic maths and was deemed unacceptable. Though the university later recognised it as a Mathematics subject, she was told she will have to take a percentage cut in her best four score. This is just about nomenclature. This was not the case in previous years, this is a new issue this year, said Asmil Abdul Majeed, a second year SRCC student who was with the applicants. Sidra Ali, an OBC applicant from Kerala also saw her OBC certificate rejected. In my OBC certificate the Tahsildar has filled Islam Mapila both the religion and the caste. I have been told that it had to be just the caste when I went to get my documents verified at colleges. The DU grievance cell had taken note of these issues, and met on Tuesday evening to resolve them. Most issues have been resolved, and we have forwarded certain queries (especially those pertaining to subjects) to the concerned authorities, said a DU official. The Gurgaon police arrested a 38-year-old bus driver on Tuesday night for allegedly molesting and attacking a 26-year-old passenger. The incident took place on the Pataudi-Rewari route after the woman, a nurse, boarded the bus at Rewari. The accused bus driver was identified by the police as 38-year-old Mukesh Kumar. In her complaint to the police, the victim alleged that the driver passed lewd comments at her and threatened her when she resisted his advances. She had taken a seat near the drivers. She alleged that when she resisted,the accused assaulted her and even tore off her clothes. She said though there werent too many passengers in the bus, they protested his conduct. But the driver paid scant regard to any of them, she said. After getting off the bus, the woman dialled 100 and reported the incident to the police control room. A case was registered at Pataudi police station under sections 354D (stalking a woman), 354C (voyeurism) 354B (assault or use of criminal force on woman with intent to disrobe) of the Indian Penal Code. Around 9.30pm on Tuesday, the police arrested the accused from the bus stand. We are investigating the matter. We will also be conducting a sensitisation drive in the area to make bus and auto drivers aware of the laws in such cases. We believe it will help us curb violence against women in the area, Tribhuvan Singh, station house officer, Pataudi police station, said. Read I Sharp rise in rape, molestation cases make women feel unsafe in Gurgaon Gurgaon has, of late, has been in the news over a rise in incidents of crime against women. On June 6, a 25-year-old woman from Nepal was allegedly molested by a resident of Nirvana Country, an upscale residential society in the city. On May 29, a woman alleged that she was gang-raped in a van at Manesar and the accused choked her infant daughter to death before fleeing the scene. On May 24, a 25-year-old woman from Darjeeling claimed that she was molested by an unknown person at Sohna Road. The victim worked as a nurse at a house located on Sohna Road. On May 14, a 26-year-old woman from Sikkim alleged that she was gang-raped by three men in a moving car after being kidnapped near Sukhrali village. On February 20, an assistant professor from Meghalaya teaching in a Delhi college was allegedly molested by an auto-rickshaw driver while travelling from Huda City Centre to her residence in Sector 51. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A resident of upscale World Spa condominium was allegedly duped of Rs 12 lakh by fraudsters who carried out transactions without the knowledge of the account holder. The police have registered a case and started an investigation. In a similar incident, a resident of Faridabad, who works in sector 40, Gurgaon, was duped of Rs 38,000 in an online fraud. According to the police, Dr Nawal Kishore Choudhary a resident of World Spa, Sector 30, has an account with two private banks. Choudhary in his complaint said he received messages of the fund transfer on April 25. Shocked, he checked with the bank and was informed that the transfers were made through online banking. Immediately after receiving the complaint, the Sector 40 police took the help of the cyber crime cell and visited the bank to check the transaction details. A case was registered after a two month-long investigation by the cyber crime cell. Choudharys accounts were blocked after the bank was informed of the fraud. The police are trying to trace the IP address of the system used to carry out the fraudulent transactions. In another case, a resident of Faridabad, Amol Bhargav, complained to the police that he got a call in which the caller offered to extend his Paytm limit. Bhargav was sent a link and also asked for an OTP from the bank sent on his registered mobile phone number. The accused carried out multiple transactions, which resulted in a loss of Rs 46,700. Inspector Sudhir Kumar, SHO, Sector 40, said, We have asked the bank authorities to provide us the details of the account to which the money was transferred and from where transactions were made. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Family-led rehabilitation is ineffective for stroke patients, a recent study has found. The study titled family-led rehabilitation after stroke in India published in The Lancet is based on one of the largest stroke rehabilitation trials that was conducted at 14 centres across India, following up 1,250 stroke patients over six months. The rehabilitation didnt bring any improvement in the patients, compared to those who received no care. An estimated 1.6 million people suffer a stroke in India every year, with early death rates ranging from 27% to 41%. And 5 lakh people are living with stroke disability. The George Institute for Global Health conducted a controlled trial, which looked at whether a family-led caregiver-delivered home-based rehabilitation intervention as against usual care is an effective and affordable strategy for those with disabling stroke in the country. The study was supported by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NMHRC) of Australia, coordinated by Christian Medical College (CMC), Ludhiana, and the quality of implementation monitored by the Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad. The results raise serious questions about the benefits of rehabilitation carried out by family members, and highlight the need for urgent investment in professional stroke facilities in low and middle-income countries. We had expected to see a marked improvement in recovery of people who received this extra care delivered by their own trained family members, in their own homes, said lead author Professor Richard Lindley, The George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney. Other trials have indicated that community-based rehabilitation can play a significant role in recovery but these have been conducted largely in high resource settings. It shows effective rehabilitation may need to be provided by professionals who have undergone years of training and are specialists in their own field. The results are surprising and may impose major challenges to poor communities with limited financial resources that are also struggling to rehabilitate stroke patients especially in rural areas in a better way. Even after we save lives of stroke patients, they need a robust rehabilitation that may stretch up to months. Many more stroke units are needed in India with more trained professionals who can deliver life changing rehabilitation, said professor Jeyaraj Pandian, neurologist, CMC, Ludhiana. Government will have to pitch in a big way. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In May, Chandra Pal, a Dalit in Aligarhs Keshopur Jaufari village, objected to Suresh Singh, a Thakur, constructing a drain near his house on a community land. The Thakurs attacked the house of Dalits with stones. Soon, both sides came to blows and the Thakurs also resorted to firing from the roofs of their houses. Ten people were injured, out of which seven were Dalits. Vastly outnumbered by Thakurs, many of them left the village in fear. The violence underlined a visible trend of caste equations in churn across the state, a phenomena that has resulted in heightened tensions and even violence as witnessed in clashes in Saharanpur where two people died and scores injured last month. In a state as large and complex as Uttar Pradesh, arriving at any conclusion on what the arrival of new regime has meant for the power of the different castes is not easy. But 100 days after Yogi Adityanath took over, three trends are apparent. One, the Aligarh violence was not an aberration. There is an increase in the frequency of caste clashes - which involve Thakurs as one party, who seem emboldened. Two, there is also a return of upper castes - both Brahmans and Thakurs - to plum positions in government. And finally, BJP is finding it difficult to sustain its multi-caste alliance and is under pressure from all sides. Return of Thakurs Yogis dont have a caste, Adityanath had declared in Gorakhpur. But like Yadavs felt empowered under Akhilesh Yadav or Mulayam Singh Yadav, Jatavs under Mayawati, Thakurs under Rajnath Singh or even Lodhs under Kalyan Singh, the caste background of the CMs appointment sent a signal to Thakurs. This was then accompanied with the appointment of Sulkhan Singh, another Thakur, as director general of police, though party leaders insist this was on sheer seniority- he is a 1980-batch officer. But perception matters. A district magistrate of a west UP district told HT, These things are not said, but understood. It seems to us that Thakurs have to be treated well. Samajwadi Party leader Shravendra Singh, a Thakur himself, told HT, There is no doubt that under this government, there is a perceptible tilt towards Thakurs in government appointments. They are also emboldened on the ground. This sense of empowerment has led to clashes. Saharanpur is the most obvious example where in several incidents, over weeks, Thakurs and Dalits clashed with each other. In the Dalit basti of Shabbirpur, where the violence was intense, the perception is the government backed Thakurs. The appointment tilt The perception is so strong that when reports emerged that Rajiv Kumar, a 1981-batch IAS officer of the state cadre and Union secretary, shipping, may become the next chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh, the first question many asked if he was a Thakur. He is not. When asked about Thakur dominance in the force, a top police official immediately took out, on his mobile phone, data of police appointments. He told HT, Out of 75 district superintendents of police, there are 13 Thakurs, 20 Brahmans, one Kayastha, one Bhumihar, one Vaishya, and six other upper castes. This makes it 42 general caste SPs. There are 21 OBCs, including two Yadavs and two backward Muslims. There are nine scheduled castes and three scheduled tribes. At the range level, at the inspector general/deputy inspector general level, he claims there are 11 general caste officers including three Brahmans, four Thakurs, two Kayasthas, one Vaishya and one Jain; six other backward classes including one Yadav and one Maurya; and one SC. And at the zonal level, at the additional director general/director general level, there are five general caste officers including two Brahmans, one Thakur, one Kayastha and one Vaishya; one OBC, one SC and one ST. He asked, Do you see only Thakurs? The data indicates a more even spread than critics suggested. But what is more than clear was the obvious upper caste domination - 42 out of 75 district chiefs, 11 out of 18 range chiefs, five out of eight zonal heads are upper castes. What is also clear was that OBCs in general but Yadavs in particular, Muslims, Dalits were under-represented. A Yadav police official told HT, The Thakur domination is very strong at the thana level. That is the frontline of the force. Responding to this, the official said, Merit has to be considered too. Many of the OBC and SC officers lose out because the age concession means they join late; and thus lose out in the seniority race. I can however tell you that the chief minister has categorically said to us dont transfer or appoint anyone on caste. Another official is more candid and says that the churn in caste equations is to be expected. A new party is in power. Those castes which supported it will benefit. Those which did not will lose out. What is the big surprise? Keeping everyone happy But it is clear that the BJP will have a challenge is both keeping its upper caste supporters happy, and maintaining its wider social coalition. In Saharanpurs Chandpura Majbata, close to Shabbirpur village where the caste clashes had taken place, a group of Thakur men are sitting along with a local BJP leader. Tempers are short, voices are loud, and the anger is palpable. Many young Thakur boys from the village have been arrested for their involvement in the recent troubles. Their family elders insist the boys were innocent. Umesh Rana is probably the angriest of them. He says, What Thakur Raj? Thakurs got killed here. Our Thakur family members are being arrested. Yogi wants justice for us but Modi is an anti-savarna leader. See he only talks about Dalits and backwards. Dalits are 22%, we are 7.5%. That is why he does not care. Yet, this was a lost enterprise for the party as the Dalits would continue voting for the Bahujan Samaj Party, argued Rana. The object of their fury was Ombir Singh, the BJP general secretary of the Badgaon mandal. He tried to calm tempers and assured the Thakurs that the local Deoband MLA, Brajesh Singh, another Thakur, was doing his best to get their children released. He told HT, They are angry. But they are with us. Another Thakur villager however screamed, No, unless we get our people back, we are not with BJP. Modi should not take us for granted. So if on one hand, the challenge for BJP will be retaining its base which has various expectations, on the other, the challenge would be to keep the wider coalition intact. A BJP leader admits, It was easier when we were a 20% party. We could do everything for Brahmans and Thakurs. But that way, we would not come to power. We are now a 60% party. Non-Yadav backwards are also ours; non-Jatav Dalits are also ours. We have to take care of them. And because we are in government, we cannot be seen as unfair to the other 40% of Muslims, Yadavs, Jatavs. It is, he said, with a laugh, tougher being in government than in opposition. Navigating the caste complex in governance would be a key challenge. This article is the final piece of a three-part series by HT that tracks the progress of the Uttar Pradesh government as it completes 100 days in office. ARARIA: An eight-year-old girl was allegedly tortured to death after she strayed into a private orchard to collect mangoes at a village bordering Nepal in Bihars Araria district on Sunday. Amerun Khatun had gone shopping with her father, Ibrahim Safi, on the eve of Eid. While returning, she insisted on collecting some mangoes from an orchard, which was on way. Safi, however turned down her request, only to realise sometime later that Khatun had given him the slip in the milling crowd. Hoping that his daughter would return home, which was nearby, Safi continued with his homeward journey. It was only when she did not return till late Sunday evening that I got panicky. Later, villagers informed me that my daughter was lying in a pool of blood near a well, adjoining the orchard, Safi said. I found my daughter murdered brutally. There were several cut marks on her body and she was subjected to electric shock as well, to give an impression that she had been accidentally electrocuted, he added. Accusing the owner of the mango orchard, Sanjay Mehta, and his henchmen to have killed his daughter, Safi claimed that blood stains were found in the mango orchard. The incident took place at Teentikri village under Basmatiya police outpost along the Indo-Nepal border, 300 kms north-east of Patna. Station house officer (SHO) of Basmatiya police station Sadanand Sah confirmed the injury marks on the victims body . Only after we get the postmortem report can we ascertain the exact cause of death, Sah added. The SHO said the girls father had lodged a complaint against the orchard owner and his aide Vinod Mehta, who were absconding. He suspected that they had crossed over to Nepal. Araria superintendent of police Sudhir Porika said, We are trying to arrest the accused. We will definitely take action against the perpetrators of the crime. Muslims were the target of 51% of violence centred on bovine issues over nearly eight years (2010 to 2017) and comprised 86% of 28 Indians killed in 63 incidents, according to an IndiaSpend content analysis of the English media. As many of 97% of these attacks were reported after Prime Minister Narendra Modis government came to power in May 2014, and about half the cow-related violence 32 of 63 cases were from states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when the attacks were reported, revealed our analysis of violence recorded until June 25, 2017. Of the 28 Indians who died over the seven-year period, 24 were Muslim, or 86%. As many as 124 people were also injured in these attacks. More than half (52%) of these attacks were based on rumours, our analysis found. National or state crime data do not distinguish general violence from cow-related attacks and lynchings, so the IndiaSpend database is the first such statistical perspective to a growing national debate over such violence. 2017 on track to be worst-ever year for cow-related violence In the first six months of 2017, 20 cow-terror attacks were reportedmore than 75% of the 2016 figure, which was the worst year for such violence since 2010. The attacks include mob lynching, attacks by vigilantes, murder and attempt to murder, harassment, assault and gang-rape. In two attacks, the victims/survivors were chained, stripped and beaten, while in two others, the victims were hanged. These attacks sometimes collectively referred to as gautankwad, a portmanteau of the Hindi words for cow and terrorism, on social media were reported from 19 of 29 Indian states, with Uttar Pradesh (10), Haryana (9), Gujarat (6), Karnataka (6), Madhya Pradesh (4), Delhi (4) and Rajasthan (4) reporting the highest number of cases. No more than 21% (13 of 63) of the cases were reported from southern or eastern states (including Bengal and Odisha), but almost half (six of 13) were from Karnataka. The only incident reported in the northeast was the murder of two men in Assam on 30 April, 2017. About half the cases of cow-related violence 32 of 63 were from states governed by the BJP at the time; 8 were run by the Congress, and the rest by other parties, including the Samajwadi Party (Uttar Pradesh), Peoples Democratic Party (Jammu & Kashmir) and Aam Aadmi Party (Delhi). Note: Data as of June 25, 2017. Compiled by IndiaSpend from media reportage. Incomplete information was cross-checked with local police or reporters. Click here for the list. (Rupnagar in Punjab reported two incidents, one on March 28, 2016 and another on July 31, 2016. The map indicates only first incident, the list mentions details of second incident.) Lynching does not find mention in the Indian Penal Code. No particular law has been passed to deal with lynching, India Today noted on June 25, 2017. Absence of a codified law to deal with mob violence or lynching makes it difficult to deliver justice in the cases of riots. However, Section 223(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 says that persons or a mob involved in the same offence in the same act can be tried together. But, this has not proved to have given enough legal teeth to (the) justice delivery system. In a fifth of the cases, police registered cases against victims/survivors Of the 63 attacks over eight years, 61 (96.8%) occurred, as we said, after Modis government came to power (2014-2017), with 2016 reporting the most attacks: 25. In the first six months of 2017, 20 attacks were reportedmore than 75% of the 2016 figure. In 5% of the attacks, there was no report of attackers being arrested. In 13 attacks (21%), the police registered cases against the victims/survivors. In 23 attacks, the attackers were mobs or groups of people who belonged to Hindu groups, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and local Gau Rakshak Samitis. During the period under consideration 2010 to 2017 the first such attack occurred on June 10, 2012, in Joga town in Mansa district, Punjab, after carcasses of about 25 cows were found near a factory, as the Hindu reported the next day. Led by activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Gowshala Sangh, villagers gathered in the morning and broke into the premises of the factoryThe mob went on the rampage damaging the factory and setting ablaze the houses of at least two of those running the unit, Ajaib Singh and Mewa Singh, the report said. Four persons were injured and three arrests were made in the case. In August 2016, in Mewat, Haryana, a woman and her 14-year-old minor cousin were allegedly gang-raped after being accused of eating beef. Two other relatives were murdered. The woman later denied eating beef. Four men were arrested and charged with rape and murder. In June 2016, Gurgaon Bajrang Dal convener and a Gau Raksha Dal (cow protection group) volunteer were injured when men transporting cows opened fire. Abhishek Gaur and Harpal Singh, the gau rakshaks, chased a vehicle in which smugglers were allegedly transporting beef. A case of attempt to murder was filed against the unidentified smugglers. In January 2016, Maharashtra amended its 2015 beef ban law banning people from possessing the meat of cows, bulls and bullocks, slaughtered within or outside the state. However, serving beef in restaurants across the state was allowed. Two cow-terrorism attacks were reported from the state, Indias richest by gross domestic product, in 2017. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Bihar reported one attack each. On May 30, 2017, a PhD scholar in Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, was at one of the vegetarian messes on campus, when he was attackedallegedly for eating beef. An FIR was registered against the alleged attacker, while the scholar was booked based on a complaint by the alleged attacker who termed the incident a minor scuffle. Rumours spawned 52% of the attacks Of the 63 attacks since 2010, 33 (52.4%) were based on rumours, according to our analysis of media reports. On April 1, 2017, 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, a resident of Haryana, was beaten by cow vigilantes in Rajasthans Alwar district. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital two days later. Azmat (age 22), who was with Pehlu Khan, said that they were returning from a Saturday fair in Jaipur, where they bought two cows and had all the valid documents, as the Indian Express reported on April 5, 2017. Read | Leather to meat, how BJPs beef crackdown is devastating Dalits and Muslims A group of people affiliated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal stopped four vehicles, near Jaguwas crossing on National Highway eight, and alleged that they were illegally transporting bovines. On hearing a Hindu name, the attackers allowed the driver, Arjun, to run away and attacked five people in the vehicles including Pehlu Khan, according to reporting by Scroll.in. All five were beaten and severely injured, the Indian Express reported. How we built the database To compile the list of attacks centred on cow-related issues over the past eight years, we ran Google searches with keywords that included, cow vigilantes, gau-rakshaks, beef, lynching, cow slaughter, cattle thieves, beef smuggler and cattle trader. Where information was incomplete, we spoke to the journalists who filed the original reports. Muslim victims were identified by name. In 8% of the 63 cases, the reports explicitly stated that those attacked were Dalits, who are also targets because many among them clear cow carcasses, skin them and eat beef. In a few cases, religion was difficult to determine. In 50.8% (32) of the cases, the targets were Muslim, in 7.9% (5) Dalit, 4.8% (3) Sikh or Hindu (names appeared Sikh, but it wasnt certain) and 1.6% (one) Christian; in 20.6% (13) cases, religion was not reported. Among 14.3% (9) cases, the targets were Hindus, but their caste was not clear. Police officers and onlookers were injured in 8% (5) of the attacks; 27% of those targeted were women. Note: This study was built around searches in English-language media and may omit cow-related violence reported only in Hindi and other language media. A cursory search through Hindi media appeared to throw up the same incidents. To compile the list of attacks centred on cow-related issues over the past eight years, we ran Google searches with keywords that included, cow vigilantes, gau-rakshaks, beef, lynching, cow slaughter, cattle thieves, beef smuggler and cattle trader. Where information was incomplete, we spoke to the journalists who filed the original reports.Muslim victims were identified by name. In 8% of the 63 cases, the reports explicitly stated that those attacked were Dalits, who are also targets because many among them clear cow carcasses, skin them and eat beef. In a few cases, religion was difficult to determine.In 50.8% (32) of the cases, the targets were Muslim, in 7.9% (5) Dalit, 4.8% (3) Sikh or Hindu (names appeared Sikh, but it wasnt certain) and 1.6% (one) Christian; in 20.6% (13) cases, religion was not reported. Among 14.3% (9) cases, the targets were Hindus, but their caste was not clear.Police officers and onlookers were injured in 8% (5) of the attacks; 27% of those targeted were women.This study was built around searches in English-language media and may omit cow-related violence reported only in Hindi and other language media. A cursory search through Hindi media appeared to throw up the same incidents. On June 11, 2017, despite having a no-objection certificate (NOC) and official permission from police and other authorities, officials of the animal husbandry department of Tamil Nadus government were attacked by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan for transporting cows in five trucks. They were rescued by the local police. A case was registered against 50 attackers and four were arrested. Seven policemen were charged with dereliction of duty, the Indian Express reported on June 12, 2017. Delna Abraham and Ojaswi Rao are interns at IndiaSpend. (Published in arrangement with IndiaSpend) (Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit/FactChecker.in is fact-checking initiative, scrutinising for veracity and context statements made by individuals and organisations in public life.) The annual Amarnath Yatra that began on Wednesday morning is a logistical challenge for the Jammu and Kashmir government and central security forces in the wake of a spike in militancy in the Valley. Besides high-altitude hazards and sub-zero temperatures, the yatris face a looming threat from militants out to disrupt the pilgrimage that passes through the volatile Anantnag district in south Kashmir. Heres a ground check as the first batch left Jammu for the cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. PILGRIMS PROGRESS: First batch of 2,280 devotees from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu leaves for cave shrine, situated at 3,888m (12,756 ft). Till date, more than two lakh pilgrims from the country have registered for the yatra. The first batch comprised 1,811 men, 422 women and 74 sadhus. They left by 72 vehicles, escorted by security personnel. The pilgrims will perform darshan (prayers) on June 29. Advance registration for yatra is on since March 1 through 437 bank branches of the Punjab National Bank, J&K Bank and Yes Bank in 32 states and UTs. This year, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) opened a registration outlet at Leh to enable tourists in Ladakh. SECURITY BANDOBAST: Besides Jammu and Kashmir Police, 30,000 paramilitary personnel deployed along both yatra routes this year. The army has also deployed five battalions in the Valley for the yatra. The paramilitary forces include the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Watch video | Amarnath Yatra 2017: Security forces go tech-savvy to ensure safety DURATION: The 40-day yatra will culminate on August 7 on Raksha Bandhan. There are two routes: the traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district is 28.2 km long, while the Baltal track in Ganderbal district is a 9.5 km-stretch. MEDICAL SUPPORT: 253 health professionals, including 107 doctors and 146 paramedics, deployed on yatra routes. 66 medical camps have been set up by state health department, army, central paramilitary forces, J&K Police and NGOs; 30-bed base hospital at Chandanwari. WEATHER WISE: The temperature at the cave shrine is between 1 degree and 14 degrees Celsius. Rain forecast for next two days on yatra route. HELPLINE: 0194-2313146 or e-mail sasbjk2001@gmail.com. CAMPS: 18 to be managed by 24 camp directors/ additional camp directors and deputy camp directors. SUPPORT SYSTEM: 24 rescue teams drawn from J&K Armed Police, state and national disaster response forces equipped with equipment, including oxygen cylinders. Four search and rescue teams of NDRF at Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panjtarni and Baltal. 8 mountain rescue teams from J&K Armed Police to help women and sick yatris in negotiating difficult stretches on yatra routes. 12 avalanche rescue teams on both routes. Of these, seven are along Pahalgam route at Chandanwari, Pissu Top, Zojibal Nagakoti, Sheshnag, MG Top, Panjtarni, and the holy cave and five teams along the Baltal route at Baltal, Domel, Railpatri, Brarimarg and Sangam Top. 35 dog squads of army, J&K Police, BSF and CRPF deployed along Pahalgam and Baltal routes, of which 27 on the Pahalgam axis and eight on Baltal stretch. 700 toilets and 100 washrooms set up at base camps at Panjtarni, Pahalgam, and Baltal, Sonamarg. Indian Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat will visit Sikkim on Thursday against the backdrop of a standoff between Indian troops and the Chinese army along the Sino-India border in the sensitive sector which is threatening to further strain bilateral ties. The army chief will take stock of the operational matters and interact with top commanders in the formation headquarters of the force in the border state. Gen Rawats visit to Sikkim comes amid mounting tension between the two armies along the border in Sikkim following a scuffle between Indian troops and the personnel of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army in a remote area earlier this month. The genesis of the latest face-off is understood to have had a link to Donglang, a narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. Official sources described Gen Rawats visit as routine. During the two-day-long visit, Gen Rawat will travel to a number of other formation headquarters in the Northeast and review various operational matters in the region -- a strategically key region having most of the 3,488-km-long- border with China. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. China has accused Indian troops of crossing the boundary in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal, while asserting that it has shut down the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. China also said that it has lodged diplomatic protests with India, both in New Delhi and Beijing, alleging that the Indian troops trespassed into Chinese territory in the Sikkim sector. The Indian Army has not commented on the face-off. Chinese defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said on Monday that recently China has begun the construction of a road in Donglang region, but was stopped by Indian troops crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC). A school principal was arrested in southern Assams Hailakandi district on Tuesday night for using offensive images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his Whatsapp display picture. Police took 58-year-old Abdul Hamid Barbhuiya into custody after Bidhan Chanda, a block-level Bharatiya Janata Party leader, lodged a complaint. The accused has reportedly blamed his fidgety 11-year-old son, a student at a madrassa in central Assams Hojai district, for tampering with the display picture. Police said Barbhuiyas WhatsApp account had two profile pictures. While one was the photograph of a chained dog with Modis face morphed onto it (captioned dutiful dog), the other showed a man with the Prime Ministers face milking a canine. Though Barbhuiya is the principal in-charge of the government-run Janakicharan higher secondary school in Hailakandi district, he resides at Katigorah in Cachar district. We are not sure if he is telling the truth (about his son fiddling with the display picture), but the Jio number is registered in his name. A case under Section 66-A (b) of the IT Act, read with Section 120(B) of the IPC, has been registered against him, Hailakandi superintendent of police Pranab Jyoti Goswami told HT. Assam director general of police Mukesh Sahay said posting the morphed photographs may be deemed as an offence if done with criminal intent. Any intention to defame a person holding high public office or show him in a bad light may amount to an offence. An investigation will reveal who is circulating the photos, with what purpose, and whether he is doing it knowingly or unknowingly, he added. The Congress labelled Barbhuiyas arrest as yet another instance of the BJP brand of intolerance and a result of the Modi governments much-vaunted information technology revolution. Detractors lampooned Congress stalwarts from Indira to Sonia and Rahul when we were in power, but there was no witch-hunt. By arresting this teacher, the BJP has only proved that it is intolerant, said Congress spokesman Apurba Bhattacharya. But BJP leaders contested their claim, recalling how police had targeted a local resident before the 2016 polls for posting a morphed image of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Facebook. The photograph showed a child with Gogois face urinating. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bhutan issued a demarche to the Chinese envoy, asking Beijing to restore status quo in the Doklam area where a section of Chinese soldiers tried to unilaterally build a road towards its Army camp in Zomplri area, the Bhutanese ambassador to India said on Wednesday. The Chinese soldiers action led to a face-off with Indian soldiers, and escalated when Beijing halted the Kailash Mansoravar pilgrimage. The demarche, a formal statement, was served through the Chinese embassy in Delhi on June 20 since Bhutan and China do not have diplomatic relations. The two countries have a long-standing border dispute. Talking to Hindustan Times, Major General (Retd) Vetsop Namgyel, ambassador of Bhutan to India, said: The PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) started motorable road construction in the Doklam area towards Bhutanese Army camp at Zomphlri. We are in boundary resolution talks with China and have written agreements that pending final boundary settlement, peace and tranquillity be maintained along the boundary and both sides refrain from unilaterally altering the status on ground. Bhutan has conveyed to China that road construction is not keeping with the agreements between two countries. We have asked China to stop road constructions and refrain from changing the status quo. Doklam area is near the tri-junction is part of the boundary talks between Bhutan and China. Diplomatic sources told Hindustan Times that the PLA activity had increased in the tri-junction area near the Chumbi Valley area, which is also at the core of Indian defence interests. On June 8, the PLA dismantled Indian temporary outposts in the Doka La area. Later on June 16, the Royal Bhutanese Army patrol engaged a section of PLA personnel and civil construction works who were trying to build a road in the Doklam area. China has territorial claims on that area with the matter still not resolved despite 24 rounds of boundary-dispute negotiations. Given the proximity of Chumbi Valley, the Indian Army coordinated with Bhutanese Army against the PLA road-construction activity as it was deemed as unilaterally altering the status quo on ground. The face-off between the India Army in support of Bhutan Army and PLA continues. The Chumbi Valley area is of military significance to India as Yatong area in Tibetan Autonomous Region is dagger shaped aimed at the Indian chicken-neck area of Siliguri with a thin strip of land separating India and Bangladesh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday, urged the centre to delegate to the Bihar government the authority to confiscate assets worth up to Rs 10 crore, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This power is so far vested with the enforcement directorate (ED). The CM raised the demand at a function organised here to mark the International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. An SMS service to encourage de-addiction and work on drug safety godowns, were also launched on the occasion. The CM also released guidelines and manuals for the police and excise officials to pursue cases related to drug trafficking and cyber crime. Exhorting officials to intensify crackdown on those indulging in illicit trade of liquor, Kumar said the right to confiscate assets of offenders was now important as the state was moving to a total de-addition regime, from liquor prohibition, which was enforced in Bihar on April 5, last year. The CM said he had been asking for it (the authority) for the past five years and had raised the issue at every inter-state meeting, but the Centre had refused to delegate the authority. Asking for such authority is not intended to dilute the powers of ED. Rather, delegation of authority to seize assets (of PMLA offenders) would only make the EDs task easier, Kumar argued. Officials said the state government had sent proposals for confiscation of properties in 12 cases, but the ED had acted only in two cases so far. The state governments proposal envisaged attachment of property amassed by the offenders or their relatives from crimes listed under 36 other Central acts, besides the PMLA. Taking a dig at the oppositions bid to dub the liquor prohibition in Bihar as a flop show, the CM said it has helped the state to intensify the crackdown on surreptitious liquor trade. He wondered as to how the ban could fail if more than 4 crore people formed a human chain in support of liquor prohibition, which followed a voluntary submission of pledge by 1.19 crore people and over nine lakh wall paintings in its support. Dismissing speculation of a sharp fall in revenue collection post liquor ban, CM said the states revenue receipt for the past fiscal fell just by around Rs 1,000 crore even though the excise department was supposed to suffer a loss of Rs 5,000 post prohibition. Even that shortfall will be erased by next year. The ban helped people of the state to save Rs 10,000, which was wasted on liquor earlier, he said. Citing a jump in tourists inflow into Bihar, post liquor ban, Kumar said footfall of domestic tourists had gone up by 68% and foreign tourists by 9%. Chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh urged the education department to include the initiative of liquor ban in the text books, which could help the state to move ahead with a fresh plan for total de-addiction. He said the rehabilitation centres set up to help people get rid of liquor habit were being equipped with trained doctors to deal with cases of drug abuse. Director general of police PK Thakur said the police had tracked the main transit routes of drugs and liquor with the help of central agencies and seized a huge quantity of contraband items. Purnia-Begusarai, Muzaffarpur-Vaishali and Raxaul have been identified as main routes of drug and liquor trafficking, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A man allegedly killed his wife for failing to clear Bihar board Class 10 examinations in the states Aurangabad district. Lakhpatia Kunwar, mother of the deceased, in her complaint to the police, said her son-in-law Indrajit Paswan, 22, had poisoned her daughter Soni Devi, 21, after she flunked the exam. The accused, himself an intermediate (Class 12) pass, is a daily wager. He was arrested on Tuesday on charges of culpable homicide, police said. Devi, who wrote the exam from upgraded high school Neura, in Aurangabad, had failed to clear the exam last year too. Kunwar, in her complaint, claimed that besides seeking dowry, Paswan had threatened to kill Devi if she failed to clear the exam this time too. The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) declared the results on June 22. Kunwar recollected that Devi had called her on June 24 to inform that her husband had brought home poison that day. The next day, she found her daughter dead when she went visiting her to Kosdihra village in the district, 141 kms south-west of Patna. Though she complained to the police the same day, a formal complaint was registered only on Monday. Confirming the incident, Aurangabad superintendent of police, Satyaprakash, said, We have arrested the accused. The details of the case are with the station house officer (SHO) of Madanpur police station. SHO Subhash Rai, told the Hindustan Times over phone, We arrested the prime accused on Tuesday after receiving a complaint from the victims mother. We have slapped charges of dowry death and concealment of body against him. The couple had a fight before the wife was allegedly killed. The two had married only last year and did not have any children, he said. Rai said the complainant had also alleged that Paswan used to demand dowry ever since he married Devi last year. Devi was cremated before the police could register a complaint. As such, the police could not conduct post-mortem examination of the body. Around 8.61 lakh students (49.88%) out of the 17,23,911 lakh examinees failed to clear the test despite the Bihar board awarding eight grace marks this year. The pass percentage of students, however, showed a marginal improvement from 46.64% last year to 50.12% this year. The exams were held between March 1 and 8. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh who was punished for referring to Rahul Gandhi as pappu quit the party on Wednesday. Vinay Pradhan was removed as the partys Meerut unit chief earlier this month, after his WhatsApp message on the Congress vice-president went viral. By taking action against me, Rahul Gandhi has proven that he is indeed a pappu who cant understand that what I said was in his praise. Now my political career has been cut short, he said. Pradhans Whatsapp text had read: Pappu could have joined hands with Adani, Ambani and Mallya, but he did not do that. Pappu could have been a minister or even the Prime Minister, but he did not go down that road. Instead, he put his life on the line by going to Mandsaur (the epicentre of the recent farmer agitation). While BJP supporters often refer to Gandhi as pappu, or a little boy with limited understanding of political issues, Pradhan claimed he used the word to highlight how his former leader put the interest of the nation before his own. He also alleged that growing sycophancy was responsible for the Congress turning into an also-ran party. The party action against Pradhan was criticised by the BJP too, with party spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeting: Expelled from the party for saying pappu and just warning for sadak ka goonda remark. What amazing justice by the Congress. Officials at Mumbais Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), where one of the three terminals was hit by a global ransomware attack, said on Wednesday there wont be a traffic congestion of containers as trade activity at Indias largest container port has been reduced to a great extent. The Gateway Terminal India (GTI) impacted is operated by Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk, which has experienced outages in its computer systems globally. The GTI has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units. It has been informed by the private terminal operator (AP Moller-Maersk) that this disruption is a consequence of a worldwide disruption being faced by them because of a cyber attack, the Ministry of Shipping said in a statement on Wednesday. Had this problem occurred a few months earlier, there would have been severe traffic congestions both inside and outside the port by now. But the scenario has changed over the past few months. Still, if the officials cannot tackle the situation efficiently, there might be snarls of containers by evening, a senior official said. The trade activity at JNPT has been reduced to a great extent over the past five to six months. There are various reasons behind it and Goods and Service Tax (GST) is one of them, the official added. According to the official, loading and discharge of containers have been totally stopped after the software at GTI stopped functioning since Tuesday night. There is limited space inside the port. So when containers cannot be loaded and discharged, traffic snarls of containers are normally expected here, he further said. The Hague-based APM Terminals also operates the Pipavav terminal in Gujarat. APM Terminals is a subsidiary of shipping giant Maersk, which has confirmed it has been hit by the cyber attack. Foreign media reports quoted the Dutch public broadcast organisation RTV Rijnmond as saying that a new ransomware virus called Petya has hit 17 APM terminals, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world. An APM spokesperson refused to comment on the India impact of the attack. We can confirm that Maersks IT systems are down across multiple geographies and business units due to a cyber-attack. We continue to assess the situation. The safety of our employees, our operation and our customers businesses is our top priority. We will update when we have more information, the spokesperson said in a written statement issued globally. Russia and Ukraine were most affected by the thousands of attacks similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month. Other victims spread across countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. The total number of attacks was unknown. The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign emphasised growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Army has been withdrawn from restive Darjeeling hills of West Bengal even as the district is reeling under violent protests by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading a movement for a separate Gorkhaland state. The military was called in to assist the state administration on June 8 after morcha supporters clashed with security forces and set ablaze police vehicles, panchayat offices, block development offices, a station of the Darjeeling toy train, electricity supply office and a library. Responding to the state governments request armys Kolkata-based Eastern Command dispatched six columns of Maratha Light Infantry. According to state government sources, the personnel have already left the hills. It is, however, not clear what prompted the state government to ask for the withdrawal of the army. Children in Darjeeling taking part in a march to press for a separate state of Gorkhaland ( Bikram Sashanker/ HT Photo ) The forces were withdrawn on June 24 after the state government told us there was no need for army deployment any longer, Eastern Command spokesman wing commander S S Birdi said on Wednesday. The GJM had been demanding withdrawal of the army and para military forces as one of the pre-conditions for it to withdraw its indefinite strike that entered 14th day on Wednesday. GJM supporters on Tuseday set ablaze offices of the engineering division of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and a gram panchayat. This was the first instance when an office of the GTA -- the semi-autonomous body to run the affairs of the hills -- was set on fire. On Wednesday morning two GJM leaders R B Bhujel and Samuel Gurung were detained by the police when morcha supporters were trying to lay a siege to Darjeeling Sadar police station. The two were later released. The GJM supporters also held rallies and staged demonstrations in various places in the hills. Cultural programmes were also organised in support of the separate state. The GJM has, meanwhile, called an all party meeting at Kalimpong at 1pm on Thursday to chalk out the next course of cation. The earlier all- party meetings called by the GJM were held on June 13 and 20 at Darjeeling. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Delhi high court set aside on Wednesday the Presidents order rejecting the mercy plea of a death-row convict and reduced his sentence to life term. The court order follows a petition filed by the advocate of convicted dacoit Sonu Sardar, who killed five members of a family, including two children, during a robbery in Chhattisgarhs Cher village in 2004. A division bench of justices GS Sistani and Vinod Goel said the presidential order rejecting the convicts appeal for clemency was vitiated. The mercy petition was processed in an extremely cavalier and casual fashion by the state government at all stages, right up to placing the note for the governor, the court said. This judgment is an embarrassment for the Presidents office, which acts on the aid and advice of the Union home ministry in deciding mercy pleas. The Supreme Court too has commuted death sentences, holding delay and not taking into account relevant factors in deciding mercy pleas as reasons for reducing the punishment. Dacoit Sardar was sentenced to death in 2008 by a trial court and the Chhattisgarh high court upheld the verdict. The Supreme Court too stood by the two lower courts in February 2012. His mercy petition was dismissed by the state government and the President in May 2014. In February 2015, the apex court rejected his review plea. The convict then moved the Delhi high court against the decision of the Chhattisgarh government and the President. In its order, the high court said: The relevant considerations of the mitigating circumstances, recommendation of the jail superintendent and the young age of the petitioner were not placed before the governor depriving him of the opportunity to exercise his power in a fair and just manner. The court noted that there were numerous discrepancies and falsities in the affidavits filed by the Chhattisgarh government. It further remarked that the supervening circumstance of solitary confinement coupled with the non-placement of relevant considerations and considering of extraneous considerations has vitiated the decision of the governor and the President. Sardar was kept in solitary confinement for five years, which the court said violated his fundamental rights. This court, being the sentinel of the Constitution, is bound to intervene and give relief to the petitioner, it added. Also, the court made it clear that life imprisonment means (till the) end of ones life. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The ongoing stir by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) seeking the creation of a Gorkhaland state by carving hill areas in West Bengal has received support from several Nepali groups in the northeast. Nepalis, who are residents of the eight states in the region, are keenly following developments in Darjeeling and many feel the creation of Gorkhaland would address the identity crisis they witness to some extent. Our family has been residents of Assam for over 100 years now but we still face queries asking if we are from Nepal. Hopefully, a separate state with a Nepali-speaking majority would address the issue, said Hari Prasad Sharma, a businessman based in Guwahati. As per the 2001 census, there are 5.65 lakh Nepali-speaking people in Assam second only to West Bengal, which had 10.23 lakh. Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland also have Nepali-speaking residents. Data for Nepali-speaking residents in the northeastern states for census 2011 isnt available. But Nepali speakers in Assam believe their number could be well over 2 million. Nepalis have lived in Assam for close to two centuries - from 1826, when the British used Gorkha soldiers to annex Assam, there have been several waves of such migration. The community has actively participated in several areas over the years. There have been 13 Nepali-speaking MLAs in Assam since independence and a few MPs. The demand for Gorkhaland isnt wrong and the West Bengal government will have to grant it today or tomorrow, said Ram Prasad Sharma, BJP MP from Tezpur in Assam, also chief of the Assam Gorkha Sanmilan. Hundreds of Gorkha youths from across Arunachal Pradesh organised a rally in Itanagar last week. Several organisations in Sikkim, where nearly 63% of residents speak Nepali, including chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, have also supported the creation of Gorkhaland. The Mizoram unit of GJM carried out a demonstration in Aizawl last week. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A mega rehearsal was conducted tonight in the Central Hall of Parliament ahead of the historic launch of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at midnight on June 30. The rehearsal was conducted around 10 pm to ensure that all things were in place during the main event, official sources said. Officers concerned from various departments including those from the finance ministry attended the rehearsal event, they said. The event to launch the GST will be held in the circular-shaped Central Hall, which witnessed a function to mark 50 years of Independence, and will be attended by President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and a host of senior ministers and bureaucrats, among others. Mukherjee had piloted the first Constitutional Amendment Bill to bring in GST in 2011 when he was finance minister with the previous UPA government. The final event is likely to start at 11 pm on June 30 and will be on till half past midnight, the sources said. India has more effective options than surgical strikes to teach Pakistan a lesson, chief of army staff General Bipin Rawat told HT in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. Pakistan thinks it is fighting an easy war thats paying them dividends, but we have options (other than surgical strikes) that are far more impactful and effective. Our army is not barbaric. I dont want to (collect) heads because we are a disciplined force, he said, referring to the decapitation and mutilation of two Indian soldiers on May 1. Rawat was circumspect about the United States designating Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist. I will wait and watch to see if Pakistan truly reins him in, because he was issuing a calendar of protests on the very day he was designated, he said. The army chief also alluded to the fact that while there was an official bounty on the head of Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, it did not lead to any crackdown on the militant leader or his outfit. On holding peace talks with Kashmiri leaders, Rawat was categorical that dialogue can happen only when there is peace. The army has a job to do. We have to ensure that peace returns. Ill hold talks with a person who assures me that my convoy will not be hit. The day that happens, I will personally hold a dialogue, he told HT, sitting at the army headquarters in Delhi. Rawat, nevertheless, claimed that the army has been making attempts to reach out to Kashmiri youth. There is a lot of misinformation and indoctrination. Young boys of 12 and 13 say they want to become bombers. We are trying to identify youth leaders we can talk to, he said. I would like people to give up violence I dont want innocents to be caught in the crossfire. We dont want any collateral damage. Rawat, however, defended Major NL Gogois action of using a civilian as a human shield by citing the recent lynching of deputy superintendent of police MA Pandith outside the Jamia Masjid mosque in Srinagar. The election commission staff called for help. What if they had been lynched? he asked. I am not on the ground. I dont know what my boys are going through, but I have to be the motivator. The army chief shrugged off reports of a recent skirmish between the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army and Indian troops in Sikkim. There was no incursion into our territory. I dont know where the visuals are from, but they are not from Sikkim, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Excited over Prime Minister Narendra Modis upcoming visit to Israel, Israeli Nobel laureates have called him courageous and honest and expressed confidence in his abilities to fix India. Modis three-day visit beginning on July 4 is in commemoration of 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Israels first woman Nobel laureate Ada Yonath lauded the Indian Prime Minister for taking charge of a country fraught with internal issues. The 78-year-old scientist, honoured with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 for her pioneering work on ribosomes (the site for protein synthesis), has been to India several times and met Modi thrice. He is very, very clever. He is courageous because he is ready to go into difficult points in Indian education and economy. He changed all that money (demonetisation), Yonath told IANS during the ongoing 67th Nobel Laureates Meeting here. Yonath, who shared the Nobel with Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz, stressed: To be the Prime Minister of a country like India today, which has different internal issues, must be very difficult. I wish to meet him when he is in Israel but I have to be in China. Yonaths counterpart Dan Shechtman admitted to liking Modi during his meeting with the Prime Minister in 2015. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Shechtman in 2011 for the discovery of quasicrystals. I think he is a good man. He came with honest, unbiased notions. I dont think he is there to make money, he is there to fix India. I dont think he is corrupt, the noted materials science expert told IANS, adding he liked Modi. I told him that relationship between India and Israel is very important to India and Israel as well, he said. Heaping praise on Indian science, especially on experts who expanded the sphere of work post his discovery of quasicrystals, Shechtman, who follows Chinese progress in science closely and has also met Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, believes India should measure up not against the US or Europe but against China. I think you should measure yourself not against the US or Europe but against China. China is rising very, very fast and they started much slower than India. I follow China very closely. Their science is improving every year but India is different than China in so many ways. You are a disordered democracy and China is a ordered non-democracy yet China has made headway, he said. Hungarian-born Israeli Nobel laureate Avram Hershko, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2004 with Aaron Ciechanover and Irwin Rose, has never been to India but is keen to travel to New Delhi and meet Modi. Hershko, however, disagrees with Shechtman on the India-China comparison. No, I dont think you should (measure up) with China. By size you may compare with China but not in others. You two are very different in national characters. Maybe they are a bit more organised. If India does good education and science, then more Nobel prizes will come. But that should not be a priority, the 79-year-old said. The Income Tax department on Wednesday conducted series of raids at the premises of Tamil Nadus biggest beedi manufacturer, Seyad Beedi Company. The raids come a day after a section of media claimed to have accessed IT documents that linked some ruling party leaders and top officials with a mega gutka scam. They allegedly facilitated sale of the banned mouth freshener across the state. But its not clear whether the raids at some 40 premises of the beedi manufacturer located in Chennai, Madurai and Tirunelveli are related to the gutka scam. There are allegations of tax evasion against the company and the raids could be related to that. A team of IT sleuths visited the companys main unit at Tirunelvei in southern Tamil Nadu and its offices in Chennai early morning. The raids that began at 7am were still on, local police sources said. There is no word yet on the recoveries made. The IT department may issue a statement later in the evening after it winds up the searches of the company and its related offices. The IT had claimed to have unearthed some documents during previous raids at the residences of some ministers and officials that contained some entries relating to payments made to them by gutka companies to facilitate their business. The IT department also asked the state government last year to investigate the matter. However, the state government has not initiated any action so far on the gutka-gate allegations. Opposition DMK and PMK demanded immediate dismissal of the ministers and a CBI probe into the matter. On Wednesday, the DMK staged a walkout in the assembly after speaker P. Dhanapal rejected the partys plea to raise the gutka scam in the house. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 36-year-old Italian woman was allegedly abducted from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, robbed of 500 euros, and taken to Chandigarh by two men, police said on Wednesday. The woman, however, managed to escape after reaching Chandigarh and informed the Italian embassy. The two accused were subsequently arrested, police said. The woman arrived in Delhi on June 20 and booked a prepaid taxi to her hotel in Paharganj. However, the driver took her to a fake government office in Gole Market. She was told that since elections were underway in the national capital, all roads leading towards Paharganj were blocked. Her suspicions aroused, she asked the accused for their Wi-Fi password which they gave her. She then posted a message on her Facebook wall. Sensing that she had developed suspicions about them, the accused robbed her of 500 euros and forced her into a car. They took her to Chandigarh after threatening her with dire consequences if she raised an alarm. After reaching Chandigarh, the woman managed to escape from their clutches and informed the Italian embassy who then informed the Delhi Police and a case was registered. On the basis of technical surveillance, the accused Nikki and Prithvi Raj were arrested, police said. India-US relations touched new heights following Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with President Donald Trump with a lot of key takeaways, Chinese official media commented on Wednesday. It was the first working dinner with a head of government since Trump took over as the US President in January, said a news analysis commentary in the state-run Xinhua news agency on Modis US visit. Trump, who said he was a true friend of India, cemented ties that had deepened during former President Barack Obamas regime with substantial contributions by his predecessors George W Bush and Bill Clinton, it said. While the meeting had been pegged as a get to know each other one by diplomats from both the sides, there were a lot of key takeaways for the two countries in the visit, it said. It is being seen incredible by experts keeping in mind the fact that New Delhi and Washington had a face-off earlier this month after President Trump rejected the Paris Agreement on climate change, accusing India of demanding money in exchange of implementing the pact. With his low on expectations visit to the White House, Modi succeeded in winning endorsement of the US on some vital areas of interest for India. The most important of these was a joint agreement by both the countries to fight terror globally and what is being allegedly penetrated on Pakistans soil, the report said. The two leaders vowed to ensure strong cooperation on terrorism. Trump also issued a message to Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups, it said. Before this, the US declared terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideens leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist which India had long been seeking. Besides terrorism, trade and economy also featured majorly in the meeting. To cement this, the US cleared the sale of predator Guardian drones to India in the wake of similar security interests across borders and sea, a first by a non-NATO country, the report said. On his part, Modi displayed pragmatism in the meeting by putting America first rather than push for his Make in India initiative and did not touch on issues of contention like the climate pact or the H-1B visa issues on which the Trump administration has made its conservative stance clear. This was a clear effort to break the ice with a government that is playing by its own rulebooks -- the move seemed to have worked well for India, especially since President Trump spoke of cuts in trade deficit and boost for Indian service exports, the report quoted experts as saying. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen co-operation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. Manju Suman did not know Madhya Pradesh police would come calling because she had not been to school in a while. The school dropout was not at home in Sheopur district when police arrived to motivate her to resume studies. Police did not know Suman has not been in Sheopur, around 425 km north of state capital Bhopal, for years because she moved to Rajasthan after marriage. Police also had no clue that she is 40 years old, and not 13, which is what Sheopur district school education departments records led them to believe. Suman is among nearly 600 people noted as school dropouts in the district education department records whose ages have been fudged, according to police. The fraud came to light after police recently launched an initiative to bring dropouts from governments primary and middle schools back to studies. Ages were reduced by 10 to 25 years in school documents to show their enrollment, said a police officer who saw the official records. We suspect the ages were fudged to boost enrollment numbers under pressure of Right To Education (RTE) Act. Later, the department marked them as dropouts. Whats more, police found the school education department had also made Samagra IDs (an identity card the MP government provides for availing of benefits including scholarships) without personal verification. Sheopur bus conductor Mustafa Khan, 26, was surprised when police told him his Samagra ID too had been made. He was even more surprised when police told him he should start sending his 15-year-old son Mustafa to school again. I told the police personnel that my name is Mustafa and my son is just 5 years old. Mustafas name was in the list of 2,000 dropouts police got from the school education department when they launched their campaign. Sheopur superintendent of police (SP) Saket Kumar Pandey said, Its a major irregularity on the part of the school education department. We have come to know of the dropout students, 30% are either in jobs, married or have shifted to other cities. During their campaign, police found many of the dropouts were in their late twenties and some even in their forties and not as young as records showed. Many were not even aware that their ages had been fudged and they had been enrolled in schools, and declared dropouts later. Asked about Sheopur police findings, Madhya Pradesh minister of state for school education, Deepak Joshi, told HT, There must be a confusion in the list. I will ask senior officers of the department to inquire into the matter. What could have possibly led to age fudging According to RTE, enrollment of all children in 5-14 years age group is compulsory. Teachers at block and panchayat level ensure it. In MP, out of school children (dropouts) are identified and registered on the Samagra portal. The portal facilitates a mechanism to ensure all dropouts are brought to the mainstream. Data from various modules of the portal is being collated to generate reports for the state government to implement the RTE Act. MP Teachers Association general secretary, Ashutosh Pandey, said, Under RTE, 25% seats are reserved in all private schools for poor students. Most students take admission in private schools and this increases the pressure on government school teachers as they do not get students for enrollment. Such forgery is quite possible across the state because of the pressure. A senior government official who did not want to be named said, The school education department gives the contract of making lists of dropouts to NGOs. Many also get a substantial amount of funds to bring dropouts back to school through rehabilitation programmes. There is a possibility of numbers being manipulated in such lists. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Muslim dairy owner was critically wounded and his house set on fire by a mob in a Jharkhand village after a headless carcass of a cow was found near his home, police said. Thirty police personnel were injured as a frenzied crowd of around 1,000, including some self-appointed cow protectors, laid siege to 55-year-old Usman Ansaris house in Giridih districts Bariabad on Tuesday afternoon. Police had to resort to lathi-charge and air firing to quell the mob so that the victim and his family could be saved, Giridih superintendent of police Akhilesh B Variar said on Wednesday, adding around 25 people were detained. Ansari was being treated in a hospital and his family moved to a safer location under police protection. North Chhotanagpur zone DIG Bhim Sen Tuti reached Giridih on Wednesday as hundreds of police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel were rushed to the area. The incident is the latest in a string of attacks, largely against Muslim and Dalits, reported from across the country in the name of cow protection. A Haryana teenager was lynched allegedly by his co-passengers in a train on June 22 after an argument. The crowd allegedly called him and his two brothers, who were injured, as beef-eaters. The Centre has restricted cattle trade and several BJP-ruled states have come up with stringent punishment for smuggling or slaughtering cows, considered holy by Hindus. The opposition and right activists have accused the BJP of pursuing the Hindutva agenda of its ideological parent the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Singh and targeting Muslims and Dalits through its cattle-trade rules. On Tuesday afternoon, villagers in Bariabad, which is around 250km from the state capital Ranchi, found a carcass that was missing its head and assumed that Ansari had slaughtered the cow, police said. A mob carrying sticks and stones descended on his house and beat him up. When police reached the village, the crowd had surrounded the house. The mob clashed the police team and set the house on fire. Police had to ask for reinforcements and it took them two hours to bring the situation under control, Giridih deputy commissioner Uma Shankar Singh said. The violence comes less than a month after paranoid mobs lynched nine people on suspicion of child lifting in separate incidents in the tribal state. The panic was triggered by widely shared messages and videos that warned of kidnappers on the prowl. A police probe found that four of the five Muslim men killed were cattle traders. Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel on Wednesday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata in connection with Narada sting case. Earlier, the CBI had summoned Samuel to appear before it on May 19. Samuel, however, did not appear on that date, saying he had recently undergone surgery. The CBI, which is investigating the charges of corruption, had already questioned Samuel. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Muchipara Police had also asked Samuel to appear before it on May 24 and June 27 respectively in connection with the same case. The ED filed its case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the CBI filed its case. The sting operation pertains to the secret filming of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and an IPS officer while they were allegedly accepting money from representatives of a fictitious company in return for extending favours to it. TMC leaders against whom the CBI has registered cases, now also booked by the Enforcement Directorate, include Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Roy, Lok Sabha MPs Saugata Roy, Aparupa Poddar, Sultan Ahmed, Prasun Banerjee and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. West Bengal ministers, including Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Environment Minister Sovan Chatterjee, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee have also been named in the FIR. Former minister Madan Mitra, MLA Iqbal Ahmed and IPS officer Saiyaad Mustafa Hussain Mirza have also been made accused in the case. Samuel had earlier released three sets of videos of the sting operation, where top TMC leaders were allegedly seen accepting bribes from journalists posing as businessmen. The ruling party had dismissed the allegation citing that the tapes were doctored. The sting operation video was released by the portal on March 14, 2016, just ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Sabarmati Ashram on Thursday to join its centenary celebrations where he will be releasing a commemorative coin and a postal stamp on Shrimad Rajchandra, who is known for his formative influence on Mahatma Gandhi. But about 25km from the Ashram in Ahmedabad, the countrys largest museum dedicated to the Father of the Nation desists from mentioning Nathuram Godse, who has gone down in history as his assassin. Dandi Kutir in Gandhinagar is Indias biggest museum on the life and times of Bapu. The official website of the Gujarat government-run centre says the three-storied edifice in the shape of a salt mound representing the Dandi March is a one of its kind museum dedicated to a single person. Yet, the museum conceptualised and built by the state government during Modis tenure as CM and later inaugurated by him in 2015, would not name Godse, an advocate of Hindu nationalism. The museum, which uses 4D virtual reality, laser shows, 3D holography and digital LED floors to describe the transformation of Mohandas into the Mahatma, narrates the events of 30 January 1948 as: Vallabhbhai (Patel) had come to meet Gandhiji. Abha told him (Gandhi) he was late and 500 people were waiting outside. As the Mahatma went out, a person stepped out from the crowd to touch his feet. Manu tried to stop him but he pushed her and took out a pistol and (sound of three gunshots are played). The audio description of Bapus assassination has no mention of Godse. It identifies his killer as a person. This is despite the fact that Godses name has gone down in History as the one who shot dead the Mahatma on 30 January 1948 in Delhi. He was later hanged to death for the assassination. MH Bagda, director of Museum and Archeology, which comes under the Youth and Culture Activities Department, told HT, It (Gandhis assassination) is a matter of research Dandi Kutir does not mention Godse. Recently, Dr Pankaj Phadnis, a researcher and a trustee of Abhinav Bharat in Mumbai, moved the Supreme court of India claiming that the Justice JL Kapur Commission of Inquiry set up in 1966 had not been able to unearth the entire conspiracy that culminated in the killing of Gandhi. The petition, according to news agency PTI, seeks a new Commission of Inquiry to ascertain whether a fourth bullet was also fired by someone apart from Godse and if there was any basis to blame Vinayak Damodar Savarkar for Gandhis death. The museum gives details of all the other people who had been part of Gandhis life, including his fathers friend Mauvji Dave, who suggested that Gandhi should pursue law in London; Priyan Majumdar, who came to receive him in London; Josiah Oldfield, his roommate in London; Dada Abdullah, a businessman who called him to South Africa to fight a legal case for him; Maganlal Gandhi, his nephew who accompanied him to South Africa; Raichand Bhai, who used to write him letters from India, among others. While Youth and Culture Activities minister Rajendra Trivedi refused to comment, the opposition Congress alleged that the BJP uses Gandhijis name conveniently for its own benefits. Godse is one of the most important persons in the Mahatma story. When the Gujarat government has made so much effort and brought out minute details of Gandhis life (at the museum), omission of Godses name looks deliberate, Congress national spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil told HT. They should apologise to the people of India for not mentioning Godse (as the assassin), he added. A part of the sprawling Mahatma Mandir convention centre that hosts the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, the museum is promoted by the government as a place where the life of Gandhi can be relived with modern technology in an interactive, immersive and spell-binding experience. But what leaves many a visitor perplexed is the omission of Nathuram Godses name from the museum complex. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thousands took to the streets of 10-odd cities across the country on Wednesday to protest a string of mob lynchings in recent years, which many say is proof of Indias fraying secular ethos. In several places, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata, protesters gathered under the Not In My Name banner to make a strong statement against violence perpetrated by right-wing Hindu groups and cow-protection vigilantes. The Delhi protest saw people pouring in from neighbouring states, such as Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Though several Aam Aadmi Party leaders including deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia were in attendance, they claimed to have come in their personal capacity. We are laying our claim as Indian citizens upon this country we are outraged at the attacks on human life, human dignity at the systemic violence unleashed on Dalits and minorities, said filmmaker Saba Dewan, whose post on Facebook a week ago helped coalesce the coordinated demonstrations. This is not the India we want. She was speaking to a crowd of around 2,000 that had braved the rain to gather in central Delhis Jantar Mantar. People of all ages and walks of life trooped in, some carrying babies on one arm and holding placards that read Stop this violence and Our collective voice against hate with the other. The protests were seen as an immediate reaction to the brutal stabbing of a 16-year-old Muslim boy, Junaid, on a train. Earlier this month, a Muslim social worker was lynched allegedly by government officials in Rajasthan. Muslim dairy farmer Pehlu Khan was killed by cow protection vigilantes at Rajasthans Alwar in April. The families of Junaid and Pehlu were also present at the site of the Delhi protest. Noted historian and writer Ramchandra Guha along with other citizens holds placards during a silent protest in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (PTI) Experts say instances of violence against Muslims and Dalits have mounted since the BJP government stormed to power in 2014, and cow protection groups and right-wing groups now unleash their brand of terror with impunity. Wednesdays protests, the organisers said, was their way of telling the administration that such violence cannot be perpetrated in the name of religion. Why do mobs think they have the power to take someones life? A big role is played by political patronage, said lawyer Vrinda Grover. Today (they operate with) brazen and absolute impunity, and the signal for that comes from the top. In Mumbai, several film and television stars including Vikrant Massey, Rajat Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin joined the protesters on Carter Road. Violence in the name of religion is sacrilegious. It is high time all of us, regardless of caste and community, stood up against it, said activist Gordon DSouza. Protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (PTI) In Lucknow, protesters wore black armbands and accused the government of treating cow-protection vigilantes like heroes. The agitators in Hyderabad held up copies of the Constitution to assert their fundamental rights. Bengaluru saw historian Ramachandra Guha and playwright Girish Karnad joining the protesters. In Kolkata, filmmaker Aparna Sen figured among the many prominent personalities who participated in the demonstration. Facebook post by a filmmaker against the lynching of a Muslim teenager has sparked a powerful online campaign, leading to protest marches being organised in several cities across the country. Thousands hit the streets in support of the campaign, Not In My Name. Citizen protests were held in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal and Bengaluru, simultaneously, on Wednesday. Filmmaker Saba Dewan said it reflected the anger and grief of the people. I never realised the response would be so overwhelming. Despite the debilitating violence, these protests will make us feel we are alive and spark hope, Dewan had told agencies. Below are the live updates: 8:30pm: Children as young as two years old were seen during the protests with their parents in New Delhi. Imtiaz Ahmed Khan came with his 2-year-old daughter Noya at Jantar Mantar. (HT) 8:20pm: Rain plays spoil sport in New Delhi, forcing the protests to end. Some protesters at Jantar Mantar take shelter while others leave as heavy rain lashes the city. 7:55pm: Dance performance by an artiste at Jantar Mantar to protest against Ballabgarh lynching #notinmyname @htTweets @htdelhi pic.twitter.com/Vx958BilOF Abhinav Rajput (@Abhinavrt) June 28, 2017 7:40pm: Patna residents join the campaign through a silent protest at Kargil Chowk near Gandhi Maidan. Protesters at Kargil Chowk near Gandhi Maidan in Patna. (Santosh Kumar/HT) 7:35pm: This cannot go on and on. This is something beyond party politics. Citizens are realising enough is enough, says AAP leader Ashutosh in New Delhi during the protests. 7:30pm: Huge crowd at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (Bobby Ghosh/HT Photo) 7:29pm: Musician Rabbi Shergill takes the stage at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Musician Rabbi Shergill. (HT) 7:28pm: #NotInMyName: protesters at Jantar Mantar number at least a couple thousands. Not bad for a beginning, and given the short notice pic.twitter.com/HdqIz0C1lY rajesh mahapatra (@rajeshmahapatra) June 28, 2017 7:25pm: Police officials say around 300 people joined the protests in Bengaluru. 7:23pm: People in Hyderabad leave the site of the protest in a rally after police officials ask them to disperse. 7:22pm: Protestors in Hyderabad hold a silent protest with placards without raising any slogans. Social activist Kalpana Kannabiran says it is atrocious on the part of fringe elements of Hindutva to lynch innocent Muslims and Dalits across the country in the name of nationalism. 7:20pm: Swami Agnivesh in New Delhi says there has been an unprecedented rise in violence against one community since the BJP government came to power. 7:18pm: Demonstrations end in Mumbai as people start to disperse. 7:17pm: People recite poems from the podium set at the protest site at Jantar Mantar. Protesters at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. (HT) 7:15pm: More than 2,000 people have gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. 7:12pm: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi Marlena and Dilip Pandey join protests in New Delhi. AAP leaders at Jantar Mantar. (HT) 7:10pm: Have come here as a common man to render my support, says Manish Sisodia. 7:00pm: Deputy chief minister of New Delhi Manish Sisodia joins the protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. 6:49pm: Over 400 people can be seen at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. 6:48pm: Many gather at tank bund on the banks of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad Protests in Hyderabad. (HT) 6:45pm: People in Mumbai have permission to protest only till 7pm. Protesters stand in the rain at Carter Road in Mumbai. (HT) 6:34pm: Member of Peoples Union for civil liberties Binayak Sen joins the protest in Mumbai. 6:33pm: Actor and film director Girish Karnad takes part in the protest in Bengaluru. Girish Karnad (C) with Ramachandra Guha (L) in Bengaluru. (HT) 6:30pm: Activist Swami Agnivesh joins the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Increasing incidents of mob lynching are disheartening, he says. 6:20pm: Livelihood is our right, life is our right and coming here is also my right, says a Class 8 student in Bengaluru. 6:15pm: People gather at Iqbal Maidan in Bhopal to join the campaign Not In My Name, shout slogans to protest against the lynching. 6:13pm: Actress Shabana Azmi says, It is not an isolated incident (lynching of a Muslim teenager). Need a stringent law against the perpetrators. Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi in Mumbai. (AP) 6:10pm: Actors Vikrant Massey, Rajat Kapoor and Shabana Azmi take part in the protests in Mumbai. 6:08pm: Historian and writer Ramachandra Guha joins the protests in Bengaluru. Ramachandra Guha (in pink shirt) at Town Hall in Bengaluru. (HT) 6:00pm: Police officials stand guard near the site of protests at Carter Road in Mumbai. Police officials in raincoats at Carter Road, Mumbai. (HT) 5:58pm: Protest gathers steam in Bengaluru. A large number of people seen at Town Hall in Bengaluru. (HT) 5:54pm: Civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad and writer Rana Ayyub join the protests in Mumbai. 5:40pm: People start gathering at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The protest is expected to begin by 6:00pm. 5:35pm: Actor Konkona Sen Sharma joins the protests in Mumbai. Konkona Sen Sharma in Mumbai. (HT) 5:30pm: Bollywood actors Ranvir Shorey and Jim Sarbh with social media activist Arpita Chatterjee reach Carter Road in Mumbai to join the protest. Bollywood actors Ranvir Shorey (L) and Jim Sarbh (R) with activist Arpita Chatterjee in Mumbai. (HT) 5:25pm: Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin joins the protest in Mumbai. Kalki Koechlin at Carter Road, Mumbai. (HT) 5:21pm: Mumbai protesters planning to form a human chain. 5:20pm: Youngsters tie black bands on their arms in Lucknow. Lucknow. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT) 5:18pm: Police in Hyderabad ask protesters to disperse, saying they have not taken permission and are causing traffic problems in the area. 5:10pm: Former president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha and activist Gordon DSouza, who joined the protest in Mumbai, says, violence in the name of religion is sacrilegious. It is high time all of us regardless of caste and community stand up against it. 5:06pm: People in Lucknow blame the Modi government for giving heroic treatment to the so-called vigilante groups and gau rashaks. Protestors at GPO in Lucknow. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT) 5:05pm: Over 100 people have joined the protests in Hyderabad. 5:00pm: People stage demonstrations at Gandhi Pratima in Lucknow, blame the government for keeping mum on the issue. Protestors at tank bund on the banks of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad. (HT) 4:50pm: People gather at Carter Road in Mumbai for the protests even as rains and high tide lash the city. 4:45pm: Stage set for protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Jantar Mantar. (HT) 4:45pm: Activists in Hyderabad display copies of the Indian Constitution to assert their right to freedom. 4:41pm: Police officials try to stop protestors from holding placards or banners in Hyderabad. 4:40pm: Around 50 activists from various social organisations gather at tank bund on the banks of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad. The incident which triggered the protests: 16-year-old Junaid was allegedly stabbed to death and four others were injured on board a Mathura-bound train when an argument over a seat turned into religious slurs and triggered a mob attack on family members returning home from Eid shopping on June 23. The incident took place on Thursday evening between Okhla and Asoti in Haryana, a distance of about 60 km. The four injured told HT that the attackers repeatedly called them anti-nationals and beef eaters, threw their skull caps on the floor, caught their beards and taunted them with terms such as mulla. Forest department officials in Odisha said on Wednesday they would install CCTV cameras to catch the mysterious creature that has killed livestock in several villages in the states Cuttack district. Principal chief conservator of forests SS Srivastava said that five close circuit television cameras will be installed within two days in Niali to trace the animal. It appears that the animal is not big its a small animal. These animals can hide behind bushes since the area has huge stretches of wasteland, Srivastava said. As nearly 150 sheep have been killed in a couple of villages of Cuttacks Niali block in last two months, rumours have been swirling that the killer is a mysterious animal. Panic spread in villages after morphed photos of an alien creature that apparently killed the sheep went viral on social media sites such as Facebook a couple of days ago. Forest department officials, who have toured the affected villages with veterinary officials, suspect the killer to be either a wolf or jackal. Odisha animal husbandry minister Damodar Rout also said it could be a wolf or a pack of wolves as the area has a large number of betel vines. Wolves may be using these betel vines to hide in the daytime and are killing sheep in the night, said Rout. But to get a clear picture of the hunter, Srivastava said his department will install five CCTV cameras within two days. We will use crackers to scare the animals to come out from their hideouts. Once those animals come out we may lay traps or set up cages, he added. The PCCF said his department has advised the villagers to keep their sheep in places with lights on. The Pakistan Army violated ceasefire on Wednesday by resorting to firing and shelling on areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively, a defence spokesman said. The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms and automatic weapons and shelling of mortars along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector in Rajouri district from 1445 hours today (Wednesday), the spokesman said. The Pakistani troops also resorted to shelling and firing along the LoC in Balakote belt of Poonch district, reports said, adding that the shells landed in several villages. In this month, there have been 21 ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army in Poonch and Rajouri districts besides a cross-LoC attack and two infiltration bids in which 4 people including 3 jawans have been killed. On June 26, the occasion of Eid-ul Fitr, the Pakistan Army had resorted to firing by small arms and automatic weapons and shelling of mortars along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector of Rajouri from 2015 hours till midnight. A day prior to that, the Pakistani troops had resorted to two ceasefire violations in Naushera sector of Rajouri district in which one jawan was injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday returned to New Delhi after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. Modi, upon arrival, was received by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. The highlight of his four-day trip was the US leg of the visit as Modi met President Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. PM Modi was received by Sushma Swaraj on his arrival. (PTI Photo) Modi first visited Portugal, where he held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. Modi, on the final leg of his trip, visited the Netherlands and held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also addressed the Indian community there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from July 4 to 6, the external affairs ministry announced on Wednesday. This would be the first-ever trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the Jewish state. During his visit, (Modi) will hold detailed discussions with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest. He will also call on president Rivlin, a statement from the ministry said. The visit will provide an impetus for deeper bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest. The Indian Prime Ministers visit is being accorded considerable importance by the Israeli government. Netanyahu will be at Modis side for almost the whole of his two-and-a-half day visit, said Israeli ambassador Daniel Carmon. Though the two countries normalised diplomatic relations only in 1992, India and Israel have a remarkably close security relationship. Israeli may turn out to be the single-largest supplier of weapons to India in dollar terms in fiscal year 2015-16. However, both Indian and Israeli sources say the focus of Modis trip will be on non-security areas such as water technology. Israel, which generates a third of its agricultural water from desalination plants and reuses 80% of its water supply, is rated as the global leader in this area. Water is at the top of our development agenda, said Carmon. The Israeli cabinet on Sunday passed a resolution outlining a strategic partnership with India in a host of non-security areas, such as water, agriculture, space, health, investment and even bringing Bollywood to Israel. The Israeli government has sanctioned $70 million to facilitate the partnership. Modi, slated to reach Israel on the afternoon of July 4, will spend the first day touring Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial, and an agricultural innovation centre. While the next day will be taken up by diplomatic activities, Modi will end it by meeting the Indian diaspora. He will also interact with Moshe, an Israeli child who was saved by his Indian nanny during the Mumbai terror attack, the same day. On July 6, the Prime Minister will pay homage to Indian soldiers killed in Haifa and host a forum for 30 CEOs. Underlining the unprecedented importance given to Modis visit, Carmon said 40 to 50 Israeli dignitaries will receive him at the airport. Such an honour is accorded only to the Pope and the US President, the Israeli ambassador added. Patna An irate mob torched two police vehicles after a young businessman was shot dead in Bihars Siwan district in the wee hours of Wednesday. Police said furniture businessman Rashid Sarkar, 25, was sleeping on the terrace of his house when unidentified criminals shot him dead. The incident took place at Mahpur village under Hussainganj police station of the district, 116 kms north of Patna, they said. Sarkar was considered close to Siwan strongman and former Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, at present lodged in high-security Tihar jail in New Delhi on Supreme Courts order in connection with murder cases. Apart from owning a furniture shop at Mahpur, Sarkar had recently opened a showroom of a popular two wheeler brand. The two-wheeler showroom was inaugurated by Shahabuddins wife Hena Sahab, villagers said. Family members of the victim said they found Sarkar lying in a pool of blood when they reached the terrace after hearing three gunshots. Sarkar was shot on his head and he died on the spot, they said, adding that the assailants had probably used the sewer pipes to climb the terrace and escape. Protesting against the incident, enraged villagers set on fire the house of Vishwakarma Bind, a suspect in the murder case. They also blocked the Siwan-Aandar-Hussainganj road, forced the police, who reached there after the incident, to retreat and torched their two vehicles. Confirming the incident, Siwan superintendent of police (SP) Saurav Kumar Sah said the family of the victim had accused incarcerated Vishwakarma Bind of plotting the murder. Bind was at present lodged in jail in connection with a murder case, he added. The blockade was lifted around 11.30am after the Siwan sadar sub-divisional officer and Maharajganj deputy superintendent of police reached there and assured the mob that the culprits would soon be brought to justice. Debris of the burned vehicles had been removed and the traffic on the Siwan-Aandar-Huusainganj road restored, the police said, adding that the body of the victim had been sent to Siwan sadar hospital for post-mortem. BLURB Furniture businessman Rashid Sarkar was shot on his head and he died on the spot. Police said assailants had probably used sewer pipes to climb the terrace and escape SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Lalu Prasad Yadav is a lowly clerk in Bihar, Agni Sriramachandran a farmer in Tamil Nadu, Ajay Kumar Gupta a lawyer in Uttarakhand, Anand Singh Kushwaha a tea seller in Madhya Pradesh and Mohammad Abdul Hamid Patil is an employee of a construction firm in Maharashtra. Despite their varied backgrounds and divergent locations, the five have one thing in common: they are all presidential hopefuls, having deposited Rs 15,000 each and filed their nominations for election to the countrys president next month. It is unlikely any of them will make the cut finally. Rules require presidential candidates to furnish letters of endorsement - as proposers and seconders - from 100 elected MLAs and MPs and none of them are likely to get any. In all probability, their nomination papers will be rejected on scrutiny. Read: How India picks its President, visually explained But undeterred by their bleak poll prospects, the five are basking in the limelight that such a high-profile poll brings to the nominees. Some even are busy dreaming of a bright future in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Haridwar-based Gupta is promising to make the position of Indias president more powerful. The rubber-stamp era will be put to an end, he says. Patil has taken upon himself a far greater task, guaranteeing to end militancy in Kashmir within 24 hours of assuming the presidency. I will finish militancy in Kashmir which is the biggest internal problem the country is facing. Within 24 hours after assuming office, I will teach Pakistan a lesson and settle the Kashmir problem for good, he insists. Though oddballs, such presidential aspirants are not entirely uncommon. Some 65 candidates have filed their papers this time, including NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind. Opposition candidate Meira Kumar is expected to file her nomination on Wednesday. The electoral authorities have already rejected the nomination of 12 candidates, leaving 53 in the fray so far, including the favourite Kovind. In the fray is also Hamid Patils wife, Saira Bano, making the Mumbai-based husband-wife duo possibly the first couple in the country to eye the presidency together. Like her husband, her objective after victory is lofty: In the event I am elected, I will seek to recruit more and more women into the armed forces and put them in combat roles. I will see to it that women are in no way inferior to men when it comes to defending the nation, she said. What these oddball candidates will achieve is debatable, besides some transient fame. Lalu Yadav is best known in Bihars Saran for having contested unsuccessfully against former state chief minister Rabri Devi and union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Narendra Dubey Adig, a lawyer in Varanasi, has contested presidential elections four times and has filed nomination papers once again. Tamil Nadus Sriramachandran has built a formidable reputation as a sporting loser, having fought in vain in the past against former chief minister K Karunanidhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. I get noticed, insists Sriramachandran, though that may not be enough for the presidential guards to notice him and let him enter the Presidents house ever. (With inputs from Debasish Panigrahi in Mumbai, KV Lakshmana in Chennai, Avinash in Patna, Sudhir Kumar in Varanasi, Shruti Tomar/Mahesh Shivharey in Gwalior and MS Nawaz in Haridwar) New Delhi: Opposition candidate Meira Kumar filed her nomination for the Presidential election on Wednesday, the last date for submitting the papers. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other senior Opposition leaders were present when Kumar handed over the papers to Anoop Mishra, Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, who is the returning officer of this prestigious election. Kumars competitor, NDAs Ram Nath Kovind had filed his nomination last week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for his foreign tour. Earlier on Tuesday, Kumar said at a press conference that the upcoming presidential election was not a fight of Castes but a battle of ideology. Both Kumar and Kovind are Dalit leaders. Kumar was the first woman speaker of the Lok Sabha while Kovind is the former governor of Bihar, her home state. Even as the numbers are heavily tilted in favour of Kovind, Kumar refused to concede defeat. When asked if she is the losing candidate, Kumar hit back: Why are you calling it a losing battle? Im fighting and I might as well fight. How can you predict the results of an election, she retorted, adding that she will seek support from all parties including the allies of the BJP. Kumar will start her campaign from Sabarmati and is expected to tour different states to seek votes. The NDA, backed by parties like AIADMK, BJD, JD(U), TRS and YRS Congress have secured 682722 out of 10,98,903 votes in the electoral college. Kumar has an uphill task as the Opposition has just 378458 votes, far short of the majority mark of 5,49,452. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Seven years after the Congress-led UPA government created the first draft of the national litigation policy, it still remains a work in progress. The policy is a set of guidelines that will reduce the burden of court cases on the exchequer with the government being a litigant in nearly half of all pending cases in courts. After the government last month approached the Law Commission of India for help in drafting the policy, the commission is learnt to have recently written to it, saying that bureaucracy within the government needs to contain its zeal for litigation to reduce the high volume of cases. Governments in states and at the Centre are litigants in 46% of the total 3.14 crore cases in courts ranging from the districts to the Supreme Court. The commission has pointed out that the bureaucracy over the years has failed to contain the volume of litigation originating from government ministries and departments. Individual officers do not want to take the decision to reduce litigation from the fear of being accused of bias or giving in to extraneous considerations. We have suggested that the decision to take the litigation route or not be taken by a panel of officers in each department, a source in the commission said. Sources in the law ministry said that the government has decided to completely rely on the commissions report and restrict the ministrys role to implementing it. The Law Commission has experts for the job and we have decided to rely on them. The commissions draft will be placed before the cabinet and we will finalise the policy this year, a top official in the ministry said. Unable to get its act together on the issue, the ministry had referred the matter to the Law Commission, which is headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and has a former high court judge and a former law secretary among its members. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Deepak Mendiratta has spent decades trading in leather out of north Delhis sprawling Sadar Bazar but has never had a more harrowing week. As president of the local trade body, he is helping wholesale leaders, shopkeepers and traders navigate the complex maze of rules as they migrate to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). And with just two days left before the June 30 deadline, many are panicking. 90% of traders are complaining they dont understand the tax structures in GST, there is excessive confusion because there are three different slabs causing confusion, he said, fearing the July 1 launch might disrupt the lives and businesses of the nearly 15,000 small traders in the thriving market. Adding to the trouble are complaints of technical glitches in the GST registration process from some regions. In smaller cities, the confusion has mounted manifold as the deadline nears. I have tried to understand GST around 10 times from friends and chartered accountants but still cant. The process is very complicated, says Imran Khan, a wholesaler of water purifiers in Jaipur. Touted by the government as the biggest tax reform since Independence, the GST is meant to boost growth and scrap local taxes that add to overhead costs and stymie businesses. But experts fear the lack of preparedness, the multiple rates unlike other countries, India has chosen four slabs ranging from 5% to 28% and the chaos that precedes the July 1 launch might cause near-term disruption and shave off the gains intended from the uniform tax regime. Clarity on GST laws and the multiple rate structure is required, especially for the trading community. But the immediate challenge for traders will be to upgrade their billing and accounting software, said Priyajit Ghosh, partner, indirect tax in KPMG, India. But officers handling the transition say the confusion is because taxpayers and accountants never took the GST deadline seriously. There is never a good time to implement a reform such as GST. Stakeholders will always complain that they are never fully prepared, said Amarjeet Chopra, former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. On the ground though, small traders are feeling the pinch. Nobody from the commercial taxes department came to us and explained how GST differs from the present system, Krishna Murthy, proprietor of Balaji Medicals and Generals, a retail druggist at Somajiguda near Hyderabad, told HT. Murthy said he had heard of input tax credit through which business can reduce the taxes it has paid on inputs from the taxes it has to deposit on output but hadnt understood it. We have engaged a tax consultant to calculate the input tax credit and claim the same. May be over a period of time, I will know about it, he said. Critics are worried about accountants exploiting taxpayers, given the GSTs complex structure. The Chamber of Maharashtra Industries and Trade (CAMIT) said small traders are the worst affected. We are not opposed to GST but there are so many problems and it is all cumbersome. We just want simplification of the procedure, said Mohan Gurnani, chairman, CAMIT. One of the worst affected is the textile industry and manufacturers from across the country are coming together for a nationwide protest over rates. We were promised that there will be no GST on cloth but the government backtracked, said Raichand Binaykya, convener, Joint Action Committee, All Textile Traders Association. (Inputs from Suchetana Ray and Abhinav Rajput in New Delhi, Srinivasa Rao Apparasu in Hyderabad, Sachin Saini in Jaipur, KV Lakshmana in Chennai, Vikram Gopal in Benglauru, and Naresh Kamath in Mumbai) The Instrumentation Limiteds township in Kota resembles a ghost town. Roads that have turned into gravel and dust, decaying buildings, and overgrown vegetation --- all pointers to the fact that the area has been abandoned by the employees of the now closed public sector unit (PSU). Now, silence prevails in the nearly 124-acres township that used to remain abuzz with human activity till just a month-and-a-half ago. The eerie silence is often broken by piercing screams that carry far and wide Screams of peacocks, more than 100 of them, who had made the township their home. Even as the employees of the Instrumentation Limited --- a proposal to shut the unit was approved by the Centre in November 2016 and its staff offered a voluntary retirement package --- left the township, the peacocks remained. Usually, it is the wildlife that faces threat from human habitation, but in an ironic turn of events, it is the lack of humans that has spelt disaster for the peacocks here. A former employee of the now-shut PSU, Nand Singh, talks fondly about the peacocks. While the unit was established in 1964, the birds arrived in the township only a few years later. Over next four decades, the peacock population thrived reaching over 100 individual birds, Nand Singh said. This was mostly due to the efforts of the residents here. The authorities had even declared the township campus as Peacock Conservation area where families used to feed birds, he said. Now that the last of the 270 remaining families have left the township, the birds are facing scarcity of food. There have been cases of stray dogs attacking the peacocks too. Some social organisations and nature activists apart from the local Grain Merchants Association have come to the rescue of the peacocks, making interim arrangement of food and water. They, however, are now demanding to declare the green belt of the township as bird reserve for ensuring proper supply of food and security to the peacocks. For the past few days, we have been providing foodgrains to the peacocks. But, the movement of outsiders will be restricted in the township in the coming days. We want district administration to make permanent arrangement for conservation of peacocks by providing them feed and security from stray dogs, said Manoj Jain Adinath of the Human Helpline, an NGO. Dr Sudhir Gupta of Green Core, an outfit of nature enthusiasts, has already written to chief minister Vasundhara Raje urging her to declare the green belt of the township as a bird reserve. If it is done, then the peacocks can live in secure environment with sufficient food and water availability, he added. Deputy Conservator of forest, territorial area, Kota, Lalit Singh Ranawat told the Hindustan Times that he had visited the township and made arrangements for feed for the birds. He, however, said that township has just over 50 peacocks. Ranawat said that district administration has been informed about the stray dogs attacking the national bird. He said the administration with the help of Kota municipal corporation authorities can impound the strays. Additional district magistrate (administration), Kota, Sunita Daga said they would soon send a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) to the township to get the area where peacocks live fenced off. Hari Prasad Budhia (78), a leading manufacturer and exporter based in Kolkata, was one of the 109 philanthropists felicitated at the 23rd state-level Bhamashah Samman Samaroh on Wednesday. A native of Ratannagar in Churu, Budhia had visited his village after decades in 2002. I saw that the girls were facing difficulty in going to school. I was reminded of my own school days in 1950s when I used to travel some 50 kms from my village to Fatehpur for writing the exams, said Budhia. Spurred by memories of the difficulties he had faced, Budhia built a girls school in Ratannagar. Recently he developed a school at Hirapura in Jaipur at a cost of 5.29 crore. Budhia, along with the CSR wings of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Havells India Limited, were among the prominent contributors to the education sector in the state. Philanthropists who had donated above 10 lakh were felicitated at the programme organised at Birla Auditorium by the states education department. The 109 top philanthropists had contributed over 62 crore in the past one year. Last year, 62 philanthropists who had donated over 27 crore were felicitated. The Bhamashah Samman Samaroh is being celebrated in the state since 1995 to commemorate the birthday of Bhamashah, who had given his wealth to Maharana Pratap when he was short of funds during a war for Mewars independence. Another philanthropist felicitated on the occasion was Bhavna Kumari, who along with her husband runs the Shri Jashwant Charitable Trust that has developed a girls school at Devgarh in Rajsamand at a cost of 1.27 crore. The couple, who own a hotel at Devgarh, motivate foreign tourists to donate money and teach them how to cook Indian dishes at a cost, the proceeds of which goes to the trust. From Jaipur, Kailash Chand and his family donated land worth 1 crore to a government school for girls in Nangal Purohitan, Amer. The businessman, who deals in finance and property, said the problems of school children and the request by the school headmistress prompted his brothers and uncles to donate the land to the school. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje, the chief guest on the occasion, said the government is indebted to the philanthropists as their efforts have benefitted and motivated thousands of students. Raje said the education departments initiatives -- merging of schools, introducing staffing pattern, parent-teacher meetings, among others -- have led to Rajasthan becoming a leading state in education. School education minister Vasudev Devnani, higher education minister Kiran Maheshwari, and school education secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar were present on the occasion. A 45-year-old man set his wife ablaze in front of their children in a village near Udaipur after a heated argument over money. The victim, who sustained severe burn injuries, was rushed to a hospital where she died during treatment on Tuesday evening. The incident took place when Jija Devi, 40, of Daiyawara village near Udaipur took 200 more from her husband than the amount that was to be paid to a JCB driver for the work done by him near their house. The couple had a heated argument after which the accused, Rameshchandra Kharadi, sprinkled kerosene on her and set her ablaze, Pahada police station SHO Jivatram said. The accused then fled the scene leaving his wife screaming and writhing in pain, he said. The victims two children, who witnessed the whole incident, rushed to their uncles house for help. Jija Devis brother-in-law, Thawra Lal Kharadi, then rushed her to MB Hospital in Udaipur. Thawra Lal told the police that during treatment Jija Devi was repeatedly taking her husbands name and said that he had set her on fire, the SHO said. Soon the relatives of the victim reached the hospital and started protesting. First, they refused to take the body; however, the police spoke to them and handed over the body to them. Initial investigation into the matter revealed that on Monday, the victims husband Rameshchandra called an excavator to dig and move mud from his land. They had to pay 1,600 to the driver but his wife Jija Devi took 1,800 from the accused, which made him angry. In a fit of rage, he set her on fire. Police have lodged an FIR and are trying to trace the accused. The special team of Indian Police Services (IPS) officers overseeing Darjeeling operations has suggested that the Mamata Banerjee government adopts a wait and watch policy instead of application of force to tackle the ongoing crisis in the hills. According to bureaucrats who requested anonymity, the report submitted to the state secretariat on Tuesday has two persons, who, the police believe, are playing a key role in fuelling the agitation for statehood from behind. Read: Darjeeling locals throng Nepal, Bhutan to beat Internet ban The first name is Ajay Daval, a retired commando officer of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who is believed to be operating sitting at Bhaktipur in Nepal. The police report has mentioned a person named Anik Rai, who, intelligence officers believe, is acting as the medium between Daval and GJM. Rai is absconding, as per the police report, said the bureaucrat. File picture of a vehicle set on fire by the agitators in Darjeeling. (HT Photo) The report has also mentioned that police intelligence has so far failed to track the source and route of supply of ration and other essential commodities to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists. The hills have witnessed violent clashes between Morcha supporters and security forces since June 8. Three GJM supporters died allegedly to police firing on June 17. Jawed Shamim, inspector general (Enforcement Branch) and an associate of the three- member IPS team, came to the state secretariat of Nabanna on Tuesday afternoon and submitted the report. After the report was submitted chief minister Mamata Banerjee had a close door meeting with chief secretary Basudeb Bandopadhyay, home secretary Malay De, DGP Surajit Kar Purakayastha and Kolkata police commissioner, Rajeev Kumar. Read: Darjeeling will remain in India; Bengal must dump opposition to Gorkhaland According to the police report, GJM activists are distributing the food and other essential commodities including medicines among the people in the hills, following which its popularity in increasing among the people, the official said. File picture of Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha members demanding a separate state at Darjeeling rail station on October 3, 2015 (Samir Jana) In the present situation, the report suggested the government should be patient and try for negotiations instead of applying force, since application of force might worsen the situation further. Read: Darjeeling unrest: Gurung says GNLF, JAP cant be trusted; hills unity under cloud Incidentally, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has ruled out any dialogue with GJM as long as they continue with violent agitation. She has even suggested that the agitation had foreign links and that the GJM chief is behaving like a terrorist. There is a terrorist brain behind this hooliganism and vandalism. Only a terrorist and not a common man can do this. We have got clues that this has terrorist connections. They (GJM) have connections with underground insurgent groups of the north east ... I request them (insurgent groups) not to extend any support to the GJM, Mamata Banerjee told reporters on June 17. The report has also been mentioned that some influential businessmen having business interests in the hills may be responsible for keeping the supply chain intact in the hills. The Intelligence Branch of state police is trying to identify these businessmen and also the routes of this supply chain, said the state government official. The three-member IPS team has also recorded a mild complaint about the lack of enthusiastic participation of the six companies of central forces deployed in the hills in tackling the agitators. The central forces deployed there is only acting as back-up support for the state forces rather than leading from the forefront, a bureaucrat said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav used a Hindi proverb to term the Yogi Adityanath government a non-performer on the completion of its 100 days on Tuesday. Poot ke paaon paalney mein hi dikhtey hain. The coming events cast their shadow before they actually happen. The 100 days of non-performance indicates where this government is headed, he said. Shortly after chief minister Yogi Adityanath read out his governments report card at a press conference on Tuesday, in an interview with Hindustan Times, Yadav said the government should not celebrate 100 days for they did not do anything that people could cheer about. NO BUDGET YET They have not even passed a budget yet. New schemes need budgetary provisions but the governments first budget is still awaited. All that the BJP government has been doing is changing the names of our schemes to claim it as their own, he said. BJP CHANGING NAMES OF SAMAJWADI PARTYS SCHEMES On Sunday, Akhilesh had twisted another Hindi proverb to attack the government. Ram Ram japna, paraya kaam apna, he tweeted to claim that the Yogi government had been using the SP governments works to list its achievements. Even the 181 women helpline rescue vans that the CM flagged off the other day (on Saturday) existed during the SP government along with 1090 women powerline, he said. The government has scored two big zeros in its 1(00) days, Yadav quipped. POT SHOTS AT CM Taking pots shots at Yogi for reading out of the report card, Akhilesh said, This government has one padhney wale CM and two bolney wale mantri (two ministers who are government spokesmen to speak on his behalf so that the CM does not make a mistake). Despite reading out, the CM made a mistake. He had announced dropping of Romeo word from the original anti-Romeo drive, but in his speech, he used the word Romeo. GOVERNMENT STEPS REGRESSIVE We developed places like Janeshwar Mishra Park and Gomti Riverfront where people can meet but this government imposed restrictions on meeting of people. In Jhansi, they made a boy do sit-ups in front of his fiancee when they were at Jhansi Fort to get to know each other. Ninety per cent movie songs, literature, poetry are woven around love, and this government is against it, Yadav said. Read more| 100 days of Yogi: The return of upper castes in UP govt is the challenge for BJP Anti-Romeo squads and all other steps that the government took after coming to power were regressive in nature, he said. Be it the action against slaughterhouses, symbolic cleanliness drive or the Yoga Day, this government doesnt understand that cleanliness is not the solution. The real problems behind unclean surroundings are poverty and lack of proper garbage dumping places. Most of the people who performed asanas on Yoga Day had paunches. Had they been a regular practitioners, protruding tummies wouldnt have been there, Yadav pointed out. LOAN WAIVER A FARCE Cornering the government on farm loan waiver, he said: The nationwide forest fire of farm loan waiver was lit by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the UP poll campaign, he promised loan-waiver and now both the Modi and the Yogi governments have cheated the farmers. Yadav said while the union government washed its hands off the issue saying it would not fund loan waivers of states, the Yogi government put a ceiling of Rs 1 lakh. In the manifesto, there was no mention of any cut-off. As the union government is not funding loan waiver, the money that should have had gone into development works will go towards loans waiver, he said. People should not expect development from the BJP government as it was playing politics of regression, vigilantism and hatred, Yadav said. Read more| 100 days in office: Yogi Adityanath says committed to making UP a developed state Before elections, they talked big Digital India, Make in India, New India, he said. Yadav said the union government also changed its stance on Metro projects. Now, the union government is going to be strict on feasibility of Metro rail projects. We would like to see how the state governments promise of Metro in Gorakhpur or Jhansi turns real, he said. Yadav said be it the number of hours of power supply to cities or changing of transformers in rural areas, the Yogi governments report on power scenario was actually the achievements of the SP government. Even the e-tendering that he announced in mining was initiated by our government and the Jewar airport that the union government has cleared was proposed by our government. Just the way we are eager to see Gorakhpur or Jhansi Metro, we would also like to see clean rivers. The PM promised a clean Ganga and the CM has assured the people of a clean Yamuna. It would be a big achievement even if they manage to clean the river Kali, he said. CRIME ON THE RISE On law and order, Yadav said: Look at yesterdays killing of five people in Rae Bareli, Jewar highway loot and rape, Sitapur triple murder, traders killings in Mathura, a girls murder after a failed rape attempt in Lucknow. We know how the SSPs had to run for his life and his wife and children had to take shelter in a cow shed to save their lives from a mob attack. Law and order has turned worse. Targeting Modi on the beef issue, he said: PM is seen hugging Trump (US President) these days. What does Trump eat? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) president Mayawati on Tuesday said the BJP government had failed to control crime and corruption during its 100 days in power. The government has secured a zero out of hundred, she said. Mayawati said the BJP rode to power with the assurance of checking crime and corruption but did not implement even 10% of the promises it had made to the voters. Read more: Akhilesh Yadav slams Yogi Adityanath government over rising crime in UP The state government had announced that it would release a white paper and a booklet of achievements to celebrate 100 days in office. Neither the white paper nor the booklet was released as the government had no achievement to showcase, she said. In the press conference, the CM completed formalities by making promises and released a photo feature booklet. The government is losing the confidence of people, Mayawati said. Read more| 100 days of Yogi: Adityanath falters on law and order promise in Uttar Pradesh as crime spikes She said during the assembly election campaign, the BJP had announced loan waiver of farmers but it was limited to paper. Appeasement policy of the government has led to breakdown of law and order. Like Modi, the Yogi government has also cheated the people, she alleged. The BJP government is trying to take credit of the construction of international airport at Jewar in Gautam Buddh Nagar but the fact is that the BSP government (2007-12) had prepared the plan for the construction of airport, Mayawati said. Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday went to meet former minister Gayatri Prajapati, who is in Lucknow district jail since March 18 in connection with the alleged gang rape of a Chitrakoot woman and attempt to rape of her minor daughter. The meeting between the SP patriarch and Prajapati lasted for over one hour during which the latter reportedly explained the entire sequence of event and how he was framed in the case. Read more| Lucknow: Charge sheet filed against Gayatri Prajapati in gang-rape case While talking to media outside the jail, Yadav said Prajapati had been framed in a fake case and police had no concrete proof against him. He said Prajapati was being intentionally targeted and being treated as if he was a terrorist. He said he would meet the UP director general of police regarding the matter. He said he will meet the Prime Minister and if needed the President also. Prajapati held Yadavs feet and urged help to bring him out of jail. Yadav consoled him when he started crying while narrating the sequence of event, a source present said. Prajapati was considered the blue eyed boy of the SP patriarch and the latter always stood for him and got him reinstated when he was removed from the ministers post by former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Yadav earlier tried to meet Prajapati on Monday but the jail administration did not allow the meeting as it was Eid holiday. Read more: Judge suspended after granting bail to SP leader Gayatri Prajapati in haste On the basis of multiple evidences, the city police Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 2 had filed the charge sheet against Prajapati and his six accomplices in the gang rape and attempt to rape cases. The charge sheet findings suggest the involvement of all seven accused in the crime. The former minister and his six accomplices were accused by a 42-year-old woman from Chitrakoot of gang raping her and attempting to rape her minor daughter. The woman had alleged that she was raped when she met the former minister in 2013 for mining contract. She alleged the accused took her obscene photos and raped her multiple times for three years by threatening to make the pictures public. An FIR was lodged with Gautampalli police station here on February 18 after the Supreme Court ordered in the matter on February 17. Later, the former minister was arrested and sent to jail on March 18 after being on run for around one month. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had earlier cancelled the bail given by Lucknow's session court to Prajapati and six others on May 12. Prajapati however failed to come out of jail as warrants were issued against him in two other cases. When the warm weather comes around we can say a temporary goodbye to the gym and the yoga studio. What could be more perfect than a stretch of beach for practising yoga? There are numerous beach locations around the world that are ideal for trying out relaxing or energising poses in a natural setting, ranging from the hipster and exotic to the quiet and peaceful. The fact that #BeachYoga was used over 430,000 times on Instagram in June shows how popular this idea has become. The ideal is a deserted beach with fine sand and not too many shells. The best time of day is early morning or sunset when its not too hot. Heres our pick of the places where yoga fans can practice their art in the warmer months: Tulum, Mexico In the Yucatan peninsula, a white sandy beach faces the turquoise Caribbean Sea. In this relaxing setting there are a number of yoga retreat centres to choose from. And if you have some free time, theres always a Maya temple or two to visit in the area. Arambol, India The Arambol beach in north Goa attracts yoga fans from around the world. (Shutterstock) Thirty kilometres from Mapusa, in north Goa, this village attracts yoga fans from around the world. The main beach is relatively untouched and quiet, with a bohemian vibe. You can stay in a cabin, and there are monkeys and exotic birds in the jungle nearby. Joatinga, Brazil Surrounded by cliffs, Joatinga beach in Brazil is a hidden jewel. (Shutterstock) The quiet beach, which is surrounded by cliffs, is ideal for practising yoga on grass or rocks. Far from the buzz of the big beaches, this hidden jewel is relatively unknown to tourists. Better to go in the morning at sunrise. Cascais, Portugal The view of the surrounding mountains makes Cascais in Portugal an extremely relaxing spot. (Shutterstock) The golden bays of this small fishing village west of Lisbon are a favourite spot for yoga and surf lovers. There are several yoga retreat centres to choose from. The view of the surrounding mountains makes it an extremely relaxing spot. Lombok, Indonesia Lombok island in Nusatenggara province, Bali, provides a calm setting away from the crowds. (Shutterstock) An unmissable destination for amateur and experienced yogis alike, Lombok island in Nusatenggara province provides a calm setting away from the crowds in Bali. And there are lots of options for yoga classes on the island. Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica The silver sands and gentle waves on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, guarantee calm and relaxation. (Shutterstock) The beaches on this wild peninsula on the Costa Rican Pacific coast are ideal for practising yoga. The Penca, San Miguel and Coyote beaches are among the most beautiful and least visited. Silvery sand and gentle waves guarantee calm and relaxation. Byron Bay, Australia The beaches at the Byron Bay in Australia are quite popular with surfers and yoga fans. (Shutterstock) Located on the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane, this coastal town on the Pacific coast is a favourite with surfers and yoga fans. The wooden houses and hippie communities add interest, and yoga classes and retreats are on offer on a number of beaches. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands The Fuerteventura island with its mix of black and white sand, rocks and lagoons is one of the most beautiful in the world. (Shutterstock) With its 70 beaches, this small island a mix of black and white sand, rocks and lagoons in the Canaries is one of the most beautiful in the world. The quietest spots include Ajuy, a port opposite Puerto de la Pena, and the Playa de la Barca. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Mustafa Dossa, one of the convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, died on Wednesday in Mumbais JJ Hospital, where he was admitted following high fever and hypertension. Mustafa Dossa died due to cardiac arrest today at 2.30pm, said hospital dean TP Lahane. He already had high fever and underwent a bypass surgery some time back. He died today morning due to a severe heart attack, said a doctor from the hospital . He said that Dossas body will be moved to the morgue for a post mortem before being handed over to his family. Earlier on Tuesday, drawing comparison with the case of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought capital punishment for Mustafa Dossa and other accused Firoz Khan. Dossas role is more serious than that of Yakub Memon, and Khans role was almost similar, said special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi. Read | Dad is not going to come back now: Son of 1993 Mumbai blast convict Mustafa Dossa Salvi called Dossa one of the masterminds of the blasts. Dossa instructed his men in India to execute the conspiracy. He and his elder brother Mohammad Dossa, an absconding accused, had called for the first meeting where all the gangsters had met. It was in this meeting that people were instigated to carry out the blasts in the city, Salvi added. Salvi said Dossa was a driving spirit behind the blast, and the true architect of the conspiracy. Dossa sent huge consignments of arms and ammunitions through his smuggling network which was used in the blasts and had also arranged for the training of the accused. He was the archer who gave instructions to his men on where to collect the consignment and also arranged for travel of the accused to Pakistan for arms training, said the prosecution. (With ANI input) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The plantation drive in the state by the forest department has received an overwhelming response this year. An additional 1.5 crore saplings have been added to the 4 crore saplings to be planted. By July 7, 24.62 lakh hectares area in the state will be covered with fresh plantations. After the registration data was frozen by the forest department on Monday, the total number of saplings to be planted during Van Mahotsav stands at 5.54 crore 3.4 crore in forest areas and over 2 crore in non-forest areas. A total of 185 plant species have been listed for the entire plantation drive. Van Mahotsav or Forest Day is an annual tree-planting festival, observed from July 1 to 7 across India. Started in 1950 by the Ministry of Agriculture, millions of saplings are planted during the week to increase green cover. Forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told HT that the encouraging response from citizens for a green Maharashtra has paved way for more plantations in the coming years. Citizens have recognised the endeavour to increase the green cover in the state and made it their mission. Rather than making it a drive spearheaded by the state, it has become a peoples movement, he said. This gives us the impetus to increase the number of plantations to 13 crore for next year and 33 crore plantations in 2019. The maximum plantations in the state will be done at Chandrapur with 48.64 lakh saplings, followed by Nashik with 47.16 lakh and Ahmednagar with 30.35 lakh saplings. Owing to shortage of space, the least number of saplings will be planted in Mumbai suburban and city areas with 24,399 and 4,730 saplings respectively. Out of 307 lakh hectares of total area in the state, around 20 per cent (61.35 lakh hectares) is covered by forests. According to the National Forest Act, 1988, 33 per cent area should have green cover. The forest department has set a target to develop 33% of the total land area under social forestry programme prescribed by central forest department, which is expected to be done by 2019. This means planting 400 crore trees by then. Last year, the forest department planted 2.83 crore saplings across the state that had a survival rate of 75%, said forest officials. Forest officials added that this year, the registration process was planned and executed better than last year. Unlike last year, the entire database of the plantations will be available in the public domain, said P Srivastava, additional principal chief conservator of forest, Information and Technology division. Some of the species that will be planted this year are gulmohar, jamun, neem, peepal, bamboo, bel, custard apple, teak, cashew among others. How the plantation will help the forest department? In an attempt to reduce carbon emissions by increasing the green cover in developing countries, the United Nations introduced its collaborative programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REBB+) in 2008. According to the REBB+ convention, if any agency is able to prove additional green cover, created through investing a large amount of money, the agency will be reimbursed by developed nations. With 2.81 crore plantations in 2016, 5.5 crore plantations planned in 2017 and 50 crore target by 2019, five years from now we will have a strong case to claim reimbursement, said P Srivastava, additional principal chief conservator of forest, Information and Technology division. Van Mahotsav in numbers 5,54,08,930 saplings will be planted across 36 districts in Maharashtra 5,27,56,351 pits have been dug up for the plantations already 24,62,806 hectare area will be covered across the state will plantations 94,256 sites across the state have been registered from plantations this year Locations where maximum plantations will be done this July District No. of sites where plantations will be done Total no. of saplings Total no. of pits dug Chandrapur 4,321 48,64,258 45,89,681 Nashik 4,609 47,16,003 44,13,365 Ahmednagar 2,027 30,35,147 29,96,510 Yavatmal 4043 31,56,130 29,65,193 Gadchiroli 1,454 27,10,438 26,83,723 Pune 3580 25,30,199 23,89,798 Thane 4777 16,41,327 15,07,258 Mumbai suburban 257 24,399 5,715 Mumbai city 54 4,730 4,392 (Source: State Forest Department) Read: With 11 crore saplings ready, Maharashtra targets 4 crore plantations this year SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mustafa Dossa, 60, one of the main convicts in the 1993 serial blasts case, made headlines once again after reports of his death surfaced earlier today. Heres what we know about him: 1. Dossa played a key role in planning the bombings and was arrested on March 20, 2003. The Central Bureau of Investigation said he arranged for arms and explosives to be delivered to Raigad. 2. He helped the prime co-conspirators hatch the plot by holding the groups first meeting at his Dubai residence. He sent the first consignment of arms to Dighi Jetty and financed the groups travel and stay in Dubai. 3. He took several co-accused to Dawood Ibrahims house, where another meeting was held to discuss the plot. He recruited several co-accused and arranged for their green-channel entry and exit into and out of Pakistan, where they were trained to use arms, ammunition and explosives. He ordered them to destroy these arms after the blast. 4. The Tada court that convicted him said, Dossa organised and actively participated in conspiratorial meetings held in Dubai. He and his brother were involved in the landing of arms and ammunition. Dossa helped the accused get training in Pakistan. 5. Dossas role is more serious than that of Yakub Memon, and Khans role was almost similar, said special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi, who had asked that he be given a death sentence. Over 200 people braved the heavy shower and gathered on Carter Road in Bandra on Wednesday evening to protest recent mob-lynchings and hate crimes in the country. The protestors included activists, actors, writers and filmmakers who carried placards and posters with messages against hate crimes. The gathering was organised after Delhi-based documentary filmmaker Saba Dewan, Mumbai-based writer Arpita Chatterjee and another filmmaker put up a post on social media. I did not expect so many people to join this protest. I thought around 50 people would come in and got permission for a silent march from the police just today, said Chatterjee. The protest that started at 5pm was attended by saw celebrities such as actors Shabana Azmi, Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey, Konkana Sen Sharma, Rajat Kapoor, Vikrant Massey and Jim Sarbh. This is not an isolated incident. I expect the government to implement a stringent law to punishe the perpetrators, said Azmi. Shorey said, The law has not been able to reach the people who have suffered these crimes. We are here to stand by them. We cannot have the government let people get away with murder. He held a placard which read #NotInMyName. Authors Rana Ayyub and Kiran Nagarkar also joined the demonstration. Ayyub told reporters, People are here despite heavy rainfall. We are not going to be silent spectators. Meanwhile, civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad said, Its a very dangerous state of affairs and we need to speak out for our constitutional rights. A member of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties and about 20 members of Forum against Oppression of Women were present at the protest. Assistant Commissioner of Police of Bandra Division Sanjay Kadam had deployed about 20 police officers around the protesting crowd. A 35-year-old man, arrested seven times in the past for cheating, theft and extortion, was recently arrested for the eighth time by the Santacruz police for cheating a businessman. Amit Sanjay Warik duped Yusuf Solanki of Rs6 lakh on the pretext of selling him a secondhand car. According to Santacruz police, Warik is a college dropout and owns Grand Sai Motors. He met Solanki through a common friend. During one of their meets, Warik told Solanki that he could get him a second hand Innova car for cheap. Solanki runs a business of giving cars on rent. To gain Solankis trust, Warik gave him a forged document from AU Financiers Limited claiming that he had purchased a car from the firm. Warik told the victim that car was at a Vasai godown because he was yet to make full payment. In December 2016, Warik took Rs6 lakh from Solanki for the car but missed several deadlines to hand over the vehicle. The fraud came to light after Warik approached the firm. The officials told him that the letter Warik gave him was fake and that he had never purchased any car from them. Solanki then approached the Santacruz police and filed a case against Warik in March. Based on their investigation, the police booked Warik under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. An officer from Santacruz police station said, We found him in custody of Tulinj police (Thane) for committing a similar fraud. In this case, he hired two cars and sold them in Gujarat. Warik was taken into custody and produced in court. He was remanded in police custody till Thursday. Solankis advocate Imran Farooqui told the magistrate, The accused has seven more cases of similar nature against him starting from 2012 at Wadala Estate police station (two cases), MIDC police station, Naupada police station, Goregaon police station and Aarey police station. The magistrate court remanded Warik to police custody till Thursday. Im finally on my way home to Wisconsin from Santiago, Chile, by way of a connection in Dallas/Fort Worth. Our final morning in San Pedro was spent exploring otherworldly landscapes in the Valle de la Luna (otherwise known as the Valley of the Moon), which ranged from huge, untouched sand dunes to literal pillars of salt and hills rich with sparkling gypsum. The drive back to the airport in Calama was beautiful, and our final dinner in Santiago following the flight back was full of lively discussion, touching on subjects that included our experiences in the program and how we might improve it (generally, ambassadors argued for more days to fit in all the extra activities and outreach theyd like to see happen). Monday morning saw the ambassadors gathered one final time in our Santiago hotel, where the topics of discussion were both the days behind us and the future to come. The group of people Ive spent the past 10 days with has become a family, a close-knit group of people whose individual strengths, interests, and knowledge have built upon each other and brought us continually closer together. Weve eagerly discussed ideas for outreach and education upon our return home, from the development of new astronomy and physics curricula and the design of unique planetarium shows to several scheduled talks, blogs, and written articles (including the feature story appearing in an upcoming issue of Astronomy magazine). We enjoyed one last lunch together before splitting up, one group of us (including myself) heading to the airport, while others planned to spend additional days exploring all that Santiago and the surrounding area has to offer. The ACEAP program is a truly unique, enriching, and inspiring experience. The ambassadors are carefully chosen, and each feels honored, humbled, and excited to become a part of the ever-growing ACEAP family that spans both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The purpose of this program isnt simply to show astronomy educators and outreach coordinators how the great American astronomical facilities in Chile function, but also to highlight the true purpose behind their existence in the first place. The heart of astronomy is the astronomers who look up at the sky and question it, and I dont necessarily mean astronomers in the traditional Ph.D. sense. Everyone who has ever wondered about the sky and wanted to know more about it can be called an astronomer, and continuing to inspire individuals to cast their eyes upward is a valuable, necessary, and honorable endeavor. The 2017 ACEAP teams goal is now to further that endeavor through new projects, partnerships, and ideas. I, for one, cant wait to see and be a part of the result. Mustafa Dossa, one of the convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, died on Wednesday in Mumbais JJ Hospital, where he was admitted following high fever and hypertension. While over 1,20,000kg or 120 tons of trash onto Juhu beach, owing to untreated sewage and garbage being discharge from creeks, BEST has added 85 new buses to its fleet. making the monsoon commute smoother. The first seat allotment list for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was released early on Wednesday morning. Also, the Shiv Sena said that while Modi has been assertive about where India stands on global terror attacks, the situation in Kashmir is steadily worsening. Here are todays top five picks: 1. 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Mustafa Dossa dies in hospital Mustafa Dossa, one of the convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, died on Wednesday in Mumbais JJ Hospital, where he was admitted following high fever and hypertension. Mustafa Dossa died due to cardiac arrest today at 2.30pm, said hospital dean TP Lahane. 2. More than 120 tons of trash washes ashore Mumbais Juhu beach over past 3 days: BMC Heavy downpour in the city over the past three days washed ashore 1,20,000kg or 120 tons of trash onto Juhu beach, owing to untreated sewage and garbage being discharge from creeks. Civic body officials from K (West) ward said that over 40,000kg of garbage, mostly comprising plastic, was washed ashore on the beach on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. 3. Mumbai commute to get smoother: BEST adds 185 new buses to its fleet Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has added 185 new buses to its fleet. These buses, with centralised roof-mounted ventilation systems, clutch-free automatic transmission, and onboard mobile charging points are slightly better than the existing ones, said BEST officials. The passengers are happy with the new buses as they have wider doors, are well-lit and have ample leg room, besides other features. 4. IIT first seat allotment list out, most students in top 100 ranks want to study in IIT Bombay The first seat allotment list for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was released early on Wednesday morning. Majority of the students in the top 100 ranks had opted for IIT-Bombay as their first preference and have been placed in the same institute. 5. PM Narendra Modi talks of surgical strikes while situation in Kashmir worsens: Shiv Sena Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been assertive about where India stands on global terror attacks, however, the situation in Kashmir is steadily worsening, said the Shiv Sena on Wednesday. The partys statement comes after Modi, during a visit to America, said Indias surgical strikes showed the world that our country can exercise self control, but also show its might. The Vidarbha Rajya Sangharsha Samiti will launch an aggressive movement to demand that Vidarbha the eastern region of Maharashtra be made a separate state. From August 9, the group plans to demand that Union minister Nitin Gadkari and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs resign for failing to fulfil their election promises regarding this issue. At a meeting chaired by former deputy speaker of the Maharashtra state Assembly, Moreshwar Temurde, the samiti decided to stage demonstrations in front of Gadkaris house. Former legislator Wamanrao Chatap, Shetkari Sanghatana leader Ram Neole, noted economist Dr Srinivas Khandewale and former director general of police Prabir Chakraborty attended the meeting. Not a new issue The demand that Vidarbha be made a separate state is an old one. It cropped up much before the demand for a separate Telangana. It was first raised in the 1930s. On October 1, 1938, the then central province legislature passed a unanimous resolution to set up a Maha-Vidarbha state, comprising Vidarbha and its neighbouring districts of Chhindwada, Balaghat, Seoni and Betul, which is now in Madhya Pradesh. When the leaders of united Maharashtra argued for a single Marathi-speaking state, the Fazal Ali commission of state reorganisation commission recommended a separate Vidarbha. However, it was merged with Maharashtra in 1960 after an agreement with the leaders of western Maharashtra and Vidarbha, known as Nagpur Pact. Members also called for the resignation of Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir, saying he ignored their demands after coming to power in 2014. The BJP-Sena alliance won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats from the region, with the BJP winning six and the Shiv Sena, four. During the state elections, the BJP won the most seats 44 of 62 in Vidarbha, by promising to make it a separate state. Gadkari and other BJP leaders had submitted a written undertaking of this promise, said the samiti. Gadkari and many BJP members had said Vidarbha would only experience growth if it was a separate state. However, they have now said that they will work to develop this backward region, which should stay a part of Maharashtra. Dr Khandewale, a core-committee member of the samiti, said the organisation would stage protests outside the homes of BJP MPs on August 9, which is celebrated as Kranti Din. Earlier, former advocate general of Maharashtra, Shrihari Aney, had asked the Centre to hold a referendum on the issue of a separate statehood for Vidarbha. He had said that if 51% voted in favour of a separate state, the Centre must accept their demands. State BJP spokesperson Shweta Shalini said her party was in favour of smaller states, however, a separate Vidarbha was not now on its immediate agenda. Speaking to reporters at Buldhana, she said the BJP was focusing on development in Maharashtra and would not press for a separate Vidarbha. Maharashtras finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar will meet union finance minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi later today with a request to give a direction to the Reserve Bank of India to allow a loan of Rs34,000 crore from nationalised banks with the repayment staggered over the next four years. The Centre has already refused any financial aid to the government led by the BJPs Devendra Fadnavis. The Maharashtra government, reeling under a debt burden of over Rs4 lakh crore, wants to avoid paying for entire loan waiver for 40 lakh farmers at one go in the current financial year. The Maharashtra government has now begun to tap the sources to raise the loans. During his meeting with Jaitley, Mungantiwar will request him to facilitate the loan of Rs34,000 crore at of 7-7.5% interest from various nationalised banks. He will also seek its deferred repayment over next four years so that the burden on the state exchequer is not more than Rs10,000 crore every year. Significantly, state finance department had cautioned the government that raising funds would be difficult if the loan waiver amount went beyond Rs15,000 crore. We are requesting the Centre for the loan with staggered option which will result in the repayment of about Rs10,000 crore a year including the interest. If the request is conceded by the Central bank, there would be no need of more than 15% cut to the development fund in the annual budget. We will raise the rest of the amount from other sources and by saving through austerity measures, Mungantiwar said. However, if the Centre refuses to help the state government, the latter would face a stiff challenge, said state finance officials. In such a scenario, the government will have to cut the state budget by more than 25%. It will have to raise a loan of Rs16000 crore in addition. Besides the additional loan, we will raise Rs5000 crore from savings, Rs5000 crore from non tax revenues and rest from other sources, the minister said. The government has planned to constitute a non-banking finance corporation (NBFC) to park the additional funds with government undertakings which are currently deposited with nationalised banks. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Virar police arrested a man from a group, which allegedly gang-raped a minor in a Nalasopara jungle. The 15-year-old said that she had been raped by two men for three days, after which she managed to escape. Two other accused, one of whom is a woman, are absconding. The girl stays with her mother in Virar. On June 23, her friend offered to take her for an outing. She agreed and they took an auto-rickshaw, where the two men were already present. The minors friend introduced one of them as her boyfriend and said that he would accompany them. The vehicle took them on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway, said Jayant Bajbale, deputy superintendent of police, Virar. At Moregaon in Nalasopara, she was forced into a hut where she was raped by the two men for three days, while the woman kept watch. She eventually managed to escape. When the girl did not return home, her mother registered a case of kidnapping with us, said Bajbale. On Tuesday, she came home and narrated her ordeal. Her mother registered another complaint. We registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and also the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The police then arrested one of the accused, who has been remanded in police custody. We are looking for the other two. The girls medical report has confirmed that she had been raped, said Bajbale. READ MORE Mumbai murder: Spurned man kills married friend after she rejects his sexual advances 45-year-old school teacher held for raping, impregnating minor student in Navi Mumbai Heavy downpour in the city over the past three days washed ashore 1,20,000kg or 120 tons of trash onto Juhu beach, owing to untreated sewage and garbage being discharge from creeks. Civic body officials from K (West) ward said that over 40,000kg of garbage, mostly comprising plastic, was washed ashore on the beach on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. All wards along the citys coastline are facing a serious garbage crisis as slums that dump their trash over the year lands up on the beaches during the monsoon season, said Prashant Gaikwad, ward officer. We have deployed two manual beach cleaning machines, two excavator machines and 40 labourers at the site for cleaning activity. He added that anticipating such a situation, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMC) solid waste management department had installed screens (nets) to trap plastics and microplastics at all pumping stations in the city. This has helped us a lot this year. However, we are still clearing two truckloads of trash every day from Juhu and Versova. The trash over the last few days has been extremely high. Residents from Juhu said that the garbage could lead to health problems in the area. Apart from plastic, the sea has been throwing trash that includes needles, syringes and many other discards from hospitals. This poses a serious health concern to citizens taking morning walks or jogs at the beach, said Hansel DSouza, activist and president, Juhu Citizens Welfare Group. The civic body has been spending Rs2,600 crore from the tax payers money for beach cleanups but it has yielded zero results. After conducting a detailed survey of the source of the trash, Dsouza identified seven areas Mora village, Khar Danda, Kapas wadi, Prem Nagar, Nehru Nagar slums, Guzdarbund slums and Juhu Koliwada - from where the sewage enters the sea and lands up on the beach. Officials from the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) said that they will be assisting BMC in the cleanup. Under our Nirmal Sagar Tat Abhiayaan, we will provide facilities to BMC to cleanup plastic strewn beaches under the Versova cleanup model. However, if the civic body can just take the cleanup a step further by removing trash through the year from creeks and marine outfalls, the problem will seize to exist, said Atul Patne, chief executive officer, MMB. Beach cleanup crusader Afroz Shah who has removed 5.6 million kg trash from Versova along with residents over 90 weeks said that only a peoples movement can change the current circumstances. Clearing trash that is stuck to the sand for years is extremely difficult. Citizens need to conduct regular beach cleanup drives by hiring their own machines and equipment so that trash is regularly pulled out and a lot of sand is not lost, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has added185 new buses to its fleet. These buses, with centralised roof-mounted ventilation systems, clutch-free automatic transmission, and onboard mobile charging points are slightly better than the existing ones, said BEST officials The passengers are happy with the new buses as they have wider doors, are well-lit and have ample leg room, besides other features. The drivers also liked the clutch free automatic transmission, which make driving through Mumbais traffic smoother, officials said. Initially, BEST was supposed to buy 303 buses with a revamped design from Tata Motors. Each bus costs around Rs55 crore. We have received 185 of the 303 buses from the manufacturers, said Hanumant Gophane, public relations officer, BEST. The decision on the remaining 118 buses is still on hold, due to financial constraints. The transport body is also expected to get the first batch of five hybrid electric air-conditioned buses from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for plying, next month. With the induction of 185 new buses, ithe number of buses in BESTs fleet has gone up to 3785, which includes 122 double decker, 468 midi (smaller) and 266 air conditioned buses. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former media entrepreneur Indrani Mukerjea, the main accused in the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, will be produced before CBI court today. She had, on Tuesday, filed an application saying she was beaten up by authorities in Byculla Jail during a protest by prisoners against the brutal assault on a murder convict on Friday last week. The murder convict died in the attack. Mukerjeas lawyer had told the court that bruise marks could be seen all over her body after she was assaulted by the jail staff along with the other inmates, after they protested the death of 38-year-old Manjula Shetye. Read: Murder in Mumbai jail: Human rights panel seeks report in 2 weeks Shetyes death triggered a violent protest and around 200 inmates, including Mukerjea, climbed up the prisons terrace and began protesting against the incident. They also allegedly hurt prison staff and damaged property. Police have registered a complaint against the 200 inmates, including Mukerjea, for rioting, assault and mischief. Read: Mumbai jail riot: Indrani Mukerjea tells court she was beaten up in prison Mukerjea has already recorded a statement before the investigating team about the incident, in which the jail staff had allegedly thrashed and inserted a baton inside the private parts of Shetye, who later died because of the severe injuries. Police have booked six jail officials for the death. Shetyes post-mortem examination report from JJ Hospital said she had about 11 to 13 contusions all over her body. The dean of the hospital, TP Lahane, said the womans lungs were damaged. The police registered a case after receiving the report on Saturday. Read: Arrest Mumbai jail officials who thrashed woman convict, inserted lathi in her private parts, say lawyers A fortnight after Mumbai Metro One Private Limited, slashed the discount on return journey fares, the Reliance Infrastructure-led company said it was well within its rights to modify discounts and promotions. MMOPLs move on June 12 left passengers fuming. The prices of tokens for return journeys went up by Rs5 to Rs10, while those of passes rose by Rs75 to Rs450. In a reply to the notice issued by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which holds 26% equity in MMOPL, said the change in fare structure did not amount to disregarding the Bombay high courts order. In our reply to the MMRDA on June 22, we have contended that our right to fix the fare on the initial opening of the project is in accordance with the provisions of Metro Railways (Operation& Maintenance) Act, 2002, said a Mumbai Metro One spokesperson. The MMRDA and MMOPL have been in dispute over the fare structure of the 11.4-km Metro line since 2014. The HC has put a stay on any increase of the existing fares. It is a grey area. They have tweaked the discounts, which is their right, and have not altered the slabs. Now if the HC takes cognizance of this when the hearing commences, its a different matter, an MMRDA official said. The MMOPL spokesperson added that the promotions and discounts were offered to commuters as a business proposition. The modification does not amount to altering the fare fixed by MMOPL at the initial opening of the project, which remains unchanged. Nor does it amount to contravention of any Bombay high court, the spokesperson added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Supporting nationwide protests against community-targeted mob lynchings, Mumbai activists, filmmakers, homemakers and social media figures will stage a protest at Carter Road in Bandra (West) at 5 pm on Wednesday. Protesters will march silently, holding posters and placards bearing slogans. There is a cancer in this country. I am protesting to prevent it from spreading. We will hold another protest on July 3. The venue is yet to be decided, said Satyen Bordoloi, a film-maker. The movement gained traction after Saba Dewan, a documentary filmmaker, posted on Facebook about a protest she wanted to initiate at Jantar Mantar, Delhi. The post convinced thousands of people to stage similar marches at Kolkata, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore. Hundreds pledged to attend todays protest. Vivek Sundara, member of the Bandra West Residents Association, said he hopes the turnout will be good. Not many people attend such events, but I hope to see at least 100 today, he said. The campaign started with the hashtag #NotInMyName. Journalists, actors and members of opposition parties responded favourably to the campaigns promise to reclaim the Constitution and resist the onslaught on the right to life and equality, said Dewan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been assertive about where India stands on global terror attacks, however, the situation in Kashmir is steadily worsening, said the Shiv Sena on Wednesday. The partys statement comes after Modi, during a visit to America, said Indias surgical strikes showed the world that our country can exercise self control, but also show its might. What are surgical strikes? Surgical strikes were launched on September 29 last year as a response to an attack by Pakistan-based terrorists on an Indian Army base in Kashmirs Uri. As many as 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the attack. The party added that even as Modi tries to change the face of India globally, internal security is a cause for concern. Modis statement on surgical strikes carries a lot of weight. However, even after the strikes, terrorist activities from Pakistan have continued and our soldiers are getting martyred, read an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana. During Eid, Pakistani flags were hoisted and pro-Pakistani slogans were raised in Kashmir, it claimed. US President Donald Trump has assured India of its support to counter terrorism. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton made the same promises. However, it needs to be ascertained how much they actually helped, read the editorial. The party added that lakhs of Indians were on the verge of losing their jobs in the US owing to Trumps new policies. We hope that the Modi-Trump meet leads to a solution, it said. Until now, Chinese troops would enter Arunachal Pradesh and Leh. Now, they have entered Sikkim and destroyed two Indian bunkers. This is shocking, it said. Monday, June 19, 2017, commenced day two of the Starmus Festival with a bang. TV star and physics professor Brian Cox, along with his partner in crime Robin Ince, kicked off the festivities with a live taping on the main stage of the Infinite Monkey Cage BBC4 radio podcast show, which was delightful. Brian and Robin hosted four astronauts: Charlie Duke, Sandy Magnus, Claude Nicollier, and Terry Virts, and talked about a huge range of space exploration topics that left the audience amazed. It was an energized way to start the day. Following lunch, the whole body of 2,500 attendees filed back into the main auditorium to hear the opening ceremony and then talks chaired on this day by Bob Williams, Starmus Board Member and former director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, the institution that operates the Hubble Space Telescope. First up was an incredible panel discussion featuring 11 Nobel Prize laureates on the stage together at one time: May-Britt Moser, Robert Wilson, Edvard Moser, George Smoot, Adam Riess, Finn Kydland, Susumu Tonegawa, Chris Pissarides, Torsten Wiesel, Tim Hunt, and Stefan Hell. Their ideas and observations about science and where its going were certainly eye-opening and indicate a healthy vision of the future of spreading real knowledge in the world. The panel was moderated by Adam Smith. The first speaker was Jack Schmitt, the only scientist to travel to the Moon and the last human to talk on the Moon during Apollo 17. His talk on the adventures, trials, and tribulations of the final Apollo mission was simply stunning, leaving the audience with a profound vision of what it was like to be on the lunar surface. Following Jack came the Nobel Prize winning cosmologist George Smoot, who co-confirmed the cosmic microwave background radiation with the COBE satellite, speaking on a complete history of the cosmos and our understanding of its origin and fate. And in a nicely related followup, Nobel Prize winner Adam Riess, recognized as a codiscoverer of dark energy, spoke on cosmic expansion and the mystery of dark energy, and what it means for the future history of the cosmos. And then Brian Greene of Columbia University took over and discussed the wild possibilities of string theory. Following dinner, the group traveled to Trondheims largest cinema to watch a film premiere, The Spacewalker, which was made about Alexei Leonov, the Starmus Board Member who was the first human to walk in space. It was a breathtaking production. As with every day at Starmus, the day was long almost unending and everyone was simply exhausted but incredibly happy at the end of it all. We had a midnight drink on the hotel roof, and the Trondheim sky was nearly as bright as midday. Motorists in the city are likely to experience bumpy rides on the Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH) as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has scrapped bids to carry out pre-monsoon repairs on the two arterial roads. The MMRDA, which was given the responsibility to take care of the two express highways in May, scrapped the bids worth Rs13 crore after they attempted four times to get contractors and failed. Lakhs of commuters use these roads daily. Projects to repair roads before the monsoon have been scrapped. Now, the repairs will be carried out after monsoon, Dilip Kawathkar, deputy metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA. He added that they had finished de-silting nullahs adjacent to the express highways. Senior MMRDA officials said that another reason for scrapping the projects was that it is too late to carry out repairs as the monsoon had set in. Every monsoon, the two arterial roads are riddled with potholes which slows down traffic. However, MMRDA officials said that they would monitor the roads and repair potholes at regular intervals. The situation could worsen this year as a part of the western express highway has been barricaded for construction of Metro. We invited bids for repairs and divided the highways into stretches but no contractors came forward. The main reason for such a poor response was the ban on the quarries in Thane which has resulted in a severe shortage of construction material, said an official on condition of anonymity. Since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned quarrying in Thane, there has been a shortage of construction material. The official added that the contractors have had to source construction material from far-flung areas such as Raigad or Palghar, which escalates the cost. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Citing safety concerns for citizens, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday demanded that the Metro 3 works be halted till the end of monsoon. The ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wrote to the government asking it to not dig any pits or trenches related to the Metro work now as it may risk the lives of citizens if they fall into it. While rules restrict BMC from digging trenches before the monsoon, Sena said that the rules should be applicable to all agencies. The state government should stop digging trenches during the rains and the existing ones must be covered up, said Sena leader Yashwant Jadhav. The move was supported by mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. He said, Rules against such work during monsoon should be applicable to all agencies uniformly. The party has attempted to block the state governments efforts on Metro III project several times this year. Earlier, the party delayed signing approvals for hacking of trees in the Aarey Colony for the upcoming metro lines. The special Terrorist And Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act TADA court on Wednesday termed the death of Mustafa Dossa unfortunate and adjourned the case to Friday. Special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi and defense lawyer Farhana Shah told special judge G A Sanap about Dossas death. The court asked the lawyers for more details. An unfortunate incident has taken place and Mustafa dossa has died. Dossa was admitted to JJ Hospital early in the morning on Wednesday. He was declared dead due to cardiac arrest by 2.35pm, Salvi told the court. Shah said that Dossa had not been well and that she was about to file an application to shift him to private hospital for better treatment. However, before she could do so, she received news that he had died. Judge Sanap questioned the defence about Dossas ill health and asked why he had not been told about it earlier. Why did Dossa not complain about his health on Tuesday? I would have asked for a medical examination immediately, the judge said. Dossa was visibly uncomfortable when he arrived in court on Tuesday. Advocate Yug Chaudhary, who was appointed recently to represent him in sentencing arguments, told the court, Dossa seems to be very weak and unwell. I submitted an application to call for his medical report. The court was to hear the plea and pass an order on it on Wednesday. The special public prosecutor finally sought an adjournment and said he would not be able to argue for other convicts. The TADA judge termed it an unfortunate and shocking incident and adjourned the case to Friday. Read 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Mustafa Dossa dies in hospital The lavish life and times of Mustafa Dossa, even inside Mumbais Arthur Road jail SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON While his largesse for his fellow inmates at the Arthur Road Prison earned Mustafa Ahmed Umar Dossa, 57, the respect of a bhai, his colourful lifestyle earned him the sobriquet majnoo, the eternal lover. Even months before he was convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blast case, Dossa was said to be travelling with a woman (purportedly his wife) in the train while being taken to Porbunder in Gujarat for a court appearance in connection with a smuggling case. Similar rumours often followed whenever Dossa, a chronic diabetic and hypertension patient, went for treatment to JJ hospital. Dossa is survived by two wives, three sons and two daughters. Born to a family of oil merchants in Agripada, Mustafa was the second among Ahmad Umars three sons. The Kutchi-Memon Dossa clan controls the wholesale trade at Crawford market. Like his elder sibling, Mohammad, and younger, Haroon, Mustafa, too, was a school dropout and joined his family business in the early 1970s. However, as soon as Mohammad joined hands with gold smuggler Haji Mohammad, in the late 1970s, Mustafa followed suit. It is said Mohammad introduced Tiger Memon, (also a key bomb blast accused), into the smuggling syndicate as a driver, to begin with. Soon after, Mohammad migrated to Dubai to join Dawood Ibrahim. Mustafa, too, fled to the UAE in 1988. Underworld observers said the Dossa familys fortunes changed after Mohammad and Mustafa flooded the black market with gold and electronic goods smuggled from Dubai. The family purchased a radio theatre near Crawford market and built the first electronic goods market in south Mumbai, Manish Market, in its place. In Dubai, too, the Dossa brothers built one of the biggest gold jewellery showrooms at Gold Souk, called Mignas, which is still the familys rice bowl, apart from the earnings from the rent paid by shops at Manish Market. In fact, the top floor of Manish Market was converted into a mosque following Ahmad Umars death, at the instance of Mustafa. Ahmad Umar was a follower of Sufism and the mosque is meant for Barelvi Muslims. Mustafa played a pivotal role in the conspiracy to avenge the 1992 Babri Masjid demolitions by actively aiding in the smuggling of arms and explosives used in the 1993 serial blasts. His run from the law came to an end in March 20, 2003, when he was deported to India and lodged at Arthur Road to face trial in the blasts case. Dossa was the richest inmate at Arthur Road jail in the past 14 years and he seldom missed an opportunity to flaunt his money. In jail, he lived lavishly by allegedly bribing staff with the money provided by his family. His penchant for designer clothes followed him to Arthur Road. He would exercise regularly and the dumbbells he used had been brought from Dubai following a court order. Fellow inmates recall tales of his durbars in jail and how he rewarded his loyalists with expensive gifts and gave a monthly ration to their families. Insiders also talk about his lavish Sheheri (breakfast) and Iftar for more than 300 prisoners during Ramzan for the past 14 years. One of his former fellow inmates at Arthur Road told HT Mustafas generosity was driven by his indomitable desire to maintain his sway over jailbirds. Once he got into a brawl with bomb blast accused Abu Salem and stabbed his face with a sharpened spoon, only because the latter refused to offer him salaam. Recalling his association with Dossa during the 14 long years of trial, special public prosecutor, Ujjwal Nikam said, He was calm and composed in the courtroom during his appearances. However, he indulged in groupism inside the jail. A fellow inmate described how he had brought the formers wrath by offering a Rs500 note to a member of a rival gang, who was in need of money. He [Mustafa] warned me not to mingle with rivals. Its not that he was against my association with that man, he was suspicious about whether I was trying to create my own group of loyalists, said the former detainee, highlighting Mustafas insecure nature. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 27 again registered a case and took over the investigation against the two directors of Webwork Trade Links, an online social trading company. The two were charged with criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery and violation of the Information Technology Act. It is alleged that the business was carried out on lines of a ponzi scheme and the companys directors duped people. The CBI registered the case and has taken over the investigation against the companys two directors Anurag Garg and Sandesh Verma following a May 2 order passed by the Allahabad high court. The high court order came in response to a plea by Ghaziabad resident Amit Kishore Jain. He had earlier lodged a case in the matter at Sector 20 in Noida, but later moved the high court as he suspected that the online business involved a substantial amount. As the Noida police could not handle the case properly, I moved the high court. Both the accused were also arrested. I suspect that the scam may run up to Rs500 crore, so it was appropriate for an agency such as the CBI to investigate, Jain said. Read more: Ghaziabad-based complainant in Webwork case asks UP police for security Jain had lodged an FIR, naming Garg and Verma, with the Noida police on February 12 this year. In his complaint, Jain had alleged that the officials of the company transacted in Indian currency till December 2016 and then suddenly stopped payment and told all its customers, through messages on the website, to transact in digital payment system Bitcoin, which is not valid in India. During the course of their investigation, police had said that Jain had invested Rs3.5 lakh with Webwork, as per their scheme. He got returns for a few days, but later the web portal stopped paying him. The firm used to ask people to invest Rs11,000 to Rs57,500 in order to become a publisher in the company. The company subsequently sent links of websites to be liked by a publisher to make a profit. Like the case of Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited, which had allegedly duped over seven lakh people, Webwork allegedly paid people Rs6 per Facebook like for a certain period. Both Garg and Verma were arrested by the Noida police in February. They had told the police that they had even paid Rs1.15 crore to a Bollywood actor for promoting them and spent Rs1 crore on the promotion of a movie starring another actor. In the May 2 order asking the CBI to take over the case, a bench of justices UC Srivastava and Ramesh Sinha of the Allahabad high court, said, Thus, we are of the opinion that a large number of people have been duped by the company in question of their investments by playing fraud on them and the matter appears to be of national importance and for doing complete justice between the parties and to instilling confidence in the public mind, we deem it proper to entrust investigation of the case to the CBI (sic). Giving the CBI a month to complete the necessary formalities, the high court bench has also directed the agency to submit a report of the investigation by August 25. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Three minor boys who were flying kite after the brief spell of rain on Wednesday sustained severe burn injuries after they were electrocuted on coming in contact with a high-capacity 132 Kv electricity transmission line. The incident took place in a park at Lal Quarter locality of Ghaziabad and the three boys were rushed to the hospital. The three boys were identified as Manpreet Singh, 14, Navjot Singh, 9, and Bhavya, 10. According to a neighbour of the victims, who spotted the incident and rushed the three boys to a hospital, the incident took place around 5.30pm while the boys were flying a kite and holding a long string that got entangled with the transmission lines. I heard them shout and rushed to the spot. They sustained burns on their face, hands and other parts of the body. Two of them were later rushed to Delhi by their families. The third one was admitted to a hospital in Ghaziabad, said Mohammad Javed, their neighbour. It is probable that they got electrocuted as the kite string and the park that the boys were in were wet, which caused an electric shock. Even the ground of the park that was covered with grass was wet and the three were standing next to each other, he said. The doctor at Sarvodaya Hospital said that Navjot was under treatment at the hospital and he had sustained nearly 15% burn injuries. He suffered burns to his face, legs and hands. We are giving him treatment and he is stable. The boy said that their kite and string got entangled with the transmission line and they suffered a shock. Such incidents usually take place during rains. The other two boys were not admitted to our hospital and taken to Delhi by their families, said Dr Sanjay Mishra, the doctor attending to the case. Officials of the electricity department said that the 132 Kv transmission line feeds the diesel powerhouse substation from Murad Nagar. The transmission line is maintained by the transmission department. However, there is no negligence on part of the department as such, despite the fact that incident was a tragic one. It is quite possible that they may have been using Chinese manjha, which got wet and led to electric shock from the high capacity lines, Siddharth Mishra, executive engineer, Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON To recover its dues from outstanding power bills, the electricity department has decided to launch a name and shame campaign. Officials said that the names of top 10 or 20 defaulters would be put up on hoardings in public places and major intersections. According to officials, the electricity department is to recover a due of nearly Rs700 crore from the Ghaziabad zone, which comprises Ghaziabad, Hapur and Bulandshahr. This also includes the due of Rs18.25 crore from the trans-Hindon and Rs 26 crore from cis-Hindon areas. Besides the two circles, we also have to recover an outstanding amount of nearly Rs172 crore from Loni circle. Another Rs 66 crore is pending from Modi Nagar, Murad Nagar and Pilkhuwa. Earlier, we had launched a one-time settlement scheme, under which 82,341 consumers cleared their dues, SK Gupta, chief engineer of Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, said. We have decided to launch the name and shame scheme to recover the dues. In this campaign, the names of top defaulters will be displayed in public. This will urge them to clear their outstanding bills. The superintending engineers of areas concerned have been asked to prepare a list and initiate the process, he said. Officials said that those with outstanding bills in trans-Hindon areas, which comprises Indirapuram, Vaishali, Sahibabad and Vasundhara, and cis-Hindon region, which comprises old city areas, are being cleared and the due amount is expected to decrease. According to official estimates, the two circles generate an average monthly revenue of nearly Rs120-125 crore. Officials said that the trans-Hindon has 23,948 defaulters while the cis-Hindon circle has 2,208 defaulters, as per their data. These include residential, industrial and commercial consumers, officials said. Before starting the name and shame scheme, we are serving notices to defaulters. In case they fail to respond to the notice and clear their dues, we will initiate the scheme from July 5 to July 15. We will soon decide whether the hoardings will contain the names of top 10 or 20 defaulters, an official said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The state government has come up with an online portal for the anti-land mafia task force set up in various districts to put up daily updates on regarding action taken against those involved in illegal land deals and encroachment. The portal, which was launched on June 24 by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, is meant to ensure better coordination between the state government agencies working against the land mafia. However, it is not open to the public yet. According to district magistrate BN Singh, who heads the states task force in Gautam Budh Nagar, all details related to land mafia will be updated on the portal and regular meetings will be held between the agencies involved. The government will take all possible action against persons found disrupting public orders regarding land and those booked for encroachment will be made to pay for the loss borne by the government for the period that land was encroached upon, he said. The government will also attach movable and immovable properties of persons identified as part of the land mafia, he added. Read more: Ghaziabad officials attempt to revive ponds, to act against land mafia The DM said on Wednesday said that their first report on land mafia in the district is ready in which they have divided data in three categories gram sabha, land mafia members identified and encroachment on government property. In the gram sabha category, officials have found that 263.0565 hectares (ha) is illegally encroached upon, 2,693 encroachers have been identified and 307 cases booked under Section 67 of the Land Transfer Act. Three FIRs have been registered and 47.3432 ha freed from encroachment, according to figures released by the district administration. In the category of land mafia members identified, officials have identified 43 members, one of whom has criminal cases registered against him. Two civil cases of encroachment were also found. A total of 2.061 ha of the 27.5886 ha encroached upon by these persons has been freed. In the third category, agencies have identified 69.7434 ha government land under encroachment, 286 encroachers, 21 cases registered under various sections, one FIR and 62.982 hectares freed. We want to make a strong case against the land mafia and have written to the districts three industrial authorities and the police, revenue and irrigation departments to identify government and private land encroached upon. We have also asked them to identify the 10 top players of land mafia in their jurisdiction, he added. Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Love Kumar, who has asked his department to come down heavily on encroachers, said every police station will submit to him a report about encroached land in their area and names of people notorious for their involvement. The report will then be forwarded to the DM. HT had earlier reported that character certificates of people who have links with the land mafia will be cancelled. A character certificate is required to get into any kind of legal contract. It is valid for two years and is issued from the collectors office The government is also going to review arms licences of people who have encroached government or private land. With the likelihood of a normal south-west monsoon, higher grain production during the kharif or summer season is in prospect. Normal rainfall will ensure that the overall sown area for foodgrain, pulses, soyabean, sugarcane and other summer crops will be similar if not higher than last year. The big question, however, is whether another bumper kharif crop season due to good rainfall benefits the farming community at large? If so, this will perhaps be the best news for the BJP-led NDA government that is confronted with the challenge of dealing with an agrarian crisis. On the face of it, higher grain production during the kharif season boosts farmer incomes. Higher income, in turn, stimulates demand for FMCGs, tractors etc and raise overall industrial and GDP growth with a lag of a year. Good rains will, therefore, reinforce the current robust growth momentum of the economy. But higher crop production need not be associated with rural prosperity. Last year, a bumper crop production went along with an across-the-board crash in foodgrain, fruit and vegetable prices a deflationary process that devastated farmer livelihoods. Unfortunately, farm prices remain lower this year as well. This has a crucial influence on the sort of crops farmers will sow in the current kharif season. Amid strong signs of food deflation, indications are that they are expanding acreage under non-food crops like cotton and sugarcane and devoting less for pulses, jute and mesta. Sugarcane responds to higher state advised prices announced by governments. Sowing and transplanting of paddy is only marginally up according to the ministry of agriculture. A better picture will emerge when sowing operations step up in July. Why are farm prices depressed? Economists typically argue that falling food prices reflect demand-supply mismatches. When farmers reap record harvests, prices are bound to collapse with excess production. The opposite holds if there are severe shortages and prices spiral upwards. But the State heavily intervenes in Indian agriculture by providing minimum support prices for wheat, rice and several other major crops. However, in recent years, these MSPs have failed to keep pace with rising input costs of crop cultivation making farming an increasingly unviable proposition. However, the proximate cause for the 2016-17 price crash was demonetisation. Agriculture was adversely impacted when the cash economy dried up. Then and now, cash is needed for seeds and fertilisers, the latter which will be much costlier after the GST kicks in from July 1. With many small and marginal farmers not having access to institutional sources of finance, they have no option but to borrow from usurious money lenders. Thus while overall sowing during the kharif season goes up, there will be a long debt trail to it. To be sure, the government has sought to address farmer grievances through higher MSPs for 15 crops, but many of these crops are currently selling below the MSP. Many state governments are responding by announcing loan waivers which they cannot afford. Loan waivers do not address the crisis of farming. They benefit only the large farmers and not small and marginal cultivators. Distress will continue to haunt the countryside if this years season of plenty due to good rains adversely impacts price realisations like last year. Whether the cash economy is indeed back to normal is also a big imponderable that has a bearing on the fortunes of kharif 2017. N Chandra Mohan is an economics and business commentator based in New Delhi The views expressed are personal Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was meeting United States President Donald Trump at the White House, Beijing ratcheted up pressure on New Delhi by officially publicising a military standoff at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. The shadow of Chinas muscle flexing over the Modi-Trump discussions paralleled what happened when Chinese President Xi Jinping paid an official visit to India in 2014. Xi arrived on Modis birthday bearing an unusual gift for his host a major Chinese military encroachment into Ladakhs Chumar region. And Chinese Premier Li Keqiangs 2013 visit was preceded by a 19-kilometre incursion into Ladakhs Depsang Plateau. In Chinas Sun Tsu-style strategy, diplomacy and military pressure, as well as soft and hard tactics, go hand-in-hand. In the same way, Chinas xenophobic nationalism goes hand-in-hand with its economic globalisation project. China has held border talks with India while its forces perched on the upper heights of the Tibetan massif have staged fresh incursions. In Beijings view, India is a critical swing State that increasingly is moving to the US camp, undercutting Xis ambition to establish a Sino-centric Asia through an expanded tianxia system of the 15th century. Given Indias vantage geographical location, China needs its participation to plug key gaps in Xis One Belt, One Road (OBOR) project. But India not only boycotted Xis OBOR summit but has also portrayed OBOR as an opaque, neo-colonial enterprise seeking to ensnare smaller, cash-strapped states in a debt trap. China may have orchestrated the Sikkim standoff not so much to cast a shadow over the Modi-Trump discussions as to warn Modi that his increasing tilt toward the US will carry long-term costs. China is already stepping up its direct and surrogate threats against India. One example is the proliferation of incursions and other border incidents since the 2005 India-US nuclear deal, which laid out a strategic framework for the US to co-opt India. China is also waging a psy-war through media. With Chinese forces aggressively seeking to nibble away at Indian territory, Indias Himalayan challenge has been compounded by a lack of an integrated approach that blends military, economic and diplomatic elements into a coherent strategy. Modi, for example, has allowed Chinas trade surplus with India to double on his watch to almost $60 billion. By comparison, Indias trade surplus with the US is about half of that, yet Trump wants urgent Indian action to balance the two-way trade. By importing $5 worth of goods from China for every $1 worth of exports to it, India not only rewards Chinese belligerence but also foots the bill for Beijings encirclement strategy. Beijings annual trade surplus with India is large enough for it to finance one China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) every calendar year and still have a few billion dollars to spare. Indias most powerful weapon against China is trade. Given Chinas proclivity to deploy trade as a political weapon, as against South Korea in the latest case, why doesnt India take a page out of the Chinese playbook? India also needs to eschew accommodating rhetoric that plays into Chinas hands. Modis recent statement that despite the boundary dispute not a single bullet has been fired was music to Chinese ears, with Beijing going out of its way to welcome it. In truth, Chinas bullet-less Himalayan aggression, as the Sikkim episode demonstrates, is similar to the way it has expanded its control in the South China Sea. Indian statements should not give comfort to an adversary that employs furtive, creeping actions to alter the frontier bit by bit. Meanwhile, China, by arbitrarily suspending Indians pilgrimage to the sacred duo of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarover, is reminding New Delhi to review its Tibet policy. To blunt Chinas Tibet-linked claims to Indian territories and to defend against the growing Chinese pressure, India must subtly reopen Tibet as an outstanding issue. Theoretically, India has a better historical claim to Kailash-Manasarover than China has to Arunachal Pradesh, where no Han Chinese set foot until the 1962 invasion. Make no mistake: Despite the cosy ties with Washington, India, essentially, is on its own against China. It needs to bolster its border defences and boost its nuclear and missile deterrent capabilities. The US, with a price tag of up to $3 billion, is offering 22 unarmed MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance, not the hunter-killer UAVs India needs to counter the emerging Indian Ocean threat from China. By investing that kind of money, India could develop potent new deterrent instruments against China intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and long-range cruise missiles, the symbols of power in todays world. Brahma Chellaney is a geostrategist and author The views expressed are personal Those who follow food trends are no doubt aware of the fact that Americans are turning their attention to healthier eating. Processed food is becoming passe as consumers turn to clean eating as a way to focus on health and wellness. Spoons Cafe is just one eatery that has responded to customers demand for healthier fare with a focus on food thats fresh and non-processed. Menu selections are devoid of nitrates, MSG and high fructose corn syrup, and meats are smoked and carved on site. The cozy bistro operates in a historic home tucked among the galleries and shops on West Pomfret Street in Carlisles art district. Its obvious upon entering that the residence goes back many years, judging by the well-trodden wooden floors that take customers through the narrow hallway to the room where orders are placed. There, employees prepare a selection of soups, sandwiches and salads. The small, one-page menu, may seem limited at first glimpse, but options abound for customization. The build your own salad starts with greens and includes 16 ingredients from which to choose, ranging from tomatoes, to olives, chick peas, cucumbers, meat, cheese and a selection of nuts, to name a few. I would be remiss not to mention that I witnessed one of the small salads pass my table while I waited for my order, and I can assure you that Spoons doesnt skimp on portions. Sandwiches, too, are made to order with a selection of four breads and two wraps. Meat choices include chicken, chicken salad, ham, roast beef, tuna salad and turkey. Customers can select from six cheeses and 17 condiments, or dressings, making it easy for those who like to switch up their order every now and then. Soups are made from scratch, vary daily and include selections like cream of crab, gluten free tomato basil, meatball macaroni and vegan chili. Customers who have a hard time making up their minds can order a flight of three soup options for $6.50. The restaurants Facebook page lists the daily specials there for those who like to plan their meals in advance. For our lunch selections, we took advantage of the $8.99 special comprised of a half sandwich and a cup of soup. I chose roast beef on white bread, topped with lettuce and pepper jack, onion and horseradish sauce, paired with a cup of cream of crab soup. My dining companion chose tuna and tomato paired with Italian wedding soup. Employees provided us with a number for our table and left us to our own devices to choose a seat either outside on the back patio, in the front, or in the middle room. We chose a bright spot by the window facing the street. While waiting for our lunch, I took the time to read the bio on the resident artist, and admire the paintings that adorn the walls of the cafe. Connor Goodwin, who happens to be the owners son, specializes in portraiture and currently attends the Cleveland Institute of Art. Within 15 minutes, we were ready to focus on the food in front of us. The roast beef on my hearty sandwich was piled high and tender and flavorful. The bread tasted as if it was freshly baked and the crab soup was creamy, thick, rich and filling. My companion enjoyed his lightly dressed tuna salad and the wedding soup with its rich, dark broth crafted with homemade stock. We left both full and satisfied and unable to be tempted by any of the sweet treats like cookies that were available for dessert. If youve yet to experience Spoons, I recommend that you give it a try. For hearty, healthy options served up in a quaint and cozy atmosphere, Spoons serves up all that and more. Up Next: Dinner at Market Cross Pub and Brewery in Carlisle PATNA Chief minister Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday, sought to shift public attention from talks of growing differences in the ruling Grand Alliance (GA) in Bihar, over the question of which presidential nominee to support, by reiterating his commitment to serving the people of the state. Despite all the troubles, I will not back out from the promise of serving the people of Bihar, Kumar said, at an Eid Milan programme organised by Jamait I Hind at the Anjuman Islamia Hall on Ashok Rajpath, in the state capital on Wednesday. He went on to add that he has taken up the task of reforming the society and this could not be completed without the support of people. Kumars statement came at a time when Bihars ruling grand alliance partners the JD (U) and the RJD have been targeting each other. Signs of an imminent crisis surfaced after the third alliance partner, the Congress, joined the debate and targeted Kumar for his wavering stand on whom to back in the presidential poll. Kumars statement about his commitment to the people of Bihar seen as an indication of his desire to put a stop to the war of words with the RJD and, as such, indicative of a thaw in the ties of the two allies which had become turbulent after Kumar extended his support to NDA presidential candidate, Bihar ex-governor Ram Nath Kovind. For one thing, Kumars statement appeared meant to send a signal to GA parties that things were under control. For another, it seemed meant to convey to the people of the state that his government was here to last its full term of five years. The opposition has fielded former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as its presidential candidate, while Kumar has supported NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. This has prompted strong reactions, including from Lalu Prasads son and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. Taken aback over the manner in which Bihar chief minister was targeted from all corners, JD (U) general secretary KC Tyagi, on Tuesday, hinted that the days of the ruling grand alliance in Bihar may be numbered and said chief minister Nitish Kumar was much more comfortable when his party, the JD-U, was an NDA constituent. He said that JD (U) was not a part of the UPA and Congress and the Mahagathbandhan was meant only for Bihar. So, its clear that my party is free to take any decision at the national level, he said. He also warned the alliance partners, RJD and Congress, to desist from criticising Nitish, as his party wont tolerate it. The signs of a thaw, came on Wednesday morning after Tyagi retracted from his statement and went on to say that the alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) would be be there till 2020 and the difference of opinion on the between the two parties over which presidential nominee to back, would not affect their relationship. Our alliance in Bihar is strong. We have different views over the presidential poll, but it has nothing to do with the alliance or the government, he told a news agency. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At least 300 Sikh pilgrims with Pakistani visas were left stranded at the Attari railway station amid heavy rains as the special train to be sent by Pakistan was not allowed by the Government of India at the eleventh hour on Wednesday. The pilgrims were going to Pakistan to observe the death anniversary Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire. They reached Attari station in the morning,but were left dejected. Though the special train was ready on the Pakistani side of the border it wasnt given clearance to reach Attari. The railway authorities said there was no permission from the government of India so the train from Pakistan could not be allowed. The pilgrims who reached Attari station were sent by various organisations, including Bhai Mardana Yaadgari Kirtan Darbar Society (ferozepur), Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Khalra Mission Committee, SAD (Delhi-Sarna faction). The pilgrims raised slogans against the Government of India. It is learnt that the Centre did not allow the jatha to cross over to Pakistan on security grounds. Dr. Jagir Singh who had come from Zira said, We pray that we get a chance to pay obeisance at Sikh shrines in Pakistan. We got the visas but it was disappointing that special train was not allowed to pick us. We had genuine visas issued a week ago. If there was any problem, the government should have informed us in advance. As the pilgrims were upset that they could not go for paying obeisance at gurdwaras in Pakistan, rain and lack of facilities at the station added to their miseries. Another pilgrim Jagjit Singh Bhullar said, This is upsetting that despite having visas the Sikh jatha is not allowed to go to Pakistan. We feel that the Indian Government should not have any trouble as we are just going for pilgrimage. People have come here from all over Punjab and even New Delhi and all are struggling to get suitable answer from authorities. We are just told by rail officials that Special train cannot come as permission is denied by the Ministry of External Affairs. Gurcharan Singh from Barnala said, This is unfortunate. The government must inform in advance rather than harass people and hurt their sentiments. Pilgrims are so keen to visit Pakistani shrines and even got visas but such attitude of the government is upsetting. On June 8, a jatha (group) of 80 pilgrims who had reached Attari station returned dejected when the special train from Pakistan did not turn up. This jatha was to go to Pakistan to observe the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev. The SGPC, which also sends a lot of pilgrims to Pakistan had not got clearance for these jathas due to security reasons. The SGPC this time also had sent 291 passports to the Pakistani embassy but the jatha could not be sent as clearance was denied by the Union home ministry. Of the 300 pilgrims, half left the station by 4pm, while others were waiting in hope. Jathas to Pakistan The SGPC sends four jathas to Pakistan in a year. The biggest jatha goes to Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, in November to celebrate his birth anniversary. In this Jatha, 3,000 pilgrims (SGPC, DSGMC and other organizations) go to Pakistan. Another jatha goes on the harvest festival of Baisakhi in April. The two other jathas leave in May-June on the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire. The SGPC has a quota of 1500 pilgrims for the jatha that goes for Guru Nanak Dev Jis birth anniversary while for other jathas, the SGPC has a quota of 350 pilgrims. As the DSGMC and a couple of other Sikh bodies also have a quota, around 700-800 pilgrims leave for Pakistan during other three jathas. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Taking a strict note of delay in completion of a 250-bedded hospital, approved in 2010, at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Union health secretary CK Mishra on Tuesday ordered the executing agency to finish the project by year-end. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is constructing the hospital near Gate No. 2 (opposite Sector 11) of the premier institute. Even as the project cost has nearly doubled as it has missed several deadlines in the past seven years, when the Union health secretary asked for the projected deadline during a meeting at the PGI, a hospital official said: By 2018. Mishra replied that he wanted the hospital to be ready this year. Why are you taking so long? said the health secretary. Quickly sort out the problems that are leading to regular delays. Get the project ready by December. The hospital is crucial as it will help share the burden of the Nehru building. The 250-bedded hospital will have 80 private rooms, and wards of four departments ENT, radiotherapy, hepatology and endocrinology will be shifted to its building. At the moment, there is an acute shortage of private rooms in the PGIMER. Multiple hurdles The Union ministry of health and family welfare approved the project in 2010 and allotted it to the CPWD. The following year, the executing agency contracted out works amounting to Rs 52.7 crore and set a deadline of 18 months. The work, however, was stopped in 2013. There were two main reasons for the work to stop. The CPWD failed to take environmental clearance. An objection was raised by the Union ministry of environment and forest. Also, the then PGI director, Dr YK Chawla, found 16 services essential for efficient functioning of the hospital missing from the building plan, said a PGI official. The essential services included medical gas pipeline system, additional elevators, connectivity with power substation, mechanical ventilation, hot water supply, modular operation theatre (OT), rainwater harvesting, furniture, control access system for OTs, digital public announcement system, CCTV cameras and emergency lighting. The environment clearance came after another two years. By then the cost of construction had escalated from Rs 92.3 crore to Rs 180 crore. The additional grant was approved by the health ministry in January 2017. It has been five months since we handed over the grant to the CPWD, but no construction work has taken place, said a senior PGIMER administrative official. At last, the PGIMER had to approach the Union health secretary to take up the delay in construction work. The health secretary approached the CPWD director general, and told him to get the work completed by December, he said. Its joint responsibility One of the CPWD chief engineers dealing with the project said: The requirement for 16 additional services was given in December 2013 and the amount (Rs 70 crore) was sanctioned in January 2017. He said it was a joint responsibility of the CPWD and PGIMER to take the environment clearance. The PGIMER had never taken an environment clearance before constructing a building. This was the first time when a project was stopped due to it, he said. When asked why the work has not started despite getting the grant, he said: A few services sought by the PGIMER are too rare. Only three to four hospitals across India have it. So it is taking some time to arrange the facilities. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Last seen in Hindi film Machine, Kiara Advani has hit the jackpot. Amid rumours that she was considered but later dropped for superstar Mahesh Babus upcoming film Bharat Ane Nenu, the actor joined the sets on Tuesday. The project marks her Telugu debut and she has so far been absolutely tight-lipped about the project. After working with popular southern heroines such as Kajal Aggarwal, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Tamannaah, Mahesh has this time gone for someone from Bollywood. He has also previously worked with Kriti Sanon in 1: Nenokkadine. In Bharat Ane Nenu, Mahesh Babu will be seen playing a Chief Minister for the first time in his career. The latest addition to the cast is Tamil actor Sarath Kumar, who will be playing Maheshs father in the film. Although Sarath has starred in a few Telugu films over the years, this will be a huge project in his career. According to reliable sources, his role will be very crucial from the storys perspective. The makers have erected legislative assembly set to shoot crucial portions of the film. It has also been learnt that the makers are keen on giving Mahesh a makeover and are currently contemplating a new look. The project marks the second time collaboration of Mahesh and director Siva post Srimanthudu. Meanwhile, Mahesh awaits the release of A.R Murugadosss Spyder, in which he will be seen playing an Intelligence Bureau officer and he will take bio-terrorism head on. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Malayalam actor Dileep and actor-director Nadir Shah on Wednesday gave their statement to police in the case of the kidnapping of a popular actor earlier this year. They arrived at the Aluva police club on Wednesday noon. Earlier, before leaving his home near here for the police station, Dileep told the media not to twist matters. My only request to all of you is not to twist things... I will no longer be game to any sort of media trial. Shah and Dileep together drove into the club where Additional Director General of Police B Sandhya was waiting to take their statement. Dileep, his manager Appunni and Shah were called to give their statement. In the past few days, the case has taken several twists and turns. On Sunday, the police arrested two persons for blackmailing Dileep and Shah. One of the two is Vishnu, who is alleged to have threatened Dileep and Shah to pay Rs 1.50 crore or else he would reveal their role in the kidnap conspiracy. Vishnu told them there were others in the film industry who have offered him Rs 2 crore for naming Dileep in the case. Last week, Shah told reporters that in March he got a call from Vishnu, who asked him to tell Dileep to cough up Rs 1.50 crore. Dileep had filed a petition against this in April. Dileep had come under fire after he alleged that the actor and her abductor (Pulsar Suni) were friends. On Tuesday, the actor said she was pained by this remark. The hugely popular young actor was kidnapped on February 17 while she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi by road but later dumped near the house of director-turned-actor Lal, who upon hearing her harrowing experience, informed police. She is alleged to have been molested enroute. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Superstar Rajinikanths Kaala has been on the floors for nearly a month now and the makers have shot predominant portion of the film in Mumbai. It has been learnt from reliable sources that the month-long Mumbai schedule will be wrapped up on Thursday, June 29 and the team will head to Chennai to shoot rest of the film. A replica of Dharavi slum has been built in Chennai where the makers will shoot the remaining portion of the film. As the film has been mostly shot against the backdrop of Mumbai, the makers have decided to simultaneously shoot the film in Hindi. If not every scene, those featuring Rajinikanth and some key supporting cast will be shot in Hindi. Unlike Kabali, the film wont be dubbed in Hindi, and Rajinikanth is expected to mouth his lines in Hindi and in Marathi in some key junctures. Also starring Nana Patekar as a politician and Pankaj Tripathi as a cop, the film also features Anjali Patil and Samuthirakani. In the film, being produced by Dhanush, superstar plays a slum-lord-turned-gangster and he will also have lines in Hindi and Marathi. The film is tipped to be made as a Tamil-Hindi bilingual and will also be dubbed in Telugu. The project marks the reunion of director Pa. Ranjith with Rajinikanth after Kabali, and it is believed that Kaala revolves around the lives of oppressed Tamils in Mumbai and their fight for equality. Important sequences of the film will be shot in Chennais schedule where the makers have erected a set of Dharavi set on a budget of over a crore. Santhosh Narayana is scoring the music, while national award-winning Sreekar Prasad will take care of editing. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Girls who experience problematic behaviours from an online dating partner - such as monitoring, control, threats, pressure, or coercion using digital mediums - are more prone to suffering severe emotional consequences than boys, a study says. Although digital dating abuse is potentially harmful for all youths, gender matters, said lead author Lauren Reed, Assistant Project Scientist at University of California-Santa Barbara. The findings showed that girls indicated more frequent digital sexual coercion victimisation. They reported being more upset and had more negative emotional responses when faced with behaviours like pressured to sext (sending a sexual or naked photo), sent a threatening message, looked at private information to check up without permission and monitored whereabouts and activities. Boys often treat girls as sex objects, which contributes to the higher rate of digital sexual coercion, as boys may feel entitled to have sexual power over girls, added Richard Tolman, Professor at the University of Michigan. Girls, on the other hand, are expected to prioritise relationships, which can lead to more jealousy and possessiveness. Thus, they may be more likely to monitor boys activities, Tolman said.For the study, published in the Journal of Adolescence, the team examined the impact of gender on 703 US high school students experience of digital dating abuse behaviours. Both girls and boys reported equal rates of digital monitoring and control, and digital direct aggression. However, when confronted with direct aggression, such as threats and rumour spreading, girls were found to respond by blocking communication with their partner. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Modern-day Hong Kong is best known for its sprawl of skyscrapers, a bustling financial hub off the southern coast of mainland China and a regional conduit for trade. But the territory was once a quiet backwater of rural hamlets and fishing communities, where mountainous terrain dominated sparse human settlement. Heres how the city has changed twenty years since it was handed back to China by former colonial power Britain: Ancient history Remnants of burial grounds and early rock carvings show human life in Hong Kong as far back as the Stone Age. The territory is thought to have come into the fold of the Chinese empire under the Han dynasty between 206 BC and 220 AD. Increasing numbers of Han Chinese from the mainland began to settle in Hong Kong, alongside boat-dwelling communities also thought to have originated from southern China. Trade boom Hong Kongs sheltered main harbour became a place to replenish supplies for trading ships plying the maritime silk road between Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, which flourished from around the 7th century. Besides silk, China exported porcelain and tea and received everything from spices to plants and textiles. Hong Kongs outlying islands were also a haven for Chinese pirates its current territory includes 260 islands, many of them uninhabited. To end the First Opium War and make peace, China agreed to cede Hong Kong Island to Britain in 1841. (Shutterstock) European arrival Portuguese, Dutch and French traders arrived on the south coast of China in the 1500s and Portugal set up a base in Macau, neighbouring Hong Kong. But in the 18th century China imposed restrictions on the Europeans in a bid to contain their influence. Britain was angered after an imperial edict banned its trade in opium from India to China, which had led to the spread of addiction. After Chinese authorities seized a vast haul of the drug, Britain attacked it in 1840 and reached northern China, threatening Beijing, in the First Opium War. To make peace, China agreed to cede Hong Kong Island to Britain in 1841. The Kowloon peninsula followed in 1860 after a second Opium War and Britain extended north into the rural New Territories in 1898, leasing the area for 99 years. British rule Hong Kong was part of the British Empire until 1997, when the lease on the New Territories expired and the entire city was handed back to China. Under British rule, Hong Kong transformed into a commercial and financial hub that became one of the worlds busiest harbours. Anti-colonial sentiment fuelled riots in 1967 which led to some social and political reforms by the time it was handed back to China, the city had a partially elected legislature and retained an independent judiciary. Hong Kong boomed as China opened up its economy from the late 1970s, becoming a gateway between the ascendant power and the rest of the world. Return to China After lengthy negotiations, including between Deng Xiaoping and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the future handover of Hong Kong was signed off by the two sides in 1984. The Sino-British declaration said Hong Kong would be a Special Administrative Region of China, and would retain its freedoms and way of life for 50 years after the handover date on July 1, 1997. While initial fears of a crackdown did not materialise, concerns have grown in recent years that China is tightening its grip on Hong Kong. Democratic reforms promised in the handover deal have not materialised and young activists calling for self-determination or independence have emerged. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Who knew that Mouni Roy, who debuted with Ekta Kapoors drama Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, would be nothing close to her on-screen avatar. The actor has grown to be an Instagram sensation with over 3.1 million followers and her latest pics prove why. Pictures from the 31-year-old Bengali beautys recent trip to Chicago makes us want to book the next flight and head to the dreamy city. Roy is known for her double role in Naagin 2 where she plays the role of a shape-shifting woman who is actually a snake. The second season of the supernatural series has ended and Roy has decided to take time off before she returns with Naagin 3. Be it a capture of the azure sky serving backdrop to her bikini-clad frame or her olive-coloured off-shoulder dress, to call her chic would be an understatement. She gives her fans a peek into her daily routine in Chicago, does yoga at the Wicker Memorial Park, goes shopping and just generally has oodles of fun with her friends and even prays that the writer in her blooms. Humming the heart jazz... A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 27, 2017 at 9:47am PDT A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 26, 2017 at 5:26pm PDT A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 25, 2017 at 10:33pm PDT A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:16pm PDT Zen' ed out after this morning yoga + food = ?? #wannabeyogini With my soni bun @sonakshi_malik A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 22, 2017 at 10:36am PDT This cuddling weather, the saved kisses , standing on her rooftop; imaged in my mind etc etc .. A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 20, 2017 at 8:12pm PDT A post shared by mon (@imouniroy) on Jun 19, 2017 at 10:28pm PDT Follow @htshowbiz for more Its time to grab your blanket or lawn chair and head on over to the 22nd edition of Bluegrass on the Grass. Held annually on the second Saturday in July, the Bluegrass on the Grass festival brings to the stage an enticing line-up of high caliber bluegrass bands, each with their own style and signature sound. This years festival will be held on Saturday, July 8 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Dickinson College campus located at 201 W. High St., in Carlisle. The festival is free. Festival goers will be impressed with the wide variety of music on tap during the festival. Audience members will able to enjoy traditional bluegrass with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and The Dismembered Tennesseans, West Virginia old-time music with The Bing Brothers Band Featuring Jake Krack, an exciting mix of bluegrass and Celtic with Charm City Junction and progressive bluegrass with Mile Twelve. If you dont have time to attend the whole festival, youll still get a chance to enjoy the full line-up and each band will perform twice. The schedule for the day is: The Dismembered Tennesseans at noon and 4:30 p.m., The Bing Brothers Band featuring Jake Krack at 12:45 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mile Twelve at 1:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., Charm City Junction at 2:15 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper at 3 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. When it comes to traditional bluegrass music, nothing compares with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. Michael Cleveland is widely considered to be one of the finest bluegrass fiddlers of his generation and is certainly the most decorated. He has won 10 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Fiddle Player of the Year awards, and his band Flamekeeper has won four IBMA Instrumental Band of the Year Award winners. The group excels at tight vocal harmonies and blazing hot instrumentals. A favorite at the festival for many years, The Dismembered Tennesseans have been playing music together for more than 60 years. They met at a boys school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, started playing together, and never stopped. The band has appeared on stage with many top bluegrass music stars, have been featured on ABCs Peter Jennings Nightly News and the NBC Sunday Today Show, and have played for three Tennessee governors. The Bing Brothers Band featuring Jake Krack are an old-time string band that plays the hard driving traditional music from West Virginia. In 2012 the band won first place in the Old Time Band Contest at the Galax Fiddlers Convention for the third consecutive year, and in 2015 and 2016, Fiddler Jake Krack took first place Old Time Fiddle at The Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention. In 2015, he also was awarded Best All Around Performer. Baltimore-based roots group Charm City Junction is an exciting young group that mixes up bluegrass and old-time music with Celtic jigs and reels. Comprised of four young, talented musicians, they have the unlikely instrumental composition of fiddle, banjo, upright bass and button accordion. Coming from different musical backgrounds, the four members have found a common ground on which to develop their unique approach. Their debut album hit as high as No. 15 on the Folk-DJ Radio Charts. Mile Twelve is a hard driving young band whose music walks the line between progressive and traditional bluegrass. All members are accomplished musicians who have each attended prestigious music schools. Quickly gaining recognition for their outstanding performances in bluegrass and folk circles, the group has performed extensively throughout the United States, Ireland and Canada, including several major festivalsGrey Fox Bluegrass Festival, FreshGrass Festival, Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival and Joe Val Bluegrass Festival. Bluegrass on the Grass attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Food vendors will offer food ranging from French fries to Thai food. The festival will be held rain or shine. To learn more about Bluegrass on the Grass, visit blogs.dickinson.edu/bluegrass A global ransomware attack on Tuesday hit computers at Russias biggest oil company, Ukraines international airport, global shipping firm AP Moller-Maersk and the worlds biggest advertising agency WPP. The virus was similar to the ransomware that last month infected more than 300,000 computers. The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign underscored growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. It included code known as Eternal Blue, which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the US National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used in last months ransomware attack, named WannaCry. The ransomware virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corps Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. More than 30 victims paid into the bitcoin account associated with the attack, according to a public ledger of transactions listed on blockchain.info. Microsoft said the virus could spread through a flaw that was patched in a security update in March. Following is a list of companies and organisations that have reported being hit by cyber attacks: ROSNEFT Russias top oil producer Rosneft said its servers had been hit been a large-scale cyber attack but its oil production was unaffected. AP MOLLER-MAERSK Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, which handles one out of seven containers shipped globally, said a cyber attack had caused outages at its computer systems across the world. Maersks port operator APM Terminals was also hit. Dutch broadcaster RTV Rijnmond reported that 17 shipping container terminals run by APM Terminals had been hacked, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world. WPP Britains WPP , the worlds biggest advertising company, said computer systems within several of its agencies had been hit by a suspected cyber attack. MERCK & CO Pharmaceutical company Merck & Co said in a tweet its computer network was compromised as part of a global hack. RUSSIAN BANKS Russias central bank said there had been computer attacks on Russian banks and that in isolated cases their IT systems had been infected. All Russian branches of Home Credit consumer lender are closed because of a cyber attack, an employee of a Home Credit call centre in Russia said. UKRAINIAN BANKS, POWER GRID A number of Ukrainian banks and companies, including the state power distributor, were hit by a cyber attack that disrupted some operations, the Ukrainian central bank said. UKRAINIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Yevhen Dykhne, director of the capitals Boryspil Airport, said it had been hit. In connection with the irregular situation, some flight delays are possible, Dykhne said in a post on Facebook. SAINT GOBAIN French construction materials company Saint Gobain said it had been a victim of a cyber attack, and it had isolated its computer systems to protect data. DEUTSCHE POST German postal and logistics company Deutsche Post said systems of its Express division in the Ukraine have in part been affected by a cyber attack. METRO Germanys Metro said its wholesale stores in the Ukraine had been hit by a cyber attack and the retailer was assessing the impact. MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL Food company Mondelez International said employees in different regions were experiencing technical problems but it was unclear whether this was due to a cyber attack. TNT EXPRESS The Netherlands-based shipping company said it was experiencing interference with some of its systems, following a global ransomware attack. EVRAZ Russian steelmaker Evraz said its information systems had been hit by a cyber attack but its output was not affected. NORWAY A ransomware cyber attack is taking place in Norway and is affecting an unnamed international company, the Nordic countrys national security authority. MARS INC A unit of candy manufacturer Mars Inc has been targeted by cyber attackers, and the company has isolated the issue, a spokeswoman for the company said. BEIERSDORF AG India-based employees at Beiersdorf AG , the maker of Nivea skincare products, told Reuters the ransomware attack had impacted some of the companys systems in the country. The extent of the impact was unclear and Beiersdorf, which is based in Germany, could not be reached immediately for comment in India. RECKITT BENCKISER The Indian unit of British consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, which owns brands such as Enfamil, Dettol and Lysol, was also hit by the ransomware attack, employees in India told Reuters. The extent of the impact on its systems was not immediately clear and the company could not be reached for comment in India. Throughout its 4.5-billion-year history, Earth has been repeatedly pummelled by space rocks that have caused anything from an innocuous splash in the ocean to species annihilation. When the next big impact will be, nobody knows. But the pressure is on to predict -- and intercept -- its arrival. Sooner or later we will get... a minor or major impact, Rolf Densing, who heads the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, told AFP ahead of International Asteroid Day on Friday. It may not happen in our lifetime, he said, but the risk that Earth will get hit in a devastating event one day is very high. For now, there is little we can do. And yet, the first-ever mission to crash a probe into a small space rock to alter its trajectory suffered a major setback when European ministers declined in December to fund part of the project. We are not ready to defend ourselves against an Earth-bound object, said Densing. We have no active planetary defence measures. Hitherto relegated to the realms of science fiction, tactics could include nuking an incoming asteroid, using lasers to vaporise it, sending a space tractor to drag it off course, or bumping it into a new direction. But first, we need to be able to spot the threat. A piece of the Chelyabinsk meteorite on display before a hearing of the House Administration Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (AFP File Photo) Astrophysicists monitoring the risk classify objects into sizes ranging from a few millimetres to behemoths 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) across -- the size of rock that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. The smallest type enter Earths atmosphere daily, burning up prettily as shooting stars. End of days The largest occur once every 100 million years, and the next impact could well ring in the end of human civilisation. But when would it happen? So far, experts have managed to list more than 90% of asteroids in the dino-killing range, and determined that none poses an immediate threat. A much bigger concern is the whereabouts of millions of asteroids in the 15- to 140-metre (49- to 460-feet) range. One such object, a 40-metre space rock, caused the largest impact in recent history when it exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30, 1908 -- the date on which Asteroid Day is marked. The blast flattened some 80 million trees over 2,000 sparsely-populated square kilometres (772 square miles) -- an area bigger than greater London. Tunguska-sized events happen, on average, every 300 years or so. Imagine that this type of asteroid would fall in a very populated area like... Paris or Germany, I mean this is something that would be really, really a catastrophe, said Nicolas Bobrinsky, programme manager of the European Space Agencys Space Situational Awareness project, which surveys asteroids. At least the ones it knows of. The Chelyabinsk impact in 2013, for example, caught everyone unawares. A once-a-decade category rock of about 20m exploded in the atmosphere over central Russia with the kinetic energy of some 27 Hiroshima bombs. The resulting shockwave blew out the windows of nearly 5,000 buildings and injured more than 1,200 people. Now that we have discovered most of the (asteroids) that are about a kilometre in size and larger, the goal is to discover most of the ones which are (up to) about 140 m, said Patrick Michel, an astrophysicist with Frances CNRS research institute. This is the threshold -- if an object of this size impacts the Earth -- for regional damage at the scale of a country or a continent. Another unknown is long-period comets: wanderers of the Solar System which can take centuries or millennia to orbit the Sun, and whose passage has never been recorded. Eye on the sky Europe is setting up a network of telescopes to provide us with a heads-up. Scheduled for completion in about two years, it will scan systematically the sky every night and any asteroid which is coming... would be detected with a warning time of approximately two to three weeks, said Bobrinsky. This is admittedly not much, but its better than what we have now, he added. At the very least, it would allow for cities to be evacuated, or a shockwave warning to be issued. Contrary to all other natural risks that we face on Earth, like tsunamis, earthquakes and things like that, this is the only one that we can predict, Michel said. What is needed is cooperation between politicians and space agencies -- and especially money. An asteroid deflection system would require something in the order of 300-400 million euros (dollars), according to Bobrinsky -- a minuscule amount compared to the cost of disaster. The United Nations declared June 30 International Asteroid Day to raise public awareness about what event organisers describe as humanitys greatest challenge. It was initiated by astrophysicist and Queen guitarist Brian May, and moviemaker Grigorij Richters who directed the sci-fi film 51 Degrees North about an asteroid headed for London. The initiative has the backing of dozens of scientists, astronauts, and celebrities, many of whom will take part in a special 24-hour live broadcast Friday, with round-the-clock asteroid programming by the European, Japanese and American space agencies. An elderly passenger who threw coins at the engine of a plane at a Shanghai airport for good luck will not face police action, Chinese state media said on Wednesday. The superstitious 80-year-old woman delayed the China Southern Airlines flight on Tuesday for nearly six hours after she tossed nine coins at the engine from the tarmac while boarding, with one nestling inside. Police at Shanghai Pudong International Airport said the woman surnamed Qiu was a devoted Buddhist and believed the coin offering would ensure her safety on the flight to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. She was taken away by police after a fellow passenger reported the bizarre incident. However the Peoples Daily newspaper, citing police, said that while she had broken the law and would normally serve five days behind bars, she is exempted because she is aged over 70. Pakistan has been smoothly implementing an ambitious plan to build an economic corridor with China, despite experiencing some challenges, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday. China has promised $57 billion in investment in projects along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of its ambitious Belt and Road plan linking China with the Middle East and Europe. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road project in 2013, but it is still short on specifics. We are smoothly implementing and we are very satisfied with the speed of the implementation, Iqbal, the Islamabad lead on the project, told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Chinese city of Dalian. In addition to the investment pledges from China, Pakistan would invest close to $10 billion, he said. The economic corridor, to be completed in three phases by 2030, will boost Pakistans energy security and infrastructure, helping it attract more foreign investment, he said. Iqbal told the forum there were some challenges to be addressed, including on coordination among different government ministries and among internal and external stakeholders. There are a number of challenges which have to be addressed, he said. There are actually many gaps that we have to correctly address. First and foremost is the coordination gap, he said. Pakistan and China aim to build a network of rail, road and energy infrastructure as part of the Belt and Road initiative. Pakistan has been one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the initiative, in part because many projects are for power plants to alleviate its chronic energy shortage that leads to frequent blackouts. Chinas increasingly powerful navy launched its most advanced domestically produced destroyer on Wednesday, at a time of rising competition with other naval powers such as the United States, Japan and India. The first 10,000-ton Type 055 entered the water at Shanghais Jiangnan Shipyard on Wednesday morning, the navy said in a news release. It said the ship is equipped with the latest air, missile, ship and submarine defense systems. China is believed to be planning to launch four of the ships. The launch of this ship signifies that our nations development of destroyers has reached a new stage, the release said. A photo on the navys website showed multicolored streamers being shot out of tubes while sailors and shipyard workers stood dockside next to a massive Chinese flag. It said chief of the Peoples Liberation Armys General Armaments Department Zhang Youxia presided over the ceremony, in which a bottle of champagne was broken over the ships bow. The Type 055 is significantly larger than Chinas other modern destroyer, the Type 052, representing the rising sophistication of Chinas defense industries. Once heavily dependent on foreign technology, China in April launched its first aircraft carrier built entirely on its own, based on an earlier Ukrainian model. In terms of displacement, it is roughly equivalent to the Arleigh Burke class of destroyer. Chinas navy is undergoing an ambitious expansion and is projected to have a total of 265-273 warships, submarines and logistics vessels by 2020, according to the Washington, DC-based Center for Naval Analysis. That compares with 275 deployable battle force ships presently in the US Navy, Chinas primary rival in the Asia Pacific, although the once-yawning gap between the two is narrowing rapidly. China says it needs a powerful navy to defend its 14,500 kilometers (9,010 miles) of coastline, as well as its crucial maritime shipping routes. However, it also appears increasingly willing to challenge actions by the US long the regions pre-eminent military power especially in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety. Beijing has also long nurtured resentment against Japan over its past invasion of China, and their dispute over a group of tiny, uninhabited islands in the East China Sea has at times threatened to break out into open confrontation. India, meanwhile, also shares a disputed border with China and has grown increasingly concerned over the Chinese navys growing presence in the Indian Ocean, facilitated in part by Beijings close alliance with New Delhis arch rival Pakistan. Schools have unique ways of disciplining their students and one particular school in China has been employing strict tactics to stop smartphone usage at its premises. The Yongmao Middle School at Guiyang, Guizhou province of south-west China, assembled its students in the school ground and smashed confiscated cell phones using a hammer. The phones were first soaked in water and then broken into pieces. A video capturing the entire process was initially shared by Pear Video on Chinese social network Weibo and later republished by state-run Peoples Daily. WATCH: This middle school in China's Guizhou province enforces its ban on cellphones with a hammer. What's your take on it? pic.twitter.com/SzdQto4q27 People's Daily,China (@PDChina) June 22, 2017 In the footage, an adult in a military style suit is seen repeatedly smashing cell phones, as scores of students watch in silence. The school has a zero tolerance policy regarding students bringing cell phones and it is made clear in the accompanying voiceover, which can be heard blaring from the public address system. Any cell phone brought into school against regulations meaning the students havent alerted the school or obtained the proper credentials will be soaked in water and smashed on the ground, a womans voice can be heard announcing. According to Pear Video, the school staff said prohibition of students private mobile phones is to facilitate the management of students and is the only way to stop them from further breaking rules. Pear Video also said parents agreed to the smashing of phones and the strict school policy. The video has attracted many comments as netizens seem to be divided about the punishment. According to South China Morning Post, many peoplef have been slamming the school for taking such extreme measures. Mobile phones are private belongings, and schools do not have the right to destroy [them], it quotes one Weibo user as saying. Though the schools methods for persuading students against using their cell phones have been condemned by some, others feel that there is a need for measures to curb excessive internet usage plaguing the country. The debate over whether children should be allowed to use cell phones in schools in China is a long running one and Yongmao Middle School is far from being the first to go to extreme lengths to tackle the issue. According to news website Public Network, a middle school in Chinas Hebei province is currently waging a war against cell phones and has installed metal detectors to catch students trying to sneak in cell phones into the school premises. The school has also installed payphones across campus for its students use. A Czech nuclear power station has come under criticism on social media for hosting a bikini contest to hire interns and asking Facebook users to pick their favourite. The Temelin Power Station, owned by the Czech conglomerate CEZ Group, shared the photos of 10 high school graduates posing in a bikini and a hard hat at its cooling tower on its Facebook page last week. According to the caption, the winner of the contest was to be named Miss Energy 2017 and awarded a two-week long internship, The Metro reported. The company claimed the photo shoot was part of their cultural enrichment programs, according to Deutsche Welle. Czech power company holds Facebook bikini contest to choose interns https://t.co/X1oCsNwiHj pic.twitter.com/QsvlNPV3NF CNET (@CNET) June 26, 2017 However, the Facebook post sparked an outcry on social media, with many calling the selection criteria regressive and sexist. You find the number of likes under half-naked picture of a young lady as adequate and/or tasteful criterion for a career opportunity that is promoted as professional? one user commented. Undress and you get an internship - this cannot be serious, its degrading, disgusting and primitive, wrote another. The company, which is one of the largest power plants in the Czech Republic, later issued an apology on Facebook, saying all the 10 women have been offered an internship. The purpose of the competition was to promote technical education. But if the original vision raised doubts or concerns, we are very sorry, read the post. Infocentrum JE Temelin Facebook/Screengrab The original post has been taken down from their Facebook account. US President Donald Trump has accepted French President Emmanuel Macrons invitation to attend Bastille Day ceremonies in Paris on July 14, a senior White House official said on Wednesday. The two leaders spoke on Tuesday and Macron issued the invitation. The two men last met in Brussels in May, a session noted by an extended handshake between them. Macrons office on Tuesday said it had invited Trump on two occasions to attend the celebrations next month during which the US military will take part to mark 100 years since it joined World War 1. The July 14 festivities see thousands of men and women from Frances army, navy and air force march down the Champs Elysees avenue in the French capital in the oldest and largest military parade in Western Europe. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison by angry crowds in 1789, helping kick off the French Revolution. The Bastille prison, where opponents of the monarchy were kept, was targeted for symbolizing royal rule. After the ModiMeetsTrump hashtag took the internet by a storm, Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the Netherlands is keeping people on social media busy now. Twitter was abuzz with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttes confusing tweet welcoming Modi in Hindi. Now, the picture of Modi happily posing on a bicycle has gone viral. Twitter users are having a field day after Rutte gave the cycle to Modi as a parting gift. The pictures of him laughing on the cycle is now doing the rounds on internet with funny captions and hilarious memes. References to Samajwadi Partys defeat in the February-March Uttar Pradesh assembly elections was inevitable as the partys symbol is that of a cycle. Here are some of the funniest posts on Twitter: This is how BJP sat over Samajwadi Party. pic.twitter.com/41AsTRvuZ8 Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) June 28, 2017 modi looks like a kid who got cycle on his bday and cant wait to make other kids jealous lmao https://t.co/YAH6sPiqfT Singha (@heisenjit) June 28, 2017 Modi explaining to @markrutte how he took over the cycle from @yadavakhilesh in UP https://t.co/uwfiuLiVJZ Anoop Chathoth (@anoopc) June 28, 2017 Love the promo for Sherlock Season 17 starring Banterdick Cucumberpatch and handy sidekick John Watson pic.twitter.com/EFN2qLeNCO Bratticus (@bharatunnithan) June 28, 2017 when you want to cycle but delhi is too polluted pic.twitter.com/eWVTS29Q0p Rounak Jain (@r0unak) June 28, 2017 The Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar remake looks promising. pic.twitter.com/1v4yDWWU4Z Denver Ka Dhakkan (@tantanoo) June 28, 2017 Thousands of computer users across the globe scrambled on Wednesday to reboot after a wave of ransomware cyberattacks spread from Ukraine and Russia across Europe to the United States. The virus, which locked up files at companies and government agencies including the Chernobyl nuclear site and demanded a payment worth $300, appeared similar to the WannaCry ransomware that swept the world last month, hitting more than 200,000 users in more than 150 countries. But the new attack appeared much smaller in scale, with global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab estimating the number of victims at 2,000. There was no immediate indication of who was responsible. Some IT specialists identified the newcomer as Petrwrap, a modified version of ransomware called Petya which circulated last year. But Kaspersky described it as a new form of ransomware. In Ukraine, which first reported issues and appeared most heavily hit, companies and critical infrastructure operators were still struggling to cope with the virus. Employees at the Chernobyl nuclear site were continuing to use hand-held Geiger counters to measure the levels of radiation after the monitoring system was shut down by the hack. Online arrivals and departures information for Kievs main Boryspil airport remained down, but its director said the hub was otherwise operating as normal. Meanwhile, delivery service Nova Poshta said it was still facing problems with accepting payments by card and the Kyivenergo energy supplier said customers were having issues accessing accounts. Global spread The attacks started Tuesday at around 2:00 pm Kiev time (1100 GMT) and quickly spread to 80 companies in Ukraine and Russia, said cybersecurity company Group IB. In Russia, major companies including the oil giant Rosneft said that they had suffered cyberattacks at roughly the same time. Later, multinationals in Western Europe and the United States reported that they too had been hit by the virus. Among the companies reporting problems were global shipping firm Maersk, British advertising giant WPP, French industrial group Saint-Gobain and US pharmaceutical group Merck. Indias government on Wednesday said operations at a terminal at the countrys largest container port in Mumbai, run by Maersk, were disrupted. Windows vulnerability Security specialists said the cyberattacks on Tuesday exploited an already patched vulnerability in Windows software and appeared to have focused on Ukraine as a primary target. The malware that, once in a computer, locked away data from users who were then told to pay, bore resemblances to the recent WannaCry attack. US software titan Microsoft also called the latest virus ransomware. Our initial analysis found that the ransomware uses multiple techniques to spread, including one which was addressed by a security update previously provided for all platforms from Windows XP to Windows 10 (MS17-010), a Microsoft spokesperson told AFP. After the WannaCry scourge in May, Microsoft urged users to protect machines with the MS17-010 patch. The flaw -- and the means to exploit it -- had previously been disclosed in pirated documents about cyberweapons at the US National Security Agency. So far there was no clear indication of who was behind the attack. Some experts said it looked likely to be a criminal scam, while Ukraine suggested that its archrival Russia could have been behind the attack. The state Senate Tuesday advanced legislation that would allow public school employees to have access to firearms on school grounds. According to the Associated Press, state senators approved the bill 28 to 22 Wednesday after an emotional hourlong debate. The bill still requires approval in the House, and Gov. Tom Wolf says he opposes it. Senate Bill 383 had been up for a vote Tuesday when senators amended it to include more training requirements for those who could potentially carry firearms. Originally, the proposed bill only required that personnel have a license to carry a concealed firearm and maintain current and valid certification in the use and handling of one. An amendment on May 22 added that personnel also receive firearms training in a program approved by the commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. The newly amended bill now also requires school personnel to complete a psychological evaluation. The new version of the bill also adds requirements for the school to establish a firearm safety plan with law enforcement, which includes coordination with law enforcement, setting procedures for the review of discharge of firearms and to provide law enforcement with the names of those allowed to carry firearms. That list of names, however, will not be made available to the public under the bill. The bill calls for those names to not be made available through Right to Know requests, or to have those names be mentioned in an open meeting. School districts, however, must notify parents if a staff person in a school is permitted access to a firearm, and they must also notify the nearest hospital of the number of schools where personnel have access to firearms. The AP reported that the bills sponsor, Sen. Don White, R-Armstrong, said Wednesday he wants to give school districts as many tools as possible to protect children. Time is a critical element when a violent incident occurs in a school. Many schools in rural areas rely on State Police coverage, which means response times can vary. Senate Bill 383 gives trained school personnel the opportunity to serve as first responders, White said in a news release from the Senate Republican Communications Office. If it becomes law, I will sleep better at night knowing our school districts have more tools at their disposal to fight the unspeakable evil that causes a few in our society to seek to harm our children. Even with the amended qualifications, however, the Pennsylvania State Education Association is not on board with the bill. Creating new training requirements and a new level of bureaucracy for school districts doesnt change the simple fact that this bill would introduce more guns into schools, said Jerry Oleksiak, president of PSEA. Oleksiak said in a news release Wednesday that PSEA is not opposed to using school resource officers that some districts already employ. It does, however, oppose arming teachers and staff. Teachers, parents, students, and two joint state government task forces have studied the issue and reached the same conclusion this measure is dangerous and could create delays for first responders which will cost lives. In fact, many of the teachers who survived the Sandy Hook shooting sent a letter to our senators expressing opposition to this bill, Oleksiak said. PSEA will continue to support strategies to keep students safe. This bill endangers students, and we remain strongly opposed to it. The bill was approved by the education committee in the Senate on April 19, with nine yeas (including chair Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Fulton) and three nays. A former supporter of Frances anti-immigration National Front escaped punishment on Tuesday for helping her Iranian refugee lover cross the Channel to Britain on a rickety boat. Beatrice Huret, 44, was found guilty at trial of helping Mokhtar -- whom she met while volunteering at the since-demolished Jungle migrant camp in Calais -- slip out of France under cover of night in a boat she had bought for 1,000 euros ($1,130). Although prosecutors requested a one-year suspended sentence for illegally-assisting migrants and putting them in danger, the court in the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, near Calais, ruled she should not face jail or a fine. We are both very relieved, said a teary Huret, who phoned her lover immediately with the news. Arriving at the courthouse earlier, she said she took full responsibility for her actions. I am prepared to give up my life for him, the widowed mother of a 19-year-old son said. Prosecutor Camille Gourlin argued that Huret and a French immigration activist also on trial had put the lives of Mokhtar and two other Iranian men in danger by helping them take a boat across the Channel, one of the worlds busiest shipping routes. Beatrice Huret (right) speaks with her lawyer Marie-Helene Calonne at Boulogne-sur-Mer court house, northern France. (AFP Photo) They were rescued by the British coastguard as their boat began to take in water. Solidarity is laudable but not at any price and not in any conditions, the prosecutor said. In 2016, more than 5,000 migrants died in the Mediterranean in boats... We dont want to be collecting corpses from the beaches of Pas-de-Calais, she said, referring to the northern region. Activist Laurent C, who was also found guilty but spared punishment, said he would continue to help migrants living rough on the streets of the northern French port. Love at first sight A total of four people were tried for their role in helping migrants fleeing war, persecution or poverty in the Middle East or Africa reach Britain. An Iranian migrant found in possession of 16,000 pounds ($20,370, 18,200 euros) in cash from alleged smuggling operations was sentenced to three years imprisonment, 16 months of which were suspended. A French mother of four who lived opposite the Jungle camp received a six-month suspended sentence for ferrying migrants around by car. Hurets life was transformed in February 2015 when she gave a lift to a young Sudanese migrant travelling to the makeshift Calais Jungle camp, where thousands of people hoping to stow away on trucks bound for Britain were living in tents and shacks. It was a shock to see all these people wading around in the mud, said Huret, whose husband -- a border police officer -- died of cancer in 2010. An aerial view of the makeshift migrant camp near Calais, France. (AP File Photo) She began volunteering at the camp and a year later met 37-year-old Mokhtar, who was among a group of Iranians who sewed their mouths shut in protest over the demolition of part of the camp in March 2016. It was love at first sight, Huret told AFP in an interview this month. After a failed bid by Mokhtar to hide in the back of a lorry, she helped him acquire a small boat and towed it to a beach from where he and two other Iranians crossed to England on June 11, 2016. Calais Mon Amour Mokhtar, who is now living in the northern English city of Sheffield, has since received asylum. Huret visits him frequently. She has written a book about their romance, Calais Mon Amour, for which several film-makers are vying to acquire the rights. Since demolishing the Jungle camp in October French authorities have taken a stern line on assistance to migrants, accusing activists who provide assistance to homeless foreigners of creating a pull effect. Beatrice Huret calls Mokhtar, a migrant from Iran she helped to reach Great Britain, as she arrives at Boulogne-sur-Mer court house. (AFP Photo) Huret is one of several people to appear in court in recent months charged with illegally-assisting migrants from Africa and the Middle East who cross the Mediterranean in flimsy boats or stow away in trucks travelling overland. A 37-year-old olive farmer in southern France was recently fined 3,000 euros ($3,300) for helping African migrants cross into France from Italy and giving them accommodation. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttes confusing Hindi tweet welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gone viral on social media, with hilarious jokes and memes in tow. Modi was in the Netherlands for a day-long visit during which he held talks with Rutte to strengthen bilateral ties. He returned from his three-nation tour on Wednesday morning after visiting Portugal, United States and ending the tour at the Netherlands. This year marks 70 years of Indo-Dutch diplomatic relations. During his visit, Modi enthusiastically tweeted in Dutch several times. His Dutch counterpart Rutte reciprocated with a welcoming tweet in Hindi. However, there was a glitch in the message as the entire tweet was typed without a single space making it a mouthful to read. The tweet roughly translates as Welcome to the Netherlands @narendramodi Our bilateral relations go back 70 years and with that I am extremely excited about our meeting. The message which was tweeted about 21 hours ago has been retweeted over 5000 times and Twitter users no time in pointing out the mistake and jokes and memes followed soon on the social media site. YouForgotToAddSpace Super Commando Dhruv (@Eaglesiar) June 27, 2017 Soo overwhelmed Minister President, nice initiative to remove all space between the two countries. Lazy Cat '' (@uPoliticat) June 27, 2017 This is the guy who speaks MutualFundsAreSubjectToMarketRiskPleaseReadTheOfferDocumentsCarefully https://t.co/wZpp6jvLNx Mohit (@sailorsmoon) June 27, 2017 However, not everyone on Twitter reacted negatively to the post as many appreciated the Dutch PMs effort to embrace the foreign language. A certain user on Twitter thought that the 140 character limit was to blame for the glitch in the message. Prashant P. Umrao (@ippatel) June 27, 2017 Prashant P. Umrao (@ippatel) June 27, 2017 Woww , Hindi .Appreciate Annie Singh (@o__positive) June 27, 2017 Yes, but be sure it's not his language . At least he tried must be appreciated. Naveen Kumar (@NaveenYdv8) June 27, 2017 Ho sakta hai 140 characters cross kar jata agar space dete to Aruna (@Arunapk57) June 27, 2017 Fortunately, the Dutch PM, who is also known as Minister-President on Twitter, finally realised his mistake and issued another tweet after his meeting with Modi. This time the tweet was right on point. Modis international tours are sure providing fodder to social media trollers, who are well fed with memes and jokes. A new-born baby was awarded a lifetime of free flights on a US airlines after his mother gave birth while travelling from Fort Lauderdale to Dallas. Cristina Penton from Arizona, who was 36 weeks pregnant, went into labour on June 25 shortly after the Spirit Airlines flight took off, but luckily there were a paediatrician and a nurse on board, who rushed to her help. Everything started happening very quickly ... I didnt think I was having the baby because it was too soon, but after a few minutes I knew I needed medical attention, Penton told The New Orleans Advocate. Soon after that, it was clear I was having my baby, and I was in pure panic. The dramatic delivery on the flight was recorded by a co-passenger at the behest of the mother and now the video has gone viral. Co-passenger Shelley Hedgecock Starks, who shot the video, took to Facebook to share her experience. We just experienced the birth of a baby in the seat in front of us on our flight and had to do an emergency landing in New Orleans, Starks wrote. In a sweet gesture, the airline has gifted the baby free flights during his birthday month for the rest of his life. A baby being born during a flight is very rare, the spokesperson of the airlines said in a press conference on Tuesday morning, according to The New Orleans Advocate. But our flight attendants are trained to handle medical emergencies in flight and they have access to doctors on the ground via in-flight communication. In this case, we were fortunate to also have a paediatrician on board who brought even more care and comfort to the situation, he added. Since being posted on June 25, the video has garnered more than 93,000 views and more than 500 shares on Facebook alone. One user wrote: WOW !!! Some Babies just make their appearance when they are ready. What a Beautiful Baby ++ Inflight births are rare but not unheard of. Earlier this month, a woman from Kerala gave birth to a baby mid-air on a Jet Airways plane flying from Saudi Arabia to India. The airlines announced that the child, the first baby to be born in flight for Jet Airways, would get a free lifetime pass for any travel on the carrier. Heres the video A 22-year-old Pakistani man has been jailed here for five years for stabbing his compatriot co-worker to death because he had a smelly feet, according to a media report. The man, an electrician, and his countryman co-worker were resting in the air-conditioned electricity room during a break in July last year. The co-worker slept on the floor and put his feet up facing the electricians face, before the latter asked him to remove his feet because of the bad smell. When the co-worker refused, the two got into a heated argument that developed into a fight before other workmates intervened and stopped the brawl, the Gulf News reported. The 22-year-old rushed to a nearby warehouse at the construction site where they had been working, came back with a razor and stabbed the co-worker in his neck. On-site surveillance cameras showed the electrician hiding the razor behind him before he attacked the victim three or four times. Medical reports said the victim, who was bleeding profusely, was rushed to the hospital in a critical state on July 26 and slipped into a coma. Despite several operations, he succumbed to his injuries on July 31. The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of killing his countryman. During trial, he had pleaded not guilty. We had a fight and when he tried to assault me, I assaulted him back, the defendant told the court. The presiding judge said the accused will be deported after serving his jail term. A supervisor testified that the incident happened shortly after he had permitted the workers to go and rest in the electricity room because it had a cooler. China on Wednesday virtually accused India of having a hidden agenda as it indicated that Indian troops had stopped PLA soldiers from building a road in Donglang, a region at the centre of a long-standing dispute with Bhutan. The foreign ministry accused Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory and said the alleged incursion was totally different from previous incidents. Keeping up its aggressive posturing on the stand-off, the ministry said the liability for resuming the suspended Kailash Mansarovar Yatra lay with India, which should correct its errors. The remarks by foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang at a news briefing added another twist to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops. In the Chinese version of events, Indian soldiers crossed the border and went into Donglang. Donglang, or Doklam, is under Chinese control and lies within the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) but is claimed by Bhutan. The area is located at the narrow and strategic tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan, a short distance from Nathu La pass. The region is part of China and is indisputable. It belongs to China from ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan. Chinas construction is a legitimate activity, spokesperson Lu said, reacting to a report in Hindustan Times that Bhutan could be key to the military stand-off. Lu said if a third party tried to interfere in the matter out of a hidden agenda, it was disrespectful to Bhutan. He also dropped enough hints that Indian troops had obstructed the construction of the road because of the close strategic and diplomatic ties between Thimphu and New Delhi. If India wants to raise (the Donglang dispute), I would say that it doesnt belong to India and neither does it belong to Bhutan. We have complete legal basis for this, Lu said. Even if the boundary (with Bhutan) is not delimited, no third party should interfere and make irresponsible comments or actions, he added. Only Indian side can judge if they are interfering with the internal affairs of Bhutan. India and Bhutan have close relations, especially in foreign policy and security, while Thimpu and Beijing are yet to establish a diplomatic relationship. Donglang is part of a border dispute that has remained unresolved despite 24 rounds of negotiations between China and Bhutan. Following a reported scuffle between Indian and Chinese troops near Doka La area in the first week of June, Beijing suspended the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nathu La. Lu didnt give any indication that China would relent and allow the pilgrimage to resume through this route. For a long time in the interest of India-China relations, China provided great conveniences to Indian pilgrims. Based on consensus between the two countries leaders, and on the fact that the Sikkim sectors boundary is delimited and recognised by the two countries, the Chinese side opened Nathu La pass for Indian pilgrims in 2015. For two years it worked well andthis year also the Chinese authorities had prepared for the reception of Indian pilgrims and informed the Indian side about it, he said. Now the suspension of the same is an emergency response to the situation there. I want to stress that the resumption of pilgrims passage requires necessary atmosphere and conditions. So the liability of the same totally lies on Indian side and when it will be reopened depends on when or whether the Indian side will correct its errors. Chinas misgivings about Indias role in Bhutan were echoed to HT by an expert, Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asia and Oceania Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. So, one thing is that Bhutan asking India to take the responsibility for patrolling on the border. We know that Bhutan is under the protection of India, Hu said on Tuesday when asked about the importance of Donglang in the military stand-off. Iran said on Wednesday it would take reciprocal action in response to the US Supreme Court allowing a partial implementation of President Donald Trumps travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries. Lower US courts had completely blocked Trumps executive order issued on March 6, which includes a blanket 90-day ban on people from countries including Iran and Libya and a 120-day ban on all refugees. But the Supreme Court on Monday ruled there could be partial restrictions placed on refugees. The decision is an indication of the decision of the leaders of that country to discriminate against Muslims, Irans Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi was cited as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The Islamic Republic of Iran, after carefully examining the recent decision of the Supreme Court of America, will take proportional and reciprocal action, Qassemi said. He did not elaborate. US citizens must apply for tourist visas before travelling to Iran, as opposed to others including Germans who are able to obtain these on arrival. During his presidential campaign in 2016, Trump campaigned for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, arguing the measure is needed for national security. The court also gave examples of who may qualify for exemptions, including those with close family ties in the United States, obtaining a place at a US university, or offers of employment. Qassemi also said the United States was targeting the wrong countries for a visa ban. Its regrettable that the American government, because of their economic and commercial short-sightedness, have closed their eyes to the main perpetrators of terrorism in America, he said. Iran blames Saudi Arabia, a long standing US ally, for Islamic militancy. Saudi citizens are not affected by the travel ban. Bhutan could be the key to the ongoing China-India stand-off along the frontier in Sikkim, where troops from the two countries have accused each other of trespassing territorial borders, according to a Chinese expert. China has accused Indian troops of disrupting the construction of a road in Donglang area of Yadong County of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Donglang is located at the narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan, with the three countries barely separated by mountains and passes. Donglang or Doklam is also part of a border dispute between China and Bhutan. While the area is in China, Bhutan has claims over it. Thimphu doesnt have diplomatic ties with Beijing and the dispute has persisted despite 24 rounds of negotiations. With India and China giving conflicting versions of the incident, it is difficult to ascertain the exact sequence of events in the flare-up over the weekend. A PTI report from New Delhi on Monday, quoting sources, said Indian and Chinese troops scuffled near Doka La area in the first week of June before soldiers from the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) damaged bunkers on the Indian side. China denied the allegation. Indian troops recently crossed the border with China in an attempt to block a road construction in Donglang (Doklam) area by the Chinese side, China's defence ministry said late on Monday night. Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asia and Oceania Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told Hindustan Times: Another confusing element (of the Nathu La incident) is that it (according to the Chinese side) is in a place called Donglang. But Donglang is a major issue between China and Bhutan, not between China and India, he said when asked about the importance of Donglang. It is located just at the junction among the three countries China, Bhutan and India. Why has this became an issue between India and China? If there is an accident or incident, it should be between China and Bhutan, Hu said. In India, the focus has been on the face-off between the two armies at Nathu La in Sikkim, the suspension of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and resulting harassment of Indian pilgrims. Chinese officials army at Nathula Pass. (HT File Photo) If China was building a road in an area disputed with Bhutan, India would have been watching closely because of its strategic importance. There is not much of a dispute between India and China in the Sikkim sector despite the unmarked border that stretches 3,488 km. After we recognised Sikkim as one part of India (in 2003), the two governments made sure that there were no problems. Not like the other parts of the border, Hu said. Hu speculated it was possible Bhutan asked for Indias help in patrolling the area. So, one thing is that Bhutan asking India to take the responsibility to patrolling on the border. We know that Bhutan is under the protection of India, he added. Chinese netizens have reacted with anger and sarcasm to the Sino-India military stand-off in the Sikkim sector of the border, with thousands commenting on the incident on Weibo the Chinese version of Twitter as the news spread. On Wednesday, China accused Indian troops of trespassing into its territory in Donglang, an area of dispute between Beijing and Thimphu. Some users of Weibo had conspiracy theories and questioned the timing of the news, which broke when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was having dinner with US President Donald Trump. The comments have been translated from Chinese to English. I just want to ask a question, I just simply ask. Indias armed forces blatantly crossed the border into our territory, why dont we take a little tough measures? This is a violation of our territorial sovereignty, was a remark widely shared. Please Xi dada (President Xi Jinping is called big daddy here) greatly help the people of Sikkim to restore their country. You (people in Sikkim) wont feel safe around the Indians, said another. In this case, we should not allow Indias annexation of Sikkim. When I was in elementary school, Sikkim was still a country, said another Weibo user with a fair amount of historical knowledge. One user referenced Indias acquisition of weapons and said the weapons were meant to be used against China. These years India buys a lot of advanced weapons, and always wants to (take) revenge on China; that is why the problem happened, the user said. One user talked about renouncing the love for Indian movies, curry and specifically roti and paratha. Another Weibo user kept it circumspect. India is a big country with best strategic environment because it is next to China, but America and Japan want to use it to contain China, while Russia, Britain and France want to make profit through weapons. But if China is really cool, which will result in Indias strategic environment becoming extremely bad. Of course, it isnt good for China if China and India fight with each other. North Korea threatened on Wednesday to impose the death penalty on South Koreas former president Park Geun-Hye over an alleged plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-Un. Park had pushed forward a supposed plan by Seouls intelligence services to eliminate the Norths leadership, Pyongyangs security ministry and prosecutors said in a statement carried by its official Korean Central News Agency. We declare at home and abroad that we will impose death penalty on traitor Park Geun Hye, it said. Saudi Arabia reiterated Tuesday that its demands on Qatar were not negotiable, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with the Qatari foreign minister on the Gulf states crisis. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who was also in Washington, was unbudging amid attempts by US and Kuwaiti diplomats to mediate the row which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours. Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. Its now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism, Jubeir said via Twitter. Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United States though has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are reasonable and actionable. Shortly after Jubeirs comments, Tillerson met with Qatars top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He was to meet later with Kuwait Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah. Kuwait has taken on the official role of mediator in the spat. Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (L) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shake hands before a meeting at the US State Department on June 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. (AFP) State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained challenging for Qatar. Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to, she said. We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups a claim Doha denies. They have also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirates only land border, a vital route for its food imports. The move placed Washington uncomfortably in the middle, with its close economic and security ties with both sides. Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navys Fifth Fleet. The US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well. Around six million Nepalese citizens voted during the second phase of elections to local bodies in three provinces on Wednesday. The Election Commission said around 70% voters cast their votes in provinces 1, 5 and 7, adding that the process was largely peaceful and successful. Security threats and the monsoon had kept the commission on its toes as some parts of these provinces were considered sensitive protests called by Madhes-based parties opposed to the polls had resulted in sporadic cases of violence. The local polls were earlier scheduled in two phases, but the second phase was twice postponed after the Madhes-based parties announced a boycott. A key party, the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, said it would skip the elections after its demands for amending the Constitution were not addressed. Eventually, a third phase of polls was scheduled for September 18 in Province no 2 that covers a large swath of the Terai region, where a majority of the Madhesis live. Analyst and observers say the huge turnout in the first two phases of the polls will pressure the Madhes-based parties to participate in the third round. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said he will try his best to amend the Constitution by bringing the principle opposition party, the CPN- UML on board. He also expressed hope that the third round will go ahead with the participation of the RJP-N. Six suspected members of the Islamic State group were arrested in Spain, Britain and Germany on Wednesday in an operation led by Spanish authorities investigating a jihadist recruiting network, the Spanish interior ministry said. Raids were continuing on Wednesday morning, targeting the group based on the island of Majorca and led by an Islamist imam who was arrested in Britain, the ministry said in a statement. The imam, 44, was the target of a European arrest warrant and seized by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit on behalf of the Spanish authorities. The investigation focuses on terrorism material created for use online, the West Midlands police said, adding that prosecutors would seek his extradition to Spain later Wednesday. The investigation began in 2015 after authorities discovered videos posted to the internet describing a young Muslim living in Spain and his radicalisation, and his eventual departure for Syria. The imam, whose public discourse was well known to European police and intelligence services, focused in private on the recruitment of fighters and collecting funds for Syria, the Spanish interior ministry said. The group organised weekly underground meetings... of youths with similar ideologies... to convince them to travel to conflict zones, the ministry said. The groups engagement and total allegiance to Daesh (IS) directives, the defence of terrorist actions carried out by lone operatives in Europe, and its readiness to carry out violent jihad, justified this operation. Four arrests were also made in Palma, the capital of Majorca, and one in Germany, and searches were still underway in Germany and Britain. The intelligence and police services of Spain, Britain and Germany, along with European agencies, took part in the raids coordinated by the Spanish state prosecutor, which oversees terrorism cases. A 46-year-old Uber driver in the US has been charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a woman after taking her to a motel in southern California in an unconcious state, according to a media report. Alaric Spence picked up a 24-year-old female passenger in downtown Los Angeles on June 23. At some point during the ride, the victim fell unconscious possibly due to drinking, police said. The suspect then drove the woman to a motel on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, carried the unconscious woman inside, sexually assaulted her and left, the NBC4 reported. When she woke up the next morning, she did not recognise her surroundings, and called police. Spence was arrested on Friday. He has five previous felony convictions related to possession and sale of narcotics in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and as far north as Sacramento. Spences former roommate said she was aware of his criminal past, but she did not see him as a threat and described him as a gentle soul. I was comfortable with him around my daughter, she said. he was never disrespectful. He has been an Uber driver for the past six months and the Los Angeles Police Departments (LAPD) believes there may be other victims. It doesnt seem feasible that this would be the first time, when you take an individual like this, LAPD Robbery- Homicide Captain William Hayes said. He went on to describe the sexual assault as brazen. Hayes added that surveillance video shows the suspect carrying the passed out victim from his car to the motel room. Spence is being held on $1 million bail and the case is currently being presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office for filing consideration. No person should ever have to experience the violent act that has been reported to police. We are working with the Los Angeles Police Department to fully support their investigation, and the driver has been banned from the Uber app, a spokesman for the ride-hailing company Uber said in a statement. US defence secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad appeared so far to have heeded a warning this week from Washington not to carry out a chemical weapons attack. But Russia, the Syrian governments main backer, said the US assertions that Assads forces may have been planning a chemical attack complicated peace talks on ending Syrias six-year-old civil war. The White House said on Monday it appeared the Syrian military was preparing to conduct a chemical weapons attack and Assad and his forces would pay a heavy price if it did so. US officials later said the warning was based on intelligence that indicated preparations for such a strike were under way at Syrias Shayrat airfield. It appears that they took the warning seriously, Mattis said. They didnt do it, he told reporters flying with him to Brussels for a meeting of NATO defence ministers. He offered no evidence other than the fact that an attack had not taken place. Asked whether he believed Assads forces had called off any such strike completely, Mattis said: I think you better ask Assad about that. Washington accused Syrian forces of using the Shayrat airfield for a chemical weapons attack in April. Syria denies this. However, Mattis said Syrias chemical weapons threat was larger than any single location. I think that Assads chemical program goes far beyond one airfield, he said. US SUSPICIONS US and allied intelligence officers had for some time identified several sites where they suspected Assads government may have been hiding newly made chemical weapons from inspectors, a U.S. official familiar with the intelligence said. The United States launched a cruise missile strike on Shayrat in April following the deaths of 87 people in what Washington said was a poison gas attack in rebel-held territory. The intelligence that prompted the administrations warning to Syria this week was far from conclusive, said another U.S. official familiar with the intelligence. It did not come close to saying that a chemical weapons attack was coming, the official said. The United States conveyed the warning to Russia via the deconfliction channel the two countries use to avoid clashes in Syrian airspace, but there is no evidence indicating that this deterred a chemical attack, the official said. The Syrian military and foreign ministry did not comment on the White House warning, although state-run al-Ikhbariya television station said the allegations were fabricated. Russia denounced the warning and dismissed White House assertions that a strike was being prepared as unacceptable. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov on Wednesday told the United States not to take unilateral actions in Syria. He said the U.S. assertions complicated peace talks on Syria, according to RIA news agency. Russian officials have described the war in Syria as the biggest source of tension between Moscow and Washington and say the April cruise missile strike ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump raised the risk of confrontation between them. In Washington, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, credited Trump with saving Syrian lives. Due to the presidents actions, we did not see an incident, Haley told U.S. lawmakers. I would like to think that the president saved many innocent men, women and children. Although the number of people killed in suspected chemical attacks is a small portion of the total dead in Syrias civil war -- estimated at close to half a million -- footage of victims writhing in agony has caused particular revulsion. DISPUTE OVER YPG On the Syrian battlefields, Turkish artillery bombarded and destroyed Kurdish YPG militia targets after the groups fighters opened fire on Turkish-backed forces in northern Syria. The United States supports the YPG in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, while NATO ally Turkey regards them as terrorists indistinguishable from militants from the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), which is carrying out an insurgency in southeast Turkey. The Turkish army said YPG machinegun fire on Tuesday evening targeted Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army rebels south of the town of Azaz. Artillery struck back in retaliation, a Turkish military statement said. The boom of artillery fire could be heard overnight from the Turkish border town of Kilis, broadcaster Haberturk said. Ankara was angered by a U.S. decision in June to arm the YPG in the battle for Islamic States stronghold of Raqqa. Secretary Mattis on Tuesday left open the possibility of longer-term assistance to the YPG, saying the United States may need to supply them weapons and equipment even after the capture of Raqqa. Turkey last year sent troops into Syria to support Free Syrian Army rebels fighting both Islamic State and Kurdish forces who control a large part of Syrias northern border region. President Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey would not flinch from taking tougher action against the YPG in Syria if Turkey believed it needed to. In Geneva, the United Nations human rights chief said at least 173 civilians have been killed in air and ground operations against Islamic State in Raqqa this month. President Nicolas Maduro said a helicopter fired on Venezuelas Supreme Court Tuesday in a confusing incident that he claimed was part of a conspiracy to destabilise his socialist government. An Associated Press reporter heard gunfire as a blue helicopter buzzed through downtown but was unable to confirm where the shots were being fired from. The gunfire took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists gathered at the presidential palace. He said the chopper fired upon offices of the court and launched a grenade that didnt explode before buzzing over the interior ministry. He said the nations air defence was activated, thwarting what he called a terrorist attack and part of an ongoing coup attempt. It couldve caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured, said Maduro. BREAKING: Video Appears To Show Stolen Helicopter Circle Supreme Court in #Venezuela; Pres. Says Chopper Dropped Grenades In 'Terrorist Act' pic.twitter.com/cyFwyhb3UK Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 28, 2017 But many opponents on social media accused the president himself of trying to spread fear to help justify a crackdown against Venezuelan seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a pilot for the police squad, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against the Maduros tyranny as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government, the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what look like assault rifles standing behind him. The residents of MOSUL in Iraq found new freedom and peace as they celebrated Eid holiday in years without the Isis being in control. It can be recalled that the Islamic extremists have been driven away from the said city after the success of combined offensive from Iraqi and US forces. Last year, residents of Mosul already rejoiced as the US and Iraqi forces were successful in removing Isis in the said Iraqi city. This just implied that children can now play freely which was not even possible before because it was strictly prohibited by the Islamic extremists. Instead of playing, Reuters claimed that the children were being recruited by Isis and they were later trained to use weapons. Apart from this, books in schools were even changed by the Islamic group to something that would mirror their military ideology. Though Eid prayers were permitted when Mosul was still under Isis control, festivities and celebrations were not allowed. That's why with the resident's found freedom, they did not hesitate to celebrate their first Eid holiday in several years. Despite this great news, some reports were escalating that there were still thousands of civilians who are still trapped in western Mosul which was under the control of Islamic State. It can be recalled that Iraqi forces were able to regain the eastern side of Mosul following 100 days of fighting. Last February, the forces started to regain the western side. Amidst the celebration of the Eid, which is considered as the conclusion of Ramadan, some residents of Mosul were still not happy about this. According to them, it will not be a real Eid celebration if they cannot still return in their homes. Several residents were displaced because of the conflict and the Islamic State control. But it was reported too that the Isis are still defending their last stronghold which is the Old City. However, there were confirmations claiming that the conflict and the battle in Mosul will end soon. The Iraqi forces were able to get ground and air support from the U.S. forces in order to permanently drive the Isis from the city of Iraq. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Prince Harry just confessed that one point in his life, he wanted to leave the royal family but there was this reason which stopped him in doing so. According to the prince, his loyalty to Queen Elizabeth prevented him to finally quit the royal family and live as a commoner. In one of his candid interviews with journalist Angela Levin, as reported on Mail Online, Prince Harry also shared that he really struggled during his twenties. He found it difficult to cope with his public life to the point that he already considered to renounce his royal life and privileges. It can be recalled that Prince Harry made headline before when he was spotted several times partying hard, drinking, and smoking heavily. He then described these years of his life as total chaos and that it came to the point wherein he almost broke down on many instances. With those struggles during his twenties, Prince Harry said that he thought of already living the royal life and lives as a commoner instead. He felt he really wanted out but there was this heavy reason why he opted to stay and remain as one of the members of Britain's royal family. Prince Harry said that his loyalty to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth was the one which kept and urged him to stay and not to pursue what he was thinking. Moreover, the second son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana said that being members of the royal family, they use their roles and privileges for good and not as mere celebrities. When Princess Diana met her demise in a tragic car accident in Paris, Prince Harry was just 12 years old. As this tragedy shocked the nation, Harry and his brother Prince William admitted recently that they went through mental health issues. Moreover, those were not the only events that pushed Prince Harry to his struggles but also when he was in the Army. He likewise shared that he felt devastated when his role in the Afghanistan's Helmand Province was made public. Because of that, he was left with no choice but to withdraw from it for security reasons. Later, Prince Harry disclosed too that being in the Army was the only escape he had during that time and he felt that he was Harry not as a prince. Now, Harry is being lauded for his royal works particularly with his efforts in helping injured servicemen and women. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The corporate community has come out in the support of gay workers. On Monday, a group of fifty companies comprising big names like Google and Microsoft signed papers in the second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan supporting the petition filed by advocacy group Freedom For All Americans to ban discrimination at workplace based on the sexual orientation of the worker. In a historical development, a large number of companies have come together to protect the workplace rights of gays, Reuters reported. A group of fifty companies including biggies like Google and Microsoft requested a Manhattan court to make discrimination against gay workers an offense. The group said that gay workers are discriminated on a widespread level and above 40 percent gay workers have complained about harassment at workplace and other types of unfair treatment. The group contended that the absence of a federal law banning discrimination not only leads to harassment but also creates blockades in the path of recruitment in those states that do not have their own laws. The group made it clear that having a federal law on this front is in the interest of the entire economy as it will eliminate the artificial barriers in the path of recruitment, retention and unhindered flow of talent. The companies also requested the court to reconsider a past lawsuit that was filed by the estate of Donald Zarda. Zarda had complained that his company fired him from his position as skydiving instructor after he revealed his gay status to a customer. Zarda died following the filing and judges dismissed his case. However, last month the court agreed to revive the case. It is worth mentioning here that of late, companies have been showing support for gay rights at the workplace. However, this is the first time that such a big group has moved a court to enforce laws that protect the rights of LGBT community at the workplace. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Wednesday was a day of endings and new beginnings as Naval Support Activity in Hampden Township held its changing of command ceremony. Capt. Kyle Bryan replaced Capt. Rudy Geisler as commanding officer of Naval Support Activity in Mechanicsburg, Naval Support Activity in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Naval Annex. Geisler had assumed command in August 2015. You learn something new from every job, Geisler said. At this point for me its all about leadership, leading people and helping give them the direction and making sure they understand where were trying to go. ... People need guidance. We all do, but what Ive found is give them clear guidance, give them tools that they need, give them the top cover they need ... and let them shine. In 28 years, I have not been disappointed in the men and women who have supported me throughout my career, he said. Geislers next assignment will be as deputy commander, Navy Supply Systems Command, Weapon System Support. Geisler, a Philadelphia native, is also a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, and said he hopes to retire in the area. The biggest thing he learned from his tenure in Hampden Township is to be flexible, he said. Running an installation is a 24 hours, seven-day-a-week job, he said. ... Anything you need to run a city, we do. You never know, any time of day or night, you never know if something may go wrong, but we have fabulous people who are ready to come to call. Bryan comes to the Midstate after most recently serving as assistant chief of staff for U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command in Bahrain. He is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and holds a masters degree from the Naval Post Graduate School. For me, this is a personal growth experience, Bryan said. This is something Ive not done before. Im a supply corp officer. Ive been raised to do logistics well. This is a completely different kind of job, so for me this is a great learning experience. Bryan said he was a little nervous to take over command but said he was excited for the opportunity, and added he has great guys surrounding me that I can lean on. In Denmark, you will find classic tourist destinations including amusement parks such as Camp Adventure in Haslev that offers tree top adventure courses of varying difficulty levels. Located one hour south of Copenhagen, the tourist destination will soon be welcoming a new observation deck designed by Danish architecture firm Effekt. Branded under Treetop Experience name, it consists of 36 elements that together form a 45-foot viewing platform with a 900-meter long walking ramp to the top. People have to walk through the ramp to the top, from where they can take full views of the camp and the preserved southern Zealand forests. This section of the park in under development and features two types of walkways one is high walkway that passes through the oldest parts of the forest while the other one is located in the younger areas. Throughout the treetop walk, visitors can stop anywhere to connect with nature and once you start moving up to the tower top, you start realizing about the surrounding area. The main frame of the tower is made of corten steel and the walking ramp is made from timber from the surrounding forest. Its enlarged base and top not only keeps it stable, but also provides more space to visitors. However, the entire treetop walk passes through different portions of the forest, it is designed to minimize disturbance to the environment. Its cylindrical shape seems inspired by the Indian musical instrument Damaru. People looking for a nice place in Denmark to enjoy nature can put it on their wish list. Via: Contemporist Virgil Ablohs Off-White brand has an Air Jordan 1 collab in the works, featuring Off-Whites familiar deconstructed design coupled with the iconic Chicago colorway. Rumors of an Off-White x Air Jordan 1 collab have been circulating since the beginning of the year but today we have new detailed images of a pair customized exclusively for Michael Jordan himself. While the kicks are built on the unmistakeable Chicago color scheme there are plenty of noticeable differences including the use of orange and blue stitching, an enlarged swoosh, AIR on the yellowed midsole and of course some Off-White branding on the medial side of the shoe. MJs special edition pair also comes with 23 and 45 added to the heel as well as other unique detailing and a special message on the box. Off White 1s Some of the nation's biggest Internet providers are begging a court not to weaken the power of a major regulatory agency - the Federal Trade Commission - in a case that has implications for businesses and consumers nationwide and puts the companies at odds with another key industry player, AT&T. The request earlier this week by Charter, Comcast, Cox and Verizon seeks to shore up the FTC's ability to regulate Internet providers, in a case about whether the FTC can punish AT&T for allegedly misleading consumers with its marketing of "unlimited" data plans. But the case also has other implications. It could create an undesirable regulatory environment for the companies, they say. "At first glance, [our] position might seem surprising - four leading corporations are arguing in favor of restoring the FTC's authority to regulate," the ISPs wrote. They added: "If the FTC is divested of jurisdiction," the companies wrote, "it is likely that a variety of federal, state, and local government agencies that lack the appropriate reach, perspective, and experience . . . will attempt to fill the perceived 'regulatory gaps,' thereby creating a patchwork of unreasonable, duplicative, and inconsistent rules." At issue is a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit last year that basically held that any company that buys or sets up a telecom firm may fall under the Federal Communications Commission's jurisdiction rather than the FTC's. Critics of the decision said that it created an enormous loophole, one that could allow huge swaths of almost any corporation to evade federal oversight. Due to limits on the FCC's authority, America's top telecom regulator may only oversee telecom-related aspects of a company. So any firm that exercised the escape hatch might be answerable in part to the FCC, but its other operations would be free to engage in unfair or deceptive behavior without fear of FTC investigations or lawsuits, they said. The Ninth Circuit agreed this year to revisit the decision. If it stands, however, it will deal a "fatal blow" to consumer protections, according to oversight advocates. In a separate court filing on the issue last month, the FCC said that the Ninth Circuit ruling violated a "common-sense reading" of the law and risked creating unintended consequences. "[It] could weaken or eliminate important consumer protections," the FCC wrote. "While AT&T may prefer to offer services in a regulatory no man's land, the law does not dance to AT&T's whims." AT&T declined to comment for this story. Beyond this court case, there are other, broader reasons that explain the other Internet providers' support for FTC authority. The industry has been behind a wider push to transfer power from the FCC, whose net neutrality rules permitted the agency to impose tough regulations on ISPs, to the FTC, which can sue companies for misbehaving but does not generally write prescriptive rules. Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is currently weighing how to undo his agency's net neutrality rules - a move that many broadband providers have called for over fears that the FCC may use the regulation to directly set prices for Internet access, analysts say. An alternative to the FCC's net neutrality rules, some critics of the regulation say, is oversight by antitrust agencies such as the FTC. Supporters of this argument won a major victory in April when President Trump signed legislation rolling back the FCC's consumer protections on Internet privacy. Republicans and industry groups at the time said that the FTC, not the FCC, was the appropriate regulatory body for broadband privacy issues. That argument itself has sparked a vigorous debate. But setting that aside, whether the FTC is capable of serving as an effective regulator - whether on privacy or other issues - in light of the Ninth Circuit ruling has come into question after the decision gave businesses a way to bypass the FTC's authority altogether. "This result would harm both consumers and industry," the ISPs wrote in their filing. "Consumers will not know where to look for help, and companies will not know what rules to follow, in such a crowded and disparate regulatory environment." BRUSSELS - European regulators fined Google a record $2.7 billion for abusing its dominance of the online search market in a case that could be just the opening salvo in Europe's attempt to curb the company's clout on that continent. The decision announced Tuesday by the European Commission punished Google for unfairly favoring its own online shopping recommendations in its search results. The commission also is conducting at least two other probes into the company's business practices that could force Google to make even more changes in the way it bundles services on mobile devices and sells digital advertising. Even so, Europe's crackdown is unlikely to affect Google's products in the U.S. or elsewhere. But it could provide an opportunity to contrast how consumers fare when the company operates under constraints compared with an unfettered Google. Move triggers questions The fine immediately triggered debate about whether European regulators were taking prudent steps to preserve competition or overstepping their bounds to save companies being shunned by consumers who have overwhelmingly embraced an alternative. Margrethe Vestager, Europe's top antitrust regulator, said her agency's nearly seven-year investigation left no doubt something had to be done to rein in Google. "What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation," Vestager told reporters Tuesday. The fine was the highest imposed in Europe for anti-competitive behavior, exceeding a $1.2 billion penalty on Silicon Valley chip maker Intel in 2009. The penalty itself is unlikely to leave a dent in Google's finances. Parent company Alphabet has more than $92 billion in cash, including nearly $56 billion in accounts outside the U.S. The findings in Europe contrasted sharply with those reached by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in a similar investigation of Google completed in 2013. The FTC absolved Google of any serious wrongdoing after concluding that its search recommendations did not undermine competition or hurt consumers. Leading up to that unanimous decision, though, some of the FTC's staff sent a memo to the agency's commissioners recommending legal action because Google's "conduct has resulted - and will result - in real harm to consumers and to innovation in the online search and advertising markets," according to a memo inadvertently released to The Wall Street Journal two years ago. No decision on appeal Google's misbehavior in Europe boiled down to its practice of highlighting its online shopping service above those of its rivals. Europe's investigation did not present any concrete evidence that consumers had been financially damaged by Google's online shopping tactics, said Pablo Ibanez Colomo, a law professor at the London School of Economics. "The only harm being alleged here is that competing services have suffered a decrease in traffic coming from Google," Colomo said. Alphabet is mulling an appeal of Tuesday's penalty, but even if that is filed, the Mountain View, Calif., company will have only 90 days to comply with an order to stop favoring its own links to online shopping. If it does not, Alphabet faces more fines of up to 5 percent of its average daily revenue worldwide. That would translate into roughly $14 million, based on Alphabet's revenue during the first three months of the year. Rather than comply, Google could shut down its shopping service in Europe. WASHINGTON - The Labor Department said it is formally requesting feedback on a rule that would expand overtime pay to millions of workers - a sign that the Trump administration could move to scale it back. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta previously had said that he planned to review the pending regulation, which would more than double the income threshold that determines which workers should be eligible for overtime pay to about $47,500 a year, from the current threshold of $23,660 a year. Workers earning less than that income level qualify to earn 11/2 times pay for any hours worked beyond 40 hours a week. Earlier this month, Acosta told lawmakers at a budget hearing that he would be seeking more input on the rule, which was finalized last year by the Obama administration. The labor secretary also hinted during his confirmation hearing in March that it was unfortunate that the rule had not been updated in more than 10 years because life does "become more expensive." But he also said that doubling the threshold could "create a stress" on businesses by raising costs. Pros and cons Supporters of the rule say the higher income threshold could lead to higher wages or give workers more free time to focus on their families, education or other goals. "Any change, any weakening of the standard by which workers are made eligible for overtime pay really is money out of workers' pockets," said Celine McNicholas, labor counsel for the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. But the rule also has faced strong opposition from business groups who say the new threshold raises employment costs and may force them to cut back on some workers' hours. A federal judge blocked the Labor Department from enforcing the regulation last November after a collection of states and business groups filed a lawsuit challenging the rule. Some employers already have made changes to help them comply with the rule, such as increasing workers' salaries and adjusting employees' schedules. Others are waiting to see what happens to the rule before making any final decisions. Other changes in store The Labor Department announced a few other changes Tuesday that could affect other wage and safety regulations. The department proposed to delay until December a rule that would require companies to electronically report injuries and illnesses - a move that is meant to give the department more time to review the rule. The change comes as the Trump administration has scaled back on the amount of enforcement information and other data that is easily available online. And the department said it would start to use a more customized approach when issuing guidance on how companies may be affected by rules for overtime pay, minimum wage and family leave. The department said it would bring back the use of opinion letters, which answer specific questions from employers about how they should comply with regulations, based on their specific circumstances. Companies in similar situations could use the letters, which are made publicly available, to determine how they might be affected by a particular rule, says Ryan Glasgow, a partner on the labor and employment team at Hunton & Williams, an international law firm. But under the Obama administration, the Labor Department switched to offering more broad interpretations of the rules that did not always account for differences in job duties or other specific scenarios companies might encounter, Glasgow says. WASHINGTON - The natural gas industry is raising concerns about Energy Secretary Rick Perry's order to study whether current regulations and tax policies are threatening the reliability of the power grid by boosting some electricity sources over others - read as an effort to revive struggling coal and nuclear plants. The American Petroleum Institute, which represents natural gas producers around the country, is urging the department not to move too quickly, arguing attempts to prop up so-called "baseload" plants like coal and nuclear would not do much to improve reliability. "Baseload is kind of a historical term," said Erica Bowman, chief economist at API. "It's not really relevant to how electricity is produced today." That position places the oil and gas lobbying giants firmly on the side of the renewable energy industry, which has expressed concern that Perry's study is nothing more than an attempt to prop up the coal sector - a favorite of President Donald Trump - at the expense of what is now a years-long boom in wind and solar installations. During a briefing with reporters Monday, Perry suggested the administration would back the end of a lucrative tax credit for renewable energy - which was extended in 2015 as part of a bipartisan deal to end a ban on U.S. oil exports. Last year, solar panels, natural gas turbines and wind farms represented more than 90 percent of utility-scale additions on the U.S. power grid, according to the Energy Department. "I don't think that the administration is going to be wildly supportive of government subsidies for sectors of the energy industry," he said when asked about the tax credit. The changing nature of the power grid and the growth of intermittent sources has put a premium on power generators that can respond quickly to changing supply and demand, ramping up and down production as needed. That has given natural gas plants a decided advantage over coal and nuclear, which cannot as easily be taken off line and restarted. Coal and nuclear "are far slower when you compare them to a lot of the technology natural gas plants have," Bowman said. Trump made reviving coal a key element of his energy policy during the campaign and has tried to follow through on that promise in the early months of his administration. Among his first moves was to take steps to dismantle the Clean Power Plan, which imposed tight emissions restrictions that would force the shutdown of many coal plants. Now, low natural gas prices might achieve those goals without such regulations, according to the Energy Department. If natural gas prices remain low, the U.S. will nearly hit the coal-reduction goals of the Clean Power Plan and other rules, the Energy Department said. That conclusion, however, is not new or unusual. Merchant power companies and industry experts have long said that economics favor natural gas. Low prices have led to power industry to favor natural gas over more expensive coal and nuclear power plants. Under existing policies, around 96,000 megawatts of coal-fired power capacity will retire or be switched to natural gas by 2040, according to the Energy Department. If the Clean Power Plan does not go into effect, cheap natural gas would lead companies to shut down or convert about 93,000 megawatts of coal-fired capacity. The Service Employees International Union recently reached a confidential agreement with a Houston commercial cleaning company to settle a multimillion-dollar judgment in a deal that will allow its Texas affiliate to emerge from bankruptcy, but raises questions about the future of the local and its ability to organize here. SEIU Texas filed for bankruptcy after a Harris County jury last year awarded $7.8 million to Professional Janitorial Service, the target of a bitter organizing campaign more than a decade ago that ultimately led to a defamation case and a jury finding that the union maligned the commercial cleaning company's reputation. The international stepped in earlier this year to settle the case for an undisclosed amount, erasing the local's liability. SEIU Texas, which said in court papers that it now has the money to pay its bills, last month asked the federal bankruptcy court in Corpus Christi to dismiss the union's Chapter 11 filing. SEIU Texas is expected to get back to business, but it's unclear what's next for the statewide union. It has relied on its international parent for at least 80 percent of its annual operating income and it's uncertain how much of a subsidy it will continue to receive. In the bankruptcy case, the report of union financial expert said the parent organization was under no obligation to support the local, according to court records; the international did not say in the report whether it would continue to prop up its Texas affiliate and did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, the union's Texas membership has been trending down, according to court records. The union reported 1,700 members during the first nine months of 2016, down by nearly one-third from the previous year, when it had about 2,500. The once-bustling union headquarters that once occupied an entire floor of a bank building on the edge of River Oaks now shares the space with a real estate firm, tutoring company and home builder. Local union officials declined to comment. John Jansonius, a Dallas employment lawyer who represents management, said the verdict could help companies dissuade employees from joining the SEIU by pointing to the Professional Janitorial Service case and the jury's findings against the union. An employer facing an SEIU organizing drive can point to the verdict, Jansonius said, and say to its employees: "Here is what a jury of your peers thought of the organization." It's hard enough to organize in Texas, a so-called right-to-work state, and the verdict might lead workers to question whether the Texas SEIU has the resources to represent them and their dues will be spent to cover legal bills, said Jansonius, who has been watching the dispute over the past few years. He predicted the SEIU will take a low profile in Texas for a while. "I would think this takes a lot of wind out of their sails," he said. The SEIU set its sights on Houston some 15 years ago as its first toehold in the South to expand its Justice for Janitors campaign. SEIU had racked up impressive wins in its campaign to organize janitors in other parts of the country and funneled millions of dollars into organizing in Houston, a city with an expanding Latino population. SEIU, flush with money after splitting from the AFL-CIO, spent millions to lease office space and hire organizers in Houston to court the thousands of low-wage janitors who worked for little more than $5 an hour cleaning toilets, vacuuming the carpets and emptying the trash. It scored the biggest labor victory in more than a quarter century in Houston when it announced in 2005 that it obtained a majority of signatures of low-wage janitors who wanted to form a union and be represented by SEIU. The janitors worked for five national cleaning companies, which recognized the union. But in an effort to sew up the labor market in the commercial cleaning business -a move that would give the union more negotiating clout -SEIU set its sights on Professional Janitorial Service. The relatively small company was the sixth largest commercial cleaner. The campaign started like many other organizing efforts but turned nastier than usual as the union falsely claimed that the company had violated wage, overtime and other labor laws. A jury in Harris County state district court awarded Professional Janitorial Service $5.3 million in September. With interest - stretching back to 2007 when the lawsuit was initially filed - the award had grown to $7.8 million. By this time, however, the local union was dependant on cash infusions from the international, which was providing SEIU Texas more than $3 million per year since 2013, according to court documents. A consultant hired by the union cast doubts whether the local union could survive without the financial support. Subsidies in 2014, 2015 and the first nine months of 2016 represented at least 80 percent of the local union's revenue, according to court records. SEIU officials would not say what their next steps might be, but its conference room is still lined with picket signs and photos of its Justice for Janitors and Fight for $15 campaign, the nationwide campaign to boost the nation's minimum wage to $15 an hour. The union is helping to organize protests against Republican efforts to dismantle the federal health care law known as Obamacare, including one this week that will start in front of Sen. Ted Cruz's office and then move to Houston City Hall. The SEIU has also teamed up with other local unions to encourage the Houston City Council to join the fight against the new immigration law SB4 that would ban local elected officials from adopting policies that limit local cooperation with immigration enforcement, said Hany Khalil, executive director of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, an umbrella group for 80 local unions and their 50,000 members. "Workers who are afraid don't stand up for their rights at the workplace," Khalil said. SEIU also continues to represent commercial janitors in Houston and negotiated a new four-year labor agreement last year. Janitors received a 25 cents an hour raise this year, to $9.60 for experienced janitors, according to the collective bargaining agreement. By 2020, wages will increase to $10.45 an hour. Michael Paulsen/Houston Chronicle Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday began using facial recognition technology to confirm the identity of some passengers at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The technology is being used on one daily flight departing the U.S. for Tokyo, according to a news release. China has launched its Biggest Naval Destroyer Published: June 28, 2017 China has launched its most powerful naval destroyer, the Type 055, at the Shanghai port. The naval destroyer is one among the largest warships in the world. Analysis The Type055 vessels will weigh more than 12,000 tonnes when fully armed. The Type055 vessels are larger and more powerful than Indias latest Project- 15B Visakhapatnam class destroyers. India is yet to commission Project- 15B Visakhapatnam class destroyers. Indias destroyers when fully armed will displace only 8,200 tonnes and are capable of carrying only a mix of nearly 50 surface-to-air, anti-ship and land attack missiles. On the other hand, the Type055 vessels will combine nearly 120 missiles, making it one of the most heavily-armed ships in the world. Chinese vessels are fitted with powerful phased array radars that are capable of focusing on targets at sea, on land and in the air. The vessel is more modern and has more sophisticated control and battle management system. Chinese vessels are fitted with powerful phased array radars that are capable of focusing on targets at sea, on land and in the air. The vessel is more modern and has more sophisticated control and battle management system than Indias vessels under construction. In the last five years, China has launched several naval vessels. From March 2014, China has commissioned five Type 52D destroyers which have similar capability to that of Indias Visakhapatnam class warships. In addition, China has planned to build a fleet of at least 18 such naval ships. India, on the other hand, has planned to build only seven ships belonging to the Vishakhapatnam class. Earlier this year, China had also launched its first indigenous aircraft carrier whose construction began only in 2013. Indias indigenous aircraft carrier, the Vikrant whose construction is carried out since 2009 is unlikely to be completed before 2023. Growing Chinese naval prowess is a cause of worry to India. In the last five years, China has increasingly begun to deploy its nuclear submarines, warships and other support vessels in the Indian Ocean. Indias important maritime ally, the United States has also expressed its deep concerns about the expansion of the Chinese Navy, particularly in the Indian Ocean. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2017 Topics: China Current Affairs - 2017 India China International Project 15B Latest E-Books A Houston bank robber whose heist was spoiled by a pair of exploding dye packs was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison plus an additional seven years for using a gun, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. U.S. District Judge David Hittner also handed Trent Davis, 24, two more years in prison because he has a previous bank robbery conviction on his record. On Apr. 26, 2016, Davis and Derrick Muhammad, 29, robbed the Capital One Bank branch at 1514 West Sam Houston South. Davis jumped the counter and pointed a pink-colored pistol at the teller before demanding he open the vault. Federal prosecutors said a pair of dye packs hidden inside the money bag exploded after Davis and Muhammad fled the bank. They threw the ruined bag from the car and fled. A witness saw the two masked men leaving the bank and took a photograph as the dye pack went off. The FBI later determined that the substance found in the getaway car, which belonged to Davis' sister, had chemicals found only in dye packs, officials said. Davis was taken into custody about a month later. He was carrying a pink handgun that had been painted black. Prosecutors said he also admitted to the crime during jailhouse conversations with other prisoners. Derrick Muhammad also testified in Davis' trial. He had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced in May 2017 to 9 years in prison. Davis will remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. federal prison, officials said. The Galena Park Police Department is asking for the public's help in finding a missing 22-month-old boy last seen in Galena Park, Texas. Officials believe Jesus Ludena is in grave or immediate danger. He is described as a white, male, about 24 inches long, weighing about 30 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Police believe Jesus was last seen with 25-year-old Alejandro Sebastian Ludena. Alejandro is described as a white male, about 5'7", about 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities believe Alejandro is driving a brown 2008 Honda Civic with the Texas license plate HBF 2149. The Civic is reported to be missing the front and rear bumpers. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Galena Park Police Department at 713-675-3471. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Kristin Daniel took note as the clock pushed toward 10 p.m. Monday. "It's a week, in just a few hours," she said, meaning a week since her daughter disappeared. On the evening of June 19, Daniel's 15-year-old daughter, Kassy, sprinted away from their home on Doves Gate Court, in the Katy subdivision of Cinco Ranch. The teenager, whom Daniel and her husband had adopted, suffered from the effects of early-childhood trauma, Daniel said. She often went on daytime walks when she grew upset. But that evening, Daniel didn't want her venturing out in the dark. "Bad things happen overnight," Daniel said. "I knew nothing good would come from it." Daniel insisted on walking with her daughter, following her outside barefoot. But Kassy ran. She had her cell phone and perhaps $40. The mother couldn't keep up. Kassy had apparently turned off the feature on her phone that usually allowed her parents to see where she was. She didn't respond to text messages from her mom. She ignored friends and other family who reached out at the mother's request. A family member went to look for Kassy to no avail. She was wearing knee-high, lace-up black Converses and dark clothes, nearly identical to what is depicted in her missing person's poster. The black shirt she wore, from a concert by The Chainsmokers, had a red "X" on the back. Her mother, emotionally drained but still searching, hoped she had not become a target. *** Kristin Daniel and her husband had adopted Kassy through a private arrangement at age 3. They knew she would suffer the impacts of past trauma including what the mother described as physical and emotional neglect. But they did not know to what degree. The couple paid attention to her development. The mother traced the steps. They noticed when Kassy first developed sensory reactions, such as being scared by putting on socks because of how the seam felt, or growing agitated by the tag in the back of her shirt. Kassy developed behavioral issues later, with difficulty making and keeping friends, Daniel said. She felt stress in crowded classrooms and hallways. She began going to counselors in first grade. At the recommendation of experts, her parents pulled her out of private school in April. The parents, meanwhile, had made efforts to learn about how best to care for their daughter. They practiced the notion of "time in," the mother said, rather than "time out," meaning they would try to help her settle down by showing her calm behavior and working through the issue with her. But on Monday one week ago none of that was enough. *** Kassy had learned that day that a friend could no longer go with her to the movies, and it upset her, Daniel said. She views the world in extremes, said her mother, and believed she would never see her friend again. Her emotion escalated. Kassy had run away before, in May. She asked for water from a stranger, who then took her to go get something to drink. She called home. This time, her mother worries she approached the wrong stranger. Her phone has not been active since the afternoon after she ran. "My gut feeling is that somebody probably has her," the mother said. In runaway cases, the risk of human trafficking arises as a concern, said Jamey Caruthers, senior staff attorney at Children at Risk. A history of abuse and neglect are also common among trafficking victims. A Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office search remains ongoing, spokesman Bob Haenel said. They have asked that anyone in the public with information please contact them at 281-341-4665. Texas EquuSearch, an organization that offers aid in search efforts, has been contacted about the case but is not involved in the search, volunteer David White said. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a poster for Kassy, adding her to a list of 372 cases reported in the state, according to an online list. An Amber Alert has not been issued. *** Taking on part of the search effort herself, Kristin Daniel spent Monday evening printing fliers. She posted them throughout the neighborhood Tuesday. Kassy is 5-foot-3 and weighs around 115 pounds, according to the poster. She has brown hair and brown eyes. "I'm hoping very soon that we're going to have a larger search effort," Daniel said. "We just want everybody to keep looking for her." Melissa Phillip/Staff Pasadena mayor-elect Jeff Wagner confirmed Wednesday that he has chosen former Houston City Councilman James Rodriguez as his chief of staff. Wagner, a city councilman who defeated community college trustee John Moon Jr. in a June 10 runoff in the mayor's race, will be sworn in on Saturday. He will replace longtime Mayor Johnny Isbell, who could not seek re-election because of term-limits. Former police officer Oscar Perez piloted a stolen helicopter from which four grenades were dropped on the Venezuela's supreme court building on Tuesday. Perez, whose location is currently unknown, said in an Instagram caption that he and his cohort "are a coalition of military employees, policemen and civilians who are looking for balance and are against this criminal government." In addition to dropping grenades on the court, the group also appears to have fired multiple shots at the Interior Ministry and flown a banner over Caracas emblazoned with the words, "350 Freedom," a reference to clause 350 in the Venezuelan constitution that guarantees the right of the Venezuelan people to oppose an undemocratic government. President Nicolas Maduro denounced the incident as a "terrorist attack." But Maduro's regime, which has postponed elections and aims to rewrite the constitution, is taking heat not just from thousands of protesters who've been in the streets for months, but also more prominent figures, namely state prosecutor Luisa Ortega. Protests against the Maduro government began in earnest in April after the Supreme Court, widely seen as an extension of the regime, tried to usurp the duties of the National Assembly, a last bastion of the opposition. That decision was mostly reversed, but the opposition has not been moved, even as Maduro digs in his heels and the Organization of American States proves unable to come to a resolution on what to do about Venezuela. Perez's helicopter stunt is significant in that some experts expect the military will take the first steps to oust Maduro. And while Perez's faction appears, at least so far, to be tiny, meaning the move was more of a demonstration and less the attempted coup Maduro quickly said it was, it could perhaps represent the first flutterings of discontent within the military. Maduro has maintained that he has complete loyalty in the barracks, even while detaining at least 65 soldiers, including many junior officers. The former bus driver seemed determined to avoid any contagion. "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said. It appears no one was injured in Tuesday's activities, but, Maduro warned, "There could have been dozens of deaths." Where there actually have been dozens of deaths has come in the streets, in clashes with Maduro's security forces: At least 75 people have died in the anti-government protests. The Memorial Hermann Health System, Houston's largest employer, is laying off another 350 employees, the third significant workforce reduction by a Texas Medical Center hospital this year. Memorial Hermann announced the layoffs Tuesday, the same day it notified most of the affected employees. The latest reduction brings the layoff total at the hospital system this year to more than 460, just under 2 percent of Memorial Hermann's 25,000-employee workforce. "This is an unprecedented time in health care," Chuck Stokes, Memorial Hermann's interim president, wrote in an email to employees. "We continue to face an uncertain health-care environment with escalating costs and declining reimbursements. In addition, we are impacted by a softened local economy." Stokes said that Memorial Hermann still is profitable, but is driven "to make proactive adjustments to position itself for continued success and financial sustainability." He added, "It's important to note that this reduction is only one part of an overall strategy to adapt and prosper under the 'new normal' in health care." No doctors or nurses are included in the layoffs, Memorial Hermann officials said. The layoff announcement came a week after the abrupt departure of former Memorial Hermann President Benjamin Chu, a year after he assumed the top job. Stokes said there was no connection between the two events. He noted Chu inherited the financial situation and initiative to become more efficient, begun under his predecessor Dan Wolterman. The layoffs follow larger workforce reductions at MD Anderson Cancer Center, which laid off 778 employees in January; and Catholic Health Initiative's Texas division, which since August has laid off 810 employees and cut its payroll by 1,295 jobs, most at the St. Luke's Health System in Houston. Houston health care economist Vivian Ho said all three institutions are being hit by the same forces. "Health care costs have grown faster than the overall economy almost every year over the past three decades," said Ho, director of the Center for Health and Biosciences at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. "In the last few years, employers have passed those higher costs on to workers, who are more price sensitive and may have pulled back on demand because of those higher out-of-pocket costs. Plus, many workers lost generous health insurance coverage in layoffs due to the oil slump." Post-Obamacare services Ho added that Memorial Hermann "likely benefited from the bump in insurance that resulted from Obamacare, but like others, doesn't see that coverage number expanding any further or perhaps falling substantially. So, there was no point keeping on additional staff in expectation of future growth." Ted Shaw, president and CEO of the Texas Hospital Association, said that "Texas hospital leaders are facing significant challenges as the population increases, the rate of uninsured rises, and hospitals are forced to do more with less." He said that "as hospital leaders innovate to address these challenges, costs have added up in a time of great upheaval." Ho said the medical center layoffs raise the question of how Houston Methodist Hospital is doing. Methodist spokeswoman Gale Smith said the system is not planning any layoffs, adding that "we beat budget in 2016 and are beating it so far in 2017. Our workforce is the right size for the institution." Memorial Hermann is comprised of 12 acute-care hospitals, five specialty hospitals and more than 200 outpatient clinics scattered around the region. Leaders refer to it as the largest safety-net hospital system in Houston. Stokes said it provided $510 million in uncompensated, or charity, care last year, a drain on its finances. He said it also hurt that Texas did not participate in the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which Congress now is attempting to dismantle. Memorial Hermann's new workforce reduction comes five months after the system laid off 112 employees, mostly in leadership positions. Those layoffs were characterized as "flattening" the organizational structure so the system could more nimbly respond to changes in the industry, but Chu wrote at the time that the system "would look for additional ways to reduce operational expenses." In an interview,Stokes said Memorial Hermann hopes to save another $100 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1. He said such savings would not come from further layoffs but improvements such as clinical care redesign, reducing lengths of stay, cutting overtime, the cost of supplies and attrition. Streamlining the system Stokes said he does not anticipate any big layoffs going forward, but added that Memorial Hermann will consolidate services or programs if the opportunity presents itself. Laid-off employees will continue working until July 7, then receive severance packages. "We must respond to this new normal by creating a new operating and cost structure for the organization," Stokes wrote to employees. "This means reformatting how we get work done - continuously looking for ways to improve our operations by being more cost-efficient and consumer-focused than ever before." WASHINGTON - Scrambling to line up support for the Republican health-care bill, President Donald Trump got on the phone Monday with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and urged him to back the measure. The president's personal plea was not enough. On Tuesday, Lee said he would vote against the bill. Senate GOP leaders later postponed the planned health-care vote because too many other Republican senators also opposed - for now, at least - legislation that would deliver on Trump's campaign promise to scale back the law known as Obamacare. Trump had hoped for a swift and easy win on health care this week. Instead he got a delay and a return to the negotiating table - the latest reminder of the limits of his power to shape outcomes at the opposite end of Pennsylvania Avenue. History suggests that presidents who have governed successfully have been both revered and feared. But Republican fixtures in Washington are beginning to conclude that Trump may be neither, despite his mix of bravado, threats and efforts to schmooze with GOP lawmakers. The president is the leader of his party, yet Trump has struggled to get Republican lawmakers moving in lockstep on health care and other major issues, leaving no signature legislation in his first five months in office. The confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is his most-cited achievement to date. "This president is the first president in our history who has neither political nor military experience, and thus it has been a challenge to him to learn how to interact with Congress and learn how to push his agenda better," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who opposes the current health-care bill. The Senate could pass a revised version of the bill once lawmakers return from their July 4 recess and pick up deliberations. Still, some Republicans are willing to defy their president's wishes - a dynamic that can be attributed in part to Trump's singular status as a disrupter within his party. "The president remains an entity in and of itself, not a part of the traditional Republican Party," said Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., a moderate who represents a district Trump lost by 16 percentage points. "I handle the Trump administration the same way I handled the Obama administration. When I agree, I work with them. When I oppose, I don't." In private conversations on Capitol Hill, Trump is often not taken seriously. Some Republican lawmakers consider some of his promises - such as making Mexico pay for a new border wall - fantastical. They are exhausted and at times exasperated by his hopscotching from one subject to the next, chronicled in his pithy and provocative tweets. They are quick to point out how little command he demonstrates of policy. And they have come to regard some of his threats as empty, concluding that crossing the president poses little danger. "The House health-care vote shows he does have juice, particularly with people on the right," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said. "The Senate health-care vote shows that people feel that health care is a defining issue and that it'd be pretty hard for any politician to push a senator into taking a vote that's going to have consequences for the rest of their life." Asked if he personally fears Trump, Graham chuckled before saying, "No." Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who has distanced himself from Trump on various issues, said few members of Congress fear permanent retaliation from the president. "He comes from the private sector, where your business partner today isn't always your business partner tomorrow," Issa said. "Just because you're one way today doesn't mean you're written off. That's the 'Art of the Deal' side." One senior Republican close to both the White House and many senators called Trump and his political operation "a paper tiger," noting how many GOP lawmakers feel free "to go their own way." "Members are political entrepreneurs, and they react to what they see in the political marketplace," said the Republican, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid alienating the White House. John Weaver, a GOP consultant and frequent Trump critic, was more blunt in explaining why Trump has been unable to rule with a hammer. "When you have a 35 percent approval rating and you're under FBI investigation, you don't have a hammer," he said, referring to the probe of possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump's approval rating in Gallup's daily tracking poll stood Tuesday at 39 percent, with 57 percent of Americans disapproving of his performance. But a significant portion of those supporters, particularly in red states and districts, still strongly back Trump. White House officials contest the suggestion that Trump does not instill fear among fellow Republicans in Congress. The president's political shop, meanwhile, is laboring to force more Republicans to bend to his wishes. America First Policies, a Trump-allied super PAC staffed by former aides, launched a negative advertising effort against Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., after he spoke out against the bill Friday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., complained about the ads to White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, and the super PAC said Tuesday that it would pull the spots after Heller said he was open to further negotiations, according to two people familiar with the decision. America First Policies has been mulling similar ads against other Republicans who have broken ranks, hoping to make lawmakers believe they will pay a price for betraying Trump and imperiling his agenda. The super PAC also is considering grass-roots campaigns across the country to mobilize Trump supporters in key states during the July 4 recess, as a way to ratchet up pressure on wavering lawmakers. Trump allies have encouraged major GOP donors to reach out to senators who oppose the bill. Las Vegas casino moguls Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn have both spoken by phone with Heller to prod him along, according to people familiar with the discussions. Trump has been hungry for a legislative policy victory on Capitol Hill, and he and his advisers see health care as the best chance for one this summer. The president is playing a less public role advocating for the legislation than he did leading up to this spring's vote on a House bill, when he used his relationship with conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus to eventually bring them to the table. In the Senate talks, Trump has been working largely behind the scenes to lobby senators, with personal phone calls and other entreaties. Unlike the House, where rank-and-file Republicans may be likely to follow Trump's lead, the Senate naturally is a more independent institution. Many senators fashion their own political brands and have outsize egos, and some Republicans ran away from Trump in their reelection races last year. Chris Whipple, author of "The Gatekeepers," a new history of White House chiefs of staff, said the tumult inside Trump's White House - and the president's lack of a coherent message or vision for his policy agenda - inhibits his ability to enforce party discipline in Congress. "Nothing instills fear on Capitol Hill like success, and all this White House has been able to do is one failure after another," Whipple said. "There are just zero points on the board so far. Who's going to be afraid of that?" In the early years of Barack Obama's presidency, Democrats on Capitol Hill largely stayed in line - in part because they saw Obama as a powerful political force and believed there were risks in breaking with him. During negotiations over the Affordable Care Act, Rahm Emanuel, then the White House chief of staff, served as the enforcer, reminding Blue Dog Democrats that they owed him their loyalty because he helped recruit and elect them as head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Early in President George W. Bush's tenure, fellow Republicans in Congress saw his White House as a finely tuned machine that could not be crossed. "You never wanted to get on the wrong side of the Bush White House because the staff was disciplined, dedicated and extremely loyal to the president," said Ryan Williams, a Republican operative. "If you crossed or undermined the president or his administration, the Bush die-hards would remember it forever." Trump's lieutenants, by contrast, have struggled to force Republicans into line. In March, when House Republicans were slow to rally behind the health-care bill, White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon told Freedom Caucus members that they must stop waffling and vote for the legislation. Bannon was immediately rebuffed by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, who has been in the House for more than three decades. Barton icily told Bannon that the only person who ordered him around was "my daddy" - and that his father was unsuccessful in doing so, according to several Republicans with knowledge of the meeting. In an interview Tuesday, Barton smiled wryly when asked about the incident. "I will admit on the record that I took exception to a comment that he made," Barton said. "There is a separation of powers, and the president has a role and the Congress has a role. That's all I'll say." - - - Video: Here's what happened after Senate leaders postponed the health-care vote Here's what happened after Senate Republican leaders on June 27 decided to postpone a vote on a health-care bill aiming to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. (Whitney Shefte, Rhonda Colvin,Malcolm Cook,Bastien Inzaurralde / The Washington Post) Short URL: http://wapo.st/2rZzEkE Embed code: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two car crashes in a two-month span left Cherlyn Glanville with debilitating headaches and bouts of vertigo, forcing her into early retirement from the Houston Independent School District in 2011. Glanville, a former French teacher, now needs 10 medications and regular treatments to ease her pain and stay functional. This year, she expects her health care costs to total about $4,800 out of pocket, a manageable amount for her. But next year, Glanville will face a maximum out-of-pocket cost of $7,150, the result of recent changes to the state's retired teachers' benefits fund, a drain on her $21,000 yearly pension. "I'm going to have to borrow money from my family," said Glanville, 54, of Houston. "I'm lucky because I have extra siblings who are willing to help me. There are a lot of other teachers who don't have that kind of family support." As health care costs continue to skyrocket, retired Texas teachers under the age of 65 - who generally aren't yet eligible for Medicare because they're too young for the federal program - will be asked to shoulder an increasingly large financial burden for their treatment under plans recently approved by state legislators and officials. For many of the state's 55,000 retired teachers under age 65, the additional costs could total thousands of dollars apiece in 2018 - with even higher payments in the years to come. Without this year's changes, which were unanimously approved by the GOP-controlled legislative chambers and signed recently by Gov. Greg Abbott, the retired teachers' fund faced a shortfall of up to $1.5 billion by 2019. Costs outpace growth For years, Texas legislators have dealt with rising medical costs in the retired teachers' fund largely by infusing it with huge amounts of state cash. In 2015, for example, legislators pumped $768 million into the fund, while retired teachers' contributions rose by about $5.5 million. But as costs continue to outpace growth in state revenue, legislators now have to find other sources of money. Their solution: increase retired teacher premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses; bump up recurring contributions from the state and local school districts; and dip into reserves. Retired teachers will pay about $568 million into the fund in fiscal 2018, roughly $175 million more than they contributed in fiscal 2017, according to state estimates. If projections hold, payments by retired teachers will account for 35 percent of the fund's revenue over the next four fiscal years, compared to 25 percent in the previous four fiscal years. 'No easy answer' The cost to the average retired teacher varies based on the plan and number of beneficiaries. But for an under-65 retired teacher who previously held a no-premium, high-deductible plan with no beneficiaries - the equivalent of catastrophic coverage - the maximum cost will rise about $1,300, to $9,550, in 2018. "There's no getting around that there's an increased cost to the retirees," said state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, who authored the Senate version of the bill signed by Abbott. "I can only say that we'll continue to watch it and continue to hope there's a solution that will drive down the costs." The Texas Retired Teachers Association backed the Legislature's changes, recognizing the state's financial conundrum and its past support of educators. "I'm certainly not dissatisfied with what the Legislature has done," said Tim Lee, the association's executive director. "The hard part of this is there's no easy answer." Lee worries that current teachers will have to delay retirement because health insurance for retired teachers will be too costly. He and his members are also frustrated that legislators didn't dedicate more recurring state money or dramatically reform the fund, which many of them have demanded. Even with this year's changes, the fund faces insolvency in the near future. Unless the state makes another one-time cash infusion, projections show the fund will run out of reserves by fiscal 2021. "That's what our members fear as much as anything: that (legislators) come back next session with a $500 million shortfall and say, 'Find out what it takes in raised premiums and deductibles toget to that number,'" Lee said. Huffman said she's hopeful the federal government will find solutions to drive down health care costs, and that retiree benefits will be part of larger discussions on school-finance reform. She cited the unanimous approval of this year's bill - a rarity in Austin - as evidence of legislators' intent to collaborate on the issue. "I do believe (the fund) is saved, and that's very important to the retired teachers," Huffman said. "It does not solve the problem for the future, but it makes the problem approachable." Uncertain future The uncertainty surrounding TRS' future has teachers nearing retirement, like Melissa McHargue, reconsidering their plans. McHargue, a counselor in the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, said she and her husband wanted to move off his insurance and onto the retired teachers' plan. Now, she's unsure whether that will be a financially sound choice. She questioned why the state employees' plan offers lower premiums, lower deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs compared to the retired teachers' plan. Teachers are technically school district employees, though the state contributes money to their health care. "I understand teachers are under different plans, but they're still public servants," she said. "Austin could address that and make the system more equitable across the board. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston doctor is resuming his regular trips to Iran four months after President Donald Trump's Middle East travel ban led him to cancel life-saving operations on three unborn babies there. The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court this week to reinstate a limited portion of Trump's travel order will not affect Dr. Alireza Shamshirsaz's plans to return to Iran next month and perform fetal surgeries on four pregnant women, he said. As for the three fetuses the Texas Children's Hospital surgeon had planned to operate on in February: "They have all passed away," Shamshirsaz said Tuesday. "The twins died in their mother's uterus, and the third infant with a cardiac defect was delivered, but couldn't make it." Shamshirsaz's decision to cancel his February trip made national headlines after first being reported by the Houston Chronicle. Opponents of Trump's original order restricting travel to seven predominantly Muslim countries seized on the story, arguing that it illustrated the human cost of the policy. "It was a disaster," Shamshirsaz said at the time, recalling separate video chats with two sets of Iranian parents who had been expecting him to operate on their unborn babies - complicated surgeries no doctors in Iran can do. "They were sobbing, completely and totally devastated." Within weeks, Shamshirsaz said, all of the babies were dead. RELATE: Amid travel ban uncertainty, Houston doctor cancels plans to perform life-saving fetal surgeries in Iran Technically there was nothing stopping the doctor and his team from making the trip. However, the uncertainty surrounding the president's initial travel restrictions - and the accounts of dozens of foreigners with visas and green cards who had been blocked at airports immediately afterward - made them worry they would not be able to return to Houston at the end of the 10-day visit. Shamshirsaz, 42, an Iranian-born professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, specializes in fetal surgeries, an emerging field in which doctors operate on babies in the womb, early in development, to correct deadly birth defects. Texas Children's Fetal Center is one of only a handful of centers in the world capable of performing such operations. Shamshirsaz began making return trips to Iran four years ago to teach others. U.S. physicians who were born and studied medicine abroad often make return visits to their home countries to teach doctors techniques they have learned in America, spreading the latest advances in Western medicine across the globe. In partnership with Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shamshirsaz created a fellowship program to mentor five Iranian doctors. In 2013, he and his team conducted an open-uterus operation on a fetus in Iran, the first of its kind performed in the Middle East. Since then, he has returned every few months, usually with a team of colleagues from Texas Children's, each time leading the Iranian fellows through a series of fetal surgeries, building their skills and saving infants' lives in the process. Shamshirsaz covers the cost of his travel and is paid nothing for the work. Since the administration's initial travel order - an attempt to crack down on potential terrorist attacks - Trump has scaled back the edict, limiting it to six countries and making it explicitly clear that the restriction should not affect green card holders such as Shamshirsaz. In its brief ruling this week, the Supreme Court said the revised ban could go forward pending a full hearing in October, but the justices exempted foreigners who have "a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States" such as close family or job offers. "From the rules and regulations I've seen, it should not affect me," said Shamshirsaz, known by his patients as "Dr. Shami." The doctor said he is excited to return in July and resume his work training Iranian physicians. This trip, though, will be different than most of his previous visits: None of his colleagues at Texas Children's will join him. "They are still concerned about traveling to Iran right now, and I understand that," said Shamshirsaz, noting that Iran has responded to Trump's policy by threatening to block U.S. residents from entering the country. "I will be going alone." Election Commission joins hands with Facebook to Launch First Time Nationwide Voter Registration Reminder Published: June 28, 2017 The Election Commission of India has joined hands with Facebook to launch nationwide voter registration reminder aimed at reminding eligible Indian voters to register themselves on the electoral rolls. Salient Highlights As a part of the initiative, Facebook will activate a unique Register Now button reminding all the eligible Indian users to enrol themselves as voters. The reminder will be made available for four days beginning July 1. When the users click the button, they will be redirected to National Voters Services Portal, where they can register themselves as voters. The reminder will be available in 13 languages-English, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Assamese, Marathi and Oriya. In 2016 and 2017, Election Commission had joined hands with Facebook to implement such features in selected states during the state elections. However, this is the first time the initiative is carried out all over India. The Election Commission is expecting to reach over 180 million Indians on Facebook through this drive. The initiative aims at enrolling left-out voters with a particular focus on first-time electors. Election Commission Election Commission of India is a permanent body entrusted for the conduct of free and fair elections. An independent Election Commission has been provided for in Article 324 of the Constitution of India. One of the most important functions of the election commission is to prepare an up-to-date list of all the persons who are entitled to vote at the elections. Election Commission is entrusted with the Election of President; Election of Vice-President; Election of Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha; Elections to State Legislatures as well as Legislative Councils; Reservation of Seats in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures; Qualifications of the MPs and MLAs; and Determination of population for purposes of the election. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2017 Topics: Current Affairs - 2017 Election Commission of India (ECI) Facebook National voter Latest E-Books An hours long SWAT standoff ended Tuesday evening with a father in custody. He apparently had taken his child hostage from the child's mother inside an apartment in southeast Houston near Hobby airport, according to the Houston Police Department. The hostage situation began shortly after 6 p.m. in the 9400 block of Grannis Street. The father took his child hostage inside the home, according to Captain Larry Baimbridge with the Houston Police Department. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner stopped by the Hermann Park Rotary Club meeting Tuesday night to congratulate his good friend and longtime supporter, Georgia Provost, on her installation as president. He made his usual cheerleading speech about the city, stepped away from the microphone and smiled for snapshots with Provost and the club's outgoing president, Ted Weisgal. Then, as if a switch flipped, Turner quickly returned to the podium and made one of his earliest pitches for proposed bonds to improve city parks, libraries, community centers, fire stations and health clinics as well as for a reversal of Houston's revenue cap and confirmation of the city's pension-reform deal by voters. His hook: The disparity in police officers between Houston and two of the nation's largest cities. "We need at least 600 more police. We've got an aging fleet of fire trucks and garbage trucks and police vehicles," the mayor said. "We have 5,100 police officers covering 640 square miles." Then, Turner asked for prayers before making his case for citizens casting ballots to raise the Houston's voter-imposed revenue cap that limits what the city can collect in property taxes. He said the city reduced the property rate, saving the average taxpayer about $31 or $2.50 a month. "You are not going to see it. It is not going to even register," he said. What could the city have done without that rollback, which totaled $28.4 million? "I could have hired 250 police officers for the year and paid their salaries and their benefits," Turner said. "You all will have to tell me whether or not you want to stay with the revenue cap or you want it removed. I'll do whatever the voters in this city want. "But if you want to keep the revenue cap ... OK, we'll stay within our means. But you cannot keep asking for more if the money is not there. You can't. You just can't. "Chicago has 12,000 police officers 12,000. New York City has close to 50,000. City of Houston: 5,100. I want you to think about it. I want you to think about it. And they don't come free. And I can't get them from Wal-Mart at a discount." The landmark pension reform bill, effective Saturday, requires voters to approve $1 billion in bonds Turner plans to inject into the under-funded police and municipal pensions. If rejected, the substantial benefit cuts to those groups could be rescinded which would increase the city's costs immediately. The referendum is part of Houston's latest five-year Capital Improvement Plan, which was presented in a City Council committee meeting hours earlier. "There are some pension obligation bonds that represent that final piece. It is the amount that the city has borrowed from the police pension system over the last 15 years -- $750 million. They have borrowed from the municipal employees ... over the last 15 years over $250 (million)," Turner explained. "Those are employees police, fire, municipal workers reducing their future retirement benefits by more than $3 billion. It is only fair that we pay back to them the money that the city has borrowed from them over the last 15 years. Those are the pension obligation bonds. I hope you will vote for it. ... If you don't vote for it, it (will) undo the pension agreement." The mayor wrapped up his remarks in eight minutes. On his way out, he pressed the flesh and embraced supporters in the friendly crowd leaving with evidence of the love: a smear of magenta lipstick on his chin from one lady's kiss. Audry Releford, a retired middle school teacher, stood in the middle of Francis Street last year as a Houston Police Department cruiser rolled by. It was the exact spot where his only son, Kenny, fell after being fatally shot in front of his own home by another HPD officer in 2012. The grieving father had taken a strong stand in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed in 2014 on behalf of all Houstonians like Kenny, who were unarmed or mentally ill or both when killed by HPD police officers. In more than 150 cases from 2010-2015, the department had found all of its shootings to be "justified" thereby establishing a custom of condoning use of lethal force against civilians, unarmed or not, his case alleged. However on Wednesday, the Houston City Council approved a $260,000 settlement following a series of federal court rulings that sided with Releford over the city of Houston's attorneys. Related: Watch video on what two HPD officers' texted following the Releford shooting It's by far the largest settlement to be reported in any case involving an unarmed person killed by police in Houston in years but the lawsuit separately marks a kind of turning point for local civil rights leaders who described it as one of several cases that boosted public awareness about police use-of-force and weaknesses in HPD's reviews of officer-involved shootings. James Douglas, president of the Houston NAACP chapter and a law professor at Texas Southern University, said he sees the settlement as part of a sea change in Houston including a new mayor, police chief, sheriff and district attorney, who all have demonstrated they accept responsibility for problematic cases and push reforms. "I am very impressed with the way criminal justice has been handled in the city of Houston today and I think it's admirable that we have city leaders who take responsibility for police officers who overstep their authorities," Douglas said. On Oct. 11, 2012, Kenny Releford, a 38-year-old U.S. Navy veteran and former Texas Southern University student, was killed before a circle of friends including Roger Abbs, a neighbor who had called police for help because Kenny, who suffered from schizophrenia, had earlier that night broken into Abbs' home during a mental health crisis. But by the time Officer Jason Rosemon confronted him around midnight, Kenny had been standing in the middle of the street, presented no threat and was clearly unarmed when he was shot and killed, according to affidavits from Abbs and three others. His neighbors' statements became a critical part of Releford's 2014 lawsuit, which argued that HPD officials repeatedly improperly cleared officers who'd shot or killed unarmed people even when the department's own internal affairs investigations revealed violations of training, policies or state laws. The city, in contrast, argued that Rosemon fired once because he feared for his life because Kenny Releford had refused to show one of his hands and again when he said Releford tried to get up. The settlement this week comes after the case survived a vigorous federal court fight. Over the years, most people who have sued Houston over officer-involved shootings have lost quickly. But in this case, Releford's attorneys successfully poked holes in the city's legal arguments and in HPD's Internal Affairs reviews both of Kenny's case and others pointing out that some officers had not been punished even when their justifications for shooting unarmed civilians were contradicted by physical evidence or by other witnesses. Because of rulings in the case by U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison, the Houston Police Department was compelled to release previously secret internal reviews of Releford's shooting as well as of other unarmed Houstonians. Most of the evidence filed as exhibits in the Releford case was never sealed despite efforts by the city of Houston's attorneys and HPD's union to keep shooting probes confidential. That meant some HPD internal investigative documents became available to the public for the first time including information that contradicted the officer's account in the fatal shooting of a mentally ill double amputee named Brian Claunch, who was in a wheelchair when an HPD officer shot and killed him in 2012. Related: Crime scene photos contradict officer's account of shooting City and county leaders already have changed leadership and reformed procedures since Releford's death. Mayor Sylvester Turner has hired a new police chief, Art Acevedo, who reformed officer-involved shooting internal reviews. Separately, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg also created a new team to beef up her office's oversight of officer-involved shooting incidents countywide. Douglas said he'd still like to see more reforms including boosting the role of a civilian advisory board that helps oversee HPD's internal reviews. Turner said that he does not anticipate any changes to the board, which critics have described as "cosmetic" and "toothless." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Noe Santana, whose 20-year-old cousin was kidnapped, raped and murdered in 1991, did not mince words when he had the chance Tuesday to talk to the killer. "When you're looking at yourself in the mirror, I hope you take that razor you shave your face with, shave your head with, and cut across your throat," Santana shouted at him in the courtroom. "There's nothing left for you in this life." Santana was in court to see 44-year-old Robert James Campbell's death sentence reduced to life in prison after he was declared intellectually disabled. Before he was sentenced, Campbell apologized to the family and wished them peace. "I would just like to offer my deepest and sincerest apologies for all I've hurt," he said softly. Campbell was convicted in 1992 of capital murder in the death of Alejandra Rendon, a bank teller he abducted while she was pumping gas. He spent 25 years on death row, survived an execution day and is now eligible for parole after mental health professionals determined he is too disabled to be executed, prosecutors said Tuesday. The U.S. Supreme Court recently outlawed the execution of mentally disabled people, sending Campbell's case back to Harris County for evaluation. A prosecution expert declared him mentally disabled. Wearing the yellow jail uniform typically reserved for high-profile inmates, he appeared before Visiting Judge Michael Wilkerson, who sentenced him to life in prison. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said the law in 1991 did not allow for the option of life without parole, so he will be eligible for parole. "Times have changed when it comes to people with mental disabilities," Ogg said. "It was with a heavy heart that our expert came back and agreed with the defense that Campbell is intellectually disabled so we were forced to withdraw our plan to seek the death penalty." Defense attorney Rob Owen, of Northwestern University School of Law, has in the past extended his condolences to the victim's family on behalf of the defense team, which included Burke Butler and Callie Heller of the Powell Project and Raoul Schonemann of the Capital Punishment Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law. "Robert expressed his remorse for his actions, apologized to everyone he had hurt, and said he would continue to pray that his victims find peace," Owen said Tuesday in an emailed statement. "We likewise extend our sympathy to the victims for the terrible loss they have suffered." Ogg said her office will protest all of Campbell's future parole hearings to remind officials of the brutality of his crime. "We can successfully fight his parole and keep Mr. Campbell behind bars," she said. "He was a person who was a predator in our society." Victim's advocate Andy Kahan said Campbell will likely go before the parole board within six months. He said Rendon's family will ask the board to deny parole and put Campbell on a special list that would prevent him from going before the board again for at least 10 years. If he is classified that way, he would only get parole hearings every decade, a comforting thought for Rendon's family. "Your last meal should be behind bars," Santana told Campbell. Morris Malakoff / UP Art Studio The city of Houston is looking to usher in a new wave of "mini murals" to beautify neighborhoods and cover up gray, electrical utilities. In a recent job posting, the city called on local artists to re-imagine "traffic signal control cabinets as blank canvases brimming with creative opportunity." St. Luke's Health System CEO Michael Covert has resigned, hospital officials announced Tuesday, the second surprise departure by a Texas Medical Center leader in a week. His resignation is effective Aug. 31. Covert was not available for comment Tuesday, and Catholic Health Initiatives, the St. Luke's owner, gave no explanation for the action in an afternoon email informing employees. The email mostly just listed his accomplishments during his nearly three years leading the Houston system. The announcement was just as unexpected as one last week involving the departure of Memorial Hermann Health System CEO Dr. Benjamin Chu. Memorial Hermann announced a "leadership change," effective immediately, and gave no new destination for Chu, 65, who also was not available for comment. The resignation brings to four the number of Texas Medical Center presidential departures in the last four months, an extraordinary series of events. Dr. Ron DePinho resigned MD Anderson Cancer Center's presidency under pressure in March, and Dr. Robert Robbins in April left the Texas Medical Center's top job to become president of the University of Arizona. Covert, 68, was tapped by CHI as CEO of St. Luke's in June 2014, half a year after the Colorado-based Catholic chain purchased the Houston system from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas for $1 billion. It was considered a risky venture the flagship hospital's facilities were aging and badly in need of renovation, and competitors Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann led the market. CHI's email said that Covert, formerly president and CEO of San Diego-based Palomar Health, was instrumental in expanding the St. Luke's health network to 17 hospitals, a network of emergency centers and several outpatient specialty clinics after assuming the top job in August 2014. But the growth and inherent challenges took their toll. Between August 2016 and March 2017, CHI's Texas division laid off 810 employees and cut its payroll by 1,295 jobs, most at St. Luke's. "Like other hospital systems in Texas and across the nation, we recently announced we are working to restructure the CHI Texas division to respond to continued changes in the health-care environment," St. Luke's said in a statement at the time. "While we have made significant improvements the past few months, we must continue to institute critical organization changes to further realign our financial performance to sustain and grow our network of care across southeast Texas." More recently, asked by the Chronicle about the cuts, Covert acknowledged, "We grew very quickly." But Covert seemed at ease about the challenges in a recent Chronicle interview. He said the transformation always shaped up to be "a 3- to 5-year journey" and expressed confidence the system would turn things around. He gave no hint he could be leaving anytime soon. Sources usually in the know said the decision had to have been abrupt because it caught them by such surprise. CHI's email statement said they expect to name interim leadership within the next two weeks and work with the board of directors to launch a national search. The future of famous Fort Worth honky tonk Billy Bob's Texas is not clear as a legal battle among family members and various owners wages on behind the scenes. Control over the 36-year-old venue is at the heart of the disagreement as two groups of investors have different plans for its direction. A majority group of 10 owners are pitted against venue president Concho Minick and a company that backs him. Minick's father Billy is a part of the majority owner group, making matters more complex. HIDDEN HISTORY: The Republic of Texas' somewhat-hidden embassy in London, England Story continues below... According to the Fort Worth Business Press, a major bone of contention is a proposed $175 million redevelopment plan at the Stockyards which would affect Billy Bob's. The outlet reports historic preservationists and area property owners object to the plan. The majority owners of Billy Bob's are for the redevelopment. If the two sides don't come to an agreement a judge could put the venue up for auction, which is why court mediation has been requested. An auction could endanger a key piece of the Stockyards' economic ecosystem. If the 127,000-square-foot venue is sold, there's no guarantee locals will like what replaces it. BUY IT NOW: Famous Texas dance hall just 100 miles from Houston up for grabs on eBay According to Dallas' CBS affiliate, Billy Minick's lawyer alleges that his client's son "has long desired to appropriate ownership of Billy Bob's and turn it into a multi-franchise, worldwide company." Billy Bob's is famously-billed as the world's largest honky tonk and its success is a major part of the Fort Worth Stockyards destination where its been open since April 1981. People come to visit the venue and have a beer even when no bands are on stage. A planned court date for Tuesday was pushed back to early July after new documents in the case were filed on Monday. The judge in the case still needs to rule on whether or not the court has any legal authority over the dispute. WASHINGTON - Facing intransigent Republican opposition, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, on Tuesday delayed a vote on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act, dealing another setback to Republicans' seven-year effort to dismantle the health law and setting up a long, heated summer of health care battles. McConnell faced resistance from across his conference, not only from the most moderate and conservative senators but from others, as well. Had he pressed forward this week, he almost surely would have lacked the votes even to begin debate on the bill. "We will not be on the bill this week, but we're still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place," said McConnell, who is known as a canny strategist but was forced to acknowledge on Tuesday that he had more work to do. The delay pushes Senate consideration of the bill until after a planned recess for the Fourth of July, but it does not guarantee that Republican senators will come together. Opponents of the bill, including patient advocacy groups and medical organizations, plan to lobby senators in their home states next week. Senators are likely to be dogged by demonstrators. Democrats vowed to keep up the pressure, and some Republican senators have suggested that their votes will be difficult to win. After meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, McConnell told reporters that if Republicans could not come to an agreement, they would be forced to negotiate a deal with Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader. "The status quo is simply unsustainable," McConnell said. "It'll be dealt with in one of two ways: Either Republicans will agree and change the status quo, or the markets will continue to collapse, and we'll have to sit down with Senator Schumer. And my suspicion is that any negotiation with the Democrats would include none of the reforms that we would like to make." Republicans have promised for seven years to repeal the health law, former President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement. But McConnell's announcement on Tuesday was yet another major stumble in the unsteady quest by Republican congressional leaders to deliver a repeal bill to the desk of Trump, who has yet to sign his first piece of marquee legislation. McConnell, the chief author of the Senate repeal bill, can afford to lose only two of the 52 Republican senators, but more than a half-dozen have, for widely divergent reasons, expressed deep reservations about the bill. Trump, meeting with Republican senators at the White House, declared, "We're getting very close." "This will be great if we get it done," he said. "And if we don't get it done, it's just going to be something that we're not going to like, and that's OK, and I understand that very well." McConnell wrote his bill behind closed doors, betting he could fashion a product that would show significant improvement over the bill that was narrowly approved by the House last month. And he laid out an aggressive timeline for its passage, hoping to secure Senate approval roughly a week after unveiling the legislation. Yet on Tuesday, just five days after releasing the bill, McConnell had to bow to reality: Republican senators were not ready to move ahead with the bill. At least a small number might never be - raising questions about whether McConnell will be able to win over the votes for passage. "It's difficult for me to see how any tinkering is going to satisfy my fundamental and deep concerns about the impact of the bill," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who was among the lawmakers prepared to vote against taking up the bill this week. McConnell and his leadership team are hoping to replicate the feat of Speaker Paul Ryan, who revived the House's repeal bill and pushed it to passage six weeks after it appeared to be dead. Democrats are unified against the repeal bill, but they were not celebrating on Tuesday. "The mantra on our side is never to underestimate Mitch McConnell," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Schumer said: "We know the fight is not over. That is for sure." Over the next few weeks, he said, McConnell "will try to use a slush fund to buy off Republicans, cut backroom deals, to try and get this thing done." At least four GOP senators - Collins, Dean Heller of Nevada, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rand Paul of Kentucky - had said they would vote against the motion to begin debate, enough to ensure it would fail. Other Republicans also appeared reluctant about moving forward. After McConnell's announcement, three other Republicans announced their opposition to the bill in its current form: Jerry Moran of Kansas, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Rob Portman of Ohio. Capito and Portman expressed concern over how the bill would affect Medicaid and the opioid crisis, which has had devastating effects in their states. The release of a Congressional Budget Office evaluation on Monday made it much more difficult for party leaders to win over hesitant Republican members. The budget office said the Senate bill would leave 22 million more people uninsured after 10 years, and many people buying insurance on the individual market would have skimpier coverage and higher out-of-pocket costs. India and Netherlands sign 3 Agreements Published: June 28, 2017 India and the Netherlands have signed three MOUs after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in Hague the Netherlands. Prime Ministers visit to the Netherlands has come at a time when both the countries are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations. Salient Highlights The Netherlands has backed Indias entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and other multilateral export control regimes. The Netherlands also supported Indias bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat. For its part, India has thanked the Netherlands for its role in Indias accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime in June 2016. Also, Prime Minister Modi invited the Netherlands to join the International Solar Alliance. In addition, both the countries have reaffirmed their commitment towards Paris climate deal. Agreements In total three agreements were signed: MOU on Cultural Cooperation, MOU on Water Cooperation Agreement on Amending Social Security Arrangement India-Netherlands After Independence, Indo-Dutch relations have been multifaceted. Since, the 1980s, the Netherlands have identified India as an important economic partner. The relationship got further intensified after Indias economic liberalisation in the 1990s. Both the countries have the potential to further collaborate in areas like water management; infrastructure, logistics, ports, highways; inland water transportation; ICT; biotech; agriculture, agro-processing, floriculture; creative design industry etc. Major Indian exports to the Netherlands includes textiles & garments; electric machinery & equipment; agricultural products and processed foods including marine products; leather goods etc. The main imports from Netherlands include machinery/equipment; medical/optical instruments; chemicals; plastics, and metal products. Netherlands is host to one of the largest population of people of Indian origin in Europe. It is home to about 220,000 Indian and Surinami Hindustani Diaspora. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2017 Topics: Bilateral Relations India Bilateral India-International Relations India-Netherlands International Latest E-Books This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Mayor Sylvester Turner is poised ask voters to approve bonds this fall to fund improvements to city parks, community centers, fire stations and health clinics, adding hundreds of millions of dollars in debt to a crowded November ballot. City officials say the size of the bond request has yet to be determined, but a political action committee formed to support the bonds, Lift Up Houston, lists the amount as $490 million on its website. The referendum is part of the city's latest five-year Capital Improvement Plan, which was unveiled at a City Council committee meeting Tuesday. The proposed plan calls for $538 million in improvements to city facilities, such as expanded police and fire stations, renovated libraries, miles of bike trails and repairs to city buildings, to be paid for with tax revenues and philanthropic donations. The plan, known as the CIP, relies on a November bond vote as a key funding source. An additional $6.7 billion in airport and utility projects would be funded by user fees. Houston's last bond referendum was in 2012, and the city's capital spending is expected to quickly exhaust the debt voters authorized then. "It's not a question of going to voters with debt. We will be going to the voters with an investment proposal, a package of community improvements that are important to delivering the kind of services Houstonians expect and deserve," Turner said. "Those improvements, whether they are police or fire stations, libraries or community centers or parks, make our city a better place for all of us to live." Hoping for repeat of 2012 City Finance Director Kelly Dowe said the size of the bond package has not been determined, but Houston typically seeks enough leeway to last a bit beyond any one five-year capital plan. The city's 2012 bond vote totaled $410 million. Some worried that voters - who then faced another $2.3 billion in ballot items from Houston ISD and Houston Community College - would get sticker shock, but all three items passed easily. Turner is hoping for a similar outcome this fall. The mayor has pledged to ask Houstonians to repeal a voter-imposed cap that limits what the city can collect in property taxes. That rule is a lightning rod for conservatives, who spearheaded its passage 13 years ago. Turner's landmark pension reform bill, which takes effect Saturday, also requires voters to approve the $1 billion in bonds Turner plans to inject into the under-funded police and municipal pensions. Should voters reject it, those groups' substantial benefit cuts could be rescinded, hiking the city's costs overnight. Adding a general bond issue to the ballot alongside the pension bonds and what amounts to a tax hike is risky, said Jay Aiyer, a Texas Southern University political scientist professor. "The more measures you put on the ballot, the more confusing it becomes for voters and I think the more attention is taken away from selling the one item that absolutely must pass, and that's the pension obligation bonds," Aiyer said. "It would make a whole lot more sense to make the pension obligation bonds a standalone and push some of these other items off." Dowe, the city finance director, said the council's desire to avoid delaying key projects in the 2018 fiscal year - which starts Saturday - dictate that a bond election be held, whatever the political complications. "There's no option - we have to move forward with a bond election in order to fund projects in FY18," he said. "So, the decision is really made on passage of this CIP; by saying, 'We want this to happen in FY18,' in order for that to happen there have to be the bonds behind it." Alief facility tops funding list City officials previously had considered holding a capital bond referendum last November, but Turner said he wanted to fix the city's pension mess before asking voters for more spending. The marquee item in the capital plan is a $57 million multi-purpose facility for Alief that already has been pushed back a year and would be further delayed without the passage of new bonds. The southwestern neighborhood's community center, at 11903 Bellaire, is aging, and a city study showed the Henington-Alief Regional Library also needs work. The new facility, to be designed in the coming budget year with construction starting the following year, will sidestep costly repairs to both facilities. It also will house the Alief Women, Infants and Children Center, which is leasing its current space. At the Alief Community Center on Tuesday, kids' giggles at "The Angry Birds Movie" echoed through the muggy gymnasium and mixed with the sound of water pouring off the roof into puddles around the facility's flooded courtyard. Youngsters scurried between the gym and a dance class in one of the low, sprawling structure's classrooms. Less than a mile down Kirkwood at the Alief library, patrons speaking at least four languages were reading or using the facility's computers. Alief resident Selina Dargan visits the library weekly and the community center every other week with daughters Haleema, 7, and Samyha, 5. Dargan, who had not known of the city's replacement project, cheered the plan. "That would actually be kind of cool, because then it's just a one-stop shop," she said. "I like them both. They're doing pretty good with their programs. It gives a lot of options for my kids, especially with their age group, because it's kind of hard to find things for their age." Renovations at health clinics New bonds also are needed to design the long-awaited replacement of Moody Library, at 9525 Irvington. That project would use $1.5 million in bond dollars in the coming budget year to design the project, and another $8 million to build it in the budget year that begins next summer. The project almost would double the size of the library, to 12,000 square feet, replacing the 1969 structure. Bond funds also are needed to replace roofs and renovate the Flores and Mancuso libraries in the coming budget year. Other projects that would require a bond election to be completed next year or in 2019 include a new Sunnyside Multi-Service Center, renovations to the Denver Harbor and Northeast multi-service centers, repairs to City Hall and its adjacent annex, and renovations at Riverside and La Nueva Casa health clinics. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - When he bought a stake in a little-known Australian biotech firm five months ago, Houston Republican Rep. John Culberson entered a volatile world of financial risk, political suspicion and international intrigue. On Tuesday, the stock took a dive amid disappointing test results for an experimental multiple sclerosis drug the firm has been developing in Australia and New Zealand. The stock purchases by Culberson and a half-dozen other House Republicans - some within hours or days of each other - already has led to a congressional probe of possible insider trading. The controversy followed an unusual price spike in January, one trading day before Culberson and Texas Republican Rep. Mike Conaway bought their shares, which also led to an inquiry by Australian regulators and a separate stockholder challenge. Neither resulted in a suspension of trading in Innate Immunotherapeutics, a startup that counts as its biggest investor New York Republican Rep. Chris Collins - a congressional liaison to the Donald Trump campaign and now reportedly the subject of a probe by the Office of Congressional Ethics. Analysts said Tuesday that the speculative bet on a still-unproven drug could go down to zero - a stunning reversal for early investors like Culberson, whose past investments have been limited to more sedate holdings like Apple stock and military collectibles. So far, Culberson is in the red on his investment, particularly after the stock fell from a high of AU$1.83 just before he bought in, to a price of less than 5 cents on Wednesday. A final report on Innate's clinical trials - meant to clear the way for approval in the lucrative U.S. market - was expected to be released later this year. But an initial analysis released by the company Tuesday showed that the tests so far have failed, a result that company CEO Simon Wilkinson called "a shock." But that is not the only test of Culberson's unusual foray into an overseas stock market. The chain of events that led to separate investigations in the U.S. and Australia already looms over next year's midterm election in Houston. The 60-year-old Culberson, in his ninth term, faces an energized field of Democrats, one of them a research physician at MD Anderson Cancer Center who has raised pointed questions about Culberson's Innate investment. The physician, Dr. Jason Westin, has publicly questioned what prompted Culberson's interest in the biotech stock, since at the time he bought it in January there had been no published research articles or significant clinical trial updates on the drug, known as MIS416. 'Talking up' Innate Culberson says his interest in Innate was sparked by "press reports," though he has declined to specify which ones. News reports in January - just before he and Conaway bought Innate stock - focused on the controversy surrounding the purchase of shares at discounted prices by Collins and then-Georgia U.S. Rep. Tom Price, now the secretary of health and human services. An article in the New York Times in early January, two weeks before Culberson bought his stock, hardly inspired confidence. It described Innate as "a tiny pharmaceutical company from Australia that has no approved drugs and no backing from flashy venture capital firms." The piece also noted that the company had run out of money "more than once" and nearly folded. On Capitol Hill, the focus was on Collins, who was being accused by Democrats of promoting Innate stock to colleagues in the halls of Congress. Collins has repeatedly denied the charge. Earlier this month The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, published an "exclusive" report citing a half-dozen Republican lawmakers - all speaking anonymously - who said they heard Collins "talking up" Innate at various congressional gatherings. Again, Collins denied it, telling The Hill, "I've never encouraged anyone to buy the stock. Ever." A number of ethics watchdog groups and legal analysts say that if Culberson and other lawmakers were steered into their Innate investments with non-public information, they could be in potential violation of the Stock Act, which bans insider trading by members of Congress - whether or not they make money. Culberson has declined repeated requests from the Chronicle to talk about the details of his Innate stock purchase, including whether he was still holding on to the stock Tuesday when its price plummeted. He has relied instead on a written statement that his investment was motivated by the death of a family friend from multiple sclerosis. He also acknowledged in a statement that he "rarely" buys or sells stock. That admission has deepened interest in his decision to buy stock in Innate, a struggling biotech company that generally has been trading for less than $1 on the Australian Stock Exchange. "There's a disturbing lack of transparency in Washington, D.C.," Westin said. Financial disclosure records show that Culberson bought between $1,000 and $15,000 of Innate stock Jan. 26. Congressional rules require only that lawmakers report their transactions within broad ranges. Price query His purchase came at the height of scrutiny over trading in the company - and during a steep swing in its stock price. Two days before, Price had faced questions about his own stock purchases before the Senate Finance Committee, which was then taking testimony for his confirmation as Trump's health secretary. One prominent Democrat, New York U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, had recently fired off a letter asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate "whether the transactions were triggered by insider knowledge." Despite the bad press in the U.S., on the other side of the international dateline, Innate stock was going haywire in Australia. It hit a 52-week high of AU$1.83 on Jan. 25 (Jan. 24 in the U.S.), more than double its price of AU$0.78 a share on Dec. 20. Trading volume also catapulted nearly tenfold. The next day was Jan. 26, Australia Day, a national holiday. When the market reopened Jan. 27 in Sydney, it was still Jan. 26 in Houston, the day Culberson booked his purchase. At that point, the stock was sliding back down to $1.42, on its way down to 78 cents a share on Jan. 30. It had been a wild bucking bronco ride, and Culberson had gotten in on the tail end of it - and, to date, on the losing side. The spike, however short-lived, was enough to warrant the attention of the Australian Stock Exchange. Its compliance officials registered a formal price query with Innate, asking if the company was "aware of any information concerning it that has not been announced to the market which could explain the recent trading in its securities?" Innate's response, supplied by company secretary Andrew Cooke, cited "a number of media articles in the USA that may have brought the company to the attention of new U.S. investors." Australian regulators were satisfied that while the January movement in the stock price was abnormal, the company was not hiding anything. "It's not unusual for a company to receive multiple queries during a particularly volatile or active trading period," Exchange spokesman Matthew Gibbs said in an email. Two weeks later, James Wheeldon, a former lawyer with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, filed a complaint with government regulators questioning whether Collins - Innate's biggest shareholder with a 17 percent stake - had wrested "effective control" of the company through significant stock purchases by family members, friends and others with whom he has "business, financial or political relationships." Among those with significant holdings at the time were Collins' two adult children, his chief of staff, several Buffalo business associates, a Washington lobbyist and at least seven members of Congress - including Culberson and Conaway. Under Australian law, an investor must make additional market disclosures before obtaining control of more than 20 percent of a company, and Wheeldon believed that Collins had more than hit the mark. "It strains credulity to suggest that these intimate allies would not accede to Mr. Collins' wishes and instructions should a matter be put to a vote of the shareholders of this company located on the other side of the world," Wheeldon wrote in his complaint. Wheeldon's complaint was dismissed. Poor results Wilkinson, the CEO, did not respond to a Chronicle request for comment about the regulatory skirmishes. But in a New York Times interview in January, before the price spike, he expressed bemusement at all of the attention paid to a "little biotech at the wrong end of the world." Culberson's fortunes, like those of other investors, will rest almost entirely on the results of the company's clinical trial for MIS416. But Tuesday's announcement showed "no clinically meaningful or statistically significant differences" in test patients compared to a placebo. "These data will be as distressing to them as they will be for all the stakeholders who were relying on the outcome of this study," Wilkinson said in a statement. For Culberson, the Innate debacle could prove an unwelcome hit to a personal financial portfolio he valued last year at between $216,000 and $565,000, before he bought the company's stock. To his critics, either way, it could prove a political liability. AUSTIN With a special legislative session set to begin next month, state Sen. Joan Huffman wants Gov. Greg Abbott to add a bill imposing new sexual assault reporting requirements on college officials to lawmakers' to-do list. In a June 27 letter to the governor, Huffman, a Houston Republican, requested that Abbott add "legislation requiring institutions of higher education in Texas to establish safe, appropriate, and reliable avenues for reporting instances of sexual assault and violence." Abbott called a special session to begin July 18, following a regular session that ended in May, and listed nearly 20 items for state lawmakers to consider. Huffman, a former Harris County prosecutor, cited a recent study from the University of Texas System that found 10 percent of undergraduate female students and 4 percent of male undergraduates reported being raped. "It is imperative that victims and witnesses have a safe and reliable reporting structure," Huffman said in the letter. Abbott, a Republican, signed two bills this month related to campus sexual assaults. Senate Bill 969 gives a student amnesty from potential prosecution who report a sexual assault, even if they violated other laws. Senate Bill 968 allows students and college employees to submit electronic and anonymous reports of sexual assaults to their institutions. Both bills, authored by Democratic Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin, went into effect immediately after Abbott signed the bills on June 12, since lawmakers approved the legislation by wide margins. Huffman's Senate Bill 576 passed the upper chamber in a 30-1 vote, but it did not receive a vote in the House. Her proposal would have required all college and university employees to report any accusations of campus sexual assault, harassment and dating violence they become aware about. The penalty for noncompliance would include termination and up to 180 days in jail, while college employees who intentionally concealed a sexual assault could spend up to one year in jail. SB 576 drew staunch opposition from student leaders and sexual assault survivors, who argue that they should be able to decide when to report their rape. "It is time to put a real and tangible number to the occurrence of these criminal acts on Texas campuses so colleges and universities can take their first steps toward eliminating sexual assault and violence through the creation of innovative and meaningful reporting structures," Huffman wrote. "Texans also demand that those who intentionally withhold or hide reportable information on sexual violence are held accountable for these omissions." The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Huffman's letter. AUSTIN - Texas border cities are still awaiting nearly $1 million in federal reimbursements for providing humanitarian aid during a 2014 crisis sparked by a wave of immigrants seeking to cross into the United States. Gov. Greg Abbott's office is responsible for distributing the funds to the cities but contends the requests from the cities are ineligible for reimbursement under federal regulations. The reimbursement would cover out-of-pocket expenses incurred by several municipalities in the Rio Grande Valley when tens of thousands of immigrants from Central America crossed the border and turned themselves in to authorities, overwhelming local border patrols. Government provisions Elected state and federal officials from the area have been working since the crisis hit to include language in appropriations bills that would direct funds from the State Homeland Security Grant Program to be used for the reimbursement. For years, the process has been snagged in the governor's office, which distributes federal grant money to local municipalities. "The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA have informed our office that due to the way the federal law is written, this expense is not eligible for reimbursement using current appropriations," said John Wittman, spokesman for the governor's office. Officials with FEMA, however, issued a statement to the Houston Chronicle saying humanitarian relief costs are reimbursable. At the center of the controversy is McAllen, a city of 140,000 people along the Texas-Mexico border, which was one of the hardest-hit areas by the influx of immigrants. "In 2014, there were just thousands," McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said. "We had hundreds of people a day coming across the border." A majority of these immigrants were unaccompanied minors and families, who turned themselves in at the border, seeking care. Darling estimates McAllen alone ran up a bill of $700,000 on bus services, security and facilities for the people. "Really it was an extension of what the federal government would have provided if they had the facilities to be able to do it," Darling said. "Just providing nutrition and washing their clothes. We were doing really an extension of what the federal government was supposed to do, which is another reason we thought reimbursement was appropriate." U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, agrees with Darling's assessment and said he has been adding language to federal appropriations bills for years that should have paved the way for the funds. "We put this language that allows the monies for southwest border states that get these Homeland Security dollars to do the reimbursement," Cuellar said. "So if they wanted to use it, they can definitely do that. I have no doubt in my mind that Gov. Abbott's office can do this if they wanted to." The Department of Homeland Security Grant program awards millions of dollars of funds to the State of Texas every fiscal year. DHS records reviewed by the Chronicle show Texas had more than $105 million in unused funds from the program as of May 2017. The potential reimbursement for the border cities would come from those funds. 'Support' those in need At the state level, Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, added language to the state budget during the 84th legislative session two years ago, prioritizing State Homeland Security Grant Program funds for the reimbursements. "Quite frankly, we should have already been reimbursed for some of these funds," Hinojosa said. "The amount of money that we're talking about is not a lot of money for the federal government or the state for that matter, but it's a lot of money for a local community." Hinojosa speculated the delay from the governor's office may be because of a hesitancy to support immigrants who are in the state without proper documentation but said he thinks providing aid to these people was the right thing to do. "These are human beings," Hinojosa said. "Every person should be treated with dignity and respect. We as a country have always stepped up to support people who need it." Highly combustible cladding was allowed to be attached to high-rise buildings in the UK that isn't permitted in the United States, thanks to those horrible regulations and red tape that we hear so much about. They're beginning to rethink that in the UK: The Conservatives have been fond of promoting what they called a "bonfire of regulations" in every aspect of government, to bolster private and individual responsibility and promote economic growth and productivity. It was an argument made with particular force in the debate over Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, or Brexit, which advocates said would free the country from annoying European "red tape." But as Jonathan Freedland, a Guardian columnist, said acidly: "They got their bonfire." Imagine if Pearl Harbor had been attacked and there was no response from Washington. No "Date Which Will Live in Infamy" speech from the president. No declaration of war from Congress. No Doolittle Raid to show our national resolve. That might as well describe our national reaction to the cyber attack during the 2016 election. It might sound a bit hyperbolic, but this is what war looks like in the 21st century. Direct confrontations between developed nations have been rendered obsolete by the atomic bomb. Any sort of actual military conflict means mutually assured destruction. Instead, wars are now waged on the periphery: in proxy states, global economics, political culture and cyberspace. That was the lesson of the Cold War. So make no mistake, Russia waged a cyber war on the United States - and won. The Russian government and related actors engaged in a sustained effort to disrupt and discredit the U.S. presidential race, according to an astounding investigation by Washington Post reporters Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima and Adam Entous. There are no bombs or bullets to present the war in bloody, undeniable terms. There are no body bags to usher a patriotic call to action. However, the goals remain the same as any war: Strengthen your own nation and weaken the enemy. By any reasonable measure, the United States is weaker today because of cyber attacks on our election systems. Hackers broke into the computer networks of the Democratic and Republican parties without consequence. Politicians' emails were stolen and dumped with the intent of undermining our representative government. State-level voter rolls were penetrated. Our standing across the world has precipitously fallen - except in Russia - according to a recent Pew report. Allies all over the globe, from Australia to Germany to South Korea, feel they can no longer rely on the United States to lead. Another cyber attack is inevitable. What's perhaps even more shocking, however, is the failure of both the Obama and Trump administrations to craft an adequate response. The Obama administration deliberated for months on deterring Russia by launching our own cyber attacks, or issuing more economic sanctions, or releasing CIA-gathered material to embarrass Vladimir Putin. In the end, the risk-averse Barack Obama expelled some Russian ambassadors and forced the closure of two Russian compounds that were used for intelligence-gathering purposes. He presumed that Hillary Clinton would win the election and take the next steps. That didn't happen. So what has Donald Trump done instead? He moved to reopen those Russian compounds. Two years ago, in the wake of the massive hacking of the Office of Personnel Management, we warned that the United States had to play to win in cyberwar, or be prepared for defeat. Judging by this administration, we should expect defeat. The deadline of an executive order on cyber-security standards came and went on Sunday, according to Politico, and no agencies submitted required reports on their "international cyber-security priorities." Meanwhile, key cyber-security positions remain unfilled. How can we play to win if Trump refuses to recruit a team? Things are going to get worse before they get better. An international cyber attack crippled computer systems across the world on Tuesday. The United States was not immune. Drug manufacturer Merck and multinational law firm DLA Piper were hit. However, the most terrifying victim of the attack was radiation monitoring at the Chernobyl nuclear facility in Ukraine. What will it take to convince our lawmakers that we're in the midst of a global cyberwar - and losing? Do we have to wait for the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud? HONG KONG - Having just traveled to New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, China, Taiwan and now Hong Kong, I can say without an ounce of exaggeration that more than a few Asia-Pacific business and political leaders have taken President Donald Trump's measure and concluded that - far from being a savvy negotiator - he's a sucker who's shrinking U.S. influence in this region and helping make China great again. These investors, trade experts and government officials are still stunned by an event that got next to no attention in the U.S. but was an earthquake out here - and a gift that will keep on giving America's allies pain and China gain for years to come. That was Trump's decision to tear up the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade deal in his first week in office - clearly without having read it or understanding its vast geo-economic implications. (Trump was so ignorant about TPP that when he was asked about it in a campaign debate in November 2015 he suggested that China was part of it, which it very much is not.) Trump simply threw away the single most valuable tool America had for shaping the geo-economic future of the region our way and for pressuring China to open its markets. Trump is now trying to negotiate trade openings with China alone - as opposed to negotiating with China as the head of a 12-nation TPP trading bloc that was based on U.S. values and interests and that controlled 40 percent of the global economy. It is hard to think of anything more stupid. And China's trade hard-liners are surely laughing in their sleeves. "When Trump did away with TPP, all your allies' confidence in the U.S. collapsed," a senior Hong Kong official told me. "After America stopped TPP, everyone is now looking to China," added Jonathan Koon-shum Choi, chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong. "But China is very smart - just keeping its mouth shut." Beijing is now quietly encouraging everyone in the neighborhood to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, China's free-trade competitor to TPP, which, unlike TPP, lacks environmental or labor standards; China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; and its One Belt, One Road development project. Carrie Lam, the new chief executive of Hong Kong, told me that TPP countries like Australia are quickly reaching out to Hong Kong to forge closer and freer trade ties, now that the Americans have pulled TPP down. It's a "pity" that the Americans are leaving, she said, but "this will give our country this opportunity to lead." China is not just looking for growth, she added, but also for "influence." Just to remind: TPP was a free-trade agreement that the Obama team forged with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. It was not only the largest free-trade agreement in history, it was the best ever for U.S. workers, closing loopholes NAFTA had left open. Yes, like any trade deal, TPP would have challenged some U.S. workers, but it would have created opportunities for many others, because big economies like Japan and Vietnam were opening their markets. For decades we had allowed Japan to stay way too closed, because it was an ally in the Cold War, and Vietnam, because it was an enemy. Some 80 percent of the goods from our 11 TPP partners were coming into the U.S. duty-free already, while our goods and services were still being hit with 18,000 tariffs in their countries - which TPP eliminated. That's why the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated that U.S. national income would have grown by some $130 billion a year by 2030 with TPP - a nice boost for U.S. workers. Out here everyone gets it: China has Trump's number. Its officials were afraid of him at first - with his tough trade talk. But they quickly realized how easy it was to distract him with shiny objects. You have to admire the Chinese combination of toughness, patience and savvy. One day I hope America again will have a president with such attributes - not a sucker for flattery, not an ignorant ideologue who rips up treaties he hasn't even read, not a made-for-television negotiator who throws his best leverage out the window - the ability to negotiate with China as the head of a trading bloc controlling 40 percent of the world's economy - before he sits down at the table. We may call him "Trump" in America, but here it's pronounced "Chump." Giorgio Calderato/Fotolia/HO It would appear that Republicans are expanding their assault on the poor to include the middle class. As we learn more about the Senate incarnation of Trumpcare, its meanness becomes increasingly clear. With a few changes to push some of the pain beyond the 2018 midterm elections, it hues closely to the widely unpopular American Health Care Act passed by the House of Representatives. It would cause an estimated 22 million Americans to be uninsured by the end of the decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. But our concern today is the draconian cuts to Medicaid, which would remove 15 million people from its rolls, and not just low-income people. The cuts would affect a wide swath of Texas's seniors, disabled citizens, hospitals and mothers and their children. Seniors: The numbers here are straightforward. Medicaid is the largest payer of long-term care services in the U.S.; fully 20 percent of its overall budget. Nationwide, more than 1.4 million seniors are currently in nursing homes and 40 percent rely on Medicaid. An estimated 70 percent of today's 65-year-olds will require long-term care at some point in their lives. These are not just poor people. The median annual cost of a private room in a nursing home in Houston is about $80,000; an assisted-living facility: $46,000. The average length of stay in a nursing home is 2.5 years, which adds up to $200,000. Median annual income in Houston is about $60,000; average Social Security benefit is $14,776. Few families can afford the kind of outlay needed for long-term care. As a result, about 60 percent of nursing home residents in Texas wind up on Medicaid after depleting their financial resources. - : , When attendees of this weeks huge Monster Trucks event set foot in the arena at the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Fairgrounds, theyll no doubt notice a few changes. The facility has new lighting, a new press box and its surface has been leveled and smoothed like it hasnt in years. Even the fairgrounds entrance and exit road has a new surface, eliminating those ankle-deep potholes and other major imperfections. But when people take a seat in the arena bleachers, theyll notice one of the biggest improvements: The old worn out wooden benches have been replaced by new metal units. And that part of the project didnt cost the chamber a cent. The Durham Co. Houstons second largest employer donated the materials and provided the manpower and labor to have the benches installed. Durham Co. Houston plant manager Richard Peterson said the materials included 240 8-foot long benches and 1,000 mounting brackets, all powder coated and manufactured in Houston. Its an amazing gift and we are blessed to have a business that cares about the community, said chamber executive director Angie Miller-Quinlan. Its a gift that will last for many years and will enable the chamber to hold more big events in the future. State Treasurer Eric Schmitt announced the start of an annual effort to return Unclaimed Property to Missourians by publishing the names of owners in Missouri newspapers, including the Houston Herald. Starting last Friday, the names of more than 145,000 individuals, families, small businesses and non-profits with unclaimed property will be printed in more than 100 publications across the state. Our team works hard every single day to financially empower Missourians by returning the money they are rightfully owed, Schmitt said. One in 10 Missourians have unclaimed property, and this public awareness initiative is one of the many creative ways we work to get abandoned money back to its rightful owners. I encourage all Missourians to visit ShowMeMoney.com to see if they or someone they know has money waiting to be claimed free of charge. Missouri law requires these notices be published annually in order to list the names of individuals whose unclaimed property valued at $50 or more has been turned over to the state treasurers office in the past year. Individuals, families, small businesses, and others can check to see if they have unclaimed property on ShowMeMoney.com. They can also sign up for email notifications when new assets come in matching their information and send notifications to family and friends to let them know about money being held in their name. Schmitt has returned more than $13.5 million to more than 50,000 account holders since taking office in January. The average unclaimed property return is around $300. The complete list can be found on page B6 of this weeks Herald. Exactly a year ago, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission published a report on China's human rights crisis. The title, The Darkest Moment, came from the words of one Chinese dissident, Yang Jianli, who told us that "this is the darkest moment for Chinese human rights in years". In the past twelve months, China has become darker still - as the mistreatment of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo epitomises. Our report was the result of an inquiry held to examine human rights in China during the period since Xi Jinping became President. It was held in light of the then British government's talk of a 'Golden Era' in Sino-British relations, following President Xi's State visit in October 2015 where he was feted and human rights were swept under the carpet. We held two three-hour hearings in Parliament where we heard from ten witnesses, a mixture of Chinese activists and western experts. We also received over thirty written submissions. The report examines the spectrum of human rights concerns, from freedom of expression to freedom of religion or belief, from Tibet to Xinjiang to Hong Kong, from the crackdown on human rights lawyers to increased Internet censorship, from disappearances, abductions and torture to forced organ harvesting. It is a damning report. Without exception, every oral and written submission pointed to a bleak and deteriorating assault on human dignity. Prison sentences imposed on those convicted of particular political crimes are longer than previously seen, and the threshold of behaviour deemed "unacceptable" by the regime is lower. The abduction of activists outside China, the arrest and detention of foreign activists in China, the introduction of new and repressive laws restricting civil society, and the use of forced televised confessions are especially alarming. Advertisement We launched the report in the House of Commons with the former Governor of Hong Kong Lord Patten, the Chinese-born Canadian actress and beauty queen Anastasia Lin, and Angela Gui, daughter of the missing bookseller Gui Minhai. Lord Patten urged the British government to "take account" of our report, which he described as "a first class piece of work". Former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind also endorsed the report, saying it is "excellent, professional and well-researched" and its recommendations are "spot on". So what were our recommendations? There are 22 of them, and they include a call on the United Kingdom to conduct a "thorough, comprehensive, open and radical review of British foreign policy towards China" and greater consultation with human rights organisations and benchmarks to measure progress in dialogues with China. We urged the British government to speak out publicly, as well as privately, to China on human rights, and to raise the cases of specific individuals imprisoned. We called for a review of the mechanisms for monitoring developments in Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a review of the role of Confucius Institutes in the West, China's "soft power" propaganda machine embedded in universities around the world, and an international, independent inquiry into forced organ harvesting in China. Advertisement In the past year, while we have had a change of prime minister, foreign secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, little has changed in China. Lawyers and dissidents continue to disappear, churches continue to be raided, and Hong Kong's freedoms are eroded. The election of pro-democracy candidates to Hong Kong's legislative council was met with attempts to block them from taking their seats. Several of the organisers of the 'Umbrella Movement' of 2014, notably the student activist Joshua Wong, face court cases. Torture remains rampant in China's jails. Just one example of China's brutality is the case of Sun Qian, a 51 year-old Canadian citizen who was arrested in February this year in Beijing simply because of her Falun Gong spiritual practice. Falun Gong is a peaceful Buddha-school spiritual practice, involving meditation and physical exercises, and their principles are truthfulness, compassion and forbearance". Since 1999 Falun Gong has faced a brutal campaign of persecution by the Chinese Communist Party, which feels threatened by any movement that gathers millions of followers. Chinese-born Sun Qian became a Canadian citizen ten years ago, but continued to do business in China. On 19 February police stormed into her home without a warrant, blindfolded her, and took her to a detention centre. Since then she has been tortured, locked in a small, dark room, pepper-sprayed in her face and eyes, and charged with "using a heretical organisation to undermine the law". Last week Anastasia Lin raised Sun Qian's case at the UN Human Rights Council, and launched a petition for her release. But voices like hers are becoming increasingly rare, as member states line up to kowtow to China. In March only seven EU member states signed a statement about the torture of human rights lawyers in China. Earlier this month, Greece blocked an EU statement at the UN on China's human rights record. Advertisement There are exceptions, however. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has made at least nine visits to China and on almost every visit has made it a point to meet dissidents and speak out about freedom and the rule of law. On at least one occasion Mrs Merkel spoke of the importance of "free dialogue" to enable citizens to "believe in the power of the law, not the law of the powerful." She told China, "You need an open, pluralistic and free society in order to shape the future successfully. Germany's President Joachim Gauck gave a speech in Shanghai in which he went as far as to condemn dictatorships and argued that "vibrant and active civil society always means an innovative and flexible society." As Leader of the Opposition in 2007, David Cameron spoke out along similar lines on a visit to China, and again as prime minister three years later. In 2008, as opposition leader, he met the Dalai Lama, and again in 2012 as prime minister, and refused China's demands for an apology for doing so. Unfortunately, he changed course the following year after a temporary freeze in relations with China. Lord Patten told a US Congressional hearing three years ago that "there is a very quaint notion that you can never disagree with China," otherwise "you risk not being able to sell things to China, you risk doing damage to your economy." Such a belief, he argued, is wrong. "It is ridiculous to suggest that any attempt to stand up for our values or for what we believe in means risking economic damage in our relationship with China". In a Parliamentary hearing in 2014, Lord Patten claimed that Britain has "kept shtoom . . . in the bizarre anticipation that that would be the best way of developing our relationship with China." It isn't, he argued - it simply "encourages China to behave badly." When Xi Jinping visited Britain in 2015, James Macgregor, a Shanghai-based American businessman, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, and criticised the British government's handling of the visit. "If you act like a panting puppy," he said, "the object of your attention is going to think they've got you on a leash. China does not respect people who suck up to them." David Cameron's former adviser Steve Hilton was similarly critical, arguing that "kowtowing to China's despots is morally wrong and makes no economic sense". We do not underestimate the importance of a relationship with China - economically and strategically, especially in the context of Brexit. Our argument is not that we should not engage with China. It is that in our engagement, we should not sacrifice our values, but put them centre-stage. I hope, a year after its publication, the current government will study our report seriously, implement its recommendations and listen to the voices of people like Lord Patten in shaping its China policy. I've been putting off writing about the recent tragedies we've seen in London and Manchester. It's hard to put your feelings into words. Such senseless loss of lives leaves you questioning everything - angry but with an overwhelming sadness. In my clinic, I've discussed these feelings with a number of people who have been having difficulty processing events. The advice I have found helps the most is simple: it's OK to be sad. I think sometimes we forget that negative emotions are normal, whether in response to a larger event or the smaller day-to-day events of our own lives.The reality is that no one feels good every day and we all have our ups and downs. It would be strange to be permanently happy all of the time. Even more so after a tragic event. Advertisement Emotions are an important form of communication and help us to evaluate our experiences. We have the full spectrum because they are all necessary and useful to us. For example, anxiety helps us detect threat, disgust to protect us from danger, jealously to protect, guilt to put right a wrong, fear to warn us of a dangerous situation. Sadness and anger are an important part of life. Research shows that experiencing and accepting these emotions is vital for our mental health. As much as we may want to feel happy all of the time, life isn't straight forward. Negative emotions are just as crucial as the positive ones in acknowledging what's happened and making sense of it. Negative emotions are also beneficial to us. A recent study at the University of New South Wales induced mild positive and negative mood in research participants and monitored their responses. They found that people in a mild negative mood tended to perform better on tasks. Their memory was more accurate and judgement less biased, they also communicated more effectively. In evolutionary terms, mild sadness functions like an alarm signal to others, so they know we need support. They also subconsciously alert us to pay more attention to the world around us. Making us a little more focused and attentive. Advertisement Next time something difficult happens, what can you do? It can be helpful to remember that feelings are a bit like clouds, they're not permanent - they're around for a while and then pass by. Although we might prefer the 'good' feelings, they're all valid and experiencing the full range of emotions is what makes us human. It's important to remember when you're in the darker clouds that how you feel is not how things are (I feel bad, therefore things are bad). We are not our feelings and we have a choice in how we react to them. Work through the negative and bask in the positive. Next time you're in the darker clouds, remind yourself that it's not permanent and that the sun can still burst through. Instead of backing away from negative emotions, accept them. Acknowledge how you are feeling without rushing to change your emotional state. If the emotion is overwhelming, you may want to express how you feel by writing it down or talking to a friend or your family. This can help shift your perspective and bring a sense of closure. If the discomfort lingers, consider taking action. For example telling a friend their comment was hurtful or taking steps to make a change. In the case of the Grenfell tower you can donate or support the causes taking action. To read more tips and strategies to feel good visit DrJessamy.com Follow Dr Jessamy on Instagram Getty What is the meaning of fashion? The word fashion (derived from the Latin 'facere', meaning to do or make) has today come to mean something that is transient, something that will naturally become less desirable over time. If 'X is the fashion', it could mean anything from building styles, cars and travel to food, clothing and even dog breeds. Advertisement Yet somehow the word fashion has become most strongly associated, or even interchangeable, with the word 'clothing' (and I'm just as guilty as the next person for using it). A garment of course requires less cash and commitment than the purchase of a building, car or holiday. But as prominent trend forecaster Li Edelkoort recently said 'Now that many garments are offered cheaper than a sandwich we all know and feel that something is profoundly and devastatingly wrong'. Li Edelkoort's Anti-fashion Manifesto, image author's own What will be our fashion legacy? 'Fashion is a reflection of the time', US Vogue editor Anna Winter commented a few years ago. If so, what will our overwhelmingly fast and continuous consumption of cheap clothing say about us to future generations? Advertisement Will they look back and wonder, in an era of unrivalled access to knowledge, communication and skill, why we seemed to place such value on disposability and allow ourselves to be defined by low quality and cheap prices? And at a time of unprecedented connectivity, why did we knowingly consume goods made in unfair and unethical conditions when there was, increasingly, a choice not to? When it comes to fashion, can we really call ourselves feminists? If fashion is looked upon as a reflection of our time, today's continuing battle for gender equality is in danger of being unrecognised. For when it comes to fashion and equality, we are, most certainly, falling short. While a 2014 survey revealed that the average British woman will spend over half a million pounds on clothing and accessories in her lifetime, we also know that women between the ages of 18 to 35 make up 80% of the industry working to make these clothes. And their working conditions are far from when they should be. Advertisement Conscious Chatter Episode 65 Remake + Connective Human Stories, image courtesy of consciouschatter.com In a recent podcast, Kestrel Jenkins (founder of Conscious Chatter) and Ayesha Barenblat (founder of Remake World) discussed with interest the differences between sympathy and empathy. And the truth is that we often sympathise with somebody or a situation that we encounter, but rarely do we empathise - because the latter would require us to actually take action. Wear your values on your sleeve Elizabeth Currid-Halkett (author and professor of public policy at the Price School, University of Southern California) recently wrote about a coming shift from 'conspicuous' to 'inconspicuous' consumption and the growing view that knowledge, education and cultural capital may be becoming increasingly more aspirational than material goods. In the context of fashion, it may signal a shift to understanding and appreciating the origin of clothing, becoming as valuable as the garment itself. And in an increasingly connected world, it is easier now, more than ever, to access information, share it with others and take action. Advertisement Luciana Zegheanu (contributing writer at Not Just A Label) wrote last month that fashion 'symbolises the spirit of the times'. Let the generations to come look back on ours as one that, empowered by technology, strived to achieve something better. The time has come to dress ourselves in ways that communicate not simply who we are and what we like but to a greater extent, what we believe. Reports that the Serious Fraud Office has signed up a 'robo-investigator' to work on financial cases marks a major development in battling crime, but also a warning about artificial intelligence. It is this: good jobs are being replaced by robotics at an accelerating pace and across many walks of life. Now even sleuthing, which might have seemed a sanctuary for purely human endeavour, is being challenged by software. Sherlock who? The clear message is that we can no longer rely on a developed mind being the guarantee of a career for ourselves or our children. We have known that in theory for some time, of course. But now it's really starting to happen and in unusual places. Advertisement Business consultancy Deloitte suggests that technology has already led to a reduction of around 31,000 jobs in the legal sector. And in Japan, 10 robots now run a phone shop, and nobody has to make the tea or take a break. But this win-win for costs and payers of services may be a lose-lose for employment unless we are very careful. Fortunately, higher education at least seem to have got the message, which on the face of it is good news for the next generation. I have been taking my teenage son around various universities and been struck by just how attuned they are to the career potential from cyber security and computer sciences. But what about everyone else? People already in employment. Lawyers and accountants, for example? Or anyone involved in what comes under the large umbrella of 'compliance' work', in other words ensuring that businesses behave, which is firmly in the sights of artificial intelligence developers? Those at the sharp end of investigating company malfeasance, which includes forensic accountants, know the value of being able to analyse large volumes of data methodically, which artificial intelligence is now doing. Anything that frees up more of time for emotional intelligence to get to work, which is the human bit of understanding fraud, is welcome. So we are winners from artificial intelligence. Advertisement But in recognising a good for some, we must also see its dangers to others. If jobs start to disappear we need to be sure we can replace them or society as a whole is poorer, both intellectually and financially. It is not just the jobs themselves, but that many of them are part of a career progression. Take a rung or two out of a ladder and it gets hard to reach the top successfully and safely. The wider cultural question is also that we may soon need to find some way to re-frame value in our lives, and our system of rewards. Finland is already experimenting with a universal income, paying people 473 a month for two years. But will they wither from boredom or flourish from opportunity? The answer to that question will be an important indicator of what we can expect as digital technology hollows out the work place. There will be few winners if more and more people go to university to acquire degrees (and debt) and then find there is no subsequent work that rewards their effort. This needs to be addressed by industry and politicians, not educationalists. Universities, after all, are in the business of teaching, not providing jobs afterwards. Carl Court via Getty Images One year on from the UK's historic vote to leave the EU, and with negotiations kicking off in earnest, many now find themselves looking to Belfast - not to Westminster or Brussels - for answers as to what Europe's uncertain future might hold. After Theresa May's unexpected failure to win a majority in June's snap election, the Prime Minister finds herself reliant on the small - and outside of Northern Ireland, little known - Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to shore up a minority Conservative government. This is symbolic, as arguably Northern Ireland could stand to lose the most from the UK's decision to leave the EU. Advertisement Presented with a moment of unprecedented profile and leverage, the DUP have made it clear they will seek a number of assurances around the economy, border arrangements with the Republic of Ireland, and security. As Brexit negotiations begin, how might this affect the issues on the table? On economic matters, the DUP remains wary of any 'special deal' for Northern Ireland that might undermine its ties to the rest of the UK, but aware of the acute challenges facing the region. The Northern Irish economy is uniquely exposed to Brexit due to the subsidies it receives from the EU, its reliance on public sector employment, and close proximity with the Republic of Ireland. In the agricultural sector, for instance, EU subsidies account for some 82 per cent of local farm revenues. There are stories that the DUP will demand extra financial support for farmers to help them cope with the abolition of Common Agricultural Policy support once the UK leaves the EU. There are similar heightened concerns in Dublin, where many fear the Irish economy could end up as collateral damage to the UK's Brexit decision. The UK is the Republic of Ireland's largest trading partner, receiving 17% of exports. In return, the UK sells more to Ireland than it does to China, India and Brazil combined, with much trade and investment flowing through Northern Ireland. Irish leaders are thus concerned about the knock-on effects if the UK does not have some access to the EU Single Market, which the Republic of Ireland will remain a part of due to its EU membership. Arrangements at the post-Brexit border are another significant concern for Northern Ireland. Any 'hard Brexit' that limits freedom of movement and takes the UK outside the customs union would in theory require the re-imposition of security and custom checks on Northern Ireland's border with the Republic of Ireland. This would present practical and economic challenges with 300 formal crossing points and 30,000 people commuting to work across the border every day. There is no appetite to see a return to fences, towers and armed patrols across open fields and down country lanes. Advertisement A 'softer Brexit', reportedly preferred by the DUP, could mean that the border remains open, for instance if the UK stayed a part of the European Economic Area. Others have urged those around the negotiating table to consider far more imaginative options: maintaining an open land border in Ireland, for instance, and shifting security and customs checks to those travelling by air or sea to the rest of the UK. Patience and creative thinking will be crucial to agreeing any such bespoke solution. Security is also a priority issue for the DUP, both in terms of addressing the ongoing Islamist threat and preventing any further breakdown of the peace process - already under stress after the Brexit vote and the collapse of more than a decade of joint rule by unionists and republicans in Stormont. How real are concerns about the security dimension, however? Does the Conservative-DUP deal, as former Prime Minister John Major has suggested, present a threat to hard-won peace in the region? A 'hard Brexit' could certainly heighten political and security tensions in Northern Ireland, which are currently strained due to the collapse of the power sharing agreement between the DUP and Sinn Fein in the Northern Ireland assembly. Sinn Fein leaders have already called for a 'border poll' on Irish reunification after the Brexit vote, while peace groups have cautioned that any wider attempt by the UK to also leave the European Court of Human Rights could 'tear up' the Good Friday Agreement. Exiting the EU also poses more immediate practical and financial challenges for security. Northern Ireland has for instance received 1.3billion of EU funds for mitigating violence and dealing with the legacy of conflict in 1995-2014. An additional 229million has been allocated for the PEACE IV programme. In the event of Brexit, the long-term future of both forms of funding remains uncertain. Setting Brexit aside, it may be the politics of a Conservative-DUP deal that pose some of the trickiest challenges for the peace process, as the Irish government has warned. A central part of the peace agreement is the idea that the UK government must act as an 'honest broker' in talks between the DUP, Sinn Fein and other local parties. Striking a deal with the DUP could place this objectivity under threat (though the fact Theresa May heads the 'Conservative and Unionist Party', to use its full name, means the government's natural sympathies were hardly a secret in the first place). Advertisement The outgoing Irish Prime Minister Enda Kerry expresses concern that the DUP-Conservative deal could thus undermine the talks aimed at restoring the devolved power-sharing arrangement in the Northern Irish Assembly. Sinn Fein and others have been quick to cry foul. As Brexit negotiations begin, then, many in Westminster and Brussels face an unexpected crash course in the unique concerns, tensions and peculiarities of Belfast politics. The new Northern Irish centre of gravity in British politics is yet another dimension that must be considered if these intricate, challenging talks are to be made a success. Although it was officially shut down and sold to a land developer more than 50 years ago, the Irondale Boy Scout Reservation, located just outside of Irondale, lives on through those who are determined to remember its significance and through preservation of many of the camps artifacts. Jeremy Medley, who holds the rank of Eagle Scout and owns one of the cabins that still exists on the site of the former reservation, spoke recently about the camp during a presentation at the Leadwood Museum and School Archives located in the back of the C.Z. Boyer & Son Funeral Home. Boy Scouts first started camping in the area around 1915 although some accounts claim it was as early as 1913 when it was known as Grenia Springs. For a brief time, it was called Camp Roosevelt, but the Camp Irondale name was adopted in 1920 after Clarance Howard donated the land to the Greater Saint Louis Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, thereby making it one of the first permanent scout camps in the United States. Set among rolling hills populated with virgin forests of oak, cedar and other native trees, and brightened by an abundance of wildflowers, the reservation became a model for other scout camps. According to Medley, between 1920 and 1965, when the camp was closed, more than 100 permanent buildings were erected around the camp. Many of the cabins were built by local farmers in the early 1920s from lumber donated by a local Irondale mill. According to Bigrivermo.net, in 1922, the Kiwanis donated all materials for the camps mess hall, called "Kiwanis Hall," which was then renovated in 1934. One of the Boy Scouts largest camps, every summer as many as 1,200 scouts stayed at Camp Irondale, many of them traveling by train to the Irondale depot and then hiking the rest of the way to the reservation. According to Bigrivermo.net, it took years before a road suitable for automobiles was built to the camp. In 1938, Marlin Perkins, the American zoologist best known as host of the television program Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, then Reptile Curator of the St. Louis Zoo, visited the scouts at the camp and at the "Snake Pit" of the Irondale Nature Museum. Also in 1938, the American Legion donated to the camp an "Indian Village" of six 20-foot teepees with wooden floors. Sometime during the camps early years, a swimming pool was created by damming freshwater springs at the foot of a hill. A more modern pool, built largely with donated materials and equipment, opened in 1946 and, at the time, was the largest outdoor pool west of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, a crack formed in the pool sometime in the 1970s after it became the property of the City of Irondale, rendering it unusable. In 1965, the camp was sold at the end of the summer season to Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Vineyard, although Irondale still owns about 15 acres, including the defunct Irondale pool. According to Bigrivermo.net, ashes from the last Council Fire burned at the camp were added to the opening Council Fire at the S-F Scout Ranch, located in Knob Lick, the following year. Although much of the land has been turned into a small subdivision, many features of Camp Irondale still remain, including numerous cabins, the chapel, a post office building, a small pavilion, and the parade grounds and flag pole. According to Medley, some of the camps larger artifacts were also saved and are now located at different Boy Scout camps around the state, including the stained glass windows from the chapel, the mounted gun that was fired every night at camp and some other items. One of the camps valued artifacts Camp Irondale's Statue of Liberty was for a time erected at hundreds of scouts camps around the country, but was stolen and has been missing for years. Many smaller artifacts from the camp, including a collection of badges, a flashlight and some carved wooden items, are currently on display until the end of summer at the Leadwood Museum and School Archives, courtesy of Medley. Bernard Laiben, founder of the Historical Society of Leadwood, Missouri and Surrounding Communities and curator of the museum, would like to display more Camp Irondale artifacts alongside Medleys collection. If anyone has any Camp Irondale memorabilia or artifacts of any kind from the Leadwood, Frankclay or Irondale area, we would love to display it if you would loan it to us, he said. The museum is open on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m., although visits can be scheduled on other days by calling Laiben. In addition, if anyone would like to join the historical society, the cost of membership is $20 per person for a year or $30 for an annual family membership. We have meetings with a special presentation every other month, on odd months, on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Laiben said. I send out a newsletter on the even months. The newsletter has photos and history of the Leadwood, Frankclay and Irondale area. To become a member or schedule a visit other than Tuesdays, call Laiben at 573-701-3951. A year ago, I would have laughed if someone told me I was going to love Germany. Germany and me just didn't have an instant click. In my first week here, I remember asking a store attendant in the local supermarket if a certain product was in stock. She replied with a loud 'Nein!' and didn't bother looking at me. I sneaked out the aisle quiet as a mouse. What had I done wrong? In Wales, where I used to live, the answer would have been something along the lines of: 'I'm terribly sorry love, but I'm afraid we've run out of it. Let me just check though.' A year on, and this directness - or if you prefer, rudeness- doesn't shake me up that much anymore. My skin is getting thicker; thank you Germany! Honestly though, there are many other reasons why Germany is lovable. For me, the main thing that helped me integrate is my social network here, a bunch of very kind, open-minded Germans and internationals. They give me a sense of belonging. And I have found lots of other reasons to love this country. 1 Holidays and the Outdoors Germany has so many holidays I almost feel guilty when telling friends in other countries I am off...again. Who would say no to an average of 40 holidays? On public holidays - and Sundays - most shops close and people spend a lot of time outside. The atmosphere is chilled, especially in summer when long lazy days are spend with friends and family. There are many fairy-tale castles to visit, as well as national parks, lakes, rivers and mountains. Just make sure to bring your own picnic. Advertisement 2 Proximity to other countries I live in Dusseldorf, which is very close to the Dutch border. Indeed on all those public holidays there are enormous traffic jams to Dutchieland, as Germans enjoy picturesque sights, the beach and stock up on groceries on the way home. Likewise it's a short distance to Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Germany is an ideal base for exploring, with excellent and reliable transport links to the rest of Europe. 3 Parties and Beer As with all other aspects of life, Germans are very serious about partying. Famous Oktoberfest, where beer is flowing non-stop (Who talks about pints? Keep those litres coming). Then there is Karneval, starting in November lasting till the big parades and dress-up parties in February. Meanwhile, there is Christmas of course, with the enchanting Weihnachtsmarkte all over the country. In summer, there are many summer fairs and festivals. What I love about summer is that the cities burst with vibrancy and people celebrate the many warm nights by watching sunset on the river Rhein with Grills and Bier. 4 Cleanliness, order and functionality No piles of bin bags and assorted wheelie bins on the pavements. In cities they mostly use underground systems which assure clean streets without that nasty refuse smell that's around in the UK on humid days. Germans have a system for waste collection - and if you mess up your neighbour won't hesitate to tell you how it needs to be done. In general, Germans like Ordnung anyway so make sure you stick to the rules. It might seem exaggerated, but it does help in terms of safety and structure. Everything has a function and when something is broken, just inform the council and it will get repaired soon. Similarly, as a tenant, I don't have to chase up my landlord till he sends out a dodgy firm repairing a broken window. It will be solved professionally and asap. 5 German honesty and loyalty First impressions might not be right here. You need to take the initiative and not give up when someone comes across as stern. It took me some time to master this, as I was waiting for smiley faces and warm invitations. But when I actually took the plunge (for example, suggesting to have a coffee together) I have been pleasantly surprised. In the UK, people would often say: 'O you must come over for tea some time', meaning: 'I'm just being polite now sod off'. Here, when someone invites you, they mean it. It makes life easier and more straightforward. Once you get to know people, they are very welcoming and will be loyal, trustworthy friends. Advertisement 6 Food (not just sausages and bread) In the closest shopping street to my house, there are about 15 different bakeries. They do bread in all varieties so be warned that your waist will expand considerably. Sausages and ham are very popular and when you ask for a Schnitzel Menu you will get a humongous piece of meat with a pile of paprika-drenched soft Pommes (who mentioned veggies?). But what I am really talking about is Turkish and Italian food. Thanks to the large Turkish community, the kebab houses here offer fantastic food. Germans are crazy about Italian food too and there are some very authentic Italian restaurants and gelaterias around. Better still: ice-cream scoops always cost 1 euro, no matter the size. Finally: the serious stuff I haven't even mentioned heavyweight arguments, such economic and political stability, a high standard of living and ambitious strategies (such as the Energiewende), which are reasons why many Brits have recently applied to become German citizens. After all, most of us would feel safer with Frau Merkel as an expedition leader than risking the fall into self-dug pits with Theresa May and her crew. So if you want a serious alternative, consider Germany. You might just fall in love with it. Neil Hall / Reuters The Grenfell tragedy shows us what happens when we refuse to listen to people, rendering them powerless. We know the residents shared their concerns over fire safety to Kensington and Chelsea council. Not only were they ignored, but resident blogger Francis O'Connor was threatened with legal action for highlighting the issues. The fire was a chilling symbol of the division in our society: an alliance of relatively powerful, achieving their ends at the expense of others. This reflects the gaping hole in ring-fencing the resources for those in need in economically diverse communities. It's a syndrome resonating far beyond the confines of Kensington and Chelsea council. I followed the story online as it emerged and discussed the needs of the survivors with the local charities before helping to secure emergency resources and long-term support. The stories I heard along the way have been concerning. It has been proposed by the council that some residents be uprooted and be rehoused in the far corners of the country. I can't quite imagine what it's like to have lived in central London all your life, and wake up in Preston for example, after something as traumatising as your community burning down, with your remaining, grieving friends then atomised across the country. Watching events unfold on June 14th I wondered how in 2017 councils can fail their residents' welfare so catastrophically, and how blind they were to the far reaching ramifications of this negligence on people's lives. The fire was not only an unimaginable trauma for those affected, but a neglect tantamount to abuse. Advertisement Outsiders may judge those who live in tower blocks, based on who they think they are. I know they are viewed differently. I know what it's like to be an outsider and the myths that surround your existence. Meaning, outside the system of financial self-reliance. For me it was for one reason, for them another. I was an assisted housing resident for a decade. After years of working in PR for one of the UK's largest ethical businesses, I was left in a financially precarious position unable to work due to long term illness from serious complications following Glandular Fever. And I know how onlookers distance themselves, based on ill-informed judgement. It is easier to identify those we don't share a sense of place with as different, in order to turn away, or to push them, as victims of a tragedy, away. But - the Grenfell residents, like you, have families, work or are students, and due to circumstances beyond their control, they lived in that tower block. It could have been me. I grew up in a white, middle class suburb, but as a bi-racial kid, from a single parent-working class family, like the Grenfell residents I know about not being heard. I know how, based on your identity, you are pigeonholed on a kind of leader-board of how important you are. I would be heckled for having a black father, or for opting out of activities that costed money. On the odd occasion, on witnessing kids chant abuse at their neighbours with darker skin than me, it would be assumed that I would be comforted with "You're alright though." And it still happens. I know about being called names, ones that I would never repeat. I'd hear them when I won a race or ranked highly on a test at school, because I was perceived as being too brown to deserve it. Advertisement I also know about the friends that didn't get through worst times. Where my experience was bemusing; theirs was much worse, and these identity issues broke them. These are the people who were treated as somehow illegitimate, as a threat, with bricks and abuse, every single day, at work or in the streets they lived. That, over and above the attrition of things like being told by teachers that they'd never achieve anything, and Swastikas as a common feature of graffiti on the walk home from school. I know some whose lives ended while they were too young, or had stints in mental health institutions as a result from the appalling isolation of their experiences. And would you recognise the trauma they faced if you had met them? Of course not. They were polite, educated, and loving. They didn't judge you, they just wanted to be acknowledged, to be heard and respected in a way that others took for granted. I know how the Grenfell community were used to being ignored, and told that their safety was not important. If those who judge, learned about the lives of residents like those in Grenfell, they would be awe-inspired by the obstacles they've overcome, the achievements, and the successes against stratospheric odds. I know how their stories ended, and I wonder how small the life experience must be of those who judged. Will those who so easily ignore the less fortunate learn from this tragedy, and the judgements they have made? We have to hope so; we have seen amazing displays of solidarity from Londoners over the past months; but often new manifestations of prejudice occur as the decades roll on. What I see now are hackneyed intentions to not appear prejudiced, from those who I believe are truly trying to change relations for the better. But, now I hear "we don't see any differences" "we are all the same." This is a new manifestation of ignorance, a determination to refute the differences, in order to ignore them. Through the mayhem unravelling before our eyes, there was amazing positivity. Two community members who shone like beacons of strength for the survivors; DJ Isla and the rapper Lowkey - both obviously skilled communicator's, knew how to speak up when their community couldn't. I saw how this vital skill came into it's own as they led the relief effort and spoke out on the immediate issues. They conducted their own interviews, eventually rejecting the requests from mainstream media, whose reports they learned to mistrust. Seeing them look after their community as the council failed, was intensely moving, and it reminded me why arts funding is so important. These artists had found their voice, through music, had honed their communication skills, using them for social good. Art practice is about communication, and communication is at the crux of understanding one another. We must do all we can to support arts funding in our schools. For some, it may be the only chance of having their voices heard. To grant our neighbours the respect we all deserve please, watch the interviews, donate, support art funding and join your local volunteering initiatives; in times of peace as well as tragedy, for empathy is the beating heart of a cohesive society. To support the residents and neighbours of Grenfell donate to The Red Cross Fund To support local arts, visit The Arts Council website iodrakon via Getty Images It's all a bit embarrassing really isn't it? 1 billion. There's nothing like a bit of transparent corruption among friends is there. My husband once surprised me with a mini break, how lovely you might think. And lovely it was. However I couldn't help but wonder where this stash of cash was when the washing machine had broken down the previous month. It had been a credit card job at the time - my husband had kept Schstum that he had been squirrelling much needed wonga under the mattress... Do you see where I'm headed with this. 1 billion. Our primary schools have been appealing against murderous cuts to its funding, screams of 'We are at crisis point' have been widely reported from head teachers, and thankfully splashed all over the press in recent months. May did nothing. Serving back pleas of austerity, and lack of coffers. Mock suprise over her face. Advertisement We have all been told, just like a parent telling a pleading child who desparently wants the latest Hachimal, "We are broke, we have no money. Go fish!" Ok we all said. We can't have what we don't got. Well blow me down, as I switch on the news yesterday and there is our Wheat field runner of an PM - who I voted for, signing over 1 BILLION. 1 billion? At first I thought the news anchor had said 1million in exchange for the support of the 10 DUP members of parliament. My initial thought was, 'Christ, lucky them! Money for nothing!' But wait, what's that you say? 'One BILLION pounds'?! Dr Evil's voice was immediately present- bellowing this figure around my head. Maybe there is a likeness between Austin Powers and Teressa that I hadn't noticed before, although I can't imagine her uttering 'Shagtastic baby'. Or maybe this dark horse does, just for her Northern Irish BFF's. Advertisement How happy did the 4 of them look! While May kept her demure face all poker, they practically skipped out of that signing press call. I didn't even realise you could buy votes, or 'support'. Now I'm no expert, but it sounds a teeny bit to me like CORRUPTION. Which brings me to my next point, a few weeks ago most of us had never even heard of the DUP. I'd voted conservative, albeit a vote I am beginning to sorely regret, not for a party which I had to google. Yet here they are running back to Northern Ireland, laden down with our cash. That's 30% more funding per head than the rest of the United Kingdom - GMTV says so. Cash we were told we didn't have. So where's it come from Tess? I'd love to know. I'm pretty sure Jeremy Hunt would like to know too. As one of the most hated MP's ever thanks to his dictatorship over the NHS and junior Doctors, I'm pretty sure he would have loved access to this golden honey pot having towed the austerity line. Mrs May, you appear anything but your cheesy tag line 'Strong and Stable'. I knew I had heard it somewhere before, but I couldn't quite remember where. A few days ago I was grabbing my reusable bags for the lidl shop (Becasue, austerity), you'll never guess what I saw... Tory slogan inspiration. I have a feeling Attenborough would argue elephants are more loyal, honest creatures however. Advertisement Rupak De Chowdhuri / Reuters A shocking new report by Amnesty International into ongoing human rights violations in Kachin State and northern Shan State in Burma has prompted Burma Campaign UK to raise further questions about the decision of the British government to provide free training to the Burmese Army. The report, "All the civilians suffer", describes many of the human rights violations as war crimes. The vast majority of them are committed by the Burmese Army. Advertisement They include 25 instances of the Burmese Army executing civilians, including one case where 18 men were executed and left in a mass grave. Another example cited was the death of an eight or nine-year-old child, killed when the Burmese Army fired mortar bombs at a village. Villagers are used as slave labour to carry equipment for soldiers, and face regular beatings. In one example they had their faces slashed with a shaving blade. The 51 page report, based on 140 interviews, details numerous case studies of how the Burmese Army has been either deliberately targeting civilians, or taken no effort to ensure the safety of civilians in conflict areas, in violation of international law. The cases documented have largely taken place in the past year, three years after the British government first announced it would provide free training to the Burmese Army. Facing criticism for its decision, the British government initially claimed the training related to human rights, but was later forced to admit that only one hour in the sixty hour training course covered human rights, and no reference to human rights violations by the Burmese Army are made in the training. The government now says the training is to 'professionalise' the Burmese Army and that no direct combat training is involved. The last thing ethnic civilians need is a more professional Burmese Army attacking their villages. The new evidence of human rights violations by the Burmese Army comes just three months after the United Nations decided to launch an investigation into human rights violations by the Burmese Army in Rakhine State and Kachin and Shan States. Advertisement The United Nations has already documented human rights violations against the Rohingya ethnic group which could amount to crimes against humanity. These include soldiers arbitrarily executing civilians, stamping on a baby as it was born, the mass use of rape, and slitting the throat of a baby as it cried out to be fed while Burmese Army soldiers gang-raped its mother. The British government is spending 305,499 a year training the Burmese Army. No specific goals exist for what the training is supposed to achieve, and no evaluation of the spending has been carried out. No questions are asked about the past records of the soldiers Britain trains, and no follow up done to see if soldiers trained by Britain were involved in recent military offensives against the Shan, Kachin, Rohingya and other ethnic groups. If the original false claims by the British government that the training was about human rights were genuine, then training the Burmese Army has been a spectacular failure. Human rights violations by the Burmese Army have increased significantly in the past year. Perhaps because they are reluctant to admit they made a mistake, the British government are doggedly sticking to the training programme. Worse, other European countries are joining them, with Germany and Austria also recently offering to train the Burmese Army. It is possible that the real reason for the training is commercial. On his now regular trips to Europe, the head of the Burmese Army, Min Aung Hlaing, has been given factory tours of arms manufacturers and military suppliers, and presented with gifts and lavish dinners. Although there is officially an arms embargo in place, some European companies are already supplying the Burmese military with equipment. The decision to train and trade with the Burmese military is a spectacular failure of morality, but also much more than that. It sends a signal to Min Aung Hlaing and his military that they can continue to act with impunity. No matter what they do, no matter how horrific the human rights violations they commit, instead of facing consequences, they are embraced even more warmly. With the things Min Aung Hlaing has been responsible for, he should be a pariah, not a dinner guest. Advertisement As I write this, the television news is leading on two stories: Brexit Secretary David Davis outlining the UK's likely response if offered a "punishment deal" by the EU, and Jeremy Corbyn promising to "share the wealth" with his Glastonbury festival audience. As someone whose profession is to create campaigns that inspire audiences into positive action, the current state of our nation's conversation is both alarming and depressing. Since when did the UK become so reactive? Awaiting the EU's negotiating position, rather than creating and promoting our own positive vision for the future? And is it really in our national character to squabble about the sharing of others' spoils, rather than to create a context that positively promotes collective ambition and success? Advertisement It feels as if we are forgetting the belief and behaviour that put the 'Great' into Great Britain - however terrifyingly Trump that sounds. And, if we are not very careful, the new ossifying tone of our political discourse will stifle the potential benefits of Brexit before they are even recognised, let alone seized. It just seems remarkable that neither of the main parties have recognised and 'Verbalised' the middle ground between the rampant "nasty" Conservatism of yesteryear and the naive socialism of Corbyn's current grand vision. It seems so obvious from the outside: our country is now in a unique position within Europe to own and exploit a, "work hard, be kind" narrative for the betterment of all our citizens, as well as to provide a competitive advantage within the modern global business landscape. This disarmingly simple 'positioning' statement is in fact borrowed from my former headmaster, a wonderful man by the name of Dennis Silk. On the first day of each new academic year Mr Silk would gather the new entrants together in the chapel and explain the school's guiding philosophy under his tenure, "You will learn two things while you are here: to work hard and to be kind". Sure enough, thirty years later, Mr Silk's values are so ingrained in me that they directly influence the way in which I now run my two companies: with an intense work ethic, as well as a heavy dose of corporate responsibility. Advertisement Such a simple mantra would do wonders for our sense of national identity as we navigate Brexit and beyond. It would position the UK as a meritocratic beacon to challenge the innovation-suppressing bureaucracy that muddles the EU. But also the UK as the new model of responsible capitalism that takes care of those in need, without tolerating freeloading. The 'work hard, be kind' mantra offers a grown-up politics for the twenty-first century by supporting the betterment of each and every citizen, while also recognising that the provision of superlative education, health and social infrastructure are the means by which to enable the individual to deliver their part within the whole. Letting the achievers fly as high as their potential allows, whilst recognising that they do so on account of the support of the society around them. This positioning feels instinctively of the right, albeit with a foot placed firmly within the middle ground. It is a narrative of aspiration built on individual and collective responsibility that avoids the desire to 'tear it all down' as expressed by a few of the more extreme Corbynistas. It acts as a call-to-action to harness the potential of our country by challenging every citizen to be part of the solution, at all levels. Proactive, not reactive. Tangible within the real world. I would have thought that such an 'ambition in balance' narrative - that celebrates and promotes aspiration but also recognises the value of all rungs on the ladder - could do away with much of the oppositional name-calling that is currently in evidence between the two main parties? It would also provide a direction for the formulation of policies that can be understood as part of an overarching national strategy. It is certainly my belief that it is only by phrasing such a didactic new national agenda that we can hope to overcome divisions within certain sections of our community, and excite the UK populous as a whole about the opportunities that will come as a result of Brexit. Advertisement We are so lucky to live at this time in the UK's history, in which we get to reset our own agenda, on our own terms, with a concurrent reassessment of our individual and collective responsibilities. It would be a travesty not to define the UK's new trajectory in these positive and proactive terms. The European Commission has fined Google 2.42 billion for breaching EU antitrust rules. Google has abused its market dominance as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to another Google product, its comparison shopping service. See also press release. Breach of EU antitrust rules Google's practices amount to an abuse of Google's dominant position in general internet search thereby stifling competition in comparison shopping markets. Google's market dominance Today's Decision concluded that Google is dominant in each national market for general internet search throughout the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. in all 31 EEA countries. The Commission investigated Google's market position in general internet search since 2008, and the Decision found Google to be dominant in each country since 2008, except in the Czech Republic where the Decision found Google to have been dominant since 2011. This assessment is based on the fact that Google's search engine has held very high market shares in all EEA countries, exceeding 90% in most. It has done so consistently since at least 2008, which is the period investigated by the Commission. There are also high barriers to entry in these markets, in part because of network effects: the more consumers use a search engine, the more attractive it becomes to advertisers. The profits generated can then be used to attract even more consumers. Similarly, the data a search engine gathers about consumers can in turn be used to improve results. Source: StatCounter Google's abuse of dominance Market dominance is, as such, not illegal under EU antitrust rules. However, dominant companies have a special responsibility not to abuse their powerful market position by restricting competition, either in the market where they are dominant or in separate markets. Otherwise, there would be a risk that a company once dominant in one market (even if this resulted from competition on the merits) would be able to use this market power to cement/further expand its dominance, or leverage it into separate markets. Google has abused its market dominance in general internet search bygiving a separate Google product (initially called Froogle, re-named Google Product Search in 2008 and Google Shopping in 2013) an illegal advantage in the separate comparison shopping market. Google has systematically given prominent placement to its own comparison shopping service: Google's comparison shopping results are displayed, in a rich format, at the top of the search results, or sometimes in a reserved space on the right-hand side. They are placed above the results that Google's generic search algorithms consider most relevant. This happens whenever a consumer types a product-related query into the Google general search engine, in relation to which Google wants to show comparison shopping results. This means that Google's comparison shopping service is not subject to Google's generic search algorithms. to its own comparison shopping service: Google's comparison shopping results are displayed, in a rich format, at the top of the search results, or sometimes in a reserved space on the right-hand side. They are placed above the results that Google's generic search algorithms consider most relevant. This happens whenever a consumer types a product-related query into the Google general search engine, in relation to which Google wants to show comparison shopping results. This means that Google's comparison shopping service is not subject to Google's generic search algorithms. On the other hand, rival comparison shopping services are subject to Google's generic search algorithms, including demotions (which lower a search entry's rank in Google's search results). Comparison shopping services in the EEA are prone to be demoted by at least two different algorithms, which were first applied in 2004 and 2011, respectively. Evidence shows that even the most highly ranked rival comparison shopping service appears on average only on page four of Google's search results, and others appear even further down. In practice, this means consumers very rarely see rival comparison shopping services in Google's search results. The Commission Decision does not object to the design of Google's generic search algorithms or to demotions as such, nor to the way that Google displays or organises its search results pages (e.g. the display of a box with comparison shopping results displayed prominently in a rich, attractive format). It objects to the fact that Google has leveraged its market dominance in general internet search into a separate market, comparison shopping. Google abused its market dominance as a search engine to promote its own comparison shopping service in search results, whilst demoting those of rivals. This is not competition on the merits and is illegal under EU antitrust rules. Thus, Google's abuse of dominance started in the respective country from the moment Google began prominently displaying its comparison shopping service, whilst demoting rival services: in January 2008 in Germany and the United Kingdom, in October 2010 in France, in May 2011 in Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, in February 2013 in the Czech Republic, in November 2013 in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Poland and Sweden. These cover all countries in the EEA in which Google currently offers its comparison shopping service. Effect of Google's illegal practices As explained above, Google's practices mean that its comparison shopping service appears much higher in Google's search results than rival comparison shopping services. This has had a significant impact on competition in comparison shopping markets because: Appearance in Google's search results impacts on user clicks/traffic: Real-world consumer behaviour, surveys and eye-tracking studies demonstrate that consumers generally click far more on search results at or near the top of the first search results page than on results lower down the first page, or on subsequent pages, where rival comparison shopping services were most often found after demotion. a) In fact, even on desktops, the ten highest-ranking generic search results on page 1 together generally receive approximately 95% of all clicks on generic search results (with the top search result receiving about 35% of all the clicks). The first result on page 2 of Google's search results receives only about 1% of all clicks. The effects on mobile devices are even more pronounced given the much smaller screen size. b) Furthermore, the effects cannot just be explained by the fact that the first result is more relevant because evidence also shows that moving the first result to the third rank leads to a reduction in the number of clicks by about 50%. More visibility in Google's search results has increased traffic to Google's comparison shopping service, whilst demotions have decreased traffic to rival services: Since the start of the abuse in each country, Google's comparison shopping service has made significant gains in traffic, whilst rival comparison shopping services have suffered a decrease in traffic from Google's search results pages on a lasting basis: a) For example, since the beginning of the abuse in each country, Google's comparison shopping service has increased its traffic 45-fold in the United Kingdom, 35-fold in Germany, 29-fold in the Netherlands, 17-fold in Spain and 14-fold in Italy. b) Traffic to rival comparison shopping websites has decreased. Whilst Google's search engine is not the only source of traffic to comparison shopping websites, due to Google's dominance as a search engine, it is an important source of traffic. The Commission found evidence of sudden drops of traffic to certain rival websites following demotions applied in Google's generic search algorithms, of 85% in the United Kingdom, 92% in Germany and 80% in France. These sudden drops could not be explained by other factors. Some competitors have adapted subsequently and managed to recover some traffic, but never fully. This shows the impact of Google's practices both on traffic to its own comparison shopping service and to rival websites. The Commission has observed similar trends also in those countries in which the illegal practices have been implemented more recently. Its findings are further corroborated by additional information set out in the Commission Decision. This cannot be published at present without the consent of Google and other third parties, because it may contain business sensitive information. As a result of Google's illegal practices and the distortions to competition, Google's comparison shopping service has made significant market share gains at the expense of rivals. This has deprived European consumers of the benefits of competition on the merits, namely genuine choice and innovation. The Commission Decision concerns the effect of Google's practices on comparison shopping markets. These offer a different service to merchant platforms, such as Amazon and eBay. Comparison shopping services offer a tool for consumers to compare products and prices online and find deals from online retailers of all types. By contrast, they do not offer the possibility for products to be bought on their site, which is precisely the aim of merchant platforms. Google's own commercial behaviour reflects these differences - merchant platforms are eligible to appear in Google Shopping whereas rival comparison shopping services are not. Nevertheless, the Commission Decision also outlines that Google's conduct would in any event have been abusive, even if comparison shopping services and merchant platforms were considered to be part of the same market: comparison shopping services would be the closest competitors in such a broader market and Google's practices have significantly distorted competition between Google's product and comparison shopping services. Fine The Commission's fine of 2 424 495 000 takes account of the duration and gravity of the infringement. In accordance with the Commission's 2006 Guidelines on fines (see press release and MEMO), the fine has been calculated on the basis of the value of Google's revenue from its comparison shopping service in the 13 EEA countries concerned. Under the Decision, Google must stop its illegal practices concerning its own comparison shopping service within 90 days, and refrain from any measure that has the same or an equivalent object or effect. In particular, Google has to respect the simple principle of equal treatment in its search results for its own comparison shopping product and rival comparison shopping products. Google has to apply the same processes and methods to position and display rival comparison shopping services in Google's search results pages as it gives to its own comparison shopping service. It is Google's sole responsibility to ensure compliance and it is for Google to explain how it intends to do so. Regardless of which option Google chooses, the Commission will monitor Google's compliance closely and Google is under an obligation to keep the Commission informed of its actions (initially within 60 days of the Decision, followed by periodic reports). Non-compliance would be the subject of a separate case where Google would have the opportunity to comment. If the Commission were to decide that Google had failed to comply with its obligations under the decision, it would be subject to a daily penalty payment of up to 5% of the average daily worldwide turnover of Alphabet, Google's parent, with any payment backdated to when the non-compliance started. Case history and procedure The Commission opened proceedings in this case in November 2010. This followed a number of complaints by European and US competitors that Google had breached EU antitrust rules. After an initial investigation, Google sought to address the Commission's concerns by offering legally binding commitments. Google proposed three sets of commitments (the third was submitted in February 2014). However, the feedback the Commission received from third parties showed that they were not effective to address the Commission's competition concerns in full. Google did not submit a revised proposal. The case therefore has a specific history. Since various attempts to reach a conclusion by means of commitments failed, from November 2014, the Commission services started to update the information in the files. This led to two Statements of Objections, in April 2015 and July 2016, setting out the Commission's preliminary conclusions and a range of additional evidence. Google's rights of defence were respected throughout the Commission's investigation it was granted the opportunity to respond to both Statements of Objections on the basis of full access to the non-confidential Commission file as well as access to a range of confidential business and traffic data that was granted to Google's advisors in so-called "data rooms". Google also had the right to an oral hearing before the Commission services and the competition authorities of the Member States after each Statement of Objections, which it chose not to exercise. Other cases The Commission has already come to the preliminary conclusion that Google has abused a dominant position in two other cases, which are still being investigated. These concern: 1) the Android operating system, where the Commission is concerned that Google has stifled choice and innovation in a range of mobile apps and services by pursuing an overall strategy on mobile devices to protect and expand its dominant position in general internet search; and 2) AdSense, where the Commission is concerned that Google has reduced choice by preventing third-party websites from sourcing search ads from Google's competitors. The Commission also continues to examine Google's treatment in its search results of other specialised Google search services. Today's Decision is a precedent which establishes the framework for the assessment of the legality of this type of conduct. At the same time, it does not replace the need for a case-specific analysis to account for the specific characteristics of each market. Development arent just for the U.N., or even governments, to implement. Launched in September 2015, the 17 goals and 169 targets are a series of ambitious targets to end extreme poverty and tackle climate change for everyone by 2030 (hence the alternative moniker, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ). Replacing the more arcane Millennium Development Goals, these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are everyones goals, crowd-sourced to completion and promoted by companies and civil society alike. (Cue the hip, auto-playing video on the website.) Smartly, the goals, especially Goal 17, emphasize that access to technology underpins every one of these commitments to the eradication of extreme poverty. However, not all connectivity is the same, nor yields the same benefits to societies in terms of economic, social, or cultural development. As we told the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), only stable, secure, and open access to broadband internet will ensure success for the U.N. SDGs. Thats something civil society and our partners will continue to make clear, and well need to work in legislatures to get the point across, not simply at aid and development banks. To reach the SDGs, we need civil and political advocacy Traditionally, information and communications technology (ICTs) have not been a major recipient of aid funding. Thats one reason this crucial technology is under-represented in the SDGs and appears in only four of the 169 targets. Its assumed that telecommunications will take care of itself, having been largely deregulated and privatized in the 1980s and 1990s. Yet more than half the worlds population is not using the internet, a statistic showing the failure of local, national, and global governance, with economic, political, and moral implications. Rights like free expression, political participation, and access to information are clearly boosted by internet access, but also impact economic development. Researchers publishing in Science found a strong and persistent political bias in the allocation of Internet coverage across ethnic groups worldwide. Its not simply affordability or geography that determine whether you have the tools you need to get ahead in our digital age. The scientists question the frequent assumption that the uneven global distribution of digital technology can be mitigated by economic forces and incentives, like competition and smart regulation or deregulation of telcos. This suggestion needs to carefully consider the role of local political actors in shaping this process. Along with political power comes control over your personal data, privacy, and means of expression. The digital economy cannot lift people out of poverty if they lack dependable access, or the capacity and literacy to leverage the tools of the internet for their economic progress. For these reasons, Access Now created the Human Rights Principles for Connectivity and Development, showing why we must integrate respect for digital rights into infrastructure projects, rather than leave governments, telcos, and development banks to their own devices, however well-meaning they may be. As written, the Global Goals implicitly depend on digital rights. But we dont need to depend on our own research to show why censoring or shutting down the internet, or putting people under surveillance, prevents economic and social development. The Global Goals themselves contain many easter eggs or hooks for that work. In response to a question from an Access Now community member, we have examined how reaching Global Goals and their targets depends on law and policy that respects digital rights. Heres a look at what we found: Health SDG3: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes. In many countries, if not most, the internet serves as one of the only places for broad access to medical information and support without social stigma. Outright bans on certain categories of data, like sexuality and reproductive health information, are common. Doctors and hospitals increasingly rely on the internet for their daily work, as well. Filtering results they see will not likely advance the benefits of science or medicine. At least one study has shown that shutting down the internet directly impedes access to emergency medicine. Education SDG4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of cultures contribution to sustainable development. Censorship makes it more difficult for people to enjoy robust education and gain open access to knowledge. People arent able to fully grow their intellect, develop opinions, and achieve new skills if theyre not able to access the wealth of resources online. Innovation in education, including distance learning, YouTube explainer videos, and massive open online courses (MOOCs), depend on access to the open internet. Wikipedia is currently blocked in Turkey, barring access to one of the worlds most popular educational resources. Civic engagement and anti-corruption SDG16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements. In the digital age, governments must open the publics access to all sorts of data and policies to ensure good governance and accountability. Well, that says it quite clearly. Governments must open access to all sorts of data, as a matter of accountability and basic, best practice governance. For our part, we expect more governments to release information about what user data theyre requesting from companies something corporate Transparency Reports show and what content they want restricted, including to counter violent extremism. Universal access to the internet by 2020 SDG9.3 Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020. This is as close as the SDGs come to recognizing that the internet is essential to achieving its goals. Goal 9, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, calls on Least Developed Countries to bring everyone online by 2020. We read this to mean extending access to the global, open internet, not simply censored, surveilled, limited, or app-based connectivity. Its very ambitious, and its also up for review this summer at the U.N. High Level Political Forum on the SDGs. Finally, SDG17 recognizes that technology is essential to reaching all other SDGs, with this excellent target: Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology. This is great language as it works positively and negatively. The use of ICTs is not enhanced by information controls, filtering, or internet shutdowns nor by the indifference of authorities to protecting the free flow of information online. By promoting, not just tolerating or protecting, freedom of expression, we can build capacity for societies to reach their goals widely. We see censorship of the free and open internet as a bar to achieving the U.N.s 2030 Agenda, even if the goals themselves are fairly sanitized and avoid any language on freedom of expression, privacy, and related human rights. Specifically, the increasing rate of internet shutdowns our KeepItOn Coalition counted 56 in 2016, more than double the number we recorded in 2015 damages educational, economic, and health outcomes in countries that often are just beginning to benefit from widespread connectivity. With this in mind, well show up at U.N. in New York in July for the High Level Political Forum on the SDGs to see how scores of nations a The American Legion on Wendell Avenue was cited for having illegal gaming machines. Pittsfield American Legion Cited For Illegal Gambling PITTSFIELD, Mass. Investigators believe American Legion Post 68 participated in an illegal gambling operation. The Alcohol Beverages Control Commission has cited the organization on Wendell Avenue for permitting illegal gambling after a May 18 inspection. The ABCC says investigators found gaming devices and were told that the bartenders would record bets and a vending company would pay out the winners. The Legion will have a hearing on the charge on Sept. 12. According to the report from investigator Jan Kujawski, ABCC officials conducted the inspection and spoke with bartender Tina Obert and Post Commander John Barrett. The investigators found "three automatic amusement devices, two labeled as Crazy Bugs and another as Fruit Bonus 96." The ABCC said the machines accept bills of $1, $5, $10, and $20, had markings saying "for amusement only;" had the capability to select the amount of bets; registered the bet by displaying number of points selected; had the ability to double up bets; and had switches on the rear of the machine all signs of illegal gambling devices. "Obert stated to investigators that the member would get the bartender and the bartender will write down the number of credits and then clear the points on the machine. Obert stated the bartender would place the piece of paper and place it next to the register. Obert further states that the vendor, Pace Vending, would then leave the money for the member in an envelope near the bar," reads Kujawski's report. "The member would then come in and the bartender will pay the member out in cash." The findings have led to a shake up at the American Legion. Attorney William Barry, who is representing the Legion, said a whole new slate of board of directors has been approved and Martha Read will now take over as bar manager. Read has a lengthy history in the restaurant business, with the most recent work being at the Mill on the Floss in New Ashford for the last decade. Barry called it a "new dawn, new era" for the American Legion. He said the machines, as well as those allegedly involved in the gambling, are now gone and not coming back. "There was a culture that needed to change," Barry said. Pittsfield Police Lt. Michael Grady said he's been in communication with the club and vouched that everything "should be all set" moving forward. At this point, it isn't clear exactly where all of the benefits from the devices were going whether the Legion received some of the funds or if it was the vendor. In early May, the attorney general's office announced a crackdown on a separate vending company, which operated throughout the state, in which the proceeds had been split with the owners of establishments. Barry said the ABCC will be sorting that out as part of the investigation and hearing process. The retaining wall and road are pushing into the porches of a home on Furnace Street. The roadway has opened near the three-story building's north side. A temporary fix to the flood control chutes near Mass MoCA's Building 5. PreviousNext North Adams City Council OKs Free Cash Appropriations The City Council approved more than a quarter million in free cash transfers on Tuesday. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The City Council on Tuesday approved the transfer of $264,288.38 in certified free cash to various accounts, including $62,686.53 toward the purchase of a building on Furnace Street. In a communication to the council, Mayor Richard Alcombright said the property at 110-112 Furnace St. cannot be occupied because the road and retaining wall owned by the city is pushing against the building and damaging the porches. "We were made aware of this situation some time ago by the owner," he wrote. "As a result, the owner is unable to obtain insurance and cannot maintain occupancy." On Tuesday, he called it a "very weird thing" to bring before the council. The city had been aware for several years that the massive retaining wall and road had been shifting to press against the apartment building's porches and knocking the supports off-kilter. "It had become worse this past year and they had to vacant the tenant they did have," he said. The mayor said consultations with the Department of Public Works and the city solicitor offered two solutions: fix the road and retaining wall or buy the structure and eventually demolish it in light of future redesign of the Furnace Street/Reservoir Road intersection. Fixing the road and retaining wall would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars the city didn't have, Alcombright said. "The money for that just is not possible at this point in time ... I think the right thing to do is buy it from the owner." There was the potential down the road to access Scenic Byway funds for Reservoir Road and possibly state funding to open up that pinched area and tight turn since the roadway is considered an access to Mount Greylock State Reservation, he said. The owner, Jeffrey Cellana, accepted an offer of $70,000. The city's insurance company estimated the coverage to repair the porches at $7,313.47, leaving a balance of $62,686.53 to cover the purchase. Councilor Robert M. Moulton Jr. asked if there were other options, such as not purchasing the property. The mayor said it would likely end up in court and, since the city was responsible for the infrastructure, he didn't see a lawsuit going its way. Alcombright said the assessed value was about $84,000 to $86,000 and that the price negotiated with the owner wasn't much higher than the initial offer. Councilor Ronald Boucher asked if an appraisal had been done. The mayor said it would be difficult since the structure cannot be used at all, it essentially has no worth. The vote to approve the appropriation was 7-1, with Boucher voting against. Councilor Eric Buddington was absent. The other transfers were approved unanimously. Some $48,687.75 in free cash was appropriated to the Flood Control Emergency Repair Account for actions taken to stabilize the flood control chute next to the west end of Building 6 at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. A section of the concrete panels fell into the river earlier this spring and the city was able to convince the Army Corps of Engineers that a temporary fix previously floated would work. The mayor said there was some possibility of reimbursement and that he had had conversations with the state Departments of Energy and Natural Resources. However, that was for the temporary fix and not for replacing the panel, or the one that had fallen in at Willow Dell a few years ago. Either of those could cost up to a half-million dollars, he ventured, and repairing or replacing the infrastructure could take decades and tens of millions of dollars. Councilor Nancy Bullett, who sits on the Hoosic River Revival, said the chutes had a 50-year life expectancy that they have now exceeded. The HRR is looking to replacing the aging concrete corridors with more natural and sustainable works. An I-beam brace was placed across the Hoosic River holding both sides in place and preventing the next section on the wall near the collapse from moving. While the city is responsible for the 70-year-old flood control system, little can be done without approval by the Army Corps and officials are hoping it will do more toward maintenance and repairs. The mayor said he would at least like more flexibility to address emergency repairs. Problems with water wearing at the panel were apparent several years ago, he said, but the city couldn't do anything without the Army Corps' approval. The council also appropriated $88,000 to the stabilization fund (the balance of the free cash) and $25,000 for the demolition of 45 Edgewood Ave., which was declared a nuisance by the council last month and cleared for demolition by the Historical Commission in 2014. The mayor said the transfer of the balance of $88,000 brings the stabilization fund to just over $1 million and gives the council more control over the money since it requires a two-thirds vote of the council to use those funds. Another $39,914.10 was appropriated toward completion of community development projects in anticipation of funds from Housing Opportunities Inc. Alcombright said that was largely a "cleanup process" of charges that have been sitting on city's books. In other business: Superintendent Barbara Malkas reported on the actions taken to Superintendent Barbara Malkas reported on the actions taken to remediate copper and lead l evels in the public schools' water. The problems were largely from older fixtures that have been repaired or replaced; copper levels in sinks at Colegrove Park Elementary are being remediated by regular flushing, as recommended by the Department of Public Health. Two problem fixtures need more extensive work for replacement and will be done this summer. Neither are being currently used. The council approved changes to zoning map that places three properties on Veazie Street in the commercial zone. The request was made by Berkshire Hills Development Corp. (Porches Inn) to make all make the zoning in that area consistent. The council also gave final approval of changes in the compensation and classification plan and to the fees for the transfer station. A recommendation by the Traffic Commission to remove two metered parking spaces on American Legion Drive to make room for a bicycle lane was referred to the Public Safety Committee. The city solicitor is expected to have ordinance language for the committee to review. Eric Kerns was approved to a five-year term on the Public Arts Commission. Buddington two weeks ago had requested his re-appointment be held over concerns of his ability to attend meetings; Council President Benjamin Lamb read a letter from Buddington saying he felt the issue had "received the attention it needs" and supported Kerns' reappointment. Three individuals were seriously injured and one was killed in a four-vehicle crash on U.S. 67 Tuesday afternoon, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The crash occurred on southbound U.S. 67 just north of the Farmington exit at 3:05 p.m. Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Juston Wheetley said one vehicle had pulled off onto the shoulder after running out of gas or experiencing car trouble. Two other vehicles stopped to help. A fourth vehicle struck the rear of the third vehicle, causing a chain reaction. According to patrol reports, Gerald Sorbello, 50, of Park Hills, was the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet Express van pulled off onto the shoulder. A 1997 Ford Aspire, with unknown driver, was parked behind that vehicle. A 1991 Jeep Cherokee driven by Guy (Eddie) Haywood, 53, of Park Hills, was parked behind the Aspire. A 2004 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ryszard Wojtysiak, 66, of McHenry, Illinois, traveled off the right side of the highway and struck the parked Jeep Cherokee, causing the Cherokee to strike the Aspire and the Aspire to strike the van. Guy Haywood was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Two of his passengers, Melinda Haywood, 34, of Park Hills, and Tina King, 17, of Park Hills, received serious injuries. Both were flown to Mercy-St. Louis. A passenger in the first vehicle, Alberta Arndt, 55, of Park Hills, received minor injuries and was taken to Parkland Health Center. iciHaiti - Diaspora : Message from the Chicago Consul Saturday as part of the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Lesly Conde, the Consul General of Haiti in Chicago, delivered a message to the Church of Our Lady of Peace. Message from the Consul Conde : "Dear friends of Haiti, Friends of Haiti, My brothers and sisters, Ladies and gentlemen, We are gathered here once again to celebrate Our Lady Of Perpetual Help. As always, I am thrilled to share your company because together, we can elevate our voices to Haiti's Patron Saint, thank her for all the favors that she has already granted us, and ask her for her continued protection. I am quite pleased to bring you warm greetings from the Consulate General of Haiti in Chicago. On behalf of the Chicago Haitian Community, I must, first and foremost, thank the heads of this church who accompany us every year as we celebrate Haiti's Patron Saint to whom our nation owes gratitude and faithfulness. We rely on her kindness that has guided our parents, and that will certainly guide the future generations. Just like every year, I feel so thrilled to be surrounded by familiar faces, beautiful faces, smiling faces. I take this opportunity to welcome all those who, for the first time, are attending the Celebration of Our Lady Of Perpetual Help along with the Chicago Haitian Community. Today we have a 213 year old nation that has endured more than its share of adversities of all sorts. Born on the first day of January 1804 in a world still attached to the unfair system of exploitation of humans by humans that it has fought and defeated, Haiti has always been a lonesome and misunderstood country. Our Lady Of Perpetual Help has been accompanying Haiti since day one. If we are still present among the nations of the world despite our numerous adversities, we owe it to our Patron Saint. Today, we are here to thank her. In closing, I thank you all for being here, and urge you to keep praying Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, and asking her to watch over Haiti. Whatever you do, wherever you are, remember our country." IH/ iciHaiti Haiti - Politics : Fleurant debate on Haiti's development with the UN Aviol Fleurant, Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, met with Moustafa Al Benlamlih, the resident representative of the UN system in Haiti, around the framework of sustainable development which is also the framework of reference for the actions that the UN will lead in Haiti for the period 2017-2021. This document takes into consideration the indications contained in the Strategic Plan for the Development of Haiti (PSDH), the orientations expressed by President Jovenel Moise, the policy statement of Prime Minister Lafontant, the road maps forwarded to the various ministers and the Triennial Investment Program (TIP). Also included in this document are provisions for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDOs). Let's recall that this framework for sustainable development was prepared jointly by the various authorities of the Haitian Public Administration, civil society organizations and UN agencies. This document takes into account the concerns that are generally expressed by the different actors to ensure that development is based on the needs of the Haitian population. IH/ S/ iciHaiti Country Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, 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 Jamaica 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 Mexico, United Mexican States 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 US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America 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 The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, best known for a leading role in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Swedish film series, died in Sweden on Tuesday after a year-long battle with lung cancer, his representative said. He was 56. Nyqvist "passed away quietly surrounded by family" in Stockholm, his spokeswoman Alissa Goodman said in an emailed statement that called him "one of Sweden's most respected and accomplished actors". "Michael's joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him," the statement said. 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 Nyqvist rose to prominence as the complex investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist in film adaptations of Swedish author Stieg Larsson's gritty "Millennium" novel series that spawned "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" franchise. More recently, he played menacing villains in Hollywood action films "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" and "John Wick". Nyqvist made his debut as an author in 2010 with an autobiographical memoir "Just After Dreaming," which detailed his quest to find his biological parents three decades after he was adopted as a baby. Reuters Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jim Carrey has deserted efforts to force the mother of his late girlfriend Cathriona White to pay a $372,000 (290,000) bond. The news comes as a judge confirmed a trial would go ahead over claims the Hollywood actor utilised his wealth, influence and celebrity status to provide the prescription drugs White used to overdose. White, a make-up artist from Ireland, was found dead in her Los Angeles home in September 2015. A post-mortem found the 30-year-old died from an overdose of various prescription drugs, with a coroner recording her death as suicide. Whites mother, Brigid Sweetman, and estranged husband, Mark Burton, are suing the 55-year-old actor, alleging that Carrey provided the drugs used in Whites suicide. Michael Avenatti, who represents the pair, said: "In light of the court's recent rulings entirely in our favour, we look forward to the trial in April. "The public deserves to know the truth." Carrey, who is famed for his roles in The Mask, The Truman Show and Dumb and Dumber, has abandoned a request for Ms Sweetman to put a bond of $372,000 (290,000) aside to go towards his fees if he succeeds in fending off the case. Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Show all 10 1 /10 Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Jim Carrey gets serious, beardy in new film True Crimes Careys lawyer, Raymond Boucher, wrote to the court asking for the request to be dropped due to the fact Ms Sweetman lacks the means to pay and is ill. Mr Boucher, previously requested Los Angeles Superior Court to strike out the overall case against Carrey. But a judge at Los Angeles Superior Court ruled the case would not be thrown out, and Carrey should face a jury over the claims of wrongful death and allegations under the Drug Dealer Liability Act. Judge Deirdre Hill also ruled against the actors privacy request and ruled the jury should hear medical evidence about claims that he gave White three sexually-transmitted diseases. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up At the end of May, Judge Hill ruled the case would go ahead and set a trial date for 26 April 2018 and estimated the trial to last 20 days. Carrey denies all the allegations launched against him and his lawyer, Mr Boucher, has branded the lawsuits predatory and malicious. Additional reporting from Press Association Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Indiana-born rapper Ugly God has followed up on his promise to release a diss track about himself. "Fuck it. Im dropping an Ugly God disstrack tonight," he wrote on Twitter (sic). "Fuck that bitch ass nigga Ugly God. When I see him its on sight. Midnight eastern time." The song, succinctly named 'Fuck Ugly God', will appear on his debut mixtape The Booty Tape, which will feature Lil Yachty, XXXTentacion and Ski Mask The Slump God. 'Fuck Ugly God's chorus consists of him repeating these words, before calling himself a "hoe" in the first verse and declaring: "You a one hit wonder, bitch, your whole career a joke," - presumably a reference to his break-out song, 'Water'. He continues: "When I catch you slipping, I'm gon' punch you in your teeth / Ugly God a bitch, pussy boy don't want no beef." Ugly God originally went by the name Pussy Bacon, which the 20-year-old was forced to retire when his parents found out about it. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The world has three years to start making significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or face the prospect of dangerous global warming, experts have warned in an article in the prestigious journal Nature. Calling for world leaders to be guided by the scientific evidence rather than hide their heads in the sand, they said entire ecosystems were already beginning to collapse, summer sea ice was disappearing in the Arctic and coral reefs were dying from the heat. The world could emit enough carbon to bust the Paris Agreement target of between 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius in anything from four to 26 years if current levels continue, the article said. Global emissions had been rising rapidly but have plateaued in recent years. The experts, led by Christiana Figueres, who as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change played a key role in the Paris Agreement, said they must start to fall rapidly from 2020 at the latest. Recommended How climate change will threaten food security of poorest countries The year 2020 is crucially important for another reason, one that has more to do with physics than politics, they said. Citing a report published in April, they added: Should emissions continue to rise beyond 2020, or even remain level, the temperature goals set in Paris become almost unattainable. Lowering emissions globally is a monumental task, but research tells us that it is necessary, desirable and achievable. The article was signed by more than 60 scientists, such as Professor Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University, politicians, including former Mexican President Felipe Calderon and ex-Irish President Mary Robinson, businesspeople like Paul Polman, chief executive of Unilever, investment managers, environmental campaigners and others. Since the 1880s, the worlds temperature has risen by about 1C because of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity a process predicted by a Swedish Nobel Prize-winning scientist in 1895. The Nature article laid out the effect of this sudden increase on the planet. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are already losing mass at an increasing rate, it said. Summer sea ice is disappearing in the Arctic and coral reefs are dying from heat stress entire ecosystems are starting to collapse. And it added: The social impacts of climate change from intensified heatwaves, droughts and sea-level rise are inexorable and affect the poorest and weakest first. Humanity is currently emitting about 41 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide a year, but if the Paris target is to be met it only has a carbon budget of between 150 and 1,050 gigatonnes. If the current rate of annual emissions stays at this level, we would have to drop them almost immediately to zero once we exhaust the budget. Such a jump to distress is in no ones interest. A more gradual descent would allow the global economy time to adapt smoothly, the experts wrote. But they urged people not to abandon hope. The good news is that it is still possible to meet the Paris temperature goals if emissions begin to fall by 2020, they said. Donald Trump, the US President and climate science-denier, has pledged to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement, which will take until 2020. The Nature article urged world leaders to take the opposite approach by using science to guide policy and defending scientists. Those in power must stand up for science, it said. French President Emmanuel Macrons Make Our Planet Great Again campaign [a deliberate play on Mr Trumps Make America Great Again slogan] is a compelling example. He has spoken out to a global audience in support of climate scientists, and invited researchers to move to France to help accelerate action and deliver on the Paris agreement. We still don't know if Trump believes climate change exists Any delay would pose a threat to human prosperity. With no time to wait, all countries should adopt plans for achieving 100 per cent renewable electricity production, while ensuring that markets can be designed to enable renewable-energy expansion, the experts wrote. Optimism was also important. Recent political events have thrown the future of our world into sharp focus, they said. But as before Paris, we must remember that impossible is not a fact, its an attitude. It is crucial that success stories are shared. There will always be those who hide their heads in the sand and ignore the global risks of climate change. But there are many more of us committed to overcoming this inertia. Let us stay optimistic and act boldly together. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The RAF may drop bombs on people launching cyber attacks that hit Britain, according to the defence secretary. Speaking after a huge attack on the parliamentary network but soon before the Petya attack spread across the world, including to the UK Michael Fallon said that the country could launch responses to online attacks "from any domain - air, land, sea or cyber. The comments have already attracted some criticism because it is usually almost impossible to say with certainty who carried out a hack. Experts may sometimes identify the country or state that appears to be behind any given cyber attack but even that identification can be intentionally spoofed by hackers. 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 The Defence Secretary highlighted the success of the UK's ability to carry out cyber attacks against so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria and offered similar British support to future Nato operations. Recommended Huge cyber attack spreading across the world Sir Michael said the UK was investing in "full spectrum capabilities" - ranging from the new aircraft carriers to offensive online capabilities. This was "signalling to potential cyber strikers that the price of an online attack could invite a response from any domain - air, land, sea or cyber." "When it comes to the latter, we are making sure that offensive cyber is an integral part of our arsenal," he said. "We now have the skills to expose cyber criminals, to hunt them down and to prosecute them. To respond in kind to any assault at a time of our choosing." In a speech at the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank, Sir Michael said: "Last Friday we saw the UK hit by yet another cyber attack, this time directed against our parliamentary IT systems. "Investigations so far have found that the hackers were attempting to carry out a sustained and determined attack on all parliamentary user accounts in an attempt to identify weak passwords to gain access to users' emails." Asked about the sort of action that could be taken against the hackers behind the attack on parliament, Sir Michael said where perpetrators can be identified then "as far as we can" they should be prosecuted. "We have no evidence yet as to who was behind the attack on Parliament, it is too early to speculate what kind of actor was involved," he said. "When we know, we have got to consider how to respond." The Defence Secretary said the UK's ability to carry out its own cyber attacks against IS, also known as Daesh, had helped save lives during the battle for Mosul in Iraq and the capability was also being used in the fight for Raqqa in Syria. Sir Michael said: "Having honed our own UK pioneering cyber techniques against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, I can confirm today that the UK is ready to become one of the first Nato members to publicly offer such support to Nato operations as and when required." Additional reporting by Press Association For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The computer virus that spread rapidly across the world is still making its way to more companies and countries but is gradually slowing down. The software doesnt appear to be vulnerable to the same kill switch that stopped the similar Wannacry virus just weeks ago, however, and so is likely to continue to travel around the world. The attack appeared to have started in Ukraine and then made its way across Europe, hitting companies including the worlds biggest advertising company in Britain and Danish international Maersk. It then continued to spread, arriving in the US and then in Asia. 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 Companies are still battling to contain and fix the problem, hours after it spread. But in many places they are failing leaving staff advised only to shut off their machines and do as much as they can without electronic help. The software which is going by a range of different names locks down computers and asks for a $300 ransom in the form of bitcoin to make it work again. Its no longer possible to pay that ransom, and most companies are instead trying to restore their computers from old backups. The virus itself appears to be an updated version of a known virus, that fixes many of the ways it had been stopped in the past. As such, while researchers have developed a vaccine, it is more difficult to contain the problem and to restore systems that have already been affected. The software is being referred to as GoldenEye, and is thought to be a more advanced version of the malware known as Petya. It uses an exploit known as EternalBlue, which was apparently developed by the US National Security Agency and was the same flaw that let the disruptive Wannacry virus into computers across the world including those across the NHS, which was brought to its knees by the virus. That time, the problem was stemmed by an accidental hero who found that the software had an unrealised kill switch built into it, which he was able to trigger and stop any further spread of the virus. This version of the software appears to be more advanced and harder to stop leading to worries that it could be even worse than Wannacry. That ransomware appeared to have originated in the UK and Spain before rapidly spreading across the world. It hit more than 200,000 victims in 150 countries before it was slowed down. Those who patched their computers to keep them safe from that attack may still be vulnerable to the new one, experts suggested, because in changes to the way it worked. Following last month's WannaCry incident some of the blame was directed at US intelligence agencies the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA) who were accused of "stockpiling" software code which could be exploited by hackers. 'Petya' cyber attack hits firms across the world Dr David Day, a senior lecturer in cyber security at Sheffield Hallam University, said he believed the latest attack is the "tip of the iceberg" and said he is frustrated at how it has been able to unfold. He said: "Basically what they (the NSA) have done is they have created something which can be used as a weapon, and that weapon has been stolen and that weapon is now being used. "And I think it underlines the whole need for debate over privacy versus security. "The NSA will argue that the tool was developed with a need to ensure privacy, but actually what it's being used for is a weapon against security." Companies across the world are rushing to shut down the virus. Those that arent affected are being urged to ensure that their computers are up to date and their security systems are running properly to stop any further spread. WPP, the British advertising firm, said that a day after the ransomware struck, the company was still trying to restore services that had been disrupted. In an email the firm said: "Having taken steps to contain the attack, the priority now is to return to normal operations as soon as possible while protecting our systems." Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Oxford and Cambridge universities need to recognise potential in poorer applicants rather than rely too heavily on top grades, the Government's universities tsar has said. The two top-ranking institutions still have a "mountain to climb" in ensuring bright but disadvantaged teenagers have a chance of winning a place, said Professor Les Ebdon, director for the Office for Fair Access (Offa). Speaking at the University of Buckinghams Festival of Higher Education, he said: "I wish Oxbridge would recognise potential more than they do. While the majority of courses at the elite universities now expect applicants to achieve A*, A*, A at A-level, the Offa director said this was unrealistic for the majority of state school pupils. Universities need to work with schools to improve diversity, he said, its important we dont lose that. When asked about the work the institutions are doing to widen access to students from less affluent backgrounds, he said: "Do I think there's fair access at Oxbridge? Well obviously not. "I am the director of fair access to education and I require Oxford and Cambridge to do more work than anyone else to raise their access and opportunities. "They've moved significantly, he added. We're seeing the highest level of state school students at Oxbridge for over 30 years. It's a real mountain to climb. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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 Cambridge admission statistics show that in 2016, 3.3 per cent of the students accepted were from the fifth of areas with the lowest participation. Last year, the gap between rich and poor students being granted university places across the country was found to have reached a record high, according to Ucas figures. In response, some institutions opened debate around the possibility of offering lower grades to pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Speaking after addressing delegates at the Buckingham University conference, Prof Ebdon said a number of universities with high entry requirements use "contextual data" - looking at young people's circumstances and backgrounds. "Both Oxford and Cambridge take contextual information into account when they look at who to interview, so it's not that they don't do that. I might hope that they do it more systematically. "I'm constrained by law from interfering with the admissions process of any university, and I won't do that, but if you ask me should they be doing more, the answer is yes, obviously." He said he could see this because they have so few students from the most socially disadvantaged quintile of applicants, "so few students from free school meals, so few students from different ethnic minorities, so yes, they certainly should be doing more, and that's my job, to make sure that they do do more." A Cambridge spokesman said: "Our admissions decisions are based on academic considerations alone. We aim to widen participation whilst maintaining high academic standards. The greatest barrier to participation at selective universities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is low attainment at school." He added: "We use a contextual data flagging system to ensure that the achievements of students from disadvantaged backgrounds are assessed in their full context and that students with great academic potential are identified." An Oxford spokesman said: The university already makes extensive, systematic use of contextual data to identify high potential in students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our academic tariffs are also set to take account of these students' performance in specific subjects. For example, the tariff is AAA for the majority of our humanities courses. We back this up with one of the UK's biggest outreach programmes, worth more than 4 million annually. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} On a sweltering Monday afternoon, a beautiful day for a swim, Mario Messina noticed some holidaymakers teetering dangerously close to the turquoise waters and sounded five short blasts of his whistle. Come down! Messina said, with an elegant flip of the hand to a woman leaning over the ledge to test the water temperature. Come down! Despite his Ray Bans, virtuosity with a whistle and sunny Sicilian disposition, Messina is not a seaside lifeguard but a Roman police officer in a pith helmet. He is entrusted to protect the Trevi fountain, one of the worlds most cherished and visited monuments, from the scourge of parched, overheated and advancing tourist armies. And now he has reinforcements. Because summer is here. Already, the warm weather has brought a menacing whiff of tourists behaving badly. For months, stiff fines failed to stop a fountain-bathing fad in a city blessed with and born of flowing water. On 12 April, a man went skinny-dipping in the Trevi fountain, resulting in a viral web video and a fine of 500 (439). (I was here for the naked guy, Messina said, adding that nudity carried a criminal complaint because it was an obscene act.) Stiff fines have failed to stop fountain-bathing in the warm weather this year (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) That same month, a 30-year-old Spanish tourist waded into the fountain dressed in a long tunic, a German woman in her 60s took a morning dip, and two Danes received 900 fines for mistaking the fountain of Two Seas at Romes Piazza Venezia for a foot bath. Then there was May. A 25-year-old Danish woman, perhaps with La Dolce Vita visions of Anita Ekberg sloshing in her head, took an evening swim in her nightgown. And two American women, according to Messina, went for a (previously unreported!) swim. And June. A 30-year-old Malaysian man bathed nude in Gian Lorenzo Berninis baroque Four Rivers fountain in Piazza Navona and received a 450 fine. (I was hot, he reportedly explained to the police.) The police also apprehended a Czech artist washing a dirty rag in the Piazza del Popolos Fontana dei Leoni (Fountain of the Lions). Soon after, they fined the British and Romanian parents of two children for allowing them to climb on the lions. The New Barbarians, as some papers have taken to calling the tourists, are not limited to Rome. In Florence, officials have taken to hosing down the Duomo Cathedral and other sites to prevent loiterers from sitting and eating on the steps. But it is Rome and its fountains that are in the eye of the selfie storm, prompting the citys embattled mayor, Virginia Raggi, to issue an ordinance. Until October, there are harsher fines for eating, drinking or sitting on the fountains, for washing animals or clothes in the fountain water or for throwing anything other than coins into the water of the Trevi fountain and 36 other fountains of artistic or historic significance around the city. It is unacceptable that someone uses them to go swimming or clean themselves. Its a historic patrimony that we must safeguard, Raggi said last week during what she called a surprise inspection of the situation at the Trevi fountain. Raggi, accompanied by two aides, went unnoticed by the tourists in beachwear and at times had trouble squeezing through the crowd. She said that to a certain degree, the bathing phenomenon had always existed, but that with videos of nude fountain bathing spreading on social media, she felt we simply must do something more. And thats what we have done. Enemies of the mayor, a national figurehead of the list of Roman woes under her administration, including festering rubbish on the city pavements, unkempt parks that resemble wheat fields and traffic-clogged streets transformed into idling parking lots. When in degraded Rome, they argue, tourists will do as the degraded Romans. Italy fans celebrate the countrys 2006 World Cup win over France (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) But it is hard to pin the tourist nuisance on her. In 1999, Italy felt the need to pass a law to protect city monuments and banned wading in the fountains. In 2012, a previous mayor drafted an ordinance fining tourists as much as 500 for dripping ice cream, dropping crumbs and lunching on the monuments. Many Romans remember the local folk hero known as DArtagnan, who for decades waded into the fountain before dawn to fish for the coins that wishful tourists had tossed behind. Still, Vittorio Avanzini, the publisher of Roman historical guides including The Fountains of Rome, insisted that throughout the citys long history, its never been like this. To combat the heated hordes, Dario Franceschini, the Italian culture minister, has floated the idea of limiting the number of tourists permitted to view blockbuster monuments at any one time. You cant have 50,000 people at the Trevi fountain theres a maximum capacity. These are places to safeguard, fragile places, Franceschini said. He welcomed the explosion of tourists from China and other countries eager to visit Italy, but said that the huge numbers created new challenges and argued that new technology allowed for the automatic counting and regulation of the masses. Its absolutely necessary. As Raggi left the Trevi fountain to check out the situation at a renaissance fountain in Piazza dAracoeli at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, she refused to entertain the limited numbers idea. The monuments are for everyone, she said. And its fair that everyone who respects the rules can visit them, enjoy their beauty. Romes mayor is resisting a cap on tourist numbers at the citys monuments (AP) What Raggi and Franceschini agree on, in the spirit of politicians everywhere, is that their police including an undercover fountain squad are doing a bang-up job on protecting the watery monuments. On a recent afternoon, tourists arms flew in the air like slot machine levers to toss some of the more than 1m worth of coins that sink into the Trevi fountain every year. Messina kept a watchful eye and blew his whistle at tourists climbing up the fountains edges. They think it is a playground, he said, attributing the rash of fountain abuse to social media, or advertising for bad behaviour. He recalled a Turkish tourist about six months ago who climbed all the way up the sculpture of Neptune, who lords over the fountain. But he confided that the worst offenders were three elderly local men who came every morning to sit for hours on a bench beside the fountain, their eyes trained up at the women walking above them in short skirts. Obsessives, Messina said, shaking his head. Even as Messina deftly enforced the law, he made sure not to detract from people revelling in their Roman holiday. He posed for pictures and instructed grateful tourists over which shoulder to properly toss their coin. (Right hand over left shoulder, across you heart.) He said he appreciated the ordinance and its increased manpower, from two to now six officers on duty 24 hours a day, because thousands of tourists are not easily controlled. He again whistled some stragglers off the fountain walls as one of his reinforcements, an eighth officer in a neon mesh vest, came on in relief. Im here for the 5 oclock shift, she said. Take a break. New York Times For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Neanderthal who lived 130,000 years ago appears to have carried out some prehistoric dentistry in an attempt to deal with an impacted tooth, researchers have said. Teeth found at a site in Krapina, Croatia, at the start of the last century were re-examined by scientists and found to have a number of grooves, scratches and chips. While it is possible there is another explanation, the scientists, from the US and Croatia, said they appeared to be evidence of attempts to use a toothpick to deal with the impacted tooth and the misalignment of another one. If true, this would add to the growing body of evidence that Neanderthals were significantly more intelligent than previously believed. Recent research found evidence that suggested they used natural forms of penicillin and aspirin as medicine. The Krapina Neanderthals have previously been found to have created jewellery out of eagle talons, in another sign that they were more sophisticated than generally given credit for. Professor David Frayer, of Kansas University, said the marks on the teeth suggested the individual was in some pain and was trying to do something about it. As a package, this fits together as a dental problem that the Neanderthal was having and was trying to presumably treat itself, with the toothpick grooves, the breaks and also with the scratches on the premolar, he said. It was an interesting connection or collection of phenomena that fit together in a way that we would expect a modern human to do. Everybody has had dental pain, and they know what its like to have a problem with an impacted tooth. The scratches indicate this individual was pushing something into his or her mouth to get at that twisted premolar. "It's maybe not surprising that a Neanderthal did this, but as far as I know, there's no specimen that combines all of this together into a pattern that would indicate he or she was trying to presumably self-treat this eruption problem. It is thought the marks could have been made by bones or stiff grass stems. The researchers said it was unclear whether the Neanderthal was doing something unusual or if such attempts at dentistry were widespread. There is evidence that dentistry was invented much, much earlier in human history. The oldest toothpick grooves discovered so far date from an earlier human species, Homo habilis, some 1.8 million years ago. The research was described in a paper in the Bulletin of the International Association for Paleodontology. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Michael Bond, the creator of Paddington Bear, has died at the age of 91. The mastermind behind Britain's best-loved children's character passed away at his home on Tuesday after a short illness. The author, who published over 200 books for children in his career, put out his first-ever book about the duffle-coat-wearing Peruvian bear in 1958. Now more than 35 million Paddington books have been sold worldwide. Harper Collins, who published Bond's works for almost 60 years, said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Michael Bond, CBE, the creator of one of Britain's best-loved children's characters, Paddington, died at home yesterday." Bond was a prolific writer in his time and kept writing up until his death - his most recent Paddington story, Paddington's Finest Hour, was published in April. In his lifetime he produced more than 150 titles about Paddington which were in turn translated into more than 40 different languages. Paddington bear celebrates 50th birthday Show all 2 1 /2 Paddington bear celebrates 50th birthday Paddington bear celebrates 50th birthday 60520.bin Paddington bear celebrates 50th birthday 60495.bin Getty Born in Newbury in Berkshire, Bond got the inspiration to create world's most cherished bear after seeing a teddy in a shop window on his way home from work in 1956. In a recent interview with The Guardian, he compared the marmalade-loving wellington-boot-wearing bear, who is based on the spectacled bear, to his father, saying: "My father, always a stickler for the right way to do things, would wear his hat in the sea - much like Paddington." He also said: "My daughter Karen was born the same year that the first Paddington story was published, so they have grown up together - like siblings." The fictional character, a bear from the darkest depths of Peru who comes to live in London, also went on to inspire an animated TV series and a successful 2014 film. But Paddington was by no means Bond's only character, his other creations included Olga da Polga and A Mouse Called Thursday, and he also penned a series of adult novels, featuring the detective Monsieur Pamplemousse. Bond, who didn't enjoy school and left at 14, began his career at the BBC and worked on Blue Peter as a cameraman. The esteemed author, who lived in a comfortable but un-showy home in West London alongside two free range guinea pigs Oskana and Olga, who was bestowed with a CBE in 2015. Ann-Janine Murtagh, Executive Publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books expressed her sadness at the news of his passing in a statement: "I feel privileged to have been Michael Bond's publisher - he was a true gentleman, a bon viveur, the most entertaining company and the most enchanting of writers. "He will be forever remembered for his creation of the iconic Paddington, with his duffle coat and wellington boots, which touched my own heart as a child and will live on in the hearts of future generations. My thoughts and love are with his wife, Sue and his children Karen and Anthony." Charlie Redmayne, HarperCollins CEO said: 'Michael Bond was one of the great children's writers and at HarperCollins, we are immensely fortunate to have published him and to have known him. He was a wonderful man and leaves behind one of the great literary legacies of our time." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United Nations, stunned Democrats when she told a congressional committee that she and Donald Trump haven't discussed Russias meddling in the 2016 US election, currently one of the most prominent issues facing the US. Ms Haley testified that she has told the President she thinks Russia interfered in the presidential race last year, but that their discussion has not gone much further beyond that. It's not something that's on my radar, Ms Haley told the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. Russia is one of the permanent members of the UN's Security Council with veto power. Other administration officials have testified that they havent spoken with the President regarding Russian interference in last years election, said Democratic congressman Brad Sherman. Have you talked to the President about this? I have not talked to the President about that, Ms Haley replied, later telling the panel that the issue has also not come up at the UN, as its not something she focuses on. Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks later commented that he was actually stunned by the response she gave to Mr Sherman's question given the nature of the issue. While Mr Trump appears to have recently acknowledged that Russia meddled in the election, he had previously labelled the interference as an apparent fiction created by Democrats to explain away their unexpected loss. Jeh Johnson, Homeland Security Secretary under Barack Obama, said last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the cyber attacks aimed at disrupting and discrediting the presidential race. Congressional and federal investigators are also probing whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Russian operatives to secure Mr Trumps election. The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images While Mr Trump has proven to be reluctant in criticising Mr Putin and Moscow, Ms Haley has denounced Russia as an unreliable ally. She has also departed from the President by endorsing the need for special prosecutor Robert Mueller to investigate the Trump campaigns Russia ties. We absolutely need the investigation, she told MSNBC last month. I think all these questions need to be answered so that the administration can get back to work. Trump, in comparison, has dismissed the need for a special prosecutor, saying the appointment of Mr Mueller hurts our country terribly. What I appreciate is that this administration does not tell me what to say or what not to say, Ms Haley told the House committee on Wednesday. They allow me to say what I think and they support me. But despite early signs that shes a maverick attempting to form her own foreign policy path, Ms Haley declared that she wont go rogue on the President. During the hearing, she asserted that many innocent men, women and children were saved as the result of Mr Trump's warning to Syria this week not to launch chemical attacks. In a surprise statement, the White House said it had evidence Syria was preparing to begin another chemical attack and cautioned that Bashar al-Assad's regime would pay a heavy price if it did so. I can tell you, due to the presidents actions, we did not see an incident, Ms Haley said. She also defended Mr Trumps controversial withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change arguing that it was in the best interest of the country as well as the Trump administrations proposed cuts to key programmes including the UN Childrens Fund, or Unicef, which provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. Mr Trump, meanwhile, hopes to massively boost the USs military spending. The President is making the point that we need to build up on military, and people who are having to pay the price for that are children who are at risk for malnutrition? said Democratic congressman Gerry Connolly. Ms Haley asserted that based on conversations she has had with Mr Trump, there is working room in the budget to support Unicef. You are a loyal member of the administration, Mr Connolly replied somewhat sardonically. Good for you. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britains vote to leave the EU was the result of widespread anti-immigration sentiment, rather than a wider dissatisfaction with politics, according to a major survey of social attitudes in the UK. Findings from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey published on Wednesday show Brexit was the result of widespread concern over the numbers of people coming to the UK millions of whom have done so under the EUs freedom of movement rules in recent years. The research, collated by the National Centre for Social Research through a survey of nearly 3,000 British people, states suggestions by politicians and others that the Brexit vote represented a lightning rod for a general disenchantment with politics were widely off the mark. Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of those who are worried about immigration voted Leave, compared with 36 per cent of those who did not identify this as a concern, the research found, showing the discrepancy in views about immigration between Remain and Leave voters. It also reveals that the longer any given voter felt EU migrants should have lived in the UK before qualifying for welfare benefits, the more likely they were to vote to leave the EU. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of those who trust the Government a great deal or tend to trust it voted to leave, compared with 65 per cent of those who distrust it greatly marking a less considerable difference and suggesting trust in politicians was less of a driving factor in the vote for Brexit. While the survey results find that those with less interest in politics may have been a little more likely to make it to the polls than in general elections, the multivariate analysis concludes that the vote was a litmus test of the merits of the EU project. It states that for the most part, only items associated with peoples sense of national identity and cultural outlook were significantly associated with vote choice, concluding that the outcome of the referendum reflected the concern of more authoritarian, socially conservative voters in Britain about some of the social consequences of EU membership, most notably immigration. Roger Harding, head of public attitudes at NatCen, told The Independent: For leave voters, the vote was particularly about immigration and the social consequences of it. We find a bit of correlation with people who dont trust Government, but thats not nearly as strong. Two biggest guides to why people voted leave were those most concerned with immigration and those with a lower level of education. On the topic of immigration itself we found a big divide between young graduates who were positive about the social impact on immigration and older school leavers who were much more negative. The view in Britain on aggregate is pretty middling, but underneath is that stark divide, and this division could be a problem for all political parties trying to win over the country post-Brexit. In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier listens at the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, delivers his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for Brexit reacts during a meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Member of the European Parliament and former leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage wears socks with Union Jack flag at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Nigel Farage, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) member and MEP, addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcoming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier gestures during speeches at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker (L) speaks with European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France Getty Images Mr Harding added that the BSA survey didnt question people directly on why they voted the way they did in the referendum, but rather assessed the correlations, which he said offered a more accurate insight. We didnt ask people directly why they voted the way they voted, because people arent the best guides to how they voted, he said. We did a deeper and more accurate assessment by calculating close correlations. We found the Leave vote relates to concerns about immigration and education. Many politicians have come out and said it was all about sovereignty and other things, but our findings indicate this isn't the case. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Combustible cladding has been found on university accommodation blocks as fears grow hundreds of thousands of people across the UK could be living in unsafe housing in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. A number of universities have identified aluminium composite cladding on their high-rise accommodation blocks, a material which is thought to have aided the unprecedented spread of the blaze in north Kensington that killed at least 80 people. Nottingham Trent, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Edinburgh Napier all identified blocks fitted with flammable panelling, and Essex University was also testing cladding on one of its halls of residence. It comes after Theresa May said at least 120 council-owned tower blocks across 37 local authorities have similar combustible cladding to that used on Grenfell Tower. The Prime Minister said widespread testing of samples had so far produced a 100 per cent failure rate and urged local authorities to work on the assumption samples would fail. Ms May has pledged a major national investigation into the use of combustible cladding on high-rise buildings after the Grenfell tragedy. The cladding on Grenfell Tower was a new addition to the building and had been fitted during a 2016 refurbishment. Police said they had identified at least 60 companies involved in the refurbishment works and were seizing documents in relation to the criminal investigation into the fire. We will identify and investigate any criminal offence and, of course, given the deaths of so many people we are considering manslaughter, as well as criminal offences and breaches of legislation and regulations, Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona McCormack said. "We are continuing to seize material on a daily basis and the number of companies and organisations that we know so far to have played a role in the refurbishment alone is over 60. Police said it could take months before the final count of those who died in the fire is established but authorities believe the vast majority of the victims came from just 23 flats in the 129-flat block. In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Show all 51 1 /51 In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementis Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire She said: There are 23 flats that despite huge investigative efforts, we have been unable to trace anyone that lives there. At this stage we must presume that no-one in those flats survived, that includes anyone who lived there or was visiting them. A six-month-old baby was among the latest victims to be identified, found dead in her mother's arms in the smoke-filled stairwell. Westminster Coroner's Court opened and adjourned inquests into seven Grenfell Tower victims on Wednesday, including baby Leena Belkadi and her eight-year-old sister Malak. Edinburgh Napier University said it would be immediately removing some of the imitation wood panels fitted to Bainfield Halls after it was discovered they were the same as those used on Grenfell Tower. A physical inspection identified that around a quarter of the exterior walls on one of our buildings Bainfield Halls of residence featured the same cladding reportedly used at Grenfell, the university said in a statement. Work has already begun to remove and replace the cladding as a precautionary measure. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service inspected the building on Tuesday and confirmed it is safe to continue to use the building as normal. Residents are not being evacuated. Recommended Tory Councillor tells Grenfell victim sat in same room to write him Students in three blocks at Nottingham Trent Universitys Byron House halls were moved while tests are carried out on the buildings Reynobond ACM panelling. A spokesperson stressed the students had not been evacuated but instead had been re-accommodated as a precautionary measure. The safety of our staff and students is of paramount importance. As such, the University and UPP which owns and manages the Byron House accommodation initiated an immediate review into the type of materials used on this building, the university and UPP said in a joint statement. This review showed that three of the buildings seven blocks were clad using Reynobond ACM. As a precautionary measure UPP and NTU re-accommodated a small number of remaining students in these blocks into alternative rooms while further tests were carried out to determine the exact version of this product. Concerns were growing for residents living in private accommodation after the Government stopped short of telling private landlords to carry out mandatory fire safety checks. A further 480 council-owned housing blocks are set to be tested but the number of tower blocks that could be affected in the private sector remains unknown. Testing was also being extended to buildings outside of the housing sector. NHS Improvement identified cladding on 36 hospitals that needed to undergo testing. The Care Quality Commission also advised more than 17,000 care homes, hospices and private hospitals to carry out fire safety checks. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The total number of people killed in the devastating Grenfell Tower fire may not be known until the end of the year, police have said. The death toll so far is believed to be around 80 people, the vast majority of whom were from just 23 flats. Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack said contact had been made with at least one person from 106 of the 129 flats in the building. From those flats, 18 people are dead or assumed dead, while the remaining victims were thought to have been in the flats which had not been heard from. Jeremy Corbyn: Grenfell Tower has exposed the disastrous effect of austerity Ms McCormack confirmed more than 60 organisations involved in the tower's refurbishment, which is suspected of aiding the spread of the blaze. She said a list of tenants provided to police by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenants Management Organisation, which managed the building, was "not accurate". She said: "We are many months from being able to provide a number which we believe accurately represents the total loss of life inside Grenfell Tower. "Only after we have completed a search and recovery operation, which will take until the end of the year. "What I can say is that we believe that around 80 people are either dead or sadly missing and I must presume that they are dead." In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Show all 51 1 /51 In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementis Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire Efforts to establish who was missing in the wake of the fire were focused on talking to friends, families and neighbours of those in Grenfell Tower, Ms McCormack said. She said: "On the first day of our work we were provided with a list by the tenant management organisation of who they had recorded living at Grenfell Tower. "We quickly identified by the end of the first day that this list was not accurate." She added: "What we know is that it would be impossible for anyone to produce a list to show exactly who was at Grenfell Tower that night, that includes the people who were living there or who were visiting." The 23 flats which were said to have no survivors were spread between the 11th floor and the 23rd. A handful of flats were still too unstable for police to carry out further investigation, the officer said. She added: "There are 23 flats that despite huge investigative efforts, we have been unable to trace anyone that lives there. "At this stage, we must presume, that no-one in those flats survived, that includes anyone who lived there or was visiting them." Tense encounter between Grenfell residents and local Tory councillor on TV Police have examined "every imaginable source" of information about who was in the building, "from government agencies to fast food companies", she added. A couple who were missing and assumed dead had actually been on holiday at the time of the blaze, according to the detective. A criminal investigation is taking place to establish if charges will be brought against those involved in renovating the building, including manslaughter. "We are continuing to seize material on a daily basis and the number of companies and organisations that we know so far had played a role in the refurbishment is over 60," Ms McCormack said. Survivors of the fire were also said to have given statements. The detective said: "We are working very hard to identity everyone who died in the fire, but the tragic reality is that due to the intense heat of the fire, there are some people we may never identify. "Tragically, we are preparing families and loved ones for the fact we many never recover the remains of their loved ones." A renewed call was made to groups with lists of suspected victims and those who were living in the building illegally to come forward. Ms McCormack said: "Our aim is the same - we want to understand the true human cost of this tragedy." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jon Snow has been accused of shouting f*** the Tories while dancing with a group of students at Glastonbury Festival. The veteran broadcaster, who has presented Channel 4 News for 28 years, is alleged to have then reminded the revellers he is supposed to be neutral. Snow has not denied making the allegation but instead claimed he has zero recollection of shouting the chant, noting he took over 1,000 selfies in the space of just a day at the Somerset festival. In a statement, the journalist said: After a day at Glastonbury, I can honestly say I have no recollection of what was chanted, sung or who I took over 1,000 selfies with. An image of the 69-year-old posing with a group of festival-goers from universities in Liverpool was shared by Danny Millea on Twitter on Monday evening. He wrote: Boss place that Glasto. Having a dance with Jon Snow and hearing him shout f*** the tories is what dreams are made of. (Twitter) (Twitter / Danny Millea) Mr Milleau, who has since deleted his tweet, said he was impressed when Snow turned around just after he got off and sarcastically went Im supposed to be neutral. He noted Snow had bounced over and had a little dance with the students, adding: He was proper sound, had a good little boogie with him and a good laugh, walked off and he sarcastically said hes a neutral hahahah. Alex Grannell, a Liverpool student and bartender who is seen posing with Jon Snow in the photo, also suggested the presenter had said "f**k the Tories" in a Facebook post. Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Show all 10 1 /10 Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Revellers and detritus are seen near the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain REUTERS Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Litter-picking staff collect discarded rubbish from the area in front of the Pyramid Stage at the end of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, South West England AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Discarded nitrous oxide canisters are scattered on the ground in front of the Pyramid Stage at the end of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, South West England AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 clean-up A man rests as festival goers leave the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 26, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just A1, and now attracts more than 175,000 people Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Rubbish is collected in front of the Pyramid Stage as festival goers leave the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 26, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just A1, and now attracts more than 175,000 peopl Getty Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Rubbish is collected in front of the Pyramid Stage as festival goers leave the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 26, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just A1, and now attracts more than 175,000 peopl Getty Glastonbury 2017 clean-up A man looks out the window of a bus as festival goers leave the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 26, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just A1, and now attracts more than 175,000 people Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Seagulls fight over food scraps left in front of the Pyramid Stage as festival goers leave the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 26, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just A1, and now attracts more than 175,000 people Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Festival goers leave following the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset PA Glastonbury 2017 clean-up Litter pickers collect rubbish in front of the Pyramid Stage as festival goers leave the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 26, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just A1, and now attracts more than 175,000 people Getty Images When asked for further comment by The Independent, Mr Grannell declined "until [Liverpool manager] Jurgen Klopp meets me for a hug and a bevvy". The widely-shared photograph shows Snow with his arms around Cyprian Matambo, a student at the University of Liverpool, and Mr Grannell, a biology student at Liverpool John Moores University. Jon Snow granted interview with May after tweeting that she may be first serving PM to ever decline Snow, who declined an OBE because he believes working journalists should not take honours from the people they report on, voiced his pleasure at attending the world famous festival on Friday. Ofcom, the UKs communications regulator and media watchdog, declined to comment on Snows comments and noted they could only consider complaints about content which is aired over licenced services. Ofcom rules about due impartiality only relate to what is broadcast and are wholly unrelated to do with what journalists decide to do in their own time. Channel 4 did not immediately respond to request for comment. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} People with learning disabilities have been turned into commodities in a healthcare industry driven by profits and generating millions of pounds a year, a study has claimed. The report by the Centre for Disability Research (CeDR) at Lancaster University found that the Government spent 477m last year on keeping just 2,500 people with learning disabilities and autism in hospital, with more than half of those in beds provided by the private sector. The report, called A trade in people: The inpatient healthcare economy for people with learning disabilities and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder, argues that the privatisation of the NHS encouraged the development of a healthcare economy, which sees growing numbers of private units opening and is turning people into commodities and liabilities. Patients who have been in care for five years generate close to a million pounds in income and therefore substantial profit for private comapnies, while the number of such businesses is on the rise, the study shows. Recommended Nurses protest outside Department of Health over low pay It is clear to us that the way in which the healthcare economy has been encouraged to develop by recent governments turns people into commodities and liabilities, the report found. The research, carried out by activist Mark Brown, Honorary Research Fellow at Lancaster University Elaine James and Professor Chris Hatton, also found the provision of private inpatient units was driven by economic factors such as the cost of housing. The report said independent sector units often considered economic factors over clinical needs, by opening in areas with limited infrastructure where land and properties are cheap. "The uneven spread of provision has led to the development of what is effectively a 'market' of people with a learning disability which the growth of the independent sector has intensified, the report stated. With little control over where units are located, patients are sent to live in large inpatient units, sometimes far away from their homes and families. Families of people living with learning disabilities and autism told the authors of travelling for hours to visit their relatives, sometimes in a different part of the country, putting huge emotional and financial strain on the families. One 65-year-old woman named as Lyn said it was a 600 miles (965 kilometres) round trip to visit her daughter in an independent unit. Citing Northamptonshire as an example, the report shows the area which benefitted from large numbers of inpatient units locally has become an importer of people with learning disabilities from all over the country. This also places significant strains on local services. Patients detained in private units are also more likely to experience an assault and more likely to be restrained than people in NHS units, the study found. But the report also found that the cost of a care package to move a patient back into their community is expensive for local authorities, who may put people off from returning home. In England, there are 96 private assessment and treatment units. All of them are registered with Companies House but only 10 of those were also registered with the Charities Commission as non-profit making. The authors estimated the value of the private inpatient healthcare market was in the region of 284m in 2015-16. It concludes that people with learning disabilities are liabilities for local authorities and CQC often sought to export to other areas while independent hospital have seen them as a commodity and a source of millions of pounds of income and profit. Dan Scorer, head of policy at the learning disability charity Mencap, said: This report offers a damning analysis of how perverse profit-based incentives have contributed to thousands of people with a learning disability being trapped in institution like settings, at increased risk of abuse and neglect and with no guarantee of when they will return home. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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 Millions of pounds are being spent on providing the type of care that as these families experiences show can cause immense distress and deterioration to the physical and mental well-being of individuals. Until these perverse incentives for private providers to enter this market are reversed, we fear NHS England will continue to fund placements in the type of institutional settings that should have been closed decades ago. It is perfectly possible to support people with a learning disability and complex needs to have a good life in the community at a lower cost than in inpatient settings. The focus must now be on developing this community based care and to stop people with a learning disability being a source of profit for providers of outdated, and potentially damaging care. The report was published as part of the Seven Days of Action campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the increasing role of the independent sector and the impact this has on patients and their families. The campaign works to get people with autism and learning difficulties out of inpatients settings and back into their communities. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Children as young as nine are being branded terrorists in the wake of recent terror attacks in the UK, Childline has revealed. The helpline has seen a spike in children contacting them about faith and race-based bullying in recent months, with the number of sessions on these issues almost doubling following the Westminster atrocity compared to the previous month. It recorded another spike in the fortnight following the Manchester Arena attack in May, when the helpline led nearly 300 counselling sessions with children concerned about terrorism. Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Black, and Sikh children were among the children who have contacted Childline about racial and faith-based bullying which has been the topic of more than 2,500 counselling sessions in the last three years. Muslim children have told Childline they've endured constant name-calling, been accused of being associated with Isis and been threatened with violence. Young girls have frequently been victimised when they wear a hijab or headscarf, the helpline said. Counsellors heard from young people who said the constant abuse and negative stereotyping was so cruel they had self-harmed, and many said they wished they could change who they are. Some were made to feel so isolated and withdrawn from society that they skipped school to escape the bullying. It comes after a number of terror attacks occurred on British soil within several months, each of which saw a rise in racist incidents in the cities in which the atrocity took place. Childline President and founder, Dame Esther Rantzen, called for heightened awareness among adults of the impact terror atrocities can have on children and how they treat one another, saying its crucial that those who might be targeted are protected. When these events happen we adults are so often overwhelmed with horror we sometimes forget about the children watching too, she said. Childline is in a unique position to be able to hear from children who may be ignored or overlooked when there are major events, like terror attacks. Its crucial adults are aware of this issue and protect those who may be targeted. Speaking in a similar vein and urging that the focus should be on "celebrating diversity", standing together, NSPCC CEO Peter Wanless said: No child should be targeted because of their race or faith and we cannot allow prejudice to make children feel ashamed of who they are. Instead, we should celebrate diversity and stand together. It takes huge courage for a child to speak up about this issue and they must be encouraged to speak up if they are being targeted. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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 Some children dont understand how painful and damaging their words can be, so adults must not turn a blind eye if they see young people turning on one another. The NSPCC urged that parents, teachers and adults should be aware of the signs of bullying, and talk to children who are both being bullied and doing the bullying, and reassure the bullied child it is not their fault that this is happening. Responding to the news, Department for Education spokesperson said: Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and schools should be safe places where children can be taught tolerance and respect for others. To help support this the government is investing more than 4million in anti-bullying projects. Any child worried about bullying can call Childline on 0800 11 11. Any adult who is concerned about a child can call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Sikh couple have claimed they were not allowed to adopt a white child due to their cultural heritage. Sandeep and Reena Mander said they were told not to apply to adopt a child as white British or European applicants would be given preference. As a result, the couple who were both born in the UK and live in Berkshire, have started legal action. They allege they were told that only white children were available for adoption and they should adopt a child from India. The couple, who are both business professionals, are of Sikh Indian heritage but do not have other close links to India. Agencies are required by law to give preference to prospective parents who would be the most suitable and that includes many factors, including cultural heritage. Georgina Calvert-Lee, a barrister at McAllister Olivarius which is representing the couple, said that cultural heritage goes much further than race. Its complex, its not just your race, its also about your values, your beliefs. Anyone would draw upon the many cultural reference points they had when growing up," she told The Independent. Statutory guidance for local authorities and adoption agencies in 2011 stated that a childs ethnicity should not be a barrier to adoption. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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 Her clients will claim in court that they have been discriminated against in the provision of services after receiving an assessment and home visit from Adopt Berkshire, an agency run by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. After Ms Calvert-Lee filed the case, she said Adopt Berkshire told the Manders they could register for adoption, but she said her clients trust had been eroded and they had no option but to look abroad. Adopting through the US, where the same cultural heritage barrier has not been applied, could cost around 60,000. They are still a long way away from having a child they can take home and adopt, Ms Calvert-Lee said. They hope to adopt in the US but do think they would consider adopting child from local borough. 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 The Manders tried to change the agencys decision through the councils complaints procedure and through the Local Government Ombudsman, the verdict of which is still pending. Mr Mander, a 35-year-old Vice President of a payments technology company, told The Times that he and his wife had tried to conceive for seven years, including 16 sessions of IVF treatment. Having attended introductory workshops organised by RBWM and Adopt Berkshire, giving an adopted child no matter what race the security of a loving home was all we wanted to do, he said What we didnt expect was a refusal for us to even apply for adoption, not because of our incapability to adopt, but because our cultural heritage was defined as Indian/Pakistani. Their case, supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, was pursued by their local MP and Prime Minister Theresa May, who sent letters and put the couple in touch with the then childrens minister. He suggested they hire a lawyer. A spokesman for Adopt Berkshire said: "We do not comment on ongoing court cases." On its website, the agency says children available for adoption will reflect the racial, cultural and religious backgrounds of the populations within the areas from which they originate. It adds the agency will first try to identify prospective adopters for each child who reflect the childs culture and religion of heritage but would not keep a child waiting to achieve a direct match. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Almost half of young trans people have tried to kill themselves, according to alarming new findings about the experiences of LGBT pupils in schools and colleges across the UK. Conducted by rights charity Stonewall, the study revealed that eight out of 10 (84 per cent) young trans people have self-harmed and 45 per cent have tried to take their own lives. Nearly one in 10 (nine per cent) have received death threats at school, While LGBT bullying and use of homophobic language has decreased in schools over the last five years, the survey of more than 3,700 lesbian, gay, bi and trans pupils found that poor mental health is alarmingly high among this group. As a result it is having a considerable impact on young peoples wellbeing and education. Conducted in partnership with the Centre for Family Research at Cambridge University, the Stonewall School Report 2017 found that while schools are much more likely to condemn homophobic bullying than in previous years, fewer than a third of bullied LGBT pupils (29 per cent) said teachers intervened when they witnessed the bullying and four out of 10 are never taught about LGBT issues at school. Amy, an 18-year-old pupil at a single-sex secondary school in the south-east, told the report's authors: I started getting death threats online after I came out. I told my head of year, but they just told me to come off the internet. It carried on for years. Louis, 13, who is at school in the south-west, said: They poured milk on me while asking if I liked it. They said I should kill myself because I had no friends. Seventeen-year-old Ben, who is studying at an FE college in the north-west of England, meanwhile said: The bullying went on for over five consecutive years. I ended up developing severe mental health issues and being sectioned twice. The findings also showed that just one in five (20 per cent) LGBT young people have been taught about safe sex in relation to same-sex relationships. Stonewalls chief executive, Ruth Hunt, welcomed progress in schools, but said the report should act as a wake-up call to educators and politicians. She added that much more needs to be done to improve LGBT pupils experiences. Stonewall has worked alongside governments and schools over the last decade to combat anti-LGBT bullying and create inclusive learning environments for young people," she said. Our school years are one of the most formative periods of our lives, and we owe it to young LGBT people to ensure they dont face discrimination or bullying because of who they are, but are supported to flourish and achieve. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters 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 While our new School Report shows an improved experience for pupils in many ways, it also needs to act as a wake-up call for schools, government and politicians on just how far we still have to go. In response to the findings, a Government spokesperson said: While it is encouraging to see that anti-LGBT bullying has decreased, we are clear that any form of bullying in schools simply must not be tolerated. "We are committed to ensuring children are free from being bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. "That is why we have invested 3 million in to an anti-homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying programme in schools around the country to prevent and address the bullying of LGBT pupils and to educate young people to accept and respect each others individuality. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Scottish Government has threatened to invoke formal dispute resolution procedures with the UK Government as the row over the Tories' 1 billion deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) intensified. Political leaders in Scotland and Wales reacted furiously to the agreement, which will see Northern Ireland benefit from additional cash while Theresa May will gain the support of DUP MPs in crucial votes at Westminster. Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has already described it as a "straight bung" to prop up a "faltering" Conservative minority government while his Scottish counterpart Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Any sense of fairness sacrificed on the altar of grubby DUP deal to let PM cling to power." Meanwhile, Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay told MSPs at Holyrood the Conservatives were "ripping off Scotland to the tune of 2.9 billion" and said it "feels like daylight robbery". Mr Mackay claimed it is "unacceptable" the funding for Northern Ireland will not be subject to the Barnett formula's spending rules, which determine how resources are allocated to different parts of the UK. Increased spending on devolved issues, such as health and infrastructure, for one part of the country will usually result in additional money for other areas. Mr Mackay is demanding urgent talks with Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford in a bid to find a "satisfactory solution" that is "fair and reasonable to all". In a letter to Ms Truss, he stated: "As this is an issue of such significance to the Scottish Government, if we cannot agree we will look to pursue a more formal mechanism to resolve the situation by invoking the formal dispute resolution mechanism." Answering questions on the issue in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Mackay said he had first raised his concerns with Ms Truss a week ago - but said he had been given "no reassurances whatsoever" on potential funding for Scotland. He told MSPs: "If this matter cannot be resolved with HM Treasury, then we will invoke formal dispute resolution proceedings to ensure that this matter is resolved. "The UK Government's deal prioritises expenditure on Northern Ireland at the cost of all other parts of the UK and leaves Scotland almost 3 billion worse off than it would be if funding had been allocated using the well-established arrangements. "We don't grudge Northern Ireland a penny - we just want fairness for every other part of the UK, not least in Scotland. "The spending areas for additional funding for Northern Ireland are devolved areas - infrastructure, health including mental health, education, broadband, deprivation. All within the scope of Barnett." The agreement is a "clear breach of the statement of funding policy undermining devolution and undermining that deal that we had across the devolved administrations", Mr Mackay insisted. He added both Scotland and Wales had been "overlooked in this grubby deal with the DUP" as he accused the 13 Scottish Conservatives at Westminster of "selling Scotland down the river to the tune of 2.9 billion". He dismissed suggestions the funding for Northern Ireland was similar to city deals - to which the Barnett formula does not apply. Mr Mackay said: "Any suggestion that this funding arrangement is analogous to previous funding for city deals in Scotland is also wrong and not in any way comparable, as city deal funding is conditional on match funding from the Scottish Government's own budgets and also requires contributions from local authorities and other regional partners in Scotland (again from their own budgets). "There is no match funding expectation with the 1 billion offered to Northern Ireland." The Scottish Government has previously invoked dispute resolution procedures with the UK Government during a row over whether Scotland should receive additional cash as a result of spending for the London 2012 Olympics. PA Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} You can be forgiven, in these serious times, for not having got round to considering What The General Election Result Means for political sketch writers, but I compel you now to consider the absolute seriousness of what happened. For those of us who counted down, not even from six but from 18 , what were meant to be Jeremy Corbyns final questions to the Prime Minister scarcely two months ago safe in the knowledge that change, at least of some sort, would have to come the night of 8 June was one of unspeakable horror. Whatever ones political persuasion, it does not require the establishment of a cross party commission to conclude that the May vs Corbyn show had had its time. For those of us whose job it is to try and find something anything even vaguely amusing to say about a loud, weekly, bitter yet somehow still meandering conversation between two septuagenarians who are about as comfortable around a joke as Paul Nuttall is around the truth, a change surely had to come. Come, as you know, it has not. But that is not to say the first episode of Corbyn vs May Season Two, which could yet run for a full five years, had not been slightly reimagined by the writers. An actual cheer from the Labour backbenchers to greet the arrival of a leader who has actually gained seats at a general election, for the first time in twenty years, was evidently too much to ask. But at least the sarcastic cheers from the Tory backbenches have dried up: progress of sorts. It has been a while since people stopped claiming that politicians are all the same but even so, the fundamental difference in Labour and Conservative DNA has rarely seen in sharper focus than was so at three minutes to 12pm on Wednesday lunchtime. The standard criticism aimed at Corbyn by his partys centre-left moderates is an obsession with dogma, of ideological purity, at the expense of actually, you know, seeking to win elections. That they were not sufficiently moved to acknowledge the arrival of a leader who is winning nationally both in personal and party approval ratings, merely because they happen not to agree with his far-left politics was behaviour that can only be described as Corbynite. So regularly offered, and for such minor cause, is the stock advice of the Corbynista namely to f*** Off and join the Tories one has to wonder whether Corbyn himself has ever been tempted to follow it. There was Theresa May, 30 seconds later: the majority-detonating, Brexit-imperilling, DUP-bribing, general all-round embarrassment of a Conservative Prime Minister, wandering in to the usual eruption of noise and waving of order papers from her at least outwardly loyal backbenchers. Churchill once said of Clement Attlee that he was a humble man with much to be humble about, an insult that has not aged well given Attlees later emergence as a giant of 20th Century history. It is possible that Theresa Mays future history will not be so favourably recalled, but with so very much suddenly to be humble about, the new May 2.0 Humble Edition was a refreshing, almost statesman-like reinvention. The subject matter, Grenfell Tower, prompted a rare and prolonged spell of modest, sensible and subdued questioning, right up until the point at which Corbyn suddenly blamed it all on austerity. To a backing track of cries of Shameful! from the benches behind her, Theresa May politely, almost passively pointed out, that the cladding of high rise buildings began under Tony Blair, had been carried out by governments of both colours and councils of all persuasions and that a coming together was what was required. A dignified response only moderately undermined by the fact that it isnt true. Theresa May probably knew that Grenfell would dominate her exchanges with Corbyn, meaning she turned the rarely deployed strategy of storing up all her zingers (if we can call them that) for later planted questions from her own MPs. On Trident renewal, a matter on which Jeremy Corbyn is meant to have told Glastonbury chief Michael Eavis in private at the weekend that he would scrap, the Prime Minister replied saying the Labour leader says one thing to the many and another to the few. Later on, she told one of her own MPs the only trade deals he would sign would be with Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea. After the first, its prompter, the new MP for Aldershot Leo Docherty sat and actually winked at the Prime Minister. Life as a new Tory MP is probably not quite what Mr Docherty was expecting, right up until one minute to ten pm on 8 June. But even so it is hard to imagine the depths of shame that must accompany the feeling of playing the straight man to Theresa May. To be Ernie Wise in a world where Theresa May is Eric Morecambe is a troubling place indeed. Not least as, on this evidence, the signs are there for an earlyish return to the dreaded woe of normal. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A monument of the Ten Commandments has been destroyed in Arkansas, allegedly by a man who crashed his car into a similar monument two years ago. Less than 24 hours after the privately funded monument was installed, 32-year-old Michael Reed is said to have crashed his car into the shiny black installation on the capitol grounds in Little Rock. The six-foot-tall stone erection smashed to the ground, breaking into pieces on a sidewalk. Arkansas officials havent yet released a suspected motive for Mr Reeds actions, however he claimed having psychotic breaks after destroying a similar monument in Oklahoma. Recommended Removal of Ten Commandments monument sparks outcry Mr Reed wrote in a 2015 letter to the Tulsa World that he had psychotic episodes that led him to destroy the Oklahoma monument. He said then that a Dracula movie had given him inspiration, that he believed Michael Jacksons spirit was in mean, that he believed he was the incarnation of an occult leader, and that he had attempted to contact Lucifers high priestess whom he said was named Gwyneth Paltrow. He had also threatened the life of former President Barack Obama. He noted in the letter that he planned on getting psychiatric help, which was a condition of his release. The 6,000 pound monument was installed with little fanfare in Little Rock this week, and with no prior notice to the public. Approval for installing it on the state grounds had been in the works since at least 2015 when a law was passed that required the state to allow it to be displayed near the Capitol. A state panel approved its design and location last month. 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 We have a beautiful Capitol grounds but we did not have a monument that actually honoured the historical, moral foundation of law, State Senator Jason Rapert, a Republican who sponsored the measure to require approval for the monument, said. Mr Rapert quickly began raising funds to replace the monument after its demolition, and the group that raised the money for the original installation said they've already ordered another. Mr Reed may have jumped the gun in destroying the monument, however. The American Civil Liberties Union has said that it plans on challenging the display in court, saying that a Ten Commandments statue is a violation of the Constitutions guarantee of the separation of church and state. They did not indicate that they had a planned timeline. Whatever they may say, the defenders of the Ten Commandments monument, the fact is the text of the Ten Commandments cannot be separated from its religious significance as the text calls individuals to adhere to moral precepts and uniquely religious obligations, Rita Sklar, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said. Arkansas Ten Commandments statue is one of several attempts by groups around the country to erect the monuments. A display on the Texas capitol grounds was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2005, a ruling that led to the Oklahoma installation, as well as two in Kentucky. As in Oklahoma, the Satanic Temple has pushed to instal a competing monument to Baphomet, a goat-headed, angel-winged creature that is accompanied by two children smiling at it. Those efforts have been blocked in Arkansas by a law that requires that the state legislature approve monuments before proposals can be considered by a state commission. Jimgorn said: I stayed up all night wondering why you use the screen name Hollywood... Hollywood's (the DTT urchin) favorite tactic....derail the argument with inane quibbling about some minor detail in the post and totally ignore the point.....Here it is again.....Hollywood, California has been a cesspool of left-leaning Communist fellow travelers since the 30s....They are a bunch of fools who are simply actors, most with very little education, who actually believe what they are acting...They make enormous sums of money, which they use to support left-leaning causes, and people think that their opinions have merit.... I am not convinced they know jack ****.....Rob Reiner in particular...I stayed up all night wondering why you use the screen name Hollywood... Click to expand... ********. Now you're just whining.I derailed NOTHING I simply pointed out that no one was required to accept your definition of what "Hollywood" meant.If you people REALLY mean "some" "many" or a "few" in Hollywood believe such and such then SAY that in the first place. If you mean an individual then say so. Hardly my fault you people have poor communication skills.What? Now you boys are going to call anything you don't want to deal with "derailing" or a distraction. When will you get it through your collective heads you do not "own" the dictionary or the English language? Nor do YOU decide exclusively what is a "minor detail" or minutia.Right now you are little more than a kid calling people whose politics you don't like names. Nothing more.Had you been just a bit more civil and polite I would have been happy to tell you why my nic is Hollywood, it's hardly a big secret. But no, you have to act like an *** and call names. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An attorney for Donald Trump allegedly steered millions of dollars towards his family members by asking poor and unemployed people to donate to his Christian charity as a sacrificial gift. Jay Sekulow reportedly encouraged poor and jobless people to donate money to Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism (Case), which was later funnelled to his family and firms. Documents obtained by The Guardian purport to show that in June 2009, when the US struggled to pull itself out of a recession following the 2008 financial crisis, Mr Sekulow approved plans for telemarketers to urge people who said they were in poverty or out of work to dig deeper in their pockets to make a donation. Among the documents obtained is a script of what telemarketers were required to tell people during phone conversations. Retired people who said they were on a fixed income with no extra money were told I can certainly understand how that would make it difficult for you to share a gift like that right now. And we dont ever want to put you in a financial bind. But then people were asked if they could possibly make a small sacrificial gift of even $20 (15.6) or $25 (19.5) in the next two or three weeks. Similar responses were made to people, who said they had no money and were unemployed. Since 2000, more than $60m (46.8m) was diverted from the non-profit to Mr Sekulows family and businesses, according to The Guardian. It claims Case, a platform for legal action which aims to defend Christians against perceived encroachments on their rights, was used to make donations to his wife, sons, brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephews and their firms as well as provide a series of loans and property deals to the family. Mr Sekulow, 61, is the president of Case and the chief counsel of its sister organisation, the American Centre for Legal Justice (ACLJ). He previously fought cases against efforts to extend abortion rights and legalise same-sex marriage. Experts specialising in non-profit law said the family risked violating a federal law against such organisations paying excessive benefits to the people responsible for running them. Mr Sekulow declined to comment, but his spokesman Gene Kapp said in a statement: The financial arrangements between the ACLJ, Case and all related entities are regularly reviewed by outside independent compensation experts and have been determined to be reasonable. In addition, each entity has annual independent outside audits performed by certified public accounting firms. Further, the IRS has previously conducted audits of the ACLJ and Case and found them to be in full compliance of all applicable tax laws. The 61-year-old has become a staunch defender of Mr Trump since joining his team of attorneys amidst an investigation into alleged ties between his campaign team and Russia before the election in November last year. Case reportedly raises millions of dollars each year from small donations. Telemarketers transcripts show people were guilted over the phone and warned about topics such as abortion, Sharia law and Barack Obama. More recently, recipients of calls were pressurised by telemarketers saying the funds were urgently needed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. But if there were ever a time to stand with us, its now; and we wanted to make sure you were aware of the efforts to undermine our traditional Christian values, listeners were told. Law.com previously reported Case made payments of $25m (19.5m) to a law firm co-owned by Mr Sekulow for legal services. His company Regency Productions, which makes his talk radio show, was also paid $11.3m (8.8m) for production services. Millions of dollars were also paid to his wife, his brother and his son as compensation for work done for the charity. Arthur Rieman, managing attorney at the California-based Law Firm for Nonprofits told The Guardian: I cant imagine this situation being acceptable. That kind of money is practically unheard of in the nonprofit world, and these kinds of transactions I could never justify. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One-by-one, Denver Simmons recalled, he and his partner lured inmates into his cell. William Scruggs was promised cookies in exchange for doing some laundry; Jimmy Ham thought he was coming to snort some crushed pills. Over the course of about a half-hour, four men accepted Simmons' hospitality. None of them made it out alive. Calmly, matter-of-factly, the 35-year-old inmate told The Associated Press how he and Jacob Philip strangled and beat their blockmates to death and hid their bodies to avoid spooking the next victims. They had nothing against the men; one of them was even a friend, Simmons admitted. Why did they do it? Convicted in the cold-blooded shootings of a mother and her teenage son, Simmons knew he would never leave prison alive. Tired of life behind bars, a failure at suicide, he hoped killing these criminals would land him on death row. Officials say Philip and Simmons have confessed to the 7 April slayings of Ham, 56; Jason Kelley, 35; John King, 52; and Scruggs, 44. But until Simmons talked to the AP, no motive had been made public. The South Carolina Department of Corrections doesn't allow in-person interviews with inmates. So the AP wrote letters to the two men. Philip's attorney responded with an email: Jacob is a severely mentally ill young man who has been so adjudicated by the court. Accordingly, I would ask that you make no further efforts to interview him or contact him. Simmons, though, called the AP three times, once using another inmate's time slot. And he described a twisted compact between two men who had a whole lot in common from the moment they met most important, both despair and a willingness to kill again. I'd always joke with him from back in August and September and October of 2015 that if we weren't going to kill ourselves, that we could make a name for ourselves, so to speak, and get the death penalty, Simmons, told the AP. The end of March of this year, he was willing to do it. So, we just planned to do it. And we did it. Recommended Arkansas executes prisoner four minutes before warrant due to expire Each man was serving life without the possibility of parole for a double murder. In May 2010, Simmons shot an acquaintance, 45-year-old Sheila Faye Dodd of Round O, an unincorporated community northwest of Charleston. Prosecutors say he ate a pizza he'd bought with the dead woman's debit card, picked her 13-year-old son, William, up from school and killed him. Simmons agreed to plead guilty in exchange for prosecutors taking the death penalty off the table. In August 2015, Philip pleaded guilty but mentally ill to strangling his girlfriend, Ashley Kaney, 26, and her 8-year-old daughter, Riley Burdick, two years earlier. At the time, he'd been attending the US Navy's nuclear training school in nearby Goose Creek. Both men were sent to Kirkland Correctional Institution, a maximum security facility a few miles from the state capitol in Columbia. They were being housed in a unit for inmates who need significant mental health help but whose conditions aren't serious enough to require hospitalisation. Because of their relatively clean records in custody, Simmons said he and Philip, 26, were named dormkeepers for their unit. That meant their doors remained open when others were on lockdown. Just two officers were assigned to the dorm, which housed 139 inmates, Corrections Director Bryan Stirling told lawmakers in April. He said pay that starts at $33,600 and chronic low funding from the Legislature make it almost impossible to even approach the national standard of four officers for every 30 inmates. About 9:30 the morning of April 7, Simmons said, he hung a flap over the narrow window to his room in this case, a clear trash bag on which he'd scrawled the words, Using restroom. Don't open. You're not supposed to keep a flap, Simmons said. But if you're using the restroom, you know, they turn a blind eye to it. Simmons said the original plan was to wait until cells were being cleaned, where ALL the doors were open. But that morning, they opted for a different strategy. We just decided, you know, we'd use my room, he said. Until it was full. And then we'd use Jacob's. And that's just how it started. So, how did they choose their victims? This is the part that's gonna sound bad, Simmons said. They, they trusted us. We talked to these people every day. One of them was a friend of both of ours. And they just trusted us. We come up with something for each one. The first name on the list was King, who was in for burglary, theft and larceny. They knew King liked coffee. And there was a bonus, in Simmons' mind: At 5-foot-4 and just 132 pounds, he was the smallest. He was older, but he was small, Simmons said. And he wouldn't offer much resistance. Since Philip was the experienced strangler, he took the first turn, Simmons said. He took his from behind and put his arm on his neck and just choked him, he said. It happened really fast. They slid King's body under the lower bunk and went looking for their next victim in the common area known as the Rock. William Scruggs, killer of a disabled veteran, was waiting in line for the restroom. Simmons knew him as a lifer who did laundry in exchange for goods from the canteen. I said I had some cookies for him. 'Just come up to my room,' Simmons said. Scruggs showed up a few minutes later, and Simmons said Philip dragged him to the floor. Unlike Philip, Simmons said, he'd never strangled anyone. It's totally different than killing somebody with your hands, he said. Simmons said he grabbed an extension cord from a lamp and wrapped it around Scruggs' neck. Scruggs was facing him, but his eyes were closed. And, you know, he didn't suffer a long time, man, Simmons said. I know that sounds lame. But he didn't suffer a long time. The two placed Scruggs' body, the cord still tied around his neck, on the lower bunk. They hung a sheet from the top bunk to conceal the corpse, then went in search of their next victim. Simmons said Philip chose Jimmy Ham, who was to be released in November after serving nearly a decade for aggravated assault and battery, grand larceny and two counts of burglary. I didn't want him on the list, because I knew he would fight, Simmons said. And Jacob, as big as he is, he's not a fighter. But Philip prevailed, and Ham was invited in to snort some drugs. Simmons said Philip told their guest to break up the tablets on a stool that was in the room. As Ham bent over the stool, Simmons said, Philip pounced but he slipped. Jacob Philip (South Carolina Department of Corrections/AP) Simmons said Ham had Philip pinned down on his back. As the two men struggled on the floor, Simmons said he grabbed a broken broom handle that he'd hidden in his room and hit Ham twice in the head with it. In the struggle, Simmons tried to silence Ham by jamming the broomstick in his mouth (there could be no noise) and Ham just died. I mean, he died very fast. Simmons said they placed Ham's body on the bunk beside Scruggs and let the curtain fall back into place. And we just went on the Rock, Simmons said with a sigh, and Jacob said, 'Who's next?' Simmons chose Jason Howard Kelley, who was serving time for stabbing his teenage stepson. Everything about Kelley was just annoying, Simmons said. But unlike the others, he considered Kelley a friend. Once in the cell, Simmons said, Philip told Kelley, Look behind the curtain. And he literally peeked behind and he said, 'What the?' Simmons recalled. And Jacob grabbed him and threw him down. Simmons said he climbed on top of his friend and pressed the broomstick against his throat until he stopped struggling. And as Kelley lay there dead or just unconscious, Simmons couldn't tell which Simmons thrust the stick in his ear. By then, the murderers were too tired to bother with hiding Kelley's body. When they stepped outside, Simmons said, he asked Philip, Who do you want to do now? I'm tired, Philip replied, according to Simmons. I don't want to do anymore. And I said, 'Are you sure? Because this is going to be our only chance,' Simmons recalled. And he said, 'Yeah.' It was just before 10am, about 15 minutes before the next head count. Simmons said they walked down to the guard station and told what they'd done. The Department of Corrections referred the AP's questions to the State Law Enforcement Division, which has declined to comment on the case. Simmons was asked why he did not commit suicide, if prison life was unbearable. He said he'd tried several times: You know, killing yourself is, it sounds easy. It's really hard. Your body even fights you when you cut yourself. He said he'd even discussed having Philip choke me out. The original plan was that if I decided that I wanted to do it, I would be the last person, he said. And I'll be honest with you. After I saw how it works, I guess you would say I was scared. I just couldn't see myself going through with it. Simmons expressed no remorse for the killings. Honestly, we could have got staff members, he said. But they're just there doing their job, you know? The people we killed, whether they deserved it or not, were not fine, upstanding members of society. You know, none of us are, or we wouldn't be in where we're at. And the more you kill, he said, the easier it gets. The second time, the third time, it's just, I guess you're desensitised to it. In retrospect, he said, the plan was not well thought out. Because Jacob's not going to get the death penalty either way, he said. He's legitimately mentally ill. 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 As for himself, South Carolina hasn't carried out an execution in six years, and court challenges likely will keep capital punishment on hold for the foreseeable future. Even a recently confessed killer of seven got life without parole, he noted. Simmons said he imagines he'll do the next 10 years in solitary and probably get another four life sentences tacked onto the two he was already doing. I did it all, I did it for nothing, he said. So that makes it especially bad for me, you know? Associated Press Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A new island has formed off of the coast of North Carolina. A crescent-shaped sandy land mass approximately 100 yards (90 m) at its widest point and a mile (1.6km) long has formed near the Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands in the Atlantic Ocean. A child walking along the land collecting several sea shells has dubbed it Shelly Island. Chad Koczera took the opportunity and photographed the new island with a drone. It is not uncommon for spits of land to be formed in the shallow and rough waters with constantly changing currents there, known to sailors as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, according to National Geographic. However a local historian told the magazine it is the largest land mass that has ever formed. Mark Dowdle, deputy superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and local scientists who study the dynamic coastline said the island will likely be gone within a year, possibly even be covered in the next big storm. The local park police have warned people from walking around the sandbar during low tide due to the strong currents and riptides surrounding it. The area has long-attracted sport fishers and Shelly Island could help people gain access to even better fishing, Bill Smith, president of the North Carolina Buggy Association, told the the Virginian Pilot newspaper. "There could be other marine life too and because the water's agitated from the waves, you can't always see," Mr Dowdle said. The land is also littered with whale bones and remnants of old shipwrecks. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has been accused of singling out an Irish female reporter in a bizarre moment in which he comment on her smile while he on was on a call to the Irish prime minister. The President was speaking to Leo Varadkar, the recently approved Taoiseach of Ireland, with several member of the Irish press watching the proceedings in the Oval Office. Come here, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press, Mr Trump said, pointing at Caitriona Perry, Washington correspondent for Irelands RTE News. Continuing to address Mr Varadkar, Mr Trump added: She has a nice smile on her face, so I bet she treats you well. Ms Perry, who could not be immediately contacted for comment, posted a video clip of the incident on Twitter, calling it a bizarre moment. Ivanka Trump speaks after 2017 human trafficking report release Usually we would shoot from outside the window of the White House and that's what we were expecting today, but instead we were invited inside to witness the President's call to the Taoiseach, she told her own network. When we went in he was already on the phone but I managed to catch his eye and he called me over. 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 Yet many thought the Presidents behavior was inappropriate and even creepy. She has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well, Trump said creepily about the Irish reporter, wrote Scott Dworkin. Veteran New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, wrote: Creepy: Pres Trump is on a phone call with Irelands prime minister, observed by the press, then ignores the PM to chat up a TV reporter. A Twitter user who uses the handle Firehorse Girl, wrote: She is so shocked and uncomfortable. How many nervous laughs have we all had to make around creepy pervs like trump? Observers pointed out that this was not the first time Mr Trump has singled a female reporter for controversial treatment. During the presidential campaign, he found himself at the centre of an intense furore, after saying that Megyn Kelly, at the time a Fox News Channel anchor, had blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. She had been questioning him during a televised Republican primary debate. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to visit Paris for Bastille Day, the French independence day. French President Emmanuel Macron invited the US President during a phone call this week in which Mr Trump reportedly congratulated his French counterpart on his success in the recent parliamentary elections. President Trump looks forward to reaffirming Americas strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, and to commemorating the 100th anniversary of Americas entry into World War I, the White House said in a statement. The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern. The two presidents have publicly clashed since meeting each other earlier this year, with Mr Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate change accord being a particular sticking point. Still, Mr Macron has appeared to be broadly aligning his countrys foreign policy approach with that of Americas when it comes to combating terrorism. Diplomats indicated that Mr Trump attending the Paris celebrations next month is a way of reaffirming close military ties between the US and France. The festivities bring out thousands of revellers, including members of the French army, navy, and air force. The events commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 by angry crowds, which symbolises the start of the French revolution. That prison was where the French monarchy kept political prisoners, and symbolised the monarchys rule. Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade Show all 8 1 /8 Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AFP/Getty Images Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AFP/Getty Images Thousands march against Donald Trump in LGBT rights parade AP Mr Trumps trip could come before he visits the United Kingdom, even though he was invited there by Prime Minister Theresa May after meeting her in January. Those plans for a visit have not been finalised. Still, news that Mr Trump was planning on visiting Britain sparked outrage, and raised the possibility that he would be met with protests there should he actually visit. The American President risks that same welcome in Paris, however, and far-left lawmakers in Paris quickly condemned the invitation to visit, saying that because of his politics he is unwelcome in the French capital. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The US Commerce Secretarys speech was cut off for going too long and a German audience cheered and applauded the move. Wilbur Ross was addressing the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) political party conference in Berlin via video when his feed abruptly ended after 20 minutes due to time constraints. The crowd laughed and cheered at the organiser's decision to cut him off as they waited for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, sitting on stage in front of the video screen, to speak. [He] had promised us a 10-minute statement, said Werner Bahlsen of the CDU, adding that Mr Ross spoke a bit slowly, according to Bloomberg. Mr Ross parroted Donald Trumps criticism of the German trade surplus with the US, but did agree with Ms Merkel that negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) trade agreement should begin again. As your biggest customer, we hope to obtain a larger share of your market[and as partners] should have a free-trade agreement, he said. The two countries have had a more tense relationship since Mr Trump and Ms Merkels White House visit in March when the President chastised Germany for not spending a fair amount on defence as an ally in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) military alliance. Ms Merkel later lambasted Mr Trump for his withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change after urging him to remain in it when the two met in Brussels and Sicily for Nato and G7 meetings. The pair will meet again for the G20 leaders summit in Hamburg on 7-8 July where Ms Merkel said there will be controversial discussions. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Kentucky has signed a law allowing public, state-funded schools to teach courses on the Bible. Governor Matt Bevin participated in the bill signing ceremony in the state capitol building which opened with a Christian prayer. State Representative DJ Johnson said the Bible really did set the foundation that our founding fathers used to develop documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, local news station WDRB-TV reported. Recommended A popular school Bible class in West Virginia faces legal challenge The class would be an elective, not a requirement for students and each local school board has the option to offer the class or not. Mr Bevin was perplexed as to why this would not be presented as an option for Kentucky students, adding I don't know why every state would not embrace this, why we as a nation would not embrace this. The US Constitutions clause on separation of church and state is the reason, according to critics like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kentucky. We want to make sure that teachers can teach and make sure that they don't go in to preach, ACLU Advocacy Director Kate Miller told WDRB-TV. Though Mr Johnson noted that the development of the course would not be unconstitutional, the state Department of Education will be the agency helping school districts develop the curriculum. The department, like every state education department in the country, receives federal government funds. Recently, in a related case the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of a church in Missouri which had sought state funds to fix the pavement of its preschool playground. The court said the state cannot deny religious institutions any public benefits. Mr Bevin noted that: You could be an atheist, and you would appreciate there's a lot of wisdom in the Bible. No other religious texts are included in the bill, which is set to go into effect on 30 June. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said that Syria's chemical weapons programme goes "far beyond one airfield". The comment appears to be a reference to the Syrian airfield which the United States struck in April, alleging the President Bashar al-Assad had used it to launch a chemical weapons attack on his own people. Mr Mattis said he believes the Syrian regime has now stockpiled chemical weapons in other parts of the country, in violation of international agreements. The comment comes days after the White House issued a warning to the Syrian regime that Mr Assad would "pay a heavy price" for any further attacks. Mr Mattis said he beliefs the warning had its intended effect. "It appears that they took the warning seriously," Mr Mattis told reporters. "They didn't do it." Syria was said to have destroyed all of their chemical weapons under an agreement reached by the US, Russia, and the Assad regime in 2013. But in April, more than 80 people were killed in a suspected chemical weapons attack in north-western Syria. In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters The White House said on Monday that it had identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by Mr Assad's regime. "As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria," the White House said in a statement. "If, however, Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price." A Pentagon spokesperson later confirmed the alleged preparations were being made at the same airfield the US struck in April. That strike marked the first direct military action taken by the US against Mr Assad's regime since the beginning of the country's six-year civil war. Six people were reportedly killed. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the strike did not signal a policy change toward Syria, but proved Mr Trump is "willing to act when governments and actors cross the line ... and cross the line in the most heinous of ways". Mr Assad has claimed innocence in the chemical weapons attack, and called the airstrike a "disgraceful act" that "can only be described as short-sighted." US forces have since shot down several of the Syrian regimes drones, which they claim fired on or came close to firing on a US training camp in the country. The US has also launched two direct attacks on Syrian forces entering a deconfliction zone they established around the camp. The US maintains that their presence in the country is part of a fight against Isis, not to undermine the Syrian regime. "The Coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian, or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend Coalition or partner forces from any threat," Centcom said earlier this month. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has pushed back against reports that he has not been engaged in the Senate Republican leaderships fight to repeal and replace Obamacare. Several news outlets, which Mr Trump again referred to as the Fake News Media, have reported that the President has not interacted enough with senators through phone calls and other activities to push forward his legislative agenda, and that the leader has even made negative comments about Congress's efforts for a healthcare overhaul. Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S., Mr Trump tweeted. Recommended Republicans delay vote on healthcare bill In another tweet, Mr Trump berated the New York Times for writing false story after false story about him, claiming that the failing newspaper doesnt call to verify the facts of its articles. A Fake News Joke! he declared. Mr Trump had worked to cajole and woo members of the House of Representatives to support the lower chambers healthcare bill, which narrowly passed last month. However, in another display of the US leaders seemingly mercurial temperament, Mr Trump proceeded to tell senators that the Houses version is mean. This President is the first president in our history who has neither political nor military experience, and thus it has been a challenge to him to learn how to interact with Congress and learn how to push his agenda better, Republican Senator Susan Collins told reporters. Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Show all 33 1 /33 Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's first 100 days in office were marred by a string of scandals, many of which caught the eye of the Independent's cartoonists Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Trump's first 100 days have seen him aggressively ramp up tensions with his nuclear rivals in North Korea Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump has warned of a "major, major conflict" with the pariah nation lead by Kim Jong Un Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump dropped the "mother of all bombs" on alleged ISIS-linked militants in Afghanistan, amid an escalation of US military intervention around the globe Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump has been accused of falling short of the standards set by his predecessors in the Oval Office, including Franklin D Roosevelt Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The tycoon's ascension to the White House came at a time when the balance of power is shifting away from Western nations like those in the G7 group Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Western politicians, including the British Conservative party, have been accused of falling in line behind Mr Trump's proposals Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Brexit is seen to have weakened Britain, reducing still further any political will to resist American leadership Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump's leadership has been marked by sudden and unexpected shifts in global policy Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Trump's controversial missile strike on Syria, which killed several citizens, was seen by some analysts as an attempt to distract from his policy elsewhere Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The President has also spent a large majority of his weekends golfing, rather than attending to matters of state Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Though free of gaffes, a visit from Chinese president Xi Jinping spotlighted trade tensions between the two states Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons One major and unexpected setback came when Mr Trump's Healthcare Bill was struck down by members of his own party Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump has been a figure of fun in the media, with his approval at record lows Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons A string of revelations about Mr Trump's financial indiscretions did not mar his surge to the White House Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Outgoing President Barack Obama was accused of wiretapping Trump Tower by his successor in America's highest office Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The alleged involvement of Russian intelligence operatives in securing Mr Trump the presidency prompted harsh criticism Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The explosive resignation of Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who lied about his links to the Russian ambassador, was just one scandal to hit the President Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Many scandals, such as the accusation Barack Obama was implicated in phone-hacking, first broke on Mr Trump's Twitter feed Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's election provoked mass protests in the UK, with millions signing a petition to ban him from the country Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump cited a non-existent terror attack in Sweden during a campaign rally Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump stands accused of stoking regional tensions in Eastern Asia Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons North Korea has launched a number of failed nuclear tests since Mr Trump took power Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Theresa May formally rejected the petition calling for Mr Trump to be banned from the UK Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons When Mr Trump's initial so-called Muslim ban was struck down by a federal justice, the President mocked the 69-year-old as a "ridiculous", "so-called judge" Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons A week after his inauguration, Theresa May met with Mr Trump at the White House Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's first days in office were marked by a hasty attempt to follow through on many of his campaign promises, including the so-called Muslim ban Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's decision to ban citizens of many majority-Muslim countries from the US sparked mass protests Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Revelations about Donald Trump's sexual improprieties were not enough to keep him from being elected President Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons British PM Theresa May was criticised by many in the press for cosying up to the new President Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons One of Mr Trump's top aides, Kelly Anne Conway, was mocked for describing mistruths as "alternative facts" Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons British PM Theresa May was quick to demonstrate that her political aims did not hugely differ from Mr Trump's Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's inauguration, on 20 January 2017, sparked protests both at home and abroad Ms Collins opposes the Senates healthcare bill in its current form and was one of the first to announce she would vote against a motion to begin debate on the measure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was forced to postpone a vote on the legislation after it appeared that he would be unable to muster enough support from members of his own party. Senate leadership had been pushing for a vote by the end of the week before members of Congress leave Washington DC for the 4 July recess.Mitch McConnell was forced to postpone a vote on the legislation after it appeared that he would be unable to muster enough support from members of his own party. Senate leadership had been pushing for a vote by the end of the week before members of Congress leave Washington DC for the 4 July recess. After the announcement of the votes postponement, Mr Trump invited Republicans over to the White House to discuss how to proceed. During his opening remarks, the President declared that Obamacare is melting down, adding that Senate Republicans and the White House are getting very close to reaching agreement on a path toward getting the votes needed to pass the latest healthcare bill. This will be great if we get it done, Mr Trump said. But appearing to recognise the opposition the bill faces, he added: And if we don't get it done, it's just going to be something that we're not going to like. And that's okay, and I understand that very well. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Venezuela's Supreme Court has been attacked with a grenade thrown from a police helicopter in what the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, described as a "terrorist attack". Speaking on state TV, the 54-year-old embattled leader said special forces were hunting those behind the attack, which follows three months of opposition protests and some dissent from within government ranks. Reports said the grenade aimed at the court did not explode. The helicopter was also seen flying over the interior ministry, Mr Maduro said. Venezuela Supreme Court attacker explains his motives According to the government, an army officer who gave his name as Oscar Perez seized a helicopter and flew it over the city. Video posted on social media showed the aircraft flying low over buildings in the capital. Loud bangs can be heard in the background. The pro-government Supreme Court is particularly hated by Mr Maduro's opponents for its string of rulings bolstering his power and undermining the opposition-controlled legislature. The socialist leader is pushing a vote on 30 July for a special super-body called a Constituent Assembly, which could rewrite the national charter and supersede other institutions such as the opposition-controlled congress. Recommended Regional powers fails to reach deal on Venezuela as protests go on Earlier, Venezuela's leader warned that he and supporters would take up arms if his socialist government was violently overthrown by opponents who have been on the streets since April. At least 75 people have died in the unrest. "I'm telling the world, and I hope the world listens after 90 days of protest, destruction and death," he said. "If Venezuela was plunged into chaos and violence and the Bolivarian Revolution destroyed, we would go to combat. "We would never give up, and what couldn't be done with votes, we would do with weapons, we would liberate the fatherland with weapons." June 27, 2017 Bob Scott, former owner of Valley Cabinets in Lebanon, went to sleep in Jesus on June 27, 2017 in Lebanon due to complications from a series of strokes. He is survived by a multitude of friends from all parts of the world. In lieu of flowers please contribute to the evangelism fund at the Lebanon Seventh-day Adventist Church which helps others know that we all will soon see Jesus. A memorial service will be held at this church at a time yet to be determined. (http://lebanon26.adventistchurchconnect.org/) For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The family of a toddler with a serious blood disorder say they cannot afford to pay for essential treatment so have dug her a grave for her to adapt to. Zhang Xinlei, a two-year-old from rural China, was born with thalassaemia, a genetic condition that causes a lack of haemoglobin in the blood and can lead to severe tiredness and heart palpatations. Without regular blood transfusions and medication, the disease can cause life-threatening organ damage. Xinleis father Zhang Liyong, a 24-year-old who lives near the city of Neijiang in Chinas south-western Sichuan province, said he had spent all his savings on medical treatment for his daughter, according to Chinese media. In footage published by Pear Video, Mr Zhang lies down in the grave with Xinlei, while her mother Deng Min, pregnant with another child, sits close by. China has three main health insurance schemes, for urban workers, other city-dwellers and a rural co-operative medical scheme, which covers 805 million people, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). But recent WHO research said China faces great challenges in providing access to good quality health services and financial protection for patients. Mr Zhang said he had spent over 100,000 yuan (11,490) on treatment for Xinlei, and had borrowed money from many, according to a translation by MailOnline. The couple have decided to give up on treatment as they can borrow no more and instead are bringing her every day to play at the grave where she will rest in peace. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} North Korea has called for the execution of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her spy chief for a plot to assassinate its leader, demanding that the South hand the pair over. The North's official KCNA said revelation showed Ms Park had masterminded a plot to execute its supreme leadership in 2015 and it was imposing the death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye. KCNA did not disclose the source of the revelation but a Japanese newspaper reported this week that Ms Park in 2015 approved a plan to overturn the North Korean regime of leader Kim Jong-un. High possibility of war with North Korea, warns new South Korean president Ms Park was ousted in March over a corruption scandal and is in detention in South Korea while on trial. South Korea's National Intelligence Agency (NIS) said the news report of a plot to kill Kim Jong Un had no grounds and it had no immediate comment about the North's demand for the handover of ms Park and her spy chief, Lee Byung-ho. Mr Lee is no longer head of the NIS. Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with Ms Park's North Korea policy, that she had signed off on a plot to remove the North's leader in 2015 and the plan was orchestrated by the South's spy agency. We declare at home and abroad that we will impose the death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye and ex-director of the puppet intelligence service ... criminals of hideous state-sponsored terrorism who hatched and pressed for the heinous plot to hurt the supreme leadership of the DPRK, KCNA said. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. We declare that in case the U.S. and the South Korean puppet forces again attempt at hideous state-sponsored terrorism targeting the supreme leadership ... we will impose summary punishment without advance notice, KCNA said. KCNA said the statement was issued jointly by the North's Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of People's Security and the Central Public Prosecutors Office. North and South Korea are technically in a state of war under a truce that ended their 1950-53 Korean War and the North routinely warns of annihilating the South Korean government. 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 North Korean government agencies often issue harsh rhetoric in state media over perceived insults, or what they see as threats to the security their leaders, and the trend has intensified under current leader, Kim Jong Un. In May, North Korea accused the US Central Intelligence Agency and the South's spy agency of another plot to assassinate its supreme leadership with biochemical weapon. At that time, it also demanded the handover of former NIS chief Mr Lee. Reuters contributed to this report For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Sydney Opera House is to be illuminated with a projection of indigenous art every evening for a year, as part of a range of cultural displays to mark a historic anniversary for Aborigines in Australia. The light show, which will run for seven minutes from sunset each day, is called Badu Gili or "water light" in the language of the Gadigal people, who are the traditional owners of Bennelong Point, where Sydney Opera House is built. Its launch coincided with the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum in which Australians voted overwhelmingly in favour of including Aboriginal Australians in the census, and was broadcast live by the opera house. Recommended Aboriginal woman raped to death but white suspects yet to face trial The projection features the works of five First Nation artists from across Australia and the Torres Straight Islands, including Jenuarrie (Judith Warrie), Frances Belle Parker, Alick Tipoti and the late Lin Onus and Minnie Pwerle. The opera house's head of First Nations programming, Rhoda Roberts, said the show would "create a gateway to Australia's First Nations history and culture for the 8.2 million people who visit the Opera House each year". In another celebration of the 50th anniversary of Aborigines being counted as part of the population, and the 25th anniversary of a milestone court case that paved the way for recognition of indigenous land ownership, Australia raised indigenous flags alongside its national standard over its oldest public building. The flags, representing the oldest living cultures in the world, mark another step on a long and often troubled road to reconciliation with its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They were raised above the governor's house in Sydney, where the fledgling colony was settled as an outpost of the British Empire in 1788. "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are our first people," the New South Wales Governor, David Hurley, said at the flag- raising, where a traditional smoke, or cleansing, ceremony was performed. "You have fought and died alongside Australians under the Australian flag ... even before being counted as part of the population," he added. Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders make up 2.8 per cent of Australia's population of 24.5 million, but have disproportionately high rates of suicide and incarceration, ranking near the bottom in almost every economic and social indicator. Denied the vote until the mid-1960s, they face a 10-year gap in life expectancy compared with other Australians and make up 27 per cent of the prison population. The United Nations has criticised their living standards. There has been a push for reconciliation in recent decades, a term to describe moves towards mutual respect and equal legal and social status between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Patrick Dodson, one of Australia's most senior indigenous politicians, said the ceremony was "an indicator of progress at an institutional level". "The redress of injustice travels slowly but inevitably," Mr Dodson told Reuters. Last month, indigenous leaders rejected symbolic recognition of Aboriginal people in the Australian constitution and instead called for a constitutionally enshrined indigenous voice in parliament. The flags had previously flown over government house in Sydney for short periods but it is the first time in any state they have been installed permanently above a public building. "The Aboriginal flag holds a special place in the lives of Aboriginal peoples, it talks to our connection to land, our culture and the strength of our peoples," the NSW Aboriginal Land Council chairman, Roy Ah-See, said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Emmanuel Macrons government has launched a programme of controversial labour reforms designed to make it easier to hire and fire employees, create jobs and spur Frances economic growth. Mr Macrons flagship promise of sweeping economic and social change, which would give companies more of a say over working conditions, was presented to the new cabinet on Wednesday. The centrist, who won an overwhelming majority in Frances legislative elections in an alliance with the middle-ground MoDem party, made the reforms a key pillar of his campaign pledges, and passing them will be seen as a key test for the new government. Mass street protests were expected over the summer, but only the hardline General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union has called for a strike in September over Mr Macrons plans. This says more about Mr Macrons ability to listen to the unions than his intention to water down the draft text. On the contrary, French financial newspaper Les Echos has described the text as going further than what candidate Mr Macron had led to believe during the campaign. Eric Cohen, a French lawyer specialising in labour regulations, told The Independent Mr Macrons new reforms were positive for all new companies seeking to hire or to settle in France. Mr Cohen said the reforms had three key objectives, including reassuring foreign investors that they will be able to adjust their workforce if their operations run into difficulties. They will also be designed to reduce employers anxiety in the face of legal dispute in redundancy cases, and to improve the chances of mediation prior to a case going to an employment tribunal. But in practice only the courts will demonstrate whether the text can and will be applied [to individual cases] and nothing is less certain, Mr Cohen added. Some of the reforms would see compensation being capped in the case of an employee being laid off for no justifiable reason. There will be a reduction of the period during which employees can start a legal challenge after being made redundant to two months, and they will make it easier for companies to fire employees for economic reasons. Arnold Schwarzenegger takes a selfie video with Emmanuel Macron talking about a clean energy future But Judith Krivine, an associate at Selarl Dellien Associes who works with employees and unions in labour law cases, told The Independent the reforms followed a business first policy which worked against employees and organisations representing staff. This follows other laws that have been introduced in the last five years. The objective is to facilitate and simplify the life of companies. Effectively the reforms, if adopted, will reduce the rights of employees both individually and collectively, she said. Ms Krivine said the proposed reforms would make it even more difficult for employees to start legal action against their employer. Everything is done to give companies a chance to avoid legal pursuit, she said. People are already starting to mobilise and despite efforts to pass the law quickly in the summer there will still be opposition to it. Mr Macron's government said the easing of labour regulations will help to reduce unemployment to around 7 per cent of the workforce by the end of the President's five-year mandate in 2022. Currently, unemployment in France remains around 10 per cent. Speaking to reporters during a news conference, government spokesman Christophe Castaner said: The labour code no longer reflects todays reality. The centrist government has now embarked on a series of meetings with unions about the proposals. Mr Macron is also seeking special legislative powers to push the reform through parliament without lengthy negotiations, a move traditionally unpopular. There is no doubt that Frances youngest president since Napoleon will want to avoid a repeat of the mass protests and general strikes that gripped the country last year following the Loi El Khomri, an unpopular labour reform law which was passed by Francois Hollandes previous left-wing government without a vote in the National Assembly. The set of reforms will therefore be a test for the young President who so far has had an easy ride in securing a parliamentary majority. Yet, with the highest proportion of female MPs in parliament almost 40 per cent in the countrys modern political history, none of the top parliamentary posts went to women with Mr Macron facing accusations of sexism. 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 The CGT union has promised a tough fight against the reforms, which it sees as an attack on hard-won labour rights. Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, whose party France Insoumise gathered close to 20 per cent of the votes in the first round of the election in May, rallied to the mobilisation movement. We must join this movement, we must resist, we have a duty to defend the labour code, Mr Melenchon told French radio Europe 1. The CGT said on Tuesday the reopening of schools in September should be the time "to act on our discontent and to work on economic and social change". The moderate CFDT union said strikes and demonstrations should be a last resort. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} German politicians could vote to legalise same-sex marriage as early as this week after Angela Merkel signalled she would allow a free vote. With an election looming in September the Chancellor, who has previously argued against changing the law, said she had noted pressure from other parties. "I would like to lead the discussion more into a situation where it is a question of conscience rather than something I push through with a majority vote," she said. Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) are pushing for a vote this week. Recommended Angela Merkel says Pope encouraged her to preserve Paris accords The issue became a hot election topic after Merkel's three potential coalition partners, including her current SPD partners, made it a condition for sharing power, effectively forcing the conservative Chancellor's hand. The move could antagonise some in her traditionally Catholic conservative bloc, some of whom oppose any change. SPD leader Martin Schulz said on Tuesday his party would push for a vote in parliament this week, before the start of the summer recess. "I hope our colleagues in the conservatives will cooperate," he said, raising the pressure on his conservative partners - who want a vote after the election. Mr Schulz needs to make up ground for his centre-left party in the election race and has sharpened his attacks on Ms Merkel, but he made clear he would not end the coalition. Ms Merkel's conservatives accused him of acting irresponsibly. "That is a breach of trust," said Volker Kauder, head of Ms Merkel's conservative bloc in parliament, adding the SPD's behaviour on such a sensitive topic showed it was "not suited to government". With broad support among Germans for gay marriage, the law would likely get easy approval in the lower house of parliament if conservatives could vote according to their conscience and not face a party whip. 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 Polls put Ms Merkel's conservatives 10 to 15 points ahead of the SPD, but short of a parliamentary majority. The SPD, pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens have made gay marriage, a step up from same-sex civil partnerships which have been allowed since 2001, a condition for a tie-up. The countrys lesbian and gay federation, the LSVD, welcomed Ms Merkel's shift while describing it as a face-saving measure. "After 15 years of an ideological blockade .. social pressure and the commitments of other parties have made an impact," said LSVD spokesman Axel Hochrein. "Equal rights for all people is part of our constitution," he said. Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Somali man who colluded with Libyan smugglers to torture and extort fellow migrants in squalid prisons has been arrested in Italy as the refugee crisis continues to worsen. Police on the island of Lampedusa said the 23-year-old suspect, Mohamed Ahmed Taher, revelled in beating asylum seekers and may have killed at least two people. Giovanni Minardi, who led the team which detained Taher, told the Ansa news agency that Taher was part of a transnational armed criminal organisation dedicated to human trafficking, kidnapping, sexual assault, murder and illegal immigration. Migrants who identified Taher as a torturer employed at a detention centre in Libyas south-eastern region, Kufra, told prosecutors that after making the boat journey across the Mediterranean Sea on 27 May he attempted to threaten them into silence. Migrants being held by Libyan forces in Tripoli (AFP/Getty Images) On my arrival, Mohamed the Somali was already in the [centres] structure, said one victim. He beat the migrants. He revelled in humiliating us and throwing his weight around. I remember once the Libyan man, who owned the camp, had to tell him off because he was beating us so badly that it was killing people. Taher is accused of beating migrants with rubber hose, burning them with petrol and threatening with them with weapons. As in similar past cases, police said asylum seekers were sometimes tortured while traffickers spoke to their relatives on the phone to pressure them into paying for their freedom and safety. At least two people who attempted to escape the camp were reportedly beaten to death, while those fleeing other Libyan detention centres have been shot and killed. Taher is the sixth person detained in Italy since March on suspicion of torturing migrants in Libya, where smuggling gangs have set up a ruthless trade amid the chaos of the countrys ongoing civil war. Italian coastguard rescues refugee boat from Libya in the Mediterranean The UN has warned of migrants being bought and sold at slave markets and being detained in official and unofficial prisons where they are raped, tortured, starved and held to ransom by armed gangs. Survivors have told The Independent of being sold from one owner to another while being forced into manual labour, with those asking for wages or struggling with the work killed. The centre in Kufra is part of a smuggling chain stretching from the Libyan coast, which is the main launching point for refugee boats towards Europe, back through Sudan to sub-Saharan African nations. The Sahara is thought to be the deadliest zone for migrants, with 52 people dying in Niger after being abandoned in the desert by smugglers last week and many more being murdered or killed by thirst, hunger or falling off overloaded trucks. The vast majority of asylum seekers currently making treacherous sea journeys to Europe are from African nations including Guinea, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and Gambia, as well as Bangladesh, Syria and Iraq. More than 85,300 migrants have arrived over the Mediterranean so far this year, with more than 2,000 dying in the attempt. The bodies of at least 25 people who drowned off the coast of Libya were found near Tripoli on Tuesday after being washed up on a beach in a state of decomposition. Members of the Libyan Red Crescent recover bodies of migrants washed ashore near Tripoli, Libya, on 27 June (EPA) Almost 8,900 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast on Sunday and Monday alone, after apparently being launched en masse in overcrowded fishing boats and smugglers dinghies. Save the Childrens Vos Hestia was among the ships taking part in the huge operation, rescuing 1,065 people including a woman who gave birth on board. She and her child were evacuated by helicopter to receive medical treatment in Malta, alongside two other pregnant women. All ships at the scene of continuing rescues on Tuesday reported that they were full, even as new migrant boats were spotted approaching on the horizon. Rob MacGillivray, Save the Children's director of search and rescue, said the charitys vessel had seen a massive increase in rescues since last year. Theres no indication that theres going to be a decrease, which makes it all the more important that theres a joined-up European response to guarantee people safe passage and their status when they arrive, he told The Independent. The NGOs can only deploy what theyve got and they have limited capacity. Mr MacGillivray called the Mediterranean Sea one of the largest unmapped graves in European history, calling on politicians to change a narrative seeing migrants increasingly demonised as rescuers are accused of worsening the crisis. NGO rescue ships, naval vessels, Frontex assets and commercial ships are being deployed by Italian commanders who are coordinating operations in international waters from Rome. The EU has been attempting to increase cooperation with the fragile Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) to reduce crossings, handing over millions of euros and equipment including new patrol boats. In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby being taken on to MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A refugee boat carrying 101 people being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos all images by Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A baby among refugees on a boat carrying 185 people off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea Migrants and refugees sleeping after being rescued by MSF's Bourbon Argos ship Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A crew from MSF's Bourbon Argos ship rescuing a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya, at sunrise Lizzie Dearden In pictures: A day of refugee rescues in the Mediterranean Sea A woman in a stretcher being lifted onto MSF's Bourbon Argos ship from a boat carrying 130 migrants and refugees off the coast of Libya Lizzie Dearden But the push has been condemned by the UN and human rights groups warning that any move to force refugees back to war-torn Libya, where they face torture and death, is a violation of international law. The number of refugees crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece has fallen dramatically since the EU-Turkey deal was imposed in March last year, seeing anyone arriving on islands detained under threat of deportation. Migrants are also journeying into Europe by land, including via the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which border Morocco, and over the border between Turkey and Bulgaria. Around 400 asylum seekers attempted to enter France through woods from the Italian town of Ventimiglia on Sunday, being tear-gassed by Italian police as their French counterparts used dogs to hunt down anyone who made it through. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it was concerned for the welfare of at least 100 migrants who had been sleeping near a river in Ventimiglia and disappeared on Monday, with a 16-year-old boy known to have died while washing his clothes there. Italy, which is housing more than 190,000 asylum seekers in state-funded accommodation, has criticised other European countries for failing to resettle asylum seekers and help rescue efforts. Im sorry that not everyone, including in Europe, has shown the same willingness to take people in [as Italy has], Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said in a message marking World Refugee Day last week. The refugee issue crosses national borders and involves the entire EU and is, in the end, a global phenomenon. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A baby was fed to its own unwitting mother by Isis, who also raped a ten-year-old girl to death in front of her own family, an Iraqi MP has claimed. Vian Dakhil is a prominent Yazidi politician and has served as an important mouthpiece for the horrors perpetrated by Isis against her people. The extremist group believe the Yazidi minority who follow their own religion and customs are devil worshippers and have waged genocide against them. Escaped Yazidi Isis sex slaves win Sakharov prize The latest horrific claims were made by Ms Dakhil in a recent interview with Egyptian channel Extra News. It was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute. Talking about some Yazidis she had rescued, she said: One of the women whom we managed to retrieve from Isis said that she was held in a cellar for three days without food or water. Afterwards, they brought her a plate of rice and meat. She ate the food because she was very hungry. When she was finished they said to her: We cooked your one-year-old son that we took from you, and this is what you just ate. The remark reduced her interviewer to tears. Ms Dakhil also told of the fate of another Yazidi woman. She said: One of the girls said that they took six of her sisters. Her younger sister, a ten-year-old girl, was raped to death in front of her father and sisters. She was ten-years-old. Nearly 10,000 Yazidis are believed to have been killed or captured by Isis during the extremists offensive in August 2014 across Iraq. Isis reserve particular contempt for the minority group. Many women have been kept as sex slaves. Others have been discovered in mass graves. Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Show all 15 1 /15 Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Isis in Sinjar town, walk towards the Syrian border, on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain, near the Syrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Isis in Sinjar town, walk towards the Syrian border, on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain, near the Syrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Displaced Iraqis from the Yazidi community settle at a camp at Derike, Syria. In the camps here, Iraqi refugees have new heroes: Syrian Kurdish fighters who battled militants to carve an escape route to tens of thousands trapped on a mountaintop Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis A pilot based at RAF Marham entering a Tornado GR4 prior to taking off for the reconnaissance mission over Iraq. Several RAF Tornado jets set off from RAF Marham in Norfolk this afternoon to travel to a "pre-position", from where they will fly to northern Iraq to provide improved surveillance of the situation on the ground. The jets, fitted with Litening III targeting and surveillance pods, will be able to fly over the crisis area to provide intelligence and help with the delivery of humanitarian aid Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis A British Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado GR4 aircraft equipped with the Litening III pod from RAF Marham, eastern England, on their arrival at RAF Akrotiri Cyprus for their reconnaissance mission over Iraq Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Aid inside a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hercules C130 J aircraft before being airdropped to civilians in Iraq Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis A Royal Air Force (RAF) Hercules C130 J military transport plane at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Britain made a third round of airdrops of supplies to aid refugees stranded on a mountain in northern Iraq, officials said, as Tornado fighters arrived at an RAF base in Cyprus preparing to provide surveillance support for the humanitarian effort Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado GR4 aircraft, flown in from Britain, stand on the tarmac at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis A displaced man helps a woman, both from the minority Yazidi sect fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Isis in Sinjar town, as they make their way towards the Syrian border, on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain, near the Syrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Iraqis including Turkmen, Shabaks, Kurds, Yezidis and Christians, fleeing from assaults of army groups led by Isis, take shelter at Bahirka Camp in Arbil Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Displaced Iraqis from the Yazidi community look for clothes to wear among items provided by a charity organization at the Nowruz camp in Derike, Syria Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Displaced Iraqis from the Yazidi community gather for food at the Nowruz camp in Derike, Syria Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Displaced Iraqis from the Yazidi community gather for food at the Nowruz camp in Derike, Syria Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Syrian Kurdish Peshmerga fighters take a sick Iraqi Yazidi woman to the clinic at Nowruz camp in Derike, Syria Iraq crisis: Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Iraq crisis Sick displaced Iraqis from the Yazidi community wait for treatment at a clinic at Nowruz camp in Derike, Syria In May, journal PLOS Medicine estimated that of the 9,900 Yazidis captured by Isis two years ago, 3,100 were killed, some by brutal methods such as decapitation. Many of those who were captured remain missing. It was during this period Ms Dakhil made an impassioned speech to the Iraqi Parliament, begging the world to come to the aid of her people at Mount Sinjar, where they were besieged. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Iraqi forces have managed to push the last remnants of Isis in Mosul into an area of the city less than a kilometre wide, but the desperate militants are fighting back more fiercely than ever. The US-backed coalition pushed towards the banks of the River Tigris from the Old City on Tuesday, effectively driving Isis into an even smaller siege zone, leading Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to declare that victory will come very soon. There is now just 600 metres (2,000 ft) left to cover between the frontline and the riverbank. In a few days our forces will reach the Corniche and bring the battle to its conclusion, Lieutenant General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi of the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) told Reuters from the Old City. Mosul residents on Isis blowing up Grand al-Nuri Mosque There are thought to be fewer than 300 militants left in Mosul down from an estimated 6,000 when Operation Inherent Resolve to dislodge them from the city began in October 2016. Those that are left, however, are intent on fighting to the death. More than 80 suicide bombers in sleeper cells across the city were deployed over the weekend, causing death and damage in neighbourhoods previously declared to be safe. Residents homes many of which are being used to shelter fighters and weapons were set on fire before the situation was brought back under control. The coalition retaliated with dozens of air strikes, which also pose a grave threat to civilian safety. In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty Approximately 50,000 civilians are still trapped, used as human shields by the extremists. Those who do not comply with orders or are suspected of planning an escape are routinely shot. Many residents are starving or ill from drinking dirty water, leaving some too weak to flee even if they wanted to. The Old City, a historic district of winding alleyways, is the last pocket of Mosul under jihadist control but the fight to free the city, once the jewel in the so-called caliphates crown, has been long and bloody. Initially both Iraqi and US forces were hopeful the operation would be completed by the end of 2016. Fierce fighting from Isis, including booby traps, roadside bombs, suicide car bomb attacks and sniper fire has slowed the operation. In nine months of fighting a total of 850,000 people have fled their homes and thousands of civilians have been killed by US-led coalition bombing, as well as at the hands of Isis. The Iraqi government has refused to release soldier casualty figures for fear the high toll would damage troops morale. The blazing 45 degree heat and stench of dead bodies have given the last few days of the battle an apocalyptic feel, soldiers on the frontlines report. Nethertheless, Isis is almost defeated in the city: last week, militants blew up the citys 12th century Grand Mosque, from which leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the creation of the so-called caliphate after his troops swept across northern Iraq from Syria in the summer of 2014. The demolition was labelled a sign of defeat by many Iraqi politicians and military figures. It is believed to have been ordered to prevent the coalition forces from claiming a symbolic victory from the same spot. The fall of Mosul is dovetailing with the operation to retake Isiss de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria, which has been encircled by US-backed Kurdish militias. The loss of both cities will effectively end the existence of the caliphate, but Isis is expected to wage a insurgency war across both countries and launch terror attacks worldwide for many years to come. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Rumours are swirling in the Palestinian Territories that Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is considering declaring the Gaza Strip a rebel district, a move which could cause even greater hardship for the coastal enclaves two million inhabitants. A recent report published in newspaper Israel Hayom quoted an anonymous senior PA official as saying that Mr Abbas is mulling over the move, which it described as a doomsday weapon, allowing the leader to exert even greater pressure over rival Hamas, the militant organisation which controls the strip. Implementing the plan would mean immediately declaring a state of emergency throughout Gaza while simultaneously issuing emergency orders designating certain groups and movements as 'rebels.' In such an event, Hamas would be outlawed and all its assets - including institutions, funds and bank accounts - will be frozen. In addition, arrest warrants will be issued against the heads of the organisation, the paper said. Gaza marks 10 years of Israeli blockade A team of legal experts has been set up to investigate how such a proposal could be implemented under both Palestinian and international law. Hamas took over the coastal enclave from Mr Abbas' Fatah party by force in 2007. Over the last decade, living conditions for Gazans have greatly deteriorated thanks to Israeli sea and land blockades and sky-high unemployment rates. The economy has effectively collapsed, and thousands have been killed in two brief wars with Israel in 2008 and 2014. If the PA were to declare Gaza a rebel district it is possible that financial institutions would be shut down and international aid organisations such as UNRWA, the UN branch which oversees efforts to aid Palestinians in the region, would be forced to evacuate. The PA did not immediately respond to The Independents request for comment. Gaza's junior mechanics Show all 13 1 /13 Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics The hands of Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, are seen as he works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Yassin, 18, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Tamer Yassin, 17, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Tamer Yassin, 17, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, is reflected in a mirror as he works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Abed al-Majeed Reheem, 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Abed al-Majeed Reheem (R), 18, works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian boy Mohamoud Yazji, 16, who works as apprentice mechanic, repairs a car at a garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian boy Mohammad Dader, 12, who works as apprentice mechanic, helps his employer at a garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Yassin, 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, works in a car repair garage Reuters Relations between Ramallah and Gaza are currently at a historic low over the coastal enclaves escalating electricity crisis. Mr Abbas has been waging a long term effort to weaken Hamas by gradually strangling its access to electricity. The militant organisation has been using Qatari and Turkish funding to buy diesel to run its only power plant from Israel, repeatedly accusing the PA, which coordinates delivery, of driving up prices through unfair taxation. It announced it could no longer afford the levy in April, leaving schools, hospitals and businesses unable to operate fully with just four hours of power a day. Since the water supply to most households relies on electric pumps, many people have also had difficulty washing, showering, cooking and doing laundry. In April a top commander in the Israeli army wrote to the United Nations to warn that Gazas electric and water crisis has left the area on the verge of a widescale humanitarian crisis. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A diplomat from the United Arab Emirates has turned up the pressure on Qatar, claiming the bloc is considering fresh sanctions to further isolate the kingdom from its Gulf neighbours. The bloc could even go so far as to ask trading partners to choose between maintaining links with them or the tiny energy-rich state, the UAEs ambassador to Russia said in an interview published in the Guardian on Wednesday. There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now, Omar Ghobash told the newspaper in an interview in London. UAE: Diplomacy will be given 'one or two more chances' before they 'part ways' with Qatar One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice, he said. Qatar has been plunged into a diplomatic crisis since Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed all ties earlier this month over the countrys alleged ties to terrorism, sending the stock market plummeting and panicked citizens to supermarkets where they emptied shelves of food. Families have been split up and myriad businesses affected by demands for Qatari nationals to leave the countries involved, and vice versa. Qatar has denied the allegations against it. Its rulers have so far surprised Riyadh and its allies by refusing to give into the blocs lengthy demands, which include shunning Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood and shuttering Qatari owned news outlet Al Jazeera, in order for air, land and sea links to be restored. Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' Show all 6 1 /6 Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' Grosvenor Square The Western border of this Qatari Quarter is Park Lane and Hyde Park; the Northern border is North Row; the Eastern border is Duke Street, Grosvenor Square and Carlos Place; whilst the Southern border is South Street and the Dorchester Hotel. Lawrie Cornish Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' Dudley House, Park Lane The enclave is centred around the 200 million Dudley House on Park Lane, the London home of Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani. Dudley House Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' Dudley House, Grand Interior The owner of Dudley House is the cousin of Qatars emir. Dudley House Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' View from 2.25m flat on Mount Street Mount Street is another address popular with Qataris. The flat is situated at the eastern end of the street near Berkeley Square in the heart of Mayfair Village and benefits from a balcony. Lawrie Cornish Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' Upper Grosvenor Street the grade II listed mansion is located in the 'Qatari quarter'. Lawrie Cornish Luxury properties within Mayfairs 'Qatari Quarter' 4.5m duplex on Green Street The flat is located on Green Street, another address popular with Qatari buyers.The duplex is located near the 40 million former Brazilian Embassy, which is reported to have been purchased as the new London home of Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, the mother of the current Emir. Rokstone If Qatar was not willing to accept the demands, it is a case of 'Goodbye Qatar', we do not need you in our tent any more, Mr Ghobash added. The UNs special rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion, David Kaye, said on Wednesday it would be a major blow against media pluralism for Al Jazeera to close, particularly in a region that is already suffering from severe restrictions on reporting and media. In the interview with the Guardian, however, Mr Ghobash dismissed the concerns. We do not claim to have press freedom. We do not promote the idea of press freedom. What we talk about is responsibility in speech, the diplomat said. Freedom of speech has different constraints in different places. Speech in our part of the world has a particular context, and that context can go from peaceful to violent in no time simply because of words that are spoken. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir echoed the hardline stance on Twitter, posting Its up to the Qataris to amend their behaviour and once they do, things will be worked out but if they dont they will remain isolated. Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Qatar over terror links Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. Its now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism, he added. Elsewhere on Wednesday, eyebrows were raised in the Gulf after New Yorks Empire State Building was lit up in Qatars burgundy and white colours on Tuesday evening. The landmark was illuminated in the kingdoms national colours to mark 10 years of state carrier Qatar Airways flights to the US. Last year, Qatars sovereign wealth fund bought a 9.9 per cent stake in the company that owns the Empire State Building for a total of $622 million (480 million). SWEET HOME The public is invited to visit the tree farm of Ivan and Rebecca Wolthuis, Linn Countys Tree Farmers of the Year, during a tour on July 8. The award is presented by the Linn County Chapter of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association. The tour will be from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the farm, 28996 Berlin Road, north of Sweet Home. Admission and lunch are free. Register by emailing oswaevents@gmail.com, or calling 503-588-1813 by July 5. For more information, contact Jim James, executive director of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, at 541-619-4252 or Bill Bowling, president of the Linn County chapter, at 541-791-1370. The family purchased 155 acres that was agricultural-based along with some scattered timber in 2010. A portion of the property has also been used for the communitys annual 4x4 off-road vehicle mud festival for several years. The family began converting the property into a tree farm in 2011 and now has a working and thriving young forest. The tour topics will include: property history, conversion of agricultural land to forestland, the use of herbicides to control brush, thinning and final harvest strategies for under stocked areas, and wildlife in a working forest. Its a never-ending project, Rebecca Wolthuis said of the work involved in the tree farm, and added the family's children also lend a hand: Theyve been out there a lot of times. Her husband operates a second-generation family dental practice in Sweet Home. Cascade Timber Consulting planted 45,000 Douglas fir trees initially after the property was ripped in preparation for planting. Since then, the family has worked to control brush and maple, applied bud caps to young trees, pruned up trees, cleaned up old farm fencing and restored a spring on the land. The tour is sponsored by the Wolthuis family, the Linn County Chapter of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, the Oregon Tree Farm System, Oregon Small Woodlands Association, Oregon Forest Resources Institute, OSU Forestry Extension, and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A senior Indian police officer has reportedly been arrested for allegedly raping his married daughter because she "provoked" him. The 58-year-old assistant sub inspector from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, is thought to have attacked her in a police station. The officer who was said to be within three days of his retirement, is also alleged to have beaten up his 35-year-old daughters husband. The woman had been abused by her father as a teenager, The Times of India reported, This ended when she married. "I thought my father must have changed in so many years, but I was proved wrong," she is said to have told officers. Police sources told the newspaper that the officer admitted the rape and it was done because his daughter provoked him. Fellow officers expressed shock at the alleged crime. Tens of thousands of sexual assaults are reported in India every year. In 2015, there were more than 34,000 rape complaints made, according to India's National Crime and Records Bureau. Large numbers also thought to go unreported. Grandmothers School, India Show all 12 1 /12 Grandmothers School, India Grandmothers School, India People buy vegetables sold on a truck in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India A woman holds a book as she attends a class at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School) in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Drupada Pandurangkedar, 70, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), serves her granddaughter Namita Thackrey lunch inside their house in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Indu Pawar, 61, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), watches television inside her house in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Uma Sitaramtupange, 65, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), holds a baby outside her house in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Women attend a class at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School) in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Women leave after attending Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School) in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Kamal Keshavtupange, 60, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), lights fire as she cooks food on a stove inside her house in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Sheetal Prakash More (R), a 30-year-old teacher, helps Janabai Kedar, 74, as she writes on a slate at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School) in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Vanita Dhau, 65, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), stands inside her house in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Vanita Dhau, 65, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), works inside her house in Fangane village, India Reuters Grandmothers School, India Kamal Keshavtupange, 60, who studies at Aajibaichi Shaala (Grandmothers' School), drinks tea inside her house in Fangane village, India Reuters Human Rights Watch have called for a state-led holistic approach in tackling sexual assault. To make public spaces and homes safer for Indian women and girls, the government should adopt a multi-sectoral national policy with clear budget lines on preventing and addressing sexual assault, the group said. This policy should incorporate at least four distinct pillars: prevention, criminal justice and police accountability, health response, and sexuality education. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Creator of the famous character Paddington Bear, Michael Bond, who has died aged 91, made full use of the fame and fortune he never suspected would come his way. Author of over 150 books for children and adults, some translated into 40 languages, his unaffected prose style coupled with frequent jokes made him an immediate favourite particularly with very young readers. The high-grossing film Paddington, released in 2014 with a starry cast and in which the author appears briefly as an onlooker, extended his fame to the larger screen following many years of successful story adaptations for childrens television. Born in Newbury, Berkshire, the only child of a Post Office sorting clerk and a housewife mother, Bond had a happy childhood, remaining on close terms with his parents all his life. While money was tight the family was able to afford holidays and minor treats, such as a weekly delivery of the Magnet comic. In his amiably racy autobiography Bears & Forebears: A Life So Far (1996) Bond claimed that it was primarily this publication, soon to perish in the forthcoming war, that truly grounded him in the art of popular writing. Disliking his Roman Catholic education at Presentation College, Reading, at the hands of some frequently brutal Irish Brothers, he left aged 14. His final report complained of his distorted sense of humour. Office boy work followed in a solicitors firm before he was called up to the RAF, later on moving to the British Army stationed in Cairo. In 1946, while waiting to be demobbed, his first story was published by the magazine London Opinion. More sporadic writing followed in an otherwise busy life as a BBC cameraman. Marrying Brenda Johnson in 1950, and with daughter Karen arriving in 1958, he one day bought a toy bear at Selfridges and named him after the railway station he knew best from travelling to London. Residing on the couples mantelpiece in their flat, the toy soon became part of the family, referred to in conversation and included on trips away. A written story eventually followed, with Paddingtons temporary state of homelessness in the opening paragraphs arising from memories of seeing trainloads of evacuee children arriving at Reading station from London during the war. They too carried single suitcases and had labels tied to them bearing their names and addresses. Taking only 10 more days to write and published in 1958, A Bear Called Paddington was an immediate success. His now-familiar image owed much to Peggy Fortnums brilliant pen and ink illustrations. Using only a minimum of detail, she expertly created a character who was both appealing and also very much his own purposeful being. Regularly walking on two legs, Paddington behaves like a lively infant but talks in the well-spoken tones of a polite and good-natured older child. His adventures largely consist of his involvement in minor domestic misunderstandings always forgiven at the end after everything more or less works out for the good. Mr and Mrs Brown, the couple who take Paddington home with them, are based on the authors parents but now moved up the social scale, living in a pleasantly appointed house in Londons Notting Hill Gate area with a tradesmans entrance down the side. Wealthy enough to employ a housekeeper, bailing out Paddington after his latest mishap never entails any real financial crisis. The familys unconditional love for this new arrival also ensures a stable and safe environment for everyone concerned. Initially set in pre-war Britain at its most cosy and innocent of any social issues dating either from then or since, these charming undemanding stories, like toy bears themselves, could always be cuddled up to with complete assurance. The bears distinctive old hat and duffel coat meanwhile were replicas of what Bond was wearing at the time of composition, bought from a government surplus store. Paddingtons trademark love of marmalade sandwiches also reflected the authors own strong preferences. The bears Wellington boots appeared in a story written later and were added at the request of Shirley Clarkson. Mother of former Top Gear presenter Jeremy, she was the co-owner of Gabrielle Designs, the company making the Paddington Bear toys. At one stage selling over 6,000 models a month, she needed this extra detail to enable her toys to stand up more securely, and Bond was happy to oblige. Many more Paddington books selling over 35 million copies were to come over the next 50 years, each following the same basic formula. Written in short chapters, avoiding lengthy paragraphs and with plenty of dialogue, they enjoyed a new lease of life in 1975 once they started appearing on BBC television. Previously to this, Bond had great success with The Herbs, a childrens show featuring Parsley the Lion and Dill the Dog which the BBC used as a replacement for its Bill and Ben series. Its director/producer Ivor Wood was keen to animate Paddington, and finally came up with a miniature and fully jointed model which could then appear to move freely against a two-dimensional background. This effect was achieved by freeze frame techniques whereby the model was shifted along a fraction of an inch before each shot. The distinguished actor Michael Hordern provided the laconic voiceover commentary to a series that proved an enormous hit. Fifty-six episodes were recorded and merchandising soon followed. Like Peter Rabbit and the Wombles, Paddington was swiftly turned into a successful brand. Two Paddington and Friends retail shops opened in London and Bath, with a further franchise sold to a company in America. Paddington lampshades, pencil cases, T-shirts, bean bags and many other objects soon started appearing all over the country. In 1966 Bond left the BBC to become a full-time writer. More stories featuring different characters followed. Here Comes Thursday (1966) was the first of four stories about the adventures of a would-be heroic crime-fighting mouse who usually ends up rescued by his more sensible friend Harris, a water vole. The Tales of Olga da Polga (1971) details the happenings in the daily life of a spirited and pleasure-loving guinea pig who talks freely to other animals but can only squeak to her human owners. Described by the Times Literary Supplement as having a touch of Bunter and Falstaff, this character appeared in 17 more books and was based on a much-loved guinea pig of the same name owned by the family. Written for adults, Monsieur Pamplemousse (1983) was the first of 17 culinary mystery stories headed by an ex-police inspector now working for a food guide and always accompanied by his pet bloodhound Pommes Frites. These books also did well despite Auberon Waugh writing of the first story that I cannot, off-hand, think of any book which amused me less. After the break-up of his marriage Bond had a long relationship with one of his editors from which his son Anthony was born, who went on to become a freelance television director and producer. In 1981 he married again, and moved with his wife Susan Rogers to Londons Little Venice, not far from the station that had helped make his bear character so famous. With his daughter Karen now working for the firm Paddington and Company overseeing all details of merchandising, he had the time and money to develop his gourmet tastes, particularly during long holidays in France. But the writing still went on. J.D. Polson and the Liberty Head Dime (1980) was one of two stories aimed at adults featuring the first armadillo to become president of the United States, and The Pleasures of Paris (1987) was a lovingly written guide book to the city he loved and where he now owned an apartment. In 1997 Bond received an OBE for services to literature and in 2007 was awarded an honorary D.Lit. by the University of Reading. In 2000 Marcus Cornishs life-size bronze statue of the famous bear was unveiled in Paddington Station itself. Wearing his distinctive floppy bush hat, he is shown looking round as if anticipating the arrival of kindly Mr and Mrs Brown. This mark of respect for such a famous and well-loved character was a just reward for a hard-working author who always gave his best. Thomas Michael Bond, author, born 13 January 1926, died 27 June 2017 Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tourists flock to the medieval city of Bruges to experience its fairytale charms, but visitors must pay a premium to indulge in its most famous food. At least two chip sellers in the Flemish hotspot have admitted to charging visitors 10 per cent more for a serving of the snack, making the price of each portion more than 7 (6.20). Belgians are the worlds biggest consumers of chips. Each eats an average of 75kg each year - a third more than fast food-loving Americans. News of the overcharging came to light when a visitor asked Gauthier Gevaert, the owner of the Brugsch Friesthuys chip shop, for the price on his portion of frites to be reduced. Speaking to De Standaard newspaper Gevaert said: Someone who clearly was not from here, demanded his discount. Two chip shops have admitted to the snack tax (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Look, I give discount to locals as customer loyalty. A day tourist from Antwerp or an American travelling through Europe who comes here once? The normal rate, sorry. Gevaert asserts that it is not a price increase for visitors, but a discount for locals. He said: Ten per cent discount in Bruges, yes, that is explicitly on the receipt. Why do we do that? For the regulars. We do not only aim at the mass tourism, but also building a relationship with whoever comes here often. He added: Im not going to ask anyone for his passport. I can hear it if someone is from here: if you speak the dialect, it is good for me. Locals also get reduced fries at Chez Vincent, another famous frituur. Philippe Thijs, an employee at the shop, told The Guardian: Its just another button on the cash register. You have the normal price and the price for townspeople and students [which is minus 10 per cent]. Belgiums consumer protection agency, the Federal Public Service Economy has said the practise is perfectly legal as customers are aware in advance of the practise and it does not discriminate on the grounds of race or religion. Mayor of Bruges Renatt Landuyt supports the price difference, saying the cheaper chips make the citys 117,000 residents feel appreciated. There are 6 million tourists here a year, he said. That makes Bruges an expensive city. These small gestures are nice. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Etihad Airways is offering economy passengers the chance to pay to keep the seat next to them free. The Abu Dhabi-based airline has launched a neighbour-free seat scheme, which gives customers the option of inputting a price they would be willing to pay in order to keep the seat next to theirs empty. Space-loving flyers can bid for up to three adjacent seats, meaning, if the price is right, they could have a whole row to themselves. Etihad says passengers can bid to keep adjacent seats empty any time up to 35 hours before departure; its not possible to bid for empty seats at the airport or on board the flight. Travellers can also change their bids online after checking Etihads seat selector tool. Recommended How to get the cheapest flights according to an expert The airline says it will let passengers know by email whether or not their bid has been successful obviously its subject to demand, and if the flight is fully booked any bids will be null and void. If unsuccessful in their bid, customers arent charged. Auctioning seats has already been trialled by Virgin Atlantic, which has a Your Bid scheme allowing customers to enter an online auction to upgrade their seat. The airline previously offered a feature called Seat Plus, whereby economy customers could pay 99 to 199 to ensure the seat next to them was vacant, but this service ended in May 2016. Etihad is also allowing economy passengers to pay to use its premium lounges in Abu Dhabi, London, Manchester, Dublin, Paris, Washington D.C., New York JFK, Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles. On the ground, premium class guests can enjoy free access to Etihad Airways collection of outstanding lounges, said Mohammad Al Bulooki, Executive Vice President Commercial for Etihad Airways. By offering paid access to Economy Class guests, these signature lounges can now be enjoyed by all who desire to experience our award-winning facilities. This comes after Ryanair has been accused of changing its seating policy to deliberately split up parties travelling together who refuse to pay more to reserve seats. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Canadian mans 20-year feud with United Airlines may have come to an end after the airline won a court injunction against him. Jeremy Cooperstocks vendetta against the American airline first began in 1996, after he made a complaint following a flight from Toronto to Tokyo with a stopover in Honolulu. On both legs of the journey there were issues with seating, and Cooperstock duly sent a letter to United detailing the issues. It all began as a result of United's reluctance to read what I had patiently written them following a series of unpleasant flights in the spring of 1996, the 49-year-old professor of electrical and computer engineering told The Independent. I expected I'd receive a letter of apology that directly acknowledged the problems and perhaps indicated how the airline was working to avoid these problems in the future. But I didn't. Six weeks later, when he still hadnt heard back, Cooperstock wrote a follow-up letter. He says: Almost a month later, I received United's generic form-letter reply. Unfortunately, the reply missed the point to such a degree that I realised nobody had actually read my letters. I decided to try another approach. The internet was still in its infancy, offering a world of possibilities, so Cooperstock took his grievances online. I put my letters, along with the airline's form-letter response, on my web page at my university, under the title Poor Show, and submitted the link to various search engines, he says. Within a few days, I'd received several letters from other passengers with similar experiences, and I added these to my web page. Within a week, a search for United Airlines in the Alta Vista search engine (back then, the equivalent of Google) brought up my web page as the first result. During the next seven months, the pages grew as I received approximately 30 additional letters from other former United passengers who also complained about their own experiences with that airline. The project evolved into Untied.com a parody website listing the airlines failings. Jeremy Cooperstock created Untied.com (Jeremy Cooperstock) Cooperstock has so far collected 32,000 complaints through the site, which also gives tips on how to lodge a complaint against or sue the airline, plus hundreds of complaints from United employees. When Untied.com launched, I commented that there would be no need for the site once United started treating its customers better, he says. Twenty years on, the website is still going. However, it is under threat after United recently won a court injunction against Cooperstock. United filed a lawsuit five years ago for trademark infringement (Untied.com featured the United globe logo with a frowning face and the tagline Evil Alliance member instead of Star Alliance member), adding that the site could fool customers into thinking they are on Uniteds official website. "We are pleased with the court's decision, said a spokesperson for United. We have always maintained that Mr Cooperstock should be able to voice his opinions, and our case was to protect United customers and avoid confusion by asking him to not use our intellectual property on his website and related channels." Untied.com now has a pop-up that regularly appears asking users to tick a box acknowledging they know they are not on Uniteds official website it is unclear whether Cooperstock will be forced to take down the site altogether. As expected of United Airlines, their lawyers played dirty, he says. At the last day of trial before the Federal Court, United suggested that I should be ordered to stop using the domain name, Untied.com. Although the Federal judgement did not agree with the suggestion, it said: The Defendant may retain the use of the domain name untied.com - however, this must not be in association with the same services as provided by the Plaintiff. According to Cooperstock, as United has argued that one of its "services" is dealing with passenger complaints, this would mean the injunction would effectively prevent Untied.com from existing as a site hosting passenger complaints. He says the fight over the last five years has taken a heavy toll, both on his time and on his wallet. He refuses to be drawn on the exact figure he's spent, but admits his fight has involved non-trivial financial costs." I am most grateful to the many readers who have contributed to my legal defence fund, which has helped cover most of these costs. However, without the assistance of experienced legal counsel for the appeal, I remain at a significant disadvantage. When asked his feelings about United now, Cooperstock tells The Independent: It was clear to me when United brought its parallel legal proceedings against me in November 2012 that the airline was playing the part of a corporate bully, attempting to threaten and silence one of its most visible critics. The manner in which United then pursued the litigation, repeatedly deceiving the Courts as to the airline's true intent, left me completely unsurprised when the videos of David Dao and Ronald Tigner emerged. The same corporate attitude that inspired the physical abuse of its passengers was no doubt in play when United's legal team decided to go after me. Friends of the Earth campaign against fracking outside Leinster House An outright ban on fracking in Ireland is days away after the Republic's parliament passed new laws outlawing the controversial practice. It will be illegal to drill onshore for shale gas from rocks, sands and coal seams after a rural politician backed grassroots campaigners and environmentalists to spearhead the legislation. President Michael D Higgins is expected to sign it into law in the coming days with a date to be confirmed for the commencement of the ban. Tony McLoughlin, TD for the Sligo-Leitrim, introduced the legislation over a year ago and secured cross-party support in parliament, where the Republic's government is in a minority. "This law will mean communities in the west and north-west of Ireland will be safeguarded from the negative effects of hydraulic fracking," he said. "Counties such as Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan and Clare will no longer face negative effects like those seen in cities and towns in the United States, where many areas have now decided to implement similar bans to the one before us. "If fracking was allowed to take place in Ireland and Northern Ireland it would pose significant threats to the air, water and the health and safety of individuals and communities here." Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, involves drilling into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture, sometimes using sand and chemicals, is forced into rock. Openings are created for gas to seep out into deep wells with energy companies have explored for large shale and other tight sandstone deposits in Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal and Clare. Kate Ruddock, Friends of the Earth Ireland's deputy director and spokeswoman for the Environmental Pillar coalition, said: " Ireland has a reputation as a climate laggard and too often our lack of climate action is a cause of embarrassment internationally, but today we can be proud of our parliament for putting Ireland in the vanguard of the movement to ban fracking." Ireland joins three other European Union countries - France, Germany and Bulgaria - to ban fracking on land. Love Leitrim, which helped to spearhead the anti-fracking campaign, has said it has a responsibility to pursue a similar ban in Northern Ireland as many waterways across the region are connected. Aedin McLoughlin, Environmental Pillar spokeswoman and director of the Good Energies Alliance Ireland, said: "The long road is travelled and we have come successfully to its end. "For six years we have looked forward to this day, when the Irish government would ban fracking and protect our rural environment and communities from this industry that poisons drinking water and air." Three exploratory licences were granted in Ireland in 2011 for fracking, but no extraction has taken place. Love Leitrim's Eddie Mitchell said the issue was national and international, not local. "We by nature are close to the land, and maybe we have become watchdogs like our parents before us," he said. "We have a responsibility to the land and each other and the life that the land nurtures. "We feel privileged we can make a difference in our own small way in dealing with bigger challenges. "We all have to be able to come together for the biggest fight the planet now faces, climate change. "We hope that our successful campaign here will be a catalyst for other communities and show what can be achieved." The UK and Irish governments must inject "leadership and energy" into last-ditch talks to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein has said. Claiming the Democratic Unionists (DUP) were still standing in the way of a deal, Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd told the governments to ramp up their involvement in the stalled negotiations. An impasse over republican demands for legislation to protect Irish language speakers is one of the main obstacles. The DUP is willing to legislate, but only if Ulster Scots speakers are included in any Act - a condition Sinn Fein has rejected. The parties have until 4pm on Thursday to nominate ministers to a new coalition executive or they face the prospect of some version of direct rule be imposed from Westminster or yet another snap Assembly election. Emerging from the talks venue at Stormont Castle in Belfast, Mr O'Dowd questioned the merit of extending the deadline to facilitate further discussions. "Timescale is not the issue," he said. "It is a willingness by the participants in the talks to resolve the outstanding issues." The Sinn Fein negotiator added: "There is clearly an onus on the governments to inject energy into these talks, to inject leadership into talks and ensure the outstanding issues are resolved in the time-scale we have left to us." The DUP has told the republican party to stop indulging in "high-wire acts" and get down to the job of delivering for the people. Ulster Unionist (UUP) leader Robin Swann said his party would not provide "cover" for the DUP if it signed up to an Irish Language Act. Revealing that the DUP and Sinn Fein did not attend a scheduled round table meeting inside the castle on Wednesday afternoon, he also warned that his party should not be taken for granted. He said there were many issues the UUP wanted to raise, including mechanisms for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles and pensions for conflict victims. "Our party will not be taken for granted in these talks or the formation of any executive," he said. Sinn Fein has hinted movement was possible on one precondition - its opposition to DUP leader Arlene Foster returning as Stormont first minister while a public inquiry into a botched green energy scheme is ongoing - if the DUP gave ground on other matters. Mrs Foster was forced from office in January when Sinn Fein's then deputy first minister, the late Martin McGuinness, quit in protest at the DUP's handling of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - a scheme that left the administration facing a 556 million euro (490 million) overspend. His move triggered a snap assembly election in March. A number of attempts to restore powersharing between the five main parties following that poll floundered, with three UK Government deadlines for a deal having already been missed. Earlier, UK Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire said failure to strike a powersharing deal would have "profound and serious" implications. He told UK MPs at Westminster: "Our focus is on seeing that an Executive is restored and I have been clear on not wanting to pre-empt what may happen should that not be the case. "Obviously there would be profound and serious implications in that context." He said he would work with all parties to see that the issues were considered carefully. Senior Democratic Unionist negotiator Edwin Poots said his party was ready to re-establish devolved government on Thursday. "We will be happy to run D'Hondt (to select ministers) tomorrow and continue with negotiations in a fair and reasonable manner to get the solutions. "It is up to Sinn Fein if they wish to do that, or if they want to break through the deadline that is a matter for them, but we are happy to nominate ministers tomorrow." He said the Irish language was a touchstone issue. "We want to show absolute respect to people's language and culture and are working extremely hard to identify what people's bottom lines are and how we can move those issues forward. "Education and health is a greater priority for me than languages. "Sinn Fein have identified language as their highest priority. "We want to work with them to try to find a way through." The British and Irish Governments are leading the talks as co-guarantors of the peace process. A Government source confirmed Dublin's "consistent position" over many years had been in favour of an Irish Language Act in Northern Ireland. AIB CEO Bernard Byrne rings the bell at the Irish Stock Exchange as Deirdre Somers, CEO of the exchange, and Richard Pym, chairman of AIB, look on AIB may eye expansion abroad but not for another three years, CEO Bernard Byrne said yesterday as the bank completed the final step of its 3.4bn share sale. As its shares went fully free for trade on the Dublin and London stock exchanges on Tuesday, Mr Byrne said the focus is on Ireland for now. AIB exited its major Polish and US investments after the crash, though it maintained a UK presence. Its IPO prompted speculation it will look to expand again as it leaves State hands. "For now it's really about efficiency in what we're doing. Beyond the three-year horizon, we'll come back and talk about that later," he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. AIB will continue to sell loan portfolios to reduce its stock of non-performing loan, he said. The bank still has "5bn to 6bn" of non-performing loans to reduce through debt restructurings and sales, he said. The State plays a limited role in the bank, he said. "We run the business very commercially on our own, the board is totally responsible for the day-to-day strategic direction of the company." Shares in AIB went free to trade unconditionally in Dublin and London yesterday, and traded at around 4.73 each through much of the session, similar to the level where the shares closed on Monday and above the 4.40 issue price. DAIRY farmers will be happy to note that the judges at the EU Court in Luxembourg have banned terms like almond milk. The court took the very sensible view that plant-based foods cannot use terms like milk, butter and cheese in their titles. But what did Taoiseach Leo Varadkar get for dessert at his first EU leaders summit dinner the other day? Well, a thing called almond milk ice-cream. It reminds me of an incident from the early 1980s, and a minor controversy when the sandwiches provided at a dairy-product promotion were found to have been buttered with margarine. Such is the unpredictability of human behaviour at times. Similarly, Brexit was not specifically on the agenda for our new Taoiseachs first summit at the end of last week. But it was in the very air around Brussels and provides the backdrop for absolutely everything that is happening in the European Union right now. For everyone in Irish farming and agribusiness, Brexit is all about avoiding a return of the border with the North and the imposition of tariffs on Irelands exports to all parts of the United Kingdom jurisdiction. But Theresa May has again insisted that Brexit means the UK will leave both the EU single market and the customs union. When you ask people who know about international trade and the EU, there is unanimity that this has to mean a return of a hard border. The people leading both sides of the EU-UK Brexit negotiations, now in their second week, have recognised the issue is so crucial, key people on both sides have been put in charge. On the British side, there is Oliver Robbins, the most senior official in the UKs dedicated Brexit Department. On the EU side, Sabine Weyand, a German-born official who is deputy to the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier. Everyone is agreed that an outcome on the future of the border is not possible until a deal is struck on the terms under which the UK exits the single market and customs union. Best estimate by Brussels diplomats right now is that may not be until autumn 2018 at earliest. Britains Finance Minister, Philip Hammond, has already suggested that some sort of temporary deal is a likely result. History teaches us that temporary solutions can persist for a very long time. But even that haphazard air about the matter suggests solutions are not evident right now. There has been much talk about using new technology to do the work previously done from those shabby customs huts, stuffed full of tedious declaration forms, dotted all along the border until the early 1990s. There are many models to ensure checks and controls are done more efficiently. But lets keep in mind that a high-tech border is just a border by any other name. It still leaves big issues around the prospect of tariffs and increased costs to do business on this island and with the adjoining island. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has, very hearteningly, strongly stated that this electronic border is not what the Irish Government wants. He says the North must be given some kind of special status, possibly maintaining a link into the EU customs union. That in itself opens other cans of worms. It could for example mean that Northern traders might face tariffs on trade with the rest of the UK. For now, the post-Brexit border has a problem for every imaginable solution. But Dublin has to maximise pressure in London, Brussels and other key EU capitals. Well keep you posted... John Downing is an Irish Independent political correspondent Irish farmers will suffer a double whammy as a result of Brexit because there is no plan to make up the shortfall in the UK contribution to the EU budget, the ICSA has warned. ICSA president Patrick Kent said Irish farmers were already paying a price for Brexit in the form of exchange rate volatility. He said farmers would not accept the added financial burden of reduced CAP payments. It is estimated that current CAP funding of 58 billion could suffer a 7-9pc reduction, or a fall of 4-5 billion, as a result of Brexit. However, Mr Kent insisted the CAP budget could not be cut as a result of the UK leaving the EU. We believe that making up the shortfall [in CAP funding] must be a priority and that each of the EU-27, including Ireland, will have to bite the bullet, he said. Speaking in Brussels last week, where ICSA was engaged in a series of lobbying meetings, Mr Kent called for increased Government efforts to protect CAP funding. It is unacceptable that Ireland pays the price for Brexit and we need the EU to understand this. While the EU focus is on ensuring that the UK cannot be seen to have a Brexit without adverse consequences, it is even more untenable that member states who remain in the EU would be the losers, Mr Kent said. ICSA pointed out that the value of the EU budget has been undermined in real terms by European Central Banks policy of quantitative easing (printing money) which has pushed up the price of inputs such as chemicals, fertilisers and diesel. The annual UK net contribution to the EU budget is not a straightforward calculation. While the 2015 UK contribution has been estimated at 13.5 billion (net of the UK rebate), the more typical net annual contribution has been around 10-11 billion. This would suggest that the net reduction in the CAP post Brexit could be in the range 4-5 billion, implying a 7-9pc reduction in CAP payments. The current 58 billion CAP budget delivers 1.5 billion in direct payments to Irelands farmers. Irish MEP Marian Harkin pointed out that while the overall cut to the last EU Budget was 10pc, the reduction to the single farm payment (SFP) was just 3pc. Ms Harkin described this concession to the agriculture sector as a recognition of its role in maintaining food security, protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of rural areas. At the time, it was said that the then Agri Commissioner, Ciolos, escaped with his budget and his life on the condition that 30pc of the budget was for Greening, Ms Harkin said. Pressure However, she accepted that there will be exceptional pressure on the next EU budget due to the withdrawal of the UK contribution, with serious doubts that it will be compensated by agreement between the remaining member states to up their contributions. The fact that the European Parliaments president Antonio Tajani recently had to refute a media report that he favoured shifting funding from agriculture to other policies is worrying, she admitted. EU Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettingers statement to representatives of COPA that a hit of 10 to 13 billion could be expected to the overall EU budget post Brexit added to farmers concerns. This would require raising member state contributions from 1pc to 1.1pc to sustain present budget levels, the Budget Commissioner said. He also stressed the need for funding migration issues, border protection and the fight against terrorism. The Brexit negotiations could mean that key discussions on the budget will be pushed back until autumn 2018, Ms Harkin predicted. In my view food security for Europe is as relevant as ever and needs to be emphasised in advocating for maintaining the agriculture budget, she said. However, equally important is to understand how vital environmental issues are going to be. An indication of this was seen in the EU parliament last week when members voted to sustain a Commission proposal to ban the use of pesticides in Ecological Focus Areas, the Irish MEP said. If we are to successfully lobby to maintain the CAP budget, next time out, it will be essential to show that CAP has delivered on environmental and biodiversity issues as well as on food security, she maintained. There is no end date envisaged for the end of splash plates, ICMSA President John Comer has said, following a meeting with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Speaking following a meeting with senior officials of the Department, in relation to the rules on applying organic fertilisers to land and, specifically, on concerns around a possible end to the use of splash plate, the President of ICMSA has expressed confidence that no such end date is envisaged and the continued use of splash plates is accepted by officials on the basis of the nature and structure of Irish farming. Angry planners believe the Department of Agriculture has attempted to lay the blame for delays to GLAS payments at their doors. Advisors stated the Department online system for submitting nutrient management plans (NMPs) has only gone live in the last few weeks after it was hit by computer glitches. However, they have reacted with anger after the Department sent out a text asking: Has your GLAS advisor sent in your nutrient management plan? If not, they must do so for your balancing payment to issue shortly. Over 22,000 GLAS applicants are awaiting the last 15pc of their payments as NMPs have not been submitted. I think it is totally and absolutely wrong for the Department of Agriculture to send out a text to farmers effectively blaming their agriculture consultant for their failure to receive their 15pc payment, said Carlow-based consultant Pat Minnock. We have been waiting patiently for the facility to submit this for over two years and it has only gone live in the last few weeks. Once it went live, the Department have moved to push the blame on to us. Mr Minnock said the NMPs are also not fit for purpose at this stage. This is mid-June. The NMP was needed for early spring to plan, not now when all fertilisers have been applied. We must also pay Teagasc for this service even though we had to use our own system for all the actual NMP. Just 13,000 applicants for GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 submitted NMPs by the June 15 deadline. These applicants are now in line to be paid the final 15pc tranche by the end of the month. Remaining applicants were once again urged to get their planners to submit the relevant NMPs as soon as possible so that payment can be made by the end of July. Overdue It is estimated that around 700 per applicant, or close to 15m in total GLAS payments, is being held up due to the NMPs. Over the last fortnight, the ICMSAs Pat Rohan has urged farmers awaiting overdue GLAS monies to contact their planner immediately to ensure that any information needed for NMPs was provided to the Department. Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture GLAS inspections are due to kick off next week. Up to 5pc, or around 1,800 of the 37,000 farmers in the scheme, will be subject to inspection. "Right, lads and ladies, it's a great privilege to be back here managing a team in Croker but finishing with a win over a Kerryman would be the icing on the cake." These were some words of encouragement from John O'Mahony - former Mayo, Leitrim and All-Ireland winning manager with Galway, - before his side McHale Shamrocks took on the Massey Kickhams, managed by Kerry GAA legend and broadcaster Pat Spillane, at the recent Macra na Feirme Croke Park Challenge Cup final. Macra made history on the day by becoming only the second charitable organisation to be allowed use of the iconic grounds in the heart of Dublin city. Over 60 players representing Macra clubs from all over Ireland, lined out, each having raised at least 1,000 in funds for Macra's broad range of support services for young farmers and rural youth nationwide. Pitch side, both bainisteoiri were eager to make the trip up the steps of the Hogan Stand to claim a national title one more time. "Look lads, I know we've done absolutely no training for this but we're here to win," said Spillane, winner of eight All-Ireland's for the Kingdom, with a mischievous grin as he revved up his squad before throw-in. Hundreds of Macra club members, family, friends and sponsors turned out to support the teams composed of some former inter-county stars, camogie players, strong club players and others with minimal GAA experience. Aogan O Fearghail, GAA president and former All-Ireland winning debating champion with Maudabawn Macra in Co Cavan, was also on hand to regale players with stories from his club days. "Macra played a huge part in my upbringing, all the young people were in it back then. We'd meet up after Mass and the debating team practiced in our parlour at home. It was a brilliant social outlet but we wanted to win too," he said. After a tight battle, McHale Shamrocks went on to edge the win, 3-13 to 3-12. However, all players received a commemorative medal at a special post-match banquet where GAA commentator Micheal O Muircheartaigh treated attendees to great tales of the early years of GAA broadcasting. Speaking afterwards, John O'Mahony said: 'Macra na Feirme and the GAA have their tentacles deep in every parish throughout rural Ireland, in that respect it makes today's occasion a great fit". Macra president James Healy paid tribute to all who made the day possible particularly team sponsors McHale Engineering, Massey Ferguson, Irish Farmer's Journal and to the GAA and Croke Park for "their enormous generosity". I sometimes think 'recovery Ireland' is like one of those fit-up, facade towns used in the making of old Western films. Everything looks real until you open the door of the saloon and you walk back into the desert. Many of the institutions in 'recovery Ireland' are like that, and none more so than the banks. Open the door of your local bank and you're walking into the desert. After 64bn of our money, they are still not functioning but have all the optics of operating financial institutions. They talk about being open for business, about being brave and ready for the stock market, but try getting a loan from them. In my role as a property scribe, I talk to auctioneers up and down the country about all sorts of things, from Brexit to bunions, and of course we talk about banks and the money supply. They all tell me the same thing: it is impossible to get loans of substance from banks and most of the land changing hands at auction and by private treaty since the crash is being bought with cash. Farmers and other landowners who made money in the boom and didn't waste it on bank shares are the primary customers for farmland. Anyone approaching mainstream financial institutions to borrow for land purchase, if they are lucky, will get 30 to 40pc of the value of what they want to buy. A dairy farmer looking to bid on the adjoining 50ac at 8,000/ac might get 3,000/ac from the bank. He or she has to come up with the remaining 250,000 in cold cash. There aren't many people in any business, least of all farming, who could lay hands on this amount of money. Those who manage to prise a loan from the main lending institutions have to provide a level of security and collateral that isn't far short of a ransom demand. A friend of mine builds houses on a small scale and also has a number of rental properties. Recently he tried to borrow 150,000 to finish the building of a home but the bank wanted the deeds of four houses before they would release the money. One auctioneer lays the blame for the housing and homelessness crises fairly and squarely at the doors of the banks: they swallowed every available taxpayer's euro to bail them out but there is nothing coming back. He claims to know three developers in the south of the country who have recently started small housing developments with the aid of private investors; they cannot get a bob from the banks. If builders have no access to money, no houses will be built; if farmers can't buy land, the industry will stagnate. In case we don't know it, austerity is alive and well and is set to continue for many a year to come. Our bailout of the banks and our vicious programme of austerity has led to a modest and fragile stabilisation that is nothing but a replica of Dodge City, a fit-up town hiding a story of appeasement, acquiescence and sell-out. Recently we saw Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan doing their laps of honour accepting national and international plaudits for saving us from the abyss. They didn't save us: they saved the international financial system. Ours was the finger in the dam in 2011. If we had told the ECB, the IMF and the European Commission that we were not asking our people to pick up the tab for the unbridled selfishness of the high financiers and their profligate clients, there could be a different story to be told around Europe and the world today. We were the ones who prevented the rotten edifice from falling and, of course, we are celebrated internationally as heroes. "If Ireland can do it, you all can." And so the ECB, the European Commission and the IMF salute us and flaunt us as the poster boys and girls of austerity and recovery, waving our pathetic example in the face of every country that shows any doubt about what is 'the right thing to do'. When Jean-Claude Trichet, the then head of the ECB, told Brian Lenihan in 2008 that he must not let a European bank fail, that was the beginning of our sacrifice on the altar of international finance - where we laid ourselves down willingly and without a word. They say that history is written by the victors and if the history of these times is sponsored by the likes of Goldman Sachs, then Lenihan, Kenny and Noonan will be hailed as heroes. And in that scheme of things, they played central roles saving a system of international finance that is predicated on transferring the wealth of the many to the few, of making the top 1pc of the world incredibly rich - an objective that can only be achieved and sustained by impoverishing the rest. As a lasting consequence, the vast majority of us are going to be poorer. The more fortunate will have zero-contract employment, huge educational debts, second-rate healthcare, exorbitant rents and no provision for old age. The less fortunate will find themselves sleeping in doorways or crammed into leaky boats crossing the Mediterranean hoping to become one of us. Send letters to: Farming Independent, Independent House, Talbot street, Dublin 1 or email: farming@independent.ie Look to local banks and Credit Unions At the recent AGM of Irish Rural Link, banks, banking and alternative financing for small businesses were discussed. Among the speakers was Harald Felzen of Sparkassen bank in Germany. This is a locally based savings and loan bank with 14,451 branches throughout the country, using local savings to service local needs. Thanks to its focus on local money and needs, it was the only German bank to come through the crisis unscathed and far from closing local branches (like all our institutions are doing) it believes its local nature is its salvation. At the same conference, Con O'Brien of Mitchelstown Credit Union pointed out that while all indigenous Irish banks based in the Republic failed during the crash, only 1pc of Credit Unions failed. At present, after all our bailout money, AIB is said to be worth about 9bn, BoI 8bn - but the Credit Unions are worth 28bn. Meanwhile, they are being set upon by the Central Bank and by Government and excluded from the mortgage market, from the business loan market and for the most part from the farm loan market. They are left to encourage members to borrow for products such as new cars, with some provision for education or home improvements. Something is wrong somewhere. An elite flock of ewes imported by Teagasc Athenry from New Zealand are delivering higher lamb output than the best of their Irish counterparts. Teagasc's Noirin McHugh said the early results of the trial involving 100 ovine All-Blacks showed their lambs record higher daily gains and were finishing at 155 days, compared to 164 days for lambs from their elite Irish counterparts. "There are some farmers who would like to try out the New Zealand rams but we haven't released any for sale yet," said Ms McHugh. "The big thing that the Irish farmers are looking for is the easy lambing and the fact our results are showing they have less lambing difficulty and require less labour at lambing seems to be the big advantage." Two rams were put out on the Teagasc BETTER farms last year to assess how they are performing on commercial flocks. The Teagasc trial of 180 ewes is comparing the New Zealand Suffolk-Texel cross ewes to an Irish high Euro-Star Suffolk -Texel flock and a low ranked flock. The study reported similar birth weights but found that only 2.2pc of the Kiwi flock had birthing difficulties compared to 13pc of the elite Irish and 9pc of the low ranked Irish flocks. This may be due to an emphasis over many years on easy lambing on larger farms in New Zealand, said Ms McHugh. The ewe milk yield was higher in the New Zealand flock, but overall lamb mortality was 6pc. This compared to 3.6pc in the elite Irish, and 9.7pc in the low Irish. Traits However, 96pc of the New Zealand lambs were drafted from grass, compared with 82pc of the elite Irish and just 69pc of the low index Irish. "The New Zealand ewe is definitely performing well in the Irish system on the traits we have measured to date," said Ms McHugh. "The good news for the sheep indexes here is the five star ewe is outperforming the one star. You are producing a heavier lamb and more of those live lambs on the ground. It is good to see the indexes are following through." Dr McHugh added that the trial would help them to look at the different emphasis the New Zealand index may be targetting to get increased benefits for sheep farmers. She said it would indicate whether they should put increased weighting on lambing difficulty. I rang a neighbour last week looking for the loan of a machine. During the conversation he mentioned how annoyed he was with his latest Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) evaluation for his stockbull, which had fallen from a five-star to a two-star bull (across breeds) in the past year. This is a real good farmer so I knew that this was a genuine complaint. It also came on the back of a series of chats with farmers over recent months expressing their disquiet with the apparent litany of issues surrounding the ICBF over the last year. Here are some of those issues as I see them. Has the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) too much influence on the board of ICBF through its direct involvement in Progressive Genetics (PG) and Munster AI? PG and Munster board members account for almost a third of the board. Other board members would also have close connections to the NCBC operation. But the NCBC plays a pivotal role in the national breeding programme with the most homebred bulls on annual test. Why did the ICBF discourage any dairy farmer from signing breeding contracts with New Zealand AI company LIC? The NCBC had secured 32 'Keystone herds for its own breeding contracts. Talking to Keystone herd owners, they seem very happy with the three year deals they have entered with NCBC, especially given the possibility of flogging a bull calf to the stud for as much as 25,000. This is an Irish business seeking to develop the best of Irish breeding. Should they be treated differently from a foreign breeding company? Absolutely. Why has there been so little progress made on sexed semen when it has the potential to avoid a PR disaster with unwanted crossbred dairy bull calves? I believe that it is up to the farmer shareholders of the AI companies to force their management to be more proactive on this. The trial some years back proved that sexed semen has a role but it needs real support from the AI studs to make it main-stream. What about the tension between the ICBF and pedigree beef breeders and moves towards whole herd evaluations? For me, whole herd evaluations are the only way to avoid interference by unscrupulous breeders. The introduction of a 'bull finder' function where any farmer will be able to search out the best stockbulls from any of the herds registered for whole herd evaluation will be a real incentive for more pedigree herds to go this way. Why should the ICBF be entitled to a compulsory levy on tags, as is being mooted for next year? Ever since the Department of Agriculture allowed tag companies to make the contribution to the ICBF optional, a significant chunk of farmers have chosen to stop paying. That's fine if you don't care about the future of the country's breeding industry, but it ignores key contributions by the ICBF to cattle breeding in Ireland. For example, research shows the progeny from a five star cow are 10kg heavier and a month earlier to slaughter than progeny from a one star cow. Other studies suggest that the EBI has put an extra 631m into dairy farmers' pockets since its introduction. That figure is set to rise to over 1bn over the next five years. If you don't believe the independent analysis, consider why geneticists from so many other countries have come over to Ireland to see how they can replicate what the ICBF have achieved. The research and data crunching can't be funded by commercial interests because this would eventually compromise the direction of breeding programmes. Why was there a cock-up in the most recent dairy bull evaluations, and just how long has the problem been going on for? In the same way that you upgrade the software on your phone apps, the ICBF is constantly upgrading the software that generates the genetic info that drives our breeding programmes. Unfortunately for the ICBF, and especially farmers, that last upgrade chose to omit certain bits of data on milk and fertility when it was transferring across the information. Zeros were inserted instead, and bulls with minus figures in these traits got the benefit, while others with plus scores were unfairly penalised. Because the amount of data missing altered the EBIs for bulls by no more than 40 either way, it wasn't statistically significant enough to set off alarm bells with the geneticists tasked with over-seeing this process. For this reason the problem went unnoticed for a few years before it was flagged. Is this good enough? No, and the ICBF have since been audited in an effort to improve their cross-checks to prevent something like this happening again. Why did some bulls' EBIs drop by over 100 when the evaluations were re-engineered? I'm told that at the same time the reference population for fertility traits was upgraded for the first time in two years. As genetic advances continue, what was a good fertility score two years ago is now a middle-of-the-road one. Why does this upgrade only happen every two years? It takes more than one geneticist from two to three months to run the update. Again, this is being worked on and, in the future, updates in the reference population will be a push-button job. So what about my neighbour's bull that was a five star chap just 12 months ago and is now rated a two star - how can we had confidence in figures that do that? The bull was rated a five star bull on the basis of his genomic test. These are almost twice as reliable as the old predictions based on pedigrees which had reliabilities closer to 30pc. But no matter how good your genomic test is, it still isn't as reliable as the proof generated by the daughters on the ground, which brings a bull's reliability closer to 70pc. The downside is that you have to wait around for four or five years to get facts on how a bull's daughters are performing from the time of his birth. Genomics wipes five years off that timeline, and hence the massive advances in breeding in recent years. What changed this year for my neighbour's bull was the inclusion of data from his daughters. They were scored by the farmer as having less milk than the average animal in the herd. As he acknowledged himself, the calf from the cow with plenty of milk is always the one that kills out best at the end too - in other words, milk yield is key. In this case the bull is producing progeny that are a lot worse than his genes otherwise predicted. You would be forgiven for thinking that the genomic test is no more accurate than the old pedigree proofs. The reality is that sometimes genomics loses, but on average it is twice as likely to win. Fortunately, the way the Beef Data Genomics Programme is structured, once your bull has been registered as a five star, he stays that way in terms of qualifying for the payment. The obvious downside is that you have to work that bit harder on reversing the damage done to his daughters' indexes for future generations. But that's the breeding game isn't it? In the same way that breeding requires a really long-term view and a bit of faith, farmers need to keep the faith in the ICBF. It's a strange thing to urge in relation to something that is so fundamentally rooted in science and facts, but confidence can be a delicate flower. Irish tillage farmers are facing difficulties in achieving high yields, necessary for profitability, due to the reduced availability of products and crop resistance. The head of the Teagasc Crops Research programme, John Spink has said that profitable tillage production in Ireland is dependent on high yields. Farming is at a crossroads. Ramping-up food production to meet targets under the Government's Food Wise 2025 plan means there's pressure to increase output and intensify, but at the same time farmers are expected to comply with increasingly-stringent environmental regulations. Many are failing. Figures from the Department of Agriculture show that thousands are failing to comply with rules under the Nitrates Directive, which limits the amount of nitrogen allowed on land. Of 7,000 farms with derogations under the directive, allowing them a higher application limit, some 12pc failed to comply. Of the remaining 130,000 without a derogation, the failure rate stands at 30pc. That has a financial cost, senior inspector with the Department of Agriculture Jack Nolan told the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Water Forum in Galway. Some 2m in fines were levied last year. In addition, creameries are now threatening to cut the price of a litre of milk by 5c/l unless farmers can prove they're operating to the Bord Bia Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme standards. "Compliance levels haven't improved. We are inspecting and penalising, we're taking money back from farmers but it's not proving effective. We have a strong inspection regime but it's not working," Mr Nolan said. "In 2007, we had 4,500 farmers with a derogation, this year we have 7,000. It's likely these numbers will increase. "Farmers are intensifying. It was 60 cows per herd, it's now 100. The average age of farmers is 58 years, but for dairying it's lower. We're finding young farmers are a problem, too, because they're under such pressure to expand. Farmers are not buying into it. They do it out of fear of inspection. They don't see the value." He points to the requirement for farmers to calculate how much nitrogen and phosphorous can be safely spread on the land, which adds an "extra layer" of difficulty. Just over 20pc of all land surveyed is believed to be in optimal condition. Mr Nolan suggests that most land doesn't have the right level of phosphorous, nitrogen and lime. "Part of that is fear of regulation, costs, and in part due to a lack of education. It will lead to problems down the road. You can't keep increasing output if you're running down the soil. "Farmers are delighted when I leave the yard (after inspections). The reason is they don't trust us. There's a fear attached when the Department of Agriculture comes. That's not the way it should be." Some 400,000 jobs are in water-intensive industries including food production and agriculture, meaning the links between farming and clean waters are critically important. Major challenges exist. The EPA says that in 1996, 4pc of our waters, including rivers and lakes, were classified as 'pristine'. That has now dropped to 0.7pc. On the other hand, 20 years ago some 77km of river channel were classed as 'seriously polluted', which has fallen to 6km. But there are now an additional one million cattle on the land, which is increasing pressures. The numbers will grow -since the removal of milk quotas in 2015, the number of dairy cows has increased by 300,000. It is projected to rise by 6pc this year, and 6pc in 2018. That puts further pressure on already stressed water bodies, with the EPA saying that of 4,000 river and lake water bodies, 1,360 - or 34pc - are at risk, often from multiple sources. Senior catchment scientist at the EPA Jenny Deakin points out that half of all at-risk water bodies face multiple-pressures - agriculture, urban wastewater treatment plants, forestry and extractive industries including mining and peat production. "The greatest number of water bodies are impacted by agriculture, but there's no surprise there because agriculture is by far the biggest land use," she said. "It's particularly challenging due to the number of water bodies, the diverse number of landholders involved, the lack of resources on the farm to take actions and the multiple agencies and players. A one-size-fits-all solution won't work." Many suggest now is the time for debate and to put in place measures to help farmers become greener and reduce the impact of their activities on water courses and the wider environment. Debate Chair of the National Water Forum Tom Collins says things have changed a lot in the last two decades. "We do need a debate," he told the conference. "I think farming is at a tipping point around the environment. It has learned that clean water is an essential ingredient, and that is a shared preoccupation with the farming community. "Farming is at a perfect tipping point where it is realising that it is very much in its interest to get behind this project. That is an enormous development from where we were 20 years ago." Work is happening on the ground. Under the National Dairy Sustainability Initiative, 180 farms will be chosen by early autumn as test sites for a range of environmental works. The Local Authority Water and Communities Office (LAWCO) is working with farmers, angling groups, local development companies and others to highlight concerns and set out possible solutions. Thomas Ryan, executive with the IFA's environment and rural affairs committee, asks that people "walk in our shoes" and look at environmental work on the ground. "There's so much happening, and more can be achieved because we can't afford to get it wrong. The journey we're on is a journey of collaboration." Dr Donal Daly from the EPA agrees, saying the future is collaboration and not diktats. "Farmers don't like being told what to do and we have to take that into account. Farmers are custodians of the rural environment, and we have to see how we can assist them. "Most farmers' contacts with the environment are in the form of inspections, and many fear inspections. We need to move away from that." Many Irish businesses are stagnating because they're left with "reluctant owners" who are put off from selling because of the high capital gains tax rate, experts have claimed. The Irish Tax Institute (ITI) said entrepreneurs who have done all they can with a business won't sell when they should because of the CGT rate. Budget 2017 saw a reduced rate of 10pc, down from 33pc, applying to the disposal in whole or in part of a business up to an overall limit of 1m. But the ITI said businesses that have taken years of effort and commitment to grow can often generate more than a 1m gain. "We're hearing from lots of different sources that Irish businesses are in many cases stagnating," said Cora O'Brien, tax policy director. "Because of the high CGT rate, business owners won't sell out at a point where they should be selling out because they're maybe waiting for the rate to go down, or they don't want to pay a third of the gain. "Whatever the reason, that's not a good place to be. You end up with reluctant business owners who have come to the end of what they can do with the business and if you want to scale it any further, you're not releasing that opportunity and the possibility for growing the business and growing the jobs." Its estimated that the capital gains tax rate on a 10m gain would still be in the order of almost 31pc. The ITI said the headline rate of 33pc is the fourth-highest rate among the 35 countries in the OECD. Ahead of today's National Economic Dialogue, the lobby group said a sharply focused tax strategy for Irish indigenous firms is now needed if the Government's ambitions to diversify exports can be realised. An ITI survey found 84pc of companies believe the current tax policies on Irish homegrown businesses need to be improved upon in Budget 2018. Just over half export to the UK, while 56pc of companies export beyond the UK. About two-thirds of them expect their exporting business to be higher in 18 months' time. "Of concern is the fact that almost all companies who don't export beyond the UK at the moment do not see themselves doing so in the next 18 months or so," ITI said in a new report on the need for a tax strategy to boost indigenous exports. This is despite the fact that Enterprise Ireland is trying to persuade companies to diversify away from Britain. The deep-water drilling-ship, Stena IceMAX is en-route to the JV Partners site off the west coast of Ireland Photo: Providence Resources/PA Wire Providence Resources and its partners, collectively know as JV Partners, has confirmed that the deep-water drilling-ship, Stena IceMAX is en-route to its site off the west coast of Ireland. The news comes after the after the exploration company had its drilling licence for the southern Porcupine Basin site extended to 2025. It is expected that the ship will arrive at the site by 3 July 2017. Read More: Helicopter group CHC to provide services to Irish oil and gas exploration company Providence Resources The company said that a further operational update would be provided once the actual drilling operations have commenced, which it said is subject to final Ministerial consent from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Robert Watt intervened in the discussion at Dublin Castle today to tell Dr Sean Healy, director of Social Justice Ireland, that he should provide data as supposed to supposition. Dr Healy had earlier said a presentation showing that Ireland was listed 11th in a global ranking focused on social progress wasnt credible, claiming it doesnt reflect the experience of many Irish people. All we have to do is think in terms of social housing waiting lists, education models in primary and third level, healthcare waiting lists, trollies in hospitals, affordable childcare and lack of affordable childcare, rural broadband. I could spend my whole [allocated speaking time of] three minutes listing out things, Dr Healy said at the National Economic Dialogue at Dublin Castle. But more importantly, the results are not consistent with the sustainable progress index,, which Dr Healy said compared Ireland to other EU countries, and has been developed to show how Ireland is performing on the United Nations sustainable development goals. Published earlier this year, it ranked Ireland 11th out of 15 EU countries. Read more: Boring' Brexit a turn-off, says RTE editor But Mr Watt, secretary general of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, urged Dr Healy to provide data, saying we needed to have a facts-based discussion. Its unfair to say that people havent benefited from the recovery, he said, adding the numbers at work had risen. Bring your data, lets see your data, as supposed to supposition, Mr Watt said. Dr Healy responded by saying the reply by Mr Watt was uninformed. We are much further down than [the Social Progress] index suggests. When we make a proposal, or make a criticism, it is based on the data, Dr Healy said. I didnt say that nobody has benefited I simply said that there are a whole stack of people that dont recognise this progress that is being identified. What were simply saying is that the country is in danger of polarising because it is failing to understand the experience of life that is the reality for an awful lot of people. Mr Watt replied by saying he would like to see Dr Healy point out some positive things in the country. What are the positive things happening in relation to education, infrastructure, improvements in the labour market? Mr Watt said. Id been very interested to hear your perspective on things that are going well. He said Irish people are living the longest ever and the healthiest lives ever in our history. Lets have a debate which is informed by the data. Read more: Revenue hires 100 staff in tax evasion crackdown Manor Farm, the largest chicken processor in Ireland, is being acquired by Scandi Standard in a deal that values the eighth-generation based business at 94m. The consideration is a mix of cash, stock and a so-called earn-out that will be paid if Manor Farm hits targets following the sale. Manor Farm which dates back to 1775, sources and processes approximately 50pc of all fresh chicken sold in the Irish retail market. Around 130 farmers are currently contracted as chicken growers at the Bord Bia certified company, while a further 43 farmers are contracted as chicken breeders. The company, which operates its own feed mill close to its processing plant in Shercock, Co Cavan employs over 800 staff. At the end of 2016, Manor Farm, which is owned through an unlimited company, had revenues of 164m and earnings of 13m last year. Sweden's Scandi Standard will pay 36m including cash and the assumption of outstanding debt. Further payments of up to 25m will be made under an earn-out agreement that runs to 2020. Brothers Vincent and Justin Carton, who own 85pc of Manor Park, will also get a combined 9.99pc of Scandi Standard under the deal, and remain to head up the Irish business under the earn-out agreement. Vincent Carton said Manor Farm had found a partner that will "build on our strong relationships with customers, employees, suppliers and the broader communities in which we operate". "They understand our business and our commitment to our people. "We're the best at what we do, and Scandi Standard is committed to continuing that," he said. Headquartered in Stockholm, Scandi Standard sells Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish chicken under the Kronfagel, Danpo, Den stolte Hane and Naapurin Maalaiskana brands. In May it reported operating income of SEK 58.1m (5.95m) for the first three months of 2017.] This was down 14pc on the same period in 2016. West Virginia was one of Senor Trumpanzees best-performing states. He buried Clinton-- 489,371(68.5%) to a pathetic 188,794 (26.4%). She didnt campaign there and she didnt have a message for West Virginias working families that might lead them to believe life might improve for them if they voted for her. Today you hear some people-- who identify themselves as progressives-- saying that West Virginias poor deserve Medicaid cuts because the state voted so overwhelmingly for Trump. Take that you awful resident of a state that backed Trump. Its pretty disgusting, like all forms of collective punishment. The biggest county in the state is Kanawha, home of the states biggest city, Charleston, where Bernies Save Our Health Care rally drew a couple of thousand enthusiastic West Virginians Sunday night. Trump beat Hillary badly in Kanawha-- 43,464 (58.0%) to 27,985 (37.3%). She was the wrong candidate. And folks there told Democrats that in the primary. Bernie won in the primary. In fact, he took every single county in the state-- 123,860 (51.4%) to 86,354 (35.8%). Trump got more votes than Bernie did in Kanawha, but not many more. Trump got 13,936 votes and Bernie got 13,480 votes. Close-- a lot closer than Trump/Clinton. Other counties in West Virginia showed that people were hungry for a populist message of hope and more people turned out for Bernie than for Trump. Some were very close, like Brooke County, where Bernie got 1,966 votes and Senor Trumpanzee did nearly as well with 1,963 votes. And, no, thats not because the Republican field was so strong; quite the contrary. Ted Cruz was the runner up in Boone and he only got 176 votes. Hillary came in second and she got 1,489 votes. Across the state, the Republicans were much more unified behind Trump, while Democrats preferred Bernie but with virtually all counties giving Hillary far better numbers than the other Republicans competing. In Brooke, for example, this was the score: And I just grabbed Brooke County randomly because its a couple of miles from Pennsylvania to the east and Ohio to the west. Lets look at some other West Virginia counties that looked at the candidates and went to the primary and picked Bernie over both Hillary and Trump. Boone: Bernie- 2,410; Trumpanzee- 1,388 Braxton: Bernie- 1,321;Trumpanzee- 861 Calhoun: Bernie- 803; Trumpanzee- 480 Clay: Bernie- 754; Trumpanzee- 568 Fayette: Bernie- 3,585; Trumpanzee- 2,683 Gilmer: Bernie- 643; Trumpanzee- 433 Lincoln: Bernie- 1,510; Trumpanzee- 1,193 Logan: Bernie- 3,201; Trumpanzee- 1,665 Marion: Bernie- 5,324; Trumpanzee- 4,035 McDowell: Bernie- 1,473; Trumpanzee- 760 Mingo: Bernie-2,425; Trumpanzee- 1,161 Monongalia: Bernie- 8,096; Trumpanzee- 5,971 Randolph: Bernie- 2,492; Trumpanzee- 2,206 Wayne: Bernie- 2,898; Trumpanzee- 2,662 Webster: Bernie- 837; Trumpanzee- 423 Wetzel: Bernie- 1744; Trumpanzee- 1.096 And, no, these are not all college towns. This is a cross section of West Virginia counties, where people were eager to hear a message that would left their families lives. They heard it most convincingly not from Clinton and not even from Trump, but from Bernie. Monongalia, for example, whose county seat in Morgantown, is the third biggest county in the state. Bernie killed Trump there. Mingo is smack up against Kentucky in the southwest corner of the state-- "the bloodiest county in America, where Obama only got 8% of the primary vote in 2008. The is coal county, as are Logan and McDowell, both right next door. And all 3 gave far more votes to Bernie that day than to Senor Trumpanzee. They wanted change but most of them wanted good change, not bad change. No, these people dont deserve the misery Trumpcare is going to bury them in. This is ground zero in the opioid epidemic. These desperate folks need help-- the kind of help Bernie promised, not the thin tissue of lies Trump spouted off to them only to be served the nightmare of Trumnpcare now. And, by the way even though Bernie crush Hillary in the primary, Wassermann Schultz had the rules all fixed up nice so that he only won one more delegate than she did. With friends like that behind the curtain, who needs a message? And who needs to bother campaigning? No wonder so many Bernie primary voters, pulled their levers for Trump rather than Hillary in the general election! They recognized Wassermann Schultz was fucking the country-- and after she got fired from the DNC, Hillary gave her a job in her campaign. The crooked monstrosity is still in Congress too-- help Tim Canova beat her in the Democratic primary here Ready for some tears? A lot of desperate Trump voters-- who couldnt connect to Clinton and didnt trust something about her for some reason-- may be starting to feel a little buyers remorse. Not the dyed-in-the-wool racist scum that part of his base would rather die from lack of healthcare than see a black presidents policies make life better for their own families, but enough of them to make a difference if the Democrats dont run another establishment corporate shill next time. Look at those poor Carrier workers in Indiana, for example. Do you think some of them got suckered by the breezy Trumpanzee lies tisane their jobs? Theyre learning what Trumps word means now. CBS News just reported that Trumps lies are coming back to bite his voters in the ass as 600 of their jobs head south to Monterey, Mexico, along with millions of dollars then-Governor Pence paid Carrier to keep the plant open. 600 thats a lot of families who just figured out that working people cant count on Trump or Pence or the GOP. A promise made before Christmas is fizzling before the Fourth of July. In December, then-President-elect Trump told hundreds of workers at the Carrier manufacturing plant that he had worked out a deal to save their jobs. But it's not working out that way. A steady downpour today did little to wash away the fact that the jobs of 600 union employees are going south. "They're going to Monterrey, Mexico," said Robert James, president of the local union. Reynolds said he felt betrayed, since Mr. Trump told workers during his December visit to the plant that 1,100 jobs would be saved. "And by the way, that number is going to go up very substantially as they expand this area, this plant," Mr. Trump said. "So the 1,100 is going to be a minimum number." Blasting companies for moving American jobs abroad was a feature of the Trump campaign, and saving the Carrier jobs was touted as a sign of Mr. Trump's bargaining prowess. "You're going to have a good Christmas," he said at the plant. But the truth is that 400 of the 1,100 jobs Mr. Trump mentioned were white-collar positions that were never going away. Only 700 union jobs were saved. Six hundred others will be lost, and Carrier is not paying a price. The company actually received a $7 million incentive package from Indiana to keep the plant open with a reduced work force. "That is what he said was not going to happen," James said. "That's what he told all of us." "And a lot of these people voted for Mr. Trump" with the understanding that he would save their jobs, James added. Duane Oreskovic voted for the president, and is among those losing their jobs. "I liked this job. This was a job that I actually wanted to retire from," Oreskovic said. "It's not going to happen any more." At the White House Friday, press secretary Sean Spicer said the job cuts here were long-planned and nothing new. The first round of layoffs will take effect next month, and the second in December-- three days before Christmas. I know what you want to know now-- who won the primary in Indiana. Yeah, Bernie beat Hillary there too-- 335,256 (52.5%) to 303,382 (47.5%). Wassermann Schultz struck there too, of course. Bernies victory brought him 44 convention delegates almost as many as Clintons loss brought her (47). And in Monroe County, where Bloomington is the county seat, Bernie beat Hillary 15,166 (65.3%) to 8,063 (34.7%) while Trump got fewer votes than either of them (7,259). In fact, Bernie beat the combined vote of all 9 Republicans on the ballot combined! And in Marion County, where the Carrier plant is, Hillary and Bernie were in a virtual dead heat in the primary-- but each of them beat Trump by around 10,000 votes. In fact, Hillary and Bernie beat Trump and Cruz 128,448 to 89,392. UPDATE: Marist Poll before the CBO report was released yesterday-- shows that just 17% of Americans approve of the TrumpCare bill McConnell had to postpone voting on. Only 8% of Democrats, 13% of Independents and even just a sad 35% of Republicans like this quintessential Republican bill! Those are startlingly low numbers that will probably go down once people focus on the warnings of danger to society inherent in the CBO report. The poll also shows that independent voters are increasingly The new poll released this morning-- but takenthe CBO report was released yesterday-- shows that just 17% of Americans approve of the TrumpCare bill McConnell had to postpone voting on. Only 8% of Democrats, 13% of Independents and even just a sad 35% of Republicans like this quintessential Republican bill! Those are startlingly low numbers that will probably go down once people focus on the warnings of danger to society inherent in the CBO report. The poll also shows that independent voters are increasingly souring on the way Trump is handling the economy , a plurality of all Americans now agreeing that he and his team of plutocrats and misfits have weakened it. EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Google had denied other companies a chance to compete by promoting its own comparison shopping service. Photo: Getty Images The European Commission has fined Google 2.4bn for abuse of its dominant position as a search engine in giving its own shopping comparison service an unfair boost. The penalty is the biggest-ever fine handed down by Brussels on a business in a competition case. Under the ruling, Google has 90 days to change its practices or face a fine of up to 5pc of global daily turnover. "Google's strategy for its comparison shopping service wasn't just about attracting customers," said EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. "It wasn't just about making its product better than those of its rivals. Instead, Google has abused its market dominance as a search engine." Google's chief counsel, Kent Walker, said that the search giant would consider appealing the decision. He said that the Commission is behind the times on technology adoption. "We believe the European Commission's online shopping decision underestimates the value of those kinds of fast and easy connections," he said. "While some comparison shopping sites naturally want Google to show them more prominently, our data show that people usually prefer links that take them directly to the products they want, not to websites where they have to repeat their searches." The Commission found that Google, with a market share in searches of over 90pc in most European countries, had systematically given prominent placement in searches to its own comparison shopping service and demoted those of rivals in search results. Ms Vestager said in a statement that Google had "denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. "Most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation." The company will have to brief the Commission on what measures it plans to take within 60 days. Eight complainants were involved in the case which the EU declined to name in line with its policy. The EU fine is also supported by US companies such as Oracle, who previously accused the search giant of "stifling innovation". The Commission has also charged Google with using its Android mobile operating system to the disadvantage of rivals. The case could potentially be very damaging for the company, as it is the system used in most smartphones. It has also been accused of blocking rivals in online search advertising. Google is one of Ireland's largest employers, with over 6,000 people at work in its Dublin offices. The Swedish actor who also found fame playing Hollywood villains had battled lung cancer for a year, a representative said. The Swedish star, also known for playing villains in John Wick and Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, died surrounded by his family after battling lung cancer for a year, a representative said. In a statement on behalf of his family on Tuesday, he was paid tribute to as one of Swedens most respected and accomplished actors. Expand Close Nyqvist starred in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films (Henrik Montgomery/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nyqvist starred in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films (Henrik Montgomery/AP) According to Variety, the statement added: Michaels joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him. Nyqvist played the lead role of Mikael Blomkvist in the trilogy of films adapted from Stieg Larssons books. Daniel Craig would revive the role in the American adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Nyqvist played a villain opposite Keanu Reeves in John Wick and was Tom Cruises nemesis in the 2011 Mission: Impossible film. He was born in Stockholm to Swedish and Italian parents but they put him in an orphanage before he was adopted as a baby, according to his website. His wife Catharina and their children Ellen and Arthur survive him, according to reports. Michael Nyqvist, the star of the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo films, has died at the age of 56, his family has announced. The Swedish star, also known for playing villains in John Wick and Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, died surrounded by his family after battling lung cancer for a year, a representative said. In a statement on behalf of his family on Tuesday, he was paid tribute to as one of Swedens most respected and accomplished actors. Expand Close Nyqvist starred in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films (Henrik Montgomery/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nyqvist starred in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films (Henrik Montgomery/AP) According to Variety, the statement added: Michaels joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him. Nyqvist played the lead role of Mikael Blomkvist in the trilogy of films adapted from Stieg Larssons books. Daniel Craig would revive the role in the American adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Nyqvist played a villain opposite Keanu Reeves in John Wick and was Tom Cruises nemesis in the 2011 Mission: Impossible film. He was born in Stockholm to Swedish and Italian parents but they put him in an orphanage before he was adopted as a baby, according to his website. His wife Catharina and their children Ellen and Arthur survive him, according to reports. Graham Norton and his mother Rhoda at a private event in The National Gallery of Ireland A new RTE documentary has shown Graham Nortons mother Rhonda's less than complimentary reaction to the unveiling of her sons portrait in the National Gallery of Ireland. The unveiling features in RTE documentary Portrait of a Gallery which details the extensive refurbishment of the gallery. Having taken a look at the artwork, Rhonda turns and tells artist Gareth Reid; Well, you didnt flatter him, mind you. Norton, trying to recover from the situation says theres no need for flattery before thanking Reid. Grahams mother Rhonda also tells artist that the piece is so informal looking. It later turned out that Reid, who won the commission after being crowned Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2017, was a relation of Nortons which was a cause of embarrassment for both of them. "You didn't flatter him". Graham Norton's mother tells is as she sees it tonight on Portrait of a Gallery at 9.35pm @NGIreland pic.twitter.com/B1jhnFyvts RTE One (@RTEOne) June 27, 2017 Hour long documentary Portrait of A Gallery was shot over the course of three years as the Milltown and Dargan Wings are repaired. The show, which feels like a very expensive version of Room to Improve, follows the highs and lows of the building project as the team work around logistical nightmares, bad weather and the discovery of a well in the foundations of the building. The project which cost around 25 million carried out essential works on the two buildings which become tinderboxes that housed some of the most valuable art in Ireland. The Director of the NGI, Sean Rainbird said many galleries and museums are wary of taking part in such documentaries, after a backstage BBC documentary titled on the Royal Opera House titled The House. In the film, the British institution was depicted as being full of gloomy staff, cursing directors and disgruntled opera-goers. Because of that institutions can be wary but the film captures the breadth and depth of work that went on over the course of the years, he said. Video of the Day A gallery has a lot of stuff going on backstage, a lot of it is back of house and a lot of it you dont see. So I think this documentary shows the work that went into the refurbishment. For the past six years, 80pc of the Gallery was closed despite this numbers of people visiting the gallery have increased last year a record 750,000 stopped by. Rainbird believes rotating temporary exhibitions may have contributed to this. We had Leonardos drawings, Sean Scully and Lines of Vision exhibitions that have all done very well. In the documentary viewers also meet staff who worked laboriously on the refurbishment. Among them are Adriaan Waiboer (Head of Collections and Research), Brendan Rooney (Irish Art) and Adrian Le Harivel (British Art) as they meticulously prepare for months in advance of the re-hang. Portrait of a Gallery was produced & directed by Adrian McCarthy / Wildfire Films and made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It will air on RTE One on Tuesday 27 June at 9.35pm. Angela's Ashes the musical has as many comedic moments as tragic moments, according to the director and stars of the show. A sneak preview of the production reveals the tone more closely resembles that of Frank McCourt's 1996 memoir than the rather grim big screen adaptation which was released in 1999. The book tells the story of McCourt's childhood starting out in Brooklyn, New York, but mainly focusing on family life in Limerick in the 1940s when his mother had to raise her family in poverty with an alcoholic husband. "It's associated with tragedy but there is also joy, hope, and optimism," says director Thom Sutherland, while star Jacinta Whyte, who plays the matriarch Angela, adds, "It is as funny as it is sad." "I loved the book and then I saw the film and I thought, 'Oh I don't really like that. It's a big grim and boring and everybody died," she adds. "Then I was sent this script and I thought okay, this is as funny as it is sad. One minute she's crying over the baby dying and then next Frankie is making his communion and his granny is spitting on his hair to make his hair stay down." Jacinta, who has had roles in productions as diverse as Les Mis, Miss Saigon, Greece, Aspects of Love and The American Wife, describes it as "a combination of Les Miserables and an Irish Blood Brothers." It's an original musical with original songs including a very emotional number called River Shannon, which is sung by Angela after the death of one of her children, and is one of Jactina's favourites, although she says there are some very enjoyable funny numbers too. Playing Angela, who was a real person, comes with a little pressure, as Jactina hopes to do the woman justice with her portrayal. "Everybody keeps saying she's downtrodden and the Irish pious woman but I think there's a real core of strength," she says. "Most of the Irish women I know are very strong women. If you think back, way, way back what these people had to put up with, the kind of poverty they lived in, and they survived. "For me Angela's core is her strength. The things she goes through, losing her children, her husband's an alcoholic and walking out on her, she's left to forage and look after these kids as best she can, begging at the St Vincent De Paul charity, begging at the church door for the priest's leftover dinner. It's still happening today." Video of the Day She adds, "I'm looking at my nana's era, and my nana's mother's era and what they went through and the poverty. Men worked and women stayed at home with the children and they could only feed them if the men didn't drink the money in the pub. "There is pressure [playing Angela] because I want to be true to Angela. She was a real woamn. She lived and breathed." The late Frank McCourt's younger brother Malachy, who is played by young actor Emmet Byrne in the musical, is still alive and will come to see the show when it opens in Limerick next month. Frank's widow Ellen has also been behind the production from the beginning. "I hope what I bring that Malachy won't say, 'My mother wasn't like that at all.'" says Jacinta. "I hope what you're lifting from the book and what you're doing portrays it. All you can do as an actor or actress is read what you can take and then apply in layer upon layer. "When I look at Emmet and Owen who are playing my sons I ask how I would deal with my own son [Callum (14)] in that situation. How would I deal with a husband if he was a drunken alcoholic? Thankfully mine isn't - he's a gorgeous pussycat - but what would I do?" Being an Irish mammy has helped her with the role, she laughs, "I might live in the UK with an English husband and an English son but there's an Irish mammy at the core!" Angela's Ashes will play Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick from 6 -15 July, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin from 18 30 July and Grand Opera House, Belfast from 1 5 August. Tickets are on sale now. Tom of Finland Organic Vodka (40% ABV) is a new super-premium spirit distilled in Finland from organic wheat and rye and has been launched in the UK market. The vodka is inspired by the pioneering Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen (1920-1991, known as Tom of Finland), and is 100% organic with no added sugar. Tom of Finland Organic Vodka celebrates the life and art of Finnish-born Touko Laaksonen, widely regarded as one of the 20th centurys most influential artists for his revolutionary representation of the male figure. We wanted to create a super premium Finnish vodka that truly embodies Tom of Finland something bold, daring, flirtatious and playful, just like the artists renowned work, said Olli Hietalahti, CEO of Spirit of Tom. A percentage of profit from each bottle will be donated to the Tom of Finland Foundation, a charity dedicated to promoting tolerant attitudes towards sexuality and the preservation of erotic art. Tom of Finlands work has rippled through gay as well as straight culture worldwide, synonymous with freedom of rights and freedom of expression influencing the aesthetic of cultural icons such as Freddie Mercury and trends including modern civil rights movements. Today his work can be seen in galleries around the world, pop-culture and film. Tom of Finland literature and artwork is commonplace in collectors bookshops and metropolitan gay neighbourhoods. The organic vodka is being launched in the UK (RRP 32.50) to coincide with the release of biographical film Tom of Finland, directed by Finnish director Dome Karukoski to tell the story of the artists extraordinary life. Dublin's Chief Fire Officer has called for more resources for local authorities to carry out fire safety inspections, in wake of the Grenfell tower tragedy in London. Patrick Fleming said that the resources are needed to prevent such tragedies that left 79 people dead. Lord Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha welcomed the call saying that on-site inspections are needed. "The Grenfell tragedy in London has again highlighted the need for absolute vigilance in fire prevention and fire safety. I welcome the call by Chief Fire Officer Patrick Fleming for more resources for local authorities to carry out building control inspections." He added that the current system was introduced in the wake of the evacuation of the Priory Hall apartment complex. "That near tragedy showed the failure of the self-certification system. While new regulations have seen some improvement this problem will become more acute as building and development continues. "In this regard I welcome the fact that plans are being implemented in Dublin City Council to introduce a system of onsite inspections during construction for fire safety issues (Part B of the Building Regulations)". Earlier this week, calls were made to remove Grenfell Tower- type cladding from the headquarters of Cork County Council. Read More Independent.ie understands that Cork County councillors were emailed to notify them that the cladding was installed around the exterior of the second floor of County Hall, the floor that contains the main council chamber. However, they were assured that the cladding currently imposes no increased risk of danger. In an email seen by Independent.ie, councillors were told "the Councils Facilities Manager and Chief Fire Officer have reviewed the matter and having regard to the limited extent of the use of the panel, the nature of the use of the building and the fire safety measures installed, the use of the panelling meets all fire safety requirements and does not pose any increased risk to the users of the building." Cork County Council has since commissioned a report investigating the nature of its installation, and says further action will be taken should the investigation raise any concerns. The cladding was installed during a 62m refurbishment of the 17-storey County Hall which was finished in 2006. Despite reassurances from the council, Fine Gael councillor Derry Canty says that the cladding should still be removed as soon as possible. "I think the best thing for everybody is to remove it," Cllr. Canty said. "If its there, its left there and everyone is just worrying about it. "Were only in there for meetings but you have staff sitting in there all day. I believe this should be done post-haste, lets get on with it." However, one Independent councillor, Marcia DAlton, said she has no concerns about continuing to meet in the building, insisting that she has confidence in the fire safety measures being taken. "Honestly, Ive dont have any concerns. We have been ensured the building has been incredibly well kitted out with sprinklers and the necessary fire precautions," Cllr. DAlton said. "I know the extent to which the building has been electronically modified. It is an incredibly well finished building so I genuinely believe the council when they say the precautions being made are adequate." Cork County Council says it currently has a number of comprehensive fire safety measures installed, including sprinkler protection, automatic smoke ventilation, detection and an electronic alarm system. Does your plight have to go viral before the Government will take notice and intervene? On Monday, the story of a Wexford couple who had been separated for the first time in their 63-year marriage when one of them was rejected for nursing home care, sparked a national outrage. After an assessment by the HSE, Michael (89), was accepted into a nursing home through the Fair Deal scheme, but Kathleen (86) was rejected. Michael was left occupying a double-room on his own, while his wife waited in hospital. The family tried to appeal the HSE's decision but without any luck. The couple explained their plight through tears on RTE's Liveline earlier this week. The story went viral and made it all the way to the Dail. The decision to refuse Mrs Devereaux a place in the home with her husband was overturned after intervention by the Government on Tuesday and the couple were reunited. The Devereaux family had already tried to appeal the HSE's decision before going public with their story. But they got nowhere. Their son Tom explained to Liveline that he wrote to his local TDs to ask for help but received nothing but "platitudes" in return. They had turned to the media as a last resort when they discovered that their only option was to take the matter to the High Court. The family decided against putting their parents through the trauma of a lengthy court battle. So, out of desperation they went on national radio in the hope that something would be done. The HSE said its social care division only "became aware of the circumstances" of the couple through the radio coverage, despite the fact that the family "fought and fought" with the HSE to say their mother is not independent and needed medical supervision. After the Liveline furore, the HSE ordered a review of Mrs Devereaux's needs and "the totality of her circumstances". It's fair to assume that the Devereaux family would still be fighting to reunite their parents if it wasn't for the media coverage their story received. And yet anyone who heard their story on the radio could understand the decision to separate the parents made no sense at all. But their pleas to the people who should have helped them were drowned out by overly bureaucratic rules and decisions. A similar situation occurred earlier this year with Limerick teenager, Megan Halvey-Ryan. She appeared on an episode of RTE Investigates in February, which focused on people who had waited an extended period of time on public health waiting lists. Expand Close Limerick teenager Megan Halvey-Ryan suffers from scoliosis an abnormal curvature of the spine. Photo: RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Limerick teenager Megan Halvey-Ryan suffers from scoliosis an abnormal curvature of the spine. Photo: RTE The 13-year-old, who suffers with scoliosis (an abnormal curvature of the spine), had been on a waiting list for a life-changing operation to correct her spine for two years. Due to a "backlog of surgeries", her operation date had been put back a number of times. She bravely revealed the extent of her suffering on the RTE documentary, explaining that her condition had deteriorated because of the wait and she was forced to miss school with the pain. The story was picked up by several national newspapers and Megan gave a follow-up interview with The Late Late Show. It eventually prompted Health Minister Simon Harris to promise speedy changes to the system. Megan finally underwent the long-awaited surgery in March. Her mother spoke to Independent.ie about how difficult it was to expose her daughter's pain on TV. She also said had they not appeared on TV, they could well still be waiting today. "I know Megan wasn't scheduled for any surgery, as I was ringing Crumlin Children's Hospital everyday continuously, so I don't know where the order came from but I know the hospital had to have been told by someone high up that 'she's not to go on the Late Late without a date after the documentary," she said in March. "It frustrates me so much as a mother because no mother ever wants to put their child on TV, to expose their private life like that, particularly as Megan is a teenager, she needs privacy." When the Prime Time investigation into the Leas Cross nursing home broke in 2005, it created a national scandal. The investigation uncovered a serious deterioration in the standard of care due at the nursing home in Swords due to the HSE's failure to employ a sufficient number of staff to deal with the increase in the number patients. The Commission of Inquiry into the Leas Cross Nursing Home was established shortly after the Prime Time report and the public outcry that followed. It found that inspections and complaints going back a number of years should have alerted the HSE to the problems at the home. The scandal exposed a lack of desire among government agencies to meet the complex needs of the elderly. When the media exposed the horrors to the public, it put pressure on the the Government to introduce increased inspection of private and public nursing homes. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was also established shortly after the scandal broke. But gaps still exist. And not everyone has the will or energy to make their complaint public, while some issues are too sensitive for the public sphere. The fact that so many people 'talk to Joe', kick up a fuss on social media or take their complaints to local and national newspapers only highlights the failings within the system and reminds us how far removed the Government is from the public. In May when it was announced that the Sisters of Charity were to end their 183-year involvement with St Vincent's Hospital (in turn, relinquishing control over the new 300m maternity hospital) it was seen as a victory for the public. The fact that Health Minister Simon Harris didn't think twice about 'gifting' the maternity hospital to a religious order proved how out of touch the Government is with the sentiment of modern Ireland. Tens of thousands of people made their outcry public on social media. The massive public backlash put an end to the project. If their voices weren't given a public platform, nothing would have changed. When bureaucracy rules over common sense and compassion, people have to scream and shout. A young Dublin couple were subjected to a frenzied knife attack by the former fiancee of a British royal while on a trip to London. Student Oona McCabe was stabbed repeatedly in the head with the blade of a Stanley knife during the unprovoked and vicious assault, a court heard. Expand Close Oona McCabe and Kevin Cannon / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Oona McCabe and Kevin Cannon Ms McCabe and boyfriend Kevin Cannon, who both live and work in Dublin, were walking into Burger King on London Street, Paddington, in the early hours of January 17 when the attack happened. Zeaphena Badley (35), who was once engaged to a godson of Prince Charles, launched the attack because she wanted to be locked up, a court was told. In CCTV footage shown in court, Badley was seen slashing at the back of Ms McCabe's right knee before walking into Burger King just behind the couple. Wrestled Expand Close Accused Zeaphena Badley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Accused Zeaphena Badley Mr Cannon, who lives in Greenhills, stood between the women and took a glancing blow to the chin with the blade, Southwark Crown Court heard. Badley then appeared to launch herself at Ms McCabe, hacking three or four times at her head. The attacker was then wrestled to the floor and held by Mr Cannon and another man. Ms McCabe, who gave evidence via video-link from Dublin, said she received more than 20 stitches to her head and could not work for three weeks as a result of her injuries. She said she and Mr Cannon were making their way back to their hotel in Paddington following a meal on the second night of their four-day trip. After crossing the road on their way towards Burger King, Ms McCabe told jurors she "felt heat across the back of my leg" before feeling "my hair being pulled". "Then I looked down and my leg was sliced open, so I ran into Burger King and Kevin followed me in," said Ms McCabe. "He turned around and asked what she was doing and I asked him to come inside. He stepped in between us and then I ran up the steps. "I could see my leg was cut. I told Kevin and he then followed me inside Burger King." Mr Cannon told the woman: "We don't want any trouble, we don't want any trouble." Ms McCabe said the attacker repeatedly called her a "stupid b***h" during the incident. "There was blood the whole way down my leg," she said. "I ran in and I had my back against the back wall. "Kevin followed me in and the woman came over his shoulder, she came into Burger King, and ran across the room, over his shoulder and started slashing my head. "I put my hands up to cover my face and I fell to the ground." Mr Cannon stood between Badley and his girlfriend and "took a glancing blow", which cut his neck below the jawline. Prosecutor Tom Nicholson asked Ms McCabe: "How severe were the blows to your head?" She replied: "The front of my head coming down to my forehead was 11 stitches. "I had 13 stitches to the back of my head and I had one stitch on my face. Then I had loads of cuts all over my head - loads of smaller cuts." Jurors heard the wound to the back of the former bar worker's knee needed 16 stitches. Jurors were shown graphic photos of the wound, which measured 16cm across, and protruded deep into the fatty tissue of the leg. "I couldn't work for three weeks. I couldn't put that much pressure on to it and I am still getting treatment," said Ms McCabe. The court heard that the victims were unknown to the defendant and that Ms McCabe was "unlucky to be there at the time when the defendant chose to make her attack". Prosecutor Tom Nicholson also played body-worn video footage of a police officer responding to the incident. When she was told she was being arrested for GBH, Badley can be heard replying: "Brilliant." "That gives you an idea of the kind of ferocity the Crown say there was in the attack, which was entirely unprovoked," the prosecutor added. Fortune Badley, who was once engaged to Eton-educated Nicholas Knatchbull, titled Lord Romsey and heir to a 100m (113m) fortune, has failed to attend court for the trial, which is being held in her absence. She met Romsey in rehab and they announced their engagement in 2010. They were engaged for 18 months, and she would have become the 9th Baroness Brabourne, but the wedding was called off in 2013. Badley, formerly of Cromwell Road, Kensington, south-west London, denies grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The court heard she had been sleeping rough when she spotted Ms McCabe and Mr Cannon. The trial continues. THE jury in the Jobstown false imprisonment trial has resumed deliberations on a verdict after being re-charged by the presiding judge. Judge Melanie Greally told the seven men and four women of the jury today there were "very important" issues she had to revisit before they continue deliberating. Among the 18 points she advised them on was a "third" way out former Tanaiste Joan Burton could have used to leave the water charges protest at which she was allegedly imprisoned. Judge Greally was re-directing the jury following legal submissions that were heard throughout yesterday in the trial of Paul Murphy TD and five other men accused of falsely imprisoning Ms Burton at an anti-water charges protest in 2014. Mr Murphy (34), a Solidarity TD, along with south Dublin councillors Michael Murphy (53) and Kieran Mahon (39) and three other men - Michael Banks (46), Frank Donaghy (71) and Scott Masterson (34) - all deny falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her advisor Karen OConnell at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown in Tallaght, Dublin on November 15, 2014. The jury retired again at 12.43 today, having already spent 50 minutes in deliberations at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Greally had delivered her charge to the jury on Monday, which directed them on legal issues and summarised the evidence. When the jury returned this morning, the judge said there had been quite extensive legal argument yesterday. Arising from the exchanges I have had with counsel, there are some matters I have to revisit concerning the charge I gave you, she told the jurors. Judge Greally first said the jury should not draw any inference from the fact that none of the accused gave evidence. She re-directed them on aspects of Paul Murphys defence - that he maintained he was not responsible for the restraint but took positive steps to end it. She told them Michael Murphys defence had raised a similar point, arguing that he too was a promoter of peaceful behaviour and was supportive of Ms Burtons egress from Fortunestown Road. The defence argued that it was policing that brought about the restraint, including bad decisions. It had also been argued by the defence that an assertion made on behalf of Mr Banks should be extended to all accused. This was that while he conceded the women may have been restrained, it was not attributable to him because of the numbers present. Judge Greally went on to direct the jurors on the video footage the jury had seen and reminded them that the oral testimony was of lesser importance. The video was the best and most reliable account of the events, she said. She pointed to the defence assertion that Scott Mastersons actions on the video and that he invites the gardai to get Joan Burton out of the car was inconsistent with guilt. On whether the protest was peaceful or not, she advised the jury to go back to the beginning of the events, with the qualification that only two of the accused were present from the procession at An Cosan - Mr Donaghy and Mr Banks. Whether the accused might have believed the protest was peaceful or not was something the jury could have regard to in relation to intent, she said. Any violence at the protest was relevant only as context and the jurys decision on whether the protest was peaceful or not did not decide the question of guilt, she said. Addressing the jury on policing, she said they should consider the absence of garda statements raised questions about the fairness of the investigation and whether there was any policing agenda, in particular in relation to Paul Murphy. She asked the jury to consider whether a third form of egress for the garda jeep down Fortunestown Road could have been reasonable. She had already advised them of two other possible means of leaving - leaving the jeep or reversing it back. A third possibility for you to consider is the course which was actually pursued, namely egress down Fortunestown Road, she said. That egress was surrounded by gardai and commotion and chaos and certain acts of violence but it is open to you to find that progress down the road, however slowly, was open to them. Continuing with her re-charging of the jury, the judge said the prosecutions case had been that there was a continuum of events. It was accepted by the prosecution that if the jury was not satisfied there was total restraint of the two women in the first garda vehicle, the Avensis, the prosecutions case falls at the first hurdle. Judge Greally reminded the jury her summary of the evidence was not a full record. She then went back over her summary to the jury. A judge has agreed to give one last chance to a convicted sex offender who poses a risk to public safety. Munir Ghariani (26) received a suspended jail term last May after he admitted attacking a woman on a street for the thrill. At the time, Judge Melanie Greally warned Ghariani that she would have no hesitation in reactivating the three-year sentence if he broke any of the conditions for his release. Today the Probation Service brought the case back before Judge Greally because of his failure to meet with Probation Officers. His probation officer Michelle Richardson said she had not seen him in person since his sentencing. She said that a man posing such a risk to public safety as Ghariani needs to present himself regularly to the Probation Service. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Ghariani is also charged with breaches of the Sex Offenders Act because of alleged failures to notify authorities of his address. Michael Bowman SC, defending, said that his client had a background of difficulties but had been taking his anti-psychotic medication. Expand Close Munir Ghariani (26) formerly of Granitefield, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin leaves the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today. Pic Collins Courts. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Munir Ghariani (26) formerly of Granitefield, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin leaves the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today. Pic Collins Courts. Judge Greally agreed to put the matter back for two weeks. She said if Ghariani did not turn up for two weekly meetings in that time he would be jailed. Ghariani, formerly of Granitefield, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of the woman, a Chinese national, on Granville Road, Cabinteely on March 21, 2016. The victim was on her way home from a lecture in UCD when she noticed Ghariani following close behind her. He repeatedly asked to use her phone as he walked behind her. The woman refused and he asked why. Ghariani then pushed her to the ground and tried to grab the phone. During the struggle he bit her finger in an attempt to get her to release the phone. The woman screamed for help as Ghariani attempted to flee but a passer-by tackled and held him until gardai arrived. Ghariani has 34 previous convictions including one for sexual assault after he groped a woman from behind as she was taking money out of an ATM. He was registered as a sex offender for that offence. His other convictions include indecency, burglary and theft. The court heard he was on bail for a similar offence at the time of this robbery. The court previously heard that Ghariani became an involuntary patient at St John of Gods hospital in south Dublin on April 3 of this year. Ms Richardson previously told the court she and her colleagues considered him high-risk and said it was essential he continue to take his anti-psychotic medications. Ms Richardson said Ghariani had been non-compliant with his medication in the past. We feel we have to adopt a high-risk approach, said Ms Richardson, adding that the probation service would continue to meet with him for two years. She said Ghariani had recently become homeless, and so she had liaised with local authorities who had agreed to provide him with accommodation. Judge Greally imposed a four-year sentence and, taking into account the time Ghariani has spent in custody on this matter, backdated the sentence to May 19, 2016. She suspended the balance of the sentence. She referred to the disturbing nature of the robbery, and said she was mindful of the high risk he presents to the community. Aggressive tactics, including the use of forensic accountants, were being considered to find out why the cost of nursing home care in the east of the country in particular was 30pc higher than in the rest of the country, the Irish Independent has learned. The proposal is contained in a document from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), which negotiates with individual nursing homes on what they can charge residents under the State-funded Fair Deal scheme. The future of the scheme is now the responsibility of the new Older People Minister Jim Daly. The report said the "anomaly of higher priced nursing homes in Dublin and the extended region existed prior to Fair Deal and remains a challenge to the NTPF". "Some degree of variation in prices would be expected from county to county. However, the east in particular remains highly priced - a differential of 30pc - compared to the rest of the country," a report to the group reviewing the scheme said. It said it was looking at "more aggressive tactics that include the use of a forensic accounting service to support the overall aim of redressing the differences in county versus city prices". The cost of care in each nursing home does not impinge on what the elderly person in the Fair Deal scheme pays, as they are assessed on income and assets. But the higher the cost, the greater the payout from the State and the taxpayer. A survey of costs of private and voluntary nursing homes confirms the highest prices are in the east, with some costing more than 1,300 a week and high numbers at more than 1,000. This contrasts with homes in Galway, which are mostly around 800 to 850. The report said that due to demand for care home beds in Dublin, it was difficult to get a voluntary reduction. In response, Tadhg Daly of Nursing Homes Ireland, which represents private nursing homes, said the price difference could be put down to the fact that the rates facilities outside of Dublin were allowed to charge were "unsustainably low". Read More He said he had been highlighting the unsustainable fees and fighting for many years to get the NTPF and the Department of Health "to recognise the true cost of care". He said: "The real issue remains and there are unsustainably low fees in Dublin and in other parts of the country." The problem of costs outside Dublin was recognised by the Department of Health-commissioned DKM report. It pointed to "inadequate income levels to enable a return on investment in many parts of the country outside Dublin", he said. The private nursing homes organisation said there was "no standard objective assessment basis for setting the price, related to either efficient capital and operating costs or the level of dependency of residents". "While the NTPF does use some benchmarks, in the final analysis, the rate for each nursing home is a matter for ad hoc negotiation," it said. "The most important factor appears to be the 'going rate' in the particular county." The NTPF report said the higher cost of nursing homes in the east could be helped if there was a fast-tracking of more beds in areas with greater demand. It should also be possible to repackage services for the elderly in a way that not only reduces cost, but would maintain or improve the care, it said. The State pays around 1bn towards the cost of the Fair Deal scheme. Most nursing home residents pay up front, which allows them to hold on to assets. Others can defray the full cost until after their death, at which point the State can claim a portion of their assets to cover the cost of their care. Meanwhile, the working group which is reviewing the Fair Deal was told that while farmers support the scheme, they have concerns about the negative impact on farm families, in particular the viability of the farm business for the next generation. It was clear that there were difficulties arising with the costs of care where the asset has not been transferred five years before the elderly farmer enters a nursing home, a meeting of the group was told. Most expensive voluntary and private nursing homes in the country (Source: HSE) Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it was never his intention to leave US President Donald Trump hanging on the phone for 90 seconds. Mr Trump was filmed by journalists at his desk in the Oval Office waiting for the new Taoiseach to pick up his scheduled call yesterday. The President was phoning Mr Varadkar to congratulate him on his great victory in becoming Irelands youngest ever leader. Asked by Independent.ie today what led to the delay, Mr Varadkar laughed: Theres no significance to the 90 second delay. That was just a delay in putting the call through to me. Ive seen some of the coverage of that but theres no particular significance. Despite some criticism from Opposition TDs, the Taoiseach said he was very happy to take the call which lasted about 15 minutes. He congratulated me on my election as Taoiseach and renewed the long-standing invitation for the Taoiseach to visit the White House in March and I accepted that, Mr Varadkar said. We also talked about the border. He was very interested in Brexit, very interested in the consequences for Ireland. We had a brief discussion on a number of topics, including free trade where I emphasised Irelands commitment to free trade. We mentioned migration as well. The Taoiseach added that he raised the issue of estimated 50,000 Irish citizens who are living illegally in the United States and Mr Trumps attitude to climate change. It was a relatively short call, only about 15 minutes long. I think it allowed us to set out an agenda for the type of things well discuss in March, Mr Varadkar said. During last years St Patricks Day festivities in Washington former Taoiseach Enda Kenny invited Mr Trump to visit Ireland but Mr Varadkar said the idea never came up during their discussions. Tom of Finland Organic Vodka arrives in UK A new super-premium organic vodka from Finland has hit UK shores. Tom of Finland Organic Vodka is inspired by pioneering Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen whose work made an important contribution to 21st century gay culture. The vodka, which is made from organically grown wheat, rye and pure arctic water; is 100% organic and has no added sugar. A percentage of each bottle will be donated to the Tom of Finland Foundation, a charity dedicated to promoting tolerant attitudes towards sexuality and the reservation of erotic art. The vodka is being launched in the UK to coincide with the release of biographical film Tom of Finland, directed by award-winning Finnish director Dome Karukoski. The film tells the story of the artists extraordinary life and features Niklas Hogner, Tom of Finland Organic Vodkas brand ambassador, who plays Kake. Olli Hietalahti, ceo of Spirit of Tom, said: We wanted to create a super premium Finnish vodka that truly embodies Tom of Finland something bold, daring, flirtatious and playful, just like the artists renowned work. Tom of Finland Organic Vodka is distilled in Finland by Lignell &Piispanen, founded in 1852. The brand is being launched in the UK by Spirit of Tom, ex-advertising creatives from One Eyed Spirits, the team behind Ron de Jeremy Rum. UK distributor Spirit Cartel is responsible for securing key trade and off-trade accounts. The drink is already available from specialist spirit retailers Gerrys Wines & Spirits and Master of Malt at 32.50 for 50cl, and wholesalers including Venus Wine & Spirit Merchants. Related articles: RTE reporter Caitriona Perry's encounter with US President Donald Trump - which she has called "bizarre" - and which saw him compliment her "nice smile" as he spoke on the phone to Leo Varadkar, has unsurprisingly caused quite a stir. Ms Perry, RTE's Washington correspondent, was in the Oval Office to film the start of the first call between the new Taoiseach and President Trump, when she caught the president's eye. "We have a lot of your Irish press watching us right now," Mr Trump told Mr Varadkar, before turning to Ms Perry and summoning her to the Resolute Desk. "We have here all of this beautiful Irish press. Where are you from?," he asked. "Caitriona Perry, she has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well," he said. Trump went on to say: "He thanks you for the newspapers, Caitriona." A clip of the interaction was uploaded by Ms Perry to Twitter and has caused a huge reaction around the world. In the UK the Daily Mail Online is leading with the story and the reaction to it. The Daily Telegraph is also featuring the story prominently on its website with the headline: "Did Donald Trump flirt with Irish reporter Caitriona Perry during diplomatic phone call?" Ms Perry uploaded the video to her Twitter feed calling it a "bizarre" moment. Her tweet has been retweeted more than 8,000 times. Dozens of American women have since apologised to her for the behaviour of Mr Trump. "Ms.Perry, please accept the apology of at least 1 female American," one said. "It's hell to be objectified. When POTUS has no fear of doing that surrounded by cameras... I'm so sorry. Your success is more than a smile," another wrote. While another said: "Remarks like that in workplace R completely inappropriate. There's a time & place: discussing one's attractiveness in workplace is wrong." "I am sorry you had to endure that treatment," another Twitter user said. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The story has been picked up in Australia, as well as by a number of political publications in the US. Speaking about the encounter to the Independent.ie's political editor, Ms Perry said her American colleagues thought the encounter was "hilarious", as Trump has such a fractious relationship with the media. An employee sits next to a hacked payment terminal at a branch of Ukraines state-owned bank Oschadbank. Picture: Reuters A new global cyber attack has struck a number of Irish offices as thousands of computers were infected worldwide. Computers at advertising group WPP, which runs PR and marketing divisions in Dublin, were taken offline while IT systems at the Irish office of the worldwide shipping company Maersk have also been affected. A large pharmaceutical company here is also understood to have been hit by the computer malware, which is manifesting in the form of ransomware. A number of Irish computer users have reported demands for up to 300 in Bitcoin to unlock their infected PCs. Across the world, the cyber attack has taken out servers and PCs, hitting Eastern Europe worst. Russia's biggest oil company has been affected, as well as operations at Ukrainian banks and power utilities. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant has been forced to check radiation levels manually after its Windows-based sensors were shut down. Cyber security experts said those behind the attack appeared to have exploited the same type of hacking tool used in the WannaCry ransomware attack that infected hundreds of thousands of Windows computers in May before a British researcher created a kill-switch. "It's like WannaCry all over again," said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with Helsinki-based cyber security firm F-Secure. However, security experts here say the infection has not yet spread into public sector bodies such as hospitals or schools, as the previous WannaCry ransomware attack did. "In Ireland, it seems mainly to have affected networks of global organisations," said Conor Flynn, managing director of Dublin-based Information Security Assurance Services. "To my knowledge, it hasn't yet gotten into government departments or other public organisations." Mr Flynn said companies that patched their systems during the WannaCry ransomware outbreak in April and May were in a strong position to fend off any attack from the new malware. However, victims of the new attack were quick to post photos of their infected PC screens. "If you see this text, then your files are no longer accessible, because they have been encrypted," read the text on one such infected screen from Ukrainian media firm Channel 24. Read More "Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service." The same message appeared on computers at Maersk offices in Rotterdam and at businesses affected in Norway. Other companies that said they had been hit by a cyber attack included Russian oil producer Rosneft, French construction materials firm Saint Gobain as well as the world's biggest advertising agency, WPP, which has offices in Dublin. Mr Flynn said the malware could be released through infected emails. "Sometimes the email will claim to be a CV for a job ad," he said. "If opened, it can get a foothold on your machine and then tries to spread to other machines." Cyber security firms scrambled to understand the scope and impact of the attacks, seeking to confirm suspicions hackers had leveraged the same type of hacking tool exploited by WannaCry, and to identify ways to stop the onslaught. Experts said the latest ransomware attacks, dubbed GoldenEye, were a variant of an existing ransomware family called Petya. It uses two layers of encryption which have frustrated efforts by researchers to break the code. Dublin Information Sec 2017, Irelands cyber security conference, addresses the critically important issues that threaten businesses in the information age. Tickets for the event at the RDS in Dublin can be booked here. Irish priests have called for increased mental health support services to tackle falling morale in the clergy. Priests have been "floored" by wave after wave of assaults and negativity in recent years, following a number of sex-abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. According to Roy Donovan, a priest from Caherconlish, Co Limerick, the shift in attitude towards the priesthood has taken a toll on priests' mental health. "Collectively priests have been hit very hard. You know, there is a very negative view of priests but at a parish level, quite a few priests are doing good work," he said. "Theres a lot of good work being done but I think all that is lost collectively. Collectively a lot of priests feel wave after wave of assaults and negativity. A lot of priests are kind of floored by all that. It's one hit after another and its hard to keep the head up. " On June 7 an Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) regional meeting, held in Kilmore, Co Cavan, heard that eight priests have taken their own lives in the past 10 to 15 years in Ireland. The issue was again highlighted at a meeting of the Association of Catholic Priests in Limerick last week, where calls were made for the establishment of a new national confidential priests' helpline. Fr Donovan, who hosted the meeting, said the proposal arose because a number of priests were not "coping very well." "So many changes have come about from the old style of church where priests were in control, to the new style of church where its about letting go and working with people as a team effort. A lot of priests arent coping very well with the changeover of style and a lot of priests are more isolated and the workload is bigger," he said. Minutes of the meeting report one attendee saying: Our morale is affected because we are on a sinking ship. When will the Counter Reformation take place? Were like an All-Ireland team without a goalie! We need to unmask and say I need help! There is a great sense of being alone, making our own way in the diocese. We need a National Confidential Priests Helpline. Were slow to look for help. Fr Donovan said that while priests require greater support, he does not consider a national helpline to be a proactive solution. I personally wouldnt be in favour of a national helpline for priests solely, he said. I myself consider that it would be better to have somebody, a lay person maybe, employed between a couple of dioceses that goes around and knocks on priests doors and asks how they are and allows them to talk in confidence. He added that priests can avail of pre-existing national helplines, such as Samaritans. The meeting was attended by 22 priests from the diocese of Cashel and Emly, Killaloe and Limerick. It was chaired by Fr Gerry OConnor. Convicted murderer Joe O'Reilly was treated in hospital last night after he was injured in a prison volleyball game. O'Reilly, who is serving a life sentence for murdering his wife Rachel, is currently housed at Arbour Hill prison in Dublin's north inner city. Independent.ie has learned that O'Reilly (43) was playing volleyball with fellow inmates at the prison last night when the accident took place. A source said: "Joe O'Reilly went up for a ball and so did this other inmate. O'Reilly's head collided with the other inmates elbow. "It was a total accident and there is nothing to suggest it was malicious." Read More The murderer was taken to the Mater Hospital where he received a number of stitches to his mouth before being discharged. A source said he has not suffered any long-term injuries and an insider said it is not a disciplinary matter. In July 2007, O'Reilly was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife. The badly beaten body of Rachel O'Reilly was found in the bedroom of her home by her mother on October 4, 2004. Before he was charged with the murder, Joe had appeared as a guest on The Late Late Show to talk about her death. Rachel died due to blunt-force trauma to the head, inhalation of blood, skull fracture and brain contusion. O'Reilly later lost an appeal against his conviction and, in May 2015, the Court of Appeal refused his application to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice. Lawyers for O'Reilly then applied to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal that decision. Among various arguments, it was contended the Court of Appeal paid insufficient regard to O'Reilly's argument he did not sufficiently appreciate, at the time of the trial, the significance of the book of evidence, or any portion of it, being found in the jury room. However, last November, the Supreme Court refused to permit O'Reilly a further appeal. Graham Norton's mother was less than complimentary about the unveiling of her son's portrait in the National Gallery of Ireland. The grand unveiling featured in RTE documentary 'Portrait of a Gallery' - which detailed the six-year refurbishment of the gallery. Norton's mum Rhonda told artist Gareth Reid: "Well, you didn't flatter him, mind you." Norton, trying to recover the situation said "there's no need for flattery", before thanking Reid. It later turned out that Reid, who won the commission after being crowned Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2017, was a relation of Norton's. Expand Close Graham Norton with his mother Rhonda / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Graham Norton with his mother Rhonda 'Portrait of A Gallery' was shot over the course of three years as the Milltown and Dargan wings were repaired at a cost of 25m. Former DUP leader Peter Robinson has accused Tony Blair's government of "conning" Sinn Fein into believing that an Irish Language Act would be introduced. Mr Robinson made his revelation as talks to save Stormont enter their final hours with Sinn Fein demanding that outstanding agreements on the Irish language are honoured. The former first minister insisted his party had never agreed to any such legislation. He accused the British government of deliberately misleading Sinn Fein and of changing a document without the DUP's knowledge. He claimed that the Rev Ian Paisley was so troubled by the deception of Sinn Fein, and by the British government's double-dealing, that he vowed to conduct all future negotiations directly with republicans. Mr Robinson said: "It was Ian's assessment - and in my view an accurate one - that if the government was prepared to con Sinn Fein in the way it did, they would be prepared to do the same to us." He revealed how "in later life Martin McGuinness and I often spoke about the different, inexact and misleading messages we were given during earlier negotiations when the Blair government was acting as intermediary". In his recollection of events during the 2006 St Andrews' talks, Mr Robinson said that while Sinn Fein genuinely believed an agreement to implement an Irish Language Act had been reached, there had been only "a tongue in cheek" promise by the government. Mr Robinson said the issue was "never raised" with his party during the negotiations. He believes a reference was inserted into the agreement at the very end of the talks. "We were not informed of any change to the document," he said. When the DUP noticed the "added section", it informed the government that it was "unacceptable" to the party. "We were told the section had been carefully and deliberately worded. It was not an issue that should cause us any concern," Mr Robinson said. "They informed us that as devolution would be up and running the government would not make good its commitment as the power would be devolved. "At no stage did Ian commit the party to accepting an Irish Language Act and indeed we made sure there was no commitment to it in the legislation." Mr Robinson said Dr Paisley had been "intensely displeased" by the Blair administration's trickery. The DUP and Sinn Fein have just over 24 hours to reach an agreement. However, Stormont sources last night said they believed that, if no deal was possible, the deadline would be fudged. A role for the presidents of the Circuit Court and District Court in the appointments of new judges may be approved as an olive branch aimed at defusing a row between the Government and the judiciary. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has said he understands some of the concerns raised by the judiciary in recent days over plans to overhaul the way judges are selected. After "careful consideration" he told the Dail there was merit in continuing to afford the presidents of each court a role in the selection of judges. The move comes after the Association of Judges in Ireland (AJI) criticised the decision to have a new Judicial Appointments Commission compromising of a lay majority and a lay chairperson. The Chief Justice and the presidents of the Court of Appeal and the High Court will be full Commission members but the AJI hit out at the fact "no member of either the District Court or the Circuit Court, which together deal with the overwhelming majority of cases to come before the courts, is to be a member of the commission". However, opening the Dail debate on the new system last night, Mr Flanagan said "it would appear to me to be desirable to meet this particular point". Read More He said that in the case of an appointment to the lower courts, the Commission could include the president of the relevant court be included in the process. "So while all the Superior Court presidents including the Chief Justice are permanent members of the Commission all presidents are to be part of the decision-making process in selecting and recommending persons for appointment to the relevant court," Mr Flanagan said. Transport Minister Shane Ross, who secured the changes to the judicial system as part of his deal to enter the minority Government, sat beside Mr Flanagan while he made the opening statement. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was yesterday forced to deny reports that Mr Ross threatened to resign during one of two phone calls made last Sunday. News Headlines UN team assesses Vietnams readiness for peacekeeping activities Fianna Fail's justice spokesman Jim O'Callaghan has denied his work as a barrister means he has a conflict of interest in relation to proposed changes to the way judges are appointed. The Dublin Bay South deputy, who continues to work as a senior counsel in the courts despite being elected as a TD last year, has been one of the most vocal opponents of the new Judicial Appointments Commission, which will have a lay majority and a lay chair. However, his legal work is not relevant to his criticism of what he has described as "illogical". "My job is as a barrister, and I've never hidden the fact I'd remain a barrister as well as being a public representative," said Mr O'Callaghan. "My job as a barrister is to represent the interest of a client on the basis of whatever their instructions are in accordance with the law. I've no conflict of interest in respect of it." He said that many "decent members of Fine Gael" were not supportive of the plan but felt obliged to back the Government. Mr O'Callaghan said the reform was part of a deal made at a time when Fine Gael would have "drained the Shannon" to remain in power. While the Transport Minister Shane Ross is the driving force behind the bill, it was brought before the Dail by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan last night. Fianna Fail will oppose the bill but it is supported by Sinn Fein meaning that it is likely to progress through the Dail. Read More "It always surprised me that Fine Gael claimed to be supportive of this bill. I can see why Shane Ross is supporting it. He's mentioned it for a number of years. I understand in a way why Sinn Fein is supporting it, but I could never understand why Fine Gael was supporting it," Mr O'Callaghan said. "Part of the reason must be that at the time it was agreed with the former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Fine Gael would have agreed to drain the Shannon in order to get back into government. "I think most decent members of Fine Gael are not supportive of this proposal." He said the Government had failed to explain why it was reducing the judicial influence over appointments. "It's never been explained why there has been a reduction in relation to the judiciary on this and a contrast in the increase in lay people," Mr O'Callaghan said. At a minimum, Fianna Fail wants the Chief Justice to chair the new commission and that the presidents of the five main courts sit on it. This was echoed by former Supreme Court judge and president of the Law Reform Commission Catherine McGuinness yesterday, who told RTE Radio that not appointing the Chief Justice as chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission was a "deliberate kick in the teeth" that says "you're not good enough". However, Government sources said this issue was "not up for debate". Read More During last night's Dail debate, Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin said the new system was being pushed for "shoddy reasons to sustain this Government in office". "I don't believe that it would be this bill that would be advocated by Fine Gael in any other circumstances," he said, adding that the party of Collins and Cosgrave was being assisted by a party that in the past had an unusual view of the courts. Sinn Fein's Jonathan O'Brien said his party was not offering "unqualified support". Donald Trump's unpredictability brought RTE's Washington correspondent into the media spotlight as he invited her to join in on a phone call with new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Caitriona Perry was in the Oval Office to film the start of the first call between the world leaders when she caught Mr Trump's eye. "We have a lot of your Irish press watching us right now," Mr Trump told Mr Varadkar, before turning to Ms Perry and summoning her to the Resolute Desk. "We have here all of this beautiful Irish press. Where are you from?," he asked. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar "Caitriona Perry, she has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well," he said. Mr Trump went on to say: "He thanks you for the newspapers, Caitriona." Ms Perry told the Irish Independent this was a reference to copies of the 'New York Times' and 'Washington Post' from the day after Mr Varadkar won the Fine Gael leadership election. "I had sent those back to Dublin via colleagues for Leo Varadkar as souvenirs that he and his family might like. I do that often when there is a reference to someone I know from home who is featured in the newspapers here," she said. Ms Perry said it was a surprise for the media to be allowed to listen in on the phone call as it is usually only allowed to film through the Oval Office windows. As for her American colleagues, they thought the encounter was "hilarious", as Mr Trump has such a fractious relationship with the media. After the journalists left the room, Mr Trump invited the Taoiseach to the White House for next year's St Patrick's Day. However, it is understood there was no mention of the invitation issued earlier this year by Enda Kenny for Mr Trump to visit Ireland. The call lasted just under 15 minutes with topics ranging from climate change to Brexit. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is the big winner from a review of constituencies that will see the overall number of TDs increase by two. The Dublin Central base of Mr Donohoe is to increase from three seats to four, meaning his future in Leinster House is significantly more secure. The area is not a traditional Fine Gael stronghold and Mr Donohoe faced an uphill battle to retain his seat last year, alongside Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald and Independent Maureen O'Sullivan. A report from the Boundaries Commission also recommended increasing the number of TDs in Cavan-Monaghan and Kildare South by one each. However, it said the constituencies of Offaly and Laois should be reunited into one five-seat constituency. Before the last election, they were separated into two three-seat constituencies. A section of North Tipperary that was moved into Offaly for electoral purposes will revert to the status quo. Overall, it said the number of TDs should be increased from 158 to 160. It said there should be 39 constituencies, of which 13 will be five-seat, 17 four-seat and nine three-seat. Wicklow should become its own constituency - losing East Carlow, the report said. But the report made limited changes, in a move that has surprised TDs. In Dublin, the vast majority of constituencies remain unchanged. There will be some redrawing of the boundaries between Dublin Rathdown (three-seat) and Dun Laoghaire (four-seat), and between Dublin North-West (three-seat) and Dublin Bay North (five-seat). Along with its extra seat, Cavan-Monaghan will take in some of the population currently categorised as Meath East. The rest of Meath East should remain as a three-seat constituency. No changes will be made to Meath West, Louth and Longford-Westmeath. The constituency of Donegal will remain a five-seater, but some of south Donegal will continue to vote in Sligo-Leitrim. Small changes have been made to the boundaries in Roscommon-Galway constituency, Galway East and Galway West, but the number of seats in each constituency remains static. Mayo, with some additional population from Galway West, should remain a four-seat constituency. In the south west, Clare is unchanged. Some population from Tipperary is to be moved to the Limerick City constituency. There should be no change to the five Cork constituencies or to Kerry, Waterford and Wexford. Laura Dempsey (15) drowned while on holiday in Stalida A Wicklow community was united in grief yesterday following the drowning in Crete of local schoolgirl Laura Dempsey. Flags flew at half-mast at Greystones Sailing Club yesterday in tribute to the teenager who was an active member of the junior sailing groups at the club. The popular 15-year-old from Greystones was found unconscious in a hotel swimming pool on the Greek island on Sunday afternoon. Frantic efforts were made to resuscitate her but she was later pronounced dead. Laura had just completed the Junior Certificate examinations and was enjoying a holiday in the Stalida resort with her parents John Dempsey and Nicola Smith. She was a pupil of Templecarrig Church of Ireland Secondary School in Greystones. The patron of the school, Archbishop of Dublin Dr Michael Jackson, offered his sympathy to Lauras family in a statement issued yesterday. Archbishop Jackson said: It was with deep sadness that I heard of the death of Laura Dempsey at the weekend. To her family, we extend our sincere sympathies and pray that they know Gods strength in their heartache and devastating loss. Laura was a third year student in Temple Carrig School, Greystones, of which I am patron, and had just completed her Junior Certificate exams. We hold Lauras friends and the whole school community in our thoughts and hearts as they struggle to come to terms with their loss. We also pray for the principal, teachers, chaplain and staff of the school as they support the students in their grief, he said. In Crete yesterday, a policeman told Independent.ie that the investigations into the tragedy were ongoing. A report on the death of the Irish teenager was being compiled by a forensic doctor for the authorities. The drowning victim had been taken to a local hospital following the tragedy and an autopsy had been scheduled. Last night, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that officials based at the Irish embassy in Athens were involved in providing consular assistance to the grieving family. Stalida, also known as Stalis, is a beach resort midway between Malia and Hersonissos. It is a popular resort for Irish holidaymakers. The clubs commodore, Daragh Cafferky, said on Monday that the family and friends and fellow club members were devastated by the terrible news of Lauras death. She was a really enthusiastic sailor and the loss of a girl as young as Laura was particularly tragic, he said. The tragic death of one of our young and valued juniors has been greeted with extraordinary sadness.. A bright light has been extinguished and it is beyond words to express the grief we all feel for our friends Nicky and John, he added. Local members of Wicklow County Council have also expressed sadness at the tragedy and said the community were united in grief at the death of the popular schoolgirl. On Monday, Jennifer Whitmore, cathaoirleach of Greystones Municipal District, and its leas-cathaoirleach Gerry Walsh said Lauras death was a devastating loss. The red ruffed lemur pups get used to their surroundings in Dublin Zoo Dublin Zoo is holding a special event to celebrate the birth of two red ruffed lemur pups which are one of the most endangered of their species. Workers at the zoo have described the arrival of the brother and sister as "hugely significant" and they join the troop of seven red ruffed lemurs already in place. Proud parents Pierre and Fifi welcomed the pups on April 25. The species is listed as being critically endangered after a significant decline in population mainly due to habitat loss and hunting. In the wild, the distribution of red ruffed lemurs is restricted to rainforest in north-east Madagascar. The zoo will mark their birth with its 'Long Live Lemurs' weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Team leader at the zoo Ciaran McMahon said: "Red ruffed lemurs are one of the most endangered of all lemurs. The birth of two youngsters at Dublin Zoo is hugely significant. "We are delighted to report that our new arrivals are healthy and have adapted seamlessly to their surroundings." AN Irish woman who once had a "busy lifestyle" has described how her life has changed after a brain injury. A normal day for Yvonne Kelly (50) four years ago involved juggling her career as part of Cadbury's logistics team, along with her role as mum to sons Niall, Aaron and Stephen. Life changed drastically for the mum-of-three from Artane in Dublin in July 2013, when she fell ill at work after experiencing headache symptoms. When her condition worsened, she was rushed to Beaumont Hospital, where it was later determined she had suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. An aneurysm is a weak area in the wall of an artery supplying blood to the brain, and if ruptured, blood begins to flow into the skull causing a stroke. Expand Close Niall Kelly, Aaron Kelly, Stephen Kelly with their mother Yvonne / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Niall Kelly, Aaron Kelly, Stephen Kelly with their mother Yvonne The mum underwent brain surgery to access the aneurysm, in order to stop the blood flow to it. Yvonne was placed in an induced coma for more than a week as the medical team prepared her family for the worst. After nine days Yvonne woke up, but had lost her ability to speak and doctors discovered her memory had been affected. The mum was also unable to walk. "I was in hospital for seven weeks with doctors expecting the worst. My sons were told that I would be in a wheelchair, unable to speak, have issues with memory, and be living in a home," Yvonne said. "I was in a coma for nine days and after I woke up I couldnt speak," she told Independent.ie. Yvonne had very little memory of what had happened to her and where she was. "When it came back, I thought I was in a bad dream," she said. Yvonne was transferred from Beaumont Hospital to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire in the weeks after her brain surgery, where she underwent six weeks of intense speech and occupational rehabilitation. "When I was in rehabilitation, my brain felt like a sponge, as though it was full of water." While recovering Yvonne said her speech reverted back to that of a five-year-old and talking to people gave her anxiety and panic attacks. The brain injury left her with aphasia, a condition affecting the production and comprehension of speech. If Yvonne meant to say one word, a different word that could be related to the topic would be said instead. "If I wanted to say brother I'd say sister," Yvonne said. Yvonne also has difficulties following conversations and understanding what people meant. She forced herself to participate in conversations to help build her confidence and improve her speech, but found it intimidating because she "didnt want to look stupid." Yvonne also said it was difficult to adjust to the idea that she wouldnt be able to keep up with the normalities of her previous life and that she would need to "scale down" everything. She said that the incident was harder for her family because they had to imagine her life differently and they had to support her through learning to walk and talk again. She found it challenging having to depend on others. Unable to work, Yvonne is now on a pension scheme and she said the only thing that she can really do is go for walks and engage in the community space Headway, an organisation that offers services and support for people with brain injury, provides. "Despite these challenges, I feel that I actually have a better life now. I was always a positive person, and although many things have changed, that has not," said Yvonne. I'M happy to report that the World Car Awards (of which I'm honoured to be a jury member) have been declared the number one programme of their type on the planet, not just this year but for the fifth time in a row. That means news about the awards gets huge coverage and reaches untold millions every time there is a development, announcement or final decision. The objective for 2018 is to maintain that number one status for the sixth consecutive year while "promoting our jurors, and their media outlets, within the regional and global automotive communities". The 2018 Road to World Car begins at the Frankfurt motor show in September, when the nominated cars in six categories will be announced. Here's to another year. I wonder what I'll vote for? I'll spare you the detail, but the BBC this week reported the following: "British scientists have developed a way to charge phones with power created from urine." Dacia's new Duster will premiere at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Remember where you read it. There will be mega interest. The new Nissan Leaf electric car, unveiling in September at the Frankfurt show, will have ProPILOT technology, which will allow for autonomous drive on single-lane highways. With under half of us "very confident" of our ability to change a tyre (according to an AA study) I wonder if there isn't a case to be made for basic instructions to be included on two fronts: point-of-sale and when learning to drive. Mind you, with the lack of spare wheels/tyres in cars these days (replaced by gooey messes in some cases) and the growth in roadside assistance, the general lack of confidence/ability is understandable. A lot of men (77pc) were "very confident", but just 17.5pc of women felt similarly. Jaguar's biggest assault on the global car market will kick off with the E-Pace SUV in mid-July. It slots below the F-Pace and will rival the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. It sits on the same platform as the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque and comes with 2WD (front) or 4WD, and either 6spd manual or 8spd auto transmissions. There will be 2-litre 4cyl petrol and diesels (161bhp, 178bhp and 237bhp powerplant). It will also get Jaguar's new hybrid powertrain. The Opel Insignia Country Tourer, the third model after the hatch and estate, is to go on sale in September and will have the same all-wheel-drive system as the Ford Focus RS. Volvo's Polestar brand is to roll out a number of electrified vehicles, and none will carry the Volvo logo. Ford will have a 1-litre EcoBoost petrol with cylinder deactivation technology to further cut emissions and boost economy from early next year. The EcoBoost has just been named 2017 International Engine of the Year in its category for the sixth year in a row. Some interesting findings from a Carzone study: 50pc of motorists change car every five years; 47pc stick to the same brand; rising insurance premiums are a key concern: 69pc say technology plays an important role in what they buy; 65pc believe in-car technology has made them a better driver. Sitting comfortably: The SkyRider offers just 23 inches of space from the seat in front of you A budget airline in Colombia has renewed calls for standing seats to be permitted on aircraft to further drive down the cost of flying. VivaColombia is the latest budget carrier to express interest in so-called vertical seating, akin to perching on a bar stool, which would enable airlines to cram more passengers onto flights. There are people out there right now researching whether you can fly standing up, VivaColombia's founder and CEO William Shaw said. Were very interested in anything that makes travel less expensive. VivaColombia is not the first airline to consider stand-up flights. In 2010, Ryanairs Michael OLeary expressed interest a plane is just a "bus with wings, he said at the time. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) claims seatbelts are essential for passenger safety, however, and said there would be many hurdles to jump through before carriers could launch stand-up flights. Expand Close Sitting comfortably: The SkyRider offers just 23 inches of space from the seat in front of you / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sitting comfortably: The SkyRider offers just 23 inches of space from the seat in front of you First the airline would have to ask the manufacturer of the aircraft to fit them in, then the manufacturer would have to get those seats approved, said Richard Taylor, a spokesperson for the CAA. Unless they can make it 100 per cent safe, it wont be viable. Vertical seating or bar stools with seat belts, as Ryanair dubbed them was originally touted by Airbus in 2003. The idea has since been developed by the Italian firm Aviointeriors, which claimed its SkyRider perch (above) could reduce space on an aircraft by 25pc. So far no such seat has been approved by regulators. The quest for stand-up flights continues. Read more: Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] A new aircraft "standing seat" model aimed at cramming more airline passengers onto budget flights has been unveiled. The new saddle seat, to be unveiled at a conference this week, increases the number of seats an airline can have in its economy class. The design, named the SkyRider, allows just 23 inches of legroom, which is about seven inches less than the average seat's space of 30 inches. Shaped similar to a horse saddle, passengers sit at an angle, with their weight taken on by their legs. It allows seats to be overlapped. The seats would also offer storage space including a shelf for carry-on bags and hooks to hang a jacket or a handbag. The makers say the seat would allow budget airlines, such as Ryanair, to cram more passengers into their tight cabins. The seat, designed by Italian design firm Aviointeriors Group, based in Latina, in the country's south-west, is to be unveiled this week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas conference in Long Beach, California. But while the designers claim it does not affect passenger comfort, they say it would only be suitable for flights of up to three hours. "We feel extremely confident that this concept will ... have great appeal to airlines for economic purposes," Dominique Menoud, the company's director general, told USA Today. For flights anywhere from one to possibly even up to three hours ... this would be comfortable seating. The seat ... is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle." The company added that the seat, which is in its final stage of testing, had been designed and engineered to offer the possibility to even further reduce ticket prices while still maintaining sound profitability. Ryanair, the Irish low-cost carrier, has previously said it would let passengers stand during flights if the Irish Aviation Authority granted permission. In July, Ryanair announced plans to operate flights where passengers stand during the journey at a cost of just 5 per ticket. Michael O'Leary, the budget airlines controversial chief executive, suggested the Irish airline may soon carry a number of vertical seats. But the latest idea has already been dismissed by safety officials. The European Aviation Safety Agency, in Cologne, Germany, said the plans were highly unlikely to meet stringent safety approval. To our knowledge, no airlines or other operators have made an application for stand-up seats, a spokesman said. What they are proposing would be unprecedented and highly unlikely to be certified in the near future. No approval has been granted. Mr Menoud said if a carrier committed to the new design his company would apply for the proper certification. He claimed several airlines had expressed interest although he did not name the companies. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] One of the most glib and idiotic utterances during last year's UK Brexit referendum came from the Tory minister and Leave campaigner Michael Gove, who declared British people "have had enough of experts". It was a frantic attempt to deflect from the Leave campaign's inability to answer charges Brexit would damage the UK economically. It is a common tactic among desperate political charlatans, especially when their failures on other fronts are about to emerge. It is also the fake underpinning to Shane Ross's Judicial Appointments Bill which is being hurriedly debated this week. What Ross has forced the Government to do is ask the Dail to accept - and so far only Sinn Fein does - that we cast expert advice to the margins and look to the way contestants on 'Eurovision' or 'Big Brother' are picked when filling future judicial vacancies. As we saw with last week's debacle, the current system of identifying potential judges could do with being strengthened to prevent future cabinets doing an end run around the spirit of the law while claiming to be entirely within it. What Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan is presenting to us in-loco-Shane Ross is not reform. Rather than relying on careful thought and research into best practice in other common law systems, what we get is a Bill dreamed up in Shane Ross's head with the sole ambition of gaining him attention. No one who knows and understands the operation and needs of our judicial system thinks what Ross is offering is sensible reform. Our most senior judges, whose expertise and wisdom we rely on daily for important decisions, have taken the very unusual step of writing to the Taoiseach to warn him of this folly. Even the incoming Justice Minister, seemingly emboldened by the new Attorney General, started out the week saying how unhappy he was with this bill, though not so unhappy he or his boss were willing to tell Ross this to his face. What makes this mess all the worse is there is a far more sensible and workable alternative proposal in the form of Jim O'Callaghan and Fianna Fail's draft legislation. It could be passed within days and achieve the reforms Ross claims he wants, without any of the damaging consequences. O'Callaghan's draft bill envisages a clear role for non-judges in the process. Indeed, he has gone further than Ross. Of the 12 people on O'Callaghan's proposed Judicial Appointments Commission, only five will be judicial members - the Chief Justice and presidents of the four other courts - while the remaining seven will be non-judicial members. This recognises the pivotal importance of the Chief Justice and court presidents as having responsibility for efficient, effective operation of the courts. Ross wants to ignore their expertise and responsibility and instead wants lay people picked by the Public Appointments Service from those who apply. So the people who pick the judges in Ross's view should themselves be picked by civil servants based on 10-minute interviews. O'Callaghan has already indicated the key stakeholder groups which could provide the non-judicial nominees, such as the Free Legal Advice Centres, Citizens Information Board, Law Society, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Bar Council and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. This is a sensible provision. O'Callaghan's bill also provides another important safeguard that Ross's omits: transparency. In the scheme O'Callaghan and Fianna Fail propose, the Judicial Appointments Commission will send three names, ranked one, two and three, from which the Cabinet can choose a judge. Ministers can pick any but if they pick none they must publish a reasoned decision on the Government website. There is no virtue or merit in ignoring all expert opinion in favour of vapid populism. The fact Sinn Fein, whose only institutional expertise in this field is a familiarity with some people who have staffed provo kangaroo courts, is the other party to wholeheartedly back this proposal tells you all you need to know about it. Lay people are used in the justice system in the form of juries The judicial class and their legal buddies in the political class protest too much at the notion that a lay majority commission would be unqualified to select judges and could undermine judicial independence. We utilise lay people in the judicial process at present. They are called juries - and yet judges have no issue with such lay people being dragged off the street to find defendants guilty or innocent, despite having absolutely no legal training, knowledge or experience whatsoever. No threat to judicial independence there. There is a warped definition of judicial independence in this country, which believes that judges are so independent that they are also independent from common sense and the real world. The political class too readily swallows this warped definition hook, line and sinker. For example, in 2009, the government was advised that they couldn't impose the pension levy on judges, because it would breach judicial independence. The 29th Amendment was needed to fix this problem. I close by referring to Supreme Court justice Theodore Kingsmill Moore, who in the 1959 case of O'Byrne v Minister for Finance stated that judicial independence "was for the protection of the people, not for the interests of the judges". The prosecution for the people rests its case. Jason Fitzharris River Valley, Swords, Co Dublin Inspiring response to Grenfell The response of the citizens of London to the Grenfell Tower tragedy provides a deeply moving counterbalance to the hard-hearted formal reaction of politicians. What we noticed, above all else, was the yawning gap between political thinking and the moral, humane and intuitive giving of so many people, some risking their lives to save others. What has also emerged from this appalling tragedy is that our liberal and democratic society needs to tap into this undercurrent of generosity and basic goodness in order to be truly liberal and democratic. We have had a profound reminder to heed the voice of the poor. Sadly, interest in their vote is not matched by an interest in their voice. The area around Grenfell Tower is one of the most deprived parts of the UK; many who lived in the block of flats would have been among London's poorest, whose pleas to address the blatant health and safety issues reported were ignored. We continue to underestimate the damage done to people through poverty and powerlessness, as we collude in their entrapment in worlds where their capabilities are killed and their sense of hopelessness is amplified by their persistent experience of neglect. There is a crying need for our politicians to return to their grassroots and re-engage with the people by disengaging from the sometimes obscene scramble of an unfettered free market economy. Freedom is something we give, not just a condition we claim for ourselves. What seems inescapable is that the inequitable distribution of income, housing and education is the result of power relations, rather than economic principles. The creative outpouring of human imagination, demonstrated by the ordinary people of London, should lead us to see that we all have a right to food, shelter and love through an economy and a government that works equally to the advantage of all its citizens. Philip O'Neill Oxford, UK Citizens bear brunt of mess in US As we untangle the mess that is called the 2016 US presidential election, we see that both parties are a celebration of stupidity and corruption. While we investigate Russian "meddling" in our election, we ignore WikiLeaks' claims that Hillary Clinton was unfairly helped in her election against Bernie Sanders and that the core players who allegedly cheated are still in power in the Democratic Party. Saying "vote for us because we are a little less corrupt than the Republicans" is no longer good enough. Meanwhile, the Republicans are too incompetent to govern and the justice department has to wonder if they can prosecute a president who is too stupid to even understand the laws that he breaks with impunity. And as stupid as Donald Trump is, the 16 other Republicans he ran against were actually even worse. We now have the Republicans, who are in the pockets of big money, fighting the Democrats, who are also in the pockets of big money, and the only thing that ever seems to happen is that the top 1pc always gets the tax break, while the rest of us get stripped of medical protections. I'm so disgusted that it makes me want to burn a flag. But I no longer think the flag is worthy of burning, because America no longer has any meaning. So this July 4, I'm going to hang the flag upside down, because I think we can all agree, America is in distress. Marc Perkel Gilroy, California, US Politics the stuff of fairy stories A young lady of about seven asked me if all fairy stories began with the words "once upon a time". I replied: "No. Some of them start with the words 'when we are elected'." Richard Barton Tinahely, Co Wicklow Why did so many back Brexit? What our so-called political leaders need to look at is why so many people voted in favour of Brexit. The EU seems to now view Britain as a toxic state, one who dared to go against the political dreams of European leaders in Brussels. I'm sorry, but it looks like the EU is the toxic state, not looking at the needs and requirements of the ordinary British person. Why did so many people feel so disconnected from the "Remain" message that they voted against it? Why have so many people in towns and cities up and down Britain voted to leave? Why don't the so-called politicians, whose job it is to look out for and serve the people who elected them, look at the core issues of why so many millions voted to leave? Instead, the giant media machine that only serves those who control it pumps out scaremongering propaganda to tell the people how foolish they were and to look at the mess they are in now. Sorry, but we were in the mess beforehand, that's why it was a "Leave" vote that won. Look at why so many voted for it in the first place. Emmett Oliver Address with editor Consequences from DUP deal Although Tory, I never thought I'd see the day a failed Conservative prime minister would offer an inducement to an intolerant party in a desperate bid to cling to power. Theresa May's "unholy alliance" with the DUP may well bring unintended consequences of Biblical proportions. Dominic Shelmerdine London, UK On his fifth cookery book: Donal Skehan and Max, by Sofie Larsson-Skehan Donal Skehan is celebrating two years of marriage to wife Sofie in typically sweet fashion. The tv chef (31) wed Sofie Larsson , from Sweden, in 2015 at Dublin's City Hall, and the couple are expecting their first child later this year. The loved-up pair marked their second wedding anniversary on Instagram with touching posts to one another. "Married 2 whole years ago today and still feels like the day we met 11 years ago- my best friend, wife and mama to be @sofieskehan," he wrote. Sofie, who works as her husband's business manager, simply shared a photo of them moments after becoming husband and wife. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The pair have become more public in recent months and Donal is caucused on cracking the notoriously difficult American market after moving to Los Angeles last year. Weve done some amazing things in Ireland and now its time to do what we do to a wider audience. Weve a few friends and my uncle lives out there so it wont be too lonely," he said at the time. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference "We have a few exciting things in the pipeline and weve a new series with the Food Network in the works." Queen Letizia of Spain attends the 'Discapnet' awards 2017 at the Somontes Club on June 26, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Antonio Gutierrez - Pool/Getty Images) King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the commemoration of first democracy election at Congress of deputies on June 28, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Eduardo Parra/GC Images) King Felipe of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain receive Slovenian President Borut Pahor (C) at the Zarzuela Palace on June 27, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images) Queen Letizia of Spain attends 'The Art of Educating' (El Arte de Educar) school program at El Prado Museum on June 19, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images) King Felipe VI of Spain (R) and Queen Letizia of Spain (L) attend First Democracy Elections 40th anniversary at the Congress building on June 28, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Fotonoticias/WireImage) King Felipe VI of Spain (R) and Queen Letizia of Spain attend First Democracy Elections 40th anniversary at the Congress building on June 28, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Fotonoticias/WireImage) Watch out Kate Middleton, Queen Letizia of Spain is hot on your nude patent heels. The 44-year-old Spanish royal has been busy making daily appearances in Madrid this week, showing off her impressive wardrobe and climbing up best dressed lists. The mother-of-two opted for a relatively modest number to mark the First Democracy Elections 40th anniversary at the Congress building: a red semi-sheer lace dress by Carolina Herrera and a pair of nude heels by Prada. She finished off the look with a pair of ruby and diamond drop earrings, as she arrived to the venue arm in arm with her husband King Felipe. Expand Close King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the commemoration of first democracy election at Congress of deputies on June 28, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Eduardo Parra/GC Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the commemoration of first democracy election at Congress of deputies on June 28, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Eduardo Parra/GC Images) Like Middleton, she prefers nude accessories and while she isn't afraid of dressing in designer garb, she prefers less flashy ensembles and prefers championing Spanish designers where possible. While nothing can override the chequered history of Australias indigenous people, it is definitely heartening to see better efforts at representation and a prime example of this is the new art installation at Sydney Opera House. Badu Gili which means water light in the language of the Gadigal people is a seven-minute projection of indigenous art on to the eastern sail of the Opera House. It is particularly fitting as the Opera House is housed on Bennelong Point land traditionally owned by the Gadigal people. Bennelong Point used to be known as Tubowgule meaning where the knowledge waters meet, and the Opera House describes it as a gathering place for community, ceremony and storytelling for thousands of years. The pictures of the new experiential art exhibition are particularly breathtaking. You can watch the full performance here. We're proud to show you our new daily sunset sails lighting that will celebrate Australia's First Nations' culture: Badu Gili. The eastern Bennelong sail will be illuminated with ancient stories in a contemporary 7 minute animation year-round at sunset and 7pm. Curated by Rhoda Roberts AO, Badu Gili weave together at the hands of First Nations artists from across Australia and the Torrest Strait Islands, Jenuarrie (Judith Warrie), Frances Belle Parker, Alick Tipoti and the late Lin Onus and Minnie Pwerle.The music was composed by Damian Robinson.Welcome to our online premiere of Badu Gili. Posted by on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 The art installation started today and will run every evening at sunset year-round. A Japanese airline has apologised for making a wheelchair user hoist himself up a staircase from the tarmac to board his flight. Hideto Kijima faced the problem earlier this month while returning to Osaka from the southern island of Amami with friends. Vanilla Air, the budget affiliate of Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways, told him before boarding on June 5 that the small airport requires the use of stairs and has no lift to safely carry a disabled person onto the plane. Vanilla also refused to let his friends carry him in his wheelchair or separately. Mr Kijima (44) who is paralysed from the waist down, wrote on his blog that he got out of the wheelchair, resisted airline staff who tried to stop him and hoisted himself up the stairs with his arms, a process that took several minutes. "I just had to ignore them and keep moving up, or I could not go back to Osaka," he wrote. One of his friends helped push him, and at the top he was put into a wheelchair and taken to his seat. "I've never thought I would be refused to fly for not being able to walk," he said. "It's a human rights violation." Vanilla said it has apologised to Mr Kijima and that new lifts are being installed. "We apologised to him for the unpleasant experience," Vanilla spokesman Akihiro Ishikawa said. "We also explained that we are taking measures to improve our service." Japanese media reported on his ordeal on Wednesday. Mr Kijima, an advocate of barrier-free travelling, said he has visited 158 countries and used 200 airports, and has never been rejected before. He said he is not asking for fancy equipment but just some assistance. Mr Ishikawa said Amami is the only airport on Vanilla's 14 international and domestic routes without lifts for wheelchair users. Civilians trapped by Isil-affiliated groups in the besieged southern Philippine city of Marawi are being forced to fight, loot and become sex slaves to militants, the Philippine army claimed yesterday. Jo-Ar Herrera, a military spokesman, said that according to recent escapees, hostages inside Marawi were being forced to convert to Islam, carry wounded fighters and marry terrorists from the Maute group who invaded the city last month. So they are being forced to be sex slaves, forced to destroy the dignity of these women, he said. This is what is happening inside, this is very evident... these are evil personalities. Most of Marawis 200,000 citizens have fled the Muslim-majority city since it was attacked on May 23 by the local Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups, which both pledge loyalty to Isil. Despite heavy aerial bombardment, which has destroyed much of the city centre, the militants have held off the army for five weeks, using snipers and rocket-propelled grenades. Their combat capability, access to heavy weapons and the presence of foreign fighters has raised fears that the siege of the city is part of a campaign for Isil to gain a foothold in south-east Asia. Hussein Datuharun, a city official, backed the claims of forced recruitment. They [the militants] put checkpoints all over the city and then they recruit only men, saying you join our group or we will kill you, he said. Meanwhile, Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte reappeared in public yesterday after an absence of a week, his longest disappearance from the spotlight as president, amid concerns about his health that the government insists are baseless. Mr Duterte gave a speech at the presidential palace of about 25 minutes, during which he railed at Islamist militants for their bloody occupation of Marawi, but made no mention of why he had been absent from the public eye. Known for a busy schedule and lengthy speeches often several times a day, the 72-year-old Dutertes low profile this month has fuelled rumours he is in declining health and that the government is trying to keep that under wraps. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Samantha Azzopardi (inset) cost the Irish state more than 250,000 when she turned up outside the GPO in Dublin in October 2013 A serial con artist who previously duped the Irish authorities into believing she was the victim of sex trafficking is now facing up to 10 years in jail in Australia for a similar fraud. Samantha Azzopardi cost the Irish state more than 250,000 when she turned up outside the GPO in Dublin in October 2013. She didn't speak but produced a series of drawings suggesting that she had been raped. Due to her young appearance detectives believed that the then 25-year-old was in her mid teens. Eventually gardai secured High Court permission to release her photograph and a family member soon came forward to identify Azzopardi as a serial conwoman. Now local media is reporting that Azzopardi has pulled a similar stunt in her native Australia. According to news.com.au the now 28-year-old appeared in a Sydney court earlier today charged over a scam in which she posed as a 13-year-old schoolgirl named Harper Hart. She received nearly AUS$20,000 (13,500) worth of services from the New South Wales government and charities after telling authorities she was a sex trafficking victim when she turned up at a school in the city. Expand Close Samantha Azzopardi: claimed to be a victim of abduction. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Samantha Azzopardi: claimed to be a victim of abduction. Among the items given to her were a phone, an iPad and a public transport card. According to the website, Azzopardi pleaded guilty to four fraud offences earlier this month and now faces up to 10 years in prison. She appeared via video link earlier today and kept her head down the entire time, quietly answering yes when magistrate Daniel Reiss asked if she understood the outcome of the hearing, AAP reported. Azzzopardi has a long history of fraud and less than a year after appearing in Dublin she walked into a clinic in Calgary, Canada claiming that her name was Aurora Hepburn, that she was 14 and that she had been a victim of an abduction, sexual assault and torture. She was deported after police spent CAN$150,000 (101,000) investigating her bogus claims. She has not applied for bail in this latest case and is due to be sentenced on July 19. Scotland has threatened to invoke formal dispute resolution procedures with the UK government as the row over the Tories' 1bn (1.1bn) deal with the DUP intensified. Political leaders in Scotland and Wales reacted furiously to the agreement, which will see Northern Ireland benefit from additional cash while Theresa May will gain the support of DUP MPs in crucial votes at Westminster. Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has already described it as a "straight bung'' to prop up a ''faltering'' Conservative minority government while his Scottish counterpart Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Any sense of fairness sacrificed on the altar of grubby DUP deal to let PM cling to power." Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay told MSPs at Holyrood the Conservatives were "ripping off Scotland to the tune of 2.9bn (3.2bn)" and said it "feels like daylight robbery". Mr Mackay claimed it was "unacceptable" the funding for Northern Ireland would not be subject to the Barnett formula spending rules, which determine how resources are allocated to different parts of the UK. Increased spending on devolved issues, such as health and infrastructure, for one part of the country will usually result in the allocation of additional money for other areas. Mr Mackay is demanding urgent talks with Liz Truss, Britain's chief secretary to the Treasury, and Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford in a bid to find a "satisfactory solution" that is "fair and reasonable to all". In a letter to Ms Truss, he stated: "As this is an issue of such significance to the Scottish government, if we cannot agree we will look to pursue a more formal mechanism to resolve the situation by invoking the formal dispute resolution mechanism." A Munich gay couple kiss as they protest in Munich against the Bavarian state government in August 2001. Photo: Reuters Angela Merkel has opened the way for gay marriage to be legalised in Germany after she called for a free vote in parliament on the issue. The surprise announcement represents a major U-turn for the German chancellor, who has previously opposed gay marriage, citing concerns for children. A vote could now be held as soon as next week. A majority of MPs are believed to be in favour of legalisation. Ms Merkel described her change of heart in terms of a Damascene conversion. She spoke of a "life-changing experience" when she met a lesbian couple in her parliamentary constituency who have adopted eight children. But sceptics suggested the timing may also have something to do with the coming German elections in September. Ms Merkel's chief rival, the Social Democrats (SPD), has pledged to legalise gay marriage, and opinion polls show more than 80pc of Germans are in favour. While civil partnerships have been available to homosexual couples in Germany since 2001, gay marriages are not recognised by the state. Opposition from the conservative wing of Ms Merkel's Christian Democrat party (CDU) has been the main roadblock to legalisation. The chancellor chose the unlikely venue of a live event hosted by the women's magazine 'Brigitte' on Monday night to announce what amounted to a small political bombshell. "I want to change the discussion to a decision of conscience, rather than something I can direct with a whipped vote," she said. "If the state gives a homosexual couple children to take care of, I can no longer argue this issue simply on the question of child welfare. These are issues that greatly concern me." She called for "respect for those for whom it is hard to make such a decision". Ms Merkel's move wrongfooted the SPD, which has made a pledge to legalise gay marriage a central plank of its election manifesto. Martin Schulz, the SPD leader and Ms Merkel's main challenger, tried to regain the initiative by calling for a vote before the end of the current parliament. "Angela Merkel made a move yesterday and we are taking her at her word," he said. "The change of heart should be acted on this week." ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Officials inspect the damage to the new Ten Commandments monument outside the state Capitol in Little Rock. (AP) A man has crashed his vehicle into the new Ten Commandments monument in Arkansas, nearly three years after he was arrested over the destruction of Oklahoma's monument at its state Capitol, authorities said. The privately funded monument had been in place outside the state Capitol in Little Rock for less than 24 hours before it was knocked from its plinth and smashed to pieces. Michael Tate Reed, 32, of Van Buren, Arkansas, was booked into Pulaski County jail on preliminary charges of defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespass and first-degree criminal mischief. Arkansas Secretary of State's Office spokesman Chris Powell said officials believe a Facebook Live video posted on a Michael Reed's Facebook account that depicted the destruction is authentic. In the video, the sky is dark and the Arkansas Capitol's dome is visible. Music is heard followed by a female voice, likely on the radio, saying, "Where do you go when you're faced with adversity and trials and challenges?" The driver is then heard growling, "Oh my goodness. Freedom!" before accelerating into the monument. The vehicle's speedometer is last shown at 21mph and then a collision can be heard. Arkansas' monument fell from its plinth and broke into multiple pieces as it hit the ground. Oklahoma County Sheriff's spokesman Mark Opgrande said that Reed was arrested in October 2014 over the destruction of Oklahoma's Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol. Mr Opgrande confirmed that the suspect arrested in Arkansas was the same person arrested in the Oklahoma case. In a 2015 email to the Tulsa World , Reed apologised for wrecking Oklahoma's monument and said he suffered from mental health issues. "I am so sorry that this all happening (sic) and wished I could take it all back," Reed said. Arkansas' granite monument, which weighs 2,721 kilogrammes, was installed on Tuesday morning on the south west lawn of the Capitol with little fanfare and no advance notice. A 2015 law required the state to allow the display near the Capitol, and a state panel last month gave final approval to its design and location. "Obviously, I'm very disappointed that someone would carry out an act of violence that's actually against the people of Arkansas," said Republican Sen Jason Rapert, the state politician who led the push for the monument. Sen Rapert said he was confident he could quickly raise funds for a replacement. Travis Story, the general counsel of the American History and Heritage Foundation, which raised money for the monument, said the group has already ordered a replacement, but that it would take a couple of months. Republican Gov Asa Hutchinson, who signed the legislation requiring the monument's installation, called its destruction "very troubling". "Resorting to property destruction is never the answer to a policy disagreement," he wrote in a tweet. The American Civil Liberties Union said on Tuesday that it planned to file a federal lawsuit challenging the monument, calling it an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. AP Britain will support any fresh retaliation by the US for the use of chemical weapons by Syria, the UK has said, after the White House revealed it had intelligence the regime was planning another attack. The US said it had observed preparations at Shayrat air base, where jets which carried out a deadly sarin gas strike in April took off from. It warned Syria would pay a "heavy price" if it went ahead with such an assault. The British defence secretary, Michael Fallon, said the UK backed the US when it mounted a Tomahawk missile strike against the regime following the attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun, which left 74 people dead, and was prepared to do so again. "As always in war, the military action you use must be justified, it must be legal, it must be proportionate, it must be necessary. In the last case it was," said Mr Fallon. "If the Americans take similar action again, I want to be very clear - we will support it." Sean Spicer, the White House spokesman, said on Monday night: "The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children." Yesterday Capt Jeff Davis, Pentagon spokesman, said the US had seen "activity" at Shayrat airfield that "indicated active preparations for chemical weapons use". French president Emmanuel Macron agreed during a telephone call with US President Donald Trump yesterday on the need for a "joint response" in the event of another chemical attack in Syria. The Syrian regime denied the White House claims and Russia, President Bashar al-Assad's main ally, rebuked what it called US "threats". "I am not aware of any information about a threat that chemical weapons can be used," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Certainly, we consider such threats to the legitimate leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic unacceptable." In an interview after the Khan Sheikhoun attack, a former Syrian chemical weapons chief claimed the regime failed to declare its entire stockpile to the UN's watchdog and was likely still in possession of hundreds of tonnes. However, President Assad insisted after April's strike that the regime was not in possession of any chemical weapons. Warning While the motive of the White House in releasing the classified information is unclear, it may have been done with the hope such a public warning might deter the Syrian president from another chemical strike. Jim Mattis, the US defence secretary, is in Europe for Nato meetings and said the US-led coalition would not to be pulled into a war against the Syrian regime, saying it would keep a strict focus on fighting Isil. "We won't fire unless they are the enemy, unless they are Isis," he said, using another acronym for the jihadist organisation. "We just refuse to get drawn into a fight there in the Syria civil war, we try to end that one through diplomatic engagement." It comes as the US military yesterday said it would assess allegations that a coalition airstrike may have killed more than 40 prisoners held in an Isil-run jail in eastern Syria. Central Command confirmed it struck jihadist facilities in the town of al-Mayadeen, near Raqqa, on Monday. Syrian activists reported a jail was struck in the area that at least 42 prisoners were killed, along with around 15 Isil fighters. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] The image of the United States has deteriorated sharply across the globe under President Donald Trump and an overwhelming majority of people in other countries have no confidence in his ability to lead, a survey from the Pew Research Centre showed. Five months into Mr Trump's presidency, the survey spanning 37 nations showed US favourability ratings in the rest of the world slumping to 49pc from 64pc at the end of Barack Obama's eight years in the White House. In the UK, favourable views of the US have gone from 61pc at the end of the Obama presidency to 50pc at the beginning of the Trump administration. Though a handful of countries saw their views of the US increase slightly, there was only one where it had gone up in double digits: Russia, where favourability ratings increased from 15pc to 41pc. Falls were far steeper in some of America's closest allies, including neighbours Mexico and Canada, and European partners like Germany and Spain. Just 30pc of Mexicans now say they have a favourable view of the US, down from 66pc at the end of the Obama era. In Canada and Germany, favourability ratings slid by 22 points, to 43pc and 35pc, respectively. Mr Trump has been at loggerheads with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron over trade and the Paris climate accord. In many European countries, the ratings were comparable to those seen at the end of the presidency of George W Bush, whose 2003 invasion of Iraq was deeply unpopular. The survey, based on the responses of 40,447 people and conducted between February 16 and May 8 this year, showed even deeper mistrust of Mr Trump himself, with only 22pc of those surveyed saying they had confidence he would do the right thing in world affairs, compared to 64pc who trusted Mr Obama. Globally, 75pc of respondents described Mr Trump as "arrogant", 65pc as "intolerant" and 62pc as "dangerous". A majority of 55pc also described him as a "strong leader". The mother of a Mormon teenager has told of the positive reaction her daughter has received since coming out as gay during a church service. Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service in Eagle Mountain Utah, which was taped by a friend and went viral online. The video has since been picked up by media outlets across the globe. Savannahs mother, Heather Kester, said the extra attention the family had received since the videos release had been "weird" and "a little crazy." Speaking to Independent.ie, she said Savannah had received lots of positive feedback from well-wishers. "She thinks its cool, most people have been very receptive. Shes had a lot of positive feedback, some really positive feedback from the LGBT community in particular. The only negative feedback is online and I havent let her on there to see any of that stuff," she said. Ms Kester added that it had been more difficult to handle the response in the local area. Expand Close Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service (Photo: Heather Kester) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service (Photo: Heather Kester) The video was criticised by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who slammed the video as an attempt to "politicise worship services" and said it had violated "church decorum." Ms Kester said that while recording was not common practice in church, it was not unheard of. "Its not normal to record in church but people will often do it if theres a musical number being performed or your child is up speaking," she said. "I think people in the church were upset because it went online. It was taken by a friend of Savannahs as a memento, a keepsake because that was a big thing she was doing. I really wish that they would cut them some slack." Expand Close Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service (Photo: Heather Kester) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service (Photo: Heather Kester) Neither Ms Kester nor Savannah have returned to church since she gave her speech. Savannah revealed her sexual orientation before a packed church in early May, saying; "(God) did not mess up when he gave me freckles or made me to be gay." Expand Close Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service (Photo: Heather Kester) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Savannah (13) revealed her sexual orientation during a church service (Photo: Heather Kester) She continued: "I do believe he made me this way on purpose, no part of me is a mistake. I do not choose to be this way and it is not a fad. I cannot make someone else gay and being around me wont make anyone else this way." The brave teen also stated her desire to have a partner and family in the future and said she was not "a horrible sinner for being who I am." The video shows Savannahs microphone being cut by church leaders a short time later, when she is asked to return to her seat. Ms Kester said she was "extremely proud" of her daughter and was "in awe of her bravery." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose followers are commonly referred to as Mormons, is one of many conservative faith groups that oppose same-sex relationships. According to the churchs official website: Sexual relations are reserved for a man and woman who are married and promise complete loyalty to each other. Sexual relations between a man and woman who are not married, or between people of the same sex, violate one of our Father in Heavens most important laws and get in the way of our eternal progress. A young mother who was doused in gasoline and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend has died, nearly two years after the attack. Judy Malinowski (33) suffered fourth and fifth degree burns on most of her body when she was attacked by Michael Slager (41) outside a petrol station in August 2015. The Ohio woman suffered extensive damage to her trachea, leaving her unable to speak above a whisper, according to the Daily Mail. Her ears and parts of her fingers were melted off in the attack, and she was left unable to walk. Ms Malinowski also required a ventilator to breathe. Expand Close Judy Malinowski was set on fire by her former partner ABC6/Screengrab / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Judy Malinowski was set on fire by her former partner ABC6/Screengrab She reportedly underwent more than 50 surgeries since the attack, but doctors were unable to heal the open wounds on her back, as she was too weak to lie on her stomach during surgery. She remained in hospital until May of this year, when she was moved to palliative care. Her heartbroken mother, Bonnie Bowes, paid tribute to her daughters resilience. She said: That child suffered for two years to tell her own story, who has the strength to do it?' Mr Slager originally stated that the incident occurred when he was trying to light a cigarette, but has since pleaded no contest to charges of felonious assault, aggravated arson and possession of criminal tools. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison last December. Following Ms Malinowski's death on Tuesday however, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said his office is now pursuing murder charges against him Ms Malinowski was mother to two children, aged 13 and 9 years-old. Her death comes as Ohio lawmakers consider passing a new law, named after her, on arson attacks. Judys Law would increase the penalties for cases like Ms Malinowskis, where a victim is left permanently disfigured when an accelerant is used to set them on fire. It was unanimously passed in the Ohio House in May and is waiting on Senate approval. Ms Malinowskis eldest daughter, Kaylyn (13), spoke before the Senate committee last week about the bill. She said: While he got 11 years, my mom, my sister and I all got a life sentence. While we stand here today, my mom lays in a hospital bed where she has been for 689 days. Before the attack, Ms Malinowski survived ovarian cancer and successfully overcame an opioid drug addiction. French chef Alain Senderens in the kitchen of his Parisian restaurant, Lucas Carton (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File) French chef Alain Senderens, who rejected his Michelin stars and was acclaimed as a visionary, rebel and a force in the development of nouvelle cuisine, has died aged 77. Senderens was being cremated in the central Correze region on Wednesday after his death on Sunday, according to the town hall of his village of Saint-Setiers. He was regarded by his peers as a visionary and a cerebral chef who helped open the way to new approaches to gastronomy. He was among the chefs who pushed forward the lighter nouvelle cuisine that captures the flavours of regional products, and he pared down in other areas, too, including prices. In 2005, he transformed the Parisian temple of gastronomy Lucas Carton, which he took over in 1985, into a lower-priced establishment. That was after he tried to give back his years of three star-ratings, only to win two stars the following year. "I wanted to make another style of restaurant," Senderens told The Associated Press in 2006, after winning the two stars. "I didn't want the stars anymore, but I can't do anything. Michelin says they give stars to whomever they want." Senderens was fed up with the rigours of the star system and the competition in the kitchen, and the inaccessible prices for his creations. He said in 2005 that after 27 years of being listed in the guide, he wanted to make a break, and make dining more affordable by cutting costs. When he reopened under a new name - Senderens - prices fell to the 80 US dollar range, without wine - about a quarter of the average price at the time of Michelin establishments. He told the news magazine L'Express in 2012 that he was "ashamed... by this excess of luxury". Asian-inspired dishes that he was known for continued, such as pigeon with crab and vermicelli, and Javanese lamb curry with citronella and mango. His signature dish through the decades was Canard Apicius, a duck dish based on a recipe from Roman times. Wine propelled Senderens' creative talents. Among chefs emphasising the need for harmony between a wine and the food on the plate, he took it a step further, creating dishes around particular wines. Senderens sold his restaurant in 2013 and it reverted to the name of Lucas Carton. Born on December 2 1939, in Hyeres, on the Cote d'Azur, Senderens went to Paris in 1962, working in top restaurants, including Lucas Carton - which he took over three decades later - honing his skills in various roles in the kitchen brigade. Top chefs voiced high praise for the loss of a trend-setter in the kitchen. Celebrated French chef Paul Bocuse, 91, paid tribute to Senderens in a Facebook post as a "giant of a chef with infinite talent". The Paul Bocuse restaurant outside Lyon, in south-eastern France, noted that "Monsieur Bocuse" had presented Senderens with the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honour several years ago. "A great chef indeed," said Thomas Keller, one of America's top chefs, best known for his Napa Valley restaurant The French Laundry. Alain Passard recalled his mentor as a man of "remarkable sensibility". "We knew we had before us something other than a cook," he was quoted as saying in the daily Le Figaro. "He wanted us to enter a world where no one else had been." He worked under Senderens from 1977 to 1979, at L'Archestrate, on Paris' Left Bank, where Senderens began his climb to acclaim. When Senderens moved to Lucas Carton in the Place de la Madeleine, Passard took over the old haunt, renamed it Arpege and began winning his own Michelin stars. AP Investigative police pilot Oscar Perez reads a statement from an undisclosed location June 27, 2017, in this still image taken from a video . Credit @OSCARPEREZGV Instagram Venezuela's president has said a stolen police helicopter fired on the country's Supreme Court in what he called a thwarted "terrorist attack" aimed at ousting him from power. The confusing exchange took place as Nicolas Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists. More than hour after the flyover ended, he told the audience that the helicopter had fired on the court with grenades. He said the nation's air defence was activated and one of the grenades did not explode, preventing any loss of life. "It could have caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured," said Mr Maduro, who sounded alternately calm and angry as he told the audience about what had happened in the airspace just beyond the presidential palace where they were gathered. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a police pilot, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against Mr Maduro's "tyranny" as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. Expand Close A police helicopter flies over Venezuela's Supreme Court building in Caracas June 27, 2017, in this still image taken from a video (Credit: Caraota Digital) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A police helicopter flies over Venezuela's Supreme Court building in Caracas June 27, 2017, in this still image taken from a video (Credit: Caraota Digital) "We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government," the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what looked like assault rifles standing behind him Later, information minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement saying the helicopter fired 15 shots at his ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people. It then flew a short distance to the government-stacked supreme court, which was in session, and launched what he said were four Israeli-made grenades of "Colombian origin", two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building. The president of the high court said there were no injuries from the attack and the area was still being surveyed for damages. Mr Villegas said security forces were being sent to arrest Perez, who the government accused of working under the instructions of the CIA and the US embassy in Caracas, as well as recover the helicopter. Meanwhile many of Mr Maduro's opponents took to social media to accuse the president of orchestrating an elaborate ruse to justify a crackdown against Venezuelan seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Venezuela has been rocked by anti-government protests during the past three months that have left at least 75 people dead and hundreds injured. Mr Maduro said one of the pilots involved in the alleged attack used to fly for his former interior minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, who he accused of working for the CIA. Mr Rodriguez Torres, who has been leading a campaign against Mr Maduro made up of left-wing supporters of the late Hugo Chavez, dismissed the accusation as baseless. The helicopter incident capped a volatile 24 hours that began with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and continued on Tuesday when opposition MPs got into a heated scuffle with security forces assigned to protect the National Assembly. At least 68 supermarkets, pharmacies and off-licences were looted and several government offices burned following anti-government protests in Maracay, about a 90-minute drive from Caracas. Mr Maduro condemned the violence but with a stern warning to his opponents likely to only further inflame an already tense situation. "We will never surrender. And what we couldn't accomplish through votes we will with weapons," he said. On Tuesday opposition MPs fought with national guardsmen as they tried to enter the National Assembly. At nightfall, a few dozen people were still gathered inside the neo-classical building as pro-government supporters stood outside, threatening violence. As the drama was unfolding outside the court, magistrates were busy issuing a number of rulings further hemming in the opposition. One dismissed a challenge against Mr Maduro's plans for a constitutional assembly by chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz, a longtime loyalist who broke with the government over the issue. Another broadened the powers of the nation's ombudsman, giving him the authority to carry out criminal investigations that until now had been the exclusive prerogative of Mr Ortega's office. Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro said the helicopter incident was part of a conspiracy against his government (AP) A Venezuelan minister has denounced the international community for not condemning the actions of a helicopter pilot the government accuses of using gunfire and grenades to attack the Supreme Court and Interior Ministry. Foreign relations minister Samuel Moncada singled out Canada, the European Union and the United States for ignoring the attack. President Nicolas Maduro's administration is characterising the incident as a "terrorist attack" in which a rogue police pilot fired 15 shots against the Interior Ministry and launched grenades at the court. No one was injured in the incident. Opposition leaders are questioning the government's version of events and suggest it might be a set-up to divert attention away from Mr Maduro's push to rewrite Venezuela's constitution. By Bradley Dunseith On June 26, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first visit to the White House under Donald Trumps presidency. The Indian government billed the visit as a no frills meeting between the two leaders tasked with forging a new relationship predicated on reaffirming economic ties and shared security concerns. While Modis American visit may have lacked the fanfare of his previous trips under the Obama administration, it was well-timed to greet the new Trump administration and maintain the positive economic and political relations cultivated over the last twelve years. More importantly, Modis visit sought to address key grievances that have emerged in the bilateral ties due to President Trumps socioeconomic priorities, namely, creating jobs and asserting American interests when drafting trade and business deals. Further, in meeting with the CEOs of leading American companies, Modi took the opportunity to invite American businesses to partake of Indias improving business landscape. With Trumps new America first international outlook, foreign investors are looking more closely at Asian economies, including India, to take advantage of concessions and increasingly relaxed trade barriers. At the same time, India is keen on strengthening its economic and business ties with the US. Consequently, India can be expected to interact more directly with Americas private sector for the kind of support previously provided by the US government. RELATED: Business Strategy & Operation Advisory Indias changing place in American foreign policy The United States engagement with India has warmed up tremendously since the Cold War. Previously, Americas skepticism over Indias non-aligned foreign policy and close relations with the Soviet Union ensured strained relations between the two nations. However, in 2005, President Bush was able to achieve a breakthrough in bilateral relations with India, which the Obama administration further developed. This rapprochement was guided by the belief that a strong, prosperous India was strategically important for long-term American interests. Unfortunately, Trumps foreign policy seems to have moved away from this trajectory. The Trump plan to revise the H-1B visa program, for instance, has dealt a serious blow to Indias information technology (IT) industry. Trump has criticized the Indian government for maintaining an unfair trade imbalance a US$24 billion deficit with the US. Further, he has accused India of receiving billions of dollars in return for signing onto the Paris climate change agreement. Tellingly, in their joint press release on Monday, Modi made no mention of the proposed changes to the American visa regulations. Trump did, however, state that India would work towards removing trade barriers, and added that the two nations would collaborate in balancing the trade deficit. The coming months will reveal if this cautious presentation translates into any major policy departures. When it comes to matters of national security, Modi and Trump both share similar concerns. The two countries agreed to cooperate on stabilizing Afghanistan and fighting terrorism more broadly. Increased cooperation in defense was also proposed, and will automatically boost economic ties given Americas huge defense industrial complex and Indias own ambitions towards developing its defense manufacturing sector. The US has currently agreed to sell India 22 unarmed drones for its navy to use while patrolling the Indian Ocean to secure maritime trade channels. This is the first purchase of its kind by a non-member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In their joint press statement, the two leaders also implied that both countries viewed Chinas expanding presence in the Indo-Pacific region as a geopolitical threat. RELATED: Business Intelligence Solutions Indias renewed opportunities for American investors Before Modis meeting with President Trump, the Indian Prime Minister facilitated a roundtable of American CEOs, including Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Tim Cook (Apple), and Sundar Pichai (Google) on Sunday evening. Modi impressed upon the business leaders that India has liberalized its foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations, streamlined labor laws, improved intellectual property laws, and is about to roll-out a major indirect tax reform in the goods and services tax (GST). Nonetheless, for many business observers, Modi has yet to live up to the image of the economic reformer he campaigned on. American businesses still experience frustration when entering the Indian market. Conversely, new restrictions on foreign visas have created new obstacles for Indian businesses operating in the US, who currently generate roughly 90,000 jobs for Americans. In both countries, the rise of right-wing politics has hampered the confidence in globalization whether through isolationist policies in the US or in the religiously-motivated regulations in India that are antithetical to the expectations of foreign investors. These changing political conditions present foreign investors and businesses in both India and the US with new challenges and opportunities. For their part, American businesses and investors can wield more influence by encouraging the Indian government to continue with its economic reforms even as the US government focuses more inward. In return, American investors and businesses can breathe new life into the Indian governments array of economic initiatives, such as Make in India, Digital India, Startup India, and the Smart Cities Project. Similarly, Indian and American businesses can create stronger partnerships utilizing shared capital and entrepreneurial experience to maintain a hold in both markets. Ivanka Trump President Trumps daughter and key advisor accepted Modis invitation to lead the American delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit hosted in India this year. The move demonstrates both governments encouragement for private players to foster sustained cooperation, create new jobs, and ensure continued engagement beyond political borders RELATED: Chinese Investment into Digital India Confirms Key Market Dynamic A positive first step for Modi and Trump Modis first US visit under the new Trump administration has finished without any controversy or spectacle. Both leaders praised one another publicly as well as on social media a key diplomatic manoeuvre in itself as they both hold a keen online presence. Modi highlighted both countries shared concerns over combatting terrorism and contesting Chinas growing political overreach. Importantly, India and the US reaffirmed their defensive cooperation at a time when America is reconsidering many of its own strategic partnerships. Nevertheless, under the Trump administration, foreign investors will see the US continue to exert pressure on India over its trade barriers. While India may not act as boldly in asserting its geopolitical and economic agenda, cooperation between the Indian government and Americas private sector may speed up otherwise tabled economic reforms and lead to renewed collaboration. Related Reading: Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes. In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we discuss payroll processing and reporting in India, and the various regulations and tax norms that impact salary and wage computation. Further, we explain Indias complex social security system and gratuity law, and how it applies to companies. Finally, we describe the importance of IT infrastructure, compliance, and confidentiality when processing payroll in India. Actors Ajith Kumar and Vivek Oberoi left to Serbia last week for the shooting of remaining portions of 'Vivegam'. It was planned as a short schedule lasting for around one week. Now we learn that the 'Vivegam' team headed by director Siva, will return to India on Thursday this week (June 29th) after completing the entire shooting of the film. The film is on track to hit the screens on August 10, 2017 for the long Independence Day weekend. A day heavy in green Indian equity markets saw a day, heavy in green, today. Nifty 50 ended, up by 321.5 points. Sensex ended, up by 1181.34 points. Top Gainers today were HDFC, HDFC Bank, Infosys. Top Losers ... November 11, 2022 | 3:43 pm In early trade, Rupee rises 71 paise to 80.69 / $ Early on Friday, the rupee strengthened 71 paise to 80.69 against the dollar as investors' attitudes were bolstered by easing US CPI data and a decline in the dollar index. Forex traders claime... November 11, 2022 | 2:24 pm Sensex zooms over 1,100 pts; Nifty above 18,300; IT index top contributor Domestic benchmark indices in the fast lane today led by IT and Metal stocks outperforming. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks were nearly 2% higher amid positive global cues. On the se... November 11, 2022 | 2:00 pm NIBE receives order of Rs11.88 crore from Goa Shipyard; Stock slips 1% Nibe Limited stocks in focus as the company announced the receipt of purchase orders. As per the regulatory filing, it has received two purchase orders dated November 08, 2022 from G... November 11, 2022 | 12:53 pm Ashoka Buildcon receives provisional certificate for NHAI road project; Stock up 2% Ashoka Buildcon Limited has informed the declaration of October 26, 2021 as the Commercial Operation Date (CoD) for its Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) Project of National Highways Authority of ... November 11, 2022 | 12:26 pm The cloud of speculation around the fate of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) high schools was cleared up Wednesday afternoon when the districts recommendations to close or repurpose Arlington, Broad Ripple and Northwest high schools became public. The closures and facility reuse recommendations are included in the 50-page Reinventing IPS High Schools report. Under the proposed plan, Arlington, a school that remains under state control after being operated by EDPower for the 2014-15 school year and being returned to IPS, would be turned into a 500-seat middle school for seventh- and eighth-grade students, pending Indiana State Board of Education approval. Broad Ripple, a school whose graduation rates have increased over 9 percent from 2014-2016, would be sold for an estimated $6-8 million. Northwest, which serves a high population of immigrants and refugees, would house a 600-seat middle school. The facilities maintenance department would be sold for $3-5 million, and the staff and functions would be relocated to Northwest High School and Francis Bellamy Preschool Center. The IPS Professional Development Center, housed in the former Forest Manor Middle School, would be sold, as well, with the staff being relocated to Arlington. The report goes on to state that through right-sizing, selling and repurposing IPS assets, the district could garner up to $13 million in one-time revenue and create operating savings of more than $1 million annually. Additionally, the district hopes the reinvention process will save $4 million in high school expenditures from its general fund. In a closed-door meeting with the media earlier this week, IPS Superintendent Lewis Ferebee reiterated past sentiments that the proposed changes are being made in the best interest of students to provide them with higher quality options. We cannot continue to shortchange our students, said Ferebee. Howe and Manual, which are not currently being run by IPS, were included in the plan, as well. According to Ferebee, the fate of those two schools comes down to a stalemate between the State Board of Education and Charter Schools USA. The organization has asked for additional funding to operate both facilities; without the funding they are threatening to no longer operate. A discussion is planned for the next board of education meeting, and though IPS has no plan to operate the facilities themselves, Ferebee stated that the district has a contingency plan. We are prepared to absorb those students, he said. The closure decision follows the release of IPS Facilities Utilization Taskforces report in April, which reported that high school enrollment is trending down district-wide, with five of the seven district-run high schools projected to operate at less than 50 percent enrollment in the 2017-18 academic year. Closing criteria Prior to this most recent announcement, a number of community meetings were held around the city to encourage public comment. Private meetings with students and staff of each high school, moderated by Radio One personalities B-Swift, Tony Lamont and Jerry Wade, were held as well. IPS estimates that of the 21 meetings, there were 3,000 attendees and more than 2,000 verbal, handwritten and online stakeholder comments. That input, along with internal analysis and information from the Facilities Taskforce weighed heavily in the decision making. A scoring rubric, which ranked each facility on 12 criteria such as the schools academy model, proximity to other quality districts and charters, ability to sell or reuse, neighborhood growth and development, operation costs and building condition was used to rank the schools. Those with the lowest ranking were recommended for closure or reuse. Arlington, Broad Ripple and Northwest all ranked high in proximity to quality districts and charters and ability to sell or reuse; their transportation costs per student were also among the highest. David Rosenberg, a member of the Facilities Taskforce and IPS director of operations, said the group heard from parents that students didnt want long bus rides and that the reallocation of transportation services under the new plan would potentially make bus rides no longer than an hour one way. Intended outcomes, next steps Ferebee noted that over the past three years, the districts graduation rates have increased by 8 percentage points, and many students are leaving the district with post-secondary plans. This is a trend he hopes will continue under the new reinvention. Currently, 60 percent of students, according to the district, make their own choice of where to attend high school. Under the proposed plan, the district would turn to an all-choice model, giving more students this option. No choice programs would be closed, and all career-themed academies would be moved to the remaining schools: Arsenal Tech, Crispus Attucks, George Washington and Shortridge. The career themed academies would focus on the following areas: health sciences, advanced manufacturing, teaching, construction, finance, information technology and military. The district will continue to gather public input throughout the months of July and August before the board of commissioners votes on Sept. 28. The following day, a member of the IPS leadership team is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with students and staff at each of the schools to be closed. Ferebee said not only is the board of commissioners fully on board with rightsizing, but the administration also does not anticipate losing students they currently have. In regards to the overwhelming amounts of dissent from certain members of the community, including rumors around the intent behind school closures and perceived input from forces outside Indianapolis, Ferebee said he is not too wound up about conspiracy theories. A teachers perspective Currently, IPS employs 267 staff members collectively at Arlington, Broad Ripple and Northwest high schools. When asked what the district plans to do with staff who may be displaced following closures, Ferebee noted that right now the focus has been on students, but that a more concrete plan would be rolled out following the board vote this fall. The Indiana State Teachers Association told the Recorder that the Indianapolis chapter has engaged the district and is working to make sure displaced staff would be assigned to other roles within IPS. Andrew Gatza, a former IPS teacher and current volunteer at George Washington Community High School, said that throughout the process, he feels communication has been lacking. Communication has been limited between administration and teachers and just broadly speaking, he said. The task force that is deciding the fate of traditional public schools is pretty heavy charter school leaning it doesnt seem like traditional public schools will get a fair shake. Jonique Brooks Burton, a former IPS employee, said that as a leader she would also consider school closure a viable option given the state of the district. As an aspiring superintendent, I understand the need for school closure. When youre lacking students, it doesnt make sense to keep a building open with just 800 kids when that building can occupy 2,000. I understand the need from that perspective, she said. Burton said it is disheartening to know that some teachers may leave or be without a job pending the change, but all parties involved should take an introspective look. Why are the students leaving the district? Why are they going to township schools? Being in an IPS building for two years and coming from township, I saw different teaching styles. Teachers must be passionate about it; it cannot be about a paycheck. There are reasons why students are leaving the district and parents are taking their children out of the district and put them somewhere else. Washington Township, which is just a couple of miles up the road from Broad Ripple High School, is busting out at the seams. Why arent those students coming to Broad Ripple? That should make teachers think. What is it that were doing as a district thats not drawing kids to us? Its time for IPS to do a self-reflection. Ultimately, Burton feels that the focus for now should be on proactive measures. IPS needs to do some hard serious recruiting this school year to bring those students back into the district. I think that we should have centralized this concept of trying to recruit more students into our building before this talk about just shutting them down, she said. IPS could be the best district in this state, but every employee needs to do a self-reflection; it is necessary in order for progress. We need to learn how to go from being building- and district-level administrators to being instructional leaders. Community response On Tuesday night, a number of protesters gathered outside IPS headquarters on Walnut Street to voice their disdain for the pending announcement. Chants of You cant make choices without community voices, rang out through a set of portable speakers. Jasmine Rodriguez, a former IPS student, was in attendance. The 2012 Arsenal Tech graduate is a member of a loose collective known as We Are IPS, comprised of community residents, former and current students, teachers, parents and members of other organizations like Parent Power, the Concerned Clergy, a local Black Lives Matter chapter and Our IPS. The whole point of the protest is for them to recognize a community-led coalition or task force. Star Adita, of Parent Power, said she hopes the closure announcement serves as a cautionary tale to the community. Im hoping that this will be a wake-up call that they can do it and (here is) the reasoning why. Unfortunately, people will see it too late when they realize that they got played. Following the protest, attendees filed into the building for the board of commissioners agenda review session. Doutonia Batts, parent of an IPS student, was the first to make public comment for the evening. Batts called for an end to the school closure process and asked that a new community-centered task force be formed to address the issues with underutilization in IPS facilities. She went on to say there was no community input in the formation of the current facilities task force. More than a dozen speakers rose to speak in a similar fashion, each imploring the administration to halt the closure process and form a new task force. Antonio Alexander, assistant pastor of Purpose of Life Ministries, shared that he was concerned that there seemed to be no active promotion for enrollment to potential students by IPS under current leadership. We need leadership that will resurrect and not let die. Before any changes are made in IPS, change needs to happen at the top. Board commissioners will hold their regularly scheduled July and August meetings on the road to each of the schools recommended for closure. Each meeting will include a period for public comment. Those who plan to attend can go to www.myips.org (Click on the School Board tab) to sign up to speak. Deadline for sign-ups is noon on the day of each meeting. Upcoming meetings: Tuesday, July 18 6:00 p.m. Broad Ripple Magnet High School for the Arts and Humanities 115 Broad Ripple Ave. Indianapolis, Ind. Thursday, July 20 6:00 p.m. John Marshall Community High School 10101 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, Ind. Tuesday, August 29 6:00 p.m. Arlington Community High School 4825 N. Arlington Ave. Indianapolis, Ind. Thursday, August 31 6:00 p.m. Northwest Community High School 5525 W. 34th St. Indianapolis, Ind. Star Adita, of Parent Power, joined other protesters in a demonstration held prior to Indianapolis Public Schools announcement of a proposal to close or repurpose three of the districts high schools. Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan is the latest victim of internet trolling. During her traditional Bengali baby shower ceremony, Soha was lashed out on her Instagram page for wearing a beautiful saree. Are you wondering why? Instagram/Soha Ali Khan Well, because wearing a stunning Benarasi silk does not qualify as a Muslim outfit. While quite a few of her fans supported her choice, they were many haters who had some really nasty things to say to the expecting mommy. While some expected her to be ashamed, some questioned her culture. Soha, being a sass queen, didn't let that affect her. She went on to put out a collage of her wearing the saree and posing with her friends and family. The love of family and friends is reason enough to dress up! A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) on Jun 27, 2017 at 10:48pm PDT She captioned the picture with, "The love of family and friends is reason enough to dress up! " Her photograph has got close to 60,000 likes so far. Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Popularly known as Sam Bahadur (Sam the brave), Field Marshal Manekshaw was known for his wit and straight-talking nature. Here are some facts about the brave officer on his birth anniversary. 1. He was trained in the first batch of the Indian Military Academy in 1932. He has earlier wanted to be a doctor, just like his father. 2. He took part in five wars for the country - World War II, 1947 Indo-Pak War, 1962 Indo-China War, 1965 Indo-Pak War and 1971 Indo-Pak War. Times Content 3. The unit he was serving in during the second world war, the 4 Battalion of 12 Frontier Force Regiment, went to Pakistan Army after partition. By the end of 1947 he was posted to 3/5 Gorkha Rifles. AFP 4. He wasnt fazed by the political leadership. He allegedly told VK Menon to refrain from asking officers what they thought about their seniors. In 1971, when Indira Gandhi asked him General are you ready? (for war), he replied: I am always ready sweetie. Times Content 5. He was the tactician behind Indias victory in 1971 war. When he was asked to go to East Pakistan to accept the surrender of the Pakistan Army, he declined and said the honour should go to his army commander in the East, Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora. AFP 6. Pakistan military ruler Yahya Khan, Manekshaws junior in 1947, never paid him the money for his motorcycle he took from him. Manekshaw recalled the event and said: ''I never received the Rs 1000, but he gave me the whole of East Pakistan.'' Times Content 7. Injured in war in Burma, he was rescued by his orderly and taken to a surgeon. Seven bullets were removed from his body. When the surgeon asked him what had happened to him, he retorted that he was kicked by a mule. AFP As Israel gears up for hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first-ever visit to Israel by any Indian PM, Israeli media has given PM Modis much importance. "Wake up: the most important PM of the world is coming", is how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to Israel is described in an article in a Business daily 'The Marker'. AP The paper is the feature story of its Hebrew edition discussing Indo-Israel ties said that Trump had visited Israel, but "he didn't say much" while Modi, a leader of 1.25 billion people deserves a lot of attention. The Israeli media has also emphasised on Modis skipping Ramallah and solely focusing solely on Israel. "Unlike most world leaders, however, Modi, who governs the world's largest democracy and second largest nation, apparently is refusing to visit Ramallah during his Israel trip, and will not schedule meetings with Palestinian Authority (PA) chief Mahmoud Abbas or other PA leaders", Arutz Sheva said in a report. Ramallah is the residence of Palestinian Authority (PA) chief Mahmoud Abbas who had visited India in May. International Yoga Day celebrations in Israel saw massive coverage by the Israeli media with some commentators talking about the "soft diplomatic power it arms New Delhi with". AFP Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed PM Modis visit to Israel last Sunday when hailed his Indian counterpart's visit to Israel last Sunday and called Modi his friend. "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel. This is a historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the country's existence, no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited and this is a further expression of the state of Israel's military, economic and diplomatic strength," Netanyahu stressed. "This is a very significant step in strengthening relations between the two countries," he added. The madness that has gripped parts of India, in the name of cow protection shows no signs of slowing down. In yet another case of vigilante justice for alleged cow killer, a man was beaten up and parts of his house was set on fire after the carcass of a cow was found outside his residence. ANI The incident happened in Beria Hatiatand village in Deori area, nearly 200 km from Ranchi, on Tuesday. According to reports, Usman Ansari was attacked in his house by a mob of 1,000 armed with stones and sticks after a rumour spread that there was a dead cow with its throat slit was discovered outside his home. By the time police was alerted and they reached the spot, the mob had beaten up Ansari and set ablaze his home. Police said the angry crowd was poised to kill Ansari if they had not intervened on time. They even resisted the police from taking the injured Ansari to hospital, forming them to fire in the air. ANI The mob was highly charged and nearly 50 of our men sustained injuries in the stone-pelting. The situation has been brought under control, Jharkhand ADG (Operations) R K Mullik said. Police said there was no evidence to prove that Ansari who runs a dairy business had slaughtered the cow. In February this year, Ukranian couple, Kristina Masalova and Eugene Petrus, quit their jobs to travel the world. They found the cheapest one way ticket to the country and landed in Kochi. Just a day after reaching India, they found an Indie pup at Fort Kochi, starved and dying, and at that very moment, they decided to adopt it and take care of her. The couple named him Chapati, got all his fleas and ticks, parasites and wounds healed at the vet and tagged him only in the journey through Asia. There were nice moments while I slept on His foot, but overall the night was awful: I've got thousands of fleas and they bite me permanently. Hope They will help me! Day 2 A post shared by Chapati (@travelingchapati) on Feb 11, 2017 at 9:53am PST Speaking to TOI, the couple said, "She was thin and tan like a Chapati, and we had no doubts what to name her. The next thing we knew, we were googling how to travel with a dog in India." Soon after they adopted her, they set up an Instagram page called Traveling Chapati, which chronicles the little pups journey. But travelling with a dog, is surely not a cake walk, the couple had to go through some paperwork before they could take Chapati to every place they went. "It's hard, and expensive, but it's worth it. She has travelled by buses and trains, planes, cars, rickshaws, ferries, catamarans and motorbikes with us!" they told TOI "Many couldn't believe it's possible to travel with a dog. The truth is that there are more hotels which allow dogs than what the internet shows you. We would randomly walk around a city until we found one." The only places they found it difficult to find a pet-friendly place was in Mumbai and Bangkok. Through their Instagram page the couple aims to break the myth about how strays are as good as purebred and that travelling with a pet is an experience of a lifetime. A miffed Pakistan has accused the US of "dual standards" for looking the other way on the issue of India's 'state terrorism' in Kashmir, reported Pakistani media. ap Pakistan's comments come after two developments over Monday and Tuesday put it in an embarrassing spotlight. Also Read: PM Modi And US President Donald Trump Vow To Destroy Pakistan Sponsored Terrorism On Monday, the US state department named the Pakistan-backed Hizbul Mujahideen Kashmiri separatist Syed Salahuddin a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist'. And an Indo-US joint statement - released after leaders Narendra Modi and Donald Trump met on Tuesday - sternly urged Islamabad "to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries". ap "It seems as though the blood of Kashmiris in not at all important to the US, and international laws relating to human rights do not apply to Kashmir," said Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar on Tuesday, according to Dawn. Also Read: Modi Hugs Trump Thrice And The World Media Cant Stop Roasting The Both Of Them Nisar said the US's actions "mock" justice . ap "Ignoring the worst form of state terrorism does not only mock justice and international norms, but also exposes the dual standards of those upholding human and democratic rights," Nisar added, reported The Express Tribune. Also Read: Sorry Techies, The Much Hyper Modi-Trump Meet Included 'No' Discussion On H1-B Visa Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmiris' "cause", Nisar said. Earlier, Pakistan also slammed as "completely unjustified" the US naming Hizbul Mujahideen chief Salahuddin a "global terrorist". ap "The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified," a ministry spokesperson said in a statement without naming Salahuddin. Also Read: 16 Hilarious Memes That Perfectly Sum Up PM Narendra Modi And Donald Trump's Day In The Sun! Both the Indo-US joint statement and the US action on Salahuddin are being seen as a major diplomatic victory for India which has long accused Pakistan of backing terror in India and more specifically, in Kashmir. The joint statement issued by the US after the first meeting between Modi and Trump contained some strong words for Pakistan. ap "The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups," the statement said. Also Read: From Hand-Woven Himachali Shawl To Honey And Lincoln Stamp, Here Is What Modi Gifted To Trumps Pakistan's foreign office was unhappy at being named in the statement. "Pakistan has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The people and government of Pakistan have rendered immense sacrifices in both blood and treasure to end this scourge, which has been acknowledged by the international community," Pakistan's foreign office said. Just a while ago, I was sharing some ideas and things that rattle me on day to day basis with a friend over a cup of coffee. Things like ugly Indian roads, pollution, corruption, enforced amendments, exploitation, fraud, sexism were on top of our list. But of all the sorcery that has engulfed the world with deep remorse, the recent protest against mob lynching seemed futile. If you don't already know, India and several countries across the globe have united to reprimand and globally rebuke against mob lynching. Starting from major cities across the nation and several other across the world, people will come together and hold crusade against this form of human terror that's ripping us off our peace and human rights. Those in #Bombay , the #NotInMyName solidarity is at 5 pm tomorrow, Carter Road promenade. Be there and stand against the tyranny of power Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) June 27, 2017 The idea was kickstarted by Saba Dewan, an award-winning, documentary filmmaker based in New Delhi who wrote a poignant Facebook post, reminding all of us about our basic rights and duties. It is time, we, the citizens of India, reclaim and protect our Constitution. she wrote. We should oppose any lynching, irrespective of faith and no matter who the victim was. That's why all Indians should say #NotInMyName Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) June 28, 2017 People outlined and agenda, place and the time that they will meet. Those who trending #NotInMyName pls note A dalit eloped with muslim girl Girl's Family tied the father & bro of guy to the tree & thrashed pic.twitter.com/oJvr1HO2QV Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) June 28, 2017 Tank Bund in Hyderabad around 4 pm, Hazratganj in Lucknow around 430 pm, Madhusudan Mancha in Kolkata around 5 pm, Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram at 5.30 pm, at the Ernakulam High Court junction in Kochi 5 pm, Jantar Mantar in Delhi and Town Hall Bangalore will stage their protests 6 pm, respectively. Today. 6 PM. Jantar Mantar, #NewDelhi. Doesn't matter what faith you belong to, join the protest against mob violence.#NotInMyName Meghnad (@Memeghnad) June 28, 2017 "All lynchings are equal, but some lynchings are more equal than others." ~ unwritten board at the Animal Farm of Indian elite#NotInMyName Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) June 28, 2017 Folks in Patna will meet around 6 and Chennai is most likely to hold the protest on 1st of July. *Hindu gets lynched* Me: Why is the media not creating a movement for you? Hindu: Because Junaid, Rashid or Abdul is #NotInMyName Smoking Skills (@SmokingSkills_) June 28, 2017 Other than India, protesters in Canada and London have also planned their protest subsequently. Vismaya, a little girl from Kerala lost her father who was hacked to death by Commie goons. No fiberal said #NotInMyName then. Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya) June 28, 2017 The movement has been set up to address the recent incident where a 15-year-old boy, Hafiz Junaid, was stabbed to death on board a Delhi-Mathura train on June 22. Hafiz JUNAID & his brothers called katwa,antinationals,beefeaters,beard pulled,beaten,JUNAID stabbed train not a single person came to help Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 24, 2017 His death was a by-product of a mob fight, where people began calling him 'beef-eaters' and 'anti-national'. These citizens protests aim to eradicate this evil out of the system, at least for now what seems like a deadly weapon capable of killing anyone and everyone on the streets. White House Says It Will Fake "Chemical Weapon Attack" In Syria By Moon Of Alabama June 27, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The White House claims that the Syrian government is preparing "chemical weapon attacks". This is clearly not the case. Syria is winning the war against the country. Any such attack would clearly be to its disadvantage. The White House announcement must thereby be understood as preparation for another U.S. attack on Syria in "retaliation" for an upcoming staged "chemical weapon attack" which will be blamed on the Syrian government. In August 2013 Syria invited inspectors of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate chemical weapons attacks on the Syrian army. As soon as the inspectors arrived in Damascus a "chemical attack" was staged in Ghouta near Damascus. Lots of Jihadist video coverage of killed children was published and the "western" media blamed the incident on the Syrian government. It never explained why targeting a militarily irrelevant area with chemical weapons at the same time as inspectors arrived would have been a rational decision for a Syrian government that was just regaining control and international standing. The "attack" was clearly staged by the opposition of the Syrian government and its foreign supporters. The Obama administration had planned to use it to launch U.S. attacks on the Syrian government but refrained from this when Russia arranged to remove Syria's strategic chemical weapons, aimed at Israel, instead. In early 2017 the new U.S. president Trump made positive comments about the Syrian government. Assad can stay, he said. The Syrian military and its allies had gained the upper hand and were victorious on all fronts. Two days later another "chemical attack" was staged in the al-Qaeda held town of Khan Sheikhun. Lots of Jihadi video coverage of killed children, likely prepared in advance, was spilled onto the "western" public. U.S. intelligence knew that no chemical attack by the Syrian government had taken place. But the Trump administration used the incident to launch a volley of cruise missiles against a Syrian military airport. The neoconservatives were delighted. They finally had Trump where they wanted him. The media coverage changed from damming Trump for his alleged "Russian connections" to lauding his decisiveness in response to the faked attack. Late May the new French president Macron ostensibly changed his position towards the Syrian government. The hostile position of France (and other EU countries) against the Syrian president Assad that had been eminent throughout the last six years changed on a dime : Macron said that on Syria: My profound conviction is that we need a political and diplomatic roadmap. We wont solve the question only with military force. That is a collective error we have made. The real change Ive made on this question, is that I havent said the deposing of Bashar al-Assad is a prerequisite for everything. Because no one has introduced me to his legitimate successor! But Macron also added: "I have red lines on chemical weapons and humanitarian corridors. I said it very clearly to Vladimir Putin. I will be uncompromising on that. So the use of chemical weapons will be met with a response, and even if France acts alone. This immediately set off my warning lights: Moon of Alabama @MoonofA - 4:28 PM - 29 May 2017 You like fakes? Tune in to Macron announcing the next False Flag chemical weapon attack in Syria. Like all "red lines" this one Macron set was an invitation to the Takfiris to launch more fake incidents. Others had a similar reaction to Macron's (fake) turnaround. The end of the war on Syria is in sight . One can start to tabulate the winners and losers . The U.S. military conceded that it had lost the race to occupy south-east Syria. All these turns in favor of Syria show that the war is practically won unless some of the outside sponsors of the Takfiri "rebels" again escalate. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Such an escalation is now happening. The White House claims to have information that the Syrian government is preparing a chemical weapon attack to kill "innocent children": In an ominous statement issued with no supporting evidence or further explanation, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. had identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. He said the activities were similar to preparations taken before an April 2017 attack that killed dozens of men, women and children, and warned that if Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. Several State Department officials typically involved in coordinating such announcements said they were caught completely off guard by the warning, which didnt appear to be discussed in advance with other national security agencies. Typically, the State Department, the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies would all be consulted before the White House issued a declaration sure to ricochet across foreign capitals. The White House claim is of course nonsense and not supported by any evidence or logic at all. No one but the White House, not the State Department nor the Defense Department, seems to be informed about this (though that could be a ruse): Five US defense officials said they did not know where the potential chemical attack would come from and were unaware the White House was planning a statement. The lunatic U.S. ambassador to the UN jumped in to make it clear that it does not matter who commits whatever crime in Syria, Takfiris, the U.S. or Israel, it will be the Syrian, Russian and Iranian governments who will held guilty of it: Nikki Haley @nikkihaley - 2:36 AM - 27 Jun 2017 Any further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people. A U.S. bomb attack on an Islamic State used building in Mayadin, Syria, just killed 57 prisoners of the Islamic State. Will Nikki Halley hold the Syrian government responsible for this? Take note of Trump's schedule today: Laura Rozen @lrozen 8:56 AM - 27 Jun 2017 Trump has call with France's Macron first thing this morning, before intel brief. Then meeting w Nat. Sec. adviser McMaster Intense U.S. military reconnaissances takes place along the Syrian coast. The UK Defense Minister just announced that his government is "in full agreement" with any U.S. "retaliation" for a chemical attack in Syria. U.S. Secretary of Defense Mattis announced that the U.S. will continue to arm its Kurdish proxies in Syria even after ISIS is defeated. During the last three days Al-Qaeda attacks on Syrian army position near the Israeli occupied Golan heights were supported by Israeli air attacks . This all is clearly a coordinated operation by the "western" supporters of the Takfiris in Syria. Their aim is to prevent the victory of Syria and its allies. The U.S. wants to split up the country. The announced fake "chemical attack" and the "retaliation" it is supposed to justify will likely happen in the south-west of Syria around Deraa where all recent attempts by Israel and the U.S. supported Takfiris to dislodge the Syrian government forces have failed. The provocation, now prepared and announced by Macron and the White House and supported by the UK, is probably planned to happen shortly before or during the upcoming G-20 meeting in Hamburg: President Trump and members of his administration are requesting a full bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit in Germany next month. ... While some administration officials have pressed for a quick "pull-aside" meeting at the Group of 20 summit or lower officials talking privately instead of the heads of state, Trump wants an event that includes the media and time for work sessions, according to one government official. Trump has to make a deal (or war) with Russia and the announced fake "chemical attack" will be the pressure point against Putin. The neoconservatives in his administration want to break up Syria and Trump is tasked to get the Russian agreement for that (... or else.) Syria insists that its has no chemical weapons nor any intention to use any indiscriminate weapon. Russia warns of any further military aggression and calls such U.S. threats unacceptable . This article was first published by Moon Of Alabama - See also Trump Bombed Syria Ignoring Important U.S. Intelligence . By Seymour M. Hersh Trump ignored important intelligence reports when he decided to attack Syria. Continue The Age of No Privacy: The Surveillance State Shifts Into High Gear By John W. Whitehead We are rapidly entering the age of no privacy, where everyone is open to surveillance at all times; where there are no secrets from government. ~ William O. Douglas, Supreme Court Justice, dissenting in Osborn v. United States, 385 U.S. 341 (1966) June 27, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The government has become an expert in finding ways to sidestep what it considers inconvenient laws aimed at ensuring accountability and thereby bringing about government transparency and protecting citizen privacy. Indeed, it has mastered the art of stealth maneuvers and end-runs around the Constitution. It knows all too well how to hide its nefarious, covert, clandestine activities behind the classified language of national security and terrorism. And when that doesnt suffice, it obfuscates, complicates, stymies or just plain bamboozles the public into remaining in the dark. Case in point: the National Security Agency (NSA) has been diverting Internet traffic, normally safeguarded by constitutional protections, overseas in order to conduct unrestrained data collection on Americans. Its extraordinary rendition all over again, only this time its surveillance instead of torture being outsourced. In much the same way that the government moved its torture programs overseas in order to bypass legal prohibitions against doing so on American soil, it is doing the same thing for its surveillance programs . By shifting its data storage, collection and surveillance activities outside of the country a tactic referred to as traffic shaping the government is able to bypass constitutional protections against unwarranted searches of Americans emails, documents, social networking data, and other cloud-stored data. The government, however, doesnt even need to move its programs overseas. It just has to push the data over the border in order to [circumvent] constitutional and statutory safeguards seeking to protect the privacy of Americans. Credit for this particular brainchild goes to the Obama administration, which issued Executive Order 12333 authorizing the collection of Americans data from surveillance conducted on foreign soil. Using this rationale, the government has justified hacking into and collecting an estimated 180 million user records from Google and Yahoo data centers every month because the data travels over international fiber-optic cables. The NSA program, dubbed MUSCULAR , is carried out in concert with British intelligence. No wonder the NSA appeared so unfazed about the USA Freedom Act, which was supposed to put an end to the NSAs controversial collection of metadata from Americans phone calls. The NSA had already figured out a way to accomplish the same results (illegally spying on Americans communications) without being shackled by the legislative or judicial branches of the government. The USA Freedom Act was just a placebo pill intended to make the citizenry feel better and let the politicians take credit for reforming mass surveillance. In other words, it was a sham, a sleight-of-hand political gag pulled on a gullible public desperate to believe that we still live in a constitutional republic rather than a down-and-out, out-of-control, corporate-controlled, economically impoverished, corrupt, warring, militarized banana republic . In fact, more than a year before politicians attempted to patch up our mortally wounded privacy rights with the legislative band-aid fix that is the USA Freedom Act, researchers at Harvard and Boston University documented secret loopholes that allow government agents to bypass Fourth Amendment protections to conduct massive domestic surveillance on US citizens. Mind you, this metadata collection now being carried out overseas is just a small piece of the surveillance pie. The government and its corporate partners have a veritable arsenal of surveillance programs that will continue to operate largely in secret, carrying out warrantless mass surveillance on hundreds of millions of Americans phone calls, emails, text messages and the like, beyond the scrutiny of most of Congress and the taxpayers who are forced to fund its multi-billion dollar secret black ops budget. In other words, the surveillance state is alive and well and kicking privacy to shreds in America. On any given day, the average American going about his daily business is monitored, surveilled, spied on and tracked in more than 20 different ways by both government and corporate eyes and ears. Whether youre walking through a store, driving your car, checking email, or talking to friends and family on the phone, you can be sure that some government agency, whether the NSA or some other entity, is listening in and tracking your behavior. This doesnt even begin to touch on the corporate trackers that monitor your purchases, web browsing, Facebook posts and other activities taking place in the cyber sphere. We have now moved into a full-blown police state that is rapidly shifting into high-gear under the auspices of the surveillance state. Not content to merely transform local police into extensions of the military, the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and the FBI are working to turn the nations police officers into techno-warriors, complete with iris scanners, body scanners, thermal imaging Doppler radar devices, facial recognition programs, license plate readers, cell phone Stingray devices and so much more. Add in the fusion centers, citywide surveillance networks, data clouds conveniently hosted overseas by Amazon and Microsoft , drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, and biometric databases, and youve got the makings of a world in which privacy is reserved exclusively for government agencies. Thus, the NSAs technotyranny is the least of our worries. A government that lies, cheats, steals, sidesteps the law, and then absolves itself of wrongdoing cannot be reformed from the inside out. Presidents, politicians, and court rulings have come and gone over the course of the NSAs 60-year history, but none of them have managed to shut down the governments secret surveillance of Americans phone calls, emails, text messages, transactions, communications and activities. Even with restrictions on its ability to collect mass quantities of telephone metadata, the government and its various spy agencies, from the NSA to the FBI, can still employ an endless number of methods for carrying out warrantless surveillance on Americans, all of which are far more invasive than the bulk collection program. Just about every branch of the government from the Postal Service to the Treasury Department and every agency in between now has its own surveillance sector , authorized to spy on the American people. And of course that doesnt even begin to touch on the complicity of the corporate sector, which buys and sells us from cradle to grave, until we have no more data left to mine. Indeed, Facebook, Amazon and Google are among the governments closest competitors when it comes to carrying out surveillance on Americans, monitoring the content of your emails, tracking your purchases, exploiting your social media posts and turning that information over to the government. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Few consumers understand what data are being shared, with whom, or how the information is being used, reports the Los Angeles Times . Most Americans emit a stream of personal digital exhaust what they search for, what they buy, who they communicate with, where they are that is captured and exploited in a largely unregulated fashion. Its not just what we say, where we go and what we buy that is being tracked. Were being surveilled right down to our genes, thanks to a potent combination of hardware, software and data collection that scans our biometrics our faces, irises, voices, genetics, even our gait runs them through computer programs that can break the data down into unique identifiers, and then offers them up to the government and its corporate allies for their respective uses. All of those Internet-connected gadgets we just have to have (Forbes refers to them as (data) pipelines to our intimate bodily processes ) the smart watches that can monitor our blood pressure and the smart phones that let us pay for purchases with our fingerprints and iris scans are setting us up for a brave new world where there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. For instance, imagine what the NSA could do (and is likely already doing) with voiceprint technology, which has been likened to a fingerprint. Described as the next frontline in the battle against overweening public surveillance, the collection of voiceprints is a booming industry for governments and businesses alike. As The Guardian reports, voice biometrics could be used to pinpoint the location of individuals . There is already discussion about placing voice sensors in public spaces multiple sensors could be triangulated to identify individuals and specify their location within very small areas. Suddenly the NSAs telephone metadata program seems like childs play compared to whats coming down the pike. That, of course, is the point. The NSA is merely one small part of the shadowy Deep State comprised of unelected bureaucrats who march in lockstep with profit-driven corporations that actually runs Washington, DC, and works to keep us under surveillance and, thus, under control. For example, Google openly works with the NSA , Amazon has built a massive $600 million intelligence database for CIA, and the telecommunications industry is making a fat profit by spying on us for the government. In other words, Corporate America is making a hefty profit by aiding and abetting the government in its domestic surveillance efforts. At every turn, we have been handicapped in our quest for transparency, accountability and a representative government by an establishment culture of secrecy: secret agencies, secret experiments, secret military bases, secret surveillance, secret budgets, and secret court rulings, all of which exist beyond our reach, operate outside our knowledge, and do not answer to we the people. Incredibly, there are still individuals who insist that they have nothing to fear from the police state and nothing to hide from the surveillance state, because they have done nothing wrong. To those sanctimonious few, secure in their delusions, let this be a warning. There is no safe place and no watertight alibi. The danger posed by the American police/surveillance state applies equally to all of us: lawbreaker and law-abider alike, black and white, rich and poor, liberal and conservative, blue collar and white collar, and any other distinction youd care to trot out. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People , in an age of too many laws, too many prisons, too many government spies, and too many corporations eager to make a fast buck at the expense of the American taxpayer, we are all guilty of some transgression or other. Eventually, we will all be made to suffer the same consequences in the electronic concentration camp that surrounds us. Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His new book A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State (SelectBooks, 2013) is available online at www.amazon.com . Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org . Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Hershs New Syria Revelations Buried From View By Jonathan Cook June 27, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, the man who exposed the Mai Lai massacre during the Vietnam War and the US militarys abuses of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib in 2004, is probably the most influential journalist of the modern era, with the possible exception of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the pair who exposed Watergate. For decades, Hersh has drawn on his extensive contacts within the US security establishment to bring us the story behind the official story, and to disclose facts that have often proved deeply discomfiting to those in power and exploded the self-serving, fairy-tale narratives the public were expected to passively accept as news. His stature among journalists was such that, in a sea of corporate media misinformation, he enjoyed a small island of freedom at the elite, and influential, outlet of the New Yorker. Paradoxically, over the past decade, as social media has created a more democratic platform for information dissemination, the corporate media has grown ever more fearful of a truly independent figure like Hersh. The potential reach of his stories could now be enormously magnified by social media. As a result, he has been increasingly marginalised and his work denigrated. By denying him the credibility of a respectable mainstream platform, he can be dismissed for the first time in his career as a crank and charlatan. A purveyor of fake news. Nonetheless, despite struggling to find an outlet for his recent work, he has continued to scrutinise western foreign policy, this time in relation to Syria. The official western narrative has painted a picture of a psychotic Syrian president, Bashar Assad, who is assumed to be so irrational and self-destructive he intermittently uses chemical weapons against his own people. He does so, not only for no obvious purpose but at moments when such attacks are likely to do his regime untold damage. Notably, two sarin gas attacks have supposedly occurred when Assad was making strong diplomatic or military headway, and when the Islamic extremists of Al-Qaeda and ISIS his chief opponents were on the back foot and in desperate need of outside intervention. Dangerous monsters Hershs investigations have not only undermined evidence-free claims being promoted in the west to destabilise Assads goverment but threatened a wider US policy seeking to remake the Middle East. His work has challenged a political and corporate media consensus that portrays Russias Vladimir Putin, Assads main ally against the extremist Islamic forces fighting in Syria, as another dangerous monster the West needs to bring into line. For all these reasons, Hersh has found himself increasingly friendless. The New Yorker refused to publish his Syria investigations. Instead, he had to cross the Atlantic to find a home at the prestigious but far less prominent London Review of Books. Back in 2013 his contacts within the security and intelligence establishments revealed that the assumption Assad had ordered the use of sarin gas in Ghouta, outside Damascus, failed to stand up to scrutiny. Even Barack Obamas national intelligence director, James Clapper, was forced to admit privately that Assads guilt was not a slam dunk, even as the media widely portrayed it as precisely that. Hershs work helped stymie efforts at the time to promote a western military attack to bring down the Syrian government. His latest investigation questions whether Assad was responsible for another alleged gas attack this one at Khan Sheikhoun in April. Again a consensual western narrative was quickly constructed after social media showed dozens of Syrians dead, apparently following the dropping of a bomb by Syrian aircraft. For the first time in his presidency, Donald Trump received wall-to-wall praise for launching a military strike on Syria in response, even though, as Hersh documents, he had no evidence on which to base such an attack, one that gravely violated international law. Hershs new investigation was paid for by the London Review of Books, which declined to publish it. This is almost as disturbing as the events in question. What is emerging is a media blackout so strong that even the London Review of Books is running scared. Instead, Hershs story appeared yesterday in a German publication, Welt am Sonntag. Welt is an award-winning newspaper, no less serious than the New Yorker or the LRB. But significantly Hersh is being forced to publish ever further from the centres of power whose misinformation his investigations are challenging. Imagine how effective Woodward and Bernstein would have been in bringing down Richard Nixon had they been able to publish their Watergate investigations only in the French media. That is the situation we have reached now with Hershs efforts to scrutinise the wests self-serving claims about Syria. US-Russian cooperation As for the substance of Hershs investigation, he finds that Trump launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base in April despite having been warned by the US intelligence community that it had found no evidence that the Syrians had used a chemical weapon. In fact, Hersh reveals that, contrary to the popular narrative, the Syrian strike on a jihadist meeting place in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 was closely coordinated beforehand between Russian and US intelligence agencies. The US were well apprised of what would happen and tracked the events. Hershs sources in the intelligence establishment point out that these close contacts occurred for two reasons. First, there is a process known as deconfliction, designed to avoid collisions or accidental encounters between the US, Syrian and Russian militaries, especially in the case of their supersonic jets. The Russians therefore supplied US intelligence with precise details of that days attack beforehand. But in this case, the coordination also occurred because the Russians wanted to warn the US to keep away a CIA asset, who had penetrated the jihadist group, from that days meeting. This was not a chemical weapons strike, a senior adviser to the US intelligence community told Hersh. Thats a fairy tale. If so, everyone involved in transferring, loading and arming the weapon would be wearing Hazmat protective clothing in case of a leak. There would be very little chance of survival without such gear. According to US intelligence, Hersh reports, the Syrian air force was able to target the site using a large, conventional bomb supplied by the Russians. But if Assad did not use a chemical warhead, why did many people apparently die at Khan Sheikhoun from inhalation of toxic gas? The US intelligence community, says Hersh, believes the bomb triggered secondary explosions in a storage depot in the buildings basement that included propane gas, fertilisers, insecticides as well as rockets, weapons and ammunition, [and] chlorine-based decontaminants for cleansing the bodies of the dead before burial. These explosions created a toxic cloud that was trapped close to the ground by the dense early morning air. Medecins Sans Frontieres found patients it treated smelled of bleach, suggesting that they had been exposed to chlorine. Sarin is odourless. Hersh concludes that the evidence suggested that there was more than one chemical responsible for the symptoms observed, which would not have been the case if the Syrian Air Force as opposition activists insisted had dropped a sarin bomb, which has no percussive or ignition power to trigger secondary explosions. The range of symptoms is, however, consistent with the release of a mixture of chemicals, including chlorine and the organophosphates used in many fertilizers, which can cause neurotoxic effects similar to those of sarin. Political suicide Hershs main intelligence source makes an important contextual point you wont hear anywhere in the corporate media: What doesnt occur to most Americans is if there had been a Syrian nerve gas attack authorized by Bashar [Assad], the Russians would be 10 times as upset as anyone in the West. Russias strategy against ISIS, which involves getting American cooperation, would have been destroyed and Bashar would be responsible for pissing off Russia, with unknown consequences for him. Bashar would do that? When hes on the verge of winning the war? Are you kidding me? When US national security officials planning Trumps retaliation asked the CIA what they knew of events in Khan Sheikhoun, according to Hershs source, the CIA told them there was no residual delivery for sarin at Sheyrat [the airfield from which the Syrian bombers had taken off] and Assad had no motive to commit political suicide. The source continues: No one knew the provenance of the photographs [of the attacks victims]. We didnt know who the children were or how they got hurt. Sarin actually is very easy to detect because it penetrates paint, and all one would have to do is get a paint sample. We knew there was a [toxic] cloud and we knew it hurt people. But you cannot jump from there to certainty that Assad had hidden sarin from the UN because he wanted to use it in Khan Sheikhoun. Trump, under political pressure and highly emotional by nature, ignored the evidence. Hershs source says: The president saw the photographs of poisoned little girls and said it was an Assad atrocity. Its typical of human nature. You jump to the conclusion you want. Intelligence analysts do not argue with a president. Theyre not going to tell the president, if you interpret the data this way, I quit. Although Republicans, Democrats and the entire media rallied to Trumps side for the first time, those speaking to Hersh have apparently done so out of fear of what may happen next time. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The danger with Trumps retaliatory strike, based on zero evidence of a chemical weapons attack, is that it could have killed Russian soldiers and dragged Putin into a highly dangerous confrontation with the US. Also, the intelligence community fears that the media have promoted a false narrative that suggests not only that a sarin attack took place, but paints Russia as a co-conspirator and implies that a UN team did not in fact oversee the destruction of Syrias chemical weapons stockpile back in 2013-14. That would allow Assads opponents to claim in the future, at a convenient time, yet another unsubstantiated sarin gas attack by the Syrian government. Hersh concludes with words from his source that should strike fear into us all: The issue is, what if theres another false-flag sarin attack credited to hated Syria? Trump has upped the ante and painted himself into a corner with his decision to bomb. And do not think these guys [Islamist groups] are not planning the next faked attack. Trump will have no choice but to bomb again, and harder. Hes incapable of saying he made a mistake. UPDATE: As was to be expected, there has been a backlash against Hershs investigation. If one thing is clear about the Khan Sheikhoun incident, it is that, in the absence of an independent investigation, there is still no decisive physical evidence to settle yet what happened one way or another. Therefore, our job as observers should be to keep a critical distance and weigh other relevant issues, such as context and probability. So let us set aside for a moment the specifics of what happened on April 4 and concentrate instead on what Hershs critics must concede if they are to argue that Assad used sarin gas against the people of Khan Sheikhoun. 1. That Assad is so crazed and self-destructive or at the very least so totally incapable of controlling his senior commanders, who must themselves be crazed and self-destructive that he has on several occasions ordered the use of chemical weapons against civilians. And he has chosen to do it at the worst possible moments for his own and his regimes survival, and when such attacks were entirely unnecessary. 2. That Putin is equally deranged and so willing to risk an end-of-times conflagration with the US that he has on more than one occasion either sanctioned or turned a blind eye to the use of sarin by Assads regime. And he has done nothing to penalise Assad afterwards, when things went wrong. 3. That Hersh has decided to jettison all the investigatory skills he has amassed over many decades as a journalist to accept at face value any unsubstantiated rumours his long-established contacts in the security services have thrown his way. And he has done so without regard to the damage that will do to his reputation and his journalistic legacy. 4. That a significant number of US intelligence officials, those Hersh has known and worked with over a long period of time, have decided recently to spin an elaborate web of lies no one wants to print, either in the hope of damaging Hersh in some collective act of revenge against him, or in the hope of permanently discrediting their own intelligence services. Critics do not simply have to believe one of these four points. They must maintain the absolute veracity of all four of them. Trump Threatens Escalated Aggression on Syria By Stephen Lendman June 27, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Trump escalated Obamas war on Syria, naked aggression against a sovereign independent country threatening no others based on a litany of Big Lies. According to his press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday, further escalation may be coming, saying: The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would result in mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack. As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate (ISIS). IfAssad conducts another mass murder using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. Neocon US UN envoy Nikki Haley outrageously tweeted (a)ny further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people. Assad, his government and military are combating US-supported terrorists to liberate the country, restore peace and stability, along with freeing its people from the scourge of US imperial ravaging. No April 4, 2017 CW attack occurred. The alleged incident was fake. The Trump administration knew this but attacked Syrias Shayrat airbase anyway. A previous article explained Al-Qaeda-connected, Western-supported, anti-Assad White Helmets alone provided unverified images of the alleged attacks aftermath. No evidence suggests area residents were victims of toxic sarin or any other CW. None sought medical treatment. Nothing proves an attack actually occurred, just unverified reports claiming one, falsely blaming Damascus for what appears not to have happened. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman General Igor Konashenkov said Khan Sheikhoun areas residents werent evacuated to protect them from alleged toxic exposure. Neither locals nor pseudo-rescuers have even asked for medicines, antidotes, decontaminants, or any other help, he explained. (T)here are simply no plans to carry out a qualified investigationby the current schemers of the (alleged) chemical attack. (T)he only (so-called evidence of CW use comes from al-Qaeda-connected) White Helmets videos. Images of them in Kahn Sheikhoun showed them with no protective clothing, indicating no need because no CW attack occurred, just a fabricated report of one a pretext for Trumps aggression. According to investigative journalist Seymour Hersh , Trump ordered the attack on Syrias Shayrat airbase despite having been warned by the US intelligence community that it had found no evidence that the Syrians had used a chemical weapon. The available intelligence made clear that the Syrians had targeted a jihadist meeting site on April 4 using a Russian-supplied guided bomb equipped with conventional explosives. Details of the attack, including information on its so-called high-value targets, had been provided by the Russians days in advance to American and allied military officials in Doha, whose mission is to coordinate all US, allied, Syrian and Russian Air Force operations in the region. According to one unnamed US intelligence official, (w)e KNOW that there was no chemical attackThe Russians are furious. Claiming we have the real intel and know the truthI guess it didnt matter whether we elected Clinton or Trump. Hersh explained he learned of a total disconnect between Trump and many of his military advisors and intelligence officials, as well as officers on the ground with firsthand knowledge of the phony Khan Sheikhoun incident. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Fact: No evidence suggests Syrian responsibility for any CW attack throughout over six years of war not in Khan Sheikhoun, Ghouta in August 2013, or any place else. Fact: Plenty of evidence proves US-supported terrorists used CWs numerous times, falsely blamed on Syria and Bashar al-Assad. Fact: The Organization for the Prohibition (OPCW) of Chemical Weapons confirmed the destruction of Syrias CW stockpile under its supervision. No evidence suggests any remain. Fact: Spicer lied claiming US possession of evidence, suggesting a planned Syrian CW attack. No evidence exists. Accusations without verifiable proof are baseless. Whats going on is clear. Washington wants Syrian sovereignty destroyed, pro-Western puppet rule replacing Assad. Russias intervention at the behest of Damascus turned the tide of battle in favor of liberating the country from the scourge of US-supported terrorism. Trump and hawkish generals given warmaking authority appear determined to press on ominously risking possible US/Russia confrontation at some point, pitting the worlds dominant nuclear powers against each other militarily if it occurs. Instead of being noninterventionist as promised, Trump resembles war goddess Hillary with a gender difference. Americas rage for unchallenged global dominance under his leadership risks unthinkable nuclear war, humanitys greatest threat if launched. Visit Stephens website: www.stephenlendman.org (Home Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net . - My newest book as editor and contributor is titled Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III. http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html - Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Information Clearing House has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Information ClearingHouse endorsed or sponsored by the originator.) Privacy Statement Dispatch From the Middle East: U.S. Buildup All About Iran Requiring an American wedge between Syria and Iraq. By Sharmine Narwani June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - DAMASCUS As the drive to push ISIS out of its remaining territories in Syria and Iraq rapidly advances, the U.S. and its allied forces have entrenched themselves in the southeastern Syrian border town of al-Tanaf, cutting off a major highway linking Damascus to Baghdad. Defeating ISIS is Washingtons only stated military objective inside Syria. So what are those American troops doing there, blocking a vital artery connecting two Arab allied states in their own fight against terrorism? Our presence in al-Tanaf is temporary, says Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force of Operation Inherent Resolve (CTFO-OIR), the U.S.-led campaign against ISIS, via phone from Baghdad. Our primary reason there is to train partner forces from that area for potential fights against ISIS elsewhereand to maintain security in that border region. Dillon adds for emphasis: Our fight is not with the (Syrian) regime. But since May 18, when U.S. airstrikes targeted Syrian forces and their vehicles approaching al-Tanaf, American forces have shot down two Syrian drones and fired on allied Syrian troops several times, each time citing self-defense. In that same period, however, it doesnt appear that the al-Tanaf-based U.S.-backed militants have even once engaged in combat with ISIS. Bouthaina Shaaban, political and media advisor to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is left bemused by that rhetoric: When asked what theyre doing in the south of Syria, they say theyre there for their national security, but then they object to the movements of the Syrian army inside Syria? She has a point. Under international law, any foreign troop presence inside a sovereign state is illegal unless specifically invited by the recognized governing authority in this case, Assads government, the only Syrian authority recognized by the UN Security Council. Uninvited armies try to circumvent the law by claiming that Syria is unable or unwilling to fight ISIS and the threat to international security it poses. But unwilling and unable is only a theory, and not law, and since the Russians entered the Syrian military theater to ostensibly fight ISIS with the Syrians, that argument thins considerably. Colonel Dillon acknowledges the point but argues that the Syrian army only just showed up recently in the area. If they can show that they are capable of fighting and defeating ISIS, then we dont have to be there and that is less work for us and would be welcome. Its not clear who made the U.S. arbiters of such a ruling. Syrias fight against ISIS has picked up considerably in recent months, since four de-escalation zones were established during May negotiations in Astana among Russia, Turkey, and Iran. Reconciliation agreements among government forces and some militant groups in those zones and the transfer of other militants to the northern governorate of Idlib has meant that Syrian allied forces have been able to move their attention away from strategic areas in the west and concentrate on the ISIS fight in the east of the country. An April 2017 report by IHS Markit, the leading UK security and defense information provider, asserts that the Islamic State fought Syrian government forces more than any other opponent over the past 12 months. Between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017, says the organization, 43 percent of all Islamic State fighting in Syria was directed against President Assads forces, 17 against the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the remaining 40 percent involved fighting rival Sunni opposition groups in particular, those who formed part of the Turkey-backed Euphrates Shield coalition. In other words, during the period when IS territorial losses were most significant, Syrian forces fought ISIS more than twice as often as U.S.-backed ones. An American Wedge Between Syria and Iraq So whats with the continued U.S. presence in al-Tanaf, an area where there is no ISIS presence and where the Syrian army and its allies have been making huge progress against their militant Islamist opponents? If you look at the map commissioned by the author above, there are approximately three main highway crossings from major Syrian centers into Iraq. The northern-most border highway is currently under the control of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces who seek to carve out an independent statelet called Western Kurdistan. The Homs-to-Baghdad highway in the middle of the map cuts through ISIS-besieged Deir ez-Zor, where up to 120,000 civilians have been protected by some 10,000 Syrian troops since ISIS stormed its environs in 2014. While that border point to Iraq is currently blocked by the terror group, Syrian forces are advancing rapidly from the west, north, and south to wrest the region back from ISIS control. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The Damascus-to-Baghdad highway in the south of the country, which allied Syrian forces have largely recaptured from militants, could have easily been the first unobstructed route between Syria and Iraq. Until, of course, U.S.-led forces entrenched themselves in al-Tanaf and blocked that path. The Syrians cleared most of the highway this year, but have been inhibited from reaching the border by a unilaterally-declared deconfliction zone established by U.S.-led coalition forces. It was agreed upon with the Russians that this was a deconfliction zone, says CJTF spokesman Dillon. Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov begs to differ: I dont know anything about such zones. This must be some territory, which the coalition unilaterally declared and where it probably believes to have a sole right to take action. We cannot recognize such zones. Since regime-change plans fell flat in Syria, Beltway hawks have been advocating for the partitioning of Syria into at least three zones of influence a buffer zone for Israel and Jordan in the south, a pro-U.S. Kurdish entity along the north and north-east, and control over the Syrian-Iraqi border. But clashes with Syrian forces along the road to al-Tanaf have now created an unintended consequence for the U.S.s border plans. Syrian allied troops circumvented the al-Tanaf problem a few weeks ago by establishing border contact with Iraqi forces further north, thereby blocking off access for U.S. allies in the south. And Iraqi security forces have now reached al-Waleed border crossing, on Iraqs side of the border from al-Tanaf, which means U.S.-led forces are now pinned between Iraqis and Syrians on the Damascus-Baghdad road. When Syrians and Iraqis bypassed the al-Tanaf area and headed northward to establish border contact, another important set of facts was created on the ground. U.S. coalition forces are now cut off at least from the south of Syria from fighting ISIS in the northeast. This is a real setback for Washingtons plans to block direct Syrian-Iraqi border flows and score its own dazzling victory against ISIS. As Syrian forces head toward Deir ez-Zor, U.S.-backed forces participation in the battle to liberate that strategic area will now be limited to the Kurd-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from the north, while Syrian forces have established safe passage from the north, south, west and potentially from the east, with the aid of allied Iraqi forces. Why Washington Wants That Border Re-establishing Syrian control over the highway running from Deir ez-Zor to Albu Kamal and al-Qaim is also a priority for Syrias allies in Iran. Dr. Masoud Asadollahi, a Damascus-based expert in Middle East affairs explains: The road through Albu Kamal is Irans favored option it is a shorter path to Baghdad, safer, and runs through green, habitable areas. The M1 highway (Damascus-Baghdad) is more dangerous for Iran because it runs through Iraqs Anbar province and areas that are mostly desert. If the U.S. objective in al-Tanaf was to block the southern highway between Syria and Iraq, thereby cutting off Irans land access to the borders of Palestine, they have been badly outmaneuvered. Syrian, Iraqi, and allied troops have now essentially trapped the U.S.-led forces in a fairly useless triangle down south, and created a new triangle (between Palmyra, Deir ez-Zor, and Albu Kamal) for their final battle against ISIS. The Americans always plan for one outcome and then get another one that is unintended, observes Irans new envoy to Syria, Ambassador Javad Turk Abadi. He and others in Damascus remain optimistic that the border routes long been denied to regional states will re-open in short order. Through the era of the Silk Road, the pathway between Syria, Iran, and Iraq was always active until colonialism came to the region, explains Turk Abadi. In the same way that Western great powers have always sought to keep Russia and China apart, in the Middle East, that same divide-and-rule doctrine has been applied for decades to maintaining a wedge between Syria and Iraq. In the history of the last half century, it was always prevented for Syria and Iraq to get close, to coordinate. When (former Syrian president) Hafez al-Assad and (former Iraqi president) Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr almost reached a comprehensive agreement, Saddam Hussein made a coup detat and hung all the officers who wanted rapprochement with Syria,msays Shaaban, who has just published a book on Hafez Assads dealings with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Saddam then launched an eight-year war against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the latter lost road access through Iraq for more than two decades. In early 2003, U.S. troops invaded Iraq, deposed Saddam, and occupied the country for the next nine years. During that era, Iranian airplanes were often ordered down for inspections, instigated by U.S. occupation forces interested in thwarting Irans transfer of weapons and supplies to the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah and other allies. By the time U.S. troops exited Iraq in late 2011, the Syrian conflict was already under way, fully armed, financed, and supported by several NATO states and their Persian Gulf allies. When those borders are re-opened, says Asadollahi, this will be the first time Iran will have a land route to Syria and Palestine though others point out that the Iranians have always found ways to transport goods undetected. Our army is now almost at the border and Iraqis are at their border and we are not going to stop, insists Shaaban. Syrian and Iraqi forces have not yet checkmated American forces operating in their military theaters. There is still talk of an escalation that may pit the United States against Syrias powerful Russian ally, a dangerous development that could precipitate a regional or global war. But in Baghdad, the U.S.-led coalition spokesman Colonel Dillon struck a slightly more nuanced tone from the more belligerent threats sounded in Washington: Were not in Syria to grab land. If the Syrian regime can show they can defeat ISIS, then were fine with that. The Waleed border crossing is a good sign that shows these capabilities. We are open to secure borders both on the Syrian and Iraqi side. Were not there with the intent to block anything, were there to defeat ISIS and train forces for that. Sharmine Narwani is a commentator and analyst of Mideast geopolitics, based in Beirut. Land of the Free? By Jon Clifton June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Americans' feeling of freedom is declining. In 2006, 91% of Americans were satisfied with the freedom in their lives. Today, it's 75%. The 16-percentage-point decline is dramatic -- but looking at how far the U.S. has fallen in comparison with the rest of the world, the decline is even worse. The U.S. ranked 11th when Gallup asked this question in 2006 (among 118 countries). In 2016, the U.S. came in 71st (among 139 countries). This puts the U.S. in the bottom half of all countries measured. This decline isn't happening in other wealthy democracies. Denmark, Finland and Canada were all tied for first in 2006 -- 96% of people in each country expressed satisfaction with their freedom. Today, those figures are virtually unchanged, and all of them remain in the top 11. Two things typically come to mind when people think about their personal freedom -- their financial situation and their government. On a global basis, GDP per capita and attitudes toward individual income are highly related to how people feel about their freedom. Stated simply, people in wealthy countries are more likely than people in less wealthy countries to report being satisfied with their freedom. Despite widespread reports that the U.S. economy is improving, many Americans may not be feeling the same economic gains in their daily lives. Household income is up since 2011, but it's flat since 2007 . And despite unemployment dropping below 5%, the overall jobs picture is not as rosy. Workforce participation is the lowest it's been in 40 years. Using this metric, The Economist says that unemployment for 25- to 54-year-olds is worse in America than in France. The 2017 Index of Economic Freedom also has seen a significant drop in America's standing in the world since 2006. This index is mostly based on government regulation, the other component that people normally consider when they think about freedom. As previously reported , views on government corruption are related to how people feel about their individual freedom. This seems to be true in the U.S. -- while satisfaction with freedom has declined, the belief that corruption is widespread in the government has been stubbornly high for a number of years. What's more, approval ratings of virtually all government institutions are near historical lows . Whether it's their attitude toward the government or toward their own financial situation, tens of millions of Americans feel differently about their freedom as they prepare to celebrate this Fourth of July. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Presstitutes , Not Russia, Interfered in the US Presidential Election By Paul Craig Roberts June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Unlike Oliver Stone, who knew how to interview Vladimir Putin, Megyn Kelly did not. Thus, she made a fool of herself, which is par for her course. Now the entire Western media has joined Megyn in foolishness, or so it appears from a RT report. James OKeefe has senior CNN producer John Bonifield on video telling OKeefe that CNNs anti-Russia reporting is purely for ratings: Its mostly bullshit right now. Like, we dont have any big giant proof. CNNs Bonifield is reported to go on to say that our CIA is doing shit all the time, were out there trying to manipulate governments. And, of course, the American people, the European peoples, and the US and European governments are being conditioned by the Russia did it storyline to distrust Russia and to accept whatever dangerous and irresponsible policy toward Russia that Washington comes up with next. Is the anti-Russian propaganda driven by ratings as Bonifield is reported to claim, or are ratings the neoconservatives and military/security complexs cover for media disinformation that increases tensions between the superpowers and prepares the ground for nuclear war? RT acknowleges that the entire story could be just another piece of false news, which is all that the Western media is known for. Nevertheless, what we do know is that the fake news reporting pertains to Russias alleged interference in the US presidential election. Allegedly, Trump was elected by Putins interference in the election. This claim is absurd, but if you are Megyn Kelly you lack the IQ to see that. Instead, presstitutes turn a nonsense story into a real story despite the absence of any evidence. Who actually interfered in the US presidential election, Putin or the presstitutes themselves? The answer is clear and obvious. It was the presstitutes, who were out to get Trump from day one of the presidential campaign. It is CIA director John Brennan, who did everything in his power to brand Trump some sort of Russian agent. It is FBI director Comey who did likewise by continuing to investigate what he knew was a non-event. We now have a former FBI director playing the role of special prosecutor investigating Trump for obstruction of justice when there is no evidence of a crime to be obstructed! What we are witnessing is the ongoing interference in the presidential election, an interference that not only makes a mockery of democracy but also of the rule of law. The presstitutes not only interfered in the presidential election; they are now interfering with democracy itself. They are seeking to overturn the peoples choice by discrediting the President of the United States and those who elected him. The Democratic Party is a part of this attack on American democracy. It is the DNC that insists that a Putin/Trump conspiracy stole the presidency from Hillary. The Democrats position is that it is too risky to permit the American peoplethe deplorables to vote. The Democratic Partys line is that if you let Americans vote, they will elect a Putin stooge and America will be ruled by Russia. Many wonder why Trump doesnt use the power of the office of the presidency to indict the hit squad that is out to get him. There is no doubt that a jury of deplorables would indict Brennan, Comey, Megyn Kelly and the rest. On the other hand, perhaps Trumps view is that the Republican Party cannot afford to go down with him, and, therefore, as he is politically protected by the Republican majority, the best strategy is to let the Democrats and the presstitutes destroy themselves in the eyes of flyover America. What our survival as Americans depends on is the Russians view of this conflict between a US President who intended to reduce the tensions between the nuclear powers and those determined to increase the tensions. The Russian high command has already announced its conclusion that Washington is preparing a surprise nuclear attack on Russia. It is not possible to image a more dangerous conclusion. So far, no one in Washington or any Western government has made an effort to reassure Russia that no such attack is being prepared. Instead, the calls are for more punishment of Russia and more tension. This most extraordinary of failures demonstrates the complete separation of the West from reality. It is difficult to image a more extreme danger than for the insouciant West to convince Russia that the West is incapable of rational behavior. But that is precisely what the West is doing. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . Gonna Have to Face It, Youre Addicted to War By Ron Jacobs June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The last time I thought there might be a world war was in the 1980s. Ronald Reagan and his minions were placing cruise missiles designed to be armed with nuclear warheads all across Europe. Millions across Europe and the United States were protesting this deployment. Women set up permanent protest camps outside of US military bases in Britain and the US. Massive rallies, marches and occupations against the deployment took place in Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Great Britain and other nations. Popular musicians (Ninas 99 Luftballoons, Grateful Deads Throwing Stones) penned songs against the plans and the madness of war in general. Meanwhile, Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher schemed and maneuvered the legislatures of their respective countries into approving the basing of nuclear missiles on their soil. The madness of the leaders and the war industry that leads them and the generals like so many craven submissives was all too clear and on display to the world. Before that, there was my childhood. It was a childhood shared by millions of people in my generation; a childhood defined by the Cold War and its numerous hot flare-ups in Asia, Africa and Latin America. It was a childhood in which I spent a few weeks of first and second grade learning how to duck and cover in the classroom while the nun at the head of the class prayed for us all not to be attacked from Cuba. On the weekends, my brother and I tagged along while my dad helped other men in the town sandbag the church and schools for their potential use as bomb shelters should the Soviet bombers decide to attack DC or the Army base ten miles away. Like so many other young folks my age and older, we saw this as normal. The possibility of the end of the world due to war was just something one lived with. Like Bob Dylan sang in his tune Talkin World War Three Blues: Well, now time passed and now it seems/Everybodys having them dreams/Everybody sees themselves/Walkin around with no one else Lets get back to the present. Earlier in the month, the United States military shot down a Syrian fighter plane flying in Syrian air space. This action was a clear violation of international law and seemingly intended to provoke a military response. In addition to that singular act, the fact that the US military is in a foreign country (Syria) without any pretense of an invitation from that nations government is a gross violation of that nations sovereignty. In response to the shooting down of the Syrian plane, Russia is now insisting both verbally and through its own military that US planes stay away from the region of Syria where the plane was shot down. Washington, meanwhile is predicting another chemical attack as a pretext for a pre-emptive attack against the Syrian nation. Obviously, this tete-a-tete between Washington and Moscow is a serious escalation of what looks more and more like a proxy war between the two powers. On the ground, the US war that is supposedly against the Islamic State is one where even the usually pro-war Daily Beast has noted the massive civilian casualties from US bombing. Meanwhile, in northern Korea, the ongoing game of provocation between Washington and Pyongyang continues. This game, which is essentially continued primarily because of Washington, has as much of a potentially lethal ending to it as the situation in Syria. Thankfully, one of the players in Washingtons imperial gamesouthern Koreais trying to change its participation. Ever since the current government was elected in a special election, the cries for war have turned to calls for peace with the north. Washington, however, seems to want nothing to do with that peace. The death of the recently returned prisoner to the US brought forth calls for revenge from various quarters in the US. Without going into whether or not the young man who was imprisoned should have been sentenced to prison (I dont think so), let me just say this is no reason to go to war, nor is it the true reason the US would be going to war. Instead, it is a flimsy pretext. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Then there are the numerous US-involved conflicts taking place across the globe. From Afghanistan (where US troop numbers are once again being increased by at least four or five thousand) to various places in Africa to the Philippines and elsewhere, US forces are being deployed. These conflicts seem to be against faceless enemies like terrorism and drug cartels but are actually part of the same drive for control as the larger conflicts noted above. Add to these the covert operations against governments like the one in Venezuela. Should any of these wars intensify, they could easily engulf the regions they are located. In other words, like Syria, Russia and Korea, a misplaced spark could start an all-extinguishing firestorm. Here in the US, the possibility of war being a couple shots away is mostly ignored. Some ignore the possibility because the situation is so confusing and complicated by lies and half-truths. Still others do not seem to care what happens. Clinton-haters blame Clinton and Obama while their opposites blame Trump and the GOP. The real blame falls on politicians of both parties and the system they support and manipulate in favor of their class. The fundamental reason for the growing threat of all-out war by the US is a desire to control the flow of the earths resources and markets; and to maximize Wall Street profits from that control. This is why the only thing the US does consistently and often is go to war. This is the definition of imperialism. Neither the GOP nor the Democrats are anti-imperialist. In other words, both parties are to blame. So are those who support the military and its wars. The arrogance and stupidity disguised as naivete that defines the current status of the US polity in 2017 may well be the worlds demise. Friends and families of addicts hope to intervene before the addict dies from an overdose. The US has reached that point again. Its time for rehab. Its time to kick the habit. End the wars. Bring the troops, the mercenaries, the whole lot of them home. Home Are There any Limits to U.S. Hypocrisy? By Anna Jaunger June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Having ordered the attack on the al-Shayrat air field near the western Syrian city of Homs, U.S. President Donald Trump knew that the Syrian government hadnt used any chemical weapons in Khan Shaykhun. At the same time the current U.S. administration was making every effort to develop an information campaign against Damascus. This was reported by Welt am Sonntag, a German Sunday newspaper. An American investigative journalist and political writer Seymour Hersh stressed that actually the Syrian Air Force had targeted a two-story building, where extremists from various terrorist groups held meetings. According to Hersh, a bomb, dropped by the Syrian aircraft in Khan Shaykhun, caused a number of detonations. The explosion led to the formation of a cloud of noxious vapour. Washington was knowledgeable about that. The attack became an ideal occasion for the U.S. to make further accusations against Damascus. After a short time, the world media started to spread staged footage and photos from Khan Shaykhun. Those materials showed injured people, who were allegedly dying in a suspected sarin chemical attack. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Permanent representatives of a number of Western countries to the UN also made every effort to put all responsibility for the incident on the Syrian government, headed by President Bashar al-Assad. Thus, Nikki R. Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, at a Security Council meeting even showed photos, allegedly proving the crimes of the Syrian authorities against Syrians. In addition, the U.S., France, Britain proposed the UN SC draft several resolutions on the Syrian gas attack. The documents were aimed to provide an international investigation with flight plans and logs, the names of all helicopter squadron commanders and to provide access to air bases where investigators believe attacks using chemicals were launched. It also should be mentioned that despite Syrias readiness to cooperate with the specialists from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an official investigation into the incident in Khan Shaykhun has not been launched yet. Moreover, Western countries continue to expand sanctions against Syria to escalate the economic situation in the country and drag it into an endless war. Seymour Hersh, referring to information received from a senior adviser in the U.S. intelligence services, reported that Washington had no evidence that the Syrian Army used sarin gas. The CIA also informed the White House that no poisonous substances were found in the al-Shayrat air field, and al-Assad had no reason to commit political suicide. According to many Syrian experts, it is possible that the world will soon become aware of the United States participation in other major scandals and incidents in Syria. This article was first published by Dissident Voice - The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Click here to comment on our Facebook page Abu Dhabi's crown prince asked the US to bomb Al Jazeera as America was planning its invasion of Iraq, according to a diplomatic cable detailing his conversation with a top US state department mandarin. According to the cable, Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) "laughingly recalled" to Richard Hass a conversation between his father, Sheikh Zayed, and the emir of Qatar, Hamad Al-Thani, in which Hamad had complained MBZ had asked for the US "to bomb Al Jazeera". "According to MBZ, Zayed [his father] derisively responded: 'Do you blame him?'" In his comments, made in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, MBZ warned that public opinion in the Arab world over the invasion - which he described as "containable" if the war was short and efficient - could be heavily inflamed by the Qatar TV network's coverage and advised that its influence be reined in. MBZ said "it was a mystery to him why the Qataris continued to inflame public opinion" through Al Jazeera... "and suggested that the US use its weight to pressure Doha". The cable added that MBZ had "emphasised the need for US engagement with the Qataris to rein in Al Jazeera". In April 2003, the Al-Jazeera office in Baghdad was struck by a US missile killing one staff member and wounding another, though a US Central Command spokesman told BBC News the station "was not and never had been a target." In 2001 the station's Kabul office was hit by two bombs in another US attack, although there were no casualties. The statement appears to show decades-long emnity between Qatar and the UAE over Al Jazeera, which has boiled to the surface once again with a Saudi, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt-led blockade of Qatar and demands to close the network down. Last week Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, which also included ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutting of a Turkish military base outside Doha. UAE Asked US to Bomb Al Jazeera, Says 2003 Cable Diplomatic cable, published by Wikileaks, refers to Mohammed bin Zayed asking for Qatari channel to be targeted By Alex MacDonald June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Abu Dhabi's crown prince asked the US to bomb Al Jazeera as America was planning its invasion of Iraq, according to a diplomatic cable detailing his conversation with a top US state department mandarin. According to the cable , Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) "laughingly recalled" to Richard Hass a conversation between his father, Sheikh Zayed, and the emir of Qatar, Hamad Al-Thani, in which Hamad had complained MBZ had asked for the US "to bomb Al Jazeera". "According to MBZ, Zayed [his father] derisively responded: 'Do you blame him?'" In his comments, made in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, MBZ warned that public opinion in the Arab world over the invasion - which he described as "containable" if the war was short and efficient - could be heavily inflamed by the Qatar TV network's coverage and advised that its influence be reined in. MBZ said "it was a mystery to him why the Qataris continued to inflame public opinion" through Al Jazeera... "and suggested that the US use its weight to pressure Doha". The cable added that MBZ had "emphasised the need for US engagement with the Qataris to rein in Al Jazeera". In April 2003, the Al-Jazeera office in Baghdad was struck by a US missile killing one staff member and wounding another, though a US Central Command spokesman told BBC News the station "was not and never had been a target." In 2001 the station's Kabul office was hit by two bombs in another US attack, although there were no casualties. The statement appears to show decades-long emnity between Qatar and the UAE over Al Jazeera, which has boiled to the surface once again with a Saudi, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt-led blockade of Qatar and demands to close the network down. Last week Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, which also included ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutting of a Turkish military base outside Doha. According to the cable, however, MBZ downplayed tensions between the Saudis and Qataris, noting the two populations "share Wahhabi roots". More concerning, he said, were UAE-Saudi relations, which MBZ reportedly described as "far more complex". He drew his attention to Abu Dhabi's "nagging bilateral border dispute with Riyadh (the al-Shayba oil field)". "Nevertheless, the ever pragmatic Emiratis recognised the need to deal with the Saudis and have thus maintained good relations with Riyadh." However, the cable noted that MBZ took a "dim view" - in one case literally - of some senior members of the Saudi government - "sardonically noting that interior minister Nayef's bumbling manner suggested that 'Darwin was right'," and went on to say that King Fahd was not "in complete control of his faculties". Nayef bin Abdulaziz al-Saud is the father of Mohammed bin Nayef - who was last week stripped of his position of crown prince by the king, Salman, who instated his son Mohammed bin Salman as heir. Bin Nayef is thought to have held personal antipathy to MBZ. Recently leaked emails sent from the Emirati ambassador to the US indicated that the UAE was involved in trying to move bin Salman into a position of power in Saudi Arabia. I think we should all agree these changes in Saudi are much needed," said Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the US. "Our job now is to do everything possible to ensure MBS succeeds." The 2003 cable also highlights MBZ's then apparent tacit support for the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, whose removal from power the Gulf nations are now officially committed to. MBZ "encouraged continued USG (US government) engagement with Bashar, noting that otherwise, 'the wrong guys' will fill the vacuum." "In MBZ's estimation, Bashar is active and 'wants to do good,' although his relative youth and inexperience are real drawbacks." No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Robert Parry Wins Prize For Journalism By John Pilger John Pilger made the following remarks in presenting the 15th Martha Gellhorn Prize to the American journalist Robert Parry at a dinner in London on 27 June 2017... June 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - There are too many awards for journalism. Too many simply celebrate the status quo. The idea that journalists ought to challenge the status quo - what Orwell called Newspeak and Robert Parry calls 'groupthink' - is becoming increasingly rare. More than a generation ago, a space opened up for a journalism that dissented from the groupthink and flourished briefly and often tenuously in the press and broadcasting. Today, that space has almost closed in the so-called mainstream media. The best journalists have become - often against their will - dissidents. The Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism recognises these honourable exceptions. It is very different from other prizes. Let me quote in full why we give this award: 'The Gellhorn Prize is in honour of one of the 20th century's greatest reporters. It is awarded to a journalist whose work has penetrated the established version of events and told an unpalatable truth - a truth validated by powerful facts that expose what Martha Gellhorn called "official drivel". She meant establishment propaganda.' Martha was renowned as a war reporter. Her dispatches from Spain in the 1930s and D-Day in 1944 are classics. But she was more than that. As both a reporter and a committed humanitarian, she was a pioneer: one of the first in Vietnam to report what she called 'a new kind of war against civilians': a precursor to the wars of today. She was the reason I was sent to Vietnam as a reporter. My editor had spread across his desk her articles that had run in the Guardian and the St Louis Post-Dispatch. A headline read, 'Targeting the people.' For that series, she was placed on a black-list by the US military and never allowed to return to South Vietnam. She and I became good friends. Indeed, all my fellow judges of the Martha Gellhorn Prize - Sandy and Shirlee Matthews, James Fox, Jeremy Harding - have that in common. We keep her memory. She was indefatigable. She would call very early in the morning and open up the conversation with one of her favourite expressions - 'I smell a rat'. When, in 1990, President George Bush Senior invaded Panama on the pretext of nabbing his old CIA buddy General Noriega, the embedded media made almost no mention of civilian suffering. My phone rang. 'I smell a rat', said a familiar voice. Within 24 hours Martha was on a plane to Panama. She was then in her 80s. She went straight to the barrios of Panama City, and walked from door to door, interviewing ordinary people. That was the way she worked - in apartheid South Africa, in the favelas of Brazil, in the villages of Vietnam. She estimated that the American bombing and invasion of Panama had killed at least 6,000 people. She flew to Washington and stood up at a press conference at the Pentagon and asked a general: 'Why did you kill so many people then lie about it?' Imagine that question being asked today. And that is what we are honouring this evening. Truth-telling, and the courage to find out, to ask the forbidden question. Robert Parry is a very distinguished honourable exception. I first heard of Bob Parry in the 1980s when he broke the Iran-Contra scandal as an Associated Press reporter. This was a story as important as Watergate. Some would say it was more important. The administration of Ronald Reagan had secretly and illegally sold weapons to Iran in order to secretly and illegally bankroll a bloodthirsty group known as the Contras, which was then trying to crush Nicaragua's Sandinista government - on behalf of the CIA. You could barely make it up. Bob Parry's career has been devoted to finding out, lifting rocks - and supporting others who do the same. In the 1990s, he supported Gary Webb, who revealed that the Reagan administration had allowed the Contras to traffic cocaine in the US. For this, Webb was crucified by the so-called mainstream media, and took his own life. Lifting the big rocks can be as dangerous as a war zone. In 1995, Parry founded his own news service, the Consortium for Independent Journalism. But, really, there was just him. Today, his website consortiumnews.com reflects the authority and dissidence that marks Parry's career. What he does is make sense of the news - why Saudi Arabia should be held accountable; why the invasion of Libya was a folly and a crime; why the New York Times is an apologist for great power; why Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have much in common; why Russia is not our enemy; why history is critical to understanding. The Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Antonio Guterres, has once again reassured the Nigeria government of helping to fight against terrorism and violent extremism. Guterres, in a statement by his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, condemned the series of suicide bombing attacks in Maiduguri on Monday. The Secretary-General reiterates the United Nations support to the Government of Nigeria in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism, the statement read. The Secretary-General extended his condolences to the people and Government of Nigeria for the loss of lives. The UN chief also wished a quick recovery to those injured in the series of suicide bombing attacks. According to him, he hopes that those responsible for the dastardly act will be swiftly brought to justice. Source: ( PM News ) A photojournalist accused of beating his wife to a pulp said on Tuesday battery was the only language the woman understands. Francis Abiagan, an employee of Business Day Newspaper, said his wife of 10 years, Joy, had made life difficult for him since he brought his sick mother to their Ifo, Ogun State, residence. A group, Campaign Against Impunity and Domestic Violence had accused Abiagan of beating and stripping naked his wife. In a statement signed by the groups spokesman, Gbenga Soloki, the photojournalist was accused of inflicting injuries on the woman, boasting that nothing could happen to him. According to Soloki, Abiagan had been assaulting his wife for a long time, with the couples family intervening to broker peace whenever they quarreled. Abiagan, who admitted on telephone that he beat up his wife, said he could not endure the way the woman treated his mother. He said: I have been married for 10 years now. My mother had stroke and no one was available to take care of her. I brought my mother to the house and since then, it has been war. My wife hates my mother with passion. My sin is that I accommodated all her siblings and they have turned my life into a nightmare. My wife has been devising means to deal with my mother. She starved my mother to the extent that I hired a help, who cooks for her. My wife was seen dragging my mother on the ground, calling her a witch. I have been enduring it but I could not bear this last one she did to my mother. My wife threatened the cook I hired not to come. The church has organised several meetings for us. They begged her to change but she refused. It is the language she understands I gave to her. Source: Yabaleftonline Multi-billionaire businessman and the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has revealed what is making him lose sleep as he talks on the latest quit notice given to the Igbos in the North. While speaking on the sideline of a meeting with business leaders/chief executive officers from Nigeria and Kenya held at the Dangote Lekki free-trade zone at the weekend in Lagos, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, revealed that the success or failure of any of his businesses does not bother him or make him lose sleep like the rate of unemployed Nigerian youths. According to a report by ThisDay, President of the Dangote Group, stated that unemployment gives him sleepless nights, as he posited that its the collective responsibility of both the government and entrepreneurs to create jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths as a way of solving the restiveness and agitations that the nation is experiencing from different geo-political zones. The richest man in Africa, harped on diversification as the major solution to the unemployment challenges the nation is facing, submitting sadly though, that successive governments had always paid lip service to job creation and diversification. He said: Since 1978, when I came to Lagos, government has been talking about diversification of the economy which has not happened up till now. It is also sad that nobody is challenging anybody about how many jobs he or she has created. In reality though, it is not solely government duty to provide jobs. It is also the duty of entrepreneurs, but government at all levels must provide the enabling environment. When there is no jobs, people get frustrated, and I can tell you that the Boko Haram insurgency is a product of frustration. The way to go is diversification. Nigeria should diversify its economy, and take crude oil as icing on the cake. Dangote appealed to young entrepreneurs especially from the Lagos Business School (LBS) who were part of his audience to brace up for the challenge and do something differently. He described Nigeria as a scratched card that has not been touched, and would be useless after loading it. Nigeria is like a recharge card. Anywhere you touch is money. You should also have visions and be focused, he added. On the quit notice order given to Igbo people in the North by a coalition of northern youths, Dangote said it is a topic not worth discussing, and however, urged the people to stop talking about it. According to him, Unknown people are talking about Igbo leaving the North, and we are joining them to talk about it. Why are we talking about it? It shouldnt be discussed at all. Those saying it are just seeking relevance. Dangote added that his company is determined to transform and diversify the Nigerian economy. When we rolled these projects out, there was nothing like devaluation but now, we have to double our efforts and it is not a problem because Dangote group is a leader in the new breed of African multi-national conglomerates, and that is why its rated top 10 in Africa and top 400 globally. We are globally competitive, yet growing local capacity and manufacturing quality products. Dangote is rapidly transforming from a Nigerian company to a dominant African brand, the Dangote Group president noted. Ekiti State House of Assembly membee representing Ikole constituency, Gboyega Aribisogan, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC. Mr. Aribisogan has not been on good terms with Governor Ayodele Fayose and the state legislature over allegations of disloyalty. He is currently serving a suspension from the house as a result, a penalty he has rejected as illegal. He is leaving for the APC along with about 200 members of the PDP. Speaking during his defection on Tuesday at his Ward 7 in Ikole Local Government Area, Mr. Aribisogan said his action was predicated on the lingering factional crisis and division of the state chapter of the PDP. He said the situation at the party had made his stay in the party extremely difficult. The embattled legislator was received into the party by the state APC executive council led by the Deputy Chairman,Kemisola Olaleye. Mr. Aribisogan said he took the decision to join APC after consulting with his constituents and in line with Section 109, sub-section 1(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. He also said the APC had shown to Nigerians that it was capable of allowing freedom of speech, good governance and protection of collective interest of all Nigerians Democracy is all about good governance, service delivery, community and state interest, he said. A situation where a political party like PDP is dangling precariously between survival and extinction could no longer provide enabling political environment to provide good governance and political engineering. Therefore as a representative of my people, I have no option than to go along with them by moving to a party that will continue to protect their collective interest. I want to assure my supporters and my new political party of my absolute commitment and loyalty in pursuance of the partys set objectives and goals. I pledge to be a true party man who will join hands with the progressives to remove he albatross called PDP from Ekiti State political space in the coming days. Source: ( Premium Times ) Two years after taking office, SaharaReporters can exclusively reveal, Zamfara State governor, Mr. Abudalaziz Abubakar Yari, bought a property in the United States for a princely sum of $950,000. The 2.1-acre property is located at 14800 Bowie Farm Court, Bowie Maryland (Zip code: MD 20721) has six full and two half bathrooms with a jacuzzi in the master bedroom. Deed documents obtained by SaharaReporters from the Circuit Court of Prince Georges County, Maryland, USA, denote Mr. Yari as the sole owner of the property, which was purchased from a limited liability company, K Hovanian Hamptons, located at Creek 11, Delaware. The company used to be known as Real Property Holding, with an address at Prince Georges County, before changing its name on 25 January 2011. The deed on the property is dated August 27, 2012, while the approval of the purchase was granted on 1 November 2012 after Yari paid the princely sum of $950,000 cash, there was no mortgage on the property. Equally captured on the deed document is the sum of $5,225, which was described as recordation of tax paid and $13,300, described as transfer tax paid, both offering indications that Mr. Yari operated a foreign account in clear breach of Code 3 of the Code of Conduct Bureau. A real estate property tax information obtained by Saharareporters from Prince Georges County shows that Governor Yari paid taxes on the property up till date, his 2017 estate tax was $16, 583.10. Mr. Yari bought the property after his fraudulently awarded N25billion in road contracts in Zamfara in 2012. The code of conduct law expressly prohibits certain public officials from operating bank accounts in any country outside Nigeria. These include the President, Vice President, governor, deputy governor, ministers, commissioners, members of the National Assembly and the Houses of Assembly of the States. According to the deed document, Mr. Yari signed the agreement in person, with Kimberley Armstead a notary public of Montgomery County State of Maryland, serving as a witness. In May, this website exclusively reported that Mr. Yari, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, is building a 100-room hotel in Lekki, Lagos, with the $3million he stole from the Paris Club loan refund to states. Aside from the $3million, Mr. Yari was also found to have diverted the sum of N500million from the Paris Club refund to pay off a loan. He was said to have withdrawn N500million from the N19billion Paris Club refund illegally paid into the account of Nigerian Governors Forum as payment to consultants. He deposited the stolen sum into a bank account with a mortgage bank from which he had taken an N800million loan to buy properties in 2013. This move, SaharaReporters learned, enabled him to renegotiate his debt from N800million to N500million. Mr. Yari is thought to have trousered the sum of N2.2billion from the sum illegally diverted into the Nigerian Governors Forum Account by the Federal Ministry of Finance. The Senate President, Mr. Bukola Saraki, and his cronies also benefited to the tune of N3.5billion from illegal diversion, which is being investigated by the EFCC. Officials of the anti-graft agency told SaharaReporters in May that Mr. Yaris hotel, which is under construction, has been listed as a proceed of crime and will be taken over once the EFCC obtains a court order. Mr. Yari has denied ownership of any hotel in Lagos, claiming he does not even own a plot in the Nigerias commercial capital. In 2017 over 1000 persons died as a result of a meningitis epidemic with Mr. Yaris Zamfara leading in the number of deaths. At the peak of the epidemic, Yari reportedly said the epidemic was the punishment from God against his people for their sins. Former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida, IBB in his Eid-el-fitri message to Nigerians called for a restructuring of the country. He also condemned the spate of hate speeches from different groups in the country. He said although the country has survived a lot of crisis in the past, restructuring can no longer be wished away. Restructuring has become a national appeal as we speak, whose time has come. I will strongly advocate for devolution of powers to the extent that more responsibilities be given to the states while the federal government is vested with the responsibility to oversee our foreign policy, defense, and economy. Even the idea of having federal roads in towns and cities has become outdated and urgently needs revisiting. That means we need to tinker with our constitution to accommodate new thoughts that will strengthen our nationality, he stated in a Channels tv report on Tuesday. Babangida also advocated for the adoption of state policing, saying that the initial fears that state governors will misuse the officers and men of the state police have become moribund. According to Channels tv, the former military ruler rounded up his message by appealing to Nigerians, especially the youth to keep alive the dreams of the nations founders, insisting that Nigeria has all it takes to lead the African continent by virtue of its population, diversities and sheer determination of its people. Source: ( PM News ) The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday slammed at the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA )for calling its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, a maximum emperor. APGA had in a press statement on Tuesday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Ifeatu Obi-Okoye taken a swipe at Kanu and his IPOB for allegedly calling for a boycott of the Anambra November 18 poll. But IPOB in a press statement made available to our correspondent on Wednesday in Awka, Anambra State by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, described APGAs attack on Kanu as childish antics. It alleged that APGA as a government had at several times killed no fewer than 2000 of its members in Anambra State. The groups statement read in part We the Indigenous People of Biafra and its leadership worldwide view the childish antics of the All Progressive Grand Alliance as a jealousy laden, derisory attempt to deflect attention away from the fact that APGA as the governing party in Anambra State has been responsible for the death of innocent Biafrans numbering over 2000 since the formation. The two notable instances being the infamous Ezu River bodies and the heinous massacres at Nkpor and Head Bridge Onitsha respectively. The party employed wholesale slaughter of their people as a way of stopping the agitation for restoration of Biafra not knowing that we are prepared to keep dying until Biafra is restored as we swore. In the purported letter written by the party in Anambra State threatening a showdown with IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu which gave order of no election in all Biafraland starting from Anambra Gubernatorial election come November this year, APGA failed to mention the fact that Biafrans and IPOB, in particular, campaigned and voted for both Peter Obi, Rochas Okorocha and Willie Obiano but were rewarded with shoot on sight orders issued by both men. It is very unfortunate that APGA as a political party preoccupied with feathering the nests of a select few, underestimate the desire of every genuine Biafran to be liberated from the slavery and bondage that Nigeria has come to represent. APGA is motivated by personal greed and self-aggrandisement unlike IPOB that is purely focused on the liberation of our people and by extension, other oppressed people in Nigeria. The group added that The spurious and childish accusation that our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Biafra Television to stop parading himself as emperor smacks more of envy borne out of desperation than a reasoned assertion. There is no one more humble than the IPOB leader, that is why he is loved by millions, so the little anti-Biafra rant by APGA will only encourage us the more to ensure that the lockdown of Anambra State come 18 November 2017 is total and complete. We would prove to APGA that our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has never in his life, since the inception of IPOB, indulged himself or arrogated any powers to himself. The perverse insinuation that he made himself a god is a clever ploy designed to appeal to the envious nature of certain individuals who wish to be like him but can never. It is insulting for a party that supervised the killing of thousands of IPOB family members, which they connived with the APC Government of Buhari to cover up, to be advising the same people they killed to turn against IPOB. History will remember the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the party that murdered those that voted her into power. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Three migrants died in the Mediterranean on Monday night, a German aid group said, during Italian-led rescue operations in which thousands more were pulled to safety from rickety boats. About 5,000 migrants were picked up off the Libyan coast by emergency services, Italys navy, aid groups and private boats on Monday, and rescues were continuing on Tuesday, according to an Italian coastguard spokesman. Despite all efforts, three people died from a sinking rubber boat and rescue boats in the area are struggling to cope, German humanitarian group, Jugend Rettet, said. Jugend Rettet (Rescuing Youth) is one of about nine aid groups patrolling seas into which people traffickers have sent more than half a million refugees and migrants on highly dangerous voyages towards Europe over the past four years. We reached the capacity limit of our ship, while our crew is seeing more boats on the horizon. Currently, all vessels are overloaded, Rettet added. The total number of migrants reaching Europe by sea so far this year is less than half that counted in the same period of 2016, thanks to a deal between the EU and Turkey which blocked a once-busy route to Greece, but the number coming to Italy has risen. About 72,000 migrants arrived in Italy on the perilous route from Libya between January 1 and June 21, roughly 20 per cent more than in 2016, and more than 2,000 died on the way, according to the International Organization for Migration. Source; (Reuters/NAN) A civil servant from Kogi State, Mrs Husseina Mohammed has reportedly returned the sum of N1,780,500 paid in excess of her March salary to the coffers of the state government. She is a level seven accountant attached to the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) in Lokoja. Her monthly salary is approximately N34,000. However, one morning, while shopping, Husseinas phone beeped, indicating a text message. Upon opening it, she saw that her salary account credited with N1,787, 550.98k. The text message stated that it was her salary for the month of March, 2017. Shocked, Husseina told Nigerian Tribune that she read the message over and over again. On getting home, she narrated her experience to her husband. After a brief interaction, they decided to refund the money, saying that it was the right thing to do. The decision to refund the money was expected to be a difficult one for the family because of their peculiar situation, but it became the simplest one for them, the couple stated. Husseinas husband, an employee of the TSC in Lokoja, was one of those affected by the ongoing screening exercise in the state. He disclosed that for 15 months, he argued that he had not received any salary from government. Throughout this period the family depended on the salary of the wife that was also not promptly paid for survival. Many believed the money wrongly paid into her account should have been a solution to the problem facing them. But that was not to be, the money was not allowed to stay beyond 24 hours in the account as it was returned to the coffers of the government. The Director General of the Bureau of Information and Grassroots Mobilisation, Abdulmalik Abdulkareem, described the action of the civil servants as a rare display of honesty and integrity. We are also happy to know that her husband is also like-minded. Despite the fact that her husband is among the civil servants on the uncleared list, he refused to be tempted. We appreciate that and the government is definitely looking into his case, he added. Source: Yabaleftonline NorthPoint Development, which launched the Beyond Self Storage brand and a multi-facility development initiative last year, is aiming to build a new self-storage facility as part of a mixed-use development in Sunset Hills, Mo. The 2.5-acre project, pitched by St. Louis-based commercial real estate firm Sansone Group, would also include two restaurants and a retail space, according to the source. Sansone principal Jim Sansone has proposed demolishing the existing Econo Lodge to make way for the new structures. The city ordered the motel into receivership last year after several incidents of vice activity, including the discovery of a methamphetamine operation. Sansone Group is under contract to acquire the land at the intersection of E. Watson Road and Lindbergh Avenue, the source reported. The three-story storage facility would be built behind a single structure comprising the restaurants and retail, facing Watson Road. NorthPoint previously proposed a storage facility for the Sunset Office Park but has faced opposition to the project. Though its still pursuing that location, it has shifted its focus to join the Sansone development, according to the source. "This makes great economic sense, but only if you have the retail and restaurant portion together on the site with the self-storage, Sansone said during a June 14 open-house meeting with NorthPoint representatives and community members. Otherwise, no one could afford to make this site work." Sansone Group is evaluating the site for possible environmental hazards, including asbestos and dangerous chemicals that could be connected to the meth lab, the source reported. The board of aldermen will discuss the project during a work session on June 27. The public will have its first opportunity to comment during a planning and zoning commission meeting on July 12. Northpoint is scheduled to present its preliminary plan during the meeting. NorthPoint already has a Beyond Self Storage facility operating in Lenexa, Kan., with several projects underway in the Minneapolis and St. Louis markets. Founded in 1957, Sansone Group specializes in brokerage, development and property management. Its developments include industrial, office, residential and retail projects. Chinas Ping An continues to expand beyond insurance despite concerns that its financial supermarket approach may be risky. Peter Ma Mingzhe, chairman and chief executive officer of Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China, sleeps as little as three or four hours a night, focusing his waking hours on expanding the huge financial supermarket hes built and on keeping it intact. Ping An, which means peace and safety, is already Chinas second-biggest life insurer, a platform that founder Ma is using to aggressively expand the firms offerings beyond insurance. Hes forging ahead despite some investors concern that branching out in so many different directions may become unwieldy and create operational risks. Not only must we be the insurance expert for every one of our customers, we must be their expert financial consultant and their assistant in every aspect of their lives, Ma tells Institutional Investor during an interview over lunch in Hong Kong. The biggest advantage of Ping Ans business model is our wider range of expertise. Almost 30 years after founding Ping An, Ma is ambitiously broadening his supermarket of financial products, much like U.S. financier Sandy Weill did as chief executive officer of Citigroup from 1998 to 2003. Weill took the helm of Citigroup when the bank merged with Travelers Group the insurance giant he led before the deal was completed creating what was then the worlds biggest financial services company. Citi was bailed out by the U.S. government after being deemed too big to fail during the 200809 financial crisis, and to regain stable footing it eventually dismantled the assets that Weill had pieced together. So far, Chinas Ma is succeeding in his financial supermarket approach, carefully monitoring and adapting Ping Ans expertise to changing markets, technology, and client needs. Ma founded Ping An in 1988 in Shenzhen, the financial hub of southern China, which lies just north of Hong Kongs border with the mainland. Over the past five years, the company has climbed onto the list of the worlds ten largest insurers, now ranking No. 4 behind Frances AXA, Germanys Allianz, and U.S.-based MetLife in terms of assets, according to Relbanks.com. Though Ping Ans insurance assets rose 17 percent in 2016, to $802 billion, the companys double-digit profit growth is benefiting in part from a diverse group of revenue streams, including banking, securities, asset management, wealth management, private equity, and, more recently, Chinas booming arena of Internet finance. Paul Schulte, chief executive officer of Hong Kongbased Schulte Research, is a fan of Mas plan to build out Ping An. Sandy Weills approach failed because it was a bunch of disconnected entities that were ostensibly under one roof, says Schulte, who specializes in Chinas finance sector and has 27 years of experience as an analyst. He was a National Security Council officer in the Reagan administration before becoming an Asia strategist at Lehman Brothers Holdings and Nomura Securities Co. Ping An is actually one platform that receives data on the same people in multiple forms and therefore is capable of allowing people to use the social network to cross-buy, Schulte explains. It allows Ping An to use multiple data points to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys. The financial services firm showed its strength in its landmark 2016 results. Ping An saw 11.7 percent revenue growth, with gross earnings reaching a record high of 774 billion yuan ($112 billion), and a 15 percent growth in profits; net earnings rose to 62 billion yuan. About 56 percent of the groups profits were derived from insurance, down from more than 80 percent a decade ago. The rest came from banking (20.6 percent), asset management (15.5 percent), and Internet finance (8.3 percent). Despite the impressive financial results, some observers are not convinced that Mas supermarket-style expansion will pay off over the long term. Victoria Mio, the chief investment officer overseeing China for Robeco, a Dutch asset manager owned by Japans ORIX Corp., notes there are dangers when Chinese insurers branch into other financial services to seek higher growth. The key concern for investors is that the financial statements of insurance companies, which have never been easy to understand, will become even more opaque and complex, not so easy to comprehend, Mio says. She adds that risks include potential regulatory changes imposing firewalls among the different asset classes, as well as liquidity risks brought on by certain financial products. Ma, 62, hasnt always enjoyed success. His achievement is the result of carefully calibrated moves in the past decade that refocused the company on its core strength: Chinas domestic markets. This reorientation followed a disastrous foray into foreign markets that cost the group a great deal of money nearly a decade ago. Ping An was embarking on a global acquisition spree in 2008 when a company in which it had acquired a 5 percent stake Brussels-based financial conglomerate Fortis collapsed. Fortis had to be bailed out and was broken up by the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The Benelux union eventually sold parts of Fortis to a number of buyers, including BNP Paribas, and Ping An had no choice but to return to China to lick its wounds, eventually writing off $2.3 billion. Being burned by Fortis that was quite unexpected and significant, Jessica Tan, Ping Ans chief operating officer, tells II at the firms opulent Shanghai offices, in a 40-story building girded by granite columns that resemble ancient Roman architecture. But we learned from that, she adds. Since 2008, Ping An has bounced back with ferocity thanks to acquisitions and organic growth focused on its home markets. The firm aggressively diversified beyond life and property/casualty insurance with three acquisitions that created Ping An Bank, now Chinas 12th largest by assets.Ping An also ramped up investments in securities, asset and wealth management, real estate, venture capital, and private equity, and more recently entered Internet finance. Among the companys most touted technology successes is the 2011 founding of peer-to-peer lender Shanghai Lujiazui International Financial Asset Exchange Co. Lufax, as the company is known, has become an e-commerce giant for finance in China, the worlds second-largest economy. Its the countrys biggest online marketplace for wealth management products: Last year more than 7.4 million individual and corporate investors used Lufax to purchase 6 trillion yuan worth of investment products from Ping An and thousands of other Chinese financial institutions. Lufax, a venture capitalbacked company that already has achieved a market valuation of $19 billion, is preparing for an initial public offering later this year or next year. The online lender is well known for using the latest encryption technology, including blockchain. Ping An has been a first mover and innovator in the blockchain space, says Philip McMaster, founder of the Hong Kongbased McMaster Institute for Sustainable Development in Commerce, and an expert on the adoption of blockchain technology in China. Maybe the IPO will give even more credibility and profile to the blockchain and heat up the global competition for solutions. At the core of Ping Ans success is the application of technology across all its business units, according to COO Tan, who helped set up the firms tech strategy. She studied electrical engineering, computer science, and economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining McKinsey & Co. She worked at the consulting firm until she took a position with Ping An in 2013. Tan describes Ping An as one brand with many products and services targeting one mass-market base of clients through the use of technology. The financial services group has 131 million insurance customers, who purchased an average of 2.2 products each from the company last year. The offerings include insurance such as life, health, p/c, auto, and accident and funds, bonds, certificates of deposits, and other types of investments. Customers can buy the products from Ping An Bank, Ping An Securities, Ping An Asset Management, or Ping An Trust. The group uses both online and offline approaches to reach customers. Offline the company has 300,000 employees and 1.1 million sales agents, independent contractors who work exclusively for Ping An. These agents solely recommend Ping An insurance and investment products, and also may offer real estate, such as high-end condominiums, developed by the group across China. Online, Ping An reaches out via a database of more than 340 million registered users, including tens of thousands of high-net-worth individuals and many of Chinas middle-class consumers. The firm connects with customers via Lufax, as well as through Ping An Puhui, which caters to lower-middle-class consumers who might not be eligible for bank credit cards. Puhui has a fast-growing database of active customers that now stands at 3.8 million. Theyve borrrowed 272 billion yuan from the business. Another major success is Ping Ans O2O, an online health care service that employs more than 1,000 doctors offering initial medical consulting and referrals to thousands of clinics accredited by Ping An. So far, more than 130 million Chinese have signed up for the service, known as Good Doctor. Keeping track of Ping Ans sprawling businesses and assets in a safe way requires multiple tech centers, including a highly secure bunker in Shanghai thats designed to withstand disaster. All of the firms businesses tap into back-end servers, located primarily in Shanghai, which is Chinas financial hub, and Shenzhen, in the countrys southeast. The largest back-office operation is the China Ping An Zhangjiang Backoffice Center, which sits on a 32 acre, tree-lined campus surrounding a small lake on the outskirts of Shanghais Pudong financial district. Its staff of 14,000 includes about 8,000 in the facilitys vast telemarketing and online marketing halls, where employees respond to client queries 24-7. The facility is the pride and joy of Tan, 40, who nine years ago, while still at McKinsey, helped the firm design and build the entire complex. Ma was so impressed with Tans work that he recruited her to join Ping An. The basement of Building One of the Zhangjiang center houses the digital heart of much of the companys operations, including the emergency response center, a highly secured, glass-encased area where dozens of senior executives gather when theres a need for crisis management. The bunker, which is built with reinforced concrete that can withstand bombs, terrorist attacks, and even high-magnitude earthquakes, contains backup servers for Ping An, with rows of computers and large video monitors for live streaming. Its where executives gathered for decision making during the last major seismic event to hit China, the Wenchuan earthquake, which shook much of Sichuan province on May 12, 2008, killing 69,000 people and causing $145 billion in damages. During that crisis staff worked in shifts around the clock for days to process emergency claims. Ma, an avid reader of both Chinese and Western classics, infused the values of 6th-century BC philosopher Confucius in Ping An from the start. He also embraced Western business models when China was in the early stages of moving to a market economy. In the mid-1980s, Ma worked as a young assistant manager at China Merchants Groups social security office in Shenzhens Shekou district. He persuaded senior executive Yuan Geng, who later retired as group vice chairman, to allow him to explore the possibility of helping the state-owned trading house set up an insurance unit. With Yuans help, Ma steered China Merchants entry into the insurance business, establishing Ping An, Chinas first life insurer modeled after the West, in 1988. Ma recruited insurance industry executives from Taiwan and Hong Kong, bringing them to Shekou, then a burgeoning port district of Shenzhen, to help him set up an insurance company modeled on those in the West. Until the late 1980s, China was a centrally planned economy without a life insurance industry. Ma started from scratch, cobbling together an insurance sales philosophy based on individual and family values a philosophy that reflected the Confucian classics. In his book, Pingan Xin Yu, or Ping Ans Language of the Heart, Ma presents a collection of essays about the firms history, written by him and his team. They recount how they created modern insurance sales and management strategies tailor-made for China. The book references Confucius as the individual who embodies the best of traditional Chinese philosophers and Albert Einstein as the best in Western scientific philosophy. The CEO is such a fan of the two thinkers that he had their bronze images sculpted and placed in the main hall of Ping An University, the companys training center in Shenzhen. He believes in combining the best of the East and West, says Alex Xiao, vice general manager of Ping Ans corporate branding department in Shanghai. Despite being burned by his foray into Western markets, Ma never lost respect for their top financial institutions. In the past decade he has opened up the shareholder structure of Ping An, which is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges. Hes invited a wide range of entities and individuals to invest in his company, including HSBC Holdings, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs Group, as well as many foreign and Chinese high-net-worth families. Ping Ans shares have soared, rising about 44 percent in the 12 months through May 22, when they closed at 48.20 yuan. While some foreign investors remain skeptical of Ping Ans diversification strategy given that Citigroups financial supermarket didnt pan out in the U.S., Charles Zhou, a Credit Suisse equity analyst who covers Chinas financial sector, points to reasons for optimism. On the ground in China, it is working well, says Zhou, noting that Ping An is meeting the financial needs of customers who want more than just insurance. The companys diverse portfolio of products increases the value a Ping An sales agent has for a client, he says. It also increases the clients stickiness for Ping An. Joyce Huang, a director in Fitch Ratings Asia-Pacific insurance group, says shes taking a wait-and-see stance with Ping An. Though Fitch doesnt rate the firm, Huang follows its developments as part of the agencys broader coverage of Chinese insurers.On the plus side, she notes that more than half of the groups revenues still come from insurance, giving the company a buffer just in case other businesses go bad. But the cushion isnt enough to convince her that Mas push beyond insurance isnt risky. Yes, their diversification can give them a wider range and source of revenues, Huang says. But there may be underlying risks that we cannot yet see, especially operational risk. This is an area we will continue to monitor. Eunice Tan, lead analyst for Greater China insurance ratings at Standard & Poors, says a key problem is Ping An Bank, whose nonperforming loan ratio rose to 1.74 percent last December from 1.45 percent a year earlier. Ping An Bank is unfortunately a drag on its insurance sisters, Tan says, noting that the bank caters to small businesses and that risk is rising among such companies with Chinas slowing growth. Timothy Chan, Ping Ans chief investment officer, says the firm is well aware of the operational risks of diversifying and constantly keeps a wary eye on potential problems from a holistic point of view, monitoring all its business units and asset classes. Chan says top executives focus on five areas: information security, asset quality, liquidity, operations, and brand reputation. Ping An also imposes firewalls to separate business units, Chan adds, so if a crisis breaks out in one, it does not spread to another. Moreover, Ping An regularly calibrates its liabilities to help protect itself from financial shocks, according to Chan. He notes that at the end of 2016 the company had 5.58 trillion yuan in assets and roughly 5.1 trillion yuan in debt and liabilities, leaving the group with 486 billion yuan in net assets, or shareholder equity. The fundamental cause of the 2008 global crisis was high leverage in the financial system in the West, says Sheng Ruisheng, Ping Ans secretary to the board of directors and head of corporate branding. Not only is Ping An well capitalized, but it has low debt levels, Sheng says, emphasizing that revenue and net profit growth continue to be in the double digits. Furthermore, Sheng says, the firms compliance and risk officers in every division work closely with regulators to ensure all products on all Ping An platforms are in full compliance with financial regulations. Gregory Gibb, co-chairman and CEO of Shanghai-based Lufax, can attest to Shengs assertion. An American who began his career as a McKinsey consultant, Gibb says he and his team have spent an enormous amount of energy, time, and money creating in-house know-your-customer software that advises clients on trading and investment risks. Gibb, who previously served as Ping Ans chief innovation officer, says the risk management program uses artificial intelligence and extracts data from the clients ever-changing online profiles. The software advises clients on risks in real time and can automatically stop trades if they are deemed to exceed the individuals financial abilities or risk tolerance levels. Lufaxs risk managers examine the risk profile of every investment product before it enters the marketplace, weeding out those that may carry possible fraudulent or systemic risk for the platform as a whole, according to Gibb. We believe only through stringent risk management, especially by accounting for the risk tolerance of individual investors, can we protect our investors, as well as the future growth of the entire marketplace, he says. The hypergrowth of Lufax and Ping Ans other Internet platforms holds the future for the company, says COO Tan, who notes that 30 percent of all new customers arrive online up from zero in 2012. We see online platforms deriving 50 percent of new customers by 2019, she says. Lufaxs adoption of the latest financial technology innovations artificial intelligence and blockchain reflects Ping Ans orientation and ambitions. Another representation of that ambition is the companys shiny, glass-encased new group headquarters, the Ping An International Finance Center, which rises 118 stories, or 600 meters, over the Shenzhen landscape. The tower, located in the citys Futian financial district, opened earlier this year. It is Chinas second-tallest skyscraper after the Shanghai Tower, and the fourth tallest in the world. With a construction budget of $2.3 billion, the building is held up by a megasteel structure that can withstand a magnitude-8.0 earthquake. Shaped like a sword and tipped by a glass pinnacle that resembles a sparkling diamond, the tower thrusts into the Shenzhen skyline and can be seen in neighboring Hong Kong, where the International Commerce Center, the tallest skyscraper in the territory, stands a full 71 meters shorter. Executive suites will occupy selected floors from the 100th floor upward, and it will be from these commanding heights that chairman Ma and his team will marshal their army of insurance agents and financial advisers. There is no question that Ping An has come a long way from 1988, when Ma was its first and only employee, sitting at a small desk in an old building in the China Merchants compound. Other companies will join Ping An in the new office building. Ping An wont be the only tenant here, says Kathleen Ma, associate director of the buildings developer, Shenzhen Ping An Financial Center Construction and Development Co. We plan to invite not only multinational companies but also some of Chinas most innovative companies many of them in finance and many with global ambitions, she says with a smile. It is from these heights that you can see not only Ping Ans future is bright, but all of Chinas future is bright. This content is from: Portfolio The online used car dealer has hit a new low, making it the most profitable short of the year. A.M. Best believes that cyber insurance will be one of the leading areas of growth for the P&C insurance industry over the coming decades.In a new Special Report the global firm said that cyber coverage is expected to grow from US$7.5bn globally, to US$20bn by 2020 as more businesses realise the importance of the cover.With cyber attacks increasing in both frequency and severity, the ratings agency said that the market will present challenges and rewards for the industry.Given the seriousness, scope, and scale of a number of attacks in 2016 and 2017, as well as the potential damage these attacks can cause, A.M. Best acknowledges the opportunities this coverage presents, the report notes.However, due to the uncertainty of this risk, companies need to be prudent in their underwriting practices and exercise appropriate risk management and mitigation measures.With mandatory breach notification set to come into full force in January, the Australian cyber market faces an important six months ahead.Meena Wahi, a specialist cyber broker and director of Cyber Data-Risk Managers, said that while the popularity of cyber insurance is increasing, it is a slow process.I wont claim it is going to be a best seller in the next six months but after mandatory breach notification, it may be more popular, Wahi told Insurance Business.Wahi noted that she expects the market to open up, with more insurers and underwriters launching cyber cover, as mandatory breach moves the issue to the top of mind for many businesses.This is when the market will really start moving, Wahi said, of the coming six months.So far, it has been everyone on the fringe, doing the talk but now the real action will happen. Willis Towers Watson has appointed a new head of its FINEX business in Australasia.Jill Stewart will take on the role, joining the international brokerage having spent a long career with QBE Stewart, who will join Willis Towers Watson in September, was most recently the national manager, professional and financial lines at QBE having spent time working in the insurers European operations between 2000 and 2014. Andrew Boal , head of Australasia for Willis Towers Watson, said that Stewart brings experience to the firm as the business looks to grow in the important sector.Her knowledge of local and international markets, together with her diverse experience, will help bring fresh perspectives to Willis Towers Watson, Boal said.Jeremy Wall, chairman global FINEX and head of FINEX rest of world at Willis Towers Watson, said that the addition of Stewart is important for the firm as the global line of business experiences accelerated growth and increased connectivity globally.Stewart will have reporting lines to both Boal and Wall and will be based in Sydney. After 11 years in North America, Mike Hansen (pictured) is flying home to London and into a new role as the global head of aviation for Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty.Hansen, who had been Allianzs North American head of aviation, based out of Toronto, Canada, will now lead Allianzs overall aviation underwriting strategy. He recently told Insurance Business about the new position and what the change will mean for both his professional and personal life.This is a huge opportunity for me individually, he said. It is a privilege to be given the responsibility of managing such a high-profile portfolio [with such a] highly-talented and market-leading team.The 51-year-old will assume his new seat in London, England, in October.Hansen has a family history with aviation, having been born very close to the end of the runway at Heathrow Airport though he never saw himself ending up here.Despite growing up with the smell of aviation fuel in my nostrils and the fact that my father was involved in the aviation industry for over 40 years as an aircraft engineer it was a complete accident that I ended up in aviation insurance, he said.Having left school at 16, a chance encounter led to Hansen joining Leslie & Godwin in 1982 as the office "boy" in the aviation department. Moving his way up, he ended up broking in the Lloyds and London market for 15 years, ending up as a director of Aon s aviation division.In 1997, he moved into underwriting, where he has been for the past 20 years.I am particularly proud of being a co-founder of Catlins aviation business in 2002 and growing their portfolio over 10 years to be one of the top-five insurers in the aviation market, he said. I was the global leader of their aviation business when the company was purchased in 2015 by XL.Hansen helped establish Catlins Canadian branch in 2006 and was the CEO there for three years, in addition to his aviation role, before joining Allianz in June 2016 to run the North American business. I am now extremely fortunate to assume a global leadership role again in such a large and prestigious company, he said.The trans-Atlantic move, though, will take him away from his home of the past 11 years. He will be moving Canadian wife, Natalie, and will be reunited with his 19-year-old daughter who relocated from Canada back to study journalism in the UK. A Canadian citizen since 2015, he expects he will summer regularly, as my wife has family and we have many friends there and we are lucky to have a cottage on a beautiful lake to enjoy in the summer, he said.In terms of his new role, Hansen is excited to be leading and building a team something he is especially passionate about and wants to continue to grow Allianzs aviation business, too.Watching as individuals assume greater responsibility and add even greater value to the whole team is extremely fulfilling on a personal level, he noted. I feel a great responsibility to continue to drive the business forward, to maintain the profitable performance of recent years and to explore ways we can enhance [our] profile with our key producers and clients.Ultimately, though, the journey home will be a welcome one, he said.London still holds a special place in my heart, he said. The London market itself still has a special buzz about it, even in an increasingly global insurance world. Its where my insurance journey began and I am very excited to be going back and connecting with so many old acquaintances. A Colorado insurance broker was sentenced to 12 years in state prison on Monday after he pleaded guilty to several counts of forgery, insurance fraud, and theft.James Ahlin of Grand Junction pocketed some $130,000 in workers compensation premiums that he wrote while his license was revoked, The Daily Sentinel reported. Ahlin had previously been sentenced to two years of probation and had his license revoked in 2014 after pleading guilty to forgery in what was described as a similar case.According to the report, authorities slapped a six-count complaint against Ahlin in 2016 after state investigators learned that he continued to write policies that were not underwritten by any insurance companies. Three months later, he was charged with 40 new counts in another case.Nothing deterred the defendant from his criminal conduct, said Colorado Assistant Attorney General Daniel Pietragallo in the report. The official asked Mesa County District Judge Gretchen Larson to hand out a 15-year sentence as the 56 year old continued to defraud his victims despite probation and subsequent charges.I just couldnt stop. I just had been doing it for so long. I didnt know what else to do, said Ahlin during the sentencing. All I want to do is pay back what I owe to my clients and to be able to do that would be to get back in the community and do the right thing and prove myself again.The report said many of his victims were subcontractors who needed workers compensation for jobs under general contractors. When Thomas Babb launched his insurance agency Thomas Babb Insurance Agency in an 11-story building in downtown Worcester, Mass., in 1917, he also launched a legacy that would span a century of growth and four generations of leadership. Babb later sold the agency to Harold Knight, who rebranded it to the Harold Knight Agency. In 1955 when Bob Dik came on board, the agency once again rebranded to become the Knight-Dik Insurance Agency and continued its growth through the acquisition of small agencies in central Massachussetts. This year, Knight-Dik Insurance is celebrating its 100-year anniversary since its 1917 inception on Main Street in Worcester. Although the agency has had multiple addresses since its beginning, all of them have remained on Main Street. The agencys secret to success and longevity, however, is as much about stability as it is about change, Ross Dik, Bob Diks son, Harold Knights grandson and current agency President and CEO, told Insurance Journal. Were constantly on the lookout for the next thing, he said. This strategy has proven particularly effective for the company in terms of technology. Indeed, when Ross officially joined the business in 1981, he instantly began working on moving the agency technologically forward. He introduced mainframe computers to the office at a cost of $78,000, which included creating a designated air-conditioned room in which to keep them. The first day, the system crashed because information was copying itself and there wasnt enough storage space, Ross recalled in a company press release. Trust me; it was not a highlight of my career. But eventually we got all the bugs worked out and it helped the company grow immensely. Now, he says the agency is trying to keep technology and any advantages that come with it at the forefront of its business strategy. Its only been probably about seven years or so that it feels like [technology] is all coming together and paying dividends, both on the efficiency and customer level, he said. Thats the exciting thing to me. I think the first long phase of technology was as much a burden to us as it was an advantage, so its fun to see that it really is paying off and helping everyday. This focus on innovation is nothing new to Knight-Dik Insurance, however. In the early-1970s, Knight-Dik became the first agency in Massachusetts to file a Mass Merchandising account. This was a discounted insurance program for employees of State Mutual Insurance Company, and similar accounts would be set up for Paul Revere Insurance and Clark University. Massachusetts approved that type of discounted plan for employers, and we filed the first plan in the state and went on to do a lot of that, Ross said. We ended up really getting involved in employer-based insurance marketing, and we grew heavily in that area for a number of years. In 2011, Ross son, Christopher Dik, became the fourth generation to be involved in moving the agency forward. In his first year, the agency focused on creating a new branded division called Workers Comp Results, which focuses on solving the many workers compensation issues affecting employers, Ross said. The first nine months was tough, Ross added in the release. But [Christopher] stuck it out, found out that he had a knack when it came to workers compensation insurance, and has been on fire ever since. Indeed, innovation doesnt come without challenges, but Ross explained the agency is committed to working through any difficulties in order to continue growing and moving forward. There is an awful lot of pressure with the different ways clients can get insurance now, he said. They can get it online, from directs, from 800 numbers or from local agents. But the biggest challenge Ross sees with technology today is the ability to continue to connect with clients as face-to-face communication has lessened. Our communications with clients went from faxes to emails to texts, he said. Very few people come to our office anymore, and we estimate probably about 90% of our clients will never visit our office. I think the biggest wake-up call for us as we saw technology evolve was that we need to be far more proactive in terms of keeping the communication lines open and connecting deeper with the client than just through stale mailings and faceless communication. The easy part when clients had to come in to the office was that it allowed us to have a relationship and connect. When you take that out of the equation, then we had to figure out valued reasons to connect to clients. Knight-Dik is currently using a software program called Guided Conversations that allows its customers to interact with their insurance program on their own terms and ask insurance questions at any time of the day to get immediate and accurate answers. [Guided Conversations] has been very well-received and allows the customer to do the work on their own time, but still allows them to contact us at any time, Ross said. More and more customers want to take control of the process and have more involvement, and Guided Conversations allows them to do that. Knight-Dik is working to bolster the program in the future through an automated program to make its website more efficient as a source of information and a more interactive part of how the agency does business. The automated program serves to integrate client information so the agency can search, identify, review and communicate in terms of what coverage clients have and what coverage they may need, Ross said. Instead of sending general communications out that may or may not apply, we can send communications out that are really specific to each client and change client-to-client, he added. The agency is working with a firm that has the capability of extracting data from Knight-Diks management system and then communicating with clients on a one-on-one basis. Knight-Dik is piloting the program in 2017 and hopes to be able to use the technology with all clients by 2018, Ross stated. I think technology has allowed us to have a much greater geographic footprint as well, because theres not this pressure on having immediate face-to-face access, he said. More and more people are comfortable not having to have an immediate local agent as their representative, so throughout the state, we feel we can service our clients very easily. Thats what we want to be doing using technology to help better serve clients. Although it has worked hard to take advantage of advancements in technology and embrace innovation, the biggest success strategy for Knight-Dik Insurance has not only been its ability to adapt to change, but to retain the stability of its legacy, Ross said. Were really pleased that weve continued to grow at a double-digit pace, which is a really valued number in our industry at this point, he stated. I think the biggest success factor for us is that weve had stability through long-standing leadership, long-standing employees, and subsequently, long-standing customers. Topics Workers' Compensation InsurTech Tech Massachusetts Penn Community Bank, a Bucks County, Penn.-based independent, mutual financial organization, has hired three professionals to its administrative, lending, and insurance teams. Peter R. Palumbo joins Penn Community Bank as a mortgage loan officer, and Renee Schoeller joins as an advertising and community relations specialist. Diane Newman also joins Penn Community Insurance as a personal lines producer. Palumbo brings more than 25 years of experience in sales and management to his new role. He oversees mortgage lending for several Upper Bucks County communities, including Quakertown, Richlandtown and Milford. Schoeller brings communications experience from other industries to her work at Penn Community Bank. She is responsible for communicating the banks message and brand to the communities it serves. She also is responsible for event planning and coordinating promotional materials for the marketing department. Meanwhile, Newman brings business experience accumulated over more than three decades to Penn Community Insurance. She has experience in the insurance industry, having worked as an insurance representative for regional and national insurance agencies throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Penn Community Insurance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Penn Community Bank. Based out of Perkasie, in Bucks County, Penn., Penn Community Insurance offers a range of personal, life and health, and business insurance products and services. Its insurance professionals provide customized solutions for individuals, families and businesses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Source: Penn Community Bank Topics Pennsylvania Zurich, together with its travel insurance unit Cover-More, has completed the acquisition of Halo, a specialist, UK-based online rental car insurance platform. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Zurich said it is becoming increasingly active in the fast-growing travel insurance market. The acquisition of Halo follows the purchase of Cover-More earlier in the year, further reinforcing Zurichs position as a top three global travel insurance provider, the company said in a statement. The deal allows Zurich to enter the US$74 billion global car rental insurance market providing customers with a simple and convenient way to insure their vehicles through mobile and online functionality, Zurich added. Halo will retain its branding and will report into Cover-More. Halo is a recognized leader in their market, said Giovanni Giuliani, group head of Strategy, Innovation and Business Development. Following Cover-More, the Halo acquisition represents yet another milestone in diversifying our traditional home and car insurance retail business, enabling us to provide our customers innovative propositions in a market that is ripe for disruption within and beyond travel. Mike Emmett, group chief executive officer, Cover-More Group, added: Halo is an exciting company as theyve proved over the past few years, particularly in their capacity as a consumer champion and market disrupter. That was what attracted us to look at Halo in the first place. In addition to its rental car insurance product, Halo has recently launched InsuretheGap.com, which provides simple and competitively priced guaranteed asset protection (GAP) insurance accessed through Halos online platforms. Source: Zurich Insurance Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Auto A company that operates a northwestern Indiana water park authorities closed after 11 children suffered chemical burns says its profoundly sorry for the injuries. An advertisement Seven Peaks Resorts placed in local newspapers says the children were burned after an equipment malfunction sent too much chlorine into Seven Peaks Waterparks childrens slide area. The company says its inspecting all of the Porter, Indiana, water parks equipment. Porter County Health Department Administrator Keith Letta says the company has not contacted the department since his office closed the water park on June 19 after 11 children received chemical burns and a 12th suffered an eye irritation. Two other children had their collarbones broken while on a park waterslide. Letta says the park wont reopen until it passes a county compliance inspection. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Indiana A new cyberattack similar to WannaCry is spreading from Europe to the U.S. and South America, hitting port operators in New York, Rotterdam and Argentina, disrupting government systems in Kiev, and disabling operations at companies including Rosneft PJSC, advertiser WPP Plc. and the Chernobyl nuclear facility. More than 80 companies in Russia and Ukraine were initially affected by the Petya virus that disabled computers Tuesday and told users to pay $300 in cryptocurrency to unlock them, Moscow-based cybersecurity company Group-IB said. About 2,000 users have been attacked so far, according to Kaspersky Lab analysts, with organizations in Russia and the Ukraine the most affected. Rob Wainwright, executive director at Europol, said the agency is urgently responding to reports of the new cyber attack. In a separate statement, Europol said its in talks with member states and key industry partners to establish the full nature of this attack at this time. Kremlin-controlled Rosneft, Russias largest crude producer, said in a statement that it avoided serious consequences from the hacker attack by switching to a backup system for managing production processes. U.K. media company WPPs website is down, and employees have been told to turn off their computers and not use WiFi, according to a person familiar with the matter. Sea Containers, the London building that houses WPP and agencies including Ogilvy & Mather, has been shut down, another person said. IT systems in several WPP companies have been affected, the company said in emailed statement. With there being no global kill switch for this one, well continue to see the numbers rise in different parts of the world as more vulnerable systems become more exposed, said Beau Woods, deputy director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council in Washington. Most vulnerable are places where the operators are a lot of the times at the mercy of manufacturers and providers of those technologies and theres a long time between existence of a fix and implementation of a fix. Global Attack The hack quickly spread from Russia and the Ukraine, through Europe and into the U.S. A.P. Moller-Maersk, operator of the worlds largest container line, said its customers cant use online booking tools and its internal systems are down. The attack is affecting multiple sites and units, which include a major port operator and an oil and gas producer, spokeswoman Concepcion Boo Arias said by phone. APM Terminals, owned by Maersk, is experiencing system issues at multiple terminals, including the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest port on the U.S. East Coast, and Rotterdam in The Netherlands, Europes largest harbor. APM Terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey will be closed for the rest of the day due to the extent of the system impact, the Port said. Cie de Saint-Gobain, a French manufacturer, said its systems had also been infected, though a spokeswoman declined to elaborate, and the French national railway system, the SNCF, was also affected, according to Le Parisien. Mondelez International Inc. said it was also experiencing a global IT outage and was looking into the cause. Merck & Co. Inc., based in Kenilworth, New Jersey, reported that its computer network was compromised due to the hack. Port operators at grain terminals in Rosario, Argentina also reported the attack affected operations, including halting some deliveries, beginning Tuesday morning, according to Guillermo Wade, manager of the Rosario port and maritime chamber. WannaCry Warnings The strikes follow the global ransomware assault involving the WannaCry virus that affected hundreds of thousands of computers in more than 150 countries as extortionists demanded $300 in bitcoin from victims. Ransomware attacks have been soaring and the number of such incidents increased by 50 percent in 2016, according to Verizon Communications Inc. Analysts at Symantec Corp., have said the new virus, called Petya, uses an exploit called EternalBlue to spread, much like WannaCry. EternalBlue works on vulnerabilities in Microsoft Corp.s Windows operating system. The new virus has a fake Microsoft digital signature appended to it and the attack is spreading to many countries, Costin Raiu, director of the global research and analysis team at Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab, said on Twitter. The attack has hit Ukraine particularly hard. The intrusion is the biggest in Ukraines history, Anton Gerashchenko, an aide to the Interior Ministry, wrote on Facebook. The goal was the destabilization of the economic situation and in the civic consciousness of Ukraine, though it was disguised as an extortion attempt, he said. Kyivenergo, a Ukrainian utility, switched off all computers after the hack, while another power company, Ukrenergo, was also affected, though not seriously, the Interfax news service reported. Ukrainian delivery network Nova Poshta halted service to clients after its network was infected, the company said on Facebook. Ukraines Central Bank warned on its website that several banks had been targeted by hackers. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics USA Cyber Russia New York Europe New Jersey Arch Insurance announced additions to its travel insurance sales team. Cory Sobczyk and Dan Povondra have joined Arch Insurance as vice presidents of Business Development. Additionally, Lynn Barty has joined as regional sales director. The newcomers, who bring a combined 40 years of business development experience, will work with the existing travel sales team, including Greg Johnson, who joined Arch Insurance earlier this year, in further building out the travels business units distribution strategy. Sobczyk, Povondra and Barty were all formerly with Travelex Insurance Services, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was founded in 1996 when the Travelex Group purchased travel insurance distribution services from Mutual of Omaha Companies. In 2016, Travelex Insurance Services became part of Australias Cover-More Group. Sobczyk and Povondra will report to Linda Fallon, senior vice president of Travel. Arch entered the travel insurance industry in 2012. Arch has developed a full service distribution company, Arch Insurance Solutions Inc. (AIS), with new products, technology platforms, and call center and claims capabilities. The company has also developed the RoamRight brand, an online platform offering travel insurance including trip cancellation and travel medical insurance plans for leisure, business, student and group travelers. Arch Insurance Solutions sells travel insurance products to retail and wholesale channels on a branded or white label basis. About 300 BP workers commute 150 miles by helicopter from the Louisiana coast to a deep-sea drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico that can produce more oil in a day than a West Texas rig can pump in a year. On the deck of the Thunder Horse oil platform, they work two-week shifts, drink seawater from a desalination plant, and eat ribs and chicken ferried in by boat. On the ocean floor, robots provide remote eyes and arms as drills extract up to 265,000 barrels per day. Theres a whole city below us, said Jim Pearl, marine team leader on the platform. This is just one of the four Gulf of Mexico platforms on which BP has staked its future in U.S. oil production. Seven years after its Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill, BP is betting tens of billions of dollars on the prospect that it can slash the costs of offshore drilling by half or more just as shale oil producers have done onshore. The firm says it can do that while it continues to pay an estimated $61 billion in total costs and damages from the worst spill in history and without compromising safety. BPs Gulf platforms are key to a global strategy calling for up to $17 billion in annual investments through 2021 to increase production by about 5 percent each year, Chief Executive Officer Bob Dudley recently told investors. Our strategy is to take this investment that we spent so much money building, and keep it full to the platforms capacity, Richard Morrison, BPs regional president for the Gulf of Mexico, told Reuters during the first tour of a BP Gulf drilling platform since the disaster. Were also exploring for larger pools of oil. BPs deepwater double-down is all the more striking for the contrast to its chief competitors, who have cooled on offshore investments in light of the lower costs and quicker returns of onshore shale plays. While BP has some onshore U.S. developments, the firm is notably absent from the industrys rush into shale oil fields of the West Texas Permian Basin. Majors including Exxon Mobil Corp, Chevron Corp and Royal Dutch Shell have maintained Gulf operations but focused expansions on U.S. shale. Exxon Mobil doubled its acreage in the Permian in a deal earlier this year. Freeport-McMoRan and Devon Energy Corp have pulled out of Gulf drilling entirely in recent years. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. took a $435-million dollar write-down in May on its Shenandoah project in the Gulf, deciding it could not profit with oil prices hovering at about $50 a barrel. In a $50 to $60 world, we always felt like greenfield development, in the Gulf in particular, was fairly challenged, Anadarko CEO Al Walker told investors last month. Oil prices dropped steeply last week, settling in the low $40s per barrel. BP says its next Gulf development the $9 billion Mad Dog phase two would be profitable even at $40 a barrel. As recently as 2013, BP reported that it could not start new deepwater Gulf projects at prices lower than $100 a barrel. A Billion Barrels In time, BPs offshore expansion could produce a huge payoff. The firm announced last month that it had discovered an additional billion barrels of oil below its four audaciously named Gulf platforms Thunder Horse, Atlantis, Na Kika and Mad Dog. The find worth more than $40 billion at todays market prices amounts to more than three times the proven reserves at the Na Kika field, or the equivalent of three new fields in the Gulf. It seems like every ten years theres another breakthrough that unlocks more Gulf oil, Morrison said on the deck of Thunder Horse. Over his shoulder, a drillship three miles away tapped a new well that will feed production into the massive platform. In the wake of the 2010 BP disaster, deepwater production was curtailed by a six-month U.S. government moratorium on drilling and a longer period of uncertainty about regulation. But output has rebounded to new record highs as projects sanctioned years ago start operations and existing hubs such as Thunder Horse expand. BPs big new discovery is key to its slashing of estimated per-barrel costs, as are a host of drilling innovations and more favorable deals with service providers. For eight decades, geologists have used seismic imaging to estimate oil and gas reserves beneath the rocky undersea terrain. BP used its own new technology for the billion-barrel discovery. Called full waveform inversion, the technique uses massive amounts of data to create a high-resolution model of reserves that were previously hidden beneath salt deposits. The firm also aims to tap those reserves without building new multi-billion-dollar platforms. At Thunder Horse and other platforms, BP is installing wellheads on the seabed and connecting them to pipelines that rise up to existing platforms, like the legs of a spider. These tiebacks allow producers to feed oil from remote regions of fields that previously went untapped. Other design changes helped BP hold down the investment in Mad Dogs second phase from an initially estimated $20 billion to just $9 billion, the company said. Such savings are part of the equation BP uses to estimate the platforms profitability at oil prices of $40 a barrel. The struggles of deepwater oil service firms who were forced to cut prices after per-barrel prices tanked in 2014 are also keeping BPs expansion costs low. If youre going to be building an offshore Gulf of Mexico platform, now is the time to be doing it, said Norm MacDonald, portfolio manager for Invescos energy fund, which has increased its stake in BP, its second-largest holding. Other funds remain leery of offshore investments because of the longer wait for a return in a volatile industry. Shale has a liquidity premium because producers can make smaller investments and recoup them sooner, within two or three years, said Michael Roomberg, a portfolio analyst at Miller-Howard Investments. Tie-backs and other advances, however, could accelerate deepwater returns and help narrow the liquidity gap with shale, MacDonald said. Cost Cutting, Safety Concerns BPs growing deepwater investments irk some environmentalists, who say the company has fought paying what it owes to restore shorelines and communities damaged by its massive spill. They also see the threat of another disaster. They never really fulfilled those promises, and people are very skeptical about them expanding drilling, said Raleigh Hoke, campaign director at Gulf Restoration Network in New Orleans. Richard Sears who served as chief scientist on the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling said such projects can be managed safely at low oil prices. The causes of the BP disaster had more to do with poor decision-making and slipshod safety systems than cost-cutting, said Sears, who previously managed production projects at Shell. BP said it has bolstered safety operations globally since the spill, introducing a safety and operational risk staff with 800 positions and an internal global wells organization to standardize drilling practices, among other measures. The company says it cannot precisely estimate new spending on safety since the spill because its efforts are integrated into many parts of the company. In a glassed-in drilling shack on the Thunder Horse platform, operators stay connected to a new onshore command center in Houston that BP designed to monitor data from offshore wells. On the deck below sits a blowout preventer, a room-sized piece of equipment that would soon be fitted on the wellhead of a drilling site, two miles under water. But first it would need a safety inspection unlike the blowout preventer that infamously failed to contain the 2010 spill, which federal regulators have said had not been inspected in years. Editing by David Gaffen, Simon Webb and Brian Thevenot Topics USA Trends Energy Oil Gas Mexico A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of bbb- of Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (GFBMIC ) and Georgia Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, collectively referred to as the Georgia Farm Bureau Group (Georgia Farm Bureau). All companies are domiciled in Macon, Ga. GFBMIC is Georgias largest domiciled personal lines insurer, and is the predominant farm insurance carrier in the state. Affiliated with Georgia Farm Bureau, GFBMIC supports Georgia agriculture, Georgias largest industry. According to a statement from the ratings agency, the negative outlooks reflect Georgia Farm Bureaus decline in overall risk-adjusted capitalization, continued adverse operating results in 2017, increase in financial leverage and elevated exposure to the equity markets. The negative outlooks further consider the challenging investment climate for equities and fixed income, characterized by peak, yet volatile stock prices and low bond yields, A.M Best said. In addition, the groups geographic concentration exposes it to regulatory and legislative actions that may have a material impact on its business strategies. Prospectively, A.M. Best said the companys ongoing initiatives to improve performance include enhanced reinsurance coverage, additional support to the companys capital structure via surplus notes, efforts to improve reserving adequacy and expansion of the companys senior management team. A.M. Best added that furthermore, Georgia Farm Bureau maintains a cost-effective employee agency network, a long-standing local market presence, and derives benefits from the sponsorship provided by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, which facilitate marketing and government relations efforts and enhances customer loyalty and affinity. Company spokesperson Andy Lucas said in a statement to Insurance Journal the outlook revisions by A.M. Best was anticipated given the companys 2016 financial results. Hurricane Matthew and the ongoing automobile insurance industry claims crisis both had significant short term impacts on GFBMICs 2016 financial performance, Lucas said. GFBMIC has already initiated significant strategic and short term initiatives to manage future impacts, regain profitability and improve ratings and outlook in the future. We are confident that both our financial results and subsequent AM Best indications will see improvement. Topics Trends Agribusiness Georgia AM Best In its recent ruling that the cap on noneconomic damages for personal injury awards or settlements in medical negligence cases was unconstitutional, the Florida Supreme Court ignored why these caps were put into placeto ensure patients access to care and ability to receive quality care. On June 8, 2017, the court held that the cap violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Florida Constitution because it unreasonably and arbitrarily limited the right of recovery for those most grievously injured by medical negligence. The court went on to hold that arbitrary caps on personal injury noneconomic damages do not pass what is known as the rational relationship test, where a challenged law must be rationally related to a legitimate government interest. While disappointing, this ruling in North Broward Hospital District, et al v. Kalitan was not unexpected. In its opinion, the court heavily relied upon its 2014 ruling in The Estate of McCall v. USA, where it held that noneconomic damage caps were unconstitutional in wrongful death medical negligence cases. In reaching its decisions in McCall and Kalitan, the court ignored the fact that on Aug. 28, 2002, Governor Jeb Bush appointed the Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance because of a looming crisis of skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates. This task force included the presidents of Florida A&M, University of Central Florida, and University of Miami; a past president of the University of Florida; and a board member of the University of South Florida. It undertook a comprehensive review of published studies and relevant literature and received extensive testimony during several meetings. The task force produced a 345-page report and 13 volumes of supportive material, making recommendations in the areas of patient safety, tort reform, and insurance reform. The Florida Legislature debated the matter throughout the 2003 session but could not agree on how to resolve the complex issues that created the crisis. Then-Governor Bush called them back into special session in the summer of 2003 three times before both houses of the legislature could finally agree on a solution. In the end, they found that Florida was in the midst of a medical malpractice insurance crisis of unprecedented magnitude that was causing physicians to retire early, move out of state, and limit the types of procedures they performed. The crisis was also causing hospitals to close obstetrical wards. They found that the crisis was not only restricting access to care for Floridians but also impacting the quality of that care. The legislature based their findings that a crisis existed and action was needed on the following: In 2002, the average premium per doctor in Florida was 55 percent higher than the national average. In the preceding six years, the average increase in Florida insurance premiums was 64 percent compared to 26 percent for the rest of the country. Premium increases were being driven by increases in payments to patients. Noneconomic damages constituted 77 percent of total damages paid to claimants. The high cost of medical malpractice claims could be substantially alleviated by imposing a limit on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice actions. Besides the impact on patient care, the elimination of the cap on noneconomic damages because of the Florida Supreme Courts ruling is expected to increase the frequency and cost (severity) of claims. This could drive up premiums and ultimately the cost of healthcare. Make-Up of Courts Impact on Caps The only good news in the Kalitan decision is that it was decided on a 4-3 vote while McCall was decided on a 5-2 vote, because Justice C. Alan Lawson was appointed by Governor Rick Scott earlier this year to replace retired Justice James E.C. Perry. The dissenting opinions in both of these cases argue that the courts majority violated the separation of power rule by infringing upon the legislatures role to make policy under the Florida Constitution. Of the four justices who voted to find the cap unconstitutional, threeBarbara J. Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, and Peggy A. Quinceare facing mandatory retirement in January 2019. A supreme court more favorable to caps may exist in the future, and the battle over the philosophical bent of the future court has already begun. Topics Florida Medical Professional Liability Steve Jobs, the founder and former CEO of Apple, was an iconic person all on his own, but he also managed to make a mock turtleneck stand out, too. For those who didnt keep tabs on how the turtleneck came to be, it was originally designed by Japanese designer Issey Miyake, and its said that Jobs had upwards of 100 black mock turtlenecks in his closet that were designed by the legendary individual. The original design was actually retired back in 2011, following the death of Jobs, but it looks like the mock turtleneck is getting revitalized, at least in some fashion. Designer Yusuke Takahashi is a protege of Miyake, and as reported by Bloomberg he is set to relaunch the black garment this July through Issey Miyake Inc. This new version isnt a complete replica of the original design, though. It has higher shoulders and a slimmer silhouette. The new long-sleeve shirt is called the Dull-T, its 60 percent polyester, 40 percent cotton, and it will cost $270 when it becomes available next month. The report actually has a nice little look back on Jobs trying to put together a uniform for Apple employees, and he even commissioned Miyake to put together a vest for the company. Unfortunately for Jobs, employees werent a fan of the plan, and as a result he decided to simply create a uniform for himself: Jobs loved it and commissioned Miyake to design a vest for Apple, which he then unsuccessfully pitched to a crowd in Cupertino, Calif. Oh, man, did I get booed off the stage, Jobs told Isaacson. Everybody hated the idea. Americans, with their cult of individuality, tend not to go in for explicit uniformity, conforming instead to dress codes that arent even written yet. This left Jobs to contrive a uniform for himself, and he drew his daily wardrobe from a closet stocked with Levis 501s, New Balance 991s, and stacks of black mock turtlenecksabout 100 in totalsupplied by Miyake. The rest, as they say, is history. The black mock turtleneck is a legendary piece of clothing, and if you want to get something that harkens back to that history, but with a slightly updated design, it looks like the Dull-T might be the way to do it. [via Bloomberg A Bill to completely ban fracking is on its way to the President to be signed into law. The Bill, written by Fine Gael backbencher Tony McLoughlin, passed the Seanad today after clearing the Dail earlier this year. A man who claimed he was provoked into shooting his friend outside an apartment complex in Dublin has been found guilty of his murder. Sean Ducque of no fixed abode admitted firing the shots that killed Kieran Farrelly in October 2014 but claimed he lost control after being threatened. Seven prison officers four of whom were wearing stab vests - surrounded Sean Ducque when the jury returned with its verdict just before 3pm. Earlier in the trial, Ducque told the jury he just lost control when Kieran Farrelly threatened to punch the head off him if he didnt hand over some cash and a mobile phone hed stolen from a taxi driver at gunpoint on the night in question October 26th 2014. He said he shot him twice with a shotgun. The court had heard how Ducque has shot the dead man in the chest before reloading and shooting him in the head. Ducques former partner was also outside the Killarney Court flats that night and her evidence contradicted his account when she said he planned on giving Mr. Farrelly a hiding for slapping his girlfriend. She said she heard Kieran begging for his life after the first shot was fired. The jury rejected Ducques defence of provocation and found him guilty of murder after deliberating for two hours and 44 minutes. His sentence hearing will take place next month. A grand total of 32,400 will be donated to name a teenage victim of the Grenfell Fire after a character in a new Philip Pullman book. Pullman was involved in the Authors For Grenfell auction campaign, which saw literary figures donating prizes to raise money for the British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund, for residents affected by the recent tragedy. Pullman pledged the right to name a character in the second of his The Book Of Dust trilogy, a companion to the author's His Dark Materials series. Nur Huda el-Wahabi, 15, will be immortalised in the book after her former teacher James Clements' initial bid on Sunday of 1,500 prompted hundreds of others to donate in her name. Minutes before bidding closed on at 8pm on Tuesday, Authors For Grenfell said that the bid for Nur Huda was sitting at 32,138, although several other bids were made in the following moments. The charity scheme's organiser, Molly Ker Hawn, later said on Twitter that the winning total had reached 32,400. Mrs Ker Hawn wrote: "This item has been won by @MrJClements and 448 other bidders, with a collective bid of 32,400. I love every one of you." Pullman responded: "Great news! Warm thanks to everyone, and I look forward to writing about Nur." Great news! Warm thanks to everyone, and I look forward to writing about Nur. Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) June 27, 2017 Mr Clements also shared his gratitude, writing on the auction site: "I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to our shared bid for Nur Huda. "Whether it was 5 or 5,000, your contribution has become part of our whole team effort and I'll be forever grateful to you. The money that you've donated will go to help people who have lost everything. "The world hasn't always seemed like a very nice place in recent times, but this whole business has demonstrated how many wonderful people there are around and how much good can be achieved if we all work together. Thank you." Another popular bid among the hundreds on offer was the chance to have afternoon tea at Claridge's with Britain's Got Talent star and children's book author David Walliams. The final bid made one minute before the auction closed was for 12,580. Just over 5,000 was offered up by one competitive bidder for a photoshoot by famed photographer Rankin. A signed copy of a Nigella Lawson book looks set to be sold for 160, while seven signed Malorie Blackman books reached 230 in the bidding. Lots offered by authors Jacqueline Wilson, Margaret Atwood and Judy Blume reached into the hundreds. The Grenfell Tower blaze has claimed the lives of at least 79 people. After strong early trading following the start of conditional trading at the end of last week, the shares opened yesterday at a price of 5.20. However, they closed their first full days trading on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges down nearly 9% at 4.74; albeit still 7% ahead of their IPO price. The sale of between 25% and 29% of the States near total ownership in AIB is due to bring in around 3.4bn to the Governments coffers, thanks to an over-allotment option available to investors in the sale. Welcoming Europes biggest banking sector IPO, after the Dublin opening bell was rung by AIB chief executive Bernard Byrne yesterday, Irish Stock Exchange chief Deirdre Somers said: This is a very positive step for AIB and the banking sector of Europes fastest-growing economy. For his part, Mr Byrne said the partial IPO the State still owns well over 70% of the bank and will do so for the foreseeable future marks another important milestone and provides us with a platform to diversify our shareholder base within Europe and beyond. AIB returned to profit in 2014 and paid the State 280m, earlier this year, in its first dividend for nearly nine years on the back of a pre-tax profit of 1.7bn for 2016. The bank is due to publish results for the first half of 2017 at the end of next month. Speaking to Bloomberg television after yesterdays float, Mr Byrne said the bank is considering embarking on an international expansion drive on the back of its return to growth. While it has a small presence in both the UK and the US, AIB sold off its major overseas interests a large stake in Polish lender Bank Zachodni in 2013 and its US bank Allfirst 15 years ago. Mr Byrne said any return to international expansion will be reviewed in the next three years or so. I think for now and the next number of years, two to three years, well be continuing to do what were doing at the moment, he said. For now its really about efficiency in what were doing, but beyond the three-year horizon well come back and talk about that later, he said. Despite the remaining high level of State ownership, Mr Byrne told Bloomberg that the bank is run devoid of any government interference. We run the business very commercially on our own, he said. The board is totally responsible for the day-to-day strategic direction of the company. Mayor of Cork County, Cllr Declan Hurley, said the move would impact business in rural towns like Dunmanway in West Cork, one of the branches to adopt a no cash at the counter policy. I am very surprised and disappointed that Bank of Ireland have chosen to introduce a no counter services option. I would be very concerned that introducing such a system will have a serious negative impact on local businesses in the town as they deal in coins on a daily basis, he said. Alitalia filed in May to be put under special administration for the second time in less than a decade, starting a process that will lead to the airline being overhauled, sold off or wound up. In case of an acquisition, we would be interested in a majority stake, not a minority one, Mr OLeary told journalists during a news conference in Rome. We are not interested in a 49% stake, he added. Ryanair, Europes largest airline by passenger numbers, had already expressed an interest in Alitalia, but previously stressed it was keen on co-operating with the business rather than buying it. Ryanair had also said it wanted to provide short-haul traffic to feed Alitalias long-haul network and offered to deploy aircraft this summer if the Italian carrier cut capacity significantly. However, yesterday Mr OLeary said Ryanair would consider a bid for the entire airline once it was restructured by the administrators. More than 30 parties have expressed an interest in Alitalia, although local media said none of the offers were for the entire airline but only for specific assets such as planes or airport slots. The commissioners have now given selected parties access to Alitalias books, with non-binding offers due by July 21. Italys government has repeatedly said it would prefer to sell the airline in one block, partly to minimise the impact on its 12,500 staff. It has ruled out re-nationalising Alitalia. Whereas Etihad Airways, which came to Alitalias rescue in 2014, was bound by European rules that limit ownership by groups from outside the EU to 49%, Dublin-based Ryanair would be free to buy a bigger stake. Without a majority stake, Etihads influence was limited despite being the largest single investor and the lack of full control meant it could not deal with labour and other problems effectively. Ryanair already has a strong presence in Italy. The airline expects its Italian passengers to rise to 36 million this year, Mr OLeary said. Official traffic data put the total at 32.6 million last year. Reuters Gardai said they were taking the matter seriously and are conducting an investigation. The graffiti, saying Fuck Islam, was sprayed in multiple locations at Sean Walsh Memorial Park, as well as at bus stops near The Square shopping centre over Sunday night. It was reported online by the Tallaght Echo newspaper. South Dublin County Council yesterday said it had removed up to 15 items of graffiti. Ali Selim, a theologian and senior member of the Islamic Cultural Centre, said people rang him on Monday morning about it. Some Muslims contacted me and said they had seen the graffiti, said Dr Selim. They found it very offensive and it really upset them. He said he believed this was an individual incident and that it was not a common trend in Ireland. The person who acted in this way is ignorant about the situation in Ireland, said Dr Selim. But while this person is ignorant, he is not the only one to blame. He said that people in the media need to reflect on how they are reporting on terrorism and Islam. Stereotyping is not fair, it divides and broadens the base of confrontation, said Dr Selim. He said he had always paid tribute to how gardai handle racist incidents. Gardai do not tolerate racism of this nature; they act promptly, he said. Ireland should have hate crime legislation. If we had it, if an individual thinks in this way, he will at least think twice. Imagine if this person was writing this and a Muslim person was passing, and one got angry? You might have a different story. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dail the terms for the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill were agreed under last years Programme for Government. This includes proposals for a lay majority to sit on the new commission and for its chairman to be a lay person the main concern of judges. An unprecedented intervention by the countrys top judges, led by Chief Justice Susan Denham, this week saw a joint warning by letter to Mr Varadkar that the new system would have serious implications for the administration of justice. Despite the warning, the Government officially said yesterday that there were no plans to reply to the letter from the five judges. Instead, Mr Varadkar confirmed to the Dail that the bill, championed by Independent Alliance Minister Shane Ross, who secured it during government negotiations, would be passed through the Dail and Seanad without any amendments. This is because the arrangements for the commission were agreed by Fine Gael in last years deal with the Independent Alliance. Mr Varadkar said: We have no understanding on amendments and any amendments put forward will be considered on a case-by-case basis in the normal way by the Minister for Justice and Equality. The bill is provided for in the programme for government which stated specifically over a year ago that we would introduce a Judicial Appointments Bill providing for a lay chair and a lay majority. We would be going against our own programme for government as agreed by Fine Gael, the Independent Alliance, and Independents if we were to support amendments which changed that aspect of it. Mr Varadkar has indicated that more than nine hours of debate have been put aside for debate on the bill for its different stages. Fianna Fail objects to the proposals and says a compromise would be if the chief justice were to chair the appointments commission. The partys justice spokesman, Jim OCallaghan, said the whole row stemmed from Fine Gael caving into Mr Rosss demands in the government formation talks last year. He said a compromise should be examined whereby the chief justice sits as chairperson on the new body. Earlier, more judicial figures added their voices to concerns about the proposed reforms. Former Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness claimed the move for a non-legal person to chair the appointments commission was a kick in the teeth for Chief Justice Denham. If she, rather than a non-legal expert, were to chair the commission, this could go a long way to addressing concerns of the judiciary, Ms McGuinness told RTE. Former president of the High Court Nicholas Kearns compared the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill to a group of judges selecting an Irish football team. The proposed move to disallow the chief justice from chairing the new body was also extremely offensive, he told RTE. Gerard Howlin: 10 The 15-year-old, from Greystones, Co Wicklow, had just completed her Junior Certificate exams and was on a family holiday with her parents. She was found unconscious last Sunday afternoon by her parents in the hotel pool. Laura was an enthusiastic sailor with Greystones Sailing Club and an excellent student, who went to Temple Carrig school in Greystones, a seaside town. Yesterday, the patron of her school, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson, released a statement extending his deepest sympathies to Lauras family: It was with deep sadness that I heard of the death of Laura Dempsey at the weekend. To her family, we extend our sincere sympathies and pray that they know Gods strength in their heartache and devastating l oss. Laura was a third-year student in Temple Carrig School, Greystones, of which I am a patron, and had just completed her Junior Certificate exams. We hold Lauras friends, and whole school community, in our thoughts and hearts, as they struggle to come to terms with their loss. We also pray for the principal, teachers, and chaplain and staff of the school, as they support the students in their grief, he added. Laura was hugely popular in her small school, which only opened in 2014. Laura was among the first students to start in the new school that year. Jennifer Whitmore, cathaoirleach of Greystones municipal district, told the Irish Examiner that the students will miss her hugely. She said the community is in shock: Its awfully tragic news. The community is in shock and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Laura. Lauras family had been holidaying in the resort town of Stalida, on the northern coast of Crete. Her parents had grown concerned for her well-being, when, after looking for Laura around the hotel grounds, they were unable to locate her. Then, shortly after 2.30pm, she was found unconscious in the hotel pool. Attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful. She was brought to a local hospital, where an autopsy was due to be carried out. During their first conversation since Mr Varadkar assumed office, Mr Trump told Mr Varadkar: Congratulations on your great victory. We have so many people from Ireland in this country I know so many of them, I feel I know all of them. But I just wanted to congratulate you, that was a great victory that you had. According to Government sources, the call lasted between 10 and 15 minutes and was described as wide-ranging and fruitful. During the call, Mr Trump invited the Taoiseach to attend the annual St Patricks Day events in Washington and both leaders looked forward to meeting then. According to a Government statement, the two leaders agreed to continue strong co-operation between Ireland and the US on economic issues, shared culture, and family ties. Particular topics discussed included migration, Brexit and the movement of goods and citizens across the border, climate change, free trade, Irish inward investment in the US, and the undocumented Irish. They also discussed the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the statement added. Ahead of his call with the Taoiseach, Mr Trump also had a call with new French president Emmanuel Macron. Mr Macron invited Mr Trump to come to France on Bastille Day, July 14, according to a statement from the Elysee Palace. In the Dail, Mr Varadkar said the phone call was at Mr Trumps request to congratulate me on my election as Taoiseach. Video of President @realDonaldTrump on the phone with Taoiseach @campaignforleo Varadkar, congratulating on "great victory". @rtenews pic.twitter.com/7GSwD308sf Caitriona Perry (@CaitrionaPerry) June 27, 2017 Relations between Ireland and America are very important, he said. They are going to go on long after presidents, taoisigh, and governments change in both countries. They are relations that go back centuries. The relationship that we have with the United States is one that is going to have to withstand any particular taoiseach or president. A short time later, the Taoiseach also held a call with British prime minister Theresa May. They discussed the ongoing efforts to restore the executive in Northern Ireland ahead of Thursdays deadline, and the supply and confidence agreement between the Conservative Party and the DUP, according to a statement. News: 6 World: 9 Kristina Jagelovica, who also has a 17-month-old and a 16-year-old, was reportedly told by the HSE Emergency Housing Unit that she must seek her own alternative emergency accommodation following the blaze. Her babies were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire in the early hours of last Saturday. Another tenant was also treated. Ms Jagelovica was asleep with her partner, Liutauras Dociu, and their family in their third-floor apartment when the alarm was raised. Her mother, who was visiting to help with the twins, spotted smoke pouring through the floorboards and raised the alarm. All tenants were successfully evacuated from the building. If my mum didnt get up to go to the toilet, this could have been a big tragedy, said Ms Jagelovica, who is originally from Latvia. The fire was understood to have begun in a basement flat at the property in Parkview Terrace, Wellington Rd. Firemen attending the scene called for an evacuation of the building due to unsafe conditions. The issuing of a fire certificate for the premises was not required as the building pre-dates 1991. Tenants were allowed to enter the building briefly on Saturday to gather belongings. The building was then secured to prevent entry while fire officials conducted an inspection. Ms Jagelovicas family were temporarily offered space in a studio apartment in a separate building owned by the same landlord. She spoke to a man in another apartment and he slept on his sofa so we could all share a small bedroom, Ms Jagelovica said. She and her family stayed there until yesterday. Along with other tenants, they approached Cork City Councils housing department, where they were told to attend the HSEs Homeless Unit. The HSE told me to look for a hostel myself and that they would pay, she said. She and her family have found a room for three nights in Jurys Hotel. But its going to be busy for the weekend, so I dont know where we can go, said Ms Jagelovica. Maybe well end up in the car. Another tenant, Iain MacClean, said he was shocked at a heartless system and lack of care for evacuees who faced homelessness. Its amazing that theres no emergency accommodation for a situation like ours, he said. Mr MacClean is currently sleeping on his friends sofa. Other tenants include single people and two couples. The landlord, Norma OSullivan, said she has been trying to assist her tenants to find alternative accommodation. Ive tried and they know that, and its just impossible, Mrs OSullivan said. Id have all my tenants back in the morning if I could. She confirmed the building was due to be inspected by fire consultants to ensure the building was safe for habitation. However, she said it was not clear whether or not she was responsible for rehousing her tenants until works had been carried out on the building. Ive been on to the Private Rental Tenancies Board, and they werent able to answer me as to how to proceed, she said. However, southern area director of housing charity Threshold, Niall Horgan explained that if there is no liability for the fire on the part of the landlord, the contract is frustrated and the landlord isnt obliged to provide alternative accommodation. Mr Horgan said if a landlord is at fault, they would have to arrange accommodation for evacuated tenants. We suggest that tenants go to their local authority, but also stay in communication with their landlord for updates, he said. A protest will take place outside Leinster House on Tuesday, July 4, at 1pm, while the meeting is taking place. People will travel up from from Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Tipperary, and Wexford to call for 24/7 cardiac care in the area. At the moment the cath lab, where cardiac tests and procedures are carried out, only operates from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, in University Hospital Waterford (UHW). Mr Power died on Sunday, June 18, while travelling from UHW to Cork via ambulance to be treated for a heart attack, as the cath lab in Waterford was closed at the time he was admitted to hospital. His wife Bernie, whom he married nine months ago, is expecting the couples first child. He [Thomas] is not the first to die and he wont be the last, said Hilary ONeill of the South East Patient Advocacy Group. All they want is for it to not happen to another family. They dont want anyone to go through the tragedy they have had to go through over the last number of days. A number of buses are being organised to transport people to Dublin for the advocacy groups protest, which has no political affiliations. Ms ONeill said people in the South-East are absolutely enraged at the situation in the region, where there are no cardiac care services outside of business hours. We are calling on he Minister for Health, Simon Harris, to show some empathy, compassion, and decency for people in the South-East region, she said. They know people are dying. We are being denied a basic standard of care. Mr Harris was asked last week about extending the cardiac care in UHW in light of the recent incident. He said he is following the report written by consultant cardiologist Niall Herity, who found that UHW, did not need a cath lab open 24/7, but said that if the evidence changes, he would change his view. Professor Herity looked at distances, looked at times, and Professor Herity, as an independent person, eminently qualified, arrived at this conclusion, said Mr Harris. If the evidence changed Id change my position, but the evidence so far in the Herity report, which is independent, is very clear. Leading international and national scholars, as well as students, are participating in the event which is being hosted by the Discipline of Geography at NUI Galway. The symposium, which will focus on the social impacts as well as the physical aspects of climate change, is designed to encourage collaboration between Irish and international researchers and provide research and networking opportunities for the next generation of climate scientists. Denis OKeeffe, aged 54, of Ballynanty Rd, pleaded guilty to possessing a Webley revolver in suspicious circumstances. OKeeffe, who served with UN peacekeeping missions in the Lebanon and Israel, told gardai that, on producing the gun, the two boys, aged 10 and 12, ran off fearing for their lives. Det Garda Fergal Hanrahan, said that, on November 3, 2015, gardai went to OKeeffes home following a report about an incident earlier at Fredas chipper near to where OKeeffe lived. Gardai met OKeefe lying on a couch. He was drunk and tried to conceal the gun as the gardai walked in. The gun, which could be used, was rusty and in poor condition. The accused told gardai if he wanted a gun he would not buy shite. As a retired firearms instructor in the army, he said dealing with guns was like cleaning his face. OKeeffe gave various accounts as to why he had the gun, including having it for his own protection; having it in memory of his son who owned it and had died some months previously; and that he got it to repair it. He told gardai he brought it with him to the chipper for his own protection and kept it as a deterrent. At the chipper, he pulled it out when two children got smart and were acting like bold little c***s. He said: I lost my cool. Nobody was shot and nobody was going to get shot. Det Garda Hanrahan said their only concern was to find out why OKeeffe had the gun. Brian McInerney, defending, said the gun, although capable of being fired, was a rusty piece of metal and of First World War vintage. Judge Tom ODonnell said he did not want to go into the historical nature of the gun. He said: A gun is a gun is a gun, whether it goes back to the Siege of Limerick in 1691 and a musket. This is a firearm, a working firearm. And I must say I found his explanations puzzling. He said the DPP felt the case was in the mid range meriting a sentence of between seven and 10 years. OKeeffe, he said, had been described as a Walter Mitty-type character and had lost a son in tragic circumstances. He had minor convictions and had never served a jail sentence. Judge ODonnell imposed a four-year sentence with the final two years suspended. Eoin Giles, aged 21, of Thornville Ave, Kilbarrack, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of stealing a quantity of Macbook laptops, Apple watches, and iPads from the Blanchardstown shopping centre store on April 15, 2016. Judge Karen OConnor noted the offence represented a great breach of trust, given that Giles was an employee of PC World. She said a probation report assessed him to be at low risk of re-offending and suitable for community service. Giles, who was subsequently sacked from his job, had 1,000 in court to hand over as a token of remorse. She ordered Giles to carry out 240 hours community service in lieu of two years imprisonment. Garda Niamh Dunphy told Dean Kelly, prosecuting, that gardai were called in April 2016 after a stock-take showed a large quantity of stock missing. Staff reviewed CCTV footage which showed Giles, who had worked at the store for nearly three years, moving the stock out of the stockroom in a suspicious manner. PC World management staff told gardai Giles stole 21 laptops, six Apple watches and seven iPad Pros. When arrested, Giles made immediate admissions, but maintained he stole 13 laptops, three watches and seven iPads. Ultimately, the exact quantity of stolen goods could not be determined, Mr Kelly said. However, the value of the goods Giles said he stole came to 27,000. The court heard Giles sold all of the products, bar one Macbook, to a man who worked in an electronic store in the city. Giles was given 2,000 for the initial handover and was promised a further 10,000 once the stolen goods were sold. He kept one of the Macbooks. Giles was unable to name the man he sold the items to, but from information he gave gardai, that man was later identified as Muhammed Amjad, aged 31, of Merchants Square, East Wall, Dublin. Amjad was given a suspended 18-month sentence for his role in handling stolen goods last February. When asked why he stole the goods, Giles said he was stupidly trying to make money. He said he did not have a gambling or drug problem. He has no previous convictions. Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, and YouTube, which is owned by Google, all have their headquarters for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in Ireland including units tasked with combating terrorist propaganda and hate speech. The four tech corporations have announced a Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. It comes on the back of heated criticism after the Manchester and London terror attacks, with British prime minister Theresa May accusing internet giants of allowing terrorist ideologies safe space to breed and calling for new international agreements to regulate the area. Last August, the UK House of Commons home affairs committee accused the corporations of consciously failing to stop extremists and terrorists using their sites. In a joint statement, the four corporations said that the spread of terrorism and violent extremism is a pressing global problem and poses a critical challenge to them. It said each of their companies had developed practices against such content on their services. We believe that by working together, sharing the best technological and operational elements of our individual efforts, we can have a greater impact on the threat of terrorist content online, read the statement. It said the forum builds on initiatives including the EU Internet Forum and discussions with the UK and other governments. It will formalise and structure existing and future areas of collaboration between our companies and foster co-operation with smaller tech companies, civil society groups, and academics, governments, and supra-national bodies such as the EU and the UN. It said the forum will work on improving technical solutions, funding research, and sharing knowledge. A spokesperson for Facebook Ireland said: There are hundreds of people who work on our global counter-terrorism efforts in various teams based in many of our offices around the world, some of whom are in Dublin. Staff in Twitter in Dublin are also involved in the work of the forum as their public policy personnel are based here. Twitters most recent transparency report said it had suspended almost 380,000 accounts for violations related to the promotion of terrorism between July and December 2016. The stark warning comes as the Government is set to defy judges and press ahead with the Judicial Appointments Bill, which minsters clashed over at Cabinet yesterday. Independent ministers Shane Ross and Finian McGrath are said to have taken issue with Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan over his explicit criticisms of their reform-based bill. The two Independent TDs made their unhappiness known at Mr Flanagans comments in recent days, where he criticised populist politicians for putting judges in the dock. It is understood that Mr Ross led the charge, with Mr McGrath backing him up, demanding that Fine Gael stick to a deal agreed more than a year ago. Last week, the Irish Examiner revealed how, following a heated row with Mr Varadkar, Mr Ross had to be talked off the ledge by Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney. In the Dail, Mr Varadkar said no threat to leave government was made to him and he restated his denial that he attempted to put pressure on President Michael D Higgins to fast-track the appointment of Maire Whelan to the Court of Appeal. During a debate on the bill, which began last night and will continue today and tomorrow, Fianna Fail justice spokesman Jim OCallaghan claimed the bill, which will see a lay chair and lay majority on the commission tasked with appointing judges, is a bad piece of legislation. He said the bill is being promoted by one or two members of Government who really dont know what they are talking about. Mr OCallaghan argued that having a board dominated by lay people who make paper-based decisions does not bring the same insight, knowledge, and experience as judges. I know many people who on paper would look like they would make excellent judges but if appointed they would be a disaster, he said. Under fire in the Dail, the Taoiseach defended the legislation, claiming it follows best international practice. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said there is no compelling rationale for the changes, which he said were being rammed though. He also claimed that, deep down, we know that the vast majority of Fine Gael Deputies do not agree with this bill. However, Mr Varadkar said the rationale behind the bill is threefold. We want these appointments to be less political in the future, we want them to be more transparent, and we do not want any profession to be self-regulating or self-appointing, he said. Citing England and Scotland, he said having a lay chairperson is not unusual and is the modern way of making appointments. He added that this was now the case in both the private and public sector and that no profession should be self-regulating or self-appointing. When hospital consultants, for example brain surgeons, cardiac surgeons and geriatricians, are selected in HSE hospitals the chairman of the interview board comes from the Public Appointments Service and is not a doctor, said Mr Varadkar. Earlier, more judicial figures added their voices to concerns about the proposed reforms. Former Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness claimed the move for a non-legal person to chair the new appointments commission was a kick in the teeth for Chief Justice Susan Denham. However, if the chief justice was to chair the new commission, as opposed to a non-legal expert, this could go a log way to addressing concerns of the judiciary, Ms McGuinness told RTE. Former president of the High Court Nicholas Kearns compared the proposed bill to a group of judges selecting an Irish football team. An unprecedented intervention by the countrys top judges, led by Justice Denham, this week saw a joint warning by letter to Mr Varadkar that the new system would have serious implications for the administration of justice. News: 4 Gerard Howlin: 10 Mr Justice Peter Kelly said there is no appropriate public or private facility here to treat the man, who is a ward of court, despite the extraordinary fact he has some 750,000 funds in court which could go toward the costs of his treatment. Pending the outcome of an application for his placement in a specialised UK unit, the judge said he had no option but to order the hospital, which says the mans behaviour is destabilising other patients and only reluctantly took him on foot of a court order, to continue to detain the man. When it comes to looking after the psychiatrically and psychologically unwell, were not living in an ideal world but its the best I can do, he said. The HSE last week made an urgent application for orders permitting detention in hospital of the man who was then in prison. The orders were sought and granted in the event the man received a non-custodial sentence from the district court when he appeared before it last week for a criminal offence. The man had previously received a substantial settlement of proceedings brought after he suffered an acquired brain injury in a road traffic accident some years ago. As a result, he exhibited very strange, violent, and sexualised behaviour and his mother, who suffered a head injury after he assaulted her with a chair, was afraid of him, the court heard. When the case returned before Mr Justice Kelly this week, David Leahy, counsel for the HSE, said the orders had come into effect because a non-custodial sentence was imposed. Maria Dillon, appointed by the court to represent the mans interests, said efforts were under way to try and secure a place for the man in the UK unit and she wanted an adjournment to facilitate that. Ms Dillon said the man is in a ward of mentally ill patients but himself has no symptoms of mental illness. His behaviour remains extremely challenging, he is continually demanding drugs and becomes very agitated and the staff are concerned about his destabilising influence on other patients, she said. Mr Justice Kelly said he hoped a place would be found in the UK. In the meantime, he would continue the detention orders and adjourn the matter for two weeks. Last week, the head of the Central Mental Hospital agreed with the judge, while the State has closed its mental hospitals, it has failed to provide an alternative. While there is stress-testing of a plan for private firms to fill the gaps left by the closures, people are falling through the cracks, Professor Harry Kennedy said. He said the CMH was not suitable for this man and its 94 beds are full with 24 other people on its waiting list. Ireland has two forensic beds per 100,000 of population when most other Northern European countries have 10, and describing the system as a Cinderella one is no misnomer, he added. Everybody cheats on everybody, my 22-year-old daughter complained recently. People are on Facebook and Snapchat and Tinder; theyre messaging people on private accounts their partners dont know about. They cheat because its so easy. Her comments on tech and its impact on human behaviour came to mind during the next conversation I had on the topic with Silicon Valley-based Shannon Vallor, an expert on emerging technologies. Technology has great benefits for mankind, Prof Vallor acknowledges, but she sounds a note of caution. Its changing us, she warns, and not always in a good way. Its weakening our grip on some of humankinds positive virtues honesty, self-control, and compassion. And thats because its changing our day-to-day habits. Prof Vallor was at Trinity College Dublin recently to give a talk on some of the issues addressed in her book Technology and the Virtues: A Philosophical Guide to a Future Worth Wanting. Take how social media has changed our attitude to the concept of fidelity, for example, says Prof Vallor, the William J Rewak SJ Professor of Philosophy at Santa Clara University, California. Loyalty and fidelity are things we might think of as virtues, as are also perseverance and the willingness to push through difficult periods in a relationship; to not give up when things get difficult, she says. Prof Vallor is not anti-tech, she says; merely concerned about how its impacting human nature. Technology makes our lives easier but not necessarily better, she says, primarily because it lets us avoid the very challenges which traditionally helped shape our moral character. New technologies are shaping and reshaping our habits very rapidly, she says. Technology, she believes, offers us an easy escape when, for example, a relationship gets into difficulties: Tech presents us with an escape hatch to hundreds of thousands of alternatives. Technologies such as Tinder give us the opportunity to escape into other relationships. Day-to-day habits too are changing many of us check our email hundreds of times a day, and, yes, were also starting to talk to objects such as cars. Shannon Vallor. Soon all of our objects and devices will talk to us, she says. The question is, how will it transform the way we talk to each other? We dont know how technology will change us, Prof Vallor admits, but we know that it will, because, she explains, the technology of the last 20 years has reshaped our habits profoundly. Think about how texts and emails have taken the place of long phone conversations. We dont have the same habits of paying attention to another person for 20 or 30 minutes at a time, she observes. Look at how technology has inserted itself into the family dinner. If were not talking to our children, its often because were on our devices, and because we allow the children, for example, to be on their devices at the dinner table. And, instead of sitting down and reading the newspaper for half an hour she observes, we skim through the headlines on our smartphone. Our habits of paying attention and what we pay attention to are changing, says Prof Vallor, adding that our moral character is partly based on what we pay attention to. Virtues, she says, are excellent character traits we develop through habits and through practice. The question is, whether our technologies make it easy to develop the kinds of virtues we want to develop? It is possible, she believes, to design technology which will help us become better people. Research is ongoing into the potential of Virtual Reality for teaching us empathy research is ongoing into such programmes at Stanford University, while the VR Programme for Good developed by Oculus, provide real-life experience of what its like, for example, to live in a racist society or with a disability, thus increasing our sense of empathy. Technologys global reach allows stories of injustice, which might formerly have remained invisible, to reach a wide audience, she points out, thus highlighting an issue, or using crowd-funding techniques to give support to efforts to gain justice. Yet concerns about its potentially negative effects are mounting look at how many social technologies are designed to be addictive and to reward use, thus affecting how we exercise moderation or self-control. Then theres the issue of honesty versus fake news there are currently, Prof Vallor says, entire companies that exist to manufacture internet stories that feed our worst fears or confirm our prejudices. It percolates down to what people do every day, because if the ordinary person is looking to the media or to social platforms to understand what is going on in the world, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern truth from falsehood. And then theres the issue of compassion and care; the ability, she says, to be responsive to the needs of those close to us will we allow technology to dilute that too? Prof Vallor points to the development of companion robots; machines which care for humans such as children or elderly. Theyre cheaper and possibly even more reliable, but if we get into the habit of leaving loved ones in the care of a robot, what will that do to our sense of compassion and our ability to care for others? she asks. At the end of the day, she warns, its down to us. Its always been our responsibility to take care of our character, says Prof Vallor. This responsibility is still with us although were in a consumerist society that encourages us to simply consume and not to think too much about what makes us a moral individual. People are gradually becoming more aware of the effects their technology habits have on their characters she says but warns that ingrained habits are hard to break. We need to think about how we reshape the relationship between our technology and our habits, says Prof Vallor. We need to reshape those habits by building better-designed technology and we must be aware of the relationship between technology, our habits and our virtues. I dont think anyone actually wants to become the sort of person who has no respect for truth, has no empathy with others and does not pay attention to the people around them. I dont think tech designers want to turn us into people like this. Its about realising whats happening and modifying technology on one side, but also about consumers and users taking responsibility for building better habits and technology practices. Loyalty and fidelity are things we might think of as virtues Leo Varadkar is the 14th different head of government since independence, but he is actually the 13th taoiseach. Some of those served interrupted terms, such as Eamon de Valera and Charles Haughey, who were each elected on three separate occasions. The Irish term, An Taoiseach, which translates as The Leader in English, Der Fuhrer in German, or Il Duce in Italian, was introduced with the new Irish Constitution on December 29, 1937. The 14 different heads of government were: WT (William Thomas) Cosgrave He was elected the first head of government when the Irish Free State was formally established on December 6, 1932. His official title was president of the Executive Council. He served during the harrowing period of the civil war. On his first full day in formal office he was faced with the shooting of two government deputies as they left the Dail. The government responded by executing four prominent Republican prisoners, basically sending the message that it was prepared to avenge such shootings by executing twice as many Republican prisoners. I am not going to hesitate if the country is to live, warned Cosgrave. If we have to exterminate 10,000 Republicans, the 3m of our people is greater than this 10,000. Even his harshest critics were prepared to admit that he distinguished himself in the way he left office in 1932. He handed over power to his Civil War enemy, Eamon de Valera, when the latter was elected president of the Executive Council. Cosgrave refused to have anything to do with the efforts of Garda commissioner Eoin ODuffy to organise a coup detat. In the process, Cosgrave made an invaluable contribution to democracy. Eamon de Valera He became second president of the Executive Council in 1932 and his proposal to change the title of the Office to An Taoiseach was formally ratified by the Irish people in 1937. Born in the US, de Valera was the only foreign-born head of the Irish government, and also the first whose Cuban-Spanishborn father had no Irish background. From the outset, de Valera proclaimed his determination to dismantle the trappings of British dominion in Ireland. Let us remove these forms one by one, he said, so that this State that we control may be a Republic in fact and that, when the time comes, the proclaiming of the Republic may involve no more than a ceremony, the formal confirmation of a status already attained. Despite strong British economic pressure, he dismantled the 1921 Treaty by introducing an essentially republican constitution, and then he conclusively demonstrated Irish independence by keeping Ireland out of the Second World War. The suggestion he was indifferent to the Allied cause was a gross distortion. From the outset, he secretly promised to provide the British and later the Americans with all possible help, short of war. By fulfilling that promise, he essentially provided the Allies with all the help they desired, because they did not want Ireland in the war. De Valera went on to serve two other separate terms as taoiseach, from 1951-54, and 1957-59 before stepping down to become President of Ireland. Eamon de Valera. John Costello The third head of government was elected taoiseach in 1948 at the head of an inter-party government, which was distinguished by the declaration of the Republic in 1949. The government also established the Industrial Development Authority, and made great strides in the area of housing by achieving record construction figures. It was further distinguished by tackling the tuberculosis crisis under the direction of health minister Noel Browne, who also sought to confront the countrys high infant mortality rate by introducing the Mother and Child Scheme. When this ran into the opposition of the Catholic hierarchy, Costello buckled. I am an Irishman second, I am a Catholic first, and I accept without qualification in all respects the teaching of the hierarchy and the church to which I belong, Costello proclaimed. Browne was figuratively thrown to the wolves. The taoiseach called a general election in the 1951 and was narrowly defeated in his quest to retain power by 74 votes to 72. Costellos second government, from 1954-57, was undermined by the Border Campaign in Northern Ireland. Sean MacBride essentially pulled the plug on the government, which was roundly rejected in the general election of 1957. Sean Lemass At less than a month short of his 60th birthday, Sean Francis Lemass (1899-1971) was the oldest person to become taoiseach for the first time. He is widely regarded as the architect of modern Ireland, as a result of his fostering industrial growth and his promotion of free trade, even though he first distinguished himself in government as the foremost proponent of economic protectionism. As taoiseach, he paved the way for Irelands eventual entry into the European Economic Community, which he enthusiastically promoted. He surrounded himself with able advisers such as TK Whitaker, the brilliant economist responsible for the First Programme for Economic Expansion. Lemass also selected some particularly capable ministers, such as Donogh OMalley, who introduced probably the most effective initiative ever taken by any Irish minister when he announced plans for free secondary education. As external affairs minister, Frank Aiken took a bold, independent stand in supporting the admission of China to the UN. The taoiseachs own son-in-law, Charles Haughey, was regarded as a brilliant, reforming justice minister, in which post, he helped end the IRAs Border Campaign, and thereby helped to pave the way for Lemass to develop a warm relationship with prime minister Terence ONeill of Northern Ireland. Jack Lynch The first Irish head of government born in the 20th century. He succeeded Lemass in 1966, but will probably be best remembered for having kept this country out of what could have been a second civil war in 1969 this time over Northern Ireland. His government was plagued by the Arms Crisis, in which some of his ministers connived with the IRA in relation to Northern Ireland. Ministers Charles Haughey, Neil Blaney, and Kevin Boland were involved with Captain James Kelly, who was advocating armed action to achieve the aim of unification. Kelly argued that war is the continuation of politics by other means. In using him, the ministers were essentially toying with civil war. After pulling the plug on them, Lynch kept his cool, endearing himself to the nation. He essentially steered the country into the European Economic Community in 1973. Although he was ousted from office shortly afterwards, he will be remembered for having come back to lead Fianna Fail in 1977 to the greatest overall majority ever achieved by any party in the history of the State. He was probably the most popular Irish politician since Daniel OConnell. Jack Lynch. Liam Cosgrave He became the sixth different head of government on March 14, 1973. He is the oldest of the five surviving ex-taoisigh, and also the oldest former head of government in Europe. His one-term government was depicted as being of all the talents, because it included such distinguished performers as Garret FitzGerald, Conor Cruise OBrien, and Justin Keating, all of whom had earned doctorates in their fields. Cosgrave joked about being lucky to get into the cabinet himself in the midst of such distinguished company. The coalition was plagued by the oil crisis in autumn 1973 that contributed to high inflation. The government worked hard to secure the Sunningdale agreement of 1973, which, with its power-sharing concept, was a prototype for the Good Friday Agreement a quarter of a century later. Sunningdale was undermined by intense loyalist opposition and some of the worst outrages of the Troubles. Cosgrave compounded his political misfortune by voting against his own governments bill to legalise the sale of artificial contraceptives, and by his handling of the controversy surrounding the resignation of President Cearbhall O Dalaigh, who was unfairly criticised for conscientiously carrying out his duties of office. Charles Haughey He had performed brilliantly in four different ministries before succeeding Lynch as taoiseach in 1979. The economy got into trouble as a result of the extravagant election promises of 1977. After assuming office, Haughey addressed the nation on these difficulties. As a community, we are living away beyond our means, he warned, but then made things worse by allowing public spending to run out of control. He was further dogged by the H-Block hunger strikes in the North , and was ousted after the general election of 1981. He managed to alternate twice with Garret FitzGerald. Haughey returned to power following the general election in early 1982, but his government was dogged by the amazing series of GUBU scandals, and he was ousted again in November after the third general election in 18 months. He survived a whole series of internal heaves to oust him as Fianna Fail leader before winning a third term as taoiseach in 1987. Although he did manage to turn the economy around during his third term, he was undermined by his imperious style and his outrageous abuse of power in enriching himself. Some of those who had earlier been his strongest supporters ousted him in 1992. Charles Haughey. Garret FitzGerald As the son of a Protestant mother from Northern Ireland and a Catholic minister in the first Cosgrave government, Garret FitzGerald sought to break the political stranglehold of the Catholic hierarchy and develop a pluralist Ireland. In contrast with the imperious style of his predecessor, FitzGerald sought consensus by allowing meetings to drag on for hours. As a minority coalition, his first government was of a particularly short duration, brought down in early 1982 over efforts to control public spending. He managed to get back later the same year, but ran into further difficulties over his policies of fiscal rectitude. He succeeded in preventing the financial crisis from getting worse but did not enjoy the internal support to take the decisive action that would generate economic growth. As a result, his government became deeply unpopular. Although he managed to introduce some changes in relation to contraception, FitzGeralds efforts to remove the constitutional ban on divorce were decisively rejected by the electorate in 1986. But he undoubtedly prepared the groundwork for his successors to achieve the kind of pluralist changes that he desired. Albert Reynolds Became the 10th head of government in February 1992. He prided himself in being a gambler, and his political tactics seemed to border on the reckless. He was deeply involved in pushing Lynch and in ousting Haughey in an internal party heave, but he also brought down his own two governments. He was the first of three taoisigh whose overall tenures lasted less than three years. As the fifth leader of Fianna Fail, he was first taoiseach to lead continuous governments with different parties. The coalition that he inherited with the Progressive Democrats which he depicted as a temporary little arrangement collapsed after he essentially accused its leader of perjuring himself in testimony before the Beef tribunal. After the ensuing general election in November 1992, Reynolds remained in government by forming another coalition, this time with Labour. But it came unstuck over his efforts to appoint a former attorney general as president of the High Court without the support of his coalition partners. Rather than call a general election after Labour withdrew from government, Reynolds took the unprecedented step of handing over to the leader of the opposition, who formed a different government with the support of Labour. John Bruton He had the shortest tenure of all taoisigh barely two years and six months, from December 1994 to June 1997. He had seemed poised to become taoiseach after the 1992 general election, but his chances were scuppered when he was unable to come to a coalition arrangement with Dick Spring, the leader of the Labour Party. Bruton came from the more conservative wing of Fine Gael. He was a strong admirer of John Redmond the last leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party before independence. Bruton had portraits in his office as taoiseach of Redmond and Lemass, the latter of whom he considered to have been the best and most reforming taoiseach. Many were surprised at Brutons first policy initiative calling a referendum to remove the constitution proscription against divorce. He carried this narrowly, thus, succeeding where FitzGerald had failed. Bruton also made a valuable contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, even though many were often critical of him for being too ready to accommodate unionists. Indeed, Albert Reynolds once famously referred to him as John Unionist, but Bruton was strongly critical of the British governments reluctance to deal with Sinn Fein in furthering the peace process. Bertie Ahern He became taoiseach on June 26, 1997. He played a significant part in negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement of April 1998, both by developing a valuable friendship with British prime minister Tony Blair, and by impressing unionist leaders with his dedication to the task during critical negotiations around the time his mothers death. His first term was marked by the development of the Celtic Tiger economy. In 2002 he became the first taoiseach since Lynch to retain power after a general election. During his second term, his government introduced the internationally acclaimed smoking ban, but this term was tarnished by the development of the property bubble. Although he won re-election after the general election of 2007, the clouds were gathering. His resignation was precipitated by the controversy arising out of revelations about his private finances at the Mahon Tribunal. As details emerged, his position as taoiseach became untenable. He stepped down on May 7, 2008, after almost 11 years in office, second to only de Valera in terms of longevity. Brian Cowen He was taoiseach from May 2008 until March 2011. Having previously been the finance minister, he was roundly blamed when the country became enmeshed in the financial and banking crises. Ultimately his government had to request the EU and IMF to come to Irelands rescue, which was widely viewed as national humiliation. Fianna Fails popular support plummeted to a record low, as did Cowens own standing. With an approval rating of just 8% by the time the 30th Dail was dissolved, he was the least popular incumbent taoiseach in the history of Irish public-opinion polling. Recognising the hopelessness of his position, he not only stepped down as party leader but also retired from politics. Micheal Martin was elected party leader on January 27, but Cowen remained as taoiseach until the Dail could elect his successor, following the general election of February 25, 2011. The election was a humiliation for Fianna Fail. Its first-preference vote declined by more than half since 2007, and the party which had always been the largest political party since it first contested a general election in 1927 was reduced to third place with 20 seats. Enda Kenny He led Fine Gael to historic heights in 2011. The 76 seats that the party won was not only its largest total ever, but also the first time it became the largest party in the Dail. He formed a coalition government with the Labour Party on March 9, 2011. At the time he was little over a month short of his 60th birthday, so he was the second oldest person on first assuming the office, just 24 days younger than Lemass had been. One of his first acts in office was to slash his own pay by 14,000, along with other members of the government, thus affording good, constructive example. He took a particularly brave stand against the Vatican and the Irish Catholic hierarchy on the question of clerical paedophile abuse following the publication in July 2011 of the Cloyne Report into the paedophile abuse by 19 priests in the Diocese of Cloyne. Contrary to Church guidelines, the vast majority of allegations had not been reported to the gardai. The taoiseach warned that the historic relationship between Church and State in Ireland could not be the same again. In 2016, Kenny became the first Fine Gael taoiseach to be re-elected, and he became the longest-serving Fine Gael taoiseach in April 2017. In addition, he is currently the longest-serving deputy in the Dail. Wednesday, June 28th, 2017 (8:32 am) - Score 3,431 Mobile operator 1pMobile (MVNO) has had a Website and Facebook advert for their service banned by the Advertising Standards Authority after they failed to prove that their service was really the UKs cheapest pre-pay tariff or the most flexible. The operator offers a tariff of 1p per minute to UK landlines and mobiles, 1p per text to UK mobiles, 1p per MB of data and on top of that their flexible claim was based on a 5 top-up, which could be used for all calls, texts and data, compared with their competitors who specified a cap on each of those features (NOTE: 1ps website currently states that those who join need to pay an initial 10 top-up). However the ASA noted that a comparison site provided by 1pMobile was not good enough to prove the operators claim because the ASA could not verify the price comparisons at the time the ad was seen (January 2017) and they also found some other problems with the promotions. ASA Ruling (REF: A17-369177) We noted 1pMobiles assertion that they described their tariff as flexible because unlike them, their competitors specified a cap for each 5 top-up. However, we did not consider that this was clear from ad (b) which would have different meanings among consumers. Nevertheless, we considered that most consumers would understand that a top-up would last for one month unless otherwise stated. Furthermore, we understood that consumers were likely to select a tariff which closely met their mobile usage requirements for example, a higher or cheaper text message allowance over calls or data if that was their preferred method of communication. With that in mind, we understood that other mobile phone PAYG providers offered a 10 top-up which although their call minutes and data were capped, the text allowance was unlimited. Therefore, on a pro-rata basis those providers could be cheaper than 1pMobile depending on how the allowances were used. Because 1pMobile had not provided adequate evidence to support their claims to be the cheapest mobile service and that other providers were cheaper on a pro-rata basis, we concluded the ad was misleading and had not been substantiated. As usual the ASA told 1pMobile to stop claiming that they were the UKs cheapest pre-pay mobile service or had the cheapest tariff, unless it could be substantiated. However a quick glance at the operators website today still shows The UKs cheapest PAYG tariff in big bold text on the front page, although we expect theyll soon be removing that. The Internet of Things (IoT) is big, its complicated, and it is vital to the success of the enterprise business model. So before you get too far ahead in deploying devices and the infrastructure needed to maintain connectivity, it might help to give a thought about visibility. While it is true that much of the systems management and data handling in and around the IoT will be handled by advanced automation systems, human operators and data analysts will still need to maintain the ability to conduct deep-dive inspection of systems and architectures. And like many tasks surrounding complex data management, the tools you use and the way you use them will determine success or failure. One of the first things the enterprise should consider when building visibility into the IoT is the adoption of IPv6, says ThousandEyes Nick Kephart. In an interview with SD Times, he notes that the 32-bit name space of IPv4 maxes out at about 4.3 billion addresses, which is barely suitable for the internet as it is now. IPv6 uses a 128-bit address, broadening the namespace by multiple orders of magnitude. Without this, the number of connected devices becomes so broad that the enterprise faces a literal black hole of endpoints that it can neither see nor communicate with directly. Device visibility is only one aspect of the entire IoT picture, however. IT will also need new levels of insight into core networking systems, which is why Aruba Networks has engineered its new Aruba 8400 switch and OS-CX operating system around enhanced visibility, security and troubleshooting. The system provides early problem detection on the network, systems and application levels, coupled with automated correlation of networking activity for greater insight into existing and potential trouble spots. At the same time, the system provides full programmability using a built-in Python interpreter and REST-based APIs that provide automated scalability as well as application and infrastructure flexibility. One of the key problems with maintaining visibility and security in IoT infrastructure is that the enterprise does not necessarily control the devices that connect to it, making it difficult to deploy the proper client-side agents to bring them under unified management. ForeScout Technologies has sought to circumvent this problem through an agentless platform that can be quickly deployed across multi-vendor environments. The companys CounterACT platform is designed for campus, data center and cloud architectures, offering out-of-the-box device classification that automatically identifies and categorizes IoT, mobile and virtual endpoints. The enterprise can then utilize a variety of configurable profiling methods and customized rules management tools to enforce compliance, segmentation, control and other policies. Meanwhile, a company called Armis is out with a new IoT security platform that strives for universal device discovery and identification coupled with extensive inventory and profiling capabilities to ensure proper behavior of distributed architectures. The company is headed by former members of the Israeli armys cyber-intelligence unit, although it is unclear whether any of its technology plays a role in the Armis system. Company executives say they provide a unique way of passively integrating into legacy infrastructure that incorporates deep observation of existing profiles before actual changes are implemented. Visibility is likely to remain a top challenge for the IoT, if only because so much of the emerging infrastructure will be beyond the enterprises direct control. But the development arc is clearly focusing on ways to make IoT infrastructure flexible enough to satisfy user demands but still subject to centralized management. And as with traditional IT infrastructure, the ability to see what is happening within the system is the first step toward effective control. Arthur Cole writes about infrastructure for IT Business Edge. Cole has been covering the high-tech media and computing industries for more than 20 years, having served as editor of TV Technology, Video Technology News, Internet News and Multimedia Weekly. His contributions have appeared in Communications Today and Enterprise Networking Planet and as web content for numerous high-tech clients like TwinStrata and Carpathia. Follow Art on Twitter @acole602. In a few short years, the IT industry has moved from a paucity of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to an embarrassment of riches. The challenge IT organizations now face is finding a way to incorporate them all. To address that issue, Sinequa announced today it has integrated AI technologies from both Google and IBM into a Sinequa Logical Data Warehouse platform. In the case of Google, that means adding support for Google Vision and Translate AI software, as well as the Watson Alchemy application programming interfaces (APIs) for Image Recognition and Speech-to-Text services for translating languages. Scott Parker, senior product marketing manager for Sinequa, says rather than implementing advanced AI technologies themselves, most organizations are going to access them via platforms such as Sinequa designed from the ground up to centralize access to multiple data sources. The Sinequa approach gives IT organizations the option of deploying that data warehouse on-premises or in a public cloud, says Parker. It can run wherever your data is, says Parker. Figuring out exactly where to put a data warehouse has become a more complicated decision in the age of the cloud. IT organizations have a vested interest in moving as little data as possible. If data is created in the cloud, it makes sense to apply the analytics there. If most of the data is created on-premises, it makes sense to deploy the data warehouse there. That data gravity effect not only influences the location of the data warehouse, but also where AI algorithms need to be applied. Less clear, however, is the degree to which IT organizations will need to master all those algorithms themselves versus simply invoking them as a feature within a cognitive analytics application. In June, Netherlands-based web hosting provider Verelox had to completely shut down its services, preventing customers from accessing their data and virtual servers. Was this another example of ransomware? An outside hacker up to mischief? Nope. The companys headaches were caused by a disgruntled ex-employee who deleted all customer data and wiped most servers, according to Verelox, as quoted in International Business Times. Fortunately, Verelox bounced back a few days later, without losing any important data. But many similar incidents dont have such a positive outcome. And experts say the insider threat to corporate data is growing. Heres what you need to know about detecting insider threatsand how to minimize the risks. Setting the stage for insider threat Fluid workforces, with countless contractors scattered globally, combined with a growing dependency on cloud services as well as BYOD devices, are ushering in a new era of insider threat-related security risks, notes Rich Campagna, SVP of product for cloud access security broker Bitglass. Remote workers in particular can pose a growing threat, adds Mike McKee, CEO of ObserveIT, an insider threat monitoring and analytics software provider. One executive told me his company has 1,000 developers in India who have the companys source code, not to mention 500 contractors in China, and its hard to accurately know what the risk is, he says. McKee adds that remote workers in home offices could be more tempted to sell or exploit a companys proprietary information, vs. employees surrounded by colleagues in a corporate office. At the same time, companies are storing more data in the cloud, and the more data thats out there, the higher your risk of data theft. The marginal cost of storage is essentially zero today, so organizations have little incentive to delete data, notes Merritt Maxim, senior analyst, security and risk, for research firm Forrester. So they just store everything. That means there is more potential data available to steal. Plus, with all the money to be made on the dark web selling user names and passwords, not to mention the growing value of source code and other intellectual property, theres plenty of reason to be concerned about data theft by former or exiting employees. Security firm Flashpoint identified a software company employee who attempted to sell source code for about $15,000, PCWorld reported. Of course, not all insider threats are malicious. Weve seen new employees come on board that still have access to their previous employers email system on their personal devices, Campagna says, noting the role BYOD can play in inadvertent insider data leaks. The insider threat is real Data theft by departing or current employees is a growing (and potentially costly) problem, as research shows. In a 2017 survey of security professionals from Haystax Technology, 56 percent of respondents said insider threats have grown more frequent in the past year. And 75 percent of respondents believe the costs of insider breach remediation could reach $500,000. According to a 2016 IBM study, insiders are responsible for 60 percent of all data breaches. Of those breaches, 75 percent were done with malicious intent and 25 percent were accidental. A 2017 Verizon survey puts the number of insider-led data breaches even higher, at 77 percent. Accentures 2016 State of Cybersecurity and Digital Trust survey found that insider data theft and malware attacks are the top concerns of enterprise security executives. Most respondents, 69 percent, said their company had experienced an attempted or successful theft (or corruption of data) by insiders within the prior 12 months. More than 1 in 4 respondents to a 2015 Biscom survey admitted taking data when they left a company. Of those, 85 percent said they took materials they created and didnt feel it was wrong. And 95 percent of those who took data said it was possible because their employer didnt have the tools or policies to prevent them, or that if their company did have policies, they ignored them. (Biscom is a secure file sharing service provider.) 3 things you can do to prevent insider threats Automate the process of wiping devices Many enterprises use Microsofts Active Directory (AD) service for centralized user account management, says Campagna. When an employee departs, someone in HR typically deactivates that employees AD record, he explains. That deactivation should serve as a trigger to automatically wipe the data off the exiting employees devices, he adds. But too often that process is done manually, for various and often complex reasons. But Campagna encourages enterprises, whenever possible, to use mobile device management, identity systems, and other security tools that automatically sync to AD to trigger automatic data wipes. This can help prevent departing users from continuing to access company data, especially on cloud services that dont require users to log out periodically. For example, if due diligence isnt performed, an employee might continue using his or her company email account for days, if not weeks, after leaving. Automation is key to minimizing the insider threat of a former employee, Maxim agrees. This is where identity management solutions come into play because they can automate the de-provisioning process to ensure that users are removed from systems when they leave the company. Maxim adds that such solutions must still be accompanied by strong internal governance, such as internal audits to verify that the accounts were actually removed and that there is accountability to identify and correct gaps in the system, such as managers who dont follow the off-boarding process in a timely manner. Two-factor authentication can also help by making it harder to crack back into systems. Get HR, legal, security and business management working together Ideally, teams across your organization should collaborate to identify insider threats and prevent them from happening, advises Ryan LaSalle, the Global Managing Director of Growth and Strategy at Accenture Security. The first step is to know your users, LaSalle says. Who are they? What are their roles? What should they be doing? Knowing your users and what access they should have, what normal looks like for them, is one of the biggest steps you can take to protect yourself. Next, know your data, LaSalle continues. Where is it? Who has access to it? Whats its value? If you know its value, you can better identify risks and put better protections around it. Finally, collaborate with HR, legal and business management to better connect the dots between your security monitoring tools and whats going on in your business. Security teams dont usually have the context of what the users should be doing, LaSalle explains. And business managers dont usually understand the risks that security is trying to defend against. Thats why its important to have these teams work together to get the big picture, he says. Dont forget the human element So much of IT security is about machines, IP addresses and networksand not people, notes McKee. Dont forget that theres a person involved in every data breach, and understanding what they did before and after that breach is important, so you can be predictive and proactive instead of just being reactive. Its essential for managers to stay close to their direct reports, Lasalle adds. Managers are more likely to know when employees are disgruntled or under financial duress or are getting ready to leave, and all of those can be insider threat predictors. Your managers should be your first line of warning against those threats. Related reading: IT pros everywhere feel stressed, and no wonder: Some 81% of CIOs believe that the amount of pressure on technology professionals is higher now than it was just five years ago, according to a 2016 survey of more than 2,500 CIOs conducted by IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology (RHT). Among those working in the IT trenches, Computerworlds 2017 IT salary survey found that 46% think their job is either stressful or very stressful, with 18% saying their job is more stressful this year than it was the previous year. CIOs and HR consultants say tech professionals face long hours and endless demands. Certainly other professionals have similar issues. But IT workers often encounter added stressors unique to their field. Many are (formally or informally) on call 24/7, expected to respond to system outages at any hour or help users troubleshoot whenever the need arises. Theyre juggling multiple projects that users want done yesterday, requiring them to become experts in multiple IT domains while also simultaneously mastering business and soft skills. And to top it all off, theyre expected to keep up with rapidly developing technology advancements. Theres no sense of completion in the world of IT, says Craig Kapper, RHTs district president for the U.S. Southwest. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] IT managers need to remember that stress can quickly run even the most talented tech pros ragged. Burned out workers contribute less and often leave altogether. In a 2017 study of 614 HR leaders conducted by Kronos and Future Workplace, 95% of respondents said employee burnout has hurt workforce retention. In fact, 10% attribute employee burnout for more than half of their annual workforce turnover, with another 36% saying employee burnout caused 20% to 50% of their annual workforce churn. [Burnout] leads to turnover and poor results. It can get in the way of business, says Fred Foulkes, professor of organizational behavior and faculty director for the Human Resources Policy Institute at Boston Universitys Questrom School of Business. So what is a tech department to do? In addition to standard best practices such as company-sponsored wellness programs and flexible work schedules, these six strategies can help battle burnout. 1. Watch the clock Andy Takacs, the CTO at cloud services provider Zumasys, understands why IT professionals are susceptible to burnout: IT can feel like running from one sort of disaster to another. It requires a lot of people to perform at high levels to get the job done in a competitive market. Sheri Geoffreys Photography Andy Takacs Takacs says burnout can hurt productivity and camaraderie among workers as well as retention and recruitment efforts, as tech pros might shun workplaces that dont offer a good work-life balance. Recognizing the potential consequences of having run-down workers, Takacs says he and other Zumasys managers implement policies to keep burnout at bay. One such strategy is to monitor both the hours that individual staffers put in as well as the amount of paid time off each one has accrued. We dont want people to be at the max of their available vacation time. Instead, we encourage them to take time off, he explains, adding that managers watch for other signs of work-related fatigue, such as slipping job performance and negative emotions. Takacs says its tough to keep an eye on hours, particularly when overseeing self-motivated high-performers who thrive on sticking with tough jobs until theyre completed. So sometimes he has to take a stand: Takacs says he and other managers have had to encourage people to take days off, and have even informed employees they would be willing to cut off access to email. Takacs recently took this approach after noticing that the technical support team had gone through a particularly busy stretch and showed less camaraderie than usual. He gave each member an extra vacation day that had to be used during the following several weeks. Then he started working with the team to restructure workloads so the problem didnt creep up again. [ Discover the 100 Best Places to Work in IT 2017 ] 2. Set realistic goals Joel Jacobs, vice president and CIO at Mitre, a not-for-profit that operates federally funded research and development centers, expects managers to set realistic timelines and requirements for IT projects. Certainly, there are times when managers have to make a big push to get something done, and that can make timelines tighter than usual. But he says hearing managers acknowledge that theyre asking for some stretch goals helps people understand the extra work is neither the norm nor an ongoing demand. Mitre Corp. Joel Jacobs He explains: I know my staff works a lot of hours, but were careful in recognizing when [a project] will take a big push for a finite amount of time. People will work really hard, as long as they think what theyre working on is realistically achievable. If its relentless and unrealistic, it will just wear them down or, if they [see things going in that direction],theyll leave before they burn out. IT leaders might find moderating assignments, creating realistic timelines and engaging in honest communication about them tough to do, says Mackenzie Kyle, Vancouver-based regional managing partner for consulting and accounting firm MNP and author of Making It Happen, about practical project management, and The Performance Principle. IT organizations typically have a setup that rewards the behaviors that lead directly to worker burnout, Kyle says, explaining that many IT departments run their workers on full speed for long hours to try to make unrealistic deadlines that, when theyre inevitably missed, further discourage those same staffers. Kyle says managers should set realistic targets and then divide projects into smaller deliverables, allowing workers to chalk up wins every few weeks so they dont feel that theyre in a ceaseless grind. By giving workers smaller chunks of work, you can give space to have less intense times between sprints; you have a sense that its not forever, he adds. 3. Empower your people Tech pros dont want to feel that theyre cogs in a wheel, nor do they want to be micromanaged; rather, they want to feel theyre making an impact and that they have input into decisions that drive results. Thats the philosophy at online mortgage lender Quicken Loans, according to Teresa Wynn, senior vice president for the office of the CIO at the company. Wynn says the IT executives and managers at Quicken Loans strive to empower tech pros by creating a culture that allows them to take charge. Management principles, such as giving workers a degree of freedom and support to pursue their own ideas when tackling projects, as well as formal programs like Bullet Time, a weekly four-hour period when IT team members can work on projects of their own choosing, help achieve that goal, she says. These strategies help employees recharge their creative juices, stretch intellectually and try something different from their normal duties all of which can help them feel energized instead of worn down, Wynn adds. Westmont College Reed Sheard Dr. Reed A. Sheard, vice president for college advancement and CIO at Westmont College, takes a similar approach to management. He says he, too, finds that workers who feel empowered in their jobs and careers are less likely to burn out. To that end, he supports a culture of continuous learning where employees have the opportunity explore new technologies that can help them grow professionally. He points to one recent conference attended by several staff members to learn about a new technology important to the colleges IT strategy. Sheard says the workers came back invigorated and excited to use their newly acquired knowledge. Focusing on servers and patch updates and backup requirements, nobody can do that indefinitely. You need to give people a chance to grow, he says. 4. Stop the daily grind A veteran staffer on Jacobs team at Mitre had the opportunity to spend part of his workday over several months learning about near-field communication a technology he wouldnt use for his regular duties but that interested him nonetheless. Jacobs says the schedule shake-up seemed to boost the workers morale, which is why Jacobs promotes such workplace variety. Grinding away on one thing too long is exhausting, Jacobs says. Moving people from project to project, from organization to organization, from topic to topic really refreshes people, and when they return to where they were, they have a different perspective. Jacobs says his workers have several ways to change up their routines. They can seek out new positions at Mitre, temporarily work in other divisions when needs arise, or propose new ways of working within their existing responsibilities if they see ways to bring higher efficiency or higher capability to those processes. Its really about getting people to think about where they can get more leverage, he says, adding that encouraging opportunities where employees step out of normal routines is good for the employees psyches as well as for the organization as a whole. An enterprise that inspires IT, along with the rest of the company, to bring their best reaps a lot of advantages, he says, while those that allow their employees to burn out will lose in the long run. 5. Create a positive culture Kapper, the district manager from RHT, says he worked with one company that had about 600 workers on its help desk. Turnover was high among these entry-level tech pros, with workers reporting on exit surveys that they felt burned out by the divisions constant toil. The company sought to do better by improving the help desk culture, according to Kapper. Managers increased recognition for worker achievements and sponsored lighthearted events such as catered lunches with DJs to give workers a break during the typically slow lunchtime stretch. Additionally, they introduced flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities. Its an example of what a company that has a lot of workers who are working very, very hard can do. Now [these workers] want to work there because the culture makes it a great place to be, Kapper says, noting that the company slashed turnover in half and employees report significantly less burnout. Baskaran Ambalavanan, former senior HR manager for IS at law firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton and now a consultant and panelist with the Society for Human Resource Management, says several key programs can help organizations combat burnout, including flexible schedules, remote work options, training opportunities, and a supportive environment that includes elements of fun. He says its important to note, too, that managers at all levels can adopt some elements of these best practices even if theyre not sponsored at the executive or companywide level. 6. Change course when necessary Chris Caruso, vice president for IT at PPG Industries, a global supplier of paints, coatings and other materials, says IT workers have had a backlog of work throughout his 35-year career in the profession. Still, he acknowledges that theres more interest and demand in IT resources and the capabilities today than ever before. But thats for us to manage and to throttle the workload, he says. Managing employee workloads should and at his firm, does include watching for worker burnout, he says. We have regular processes in IT to identify talent and succession in the organization, and one of the things we do is identify any risk associated with the individual are they overworked, are they in the ideal position to develop in their career? We actively manage those situations to find out what they need, Caruso says. That approach allows management to take action if they see someone who, for whatever reason, is feeling undue pressure, Caruso says, explaining that managers formulate an approach based on the individual and his or her situation. Company leaders might assign a mentor to provide guidance to a struggling worker, he says, or they might assign tasks that provide new challenges or energy to a worker who is feeling stuck in a grind. Thats a strategy other CIOs and HR consultants recommend, too. Sheard, for example, says he recently had a candid conversation with a star employee who was overworked, reminding him that the extra work will soon lighten and implementing changes, such as elevating his position within the organization, to address related issues over the longer term steps that helped head off a bigger crisis. Communication and acknowledgement, he says, those make a difference. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Close By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. A federal judge issued final approval Wednesday for a settlement of more than $1 million in a class-action WARN lawsuit filed by three former employees of the closed Yadkinville hospital. A preliminary settlement was announced April 24. Yadkin Valley Community Hospital was shut down May 22, 2015, by CAH Acquisition 10 LLC. CAH remained in the hospital until Yadkin County took possession through a federal court agreement on July 15, 2015. About 150 hospital employees lost their jobs in the closing. Todays settlement brings an end to a long and painful chapter for the former employees of the Yadkin Valley Community Hospital, said Michael Kornbluth, an attorney from Taibi Kornbluth Law Group of Durham. We are pleased with the result as it provides the former employees with substantial compensation for the losses they experienced. In September 2015, the three former employees Carrie Hutson, Jeanna Simmons and Jenifer Swanner filed the class-action request pursuing salaries and benefits tied to the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). Employees must file a lawsuit in federal court to assert WARN rights. The 142 class members will receive a combined $660,000. The compensation will range from $803 to $21,100 a person which represents on average about 65.7 percent of each former employees maximum potential damage. The bulk of the settlement amount will be paid $10,000 a month for seven years, totaling $840,000. The plaintiffs will receive an additional $1,500 from the settlement. The first payment is projected to begin within 14 days. They would be made on the first of every subsequent month. If the defendants do not make the monthly payments by the 14th of each month, all future payments would become immediately due and payable. On May 1, Yadkin County commissioners approved providing an additional $112,200 toward the potential reopening of the hospital. The board voted unanimously to make that financial commitment as part of accepting a $448,800 infrastructure renovation grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation. The grant must be spent in three months of the award unless the foundation agrees to an extension. The breakdown of the infrastructure spending: $320,000 for the parking lot, $131,000 for HVAC replacement, $72,000 for flooring replacement and $36,000 for sidewalk construction. Yadkin officials have said they believe it could cost as much as $6.2 million to reopen the hospital from scratch. That included: $5.2 million toward reopening the hospital or establishing a new one; $582,000 toward expenses for equipment repairs and maintenance; and $90,000 toward hiring new hospital employees. Commission Chairman Kevin Austin has said the reopening likely will initially emphasize an emergency department and a projected 22 beds. Although the hospital facility has not reopened, several health care providers have established an office there with county assistance. Nadiyah Quander is stepping down as executive director of Delta Fine Arts, Inc., effective Friday. Delta Fine Arts in the organization that owns and operates the Delta Arts Center, 2611 New Walkertown Road. Daphne Holmes-Johnson, board chair, announced Quanders resignation in an email letter to Deltas partners and friends late last week. During her three years at Delta, Quander led the center into community partnerships and supervised exhibitions, including an invitational of black North Carolina artists and an exhibit of Haitian culture in 2016, and the current show, Tyler Starrs Redress Papers. She also supervised the recent creation of The Peoples Gallery @ Delta Arts Center, an intimate space dedicated to creating Intersections + Conversations that use art as a social catalyst. Quander was among the participants in the Community Innovation Lab, a project administered by the Kenan Institute at UNC School of the Arts, which sought to use artistic methods to solve social problems. Intersections + Conversations was the name given to lab events that used the arts to create conversations around race, class, power, gender and privilege. Tommy Priest, an artist who owns Coffee Park Arts and Coffee Park Airstream, was among the collaborators in the project. I met Nadiyah in 2015 through the lab, Priest said. We participated in workshops together for two years. As a collaborator, she is insightful, compassionate and supportive of the entire idea of using the arts for community change. She was an absolute pleasure to work with. She always brought new insights to the challenge. She was a staunch ally. In her announcement, Holmes-Johnson, said, Nadiyah has successfully led the organization through incremental growth and impact. We are extremely grateful for more than three years of remarkable service to our organization and to this community. Nadiyahs strong creative sense expanded DFAs vision of broader partnerships within the community and new programming opportunities at the Delta Arts Center. Her passion for the arts and community engagement will serve her well in whatever endeavors she follows in the future. We wish her continued success. An executive director search will be led by a committee that includes Holmes-Johnson, chair; Jackie Haynes, vice-chair; Peggy Moore, personnel chair, and Quintin Williams, finance committee. We expect the search to take several months, as we conduct a careful, thorough search to find the right leader for Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts, Inc.s next era. During this process, we will be reaching out to many leaders in our community for input on our next executive director, Holmes-Johnson said. Quander said that she plans to spend time with her family, take care of herself and see what is next. She and her husband James Quander, a lawyer, have two children. Being at Delta has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life, she said. I have learned so much, met incredible people, learned the ins and outs of nonprofit and deepened my sense of community. I feel that I have stewarded this important institution and taken it as far as I can. I feel good about that, and I want to leave on a high note. I really do care about Delta and what it means to the community. I value it for my children and for the city. Its time for new breath to be breathed on it again. Quander has a bachelors degree in drama from UNCSA, and did post-graduate studies in African Art-History and Culture at The University of Ghana, West Africa. When I commit myself to work, I am going to work as hard as I can, she said.Its probably from my acting training. There is a sense of community around the work that I do. We get these precious gifts, like a 45-year-old arts organization, and we hold hands around it and lift it up. Im am driven by my passions. It may not be a conventional way, but its the way that I live, and Im glad I have the opportunity to live authentically. I think there is going to be good energy around this organization going forward. Its going to be exciting to see what fresh eyes can bring to it. Quander said she is grateful for the hard-working board of directors and volunteers at Delta. The board is committed in a way that is unique, she said. Quander joined Delta in June 2014, coming from LMC Talent Boutique, a New York-based talent agency, where she served as a business and marketing consultant. On taking the position, she told Dara Silver, a board member, that Delta stood, brilliantly and admirably to represent the African-American fine arts and culture experience amidst the evolution of a small city with a large passion for the arts. A state House Finance committee defeated Wednesday a Republican-sponsored Senate bill that would have allowed four county governments, including Forsyth, to post their legal notices on their websites. Senate Bill 343 was rejected 15-12, which is likely to end that legal notice effort for the current session. Also Wednesday, the full House rejected 108-0 the Senate version of House Bill 205. A concurrence committee has been appointed, but there is no guarantee it will meet before the end of the current session. HB205 which was co-opted after passing the House by rewrite sponsor Sen. Trudy Wade, R-Guilford would require newspapers to consider newspaper carriers as employees, and not as independent contractors, for workers compensation coverage and unemployment insurance tax purposes. Newspapers have considered carriers as independent contractors per state law for more than two decades. SB343, also sponsored by Wade, contained language that would have ended the carve-out. SB343 was the subject of intense, often personal, debate amid consideration by committee members. Some legislators opposed to SB343 said their main objections were the lack of widespread accessible broadband for internet coverage in many rural counties, and the potential for rural community newspapers to lose tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual revenue from county government legal notices. The bill initially would have covered the entire state, and allowed county governments to place non-county legal notices, such as foreclosure filings, on their websites and charge a fee. After getting pushback, bill sponsors amended the bill with Wades approval to feature a pilot program in Buncombe, Durham, Forsyth and Guilford counties, and allow just county government legal notices on their websites. The program would have sunset Dec. 31, 2019. A proposal was mentioned during the meeting to replace Buncombe with a rural county. However, Forsyth would have been kept in the pilot program even though since Thursday the Forsyth Board of Commissioners sent bill sponsors two resolutions expressing unanimous support of their desire not to be included. There had been talk of an amendment being submitted to SB343 by a local legislator that would have removed Forsyth. Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, who led the SB343 effort in the House, said the four counties were chosen because of similar population sizes and internet access. This bill bridges the gap between legal notices being accessible to all, but also modernize to make way for other avenues for notices to be filed, Lewis said. Newspapers are not as big a part of our daily life as 20 years ago, Lewis said, although he acknowledged their importance for legal notices in rural counties. Mitch Kokai, policy analyst with Libertarian think tank John Locke Foundation, said it was clear during committee debate that lawmakers continued to have serious questions about how these proposed changes would impact newspapers in the long run. Thats especially true for small rural papers. Some perceived any change to current law as an attack on the newspaper industry. Kokai said that if the law on legal notifications is going to change, those who advocate change are going to have to do a better job convincing their colleagues that the new policy is not designed to hurt existing newspapers. The N.C. League of Municipalities supports SB343, saying in a recent newsletter that cities and towns have long supported legislation allowing municipalities to publish required public notices electronically on their own websites, benefiting taxpayers and the publics knowledge. Other legislators said that while they could support the pilot program, they were concerned it would be expanded swiftly to rural counties. The N.C. Press Association said that for some community newspapers, public legal notices can represent as much as 50 percent of their revenue. Rep. Jeff Collins, R-Nash, said the current system takes care of legal notices well and he has gotten calls from several small newspapers that have expressed concerns that this bill could put them out of business. For example, John Owensby, publisher and owner of Kernersville News, spoke to the committee Tuesday about his concerns with SB343. This is all about my life, Owensby said. Its a third-generation ownership who has spent 45 years building this newspaper. This bill strikes at the heart of what we do as a newspaper. Owensby said the marketplace takes care of competition and drives down the cost of legal notices. If SB343 were to have to become law, Owensby said it was possible he would have to close the newspaper if it were to lose $250,000 in revenue from government legal notices. This bill will close half the community newspapers in North Carolina, Owensby said. Susan Frye, clerk of court for Forsyth County, said she came to Tuesdays meeting to observe, but felt compelled to speak on behalf of the affected county clerks of court. There are many unanswered questions and this law would add to our plate and we would have to manage money and legal affidavits. If someone doesnt pay their money, what do I have to do? It will only ask for more employees down the line, and what we have now works. Wade said in a statement after HB205 cleared the Senate that her version of the bill rectifies the unfair misclassification of newspaper delivery workers and salespeople as independent contractors. John Bussian, an attorney representing the NCPA, said the amendment language related to the Senate version of HB205 eliminates a 20-year-old carve-out that treats carriers as independent contractors by statute, but does not automatically subject publishers to previously proposed requirement to buy workers comp insurance or pay unemployment comp insurance for all carriers. Yes, we know. Weve been telling you. And now a new study confirms, as if its needed, that the arts, an inextricable part of Winston-Salems identity, are big business. Spending on arts and culture in Forsyth County is up $20 million since 2010, according to the study by Americans for the Arts, a national nonprofit organization, as the Journals Lynn Felder reported last week. That generates jobs and tax revenue. It is abundantly clear from this benchmark study that arts and culture is an economic driver in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County and City of Arts and Innovation is more than just a tag line. It is a fact of life here, Jim Sparrow, the president and chief executive of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, said during a meeting of arts leaders Wednesday to promote the studys findings. They have a right to crow. Some of the results of the study, as reported by the Journal: Full-time jobs in the nonprofit arts and culture sector in Forsyth County rose from 4,769 in 2010 to 5,559 in 2015. Those organizations paid $13.7 million in state and local taxes in 2010 and $14.8 million in 2015. The median state and local taxes in similar study regions was $7.8 million in 2015. The total economic impact of these sectors doubled from 2000 to 2015, going from $76.6 million to $156.8 million. Our city is part of a larger statewide picture. The nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $2.12 billion in direct economic activity in North Carolina, according to the study, supporting almost 72,000 full-time-equivalent jobs and generating $201.5 million in revenue for local governments and the state of North Carolina. The arts are not only a social, political and spiritual force, but an economic powerhouse that empowers its participants and enhances our reputation as a state. State and local governments should realize that, as well as donors. And we need more efforts to spread the message, through public art projects and cooperative efforts, such as concerts at the BB&T ballpark. We have every reason to proudly state that Winston-Salem is The City of the Arts and Innovation. The Mediterranean restaurant thats been a Greensboro staple for 40 years is ready to join the food truck craze. options include homemade hummus and tablouli, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free selections. Regulars can still order Ghassans popular steak and cheese, chicken pitas, falafel and gyros. Additional authentic Mediterranean items are also offered as specials. Menu items will be $7-$9 (including tax) for sandwiches, with chips. Side items will be $2-$3. JURIST Guest Columnist Benjamin G. Davis of University of Toledo College of Law discusses the effect the Supreme Courts recent decision to stay parts of President Trumps Muslim ban will have on vulnerable refugees On June 26, 2017, the Supreme Court per curiam opinion granted the US Governments application to stay the Muslim ban or not injunctions to the extent that the injunctions prevent enforcement of Section 2(c), effectively barring foreign nationals from seven Muslim majority countries who lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States. What that means, for now, is that if you are just a desperate refugee from one of the seven Muslim majority countries named in the Executive Order who is not physically in the United States say a little boy or girl on a boat sinking in the Mediterranean you are free to drop dead because the United States through its Presidents Executive Order and through its highest court has told you that it does not want you here for ninety days (an order I fully expect will be renewed before it expires later this year and before the next term). The Courts view was that the injunction barred enforcement of the Executive Order against foreign nationals who have no connection to the United States at all. In those cases, denying entry to such a foreign national was said to not burden any American party by reason of that partys relationship with the foreign national. Moreover, they went on to note that the courts below did not conclude that exclusion in such circumstances would impose any legally relevant hardship on the foreign national himself, citing [a]n unadmitted and nonresidentalien ha[s] no constitutional right of entry to this country. The Court was of the view that whatever burdens may result from enforcement of Section 2(c) against a foreign national who lacks any connection to this country, they are, at a minimum, a good deal less concrete than the hardships identified by the courts below. If the refugee has no American tie, the Court reasons, their hardships are a good deal less concrete than those resulting from denial of admission when one has a family tie, school admission or job offer for employment. As an American watching the desperation of the refugees, I find the Courts limitation of the cognizable burden to only those with certain types of relationships problematic. I do not have family, I have not admitted a student, nor have I given a job offer for employment to any of those boys and girls on a boat sinking in the Mediterranean. Yet their distress and that of their families burdens this American significantly. It burdens me as I know the history of the past 14 years at least from the second Iraq War started by the United States under false pretenses and its consequences. Apparently my relationships with Americans or residents who fear for their families there who are internally displaced persons or refugees would not be enough for this Court. More broadly, reminding us of John Donnes poem (No man is an island), my relationship with those desperate people through my prayers and faith which happens to be Christian but could be any of a series of other religions or humanism which calls me to carry their cross is apparently a form of burden on my religious faith that would not be enough for this Court. What trumps these relationships is the incantation of the national security shibboleth and the Constitutional grant of powers to the President and Congress in a space where the Supreme Court tends to show great deference. Now some may see the fact that there is a bona fide relationship limitation on the Executive Order as a step away from lockstep deference to the Executive that the concurring justices would have pronounced if they had been the majority. This decision certainly does not give a blank check to the Executive. But, by dismissing the burdens on Americans other relationships with these desperate people, the decision seems to say that only some types of American relationships with foreigners are good enough. Those other relationships are just some form of insufficient funds, and the Supreme Court has chosen to close the accounts. Some may say that we should not worry and look forward to this fall. My thought is with the persons who over this period will die who might have been helped if our law would have the kind of compassion that at so many times we have lacked as a country. Might I remind readers of the European Jews turned away before World War II, of the Japanese-American internments, of the Muslims brutalized since 9/11, of black lives matter, of the 69 country torture regimes put in place by the United States after 9/11 for which no high-level organizers have been held accountable while low-level soldiers were court-martialed or disciplined, or of death and destruction of Americans and foreigners in the Second War in Iraq started on false pretenses. After all, the Supreme Courts decision was in equity, and the minimization of the equities with respect to these other relationships of Americans by the Court speaks volumes about what is considered important enough. And, given the hardships these foreign nationals suffer, to dismiss those hardships as not legally relevant does suggest a minimization of the grandeur of the law that does not do justice to American values. Just sayin. Benjamin G. Davis, professor of law, is a former member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Law and National Security. He is a Founder of Advocates for US Torture Prosecutions. Davis led the adoption of the 2006 American Society of International Law Centennial Resolution on Laws of War and Detainee Treatment. Davis is an international expert on topics such as cyber dispute resolution, drones, detainee treatment, military commissions, torture and international law. He is a graduate of Harvard College (BA), and Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School (JD/MBA). Suggested citation:Benjamin Davis, Supreme Court to Syrian (and other ) Refugees: Drop Dead, JURIST Forum, June 27, 2017 http://jurist.org/forum/2017/06/Benjamin-Davis-supreme-court-to-syrian-and-other-refugees-drop-dead.php This article was prepared for publication by Dave Rodkey, Managing Editor for JURIST. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org US District Judge Mark Goldsmith issued a nationwide temporary stay [order] on Monday to protect 1,444 Iraqi immigrants from deportation, extending an order issued last Thursday that applied only to immigrants in the Detroit metro area. Goldsmiths order on Thursday temporarily blocked [JURIST report] the deportation of more than 100 Iraq nationals, arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [official website] agents, for approximately two weeks, during which time the court will decide whether it has jurisdiction in the matter. Goldsmiths purpose for issuing the emergency order nationwide is to protect many Iraqi immigrants who would likely suffer persecution if sent back to Iraq, and to give them more time to seek legal action. And what was said in support of the issuance of that TRO supports the instant order. The same grave consequences face the expanded class, which establishes irreparable harm. Such harm far outweighs any interest the Government may have in proceeding with the removals immediately. And once again, the public interest is served by assuring that habeas rights are not lost before this Court can assess whether it has jurisdiction in this case. Goldsmiths order will expire in 14 days, unless another order is granted. Many of the individuals facing deportation include both Muslims and Christians from Iraq, who have been in the US for decades and had been allowed to stay because the Iraq government would not issue [Reuters report] them travel documents. That changed in March when Iraq began to allow deportees in exchange [NPR report] for President Donald Trump [official profile] removing Iraq from the list of banned countries. Earlier this week the Supreme Court agreed to rule [JURIST report] on Trumps travel ban and allowed its partial enforcement. Coeur Rochester Mine celebrated two achievements June 13 150 million ounces poured and 2.5 years of no lost-time accidents. Rochester is about 13 miles northeast of Lovelock in Pershing County. Coeur Mining Inc., based in Chicago, has operated Rochester since 1986. The mine recovers gold and silver through a heap leach process. This is a heck of a celebration for us, said General Manager Robert Stepper. He cited the production celebration and the safety record, which equals 1.5 million man hours without a lost-time accident. We have a tremendous workforce, he said. Its the safest workforce Ive ever worked with. The level of safety consciousness at this site is outstanding. That probably derives from a good number of the people who work here are related to each other. When you talk about being a family, its a family up here. Theyre just great employees. Theyre great to work with and great to have around. I couldnt be luckier to have them. Coeur President and CEO Mitch Krebs thanked everyone for attending. Its great to be out here in the Silver State at the largest primary silver mine in the state, he said. Thirty-one years is an impressive mine life and 150 million ounces is amazing. I dont know about you guys, but I bet theres another 150 million ounces to come out of this place over the next 30 years. The mine processes 80,000 tons of earth a day, said Assistant General Manager Greg Robinson. Rochester produces about 5 million ounces of silver and about 50,000 ounces of gold each year. Rochester began production in 1986. It employs about 300 people. Several officials from around the state attended the event. Nevada Division of Minerals Administrator Rich Perry said it was important for him to be there for two reasons. For me personally, because I was here when it started up 31 years ago, he said. For the division, because its a milestone in production for a mine thats been a steady producer, thats employed a lot of Nevadans and supported a lot of Nevada businesses for many years. Dylan Shaver, representing the Nevada Mining Association, said it was important for the organization to be at Coeur Rochester because the site is celebrating two large accomplishments. These are all numbers that everybody in the state can be proud of, he said. Were proud of them in the association, but all of Nevada can be proud of this. Thirty-one years is an impressive mine life and 150 million ounces is amazing. I dont know about you guys, but I bet theres another 150 million ounces to come out of this place over the next 30 years. Mitch Krebs, Coeur Mining Inc. president and CEO Computer science students win at Kansas City Startup Weekend Wednesday, June 28, 2017 Kansas State University's Fernanda De La Torre, left, and Alice Lam led team Zoobot to a first-place finish at Kansas City Startup Weekend 2017. | Download this photo. MANHATTAN Team Zoobot, led by two Kansas State University computer science students, took first-place honors at Kansas City Startup Weekend 2017, June 9-11, in Kansas City, Missouri. Open to those with entrepreneurial drive, the weekend is a 48-hour event for developers, designers and entrepreneurially minded people to gather and create a startup. The university's Alice Lam, junior, Wichita, and Fernanda De La Torre, senior, Kansas City, Missouri, working from a 2017 All-University Open House project the autonomous assistive quadcopter competed with the winning idea for a series of programmable smart toys that children can modify physically and, by changing the software, learn about artificial intelligence. Lam and De La Torre are both research programmers in the Laboratory for Knowledge Discovery in Databases, directed by William Hsu, professor of computer science, who also served as faculty adviser for the original Open House team. That team included four other computer science majors and Octavio Sosa, an entrepreneur from Kansas City, who helped originate the team with De La Torre when the two had participated in undergraduate research projects at the University of Missouri during summer 2016. In the initial qualifying round, De La Torre, Lam and Sosa pitched their idea for the toys and received enough votes from participants to proceed. Approximately half of the teams pitching make it to the competition round, where students from other universities are added as team members for the rest of the event. With four new members, team Zoobot then developed a business case and marketing plan, and demonstrated a prototype, focusing on the artificial intelligence and object-recognition capabilities of the toys. The team was awarded first place by the event judges and also won the People's Choice award, voted on by attendees. Teams were provided with resources via facilitators and mentors teams who bring expertise from various industries in the Kansas City community to work with the students. Local sponsors included the Enterprise Center in Johnson County, Eyeverify, the Kauffman Foundation, Briteworks and Venture Legal. The event is led by volunteer community leaders. Lam is a scholar of the Kansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, a National Science Foundation program aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of minority graduates of science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, and at preparing interested students for graduate study. De La Torre, a student in the Kansas State University Honors Program, is also a member of the Developing Scholars Program, which offers high-achieving serious-minded students research projects in their field of study with faculty mentors. Scholars receive academic, social and financial support while becoming integrated into the intellectual climate of the university. Hsu, who was a visitor to Kansas City Startup Weekend and served as an unofficial adviser to team Zoobot, was invited by event organizers to be a tech mentor for the regional startup consortium. The computer science department is part of the College of Engineering. ELKO Drivers on Idaho Street saw a downtown storefront get a makeover in recent days, yet it wasnt part of the Citys Redevelopment Agency grant program. Cucina Investments LLC recently spruced up the facade of the former Gypsy Cupboard and The Moon Bar storefronts at 452 and 460 Idaho Street. The Moon Bar, owned by Miguel Castro, opened earlier this month, leasing part of the building from Gwen Uhlig, owner of Cucina Investments. The space at 452 Idaho St. has been vacant since this spring when Gypsy Cupboard closed its doors. Approved in May, the Citys Redevelopment Agency offered a matching fund grant for eligible improvements such as window replacement, doors, siding, signage and awnings to storefronts within the redevelopment area. The City Engineering Department verified that Cucina Investments did not turn in a grant application. In a statement to the Free Press, Uhlig confirmed that she did not participate in and/or did not apply for the Redevelopment program, and said the project is expected to be done at the end of the month. Broker Kelly Higgins with Investors Realty confirmed this week that the property is part of a single building and is available for lease or sale. Higgins also said Uhlig used her own funds to remodel the storefront as the timing for the grant did not work out. Im excited for the buildings to have a fresh, new look, said Uhlig. Four Downtown locations the Hesson Building, J.M. Capriola Co., Gerber Law Offices, and the Western Folklife Center were approved in May for RDA grants totaling $66,175. The grant went over its budget of $50,000, the monies of which are raised by taxes within the redevelopment district. Last week, 52 windows in the historic Pioneer Hotel building were replaced after receiving $20,000 from the grant. ELKO One of several lightning-sparked fires grew beyond 4,000 acres on Tuesday, sending up a plume of white smoke visible from Elko throughout the day. The Cole Creek Fire near Carlin was listed at 4,500 acres and 60 percent contained Tuesday night. It and several other fires near Carlin were ignited Monday afternoon by lightning. More than 250 personnel comprised of hand crews, engines, helicopters, aircraft, dozers continue direct and indirect attack on the fire perimeter, stated a fire update. The Cole Creek Fire is 12 miles south of Carlin and is expected to move to the east and north; impacts are to grazing allotments and sage grouse habitat. Firefighters in northeastern Nevada responded to eight blazes Monday afternoon, including a human-caused fire east of Halleck that burned 148 acres. The Dolly Fire near Mountain City Highway about 30 miles north of Elko burned just under 300 acres and is listed at fully contained. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for Wednesday in eastern Elko County, southern Eureka and Lander counties, White Pine County, and northern Nye County. CARSON CITY (AP) Thousands of residents will be left uninsured in 14 of Nevadas 17 counties after two insurance companies exit the government-run but privately administered health insurance exchange next year, in what state officials called a health crisis Wednesday. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield said in a Wednesday statement it will no longer offer plans through the exchange in rural Nevada, citing market volatility and the uncertainty of federal operations as Republicans in Congress continue to debate an overhaul of the system. Prominence Health Plan says it will pull out of the state entirely. Silver State Health Insurance Exchange Executive Director Heather Korbulic said 8,050 Nevadans will lose coverage Jan. 1 when those carriers leave. Korbulic said the state is facing a health crisis, adding Im disappointed and Im extremely concerned about my fellow Nevadans and what theyre going to do to access health care. Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval called the insurers decisions devastating and unfortunate. I have communicated the news of this crisis to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and the state will pursue all available options to help the individuals and families who will be hurt by this decision, Sandoval said in a statement. State Insurance Commissioner Barbara Richardson called the moves concerning and said her division has been working with Sandoval, the insurers and Korbulics board throughout the GOP discussions to repeal and replace former President Barack Obamas landmark health law. The exchange will remain open in Clark, Washoe and Nye counties, where about 81,000 Nevadans are currently insured through it. With a scarcity of private insurance providers and only a dozen public health nurses across the region, options for affordable health care are expected to all but evaporate in Nevadas other 13 counties and the municipality of Carson City. The exchange offers discounts for low-to-moderate-income individuals and families to afford health insurance. Without it, many will face a decision between paying higher premiums and having access to fewer nearby doctors who accept their insurance, or going without insurance and paying a penalty established under Obamacare. The people losing coverage do not qualify for Medicaid. Sandoval vetoed a bill earlier this month that would have attempted to open the government-subsidized program to all state residents. Korbulic said state officials have been aware of the insurers plans for about two weeks and are still in discussions with them. But officials are largely focused on finding alternatives, including federal incentives to lure back the insurers and expanding a nonprofit, subscription-based medical provider. KEARNEY The Buffalo County jail will house several of the states inmates for another year. The Buffalo County Board of Commissioners, at its meeting Tuesday, approved the renewal of the inmate housing contract with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, which helps reduce overcrowding in the states prison, Buffalo County Sheriff Neil Miller said. When the state told the county that the original program would last only a year, Miller said he had doubts. We, at the time, questioned and thought that probably they would be back, because we didnt feel they probably were going to have the beds they needed to relieve overcrowding within 12 (months), Miller said. Miller said Buffalo County is in a good position to house additional inmates. As of Monday, there were 145 inmates in the jail that was built for 205, and of those inmates seven are contracted with the state. Additionally, Miller said, the state pays Buffalo County $75 per day and additional payments for the state inmates medical expenses. In other matters, the board approved an interlocal agreement with the city of Ravenna giving the city and its law enforcement jurisdiction at the Buffalo County Recreation Area near Ravenna. Miller said the interlocal agreement allows the city to pass ordinances for the lake and gives Ravenna Police Department office and Buffalo County Sheriffs Office deputies authority to enforce those ordinances. Ravenna will next need to review the interlocal agreement, Buffalo County Attorney Shawn Eatherton said. In other news: - The board accepted a bid from Nebraska Machinery for a new generator to be located at the highway department in the amount of $63,485. - The board approved a work week change for the highway department next week during Independence Day. Chairman of the board Bill McMullen of Kearney said that because the holiday falls on Tuesday, highway department employees will work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. In other business: - The board approved motor vehicle tax exemptions for South Central Behavioral Services Inc., Grace Fellowship Inc., Mother Hull Home, the University of Nebraska Foundation, Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska and Kearney Restore Ministries. - The board approved a transfer of $27,000 from the general fund to the buildings and grounds budget. McMullen said buildings and grounds went over budget to cover the cost of a new generator. - The board approved an interlocal agreement with the University of Nebraska for juvenile court case research and analysis. - The board approved property valuation changes on about 118 properties. KEARNEY The 25 performers who sing, dance and act in the musical The Little Mermaid wear a total of 50 headpieces throughout the show. How can the dressers and the actors keep all the headpieces and other costume pieces in order? Rafael, the designer of the original show, is a genius, said Joey Gugliemelli, costume manager for Crane River Theater. He made it very easy to track all the costumes. He color-coordinated all the girls. If they are a purple mer-sister, then they are purple everywhere else. Some of the performers play four different characters with lots of quick changes between scenes. If everything they wear is purple, its so much easier, Gugliemelli said. The costume manager for The Little Mermaid spoke highly of Rafael Colon Castanera, production manager at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock, Ark. Crane River Theater rented the costumes for the Disney music from the Arkansas theater for the production of The Little Mermaid. The musical continues at 7 p.m. nightly through Monday at the Cope Amphitheater at Yanney Heritage Park. Admission for the show is $5 for adults and $1 for children. When Rafael came to do fittings with us, he let us know that the costumes were built to have dressers, one for each performer, Gugliemelli said. The changes are so intricate and some of the costumes were made with so many hooks and snaps that an actor cant do it in the time allotted. Most of the costumes include some sort of separate headpiece, tights and shoes. The cast rehearses the costume changes, getting it down to a science, Gugliemelli said. He compared the changes to a well-oiled machine. All of this often happens in the span of one song, giving the performers and the dressers very little time to complete the changes. A delay in dressing one character can ruin the entire timing of a scene. Gugliemelli knows this firsthand. In addition to managing the costumes, he plays the part of Chef Louis in the musical. Keeping the costumes clean also presents a unique set of challenges. A lot of the costumes cant be laundered because of how big they are, Gugliemelli said. We do wash tights every night. Every girl has two sets of tights for each one of their costumes. We switch them out, but laundry gets done each night. Anything that cant be washed, we do a vodka spray. That trade secret, spraying the costumes with a light mist of vodka mixed with water, neutralizes bacteria, keeping the costumes from smelling bad. Of all the stunning costumes in the show, Gugliemelli most likes the costume worn by Karen Richards, who plays the part of Ursula, the sea witch. Her costume is absolutely beautiful, he said. Its so detailed with hand painting and hand beading. In addition to acting, Gugliemelli, who lives in New York City, studied costume design. He uses those skills when the costumes need repairs, which happens frequently. This is a high-energy show, absolutely fun and crazy, he said. Our actors are just constantly moving to create this undersea world, with the waves constantly moving. These costumes take a lot of abuse and the costumes arent new. Arkansas did this show, I believe, four years ago. They have also gotten abuse from that production, too. Most of the repairs are minor things such as zippers or hooks breaking. We have snaps break every day, Gugliemelli said. Nothing thankfully, fingers crossed, knock on wood has broken badly yet, and we dont think it will. The summer heat also affects the costumes. Because we perform outdoors, we deal with the heat, Gugliemelli said. Some of these costumes have a lot of glue on them. The heat will turn the solid glue back into liquid. We have a character thats a tiger fish in the show. Her spines melted and fell off. Gugliemelli and his crew repaired the costume. We had one day of really bad heat, and thats all it took to turn all the adhesive that was holding the spines in place into a dripping mess, Gugliemelli said. As a theater professional, Gugliemelli understands that the costumes contribute a small part of the overall production. I think that what Crane River Theater has done with this show is worth seeing and worth coming out for, he said. Not only are the costumes amazing, the set is beautiful and the talent is amazing. KEARNEY Sometime in January, SoCore Energy will throw the switch and electrical power from 22,464 solar panels will begin flowing into Kearney. But before that happens, there is work to do. Following a groundbreaking Tuesday, construction of Nebraskas largest solar energy array now is under way in northeast Kearneys Tech oNE Crossing technology park. Representatives with the Chicago-based SoCore, which will own and operate the $11 million solar array, were present for the groundbreaking. Also present were representatives of the projects general contractor, Interconnection Systems Inc. of Central City, and Kearney area municipal and economic development officials. Immediately after gold-painted shovels turned the first scoops of soil, the first of 4,500 metal pillars was hammered home by a special mobile pile driver. Interconnection Systems specializes in solar power and will be busy for several months pile driving the pillars into the 53-acre tract about one-half mile south of 56th Street and Antelope Avenue. For us, its the largest project weve designed and built, SoCore Project Manager Brandon Summers said. His company has built and operates solar energy facilities in 17 states. Mike Capalbo, who is in charge of all SoCore projects, said the Kearney site is close to ideal. The land is flat, the soil appears to be free of boulders or bedrock that can interfere with pile driving, and the sandy clay will contribute to the stability of the metal racks that will hold solar panels and wiring. In addition to being SoCores largest solar array, the Kearney facility also will be the largest in Nebraska. The array will measure almost one-half mile long by 600 feet wide. Today, the 53 acres where the array is being built is dotted with 4,500 flags placed by Buffalo Surveying to mark where the pillars will be. Later in the construction, crews will install the 22,464 solar panels, which will be equipped to track the path of the sun for maximum generating efficiency. SoCore operates solar projects in 17 states. Wayne Williams of Interconnection Systems said his crew will finish pillar installation in mid-November or earlier and then solar panels will be next. We should be done and gone by Nov. 15, maybe sooner than that, Williams said. Kearney Mayor Stan Clouse said during Tuesdays groundbreaking that the large solar project demonstrates Kearneys interest in new technology and protecting the environment. We, as a community, are committed to green energy. Clouse said a number of people played important roles bringing the solar project to Kearney, including City Manager Michael Morgan, City Attorney Mike Tye, Council member Bob Lammers and Melissa Freelend, who represents the Kearney area on the Board of Directors of Nebraska Public Power District. SoCore will sell energy from the solar array to NPPD, which will sell the power to customers in the Kearney area. The 22,464 panels will generate about 5 percent of the electricity needed in Kearney. Clouse expects environmentally conscious business operators and home owners to be consumers of solar power. Theyll be able to buy it to fill part of their energy needs. Clouse also said the presence of the large solar array will be a sign to data centers and other technology businesses that Kearney is the right place to be. Kearney came close in its bid a few years ago for a $1 billion Facebook data center. An extremely low electrical rate was offered, but Facebook opted for an Iowa location because wind energy was part of the bid. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser is a small man, as wiry as a paper clip. A child once told me I looked like Yoda from Star Wars, he said, chuckling, during lunch with my friend Marj and me at Cys Cafe in Dwight last week. Like Yoda, I decided, he is wise and quietly powerful. Marj of Denver adores Koosers poetry, so in early June, like a salesman making a cold call, she boldly emailed Kooser and asked him to lunch. Shed never met him, but shes read every line hes ever penned. She was coming to Kearney to see me, so why not? Kooser warmly accepted her invitation and told her to bring me along. Marj was so ga-ga that she wanted to arrive at Koosers office in Dwight (100 miles away) an hour before he expected us, but I said no. We arrived 25 minutes early and I still had to hold her back. To kill time, we nosed around Dwights shiny-as-new-coins grain elevators, and a few orphaned railroad cars and age-nibbled century homes and the city park. At last, at 11:55 a.m., I turned her loose. As she parked in the grass in front of Koosers little office, he walked out to greet us. The next two hours were as refreshing as a cool glass of lemonade. First, that office. It sat out there alone in the sun, a former grocery store just twice the size of a Scooters Coffee drive-thru. The words Poetry Made and Repaired were painted on the front window. The window sills are a splash of faux flowers Kooser bought to spruce up his little nest a few years ago when an outside group held an event there. Inside the office are a few chairs and couches and bookshelves that stretch eight rows to the ceiling on two walls. A single desk sits center stage. There, Kooser writes and reads and occasionally naps. In the back room, cluttered with chalk, easels and artwork, he paints pastels. Then Kooser walked us a block to the homey Cys Cafe. Its walls are crowded with calendars and fliers. On its counters are a glassy glut of candy jars. We sat down near a sunny window and ordered the breaded pork chop special for $3.50. It came with mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Marj didnt ask the Wikipedia details of Koosers life growing up in Ames, Iowa, joining the Nightcrawlers Car Club in high school, retiring as vice president of Lincoln Bankers Life. She wanted to know about writing poetry. Shes a retired school superintendent, but now, at 78, she has begun dabbling in verse, and she hungers to learn more. Kooser is an introvert, humble, quiet, a gifted listener. He began writing poems when he was 16. He gets up at 4:30 a.m. because inspiration floats in during those fuzzy pre-dawn hours. He mostly writes about rural life weather, flowers, animals, the moon. By 7 a.m., hes finished writing for the day. If he creates a dozen worthy poems in a year, hes satisfied. He was astounded when he was named U.S. Poet Laureate in 2004 by the Library of Congress. Hes one of the first to be selected from the Great Plains. In that role, for two years he traveled all over the country to introduce poetry to Americans. He puts together a weekly American Life in Poetry feature that runs in the Kearney Hub and other U.S. papers. He has completed 640 of those so far. We lingered over lunch till nearly 2. Marj thirsted for secret ju-ju about writing poetry, but Kooser told her she must find her own way. I think thats a lesson for all of us. A southeast Nebraska farmer who is also a school board member says the Legislature needs to take a hard look at tax credits which have been on the books for years specifically the now infamous LB775 which was passed in 1988 and the more recent Nebraska Advantage Act of 2005. Dennis Schuster of rural Steinauer is among a host of rural people who want to see property tax relief especially in light of declining commodity prices which have caused many to blame underperformance of the agriculture sector for a nearly $1 billion shortfall between projected and actual revenues. He said the USDA reported that annual net farm income in 2013 was at an all-time high of $123.7 billion. However, since that time, grain and livestock prices plummeted, and the agency now predicts national net farm income for 2017 to be only $62.3 billion, almost 50 percent less. But he is quick to say its past time for the Legislature to look at the money pit of tax credits given to big business. Starting with LB775 of 1988, there have been a number of economic development programs enacted to excuse the payments of income, sales and property taxes if a company is large enough to make promises of investment, expansion and job creation. Relying on reports that are readily available online from the Legislature and the Nebraska Department of Revenue, Schuster calculated that from 1988 to 2015, state sales and use tax refunds totaled $1,870,326,578 for companies reporting the intention to create 90,967 jobs. That comes to $20,560 per job paid to companies by the state if the promised jobs are newly created. In addition, nearly $10.4 billion of estimated personal property assessed value was exempted by class in 32 Nebraska counties. In Nebraska, 459 companies have received both property tax credits and investment growth act tax credits under LB775. Then the Nebraska Advantage Act was passed to provide income, sales and property tax credits. Recently, the Legislature requested a study of 79 companies. An audit report indicated that 68 companies were estimated to have created 2,968 net additional full-time equivalent jobs. The cost to the state ranged from $24,500 to $320,000 per FTE job over the six years of the study. Between 2008 and 2014, 17 companies in seven counties claimed a property tax exemption totaling approximately $57.6 million. The estimated reduction in property tax collection by government subdivisions, between 2008 and 2014, was $57.5 million. School districts in those subdivisions lost nearly $34.3 million in revenue. In addition, Schuster said that between 2008 and 2014, 59 companies received local sales tax refunds resulting in a loss of $14.5 million to 142 Nebraska cities. The Department of Revenue estimates in its 2015 annual report on tax incentives that by 2025, the cumulative amount of forgone state revenue will be more than $925 million. That estimate factors in new projects being approved between 2015 and 2025. J.L. Schmidt is the Nebraska Press Associations statehouse correspondent. From left, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, Ivanka Trump, and Alika Kinan, of Argentina, attend a 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report ceremony, Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at the State Department in Washington. Kinan was one of eight individuals honored for their work to stop human trafficking. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Anti-government protesters, masked and carrying shields, run across a highway in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. The last 24 hours in Venezuela have been volatile, beginning with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and continued Tuesday with a police helicopter firing on Venezuela's Supreme Court and Interior Ministry while opposition lawmakers scuffled with security forces assigned to protect the National Assembly. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) FILE- In this April 22, 2015, file photo, Abbe Lowell, left, attorney for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, walks out of Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Court with Menendez' press secretary Steve Sandberg following a pretrial hearing for the senator in Newark, N.J. Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, has picked Lowell to represent him in Russia-related investigations before Congress and Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Kushner has not been accused of wrongdoing, and thereAos no indication heAos at risk of being charged. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) The origins of Veterans Day Throughout the year, we have a few different observances for those who have served our country. We have Memorial Day to celebrate those who gave... Spindle Items .. PLANNING YOUR TRIP For those of you who are planning to visit Universal Studios this winter, you may want to know that Universal... Out of the Past 25 Years AgoNov. 12, 1997 With only one resident questioning its adoption, the Tonawanda Town Board Thursday night adopted the 1998 budget totaling $61,242,060. The... Winter parking restrictions update There is a lot going on in the Town of Tonawanda this month, so lets get right to it, along with some presidential quotes for... Intelligence agencies in Spain, Britain and Germany have launched a joint operation against jihadist terrorism in all three countries. The raid, which began on Tuesday afternoon, has so far resulted in at least six arrests: four in Spain, one in Britain and another in Germany, police and judicial sources have told EL PAIS. Spanish police arresting one of the suspects. More information Terror suspect arrested in Mallorca was planning massacre on the island The operation is being led by Spains High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, which has ordered several searches in three European cities. Sources familiar with the investigation said that a number of the detainees have ties to one another, and that they are allegedly involved in recruitment and propaganda work for the so-called Islamic State group (ISIS). They are also believed to have been sending combatants to conflict zones in Syria and Iraq. Counter-terrorism sources said that more than 1,000 individuals are on their radar The suspects are alleged to have been in possession of video material containing inflammatory messages by ISIS leaders and showing acts of violence. Sources at the Spanish Interior Ministry said that a cell based in Palma de Mallorca was meeting on a weekly basis to determine the willingness of youths sympathetic to their cause to travel to combat zones. This group had progressively increased the number of individuals under its influence. The investigation began in 2015, when authorities found a website with videos that illustrated the process of recruiting a young Muslim man living in Spain, indoctrinating him and sending him to Syria. The person behind the video footage was found to be a Salafist imam who has been arrested in Britain and who is under investigation by several European countries. This individual had traveled to Palma de Mallorca and was priming a group whose members have now been arrested as well for recruitment, indoctrination and radicalization activities. He was also their spiritual leader. This Salafist preacher, whose public rhetoric was well known to European police and intelligence services, was privately devoted to the task of securing combatants and funds for the fight in Syria. His personal security measures, which included constant residency changes, had made his arrest particularly difficult. A UK-man based man is believed to be the spiritual leader of several of the suspects arrested The suspect held in Germany also looked to the UK-based preacher as his spiritual and ideological reference point. He was in direct contact with the other detainees, and had participated in the propaganda videos made by the group. The coordination work involved in this international raid forced judges, prosecutors and information service officials to remain at their posts for 24 hours. Very little information about the raid trickled out in an effort to ensure that the suspects would be found. Their identities and nationalities have not been released, as the operation is still underway. Collaborating agencies include Spains National Intelligence Center, the German Federal Police, the London Metropolitan Police and Europol, among others. Two years ago, Spain set the threat of a terrorist attack on Spanish soil at Level 4 (with 5 being the maximum). Since then, 172 alleged jihadists have been arrested. Three of these were held in Madrid on June 21, although two were subsequently released. Since the Islamist attacks on Madrid commuter trains on March 11, 2004, there have been more than 700 arrests in Spain. More than a hundred of those detained have completed prison terms and have been subsequently expelled from the country for a period of 10 years. There is no evidence that any of them have returned. Counter-terrorism sources said that there are over 1,000 individuals on their radar, that 259 people are under formal court investigation, and that 500 telephones are being tapped. A silent army of more than 3,000 law enforcement officers, spies, prosecutors, judges and analysts are working in the shadows to stop jihadists from striking again in Spain, where 192 people died and over 2,000 were injured in the 2004 Madrid train bombings. English version by Susana Urra. The collection of modern and contemporary art belonging to multimillionaire Roberto Polo is to find a new home in two locations in Spain. From summer 2018, part of the art historians treasure trove of more than 7,000 paintings, sculptures and photographs will go on show at Toledos 13th-century Convento de Santa Fe, with other work to be displayed at the former public records building in Cuenca also a former headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition. A Max Ernst work from the Polo collection. EL PAIS Works from the huge collection insured for 50 million, although no official valuation has been carried out will be shown on a rotating basis for a period of at least 15 years, with the collection to gradually be ceded in its entirety to Spain. The collection covers the period from the late 19th century to the present day with a focus on central, eastern and northern Europe, and the United States. It includes pieces by such 20th-century luminaries as German artists Max Ernst and Kurt Schwitters, and Hungarian painter and photographer Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. The United States is represented by figures including abstract artist Larry Poons, the painter and sculptor Martin Kline and by Karen Gunderson, among many others. Last but not least, Polo, 65, whose parents moved to Miami from Cuba after the Castro regime seized their assets in 1961, will donate to Spain part of his fabulous library numbering thousands of art history books, many of them first editions. The fact that the collection is going to Spain is a dream, I am happy Roberto Polo The historic donation on the part of a grand patron of the arts, philanthropist and former majority shareholder of the auction house Sothebys, will come without a price tag for both the Spanish state and the region of Castilla-La Mancha, where the collection is to be housed. As such, Spain will become the home to one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the world. Art collector Roberto Polo. This operation is proof that when things are done using your head and you have bit of luck, because you dont always come across collectors [like Polo] state and regional governments dont need to hand over huge sums of money, said one of the people involved in the bringing of the Polo collection to Spain, speaking on condition of anonymity. Spain has been off the map in terms of contemporary international art because of the inferiority complex that [Spanish philosopher Jose] Ortega y Gasset wrote and spoke about, said US art critic Barbara Rose, curator of an exhibition of Flemish and US art from the Polo collection currently on show in Malaga. This means that when these works arrive in Toledo and Cuenca it will fill a gap in terms of both history and museums, a phenomenon similar to when the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opened in Madrid [in 1992], added Rose. These works will fill a gap in Spain in terms of both art history and museums Barbara Rose, art critic News of Polos gift to Spain comes after a period of intense speculation over the final destination for his collection, with three Spanish cities, another European city and a location in the United States all vying for the honor. But Polo finally chose Cuenca and Toledo. The fact that it is going to Spain is a dream, I am happy, said Polo. I will keep buying and collecting but I want the current collection to remain where it is. In August, I will turn 66 and the time has come to lay down some roots and leave a legacy, said the philanthropist, who comes from a family of rich industrialists and began buying art at the age of 19. Ive always preferred to dedicate myself to artists and movements that are out of fashion, said Polo, who is the descendant of emigrants from Spains Galicia region. English version by George Mills. Harut Sassounian: Azerbaijan Employs Four Lobbying and PR firms BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN, PUBLISHER, THE CALIFORNIA COURIER www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com After identifying the lobbying and PR firms hired by the government of Turkey, we now report on four similar firms hired by Azerbaijan. By observing Azerbaijans devious approach to foreign relations, I have noticed the following pattern: 1) Whatever actions Armenian-Americans take for their causes, Azerbaijan seeks to emulate and counter them in the United States through its hired companies. Pres. Aliyev in a 2013 speech stated that Azerbaijans main enemy is the Armenian lobby. He also stated: the Armenian lobby day and night is trying to slander Azerbaijan, to undermine its authority. They have broad financial resources. They are closely connected with the authorities of their countries where they donate to the legislators under the name of lobbying. But, in fact, it is a bribe. Thus the Armenian lobby is at the forefront of an organized campaign against us. In his lengthy diatribe, Pres. Aliyev falsely ascribes to Armenians the persistent bribing campaign carried out by his own government around the world. 2) Azerbaijan follows the footsteps of Turkeys more experienced officials in its policies on Armenia and Armenian issues, including the denial of the Armenian Genocide and accusing Armenians for the crimes committed by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Regrettably, Azerbaijan has been also emulating Turkey in the repression of its own citizens, making it difficult to determine which of the two countries is more autocratic. 3) The government of Azerbaijan, realizing its tarnished image in the West due to widespread human rights violations, has hired PR and lobbying firms to whitewash its negative reputation. One would expect a regime that is so concerned about its poor image overseas that it would improve its human rights record at home, so it does not need to waste millions of dollars on American firms to carry out the impossible task of cleansing its image. In his 2013 speech, Pres. Aliyev wishfully described Azerbaijan as a modern, progressive, open, tolerant country. Who can be fooled by such outright lies? The government of Azerbaijan has hired dozens of PR and lobbying firms over the years. However, at this time, it employs only four such firms. 1) Podesta Group, Inc., is paid $45,000 a month by Azerbaijan to research and analyze issues of concern to [Azerbaijan]; counsel [Azerbaijan] on U.S. policies of concern, activities in Congress and the executive branch, and developments on the U.S. political scene generally; and maintain contact, if necessary, with members of Congress and their staff and executive branch officials, media and non-governmental organizations. 2) SOCAR USA (U.S. subsidiary of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) pays Roberti White LLC $125,000 to research and analyze issues of concern to [Azerbaijan]; counsel [Azerbaijan] on U.S. policies of concern, activities in Congress and the Executive branch, and developments on the U.S. political scene generally; and maintain contact, as necessary, with members of Congress and their staff, executive branch officials, members of the press, and non-governmental organizations. It is not surprising that the description of the functions performed by Roberti White for SOCAR USA is identical to the ones performed by Podesta Group, Inc., for the government of Azerbaijan. 3) BGR Government Affairs, LLC is paid $50,000 a month by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Washington, D.C., to provide strategic guidance and counsel with regard to government affairs and public relations activity within the U.S. This may include relevant outreach to U.S. government officials, non-government organizations, members of the media and other individuals within the U.S. 4) The Tool Shed Group LLC, originally headquartered in Woodland Hills, California, now relocated to Parker, Colorado, was hired by the Consulate of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles in 2009 for a period of four months for a flat fee of $35,000. The Tool Shed Group now also represents the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since then the contract has been renewed every six months. Tool Shed is led by Jason Katz, former Director of Public Relations and Public Affairs for the American Jewish Committee. Tool Shed provides consulting services to the Consulate, including organizing briefings/lectures; facilitating meetings with community members, elected and appointed officials, and business leaders; write and disseminate op-eds. Recently, the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles disseminated to all Consulates in Los Angeles, and probably many others, a color brochure entitled, Nagorno-Karabakh: Background and Facts. This 16-page propaganda piece, full of misrepresentations about Artsakh, most likely was prepared by The Tool Shed Group, Azerbaijans and its consulates PR and lobbying firm. At the end of page 16, there is a note which states: Published by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles. It is interesting that this sentence does not indicate who prepared the brochure, but simply who published it! I had a number of people email requesting what I have been up to (did I die, am I ill) so here it is... Back in April 2016, after being a part of TreasureChests for 13 years I decided to hang up my pen and pursue other things. As many know or do not know, TreasureChests is shutting the doors at the end of this month. It was a pleasure working with Captain Hook and we still keep in contact on a regular basis to discuss what is going on with the stock markets. Since I have been busy the past year with a side project that is morphing into something bigger, I miss not writingso here is an update. Life is a journey and in order to grow and evolve, people must continue to learn and put themselves in new situations. The broad stock markets of the US have failed to correct and the chiral Inversion of the Contracting Fibonacci Spiral I wrote about, it appears that things will climb higher into 2018, 2019 and 2020 before peaking. With this in mind, there is a chance for making moneyor getting money for a company if the idea is properly presented. The following technical blurb describes why there is a limited window to move for starting accompany, so please bear through this to understandI originally had an article titled The Contracting Fibonacci Spiral published in the April 2013 issue of Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities, but failure to move lower that year indicated it had a Chiral Inversion (http://www.safehaven.com/article/31530/chirality-and-chiral-inversions-in-stock-market-cycles ). Seeing how the stock markets are behaving at present, this crazy idea seems to be firming upit remains a hypothesis and only time will show how it truly evolves to its point of singularity. Based upon the pattern, lows should be established around mid 2018 and 2019, with the final big top in 2020. Play accordingly, knowing that between 2020 and 2024, things will be extremely rough financially. For anyone who has not read about the Contracting Fibonacci Article or the Chiral Inversion it transformed into, I would highly recommend reading about itI took a lot of flack for it back then and only now after I revisited it recently, it is essentially behaving as expected which made me realize that a narrow window exists to try and start a company. Last summer out at the lake over a few glasses of wine, I pursued deeper into a niche biotech market that has taken the wrong molecular design, drug delivery, formulation, marketing and logistics planning over the past number of decades and decided to start a biotech company. My entire education is science based (BScH and MSc) so learning anything new in this area just requires the learning curve. The further one goes down the rabbit hole, the stranger things become and the greater some problems become realized, especially when crafting patents. Since this revelation, three other cofounders were found and now we are in the process of completing our Prospectus, development of the long-term business plan and of course, developing a web site. I will not reveal the name of it at this point in time due to staging, but I can state that it will be extremely disruptive to large cap companies in the space we will be entering. The knowledge of the stock market I gained over the 13 years at Treasurechests really aided in becoming CEO/CSO of our company that will provide understanding of when to raise capital and how to ride the wave of psychology. I want everyone to realize that acquired talents learned yesterday and today can be applied tomorrow in ways one never would have dreamed of. Stock Market Direction How can I not at least put up one chart to clarify where things are headed for the S&P 500 Index? Above is the monthly chart of the S&P 500 Index. Back in 2006, I wrote an article titled The Technical Palette describing the methods of analysis I forgedmultiple layering of Bollinger Bands and their interactions for determining tops, bottoms and oversold/overbought conditions and use of Full stochastics with Fibonacci based settings, 21,8,13, 34,13,21 and 55,21,34 for spreading out the %K and %D lines to improve buy/sell signals. For uptrends, lower 21, 34 and 55 MA Bollinger Bands will curl down in sequence, followed by curling up to ultimately indicate a topping pattern or bottoming pattern. At present, we can see the lower 21 MA Bollinger Band has curled up, while the 34 MA Bollinger Band (BB) is declining. Note that since early 2015, the lower 55 MA BB has been in an uptrend, with no isignof curling down. From empirical analysis, it would take approximately 2.5 to 3 years for the lower 55 MA Bollinger Band to begin curling down and then curl up. Everything has to occur in sequence and since the it has not happened in sequence with the 21 and 34 MA BBs, these two will again have one more oscillation before the 55 MA BB eventually curls down and then up to indicate a top, likely in early to mid 2020. Stochastics 1, 2 and 3 in order of decline are seen at the base of the chart, with overextensions in every case. Given the overbought nature of the S&P 500 Index based upon stochastics, Bollinger Bands will play a more critical part of determining when a top is in place. Regarding trying to place an Elliott Wave count on thisrefer to Glenn Neelys analysis as nobody can touch his work. With low public participation, a record number of bears and a high put/call ratio at present, there is no sign of a top in the stock market yet. Knowing this is knowing that the next few years stand to bode well for those wishing to start companies with a great idea...or invest in the stock market. Trump and Global Politics Trump is an idiot, but he is better than Hillary. People voted Trump because they were sick of the systemHis vocabulary is limited and I am sure his picture will be placed beside the definition of a narcissist in the future. His flat tax idea was fantastic, but the problem is that most of the people in Congress do now want that pushed throughonly a collapse in the system will collapse current government mentality. One area that was hit hard with Trump (and unfortunately expected) was Science. The founding fathers of the US purposely targeted a secular government so that individual religious beliefs did not affect others but unfortunately, the Bible is trumping science and common sense with the current government. There are six US State that teach Creationism alongside Evolutionamazing that the observations of the world from 2000 years ago based upon goat herders is being taught in public schools. With the Snow Flake generation of the US, I am certain that there will soon be University courses on topics like PSTDs Experienced by Elves after the Passing of Christmas and Lifestyle of the Easter Bunny. Religion has been causing most of the problems seen around the globe, with Islam radicals pushing for suppression of women along with any non-believers. In Canada, there have been groups in Montreal trying to get pork banned from school cafeterias. Islam is a younger religion that Christianityso please remember that women were only allowed to vote in Canada in 1914 (A Christian country) and still face workplace issues. We all need to see the world for what it issuppression of knowledge and teaching incorrect ideologies is not going to move humankind forward. We all need to get along and continue to push for equality and freedom of speech for all within a secular based society. Seeing things for what they are rather than holding onto incorrect ideas (such as gold bugs that are permanently bullish and now in financial ruin) is important to make correct decisions in life. A broken clock is right twice a day so that does not make some ideas right just because the clock lands there. With volatility in the stock market expected to increase in the coming few years, so will volatility amongst the general populations globally. Remain focused and ignore the noisedoing this will allow one to see the true market trend and allow decisions to be made accordingly. Since I am no longer in the business of being a newsletter writer, I have two recommendations: Glenn Neely and Martin Armstrong. Glenn Neely is a brilliant market technician who took Elliott Wave to the next level with his NeoWave and continues to make great calls. Martin Armstrong is simply brilliant and has his AI services at www.ask-socrates.com . It was actually quite enjoyable penning out this articleI will be back in the not too distant future with some form of market commentary. Be careful with commodities, as their patterns continue to be weak. Anyone with questions or comments can reach me at winnipegwarrior@gmail.com. As an aside, the folks at Eliott Wave International in 2012 or 2013 tried to scoop me on my original idea of the Contracting Fibonacci Spiral, which was first published at least one year earlier after my article in Stocks and Commodities Magazine. They refused to retract and indicate I was the original discoverer of this concept. They did not have the internal capacity to understand the basis of chirality in nature which saw the cycle have a chiral inversion, so any wind of this from their firm has been dead ever since. Back within 6 months to further discuss tales of the market SHANGHAI, June 28 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Finance on Wednesday auctioned 40 billion yuan ($5.88 billion) of three-year bonds at an average yield of 3.4349 percent, traders said, above market expectations. Market forecasts had centred on 3.42 percent, and ranged from 3.37 percent to 3.44 percent. The auction yield came in below Tuesday's benchmark secondary market yield of 3.4549 percent for three-year government bonds . For stories on Chinese debt issues, click on . ($1 = 6.8001 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) HONG KONG, June 28 (Reuters) - China CITIC Bank said on Wednesday it has agreed to provide a 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) credit line to China's and the world's largest aluminium producer, Hongqiao Group , for the next two years. CITIC Bank, in a statement to journalists, said in addition to the "comprehensive" credit line, Hongqiao would integrate a range of CITIC's other services including cash management, supply chain finance, investment banking, and international trade. Trading in Hongqiao Group's Hong Kong shares were halted in March after research firm Emerson Analytics published a report alleging the company underreported its costs. In a report dated Feb. 28, Emerson Analytics said Hongqiao had hidden 21.6 billion yuan ($3.14 billion) in costs through under-reporting over the years and estimated that its profitability is less than half of what it claims. The company's shares fell as much as 8 percent the following day and were subsequently halted upon Hongqiao's request. It was the third such report to take aim at Hongqiao after an anonymous websites also published negative claims about the company in November and December. Hongqiao has rejected all the allegations as groundless and misleading and said in April it would seek legal remedy against Emerson for alleged defamation. Ernst & Young, the company's auditor, subsequently resigned over a disagreement with the management regarding whether the company should conduct an internal investigation into the various allegations. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) this month asked the company to address issues raised by E&Y, publish all its outstanding financial results, and to clarify the allegations raised by the Emerson report. The company said it was taking "appropriate steps" to fulfill the conditions. (Reporting by Michelle Price; Editing by Nick Macfie) BEIJING, June 28 (Reuters) - China will ban coal imports at small ports from July 1, the state-run China Securities Times reported on Wednesday, in a move likely to tighten supply of the fuel during summer and support a further rally in prices. The newspaper did not cite the source of its information nor a reason for the ban. But China, the world's top coal buyer, has been keeping a tight lid on supply of the fuel in the country as part of efforts to tackle both glut and smog. The ban will cover second-tier ports, according to the report which was scarce on details. But it doesn't include the major ports such as Tianjin. Small ports linked to major Chinese power utilities have stopped ships carrying coal from either loading or docking at the ports starting this week, according to a trader in Ningbo, a major port and industrial hub in China's eastern Zhejiang province. Customs also conducted random checks of coal cargoes and did a more thorough inspection process before clearing shipments, the trader said. "It is extremely hard to do import business now," she said. "Coal imports are set to slow down if this continues for a long time." China's campaign to address oversupply in coal has led to the closure of many mines across the country, tightening availability of the fuel during summer when power demand usually peaks. Beijing has also cracked down on coal imports to restrict the flow of low-quality material. China's coal imports dropped 10.5 percent in May from April. Chinese thermal coal futures hit a record high of 585 yuan ($86) a tonne last week, climbing more than 10 percent so far this month. China's top planning body has urged coal mines to speed up the release of high-grade coal capacity to help ensure electricity supply during peak hours and to key regions in summer, the state-backed Security Daily reported earlier on Wednesday. ($1 = 6.7986 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Meng Meng and Josephine Mason; Editing by Manolo Serapio Jr.) (Corrects headline, first paragraph to show AngloGold is considering job cuts) JOHANNESBURG, June 28 (Reuters) - Africa's biggest gold miner AngloGold Ashanti is considering retrenching 8,500 mine workers as part of its restructuring of its South African business "to ensure their viability", sending its shares lower. The company which employs 28,000 people, said the retrenchment is part of restructuring of the company's production and cost base in its South African business. In May, AngloGold reported a 16 percent drop in first-quarter profit following a decline in South African production, and said it was reviewing its South African operations to restore their margin and ensure their recovery. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by James Macharia) ROME, June 28 (Reuters) - Widespread concerns that the way two regional Italian banks were liquidated could set a precedent to sidestep European Union rules on banking crises should be taken seriously, a member of the European Central Bank's supervisory board said on Wednesday. The Rome government on Sunday wound down Banca Popolare di Vicenza and Veneto Banca using national legislation and taxpayers' money, sparking criticism among officials in several European countries. Ignazio Angeloni told an Italian parliamentary panel the operation respected European rules, but the criticism and concerns about its repercussions should still be considered. "The worry about the possibility that the national liquidation, applied for the first time to significant banks supervised by the ECB, may create a precedent to sidestep the rules in the future ... must be taken seriously," he said. Angeloni urged the European Commission to hold a "systematic reflection" on the way the crisis of the Veneto banks had been handled and said the European banking union was "incomplete and therefore fragile." (Reporting By Gavin Jones, editing by Valentina Za) Eldorado Gold (TSX: ELD; NYSE: EGO) has lowered its 2017 estimate of output from the Kisladag mine in Turkey but upped its 2018 outlook as some production is deferred to next year. Gold solution grade and consequently gold recovery from the leach pad has recently lagged expectations, the company says. Kisladag is now expected to produce approximately 38,400 ounces of gold in the second quarter and some 90,000 ounces in the first half of 2017. As a result, Kisladag will not meet the company's original 2017 guidance of 230,000 to 245,000 ounces, Eldorado Gold says. The company says it now expects 2017 production of 180,000 to 210,000 ounces from the mine, with cash costs of $450 to $500 per ounce. However, the ounces that are not produced in 2017 are expected to be produced in the first half of 2018, the company says. Eldorado Gold says it looks for 2018 full-year gold production of approximately 320,000 to 335,000 ounces at cash costs of $425 to 475 per ounce, compared to previous guidance of 285,000 ounces. "While Kisladag's decrease in production for the year is disappointing, our team has implemented a strategy to return our cornerstone asset to normalized production 1 levels, says George Burns, Eldorado's president and chief executive officer. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Goldcorp Announces Agreement To Buy Remaining Exeter Shares Goldcorp. Inc. (TSX: G, NYSE: GG) officials say the company has entered into an agreement in which it will purchase all common shares of Exeter Resource Corp. that Goldcorp does not already own. The deal is subject to a vote by Exeter shareholders, with a meeting set for July 31. Goldcorp currently owns some 78 million Exeter shares, representing approximately 83.2% of the outstanding shares. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Kirkland Lake Gold Reports New Mineralization At Taylor Mine Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (TSX: KL) announces new mineralization was found during exploration drilling at the Taylor Mine in Ontario, situated along the Porcupine Destor Fault. Recent drilling occurred outside of the known mineralization along the hanging wall of the PDF east of the Shaft Deposit. Drilling identified gold-bearing quartz veins at multiple locations up to 1.8 kilometers east of the Shaft Deposit, with the key intercepts being 5.14 grams per tonne over 10.7 meters, 7.07 g/t over 3.1 meters, 16.46 g/t in 1.3 meters and 14.33 g/t over 4.2 meters. New mineralization intersected between the Shaft Deposit and West Porphyry Deposit also resulted in intercepts, including 19.45 g/t over 1.1 meters, 12.61 g/t over 0.4 meter and 16.90 g/t over 0.7 meter. For the East Porphyry Deposit extended 100 meters to depth, the key intercept was 23.81 g/t over 3.8 meters, Kirkland Lake says. We are very encouraged by the grades encountered almost two kilometers to the east of the Shaft Deposit, which demonstrate the extensiveness of mineralization at Taylor and the potential that exists to find new mineral deposits to support increased mine life, says Tony Makuch, president and chief executive officer. Based on results to date, we are also confident that mineral resources and reserves can be increased around the East and West Porphyry deposits. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Seabridge Reports Significant Permitting Milestone For KSM project Seabridge Gold Inc. (TSX: SEA; NYSE: SA) says the Canadian government has issued a regulatory amendment to mining effluent regulations under the Fisheries Act, allowing construction of the companys KSM project in British Columbia. The amendment authorizes a tailings management facility in certain bodies of water frequented by fish. Seabridges KSM tailings management facility will be subject to bonding and other requirements, however. Receipt of this amendment represents a significant permitting milestone for KSM, equivalent in many ways to our receipt of environmental-assessment approvals from the provincial and federal governments in 2014, says Rudi Front, Seabridge board chairman and chief executive officer. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com China Gold International Resources Plans $500 Million Bond Issuance China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (TSX: CGG; HKEX: 2099) announces plans to issue $500 million in corporate bond. They will bear interest at the rate of 3.25% with a maturity date of July 6, 2020. Net proceeds will be used to repay existing indebtedness and for working capital and general corporate purposes, the company says. This is the second time our company has successfully managed a bond offering in the international capital markets, thus allowing us to demonstrate that we can take advantage of a diversified, global, financing capability putting us in position to more aggressively pursue our global growth through acquisitions and organic development strategy, says Bing Liu, chief executive officer. Gold is stepping higher again and may generate further momentum if the metal can close above $1,250 an ounce, says FXTM research analyst Lukman Otunuga. As of 8:11 a.m. EDT, the metal was up $6.40 to $1,252.95 an ounce, benefitting from the combination of U.S. dollar weakness and risk aversion. The sharp losses observed at the start of the week have almost been clawed back, with bulls eyeing $1,260, Otunuga says. With the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit, political risk in Washington and jitters from depressed oil accelerating the flight to safety, gold is likely to remain supported moving forward. Technical traders will be paying attention to how the metal behaves above $1,250. A daily close above $1,250 could encourage a further incline towards $1,260. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com MKS: Gold In Range But Attracts Far East Buying Spot gold is stuck in a trading range at the moment but found support early Wednesday from buying in the Far East, says MKS (Switzerland) S.A. Asian hours today saw gold trade with a modest bid bias, running into offers around $1,250 in early pricing, before breaking above the figure on the back of solid interest out of the Far East, says Sam Laughlin, senior trader of precious metals. The Shanghai Gold Exchange saw the on-shore premium move higher once again, testing toward $12 over loco London gold and registering solid volumes. Gold looks to be stuck within a $1,238-$1,260 range over the short term, with the 200 DMA [200-day moving average at $1,235] underpinning the lower end of the range, while ongoing political concerns in the U.S. and global geopolitical concerns support higher price action. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Commerzbank: Platinum, Palladium ETF Holdings Fall In June Exchange-traded-fund holdings of platinum and palladium have fallen this month, says Commerzbank. Monday saw the platinum ETFs tracked by Bloomberg record their largest daily outflow of a good 40,000 ounces since November 2015, the bank says. Thus ETF holdings have been reduced by over 80,000 ounces so far this month. Palladium ETFs have also seen outflows of a good 65,000 ounces since the beginning of the month. COPENHAGEN, June 28 (Reuters) - Maersk Line, one of the world's largest container shipping companies, said on Wednesday its cargo booking system was back up and running after a global cyber attack crippled its IT networks a day earlier. "Further to earlier communications, we are now able to accept bookings via INTTRA," the company said on Twitter. "Booking confirmation will take a little longer than usual but we are delighted to carry your cargo." Earlier, Maersk said it was using alternative channels to take orders manually and to communicate with customers until it could resolve its IT problems. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by David Clarke) Keywords: CYBER ATTACK/MAERSK LINE Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General Google Ad I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments (Adds comment, detail, updates prices) By Melanie Burton MELBOURNE, June 28 (Reuters) - London copper edged to a near three-month high on Wednesday, supported by a weaker dollar and tighter supply. The euro hit a one-year high on Wednesday, staying firm after comments by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi the previous day were seen as opening the door to tweaks in the central bank's aggressive monetary stimulus. On the supply side, signs have emerged that supply is shrinking, as exchange inventories fall, and as nearby prices for copper priced in euros have rallied against forward prices, said Kingdom Futures in a report. "It still feels if copper will stay in its $5,500/$6,000 range for a while longer, but with forward demand building and a tightness in concentrates it looks as if the upper side of the range could be challenged in the later stages of Q3." * LME COPPER: London Metal Exchange copper traded flat at $5,858.50 a tonne by 0750 GMT, following 1.1 percent gains in the previous session when prices struck a 2-1/2 month top at $5,868. * CHARTS: Tuesday's top also matched the weekly 200 moving-day-average which has been a key resistance since late last year. A break of this level is likely to trigger more buying from investors who follow chart patterns, with copper targeting $6,000 again, a trader said. Equally, a failure to break this level could trigger long liquidation. * SHFE COPPER: Shanghai Futures Exchange copper traded up 0.8 percent at 46,920 yuan ($6,902) a tonne. * SHFE ZINC: Shanghai zinc premiums have eased $5 this week to $195 a tonne, reflecting easing in physical demand . Premiums surged on June 6 to $200, the highest since late 2013. * CHINA ECONOMY: China's economy continued to improve in the second quarter, with corporate profits rising and hiring up, a private survey showed, but it suggested the Asian giant may have to brace for tougher times ahead. * USD: The U.S. dollar hit a more than nine-month low against the euro on Tuesday after the head of the European Central Bank opened the door to steps that might begin to reduce the central bank's emergency stimulus to the economy. * CHINA POLLUTION: China on Tuesday appointed a new environment minister who has promised a "protracted battle" to clean up the nation's notoriously polluted air, water and soil. * MARKETS: Asian shares slumped on Wednesday after Wall Street was knocked hard in the wake of a delay to a U.S. healthcare reform vote, while the euro rallied after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted that the ECB could trim its stimulus this year. * COMING UP: U.S. Pending homes sales for May at 1400 GMT BASE METALS PRICES 0752 GMT Three month LME copper 5858.5 Most active ShFE copper 46920 Three month LME aluminium 1888.5 Most active ShFE aluminium 13950 Three month LME zinc 2751.5 Most active ShFE zinc 22580 Three month LME lead 2290 Most active ShFE lead 17690 Three month LME nickel 9195 Most active ShFE nickel 75860 Three month LME tin 19355 Most active ShFE tin 144450 BASE METALS ARBITRAGE LME/SHFE COPPER LMESHFCUc3 459.14 LME/SHFE ALUMINIUM LMESHFALc3 -982.1 4 LME/SHFE ZINC LMESHFZNc3 224.6 LME/SHFE LEAD LMESHFPBc3 -1164. 18 LME/SHFE NICKEL LMESHFNIc3 1981.6 9 ($1 = 6.7980 Chinese yuan renminbi) <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Richard Pullin and Vyas Mohan) By Eric Auchard, Jack Stubbs and Alessandra Prentice | FRANKFURT/MOSCOW/KIEV A new cyber virus spread from Ukraine to wreak havoc around the globe on Wednesday, crippling thousands of computers, disrupting ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting production at a chocolate factory in Australia. The virus is believed to have first taken hold on Tuesday in Ukraine where it silently infected computers after users downloaded a popular tax accounting package or visited a local news site, national police and international cyber experts said. More than a day after it first struck, companies around the world were still wrestling with the fallout while cyber security experts scrambled to find a way to stem the spread. Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) said it was struggling to process orders and shift cargoes, congesting some of the 76 ports around the world run by its APM Terminals subsidiary. U.S. delivery firm FedEx Corp (FDX.N) said its TNT Express division had been significantly affected by the virus, which also wormed its way into South America, affecting ports in Argentina operated by China's Cofco. The malicious code locked machines and demanded victims post a ransom worth $300 in bitcoins or lose their data entirely, similar to the extortion tactic used in the global WannaCry ransomware attack in May. More than 30 victims paid up but security experts are questioning whether extortion was the goal, given the relatively small sum demanded, or whether the hackers were driven by destructive motives rather than financial gain. Hackers asked victims to notify them by email when ransoms had been paid but German email provider Posteo quickly shut down the address, a German government cyber security official said. Ukraine, the epicenter of the cyber strike, has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical power infrastructure since its powerful neighbor annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin, which has consistently rejected the accusations, said on Wednesday it had no information about the origin of the global cyber attack, which also struck Russian companies such as oil giant Rosneft (ROSN.MM) and a steelmaker. "No one can effectively combat cyber threats on their own, and, unfortunately, unfounded blanket accusations will not solve this problem," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. ESET, a Slovakian company that sells products to shield computers from viruses, said 80 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, with Italy second hardest hit with about 10 percent. ETERNAL BLUE The aim of the latest attack appeared to be disruption rather than ransom, said Brian Lord, former deputy director of intelligence and cyber operations at Britain's GCHQ and now managing director at private security firm PGI Cyber. "My sense is this starts to look like a state operating through a proxy ... as a kind of experiment to see what happens," Lord told Reuters on Wednesday. While the malware seemed to be a variant of past campaigns, derived from code known as Eternal Blue believed to have been developed by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), experts said it was not as virulent as May's WannaCry attack. Security researchers said Tuesday's virus could leap from computer to computer once unleashed within an organization but, unlike WannaCry, it could not randomly trawl the internet for its next victims, limiting its scope to infect. Bushiness that installed Microsoft's (MSFT.O) latest security patches from earlier this year and turned off Windows file-sharing features appeared to be largely unaffected. There was speculation, however, among some experts that once the new virus had infected one computer it could spread to other machines on the same network, even if those devices had received a security update. After WannaCry, governments, security firms and industrial groups advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft (MSFT.O) security patches. Austria's government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said "a small number" of international firms appeared to be affected, with tens of thousands of computers taken down. Security firms including Microsoft, Cisco's (CSCO.O) Talos and Symantec (SYMC.O) said they had confirmed some of the initial infections occurred when malware was transmitted to users of a Ukrainian tax software program called MEDoc. The supplier of the software, M.E.Doc denied in a post on Facebook that its software was to blame, though Microsoft reiterated its suspicions afterwards. "Microsoft now has evidence that a few active infections of the ransomware initially started from the legitimate MEDoc updater process," it said in a technical blog post. Russian security firm Kaspersky said a Ukrainian news site for the city of Bakhumut was also hacked and used to distribute the ransomware to visitors, encrypting data on their machines. CORPORATE CHAOS A number of the international firms hit have operations in Ukraine, and the virus is believed to have spread within global corporate networks after gaining traction within the country. Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide, has a logistics unit in Ukraine. Other large firms affected, such as French construction materials company Saint Gobain (SGOB.PA) and Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O), which owns chocolate brand Cadbury, also have operations in the country. Maersk was one of the first global firms to be taken down by the cyber attack and its operations at major ports such as Mumbai in India, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Los Angeles on the U.S. west coast were disrupted. Other companies to succumb included BNP Paribas Real Estate (BNPP.PA), a part of the French bank that provides property and investment management services. "The international cyber attack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack," the bank said on Wednesday. Production at the Cadbury factory on the Australian island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said on Tuesday its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but oil production had not been affected because it switched to backup systems. (Additional reporting by Helen Reid in London, Teis Jensen in Copenhagen, Maya Nikolaeva in Paris, Shadia Naralla in Vienna, Marcin Goettig in Warsaw, Byron Kaye in Sydney, John O'Donnell in Frankfurt, Ari Rabinovitch in Tel Aviv and Noor Zainab Hussain in Bangalore; writing by Eric Auchard and David Clarke; editing by David Clarke) HANOI, June 28 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0430 GMT. June 28 USD/VND mid-point 22,433 USD/VND interbank 22,735/22,740 USD/VND unofficial 22,735/22,750 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.18/36.40 Interbank offered rates Overnight 2.0-2.7 1 week 2.3-2.8 1 month 3.1-3.7 3 months 4.0-4.5 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources. One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are 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) STOCKHOLM, June 29 (Reuters) - Swedish digital health start-up KRY has raised 20 million euros ($22.67 million) from investors to fund further expansion in Europe, it said on Thursday. Stockholm-based KRY, which provides video-based doctors appointments and is available in Sweden, Norway and Spain, said the money would help it grow in existing markets and expand into others. KRY raised 6.1 million euros in seed capital in autumn last year. The funding round was led by global venture capital firm Accel with participation from existing investors Index Ventures, Creandum, and Project A. ($1 = 0.8821 euros) (Reporting by Simon Johnson; editing by Susan Thomas) ZURICH, June 28 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip SMI was seen opening virtually unchanged at 9,071 points on Wednesday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius Baer . The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks. NESTLE The world's biggest food company announced plans to buy back as much as 20 billion Swiss francs ($20.79 billion) worth of shares over three years, days after U.S. activist shareholder Third Point LLC began a campaign to boost performance at the company. For more click UBS Robert MacNaughton is joining UBS as managing director and head of high-yield trading, according to a source familiar with the matter. For more click COMPANY STATEMENTS * Baloise said it was buying Switzerland's biggest digital platform for home-moving services, called MOVU. * Kudelski said it signed a patent cross-license agreement with Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. * BKW said Roland Kuepfer has been named leader of the Networks business unit. * GAM Holding said a non-affiliated institutional investor is looking to place 3 percent of the company, or 4.7 million shares, via an accelerated bookbuild. * SWISSCOM CEO Urs Schaeppi said in an interview with Finanz und Wirtschaft that the company is satisfied with second-quarter developments, with market conditions similar to those of the previous months. Investments in coming years will be on the same level as those of 2017, when the company has said it plans capital expenditures of roughly 2.4 billion francs. * VP BANK Chief Executive Alfred Moeckli told Finanz und Wirtschaft the bank has about 300 million to 400 million francs for acquisitions. ECONOMY UBS Consumption indicator at 0600 GMT Swiss investor sentiment at 0800 GMT (Reporting by Zurich newsroom) Daily Swiss stock market report in German................ All SMI constituent stocks............................ News on major Swiss stock price moves.................. FTSE Eurotop 300 index................................ DJ STOXX index........................................ Top 10 STOXX sectors............................. Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors........................ Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors....................... Top 25 European pct gainers... , losers... Swiss mid-cap index SMI futures Swiss all-share index Market statistics Swiss market digest Sector overview All Swiss news Swiss research news All equity news INTERNET ADDRESSES: Swiss Exchange / Eurex STOXX Ltd SPEED GUIDES: )) Keywords: MARKETS SWISS STOCKS/ ISTANBUL, June 28 (Reuters) - Here are news, reports and events that may affect Turkish financial markets on Wednesday. The lira stood at 3.5200 against the U.S. dollar at 0540 GMT, firming from 3.5261 at Tuesday's close. The yield on the benchmark 10-year bond was at 10.37 percent in spot trade on Friday before a public holiday to mark the end of Ramadan and rose to 10.42 percent in Wednesday-dated trade. The main BIST 100 share index fell 0.43 percent to 99,638.65 points on Friday before the public holiday. GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares slumped on Wednesday after Wall Street was knocked hard in the wake of a delay to a U.S. healthcare reform vote, while the euro rallied after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted that the ECB could trim its stimulus this year. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.4 percent, pulling further away from more than two-year highs probed earlier this week. On Monday, it touched its highest level since May 2015. U.S., TURKISH DEFENCE MINISTERS Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik will meet U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Brussels. Developments in Syria are likely to top the agenda as an operation to capture the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa continues. CLASH IN NORTHERN SYRIA Turkish forces retaliated with artillery fire overnight and destroyed Kurdish YPG militia targets after YPG fighters opened fire on Turkey-backed forces in northern Syria, the Turkish military said on Wednesday. CYPRUS Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will attend Cyprus talks in Switzerland. Foreign ministers from the Mediterranean islands two other guarantor powers - Britain and Greece - are due to stay this week to take part in security discussions, alongside the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci. For other related news, double click on: Turkish politics Turkish equities Turkish money Turkish debt Turkish hot stocks Forex news All emerging market news All Turkish news For real-time quotes, double click on: Istanbul National-100 stock index , interbank lira trading , lira bond trading (Writing by Daren Butler) LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - Two-year British government bond yields rose to their highest in almost eight months on Wednesday, as British gilt prices fell broadly, tracking declines in German bonds. Euro zone debt prices fell heavily for a second straight day on Wednesday on expectations that the European Central Bank will announce a reduction of stimulus as soon as September, and gilts followed suit. Rate-sensitive two-year yields rose 2 basis points to peak at 0.288 percent at 0714 GMT, the highest since Nov. 1, while five-year yields rose 3 basis points to 0.588 percent. Benchmark 10-year yields gained more than 4 basis points to touch a fresh six-week high of 1.138 percent. RBC said financial markets priced in a more than 90 percent chance of a Bank of England rate hike by August 2018, up from about 80 percent last week when BoE chief economist Andy Haldane said he expected to back a rate rise later this year. "With the economic and political backdrop remaining quite uncertain, we think this re-pricing in the short-end looks rather optimistic," RBC's strategists said in a note to clients. Many economists think the BoE may be further from raising rates than the most recent 5-3 split on its Monetary Policy Committee suggests. Earlier on Wednesday BoE deputy governor Jon Cunliffe sided with governor Mark Carney in saying he would need more time to assess if it was appropriate to lift British benchmark rates of their record low 0.25 percent. (Reporting by David Milliken, editing by Andy Bruce) (Adds details, background) June 28 (Reuters) - Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) said on Wednesday it would invest up to $1 billion in a partnership with Encino Energy LLC to buy oil and gas assets in the United States. The fund said the partnership, Encino Acquisition Partners, would focus on acquiring assets in mature basins. Houston-based Encino Energy, which will operate the assets acquired by the partnership, has committed $25 million. CPPIB, Canada's biggest public pension fund, in March formed a JV to buy three U.S. student housing portfolios for about $1.6 billion. (Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) (Adds details on timing, investor interest, APA report) WARSAW/VIENNA, June 28 (Reuters) - Poland's Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) said on Wednesday it had approved the initial public offering (IPO) prospectus for the Polish unit of Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) but the exact timing of the issue remained unclear. RBI has pledged to list 15 percent of shares in Raiffeisen Bank Polska, also known as Raiffeisen Polbank , on the Warsaw bourse. KNF had put a June 30 deadline on the IPO. But this month RBI said the timing would depend on market conditions. RBI Chief Johann Strobl told newspaper Kleine Zeitung this week the IPO would not take place at any cost. Austrian news agency APA, without citing its source, reported on Wednesday that RBI had agreed with KNF on a clause for the IPO saying that it would not float the stake if this would cause an "unreasonable" loss. APA cited an unnamed expert saying that a 10 percent discount to the book value of 220 million euros ($249.85 million) would be acceptable, but not a 50 percent discount. RBI declined to comment on the APA report. Earlier this year, RBI put the book value of its Polish unit at about 1.4 billion euros. When asked about investor interest, a person familiar with the IPO discussions told Reuters: "You can sense the mood and it's not phenomenal." ($1 = 0.8805 euros) (Reporting by Marcin Goettig, additional reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich, Shadia Nasralla, Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Edmund Blair) * Deal doubles Alibaba's investment in Lazada * Alibaba's stake in Lazada to rise to 83 pct from 51 pct * Alibaba had option to buy stakes from Lazada shareholders * The deal values Lazada at $3.15 bln (Adds Lazada CEO interview) By Aradhana Aravindan SINGAPORE, June 28 (Reuters) - Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding is investing an additional $1 billion in Southeast Asian online retailer Lazada Group, boosting its stake by nearly a third to 83 percent and amplifying its focus on the region. Alibaba's announcement comes as its rivals such as Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com Inc are expanding operations in Southeast Asia and amid media reports that Amazon is eyeing an entry into the region of 600 million people where only a fraction of total retail sales are currently conducted online. ( ) The region may be the first market where Amazon and Alibaba will go head-to-head, if the U.S. firm confirms the plans. "It is a clear signal from (Alibaba) that, now having learnt the market better, that they really believe in the opportunity of ecommerce in southeast Asia," Lazada Chief Executive Maximilian Bittner told Reuters in an interview. The move doubles Alibaba's investment in Lazada after last year's deal to buy a controlling stake in it for about $1 billion and is a part of its efforts to boost its global sales. Alibaba had the option to buy the remaining stakes from some Lazada investors, 12-18 months after the deal closed. Besides financial support, Alibaba's investment has provided Lazada with several benefits, including access to a wider range of merchants and improving its logistics capabilities. Lazada has been expanding its offerings over the last year, buying Singapore-based online grocer RedMart and tying up with companies such as Netflix and Uber for a membership programme. Bittner said having Alibaba as a backer was "very helpful" in distinguishing itself from Amazon and other competitors. "It will be easier to take on one 800 pound gorilla when you have the other 800 pound gorilla behind you," he said, when asked about a potential Amazon entry. On Wednesday, Alibaba said it will purchase the shares from certain Lazada shareholders at an implied valuation of $3.15 billion. Germany's Rocket Internet and Sweden's Kinnevik confirmed in separate statements that they were among the selling shareholders. Last year's deal had included partial stake sales by investors, including British supermarket operator Tesco Plc , Rocket and Kinnevik. Bittner said Lazada management and Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings were the only other remaining shareholders, besides Alibaba. Lazada, founded in 2012, is headquartered in Singapore and also operates in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In the twelve months ended March 31, 2017, Lazada had about 23 million annual active buyers, according to Alibaba's annual report. "The e-commerce markets in the region are still relatively untapped, and we see a very positive upward trajectory ahead of us," Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba, said in a statement. "We will continue to put our resources to work in Southeast Asia through Lazada to capture these growth opportunities." Alibaba shares were down 0.4 percent in pre-market trading, while Rocket shares were 2.3 percent lower. Amazon did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on its plans for the region. (Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Additional reporting by Anshuman Daga in SINGAPORE and Emma Thomasson in BERLIN; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and David Evans) * Hedge fund investors to inject 700 mln stg * Bank and Co-op Group to separate pension schemes * Rescue avoids central bank intervention (Adds details on investors, chairman quote) By Lawrence White LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - Britain's Co-operative Bank said on Wednesday it had agreed a 700 million pound ($897.5 million) financial rescue package with leading investors that will shore up its capital base, ending months of uncertainty about its future. The rescue package will see the bank's existing investors swapping their bondholdings for cash and shares, boosting its capital levels back to a level acceptable to Britain's financial regulators. The deal follows months of negotiations between the bank and its hedge fund creditors after Co-op put itself up for sale in February this year, seeking its second rescue in the last five years. The bank, which prides itself on being an ethical lender, nearly collapsed in 2013 after losses from problem real estate loans and received a further capital injection in 2014 as it battled IT and governance problems. "The proposal today should lay the foundations to help secure the future of the Co-operative Bank," its chairman Dennis Holt said in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. Co-op Bank provides banking services to almost 4 million retail and small and medium-sized enterprises in Britain. The deal will allow the bank to survive as a standalone entity, Co-op Bank said, and the agreement allows the lender to keep its name and ethical policy under which it does not lend or provide services to businesses deemed harmful to society. If the bank had failed to find a buyer or agree a rescue package, it would have posed a first test of powers granted to the Bank of England after the 2008 financial crisis -- allowing it to intervene in a struggling bank and unwind it in an orderly way. Investors who own the bank's debt will pump 443 million pounds ($568.37 million) into recapitalising its bonds and will also help it raise 250 million pounds in fresh equity, the bank said in a statement. The bank and parent Co-operative Group have agreed terms to separate their respective pension plans, overcoming a stumbling block after months of negotiations with investors as to who would be liable for the members' pensions. The bank will contribute 100 million pounds over 10 years to its section of the shared pension scheme. Co-Op Group's holding in the bank will fall to around 1 percent from 20 percent, leaving the bank's U.S.-based hedge fund owners in control. They include BlueMountain Capital, Cyrus Capital Partners, GoldenTree Asset Management, and Silver Point Capital. Britain's Prudential Regulation Authority said in a separate statement it had accepted the plan, but that implementation of it would be subject to further approvals. ($1 = 0.7794 pounds) (Reporting by Lawrence White, additional reporting by Esha Vaish; editing by Simon Jessop and Pritha Sarkar) * Maersk's container shipper and port units hit by cyber attack * Maersk Line having to take new orders manually * Port operations from Mumbai to Los Angeles disrupted (Adds material from Rotterdam) By Teis Jensen COPENHAGEN, June 28 (Reuters) - The Danish owner of the world's largest container shipper Maersk Line, said its computer systems were among those hit by the global Petya cyber attack, causing it problems processing orders and delaying cargoes. A.P. Moller-Maersk said the cyber extortion, which has disrupted businesses around the globe, has also led to congestion at some of the 76 ports run by its APM Terminals unit, including in the United States, India, Spain and the Netherlands. "It will have an impact on vessels or cargo that loaded yesterday, today and maybe also tomorrow," Maersk Line Chief Commercial Officer Vincent Clerc told Reuters on Wednesday. Due to limited access to some of its computer systems, Maersk, which handles one out of seven containers shipped worldwide, also has problems processing orders taken just before the breakdown, Clerc said. When the attack began, on Tuesday afternoon in Europe, Maersk decided to take down a number of systems as a precaution. The company is working on a technical recovery plan, Clerc said. For now, Maersk is using alternative channels to take orders manually and to communicate with customers, he said. He said no data had been lost due to the cyber attack, and that the company would be able to resume operations "right away" once the issues were solved. Paul Tsui, managing director of one of Maersk's clients, Hong Kong-based logistics company Janel Group, said in an email sent to Reuters that Maersk's system was shut down and had not been accessible for bookings since late yesterday evening. Sydbank analyst Morten Imsgaard said the situation would not be tenable for Maersk "for many days" and it could have a large economic impact for the company depending on how soon it will be up and running. Maersk said operations at some APM Terminals' around the world, including Los Angeles, were affected. A spokeswoman for the Port in Barcelona said one of the two big container terminals run by Maersk was affected. At the Spanish port of Algeciras, operations at one of two terminals run by APM Terminals has been down since Tuesday, a spokeswoman said. A Maersk-operated terminal at India's largest container port JNPT, near Mumbai, has also been disrupted, the port said on Wednesday. The Port of New York & New Jersey said in a tweet on Tuesday that APM's Terminal would be closed on Wednesday. In Aarhus, the biggest container terminal in Maersk's home country Denmark, APM Terminals was using alternative methods of communication when loading and offloading vessels. "We have found a solution where we work outside the Maersk network," said Steen Davidsen, managing director at the terminal, told Reuters. "It's not quite so fast, but at least we can operate and customers can be serviced," he said. Two APM terminals in Rotterdam, Europe's busiest port, are still out of commission. A spokesman said knock-on effects for the port as a whole were minimal, with a slight delay in operations. (Reporting by Teis Jensen, additional reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Paul Day, Keith Wallis and Alexander Cornwell; editing by Adrian Croft and Elaine Hardcastle) LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - Nigerian differentials remained under pressure on Wednesday owing to an oversupply of light, sweet crude in the market. * Shell lifted force majeure on Nigerian Bonny Light crude exports on Wednesday after a leak on the Trans Niger Pipeline was repaired. NIGERIA * ExxonMobil and Vitol have been offering cargoes of Qua Iboe at dated Brent plus 75 cents a barrel loading in early August. Lukoil also offered an Aug. 9-10. But buyers stayed on the sidelines. * Last week, Mercuria sold a cargo of Qua Iboe to Reliance loading July 8-9. Traders said the deal was done below dated Brent plus 50 cents a barrel but this could not be confirmed. * Eni was offering August loading Brass River at dated Brent plus 85 cents a barrel. * Around 10-15 cargoes are still available from the July programme and plenty from the August schedule. ANGOLA * Angola's state firm Sonangol still had two cargoes available in August. * Sonangol offered a cargo of Saturno at dated Brent minus 90 cents a barrel, down from dated Brent minus 70 cents a barrel earlier this week. * Sonangol also offered a cargo of Olombendo at dated Brent plus 50 cents a barrel. Last week, Unipec bought a cargo of Olombendo from Eni but price details did not emerge. TENDERS * No fresh tenders were issued and India's MRPL was said to have taken Omani crude in its last tender. (Reporting By Julia Payne; Editing by Edmund Blair) Stuff reports: Wellington City Councillor Andy Foster is eyeing up a seat in Parliament with NZ First. It is unclear whether the Onslow-Western ward councillor will chase the nomination for a Wellington-based seat or simply try to enter Parliament on the party list. When asked if he was interested in joining Winston Peters party, Foster replied: I wont say I am not but confirmed that at this point, he was not a candidate. Foster, who was a failed Wellington mayoral candidate last year, said there was still a process to go through to get nominated for NZ First, which would likely happen at the partys convention in July. Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Google Ad Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General Google Ad I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon plays a piece during a press conference held in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Yun Suh-young "I tried to block all contact. I didn't even message my mother," Sunwoo Yekwon, the pianist who recently won the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, said of his preparation for the event. Sunwoo, 28, became the first Korean winner of the 15th competition of the quadrennial event, on June 10 at Fort Worth, Texas, the hometown of the competition's founder and pianist Van Cliburn. "I tried to focus solely on music," Sunwoo said Wednesday in Seoul, during his first meeting with Korean media after the competition. "There's a great amount of mental stress when preparing for a competition and I tried not to think about it. Whenever I did feel stressful, I would pour it out on a couple of friends. I feel sorry for them, but they were very understanding. I'm thankful to my mom as well. She understands me and doesn't reach out first. "The competition held a lot of meaning for me. It was my last competition because of the age limit. It was also a major competition that I wanted to challenge myself with, following my unsatisfactory performance in a couple of past competitions. So I prepared five to six times more than I usually did." His reason for participating was "not to regret." "I didn't want to regret looking back in my life," he said. "If I enter my 30s and cannot participate in competitions anymore, I thought it will remain a stain on my career. "I was so burdened this time that I fell and hit my head when getting up from a chair after hearing my name come up at the semifinals. "I prepared very early on for this competition because I knew how much energy would be required to play the pieces every other day. Just like athletes, musicians need to be trained physically and train the muscles." The winning pianist said he would not be entering another competition. "I have no regrets now," he said. Sunwoo won with a rendition of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. The prize includes $50,000, three years of performance and recording opportunities across the U.S. and sponsored attire from Neiman Marcus. Following his victory, his scheduled performance at the Seoul Arts Center on Dec. 20 sold out. His management company had to add another performance date, Dec. 15, to accommodate growing demand from fans. "I feel thankful for all the attention," Sunwoo said. "I don't think an artist can be any happier. "Immediately following the final winner announcement, I had interviews, photo shoots and so many appointments that I didn't have time to think, really. I have more things to do now. I've been mentally exhausted but at the same time it's what I had been longing for, so I'm very thankful." Sunwoo released his first digital album _ "Cliburn Gold 2017" _ on June 23, which includes his performances in the competition. The CD will go on sale in August. It includes Ravel's La Valse, M.72, Grainger's Ramble on the Last Love-Duet from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, Hamelin's Toccata on "L'homme arme," Haydn's Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI 48, Schubert''s Litaney (Litanei auf das Fest aller Seelen, D. 343), S. 562, and Rachmaninoff's Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36. Sunwoo says he wants to be an artist who plays with his heart. "I believe in the power of music to cure and bring happiness," he said. "I wish to share my feelings with others through my music and touch many people's hearts." By Yoon Ja-young The number of babies born in April fell to the lowest level ever, with few signs of a rebound in the future, according to Statistics Korea. The statistics office said that a decrease in marriages is leading to fewer births. It tallied the number of babies born at 30,400, down 13.6 percent from the previous year, and the lowest April figure since 2000 when the office started compiling data. The figure has been falling for 17 consecutive months since November 2015. It has been marking double-digit drops since last December when it plunged by 14.7 percent. The number of newborns stood at 406,300 last year, the lowest ever, but analysts expect it to fall further this year, to below 400,000. As of April, 129,200 babies have been born so far this year, down 12.6 percent from the same period in 2016. When applying the decreasing rate, the total births this year will likely be around 350,000, the first time the annual number of births has fallen below 400,000. The steep decline is partly due to fewer marriages. "As people don't get married, childbirths as well as divorces are decreasing," said Lee Ji-yeon, director in charge of demographic trends at Statistics Korea. The number of couples who got married in April stood at 20,100, down 11.8 percent from the previous year, and the lowest April figure since the statistics office started compiling data. The number of marriages is directly related with the number of newborns. The plunge in marriages means childbirths are not likely to pick up in the near future. Divorces totaled 7,900, down 4.8 percent from a year ago and the lowest April figure ever. The number of deaths, meanwhile, recorded 23,100, up 1.3 percent from a year ago, reflecting the aging population. The low birthrate is expected to bring about major social and economic changes, most of which are feared to be negative. The statistics office said that the number of the school age population between six and 21 will plunge to 7.82 million in 2020 from 8.92 million in 2015; and further to 6.12 million by 2045. This means schools and universities will have to go through restructuring, and that Korea will lack young males to perform mandatory military service. Tackling the low birthrate has been a top priority for the administration, though the measures taken so far don't seem to have been notably effective. President Moon Jae-in pledged the government's full support for childcare services, more financial support for parents taking childcare leave, and expansion of state-run daycare centers during the election campaign. The statistics office also released data on demographic mobility. It showed that Koreans are leaving Seoul, probably due to high housing expenses. Seoul marked a 6,590 net outflow of population, and Busan saw a 2,360 net outflow. Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, meanwhile, marked a 7,106 net inflow of population. By Nam Hyun-woo Anbang Insurance, the owner of Tong Yang Life Insurance, filed a suit against VIG Partners, a domestic buyout fund which sold its shares in Tong Yang to the Chinese insurer. It claims the buyout fund was negligent in reporting the risks of Tong Yang's massive meat-secured loans. According to Yuanta Securities on Wednesday, Anbang Group Holdings has filed the damage suit worth 689 billion won ($603 million) against the brokerage and other former Tong Yang shareholders with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration in Hong Kong. Those accused include VIG Partners and Atinum Partners Chairman Lee Min-joo. The brokerage said Anbang made the litigation claiming the sellers violated their duties "in statements and guarantee." Anbang claims the sellers did not fully inform it that Tong Yang's meat-secured loans could cause a massive loss even though they were aware of the risk. Anbang became the largest shareholder of Tong Yang Life in June 2015 when Korea's financial authority approved its purchase of a combined 63.1 percent stake in Tong Yang from VIG, Yuanta and Lee at 1.13 trillion won in February that year. VIG sold a 57.6 percent stake and two others sold 5.5 percent, meaning it will be a legal battle between Anbang and VIG. Eighteen months after the massive deal, however, the authority launched an investigation of Tong Yang as the insurer and 10 to 15 other financial firms were embroiled in a 500 billion won fraud case. Those firms extended loans worth 500 billion won secured by imported meats. But those loans were later found to have been extended on multiple same consignments. Of those companies, loans provided by Tong Yang were the largest, amounting to 380.4 billion won. Some 75 percent of those loans are overdue. Anbang claims the sellers were supposed to inform the buyer about the risk and it is a clear violation of contracts. Regarding Anbang's move, Yuanta said, "The amount sought is exaggerated and an independent legal opinion shows some of the claimant's claims are untrue." Market watchers say Anbang's litigation is apparent revenge for a separate suit regarding Anbang's payment for the Tong Yang acquisition. After purchasing the stake, Anbang has been paying the money by installments but it did not send the last 50 billion won payment recently. In May, VIG and Yuanta filed complaints with the ICC over the unpaid last installment. "The meat loan case was impossible to predict in 2015," a VIG official said. "Even if there is a fault in informing the loan situation of Tong Yang to Anbang, claiming 700 billion won for damages is too exaggerated." By Yi Whan-woo The United States is apparently intervening in China's repatriation of North Korean refugees amid a tug of war between the two world powers over how to press Pyongyang harder. A report released by the U.S Department of State, Tuesday, repeatedly referred to China's forcible return of North Korean defectors as a reason for putting Beijing on the list of the world's worst offenders in human trafficking. Titled "2017 Trafficking in Persons Report," the 454-page document listed China under "Tier 3," the lowest category in assessment of individual countries' fight against human trafficking. This is the first time since 2014 that China joined the category, slipping from "Tier 2" or the "Watch List." Among the 23 blacklisted countries were North Korea, Burundi, Iran, Russia and South Sudan. "Authorities continued to forcibly repatriate North Koreans, where they faced severe punishment including forced labor and execution, without screening them for indicators of trafficking," the report said. It accused the Chinese government of failing to report whether legal alternatives to repatriation were available for suspected trafficking victims, as they faced severe punishment or death back home. Regarding exploitation of North Korean women in China, the report said they are "subjected to forced prostitution, forced marriage, and forced labor in agriculture, domestic service, and factories." Citing a 2015 U.N. report, it also claimed that North Korea's state-sponsored slave workers are present in China "possibly with the knowledge of Chinese officials." The report recommended China to "provide alternatives to foreign victims' removal to countries where they would face hardship or retribution, particularly North Korea." In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Thae Yong-ho, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, said China has been concerned about possible influx of North Koreans across the border and collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime should Beijing acknowledges them as refugees. "The report reflects Washington's discontent on Beijing's measures concerning asylum seekers from North Korea," said Koh You-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University. "As socialist allies, China regards North Korean defectors as trespassers, not refugees. But the U.S. has regarded such a view as opposite to international law." Lee Sang-man, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, echoed a similar view, saying, "human rights-related issues are something that the U.S. brings up at the last moment when it is disgruntled with China." "Washington must have been displeased with Beijing in their joint efforts to press Pyongyang harder and the U.S. appears to have other intentions behind its blacklisting China," he added. Kim Hyun-wook, a professor at Korea National Diplomatic Academy, speculated that the U.S. is asking China to rein on North Korean human rights on the occasion of the death of Otto Warmbier, an American captive who died after being released from North Korea in a coma early this month. "It's not coincidental that Washington is addressing issues on China's human rights conditions, over which Beijing has reacted extremely sensitively.". 'S. Korea, US need to discuss what they can provide to N. Korea' By Kim Rahn President Moon Jae- WASHINGTON, D.C. President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed Wednesday his two-phase resolution of "freeze first and complete disarmament second" in resolving North Korea's nuclear threat, saying this would be the condition for any talks to address the issue. He said it was wrong to stop a bad activity through compensation, but added if Pyongyang freezes its programs and follows steps toward denuclearization, Seoul and the international community need to discuss what actions they can take in return. On his way to Washington, D.C., for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, Moon told reporters on the plane that the North should stop additional nuclear and missile provocations, and promise a nuclear freeze as a minimum condition for complete nuclear disarmament talks to begin. "A nuclear freeze is the entrance to the talks, and the exit of the talks will be complete denuclearization," he said. Eduard Sharmazanov to Czech MPs: We should unite against Turkish denialism and for the protection of human rights On June 27, in honour of the delegation led by the RA NA Deputy Speaker, the Head of Armenia-Czechia Friendship Group Eduard Sharmazanov an official reception was organized in the Chamber of Deputies on behalf of the Chairman of Czechia-Armenia Friendship Group of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Robin Bohnisch. The delegation of the RA National Assembly comprises the RA NA deputies Gagik Melikyan and Vardan Bostanjyan. The RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic Tigran Seyranyan also took part in the reception. Let us remind that on April 25, 2017 the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament adopted a Resolution on Recognition and Condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. The RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov presented the RA NA Medal of Honour, the RA NA Diploma and the RA NA Speakers Memorial Medal to a number of members of the Chamber of Deputies for the work done in the adoption of the Resolution on Recognition and Condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, as well as for strengthening the Czech-Armenian inter-parliamentary ties. During the reception the RA NA Deputy Speaker delivered a speech, where he particularly noted: Honourable Mr Bohnisch, Dear Colleagues, The adoption of the Resolution on Recognition and Condemnation of the Armenian Genocide was the most serious step for the protection of human rights and against genocides. The Armenian Genocide was the first great disaster committed against mankind in the 20th century, and the recognition of the genocide by Czechia is the answer of your country against barbarism. We admire with your courage, and you prevent new genocides with it. It is worth noting that during 102 years Turkey has not been changed with its denial policy. We should unite against Turkish denialism and for the protection of human rights. Six victims of abuse at the Brothers Home give testimony, Tuesday, during a conference at the National Assembly. Han Jong-sun, left, led the calls for an investigation into abuses at the former government-funded juvenile detention center. / Korea Times photo by You Soo-sun In pursuit of truth, child victims demand government investigation By You Soo-sun Thirty years after the atrocities of the Brothers Home were brought to light, much still remains in the dark, its former inmates said during a conference, Tuesday, at the National Assembly. Six survivors from the detention center spoke of the horrors forced labor, beatings, rapes and killings that continue to haunt them, as they pleaded for justice. The victims urged the Moon Jae-in administration to help enact a special act, proposed by 73 lawmakers including Rep. Jin Sun-mi of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), to identify and punish those accountable, including those still in the government, and compensate the victims. Brothers Home was a government-funded detention center that trafficked in people for hard labor between 1975 and 1987. Often referred to as a concentration camp, the Brothers Home was found responsible for at least 500 deaths. Yet, no one has been held accountable. Who were the inmates at the Brothers Home? The so-called brothers were mostly children, and many had been homeless or disabled but others were detained for little reason, often just for being unaccompanied in public. Following then-President Park Chung-hee's order in 1975 to "clean up" the streets, police officers and local officials picked up people from the streets to put them in 36 detention centers nationwide. They took in over 16,000 people, and two previous investigation attempts were suppressed by senior government officials according to a 2016 AP article. The Brothers Home, which was located in Busan, was the largest such facility. It reportedly received government funding of an annual 2 billion won at the time, estimated at over 20 billion won ($17.5 billion) in current value. The funding depended on the number of inmates, incentivizing the institutions to maximize their number of inmates. At age 10, Kim Sang-soo, now 52, was abducted at a train station while on his way to meet his eldest sister. After three years in a Seoul juvenile center, Kim was taken to the Brothers Home where he would stay another seven years. He now drives a taxi for a living ironically, driving was a skill he acquired at the facility. "If it still existed, I'm afraid my driving skills would have been used for kidnapping others like me," Kim said. The victims believe many surviving victims still hide behind closed doors, keeping their lives as "brothers" a secret. Kim was also one of them until few years ago when he told his family. "It took a lot of courage for me to come out to my family," he said. Park Soon-yi, the only female victim at the conference, was also taken there while she was out searching for her brother in 1980. Then 10 years old, Park was forced into the facility after she followed a police officer who offered her help. She followed him to a police station, where throngs of people waited until a car picked them up and dropped them at the Brothers Home. It took her six years to escape. Also like Kim, she had tried to keep this to herself. "At first I was angry it had gotten out," Park said, referring to a renowned television show that covered the mass detainment in 2014. She cursed and fought the man who brought this to light: Han Jong-sun, who held a months-long protest in front of the National Assembly in 2012 to make their stories known. "I cursed him for revealing this for searing into my memory, but later I realized someone needed to take action," Park said. Park, who drinks every night to sleep as many other victims do to escape the bleak memories of beatings, rapes, and murders of fellow inmates continued to sob throughout her testimony. "Nothing will alleviate our pain," Park said. "But it will help us to die in peace to know some justice will be restored." Victims continue their pursuit of truth This practice was first revealed in 1987, when one of the detainees' deaths was reported in the media, followed by a mass escape of 35 inmates from the Brothers Home. The owner, Park In-kun, was indicted for forced labor of 180 inmates as well as physical assault, but attention subdued and he was never tried in court on those charges. Eventually, he got off with a two-and-a-half-year sentence for embezzlement and other minor charges. "Five hundred fifty-one deaths, with evidence, have been revealed," said Lee Hyang-jik, 45. "In actuality, there are probably thousands who died." Lee, abused from childhood by his father who later sent him to the Brothers Home, further asked President Moon for an investigation and a formal apology from the country. "The incident wasn't Park In-kun's individual wrongdoing, but a nation-led crusade involving public officials, the police, even local residents." He also pleaded with his fellow citizens: "Please remember what happened until the truth is fully revealed. Anyone can become a victim of state violence." By Katherine Hyunjung Lee WASHINGTON, D.C. South Korean President Moon Jae-in will face pressure to align with the U.S.'s policies on North Korea without alienating his supporters at his first official meeting with President Donald Trump, according to a U.S. expert. "President Moon seems to have moved rather quickly from some of the positions he had taken during his campaign into a set of positions that are designed to promote alignment with the United States," Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korean studies and director of a program on U.S.-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said in a phone interview with Medill News Service, Wednesday. "On almost every issue that is likely to come up at the summit, it seems President Moon is staking out a position of commonality with President Trump," Snyder said. "The convergence and alignment that the Moon administration has been pursuing is related more broadly to the strategic context that South Korea finds itself in. There are more tensions in the neighborhood than there were, say, 10 years ago." Snyder said Moon's initial approach to North Korea may have resembled that of the late President Roh Moo-hyun, but changes in today's environment make it difficult for Moon not to align with the Trump administration's policy of "maximum pressure and engagement." One example is the recent death of Otto Warmbier, an American student who was arrested and detained in North Korea before being sent back to the U.S. in a coma earlier this month. He has since died. "The case dramatizes and personalizes the negative consequences of direct exposure or vulnerability to North Korea," Snyder said. "In the broader sense, that's precisely the same issue that's being debated regarding the North Korean nuclear program. The Warmbier case symbolizes the vulnerability and strengthens the desire of the United States' political leaders not to want to be vulnerable in that way to the North Korean leadership." THAAD conundrum? By Yi Whan-woo The U.S. Embassy in Seoul lodged a protest with the South Korean government over a rally demanding the withdrawal of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, according to diplomatic sources, Wednesday. The protest came ahead of the first summit between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump, slated for Friday and Saturday (KST), in Washington, D.C. In a letter sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Embassy claimed that allowing the anti-THAAD protesters to surround the embassy building in downtown Seoul was "problematic." The embassy cited the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which specifies a host country's obligation to protect the premises of diplomatic missions. Over 2,000 protesters from 90 civic and labor groups jointly held a rally against THAAD, Saturday. They surrounded the embassy in a circle for about 19 minutes while the police maintained a minimum level of security. This was the first major anti-U.S. rally since Moon Jae-in took office in May. President Moon Jae-in looks at the memorial commemorating the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. / Yonhap By Kim Rahn WASHINGTON, D.C. President Moon Jae-in has expressed his gratitude to former American and U.N. troops who fought at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, one of the fiercest battles during the Korean War (1950-53), for their heroic fighting and sacrifices. The battle delayed Chinese troops penetration into the Hamhung region of North Korea for about two weeks in late 1950, enabling the Hungnam Evacuation, the largest U.S. military evacuation of civilians among whom were Moon's parents. Moon offered flowers to the memorial commemorating the battle which was recently set up at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, Thursday. Other participants included General Robert Neller, the 37th commandant of the Marine Corps; General Glenn Walters, assistant commandant; veterans who participated in the battle, including Steven Olmstead and Warren Wiedhahn; and the families of some late veterans including Ned Forney, grandson of the late Colonel Edward H. Forney, the evacuation control officer. "South Korea remembers the sacrifice you and your ancestors made. We will forever remember the memory of gratitude and respect," the President said in a commemorative speech. "The South Korea-U.S. alliance was formed through blood, not through signatures on papers. It is also strongly linked to the life of the citizens of the two nations." Yoon Boo-keun, left in front row, CEO of Samsung Electronics' consumer electronics division and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, to his left, sign a letter of intent (LOI) to build a plant for washing machines in Newberry, S.C., in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Kang Seung-woo Samsung Electronics announced Wednesday that it will build a home appliances manufacturing facility in Newberry, S.C. Samsung and the U.S. state of South Carolina held a ceremony in Washington, D.C., to sign a letter of intent (LOI) to construct a plant to produce washing machines from early next year. Yoon Boo-keun, CEO of Samsung's consumer electronics division and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster participated in the event. Under the agreement, Samsung will invest $380 million (434 billion won) and create 950 full-time jobs. The signing occurred hours before President Moon Jae-in arrives in the U.S. for his first summit with President Donald Trump. Moon took 52 business leaders, who are ready to pitch their investment plans in the United States to help ease growing trade pressures from the new U.S. government. Samsung is the third Korean company to officially announce an investment in the U.S. since Trump took office in January. Trump has pressured domestic and foreign firms to build their factories in America as part of efforts to create jobs under his campaign pledge of "Make American Great Again." Hyundai Motor Group announced this January that it would invest $3.1 billion over the next five years. LG Electronics said in February it would build a $250 million washing machine plant in Tennessee. Samsung has reviewed a new U.S. production line for three years and studied candidate states for the location of the facility using various evaluation methods. "Samsung has been in talks with South Carolina since the second half of 2016," a company official said. "Newberry County is the best choice for Samsung's latest investment thanks to a skilled workforce; outstanding distribution and logistics infrastructure; and excellent partnerships between the community and companies. Samsung believes that the construction decision will help the company establish the foundations for long-term growth in the U.S. home appliance market. According to U.S.-based market tracker TraQline, Samsung was the No. 1 home appliance brand in the U.S. market with a 17.3 percent market share last year. Last September, Samsung acquired U.S.-based luxury appliance maker Dacor and its factory for built-in home appliances in California, so the expansion of its production base could further reinforce Samsung's advance into the U.S. premium home appliance market. "Samsung Electronics has been in the U.S. home appliance market for more than 40 years and our innovative high-end products such as the Flex Wash and Dry and the Family Hub refrigerator are very popular," Yoon said. "Through the plan, Samsung plans to strengthen its partnership with U.S. consumers, engineers and innovative firms." Samsung, LG and Kia Motors, a Hyundai affiliate, operate their own factories in Mexico and can export their goods to the U.S. without having to pay taxes based on the North American Free Trade Agreement. But the Trump administration has threatened to impose heavy tariffs on Mexican-made goods. By Jun Ji-hye Thailand has shown interest in buying Korea's armored cars and rifles, defense officials here said Wednesday. Bangkok has already purchased a 3,650-ton frigate made by Daewoo Shipbuilding, which will be delivered to the Royal Thai Navy next year. The country also signed a deal in September 2015 with Korea Aerospace Industries to buy four T-50TH supersonic trainer jets to replace their Czech Republic-made L39 trainer jets. Defense officials and scientists from Thailand are visiting Korea as part of their efforts to explore defense industries and organizations. During their four-day visit that began Monday, Thai officials from the Defense Science and Technology Department (DSTD), led by Deputy Director Maj. Gen. Sombat Prasankasem, and scientists from the Defense Technology Institute (DTI) toured Korea's defense companies, including Poongsan and S&T Motiv. Poongsan produces ammunition, while S&T Motiv manufactures rifles and machineguns, such as the K-2 and K-12. The DSTD, part of Thailand's defense ministry, is in charge of defense technology and quality control. The DTI is the ministry-affiliated center that leads research and development and testing and evaluation. Thai officials and scientists also visited the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ) on Tuesday to learn about Korea's procedures to standardize and guarantee the quality of military supplies and materials. "The visit took place at the request of Thailand which is seeking to enhance technology cooperation with Korea," the DTaQ said. "The DTaQ explained to Thai officials using examples of standardization and quality assurance of military supplies. The DTaQ also showed them its test facilities." Prosecutors raided the offices and homes of two members of a minor opposition party Wednesday as part of an investigation into false allegations they made against President Moon Jae-in's son. During the election campaign, the People's Party claimed that his son Moon Joon-yong was unfairly hired at the Korea Employment Information Service in late 2006 when Moon was a senior presidential secretary. The party Monday apologized and said its member Lee You-mi manipulated materials to cook up the false allegation. Lee was taken into custody later that day. A former senior party official named Lee Jun-seo was banned from overseas travel on Tuesday on suspicions that he was behind the scheme. Investigators visited the residences and workplaces of the two on Wednesday and confiscated their computers and other evidence, according to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office Lee You-mi reportedly confessed to fabricating an anonymous tip-off about Moon's hiring and stated she didn't act alone. Lee Jun-seo, a former member of the party's decision-making body, is known to have relayed her fabricated tip-off to the party. The prosecution said the raid is to find out whether there was any involvement from the People's Party. Moon's ruling Democratic Party and the People's Party have sued each other over the allegations. (Yonhap) By Kim Se-jeong Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are aspiring ambitions for humanity agreed upon in September 2015 by members of the United Nations. The goals, if achieved by 2030, will help people realize a better quality of life on the economic, social and environmental fronts, with no one left behind, and with each U.N. member state doing its share to contribute to the goals. During the Academy on Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) on Wednesday, the SDGs were again a talking point. The main question was: Are SDGs related to SSE? "Yes, they are. They are closely linked," said Kim Eui-young, a professor of political science at Seoul National University and one of the presenters at the academy. "SSE speaks to a number of core elements of the SDGs' transformative agenda, especially their focus on integrated approaches, solidarity, participation, inclusiveness, mixed economy and deep transformation in production and consumption patterns." Artemy Izmestiev from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Seoul Policy Centre said the UNDP's Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a case in point. The PAGE project operates worldwide, assisting developing countries through making green investments and launching green initiatives. Denison Jayasooria, a member of the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy Asia from Malaysia, offered a successful example. He explained how a village community in northern Borneo, ravaged by a dispute over land ownership, successfully managed economic development through eco-tourism and to nature conservation. Almost 150 social entrepreneurs, activists and scholars from Korea and other countries signed up for the week-long academy. On Wednesday, participants discussed a wide range of related topics with their colleagues and panels in small groups. The academy was organized by the Global Social Economy Forum Secretariat and the International Labour Organization. Under the leadership of Mayor Park Won-soon, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched the Global Social Economy Forum in 2014. The city's support for the social economy began with Mayor Park who was sworn in as mayor in 2011. Currently, the city government supports more than 3,500 social enterprises with aims to improve public health, welfare and urban housing. In a recent interview with The Korea Times, the mayor said he was a social entrepreneur himself and expressed his strong support for the SSE. He founded Beautiful Store, a secondhand shop, and imported coffee beans directly from farmers in Asia. "The social economy is a solution to inequality, which erupted during last year's candlelit protests. To be hopeful, we need a path that's good for the community and their survival, not for immediate returns for only a few people," Park said. President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook wave before boarding a plane for Washington at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. This is Moon's first overseas trip since taking office, May 10. He is scheduled to hold a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, Friday. / Yonhap 4-day tour begins with visit to memorial for Jangjin Lake Campaign By Jun Ji-hye President Moon Jae-in headed to the United States, Wednesday, for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The first-ever summit since the launch of the two countries' new governments will take place Friday and is expected to focus on reaffirming their alliance and promoting personal friendship between the heads of state. The two leaders are also expected to touch on thorny issues such as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats as well as the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Korea. Other challenging issues include the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) as concerns have been raised about possible renegotiations after Trump denounced the agreement as a "job-killing" deal and a "disaster." Experts are watching how far Moon and Trump can engage in increased mutual understanding on the tough issues facing the two nations. "We hope the two heads of state will develop empathy on the significance and value of the alliance, so they can enhance cooperation in foreign and security affairs as well as in the economic field," said Chung Eui-yong, head of the presidential National Security Office. Moon will begin his four-day tour with a visit to the new memorial for the Jangjin Lake Campaign in Quantico, Virginia, Thursday. Clockwise from top left are Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun; Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun; SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won; GM Korea CEO James Kim; Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business Chairman Park Sung-taek and LG Group Vice Chairman Koo Bon-joon. On the sidelines of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, the business leaders are scheduled to hold meetings with U.S. officials. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo Fifty-two business leaders are set to defend the free trade agreement (FTA) between Korea and the United States as the bilateral deal's days seem to be numbered under U.S. President Donald Trump. As Trump seems keen to kill the "horrible" agreement due to his nation's growing trade deficit with Seoul under the FTA, the Korean companies, beneficiaries of the trade deal, are stepping up efforts with massive investment plans to encourage the real estate mogul-turned-president to change his mind. On the sidelines of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and Trump, Thursday, the business leaders are scheduled to hold meetings with U.S. officials. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun, Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won are among those who will attend the event. "President Trump has publicly complained of the Korea-U.S. FTA since he took office in January," an official of the business industry said. "In addition, there are lingering volatile trade issues between the two nations, including massive tariffs, so we are placed in a situation where we need to propose something to help ease the U.S. government's trade pressure." Hours before President Moon arrives in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Samsung Electronics announced an agreement with the U.S state of South Carolina to build a new plant for home appliances in Newberry County. According to Samsung, it will invest $380 million to create 950 full-time jobs there. SK Group is expected to propose cooperation with U.S. partners in the energy sector in line with the Moon administration's focus on new renewable energy and LNG. SK Innovation relocated its exploration and production business from Seoul to Houston in January, while SK E&S, another SK affiliate, has produced shale gas in Oklahoma with a plan to import 2.2 million tons a year of U.S.-originated LNG from 2019 to 2039. By Choi Ha-young Song Young-moo The deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here needs National Assembly scrutiny, rather than ratification, Defense Minister nominee Song Young-moo said Wednesday. At a confirmation hearing, Song was equivocal about the installment of the anti-missile system needing parliamentary ratification. Asked whether the government should secure ratification, he said, "It is difficult to choose between yes or no. But I think the National Assembly should reveal (procedural suspicions) to the people through discussions, and questions and answers. This doesn't mean that ratification is a prerequisite." Song said the ongoing environmental study on the deployment should be completed quickly. He said he will visit the site of the THAAD battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, if he takes office. "After an inspection, I will figure out how to persuade the residents and propose deploying it as soon as possible to President Moon Jae-in," he said. President Moon has reiterated that the Assembly should look into the deployment first, while conservative opposition parties are against this because doing so will delay the deployment further. Ethical lapses He faced tough questions from opposition lawmakers over numerous alleged ethical lapses and illicit relations with the arms industry. Lawmakers of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) mainly targeted his high consulting fees received from a law firm and a defense company. After retiring from service as a chief of naval operations in March 2008, Song joined the law firm Yulchon in early 2009 and received 30 million won ($26,258) per month for 33 months. In addition, he worked as an adviser for LIG Nex1, a local defense company; and over two-and-a-half years he received around 240 million won. Investigators leave the office of Lee You-mi, a member of the People's Party at the center of a fabrication scandal, in southern Seoul, Wednesday, after conducting a search. Lee was detained for fabricating information used in a smear campaign against then Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Moon Jae-in during the election. / Yonhap By Kim Hyo-jin Ahn Cheol-soo, former presidential candidate of the People's Party, faced mounting pressure, Wednesday, to clarify his stance on fabricated material used in the presidential election campaign. Ahn Cheol-soo Ahn has kept silent since it was revealed Monday that information used for the party's smear campaign against then Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Moon Jae-in was fabricated by a party member, Ahn's former student and an election campaigner. The DPK took an all-out offensive against Ahn, raising suspicions that he and party leaders may have been aware of the fabrication. "Party officials who were in charge of the campaign all denied they knew of the matter. It is only fair that Ahn, the biggest beneficiary of the smear campaign, expresses his position to the public," Supreme Council member Rep. Kim Young-joo said. Some People's Party members echoed this view. They reflected a growing sense of crisis, blaming former and incumbent party leaders for shirking their responsibilities. Kim Tae-il, the party's reform committee chief, urged Ahn to apologize to the public, saying what happened undermined the value of democracy. "Fabricated evidence was used in the election. Those who used it should take responsibility," he said during a radio interview. Meanwhile, the party's interim leader Park Joo-sun sought to contain the controversy, maintaining it was produced by a single party member. "If the party was found to have intervened systemically, it should be dissolved for committing a political crime," he said. Analysts say that the 40-seat People's Party could be embroiled in a political realignment in the aftermath of the scandal. "Some lawmakers have already started questioning if they would survive the elections following the crushing defeat in the presidential election," Lee Jin-gon, a professor of political science at Kyung Hee University, said. "They could push for a merger with the DPK and their move could gain momentum." The People's Party, which broke away from the DPK, has been losing support in the liberal stronghold of the Jeolla region as the popularity of Moon and the ruling party has soared. Its support has remained in the single digits while the DPK's support has been put at over 50 percent. Moon's approval rating has been the highest in all the regions in recent public surveys. "The party's status as credible opposition has been incredibly damaged by the scandal," said Hwang Tae-soon, a senior political analyst. "Many lawmakers will seek an exit strategy ahead of the local elections next year." Even if the party manages to hold onto its members until the local elections next year, the chances of their winning are extremely low, he added. Most of the party leaders have been discussed as potential candidates for the top post of local governments in the Jeolla provinces and Seoul and metropolitan areas. Their defeats could accelerate the talk of a merger with the ruling party. The analysts also said under the situation the party would not be able to use its leverage as a casting vote as the third-largest party in dealing with legislative matters. "As the DPK will seek to absorb the People's Party while the People's Party leadership fights hard not to lose their members, tensions will grow high." Hwang said. "It could stop them from continuing to seek cooperative politics and puts the People's Party in an opposing position to the ruling party." Kang Young-sik, the secretary-general of humanitarian aid group Korean Sharing Movement (KSM) / Courtesy of KSM By Kim Hyo-jin Kang Young-sik, the secretary-general of humanitarian aid group Korean Sharing Movement (KSM), is seeking to create a sustainable environment for assistance to North Korea. "It has been miserable to see our aid projects abruptly stalled, back to square one, due to a political situation. I believe humanitarian assistance should continue regardless of political or military considerations," Kang said during an interview with The Korea Times, Monday. The launch of the new liberal Moon Jae-in government has spurred expectations about active inter-Korean exchanges. Moon vowed to back humanitarian aid and development projects by civilian groups despite high military tensions with the North. Now with the government's backing, the head of humanitarian aid is grappling with the question how to keep their future aid activities viable. "You think now Moon that is opening the door to the North, civilian exchanges and aid projects would cascade out right away? It's your wish." He said, for the past 10 years of the conservative governments' hostility to exchanges with North Korea, bridges between the two sides were completely cut off and many humanitarian groups vanished after losing sponsors, technicians, and staff. "It's not going to be a resumption, it will start from scratch. The so-called civilian ecosystem for humanitarian aid to the North has been totally destroyed. You will not be able to see large-scale, multi-actor aid projects like the old days," he said. Though his aid group survived the black-out decade, there are many projects he feels sorry for leaving behind in the middle of the development process. One example was a factory built in Pyongyang making medical fluid bags and medicines. "We finished establishing the factory but couldn't check if its operation was put on a track where it makes safe enough products. It's a real shame," he said. Kang thinks his priority is forming public consensus and institutionalizing a stable assistance system so as not to repeat the past mistakes. He plans to mount public campaigns, develop systemic aid models with experts, and win over legislators to introduce the law that guarantees sustainable assistance to the North regardless of a change of government. The KSM was the first NGO that received approval from the Moon government for contacting North Koreans for humanitarian aid. The group has mainly worked on agricultural and medical assistance and nutrition projects for North Korean children since 1996. Kang is prepared to launch a quarantine and cure project with the North in fighting malaria. He said the plan will benefit North and South Koreans as it is concerned with health of citizens living near the inter-Korean border. He believes aid projects should be promoted for mutual prosperity of the two Koreas. The veteran aid director is aimed at broadening the public view on assistance programs. "We can find ways of managing the inflow of fine dust from China by working with the North. We can make the Korean Peninsula infectious disease-free if we work together," he said. North Korea currently turned down the KSM's request to enter the country, putting the brakes on its aid project. Dismissing concerns that inter-Korean relations will hardly take a conciliatory turn; Kang projects that the ban will be lifted in the near future. "Civilian exchanges were taken hostage temporarily while Pyongyang is sounding out the Moon government's stance toward the North. Things will change soon," he said. By Lee Kyung-min The government's decision to have a special committee decide the fate of two Shin Kori reactors currently under construction in Busan is drawing criticism from scholars. The government said Tuesday that the committee will determine whether to permanently shut down the two units Shin Kori 5 and Shin Kori 6 after a three-month assessment. The move is part of President Moon Jae-in's push to reduce nuclear energy dependence, following the permanent shutdown of the Kori 1 in Busan, the oldest nuclear reactor in Korea. President Moon has pledged to close down all nuclear plants in the country over the next 40 years. Presiding over a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Moon said the government would suspend construction of the two nuclear reactors until a recommendation was put forward by the committee. The 10-member committee will decide whether to recommend permanently halting or resuming construction of the reactors. The construction of the two reactors is almost 28 percent complete. However, many scholars are protesting the Moon administration's push for the phased closures of nuclear reactors, as they claim Korea needs nuclear energy in order to maintain its low electricity costs. They said the government is trying to overthrow the project to build reactors which had been decided upon by due legal process and experts. The scholars said nuclear energy does not generate fine dust or greenhouse gases, a major health threat to people amid global warming. Seoul National University professor Joo Han-gyu said the government's blind push is perpetuating a distorted view about nuclear energy. "Forming a committee is only an empty attempt by the government to legitimize its agenda," he said. The leading professor in the field said his colleagues and experts may launch a collective action to protest a unilateral push that disregards reality. A group of 230 experts issued a statement June 1, urging the government to reconsider the plan to scrap the planned construction of nuclear reactors. The government has acknowledged that the cost of halting construction will be 2.6 trillion won ($2.3 billion), including money already spent (1.6 trillion won), compensation and the financial impact on the regional economy. However, it decided to push ahead with the move for safety reasons as an earthquake, or mismanagement could prove catastrophic. According to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, it is following the government's directive on the plan. Environmental civic groups and the local government welcomed the move. "We consider the suspension to have historical significance. We will keep pushing for the complete and full shutdown of all nuclear reactors," one resident in Busan said. The country has 24 nuclear reactors in operation, which generate about a third of the nation's electricity. By Emanuel Yi Pastreich At this point, I fear that such a breakthrough is impossible. The United States military does not take orders from the inexperienced and self-centered Trump, but gives them to him. The military is itself in the midst of enormous internal conflicts concerning what the United States will do in the coming months against Iran and Russia. The recent demands of Saudi Arabia, with encouragement from the United States, that Qatar essentially give up its political and economic independence and end its relations with Turkey and Iran, seems eerily like the demands made by Austria, with encouragement from Germany, that Serbia surrender its independence in 1914. Those events a century ago led to the First World War and we should not underestimate the current risks.President Moon Jae-in has a tremendous task ahead of him as he gears up to meet President Trump at one of the most dangerous moments in recent history. It would be great if the two could have an honest talk about their nations' interests, find common ground somewhere and move forward in an effort to reduce the tensions in the region. Koreans are focused on the THAAD issue and how Korea can somehow navigate its way between Chinese and American demands, but perhaps the greater issue will be how Korea can keep from being swept up in the most immediately dangerous conflict in the Middle East and show definitively that it will not support any military action against Iran. I fear this question may not even be on the list of those preparing for the summit. Above all, Moon must start a broad dialogue with a large swath of Americans about how Korea and the United States can work together in many fields, from education and public policy, to their responses to climate change and the establishment of international norms. This move may seem off topic, but it is much more likely to gain lasting support for Korea in the United States, as opposed to agreements with Trump that can be overturned by a Tweet. By Walt Gardner Faith in upward social mobility based on one's own efforts is getting a reality check in South Korea and in the United States. The results have far-reaching implications for education in both nations. A survey of 20,000 Korean households and 2,500 foreign residents in Seoul conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government found that only 32 percent of participants held an optimistic view of their future prospects. The attitude spanned the generations from teens to those in their 50s. Not surprisingly, overall life satisfaction ranked 6.97 on a scale of 10. A similar picture emerged in the U.S. when economists and sociologists from Stanford, Harvard and the University of California attempted to measure what is called the "American Dream." Barely half of 30-year-olds earned more than their parents did at about the same age. The results dramatically contrasted with the early 1970s, when the incomes of nearly all offspring outpaced that of their parents. The findings call into question the widely held view that higher education is a prerequisite for upward mobility. Although there are more people with a bachelor's degree in the U.S. than ever before, total higher education enrollment has declined from 20.6 million to 19 million between 2011 and 2016. Moreover student debt sits at an all-time high of $1.3 trillion. That's because the premium once attached to a degree over a high-school diploma is no longer growing as it did in the past. Census data show that the average annual earnings differential between high school and college graduates fell to $29,867 in 2015 from $32,900 in 2000. Rather than persist in the fiction that college is for everyone and that the possession of a college degree is assurance of a good paying job, South Korea and the U.S. need to look at other countries. Switzerland, for example, integrates career training and academic education throughout the elementary and secondary grades. Germany, which has the lowest rate of youth unemployment in Europe at just 7.7 percent, requires students to choose a track combining on-the-job training with further learning at a public vocational institution. It's little wonder that Germany has no problem finding skilled and motivated workers, a situation which is reflected in the positive attitudes among the overall population. When people see little connection between their own efforts and the quality of their lives, they lose hope for a better tomorrow. The widening income gap between those born into wealth and the rest of society understandably leads to resentment and cynicism. That's particularly the case in Korea, which has the worst income inequality among 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the International Monetary Fund, the top 10 percent of the population receives 45 percent of the total income. The gap has widened over the past two decades. The situation is not much brighter in the U.S., where the top 1 percent of earners take home 20 percent of total national income. Improving education, increasing labor bargaining power, and revamping the tax code can help alter the pervasive pessimism that permeates South Korea and the U.S. But efforts to do so will face pushback from vested interests that are satisfied with the status quo. Walt Gardner writes the Reality Check blog for Education Week in the U.S. Write to walt.gard376@gmail.com. Fact checking, sensitivity vetting conspicuously missing Not again. A speech by President Moon Jae-in made June 19, declaring the permanent shutdown of the Gori No.1 nuclear plant as part of efforts to go cold turkey on nuclear power, was challenged by Japan for what the neighboring country claims was a crucial mistake. According to Japan's Jiji Press News Agency, the Japanese government conveyed to the Korean Embassy in Tokyo extreme regret about Moon's speech not being built on the correct understanding of its major nuclear accident. In the speech, Moon said, "1,368 people died over the past five years from the 2011 accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant." He also said that it was out of the question to know the number of those who died from radiation and other related causes. Tokyo argued that the Fukushima accident took place simultaneously with a tsunami and earthquake so it doesn't keep the number of deaths from each separately. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy clarified that Moon's number came from a report in the Tokyo Shimbun. One newspaper article, to say the least, gives a flimsy point of reference. The clipping also revealed another discrepancy _ the number was an estimate of the deaths from accident-related causes rather than directly as was said in Moon's speech. Two weeks ago during the June 6 Memorial Day speech, Moon's speech caused another international uproar, when Vietnam raised an issue over what it saw as the glorification of Korean veterans who fought on the side of the Americans in the conflict in the 1960s and 1970s. The Vietnamese foreign ministry said that it irritated the Vietnamese people. The Korean foreign ministry had to clarify that it was not Moon's intention. Obviously, Tokyo wants the best for its people in the area devastated by one of the greatest combinations of natural and manmade disasters, considering they have not yet recovered after six years. Vietnam quickly accepted Seoul's clarification and has moved on. But the problem is how these colossal mistakes can have taken place in the first place. A presidential speech is an important tool for sending the nation's position both to domestic and foreign audiences. Considering the elevated national standing, Moon's speeches are put under scrutiny and taken as key telltale indicators about what Korea is up to. Naturally, each word and every sentence in Moon's speech should be thoroughly fact-checked and their impact on countries referred to in them should be carefully considered in advance. It is a matter of course to have multi-layered vetting by related presidential aides and ministries. These two errors show this elaborate network of cross-examination has somehow broken down twice in as many weeks. It is unacceptable. The presidential office didn't even issue a correction on either occasion. By Oh Young-jin If U.S. President Donald Trump is as narcissistic as reported, President Moon Jae-in's pre-summit media strategy might qualify as a success. If Trump has any sense of reality, it could backfire, meaning a loss of face for President Moon and a big dent to the national prestige. Moon had interviews with three foreign media outlets in as many days last week ahead of his June 29-30 summit. His core message boils down to "I love the Donald." That message wasn't lost on Korean newspapers, which reported the liberal head of state going out of his way to "synchronize with Trump's wavelength." During the interview with CBS TV, the first of the three, Moon said, "I have the same view as President Trump," when asked whether their North Korea policies are at odds with each other. A week earlier, Moon told the nation that he would have a dialogue with no strings attached with the North. In the interview, however, he claimed he has never mentioned dialogue with the North without preconditions. He also moderated his eagerness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un by adopting Trump's "under right conditions" caveat. He looked as if he customized his message depending who the audience was. Then, Moon also "disowned" his top adviser Moon Chung-in. Adviser Moon is the architect of the late President Roh Moo-hyun's policy of equidistance diplomacy that Moon vowed to inherit. The professor suggested the scaling-down ROK-U.S. joint exercises, the delay of the controversial U.S. missile interceptor deployment and replacing the current truce with peace regime. This triggered uproar in Washington. The presidential office called Moon's views personal but it was reported before Moon left Washington, he met Moon's top national security adviser Chung Ei-yong. With the Washington Post, Moon went a step further by declaring, "Trump and I have a common goal." Again Moon expressed his willingness to get adjusted to whatever conditions Trump sets about engaging the North. "The engagement that I am talking about is actually very similar to the engagement that President Trump is talking about," Moon said. Really? It is well known that Moon and Trump are poles apart in method _ the first for dialogue first and the second for sanctions first. The late former Apple CEO Steve Jobs holds up an iPhone at the MacWorld Conference in San Francisco in this Jan. 9, 2007, file photo. Since his death in 2011, Tim Cook has been leading the company. / AP-Yonhap Apple opened smart era,' but remains stuck with weak innovation By Lee Min-hyung Ten years ago today, Apple founder Steve Jobs took the world by storm with a new device that redefined the mobile communications industry. The iPhone, the first mobile phone offering internet features, paved the way for a new era of smartphones, which has since become a decade-long catch-phrase dominating global tech even today. Apple's achievement was noteworthy, as the company has not been hit hard by rivalry from latecomers. The company is not monopolizing the handset market, but not a single rival player has so far succeeded in beating it in terms of brand power and profit ratio. The strong brand identity backed by its security-featured iOS software made the company the world's largest listed firm by market capitalization. Last month, the iPhone maker set a record $800 billion (913.76 trillion won) market value, raising expectations to top $1 trillion this year. The following year after the iPhone hit the market, Google introduced its Android operating system (OS), starting up a rivalry with Apple. With the arrival of the open source platform, electronics companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Sony belatedly jumped on the smartphone bandwagon. Samsung has particularly grown huge enough to pose a threat to Apple by launching diverse lineups from low-end to high-end devices to meet the diverse needs of customers. But as of last year, Apple proved to remain strong as the first mover into the industry, with its iPhone 6S flagship model topping the list of 2016 smartphone shipments, according to market researcher IHS Markit, which analyzed data for more than 350 smartphone models. "Apple again has demonstrated that its new iPhones integrate enough innovations and new features to drive sales and remain successful in the market," the industry tracker said. "The company is also capable of selling older devices for an extended period of time. For instance, the year-old iPhone 6S and 6S Plus were both among the most-shipped models in 2016." For some years since the first iPhone made its debut, critics praised Apple for leading innovation with new models each year. The iPhone 4 is particularly cited as the best-ever innovation of all the iPhones, with Apple adding a series of eye-catching features into the device. They included the FaceTime video and audio calling service and its much-hyped Retina high-resolution display. The glass sandwich design was also a main driver for the monstrous success of the device. However, with the legendary CEO passing away in 2011, the company has started to face setbacks over criticism that its innovation stopped for new models the iPhone 5, 6 and the latest 7. Of course, Apple added a series of new features to new models, but many customers and critics said the new models came with "little innovation" compared to their predecessors, raising concerns that the company may yield the top spot to emerging vendors. In September 2014, Apple launched the iPhone 6 by completely revamping hardware designs from its years-long sandwich outfit. The new model came with a 4.7-inch screen size, with the iPhone 6 Plus equipped with a 5.5-inch display. But aside from the design shift and screen size, the device did not come with any outstanding futuristic or innovative functions. The year 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and Apple is expected to unveil a new model, tentatively named iPhone 8, no later than the end of this September. This comes at a time when its arch-rival Samsung Electronics is seeking to lead innovation in the Android smartphone industry. In March, the Seoul-based company launched its flagship Galaxy S8 series by equipping the device with artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistant Bixby and enhanced security features including iris scanning. Nothing has been confirmed over the specifications or launch dates for the new iPhone this year. The upcoming device is drawing keen attention on the market over whether the company can revive its innovative spirit again. Home plus employees promote Brabantia frying pans during a sale at a Seoul outlet of the discount store. / Courtesy of Home plus By Lee Hyo-sik Home plus has tried to outshine its rivals in terms of price competitiveness by directly importing fruits and other fresh goods, and offering them at reasonable prices. This time, the leading discount store chain has turned its eyes to imported frying pans and other household items to further enhance its competitive edge. The company said Wednesday that it signed a supply contract with a manufacturing firm that owns the license of Dutch brand Brabantia to import frying pans directly from it. Thanks to the direct dealing, Home plus said it can offer Brabantia frying pans at much lower prices than other local sellers, which buy the items from sales agents or brokers. The pans are priced between 39,000 won and 42,000 won at online shopping malls, according to Home plus officials. But the retailer set the price at 14,900 won. Those purchasing the pans until this Friday can get it for only 12,900 won, it said. "Brabantia is the 98-year-old brand popular with many European households for its simple but sleek design, and high-product quality," a Home plus official said. "Besides the frying pans, the brand offers ironing boards and other household items in more than 100 countries." The official said Home plus was able to lower the import price by purchasing the pans in large quantities in advance. "We offered to buy more than 10,000 pans, which significantly lowered the purchase price per unit. Buying large quantities also reduces logistics and storage costs. We also eliminated middlemen by directly dealing with the manufacturer. This enables us to offer the lowest price to our customers," he said. The discount store also plans to bring a wide range of items made by other European brands. "In particular, we are interested in finding products that have never been introduced to local consumers," the official said. "Our purchase managers travel around the world to discover household items that could appeal to Korean consumers. We will continue to provide rare but high-quality consumer products at value prices." Police finalise security arrangements on Tuesday. Two-tonne barricades will ring area in Wan Chai, while police are monitoring political radicals By Clifford Lo For security reasons, President Xi Jinping and his wife could break with the tradition of leaders staying in a top hotel and opt for the Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai during their three-day visit to the city, the Post has learnt. His delegation will be in the adjacent, more exclusive, Grand Hyatt and both hotels will be closed to other guests. The key factor favouring the Renaissance is that the site allows the president to get into a bulletproof limousine under cover of a roof. Xi is visiting Hong Kong to mark the 20th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty and to oversee the swearing-in of a new chief executive. The Post could not confirm whether the presidential suite at the Renaissance has bulletproof windows. Xi's predecessor, Hu Jintao, and state leader Zhang Dejiang stayed at the Grand Hyatt, which is equipped with bulletproof windows, when Hu visited in 2007 and 2012 and Zhang came in May last year. Security sources said police were still carrying out risk assessments and the accommodation arrangements for Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan could be changed before their arrival on Thursday. Building work on the Wan Chai waterfront has been suspended meanwhile and police are monitoring political activists ahead of Xi's arrival, according to the sources. And to prevent vehicle attacks, about 300 barricades, weighing two tonnes each, will ring the two hotels and the Convention and Exhibition Centre. "For security reasons, no other guests will be allowed to check in to the two hotels during the president's visit," one security source said. This means more than 1,300 rooms will be closed to people outside Xi's entourage for three nights. The Renaissance's 861 rooms and the Grand Hyatt's 545 rooms are fully booked until July 2. The presidential suite at the Renaissance costs HK$28,000 compared with HK$88,000 at the Grand Hyatt. Cheng Yiu-mo, assistant commissioner of police (operations), said the security zone in Wan Chai was bigger than during previous operations and necessary in view of recent terror attacks overseas. He said a restricted flying zone above Wan Chai and Victoria Harbour would also be in place between 9am on Thursday and 6pm on Saturday with the deployment of Government Flying Service helicopters. More than 10 marine police boats are expected to conduct 24-hour patrols around Victoria Harbour. Intelligence officers are understood to be monitoring radical protesters. "It is necessary because police will have to guard against any eventuality," another source said. About 11,000 of the city's 29,000 police officers will be involved in the security arrangements. A source said police had determined the risk level for the president's visit as "high" the same level as a recent visit of the Pakistani prime minister but the city's overall terrorism threat level remained "moderate". On July 1, Xi will oversee the swearing-in of the Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor at the convention centre. So far police have received nine applications for protests in Wan Chai north. Cheng stressed that police would not tolerate any violence or public disorder and any threat to the personal safety of the president and officers would be met with resolute measures. Ground crew inspect the engine of China Southern Airlines Flight 380 at Shanghai airport. By Sarah Zheng A flight from Shanghai to Guangzhou was delayed after an elderly woman passenger was suspected of throwing coins into the plane's engine to ensure "good luck", mainland media reported. China Southern Airlines Flight 380 was held up at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport after an elderly woman passenger caused a disruption, according to the airlines official WeChat account. An investigation into the incident is under way. Passengers boarding the flight reportedly saw an elderly woman throwing coins at the engine for "blessings" from the middle of the boarding staircase and alerted the crew. Ground staff said the woman, who appeared to be about 80 and had limited mobility, was accompanied by her husband, daughter and son-in-law. After maintenance crew inspected the aircraft, they found nine coins in one engine. The captain was quoted as saying the metal, if sucked up by the engine, could have caused serious damage, including failure. The flight was later given a green light and took off at 5.52pm, more than five hours late. It is scheduled to arrive in Guangzhou at 8.14pm. China Southern Airlines told reporters that passengers were reminded to comply with civil aviation laws and regulations, which prohibit behaviour that could jeopardise the safety of the flight. Mainland air travellers have been responsible for several safety incidents in recent years, including opening emergency doors and assaulting cabin crew. Beijing has responded by creating a tourist black list, with offenders banned from travel. At the June 21 Airport Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC) meeting the first since the La Jolla Town Council formed a task force to find solutions to the increase in aircraft noise over the area representative Matthew Price said the latest data presented reveals this negative impact is a systemic problem, not just because of early right turns. Early right turns by pilots, especially those occurring after 10:30 p.m. have been cited as some of the most complained-about noise situations because these late night flights are at a low altitude over La Jolla. At the meeting, Airport Authority noise mitigation specialist Caroline Becker reported that 53 percent of the complaints received were from the La Jolla area, coming from 55 different households. Point Loma resident Martha Gonzalez said, La Jolla is complaining the most because theyve got the noise effects now; people in Point Loma, were exhausted. We see the planes fly very low, we dont get any feedback (from airport officials) and we havent seen much action. I dont know how to encourage them to fix this. The data from the months of April and May reflects a 32 percent decrease in the amount of complaints filed. However, Gillian Ackland of Bird Rock pointed out, Ive stopped making complaints, which is part of the 32 percent decrease. Its not a decrease in noise, people are still trying to figure out what to do and how to get through, referring to the new computer-based system to log complaints, Flight Tracker, which replaced Webtrack in April. For Lower Hermosa resident Tony Stiegler, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) failed to conduct an appropriate analysis of the impacts the implementation of its operation system NextGen on peoples lives. We need to petition the FAA to roll back this NextGen, and take these flights back offshore. Ackland agreed. Id like you to look at new procedures, she said, and see why are we not using the ocean (taking flights further west). Its been used in San Francisco and it can certainly be used here. Airnoise App Airport Planning & Noise Mitigation program manager Sjohnna Knack spoke of the app created by ANAC subcommittee member Chris McCann, a resident of La Jolla. Some of the data coming in from that app is not too useful to us, she said. In a post-meeting e-mail to La Jolla Light, Knack said 30 percent of the complaints coming from the Airnoise app are blank and dont identify an airplane because the app lacks a fill-in field for reason for the complaint. As previously reported by the Light, the Airnoise app uses the same system as Flight Tracker to identify the airplane thats generating discomfort for the user, and sends detailed information to the Airport Authority. On that topic, Knack said, The complaints received from this app are inconsistent in providing accurate and relevant detail. La Jollan Beatriz Pardo, a user of the Airnoise button said, I know that there are some glitches, however, those can be worked out and it would benefit ANAC if you worked together (with McCann) so people could let you know whats happening. Although Airport staff repeatedly praised the new Flight Tracker system and the time they had freed to analyze data (rather than having to manually input complaints), members of the public and ANAC board members admitted to not being able to use Flight Tracker. As someone who grew up with computers, I havent been able to get my settings set up in Flight Tracker. How can an octogenarian from La Jolla do this? Price asked. Knack added that many noise complaints, some of which came from the Airnoise app, belonged to other airports. We do reach out to Montgomery Field, we have a good point of contact we (even) had a worry that military trainees were flying low over La Jolla. But, for Pardo, thats a secondary concern. Except for some empty spots (in my report), all the aircraft I cited came from San Diego Airport, she said. Airport Noise Advisory Committee subcomittee next meets Wednesday, July 19 at San Diego Airport Authority offices in Liberty Station. bit.ly/anacmeetings Three talented teens from the Lake Geneva House of Music are vying for a chance at playing at the Big Gig, Summerfest 2017. Andrew AJ Hake and Rafael Raf Baglio, both 2017 Badger High School graduates, and Rhea Garbis, a senior at Richmond Burton High School, Richmond, Illinois, are Turtle Wax. Well, for now, anyway. The power trio rock band hasnt really settled on a permanent name. But Hake and Baglio agreed in a recent interview that Turtle Wax was a much better name than Love Jacks. AJ plays guitar. Rafael is on drums. Rhea does vocals, and, she said, because AJ is so good on lead guitar, she plays bass. Love Jacks was suggested by Chris Buttleman, music professional, founder of House of Music, and mentor of Turtle Wax. Proud of trio Buttleman said hes proud of the three talented youngsters, even if they cant settle on a name. And, he added, he was sorry they didnt like the name Love Jacks. The trio won the battle of the bands at ChocolateFest, Burlington, performing as the, ahem, Love Jacks. They had recently performed at the House of Blues Chicago as Rhea and the Karate Kidz. The music-centered Chicago restaurant-night club sponsors a regular program featuring young talent called Bringin Down the House. Buttleman said AJ and Rafael, who are good friends, came to the House of Music four years ago hardly knowing how to play their instruments, and grew as musicians. Ive enjoyed watching their growth, Buttleman said of AJ and Raf. Its been an excellent experience working with those two. Rhea has been with House of Music for about a year. Buttleman called her an exceptional talent. He said there is no doubt that she will be a career artist. Rhea, who has a solo act, said she was looking for a band to back her up when she performed at the House of Blues Chicago. She kept asking us to be in a band, said AJ. Persistence must have paid off, because AJ and Rafael agreed. The three young performers said House of Blues was an exciting venue to play. But the band name they used that night just didnt feel right. And Love Jacks? Forget that. Why Turtle Wax? But naming a band after an automotive polish is not usual. How did that happen? Were really slow started Rafael, only to have the other band members exclaim that that was not where the name came from. Instead, said AJ, he noticed a bottle of polish that Buttleman uses to shine guitars. The label said Turtle Wax. AJ suggested it as a band name, and everyone else seemed to agree that it was OK, he said. Turtle Wax (for now) is one of 12 bands that will perform at the Summerfest grounds on June 28 and 29, vying for a number one or two spot that will get them on the Briggs & Stratton Stage at Summerfest on July 9. Buttleman said the group found the contest on their own and used House of Music as the setting for their auditioning music video. The group will perform starting 2 p.m. June 29 at the Johnson Controls Stage. Its really cool, were really excited, said Rhea, who acts as spokeswoman and excitement coordinator for the band. I love to perform. Its one of my best things ever, said Rhea. Ive always wanted to try music and play in a band, added Rafael. Rockonsin event Turtle Wax and the 11 other competing bands were selected from 55 Rockconsin entrants representing 83 state high schools. Rockonsin is a statewide garage band competition for musicians in seventh through 12th grades. Dennis Graham Associates, a professional music development company, produced the garage-band-styled program specifically to bring young talent to Summerfest. Rhea said the bands sent in auditioning CDs this past spring, which were judged by music professionals. The 12 finalists were recently notified of their selection. The band is looking beyond its Summerfest appearance. While they play a variety of covers, they are also working on their original music and have two songs written so far. One of the songs in progress is called Love Jacks. In an iPhone recording of one of the original pieces, Rheas voice has a Grace Slick-like quality. Rhea said she wrote the song in about 20 minutes. We put it together as a band when we first played it, AJ said. According to the Rockconsin website, rockonsin.org, all musical genres are accepted: country, rock, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, metal, Americana, bluegrass, folk, and other. Bands can play covers or originals or a mix of the two. The winning band and runner-up will also get a free professional recording session at Madisons Blast House Studios, 12 hours for the winning band and eight hours for the runner-up. Each of the 12 performing bands will receive two Shure microphones, one vocal and one instrumental. One band (must be punk, rock or metal) will be chosen by the state finals judges at Summerfest to represent Rockonsin at the 2017 Vans Warped Tour Milwaukee stop on July 24 on the Summerfest grounds. According to a list of the competitors, Turtle Wax is scheduled to perform its 15-minute set at 2:10 p.m. June 29 at Johnson Controls World Sound Stage. The band is set to perform four covers, Chris Isaaks Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing; Jefferson Airplanes (Dont You Want) Somebody to Love; The Runaways Cherry Bomb; and Fats Dominos Aint That a Shame (although it will probably sound more like Cheap Tricks version.) As for Turtle Wax, whether the band members realize it or not, it does have a Walworth County connection. The founder of the car polish company made frequent visits to Wisconsin from his Chicago home. He named his product after Turtle Creek, which runs through western Walworth and eastern Rock counties. Donna Dahl, 84, Los Angeles, passed away peacefully at her home June 6, 2017, surrounded by close family and friends. She served as executive secretary and assistant to hotelman Barron Hilton for more than 50 years and lived a full and joyful life that reflected the optimism and dynamic success of Hilton Hotels Corporation over the last half century. Remarkably, she continued to work in Hiltons office until recent weeks. The daughter of Lucille and Gilbert Criner and the sister of Terry Criner, Dahl grew up in the Williams Bay neighborhood. She attended Lake Geneva High School where she was a popular cheerleader, a member of the debate club and earned several awards in forensic speech. She graduated and after secretarial school, went to work for lawyer Sturges Taggert of Taggert & McCullow. I mastered the complexities of trusts and contracts of every kind, and even learned how to depreciate a cow, she said proudly in 2016. It served as the perfect foundation for my long career as a legal secretary. In 1958, Dahl went to work for attorney Gregory R. Dillon of Friedman & Koven, a prominent Chicago law firm that served as Hilton Hotels Corporations general counsel. In 1963, she joined Dillon in working directly for the companys founder, Conrad Hilton. Two years later, both Dillon and Dahl transferred to Beverly Hills, California, to work for Conrads son, Barron, who would succeed his father in 1966. For the next 30 years, Dahl worked closely with Barron Hilton during his dramatic expansion of the company as chairman, president and chief executive officer. She also assisted him with his charity work and outside business interests. In recognition of her tremendous contributions to the company, she was promoted to executive assistant in 1983. Even though Hilton retired as CEO in 1996, Dahl remained the senior member of his personal staff for 20 additional years. Dahl is survived by her beloved cousins in Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Texas, and legions of friends she made during her lifetime of service to Hilton Hotels. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills on July 29 at 10 a.m. Donations will be graciously accepted in Donnas honor at two of her favorite charities, the City of Hope in Duarte, California, (https://www.cityofhope.org/giving/donate), or the Marilyn Hilton MS Achievement Center at UCLA. Contact Kate McIntosh of the National MS Society at (310) 481-1124. The importance of the frontier in American history was celebrated by the famous American historian Frederick Jackson Turner (from Portage, Wisconsin) in a path-breaking paper that he read at the Worlds Columbian Exposition during the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago. In his paper, Turner recounted the westward march across the United States, especially during the 19th-century. He pointed out how the second, third and fourth-born sons of families who lived in eastern New England had no choice but to migrate westward to the edge of the newly-opened frontier because the first-born sons of families inherited the family farms and family stores in keeping with the common law of primo genitor. Thus, young people were compelled to migrate from eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire to the newly-opened frontier west of the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts. In the next generation young males who were not first-born sons had to migrate from western Massachusetts to the new edge of the frontier in the central part of upstate New York (the eastern portion of upstate New York had long been settled by Dutch immigrants). By the beginning of the 1830s, the succeeding generation of young males had no choice but to migrate to the new edge of the frontier. Of course the constantly moving frontier came as the result of the U.S. government extinguishing Native American Indians claims to the land that they occupied. Such was the case in southern Wisconsin especially in the area surrounding Geneva Lake. The Potawatomi Indians who lived there were dispossessed of their land, expelled, and forced across the Mississippi and further west all the way to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and eventually to northeastern Kansas. This move was particularly ironic because Big Foot, the chief of the Potawatomi on the shores of Geneva Lake, had refused to support Chief Black Hawk in his fight against U.S. troops. As a reward for his loyalty, Big Foot and the Potawatomi were exiled from the magnificent lake that had been their home and sent to northeastern Kansas. The U.S. government wasted no time in putting the former Potawatomi lands up for sale, and it was quickly purchased for a relatively cheap price by settlers from New England and upstate New York. This was the generation of young migrants who settled southern Wisconsin, including the area that became Bloomfield, Linn, Lyons (originally called Hudson) and Geneva townships. A glance at todays map of central upstate New York reveals much about the connection between the region adjacent to Lake Geneva and central upstate New York. Among the names of the towns and cities in central upstate New York are Geneva, Delavan, Darien, Caledonia, Bloomfield, Walworth, Palmyra, Lafayette, Genesee, Greenwood and Rochester, among others. Sound familiar? The impact that primo genitor and the constantly westward moving frontier had upon the founding and early history of Lake Geneva can be illustrated by the westward migration ultimately to Geneva/Lake Geneva of my own ancestors, the Dinsmores. John Dinsmore came from England to the American colonies in the 1600s where he founded Londonderry, New Hampshire. He is buried in the Congregational Church cemetery there. His descendants were compelled to migrate from New Hampshire to Bedford, Massachusetts, near Concord where the shot heard round the world was fired at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The leader of the next Dinsmore generation, Abel Dinsmore, was compelled to migrate from Bedford, Massachusetts, westward across the Connecticut River to Conway, Massachusetts, in the Berkshire mountains. Abel Dinsmore was the captain of a Massachusetts regiment that fought in the famous Battle of Saratoga in upstate New York during the Revolutionary War against Gentleman Johnny Burgoynes British troops. Abel is buried in Conway, Massachusetts. His son, William Dinsmore, was compelled to migrate from Conway, Massachusetts westward across the Hudson River to Seneca Castle, New York, near Geneva, New York. And during the 1840s, Williams son Melzer Dinsmore and his wife Huldah were compelled to migrate from Seneca Castle, New York to the new edge of the frontier in Geneva Township. Melzer and Huldah are buried in the Dunbar Cemetery in Geneva Township. Melzer and Huldahs daughter, Polly Dinsmore Quinn (my great grandmother), their grandson Bernard F. Quinn, Sr. (my grandfather), and their great grandson Bernard F. Quinn, Jr. (my father) are all buried in the St. Francis de Sales cemetery. The migration of succeeding generations of the Dinsmore family westward to the edge of the rapidly moving frontier in the United States during the early 19th century is a prime example of the thesis historian Frederick Jackson Turner presented in his landmark paper, The Significance of the Frontier in American History, which he read at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. And the experience of succeeding generations of the Dinsmore family who migrated west to the constantly moving edge of the western frontier in the United States was replicated by hundreds of thousands of Americans as the United States was settled during the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, one can see hundreds of gravestones in the Pioneer, Oak Hill, St. Francis de Sales and Dunbar cemeteries of early settlers of Geneva/Lake Geneva who migrated westward from their homes in New England and central New York state to what was then the edge of the frontier. Honoring Cesar Chavez Op Ed by Ruben Martinez, Ph.D. Cesar Chavez died near his hometown of Yuma, AZ on April 22, 1993 at the age of 66. Chavez was in San Luis, AZ to assist UFW attorneys defend the union against a lawsuit brought by Bruce Church Inc. (BCI), a giant California-based lettuce and vegetable producer. Eastern Michigan University's 12th annual Cesar Chavez celebration YPSILANTI: Eastern Michigan University is the most diverse university in Michigan, which it holds as a defining and singular strength. As part of that, EMU is proud to host various events throughout the year that celebrate all races, cultures and ethnicities. Por: Isabel Flores, corresponsal La Prensa DETROIT, MI: La Comision Nacional de Libros de Textos Gratuitos (Conaliteg) cuenta en su portal de internet con el acervo digital de todos los libros de texto gratuitos para el ciclo escolar 2019 - 2020. El catalogo puede consultarse en la direccion: http:/libros.conaliteg.gob.mx De esta manera, los ninos podran mantenerse entretenidos con informacion en su propio idioma y estar al dia con sus materias, mientras se encuentran en casa por la contingencia. Census 2020: Todos Debemos ser Contados Michael Bond, the creator of the sweet-tempered, marmalade-loving childrens book character Paddington Bear, has died at age 91. Fans of the beloved childrens book character who appeared in the series that began with A Bear Called Paddington in 1958 and continued through Paddingtons Finest Hour, which will be released in the U.S. in October, turned out on Twitter to pay tribute. Today is a very sad day. Michael Bond CBE will be missed by many. pic.twitter.com/ZoCb5sU2V9 Paddington (@paddingtonbear) June 28, 2017 Advertisement The Paddington stories were adapted into a British television series in the late 1970s, as well as a 2014 film. A sequel to that movie, Paddington 2, is scheduled for a theatrical release in November. "In London everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in" -Paddington Bear. RIP Michael Bond, and thank you pic.twitter.com/t87pnX4Z2h Leah Kreitzman (@lkreitzman) June 28, 2017 We are so sad to read about the passing of Michael Bond, creator of our friend Paddington Bear. RIP Michael. #pleaselookafterthisbear pic.twitter.com/OA3JuO8SKb GWR Help (@GWRHelp) June 28, 2017 The Paddington books have sold more than 35 million copies worldwide. The writers residency of your Southern California dreams. Unsung bookish heroes of the Great Depression. And a historical excuse to get tipsy at book club. Heres whats happening in literary links this week. Finish your book at the Annenberg Community Beach House Ah, summer in Los Angeles. The season for dining al fresco, concerts at the Greek, movies at Hollywood Forever and hunting with a wild-eyed desperation for any pool in which you might find a moment of cooled-down peace. Mere mortals can always trod to the ocean, but for those plebeians among us who like to dabble in more refined tastes, theres the pool at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica. (The audacity of building a pool steps from the shoreline. Who can resist?) Its reason enough to apply for a writers residency at the Annenberg Community Beach House, a nine-week stint in a private office thats open to fiction writers, screenwriters, playwrights and poets based in L.A. County. Just imagine: the writing coming sweet and easy, pages ruffled by a salty breeze, plunging into a cold pool (or a crisp wave) whenever youre in need of a little extra inspiration. Start casting around now for recommendations: proposals are due July 18. Librarians on horseback Its officially my new favorite (old) thing: a little known program implemented by the New Deal called the Pack Horse Library, which sent librarians to distribute books in remote Appalachia. Librarians on horseback were the bookmobiles of their time: in 1936, the initiative served 50,000 families. Libraries were housed any in facility that would step up, from churches to post offices, writes Eliza McGraw at the Smithsonian. Librarians manned these outposts, giving books to carriers, who then climbed aboard their mules or horses, panniers loaded with books, and headed into the hills. They took their job as seriously as mail carriers and crossed streams in wintry conditions, feet frozen in the stirrups. Dont miss the incredible photo gallery of packhorse librarians at the start of the piece. Wonder women, all. Book clubs have always been about booze If you needed a little liquid courage to confess to your book club that you quit on Purity after Page 333, it turns out youre part of a fine and long-standing tradition. Take this tidbit to your next meeting (along with a bottle of rose): book clubs, which originated in 18th century England, have always been social spaces, and as such, have always included drinking. This Atlas Obscura article by Sarah Laskow covers a fair amount of historical, boozy book club ground, but the highlight is an excerpt from a 1788 poem called The Country-Book Club by Charles Shillito (Shillito took a dim view of the country doctor, squire, and vicar who gathered to drink and gossip at a meeting that leaves no vacant time to think, or read ) and the rules laid out by an early book club, which encouraged a broad hint of conviviality but imposed fines for being drunk so that a member be offensive to the company or for skipping a month. Thursday night readings There are two great picks for Thursday night literary events this week. Going head to head: The Last Bookstore with Rosecrans Baldwin, Amelia Gray and Catherine Lacey versus PEN Center USAs presentation, with the Paris Review, of Sarah Manguso, Ottessa Moshfegh, John Jeremiah Sullivan and Lorin Stein. The first event is free; tickets for the second reading, which is held at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, start at $25. agatha.french@latimes.com @agathafrenchy U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) will join Fox News as a contributor after he steps down from Congress, the cable news network announced Wednesday. Chaffetz, who has represented Utahs 3rd Congressional District since 2008, has said he will leave office June 30. Starting July 1, he will be paid by Fox News to provide political commentary across all Fox News programs. During his time as congressman, Chaffetz served as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and was a member of the House Judiciary Committee. He also served on the Homeland Security Committee. Advertisement Chaffetz, 50, had an integral role in many government investigations, including the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal, the Benghazi terror attack, the IRS targeting of conservative nonprofit groups all of which were high-interest stories for Fox News right-leaning audience. Before he was elected to Congress, Chaffetz was campaign manager and chief of staff for former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. He also worked as a corporate communications specialist with his own Utah-based firm. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio President Trump was standing on the banks of the Ohio River, and as barges loaded with West Virginia coal floated by, he noted that half the United States steel is produced within 250 miles and told the crowd that soon the steel folks are going to be very happy. Within that same distance lies the bulk of the U.S. auto industry, which the president also has promised to protect. But carmakers are dreading what Trump apparently was alluding to: plans to impose significant punitive tariffs or quotas on steel imports. Trump has promised to crack down on unfair foreign traders and restore the fortunes of American manufacturing. Few industries are as important as steelmaking, and Trump sees steel as an emblem of industrial power as well as being vital to the countrys national security. Advertisement But the president faces a conundrum: Making good on his Cincinnati pledge earlier this month may help domestic mills by restricting foreign steel and boosting U.S. steel prices. But that same action almost certainly will mean higher costs for American makers of cars, appliances, machinery and construction materials, and for many other manufacturers that cut, bend and otherwise fabricate steel. That could lead to higher prices for consumers and job losses. Im sympathetic to American steel mills, but if they protect domestic steel, theyre going to be hurting steel fabricators, which employ a hundred times more people, said Drew Greenblatt, chief executive of Baltimore-based Marlin Steel Wire Products, which buys only U.S.-made steel. Greenblatt has been paying more for the metal since Trumps election, as prices have risen partly in anticipation of coming measures. Others, such as Fontana-based California Steel Industries and the Port of Los Angeles, have voiced opposition to blanket restrictions on steel imports, saying the kinds of slab steel that are important for their businesses and employment are not readily available from domestic producers. Nor do analysts think tariffs will address the key problem excess steel output in China that has caused a global glut and downward pressure on prices. The Sparrows Point steel mill on the Patapsco River near Baltimore is shown on Aug. 18, 2006. (Robert Meyers / Associated Press) None of that may matter to Trump and his trade officials. Two months ago, the president ordered a study of foreign steel shipments, and its findings and recommendations could be issued as early as this week, giving him the green light to put his America first policy into action and remake a global trading system he thinks has undercut the U.S. Itll be the first big one, said William Reinsch, a veteran trade specialist in Washington, D.C., noting that till now, Trumps tough talk on trade has been just that, mostly talk. If Trump follows through as expected, history suggests U.S. steel prices will go higher, domestic steel producers will be happier and some workers laid off from mills will be called back at least for a while. U.S. steel manufacturing has gone through waves of restructuring and is more productive today, but the industry shed 14,000 steel jobs in the prior two years, thanks to excess global production and unfair trade, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, a trade group for 18 producer companies. The industry now employs about 140,000, the group said. Tariffs on steel imports are nothing new, but this time, they could carry even greater political and economic risk. Trump aims to slap tariffs on steel imports, which he claims constitute a threat to U.S. national security, using a rarely invoked power granted the president under a 1962 trade law. Steel imports accounted for about 25% of the metal used in the U.S. last year, down slightly from the prior two years. Analysts note that U.S. steel mills currently churn out more than whats needed for the Defense Department and its programs for fighter aircraft, submarines, tanks and other military equipment. But the Trump White House has suggested that it will be defining national security much more broadly and that ensuring the ability to make ample supplies of domestic steel is critical to safeguarding the nations economic security. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said that the country has just one domestic maker of transformers, an essential part needed for the nations electrical grid. That constitutes a legitimate national security issue, he told a recent Wall Street Journal conference. Gary Hufbauer, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, called the national-security provision, Section 232, the nuclear option as it would basically allow Trump to circumvent legal challenges under domestic trade rules. Foreign parties could bring a complaint to the World Trade Organization, but the global adjudicating body may be reluctant to intervene, given the long acceptance of a national security exception in international trade, however seldom it has been used. Analysts worry what might happen next. Should Trump clamp down on steel imports, other countries could strike back by taking similar action on American goods. They, too, could justify such measures in the name of national security. All of that could spark a trade war and destabilize the international trading order. I think Europe will for sure retaliate, Hufbauer said. Steel workers take a sample from one of two basic oxygen furnaces at Bethlehem Steels Sparrows Point facility near Baltimore, Maryland, on March 11, 2002. (Tom Mihalek / AFP/Getty Images) In March 2002, President George W. Bush levied tariffs of up to 30% on various types of imported steel. Like Trump, Bush had promised on the campaign trail to come to the aid of U.S. steel producers and workers who had been ailing amid rising imports and depressed prices. Bush took the action, which was supposed to last for three years, on the more common basis that a surge of imports had caused injury to the domestic industry. U.S. steel prices rose immediately, jumping nearly 70% by mid-summer, according to data from S&P Global Platts. But Bush lifted the tariffs 16 months before they were scheduled to expire, shortly after the WTO ruled the action illegal and Europe threatened to retaliate with tariffs of its own on citrus from Florida, motorcycles made in Wisconsin and other U.S. goods. Bush claimed that the protective measures were a success in allowing the domestic industry to get back on its feet, but by some estimates, the steel tariffs cost some 200,000 domestic jobs in 2002, about one-fourth of them in metal-making, machinery and transportation equipment and parts sectors. Today American farmers, among others, worry that any new steel tariffs will spill over to them. U.S. Wheat Associates, in written comments to the Commerce Department, said it was extremely concerned and urged the Trump administration to consider the fallout if other countries follow suit and impose restrictions on U.S. wheat or other products as a result of their own national security concerns, whether real or imagined. U.S. wheat growers, like producers of corn, soybeans and other farm goods, are heavily dependent on exports and are considered particularly vulnerable in a trade war. Disruption of critical food supplies would have ripple effects globally, Wheat Associates said, suggesting that in protecting steel, the Trump administration could threaten the flow of food shipments that may be as integral to national security as steel production. Another tough question facing Trump is how broadly would any such steel tariffs apply. Which countries would feel the sting of its measures? Most of the steel imports come from countries that have long been among Americas closest allies, including Canada, South Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Britain and Australia. In his 2002 steel tariffs, Bush excluded Canada and Mexico, and analysts expect the same from Trump, especially as the U.S. is gearing up to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. already has in place some tariffs on various steel from China and some other countries, for selling products below cost or with the unfair benefit of government subsidies. As a result, steel from China accounted for just 3% of total U.S. steel imports last year, although that does not tell the whole story. Steel shipments to the U.S. from Turkey, for example, have doubled since 2013, and the American steel industry says Turkey has been buying cheap Chinese steel billets, turning them into products and then loading them onto boats to America. Smoke and steam spew from the sprawling complex that is a part of the Jiujiang steel and rolling mills in Qianan in northern Chinas Hebei province on Dec. 30, 2016. (Ng Han Guan / Associated Press) Its one thing to impose tariffs on China and even Turkey, a NATO partner, but quite another if Trump decides to apply tariffs or quotas broadly, on friends and allies alike, said Reinsch, the trade expert at the Washington, D.C.-based Stimson Center think tank. Were doing this at the same time were trying to get Korea to make operational the U.S. anti-missile system, he said. Were going to push them on steel at the same time were trying to get Japan to negotiate a free-trade agreement, and EU the same thing. There will be consequences, he said. Greenblatt, the CEO of Marlin Steel Wire, said its hard enough already competing with European rivals. If Trump imposes tariffs, he reckons he will be paying even more for American steel, while Germany and others may continue to buy China-made steel at a cheaper price, making it even tougher to win business in the global market. My heart bleeds for the steel mill guys, he said. But the steel fabricators are going to get their heads handed to them if everybody else buys from China. don.lee@latimes.com Follow me at @dleelatimes ALSO In massive shake-up, Gov. Jerry Brown breaks up Californias scandal-plagued tax collection agency Senate GOP leaders abruptly delay vote on healthcare bill until after July 4th recess Trump succeeds where Obama failed spawning a new wave of liberal activism When Bekah Brunstetter needs to think through an issue, she starts writing. Sometimes she keeps at it until shes come up with a play, such as her new comic drama The Cake. But whats most important is the impulse to head to a keyboard, which has proved invaluable to a career that just keeps outracing itself. In addition to a stack of theater projects, she wrote for two of this seasons hottest television shows, NBCs This Is Us and Starzs American Gods. I need to relax more, the 35-year-old newlywed admits. I will just work all the time. Advertisement The discipline is good, but there is totally a dark side of it. That doesnt mean shell change anytime soon. Shes back at work for a second season as a writer-producer for This Is Us while also rehearsing the The Cake with the Echo Theater Company. Even before the plays first production opens this week in L.A., it is scheduled at four more theaters, including La Jolla Playhouse in February and Houstons Alley Theatre next summer. The Cake has caught attention so quickly in part because of its topicality its the tale of a sweet-natured Christian baker surprised by a cake order for a lesbian wedding and because Brunstetter has become known over the last decade for insightful, relatable, funny writing. Bekah Brunstetter discusses her new comic drama The Cake, which will open its first production in L.A. SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter Her plays include Going to a Place Where You Already Are, well received in its premiere at South Coast Repertory last spring, and Be a Good Little Widow, which has had coast-to-coast stagings, including at San Diegos Old Globe and North Hollywoods NoHo Arts Center. With so much pouring forth from her laptop, it seems only appropriate that she should be seated in front of it closed, for the moment, on her dining table/writing desk as she settles in for a chat one weekend afternoon at home in Los Feliz. The Cake emerged from the division she sometimes feels between her adult life as a writer first in New York, then Los Angeles and her youth in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she was raised in the Southern Baptist church. I feel like I should show you this picture, she says as she dashes into the next room, returning with a framed photo of herself at age 6, dressed in shiny shoes and sweater-skirt combo as the family minister presents her with her first Bible. A few minutes later, she retrieves the Bible too. Both are ready reminders of growing up in a warm, steadfastly Christian family. Nowadays, Brunstetter struggles with religion, so much so that she keeps returning to it as a topic in her plays. But when she travels home, shes never far from it, as when shes invited to lunch with her moms prayer group. They are just the most loving, most hilarious women you would ever meet, Brunstetter says. Theyre constantly praying for me. Its just this, like, beautiful hug. These are the sorts of Christians she thinks of when her big-city friends become frustrated with the rate of change as places like her home state wrestle with bathroom laws and same-sex marriage. I want to be cool and smart like all of my colleagues and be super-political and intelligent and hold my own in those conversations, she says, but its just not me. Back in North Carolina, shell find herself at a similar loss for words as she hears others, including her parents, talk about why gay marriage is wrong. In either situation, she says, I hear the other point of view echoing in my head and I see myself getting split, ripped in half. That means its time to write, to put her feelings into words. On both sides, Brunstetter says, theyre forgetting the human being thats at the center of this. So in The Cake she puts the argument in human terms. Her pivotal character, Della (portrayed by Debra Jo Rupp, the mom on That 70s Show), is a baker in Winston-Salem who follows the recipe in religion as well as baking, but that doesnt mean shes rigid. She is lively, engaging and attuned to others feelings. Q&A: Debra Jo Rupp talks about bringing Cake to life Still, shes caught off-guard when shes visited by Jen, the daughter of her deceased best friend and a young woman she loves as her own. Jen, whos been away for a long time, is pulling together plans for a hometown wedding to another woman. This comes as a double dose of news to Della, who, when asked to bake the cake, gets flustered. A lot of plays are more on the scathing side when it comes to organized religion, Brunstetter says. It was really important to me to start with a character who has conservative values and make her the hero start the play with her and, hopefully, have an audience fall in love with her. And then, after we get to know her, have her do something that, quote-unquote, we the liberal theater audience dont agree with. And then we have to wrestle with how we feel about her, just like shes wrestling with her belief system. I support gay marriage, but I see how painful it is for people to accept it when they have this belief system that has brought them comfort and joy and structure their entire lives. We on this side dont give enough respect to that struggle. Its, like, Its 2017, get onboard. To make a tiny bit of progress, thats more realistic than someone completely changing overnight. The subject made headlines Monday when the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal this fall from a baker ruled to have violated a Colorado anti-discrimination law when he refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Brunstetter wrote The Cake as a member of the Echo Playwrights Lab, and the script was given a reading a year ago as part of its development process. We all just sat there crying, recalls Echo artistic director Chris Fields. Thats what Bekah can do to you. The play is infused with humanity and love and humor, he says. She really understands and loves these people. South Coast Repertorys artistic director, Marc Masterson, notes the same qualities in Going to a Place, which SCR commissioned and helped to develop before staging its premiere. You can see her personality in her writing, he says. Shes warm; shes funny. Shes wonderful with actors; people respond really well to her input and her ideas. Isaac Aptaker, a showrunner for This Is Us, says his staff benefits from these qualities too. She has a really empathic imagination, he says. Shes able to come from every characters angle and get in everyones head. She is just able to tap into anyones experience. As an example, Aptaker singles out an episode Brunstetter wrote for the time-skipping family drama in which Jack sets aside his dreams and accepts a drudge desk job to put young son Randall in private school a parable about parental sacrifice from a writer who has yet to have a child of her own. The supernatural world of American Gods would seem further out of her realm except that in her one season with the show, she took the lead on the research used to shape the goddess Easter. Her religious background and her love for that holiday (I have a big Easter potluck every year, she says) came in handy. Brunstetter walks many miles in other peoples shoes, something she did for The Cake in a timely bit of parallelism. As she worked on the script, she was preparing for her wedding to Morrison Keddie, an actor, SAT tutor and substitute teacher. They married in North Carolina last October. This meant Brunstetter was on the same path as the brides of The Cake, Jen and Macy. Were two straight, white people; we can do whatever we want. I was thinking about that, how lucky we are, Brunstetter says. Though gay people can marry, there still can be a stigma. Getting married on its own is complicated enough without adding a whole other layer of how the worlds perceiving the relationship. Thats the sort of thought that she wants to send out into the world to get people talking, to challenge entrenched ideas. I am a writer and I love it, she says, and through this thing that I love I am able to explore different points of view and maybe help equip people for those conversations. The Cake Where: Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theater, 3269 Casitas Ave., L.A. When: Previews through Friday; opens Saturday. 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays; 4 p.m. Sundays. Ends Aug. 6. Tickets: $20 and $34; previews are pay what you can, $15 suggested Information: (310) 307-3753, www.echotheatercompany.com daryl.miller@latimes.com Twitter: @darylhmiller MORE THEATER STORIES: Allen Leech and Ginnifer Goodwin on Constellations Dance goes digital in an impressive Barak Ballet premiere Warhol, Nico, a naked handstand, a crucifix: The Broad kicks off Happenings with songs and shocks Celebrating #HarryPotter20: How Harry Potter and his blockbuster films came of age on screen The Boy Who Lived has cast his spell on the box office since Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, the first film in Warner Bros. blockbuster franchise, hit theaters in 2001. The bestselling, seven-book series was adapted into eight record-breaking films -- and a two-part play -- as the boy wizard ventured through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the wizarding world with his pals Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, taking on the enigmatic Lord Voldemort and his magical henchmen each school year. As J.K. Rowlings debut novel Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone -- the first of the books from which the decade-spanning films were adapted -- marks its 20th anniversary, heres a reminder of how Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan reviewed the Harry Potter films. (Spoiler alert: He didnt always like them.) 1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone film is imaginative and faithful but shuns any risk-taking (2001) As his 11th birthday approaches, orphan Harry Potter learns that hes a wizard and enrolls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where his reputation as the Boy Who Lived precedes him during his magical training. The result is a remarkably faithful copy of the book that treats the text like holy writ (hence its 2-hour-and-33-minute length), wrote The Times film critic Kenneth Turan. From the gold in Gringotts, the safe-as-houses goblin-run bank, to the centaur lurking in the forbidden forest that adjoins Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so much is presented just as written that Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone starts to resemble one of those fiendishly exact replicas of great works of art that Sunday painters can be seen working on in galleries of museums. 2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets doesnt capture the well-balanced tone of the book (2002) In their second year at Hogwarts, Harry and his pals Ron and Hermione contend with a celebrity author professor and a well-meaning house elf named Dobby who thwart the trio in unexpected ways. The darkness that invades Chamber of Secrets underlines how well the books managed to exactly balance good and evil, dark and light, so that within their pages you seemed to be experiencing both at the same time. Not so here, Turan wrote. Because Chamber of Secrets cant seem to get the balance right, it ends up broadly overdoing things on both ends of the spectrum. The films scary moments are too monstrous and its happy times have too much idiotic beaming, making the film feel like the illegitimate offspring of Alien and The Absent-Minded Professor. 3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban film comes close to capturing the essence of the books (2004) The wizarding world gets markedly darker as convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who is believed to have killed Harrys parents, escapes from the Azkaban prison and the soul-sucking Dementors are loosed to chase him down. Director Alfonso Cuaron takes the helm from Chris Columbus, who directed the two previous films. "[T]he final hour of the two-hour-and-21-minute Azkaban is the closest any of the films has gotten to capturing the enormously pleasing essence of the Potter books, wrote Turan, adding, Those three leads (Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Emma Watson as Hermione, Rupert Grint as Ron) play characters who are now 13, an age when anger and frustration are more publicly expressed. One of the benefits of Cuarons direction, his expertise with younger actors, means that the constant determination and occasional fury exhibited by the characters, especially Harry and Hermione, are completely convincing. 4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire finally gets Harry Potter right (2005) Harrys surprising inclusion in the prestigious Triwizard Tournament, as a fourth-year student, raises concerns and brings danger to the Hogwarts castle. Its taken them long enough, but the movies have finally gotten Harry Potter right, wrote Turan. It has fallen to the veteran [director] Mike Newell, eager, in his own words, to break out of this goody-two-shoes feel, to make the first Harry Potter film to be wire-to-wire satisfying. Though memorable acting is neither called for nor delivered on the part of Goblets collection of juveniles, Radcliffes Harry does get one thing exactly right. Watching him face myriad challenges, were convinced that Harrys heart will lead him to do the right thing. He does good in the most natural way and, like so much of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, thats just how it should be. 5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix cant shake an episodic feeling (2007) With the Ministry of Magic refusing to acknowledge Lord Voldemorts (Ralph Fiennes) return, fifth-year Harry is brooding at school as he contends with spooky visions and Ministry transplant Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton). His knowledge of the dark magic-fighting organization, the Order of the Phoenix, and a prophecy further complicate matters. "[Director David] Yates and his team handle the films visuals well, including the impressive sets for the atrium of the Ministry of Magic and its Hall of Prophecy, as well as fine flying sequences involving either broomsticks or equine creatures called Thestrals, Turan wrote. The director also works well with the films juvenile leads, which is important, because these are the raging hormone years at Hogwarts School, and that is especially true where Harry is concerned. Looking so disgruntled in his gray hoodie that you fear he might start rapping, Harry comes off as more Grumpy Potter than the bright light of the wizarding world. 6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is well-crafted but sometimes hard to endure (2009) As dark magic spills into the Muggle world, Harrys mentor, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), tasks him with bringing down Lord Voldemort. But Harrys discovery of an old textbook teaches him more than he expected about his past. Now in its sixth episode shot over an eight-year span, with two more features still to come, this one-of-a-kind film cycle has become as comfortable and reliable as an old shoe, providing a degree of dependability thats becoming increasingly rare, Turan wrote. As directed by David Yates, who did the previous film and is on tap for the final two, Half-Blood Prince demonstrates the ways that the Potter pictures have become the modern exemplars of establishment moviemaking. We dont turn to these films for thrilling or original cinema, we look for a level of craft, consistency and, most of all, fidelity to the originals -- all of which we get. 7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1" (2010) The penultimate film sees Harry, Hermione and Ron venturing out into the real world to locate and destroy Lord Voldemorts soul-encapsulating Horcruxes as Hogwarts and the wizarding world fall to He Who Must Not Be Named. Much of the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows involves the attempt to find and destroy a series of Horcruxes, and if you havent a clue about what they are or why theyre important, you might as well stay home, Turan wrote. There is something different, however, about this Potter movie, and that is the words Part 1' that end the title. Understandably distraught about Hallows being the last of the phenomenally popular J.K. Rowling novels, Warner Bros. has split the final effort into two films and is likely kicking itself for not having thought of that with the earlier books. (It should be noted that the studio reboots the wizarding world with the forthcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series. The first film hit theaters in 2016.) 8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2" (2011) Harry goes wand-to-wand with Lord Voldemort, concluding Harrys final year at the wizarding school with the epic Battle of Hogwarts. In a classic storybook finish, however, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2' turns out to be more than the last of its kind. Almost magically, it ends up being one of the best of the series as well, Turan wrote. The Harry Potter films, like the boy wizard himself, have had their creative ups and downs, so its especially satisfying that this final film, ungainly title and all, has been worth the wait. Though no expense has been spared in its production, it succeeds because it brings us back to the combination of magic, adventure and emotion that created the books popularity in the first place. For more of The Times Harry Potter anniversary coverage, go here. Miu Mius campaigns have been as cheery, colorful and conceptual as the collections in recent seasons, featuring an assemblage of actresses and models across age ranges in eclectic locations. There was Elle Fanning, Carolyn Murphy, Karen Elson and Lara Stone at the beach and underwater for the day-at-the-beach spring 2017 campaign, and Jaime King and models Samantha Archibald, Iesha Hodges and Lily Nova playing in a London hotel room for pre-fall 2017. For fall, Miuccia Prada cast actress Naomie Harris, as well as Kate Moss, sisters Adwoa and Kesewa Aboah, Missy Rayder, Jean Campbell, Eliza Cumming, Jasmine Daniels, Rose Daniels, Lily Nova and the Preservation Hall Brass Band to capture the mood of the collection, which Prada described as the madness of glamour in this time, in front of a very uncertain future, after Miu Mius Paris runway show. With Prada, even the seemingly sunny has a subversive side. Advertisement In his fifth campaign for the house, Alasdair McLellan shot the models amid the unique, suspended-in-time glamour of New Orleans across locations ranging from the bayou to the Preservation Hall. He composed the campaign from collages of black-and-white and saturated color images for a contrast of the old-fashioned and modern. The models are shot outdoors in giant, colorful faux-fur coats, hats and boots; in a jazz hall decked in drop-waist dresses and crystal jazz age headpieces, and in a boat on the bayou in light pastel and printed dresses. Katie Grand styled the campaign, with hair by Anthony Turner and makeup by Dianne Kendall. The campaign will launch in August issues of Vogue Paris and Vogue Russia, as well as international editions of Elle, and Harpers Bazaar and W. ALSO Model Georgia May Jagger rides the waves into a new Volcom fashion collaboration The trendiest shoe of the summer comes from SoCal skate parks, not New York runways Catch of the day: Funboy snags artist Donald Robertson for some whimsical pool floats South Koreas newly elected president is in Washington this week, hoping to build a relationship with President Trump and pave the way for cooperation on North Koreas advancing nuclear threat. Moon Jae-in, a liberal whose election could alter his countrys posture toward both the totalitarian nation and the United States, has a series of meetings with Trump and his top aides Thursday and Friday. Expectations for any policy declarations about North Korea or other thorny issues confronting the two countries remain low, however. Advertisement Moon took office only last month in a snap election following the ouster of disgraced former President Park Geun-hye, and both leaders are still hiring staff and forming their positions on key issues. Both sides are going to try to get in and out of there without having to talk about too much substance, said David Kang, a professor at USC who heads its Korean Studies Institute. Theyre not really set up to do policy yet. So the focus when they meet for a family dinner Thursday and a more formal summit Friday could be an effort to build trust. Both sides likely also want to avoid any awkward exchanges as Trump has had with other leaders on the world stage that might strain relations or raise questions about a relationship thats crucial to security in northeast Asia. The subtext of any discussion between the two leaders, though, will include several complicated issues crucial to both nations, which have been allies since the Korean War ended. With American protection, South Korea rose from poverty after the war, democratized in the 1980s and is now Asias fourth-largest economy. Chief among those concerns is how to cooperate on North Korea, which has tested several ballistic missiles this year in violation of United Nations sanctions. Its leader, Kim Jong Un, said earlier in January that his nation is making progress toward a nuclear-armed missile that can reach the United States. Trumps new policy calls for maximum pressure on the regime through sanctions and dialogue only after North Korea ends the nuclear program. Moon has advocated more dialogue and cross-border exchanges with the North to help with the nuclear issue, leading some to suspect he might at times disagree with Trump administration strategy. Moon was a former chief aide to the late Roh Moo-hyun, the last South Korean president to advocate for a Sunshine Policy of greater ties between the two Koreas, which are still technically at war. It led to high-level summits and economic ventures but ultimately fizzled when more conservative leaders were elected in South Korea. Still, few experts expect any serious fissures in the decades-old alliance, which top Trump officials describe as ironclad. Moons aides this week have also emphasized trust and cooperation. The two countries also have pending issues raised during both leaders election campaigns, including a trade agreement, a controversial American anti-missile system recently installed in South Korea over Chinese objections and the status and cost of United States troops stationed here. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, center, arrives to leave for the United States at the Seoul military airport in South Korea. (Ahn Young-joon / Associated Press) Moons administration, which is bringing dozens of South Korean business leaders to develop economic ties, has downplayed policy expectations ahead of the trip. His aides noted that former ambassadors with American experience advised the new president to avoid too much policy discussion. They said, though, that Moon should ask Trump to attend the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February. We will build friendship between the leaders through candid and honest conversation and provide a foundation for the alliance to develop, Moons spokesman Park Soo-hyun said. With so much at stake, others arent convinced the leaders will shy away from the details of the issues, including how closely the new South Korean government will align itself with the United States under Moon. I suspect theyll get to the key point how far Moon wants to move from the Americans and will even talk specifics, said Grant Newsham, a former diplomat who is a senior research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies. One bellwether for the relationship, Newsham said, could be any presidential discussion of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system, which American officials installed in the last days of the previous government. The system is designed to protect southern parts of South Korea, where many American troops are stationed. The system has faced political resistance internally, and it has prompted economic retaliation from China, which says the system is a security threat. Moon has expressed skepticism about the rapid approval process for installing the system by his predecessor, who was more closely aligned with American officials on North Korea. He has said that perhaps the system should be studied more or approved by the National Assembly before final approval. But Moons newly installed foreign minister, Kang Kyung-wha, said this week that South Korea wasnt turning its back on the system. My government has no intention to basically reverse the commitments made in the spirit of the ROK-U.S. alliance, she said, using an acronym for her countrys formal name, the Republic of Korea. Other issues that could cause friction include the bilateral free-trade agreement, signed in 2015, that candidate Trump called a disaster and a job-killing deal. Trump has also questioned whether allies such as Japan and South Korea pay enough of the cost of hosting American troops. Much of the discussion could ultimately remain private. The leaders are scheduled to hold a joint press event, but its unclear whether theyll take questions. Kang, the USC professor, quipped: The best outcome could be that Moon says, Ill see you at the Olympics next winter and Trump says, Great, Ill be there. Stiles is a special correspondent. ALSO North Korea: A land of few computers and many hackers North Korea is building mysterious artificial islands that would be perfect for missile launches We went to North Korea. You asked hundreds of questions. Heres what we found U.S. to name China as among the worst countries on human trafficking Roger Waters: An article in the June 22 Calendar section about Roger Waters new album said Waters supports Palestinians rights but incorrectly referred to tensions between Israel and Palestine. It should have said tensions between the Israeli government and the Palestinians. If you believe that we have made an error, or you have questions about The Times journalistic standards and practices, you may contact Deirdre Edgar, readers representative, by email at readers.representative@latimes.com, by phone at (877) 554-4000, by fax at (213) 237-3535 or by mail at 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. The readers representative office is online at latimes.com/readersrep. A 10-acre brush fire that burned dangerously close to homes in the Verdugo Mountains was 80% contained Wednesday evening, and mandatory evacuation orders were lifted, authorities said. The fire was reported near the 1000 block of Hamline Place just before 3 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which was assisting Burbank fire crews. No structures were damaged in the fire, said Burbank Fire Battalion Chief Ron Barone. By late afternoon, he said, the risk of structural damage had passed. Advertisement We were able to keep [the flames] away from the structures, Barone said. The Burbank Police Department ordered evacuations of all homes on Viewcrest Drive and Howard Court. Irving Drive was closed east of Kenneth Road, and Joaquin Drive was closed at Haven Way. But by 8:30 p.m., all evacuations were lifted. About 150 firefighters were assigned to the blaze, which helped to quickly halt the fires growth. Our incident commander saw the threat and pulled the trigger with calling for significant resources, Barone said. Authorities were concerned because houses butt right up to the hillside, Burbank police Sgt. Derek Green told KNBC-TV Channel 4. Police were trying to quickly communicate with residents who would soon be headed home from work, Green said. It was a fast-moving fire, Green said. This is a very dry area. Television news footage showed thick black smoke and tennis courts burning. #BREAKING: Fast moving brush fire scorches Burbank hillside, homes threatened. https://t.co/FFEzz7FI52 pic.twitter.com/aB2Zn0kLIN FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) June 28, 2017 About 15 fire engines responded to the three-alarm blaze, Barone told KTLA-TV Channel 5. Five engines were dedicated just to protecting homes, he said. Multiple fire departments were assisting, including the Pasadena Fire Department, which sent two engines, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which sent two water-dropping helicopters, the agencies said on Twitter. A brush fire burns close to homes in Burbank on Wednesday. (Joyce Rudolph / Burbank Leader) Times staff writers Matt Hamilton and Andy Nguyen contributed to this report. hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson ALSO Heres the latest on Southern Californias four largest wildfires Up to 300 acres burn near Camp Pendleton as firefighters rush to protect homes UPDATES: 8:55 p.m.: This story was updated with additional details about the firefight. 4:55 p.m. This story was updated with how much of the fire was contained and other details from the Burbank Fire Department. 4:10 p.m. This story was updated with details about the responding agencies. 3:45 p.m. This story was updated with new information from authorities. This story was originally published at 3:25 p.m. Following a public hearing that lasted nearly two hours, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously decided to move forward with expanding the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in the Santa Clarita Valley. Environmental activists and residents had opposed a new permit, hoping to see the facility shut down for good. Landfills are unhealthy for the people that live next to them, and theyre unhealthy for the entire Los Angeles region, said Lynne Plambeck of the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and Environment, one of four civic groups that filed formal appeals to the permit. The promise to the community and to the people that depend on this board was not kept. Advertisement The landfill, located in the semi-rural community of Val Verde, began operating in 1972. After a protracted fight, its operators and community members reached an agreement 25 years later that allowed for an expansion but included a provision that Chiquita Canyon would close when it reached 23 million tons of waste or in November of 2019, whichever occurred first. Last year, as the landfill was about to reach that limit, owner Waste Connections Inc. quietly obtained a waiver from the county that allowed the dump to stay open while it pursued a new permit for another expansion. However, the company appealed the terms of the proposed expansion permit on the grounds that the county was imposing overly burdensome waste limits and operating fees. Chiquita is a basic component of the countys infrastructure, said Mike Dean, division vice president of Waste Connections. We must be sized properly and charged fairly. On Tuesday, more than 50 people weighed in at the hearing. Industry and business representatives called Chiquita Canyon a model landfill that contributes to the local economy and serves a necessary function. Environmental and civic activists criticized the board as capitulating to corporate interests at the expense of residents health. One nine-year-old told the supervisors that poor air quality in the area had caused her asthma attacks. At the end of public comments, Supervisor Kathryn Barger whose district includes Chiquita Canyon introduced a compromise motion that she said makes considerable concessions to ensure our communities are protected and receive maximum benefit while ensuring that a well-run landfill keeps its gate open for business. Barger received $4,500 in campaign contributions from Waste Connections in 2015 and 2016. The public relations firm that represents the landfill also gave her $2,500 in 2015 and 2016. The motion declared the boards intent to approve the project, with requirements that Waste Connections hire a consultant to continuously monitor air quality in locations immediately surrounding the landfill, establish a hotline for complaints and turn the site into a park after it closes. In addition, the compromise reduces the fees the company will have to pay the county for waste that it processes from outside the Santa Clarita Valley. The company will still have to give the county treasurer and tax collector 10% of its tipping fees, as well as other fees collected by the Department of Public Works. Under the new permit, the dump will be required to close when it reaches 60 million tons or after 30 years, whichever occurs first. Whatever agreements there were in the past, this will be the final chapter in the story, Barger said. Plambeck was skeptical. They said last time it would be closed, the activist said after the hearing. Why would we believe them this time? nina.agrawal@latimes.com Twitter: @AgrawalNina A man who came to the Cudahy City Council meeting Monday night with a pro-President Trump group protesting the citys sanctuary status was arrested after he brandished a gun during an argument, authorities said. Thomas Green, 51, of Culver City flashed a gun from inside a white car at a gas station at Clara Street and Wilcox Avenue, about a block from the park where the council meeting took place, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said in a statement. Deputies were waved over about 9 p.m. by a group of people standing near the vehicle during the argument, authorities said. Advertisement Green was arrested on suspicion of brandishing a firearm and booked at the East L.A. Sheriffs Station. He was later released, and his gun was held for evidence, authorities said. All of the cars occupants were detained. Riding with Green was Harim Uziel, a vocal pro-Trump activist who has become a regular, disruptive presence at public meetings throughout the Southland. In May, Inglewood police escorted Uziel out of U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters town hall meeting after he and another Trump supporter loudly fought with pro-immigration activists. Before deputies called him out of the car in Cudahy on Monday night, Uziel live-streamed authorities surrounding the vehicle, guns drawn. His group was escorting other protesters who had been followed to the gas station after the council meeting, he said on Facebook Live. My friend here that Im carpooling with has a concealed carry weapon, and he showed it to those guys, Uziel said. We did show a gun. Oh, may the Lord protect us and keep us safe, he added. I got my hands up. Dont shoot. An hour after Greens arrest, in a separate and unrelated incident while deputies were still at the gas station, a man threw a large, glass beer bottle at the deputies, hitting one of their vehicles and nearly hitting the deputies, according to the Sheriffs Department. Raymond Diaz, 24, of South Gate was identified as the bottle thrower and was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said. He was booked at the East L.A. Station and was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, plus an outstanding $30,000 warrant for driving under the influence. City Council meetings in Cudahy, which has a large Latino immigrant population, have been tense in recent weeks as activists many of them clad in Trump gear have shown up and used public comment periods to decry illegal immigration. In May, Trump supporters showed up to a council meeting with signs that said such things as ICE Hotline Call Now! They were greeted by counter-protestors with their own signs Deport all white supremacists back to Europe! and someone holding a Mexican flag. After the council meeting, the scene outside devolved into a screaming match and was broken up by a sheriffs helicopter hovering close overhead. Many of the pro-Trump protesters travel to cities across the Southland. Uziel is frequently joined at protests in largely immigrant cities by Arthur C. Schaper, the president of the Beach Cities Republicans who was profiled by The Times. Schaper was arrested at a Huntington Park City Council meeting earlier this month on suspicion of two misdemeanor counts of disturbing a public meeting and disobeying a police officer, according to the Huntington Park Police Department. Schaper said he filed a claim Tuesday against the city of Huntington Park, alleging he was wrongfully arrested and that officials were incorrect in saying he was out of order during the meeting. hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson ALSO How real are the cost savings in generous DWP union contract? We run the numbers L.A. City Council poised to approve raises of up to 22% for DWP workers Sacramento County sheriffs robot locates suspect who shot deputy in the face during fight UPDATES: June 28, 10:50 a.m.: This article was updated with information about Arthur Schapers claim against the City of Huntington Park. This article was originally published at 9:10 p.m., June 27. Two firefighters and two civilians were injured Wednesday morning in a crash in Pacoima that involved a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance, authorities said. The ambulance and a private vehicle collided at 10:55 a.m. near the intersection of Osborne Street and San Fernando Road, according to the Fire Department. Television news footage showed firefighters removing the driver of the badly damaged car. It was not immediately clear what led to the crash, said Amy Bastman, a spokeswoman for the department. Advertisement The ambulance was transporting a female patient to a hospital at the time of the crash, with one firefighter driving the vehicle and another firefighter in the back with the patient, Bastman said. The two male firefighters and the patient were taken to a hospital and were in fair condition Wednesday afternoon, Bastman said. The male driver of the car was taken to a hospital in serious condition, according to the Fire Department. hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson A 66-year-old man died last week after he fell off a bridge at Wapama Falls in Yosemite National Park, officials said Tuesday. The man, whose identity has not been released, slipped off the Wapama Falls bridge trail Thursday and into the rocky waterway, said park spokeswoman Jamie Richards. Witnesses notified park service workers, who plucked him from the water. Authorities are investigating what caused the man to fall to his death, she said. Advertisement As the summers sizzling heat continues to melt the massive Sierra Nevada snowpack, Californias rivers, creeks and streams have been overwhelmed with frigid and swift water. At 1,400 feet, the Wapama Falls, which feed into Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, are no exception. To reach the picturesque Wapama Falls, park visitors must take a five-mile hike that starts at OShaughnessy Dam and passes through a tunnel. Park officials have closed the falls footbridges in the past during periods of high water. In March, moving snow and rock damaged sections of wooden beam railing along the bridge trail, the Union Democrat reported. The mans death is the parks first fatality this season, Richards said. In 2011, Gregory Wayne Meyer and Richard Fox, both 53, died while trying to cross a bridge at Wapama Falls. The falls were swollen with water from a melting snowpack. Meyer was trying to rescue Fox when both Los Angeles County residents were swarmed by the rushing water and swept away. veronica.rocha@latimes.com Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA A gunman who attacked and shot a Sacramento County sheriffs deputy in the face at a transit station has been captured after a door-to-door search at a nearby Red Roof Inn, authorities said Wednesday. The deputy, identified as Alex Ladwig, is a four-year member of the force who had surgery to his jaw and face and is now in stable condition, Sgt. Tony Turnbull said. The incident began about 6 p.m. Tuesday at a light-rail station at Watt Avenue and Interstate 80, where the deputy reported that he was in a fight with a person. Shortly thereafter, he reported that shots had been fired, Turnbull said. Advertisement Ladwig had approached the man, who responded by attacking the deputy, Turnbull said. The gunman then fired twice, hitting Ladwig once in the face, Turnbull said. The deputy radioed that hed been shot, which brought law enforcement swarming into the area as a helicopter overhead searched for the shooter. The chopper quickly spotted and tracked the suspect as he escaped to the Red Roof Inn & Suites on Watt Avenue, Turnbull said. Police surrounded the hotel, established a perimeter and evacuated nearby businesses. Our search for the suspect is going to be methodical, Turnbull said as the manhunt began Tuesday evening. Its a fairly dynamic situation its a large building with multiple occupants and multiple doors. Hotel guests were evacuated room by room until 9:15 p.m., when the shooter was found lying in a fetal position in an outdoor hallway on the second floor by the departments special enforcement details robot, Turnbull said. A negotiator communicated with the suspect through the robots speaker and eventually convinced the man to surrender, Turnbull said. The suspect was identified Wednesday morning as Nicory Marquies Spann, 27, of Sacramento. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer and is being held without bail. Hes due in court Friday. Authorities have not found the gun used by the suspect, Turnbull said. Turnbull added that Ladwig was a member of the sheriffs unit that polices the Sacramento Regional Transit light rail and was working overtime when the shooting occurred. matt.hamilton@latimes.com Twitter: @MattHjourno UPDATES: 11:15 a.m.: This article was updated with the identities of the deputy and suspect. 6:25 a.m., June 28: This article was updated with the suspect taken into custody and the deputy out of surgery. This article was originally published at 8:20 p.m. Tuesday, June 27. A charge has been dropped against the only official to face criminal indictment related to the arrest of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was found hanged in her Texas jail cell three days after her arrest and whose name became a rallying cry in protests against racial bias in policing. Former state Trooper Brian Encinia, who pulled Bland over on July 10, 2015, in Prairie View, Texas, for failing to use a turn signal, no longer faces a perjury charge for making a false statement about the arrest, according to papers filed Wednesday at the Waller County Courthouse in Hempstead, northwest of Houston. The dismissal of the charge comes more than a year after a grand jury said Encinia lied when he wrote in an affidavit justifying the arrest that he removed Bland from her car to conduct a safer traffic investigation. Advertisement Family members and civil rights officials had protested that assertion, pointing to a viral dash cam video of an escalating confrontation with Bland where the officer said he would yank her out of the vehicle, threatened to use a stun gun and said he would light you up as she refused to put out a cigarette and step out. Three days after her arrest, Bland, 28, who could not make a $5,000 bond, was found dead in her jail cell. The death was ruled a suicide as protests grew over her arrest family representatives said it was a needless arrest and death for a routine traffic violation and activists aired criticism of the jail and about the circumstances of her death. They included pointing out that jail officials had insight into Blands mental health history, including a suicide attempt the year before her arrest, but did not place her on suicide watch or check her cell often enough. Encinias attorney, Houston-based Chip Lewis, hailed the dismissal of the charge on Wednesday. My client was just a scapegoat. It was an answer to the public pressure over a young ladys death, Lewis said. It wasnt Mr. Encinias fault. He did not commit any criminal act. He would do anything in the world to go back and change the circumstances if he could, said Lewis, who said his client was a victim of righteous outcry over the death of Sandra Bland. Before the special prosecutors agreed to dismiss the charge, Encinia said he would no longer work in law enforcement, and surrendered his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement license, Lewis said. Encinia was fired in March 2016 after the indictment. He ended up the poster child for police brutality, Lewis said, and now, hes got a family to raise. A Bland family lawyer, Cannon Lambert, said he was shocked at the news. He said he was dismayed the family was not given notice of it. You cannot expect communities to feel confident with the system if officers are caught lying in written documents and are not held accountable, he said. The notion that the special prosecutor would make a decision like this in the face of the kind of case this is without communicating with the family is deplorable. In a statement, special prosecutors Pheobe Smith and Chad Dick said dropping the charge was the best outcome. We understand that this is far from a perfect solution, and that many people will feel that this is an inadequate punishment, while others feel that charges should have never been filed, Smith and Dick said. This is a solution that will guarantee that Mr. Encinia will never be a licensed law enforcement officer again. The dismissal of the charge closes one of the last unresolved chapters of years of protests, investigations, civil court proceedings and legislation related to Blands arrest and death. The same grand jury that had indicted Encinia also found no felony was committed by jailers or the Waller County Sheriffs Office. In September, Blands family settled for $1.9 million with Waller County and the Texas Department of Public Safety in a wrongful death lawsuit. This month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the Sandra Bland Act. It forces county jails to send people with mental health and drug abuse issues to treatment, eases the ability of defendants to get personal bond if they have a mental or intellectual disability, and requires independent law agencies to investigate prison deaths. jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com mhennessyfiske@latimes.com ALSO Three Chicago cops indicted in alleged cover-up of Laquan McDonald shooting details I dont want you to get shooted: Philando Castile video shows reaction of girlfriends 4-year-old daughter FBI agent indicted on charges of lying about shooting at rancher in Oregon standoff UPDATES: 3:41 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement by the special prosecutors. This article was originally published at 1:05 p.m. The shooting of Robert LaVoy Finicum on a snowy Oregon highway on Jan. 26, 2016, was one of those instant American dramas in which every photo, every eyewitness account and every millisecond of video become forensic evidence in a public debate over whether someone deserved to die at the hands of police. In classic fashion, two sides examined the same evidence and saw two different things. To the government, Finicum, 55, was reaching for a loaded gun in his jacket after speeding away from a traffic stop, and the shooting by Oregon State Police troopers was justified. To thousands of antigovernment activists across the country, the Arizona rancher was a folk hero who became a martyr when, in their view, he was ambushed shot in the back without a gun in his hand by overaggressive law enforcement officials who were trying to crush the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Advertisement But when it came to one mysterious piece of evidence in the case, the two sides were bothered by the same question: Where did the bullet hole in the roof of Finicums truck come from? The government offered an answer Wednesday when a member of the FBIs elite Hostage Rescue Team was indicted on suspicion of shooting twice at Finicum during the chaotic encounter and then lying about it to state and federal investigators. The agent, W. Joseph Astarita, stone-faced and wearing a dark gray pinstriped suit, entered a plea of not guilty to five counts of lying and obstruction in a two-minute arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice M. Stewart in federal court in Portland. Astarita and the Hostage Rescue Team the FBIs crack counter-terrorism unit, which responds to crises all over the nation had been summoned to rural Oregon to help resolve the governments high-stakes standoff with a band of heavily armed occupiers who took over Malheur on Jan. 2, 2016. The occupation near Burns, Ore., was widely viewed as the ideological sequel to the Bureau of Land Managements 2014 armed showdown with ranchers and militia in Bunkerville, Nev., who were protesting the governments attempts to get a local rancher, Cliven Bundy, to follow federal wildlands laws. Finicum, who had a ranch in Arizona, and two of Bundys sons came to Oregon for similar reasons protesting on behalf of local ranchers and the occupiers holed up at the reserve, holding court with reporters and sometimes advancing dubious legal theories about the illegitimacy of the federal government. In interviews, Finicum hinted he might be willing to die for the cause. Observers and participants feared both encounters might lead to the kind of tense law enforcement siege that had met bloody conclusions on Ruby Ridge in Idaho in 1992 and Waco, Texas, in 1993. The Nevada encounter ended after federal agents withdrew from the scene. But in Oregon, agents decided to act. Oregon State Police and the Hostage Rescue Team decided to arrest Finicum and some of the occupations other leaders on a rural stretch of highway away from the wildlife refuge as he led a two-truck convoy filled with passengers. Finicum initially stopped when pulled over by law enforcement, but then sped away, crashed his truck into a snowbank and nearly hit a Hostage Rescue Team member as he apparently tried to avoid a police roadblock. One Oregon state trooper fired three shots at Finicums speeding vehicle but didnt hit anyone. Then, a moment after Finicum staggered out of the truck with his arms in the air, a video taken by one of the passengers inside the truck shows an apparent shot hitting the roof of the vehicle and striking a window. Afterward, Finicum moved toward officers and appeared to reach toward his jacket, under which was a loaded gun, and was fatally shot by state troopers. All of the troopers shots were deemed justifiable and, in fact, necessary, Malheur County Dist. Atty. Dan Norris said last year after reviewing the shooting. But investigators were concerned that they could not account for the shots apparently fired by an FBI agent that left the bullet hole in the roof of Finicums truck. None of the FBI agents took responsibility for taking the shots. Suspicions were further aroused when investigators later reportedly couldnt find two shell casings that had initially been spotted at the scene. Law enforcement video also reportedly showed some of the FBI agents searching the area with flashlights and huddling together, with one agent picking something up off the ground, according to a report in the Oregonian newspaper last year. That is one reason Finicums widow said she was grateful for Wednesdays indictment, but not satisfied. I believe theres more that needs to be done; there were other officers involved in the coverup, said Jeanette Finicum, 57, who has taken over her husbands ranch. Finicum left behind 12 children and 25 grandchildren. And although the governments prosecution of one of its own agents helps answer a question that the two sides had shared about the shooting, the prosecution is not likely to mollify Finicums supporters. These are not hostage rescuers. The HRT are assassins, Gavin Seim, an activist who supported the Malheur occupation, said in a Facebook video on Wednesday, in which he cited the Hostage Rescue Teams presence at the 1990s standoffs at Ruby Ridge and Waco. A man was murdered, assassinated on the side of the road. Im sorry, guys. This is not so awesome. This is not a victory when the terrorists of the planet, of our country, of our people commit crimes. Seim added that Finicum exemplifies making a principled stand, standing up and giving his life for his friends and for liberty. Like many of his fellow activists, Seim had a much darker view of law enforcement. Every police report in America is false. Thats the norm, Seim said. Of Astarita, he added, This guy just got noticed. At Wednesdays court hearing, Stewart ordered Astarita remain free pending trial. The agent declined to comment while leaving court. He was represented by a public defender, who said Astarita would be retaining private counsel. The prosecution against Astarita comes after more than a year of investigation by the U.S. Justice Departments Office of the Inspector General and as the government is still trying to prosecute antigovernment protesters who have initiated standoffs with federal agents in Oregon and Nevada over the federal governments wildlands policies. Billy J. Williams, the U.S. attorney for Oregon, said the charges against Astarita have no bearing on the investigation of the Finicum shooting, which he described as necessary and justified. When asked the question on most minds about Astarita why did he lie? Williams offered only this: I suspect that question will be answered in court. Special correspondent Denson reported from Portland and Times staff writer Pearce from Los Angeles. matt.pearce@latimes.com @mattdpearce ALSO How the government lost its case against the Oregon occupiers Prosecutor drops charge against Brian Encinia, ex-Texas trooper who arrested Sandra Bland Three Chicago cops indicted in alleged cover-up of Laquan McDonald shooting details UPDATES: 5:05 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with background and details. 2:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with the agent entering a plea. This article was originally posted at 12:30 p.m. The 6-foot-tall stone monument engraved with the Ten Commandments a capstone of sorts to years of debate in Arkansas over the separation of church and state was erected with little pomp on the lush grounds of the state Capitol. Less than 24 hours later, the monument came crumbling down after a Dodge Dart plowed into it. On Wednesday, as maintenance crews cleaned up the debris, many summed up the incident as the latest chapter in an ongoing nationwide battle over the separation of church and state. Across the country at state legislatures, city council hearings and school board meetings questions about whether the Ten Commandments should be displayed have led to legal battles and stark debate over the role of religion in public life and interpretations of the 1st Amendment. The violence was captured in a Facebook Live video posted by the man charged with ramming the monument, Michael Tate Reed. In the video, Reed can be heard yelling, Oh, my goodness freedom! as his car slams into the 6,000 pound granite slab. Advertisement This really was a horrifying surprise, said Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert, who in 2015 sponsored the Ten Commandments Monument Display Act, which called for erecting the monument on the Capitol grounds in Little Rock. Its truly an act of violence toward the people of Arkansas. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a proponent of the monuments placement, voiced dismay on Twitter over its destruction, saying that resorting to property destruction is never the answer to a policy disagreement. Very troubling that a Capitol monument is destroyed. Moments after the incident early Wednesday, police arrested Reed, 32, and booked him into Pulaski County Jail. He was being held on preliminary charges of defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespassing and first-degree criminal mischief. Authorities in Oklahoma on Wednesday afternoon identified Reed as the man arrested in 2014 for ramming his car into a similar Ten Commandments monument outside the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. Reed was taken to a hospital where he received mental health treatment, but was never formally charged in that case, according to the Tulsa World. The paper reported he was released from the hospital in January 2015 under an agreement with the Oklahoma County district attorneys office for continued treatment and therapy. In Arkansas, Republicans, who for years have controlled both chambers of the Legislature, overwhelmingly approved Raperts bill in 2015. The measure called for the monument to be erected on the outside of the state Capitol and, among other things, cited a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision that said the Ten Commandments monument on state grounds in Texas did not violate the 1st Amendment. At its core, the Supreme Court ruling in Van Orden vs. Perry found that, although the Ten Commandments are religious, they have an undeniable historical meaning, and that Texas had erected various monuments on state grounds representing key themes in the states political and legal history. Since the bills passage, a private foundation raised nearly $26,000 for the Arkansas monument and its installation. Last month, a state panel gave final approval to its design and location. The monuments design, apparently influenced by Van Orden vs. Perrys emphasis on history, included not just the text of the Ten Commandments, but the wording Presented to the people of Arkansas by the American History and Heritage Foundation. Im born and raised in the Bible Belt, said Republican state Sen. Dave Wallace on Wednesday. I, for certain, dont see anything wrong with it. Other people, however, saw plenty of problems. I didnt want it there, and I still definitely dont want it there, Anne Orsi, president of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, said Wednesday. With that being said, I dont agree with the monuments destruction. There needs to be more discussion on the issue. A monument engraved with the Ten Commandments was erected outside the Arkansas state Capitol Tuesday. Less than 24 hours later, a man slammed his car into the granite slab. (Jill Zeman Bleed / Associated Press) Other people, however, saw plenty of problems. I didnt want it there, and I still definitely dont want it there, Anne Orsi, president of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, said Wednesday. With that being said, I dont agree with the monuments destruction. There needs to be more discussion on the issue. Orsi said that too much legislation is rooted in religious beliefs, pointing toward Republican efforts in her state to, among other things, pass bathroom bills that require people in public schools and government buildings to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their birth gender. Her group, along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, planned to file a lawsuit to have the statue taken down, arguing its in violation of the 1st Amendment by condoning a faith. The ACLU remains committed to seeing this unconstitutional monument struck down by the courts and safely removed through legal means, Rita Sklar, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas, said in a statement. Randall Balmer, a professor of religion at Dartmouth College who has written about the separation of church and state, said debate over the issue is ongoing and amplified at a time when partisanship and polarization are at extraordinary highs in the country. Will this change? he said of the polarization. Its unlikely. The Supreme Courts ruling in Van Orden vs. Perry has not stopped debate, or lawsuits, on public displays of religious material. Last year, officials in Itawamba County, Miss., removed a Ten Commandments plaque hanging inside the courthouse. Its removal came after the Wisconsin-based nonprofit group Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened litigation. In 2015, followers of the Wicca faith sued the town of Bloomfield, N.M., over a 3,000-pound Ten Commandments monument on the City Halls front lawn. The group viewed it as a governmental endorsement of religion. A district court judge eventually ruled the monument should be removed on the grounds that it violated the 1st Amendment. For Rapert, he said Wednesdays destruction is symbolic of the current political climate in the country. When people dont agree with others it seems they just lash out, he said, noting the incident this month in which a man in Virginia began shooting at a Republican congressional baseball practice. Its unfortunate this is happening. But, Rapert said, he will move forward with replacing the monument. We wont let this bitterness and hatred stop us, he said. kurtis.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @kurtisalee ALSO Brian Head wildfire, now the largest active blaze in the country, sparks political heat as well Three Chicago cops indicted in alleged cover-up of Laquan McDonald shooting details Ivanka Trump leads U.S. condemnation of China and other countries for human trafficking UPDATES: 3:55 p.m.: This article was updated throughout and with comments from Jason Rapert, Dave Wallace, Anne Orsi, Rita Sklar and Randall Balmer. This article was originally published at 6:50 a.m. Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Wednesday, June 28, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES The right to die A total of 111 people in California took their own lives using lethal prescriptions during the first six months of a law that allows terminally ill people to request life-ending drugs from their doctors, according to data released Tuesday. The findings are largely in line with what Oregon saw when it instituted right-to-die rules. But the debate over the ethics of this rage on in California. Los Angeles Times Advertisement An institution shutters its doors After 108 years, furniture chain Deardens is shutting all its stores in Los Angeles, Chino, Van Nuys, Huntington Park and elsewhere. Generations of low-income Latinos came to rely on the store, and their loyalty wasnt just about housewares. Other places may not have treated them with the respect they deserve, said Chief Executive Ronny Bensimon. Here, we always catered to them and made them feel like kings. Los Angeles Times Big news in Sacramento Its not a widely known state agency, but its the one that collects your taxes. Thats why its such a big deal that Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill to strip the California Board of Equalization of most of its powers and duties as officials scramble to create an entirely new department by July 1. Los Angeles Times L.A. STORIES A grocery store battle: A Southern California grocery store fight is heating up with the spread of German discount brand Aldi. The expansion is adding to the pressure on Ralphs, Albertsons, Wal-Mart and other big chains as well as smaller grocers such as Sprouts to keep loyal shoppers and avoid losing market share. Los Angeles Times Remember this: When mountain lions hear the sound of human voices, they almost always flee, even if it means abandoning their prey, according to a new study from scientists at UC Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Puma Project. Los Angeles Times That big building: The new Wilshire Grand Building embraces Los Angeles in many ways, including in how its designed. Los Angeles Times Wild yarn: One womans experience on Beverly Boulevard shows why you dont want to give birth to a baby in a car. The New York Times An Rx for L.A.? Can these 20 steps fix Los Angeles? LA Weekly IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER Coming soon: The Trump administration is at least two months away from starting construction of prototypes for a wall along the Southwest border, underscoring the difficulties the White House faces making good on one of the presidents key campaign promises. Los Angeles Times POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT A warning for the swamp: Los Angeles County officials gathered Tuesday morning to warn of the effects the Senate healthcare bill could have on the county, which is home to one out of every 20 of the nations Medicaid recipients. Los Angeles Times Recall begins: The campaign against state Sen. Josh Newman has turned in more than enough signatures to force the freshman Democrat from Fullerton into a recall election. Los Angeles Times Up north: A small coalition of Asian parents in Pleasanton wants subgroup nationality designations to be dropped from California school district registration forms. East Bay Times CRIME AND COURTS Fallout continues: Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Tuesday that investigators have identified additional cadets who may have taken rides in stolen police cars, part of an ongoing scandal involving the LAPDs signature youth initiative. Los Angeles Times A decision is rendered: The Los Angeles Police Commission decided Tuesday that three officers were justified in fatally shooting an 18-year-old during what police have described as a running gun battle in a Watts housing project in which one officer was shot and wounded. Los Angeles Times #DTLA: Crime in downtown Los Angeles has slowly been ticking up, and residents and local stakeholders are not exactly sure what to do about it. Los Angeles Downtown News Controversy in Silicon Valley: In the latest sexual harassment scandal to shake Silicon Valley, the co-founder of a venture capital firm resigned this week after six women accused him of making unwelcome advances ranging from late-night texts to groping. The Mercury News Naming names: A sober look at the Oakland police sex abuse scandal. East Bay Express THE ENVIRONMENT Watch: With summer here to remind Californians what its like to be hot and thirsty, we fired three big questions at Bettina Boxall, the Los Angeles Times most experienced water reporter. Los Angeles Times A fire burns: A fast-moving wildfire that has scorched 5,800 acres of rugged terrain just south of Beaumont in Riverside County was 20% contained late Tuesday morning as firefighters battled the flames with air drops and ground crews. Los Angeles Times Saved by the CHP: A California Highway Patrol rescue helicopter plucked a 25-year-old Nevada man from the raging South Yuba River recently as the man clung to a massive boulder. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Uh-oh: Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones tweeted to her more than 694,000 followers on Monday about having the worst stay at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Los Angeles, asserting that they dont like black people. Los Angeles Times Sonic beauty: A touching ode to the great Mojave Desert. Wall Street Journal Know your neighborhoods: Learn here about the history of Lincoln Heights, the original East Los Angeles neighborhood. LA Weekly Must pull off for this: Heading out on a road trip through Californias Central Coast anytime soon? Here are the eight restaurants you need to check out. Eater LA You buying? Heres what $775K can buy you right now in the Los Angeles area. Curbed LA CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy Thursday. San Diego and San Francisco area: partly cloudy Wednesday and Thursday. Sacramento: sunny Wednesday and Thursday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY Todays California memory comes from Gael Venn: A native Angeleno, I grew up in Van Nuys in the 40s. One of my best memories is of Tyrone Wash. Most of the year it was Tyrone Street, but as soon as winter approached, wooden bridges would be put out across the street at various intersections and sandbags were stacked along the street. After we had several days of rain, the water in the wash could get as high as the sandbags and be pretty rapid. We kids thought it was great fun to walk to school on top of the sandbags. Flood control came along and Tyrone Wash was no more. If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad. Alphabet Inc.s most successful product the Google search engine may now be its most problematic. On Tuesday, the European Commissions top antitrust regulator levied a $2.7-billion fine against Alphabet and Google for the way the search engine handles requests for information about products. Specifically, Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said that Google skewed its results to bury links to rival companies comparison shopping sites while prominently featuring its own service, Google Shopping. Google responded that its simply trying to give users what they want and denied favoring ourselves, or any particular site or seller. It has a lot at stake: Google has integrated many different offerings into its search engine, including its mapping and travel services. The principle advanced by Vestager, however, is a good one: Giant online companies should not be able to take advantage of their dominance in one field to hurt competitors in another. Its a lesson that Microsoft laid out involuntarily for the tech companies that would follow in its wake. The software company built a near monopoly in the market for personal computer operating systems, then integrated a series of unrelated products into its Windows operating system, including a Web browser and a digital media player. Those moves helped destroy what had until then been the leading browser maker while draining market share from the pioneering maker of streaming software, bringing down the wrath of the U.S. Department of Justice in the late 1990s. Advertisement If Alphabet fails to comply with the commissions order, it could face a huge additional penalty. Googles argument echoes the one Microsoft made: It integrated Google Shopping, which offers links to products at sites that advertise on Google, into its search engine because that gave users quicker access to the information they were seeking. And in the United States, the key question in antitrust law is whether a companys behavior hurts users, not whether it hurts the companys competitors. European regulators focus more on competitors, but they really are two sides of the same coin. If competitors are unfairly closed out, the public can miss out on the very real benefits that vigorous competition provides. At the same time, its undeniable that the public has welcomed virtual monopolies in search, social media and other services in the Internet era. A large part of the appeal of sites like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat is that so many people use them. Theres a network effect for social media apps in particular the more people who use the service, the more valuable it becomes to them. Meanwhile, start-ups come out of nowhere to create whole new categories of must-have apps and products online. That means dominant companies have to innovate too, or else they can easily change from todays thing to yesterdays (see: MySpace, Yahoo). And often, that innovation involves finding a better way to do something that a competitor is doing. The challenge for regulators is to provide the big companies space to try new things without running roughshod over the market, closing out other companies and reducing consumer choice, which will ultimately lead to less innovation. A good place to start is by focusing on cases where there is evidence of intentional undermining of competitors where a dominant company alters the platform it provides not just to feature its own services, but to make it harder to find or use its rivals. European and U.S. regulators also need a common approach to protecting competition and innovation. Otherwise, the risk is that incompatible regulatory schemes will effectively fence off parts of the Internet, requiring companies to offer different products and services in different parts of the world. If Alphabet fails to comply with the commissions order, it could face a huge additional penalty: daily fines of up to 5% of its average worldwide revenues. Thats a powerful warning to Internet giants not to innovate in ways that discriminate against their competitors. Regulators need to be careful, though, not to stop them from innovating at all. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook The central theme of the Republican campaign to repeal the Affordable Care Act has been freedom: freedom from Obamacares onerous regulations, freedom from overpriced insurance and most of all, freedom from the tyrannical individual mandate. The Senate has now released its long-awaited alternative to Obama-era health reform. Although the Better Care Reconciliation Act is beleagured, theres still a decent chance that the Senate will pass it. If it does, the bill is likely to become law. So its reasonable to ask: How does the Senate bill stack up when it comes to freedom? Advertisement Start with the individual mandate, which the bill would repeal immediately. In its place, the bill would impose a six-month lockout period on anyone with a gap in coverage. If you get cancer and youre uninsured, youre free to sign up for coverage but youll have to wait six months before it pays for your chemotherapy. Trumpcare may liberate wealthy peoples money from the taxman, but thats about the only freedom it delivers. Both the lockout period and the individual mandate are meant to discourage healthy people from waiting until they get sick to buy insurance. With the mandate, you pay a financial penalty for going uninsured. With the lockout period, you also pay a financial penalty, albeit one of uncertain scope: the full costs of any medical care you might need for six months. Theyre both similarly coercive. If you thought that the mandate was a big incursion on personal liberty, the lockout period should be at least as objectionable. What about Obamacares regulations? Because Republicans have only 52 votes in the Senate, they cant break a Democratic filibuster. They are therefore using a process known as reconciliation that allows budget-related legislation to be passed by a bare majority. But a reconciliation bill can include provisions that only directly affect federal revenue or federal spending, which means all those pesky Obamacare rules including the ban on discriminating against people with preexisting conditions, the caps on out-of-pocket spending and the requirement to cover the essential health benefits will remain intact. If you care about freedom, maybe thats a good thing: Maybe the sick and healthy, rich and poor alike should be equally free to buy health insurance. But if you think regulations are freedom-killing, you shouldnt be happy about the Senate bill. Surely, then, the bill at least liberates people from overpriced insurance? Quite to the contrary. Medicaid is the cheapest coverage around: For the disabled, poor and elderly who qualify, its essentially free. Yet the bill savagely cuts Medicaid. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the cuts would lead 8 million people to lose Medicaid coverage by 2020, and 15 million by 2026. These newly uninsured people could try to buy health plans on the exchanges. In contrast to Obamacare, the Senate bill allows people below the poverty level to use federal subsidies to buy private insurance. But the subsidies cover only premiums, not out-of-pocket spending. And the premium subsidies will cover only the costs of health plans with very high deductibles about $6,000 for an individual. Poor people therefore would have the freedom to buy insurance with a deductible they cannot afford. As President Trump said about Obamacare, The deductibles are so high that you really dont have insurance, if you think about it. CBO has thought about it, and it thinks that the Senate bill makes matters worse: Few low-income people would purchase any plan. And while its true that the Senate bill eventually would reduce premiums for a typical exchange plan by about 20%, thats only because the plans on offer would cover less than they do under Obamacare. In addition, the Senate bill cuts financial support for premium payments. Today, a 64-year-old earning $26,500 per year has to pay just $1,700 to buy a standard exchange plan. Under the Senate bill, the same 64-year-old would have to pay $6,500 in premiums alone. And hed still face a $6,000 deductible before his coverage kicked in. Lots of people will shed coverage rather than pay so much for health insurance. All told, the CBO estimates that the Senate bill would push 22 million people off their health plans by 2026. Janice Joplin once sang, Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose. That should be the slogan for Republican reform. Because the truth is the bill has nothing to do with freedom. Its a vehicle for cutting Obamacare taxes, especially on the wealthy. Over the next decade, individuals who earn more than $200,000 and families that earn more than $250,000, will get a tax cut worth $230 billion. The bill also repeals taxes on health insurers, drug companies and medical device manufacturers; in total, the tax cuts amount to more than $750 billion over 10 years. The need to pay for the tax cuts explains why the bills coverage numbers are so dismal. The more you reduce federal support for health insurance, the more people will lose coverage. Its really very simple. Obamacare taxed the rich to pay for insurance for the poor; the Senate bill zeroes out those taxes and thus eliminates the coverage gains. Now that the Senate has shown its cards, its become apparent just how empty the Republican rhetoric was all along. Trumpcare may liberate wealthy peoples money from the taxman, but thats about the only freedom it delivers. Nicholas Bagley is a professor of law at the University of Michigan. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook To the editor: As I began reading about Dina Nayeris plight as a young Christian in Islamist Iran, I thought that perhaps The Times had turned the corner. Alas, this piece was a deceptive attack on American Christians. (The indoctrination of a young girl, Opinion, June 25) Christians in Islamist Iran have been beaten, locked up and even murdered for their faith. Los Angeles is filled with Iranian Jews and Christians who risked their lives to escape that brutal regime. Yes, there are some extreme Christian groups that use mind-control and intimidation to shape their followers, but I am not sure the Campus Crusade for Christ that Nayeri joined at Princeton is as dangerous as she implies. Even so, they do not reflect the ideology or methods of most Christians in the U.S., and Nayeri probably knows that. Advertisement Worse yet, to compare Christian pastors and leaders to the Iranian Basij militias is egregious. The Basij are engaged in enforcing the hijab, arresting women for violating the dress code and arresting youths for attending mixed gender parties or being in public with unrelated members of the opposite sex. I have never been in a church where attendees couldnt just walk out. Chris Chrisman, Los Angeles .. To the editor: The faithful must resolve whether religious teachings are divine revelation or expressions of culture. If Gods will is subject to interpretation, then by definition it is not divine revelation. Seen this way, the desire to acknowledge the divine is universal, but how it is done is cultural. And if the cultural basis of religion is understood, then it will promote tolerance and discourage the indoctrinations that Nayeri (and the rest of us) endure. Ed Salisbury, Santa Monica Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Gov. Jerry Brown doubles down on California measure changing recall process, calling it eminently reasonable By Christine Mai-Duc State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Compton), left, and Gov. Jerry Brown talk about funding for projects under the state transportation bill, SB1, at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson. (Christian K. Lee/ Los Angeles Times) The partisan volleys have continued this week in the effort to recall state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) over his vote to pass an increase in the gas tax. Those seeking to recall Newman submitted more than enough signatures needed to qualify the measure for the ballot, if theyre all deemed valid. Newman supporters looking to halt the recall filed a lawsuit Thursday, claiming signature gatherers had misled voters. And Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that makes changes to long-standing recall rules, an effort that Republicans have decried as an attempt by Democrats to rig the system to protect one of their own. Brown seemed to double down on that measure Friday at a press conference at Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he discussed the new gas tax, calling the new recall process eminently reasonable. The measure allows voters up to 30 days to remove their signature from a recall petition and creates a new process to review costs associated with a recall election. Brown said the bill provides an opportunity for people who have been hoodwinked to change their mind. Its all about truth and giving people the opportunity to make sure that their vote and their signature is knowingly given, Brown. The only people who would be against that are people who wanted to fool people and dont want to test it in court or in the light of day. .@JerryBrownGov responds to GOP criticism of budget trailer he signed that could make Newman recall harder. Calls it "eminently reasonable." pic.twitter.com/hSsmIPiHtP Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) June 30, 2017 Browns comments came after a roundtable discussion in which he and state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Compton) spoke about the importance of directing transportation dollars raised by the gas tax increase to businesses owned by women, minorities and people who are disabled. Brown cast it as part of a larger question of equality and opportunity in America. But the discussion took place even as Brown mused about efforts to repeal the controversial tax package, which is expected to raise $52 billion over 10 years for road repairs and other transportation projects. If people want to not fund the roads, then they can put something on the ballot and maybe change things, Brown said. But I think most people in California want to fix the roads. Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach), who is running for governor, has filed a ballot measure to repeal the gas tax. Brown dismissed a recent poll by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, which said that a majority of registered voters oppose the gas tax increases Brown and legislators recently approved. That was a poll that said, Do you want to raise a tax? Brown said. Of course people are going to say no. Brown added that when voters are given concrete situations like education and roads, theyre more likely to support tax increases. I think Californians are always leery of taxes. Im leery of taxes, Brown said. You want to drive around on gravel roads? Ive got a gravel road out in front of my house in the country. Its not bad. But I dont think thats what people want. I think they want real, paved roads and to have paved roads youve got to spend real money. Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer says he wont run for governor, dashing hopes of GOP leaders By Phil Willon San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer speaks during a news conference about the San Diego Chargers in 2015. (Gregory Bull / AP) Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who has been lobbied intensely by GOP leaders to run for California governor, on Friday rejected the idea and vowed to serve out his second term at city hall. Both House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and state Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte had urged Faulconer to run. A fiscal conservative and social moderate who has demonstrated crossover appeal by winning over Democrats, Faulconer has been seen as the GOPs strongest potential gubernatorial candidate, and one who could help Republicans in down-ballot races if he was at the top of the ticket in 2018. But Falconer nixed the idea of a gubernatorial bid in a Facebook post Friday afternoon, saying he was deeply honored by so many encouraging him to run. Its a testament to the people of San Diego, and the progress weve made to create a fiscally responsible, prosperous city that is moving in the right direction. I made a pledge last year to serve out my second term as mayor, and thats exactly what Im going to do, Faulconer said in the post. He was facing pressure to enter the race and GOP insiders who were familiar with his thinking believed he was leaning toward running. Faulconer ultimately decided not to run because he did not see a certain path to victory, according to a top state party official who did not want to be identified because they were not authorized to speak for the San Diego mayor. The last time a GOP candidate won a statewide race was in 2006. The governors race already has attracted a handful of Republican candidates, but none with Faulconers political stature. They include conservative Orange County Assemblyman Travis Allen and Rancho Santa Fe venture capitalist John Cox. Speculation is mounting that former state Assemblyman David Hadley plans to announce a run. The Democratic heavyweights in the race include Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang. A strong GOP top-of-the-ticket candidate would be expected to increase Republican turnout next fall. Faulconers decision not to run could impact some hotly contested congressional races in California, and potentially affect Republican efforts to retain control of the House of Representatives. If a Republican gubernatorial candidate fails to make the general election, creating a Democrat-on-Democrat race in November 2018, that could depress GOP turnout and affect those targeted congressional races. It leaves the Republicans without an obvious front-runner that the donors would have confidence in, said GOP strategist Rob Stutzman, who previously advised former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and 2010 GOP nominee Meg Whitman. But it still depends on the nature of the race next November. Its too early to say. Update 4:21 p.m.: This story was updated with reaction about Faulconers decision and more information about the 2018 election. This story was originally published at 3:30 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Assembly Democrats denounce threats made after single-payer healthcare bill was sidelined Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom blasts National Rifle Assn. recruitment video, saying it could lead to violence By Seema Mehta (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom called on the National Rifle Assn. to take down a controversial new video that he argued villanizes political rivals and could lead to violence. Come after politicians. Come after policy makers. Come after ME, Newsom wrote on his Facebook page Thursday. But do not implicitly call for demonstrations of force against your fellow Americans in a country that is already reeling. You are powerful. People are listening to you. And your message could lead to tragedy. The NRA video, which urges people to join the organization, was posted earlier this month and features conservative commentator Dana Loesch talking about political rivals who she argues use the media, schools and Hollywood for sinister purposes. The video features footage of police clashing with protesters and a bloodied Trump supporter, and flashes images such as the Hollywood sign, Disney Hall and the Los Angeles Times building as Loesch repeatedly invokes an unnamed opponent she refers to as they. Loeschs concluding remarks in the minute-long video have drawn the most ire. The only way we stop this, the only way we save our country and our freedom, is to fight this violence of lies with the clenched fist of truth, Loesch said. Im the National Rifle Assn. of America, and Im freedoms safest place. Newsom is a longtime foe of the NRA. He was a primary sponsor of Proposition 63, a ballot measure voters approved in November that requires background checks to purchase ammunition, bans possession of high-capacity magazines and other gun-safety efforts. On Thursday, the NRA claimed victory when a federal judge, at their attorneys request, granted a preliminary injunction blocking a related law that would have required Californians to get rid of large-capacity magazines by Saturday or face fines and potential jail time. Newsom, the states lieutenant governor, wrote that he felt a chill down my spine when he watched the video. He said while he and the NRA have long disagreed, the video crosses the line of appropriate political debate. He described it as dangerous because it tells viewers that our fellow Americans are to be feared and even worse. How does this video advance debate? How does it bring people together for common ideals? How does it do anything but cast Americans as enemies to be defeated in a cynical ploy to sell as many weapons as possible? he wrote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Tired of exporting campaign cash, these politicos are putting California first By Mark Z. Barabak Air Force One leaves California after another fundraising foray. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) California feeds the world with its bounty, fuels the economy with its innovation, fires the imagination with its creativity. There is one export, though, that is far less celebrated: the unceasing torrent of outbound campaign cash. For political fundraisers, California has long been the Big Rock Candy Mountain, excavated, mined and, ultimately, shafted by candidates of both parties who use the boodle to run for president in Iowa or New Hampshire, or Congress in East Podunk. Now, Democratic efforts are underway to put California first, directing more campaign cash from whence it came by focusing on seven targeted House districts in the Central Valley and southern part of the state. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Federal judge blocks California gun law By Patrick McGreevy A handgun is displayed with 10- and 15-shot magazines. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A federal judge Thursday granted a request by attorneys for the National Rifle Assn. to block a law that requires Californians to dispose of large-capacity ammunition magazines by Saturday or face fines and possible jail time. U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez wrote in San Diego that the rights of voters who approved Proposition 63 in November have to be balanced against the rights of gun owners. If this injunction does not issue, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of otherwise law-abiding citizens will have an untenable choice: become an outlaw or dispossess ones self of lawfully acquired property, Benitez wrote. That is a choice they should not have to make. C.D. Michel, an attorney for the NRA and state gun owners, welcomed the decision, which allows a lawsuit to be decided on its merits before the law takes effect. My clients are pleased the Court affirmed that the Second Amendment is not a second class right, and that law abiding gun owners have a right to choose to have these magazines to help them defend themselves and their families, Michel said in a statement. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Two California Democrats join with House Republicans to vote for Kates Law By Sarah D. Wire There would be tougher penalties for people repeatedly caught crossing the border illegally, and millions of dollars less in federal funds for so-called sanctuary jurisdictions such as Los Angeles under two House immigration bills approved Thursday. Both bills would fulfill President Trumps campaign promises if they became law, but the Senate has killed similar legislation and is unlikely to be able to reach the 60-vote requirement to pass the bills. The House voted 257 to 167, with 24 Democrats crossing party lines, to pass Kates Law, which would create harsher mandatory minimum prison sentences for people who repeatedly enter the U.S. illegally. It is named after Kathryn Steinle, who allegedly was shot and killed in San Francisco in 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, a Mexican immigrant who had repeatedly entered the country illegally and was released from jail by sheriffs officials despite a request by immigration officials to keep him behind bars. Two California Democrats, Reps. Jackie Speier of Hillsborough and Eric Swalwell of Dublin, joined Republicans in voting for the bill. Swalwell grew up with Steinle and is still in touch with her family, he said. This bill is not perfect, and its shameful that the Republicans did not allow any debate. But it does improve our ability to punish individuals who repeatedly break the law and to deter those who may do so, he Swalwell said in a statement. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Committee unexpectedly opens door to Rep. Barbara Lees push to end military force authorization By Sarah D. Wire (Paul Morigi/Getty Images) In September 2001, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) was the only member of Congress to object to an Authorization for the Use of Military Force, a resolution in response to the terrorist attacks that paved the way for the war in Afghanistan. In the 16 years since, the resolution has been used by President George W. Bush, President Obama and now President Trump as justification for more than 35 military actions in nearly 20 countries around the world -- which means those presidents have not gone back to Congress for new permission to send troops into harms way. On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee opened the door to ending that 2001 authorization when it added Lees amendment to a Defense Department measure. Congress would have 240 days to debate a new authorization. At the end of that time the 2001 authorization would be repealed. Lee has lobbied hard just to get to this first step, which was approved by a voice vote in the Republican led committee. Ive been working on this for years and years and years. Im just really pleased that Republicans and Democrats today really understood what Ive been saying and Ive been explaining for the last 16 years, and that is, this resolution is a blank check for perpetual war, Lee said. Committee members broke into applause after the unexpected vote. Lee said Thursday she plans to personally call Speaker Paul Ryan and make the case for keeping her amendment in the bill when it gets to the House floor. The public wants to see a debate, Lee said. Our young men and women in harms way need to know their Congress is supporting them and backing them up, or not. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Volkswagen submits revised plan for installing charging stations as part of emission-cheating settlement By Chris Megerian (Markus Schreiber / Associated Press) Volkswagen would build more electric vehicle charging stations in disadvantaged communities under an updated plan being submitted to state regulators on Thursday. The companys subsidiary, Electrify America, revised its proposal after an earlier version was rejected as inadequate by the California Air Resources Board. The proposal is the first phase of an $800-million investment in the state, one piece of a much larger settlement over Volkswagens cheating on vehicle emission rules. Although the money is expected to yield hundreds of new charging stations and boost Californias efforts to foster the market for electric cars, its also been a source of controversy. State regulators want 35% of the money to be spent in disadvantaged communities, a target endorsed by the Legislature as well. Electrify America CEO Mark McNabb said, We will strive hard to hit it. The updated plan adds Fresno to the list of metropolitan areas, which already included Los Angeles and Sacramento, where charging stations would be installed. It made sense to get out into the Central Valley, McNabb said. We thought that was an improvement we could make to the plan. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias top elections officer to Trumps voting fraud panel: No By John Myers (Dylan Stewart / HS Insider) President Trumps voter fraud commission will not be getting the names and addresses of Californias registered voters. The panels request was denied on Thursday by Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who said it would only legitimize false claims of massive election cheating last fall. Padilla refused to hand over data, including the names, addresses, political party and voting history of Californias 19.4 million voters. Kris Kobach, the secretary of state of Kansas who serves as vice chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, sent letters to all 50 states on Wednesday for information he said would help the group examine rules that either enhance or undermine the American peoples confidence in the integrity of federal elections processes. Padilla, though, suggested the effort is little more than a ruse. I will not provide sensitive voter information to a commission that has already inaccurately passed judgment that millions of Californians voted illegally, he said in a written statement. Californias participation would only serve to legitimize the false and already debunked claims of massive voter fraud made by the President, the Vice President, and Mr. Kobach. Last November, Trump tweeted that California was one of three states where serious voter fraud took place in the general election. No state or local elections official has found any evidence to back up the presidents assertion. Kobachs request says the panel seeks only publicly available information. Basic information about California voters is routinely shared with journalists, political campaigns and researchers after a written request and payment of a fee. The letter asks for data including information regarding any felony convictions, information regarding voter registration in another state, information regarding military status, and overseas citizen information. Padilla also criticized the selection of Kobach to help lead Trumps commission, accusing the Kansas official of past efforts at racial profiling and suppressing voter turnout. His role as vice chair is proof that the ultimate goal of the commission is to enact policies that will result in the disenfranchisement of American citizens, Padilla said. The presidential commissions first meeting is scheduled for July 19. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Supporters of state Sen. Josh Newman sue to stop effort to recall him, alleging voters have been misled By Patrick McGreevy Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) faces a recall. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Supporters of state Sen. Josh Newman filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to stop a recall campaign against the lawmaker, alleging that signature gatherers have misled voters and the petition contains false information. The Democratic legislator from Fullerton faces a recall funded by the California Republican Party for voting with other lawmakers to increase the states gas tax and vehicle fees to raise $5.2 billion annually for road repairs. On Tuesday, the state party announced it had submitted 84,988 signatures to election officials, some 20,000 more signatures than would be needed if officials determine they are valid. The lawsuit against Secretary of State Alex Padilla was filed in Sacramento Superior Court by three residents of Newmans Senate district and paid for by the campaign against the recall. It alleges that signature gatherers misled voters to sign the petitions by saying they would repeal the car tax. The petition gathering campaign has misrepresented the nature of the petition by informing voters that it will Stop the Gas Tax when it will not, the lawsuit says. These statements are intentionally misleading statements of fact that are false beyond dispute and mislead voters The legal complaint, which also names several signature gatherers, alleges that the notice of intent to file the petition is inaccurate in saying that the tax bill provides billions of dollars for mass transit in Northern California without Newmans district benefiting from the revenue. The bill itself does not earmark where money will go, but the intent of lawmakers was that Newmans district would benefit, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit asks that the circulation of the petition be stopped and the recall effort, using the petition as drafted, be halted. This suit is about nothing less than the integrity of our election process; a recall election simply should not be certified when signatures were gathered based on lies to voters, said James Harrison, an attorney who filed the lawsuit. Former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, an organizer of the recall, said the lawsuit is without merit. Josh Newman refuses to accept accountability for his disastrous vote to raise the car and gas tax and instead has chosen to blame others for the recall against him with lies and frivolous lawsuits, DeMaio said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State to pay $2.9 million to three men wrongfully convicted in Los Angeles cases By Patrick McGreevy Kash Delano Register outside a Los Angeles restaurant in November 2013 after his release from prison. (Christina House / For The Times) The state Senate has approved payment of $2.96 million to settle three claims by men who were wrongly convicted for crimes in Los Angeles and served time in prison before they were exonerated. The approval of the payments, amounting to $140 for each day served behind bars, next goes to Gov. Jerry Brown. The largest payment $1.7 million goes to Kash Delano Register, who said he was wrongfully convicted of a 1979 murder because of a flawed LAPD investigation. He served 34 years in prison. In 2013, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ordered that Register be released from prison after it found he had been denied due process of law and a fair trial because material exculpatory information and evidence was not disclosed. The court acted after lawyers and students from Loyola Law School cast doubt on the testimony of a key prosecution witness. The Los Angeles County district attorneys office later dismissed the charges, and Register was found by the court to be factually innocent. The Senate payment for 12,427 days served in custody is in addition to a $16.7-million settlement paid to Register by the city of Los Angeles. The Senate also voted Thursday to pay $886,760 to Luis Vargas, who spent more than 17 years in custody before a court ruled him factually innocent of a 1998 rape. In 2012, DNA evidence from one of the victims showed that a suspect known as the Teardrop Rapist, not Vargas, was the perpetrator of the rape. The third payment, $340,620, goes to Reggie Cole, who was found factually innocent after serving time in prison for the shooting death of a man outside a South Los Angeles house of prostitution in 1995. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Public affairs strategist Fiona Hutton hosts fundraiser for Antonio Villaraigosa By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa in July (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles public affairs strategist Fiona Hutton is hosting a San Fernando Valley fundraiser for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa in July. Hutton, who has worked on a number of statewide campaigns, also raised money for Villaraigosa during his successful campaign for mayor of Los Angeles in 2005. The July 25 fundraiser is being held at Huttons office in Studio City. Tickets run $1,000 apiece. To be a co-host, itll cost $10,000. Along with serving as president of her company, Fiona Hutton & Associates, Hutton sits on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California joins other states asking the Trump administration for information on how its enforcing immigration law By Patrick McGreevy Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra wants more information on federal enforcement of immigration laws. ( Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) A group of nine state attorneys general, including California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday seeking records that would clarify how the Trump administration is enforcing federal immigration law. The request seeks the number of immigration detentions, deportations and detainer requests, and the rationale for each, as well as clarifying information on whether Trump is following through on comments that he will not target young people who were brought to the country illegally by their parents. The attorneys general also want to know whether immigrants in the country illegally have been detained at schools, hospitals and places of worship, which the state officials feel should be off-limits for enforcement. Mixed messages from the Trump Administration on immigration enforcement are sowing confusion and increasing anxiety among immigrants, Becerra said in a statement. Today we ask the Administration to tell us what it is doing in this area. The data could be used in a barrage of legal challenges the states have filed against federal immigration policies. Becerra noted that immigration-related arrests have increased nearly 40% since Trump became president, and there is concern that some of the arrests have included young people who were given a deferral from deportation under the Obama administration. The Presidents Executive Orders, and the steps taken by the Department of Homeland Security to implement those orders, have generated new fears and uncertainties in immigrant communities across the country, the attorneys general wrote in the request for information. The other states represented in the request are New York, Illinois, Washington, Massachusetts, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon and Hawaii. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print This is why Californias Legislature cant fix the states housing problems By Liam Dillon An apartment complex in Hollywood (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) For 50 years, California has had a law that aims to encourage developers to build housing. But the law has failed at helping stem the statewide shortage of homes that drives Californias affordability problems. The reason? The law requires cities and counties to produce prodigious reports to plan for housing but it doesnt hold them accountable for any resulting home building. Cities and counties resent the law. To avoid complying, theyve asked the state to let prison beds count toward their low-income housing goals, among other things. And despite knowing about the laws weaknesses for decades, state lawmakers have provided no incentive, such as a greater share of tax dollars, for cities and counties to meet their housing goals. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias attorney general joins the fight against President Trumps sanctuary city order By Patrick McGreevy Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra led a group of 10 states Wednesday in filing an court brief supporting San Francisco and other California communities that challenged President Trumps executive order to withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. After the local governments won a preliminary injunction against the order, the Trump administration asked the courts to dismiss the cities lawsuit. The brief filed by Becerra argues that public safety is improved when local law enforcement agencies focus on crime prevention instead of helping federal authorities enforce immigration laws. The Trump Administration does not have the right to coerce states, counties or municipalities to do the federal governments job, Becerra said in a statement. Californias state and local law enforcement officials are in the business of public safety, not of deportation. Threatening public safety funding to compel localities to do immigration work is a dangerous game that undermines public safety. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California Supreme Court leaves in place decision upholding cap-and-trade system By Chris Megerian Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the Air Resources Board, oversees the cap-and-trade program. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) After more than four years, a legal challenge to Californias cap-and-trade program has reached an unsuccessful conclusion. The end came on Wednesday when the California Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal from business groups who consider the program to be an unconstitutional tax. The program requires companies to buy permits to release greenhouse gases, a system intended to provide a financial incentive to reduce emissions. The law that provided the programs foundation was not passed with a two-thirds vote in the Legislature, the legal threshold for new taxes, sparking lawsuits from the California Chamber of Commerce and the Pacific Legal Foundation. A state appeals court rejected their arguments in April, but they appealed. Business groups were also concerned the decision was too broad and could open the door to additional taxes. Despite the states victory in court, there are other legal questions around cap and trade. Gov. Jerry Brown is pushing lawmakers to extend the program past 2020 with new legislation. With this Supreme Court victory, now its up to us to take action extending Californias cap-and-trade system on a more permanent basis, Brown said in a statement. This story has been updated with a statement from the governor. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rohrabacher on meeting with Manafort while he was a foreign agent: It was a nice little dinner By Sarah D. Wire (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) When former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort belatedly filed as a foreign agent on behalf of a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party this week, he listed a meeting with just one U.S. politician Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach. Manaforts years-late filing with the Justice Department details $17 million in political consulting work he did between 2012 and 2014 for the Party of Regions, a Ukrainian party considered friendly with the Kremlin. Rohrabacher told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday that the March 2013 meeting happened over dinner at the Capitol Hill Club, a popular Washington Republican social club. He said Manafort billed it as a chance to get reacquainted decades after they worked together in the 1970s on President Reagans campaign. Still, he assumed Manafort had an agenda. I assume when old friends call me up and are wanting to get reacquainted and stuff I always assume they are in some way under contract with somebody, Rohrabacher said. Rohrabacher, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, has long been known for encouraging improved relations with Russia, something thats made him an outlier in the Republican Party. He said Russia and the Baltic states probably came up during dinner, but it wasnt the focus of their conversation. We discussed a myriad of things, a lot of personal stuff, a lot of different analysis of the politics of the day, Rohrabacher said. It was a nice little dinner. Three days later, Manafort contributed $1,000 to Rohrabachers reelection campaign. Manaforts modest donation didnt stand out, Rohrabacher said. Ongoing FBI and congressional investigations into Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 election, and how the Trump campaign may have been involved, have heightened interest in any connections American politicians may have had with the Russian government or its proxies. Rohrabachers opponents immediately began fundraising off the revelation that Manafort met with the congressman while serving as a foreign agent. Democrat Harley Rouda, whos running for Rohrabachers seat in 2018, called it embarrassing in a solicitation email Tuesday. We need someone who cares more about Orange County and America than supporting Russia and Putin, Roudas email stated. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrats block Republican legislators proposal for forensic audit of UC Office of President By Patrick McGreevy Two months after a state audit found mismanagement at the University of California, Democratic state lawmakers on Wednesday blocked a Republican legislators proposal to have auditors go back in and look deeper at spending, this time with an eye for possible criminal activity. Assemblyman Dante Acosta (R-Santa Clarita) said the follow-up examination was justified after an audit in April found the UC Office of the President had failed to disclose a $175-million budget surplus to the Board of Regents and the public, was paying excessive salaries and expenses and had inadequate financial safeguards in place to prevent abuse. The lack of controls, the audit concluded, was putting millions of dollars at risk of abuse. I am fighting to return trust in the institution of the UC Office of the President for students, parents, faculty and staff, Acosta said. Only complete transparency can accomplish that goal. However, no Democratic lawmakers on the Joint Legislative Audit Committee voted to authorize a new audit, so the motion failed. Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) said the university administration should be given time to address the recommendations of its recent audit. I believe this request is premature, he said. State Auditor Elaine Howle said Wednesday in response to a legislators question that she did not find any evidence of misuse of funds. We didnt see anything nefarious, Howle told the panel. UC President Janet Napolitano said funds were not hidden, but she has agreed to adopt policies to make the budget process more transparent. Monica Lozano, chairwoman of the UC Board of Regents, told the legislative committee Wednesday that a new audit is unnecessary and may interfere with the systems implementation of recommendations from the last audit, including the hiring of an accountant to look at UC spending. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Single-payer healthcare advocates protest at Capitol with a message for Californias Assembly speaker: Shame on you! By Melanie Mason View Twitter post Backers of a measure to establish a single-payer healthcare system in California rallied at the Capitol on Wednesday to renounce Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), who shelved the bill last week. Several hundred demonstrators, many affiliated with the California Nurses Assn., the legislations sponsor, convened in the Capitol rotunda, where they unfurled a banner that blared Inaction = Death, before handing off signs with written complaints to a member of Rendons staff. The rally, on the heels of a smaller demonstration at Rendons district office on Tuesday, is a sign of how single-payer backers continue to seethe after the bill, SB 562, stalled on Friday. Patty Estefes, a retired nurse from San Jose, said the campaign for single-payer heathcare, in which the government would cover all residents healthcare costs, was her passion. Rendon sabotaged SB 562 and we want to take the knife out, said Estefes, explaining her sign, which had an image of the California grizzly bear stabbed in the back with a blade labeled Rendon. The image has become popular among supporters of the bill, although other Democrats have said the violence of the image makes them uneasy. View Twitter post A depiction of violence in any form is unacceptable and inappropriate. #StandwithRendon #StrongerTogether #DeathThreatsUnacceptable pic.twitter.com/KLF8nNvxdZ Rudy Salas Jr (@rudysalasjr) June 27, 2017 Meanwhile, another union leader, Robbie Hunter of the powerful State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, chimed in Wednesday with support for the state Assembly speaker. Working people have real fights, and they are not with a labor champion like Anthony Rendon, said Hunter, who denounced the criticism from single-payer advocates as unfair and unwarranted attacks. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Garcetti and Schwarzenegger urge cities and states to lead fight against climate change in Trump era By Michael Finnegan Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday called on cities and states to lead the nations fight against global warming as the federal government begins to reverse its climate change policies. The Republican former film star who signed a landmark 2006 law to reduce Californias carbon emissions and the Democratic mayor spoke out against President Trumps denial of climate science at a forum at Creative Artists Agency in Century City. Both argued that steps taken by cities and states to promote renewable energy could largely make up for the Trump administrations withdrawal from the worldwide Paris agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters could decide in 2020 whether to remove mandatory punishment for falsifying U.S. citizenship records By Jazmine Ulloa A proposed California law would let state voters decide in November 2020 whether to remove the mandatory punishment for a person who falsifies citizenship documents. The legislation by Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) would make the crime a wobbler, meaning prosecutors would have the discretion to charge suspects in such cases with either felony offenses or lower-level misdemeanors. That, supporters say, would bring the penalties in line with those for similar crimes committed by legal residents who falsify government records, such as drivers licenses. Assembly Bill 222 moved out of the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday with a 5-2 vote along party lines. An amendment added Tuesday places the issue on the ballot in November 2020. Bocangera said the measure was introduced as a response to President Trumps hard-line stance on immigration and would reverse part of Proposition 187, a 1994 California ballot measure to deny public services to immigrants in the country illegally. The bill would repeal provisions in the penal code that require a person to serve an automatic five-year mandatory prison sentence or pay a $75,000 fine if they are convicted on charges of manufacturing, distributing or selling false documents to conceal someone elses citizenship or residency status. It has the support of the Los Angeles County district attorneys office, which says there are far more serious crimes that carry substantially lower penalties. Today, if an underage college student uses a fake ID to purchase a six-pack of beer, he or she can be charged with a misdemeanor, Bocanegra said in a statement. However, if an immigrant is caught using that same fake ID, he or she is automatically charged with a felony and is subject to five years in prison. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Its all good: Gov. Jerry Brown (again) signs a budget without any vetoed spending By John Myers Gov. Jerry Brown, signs bills in his Capitol office on Oct. 9, 2015. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown holds two unique records when it comes to state budgets. No governor has signed more of them, and none in modern times have been as hesitant to veto items they dont like. In the budget he signed on Monday, Brown made no changes. Its not the first time. This was Browns second consecutive budget in which he took no veto actions, and his third veto-free budget since 1982. Governors have line-item veto power to erase budget expenditures, decisions that arent subject to review by the Legislature. Previous chief executives have used their unilateral power far more often, a way to trim spending from a variety of state budget-related programs. State documents show former Gov. George Deukmejian holds the modern record for the most budget changes, issuing 367 line-item vetoes on July 21, 1983. In total amount of spending, the record belongs to former Gov. Pete Wilson, whose budget vetoes in 1998 added up to more than $1.9 million. Brown also has the distinction of issuing fewer vetoes of stand-alone legislation of any governor in the last half-century, suggesting its a sign of respect for the legislative branch of government. The governors signature on the latest state budget sets in place $183.2-billion in spending, covering a wide range of programs and services while setting aside more in cash reserves than ever before. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Campaign to recall freshman state senator submits more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) at the Capitol on April 20. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The campaign against state Sen. Josh Newman has turned in more than enough signatures to force the freshman Democrat from Fullerton into a recall election. Republican Carl DeMaio, a lead organizer of the effort, said the group submitted 84,988 signatures on Tuesday. More signatures are being collected but only 63,500 registered voters in the 29th Senate District are needed to put the recall question on the ballot. It shows that there is an unbelievable grass roots movement to fire Josh Newman for his disasterous vote to support an increase in the gas tax, said DeMaio, a conservative radio talk show host from San Diego. The recall drive was complicated by recently enacted legislation that allows voters to ask that their signatures not be included in the recall petitions if they felt they were misled. Elections officials in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties must now determine whether there are sufficient valid signatures to qualify the recall. Mike Roth, a spokesman for the campaign against the recall, said special interests including Chevron have helped fuel a misleading petition drive. The recall petition is a costly power grab by out-of-district special interests that wont save taxpayers a dime and wont solve any problem voters care about, Roth said. What it will do is cost up to $3 million in tax dollars that would be better spent on our schools and public safety. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In massive shake-up, Gov. Jerry Brown breaks up Californias scandal-plagued tax collection agency By Patrick McGreevy In a move that triggers the most dramatic shake-up of the California Board of Equalization in its 138-year history, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Tuesday that strips the embattled state tax collection agency of most of its powers and duties as officials scramble to create an entirely new department by July 1. The board is the target of an investigation by the state Department of Justice, and its employees and members have been accused by auditors of mismanagement, including putting $350 million in sales taxes in the wrong accounts and improperly interfering with decisions to open field offices and transfer staff. The governor signed a bill that pares the state board from an agency with 4,800 workers to one of 400 employees, shifting the other staff engaged in the collection of sales and excise taxes to a new California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. The elected, five-member Board of Equalization will also give up its role hearing taxpayer appeals to a new Office of Tax Appeals, leaving the board to advocate for taxpayers and continue setting rates for gas taxes and pipeline levies, and making sure counties fairly assess property taxes. Anticipating the governors action, officials had already started work to create a new state department by July 1. Its a short period, acknowledged Marybel Batjer, secretary of the California Government Operations Agency, who is coordinating the changes. The new department will be headed by a director appointed by the governor and requiring state Senate approval. Brown will also appoint a chief deputy and chief counsel. The recruitment is underway for those positions, Batjer said, adding that the transition will continue after July 1, obviously. Not every i will be dotted and t crossed between now and July 1. We will do our mighty best to do the most important things before July 1. Learn more on the history of the state board and whats next. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown approves a $183-billion state budget, though a few details are unfinished By John Myers (Justin Sullivan/Getty) Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed into law a $183.2-billion budget, a spending plan with significant boosts for public schools and a variety of programs to help Californias most needy residents. While the blueprint depends on a series of other related bills that havent reached his desk, Browns action largely ratifies the plan approved by the Legislature and ensures the state will have a budget in place for the new fiscal year that begins Saturday. This budget provides money to repair our roads and bridges, pay down debt, invest in schools, fund the earned income tax credit and provide Medi-Cal health care for millions of Californians, Brown said in a written statement released by his office. The budget boosts total state and local spending on K-12 education and community colleges to $74.5 billion, roughly $11,000 per pupil in the coming school year. It also increases funding for the University of California and Cal State University systems, and provides additional money for preschool and child care programs. Brown and lawmakers agreed to devote a portion of new tobacco tax dollars to higher payments for doctors and dentists that treat patients in Medi-Cal, the states healthcare program for the poor. Divvying up the dollars generated by last falls Proposition 56 was among one of the most contentious issues during spring budget negotiations. The budget sets aside additional money in the states rainy-day reserve fund, growing the contingency account to $8.5 billion. Brown, who rarely uses his line-item veto power in trimming budgets, left entirely intact the plan ratified by the Legislature on June 15. While the governor signed 15 budget-related bills Tuesday, a handful of other related bills have yet to make their way to his desk. Those include a plan to make an extra $6-billion payment to the California Public Employees Retirement System, or CalPERS, borrowing the money from surplus state revenues. The plan was approved by the state Senate on Monday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Jerry Brown says GOP healthcare bill cuts right into the heart of what is already a divided nation By Sarah D. Wire Californias senators, Kamala Harris, left, and Dianne Feinstein. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) One in three California residents are covered by Medicaid, and California is thought to have the most to lose if Republicans gather enough votes to roll back major aspects of the Affordable Care Act. California would see the nations biggest increase in uninsured people by next year and face a $24-billion budget shortfall by 2026 because of reduced Medicaid funding, Californias Democratic senators and Gov. Jerry Brown warned during a call with reporters on Tuesday. The Californians call was just one of dozens of events House and Senate Democrats held Tuesday to try to stir up anger over the bill. Brown called the bill divisive, saying it puts tax cuts for the wealthy above healthcare for the poor. This is such a political bill, he said. This bill will be the most divisive maneuver, cutting right into the heart of what is already a divided nation. The bill would increase the number of people without health coverage by 22 million and push up medical costs for millions of other poor and sick Americans, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. After pledging to pass the bill this week, Senate Republicans abruptly delayed a vote until after the July Fourth recess. A handful of Republicans have announced they are leery of the bill, saying it either goes too far or doesnt go far enough, and the White House is lobbying them to get on board. Every major medical association has come out against the bill, which was written by a small group of senators behind closed doors. Sen. Kamala Harris said the bill is being rushed to the Senate floor without hearings, debate or much time for senators to review it. Its absolutely wrong, it is harmful and it is unconscionable. The bill would restructure our nations entire health care system, she said. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said its not enough to amend the existing GOP bill, and Congress needs to start over instead. She said 10 or 12 Republican senators need to defect so the bill is not revived after a few changes, as a similar bill was in the House. I am optimistic that it is doable to kill it, Feinstein said. Its the most indefensible bill Ive actually seen in 24 years in the Senate. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print National Republicans target California water needs in new ads against House Democrats By Sarah D. Wire The National Republican Congressional Committee is going after five California Democrats for votes on a water issue. The online ads are identical except for one line tailored to target each Democrat: Reps. John Garamendi of Walnut Grove, Ami Bera of Elk Grove, Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara, Raul Ruiz of Palm Desert and Scott Peters of San Diego. They specifically are about the Democrats voting against a bill to funnel dam permits through a single federal agency in an effort to speed up new water storage projects. Tell Congressman Garamendi to stop letting politics get in the way of our water, one ad says. Sponsored by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove), the bill passed the House last week, with a 233-180 largely partisan vote. Democrats need 24 seats to regain control of the House, and are expected to focus their attention in the midterms on tying Republicans to President Trump. Their list of seats they need to flip includes 9 of the 14 California seats held by Republicans. The ads, which will run online for the next week, could be the first glimpse of an NRCC strategy of trying to keep the focus on local issues in the 2018 election. California Democrats want to help radical environmentalists more than their drought-stricken constituents. If Democrats continue to sit on their hands and let this chance to capture much-needed water float on by, the NRCC will hold them accountable, said spokesman Jack Pandol. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Only a few California counties may use the new state law for sending every voter a ballot in the mail By John Myers A broad effort to close thousands of California neighborhood polling places in favor of absentee ballots and multi-purpose vote centers has yet to find traction beyond a handful of counties. Data collected by Secretary of State Alex Padillas office concludes only two counties have a plan in place to implement the sweeping change in state election law enacted last year. As many as 14 counties can do so in 2018, with Los Angeles County and others able to switch to the system in 2020. Change is hard, said Jill LaVine, registrar of voters in Sacramento County, one of the counties that has already approved adoption of the system to swap polling places for a limited number of vote centers offering several different election services. Meanwhile, leaders in the county that has done the most planning to move toward changing its election system -- Orange County -- have rejected the new law for 2018. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Nurses union uses the image of a California bear stabbed in the back after single-payer bill is blocked Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Rep. Grace Napolitano to miss House votes for several weeks while husband receives cancer treatment By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) will miss House votes while her husband, Frank Napolitano, undergoes chemotherapy and radiation to treat esophageal cancer, her spokesman said. The congresswoman, 80, easily beat out former Democratic state Assemblyman Roger Hernandez of West Covina in the November election. She said in April that she would seek reelection in 2018, and her husbands health does not change her plan to seek an 11th term, spokesman Jerry ODonnell said. Napolitano has missed the last two weeks of House votes, though shes working some from the district, and is expected to remain in California for several more weeks to care for her husband during the treatment, ODonnell said. He did not know for sure how long Napolitano would be gone, but it is possible she might make it back for some votes during the seven-week-long treatment, he said. Napolitano said by phone she will try to return if the House votes again on the GOP health care bill. I intend to be back at work soon, Napolitano said. The House leaves Friday for a one-week break and leaves again at the end of July for the August recess. Napolitano suffered a minor stroke in 2016 that affected her ability to write and slightly slowed her walk. For the record, 8:47 a.m.: An earlier version of this post identified the type of cancer Napolitanos husband has as lung cancer. It is esophageal cancer. 8:47 a.m., June 27: This post has been updated with a quote from Napolitano. 2:45 p.m. This post has been updated to correct how many terms the congresswoman has served. 2:26 p.m. This post has been updated with more details about when Napolitano might return. This post was originally published at 2:06 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After a career in the majority, Jimmy Gomez prepares for life in the minority in Washington By Sarah D. Wire (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Congressman-elect Jimmy Gomez has spent his entire political career as a member of the majority party. When hes sworn in as central and northeast Los Angeles newest member of Congress in the coming weeks, hell be the most junior Democrat 194th out of 194 in Congress. Hell have to find a path forward in a Congress dominated by the opposing party. Even if Democrats win back control, hell have hundreds of more senior and just as eager colleagues ahead of him in line. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Rep. Maxine Waters focuses on GOP healthcare bill at packed town hall By Andrea Castillo (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) Rep. Maxine Waters, who spoke Saturday at a packed town hall meeting in Gardena, said she worries some Americans will be forced to do what her family did if the Republican healthcare bill passes. Senate Republicans have pledged to pass a bill before the July Fourth holiday. To illustrate why she believes everyone should have access to comprehensive healthcare, the Los Angeles Democrat said she and her 12 siblings never saw a physician or a dentist their entire childhood. I was born at home in St. Louis back in the day when it was hard for minorities to get into hospitals, she said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print This former Jeff Denham challenger wont run again, but hes launching a committee to elect Democrats By Christine Mai-Duc Two-time congressional challenger Michael Eggman says he wont try for a third campaign against Republican Rep. Jeff Denham (Turlock), but hes hoping to help Democrats running against the him. Eggman, a beekeeper and farmer, announced Monday that hes starting a political action committee to help oust Republicans in seven seats, including Denhams in the Central Valley, which Democrats have targeted for 2018. The committee, Red to Blue California, filed papers with the Federal Election Commission in March but so far hasnt reported raising any money. Andrew Feldman, a spokesman for the PAC, said the group has taken in about $50,000 and its goal is to raise at least $7 million in the 2018 cycle. Eggman will serve as chair of the committee. In a statement, Eggman said that while he lost last year, I learned a heck of a lot on the way. Now as Donald Trump threatens to upend the very fabric of what makes our country great, Im doing my part to join the resistance. In addition to Denhams seat, the committee will target Republican Reps. Steve Knight (Palmdale), David Valadao (Hanford), Ed Royce (Fullerton), Mimi Walters (Irvine), Dana Rohrabacher (Huntington Beach) and Darrell Issa (Vista). All seven were reelected in districts won by Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. The committee also plans to use some of the money to promote down-ballot candidates in each of the districts as a way of building a base of Democratic candidates. Eggman, a beekeeper and farmer who received a rare endorsement from Barack Obama in the Democrats unsuccessful quest to take back the House last year, lost to Denham by 5% in November. Spending in that race topped $14 million. Six Democrats have already filed to run in Denhams 10th Congressional District, including Josh Harder, a venture capital executive whose campaign manager worked for Eggman in 2016. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: Theres a powerful new ally of those who support a sanctuary state By John Myers Supporters of an ambitious California effort to limit law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities begin the week with a prominent new ally. On this weeks California Politics Podcast, we take a look at the impact of Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck endorsing the sanctuary state bill thats now under consideration in Sacramento. We also discuss the decision by Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) to run for governor, and how his conservative politics could have a big effect on how Republican voters view their choices in 2018. Im joined by Times staff writer Melanie Mason and Marisa Lagos of KQED News. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California wont be passing a single-payer healthcare system any time soon the plan is dead for this year By Melanie Mason View Twitter post A high-profile effort to establish a single-payer healthcare system in California sputtered on Friday when Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) decided to shelve the proposal. Rendon announced late Friday afternoon that the bill, SB 562 by state Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), would not advance to a policy hearing in his house, dampening the measures prospect for swift passage this year. SB 562 was sent to the Assembly woefully incomplete, Rendon said in a statement. Even senators who voted for SB 562 noted there are potentially fatal flaws in the bill, including the fact it does not address many serious issues, such as financing, delivery of care, cost controls, or the realities of needed action by the Trump Administration and voters to make SB 562 a genuine piece of legislation. Rendon took pains to note that his action does not kill the bill entirely because it is the first year of a two-year session, it could be revived next year. But the move is nonetheless a major setback for legislation that has electrified the Democratic partys progressive flank. The California Nurses Assn., the bills sponsors and the states most vocal advocates for single-payer, blasted Rendons decision as cowardly. Acting in secret in the interests of the profiteering insurance companies late Friday afternoon abandons all those people already threatened by Congress and the Trump administration, Deborah Burger, the unions co-president, said in a statement. Burger continued: The people of California are counting on the Legislature to protect them now, not sometime next year, and as polls have shown Californians support this proposal by a wide majority. A solution to this health care emergency could be at hand; Speaker Rendon is standing in opposition. In a joint statement, Lara and Atkins, the measures authors, said they were disappointed the robust debate about healthcare for all that started in the California Senate will not continue in the Assembly this year. This issue is not going away, they added. Gov. Jerry Brown, who had signaled wariness about the proposals costs, said in a statement that Rendon made the case that theres clearly more work to do before anyone is in a position to vote on revamping Californias healthcare system. I recognize the tremendous excitement behind the measure, but basic and fundamental questions remain unanswered, Brown said. Updated at 6:44 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Gov. Jerry Brown. Updated at 5:38 p.m.: This article was updated to include comments from the California Nurses Assn. and the measures authors. This article was originally published at 4:38 p.m. Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy contributed to this report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California politicians are in Dallas despite new ban on state employees traveling to Texas By Patrick McGreevy Sen. Ricardo Lara (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A day after California banned state employees from going to Texas on official business, a group of politicians from the Golden State was in Dallas on Friday for a major conference. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Thursday announced he was prohibiting state employees from traveling at state expense to Texas and three other states that he determined have approved laws that discriminate against gay and transgender people. Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), who is openly gay, is among those attending the annual gathering of the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). A spokesman said he is using his own money, not taxpayer funds. Lara voted for the bill that enacted the travel ban. Lara felt participating in a panel discussion on immigration was important amid debate over Gov. Greg Abbotts signage of a controversial immigration law that bans sanctuary cities for immigrants in the country illegally, spokesman Michael Soller said. Texas just passed one of the nations most anti-immigrant laws with Senate Bill 4, and California went down this road with Proposition 187 more than 20 years ago, Lara said in a statement. With LGBT and immigrant rights under assault across the country, I thought it was important to join other Latino leaders and show Californias example. Like Lara, West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem John Duran made plans to attend the Dallas convention well before Becerra announced the travel ban, which does not apply to non-state employees. Duran is the national chairman of NALEO and said the conference was scheduled for Dallas three years ago. I dont know about the LGBT laws in Texas or AG Becerras call for a boycott -- I am not only LGBT but also Latino, Duran said in an email, adding he is very angry over Texas SB 4, which requires law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials in enforcing immigration laws. I am here supporting my elected official colleagues in Texas from Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas who are joining together to sue the state of Texas, Duran said. Being a Californian who worked against Gov. Pete Wilsons Prop 187 -- I have experiences and strategies to share with them. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Texas responds to California LGBT travel ban, saying Golden State firms fleeing over taxation and regulation By Patrick McGreevy A day after California officials said they are banning state workers from traveling to Texas on official business, an aide to Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott returned a verbal volley claiming mistreatment of businesses. On Thursday, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Texas and three other states were being put on a list of states that had adopted laws seen by Becerra as discriminatory to the LGBT community and therefore were off-limits for state-sponsored travel. That drew a response Friday from John Wittman, Abbotts press secretary. California may be able to stop their state employees, but they cant stop all the businesses that are fleeing over taxation and regulation and relocating to Texas, Wittman said. Becerra put Texas on the travel-ban list after the governor signed HB 3859 last week. The new law allows foster care agencies to deny adoptions and services to children and parents based on sincerely held religious beliefs. Becerra said the measure allows agencies to discriminate against children in foster care and potentially disqualify LGBT families from the states foster and adoption system. A spokesman for Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin also criticized California officials. It is fascinating that the very same West Coast liberals who rail against the Presidents executive order, that protects our nation from foreign terrorists, have now contrived their own travel ban aimed at punishing states who dont fall in lockstep with their far-left political ideology, said Woody Maglinger, Bevins press secretary. Updated at 1:35 pm to include comment from Woody Maglinger. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Tom McClintocks bill to streamline dam permits passes House largely on party lines By Sarah D. Wire Dam permits would be funneled through a single federal agency in an effort to speed up new water storage projects under a bill that passed the House on Thursday. Sponsored by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove), the 233-180 vote was largely along partisan lines. Reps. Jim Costa (D-Fresno), Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) and six other Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the bill. McClintock said the various local, state and federal agencies that must sign off on new projects dont have to communicate or set deadlines, and often require redundant information from permit applicants, which can make the application process drag on for years and drive up costs. Dam applications can go on endlessly, McClintock said after the vote. A lot of these projects become cost prohibitive. He pointed to a dam project proposed by the town of Foresthill in his district as an example. Conflicting demands from several federal agencies about a plan to install a spillway gate on the dam at the Sugar Pine Reservoir have driven up the cost, he said. The project application is still under review. So a $2-million project that was a heavy lift for a little community, but within reach, becomes an $11-million cost-prohibitive boondoggle, McClintock said. Under the bill, the Bureau of Reclamation would coordinate with other federal agencies on all aspects of a dam application and set deadlines for deciding whether to approve a project. Democrats who voted against the bill said the bureau would be able to set arbitrary deadlines for the at-times lengthy environmental reviews required for water projects, which could undermine reviews required by laws like the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Fixing the process isnt just about saving some headaches or a few hours of time. This is about making sure millions of people in California and across America have the water they need and deserve, said Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield). Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) has filed similar legislation in the Senate, and McClintock said he is cautiously optimistic it will pass. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Jerry Brown says Senate healthcare bill has same stench as House version Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Travis Allen, a conservative and controversial Orange County lawmaker, jumps into California governors race By Phil Willon Conservative Orange County Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) is jumping into Californias 2018 race for governor, a move that could splinter the GOP vote in what promises to be a crowded and competitive race. Travis, elected to the Legislature in 2012, said he decided to run because of the years of wasteful spending and dictatorial policies pushed by Jerry Brown and the Sacramento Democrats. I am running to be the next governor of California to take back our state for the forgotten ordinary citizens of California, who will no longer tolerate the squandering of our incredible natural abundance of people, economy, and resources by limousine liberals beholden to ravenous public sector union bosses and extremist environmentalists, Travis said in a statement announcing his campaign. Outspoken and controversial, Travis has filed a ballot measure to repeal the recently approved gas tax and sponsored legislation requiring voters to show photo ID. Allen has faced criticism for claiming that a new law that barred police from arresting people under 18 for soliciting sex or loitering with intent to commit prostitution was an effort to legalize child prostitution. The purpose of the law was to treat minors as victims of sex trafficking rather than offenders. Allen, 43, worked as a certified financial planner before he ran for the Legislature. His Assembly district includes all or portions of Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Garden Grove. Allen will face stiff competition from fellow Republican John Cox, a Rancho Santa Fe venture capitalist who already has put $3 million of his own money into his campaign. Former GOP Assemblyman David Hadley of Manhattan Beach also is exploring a run, and former Los Angeles Rams football player Rosey Grier announced plans to jump into the race but thus far has not established an official campaign. The race also has attracted a cadre of Democratic heavyweights, including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang. Delaine Eastin, a former state legislator and state schools chief, is also running. In California, Democrats hold a 19-percentage point advantage over Republicans in voter registration, a strong head wind against GOP candidates running for statewide office. Because of the large field of Democrats in the race, a Republican could have a good shot of finishing in the top two in the June 2018 primary if they can put together GOP support. But Allens entry into the race could divide Republican voters, reducing the odds of a GOP candidate making it to the November general election. The first- and second-place finishers in the primary advance to the general election regardless of their party. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Coastal panel spawned by 1930s oil scandal now a player in governors race By Michael Finnegan (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) When John Chiang joined the State Lands Commission, it quickly became a platform to showcase his environmental record, starting with his 2007 vote to block construction of a shipping terminal for liquefied natural gas in Ventura County. The commission has served the same purpose for Gavin Newsom, who often uses his seat on the panel to remind Californians that he opposes offshore oil drilling. Now that both Chiang and Newsom are running for governor, they are drawing rare attention to the little-known but powerful State Lands Commission, which oversees 4 million acres of land beneath California waters. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Ballot measure to expand L.A. County Board of Supervisors advances By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, wants to expand the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from five to seven members. Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press ( Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors would be expanded from five to seven members and an elected chief executive post would be created under a measure recommended Wednesday by a state Senate panel despite opposition from the county. Two members of the countys 2015-16 civil grand jury testified that the group felt the current government is inadequate for a county of more than 10 million residents. They said that if the county was a state, it would be the eighth-largest state in the country based on population. The board is too small to adequately serve the diverse needs of county residents, grand jury member Molly Milligan told the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, before its 5-1 vote to recommend Senate Constitutional Amendment 12. The proposed statewide ballot measure was introduced by Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). The proposal was opposed by Phyllis Marshall, the chief legislative representative for Los Angeles County, who noted that the proposal would allow voters statewide to decide the governance structure for one county. Voters in other counties do not have sufficient knowledge to vote on a constitutional amendment to change the governing structure of Los Angeles County, Marshall told the panel before the measure was sent to another policy panel on its way to a possible full Senate vote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kimberly Ellis blames Democratic Party hacks for losses in Tuesdays congressional races By Phil Willon Kimberly Ellis (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Kimberly Ellis, who has challenged the results of the California Democratic Party leadership election she lost, blamed party establishment hacks who are the worst in the biz for losses in congressional races in Georgia and South Carolina on Tuesday. Ellis, a progressive Bay Area Democrat who tapped into a wellspring of disaffected Bernie Sanders backers, on Tuesday night sent a tweet saying that it was time for a new coalition. That drew a sharp rebuke from veteran Democratic operative Bob Mulholland, who has criticized Ellis for not conceding. Ellis blamed her narrow May loss to Eric Bauman for state Democratic Party chairperson on voting irregularities. Ellis, who lost the race by 62 votes,has called on the party to conduct an independent audit of the election. Bauman rejected that request, saying the party already has a process in place to review contested elections. The partys compliance review commission, made up of six members who were appointed during former chairman John Burtons tenure, is currently reviewing the election. On Friday, Bauman announced that the party hired the law firm of Olson Hagel & Fishburn LLC to oversee, advise and counsel the commission during the inquiry. Let's thank Jon Ossoff, his staff and the thousands of volunteers for their effort. Let's ignore Trump and Kimberly Ellis attacks on Ossoff. Bob Mulholland (@Chico_Bob) June 21, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print These legislators are trying to make sure Jimmy Gomezs replacement in the Assembly is a woman By Christine Mai-Duc As soon as Congressman-elect Jimmy Gomez announced he was running for Congress, his Assembly colleague Cristina Garcia got to work. Garcia, a legislator from Bell Gardens who became chair of the Womens Legislative Caucus in December, called Gomez, other Assembly members, and labor and environmental groups to make it clear: If Gomez won the 34th Congressional District and vacated his Assembly seat, her priority would be electing a woman in his place. With Gomez headed to Washington after his June 6 win, Garcia said its time to put her groups plan into action. Its simple, said Garcia in a recent interview. As long as we dont have parity, were going to fight at every opportunity to try to get another woman in office. Women hold 17 out of 80 seats in the state Assembly and nine of 40 of the state Senate seats. On Wednesday morning, the Democratic arm of the womens legislative caucus announced it was endorsing Wendy Carrillo, a Democrat who ran in the 34th District primary against Gomez, and who is the only woman running to replace him so far. I am impressed by her ongoing activism for environmental justice, womens rights, LGBTQ rights, immigrants and social justice movements that are the bedrocks of a progressive democracy and welcome the tenacity she will bring to further promote these issues in the state Legislature with a womans perspective, Garcia said in a statement. Eight other candidates have filed to run for or have announced campaigns for Gomezs 51st Assembly District. The election date and its accompanying filing deadlines have not yet been set, mainly because Gomez has not stepped down, so another woman could still jump in. But Garcia is hoping her caucus announcement will head that off. If the 34th Congressional District race is going to teach us any lessons, its that we dont have the luxury of having multiple women split the field, Garcia said. More than a dozen women ran in the crowded primary to replace Xavier Becerra in the central Los Angeles District. None of them won more than 10% of the vote. So Garcia and her colleagues havent just been talking about their mission; theyve been trying to shape the field of candidates, too. Garcia said she reached out to former 34th District hopefuls to gauge their interest, solicited names of potential female candidates from interest groups, and had conversations with half a dozen women who were considering jumping in. Garcia said she didnt discourage any women, but was up front with them about the challenges each might face. Shes also encouraged women who expressed interest to work it out among themselves in hopes that they could unite behind one female candidate. Its a somewhat new tactic for the womens caucus, which has struggled to unite on political endorsements in the past and is hoping to flex more muscle in Sacramento. We are being more strategic now, Garcia said. It cant just be like, I like you and you have a great heart. Thats not good enough. You have to put in the work and be able to build a coalition and win. Carrillo said it was unfortunate that none of the women in the 34th District race made it past the primary. But, she added: Men dont get asked the question of whether theyre worried about splitting the vote. The outcome in the congressional primary, Carrillo said, had more to do with a lack of money flowing to many of the womens campaigns, something she hopes to remedy. Ive learned a lot ... [about] just what it takes to build coalitions and how best to move forward in terms of having a strategy to win, Carrillo said. Ultimately, the voters are going to decide based on issues, Carrillo said. I think that I bring a very unique perspective, having grown up in the district, in terms of advocating for labor and for education and for healthcare and all the issues that residents care for. ------------ FOR THE RECORD June 21, 2:53 p.m.: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Cristina Garcia became chair of the Womens Legislative Caucus in January. She took over the position in December. ------------ Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Prompted by San Bernardino shooting, House passes bill to require reports to Congress after terrorist attacks By Sarah D. Wire Evacuated workers pray on the fairway of the San Bernardino Golf Club shortly after the 2015 mass shooting at the nearby Inland Regional Center. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Intelligence agencies would have to make recommendations to Congress on how to stop the next domestic terrorist attack under a bill inspired by the 2015 San Bernardino shooting. The bill, which passed the House on Tuesday without opposition, requires the Homeland Security secretary to submit a report to Congress within one year of a terrorist attack in the U.S. The report, which would be unclassified, must include details of what happened and recommendations for laws or policies that can be changed to prevent a similar attack. It would also include input from the attorney general, FBI director and the head of the National Counterterrorism Center. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), who represents San Bernardino, filed the bill about a year after the Dec. 2, 2015, shooting in which 14 people were killed and 22 were wounded by a married couple at the Inland Regional Center. Aguilar told The Times that individual members of Congress shouldnt have to press agencies for details about what happened after an attack. By nature every terrorist event is unique, and so we need something to prod the agencies to tell us why its unique and what we can do better, Aguilar said. There is no current requirement for the agencies to submit a report to Congress after a terrorist event. We think that it makes sense to do that and that it will help us learn from these events and become smarter about it. After the San Bernardino attack, the Justice Department worked with the Police Foundation, a Washington-based research group, to create a report, but it was aimed at training law enforcement on responding to an attack. We think there are more lessons to be learned, but that only happens when those agencies work with Congress on what we can change, Aguilar said. The bipartisan bill was backed by nine other Californians: Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Corona), Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley), Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro), David Valadao (R-Hanford), Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine). Aguilar said he is still working to line up a sponsor for the bill in the Senate. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New super PAC targets seven California Republicans By Phil Willon Former Northern California Rep. Ellen Tauscher has launched a new super PAC targeting seven vulnerable Republicans in the states congressional delegation, hoping to aid the Democratic effort to win control of the House of Representatives in 2018. Each Republican represents a district that backed Hillary Clinton in the November election. On the Fight Back California PACs list are Reps. Jeff Denham of Turlock; David Valadao of Hanford; Steve Knight of Palmdale; Ed Royce of Fullerton; Mimi Walters of Irvine; Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach and Darrell Issa of Vista. Of those, the former congresswoman served with Issa, Royce and Rohrabacher. This isnt personal, Tauscher said. But the fact is that Im a Californian, and they dont vote in the interest of my state. Tauscher represented Northern Californias 10th Congressional District for 14 years before becoming undersecretary of State during the Obama administration in 2009. Katie Merrill, the PACs political strategist, said the campaign will target the Republicans records on issues that directly affect voters in the district, such as the GOPs efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We intend to soften the ground. So when the Democratic nominee emerges ... they are facing a significantly weakened incumbent, Merrill said. Updated at 4:02 p.m.: This story was updated to include a comment from Tauscher. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Overhaul of Californias state tax board plagued by confusion, members say By Patrick McGreevy Board of Equalization Chairwoman Diane Harkey says there is confusion around the reorganization of the board. (Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times) State tax board members on Tuesday said there remain a lot of unanswered questions about how their agency will transfer many of its duties to two new offices, a reorganization approved last week by the state Legislature in response to problems with the panel. About 4,400 of the state Board of Equalizations 4,800 employees will be transferred to a new California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which will take over collection of sales and excise taxes, and an office of administrative law judges who will take over taxpayer appeals. The change was outlined by the boards executive director, David Gau, at a meeting with the panel Tuesday. I dont think anything is easy, Board Chairwoman Diane Harkey said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. I think its going to be expensive. There is a lot of confusion. Board member George Runner said there are questions about whether he can continue to hold educational events for taxpayers, while board member Jerome Horton said he wants to know whether he can continue to advocate for taxpayers. There are still some issues they need to work out, Horton said. Harkey said new bills will have to be approved with clarifying language on some issues. For instance, the newly approved legislation takes away the boards power to hear appeals after July 1 even though lawmakers want the board to continue handling the hearings until the new administrative law judges are operating Jan. 1. In addition, the board employs civil service workers who are trained for jobs that will no longer exist with the board, she said, adding that the new department is supposed to begin operating July 1. This is all still in flux. Its a huge step to take in a couple of weeks, Harkey said. Marybel Batjer, secretary of the California Government Operations Agency, has addressed the board employees, assuring them that they will be able to shift to jobs in the new department. She told The Times on Tuesday that planning has already begun for the new department, including the early stages of recruitment of its administrative staff. Meanwhile, board representatives, including Harkey, confirmed that investigators from the state attorney generals office have begun interviewing agency employees after Gov. Jerry Brown called for a probe into whether staff and resources were mishandled by the agency. Were just hearing that they are around, Harkey said of investigators. I think it scares everybody. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias Clean Air Act waiver should be yanked, Trumps former environmental advisor says By Chris Megerian (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) The head of President Trumps Environmental Protection Agency may not be prepared to battle California over air regulations, but the man who led Trumps transition team for the department is ready. Myron Ebell, who works at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington and helped devise Trumps environmental agenda, said California should not be allowed to set its own standards for greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle tailpipes. The state has that authority under a Clean Air Act waiver granted by President Obama, one of dozens that have been issued over the years. The waiver has to go, in my view, Ebell told journalists on Monday at a training program organized by the National Press Foundation. The problem, he said, is that the California regulations are a backdoor attempt to regulate fuel economy, a power thats reserved for the federal government. California said it would push forward on greenhouse gas rules earlier this year even though the Trump administration has opened the door to rolling them back on the federal level. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had previously suggested that the Trump administration could try to revoke Californias waiver, but during a recent Capitol Hill hearing he said it wasnt currently under review. Ebell has denied mainstream science on global warming. But apart from the waiver he wants to see revoked, he told journalists that he didnt have a problem with California trying to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions. I believe in competitive federalism, he said. The only problem, Ebell said, is whether Gov. Jerry Brown tries to conduct his own foreign policy and sign international treaties. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A new audit says some California agencies sidestepped competitive bidding rules on contracts By Patrick McGreevy Two California agencies in charge of high-tech projects failed to provide proper oversight for billions of dollars in contracts awarded without competitive bidding, according to a state audit released Tuesday. State law requires the Department of General Services and the California Department of Technology (CDT) to use the competitive bidding process whenever possible to ensure fair competition and eliminate favoritism, fraud, and corruption, State Auditor Elaine Howle wrote in a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown. The investigation examined a sample of those contracts and found nine noncompetitive requests valued at almost $1 billion that agencies likely could have avoided had they engaged in sufficient planning, Howle wrote. The auditors cited approval of a request by the California High-Speed Rail Authority for a $3-million noncompetitive contract amendment to provide financial consulting services. The proposal was submitted 17 days before the existing contract was set to expire. When justifying its noncompetitive request, High-Speed Rail stated that the financial consulting services were critical to its mission and that the vendors skills were specialized and not widely available. However, it did not provide a valid reason why this vendor alone could meet the states needs, as financial consulting services are not unique, the audit found. In all, auditors estimated that the state awarded at least $44 billion in noncompetitive contracts of more than $1 million each during the five fiscal years ending June 30, 2016. The two agencies have the power to enforce contract rules but they rarely employed them, allowing agencies to continue inappropriately using noncompetitive requests, the audit concluded. State workers also allegedly wrote reports in ways that misled about which projects were competitively bid. In one case, a $3-million contract was identified as competitively bid, to which an additional $31 million in noncompetitive contracts was added through nine amendments. Amy Tong, director of the California Deptartment of Technology, agreed with the auditors recommendations, saying the agency believes that the recommendations will strengthen CDTs oversight of information technology and telecommunication procurements, especially those acquired through the noncompetitive request process. Daniel C. Kim, director of the Department of General Services, also agreed to improve the process, writing to auditors that his agency will take appropriate action to address the issues presented in the report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer has a big decision to make By Phil Willon Tom Steyer at a Los Angeles high school in 2014. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) For months, billionaire Democratic donor and environmental activist Tom Steyer has been acting like a candidate running for governor hobnobbing with Democratic loyalists, putting out a position paper on income inequality and continuing his aggressive efforts to combat climate change. Steyer says hes still considering jumping into the race. But he may have another target on his radar. Steyer has starting mounting his own challenge to President Trump, going so far as to call for impeachment and use his nonprofit, NextGen Climate, to encourage citizens to lobby their congressional representatives for it. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Lobbying firm fined $4,000 for violating gift limit buying dinner for former state Sen. Ronald Calderon By Patrick McGreevy Ron Calderon, shown in while still in the senate in 2014, was treated to a dinner by a lobbying firm that violated a gift limit. ( (Rich Pedroncelli / AP)) Mercury Public Affairs has agreed to pay $4,000 in fines to Californias ethics watchdog agency for violating the $10 gift limit on lobbying firms when it provided dinners worth $200 to former state Sen. Ronald Calderon and his wife. In October, Calderon was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty in a public corruption case unrelated to the Mercury dinner. The fines proposed against Mercury by the enforcement staff of the state Fair Political Practices Commission stem from violating the $10 gift limit and failing to report that Calderons wife also received a dinner, according to the investigative report. Calderon and his wife attended an April 2013 dinner paid for by Mercury at Mastros in Beverly Hills. Also present was former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a non-lobbyist partner of Mercury, and four other unidentified people. The violation of the state Political Reform Act was found by a random audit by the state Franchise Tax Board. Mercurys $200 gift to Sen. Calderon, while not extravagant, significantly exceeded the gift limit, the investigative report said. A central purpose of the act is to prevent improper influence by lobbyists and the acts strict gift limit on lobbying firms is intended to effectuate that purpose. The commission will vote on the fines on June 29. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California bill aims to revive broadband privacy rules that were killed by Trump and Congress By Melanie Mason A woman works on her laptop in the Rose Main Reading Room of the New York Public Library. ( Mark Lennihan / Associated Press) Several months ago, President Trump signed into law a repeal of sweeping privacy regulations limiting what broadband providers can do with customer data. Now, an Assembly Democrat is trying to resuscitate those rules for Californians. Assemblyman Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) unveiled a measure on Monday that would largely enshrine the sputtered federal regulations into California state law. The bill would require Internet service providers, such as Verizon, Comcast and AT&T, to get permission from customers before using, selling or permitting access to data about their browsing history. Such restrictions were crafted by the Federal Communications Commission under the Obama administration. But the FCC under Trump sought to roll back those rules before they went into effect. Congress approved the repeal in March, and the president signed it. Congress and the administration went against the will of the vast majority of Americans when they revoked the FCC rules, Chau said at a news conference, adding that with his measure, AB 375, California is goi Homeland Security officials announced stricter passenger screening and other tougher security measures Wednesday for all commercial flights entering the United States, but said they would not bar laptop computers and e-readers in carry-on luggage as airlines had feared. The new rules will impact about 2,000 flights a day from 280 airports in 105 countries, a move that could make international flying more onerous just as the busy summer travel season starts. Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly told a security conference in Washington that the enhanced measures would be both seen and unseen. He did not say when they will begin but said they will be phased in to give airlines and airports time to adjust. Advertisement Kelly said changes will include tougher screening of laptops and other personal electronic devices at airports, more thorough vetting of travelers, greater use of explosive-sniffing dogs, expanded exchanges of terrorist watch lists, and new systems to help prevent insider attacks by airline employees. It is time to raise the global baseline of aviation security, Kelly said. We cannot play international whack-a-mole with every new threat. He said terrorist groups still consider downing passenger jets as the crown jewel target. The threat has not diminished, he said. In fact, I am concerned that we are seeing renewed interest on the part of terrorist groups to go after the aviation sector from bombing aircraft to attacking airports on the ground, as we saw in Brussels and Istanbul. If international carriers fail to adopt the new measures, Homeland Security could ban electronic devices larger than cellphones from those airlines U.S.-bound flights or even suspend their flights. Kelly said he expected all airlines would cooperate. The new rules got a mixed reaction from airline industry officials. Nicholas E. Calio, president of Airlines for America, the trade group that represents the nations carriers, complained that the new measures should have been subject to a greater degree of collaboration and coordination to avoid the significant operational disruptions and unnecessarily frustrating consequences for the traveling public that appear likely to happen. Other airline officials said some of the upgrades already are in place at high-profile international airports but smaller airports with less intense security would need to add them. They also said it is too early to say if the new measures will affect air travel demand, which was forecast to grow by 4% this summer on U.S.-based airlines thanks to improving economic conditions, higher household net worth and lower airfares. We are working to minimize any potential impact this may have to our customers, said Michael Thomas, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines. He added that Delta officials are happy the laptop ban was not imposed. This does give us some clear direction, which is helpful, he said. The move to tighten security follows intelligence, reportedly gathered from Islamic State in Syria by Israeli spy services, suggesting a lethal new threat from bombs that could be concealed in digital devices and that could evade detection by airport screening devices. On March 21, U.S. and British authorities banned electronic devices larger than a cellphone in cabins on U.S.-bound flights from eight Muslim-majority countries in North Africa and the Middle East, saying terrorists were seeking innovative methods to bring down commercial jetliners. Since then, Kelly and his aides have huddled with their counterparts overseas, as well as with representative of major airlines, to discuss whether to expand the ban around the globe. Airlines protested that a broad laptop ban would inconvenience passengers and not remove the threat. Aviation experts and European security officials warned that putting laptops in cargo holds would pose other dangers because the lithium batteries could start fires. Kelly told a House committee this month that the department was considering extending the ban to 71 other airports overseas. But he ultimately decided it made more sense to tighten screening across the board instead of focusing on laptops or chasing after each item that might be used to bring down a jetliner, senior Homeland Security officials said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to brief reporters, said Kelly worked with airlines to find ways to improve screening without unduly inconveniencing passengers. Intensive doesnt always mean slower, said one official. In some cases, airlines have been doing these things at international airports for some time. The officials said more security dogs, which sniff for explosives, may be used. And they said airlines and airports may institute pre-check programs like those approved by the Transportation Security Administration for use in U.S. airports. The officials said restrictions on 10 initial airports would be lifted once airlines in those countries satisfy the new security protocols, officials said. Airport authorities in the eight affected countries Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates have been told about the new security measures and will put them in place to get the ban lifted, the officials said. In a statement, the United Arab Emirates ambassador in Washington, Yousef Al Otaiba, vowed to strongly support and cooperate fully with the Homeland Security rules, which he called good news for travelers on flights originating in or transiting the giant airport in Dubai. Kelly said the March ban was focused on a real threat identified by U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies. The 10 airports were selected because they showed up most frequently in chatter picked up by surveillance, he said. In 1988, a bomb hidden in a radio cassette player exploded aboard a Pan Am jet flying over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and crew members. The plot was blamed on Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi, who was deposed and killed in 2011. In 2010, powerful bombs hidden in printer ink cartridges were placed aboard two cargo jets headed from Yemen to Chicago, but were found before they exploded. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula later claimed responsibility for the plot. Tanfani reported from Washington and Martin reported from Los Angeles. joseph.tanfani@latimes.com Twitter: @jtanfani When Judge Neil M. Gorsuch went before the Senate in March as President Trumps first nominee to the Supreme Court, he sought to assure senators he would be independent and above the political fray. There is no such thing as a Republican judge or Democratic judge, he said more than once. We just have judges. But in just his first few weeks on the high court, Justice Gorsuch has shown himself to be a confident conservative activist, arguing for moving the law to the right on religion, gun rights, gay rights and campaign funding. Advertisement Most new justices are cautious upon arrival, but Gorsuch wasted no time in staking out a strong position to the right of his colleagues, including Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and his former boss and mentor, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. He dissented along with Justice Clarence Thomas when the court rejected a gun-rights challenge to Californias law that strictly regulates who may carry a concealed weapon. The 2nd Amendments core purpose, they said, shows the right to bear arms extends to public carry. He filed his own dissent on Monday when the court ruled for two lesbian couples and said they had a right to have both of their names on their childs birth certificate. Without hearing arguments, the justices struck down part of an Arkansas law that gave this right to opposite-sex couples, but not same-sex couples. Gorsuch said he did not see any constitutional problem with a biology based birth registration system. But the majority stressed that Arkansas had no such system. Opposite-sex couples whose child is conceived by way of an anonymous sperm donation have the husbands name on the birth certificate, the court said. The justices, including Kennedy, said they had clearly ruled in 2015 that married same-sex couples deserve fully equal rights. Thomas and Justice Samuel A. Alito, both of whom dissented two years ago, joined Gorsuchs dissent. When Trumps travel ban came before the court this week, Gorsuch dissented from the majoritys middle-ground approach, which allowed the ban to take effect except for foreign travelers who had a relationship with this country, such as having a close relative or being a student enrolled in a university. Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch at the Supreme Court. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Gorsuch, again with Thomas and Alito, said the entire ban should take effect immediately. The balance of equities favors the government, they said. I expect conservatives are celebrating, said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the Constitutional Accountability Center, a progressive legal group, adding that he had failed his first test in the travel ban case. But it comes as no surprise that Gorsuch, 49, is a conservative. He was a Republican appointee to the U.S. appeals court in Denver, and he drew the eye of Federalist Society Executive Vice President Leonard Leo because he is a superb writer and a thoughtful and reliable conservative. Gorsuch was always seen as a fitting successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative hero. Still, there is always a bit of apprehension when new justices are seated and begin to reveal their opinions on issues they usually avoid discussing during the confirmation process. Conservatives, in particular, have been bitterly disappointed when Republican appointees, such as former Justices David H. Souter and Sandra Day OConnor, and current Justice Kennedy, turned out to be more moderate in some areas. But until recently, most conservative justices have been inclined to uphold the laws on the books and stick with the courts precedents. Gorsuch, however, has shown himself eager to change the laws, particularly in the area of religious liberty and church-state separation. Throughout American history, the U.S. Constitution and most state constitutions have prohibited the government from giving tax money to churches. But in this weeks ruling involving a church-run preschool center in Missouri, the justices described those traditional funding restrictions as an unconstitutional discrimination against the free exercise of religion. That clause [in the 1st Amendment] guarantees the free exercise of religion, not just the right to inward belief. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch Chief Justice Roberts said it is odious to disqualify the preschool from receiving a state grant to rubberize its playground simply because it is run by the Lutheran Church. But his opinion took a cautious approach and said in a footnote the court was ruling only on a playground and not other religious uses of funding. Gorsuch wrote a short separate opinion to disavow the footnote and to argue for a much broader view of what is protected by the 1st Amendments ban on laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion. That clause guarantees the free exercise of religion, not just the right to inward belief, he wrote. The general principles here do not permit religious discrimination whether on the playground or anywhere else. Advocates of school choice saw the decision as opening the door for public funding of religious schools. On the day after the ruling in the Missouri case, the justices told the Colorado courts to take another look at a case testing whether students in church schools are entitled to tax-funded scholarships if students in other private schools may qualify. Colorados high court ruled that such aid to a religious entity violated the states constitution, but that conclusion is now in doubt. Michael Bindas, an attorney for the Institute of Justice in Virginia, said the Supreme Courts order sends a strong signal that states and localities may not exclude religious options from school choice programs. On the last day of their 2016-17 term, the justices also voted to hear a major religious liberties case from Colorado, even though they had turned down similar appeals prior to Gorsuchs arrival. At issue is whether to carve out an exception to the states civil rights law requiring public businesses to serve all customers without regard to their race, religion or sexual orientation. The court voted to hear a free exercise of religion and free speech claim from a baker who cited his Christian beliefs as a reason for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. On campaign financing, Gorsuch last month dissented with Thomas when the court affirmed earlier rulings that upheld federal limits on big-money gifts to political parties. In the Citizens United case in 2010, the justices struck down the limits on independent political spending, but they have stood by the restrictions on how much donors can give directly to candidates and parties. The Republican National Committee has continued to challenge those limits, and Gorsuch said the court should hear the challenge. Decision time at the Supreme Court: A look at this terms rulings on religion, free speech and immigration david.savage@latimes.com On Twitter: DavidGSavage ALSO Trumps plan to slap tariffs on steel imports carries big economic and political risks Senate GOP leaders abruptly delay vote on healthcare bill until after July 4th recess Trump succeeds where Obama failed spawning a new wave of liberal activism UPDATES: 4:00 p.m. June 29: This article has been updated with information from additional cases. 12:55 p.m. June 28: This article was updated with additional information about cases considered by the Supreme Court since the confirmation of Neil M. Gorsuch. This article was originally published at 9:35 a.m. on June 28. Six months after taking control of the White House and both houses of Congress, Republicans who campaigned for years on repealing Obamacare still cant agree on how to do it. A chief reason that the struggle has been so hard is the growing importance in the party of populist blue-collar voters, whom Trump proved adept at courting, but Republicans risk alienating with their healthcare overhaul. Its true, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Tuesday after temporarily shelving a vote on the healthcare bill, that legislation of this complexity almost always takes longer than anybody else would hope. Advertisement Its also true, as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said, that President Trump is new to government, and it has been a challenge to him to learn how to interact with Congress. Trump, who touts himself as the closer in big deals, has proven ineffective in that role so far in the Senate, in part because of a failure to master not just the details of healthcare policy, but the broad outlines of how the bill would work. But something more than the complexity of the subject and the dysfunction of the White House has stymied Republicans: The split over healthcare highlights a deep division that threatens to paralyze them as a governing party. A side-by-side comparison of Obamacare and the GOPs replacement plans Republicans were seemingly so disciplined in not lending any support to Democrats during the Obama years that we thought they were unified, said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University and expert on Congress. Weve overestimated cohesion in the Republican Party, she said, noting that Republicans have become more ideologically diverse over the last decade. The splits within the party have McConnell and his allies scrambling to get the 50 votes they would need in the Senate to pass a bill, a goal he repeated on Wednesday. McConnell hopes to reach a deal by Friday, before senators leave for a weeklong July 4 recess, and then vote on it when they return. However, the longer the bill is exposed to public scrutiny and attack, not just from Democrats, but from doctors groups, hospital officials, insurers and some Republican governors, the harder the search for votes will become, he and his lieutenants fear. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell listens to a question while speaking with the media after a meeting with President Trump at the White House. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) If Republicans cant agree, McConnell said after senators met with Trump at the White House on Tuesday, well have to sit down with Sen. [Charles. E.] Schumer, the Democratic leader to negotiate a solution to at least tackle the most acute problems with the Obamacare markets. But he made clear that bipartisan discussion was not his first choice. My suspicion is any negotiation with Democrats will include none of the reforms that we would like to make on the market side and the Medicaid side, he added. Republicans determination to pass the healthcare bill might seem puzzling in light of its deep unpopularity with voters. A poll for National Public Radio and PBS, conducted by the polling institute at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and released Wednesday, found, for example, that only one in five people approved of how the Republicans are handling healthcare. Even among those who identified themselves as Trump supporters, opinion was evenly divided on how the party is dealing with the issue, while Trump opponents were almost unanimous in their distaste for it. Asked specifically about the Senate bill, just 17% of Americans and only 35% of Republicans said they approved of it. Two other nationwide surveys, done by polling institutes at Suffolk University in Massachusetts and Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, showed similar results. One counterbalance to the bills unpopularity is pressure from the partys donors, who tend to be ideological conservatives. At a recent donor conference organized by the network of groups affiliated with the billionaire Koch brothers, Doug Deason, a major Republican donor from Dallas, told reporters that he and other wealthy Texans had let Republicans know that they would stop sending money until Congress started fulfilling key campaign promises, including repealing the Affordable Care Act, as Obamacare is formally known. You control the Senate, you control the House, we have the presidency, theres no reason we cant get this done, Deason said he told House Republicans, including Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield). Were closing the checkbook until you get some things done, he said. But pressure from donors is not the only factor. The same survey that revealed widespread unpopularity for the Senate bill also showed that 53% of Republicans still said they wanted Congress to completely repeal Obamacare. Among the public as a whole, 25% took that view, while 46% said Congress should change the law so it does more, and another 17% said they should leave it as it is. A close look at how people voted last fall helps explain the divided impulses among Republicans. The partys victory in 2016 depended on two very different groups traditional conservatives and conservative populists who have clashing interests in the healthcare debate. Political analysts often look at how voters line up on two different sets of issues economic subjects, such as the proper size of the social safety net, the role of government in the economy and inequality between rich and poor; and social issues, including race, immigration and moral questions like abortion. Analyzed that way, voters typically separate into four big clusters. A recent large-scale study of 2016 voters, conducted by a team of political scientists for the Democracy Fund, a nonpartisan foundation, found that the largest group, making up about 45% of voters, was consistently liberal on both economic and social questions. Thats the Democratic Partys core not a majority, but relatively cohesive on most policy issues. The opposite end of the spectrum conservatives on both economic and social issues made up just under 25% of the vote. Thats the traditional activist core of the GOP. What allowed Trump to win and also helped create the Republican majorities in the House and Senate, is the degree of support they got from the roughly 30% of voters who hold conservative views on social issues but relatively liberal ones on the role of government. Those voters, often labeled populists, are typically blue-collar, less affluent and often drawn to Republicans despite the partys views on economic issues, not because of them. The fourth group liberal on social issues, but conservative on economics has appeal in some elite circles, but is extremely small among ordinary voters, less than 5% of the voters in 2016. There are a lot of people who voted Republican because of cultural and identity issues, but who want government programs that help them, said Lee Drutman, a senior fellow at New America, a Washington-based think tank, who analyzed voting behavior for the study. The conflicting pressures that those two groups of voters create for Republican elected officials has been a key factor in the legislative stalemate. There are a lot of people who voted Republican because of cultural and identity issues, but who want government programs that help them. Lee Drutman, senior fellow at New America Republican senators such as ones from Ohio, West Virginia, Maine and Nevada who have balked at the Senate bill have constituents who like these programs, including Medicaid and parts of the Affordable Care Act, Drutman said. If theyre taken away, a lot of these voters will be upset. Trump in his campaign seemed to understand that view, and unlike most of his Republicans rivals, he opposed cuts in entitlement programs. I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid, Trump declared in a Twitter message early on in his quest. Since his election, he has seemed intermittently aware of the tension between the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare and the needs of many of his voters, backing the healthcare bill in public, but then calling it mean after it passed the House and saying that the Senate should add more money to produce a measure with heart. Shrinking Medicaid, the governments 50-year-old program of medical assistance to the poor, however, forms the largest element of the bill, despite Trumps campaign stand. The Senate version would reduce spending on Medicaid by $772 billion over the next decade, a cut of about 25%, and would push some 15 million people off Medicaid coverage, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The president has not put forward a policy proposal of his own to achieve the measure with heart that he says he would prefer. Thats part of a larger theme of the Trump presidency so far: The administration has produced almost no specific policy proposals to back up Trumps populist economic message. Trumps strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, and his domestic policy advisor, Stephen Miller, have tried to push forward more specifically populist policies, but have had little success outside of immigration policy. By default, that has left the policy field largely to the traditional conservatives, who have used the quest to overturn the Affordable Care Act as a vehicle for their long-term goal of cutting taxes and reducing Medicaid. For them, despite the efforts unpopularity, the opportunity to roll back Medicaid and pass a big tax cut was sort of a dream come true, said Binder. Now, it may have backfired. A side-by-side comparison of Obamacare and the GOPs replacement plans Staff writers Lisa Mascaro and Brian Bennett contributed to this report. David.Lauter@latimes.com For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter Get the latest news from the nations capital on Essential Washington >> Set aside all of the rhetoric for a moment about what did, or didnt, happen on Capitol Hill in the last 24 hours, and theres one unmistakable truth: Republican efforts to scrap the Affordable Care Act arent popular enough right now to pass. That might change. But for now, its a big setback for GOP leaders and President Trump. Good morning from the state capital. Im Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers, and weve got a newly enacted state budget to talk about one that grows Californias cash reserves to a level unseen in modern history. Advertisement More on that in a moment. But first, the Republican healthcare agenda faces what could be its biggest dilemma to date. HEALTHCARE VOTE: NOT NOW, BUT WHEN? If theres one thing thats true about legislative politics on the state or national level its this: You dont bring up your priority bill for a vote when you dont have the votes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell clearly saw what was about to happen on Tuesday and put the brakes on his Republican caucus healthcare overhaul plan early in the day. By days end, Senate Republicans had been summoned to the White House. Trump didnt exactly offer a spirited defense in brief remarks to reporters at that meeting, where he said its OK if the bill fails. In truth, the writing was on the wall as early as Monday, thanks to the nonpartisan analysis showing millions of Americans would lose their health coverage under the plan. What happens next, as Lisa Mascaro writes, will be a test of McConnells political dealmaking chops an effort possibly helped by having plenty of money to spread around, due to the bills projected savings. Still, there are huge questions about its effects. TRAVEL BAN RULING? QUICKLY FORGOTTEN By now, the president may be getting used to the fleeting nature of news and his political fortunes. The healthcare debacle came just one day after Trumps limited victory in the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices decision to allow part of his travel ban to take effect, limiting entry for foreign visitors and immigrants, was touted by the White House. As David Savage wrote, the court took a pragmatic approach to the dispute over Trumps powers over immigration policy. Still, some remain unclear about what the justices meant by allowing entry into the country for those with a bona fide connection to the U.S. COURT TAKES A PASS ON CALIFORNIA GUN LAW Overshadowed by the decision to consider the travel ban case, the high court also took action on a big case affecting Californians: The justices refused to hear an appeal that sought to nix the states rules on carrying concealed guns in public. The case was being closely watched by those on both sides of 2nd Amendment court cases. The justices also put off cases about immigration and borders on Monday, the last day of the courts current session. TRUMPS SYRIA WARNING The dire warning sent by the Trump administration on Monday night a possible new chemical attack by the Syrian government came with a threat of possible U.S. retaliation. But the surprise announcement presents a problem for the president, write Brian Bennett and Noah Bierman. Stepping back, the warning serves as a test of Trumps credibility after months of accusations against the nations intelligence community and other perceived enemies. CALIFORNIA HAS A BUDGET. THE SPENDING STARTS ON SATURDAY There was a time in Sacramento when governors made a big deal over the signing of a state budget. Elaborate ceremonies, detailed briefings by budget staffers, vetoes of spending proposals that drew quick condemnation from lawmakers. That was then. This is now. Gov. Jerry Browns return to the state Capitol in 2011 marked a shift in tone. On Tuesday, the governor signed the $183.2-billion spending plan into law. He issued a two-sentence statement, and that was it. (Fun fact: Brown used his line-item veto power zero times on this years budget. Which governor holds the record for fewest uses of what statehouse denizens call the blue pencil? Yes, its Brown.) The plan spends more on schools and a handful of programs designed for low-income Californians. It puts more into the states rainy-day fund. And it strikes a compromise on the use of new tobacco taxes approved by voters last November. Take a look at some of the key numbers in this, the states biggest budget in history. THE SHRINKING STATE TAX BOARD As part of the budget, Brown signed a law on Tuesday that will break up Californias historic but scandal-plagued tax collection agency. The plan strips the state Board of Equalization of most of its powers and duties. State officials are now scrambling to create an entirely new department by July 1 thats Saturday, the beginning of the new fiscal year. The board is the target of an investigation by the state Department of Justice, and its employees and members have been accused by auditors of mismanagement, including putting $350 million in sales taxes in the wrong accounts and improperly interfering with decisions to open field offices and transfer staff. SINGLE-PAYER BACKERS TARGET RENDON Last Fridays announcement that the state legislative push for single-payer healthcare was effectively dead continues to cause big political aftershocks. These are all focused on the man who made the decision, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). On Monday, Rendon pushed back against progressive activists who were incensed by his decision to shelve SB 562. He told Melanie Mason that the bill was essentially a $400-billion proposal without a funding source.This was not a bill, this was a statement of principles. Still, the measures backers led by the California Nurses Assn. kept up their campaign of criticism, with a demonstration at Rendons district office in South Gate on Tuesday and another planned at the state Capitol on Wednesday. MCCARTHY TO GOMEZ: UM, ARE YOU ON YOUR WAY? Theres no precise rule book about when the winner of a special election to Congress starts his or her job. Case in point: Rep.-elect Jimmy Gomez. On Tuesday, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) made it clear that he wants to know why Gomez hasnt been sworn in, saying the seats elongated vacancy is an abdication of his responsibilities. Twenty-one days have passed since Gomez won a special election in the states 34th Congressional District. Gomez, a current Democratic state assemblyman, told The Times after the election he would try to delay his Assembly resignation to vote on a closely watched climate change bill in Sacramento. After all, his could be a key vote if legislative leaders struggle to get more moderate Democrats on board. Gomez says he offered to stick around Sacramento only until June 15, and that he had a family conflict this week. Well keep you posted on our Essential Politics news feed on when the soon-to-be-congressman boards his flight to D.C. TODAYS ESSENTIALS -- Critics of state Sen. Josh Newman have turned in more than enough signatures to force the freshman Democrat from Fullerton into a recall election. -- Prototypes of a border wall with Mexico could go up near San Diego this summer. Or not. -- CNN has found itself squarely in the crosshairs of the Trump administrations war with the news media. -- Brown, along with Californias two U.S senators, said on Tuesday the GOP healthcare bill cuts right into the heart of what is already a divided nation. -- In the first six months of Californias right-to-die law, 111 people took their own lives. -- Sen. Kamala Harris has endorsed Eleni Kounalakis for lieutenant governor. Kounalakis has been a strong supporter of Harris, donating to her campaigns for the Senate and for California attorney general. -- Rep. Grace Napolitano will miss House votes for several weeks while her husband receives cancer treatment. LOGISTICS Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Miss Mondays newsletter? Here you go. Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox. In a move that triggers the most dramatic shakeup of the California Board of Equalization in its 138-year history, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Tuesday that strips the scandal-plagued state tax collection agency of most of its powers and duties as officials scramble to create an entirely new department by July 1. The board is the target of an investigation by the Department of Justice, and its members and employees have been accused by auditors of mismanagement that included putting $350 million in sales taxes in the wrong accounts, and improperly interfering with decisions to open field offices and transfer staff. The board exists to serve the public and the [audit] report highlights the extent to which it has fallen short, Brown said recently in announcing plans for the shakeup. Advertisement The only elected tax board in the country, the panel is responsible for collecting $60 billion in taxes annually for the state. Four of the members are elected by districts, receiving annual salaries of $142,577, while the fifth member is the state controller. The governor signed a bill that pares the state board from 4,800 workers to just 400 employees. The other staff engaged in the collection of sales and excise taxes will be shifted to a new California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, according to Marybel Batjer, secretary of the California Government Operations Agency. The elected, five-member Board of Equalization also will cede its role hearing taxpayer appeals to a new Office of Tax Appeals, leaving the board with a narrower task that includes setting rates for gas taxes and pipeline levies and making sure counties fairly assess property taxes. Freed from having to be impartial in judging appeals, the board can help individual taxpayers with tax disputes navigate the bureaucracy. The intent of overhaul, Batjer said, is to guarantee impartiality and equity and efficiency of tax appeals, and to ensure fair tax collection statewide. The Board of Equalization was established by a constitutional amendment in 1879 and was named after its responsibility to make sure county property tax assessment practices were equal or uniform throughout California. Editorial boards and government improvement groups have been calling for an overhaul or for dissolving the powerful board since 1929, when some tax duties were transferred to what is now the state Tax Franchise Board. In 1949, the state Legislative Analysts Office called for major changes, citing below maximum revenue management and complaining that having elected board members exert personal control meant there was not uniform policy. Gov. Pete Wilson sought unsuccessfully to merge the two tax boards in the 1990s. It also survived a push by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to blow up the boxes, which included changing the tax system. With each of the four members elected by district and representing more than 9 million Californians, the panel members have proved adept until now in heading off challenges to pare their power. The next election is in 2018. This year, the audit by the Department of Finance struck a chord when it discovered board members were undermining the executive director and transferring tax collections staff to direct parking and crowd control at conferences that boosted the members standing in the community. The winner in the shakeup is the governor, who will see his administration expanded by the new department. Anticipating the governors action, officials already had started work to create a new state department by July 1 that will operate within Batjers agency. The new department will be headed by a director appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. Brown also will appoint a chief deputy and chief counsel. The recruitment is underway, Batjer said, adding, the transition will continue after July 1, obviously. Not every I will be dotted and T crossed between now and July 1. We will do our mighty best to do the most important things before July 1. Board members are complaining there already are glitches. Board Vice Chairman George Runner said the way the law was written to restrict the number of district offices might force the closure of some existing field offices. In his case, he may need to close a constituent service office in Lancaster, since his district office in Sacramento overlaps with the board headquarters. It makes it obviously difficult for my staff to meet with constituents, Runner said, adding that he is talking to legislators about clarifying the issue. The new department will stay in the existing Board of Equalization headquarters in Sacramento, as will most of the employees. Batjer also has until Jan. 1 to set up a new Office of Tax Appeals that will hear the appeals currently handled by the board. The new office will be managed by the appointed director and chief counsel and include three panels of administrative law judges to be hired through a competitive civil service process. Setting up that office will take time, so taxpayer appeals will still be heard by the elected board until Jan. 1. Three of the five elected board members oppose the change, even though they acknowledged some reform was needed after the audit. They argued that elected board members can be held more accountable for decisions in tax appeals than can appointed administrative law judges. There are some screwy things that happened and some decisions that were made that need to be changed and need to be corrected, Runner said. That doesnt mean you blow up taxpayers abilities to go to their peers when they have tax concerns. Updates on California politics The transition to new agencies is happening at a time when the state Attorney Generals Office has begun interviewing agency employees as part of an investigation to determine whether there has been criminal misconduct. Batjer said she has been informed about the investigation but does not think it will be disruptive to the already difficult task of creating new state agencies. I am not concerned that it will, she said. Board Chairwoman Diane Harkey has supported other reforms, but said the overhaul will kill the BOE and taxpayer rights. Board member Jerome Horton also opposed the change. This bill has nothing to do with the BOE procurement or taxpayer event issues recently in the news; instead it replaces the current adjudicatory process with bureaucrats, with no accountability to the voters, he said. patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com Twitter: @mcgreevy99 ALSO Board of Equalization director says Californias imperiled tax collection agency is in crisis mode Gov. Brown calls for an investigation of alleged mismanagement at Californias tax board Trumps latest tweet in media war is a literal show of mock pugilism By Laura King President Trump on Sunday circulated a doctored video clip on Twitter that showed him physically attacking a crudely rendered stand-in for CNN, a post that drew rebukes from critics as an incitement to violence, but prompted renewed expressions of support from backers. In doing so, Trump also ignored pleas to stop tweeting or at least take a more presidential tone -- from lawmakers in his own party -- after he took his war against news media to new heights last week with a coarse post on the appearance and intellect of cable television host Mika Brzezinski. On Saturday he also posted several anti-media messages as Americans began their Fourth of July celebration. Sundays tweet, which used an edited version of a years-old promotional video for professional wrestling, showed Trump, clad in a business suit and tie, administering a choreographed beat-down to a figure whose face was obscured by CNNs logo. #FraudNewsCNN #FNN pic.twitter.com/WYUnHjjUjg Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2017 CNN, which has been a particular target of the president since the network was forced to retract a story relating to an element of the sprawling investigation into possible collusion with Russia by the Trump campaign, quickly condemned the tweet. It is a sad day when the President of the United States encourages violence against reporters, the network said in statement. It also tweeted a recent assertion by White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders that Trump had never engaged in such incitement. "The President in no way form or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence. If anything, quite the contrary." - @SHSanders45 6/29/17 CNN Communications (@CNNPR) July 2, 2017 As is often the case, the presidents surrogates were left scrambling to explain or justify an inflammatory Twitter outburst. Homeland security advisor Thomas Bossert, who was shown the clip while appearing on ABCs This Week, watched it stone-faced and then declared: No one would perceive that as a threat. I hope they dont. The night before, Trump had used a celebration of veterans at Washingtons Kennedy Center to again denounce the news media. The president, who had briefly broken a weekend golf getaway to appear at the rally, pounded away at the theme that he is being treated unfairly. The fake media tried to stop us from going to the White House, he told the raucous crowd. But Im president, and theyre not. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Increasing number of states reject request for personal information on voters from Trump commission By Colleen Shalby (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press) A growing number of states have rejected a request for personal information about voters from a presidential commission on vote fraud led by Kansas controversial Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Kobach, the vice chairman of the commission, sent letters to each state and Washington, D.C., asking for voters personal information. The request asked for names, addresses, voting history and the last four digits of voters Social Security numbers. The commission was set up to look into voter fraud after President Trump alleged that he lost the popular vote in 2016 only because millions of people voted illegally -- a claim that numerous states election officials from both parties and outside experts have dismissed as groundless. As of Friday afternoon, at least 13 states had outright rejected the request from the Presidential Advisory Committee on Election Integrity. Officials in several other states either said they would not supply all the information or needed more information before making a decision. Some officials did not mince words in their nos. They can go jump in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mississippi is a great State to launch from, Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann wrote in a statement. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement that strongly criticized Kobach that he would continue to defend the rights of all eligible voters to cast their ballots free from discrimination, intimidation or unnecessary roadblocks. Secretary Padilla's response to the Election Commission's request for personal data of CA voters: pic.twitter.com/UdUt55HSim CA SOS Vote (@CASOSvote) June 29, 2017 As a Kansas official, Kobach has been a leading backer of immigration restrictions and of measures to put new requirements on who is allowed to vote. His opponents note that he was fined last week for misleading a federal court in a voting rights case. Democratic elected officials in several states criticized the commission, itself, not just the information request. The president created his election commission based on the false notion that voter fraud is a widespread issue it is not, Kentucky Secretary of State Allison Grimes wrote. "I do not intend to release Kentuckians' sensitive personal data to the fed. gov't." Sec. Grimes Statement on Pres. Commission request: pic.twitter.com/9Js05x99eF Alison L. Grimes (@KySecofState) June 30, 2017 In an odd contradiction, Kobach said that Kansas, like some other states, will partially reject at least one aspect of the request. In Kansas, the Social Security number is not publicly available. Every state receives the same letter, but were not asking for it if its not publicly available, he told the Kansas City Star. The states that have fully rejected the request include California, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Mississippi and Minnesota. Others, including Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Missouri, Kansas, Utah and Texas will turn over some of the requested information. Vermont has requested an affidavit from the commission. And Wisconsin has suggested that the commission could purchase the publicly available information, just as political campaigns do. Officials in Washington state said they were reviewing the request. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Look at possible conflicts of interest in Trump teams OneWest Bank probes, 2 Democrats urge By Jim Puzzanghera Protesters gather outside a OneWest Bank in Pasadena in 2014. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times) Two House Democrats want Congress to look into possible conflicts of interest in the Trump administrations handling of investigations into Pasadenas OneWest Bank a bank formerly headed by now-Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Al Green (D-Texas) said Friday that there was room for considerable doubt as to the impartiality and the adequacy of this administrations investigations into OneWest and a subsidiary, Financial Freedom. Mnuchin was the banks chairman from 2009 to 2015. President Trump has nominated Joseph Otting, the former chief executive of OneWest, to be comptroller of the currency, a key bank regulator who is part of the Treasury Department. And Brian Brooks, who was OneWests vice chairman, reportedly will be tapped to be deputy Treasury secretary. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Healthcare issue delivers nothing but pain for Nevadas embattled Sen. Dean Heller By David Montero Dean Heller is Stephanie Diaz-Gonzalezs problem now. Shes never met Nevadas Republican senator and hadnt had much time to familiarize herself. How could she? The 25-year-old is holding down a full-time job and ra+ising a 7-year-old son, who keeps her busy with soccer games, math homework and those too-often terrifying moments when he cant breathe. When President Trump was elected and congressional Republicans moved on their top priority to dismantle Obamacare, Diaz-Gonzalez got to know Heller a whole lot better. Given his back-and-forth on the issue, she came to distrust him. I dont know if I could vote for him or support him, the Democrat said. He seems very contradictory. Which is why Heller is also Karen Steelmons problem. Steelmon, a 48-year-old Republican who grew up in northern Nevada, isnt happy with the lawmaker, who is considered the most vulnerable GOP senator in the country when he comes up for reelection next year. Obamacare has always been an abomination to Steelmon, an ardent supporter of repeal. To her, deeply held principles are at stake. Heller has never acted in favor of what I would consider conservative, constitutional principles as a general rule, said Steelmon, who would like to see the incumbent taken out in a GOP primary. And on the very few times he has, its always come as a surprise. This is Hellers dilemma. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump will meet face-to-face with Putin in Germany next week By Brian Bennett (Alexei Nikolsky / Associated Press) President Trump has governed five months under a cloud of questions about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, yet the two men will meet next week for the first time, on the sidelines of the G20 summit of world leaders in Hamburg, Germany. White House officials on Thursday confirmed plans for the private meeting but said no decisions had been made about the topics Trump will raise. So its unclear whether the men will discuss Russias election-year cyberattacks that are the focus of criminal and congressional investigations. Our relationship with Russia is not different from any other country in terms of us communicating with them, really, what our concerns are, where we see problems in the relationship but also opportunities, said Trumps national security advisor, H.R. McMaster. McMaster said he expected the two men to have a broad, wide-ranging discussion about problems in the relationship but also about where the U.S. and Russia have common interests. Theres no specific agenda, McMaster said. Its really going to be whatever the president wants to talk about, he added. The White House has refused to say whether Trump would sign legislation with new sanctions on Russia for meddling in the elections by hacking, including into some states voting systems, and by spreading false news stories. But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated the existing restrictions against Russia were sufficient. Weve got plenty of those as well, Mnuchin said. Trump will also meet with the leaders of China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Singapore and other countries during the summit of 20 major world economies. Trumps director of the White House National Economic Council, Gary Cohn, said the meeting would fall short of a typical bilateral discussion between the American president and the head of another country, but would be more than whats known in diplomacy-speak as a pull aside a quick, informal get-together on the edge of a conference. Trumps scheduled meeting with Putin in Hamburg places added significance on his stop in Poland next Wednesday. In Warsaw, McMaster said, Trump intends to bolster U.S. relationships with Poland and other central European and Baltic states that were once in Moscows orbit under the Soviet Union, but now rely on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the U.S. to counter pressure from Russia. Trumps meetings there seem designed to strengthen his hand with Putin. McMaster called Poland a front-line NATO nation with regards to the eastern flank, noting that it sent troops to fight alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan and Iraq and has exceeded its pledge on NATO defense spending. As a candidate and president, Trump has criticized other NATO countries that have not yet met those pledges for military spending equal to at least 2% of the size of their respective economies. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Travel ban seen a win by at least one conservative; Breitbart focuses on upcoming votes in Congress By Kurtis Lee After it stalled for several months in federal courts, a portion of President Trumps travel ban is set to take effect Thursday evening and will bar individuals from six majority-Muslim countries. Some in conservative media are viewing it as a much-needed political victory for Trump. Here are some of Thursdays headlines: Two wins for Trump (Washington Times) Trump has seen setbacks in his fledgling administration probes into possible collusion with Russia, infighting among his party over a healthcare overhaul, federal courts halting his travel ban. But now, the president gets a W. The Supreme Courts decision to allow portions of President Trumps travel ban to proceed is a much-needed victory for the administration, Cal Thompson writes. In doing so the unanimous court affirmed at least temporarily, pending a full hearing on the case in the fall a presidents constitutional authority to determine whether people seeking admittance to the U.S. pose a threat to our safety and security. Thompson also highlights the Supreme Court decision this week that churches have the same right as other charitable groups to seek state money for new playground surfaces and other non-religious needs. Thompson called the ruling in the case, Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia Inc. v. Comer, a victory for religious institutions and Trump, who at times has touched on the issue of religious freedom. Breitbart prods GOP leaders to pass pro-American immigration reforms (Breitbart) For Trump, Breitbart hasnt always delivered the most approving headlines for his administration particularly on immigration. Some right-wing bloggers and pundits dont think Trump has done enough on immigration, a key pillar of his campaign platform. This piece turns the attention to members of Congress, where two bills focused primarily on detaining people in the country illegally could come up for a vote . The GOP-run House is expected to vote for two modest immigration-reform bills as soon as this week, but pro-American reformers are using the two votes to build loud and energetic public pressure for major reform legislation, notes the right-wing website. Trump attacks Psycho Joe Scarborough, Crazy Mika Brzezinski in Twitter tear (Fox News) At first, they were friends; now, perhaps, enemies? Trump used Twitter early Thursday to jab Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, who the president in past has said he admires. The tweets have drawn the ire of Republicans. Heres what the president wrote: I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017 ...to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017 And the response? pic.twitter.com/8YhzcCUwM1 Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) June 29, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump plans to nominate Brendan Carr to fill final FCC seat and provide crucial vote on net neutrality rules By Jim Puzzanghera President Trump intends to nominate Brendan Carr, a former aide to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, to fill the final open seat at the agency and provide a crucial vote on the future of tough net neutrality rules. Carr, the FCCs general counsel, would fill a Republican slot on the commission and would be expected to support Pais push to roll back the regulations for online traffic. Carrs intended nomination was announced by the White House on Wednesday night. It comes after Trump nominated Jessica Rosenworcel, a former FCC commissioner, on June 14 to fill a Democratic seat. If the Senate confirms both nominees, as expected, the FCC would have its full complement of five commissioners and a 3-2 Republican majority. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gorsuch is already pushing Supreme Court to the right on religion, guns and gays By David Savage Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) When Judge Neil M. Gorsuch went before the Senate in March as President Trumps first nominee to the Supreme Court, he sought to assure senators he would be independent and above the political fray. There is no such thing as a Republican judge or Democratic judge, he said more than once. We just have judges. But in just his first few weeks on the high court, Justice Gorsuch has shown himself to be a confident conservative activist, urging his colleagues to move the law to the right on religion, gun rights, gay rights and campaign funding. He dissented along with Justice Clarence Thomas when the court rejected a gun-rights challenge to Californias law that strictly regulates who may carry a concealed weapon. The 2nd Amendments core purpose, they said, shows the right to bear arms extends to public carry. He wrote a dissent, joined by Thomas and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., when the court struck down part of an Arkansas law that gave opposite sex-couples, but not same-sex couples, the right to have both spouses listed on a childs birth certificate. The court said it had already decided that same-sex couples deserve fully equal rights under state law. And when Trumps travel ban came before the court this week, Gorsuch dissented from the majoritys middle-ground approach, which allowed the ban to take effect except for foreign travelers who had a relationship with this country, such as a close relative or a student enrolled in a university. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print When he meets South Koreas president, Trump will be asking for trade concessions and help confronting North Korea By Brian Bennett (Nicholas Kamm / AFP Photo) President Trump plans to pressure South Korean President Moon Jae-in to make trade concessions when they meet Friday, while at the same time seeking closer cooperation against North Koreas accelerating nuclear program. Both aims, outlined Wednesday by a senior administration official, could make for some difficult discussions, especially since the newly elected Moon campaigned for a softer approach to the government in Pyongyang. Moon, who arrived Wednesday in Washington, began his four-day visit by laying a wreath at a memorial at Marine Corps Base Quantico in northern Virginia to the U.S. Marines who died during the Korean War in the battle at Chosin Reservoir. Trump will host Moon and his wife, Kim Joon-suk, for dinner at the White House on Thursday before the two leaders meet one-on-one in the Oval Office on Friday morning. Having criticized the two countries trade agreement when he was running for president, Trump will argue for a more balanced trade relationship, the administration official said in a background briefing. In particular, Trump will cite the large amount of Chinese steel that is sometimes processed in South Korea before being sold cheaply in the U.S. market. The two leaders will have a friendly, frank discussion about the trade imbalance between South Korea and the United States, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Seouls trade surplus is shrinking, the official added, but there is still a large gap. The visit will mark the first time the two leaders have met since the liberal Moon took office last month after the ouster of President Park Geun-hye, a scandal-tarred conservative who had taken a hard line against North Korea. Trump and Moon share precisely the same goal, the Trump aide said -- the complete dismantlement of North Koreas nuclear program. But the approach of the two leaders is starkly different. Trump has called for maximum pressure against North Korea, seeking additional economic sanctions and demanding that China, North Koreas main ally and patron, do more to shut off assistance to Pyongyang. Moon has risen through the ranks of his countrys politics advocating for closer ties between the Koreas, which technically are still at war. Already he has taken steps to delay the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, known as THAAD, an anti-missile system intended to counter any North Korean strikes. The anti-missile system is a divisive issue in South Korea; it prompted protests last weekend at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. China has objected to installation of the powerful radar defense as well, but the White House believes the U.S. system will ultimately be fully operative. The delay should not be equated as a reversal of the decision to deploy THAAD, the official said, and suggested that the topic would not be central to the two presidents discussions. As important as anything [will be] building a rapport and getting to know each other, the official said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate Republicans aim for new healthcare bill by Friday, but skeptics remain By Lisa Mascaro (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) Senate Republicans reconvened behind closed doors Wednesday trying to break the impasse on their healthcare overhaul but emerged with no apparent strategy for resolving differences by an end-of-week deadline. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky vowed to try again for a vote after the Fourth of July recess, despite having abruptly delayed action this week. Senators were aiming for a revised bill by Friday, the Republican whip, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, told reporters, so it could be assessed by the Congressional Budget Office during the break. But senators remained skeptical after the lengthy lunchtime huddle that appeared to run long on ideas but short on consensus. I think its going to be very difficult, said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). McConnell surprised senators by delaying this weeks expected votes once it became clear he did not have a majority for passage or possibly to even open the debate. As many as 10 Republican senators now publicly oppose the bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, and leaders are scrambling to win them over with an estimated $200 billion in savings from the bill that can be applied to their particular states needs. But even with that fund of resources, it is not clear McConnell will be able to satisfactorily improve the legislation, which now threatens to cut 22 million Americans off health insurance. He can only afford to lose two Republican votes in the face of Democratic opposition. Its going to be very difficult to get me to a yes... have to make us an offer we cant refuse, Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) said on a telephone town hall late Tuesday, according to journalist Jon Ralston, who monitored the call. Fresh polling Wednesday showed paltry support for the Republican approach to overhauling the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, which has enjoyed a surge in popularity now that Republicans are closer than ever to repealing it. A USA Today poll put approval of the Senate GOP bill at 12%. Republicans, though, are under enormous pressure from their most conservative supporters and big dollar donors, including the powerful Koch network to deliver on their promised to end Obamacare. Senate Democrats, meanwhile, suggested that President Trump convene all 100 senators much the way then-President Obama did during his first days in office for a session at Blair House to see how they might be able to work together to improve, rather than repeal, the Affordable Care Act. Id make my friends on the Republican side and President Trump an offer: Lets turn over a new leaf. Lets start over, said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). President Trump, I challenge you to invite us all 100 of us, Republican and Democrat to Blair House to discuss a new bipartisan way forward on healthcare in front of all the American people. No such invitation, however, seemed forthcoming. Trump dismissed Schumers proposal he just doesnt seem like a serious person, the president said and instead promised his own big surprise on healthcare. Healthcare is working along very well, Trump told reporters at the White House. We could have a big surprise, with a great healthcare package. Asked what he meant by a big surprise, Trump simply repeated: A great, great surprise. The Republican bill, like its counterpart passed by House Republicans, does not fully gut Obamacare, but rescinds the new taxes imposed on high-income individuals and healthcare companies to pay for expanding coverage through Medicaid and subsidies for private insurance on the ACA marketplace. Senators said the private talks Wednesday focused mainly on changes to the Obamacare marketplace that could bring down the cost of insurance premiums. One idea from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to allow insurers to offer policies that do not meet the Obamacare benchmarks for what insurance needs to cover met with mixed reaction, senators said. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician, warned that such changes would alter the risk pool, keeping insurance costs high. You end up with policies that, for example, dont cover maternity, Cassidy said. Do you want a policy that doesnt have maternity, which would be principally appealing to young men, when obviously typically men have had a role in that pregnancy? Other senators were floating new ideas, but McConnell gave no indication whether those proposals would be included in the final revised product. Michael A. Memoli contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement No new laptop bans, but air travelers to the U.S. will face tighter screening all over the globe By Joseph Tanfani Homeland Security officials said Wednesday they will order stricter passenger screening and other new security measures for all flights entering the United States but will not bar laptop computers in carry-on luggage as airlines and passenger groups had feared. The new order will cover about 2,000 flights a day from 280 airports in 105 countries, a move that could make international flying even more onerous just as the busy summer travel season starts. Security officials would not detail the new measures but said passengers headed to the United States will face more intensive screening at airports, and probably more security dogs. They gave no date for when the new procedures will start. If carriers dont implement the measures effectively, Homeland Security still may ban laptops, e-readers and other electronic devices larger than cell phones from cargo holds as well as passenger cabins. The decision follows intelligence, reportedly gathered from Islamic State in Syria by Israeli spy services, suggesting a lethal new threat from bombs that could be concealed in digital devices and that could evade detection by airport screening devices. In March, U.S. and British authorities banned laptops in cabins on flights from eight Muslim-majority countries in North Africa and the Middle East, saying terrorists were seeking innovative methods to bring down commercial jetliners. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly told a security conference in Washington on Wednesday that the new security measures will be both seen and unseen and will be phased in over time. He said they will include tougher screening, particularly of electronic devices, plus new technology and procedures to protect planes from so--called insider attacks by airline employees. It is time that we raise the global baseline of aviation security, Kelly said. We cannot play international whack-a-mole with every new threat. He said terrorists still see commercial aircraft as the crown jewel target for attacks, and that intelligence has shown renewed interest by terrorists to attack airlines. Kelly told a House committee several weeks ago that the department was considering extending the laptop ban to 71 more airports overseas. But Kelly ultimately decided to tighten screening across the board, instead of focusing on laptops or chasing after each item that might be used to bring down a jetliner, senior Homeland Security officials said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to brief reporters, said Kelly worked with airlines to find ways to improve screening without unduly inconveniencing passengers. Intensive doesnt always mean slower, said one official. In some cases, airlines have been doing these things at international airports for some time. The officials said more security dogs, which sniff for explosives, may be used. And they said airlines and airports may institute pre-check programs like those approved by the Transportation Security Administration for use in U.S. airports. The officials said restrictions on the first 10 airports will be lifted once airlines in those countries satisfy the new security protocols, officials said. Airport authorities in the eight countries affected by that ban Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates have been told about the new security measures and will put them in place so the ban is lifted, the officials said. In recent weeks, Kelly and his aides have huddled with their counterparts overseas, as well as with representatives of major airlines, to discuss whether to expand the ban around the globe. Airlines protested that a laptop ban would inconvenience passengers and not remove the threat. Aviation experts and European security officials warned that putting laptops in cargo holds would pose other dangers because the lithium batteries could start fires. In 1988, a bomb hidden in a radio cassette player exploded aboard a Pan Am jet flying over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and crew. The plot was blamed on then-Libyan strongman Moammar Kadafi. In 2010, powerful bombs hidden in printer ink cartridges were found aboard two cargo jets headed from Yemen to Chicago. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula later claimed responsibility for the plot. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Its crunch time for McConnell after Senate GOP is forced to delay vote on healthcare bill By Lisa Mascaro ( (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)) The abrupt decision Tuesday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to temporarily shelve a vote on the Republican Obamacare overhaul gives him a few extra weeks to build support for a revised bill before it risks becoming hopelessly stalled by the opposition. The seasoned GOP leader will be aided by what amounts to a $200-billion piggy bank to push Republican holdouts into line. Thats the bills extra cost savings, compared with the House version, that McConnell can tap to provide perks to individual senators, from more opioid assistance to expanded tax-free health savings accounts. A similar strategy delay and enticements worked well in the House, where Republicans last month passed their healthcare bill on the third try. But prolonging the debate also gives Democrats and other critics time to mobilize, and ensures that senators will be exposed to an onslaught of opposition as they head home for the weeklong holiday break to defend a bill that has estimated would leave tens of millions of Americans without insurance. After the delay was announced, President Trump hosted a White House gathering of all GOP senators. But rather than rally them around the bill with the power of the presidential bully pulpit, he struck a surprisingly detached tone. This will be great if we get it done, Trump told senators in the East Room. And if we dont get it done, its just going to be something that were not going to like. And thats OK. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print As vote looms, concerns over Medicaid cuts rise from some in conservative media By Kurtis Lee Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press ) The vote for now is delayed. As President Trump has urged Senate Republicans to pass a bill that would overhaul the Affordable Care Act, some, including Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada and Rob Portman of Ohio, have expressed concerns over cuts to Medicaid. Both represent states that, under Obamacare, expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income adults. The current Senate healthcare bill would deliver deep cuts to Medicaid, leaving millions uninsured. While Trump awaits a vote in the coming weeks originally scheduled for this week, but pushed back until after the July 4 recess its on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to gather enough support from within his GOP caucus to secure the bills passage. Some in the conservative media are questioning the current bill. Here is an overview of todays headlines on this and other issues: Republicans have a Medicaid problem (Weekly Standard) The Republican healthcare bill would cut Medicaid spending by $772 billion over the next decade. Chris Deaton writes that Republicans aim to offset the consequences of these Medicaid changes by offering tax credits for private insurance to people under the poverty line. In this piece, Deaton raises the question of whether low-income earners would be better off with Medicaid coverage or obtaining insurance through a GOP tax credit? He answers by noting, Its long been a contention of conservative thinkers that healthcare outcomes improve with private insurance rather than Medicaid. Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, registers as foreign agent (Associated Press) Hes among those facing scrutiny in an FBI investigation into Russian meddling in last years election. Now, Paul Manafort, who at one time served as Trumps campaign chairman, has registered with the Department of Justice as a foreign agent. In a filing with the department, Manafort notes that his consulting firm received nearly $17 million between 2012 and 2014 from a Ukrainian political party with links to Russia, according to the Associated Press. Last spring, former national security advisor Michael T. Flynn, who resigned from his position in February after misleading administration officials about contacts with Russians, also registered as a foreign agent, for consulting work he did for a Turkish businessman. A Democratic road to recovery (American Spectator) The party is attempting a reboot. After Hillary Clintons 2016 loss and defeats in several special elections this year, Democrats are in search of a new face for the party. Even so, liberals are in lock-step in their opposition to Trump. This piece offers Democrats some advice from the right on how to recover. Leftists: You have been lied to and taken advantage of. When you eventually come out of this haze you are in, you will realize that it was done not by the president, but by the snake oil salesmen and charlatans, who took advantage of your sickness and weakness, simply for money and power, writes Judah Friedman. Ask yourselves this: What is the Democratic Party, right now, without this rage, and hate, with which it is fueling your addictions? The answer is nothing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sarah Palin sues the New York Times for tying her PAC ad to mass shooting By Associated Press Former vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is accusing the New York Times of defamation over an editorial that linked one of her political action committee ads to the mass shooting that severely wounded then-Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court Tuesday, Palins lawyers say the Times violated the law and its own policies when it accused her of inciting the 2011 attack that killed six people. The lawsuit refers to a June editorial in the Times on the recent shooting of Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise. The editorial later was corrected. Palin is seeking damages to be determined by a jury. A spokeswoman for the Times, Danielle Rhoades Ha, says the company hasnt seen the lawsuit but will defend against any claim vigorously. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump succeeds where Obama failed spawning a new wave of liberal activism By Mark Z. Barabak Amanda Litman and Ross Morales Rocketto launched the Democratic activist group Run For Something, which encourages people under 35 to seek elected office. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The night Hillary Clinton lost the White House, Amanda Litman cried so hard she threw up. In Atlanta, as the returns rolled in, Traci Feit Love faced a question from her anguished 8-year-old daughter: Now what do we do? Across the country, in the heart of Silicon Valley, Rita Bosworth wondered the same thing. The three never met, never spoke, never communicated in any fashion. But in the days and weeks that followed, they became common threads in a sprawling patchwork: the angry and politically aggrieved who with no help from politicians, political parties or any formal campaign structure have joined to fight President Trump and his policies. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump on healthcare bill: If we dont get it done ... thats OK By Associated Press (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump said that if the healthcare bill fails to pass in the Senate, he wont like it but thats OK. Trump spoke Tuesday at a gathering of Senate Republicans after their leaders delayed a vote on their healthcare bill until at least next month. Trump said, This will be great if we get it done and if we dont get it done its going to be something that were not going to like and thats OK and I can understand that. He added, I think we have a chance to do something very, very important for the public, very, very important for the people of our country. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: Press briefing with Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Energy Secretary Rick Perry Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate GOP leaders abruptly delay vote on healthcare bill until after July 4th recess By Lisa Mascaro Facing resistance from their own party, Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday they would postpone a vote on their healthcare bill until after the July 4th recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to provide more time to make changes to the bill to try to convince reluctant GOP senators to vote for the measure. Were going to press on,' McConnell said, adding he remains optimistic. Were continuing to talk. Since the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the bill would leave 22 million more Americans without insurance after 10 years, several Republicans senators had said they would not even support allowing the bill to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote. Meanwhile, President Trump invited all GOP senators to the White House for a meeting Tuesday afternoon. But Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a moderate who has expressed serious doubts about the bill, questioned whether revisions would make a difference. I have so many fundamental problems with the bill, that have been confirmed by the CBO report, that its difficult to see how any tinkering is going to satisfy my fundamental and deep concerns about the bill,' Collins said on CNN. McConnell is struggling to appease two factions in his party. Centrists like Collins want to lessen the impact of proposed cuts to Medicaid, while conservatives want to go further in repealing benefits provided under Obamacare. Senate leaders hope to continue talks this week, with an eye toward moving quickly when Congress returns after the holiday. McConnell plans to wait for the CBO to review any changes and reissue a score. He can only afford to lose two Republicans given the partys 52-seat majority in the Senate. Theres more work that needs to be done, its pretty obvious, said Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho as he was leaving a Senate lunch with Vice President Mike Pence. Pence ignored reporters questions about the decision. If more work needs to be done, you shouldnt try to light the fire. But the delay in a vote will give Democrats and other opponents of the repeal bill more time to mobilize, particularly as Republicans return to their home districts during the holiday. We know the fight is not over,' said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump administration warns of Syrian chemical attack, but with damaged credibility By Noah Bierman The Trump administration Monday night sent the kind of dire warning -- of the Syrian regimes apparent preparation for another chemical weapons attack, and a threat of U.S. retaliation -- that requires credibility to have a receptive national and foreign audience. Yet the initial bafflement about the warning among U.S. defense officials, and the simultaneous distraction of President Trumps unrelated tweets, seemed to undercut the seriousness of the moment. More broadly, the episode is testing the damage Trump has done to his and his administrations trustworthiness by his assaults on the intelligence community as well as other perceived enemies. Trump has spent months attacking the credibility of the intelligence community, at one point comparing their tactics to Nazis and repeatedly calling its findings of Russian meddling in the election a hoax and witch hunt, even as foreign policy experts cautioned that he was diminishing the reputation of a community he would need in times of crisis to rally public support. At a moment of crisis when U.S. decisions and actions rest upon information coming from the intelligence community, [Trump] may have diminished the credibility of that information in the eyes of the public and the eyes of the international community, said Daryl G. Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Assn. Kimball called the White House statement unusual and said such messages would normally be sent through private diplomatic channels. He added that the public allegation should be followed by a formal presentation of the evidence to the United Nations Security Council, to build international support against suspected Syrian violations of the chemical weapons ban. The four-line statement on Syria from the White House Press Secretary came just after 9:44 p.m. EDT Monday. The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children, the statement read. The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack. If Syrian President Bashar Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price, it concluded, citing a U.S. missile strike after the previous chemical attack to reinforce the new threat. A Pentagon spokesman confirmed Tuesday that preparations for a chemical attack were observed at the same base in Syria from which its military launched a sarin nerve gas attack that killed 86 people, including children, in April. We have observed activities at Shayrat Air Base that suggest possible intent by the Syrian regime to use chemical weapons again, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian J.T. Rankine-Galloway said in a statement. These activities are similar to what we observed prior to the regime chemical weapons attack against Khan Sheikhoun in April. But some senior U.S. defense and intelligence officials reached late Monday and early Tuesday were caught off guard by the White House statement. Some knew, some didnt, said a U.S. official who sought anonymity to discuss the intelligence matter. The official described the release of the nighttime statement as ungraceful, but said the assessment that Syria was preparing for an attack is sound. Such official statements are typically distributed widely across an administration for internal vetting before theyre publicly released. The White House said the relevant agencies were informed before the statement was published. Yet Trump lent further confusion about the urgency of the matter and his own level of concern by sending out a tweet about domestic politics only minutes later. He cited a Fox news report about the FBIs Russia investigation, writing as he often does about the probe, Witch Hunt! From @FoxNews "Bombshell: In 2016, Obama dismissed idea that anyone could rig an American election." Check out his statement - Witch Hunt! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017 Indeed, Trump continued through the next morning to demonstrate his frustration with the Russia investigation and what he calls the American medias fake news with posts on his Twitter feed. Many tweets quoted supportive conservative commentators and Fox News reports. Trump was eager to go after CNN, one of his top media targets, after it retracted a Russia-related story and three journalists involved resigned. So they caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017 Trumps willingness to mix politics and his administrations ominous red line to Syria opened him up to criticism that he was trying to divert attention from other unfavorable news Monday. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office had found that the Republican plan to replace Obamacare would strip 22 million people of health insurance coverage over the next decade. The Syria statement also prompted a sharp backlash from the Kremlin, which is Assads military ally in his nations civil war. Russian officials denied there is evidence of an imminent chemical attack and called the White House threat unacceptable. The tensions have heightened as Trump is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week at the G20 Summit of industrialized nations in Germany. Mondays statement may be seen as a warning not just to Syria but to Russia, which is widely seen as enabling Assads harsh tactics by bolstering his military as he has tried to retain power. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kremlin calls White House warning to Syria unacceptable, denies any Assad chemical attack in the works By Sabra Ayres The Kremlin is calling unacceptable a White House warning to Syrias government that it would pay a heavy price if it carries out another poison gas attack against its own people. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, also declared Tuesday that there is no indication that a chemical weapons strike is in the works. The White House said late Monday night that activity had been detected similar to that preceding a nerve gas attack on April 4 that killed dozens of civilians, including children, in rebel-held Idlib province. President Trump responded by launching nearly 60 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield that U.S. officials said was used for the chemical attack. It was the first U.S. attack on Syrian forces in the six-year civil war. Russia continues to deny that Assads forces carried out the April 4 gas attack and Peskov criticized the White House for saying there were signs of preparation for another such strike. Peskov said the Kremlin does not think it is possible to lay the blame on the Syrian armed forces for the April strike on the village of Khan Sheikhoun, which the U.S. and its allies said involved sarin, a banned nerve agent. Despite all the demands from the Russian side, an impartial international inquiry into a previous tragedy using chemical agents has not been carried out, the spokesman told Russian news agencies. Peskov criticized the White House warning to Assad, saying such threats to Syrias legitimate leaders are unacceptable. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Senate healthcare overhaul hits trouble as Republicans hesitant to proceed to vote By Lisa Mascaro The Senate Republican healthcare bill ran into serious trouble late Monday when key GOP senators indicated they may block the Obamacare overhaul from proceeding to a vote this week. Political turmoil has been building over the bill for days. But GOP tension burst open after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that 22 million more Americans would lose insurance coverage under the plan and that out-of-pocket costs for many of those buying policies on the Affordable Care Act marketplace would rise. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hoped to start procedural votes by Wednesday, and President Trump called key senators over the weekend as support splintered. Its the same political dynamic that stalled the House Republican bill last month, as conservative and centrist factions wrestle for dominance. Conservatives want a more complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which they hope will lower premium costs, while centrists are trying to avoid leaving millions of Americans without health coverage. Senate bill doesnt fix ACA problems for rural Maine, tweeted Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). I will vote no on mtp, she said, referring to the motion to proceed to the bill. Conservative Sen. Mike Lee of Utah is also working to change the bill so that he can vote yes on the procedural motion. We are not there yet, Lees spokesman said. Senators have bristled at what they viewed as McConnells secretive and rushed process, and several other senators said they wanted more time before voting. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was among those Republicans who shared concerns in weekend calls with Trump. We continue to make progress, Cruz told reporters Monday, as Democrats, who oppose the bill, planned an almost-all-night protest session. Cruz is part of the gang of four conservatives -- including Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky -- who have said they cannot vote for the bill as is. Among the changes being pursued is one provision that would allow insurers to offer cheaper policies that do not meet ACAs requirements and another to let consumers sock more money into health savings accounts We can get there and Im hopeful we will get there, Cruz said. However, he declined to say whether he would agree to Wednesdays procedural vote. Also hesitant to proceed was Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, who has strongly criticized undoing Obamacares Medicaid expansion that has enabled about 200,000 people to gain coverage in his state. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, for example, wanted changes to help residents in her geographically far-flung state where healthcare costs are particularly high. Some senators, though, dismissed the budget analysis and said keeping the ACA would be worse. Its clear the CBO cannot predict the purchasing patterns for millions of Americans, said Georgia Sen. David Perdue, a Trump ally, in a statement. This bureaucratic analysis will do nothing to prevent Obamacare from failing. Others are weighing their votes. Republican Sen. Bob Corker, whose office is receiving thousands of daily calls, spent part of Monday on the phone with health officials in Tennessee as he assesses the fallout in his state of 22 million more people in the country without healthcare. I kind of figured it was going to be a pretty big number, said Corker, who remains undecided. Theres a lot of incoming. CBO says 22 million people lose insurance; Medicaid cuts hurt most vulnerable Americans; access to healthcare in rural areas threatened. 2/3 Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) June 26, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Supreme Court puts off decision in three pending cases about borders and immigration By David Savage ((Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Amid its flurry of decisions Monday about Trumps travel ban and cases involving religious liberties and guns, the Supreme Court put off final rulings on three pending cases involving immigration and the U.S. border. In Hernandez vs. Mesa, the court in an unsigned opinion told the U.S. appeals court in New Orleans to take a second look at a border shooting case. The parents of a 15-year-old Mexican boy sued a U.S. border patrol agent who shot and killed the teenager when he was standing a few feet from the border on the Mexican side. The 5th Circuit had thrown out the parents suit. The facts alleged in the complaint depict a disturbing incident resulting in a heartbreaking loss of life, the court said in sending the case back for a further hearing. The court said it would rehear in the fall a Los Angeles case involving whether immigrants awaiting deportation can be jailed indefinitely, or instead have a right to a bond hearing after six months. The courts action suggests the eight justices were evenly split in Jennings vs. Rodriguez. The court also said it will rehear the case of Sessions vs. Dimaya to decide whether non-citizens can be deported for an offense like breaking into an empty home because it may be deemed a crime of violence. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Refugee advocates says even partial reinstatement of travel ban will cause hardship By Laura King Immigration and refugee advocates expressed disappointment Monday with the Supreme Courts partial reinstatement of President Trumps travel ban, saying even limited implementation could cause hardship to refugees and others seeking to travel to the United States from six affected Muslim-majority countries. However, organizations taking part in the months-long legal fight against the revised travel ban expressed hopes that the high court ultimately will reject the restrictions after arguments are heard in October. And they welcomed what they described as an implicit rebuke of the White Houses assertion that Trump has unfettered powers to exclude arrivals based on purported national security concerns. The initial rollout of the ban, days after Trump took office in January, caused pandemonium at airports across the United States and overseas as tens of thousands of visa-holders arriving from seven affected countries were turned away without warning or detained. After courts blocked that order, Trump issued a revised travel ban that took Iraq off the list. A replay of Januarys travel chaos was unlikely Monday because the courts action will allow visa-holders with bona fide ties to people or entities in the U.S. to enter, meaning students, employees and family members can still get in. But refugee advocates said the courts limited ruling, which the administration can move to implement on Thursday, could leave many would-be arrivals in limbo pending the finalizing of new vetting procedures. The administration had originally said a three-month travel ban was needed in part to review the checks to which would-be entrants are subjected. David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, said the partial reinstatement of the ban particularly threatens vulnerable people waiting to come to the U.S., including those with urgent medical conditions. We urge the administration to begin its long-delayed review of the vetting process and restart a program which changes lives for the better, said Miliband. The National Immigration Law Center, one of the groups that challenged the ban, said that as of this week, approximately 50,500 refugees from the six affected countries had been approved for travel and resettlement in the United States all having already undergone intensive checks. The Middle East Studies Assn., one the groups contesting the ban in the lower courts, said many students and academics were ensnared by the original order. Even though Mondays court move should allow entry to those studying or working at American academic institutions, many from the affected countries remained wary of leaving and then attempting to re-enter the United States, the group said. Iran along with Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya is one of the affected countries, and Southern California is home to a large Iranian American community that was hit hard by the original ban. Some advocates said even with Mondays limited action, there has already been a chilling effect on movement. Todays Supreme Court decision immediately places the status of many Americans families into question again, said Shayan Modarres, legal counsel for the National Iranian American Council. The group said that visas issued to Iranian passport-holders had fallen by nearly half since the legal battle over the ban began, and that obtaining a U.S. visa was becoming so onerous that many would not even try to get one. The Trump administrations new idea is to make it so hard on Iranians and Muslims to get a visa that visa officers will have the unrestricted discretion to reject visa applications, Modarres said. He added that grounds for rejection could be social media postings critical of Trump or not being able to produce airline boarding passes that could have been issued and used more than a decade ago. Advocacy groups reiterated their position which was argued in a number of the lower court cases that propelled the issue to the high court that the travel restrictions run counter to core American traditions and values. Mark Hetfield, president of the refugee resettlement agency HIAS, said the group considered the courts move an affirmation that the president does not have unfettered, unchecked authority to bar refugees from the U.S. without evidence to justify such action. But he added that the executive orders partial resurrection would once again cause irreparable damage to refugees, immigrants, and Americas reputation as a welcoming country. The initial ban prompted large nationwide protests, and advocates suggested they would again seek to marshal popular opposition to the restrictions. When the first order went into effect, tens of thousands of Americans showed the world that this is not who we are and not what we want, said Becca Heller, director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, another of the groups involved in the legal challenge. We will never give up defending the rights of those who are affected by this discriminatory executive order. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says Supreme Court action on travel ban gives him important tool By Michael A. Memoli .@POTUS statement says SCOTUS action allows him to "use an important tool for protecting our Nation's homeland." Will admin press further? pic.twitter.com/gxBJO5aYYZ Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) June 26, 2017 President Trump celebrated the Supreme Courts decision Monday to allow a curtailed version of his travel ban to take effect, calling it a clear victory for our national security. In an official White House statement, the president said he was particularly gratified that at least part of the ruling was 9-0; three conservative justices said they would have let the presidents revised executive order take effect completely. My number one responsibility as Commander in Chief is to keep the American people safe. Todays ruling allows me to use an important tool for protecting our Nations homeland, he said. The White House has long maintained that the president was acting within his authority in seeking to temporarily restrict travel to the United States. They most often point to a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that states a president can suspend or limit entry of individuals whenever the president finds that the entry ... would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Rival Senate factions push competing agendas as healthcare bill hangs in balance By Laura King Heading into a week of intense jockeying and arm-twisting over the Senates polarizing healthcare plan, the rift appeared to widen Sunday between moderates who consider the measure too punitive and conservatives who want to see the sweeping bill toughened up before agreeing to back it. President Trump, who made the repeal of his predecessors signature Affordable Care Act a campaign centerpiece, expressed optimism about chances for Senate passage, but declared again that he wanted to see a plan with heart suggesting he might undercut Republican efforts to bring recalcitrant conservatives on board. With Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) seeking to push ahead with a vote this week, the bills prospects hung in the balance. Five GOP senators have said publicly they oppose the measure as written; the defection of only three Republicans would be enough to sink it. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Analysis: Atop 2017 losses, a sobering challenge for Democrats aiming at Trump next year By Cathleen Decker Republican Karen Handel, winner of last weeks special House election in Georgia. ( (Bob Andres / Atlanta Journal-Constitution)) Democrats have hoped that President Trumps deep unpopularity would propel them to gains in next years midterm election as they fight to take control of the House and improve their position in the Senate. But last years contests and this years special elections suggest a complication: Trump is so distinctive a politician that its hard to persuade voters that other Republican candidates are carbon copies of the president. Trumps outsized persona makes even those Republicans who share his views seem more moderate, an important attribute to swing voters. That presents a problem for the party out of power. Midterm elections traditionally serve as referendums on the president, but voters complicated views of Trump may give Republicans more running room than his popularity figures suggest. The votes cast by individual Republican incumbents may be more important to their survival than any linkage with the president. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Conservatives at Koch summit outline changes to Senate healthcare bill to win their support By Lisa Mascaro Tim Phillips, who heads Americans for Prosperity, the largest of the Koch networks advocacy groups, speaks to the media at the White House in Washington on March 8. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) Conservatives floated two amendments for toughening up the Senates Obamacare overhaul this weekend at the influential Koch networks confab of wealthy donors, as Republicans seek ways to win over detractors and tip enough GOP votes for passage. That the Koch network quickly panned the Senate bill is no surprise. The organization of deep-pocketed conservative advocacy groups similarly rejected the House GOP bill this spring until party leaders tacked on tough amendments to appease right-leaning Republicans. Weve been disappointed that movements not been more dramatic toward a full repeal or a broader rollback of this onerous law Obamacare, said Tim Phillips, who heads Americans for Prosperity, the largest of the Koch networks advocacy groups. But we are not walking away, he said. We worked to make the House bill better and it did get better. Were doing the same thing on the Senate front. One key lawmaker attending the weekend summit at the luxurious Broadmoor Hotel, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and a chief negotiator on the House bill, outlined two key changes to the bill that he said could likely win enough conservative support for passage. One amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) would allow companies that offer insurance policies on the Obamacare marketplace to also offer plans that do not meet the ACAs strict requirements. Such a change would in essence allow insurers to offer cheaper, though skimpier, policies that may help achieve the GOPs goal of lowering premiums for consumers. Another amendment would broaden the ability of those who buy insurance on the marketplace to sock away more money in tax-free Health Savings Accounts to help them pay for their premiums. Cruz is one of four Senate conservatives who have said they would not support the bill unless changes are made, positioning them for negotiations in the days ahead. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) needs to win back some of their votes to pass the bill with his slim 52-seat Republican majority. One of the conservatives, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), was among those feted Saturday night at a reception with Charles Koch, the billionaire industrialist who funds the conservative network. Koch told those gathered for an outdoor cocktail reception on a breezy Colorado Springs evening about how far his team has come over the years at promoting what is a libertarian-leaning conservative agenda. Now when I look at where we are, at the size and effectiveness of this network, Im blown away, he told donors. Koch met Friday with Vice President Mike Pence. But the politics in the Senate remain difficult as McConnell continues to negotiate behind closed doors and rushes the bill to a vote expected this week. On Sunday, one key centrist, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, doubted a swift resolution. Its hard for me to see the bill passing this week, she said on ABCs This Week. Another crucial vote, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who had offered his own proposal, also criticized the rush. I frankly would like a few more days to consider this, Cassidy said on CBSs Face the Nation. But Republicans are anxious to resolve the healthcare debate, which has created a logjam in their legislative agenda. Meadows also told reporters if the Senate passes the bill this week, the House could quickly follow with a weekend session -- ahead of a Fourth of July bill signing by the president. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Schiff: Obama should have acted on Russian interference, but Trump shouldnt complain By Laura King A top House Democrat says President Obama should have reacted more forcefully upon learning of Russian election-meddling, but also asserted that it was illogical for President Trump to levy such criticism against his predecessor. I think the [Obama] administration needed to call out Russia earlier, needed to act to deter and punish Russia earlier, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), said in an interview aired Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. Failure to do so, he said, had been a very serious mistake. But Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trumps criticism of Obama made little sense in light of the current presidents own inaction in the face of decisive U.S. intelligence conclusions about Kremlin efforts to tip the 2016 race to Trump. Trump, Schiff said, is in no position to complain here in light of the fact that as a candidate, he openly urged the Russians to hack Clintons emails. To criticize Obama is now a bit like someone knowingly receiving stolen property blaming the police for not stopping the theft, said Schiff, a former prosecutor. On Saturday, Trump issued a statement on Twitter referencing a Washington Post report a day earlier detailing the previous administrations wrestling with how, when and whether to make public the degree of Russian interference. Since the Obama Administration was told way before the 2016 Election that the Russians were meddling, why no action? Focus on them, not T! the president tweeted. The Post report said Obama was worried about the appearance of improperly using mounting intelligence reports about Russian activities to aid Clintons candidacy. The subject was particularly inflammatory because at that point in the race, Trump had complained repeatedly about the rigged political process and even suggested he might not respect the election outcome. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says hes optimistic about Senate approval of GOP healthcare measure By Laura King President Trump says he believes that backers of a sweeping GOP healthcare measure are going to get there and pass the measure despite the refusal of five Republican senators to endorse the bill as written. Healthcare is a very, very tough thing to get, but I think were going to get it, Trump said on Fox and Friends in an interview aired Sunday that he had touted beforehand on Twitter. We dont have too much of a choice because the alternative is the dead carcass of Obamacare, the president said, referring to the Affordable Care Act, his predecessors signature piece of legislation. Opinion polls have indicated low public support for the version of the healthcare bill passed earlier by the House of Representatives. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), wants to bring the Senate version, unveiled days ago, to a vote this week. In addition to the five Republican senators who have publicly aired their opposition, several others have declined to explicitly endorse the bill, which would overhaul the U.S. healthcare system and set the stage for massive tax breaks that would primarily benefit the wealthiest Americans. With a 52-seat Republican advantage in the 100-member chamber, only three GOP defections would be sufficient to derail the measure, since Vice President Mike Pence could cast a tie-breaking vote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pro-Trump group launches new attack ad against special counsel Robert Mueller By Lisa Mascaro A Southern California group backing President Trump is out with a new ad attacking special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, criticizing the investigation into the Trump campaigns possible cooperation with Russian interference in the 2016 election. The ad, called Witch Hunt, features conservative favorite Tomi Lahren reflecting Trumps own language to complain about the probe. The more than $400,000 ad buy is expected to start running Sunday. Only in Washington could a rigged game like this be called independent, Lahren says, using air quotes in the ad to emphasize her point. She is now a senior advisor to Great America Alliance, which backs Trump. The ads chief complaint echoes Trumps criticism that Muellers team has ties to Democrats, because some of the lawyers have given campaign contributions to the party. Trump has also complained of the relationship between fired FBI Director James B. Comey and Mueller, who was once his boss. Mueller is a registered Republican. Among the members of the legal team he is assembling for the Russia probe -- which is also looking into whether the president obstructed the federal investigation by firing Comey -- four have donated to Democrats. One who gave the maximum donation to Trump rival Hillary Clinton also donated to Republicans. Both Republicans and Democrats have praised Muellers credentials and ability to handle the Russia probe as an independent investigation. The group, which ran a similar attack against Comey ahead of his testimony earlier this month on Capitol Hill, has emerged as a key pro-Trump organization. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Koch brothers political network says Senate GOP healthcare bill is insufficiently conservative By Associated Press ( (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)) Chief lieutenants in the Koch brothers political network lashed out at the Senate Republican healthcare bill on Saturday, becoming a powerful outside critic as GOP leaders try to rally support for their plan among rank-and-file Republicans. This Senate bill needs to get better, said Tim Phillips, who leads Americans For Prosperity, the Koch networks political arm. It has to get better. Phillips called the Senates plans for Medicaid a slight nip and tuck over President Obamas healthcare law, a modest change he described as immoral. The comments came on the first day of a three-day private donor retreat at a luxury resort in the Rocky Mountains. Invitations were extended only to donors who promise to give at least $100,000 each year to the various groups backed by the Koch brothers Freedom Partners a network of education, policy and political entities that aim to promote small government. No outside group has been move aggressive over the years-long push to repeal Obamas healthcare law than the Kochs, which vowed on Saturday to spend another 10 years fighting to change the healthcare system if necessary. The Koch network has often displayed a willingness to take on Republicans including President Trump when their policies arent deemed conservative enough. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions wants to get tough on crime. These people think hes got it all wrong By Jaweed Kaleem Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions has vowed to crack down on crime by sending more criminals to prison for longer periods of time. Every one of our citizens, no matter who they are or where they live, has the right to be safe in their homes and communities from the scourge of criminal gangs, rapists, carjackers and drug dealers, Sessions said in an address to law enforcement officials in Memphis, Tenn., last month. In his view, imprisoning more criminals would make families safer, and fewer people would break the law if there were more severe punishments for crimes such as drug offenses. In a recent memo to federal prosecutors, Sessions instructed them to pursue the harshest punishments legally allowed, a reversal of an Obama-era move giving federal lawyers more leeway to reserve such prosecutions for repeat offenders and people who had committed the worst of crimes. Department of Justice officials hope the changes at the federal level where a sliver of crimes across the country is prosecuted will trickle down to a similar approach to crime in states. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Vice President Mike Pence stops in for an unscheduled chat with billionaire Charles Koch By Lisa Mascaro Vice President Mike Pence popped in for a visit this weekend with Charles Koch, the billionaire GOP donor hosting his semi-annual confab of like-minded business leaders assessing their priorities for the White House and Congress. The meeting was not listed on Pences official schedule for the day. President Trump never much enjoyed backing from Koch s sprawling, secretive, political enterprise, which has emerged as a libertarian-leaning power center, sometimes overshadowing the traditional Republican Party apparatus with its high-dollar donors and vast operations. Kochs group did not endorse the GOP presidential nominee. But the network has always had close ties with Pence. The vice president had previously attended the exclusive gathering of donors, held this weekend at the luxurious Broadmoor hotel. And his top staff was plucked from a key Koch organization, Freedom Partners. Pence and Koch and their top aides spoke for nearly an hour late Friday, according to a Koch spokesman. They discussed tax reform, the GOPs healthcare overhaul and other heavy legislative lifts that have run into resistance in the Republican-controlled Congress. The aide described the talks as casual. Pence was in the area making other stops, including at the Air Force Academy and an evening fundraiser for GOP Sen. Cory Gardner. Even without investing in Trump, the Koch network has made impressive strides in advancing its agenda this year. Congress swiftly rolled back more than a dozen regulations, including some intended to protect the environment, that Koch-backed groups complained were too rigorous and invasive in industry operations. The Koch network groups, including Freedom Partners, a free market-oriented, chamber of commerce-type organization, is pushing the Trump administration and Congress to pass tax reform and overhaul healthcare. Both those efforts have stalled in Congress amid Republican infighting, but the Koch groups is able to put their army of resources money, staff and volunteers in the states to pressure lawmakers to act. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kris Kobach fined for misleading court and refusing to produce previously exposed Trump memo By Colleen Shalby (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press) Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has been fined $1,000 for misleading a federal court in an effort to keep two documents private. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit last year against Kobach arguing that his states proof of citizenship law violates the National Voter Registration Act. ACLU lawyers asked Kobach to produce two documents they said pertained to the case. One of those documents was a draft of a proposed amendment to the National Voter Registration Act. The second was a document that had been photographed and widely shared in late November after Kobach met with then-President-elect Donald Trump. The power of a zoom lens exposed certain details of his proposal to Trump to deport potential terrorists. In a 24-page ruling made public Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge James OHara wrote that Kobach did not accurately represent the contents of the documents when he argued against producing them. Defendant refused to produce these documents, asserting that they are beyond the scope of reopened discovery, do not seek relevant information, and are protected by the attorney-client, deliberative-process, and executive privileges, the judge wrote. The court took Kobach at his word, OHara wrote, but upon review of the documents produced under a court order found that they did relate to the voting rights case. The judge wrote that while the court could not say that Kobach flat-out lied, the defendants statements can be construed as wordplay meant to present a materially inaccurate picture of the documents. For now, the documents will remain classified, as Kobach designated them. But, OHara wrote, that status could change. Trump tapped Kobach last month to serve as vice chairman of a presidential commission that would oversee a voter fraud investigation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Number of refugees admitted to U.S. drops by almost half By Tracy Wilkinson (Patrick T. Fallon / For the Los Angeles Times) The number of refugees admitted to the United States was cut by nearly half in the first three months of the Trump administration compared with the final three months of the Obama presidency, reflecting the new presidents skepticism toward immigration. Government statistics released Friday showed that more than 25,000 refugees were permitted to enter and reside in the United States at the end of the Obama administration. In the initial months under President Trump, the number fell to 13,000. The statistics were released by the Department of Homeland Security, based on information supplied by the State Department. Countries of origin were largely unchanged. In both periods, two-thirds of the arrivals came from five countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Myanmar. Refugees from two of those countries Syria and Somalia would have been banned under Trumps executive order against entries from certain Muslim-majority nations, but federal courts have blocked the order. Trumps original order covered Iraqis as well, but he omitted Iraq from his revised order. The data suggest that the Obama administration, as it was about to turn over power to Trump, significantly stepped up the number of refugees admitted. Arrivals in its final three months reflected an 86% year-over-year increase compared to the same period the previous year. In Trumps first three months, arrivals were 12% lower than for the same period in the previous year. Trump has sought to limit the number of refugees to 50,000 this year. But adverse rulings in the courts could work against him. The United States already has one of the lowest quotas of refugee admissions among major receiving countries. Nations closer to conflict zones such as Syria have taken in millions of refugees. More people have been displaced from their home nations, because of violence and poverty, than at any time since World War II. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump nominates former Dodgers co-owner Jamie McCourt as ambassador to Belgium By Lauren Rosenblatt Trump nominated Jamie McCourt, former co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, as ambassador to Belgium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) President Trump nominated Jamie McCourt, former co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, to be the ambassador to Belgium on Thursday night. McCourt, who co-owned the Dodgers with her husband, Frank, until their messy 2011 divorce, has donated money to several Republican organizations, including funds for Trumps campaign and his transition to the White House. McCourt was among many business leaders who signed their support for Trump early on in his campaign, praising his plan for economic development and growth. In the months leading up to Trumps victory, McCourt gave more than $400,000 to the Trump victory fund, according to data from the Federal Election Commission. She signed a letter in October 2016 with 100 other business executives and CEOs championing Trumps plan and criticizing opponent Hillary Clinton for having thrown in the towel on strong economic growth. McCourt was listed as a 2016 State Victory Finance Chair for Trumps campaign in July, according to a report from the GOP. Robert Wood Johnson, chairman and CEO of the New York Jets and Trumps nominee for ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was also on the list as Trump Victory vice chair. After Trump won the election, McCourt continued to financially support his transition to office. In December, she helped host a fundraiser breakfast for the incoming president where tickets sold for $5,000 a piece. Prior to her support for Trump, McCourt also donated to the campaigns of several other Republican presidential candidates, including John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Carly Fiorina, although in much smaller amounts. In the past, she has also supported former President Obama, contributing to his campaign and victory funds in 2011 and donating $50,000 to the inauguration in 2009. She donated about $2,000 to Hillary Clinton for her presidential campaign in 2007, according to the FEC. McCourts ex-husband said his former wife had political aspirations of her own, with an end goal of ending up in the White House, according to a March 2010 Los Angeles Times article. Her high-profile divorce gathered a lot of public attention and ended in dispute over finances and assets. McCourt has founded and directed entrepreneurial enterprises in Los Angeles and Boston throughout her career as a entrepreneur and attorney. Her investment firm, Jamie Enterprises, invests in real estate and technology start-ups. She has degrees from Georgetown University, the University of Maryland School of Law and from MIT/ Sloan School of Management. The Senate must confirm McCourts nomination for ambassador. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Nevada Sen. Heller -- a key swing vote -- says he opposes Senate healthcare bill By David Lauter (Andrew Harnik / AP) Nevada Sen. Dean Heller said Friday that he planned to vote against the Republican healthcare bill, a potentially key defection. Although the White House and Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky have said they plan further negotiations over the bill, its going to be very difficult to get me to a yes, Heller said at a news conference in Nevada with Gov. Brian Sandoval (R). The bill unveiled Thursday by McConnell is simply not the answer, he said. In this form, I will not support it. Given the unified Democratic opposition to the bill, McConnell can afford to lose only two Senate Republicans, so Hellers announcement is significant. A no vote by Heller would not seal the fate of the bill, however. Heller is widely viewed as the most vulnerable Republican senator up for reelection in 2018 -- the only one running in a state that Hillary Clinton carried last year -- and Republican leaders have been hoping to avoid having to count on his vote. Heller cited several reasons for opposing the bill, but the chief one was its deep reductions in federal support for Medicaid. This bill will mean a loss of coverage for millions of Americans and many Nevadans, he said. Nevada, under Sandoval, has used its authority under the Affordable Care Act to expand Medicaid, which has given health coverage to more than 210,000 additional state residents, Sandoval said. These are folks who are worth fighting for, he added. The cutbacks the Senate bill, which would end Medicaid expansion, would cost the state $120 million a year by 2022, with the cost rising sharply after that the governor said. Thats a cost that the state cannot sustain. Heller also cited the bills impact on treatment for opioid addiction and the likelihood that the plan would fail to reduce premiums. There isnt anything in this piece of legislation that will lower your premiums, he said, contradicting one of the main arguments that supporters of the bill have made. Hellers announcement increases the pressure on McConnell to find ways of persuading several other reluctant senators to support the bill. Four conservatives, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, said Thursday they were opposed to the bill in its current form because it does not go far enough to roll back the Affordable Care Act. Several more centrist senators, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, have voiced concerns similar to Hellers about the depth of the bills Medicaid cutbacks and its impact on opioid treatment. Collins and Portman have both said they want to review the analysis of the bill from the Congressional Budget Office before making up their minds. The budget office has said it will release that assessment early next week. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump signs VA reform bill to make it easier to discipline and fire employees By Lauren Rosenblatt President Trump signed into law Friday a bill that will ease restrictions on the discipline and termination of employees from the troubled veterans affairs department. The Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 is designed to speed up the process to discipline an employee for misconduct and put more decision-making power in the hands of Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin. The act is in response to the 2014 VA scandals involving long wait times for medical care and attempts by VA employees to cover up the delays. Trump, who promised to improve healthcare for veterans during his campaign, said the bill was one of the largest reforms to the VA in its history and is essential to making sure our veterans are treated with respect. The bill passed the House with bipartisan support June 13 and the Senate on June 6. Although the bill is widely supported by veterans advocacy groups, civil servant unions condemn the legislation as a way to get around long-standing protections for government employees and whistle-blowers. The reform, Shulkin said, will not be used as a tool for mass firings, but rather a way to raise morale throughout the department and attract new employees. Slow, steady, incremental change isnt what this organization needs, Shulkin said. Right now, I believe this is progress. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Mexico pushes back against Trumps tweet calling it the second deadliest country in the world By Kate Linthicum Mexicos Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray speaks during a news conference in Cancun, Mexico, on June 19. (PEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images) After President Trump incorrectly tweeted that Mexico is the second deadliest country in the world after Syria, the Mexican government responded quickly. No, Mexico isnt the second deadliest place on the globe, said a tersely worded statement issued by Mexicos secretary of foreign relations, pointing to a host of other Latin American countries that have higher per capita murder rates. And while homicides have been rising in Mexico in recent years, rising violence in Mexico is inextricably linked to demand for drugs in the United States, the statement said. Illicit drug trade is indeed the most important cause of violence in Mexico and drug trafficking is costing thousands of lives both in Mexico and the U.S., the foreign ministry said Thursday. However, as has been repeatedly stated by the U.S. government itself, drug trafficking is a shared problem that will end only by addressing its root causes: high demand for drugs in the U.S. and supply from Mexico and other countries. In order to be effective, we must be able to move beyond finger-pointing, the statement said. The Mexican government issued the response after Trump tweeted a reference to a controversial recent study that ranked Mexico as the worlds second most-dangerous conflict zone after Syria. Trump misrepresented the study in his tweet, saying Mexico was just ranked the second deadliest country in the world. He also neglected the considerable debate about the studys accuracy. The annual Armed Conflict Survey, released this year by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has been called into question by the Mexican government and others who say it wrongly points to the existence of an armed conflict in Mexico. The existence of criminal groups is not sufficient criteria to speak of a non-international armed conflict, said a joint statement issued by Mexicos secretaries of governance and foreign relations in May, adding that drug-war violence is part of a bigger regional problem. Although Mexicos homicide rate has soared the first two months of 2017 were the most violent since the government started releasing such statistics in 1997 other countries are experiencing higher homicide rates. In January, Mexico had a homicide rate of 20 deaths per 100,000 people, according to a Times analysis of Mexican crime statistics. By comparison, El Salvadors homicide rate was 81 deaths per 100,000 people in 2016, according to InSight Crime, a think tank that studies organized crime in Latin America. Venezuela had a homicide rate of 59 deaths per 100,000 people. Trump ended his tweet with a frequent campaign mantra: We will BUILD THE WALL! Mexico was just ranked the second deadliest country in the world, after only Syria. Drug trade is largely the cause. We will BUILD THE WALL! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Supreme Court says final decisions of term will come on Monday By David Savage The Supreme Court is shown at sunset on Feb. 13, 2016. (Jon Elswick / Associated Press) (Jon Elswick / Associated Press) The Supreme Court announced it will hand down its final rulings for this term on Monday. But that does not mean the justices will actually decide the six cases that remain, which include three significant disputes involving immigration and the U.S. borders. Heres a look at the notable decisions so far. On Nov. 30, with one seat on the court still vacant, the eight justices heard arguments in a Los Angeles case on whether noncitizens who face possible deportation can be held in jail indefinitely or instead have a right to a bond hearing after six months. The case, Jennings vs. Rodriguez, has taken on added importance in the Trump era, but the long delay may signal that the justices are split 4-4. If so, the court may announce Monday that the case will be reheard in the fall, leaving it to new Justice Neil M. Gorsuch to cast the tie-breaking vote. Also still pending, since January, is a California case that will decide whether a crime such as breaking into an empty home qualifies as a crime of violence, triggering automatic deportation, even for an immigrant who is a longtime legal resident. A ruling in Sessions vs. Dimaya could affect thousands of deportations The third case, pending since February, is a closely watched border shooting. At issue in Hernandez vs. Mesa is whether a U.S. agent can be sued for fatally shooting a 15-year-old who was standing on the Mexican side of the border. On Friday, the justices gave a second chance to a Korean restaurant owner from Memphis who faces deportation for selling Ecstasy pills. Based on his lawyers advice, he pleaded guilty to the drug charge, having been assured it would not trigger his deportation. The lawyer was wrong. By a 6-2 vote in Lee vs. United States, the court said the Korean man may withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial. But for his attorneys incompetence, he would not have accepted a plea, said Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.. Dissenting were Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr.. The justices, including Gorsuch, are likely to rule in a significant case on religion and funding for church schools. In Trinity Lutheran vs.Comer, the justices will decide whether states may exclude church schools from receiving public funds. Also still pending, but on a different track, is the Trump administrations appeal over his blocked foreign travel ban. The court may act on that appeal at any time. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump backs L.A. Olympic bid in meeting with IOC officials By Michael A. Memoli The opening ceremonies of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times) President Trump pledged his full support for the Los Angeles bid to host a future Summer Olympics, the White House said Friday after an Oval Office meeting with the head of the International Olympic Committee. Trump met Thursday with IOC President Thomas Bach and three U.S. members of the IOC -- Larry Probst, Anita DeFrantz and Angela Ruggiero. A White House official called it a very constructive conversation in which Trump backed a potential third Summer Games in Los Angeles. With only L.A. and Paris bidding to host the 2024 games, the IOC is moving to reward both cities, giving one hosting duties in 2024 and the other in 2028. The United States hasnt hosted a Summer Olympics since the Centennial games in Atlanta in 1996. Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he discussed the citys Olympic bid during a post-election conversation with Trump last November and that the then-president elect pledged his backing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says he tweeted about tapes to influence Comeys account of their private conversations By Michael A. Memoli .@POTUS on why he wanted former FBI Dir. James Comey to believe there were tapes of their conversations pic.twitter.com/pCuibM5Z6k FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) June 23, 2017 President Trump called it bothersome that the special counsel now overseeing the Russia probe was good friends with fired FBI Director James B. Comey, and said he hinted at having tapes of his private conversations apparently falsely to try to influence Comeys eventual testimony. The president made his remarks during an interview that aired Friday morning on Fox & Friends, but was recorded on Thursday just hours after he tweeted that he did not, in fact, have tapes. Trump said that floating the possibility they did exist might have forced Comey to tell what actually took place at the events. When he found out that, I, you know, that there may be tapes out there, whether its governmental tapes or anything else, and who knows, I think his story may have changed, Trump said. My story didnt change. My story was always a straight story. Foxs Ainsley Earhardt followed up: So it was a smart way to make sure he stayed honest in those hearings? It wasnt very stupid, I can tell you that, Trump answered. Many disagree, including Republicans. Comey testified that Trumps tweet is what prompted him to as At a time when the Trump administration is moving to delay and dismantle air quality regulations, a new study suggests that air pollution continues to cut Americans lives short, even at levels well below the legal limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The nationwide study of more than 60 million senior citizens linked long-term exposure to two main smog pollutants ozone and fine particulate matter to an increased risk of premature death. The analysis found no sign of a safe level of pollution, below which the risk of dying early tapered off. Advertisement Harvard University scientists who conducted the study calculated that reducing fine particle pollution by 1 microgram per cubic meter nationwide would save about 12,000 lives each year. Another 1,900 lives would be saved annually by lowering ozone pollution by 1 part per billion, they found. The study appears in Thursdays edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. Fine particulate matter is composed of tiny health-damaging specks of pollution that can lodge deep in the lungs and are linked to cardiovascular disease. Ozone, the lung-searing gas in warm-weather smog, triggers asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Both pollutants build up in the air largely as a result of emissions from vehicles, power plants and other major combustion sources. For the analysis, researchers developed a new computer model that uses on-the-ground air-monitoring data and satellite-based measurements to estimate pollution levels across the continental U.S., breaking the country up into 1-square-kilometer zones. They paired that information with health data contained in Medicare claims records from 2000 to 2012 for all beneficiaries in the 48 contiguous states, a group that represents about 97% of the population ages 65 or older. The high-resolution data allowed scientists to estimate the health effects of air pollution at levels far below the federal limits. For fine particulate matter, which has a legal limit of 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air, they found that seniors faced an increased risk of premature death when exposed to as little as 5 micrograms per cubic meter, the lowest amount they measured. For ozone, which has an EPA limit of 70 parts per billion, they detected increased mortality at levels as low as 30 ppb, also the smallest concentration they measured. The researchers calculated that when the concentration of particulate matter rose by 10 micrograms per cubic meter, the chances that a senior citizen would die during the study period rose by 7.3%. And when the ozone concentration rose by 10 ppb, the chances of early death rose by 1.1%. In both cases, the researchers controlled for factors like smoking behavior, weight and income, which are also likely to affect a seniors risk of premature death. The air that we are breathing right now is harmful, its toxic. Francesca Dominici, data scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health The findings suggest that even though federal limits on the nations most widespread air pollutants are updated periodically based on scientific reviews required under the Clean Air Act, they are not strong enough to fully protect the public. Critics may claim that stronger standards would offer diminishing returns, but the study results provide new evidence that they would actually increase health benefits, with fewer people getting sick and dying from dirty air, said Francesca Dominici, a data scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the studys principal investigator. We are seeing that the air that we are breathing right now is harmful, its toxic, Dominici said. An editorial that accompanies the study said the findings stress the need for tighter regulation of air-pollutant levels and stricter limits on fine particulate matter. Despite compelling data, the Trump administration is moving headlong in the opposite direction, the editorial said, citing the presidents recent steps to dismantle emissions-cutting rules, withdraw from the Paris climate accord and slash the EPAs budget. The increased air pollution that would result from loosening current restrictions would have devastating effects on public health. The findings have important implications for California, where millions of people breathe the nations highest levels of ozone and fine particulate matter. Despite decades of improvement, the air in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley remains far from meeting federal health standards. The new study adds to a robust body of research going back to the early 1990s associating fine-particle pollution with shortened lives. But most of those studies were limited to populations in wealthier and well-monitored urban areas, the researchers said. The enormous sample size encompassing nearly all Americans over 65 allowed scientists to examine air quality differences across all parts of the country, including small cities and rural areas, and among various ethnic and socioeconomic groups. The researchers found that men, blacks, Asians, Latinos and lower-income seniors all faced higher risks of premature death from fine particulate matter. Black seniors were three times as likely as seniors overall to die prematurely. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA must review national air quality standards for six major pollutants every five years and adjust them if necessary to reflect the latest science. The 12-micrograms-per-cubic-meter standard for fine particulate matter was last updated in 2012. The federal standard for ozone was last strengthened in 2015 and is now being reexamined by the Trump administration. This month, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced a one-year delay in implementing the federal ozone standard, citing increased regulatory burdens, restrictions on infrastructure investment, and increased costs to businesses. The decision allows California and other states with ozone levels above the current standard to postpone the adoption of emissions-cutting measures. Pruitt, who in his previous job as attorney general of Oklahoma made a career of suing to block EPA regulations, is also moving to reshape the agencys science advisory boards. These include the committee that makes recommendations on federal air quality standards. Environmentalists and health advocates fear Pruitt will replace academic experts with representatives of regulated industries. tony.barboza@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @tonybarboza and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE IN SCIENCE Found: Ancient human skulls that were carved as part of mysterious Stone Age ritual This cutting-edge bandage could make flu shots a thing of the past How a fear of humans affects the lives of Californias mountain lions A U.S. District Court judge in Santa Ana issued multiple rulings in the past week in connection with a 2015 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California, which alleges the city of Laguna Beach discriminates against disabled homeless people. In court documents filed Friday and provided by Laguna Beach City Attorney Phil Kohn on Tuesday, Judge Andrew Guilford granted a motion for class-action status from David Sestini, Michael Newman and Richard Owens, who documents say represent all homeless persons who reside or will reside in Laguna Beach who have a mental and/or physical disability as defined under the federal Rehabilitation Act and Americans With Disabilities Act and who have been, or are likely to be, cited for violations of state and/or city laws. The 2015 lawsuit challenges the citys practice of issuing citations for sleeping or lodging in public to disabled homeless people who cannot access the local emergency shelter, known as ASL. ASL, which stands for Alternative Sleeping Location, is an emergency overnight shelter in Laguna Canyon that provides 45 beds, meals, laundry, showers and van service to Lagunas bus depot. Officials from the Laguna Beach-based nonprofit Friendship Shelter operate the ASL under contract with the city. Sestini, Newman and Owens allege the city violated protections against cruel and unusual punishment under the eighth and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution, Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, according to court records. The lawsuit will have a broader impact with the representative class rather than a few individuals, Eve Garrow, homelessness policy analyst for the ACLU, said in an interview when asked to explain the reason for the class-action motion. Guilford denied the mens motion for summary judgment, or ruling without trial, on the allegations of violations of the ADA and Rehabilitation Act. There are genuine issues of material facts about whether plaintiffs were excluded from, discriminated against or denied benefits from the ASL by reason of their disabilities, Guilford wrote. And there are genuine issues of material facts about whether modifications to the ASL are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability. However, Guilford granted the plaintiffs motion for summary judgment regarding a claim that city staff members transport people to and from the ASL using a van that is not equipped with ramps or lifts. The city does not dispute that, according to court records. Guilford affirmed the citys request for summary judgment on the plaintiffs due-process claims, according to court records. Kohn wrote in an email that he had no comment and would discuss the case with the City Council during its closed session Tuesday evening. Plaintiffs seeking class-action status must satisfy four elements of federal law, according to Guilfords ruling. One element requires claims to be typical of the claims of the class members. It is true that proposed class members suffer from a wide variety of mental or physical disabilities, but the overarching issue for each member is identical, Guilford wrote in his ruling. All are allegedly adversely affected by defendants homelessness policy. Proposed class members, according to defendants, each allegedly experienced different harms. For example, one individual was allegedly harmed physically from having to sleep on the ASLs floor mats, while another individual suffered from anxiety allegedly exacerbated by conditions at the ASL. Proposed class members all allegedly suffered the injury of having their rights violated due to their disabilities, Guilford wrote. Plaintiffs claim there are about 80 applicable homeless people, according to court records. The city disputes that number, claiming it is based on 2009 data and is not current, according to court documents. A pretrial conference is scheduled for July 17. Trial is scheduled to start Aug. 1, Kohn said. bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce It is too bad that the Newport-Mesa school district doesnt teach students to read. That is the only conclusion one can come to when there are at least six signs saying, No Jumping No Diving, off the Lido Island Bridge. Aside from the fact that police have more important things to do than chase these kids and the legal liability, think of the physical toll should someone jump onto a boat passing under the bridge or land wrong and be permanently paralyzed. The crowd of kids (and so-called adults) who jump from the bridge daily apparently dont consider these problems. So I guess there is another reason why they jump. They have no sense of responsibility but a great sense of entitlement. Jack Price Newport Beach Republicans only care about tax cuts Thank you for addressing the craziness of the policies of President Trump and his Congress (Letters to the Editor: Republicans remain the party of Just say no, and little else, June 19). Elected to drain the swamp and unite America, it appears that the only thing the right wants to get done is drop taxes for the rich and demoralize the middle and lower classes. The idea that the rich will fund new businesses and create new wealth for others can be seen by the results of Kansas. A Republican governor takes over a state that has a surplus, does away with state income tax, and within six years has the state at the doorstep of financial crisis. So much for the trickle-down theory. I only feel sorry for the letter writer, James Percival. He must be very lonely in his thoughts in Newport Coast. Maybe he could run against Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-Costa Mesa), who doesnt believe the science in global warming. I can only hope Rohrabacher is alive so he can explain to the many people who live on the island communities and peninsula in Newport that he is sorry their homes are now two feet under water. Dean Downing Huntington Beach Peotter camp is unfair to critics How do we know Councilman Scott Peotter is getting desperate in the face of a recall by Newport Beach voters? His campaign has resorted to attacks on leading citizens and organizations rather than even attempting to defend his record. Peotter, through his emails and posts, and his surrogates have lashed out at community activist Susan Skinner. She is called an obstructionist because of her efforts to oppose the 25-story Museum House Tower. Rather than pulling back from charges that he is uncivil in his interactions with the public and shows blatant disrespect for his constituents, the Peotter team is doubling down on the insults and attacks. The public should keep in mind that this is all a strategy to take the publics mind off Peotters true record. Ray Lewis Newport Beach How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length. When the next big earthquake finally strikes the Los Angeles region, the phones may either be knocked out or overloaded. So, if the power grid goes down and cellphones wont work, short-wave radios are widely considered the best solution. This past weekend at Verdugo Park, the Crescenta Valley Radio Club gathered its 25 to 30 members and other amateur radio enthusiasts, also known as hams, to practice their emergency-response skills during a 24-hour National Field Day. Almost everyone participating came from a different career field and background. However, they all share a bond for short-wave radios. Some attendees inquired about how to earn their own federally-granted amateur radio license. Our philosophy is its a hobby, said Mike Lichtman, club president. We have fun, and we socialize. Field Day, which was started in the 1930s by the National Assn. for Amateur Radio, is the most popular on-the-air short-wave radio event in the United States and Canada. As in previous years, participants set up tables, chairs, antennas, radios, computers, lights and canopies during the start of field day at 11 a.m. Saturday near the parks entrance. All equipment was powered by solar panels and batteries. The group ran two 100-watt transmitters, while some participating ran 1- to 2-watt transmitters in an effort to contact other non-Field Day stations on low power, according to George Eckart, a club member. While Field Day is a competition for many hams across North America seeing how many exchanges they can make in 24 hours with other groups, some which are set up in remote locations many club members were operating their short-wave radios to hone their disaster-preparedness skills or socialize with other hams. Lichtman said on Sunday morning that by nightfall on Saturday the numbers tapered off and, by Sunday morning, there were between 10 and 15 hams still on duty, all operating their stations on and off throughout the night, making contacts. One member stayed up 24 hours and made more than 100 contacts. Eckart said the Crescenta Valley Radio Club, which went this weekend with the call sign 2 Alpha LAX, made contact with ham radio groups in Hawaii, Manitoba, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. It varies depending on the time of day, Eckart said. The club has been providing communication services to the community for more than half a century and has more than 40 members. Some serve with the Glendale Emergency Auxiliary Response Radio Service. For more information, visit cvrc.club. The organization meets every second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, 1812 Verdugo Blvd., Glendale. Matt Sanderson is a contributing writer for Times Community News. From the start of his presidency, Donald Trump has championed less government regulation, taking pride in killing numerous rules adopted by his predecessor. Using a seldom-utilized 1996 law, Trump and the GOP-led Congress overturned 14 Obama-era regulations in a number of areas, including the environment and guns. The Congressional Review Act expedites the process to overturn rules adopted by a previous administration. If used during the first 60 days of a new legislative session, it allows Congress to kill regulations passed in the final months of a previous administration after June 2016 in this case with a simple majority vote, avoiding the usual 60 votes needed to avoid a Senate filibuster. The law had only been used successfully once before the 115th Congress took full advantage of its power. Heres what the repeal of these regulations will mean: 1. Companies no longer have to disclose payments made to foreign governments involving oil, gas or minerals Passed July 27 Repealed Feb. 14 This regulation required companies to annually disclose any payments made to foreign governments related to the commercial use of oil, natural gas or minerals, specifically the type and total amount of each payment to a certain project or government. The rule was designed to ensure the American people knew where these companies were drilling and who they were paying. Supporters said it was important for transparency and national security. Opponents said it was unnecessarily bureaucratic, decreased efficiency, productivity and competitiveness, and sacrificed American jobs. 2. Mining companies have fewer regulations on waste management Passed Dec. 20 Repealed Feb. 16 The stream protection rule placed restrictions and offered new guidelines on where and how mining companies can dump waste. The rule required companies to record how their mining processes changed the ecosystem and to develop a plan for later restoring those ecosystems. Supporters said it would protect waterways, forests and wildlife, potentially contribute to reducing climate change, improve public health and encourage companies to use more innovative technology. Opponents argue that these benefits come at the expense of jobs, shrink the list of potential mining sites and reduce profits. 3. People with mental disabilities can more easily purchase a gun Passed Dec. 19 Repealed Feb. 28 A semiautomatic handgun is displayed at the 2015 NRA convention in Nashville. (Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images) (Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images) This rule, in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut, made it more difficult for mentally ill people to purchase a gun by requiring the Social Security Administration to report disability recipients with a severe mental illness to the FBIs criminal background check system. Those who supported the rule said it could reduce the number of mass shootings by people with a severe mental illness. But those who opposed it say it limits the 2nd Amendment right to purchase a gun and has too broad of a definition for mental illness. Mental health advocacy groups argued it stigmatized people with a mental illness and played into stereotypes that they are violent or dangerous. 4. Federal contractors no longer have to disclose every labor law violation Passed Aug. 25 Appealed March 27 The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule required contractors applying for federal money to disclose any violations of labor laws, including those related to civil rights, family and medical leave, fair wages, and health and safety standards. Supporters of the rule said it increased efficiency and productivity in federally funded companies and prevented taxpayer dollars from going to companies that had violated labor laws. Opponents said it cast too wide of a net and would harm contractors who had documented only very small violations or got caught in the confusion of filing the correct paperwork. They worried the rule would unfairly place businesses on a black list for federal contracts. 5. The government will revert back to 34-year-old rules for determining land use Passed Dec. 12 Repealed March 27 The revised version of 34-year-old rules changed how the Bureau of Land Management made decisions about how land will be used. Supporters of the updated rules said they increased public involvement in the decision-making process, improved efficiency and government transparency and allowed the bureau to more quickly and effectively address issues surrounding land and resource use. Opponents said they took too much power out of the hands of state and local governments, which they said often know more about the land and how to effectively manage it, and prioritized national objectives. Because the regulations were repealed through the Congressional Review Act, many are concerned that the outdated guidelines wont get another update anytime soon. The CRA prevents government agencies from issuing a similar rule to the one Congress has overturned. 6. School districts have more say in how to define success Passed Nov. 29 Repealed March 27 These guidelines outlined specific procedures for school districts to follow in order to meet the requirements of Obamas Every Student Succeeds Act, such as what to include on a report card, how to define consistently underperforming students and how to develop a timeline for interventions. Supporters of the guidelines say they helped schools track and monitor their progress while also holding them accountable for educational success and equity. But opponents say the regulations went against the fundamental principle of the act, which was designed to allow states to decide how to define the success of their schools. 7. States choose how to evaluate teacher-preparation training programs Passed Oct. 31, 2016 Repealed March 27 The Department of Education issued new guidelines for how to determine the quality of teacher preparation training programs. The guidelines required an annual report of several different characteristics of the program, including an assessment of the teachers performance. Without such guidelines, supporters worry programs wont be held accountable or able to receive the help they need. Opponents argue the federal government should allow states to determine how to evaluate these programs on their own. 8. States can now drug test any applicant for unemployment compensation Passed Aug.1 Repealed March 31 (Toby Talbot / Associated Press) This Department of Labor rule clarified which industries and companies could regularly conduct drug tests for unemployment applicants. This is based on regulations that states can only drug test applicants who were previously fired because of substance abuse or only suitable to work in a field that consistently tests. Opponents of the rule say the definition was too narrow and left states vulnerable to spending valuable unemployment compensation dollars on funding former employees drug habits. However, supporters say without such a law in place, states would spend too much money on unnecessary drug tests. They also say it protected applicants who were unemployed for reasons other than drug abuse. 9. Hunters in Alaska have fewer restrictions for killing predators in national wildlife refuges Passed Aug. 5 Repealed April 3 This rule amended regulations for predator control and outlawed some hunting methods in national wildlife refuges in Alaska. Supporters say the new regulations protected predator species defining predator control as the intention to reduce the population of predators for the benefit of prey species and outlawing some hunting and trapping methods. The prohibition included taking some bear cubs or sows with cubs, trapping bears in snares or using bait and killing wolves and coyotes in denning season. Opponents say the rules are counterproductive to the goal of the refuges, which work to maintain the natural ecosystem and keep the balance between predator and prey species. Many say the rules violated Alaskas right to manage its own fish and game and put the state government in an inferior position to the federal government. 10. Companies no longer have to maintain five-year record of workplace injuries Passed Dec. 19 Repealed April 3 This regulation clarified that employers must maintain proper records of any workplace injury or illness for five years and could be cited for any violations during that time period. The clarification was in response to some interpretations that employers could only be fined if the violation was caught within six months. Supporters worry the six-month time frame allows employers to brush aside any injuries and does not give enough time to identify and correct ongoing problems. Opponents of the regulation say the five-year time period put extra burdens on companies while doing little to protect worker safety. 11. Broadband providers no longer need permission for data collection Passed Dec. 2 Repealed April 3 In an effort to protect consumers in the Internet age, this regulation required broadband companies like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T to get permission from customers before tracking and collecting their online and app activity. Supporters say customers should be able to monitor how much personal information the companies are able to see since broadband providers have more access to their data than any other Internet service. Opponents argue the rule put unfair, costly restrictions on broadband providers that other companies with access to online content, like Facebook and Google did not have to comply with. 12. States can opt to withhold federal family planning money from certain healthcare providers Passed Dec. 19 Repealed April 13 This regulation clarified that states could not withhold federal funds from healthcare providers for any reason other than their ability to carry out family planning services. Part of a larger bill regulating how federal grants are distributed to family planning services, the regulation amended how states make decisions about how to use the federal money. Without this amendment in place, organizations that offer abortions, particularly Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, are at risk for losing funding. Supporters worry overturning the rule will leave families, particularly people who belong to racial minority groups or fall below the poverty line, without services such as birth control, cancer screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Although federal money cannot be used for abortions, opponents say companies that offer abortions or their affiliates should not benefit from federal services. They say the overturn is a victory for abortion foes and state governments. 13 and 14. State and local governments have fewer guidelines for establishing retirement plans State governments Passed Aug. 30 Repealed May 17 Local governments Passed Dec. 20 Repealed April 13 In an effort to protect workers who do not have access to retirement plans through an employer, these regulations required state and local governments to offer IRA-based plans. However, the regulations specified that these plans would not fall under the supervision of the Employee Retirement Security Act. Supporters said the rule encouraged workers to maintain self-funded retirement plans, making them less dependent on Social Security benefits. Opponents said the rule would make employees more vulnerable with less information about how their retirement plans are managed. ALSO Trump succeeds where Obama failed spawning a new wave of liberal activism Gorsuch is already pushing the Supreme Court right on religion, guns and gay rights It's crunch time for McConnell after Senate GOP is forced to delay vote on healthcare bill If Southern Californias early summer heat has you wishing for cooler weather, try heading north for a combined weeklong rail-ferry trip of British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies. The nine-day itinerary starts aboard the Canadian transcontinental train with an overnight journey between Vancouver and Jasper, with private cabins, meal service and access to domed observation cars. Guests then spend time in the Rockies, visiting Jasper and Banff national parks, with time to try the Ice Explorer on the Athabasca Glacier, the Glacier Skywalk in the Sunwapta Valley or travel by gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff. Advertisement The next stop is by train on a northerly trip to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, on the Pacific Coast. The journey continues in British Columbia with a full-day cruise through the Inside Passage between Prince Rupert and the northern tip of Vancouver Island and Port Hardy. The journey ends with a birds-eye view of the Strait of Georgia on a flight back to Vancouver. The trip, organized by Canada by Design and VIA Rail Canada, is part of the Northern BC Explorer by Rail program. Dates: Through Sept. 3 Price: From $2,990 per person, double occupancy. Includes train transportation, some meals, accommodations for a week, transfers, activities, sightseeing tour, Inside Passage cruise and flight from Port Hardy to Vancouver. Itinerary can be customized. Round-trip airfare from LAX to Vancouver not included. Info: Canada by Design, (800) 217-0973, Via Rail, (888) 842-7245. travel@latimes.com ALSO: You could get booted from your next cruise if you ignore these rules Kicking back this weekend? You may be making history Best summer camp at sea? Which cruise lines have splashy fun for kids Zhou Ping had just taken out her wallet to pay for her vegetables at a busy street market when the SUV burst through the barriers, overturning tables laden with fresh produce and knocking the 50-year-old retiree to the pavement. The vehicle came to a halt, then exploded. Two minutes later, another SUV plowed down the road and exploded as well. At least 31 people died in the attack Thursday morning in Urumqi, the capital of Chinas northwesternmost region, Xinjiang. Zhou considers herself lucky to have escaped with only a lost wallet. Her older sister was less fortunate, suffering deep gashes to her legs, back and an eyelid. Advertisement When I got up, I was covered in vegetables and dirt and blood, said Zhou, who spoke in the hallway outside her sisters hospital room Thursday night. I was in complete shock. My wallet it was like it exploded. The attack on the morning market was the most sophisticated and perhaps the deadliest of a recent spate of bombings and stabbings attributed to separatists among the Uighur population, a Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim ethnic minority in Chinas northwest. Ethnic and cultural tension has been rising in Xinjiang for decades as more ethnic Han Chinese move into the region, rendering the Uighurs a minority in most areas. Officially Beijing treats Xinjiang as an autonomous region, like Tibet to its south, but Uighurs complain that the central government has stifled religious and cultural freedom. More extreme elements here have been fighting for a separate state. The area declared a short-lived independence in 1933. The Chinese government has the confidence and capability to crack down on the audacious terrorists, who will never achieve their purposes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday at a briefing in Beijing. Police put out a notice Thursday night seeking two men from Hotan, a town southwest of Urumqi, who they said fled from the scene by bus. The men, ages 27 and 30, had Uighur names. They are believed to have been accomplices. The attack took place at 7:50 a.m., the peak time at the market, which is patronized mostly by retirees who come early to shop for bargains or to exercise in an adjacent park. Witnesses said the SUVs drove through a barricade and that the occupants tossed explosives from the vehicles windows. The explosions left bodies strewn on the street and set clothing on fire, witnesses said. Wu Gang, 54, an ambulance driver who lives in the neighborhood and was off-duty Thursday, said he heard multiple explosions. We heard these bangs, one after another. It sounded like fireworks or maybe construction, but then we heard the sirens and knew it was an attack, Wu said. Urumqi was also the scene of ethnic riots in 2009 that left nearly 200 people dead. The preliminary toll of Thursdays attack approaches that of a March 1 knife assault at the Kunming railroad station, in which 33 people died, one of the worst such incidents in China in recent memory. When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the region last month, the Urumqi train station was attacked by knife-and-bomb-wielding assailants. An unverified claim of responsibility was released shortly afterward by the Turkestan Islamic Party, a shadowy separatist group that operates out of neighboring Pakistan and uses the name East Turkestan to refer to Xinjiang. Another knife attack took place at a train station in Guangzhou this month. Since January 2013, 170 people have died in Uighur separatist attacks, according to the Institute for Central Asian Studies at Lanzhou University. Experts say the attackers are becoming bolder and more professional in their tactics. Car ramming is a tactic militants in Xinjiang have been using since 2011. What is new is the power of the explosives. Its possible that militants from outside the country are teaching those in China, either via the Internet or materials that they send in to Xinjiang, said Jacob Zenn, an analyst of African and Eurasian affairs with the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation. But it appears theres an underground network of Uighur militants in China, and now the cells are activating. Who knows how many cells there are, but there could be a lot, he said. Beijing has limited the information on the attacks, releasing few details and avoiding prolonged media coverage. Experts say officials may be driven by embarrassment at the separatists ability to find holes in state security, but also by a desire to deprive the militants of the instability they seek to foment. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S., Chinas central government has redoubled its efforts to portray the separatist movement as part of international terrorist networks. This week, 39 people in Xinjiang were convicted of activities such as spreading comments on ethnic hatred over the Internet, illegally making guns and watching terrorism videos. On the street, meanwhile, official reaction followed the script from previous attacks. By nightfall Thursday, the blood and debris had been cleared away by street cleaners, aided by a heavy rain. Most shops in the neighborhood were closed and those that were open had been turned into temporary headquarters for police and paramilitary members. People are scared, said a 65-year-old resident who gave only his surname, Mao. These attacks are getting better planned and better organized. Times staff writer Julie Makinen contributed to this report. Reminders are everywhere, even underfoot. Stairs at Hong Kong parks, glued with Chinese floral prints, help mark an anniversary many refuse to celebrate. Hong Kong will commemorate 20 years under Chinese rule Saturday, honoring the rainy night Britain returned the territory and ended a century and a half of colonization. Local officials are spending $82 million on the festivities. Chinas Xi Jinping will make his first trip to Hong Kong as president, a new leader will begin her term, and sparkling fireworks over Victoria Harbor will illuminate Asias financial hub. Advertisement Hong Kong officials papered city steps with Chinese floral designs to honor two decades under Chinas rule, an anniversary some residents arent celebrating. (Gaochao Zhang / For The Times) But the sheen of celebration belies a divided society and a disenchanted populace. A small group of largely pro-Beijing elites chose the new chief executive, despite public opposition. Many citizens cant afford to live in its towers. Thousands plan to protest Xis visit. Chinese leaders agreed to give Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy when they retook the territory. Now, more than ever, residents fear China is reneging on the deal. People thought as long as were not breaking any Hong Kong laws, were safe in our own beds, said Anson Chan, the territorys former No. 2 official under the British and Hong Kong governments. Now, no one thinks theyre safe in their own bed. The first signs of conflict started Wednesday night, when police arrested 26 pro-democracy protesters for being a public nuisance including legislator Nathan Law and Joshua Wong, a 20-year-old activist who has become the territorys symbol of defiance. Pro-democracy campaigner Joshua Wong, center, yells as he is taken away by police after he and other demonstrators staged a sit-in protest at the Golden Bauhinia statue in Hong Kong on June 28, 2017. (Anthony Wallace / AFP/Getty Images) They encircled the Golden Bauhinia statue, a blooming flower monument that China gave to Hong Kong to cheer the transfer of sovereignty. Xi will attend a flag-raising ceremony there this week. Before the handover, Chinese and British officials negotiated a one country, two systems framework that lets the semiautonomous territory keep its independent courts, uncensored media and free speech for 50 more years rights not enjoyed on the mainland. Hong Kong is much better off than some predicted when it moved from Western governance to communist rule. Its economic output last year was nearly 60% higher than two decades ago. The tterritory tolerates political debate and regularly ranks as the worlds freest economy. But an increasing number of its 7.3 million people sense those freedoms eroding. I fear for the worst, said Adrian Chiu, a 25-year-old research assistant, that one country, two systems will soon only exist in name. The U.K.s seizure of the territory in 1841 came as a surprise, even to the British. Leaders sent an admiral to seek compensation for confiscated opium; he annexed Hong Kong Island. The British imposed their legal and economic system and, in many ways, their culture on the colony. In this picture taken on May 18, 2017, artist and designer Alice Lai, 39, who heads a small protest group called HK-UK Reunification Campaign, holds the British flag on a main road in Hong Kong. (Anthony Wallace / AFP/Getty Images) China finally regained its land, although political differences have meant a perennially rocky relationship. Concerns heightened in 2012 when Xi and Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, backed by Beijing supporters, came to power. It formed the perfect storm, said Jason Y. Ng, a Hong Kong attorney and author who has chronicled the territorys recent history. That year, thousands protested Beijing efforts to introduce nationalist curriculum in public schools. They won. Even more shut down streets in 2014 to demand the right to elect their own leader. That 79-day protest, known as the Umbrella Movement, proved less successful. But it did spark a nascent pro-independence movement and ruffle a central government intent on unification. In 2015, five booksellers who sold scintillating stories about the countrys top officials disappeared and then surfaced across the border. One confirmed that Chinese secret police had abducted him. In January, mainland agents grabbed a sleeping Chinese billionaire from the Four Seasons Hotel and carted him out in a wheelchair. China has also stepped in to issue a rare interpretation of Hong Kong law, in effect barring two pro-independence legislators from retaking their oaths. (They referred to China as Shina, a demeaning word once used by the Japanese.) Zhang Dejiang, a top Chinese official, recently called the relationship one of delegation of power, not power-sharing. The worlds second-largest economy no longer needs Hong Kongs business acumen or its money. Chinas economy was just five times larger than the territorys before the handover. Now its more than 35 times bigger. On the express train of a robust economic growth, the country has reserved a seat for Hong Kong, said Zhang Xiaoming, director of the mainlands liaison office in Hong Kong, according to the state-run China Daily. Chinese officials are completing a high-speed rail line and a 31-mile bridge to connect Hong Kong with Guangdong province, physically binding the two regions. Few know how to respond. Only a small number of Hong Kong residents dream of outright independence, but a more radical contingent chafes at pro-democracy advocates who want to work within the system. Establishment groups worry a generation of young activists is unnecessarily stoking Beijings ire. We cannot undermine what Hong Kong has achieved and was able to maintain in the past 20 years, said Priscilla Leung, a legislator and vice chairwoman of the pro-Beijing Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong. China still gives us a lot of room to remain ourselves. Anxieties about Chinas encroachment are further fueled by accusations about the dilution of Hong Kongs culture, a so-called mainlandization. Some residents blame mainland Chinese buyers for boosting property prices. The wealth gap is its highest in four decades; young people struggle to advance. Only 3% of youth identify as Chinese, according to a recent Hong Kong University survey, a record low. Mercedeses drive by sweat-soaked deliverymen hauling pungent dried fish. We Hong Kongers have to fight for everything against each other as well as those mainland migrants, said Chan Mo-shan, 47, who sells stationery supplies. Thats why people are getting more and more frustrated. This sets the stage for a tense party. The city will deploy at least 9,000 officers during Xis three-day visit, and police have been instructed to remove signs that might embarrass leaders. President Xi hopes to prove its a time for celebration, but Hong Kong will show its a time for demonstration, Wong said before his arrest. More than 100,000 protesters could retrace the Umbrella Movement path on Saturday, he told The Times. Its necessary for people around the world to keep their eyes on Hong Kong. Xi will attend events in the same convention center where officials swapped flags 20 years ago the mood uncertain, as now, about the territorys future. Meyers is a special correspondent. Special correspondent Gaochao Zhang contributed to this report. Twitter: @jessicameyers ALSO Carrie Lam, in a nod to Beijing, wins Hong Kong leadership race Hong Kong relives its failed push for greater democracy as leadership election nears One day after pro-Beijing chief executive is elected, Hong Kong arrests 9 protest leaders Chinese authorities have released on bail three activists who had been detained after investigating labor conditions at a factory that produced shoes for Ivanka Trump and other brands. The three activists walked out of a police station in Ganzhou, a city in southeastern Jiangxi province, on Wednesday, the final day of their legally mandated 30-day detention period limit. The activists were working with China Labor Watch, a New York-based group, and were investigating Huajian Group factories in the southern Chinese cities of Ganzhou and Dongguan. Advertisement The company has denied allegations of excessive overtime and low wages. It says it stopped producing Ivanka Trump shoes months ago. China Labor Watch says the three men were released on bail pending trial. Venezuela on Wednesday launched a nationwide manhunt for Oscar Perez, a day after the police official and sometime film actor allegedly hijacked a government helicopter, hurled grenades at the supreme court headquarters and fired shots at the interior ministry building. In a televised statement, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol accused Perez of acting in concert with U.S. intelligence officials and of trying to accelerate the violence that has gripped Venezuela for nearly three months and left 76 people dead and more than 1,500 injured. A direct relation is proven between the author of this terrorist act and intelligence agencies of the United States, said Reverol, who did not name any U.S. officials but promised that proof of the link would be made public in coming days. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the accusation. Advertisement Reverol, who formerly headed Venezuelas anti-drugs agency, was accused last August by U.S. prosecutors in New York of receiving bribes from drug traffickers in exchange for enforcement tip-offs. He said that Perez conspired with an unspecified number of other individuals and that the government has asked Interpol to detain Perez if he leaves Venezuela. Perez, 36, is an official with the top police investigative agency known by its initials CICPC. He was described by Reverol as a deserter who formerly flew for former interior minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, a Maduro opponent. He had a role in a 2015 Spanish language movie titled Death Suspended, a police drama based on a real kidnapping case. While he remains at large, the helicopter he stole was found Wednesday in the northern coastal state of Vargas, the countrys vice president, Tareck Asissami, announced. The hijacking made international headlines and fueled speculation of a conspiracy within government agencies to topple President Nicolas Maduro, who called it a coup attempt. Nobody was hurt in the attack, and there was no indication Wednesday of any widespread rebellion in the armed forces or government agencies. In the capital and cities across the country, anti-Maduro protesters continued to march Wednesday as they have since late March to protest food scarcities, hyperinflation and abuse of power. The latest focus of their ire is Maduros plan for a July 30 vote to dissolve the opposition controlled National Assembly and replace it with a convention charged with writing a new constitution. During the helicopters flight over downtown Caracas, Perez flew a banner with the words 350 Liberty, a reference to a constitutional clause giving citizens the right to ignore the commands of an abusive government. In videos posted on his social media account, Perez is shown standing with other masked men reading statements in which he describes himself as a nationalist and patriot. Barely noticed in the confusion Tuesday was the invasion of the National Assembly building by dozens of armed pro-Maduro militia members known as colectivos. The militias, which have been described as shock troops that Maduro uses to intimidate anti-government protesters, allegedly harassed two opposition members. Also on Wednesday, the Maduro-controlled Supreme Court issued a decree stripping certain powers from the attorney general, Luisa Ortega Diaz. Ortega, whose office acts as a public advocate in cases of alleged government abuse, is one of the few officials to criticize Maduro, describing the proposed constitutional assembly as illegal. At a news conference, she challenged the courts action. What we have here is state terrorism, she said. Repression is rising. 1 / 5 A screen grab taken off Instagram shows alleged Venezuelan ex-forensic officer Oscar Perez, identified by the police as the pilot helicopter who attacked the Supreme Court in Caracas, delivering a speech. Venezuelas army has been put on alert after four grenades were hurled at the Supreme Court from a helicopter. (AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 5 Supporters of Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro shout slogans against opposition lawmakers as Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard soldiers dressed in riot gear line up inside the National Assembly building in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Opposition lawmakers got into fisticuffs with national guardsmen as they tried to enter the National Assembly. In a video circulating on social media, the commander of a national guard unit protecting the legislature aggressively shoved congress president Julio Borges as he was walking away from a heated discussion. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press) 3 / 5 Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard soldiers dressed in riot gear enter the National Assembly building in Caracas, Venezuela. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press) 4 / 5 Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard soldiers dressed in riot gear lineup inside of National Assembly building in Caracas, Venezuela. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press) 5 / 5 A boy runs under a Venezuelan flag during a protest of journalists and media workers against the attacks on journalists, in Caracas, Venezuela. (JUAN BARRETO / AFP/Getty Images) Special correspondents Mogollon and Kraul reported from Caracas and Bogota respectively. MORE WORLD NEWS How dinner with a lesbian couple changed Angela Merkels position on same-sex marriage Half a century of conflict in Colombia comes to close as FARC rebels disarm Mexican soccer fans are reluctant to give up a favorite chant an anti-gay slur UPDATES: 3:20 p.m.: This article has been updated with government response to the hijacking, background on the political situation in Venezuela and news that the helicopter has been found. This article was originally published at 6:10 a.m. An officer with the nations leading law enforcement agency hijacked a helicopter Tuesday afternoon and hurled grenades as it flew over Venezuelas presidential palace, Foreign Ministry and the Supreme Court building in an episode that President Nicolas Maduro described as a terrorist attack. The chopper pilot was identified as Oscar Perez, an official with CICPC, Venezuelas equivalent of the FBI. The helicopter belonged to the CICPC and was stolen from La Carlota air base in eastern Caracas. Perez also flew a banner from the aircraft that read 350 Liberty, a reference to a Venezuelan constitutional clause that gives citizens the right to ignore the commands of oppressive governments, a reference to the Maduro administration. The flyover was perhaps the most dramatic demonstration of discontent in a once prosperous nation racked by protests against a government opponents denounce and inept and corrupt. The mess in Venezuela didn't happen overnight. Here's how two successive presidents chipped away at democracy After the incident, Maduro spoke to a group of journalists at Miraflores, the Venezuelan equivalent of the White House, saying the four grenades thrown from the helicopter could have caused dozens of injuries but apparently harmed no one. The government said 15 rounds were fired from the helicopter as well. As of late Tuesday evening, Perez was still at large and the helicopter unaccounted for. Maduro accused Perez of hijacking the helicopter and identified him as a former pilot of former Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, a Maduro opponent. Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said after Maduro's comments at Miraflores that the grenade attack was carried out by an armed group financed by sectors of the opposition. Perez posted several videos of himself standing with armed masked accomplices on his social media account. He described himself as a member of a coalition of military, police and civil functionaries who seek equilibrium and who oppose this criminal government. We belong to no political current. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists. This combat is not with the rest of the state security forces, it is with imposed impunity, against this sad government, Perez wrote on his Instagram account. There was no indication of rebellion among security forces elsewhere in the capital or across Venezuela on Tuesday night. Maduros government has dealt with nearly daily mass protests since March 29 with increasingly repressive measures. Clashes between protesters and police and the national guard have left 75 dead, 1,500 injured and more than 3,000 arrested. Opponents are protesting food scarcities, rising violence, a shattered economy and an autocratic government. Looting broke out in some parts of the country this week, with Venezuelans stripping already bare shelves of what products were left. Many Venezuelans are also outraged by Maduro's plan to draft a new constitution that would neuter the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Maduro threatened to put in place more harsh emergency measures under the so-called Plan Zamora civil defense scheme. Special forces are in place to capture this group. We will soon know everything," Maduro said. Perez is also an actor who had a role in the 2015 Spanish language film Death Suspended, which dealt with the CICPC. Perez posted five videos on Instagram, and by late Tuesday night they collectively had been viewed 1.6 million times. Comments left by viewers reflected the wide political divide in the country. One pro-government viewer suggested he was with the CIA an unsurprising accusation given that Maduro often blames the United States for many of Venezuelas problems. What falsehood, wrote another viewer. Yet another left the brief comment: What a crazy. Other viewers praised him. You have given me a drop of hope. Finally, someone to help us, wrote one viewer. Another added, May he be an instrument of God that rids Venezuela of the dictatorship. Special correspondents Mogollon reported from Caracas and Kraul from Bogota, Colombia. ALSO Cyberattack using data-scrambling software causes disruptions in Europe Half a century of conflict in Colombia comes to close as FARC rebels disarm How dinner with a lesbian couple changed Angela Merkel's position on same-sex marriage UPDATES: 10:10 p.m.: This article was updated with comments on the Instagram account of Oscar Perez. This article was originally published at 9:10 p.m. In broad daylight one January afternoon, on a street of ranch-style houses with kidney-shaped swimming pools, Juan Francisco Perez-Torres was kidnapped in front of his wife, daughter and three neighbors. FOR THE RECORD: Kidnapping capital: A photo caption in Thursdays Section A with an article on ransom kidnappings in Phoenix gave the incorrect name of Jose Perez-Torres for victim Juan Francisco Perez-Torres. Two men with a gun grabbed the 34-year-old from his van and dragged him 50 yards to a waiting SUV. His wife threw rocks at the car, then gave chase in her own SUV. Neighbors in northwest Phoenix called police. Yet when police found her later, she at first denied there was a problem. On the phone later, as detectives listened in, kidnappers said Perez-Torres had stolen someones marijuana. Advertisement But police were used to conflicting story lines by now. It was Phoenix, after all: More ransom kidnappings happen here than in any other town in America, according to local and federal law enforcement authorities. Most every victim and suspect is connected to the drug-smuggling world, usually tracing back to the western Mexican state of Sinaloa, Phoenix police report. Arizona has become the new drug gateway into the United States. Roughly half of all marijuana seized along the U.S.-Mexico border was taken on the states 370-mile border with Mexico. One result is an epidemic of kidnapping that many residents are barely aware of. Indeed, most every other crime here is down. But police received 366 kidnapping-for-ransom reports last year, and 359 in 2007. Police estimate twice that number go unreported. In September, police spun off a separate detective unit to handle only these smuggling-related kidnappings and home-invasion robberies. Its detectives are now considered among the countrys most expert in those crimes. That Thursday afternoon last month, Perez-Torres abduction fell to the units two most seasoned detectives, Gina Garcia and Arnulfo Sal Salgado, as they were about to leave work. Over the next 42 hours, the kidnapping would consume their every waking moment. You never know which way its going to go, Garcia said. Sometimes you hear the victim screaming, pleading for help, pleading for their life. You have to stay calm. Talk is huge in this business. Talk got serious that night, about seven hours after Perez-Torres was abducted. Over the phone, the kidnapper sounded drunk. Get moving, he told Andres, a partner with Perez-Torres in a small-scale auto sales business, who pretended to be the victims brother. Start selling things. He demanded $150,000. Standing with Andres in the departments kidnap room -- a small office with a window, television and tape recorder -- Garcia mouthed responses. Tell him you want to talk to the victim, she said. Dont agree to anything. Garcia was a child when she crossed the Mexico-Arizona border illegally with her parents and eight siblings. She grew up in a tough Phoenix barrio, obtained legal status and was steered to police work by a youth activities program. Five years ago, she joined the kidnapping unit, and has worked hundreds of cases since then. Her job is to steady the nerves of victims relatives as they take calls from kidnappers, who often torture their victims while talking to the families. Sometimes she steps in and, in a bit of life-or-death theater, pretends to be the victims cousin or friend. Thats when her native norteno accent pays off. Andres, who asked that his surname not be used for this article, didnt need much calming. He pleaded well -- not too whiny, not too insistent. Put yourself in my place. I want to know how my brother is. I want to hear his voice, he said. Why dont you put him on the phone for a bit? The kidnapper refused, said hed call the next morning. The conversation ended. In Phoenix, kidnappers apparently dont call after midnight; usually, theyre sleeping or theyre high. So Garcia and the other detectives went home. It was late, and things were off to a typical start. Ransom kidnapping is a rare crime in America. Most cops go their entire careers without handling one. These days, most kidnappings involve a husband taking a child from an estranged wife. Thats how things were in Phoenix until a few years ago. Then things changed in Sinaloa. Along the Pacific Coast several hours south of Arizona, Sinaloa is the state where drug smuggling in Mexico began. Most Mexican cartels originated there. Kidnapping was how they collected debts. For many years, they kidnapped other smugglers and left law-abiding citizens alone. But after several major traffickers died or went to prison, younger gunmen stopped playing by the old rules. In the late 1990s and 2000, Sinaloa had its first rash of kidnappings of legitimate merchants and businessmen. Phoenix first saw large numbers of ransom kidnappings reported during these years as well. A fast-growing city, Phoenix had long been a destination for Mexican immigrants, and for Sinaloans in particular. Today, Phoenix detectives say, only the rare kidnapper is not from Sinaloa. They often come from the same Sinaloan towns: Los Mochis, Leyva, Guasave. Like construction or restaurant work, kidnapping in Phoenix relies on cheap Mexican laborers. The grunt work, like guarding the victim, is often done by young, unemployed illegal immigrants, desperate for work, who sign on for $50 to $200 a day, Garcia said. Certain Phoenix bars -- Senor Luckys, Bronco Bar and El Gran Mercado -- are known as places where kidnappers recruit, much the way builders go to Home Depot to hire day laborers, police say. The day Perez-Torres was kidnapped, police raided a south Phoenix tire shop and found shotguns, ammunition and ballistic vests. The business belonged to a man they suspected of setting up a kidnapping and home-invasion empire. He recruited illegal immigrants, provided them with criminal work and a place to live at the shop, then would order them around like a small-town baron, police said. Occasionally hed hit them and interrogate them. Kidnapping in Phoenix attracts immigrants whose American dream is to make it big in the underworld. In Mexico, cartels limit their options. But cartel control is weak in Phoenix. Many resort to kidnapping because for once, theyre the guys with the gun, the ones with the power, Salgado said. They are in control. In Mexico theyre not in control. It was 7 p.m. Friday. After several phone calls, the kidnappers ordered money to be taken to an intersection in west Phoenix. Perez-Torres family had come in that afternoon with $12,000, which they said was from selling cars. So detectives lied. We told the suspect we do have the 150K, said Sgt. Phil Roberts, a unit supervisor. Were going to tell him whatever he wants. The case now passed to Salgado, who went undercover, accompanying Andres -- still posing as Perez-Torres brother -- into west Phoenix. Nine years ago, Salgado was the first Phoenix detective to investigate the smuggler kidnappings. He comforted the victims family, negotiated, oversaw rescues. He learned to listen for compassion or cold-bloodedness. For about a year, Salgado worked alone. The caseload grew incessantly. Today, probably no detective in America has worked more ransom kidnapping cases. During an investigation, Salgado barely sleeps. When its over, he crashes hard. Twice, dentists prescribed mouth guards to keep him from grinding his teeth. He chewed through each in a week. To hear Salgado describe it, each kidnapping is like a jazz improvisation, with every move creating two or three new possibilities, which detectives must anticipate, depending on the suspects tone of voice and whats come before. None are alike, and theyre all the same, Salgado said. You dont know what to expect, but you know what to expect. With that in mind, Salgado set out that night in a pickup truck with Andres. Few west Phoenix residents perceived the ballet of two unwitting suspects and dozens of officers that silently swept back and forth through their neighborhood. Kidnappers called to tell Salgado and Andres to drive around with their windows down. They ordered them to stop at a gas station, then to get out and raise their shirts. Other officers watched from the shadows, giving them a wide berth. For more than an hour kidnappers ordered Salgado and Andres through maneuvers, looking for signs of cops, apparently unaware of the undercover officers silently cruising the area looking for the kidnappers. Then things happened fast. Officers were following a suspicious bronze Chevy truck, when the driver bolted down a residential street and into a driveway. Two men jumped out and ran. One dropped a gun. Officers grabbed them after a short chase and before they could call their accomplices. If anything happened to Perez-Torres, officers said, theyd be charged with murder. The two men caved. He was being held, they said, in a house in Mesa, half an hour away. A caravan of cops now sped for Mesa. They got there as three men were pushing Perez-Torres into a brown truck; a black Chrysler idled nearby. Both sped off but didnt get far. Police arrested three more men. By 9:30, Juan Perez-Torres was safe, and five of his alleged kidnappers were about to be questioned. They told detectives a bleak border tale. Max Portillo, 24, said hed been having trouble with a drug smuggler in Nogales, Mexico, known as El Chueco -- Twisted. El Chueco said Perez-Torres owed him for a load of marijuana, and he wanted someone to kidnap him. Portillo said he recruited the others at bars. Another suspect, Abel Mosqueda, said he met Portillo at El Gran Mercado. Mosqueda told detectives he was out of work and needed money. Among the five of them, they had one gun: a black .45. They said theyd never kidnapped before. How much of it was true? That voice, Gina Garcia said, Im sure hes done this before from the way he conducted the negotiation. But detectives hadnt time for the cases murky motives. They had the kidnappers confessions and other evidence. Prosecutors had been getting plea-bargains of 12 years in prison for less. In a few months, theyd have trouble remembering the case. Detectives now check victims for warrants and have dogs sniff ransom money for drugs, under the theory that todays victims are tomorrows suspects. Theyve seized property valued at close to $1 million. Phoenix police say they have never lost a victim during a rescue attempt. But detectives wondered how long their record would hold, and how long they could stave off the violence that has left more than 8,000 people dead in Mexico in the last two years. The way I understand it, the vice president of the Bank of Mexico has to go to work with armed escorts, Sgt. Roberts said. The vice president of Wells Fargo in Phoenix does not. Were trying to prevent that from happening. If the United States as a whole doesnt do something about this, its possible it could go that way. About 4 a.m. Saturday, the family of Juan Francisco Perez-Torres huddled in the police lobby, waiting to drive him home. He denied smuggling drugs. Fixing and selling used cars was how he made his money, he said. No detective believed him. Six hours later, Garcia finally went home. She hadnt slept in more than a day. Nonetheless, she had passed up a chance to move up to sergeant. Its good to save people, and its good to put people away, she said. The job was in Salgados blood as well, and he couldnt quit it. The thing about kidnapping is, he said, its the only crime thats occurring as its being investigated. This one was now done. sam.quinones@latimes.com After months of protests against president Nicolas Maduro, an attack on the Supreme Court Tuesday night is escalating the local conflict to new proportions. Altough many venezuelans think this might be a false flag operation. "It's a terrorist attack aimed at ousting me from power", Maduro announce in state television. He also said he had activated "the entire armed forces." According to many reports, an helicopter piloted by a former intelligence member attacked two government buildings in Caracas. Venezuela's officials said four grenades were dropped on the court and 15 shots had been fired at the interior ministry. Officials in Venezuela say stolen helicopter fired 15 shots at Interior Ministry, launched grenades at Supreme Court https://t.co/NlbbqSQucB pic.twitter.com/2KXMht1eCg ABC News (@ABC) June 28, 2017 No injuries have been reported. According to local media, the man who flew the helicopter and planned the attack is Oscar Perez, a former captain from an intelligence and investigative agency in the country. Perez published a video in social media flanked by four masked men holding rifles saying they were "warriors of God" and "it is time for the people to stand against impunity and tyranny". "Venezuelans, dear brothers, we talk to you on behalf of the state. We are a coalition of military, police and civilians in search of a balance and against this transitory, criminal government.We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government. We are God's warriors and our mission is to serve the people. VIVA VENEZUELA!. Maduro now claims Perez is following orders from the CIA by posting pictures of the former intelligence agent in front of the Capitol in Washington D.C. At this point there is no proof if this is true. Several user's comments on Instagram asked this morning where is Oscar now. "What is the plan?" Opposition leaders called Maduro's words an attempt to divert attention from people's power grab. An angel indeed. Super model Miranda Kerr was turned over jewelry worth $8.1 million to the U.S. Department of Justice. Apparently Vicorias Angel got the whole diamond stash from a generous ex-boyfriend, Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, in 2014. "From the start of the inquiry, Miranda Kerr cooperated fully and pledged to turn over the gifts of jewelry to the government," Kerrs representative Mark Fabiani said in a statement to the press. "Ms. Kerr will continue to assist with the inquiry in any way she can." On of the pieces was an 8.8 carat pink diamond pendant from New York-based designer Lorraine Schwartz , listed in a civil lawsuit filed by the Justice Department on June 15 in L.A. Kerr dated Low between her 2013 divorce from Orlando Bloom and her current marriage to Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel. The Australian super model follows the example of actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who has turned over $3.2m of artwork, including a Picasso painting, gifted to him by the same man. Small border cities straddling the United States-Mexico frontier have entered into a legal fight with state and federal officials over the enforcement of immigration laws at the national level. Signed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, the highly contentious Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) reprimands local entities for refusing to cooperate or comply with federal immigration agents and their law enforcement requests. As a part of the newly-enacted law's decrees, SB 4 dictates that elected officials and local police departments must hold undocumented immigrants suspected of having committed a crime. Scheduled to take effect on September 1, the punitive measure has been a rallying cry for district attorneys, Justice Department lawyers, and organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), to stand up against the controversial legislation. Mayor Raul Reyes of El Cenizo, Texas expressed his strong disapproval of the law stating, "It takes away local authority from elected official and police departments. We're ready for the challenge. We're ready to take this all the way to the Supreme Court, if need be." While supporters of the governor's measure claim the law will put a stop to illegal immigrant criminality, opponents argue that the law is unconstitutional in the way it racially and ethnically profiles individuals. President Donald Trump issued an immigration order in January that threatened to hold back federal funding from "sanctuary city" communities. His effort, however, was blocked by a San Francisco judge back in April. Although local residents are worried about the city's ability to win the federal fight, preserving El Cenizo's immigration roots and way of life is Mayor Reyes' ultimate goal. "This will determine the future of our country and how other states target minority groups." A Wilson Borough man faces felony assault charges after brandishing a knife and struggling with police called to help him, according to court records. Humberto Reyes was taken to the hospital after he was cut during the struggle June 17 in the borough. The 52-year-old was then arraigned Wednesday on nine counts and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $65,000 bail. Wilson police said they responded about 5:20 p.m. that Saturday to Reyes' home in the 800 block of Balata Street for reports he was suicidal. Having stated in the past he wanted to kill himself, Reyes reportedly was acting strange and sounded heavily intoxicated and like he was under the influence of medication. Police made contact via phone with Reyes, who said he was armed and was on Louis Street in the borough, court records say. Police said they found Reyes at Louis Street and Freemansburg Avenue, where he began reaching into his waistband, ignoring police commands, and produced a black-handled, silver-bladed knife about 9 inches long. Three officers and Reyes went to the ground and after a brief struggle, the knife was removed from his hand, according to police. He was then taken to the hospital for a cut to his left forearm suffered during the struggle, police said. Following his discharge, Reyes was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Richard Yetter III on three counts each of aggravated assault, which is a felony, in addition to misdemeanor simple assault and reckless endangerment. He faces a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled July 10 before Yetter. Yetter agreed to 10 percent bail if approved by Northampton County Pretrial Services and said that, if released, Reyes would need to remain under supervision of pretrial services, have no contact with the victims, stay in Pennsylvania unless travel out of state is approved, and submit to a mental health evaluation as well as follow recommendations. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Hanna O'Reilly had her 10th birthday at Bushkill Park. Eleven years later, she returned to the park as a YMCA camp counselor, and it's just as she remembered it. Many in the Lehigh Valley share stories similar to O'Reilly's. A woman requesting to push her 70-year-old mother around the rink in a wheelchair so she can experience it one last time. A grandmother taking her grandchild to the fun house and going down the slide with her for the first time in years. "That's what gives us motivation to keep going," said park manager Jeremy Carrington. Many have been eager to know when the Forks Township park will reopen, Carrington said, and they have an answer. The event space and pavilions will be available this summer for parties, he said, and the rides will be open Memorial Day of 2018. The pavilion was utilized for the first time in 11 years on Wednesday afternoon, hosting a picnic for the Greater Lehigh Valley YMCA. The park opened July 3, 1902 and closed -- due to three consecutive years of flooding -- in 2007. The flood left extensive damage to the park, with rides destroyed, buildings on uneven ground and mud invading every crevice. Workers have been working diligently since March 2016, however, in hopes of bringing back the local hot spot. "Ride by ride, building by building, we're bringing it back to life," Carrington said. The skating rink was the first part to be revived when it opened earlier this year. From noon to 6 p.m. July 9, the park will have an open house so the community can see the progress they've made. The event will celebrate the park's 115th birthday and will include moon bounces, free T-shirts for the first 100 people and a game show, where participants will have the opportunity to win tickets to Dorney Park, Hersheypark and Knoebles. Neal Fehnel, who bought the park in 1989, compared the event to Willy Wonka opening the chocolate factory for the day. Fehnel bought the park with the goal of making people happy. As a magician, clown and now park owner, he's always enjoyed entertaining people, he said. "For each person, happiness is in a different package. Whether it's a group of guys having beers and playing cards at the picnic table, or a grandmother bringing her grandkids to have their birthday party at the same park she went to," he said. Next summer, the park will be completely revamped with seven to eight rides and the fun house. "It's incredibly rewarding" to see people back enjoying the park and be able to bring the happiness that he always hoped he would, Fehnel said. Alyssa Mursch may be reached at amursch@lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe today to get the latest headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates Firefighters have begun a programme of visits to 40 high-rise residential blocks in Leicester to carry out safety checks and reassure residents following the Grenfell Tower disaster. So far, fire crews have visited half a dozen blocks of over eight storeys in the city when they are not responding to 999 incidents. Yesterday, crews were speaking to people living in housing association flats owned by Sovereign Housing, in Walnut Street, about fire safety advice. Fire service group manager Matt Cane said: We already do a lot of work on fire safety in high-rise buildings to make sure they are safe. But following the awful tragedy at Grenfell Tower we are taking the opportunity to revisit each one, carry out re-inspections and give people the chance to raise any concerns they may have. If there were any issues we would have picked up on them now. Firefighters will already be a very familiar sight to people who live in tall tower blocks here but after the Grenfell fire we are reminding people living in high-rise that they are at no greater risk than someone living in a normal house. A spokeswoman for Sovereign Housing said: It was great to have the fire service here today to give residents some important fire safety advice. Following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, our on-site team has been on hand to reassure residents their safety is our top priority. We have a strong safety culture and have completed a fire safety review of our taller buildings and our fire risk assessments. At least 79 people died in the inferno in West London. The disaster has triggered a chain of tests on cladding similar to that which ignited in the blaze, and which has been used on other tower blocks around the country. Cladding samples from 95 towers across 32 council areas have so far failed safety tests. Firefighters have requested tests on cladding from two privately-owned Leicester blocks, which have not been identified. They said they were still awaiting the results. Mr Cane said the current tests were prioritising council-owned towers. The city council owns six tower blocks, with more than 500 flats between them. None of the blocks is clad. The five in St Peters, Highfields, are undergoing a 10 million, long-running programme of refurbishment. None has sprinklers but following the Grenfell Tower fire the council has decided systems will be fitted to them all. The council said it has not yet decided which types of sprinkler will be most suitable so it is not yet clear how much the work will cost. Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, who is also vice-chairman of Leicestershire fire authority, has said it will be a price worth paying. We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free Loughborough email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox An inquest will be opened tomorrow into the death of a contract worker at Mountsorrel Quarry. The man died last Wednesday. The hearing will take place at Loughborough Coroners Court. Court officials have declined to release the name of the man before the inquest opens. Police launched an investigation after they were called to the report of a man being injured at the quarry. A force spokeswoman said the man was pronounced dead there. She said: We were called to a quarry in Wood Lane, Mountsorrel, just after 5am on Wednesday following a report of a man being injured. The injured man subsequently died at the scene. Inquiries are ongoing at the quarry and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is assisting us in establishing the circumstances surrounding the death. A spokesperson for Tarmac said: It is with great sadness that we can confirm a contractor, working at Mountsorrel quarry, lost his life. Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the mans family, friends and colleagues. We are all shocked and saddened by this news and will continue to do all we can to help the authorities with their investigations, and to provide care and support for the team on site. As this investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this stage. An HSE spokeswoman confirmed they are aware of an incident. She said: We are assisting the police with their enquiries. The Mountsorrel site, which is operated by Tarmac, is Europes biggest granite quarry. A town that sits on the Laois Offaly border could be about to move into Kildare politically as part of a move to reunite the two midland counties and expand the representation of Kildare in the Dail. The Constituency Commission has recommended scrapping the recently formed two three seat Laois and Offaly constituencies. They would be replaced be a new five seater which itself was replaced for the 2016 General Election because of population figures. Under the changes more than 9,450 from Laois and 2,404 from Offaly will be represented by Kildare politicians. A map of the two new constituencies shows the town of Portarlington and its hinterland in Laois and Offaly, which sits on the border between the two counties, move into Kildare South. The village of Ballybrittas in Laois would also move to Kildare. The changes are being recommended because Dail representation must represent population figures. It is reversal of a change the last time around when Monasterevin was included in the new Laois three seat constituency. At present, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein have two TDs each in Laois Offaly. The only minister is the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan. Former Taoiseach Brian Cowen represented Laois Offaly for many years. Read below picture for Commission's explanation The following is the Commission's explanation for the change. "Following the transfer of Tipperary population, recommended above, the 3 seat Offaly constituency, comprising the entire county of Offaly with a population of 77,961, would have a population per TD of 25,987 giving a variance of -12.68%. This is not acceptable to the Commission. While the Laois and Kildare constituencies have acceptable variances it is necessary to alter these to address the high variance in the Offaly constituency. The Commission considered the proposals made in submissions for the alteration of constituencies in the area. These included proposals for alteration in Kildare North that would breach the boundary with Dublin, other proposals that would breach the boundary with Wicklow and a number of proposals for alteration of the boundary between Kildare North and South. While the recommendations of the Commission respond to some of the proposals, at least in part, generally the proposals were not acceptable to the Commission having regard to its terms of reference, in particular in relation to avoiding breaches of county boundaries and continuity. The Commission recommends that the counties of Laois and Offaly should be joined to form a 5 seat constituency, an arrangement that was in place from 1923 to 2013. However as the total population of the two counties, at 162,658, is too great for a 5 seat constituency it gives a variance of +9.3% a transfer of 11,854 population to Kildare South is recommended, as detailed below. The Commission recommends that Kildare South become a 4 seat constituency and that population be transferred as follows into the constituency: the 7,892 county Kildare population that is in the existing Laois constituency; population in the Portarlington area, 9,450 from Laois and 2,404 from Offaly; and 3,226 population from Kildare North. These transfers will improve the balance of variances between the constituencies in the area and there will no longer be a breach of the Kildare county boundary. The following table sets out the relevant statistics for the recommended constituencies of Kildare North, Kildare South and Laois-Offaly. A Laois youth has been found not guilty of sexual assault, by direction of the trial judge at Portlaoise Circuit Court. The 15-year-old male, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to one count of false imprisonment, and one count of sexual assault. He was 13 at the time of the alleged incident, and the alleged injured party was a girl of 14. State prosecutor, Mr Will Fennelly outlined the States case. On the afternoon of September 28, 2014, a young girl and a group of friends were hanging out at a public area in Laois, when they were approached by a group of young males. There was a little bit of interaction, before one of the girls had her pencil case taken by one of the boys, which led to some irritation. The girls then left and went to a shop, where the shopkeeper sent them on their way. The group of boys caught up with them, but a car came and removed some of the girls. The injured party then went to a green area, where she was allegedly pursued by the accused. She was allegedly manhandled to the ground and held for a number of minutes, while the accused allegedly groped her in the vaginal and breasts area. Following this outline by Mr Fennelly, defence for the accused made a number of legal submissions to Judge Keenan Johnson in the absence of the jury. After listening to the submissions, Judge Johnson directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty in the case. He informed the jury that certain pieces of evidence were not collected by the State at the time of the investigation, in particular CCTV footage and photographs which had been used for identification, as well as certain documentation. He said that this absence of evidence could not leave the jury any option but to acquit the accused, as a miscarriage of justice could arise. Young musicians from Music Generation Laois took centre stage when they performed for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and an audience of national and international delegates. The guests included Guests of Honor His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, and An Taoiseach at the Gala Celebration of The Ireland Funds Worldwide Conference 2017 in Powerscourt Estate. The show-stopping performance by the 31-member Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra was led by Donegal-based musician and composer Martin Tourish (Altan), and by Orchestra directors Paul Finn (accordion) and Siobhan Buckley (harp). Together, the ensemble presented extracts from the spectacular traditional suite Visions and Voices, which was created by Martin in collaboration with members of the Orchestra to mark the Centenary of Easter 2016. David Vesey (age 17, Abbeyleix), flute player with the Music Generation Laois Trad Orchstra spoke after the concert. "We all really enjoyed this evening and it was a great opportunity that only Music Generation could provide. It was a great honour to perform in front of such a fantastic crowd at such a prestigious event and we all really appreciated the brilliant opportunity," he said. Following the event, Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation praised the Laois musicians. "I would like to congratulate this ensemble of terrific young musicians from Laois on their electric performance this evening. It is a privilege for Music Generation to have the opportunity to perform at such a prestigious event, and we are very grateful to The Ireland Funds for providing this platform for our young musicians to showcase their own music on an international stage," she said. The Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra was established in January 2016, under the direction of musicians Siobhan Buckley (on Harp) and Paul Finn (on accordion). To date the Orchestra has performed at major national events including Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Ennis, as part of the Music Generation Laois Tionol for Harps and Pipes in November 2016, and most recently as part of Music at the Malt House in Stradbally in May 2017. The members of the Orchestra are among 3,000 children and young people who attended weekly lessons with Music Generation Laois in 2016. Music Generations Young Ambassadors programme provides opportunities for young musicians throughout Ireland to perform at national and international events. A total of 21 primary schools across Kildare are to receive awards recognising their work in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) during the school year. Tanaiste, Frances Fitzgerald today announced the names of those who have received a Science Foundation Ireland Discover Science and Maths Award. The programme aims to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) among primary school students and teachers. The recipient schools from Kildare are: Scoil Cheile Chriost Rathmore National School; Scoil Bhride, Naas; St. Laurence's National School; North Kildare Educate Together National School; Scoil Naisiunta Cianog Naofa; St. Brigid's National School; Gaelscoil Chill Dara; Ballyshannon National School; Kildare Town Educate Together National School; St Joseph's N.S, Halverstown; Caragh National School; Naas Community National School; Gaelscoil Nas Na Riogh; Scoil Eoin Phoil; Scoil Ide Naofa; Bunscoil Bhride, Rathangan; Scoil Phadraig Naofa; Scoil Naomh Mhuire National School; Shanganamore National School; and Kilkea National School. The awards recognise the achievements of children and teachers in the application of STEM in their classrooms. To qualify, schools are required to keep a log of STEM activities that they have undertaken throughout the academic year and which involved the whole school. Schools are awarded credit for visiting Discover Science Centres, carrying out their own experiments, using digital technology and maths, going on STEM-related field trips, hosting visits from scientists and engineers, and holding a science open day in the school. Tanaiste Fitzgerald TD, said: I am delighted to congratulate these young Kildare students and their teachers on this wonderful achievement. The Science Foundation Ireland Discover Science and Maths Awards guide and inspire the next generation of inventors, problem solvers and creative thinkers. I am confident these students will lead the way and continue to make us proud in the future. Minister John Halligan said: It is fantastic to see the hard work put into achieving these Science Foundation Ireland awards by so many Kildare schools. The programme plays an important role in fostering innovation and motivating our young people to explore careers in these areas. STEM skills are crucial to the success of our economy and the betterment of society, so Im delighted to see so many children getting involved. Commenting on the Discover Science and Maths Awards, Dr Ruth Freeman, Director of Strategy and Communications at Science Foundation Irelandsaid: Science Foundation Ireland is committed to making STEM accessible to all, so encouraging students, particularly girls, to engage with science and maths in a fun and interactive way early on is key. I commend these teachers for their passion and commitment to STEM and congratulate them on achieving the award for their school. Kildare County Council will work with Maynooth University to prepare new wind energy guidelines as soon as the Council receives updated guidelines from the Department of Energy, the Council has been told. At its monthly meeting on June 26, Mayor Ivan Keatley and Cllrs Aoife Breen, Padraig McEvoy and Seamie Moore proposed that given that updated setback distances from wind turbines have been published, that the council complete the spatial analysis initiated with Maynooth University to prepare a variation of the energy policies in the County Kildare Development Plan 2017-2023. READ MORE: Council to monitor noise from turbines under new wind energy proposals Cllr McEvoy said he wanted the implications for the Kildare plan examined pending a decision at national level. Mayor Keatley said he understood there were guidelines but they would not be finalised until the first three months of 2018. Cllr Mark Lynch said the set back should be ten times the height of the turbines, not four as has been suggested. It is totally unsatisfactory, he said. Cllr Mark Stafford raised questions about how to monitor noise levels. In a report on the motion, Peter Minnock, Director of Service, said an objective of the County Development Plan 2017 2023 states: Prepare a Wind Energy Development Strategy and to publish it as a proposed variation of this plan following the completion of the review of the Departments Wind Energy Development Guidelines. Mr Minnock said it remains an objective of the council to prepare a Wind Energy Development Strategy. As soon as the Departments updated guidelines are received, the work undertaken to date on the spatial analysis will be revisited. The Minister has indicated that, in line with requirements under the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (the SEA Directive), an SEA will be undertaken on the proposed approach to the revised Guidelines. The review process will involve public consultation, and in a recent statement, the Minister said he envisaged new statutory guidelines to be finalised and issued to planning authorities in Quarter 1 2018. Mr Minnock told the meeting that the Council would be reticent to engage with Maynooth University until the guidelines are published. He said the Council would do the analysis when the distances are known. Kildare County Council has agreed to seek details from Fingal County Council over an indicative road line in St Catherines Park in the Fingal County Development Plan. The motion, from Cllr Ide Cussen, called on Fingal to amend its plan. Speaking at Kildare County Councils meeting on June 26, Cllr Cussen said that no councillors in Kildare supported a road going through the park. The road has been suggested as part of an infrastructure need to place substantial new housing in the Confey area. Cllr Brendan Young said Fingal councillors were not aware that a proposed road was going through St. Catherines Park. But there were indications on maps. He said such a road would draw huge traffic to the M4 at the Leixlip junction. Cllrs Michael Coleman said none of the councillors in the three counties involved wanted a road through the park. Cllr Anthony Larkin also supported the motion. He said that in 1996 there was a huge public outcry when housing was proposed for the St Catherines area and the current President, Michael D Higgins, then a Minister, stopped the proposal. Director of Services, Peter Minnock, said any plans were about jointing the M3 and the M4. Most of the St Catherines land, about 90 acres is in Fingal with 25 acres in South Dublin and 33 in Kildare. He said a lot of work would be required for such a road and some routes would be ruled out. It is a long way down the road, he said Meanwhile, this week, Kildare North Labour representative, Emmet Stagg said that his suggested motion to his Labour colleagues on Fingal County Council to vary the Fingal County Development Plan 2017-2023 to ensure that no link road goes through the wonderful recreational area that is St. Catherine's Park in Leixlip will be discussed and voted on at the Fingal County Council meeting in Swords on Monday, July 10. Mr. Stagg stated that he had been in contact with his Labour colleague and Mayor of Fingal County Council, Cllr. Mary McCamley, who has told him that she will put the motion to vary the Plan under Mayor's Business at the meeting on July 10. Mr. Stagg thanked Cllr. McCamley and his Labour colleagues for proposing and supporting the motion and called on all Fingal Councillors to now join in the campaign to preserve St. Catherine's Park. Mr Stagg reiterated his view that the proposal to build a road through St. Catherine's Park was a pure act of state vandalism and he looked forward to the motion receiving support on July 10. The Garda Press Office have told the Leinster Leader that the injuries to a firefighter hospitalised following a fire in a Kildare house this morning are not life-threatening. SEE ALSO: BREAKING: Reported gas explosion at Kildare home The man was taken to Naas General Hospital but is said to make a full recovery. The Dublin fire brigade have paid tribute and sent well wishes to the injured man on Twitter. Hoping that our injured Kildare FS colleagues will make a full recovery after a call in #Athy with @LaoisFireRescue photo @emergencytimes pic.twitter.com/CeP1Lc7Kqm Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) June 28, 2017 SEE ALSO: UPDATE: Injured fireman taken to hospital following reported explosion in Athy house Gardai are currently examining the scene of the fire in Canal Walk, Athy. The cause of the fire is not yet clear, but is said to be a domestic fire, and not a gas explosion as previously thought. Kildare's Chief Fire Officer, Celina Barrett, said the Emergency services got a call at 10:05am this morning, following a report by locals of an explosion in the house. Fire crew in Athy and Stradbally attended the scene quickly. The fire is believed to have started on the first floor, and while the fire was being extinguished the firefighter was injured. It has been reported that there were no occupants in the house at the time, but next door houses were evacuated as a precaution. Meanwhile, Athy councillor Thomas Redmond has organised a drop-off collection for the fire victims. If people would like to donate anything, you can do so at The Athy Community and Family Centre on Woodstock street. Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy has argued that the Wifi4EU scheme must benefit rural areas most in need of improved internet connectivity. Speaking from Brussels this week, Carthy said: Wifi4EU funding amounting to 120 million will provide up to 8000 free public Wi-Fi hotspots across the EU. As shadow rapporteur of this file in the Transport and Tourism Committee, I proposed amendments to prioritise rural areas in in the schemes rollout. I am pleased to report that these amendments received overwhelming support from MEPs and the final agreement will grant funding on a first-come, first-served basis but, crucially, will prioritise rural and remote communities, who do not currently avail of public Wi-fi hotspots. This is an important commitment. Unfortunately successive Irish governments have failed abysmally in providing rural committees with the levels of connectivity required. A digital divide exists between rural and urban areas, as a direct result of government broken promises to provide a scheme of rural broadband. It often appears that the Fine Gael government is purposefully trying to keep rural Ireland in the dark ages. In our work in the European Parliament I, and my Sinn Fein colleagues, are committed to voicing the need for substantial internet connectivity in rural areas. Rural communities require the same internet resources as urban areas, which is a measure of quality of life. Increased internet connectivity benefits the promotion of tourism, which is an essential sector in many rural areas. Additionally, the development of local domestic economies, particularly those dependent on SMEs, rely upon a decent infrastructure and reliable internet connectivity in order to emerge into a rapidly changing market. People located in rural areas deserve to be able to live and work in their areas and not have to move to where internet connectivity and other resources are accessible. It is unacceptable that rural broadband is not a norm across the fifteen counties of the Midlands North-West constituency, unlike other EU regions. The approach of the Wifi4EU initiative provides an opportunity for rural areas to avail of internet connectivity in public spaces, as the Irish government has absolutely failed to do so. I will endeavour to ensure rural communities are aware of the proceedings and possibilities of the Wifi4EU scheme. Applications should open at the end of the year and I will be encouraging local authorities to apply for the scheme he concluded. Love Leitrim has welcomed the passing of the legislative ban on fracking as it completed the final stage in the Seanad today, Wednesday June 28 and will now be sent to the President to be signed into law. Love Leitrims spokesperson Eddie Mitchell acknowledged that the community campaign had won by informing themselves about the issue, lobbying local and national representatives and by promoting the positive aspects of Leitrim and Ireland. He added, As a small community it was a fight for its life. We have a right to live in a safe place. People didnt have a choice but to get involved, this is our home, where our families are from, where our people are buried and these fields are the place where our children play. Mitchell added seeing the plight of communities in Canada and Australia acted as a warning for us, they showed us that you could stand up and make a change and be successful like communities in New York. We couldnt afford to lose everything that was dear to us just like we saw others losing what was important to them. Describing the thinking behind the successful strategy behind the Love Leitrim campaign Mitchell said, We did it by engaging the community, through participation and empowerment. We are proud of where we are from. We are proud of Leitrim and Ireland. We wanted to reflect what Leitrim was about, farmers, fishermen, artists, professionals, parents and about sustainability. This is about Ireland. We knew we wouldnt win unless we brought everyone along. We understood that we had to convince everyone. We knew that we had to be non-political. We had to win over hearts and minds. He stated, We by nature are close to the land and maybe we have become watchdogs like our parents before us. We have a responsibility to the land and each other and the life that the land nurtures. We feel privileged we can make a difference in our own small way in dealing with bigger challenges. We all have to be able to come together for the biggest fight the planet now faces, climate change. We hope that our successful campaign here will be a catalyst for other communities and show what can be achieved. The Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Prohibition of Onshore Hydraulic Fracturing) Bill 2016 will now enter into law after passing Committee Stage in the Seanad this afternoon. The Environmental Pillar - a coalition of 26 Irish environmental NGOs - says the decision will help safeguard our water quality, natural environment and the health and well-being of communities across Ireland. The Pillar is delighted that the Bill can now be added to the burgeoning global move against fracking, and highlight to the world Irelands acknowledgment of the significant risks and negative impacts associated with unconventional fossil fuel extraction. The Bill brought by Sligo-Leitrim TD Tony McLoughlin has received widespread support from across the political spectrum and was the first private members Bill to pass through the Dail. The historic move now puts Ireland in the top tier of the global movement to ban fracking, becoming only the third European country to ban the practice after France and Bulgaria, and is an important marker of our commitment to tackling climate change and moving to a sustainable low carbon economy. Aedin McLoughlin, Environmental Pillar spokesperson and GEAI Director said, "We are delighted with the decision which makes it very clear that the risks associated with the deeply damaging practice of fracking are just too significant to ever let it take place here. "The long road is travelled and we have come successfully to its end. For six years we have looked forward to this day, when the Irish government would ban fracking and protect our rural environment and communities from this industry that poisons drinking water and air. We congratulate everyone involved - our fellow campaigners who never gave up the struggle to make this issue a national one; our local and national representatives who spoke out against fracking in Councils throughout Ireland as well as the Dail; and our TDs and Senators who unanimously supported the Bill. Ireland may now hold its head high as it joins the ranks of countries that have banned fracking." I allowed my membership of the Liberal Democrats to lapse a while back but I took that decision without rancour. My involvement had not been passive I stood for local council and campaigned vigorously in other elections. I liked the party, still do but I just couldnt live with the position it had taken on Brexit. Another principled stand by yours truly, one of many over the years. So as the General Election came upon us my personal focus was on the need to stop the Conservatives winning. At the start of the campaign their arrogance and swagger was worse than ever and they are pretty bad at the best of times. My election activity largely focused around the need to get a hung parliament which would then hopefully lead to some form of PR for future elections. Like many other carers campaigners I wanted to see the future of adult social care high on the agenda, of course Theresa May did that for us with her dementia tax proposal. A crucial moment in the campaign which I believe contributed in no small way to her losing her parliamentary majority. On election night itself I stayed up hoping for Tory losses. The social media campaign to get young voters registered, Corbyn mania and what I felt was a strong campaign by Tim Farron gave me hope. In the early part of the night I was worried, Lib Dems seats were being lost from what was already a low base. Three or four seats nationally looked a real prospect, depressing. Of course things changed as the night wore on and the overall position improved. I was particularly pleased to see Vince Cable back in Twickenham, Tom Brake hold Carshalton and see Tim back after an earlier scare. The Tories had been deprived of their majority and were plunged into crisis. It wasnt quite what I had hoped for but it was a relief that the predicted Tory landslide had not happened. Then fast forward a few weeks to a chance meeting in town with a local Lib Dem activist and friend. We chat for a long time, have some lunch, during our conversation he tells me that I am a liberal and the task for the Lib Dems is to embrace people like me. I think he is right about my being a liberal and also that the Liberal Democrats need to reach out to wider sections of society. Yes more MPs were elected this time but the overall national vote share fell and a lot of deposits lost. In an election that was polarised between a left wing Labour party and the Conservatives tacking to the right there appeared little room or appetite for a liberal message of moderation. The only Lib Dem policy that got real coverage was the proposal for a referendum on the outcome of any Brexit negotiations. Others on the economy, health and education werent really heard. One of the problems I feel is that the Lib Dems are seen rightly or wrongly as predominately a party of those who have had a university education and work in professional jobs. A middle class party. In my time as a Lib Dem activist I tried to address the need to make liberalism more relevant to working people through my Blue Collar Liberal initiative. I had some positive feedback initially but crucially the leaders office were at first ambivalent and then defensive. Feeling like I was beating my head against the brick wall I gave up. However I do still feel there is a potential for liberal ideas to become popular amongst large sections of our population here in the UK. However that can only happen if prominent Lib Dems decide to make that a priority and take the actions necessary to achieve it. The alternative is a comfort zone that will likely result in more single figure national vote shares and a dozen or so MPs. * David is a member of Horsham and Crawley Liberal Democrats When I was blown up in Iraq I knew I had to join the Liberal Democrats. The party needs to find its purpose again. There was a brief silence after the bomb blast. Then shouting, nervous laughter. The Iraqi policeman I had been meeting pointed at the shattered window and stammered, Shay aadi, a normal thing. We were both uninjured, but I learned later that several guards had died outside the building. It was 2005 and I was in a Baghdad. Car bombs were normal. As I left the building I noticed a severed, charred hand on the ground. I was working on a security assistance project. I had been an on-balance supporter of the 2003 invasion and felt that it could leave Iraq a better place. But after the realisation that the coalition had lost control, I knew that we had unleashed a terrible whirlwind. The existence of Islamic State now is a direct consequence of the 2003 invasion and its aftermath. Later that day as the shock of the bombing began to fade, I went online and joined the Liberal Democrats. This was the only party that had taken the correct stance on Iraq. It had done so in the face of media hostility and accusations of a lack of patriotism. But it wasnt just about Iraq: in 2005, after eight years in power, Labour had done little to tackle inequality and continued to promote international finance as the best engine of economic growth; Vince Cable had started to raise concerns over the unsustainable credit boom as early as 2003. And Labour continued to cling to an unfair electoral system and an appointed legislature stuffed with cronies. In 2005 people knew what the Liberal Democrats stood for, as the election results showed. In 2017 nobody knows. Our Brexit message was about process (second referendum) and not about substance (the impact on people from leaving) and we failed to focus on peoples daily priorities (the economy, NHS, immigration). Most of all, we failed to address despair at seven years of austerity. We had the most fiscally progressive of all the major partys manifestoes and yet we were outflanked by Labour. Theres no point deluding ourselves we ran a great campaign: we increased seat numbers through intensive local campaigning but lost votes nationally even as Brexit was a key issue. We are a distant third in seats where we were once serious challengers. As a party we risk becoming a caricature they just want another referendum and for everyone to be smoking cannabis. We need a really distinctive message to set us apart like we had in 2005. People are fed up with austerity and with politics in general. As a party, we stand for less politics: we want to see a smaller, PR-elected Commons and a small elected Senate in place of the Lords. We want power to move from central government to local communities. But we never talk about that. And we stand for taking big money out of politics, whether Trade Union barons or millionaire Tory donors. Lets have some really high impact, radical policies: NHS insurance to secure its funding in perpetuity, operated like current National Insurance. A sizeable migration impact fund where decisions on spending are made by communities most affected. All donations to political parties to be instantly searchable online. Force corporations to reveal their ultimate beneficial owners as a condition of registration in the UK. And every time a Liberal Democrat politician opens their mouth they should be announcing fewer politicians, costing less and having less power over you. Thats something people might actually want to vote for. We lost the Remain vote to Labour. So lets say what we actually think: we need to reverse the Brexit process. Not because we love the EU, but because having seen the likely impact on jobs and the economy, we believe the price thatll be paid by ordinary people is to high. Are we ignoring the will of the people, particularly in Leave-voting Lib Dem heartlands such as the southwest and Norfolk? There is no clearer mandate than winning a general election, so this is profoundly democratic. The second point is harder: how many seats might we win by rejecting Brexit and how many have we lost anyway with our ambiguous stance? The southwest voted Leave, but not by the huge margins seen in the northeast. A commitment to end Brexit in order to protect jobs, the NHS and the economy could still win these seats. The Liberal Democrats are being destroyed by timidity. It took courage to oppose the war in Iraq. It will take courage now to reverse Brexit, to take power from politicians and give it back to communities and to create a sustainable future for the NHS. But people might stop asking whats the point of the Lib Dems? and start voting for us. * Arthur Snell was in the Foreign Office from 1998 - 2014. From 2005 - 2006 he worked in Baghdad focusing on security assistance and counter terrorism projects. This year he campaigned in Cheltenham and Stroud during the general and local election campaigns. As the Brexiteers slogan take back control clearly shows, the taking back of government control not only over your own territory, but also over the whole of your population, nation, (in short: national sovereignty) is a central plank in the whole, over-ambitious and under-estimated, undertaking that is Brexit. But in Theresa Mays proposed treatment of EU citizens in the UK, she in two ways denies the governments of the continental states who, very sensibly, choose to remain in the EU (and, conversely, some British citizens) what she herself wants to take back from Brussels clutches: national sovereignty. She does that first by insisting that the fate of EU inhabitants of the UK will exclusively be decided by British courts (and authorities), and that London will (negotiating with Brussels) co-decide the cutoff date of the 5 year term you need to get a settled status in the UK. And, because she and Brussels agree that it will be a mirror image operation, the fate of UK citizens in continental EU states is thus left to their respective national courts. Well, the courts in Poland and Hungary are being transformed into the servants of regimes that have heavy prejudices against fundamental West European and British values like the Trias Politica of separate powers, liberal democratic values, western education (George Soross university) and womens rights (work beside family life, abortion). The less agents, carriers of western ideals and freedoms living in Poland and Hungary, the better, is the way Orban and Kaczynski think about guarding what they call the sacred National Identity of their embattled nations. See the way they marginalized liberal opposition amongst their own citizens, and how Kaczynskis people humiliated Tusk (and Orban the professors/students of Soros). In handing to British courts/authorities the decision about whether (and to what degree) EU citizens in Britain get similar rights as native Britons, May amputates or usurps the sovereignty and responsibility of continental EU governments over all their citizens, especially those in the UK. And by implicating that the fate of UK citizens in continental EU states could be decided by the national, native (if not: nativist) courts, she gives foreign judges say over British citizens about something as fundamental as continuing to live and work in families, neighborhoods, communities, in EU countries theyve come to know, love and trust. Lets get back to first principles: dont do unto others what you dont want to be done to yourselve(s), and give all European expats: both the EU citizens in the UK, and the British in continental Europe, exactly the same treatment in judging whether theyll be allowed to stay where they have chosen to live and work. The simplest way to do and guarantee that equal treatment and equality of judicial (and social) position: let the European Court of Justice judge both groups of cases simultaneously. * Dr. Bernard Aris is a historian, a D66 parliamentary researcher and a LibDem supporting member. Yesterday, Roger Roberts was one of many Liberal Democrat peers to take part in the Queens Speech debate. Hes sent us his speech on the treatment of refugees, an issue very close to his heart: In the wide-ranging speeches, we had one great disappointment, and I am sure the Minister involved will know exactly what I am referring to; there has been no commitment at all to receiving the 20,000 Syrian refugees as promised by David Cameron. It is not there in the Queens Speech. Nor is there a commitment to increase the number of unaccompanied child refugees. When you think that in Europe there are still about 88,000 of these children by themselves, we have met no commitment whatever in the Speech that we are discussing this afternoon. It has been a great disappointment in that direction. We are probably going to get another immigration Bill; we get one every Session. I am not sure what we are going to do in a two-year Session: will we get two or just one and a half? We are going to get new legislation, and every time we do it makes it more difficult for those who are vulnerable and those who wish to escape from total austerity to come here. We can promote many amendments when that new Bill comes. We can ask why asylum seekers are still refused permission to work for the first 12 months of their time in the United Kingdom. Is there any reason whatever? I cannot see any. Why, also, do we have legislation that permits 18 year-olds to be deported? Those who are deported are largely those who have had no access to legal advice. The Government could, quite easily I think, make a commitment that everyone who approaches 18 years of age shall at least have the benefit of top-rate legal advice. There is one other thing I would like to see in the new immigration Bill. Do you know how much people get every week when they are applying? It is 36.95, and this has not increased at all in the past five or six years. Anything that we can do to uprate that to the present cost of living would be very welcome. I have come across a poem by Warsan Shire of Somalia that describes the circumstances, and I shall quote part of it: You have to understand/that no one puts their children in a boat/unless the water is safer than the land No one burns their palms/under trains/beneath carriages No one spends days and nights in the stomach of a truck/feeding on newspaper/unless the miles travelled meant something more than journey. No one crawls under fences. No one wants to be beaten/pitied No one chooses refugee camps/or strip searches where your/body is left aching/or prison/because prison is safer/than a city of fire . The accusation is that they have: messed up their country and now they want to mess ours up. I could go on but I had better not. In the United Kingdom, there are many victims of the harshest circumstances. We in the House of Lords can lead the way in defining the character of the United Kingdom. Is it be one of which we are proud, that we are delighted to be part of, or do we have to say, This is not in my name? Years ago, I dreamed of a country that could be a model of moral leadership, and so on, in the world. I thought of India when Mahatma Ghandi was there. I thought of the victims of the Holocaust, who had been through so much trauma themselves that they could surely lead, but that was not so. Now, who do we choose? Which is that nation? Now we are four nations: Waleslet us put Wales firstEngland, Scotland and Ireland. Could we not be the nation that leads morally in this ruptured world? I am proud to be a Welshmanyour Lordships might have gathered that over the yearsand I want my kids and grandchildren to have even more reason to be proud than I do. You can tell that we are in the middle of a Leadership Election. All the Lib Dem social media forums are buzzing, rumours abound, and there are plenty of discussions going on about the next Leader of the party. As President I have to remain completely neutral in any Leadership contest because I represent all 104,000 of you to the Leader. I am very aware that many thousands of you will never have been through a Leadership Election before, so I thought it might be worth an attempt at explaining our processes. Any candidate has to get at least 10% of our MPs to support them by 5 July, and thereafter get nominated by 200 paid up members from at least 20 local parties or official party bodies (Specified Associated Organisations such as Young Liberals, Lib Dem Women etc SAOs). These nominations must be submitted by 20 July when nominations close. At the moment, the nomination forms have only just been circulated to the MPs, so anyone planning on standing is now going to have to come out to the membership to get your nomination. Any candidates will have teams round the country asking for your support, so dont be surprised if you get a request. 200 nominations doesnt sound a great number, but speaking as someone who has had to get those nominations in twice for the Presidential elections, it isnt as easy as it sounds! Remember, you can only nominate one candidate. There will be a series of official Leadership hustings around the country (they are currently being arranged, so watch out for details near you), as well as some online or streamed events. In the last Leadership Election these hustings were very popular, as well as the SAOs who may also have social media Q&As with the candidates.In the event that there is only one nominated candidate we will discuss with them continuing with some of these dates as Meet the New Leader events. There has been some comment about some of our MPs deciding not to stand. Standing for, and being Leader of, any political party is an all consuming job which has to be run in tandem with their role as a constituency MP, let alone any family commitments. Please dont be too critical of those who decide not too run, not matter how much you want them too. For example, both Ed Davey and Jo Swinson have been very clear about why being Leader is just not right for them at the moment, especially as they have young children. I can remember juggling with being Mum to primary age children, holding down a job and being a parliamentary candidate in South East Cambridgeshire and all of those were within 10 miles of each other! Our Leaders have to give up much more than any of us can imagine, and travel frequently at weekends all over the country as well as being available for the media day and night. Finally, there are rules about the candidates and their teams not denigrating their opponents. In a party that stands for tolerance and openness, I think that should apply to us too. Theres fair questioning and criticism where you disagree. Im not talking about that. Its the sort of abuse that weve all seen on social media. I believe that none of us should attack other members for their views about the leadership. Lets disagree well. Im looking forward to working with whoever our new Leader is, and to hear their vision at our Autumn Conference. See you there! * Baroness Sal Brinton is President of the Liberal Democrats. She is a working Lib Dem peer, and was the candidate for Watford at the 2010 and 2005 General Elections. THE recent terrorist attacks in London and Manchester will be discussed at a meeting of the Major Emergency Management working group later this week. The working group which includes representatives of Limerick City and County Council, An Garda Siochana and the Health Service Executive meets regularly to review and update the Major Emergency plan for the region. While the recent terrorist attacks will discussed on Friday, the head of the Limerick garda division says there is nothing to suggest Limerick will be targeted by terrorists. First and foremost there is no intelligence whatsoever to suggest that Limerick is in line for an attack or is imminently in line for an attack, Chief Superintendent David Sheahan told members of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee. Chief Supt Sheahan says gardai across the city and county are working with and interacting with minority communities regularly and that a particular focus has been placed on the Muslim community. Community gardai are dealing with members of the Muslim community on a near-daily basis to alleviate their fears and to ensure they can integrate into our society, he said. When asked about the ability of gardai to respond to any potential terror incident, Chief Supt Sheahan says he has full confidence in members of the force. I will say is that Limerick is probably in a greater state of awareness and readiness than most other places because we have had to deal with a lot of serious crimes over the last number of years, he said adding that there are a significant number of armed gardai in Limerick. With the advent of the (armed) regional response unit thats currently attached to Limerick plus the fact that I would have a bigger proportion of people, within the (garda) division, who are trained in the use of firearms all-in-all I would have to say that we are probably in as good a position as we can be, he insisted. A YOUNG man who was caught with drugs worth more than 3,000 is unlikely to come to the attention of gardai again, a Limerick court has heard. Matthew Doyle, aged 20, who has an address at Templemore, County Tipperary pleaded guilty, at Limerick District Court, to possession of quantities of ecstasy, amphetamines and cannabis at a house at Cratloe Woods Student Village on on April 21, 2016. Detective Garda David McGrath of the divisional drugs unit told Limerick District Court the drugs were seized during a search of the house. Being cross-examined by solicitor Sarah Ryan he accepted the defendant who was a student at LIT at the time was not the intended target of the garda operation. He was present at a house we had a warrant for. The drugs were found on his person, he said. The detective confirmed that two other people were arrested and that one of them was ordered to make a contribution to the court poor box. He agreed with Ms Ryan that her client made full and frank admissions following his arrest. He told the truth, it was very easy to deal with him, said Detective Garda McGrath who said its unlikely the defendant will re-offend. In mitigation, Ms Ryan said her client wasnt getting on well at college and that he had fallen in with the wrong group. He said Mr Doyle is now working in a supermarket and plans to return to college in September. Judge Mary Larkin commented that the quantity of drugs seized at the house was significant but said she was willing to give the defendant a chance. She adjourned the matter for review in twelve months time saying the proof of the pudding is in the eating. FOR the second time in four days, a Limerick punter is celebrating after beating the odds with a bet on the outcome of the EuroMillions draw. BoyleSports has confirmed that one of its customers won a windfall of more than 30,000 having placed a bet of just 91c on the outcome of Tuesday nights draw. Their four numbers 9, 17, 21, and 45 were all drawn resulting in the stake being turned into a return of 30,030.91. On Saturday, another customer scooped more than 33,000 after they placed a 1 bet on the outcome of Fridays EuroMillions draw. Leon Blanche, head of communications for BoyleSports, says there must be something in the air in Limerick. The Treaty County is celebrating another huge pay out from the EuroMillions. Last Friday night a customer won a little over 33,000 and once again on Tuesday night we had another lucky winner who scooped over 30,000 for a 0.91 stake. All of us at BoyleSports would like to congratulate our winner and wish them all the best," he said. For the record, the numbers drawn in Tuesdays Euromillions were: 9, 17, 21, 28 and 45. The Lucky Stars were 1 and 3 We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Photo: Lam Hien With the theme Unleashing the potential for sustainable economic development, the VEF explored the countrys most pressing issues, identified the constraints on economic activities and looked for solutions and policy options to tackle those issues. Australia and many other countries have faced similar reform challenges in the past and we are committed to supporting Vietnam in facing its own challenges. Im here today to say that Vietnam is not in this alone, said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr Craig Chittick, one of the Forums co-chairs. Australia not only funded the conference but also offered business expertise from the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, as well as insights into high-tech agriculture from Australias peak science and research body, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Organised by the Vietnam Central Economic Commission with the support from the Australian Government, through the Restructuring for a more Competitive Vietnam project (RCV), the first session in the day-long conference reviewed the macroeconomic situation of the country in 2017. The following two sessions focused on more specific topics through dialogues on High-tech agricultural development in Vietnam and Strategy to develop the pharmaceutical industry, with vision to 2035, which were chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Minister of Health, respectively. The Australian Government through the Australian Embassy in Hanoi will continue to work with the Party Central Committee Commission for Economic and other key stakeholders to support the nation to address its economic challenges, so that Vietnam can achieve its development goals./. Photo for illustration. (Source: VNA) Of this, Vietnams export turnover to Brazil posted USD1.065 billion, a 46% rise over a year earlier. Most of Vietnams major export commodities to the market in the first five months of the year recovered sharp growth, such as telephone and electronic equipment (over 57%), seafood (43%), rubber and its products (73%), and synthetic fibre (over 300%). Aiming to intensify exports to the market and avoid trade remedies and technical barriers that Brazil is increasingly applying to protect domestic production, the Department of Commercial Affairs in Brazil asked Vietnamese export enterprises to closely coordinate with partners to deal with complaints of related commodity associations in the country. In 2016, Brazil was one of Vietnams key export markets in Latin America, with high turnover growth of more than USD1 billion./. MyPlates.com, the official custom license plate vendor of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, has introduced a new specialty license plate in Texas celebrating the University of Texas and its iconic tower. The white plates feature the UT Tower at left with a custom "Hook 'Em Horns" message at bottom and a Bevo emblem at top right. Like yet another cold, sugary soft drink dispensed from a vending machine, the animated sequel "Despicable Me 3" is only satisfying in direct proportion to one's thirst. If you are someone for whom a wait of two to three years between installments of this popular cartoon franchise - which includes the 2015 spinoff "Minions" - is way too long, then this latest chapter in the saga of supervillain-turned-crimefighter Gru (voice of Steve Carell) and his suppository-shaped yellow henchmen will fill that aching void, even as it stokes the hunger for "Minions 2" (due out in 2020). For others, "Despicable Me 3" is just another swig from the same can of calculated comedy. Despite the addition of an interesting new character, Gru's long-lost twin brother, Dru (Carell), the ingredients are familiar. Gru, now married to Lucy (Kristen Wiig), the woman who converted him from a life of crime in the last "Despicable," is now an upstanding member of the Anti-Villain League - that is, until he and Lucy fail to apprehend the film's new bad guy: a washed-up former child actor named Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), who has made off with a giant pink diamond. The opening sequence, in which Balthazar is revealed to be fixated on becoming the evil character he played on TV as a child, is filled with mildly amusing spy gadgetry and jokes designed to appeal to Mom and Dad (here being references to the 1980s, the decade in which the shoulder-pad-wearing, mullet-crowned Balthazar is mired). Much of the comedy consists of slapstick in which Gru seems to hurt himself, only to shout, "I'm OK!" The screenplay (by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, both of whom worked on the previous two "Despicable" movies) is as formulaic - and nutrition-free - as Coke Classic. After losing their jobs and learning of the lost sibling, Gru and Lucy head off to Dru's compound in Freedonia (a nod to the Marx Brothers' "Duck Soup" for Grandma and Grandpa), where Dru invites his brother to teach him how to become a villain. Spotting an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the AVL and his wannabe-thief brother, Gru agrees to help Dru steal the diamond back from Balthazar. Meanwhile, Lucy wrestles with the emotional perils of becoming a stepmother to Gru's three adopted daughters, the youngest of whom, Agnes (Nev Scharrel), gets her own subplot involving the continuation of an obsession with unicorns. For reasons not worth getting into, Gru's Minions somehow wind up in prison, providing a cutesy narrative that is virtually its own short film, having nothing to do with the rest of the movie. But people do love them some Minions. More power to you. Nothing is ever terribly much at stake here - including originality - in a summer movie that feels as anodyne and fungible as snack food, but which will probably be recognized as such only by people old enough to know what those words mean. "Despicable Me 3" disappoints, if only mildly, not because it's bad, but because it only aspires to be good enough. --- Two stars. Rated PG. Contains some mild rude humor and action. 91 minutes. Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time. Advance fri june 30 Photo: Thong Nhat The first female head of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, met Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on June 27th to discuss deepening the bilateral relationship. Australia and Vietnam issued a joint statement on enhancing the comprehensive partnership in March 2015 during then-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dungs visit to Australia. Since then, the bilateral relationship has continued to strengthen, particularly across three key pillars of security, economic and innovation. The two sides share broad regional security interests, and defence links are expanding, including in new areas such as peacekeeping. Last year, two-way trade valued at AUD10.5 billion (around USD8 billion). New Vietnamese agricultural products are accessing Australian markets, including most recently dragon fruit. Australia also remains a committed partner for Vietnams development, with our biggest mainland South East Asia project, the Cao Lanh bridge scheduled to be completed later this year. Australia is a leading study destination for Vietnamese students, with around 22,500 Vietnamese students in Australia. Two-way tourism numbers continue to grow, with over 300,000 Australians visiting Vietnam each year, expanding mutual understanding between the peoples of each country. Ms Adamson is also meeting Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the PCC Commission for External Relations Tran Dac Loi, and President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam Nguyen Vu Tung. These meetings were an opportunity to discuss the bilateral relationship, regional security issues, developments in the international trade environment and Vietnams priorities for APEC Leaders Week to be held in Central Da Nang city this November./. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Bill Olive /South Padre Island CVB Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Terry Scott Bertling /San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Terry Scott Bertling / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 5 of 5 A recent ad in the New York Times promotes a trip thats Around the World by Private Jet, offering by luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent. For $135,000 (per person, double occupancy), you can travel with some NYT experts on a private chartered Boeing 757, covering 26 days and nine countries as part of an exclusive crowd of 50. The itinerary: New York (where youll start with a tour of The Times), Havana, Bogota, Easter Island, Apia, Sydney, Yangon, Jerusalem, Marrakesh and Er Rachidia to Reykjavik, before returning to the Big Apple. Its first class, of course. Have you ever been on an around-the-world trip either as part of a group or on your own? If you have (or know someone who has), wed like to hear about it for a future travel story. Gotten close with your self-paced globe-trotting? We want to hear about that, too. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Seven people were arrested and two juveniles detained for allegedly breaking into a home, Laredo police said Monday. Christian Angel Ayala, 21, Orlando Ibarra, 19, Simon Lopez, 20, Angel Limon, 17, Edwin Reynaldo Puente, 18, Julio Cesar Ramirez, 20, and Juan Navarro, 18, were each charged with criminal trespass. Two 15-year-old male juveniles were charged with the same offense. Police took the adults to the Webb County Jail while the juveniles were turned over to the Webb County Youth Village. READ MORE: Records: Laredo gynecologist confessed to downloading child porn after employees found it on USB Police responded to a criminal trespass report at about 2 a.m. Sunday. A man stated he was passing by a house he was planning on buying in about two weeks when he noticed the lights on. He told police that no one should be inside the house, according to the LPD report. An investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly broke a window to enter the home, authorities said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The son of a former Zapata County sheriff was recently arrested following a domestic altercation, authorities said Tuesday. Sigifredo Gonzalez III, 29, was charged with assault and assault of family, household member by impeding breath circulation. He is the son of former Sheriff Sigifredo Sigi Gonzalez Jr. The defendant is out on bond. Authorities said they also seized seven firearms. Gonzalez said the case is full of discrepancies. He said justice will prevail in court. At 10:14 a.m. June 22, a deputy responded to a domestic dispute in the 400 block of Elm Street in Zapata. He encountered Soniary Galicia Soto who appeared to be in a distressed state. The deputy also noticed she had red markings on her neck. READ MORE: Austin man who allegedly traveled to Laredo to have sex with underage girl receives sentence Soto stated that her boyfriend, Sigifredo Gonzalez III, had assaulted her. A complaint filed against him alleges he grabbed her by the arms and threw her to the ground. While on the ground, Gonzalez proceeded to kick Soto in the lower stomach near her cesarean scar causing bruising and swelling. Gonzalez then got on top of her and began to strangle her for approximately 15 to 20 seconds, the complaint states. She allegedly told Gonzalez to stop because she could not breathe. She managed to free herself and made her way to the door to leave the home. Gonzalez tried to stop her and allegedly grabbed her hard enough to leave red marks on the right side of her torso. She yelled at Gonzalez to stop or she would call police. Gonzalez kept telling her that it didnt matter if she called the police because the police would not do anything to him because of who his father is, and that the one who would be in trouble was going to be her because she was on probation, states the complaint. RELATED: Laredo grandma arrested after allegedly letting 2-year-old wander into street unsupervised Gonzalez allegedly told authorities he was tired of the way Soto was acting. He no longer wanted her there. He allegedly stated he pushed her only to get her out of the residence. Gonzalez showed the deputy two scratch marks to his neck that the woman had inflicted, according to the complaint. He allegedly admitted to grabbing her by the neck but only to control her and stop her from shoving him. After further investigation, it was determined that Gonzalez was the aggressor of the domestic dispute, states the complaint. Soto was also arrested for allegedly pushing Gonzalezs mother. She was charged with assault by physical contact, a Class C misdemeanor. A criminal trespass warning was issued to Soto. Sigi reacts Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr. said witnesses of the incident have different versions of what happened. The officer investigating the case never talked to any of the witnesses. He never took my sons statement, he said. Gonzalez said his son had defensive wounds. A person that exhibits defensive wounds is the victim not the aggressor, he said. He added, That will be settled in court. Were pretty certain that after the jury hears the witnesses that were present, no jury will convict a person with that type of testimony, he said. Justice will prevail. Rain or shine, each morning when Carla Mills Windfont goes outside and sees the water tower with "Barrett Station" spelled out in big bold letters, she feels blessed to be a part of the community. Mills Windfont and Tanya Eagleton are Crosby ISD school board members and lifelong residents of Barrett Station. Barrett Station is a community in Crosby that was founded in the late 1800s. "It's one of the oldest African American communities still standing," Eagleton said. Barrett has a long, rich history and very present civic element perpetuated by its citizens, many of whom trace their lineage back to the founders of Barrett Station. "They were slaves to the Barbers family and after the Emancipation Proclamation, they became free," Mills Windfont said. "They worked in Huffman and later bought property and were given some property, matched acre-per-acre, and started what was known as Barrett's Settlement, which today we know as Barrett Station - Barrett, Texas." Mills Windfont is a descendent of Tobias Barrett and Eagleton is descended from Mack Eagleton. Tobias Barrett was one of five siblings, four of whom settled Barrett, including Mack Eagleton. Together they helped found, and were the first residents of, Barrett's Settlement. Eagleton's great-great-grandfather donated the land on which Barrett Station's first school was built. "Our great-great-grandmother believed in education and educated their children at home," Eagleton said. "They were like, 'We want the rest of the community to be educated, so we're going to give this land to get a building so that we can educate the community. So, that's when that came about. And also, they donated the land for the first church in Barrett Station." One of Barrett Station's first large grocery stores was owned by the cousin of Eagleton's father, Wilbert Eagleton, who was the first African American board member for Crosby ISD. "Pretty much every (African American) board member from then on was a relative of settlers of Barrett Station," Eagleton said. "All the African American members were related in some way." Mills Windfont's drive toward community engagement began as a little girl when she witnessed her grandfather, a precinct judge, board a plane to go testify before the Supreme Court for integration. "Being a part of that, I think, was my first initial engagement of community activity and fighting on behalf of education," Mills Windfont said. "I look forward now - here I am, the board president for the very district that my parents were fighting for." The importance of education and civic responsibility is something the Barrett Station community continues to instill in their youth. "On the education piece, educating a child, making the community a better place - we try to teach and instill in our kids: when you go off, come back and give back," Eagleton said. "Give back to your district, give back to your community because that's the only way it's going to grow. That's the only way you're going to keep the heritage going, the lineage, everything. But, you have to come back and give back to what was given to you." Mills Windfont and Eagleton are active members of Barrett Station's many civic initiatives including the Barrett Station Civic League. From Civic League presidents to Precinct 3 Constables, by instilling a strong sense of community involvement through the generations, Barrett Station has produced many civic leaders, industry professionals and dedicated educators who return to their community to help propel Barrett forward into the future. "We had our valleys, but even through the valleys, it took the strong people to get others to still believe in: 'We may just be going through the valley right now, but I see higher things. I see the mountains,'" Eagleton said. "Now we're in our peak season. Everybody's coming in because they believe in us They saw these people, no matter what, they stuck together. They believe in Barrett Station and everybody else is believing in Barrett Station now." Barrett Station now has over 3,000 register voters and counting. Thanks to new infrastructure improvements, the Barrett's new Economic Development Committee is working to grow the community by bringing in new families and businesses. Mills Windfont and Eagleton look forward to a prolific future for Barrett Station that draws inspiration from the past as it moves towards new horizons. "Every generation wants the next generation to do better," Mills Windfont said. "I think we're at the point that when they fought for integration and when they fought for freedom, now we're starting to see the benefit of what they fought for and we also understand the legacy of where we come from. That's the key to it for anybody. It doesn't matter if you're African American, Latino, white, Chinese, whatever. It's understanding your legacy and knowing where you need to go. You reach back on the past so that you can move forward to the future." To hear the whole story, listen to the Observing Lake Houston podcast episode at http://observinglakehouston.libsyn.com/. As climate change continues to cause massive melting and ice loss in Antarctica, new habitats may begin to open up for wildlife across the thawing continent, scientists reported Wednesday. But while that may sound like a boon for plants, microbes, birds and other organisms, they caution that this is not necessarily a good thing for the fragile Antarctic ecosystem. As more ice-free space opens up across the continent, previously isolated species may begin to spread out and come in contact with each other. And as they're increasingly forced to compete for resources, some organisms may emerge dominant - and others may start to disappear, write a team of researchers in a new study, just published in the journal Nature. While Antarctica is a largely frozen continent, isolated ice-free areas - including exposed mountaintops, cliffs, valleys and islands - are already scattered across the region, and may range in size from less than a square mile to hundreds of square miles. They may be separated by anywhere from a few feet to dozens or hundreds of miles. "It's not a simple picture, and ice-free areas occur in many forms," said study co-author Thomas Bracegirdle, a climatologist with the British Antarctic Survey, in an email to The Washington Post, adding that these zones may be distributed both along the coastline and further inland across the continent. Secluded as they may be in some cases, these areas can be home to various species of vegetation, microbes, worms or insects and other small organisms, and may also serve as breeding grounds for animals like seals and seabirds. These species tend to be highly specialized for the extreme conditions in which they live, said Peter Convey, a terrestrial ecologist with the British Antarctic Survey, who was not involved with the new study. Some of them may be dormant throughout much of the year. Others may have developed specific adaptations that allow them to survive in conditions with high winds, little water or extreme low temperatures. Additionally, some species are found only in very specific areas - in fact, a few have only been recorded in a single ice-free zone. Others may be more widespread across the continent, but may have developed different adaptations in different areas. In general, Antarctica is home to many diverse and fragile communities that may be highly susceptible to environmental change. "From the outside, we look at Antarctica as one big continent - it's all covered in ice, it's all the same thing," Convey told The Washington Post. " And actually, we wouldn't do that with any other continents. Any other continent has got different zones in it, different habitats that host different things. And what's actually become clear in recent research is that Antarctica divides up into a lot of other biogeographic zones." But according to the new paper, there's been very little research so far on how climate change and ice melt in Antarctica may affect the life-forms it hosts. The study suggests that, in fact, these influences have the potential to cause profound changes in Antarctic biodiversity. Led by Jasmine Lee of the University of Queensland, the team of researchers used a model to make projections of future Antarctic ice melt under two hypothetical climate trajectories: a business-as-usual scenario, which assumes unabated greenhouse gas emissions and high levels of future climate change, and a slightly more moderate scenario. The researchers found that the Antarctic Peninsula - one of the most rapidly warming areas on the continent, where large levels of glacial ice loss are already occurring - will likely suffer the most extreme changes through the rest of this century. Between the two climate scenarios considered, the model suggests that Antarctic continent may see anywhere from 800 square miles to more than 6,600 square miles in new ice-free area opening up by the year 2100, with more than 85 percent of this area emerging on the North Antarctic Peninsula. And not only will there be more ice-free area, but previously isolated ice-free zones may begin to merge with one another - meaning populations of organisms that were previously isolated could begin to come into contact. These changes could come with good and bad consequences for native Antarctic species, the researchers suggest. On the one hand, more ice-free area means more habitat space for plants and animals. When considering only native species, the increase in livable space - along with the milder conditions likely to be brought by climate change - could actually be a positive for many organisms. On the other hand, the expanding habitat area could also lead to the spread of invasive species, which are often less specialized than native Antarctic organisms and better equipped to compete for resources, especially as conditions grow milder and more favorable in Antarctica. "If they can get to a place and survive, then [invasives] are strong competitors," Convey said. "The ultimate problem with most real invading species is that they can out-compete the native species." Humans have already inadvertently carried multiple nonnative species down to Antarctica from other parts of the world on ships or planes, either through industrial or research voyages. Invasive insects, such as midges and beetles, have already established themselves on certain islands in the Southern Ocean. And there's evidence that invasive species on the Antarctic Peninsula could eventually become cause for concern as well. Studies suggest that an invasive meadow grass, called Poa annua, is already showing signs that it could begin to out-compete native species in the region, the new paper says. And the researchers add that even native species could begin to compete with each other as they come into contact for the first time. While they aren't strong competitors in the same sense as invasive species, Convey said, "they could certainly survive in a new region if we moved them - a nd that very clearly has an impact on the biology in the new region." That said, Convey added, even without humans carrying new species to the South Pole, the Antarctic ecosystem would be unlikely to remain the same forever - and that's not necessarily preventable or even always a bad thing. Particularly as the climate continues to change, organisms may move around the world and end up in new places all on their own, a process known as natural colonization. And in a warming world, scientists have suggested that these types of migrations may even be necessary to the survival of certain species. "There is a danger of seeing conservation as saying we must keep everything as it is now," Convey said. And while limiting the harmful influences of human activities is important, he added that "we shouldn't think of Antarctica as being hermetically sealed and it must always look like it does now." Photo: baocongthuong.com.vn The State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs in Ho Chi Minh city will be responsible for encouraging overseas Vietnamese and their businesses in Laos to participate in the activities. The city Peoples Committee will assist businesses with 100% of fees for stall hire at the fair, import and transport fees for goods from Ho Chi Minh city to Vientiane and to Savannakhet and Champassak provinces. Transport fees will also be provided for Lao residents coming from remote areas to visit the fair, in order to increase opportunities for goods from Ho Chi Minh citys businesses. The Vietnam-Laos Trade Fair 2017 is scheduled to be held in Vientiane, Laos, from June 29th to July 3rd. The event is part of Vietnams national trade promotion program for 2017 and one of a series of economic and political events to celebrate the 55 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Laos and the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation./. While President Donald Trump spoke over the phone with Ireland's new prime minister Leo Varadkar Tuesday, congratulating him on his recent win, he made eye contact with a female reporter in the room. "We have a lot of your Irish press watching us right now," President Trump told Varadkar, informing him that the whole conversation was taking place in a room full of journalists with cameras running. He pointed at Irish reporter Caitriona Perry, U.S. bureau chief for RTE News, telling her to come over to his desk. "We have all of this beautiful Irish press," Trump said to the prime minister, and asked Perry, "Where are you from?" This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Twitter Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Twitter Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Perry approached Trump and introduced herself. "She has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well," Trump said. Perry, along with other men and women in the room, casually laughed at the encounter. But later, Perry described it as a "bizarre moment." More for you Trump attacks the 'AmazonWashingtonPost' over taxes Speaking on RTE after the exchange, Perry said she had not even expected to be allowed inside the White House to cover the president's phone call to Varadkar, who took office earlier this month as Ireland's Taoiseach, or prime minister. He is the son of an Indian immigrant and the country's first openly gay prime minister. "One minute we were outside the window and the next minute I'm meeting the President of the United States," Perry told RTE. "When we went in he was already on the phone but I managed to catch his eye and he called me over," she said. RTE's headline read: "Trump call! RTE's Caitriona has Presidential moment." During the phone call, Trump also said to Perry, "He thanks you for the newspapers, Caitriona." Varadkar was apparently referring to issues of The Washington Post and New York Times from the day after his victory in his party's leadership vote, Perry told the Irish Independent. Fine Gael is the political party that leads Ireland's government. "I had sent those back to Dublin via colleagues for Leo Varadkar as souvenirs that he and his family might like," Perry said. "I do that often when there is a reference to someone I know from home who is featured in the newspapers here," she said. Trump's unexpected decision to single out a female reporter drew mixed reactions on social media, with some describing it as "awkward" and others saying it was simply an attempt by Trump to share some "kind words." --- This is not the first time Trump has singled out a female reporter. During the election, Trump faced backlash for saying Megyn Kelly, then a Fox News Channel anchor, "had blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever," when she questioned him during a presidential debate. "In my opinion, she was off base," Trump added. (His campaign later claimed in a statement that Trump said "whatever" instead of "wherever," and that the reference was to her nose.) And few reporters on the campaign trail were criticized by the future president as much as NBC News's Katy Tur, as The Post's Paul Farhi reported: --- His public lashings on Twitter and at rallies seemed to become obsessive, as if he were acting out a frustrated crush. He derided her as "Little Katy," recommended that she be fired, called her "incompetent," "dishonest," a "3rd rate reporter." His most frequent complaint: that she wasn't reporting the size of his campaign crowds ("Katy - you're not reporting it, Katy," he bellowed at one point. "There's something happening, Katy.") A consulting firm led by Paul Manafort, who chaired Donald Trump's presidential campaign for several months last year, retroactively filed forms Tuesday showing that his firm received $17.1 million over two years from a political party that dominated Ukraine before its leader fled to Russia in 2014. Manafort disclosed the total payments his firm received between 2012 and 2014 in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing late Tuesday that was submitted to the U.S. Justice Department. The report makes Manafort the second former senior Trump adviser to acknowledge the need to disclose work for foreign interests. Manafort is one of a number of Trump associates whose campaign activities are being scrutinized by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of a probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller's team has been consolidating inquiries into matters unrelated to the election. Michael Flynn, the former White House national security adviser, filed a disclosure in March saying he had provided assistance during 2016 to Turkish businessman active in that country's politics. Manafort and a former associate in his consulting business, Richard Gates, who also worked for the Trump campaign, disclosed their lobbying campaign on behalf of Ukraine's Party of Regions in an 87-page document which described the gross receipts the firm received and some details of efforts undertaken to influence U.S. policy toward Ukraine. The filing shows the firm spent nearly $4 million to advance the party's interests through polling and local salaries in Ukraine, activity that does not ordinarily require U.S. disclosure. The filing does not show how much Manafort made personally in Ukraine or how much his firm netted after expenses. As part of the filing, Manafort disclosed he met in 2013 with Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, an outspoken California Republican known for advocating closer ties between the U.S. and the Kremlin. Disclosure is required under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) from anyone advocating in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign government or political party. The rules were part of legislation passed in 1938 to counter German propagandists operating in the United States before the start of World War II. Manafort's spokesman Jason Maloni said late Friday that the former campaign adviser began the process of preparing his filing in September "before the outcome of the election and well before any formal investigation of election interference began. "Paul's primary focus was always directed at domestic Ukrainian political campaign work, and that is reflected in today's filing," said Maloni. Michael Dry, an attorney for Gates, declined to comment. Dry served as a federal prosecutor in the eastern district of Virginia until January, when he joined the Vinson & Elkins law firm. Gates is among the most recent former Trump campaign staffer to get legal counsel to help navigate the Russia probes. Manafort announced last April that he was considering filing the form after receiving guidance from DOJ regarding work he and Gates had performed in recent years on behalf of the Party of Regions. He said the work with Ukrainian clients ended before Manafort joined the Trump campaign. At the time, two Washington lobbying firms, including the Podesta Group, also filed registrations describing work they undertook with Manafort to improve Ukraine's image in the U.S. between 2012 and 2014. FARA requires so-called foreign agents to register within 10 days of agreeing to conduct work for the foreign entity and to provide updates every six months on political activities. The disclosures require more minute details than what is covered for domestic lobbyists. For instance, foreign agents must disclose efforts to exert politically-related influence on think tanks and through the media, as well as to directly lobby government officials. Deliberately failing to file as a foreign agent may result in a felony criminal charge accompanied by steep monetary civil penalties. In practice, however, the Department of Justice generally encourages voluntary compliance and prosecutions under the act are "quite rare," said Joseph Sandler, an attorney who specializes in political law, including FARA. DOJ generally allows people to register retroactively if questions arise about their past activities and the law requires no late fees or other penalties. "If it was genuinely inadvertent or negligent, if there's nothing nefarious you want to hide, there's no downside to retroactively registering," Sandler said. Criminal charges for violating FARA have typically been reserved for cases involving foreign agents whose conduct ran afoul of U.S. foreign policy interests. They often come as a package of other criminal charges, like espionage. For years, Manafort advised an ambitious Ukrainian politician, Viktor Yanukovych, who was elected president in 2010 but fled to Moscow four years later after public demonstrations demanded his ouster. Manafort had worked previously for several political strongmen around the globe, including former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and Angolan military leader Jonas Savimbi. Manafort joined the Trump campaign in the spring 2016, as Trump sought to bring more experienced political hands into his operation. Gates, a long time Manafort associate, joined him. Manafort resigned from the campaign in August 2016, following reports by the New York Times that his name had appeared in a ledger found in Kiev detailing millions of dollars in under-the-table payments from the Party of Regions. Manafort has consistently denied wrongdoing and said that reports alleging that he received funds improperly from Ukrainian interests are false. On Monday, the head of the anti-corruption unit of the Ukrainian's general prosecutor's office said in a television interview in Kiev that his office had "not discovered any evidence proving Manafort's involvement" in ledger payments. He said his unit was handing the matter over to another office within the prosecutor's office for further inquiry. WASHINGTON - Players on all sides of the Persian Gulf diplomatic crisis were in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, making their cases to a divided administration that has been unable to stop the turmoil in the strategic region. Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani's meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson came just days after his government dismissed a list of demands from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt as an illegal attempt to limit Qatar's sovereignty and control its foreign policy. As al-Thani and Tillerson conferred behind closed doors at the State Department, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters at his country's embassy here that the demands were nonnegotiable. "We've made our point. We've taken our positions" and Qatar knows "what they have to do," said Jubeir, whose government has led the others in breaking relations with Qatar and limiting the isolated Persian Gulf peninsula's air, land and sea access lanes. Later in the day, Tillerson met with Kuwaiti Minister of State Mohammad Abdullah al-Sabah. Kuwait is trying to mediate the dispute between the fellow members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, a loose confederation of six gulf states. Jordan's King Abdullah, on a private visit to Washington, also plans to hold official meetings. His country is not a GCC member and is anxious to stay out of the dispute, but it is economically beholden to investments from oil-rich Saudi Arabia and worried that the conflict is draining attention from the fight against the Islamic State. "We hope all the parties will continue to talk to one another in good faith," Tillerson said before his meeting with the Qatari minister. He has spent much of his time over the past three weeks trying to mediate, cajole and shame the sides into a resolution, to no apparent avail. Late last week, the State Department issued a sharply worded statement suggesting that the Saudis were using terrorism charges against Qatar as a cover for long-standing political grievances. Saudi Arabia and the others have charged Qatar with support for terrorists and incitement against their governments. They have demanded, among other things, that Qatar expel designated terrorists, shut down the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera media organization, downgrade relations with Iran, and cancel a defense agreement with Turkey that has brought about 100 Turkish military personnel to Qatar. "It's very simple," Jubeir said. "It's up to the Qataris to amend their behavior. And once they do, things will be worked out. But if they don't, they will remain isolated. We don't have to deal with them." The United States is a strategic partner of all involved. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are close counterterrorism allies and major purchasers of U.S. defense items. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Qatar hosts the regional headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, with more than 10,000 American service members stationed at an air base that is used to launch U.S. operations in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Along with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Tillerson has repeatedly called for negotiations among the parties and warned that the dispute threatened U.S. military and economic interests, as well as posing a humanitarian danger to Qatar. His position was buttressed Monday by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who said he would not approve action on any administration requests for arms sales to GCC members until the dispute is resolved. President Donald Trump, on a visit to Saudi Arabia last month - the first stop on his maiden overseas trip - heralded agreements for the Saudi purchase of $110 billion in U.S. weapons and indicated he considers Saudi King Salman the leader of the Arab world. In a series of tweets and public comments since the GCC dispute began within days of his departure, Trump has clearly sided with Riyadh, saying that the blockade of Qatar's border with Saudi Arabia and restrictions imposed by other countries on air and sea access were "hard, but necessary." Four of the six GCC countries, all of which are Sunni Arab monarchies, have diplomatic and economic relations with Iran's Shiite government. Despite the tensions between them, Iran has a major commercial and business presence in the emirate of Dubai. Qatar and Iran share the world's largest natural gas field. But Saudi Arabia and Bahrain broke relations with Iran early last year after protesters ransacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran. "When we said downgrade relations" with Iran, Jubeir said, "we said don't deal with the Revolutionary Guards," the powerful branch of the Iranian military responsible only to the country's religious leaders, "and don't deal with Iranian intelligence." Asked about contradictions within the Trump administration, he said, "I think the issue of the mixed messages, you should address to the administration, not to me. ... I can't comment about the motives of the U.S. government." The United States has agreed with some of the charges that terrorist financing emanates from Qatar, although both the Obama and Trump administrations have said that Qatari cooperation with counterterrorism efforts has improved. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the others are also strongly opposed to Qatari support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the transnational Muslim political organization they - and many in the Trump administration - consider a terrorist movement. While some gulf officials have privately said there is room for negotiation in the non-terrorism demands, the public position of their governments remains unyielding. If the demands are not met in full, UAE spokesman Omar Ghobach told the BBC Tuesday, "the whole idea would be to ultimately simply disengage from Qatar. ... We'd no longer be interested in bringing Qatar back into the gulf and the Arab fold," he said. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration got some of what it wanted when the Supreme Court decided to allow a scaled-back version of the president's travel ban to take effect. But the court's ruling also put pressure on officials to press ahead with their review of the information other countries are able to gather on potential U.S.-bound travelers - which might ultimately produce more rigorous vetting procedures or a completely new ban. The U.S. already has stepped up vetting of foreigners, having consular officers around the world ask visa applicants for their social media handles and requiring applicants to list 15 years of travel history, including the source of funding for their trips. Donald Trump's travel ban, though, contemplates even more-restrictive measures, and the president himself has, counter to the representation of Justice Department lawyers, suggested that the measure is not a mere "pause" for assessment. "People, the lawyers and the courts can call it whatever they want, but I am calling it what we need and what it is, a TRAVEL BAN!" Trump wrote on Twitter this month. The Supreme Court's decision Monday means that - at least for now - the administration can decline to issue visas to residents of six majority-Muslim countries, provided that those seeking the visas "lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States." That means those from the six countries who have family members in the United States, job offers or school acceptance letters should be able to get in, although others without such ties should not. The court said the same standard should be applied to refugees who also would have been blocked under Trump's ban. Trump indicated in a recent memo that he would begin enforcing his ban 72 hours after "all applicable injunctions are lifted or stayed." In a statement, Trump called the ruling "a clear victory for our national security" and said it "allows me to use an important tool for protecting our Nation's homeland." State, Justice Department and Homeland Security officials have said they are still reviewing and discussing the decision to see how it should be implemented, and a Justice Department official said lawyers were readying for more possible legal challenges on the question of who had a "bona fide" U.S. tie. The court's decision did not offer finality. Although the justices partially lifted lower courts' injunctions on Trump's ban, they said they would take up the case fully in their October term. The ban on entry to the United States was supposed to have been temporary: 90 days for citizens of Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen and Syria, and 120 days for refugees. By the time the court hears the case, the landscape almost certainly will have shifted. Within 20 days of the ban's taking effect, the secretary of homeland security is supposed to submit to Trump a report on the information needed from countries to adjudicate applications for entry to the United States, and a list of which countries do not provide such information. The countries on the list are then supposed to be given 50 days to begin providing the required information. If they do not, they could be included in a proclamation that would block "appropriate categories" of their citizens from coming to the United States, according to the executive order. Jonathan Meyer, who was a deputy general counsel in the Department of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama and now works in private practice at the Sheppard Mullin law firm, said the Trump administration could make the argument that "they still can't do [the review] because all of the injunctions haven't been lifted," but he expected that the administration would press ahead. The Supreme Court wrote: "We fully expect that the relief we grant today will permit the Executive to conclude its internal work and provide adequate notice to foreign governments" within 90 days. The conclusion of that review could mean increased vetting: for example, not just asking travelers for their social media profiles, but also their passwords or other data, Meyer said. And the executive order, he said, contemplated "some sort of longer-lasting ban or partial ban" on nationals from countries that could not provide the requested information. Some of the countries on the list are experiencing military conflicts - which would probably make providing the requested data difficult. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman did not provide comment. The American Civil Liberties Union has suggested - and the Supreme Court said it would consider - whether the case became moot on June 14. That is 90 days from when Trump signed his revised entry ban. The Justice Department had in the past argued that officials felt barred by a Hawaii judge's injunction from doing the reviews. "We have put our pens down," acting U.S. Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in May, adding that the administration had "done nothing to review the vetting procedures for these countries." A different federal appeals court would later clarify that the administration could go ahead with its review work. The event is co-organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the German Development Cooperation GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). Participants include members of the Steering Committee for the Implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement; members of Vietnam Panel on Climate Change; representatives of ministries, development partners, embassies, enterprises, national and international scientists and media. Photo: GIZ Vietnam The historic Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, is the first legally binding document that formalises the responsibilities and commitments - through NDCs - of Parties in the global response to climate change. Under the Agreement, countries are expected to submit updated NDCs every five years, defining their commitments in order to contribute to holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C, pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5C, and achieving net zero emissions by the second half of this century. In recognition of the importance of Vietnams NDC implementation, the Prime Minister, in Official Dispatch No.199/TTg-QHQT dated February 8th, 2017 and at the 8th meeting session of the National Committee on Climate Change on May 18th, 2017, assigned MONRE to cooperate with other ministries, sectors and stakeholders to review and update Vietnams NDC. The workshop aims to build a consultative NDC review process on the content, roadmap and roles of key stakeholders in reviewing and updating the NDC from now to 2020. Through this, the nation aims to apply a holistic approach in reviewing commitments from each sector as well as to evaluate its related impacts to the economy as a whole. The process will also explore opportunities to identify synergies and co-benefits of mitigation and adaptation measures across sectors, which is key to ensure ambitious and effective climate actions in Vietnam. NDC is a national contribution, and requires careful consideration by all major contributors and ensures transparency in the process of implementation. The stakeholders should understand what their contributions are; what to prepare to implement; what responsibilities they need to do after NDC is approved, said MONRE Vice Minister Vo Tuan Nhan. He also called for close cooperation and support from all ministries, local agencies, development partners and other related stakeholders to this important process of reviewing and updating NDC, which will complete by 2020 before COP 26./. AUSTIN Highlighting the district's lack of internal controls and the alleged shortcomings of a former auditing firm, Beaumont ISD's systems operator testified for more than four hours Tuesday about incidents ranging from a 2013 FBI raid of district offices to how former contract electrician Calvin Walker was paid with Child Nutrition Program funds. Jillian Gohlke's testimony came on day two of a five-day hearing in Austin to determine if Gayle Botley will keep his professional accountant's license. Botley, who reached a $750,000 settlement with BISD last month in a negligence suit, was hired to conduct annual audits of the district from 2009 to 2013. Donald Trump's lawyers will postpone filing a complaint against former FBI Director James Comey with the Justice Department, according to a person familiar with the decision -- a bid to stop antagonizing the special counsel who's investigating ties between the president's campaign and Russian officials. Trump's lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, planned to file a complaint with the Justice Department's inspector general about Comey. The ousted FBI director told the Senate on June 8 that he had arranged for memos he wrote documenting conversations with the president to be described to news reporters. Trump was furious about what he considered an illegal "leak" by Comey. The president's lawyers still intend to file a complaint at some point, the person familiar with the matter said. The person insisted on anonymity to discuss the president's legal strategy. The delay is a professional courtesy to the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and a signal that the White House understands he needs space to do his job, the person said. Trump has previously criticized Mueller, repeatedly attacking him and his investigation on Twitter as a "witch hunt." His remarks have prompted speculation he would try to fire the special counsel; the White House has recently said he won't. The postponement is intended to tamp down the confrontation Trump initially stoked with Mueller. The president also has begun to refrain from publicly criticizing the special counsel as part of his legal team's approach. Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee that after Trump suggested on Twitter that he had recorded his conversations with the FBI director, Comey gave one of his memos, written after a meeting with Trump, to a friend with the express purpose of leaking it to the media after he was fired. In the memo, Comey said that Trump had asked him to drop an investigation of Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser. Comey told the committee he hoped the revelation would result in the appointment of a special counsel. The strategy succeeded. The New York Times published a report on the memo on May 16, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein named Mueller the special counsel for the Russia investigation the next day. Trump tweeted after Comey's testimony: "Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication...and WOW, Comey is a leaker!" Kasowitz said Comey's leak of the memo appeared to be "entirely retaliatory." Shortly afterward, a person close to Trump's legal team said the president's lawyers planned to file an official complaint. Norman Eisen, President Barack Obama's former ethics czar and chairman of the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, promised to file a defense of Comey. He has called the planned Trump complaint "an abuse of process" in a Twitter message and added: "beware there r serious consequences for abuse of process." Even in a quick stop at a barbecue joint in Alexandria, Virginia, gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie found voters eager for views on his fellow Republicans who, a few miles away in the U.S. Capitol, are trying to overhaul health care. "What do you think about the Senate health care bill?" one woman asked as Gillespie finished chatting up the manager of Pork Barrel BBQ on Tuesday. "Do you take a stand on Obamacare?" another woman asked after he greeted her a few minutes later. Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who nearly unseated Sen. Mark Warner (D) in 2014, has been trying stay laser-focused on Virginia issues - namely, jobs and a stagnant economy. But events in Washington, from the fallout of the firing of FBI Director (and Virginia resident) James Comey to President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate pact to congressional Republicans' attempts to gut Obamacare, have been consuming voter attention. As one of only two governor's races in 2017, Virginia is a testing ground for Republicans and Democrats across the nation running for office in the era of Trump. A recent Quinnipiac University poll pegged the president's approval rating in Virginia at 40 percent and found that nearly six in 10 Virginians disapproved of the Republican health care bill. Gillespie's detractors, including Democratic nominee Ralph Northam, have pilloried him for not taking a firm stance on the legislation. At the Pork Barrel, Gillespie repeated his common refrain that he was focused on state policies as a gubernatorial candidate. He also pointed to health insurers pulling out of Virginia's individual market and patients struggling to find doctors as signs the status quo isn't working. "As governor, what I've got to do is match our state policies to whatever the federal policy is," Gillespie told the first woman who asked him about the health care, before she interrupted with a question on why she can't buy the same health insurance available to federal lawmakers. "I ran for Senate and lost. And you know if I were senator, you know I would be able to adjust that," came his reply. In an interview, Gillespie said his three priorities for the federal health care overhaul are protecting states like Virginia that did not expand Medicaid to low-income adults from quicker cuts to the federal program, reducing premiums and out-of-pocket expenses and making sure patients with serious conditions can still get covered. "I don't think people should be dropped from their insurance because of developing a health condition, and we need to make it possible for people with pre-existing conditions to get insurance," said Gillespie. "I'm hoping they'll be able to address those things over recess." Gillespie made similar comments to Newsweek in May, but also said he was open to requesting a waiver that would let Virginia insurers charge people with pre-existing conditions more. Such a waiver was included in the House version of the health care legislation, but not the Senate version. Mary Lagnaoui said she realized Gillespie was at Pork Barrel after spotting a few protesters with crudely drawn signs outside the restaurant. She has been so consumed by health-care related news that she felt compelled to go inside and get his thoughts. "What about all the children in poverty that won't have any health care or dental care?" the Alexandria resident politely asked him. Gillespie used the question to hammer his key campaign message. "The key is can we get more affordable care? And I think my policies would do that, and the other thing we need to do to is we need more job creation," he said. "We also have to create more opportunities and more jobs and help people lift themselves out of poverty." Lagnaoui later told a reporter she wasn't pleased by what she saw as Gillespie pivoting to job creation when lives were at stake. "I am interested in Obamacare and everyone voicing their concerns," said Lagnaoui. "It's funny to hear it come up in a governor's race, but I think it should be brought up in every race." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 John Davenport /San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 2 of 3 John Davenport /San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A Mexican businessman accused of being a financier for the Sinaloa Cartel, and who once tried to invest in a big-budget Hollywood production, was sentenced Wednesday in San Antonio to 63 months in prison for money-laundering conspiracy and extortion charges. Mauricio Sanchez Garza, 46, of Guadalajara, Mexico, laundered money from Mexican drug cartels through a planned apartment complex on San Antonios Northwest Side. Sanchez also admitted extorting a business partner for his stake in a prequel to Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ. Over the years, Transportation Security Administration agents based at the San Antonio International Airport have seen it all: A dragon knuckle knife. A knife disguised as lipstick. A grenade. These items form a bizarre collection of prohibited items that people have tried to bring onto airplanes in the Alamo City. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Quincy Russell hasnt given much thought to the man who police say fatally shot his sister, April Russell, in her Northeast Side apartment earlier this month. As soon as I found out my sis had passed, I was more concerned about her kids, Russell said. He found the justice he deserved. The alleged shooter, Adrian Marcelle Hardeman, 37, was gunned down by state troopers about 3 p.m. June 5 near 6137 U.S. 90 Alternate in Gonzales County, according to a pre-custody death report filed by the Department of Public Safety. RELATED: Relative says 15-year-old held dying S.A. mother in arms after gunman shot her in back About three hours earlier, San Antonio police said Hardeman broke into the apartment of April Russell, 35, in the 2300 block of Northeast Loop 410. He shot her in front of her children after she refused to reconcile a relationship with him, according to previous reports. He then ran away with their 1-year-old daughter, Avery, who was found an hour later at an East Side residence, police said. Hardeman wasnt there. The DPS report made no mention of these events. It begins after Hardemans was wrecked on U.S. 90. Troopers arriving at the scene found a passer-by who said Hardeman asked him for a ride. The passer-by told them he couldnt take Hardeman anywhere because he was driving a company vehicle. He then pointed troopers in the direction Hardeman walked off. The troopers eventually spotted Hardeman sitting under a tree next to a farm shed more than 50 yards away from the highway, the report states. Two troopers walked up to him as their sergeant drove up to the right of Hardeman. The sergeant watched as Hardeman pulled out a handgun and took aim at the troopers who were just 25 feet away on foot, the report states. All three of them drew their service weapons and ordered him to lower his gun. They each fired several shots, hitting him multiple times, according to the report. RELATED: Gunman at large after biker shot, vehicle pinned under 18-wheeler He was pronounced dead when EMS arrived, the report states. San Antonio Police Department spokesman officer Douglas Greene said even though the man suspected in April Russells death is dead, detectives are still working the case. Theyll take (the evidence) from the other law enforcement agency and add it to their file, he said. We still have an obligation to rule out if this person is a suspect or not. Once everything is complete, the case will be cleared by exception, Greene said. Since her death, April Russells brothers have been taking care of her three children, including Avery. Shes opening up more and becoming more lively, he said of Avery. Love will heal everything; our focus is on the kids. The family has dedicated their efforts to raising awareness of the damage domestic violence causes. A GoFundMe account called the April Russell Benevolence Fund was set up to support her children. So far, $10,000 has been raised. jbeltran@express-news.net Twitter: @JBfromSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Texas man who was helping a friend do yard work was hospitalized after being stung by at least 130 bees last week. "Probably closer to 150. The (doctor) also removed three bees from his ear," Barbara McConathy Finstad, the victim's wife told mySA.com. "Thankfully, he had no allergic reaction to the bee venom!" The Joshua Police Department confirmed that the incident happened at around noon on Thursday in Joshua, a town just south of Forth Worth. Barbara said that her husband was in the hospital for about three hours having stingers roomed from him and the doctor stopped counting at 130. READ ALSO: Dog rescuer shares photos of 5 hound pups bit by copperhead snake Steven told the Cleburne Times-Review that it might have been the lawn mowers that disturbed the bees and caused them to swarm him. He was able to stop the bees from stinging by spraying himself with a water hose, according to the report. JPD said that the officers who initially responded also suffered from the attack with one officer being stung by 15 bees and another officer stung by five. READ ALSO: Video: Alligator breaks through screen, swims in Florida pool JPD said that the homeowner of where the incident occurred made arrangements to have the bees removed. By Thursday evening, the bees were gone. Barbara said that her husband is doing just fine and all of the stings have already scabbed over. As of Monday, Steven was already back to work. jthorpe@express-news.net @jerilynnthorpe A born educator, Alice Flores Porche started her career as a young girl. An only child who was shuffled from aunt to aunt, Porche often set up her dolls and would pretend to be a teacher, her son David Flores said. She would say years later, All I ever wanted to do was teach. Porche worked in the Edgewood Independent School District after putting herself through college. In the late 1960s she was asked to help start the bilingual education program. Alice worked up the curriculum, said longtime friend and colleague Irma Campesi. There were no materials at that time; we had to write some of our books. More Information Alice Flores Porche Born: June 10, 1918, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico Died: June 23, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: First husband Christoval Flores; second husband Jay Porche; parents Juanita Favela and Gonzalo Vasquez Survived by: Sons Richard Flores and daughter-in-law Becky, and David Flores and daughter-in-law Jane; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren Services: Funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday at Porter Loring North Chapel, 2102 N. Loop 1604 East, followed by burial at San Fernando Cemetery No. 3 See More Collapse Not everybody loved us. A lot of the teachers and principals thought they should only teach in English, but we became very dedicated to it. Porche died June 23 at 99. Raised by aunts after her mother died giving birth to her, Porche moved from Fort Stockton to Eagle Pass to Laredo as each aunt was able to take her in. She had a very strict Christian upbringing, Flores said. When she went to college, she felt freed. Porche attended Abilene Christian College on scholarship and also worked, ironing clothing and cleaning house. She met her future husband in Del Rio, where she moved for a job opportunity after college. Marrying after World War II, Porche and her husband moved to San Antonio a short time later, and Porche began working at Edgewood teaching third grade. Porches sons were 4 and 10 when her husband died from the long-term effects of an injury he had received during World War II. Teaching all year and during the summers, Porche nevertheless took her boys camping and encouraged their activities. Id showed an interest in playing guitar and had my first band in sixth grade, David Flores recalled. She would take us to the honky-tonks because we were too young (and) would talk the owners into hiring us. Remarrying in the late 1960s, Porche lost her second husband to cancer five years later. Even after retiring in the 1990s, Porche volunteered to read to students at Bill Brown Elementary School in Bulverde, where her son had moved her to be closer to his family. mheidbrink@express-news.net The League of United Latin American Citizens was founded in 1929 in Corpus Christi to fight the discrimination that limited resources and opportunities for the Hispanic community. Unfortunately, the immigrant community in Texas still finds itself under attack. Recent discriminatory legislation will only further marginalize an already vulnerable population. In the face of policies like Senate Bill 4, discussion of a divisive border wall, and attempts to dismantle affordable health care and education, we must unite and fight back. It is imperative that people understand the consequences of these policies and that we tell policymakers, business and other communities, ya basta! LULACs 88th Annual National Convention is taking place Tuesday through Saturday in San Antonio at the Convention Center. The convention provides members with important information on policies that impact their families and communities. This is our opportunity to renew our commitment to uphold the civil rights of all. And we hope to engage more people in the local community, as well as through our 1,000 councils nationwide to continue our battle cry. We cannot roll back the clock to the days when Latinos faced immense open prejudice and discrimination. The LULAC convention is a vehicle for sharing a wealth of information, and thereby unite to counteract this new wave of discrimination. Our communities need to be equipped with the knowledge of how to protect themselves from harmful policies. Our convention hopes to empower individuals to not only oppose any and all discriminatory policies but fight for policies that benefit our families and communities. For example, a Know Your Rights workshop will provide best practices and smart strategies for undocumented immigrants who find themselves the targets of SB4. In addition, the Rise Up, Unite, Defend town hall will discuss demographic trends on immigration, education, civil rights and jobs. The town hall will empower community members with the information to make informed decisions on some of the most important policies. Another town hall will discuss issues related to the Veterans Administration. Others will address recent budget cuts to programs and services critical to the minority community, the negative human and environmental consequences of a border wall, understanding the educational standards outlined in new education policy, and much more. Given the dearth of Latinos working in the federal government, LULAC will host a free Federal Training Institute. This series of workshops provides an intensive and structured career development program for government employees. Additionally, LULAC invites the public to a free health and career fair Wednesday through Friday. Attendees can meet with corporations looking to recruit from within the Latino community. In addition, government agencies, colleges and universities, labor unions, armed forces and nonprofits will be sharing information about their organizations. Given the large number of people with inadequate health care, the expo includes free select screenings. As the nations largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights organization, it pains us to see resurgences of unfair treatment. This will only make us try harder to ensure all Americans are treated equally. Our history goes back multiple generations, and has touched the hearts and improved the lives of millions. From the members who have raised millions of dollars to send Latino students to college, to the dedicated collegiate students who testified against SB 4 in the Texas Capitol, were invested in the people of Texas and will continue to fight for them as we have for 88 years. With a long-standing legacy of advocating for the most important issues facing the Latino community, we recognize that Unidos is the key word. For more information about LULAC, the convention, free expo or Saturday night concert featuring Pete Astudillo, Isabel Marie and a host of others, visit Lulac.org Brent Wilkes is the chief executive officer of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, the countrys largest and oldest Hispanic organization. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Warriors reserve forward Matt Barnes was ordered to do 10 days of community service after pleading guilty to a disorderly conduct charge in New York on Tuesday, according to USA Today. Barnes was originally charged with assault with intention to cause injury, a misdemeanor, after the December incident in which a woman reported that she had been choked inside a nightclub. But Barnes who was a member of the Kings at the time agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge, which was described by USA Today as the equivalent of a speeding ticket. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: June 28 2017 Zeldin: "Protecting patients and ensuring they have access to the care and equipment that they need and deserve must always be a bipartisan priority." Long Island, NY - June 28, 2017 - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new policy for complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs and related accessories. This policy change helps ensure that disabled individuals have access to quality and affordable medical devices which they rely upon for day to day living. With enactment of the new CMS rule, individuals who utilize power wheelchairs and related accessories will now be guaranteed fixed prices for the equipment they rely upon. Further action is still required to align complex manual wheelchair pricing with complex power equipment pricing. In Congress, Rep. Zeldin will continue advancing his bipartisan bill (H.R. 1361) to further protect patients who utilize this Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT). To read more about the bill, click Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new policy for complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs and related accessories. This policy change helps ensure that disabled individuals have access to quality and affordable medical devices which they rely upon for day to day living. With enactment of the new CMS rule, individuals who utilize power wheelchairs and related accessories will now be guaranteed fixed prices for the equipment they rely upon. Further action is still required to align complex manual wheelchair pricing with complex power equipment pricing. In Congress, Rep. Zeldin will continue advancing his bipartisan bill (H.R. 1361) to further protect patients who utilize this Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT). To read more about the bill, click here This announcement comes after Congressman Zeldin joined last week with Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R, WA-5), Dave Loebsack (D, IA-2), and Diana DeGette (D, CO-1), and co-led a bipartisan group of over 150 co-signers in the House of Representatives to express their joint concerns with the CMS policies and regulations related to the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) benefit in the Medicare program. DME is equipment required by patients for medical conditions. Examples include wheelchairs, crutches, ventilators, among much more. Currently, CMS policies and regulations related to DME have resulted in significant reductions in reimbursement, which severely limit access to DME accessories. These policies and regulations also shifted costs to other areas of Medicare. To view a copy of the letter, which was sent to the Honorable Tom Price, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Ms. Seema Verma, Administrator of CMS, click here Congressman Zeldin said, I am pleased that the administration has reversed a prior executive branch policy for power wheelchairs and related accessories. This effort ensures that beneficiaries will have affordable access to the equipment and supplies they rely upon for daily living, which is why my legislative proposal has such strong bipartisan support in the House. Protecting patients and ensuring they have access to the care and equipment that they need and deserve must always be a bipartisan priority. On behalf of United Spinal Association and the one million individuals living with spinal cord injuries and disorders across the country, we are so appreciative of Congressman Zeldin of New York, along with Congressman Larson of Connecticut, for introducing HR 1361 which requests that CMS permanently exempt complex rehab power and manual wheelchair components from Medicares competitive bidding programs reduced pricing. Late on Friday, days before a June 30 expiring deadline, CMS shared good news with Congress and leading advocates that CMS has now permanently exempted power wheelchair components from its competitive bidding program. Thanks again to Congressman Zeldin and Congressman Larson for their leadership in the House. Power wheelchair users across the country can continue to receive the power wheelchair components that they need from their choice of wheelchair provider. We now turn our attention to exempting manual wheelchair components from Medicares competitive bidding program said James Weisman of Oyster Bay, NY, President and CEO, United Spinal Association. United Spinal is headquartered in New York. Don Clayback, Executive Director of National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology, said, Congressman Zeldin personally took this issue on in 2015 and has continued to work on it through the introduction of legislation and pursuing administrative relief. His continued leadership and perseverance on behalf of the people with disabilities who rely on specialized complex rehab technology wheelchairs should be applauded. This policy change will make a very positive difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: June 28 2017 Sparklers may be legal, but are still dangerous; FASNY advises against using them. Long Island, NY - June 28, 2017 - The Fourth of July is rapidly approaching and with it, the time-honored tradition of patriotic firework displays. The Firemens Association of the State of New York ( FASNY ) urges New Yorkers not to use fireworks or other similar devices themselves, but instead to leave them to the professionals. New York State recently legalized the use of certain sparkling devices, and many counties now allow the sale of these types of fireworks. Despite their legalization, sparkling devices remain dangerous in amateur hands. According to a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report, sparklers accounted for more than a quarter, or approximately 28 percent, of all fireworks injuries in 2014. Despite their relatively benign appearance, sparklers can be extremely dangerous. The tip of a sparkler burns at a temperature of nearly 2,000 degree Fahrenheit, which is as hot as a blow torch. Furthermore, nearly half of all fires reported on Independence Day were caused by fireworks or similar devices. The misguided legalization of sparklers and other devices does not change the fact that fireworks and sparklers are extremely dangerous, said FASNY President Ken Pienkowski. Fireworks should only be used by professionals who have undergone the proper training and certification. There are countless, excellent fireworks displays across New York State, and FASNY urges all New Yorkers to enjoy these shows and avoid a serious injury over the holiday. In 2015, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 67 percent of all fireworks-related injuries occurred in the month surrounding July 4, and that children and young adults under the age of 20 constituted 42 percent all those injured. For children under the age of five, sparklers accounted for 65 percent of the total number of injuries sustained. We hope everybody has a happy, safe Fourth of July. Should there be an emergency or unsafe situation, we urge New Yorkers to call 911 for help. Its better to be safe than sorry, said President Pienkowski. About FASNY Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Arts & Culture, Seasonal & Current Events By Tom Needham Published: June 28 2017 Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHoF) is proud to announce the winners of the 2017 LIMHoF Scholarship Program. Melville, NY - June 27, 2017 - Each year, Each year, LIMHoF grants thousands of dollars in music scholarships to students graduating in Long Island, Brooklyn and/or Queens who have shown an interest in pursuing a career in music. This year, four scholarships were awarded. Every year we become more impressed with the scholarship applications we receive from the young, up-and-coming talent on Long Island, said LIMHoF Education Chairman, Tom Needham. Were thrilled to have the opportunity to once again assist in supporting the education of those students who are pursuing a future in music by supporting their music education. Congratulations to the following Long Island graduates: Sierra Wojtczack, Baldwin High School Sierra Wojtczack recently graduated from Baldwin High School. Wojtczak has distinguished herself as a cellist, vocalist and composer. She is a member of the local chapter of Tri-M Honor Society and was selected to be a member of the New York Conference All State Mixed Chorus in 2016. Wojtczack received honorable recognition from New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for a symphony that she composed, rehearsed, and conducted at their Fall Honors Concert in 2015. The opportunities Ive had throughout elementary, middle, and high school to explore music have been invaluable in my development as a composer and performer, said Wojtczack. I hope to share my experiences with young minds and encourage them to discover that there are many ways to be a musician. Wojtczack spent last summer studying composition at the Eastman Summer Music program and plans spend the coming summer touring China with the Children's Orchestra Society, where her composition, A Promise of Hope, will be performed. She will attend SUNY Fredonia in the fall where she will focus on composition and conducting. Jamie Baio, Sayville High School Jamie Baio recently graduated from Sayville High School and has distinguished himself as a vocal performer. In addition to his contributions to Chorale and Jazz Choir, he has been a member of the Diocesan Boys and Teens Choir of Rockville Center for the past 10 years. Baio was selected to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) All State Chorus, National Honor Ensemble and most recently to the All Eastern Honor Ensemble. For as long as I can remember, I knew that I was passionate about music, said Baio. Making music allows me to express who I truly am and what I can become. The opportunity to sing with several outstanding ensembles has made becoming a Broadway performer not just a dream, but a goal. Baio plans to pursue a degree in Theater Performance at Wagner College in the fall. Michael Stevens, East Islip High School Michael Stevens recently graduated from East Islip High School and has been performing on French horn and piano for 11 years. He was selected to be part of Manhattan School of Music and Julliard Pre-College performing groups. Stevens attended the Tanglewood Institute and has played horn with the National Youth Orchestra of America, where he toured China and Europe. He was designated as first horn with the NAfME All-National Orchestra. Stevens was also accepted to the New York State All-State Piano Showcase. Throughout high school, he distinguished himself through his commitment to East Islips Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Honors Choir and Jazz Ensemble. "I am extremely honored and humbled to receive this high-caliber award, said Stevens. Throughout my life, music has been my passion and dream. Receiving this scholarship to support my education and future means so much. Michael plans to continue his studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he intends to major in Music Performance. Jillian Coscio, St. Anthonys High School Jillian Coscio is a graduate of St. Anthonys High School. She has demonstrated a deep commitment to the flute by studying in multiple programs at Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Peabody, Mannes, Carnegie Mellon and The Bard Conservatory. In addition to an exceptional academic record, Coscio performed with the St. Anthonys Symphonic Honors Band, Orchestra Honors and music ministry throughout high school. Coscio was selected to perform with the NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles Concert Band where she placed first in the nation. She also performed as the Principal Flutist for the All- National Honors Ensemble Concert. She was selected to the New York State All-State Symphonic Band and most recently, All Eastern Honors Band. "As an artist, I believe it is my responsibility to be an instrument of harmony in society, said Coscio. I aspire to share the beauty, strength, and frailty of the human condition, while celebrating its dignity through performance. Coscio will continue her studies this summer at the Orford Music Academy Master Class in Quebec, Canada. In the fall, she will attend Carnegie Mellon University School of Music where she plans to major in Music Performance. Since 2010, $10,000 in scholarships have been awarded to selected members of the Gemini Youth Orchestra of Melville, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Manhasset and Childrens Orchestra Society of Queens. ABOUT THE LONG ISLAND MUSIC HALL OF FAME: Founded in 2004 by a group of Long Island music lovers, music educators, and industry professionals, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHoF) is a is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing the significant achievements of musicians who were either born or spent a significant part of their careers on Long Island, including Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Brooklyn. LIMHoFs bi-annual Induction Ceremonies have honored inductees that range from Billy Joel to LL Cool J. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: June 28 2017 County Executive Announces Four Community Meetings to be Held in July in Addition to Required Three Public Hearings. Suffolk County, NY - June 28, 2017 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced a series of upcoming community meetings as part of the statewide Shared Services Initiative that will be held in July to solicit best practices and input from residents across the county. The series of community meetings are voluntary and are in addition to the three public hearings that the County is required to host after August 1. The voluntary meetings which will be held in the towns of East Hampton, Southampton, Babylon and Huntington are part of Suffolk Countys mission to promote transparency and are designed to encourage feedback. The community meetings will provide residents with a basic explanation of what the state law entails, the process prescribed by the law and the development of the Countys plan. The meeting will also provide an open forum for residents to ask questions and make comments. Sharing services is about collaboration with all levels of government so that we can identify ways to achieve long-term savings, streamline bureaucracy, and reduce the tax burden for our residents, said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. I believe Suffolk County can be a statewide model on this important measure and I encourage all residents to attend a meeting in their community." While Suffolk County and local municipalities have been sharing services for decades, this new initiative provides us with the opportunity to expand these efforts in a comprehensive, organized and efficient manner in order to achieve real savings on an ongoing basis, said Suffolk Deputy County Executive Jon Kaiman, who is heading up this effort on behalf of the County Executive. The community meetings will help us develop our plan in a manner consistent with the input and expectations of our residents and municipal leaders. As part of the statewide Countywide Shared Services Initiative that was signed into law earlier this year, county, town and village officials are statutorily required to vote on a plan that would propose new intermunicipal actions and save taxpayers money through efficient and coordinated shared services. The state law requires Suffolk County to submit a localized savings plan to the Suffolk County Legislature by August 1, 2017. Once recommendations are received and modifications are made to the plan, the Suffolk Shared Services Panel must vote on the plan no later than September 15. The Panel is comprised of the County Executive, Town Supervisors and Village Mayors. If the plan is approved, Suffolk County municipalities would be able to receive one-time matching funds from New York State. The certified savings from the new actions implemented on or after January 1, 2018 are eligible for the matching funds. The upcoming community meetings addressing shared services are as follows: Monday, July 10 11 a.m. East Hampton Town Hall 159 Pantigo Rd., East Hampton Monday, July 10 6 p.m. Southampton Town Hall 116 Hampton Rd., Southampton Tuesday, July 11 1 p.m. Babylon Town Hall 200 East Sunrise Hwy, Lindenhurst Tuesday, July 18 6 p.m. Huntington Town Hall 100 Main St., Huntington Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs objected to the United States designation of Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist and claimed the country has a demonstrated and longstanding commitment of combating terrorism. While not mentioning Salahuddin specifically, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement was released one day after the US Department of State added him to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. However, as FDDs Long War Journal has noted in a profile of Salahuddin, he has admitted to raising funds to wage jihad in Afghanistan and India, and has supported fighting US forces inside Afghanistan. Additionally, Salahuddin has close ties to Lashkar-e-Taiba and its charitable front, Jamaat-ud-Dawa. Both groups are recognized as foreign terrorist organizations and are supported by the Pakistani state. Salahaddin has admitted that the Pakistani military has allowed him to operate hundreds of training camps. [See US adds emir of Hizbul Mujahideen to list of global terrorists.] Pakistan has supported a bevy of jihadist groups as it seeks to wrest control of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian control. These groups have launched numerous suicide attacks inside India and have allied with terrorists groups such as the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan. While denouncing the designation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Pakistan has a demonstrated and longstanding commitment of combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. This is contrary to everything that is known about Pakistan. The military and the Inter-Services Intelligence Service Directorate (ISI) actively supports groups such as the Afghan Taliban and its powerful subgroup, the Haqqani Network. The Talibans leadership is based in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, and other cities and towns across the country. Taliban leaders openly recruit, indoctrinate and train fighters to wage jihad against US and Coalition forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan banks and hawalas, or money exchanges, knowingly provide financial services for the Taliban. Pakistani politicians and clerics support the Taliban and train their fighters at their madrassas. Pakistani military and intelligence officials have knowingly passed along intelligence to Taliban, al Qaeda and other terrorist leaders and operatives to allow them to avoid being targeted in raids. Pakistan remains a primary hub for international terrorist groups. Of the 59 groups listed by the US State Department as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, 12 are based in Pakistan, and two others (Harakat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh and the Indian Mujahedeen) are directly linked to groups supported by the Pakistani state . Terrorists groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Harakat-ul-Mujahideen operate openly inside Pakistan, without fear of reprisal from the state. Lashkar-e-Taiba, which executed the deadly suicide operation in Mumbai, India that killed 164 people, is listed by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Its leader Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is listed by the US as a specially designated global terrorist, is feted by Pakistani military commanders and politicians, and is a regular on television shows. Markaz-e-Taiba, its headquarters in Muridke near Lahore, is a sprawling complex that is used to indoctrinate future jihadists before they are sent off for military training. The provincial government of Punjab has financed Markaz-e-Taiba in the past. Harakat-ul-Mujahideen another Pakistan-based jihadist group that has been listed by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Its emir, Fazle-ur-Rahman Khalil, is also named by the US as a specially designated global terrorist. He lives in Islamabad, with the knowledge of the Pakistani government. In an update to the US designation of HuM in 2014, the US noted that it operates in Pakistan, and engages in terrorist activity in Kashmir, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and also operates terrorist training camps in eastern Afghanistan. These camps are thought to be in existence to this day. Pakistans intransigence towards jihadist groups has not escaped the attention of the US government. In its Country Reports on Terrorism 2015, the State Department issued a scathing rebuke of Pakistans failure to police jihadist groups in the region. Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or HQN, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan, the report noted. Pakistan has also not taken sufficient action against other externally-focused groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which continued to operate, train, organize, and fundraise in Pakistan, State continued. Additionally, State noted that groups continue to fundraise without consequence and Hafiz Saeed was able to make frequent public appearances in support of the organizations objectives, without Pakistan raising a finger to stop him. For more information on Pakistans collusion with terrorist groups, see Pakistan: Friend or Foe in the Fight Against Terrorism?, Bill Roggios testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Culture / Art Republik Jun 28, 2017 | By Art Republik To celebrate its 15th anniversary, STPI Creative Workshop and Gallery will be mounting David Hockney: A Matter of Perspective for its annual special exhibition, running from July 1 to September 9. On display will be 35 works by the renowned British artist from the National Collection. Born in Bradford in 1937, Hockney studied at the Bradford School of Art, then the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1962. In 1991, he was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts and in 2012, the Queen appointed him a member of the Order of Merit. This year, Hockney celebrates his 80th birthday, and there are major institutional retrospectives at National Gallery of Victoria and Tate Britain back at home, as well as Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The special showcase at STPI is part of its anniversary programme which will include exhibitions, artist collaborations and events. These are organised under the theme Fifteen Years and More to Come, which looks back at STPIs achievements in print and paper art practice while looking forward to its continued pursuit for innovation. STPIs annual special exhibitions present works in print and paper created by significant figures in art history to local audiences. David Hockney is one such exemplary figure who produced significant prints, pushing technical boundaries with printer Kenneth Tyler back in the day, and remains exceptional today in his bold experiments with different mediums that include technology says Tessa Chung, who curated the exhibition. Naturally, his inventiveness and zeal is something that resonates with the spirit of what we do at STPI, so its fitting that we present him this year on the occasion of our 15th anniversary. Previous annual special exhibitions include Zao Wou-Ki: No Boundaries in 2016 of 40 works by the late French-Chinese abstract painter and As We Never Imagined: 50 Years of Art Making in 2015, featuring some STPIs best collaborations with close to 40 notable artists from the region and beyond, including Han Sai Por, Rirkrit Tiravanija and Frank Stella. The upcoming David Hockney: A Matter of Perspective is a look at Hockneys ongoing exploration of portraying three-dimensional human experiences within two-dimensional mediums, which has led to the creation of unconventional perspectives in his work, including prints. The works in the show highlight his point of view: that of the multiple perspective, due to his distrust in the cameras viewpoint, which is a static vanishing point, says Chung. Though that may be the way the world has been conditioned to see, Hockney believed it to be insufficient as truthful representation of time and space. As such, the works in the show were chosen to illustrate the way Hockney portrayed his subjects through this specific lens. Highlights from the show, which focuses on Hockneys work as a printmaker, include multi-viewpoint prints from the Moving Focus series created in the mid-1980s, considered the most ambitious project attempted with Tyler, apart from Paper Pools (1978). Chung notes, It was with the Moving Focus works that Hockney and Tyler pushed technical protocols, enabling Hockney to work en plein air, which was unheard of where the development of prints was concerned. There are also prints from the 1990s which will be exhibited in Singapore for the first time. They may seem removed from his entire body of work, but they do well to show the development of Hockneys enquiry, for if conventional perspective detached the viewer from the work, these abstract landscapes served to draw the viewer right in, comments Chung. One of the more recent works on display is the photographic drawing, 4 Blue Stools from 2014. A digital collage of photographs that break away from photographys single-point perspective, it relates to Hockneys earlier photo-collages made up of multiple photographs and angles and provides a fuller look at Hockneys long-running experimentation with perspectives. David Hockney: A Matter of Perspective is a rare opportunity for viewers in Singapore and Southeast Asia to appreciate Hockneys captivating works in person, and is a show not to be missed. More information at stpi.com.sg Cars / Yachts What better way to promote marine conservation than to have the SeaKeepers Society educate you on how you can do your part on World Oceans Day 2017 Jun 27, 2017 | By Yacht Style In conjunction with World Oceans Day 2017, members of the Tropical Marine Science Institute of National University of Singapore; the International SeaKeepers Society, Asia and The Submersibles, have jointly pioneered an initiative to help sustain Singapores marine life. Titled Our Singapore Reefs: Marine Clean Up and Coral Rescue, the programme was held at Pulau Subar Laut, located within the Sisters Islands Marine Park, and involved the collection and documentation of marine debris, as well as coral rescue. Covering an extensive area of 1200 sqm, 20 volunteer divers successfully removed 424 debris weighing over 72 kg, which included a car battery, a small anchor and trolley. Under the guidance of researchers from the Tropical Marine Science Institute, a second dive saw divers collecting 43 corals that were found dislodged from the reefs or colonies that were dying. The rescued corals were then relocated for safekeeping. An essential outcome of the marine cleanup and coral rescue mission was the compilation of data, now available online on Project AWAREs Dive Against Debris citizen-science programme which contributes to the global effort to combat marine debris. As Singapore has yet to develop any ocean clean-up programmes, there is hope that the documentation of debris found in the area will enable government agencies to establish solutions and measures needed to reduce the amount of marine debris and ensure environmental sustainability. Discussions are now underway with various agencies to remove the remaining larger debris in the area, with the expectation that the event, in association with the National Parks Board, will soon become a yearly affair with a wider support reach. In a statement, Mr. Andrew Tan, the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), acknowledges the conservation of Singapores marine biodiversity as a shared responsibility and a multi-prong effort on the part of the community government and industry. It requires everyone to play their part. As with our efforts on land, we also need to inculcate a strong sense of environmental responsibility at sea. Members of the public can also be our eyes and ears on the ground. I would encourage all to download MPA or NEAs myMaritime@SG and myENV mobile apps that allows one to take pictures of anyone polluting our shores or waters and send them to the relevant agencies for necessary action. The MPA, a supporting partner of the event, is currently working with the Singapore Shipping Association to reach out to the wider shipping community in efforts to keep the waters clean and green. Style Over 60 international jewelry houses will come together at this prestigious three-day exhibition at the Shangri-La Hotel, KL Jun 28, 2017 | By Staff Writer After 25 years as the leading jewellery and watch exhibition in the Middle East, Jewellery Arabia is poised to make its South East Asian debut under a new brand, Jewellery Asia. Taking place from 5 to 7 September 2017 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Jewellery Asia 2017 is a three-day event that will showcase over 60 of the biggest names in fine jewellery from across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. under one roof. Visitors of Jewellery Asia 2017 can expect it to be an undoubtedly exclusive and high-profile affair where jewellery aficionados, diamond lovers, and members of the public will have the chance to preview outstanding collections and limited-edition pieces exclusive to the Asian market. For a taste of real luxury, here are five brands to look out for at Jewellery Asia 2017. House of Rose House of Rose is no stranger to some of the most dazzling and show-stopping baubles. For over three decades, the Mumbai-based jewellery house has combined exceptional gemstones and coloured stones such as emeralds, tanzanite, and pink sapphires to create playful yet ravishing pieces that will no doubt appeal to jewellery collectors of all kinds. One of its highlight masterpiece creations is the La Reina necklace, a show-stopping piece featuring 23 baroque-cut emeralds, white South Sea pearls, pear-shaped, rose cut, round brilliant cut, and baguette diamonds, that is fit for a queen. Studio R e ves Hailing from Mumbai, India, Studio Reves is a family-run manufacturing house that specialises in flawless diamond and gemstone-studded jewellery. Made for the discerning woman, its creations are sophisticated and contemporary ranging from stunning necklaces to elegant chandelier earrings and bracelets that boast meticulous detailing and fine craftsmanship. Heinz Mayer Heinz Mayer is a name synonymous to history, prestige, and innovation. First established in Idar-Oberstein more than 50 years ago, the German company is a leader in fine 18k gold and platinum jewellery and has collaborated with world-famous names such as Harry Winston and Rolls-Royce for its iconic Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Centenary Bracelet. Heinz Mayers fine jewelry creations appeal to a wide variety of tastes both modern and classical and is even jeweler to some of the worlds reigning monarchies. Autore South Sea Pearls If you dont already know, the Autore Group is one of the largest pearl companies in the world. At the heart of its collection is the exquisite South Sea pearl harvested from the crystal-clear waters off the North West coast of Western Australia and the tropical islands of Indonesia and combined with precious gems to create endlessly elegant jewelry pieces that range from pendant necklaces to cocktail rings, brooches, and earrings. Ringo If youre a fan of colourful, statement jewellery, look out for Ringo, an established company renowned for its gold, diamond, and magical semi-precious stones-studded pieces. Drawing inspiration from its Russian heritage, the brand melds traditional design with a rebellious spirit to create one-of-a-kind designs catered for the young at heart. Jewellery Asia 2017 will run from 5 to 7 September 2017, 12pm-8pm, at Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Admission is free to trade visitors and the public. Pre-register online at www.jewelleryasia.com.my Cars / Yachts Sponsored by Omega, Emirates Team New Zealand has made sailing history by winning the 35th Americas Cup in Bermuda after 22 year drought Jun 27, 2017 | By Bruce Maxwell The Omega sponsored Emirates Team New Zealand has just won the 35th Americas Cup in Bermuda 26 June, defeating holders the United States; and so, this billion US dollar event will return to Asia-Pacific waters for the first time since 2003. It will be a tremendous boost here for luxury brands like much-involved Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy and many other watch, bank, car, jewellery and wine and spirits companies that are traditionally part of the enormous Americas Cup entourage. Everyone at OMEGA is thrilled with this incredible result. Weve followed ETNZs Americas Cup journey from the start and always believed they could win. They came to Bermuda with an inspiring team spirit as well as the best innovation possible and it was my personal pleasure to spend time with them and cheer them on. Its a privilege for our brand to have played a part. Raynald Aeschlimann, the President and CEO of OMEGA Omega sponsored Emirates Team New Zealand won the 35th Americas Cup Emirates Team New Zealand has made sailing history by winning the 35th Americas Cup in Bermuda After 22 decade famine, the Kiwis finally reclaimed the sports oldest trophy. As a proud sponsor and Official Timekeeper for the crew, Swiss watchmaker Omega is celebrating the victory and congratulating the team on their fine performance as well. The New York Yacht Club held the famous silver trophy for a sporting record 132 years until Australia won it in 1983, but then lost in Fremantle in 1987 to Dennis Conner, who moved the venue to San Diego on Americas Pacific Coast. The Kiwis first captured it in 1995 and successfully defended in Auckland in 2000, but lost the 2003 match to Swiss yacht Alinghi which, as Switzerland is land-bound, elected to defend in Valencia in Spain. They retained the auld mug, as it is affectionately called, but next time around American computer billionaire Larry Ellison triumphed, sailing in catamarans rather than traditional monohulls. He chose to defend it in San Francisco in 2013, again in catamarans now up on foils and achieving incredible speeds. Superb TV coverage went worldwide for the first time. It seemed Ellisons US$100 m investment had been lost when the Kiwis went 8-1 up in a first-to-nine series, but then incredibly the Americans made a comeback, race by excruciating race, to win 9-8. This month, in mid-Atlantic Bermuda, still a British dominion, the Omega sponsored Emirates Team New Zealand finally got their own back, winning 8-1 on the water and 7-1 because the defenders had a one point advantage, for complicated reasons, going into the final. The Omega sponsored Emirates Team New Zealand are expected to defend the 36th Americas Cup in Auckland again, which will mean many more big boats plying Asia-Pacific waters to reach distant New Zealand, and luxury brand campaigns throughout the region starting almost straight away in the years-long lead-up to the event. Japan was one of the challengers in the present event, and China is said to be considering entering for the first time. Australia, which has been missing recently, is also a likely participant in next-door New Zealand. As well as co-sponsoring the Emirates team, Omega also equipped the crew with a specially-made Regatta watch for racing. The Speedmaster X-33 Regatta ETNZ included an ingenious Regatta function allowing the team to keep track of the critical five-minute countdown to the start of each race. Once racing was underway, the X-33 enabled the crew to measure progress. Ukraine has transferred Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) into a retirement account to comply with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, the press service of the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry has reported. "The national electronic register of anthropogenic emission and greenhouse gas absorption of Ukraine was disconnected in August 2015. The country failed to comply under the Kyoto Protocols first commitment period In the past year the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry managed to restart the national register and meet all the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol Compliance Committee," the press service said. The national register was disconnected over ministry officials' negligence in 2015. As reported, the ministry applied to law enforcement agencies in 2016 asking to investigate into a corruption case during the administration of the national electronic register of anthropogenic emission and greenhouse gas absorption. Earlier Soft Line company acted as an administrator of the register. European patents are granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) under the legal provisions of the European Patent Convention (EPC). However, the EPO has no legal competence to deal with and to decide on patent infringement cases in the contracting states to the EPC. Article 64(3) of the EPC declares that "any infringement of a European patent shall be dealt with by national law" and therefore European patents are enforced at a national level. Direct infringement is distinguished from indirect infringement (also called secondary or contributory infringement) according to the law in the various EPC member states. These laws have been harmonised among the EU member states by an enactment of Article 26 of the Community Patent Convention (CPC). Direct infringement of a product claim requires that the infringer, in the country where the patent is in force, manufactures, sells or offers to sell, uses, imports or stores the claimed product, while direct infringement of a method claim requires, again in the country where the patent is in force, that the infringer offers or practises the claimed method. The concept of indirect infringement provides a remedy for acts occurring prior to an act of direct infringement, and generally relates to supply of or offer to supply "a means relating to an essential element of the invention", with the exception of where the essential means is a staple commercial product. Generally the national laws of the EPC member states have a double territorial requirement, in that both the supply and the end use must occur in the same member state. However, the various national courts have applied different standards on what is considered an essential element of the invention, as well as how the double territorial requirement should be interpreted. Contributory infringement in the UK, France and the Netherlands Contributory infringement in the UK is set out in section 60(2) of the Patents Act 1977. According to established UK case law, knowledge of the patent is not a prerequisite for infringement, nor is knowledge of the invention to the ultimate user. Furthermore, no direct infringement is needed for indirect infringement to exist. Thus, the intention to supply is also sufficient for contributory infringement. The double territorial requirement from the CPC is written into the UK Patents Act. Thus, supply of the essential means in the UK for use of the invention outside of the UK does not constitute infringement in the UK even if the patent is also valid in the foreign jurisdiction. The patentee would be forced to rely on the foreign jurisdiction for any patent enforcement. This can present practical issues if the foreign jurisdiction does not have a favourable litigation environment (for instance no specialist patent courts or less ability to hear expert testimony), and also commercial issues if it is not desirable to initiate litigation against the direct infringer (as the case may be if the direct infringer is a customer rather than competitor). The same principles apply when it comes to supply of kits of parts, namely that the supply or offer to supply must be in the UK and there must be an intention to put the invention into effect in the UK. The Court of Appeal case Grimme v Scott (2010) provides the leading precedent for the UK approach to contributory patent infringement and the interpretation of section 60(2). The judgment held that what was required was a finding, made in the light of all the circumstances and on the balance of probabilities, that either the supplier knew, or it was obvious in the circumstances, that some ultimate users would intend to use or modify the "means" so as to directly infringe. Grimme v Scott provides clarification that contributory infringement in the UK cannot be avoided by simply marketing a product for a certain non-infringing use. Even in such cases, contributory infringement may still be found if it would, based on the balance of probabilities, be obvious in the circumstances that some users would intend to modify the product so as to directly infringe. The leading decision on the question of what constitutes a "means relating to an essential element of the invention" was considered by Mr Justice Arnold in the High Court case Nestec v Dualit (2013). In the reasoning of the decision, Arnold favoured the approach taken by the German courts (from Impeller Flow Meter Case X ZR 48/03 and Pipette System Case X ZR 38/06) and held that the mere fact that a feature was known in the prior art did not prevent it from being an essential element of the claim, but if a feature was of completely subordinate importance for the technical importance of the invention it could not be regarded as an essential element. This approach is also followed in France, but is notably different to the Netherlands where the Dutch Supreme Court in Sara Lee v Integro (Case C02/227HR) held that the essential element must be the element that distinguishes the invention from the prior art. The claim in question in Nestec v Dualit related to a coffee machine in combination with a replaceable capsule containing coffee. The replacement capsules supplied by Dualit were considered to constitute "means relating to an essential element" since the design of the capsule played an important role for how the claimed invention worked. However, the decision considered various additional factors such as whether the user was really "making" the invention, given that the capsules do not really embody the inventive concept which lay instead in the way the machine operates, as well as whether the user has a legitimate expectation to be able to use any compatible capsule when they have purchased a machine, given that both the capsules and machines have separate commercial markets. Although the capsules in question were held to be essential elements, the combination of these other factors meant that no contributory infringement was found. This ruling shows how UK courts will take multiple factors into account beyond merely interpreting whether the supply or offer to supply relates to an essential element in line with the requirements of the statute. Contributory infringement in Germany The case law in Germany is similar to the UK in many areas, including as noted above when determining what constitutes the "essential means". German case law has further held that a product protected by a patent may be used, possessed and resold by a person, for example a customer. The right to use it also includes servicing, caring for and repairing the product. However, remanufacturing the product is not allowed. When it comes to contributory infringement, this means that supplying spare parts or consumables is permissible as long as no remanufacturing occurs, and that the use of spare parts or consumables does not go beyond its intended purpose. These principles are generally in line with the leading UK decisions in this area, such as United Wire v Repair Screen Services (2001) and Schutz v Werit (2013). According to Section 10 of the Patent Act, there does not need to be any established direct infringement in order for indirect infringement to exist. Thus, in line with the other jurisdictions, an intention to supply is sufficient and an end user does not need to be identified. However, although the statute implies a double territorial requirement, the case law suggests that it is construed more flexibly than in other jurisdictions. According to the BGH decision Funkuhr II (2007) indirect infringement occurs when a company established in Germany supplies an essential means of the invention for export abroad for assembly into the patented product, knowing that the assembly will then be imported into Germany. This seems out of line with the other jurisdictions discussed above, where the case law has repeatedly held that export for assembly into the patented product abroad is not an indirect infringement. Unitary Patents and the UPC The European patent with unitary effect, more commonly known as the Unitary Patent, is a new type of European patent which, if/when it enters into force, will be valid in the participating member states of the European Union. It is worth mentioning that Spain and Croatia have indicated that they will not ratify the UPC Agreement and thus will participate neither in the Unitary Patent regulation nor in the Unified Patent Court (UPC). There has also been some uncertainty regarding the membership of the UK, where the government has announced it will continue with preparations to ratify the UPC Agreement despite the vote to Brexit. The statute covering indirect infringement of Unitary Patents also contains the double territorial requirement, but the "territory" that is relevant extends to all participating member states. Cross border activities that would not constitute indirect infringement of a bundle of national patents, such as export from the Netherlands for use in Germany, would be considered indirect infringement of a Unitary Patent as all the activities are occurring within the same jurisdiction. Although in both cases there is direct infringement alongside the contributory infringement, the ability to bring an action against the party which is supplying the essential means will give the patent holders more options for enforcing their rights, potentially avoiding the need to threaten or even initiate infringement proceedings against their own customers. Moreover, the Unitary Patent Regulation (EU) 1257/12, at Article 7, states that if the applicant for a Unitary Patent has, at the time of filing, its principal place of business or its residency in a member state then the patent shall be treated as if it is governed by the law of that country. However, if no legal system can be determined in this way, then German law shall apply. German law will therefore acquire considerable significance when enforcing Unitary Patents. With the precedent laid down by Funkuhr II, this suggests that a Unitary Patent may be enforceable against supply of the essential means to jurisdictions outside of the participating member states, if it is obvious that the supply will lead to an infringing product being imported into the jurisdiction covered by the Unitary Patent. However, a notable difference between the present national laws and the provisions for indirect infringement of a Unitary Patent are that the accused infringer must know or should have known that the means are suitable and intended for putting the invention into effect (Unitary Patent Regulation 1257/12, Article 26). This wording differs from the present national laws which require that it should be "obvious from the circumstances"(according to the German statute) or "obvious to a reasonable person in the circumstances" (according to the UK statute). Once in force, the UPC Agreement will apply to both Unitary Patents and to national designations of European patents that have not opted out. However, it does not relate to national patents. Article 2(2) of the EPC requires a European patent to have the same effect as a national patent, so it does not appear to be open to member states to have different law in relation to infringement for national patents as compared to a patent granted by the EPO. Therefore, it seems as if the member states will need to amend their national laws relating to indirect infringement to conform with the UPC Agreement once it comes into force. Several mock trials have been carried out under the UPC Rules of Procedure, with the most notable being based on the Improver v Remington litigation which occurred in numerous national courts in the 1990s. However, none of the mock trials related to indirect infringement and the specific issue of whether the requirement that the accused infringer "should have known" should be interpreted differently to the "obvious from the circumstances" which is now used by the national courts of the member states. Even with this uncertainty, the enhanced ability to enforce their rights against supply of component parts across national borders will certainly be welcomed by patent holders, and we expect that it may not be long before the case law in this area begins to develop once the UPC Agreement comes into force. Karolina Wiktorson Karolina has a master of science in engineering biology from Linkopings University. She also has a bachelors degree in business administration from The School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. Karolina qualified as a European patent attorney in 2016 and is specialised in patent-related questions within the technical fields life science and chemistry. She works with all types of patent matters, such as patentability opinions, patent drafting, novelty searches, freedom-to-operate analyses, validity investigations and strategic patent issues. In addition to the patent-related work, Karolina also has experience as a lecturer, both for internal training courses and external courses. Before Karolina joined Valea, she had worked as a patent attorney at another IP-firm since 2008. Before that she worked as a research engineer at a research institute, Imego, for five years. This case is a dispute between two Turkish traders in foodstuffs in Austria. It is a case of trade mark opposition proceedings so that only the registered goods count and not the market fact that these food products are all "halal" (that is, according to Islamic food rules) since this is not reflected in the list of goods of the registrations. The latter fact might have had an influence on the consumer circles concerned. The opponent owned a registered EUTM for a word and design trade mark with the word Itikat in the centre with a green uneven strip above and below and yellow ears, one in each of the four corners. The Turkish word "itikat" means "faith, believe". The defendant owned a registered Austrian trade mark. It consisted of the word "itimat" in the centre with a green and yellow wave above and below that word. The Turkish word "itimat" means "trust, confidence". The Austrian Patent Office cancelled the younger trade mark itimat because of the high similarity of the goods and high phonetic and conceptual similarity and similarity in the pictorial elements both in green and yellow and in similar arrangement. The Appeal Court stated that although Turkish words are used the circles concerned are not only those consumers who understand the Turkish language. Furthermore the meanings of these words are close, hence the difference in these words is not sufficient to differentiate the marks. Phonetically there is a high similarity and the pictorial effect is similar. Accordingly, the appeal was not successful and that mark remained cancelled. But the defendant learned from this decision and registered a similar mark. This time he used the word "ozitimat" with a red and black wave above and below the word. The combination of the word "oz" if separated (which it was not) from "itimat" has the meaning of "sincere or pure trust (or confidence)": again the old opponent filed an opposition based on the same EUTM Itikat with the design as described above. Again the Austrian Patent Office followed the opponent on similar grounds than the first time. The Court of Appeal reversed and dismissed the opposition and the Austrian Supreme Court concurred. The reasoning was: For the comparison of the meaning of foreign language marks it is essential whether the circles concerned understand their meaning. This means that a substantial part of these consumers have sufficient knowledge of that language to have an idea about the meaning of these foreign language words. Here the circles concerned are Austrian average consumers including the Turkish-speaking parts of the population. In the present case any possible similarity in their meaning notwithstanding their difference is outweighed by the phonetic and optical differences. Phonetically "itikat" and "ozitimat" (the latter in one word) are apparently different. The optical differences are sufficiently great. Austrian consumers without knowledge of the Turkish language will anyhow not confuse these marks. The Turkish part of the consumers even if considered sufficiently important will understand the different meaning of the word-part of the marks and together with the other differences will not be confused. It is to be noted that the courts consider the situation of both parts of the consumers here those with knowledge of Turkish and those without. If only one of them is sufficiently important and could be confused then the opposed mark has to be cancelled. But here even when the Turkish speaking part of consumers might be considered important it will also not be confused therefore the opposed trade mark ozitimat remained registered. Helmut Sonn SONN & PARTNER Patentanwalte Riemergasse 14 A-1010 Vienna, Austria Tel: +43 1 512 84 05 Fax: +43 1 512 98 05 office@sonn.at www.sonn.at NSDC approves number of measures to step up counter-terrorism measures in Ukraine KYIV. June 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov on Tuesday held an operative meeting with the leaders of the security and defense sector to develop adequate measures to counter Russian hybrid threats. "Based on the results of the meeting, taking into account the high level of the terrorist threat, a number of steps have been approved to step up the counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence regime in Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine," the NSDC press service said following the meeting. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expects that Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada would soon annul parliamentary immunity from prosecution. "My draft amendments to the Constitution are ready. It requires political will from parliamentarians to equal them in rights with Ukrainian citizens once and for all. It is the same as we lifted immunity from prosecution from judges," Poroshenko said on the occasion of the Constitution Day in Ukraine in Kyiv on Wednesday. The president expressed hope that lawmakers would soon make this decision. "I hope that people's deputies in the near future would make the relevant decision. Maybe there is no one among them who had not promised to annul immunity from prosecution in their electoral programs," he said. COLLINSVILLE-The expense of housing inmates at jails in other localities underscores the urgent need for a new Henry County Jail, according to Sheriff Lane Perry. At Tuesdays Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting, the supervisors approved an additional appropriation of $554,000 to cover expenses for housing and caring for inmates during the fiscal year starting July 1. It is anticipated that the expenses related to medical care for inmates will exceed the newly approved operating budget by $110,000, and the cost of housing inmates at other facilities due to overcrowding in the current Henry County Jail will exceed the budget by $444,000. County staff identified funding from various sources within the existing budget to cover $464,000 of the total amount, including $50,000 from the contingency reserve for housing inmates and $100,000 from the contingency reserve for fuel. At Tuesdays 3 p.m. meeting, the board approved an additional $90,000 appropriation from the county general fund to cover the remainder of the expenses. Iriswood District Supervisor Milton Kendall commented that the expense sounded like another good explanation for why we need to build the new jail, and Collinsville District Supervisor Joe Bryant agreed. The county has previously committed to building a 400-bed jail at the former Dupont site at an estimated expense of $68.751 million. A state rebate for construction of new jails should drop the local cost of the project to $51.5 million. As part of Tuesdays meeting, in addition to the $554,000, supervisors also approved payment to Western Virginia Regional Jail, Roanoke City Jail and Patrick County Jail, three of the facilities that house Henry County prisoners. Current costs for housing inmates at each of these facilities are likely to exceed $20,000 by the end of this week (which also ends this fiscal year). That meant the bill had to be approved by the board. Perry told the board that the steadily increasing cost of outsourcing inmates to other facilities has fast become a looming problem. Of course, its a fiscal problem, as well, Perry said. We have been trying to manage it for years and years. We are very thrifty with our money. Weve been trying to find places that would house for free, and weve been doing everything we can to Band-Aid the problem. But once we come to the point that we regularly have inmates at various places and at varying fees it ranges from $25-$35 a day this becomes very much a fiscal concern. Current estimates predict that the population of Henry County Jail is increasing by about six inmates per year, Perry said. At the most recent count, he said Tuesday, the current jail -- built in 1974 and originally designed to hold 67 inmates -- has 176 inmates. An additional 112 inmates are outsourced to other localities. The rising cost of housing inmates elsewhere drives home the need for the new 400-bed facility, Perry said. Without it, this will be a continuing and growing problem, he added. Other decisions Also at the boards 3 p.m. meeting, the supervisors approved 15 additional financial appropriations. That includes a Henry County School Board request for the categorical transfer of $175,000 from special grants to the facilities and operations and maintenance categories. The funds will be used to purchase new furniture for the Magna Vista High School cafeterias and a new dump truck to replace a 1990 model with more than 260,000 miles. The board also signed off on a Henry County School Board request of an additional appropriation of $272,400 to the school nutrition budget to cover new revenues and expenditures related to increased services being provided by food services. In another matters involving the sheriff, the supervisor signed off on a contract to Dan Valley Food Service of Danville to supply food for the jail. Purchase orders are issued monthly for food with the amounts needed and the overall price dependent on the number of inmates at that particular time. As a result, the total amount fluctuates, but Sheriff Lane Perry estimated that the overall contract will be approximately $160,000. Also, the supervisors approved an extra $16,469 as travel reimbursements to give to the sheriffs office for the extradition of wanted suspects. The funds will be used to cover the cost of extraditing suspects back to Henry County. In other decisions Tuesday, the board Awarded a $24,000 contract to the Martinsville-Henry County SPCA for animal shelter operations for the Henry County Sheriffs Office. Awarded a contract in the amount of $24,000 to Dr. Edna E. Gordon for physician services for inmates during fiscal year 2017/2018. Approved an additional appropriation of $17,332 from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs Aid to Localities fund. Henry County Public Safety Director Matt Tatum said that the money must be used to pay for training, construction of training centers, firefighting equipment or protective clothing. The funds will appropriated equally among the eight volunteer fire departments, resulting in an allocation of $2,166.50 to each department. Approved an additional appropriation for an emergency medical services equipment matching grant for Henry County Public Safety. Public Safety staff anticipates receiving a grant on or about July 1 for the purchase of medical equipment for use by the department and an ambulance for the Ridgeway District Rescue Squad. The grant portion for the medical equipment requires a 50 percent match of approximately $33,000 and the portion for the ambulance requires a 20 percent match of approximately $44,000. The total match will be about $77,000. County staff identified $30,000 in the current budget from departmental savings, and the board appropriated the remaining $47,000 from its contingency fund with approximately $44,000 of it going to assist the Ridgeway District Rescue Squad on the purchase of an ambulance. Awarded a contract of $55,385.29 to Motorola Solutions Inc. for the purchase of a service and warranty agreement for the countys emergency services radio system. Awarded a contract of $32,469 to Bassett Office Supply Inc. for two 911 console workstations for the Martinsville-Henry County 911 Communications Center. Awarded a contract of approximately $50,000 to BMS Direct Inc. of Lynchburg for printing and mailing of the countys forms for personal property, real estate and motor vehicle license fees and tangible property forms. Awarded a contract of $28,922 to Trane Inc. for providing scheduled maintenance services to HVAC systems at county facilities during the upcoming fiscal year. Awarded a contract of $101,330 to Trane Inc. for project management and installation of energy efficient LED exterior lighting for the parking lots of the administration building, Sheriffs office and courthouse. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that he is waiting that Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada approves the procedural rules for the provision of operation of the new Supreme Court of the country in the near term. "The start of work of the highest court in the judicial system is our top priority for next weeks and months," he said on the occasion of the Constitution Day in Ukraine in Kyiv on Wednesday. Poroshenko recalled that last year he proposed to Rada to amend the Constitution of Ukraine for judicial reform and the parliament approved this. He said that recently the tender to select judges to the Supreme Court would be finished, and the new procedural rules are to be passed. "The tender is at the final stage, but it requires new procedural rules. I hope that in the near future the Verkhovna Rada would pass relevant bills and we will receive the full reloading of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, which would secure independence and impartiality of law," Poroshenko said. HOLYOKE -- PeoplesBank hopes it can save the old Judge John Hildreth house that forms part of the shuttered Yankee Pedlar restaurant, or at least the building's facade. If the plan turns out to be economically feasible, PeoplesBank would convert the Hildreth House into space for community meetings, said Matthew Bannister, first vice president for marketing and innovation at PeoplesBank. The Hildreth House, built in 1875, is the center of the rambling restaurant and banquet complex. It served as the main entrance to the Yankee Pedlar. The Pedlar, located on a prominent spot on Northampton Street (Route 5) and Beech Street, was for decades a popular Holyoke gathering spot for proms, parties and festivities associated with the St. Patrick's Parade and Road Race. If the bank is able to save Hildreth House or parts of it, the structure would be connected to the new financial services center via a structure where memorabilia would be displayed, Bannister said Wednesday. In response, the local group Save the Yankee Pedlar gathered Wednesday afternoon to take a picture at the entrance and celebrate. "It sounds like they are going to try their best to preserve it," said Sandy Parent, a lifelong resident of Paper City and a member of Save the Yankee Pedlar. Bannister said PeoplesBank has made presentations to the Holyoke Historical Commission and made a preservation application to the Massachusetts Historical Commission. He expects to hear back from the state with feedback on the project by the end of July. In April, Holyoke-based PeoplesBank announced plans to buy the Yankee Pedlar and its entire 2-acre site from the Clayton family. At the time the plan was to demolish the restaurant complex but to preserve many of its fixtures in the new financial services center. The parties signed a purchase and sale agreement covering all buildings on the property. A 120-day period of due diligence before the sale is final will be up at the end of July. "So, we need to hear back from the Mass Historical Commission and complete our due diligence phase. But as of now, we are optimistic that we'll be able to proceed with our vision, keep the community happy, and serve the needs of our customers," Bannister wrote in an email. The Clayton family, led by Marty Clayton, bought the restaurant in 1995 and ran it before closing it intermittently over the past four years and then closing for good in December. PeoplesBank said the new financial services center will include offices for investment advisers, six to 10 teller lines and two drive-thru lanes. It will feature the latest technology, including video teller machines allowing users to interact remotely with an employee. The video teller machines allow the bank to offer more services over longer hours. The new center would replace two nearby branch offices in the Elmwood and Highland neighborhoods that are more than 40 years old. In a historical twist, Hildreth, who died in 1942, was once president and treasurer of the bank that would become PeoplesBank. And now his home might become a PeoplesBank. SPRINGFIELD - A developer is planning to build a new Racing Mart gas station and convenience store at Taylor and Armory streets as part of $3.5 million investment that includes tearing down the closed F.L. Roberts Sunoco station there. The City Council unanimously approved a special permit for the gas station, store and drive-up service window at 487 Taylor St. Several city councilors praised the developer, Johnny Kayrouz of Armory Street Holdings LLC, saying that two of his other Racing Mart businesses in Springfield are neighborhood assets and well-run. One of the businesses is at Carew and Armory streets and the other is on Sumner Avenue. Ward 2 Councilor Michael Fenton said the station on Carew Street, when first proposed, triggered some apprehension but "has really revitalized that corner." "It was a wonderful job, and I thank the developer for his commitment to the community," Fenton said, noting the station has been clean and well-secured. "I have every reason to believe he will continue to do the same." Ward 6 Councilor Kenneth Shea and At-Large Councilor Kateri Walsh praised the Sumner Avenue location as clean, well-lit and friendly. At-Large Councilor Bud L. Williams said there is "no better developer in the commonwealth. When Johnny says he is going to do something, he's going to do it." There was no public opposition. A 7,250-square-foot retail building will be constructed along with new gas pumping stations fronting Armory Street, similar to the current layout, according to the Planning Department's review. The drive-up lane will wrap around the rear of the new building, the plans show. Thomas Rooke, a Springfield lawyer representing the business, said Kayrouz owns approximately 25 gas stations in Massachusetts. Rooke said demolition is hoped to start within 30 days, and Kayrouz has purchased three properties to the rear of the station off Federal Street serving as a buffer. Two of the properties purchased were troubled, blighted houses, already torn down by Kayrouz, and there is also a vacant lot, he said. Kayrouz is planning approximately 45 security cameras inside and outside the building, Rooke said. Kayrouz is expected to have between 25 and 30 employees at the new business, with most of them likely to be Springfield residents, Rooke said. The council vote was unanimous in favor of the special permit, with Councilor Timothy Rooke disclosing beforehand for the record that he is Thomas Rooke's brother. Councilor Adam Gomez said he is pleased with the features including the purchase of residential properties abutting the site and the security cameras. "I'd like to think he is a friendly developer," Gomez said. SPRINGFIELD -- Timothy Ring told a Hampden Superior Court judge Wednesday, "All I need is a chance to prove that I can change." Ring, 32, of Springfield, told Judge Mark D. Mason he is not a bad person. Mason said he agreed with Assistant District Attorney Mary A. Sandstrom's assessment of Ring as a danger. "You are a danger to the public. You're dangerous," Mason said. Ring admitted to two armed robberies, one in Springfield and one in East Longmeadow. He is already serving a sentence for another armed robbery in Enfield, Connecticut. Mason sentenced Ring to seven years in state prison plus five years probation. He said that sentence can run concurrently with the four-year sentence he got for the Enfield robbery. Defense lawyer Nicholas J. Raring said Ring's Connecticut sentence was scheduled to end at the latest in spring 2019. Ring, who told Mason he has post-traumatic stress disorder and is bipolar, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and larceny under $250 for a Jan. 16, 2013, incident at a Sunoco gas station at 1313 Boston Road in Springfield. He went in and pointed a knife at the clerk, who turned over $100. Surveillance video showed him running west and police found discarded clothing -- the same clothing worn by the robber in the video -- behind a store. DNA testing on the sweatshirt eventually led to a match with Ring, Sandstrom said. Ring also admitted to a count of armed robbery for a Feb. 24, 2015, incident at the at Mobile station at 13 North Main St. in East Longmeadow. The sentence on that case will run concurrently with the sentence on the Springfield robbery and the Enfield robbery. Sandstrom said Ring went into the store and showed the clerk a black pistol, which may have been a BB gun. The clerk opened the cash register and Ring took $431. It was on March 8, 2015, that there was a robbery in Enfield. Ring, when interviewed by police there, told them about the robbery in East Longmeadow. Sandstrom asked Mason to sentence Ring to nine to 13 years plus five years probation. Raring asked for a sentence of two to three years plus five years probation. Sandstrom said the sentence she requested "is necessary to stop Mr. Ring on the life path he has chosen." She said he had a long record before the robberies including assault and battery, larceny, violations of abuse prevention orders and violations of probation. "This has been his life," she said. "At this point in time Mr. Ring is very much a danger to the community." "Life happens to all of us," she said. "That does not give us free reign to terrorize other members of this community again and again." Raring said Sandstrom's sentence recommendation assumes "this is a person that's beyond redemption." He said that is not true of Ring, who has had 836 days in jail to think about what he had to change in the future. Ring told Mason when he leaves prison he wants to get into a residential treatment program. At one point, before Mason announced his sentence, the lawyers spoke privately with Mason at the side of the bench. An updated story with photos and video was published at 9:19 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2017: 'The program works' says judge as 4 graduate from veterans treatment court in Holyoke (photos, video) HOLYOKE -- The first four graduates of the Western Massachusetts Veterans Treatment Court were honored Wednesday for their commitment to the 18-month program at a ceremony at Holyoke District Court. "You can see the evidence that the program works," said Judge Laurie MacLeod, presiding judge of the veterans court. The graduates were Johanna Montalvo, Anthony Dauphinais, Robert Motley and Kenneth Martin, MacLeod said. Completing the program means they stayed free of drugs and alcohol, avoided criminal offenses and stuck to treatment programs. The goal of the program is to reintegrate veterans who have committed crimes and misdemeanors by honoring their military service with an effort to try helping them instead of locking them in a cell. The veterans treatment court here began operating in November 2015 and is one of five in the state. Check back with The Republican and MassLive.com for additional news, photos and video about the veterans treatment court graduation. The 23-year-old mother of an almost 4-month-old boy who died after authorities say she left him alone inside a Lynn homeless shelter is now facing charges nearly two years later. An Essex County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Laci Kirk, also known as Laci Brand, this week charging her with reckless endangerment of a child. Authorities are still searching for Kirk and do not know her whereabouts, the Essex County District Attorney's Office said. Investigators said Kirk was living with her son, Charles Brand III, at the Independence House, a shelter in Lynn, in September 2015. On Sept. 26, 2015, Kirk spent most of the day at the shelter with a friend as they talked, listened to music and drank, officials said. "During this time, her infant was left largely unattended in a cluttered portable crib filled with multiple blankets, an adult bathrobe and a stuffed animal," the district attorney's office said. "In the early evening hours, Kirk went to check on the child and found him unresponsive with a small amount of blood coming from his nose." The boy was rushed to North Shore Medical Center then to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Responding officers reported that Kirk was unsteady on her feet, had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. The state medical examiner concluded the infant died of natural causes, but authorities claim Kirk "engaged in a pattern of wanton and reckless conduct, leaving her child unattended for several hours at a time throughout his short life, prompting staff at the shelter to file a report with the Department of Children and Families." The state was working on putting services in place for the infant at the time of his death. A hacker attack at corporate and government networks recorded on Tuesday, June 27, has been stopped. The situation is under full control of cyber security specialists, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has reported. "All strategic enterprises, including those providing for state security, are operating as usual," the press service of the government reported on Wednesday. The press service said that now cyber security specialists are working on restoration of lost data. On June 27, specialists of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine asked all pivotal infrastructure entities, especially the public sector institutions, to provide for cyber security of IT systems and published recommendations how to prevent the attacks. Earlier on June 27 The National Police of Ukraine have received 22 reports about interference with the operation of personal computers. NORTHAMPTON -- When Wendy Mazza retires as city clerk this week, she'll take 46 years of knowledge and experience with her. Mazza first won the elected post in 2004 after a three-way sticker campaign, but started working in the office in 1971 at the age of 20 -- learning to deal with issues ranging from dog licenses to municipal elections under then-City Clerk James Faulkner. Now 65, Mazza is stepping down six months before the end of her term, citing personal reasons. While Thursday is her last official day, she said she'll show up Friday to finish the week. "I didn't want a party," she said. "Please, no!" Mazza said she'll take it easy over the summer, perhaps find some part-time work, and in 2019 will possibly launch a bid for the Ward 7 City Council seat now held by Alisa Klein. The City Council must now appoint an interim city clerk, and voters will choose Mazza's successor in November. Pamela Powers and Robert Driscoll have announced their candidacy for the busy office -- which provides documents to the public and press, keeps records, posts meetings in compliance with state law, administers many licenses, runs elections and serves as the first-line face of local government. Assistant City Clerk Amy Zielenski won't be able to run because she is not a Northampton resident. "The tradition will be broken," said Mazza. "In years past, the assistant clerk would put her name forward." She offered words of praise for her staff, saying they are hard-working and well-trained. "There is a lot to learn when you first start out here," she said. Mazza said the highlight of her career came when the Supreme Judicial Court ruled on the legality of same-sex marriage in 2004, "even though Governor Romney was totally against it." Hundreds of couples streamed into her office, and she and her staff processed the paperwork, including "intention to marry" forms and marriage licenses. "It was wonderful to see," she said. "There was a real party in the parking lot. And it was non-stressful, because we had planned in advance, and had everything in good order. It all went smoothly." She said the hardest part of the job is running elections, "a huge process." Anything other than complete accuracy is not an option: Candidates must be certified, ballots printed, voting machines checked and properly deployed, the polls must be staffed and lines of communication established. It's an election night tradition in Northampton for candidates, their supporters and the press to gather at City Hall, where the city clerk keeps a running tally of real-time, unofficial results as they are reported from the seven wards. Asked what kind of advice she would give to the next city clerk, Mazza demurred. "I'm not much of one to give advice," she said. "But I will say this: Remember you're here because the voters put you here. They are your boss. If you treat them with respect, you will get respect back." Registered voters who are interested in filling the city clerk vacancy may send a letter of interest to Maureen Carney, Committee on City Services Chair, 210 Main St., Room 3 or via e-mail at citycouncil@northamptonma.gov. The City Council City Services Committee will interview candidates on July 10 at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The City Council will meet July 13 at 7 p.m. to elect a replacement. The interim clerk's term will begin on or before Aug. 1 and will last until January, when the post is filled by the winning candidate of the November election. Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com This story has been updated to reflect that a decision by the state's highest court, not an act of Legislature, legalized same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. SPRINGFIELD - The long vacant an blighted building on Berkeley Street in the McKnight neighborhood was being demolished Wednesday by court order after being declared a public safety hazard by the city. Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield was hired by the city for the demolition task and for the removal of the asbestos-contaminated waste at the site at 43-45 Berkeley St., the city announced. Environmental monitors were slated to be at the site throughout the demolition work and removal of the debris. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the latest demolition continues the city's "fight against blight" in neighborhoods. Last Wednesday, the city similarly demolished a long-blighted house at 151 Cedar St., in Sixteen Acres, also with a court order from the Western Division Housing Court. The asbestos abatement and demolition at 43-45 Berkeley St., cost $58,450, from the city's demolition bond funds. The city expects to place a lien on the property to offset some of the costs. The Berkeley Street property was declared structurally unsound and a public safety threat by the city's Building Department. Typically, asbestos abatement occurs prior to demolition, but the state Department of Environmental Protection allowed for demolition to occur with monitored removal of the asbestos-contaminated waste materials, city officials said. SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield man is being held on $50,000 bail after allegedly raping a young girl and then apologizing to her mother by text. "I'm so sorry. I don't want to go to jail," Juan A. Robles, 31, wrote to the victim's mother after she had taken her child to Mercy Medical Center, according to the arrest report. "Yes, I did touch her. It happened ... ," he added. Robles, a construction worker, pleaded not guilty Monday in Springfield District Court to one count of rape of a child with force. The alleged assault took place on June 23 at a Foster Street home shared by the victim, her four siblings, her mother and grandmother, the report states. After the mother left to run errands, Robles arrived and took the child into the basement. One of her sisters went to the basement and saw the victim on her knees, with Robles on his knees behind her, "moving back and forth," the report said. The sister alerted the grandmother, but Robles and the victim had come back upstairs by then. After Robles left, the sister told the grandmother what she had seen, and the victim told her mother when she arrived home, the report said. While the victim was at the hospital, Robles began sending incriminating texts to the mother, admitting to touching the girl, but denying penetration, according to the report written by Springfield Police Detective Denise Matthews. He was arrested later that night and held over the weekend for arraignment Monday. Assistant District Attorney Jill O'Connor asked for $50,000 bail and an order requiring Robles to stay away from the victim. Robles' court-appointed lawyer opposed the cash bail request, saying her client had only recently resumed working in construction after suffering a serious spinal injury. Judge Mark Pasquariello set bail at $50,000 and approved the stay-away order. Robles is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on July 26. SPRINGFIELD -- With the grand opening of Union Station just celebrated, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has urged the state House Ways and Means Committee to support a feasibility study of Springfield-to-Boston high-speed passenger rail service. Sarno filed the letter Tuesday with state Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, supporting a proposal to add the cost of the feasibility study to the state budget. State Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, is sponsor of the Senate amendment. "Though this feasibility study is a good first step in addressing this issue, I would also encourage this study to go a step further and take a look at what can realistically be accomplished to enhance transportation options from Boston to Springfield; from high-speed to commuter rail to bus travel and all modes of transportation," Sarno said, in the letter. Gov. Charlie Baker had vetoed a similar proposal for a feasibility study last year, then recommending a working group that would review transportation options as a whole. Lesser has garnered support from various legislators as he rallies for passage of the rail study in the fiscal 2018 state budget. Sarno, within his letter, said the keys to the study are to quantify the cost of high-speed rail and where the funding would come from and to evaluate the cost and economic development benefits of one-hour travel between Springfield and Boston. The grand opening of Union Station followed a $94 million rehabilitation project after the facility was closed for four decades. Massachusetts State Police are asking for the public's help locating Kyrie Taylor, a toddler who was allegedly kidnapped after his mother was assaulted by his father, Rosba Taylor. Taylor is the suspect in an alleged Plymouth domestic assault that took place this morning, State Police told MassLive. At about 8:50, he alleged assaulted Kyrie's mother at the Algonquin Terrace home. Taylor is estranged from her and has no child custody rights, police wrote. Troopers are searching for a dark green Jeep Cherokee with a broken windshield, State Police wrote on Twitter. Kyrie, a 3-year-old boy, is believed to be in the car and is possibly endangered, police wrote. Kyrie Taylor is black, about two-and-a-half feet tall and 35 to 40 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes, police said. He was wearing a blue tee shirt, red and black shorts and gray and green sneakers when he was allegedly kidnapped. Rosba Taylor, 25, is 5 feet 8 inches tall, black, and weighs 170 to 180 pounds with short hair and a full beard, police wrote. He has tattoos on both cheeks, his wrists, his right ear and his forearm, and was wearing a gray tee shirt, blue jeans and black Nike sneakers at the time of the alleged assault. Police are asking anyone who sees a vehicle matching that description to call 911. Police have not released a photo of the car or its license plate number, but it may have Cape Cod specialty plates. Taylor may be driving the Jeep to Lynn, where he has connections, but his travel route is not definitively known, police said. He may also be armed. SPRINGFIELD - Springfield City Councilor Tim Allen announced on Tuesday night that he will run for re-election to a fifth term representing Ward 7. "Politics is about people, the things you do for people. The service. That's why I'm in it," said Allen during a fundraiser at Nathan Bill's Bar & Restaurant on Island Pond Road. "I want people to believe that there are elected officials who have their best interest in mind." Allen touted his work to make Pope Francis High School a reality. When it opens next year, the regional Catholic school will replace the tornado-devastated Cathedral High School and the Holyoke Catholic High School in Chicopee. Backers of the project rejoiced when Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski decided to build the new school on the grounds of Cathedral on Surrey Road in East Forest Park. At the time, Allen said he was "extremely pleased" and the neighborhood was "thrilled." He supported a $650,000 improvement project to create the Gunnery Sergeant Thomas J. Sullivan Park on South Branch Parkway, named in honor of a Springfield native killed in a 2015 mass shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The park is scheduled to open in September. Allen backed an ordinance regulating pawn shops in the city and continues to fight Palmer Renewable Energy's plans for a biomass plant in East Springfield. "There's a lot that's happened in Ward 7, not to mention what's happening in our city overall," he said before offering praise of the newly reopened Union Station on Lyman Street. Allen said many people have lost faith in government, but bringing people together and getting to work is critical to democracy. "I just want to be someone who does it right, looks at both sides of the issue, keeps a good relationship with everybody in all walks of life. We go there and do our job. Try to make our city stronger," he said. Allen spoke while heavy rain pounded the Nathan Bill's patio and his guests huddled under umbrellas. He was introduced by his daughter-in-law, Nikcole Allen, who said he spends his free time with his family, taking his grandchildren on adventures in Springfield. Allen hold a master's degree in business administration from Western New England College. Before retiring at age 57, he worked as a second vice president at MassMutual. He was first elected to the City Council in 2009. To date, Allen is running unopposed. The deadline for taking out nomination papers is July 28 at 5 p.m., and all papers must be submitted by Aug. 1 at 5 p.m. The candidates must have at least 100 valid signatures of voters to qualify for the fall ballot. WEST SPRINGFIELD -- An alleged drug dealer was arrested after an investigation that culminated in the search of his car and apartment and the seizure of heroin and crack cocaine, according to West Springfield police. Jose A. Rosa, of 456 Cold Spring Ave., was charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, heroin possession, crack possession, and driving with a suspended license. Rosa also had two court warrants, police said. The incident began with a vehicle stop by police outside Rosa's home at the Wentworth Estates off Memorial Avenue near the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds. That led to a search of his car and apartment by members of the West Springfield Police Department's Narcotics Unit and the FBI's Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force. Authorities said they recovered 61 bags of heroin stamped "twenty-four seven," 58 individually packaged "hits" of crack cocaine totaling 13.5 grams, and packaging materials and other items commonly used in the distribution and sale of illegal narcotics, police said. Rosa was expected to be arraigned on the charges in Springfield District Court. The outcome of that hearing was not immediately known. By ANDY METZGER | State House News Service BOSTON -- Hampden County Probate and Family Court First Justice Barbara Hyland runs her courtroom as a "tight ship," and on Wednesday an admonishment she made more than a year ago to two lawyers in a divorce-related proceeding threatened the judicial nomination of attorney Ellen Randle. During the proceeding, Hyland ordered Randle and her co-counsel, Kelly Koch, not to shake their heads while their client was on the stand during a contempt hearing. "Counsel I don't want to see another shaking head. Not from you, attorney Koch, not from you attorney Randle. When these questions are asked, no shaking of heads. Inappropriate. Totally inappropriate. Totally inappropriate," Hyland said, according to a recording. The judge said, "You were both shaking your heads." Randle was nominated by Gov. Charlie Baker to serve on the family court in Hampden County, and both Hyland and Koch supported her nomination on Wednesday during a confirmation hearing before the Governor's Council, which is an eight-member elected body that vets and votes on judicial nominees. Randle told the council the challenges she has experienced in her own life provided life skills that would help her help families from the bench. The daughter of a Congregational minister and stay-at-home mother, Randle was born in Vermont and raised in New Hampshire. Randle said her father died when she was 11 and he was 40. Randle said her mother had a major influence on her, describing her mother as an "amazing woman" who, when her husband died, "was left with no money, no house and four children the youngest of whom was six." "My mother is the strongest woman I know. She not only lost her husband at a young age, but she buried two daughters and she's had to watch my sole surviving sister struggle with declining health,"Randle said. Randle herself lost her husband to cancer, she said, leaving her to care for their children as a single mother. "I believe that these life experiences have made me tougher, more compassionate and highly skilled at multitasking," Randle said. She said that would help her respond to the needs of children and families in Hampden County. Randle studied political science and history at Tufts University, earning her degree in 1980, and then received a law degree from Boston College Law School. Randle worked on domestic relations for Greater Boston Legal Services and clerked for the late federal Judge Andrew Caffrey. For more than 30 years, Randle has worked for Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, becoming partner in 1991. She said becoming a judge would allow her to fulfill her career goal of serving the public. In advance of Randle's confirmation hearing, Councilor Marilyn Devaney wrote to Baker, alleging that a recording of Judge Hyland's admonishment shows that Randle was "signaling" to her client on the witness stand. Devaney asked Baker to withdraw Randle's nomination. Lon Povich, Baker's legal counsel, wrote back to Devaney on Wednesday that he had reviewed the matter with the governor and he would not withdraw Randle's nomination. For two hours before Randle formally introduced herself, the council hashed out the circumstances of Hyland's reprimand. Testifying under oath, Koch said that the movement of her head was "was rooted in incredulity with respect to the line of questioning," and she would never seek to signal to a witness how to answer a question. Koch also said that Randle was "very sick" at the time and was not as involved as herself in the proceeding. "My courtroom is run very tightly. It's a tight ship," Hyland told councilors. She said she will admonish attorneys sometimes for rolling their eyes, shaking their head or nodding, and she said that if she believed an attorney was signaling to a witness she would report that person to the Board of Bar Overseers -- which she said she has never done. The husband in the divorce case emailed members of the Governor's Council on Tuesday morning with a snippet of audio where Hyland can be heard accusing Randle and Koch of shaking their heads and later telling Koch, "Don't give me the face either." During the confirmation hearing, Patrick McCabe, co-chairman of the Fatherhood Coalition, played the recording for the benefit of everyone present. An advocate for father's rights to custody of their children in divorce cases, McCabe later said that he was generally satisfied with Randle's views on shared parenting. Councilor Robert Jubinville, a criminal defense attorney, said that his interpretation of the audio was that Hyland believed the lawyers were trying to send a message with their head motions. "You were chastising two lawyers for signaling a witness on the stand," Jubinville told Hyland, who did not agree. Councilor Terrence Kennedy, who is also a criminal defense attorney, took a different view after hearing Koch's account. He said that he didn't want to reduce Randle's three-decade career into a "sound bite." "When I first heard it I was very concerned about it," Kennedy said about the recording. Kennedy said he would vote in favor of Randle's nomination and said that Councilor Mary Hurley, a former judge, had been a strong advocate for her nomination, which he said "carries a lot of weight with me." A vote on the nominee could take place at the council's next assembly. LUDLOW -- The Hampden County Sheriff's Department has received a $188,837 state grant to treat inmates suffering from addiction, not jail them. "Diversion into treatment and recovery is the way to go," Sheriff Nick Cocchi said Tuesday. "I appreciate this funding in support of our efforts here in Hampden County." The competitive grant is part of $2.3 million in funding from Gov. Charlie Baker's administration to help law enforcement and criminal justice agencies strengthen efforts to combat heroin and opioid abuse statewide. The Hampden County Sheriff's Department will use the grant to get substance-abuse treatment for inmates, rather than simply locking them up, according to Cocchi. "This funding will prevent many individuals suffering from substance use from coming to jail by diverting them into intensive treatment, thus avoiding costly jail time," he said. "This will save lives and allow these individuals to get on track to being successful, productive members of our communities." Massachusetts saw yet another spike in opioid-related deaths in 2016, when the number of confirmed fatalities rose to 1,933, according to the state Department of Public Health. That number represents a 17 percent increase over the 1,651 confirmed deaths in 2015, and is 42 percent higher than the 1,361 deaths recorded in 2014. Physicists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have created the brightest light ever produced on Earth, and it could be the first step towards more powerful X-ray technology. The researchers focused their Diocles Laser to a brightness a billion times that of the surface of the Sun, and found that at that extreme level, the fundamental physics of how light enables vision begin to change. Michael Irving Full Story: http://newatlas.com/billion-sun-brightness-laser-xray/50220/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=0038f2b379-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-0038f2b379-92465361 Paul Manafort who chaired Donald Trumps presidential campaign has confirmed receiving $17 million from the Party of Regions in 2012-2013, BBC has reported. "Manafort disclosed the total payments his firm received between 2012 and 2014 in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing late Tuesday that was submitted to the U.S. Justice Department," Washington Post reported. The consulting firm of the former chair of Trumps presidential campaign had to register as a foreign agent to consult the Ukrainian party. Deliberately failing to file as a foreign agent may result in a felony criminal charge. The disclosures show much of the work Manafort focused on the Party of Regions in 20120213: implementing election campaign strategies, developing its party platform and conducting international election monitoring. The filing shows that the firm signed the contract with acting Head of the Party of Regions Volodymyr Rybak, who was Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Speaker in 2012-2014. The disclosures say that the cooperation of the Manafort's company and the Party of Region focused on "decentralization of power with the transmission of powers to the regions as much as possible, the building of a western-type political party and the transformation of Ukraine into the most attractive country for investment in the region." The firm received $17 million from the Ukrainian party. The firm spent nearly $4 million to advance the partys interests through polling and local salaries in Ukraine, including $2.1 million for travel. Le conseil dAdministration sest reuni ce matin et a nomme unanimement M. Frantz Merven pour remplacer M. Jean Michel Giraud demissionnaire. M. Anil Kumar Ramnarain na pas souhaite donner suite a son eventuelle designation comme President et a soumis sa demission comme Administrateur du Club. M. Paul France Tennant, etant lAdministrateur avec le mandat le plus ancien, assumera la Presidence jusqua la prochaine Assemblee Generale. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires The Council of European Union on Wednesday completed the written procedure started on June 26, as a result of which the extension by six months of the sectoral, economic measures against Russia over the situation in eastern Ukraine was approved. The European Union continues to link the future of these sanctions to the implementation by the Russian side of the Minsk Agreements, a European diplomatic source told Interfax. "This decision follows an update from President Macron and Chancellor Merkel to the European Council of 22-23 June 2017 on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. This paved the way for the renewal of sanctions for a further six months," the Council of European Union said in an official communique. "The Council formalized this decision today by written procedure and, in line with the rule for all such decisions, unanimously," the document said. Ukrainian MP from Petro Poroshenko Bloc and head of the subcommittee for public IT systems security of the parliamentary committee for national security and defense Iryna Friz has said that the detention of a Russian serviceman is important evidence of Russias direct participation in the war in Donbas. I congratulate the entire 93rd brigade with the detention of Russian contract serviceman Viktor Ageyev on the territory of Luhansk region with the full set of evidences that he took part in hostilities against Ukraine. Russian servicemen bravely hide behind the shoulders of local residents and Russian private military contractors and these detentions are important evidence of Russias direct participation in the war in Donbas, Friz wrote on her Facebook page. The fact that Ageyev signed the contract in March 2017 is evidence of blatant violation of Minsk agreements, the lawmaker said. This is important to show the lying policy of the Kremlin to global society. Urging other sides to observe Minsk agreements they continue sending their armed forces to eastern Ukraine. The N.C. Department of Commerces Main Street & Rural Planning Center announced Tuesday that 39 North Carolina communities, including Marion, have achieved accreditation from the National Main Street Center. And the Marion Business Association has been designated as an accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its coordinating program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach, according to a news release. It is a great honor to recognize this years 828 nationally Accredited Main Street America programs for their outstanding work to transform downtown and neighborhood commercial districts, says Patrice Frey, president & CEO of the National Main Street Center. Main Streets are the heart of our communities, and the work they do to create quality public spaces, catalyze local entrepreneurship, and support downtown housing is more important than ever. Across the country, Main Street America programs truly strengthen the economic, social, and cultural fabric of their entire communities. MBA Director Freddie Killough said the Main Street Four Point Approach includes organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring. As a unique economic development tool, the Main Street Four-Point Approach is the foundation for local initiatives to revitalize their districts by leveraging local assetsfrom cultural or architectural heritage to local enterprises and community pride, reads a statement from the national program. The four points of the Main Street approach work together to build a sustainable and complete community revitalization effort. The local organizations performance is annually evaluated by N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Centerwhich works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings. Since 1988, the Marion Business Association has established many partnerships in the community. Economic development project partners are the city of Marion, McDowell Chamber of Commerce, the McDowell Tourism Development Authority, McDowell Economic Development Association and McDowell County. Promotion partners are the city of Marion, MACA, Corpening YMCA, McDowell County Library and the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service just to name a few. It is the dedicated volunteers serving on the Board of Directors and Committees that is the heart of Marion Business Association, reads a news release from the MBA. The Marion Business Association wishes to publicly thank the city of Marion for its continued support. Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,000 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $71.35 billion in new public and private investment, generated 583,869 net new jobs and 131,974 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 267,800 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These communities achieved this accreditation for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. The North Carolina Main Street communities that have earned accreditation for their 2016 performance are Belmont, Boone, Brevard, Cherryville, Clinton, Concord, Eden, Edenton, Elkin, Garner, Goldsboro, Hendersonville, Hickory, Kings Mountain, Lenoir, Lexington, Lumberton, Marion, Monroe, Morganton, North Wilkesboro, Roanoke Rapids, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Rutherfordton, Salisbury, Sanford, Shelby, Smithfield, Spruce Pine, Statesville, Sylva, Tryon, Valdese, Wake Forest, Waxhaw, Waynesville, Williamston and Wilson. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs, which have demonstrated best practices in community revitalization through the Main Street Four Point Approach, according to a news release. Strong, thriving main streets are a key in ensuring strong communities, especially in rural parts of the state, said Anthony M. Copeland, secretary of the N.C. Department of Commerce. Were proud that our Main Street communities have been recognized on a national level for their achievements. These local programs assist communities in bringing jobs and businesses to their downtowns, which helps overall communities enjoy a healthier, more robust economy. North Carolina is one of the original states to administer the National Main Street Program. The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center evaluates each of the states local Main Street organizations annually to identify those programs that meet 10 performance standards. Those communities meeting the standards understand that downtown economic development requires a comprehensive approach, which is the basis for the National Main Street Program, said Liz Parham, director of the North Carolina Main Street Center. Were proud of the accomplishments of the 39 North Carolina communities that have achieved national accreditation. The performance standards set the benchmarks for measuring an individual Main Street communitys application of the Main Street Four Point Approach to commercial district revitalization. Evaluation criteria determine the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings. More information is available at National Main Street Accreditation. SBU col killed, three persons injured in car blast near Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region A car exploded near Kostiantynivka (Donetsk region) killing a colonel of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and injuring three persons, the press center of the SBU has reported. SBU Col. Yuriy Vozny has been killed in the line of duty in Kostiantynivka district of Donetsk region. The preliminary cause of the death is a car explosion. Three persons are staying in a hospital with injuries of varying severity, the press center said on Wednesday. The press center said that the military prosecutors office is investigating into the accident. Yuriy Vozny is the 23rd SBU officer who laid down his life protecting our country, the SBU said. Petya ransomware has reached certain large companies in Belarus, the country's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. "Traces of a new virus attacking Europe, the United States, and Asia were detected in Belarusian computer networks. The 'K' department said that representatives of certain large Belarusian companies have already reported [it] to the police," the Interior Ministry said. The ministry did not disclose the names of the companies. Fraudsters' goal is to block valuable information, viruses primarily threaten financial and accounting departments, it said. Infected files are being sent under the pretense of CVs, financial reports, other incoming documents or disguised as archives containing documents. In fact, the virus is an .EXE file, which renders the operating system impossible to run after opening it. Major achievements are something that most of us strive for in our lives. We celebrate our successes with our peers, talk about them with our friends, and instill their value in our children. Share on Pinterest How do female doctors today view success? Whether it is being awarded a prize for professional achievements or stepping back from an active career and spending more time with family, success is both a very personal concept and, at the same time, often very public. There is no easy recipe to follow. For physicians, the definition of success varies just as widely. In a recent series of articles, Medical News Today explored the lives and achievements of five historical female role models who left a lasting impression on modern medicine. From mental healthcare reformer Dorothea Dix to Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in the United States, these historic figures paved the way for todays female physicians. From Rosalind Franklins trail-blazing molecular biology career and Virginia Apgars championing of newborns, to Olga Jonassons iconic success in surgery, each comes with a unique success story. Yet each has been described as tenacious, dedicated, curious, and ingenious, perhaps hinting at their recipe for success. Can their stories inspire todays female physicians to empower their own success? Perhaps the concept of success in todays world is more complex and goes beyond being recognized for breaking down barriers or pushing boundaries. In that case, are role models still relevant? And is finding personal fulfillment at the heart of success for todays physicians? MNT spoke to female physicians at different stages of their careers to find out. The biggest threats to success In a recent Viewpoint article in JAMA Internal Medicine, two doctors shared their views on how medicine has changed over the years and what role models meant to them. Lara Goitein, M.D., is a pulmonologist in New Mexico, and her mother Marcia Angell, M.D., is corresponding member of the Faculty of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, and former editor-in-chief of The New England Medical Journal. Dr. Goitein told MNT that she felt that female physicians were certain to encounter unique challenges, such as sexism in the workplace, societal expectations that they shoulder a disproportionate share of household responsibilities despite their careers, and of course, the glass ceiling. To her, however, the biggest challenge for young physicians isnt gender specific. It is the burnout engendered by the high-volume, regulatory, financially oriented environment of healthcare today. So can role models help? Role models and mentors can be incredibly important in helping young physicians fend off burnout and combat the underlying challenges. Lara Goitein, M.D. Dr. Goitein added that mentors help young physicians by reminding them that the core of medicine is helping people in desperate need and that that remains deeply worthwhile; by encouraging them to hold on to their integrity; and by teaching them to take the lead in directing the course of the profession. Role models from every walk of life Whereas Dr. Angells own mother was a housewife and maintained the opinion that medical school was for men, Dr. Goitein clearly saw her mother as a role model. In fact, Dr. Goitein told MNT that she has had innumerable role models throughout her career, from every walk of life and stratum of medicine including my patients. I remember the patient who taught me that life is beautiful and short, and never to waste time, Dr. Goitein said. I remember the senior resident who had me and the other interns conduct morning rounds in Haiku to teach us to focus on the central issue in a patients course, and who insisted that everyone speak in whispers during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation to demonstrate that it could be done calmly and without chaos. Has Dr. Goiteins view of what success means to her changed over time? My definition of professional success has not changed: it is helping people who are sick, she told MNT. The ways in which I try to accomplish this have changed over time, but the heart of the matter never changes, and that enduring focus is what I love about the profession of medicine. Her definition of personal success has, however, changed over time; she now describes it as combining doing something important for society with taking the time to notice and revel in family, beauty, and the existential pleasures of life. Early career years Michelle Dorwart, M.D. a recently graduated family physician in Vermont told MNT that she had crossed paths with a lot of wonderful role models, including many successful female physicians. But there is one particular person who she strives to emulate. Dr. Stephanie Van Dyke, a former classmate of Dr. Dorwart, was a family physician until her passing earlier this year, at age 40. Dr. Dorwart described her friend as without an ounce of hyperbole, the most generous and selfless and persistent person I have ever met. While in medical school, she founded Engeye, a clinic in rural Uganda, which now serves more than 13,000 patients per year. Everywhere she went, she brought a sense of passion. To Dr. Dorwart, the biggest challenge for young physicians is to maintain the humanitarian drive that led many of us into medicine in the face of packed schedule, piles of papers to sift through, and people pulling us in all directions. She added that it can be daunting and exhausting to be emotionally present for each person, when time is short and duties are plentiful. So what is her strategy? I try to approach each person I encounter with kindness and calm, though I must admit that I am more successful on some days than others, she said. This attitude is reflected in her personal definition of success, which is in the constant striving for better, both for myself and for those around me, she told MNT. These sentiments are echoed by Rebecca MacDonell-Yilmaz, M.D., who is a pediatrician and currently a fellow in hospice and palliative medicine in Rhode Island. Personal success is being a supportive, loving wife and mother, working toward becoming the best physician possible, and caring for myself, she said. Dr. MacDonell-Yilmaz doesnt have one particular role model, which she attributes to the fact that being a mom, wife, and physician is no longer a rare thing. She added, I look up to all of the women who came before me, especially those who pursued medicine when female physicians were still a rarity. For Dr. MacDonell-Yilmaz, the biggest obstacle that new physicians face is finding the path that is right for them. Between the pressures of choosing a specialty and the right residency, aspiring physicians face a lot of judgment along the way. In her case, the choice was between obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. She worried how her peers would perceive her if she didnt become a surgeon or choose a residency with notoriously grueling hours. And even after I trusted my heart and chose pediatrics a choice I have never once regretted I struggled with which programs to rank at the top of my Match list, she explained. For Dr. McDonell-Yilmaz, finding a residency program with a culture that she was happy to be part of was the key to success. Beyond role models Sara Taylor, M.D. family physician in Alberta, Canada had a role model during her residency. [She] was a female physician who seemed to have a work-life balance and emanated a sense of enjoyment in her work as a physician. Yet Dr. Taylor added, Today, I would have a hard time narrowing down one role model as I believe I am leading the life as a physician that I want to lead. Although I admire many women in medicine, because of my varied interests professionally I dont see one person forging a path that I see for myself, she explained. Dr. Taylor told MNT that her perception of her professional success was dependent on how successful she felt in her personal life, but that she didnt feel that the reverse was true. For me, success is certainly not defined by either income or external rewards it is when I feel I am living purposefully aligned with my values, believe I am helping others, and feel surrounded by loving relationships. Sara Taylor, M.D. Finding ones own path, finding personal fulfillment in ones career and personal life, resisting the stresses of the medical profession, and helping patients, are all at the heart of success for these female physicians. Protein aggregates are the hallmark of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. New research, published in the journal PLOS Biology, examines a human enzyme that unravels these disruptive plaques. Share on Pinterest Abnormal protein buildups (shown here) are involved in a number of neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimers disease. Neurodegenerative diseases already affect millions of people in the United States. They tend to strike in middle to later life, and, because the population is starting to live longer, the number of cases is set to rise. By some estimates, in 30 years, there will be 12 million people in the U.S. living with a neurodegenerative condition. These diseases include Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Lou Gehrigs disease (or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and Huntingtons disease. Characterized by a slow deterioration of neurons, neurodegenerative conditions gradually degrade emotional, cognitive, and memory functions. Worryingly, none of these conditions have a cure. In general, treatment only focuses on addressing symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease. Consequently, many researchers are investigating potential ways to tackle them. Many neurodegenerative conditions are known to involve a buildup of amyloid-forming proteins. For instance, the brains of people with Alzheimers disease develop aggregates of tau proteins, and those of people with Parkinsons disease develop collections of alpha-synuclein. In short, amyloids are proteins that become abnormally folded , clump together, and form insoluble oligomers and fibrils. Amyloids, proline, and CyP40 The abnormal protein aggregations in neurodegenerative diseases all contain an amino acid called proline. This proteins unique structure causes the amino acid chains to bend, thereby stacking regions of the protein together and promoting the formation of amyloid. Recently, a team of scientists from the University of South Florida in Tampa investigated the potential of a human enzyme to interfere with the buildup of protein aggregates in neurodegenerative conditions. Led by professors Jeremy Baker, Laura Blair, and Chad Dickey, the researchers focused on the enzyme cyclophilin 40 (CyP40). During normal protein folding, CyP40 acts as a chaperone that is, it grabs and steers prolines to their destination, creating their distinct chain-bending formation and assisting in the development of amyloids. Specifically, prolines are found in so-called beta-turns, a hallmark of aggregates in many neurodegenerative conditions. Although CyP40 seems to be part of the problem, as with most enzymes, it can also work in reverse; it can unbend the proteins by undoing the beta-turns, thereby unfolding the aggregates. Using a mouse model of Alzheimers disease, the team found that CyP40 could reduce the buildup of aggregated tau, making it more soluble. This prevented the degeneration of neurons and reduced some of the negative cognitive consequences. Similarly, CyP40 broke down alpha-synuclein, the Parkinsons aggregate. Previous work has shown that this enzyme can break down aggregates in vitro, but these findings are the first time that CyP40 has been shown to disaggregate amyloid proteins in an animal model of neurodegenerative disease. To most, beer is a drinkyou enjoy it with a friend, or two. To a handpicked few, beer is a form of art, the making of which combines precision, technique and patience. What comes to fruition then is a product that supersedes most. And it's all the more special when it's one in a million. Enter Ishaan Puri, the man behind White Rhino Brewing Co.; a division of Himalayan Ales Private Limited. Puribrought up in Delhi and graduated from The British School, New Delhi in 2003is the CEO and Founder of White RhinoIndia's first and only homegrown bottled and brewed craft beerand this isn't just his story. It's the tale of how a good beer gets brewed and bottled. Because there's a whole process that goes into making a beer that creates a lasting impression on a drinker. WHite Rhino Coming back to India after six years, he realised his love for craft beer and the gap; potential for quality beer in the Indian market, and went to UK in 2011 for a six month Diploma course in Brewing from Brewlab in the U.K. When I came back to India after studying in the United States, I saw that there was very little by way of craft beer in the country, he starts. There were some imported beers, but they were often stale and expensive. A few brewpubs were producing good beer, but their reach was local. Puri understood that there was a deficit in the country's beer market. The craft beer industry was booming around the world, and I saw this as an opportunity to launch a craft brewery in India. And that's when White Rhino arose; from the need for better beer in India. We wanted to create a range of authentic, small batch, high-quality beers that would cater to a niche market. More than just building a brand, we are brewers and it's the quality of the beer that matters to us the most, explains Puri. WHite Rhino The brewing company was founded with the goal of bringing together the best ingredients, equipment and people to brew world class beer right here in the heart of India. The market's been flooded by mostly generic mass-market brands. The fact that the Indian beer scene needed a breath of fresh air from cheap, commercial lagers made me realise that here lay an immense opportunity to make a beer for India that would stand up to an international standard, he further adds. Existing breweries have either been too small to distribute or too large to focus on flavour. White Rhino built its brewery and packaging facility here in India to change that. It governs itself, as a brand based on clean, fresh and tasty beer that requires expertise, dedication and time. Their brewery is purchased from a company in San Diego that has manufactured equipment for the best craft breweries across the United States over the last 25 years. Their bottling and kegging lines are from another highly reputed manufacturer in the Czech Republic. White Rhino Craft brewing' is ultimately about producing beer that is unique, great tasting and worth your time and money. While the term is often misappropriated by opportunists and marketing professionals, the concept is quite simple: high quality ingredients, sound brewing practices and no shortcuts. White Rhino craft beers are brewed in small batches of 20 hecoliters (2000 liters), which goes a long way in ensuring freshness and offering variety to consumers. The ingredients used in the making are German malt, European and American hops, and authentic yeast strains that are specific to each style that is brewed. While mass market brands are known to use cheaper ingredients like sugar, maize, rice and corn syrup, along with enzymes and hop extracts, White Rhino beers are malt-based and natural, and any additional ingredients are purely for flavour enhancement and authenticity as opposed to cost-cutting, Puri tells us. It's about going beyond the brand and focusing on what's inside the bottle. White Rhino All White Rhino beers are brewed at their own dedicated craft brewery located near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The brewery is built on a 7 acre plot, just outside of Gwalior, and it took about 3 years to setup if you include licensing as part of the setup process. It's a small setup compared to the big breweries but it's scalable so that we don't have capacity constraints in the future, he says. Setting up a Greenfield alcohol unit in India is not for the faint-hearted, mind you. There are a lot of regulatory challenges to be dealt with; one of the biggest casualties being time. Local suppliers, too, are geared to serving the large industrial breweries. It was a challenge to find the right local support for a craft brewery, says Puri. The process was lengthy and tiring, which is why we are still the only craft brewery in the country with bottling capabilities. It takes a lot of drive to accomplish things in this industry! White Rhino And speaking at length about the things that Ishaan needed to do in order to accomplish his vision for White Rhino, he says, Licensing is the obvious challenge in the alcohol industry. There is no predictability as license fees can change drastically from one year to the next, and the entire process is very time consuming. But, these are things Puri has gotten used to because he understands that there is no indication that it will get easier in the near future. White Rhino The company's business modelfrom grain to glassis clear. We want to brew the best beer possible, without cutting any corners or taking shortcuts, and price it competitively. Most other brands are focusing on a far more price sensitive, mass-market segment, informs Puri. At INR 160 for a pint in Delhi and NCR, White Rhino's price points are slightly higher than most beer brands in the market and the team is happy with that. The people who drink our beer would never forgive us if we suddenly started churning out mediocre beer just for the sake of being in 54 different markets, he says. It allows us to focus on using very high quality malt and hops in our production. It also allows us to build a niche brand and focus on a segment that is growing rapidly. White Rhino White Rhino's grain-to-glass' model is tailored to the different styles of beer the company brewslager and wheat. Generally for the lager, it's a 6-week process. After fermentation, we lager the beer at -1C, to help clarify it and smoothen the flavours out, says Puri. Lagers should be clean and crisp and you can tell when beers have been packaged without the proper conditioning/maturation period, he adds. The wheat beer takes about 3 weeks because ales ferment faster and, as Puri explains, while they cold-condition the beer, they don't necessarily give it a lengthy lagering. The flavour profile is very different and lager and ale yeasts work very differently in terms of fermentation temperatures and times, he informs. White Rhino The great thing about beer is that it's accessible and affordable, even at relatively higher price points. It can be enjoyed casually at any time of the day and there is a style for each and every drinker it's incredibly versatile. Indian consumers have just started discovering different styles of beer (other than the traditionally available adjunct lagers) and there is huge growth potential, Puri explains. Traditionally, we talk about India as being a spirits market, but I believe beer is where we're going to see the most growth and innovation in the coming years, and we hope to lead the way! If there's one community that rattles the ISIS, it's the Kurdish fighters. The Kurdish people have been fighting ISIS for a while now, and their women fighters are savage. Journalist Hemze Hamza posted a video of a Kurdish woman fighter engaged in a sniper battle in Syria. The badass woman dodges a sniper bullet by inches and lets out a chuckle as if she's been playing an innocent game of hide and seek. Sniper battle inside Raqqa city. Thank god the ISIS terrorist missed ?? pic.twitter.com/c75h4HSjIW Hemze Hamza (@Sergermed_) June 27, 2017 Anyone would have been shitting their pants were they in her position. Having bullets flying in the air over your head, knowing you can be dead any minute is a situation that rattle the bones of the bravest of us. But not this Kurdish fighter. We guess once you've faced death from so close, you lose all fear. The People's Protection Units have been training Kurdish men and women to fight ISIS and they've been savagely eliminating ISIS terrorists. ISIS men are particularly afraid of Kurdish women fighters because they believe if they are killed by a woman, they won't go to heaven. Deputy Foreign Minister Terens Quick will participate tomorrow in the 36th Meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which is being held in Istanbul. The black Saturn Astra related to missing Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying (file photo/China Daily) CHICAGO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The FBI has located the vehicle related to missing Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying who was studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), according to local media ABC7. "The car was described as a black Saturn Astra four-door hatchback. The University of Illinois Police Department and FBI have received numerous leads regarding the vehicle, and we are announcing we have located the vehicle." the FBI said in a news release. But FBI refused to say where or when the car was found. "The Consulate General of The People's Republic of China in Chicago has been in close contact with UIUC, police department and FBI. Before the news was released, FBI Chicago field office already informed us of this," Yu Peng, Chinese Deputy Consul General in Chicago, said to Xinhua during an interview. The disappearance of 26-year-old Zhang has been labeled as kidnapping but police have not ruled out other scenarios. Surveillance video on June 9 showed her getting into the vehicle. While the car was found, Zhang was not, and the FBI is still asking for information. "We have developed several additional leads and would like to remind the public that this is still an active investigation," the FBI said in the news release. The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to 10,000 U.S. dollars for information leading to the location of Zhang. Besides, FBI and Crimestoppers promised to offer an additional 40,000 U.S. dollar reward for information leading to an arrest of any individual involved in the apparent kidnapping of Zhang. Zhang's father arrived at the UIUC with her aunt and boyfriend on June 17, hoping to find her. According to a UIUC spokesperson, the university has provided apartments for Zhang's family, and the Chinese Student Scholars Association is providing meals to them. Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go. Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune... (File photo) BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China released Tuesday an emergency response plan for Internet security incidents. The plan was formulated and released by the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs, to "improve handling of cybersecurity incidents, prevent and reduce damage, protect the public interest and safeguard national security, public safety and social order." The plan divides cybersecurity incidents into six categories, including pernicious procedural incidents, cyber attacks and information security incidents. It also defines four-levels of security warnings and response systems according to threat conditions ranging from "general" to "extremely serious." Under the top "extremely serious" condition, security incidents may "paralyse many important Internet and information systems and halt operations," or "cause loss or falsification of state secrets and important sensitive information, posing great threats to national security and social stability," according to the plan. Serious incidents will trigger measures including establishment of emergency headquarters, 24-hour monitoring and multi-department coordination in handling the aftermath. In May, China suffered from a global ransomware attack that had paralyzed online payment systems at petrol stations across China and invaded colleges to encrypt papers and other documents. The plan is also an implementation of the Cybersecurity Law adopted last year, which requires an emergency response mechanism from cyberspace authorities to avoid such threats. Authorities are asked to organize rehearsals and strengthen prevention, especially during important meetings or national events. Those who fail to implement the measures or conceal cybersecurity incidents will be punished, according to the plan. Michigan tax dollars will fund $18.5 million of the investment to bring Amazon's new distribution warehouse to Romulus. The company estimates the move is valued at $140 million, a pricetag that officials in Wayne County say could finally generate more development in the I-94/I-275 corridor with the "transformational" deal. The public contribution includes $5 million in performance based grants from the Michigan Strategic Fund. That money was awarded on Tuesday, and it will be paid over three years as Amazon meets its 1,600 new-employee hiring goal at the nearly 1 million-square-foot facility that will be built north of Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Another $13.5 million will come in the form of infrastructure improvements that will be paid through bonds issued by the city of Romulus - with half reimbursed through a planned 15-year tax capture of a portion of the state property tax bill for the improved property. The investment in improving the infrastructure around the 84-acre parcel at Wick and Vining is worth the public money due to Amazon's ability to attract additional transportation and logistics companies to the swaths of vacant property near the airport, said the director of the Detroit Regional Aerotropolis Development Corporation. "We think it's going to be a watershed development for the entire region," said Rob Luce, who was hired in March as the first full-time CEO of the seven-community collaboration that includes eastern Washtenaw County and western Wayne County. He added: "This is the last underdeveloped region in Southeast Michigan." Luce is seeking development of 6,000 acres within the Aerotropolis, an effort that started in 2007 as the seven communities united to create the entity. While it started with high hopes to leverage the Detroit and Willow Run airports, it never took off. That's changed now that the economy is rebounding and Amazon recognizes the potential of the region, Luce said. Nearby are I-275, I-94 and I-75, along with five rail lines operated by four carriers and the two airports. It's also near 4.6 million Michiganders who live in Southeast Michigan, a number that's nearly half of the state's population. Amazon - which posted sales of $136 billion in 2016 - also had a reason to choose the location. Located within 15 miles: Amazon's new 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Livonia, which was approved in late 2016 - along with a $7.5 million performance grant for hiring 1,000 people. Amazon's sorting facility in Brownstown Township, where about 200 people work. Those locations - along with Amazon's building spree to set up distribution centers across the U.S. - raise questions about whether the company's claims are valid that it also looked in other Midwest states and Canada for the center, said a researcher on economic development subsidies. Looking outside of Michigan was among criteria for the state performance grant. "(Amazon is now saying) we're going to locate close to customers and we're going to get there in an hour," said Thoman Cafcas of Good Jobs First in Washington, D.C., noting recent delivery changes for Amazon Prime Now customers. "When that changed, they had to locate facilities all over the country." He continued: "These are extremely location-dependent site selection processes." The property that will become home to Amazon's Romulus regional distribution center is part of a 1,000-acre assemblage known as Metro World Commerce Center. Luce added that it's not the property formerly planned for an outlet mall. Metro World Commerce Center's parcels on Wick Road have been registered to PRII Metroworld Michigan LLC since 2005. According to assessment records, they are an entity of Prudential Real Estate Investors. Detailed information on the portion of the property that will be used by Amazon was not available. Tax bills for the Wick Road parcels are sent to the Detroit-area headquarters of Ashley Capital, which is developing the Amazon distribution center in Livonia that will open later this year. One way to capitalize on Amazon's site selection in Romulus is to create a Local Development Financing Authority within the Aerotropolis region, Luce said. That potential taxing authority will face a public hearing at 3 p.m. July 13 and it will initially include only the Amazon facility. If passed, it will allow the LDFA to "capture" increases in taxable value on the property after the new building is up and running. Officials are looking at using 50 percent of the state portion of the property tax. In the short term, Luce said, "it's going to be paying for half of what the city of Romulus is bonding out." Longer-term, it will aid "the Aerotropolis in adding value to this region." The Aerotropolis board expects to add all seven member communities to the LDFA, giving it the ability to fund through tax increases more infrastructure upgrades as companies build new facilities. The LDFA public hearing will be at Romulus City Hall. Neither Romulus Mayor LeRoy Burcroff nor Tim Keyes, economic development director, were available to comment for this story. But Luce noted that this development speaks to the strength of the Aerotropolis region due to its significant vacant land. Warehouse space is in short supply, and industrial tenants near Detroit Metro Airport face finding available land to build in order to locate there. "(D)emand for bulk warehouse remains very strong, while the available supply is severely limited. The only option for companies with significant space requirements is a build-to-suit," according to a 2017 commercial real estate outlook for Metro Detroit by Newmark Knight Frank. The development is bringing jobs to the region, Luce noted. That's also one reason Wayne County Executive Warren Evans has said he's supporting it. "From a job count perspective, it's like landing an automotive assembly plant," Luce said. Amazon estimates 1,600 jobs may be created, though it won't disclose details on them. Based on other locations, they appear to be mostly warehouse associates. The positions in other states are advertised with a starting wage of $12 per hour. The greater Detroit area had an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent in May, compared to a rate of 4.2 percent for the full state. The rate was 8.2 percent in the city of Detroit in April, a 16-year low. Seo-Hyun Ahn in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Netflix) By John Serba | jserba@mlive.com Filmmaker Bong Joon-ho guarantees "Okja" is not your typical girl-and-her-giant-hippo-like-pig story. Of course, it's the kind of movie that only Bong Joon-ho would conceptualize, so distinct is his storytelling, in voice and vision. Don't Edit He established his tonal aesthetic in three previous films, "The Host" (2006), "Mother" (2009) and "Snowpiercer" (2014), which remarkably blend cartoonish comedy, crisp action and considerable pathos for his characters. "Okja" is on par with Joon-ho's signature conceptual oddness and, with the exception of "Mother," sci-fi leanings. It's frequently outlandish - sometimes to the point of silliness. But forgettable, it's not. His films stick to the memory like few do. Don't Edit The story is set in the near future. The Mirando Corporation has genetically developed a superpig, and in the opening scene, CEO Lucy Mirando is hyperbolically touting it as a cure for world hunger. Lucy is tonally, verbally, physically and fashionably hyperbolic herself, played by a typically untamed, and entertaining, Tilda Swinton, whos decorated in piercing pastels and severe blond bangs, her smile a near-distortion. Lucys literal face of the company is calculated to separate itself from the implied ugliness of other Mirando family members, the companys previous leaders. Don't Edit Tilda Swinton in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Kimberly French/Netflix) But as these things go, Mirando Corp. is still not the most scrupulous organization. Its the source of much scathing satire from Joon-ho, who lampoons relevant social and political concepts with barbed harpoons: The culture of mega-capitalist mega-corporations, and the toxic families that run them. Leftist activists and their desperate attempts to counteract capitalism. The controversy over genetically modified organisms. And, to a lesser extent, the media, and how it presents all topics. Don't Edit The idea of consumption in general quietly pulses in every scene, and it has broken the world. Everyone is morally compromised; everyone is corrupt. Joon-ho creates an exaggerated reality - inspired by everything from 1984 and Soylent Green to Looney Tunes and Futurama - in which extremism is hopelessly dysfunctional. Don't Edit Don't Edit Caught in the middle are young Mija (An Seo Hyun) and her best friend, Okja, a superpig she and her farmer grandfather (Byun Hee-Bong) have nurtured since she was a calf. The grandfather was chosen as part of a 10-year contest to raise the perfect pig, hosted by Mirando, which would then breed the animal and make delicious packaged jerky out of the offspring. Don't Edit Seo-Hyun Ahn in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Netflix) But also as these things go, this requires that Okja be taken from Mijas beautiful and tranquil mountainside home, and taken to New York City. Also again as these things go, Mija has grown to love Okja. Created by convincing CGI, the animal is a potbellied pig bloated to hippo size and given a doglike demeanor; the girl sleeps on Okjas belly, in a charming nod to My Neighbor Totoro. Don't Edit Okja is intelligent enough to rescue the girl when she dangles from a cliff, and also can fire its excrement at Mijas command - which comes in handy in case theyre being chased by jerks. Which of course happens, after Okja rampages through an underground Seoul subway mall, authorities and Mirando folk and Animal Liberation Front members scrambling after her, in a dynamic, destructive sequence thats like a dystopian-monster-movie Benny Hill sketch, and is so very Bong Joon-ho. Don't Edit Jake Gyllenhaal in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Jae Hyuk Lee/Netflix) Paul Dano turns up as the weirdo-eccentric ALF head Jay, leading soldier-pawns played by the likes of Lily Collins and Steven Yeun. Lucy Mirandos puppet is Dr. Johnny, a prima-donna lunatic zoologist TV host and face of the corporation, played as an upright rictus of a human being by a wildly bent Jake Gyllenhaal. Don't Edit Humble Mija, who knows no greed, and is driven by the purity of her love for Okja, is the only sincere character in the film, the only one not corrupted by a society run amok in a quest for its most basic needs and inessential luxuries - food and entertainment. Even Mijas grandfather fibs to her that Mirando goons wont take away Okja after the 10-year contest ends, a perhaps sweet, but ultimately misguided attempt to protect her innocence for as long as possible. Don't Edit Don't Edit Seo-Hyun Ahn in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Jae Hyuk Lee/Netflix) The movies weirdness is an asset, manifest in its colorful characters and our inability to truly predict what will happen. Sometimes you think you can see whats coming, but youre never quite sure - and thats Joon-ho at work as a shrewd manipulator, working simultaneously within and without genre boundaries, and with a sharp eye for potent cinematography and a slam-bang edit. Don't Edit Okja veers wildly from light to dark comedy and drama, but is most poignant somewhere in-between, where Mijas sweet and pure heart beats. This place of moderation, he implies, is the only place to live in peace with your hippo-pig, be it literal or metaphorical. Don't Edit Tilda Swinton and Seo-Hyun Ahn in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Barry Wetcher/Netflix) FILM REVIEW Okja 3.5 stars (out of 4) No MPAA rating Cast: Seo-Hyun Ahn, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal Director: Bong Joon Ho Run time: 119 minutes Don't Edit Paul Dano in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Jae Hyuk Lee/Netflix) Don't Edit Seo-Hyun Ahn in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Jae Hyuk Lee/Netflix) Don't Edit Don't Edit Steven Yeun in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Netflix/Jae Hyuk Lee) Don't Edit Seo-Hyun Ahn in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Jae Hyuk Lee/Netflix) Don't Edit Lily Collins in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Jae Hyuk Lee/Netflix) Don't Edit Tilda Swinton in "Okja." (Courtesy photo | Kimberly French/Netflix) More on movies 'Transformers: The Last Knight': More like TRASHformers '47 Meters Down': Sharks try to chomp Mandy Moore in cheap thriller 'Cars 3' a vehicle for Lightning McQueen's maturation 'Wonder Woman': Gal Gadot leads feminist rescue mission 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales': Yo oh no 'Baywatch': Idiotic TV show becomes idiotic movie Don't Edit Don't Edit VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, MI - Slowly making his way across the grass, Chuck Covington tilts his head up and searches the canopy of trees bordering the northern corner of his backyard. He's not sure about the idea of those who have died watching over him, the 67-year-old man says. It brings up too many questions about the horrible things that happen in the world, and who or what lets them happen. But Chuck Covington keeps wondering about his daughter, 27-year-old Egypt Covington, and looking up. "Maybe she's checking me out - seeing how I'm doing," he said. "I don't know, maybe she is." Egypt Covington was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in her Van Buren Township home on the evening of Friday, June 23. She was last seen the previous night, when she went out with a friend, officials said. She also texted her stepmother, Kristin Covington, about getting off their family phone plan, and texted her siblings about wanting a French Bulldog puppy and a photo of her niece. A homicide investigation is underway. While the family hopes officials soon will find answers and make an arrest in the death, it's little comfort, just the next step in the process, the Covingtons said Wednesday, June 28 at their Van Buren Township home. "What was she thinking 30 seconds before?" Chuck Covington said. "What was she going through 30 seconds before - 15 second before? Was she crying out for dad or mom? "There's grief. But that's what brings up the anger and that's again where I call out for anyone that knows anything to talk to police, because ... this entity, this animal, this pathetic son of a bitch - whoever could have done that - death isn't good enough for them. That doesn't bring her back." The emotions come in waves for family members, who say they can't imagine a person who would hurt the beloved 27-year-old. Her mother, Tina Covington, 57, of the Ypsilanti area, said having to see her slain daughter's body was horrible and the devastation has made her physically sick. Still, she at least has good memories of her daughter, she said. Egypt Covington was always smiling, put others before herself and would make sure everyone she knew was treated with respect, Tina Covington said. She was also a jokester who liked to give her mom a hard time, she added, recalling with laughter visits for coffee at Tim Hortons, where her daughter would volunteer her mother to pay the bill. "She was hilarious and quick and when she laughed, her laugh was infectious," Tina Covington said. "She was the most beautiful, kind, outgoing person. People just loved her instantly." She loved yoga and singing - she'd won the W4 County Idol contest two years ago and returned at the request of a friend to sing this year. And she loved her Pug-Chihuahua mix, Ruby, whom she fed scrambled eggs and hamburgers. Once, as a child, Egypt dressed like a princess, put on her high heels and said, "Mommy, I want to be like you." It's a memory Tina Covington cherishes in the wake of her daughter's death. Chuck and Kristin Covington, as well as Egypt's sisters, cling to memories from a recent trip to the British Virgin Islands, and their attendance of Founders Fest for Father's Day. As an account manager for beer and wine distributor Rave Associates, Egypt Covington worked the festival this year, but, at her father's request, made time to see him, Chuck Covington said. She beamed as she surprised him with a tie-dye shirt, which he immediately put on, and a neon-green fanny pack, which he plans to wear to a memorial gathering in her name this weekend. She would have liked, that, he said. The memorial gathering was previously scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, July 1 at Fraser's Pub in Ann Arbor, where Egypt Covington previously worked, but has been moved to a larger space at Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery at 720 Norris St. in Ypsilanti, due to the overwhelming response from those she knew, family said. Numerous notes from loved ones have been difficult to keep up with, but Chuck and Kristin Covington said they read everything sent to them about their daughter. Aside from her parents, she also leaves behind three sisters, three brothers, nieces, nephews, her grandparents and a host of friends. Donations made to a memorial fund, accessible through a GoFundMe page, will go toward a plaque at her favorite park. The remainder will be split among several charitable donations to groups including the Alpha House hospitality network in Ann Arbor, and Belleville High School, where it will be spent on musical instruments, her father said. Kristin Covington previously said loved ones can also honor Egypt Covington by simply remembering to love each other. "If we can even be a portion of the person she was - if we can be more compassionate, not gossip, if we can remember her and hold our tongues, if we become decent human beings -- that's all she would ask for," she said. Anyone with information on Egypt Covington's death can contact Van Buren Township police at 734-699-8930. ANN ARBOR, MI - To commemorate 200 years of staff excellence at the University of Michigan, President Mark Schlissel announced a public art piece is scheduled to be installed on campus later this year. "We knew that no single celebration of the University of Michigan would be complete without honoring our staff's two centuries of excellence," he said. "We wanted to commemorate the amazing work of the past, but also recognize that our future goals through Michigan's third century relies on the dedication, intellect and creativity of our dedicated staff." Entitled "Arriving Home," the art piece will be installed between C.C. Little Science Building and the Dana Samuel Trask Building. It was created by Dennis Oppenheim. A new public art installation will honor the outstanding past, present & future contributions of @UMich staff. https://t.co/ADkct6cD4l pic.twitter.com/krtPDDkLWz Dr. Mark Schlissel (@DrMarkSchlissel) June 27, 2017 Jack Janveja, project director in construction management at the university, donated $100,000 to help bring the piece to campus. He immigrated to America in the early 1960s and enrolled as a student at the university. He has worked for UM ever since. "(UM) is my extended family," he said. "Just like I would buy gifts for my family at home, I would do the same here." Schlissel's announcement came during the university's bicentennial celebration, MStaff200. The event is dedicated to all current and retired employees of the university and their satellite campuses, as well as the staff members' families. The event was held Tuesday, June 27. At MStaff200, an additional staff award was announced by Kevin Hegarty, executive vice president and chief financial officer at UM. Recipients of the University of Michigan Community Service and Excellence Staff Awards will be acknowledged in October. The award looks to celebrate individual staff members who excel, teams that "do great work" and supervisors in the workplace, Hegarty said. The new award and art instillation are meant to showcase the work of the faculty and staff that "aligns with the values of this university," he said. Multiple awards will be given out each year. Members of the university community will receive an email detailing more about the award qualification. "We knew this recognition had to be as enduring as the longstanding commitment of our staff," Schlissel said. "Staff excellence at the University of Michigan doesn't end with a single calendar year, it doesn't end with our bicentennial year, it had to be public like all of (their) work is each and every day." BANGOR TWP, MI -- The superintendent of Bangor Township Schools, who pursued an opportunity earlier this year to possibly leave the district for the Bay City school district, has received a contract extension and a $27,000 salary increase. Matt Schmidt, superintendent of Bangor Township Schools, agreed to a five-year contract after a positive evaluation and vote from the district's board of education on Monday, June 26. Schmidt's five-year deal starts July 1 and pays him $150,000 per year. He previously earned $123,000 per year. Schmidt signed on as Bangor's superintendent in 2013. He was a finalist for the Bay City Public Schools superintendent job earlier this year, but withdrew his name before interviews began. The Bay City school board ultimately hired Stephen Bigelow to a three-year deal that pays him $153,000 annually. Bangor Township has 2,575 students, according to Michigan Department of Education data. The Bay City school district has 7,905 students -- more than three times as many as Bangor. Speaking to The Bay City Times-MLive on Wednesday, June 28, Schmidt said the pay raise from Bangor Township had nothing to do with his withdrawal from the Bay City job. "That was due to how much had changed with that position in Bay City from the time I applied to the time I pulled my name," Schmidt said. The school board voted 6-1 to approve the new contract for Schmidt. Secretary Melissa Kaczmarek was the lone no vote. The board evaluated Schmidt as "highly effective," the highest possible mark. As Bangor's superintendent, he has managed to increase student enrollment while neighboring districts have lost students -- and state per pupil funding. "He's a highly effective superintendent, his evaluation came out very good and we don't want to lose him," Kowalski said. Enrollment in the Bangor district is up 150 students since 2013, according to state student count data. The Bay City school district has lost 303 students in the same timeframe. Essexville-Hampton Public Schools has lost 43 students since 2013, but experienced an increase of 19 students from a year ago. "I'm honored and humbled the Board of Education is committed to keeping me in Bangor Township Schools long-term," Schmidt said. "I think that was a big piece of our conversation. I look forward to continuing to serve the students, staff, families and our community members for many years to come." Kowalski said the decision to raise Schmidt's salary by nearly 22 percent was because his salary was considered low for a school district of Bangor Township's size. "He was under-compensated by $20,000 at least," Kowalski said. After reviewing his contract, Kowalski thought it was best for the board to raise Schmidt's salary to be more competitive with other school districts. Even if Schmidt was offered and accepted the Bay City superintendent job, Bangor would have advertised a $150,000 salary for its next school chief, Kowalski said. The school board president admitted, however, that Schmidt's application for the Bay City superintendent job "scared (the board) to death." Schmidt said the five-year contract provides long-term stability for himself and the district. If Schmidt departs less than three years into his contract, Kowalski said, he must pay $8,000 to compensate the district for a superintendent search. Kowalski said it is becoming "harder and harder" to find a good superintendent. "The job is tougher than it's ever been," he said. "The whole evaluation process they go through now is all predetermined by the state. It's 10 times tougher than what it was 10 years ago, by far. It's a very difficult job and it's a demanding job." Schmidt is currently working toward earning his educational doctorate at the University of Michigan and won a scholarship to observe school districts in Finland and Italy. He departs for Europe on Sunday, July 2. Schmidt said Finland has one of the top school districts in the world. "It's to get an opportunity to see the great things they're doing and how they approach education, which is very different from what we do in the U.S.," Schmidt said. "I'm very excited." Over the next five years, Kowalski hopes to see Schmidt work more with parents and business and industry to seek out new sources of revenue for the district. BAY CITY, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder has declared a state of disaster for Bay and Gladwin counties following this past weekend's destructive flooding. Bay County Executive Jim Barcia said Snyder's office contacted him at about 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, confirming that Bay County was added to the disaster list, along with Isabella and Midland counties. A release from the state on Wednesday also included Gladwin County. The county, which applied for disaster relief funds earlier this week, now has a 72-hour window to assess individual homes and public roads throughout the county in order to qualify for relief funds. Flood damage tops $100 million in Mid-Michigan A weather pattern that began Thursday, June 22, and continued throughout the weekend, dropped more than 6-inches of rain across mid-Michigan, causing rivers to rise to historic levels and flooding to damage basements and collapse roads. A majority of the damage in Bay County was experienced in its northern townships. See flood-collapsed roads throughout Mid-Michigan Bay County officials are asking residents who have experienced damage to submit reports online. State Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, said he sat through meetings this past weekend in Midland to organize teams of people to assess damage. Similar steps will have to take place in Bay County, he said. More than 30 public roadways were impacted in Bay County, with some that completely collapsed as a result of the flooding, officials said. Barcia said he spoke with one resident who had more than 3 feet of water in his basement. The water he was pumping out into his lawn was so heavy, Barcia said, that it caused the walls of his basement to collapse. "We have residents with some very serious property damage that we need to assess," he said. Floyd Galloway Jr. A 30-year-old Berkley man is accused of crimes related to the attempted Sept. 4 rape of a jogger at Hines Park in Livionia. Floyd Russell Galloway Jr., 30, is charged with kidnapping, criminal sexual assault with intent to commit sexual penetration and strangulation. Farmington Hills police are calling Galloway a person of interest in the separate disappearance of 28-year-old Danielle Stislicki of Farmington Hills, who was last seen leaving her job at Metlife in Southfield about 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. "The detectives investigating the Stislicki case have spoken to Galloway in the past and have conducted previous searches at his Berkley home," Farmington Hills police said in a statement. "Galloway is a former security guard who worked for a contracted company that previously provided security at MetLife in Southfield where Danielle Stislicki was employed. "Galloway was acquainted with Danielle during his security duties at MetLife." Police declined to provide any further details about Galloway's possible connection to Stislicki's disappearance to "protect the integrity" of both the missing person and attempted rape case. "The Stislicki case remains an active investigation," Farmington Hills Police Chief Chuck Nebus said. "The pieces of the puzzle have been slowly falling into place since Danielle disappeared on December 2. "Investigators are optimistic the case will be solved." Nebus said more than 60 search warrants for structures, cars and electronic data have been executed in connection with the Stislicki investigation. Galloway appeared in court Wednesday morning wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants. He was remanded to jail on a $700,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court July 5 for a probable cause hearing. Galloway resembles a police sketch created using the Hines Park victim's description of her attacker. Floyd Galloway Jr. along police sketch of suspect created by State Police Sgt. Sarah Krebs. Police believed he attacked a a 28-year-old woman who was jogging at Edward Hines bike trail in Livonia. The woman told Livonia police a man wrapped his arm around her neck, struck the side of her face and attempted to drag her down an embankment along the Rouge River, where he removed her clothes and attempted to have sex with her, according to a police statement. The victim was able to fight her attacker off and the man ran away on foot, Livonia police said. Stislicki was reported missing after not attending a dinner date with a friend and uncharacteristically failing to show up for work or call in the morning of Saturday, Nov. 3. Her locked 2015 black Jeep Renegade was found in her Independence Green apartment complex in Farmington Hills later that day. Police believe she was the victim of a crime. Amor Ftouhi FLINT, MI - Looking around the packed courtroom and repeating "Allahu Akbar" twice, Amor M. Ftouhi, the man accused of stabbing a cop in the neck at Flint Bishop Airport appeared in federal court Wednesday for a detention hearing. He was wearing a spit-guard face mask. During the brief hearing to determine whether Ftouhi would be detained or released on bond on Wednesday, June 28, Ftouhi's attorney, Joan M. Morgan indicated to Flint U.S. District Magistrate Judge Stephanie Davis Dawkins that her client had agreed to remain in jail for the duration of the trial. Morgan said that regardless of whether Ftouhi - a Canadian and Tunisian dual citizen -- was released on bond by the federal court, immigration offices intended to detain him so he would not be able to leave the country. Dawkins ordered that Ftouhi remain jailed, and scheduled a preliminary exam for Wednesday, July 5, at 1:30 p.m. "If this matter is taken before the grand jury before then, then this date will be for an indictment rather than preliminary exam," Dawkins noted. Before the court moved to recess, Morgan made clear to the judge that Ftouhi - who appeared in court Wednesday with an Arabic translator - could understand English well, but needed either a French or Arabic interpreter for "help with legal terms." Suspected of stabbing Flint Bishop Airport Police Lt. Jeff Neville in the neck with a large, serrated "Amazon Jungle Survival" knife on Wednesday, June 21, Ftouhi, 49, is detained on a federal criminal complaint of violence at an international airport. Ftouhi yelled "Allahu Akbar" -- "Allah is the greatest" -- before making the attack, according to an affidavit. After stabbing the officer in the neck, Ftouhi continued to yell, "Allah," several times, the complaint said. After stabbing Neville, the complaint said Ftouhi further exclaimed something similar to "You have killed people in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and we are all going to die." Ftouhi entered the first-floor lobby at Bishop at approximately 8:52 a.m. Wednesday, carrying a red duffle and dark satchel bag, traveling up an escalator before attacking Neville. Investigators have not said what brought Ftouhi to Flint. Neville was discharged from Hurley Medical Center on Monday, June 26. FLINT, MI - Despite Mayor Karen Weaver's statement that she will not turn over Flint's water liens to the county, Genesee County's treasurer says she has no plans to foreclose on Flint homes for unpaid water bills. "As long as the city is in a state of emergency and the water is not safe, we will not be approving water liens for Flint residents," Genesee County Treasurer Deb Cherry said on Wednesday, June 28. Cherry said that, while the city of Flint may attempt to collect water bills from residents and has the ability to put a lien on their tax rolls, the duties of foreclosing homes belongs to the county, not the city. "These liens don't mean anything to the city," said Flint City Council Financial Committee Chair Scott Kincaid. "It's a liability to people that own property, then it's on their deed and can hurt their credit scores, but the city's not financially benefitting from this. "All we were doing with this moratorium was not to have liens placed on people because it would affect their credit," Kincaid said. Weaver said her concern in the matter lies with the "public health of Flint residents." "While I recognize this may have an impact on the city's collection level, this is also a social and moral issue, and ultimately, I am more concerned about the public health of Flint residents," Weaver said. "We thank the 70 percent of residents who continue to pay their water and sewer bill. And I have faith that other residents will recognize the financial state the city is in, accept their responsibility as customers receiving a service being provided by the city, and do what's necessary to help Flint be financially secure, and in turn, maintain local control." At a Receivership Transition Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday, June 27, the board appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to run the city's financial affairs struck down a resolution from city council to put a one-year hold on water tax liens. Calling the water lien ordinance outdated, city council approved the moratorium on the bills in May. However, all the council's financial decisions must be approved by RTAB before going into effect. RTAB Chair Frederick Headen said that while he originally intended to approve the moratorium, after city council refrained from approving a long-term water contract with the Great Lakes Authority (GLWA) by June 26, the added costs of a short-term water contract combined with the moratorium created too large of a financial burden on the city of Flint. "I think the moratorium plus extending the temporary water source contract would have somewhat of a profound impact on the initial water fund to the proximity of $12 million," Headen said after interim City Financial Officer David Sabuda told him approving the moratorium would be a "significant hit" to Flint's budget. Following the board's decision, Weaver issued a statement saying that as mayor of Flint and as a Flint resident, she "understand(s) the concerns that have been raised about the tax liens." "I do not agree with the RTAB's decision today to strike down the proposed moratorium on the liens," Weaver said in the statement. "However, it seems that RTAB felt it was necessary due to council's decision of not supporting the longterm water source recommendation, which means the city will now have to purchase water at a much higher price along with several other costly financial obligations that could have been avoided. I am ordering the city's Chief Financial Officer to not transfer the liens to the county." However, Cherry said that whether the liens were sent her way or not, the county would not act on any water-related foreclosures. "They can send them, but we wouldn't take them, not when the mayor still has a state of emergency declared," Cherry said, noting that the county would still oversee foreclosures on other, non-water tax liens. Weaver declared a state of emergency in Flint in December 2015. After a heated meeting on Monday, June 26, council voted to extend the short-term contract until September 30. The council has also refused to sign on a proposed 30-year contract with GLWA, which is supported by Snyder and Mayor Karen Weaver. Council President Kerry Nelson said the water liens were based on "an ordinance that was put in place 53 years ago" and called the move "punishment" on the state's part for the council not approving its water contract. "It's do it my way on the water deal or be punished," Nelson said. "I'm disturbed and disappointed RTAB would not listen to our citizens and council. This would've helped a lot of people. Mr. Sabuda is a numbers man and can go back to his cushy community, but our citizens are left to suffer." Ari Adler, a spokesperson for Snyder, said that the "RTAB process is in place to ensure fiscal accountability and stability are maintained as communities recover from prior financial distress." "Gov. Snyder supports the RTAB process and the difficult work that these boards are doing to protect all Michigan taxpayers," Adler said. The state Department of Environmental Quality filed a complaint Wednesday, June 28, in Detroit U.S. District Court, claiming Flint is in violation of a settlement agreement in a civil lawsuit filed by the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, an emergency administrative order issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. FLINT, MI - A standing ovation from the crowd and judges came for Flint native Johnny Manuel at the end of his performance of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" that aired Tuesday night on the NBC reality show "America's Got Talent." Manuel spoke with judge Simon Cowell ahead of the performance, mentioning his signing to a record label around the age of 14 that wound up not working out at day's end. "As a kid, I thought that I was going to take off and see the stars," he told Cowell. "Obviously it didn't happen that way." Manuel, a Carman-Ainsworth graduate, was signed at 13 years old to Warner Bros. Records, according to Flint Journal records, and opened for N'Sync, Jessica Simpson, and Jill Scott along the course of his career. When asked by Cowell what he hoped to do if he got another chance in the music business, Manuel said: "I hope what can happen is that I can finally be who I am and present my music to the world." Model and host Tyra Banks gave a shout-out to Manuel in the middle of his performance as she stood on the side of the stage. "Whitney hears you, honey," she said, with a smile splashed across her face. FLINT, MI -- A pregnant woman shot Sunday morning inside a Flint apartment has died, according to Flint police. Flint police Detective Tyrone Booth confirmed the woman shot around 9:45 a.m. June 25 at Sunset Village Apartments off Bradley Avenue died Wednesday morning. A specialized chair was used to get the woman, who was wrapped in a blanket, down to the first floor where around a dozen police officers hoisted her onto a stretcher and placed her in the back of an ambulance. Her death comes after police previously stated the unborn child died. The woman was three months pregnant at the time of the shooting incident. Police have not released the woman's name. 41-year-old Nakia Latron Dunlap and 31-year-old Amanda Nicole Dunlap were arraigned June 28 in Genesee District Court in connection with the case and face armed robbery, extortion, felony firearm, assault causing miscarriage or stillbirth, and home invasion charges. Anyone with information about the shooting may contact Detective/Trooper David Fiebernitz at 810-237-6949, the Flint Police Department detective bureau at 810-237-6900, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-5245 or P3tips.com. FLINT, MI -- The state of Michigan is asking a federal court judge to rule the city is endangering the public's health by failing to sign a long-term water contract with the Great Lakes Water Authority or developing a realistic alternative. The state Department of Environmental Quality filed a complaint Wednesday, June 28, in U.S. District Court in Detroit, claiming the city is violating a settlement agreement in a civil lawsuit filed the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, an emergency administrative order issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Heidi Grether "We would be happy to entertain (an alternative) but we haven't gotten any," DEQ Director C. Heidi Grether said Wednesday. "We are moving forward in this fashion out of concern for the quality of drinking water citizens have." Flint's City Council voted Monday, June 26, to extend the city's contract with the GLWA to September but did not agree to follow Mayor Karen Weaver's recommendation that the city sign a 30-year contract with the water authority. State officials claim that arrangement alone could leave Flint without a water source by October, when Genesee County is expected to take back a section of pipeline that's currently supplying Flint with GLWA water. "Despite proposing no other reasonable alternative, the Flint City Council has refused to approve the agreement negotiated by the mayor," the complaint says. "The City Council's failure to act will cause an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health in Flint. If the City Council actually takes action and proposes an alternative that would either change Flint's water source or require use of its water treatment plant, any such proposal will violate the settlement agreement" in the civil lawsuit involving the Concerned Pastors. Although Weaver had initially planned to remain a partner in the Karegnondi Water Authority and treat raw water from Lake Huron at a city-owned plant, DEQ officials have said Flint lacks qualified water treatment plant staff and the money needed to properly upgrade the plant and water distribution system. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- When Kent County created its farmland preservation program in 2002, the goal was to preserve 25,000 acres of farmland by 2015. Two years past that milestone, the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program has only preserved about 4,000 acres countywide. "We're way, way short," said Dennis Heffron, the owner of Grattan Township's Heffron Farms and a member of Kent County's Agricultural Preservation Board. Heffron brought that same frank message to the Kent County Board of Commissioners on June 22. "I thought it was my responsibility to inform you of what's not happening," he told commissioners. A shortage of sustainable funding and a lack of confidence in the program among county farmers have combined to slow its growth, Heffron told them. The program has preserved 27 farms since the first was preserved in 2005, he said. But Heffron said some of those have since become "islands," as surrounding farms are sold off for development. "If we don't have a program where farmers feel comfortable that they're not going to just become an island, then they're not going to apply," he said. "And with that, it will self-destruct. And, at this point, we are kind of on that track." The program works by paying farmers a lump sum in exchange for them permanently removing the possibility of development on their land. "He can conduct agricultural practices," Heffron said. "He can build barns and other farm buildings on it. He can sell it; he can mortgage it; he just can't develop it." A township must first sign off on the farm being located within a designated farmland preservation area. Then, the county's agricultural preservation board scores all qualifying applicants and, depending on funds available, approves farms for preservation. Two appraisals are conducted -- one for the value of the farm as agricultural land and another to determine its value for potential development. The farmer is then paid the difference between the two sums, an incentive to sign the preservation agreement. Though it can be lucrative arrangement -- paying out cash while allowing landowners to continue drawing a profit by farming their land -- Heffron said asking such a long-term commitment of farmers can still be a tough sell. "This is a big decision for a farmer, to take the development rights off a property," he said. "It goes into family planning and everything else. There's just a lot that goes into that decision." The program saw the most success, Heffron said, when the county government provided yearly contributions. Those began in 2010 and ended in 2014, he said. Heffron acknowledged that county funding was not expected as a long-term solution; merely a push to help get the program off the ground. Kent County Board Chairman Jim Saalfeld agreed, referencing a study of Kent County agribusiness completed in 2016. "I appreciate your comment that you made during the meeting about how, from the beginning, you knew the county would not be able to be the sustainable source," Saalfeld said. "We agreed to work with you, but we have never promised to fund the program." The majority of funds supporting the program have come from foundations and federal grants, with smaller amounts coming through county contributions, state contributions, landowner donations and township contributions. Federal money is provided in response to concerns that unfettered development could threaten the viability of agriculture on a larger scale. "The urban sprawl and the loss of farmland is a national problem," Heffron said. "That's why it's part of the farm bill." It's an important local issue as well, he argues. Preserving farmland protects the agricultural processors in the region, Heffron said, and could also build tourism and the local economy as a whole. "We have so many processors here," he said. "And the economics don't work if you need to ship it all in from out of state." Heffron cited a study that found Kent County needs at least 100,000 acres of farmland for the area's farm economy to be economically viable. In 2012, the county's stock of farmland had fallen to 157,493 acres, down significantly from the 186,453 acres reported in 2007. Heffron fears that decrease indicates a continuing trend. The largest funding source for Kent County's program has been foundations like the Wege Foundation, which still provides support to the program. Many of the other foundations, Heffron said, required a local match from the county government and dropped out of the program when that funding stream ended in 2014. Since then, he said, the remaining revenue has only allowed the program to preserve one farm each year. And that must be a farm located in either Grattan Township or Vergennes Township, per foundation requirements. Heffron said the group is exploring its options for a long-term funding source, but still needs to maintain momentum in the short term. "In the meantime, there is a need for a short-term funding source so that once again foundations will feel comfortable contributing and that landowners will have trust in the program," he said. Commissioner Stan Stek, R-Walker, asked if the group has pursued other strategies to preserve Kent County farmland, like pushing for more aggressive zoning regulations. Heffron said, for the most part, he has seen responsible zoning at the township level. "I'm here to tell you that townships have done a really good job," he said. "They've come up with a good master plan overall." But the zoning is just one piece of the puzzle, Heffron said. Without a viable program to incentivize farmers' decisions to permanently preserve their land, he said, Kent County will eventually be left with just a few dozen "islands" of farmland. Commissioner Tom Antor, R-Sparta, pointed out that Heffron donated development rights for his own farm. "That just kind of goes to his passion for this," Antor said. "As a farmer, he understands the economic ramifications of a viable farming community. And that can leave virtually overnight. It's good to have zoning, but it's so important to keep that vitality here." GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Chef Bob Waterbury and his wife Shana are closing their diner, The Lazy Susan, this week. The couple opened the Walker restaurant, 411 Wilson Ave NW, last year. "It's with a heavy heart, and immense sadness we share that TLS will be closing at the end of the month," they wrote on a June 10 Facebook post, announcing The Lazy Susan would close by the end of June. Their note to patrons doesn't explain the reason ending the diner's run, or what is next for the couple. It's with a heavy heart, and immense sadness we share that TLS will be closing at the end of the month. The exact date... Posted by The Lazy Susan on Thursday, June 8, 2017 They also declined a request from the MLive/The Grand Rapids Press for comment. On the restaurant's website, they said their goal with the restaurant was to update the experience of the neighborhood diner. One way, they promised to deliver that culinary experience was by interpreting traditional dishes with Midwestern ingredients. "The Lazy Susan is the culmination of a lifetime of cooking, traveling and taking care of people we love," part of their statement read. George Aquino, MLive's food columnist, described Waterbury as one of 10 Grand Rapids chefs to keep an eye on in 2016. "He gave up his chef job at Grove to open up a neighborhood diner in Walker with his wife Shana. Crazy? Well, I thought so at first until I experienced the amazing food that is coming out of his kitchen - from the Potato Latkes slathered in coffee soaked plums to this month's Southeast Asian theme featuring a Filipino Adobo Chicken Wings on spice Banana Waffles with lemongrass maple syrup," Aquino wrote. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A Grand Rapids man charged with aggravated stalking and using a computer to commit a crime has been found not guilty on both felonies by a jury. David Lenio, 30, who was arrested in February and accused of sending threatening and antisemitic tweets, was acquitted of the two most serious charges he faced Wednesday in Kent County Circuit Court. Lenio was found guilty of malicious use of a telecommunications service, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. He has already served about four months in jail since his arrest. Following the jury's verdict, Circuit Judge Mark Trusock ordered Lenio's $250,000 bond be adjusted to a personal recognizance bond, allowing him to be released to his parents' custody. Trusock prohibited Lenio from using a phone or the internet prior to his Aug. 17 sentencing hearing, and warned him of what a violation might mean. "If I hear anything of you threatening children, you will not like the result," the judge said. Lenio was accused of tweeting about killing Jewish religious leaders and shooting up schools while referencing the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. After taking Lenio into custody in February, police obtained a search warrant and seized multiple phones, a laptop, a 12-gauge shotgun and boxes of ammunition from Lenio's home. He was charged with similar charges in Kalispell, Montana, in 2015 and spent five months in jail before being released through a delayed prosecution agreement. He was not convicted, but the case was never dismissed, pending the delayed agreement in which he wasn't allowed to contact any witnesses, among other guidelines. Whether Lenio violated the Montana delayed prosecution agreement was a point of confusion throughout the case. The defense argued the two-year period had passed, while the prosecution said that wasn't the case. Trusock told the jury it was up to them to determine the relevance of the Montana court order to the legal case in Michigan. On Tuesday, the court heard five witnesses related to the case, including Lenio's father, three police investigators and Jonathan Hutson, the man at whom some of Lenio's tweets were aimed. Hutson, who testified during Lenio's Montana trial, returned to testify during the trial. He shared screenshots of the tweets with police in Montana and Grand Rapids, and said he took messages from Lenio as a true threat. Jury members questioned whether a Maryland peace order filed by Hutson in his home state against Lenio was relevant to the case. Trusock said it was not because it was not in place at the time of the alleged contact. After hearing the verdict, Hutson said he plans to give a statement during the sentencing hearing. He said he will request the judge place Lenio on probation for two years and prohibit the man from using social media, purchasing or owning a gun and seek mental health treatment. "I'd love to see him turn his life around and he needs intervention and support," Hutson said. Vangelderen and Lenio's family declined to comment on the verdict. BYRON TOWNSHIP, MI -- SpartanNash's chief financial officer is stepping down after little more than a year on the job. Chris Meyers is leaving SpartanNash, effective July 14, for "personal reasons," according to a documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Publicly-traded companies like SpartanNash are required give notice when high-level executives are hired or leave the organization. Meyers joined the Michigan-based regional grocer in April 2016. He came from the Naperville, Illi.-based KeHE Distributors, where he was CFO of the second largest natural and organic wholesaler in North America. At SpartanNash, he directed finance, the treasurer's department, internal audit and risk management. During his tenure at KeHe, Meyers was credited for orchestrating two multi-million dollar acquisitions for the company. In the filing, SpartanNash reported that its board of directors appointed Thomas Van Hall to serve as interim CFO while a search is conducted to fill the position. Van Hall, 61, previously served as SpartanNash's vice president of finance from 2001 until July 2015, leading the integration for the merger of Spartan Stores and Nash Finch Company during the last two years. Susan DeVuyst-Miller BIG RAPIDS, MI - Health care professionals on the front lines of the opioid epidemic should be helping educate people living with pain and addiction and their families, says Susan DeVuyst-Miller, the co-author of "Prescription Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education." DeVuyst-Miller, an assistant professor at Ferris State University's College of Pharmacy, described the book as an educational tool for healthcare professionals that provides important information about opioids, overdoses and naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal agent. "This is a good refresher for all health care professionals on really important key points that can save lives,'' said DeVuyst-Miller, who said the current crisis calls for additional support and focus. "The second part of the book is how to talk to your patients and their family and friends about opioids, pain treatment and the use of naxolone. Right now, there is such an epidemic of overdoses on heroin and opioids are a lead in to heroin addiction.'' Common opioids include heroin and prescription drugs such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl. She said so many people depend pain medicine and opioids are being prescribed too freely and people are getting hooked, and becoming addictive. Michigan health-care providers wrote 11 million prescriptions for opioid drugs in 2015 and another 11 million in 2016, according to state data. The book describes how opioid medications work and how naloxone counteracts their effects. It discusses the different formulations and delivery methods of naloxone currently available. DeVuyst-Miller said she and her co-authors, fourth-year doctoral pharmacy students Farah Jalloul and Ryan Stankey, wanted to write something that someone could just pick up and use right away. Sixty-five people died from opioids in Kent County last year, down from 87 in 2015. Adam London, director of the Kent County Health Department, discussed the problem prior to a June 6 Public Health Summit on opioids. He said some people take the traditional route to the addiction in which use of marijuana, pills or heroin escalates, while others suffering from chronic pain become addicted to painkillers. DeVuyst-Miller said one of her goals with the publication is to train pharmacists, health care providers, and members of the public in safe use of the drug naloxone to rescue persons experiencing a drug overdose. Michigan has a standing order that is intended to ensure that individuals within the state, who are at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose, or who are family members, friends or other persons who are in a position to assist a person at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose, are able to obtain naloxone. DeVuyst-Miller says she speaks with pharmacists and other health care professionals about the standing order. "I am an advocate for preventing prescription overdose because I want to keep patients safe," she said, noting she has personal reasons as well as a healthcare professional. "My husband was unresponsive, I could not wake him up, he could have died," said DeVuyst-Miller, about her disabled veteran husband's accidental overdose from a pain medication interaction several years ago. "I want to prevent other families from enduring such a terrifying situation." DeVuyst-Miller said she's always wanted to help people and was a social worker for 13 years before she decided to attend pharmacy school. She said she approached the students last year about the book. The Ferris Pharmacy team worked with the Michigan Pharmacist Association to publish the book, with a donation for each book purchased being given to the Grand Rapids Red Project. In November, DeVuyst-Miller consulted with Dianne Malburg, chief operations officer for the Michigan Pharmacists Association, because she wanted to have the information distributed to as many pharmacists and other healthcare professionals as possible. "With the release of the State of Michigan's Naloxone Standing Order for pharmacies to utilize, the availability of this educational resource could not have been more timely," Mahlburg said. "Pharmacists need to be equipped to help support their patients with the appropriate use of naloxone so lives can be saved." Brandon Hool, of The Grand Rapids Red Project, said its naloxone kits have been responsible for 500 opioid overdose rescues since 2008. The book was donated the book to the association in exchange for a donation to the Grand Rapids Red Project with each sale of book. It can be purchased on the Michigan Pharmacists Association website through its online store. The book is $15 and $3 goes to the Red Project. Former Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bob Young Jr. officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate Wednesday, describing himself as a "black, conservative Republican" who will lay down the law in Washington. In a statement to the media sent Wednesday morning, Young said if elected he would focus on reducing the size of government and preventing government from "getting in the way of businesses and communities solving problems and creating jobs." "Michigan used to be a place where the limits were only on how hard we worked and how high we could aspire," he said. "And we need to make Michigan that way again - for everyone." He plans to live stream an announcement on his campaign Facebook page at 2 p.m. Wednesday. I'm the disruptor we need in DC! Posted by Bob Young, Jr. on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 Young is the second Republican to mount a campaign for the 2018 Senate race in the hopes of challenging sitting Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing. Young criticized Stabenow as a "product of the past" whose policies have failed Detroit and Michigan. Lena Epstein, a businesswoman and a former co-chair of President Donald Trump's Michigan campaign, announced her campaign in May. She said in a statement following Young's announcement that he and Stabenow have been in elected office nearly 60 years combined, and said she provides a different vision than people who have been in office for decades. "Voters across Michigan spoke loud and clear in 2016 that they are looking for outside leaders with business experience," she said. "I will unapologetically defend President Trump, fight to end sanctuary cities, and build the wall. I look forward to debating Bob Young and Debbie Stabenow on these important issues in the months ahead." In a statement, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Brandon Dillon defended Stabenow, saying she fights tirelessly for Michigan every day. "We need someone on the side of Michigan families, not special interests," he said. Young retired from the Michigan Supreme Court in April after 18 years on the bench. After his retirement, Young returned to private practice with the firm Dickinson Wright, where he first practiced after graduating from Harvard Law School starting in 1978. He served on the Court of Appeals before moving to the Michigan Supreme Court. He was chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 2011 to 2017 and was last elected in 2010 to serve an eight-year term that would have ended in 2019. The former justice has been a rumored contender for the seat since his retirement, but made his intentions clear during a recent Republican party breakfast in Midland. When asked by an attendee whether he would run for Senate, Young told the crowd he would. Young now has a campaign website -- bobyoungformichigan.com -- and has formed a candidate committee with the Federal Election Commission. NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - A Michigan man who found himself in the spotlight for surviving a plunge over Niagara Falls in 2003 was found dead after he went over again. According to the Associated Press, the body of 53-year-old Kirk R. Jones of Canton was pulled out of the water June 2 in Youngstown, where the Niagara River feeds into Lake Ontario. Niagara State Park Police say Jones was attempting to complete a stunt with a large inflatable ball, but its purpose was a mystery. However, investigators now think they have an answer as to why the ball took the fateful 180-foot plunge with the daredevil. The AP reports that Jones may have brought a boa constrictor along for the ride. That's based on a website discovered by New York State Park Police following Jones' death in which there are photos of him and the 7-foot snake named Misty previewing his plans and selling T-shirts and photos. "Believe in the Impossible Kirk Jones + Misty Conquer Niagara Falls NY 2017," read the site, which has since been taken down. Investigators believe Jones died April 19, the same day tourists spotted an 8-foot plastic ball spinning in the Niagara River. The snake hasn't been found, though an empty snake cage was found in Jones' parked van, AP reported. Jones became the first person known to survive the plunge over Niagara Falls without a safety device in October 2003. That's when he climbed over a rail and into the water in an apparent suicide attempt. The feat brought fleeting fame for the then-unemployed salesman. He had been out of the public eye in recent years. Sally Williams, a 30-year veteran of Michigan's Department of State, will take over as Bureau of Elections Director, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson announced Wednesday. Williams, who currently serves as director of the Election Liaison Division, will replace longtime Elections Director Chris Thomas. Thomas retired this week after announcing his upcoming retirement in February, and spent 36 years as head of the department. Williams will be the first female elections director since the position was created in the 1950s, according to the Secretary of State's office. "I'm honored to be Michigan's next elections director," Williams said in a statement. "We have a great team in the Bureau of Elections, and Chris Thomas has prepared us well. I look forward to continuing my work with local clerks so Michigan voters have their voices heard on Election Day." Williams' position as election liaison division director involved assisting county and local clerks in their election administration duties and overseeing training of local election officials. She led the efforts to review and select vendors for new election equipment statewide, and directed efforts to better train local election officials and workers. She previously served in the executive offices of Secretaries Candice Miller and Terri Lynn Land as the assistant to the chief of staff and as a project manager for major departmental initiatives. "Sally's breadth of experience with Michigan elections and her established relationship with local clerks make her an excellent choice to lead the Bureau of Elections," Johnson said. "She will ensure Michigan voters can continue to have full confidence in the accuracy and integrity of our elections process." KALAMAZOO, MI -- After a state-funded investigation tested 194 untouched rape kits in Kalamazoo County, prosecutors are working to bring perpetrators to justice. A total of $144,216 in state funds financed two temporary sexual assault kit special investigators in May. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said the rape kits, some up to 30 years old, have all been tested. Now, local law enforcement agencies are taking a second look at the original investigations to see if further action can be taken with the new information. In 2015, the State Legislature appropriated funding to the Attorney General to assist local prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting cases arising from previously untested sexual assault kits throughout the state. A Memorandum of Understanding signed last fall states Kalamazoo County will be reimbursed up to $99,216 for limited term investigators and $45,000 for additional investigative costs through September 2017. Getting said it's "impossible" to predict how many convictions will result from the investigation, or how soon they will come. "If it results in even one (conviction), it's a victory," Getting said. "I'm confident that there will be some." New technology allows prosecutors to identify perpetrators that could not have been discovered in the past, he said. Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas said the investigations are similar to a cold case hunt. Sexual assault cases can be difficult to prosecute. Physical evidence helps convince a jury that the story of a victim is true, Getting said, and can ease the stress of a survivor who has to relive a traumatic experience in front of a courtroom full of strangers. "I think its extremely important that we circle back and look at all of these untested kits if for no other reason than to ensure the safety of our citizens," Getting said. "If we have individuals that have been involved in multiple sexual assaults we want to be able to identify them and make sure people are protected from them." Kits were not previously tested for various reasons, Getting said. Sometimes a suspect confessed, pleaded guilty, or was already incarcerated, sometimes the victim did not wish to move forward with prosecuting the case and sometimes police had no suspect to compare the result of the test to. When a sexual assault kit is administered, the appropriate police agency collects the evidence and delivers it to the Michigan State Police crime lab. All kits will be tested from now on, Getting said. After the funding was appropriated to the Attorney General Bill Schuette's office, he ordered a survey of 82 counties in 2016. The survey called on county law enforcement officials to provide a count of previously untested kits in their possession so state authorities could determine the most effective way to help local authorities process the cases. A total of 1,819 untested rape kits were found outside of Wayne County, including almost 600 untested kits in Southwest Michigan. This led to the allocation for special investigators, which Getting said will hopefully lead to arrests. "Without (support from the Attorney General and Legislature), we wouldn't have the ability to focus on these cases the way we are now," he said. In a tweet posted June 28, Schuette said he is "proud of the hard work" Getting and the investigators have demonstrated. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Kalamazoo is among 14 cities across the country that will begin a racial healing initiative through a $24 million W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant. Ten grants will start the work in 14 cities throughout the U.S., including Battle Creek, Flint, Kalamazoo, and Lansing. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation effort will strive to advance racial healing and equity, according to an announcement Wednesday. Launched in 2016, it's a plan to bring about transformational and sustainable change while addressing historic and contemporary effects of racism. "TRHT's purpose is to improve our ability as communities and as a country to see ourselves in each other, so that we can share a more equitable future for all children to thrive," La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the Kellogg Foundation said in a release. "This work is essential because we must bridge the divides in our country." A primary focus of is to remove deeply held, and often unconscious, beliefs about race, ethnicity or place of origin. The initiative will also study economic inequality and discriminatory laws and find ways to address segregation and concentrated poverty in neighborhoods. The Council of Michigan Foundations will receive $4.2 million during the next five years. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation will receive $865,000 to host the work, and a portion of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation funds include a challenge grant to develop an endowment fund. Carrie Pickett-Erway, president and CEO, Kalamazoo Community Foundation, said the funds come at a critical time. "This work will help communities uncover truth, bridge divides and jettison the belief in a hierarchy of human value," she said in the release. Sholanna Lewis, Kalamazoo Community Foundation's community investment officer, said the organization hopes to bring the community together to elevate the work already happening and develop new strategies. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation announced Wednesday that it will partner with more than a dozen nonprofits to implement the racial healing effort in Kalamazoo, including: Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College Black Arts & Cultural Center City of Kalamazoo ERACCE Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan Gryphon Place Hispanic American Council ISAAC Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Kalamazoo Youth Development Network Michigan United NAACP Project X SHARE United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region Welcoming Michigan (Michigan Immigrant Rights Center) Western Michigan University YWCA Organizations in Alaska, Louisiana, New York, Illinois, Texas, California, Virginia, Alabama and Minnesota will also receive funding. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek but works throughout the United States and internationally in places with high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. FULTON, MI -- Police have identified a man found dead in a Kalamazoo County field as Ron French, a man last seen about three weeks ago, police say. A resident reported finding a body in a field in the Fulton area on the week of June 26 and officials positively identified the deceased man as 71-year-old Ron French, Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Pali Matyas said on Wednesday, June 28. Police are releasing little information as they investigate the death. "We're keeping the whole investigation tight to the chest," Matyas said. He declined to comment on questions as to whether or not police consider the death suspicious. The sheriff's office first received a report on Wednesday, June 21, that French was missing. He went missing from an address on South 34th Street in Brady Township, police have said. Police have said French drove a 2016 Chevy Silverado and it was located, but the last time anyone saw French was June 4. Police said at the time of the initial news release that French had a heart condition and epilepsy. Anyone with information about the case can call the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office at 269-383-8748 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Western Michigan University Board of Trustees will consider tuition rates for the coming school year at a meeting this week. The meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, June 29, in Rooms 157-159 of the Bernhard Center, located on WMU's main campus. Trustees will consider tuition rates as well as a budget recommendation from the administration for the coming 2017-18 academic year, a news release from the university states. Tuition rates will be considered for both the main campus and for the University's Extended University Programs, which are offered at regional locations around the state and at non-Michigan sites. Tuition revenue and state appropriations are the two ingredients that make up the University's operating budget, accounting for some 97 percent of that budget, the university said. In June of 2016, the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees approved a tuition increase of 4.19 percent. The means a full-time freshman or sophomore who is a Michigan resident pays $11,493 in tuition and fees to attend WMU for the 2016-17 academic year with a total of 30 credit hours. The 2016-17 tuition is a $464 increase from the 2015-16 academic year. In January, the WMU Board of Trustees voted to cap tuition for undergraduates from outside Michigan, which the university says would dramatically reduce tuition for incoming nonresidents to attend WMU. The cap took effect during WMU's summer I session in May 2017 and basic, main-campus tuition rates for newly admitted nonresident students were set at 1.25 times the rate Michigan residents pay, the university has said. The previous rate for nonresident undergraduate students was 2.3 times the rate charged to Michigan students. Also on the June 29 agenda are recommendations to: * Extend WMU President John M. Dunn's contract through July 31. * Approve tenure and promotion for faculty members who have met the criteria. * Authorize the purchase of property at 110 W. Cork Street. * Approve a labor agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. WHITEHALL, MI - As the popular Electric Forest music festival expands into uncharted territory, many participants are anxiously awaiting the first-ever second weekend. Several of the festivalgoers have been spotted Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Muskegon County. For some, they are in the area in between Electric Forest's two weekends with plans to attend both. For others, they plan to attend the festival's second weekend and came to the area early. Many businesses, including gas stations, super markets and laundromats, drew in these Electric Forest attendees. Some also found lodging in the area. Round Two of Electric Forest 2017 is scheduled for Thursday, June 29 through Sunday, July 2 at Double JJ Resort in Rothbury, Michigan. The first four-day weekend of the popular music and camping festival concluded Sunday. Ashley L'Meill, 23, has stayed in an AirBnb in Montague for the past few days, exploring the area as she awaited the second weekend of the event. This is her fourth time attending Electric Forest and for her, the event never gets old. "It's just everything, everyone that I encountered is nice," L'Meill said. "The venue is amazing compared to others. They always change something small and you have to look around to find it." L'Meill said she was caught off guard by the second week of the festival, but that didn't stop her from wanting to experience it. "The two weekends surprised me," she said. "I felt like I had to do both (weeks) because I wanted to see everyone. It just made me have to find things to do in between." The extra weekend also was a surprise to L'Meill's bank account, tickets cost hundreds of dollars for each four-day weekend, but that also didn't keep her from taking in another week of the festival. "You have to factor in a whole other festival, but it was well worth it, I hope," she said. Sam LeBrun and Laura Lowe from Seattle, arrived in Muskegon Tuesday morning after taking a road trip from their hometown. The couple walked around downtown and visited Heritage Landing as well as Unruly Brewery while they awaited the festival. The couple took an entire month off for the road trip and will be visiting the festival for the first time. "We've had it on our bucket list for a while and it sounded really cool," LeBrun said. "One of my friends has been to it a like seven times and is a local here, and has been talking it up. "We've always wanted to try it and we were taking a road trip anyway and happened to be in the greater area, so we thought we'd give it a try." Lowe, who works in a brewery back in Seattle, said her and LeBrun have been working all winter to make this trip happen. "We worked so hard to make this trip happen," she said. "Taking an entire month off of work is not easy feat. I'm just trying to make the most of every moment." Participants were all over Whitehall Wednesday afternoon. They were seen packing their cars, RVs and trucks with water, food and other supplies to get themselves ready for the event. Some of the visitors have traveled quite far for the extravaganza. "I don't even know what I'm getting myself into right now," said Dennys Gaona, 21, who traveled from Athens, Georgia. "It's going to be a good time, especially with a good group of friends." Gaona is like many participants who have traveled from across the country and even the world to visit one of the biggest festivals in Michigan. He and 25 others will take in the music and other events the festival has to offer. Elisabeth Jensen works at the Wesco gas station in Whitehall and said the amount of traffic the second week of the festival has boosted business for the gas station. "Our business has probably quadrupled," Jensen said. A great deal of the visitors who come into the Wesco purchases water and cigarettes, among other supplies, Jensen said. The festival brings in people from as far as Russia, Australia and Lebanon. Inside the Wesco hangs a map with stars indicating the different locations of where visitors are from. Jensen said seeing the different people in the area is always exciting during this time of year. "I always ask them where they're from because I like to know," she said. "It's huge and people are from all over. We're amazed when people come in and say they're from the UK and South Africa." Danny Neils, 23, of Wisconsin is also experiencing the festival for the first time. He and a group of 15 friends made the trip from Fondulac and arrived in Whitehall early Wednesday afternoon. Although Neils wasn't at the festival for the first week, he said the key to preparing for the event is simple. "You have to sleep to prepare yourself," he said. Marc Murr, co-manager of the Nook Book Java Shop in Montague sees dozens of people from the festival hanging out in the shop. The participants usually come by in the morning to get coffee and the evenings when they're searching for dinner, Murr said. "Some of them have brought a lot of color to the area of White Lake and we appreciate it," Murr said. "It's a great bit of diversity for our community, which we all appreciate," he added. NORTH MUSKEGON, MI - The Great Lakes Fresh Market company will unveil completed renovations to its North Muskegon grocery store at 520 Whitehall Road on Friday, June 30. The store was once owned by Plumb Inc., but the company ceased operations in February after closing stores in Norton Shores and Newaygo in November 2016. Its assets were taken over by secured creditor L.M. Foods, which announced the new name of the remaining three stores in March 2017. The other two locations in Whitehall on Colby Road and in Muskegon on Apple Avenue are also undergoing renovations. An event marking the completed renovations and the rebranding of the business is expected to take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Prizes ranging from a flat screen TV, to West Michigan Whitecaps tickets to a signed Red Wings jersey will be awarded to a few lucky customers who attend the unveiling. Although the stores remained open after L.M. Foods took over the remaining three locations, L.M. Foods President Dan Gentz said the new company is calling this a "grand opening" to permanently separate the two brands for consumers. "We have no affiliations with the old Plumb's," he said. "Everything is new. We're excited to bring something to the North Muskegon area." Gentz said the Muskegon store on Apple Avenue is scheduled for the start of the remodeling process next week and is expected to have its "grand opening" three to four months from now. He said there is no timetable yet on the "grand opening" of the Whitehall store. Gentz said there are still cases and shelves that need to be finished as well as some flooring before the unveiling, but the North Muskegon store will be "100 percent" ready by Friday. The first 100 customers at the unveiling will receive a Great Lakes Fresh Market cloth shopping bag with coupons and samples inside. There will also be a hot dog and brat wagon and free samples from the bakery, deli, meat and produce departments. The market will also have in-store specials and sales at the Whitehall and Muskegon locations. "We want them to have a one-of-a-kind experience when they walk into Great Lakes Fresh Market," said Customer Service Manager Lisa Gentz in a press release. "We're doing our best to bring a fresh new take on quality and service." GLADWIN COUNTY, MI -- Gladwin County declared a state of emergency due to flood damages suffered over the weekend, becoming the fourth Mid-Michigan county to do so. Terry Walters, chairperson of the Gladwin County Board of Commissioners, issued the declaration Tuesday, June 27, stating the county has "sustained a widespread damage to public infrastructure and private property caused by flooding." Walters cited several roads now damaged and impassable, along with numerous residents reporting flooded basements, caused by the flooding. Isabella, Bay and Midland counties previously declared states of emergency to ensure they're eligible for state and federal relief funds. Marianne Hill, director of Gladwin County Emergency Management, said residents should report property damage to her as soon as possible. "If you have not contacted Emergency Management to report your damage, please do so as soon as you can by calling 989-426-6871," Hill said. "Leave your name, address, telephone number and information on what was damaged." SAGINAW, MI -- After many months spent renovating Mid Michigan Music's new home on Hamilton Street in Old Town Saginaw, the business apparently has closed without explanation. A message posted on the Mid Michigan Music Facebook page Monday, June 26, simply reads, "We are permanently closed." A similar message was posted on the private Facebook page of business owner Steve Meyers. Little is known about the closure, and it's unclear whether the online store will continue to operate. Meyers could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday, June 28. The doors were locked, but a sign listing the store's regular business hours did not show Wednesday hours. There was no store-closing sign on the door or anything else that would indicate the business had permanently closed. The website was still up. Last year, Meyers gave MLive/The Saginaw News a tour of the 105-year-old building in Old Town he was renovating to make way for Mid Michigan Music. At the time, he was preparing to move his business from Midland to the historic spot in Old Town. The building, located at 118 S. Hamilton, first opened as a vaudeville theater in 1911 and most recently was the Old Town Gym. Mid Michigan Music once operated store locations in Saginaw, Midland and Bay City. Paul Barrera Sr., who owns Jake's Old City Grill on Hamilton and is a member and past president of the Old Town Saginaw Association, said he heard the news but no other details. "We're sorry to see Steve closing, but we have no further knowledge than what he has announced," he said. "It's unfortunate because Steve is a hell of a guy and we thought he had a great concept." Janey Cascaddan, co-owner of nearby Rock Your Locks, also said she was saddened by the news. "I really don't know. I just wish him the best," she said. "He's what we all referred to as 'Old Town dad.' We all loved him like a dad, so I hope we still see him around. He's a good man." Tom Miller Jr., owner of Woody O'Brien's and J.B. Meinberg, said Meyers was active with the business association and an "awesome volunteer in Old Town." Although Miller said he didn't know what prompted the store's closure and didn't want to speculate, he said it's a tough time for retailers of all sizes. "What we can do, is to try to shop local and support local businesses," he said. "We all know that shopping online is convenient, but it does make a difference when you shop local and you buy local." Barrera said this is part of the life cycle of a business district. Businesses come and go. "We've had a whole lot more businesses come into Old Town than have left and more are coming," he said. LITTLE ROCK, AR -- A man who drove his car into a newly constructed monument of the Ten Commandments outside the state capitol in Arkansas broadcast his actions on Facebook Live. Michael Reed, 32, screamed the word "Freedom" as he drove his vehicle into the monument, toppling it less than a day after it was installed on the grounds. Reed has been previously linked to the destruction of a Ten Commandments monument in Oklahoma. An officer near the Arkansas monument saw Reed drive his vehicle into the monument and arrested Reed soon after. The 6-foot-tall statue was installed Tuesday after $26,000 in private donation were raised to build the monument. Reed ran into the monument around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday. Reed faces charges of defacing objects of public respect, trespassing on Capitol grounds and first-degree criminal mischief, according to a police report. Prior to filming the act of destroying the monument, Reed posted a different video expressing his support for Christianity, but also believing in the separation of church and state. Debates across the country have popped up regarding the placement of religious monuments on state grounds as some people believe it is a violation of the Constitution which calls for a separation of church and state. Others have argued that state's rights allow for the states to make their own decisions on the issue. Reed is being held without bail until a formal court appearance is made. BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China will give necessary support for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to improve their relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Tuesday. Lu's comment came as the ROK has approved a request by an aid group to send tuberculosis medication to the DPRK, and other material to build hospital wards there. The green light is the first of its kind since ROK President Moon Jae-in took office in May and the shipment will be made to the DPRK's western port city of Nampo via China in July, according to Yonhap. As the people of the DPRK and the ROK belong to the same ethnic group, improving the inter-Korea relationship and promoting reconciliation and cooperation serves the fundamental interests of both sides and regional peace and development, Lu said. "China is willing to give necessary support to this," Lu said. China hopes the DPRK and the ROK can continue goodwill toward each other and play a positive role in easing tension on the peninsula, the spokesperson said. (Photo/Shanghai Ballet) "To be, or not to be, that is the question" - this famous soliloquy was spoken without uttering a word through the powerful language of dance as the Shanghai Ballet staged a full-length ballet based on Shakespeare's Hamlet at Beijings National Center for the Performing Arts over the weekend. (Photo/Shanghai Ballet) Co-produced by the Shanghai Grand Theatre and Shanghai Ballet last year to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the thrilling tragedy about conspiracy, revenge and love featured Shanghai Ballet principal dancers Wu Husheng and Qi Bingxue in the main roles. The production features classical ballet but also contemporary dance, and unique costume designs to express the emotions of different characters. (Photo/Shanghai Ballet) The show will also be presented at Tsinghua University in Beijing on Thursday and Friday. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The 21st Annual General Meeting of the Company was held on today i.e. June 28, 2017 at the registered office of the Company at Indian Rayon Compound, Veraval-362266, Gujarat, and the following items were transacted at the said AGM:1. Adoption of Audited Financial Statements and Director's & Auditor's Report forthe year ended March 31, 20172. To appoint a Director in place of Ms. Pinky A Mehta (DIN: 00020429), who retiresfrom office by rotation and being eligible, offers herself for re-appointment.3. Ratification of Appointment of M/s. S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP as Auditors of theCompany for the FY 2017-2018 and fixing their remuneration.4. To enhance Borrowing Power under Section 180(1)(c) of the Companies Act, 20135. To create charge on Movable and Immovable properties of the CompanyThe results of voting will be intimated separately.The above is for your information and records.Source : BSE Yogesh Mehta of Motilal Oswal told CNBC-TV18, "We have a mixed bag today. We are recommending long position for ONGC. Currently it is quoting at Rs 161. It was on falling trend and it has made a low of Rs 155-156 where it is finding support. A bounce back on the buying spree can take it to Rs 169-170 level. So, one can keep a stop loss of Rs 156 for the target of Rs 170." "Another one is Tata Steel which is very resilient to go down. Yesterday also there was a sharp selloff in the Nifty but Tata Steel was resilient enough and taken a support at Rs 504-505. So, we are recommending going long; today also stock is up by 1.5 percent. Currently, it is Rs 518-519 level, one can go long with this position and keeping a stop loss of Rs 505, one can look at a price target of Rs 540," he said. "On the contra side, we are recommending SRF to go short in. It is continuously going down since last three session from Rs 1,600 levels to Rs 1,545 right now. So, on rise we would recommend to go short between Rs 1,545 and Rs 1,560 and keeping a stop loss of Rs 1,585 one can look at a price target of Rs 1,440 to Rs 1,450 levels." The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave an in-principle approval for disinvestment of debt-laden state-run carrier Air India. The move is a step forward for privatisation of the national carrier which has been riddled with inefficiencies and mismanagement. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government will form a Group of Ministers to explore ways to divest its equity stake in Air India. The GoM will also decide on the modalities of the proposed disinvestment, including the quantum of the stake to be diluted and ways to deal with the carriers existing debt, Jaitley said. Jaitley did not mention what percentage of stakes will be sold and what will be the process to sell the ailing airline. Besides, the government has also accepted the NITI Aayog suggestions on privatisation of Air India. Stretched thin by competition from leaner and budget airlines, Air India is reeling under a debt of over Rs 52,000 crore, with about Rs 28,000 crore in working capital debt, and about Rs 4,000 crore in interest burden alone. The national carrier has not turned profit in 10 years. From commanding a 35% share in mid 2000s, Air Indias domestic market share has reduced to just 14%. The airline stands behinf IndiGo and Jet Airways in the pecking order. On the overseas traffic to and fro India, it has a 17% share. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been exploring options to privatise the national carrier which is currently surviving on Rs 30,000 crore bailout by the previous government. Earlier this month, Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran had informal talks with the government. Media reports also suggested that the Tatas could get Singapore Airline on board for a minority stake. Recently, Jaitley had said that if private airlines can handle 86% passengers, then they can also handle 100% passengers. Considering the current situation of Air India, Jaitley said, "We should have ideally exited Air India a decade and a half ago". Even Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said last month that there were " hardly any bakras (scapegoats) around " to buy the loss-making national carrier unless its massive debt was written off first. coal_68041873[1]_98315393 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Moneycontrol Research How do you break a companys monopoly by splitting the company itself. This seems to be the logic behind governments thinktank NITI Aayogs proposal to tackle Coal Indias monopoly in the coal sector. Reports quoting the Draft National Energy Policy prepared by NITI Aayog says that one of the major suggestions made is to corporatise the seven existing subsidiaries of the national miner to foster more competition and improve coal supply efficiencies. The report also hopes that progressively fresh production from new mines ought to come from the private sector. By splitting Coal India and allowing its subsidiaries to be independent entities NITI Aayog's intent is to replace the current system of administrative allocation of coal by a vibrant coal market with prices performing the function of allocation. The policy document says that increased competition and market determined pricing would bring about substantial reduction in coal price and Indias coal industry will emerge as an exporter of coal. There is nothing wrong in the logic of NITI Aayog though the thought of splitting Coal India has been considered earlier, also. However, it seems that it is a little too late in the day for such a move. Lets consider the ground realities. Demand for coal by power sector players, especially the public sector ones has been falling. Power accounts for the major chunk of coal consumption in the country. Government itself is not considering setting up new thermal based power plants. Its focus is to promote renewable power. It hopes to meet the incremental demand for power from environmental-friendly sources. Coal India is in any case not in the best of health. Its margin is shrinking on account of a large and increasing fixed-cost base. Further, the company continues to derive most of its revenue from low grade coal. Its cash balance, accumulated over the years, is depleting as the government is demanding higher dividend as well as making the company buy back the promoters (governments) stake. Further, low international prices of coal are preventing the company to increase prices. Splitting subsidiaries under such a condition will only add pressure on their margins. Though the price of coal may come down and benefit the consumer, the move will be detrimental to the financial health of individual companies. To add to the trouble is the possibility of an increase in supply from private sector players. The government has been successful in auctioning the coal mines which were given away for free by the Manmohan Singh-led government which had resulted in the Coal Scam. These mines were given to private players for captive usage. Reports say that commercial mining is yet to see the light of the day largely on account of subdued demand and availability of low cost coal. NITI Aayog feels that fresh coal production should come from private sector mines and is pitching for more reforms in allocating coal blocks to independent companies specialised in coal mining. This will add to the supply pressure in the coal sector. As for exports of coal, the commodity has seen a growth in production after Donald Trump was elected President of the USA. Production in US has increased by 19 percent as Trump walked out of climate change policy. Increased supplies of coal will keep prices depressed. Finally, the shareholders of Coal India, who are now in the unenviable position of holding a company that is trading close to its life-time low, are unlikely to see much relief through the move. Splitting the subsidiaries and listing them separately would unlock some value but in the end the problem with savvy investors buying Coal India shares was that the company does not have pricing power. The same is likely to continue even when the companies are split. Even if the companies are given pricing power, increased supplies would result in the siblings fighting with each other for market share. As mentioned earlier along with pricing power, the problem for Coal India is lack of demand. Unless these are addressed, splitting them or keeping them together does not matter. The CBI has taken over the probe into Rs 500 crore cash-for-click scam allegedly run by Ghaziabad-based Webwork Trade Links which duped lakhs of investors. Actors Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who endorsed its portal Addsbook.com, are also named in the complaint but neither the CBI nor the Uttar Pradesh Police, which was probing the case earlier, named them as accused in the FIR. The CBI sources said a clarification could be sought from the actors. Emails sent to offices of the actors seeking their comments were not responded to. Promoters of Webwork Trade Links, Anurag Jain and Sandesh Verma, duped people using the two actors as brand ambassadors of his shadow firm addsbook.com, alleged the complaint filed by Amit Jain, one of those duped. According to the complaint, which is now part of the FIR, the company opened a shadow company Addsbook Marketing Pvt Ltd with the brand ambassadors Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shah Rukh Khan and started ads on a noted TV news channel. "People have invested heavily as they were influenced by both celebrities," it alleged. Jain and Verma allegedly took money from people by luring them with lucrative payments for every click on advertisements on their website, the complaint said. According to the Uttar Pradesh Police, which was probing the matter, Garg and Sudesh offered membership to more than four lakh people in four months for the click and earn plan. The complainant alleged that the company collected Rs 1.72 lakh from him to join the scheme where people were supposed to get paid for clicks for advertisements for one year. But after some time the websites stopped functioning and the company also refused to respond to their calls. When the complainant visited the office of the company, he was allegedly threatened. It is also alleged that company started forcing people to start bitcoin accounts. Bitcoin is a kind of virtual currency. It is alleged that they collected over Rs 500 crore from around two lakh people, the police had said. The CBI, on directives of the Allahabad High Court, has taken over the investigation into the matter and re-registered the FIR against Jain and Verma for alleged cheating and violation of the Information Technology Act. Whenever the CBI takes over the investigation from a state police, it re-registers the same FIR which was filed by the state police. The final report in the case may be completely different. Fortis Healthcare today said its shareholders have approved increasing shareholding limit for foreign institutional investors to up to 74 percent from 24 percent at present. The company had sought approval from the shareholders through a special resolution to increase the FII limit through a postal ballot. In a filing to Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Fortis Healthcare said the proposal was approved with 99.998 percent of the votes polled. The stakeholders of the company have given "approval for increase in the shareholding limit for registered foreign institutional investors (FIIs) from 24 percent up to an aggregate limit of 74 percent of the paid up equity share capital of the company", the filing said. Fortis Healthcare has earlier got shareholders' nod to raise up to Rs 5,000 crore. "The board of the company had approved the enabling fund raising options up to Rs 5,000 crore including but not limited to qualified institutional placement, foreign currency convertible bonds or any other method...," Fortis Healthcare had said in a earlier BSE filing. Shares of Fortis Healthcare today closed at Rs 166.95 per scrip on BSE, up 1.15 percent from its previous close. Mitessh Thakkar of miteshthacker.com told CNBC-TV18, "I have been advocating a slightly bearish stance on the housing finance space since Friday. All these stocks have space for about proper pullback which could give a correction of about 5-8 percent. Currently, the stock which could possibly offer you a good risk reward ratio would be Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL). The stock has slipped below key levels of around Rs 430-435 and keeping a stop loss just above Rs 435, on the downside, the stock is possibly heading towards levels of about Rs 405 to about Rs 400". "We are having a mild positive opening and my bias is more of negative, so my focus will remain on the PSU banks, which looks like the weakest sector or possibly the best sector to go short upon. So in case we get positive ticks over there, particularly State Bank of India (SBI) or Canara Bank those two looked the weakest in the short-term, I would be inclined to sell them," he said. "Asian Paints was a sell around Rs 1,110-1,115 levels with a stop loss at Rs 1,130 for targets of Rs 1,080 but yes there has been a breakdown so Rs 1,080 could be achieved. So any intraday pullback of Rs 5-7 should still attract fresh short positions. I have a buy on Kaveri Seed Company with a stop loss at Rs 640 for target of Rs 690." "United Spirits is one stock which is having a very strong intraday buy signal today. So maybe that is one stock which I would want to buy with 30 points kind of a stop loss for 80-90 points kind of a target on the upside." Known for its expertise in the high speed rail sector, Germany will conduct a feasibility study for running trains at a speed of about 300 kmph on the 450 km long ChennaiBengaluruMysuru route. Germany has appointed a consortium of consultants comprising DB E&C, Intraplan Consult and Ingenieurburo Vossing to carry out the study in the southern region. Germany will bear the cost of the year-long study involving exact location, ridership, opportunities, and challenges among other issues and submit the report. A pre-feasibility study of this section has been completed by the German side in 2016 and now they are keen to do a feasibility study, said a senior Railway Ministry official involved with the high speed rail project. India had signed a joint declaration of intent in October 2015 on the development of cooperation in rail sector between German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure and the Indian Railways during the visit of the German Chancellor to India. The German side had indicated willingness for a feasibility study on High Speed Rail (HSR) in India in the joint declaration. During the visit of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to Germany in April 2016, a protocol was signed with German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure to intensify cooperation in rail sector. One of the areas mentioned in the protocol is high speed rail. It was decided during the bilateral meeting that Germany will conduct feasibility study for high speed rail of Chennai Bengalure-Mysuru section with their finances. The German Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt visited India and met with Prabhu in October 2016. Both leaders discussed and agreed to work expeditiously on the feasibility study for HSR of ChennaiBengaluruMysuru, he said. In order to carry out the study, workshops have been organised by consultants at Chennai and Bengaluru this month to interact with zonal authorities and to understand regional requirements. As part of study, a workshop is scheduled to be organised tomorrow where consultants will interact with officials of the Railway Ministry. Representative image The Centre today approved a Rs 3,691 crore highway project in Uttar Pradesh that is part of the Golden Quadrilateral between Delhi and Kolkata. "The Cabinet approved development of six-lanning of Chakeri-Allahabad section of National Highway (NH-2) in Uttar Pradesh," an official spokesperson said. The total length of the NH 2 to be developed is 145 km and it is part of the Golden Quadrilateral between Delhi and Kolkata, the spokesperson said after the Union Cabinet meeting. The project is aimed at expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh and would reduce the time and cost of travel. "The cost (of the project) is estimated to be Rs 3,691.09 crore including cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities," the spokesperson said. The project, the government said, will also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities. As India gears up to kick off GST from July 1, GST Network today sought to calm nerves in the wake of global cyber attack, saying its operations have not been affected and registrations have been going on smoothly. GSTN Chief Executive Prakash Kumar said the IT company has taken all necessary precautions to prevent such ransomware attacks and all data are safe. With just two days left for the rollout of the biggest tax reform since Independence, Kumar assured stakeholders full safety of data, saying "there is nothing to worry". Under the new indirect tax regime GST, GSTN will be handling the mammoth IT back office and storing data of over 3 billion invoices per month. "We have taken all care and there is nothing to worry about. Our system is run on Linux software and all data are safe and operations are going on smoothly," Kumar told PTI. The global malware attack named Petya had last night disrupted functioning at some central banks and many large corporations in Europe. In India, the attack has hit the functioning of one of the terminals of India's largest container port JNPT at Nava Sheva. The Petya attack is similar to the Wannacry ransomware attack last month that infected computers running on older versions of Microsoft operating systems, including XP. Must Watch: Another Tryst With Destiny! How GST Will Change Your Life after July 1 Over 2 lakh systems globally were then infected by the malicious software. GSTN has already assured the stakeholders that all their data will be stored in an encrypted form and only the taxpayer and the assessing officer will have access to the information. The company has been set up primarily to provide IT infrastructure and services to central and state governments, taxpayers and other stakeholders for the implementation of GST. More than 66 lakh excise, service tax, and value-added tax (VAT) assessees have enrolled on the GSTN portal. There are 80 lakh such assessees. GST Network has already completed all software trials and testing necessary to successfully implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1. India needs to develop its own path to attain capital adequecy for public sector banks (PSBs) as required by the Basel III global norms, former RBI Governor Y V Reddy said today. The finance ministry, incidently, had made a case recently for pushing back the Reserve Bank's deadline for implementing these norms in view of higher capital requirement to deal with bad loans which have reached unacceptable levels. "Basel III banking norms are sort of guidelines in international standards. In principle we want to go towards the Basel III banking norms. The pace of implemenation is left to each country," Reddy told PTI in an interview. "I think it is appropriate that India decided its own path to the comprehensive basel III norms. So I would not consider it as an unwelcome thing, if it is being done wisely, I am sure," he said. In a recent meeting with RBI, senior officials from the finance ministry pitched for deferring the implementation of Basel III norms beyond March 2019, saying it will help banks meet the capital needs and increase credit flow to productive sectors along with balance sheet clean-up. These global capital to risk norms, called Basel III capital regulation, are being implemented in phased manner by Reserve Bank of India since April 1, 2013. They are to be fully implemented as on March 31, 2019. As per the norms, banks have to maintain a minimum common equity ratio of 8 per cent and total capital ratio of 11.5 per cent by March 2019. Most of the 21 state-owned banks are already above the average prescribed by RBI as of now but there are 6 PSU banks including IDBI Bank, Bank of Maharashtra and Central Bank of India, which have been put under prompt corrective action (PCA) requiring course correction and higher capital to come out of poor financial health. However, provisioning levels for the Indian banking sector have risen sharply over the last few quarters in response to rising bad loans, with the RBI's asset quality review initiated in December 2015 pushing the bottomline of several PSBs into the red. Their toxic loans rose by over Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 6.06 lakh crore during April-December of 2016-17, the bulk of which came from power, steel, road infrastructure and textile sectors. Gross non performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans of PSBs nearly doubled to Rs 5.02 lakh crore at the end of March 2016, from Rs 2.67 lakh crore at the end of March 2015. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced capital infusion of Rs 10,000 crore for PSBs in the current fiscal in line with the Indradhanush scheme. This will be over the Rs 70,000 crore that banks will get as capital support from the government. Of this, the government has already infused Rs 50,000 crore in the past two fiscals and the remaining will be pumped in by the end of 2018-19. As per the scheme, PSBs need to raise Rs 1.10 lakh crore from markets, including follow-on public offer, to meet Basel III requirements, which kick in from March 2019. According to sources, discussions are ongoing with RBI and the finance ministry has made the point of deferring Basel III norms given the circumstances. RBI had already extended the deadline from March 2018 to March 2019 in 2014 after getting representation from various quarters. The implementation may necessitate some lead time for banks to raise capital within the internationally agreed timeline for full implementation of the Basel III capital regulations, RBI had said. RBI believes that there is a set framework and it should not be disturbed and any divergence from Basel III norms by the RBI can impact the perception on Indian banks and the central bank globally. Basel III reforms are the response of Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) to improve the banking sector's ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic stress, whatever the source, thus reducing the risk of spill over from the financial sector to the real economy. Following the global financial crisis 2007-08, during Pittsburgh summit in September 2009, the G20 leaders committed to strengthening the regulatory system for banks and other financial firms. They aimed at implementing strong international compensation standards aimed at ending practices that lead to excessive risk-taking, to improve the over-the-counter derivatives market and to create more powerful tools to hold large global firms to account for the risks they take. As a result of this Basel II replaced Basel III reforms on capital regulation. The Centres grand plan to rollout GST at a special session of Parliament at midnight on June 30 is facing a road block from the Opposition. They are likely to skip the launch though a final call has still not been taken. The reason they have given is that opposition parties did not like the method of the invite. Sources from Trinamool Congress, the Left, and the Congress told News18 that the letter of invitation by parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar was sent to all MPs individually. The norm, they say, is to address it to party leaders only. Also, the last line of the letter reads, It gives me great pleasure to request your gracious presence on the historical occasion of the launch of GST by the honourable Prime Minister, in the presence of the President of India. Read More: http://www.news18.com/news/india/to-attend-or-not-to-attend-opposition-faces-dilemma-for-midnight-gst-launch-1445369.html Dabur is on the list of key companies to watch out for once the goods and services tax (GST) is rolled out on July 1. To know how the company is gearing for this new tax regime, CNBC-TV18 spoke to Sunil Duggal, CEO of Dabur. Duggal said although the GST rates are in-line with company's current tax incidence, it could impact volume growth in the first quarter. The dealers, trade partners, wholesalers, distributors have collectively decided to down stock from advice of associations, said Duggal. So despite incentives from the company, destocking has been gaining traction since June 20, he added. Volume growth is expected to normalise by the second quarter and recovery would happen in H2FY18, he said, adding that the company maintains volume growth expectation of 5-10 percent. On the other hand, he said demand is recovering smartly, rural demand is showing signs of revival. So as long at the end demand remains intact, the company is not too worried about the long-term impact of GST on trade imbalance etc. According to him, there won't be a substantial impact of GST on margins. The impact of GST is not substantial on end prices, he added. However, the international business could remain under pressure in the first and second quarter. Recovery will happen from second half onwards, he said. He is confident that the disruption related to GST would abate and trade in India will remain resilient. Ahead of the GST rollout from July 1, FMCG firm Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages is conducting a training programme for its 4,000 distributors to familiarise them with the new tax structure. The programme comprises training on GST rates for beverage categories, understanding the GST credit mechanism, GST compliances and cut off dates as also managing the transition to GST, among others. The company in a statement said: "100 trainers of Hindustan Coca-Cola, each split into teams of three, are camping in different parts of the country to train the 4,000 strong distributor force. The programme, which started on June 25, is being provided in local languages, and has already covered 50 per cent of the trade partners in states, including Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The company said it expects the training of 4,000 dealers to be completed by June 29. Besides, the company has set up a GST helpline to help distributors with any offline query and clarification. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building is illuminated during a special "muhurat" trading session for Diwali, the festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, November 11, 2015. Stock markets opened on Wednesday for a special one-hour Diwali holiday session. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade The S&P BSE Sensex which rose to a fresh record high just last week broke below 31,000 while the Nifty was seen flirting with its crucial support level of 9,500 just ahead of June expiry. The index has started forming the lower top and lower bottoms which are a bearish sign. Traders might have to brace for some more volatility but it is a golden opportunity for investors to buy into quality stocks as the correction could well extend up to 5 percent, suggest experts. We are seeing signs of fatigue in the Indian market currently and the correction has just started. The last time I was here, I said that we could see a correction of up to 5 percent in indices but the pain will be felt below that, Andrew Holland, CEO, Avendus Capital said in an interview with CNBC-TV18. We have to look forward to GST and the disruptions that it will cause. We expect some more downside in domestic and global markets in the next few months, he said. The S&P BSE Sensex rose nearly 17 percent while some of the stocks have already more than doubled investors wealth in the same period. The quick surge in benchmark indices and select stock pushed the valuation higher which were now trading slightly above their long-term averages. However, there is another reason which is pulling the market own and that is the implementation of the goods & services tax (GST). The GST will come into effect on July 1. In the short term, I am little cautious about is GST which will be lot messier than many of us have feared. There could be several months of major dislocation in terms of companies managing and stretched out payments, Arvind Sanger, Managing Partner, Geosphere Capital Management said in an interview with CNBC-TV18. Although the Street has factored in some of the disruptions, the full impact is not in the price yet. The implementation would not push the timeline of earnings to recover by at least two quarters. Inherently it is the stretched valuations due to which the market is facing selling pressure, but GST would be one of the hooks that the market will justify for correction to set in, Jimeet Modi, CEO, SAMCO Securities told Moneycontrol. The halting trade on Tuesday resulted in a breakdown on charts for Nifty50 as it slipped below its crucial support placed at 9500, signaling a caution ride ahead. After reaching a peak at 9700 level during the previous trading period, the bearish trajectory at the current level is more rational than to cohere the breakout at the upper level, suggest experts. The short-term turmoil which is expected to witness during the transition phase of GST has been a catalyst for the market to discount given the valuation concern, Dinesh Rohira, Founder & CEO, 5nance.com told Moneycontrol. Given the valuation concern during the past months, the market is now pricing according to the expectation from this transitional phase to be witnessed from 1st July. For investor having a long-term objective, this will be a better time to buy quality stock on every dip. But when you examine quality the of stocks, it should be stretched on few important parameters such as past revenue trend along with future outlook, the volume of business & its geographical presents, debt structure and finally a fundamental outlook of industry, said Rohira. A broker reacts while trading at his computer terminal at a stock brokerage firm in Mumbai, India, August 24, 2015. India's benchmark BSE index fell more than 5 percent on Monday to their lowest in a year, as a rout in Chinese equities sparked widespread unrest in global financial markets. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui - RTX1PEZT 3:30 pm Market at Close: Equity benchmark indices ended the session on a sluggish note, as frontline indices ended in the red for the second straight day. Cautious stance by the investors ahead of derivatives expiry on June 29 could have kept the market in check. The Sensex closed down 123.93 points at 30834.32, while the Nifty ended lower by 20.15 points at 9491.25. The market breadth was negative as 1286 shares advanced against a decline of 1336 shares, while 172 shares were unchanged. Reliance and Asian Paints were the top losers for the day, while Tata Steel, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra and Yes Bank gained the most. 3:15 pm Buzzing Stock: Shares of ABG Shipyard were locked in upper circuit as investors cheered the buzz of a UK-based firm in talks to buyout the firm. According to a report in Business Standard, the Liberty House, which also bought Tata Steel UKs speciality business, is said to be in talks with the company for an acquisition. Negotiations are on. There will be more clarity on the deal within the next 10 days, the publication reported, quoting a source. 3:00 pm Market Check: Benchmark indices continued to remain sluggish as the market entered the final 30 minutes of the trade, with the Nifty failing to hold on to 9500-mark. The Sensex was down 146.10 points at 30812.15, while the Nifty was down 23.50 points at 9487.90. The market breadth was negative as 1,243 shares advanced against a decline of 1,324 shares, while 173 shares were unchanged. Reliance and Asian Paints sulked, with both the stocks being top losers on both indices, while Tech Mahindra, Vedanta, Tata Steel and BHEL gaining the most. 2:45 pm Patanjali sales drop: Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved is facing significant pressure as its sales have dropped 50 percent for the April-June quarter ahead of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) roll-out. The company has set an annual revenue target of Rs 20,000 crore for FY18. CNBC-TV18 learned from sources that many trade and retail partners are destocking stocks ahead of the GST transition. 2:30 pm Market update: The benchmark indices recovered a bit in the afternoon trade. The Sensex was down 99.10 points at 30859.15, and the Nifty was down 11.85 points at 9499.55. About 1239 shares have advanced, 1276 shares declined, and 165 shares are unchanged. Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, BHEL, Wipro were the top gainers, while top losers include Reliance Industries, Asian Paints, HDFC, M&M and SBI. 2:05 pm Buzzing Stock: Shares of Sangam Advisors added 4.5 percent intraday Wednesday as it has received letter of award from Maharashtra State Power Generation Company. The company has been awarded two letter of award by Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO) for design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning 2MV grid interactive solar plant. The two plants situated at Ralegan-Siddhi, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra and at Manjarda, Yavatmal, Maharashtra on build own & operate (BOO) basis and operations and maintenance of the project for 25 years from the date of commissioning of the project. 1.44 pm Market Check: Benchmark indices extended losses in afternoon trade, with the BSE Sensex down 150.85 points at 30,807.40 on correction in Reliance Industries (down 2.6 percent), HDFC (1.16 percent) and Asian Paints (2.44 percent). The NSE Nifty struggled below 9,500 level, down 33.80 points at 9,477.60. Even the market breadth turned negative as about 1,284 shares declined against 1,177 advancing shares on the BSE. ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel, Wipro and BHEL continued to outperform, up 0.7-1.7 percent. 1:25 pm Nomura bullish on Maruti: While retaining a buy call on Maruti Suzuki India, Nomura has raised target price on the stock to Rs 8,824 (from Rs 7,412 earlier), implying 22.8 percent upside as it believes the stock will continue to trade at premium valuations. "The stock currently trades at 25.7x FY18 EPS. With FY18-19 EPS CAGR of around 20 percent, secular growth trajectory, healthy return on equity/return on capital employed (23/31 percent in FY19) and consistently improving free cash flow due to limited capex requirements, we believe MSIL will continue to trade at premium valuations," it explained while lifting target P/E to 25x FY19 EPS (from 21x earlier). 1:10 pm De-stocking impact: While retaining neutral call on Havells India with a target price of Rs 500, Citi said the de-stocking impact on company will likely be short-lived. The stock was down 1.5 percent intraday. It sees de-stocking across the board impacting Q1FY18 revenue. The research house said distribution channel across products (from light electrical products to large appliances) is seeing varying degree of de-stocking in the run-up to GST. The extent of de-stocking is higher in large appliances (room ACs) against smaller appliances. However to counter this, the electric equipment manufacturer has started issuing separate excise invoices (which shows excise paid separately and will enable dealers to claim input tax credit). Havells' dealers in core business (light electrical and small consumer durables) keep only 15-25 days of inventory. As a result, in core business, destocking will likely have limited impact only, the research house feels. 12.43 pm Market Check: Equity benchmarks continued to trade in tight range in afternoon as traders await expiry of June futures & options contracts on Thursday. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 56.27 points at 30,901.98 and the 50-share NSE Nifty declined 7.05 points to 9,504.35. The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices continued to outperform benchmarks, rising 0.3 percent each as about 1,283 shares advanced against 1,076 declining shares on the exchange. 11:54 am DB on NTPC: With reiterating a buy call on NTPC, Deutsche Bank believes that the company is at an inflection point of stepping up commissioning from 2 to 5-6GW per annum. Capitalisation doubling in FY18 and FY19 (overtaking capex) should improve return on equity by 200 basis points - leading to a valuation re-rating cycle, similar to FY14-17 cycle in Power Grid, it feels. According to the research house, NTPC could now acquire stressed independent power plants (with power purchase agreements) from banks using cheap leverage to improve returns. Deutsche said NTPC underperformed Sensex by 13 percent in one year, making its call wrong, due to offer for sale by the government to sell 10 percent stake; low profit growth of 2 percent in second half of FY17 due to GCV impact; negative effect from solar tariffs dipping below NTPC's average tariffs; and now flat generation target for FY18. 11:40 am Buzzing: Shares of Cadila Healthcare gained over a percent intraday as investors cheered drug regulators nod to its drug. The company said that it received a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nod for Oxybutynin tablets from its Moraiya unit. This drug is useful for treating urinary and bladder difficulties. This follows a spate of approvals that the company has been receiving from the said facility. The estimated sale for the tablet is believed to be to the tune of USD 150.9 million, the company told the exchanges in a filing. 11.29 am Market Check: Benchmark indices continued to consolidate in late morning trade but the broader markets gained strength, with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices rising 0.4 percent each. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 27.79 points at 30,930.46 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 1.35 points to 9,510.05 despite positive breadth. About six shares advanced for every five shares falling on the BSE. Reliance Industries, Asian Paints and SBI were top losers among Sensex stocks, down 1.5-2 percent whereas ICICI Bank, Maruti and Tata Steel gained 1-2 percent. 11:00 am Listing: Healthcare company Eris Lifesciences is set to make a debut on exchanges on Thursday, June 29. The issue price is fixed at higher end of price band of Rs 600-603 per share. The initial public offer of the company was opened for three-day bidding during June 16-20 and was oversubscribed 3.29 times due to weak sentiment and poor response from high networth individuals. The portion reserved for qualified institutional buyers was oversubscribed 4.68 times and retail investors 3.51 times but the portion set aside for non institutional investors was subscribed only 45 percent. The Ahmedabad-based pharma company raised Rs 1,741 crore through the issue, including Rs 779 crore from 21 anchor investors. It was an offer for sale by existing shareholders. 10:47 am FII View: Neelkanth Mishra of Credit Suisse said after steadily outperforming global equities in USD terms over January-April 2017, Indian equities underperformed in May & June. In 2017 so far, India still ranks 6th among 50 major markets, helped by rupee appreciating 5 percent against USD, he added. He still prefers sectors with good EPS growth like metals, energy, industrials and utilities over pharma, cement, staples & telecom. 10.38 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks continued to be volatile in morning trade, with the Nifty hovering around 9500 level ahead of expiry of June derivative contracts on Thursday. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 30.08 points at 30,928.17 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 5.70 points to 9,505.70. The broader markets recouped early losses, trading flat with a positive bias as the market breadth turned positive. 9:53 am Buzzing: Motherson Sumi Systems share price gained nearly a percent in early trade after the shareholders have approved the issuance of bonus shares to existing shareholders through postal ballot on Tuesday. The company has fixed July 7 as record date for purpose of the bonus issue. Hence, the register of members and share transfer books will remain closed on July 7. The board of directors of the company, on May 19, has recommended the issue of bonus shares in the ratio of one bonus shares against the two existing shares. 9:35 am F&O: Nifty rolls were at 47.81 percent, higher than 3-month average of 42.5 percent towards the end of June series while the market wide rollover of 37.01 percent was lower than the 3-month average of 39.1 percent, ICICIdirect said. It further said Nifty total futures open interest has increased considerably by more than 5 percent on Tuesday due to fresh additions in the July series. Nifty June series witnessed closure of 6.2 million shares while July series added almost 7.4 million shares, which have prompted sharp increase in Nifty rollover. The current open interest in Nifty is just 13.2 shares, which is relatively low with just two days to settlement. As expected, the roll spread has also come under pressure and it is currently at 14 points from 19 points seen on Tuesday. According to the research house, F&O data is clearly suggesting fresh short build-up in the next series. 9:30 am Monsoon: Met Department told CNBC-TV18 that most parts of country have received well-distributed rainfall while there has been lower-than-estimated rainfall in region around Himalayas. According to the department, 79 percent of the country has received normal-to-above-normal rainfall while rainfall deficiency is mostly concentrated towards north east. Met Department is seeing a steady progress in rainfall in central India and expects average July rainfall at 96 percent. Also read - Buy, Sell, Hold: 5 stocks and 2 sectors are on analysts' radar today 9:15 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks extended losses in early trade Wednesday, with the Nifty opening below 9500 on further correction in PSU banks, healthcare and FMCG stocks. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 19.27 points at 30,938.98 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 27.70 points to 9,483.70. ITC, SBI, Bank of Baroda, L&T, Sun Pharma, Lupin and Dr Reddy's Labs were under pressure while Infosys, ICICI Bank and HDFC continued to support the market. Nifty Midcap lost 0.5 percent as about two shares declined for every share rising. Vijaya Bank, OBC, Andhra Bank, Syndicate Bank, Escorts, Berger Paints, Bajaj Finance, DHFL and LIC Housing fell 1-2 percent whereas Jaiprakash Associates, Jaypee Infra, Adani Enterprises, Videocon Industries, Fortis Healthcare and Dish TV gained 1-15 percent. The Indian rupee opened marginally lower at 64.55 per dollar against previous close of 64.53. Pramit Brahmbhatt of Veracity feesl the rupee will take cues from weak domestic equity market and will trade sideways to negative. He expects the spot USD-INR pair to trade in a range of 64.40-64.80/dollar. Asian indexes traded mostly lower after the softer lead from Wall Street, with the vote on a bill to replace Obamacare in the US delayed. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs U.S. President Donald Trump as they give joint statements in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RTS18QSB India Inc gave a thumbs up to the first bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump and said the commitment to intensify economic cooperation has reinstated the confidence in the partnership between the two nations. Industry body Assocham welcomed the joint statement following the meeting, stating that the mutual commitment to increasing market access in information technology and other sectors is a big positive for the USD 150 billion Indian software and services industry. Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said yet another positive from the outcome of the Modi-Trump meeting is the commitment to strengthen cooperation to address excess capacity in industrial sectors. The mutual commitment to expedite regulatory issues would also be of a great help to the Indian pharmaceutical industry which has been facing several problems at the end of the US FDA, he said. Ficci President Pankaj Patel said, "We are glad that the confidence in the US-India partnership is reinstated during his (Modi's) meetings with President Donald Trump and there is a commitment to intensify the economic cooperation as well as advance the principles of free and fair trade." As the US continues to recognise India as a major defense and energy partner, the two countries will work together to leverage new opportunities for collaboration in these sectors, Patel added. On the occasion of the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the US, Ficci and East-West Center launched a report titled 'India Matters for America/America Matters for India' at Capitol Hill in Washington. The report highlights the upward trajectory and expanding and deepening nature of the US-India partnership in areas such as defence, trade and investment, and education and people- to-people exchanges, observing that trade between the two countries has increased by nearly 200 per cent since 2005. Defense trade has increased from USD 1 billion in 2008 to USD 15 billion at present, said the report. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More India should split the seven units of state-controlled Coal India Ltd into independent companies to make it more competitive, the government's policy think-tank said on Tuesday in a draft of a new energy policy. About 70 percent of India's power generation is fired by coal. The country is the world's third-largest producer and third-biggest importer of coal, which the government wants to change by boosting local coal production. Fresh coal production should come from private sector mines, the government think-tank NITI Aayog said, adding that the move called for reforms in allocating coal blocks to independent companies specialised in coal mining. Coal India was not available for comment after its regular business hours. Reuters reported in December that senior Indian government officials, tasked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reviewing energy security, were recommending the break up of the world's largest coal miner within a year. Attempts to break up the world's biggest coal miner could expect resistance from powerful unions representing the firm's more than 350,000 employees. The government backed down from a similar proposal in the face of union protests in 2014. One of the unions, which is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, is against the move and says it has the support of about half of Coal India's workers. "We are opposing the recommendations made by NITI Aayog," Baij Nath Rai, president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, told Reuters by telephone. Coal India, the country's second-biggest employer, is often criticized for being bloated and inefficient. Its output-per-man shift is estimated at one-eighth of Peabody Energy, the world's largest private coal producer. Over regulation, high compliance costs in insurance mark current industry: Study This report has already been presented to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for review. June 28, 2017 / 08:39 PM IST The current regulatory framework and support systems tend to over-regulate, according to a research report by insurance industry veterans H Ansari and Arun Agarwal. The research report said that the cost of compliance in insurance is high in India. The report, A Transformative Agenda for the Indian Insurance Industry and its Policy Framework, explained that currently the regulations are prescriptive and rule-based, and often there is carping on 'market not mature' and 'data not adequate'. This report has already been presented to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for review. According to the report, the essential elements of 'ease of doing business' framework has not been incubated within the policy and regulatory framework to establish a credible and supportive regulatory regime. The report also took support from the India office of City of London. H Ansari, a former member (non-life) at IRDAI who has co-authored the report explained that unlike some other regulators, the word 'development' was part of the mission and vision of IRDAI when it was set up according to the IRDA Act, 1999. However, he added that the regulatory policy is less 'development' oriented. Echoing a similar concern, co-author Arun Agarwal said that instead of micro regulating the industry, IRDAI could weave out a broad framework within which Indian insurers could bring out innovative productald. Agarwal has worked across insurance/reinsurance companies like GIC Re, Chola MS General Insurance and has earlier represented specialist insurance market Lloyd's as their general representative in India. He said that they have advocated a contract certainty (pre-sale) so that the terms and conditions are framed in a simpler manner for policyholders to understand what product they are actually buying. Further, the report called for effective dispute resolution and a penultimate insurance appellate authority to speeden the process of policy and claim related disputes. Burzin Somandy from Somandy & Associates Advocates which specialises in insurance litigations added that on an average, litigation could stretch upto as long as 7 years or more in India. He said that if there was one body that would take up all insurance related court cases, the pace of resolution could become much quicker. After much deliberation and delay, the Reserve Bank of India has allowed the banking ombudsman to register complaints from July 1 for banks misselling a financial product such as insurance, mutual funds or any other third-party products. In its June 16 notification, the RBI amended The Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2006 to include provisions to complain to the ombudsman if the sale is improper or unsuitable, if there is lack of transparency, if one is not informed about the grievance redressal mechanism or if the after-sales service is denied by the banking staffs. The provision is a much-sought relief for customers as till now, there was no proper complaint mechanism to register grievances against the banking staffs. According to a survey conducted by Moneylife magazine, nearly 90% of responded had told that they were mis-sold a financial product or service. In the same survey, more that 70 percent had found the internal grievance redress system of banks are ineffective. However, few economists have termed the move too late and too little. Monika Halan, currently a Financial Planning Standards Board India member, writing for Livemint highlighted that the terms improper, unsuitable or transparent has not been defined in the notification which could be problematic. She further questions the RBI and its staff being the final authority for consumer complaints as well as appeals. The appeals should be outsourced to a regulator-agnostic agency that looks after all financial sector consumer complaints, she opines in the piece. How is mis-selling done in banks? >Misguiding the customer to choose a certain product. For example, if the agent or banking staff sell you an insurance product in the garb of a mutual fund. Always check for the name of the product and if it is an insurance or a mutual fund or any other financial products. >Tricking the customer by telling only about the absolute returns on the product, not the annualized returns. >Even if the customer does not need a life insurance but insisting him to buy one by highlighting benefits which actually he might also be getting with the mutual funds. Usually banks earn more by selling insurance than mutual funds, hence the insistence. This means that the end consumer will thus only bear the GST charged by the last dealer in the supply chain, with set-off benefits at all the earlier stages. To ensure that manufacturers, developers and service providers pass on the benefit to the final customer, the government has included an anti-profiteering clause in the GST bill under section 171 of GST law. This clause clearly states that it is mandatory to pass on the benefit tax reduction due to input tax credit to the final customer. Impact on Residential Real Estate: To say the least, the Indian real estate sector has been going through significant transformation in the recent times. The recently implemented Real Estate and Regulation Act (RERA) has already started addressing the issue of non-transparency and affixes a level of accountability on real estate builders and brokers which is unprecedented in the history of the Indian property sector. Must Watch: Another Tryst With Destiny! How GST Will Change Your Life after July 1 For the residential real estate sector, the implementation of GST will definitely be a positive sentiment booster among property buyers. GST may not be instrumental in bringing down the prices of residential real estate over the short term. However, it will benefit all the stakeholders of the residential real estate sector, as the perception of the sector will improve on the back of a simplified tax structure and accountability being fixed at every stage. Benefit to property buyers: A simple and transparent tax applied on the purchase price is the biggest take-away for property buyers. Under the GST regime, all under-construction properties will be charged at 12 percent (excluding stamp duty and registration charges). It will not apply to completed and ready-to-move-in projects, as there are no indirect taxes applicable in the sale of such properties. VAT (with rates differing from one state to another) and service tax together accounted for 7-9 percent of the ticket price for a residential property, which is 3-4 percent lower than the GST rate. However, due to information asymmetry, consumers were largely unaware of how VAT and service tax are calculated definitely, the entire tax calculation was too complex for laymen to understand. Any real estate product comprises three expense components, namely land, material and labour or service costs. VAT is calculated on material cost, and service tax is calculated on labour and service costs. It is very difficult for buyers to ascertain what components were included for calculation of VAT and service tax. The implementation of GST makes the calculation much simpler, since the buyer has to pay only a single GST. Also, the builder must pass on the benefit of the price reduction he enjoys due to input tax credit to the buyer. Impact on affordable Housing The affordable housing sector, which is a major thrust area of the incumbent government and is the cornerstone of its Housing for all by 2022 vision, will not be impacted by GST. This has been clarified by the announcement from the Finance Ministry, which indicates that there will be no tax under GST for housing projects which comes under the affordable housing scheme. Benefit to Developers In the previous tax regime, real estate developers also grappled with the challenge of multiple taxation. On various construction materials they purchased, builder paid customs duty, central sales tax, excise duty, entry tax, etc., thus creating various instances of multiple taxation. The cumulative burden eventually got passed on to the buyer. Major construction materials have not seen a major change in tax rate. Sand lime bricks and fly ash bricks will be taxed at 5%, which is lower than the previous rate of 6 percent. However, the marginal change in the percentage of these variables will make a huge difference as transportation and logistics costs reduce in the single taxation system. To Conclude While there might be a marginal impact on the real estate sector in the near term, we are definitely looking at a significant improvement in buyer sentiment and perception of this sector. Developers, too, will find the GST regime much simpler to work with, with the benefit of input tax credit being an added advantage. Mitessh Thakkar of miteshthacker.com told CNBC-TV18, "I have three sell calls and two buy calls. The first is a sell on Capital First with a stop loss at Rs 673 for target of around Rs 620. It has broken below the 200-day average. Granules India has broken below key swing support levels. So that is a sell as well, look for target of Rs 120 and keep the stop loss just above Rs 133.50, negative crossovers have happened on the charts of PTC India. So that is a sell with a stop loss above Rs 94.50 for targets close to about Rs 88." "Two buy calls, Grasim Industries was a buy yesterday as well. That has made a fresh swing breakout, still a bullish set up is over there, so I would buy this one with a stop loss at Rs 1,198, look for target close to about Rs 1,250 and Hindustan Zinc is looking promising, it is stabilising above the Rs 250-253 mark, which was an important resistance level. So buy with a stop loss at Rs 249 for targets close to Rs 270," he said. Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com told CNBC-TV18, "In Fortis Healthcare, this sort of a rally should be sold into. The stop losses are about Rs 185. Bajaj Finance could correct a bit more. That is where people have made money, so, I think that is regular profit booking. At some point all NBFCs will become buys, probably not today. However, you must look at these stocks as they move below their 20-day moving averages as and when they turnaround. The same stocks will again make fresh highs; you will not get new leaders." "State Bank of India (SBI) is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 280 and target of Rs 265. Colgate Palmolive is also a sell with a stop loss of Rs 1,090 and target of Rs 1,050. Balkrishna Industries is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 1,640 and target of Rs 1,700," he said. "A lot of these consumer type stocks are coming off. My sense would be that possibly it has got something to do with GST, etc. So, these declines like in demonetisation should be used to accumulate. So, I would not take this as true move, maybe there is destocking, there is no purchase, etc. that is happening. So, chances are at lower levels you should buy. Titan Company's 200-day moving average is still fairly low, I think you should be buying around Rs 470-475." "Similarly PC Jeweller 's 200 DMA is around Rs 430. So, try to use these declines which are temporary in my opinion to accumulate these stocks because once the recovery happens it is likely to be equally sharp." live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Moneycontrol News Shares of ABG Shipyard were locked in upper circuit as investors cheered the buzz of a UK-based firm in talks to buyout the firm. According to a report in Business Standard, the Liberty House, which also bought Tata Steel UKs speciality business, is said to be in talks with the company for an acquisition. Negotiations are on. There will be more clarity on the deal within the next 10 days, the publication reported, quoting a source. Further, the paper wrote that proposal by the company could be presented as a pre-approved package before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The central bank had directed banks to take the case of ABG Shipyard to the tribunal in a bid to resolve its debt issues. The Liberty House proposal could be presented as a pre-approved package before the tribunal. The stock has fallen over 7 percent in the past one month, while its three-day gain stood at around 16 percent. At 14:55 hrs ABG Shipyard was quoting at Rs 13.72, up Rs 0.65, or 4.97 percent on the BSE. It touched an intraday high of Rs 13.72 and an intraday low of Rs 13.72. Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest. Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well. This week, Vijay Chopra, Gaurav Ratnaparkhi and Ruchit Jain battle it out for top honours. Below their top stock picks and analysis: Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking Buy Gail India with a stoploss at Rs 346 and target of Rs 382 Sell PC Jeweller with a stoploss at Rs 512 and target of Rs 462 Buy Adani Transmission with a stoploss at Rs 117 and target of Rs 134 Sell CG Power with a stoploss at Rs 82.50 and target of Rs 76 Vijay Chopra of enochventures.com Buy Aditya Birla Nuvo with a stoploss at Rs 1790 and target of Rs 1850 Buy Unitech with a stoploss at Rs 5 and target of Rs 6 Buy Hindustan Zinc with a stoploss at Rs 250 and target of Rs 262 Buy BEML with a stoploss at Rs 1460 and target of Rs 1515 Gaurav Ratnaparkhi of Sharekhan Buy Great Eastern Shipping Company (GE Shipping) with a stoploss at Rs 390 and target of Rs 414 Buy Engineers India (EIL) with a stoploss at Rs 151 and target of Rs 160.80 Sell Kajaria Ceramics with a stoploss at Rs 678 and target of Rs 637 Sell IDFC Bank with a stoploss at Rs 57.10 and target of Rs 53.50 Shahina Mukadam, Independent Market Expert told CNBC-TV18, "Andhra Bank in my view looks weak and besides that fundamentally also it is weak. In terms of low provision coverage it is just about 50 percent, net NPAs are more than 7 percent, and their capital adequacy is low. So, I dont see any reason why one should continue holding it." "It is better to switch from here to something like State Bank of India (SBI) which is also in a corrective phase. So, if we can get in into a stronger bank and then hold for a year or two, I believe that it would be a better fundamental call to take," she added. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The ambitious product and technology partnership between Tata Motors, Volkswagen and Skoda is believed to have not progressed as far as the companies would have liked giving rise to a possibility of the tie-up getting called off. The tripartite venture, which was kicked off in March this year, could not generate any sizeable benefit for the auto companies, especially Tata Motors, said a person who was privy to the developments. The talks have hit a dead-end, they have not found any meaningful solutions thus far. And going by the rate at which the companies are talking to each other it is unlikely that a solution can be seen even six months later, said the person mentioned above. However, the decision to abort the venture altogether is yet to be taken and will most likely happen in the coming weeks. We are not sure if there could be any concrete outcome of the talks, said a senior executive from Tata Motors. "We are currently in the phase of evaluating the potential cooperation based on technical feasibility and adequate levels of synergies. We will communicate concrete details of the outcome at the right time. Till then, it will be premature to disclose any information or respond to such speculations," said a Tata Motors spokesperson. Compared to Tata Motors the partnership would have benefited Volkswagen more considering the lacklustre presence the German company has in India since its debut in 2007. While Tata Motors has a well-defined product roadmap (till 2022) involving pruning of platforms and reducing it to just two on which all of its future products would be housed, Volkswagen does not have a concrete roadmap for India yet. If the venture fails to take off this would be the second such dejection for Volkswagen. The German carmaker's partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation in late 2009 didn't bear any fruit. Volkswagen had then hoped to benefit from low-cost technology mastered by Maruti Suzuki. Volkswagen has platforms developed in Europe which are too expensive to compete in the cost-effective sub-Rs 5 lakh segments in India. The cheapest car Volkswagen has in India is the Polo priced at Rs 5.32 lakh (ex-Maharashtra). The company has a market share of just 1.64 percent in India. Skoda uses the same platforms for its own range. In March Tata Motors, Volkswagen and Skoda Auto signed a memorandum of understanding for a long-term partnership to explore strategic alliance opportunity for joint development of products. Tata Motors and Skoda Auto, representing the Volkswagen Group, were to detail out the guiding principles and terms of cooperation. Post successful completion of definitive agreements, the two companies were to begin joint development work and joint value-chain activities. Tata Motors was to benefit from VWs advanced technology in areas of electric drivetrain, hybrids, connected cars and even driveless cars. While Tata Motors is independently pursuing each of these technologies a successful partnership with VW would have helped it leap frog several years of development cycle. As per the initial plans Tata Motors was to launch products starting calendar year 2019 if the discussions proved fruitful. Talks for a partnership between Tata Motors and Volkswagen began before July last year under the aegis of ousted Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry. Since Czech brand Skoda Auto has enjoyed a longer stint in India compared to Volkswagen it was decided that the company will take the lead on behalf of the Volkswagen Group. Their primary responsibility was to drive forward the development of vehicle concepts in the economy segment. Both Volkswagen and Skoda have been fringe players in India with minuscule market share despite being in the market for more than a decade. Both companies have remained absent from the volume-generating affordable compact car segment two main reasons unavailability of low-cost technology and fear of diluting brand positioning. Meira_Kumar_President_of_India_Nominee Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar today filed her nomination in the presence of top Congress and opposition leaders. Meira Kumar, who filed her papers with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on one side and former prime minister Manmohan Singh on the other, will launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on June 30. Accompanying the former Lok Sabha as she filed her nomination in Parliament House were a host of opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Sonia Gandhi and other top Congress and opposition leaders were amongst those who proposed and seconded her nomination. The nomination papers will be scrutinised tomorrow. Kumar, who will contest against NDA's Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections, had said yesterday that it was a battle of ideologies and not a 'Dalit versus Dalit' fight as was being made out by some. RPT---New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi during a meeting with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (unseen) in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI Photo by Shahbaz Khan(PTI10_5_2016_000036B) Congress president Sonia Gandhi today described the presidential election as a battle of ideologies and principles and said the opposition was determined to fight it. "For us, it is a battle of ideologies, principles and truth and we will fight it," she said after the opposition's presidential candidate Meira Kumar filed her nomination in Parliament. The Congress president led the 17 opposition parties in accompanying the former Lok Sabha speaker as she filed her nomination on the last day today. Gandhi is one of Kumar's proposers in one set of nomination papers, sources said. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is abroad on a vacation, said Kumar represents the values that bind the country and its people. "Against the ideology of divisiveness she represents the values that bind us as a nation and people. Proud to have Meira Kumar ji as our candidate," he tweeted. Representative image The Petya ransomware attack that on Tuesday hit computers across the globe including India comes within a month of a similar attack of WannaCry malware. Here's a look at similar malware attacks that have caught users unaware over the last few months. Malware, which includes various forms of harmful software, such as viruses and ransomware, wreaks a system by taking control of the machine, monitors actions and keystrokes, and silently sends confidential data from a computer or network to the attacker's home base. The latest one christened GoldenEye, is the fourth version of a malware which started off in March 2016. Two of the previous three versions were named Petya while the third was called Mischa. The ransomware, which may be a variant of the Petya/Mischa/Petrwrap/GoldenEye ransomware family, mimics the traditional blackmailing system--the malware captures the data in users' computer and asks the user to pay for the data. Globally, ransomware has crippled several computers shutting down critical infrastructure, corporate and government networks. Here are some details on various software malware that affected systems across the globe: GoldenEye The new cyberattack similar to WannaCry attacked systems from Europe, US, South America and Asia hitting port operators in New York, Rotterdam and Argentina, disrupting government systems in Kiev, and disabling operations at companies including Rosneft PJSC, advertiser WPP Plc and the Chernobyl nuclear facility. As many as 80 companies were initially affected by Petya virus in Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday asking users to pay $300 in cryptocurrency to unlock them. Kaspersky Lab analysts say new attacks are not a variant of Petya ransomware as publicly reported, but a new ransomware they call NotPetya pic.twitter.com/Uf8phx9Pkf Patrick O'Neill (@HowellONeill) June 27, 2017 In a day's span, GoldenEye affected about 2,000 users, according to Kaspersky Lab analysts. WannaCry In May 2017, the global WannaCry "ransomware" cyber attack, one of the largest coordinated attacks, infected more than 2 lakh systems in 112 countries, according to Czech security firm Avast. The number of infections peaked more than 9,000 computers being hit per hour, Avast said. The countries most affected by WannaCry were Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and India, Avast's data showed. Fireball Early June 2017, cyber security sleuths alerted internet users against the destructive activity of a browser-attacking virus- 'Fireball'- that stole sensitive user data and manipulated regular surfing activity. The malware spread across the globe by bundling and 'without the user's consent'. "It has the ability to collect user information, manipulate web-traffic to generate ad-revenue, malware dropping and executing malicious code on the infected machines," the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) said in its advisory to the internet users. Judy While WannaCry held PCs across the globe, Judy affected over 36 million Android smartphones. According to security solutions firm Check Point, the malware Judy used infected devices to generate large amounts of fraudulent clicks on advertisements, generating revenues for the perpetrators behind it. The total spread of the malware campaign on Google Play (Google's official app store) may have reached between 8.5 and 36.5 million users, Check Point said on its blog. The auto-clicking adware (Judy) was found on 41 apps developed by a Korean company. However, it wasn't clear which countries have been impacted by the Judy malware. After Check Point notified Google about this threat, the apps were swiftly removed from the Play store, the blog said. Xavier Last week, Trend Micro Incorporated discovered a Trojan Android Malware called Xavier that steals and leaks a users information silently. According to data from Trend Micro Mobile App Reputation Service, more than 800 applications embedded with Xavier have been downloaded millions of times from Google Play Store. These applications range from utility apps such as photo manipulators to wallpaper and ringtone changers. According to Data Quest, Trend Micro found that Xavier comes with some notable features that differentiate it from the other malwares. First, it comes with an embedded malicious behaviour that downloads codes from a remote server, then loads and executes it. Second, it goes to great lengths to protect itself from being detected through the use of methods such as String encryption, Internet data encryption, and emulator detection, which makes it difficult to detect the malware. I hope such informal summits becomes a tradition between both the countries. I'll be happy, if in 2019, we can have such informal summit in India: PM Modi (Reuters) This is not the time for India to display arrogance towards China and the so-called strategic support it has received from the US is superficial, an article in Chinas state-run Global Times has said a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his first bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House. "India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial.... It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," the article said, adding China has no desire to confront India. Read More: http://www.news18.com/news/india/chinese-media-warns-india-against-showdown-says-us-support-superficial-1445431.html restaurant_87228202 Moneycontrol News This Friday, most restaurants in Mumbai plan to down shutters early to ensure a glitch-free switch over for their systems to the goods and services tax (GST) regime from Saturday. Restaurants that otherwise close at 1.30 am especially on Friday on account of being a good business day, will either shut around 11.30 p.m or take orders only till midnight, reports The Times of India. "There is a technical glitch. Systems will have to be rebooted for GST software to be effected, and this can happen when we open for business at 12 noon on Saturday. So orders placed after midnight cannot be loaded with GST," said a manager of the sea-food-focused Oceanic restaurant in Chembur. Some restaurants have been gearing up for the July 1 rollout of the GST and have been upgrading their software to automatically calculate GST on food receipts after June 30. However, they would prefer to avoid any last minute goof ups. Mumbai ranks among Indias top cities in terms of eating out, according to a survey by National Restaurants Association of India, combined with a tendency of the city people to be more spendthrift while eating out. "We want to avoid confusion and arguments. If a customer places order before midnight, it will be billed as per existing rules, and if the same customer makes an additional request after midnight, it will fall under GST. This will make a tricky situation," said Vishwapal Shetty, owner of Sea Lord in Worli. Must Watch: Another Tryst With Destiny! How GST Will Change Your Life after July 1 The ambitious tax move is set to make eating out costlier owing to higher sourcing costs of processed meats, condiments and other packaged cooking ingredients. The restaurants intend to pass on the baton of this increased cost to customers. "We will not immediately revise rates as it will take some time for us to understand how much GST is applicable to various food items. Eventually, customers will have to pay as our procuring costs will rise," said Hemant Oberoi, former Taj chef-turned-founder of the eponymous restaurant. Most restaurants plan to follow a wait-and-watch policy for a couple of months on the impact of GST on cost of operations and then change the rates. "We can't change the menu just for taxation purposes. In any case, we change the menu every six months; the changes will reflect in the next one," said the founder of a fine-dining restaurant. Air conditioned joints with bar licences will charge GST of 18 percent, while non-air conditioned eateries with annual turnover of Rs 50 lakh will levy GST of 12 percent. GST is not applicable to liquor, so restaurants will give two separate bills, one for food which will include GST and the other for alcoholic beverages which will include VAT and other taxes. "GST will make the bill look heavy as taxes are hidden now. People don't get tax loaded on their bills as restaurants with a turnover of Rs 3 crore have been giving a composite tax of 5 percent," said Adarsh Shah, president of Ahar, an association of 8,000 bars and restaurants. "To adjust the new tax, we will have to remove existing taxes and then load GST to ensure patrons don't face much hike. The net increase on the bill could be around 7 percent," said Ashwin Shetty of Cafe Vrundavan in Sion. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden meeting at the White House sent a clear message around the world that the Indo-US ties are going to be "substantially closer", Energy Secretary Rick Perry has said. "There was a picture yesterday that I happened to see, that I thought was very reflective. And it was of these two individuals (Trump and Modi) embracing each other. I think that was a clear message around the world that the United States and India are going to be substantially closer," Perry told reporters at a White House news conference. Energy is going to play a "very, very important" role in that, said Perry, who a day earlier attended the White House dinner hosted by Trump in honour of Modi. The camaraderie between Modi and Trump was on full display as the two leaders heaped praise on each other, voiced appreciation for each other's leadership and embraced more than once at the White House. The two leaders underlined the close ties between their countries, with Trump saying India has a "true friend" in the White House. Talking about the working dinner, the first for a foreign dignitary at the White House under the current administration, Perry said in the energy sector LNG (liquefied natural gas), clean coal and nuclear energy cooperation was discussed. "Last night at dinner, we talked about the three areas of which there will be great back-and-forth cooperation; deal- making, if you will. One of those is in LNG. The other side of that is in clean coal. Thirdly is on the nuclear side," Perry said. "So there is great opportunity for India and the United States to become even stronger allies, stronger partners, energy being the glue that will hold that partnership together for a long, long time," he said in response to a question. The State Department described Modi's visit as successful. "The Indian Prime Minister Modi departed Washington last night after a successful trip to Washington. He went to the White House at the invitation of President Trump," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said and quoted President Trump who said yesterday, "The relationship between India and the United State has never been stronger and has never been better." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had also met Modi on Monday. "The two talked about ways to further strengthen our cooperation, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, defence, and also trade," she said. "The Secretary reaffirmed the administration's support for India's as the leading security provider in the Indo- Pacific region. He also noted that he looks forward to working even more closely with India on shared regional and global priorities, including North Korea," Heather said. Ashwini Priolker The Maximum City houses some of the finest buildings. Along with these fine buildings, there are many old and dilapidated buildings, too. Every year government bodies like BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) or Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (MHADA) declare names of the most dangerous buildings with the onset of monsoons. This year BMC has declared 613 buildings as very dangerous. Buildings, which are declared dangerous, are not fit for possession. Yet people continue to stay in these crumbling houses. We have received 5 notices from BMC asking us to evict the building. But we cant afford to do that. The rents in the city are very expensive. We will have to shell out Rs 30,000-Rs 40, 000 for a 1BHK, which is beyond our capacity. We will have to move to locations like Vasai or Nalasopara which is not feasible for us, says Neha Shah, a resident of an old building in Andheri. Several of these old buildings come under Maharashtra Rent Control Act. The buildings are maintained by the landlord and tenants pay the landlord a fixed rent. Many a time landlords completely neglect the repair of the old buildings thereby allowing the buildings to lie in a dilapidated condition. Our building was built in 1960. We have four landlords. Due to the infighting between the landlords we are unable to get our building repaired. Every monsoon we are scared for our lives, says Iqbal Dosani, Andheri resident. According to the experts, the need of the hour is for the government to come out with a policy to address this issue. The residents of tenanted buildings which come under the Maharashtra Rent Control Act have no legal recourse. They have to wait for the landlords to repair their buildings. There is no redevelopment policy in place for such buildings. The government, therefore, has to formulate some law for the redevelopment of these buildings, says Vijay Samant, a Mumbai-based Project Management Consultant. On the other hand, several residents, who decided to move out of their old and dangerous buildings are still waiting for their new homes. For some, the wait has been as long as 20 years. There are 48 transit camps across Mumbai. These transit camps were built by the government. People moved into these camps from their old BMC/MHADA buildings. If things had gone as per plan, most of them would have got their homes within a few years. But the condition on the ground is very different. The residents of the transit camps are languishing there for many years. My building was demolished in 1983. Till now we are suffering in the transit accommodation due to the bad administration of the MHADA authority, says Mujahid Khan, a resident of a transit camp in Bandra. These transit camps lie in a deplorable state. The structures are now quite old and there is a lack of sanitation. Residents also complain of water shortage and power cut problems. In a nutshell, high rent, reluctance to move to remote locations, no redevelopment policy for tenanted properties and fear that they might never come back to their old homes play a big role in discouraging people from moving out of their old buildings thereby risking both lives as well as property. A global cyber attack has hit the property arm of France's biggest bank BNP Paribas, one of the largest financial institutions known to be affected by an extortion campaign that started in Russia and Ukraine before spreading. The worldwide attack has disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month. Reverberations from the attack continued on Wednesday with shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide, telling Reuters it is unable to process new orders after being hit by the cyber attack. Among other French companies, retailer Auchan said Tuesday's cyber attack had hit terminal payments in its stores in Ukraine but the incident was now over. French construction and building materials group St Gobain said its systems were gradually returning to normal after the company fell victim to the cyber attack on Tuesday. The attack hit BNP's Real Estate subsidiary, a BNP spokesman told Reuters, after a person familiar with the matter had said that some staff computers were blocked on Tuesday due to the incident. "The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack," he said. BNP Paribas Real Estate provides advisory, property and investment management and development services mostly in Europe. It employed 3,472 staff at end of last year, with operations in 16 countries, and had 24 billion euros ($27.26 billion) in assets under management. Many of the companies affected globally by the cyber attack had links to Ukraine although there is no indication that this was the case for BNP. It owns a bank in the country, UkrSibbank. The ransomware virus includes code known as "Eternal Blue", which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency. If one computer in a network is infected, the virus can spread rapidly. The virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corp's Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. Earlier this year following a similar attack, many banks in Europe said they had stepped up efforts to shield themselves. BNP Paribas set up a dedicated department in 2015 called Information Security and Information Systems and launched a "transformation programme" to upgrade its security systems. Authorities including the European Central Bank have also checked their technology systems in recent years. Among BNP's peers, France's Societe Generale told Reuters on Tuesday it was not affected by the attack. Credit Agricole and BPCE both declined to comment. Banks generally have more robust cyber defences than other sectors, because of the sensitive nature of their industry. But ageing technology and banks' attractiveness to hackers means they are often targets. The EU hit Google with a record 2.4-billion-euro fine today for illegally favouring its shopping service in search results, in a fresh assault on US firms that risks the wrath of President Donald Trump. Hard-charging European Commission competition chief Margrethe Vestager said the tech giant "abused its market dominance" as the world's most popular search engine to give an advantage to its Google Shopping service. "What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules," Denmark's Vestager told a news conference in Brussels. "It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation." Google now has 90 days to "end this conduct" or face further fines, Vestager said. These could amount to five percent of Google's daily revenue, she added, a penalty of roughly USD 14 million a day. The fine broke the previous European Union record for a monopoly case against US chipmaker Intel of 1.06 billion euros in 2009. Google said it "respectfully" disagreed with the EU decision, which followed a seven-year investigation, and may appeal. "When you shop online, you want to find the products you're looking for quickly and easily. And advertisers want to promote those same products," Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president and general counsel, said in a statement. "That's why Google shows shopping ads, connecting our users with thousands of advertisers, large and small, in ways that are useful for both. "We will review the Commission's decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case." Google Shopping shows the images and prices of products in response to shopping-related searches when someone uses the search engine. Brussels accuses Google of giving its own service too much priority in search results to the detriment of other price comparison services, such as TripAdvisor and Expedia. The EU alleges that in 2008 Google embarked on a "fundamental change in strategy" by devoting top of the page priority to Google Shopping, pushing rivals further down the page. "This decision is a game-changer," said Monique Goyens, head of the European Consumer Organisation which was also involved in the case. "Google's market dominance has given the company power to decide the fate of all but the biggest online service providers -- in other words nearly every company," said Fairsearch, a lobby of complainants, in a statement. The verdict comes less than a year after Vestager shocked Washington and the world with an order that iPhone manufacturer Apple repay 13 billion euros in back taxes in Ireland. The Google fine could also set an important precedent for other Google services, such as for images, news and travel that have also received complaints from rivals. Wall Street Journal publisher News Corp, a major Google critic, "applauded" the decision as an important precedent "in remedying Google's shameless abuse of its dominance in search", the company said. While an EU record, the amount is below the maximum possible of just under 8 billion euros, or 10 per cent of Google's total revenue of USD 90 billion last year. The case, launched in 2010, is one of three against Google and of several against blockbuster US companies including Starbucks, Apple, Amazon and McDonalds. In the other Google cases, the EU is examining Google's AdSense advertising service and its Android mobile phone software. Vestager said "preliminary conclusions" in the Android and AdSense cases showed Google also breached EU rules. The cases have stoked tensions with Washington and could now face the wrath of Trump, the tycoon who won office on his "America First" slogan and has previously hit out against the EU. But Vestager denied any anti-US prejudice. "I have been going through the statistics... I can find no facts to support any kind of bias," she said. The decision come after a long negotiation period with many twists and turns. Vestager's predecessor, the Spaniard Joaquin Almunia, made three attempts to resolve the dispute amicably but each time pressure by national governments, rivals and privacy advocates scuppered the effort. The Google fine will almost certainly face a gruelling appeals process through the EU court in Luxembourg. The 2009 fine against Intel is still snaking its way through the court, with an appeal decision not expected until next year. (Xinhua) 20:13, June 28, 2017 HARBIN, June 28 -- China Southern Airlines announced on Wednesday that a new air route from northeast China's Harbin to Irkutsk will begin services in July. Flight CZ8339/40 connects Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, with Irkutsk, near Lake Baikal in Russia, the airline said in a statement. From July 16, the flight will depart every Sunday. It leaves Harbin at 5:25 p.m. and arrive in Irkutsk around 8 p.m. The return flight will depart at 9:15 p.m. and arrive in Harbin at 11:55 p.m. local time. State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented a check to Yardley Borough Police Chief Joseph Kelly for $68,600 for the purchase of a new police vehicle and motorcycle during a visit to the station. Our police put themselves on the line every... Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity Did you miss out on the Pop Quiz this week? It's time to catch up and get ready for next week! Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 Trend: President of Poland Andrzej Duda has described Azerbaijan as his countrys important partner in the South Caucasus and Caspian Sea region. In this context, we attach a special emphasis to strengthening economic cooperation with Azerbaijan, he told Azerbaijan-Poland business forum in Warsaw. He referred to the documents signed earlier in the day, expressing his confidence that they will give impetus to the bilateral trade relations. President Duda singled out the Joint Declaration on strategic partnership that he signed with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, saying it will strengthen cooperation between Poland and Azerbaijan. Is this the worlds coolest investment trust? Merck Mercuriadis former manager of Guns N Roses, Iron Maiden and Elton John plans to launch a 200 million investment trust this month, investing in the music of todays leading pop and rock artists. Mercuriadis runs the Hipgnosis Songs Fund, which is seeking a stock market listing. At a recent pitch to investors, Hipgnosis said it has targeted acquisitions of more than 1000 songs including tracks from Beyonce, Adele, Snoop Dog, Jay Z, Bruno Mars and Rihanna. The trust said it would own the rights to hits from across the last five decades. The trust hopes this will generate a valuable income stream for investors via ongoing royalties, as well as capital appreciation of these music rights. The trust will target a dividend yield of 6.5%, paid quarterly and a total return of 10% a year over the medium term, net of fees. Hipgnosis said it had a range of songwriters willing to sell their music to the firm as it was a trusted member of the artist and songwriter community. An IPO is planned for the end of this month. Can Royalty Payments Provide Alternative Income Stream? While the yields will certainly look enticing for income seekers many advisers are urging caution. Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown says: In theory its a nice idea: music royalties could be one way of offering diversification, and with yield thin on the ground, investors are always searching for ways to boost their income. Many successful hit records can generate valuable income streams for years. Royalty income is protected under UK law, with copyrights lasting for 70 years after the death of the writer, or last surviving co-writer. For artists in their 20s today, this could mean income streams for 150 plus years provided of course they dont die early, and their songs continue to be played, streamed or downloaded. This, of course, is a big if: but as the examples of The Beatles, Pink Floyd and David Bowie show, music can have a long and profitable shelf-life. One of the problems that has rocked the music industry in recent years is illegal downloading: which means artists and songwriters do not get the royalties they are due. But concerted action by the industry, regulators and law enforcers has seen legal streaming replacing illegal downloading in recent years. Hipgnosis said royalty revenues were forecast to grow to 18 billion by 2030, compared to 1.8 billion in 2015. But despite these optimistic forecasts Khalaf points out that this is still, largely an untested investment option. With a normal investment trust youd want to see some track record from the manager, and that principle applies in this case too. Mercuriadis and the team at Hipgnosis may have successfully managed rock bands for a number of years, he says, but does this translate into the financial know how needed to run this kind of investment? For example, selecting which royalties are likely to appreciate in value, and negotiating preferential buying terms? As with any investment there are no guaranteed of decent returns: the returns from this trust may be more appetite for destruction than paradise city. High Fees Hit Wrong Note Of more immediate concern too is the proposed fee structure on the trust. Khalaf says: I would also point out that the charges are pretty eyewatering, a bit like tickets to a Guns N Roses concert! For the first two years the trust will charge a flat 1.5% fee of the money its raises, up to 200 million. This will drop to 1.25% for the next 100 million, then 1% if it raises over 300 million. After two years, the same fee structure will relate to the market capitalisation of the trust so will be based its collective share price, rather than the NAV. In addition, there will be a performance fee: equivalent to 10% of any excess total shareholder return, over a 10% hurdle, subject to a high watermark. There will be a total cap on fees of 5% of the NAV of the trust. Potential investors should also remember that this is a very niche area, so liquidity could be poor. An investment trust structure is probably best suited to investing in illiquid assets, but this does mean that the trust could move to a discount, if there is a lack of buyers, even if the assets under management are increasing in value. However, the brokers of the trust point out that as fees are linked to share price it is in the managers interest not to let the trust move to large discounts. Trust Structure Ideal For Niche Investments Simon Moore, senior portfolio manager at Seven Investment Management (7IM) said: Investment trusts have seen a dramatic image change in recent times. Once dubbed pale, male and stale more recently they have been described as the hipsters of the investment world. The proposed launch of a music rights investment trust, by the ex-manager of Guns N Roses certainly enhances this image. However he added that investors waiting for returns should do well to bear Guns N Roses Patience track in mind. He pointed out that while the investment trust sector houses some core, retail focussed sectors, it has always excelled in the niche. Who could forget the Tea Plantations trust, which invested solely in Sri Lankan tea plantations. Or, indeed, Taverners investment trust which invested in pubs and breweries. Neither stood the test of time. There is however hope. Scottish Mortgage (SMT), now one of the most successful investment trusts in the sector, started life on a niche investment premise: funding rubber planters in South East Asia. Now it is a global generalist trust that has done so well it soared into the FTSE100 this year. Annabel Brodie-Smith of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) added: The unique closed-ended structure of investment companies makes them particularly suitable for illiquid assets such as infrastructure, property and unquoted companies, and more unusual or exotic assets. Today investment companies invest in everything from social housing and peer-to-peer loans to aircraft. Bowie Bonds Pioneered Music Industry Investments Rock n roll excesses and the more sedate world of investment trusts might seem strange bedfellows. But this isnt the first time investors have been offered the chance to profit on the back of record sales. One of the pioneers of this was David Bowie, who in 1997 became the first music artist to offer a bond secured against his extensive back catalogue which included the Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory and Hero albums. The rights to this music was essentially licenced to EMI for a period of time, who then securitised these rights, via a 10-year bond which paid a coupon of 7.9%. At the time the credit rating agency Moodys even gave these so-called Bowie Bonds an investment grade rating, although this was later downgraded to just one level above junk bond after a downturn in the music industry. Before this happened occurred though, other musicians seemed keen to jump of this bandwagon with Iron Maiden, James Brown and the writing team behind many of the Motown hits launching similar bonds. Talking to the BBC, Cliff Dane, a music industry finance expert said the Bowie bonds worked out well for everyone. Despite the downturn in album sales, these bonds continued to pay the promised income to investors. Dane said: Due to the particular nature of the security the quality of the relevant Bowie songs and records it made very good economic sense for the investors, and the company organising it. But while this particular issue was deemed successful, he said this model wasnt necessarily good for all asset-backed financing. Dane draws a useful parallel to the mortgage market. Here, securitisation was very successful until bonds and other financial instruments started backed by sub-prime loans, that did not deliver expected income streams or any income stream in some cases. The same problem can occur when it comes to music royalties but it may be far harder to predict which songs will go on playing. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the final findings of its asset management market study - and has suggested a comprehensive package of reforms designed to increase transparency, improve competition and lower charges. The FCA said reform of the 7 trillion asset management industry was necessary to help the millions of retail investors who rely on this sector for their financial well-being. As well as calling for clearer information on fund costs, and more competition between providers, the FCA said it had concerns about investment consultants, and will also launch a review into the way investment platforms operate. Andrew Bailey, the chief executive of the FCA was highly critical of the way the investment industry worked at present. Despite a large number of firms operating in the market, the FCAs analysis found evidence of sustained, high profits over a number of years. The FCA also found that investors are not always clear what the objectives of funds are, and fund performance is not always reported against an appropriate benchmark. He added: In the current low-interest environment it is vital we help people earn a return on their savings. We need a competitve sector [to do this]. Crackdown on Excessive Fund Charges The report set out a number of key remedies designed to tackle the problems identified. One of the most radical is the call for fund managers to disclose a single all-in-fee to investors. This would include charges such as trading fees that are often not included with the standard ongoing charge fee (OCF) that is usually presented to investors. It is hoped this will boost competition and so create a downward pressure on fees. In its interim report published in November the FCA was particularly critical of the high charges on active funds. It said its conclusions had not materially changed in this final report. The FCA pointed out that despite the increase in sales of lower cost passive funds in recent years, the charges on active funds had remained broadly stable over the past decade and often clustered around certain points, indicating a lack of effective price competition. The FCA found that the firms it sampled had an average profits margin of 36%. Other proposals including strengthening the duty of fund managers to act in the best interests of investors. To achieve this the FCA will require fund managers to appoint a minimum of two independent directors to their boards. Clearer Details on Fund Objectives The FCA also wants to introduce technical changes to improve the fairness around the management of share classes, and the way in which fund managers profits from investors buying and selling their funds. Other remedies proposed include a recommendation that the Department of Work & Pensions remove barriers to pension scheme consolidation. The FCA will also chair a working group to focus on how to make fund objectives more useful, and will consult on how benchmarks are used. The FCA will also launch a market study which will look in further detail at the investment platform market. Costs Matter. Every Pound Paid Reduces Returns The report was welcomed by many in the fund management industry. Sean Hagerty, managing director of Vanguard Europe said: This is an important moment for UK investors. We support the FCAs efforts to lower the cost and complexity of investing. Consumers always benefit from lower prices, better quality products and clearer information. Costs matter. Every pound that investors pay in charges is a pound out of their potential returns, reducing their chances of being able to afford a comfortable retirement or save for a mortgage deposit. Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management added that he welcomed this report. Its recommendations to improve investor protections through better governance and to drive competition through greater transparency of fees and fund objectives are constructive and sensible. With investment risk increasingly being passed down from governments and employers to individuals it is crucial that asset management evolves to meet this new world. He said he was in favour of a single, inclusive all-in-one fee. It should be straightforward for most equity fund managers to adopt such a fee, he said. It is more challenging for bond funds, but Im encouraged the industry is already looking at ways of doing this. Does FCA Report Go Far Enough? There was a more muted response though from the Investment Association, the industry trade body. Chris Cummings, chief executive said caution was need on how these recommendations were implemented. "Asset managers compete every day to attract investors and are focused on delivering the best outcomes for them. Our priority now is to have a meaningful dialogue with the regulator about the implementation of the recommendations, to ensure savers are getting the best possible deal. A pragmatic timetable is key to achieving this, given the major regulatory changes already in the pipeline and the preparations for Brexit. However, some commentators said these recommendations did not go far enough. Gina Miller of SCM Direct said: Whilst the FCA is finally pursuing a pro-consumer agenda, it is disappointing that they still appear to be dragging their feet on some key aspects. The UK investment industry has been ripping off the consumer for decades and it is time for the UK regulator to act now rather than have further consultation with the industry and its shoddy trade bodies. Consistent and standardised fee disclosure in a single number is vital for ordinary investors to make better choices. This should be mandated now by the FCA to retail and institutional investors alike. Without this she said it is inevitable that investment groups will devise different formats for presenting this fee, making easy comparison impossible. Patrick Connolly, a certified financial planner with Chase de Vere said: For too long many consumers have faced excessive charges, mediocre performance and a distinct lack of transparency. He said this problem was particularly bad for those in closet trackers and fund-of-funds. Connolly added: We have seen genuine price competition in passive funds, but even here overall charges may be much higher than consumers think. While a passive fund could have an annual charge of 0.1%, it might only be possible to buy these on a platform which could charge up to 0.45% each year and so the total cost to the investor rises to 0.55%. In this situation, the platform represents 82% of the overall charge of investing in the fund. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 Trend: The statements of Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan that a serious blow will be inflicted on Azerbaijan and that eight Azerbaijani servicemen were allegedly killed in the last ten days are not true, the press service of Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message June 28. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry perceives the words of Armenias defense minister with bitter irony and states that his amateurish speech, which is not grounded in real facts and disseminated with propaganda aim, is nothing but lie and impudence. Neither military, economic, human resources, nor other factors make it possible for Armenia to inflict a serious blow on Azerbaijan, said the ministrys message. Azerbaijani soldiers and the up-to-date military equipment and armaments, which have a crushing power, are capable of suppressing any threat by the enemy, destroying it and restoring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, said the message. As for the losses, it would be more appropriate if Sargsyan took up the cases of death in the Armenian army. It is the Armenian side that constantly hides losses at the front line and other cases of death in the army. Sargsyan would look sincere if, instead of voicing such delusional statements, he would correctly inform the Armenian public about the real number of losses of the Armenian side in recent days as a result of the retaliatory measures of the Azerbaijani army, says the Defense Ministrys message. 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. While the BC Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership program has managed to help out multitudes of first-time home buyers by loaning out over $13 million in its first 6 months, a UBC economist has cited this provincial initiative as a leading factor in the renewed vigor of B.C.s condo market.The program has attracted more than a thousand hopeful buyers into a segment already overburdened by tight supplyan especially dangerous combination in the Metro Vancouver real estate market, which has seen the average condo price grow to approximately $655,000.Its not the dominant driver of the market, but had you never had this program, prices would be lower than they are today, Davidoff told CKNW. If you took this program away, youre looking at 10 per cent lower prices than without it.To date, over 1,100 individuals have benefited from the provincial program, which will loan buyers up to 5 per cent of the price of a home, with a maximum of $37,000.Multiple observers have cautioned that the programwhich has a five-year grace period on interest paymentsposed a significant risk to buyers as it in essence allows them to start a second mortgage.Davidoff noted that those benefiting from the program now comprise roughly 5 to 10 per cent of the provinces condo purchases.When theres too many people chasing too few houses, pushing more people to get in on the action just seems like a really dumb idea. MortgageBrokerNews.ca is now audited by BPA Worldwide. We have always embraced full transparency and, as an industry leading Canadian B2B publisher, we have always wanted to lead by example, Tim Duce, president and CEO of KMI Publishing and Events, the publisher of MortgageBrokerNews.ca and CMP, said. With that in mind, we wanted to be the first B2B publisher to audit our digital assets through a third party. For the past 80 years, BPA has operated as a non-profit assurance service provider that was created by advertisers, advertising agencies and the media industry to provide third-party magazine audits and verified audience data used in the buying and selling of advertising. BPA Worldwide has been the gold standard of auditing for over 80 years and this gives our partners and advertisers further assurance they are getting the full value of their marketing investments with KMI, Trevor Biggs, associate publisher, said. Today, advertisers and marketers are increasingly under pressure to deliver results and the glut of programmic advertising, bots and fake traffic makes their job even more difficult. All of our partners and advertisers have an account representative they can actually speak to and our partnership with BPA will just enhance the credibility of our reach into the verticals we serve. Focusing on the real estate and mortgage, wealth management, insurance, and human resources industries, KMI Publishing and Events is one of the largest B2B publishers in the world. It is also a leader in industry-focused awards shows and events. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: The European Investment Bank (EIB) plans to begin providing loans in Uzbekistan in the near future, the banks Senior Press Officer Dusan Ondrejicka told Trend. "The European Investment Bank is negotiating with the Republic of Uzbekistan a Framework Agreement that is providing a legal basis for operations of the Bank in the country. We hope that this process will be accomplished by a signature of the Framework Agreement soon," Ondrejicka said. He noted that when the respective Framework Agreement is signed the EIB will start to identify projects for financing in Uzbekistan on the basis of the banks eligibility criteria and in line with EIB external lending mandate. The EIB is the only bank owned by and representing the interests of the EU member states. It works closely with other EU institutions to implement EU policy. More than 90 percent of the banks activity is in Europe. The bank is also are a big investor around the world. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Rain developing this afternoon. High 78F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. WASHINGTON - Add the natural gas industry to the list of parties concerned about Energy Secretary Rick Perry's deep dive into the U.S. power grid. Perry has ordered the Department of Energy to study whether current regulations and tax policies are threatening the reliability of the power grid, by boosting some electricity sources over others - read coal and nuclear plants. Now the American Petroleum Institute, which represents natural gas producers around the country, is urging the department not to move too quickly, arguing attempts to prop up so-called "baseload" plants like coal and nuclear would not do much to improve reliability. "Baseload is kind of a historical term. It's not really relevant to how electricity is produced today," said Erica Bowman, chief economist at API. "What you need is dispatchability... and [coal and nuclear] are far slower when you compare them to a lot of the technology natural gas plants have." That position places the oil and gas lobbying giants firmly on the side of the renewable energy industry, which has expressed concern Perry's study is nothing more than an attempt to prop up the coal sector - a favorite of President Trump's - at the expense of what is now a years long boom in wind and solar installations. During a briefing with reporters Monday, Perry suggested the administration would back the end of a lucrative tax credit for renewable energy - which was extended in 2015 as part of bipartisan deal to end a ban on U.S. oil exports. "I don't think that the administration is going to be wildly supportive of government subsidies for sectors of the energy industry," he said when asked about the tax credit. Last year solar panels, natural gas turbines and wind farms combined represented more than 90 percent of utility-scale additions on the U.S. power grid, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, June 28 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Tokyo hosted the 12th joint meeting of the Turkmen-Japanese and Japanese-Turkmen committees on economic cooperation, Turkmenistans Foreign Ministry said in a message. The Turkmen delegation was headed by the countrys Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov. The two sides exchanged views on the issues of trade and economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Japan. The successful development of cooperation in such areas as transportation, chemistry, power industry, agriculture, industry, healthcare, communications, finance, trade, science, education, sport, tourism and ecology was noted during the meeting, according to the message. A final protocol was signed following the joint meeting. Japanese companies are engaged in various projects on diversification of the Turkmen economy. In 2014, a complex of plants for the production of ammonia and urea was built in the Mary city with their participation. A sulfuric acid plant was commissioned in Turkmenabat in July 2016. Moreover, it is planned to put into operation a plant for the production of polyethylene and polypropylene in 2018. Meanwhile, a plant for the production of urea and ammonia is being built in the Balkan regions Garabogaz city, and a plant for the production of gasoline from natural gas is being built in Ovadandepe, Akhal province. During the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Turkmenistan in October 2015, memorandums were signed for developing natural resources and the transport infrastructure of Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, agreements on a number of projects worth $18 billion were concluded between the two countries. A bill that would stop requiring Texans to take their vehicles for inspections every year died during the 85th Texas Legislature but might come back during next months special session. Senate Bill 5188 was approved by the Texas Senate in May but never made it to the House floor. Now, the bills author, Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, says he wants to file a similar version of the legislation during the special session and is asking Gov. Greg Abbott to add vehicle inspections to the list of topics lawmakers will consider when they return July 18. Im committed to getting rid of the safety inspections for vehicles. Its a ripoff of our time and our money, Huffines said Thursday, arguing that there are no definitive studies proving that vehicle inspections improve safety. What is the vehicle inspections bill? All vehicles registered in Texas have to be inspected annually to ensure they are working properly and complying with safety standards. Under SB 5188, safety inspections -- done at locations licensed by the Department of Public Safety -- would no longer be required for personal vehicles but would still be mandatory for commercial vehicles. Personal vehicles would still have to undergo an emissions test in 17 counties: Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, El Paso, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson. Under Huffines legislation, Texans would save the $7 a year they currently pay for safety inspections which comes to about $140 million per year statewide but they would still have to pay $7.50 when they register their vehicle. Huffines says the legislation would put Texas in line with 34 other states that dont require safety inspections. The federal government stopped requiring them in 1976. Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, one of the bills biggest opponents, cited a study published by the Senate Transportation Committee in November 2016 that concluded: Vehicle safety inspections should continue to be implemented in order to keep driving conditions safe, until the inspections impact could be proven otherwise. According to the study, 292,361 vehicles failed the test in 2014 and 252,299 failed in 2015. Vehicle inspections also mean jobs for a large number of mechanics, Lucio said. These men and women are the first line of defense against fatal vehicle accidents across the state of Texas, he told The Texas Tribune on Friday. Because of them, we know that every vehicle that is on Texas roads has working brakes among other vital features, including insurance at the point of inspection. What happened to the bill in the regular legislative session? The Senate approved Huffines bill in a 27 to 4 vote. Democrats were torn on the issue: Seven voted in favor of the bill, while four voted against it. The House Transportation Committee approved SB 1588 on May 17, but the bill didnt get to the House floor for a vote before the sessions end on May 29. Will lawmakers get a chance to vote on it during the special session? Vehicle inspections legislation was not on the list of 20 items that Abbott gave lawmakers to address during the special session, so even if Huffines files a new bill, the Legislature wouldnt be allowed to consider it without action by the governor. Huffines said he has asked the governors legislative team to include vehicle inspections in the special session call. Its very popular legislation, and I think its a matter of convincing the governors team that its a worthy issue to put on the call, Huffines said. --- texastribune.com Editora note: This is the second of a two-part series on Midland ISDs first budget workshop for the 2017-18 school year. --- Midland ISD could receive a couple of extra pennies -- two golden pennies. These golden pennies represent a two-cent increase in the districts maintenance and operations rate. These pennies are described by those in the education business as golden because that revenue is not recapturable. In other words, the state of Texas cannot take its cut from Chapter 41 or property rich schools. Midland ISD is a property-rich school. Its recapture payment this past school year was $48.3 million. That is money from Midland taxpayers that went to other school districts. These two golden pennies would mean an extra $6 million for district operations. All money stays with MISD, interim Superintendent Rod Schroder told the board. More for you Preliminary MISD budget includes teacher raises An election is required for a district to receive these golden pennies. Voter approval is required because it would be an increase in the tax rate. Since his arrival in September, Schroder has been direct with the Midland ISD. During his first meeting with the board, he didnt mince words about the districts academic performance that didnt compare well with similar districts in the state. During the State of the Education event this spring, he didnt sugar-coat a similar message to Midlands business elite -- This data is not necessarily complimentary. He has called for accountability and a no-excuses mindset when educating Midlands students. On Monday, that straight talk was of a different nature. The Midland ISD board was presented with a preliminary budget, which showed deficits of more than $8 million this year and next. Its only going to get worse, Schroder told the board. Schroder said there are big problems for the district. He pointed to 58 central office positions district leaders have eliminated, millions of dollars saved and a general fund budget that was still millions more away from being balanced. Last years budget deficit was $25 million, so Midland ISD has experienced darker days. But last year, the Scharbauer Foundation delivered -- even before Midland residents voted not to -- with a $10 million gift, which helped stave off greater cuts or going to the districts reserve fund. Schroder, who is days away from finishing his 10 months as the interim superintendent, told the board on Monday, this is not a pretty picture and then rattled off potential ideas to ward off a deficit next year, including a one-time transfer from the districts healthy workman compensation fund and ending staff incentive payments, which officials said impacts those employees making less money. Lowering employee salaries was mentioned, too, although considering he presented the board with a pay increase this year, that isnt a scenario anyone wants. All totaled -- not including the refinance payment to the state -- more than 86 percent of district expenditures in the 2017-18 preliminary budget will go toward employee salaries and benefits. There has to be a point where you say an average education for below average costs is not what the community expects, said board member John Kennedy. We cant go 8 million (dollars) in the hole. Of course, mentioning golden pennies or raising the M&O tax rate invites the 800-pound gorilla into the room. Midland residents, by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, voted down a tax ratification election in October. Have things improved so much in one year that the communitys attitude might change? We have cut 12 million (dollars) out of the budget, board member Bryan Murry said. That says a lot. ... It is not like people here arent trying. Schroder said board leaders have to stay consistent with what he has preached since that first board meeting when he told the board how far the gap was between Midland ISD and comparable school districts. Still, all board members and school district leaders are eager to see that the next round of scores will show the community the district is definitely on the rebound. They also are hoping one indicator -- the number of improvement required schools -- will drop and not just by one or two. Our pursuit is to improve instruction so they see value of the district, Schroder said. For Board President Rick Davis, who still has the wounds from the districts last electoral defeat, talk about revenue wasnt unexpected -- even from Schroder. Certainly, Rod has been a strong advocate to go back to the community to go after the two additional pennies that are not subject to recapture, Davis said. We agree that needs to be done. The question is, when would be an appropriate time to do it. That will be a decision we have to wrestle with this summer and consider or not whether the community would be receptive, Davis said. It is up to us to see if we can get a sense what the community would be willing to approve now or maybe next year. We will have to see. I could not tell you right now. Courtesy Photo The Midland County Hospital District Police Department is doing its part to comfort children who are patients at Midland Memorial Hospital or who have witnessed traumatic events. The department will unveil on Saturday its new teddy bear program, which was created by Chief Kenny Taylor and Officer Johnny Valderaz. The teddy bears will be given to children in an effort to relieve their stress, and officers also will have bears in their department vehicles for situations that may arise outside of the hospital, according to a press release from Midland Health. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 28 By Demir Azizov Trend: Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated the press and media workers on the Press and Mass Media Day, which is celebrated on June 27 in the country. Mirziyoyev's congratulatory message has been posted on his official website. The Uzbek president noted in his message that ensuring the pluralism of opinions and views in the national media space remains an important task. Currently, when dialogue with the people, constant attention to the problems and needs of people are raised to the level of state policy, the transformation of each mass media outlet into a real platform for dialogue, a platform for free expression of opinions will help in achieving goals, according to the message. Mirziyoyev also called for raising the issues of eliminating various barriers on the path to development, especially such negative manifestations as bureaucracy, indifference, extortion and corruption. Currently, more than 1,500 media outlets operate in Uzbekistan newspapers, magazines, radio and TV channels, online journalism. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 28 By Demir Azizov Trend: Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has adopted a decree On preparation and holding of the 26th anniversary of state independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Uzbek presidents press service said in a message. The decree approved the composition of a republican commission for the preparation and holding of the 26th anniversary of the countrys independence. According to the decree, the commission should develop a weekly program of organizational, practical, cultural, educational and awareness-raising activities. Various competitions, concerts, meetings and cultural events dedicated to the Independence Day should be planned as part of the program. The Independence Day is celebrated on September 1 in Uzbekistan. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Irans exports to Senegal over the last fiscal year (ending March 20) valued at $4.312 million, indicating a 145 percent surge year on year. Farzad Piltan, an official with Irans Trade Promotion Organization, has said that that the figure increased by $2.554 million in value, IRNA news agency reported. Irans exports to the African nation totaled at $1.758 million in 2015/16, he added. Bitumen, oil, home appliances and furniture, engine oil, bread, chocolate, doors and windows, as well as car parts were among Irans main goods exported to Senegal over the last fiscal year. In the meantime, Iran imported tin, polyethylene and food products form the west African country. 'The big truck is still on ... Tehran, Iran, June 23 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Iranian carrier Qeshm Air has said it has sealed a new pact to buy advanced aircraft from Boeing. The Ministry of Transport website quoted Mahmoud Shekarabi, the head of Qeshm Air, as having said June 23 that the company had placed an order for 10 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes. Shekarabi further said that the purchase of additional five planes from Boeing 737-800 family was also on agenda, noting the related deal with the American aviation major would be signed within the next two months. He added that under arrangements made, Boeing is to obtain the required licenses from the US Treasury, adding that deliveries are expected to be made after 2022. This is the third Iranian airliner announcing deals with plane makers this week. Zagros Airlines and Iran Airtour two private Iranian airlines announced on June 22 that they had signed agreements with Airbus to purchase a total of 73 passenger jets from the European plane-maker. Accordingly, Zagros Airlines said it would buy 20 aircraft from the single-aisle Airbus A320neo family and eight A330neo planes. Iran Airtours order would comprise 45 planes of the A320neo type. The countrys national flag carrier airline Iran Air has already signed deals to buy 100 planes from Airbus, 80 from Boeing and 20 from ATR. Irans Aseman Airlines has also signed an agreement to purchase 30 Boeing 737 MAX jets. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the US to stop supporting the terrorist groups in Syria, and said that current approach of the US will only serve the militants, especially Daesh (the ISIS terrorist group), IRNA reported. Another dangerous US escalation in Syria on fake pretext will only serve ISIS, precisely when its being wiped out by Iraqi and Syrian people, Zarif wrote on his Twitter page on Tuesday. Instead of pursuing the policies that strengthen the extremists, the US should join the real war against them, the Iranian foreign minister added. In relevant remarks earlier on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underlined that Moscow, Tehran and Ankara as initiators of Syrian-Syrian talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, will cooperate on preparing an agreement to create de-escalation zones in Syria. The new round of Astana talks slated for July in Kazakhstans capital will focus on creating de-escalation zones to reduce tensions in Syria with the support of the Syrian government and the countrys armed opposition groups who have joined the peace process, Lavrov told reporters. The Russian foreign ministry recently confirmed that the new round of Astana talks will start in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 4. The creation of de-escalation zones in Syria needs more studies to be carried out, the Russian foreign minister said. Lavrov reiterated that the Geneva and Astana talks will be held in parallel to each other. A sum of four rounds of talks have already been held in Astana on Syrian crisis between the representatives of the Syrian government and armed opposition groups. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Rome at the invitation of the Italian government for talks on expansion of bilateral ties and international developments. Foreign Minister Zarif is scheduled to meet his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano and other senior officials during the official visit, IRNA reported. Zarif earlier visited Berlin on the first leg of his European tour where he conferred several high-ranking officials and attended the annual meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations. According to the Eurostat Italy was Irans biggest trade partner in the EU over the first three months of 2017 as the two countries bilateral trade stood at 1.2 billion euro in the mentioned period. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has assured that Iranian MPs will back the Tehran-Seoul agreements. Speaking with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon in Seoul, the Iranian speaker termed cooperation between the two countries in various economic areas a fresh start of reviving bilateral ties, IRNA news agency reported. Expressing Irans satisfaction with the growing ties between Tehran and Seoul, Larijani urged for broadening cooperation in banking, economic, energy, tourism and railroads spheres. Larijani has arrived in Seoul to partake in the second meeting of Eurasian Parliament Speakers. The two countries over the past months have been discussing a $13 billion deal on financing several development projects in the Islamic Republic including energy sector. When Plainview native and 31-year Texas A&M AgriLife Extension veteran Mark Brown was named to a pilot program in January to split his time as ag agent between Lubbock and Hale counties, he fully expected to finish out his professional career in the post. Thats until he was given an unexpected opportunity to become director of field services for Plains Cotton Growers, Inc., in Lubbock. As a result, Brown will bid farewell to AgriLife Extension in July and start work with PCG Aug. 1. I was fully committed to this unique job-sharing opportunity with Lubbock and Hale County, and had pledged a minimum of two years in this position, Brown said this week. But an ideal situation presented itself. I have worked my entire professional career with the Extension Service, but in this new position I will continue to be working with many of the same individuals as well as with the service gins throughout the area. Brown sees this as a natural transition in job duties and responsibilities. Youll still see me quite a bit in Hale and surrounding counties. I fully expect to spend a long of my time in the countryside as I continue to serve the High Plains cotton industry. He also expects to see the cooperative effort between Lubbock and Hale counties and AgriLife Extension to continue. Ive talked with the county commissioners and judge, and we all see that this program has a lot of merit with agents working across county lines. That way, counties can share resources and take advantage of people who have particular strengths in various areas. Although Brown worked in this dual role for just six months, he insists that it will serve as a model for other areas throughout the state. There are certain counties where this pairing fits, and we certainly need to explore continuing and expanding these unique relationships. And he intends to be fully committed to AgriLife Extension for his remaining days on the job. In fact, Im scheduled to be in Hale County on Thursday (June 29) for a private applicator class. He also is humbled when compared to longtime Hale County Extension Agent Ollie Liner. Ollie was the county agents agent, and the special traits he possessed years ago still hold true today. He set the standard that Extension agents continue to strive for today. At Plains Cotton Growers, Brown will succeed Johnny Anderson, who retires June 30 after more than 31 years of service. Brown began his career with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in 1986 as the integrated pest management agent in Crosby County. He transferred to Lubbock County in 1993 as the agriculture/natural resources agent. In 2011 he was recognized with the Texas A&M University Regents Fellow Service Award. In 2015, he received the Outstanding Cotton Educator Award from the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association and Texas Cotton Producers. In 2016, he was recognized as a Distinguished Agent by AgriLife Extension. Browns wife, Jana, grew up in Cotton Center, and they live in Wolfforth. They have two sons, Payton and Weston. Tehran, Iran, June 28 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani has warned the US against any possible military move in Syria, warning doing so would be tantamount to playing with fire. Raising new false claims against Syria is a continuation of the US scenario to cover up the constant defeats of the terrorist front and to counteract the decisive advances of the Syrian army, Shamkhani said in reference to a White House statement that the US has identified potential preparations by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad for another chemical attack, IRIB news agency reported June 28. Shamkhani pointed to a unilateral move by the US to attack Syria with 59 Tomahawk missiles back in April after White House claims on a suspected chemical attack in Idlib Province, Syria. The senior Iranian official noted that Iran and Russia called for an international fact-finding mission in Syria after the US raid, but Washington prevented the move because of its fears that the falsity of its claims would be revealed. Thieves are tapping into the pipelines of Mexicos state-owned oil and gas company, Pemex, with such frequency and taking so much gasoline, the company is losing well more than $1 billion a year, leaving some U.S. companies with second thoughts about entering the market, a Rice University expert said this week. The number of pipeline taps has risen from about 200 in 2006 to nearly 7,000 last year almost 20 break-ins a day according to an analysis of Pemex figures by Rice postdoctoral fellow Adrian Duhalt. Martin Shkrelis criminal fraud trial jury hasnt been selected yet and already the brash pharmaceutical executive is trying to get the case thrown out of court and lashing out at reporters. Before court started Tuesday, Shkreli announced on his Facebook page that he bought the internet domain names www.emilysaul.com and www.megtirrell.com. Emily Saul is covering the trial for the New York Post while Meg Tirrell is a CNBC reporter. Once in court, Shkrelis lawyer Benjamin Brafman asked to start the trial over because news reports cited negative opinions prospective jurors had expressed about his client. The New York Posts front page had the headline Jury of his Jeers. The judge rejected the request. More than a dozen people were dismissed from jury service Monday including a woman who called Shkreli an evil man, and another who said she knew hed been labeled the most hated man in America. Brafman also asked U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in Brooklyn, New York, to dismiss the current pool of jurors, saying they were tarnished by the bad publicity, and asked to restart the trial in a few weeks. I understand Mr. Shkreli, God bless him, has brought this notoriety upon himself, Brafman told the judge. Nevertheless, Shkreli has the right to have jurors who arent biased, he said. The judge also denied that request and moved on. Matsumoto agreed to further question the current group of jurors on whether they were swayed by the news stories. Another 100 people were added to the pool. The questioning occurs outside the hearing of others in court. By requesting a mistrial, Brafman is now free to raise the issue of a tainted jury on appeal, should Shkreli be convicted. Shkreli, the 34-year-old founder of Retrophin Inc. and Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, is accused of defrauding investors in two hedge funds and using $11 million of Retrophin assets to pay them off. He bought the domain names to raise money for my debut album Gods Gift: The Album, he said in the Facebook post. I bought these domains for $12 you can have them for $12,000. He then typed Tryna to get that Future feature doe. Its not clear what he meant by that. In a pre-trial hearing last week, prosecutor Alixandra Smith said that Shkreli often bought the domain names of reporters who wrote about him in order to annoy them. At least 130 prospective jurors were dismissed Monday. Many were excused because of work, vacation and other engagements. That trend continued on Tuesday, with the judge releasing dozens more of the 69 she questioned, including a woman who said she read about Shkreli and thought he just seems to care about himself. Shkreli is notorious for having raised the price of a potentially life-saving drug by 5,000 percent. Matsumoto seemed delighted when she finally came across a woman in her 20s who said she hadnt heard of Shkreli or his case. Oh, very good, Matsumoto said, allowing the woman to remain as a prospective juror. Five months into the Trump administration, Texas executives are feeling some guarded optimism, with surveys released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas showing continued expansion in the service sector, as well as hiring in the retail sector despite slowed sales. It seems as if the mood of the country is, lets wait, wrote one of the 293 anonymous respondents to the June 13-21 Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey. I think we as a nation are learning how to cope and manage the 24/7/365 news cycle and the sensationalism that follows the news. The Dallas Fed doesnt release the names of the individuals or companies that respond to its surveys. Perceptions of broader economic conditions reflected more optimism in June, Dallas Fed economists wrote of the service sector outlook, noting that 23 percent of participants reported an improved outlook compared with 8 percent who felt a downturn. The company outlook index jumped seven points to 14.2, its highest reading in five months. In addition, the employment index rose four points to 11.9 while the general business activity index went from 7.7 to 10.1. The revenue index, a gauge of the states service sector, fell one point to 14.8. Activity seems to be picking up based on traffic counts and restaurant crowds, wrote a participant from the finance and insurance category. There is an increased number of construction crews due in part to infrastructure activity for a wind generator field in the country. Recent rains have been timely and the country looks good. There is a lot of outside activity by hunters ... . Railroad activity has increased shipping sand and grain out. A tech executive wrote that purse strings seem to be loosening as the company appears to be improving, although due diligence requirements from prospects are generally increasing. We are hiring more salespeople in anticipation of improved buying patterns, the person added. In the retail sector specifically, the sales index fell sharply, to 3.5 in June from 10.1 in May, the lowest reading in eight months. But the general business activity index surged 12 points to 9.6, its highest in five months, and the employment index rebounded to 10.1 from -3.0 in May. The company outlook index jumped 12 points to 12.8, with 21 percent of respondents reporting an improved outlook and 8 percent saying it worsened. Clothing sales seem to be following the national trend of decreased store-level sales, resulting in plans to lower inventories and reduce capital expenditures. And while business is hopping at many Texas bars and restaurants, the margins of a more robust economy were being weighed down by labor shortages exacerbated by competition from the construction industry and immigrants returning to Mexico. There are so many new restaurants and hotels opening in Austin that it remains very difficult to hire skilled employees and retain them, a respondent wrote. The above, coupled with the increase in property taxes and health insurance, is creating a difficult time in Austin to do business. Commenters also indicated that the political climate could take a toll, with at least one business leader doubting recent robust activity in mergers and acquisitions, and private equity would hold up amid continued national, international and state-level turmoil. Political unrest and frustration over the lack of unity make everyone anxious, wrote another Texas commenter. The concern about the bathroom bill is real. This would hurt all of Texas. Senate Bill 6 would follow North Carolinas lead by requiring transgender people to use bathrooms in public schools, government buildings and public universities based on their biological sex. It did not pass during the regular session but is on the agenda for a special session starting July 18. Texas tourism groups and business advocates say such a measure could be perceived as discriminatory and hurt the states ability to attract businesses, conventions and sporting events. Providers of outpatient health care continued to express concern about the Affordable Care Act, which President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have vowed to repeal, saying uncertainty has put any expansion plans on hold. A hospital sector respondent, meanwhile, said rural health care systems were being squeezed by regulatory requirements and increased costs amid reduced reimbursements and funding. Margins are very thin, the executive said. It is critical for rural communities to have independent health care. lbrezosky@express-news.net The U.S. Bureau of Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement was created in the aftermath of 2010's Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill to police offshore drilling rigs and their operators. But since President Donald Trump took office in January, the agency has put a new priority on "economic development," Lars Herbst, Gulf of Mexico Region Director at BSEE, said in an interview Tuesday. "Our mission has not changed. I don't want folks to think we're just looking at the economic development," he said. "We always had a conservation mission as well, which was not very well understood, about the effective and efficient development of offshore resources. This administration is looking at it as it's not 'either or,' it's 'and.'" RELATED STORY: New offshore drilling rules announced, six years after Deepwater Horizon The driver, Herbst said, is oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico stands to go into decline over the next decade if investment in offshore fields does not increase quickly, "Right now what may surprise some people is we're at a record level of oil production offshore," he said. "That's only because of past investments companies have made. If we don't see some capitol investment that production will start dropping off." The agency is is in the process of reviewing federal policies to increase offshore drilling, following an executive order from the White House in April. Among the actions underway is a review of the Obama administration's well control rule, which placed strict requirements on how oil companies drill offshore wells and the equipment they use in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the Deepwater Horizon. "We're still working those recommendations," Herbst said. "We're looking to what degree safety is improved versus the economic impact. The fact industry has already implemented some of the rule, we're probably not going back on those." Steven G. de Polo / Getty Image A man was killed and a woman was wounded in a shooting Wednesday morning near a San Jose elementary school, officials said. Gunfire broke out about 8:55 a.m. on the 1000 block of Creston Lane, a residential area less than half a mile away from Santee Elementary School, said Officer Albert Morales, a spokesman for the San Jose Police Department. Courtesy Cooking Channel If youre tired of watching celebrated San Antonio chef Jason Dadys increasingly frequent television appearances in the privacy of your own home, then swing by his oyster bar, Shuck Shack, July 4 to enjoy some small screen company. The restaurant will host a combined second anniversary bash and viewing party for Dadys upcoming turn on the Cooking Channel show Man Fire Food. The anniversary festivities run from noon to 9 p.m. with seafood specials and a tap takeover by Alamo Beer Co. featuring pints of the brewerys Golden Ale and German Pale Ale for $3. The Man Fire Food episode, which airs at 8 p.m., will highlight Dadys Thai-inspired twist on paella in a segment filmed at his tapas bar across the street, The Bin Tapas Bar. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Good news for fans of fried pickles, burgers and the rest of the menu at Willies Grill and Icehouse. The Houston-based brand opened a fifth San Antonio location at 7911 Interstate 35 S. on June 19. The new spot is the 18th outpost for the chain, which debuted in 1993. RELATED: New S.A. brewery opening on near East Side The new address is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information on the new location, call 210-541-5253, visit WilliesGrillandIceHouse.com or follow Willies Grill & Icehouse Zarzamora on Facebook. pstephen@express-news.net Fifty-two migrants have been found dead in the deserts of central Niger, near Seguedine, BBC reported. A group of 75 set out in three vehicles but were abandoned by traffickers, who feared the security forces. A local official told the BBC that dozens of bodies had been buried, and 23 survivors were taken to the town, although one later died. African migrants travel through the desert aiming to reach Libya and cross the Mediterranean to Europe. However, the journey is perilous as the migrants are crammed into pick-up trucks and have few supplies. Two weeks ago Niger troops rescued 92 migrants who were on the brink of death in the Sahara Desert. The group, which included women and children, was abandoned without water and food. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Fairfield father who hanged himself two years ago and whose wife subsequently took her life this past weekend had been arrested after an apparent psychotic episode while on a business trip to Florida. On June 17, 2015 nearly a week before he killed himself Florida fire and police responders found Vasyl Krekhtyak, then 38, outside of a Hillsborough County home with a broken window and a couch on fire, records show. I spoke with (him) on scene prior to knowing his role regarding the fire, said a fire investigator identified in police records as D. Watts. (He) was very incoherent. He stated he could not remember what happened. He didnt know how he got there. A witness had seen Krekhtyak break the window, according to a signed statement. At the center of the room where the fire started investigators found the keys to Krekhtyaks rental car. In his pocket, they found a BIC lighter. He didnt smell of liquor, according to Watts. I didnt know him, said Alexander, the homeowner, who asked that his last name be withheld for privacy. I knew that it was never meant intentionally he seemed like a clean-cut guy, not a druggie. More then once in the report, investigators described Krekhtyak as incoherent, and not just because of his poor English (he was originally from Ukraine). Vasyl was in Florida a couple years ago working on one of our construction projects, said Anthony Wellman, a spokesman for Outdoor Ventures. As soon as the company found out he was ill, plans were made to immediately bring him back to Connecticut for care. Krekhtyak worked as an engineer for the company, installing adventure equipment. According to Watts, he thought he was in neighboring Dade County home to Orlando. Krekhtyak was arrested June 17, 2015, police records show. He made bail and flew back to Connecticut, Wellman said. On June 22, he killed himself. Unfortunately he died on the very day he was scheduled to see a doctor, Wellman said. The company started a college fund for Krekhtyaks daughter, then 6 years old. For almost two years his widow Ivanna Krekhtyak continued working for the same company, living in the same home in Fairfield, and raising the couples child. Then last Saturday, Ivanna Krekhtyak hanged herself after strangling her daughter into unconsciousness. The girl, now 8, survived and is in the care of the Department of Children and Families. The case against Krekhtyak was dismissed and the criminal complaint sealed, according to court records. Staff writer Dan Tepfer contributed reporting This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A new state law that allows police to ask legally detained or arrested people about their immigration status has garnered varied responses from Bay Area law enforcement and government officials. The law, known as Senate Bill 4 also says that sheriffs and police chiefs who refuse federal requests to hold immigrants detained for other alleged crimes could face jail time and fines. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio is considering whether to block the law. During his successful runoff campaign to be Pasadena mayor, Jeff Wagner indicated that he would not have his city join a lawsuit with Houston and other municipalities to contest the law. "No, we will enforce federal, state, county and city laws," Wagner wrote during the campaign. But state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat whose District 6 includes South Houston and part of Pasadena, opposes the legislation and addressed the Houston City Council before it voted to join the lawsuit against the state. There is real fear in our communities related to this legislation," Garcia said later. "I think the thing about this is that anyone walking down the street, driving in a car or gathered somewhere can be stopped and questioned by police about their immigration as long as an officer feels there is some reasonable suspicion to ask. "The stereotypical racial profile motivation for all this is to be able to stop people who look out of place in neighborhoods. I think it is going to lead to racial profiling and will create a lot more tension in our communities. It is going to cause victims of crimes and witnesses to crimes not to report crimes." She said the law means that children could be questioned about their immigration status. "This means SB4 creates new issues for school districts," she said. "This law means the districts may have to start issuing student identification for all their students based on kids showing their birth certificates so kids can have identification with them at all times." The law could subject Texas to boycotts, she added, saying "There will be people not wanting to travel here." State Sen. Larry Taylor of District 11, which includes portions of Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties, had this to say about municipalities that limit cooperation with federal authorities to enforce immigration law: "I think when a city openly chooses not to obey federal law or cooperate with immigration officials, I think that's a problem. As for the particulars of the bill, we'll have to see how that works out." Law enforcement agencies assured that the law wouldn't alter how officers do their jobs. "We aren't looking to stop people to find out their status," said Jason Spencer, public affairs director for the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "We've never had a policy that prohibits our deputies from asking about anyone's status; so not much will change in that regard." Brazoria County sheriff's Lt. Varon Snelgrove said that the legislation wouldn't interfere with business-as-usual in the county. "Someone's status doesn't typically affect the direction we take when investigating a crime," he said. "If someone has committed a crime, we stop them and we ask for identification for everyone - that's common procedure. We don't go out actively seeking people who might be illegal." "Anyone that is stopped is required to give identification. All we want is their ID," Snelgrove said. "We're not going to go out and seek people who might be here illegally to send them to jail because of this new law. We don't do that anyway." Concerns have also been raised by lawmakers, residents and some law enforcement agencies who believe the bill could increase instances of racial profiling. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has discussed potential drawbacks with the bill. "Our sheriff has been pretty outspoken about what he feels could happen as a result of (SB 4)," said Spencer. "He believes strongly that it could potentially harm our efforts to keep folks safe. There's a possibility that victims of crime or people who know something about a crime are far less likely to come forward for fear of deportation, and when you get into that territory, it's not good for public safety." Spencer said that ultimately, regardless of the bill, the department will continue to serve the people of the county. "At the forefront of our minds is the safety of our residents," he said. "Our decisions and our priorities are driven by our desire to keep all of our residents safe, and that's where our focus is going to be, regardless of laws or mandates that the state hands down." Houston City Councilman Dave Martin cast a dissenting vote in his council's 10-6 decision on July 21 to join Austin, San Antonio and Dallas in a lawsuit contesting the law. The city of Houston's attorney's office recommended that the city sue the state over the law, claiming that it authorizes unconstitutional searches, seizures and detentions and unlawfully limits local authority. President Donald Trump's administration has sided with Texas in the lawsuit. Attempts to reach Martin, whose District E includes Clear Lake, for comment were unsuccessful. City Councilman Larry Green, who voted in favor of joining the lawsuit against SB4, said the bill has major flaws. "Obviously our objective is to make sure cities have the right to make decisions in the best interest of cities and not be subjected to laws that don't allow that," Green said. Clear Lake community activist Sherrie Matula supports the council's decision, saying that the law would have a negative impact on law enforcement resources in some communities. "Areas like Clear Lake are already short-staffed (by police) because we are not a 'high-need' area, and anything that is going to pull away police officers and extra duties such as conducting police work for SB 4 is concerning to me having lived in area since 1974," she said. "We are a large city with an enormous amount of coverage, and we are always operating short of police staffing. We don't need other duties to call officers away when we're barely getting coverage as far as District E is concerned." The lawsuit was filed in May against Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton. The bill was introduced in the most recent Texas legislative session by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, after the new Travis County Sheriff, Shelly Hernandez, announced plans to limit the county's cooperation with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The lawsuit charges that SB 4 is a violation of constitutional free speech and equal protection. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's administration will revoke a rule that gives the Environmental Protection Agency broad authority over regulating the pollution of wetlands and tributaries that run into the nation's largest rivers, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said Tuesday. Testifying before Congress, Pruitt - who earlier said he would recuse himself from working on active litigation related to the rule - said that the agency would "provide clarity" by "withdrawing" the rule and reverting standards to those adopted in 2008. Pruitt, as Oklahoma attorney general, had sued EPA over the regulation, saying it "usurps" state authority, "unlawfully broadens" the definition of waters of the United States and imposes "numerous and costly obligations" on landowners. A withdrawal was expected, based on the executive order Trump signed in February targeting the rule. But this is the first clear signal of how the EPA will act on the president's order. The current rule, known as Waters of the United States (WOTUS), unambiguously gives EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers authority that many think the agencies already possessed under the Clean Water Act. The 1972 law gave the agencies control over navigable rivers and interstate waterways, but a series of court rulings left the extent of that power ambiguous. The Obama administration sought to end a decade of confusion by finalizing the WOTUS rule, which took effect in August 2015, triggering protests from a variety of real estate development, agricultural and industrial interests. The existing regulation covers wetlands adjacent to either traditional navigable waters or interstate waters, as well as streams serving as tributaries to navigable waters. The rule says that wetlands and tributaries must be "relatively permanent," a phrase used in previous court opinions, which means they can be intermittent. Defining it this way extends federal jurisdiction to 60 percent of the water bodies in the United States. Trump signed an executive order in late February calling on EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to revisit the regulation, a move he described as "paving the way for the elimination of this very destructive and horrible rule." The executive order instructed the agencies to change the interpretation of a 2006 Supreme Court decision on what falls under the federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. In the Rapanos v. United States decision, the court split three ways. Its four most conservative justices at the time offered a very constrained view that only "navigable waters" met this test. But Justice Anthony Kennedy, who refused to join either the conservatives or the liberals, said in a concurring opinion that the government could intervene when there was a "significant nexus" between large water bodies and smaller, as well as intermittent, ones. Trump's executive order said that federal officials should rely on the dissenting opinion of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who argued the law should apply to "navigable waters." No court has ever ruled that this test is the single decisive threshold for triggering Clean Water Act protections. "This proposal strikes directly at public health," Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. "It would strip out needed protections for the streams that feed drinking water sources for 1 in every 3 Americans." She called it a "reckless attack on our waters and health." Pruitt told senators in testimony Tuesday that the Obama-era rule "created a situation where farmers and ranchers, landowners across the country did not know whether their stream or dry creek bed, in some instances, was actually subject . . . to EPA jurisdiction and EPA authority." He said that "they were facing fines that were substantial as they engaged in earth work to build subdivisions - I mean, it was something that created a substantial amount of uncertainty and confusion." But Suh said that the repeal of WOTUS "would make it easier for irresponsible developers and others to contaminate our waters and send the pollution downstream." Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement that "from vernal pools in California to prairie pothole ponds in the Midwest, small wetlands provide essential habitat to hundreds of endangered species, birds and migrating wildlife." Foes of the WOTUS rule hailed the administration's plans to revoke it. "The West has finally won in the battle over the Obama administration's WOTUS rule," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. "This regulation would have been a disaster for rural communities in the West and across the country, giving Washington near-total control over water resources." National Rural Electric Cooperative Association chief executive Jim Matheson said that as written, the rule "would have increased costs and impaired the ability of co-ops to build and maintain power lines." He urged EPA and the Army Corps to propose "a new common-sense rule." The administration's push to revoke the rule has sparked nearly 500,000 public comments, many of which urge the federal government to preserve the existing regulation. After taking comment on repealing the rule and reaching a final decision, EPA will have to craft its own proposed rule for defining which waters deserve federal protection under the 1972 law. That new regulation, which will be subject to public comment, will very likely be challenged in federal court by environmental and outdoors groups. Jo Ellen Darcy, who co-authored the Obama-era rule as assistant secretary of the Army for civil works and now sits on the board of the advocacy group American Rivers, questioned why the new administration would revisit a regulation that received more than 1 million comments and drew on more than 1,200 peer-reviewed studies. "By tossing out years of scientific study and public input, Scott Pruitt and the Trump administration are muddying the very waters the Clean Water Rule sought to clarify," Darcy said. - - - The Washington Post's Brady Dennis contributed to this report. Paris A new and highly virulent outbreak of data-scrambling software caused disruption across the world Tuesday. Following a similar attack in May, the fresh assault paralyzed some hospitals, government offices and major multinational corporations. Ukraine and other parts of Europe were hit hard by the new strain of ransomware malicious software that locks up computer files with all-but-unbreakable encryption and then demands a ransom for its release. As the malware began to spread across the United States, it affected companies such as the drugmaker Merck and Mondelez International, the owner of food brands such as Oreo and Nabisco. But its pace appeared to slow as the day wore on. The origins of the malware remain unclear. Researchers picking the program apart found evidence its creators had borrowed from leaked National Security Agency code, raising the possibility that the digital havoc had spread using U.S. taxpayer-funded tools. "The virus is spreading all over Europe and I'm afraid it can harm the whole world," said Victor Zhora, the chief executive of Infosafe IT in Kiev, where reports of the malicious software first emerged earlier on Tuesday. In Ukraine, victims included top-level government offices, where officials posted photos of darkened computer screens; energy companies; banks; and even cash machines, gas stations, and supermarkets. Multinational companies, including the global law firm DLA Piper and Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk were also affected, although the firms didn't specify the extent of the damage. In the U.S, a hospital in Pennsylvania said it was dealing with a "widespread" cyberattack, but didn't immediately release further details. Washington U.S. officials have seen chemical weapons activity at a Syrian air base that was used in the spring nerve gas attack on rebel-held territory, the Defense Department said Tuesday, scrambling to explain what prompted a White House statement a day earlier that Syria would "pay a heavy price" if it carried out another one. Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that what looked like active preparations for a chemical attack were seen at Al Shayrat airfield, which was struck in April by U.S. cruise missiles two days after the Syrian government dropped bombs loaded with toxic chemicals in northern Syria. Another Defense Department official said an aircraft shelter at Al Shayrat hit by a U.S. Tomahawk missile was being used for the preparation. Syrian and Russian officials rejected the accusation, calling the White House statement a provocation. The Pentagon comments appeared to shore up the statement Monday night by the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, who warned that Syria was preparing for what looked like another chemical weapons attack, and said that the United States would not hesitate to act if one was launched. But that statement appeared to take defense officials off guard. An official with the U.S. Central Command, which oversees combat operations in the Middle East, said Monday he had "no idea" what the White House statement was referring to. Washington Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman met Tuesday with a House committee investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. John Podesta spoke with members of the House intelligence committee behind closed doors. He told reporters afterward he was "happy to cooperate" but couldn't say what questions he'd been asked or detail his answers. The hacking of Podesta's personal email account and the release of those emails by WikiLeaks during the late stages of the campaign is one focus of the committee's investigation. While President Donald Trump has declined to name Russia as responsible for election meddling, in recent days he has referred to Russia in criticizing the Obama administration's response to the hack. Podesta said the Obama administration was "trying to make the best judgment they could." Also Tuesday, a Trump confidant said he would appear before the same House committee next month in private. In a statement, Roger Stone's lawyer said he looks forward to providing "a timeline based only on the facts." Washington In a bruising setback, Senate Republican leaders shelved a vote on their prized health care bill Tuesday until at least next month, forced to retreat by a GOP rebellion that left them lacking enough votes to even begin debate. "We will not be on the bill this week," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters in what was a remarkable reversal of plans to push one of President Donald Trump's and the GOP's top priorities through the chamber this week. "But we're still working toward getting at least 50 people in a comfortable place," he said. That's the number of GOP senators who must back the bill for it to survive, with all Democrats opposed. "We're got a lot of discussions going on, and I'm still optimistic we're going to get there," he added. Minutes earlier, McConnell divulged the decision to GOP senators at a private lunch also attended by Vice President Mike Pence and White House chief of staff Reince Priebus. GOP senators planned to travel to the White House later Tuesday to meet with Trump. McConnell had hoped to push the measure through his chamber before an Independence Day recess that party leaders fear will be used by foes of the legislation to tear away support. The bill, which would roll back much of President Barack Obama's health care law, has been one of the party's top priorities for years, and the delay is a major embarrassment to Trump and McConnell. At least five GOP senators conservatives and moderates have said they would vote against even beginning debate, and the bill would be derailed if just three of the 52 Republican senators voted against it. GOP defections increased after Congress' budget referee said Monday the measure would leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026 than Obama's 2010 statute. Utah's Mike Lee became the fifth Republican senator to oppose letting the chamber formally begin considering the proposal. Lee was among four conservatives who announced last week that they were against the current version of the legislation. Still, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters, "I would not bet against Mitch McConnell." The Congressional Budget Office analysis suggested some ammunition GOP leaders could use, saying the Senate bill would cut federal deficits by $202 billion more over the coming decade than the version the House approved in May. Senate leaders could use some of those additional savings to attract moderate votes by making Medicaid and other provisions more generous, though conservatives would rather use that money to reduce government red ink. Minutes after the CBO report's release, three GOP senators threatened to oppose beginning debate. Moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she would vote no. She tweeted that she favors a bipartisan effort to fix Obama's statute but added, "CBO analysis shows Senate bill won't do it." Conservative Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he would oppose the motion to open debate unless the bill was changed. US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call spoke about the situation in the Middle East and the upcoming G20 summit in the German city of Hamburg scheduled for July 7-8, Sputnik reported. "The two leaders [Trump and Macron] also discussed the current situation in the Middle East and reviewed the agenda for the upcoming G20 Summit," the release stated on Tuesday. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will offer a new plan to offer paid maternity and parental leave to its full-time, benefited employees in the U.S. The new plan, released to employees Wednesday, says that women who give birth will be eligible for six weeks of paid leave, and parents (including those who give birth) will be eligible for one week of paid leave to bond with new children from birth or adoption. The LDS Church also announced in a benefits handout that it will change its dress code: Women, who were required to wear dresses or skirts, may now wear pantsuits or dress slacks. Mormon men, who are known for their crisp white shirt and tie look, are now able to wear light-colored dress shirts and may "remove suit jackets or sport coats for hot weather and movement throughout the building." Also, starting at the end of this year, employees who have been ill, injured or disabled for seven days can receive two-thirds of their salary from day 8 to day 45. The new benefits will apply to LDS Church's employees, including those in its Salt Lake City headquarters and church-owned colleges, including Brigham Young University. The debate over paid family leave has been bubbling during the past few years and shows how policies at religious nonprofits are all over the map. At organizations like Focus on the Family and Catholic Charities, nonprofit employees who take up to 12 weeks unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act rely on leftover or accrued vacation time, sick days or a paid time off for income. Like many religious nonprofits, the LDS Church, which has thousands of employees, did not offer parents paid leave before its recent policy change. The benefits, which do not affect its missionaries, retroactively apply to employees starting April 18 when they were approved by church leadership. "I would hope that Latter-day Saints would be at the forefront in creating an environment in the workplace that is more receptive and accommodating to both men and women," Elder Quentin L. Cook, one of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the church's senior governing council, said in a statement. Many Mormon women stay at home with their children, but attitudes about women and work have shifted in recent years, said Jana Riess, who blogs about Mormonism for Religion News Service. "The very clear division of labor according to traditional gender roles is softening somewhat," she said. The family unit is very important in Mormonism, since it is considered to be eternal and grouped together in the afterlife. Also, the hierarchy of the church is set up to promote elders who have been in service the longest, Riess noted, so the leadership of the church tends to be older and reflects different generational attitudes about gender norms. "The church is very slow to change, particularly on issues where it feels like the family might be threatened in any way," Riess said. "For this kind of holdout of not offering maternity leave for some time, probably that reflects the church's ideal that women should be at home if they have children." The LDS Church relies heavily on volunteers, said Kathleen Flake, professor of Mormon studies at the University of Virginia, so it probably hasn't needed to offer the same kinds of incentives as larger businesses. The church's shift in clothing simply reflects a larger cultural shift away from the business dress code. "Clothing talks," Flake said. "As society has adopted a wider range of what is respectable dress in a professional setting, the church would naturally move in that direction too. They want to look respectable, not strange." Last year, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced a generous paid family leave policy, providing as many as three months of fully paid parental leave to about 7,000 employees. But as a whole, Catholic archdioceses and dioceses provide a range of policies on family leave. In a 2015 survey from the National Catholic Reporter (before the Archdiocese of Chicago changed it policy), it found at that time that just one archdiocese offered a one-week parental-leave policy at full pay for all diocesan parents. In the Southern Baptist Convention, each church or agency offers a range of family leave policies. The Southern Baptist's publishing arm, LifeWay Christian Resources, provides up to four months' paid leave for mothers, both for birth and adoption. Last year, it also began offering five days of paid paternity leave. The United States is the only developed country that does not guarantee new mothers and fathers paid time off. President Donald Trump's budget request released in May seeks funds to grant mothers and fathers six weeks of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child, an issue that has been championed by Trump's daughter Ivanka. HURON COUNTY If you're someone who likes to leave your car running unattended in your driveway, things are looking up for you. Following the passage of House Bill 4215 in the Senate recently, the legislation would repeal a portion of the Michigan Vehicle Code that has made it illegal to repeal a ban on leaving an unattended vehicle running other than on a public street or highway. HB 4215 now moves to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature. Opposition to the law began picking up steam back in January, when Roseville man Taylor Trupiano was ticketed $128 for leaving his car running in his driveway for what he said was simply to go back into his house to get his girlfriend and her 2-year-old son. State Rep. Holly Hughes, R-White River Township, said she sponsored the bill as a matter of personal property rights. While the issue has been a divisive one state-wide, at the local level, there hasn't been a lot of action. "That hasn't been an issue in our county," said Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson. Hanson said he doesn't recall an instance where the department has written a ticket for that offense. However, he did say he used to get on his own deputies for leaving a patrol vehicle idling unattended. "That got to be a practice some years ago of leaving patrol cars running and I had gotten complaints about that," he said. Today, Hanson said it's almost necessary with the computer systems and cameras that are now in the patrol cars. "It's now to the point where we have to leave those run anymore," he said. As far as his stance on the issue, he can see if both ways. "A lot of these vehicles that people start up and let idle, the keys may not even be in the ignition, so they can't move," he said. "With remote starters where people start them from inside of their house, unless the key is in the ignition, the vehicle will never move. So even if somebody broke into the car, unless they had the actual key with them, they're not going to be able to continue on with it." Added Hanson: "But there are times where an older vehicle could be a threat to somebody's safety as it sat there and idled." Montgomery County commissioners were forced to table any action on the Montgomery Central Appraisal District's proposed 17 percent budget increase Tuesday for lack of a quorum. Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador and Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley both recused themselves from voting because they serve on the MCAD board. Their inability to vote combined with Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack's absence from the meeting meant the remaining voting members of the court, Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark and County Judge Craig Doyal, did not constitute a majority of the court needed to vote on an issue. But that didn't stop commissioners from voicing their concern over the proposed budget increase. MCAD is budgeting for a $2 million spending increase, growing from around $11 million to $13 million. Of MCAD's 34 line items on its preliminary budget, 15 of them would grow in cost. According to the MCAD board budget worksheet, the line item for salaries shows an increase of $601,310 for 2017-18, going from $4.7 million to $5.3 million. The department's benefits line item jumps $781,071, from $3.603 million to $4.384 million. Many of the other line items show increases between $370 and $166,000. "There is absolutely no way I can approve what I'm looking at," said Riley, who only received the proposed budget, which will not be voted until later this year by the MCAD board, Monday. Riley, however, acknowledged the need for some new personnel but said alternative ideas that could save on personnel and money should be considered. The MCAD board consists of former Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance, former Chairman of The Woodlands Township board Bruce Tough, Thomas Cox, Meador and Riley. The board also includes Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae as a nonvoting member. The board only handles the financial side of MCAD and is not related to the Appraisal Review Board where residents protest their appraisals. Chance previously said county growth has created the need for seven new positions. "We are unable to match the continued growth with the existing staff," Chance said. "State law requires each property be visually inspected every two or three years. We have held back (adding positions) as long as we can." Bouncing off what a resident suggested during the citizen comment portion of the meeting, Riley said the district should be able to use newer technologies, including drones (as suggested by a citizen speaking during public comment) to help appraisers do their job. Evan Besong, projects manager for Precinct 3, gave a statement on Noack's behalf. "He is adamantly opposed to this irresponsible increase and feels it is best to be addressed during budget hearings next month," Besong said for the absent Noack. " This is an outrage and must not be allowed to happen." The release of the appraisal district's preliminary budget comes as the Texas Legislature plans a special session with a primary focus being property tax reform by way of lowering the cap on appraisal increases and calling for rollback elections if local budgets increase too much. MCAD is funded by 131 taxing agencies in Montgomery County. Each entity pays for a percentage of the MCAD budget, based on the amount of property tax revenue each entity brings in annually. Those percentages range from .01 percent to 32.98 percent. Montgomery County pays 19.65 percent of the MCAD budget, while the Conroe ISD funds the largest amount of MCAD's budget (32.98 percent). Only about 120 of the 131 taxing agencies in Montgomery County are able to vote on the budget. Emergency Service Districts, which do not receive property taxes, are not allowed to vote. A majority of the roughly 120 taxing entities must approve the budget increase budget as proposed, according to First Assistant County Attorney BD Griffin. Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal took exception to MCAD's proposed salary increases. "We're not going to offer raises," Doyal said. "I couldn't support voting for a budget we fund that offers raises to other employees. We did our 20 percent homestead exemption this year trying to give relief to the taxpayers of this county. When other entities continue to raise their taxes, you're not going to feel that 20 percent exemption we offered you." He encouraged other taxing entities throughout the county to offer property tax exemptions like the county. The Iraqi Army took al-Mashahda district in Mosuls Old City in its fight against the forces of Daesh terrorist group, the armys press service said Tuesday, Sputnik reported. "The 16th infantry division has liberated al-Mashahda district in the Old City of Mosul and raised Iraqs flag above its buildings," the statement published on its Facebook platform reads. On Monday, the Iraqi Army informed that it had liberated al-Faruq district of Mosul, also an area in the Old City. It said last week that it was preparing to storm the city center where less than 200 Daesh militants still remain. The operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State forces began in October 2016, aided by the US-led coalition. On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi said the announcement of Mosuls liberation from terrorist forces might be made within days. Three people aboard a small plane were killed Wednesday when it crashed in the Suttontown region near Mount Gambier, according to police, Anadolu reported. South Australia Police (SAPOL) said in a statement the single-engine Tobago type plane crashed in a field. Authorities did not disclose how many people were aboard the plane nor the identities of the deceased. The statement said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has opened an investigation into the crash. Three people were killed last month in a plane crash near Renmark. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Independence Day is coming up next week and filling up the gas tank to travel to festivities is expected. Though, you're going to want to be sure you're getting the best-quality gas for the price you were promised. Thankfully, local drivers have the Texas Department of Agriculture. The government-run department travels across Texas to inspect and ensure that every gas station in the Lone Star State is offering the best care. RESTAURANT VERSION: These are the restaurant violations in Houston this week If the department finds a gas station is out of compliance, they issue a citation and log the report in an online database. From April 27 to June 26, gas stations across Greater Houston were inspected by Texas Department of Agriculture officials to catch any possible dishonest pump charges, maintenance issues or safety hazards. Fortunately for drivers, getting shorted at the pump is uncommon, but it can come in different forms. Here's a list of the most common reasons gas pumps (often known as multi-pump dispensers) are found to be out of compliance: Short measure in excess of tolerance: The pump shorted the customer gasoline by an amount greater than the allowed amount. According to the agriculture department, the allowed tolerance for diesel and gas pumps in six cubic inches, or about six tablespoons of gas when a five-gallon test measure is used. Two times the tolerance: The pump delivered less fuel than the amount indicated on the display by more than twice the allowed amount. Does not hold zero: The gas pump overcharged the customers for the amount of gas given. See the gallery above for a look at the Houston area stations that have been flagged. NATIONAL RANKING: The 20 worst cities to live in America Moscow believes that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump will take place on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, TASS reported. "We believe that the meeting will take place since the two presidents will be in the same city, in the same building, at the same time. It would not be right if they fail to hold a conversation and discuss various issues," the Russian top diplomat pointed out. Russophobic sentiments in the United States harm Washington itself and impede the solution of important global problems, according to Lavrov. "We now see a distorted picture unfolding in Washington under the impact of Russophobic sentiments that have gripped many politicians," Russias top diplomat stressed. "I believe this harms the United States itself and surely does not help solve international issues, the contribution to the solution of which can be made by Russia and the United States. Therefore, this impedes solving the problems faced by the international community," the Russian foreign minister said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In his first foray into crafting policy as a council member, Greg Brockhouse wants to rebuild residents trust in how the city handles requests for public information. It may sound a bit wonky, but its an important issue because its about the publics ability to obtain the records of its government. Under state law the Texas Public Information Act, to be precise governmental bodies are required to provide records when theyve been requested by a member of the public. Certain types of documents are excepted from disclosure, but those governmental entities have to ask the states attorney general for permission to withhold any requested document even those that cannot be released under state law. The state law, however, doesnt dictate exactly how the public records must be assembled, and the city policy that guides San Antonios municipal government leaves requesters distrustful of the process, Brockhouse said Tuesday. To a T, everybody feels like the process is broken and theyre not getting everything they request, he said. One of the first things I said to myself is, If we win, I want to go right at that open records request process. And he is. As it stands now, when a member of the public requests records, the person who maintains those documents is asked to provide them to an official. Theyre vetted by the city attorneys office to ensure that no confidential information is being released, and then turned over to the requester. The process seems simple. And it is, for some documents. But imagine if the document youre seeking is incriminating say, an indelicate email chain. Brockhouse points out that its incumbent upon those who wrote and received the emails to identify them as responsive documents and then provide them to the requester. Theyre their own judge and jury, he said. Government and Public Affairs Director Jeff Coyle, who oversees the citys open-records system, said the process isnt a subjective one. Open records are governed by state law, and we follow the law to the letter, he said. We process more than 40,000 requests per year, and Im not aware of any complaints that we are not producing what is required. But, the process is only as good as the information thats turned over to Coyles team for release. Under Brockhouses proposal, that could change. Brockhouse is seeking support for his Council Consideration Request, known around City Hall as a CCR, from four colleagues. Once hes secured the requisite four signatures, the proposal will likely go to the councils Governance Committee for review. His proposal would blow up the status quo and potentially remove officials ability to manipulate whats ultimately released to the public. The goal of this request is to improve the ORR process for timeliness, accuracy and secure the independence of the process to improve government transparency, he wrote in the CCR. The document would direct city staff to review current practices and make recommendations on how to reform them. Hes suggesting that a third-party group be responsible for identifying responsive documents and that technology be used for more thorough searches. This group must be independent of the person, group or organization identified in any (open-records request), he wrote. District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez said hes for anything that would increase transparency. Im supportive of strengthening and making the public information act request process more public, he said. And any provisions you can put in there that can take away doubt as to the completeness of the disclosure of documents and responses Im in favor of that. Opponents might argue that Brockhouses proposal would merely add a layer of bureaucracy to a system thats not broken, one thats OK, Pelaez said. Ive always taken an approach that OK is not good enough, he said. Though hes seeking staff recommendations on how to proceed, Brockhouse says the foundation is simple. It has to be third-party, has to be digitally focused and keyword-oriented, he said. And we need to remove the human portion of it. jbaugh@express-news.net Twitter: @jbaugh A former regional boss for the Zetas was sentenced Wednesday to seven life terms for his role in 18 gory deaths, and for participating with the cartel in drug-trafficking operations that included a rampage in which more than 300 people in northern Mexico were slaughtered. Marciano "Chano" Millan Vasquez stood straight-faced as U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez pronounced life sentences for seven charges, and ordered them to run consecutively, then stacked another five years for a separate count. The prison terms for two other counts were ordered to run concurrent. RELATED: Photos show death and destruction from 10 years of Mexican Drug War Asked if he wished to say anything, Millan told the judge: "No. Esta bien." No. It's alright. Testimony at trial established that he began as a foot soldier for the Zetas, the former paramilitary enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel. But he rose to be boss of the so-called Piedras Negras plaza, an important smuggling corridor across the border from Eagle Pass. RELATED: Former Canyon High student who molested 12-year-old on school bus gets 7 years in prison All of the killings, including the 18 pegged specifically on Millan, took place in Mexico between 2009 and 2015. Millan was arrested in 2015 while living under a fake name in San Antonio, where he had settled with some relatives. He was tried here last year and convicted on all 10 charges he faced, including killing in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes. U.S. law allowed the federal government to prosecute him for killings in another country as long as those violent acts were part of a drug conspiracy with connections to the U.S. A witness testified at Millan's trial that Millan chopped up a 6-year-old girl with an axe while she was still alive and made her parents and other tied-up witnesses watch to teach them a lesson. He then ordered the parents killed, and more than a dozen others, in the same brutal fashion. And, Millan also conspired with fellow cartel members who rounded up and slaughtered 300 people after one of their own turned U.S. informant. "The level of violence ... is something that is rarely seen in the courtroom and .... rarely seen even in fiction," Assistant U.S. Attorney Russ Leachman told the judge. RELATED: 13 things to know about Los Zetas, the ruthless Mexican drug cartel Not only were the victims chopped up, but their bodies were disposed of by being dissolved with acid or being burned in barrels until little was left, testimony established. The murders and disposal of the bodies were "horrific," Leachman told the judge. Despite the denials at trial of Millan and his lawyer, Jaime Cavazos, Millan was also placed at the scenes of a mass roundup in 2011 ordered by then-leader Miguel "Cuarenta" Trevino Morales of more than 300 people in towns south or near Piedras Negras. The cartel sacked the towns, bombed homes and other buildings and killed men, women and children some who had nothing to do with the drug trade because Trevino and other leaders were angry that one of their own turned U.S. informant. The cartel burned their bodies in barrels of acid or with diesel fuel, according to testimony. Leachman said the rampage helped the cartel intimidate anyone who stood in its way. The events, known as the "Allende massacre" left many searching for answers on their loved ones for years, and is the subject of complaints with an international human rights commission. RELATED: Sinaloa Cartel financier to be sentenced in San Antonio The trial also revealed that the Zetas controlled law enforcement and other local or regional officials by bribing them or threatening them. Explosive testimony also alleged that the Zetas paid millions of dollars in cash bribes to officials of the Mexican state of Coahuila, including a previous governor, Humberto Moreira, and his brother Ruben Moreira, the current governor. Both brothers have denied the allegations. In exchange for the bribes, witnesses testified, the Zetas were protected as they took over the state of Coahuila, which borders Texas from just west of Laredo to the Big Bend region. Witnesses said state police helped gang leaders evade federal authorities, the gang was able to invest in construction and coal mining and the Zetas took control of state jails, where they had freedom to carry out an array of crimes. Besides killing in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, the charges Millan was convicted of include: conspiracy to distribute and import marijuana, employing minors in a drug crime, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to possess firearms as part of the drug conspiracy, and lying to federal agents about his identity. gcontreras@express-news.net Twitter: @gmaninfedland Houston's fire union sued the city Wednesday alleging Mayor Sylvester Turner's administration failed to act "in good faith" during contract negotiations, escalating tensions between firefighters and City Hall. The lawsuit filed in state District Court comes just two days before firefighters' "evergreen" labor agreement with the city expires. Come Saturday, their employment will be governed by a combination of city ordinance and state law until a new deal is reached. City Council unanimously approved updates to local law Wednesday morning that include less favorable employment terms for firefighters, intended as a "stop-gap measure" until the city and fire union agree on a new contract. Turner said he offered several times to extend the evergreen another 30 days, but the fire union rejected his offer. "When you say no, what do you expect a city to do?" he said, reiterating that the administration wants to reach a deal with firefighters. "They made their choice." Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association President Marty Lancton had disputed the mayor's account last week, saying the city never offered to extend the evergreen terms. After Turner publicly offered the union an opportunity to extend Wednesday - which the union did not accept - Lancton said, "We just wanted a third party to come in and say what's fair." Scores of firefighters in yellow union shirts joined Lancton at an afternoon rally outside City Hall to protest the city's actions. Many held signs touting slogans like "We save others. Who will save us?" and "Reduced staffing means reduced safety," as union leaders spoke into a megaphone. "What do we want?" one asked. "Contract." "When do we want it?" "Now." Turner, anticipating litigation, had cut short Wednesday's council discussion about firefighters' employment terms, telling council members, "I don't want to go much further than we are." Berlin is ready to consider Moscow's proposals on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Wednesday, Sputnik reported. "The treaty is on medium-range land-based missiles that should not be deployed in Europe. I often think that even today we should also talk about disarmament, and about concrete steps. I think that here we agree with the Russian side and Sergey Lavrov. If there would be proposals from the Russian side, we should not always fully support them, but they should be discussed and we should make own proposals," Gabriel told reporters. Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis on Tuesday said he would ask Harris County to join the city of Houston and other major Texas cities in challenging the state's controversial "sanctuary cities" law. Senate Bill 4, which goes into effect Sept. 1, allows police to ask people their immigration status if stopped and threatens sheriffs and police chiefs who refuse federal requests to hold immigrants detained for other crimes with jail time and fines. A born educator, Alice Flores Porche started her career as a young girl. An only child who was shuffled from aunt to aunt, Porche often set up her dolls and would pretend to be a teacher, her son David Flores said. She would say years later, All I ever wanted to do was teach. Porche worked in the Edgewood Independent School District after putting herself through college. In the late 1960s she was asked to help start the bilingual education program. Alice worked up the curriculum, said longtime friend and colleague Irma Campesi. There were no materials at that time; we had to write some of our books. Not everybody loved us. A lot of the teachers and principals thought they should only teach in English, but we became very dedicated to it. Porche died June 23 at 99. Raised by aunts after her mother died giving birth to her, Porche moved from Fort Stockton to Eagle Pass to Laredo as each aunt was able to take her in. She had a very strict Christian upbringing, Flores said. When she went to college, she felt freed. Porche attended Abilene Christian College on scholarship and also worked, ironing clothing and cleaning house. More Information Alice Flores Porche Born: June 10, 1918, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico Died: June 23, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: First husband Christoval Flores; second husband Jay Porche; parents Juanita Favela and Gonzalo Vasquez Survived by: Sons Richard Flores and daughter-in-law Becky, and David Flores and daughter-in-law Jane; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren Services: Funeral at 11 a.m. Thursday at Porter Loring North Chapel, 2102 N. Loop 1604 East, followed by burial at San Fernando Cemetery No. 3 See More Collapse She met her future husband in Del Rio, where she moved for a job opportunity after college. Marrying after World War II, Porche and her husband moved to San Antonio a short time later, and Porche began working at Edgewood teaching third grade. Porches sons were 4 and 10 when her husband died from the long-term effects of an injury he had received during World War II. Teaching all year and during the summers, Porche nevertheless took her boys camping and encouraged their activities. Id showed an interest in playing guitar and had my first band in sixth grade, David Flores recalled. She would take us to the honky-tonks because we were too young (and) would talk the owners into hiring us. Remarrying in the late 1960s, Porche lost her second husband to cancer five years later. Even after retiring in the 1990s, Porche volunteered to read to students at Bill Brown Elementary School in Bulverde, where her son had moved her to be closer to his family. mheidbrink@express-news.net Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The Turkish Armed Forces entered the Syrian city of Idlib, the Turkish media outlets reported June 28. According to the reports, a military base will be created in the city. It was also reported that the Turkish Armed Forces together with the Russian Armed Forces will ensure security in the Syrian city. Earlier, the Turkish presidents Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said that Turkish and Russian personnel will be deployed in Syrias northern Idlib region as part of a de-escalation agreement brokered by Russia last month. Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, YPG and PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, June 28 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Istanbul will host a meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a message June 28. According to the message, the meeting will be held tomorrow, on June 29. The message also says that during this 39th meeting, the latest developments in the region will be discussed, as well as the BSEC member countries will exchange views on topical issues. BSEC was established in 1999 and includes 12 countries: Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. BSEC Parliamentary Assembly, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB), the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) and BSEC Business Council also operate within the organization. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu By Lambert Strether of Corrente Our mini-fundraiser for Water Cooler is on! As of this writing, 165 donors our goal is 250 have already invested to support Water Cooler, which provides both economic and political coverage, to help us all keep our footing in todays torrent of propaganda and sheer bullsh*t. Independent funding is key to having an independent editorial point of view. Please join us and participate via Lamberts Water Cooler Tip Jar, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal, or even the US mail. Thanks to all! * * * Readers, I set the timer on my alarm this morning, but didnt actually turn it on. Bad Lambert! Ill have UPDATEs shortly. UDPATE, 3:00PM That should do it! lambert Trade The next chapter for the Trans-Pacific Partnership [East Asia Forum]. The TPP has a role to play as an organ donor, as Shiro Armstrong suggests, where countries and other groupings can take whats good about the TPP and apply it in other agreements. The progress made in opening up Japanese markets, negotiating cutting-edge agreements on data flows and e-commerce, and putting pressure on countries to lift their game in response to US pressure in the TPP dont need to go to waste. Organs like ISDS? Politics Health Care Anybody know whats happening with this? I cant find anything on Google showing it actually happened in the last 24 hours or the last hour: Listen up friends: human chain around the Capitol this Wed at 5 to save ACA. Please come into D.C. Nothing more imp than saving health care! Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) June 25, 2017 Or was this just Neera in Lets put on a show! mode? Warren Buffett calls ObamaCare repeal bill Relief for the Rich Act' [The Hill]. Hadnt thought of Ron Paul as a comedian, but its been a strange year: On Fox, Sen Paul says health care bill "should not be a kidney stone" where you "have to pass it." Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 27, 2017 Then again, Trump seems to agree with Paul, at least for now: Trump to GOP senators on health care: "If we don't get it done it's just going to be something that we're not going to like and that's OK." pic.twitter.com/S9lhDwdJND Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) June 27, 2017 UPDATE For weeks, insiders in Washington have been wondering: Is it possible that the Senates wily majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, secretly wants his healthcare bill to fail? [Los Angeles Times]. The CBO changed the narrative in a bad way, a top GOP lobbyist told me. It looks as if we will be sliding Obamacare back to the Democrats which is what Trump wanted from Day One. What he meant was: If Republicans give up and leave Obamacare in place, they can try to blame Democrats for any problems that ensue. As the president tweeted on Monday: Perhaps just let OCare crash & burn! . But his chances of winning are eroding. According to some Republicans, hes warming to the idea of taking a dive. It may be the only way he has to show Trump how difficult governing really is. I dont think teaching Trump a lesson is sufficient motivation. However, I think that McConnell (a) wants to stay in the catbird seat i.e., come out looking good win or lose and (b) protect his caucus. And I think both those motivations come before passing the bill, or protecting Trump. Personally, I would be happiest if everybodys blame cannons got pointed at Paul Ryan. I just cant bring myself to like the man! UPDATE McConnell is known as a deal-closer, but hes never done policy this big [WaPo]. Now in the majority, McConnell is trying to use budget rules to pass this repeal on a simple majority vote with just Republican votes, unlike his past deals. However, after the meeting with Trump, in a subtle nod to his past, McConnell warned that if Republicans refused to compromise among themselves, he would go back to his old ways and find a Democratic partner to pass something that was much less favorable to conservatives. UPDATE Conservatives (like the left) know what the stakes are, even as liberals pretend to deny them: The GOP cajoling to vote for the Senate health bill is: "Vote for this bill or if we're not careful, everyone will have health care." pic.twitter.com/kCaENJLkd8 Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) June 27, 2017 New Cold War Wowsers: Have we checked to see if Nina is also on Putin's payroll? Becky (@davefan) June 27, 2017 Wonderfully clarifying. Realignment and Legitimacy Obama removed a motor voting feature from the ACA exchange legislation that would probably have expanded the franchise because Republicans complained [Talking Points Memo (2015)]. I guess Putin made him do it. UPDATE Please kill me now: Some moves at the @dccc: @CheriBustos will take on a role as "Chair of Heartland Engagement," focusing on rural districts. cc @michaelkruse Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) June 27, 2017 Director of Heartland Engagement. I love it. And may The Godd(ess)(e)(s) Of Your Choice, If Any, make sure that Democrats never, ever appeal to working class people, as such, no matter where they live or what their identity silos may be! UPDATE Democrats have debated extensively over whether their path to power goes through the white-working-class Rust Belt states or the diverse, well-educated Sun Belt. In 2018, this debate is moot. The Democrats dont have the luxury of choosing where to compete in House races. Theyll have to target all of these areas [New York Times]. Exactly. I dont object to campaigning in Ossoffs district (though one might raise objections to Ossoffs campaign). Its moving all the chairs onto Ossoffs side of the deck that I mind. The problem for Democrats is simple: There just arent many great opportunities for them to pick up seats in Democratic-leaning areas. Instead, theyll have to compete in a lot of districts where theyre competitive but not favored. Medicare for All would do that. Stats Watch MBA Mortgage Applications, week of June 23, 2017: Purchase applications for home mortgages fell a seasonally adjusted 4 percent [Econoday]. International Trade in Goods, May 2017: Strength in consumer exports helped narrow the nations trade deficit in goods [Econoday]. Exports of capital goods, however, fell 0.4 percent to $43.4 billion in an indication of weakness in global business investment. Retail Inventories [Advance], for May 2017: Inventories, after contracting in April, moved back into the plus column in May [Econoday]. [R]etail inventories rose 0.6 percent with this build concentrated in vehicles. Wholesale Inventories [Advance], May 2017: Inventories, after contracting in April, moved back into the plus column in May [Econoday]. Pending Home Sales Index, May 2017: Pending sales have slowed for the 3 months in a row [Econoday]. Final sales of existing homes dont always move in line with pending sales but the latters ongoing decline is, like weakness in housing permits, a negative indication for the housing sector. Housing: The inventory crisis is worst on the low end of the market, where demand is highest. The number of starter and trade-up homes currently on the market is down 15.6 percent and 13 percent, respectively, compared with a year ago, according to Trulia, a real estate website. The inventory of premium homes has fallen 3.9 percent [CNBC]. The supply situation has buyer confidence in the housing market dropping. Just over half of renters say they think now is a good time to buy, according to the Realtors. That is down from 62 percent one year ago. While about 80 percent of current homeowners think now is a good time to buy, they are not listing their homes for sale. Commodities: The Shale Revolutions Staggering Impact in Just One Word: Plastics [Wall Street Journal]. [The shale oil] boom in drilling has expanded the output of oil and gas in the U.S. more than 57% in the past decade, lowering prices for the primary ingredients Dow Chemical Co. ses to make tiny plastic pellets Tons more will be shipping soon as Dow completes $8 billion in new and expanded U.S. petrochemical facilities mostly along the Gulf of Mexico over the next year, part of the industrys largest transformation in a generation. The scale of the sectors investment is staggering: $185 billion in new U.S. petrochemical projects are in construction or planning. Concentration: It took just 81 days for this chip maker to die after Apple dropped it [Quartz]. Pour encourager les autres The Bezzle: The explosive impact of blockchain technology [TASS]. Blockchain is one of the core straight-through technologies to drive all sectors of the Russian economy, said Nikolay Nikiforov, Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. The most rapid pilot projects and potential areas for rapid breakthrough are document flow related to LOC investments deals, the Masterchain Project, as well as projects on certain types of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartographys transactions that may be executed in an automated 24/7 mode, added Nikolay Nikiforov. The Bezzle: Inside Ubers unsettling alliance with some of New Yorks shadiest car dealers [Quartz]. In July 2015, Uber launched its Xchange Leasing subsidiary to finance leases and rentals for drivers in the US with poor or no credit. The program has been criticized for its sky-high terms and potential for taking advantage of workers, though Uber said it was designed to streamline and improve financing options for drivers. But two years later, Xchange has yet to become available in New York, one of Ubers oldest, largest, and most profitable markets. Instead, the company has maintained partnerships with a small network of third parties that predate its leasing subsidiary, and which operate in the underbelly of New Yorks auto-financing market, without much scrutiny. The Bezzle: The internet of things: industrys digital revolution [Financial Times]. This is a good review of industrial IoT, which Im totally sure wont be hackable, and will be a lot more reliable than consumer IoT. Or simply be an excuse for rental extraction by platforms: finally, DRM comes to making tea https://t.co/b5zJxHNEX7 pic.twitter.com/Obcw8CWajm Internet of Shit (@internetofshit) June 22, 2017 The Bezzle: Falling out of love with Amazons Alexa [Financial Times]. A joke: Jeff Bezos: Alexa, buy me something from Whole Foods. Alexa: Buying Whole Foods. Bezos: No, no, wait But seriously: [A]s the Bezos joke suggests, there is also a common perception that voice computing is a little bit how can I put it generously? rubbish. Like most artificial intelligence technology, it is intriguing and amusing but light years from being truly intelligent. And even if it were Anybody else remember Joe Chips fridge in Ubik? Political Risk: A trove of internal documents sheds light on the algorithms that Facebooks censors use to differentiate between hate speech and legitimate political expression [Pro Publica]. While Facebook was credited during the 2010-2011 Arab Spring with facilitating uprisings against authoritarian regimes, the documents suggest that, at least in some instances, the companys hate-speech rules tend to favor elites and governments over grassroots activists and racial minorities. In so doing, they serve the business interests of the global company, which relies on national governments not to block its service to their citizens. The company recently pledged to nearly double its army of censors to 7,500, up from 4,500, in response to criticism of a video posting of a murder. Their work amounts to what may well be the most far-reaching global censorship operation in history. It is also the least accountable: Facebook does not publish the rules it uses to determine what content to allow and what to delete. The outcome, from the headline: Facebooks Secret Censorship Rules Protect White Men from Hate Speech But Not Black Children. Not a good look for Zucks 2020 campaign. (I didnt lead with the headline because as a data person the issue of overlapping sets is interesting to me, and as a data structure forms the logical basis of intersectionality.) UPDATE The Fed: Special Report How the Federal Reserve serves U.S. foreign intelligence [Reuters]. The Federal Reserves little-known role housing the assets of other central banks comes with a unique benefit to the United States: It serves as a source of foreign intelligence for Washington. Senior officials from the U.S. Treasury and other government departments have turned to these otherwise confidential accounts several times a year to analyse the asset holdings of the central banks of Russia, China, Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Libya and others, according to more than a dozen current and former senior Fed and Treasury officials. The U.S. central bank keeps a tight lid on information contained in these accounts. But according to the officials interviewed by Reuters, U.S. authorities regularly use a need to know confidentiality exception in the Feds service contracts with foreign central banks. The exception has allowed Treasury, State and Fed officials without regular access to glean information about the movement of funds in and out of the accounts, those people said. Such information has helped Washington monitor economic sanctions, fight terror financing and money laundering, or get a fuller picture of market hot spots around the world. Get a fuller picture of market hot spots. What does that mean? Not that Id ever question the integrity of our central bankers, or the perjurers, torturers, and entrapment experts who run our intelligence community. (I mean, hey, why do anything so crude as run drugs with Air America, if you can arbitrage advance knowledge of central banking moves. Eh?) Five Horsemen: Organic grocer Amazin leads the Charge of the Tech Wrecks after Gurgle is whacked by the EU meanies Todays Fear & Greed Index: 58 Greed (previous close: 48, Neutral) [CNN]. One week ago: 42 (Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed. Last updated Jun 28 at 1:10pm. Water Rivers Connect Us, and Salmon, and Orcas [American Rivers]. On theCle Elum reservoir, among other sites. Health Care CMS Highlights Counties With Limited Or Zero Marketplace Insurance Options [Health Affairs]. Watch those swing counties in swing states Class Warfare Power Causes Brain Damage [The Atlantic]. The historian Henry Adams was being metaphorical, not medical, when he described power as a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victims sympathies. But thats not far from where Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley, ended up after years of lab and field experiments. Subjects under the influence of power, he found in studies spanning two decades, acted as if they had suffered a traumatic brain injurybecoming more impulsive, less risk-aware, and, crucially, less adept at seeing things from other peoples point of view. And its not like we dont have examples. UPDATE Making Ivanka Trump shoes: Long hours, low pay and abuse [AP]. Of course this is bad. But this story calls into the bucket of stories called Bad Things the Political Class Notices Only When Trump Does Them. All over Southeast Asia people are enduring long hours, low pay, and abuse making shoes, sewing clothes, breaking ships, working in construction, and on and on and on. But suddenly these workers are objects of tender concern, because of the person they work for. Not buying it. UPDATE What a New Survey from Alaska Can Teach Us about Public Support for Basic Income [Medium]. Polling on the Alaska Permanent Fund. The Economic Security Project and Omidyar Network will continue to unpack the data and share observations on what it means for the conversation on how to provide economic security for Americans. What about the Alaska Permanent Funds model creates support for universality? How does it impact financial risk-taking across different family sizes? What do the changes in support for the PFD over the last thirty years mean for building political support for unconditional cash? Hmm. UPDATE Why Work? [The Baffler]. The first assumption Im contending with here is that work, broadly conceived as a metabolic exchange with Nature, as the everlasting Nature-imposed condition of human existence (Marx, from Volume 1 of Capital) and thus as the trans-historical element of human nature, is the site on which human subjectivityindividualityis conceived and constructed. In modern times, and in modern terms, it is where character and conscience get built Not anymore. Work no longer serves these dual purposes of building character and providing income commensurate with effort. Theres not enough work to go around, and what there is has been reduced to a simulation of effortpretend work in the cubicles and at the academic conferencesor backbreaking toil in the sweatshops, the office towers, and the offshore factories. The working world as we now experience it is an exquisite corpse, a collaboration between Charles Dickens, David Lodge, and William Gibson. Hmm. Is the author confusing work with labor? News of the Wired Structure-based control of complex networks with nonlinear dynamics [PNAS]. If you like network theory. I Could Kill You with a Consumer Drone [Defense One]. I cant think why this hasnt happened already. Then again, would we know? * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allegic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. And heres todays plant (PH): PH writes: Photo taken a couple of days ago of the first ripe wild berries growing in a patch by the edge of our woods. They are blackcaps, or black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis). Very tasty. UPDATE Now that that the 2017 Water Cooler fundraiser post is launched, I can say that directions for sending a check will include a request to send me a parallel email so I can thank you. I was not able to thank all you sent me checks this year, because I was unable to connect physical mail identities to online identities. Apologies! * * * Readers, Water Cooler is a standalone entity, not supported by the Naked Capitalism fundraisers. Please use the dropdown to choose your contribution, and then click the hat! Your tip will be welcome today, and indeed any day. Water Cooler will not exist without your continued help. Our mini-fundraiser for Water Cooler is on! 97 donors have already invested to support Water Cooler, which provides both economic and political coverage, to help us all keep our footing in todays torrent of propaganda and sheer bullsh*t. Independent funding is key to having an independent editorial point of view. Please join us and participate via Lamberts Water Cooler Tip Jar, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal, or even the US mail. By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends much of her time in Asia and is currently researching a book about textile artisans. She also writes regularly about legal, political economy, and regulatory topics for various consulting clients and publications, as well as scribbles occasional travel pieces for The National. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Army, and Army Corps of Engineers yesterday announced they are proposing a rule to rescind the Clean Water Rule adopted in 2015 by re-codifying the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 defining waters of the United States or WOTUS, according to this EPA press release from yesterday. A February 28 Trump executive order kicked off the process for reconsidering exactly to which waters the EPAs clean water regulatory policy applies. That order said: It is in the national interest to ensure that the Nations navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the States under the Constitution. In order to meet these objectives, the EPA press release announces that the three agencies intend to follow an expeditious, two-step process that will provide certainty across the country. Exactly what the agencies propose to do is spelled out in this 42-page document. As the first step in this rule-making process, the proposed new Trump administration rule would recodify the identical regulatory text that existed prior to adoption of the 2015 Clean Water Rule in 2015 and that currently remains in place following an October 2015 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals to stay the 2015 rule. So, the press release explains, that the new rule-making, when final, will not change current practice with respect to how the existing definition applies. The second-step in the rule-making upon which the agencies have already embarked will be a re-evaluation and revision of the definition of waters of the United States in accordance with the [February] Executive Order, again according to the press release. More detailed information about the history of the Clean Water Rule, may be found at this EPA web portal. Clean Water Rule The Clean Water Rule protects drinking water in the United States and is based on regulatory authority provided in the Clean Water Act of 1972. The recent rule-making process to define its scope and applicability has been unusually fraught, with debate entering on exactly what water sources are covered (which in itself is a confusing topic that has been the subject of multiple rounds of litigation over decades). In 2015, the EPA extended protection to include streams, and some wetlands. According to this NPR report, Trump plans to ditch Obamas protection for small wetlands and waterways- well worth reading, by the way, for a quick introduction to the issue, written in accessible plain English: In 2015, Obama Administration tried once and for all to define exactly what would be regulated under the federal Clean Water Act. After several years of research, including analysis of 1,200 peer-reviewed studies, the EPA defined a tributary as having a bed, banks and ordinary high water mark, which flowed downstream. It defined adjacent wetlands and waters as those within a minimum of 100 feet and within the 100-year floodplain to a maximum of 1,500 feet of the ordinary high water mark to the regulated tributaries or waterways. And it included protection for isolated wetlands, like Prairie potholes out west, coastal prairie wetlands in Texas and whats known locally as Delmarva bays. These are isolated, small wet areas fed by groundwater and seasonal rain. There are more than one thousand of these wetlands in Delaware, where they serve as nurseries for frogs and salamanders. Yet various business interests: fossil fuel companies, big agriculture, chemical producers, home builders, mining companies, and real estate developers, to name just some objected to the broadened definition. As is frequently the case with any rule-making that gores any economic interests, extensive litigation followed, filed by the usual business interest group subjects e.g., the American Farm Bureau, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and dozens of other business associationsaccording to this report in yesterdays Wall Street Journal. In his former role as Oklahoma state attorney general, Trumps newly installed EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt also filed litigation against the agency. Status Quo Will Remain: No Protection The result of this legal manoeuvring: the widened WOTUS rule has yet to be enforced due to the Sixth Circuits stay noted above and the status quoless extensive regulation therefore remains in place. According to a report in yesterdays Washington Post, Pruitt said that the agency would provide clarity by withdrawing the rule and reverting standards to those adopted in 2008. Which is perhaps very good news indeed if youre a member of one of those interests that benefits from the current status quo but isnt so welcome if pollution is contaminating your drinking water or, in the case of wildlife, destroying your habitat. Earlier this year, I wondered why Democrats didnt target the worst of Trumps proposed Cabinet picks, and mount any serious takedown effort. Pruitt would have topped my list of most dangerous appointees. Although he earlier pledged to recuse himself from working on active litigation related to the rule according to the Washington Post account cited above whatever that lawyerly parsing may be taken to mean we know how bogus these putative recusals prove to be in practice. Pruitt is proving to be skilled and adept at implementing an anti-environmental agenda. He knows the territory, and is using his full powers as EPA administrator to translate that vision into legal reality. States Ride to the Rescue? Much of the commentary on yesterdays announcement has made a fairly glib and obvious comparison between this latest attempt to roll back the previous administrations environmental agenda and Trumps decision earlier this month to pull out of the Paris accord on climate change. Theres one serious difference that I can see and this, a depressing one. Trumps Paris decision was opposed by many business interests. Some of these sought to convince Trump to stay the course on the accord. Green companies wish to move full speed ahead on an anti-climate change agenda as they expect to benefit directly. And still other activist investors are pressuring fossil fuel and other companies to disclose their exposure to climate change including regulation and come clean on the mitigating steps theyre undertaking. These are just some of the business interests that oppose the Trump climate change policy. In addition, many states and cities are undertaking their own climate change initiatives and since California is involved, as has been the case with clean air and fuel efficiency standards, those efforts may evolve to be de facto national standards. By contrast, the business alignment on WOTUS is almost all in favor of rollback. Now, in the case of clean water regulation, trashing the tougher federal rule will leave many tougher state water protection statutes still standing. But the consequence of this pullback may be ultimately to weaken individual state initiatives, as I dont see state water policies becoming de facto national standards here. So, permit me to quote from the NPR account again: Even when Trump gets rid of WOTUS, about 20 states across the country would not be impacted because they have state laws that are more stringent than the federal rules, including Pennsylvania. But thats not enough protection for some. David Kinney is mid-Atlantic policy director for Trout Unlimited, a conservation organization that supports WOTUS. Kinney says those ephemeral or intermittent streams are important nurseries for trout. And he says although Pennsylvania has done a good job protecting native trout streams, loss of federal protections could mean the state backtracking on its Clean Streams law. This latest Trump initiative is not good news for those who care about clean water, the environment, or pristine habitat. Our mini-fundraiser for Water Cooler is on! 92 donors have already invested to support Water Cooler, which provides both economic and political coverage, to help us all keep our footing in todays torrent of propaganda and sheer bullsh*t. Independent funding is key to having an independent editorial point of view. Please join us and participate via Lamberts Water Cooler Tip Jar, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal, or even the US mail. Lambert here: Ka-ching. By Roy M. Poses, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown University, and the President of FIRM the Foundation for Integrity and Responsibility in Medicine. Originally published by Health Care Renewal. In Washington, DC the health care policy wars continue, with a few Reublican senators working behind closed doors on a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, aka the Affordable Care Act, and Democrats decrying their secrecy. Just as during the era in which Obamacare was enacted, there is constant discusison of how US health care costs continually rise, driving up insurance premiums, and how access to health insurance is continually in peril. However, while the current Republican process to write new legislation seems strikingly opaque, in neither era has there been a frank discussion of why US health care costs are so amazingly high, and disproportionate to our mediocre health care outcomes. In particular, there has hardly been any discussion of just who benefits from the rising costs, and how their growing wealth may impede any real cost-cutting measures. Extreme Compensation for Top Managers of Non-Profit Hospitals An obvious example is the gravity defying pay given to top health care managers, particularly the top managers of non-profit hospital systems. Such systems provide much of the hospital care to Americans, and most have declared their missions to be providing the best possible care to all patients, or words to that effect. Many explicitly include care of the poor, unfortunate and vulnerable as a major part of their missions. As non-profit organizations, their devotion of mission provides some rationale to their freedom from responsibility for federal taxes. As we last discussed in detail in May, 2016, we have suggested that the ability of top managers to command ever increasing pay uncorrelated with their organizations contributions to patients or the publics health, and often despite major organizational shortcomings indicates fundamental structural problems with US health, and provides perverse incentives for these managers to defend the current system, no matter how bad its dysfunction. In particular, we have written a series of posts about the lack of logical justification for huge executive compensation by non-profit hospitals and hospital systems. When journalists inquire why the pay of a particular leader is so high, the leader, his or her public relations spokespeople, or hospital trustees can be relied on to cite the same now hackneyed talking points. As I wrote in 2015, and in May, 2016, It seems nearly every attempt made to defend the outsize compensation given hospital and health system executives involves the same arguments, thus suggesting they are talking points, possibly crafted as a public relations ploy. We first listed the talking points here, and then provided additional examples of their use. here, here here, here, here, and here, here and here. They are: We have to pay competitive rates We have to pay enough to retain at least competent executives, given how hard it is to be an executive Our executives are not merely competitive, but brilliant (and have to be to do such a difficult job). Yet as we discussed recently, these talking points are easily debunked. Additionally, rarely do those who mouth the talking points in support of a particular leader provide any evidence to support their applicability to that leader. But since May, 2016, we have steadily accumulated more stories about million-dollar plus pay for CEOs and other top managers of non-profit hospitals and hospital systems. The reports may be shorter than they used to be, as journalism comes under economic and other attack, and as more journalistic resources go to cover the current president. Here are some examples, in chronologic order per the date of the published article, rather telegraphically. Examples of High Executive Pay Boston, Massachusetts area, August, 2016 ( Per the Boston Business Journal) Brigham and Womens Hospital CEO Dr Elizabeth Nabel, total compensation $5.5 million in 2014, 20% higher than 2013. Talking points = brilliant: committed to retaining a team of top professionals, per Edward Lawrence, Chair, Partners Board of Trustees Tufts Medical CEO Dr Michael Wagner, $1.1 million, 82% increase. UMass Memorial Medical Center CEO Dr Eric Dickson, $1.6 million, 74% increase, Patrick Muldoon, President UMass Memorial Centers biggest hospital, $1.2 million, 67% increase West New York State, August, 2016 ( Per the Buffalo News) Catholic Health System CEO Joseph D McDonald, $1.4 million. Roswell Park Cancer Institute CEO Candace S Johnson, $1 million Kaleida Health CEO Jody L Lomeo, $1 million: Talking points = brilliant few executives have the required skill set and experience to fill these posts New Jersey, September, 2016 (Per NJ Advance Media) Top 10 hospital CEOs received total compensation from $1.94 million to $4.7 million New Orleans, Lousisiana, September, 2016 (Per the Times-Picayune) Ochsner Health System former CEO and board chair Dr Patrick Quinlan, $3.3 million in 2014, current CEO and board member Warner Thomas, $1.49 million. Talking points = competitive rates and brilliant: we must compete nationally to recruit top talent Touro Infirmary CEO James Montgomery, $1.3 million Childrens Hospital Inc Chief Medical Officer Alan Robson, $1.26 million General talking points = competitive rates: youre looking to attract hospital executives from Californai or New York where theyre paid a lot of money Gastonia, North Carolina, February, 2017 (Per the Gaston Gazette) CaroMont CEO Doug Luckett, $1.03 million in 2015. Talking points = retain and brilliant paying what it takes to ensure they attract and retain top-level talent that can help provide premiums health care Dayton, Ohio, March, 2017 (Per the Dayton Daily News) Kettering Health System CEO Fred Manchur, $1.65 million in 2015, former president Terri Day, $1.23 million, current president Roy Chew, $1.07 million Premier Health former CEO James Pancoast, $1.42 milllion (excluding retirement payments) in 2015. Talking points = brilliant youve got one person at the top whos trying to provide oversight, direction, and strategy. At the same time, health care continues to grow in scope, complexity, regulation, and compliance. York County, Pennsylvania, April, 2017 (Per the York Daily Record) WellSpan Health president Kevin Mosser, $1.6 million in 2014. Talking points = competitive rates Forrest Brisco, associate professor, Penn State Smeal College of Business, nonprofit hospitals are competing with for-profit hospitals; brilliant: If you are at the top of a health care organization, youre going to have pay thats higher than many members of the organization. The the skill and knowledge to understand and interact with surgeons and physicians can command a high salary [ed note: which often seems higher than those of some surgeons and physicians, though]; also brilliant: Robert Batory, senior vice-president and chief human resources officer, Wellspan, Kevin has 24/7 responsibility for Wellspan. Ephrata Community Hospital (WellSpan subsidiary) CEO and WellSpan Medical Group (WellSpan subisidiary) CEO more than $1 million Winston-Salem, North Carolina, May, 2017 (Per the Winston-Salem Journal) Novant Health Inc CEO Carl Armato, $1.31 million in 2015. Talking points = retain and brilliant high compensation levels are necessary to recruit and retain executive to run a very complex organization' Tri-Cities region, Tennessee and Virginia, June, 2017 (Per WJHL) Wellmont Health System CEO Bart Hove, $1.4 million in 2015. Talking points = competitive rates: Wellmont board of trustees chair Roger Leonard, we have to compete on a national level and were competing not just with other non-profits, but were competing with other for-profits Mountain States Health Alliance CEO Alan Levine, $1.3 million in 2015. Talking points = competitive rates: HSHA board of trustees chair Barbara Allen, make sure CEO pay is comparable to similarly sized facilities across the country with similar complexities; retain and brilliant, we want to attract the best talent and be able to retain him. Connecticut, June, 2017 ( Per the Connecticut Post) Yale New Haven Health System CEO Marna Borgstrom, $3.8 million in 2015. Nine other employees paid over $1 million, including Bridgeport Hospital CEO William Jennings, $1.5 million, Greenwich Hospital CEO Norman Roth, $1.3 million. Talking points = brilliant: Yale senior vice president of public affairs, Yale New Haven Health is the largest and most complex health system in the state. Also, a total of 39 people, including the above, received over $1 million in 2016. General talking points = brilliant: there are a limited number of executives experienced enough to guide a state-of-the-art hospital and growing healthcare system in an increasingly competitive and complex industry; competitive rates: pay and benefits for such executives need to be comparable to what they could receive at another leading national hospital system or another industry Summary and Conclusions The current inflamed discussion of Obamacare and Republican attempts to repeal and replace it focuses on the costs of care and how they affect individual patients. Examples include concerns about health insurance premiums that are or could be unaffordable for the typical person; insurance that fails to cover many costs, and thus may leave patients at risk of bankruptcy due to severe illness; poor people unable to or who might become unable to obtain any insurance, and perhaps any health care. Yet there is little discussion of what really drives high and ever increasing health care costs (while quality of health care remains mediocre). That may be because those who are benefiting the most from the status quo want to prevent discussion of their role. There are many such people, but top management of non-profit hospitals provide a ready example. Their institutions mission is to provide care to sick patients. Many such hospitals specifically pledge to provide care to the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged. Non-profit hospitals have no owners or stockholders to whom they owe revenue. Yet these days the top executives of non-profit hospitals receive enough money to become rich. See the examples above. The justification for such compensation is pretty thin. Consider the talking points above. Apparently hospitals are extremely concerned about paying top management enough to recruit and retain them. Yet there is much less evident concern about paying a lot of money to recruit and retain the health care professionals who actually take care of patients to fulfil the hospitals mission. Hospital CEOs are frequently proclaimed to be brilliant, visionaries, or at least incredibly hard workers with very complex jobs. I wonder if those who make such proclamations have any idea what it takes to be a good physician or a good nurse. Yet such health care professionals hard work, long training, devotion to duty, and ability to deal with trying situations and make hard decisions rarely inspire hospitals to shower them with money. Furthermore, hospital CEO compensation is almost never justified in terms of their ability to uphold and advance the fundamental hospital mission, taking care of sick people. The articles above do not contain any justifications of generous CEO compensation based on hospitals clinical performance or health care outcomes. At best, hospital executive pay seems to be justified by the hospitals financial, not clinical performance. So why do non-profit hospital CEOs get paid enough to become rich? Apparently, because they can. As we discussed here, there is a strong argument that huge executive compensation is more a function of executives political influence within the organization than their brilliance or the likelihood they are likely to be fickle and jump ship for even bigger pay. This influence is partially generated by their control over their institutions marketers, public relations flacks, and lawyers. It is partially generated by their control over the make up of the boards of trustees who are supposed to exert governance, especially when these boards are subject to conflicts of interest and are stacked with hired managers of other organizations. Furthermore, such pay may provide perverse incentives to grow hospital systems to achieve market domination, raise charges, and increase administrative bloat. As an op-ed in US News and World Report put it about executive pay in general, But the executive pay decisions made inside corporate boardrooms have an enormous impact in the outside world. Outrageous pay gives top executives an incentive to behave outrageously. To hit the pay jackpot, theyll do most anything. Theyll outsource and downsize and make all sorts of reckless decisions that pump up the short-term corporate bottom line at the expense of long-term prosperity and stability. So I get to recycle my conclusions from many previous posts. We will not make any progress reducing current health care dysfunction if we cannot have an honest conversation about what causes it and who profits from it. In a democracy, we depend on journalists and the news media to provide the information needed to inform such a discussion. When the news media becomes an outlet for propaganda in support of the status quo, the anechoic effect is magnified, honest discussion is inhibited, and out democracy is further damaged. True health care reform requires publicizing who benefits most from the current dysfunction, and how and why. But it is painfully obvious that the people who have gotten so rich from the current status quo will use every tool at their disposal, paying for them with the money they have extracted from patients and taxpayers, to defend their position. It will take grit, persistence, and courage to persevere in the cause of better health for patients and the public. And for our musical interlude, the beginning of For the Love of Money, sung by the OJays, used in the official intro of season 2 of guess what show? A levitated nanosphere as an ultra-sensitive sensor (Nanowerk News) A tiny sphere and a laser beam inside of which it hovers as if by magic with these simple ingredients Martin Frimmer and co-workers at the Photonics Laboratory of ETH Zurich have developed a highly sensitive sensor. In the future this device is expected to measure, amongst other things, extremely weak forces or electric fields very precisely. Now the researchers have taken a major step in that direction, as they write in a recently published scientific paper (Physical Review A, "Controlling the net charge on a nanoparticle optically levitated in vacuum"). A microscope objective (right) focuses laser light to create the optical tweezers in which a nanosphere (tiny red dot in the centre of the image) is levitated. (Image: ETH Zurich / Erik Hebestreit and Vijay Jain) Nanosphere in a laser beam Martin Frimmer, a post-doctoral researcher in the group of ETH professor Lukas Novotny, explains the working principle of a sensor very plausibly: First I need to know how the object acting as a sensor is influenced by its environment. Anything that happens beyond that influence tells me: there is a force at work. In practice this usually means that interactions with the environment should be kept at a minimum in order to maximize the sensitivity of the sensor to the forces one wants to measure. The scientists achieved precisely that by trapping a silica nanoparticle, whose diameter is about a hundred times smaller than a human hair, using a focused laser beam. The beam creates optical tweezers in which the nanosphere is held in the focus of the beam by light forces. If an additional force acts on the sphere, it is shifted from is rest position, which in turn can be measured with the help of a laser beam. Discharging by high voltage Since the optical tweezers keep the nanosphere hovering in midair without any mechanical contact, the influence of the environment can easily be reduced to a minimum. To do so, Frimmer and his team place the optical tweezers inside a vacuum chamber so that there are virtually no more collisions with air molecules. The only thing left now that could create a disturbance is a possible electric charge on the nanoparticle. Owing to such a charge, insufficiently screened electric fields could influence the sphere and, therefore, a possible measurement. For this reason the ETH researchers have now developed a simple but highly efficient method by which the charge on the sphere can be neutralised. To this end they mounted a wire inside the vacuum chamber that was connected to a 7000 volt high-voltage generator. The high voltage caused the air molecules to be ionized, i.e., to be split into negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions. Either of those could now jump onto the nanosphere and make its charge more positive or more negative. To measure the charge carried by the sphere at any given moment, the physicists exposed it to an oscillating electric field and observed how strongly the sphere reacted to that. In this way they were able to confirm that the charge of the sphere changed in steps of exactly one elementary charge (i.e., the charge of an electron) to the negative or to the positive. When the high voltage is switched off, the spheres instantaneous charge remains constant for days. Gravity and quantum mechanics This perfect control allows the scientists to completely neutralize the electric charge on the nanoparticle. As a result, electric fields no longer have any effect on the sphere, which makes it possible to precisely measure other very weak forces. One such force is gravity. Martin Frimmer speculates, albeit cautiously, that in future the nano-sensor he developed should enable studies of the interplay between gravity and quantum mechanics. By clever manipulation of the optical tweezers the researchers can already cool the sphere down to below a ten thousandth of a degree above absolute zero. For even lower temperatures the nanoparticle is expected to start behaving quantum mechanically, so that phenomena such as quantum superpositions and their dependence on gravity can be observed. Protein data takes significant step forward in medicine (Nanowerk News) The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is part of a nationwide effort to learn more about the role of proteins in cancer biology and to use that information to benefit cancer patients. PNNL is paired with physicians and scientists at Oregon Health & Science University in one of three projects announced this week by the National Cancer Institute to bring detailed data about proteins to the bedsides of participants in current clinical trials. The OHSU-PNNL team is studying acute myeloid leukemia, the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. Other teams nationwide are focusing on breast and ovarian cancer. Karin Rodland heads a PNNL team contributing crucial knowledge about proteins in studies of cancer patients. Karin Rodland heads a PNNL team contributing crucial knowledge about proteins in studies of cancer patients. The study at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is sponsored by NCI and will include up to 200 participants. Physicians will look at the safety and effectiveness of several FDA-approved drugs that inhibit cell signaling that occurs in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. The study is led by physician Brian J. Druker, director of the Knight Cancer Institute, with funding from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The PNNL portion of the study is led by Karin Rodland, chief scientist for biomedical research at PNNL. For the current study, scientists will analyze blood samples from the study participants, looking at specific levels of proteins. The hope is to identify proteins that indicate which patients respond well to specific treatments and which patients don't respond to treatment, an important step to personalize therapies for patients. The three Proteogenomic Translational Research Centers, created through NCI's Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research, embody the convergence in medicine of information about genes and proteins in an approach known as proteogenomics. Genes have been a pillar of cancer research and patient care for decades. But important, complementary information comes from proteins - the molecular workhorses that actually implement the genetic instructions in the body. Understanding both gives a more complete picture of the molecular basis of cancer. Last year, in a study published in Cell, Rodland and colleagues took at in-depth look at the proteins in the tumors of 169 ovarian cancer patients, marking one of the biggest studies ever done in proteogenomics. "The beauty of adding a proteogenomic approach to clinical trials is that by using the patient's own cells and examining thousands of proteins and phosphoproteins for their response to drug treatment, therapy can be truly individualized, and ineffective treatments can be avoided," said Rodland. PNNL is one of only two institutions nationwide involved in these new studies that are also participating in two additional efforts funded by NCI through its Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium: A Proteome Characterization Center headed by PNNL scientists Tao Liu and Richard D. Smith, which is focusing on the proteins involved in uterine cancer. The team will analyze samples from 200 people participating in research through the NCI network. A Proteogenomic Data Analysis Center that also includes scientists from New York University and Washington University. Samuel Payne leads the PNNL portion. Seven terrorists have surrendered in Turkeys southeastern Sirnak province, the governor's office said on Wednesday, Anadolu reported. The office's statement said that six PKK terrorists, including a minor, surrendered to security forces at the Turkish-Iraqi Habur border gate after fleeing their shelters in northern Iraq. Another terrorist surrendered to security forces at the Koycegiz Border Command in the province's Idil district. In an operation near the Serin Valley in the village of Andac in Sirnaks Ulusdere district, 620 rocket cartridge, 320 anti-personnel mines, and 300 articles of tank ammunition were seized by security forces, said a separate statement by the governors office. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. It has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years, during which more than 40,000 people have been killed. The PKK is also involved in illicit drug production, manufacture, and trafficking. Since the group resumed its armed campaign in July 2015, more than 1,200 people, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives. (Natural News) A little over two million people reside in the state of New Mexico. As reported by Healthinsurance.org, there has been a mere 54,653 people enrolled in coverage through the New Mexico exchange during the 2017 open enrollment period for health insurance. The number of insurers offering individual market plans statewide are limited to only four, but, the happy marketeers of the collapsing Obamacare program somehow maneuver language to make everything sound cheery and bright. For example, they conclude that having only four insurance exchanges for two million people is not dismally inadequate, its actually described as more robust than those in many other states. And, if a New Mexico constituent is concerned about the impending 80 percent premium increases, well, theres no need to worry your pretty little head about that. In fact, in the upside down world of Obamacare, that 80 percent increase is actually good news, because New Mexicos current premiums are well below the national average. Well, that may be true, but a New Mexico Obamacare premium, which is $366 per month before the subsidy kicks in is still going up as much as 80 percent, isnt it? Those other 34 states using federally facilitated exchanges provide policies with an average monthly premium of $475 before the subsidy. Arent most of those going up too? Of course. ZeroHedge.com suggests that we look a little deeper to get the true trajectory of Obamacare price increases in New Mexico. Between 2013 and 2017, the Obamacare premiums had already increased 100 percent for New Mexico residents. Adding the impending 80 percent increase in 2018 would imply a 250 percent increase in just five years. These rising prices continue to bring hardship to small businesses, families and the overall economy. The tentacles run deep and its been a long, tough process to overturn, although the intrepid President Trump remains hopeful in his comments reported by USnews.com: But I think were going to get it. We dont have too much of a choice because the alternative is the dead carcass of Obamacare. That hope could be short lived, even with a dead Obamacare carcass looming in the backdrop. Some Senate Republicans remain opposed to the latest revision of the new Senate health bill. Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, isnt happy about Medicaid cuts and removing the Planned Parenthood subsidy. Senator Rand Paul, R-Kentucky is another Republican who says he still cant support the new plan. In the meantime, rising premiums are the rule in New Mexico, all in the midst of Washington trying to make sense of subsidies, exchanges, pre-existing conditions, Medicaid payouts and so much more. The idea of the U.S. government running and mandating personal health insurance by giving subsidies to buy it, and then initiating income tax penalties if you refused, never set too well with freedom loving citizens, even though they were promised by then President Obama that if you liked your doctor and your plan you could simply keep them. Remember that? And then, once the lobbyists of the death care industry, pharmaceutical and insurance industries paid billions to get the bill written and passed, there was that small problem about the roll out of the website. Hmmm. This was just the beginning of a bad system now ready to crash and burn. Imagine how the nations health would improve if all those billions of dollars had been invested in organic food, water without fluoride, heavy metals or pesticides or one of the most powerful antioxidant substances in the world, Hawaiian Astaxanthin. But the sick care industry would much rather that you are injected with your yearly flu shot and endure whatever procedure they want to pay for on the failing Obamacare list. Lets just say no, shall we? Sources include: HealthInsurance.org ZeroHedge.com UsNews.com YouTube.com YouTube.com Tuesday, June 27, 2017 by: Ethan Huff Tags: budget , Collapse , Illinois This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author (Natural News) It appears that far too many years of waste, corruption, and entitlements have sent the state of Illinois on a downward spiral into total financial failure. Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has declared that the state is now entering banana republic territory, and that even the Illinois lottery is thinking about bailing as there will soon be no more money left to pay the bills, including lottery prize winnings. Illinois hasnt passed a budget in three years which is completely unprecedented and the backlog of its unpaid bills has reached an astounding $15 billion. Theres also another $251 billion in unfunded pension obligations that nobody knows how theyll pay. Because of all this, Moodys Investors Services has downgraded Illinois credit rating to the lowest ever seen in the United States. Some reports suggest that Illinois may try to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, which would be the first time a state has ever attempted this. But in order to do so, Congress would need to intervene to change state law, as currently this would be an impossibility. Gov. Rauner is calling for a special session of the Democrat-led General Assembly to finally pass a budget bill that would help to get things back on track. The goal is to avoid a situation in which things get so bad that vital services begin to shut down, setting off a domino effect of progressive failures in other areas of civic life. Were like a banana republic, Gov. Rauner stated earlier this month after the states General Assembly once again failed to pass a budget by the regular session deadline. We cant manage our money. Illinois to soon be paying out 100 percent of monthly revenue, leaving nothing for discretionary spending The office of the governor has been at a stalemate for a long time, as anything it has proposed as a solution has been met with hostility by Democrats, including Illinois House Speaker, Michael Madigan. A top Republican told the media about this ongoing confrontation, which has put lawmakers at odds with their constituents, who are now suffering the consequences. Gov. Rauner says Republicans in the General Assembly have put together a plan that hes willing to sign, and that it represents a true compromise that should be able to please everyone. It includes property tax relief, term limits, and spending caps that would help the people of Illinois while also fixing the problems that put Illinois in this mess in the first place. It also addresses structural reforms, government consolidation, and pension reform. Illinois is the fiscal model of what not to do, Representative Peter Roskam, a Republican, told Fox News. This avoidance in behavior toward dealing with our challenges is what leads to the devastating impacts we are seeing today. But House Speaker Madigans press secretary, Steve Brown, says theres more to it than just obstruction. Included in the General Assemblys bill are things that he says have nothing to do with state government. The biggest problem here is that the governor keeps associating a lot of things that do not have anything to do with the budget, he stated. Gov. Rauner has given the General Assembly until June 30 to come up with a solution. If it fails to pass a budget by this deadline, it can still pass another stopgap package. But lawmakers say this isnt a good option, and that the people of Illinois will pay the price. We have a very real deadline looming, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno told Fox News. The alternative to not finding a compromise will be devastating to Illinois. Sources for this article include: FoxNews.com CBSNews.com (Natural News) There is an effort underway in this country to shut down conservative speech as much as possible, to the point where liberalism becomes not only the dominant ideology, but really the only ideology in the United States. This assault on the First Amendment exists in just about every part of our society, from our colleges and universities, to Hollywood, to the mainstream media, and even the world wide web. Aside from social media websites like Facebook and Twitter, one of the most active participants in the nationwide attack on conservative speech is none other than Google, which in the past has buried right-leaning websites and manipulated search results for ideological purposes. (RELATED: Read a statement from the Health Ranger on Googles censorship of Natural News) To give just one example, last September, a psychologist researcher by the name of Dr. Robert Epstein claimed that Googles search suggestions were giving an unfair advantage to Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. It is somewhat difficult to get the Google search bar to suggest negative searches related to Mrs. Clinton or to make any Clinton-related suggestions when one types a negative search term, wrote Dr. Epstein, who is a Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. Dr. Epstein later explained that he first became interested in learning more about Googles political bias after watching two YouTube videos that seemingly proved that the search engine giant did have a pro-Hillary slant. The videos, which are narrated by Matt Lieberman, depict a series of screen grabs that appear to show that Google only generates positive search suggestions for Clinton, and mostly negative suggestions for her challengers Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. To Dr. Epstein, the information conveyed in these YouTube videos was particularly significant, considering the fact that a 2015 study revealed that internet search rankings have a significant impact on consumer choices, mainly because users trust and choose higher-ranked results more than lower-ranked results. Unsurprisingly, Google denied the allegations of political bias, telling the Washington Times that Google Autocomplete does not favor any candidate or cause. Another area where conservative viewpoints are being censored is the Google-owned video sharing site, YouTube. Prager U, founded by nationally syndicated conservative radio host Dennis Prager, is currently one of the most conservative YouTube channels in existence, known primarily for their short yet extremely informative videos on a wide variety of political issues. You would think that videos such as The Top 5 Issues Plaguing the Black Community, Income Inequality is Good, Things Every High School Principle Should Say, and Debunking the 1 in 5 College Women Will Be Sexually Assaulted Myth wouldnt be controversial enough for YouTube to take action against them, but alas, thats exactly what they did. Evidently, YouTube (which again, is owned by Google), considers these videos to be inappropriate and has placed them under a restricted category. (RELATED: YouTube censors video interview with Jeffery Smith about GMOs) Typically, only videos that contain sexual content or adult themes are placed in the restricted category. For obvious reasons, many schools have set up blockers on their computers to deny students access to restricted YouTube content. Sadly, this means that thousands of young people across the country are not able to access certain videos from Prager U while they are on campus, even though the site was specifically made for millennials. It may be time for President Trump and the republicans in congress to take action to break up Googles media monopoly for the good of the country. Considering the fact that most Americans use Google on a regular basis for their political news and information on current events, we must act to ensure that all viewpoints are given equal exposure. If President Trump is to take action, it should be in the interest of expanding free speech rights across the Internet; otherwise, Googles pattern of censorship and political suppression will only get worse. Sources: Breitbart.com DailyCaller.com RedState.com (Natural News) Are all politicians heartfelt people who only help their countries prosper and who only protect their people from harm? Of course not so why then would you believe that every doctor only practices honest medicine and only prescribes what is thoroughly tested as safe and beneficial for his or her patients? Does every builder, architect and engineer in the world build perfect structures that never leak, rot, crumble or cave in? Of course not so why then would you believe that every scientist only formulates vaccines and pharmaceuticals that are thoroughly tested as safe and beneficial for adults, children, babies and pregnant women? Is every plant growing in nature edible and safe for consumption, even ones that are contaminated with industrial pollution and pesticides? Of course not so why then would you believe there is a world consensus that GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in food are safe and beneficial, when most of them contain heavy metal toxins, pesticides and deadly herbicides? You may be an honest, caring person, but that wont stop corporations from exploiting your health while taking your money. You may be a religious person who treats others the way you want to be treated, but that wont stop evil scientists and M.D.s from selling you dangerous chemical-based drugs that slowly poison you and your innocent children until death does you part. Thats why you need to know exactly who the ten most evil people are in the world today, because they lie about science, pharmaceuticals and GMOs, and the only way to protect your family from them is to never buy, consume or inject what theyre selling. Meet the 10 Worst Medical Criminals, Profiteers, Insidious Scientists and Corrupt Doctors in America #1. Imagine how many years you would serve in prison if the U.S. government caught you putting a deadly pig virus called circovirus in a vaccine meant to help prevent children and babies from getting a rather benign virus that simply causes diarrhea? What if ten of those same children and babies injected with the poisoned vaccine containing the deadly pig virus died from intussusception, where their bowels folded in on themselves (like a telescope) and caused a fatal blockage? Is that science terrorism? Would they call it premeditated manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter or insanity? There is a doctor still practicing medicine today who does exactly that, and hes made millions from his patent of it. His name is Paul Offit and the vaccine he concocted in his laboratory using two strains of deadly circovirus to treat rotavirus is called Rotateq. He works at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Its called CHOP for short and for good reason the insidious Offit is there injecting children with deadly foreign diseases for profit. #2. If youre an evil doctor who only cares about money and power, how many years would you serve in federal prison for killing folks with chemotherapy who dont even have cancer? The answer is 45 years. The psycho doctor Farid Fata was a Detroit area oncologist who defrauded Medicare and private insurance companies for more than $30 million in the biggest health care scheme the world has ever known, and this was just a few years ago. Working alongside psycho-blogger David H. Gorski (a.k.a. ORAC) at the Karmanos Cancer Center (where Gorski still operates on womens breasts), Fata was poisoning innocent people, including children, with a deadly dose of chemo he called the European Protocol. His patients endured immense pain while Fata claimed it was their only chance of surviving their cancer a disorder of the cells that they did not even have. Assault with a deadly weapon other than guns, missiles and bombs? Ever heard of chemical warfare? Ever heard of bio-terrorism? You dont have to be engaged in combat on a battlefield to incur health damage and loss of life from deadly weapons. Millions of Americans are assaulted every single day in doctors offices and hospitals with deadly chemical weapons designed to corrupt the immune system and the central nervous system. From SSRIs and chemotherapy to mercury and radiation, and from prescription opiates and ADHD drugs to toxic blood thinners and dangerous cholesterol medications, Americans are inundated and overwhelmed with deadly chemical weapons on a battlefield that requires no more than a little medical coverage in which to participate. Isnt it ironic how many people are screaming for health care coverage right now, naive to the fact that most modern chemical-based medicine is corrupted and dished out by the most insidious people on planet earth? #3. The Joker, Dr. Richard Pan is the clown who authored Californias force-vaccination bill that ensures all children in the state are injected with mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde in order to boost his own political stage while padding his wallet. #4. Neil DeGrasse Tyson the mascot of space talk now pushes GMO propaganda films for dirty money. #5. Bill Nye the Science Fraud Guy a man who once questioned GMOs and global warming now pushes all the propaganda behind them for dirty money. #6. Ex-President Barrack Obama the same man who said Americans have a right to know what is in the food we eat hired a former Monsanto shill to run the FDA and hide GMOs. #7. The infamous Bill Gates relentlessly pushes cancer-causing GMOs and toxic population-reducing vaccines on innocent African nations under the guise of philanthropy. #8. The evil George Soros funds eugenics programs and transgenic seeds via Monsanto. #s 9 and 10. Exactly what lands you in an oncologists office faster than vaccines, fluoridated water and prescription medications? Answer: eating GMOs daily. Who pushes Monsantos GMO propaganda and industry-scripted lies on the American people? Jon Entine and Kevin Folta. Two Monsanto operatives who push everything chemical that causes cancer as sustainable and safe for human consumption, these two maniacal shills were recently exposed by the U.S. Right-to-Know group. Sources for this article include: Truthwiki.org AgeofAutism.com CDC.news NVIC.org Truthwiki.org Science.NaturalNews.com TruthWiki.org TruthWiki.org NaturalNews.com DocumentCloud.org NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Mankinds days could already be numbered. According to a leading astrophysicist, its just a matter of time before an asteroid strikes the Earth and gasp wipe out the human race. It sounds like something that only happens in movies, but its a reality that we could soon face, especially since there are thousands of potentially hazardous objects in space that can hurtle down the planet. Dr. Alan Fitzsimmons, an astrophysicist at Queen University Belfasts Astrophysics Research Centre, said that there are more than 1,800 asteroids that are floating around in space and that more are waiting to be discovered. Whats alarming is that any one of these can land on the planet and cause massive destruction. An encounter could easily obliterate a major city and erase man from the face of the Earth. He warned that its a case of when, rather than if, a collision will happen. In November 2016, a small asteroid brushed past the Earth hours after scientists first spotted it. Named asteroid 2016 VA, it zoomed about 77,000 kilometers of the planet. It was believed to be between 23 and 72 feet and was traveling at an estimated 40,000 miles per hour. Millions of space rocks regularly orbit the planet; at present, scientists have managed to discover just 15,000 of them. Imagine how much more asteroids are floating in space, at distances that are alarmingly near. Imagine if one of them decides to pay us a visit. Experts have warned that man is not ready for an impact. Theres pretty much nothing man can do if an asteroid hits the Earth, especially since there are so many of them out there. It is important to know that scientists and engineers have made great strides in detecting Near-Earth Asteroids and understanding the threat posed by them, said Dr. Fitzsimmons. (Related: Proof that Earth is bombarded by 10 times more asteroids than previously thought.) Although most of these are harmless, experts say that its still possible that one asteroid would take everyone by surprise, just like what happened at Tunguska in Siberia in 1908. On that day, an asteroid exploded in the atmosphere and created an air burst three to six miles from the Earths surface. The air burst was strong enough to flatten trees and turn them on their roots and kill reindeer. The explosion was so strong it was equivalent to 185 Hiroshima bombs. After the event, scientists were unable to find a crater or any kind of meteoric remnant. In 2013, an unknown object slammed into the atmosphere and exploded above the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia. This explosion created a shock wave that shattered thousands of windows, wounding thousands of people. Scientists believe that the object that crashed was about 66 feet wide. Furthermore, in January 2017, an asteroid that was as big as a ten-story building passed by the planet. Imagine the disastrous effects a close encounter like that can create. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) defines asteroids as small, rocky objects that orbit around the sun. These are smaller than planets and mostly live in the main asteroid belt, which is the region between Mars and Jupiter. They can also follow the orbital path of planets, which means asteroids can share the same path with Earth. That makes impacts very likely. According to experts, asteroids cross paths with us from time to time. And although its a rare occurrence, an asteroid thats a fifth of the size of the infamous 6.2 mile dinosaur-destroyer can spell the end for the human race. It would be like having 10 million Hiroshima bombs explode, with a shocking impact that can flatten everything within a 186-mile radius. Dust and debris would envelop the planet and life would perish. Theres really nothing we can do but wait. Dr. Joseph Nuth, a researcher at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said asteroid explosions are extinction-level events, things like dinosaur killers, theyre 50 to 60 million years apart, essentially. The biggest problem, basically, is theres not a hell of lot we can do about it at the moment. Sources include: Dailymail.co.uk Space.com BBC.com SpacePlace.NASA.gov (Natural News) If youve ever taken a prescription drug, you are probably familiar with those paper inserts that come inside the package although theres a good chance youve never actually read every word on them. These papers are filled with tiny print outlining the medications purpose, dosage, and side effects, but they are so long and technical that few people actually read them from start to finish. The U.K.s Academy of Medical Sciences recently slammed the pamphlets in a report, saying that patients find them unreadable and impenetrable and that they need to be made clearer to increase patient understanding. The Chair of the report, Professor Sir John Tooke, took pharmaceutical companies to task for the confusing scientific language used in the leaflets. For example, the inserts inside acetaminophen mention the chances of developing pancreatitis and hepatitis but dont shed light into what those conditions are or just how high the risk is. He says the inserts arent written from a consumers perspective. Of course, this complex language is really good at accomplishing one thing: making people give up in frustration and ensuring they do not grasp the full extent of the possible side effects that could occur from taking a particular medication. By obscuring the truth about a drugs side effects and risks, more people will take them and refill their prescription without worrying too much about the repercussions, fattening the wallets of Big Pharma. By the way, this problem extends to vaccines. In fact, many patients never even read the inserts that come with vaccines because their doctors open up the package and administer it on the spot. If they did read it, they would have known, for example, that the fine print on the package insert of the 2013-2014 flu shot contained mercury, thimerosal and formaldehyde, and that its safety had not been established in pregnant women even though it was administered to them. Even more outrageously, the vaccine comes with just one insert despite being a 10-dose vial intended for 10 different people. Patients, doctors dont trust pharmaceutical companies The Academy of Medical Sciences report also showed that patients trust their friends and familys opinion more than clinical trial results when it comes to the effectiveness and safety of the drugs they take. After surveying more than 2,000 members of the public and 1,000 doctors, they found that 65 percent of people trust the opinion of their friends and family, while just 37 percent trust medical research evidence. In addition, they found that 63 percent of the public was skeptical of the claims made by drug trials. Even more concerning was the fact that 82 percent of doctors said they were skeptical of drug trial claims, with the same amount believing that medical research is biased toward making the drugs appear safe and effective. This begs the question of why they continue to prescribe medication if they have such a high degree of mistrust. The Academy has also proposed a list of questions that patients should ask their doctors when being prescribed medication. It includes questions like how a medication can improve their health and if it can be taken with other medications, but it conveniently omits questions like whether natural or safer alternatives exist. The FDA reports that medication errors lead to at least one death each day and injure around 1.3 million Americans each year, while the Pharma Death Clock says that nearly 400,000 people have been killed by prescription drugs since 2000. Clear and honest prescription inserts in easy-to-read language and type could go a long way toward helping to prevent many of these unnecessary deaths and injuries. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk NaturalNews.com BBC.com TheGuardian.com FDA.gov PharmaDeathClock Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Sarah Scoles Pegasus: 2017. 9781681774411 | ISBN: 978-1-6817-7441-1 As a child in the 1950s, Jill Tarter would gaze at the stars and wonder, Are we alone? That monumental question has driven the astronomer's lifelong quest to find alien life in the Milky Way. Jill Tarter at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, one of the radio telescopes she has used in her hunt for extraterrestrial intelligence. In Making Contact, science writer Sarah Scoles interweaves a profile of Tarter with the tumultuous, decades-long history of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, where Tarter holds the Bernard M. Oliver chair. Scoles argues that, without Tarter, telescopes and observing programmes focused on SETI (the search for extraterrestrial intelligence), such as the Allen Telescope Array and Breakthrough Listen, might not be around today. Yet hers may be a quixotic mission, having failed to receive a single definitive signal so far. The book's title references Carl Sagan's best-selling 1985 novel, Contact (Simon & Schuster), adapted into the 1997 film directed by Robert Zemeckis. In them, astronomer Ellie Arroway, partly based on Tarter, succeeds in finding an alien signal. Scoles, inspired by Contact, quotes from it: The Universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space. Of course, cultural references to life on other planets date back far beyond even the oeuvre of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells (see S. J. James Nature 537, 162164; 2016). But the modern concept of SETI arguably began in 1959, when physicists Giuseppe Cocconi and Philip Morrison argued in Nature that long-wavelength, low-energy radio waves could be used to communicate over long distances, potentially between stars (Nature 184, 844846; 1959). A year later, they met up with other leading scientists, including astronomer Frank Drake and a young Sagan, at the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia (see F. Kaplan Nature 461, 345346; 2009). Drake formulated a famous equation describing seven factors their sizes unknown that determine the abundance of communicative, intelligent life in the Milky Way. They are: how often life-friendly stars form in the Galaxy; what fraction of those stars host planets; what fraction of planets could host life; what fraction of those actually develop life; what fraction of those life forms develop intelligence; what fraction of them learn and choose to communicate across interstellar distances; and how long those communicative civilizations. The first four factors became the focus of astrobiology, now a mainstream field (although Scoles explores it only in her penultimate chapter). SETI's purview is the last three. Oddly, given their close connection, a divide persists between SETI scientists and astrobiologists. And Scoles describes the astronomy community as antagonistic towards SETI; however, most astronomers seem not to think about it much, probably because its scientists are still few and the timescale of the search is indeterminate. That it could take centuries to find alien intelligence created another problem for Tarter and her colleagues: funding. Scoles describes how they repeatedly scrambled for federal support for the SETI Institute and their telescope array at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory northeast of San Francisco, California; in the mid-1990s, they lost it at the hands of resistant Congress members, especially Democratic Senator Richard Bryan of Nevada. This only strengthened Tarter's resolve as she pitched to the heads of private companies, including Microsoft, Intel and Hewlett-Packard. Funding from commercial entities presents its own ethical questions, including potential conflicts of interest, a lack of oversight and a dependence on benefactors' caprices. These resonate even more today, with the likes of SpaceX, Blue Origin, Planetary Resources and many other for-profit organizations getting involved in space exploration. Tarter has faced a further challenge: gender. She was regularly the only woman in the room, and senior men often dismissed her or took credit for her ideas. Science and engineering colleagues told Jill she wasn't going to make it because she was a woman, astronomer Dan Werthimer once said. Probably she has also had to contend with 'unconscious bias', in which both men and women tend to hire and promote male scientists rather than women with the same qualifications. Scoles only touches on these persistent hurdles, which are now being addressed, belatedly, by the astronomy community (see M. Urry Nature 528, 471473; 2015). Scoles concludes with a provocative philosophical discussion of SETI, including the question of broadcasting messages to aliens. Luminaries such as scientist and science-fiction writer David Brin are worried that, as Scoles puts it, ET will blast us with lasers and steal all our precious metals. Stephen Hawking has expressed similar concerns. Tarter disagrees, yet believes that METI (messaging to extraterrestrial intelligence) should develop a consensus-based international process broader than the handful of people who put together the golden records sent on the two Voyager spacecraft in 1977 to decide whether and what to send. It could be a simple repeated radar blast or a more complex message combined with Rosetta Stone-like translation instructions. Bending the Arc Directors: Kief Davidson and Pedro Kos. Impact Partners: 2017. At this year's Miss USA beauty contest, winner Kara McCullough reignited an old debate. A scientist at the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, McCullough declared that health care ought to be a privilege earned through work, not a right that the rich should not be forced to cover health costs for the poor. This is often a reality globally; as a result, skeleton-thin children die daily of diseases that are simple to fix. Paul Farmer with a boy in Haiti, where his aid group runs clinics and hospitals. Credit: Moupali Dias/Partners in Health There are many scenes depicting such tragedies in Bending the Arc, a documentary about aid group Partners in Health (PIH), co-founded by physician Paul Farmer. The organization, which is based in Boston, Massachusetts, aims to strengthen health systems in places where there are few or none. The film's name is based on a quote from nineteenth-century social reformer and abolitionist Theodore Parker, who said that society's actions arc towards justice over time. Bending the Arc's producers include Hollywood heavy-hitters Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, but global-health and policy wonks will be more impressed by the involvement of hotshots such as World Bank president Jim Yong Kim and economist Jeffrey Sachs, to name a few. With archival footage and photographs, the film follows the organization's development from its founding to today although it bounces around in time slightly, so that projects such as tackling tuberculosis and HIV cluster together. Near the beginning, Kim and Farmer pal around as colleagues at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Farmer enrolled at Harvard Medical School after a trip to Haiti, where he and health campaigner Ophelia Dahl (daughter of writer Roald) worked in a medical centre. We see the young, idealistic Kim and Farmer expounding on their responsibility as doctors to work towards social justice in post-colonial countries. Kim lays much of the blame for the lack of health-care services in these nations on World Bank austerity measures. Farmer convinces Kim to join him in building a clinic in a rural and under-served region of Haiti. Together with Dahl and others, they found PIH and create a community-based programme to treat tuberculosis. They expand to Peru, where they demonstrate that people with drug-resistant TB can stick to a daily treatment regime for up to two years and be cured as long as doctors provide the costly pills free of charge. But when they present the data, many public-health experts and economists don't believe them. Their scepticism is rooted in the dilemma of donating expensive medicines to those who cannot afford them. Kim then learns that the drugs are no longer protected by patents. Prices are lowered and policies change. But we don't get the details of this transformation, because the film leaps into its second act: HIV. Our protagonists are once more outraged as they watch people die from AIDS because they cannot afford antiretroviral therapy. Again, high-level experts argue that it can be no other way. The sheer number of racist and condescending statements caught on tape is dizzying. Suddenly, in 2001, United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan announces the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Two years later, George W. Bush launches the world's largest HIV fund, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Over the next few years, the number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy doubles. After this, the film begins to feel like a checklist. One section flicks rapidly through the 1994 Rwandan genocide and an initiative to boost the country's corps of health-care workers. Then there's a bit about cervical-cancer screenings; an Ebola outbreak in Uganda; a Twitter account that connects health workers to the Rwandan Ministry of Health. When I hear a bold statement about how Twitter is helping to transform the nation's health system, I wonder about the film's credibility for a moment the utility of the social platform pales in comparison to a real need for nurses, medicine and infrastructure. But PIH has undoubtedly been successful by several measures. Rather than operate as an independent unit like so many non-profit organizations, the group integrates its aid with the public-health-care sectors in ten countries. For this, Farmer has become a hero to students of global health. And since 2012, Kim has led the World Bank. His early criticisms of it were, he notes, all down to wanting the institution to change. If you are cynical you will live out your low ambitions, he says. Cultivate pessimism of the intellect but optimism of the will. The Great Barrier Reef is worth saving. This is true whether you add it up in cash, as the Deloitte Access Economics Report did, valuing it at $42 billion (including 64,000 Australian jobs), or as an iconic natural wonder stretching 1400 miles that can be seen from space, or as a living reef supporting countless animal and plant species in one of the most unique and complex ecosystems in the world. However you value it, there is no question that the reef is dying and that global warming is playing the dominant role in its demise. Recently the entire Pacific Ocean went through one of the longest bleaching periods in recorded history. Coral bleaching happens when the coral is exposed to warming sea temperatures and starts to be damaged by the sun. When the coral bleaches, it dies and the life that lived in and beneath the living coral dies off as well. In the past two years, experts say that the reef has lost almost half of its coral this way. The Australian government released the Reef 2050 Plan to protect and maintain the reef through the year 2050. Since release of the plan, the Australian and Queensland governments have made good progress in implementing the 151 actions in the initial five years with 89 percent completed or underway and on track. Among the goals: End dumping of dredged material from five major industrial ports. Prohibit future dredging. Halt and reverse the decline in water quality entering the Reef from agriculture, including pesticide and nitrogen. Provide extra protection to turtles and dugongs through tough new laws against poaching, improved sustainability agreements with Indigenous communities and local land managers and funding to help reduce marine debris. Over $A2 billion projected investment in the coming decade for research and management activities on the Reef and in the adjoining catchments along the coast. Establish a new $A40 million Reef Trust towards improving water quality. An additional $A100 million over five years towards water quality initiatives, scientific research and helping business transition to better environmental practices in primary production and fishing industries. Recently, the targets for the plan have been in doubt. During a meeting of the Reef 2050 advisory committee, some of the experts who enacted the plan said they no longer think the goals are realistic. The Great Barrier Reef Independent Expert Panel, another group trying to implement the Reef 2050 Plan, voiced its concern over the feasibility of the goals set forth. The panel stated that "Coral bleaching since early 2016 has changed the Reef fundamentally." The statement continued: "There is great concern about the future of the Reef, and the communities and businesses that depend on it but hope still remains for maintaining ecological function over the coming decades." Bleaching and global warming aren't the only challenges the reef is facing. Since 2004 there have been 5 major oil spills around the reef. Most recently, a Panama based company spilled 15 tons of oil near the reef, for which it may be fined up to $17 million. It seems that there are many groups trying to bring the reef back from the brink, but many factors that are making the progress difficult. Oil spills continue to be a problem and there seems to be no end to them anytime soon. The bleaching phenomenon appears to be ending and that may give the reef some time to recover from the worst bleaching in recorded history. However, with sea temperatures rising, experts think that the next bleaching event may not be too far away and that this could be the new norm for coral reefs across the world. Higher sea temperatures could just be alternating between northern and southern hemispheres and bleaching events following their paths. So how dead is the Great Barrier Reef? Not all dead, but certainly not thriving. It needs a lot of good luck, good policy and the reversal of climate change to bring it back from the brink. Turkeys defense minister on Wednesday raised concerns over the U.S. arming the terrorist PKK/PYD in Syria, Anadolu reported. Fikri Isik raised the issue with his U.S. counterpart, Defense Secretary James Mattis, in Brussels, Belgiums capital, ahead of a NATO gathering on Thursday, said a source familiar with the conversation. Mattis recent letter to Turkey regarding arming the PKK/PYD to fight Daesh, and the U.S. pledge to take back the weapons once their joint operation is over, was discussed, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media. Turkey considers the PYD to be Syrian offshoots of the terrorist PKK, while the U.S. has called it a reliable ally in the fight against Daesh in Syria. More than 1,200 people, including security force personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU -- resumed its decades-long armed campaign in July 2015. On Friday Isik said of Mattis letter: Using one terror group to fight another is unacceptable. In Brussels, when Isik expressed his frustration with the U.S. arming the group, Mattis called arming the PYD an interim situation triggered by necessity rather than preference, said the source. The top defense officials also discussed Iraq, Syria Afghanistan, and the Qatar crisis, with both agreeing the crisis must be resolved in the context of the Gulf states sovereignty, said the source. During the NATO defense ministers gathering on Thursday, Isik is also scheduled to meet separately with his German and Australian counterparts, Ursula von der Leyen and Marise Payne. With a unanimous vote approving significant changes to the citys housing laws, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors signaled Tuesday it intends to crack down on landlords who illegally evict tenants in order to turn a larger profit. The ordinance, authored by Supervisor Mark Farrell with significant input from Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Jane Kim, comes in direct response to a six-month NBC Bay Area investigation that revealed what appears to be wide spread abuse by landlords who wrongfully evict rent-controlled tenants in order to find new tenants willing to pay more in rent. I believe we have to do everything we can to stem the tide of wrongful evictions and give tenants a fighting chance to stay in our city, Farrell said. "I strongly believe we have a bill to deter bad actors in San Francisco." Farrell said he expects the ordinance to dramatically reduce the number of fraudulent evictions, which he says are forcing many residents out of the city. This is designed to close any loopholes, where weve seen a lot of fraudulent behavior where landlords claim that they are doing an owner move-in eviction but actually never move in, Peskin said. We dont want to give greedy speculators any incentives to kick out long-term renters in San Francisco." Property owners can legally evict tenants if they, or in some cases a relative, intend to occupy the unit. An NBC Bay Area investigation, however, found nearly 25 percent of owner move-in evictions in San Francisco could be fraudulent. Citing the NBC Bay Area investigation, lawmakers deduce that hundreds of families may have been wrongfully kicked out of their homes over the past several years through fraudulent owner move-in evictions. In many cases, when youre forced out of your unit in San Francisco, you cant afford to live in San Francisco anymore, Peskin said. An NBC Bay Area analysis found landlords are rarely, if ever, punished. Now, city officials are trying to change that. We absolutely want to close the door on fraudulent owner move-in evictions, Peskin said. Peskin said hes long heard anecdotes of landlords using bogus owner move-in evictions as a ruse kick out rent-controlled tenants, but nobody ever made an attempt to find out how bad the problem actually was. NBC Bay Area came along and actually gave us some hard numbers, Peskin said. City Hall wasnt doing its job. Tuesdays unanimous vote was the product of months of compromise between Supervisor Farrell on one side and Supervisors Peskin and Kim on the other. The two factions were originally pushing competing plans, but came together in the end after Farrell incorporated some of the tougher enforcement provisions Peskin and Kim championed. In a time when national politics are divisive as ever, Peskin and Farrell both praised the consensus reached by their colleagues. The new law makes it more difficult for landlords to fraudulently evict tenants and gives renters and city officials additional tools to go after landlords who attempt to abuse the system. Landlords now have to sign a declaration under the penalty of perjury that they intend to move into the home within three months of an eviction and stay there for at least three years. Theyll also have to submit annual proof of residency to the Rent Board, such as an electric bill or voter registration, showing they actually moved in. The ordinance also gives non-profits the right to sue landlords on behalf of tenants who may have been fraudulently evicted, a provision that Peskin and Kim pushed hard for, but Farrell originally had reservations about. Over the course of several hearings, residents turned out by the dozens urging the board to take action. Right now our family is being evicted from our home, said Cesar Valenzuela, a San Francisco student who testified at a Monday committee meeting at city hall. This is the second time the same landlord is trying to evict us. This is becoming the worst summer vacation for me. If my family gets evicted, it would be very hard to find a new place to live. The rents for other apartments are very expensive and finding a house thats affordable is impossible. The board is expected to send the legislation next month to Mayor Ed Lee for his consideration. If approved, the new law could begin taking effect by the end of this summer. Whats at stake is peoples lives, Peskin said. Whats at stake is being able to live in San Francisco. Watch the entire series in this NBC Bay Area investigation: Part 1: SF Landlords May Have Wrongfully Evicted Hundreds of Tenants Part 2: SF Fails to Prosecute Landlords for Certain Wrongful Evictions Part 3: San Francisco Considers New Eviction Laws Following I-Unit Series Part 4: NBC Bay Area Investigation Leads to Government Hearing Part 5: SF Eviction Crackdown Passes After Investigative Unit Series Part 6: SF Mayor To Sign Law After NBC Bay Area Investigation Part 7: SF Mayor Inks New Law to Combat Wrongful Evictions Part 8: Lake of Oversight Puts Oakland Tenants at Risk of Eviction Part 9: Oakland Voters May Get Say on When Landlords Can Evict Renters Part 10: Expansion of Eviction Protections Heads to Ballot in Oakland Part 11: Oakland Couple Uses Hidden Camera to Fight Eviction Part 12: Landlords Frequently Ignore Oakland Eviction Laws Part 13: Oakland Housing Director Defends Department Part 14: Oakland Housing Chief "Fired," Says Source ______________________________________ The Alameda County Sheriff's Office appears to have reached a compromise with a Castro Valley homeowner who was keeping an estimated 500 caged birds on her property. The main concern when sheriff's investigators found the exotic birds two weeks ago was that they were causing noise pollution, offensive odors and attracting fly swarms. And they discovered it was not just a case of bird hoarding. Investigators said it was being operated a lot like a puppy mill, with some birds selling for as much as $2,000. The owner has agreed to get rid of 450 of the 500 birds and has already found homes for 250 birds, sheriff's officials said. The neighborhood is already seeing a difference, sheriff's officials said. "In the amount noise, in the amount of flies," Sgt. Ray Kelly said. "Neighbors feel better, and we will get to 50 birds." Sheriff's deputies responded to the bizarre scene on June 13, when neighbors had complained that their street sounds like a jungle. When deputies arrived at the home, they found an estimated 500 parrots and other exotic birds living in cages. The owner initially was facing possible criminal charges, but sheriff's officials sought to reslove the situation at the lowest level, Kelly said. He said deputies would have confiscated the birds on June 13 but were not able to handle taking care of that many. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is urging Californians to be heard when it comes to preserving the state's marine sanctuaries. Two years after President Barack Obama expanded California's marine sanctuaries, including Monterey Bay, President Donald Trump intends to try to reverse the designation. Trump's proposal would not only affect California's offshore spaces, but it would impact underwater sanctuaries from across the nation. The Commerce Department quietly published a notice in the federal register as part of Trumps America-First Offshore Energy Strategy, an executive order he signed in April, according to the Washington Post. Among the monuments and sanctuaries designated and expanded in the past decade by former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush that could be reduced are the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off Hawaii, Rose Atoll Marine National Monument off American Samoa and the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary off Michigan, the newspaper said. Trump says his policy clears the way for jobs in energy, presumably oil drilling. This week, the public comment period on the proposal opened, and Feinstein is urging Californians to go online to the federal register and "click the green button." Written comments must be submitted by July 26. Downtown Palo Alto parking, already a harrowing and costly endeavor, is about to get more expensive. City leaders are considering a plan that would increase the cost of downtown parking permits by more than 50 percent. Neighbors aren't happy about the idea. "I dont want to work for parking," said Miguel Lopez, a server at Coconuts Caribbean restaurant. "It doesnt make sense for anyone." Lopez said he cant afford the annual parking permit, so he parks in free spots on the street.But in order to avoid getting citations, he has to move his car every two hours. "Five-minute break, and move my car," he said. "Sometimes it takes longer because I cant find parking anywhere." The Palo Alto City Council on Tuesday night discussed the city budget proposal, which includes the parking permit hike. If it's approved, the permit for the garage below City Hall would jump from $466 a year to $730. Planning Director Hillary Gitelman said the extra revenue would be used to fund transportation-related programs. "Sounds like a big number, but if you look at the cost to park on a daily basis, its pretty minimal," Gitelman said. She also noted the price is closer to what other Bay area cities charge. Redwood City charges $1,200 a year for a downtown garage permit, and a spot in San Francisco will cost more than $3,000. Some in Palo Alto hope the parking price hike also will price a few people out of the market, reducing traffic. "A whole lot of cars and no parking spaces," resident Boris Pleshakov said. Others fear the added cost will encourage small businesses to move out. "When you have five or six employees, thats a lot of money," Stuart Esbit said. A man whose Massachusetts home has been the subject of surveillance by an armored police truck was arrested Monday in Florida on marijuana possession charges. Police in Haverhill have been stationed for days on Lexington Avenue outside the home of 20-year-old Ian Kessel, who was arrested in 2016 on armed robbery charges. Neighbors referred to the home as a "nuisance," with one woman who did not want to be identified citing "nightly parties." Kessel was charged Monday with two misdemeanors for marijuana possession and resisting arrest, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office in Florida. Haverhill Police say between Thursday night and Friday morning, they received so many complaints that they decided to deploy the armored vehicle for surveillance. "You could tell they were very, very upset about what was going on in their neighborhood, to the point it was affecting their lives and their families' lives," Lt. Robert Pistone said. It was not clear whether Kessel was in Massachusetts at the time of the police response. Two women who were at the Lexington Avenue home Monday said the armored police truck was "ridiculous and unnecessary." Tuesday, police confirmed they were in the process of having the truck moved. While NBC Boston has confirmed 12 Lexington Ave. in Haverhill is a listed address for Kessel, the Lee County Sheriff's Office lists a location in North Naples, Florida, as his last known address. Kessel's bail in Florida was set for $3,000. He is due in Lee County Court on July 18. In Massachusetts, he is set to go on trial Sept. 11 on armed robbery charges. It was not immediately clear if Kessel had an attorney. ABC News has reached a settlement with a South Dakota meat producer that filed a $1.9 billion lawsuit against the network over its reports on the company's lean, finely textured beef product that critics dubbed "pink slime," the TV network said Wednesday. Chicago attorney Dan Webb, who represented Dakota Dunes-based Beef Products Inc. in the case, told CNNMoney it "was a long road to travel for BPI," noting the company was "extraordinarily pleased to have reached a settlement." This may mark one of Webb's last big cases, as he is said to be nearing retirement. Webb is known for multiple high-profile cases, including leading a team of lawyers representing former Gov. George Ryan in the former governor's corruption trial. Webb told the publication he was looking forward to "taking the case all the way to the verdict," but settlement discussions began this week. ABC spokeswoman Julie Townsend said in a statement that the network has "reached an amicable resolution of its dispute with the makers" of the beef product. Townsend said the settlement terms are confidential. "Although we have concluded that continued litigation of this case is not in the Company's interests, we remain committed to the vigorous pursuit of truth and the consumer's right to know about the products they purchase," Townsend said. BPI sued the television network in 2012, saying ABC's coverage misled consumers into believing the product is unsafe and led to the closure of three plants and layoffs of roughly 700 workers. After the reports aired, some grocery store chains said they would stop carrying ground beef that contained the product. BPI claims sales declined from about 5 million pounds per week to less than 2 million pounds per week. The defamation trial against ABC and correspondent Jim Avila started in June. BPI didn't immediately respond to telephone messages requesting comment. The actual damages BPI was seeking could have been as high as $1.9 billion, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Disney, which owns ABC. BPI was also seeking "treble" damages, or triple the amount, under South Dakota's Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act and punitive damages. The delegation said Egypt had experienced terrorism that could be traced to Libya, including a May attack on Christians in Upper Egypt Egypt's delegation to the UN said in a session on Tuesday that Qatar has supported terrorist organisations in Libya; the delegation called for sanctions on the Gulf state which is already in hot water with some of Arab states over these charges, a foreign affairs ministry statement read. In a session on the obstacles to combating terrorism in Libya, the Egyptian representatives said that terrorism is the main obstacle to achieving stability in Libya and that the negative effects of terrorism in Libya have extended to its neighbouring countries and the entire region. The ouster of former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 following mass protests resulted in chaos and civil war, which have given terrorism room to grow. Libya currently has two parliaments and two rival governments, which have effectively divided the country into east and west. The Egyptian delegation also revealed that Egypt has witnessed terrorist attacks that could be traced to Libya, including an attack on Copts in Upper Egypt in May. On 26 May, gunmen driving three 4x4 trucks "fired randomly" at a bus carrying Coptic Christians in Egypts Minya governorate, killing 30, including women and children. The militant group Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack. In response to the Minya attack, the Egyptian Air Force has carried out intensive strikes on "terrorist bases" in Libya, which authorities say were involved in planning and executing the attack. The Egyptian UN delegation also said that Egypt intercepted on Tuesday 27 June 12 cars packed with weapons which had managed to sneak into the country across its western border with Libya. The delegation also presented to the UN General Assembly details on how Qatar and another unnamed country in the region have supported terrorism and funded it in Libya. Egypt called for a number of measures to be implemented in Libya including reaching a political solution, building up the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to oversee and execute the political agreement, and lifting a 2011 arms embargo on the country so that the Libyan army can fight terrorism. The Qatari delegation to the UN said that Egypts claims are baseless, that reports by a number of experts prove that Qatar was not involved in any activity that would destabilise Libya, and that these allegations are part of a media campaign against Qatar. Four Arab states - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt - severed diplomatic relations with Qatar on 5 June, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and Iran -- charges that Doha has denied. A number of other Arab and Muslim countries followed suit. Search Keywords: Short link: A driver who went missing after a fatal high-speed crash in Chicago's River North neighborhood Monday morning was found dead hours after the horrific accident, police said. "The driver of the vehicle from the crash on Ontario has been identified and was found deceased from what appears to be a suicide," Chicago police said in a statement Tuesday. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office confirmed a 34-year-old man, identified as Anthony Milder, was found dead a few miles from where the accident happened around 6:30 p.m. Monday. An autopsy Tuesday revealed he was hanged and his death was ruled a suicide. The early morning crash killed Alejandra Damian, a DePaul University student from Joliet, and shut down the Ontario feeder ramp to the Kennedy Expressway for hours, police said. According to authorities, the 2009 Nissan Coupe was traveling at a high rate of speed around 1:30 a.m. in the 400 block of West Ontario when it hit a utility pole. The impact caused the car to spin out and burst into flames, police said. Two witnesses, who asked that their names not be used out concerns for their safety, provided cellphone video to NBC 5 of the moments after the fatal crash. They say the video shows the driver climb from the wrecked and burning car. The two men can be heard on video asking the alleged driver if there was anyone else in the car. They told NBC 5 in an interview they asked him at least six times. The driver fled the scene on foot and the passenger was later removed by first responders and pronounced dead at the scene, Chicago police said in a statement. Video from another witness who heard the crash shows the burning vehicle split in two as firefighters arrived at the scene. Officers at the scene placed evidence markers along a trail of blood that went west down Ontario. The crash remained under investigation by the Chicago Police Major Accidents Unit Monday. The ramp to the expressway remained closed for several hours throughout the morning rush. Witnesses told NBC 5 they saw the driver head westbound as they called police. "We're here because we want justice for our daughter," said Lourdes Damian, the Alejandra's mother. "I want justice for my daughter, we want the name of who she was traveling with." Damian's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with her funeral expenses. A Tuesday morning crash which killed two people, including an off-duty Chicago Police officer, raises new questions in the continuing controversy over high-speed police chases in Chicago. In the latest incident, Chicago police said officers thought they had spotted a car used in a carjacking on the West Side June 10th. In actuality, it was an off-duty officer. Investigators said he fled, eventually crashing into another car at Roosevelt and Kostner, killing 27 year old Chequita Adams. Why that officer allegedly fled isnt clear. A source close to the investigation told NBC 5 Investigates that the chase was captured on numerous police POD cameras. And that efforts were underway to determine if a red-light camera might have captured the actual crash. What is known is that a police chase in Chicago is a complicated affair. In 12 pages of instructions, officers are told that chases are only to be initiated, when the necessity to immediately apprehend the fleeing suspect outweighs the level of inherent danger created by a motor vehicle pursuit. That General Order, updated in March of last year, says that a balancing test is to be used to determine the propriety of all chases, taking into account factors such as the volume of pedestrian traffic, weather and road conditions. Chases are not to be undertaken at all for non-hazardous traffic offenses, or if there is an arrestee or non-law enforcement personnel in the police vehicle. Members will also remain aware that they will not be able to apprehend every motorist they have probable cause to arrest, the order states. The decision to terminate a motor vehicle pursuit, may be the most reasonable course of action. In the Tuesday morning incident, the pursuing officers, a gang team out of Area Central, thought they had spotted a black Jeep used in a carjacking two weeks ago near Augusta and Wood. In that incident, the offenders rammed a woman from behind, then took her car. The car in question had a White Sox vanity plate. So did the off-duty officers Jeep. But police concede it was the wrong car. It really was an unnecessary loss of life, said Superintendent Eddie Johnson. And its just a tragedy. Police audio obtained by NBC 5 Investigates, shows a call coming from the pursuing officers, advising that I just had a black Cherokee take off. But just 12 seconds later, its all over. Squad, Kostner and Roosevelt---Cherokee just got into a bad accident. In actuality, the incident began at Independence and Roosevelt, when the gang team said they saw the Jeep coast thru a stop sign. The intersection where the car crashed, was 12 blocks away. There are many things that we dont know, said attorney Anthony Romanucci, who has represented the families of multiple bystanders killed during police chases. Did they get permission for the chase, was the balancing test employed here, what was the risk to the public? Romanucci contends the tragedy sadly illustrates the dangers associated with police pursuits in a congested city like Chicago. This is why those general orders have been revamped time and time again, he said. To try and limit chases only when absolutely necessary. The Chicago General Order is 12 pages long, and describes numerous circumstances where chases should not occur. Romanucci argues that even at the level of a carjacking, if no one was harmed, a chase in a residential neighborhood is hard to justify. I believe that you dont chase, he said. Because something bad happens. The lack of a state budget is affecting cities and towns in Connecticut. In Cheshire, the town council voted against sending a proposal to build a new middle school to a November referendum on Tuesday night. Chairman Rob Oris said the school needs upgrades but there are too many unknowns with the state budget. Under the governor's current proposal, Cheshire could face more than $12 million in cuts. A Massachusetts man is being held without bail for allegedly stockpiling weapons and impersonating a police officer. Duxbury Police issued an arrest warrant for Christopher Barlow, 20, and arrested him Monday at his home on Back River Way after a lengthy investigation that involved Massachusetts State Police, Connecticut State Police, the FBI and Homeland Security. Police said as a result of a search warrant, authorities found a number of illegal weapons and fake federal ID's at his home and in his vehicle. They also discovered a cardboard box containing chemicals that can be used to make explosives. "Very troubling that a young man, an unlicensed individual, had that type of weaponry," said Duxbury Deputy Police Chief Stephen McDonald. At his arraignment Tuesday in Plymouth District Court, prosecutors said a family member of Barlow's had handed over one of his guns to police earlier this month. Barlow wanted it back so he allegedly used a a fake Homeland Security ID to try and trick police. "He refused to provide any information in regards to who his supervisor was and also would not allow them to copy the ID," said Elizabeth Mello, Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney. NBC Boston learned that Barlow was arrested during his EMT shift with Brewster Ambulance. The company released a statement saying that he has been removed from his shift and placed on unpaid leave pending an internal investigation. "We are working with authorities and assisting law enforcement during their investigation including any patient contact. We are taking this very seriously," read a statement from Johnathon Bobbitt-Miller, Shift Commander for Brewster Ambulance. Barlow is being held without bail pending a dangerous hearing Wednesday. The owner of a Connecticut fish market is feeling a little crusty about the way a 20-pound crustacean she packed was handled by a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screener at Boston's Logan Airport. The pictures posted on Twitter and Instagram by the TSA on Monday have been shared thousands of times. The Instagram caption explains that an officer "needed to remove this giant lobster from its container to resolve a checked baggage alarm." TSA guidelines allow live lobsters in carry-on and checked bags. But the owner of Atlantic Seafood Market in Old Saybrook who packed the lobster, Lisa Feinman, is calling the post a violation of personal property. "The idea that a TSA agent is manhandling our things, that wasnt part of the equation when I was filling the cooler," Feinman said. Fienman special ordered the 20-pound lobster and about a dozen other lobsters for a customer from Georgia. She packed the crustaceans in a special, leak-proof cooler that was labeled to indicate live lobsters were inside. [NATL] Unbelievable Animal Stories: Dog Befriends Abandoned Baby Giraffe The seafood market owner said she understands the TSA has a job to keep travelers safe, but doesnt understand why a picture needed to be taken. "For me it became, wait, these are our personal belongings. Who's taking pictures of our stuff and what other stuff are they taking pictures of? Feinman said. The officer didnt handle the lobster properly, either, Feinman added. She said a lobster is supposed to be held by its body, underneath the arms, to support the weight especially a 20-pound lobster that holds most of its weight in its arms. "(My customer) opened up his cooler. The biggest lobster was sitting at the top, all the other lobsters were underneath it, no more paper to keep it cool. You know, it was just improper," she said. Feinman took to Facebook about the picture and said she called the TSA. NBC Connecticut made multiple calls to the agency Tuesday. Feinman also called Sen. Richard Blumenthal's office. Blumenthal told NBC Connecticut that he will be demanding answers from the TSA, calling the incident an invasion of privacy done for the officers amusement. Elected officials in West Haven are crediting homeowners for stopping a proposed project that would have brought a small cell phone tower to their neighborhood. Verizon proposed putting up a wireless canister atop a utility pole near the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Morris Street. But after people who live nearby spoke up, cities and towns will now have more say before similar cell phone antennas can go up in one of their neighborhoods. "Were very proud of our little corner of West Haven," said Alicia Glagowski, who has lived in her home since 1979. Her neighbor Nhan Trans yard is just 96 inches away from where Verizon proposed adding a small cell phone antenna on top of an existing utility pole. Tran alerted his neighbors about the plan by passing out fliers. "I think the radiation, the emissions, the proximity in a residential area, the proximity to his yard and his 1 year old at the time," said Glagowski of the safety concerns she shared with Tran. In the past year, Glagowski said two car accidents that damaged a utility pole showed the busy intersection is too dangerous for a wireless canister. "If there was a fallen or dangling cell canister, all involved would be exposed to five times the allowable FCC radiation levels," Glagowski said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. "This was our fear when we first started opposing the poll." Glagowski and her neighbors got their city and state elected officials involved. "And I said to all of you very honestly we are fighting a giant, we may lose," Senator Gayle Slossberg. But the residents relentless efforts, including speaking out a number of meetings, paid off. "Eventually, they did deny it," Glagowski said. PURA, the states Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, has agreed to notify and consult city and town officials before deciding where small wireless towers are installed. "Im a happy to say a year later were here the laws have been changed," West Haven Mayor Ed OBrien said. "We will all get notice." "You did something for every other citizen in the state of Connecticut," Slossberg said. "Together, we made sure our voices will be heard." The neighbors encourage other Connecticut residents to be vigilant in their cities and towns as more of the small cell phone towers are being installed. A Torrington woman struggled for weeks to get a refund for a faulty item due to a software error. Bonnie Dougal purchased a portable essential oil diffuser for her car, plus several vials of oil and filters, from online retailer Live Yoga Strong. She contacted the retailer after the diffuser stopped working and was issued a replacement. Bonnie requested a full refund when the second diffuser turned out to be faulty as well. Live Yoga Strong issued the refund and told her to expect a credit within 5 to 10 days, but the funds did not appear in her account. Bonnie contacted the company and was told the refund had been successfully issued. After NBC Connecticut Responds reached out, Live Yoga Strongs founder checked their systems and found a software error had prevented the refund from being processed. They corrected the error, reissued the full $59 refund manually, and apologized for the confusion. Refunds can take several weeks to post to an account when returning purchases online or with a card, so you may want to keep an eye on your accounts until the credit is applied. The Senate Republican version of the federal healthcare legislation could threaten healthcare coverage for tens-of-thousands of Connecticut residents, raise health care premiums and cost the state as much as $2.9 billion per year, according to the governors office. Gov. Dannel Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman released a statement saying the findings are from a new analysis of the impact on Connecticut of the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which would be fully implemented in 2026. Plain and simplethe Senate Republican version of Trumpcare is a greater disaster for the people of Connecticut than the version passed by House Republicans. It is appalling and needs to be stopped in its tracks, Malloy said in a statement. This bill has the potential to result in a devastating cost shift of nearly $3 billion to Connecticut and could eliminate access to health care for tens-of-thousands of our residents, needlessly putting their lives at risk. Particularly for some of our most vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, premiums and costs will increase, making coverage unaffordable. If enacted, Trumpcare will jeopardize the coverage people already have, drive up costs, and severely limit care. I urge the Senate to reject this disastrous bill. [[431132383,C]] The Office of Policy and Management conducted the analysis and found that the Senate Republican proposal threatens coverage for seniors and low-income families, among others, according to the governors office. This is the expected impact the proposal will have on Connecticut, according to the governors office. The anticipated funding reduction by 2026 in the proposed bill is equivalent to 80,000 to 230,000 fewer Connecticut residents being served under Medicaid. The elimination of the individual and employer mandate are anticipated to increase premiums by an estimated 10 to 15 percent. The repeal of the Cost Sharing Reduction Program has the potential to increase premiums by an additional 20 percent. Changes to eligibility for premium subsidies could impact nearly 6,500 current Access Health CT enrollees who will no longer qualify. This analysis adds a fiscal impact to the real life stories of thousands of Connecticut individuals who packed public hearings, flooded phone lines and protested in the streets against this reprehensible plan, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. Make no mistake, this is a wealth care plan, not a healthcare plan a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans paid for with the lives and livelihoods of everyone else. I will be doing everything in my power to ensure defeat of this grotesquely cruel and costly plan. The Senate health care bill will be a disaster for Connecticut, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said in a statement. Itll cost the state nearly $3 billion a year by 2026. It charges seniors more and threatens to kick more than 200,000 Connecticut residents off of Medicaid, all to fund a giant tax cut for the wealthy. It will force families in Connecticut to choose between paying their medical bills and their mortgage. Bottom line, people will suffer. We have to stop this bill. Call your friends, go online and tell everyone you know about what this bill will do. Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson says her agency will partner with the Texas Attorney General's Office to investigate voter fraud in the county. Allegations of voter fraud were rampant in two elections earlier this year, specfically in precincts in West Dallas where people received mail-in ballots they didn't request. Hundreds of ballots were set aside during the May election and verified before being counted. "I want every voter to be able to believe in the system and I want them to know that their vote actually counts. We are committed to the safeguard of their vote here in Dallas County," said Johnson Wednesday. Johnson, who has a team of prosecutors dedicated to investigating claims of voter fraud in the county, refused to comment on the status of the investigation Wednesday. She said she called the news conference with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Wednesday to reassure voters in the county that the allegations of fraud were not going forward unchecked. Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson says her agency will partner with the Texas Attorney General's Office to investigate voter fraud in Dallas county. "I believe in and support the outstanding work of DA Faith Johnson and her entire team on their investigation into recent disturbing reports of alleged voter fraud in Dallas County," Paxton said Wednesday. "I've assured her that she'll have all the legal resources of the Attorney General's Office available to her to help conduct a thorough investigation. Nothing is more sacred to our democracy than the integrity of our voting process. My office will do everything within its abilities to solidfy trust in every election here and around the state of Texas." "I'm confident that he and his investigative and prosecutorial units are committed to assisting us, committed to helping us deal with this issue and get to the bottom of what's happening here in Dallas County as they have done so in other areas in Texas. We're excited about what they're doing and that they're here to help," Johnson said. "We believe that as they assist us that we will be able to restore faith in our electorial process here in Dallas County." If the allegations of voter fraud are substantiated, criminal charges could be filed. A Texas death row inmate determined to be mentally impaired will now be spared from capital punishment after a state judge resentenced him to life in prison Tuesday for the abduction and killing of a woman 26 years ago. The new sentence for Robert James Campbell came after prosecutors and the inmate's attorneys agreed he should not be executed because of his mental impairment. Campbell will be eligible for parole, but prosecutors have promised to oppose that. "In unison with his victims and their families, we will do everything we can to see that he serves every second of his life sentence," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. The 44-year-old Campbell was 18 in January 1991 and already on parole after serving four months of a five-year sentence for robbery when authorities say he abducted 20-year-old Houston bank teller Alexandra Rendon from a gas station. She was taken to a desolate area, raped and fatally shot. Her body wasn't found until 12 days later. The family of Rendon, who had been making marriage plans, eventually buried her wearing a wedding dress she had recently bought. Life imprisonment with the possibility of parole was the only other sentencing choice for the Harris County jury that convicted Campbell of capital murder in 1992. The jurors decided he should be put to death. Life without parole did not become a sentencing option in Texas capital cases until September 2005. An accomplice, Leroy Lewis, received 35 years in prison after being convicted of murder and kidnapping. He was paroled in 2012. Campbell was within three hours of being executed in 2014 when a federal appeals court stopped the punishment so claims of his mental impairment could be investigated. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled people with mental impairment are ineligible for execution. The Texas attorney general's office and Campbell's attorneys submitted a joint recommendation to U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison, saying last month evidence supported a finding that Campbell is intellectually disabled and "falls within the class of offenders the Supreme Court ... found `categorically excluded from execution."' A psychologist selected by prosecutors said school and medical records, tests showing Campbell has a low IQ and other documents all pointed to a diagnosis of "mild intellectual disability." A test from a defense neuropsychologist put Campbell's IQ at 69. Courts generally have used an IQ of 70 as the threshold for mental impairment. Campbell said in court Tuesday that he would like to offer his "sincerest apology" to the victim's family. Noe Santana, a cousin of Rendon who spoke in court, called Campbell the "epitome of evil" and said any possibility he could be released "absolutely is the reason people lock their doors at night." Related Egypt monitoring North Coast waters after fin whale sighting Egypt's Ministry of Environment said Wednesday that it has formed a committee to investigate the cause of an unseasonable infestation of jellyfish along the country's North Coast, which has spoiled the vacations of thousands of holidaymakers celebrating the Eid holiday, a statement on the ministry's Facebook page read. Holidaymakers celebrating the week of Eid vacation, which follows a month of fasting from dusk until dawn during Ramadan, were upset to find thousands of jellyfish in the water which stung some who dared to take a swim. Photos of the jellyfish washing up on the shores of the North Coast have spread across social media. The environment ministry said the jellyfish is a nomadic species called Rhopilema nomadica, which is indigenous to the Indian and Pacific Oceans but has been found in the Mediterranean since the 1970s. This jellyfish is usually found on the coastlines of Egypts Al-Arish, Port Said and Damietta, but has recently extended to the western North Coast, a phenomenon that begs further research, the statement added. The ministry said the Rhopilema nomadica was also observed this winter in Lebanon, Israel and Cyprus. As a general rule, the movement of jellyfish is closely tied to climate change, pollution, overfishing and turtle poaching. The ministry detailed how to deal with a jellyfish sting and possible health problems to be aware of. One silver lining the ministry noted was that in 2004, China imported 600 tonnes of jellyfish from Egypt. These exports could increase, it said, if more fishermen decided to catch the fish considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. In the comments section, the ministry denied rumours that the infestation was related to the expansion of the Suez Canal, begun in August 2015, saying that some entities spread this rumour "for political purposes." The ministry assured inquirers that an environmental impact assessment was conducted prior to construction of the canal's new extension. Search Keywords: Short link: As fast as North Texas is growing, it might surprise you to know that the growth comes in spite of a significant skilled labor shortage in the local construction industry. Construction companies in Dallas-Fort Worth report that they have between 10,000 to 20,000 jobs that are currently unfilled, according to the Dallas Builders Association. DBA president Michael Turner, who runs Classic Urban Homes, said it takes his crew eight to nine months to finish a home when it used to only take about six months. That delay translates into a higher cost for the customer. What were strapped with is during the recession we lost about 50 percent of the labor force and they just really havent come back, he said. So we are trying to do more work with half as much workforce as what we had previously. Due to the lack of qualified workers, Turner said he and other employers must pay more to retain the good workers they do have. For example, a qualified bricklayer recently would fetch about $10 per hour. Today, Turner pays his bricklayers $18 to $19 per hour. A survey of the construction industry in Texas from 2013 revealed that nearly 40 percent of construction workers were foreigners, with many of those people being Mexicans. DBA executive director Phil Crone went to the White House recently to meet with representatives of the Trump Administration, along with other members of the home building industry to make sure Washington is aware of whats at stake in Dallas-Fort Worth. Crone noted there is a lot of disconnect between support for the Presidents talk of a border wall with Mexico and the reality of the modern construction industry. A lot of this misunderstanding has been created by the rhetoric of the president, and there has been a lot of focus on enforcement action and people who are here and who may need to not be here, he said. But the vast majority of the people that are working on the job site are just well-meaning people, they have a great work ethic [and] we need them to get the job done here. Crone does praise the Presidents proposal to expand the H-2B guest worker visa program that currently allows 66,000 non-agricultural workers from foreign countries to work in the United States. President Trumps budget proposal would double that number. I think its going to take a long time before [the worker shortage situation] gets better around here, he said. If we continue to see the demand that we are seeing in the DFW area, more than 100,000 jobs coming in, 20,000 workers short. That [will take] a long time to bridge that gap. President Nicolas Maduro said a stolen police helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court on Tuesday in what he called a thwarted "terrorist attack" aimed at ousting him from power. The confusing exchange took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists. More than hour after the flyover ended, he told the audience that the helicopter had fired on the court with grenades. He said the nation's air defense was activated and one of the grenades didn't explode, preventing any loss of life. National Guard bursting into National Assembly building in #Venezuela. Apparently beating up lawmakers #27Jun pic.twitter.com/2XSLxLAwDC Mariana Atencio (@marianaatencio) June 28, 2017 "It could've caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured," said Maduro, who sounded alternately calm and angry as he told the audience about what had happened in the airspace just beyond the presidential palace where they were gathered. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a police pilot, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against the Maduro's "tyranny" as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. .@HouseFloor: I called on countries that vote against ppl of #Venezuela at #OAS 2 wake up + stop being cowards https://t.co/V61jWVIbId Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) June 28, 2017 "We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government," the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what look like assault rifles standing behind him Later, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement accusing the helicopter firing 15 shots against the Interior Ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people. It then flew a short distance to the government-stacked supreme court, which was in session, and launched what he said were four Israeli-made grenades of "Colombian origin," two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building. https://www.instagram.com/p/BV3E4Xtl_OV/ The president of the high court said there were no injuries from the attack and that the area was still being surveyed for damages. Villegas said security forces were being deployed to apprehend Perez, who the government accused of working under the instructions of the CIA and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, as well as recover the heisted helicopter. Meanwhile many of Maduro's opponents took to social media to accuse the president of orchestrating an elaborate ruse to justify a crackdown against Venezuelans seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Venezuela has been roiled by anti-government protests the past three months that have left at least 75 people dead and hundreds injured. Maduro said one of the pilots involved in the alleged attack used to fly for his former Interior Minister, Miguel Rodriguez Torres, who he accused of working for the CIA. Rodriguez Torres, who has been leading a campaign against by Maduro made up of leftist supporters of the late Hugo Chavez, immediately dismissed the accusation as baseless. The helicopter incident capped a volatile 24 hours that began with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and continued Tuesday when opposition lawmakers got into a heated scuffle with security forces assigned to protect the National Assembly. At least 68 supermarkets, pharmacies and liquor stores were looted and several government offices burned following anti-government protests in Maracay, which is about a 90 minute drive from Caracas. In Miami's Doral neighborhood, Jose Hernandez, a member of Venezuela's opposition party, said it is unclear if there is really a group of members of the military and police force who have gone rogue. "It's a possibility, but not a probability. It's a possibility now," said Hernandez. "What we really want as a political party is that Venezuelans have the option to express through voting, not through violence." Maduro condemned the violence but with a stern warning to his opponents that's likely to only further inflame an already tense situation. "We will never surrender. And what we couldn't accomplish through votes we will with weapons," he said. On Tuesday, opposition lawmakers got into fisticuffs with national guardsmen as they tried to enter the National Assembly. At nightfall, a few dozen people were still gathered inside the neoclassical building as pro-government supporters stood outside threatening violence. A U.S. Army veteran turned the tables on his loved ones Monday, coordinating a surprise reunion after more than a year overseas. To help pull it off, he reached out to members of the National City Fire Department. Tim Gomez has spent the past 386 days in Afghanistan as a civilian working for the U.S. Department of Defense. As the time neared for him to come home, Gomez and his fiancee, Erika Salazar, wanted to surprise Salazar's son. But Gomez decided to surprise them both. I like to take it up a notch, laughed Gomez about his surprise. Gomez told his fiancee that his return was scheduled for August, not June. Then he arranged for 9-year-old Sebastian Zuniga, a big fan of firefighters, to meet a man he thought was the newest firefighter at Fire Station 34 in National City. What Sebastian didn't realize is that the person beneath the mask and firefighting gear was someone he already knows. Gomez's smooth, stealthy moves paid off when he removed the mask covering his face. He got a hug from Sebastian who has been counting the days and wearing the Army vet's dog tags since he's been overseas. I feel glad because he's home and I thought he would be back in August, said Sebastian. Meanwhile, Tim's fiancee, Erika, was speechless. When asked what the surprise meant to her, she hugged Gomez tighter. The surprise reunion made possible with the help of the National City firefighters. Its very emotional and makes your heart warm to be able to be part of that. Its a great feeling, said Battalion Chief Mark Beveridge of the National City Fire Department. A 900-acre wildfire near Highland Avenue at Highway 330 prompted evacuations and a highway closure in San Bernardino County Tuesday afternoon. The fire broke out shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday amid hot and windy conditions and was at 0 percent containment as of 10 p.m. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department issued mandatory evacuations for about 200 residences east of Orchard Road, north of Highland Avenue and west of Church Street. All of those evacuations were lifted shortly before 9 p.m., but residents were advised to watch for fire traffic in the area. Highway 330 was closed from Highland Avenue to Live Oak near Running Springs as 560 firefighters battled the blaze. The highway reopened around 9:30 p.m., according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The Mojave Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for the area and advised Mountain and High Desert residents to limit time outdoors. Around 7 p.m., the temperature was 92 degrees and winds gusts were 7 mph. A red flag warning was in effect for the area for high winds and low relative humidity. CAL FIRE reported more than 2,135 fires in California from Jan. 1 through Sunday. Those fires scorched more than 20,200 acres more than double last years acreage figure. No homes or outbuildings were damaged, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The cause of the fire remains under investiagtion. Embattled Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens announced Tuesday she will not seek another term and plans to retire. Her announcement came hours after the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California called for her resignation upon releasing a two-year study that found "violent, abusive and unhealthy conditions in Orange County's jails system, and a record of denial and indifference by the officials in charge, most notably Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens." According to the ACLU, the 108-page report was the result of more than 120 interviews with current and former inmates in Orange County lockups and a review of the recommendations of seven county grand juries over the last decade. "The OC Sheriff's Department and its jails have been fraught with controversy, allegations of corruption and abuse. This isn't a recent find,'' said Esther Lim, director of the ACLU SoCal Jails Project. "It is clear and obvious that the department and the jails need proper oversight.'' Hutchens issued a statement faulting the ACLU for relying on testimonials from current and former inmates. "While inmates certainly have a perspective to offer on our jail system, the failure to include the perspective of law enforcement has resulted in a report that only tells one side of the story," according to the statement, which emphasized that multiple other regulatory agencies, and the Orange County Health Care Agency, found the five jail facilities met state and federal standards. Tom Dominguez, president of the union that represents deputy sheriffs, also disagreed with ACLU. "Hearing inmates complain about jail conditions is very common," he said. "There is nothing pleasant about being incarcerated. While we realize that the ACLU is entitled to their opinion and perception of the jail conditions, we do not agree with many of the characterizations portrayed by the inmates interviewed for the report. Since the passage of AB-109, the realignment assembly bill, these inmates are no longer housed in the jails we once knew. Instead, they are housed in a state prison environment run in an aging county jail system.'' Homeland Security officials, however, criticized the jails in March, saying federal investigators found multiple problems such as inmates being served spoiled meat -- which Hutchens denied -- and unsanitary conditions. The ACLU referred to that report, noting that Homeland Security officials found "mildewed shower stalls and refuse in cells; broken phones; faulty grievance procedures; and an inadequate classification system." Hutchens was appointed sheriff by the Board of Supervisors in June of 2010 following the resignation of Sheriff Mike Carona, who was convicted of witness tampering in 2009. Hutchens was praised for righting the ship following the corruption trial of her predecessor and for managing the department despite significant budget cutbacks necessitated by the Great Recession. One major success Hutchens had was bridging those budget gaps with a "beds for feds" program that rented out space for immigration detainees. The Board of Supervisors last month voted to add 120 beds to rent to the federal government after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement canceled its contract with the city of Santa Ana. But in recent years, her department has been rocked by allegations that first surfaced in the case of Scott Dekraai -- the worst mass killer in the county's history -- that her deputies had been running a confidential informant program in the jails that led to violations of some inmates' constitutional rights. According to Dekraai's attorney, Hutchens is expected to be called to testify in a third round of evidentiary hearings in the Dekraai case when they resume after the Fourth of July break. Dekraai is seeking to have the death penalty dismissed against him by Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals, who has recused Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas' office from the case and has been critical of Hutchens' past comments regarding the breadth of an informant program. The ACLU's report describes "an environment of violence, abuse, inadequate medical care, persistent overcrowding, unsanitary living conditions and poor training and supervision for custody staff, among other violations of state regulations and the U.S. Constitution,'' in the county's five jails. Despite years of complaints about the jail system, the sheriff and the Board of Supervisors have "turned a blind eye to this abuse and misconduct,'' and no deputy has ever been formally charged in an incident of prisoner abuse, according to the civil rights agency, which said its investigation showed that "the need for oversight that is neutral and objective is profound." The ACLU said the Board of Supervisors should establish an independent jails review authority to investigate "the culture of violence and abuse'' in Orange County's lockups. More than half the inmates in Orange County's jails, on average, are awaiting trial and have not been convicted of any crime but cannot afford to post bail, according to the agency. The report notes that in 2016, the county supervisors approved a new three-year contract for deputies that included an 8.8 percent pay raise, at a cost to taxpayers of $62 million. Hutchens started her law enforcement career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 1976. She worked her way up the ranks to Division Chief for the Office of Homeland Security. "At the end of my current term, I will have spent almost 40 years in law enforcement and over 10 years as sheriff of Orange County,'' she said in a statement. "It has been a great honor and privilege to serve as sheriff and I would not even consider retiring if there was not a highly qualified and electable candidate ready to serve." The ACLU pointed out that Hutchens managed to rise through the ranks "despite a controversial deadly shooting in 1980, when she fatally shot a 33-year-old man. The death resulted in a $1.3 million wrongful death suit, which at the time was the largest police misconduct verdict in California." Hutchens endorsed Undersheriff Don Barnes, who started his law enforcement career with the Orange County Sheriff's Department in 1989, to succeed her. The election will be held in 2018. Barnes "has worked for our department for 29 years and has excelled at every position and assignment,'' she said. "He possesses the experience and qualities needed to lean an agency with 3,800 sworn and professional staff members and over 800 reserve personnel. I am confident that Don Barnes will work tirelessly and effectively to keep the citizens of Orange County safe in their homes, neighborhoods, schools and places of business." The disappearance of 5-year-old Aramazd Andressian Jr., last seen on the evening of April 20 at Disneyland with his father, set off an extensive search throughout Southern California. Below, a timeline details some of the key events in the case, including the arrest of the boy's father. Aramazd Andressian Sr. was arrested in Las Vegas about two months after his son's disappearance and charged with murder. Investigators located Aramazd Andressian Jr.'s body on June 30, the same day his father was extradited to LA. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call homicide detectives at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. An Uber driver was charged Tuesday with raping a female passenger at a North Hollywood motel while the 24-year-old woman was unconscious. Alaric Spence, 46, faces up to 15 years to life in state prison if convicted of one felony count each of kidnapping to commit rape, rape of an unconscious person and rape by use of drugs, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office. Spence picked the woman up in downtown Los Angeles last Friday and drove her to the motel, where he allegedly raped her, according to Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller. The woman was intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the alleged attack, the prosecutor said. Los Angeles police said the woman passed out in the back of Spence's car while en route to Hollywood about 3 a.m. Spence is suspected of driving the woman to the motel, renting a room and then carrying her from his car into the room. Surveillance video shows the suspect carry the passed out victim from his car to the motel room, said LAPD Robbery-Homicide Capt. William Hayes. The woman woke up alone, not knowing where she was or how she got there, and called police, according to Hayes. Spence, who was arrested late Friday, was ordered to be held in lieu of $1.1 million bail while awaiting arraignment July 24. He has five previous felony convictions related to possession and sale of narcotics in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and as far north as Sacramento. Spence's former roommate told NBC4 she was aware of his criminal past, but she didn't see him as a threat and described him as a "gentle soul." "I was comfortable with him around my daughter," she said. "He was never disrespectful." He has prior drug-related convictions and had been an Uber driver for the past six months, according to police. The LAPD believes there may be other victims. "It doesn't seem feasible that this would be the first time, when you take an individual like this," Hayes said. A spokesman for Uber released the following statement to NBC4: "No person should ever have to experience the violent act that has been reported to police. We are working with the Los Angeles Police Department to fully support their investigation, and the driver has been banned from the Uber app." NBC4's Adrian Arambulo contributed to this report. Lawrence Mintz loves his luxury car, but hes not happy with how the wood trim inside looks. Fading, he said. Fading and cloudy. Its the second time the interior wood trim has faded from the hot Florida sun. When his 2010 Mercedes E-350 was just three years old, the trim had faded and he had it replaced. His car was still under warranty, so the fix was free. They said because of the ultraviolet light, the wood could not take it, he explained. In reality, the wood trim was not sealed properly. Fast forward to 2017 and the wood trim has faded again. Now he's been told the repair will come out of his pocket. "They say it would cost me $3,800 to replace the wood, Mintz said. Thats unacceptable. NBC 6 Mintz realized by searching online that he wasnt the only one with the same issue. One YouTube video shows a person pointing out faded wood on the same make, model and year. Theyve had a lot of complaints. Its on the web. There is no secret about it except for the people buying the new car, Mintz said. Mintz called NBC 6 Responds after Mercedes rejected his claim to pay for the repair. A friend referred me to you, he said. She said go call up the Responds team at NBC6 see what they can do for you. And let me tell you, they can do a lot. By email, a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told us that in late 2013, the company released a new wood trim package that has enhanced UV protection. According to their statement, Even though Mr. Mintz's vehicle is no longer covered under warranty, we made an offer to Mr. Mintz to replace the wood trim in his E-Class as a goodwill gesture, free of charge. We trust that these new trim pieces will make him a satisfied customer. Mintz had it fixed soon after. He sent us photos of his new shiny interior and said hes glad he called NBC 6 Responds. Provided by Lawrence Mintz I was at the end of my rope, he said. I didnt know where to turn and actually you were it. Florida Governor Rick Scott will be in Miami on Wednesday, signing a bill aimed at helping to make college more affordable for all residents as well as making sure they dont go into substantial debt in the process. Scott will sign Senate Bill 396 into law at an afternoon event on the downtown campus of Miami Dade College. Starting this academic year, colleges and universities that disperse financial aid will have to provide information annually to students about loans they borrowed that year, and how much they have to pay back. This bill is aimed to provide better transparency for students of Florida colleges and universities. Scott will also talk about ways the state can make college more affordable for students - in hope of continuing to give students an equal opportunity at an education. US-intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden said the online attack makes use of a Windows vulnerability that the US National Security Agency has been using secretly for years An Egyptian cabinet thinktank issued a warning late on Tuesday about a global ransomware attack called Petya that has hit a number of multinational companies and organizations in the past few days, the second such attack in the past two months. Petya utilizes the same vulnerability in Microsoft Windows as the WannaCry ransomware, which attacked computers in May, blocking users from accessing their files until a ransom of $300 is paid, the cabinets Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) said in a statement on its Facebook page. IDSC advised both insitutions and individuals using PC systems to make sure they are installing the latest Windows update designed to correct this vulnerability. The IDSC also advised against downloading folders from unknown sources, and suggested conducting offline backups of data. The upcoming wars will be economic, social, political and information-related and a large part of them will be via the internet, and therefore caution has become necessary, along with awareness and prevention, for all public institutions and society, the statement concluded. The statement added that the hacking tools used in the attack were leaked by a group called Shadow Brokers, which stole them from the United States National Security Agency (NSA). On Tuesday, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said that the Petya ransomware attack was made possible by a vulnerability in Windows software that the NSA had been secretly making use of for years as part of its spying operations. "If you're a journalist writing about this, remember this worm spreads based on a vulnerability NSA kept unfixed for years," Snowden said via Twitter. On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that the Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk was hit by the malicious software but has since "contained the issue". AP added that the malicious software appears to have been sown in Ukraine, where it badly hobbled much of the government and private sector on the eve of a holiday celebrating a post-Soviet constitution. Hospitals, government offices and major multinationals were among the casualties of the ransomware payload. The ransomware affected companies in Australia and India. Meanwhile, in the United States, it affected companies such as the drugmaker Merck and food conglomerate Mondelez International. Search Keywords: Short link: Five men were taken into custody after a group of migrants came ashore in Fort Lauderdale Tuesday, authorities said. The migrants reached land in the area of the 2000 block of Southeast 17th Street near the Hyatt Regency at Pier 66 around 10 a.m. U.S. Border Patrol officials said five men of various nationalities were arrested at the scene. One was hospitalized for possible dehydration. Witnesses said they saw people running from a boat that reached the marina before it could be stopped by authorities. #FLPD Assisting Border Patrol 2300 block SE 17th St. in search locating immigrants Fort Lauderdale PD (@FLPD411) June 27, 2017 "They were pulling this boat over and the boat got to the shore and I saw three people run off the boat and scatter into that parking lot," said one witness, who didn't want his name used. The owner of the boat said it had been stolen in the Bahamas. Derek Koser, of South Carolina, said his family had been visiting the island of Bimini and woke up to find the boat missing. "We were going to go fishing, well, we walk outside and the boat's not there. We were like 'what the heck? Where can the boat possibly be?'" Koser said. Footage showed dozens of Fort Lauderdale Police and Customs and Border Protection officers at the scene. Some agents appeared to be collecting evidence from the boat. Border Patrol officials said it appeared to be a "maritime smuggling event," with an unknown number of migrants. Authorities were searching for other migrants who may have made it ashore, officials said. The five who were in custody were taken to the Dania Beach Border Patrol station for processing, officials said. No other information was immediately known. Check back with NBC 6 for updates. Despite having finalized their divorce nearly one year ago, the legal battle between Bethenny Frankel and her ex-husband Jason Hoppy continues. Hoppy was arrested in January after he allegedly sent the "Real Housewives of New York" star multiple emails and texts and showed up at their 6-year-old daughter Bryn's school to confront her. He was charged with one count of second-degree aggravated harassment, one count of fourth-degree stalking and one count of second-degree harassment. He appeared in court for the charges on Tuesday, and a spokesperson for the New York District Attorney's office confirmed to E! News that he was arraigned on additional charges, including one count of third-degree stalking and another count of fourth-degree stalking. Ranking The Real Housewives' Shadiest Significant Others E! News reached out to Hoppy's attorney for comment who said a motion was filed to dismiss the prior charges. As for the new charges, the attorney added, "We deny the allegations and will answer them in court [on August 8th]." Frankel's attorney has not returned E! News' request for comment. Frankel and Hoppy were married for two years before filing for divorce in 2012. Their divorce took nearly four years to finalize as they fought over alimony, child custody and Frankel's New York City condo. By July 2016, Hoppy had moved out of the Tribeca home and a few weeks later, their attorneys confirmed the divorce was finalized. However, the road remains rocky for the former couple. Frankel filed a complaint last year accusing Hoppy of sending her over 160 emails and several text messages between November and January. She also told police he contacted her via text message and email between August and November, including one message that allegedly read, "I will continue to communicate with you as often as I see fit in hopes that you will stop regardless of any attorney you retain." According to that complaint, her attorney sent Hoppy a cease and desist letter on Nov. 22, 2016. Real Housewives and Their Products Hoppy was arrested earlier this year after sending more emails and texts and showing up at Bryn's school to confront Frankel. "The victim stated he made numerous emails and FaceTime calls, which placed her in fear for her safety," a court public information office told E! News at the time. "She said the communication was unwanted." According to Frankel's complaint, Hoppy approached her and her former boyfriend Dennis Shields at the school on Jan. 27 and repeatedly stated, "OK I see. This is how you want to do this. OK. You can play your game. It doesn't matter. You can get 10 lawyers. There's nothing you can do to stop me. You'll be sorry. You've been warned. I can't help it. She's pure evil. You've been warned. Don't say I didn't warn you." Hoppy denied the allegations as "false charges" and rejected a plea offer in court in March. People was the first to report the story. What to Know Preliminary investigation shows Tuesday's subway train derailment was caused by "an improperly secured piece of replacement rail," MTA says At least 34 people had injuries including smoke inhalation, though all were expected to be OK, fire officials said Photos posted to social media show passengers walking along the tracks in a dark subway tunnel, using their phone flashlights as a guide A subway train in Manhattan that derailed Tuesday as it entered a station, tossing people to the floor and forcing hundreds of shaken-up passengers to exit through darkened tunnels is being blamed on human error, not a track defect, New York City transit officials say. A preliminary investigation indicates the derailment was caused by an "improperly secured piece of replacement rail" that was stored on the tracks, the MTA said. [NATL-NY] In Pictures: Panic on the Subway as Smoke Fills Station Shout out to the MTA for making me late for work. Train lost power in between the tunnel and 125th street. Just flat out stopped running, Ac went off, lights went off, and everyone riding was left confused. Thank goodness the conductors on board let us out after a few minutes of waiting. A very special shoutout to Gov Cuomo who spends his time avoiding accountability instead of actually doing something about the subway system. A post shared by Stanley Fritz (@stanfritz) on Jun 27, 2017 at 6:57am PDT "Storing equipment in between tracks is a common practice employed by railroads across the country to accelerate rail repairs," the MTA said in a statement late Tuesday. "The key to this being an effective and safe practice is making sure that the extra equipment is properly bolted down, which does not appear to have happened in this case." The MTA said crews are inspecting "every inch of rail" to ensure that every replacement part "is properly stored and secured." The subway derailment is the latest in a series of frustrating infrastructure issues, and now the new man in charge, MTA chair Joe Lhota, is taking tough questions about it. Andrew Siff reports. Meanwhile, service had resumed on the four subway lines affected by Tuesday's derailment by about 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the accident that injured 34 people. About half of the victims were taken to hospitals while others were assessed at the scene; all injuries were minor. A subway derailment and power outage near the 125th Street station in Harlem suspended service on multiple train lines Tuesday, stranding terrified riders in darkened, smoke-filled cars for two hours in some cases. Jen Maxfield reports. Photos posted to social media show passengers walking along the tracks in a dark subway tunnel, using their phone flashlights as a guide. Firefighters are seen illuminating the way. The MTA urged stranded riders on other trains not to get off their subways and to wait for directions from crew. A train derailment threw commuters into darkness on the subway in Harlem Tuesday morning, prompting an evacuation. Jen Maxfield reports. The derailment caused significant damage to the track, switch system and tunnel, dramatic photos released by the union showed. Gov. Cuomo called the derailment "an unacceptable manifestation of the system's current state." @NYGovCuomo @2AvSagas Just got off the derailed A train that crashed into the subway wall. Fund the MTA #fixthemta pic.twitter.com/ClUxaAgg62 Ben MacKrell (@McKrell84) June 27, 2017 Lights went out and train halted just shy of the 125th street stop of the A train. Passengers slowly let out. @MTA investigating. #nyc pic.twitter.com/N47d2GrGEC Jackie Faherty (@jfaherty) June 27, 2017 Just got evacuated from a smoke filled train in probably the most terrifying 15 minutes of my NYC life (@RokhlK) June 27, 2017 "It is my expectation that with new leadership brought by Joe Lhota, the MTA will address the fundamental issues plaguing the transit system and overhaul the organizational structure of the MTA," Cuomo said. Pregnant women, children and families were the first rescued by FDNY from a train trapped underground after a train derailment Tuesday morning. The derailment spoiled what should've been a bright day for the system, coming roughly two hours before the reopening of a subway station at the southern tip of Manhattan that had been closed since it was flooded by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. The South Ferry station on the No. 1 line reopened after $340 million worth of repairs. The derailment comes amid a series of breakdowns, signal failures and other issues that have left straphangers at their breaking point. On Monday, the subway rider whose horrifying account of being stuck on a sweltering, powerless train earlier this month went viral held a news briefing to demand the MTA outline an evacuation procedure for riders who may get stranded in the future. It also comes less than two weeks before the start of Amtrak's summer-long work to repair aging infrastructure at New York Penn Station, a project that is expected to increase subway volume as commuters seek alternatives. What to Know 19-year-old Connor Golden lost his foot when he stepped on a homemade explosive in Central Park in July The young man has learned to walk with a prosthesis and was able to return to college in the fall The person who left the homemade explosive in Central Park still hasn't been found As leads dwindle in the investigation into the Central Park explosion that blew off the lower leg of a visiting college student, authorities have announced a $40,000 reward in the case, noting the compound used in the explosive has been seen in recent attacks overseas. Local and federal authorities made the announcement Wednesday morning in a renewed push for the public's help in tracking down the person or people who left the explosive that claimed Connor Golden's lower leg. It comes a day after top NYPD and ATF investigators first told the I-Team about their new mission in the case. "We're still missing a lot of answers," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce at a news conference Wednesday morning. "That's why we're reaching out to the public." On July 3, 2016, Golden, then a University of Miami freshman, jumped off a rock formation near the Central Park entrance by Fifth Avenue in the vicinity of 60th Street. When he landed, the device someone had left on the ground blew off his lower leg. Golden now walks with the help of a prosthesis. Investigators are asking any visitors to Central Park who may have taken photos around that time period to come forward. "At any given time there are multiple people climbing on or around this rock formation to get a better view of Central Park and the pond," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict. Authorities are hoping to narrow a timeline as to when the "extremely dangerous" explosive was placed, as well as identify potential suspects. For fear of inspiring copycat explosions, both the NYPD and ATF have avoided naming the specific compound that blew off Golden's lower leg. But officials said Wednesday it was made of material that are commercially obtainable. The compound isn't common in the U.S., but they've been used in terror attacks in Europe in recent years, according to police. The NYPD is working with federal partners at the ATF to figure out if similar devices have been found in other parts of the country. "We've seen compounds like this used by terrorists in suicide belts in the recent Paris Bataclan theater attack," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller. "We've seen it used in the Brussels airport bombings. We've seen it used in the 777 bombings in London targeting the subways." But, he added, "we've also seen it experimented with by people who have nothing to do with terrorism, and people in between," noting a University of Oklahoma student who committed suicide using the explosive in 2005. Police maintain there's no indication that the Central Park explosive had any connection to terrorism. "If you look at the totality of the circumstances -- it was not formed into an improvised explosive device, there wasn't a timer, shrapen land other things," said Miller. "And it was left 50 feet from the main road on one of the most crowded weekends in Central Park, which, if you go by the indicators, does not really comport with the training procedures or tactics of a terrorist group that might experiment with an explosive like that," said Miller. Boyce added there's simply "a lot of unknowns" in the investigation, adding to the urgency of recruiting the public's help. The combined reward money is being offered by both the NYPD and the ATF for information leading to a conviction of the person or people responsible for the explosive. Police are urging anyone with information -- "no detail is too small," the NYPD said -- to contact them at 800-577-TIPS or at nypdcrimestoppers.com. Last fall, in an exclusive I-Team interview, Connor Golden's family expressed doubt the explosion could have been a mistake or an accident. "These explanations that somehow someone was playing with these materials in the park makes no sense to me, Connor's father Kevin Golden said at the time. In one of the most watched areas of the country ... you don't go there with this volatile compound that is explosive on contact." Connor Golden has so far declined to speak publicly about the blast that took his lower leg, but his family has become increasingly concerned that the unsolved explosion case is fading from public consciousness. The Golden family, from Fairfax County, Virginia, has tried to use a GoFundMe page to reach out to the public directly. Theyve also raised more than $85,000 for future medical expenses not covered by insurance. The I-Team was first to reveal how insurance claims for Connors prosthesis have been denied and delayed. The Los Angeles Zoo has a new elephant a lonely pachyderm from Fresno. The zoo says a 46-year-old Asian female named Shaunzi arrived Tuesday after being trucked 215 miles from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in a special crate. Shaunzi was born in Thailand and spent much of her youth in a circus before arriving in Fresno with another elephant named Kara. The two females were constant companions until Kara died earlier this month. Fresno Chaffee Zoo via AP The Fresno zoo didn't want Shaunzi to be alone and asked the Los Angeles Zoo to give her a home. The zoo says Shaunzi will be quarantined in the Elephants of Asia exhibit for a month so she can slowly become acquainted with the three current residents: Billy, Tina and Jewel. Cindy Crawfords Malibu beach pad is sporting a leaner price tag. A man who witnessed a deadly police shooting is speaking out for the first time. Terrence, who did not want to reveal his last name, told NBC10 he was in the backseat of a police vehicle driven by Officer Ryan Pownall back on June 8. Terrence said his 9-year-old son had been abducted that night but managed to escape. Officer Pownall picked up Terrence, his son and Terrence's 11-year-old daughter to take them to the Special Victims Unit. Family Photo As Officer Pownall, a 12-year veteran assigned to the 15th District, continued driving the family, he spotted David Jones, 30, riding a red dirt bike in a "reckless manner," investigators said. Dirt bikes are illegal in the city. Pownall then saw the dirt bike stall on the sidewalk next to a nightclub on the 4200 block of Whitaker Avenue, according to police. Investigators say Pownall stopped his vehicle and tried to question Jones. "Initially (the officer) was only going there to tell this guy to knock it off," Police Commissioner Richard Ross said. Initial police reports explained that Jones got off his bike and started to walk away from the officer, but information from a preliminary investigation stated that he allegedly turned away from the officer and began holding the front of his waistband. Terrence also told NBC10 Pownall tried to pat Jones down. "Pull up, skrrt! 'I'm taking your s***!' That's what he said," Terrence said. "So Mr. Jones is still sitting on the bike." Police say Pownall patted Jones down and felt a firearm in his waistband. Officer Pownall then took out his gun and repeatedly told Jones not to touch the weapon, police said. Jones then allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband. "(The officer) looks in his face and says 'Bro don't do it, bro don't do it,'" Ross said. Terrence said a struggled ensued between the two men and Jones then broke free of the officer and ran. "I could hear him, 'He had a f-ing gun! He had a f-ing gun!' I said, 'The gun is right here,'" Terrence said. Officer Pownall tried to use his taser on Jones at first and then took out his gun, according to Terrence. Police say Pownall then squeezed the trigger but it jammed. Pownall then cleared the stoppage and opened fire as Jones ran away south on Whitaker Avenue, according to investigators. Jones was shot in the back and buttocks. He was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. "The individual then starts to run and the officer then discharges," Ross said. "He is running ahead of the officer when he discharges from behind, so that's a piece we want to look at very closely." Several people who knew Jones arrived within minutes and started yelling at officers. Ross was at the scene as well. One woman described Jones as a "good boy" who didn't bother anyone. Pownall was not injured during the incident. A black handgun later identified by police as a fully-loaded 9mm could be seen several feet from the dirt bike as a reporter arrived to the scene. Investigators say the gun belonged to Jones and was loaded with 15 9mm cartridges in the magazine. The dirt bike lay on its side, surrounded by officers and detectives. Terrence told NBC10 both of his children witnessed the shooting. "My daughter was sitting there in a police SUV," he said. NBC10 obtained surveillance video from a nearby restaurant that appeared to show Jones running away from the officer. "I did watch the video and clearly one of the shots was taken while the male was running away, there's no doubt about that," Ross said. Ross said the video gives investigators "pause." "The one video vantage point is actually showing or depicting the officer firing as the guy is running away," Ross said. "I can't get into what the officer may have been seeing or believing at that particular time. Clearly he knows he was in a struggle with a violent guy prior to that." Ross said he wants to make sure that the officer was following department protocol, which states you should only shoot a fleeing suspect if they are a suspect in a "forcible felony," but there are exceptions and you shouldn't always shoot. Ross asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward and share information with authorities. Pownall was placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. Ross said they are reviewing if the officer followed department protocol. Jones' death led to protests in Philadelphia as the investigation continues. Community activists say Jones should never have been stopped in the first place especially when children were inside the police vehicle. "Well I think that the officer didn't act reasonable," Chris Norris, a community activist, told NBC10. "That the officer exhibited bad judgment. That the officer didn't have probably cause to stop Mr. Jones." Terrence said he wants the entire story out there. He's also had trouble explaining what happened to his children. "'Daddy did they have to kill that man?' What am I supposed to do with that?" Terrence asked. "What am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do?" Pennsylvania's Senate is advancing legislation that would set ground rules for school districts that allow employees to possess a gun on school grounds. Senators approved the bill 28-22 on Wednesday after an emotional hour-long debate. The bill still requires approval in the House, and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf says he opposes it. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Don White, says he wants to give school districts as many tools as possible to protect children from would-be killers. Sen. Daylin Leach opposed the bill, and read a letter on the Senate floor written by educators who survived the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut saying that having guns wouldn't have made them or their students safer. "As the educators who survived Sandy Hook explained, the reality of an active shooter is far different from the movies," Leach said. "Teachers with guns would not have prevented that shooting, and wont prevent future shootings. Flaring tempers and honest mistakes are part of daily life in schools, which is why guns shouldnt be. The Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America also denounced the legislation, calling it irresponsible and dangerous. The state senators that voted for this bill should be ashamed of themselves," the group said in a statement. "Instead of heeding the advice of those of us in classrooms, however, state senators have sided with the national gun lobby. Their recklessness will only increase the likelihood of unintentional shootings in our school buildings." Employees would be required to have a concealed carry license, pass a psychological evaluation and meet certain firearms training requirements. The state of Pennsylvania is poised to set a policy exempting police audio and video recordings from its public-records law and giving police departments broad discretion over when to refuse requests from people for copies of them. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said he would sign a bill that cleared its last legislative hurdle Tuesday, passing the Senate without debate, 49-1. The bill covers all audio and video recordings by officers, including those from body cameras and dashboard cameras. Law enforcement organizations support the bill, which also clears legal hurdles for police departments to expand the use of body cameras. The bill was opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which says it will be nearly impossible for the public to obtain police video. The bill would add Pennsylvania to a growing list of states that are setting statewide policy over the collection of audio and video by officers. Every state allows certain exemptions to deny the public release of a video, according to information assembled by the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, although some states give the video the presumption of a public record. Under Pennsylvania's bill, it would be grounds for a denial of a request for a recording if a police department or prosecutor's office decides it cannot remove or obscure the identity of a confidential informant or victim or evidence in a criminal investigation or an administrative investigation. A court could still order the release of a police recording if a request is denied by a law enforcement agency. The bill sets limits on requests, providing a window of 60 days after an incident in which to submit a request for a copy of an officer's audio or video recording, and it would prevent public access to recordings made inside a law enforcement facility, such as a police department. The bill does not address when a police camera must be turned on and how long data must be stored before it is erased, although it tasks the state police with writing guidelines for the storage of the recordings. The use of body cameras is limited in Pennsylvania, with law enforcement organizations unable to name more than a few departments that use them. The state police do not use body cameras, while departments in the state's two largest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, use body cameras on a limited basis. The bill aims to remove a couple of legal hurdles that police departments have cited as potential problems. It clarifies that officers can gather body camera footage inside a private residence while on duty, an effort to address concerns about violating the state's surveillance law, and it makes clear that uniformed officers can legally record any conversation while using a state police-approved device in public. A child from the U.S. was injured Monday when someone opened fire in a Tijuana neighborhood. The 5-year-old boy has since been released from the hospital, officials confirmed to NBC 7 San Diego. The boy was shot in the leg in Tijuana's Sanchez Taboada neighborhood Monday evening, PGJE officials said. The U.S. Consulate in Tijuana confirmed the boy is an American citizen. The bullet came from crossfire, PGJE officials said. The boy was taken to a local hospital. He was released Tuesday morning. No further information was available. Ed. Note: A previous version of this article identified the victim. We have removed the name to protect the identity of the minor. The rescue of three U.S. citizens stranded near one of the tallest peaks in Baja California has proven to be more difficult than many may have thought. Morgan Fox, 61, and his daughters, Maura, 20, and Claire, 25, of San Diego were found Tuesday in very steep, rocky terrain near the summit of Picacho del Diablo, also known as The Devils Peak. The trio left San Diego on Tuesday, June 20. They were expected to hike to the summit on Friday and return home Sunday evening. When they didnt, Foxs wife contacted the authorities in Mexico. A search was organized Monday afternoon. By Tuesday morning, Mexican authorities had 10 people searching along the remote trail. A helicopter spotted the trio in a steep canyon and dropped six liters of water to them. Fox and his daughters spent the night on the mountain. In the most recent update, the Proteccion Civil Baja California agency said the daughters are doing well while Fox appears to be weak. A family friend told NBC 7 Fox lives with diabetes and needs insulin to control the condition. Search and rescue crews plan to deliver food, water, a glucose meter and radio communications from the air since its not safe to land. Teams are waiting at the bottom of the canyon to render aid. Its estimated that the hikers will need to travel eight hours on foot to make it out of the area. The trio has hiked before in the San Pedro Martir Park. Pichaco del Diablo is the highest peak in Baja, at over 10,000 feet. The Devils Peak is a challenging trail located more than a days drive south of Tijuana and the U.S.-Mexico border. Family friend David Larson hiked the area with Morgan 13 years ago. He said the route goes through a steep canyon that can be treacherous. You have semi-truck sized boulders stacked up in this canyon so it's very dangerous, Larson said. There's not an actual trail. You're looking for the cairn, which are piles of rocks, to mark where you're supposed to go. He said there was some cell phone coverage in the area but it was spotty. Without a satellite phone, communication could be limited. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry heads to Ethiopia on Thursday to participate in preparatory meetings for the 29th African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The preparatory meetings will be held on 30 June and 1 July in the Ethiopian capital, followed by the summit itself on 3 and 4 July. According to the foreign ministry, this year's African summit will be held under the slogan Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth, with member nations sharing their experiences of empowering young people and preparing them for the future. Shoukry will also hold a series of meetings with African counterparts, with particular focus on Nile Basin nations, to coordinate on a number of regional and international issues. The headquaters of the African Union is located in Addis Abba. Search Keywords: Short link: Flowers were left by the street where a 40-year-old mother was fatally struck by a vehicle in Bay Park, while she was picking up her two children from school. Jennifer Jones of Clairemont was hit by a car, as she crossed at the corner of Burgener Boulevard and July Street. The impact threw her 10 feet from the collision on Wednesday, June 14th. It happened on the last day of school at Longfellow Elementary around 12:40 p.m. "Its always crowded during the school year," said Richard, a resident who says his dad lives near the location of the crash. You got people parking all over the place. San Diego Police say the crash was a slow speed collision. At first, it looked like Jones only suffered minor injuries, but five days later she died at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. Speed -- well, there again, people go a little faster than they should, said Delend Liester, a longtime resident of Bay Park. Friends of Jones set up a GoFundMe page for her family. The page has already raised more than $13,000. "As you can imagine, the shock of this loss is overwhelming to the young family as their lives have been abruptly changed," stated the page. "She leaves behind two beautiful young children and a grieving husband." "The last thing they need to worry about is the financial burden associated with this incident and the upcoming memorial service," continues the page. Residents who live in the area told NBC 7 that many drivers don't fully stop at that particular intersection, and they hope the city will do something about it. Police say the driver of the vehicle that struck Jones was interviewed and released at the scene of the collision. Anyone with further information about the fatal crash can call police at 619-531-2000. An investigation is ongoing, according to San Diego police. A new Virginia law will permit the sale of grain alcohol up to 151 proof in the commonwealth starting Saturday. HB 1842 will allow an increase in the alcohol content of "neutral grain spirits or alcohol that is without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color" sold in government stores from 101 to 151 proof. Rum, vodka and other flavored liquors with proofs above 151 can already be purchased in Virginia. The new law allows tasteless and colorless liquors, such as Everclear, to be sold as well. The bill was introduced by Del. Barry D. Knight, R-Virginia Beach. He put forth the legislation last year, but Gov. Terry McAuliffe wanted to slow it down so Knight could meet with colleges, advocacy groups and other Virginia officials in order to allay concerns, Knight said. "We got in there all together, told them 48 other states had it and also that there's at least eight or nine other alcohols that we sell in the state of Virginia that have 151 proof or greater," Knight said. "This is just the only one that will be 151 that's clear." Some colleges were concerned about the possibility of this type of liquor being sold around campus, Knight said. However, he explained that the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) controls the sale of liquor to the public. Therefore, "It's up to the discretion of the ABC board to make it so they cannot sell this product in certain radiuses around college campuses, if they so desire," Knight said. Virginia's ABC stores are a major source of revenue for the commonwealth and have contributed more than $1.8 billion to Virginia's general fund in the last five years, the ABC said in a statement. Regardless, Knight doesnt expect the additional sale of this liquor to cause much change among consumption habits of college-age residents. "The statistics show that the overwhelming consumers of this [product] are 35 years of age or older," Knight said. "It hasn't been a problem in 48 other states.... It was only two states, us and Vermont, that didnt have it." Other new liquor-related laws to begin July 1 in Virginia include SB 1578, which includes a clarification that requires people offering short-term rentals (such as Airbnb) to obtain a bed and breakfast license if they wish to offer alcoholic beverages to their guests. SB 1150 also comes into effect July 1. This law requires Virginia ABC stores to provide training for employees serving alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption on how to recognize and prevent situations that may lead to sexual assault, according the ABC statement. A so-called "sharing economy" company accused of misleading DC residents must pay them back. Handy Technologies allows customers to use an app to get all sorts of services like furniture assembly, painting, moving and home cleaning. The company advertises it does thorough background checks, but News4 heard from customers who noticed several items missing after hiring a Handy employee to clean their homes. One customer noticed unauthorized charges on his credit cards. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine filed a lawsuit against the company on behalf of a number of D.C. consumers. The District alleged Handy engaged in unlawful trade practices, made untrue statements regarding the safety and security of its home cleaning services, and enrolled consumers without their knowledge into "cleaning plans." Racine he announced Wednesday his office got restitution. Handy has been ordered to pay the District damages to resolve all eligible complaints from customers. Handy denies it violated any consumer protection laws, and nothing contained in the consent judgement is an admission by the company that it did anything wrong. We worked closely with the D.C. Attorney Generals office to fully resolve their questions and concerns," said Brian Miller, Handy's general counsel, in a statement. "As we have done from day one, we will continue to maintain the highest consumer standards possible on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of customers and professionals who show their confidence in our platform every day. Those who already filed complaints with Handy of the Office of the Attorney General regarding thefts, unauthorized recurring charges, cancellation fees or the money-back guarantee, but whose complaints haven't been fully resolved, will be paid by the company. Those who have been harmed but haven't filed complains yet have until June 20, 2018, to do so. A Virginia sheriff's deputy -- better known as the "Dancing Deputy" in his viral videos -- performed on "America's Got Talent" on Tuesday. Stafford County Sheriff's Deputy Deuntay Diggs watched his performance at the sheriff's headquarters with supportive colleagues. While he didn't advance to the next round, Diggs said he has no regrets. "I'm not bummed out," Diggs said. "Every setback is a setup for the future." Diggs has made headlines before. Last October, his performance of Beyonce's "Formation" at a North Stafford High School pep rally was shared thousands of times on Instagram and Twitter. After that video went viral, Diggs received a call from an "America's Got Talent" representative about trying out for the show. The producers liked what they saw, because they invited Diggs to Los Angeles in January 2017. Before he could accept the offer, Diggs had to clear it with the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. Luckily, his supervisor was a fan of the idea. "He said it would be great for community policing and engaging with the community," Diggs said. Diggs isnt a formally trained dancer, though, so leading up to his L.A. appearance, he had to practice. Given the show's broadcast procedures, that training had to be done in secret. "I would go to Gold's Gym. I spoke with the manager, and she gave me the opportunity to go into the studio during the downtime," Diggs said. "I would just practice different dance moves and work out. Just making sure I was in shape, so I wouldn't pull any muscles or break anything on stage." Despite Diggs' lack of traditional dance training, artistic pursuits were always a pivotal part of his upbringing. Singing and dancing gave Diggs a way to express himself during his turbulent childhood. "My mother was addicted to drugs, she was an alcoholic, and I've never known my biological father," Diggs said. "There were times when we were homeless. I suffered through starvation, physical abuse, just so many things.... As a child, I didn't have a voice. I couldn't talk about this abuse, so I would communicate through music." When Diggs chose to attend college at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), he saw it as a way into the middle class through a military commission. During his first year at VMI, aka the Ratline, Diggs realized he couldn't lie about a fundamental part of his identity any longer. "When I came to the realization that I was gay, I was also being taught about integrity and honesty and character and all these types of things," he said. "I didn't want to lie about it." When he first came out, Diggs' fellow cadets ostracized him. That position as an outsider only forced him to double down on his training. "I realized all I did from that moment on was going to impact those who came after me," he said. "So, regardless of how people treated me, I always tried to be there to help people. I helped the people who couldn't complete the PT test. I was at the top of my class when it came to field training. I felt like I had to be the most knowledgeable." The commitment Diggs showed gradually won over his peers, but due to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy at the time, he couldnt pursue a commission. Instead, he chose law enforcement. Although his situation has drastically improved since those early years, dancing still serves a pragmatic purpose, Diggs said. By performing on stage in his police uniform and conducting outreach to his community, he can help curb negative stereotypes about law enforcement, he said. "I represent a lot of different communities," Diggs said. "The LGBTQ community, the black community, the law enforcement community." A few weeks ago, while overworked and exhausted, an incident with a young girl reminded Diggs why that position of influence matters. "She was crawling through my patrol car. We're talking and taking pictures, and she gets out of my patrol car, goes over to her mom, grabs her hand and goes, 'Mommy, not all police are bad,'" Diggs said. "That's why I do what I'm doing. I'm trying to show people there's a heart behind the badge." The South Florida teen that drew worldwide attention on television with her Cash me Ousside catchphrase on "Dr. Phil" pleaded guilty to several charges Wednesday. Fourteen-year-old Danielle Bergoli Peskowitz entered the pleas inside a Delray Beach courthouse, according to NBC affiliate WPTV, on charges that included grand theft, filing a false police report and possession of marijuana. She was not sentenced today. The charges stemmed from an incident that took place before the Palm Beach County natives 2016 appearance on Dr. Phillip McGraw's television show, where her catchphrase went viral and she began booking events across the country. The teen currently lives in Los Angeles with her mother, but her father, Ira Peskowitz, has argued that it is not in her best interest for her to continue in that environment. I am the only parent in this relationship with Danielle that is trying to see the best thing for this child, Peskowitz said outside the courtroom. Bergoli Peskowitz could face charges as well for a separate battery incident in Lake Worth earlier this year. A Cape Cod soldier with the Massachusetts Army National Guard has been accused of groping another soldier at a Vermont training site. Sgt. Jon Downing, a 33-year-old from the Hyannis section of Barnstable, is accused of inappropriately touching a female soldier he was supervising at Camp Ethan Allen in Jericho. The alleged incident happened Thursday while the soldiers had some down time after standing in formation, according to Vermont State Police. Downing pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a charge of lewd and lascivious conduct. The suspect and other members of his Massachusetts unit were at Camp Ethan Allen for specialized training, according to Detective Trooper Jacob Metayer of the Vermont State Police. The facility houses a large firing range and routinely plays host to military training events. Metayer wrote in documents filed with the Vermont Superior Court Criminal Division in Burlington that a commanding officer of the unit called Friday to tell police that a female soldier reported alleged misconduct from a Massachusetts Guard sergeant the previous day. NBC Boston does not identify people who report being victims of sex crimes without their permission. The woman told the investigator that in between drills, Sgt. Downing engaged in sexually-charged behavior that was "completely undesired and unwanted." Court paperwork described the married woman, who also reported a history of dirty jokes from Downing, talking casually about the fabric on her uniform pants being soft and comfortable. Police documents said another female soldier felt her colleague's cargo pocket briefly, but when Sgt. Downing touched his subordinate's pants, the woman said he also rubbed her leg, the inside of her thigh, her groin, belly button area, and hip. He was smirking, she said, with eyebrows raised, telling her, "Oh it is very soft," which the woman thought was a remark about her body, not the fabric. Before his formal not guilty plea in a Burlington courtroom Tuesday, Downing also denied the accusation in an interview with Detective Metayer. According to court paperwork, during an interview with the investigator, Downing said he only touched the fabric of the pocket, not the woman's private area. Downing told the officer he "did not think this incident was a big deal." The Massachusetts National Guard released a written statement about the accusations, which said once the civilian criminal legal proceedings are complete, the Massachusetts National Guard can and will take appropriate action. "The Massachusetts National Guard does not tolerate sexual assault," Lt. Col. James Sahady said in the statement. "The allegations against Sgt. Downing are serious and inconsistent with the values of the Massachusetts National Guard. We sympathize with the victim and are providing proper resources and assistance." In police paperwork filed with the court, Detective Metayer also recounted a conversation with the other female soldier who was present for the alleged inappropriate touching. That soldier told the investigating officer that she witnessed Downing's hand slide up the other woman's leg, but she could not be sure if his hand came in contact with the woman's genital area. The Vermont National Guard said in a written statement that while this case does not involve any of its soldiers, it's still an issue it takes very seriously. In the statement, the Vermont Guard promised to help out in any way it can with the investigation. Judge Dennis Pearson approved the release of Jon Downing on a handful of conditions, including that he not harass the soldier he allegedly touched inappropriately. A shelter-in-place ended Wednesday afternoon after multiple law enforcement agencies searched for an armed man threatening to harm himself in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Police confirmed just before 4 p.m. that the situtation at Amesbury Town Forest off Kimball Road was "safe and secure." Authorities responded late Wednesday morning after receiving a 911 call from a person claiming to have a gun. Police said he threatened to harm himself. The Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council responded alongside troopers, the strategic team and the air wing of Massachusetts State Police. Officers from Amesbury and nearby Merrimac were also on the scene. While school is no longer in session, workers at the Charles C. Cashman Elementary School and Amesbury were asked to enter "safe mode," and residents were asked to shelter in place. The name of the man has not been released. A national report on preventable deaths gave Massachusetts a C grade for laws regarding workplace safety. Out of the three categories that comprised the overall grade, the commonwealth got the worst mark, a D, for workplace safety. Local advocates said the issues the report raised are the same issues they have been pushing for years and are afraid the trend will get worse. According to the report by the National Safety Council, 59 workers were killed on the job in Massachusetts in 2015. The number increased the following year. Al Vega, the policy and programs director for MassCOSH, a local chapter of the national workplace safety advocacy group, said 62 people were killed on the job in 2016, not including another eight firefighters who died from work-related illnesses like cancer or respiratory disease. We saw a 10-year high in the total number of workers killed on the job, he said. Last years number include the fatal trench collapse in the South End last October. Kevin Otto, the owner of Atlantic Drain, the company that employed the workers, was charged with manslaughter for not having proper trench safeguards. The safety report docked points from the Bay State for not having a workplace violence law, or for covering all state and local employees with federal OSHA protections. Vega says his group has been fighting for change for years on the very same issues. This is a trend well unfortunately just see getting worse, Vega said. Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine all scored a B for workplace safety. Vermont got a D. Rhode Island was slapped with an F for not having a drug-free workplace law or a workplace wellness law. Debbie Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, said people sometimes ignore more immediate dangers to themselves, and worry about spectacular tragedies. We worry about things like plane crashes and lightning strikes but really the most dangerous things are the things we do every day, Hersman said. Massachusetts fared better in the home and community safety category, earning a C. The state lost credit for not requiring sprinklers in homes or CPR training for high school graduates, among other things. And Bay State roads also scored a C, getting docked for not having a number of child restraint and good Samaritan laws. A Massachusetts man has been arrested in Lynn after kidnapping his 3-year-old son and assaulting the child's mother in Plymouth Wednesday morning, authorities said. The child, Kyrie Taylor, was found unharmed after his father, Rosba Taylor, was taken into police custody on State Street in Lynn just after 11:30 a.m. "He does have a history in the city of Lynn," said Lynn Police Lt. Michael Kmiec. "That's why they thought he was coming back." State police previously said Taylor was driving a dark green Jeep Cherokee with a broken windshield and Cape Cod plates; however, our crews on the scene said the vehicle is a dark Honda CRV. The suspect had been estranged from his child and his child's mother and didn't have permission to have Kyrie when he arrived at a home on Algonquin Terrace in Plymouth, assaulting Kyrie's mother and then taking the child, according to state police. The boy has since been reunited with his mother. Law enforcement also warned the public during their search that Taylor may have been armed; it's unclear if he was armed when he was arrested. "It's not him to do anything like that," said Ernie Panias, who claims to be Rosba Taylor's grandfather. "Something drastically had to happen for him to do something like that." State police officials say they had been seconds away from activating an Amber Alert when they learned Lynn police had found Taylor and the boy. Taylor will be charged with parental kidnapping and domestic assault and battery. Major General Mohamed Lotfy Youssef was killed when his car flipped over as he travelled to Alexandria The commander of Egypt's northern military region, Major General Mohamed Lotfy Youssef, died in a road accident on Wednesday evening, the health ministry has announced. According to a short statement from the ministry, Youssef died when the car he was travelling in flipped over on the Cairo-Alexandria highway. The incident, which occured as Youssef travelled to Alexandria, was the result of a burst tyre, the statement said. Two other men, an army officer and a conscript driver, were injured in the incident. They were transferred to Wadi El-Natroun Surgical Hospital for treatment. Search Keywords: Short link: New Hampshire police said they found the man with Alzheimer's they had been looking for in Manchester on Wednesday. Police said Julio Salinas, 77, was reported missing at 4 p.m. by his granddaughter. She told authorities that Salinas had gone for a walk around 10 a.m. and did not return. Salinas, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, was found a few hours after being reported missing. Police did not say where he had been located. Authorities in Rhode Island have arrested a man on a child sex charge, and add there may be more victims. WJAR reports 27-year-old Christian Gonzalez of Woonsocket was arrested Monday. He was charged with first-degree child molestation, domestic disorderly conduct and domestic assault and battery; the domestic charges reportedly stem from a separate incident. Police tell WJAR that Gonzalez, who is accused of sexually assaulting a relative about 20 times while the victim was between the ages of 10 and 17, may have other victims. Anyone with information on Gonzalez is asked to contact Woonsocket detectives at 401-766-1212. A report from a data center consulting group BroadGroup says Ireland is the best place, at least in Europe, to set up a data center. It cites connectivity, taxes and active government support among the reasons. BroadGroups report argued Irelands status in the EU, as well as its low corporate tax environment, make it an attractive location. It also cites connectivity, as Ireland will get a direct submarine cable system from Ireland to Francebypassing the U.K.in 2019. The country also has a high installed base of fibre and dark fibre with further deployment planned. The report also notes active government support for inward investment from companies such as Amazon and Microsoft has resulted in the construction of massive facilities around Dublin. Even now, authorities are seeking to identify potential land banks for new large-scale data centre facilities in Ireland, which indicates that the supply of more space will continue to enter the market, the report says. U.S. companies with data centers in Ireland Amazon and Microsoft both have facilities in Dublin, with Microsofts being one of the largest in Europe. Now, Apple is looking to build a 850 million data center in Athenry, outside Dublin. It announced the plans two years ago, along with a sister location in Denmark. Two years later, the Danish site is up and running, while Athenry hasnt even broken ground due to legal problems because three people objected. Then the decision has been held up because there arent enough judges to make a ruling. The ruling is expected to go in Apples favor. Other factors favoring Ireland is that it has benefitted from investment by U.S. firms from the gaming, pharmaceuticals and content sectors making the country their European headquarters. Also, data center investment covers a wide range of business models, making it the main hub for webscales regionally. Renewable energy is also one reason for Irelands shine. EirGrid says potential data center power capacity could increase to 1,000 MW after 2019. Renewable energyprimarily from wind energyis a key government priority and is targeting 40 percent by 2020, well beyond the EU mandatory benchmark of 16 percent. The proposed Apple data center would be powered 100 percent by renewable energy. Of course, Ireland isnt alone with its data center ambitions. Scotland recently saw the opening of a 60,000-sq.-ft. data center that can be expanded to 500,000 square feet. Michael Bond died yesterday following a short illness The Newbury-born author of the world famous Paddington Bear books, Michael Bond, has died. Mr Bond died at his home on Tuesday, aged 91, following a short illness, his publisher Harper Collins said in a statement. His first book about the Marmalade loving bear from deepest darkest Peru, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958. It was the first of 26 Paddington books, which later led to an animated television series and a film in 2014. Mr Bond's books have sold more than 35 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 40 languages, including Latin. He was awarded a CBE for services to children's literature in 1997. Today is a very sad day. Michael Bond CBE will be missed by many. pic.twitter.com/ZoCb5sU2V9 Paddington (@paddingtonbear) June 28, 2017 Mr Bond was born at 2 Edinburgh Terrace, West Mills, Newbury in January 1926. The family then moved to Reading when he was six weeks old when his father, former Newbury Grammar School pupil Norrie, was promoted in the Post Office. His mother, Mary (nee Offer) worked at Camp Hopson's before her marriage. Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News in 2000 Mr Bond said that his fondest memory of Newbury was Griffins the butchers on Bridge Street. "I can still taste their pork sausages; they were very special," he said. Mr Bond attended Presentation College in Reading and joined the BBC as an engineer's assistant after a short stint in a solicitor's office. In 1943 he survived an air raid in Reading, which saw 41 people die after the building he was working in collapsed under him. Shortly afterwards he joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and later the Middlesex Regiment of the Army. It was while Mr Bond was stationed in Cairo in 1945 that he started writing and sold his first story to London Opinion. The idea for Paddington came when Mr Bond bought a small toy bear on Christmas Eve in 1956. Recalling in his own words on the official Paddington Bear website he said: "I saw it left on a shelf in a London store and felt sorry for it. "I took it home as a present for my wife Brenda and named it Paddington as we were living near Paddington Station at the time. "I wrote some stories about the bear, more for fun than with the idea of having them published. "After ten days I found that I had a book on my hands. It wasnt written specifically for children, but I think I put into it the kind things I liked reading about when I was young." His other literary works include the Olga da Polga series and the Monsieur Pamplemousse series. He also wrote the BBC stop animation series The Herbs. As many as 100,000 civilians are trapped in Syria's Raqa, as US-backed fighters battle to retake the city from the Islamic State group, the UN rights chief warned Wednesday. "The intense bombardment of Al-Raqa over the past three weeks has reportedly left civilians terrified and confused about where they can seek refuge," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement, cautioning that "up to 100,000 civilians are effectively trapped as the air and ground offensive intensifies." Search Keywords: Short link: M Rajendran By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Its official. Indias national carrier Air India is up for sale, modalities of which would be charted out by a Group of Ministers who would also look into details like quantum of stake to be offloaded and approach to be adopted. The Union Cabinet, at its meeting on Wednesday, wanted to have a comprehensive analysis before deciding on the disinvestment. Hence, it gave an in-principle approval to the Civil Aviation Ministrys proposal to sell Air India, government sources said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would head the Group of Ministers that would include Civil, Law Minister and 2-3 more Cabinet Ministers, sources added. The proposal from Civil Aviation Ministry was to give approval for either stake sale or disinvestment, but the consensus was to discuss it threadbare. The paramount concern was to get everyone on board before a final decision is taken on AI and GoM. It seems to be the best alternative for the government, added sources. The grapevine in the corridors of administration is that the issue may be put up for public response. This could be then taken up by the GoM in its deliberations. A report released earlier by research and analysis firm CAPA, Centre for Aviation said the government appears willing to consider privatisation of Air India, and termed it a far-reaching and highly positive reform. The report had suggested that government should deleverage Air Indias balance sheet before exploring options of privatisation. It had also recommended hiving off its low-cost arm Air India Express and divesting its ground handling subsidiary Air India Air Transport Services Ltd ahead of the divestment. Meanwhile, experts indicate that GoM could be even looking at the existing successful models. It is to lease and not sell the asset to a daughter company or a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which can be set up. Then offload 74-100 per cent of the equity in the SPV by selling the equity to the private bidder quoting the highest annual lease rental, says Amber Dubey of KPMG. He points that this model has been successful in Delhi and Mumbai airport privatisation. The whopping lease rentals paid by the SPVs are used to compensate the huge losses suffered at smaller airports. NEW DELHI: Its official. Indias national carrier Air India is up for sale, modalities of which would be charted out by a Group of Ministers who would also look into details like quantum of stake to be offloaded and approach to be adopted. The Union Cabinet, at its meeting on Wednesday, wanted to have a comprehensive analysis before deciding on the disinvestment. Hence, it gave an in-principle approval to the Civil Aviation Ministrys proposal to sell Air India, government sources said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would head the Group of Ministers that would include Civil, Law Minister and 2-3 more Cabinet Ministers, sources added. The proposal from Civil Aviation Ministry was to give approval for either stake sale or disinvestment, but the consensus was to discuss it threadbare. The paramount concern was to get everyone on board before a final decision is taken on AI and GoM. It seems to be the best alternative for the government, added sources. The grapevine in the corridors of administration is that the issue may be put up for public response. This could be then taken up by the GoM in its deliberations. A report released earlier by research and analysis firm CAPA, Centre for Aviation said the government appears willing to consider privatisation of Air India, and termed it a far-reaching and highly positive reform. The report had suggested that government should deleverage Air Indias balance sheet before exploring options of privatisation. It had also recommended hiving off its low-cost arm Air India Express and divesting its ground handling subsidiary Air India Air Transport Services Ltd ahead of the divestment. Meanwhile, experts indicate that GoM could be even looking at the existing successful models. It is to lease and not sell the asset to a daughter company or a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which can be set up. Then offload 74-100 per cent of the equity in the SPV by selling the equity to the private bidder quoting the highest annual lease rental, says Amber Dubey of KPMG. He points that this model has been successful in Delhi and Mumbai airport privatisation. The whopping lease rentals paid by the SPVs are used to compensate the huge losses suffered at smaller airports. By Reuters NEW DELHI: India should split the seven units of state-controlled Coal India Ltd into independent companies to make it more competitive, the government's policy think-tank said on Tuesday in a draft of a new energy policy. About 70 percent of India's power generation is fired by coal. The country is the world's third-largest producer and third-biggest importer of coal, which the government wants to change by boosting local coal production. Fresh coal production should come from private sector mines, the government think-tank NITI Aayog said, adding that the move called for reforms in allocating coal blocks to independent companies specialised in coal mining. (http://bit.ly/2rXZmWK) Coal India was not available for comment after its regular business hours. Reuters reported in December that senior Indian government officials, tasked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reviewing energy security, were recommending the break up of the world's largest coal miner within a year. Attempts to break up the world's biggest coal miner could expect resistance from powerful unions representing the firm's more than 350,000 employees. The government backed down from a similar proposal in the face of union protests in 2014. One of the unions, which is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, is against the move and says it has the support of about half of Coal India's workers. "We are opposing the recommendations made by NITI Aayog," Baij Nath Rai, president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, told Reuters by telephone. Coal India, the country's second-biggest employer, is often criticized for being bloated and inefficient. Its output-per-man shift is estimated at one-eighth of Peabody Energy, the world's largest private coal producer. NEW DELHI: India should split the seven units of state-controlled Coal India Ltd into independent companies to make it more competitive, the government's policy think-tank said on Tuesday in a draft of a new energy policy. About 70 percent of India's power generation is fired by coal. The country is the world's third-largest producer and third-biggest importer of coal, which the government wants to change by boosting local coal production. Fresh coal production should come from private sector mines, the government think-tank NITI Aayog said, adding that the move called for reforms in allocating coal blocks to independent companies specialised in coal mining. (http://bit.ly/2rXZmWK) Coal India was not available for comment after its regular business hours. Reuters reported in December that senior Indian government officials, tasked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with reviewing energy security, were recommending the break up of the world's largest coal miner within a year. Attempts to break up the world's biggest coal miner could expect resistance from powerful unions representing the firm's more than 350,000 employees. The government backed down from a similar proposal in the face of union protests in 2014. One of the unions, which is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, is against the move and says it has the support of about half of Coal India's workers. "We are opposing the recommendations made by NITI Aayog," Baij Nath Rai, president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, told Reuters by telephone. Coal India, the country's second-biggest employer, is often criticized for being bloated and inefficient. Its output-per-man shift is estimated at one-eighth of Peabody Energy, the world's largest private coal producer. By Express News Service NEW DELHI / CHENNAI: The United States is keen to improve trade relations with India and expects the latter to create jobs in America, US President Donald Trump said after his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump also called for the removal of barriers for the export of US goods into India, saying this will help reduce the trade deficit. I look forward to working with you to create jobs in our countries, to grow our economies and to create a trading relationship that is fair and reciprocal, Trump said. Highlighting Indias role in creating jobs, Trump said SpiceJets recent order for 100 new aircraft from Boeing would support thousands of American jobs. Were also looking forward to exporting more American energy to India as your economy grows, including major long-term contracts to purchase American natural gas, which are being negotiated, and we will sign them. Trying to get the price up a little bit. India Inc responded enthusiastically to the first bilateral meeting between Modi and Trump. According to industry chambers, the meeting has been a success and it will take economic cooperation to a higher level by instilling a fair amount of confidence in the partnership between the two countries. The mutual commitment by the two nations to step up market access in information technology and other sectors is a big positive for the $150-billion Indian software and services industry, said Assocham. Another positive, according to Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat, is the commitment to strengthen cooperation to address excess capacity in industrial sectors. Steps toward expediting regulatory issues would also be of a great help to the Indian pharmaceutical industry which has been facing several problems at the end of the US FDA, he noted. Ficci President Pankaj Patel said, We are glad that the confidence in the US-India partnership is reinstated during Modis meetings with President Donald Trump and there is a commitment to intensify the economic cooperation as well as advance the principles of free and fair trade. Patel added that the US continues to recognise India as a major defence and energy partner and that the two countries will work together to leverage new opportunities for collaboration in these sectors. NEW DELHI / CHENNAI: The United States is keen to improve trade relations with India and expects the latter to create jobs in America, US President Donald Trump said after his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump also called for the removal of barriers for the export of US goods into India, saying this will help reduce the trade deficit. I look forward to working with you to create jobs in our countries, to grow our economies and to create a trading relationship that is fair and reciprocal, Trump said. Highlighting Indias role in creating jobs, Trump said SpiceJets recent order for 100 new aircraft from Boeing would support thousands of American jobs. Were also looking forward to exporting more American energy to India as your economy grows, including major long-term contracts to purchase American natural gas, which are being negotiated, and we will sign them. Trying to get the price up a little bit. India Inc responded enthusiastically to the first bilateral meeting between Modi and Trump. According to industry chambers, the meeting has been a success and it will take economic cooperation to a higher level by instilling a fair amount of confidence in the partnership between the two countries. The mutual commitment by the two nations to step up market access in information technology and other sectors is a big positive for the $150-billion Indian software and services industry, said Assocham. Another positive, according to Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat, is the commitment to strengthen cooperation to address excess capacity in industrial sectors. Steps toward expediting regulatory issues would also be of a great help to the Indian pharmaceutical industry which has been facing several problems at the end of the US FDA, he noted. Ficci President Pankaj Patel said, We are glad that the confidence in the US-India partnership is reinstated during Modis meetings with President Donald Trump and there is a commitment to intensify the economic cooperation as well as advance the principles of free and fair trade. Patel added that the US continues to recognise India as a major defence and energy partner and that the two countries will work together to leverage new opportunities for collaboration in these sectors. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Karnataka government is finally approaching the Centre to save bars along the highways. Bars along the highways, including those on Bengalurus MG Road, Indiranagar, Church treet have been issued closure notices, following SC directives. The state government representatives are meeting Union government officials on Wednesday, urging them to denotify the NHs that pass though the city limits, said PWD principal secretary M Lakshminarayana. NH-4 stretches right from Le Meridien and Windsor Manor on Ballari road to Trinity Circle via GPO, MG Road. Our officials will urge the National Highways officials to do the needful, he said. National Restaurant Association of Indias management committee member Ashish Kothare said they cannot move court directly against the Supreme Court order. Many bars in Ashoknagar Excise department range have received closure notice. We are urging the State government to appeal to Supreme Court on our behalf. Speaking to Express, Law Minister T B Jayanachandra said soon after our Cabinet decision on denotifying national highways, we sent a communication to the Union government authorities. There is time till June 30 and we are expecting some relief in a couple of days. A team from Public Works Department will be meeting Union government representatives. We do not have a direct hold in this issue, he said. Excise Department Commissioner Manjunath Naik said last year the state excise revenue was around Rs 16,480 crore, of which 35 per cent was from Bengaluru Urban district. We do not know how many bars have been issued notices. We will get a clear picture only in July. Supreme Court has entrusted the power to issue notice to the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of districts concerned, he said. Official sources from State government said they have identified six highway stretches that passed through Bengaluru. There is pressure from bar owners especially in and around MG Road and government is likely to act, sources said. BENGALURU: Karnataka government is finally approaching the Centre to save bars along the highways. Bars along the highways, including those on Bengalurus MG Road, Indiranagar, Church treet have been issued closure notices, following SC directives. The state government representatives are meeting Union government officials on Wednesday, urging them to denotify the NHs that pass though the city limits, said PWD principal secretary M Lakshminarayana. NH-4 stretches right from Le Meridien and Windsor Manor on Ballari road to Trinity Circle via GPO, MG Road. Our officials will urge the National Highways officials to do the needful, he said. National Restaurant Association of Indias management committee member Ashish Kothare said they cannot move court directly against the Supreme Court order. Many bars in Ashoknagar Excise department range have received closure notice. We are urging the State government to appeal to Supreme Court on our behalf. Speaking to Express, Law Minister T B Jayanachandra said soon after our Cabinet decision on denotifying national highways, we sent a communication to the Union government authorities. There is time till June 30 and we are expecting some relief in a couple of days. A team from Public Works Department will be meeting Union government representatives. We do not have a direct hold in this issue, he said. Excise Department Commissioner Manjunath Naik said last year the state excise revenue was around Rs 16,480 crore, of which 35 per cent was from Bengaluru Urban district. We do not know how many bars have been issued notices. We will get a clear picture only in July. Supreme Court has entrusted the power to issue notice to the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of districts concerned, he said. Official sources from State government said they have identified six highway stretches that passed through Bengaluru. There is pressure from bar owners especially in and around MG Road and government is likely to act, sources said. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Students of Narayana Junior residential college in Nizampet of Hyderabad went on a rampage on Tuesday night, allegedly enraged over the attitude of college authorities denying repeated requests by students seeking permission for an outing. The students allegedly locked up the staff of the college after which they lobbed stones on the building damaging windowpanes, ransacked the office as well as classrooms and damaged furniture. The enraged students also set ablaze some of the furniture. The rampage resulted in the college declaring a holiday for students a few hours after the incident occurred, stating that the latter was homesick and need a break. However, the college management suspects that the college Principal encouraged the students to go on a rampage. Damaged articles on the college premises after the rampage. (Vinay Madapu | EPS) Sources said that for the past couple of days, a few intermediate second-year students had been requesting hostel authorities to let them go on an outing. However, hostel authorities rejected their request each time. Irritated over being denied permission for an outing even after multiple requests, the students locked the main gate of the college on Tuesday night and went on a rampage. On seeing the mob of students, the college staff alerted police who reached the junior college and dispersed the mob. When the police reached, some students even pelted stones at them. The police requested the students to cooperate and not to indulge in violence. Later, the situation was brought under control. It may be recalled that earlier this year in March, students of Sri Chaitanya Junior residential college in Bachupally of Hyderabad had gone on a rampage after not being allowed to go out of the hostel for a walk one day before the exam. In the Bachupally incident, a few were injured in the stone-pelting by students, including the college principal and a home guard of Bachupally police station. The police even registered a case of rioting and causing hurt voluntarily. HYDERABAD: Students of Narayana Junior residential college in Nizampet of Hyderabad went on a rampage on Tuesday night, allegedly enraged over the attitude of college authorities denying repeated requests by students seeking permission for an outing. The students allegedly locked up the staff of the college after which they lobbed stones on the building damaging windowpanes, ransacked the office as well as classrooms and damaged furniture. The enraged students also set ablaze some of the furniture. The rampage resulted in the college declaring a holiday for students a few hours after the incident occurred, stating that the latter was homesick and need a break. However, the college management suspects that the college Principal encouraged the students to go on a rampage. Damaged articles on the college premises after the rampage. (Vinay Madapu | EPS) Sources said that for the past couple of days, a few intermediate second-year students had been requesting hostel authorities to let them go on an outing. However, hostel authorities rejected their request each time. Irritated over being denied permission for an outing even after multiple requests, the students locked the main gate of the college on Tuesday night and went on a rampage. On seeing the mob of students, the college staff alerted police who reached the junior college and dispersed the mob. When the police reached, some students even pelted stones at them. The police requested the students to cooperate and not to indulge in violence. Later, the situation was brought under control. It may be recalled that earlier this year in March, students of Sri Chaitanya Junior residential college in Bachupally of Hyderabad had gone on a rampage after not being allowed to go out of the hostel for a walk one day before the exam. In the Bachupally incident, a few were injured in the stone-pelting by students, including the college principal and a home guard of Bachupally police station. The police even registered a case of rioting and causing hurt voluntarily. Gunmen attacked a UN convoy on Wednesday near Zawiyah, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the Libyan capital, a security source in the town said. The source was unable to say whether there were any casualties among the seven members of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) who came under attack. The British ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, was quick to condemn the attack on his Twitter account. Search Keywords: Short link: By BNS Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh has been in talks with couple of producers in Bollywood. According to latest update the actor has also been approached by Dinesh Vijan. A source says, Diljit has liked the script and might be part of this film that Dinesh has offered to him. Dinesh is likely to only produce it and get someone else to direct the film. If things go well then he will soon make an official announcement. The hunt for director and rest of the cast members is still on. Diljit made his debut last year in Udta Punjab, where he played a cop and was appreciated for his work. He then featured in Anushka Sharmas home production Phillauri. There is a buzz that he will soon be part of Vashu Bhagnani and Wizcraft films next film Circus, which will also star Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur. He is also going to be seen in Shaad Alis next. Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh has been in talks with couple of producers in Bollywood. According to latest update the actor has also been approached by Dinesh Vijan. A source says, Diljit has liked the script and might be part of this film that Dinesh has offered to him. Dinesh is likely to only produce it and get someone else to direct the film. If things go well then he will soon make an official announcement. The hunt for director and rest of the cast members is still on. Diljit made his debut last year in Udta Punjab, where he played a cop and was appreciated for his work. He then featured in Anushka Sharmas home production Phillauri. There is a buzz that he will soon be part of Vashu Bhagnani and Wizcraft films next film Circus, which will also star Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur. He is also going to be seen in Shaad Alis next. By BNS Recently while being part of the the promotions of Tubelight, Salman Khan mentioned that his younger Arbaaz Khan would not be directing Dabangg 3. Now the latest buzz suggests that Prabhudheva might replace him as the director. A source says, They have supposedly spoken to Prabhudheva about it. He is all set to unite with Salman once again. The actor-director duo previously worked together in Wanted, which went on to become a huge hit. There have been reports that Prabhudheva and producer Boney Kapoor are interested in making a sequel to it, starring Salman. But now, it looks like Prabhudheva will first take up Dabangg 3. Salman is currently working on Tiger Zinda Hai with Katrina Kaif, and is set to fly to Morocco for the next schedule. Recently while being part of the the promotions of Tubelight, Salman Khan mentioned that his younger Arbaaz Khan would not be directing Dabangg 3. Now the latest buzz suggests that Prabhudheva might replace him as the director. A source says, They have supposedly spoken to Prabhudheva about it. He is all set to unite with Salman once again. The actor-director duo previously worked together in Wanted, which went on to become a huge hit. There have been reports that Prabhudheva and producer Boney Kapoor are interested in making a sequel to it, starring Salman. But now, it looks like Prabhudheva will first take up Dabangg 3. Salman is currently working on Tiger Zinda Hai with Katrina Kaif, and is set to fly to Morocco for the next schedule. Shevlin Sebastian By Express News Service Actor/producer Vijay Babu was in Uganda for the shoot of Escape From Uganda (2013). One day, the director Rajesh Nair, who is settled there, told Vijay he needed to go and check out a location. Just before he left, he gave a pistol to Vijay. If anything happens, shoot first and ask questions later, said Rajesh. Vijay said, What are you saying? Vijay Babu Rima [Kallingal] and other women artistes are there, so it is better to be careful, said Rajesh. Vijay was also given a car along with a driver, named George. Since he could speak English, I got along very well with him, says Vijay. Sometimes, when we had to travel long distances, going towards locations, we would stop and have snacks or a meal. One day, George, 30, was absent. So Vijay went and enquired with the production controller. He smiled and said, George has gone to get his pension for Aids. All those who have the disease get a pension. Vijay looked shocked. The controller said in a soothing voice, Aids is everywhere in Uganda. One in five have it. There is nothing to worry about. In the film, Phillips and the Monkey Pen, people were a bit worried about child actor Sanoop Santhosh. Somehow, he was unable to cry during a climax scene. Whenever he tried, it did not look natural, says Vijay. Take after take was going on. Suddenly, Sanoops elder sister, Sanusha, who was watching from the sidelines, just went up to her brother and pinched his arm very hard. Immediately, Sanoop started crying loudly. Sanusha looked at the three directors, and said, Take it, take it. And thus, the scene became a natural one. So, what the viewer saw was an actual crying scene, says Vijay. During the shoot of Peruchazhi (2014), in California, USA, Mohanlal and Vijay got along famously because they love cooking. Every evening, after the shoot was over, Mohanlal would go to the apartment of Vijay and they would do some cooking. Lal was an expert in making wine-based dishes, says Vijay. One day, director Arun Vaidyanathan was very tense, during a scene between Mohanlal and Vijay. Somehow, things were not working out. Then suddenly, just before a shot, Mohanlal said, Vijay, come here. From a distance the crew thought that they were having a serious discussion. But when Vijay came close, Mohanlal said, Tonight, why dont we cook fish curry biriyani? Vijay wanted to burst out laughing. But somehow, he managed to control himself. Soon, Mohanlal shouted out to Arun, Okay, we are ready. But on the sets of Double Barrel in Goa, things were not ready at all. On a bare hill, a fight sequence between two rival gangs was being filmed. Apart from actors Prithviraj, Indrajith and Vijay, more than 200 extras were present. There were bomb blasts, guns were fired, but the shot was not okayed, says Babu. The next shot took two hours of preparation. Because bombs had to be buried under the ground, new bullets inserted into revolvers, and make-up changed. Unfortunately, the second shot was also not okayed. Director Lijo Jose Pellissery was getting frustrated. Suddenly, Lijos mother called him. Lijo told his assistant to take it. He did so but she insisted she wanted to talk to Lijo. So Lijo took the phone and said, What is it Mummy? His mother replied, The gas has finished in the house. Please arrange to get another cylinder. Lijo asked her to call somebody else. She replied, Who else will I call? YOU call somebody and get it delivered immediately. Actor/Producer Vijay Babu talks about his experiences on the sets of Escape From Uganda, Phillips and the Monkey Pen and Double Barrel Actor/producer Vijay Babu was in Uganda for the shoot of Escape From Uganda (2013). One day, the director Rajesh Nair, who is settled there, told Vijay he needed to go and check out a location. Just before he left, he gave a pistol to Vijay. If anything happens, shoot first and ask questions later, said Rajesh. Vijay said, What are you saying? Vijay Babu Rima [Kallingal] and other women artistes are there, so it is better to be careful, said Rajesh. Vijay was also given a car along with a driver, named George. Since he could speak English, I got along very well with him, says Vijay. Sometimes, when we had to travel long distances, going towards locations, we would stop and have snacks or a meal. One day, George, 30, was absent. So Vijay went and enquired with the production controller. He smiled and said, George has gone to get his pension for Aids. All those who have the disease get a pension. Vijay looked shocked. The controller said in a soothing voice, Aids is everywhere in Uganda. One in five have it. There is nothing to worry about. In the film, Phillips and the Monkey Pen, people were a bit worried about child actor Sanoop Santhosh. Somehow, he was unable to cry during a climax scene. Whenever he tried, it did not look natural, says Vijay. Take after take was going on. Suddenly, Sanoops elder sister, Sanusha, who was watching from the sidelines, just went up to her brother and pinched his arm very hard. Immediately, Sanoop started crying loudly. Sanusha looked at the three directors, and said, Take it, take it. And thus, the scene became a natural one. So, what the viewer saw was an actual crying scene, says Vijay. During the shoot of Peruchazhi (2014), in California, USA, Mohanlal and Vijay got along famously because they love cooking. Every evening, after the shoot was over, Mohanlal would go to the apartment of Vijay and they would do some cooking. Lal was an expert in making wine-based dishes, says Vijay. One day, director Arun Vaidyanathan was very tense, during a scene between Mohanlal and Vijay. Somehow, things were not working out. Then suddenly, just before a shot, Mohanlal said, Vijay, come here. From a distance the crew thought that they were having a serious discussion. But when Vijay came close, Mohanlal said, Tonight, why dont we cook fish curry biriyani? Vijay wanted to burst out laughing. But somehow, he managed to control himself. Soon, Mohanlal shouted out to Arun, Okay, we are ready. But on the sets of Double Barrel in Goa, things were not ready at all. On a bare hill, a fight sequence between two rival gangs was being filmed. Apart from actors Prithviraj, Indrajith and Vijay, more than 200 extras were present. There were bomb blasts, guns were fired, but the shot was not okayed, says Babu. The next shot took two hours of preparation. Because bombs had to be buried under the ground, new bullets inserted into revolvers, and make-up changed. Unfortunately, the second shot was also not okayed. Director Lijo Jose Pellissery was getting frustrated. Suddenly, Lijos mother called him. Lijo told his assistant to take it. He did so but she insisted she wanted to talk to Lijo. So Lijo took the phone and said, What is it Mummy? His mother replied, The gas has finished in the house. Please arrange to get another cylinder. Lijo asked her to call somebody else. She replied, Who else will I call? YOU call somebody and get it delivered immediately. Actor/Producer Vijay Babu talks about his experiences on the sets of Escape From Uganda, Phillips and the Monkey Pen and Double Barrel By PTI MUMBAI: Twenty four years after the 12 co- ordinated blasts that rocked Mumbai claiming 257 lives and injuring over 700 people, a special TADA court here today convicted six persons and acquitted one in the second leg of the trial in the case. Several conspirators and masterminds of the worst terror attack on the country including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, his right hand man Chhota Shakeel and late Yakub Memons elder brother Tiger Memon are still absconding and are believed to be sheltered in Pakistan. Yakub, the lone condemned convict in the case, had been hanged in Nagpur jail in 2015. Following is the detailed role of the six convicts in the case, whose trial was separated from the main one, which concluded in 2007. Abu Salem: He went to Baruch in Gujarat in January 1993 along with an absconding accused for receiving arms, explosives and ammunitions. He got nine AK-56 rifles, 100 hand grenades and some bullets from Baruch in Gujarat and transported them to Mumbai by concealing them in fake cavities of a Maruti Van which was allegedly given to him by accused Riyaz Siddiqui. Salem also delivered (along with two others) some arms and ammunitions to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt at his residence on January 16, 1993 and took back some of them two days later. On August 13, 2013, TADA court let CBI drop some charges against Salem as per an extradition treaty between India and Portugal. His another application to marry a 26-year-old woman is pending with the court. Mustafa Dossa: One of the masterminds of the March 12, 1993 serial terror blasts, he smuggled firearms, ammunitions, detonators, hand grenades and highly explosive substances like RDX into India. Dossa along with Tiger Memon and Chhota Shakeel organized training camps in Pakistan and in India to impart and undergo weapon and arms training and handling of explosives. They also sent men from India to Pakistan via Dubai for arms training. He also attended many conspiracy meetings. Tahir Merchant alias Taher Taklya: He attended conspiracy meetings in Dubai and motivated his associates to arrange men from Mumbai to be sent to Pakistan for arms training. He collected funds to procure arms and planned to set up an illegal arms manufacturing factory in India. Riyaz Siddiqui: He arranged for a van with specially- crafted secret cavities, which had been used for transporting 9 AK-56 rifles, 100 hand grenades and some boxes of magazines from the godown at Baruch to Mumbai. Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan: On January 8, 1993, two months ahead of the blasts, Mohammed Dossa (absconding brother of Mustafa Dossa) sent Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan and another accused to Alibagh and Mhasla to inform Customs officials and landing agents about the landing (of arms and explosives) that was to take place the next day. He also attended conspiracy meetings. During the fag end of the trial, in May last year, he sought to become an approver. However, the court rejected his plea after the CBI told the court that it has enough evidence against all the accused and they dont need any approver. Karimulla Khan: Karimullah attended conspiracy meetings. He also played an active role in landing of consignments comprising arms, ammunitions, detonators, hand grenades and RDX that took place in Shekhandi in Raigad Maharashtra ahead of the blasts. According to prosecution, Karimulla had informed another accused that he was going to Pakistan for arms training via Dubai. One accused Abdul Quayyum, was let off for want of evidence against him. MUMBAI: Twenty four years after the 12 co- ordinated blasts that rocked Mumbai claiming 257 lives and injuring over 700 people, a special TADA court here today convicted six persons and acquitted one in the second leg of the trial in the case. Several conspirators and masterminds of the worst terror attack on the country including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, his right hand man Chhota Shakeel and late Yakub Memons elder brother Tiger Memon are still absconding and are believed to be sheltered in Pakistan. Yakub, the lone condemned convict in the case, had been hanged in Nagpur jail in 2015. Following is the detailed role of the six convicts in the case, whose trial was separated from the main one, which concluded in 2007. Abu Salem: He went to Baruch in Gujarat in January 1993 along with an absconding accused for receiving arms, explosives and ammunitions. He got nine AK-56 rifles, 100 hand grenades and some bullets from Baruch in Gujarat and transported them to Mumbai by concealing them in fake cavities of a Maruti Van which was allegedly given to him by accused Riyaz Siddiqui. Salem also delivered (along with two others) some arms and ammunitions to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt at his residence on January 16, 1993 and took back some of them two days later. On August 13, 2013, TADA court let CBI drop some charges against Salem as per an extradition treaty between India and Portugal. His another application to marry a 26-year-old woman is pending with the court. Mustafa Dossa: One of the masterminds of the March 12, 1993 serial terror blasts, he smuggled firearms, ammunitions, detonators, hand grenades and highly explosive substances like RDX into India. Dossa along with Tiger Memon and Chhota Shakeel organized training camps in Pakistan and in India to impart and undergo weapon and arms training and handling of explosives. They also sent men from India to Pakistan via Dubai for arms training. He also attended many conspiracy meetings. Tahir Merchant alias Taher Taklya: He attended conspiracy meetings in Dubai and motivated his associates to arrange men from Mumbai to be sent to Pakistan for arms training. He collected funds to procure arms and planned to set up an illegal arms manufacturing factory in India. Riyaz Siddiqui: He arranged for a van with specially- crafted secret cavities, which had been used for transporting 9 AK-56 rifles, 100 hand grenades and some boxes of magazines from the godown at Baruch to Mumbai. Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan: On January 8, 1993, two months ahead of the blasts, Mohammed Dossa (absconding brother of Mustafa Dossa) sent Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan and another accused to Alibagh and Mhasla to inform Customs officials and landing agents about the landing (of arms and explosives) that was to take place the next day. He also attended conspiracy meetings. During the fag end of the trial, in May last year, he sought to become an approver. However, the court rejected his plea after the CBI told the court that it has enough evidence against all the accused and they dont need any approver. Karimulla Khan: Karimullah attended conspiracy meetings. He also played an active role in landing of consignments comprising arms, ammunitions, detonators, hand grenades and RDX that took place in Shekhandi in Raigad Maharashtra ahead of the blasts. According to prosecution, Karimulla had informed another accused that he was going to Pakistan for arms training via Dubai. One accused Abdul Quayyum, was let off for want of evidence against him. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: As the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops continues in Sikkim, officials in national capital claim that Peoples Liberation Army has removed an old bunker of the Indian Army located at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan in Sikkim by using a bulldozer, while eventually led to present circumstances. With the eyeball to eyeball situation persisting for the 12th day, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is scheduled to visit Sikkim on Thursday to take stock of the ground situation. He will also visit some other states on the North-East, sources said here on Wednesday. While on the other side, China on Wednesday hinted India was acting at the behest of Bhutan by crossing the boundary to obstruct construction of a road in the Chinese territory. Beijing also said future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar through Nathu La in Sikkim will depend on whether India will correct its errors. The Army has rushed more reinforcements to the face-off site in the Doka La area of Sikkim. Doka La is at the tri-junction of Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet and is strategically important for India as the crucial Siliguri corridor known in military parlance as Chicken Neck having road and rail head is just 50 to 60 kms from there. At present more than 1,000 soldiers from both the armies engaged in the stand-off which began when the Chinese troops intruded into Doka La and destroyed two Indian army bunkers. China said the bunkers were built on its territory and India contested the claim stating the bunkers were on the Indian side. A scuffle broke out between the troops when Indian troops formed a human wall to prevent the Chinese from proceeding forward. A meeting between the local commanders of both the armies on June 20 to resolve the issue failed. Senior officers of 17 Division of the Indian Army responsible this sector are now camping near the site to monitor the situation, sources said. Terming the construction of the road as "legitimate," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Wednesday the road was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. China had lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. NEW DELHI: As the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops continues in Sikkim, officials in national capital claim that Peoples Liberation Army has removed an old bunker of the Indian Army located at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan in Sikkim by using a bulldozer, while eventually led to present circumstances. With the eyeball to eyeball situation persisting for the 12th day, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is scheduled to visit Sikkim on Thursday to take stock of the ground situation. He will also visit some other states on the North-East, sources said here on Wednesday. While on the other side, China on Wednesday hinted India was acting at the behest of Bhutan by crossing the boundary to obstruct construction of a road in the Chinese territory. Beijing also said future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar through Nathu La in Sikkim will depend on whether India will correct its errors. The Army has rushed more reinforcements to the face-off site in the Doka La area of Sikkim. Doka La is at the tri-junction of Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet and is strategically important for India as the crucial Siliguri corridor known in military parlance as Chicken Neck having road and rail head is just 50 to 60 kms from there. At present more than 1,000 soldiers from both the armies engaged in the stand-off which began when the Chinese troops intruded into Doka La and destroyed two Indian army bunkers. China said the bunkers were built on its territory and India contested the claim stating the bunkers were on the Indian side. A scuffle broke out between the troops when Indian troops formed a human wall to prevent the Chinese from proceeding forward. A meeting between the local commanders of both the armies on June 20 to resolve the issue failed. Senior officers of 17 Division of the Indian Army responsible this sector are now camping near the site to monitor the situation, sources said. Terming the construction of the road as "legitimate," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Wednesday the road was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. China had lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: A school teacher from Assam, who was allegedly involved in a colleague's murder, committed suicide by slitting his throat with a knife in eastern Assams Tinsukia district on Wednesday. The incident was reported from Bagh Jan police station of Doomdooma in the district on Wednesday. The deceased; Rabindra Nath Handique, and two others- Jogen Handique and Munindra Barua, had allegedly murdered Lachit Bailung on June 25. Jogen Handique is the principal of Bagh Jan Dighol Torrong High School while the victim and the other accused were teachers there. The police said Rabindra Nath had committed suicide while the two others were being interrogated in connection with Bailungs murder. Based on leads, we had picked up Jogen Handique and Munindra Barua and subjected them to interrogation. On learning about their detention, Rabindra Nath had come to the police station but when he heard the principal narrating details of the murder, the former went out saying he would drink water and committed suicide with a knife behind the police station building, Tinsukia superintendent of police, Mugdha Jyoti Mahanta, told the New Indian Express. He said Rabindra Nath was neither an accused nor a suspect until he left. It was only after his departure that the principal revealed that he (Rabindra Nath) was the prime accused. When personnel later went looking for him, they found him dead, Mahanta said. He also said that Bailung was murdered during a tiff over his charge that the trio had siphoned off money allocated by authorities for construction at the school. The construction was taking place under the supervision of the three teachers. Lachit Bailung would always threaten that he would expose them by filing an RTI. So, Barua called him on June 25 and all of them met at a place to settle the issue. However, the meeting soon turned sour as they picked up a quarrel leading to Bailungs murder, Mahanta said. Meanwhile, locals on Wednesday torched Rabindra Naths vehicle in protest against Bailungs murder. They also surrounded the police station demanding that Handique and Barua be handed over to them so that they could deal with them appropriately. GUWAHATI: A school teacher from Assam, who was allegedly involved in a colleague's murder, committed suicide by slitting his throat with a knife in eastern Assams Tinsukia district on Wednesday. The incident was reported from Bagh Jan police station of Doomdooma in the district on Wednesday. The deceased; Rabindra Nath Handique, and two others- Jogen Handique and Munindra Barua, had allegedly murdered Lachit Bailung on June 25. Jogen Handique is the principal of Bagh Jan Dighol Torrong High School while the victim and the other accused were teachers there. The police said Rabindra Nath had committed suicide while the two others were being interrogated in connection with Bailungs murder. Based on leads, we had picked up Jogen Handique and Munindra Barua and subjected them to interrogation. On learning about their detention, Rabindra Nath had come to the police station but when he heard the principal narrating details of the murder, the former went out saying he would drink water and committed suicide with a knife behind the police station building, Tinsukia superintendent of police, Mugdha Jyoti Mahanta, told the New Indian Express. He said Rabindra Nath was neither an accused nor a suspect until he left. It was only after his departure that the principal revealed that he (Rabindra Nath) was the prime accused. When personnel later went looking for him, they found him dead, Mahanta said. He also said that Bailung was murdered during a tiff over his charge that the trio had siphoned off money allocated by authorities for construction at the school. The construction was taking place under the supervision of the three teachers. Lachit Bailung would always threaten that he would expose them by filing an RTI. So, Barua called him on June 25 and all of them met at a place to settle the issue. However, the meeting soon turned sour as they picked up a quarrel leading to Bailungs murder, Mahanta said. Meanwhile, locals on Wednesday torched Rabindra Naths vehicle in protest against Bailungs murder. They also surrounded the police station demanding that Handique and Barua be handed over to them so that they could deal with them appropriately. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: A Muslim schoolteacher in Assam has been arrested after it was found that his WhatsApp profile carried offensive photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Police said the WhatsApp profile of the teacher, identified as Abdul Hamid Barbhuiya, contained two pictures. One showed a dog with Modis face and was captioned dutiful dog. The other showed a figure with the PMs face milking a dog. His contacts knew about the photos as they could see them on his DP. We learnt about it yesterday (Tuesday) and arrested him at night, Hailakandi superintendent of police, Pranabjyoti Goswami, told New Indian Express. We dont know if he is ignorant. A case under Section 66 A (b) IT Act read with Section 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against him. He will be produced before a court today (Wednesday), Goswami added. Barbhuiya works at the Janakicharan Higher Secondary School in southern Assams Hailakandi district. Following the man's arrest, the opposition Congress party criticised the ruling BJP for its alleged intolerance. Indira Gandhi faced such caricatures all her life. Havent there been cartoons even against (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi? By arresting the teacher, they have only proved that they are intolerant, Congress spokesman Apurba Bhattacharya said. The states director general of police, Mukesh Sahay, said the act would amount to an offence if it was done with a criminal intention. If such an act is done with an intention to defame a person holding a high public office or show him in bad light, it may amount to an offence. A critical ingredient of any criminal offence is criminal intention; whether he is doing it intentionally with a view to hurt somebody, Sahay said. GUWAHATI: A Muslim schoolteacher in Assam has been arrested after it was found that his WhatsApp profile carried offensive photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Police said the WhatsApp profile of the teacher, identified as Abdul Hamid Barbhuiya, contained two pictures. One showed a dog with Modis face and was captioned dutiful dog. The other showed a figure with the PMs face milking a dog. His contacts knew about the photos as they could see them on his DP. We learnt about it yesterday (Tuesday) and arrested him at night, Hailakandi superintendent of police, Pranabjyoti Goswami, told New Indian Express. We dont know if he is ignorant. A case under Section 66 A (b) IT Act read with Section 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against him. He will be produced before a court today (Wednesday), Goswami added. Barbhuiya works at the Janakicharan Higher Secondary School in southern Assams Hailakandi district. Following the man's arrest, the opposition Congress party criticised the ruling BJP for its alleged intolerance. Indira Gandhi faced such caricatures all her life. Havent there been cartoons even against (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi? By arresting the teacher, they have only proved that they are intolerant, Congress spokesman Apurba Bhattacharya said. The states director general of police, Mukesh Sahay, said the act would amount to an offence if it was done with a criminal intention. If such an act is done with an intention to defame a person holding a high public office or show him in bad light, it may amount to an offence. A critical ingredient of any criminal offence is criminal intention; whether he is doing it intentionally with a view to hurt somebody, Sahay said. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service The hugs three of them and repeated handshakes made headlines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reasons to be pleased with his first meeting with US President Donald Trump. The nationalist leaders addressing issues like the South China Sea dispute and terrorism emanating from Pakistan has evoked sharp reactions from Indias neighbours. Any attempt by India to become US ally to counter China will not be in its interests and could even lead to catastrophic results, said a State-run Chinese daily. News agency Reuters reported that hundreds of demonstrators in Pakistan burned an Indian flag in protest of US designating Salahuddin a global terrorist. On the whole the optics of the visit were very good, considering the fact that when Modi landed on the American soil Trump sent him that exuberant tweet, says Dr. Harinder Sekhon, senior fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. The timing of designating Salahuddin a global terrorist, even if it turns out to be symbolic one, does put Pakistan under renewed international scrutiny. But this does not take care of our war on terror. The Americans have just done the right kind of messaging. According to Dr Sekhon, Trump is a transactional President and a businessman first, which is why he says he is very happy that Air India is buying a hundred planes, and that India would be investing very heavily in US energy resources because that would be a win-win situation. I think this is what India needs to leverage to get something. Because I dont see much that India has got from this visit, except that the Indo-Pacific pact, signed with the Obama administration, continues to remain important. But theres nothing on New Delhis concerns on Chinas intrusions into Indian soil. As for opening up of Indian markets, that is not a doable thing, says Sekhon. Because India also has huge developmental concerns. Dr Harinder Sekhon, senior fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, says there is a need to sensitise US about Indias concerns. Because when they say they have jobless growth of over nine per cent, in India we have no figures at all... owing to the huge unorganised sector... we dont know these numbers. Theres no comparison between their poverty and our poverty. It is tough to deal with the US. But nothing negative has come no gaffes or blunders by Trump, nothing provocative has been said by him, which is good, given how Trump spoke about the Korean peninsula just before meeting Chinas Xi Jingping. We need to build upon our gains, Sekhon says. D Raja of the CPI, however, has nothing but scorn for the meeting. What is positive? Nothing happened there. We willingly accepted the American position linking Islam with terrorism, which even Vajpayee did not accept. You cant identify a religion with terror. What about H1 vias? Have we got anything? What about Climate changeAmerica not only walked out of the Paris agreement, it blamed India and China... did Modi take up the issue? What about civilian nuclear cooperation India is yet to get access to re-processing technology. So why should we be happy with this meeting? he asks. While Pakistan, as expected, shrugged off the US and Indian call to cease and desist from terrorism and vowed to continue to support the separatist movement in Kashmir, the reiteration of Indias position aligning with the US position on the Asia Pacific region sparked a sharp reaction from Beijing. To assume a role as an outpost country in the US strategy to contain China is not in line with Indias interests. It could even lead to catastrophic results. If India regresses from its non-alignment stance and becomes a pawn for the US in countering China, it will be caught up in a strategic dilemma and new geopolitical frictions will be triggered in South Asia, warned an editorial in the Chinese state run Global Times. Washington and New Delhi share anxieties about Chinas rise. In recent years, to ratchet up geopolitical pressure on China, the US has cozied up to India, the editorial added. The hugs three of them and repeated handshakes made headlines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reasons to be pleased with his first meeting with US President Donald Trump. The nationalist leaders addressing issues like the South China Sea dispute and terrorism emanating from Pakistan has evoked sharp reactions from Indias neighbours. Any attempt by India to become US ally to counter China will not be in its interests and could even lead to catastrophic results, said a State-run Chinese daily. News agency Reuters reported that hundreds of demonstrators in Pakistan burned an Indian flag in protest of US designating Salahuddin a global terrorist. On the whole the optics of the visit were very good, considering the fact that when Modi landed on the American soil Trump sent him that exuberant tweet, says Dr. Harinder Sekhon, senior fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation. The timing of designating Salahuddin a global terrorist, even if it turns out to be symbolic one, does put Pakistan under renewed international scrutiny. But this does not take care of our war on terror. The Americans have just done the right kind of messaging. According to Dr Sekhon, Trump is a transactional President and a businessman first, which is why he says he is very happy that Air India is buying a hundred planes, and that India would be investing very heavily in US energy resources because that would be a win-win situation. I think this is what India needs to leverage to get something. Because I dont see much that India has got from this visit, except that the Indo-Pacific pact, signed with the Obama administration, continues to remain important. But theres nothing on New Delhis concerns on Chinas intrusions into Indian soil. As for opening up of Indian markets, that is not a doable thing, says Sekhon. Because India also has huge developmental concerns. Dr Harinder Sekhon, senior fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, says there is a need to sensitise US about Indias concerns. Because when they say they have jobless growth of over nine per cent, in India we have no figures at all... owing to the huge unorganised sector... we dont know these numbers. Theres no comparison between their poverty and our poverty. It is tough to deal with the US. But nothing negative has come no gaffes or blunders by Trump, nothing provocative has been said by him, which is good, given how Trump spoke about the Korean peninsula just before meeting Chinas Xi Jingping. We need to build upon our gains, Sekhon says. D Raja of the CPI, however, has nothing but scorn for the meeting. What is positive? Nothing happened there. We willingly accepted the American position linking Islam with terrorism, which even Vajpayee did not accept. You cant identify a religion with terror. What about H1 vias? Have we got anything? What about Climate changeAmerica not only walked out of the Paris agreement, it blamed India and China... did Modi take up the issue? What about civilian nuclear cooperation India is yet to get access to re-processing technology. So why should we be happy with this meeting? he asks. While Pakistan, as expected, shrugged off the US and Indian call to cease and desist from terrorism and vowed to continue to support the separatist movement in Kashmir, the reiteration of Indias position aligning with the US position on the Asia Pacific region sparked a sharp reaction from Beijing. To assume a role as an outpost country in the US strategy to contain China is not in line with Indias interests. It could even lead to catastrophic results. If India regresses from its non-alignment stance and becomes a pawn for the US in countering China, it will be caught up in a strategic dilemma and new geopolitical frictions will be triggered in South Asia, warned an editorial in the Chinese state run Global Times. Washington and New Delhi share anxieties about Chinas rise. In recent years, to ratchet up geopolitical pressure on China, the US has cozied up to India, the editorial added. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Pakistan army violated twice the border ceasefire in 18 hours and fired on army positions and civilians areas in Bhimber Gali sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Defence spokesman in Jammu, Lt Colonel Manish Mehta, said Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire in Bhimber Gali (B) sector along LoC in Rajouri district at around 2015 hours last evening. He said the Pakistani troops fired from small and automatic weapons and also resorted to mortar shelling in army positions and civilian areas. Mehta said the army effectively retaliated with similar caliber weapons. After 18 hours of calm, the Pakistani troops again breached the border ceasefire in the same sector this afternoon. At around 2.45 pm today, the Pakistani troops again resorted to indiscriminate firing and mortar shelling on Indian positions and civilian areas in BG sector of Rajouri district, defence spokesman said. He said the army men also returned the fire and both sides exchanged gunfire and mortars for some time. The guns on both sides fell silent in the evening. The Pakistani troops had also breached border ceasefire in Kalsian area in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Sunday when people were celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr. Due to the shelling, people had to migrate to safer places. There have been more than 20 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in twin border district of Poonch and Rajouri districts this month so far. Army official said Pakistani troops are resorting to firing and shelling along LoC to facilitate infiltration of militants into J&K to create disturbances. He said troops are on high alert along LoC to deal with any situation and foil infiltration attempts by militants. On June 22 Pakistan armys notorious Border Action Team (BAT) attacked a patrol party of the army about 600 meters inside Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector killing two soldiers and injuring another. The BAT team also lost one of its members and another was injured in retaliatory firing by the army. It was the third BAT attack on soldiers along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in two months. Earlier, on May 1 Border Action Team (BAT) had conducted cross-LoC raid and ambushed armys patrol party in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district killing two soldiers and mutilating their bodies. On May 26, Army had foiled a BAT attack on their patrol party along LoC in Uri sector of North Kashmirs Baramulla district, killing two heavily armed militants. SRINAGAR: Pakistan army violated twice the border ceasefire in 18 hours and fired on army positions and civilians areas in Bhimber Gali sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Defence spokesman in Jammu, Lt Colonel Manish Mehta, said Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire in Bhimber Gali (B) sector along LoC in Rajouri district at around 2015 hours last evening. He said the Pakistani troops fired from small and automatic weapons and also resorted to mortar shelling in army positions and civilian areas. Mehta said the army effectively retaliated with similar caliber weapons. After 18 hours of calm, the Pakistani troops again breached the border ceasefire in the same sector this afternoon. At around 2.45 pm today, the Pakistani troops again resorted to indiscriminate firing and mortar shelling on Indian positions and civilian areas in BG sector of Rajouri district, defence spokesman said. He said the army men also returned the fire and both sides exchanged gunfire and mortars for some time. The guns on both sides fell silent in the evening. The Pakistani troops had also breached border ceasefire in Kalsian area in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Sunday when people were celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr. Due to the shelling, people had to migrate to safer places. There have been more than 20 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in twin border district of Poonch and Rajouri districts this month so far. Army official said Pakistani troops are resorting to firing and shelling along LoC to facilitate infiltration of militants into J&K to create disturbances. He said troops are on high alert along LoC to deal with any situation and foil infiltration attempts by militants. On June 22 Pakistan armys notorious Border Action Team (BAT) attacked a patrol party of the army about 600 meters inside Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector killing two soldiers and injuring another. The BAT team also lost one of its members and another was injured in retaliatory firing by the army. It was the third BAT attack on soldiers along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in two months. Earlier, on May 1 Border Action Team (BAT) had conducted cross-LoC raid and ambushed armys patrol party in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district killing two soldiers and mutilating their bodies. On May 26, Army had foiled a BAT attack on their patrol party along LoC in Uri sector of North Kashmirs Baramulla district, killing two heavily armed militants. By PTI MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena today said the Prime Minister has been assertive about India's stand on terrorism globally but the situation back home, especially in Kashmir has been worrisome, remarks that come against the backdrop of Narendra Modi's statement in the US on surgical strikes. The party said that even as the prime minister tries to change the face of India globally, the condition of internal security is a cause for concern. "There was definitely a lot of weight in PM Modi's statement on surgical strikes. However, even after the strikes, terrorist activities from the Pakistani side have continued and our soldiers are getting martyred," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. On the occasion of Eid, Pakistani flags were hoisted and pro-Pakistani slogans were raised in Kashmir, it claimed. "(US President) Donald Trump has assured India of standing by it to counter terrorism. Earlier Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton too said the same thing. But how much did they actually help is a matter of investigation. "Also, due to Trump's policies, lakhs of Indians are on the verge of losing their jobs in the US. There are hopes that the Modi-Trump meet leads to a solution on this," it said. "Uptil now, Chinese troops used to enter Arunachal Pradesh and Leh. Now it has been learnt that they have entered Sikkim and destroyed two Indian bunkers. This is a shocking incident," it said. The Sena expressed hope that the Modi-Trump meet would solve issues concerning Pakistan and China once and for all. The surgical strikes were launched on September 29 last year as a response to an attack by Pakistan-based terrorists on an Indian Army base in Kashmir's Uri in which 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives. MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena today said the Prime Minister has been assertive about India's stand on terrorism globally but the situation back home, especially in Kashmir has been worrisome, remarks that come against the backdrop of Narendra Modi's statement in the US on surgical strikes. The party said that even as the prime minister tries to change the face of India globally, the condition of internal security is a cause for concern. "There was definitely a lot of weight in PM Modi's statement on surgical strikes. However, even after the strikes, terrorist activities from the Pakistani side have continued and our soldiers are getting martyred," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. On the occasion of Eid, Pakistani flags were hoisted and pro-Pakistani slogans were raised in Kashmir, it claimed. "(US President) Donald Trump has assured India of standing by it to counter terrorism. Earlier Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton too said the same thing. But how much did they actually help is a matter of investigation. "Also, due to Trump's policies, lakhs of Indians are on the verge of losing their jobs in the US. There are hopes that the Modi-Trump meet leads to a solution on this," it said. "Uptil now, Chinese troops used to enter Arunachal Pradesh and Leh. Now it has been learnt that they have entered Sikkim and destroyed two Indian bunkers. This is a shocking incident," it said. The Sena expressed hope that the Modi-Trump meet would solve issues concerning Pakistan and China once and for all. The surgical strikes were launched on September 29 last year as a response to an attack by Pakistan-based terrorists on an Indian Army base in Kashmir's Uri in which 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives. US President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to join Emmanuel Macron at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on July 14, the French presidency said Wednesday. Trump will attend the traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue, where US soldiers will march alongside French troops to commemorate the centenary of America entering World War I, Macron's office said. Search Keywords: Short link: By PTI DARJEELING: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists held fresh demonstrations today for 'Gorkhaland' as security forces kept a strict vigil in the hills which remained tense on the 14th day of the indefinite shutdown. The Army, meanwhile, was withdrawn from the restive hills after the state government sought its pull-out. The GJM supporters had torched an office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration last night prompting the police to briefly detain two central committee members of the party, Samuel Gurung and R B Bhujal. Both were released after two hours. Protesters also ransacked a panchayat office in Bijanbari area, 25 km from here early today. The Army was withdrawn from the hills as the state government sought its withdrawal, a defence spokesman said in Kolkata. "Six columns of the Army were deployed in the hills on June 8 on requisition from the state government. The Army was withdrawn on June 24 as the state government sought its withdrawal", he said. Internet services continued to remain suspended in the hills. Hundreds of GJM supporters held demonstrations at Chowkbazar with the security forces keeping a strict vigil. Children in traditional dress were also seen in the demonstration. Some of them had "We want Gorkhaland" slogan written on their chests. Tourism Minister and TMC leader Gautam Deb slammed the GJM for using children to serve their interests. "Do children understand anything about Gorkhaland? It is a violation of the human rights. We condemn it," he said. An all-party meeting is scheduled to be held in Kalimpong tomorrow to discuss the next course of action. "We have demanded withdrawal of security forces from the hills and restoration of internet services but nothing has been done. So we will discuss how the agitation can be intensified," a top GJM leader said. The police and security forces patrolled the streets and kept a tight vigil on all entry and exit routes. Barring pharmacies, all shops, schools, colleges were closed. In few areas of Darjeeling GJM supporters burnt copies of the GTA accord. The GTA agreement was signed by the Centre, the state government and the GJM in 2011 following a prolonged unrest in the hills. The GJM said that its 45 members had resigned from the GTA last week and the administrative body had ceased to exist. DARJEELING: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists held fresh demonstrations today for 'Gorkhaland' as security forces kept a strict vigil in the hills which remained tense on the 14th day of the indefinite shutdown. The Army, meanwhile, was withdrawn from the restive hills after the state government sought its pull-out. The GJM supporters had torched an office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration last night prompting the police to briefly detain two central committee members of the party, Samuel Gurung and R B Bhujal. Both were released after two hours. Protesters also ransacked a panchayat office in Bijanbari area, 25 km from here early today. The Army was withdrawn from the hills as the state government sought its withdrawal, a defence spokesman said in Kolkata. "Six columns of the Army were deployed in the hills on June 8 on requisition from the state government. The Army was withdrawn on June 24 as the state government sought its withdrawal", he said. Internet services continued to remain suspended in the hills. Hundreds of GJM supporters held demonstrations at Chowkbazar with the security forces keeping a strict vigil. Children in traditional dress were also seen in the demonstration. Some of them had "We want Gorkhaland" slogan written on their chests. Tourism Minister and TMC leader Gautam Deb slammed the GJM for using children to serve their interests. "Do children understand anything about Gorkhaland? It is a violation of the human rights. We condemn it," he said. An all-party meeting is scheduled to be held in Kalimpong tomorrow to discuss the next course of action. "We have demanded withdrawal of security forces from the hills and restoration of internet services but nothing has been done. So we will discuss how the agitation can be intensified," a top GJM leader said. The police and security forces patrolled the streets and kept a tight vigil on all entry and exit routes. Barring pharmacies, all shops, schools, colleges were closed. In few areas of Darjeeling GJM supporters burnt copies of the GTA accord. The GTA agreement was signed by the Centre, the state government and the GJM in 2011 following a prolonged unrest in the hills. The GJM said that its 45 members had resigned from the GTA last week and the administrative body had ceased to exist. Manoj Das By Who has not heard of the Vale of Cashmere/ With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave/ Its temples and grottos, and fountains as clear/ As the love-lighted eyes that hang over their wave? This was Kashmir in Thomas Moores Lalla Rookh (1817), a description that echoed in innumerable works, prose and verses, often far more hyperbolic. That was precisely the reason that put me off from ever visiting the Valley, lest I should encounter eyes that looked daggers instead of love-lighted ones. But I gave up that pseudo-romantic mood when the National Book Trust proposed that I attend a large book fair they intended holding in the heart of Srinagar after many years. The local writers wished to have a dialogue with an author from outside Kashmir. That was in May 2012, a peaceful time. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the fair, while behind a superficial bar, a huge wave of enthusiastic people waited to break upon the glittering ground. There were more than a hundred cosy pavilions from different cities along with those of the leading publishers of Jammu and Kashmir. During the next ten days, thousands of people breathed that festive air, mingling with the men of the Central Reserve Force who were allowed batch by batch to enjoy that rare variety of recreation and they proved to be good buyers as a beaming stall-keeper informed me. Remarkably, the politicos who visited the fair included Messrs. Yasin Malik, Geelani and Mirwaiz. The afternoon of the inaugural day was marked for this writers interaction with the local authors. Surprisingly a large part of the audience consisted of students, retired bureaucrats and teachers. But a far greater surprise awaited me. The day after, two young local professors of English, while driving me to Pahelgaon, stopped at Anantnag for a cup of tea with the staff of a major college. And then came the request from the staff: Would I agree to give a talk to the senior students, research scholars and the staff of their college as well as those from the nearby womens college? The zeal behind their request was irresistible. O dear! said a businessman tourist at my hotel who had proposed to take me to Gulmarg. You (will) miss Gulmarg for the sake of a risk. You never know how youd be treated! The spacious auditorium was full, about one-fourth of the audience consisted of women. The subject chosen was Literary creativity in a time of rapid changes. I spoke for 45 minutes; no mobile; the silence was complete, several hands taking notes. Then the principal invited questions. Amazing was the quality of the questions. A sample: Reading a classic, we feel a sort of positive satisfaction; but how is it that a modern work of fiction, award-winning and highly publicised, leaves us with a feeling of depression? What about a series of extension lecturessay three? affectionately demanded some members of the staff as they saw me off. I left that fond companyall Muslimswith a deep sense of positive satisfaction. What a mighty difference it should make if a broader network of communication could be built between these aspiring spirits and the greater academic India! A young scholar greeted me at the fair the next day. Sir, during the interaction, you said that the first ever work of history in Indian literature was written by a Kashmiri. Do you mind spelling out the names of the work and its author once again? Rajatarangini, by Kalhana, I said. Our textbooks do not connect the cultural Kashmir to the rest of India in any detail, he commented in a subdued tone. For my morning tea I chose a nearby restaurant during all the five days of my stay. A suave and educated travel agent whom I met there the first day declared after our second meeting that we were friends. Some of his relatives lived in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, some in Pakistan, some in Mumbai and his own family in a small Kashmiri town. I dared to ask the friend, Tell me, are your relatives in Pakistan and PoK areas politically happier than those in Mumbai and your family here? He grew grave, looked askance and around. To be frank, they are unhappy. He listed reasons and added, For my kin in Mumbai, no problem. But we, my family here, have fear What fear, being Muslims? He looked sad. For you Muslim means one community. Not so. We are Shias, whereas the Sunnis form the majority. We do not know what is in store for us in the future. We ran into each other at the Kolkata airport early this year. I had never seen a man ageing doubly over four and a half years. We had an hour to go. We chose a lonely corner. His business was in the red. He cited reasons calmly. But he startled me with a sudden cry: The whole drama of partition, the perpetuation of hatred between Hindus and Muslims, those tides of mob furyis there any sense in them? Often we wondermy Sunni friends includedas to how so easily we become possessed by the ghoulish forces let loose by Devil. He paused. Sir, meanwhile I have lost my sweet young nephew to this insane turmoil! He covered his face with his palms. The last boarding call obliged me to hurry away, giving him a silent hug. But his voice dominated my memory for longthe tragic voice of the soul of Kashmir. And I can never associate those students who listened to my speech with todays stonepelters. In any case, how wonderful it would be if General Bipin Rawats call to the stonepelters to give up stones for books was taken seriously and all the social, literary and cultural organisations in the state unite in an effort to disillusion the youth in their expectations of anything positive from the prevailing climate of anarchy. Manoj Das Eminent author and recipient of several awards including the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Email: prof.manojdas@gmail.com Who has not heard of the Vale of Cashmere/ With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave/ Its temples and grottos, and fountains as clear/ As the love-lighted eyes that hang over their wave? This was Kashmir in Thomas Moores Lalla Rookh (1817), a description that echoed in innumerable works, prose and verses, often far more hyperbolic. That was precisely the reason that put me off from ever visiting the Valley, lest I should encounter eyes that looked daggers instead of love-lighted ones. But I gave up that pseudo-romantic mood when the National Book Trust proposed that I attend a large book fair they intended holding in the heart of Srinagar after many years. The local writers wished to have a dialogue with an author from outside Kashmir. That was in May 2012, a peaceful time. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the fair, while behind a superficial bar, a huge wave of enthusiastic people waited to break upon the glittering ground. There were more than a hundred cosy pavilions from different cities along with those of the leading publishers of Jammu and Kashmir. During the next ten days, thousands of people breathed that festive air, mingling with the men of the Central Reserve Force who were allowed batch by batch to enjoy that rare variety of recreation and they proved to be good buyers as a beaming stall-keeper informed me. Remarkably, the politicos who visited the fair included Messrs. Yasin Malik, Geelani and Mirwaiz. The afternoon of the inaugural day was marked for this writers interaction with the local authors. Surprisingly a large part of the audience consisted of students, retired bureaucrats and teachers. But a far greater surprise awaited me. The day after, two young local professors of English, while driving me to Pahelgaon, stopped at Anantnag for a cup of tea with the staff of a major college. And then came the request from the staff: Would I agree to give a talk to the senior students, research scholars and the staff of their college as well as those from the nearby womens college? The zeal behind their request was irresistible. O dear! said a businessman tourist at my hotel who had proposed to take me to Gulmarg. You (will) miss Gulmarg for the sake of a risk. You never know how youd be treated! The spacious auditorium was full, about one-fourth of the audience consisted of women. The subject chosen was Literary creativity in a time of rapid changes. I spoke for 45 minutes; no mobile; the silence was complete, several hands taking notes. Then the principal invited questions. Amazing was the quality of the questions. A sample: Reading a classic, we feel a sort of positive satisfaction; but how is it that a modern work of fiction, award-winning and highly publicised, leaves us with a feeling of depression? What about a series of extension lecturessay three? affectionately demanded some members of the staff as they saw me off. I left that fond companyall Muslimswith a deep sense of positive satisfaction. What a mighty difference it should make if a broader network of communication could be built between these aspiring spirits and the greater academic India! A young scholar greeted me at the fair the next day. Sir, during the interaction, you said that the first ever work of history in Indian literature was written by a Kashmiri. Do you mind spelling out the names of the work and its author once again? Rajatarangini, by Kalhana, I said. Our textbooks do not connect the cultural Kashmir to the rest of India in any detail, he commented in a subdued tone. For my morning tea I chose a nearby restaurant during all the five days of my stay. A suave and educated travel agent whom I met there the first day declared after our second meeting that we were friends. Some of his relatives lived in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, some in Pakistan, some in Mumbai and his own family in a small Kashmiri town. I dared to ask the friend, Tell me, are your relatives in Pakistan and PoK areas politically happier than those in Mumbai and your family here? He grew grave, looked askance and around. To be frank, they are unhappy. He listed reasons and added, For my kin in Mumbai, no problem. But we, my family here, have fear What fear, being Muslims? He looked sad. For you Muslim means one community. Not so. We are Shias, whereas the Sunnis form the majority. We do not know what is in store for us in the future. We ran into each other at the Kolkata airport early this year. I had never seen a man ageing doubly over four and a half years. We had an hour to go. We chose a lonely corner. His business was in the red. He cited reasons calmly. But he startled me with a sudden cry: The whole drama of partition, the perpetuation of hatred between Hindus and Muslims, those tides of mob furyis there any sense in them? Often we wondermy Sunni friends includedas to how so easily we become possessed by the ghoulish forces let loose by Devil. He paused. Sir, meanwhile I have lost my sweet young nephew to this insane turmoil! He covered his face with his palms. The last boarding call obliged me to hurry away, giving him a silent hug. But his voice dominated my memory for longthe tragic voice of the soul of Kashmir. And I can never associate those students who listened to my speech with todays stonepelters. In any case, how wonderful it would be if General Bipin Rawats call to the stonepelters to give up stones for books was taken seriously and all the social, literary and cultural organisations in the state unite in an effort to disillusion the youth in their expectations of anything positive from the prevailing climate of anarchy. Manoj Das Eminent author and recipient of several awards including the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Email: prof.manojdas@gmail.com Harish Gilai By Express News Service RAMPACHODAVARAM : We spend our nights praying to God that we dont wake up to another death. For a month now, our men have been carrying bodies to burial ground almost every day. In the second week of this month, a family in our village saw three deaths on a single day, said M Manamma, a resident of Chaparai village in Boddangi Panchayat, who is being treated at Government Hospital, Rampachodavaram. It all began on June 2, recall villagers, when 30-year-old Boramma fell ill. She had severe fever, was unable to eat food and was dehydrated. A day later, two more fell ill. In five days, the death toll began to rise and panic spread. Despite people dying and more falling ill, none of the locals approached a doctor, choosing instead to stick to their own herbal medicines. Boddangi Panchayat Sarpanch Marigela Narsamma said a few villagers wanted to meet a doctor, but superstitious villagers cautioned them. A 60-year-old person died in the village due to same symptoms. Then a few villagers spread rumours that the man came to them in their dream and warned not to speak about the disease to others or the whole community would perish. Fear took hold of them and people began to think twice before stepping out of their homes, the Sarpanch said. Chaparai village, located in the interiors of East Godavari, is home to 380 people. The villagers live off the water from streams as there is no drinking water facility in the hamlet. Officials, however, claim there are several borewells in the region. Sources said the villagers, unaware of the importance of good hygiene and safety, hardly ever boil water and store food for four to five days. Due to the rains, mosquitoes have begun to breed in stagnant water in the hamlet. Not just potable water, medicines, roads, education, electricity and other minimum basic needs are far removed from our lives. We have brought theses issues to the notice of the government, but it is only now, after the deaths that officials have reacted, said Narsamma, The PHC nearest to Chaparai is in Gurthedu, which is approximately 15km away. We have to travel 30 km to reach the closest centre in Mangampadu, a tribal said.Every month, we go to ration depot in Boddangi by travelling 6 km on foot. The ration which arrives at Kadirikota is later shifted to Boddangi as the road connectivity is poor, he said. Not just potable water, medicines, roads, education, electricity and other minimum basic needs are far removed from our lives. It is only now, after the deaths that officials have reacted Chaparai resident. As the doctors did not show interest to work in agency areas, we have decided to implement a rotation system for them. The doctors will have to work there for at least 45 days then Health Minister. RAMPACHODAVARAM : We spend our nights praying to God that we dont wake up to another death. For a month now, our men have been carrying bodies to burial ground almost every day. In the second week of this month, a family in our village saw three deaths on a single day, said M Manamma, a resident of Chaparai village in Boddangi Panchayat, who is being treated at Government Hospital, Rampachodavaram. It all began on June 2, recall villagers, when 30-year-old Boramma fell ill. She had severe fever, was unable to eat food and was dehydrated. A day later, two more fell ill. In five days, the death toll began to rise and panic spread. Despite people dying and more falling ill, none of the locals approached a doctor, choosing instead to stick to their own herbal medicines. Boddangi Panchayat Sarpanch Marigela Narsamma said a few villagers wanted to meet a doctor, but superstitious villagers cautioned them. A 60-year-old person died in the village due to same symptoms. Then a few villagers spread rumours that the man came to them in their dream and warned not to speak about the disease to others or the whole community would perish. Fear took hold of them and people began to think twice before stepping out of their homes, the Sarpanch said. Chaparai village, located in the interiors of East Godavari, is home to 380 people. The villagers live off the water from streams as there is no drinking water facility in the hamlet. Officials, however, claim there are several borewells in the region. Sources said the villagers, unaware of the importance of good hygiene and safety, hardly ever boil water and store food for four to five days. Due to the rains, mosquitoes have begun to breed in stagnant water in the hamlet. Not just potable water, medicines, roads, education, electricity and other minimum basic needs are far removed from our lives. We have brought theses issues to the notice of the government, but it is only now, after the deaths that officials have reacted, said Narsamma, The PHC nearest to Chaparai is in Gurthedu, which is approximately 15km away. We have to travel 30 km to reach the closest centre in Mangampadu, a tribal said.Every month, we go to ration depot in Boddangi by travelling 6 km on foot. The ration which arrives at Kadirikota is later shifted to Boddangi as the road connectivity is poor, he said. Not just potable water, medicines, roads, education, electricity and other minimum basic needs are far removed from our lives. It is only now, after the deaths that officials have reacted Chaparai resident. As the doctors did not show interest to work in agency areas, we have decided to implement a rotation system for them. The doctors will have to work there for at least 45 days then Health Minister. Suraksha P By Express News Service BENGALURU: As many as 2,752 doctors, paramedics and AYUSH medical officers were trained at Hubballi Health and Family Welfare Training Centre (HFWTC) in 2014, said official figures. However, the fact is that none of these 2,752 doctors or paramedics existed! While the health department struggles to fill 1,400 posts in village health centres, it has lost National Health Mission funds to ghost employees. The revelation was made in the special audit report submitted last April, a copy of which is with Express. Despite the loss being pegged at Rs 4.31 crore, the department is making no efforts to recover them. According to reports submitted by Hubballi Centre to the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare (SIHFW), 554 doctors got Basic Medical Obstetric Care training, 2,122 staff nurses and midwives were trained in skilled birth assistance, and 76 AYUSH medical officers were trained at the centre. But the claims were exposed when the audit team cross-checked the figures with attendance records. There are four HFWTCs in the state Mysuru, Bengaluru, Kalaburagi and Hubballi. On comparing the money released to Hubballi with other HFWTCs, it was observed that it was almost 10 times more (see table). That itself should have raised suspicions in the Bengaluru headquarters, said an NHM official requesting anonymity.Of the total budget approved for SIHFW (Rs 20.98 crore), Rs 4.95 crore was released to Hubballi. But it covered only three districts Koppal, Bagalkot and Haveri. The role of approving authority and fund releasing authority of SIHFW Bengaluru cannot be ignored, the report observes. The then Principal of HFWTC, Dr Manoli, and the director of SIHFW Dr A Aruna have retired. The audit team recommends criminal proceedings against those involved in financial irregularities but does not name them. It also recommends action against officials working during 2014-15 for non-maintenance of records. Two officials working during this period were AK Ramdurga and VR Goakar, first and second division assistants. State NHM CFO Manjunath Swamy, when asked how funds are recovered from employees in financial irregularity cases, said, If the indicted employee is still with us, their salary, PF and gratuity can be withheld. In case of retired employees, properties can be attached. Health Commissioner Subodh Yadav who is the disciplining authority, said, I have never come across this issue. Ive asked for the file to be put up immediately. National Health Mission director Rathan Kelkar did not respond to repeated queries from Express. Principal Health Secretary Shalini Rajneesh promised to look into the issue. Health Minister KR Ramesh Kumar could not be reached on this issue. BENGALURU: As many as 2,752 doctors, paramedics and AYUSH medical officers were trained at Hubballi Health and Family Welfare Training Centre (HFWTC) in 2014, said official figures. However, the fact is that none of these 2,752 doctors or paramedics existed! While the health department struggles to fill 1,400 posts in village health centres, it has lost National Health Mission funds to ghost employees. The revelation was made in the special audit report submitted last April, a copy of which is with Express. Despite the loss being pegged at Rs 4.31 crore, the department is making no efforts to recover them. According to reports submitted by Hubballi Centre to the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare (SIHFW), 554 doctors got Basic Medical Obstetric Care training, 2,122 staff nurses and midwives were trained in skilled birth assistance, and 76 AYUSH medical officers were trained at the centre. But the claims were exposed when the audit team cross-checked the figures with attendance records. There are four HFWTCs in the state Mysuru, Bengaluru, Kalaburagi and Hubballi. On comparing the money released to Hubballi with other HFWTCs, it was observed that it was almost 10 times more (see table). That itself should have raised suspicions in the Bengaluru headquarters, said an NHM official requesting anonymity.Of the total budget approved for SIHFW (Rs 20.98 crore), Rs 4.95 crore was released to Hubballi. But it covered only three districts Koppal, Bagalkot and Haveri. The role of approving authority and fund releasing authority of SIHFW Bengaluru cannot be ignored, the report observes. The then Principal of HFWTC, Dr Manoli, and the director of SIHFW Dr A Aruna have retired. The audit team recommends criminal proceedings against those involved in financial irregularities but does not name them. It also recommends action against officials working during 2014-15 for non-maintenance of records. Two officials working during this period were AK Ramdurga and VR Goakar, first and second division assistants. State NHM CFO Manjunath Swamy, when asked how funds are recovered from employees in financial irregularity cases, said, If the indicted employee is still with us, their salary, PF and gratuity can be withheld. In case of retired employees, properties can be attached. Health Commissioner Subodh Yadav who is the disciplining authority, said, I have never come across this issue. Ive asked for the file to be put up immediately. National Health Mission director Rathan Kelkar did not respond to repeated queries from Express. Principal Health Secretary Shalini Rajneesh promised to look into the issue. Health Minister KR Ramesh Kumar could not be reached on this issue. By Express News Service THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Loknath Behera will be Keralas next director-general of police after present incumbent T P Senkumar retires on Friday, June 30. The decision to appoint Behera was taken by the cabinet on Wednesday. His name was recommended by a panel led by chief secretary Nalini Netto on Tuesday. Behera is presently the director-general of Vigilance. It will be his second stint at the top of the police force in Kerala. He was replaced by Senkumar on May 7 when the latter was reinstated by the Supreme Court following a nine-month legal battle with the state government. The government has not named the successor to Behera in Vigilance. Sources in the government said the Vigilance appointment is likely to be decided upon in the next cabinet meeting; until then, Behera is likely to hold additional charge. There have been reports that A Hemachandran, director-general of Fire and Rescue Services, would head Vigilance. Behera thanked the government for appointing him as the police chief. "I'm glad the government has trust in me. Now my job will be timely completion of pending cases. I will give importance to investigation of cases. I'm least bothered about controversies," Behera said. Behera will take charge on July 1. Though IMG director DGP Jacob Thomas is the senior-most police officer in Kerala, the selection panel did not recommend him. The next in line of seniority was DGP Arun Kumar Sinha, who is presently in a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) assignment in New York. However, Sinha was not interested in returning to Kerala. A major reshuffle of the police brass is tipped to take place along with the Behera appointment. THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Loknath Behera will be Keralas next director-general of police after present incumbent T P Senkumar retires on Friday, June 30. The decision to appoint Behera was taken by the cabinet on Wednesday. His name was recommended by a panel led by chief secretary Nalini Netto on Tuesday. Behera is presently the director-general of Vigilance. It will be his second stint at the top of the police force in Kerala. He was replaced by Senkumar on May 7 when the latter was reinstated by the Supreme Court following a nine-month legal battle with the state government. The government has not named the successor to Behera in Vigilance. Sources in the government said the Vigilance appointment is likely to be decided upon in the next cabinet meeting; until then, Behera is likely to hold additional charge. There have been reports that A Hemachandran, director-general of Fire and Rescue Services, would head Vigilance. Behera thanked the government for appointing him as the police chief. "I'm glad the government has trust in me. Now my job will be timely completion of pending cases. I will give importance to investigation of cases. I'm least bothered about controversies," Behera said. Behera will take charge on July 1. Though IMG director DGP Jacob Thomas is the senior-most police officer in Kerala, the selection panel did not recommend him. The next in line of seniority was DGP Arun Kumar Sinha, who is presently in a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) assignment in New York. However, Sinha was not interested in returning to Kerala. A major reshuffle of the police brass is tipped to take place along with the Behera appointment. By Express News Service DEOGARH/SAMBALPUR:An 18-year-old female Maoist cadre Sabitri Murmu alias Kuni surrendered before Deogarh SP Sarah Sharma on Tuesday. A native of Krushnapur village in Telkoi block of Keonjhar, Kuni had joined the banned CPI(Maoist) outfit when she was studying in Class IV, as a child militia in 2008. Later, she was shifted to Kalinga Nagar division of the outfit and worked under the regional commander Sushil alias Basanta. After undergoing arms training in 2010 at Kalohota in Keonjhar, she was handling a .303 rifle. She was involved in kidnapping ASI Umesh Marandi in 2010 under Daitari police limits. Kuni was also present during exchange of fire at Tikarpada under Kaliapani police limits of Jajpur in 2011. She moved in Jajpur, Angul, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Deogarh districts. Realising that the Maoists are deviating from the ideology of the outfit, she decided to join the mainstream. She, along with other female cadres, were victims of physical and mental harassment. The SP said Kuni would be rehabilitated as per governments surrender policy. On the other hand, sources said Maoists are holed up in villages atop Badrama hill range bordering Sambalpur and Deogarh. They have visited villages of Pudadiha, Salohi, Bhutel, Arghen and Sarda in Sarda gram panchayat in Sambalpur district besides Kansar gram panchayat in Deogarh district. They organised meetings in the villages and are trying to regain their lost control over the areas, sources said and added that they have demanded ransom from contractors engaged in development of Sarda gram panchayat, which has been adopted under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. There are at least 30 cadres of whom five are speaking Odia while the rest are speaking Hindi. Taking advantage of change of guard with SP Akhileswar Singh getting transferred to Cuttack and his successor Sanjiv Arora, who is yet to join and is new to the district, the Maoists are trying to regroup. DEOGARH/SAMBALPUR:An 18-year-old female Maoist cadre Sabitri Murmu alias Kuni surrendered before Deogarh SP Sarah Sharma on Tuesday. A native of Krushnapur village in Telkoi block of Keonjhar, Kuni had joined the banned CPI(Maoist) outfit when she was studying in Class IV, as a child militia in 2008. Later, she was shifted to Kalinga Nagar division of the outfit and worked under the regional commander Sushil alias Basanta. After undergoing arms training in 2010 at Kalohota in Keonjhar, she was handling a .303 rifle. She was involved in kidnapping ASI Umesh Marandi in 2010 under Daitari police limits. Kuni was also present during exchange of fire at Tikarpada under Kaliapani police limits of Jajpur in 2011. She moved in Jajpur, Angul, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Deogarh districts. Realising that the Maoists are deviating from the ideology of the outfit, she decided to join the mainstream. She, along with other female cadres, were victims of physical and mental harassment. The SP said Kuni would be rehabilitated as per governments surrender policy. On the other hand, sources said Maoists are holed up in villages atop Badrama hill range bordering Sambalpur and Deogarh. They have visited villages of Pudadiha, Salohi, Bhutel, Arghen and Sarda in Sarda gram panchayat in Sambalpur district besides Kansar gram panchayat in Deogarh district. They organised meetings in the villages and are trying to regain their lost control over the areas, sources said and added that they have demanded ransom from contractors engaged in development of Sarda gram panchayat, which has been adopted under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. There are at least 30 cadres of whom five are speaking Odia while the rest are speaking Hindi. Taking advantage of change of guard with SP Akhileswar Singh getting transferred to Cuttack and his successor Sanjiv Arora, who is yet to join and is new to the district, the Maoists are trying to regroup. By Express News Service TIRUVANNAMALAI, VILLUPURAM: Amid tight security, BJP national president Amit Shah offered worship at Arunachalaswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday. Around 10:20 am, Shahs helicopter landed at a temporary helipad set up at Tiruvannamalai Government Arts College in Tiruvnanamalai. He was received by AIADMK MLAs representing three factions and BJP cadres. Representing Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy, HR and CE Minister Sevur S Ramachandran, while on behalf of TTV Dhinakaran, AIADMK MLAs Panneer Selvam, Thoosi MLA Mohan and other office-bearers welcomed him. Tiruvannamalai MP Vanasaroja, who said to be O Panneerselvams supporter was denied permission to enter into the helipad as her name was not listed in the visitors list inside the college campus. Later, she was allowed after she picked up a quarrel with the police. Union Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan were also present. Later, Amit Shah went to Ramana Maharshi Ashram located on Girivalam path. There he spent some time in mediation. After about 40 minutes, he left to the Arunachalaswarar temple for worship. He was given Poorana-Kumba respect in the temple by the priests. He entered into the temple through Ammani Amman tower and worshiped at Arunachalaswarar temple. Earlier, Tamilisai Soundararajan tried to conduct a two-wheeler rally from Ramana Maharishi ashram to Arunachalaswarar temple marking a grand welcome for him. However, police denied permission citing security reasons. Over this issue, Tamilisai picked up a quarrel with the Superintendent of Police, R Ponni, and raised slogans demanding the police to allow them to take out a bike rally. Later, Amit Shah left to Delhi by 11:30 am. Interaction with cadre BJP national president Amit Shah, who visited Puducherry on Monday as a part of his nation-wide tour to strengthen his party base, also paid a visit to the world famous Matrimandir Meditation Chamber in Auroville on Tuesday. Despite the venue being temporarily closed from June 5 to July 5 for renovation work, special arrangements were made for the BJP leader to meditate inside the chamber. Upon reaching the meditation chamber at 8:50 am, Shah was accorded welcome by president of Auroville Foundation Mohan Varghese IAS. According to sources, Amit Shah also discussed with the chamber authorities, matters regarding the preparatory works for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the Matrimadir next year. Following his mediation at Matrimandir, Shah held discussion with his functionaries from both Puducherry and Villupuram. TIRUVANNAMALAI, VILLUPURAM: Amid tight security, BJP national president Amit Shah offered worship at Arunachalaswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday. Around 10:20 am, Shahs helicopter landed at a temporary helipad set up at Tiruvannamalai Government Arts College in Tiruvnanamalai. He was received by AIADMK MLAs representing three factions and BJP cadres. Representing Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy, HR and CE Minister Sevur S Ramachandran, while on behalf of TTV Dhinakaran, AIADMK MLAs Panneer Selvam, Thoosi MLA Mohan and other office-bearers welcomed him. Tiruvannamalai MP Vanasaroja, who said to be O Panneerselvams supporter was denied permission to enter into the helipad as her name was not listed in the visitors list inside the college campus. Later, she was allowed after she picked up a quarrel with the police. Union Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan were also present. Later, Amit Shah went to Ramana Maharshi Ashram located on Girivalam path. There he spent some time in mediation. After about 40 minutes, he left to the Arunachalaswarar temple for worship. He was given Poorana-Kumba respect in the temple by the priests. He entered into the temple through Ammani Amman tower and worshiped at Arunachalaswarar temple. Earlier, Tamilisai Soundararajan tried to conduct a two-wheeler rally from Ramana Maharishi ashram to Arunachalaswarar temple marking a grand welcome for him. However, police denied permission citing security reasons. Over this issue, Tamilisai picked up a quarrel with the Superintendent of Police, R Ponni, and raised slogans demanding the police to allow them to take out a bike rally. Later, Amit Shah left to Delhi by 11:30 am. Interaction with cadre BJP national president Amit Shah, who visited Puducherry on Monday as a part of his nation-wide tour to strengthen his party base, also paid a visit to the world famous Matrimandir Meditation Chamber in Auroville on Tuesday. Despite the venue being temporarily closed from June 5 to July 5 for renovation work, special arrangements were made for the BJP leader to meditate inside the chamber. Upon reaching the meditation chamber at 8:50 am, Shah was accorded welcome by president of Auroville Foundation Mohan Varghese IAS. According to sources, Amit Shah also discussed with the chamber authorities, matters regarding the preparatory works for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the Matrimadir next year. Following his mediation at Matrimandir, Shah held discussion with his functionaries from both Puducherry and Villupuram. By Express News Service NAGARKURNOOL : On Tuesday when Telangana IT minister K T Rama Rao took to social media to highlight what he called the changing face of health care in the state by tweeting pictures of two area hospitals in Hyderabad which got a makeover, the reality of healthcare in the state was brought to the fore in Nagarkurnool district where pregnant women staged a dharna in front of the district hospital. The reason for the protest was that they had been told to go to the Mahbubnagar district hospital for their deliveries. The Nagarkurnool district hospital has no gynaecologists and a shortage of anesthetists. Nagarkurnool is part of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district from where the states health minister Dr C Laxma Reddy hails. The women alleged that they were forced to make the rounds of the hospital for treatment and then were sent to Mahbubnagar district hospital for delivery. The protesting pregnant women meeting with hospital officials in Nagarkurnool on Tuesday | Express They also complained that they were unable to get the newly launched KCR kits as they had to go to private hospitals for deliveries. An official admitted that while the KCR Kits were drawing pregnant woman to government hospitals, the lack of staff was preventing them from delivering their babies at those hospitals. Police rushed to the spot and convinced them to talk to hospital superintendent Dr Malathi. The women withdrew the protest only after the superintendent promised that they would be treated at the hospital itself. Dr Malathi told Express the hospital lacked a gynaecologist and anesthetist. The hospital requires five gynaecologists and two anesthetists. We have hired two PG medical doctors to provide treatment for pregnant women, she said. Both had taken leave on Tuesday. We will bring doctors from Mahbubnagar district hospital and treat patients, she said Area hospitals refurbished in Hyderabad IT minister KTR on Tuesday tweeted photos of the refurbished King Koti and Malakpet hospitals as examples of the changing face of healthcare in the state. NAGARKURNOOL : On Tuesday when Telangana IT minister K T Rama Rao took to social media to highlight what he called the changing face of health care in the state by tweeting pictures of two area hospitals in Hyderabad which got a makeover, the reality of healthcare in the state was brought to the fore in Nagarkurnool district where pregnant women staged a dharna in front of the district hospital. The reason for the protest was that they had been told to go to the Mahbubnagar district hospital for their deliveries. The Nagarkurnool district hospital has no gynaecologists and a shortage of anesthetists. Nagarkurnool is part of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district from where the states health minister Dr C Laxma Reddy hails. The women alleged that they were forced to make the rounds of the hospital for treatment and then were sent to Mahbubnagar district hospital for delivery. The protesting pregnant women meeting with hospital officials in Nagarkurnool on Tuesday | ExpressThey also complained that they were unable to get the newly launched KCR kits as they had to go to private hospitals for deliveries. An official admitted that while the KCR Kits were drawing pregnant woman to government hospitals, the lack of staff was preventing them from delivering their babies at those hospitals. Police rushed to the spot and convinced them to talk to hospital superintendent Dr Malathi. The women withdrew the protest only after the superintendent promised that they would be treated at the hospital itself. Dr Malathi told Express the hospital lacked a gynaecologist and anesthetist. The hospital requires five gynaecologists and two anesthetists. We have hired two PG medical doctors to provide treatment for pregnant women, she said. Both had taken leave on Tuesday. We will bring doctors from Mahbubnagar district hospital and treat patients, she said Area hospitals refurbished in Hyderabad IT minister KTR on Tuesday tweeted photos of the refurbished King Koti and Malakpet hospitals as examples of the changing face of healthcare in the state. By AFP BEIRUT: At least 30 civilians were killed in air strikes on an area of eastern Syria held by the Islamic State group on Wednesday, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately able to say whether the strikes in Deir Ezzor province were carried out by the US-led coalition, or by the Syrian army or its Russian ally. They came just two days after a suspected coalition strike on an IS jail in the province killed 42 prisoners and 15 jihadists, according to an Observatory toll. BEIRUT: At least 30 civilians were killed in air strikes on an area of eastern Syria held by the Islamic State group on Wednesday, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately able to say whether the strikes in Deir Ezzor province were carried out by the US-led coalition, or by the Syrian army or its Russian ally. They came just two days after a suspected coalition strike on an IS jail in the province killed 42 prisoners and 15 jihadists, according to an Observatory toll. By PTI BEIJING: China has justified the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector, saying the area "undoubtedly" is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. " As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. The statement came a day after the Chinese military accused the Indian army of stopping the construction of the road in what it claims to be China's "sovereign territory" in the Sikkim section of the India-China border. Lu said the Sikkim segment of the China-India border was recognised by both China and India. "Indian leaders, the Indian government-related documents, the Indian side in the Sino-Indian boundary issue Special Representatives meeting confirmed that the two sides signed the treaty in 1890, the 'Sino-British treaty' and the China- India boundary of Sikkim to have the direction of a consensus," he said. "Compliance with these treaties and documents is an international obligation that not to be shirked by the Indian side," he added. A Chinese foreign ministry statement, issued on Monday night, said "the Indian border guards crossed the boundary in the Sikkim section of the China-India border and entered the territory of China and obstructed normal activities of the Chinese frontier forces in the Donglang area recently, and the Chinese side has taken counter-measures." Lu, earlier yesterday, said China lodged a diplomatic protest with India accusing Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. He also asserted that China has shut the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. Also a hard-hitting article posted on the website of the state-run Global Times tonight on the issue said, "Indian troops' provocation brings disgrace to themselves" and they should be forced to retreat "by all necessary means". "The Indian government made no objection to the Sikkim section of the China-India border. Allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge, but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare. The Nathu La pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006, because there is no border dispute between China and India over this area," it said. "It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government," it said. "Whatever the motive is, China must stick to its bottom line. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," the article said. As the China-India borderline has not been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas, it noted. "However, almost all frictions are fed to the Indian media by the Indian military which they hype time and again". "China avoids making an issue of the border disputes, which has indulged India's unruly provocations. This time the Indian side needs to be taught the rules," the article said. "India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial," the article said, adding that China has no desire to confront India. "Maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy. But this must be based on mutual respect. It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," it said. BEIJING: China has justified the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector, saying the area "undoubtedly" is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. " As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. The statement came a day after the Chinese military accused the Indian army of stopping the construction of the road in what it claims to be China's "sovereign territory" in the Sikkim section of the India-China border. Lu said the Sikkim segment of the China-India border was recognised by both China and India. "Indian leaders, the Indian government-related documents, the Indian side in the Sino-Indian boundary issue Special Representatives meeting confirmed that the two sides signed the treaty in 1890, the 'Sino-British treaty' and the China- India boundary of Sikkim to have the direction of a consensus," he said. "Compliance with these treaties and documents is an international obligation that not to be shirked by the Indian side," he added. A Chinese foreign ministry statement, issued on Monday night, said "the Indian border guards crossed the boundary in the Sikkim section of the China-India border and entered the territory of China and obstructed normal activities of the Chinese frontier forces in the Donglang area recently, and the Chinese side has taken counter-measures." Lu, earlier yesterday, said China lodged a diplomatic protest with India accusing Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. He also asserted that China has shut the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. Also a hard-hitting article posted on the website of the state-run Global Times tonight on the issue said, "Indian troops' provocation brings disgrace to themselves" and they should be forced to retreat "by all necessary means". "The Indian government made no objection to the Sikkim section of the China-India border. Allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge, but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare. The Nathu La pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006, because there is no border dispute between China and India over this area," it said. "It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government," it said. "Whatever the motive is, China must stick to its bottom line. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," the article said. As the China-India borderline has not been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas, it noted. "However, almost all frictions are fed to the Indian media by the Indian military which they hype time and again". "China avoids making an issue of the border disputes, which has indulged India's unruly provocations. This time the Indian side needs to be taught the rules," the article said. "India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial," the article said, adding that China has no desire to confront India. "Maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy. But this must be based on mutual respect. It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," it said. Police in Poland said they had evacuated passengers from a train travelling from Warsaw to Berlin on Wednesday evening after receiving a bomb threat. The train stopped in Mogilno, western Poland, after Poland's state railways received an email with the bomb threat. "We've evacuated several hundred people from the train," Mogilno police spokeswoman Magdalena Pollack told AFP. "A bomb squad is checking whether this is a false alarm," she added. Unlike several countries in Western Europe, Poland has no recent history of terrorism. Search Keywords: Short link: By Associated Press TEHRAN: Iran says the US Supreme Court's decision to reinstate parts of a travel ban applied to six Muslim-majority countries is "racist" and "unfair." Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by state TV Wednesday as saying it is "regrettable" that Washington "closes its eyes to the main perpetrators of terrorist acts in the US," without elaborating. The Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to forge ahead with a limited version of his ban on travelers from Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia. The justices will hear full arguments in October in the case. Critics say the ban is intended to meet Trump's campaign promise of keeping Muslims out of the country. The administration says the restrictions are needed to keep out terrorists while it tightens vetting procedures TEHRAN: Iran says the US Supreme Court's decision to reinstate parts of a travel ban applied to six Muslim-majority countries is "racist" and "unfair." Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by state TV Wednesday as saying it is "regrettable" that Washington "closes its eyes to the main perpetrators of terrorist acts in the US," without elaborating. The Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to forge ahead with a limited version of his ban on travelers from Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia. The justices will hear full arguments in October in the case. Critics say the ban is intended to meet Trump's campaign promise of keeping Muslims out of the country. The administration says the restrictions are needed to keep out terrorists while it tightens vetting procedures By AFP SYRIA: Trapped in their homes in Raqqa and running out of supplies, Ahmad Shaabu, his family and their neighbours were increasingly desperate. It was the children who finally helped them to escape. Shaabu was among some 20 civilians who managed this week to flee the northern Syrian city, which a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces are battling to take from the Islamic State group. Tens of thousands of civilians are believed to remain in Raqqa, seized by IS three years ago and turned into the jihadist group's de facto Syrian capital. The alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), broke into Raqqa on June 6 after a months-long operation to surround it and have since seized about a quarter of the city. Fighting has been fierce but residents like Shaabu have been stopped from leaving by IS, which has been accused of using civilians as human shields. "We couldn't get out... They wouldn't let us," Shaabu, 35, told AFP in Jazra, a western suburb of Raqa, after finally escaping on Tuesday. Holding his small daughter in his arms, Shaabu described how his family and other residents were trapped in the western Raqa neighbourhood of Al-Daraiya. "If we stepped outside we were targeted by snipers. They shot at me once when me and friends went out to fetch water," he said. The families had gathered supplies but were running low and still had to risk leaving their homes, especially to get water. The streets were quiet on Tuesday and some of the smaller children -- free to roam without fear of being targeting by the jihadists -- were out when they were spotted by SDF fighters. - Apocalyptic landscape - "Our friends (the SDF fighters) saw the kids and started gesturing to them, and one of the children came and told us it was safe for us to get out," Shaabu said. "If IS fighters had seen us, we wouldn't have been able to leave. Anyone spotted by IS members are returned to their homes." The families managed to make it to Jazra, where AFP found them sitting on mats in the shade of a concrete building. Some smiled, relieved at having escaped the city, and some of the women wore colourful abaya robes and headscarves, abandoning the severe black clothing imposed by the jihadists. Others were still nervous or distraught, some of the women wiping tears from their eyes. At the edge of Al-Daraiya from where they escaped, SDF fighters could be seen on the frontline of the battle, firing from inside a building through holes in its concrete walls. In the distance, the landscape was apocalyptic -- crumbling concrete tower blocks, collapsed roofs, black smoke rising. The streets were abandoned except for a pair of bodies decomposing in the sun. Backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition that launched raids against IS in Iraq and Syria nearly three years ago, SDF forces have seized two eastern and two western districts of Raqqa. From those neighbourhoods, they are bearing down on Raqa's Old City, the most densely populated area. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said Wednesday that up to 100,000 civilians are trapped in Raqqa, with many "terrified and confused about where they can seek refuge". SDF Commanders say the advance has been slow in recent days as IS fighters put up heavy resistance. "The more we progress in the city, the more we get attacked with car bombs and snipers and heavy weapons," said Zana Kobane, an SDF field commander. SYRIA: Trapped in their homes in Raqqa and running out of supplies, Ahmad Shaabu, his family and their neighbours were increasingly desperate. It was the children who finally helped them to escape. Shaabu was among some 20 civilians who managed this week to flee the northern Syrian city, which a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces are battling to take from the Islamic State group. Tens of thousands of civilians are believed to remain in Raqqa, seized by IS three years ago and turned into the jihadist group's de facto Syrian capital. The alliance, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), broke into Raqqa on June 6 after a months-long operation to surround it and have since seized about a quarter of the city. Fighting has been fierce but residents like Shaabu have been stopped from leaving by IS, which has been accused of using civilians as human shields. "We couldn't get out... They wouldn't let us," Shaabu, 35, told AFP in Jazra, a western suburb of Raqa, after finally escaping on Tuesday. Holding his small daughter in his arms, Shaabu described how his family and other residents were trapped in the western Raqa neighbourhood of Al-Daraiya. "If we stepped outside we were targeted by snipers. They shot at me once when me and friends went out to fetch water," he said. The families had gathered supplies but were running low and still had to risk leaving their homes, especially to get water. The streets were quiet on Tuesday and some of the smaller children -- free to roam without fear of being targeting by the jihadists -- were out when they were spotted by SDF fighters. - Apocalyptic landscape - "Our friends (the SDF fighters) saw the kids and started gesturing to them, and one of the children came and told us it was safe for us to get out," Shaabu said. "If IS fighters had seen us, we wouldn't have been able to leave. Anyone spotted by IS members are returned to their homes." The families managed to make it to Jazra, where AFP found them sitting on mats in the shade of a concrete building. Some smiled, relieved at having escaped the city, and some of the women wore colourful abaya robes and headscarves, abandoning the severe black clothing imposed by the jihadists. Others were still nervous or distraught, some of the women wiping tears from their eyes. At the edge of Al-Daraiya from where they escaped, SDF fighters could be seen on the frontline of the battle, firing from inside a building through holes in its concrete walls. In the distance, the landscape was apocalyptic -- crumbling concrete tower blocks, collapsed roofs, black smoke rising. The streets were abandoned except for a pair of bodies decomposing in the sun. Backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition that launched raids against IS in Iraq and Syria nearly three years ago, SDF forces have seized two eastern and two western districts of Raqqa. From those neighbourhoods, they are bearing down on Raqa's Old City, the most densely populated area. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said Wednesday that up to 100,000 civilians are trapped in Raqqa, with many "terrified and confused about where they can seek refuge". SDF Commanders say the advance has been slow in recent days as IS fighters put up heavy resistance. "The more we progress in the city, the more we get attacked with car bombs and snipers and heavy weapons," said Zana Kobane, an SDF field commander. By PTI BEIJING: China today termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate", asserting that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. China also hinted that India was objecting to its efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have any diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Donglang is part of China's territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesn't belong to Bhutan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesn't belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Taking a dig at India, Lu said Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We don't want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chicken's Neck. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Lu said China opened the Nathu La pass in the Sikkim sector in 2015 for Indian pilgrims to visit Kailash because of this. Chinese think tanks speculated that India has stopped the road construction on behalf of Bhutan. Lu last night also had justified the move to construct a road in the Sikkim sector, saying that the area is "undoubtedly" located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty on Sikkim. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Lu said. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. China had yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. BEIJING: China today termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate", asserting that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. China also hinted that India was objecting to its efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have any diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Donglang is part of China's territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesn't belong to Bhutan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesn't belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Taking a dig at India, Lu said Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We don't want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chicken's Neck. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Lu said China opened the Nathu La pass in the Sikkim sector in 2015 for Indian pilgrims to visit Kailash because of this. Chinese think tanks speculated that India has stopped the road construction on behalf of Bhutan. Lu last night also had justified the move to construct a road in the Sikkim sector, saying that the area is "undoubtedly" located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty on Sikkim. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Lu said. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. China had yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. By PTI KATHMANDU: Millions of Nepalese today voted in the second phase of the country's first local-level polls in two decades as the nation took a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil. Authorities recorded a 70.5 per cent voter turnout, slightly lower than the 71 per cent recorded in the first phase on May 14. The elections were largely held in a peaceful and fair manner in all the polling centres, despite some sporadic incidents at a few places, Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said. The counting of votes will start as soon as the ballot boxes reach the counting centres, he said. The highest voter turnout at 80 per cent was recorded at Bajura district while the lowest was reported from Bhojpur with 61 per cent. The voting began at 7 AM in a total of 8,364 polling centres and concluded at 5 PM. Voting in two polling centres in Bajhang district were halted due to clashes between the cadres of Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist), according to the EC. In ward number 9 of Rolpa Municipality, the voting was halted after a voter poured acid into a ballot box. According to police, the acid destroyed 10 ballot papers. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Prasad Gharti Magar said they were investigating the case. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba cast his vote at the Asigram Higher Secondary School, the polling station in Ruwakhola in Dadeldhura district of far-east Nepal. He said the local villagers were excited to participate as the second phase of local-level elections were held in peaceful, free and fair manner. Deuba assured that the Constitution's full-fledged implementation would take its course once the local government was established, and that the development works would move forward efficiently, rapidly and transparently. In a brief statement, Deuba said the elections were held so that the villages' governments are established by the villagers themselves. Meanwhile, Nepal media reported that at least four persons died, apparently due to natural causes, while casting their votes. More than 6.4 million people are eligible voters in the 35 districts of Provinces 1, 5 and 7 that have gone to polls in the second phase of polls to elect more than 15,000 local representatives. Though the local polls were earlier scheduled for two phases, the second phase had to be postponed twice -- and a third phase had to be declared -- in a bid to accommodate the dissenting parties, including the Madhesis, that are yet to commit to the polls to be held in Province 2 on September 18. In the first round of polls held on May 14 in Provinces 3, 4 and 6, voter turn out was recorded at 71 per cent. All the political parties including the Madhesi parties are taking part in the elections. The Nepal government had earlier this month postponed the date of elections in the disputed Madhesi-stronghold Province 2 by nearly three months, adding a third phase in the polls that will take place in September. The Rastriya Janta Party Nepal, the key Madhesi party, have fielded their candidates as independents in the election. Votes were cast secretly under the first-past-the-post electoral system on the basis of one post, one vote pattern. The Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday that the government had made fool-proof security arrangements to ensure that the second phase of local level elections took place in a free, fair and peaceful environment. KATHMANDU: Millions of Nepalese today voted in the second phase of the country's first local-level polls in two decades as the nation took a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil. Authorities recorded a 70.5 per cent voter turnout, slightly lower than the 71 per cent recorded in the first phase on May 14. The elections were largely held in a peaceful and fair manner in all the polling centres, despite some sporadic incidents at a few places, Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said. The counting of votes will start as soon as the ballot boxes reach the counting centres, he said. The highest voter turnout at 80 per cent was recorded at Bajura district while the lowest was reported from Bhojpur with 61 per cent. The voting began at 7 AM in a total of 8,364 polling centres and concluded at 5 PM. Voting in two polling centres in Bajhang district were halted due to clashes between the cadres of Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist), according to the EC. In ward number 9 of Rolpa Municipality, the voting was halted after a voter poured acid into a ballot box. According to police, the acid destroyed 10 ballot papers. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Prasad Gharti Magar said they were investigating the case. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba cast his vote at the Asigram Higher Secondary School, the polling station in Ruwakhola in Dadeldhura district of far-east Nepal. He said the local villagers were excited to participate as the second phase of local-level elections were held in peaceful, free and fair manner. Deuba assured that the Constitution's full-fledged implementation would take its course once the local government was established, and that the development works would move forward efficiently, rapidly and transparently. In a brief statement, Deuba said the elections were held so that the villages' governments are established by the villagers themselves. Meanwhile, Nepal media reported that at least four persons died, apparently due to natural causes, while casting their votes. More than 6.4 million people are eligible voters in the 35 districts of Provinces 1, 5 and 7 that have gone to polls in the second phase of polls to elect more than 15,000 local representatives. Though the local polls were earlier scheduled for two phases, the second phase had to be postponed twice -- and a third phase had to be declared -- in a bid to accommodate the dissenting parties, including the Madhesis, that are yet to commit to the polls to be held in Province 2 on September 18. In the first round of polls held on May 14 in Provinces 3, 4 and 6, voter turn out was recorded at 71 per cent. All the political parties including the Madhesi parties are taking part in the elections. The Nepal government had earlier this month postponed the date of elections in the disputed Madhesi-stronghold Province 2 by nearly three months, adding a third phase in the polls that will take place in September. The Rastriya Janta Party Nepal, the key Madhesi party, have fielded their candidates as independents in the election. Votes were cast secretly under the first-past-the-post electoral system on the basis of one post, one vote pattern. The Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday that the government had made fool-proof security arrangements to ensure that the second phase of local level elections took place in a free, fair and peaceful environment. On the buzzing Taksim Square of Istanbul, the focal point of the modern city, a giant disused building looms over visitors, its glass windows broken and a few tattered advertising banners flapping disconsolately in the breeze. This is the Ataturk Cultural Centre (AKM), opened in 1969 to realise the dream of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk for the country to be a world-class centre for the arts, including Western genres such as classical music, opera and ballet. But the glass-fronted AKM has endured a chequered, even cursed history. It had to be rebuilt following a fire in 1970 and only reopened in 1978. It then served as the hub of Istanbul's cultural life for three decades before being shuttered in 2008 for restoration. But no restoration ever took place and the building has since stood unloved and decaying through the tumult of the 2013 mass protests against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then premier, on Taksim and the July 15, 2016 failed coup against his rule. Its brooding shell has become a symbol of the troubles dogging the arts in Turkey at a time of declining funding, claims of censorship under Erdogan and the terror attacks of 2016, keeping some foreign artists away. After years of debate on the future of the building, Erdogan this month offered a radical and clinical solution -- rip the entire edifice down and build a world-class opera house in its place. His proposal has aroused excitement in some quarters but hostility from others -- particularly those who see the modernist building as a worthy example of secular Turkish modern architecture. "The AKM project in Istanbul is over, we will knock it down and Istanbul will gain a beautiful new edifice," Erdogan said. Erdogan's government has been criticised on occasion for showing a lack of interest in the arts beyond Turkey's internationally successful television dramas. But the president said: "All we want is for Istanbul to have the culture and arts centre that it deserves." The absence of the AKM left a gaping hole in Istanbul cultural life, with the opera and ballet companies largely performing at the Sureyya Operasi on the Asian side of the city, an architecturally significant 1920s building but too small for grand shows. "We have been waiting for a proper concert hall and the news coming from President Erdogan made us more than happy," Yesim Gurer Oymak, director of the annual Istanbul Music Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), told AFP. "This means that there will be more and more international orchestras and big productions coming to Istanbul and the companies from Turkey can present more elevated productions. "The closure of AKM means an opera company, a ballet, a state orchestra without a home. In order to develop, they need to have a base and a home," she added. Gurer Oymak recalled how the AKM had been a popular Istanbul meeting place and put on ambitious productions, including as part of the Istanbul Music Festival, that now are no longer possible. Should a new opera house be built, Istanbul would be following other cities in the region, notably Dubai and Muscat, which have built new auditoriums that have been massively popular with locals and visitors. It would also be a huge boost to Taksim Square, whose attractions have diminished especially since the 2013 protests and is now given a wide berth by many local residents. The 1960s AKM, a brutalist edifice typical of its era, is regarded with scorn by some, who see it as an unwanted symbol of the "old Turkey" before Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002. The pro-government Daily Sabah described the AKM as a "grim reminder" of the 1960s as well as an "eyesore and dull architectural work". But for others the building is a proud symbol of the modern Republic set up by Ataturk -- himself an opera buff -- and must be restored rather than demolished. Sami Yilmazturk, chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Architects, said the plan to demolish the AKM was "part of a project to say 'stop' to modernisation and destroy the Republic." "The (Republic) project put a dream, a utopia, an objective before Turkey. The plan to demolish AKM is an attempt to reverse that goal," he said. He claimed that edifices linked with Ataturk were being knocked down under the current government, which insists it does its utmost to preserve Ataturk's legacy. "It's an area where people meet, with art and culture," he added. Under the shadow of the building's shell, locals were divided over what its fate should be. "This building represents Taksim. They are ruining the silhouette of Taksim Square. I don't believe better things will be done. We've seen what's been done so far," said Hacer, a middle-aged woman, who declined to give her full name. But a man identifying himself only as Mustafa added: "It's an ugly building. I don't know what they will do with it but at least they could do something nice." Gurer Oymak said one solution could be to preserve just the facade of the building while creating other parts from scratch. "The AKM left a very important trace in the identity of this city. I would like to see the facade preserved as it's in our memory." For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Trinity Church honors veterans buried as far back as 1731 The flags will be on display until Nov. 13, and the church graveyard, which is adjacent to the park at Queen Annes Square, is open to the public. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Windy. Cloudy skies will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 47F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 28F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Bioorthogonal labeling of human prostate cancer tissue slice cultures to identify marker glycoproteins Glycosylated proteins are often overexpressed in tumor cells and thus could serve as tumor markers, especially those with the interesting molecule sialic acid as their sugar moiety. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, American scientists now report on a bioorthogonal labeling test for sialylated glycoproteins based on a glycoproteomics approach. This assay not only assesses the level of sialylated glycans in the tumor cell membranes, but also identifies up- or downregulated proteins directly in the prostate cancer tissue. Tumor cells are characterized by an accelerated metabolism with some proteins up- and some downregulated compared to cells in normal healthy tissue. As the quantity and quality of proteins in the cells can be assessed by a proteomics approach, scientists seek to use a proteomics test system to identify and explore the proteins typical for cancer metabolism. Carolyn R. Bertozzi and her research team from Stanford University have chosen a bioorthogonal labeling strategy to identify sialylated glycoproteins, which are especially interesting because the sialic acid sugar moiety helps cells to evade the immune system. Their labeling approach further applies the cancer tissue, not cell cultures, thus it provides direct assess to the tumor metabolism in its natural environment. In bioorthogonal labeling, a label, usually a fluorescent molecule, is chemically attached to target molecules, which can then be identified by bioimaging or mass spectrometry. One of the key aspects is that there is as little interference with the normal cell metabolism as possible. "Accurate models of human biology are particularly important for research at the intersection of glycoscience and human health," the authors argue. Therefore, they chose tissue slice cultures as a form of live human tumor tissue, because "prostate tissue slice cultures ... allow direct comparisons of cancerous and normal tissue from the same patient source." In their approach, the tissue slice cultures were treated with an azide-modified sialic acid, which was readily integrated into the tumor cell metabolism. Then, a fluorescent label was chemically attached to the azide group. After the labeling, the scientists inspected the tissue slices either directly by imaging or by mass spectrometry after cell lysis. They observed clear differences between the cancer tissue and the healthy one and found characteristic proteins up- or downregulated in the cancer tissue. Merging this platform with existing glycoproteome analysis techniques are future options, the authors propose, setting the stage for addressing further questions related to the roles of sialic acid, glycoproteins, and cancer. Preschoolers from low-income families living in cities that took part in a two-year community-wide intervention to foster healthy eating and lifestyle habits consumed fewer sugary drinks, got more sleep, and showed improvement in weight, according to a study led by a researcher at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). The study- one of a trio of studies published today in Obesity- was designed to test a childhood obesity-prevention program known as the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (MA-CORD) initiative among families in low-income communities, where high obesity rates persist. Obesity, which remains historically high in the U.S., showed recent declines in preschool-age children. However, obesity prevalence is two to three times higher in children from low-income families compared to higher-income counterparts. "Evidence strongly suggests that instilling healthy habits in young children is a necessary cornerstone in efforts to prevent obesity and its sequelae," said study leader Jennifer Woo Baidal, MD, MPH, assistant professor of pediatrics and Director of Pediatric Weight Management at CUMC and a pediatric gastroenterologist in the Comprehensive Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. "Though some progress has been made in reducing childhood obesity, not all families are aware that certain strategies- like eliminating sugary drinks, limiting screen time, and getting enough physical activity and sleep- help young children achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Solutions that can be scaled-up are urgently needed to prevent obesity in young children at highest risk." To increase adoption of these strategies, the researchers in this study implemented the MA-CORD initiative at two community-wide offices of the Special Supplementation for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in Massachusetts, which provides healthy foods, nutrition assessment and education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services for low-income families with very young children. WIC providers were trained to deliver consistent messages during office visits about how much sugar-sweetened beverage, juice, junk food, screen time, and exercise young children should get. Families at a third community WIC site did not get the intervention. At the end of the study, children from the intervention sites reduced their intake of sugary beverages and juice and got more sleep compared to children who did not receive the intervention. Children from the intervention sites also engaged in more physical activity and less screen time than their counterparts in the comparison group, though these differences were not statistically significant. In one intervention site, non-Asian children also had small decreases in adjusted BMI scores compared with children in the comparison group. "Overall, the intervention had a positive impact on reducing obesity risk factors among the children in our study, but the smaller impact on reducing BMI may be due to factors that can't be easily controlled, such as access to high-quality, nutritious foods in the community and the challenge of measuring rapid changes in growth during early childhood," said Rachel Colchamiro, MPH, RD, Director of Nutrition Services for the Nutrition Division at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and a co-author of the paper. "Because obesity disproportionately affects lower-income families, incorporating WIC providers and community systems into multi-sector obesity prevention efforts could yield high results at a national level." Using these proteins, originally found in jellyfish to make them glow, the team where able to focus laser beams on the brightly lit proteins and track them inside a bacteria that normally lives inside the human gut. This allowed scientists to watch the molecular machinery of DNA as it replicated inside a cell one molecule at a time. It revealed for the first time that only one component of this process, called DnaB helicase, remains stable - like a molecular anchor to the process. In most cells, whether human or bacterial, a new cell is created after an existing cell divides in two. This means that a copy of the original sequence of genes coded in its DNA must be precisely copied and placed into the new cell. This is thought to be a process that occurs slowly and methodically at set points in time. New research at the University of York, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and McGill University Canada, however, has now tracked this replication process in real-time and shown that it is far more dynamic than the textbooks suggest, occurring instead through a 'stuttering-like process' in short bursts. Using these proteins, originally found in jellyfish to make them glow, the team where able to focus laser beams on the brightly lit proteins and track them inside a bacteria that normally lives inside the human gut. This allowed scientists to watch the molecular machinery of DNA as it replicated inside a cell one molecule at a time. It revealed for the first time that only one component of this process, called DnaB helicase, remains stable - like a molecular anchor to the process. In most cells, whether human or bacterial, a new cell is created after an existing cell divides in two. This means that a copy of the original sequence of genes coded in its DNA must be precisely copied and placed into the new cell. This is thought to be a process that occurs slowly and methodically at set points in time. New research at the University of York, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and McGill University Canada, however, has now tracked this replication process in real-time and shown that it is far more dynamic than the textbooks suggest, occurring instead through a 'stuttering-like process' in short bursts. The process of DNA replication is fundamental to all life and the way errors in the process are resolved is especially important to human health. Errors can give rise to forms of cancer and become more prevalent in an ageing population. This work will help scientists not only understand more fully the basic building blocks of life but potentially also provides new insights into a range of health conditions as well as even shedding new light on how human aging can give rise to diseases associated with errors in copying the DNA from cell to cell. Research was conducted using the DNA of Escherichia coli cell, bacteria, but However, the next stage of this research will investigate the same process in more complex cells, ultimately including those from humans. Teens expect to experience some digital forms of abuse in dating, but girls may be suffering more severe emotional consequences than boys, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Michigan and University of California-Santa Barbara examined the impact of gender on high schoolers' experience of digital dating abuse behaviors, which include use of cell phones or internet to harass, control, pressure or threaten a dating partner. Overall, teens experience this digital dating abuse at similar rates, but girls reported that they were more upset by these behaviors and reported more negative emotional responses. "Although digital dating abuse is potentially harmful for all youth, gender matters," said Lauren Reed, the study's lead author and an assistant project scientist at University of California-Santa Barbara. The study involved 703 Midwest high school students who reported the frequency of digital dating abuse, if they were upset by the "most recent" incidents, and how they responded. Students completed the surveys between December 2013 and March 2014. Participants reported sending and receiving at least 51 text messages per day, and spending an average of 22 hours per week using social media. Most participants reported that they text/texted their current or most recent dating partner frequently. The survey asked teens to indicate the frequency of experiencing several problematic digital behaviors with a dating partner, including "pressured me to sext" (sending a sexual or naked photo), sent a threatening message, looked at private information to check up on me without permission, and monitored whereabouts and activities. Girls indicated more frequent digital sexual coercion victimization, and girls and boys reported equal rates of digital monitoring and control, and digital direct aggression. When confronted with direct aggression, such as threats and rumor spreading, girls responded by blocking communication with their partner. Boys responded in similar fashion when they experienced digital monitoring and control behaviors, the study showed. Boys often treat girls as sexual objects, which contributes to the higher rates of digital sexual coercion, as boys may feel entitled to have sexual power over girls, said study co-author Richard Tolman, U-M professor of social work. Girls, on the other hand, are expected to prioritize relationships, which can lead to more jealousy and possessiveness, he said. Thus, they may be more likely to monitor boys' activities. While the definitive causes remain unclear, several genetic and environmental factors increase the likelihood of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, a group of conditions covering a "spectrum" of symptoms, skills and levels of disability. Taking advantage of advances in genetic technologies, researchers led by Alex Nord, assistant professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior with the Center for Neuroscience at the University of California, Davis, are gaining a better understanding of the role played by a specific gene involved in autism. The collaborative work appears June 26 in the journal Nature Neuroscience. "For years, the targets of drug discovery and treatment have been based on an unknown black box of what's happening in the brain," said Nord. "Now, using genetic approaches to study the impact of specific mutations found in cases, we're trying to build a cohesive model that links genetic control of brain development with behavior and brain function." The Nord laboratory studies how the genome encodes brain development and function, with a particular interest in understanding the genetic basis of neurological disorders. Mouse brain models There is no known specific genetic cause for most cases of autism, but many different genes have been linked to the disorder. In rare, specific cases of people with ASD, one copy of a gene called CHD8 is mutated and loses function. The CHD8 gene encodes a protein responsible for packaging DNA in cells throughout the body. Packaging of DNA controls how genes are turned on and off in cells during development. Because mice and humans share on average 85 percent of similarly coded genes, mice can be used as a model to study how genetic mutations impact brain development. Changes in mouse DNA mimic changes in human DNA and vice-versa. In addition, mice exhibit behaviors that can be used as models for exploring human behavior. Nord's laboratory at UC Davis and his collaborators have been working to characterize changes in brain development and behavior of mice carrying a mutated copy of CHD8. "Behavioral tests with mice give us information about sociability, anxiety and cognition. From there, we can examine changes at the anatomical and cellular level to find links across dimensions," said Nord. "This is critical to understanding the biology of disorders like autism." By inducing mutation of the CHD8 gene in mice and studying their brain development, Nord and his team have established that the mice experience cognitive impairment and have increased brain volume. Both conditions are also present in individuals with a mutated CHD8 gene. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today New implications for early and lifelong brain development Analysis of data from mouse brains reveals that CHD8 gene expression peaks during the early stages of brain development. Mutations in CHD8 lead to excessive production of dividing cells in the brain, as well as megalencephaly, an enlarged brain condition common in individuals with ASD. These findings suggest the developmental causes of increased brain size. More surprisingly, Nord also discovered that the pathological changes in gene expression in the brains of mice with a mutated CHD8 continued through the lifetime of the mice. Genes involved in critical biological processes like synapse function were impacted by the CHD8 mutation. This suggests that CHD8 plays a role in brain function throughout life and may affect more than early brain development in autistic individuals. While Nord's research centers on severe ASD conditions, the lessons learned may eventually help explain many cases along the autism spectrum. Collaborating to improve understanding Nord's work bridges disciplines and has incorporated diverse collaborators. The genetic mouse model was developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory using CRISPR editing technology, and co-authors Jacqueline Crawley and Jill Silverman of the UC Davis MIND Institute evaluated mouse behavior to characterize social interactions and cognitive impairments. Nord also partnered with co-author Konstantinos Zarbalis of the Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine at UC Davis to examine changes in cell proliferation in the brains of mice with the CHD8 mutation, and with Jason Lerch from the Mouse Imaging Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, to conduct magnetic resonance imaging on mouse brains. "It's the act of collaboration that I find really satisfying," Nord said. "The science gets a lot more interesting and powerful when we combine different approaches. Together we were able to show that mutation to CHD8 causes changes to brain development, which in turn alters brain anatomy, function and behavior." In the future, Nord hopes to identify how CHD8 packages DNA in neural cells and to determine the specific impacts to early brain development and synaptic function. Nord hopes that deep exploration of CHD8 mutations will ultimately yield greater knowledge of the general factors contributing to ASD and intellectual disability. Source: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/mice-provide-insight-genetics-autism-spectrum-disorders University of Warwick expertise is contributing to a world-first 1.5million study aiming to tackle one of the biggest public health threats we face antibiotic resistance. Thousands of doses of potent broad-spectrum antibiotics are used daily in the NHS when patients are suspected of having sepsis. This very serious condition causes at least 44,000 deaths a year in the UK and more than a quarter of cases that are diagnosed prove fatal. It occurs when the body's response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs, leading to shock and multiple organ failure. But its symptoms can be similar to those of a simple viral infection. That means it isn't easy to diagnose, with no recognized test as yet. At present whenever sepsis is suspected, patients are quickly treated with potent antibiotics, normally for at least seven to 10 days. The growing problem of resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics is a key issue worldwide, however, with experts fearing some previously manageable infections will become untreatable with antibiotics. That is why the NHS is striving to safely reduce their use where possible. Now experts from the University of Warwick's Warwick Medical School and Salford, Manchester are leading researchers in a world-leading 1.5million program. Funded by the National Institute for Health Research, it will determine whether one of two different tests will allow a safe reduction in the time patients in hospital with suspected sepsis are kept on antibiotics. It's the largest ever trial to look at biomarkers in the blood to see whether the antibiotics should be continued or can be safely stopped. Professor Paul Dark, Consultant in Critical Care Medicine at Salford Royal, The University of Manchester's Professor of Critical Care Medicine and National Institute for Health Research National (NIHR) Specialty Lead in Critical Care, is leading the research, which is being carried out in collaboration with Warwick Medical School's Warwick Clinical Trials Unit. He said: "Sepsis is a very dangerous condition and we have to react very quickly if it's suspected it is important to start treating patients as quickly as possible. But there isn't good quality evidence on which we can base a decision to stop giving antibiotics and that means that even when patients are getting better and some may not have had sepsis at all we are still giving antibiotics for at least 7-10 days. "In 2015 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended there should be further research on tests for guiding decisions to stop antibiotic treatment in patients with sepsis. "Our study will look at two different markers in the blood: C-reactive protein, which is often used in the NHS to monitor inflammatory conditions but not routinely for sepsis as yet, and procalcitonin, a newer test, used as a marker for severe bacterial infection. "Ultimately, we want to be able to use antibiotics more effectively, making sure we have the safest possible care for patients. We are using a precision medicine approach by monitoring markers in the blood for each individual every day to guide when to stop their antibiotics. "This is very important as the antibiotics we use for sepsis are the ones we should be preserving for the most serious infections, to protect the health of patients both now and in the future." Gavin Perkins, Professor in Critical Care Medicine, Warwick Clinical Trials, Warwick Medical School, said: "Warwick Medical School's Clinical Trials Unit is very pleased to be involved in such vital research. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change and are no longer killed by the drugs used to treat the infections they cause. It leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality. We hope this new study will help decrease the use of antibiotics and therefore reduce the risk of resistance to these drugs." After a pilot phase, the study will recruit more than 2,700 patients at 30 NHS hospitals across the UK. They will be assigned to one of three arms of the trial, with one group continuing to receive standard care, one group having C-reactive protein monitored each day and the final group having procalcitonin checked daily. The researchers will compare how long patients remain on antibiotics and the size of the dose as well as survival rates and how long it takes for them to be well enough to be discharged from hospital. Source: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_research_into/ Global engineering and scientific technologies company, Renishaw is exhibiting at the Digital Symposium at Swansea University on 29th June, 2017 as part of its event, Digital Futures in Health and Wellbeing: can public services survive without them? The event will explore how the United Kingdom is preparing businesses and infrastructure for the digital revolution. Renishaws Director and General Manager of its Medical and Dental Products Division, Bryan Austin, will also hold a seminar at the event as part of its focus on health services. Bryan Austin Austins presentation will focus on the recent update to the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which was published in May, 2017. The regulation suggests that any medical device mass produced by means of an industrial process no longer falls under the custom-made exemption and therefore requires its own clinical evidence to authorize its sustainability, along with its own CE mark to prove it has been tested and meets all relevant standards. The problem is that there arent clear definitions of mass-produced or industrial manufacturing processes, so there is a risk that some interpretations might include 3D printed patient specific implants when manufactured on an industrial scale, even though each one is unique. Despite the European Medical Device Regulation being released, the subsequent guidance documents could be influenced if enough manufacturers have an input, explained Austin. Patient specific implants are already being used in surgeries across the world, with Renishaw working specifically with a number of Welsh hospitals to improve patient outcomes. An interpretation of the regulation as it currently stands may mean we will not be able to help patients in the same way. At the Digital Symposium, we hope to raise awareness of the new legislation amongst manufacturers. Renishaw will also exhibit its medical implants at the symposium. The company will showcase a recent case study on its work with Cardiff University. The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has reported two new cases of plague infecting a 52- year old woman and a 62-year old woman, in the Santa Fe County. Credit: Dmitrijs Kaminskis/Shutterstock.com These are the second and third cases in the county in 2017, with the first, which involved a 63-year old man, having been reported in early June. None of the patients died, but all three did require hospitalization. Health workers from the NMDOH are inspecting the homes of the three patients to safeguard against any ongoing risk to immediate family and neighbors. Plague is usually transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas, but animals also get infected and direct contact with infected pets, rodents or other wild animals is also a mode of transmission. Dr Paul Ettestad, state public health veterinarian for the Department of Health says fleas that infest wild rodents in Santa Fe County can be carrying the disease, including fleas within the city limits of Santa Fe and other New Mexico locations. He explains: Pets that are allowed to roam and hunt can bring infected fleas from dead rodents back into the home, putting you and your children at risk, Ettestad recommends containing pets within the home or keeping them on a leash and that people protect themselves and their families by making sure they use appropriate flea control products. Other prevention measures recommended by the Department of Health include the following: Get advice form a vet about suitable flea control products, as not all of them are safe for use around children, dogs and cats Have any sick pets checked by a vet Clean any areas near the home where rodents could live such as piles of wood and abandoned vehicles and move piles of hay and compost as far away from the home as possible Get medical advice if any unexplained illnesses accompanied by a fever suddenly develop Avoid leaving pets food or water in places accessible to mice Plague symptoms in humans include sudden fever, chills, weakness and headache and usually swelling of lymph nodes in the groin, neck or armpit. In cats and dogs, symptoms include fever, lethargy, appetite loss and possibly lymph node swelling beneath the jaw. If plague is promptly diagnosed and treated, human and pet fatality rates can be significantly reduced and any physicians who suspect cases of plague should quickly report them to the Department of Health. When insects skip the light fandango their romantic foreplay often involves some pretty crazy things like hypnotic dance moves and flashy colors. In some species it ends with a complex ejaculate package that does more than fertilize offspring. In the case of butterflies, the cabbage white Pieris rapae in particular, scientists have found male butterfly ejaculate -- a complex package designed to deliver sperm -- also contains a dose of valuable life-extending nutrients that female butterflies devour like candy. But receiving this parcel of goodness comes at a cost -- male dominance. It comes covered in a hard shell that takes three days to digest, during which time the female cannot mate again, says University of Cincinnati biologist Nathan Morehouse. Recent interdisciplinary research led by Morehouse in the Morehouse Research Lab and Nathan Clark, biologist in the Clark Research Lab at the University of Pittsburgh looked closer at the complex structures and mechanisms within male butterfly ejaculates and the adaptive responses in the female butterfly reproductive tract. The researchers hope these study findings will aid in understanding the complex human reproductive cycle and the occasional problems that originate on a molecular level. The authors published their co-evolutionary results in the June journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "As scientists, we already knew that male butterfly ejaculates were three-fold complex structures we call spermatophores -- composed of an outer envelope, an inner matrix of fluids and a bolus of sperm," says UC's Morehouse. "What we didn't know and found through our research is that these three structures are distinctly different in protein composition, are separately stored in the male reproductive tract and are transferred sequentially to the female reproductive tract during mating." Why such an elaborate process for such a tiny butterfly? Control over female reproduction, Morehouse says. Because the spermatophore occupies much of the female reproductive tract, she cannot mate again until it is gone. Males make it tough for her by encasing the spermatophore in a hard shell. This delay benefits the male by assuring more of his sperm fertilize her eggs. Method behind his madness "In this set of species, and in many insects, they have what's called last male sperm precedence," says Clark. "When another male comes in and mates, his sperm either displaces the first male's sperm or pushes them to the back." Occasionally, individual male seminal fluids and female enzymes won't work together efficiently, creating an imbalance that can result in low egg fertilization. The researchers say looking at how female butterflies have resolved this obstacle may open the curtain for correcting similar protein-enzyme imbalances in human infertility. Using high-tech computerized technology such as mass spectrometry and older standard biochemical processes, the researchers determined that the tiny winged macho-men transfer 13 percent of their total body weight through their spermatophore complex during the mating process. But surprisingly, only 2 percent of that is actually sperm. The rest of the complex goody bag of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and other compounds play all sorts of other important roles in reproduction -- not the least of which is a way for the males to prevent the female from mating again for about three to four days, says Morehouse. On the flip side, he says females benefit much more by mating often for a number of reasons: Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Females like a variety in the genetics of the offspring they produce, as some male genotypes are better than others and this assures her the most successful outcome. Females crave the delicious protein nutrients males pass along during mating that provide life-extending cell repair -- sort of like going to a butterfly spa -- so the more the better. These protein nutrients also help females build eggs. We estimate that a female who mates 2-3 times may build 30-40 percent of the eggs she lays from proteins the male transfers during copulation. So male mates are actually funding her reproduction. "To keep a female from remating, the males have developed a hard outer shell around the precious nutrients that are especially desirable by females to repair their cells and live longer," says Clark. "This hard outer shell gets transferred behind the bolus of sperm and acts as a copulatory plug that prevents the female from being able to mate again with other males -- hopefully insuring his sperm as the cocktail that fertilizes the female's eggs when she lays them." Wait! Not so fast "I was fascinated to discover that females are actually very well equipped to quickly digest the nuptial gift from the male," says Camille Meslin-Auclair, post-doctoral biologist who performed most of the analysis working at the University of Pittsburgh. "Even more fascinating are the mechanical and biochemical tools she possesses to dissolve this outer shell." In an evolutionary twist of fate, these clever little females have developed an extraordinary way to break free from the male's control. "We discovered a surprising mechanical chewing device inside the female reproductive tract lined with a spectacular array of tooth-like structures that can gnaw through the hard outer shell in a matter of hours," says Morehouse. "Without this mechanism we affectionately call the 'vagina dentata,' it would likely take a week or more to dissolve the hard protective shell with just her enzymes alone." By looking at reproduction as both a source of cooperation and conflict between the sexes, the researchers are finding clues from this study on a behavioral and molecular level that can be an important link for solving certain unexplained causes of human infertility. "Reproduction is a very interesting social interface where males and females have a conversation," says Morehouse. "That conversation often begins with courtship, but doesn't stop after mating happens. "It becomes a negotiation between the molecules of both sexes for the shared goal of producing offspring." As the researchers understand incompatibilities between butterflies on a molecular level, they plan to track how these creatures evolve and develop certain enzymes and proteins to solve this tug of war. Morehouse and Clark hope new findings eventually unlock some of the mysteries of human infertility that exist on a similar stage between male seminal fluids and female reproductive enzymes. "These cabbage white butterflies are one of the most common butterflies in the world and very common in Cincinnati," says Morehouse. "There is magic all around us and the lovely thing about science is that sometimes clues that might actually help with health issues like human infertility can come from a butterfly in your own backyard." Introduction This protocol describes the IncuCyte Apoptosis Assay methodology that enables real-time detection of apoptosis using mix-and-read IncuCyte Caspase 3/7 or Annexin V Reagents. The method can be used with the IncuCyte Live-Cell Analysis System using any type of treatment and cell type. The assay format is highly flexible and can be integrated with Sartorius' range of IncuCyte NucLight red nuclear labeling reagents or labeled cell lines, for multiplexed measurements of apoptosis and proliferation in the same well. Required materials The following materials were used: IncuCyte Annexin V Red Reagent (Sartorius Cat #4641) or IncuCyte Caspase- 3/7 Apoptosis Reagent (Sartorius Cat #4440) or IncuCyte Annexin V Green Reagent (Sartorius Cat #4642) Annexin V Red Reagent (Sartorius Cat #4641) or IncuCyte Caspase- 3/7 Apoptosis Reagent (Sartorius Cat #4440) or IncuCyte Annexin V Green Reagent (Sartorius Cat #4642) Fibronectin (Sigma A7906) optional, for non-adherent cells Poly-L-ornithine (Sigma P4957) optional, for non-adherent cells Flat bottom tissue culture plate (e.g., Corning 3595) General guidelines Medium with low levels of riboflavin is recommended to reduce the green fluorescence background. RPMI and DMEM have high riboflavin (>0.2 mg/L). Eagles MEM, F12-K, and EBM have low riboflavin (<0.2 mg/L). Once cell seeding is done, the plates should be placed at ambient temperature for 45 minutes in the case of non-adherent cell lines and 15 minutes in the case of adherent cell lines. This ensures uniform cell settling. Bubbles should be removed from all the wells by lightly squeezing a wash bottle that contains 70-100% ethanol with the inner straw detached. This is done to blow vapor across the surfaces of all wells. Once the plate placed in the IncuCyte Live-Cell Analysis System, it should be allowed to warm to 37 C for a period of 30 minutes before scanning. When observing apoptosis in primary neuronal cultures, the IncuCyte Annexin V Red reagent is recommended so as to remove the risk of green channel excitation problems in these sensitive cell lines. Adherent cell line protocol Seed cells Seed cells (100 L/well, 1,000 5,000) into a 96-well plate and incubate overnight. Prepare apoptosis reagent and treat cells Prepare the desired treatments at 1x in medium containing IncuCyte Caspase-3/7 or Annexin V Reagents. Aspirate media from wells and add treatment (100 L/well). Live-cell fluorescent analysis Capture images every 2-3 hours (20x or 10x) in the IncuCyte System. Analyze using integrated software. Day 0: 1. Seed effector cells Cells of any type (100 L per well) should be seeded at a suitable density into a 96-well plate, so that the cell confluence is around 30% by day 1. For the individual cell line used, the seeding density has to be optimized. But, it was observed that 1,000 to 5,000 cells per well (10,000 50,000 cells/mL seeding stock) are viable starting points. Using the IncuCyte system, cell growth should be monitored to capture phase contrast images every 2 hours and these images can be examined using the integrated confluence algorithm. Day 1: 2. Apoptosis reagent preparation and cell treatment addition Apoptosis reagents should be diluted in preferred medium formulations. If Caspase-3/7 is used, the reagent should be diluted to a final concentration of 5 M (1:1000 dilution) If Annexin V reagents are used, Annexin V should be solubilized by adding 100 L of PBS or complete medium. The reagents can be subsequently diluted in complete medium that contains a minimum of 1 mM CaCl 2 for a final dilution of 1:200 Note: Test agents have to be diluted in this reagent-containing medium. Therefore a sufficient volume should be prepared to accommodate all treatment conditions. While the volumes/dilutions added to cells may be different, a volume of 100 L per well is usually adequate for the assay duration. The cell plate should be removed from the incubator and the growth medium should be removed by aspiration. Treatments and controls should be added to appropriate wells of the 96-well plate. 3. Live-cell imaging of apoptosis Once the cell plate is placed into the IncuCyte Live-Cell Analysis System, it should be allowed to warm to 37 C for a period of 30 minutes before scanning. Channel selection: Phase Contrast and Green (+ Red if fluorescent label or an extra cell health reagent is used) Objective: 10x or 20x Scan type: Standard (2 to images per well) Scan interval: Usually, every 2 hours, until the experiment is completed Non-adherent cell line protocol Coat plate Coat plate with 0.01% poly-L-ornithine solution or 5 L/mL fibronectin diluted in 0.1% BSA. Prepare IncuCyte apoptosis reagent and treatment Dilute apoptosis reagent in medium and prepare cell treatments. Seed cells and add treatment Seed cells (100 L/well, 5,000 25,000 cells) into the coated 96-well plate. Immediately add apoptosis reagent treatments and triturate. Live-cell fluorescent analysis Capture images every 2-3 hours (20x or 10x) in the IncuCyte system. Day 2: 1. Coat plate A suitable coating matrix should be used to coat a 96-well flat bottom plate. Coating can be done with 50 L of 5 g/mL fibronectin (Sigma A7906) or 0.01% poly-L-ornithine solution (Sigma P4957) diluted in 0.1% BSA. The plates should be coated for 1 hour at ambient temperature, and this is followed by removing the solution from the wells and allowing the plates to dry for 30 to 60 minutes before cell addition. 2. Prepare apoptosis reagent and treatments Before cell seeding, apoptosis reagents should be diluted in a preferred medium formulation. If Caspase-3/7 is used, the reagent should be diluted to a final concentration of 5 M (1:1000 dilution) If Annexin V reagents are used, Annexin V should be solubilized by adding 100 L of PBS or complete medium. The reagents can then be diluted in complete medium that contains 1 mM CaCl 2 for a final dilution of 1:200 Note: Test agents have to be diluted in this reagent-containing medium, and therefore a sufficient volume has to be prepared to accommodate all treatment conditions. While the volumes/dilutions added to cells may be changed, a volume of 200 L per well is usually adequate for the assay duration. Cell treatments should be prepared at 2x final assay concentration in sufficient cell culture medium containing Annexin V or Caspase-3/7 to acquire a volume of 100 L per well. 3. Seed cells and add prepared treatments Cells of any type (100 L per well) should be seeded at an appropriate density into a 96-well plate in medium containing Caspase-3/7 or Annexin V. For the individual cell line used, the seeding density have to be optimized. But, it was observed that 5,000 to 25,000 cells per well (50,000 250,000 cells/mL seeding stock) are viable starting points. Treatments and controls should be instantly added to suitable wells of the 96-well plate containing cells. The wells should be triturated to appropriately mix the treatment and allow cell exposure at 1x. 4. Live-cell imaging of apoptosis After placing the cell plate into the IncuCyte Live-Cell Analysis System, it should be allowed to warm to 37 C for a period of 30 minutes before scanning. Channel selection: Phase Contrast and Green (+ Red if fluorescent label or an extra cell health reagent are used) Objective: 10x or 20x Scan type: Standard (2 to 4 images per well) Scan interval: Usually, every 2 hours, until the experiment is completed Related products and applications Sartorius offers a wide range of cell health and fluorescent nuclear labeling reagents that can be used in the IncuCyte Live-Cell Analysis System to perform multiplexed measurements of proliferation, cytotoxicity and apoptosis. A complete range of cell health applications is available from Sartorius to suit specific experimental requirements. Product Cat No. Amount IncuCyte NucLight Red BacMam 3.0 Reagent for nuclear labeling 4621 1 mL IncuCyte NucLight Green BacMam 3.0 Reagent for nuclear labeling 4622 1 mL IncuCyte NucLight Green Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Puro) for nuclear labeling 4624 0.2 mL IncuCyte NucLight Red Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Puro) for nuclear labeling 4625 0.2 mL IncuCyte NucLight Green Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Bleo) for nuclear labeling 4626 0.2 mL IncuCyte NucLight Red Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Bleo) for nuclear labeling 4627 0.2 mL IncuCyte NucLight Green Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Puro) for nuclear labeling 4475 0.6 mL IncuCyte NucLight Red Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Puro) for nuclear labeling 4476 0.6 mL IncuCyte NucLight Green Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Bleo) for nuclear labeling 4477 0.6 mL IncuCyte NucLight Red Lentivirus Reagent (EF-1 , Bleo) for nuclear labeling 4478 0.6 mL IncuCyte Cytotox Red Reagent for counting dead cells 4632 5 L x 5 IncuCyte Cytotox Green Reagent for counting dead cells 4633 5 L x 5 IncuCyte Annexin V Red Reagent for apoptosis 4641 100 tests IncuCyte Annexin V Green Reagent for apoptosis 4642 100 tests IncuCyte Caspase-3/7 Green Reagent for apoptosis 4440 20 L IncuCyte Caspase-3/7 Red Reagent for apoptosis 4704 20 L Sartorius Sartorius is a leading international pharmaceutical and laboratory equipment supplier. With our innovative products and services, we are helping our customers across the entire globe to implement their complex and quality-critical biomanufacturing and laboratory processes reliably and economically. The Group companies are united under the roof of Sartorius AG, which is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and holds the majority stake in Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A. Quoted on the Paris Stock Exchange, this subgroup is comprised mainly of the Bioprocess Solutions Division. Innovative Technologies Enable Medical Progress A growing number of medications are biopharmaceuticals. These are produced using living cells in complex, lengthy and expensive procedures. The Bioprocess Solutions Division provides the essential products and technologies to accomplish this. In fact, Sartorius has been pioneering and setting the standards for single-use products that are currently used throughout all biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Making Lab Life Easier Lab work is complex and demanding: Despite repetitive analytical routines, lab staff must perform each step in a highly concentrated and careful way for accurate results. The Lab Products and Services Division helps lab personnel excel because its products, such as laboratory balances, pipettes and lab consumables, minimize human error, simplify workflows and reduce physical workloadsSponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. Alto, the entry level hatchback from Maruti Suzuki has retained its best-selling car in India tag as Maruti Suzuki registered sales of over 1.07 lakh units of the Alto in the first five months of calendar year 2017.Since its launch, Alto has found favour with its customers as an affordable car with good design, performance and high fuel efficiency. Nearly 25% of Alto sales contribution comes from young customers less 30 years of age. This contribution has grown by 4% in the past three years.Maruti Suzuki first launched the Alto in the Indian market in September 2000. In the past nearly 17 years of existence, Maruti Suzuki has made several upgrades to the car to keep it at pace with customers demand.In the first three years of Altos launch, it clocked 1 lakh of cumulative sales. During 2016-17, Maruti Suzuki exported over 21,000 units of Alto to markets such as Sri Lanka, Chile, Philippines, and Uruguay. This is in addition to domestic sales.Alto K10 with AGS is the most affordable two pedal technology in the entry segment and offers driver airbag as an option from base variant onwards. Maruti Suzuki has regularly upgraded Alto with the latest technology and new features to meet the expectations of its buyers.Today, Alto comes with two engine options 800 cc and K10 and a CNG fuel variant. Keeping in mind the customers needs Alto K10 is offered with the clutch-less Auto Gear Shift Transmission (AGS) technology.Jan'17 22998Feb'17 19524Mar'17 18868Apr'17 22549May'17 - 23618Maruti Suzuki Alto has carved a niche for self when it comes to the entry-level compact hatchbacks in India. Competitors like Renault Kwid did manage to give a competition to the Alto, but the latest sales figures suggest that they have failed in doing so. Cabin of Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Edition. (Image: Rolls-Royce) Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Edition to launch at the Goodwood Festival. (Image: Rolls-Royce)[ At the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016, Rolls-Royce presented a permanent Bespoke family of motor cars called Black Badge, designed in response to the differing lifestyle requirements of a younger, more dynamic patron of luxury.Since its introduction, Black Badge has attracted a new generation of Rolls-Royce customers to the marque. As a result of positive customer demand for Ghost Black Badge and Wraith Black Badge, Rolls-Royce has decided to add a new chapter to the Black Badge story.The 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed will see the global debut of Dawn Black Badge, the open-top version of the Dawn. The Black Badge has been launched to meet the demands of those customers who have said Build us a Rolls-Royce like no other.The Dawn Black Badge at the Festival of Speed is presented in a deeply intense shade of black. Multiple layers of paint and lacquer have been applied and hand-polished in a process that amounts to the most exhaustive painting and polishing process ever used for a solid paint colour.The Spirit of Ecstasy transforms into a high-gloss vamp, finished in a perfectly executed black chrome. This transformation to a darker aesthetic extends to certain chrome surfaces including the front grille surround, boot lid finisher, exhaust pipes and air inlet finisher.Reflecting the marque s Bespoke philosophy, Dawn Black Badge also plays host to a new interior palette break-up. Higher levels of exquisite Black leather are accented boldly with Mandarin highlights, including a strip of orange highlight which encircles the cabin at hip-height, evocative of the sunset before the passengers are immersed in darkness.The Dawn Black Edition comes powered by a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 and generates an extra 30bhp over the cars already ample 563bhp, bringing the total to 593bhp. An extra 20 Nm of torque is available from 1,500 rpm, bringing the total to 840 Nm.Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge can now be ordered for buying. I see myself as a generally courageous person...But I confess..I don't possess THAT much courage... https://t.co/OFPdoYuloq anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 28, 2017 I would disagree a bit on that Sir. Your taking over of Satyam was really the most courageous decision till date. Dinesh Joshi (@dineshjoshi70) June 28, 2017 mallya can make a comeback... Dev Chatterjee (@ParagonWorli18) June 28, 2017 They say that the fastest way to become a millionaire from a billionaire is to start an airline... so we know why Pankaj Doval (@pankajdoval) June 28, 2017 : The chairman of the Mahindra Group on Wednesday resorted to humour when asked whether the company was interested in buying the beleaguered Air India. Anand Mahindra quipped he didn't possess that much courage when asked on Twitter whether his group was interested in buying debt-ridden airline.Twitterati had a laugh looking at Mahindra's reply and disagreed that Mahindra taking over Satyam was the most courageous decision till date.Reeling under more than Rs 50,000 crore debt, AI is a risky investment for the Mahindra Group.Recently Tata Group had shown interest to buy the airline and informed the Civil Aviation Ministry about it. As per sources the government is keen on selling 100% stake. Canada's postal service confirmed on Tuesday that it has suspended mail delivery to a Vancouver neighborhood after repeated attacks on its carriers by a crow. Canuck the crow would often swoop in and peck at carriers delivering to three homes on the city's east side. On one occasion, according to media reports, a carrier was left bleeding. Canada Post spokesman Phil Legault said in a statement to AFP that the safety of its employees is "of most importance." He cited several incidents "in this neighborhood when our letter carriers were attacked by a crow." Residents, he said, have been advised where to go to pick up their mail, adding that postal service would resume "as soon as possible when it's safe." A bird believed to be the very same crow gained notoriety in 2016 for stealing a knife from a crime scene. It has also been spotted riding the city's metro and earlier this month got into a flap with a McDonald's diner while trying to steal her breakfast. New Delhi:The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the 7th Pay Commission recommendations on allowances, providing a relief for more than 48 lakh central goverment employees. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday told the media that Cabinet has approved the recommendations with some modifications. The recommendations on House Rent Allowance and other allowances will be effective from July 1, 2017. Of the 196 suggestions given by the Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa-led committee in April, the Cabinet approved 36 modifications. Jaitley said that the combined additional financial impact of the revised allowances will be around Rs 30,748 crore a year. The government retained the old structure of allowances for central government employees. in cities with more than 5 million people, HRA will be 27% of the basic pay. A panel had proposed bringing down the HRA to 24%, 16% and 8% of the basic pay, based on the cost of living in different cities divided in three slabs. Therecommendations had left government employees unsatisfied with a lowest basic pay hike of 14.27 percent in 7 decades. After protests against the 7 CPC report intensified, the Modi government constituted a committee under Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa in July last year to review the recommendations on allowances. The panel submitted the report on April 27. The modification, which is based on the recommendations of Committee on Allowances, will result in additional burden of Rs 1,448 crore over and above suggestions made by 7th Central Pay Commission. Mumbai: Indrani Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, will be produced in a CBI special court on Wednesday, after her lawyer filed an application alleging assault and threats of sexual abuse by jail officials. Indrani was booked along with other inmates in Mumbais Byculla prison for rioting sparked by the death of a convict. Taking note of the complaint, the CBI court on Tuesday, hearing the Sheena murder case, had directed jail authorities to produce the former media executive in the court. In another development, police said that Manju Shetye, whose death sparked the protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted in her private parts. Manju, 45, died at the government-run JJ Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on June 23. "These allegations are part of the FIR filed against the jail staff. We are probing the matter," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-3), Akhilesh Singh told PTI. The Nagpada police, investigating the case, have filed an offence of murder against the jail staff. "We are seeking information from eyewitnesses and other inmates in this connection," a police official said. Gunjan Mangla, the lawyer of Indrani, filed an application in the court saying when she went to meet the former media executive she told her that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the death of the woman prisoner. "She showed me her bruise marks and injuries which were very prominent on her hands, legs and head," the lawyer claimed in the application. Gunjan said Indrani also said that she was verbally abused by jail officials and the superintendent, while also being threatened with sexual assault for protesting against the death in jail. Following Manju's death, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went up to the prison's terrace while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Indrani, on charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Gunjan said Indrani requested her to bring the incident to the notice of the court and seek her production to lodge a complaint against the jail officials. "She informed me that several inmates want to give their statements against the jail officials who were involved in the incident," the lawyer said. When judge J C Jagdale asked the lawyer if Indrani wants to file an FIR, she said "yes". An official from the prison department had alleged that Indrani "instigated" the inmates by asking them to shun food and "use their children as shields" when prison staffers tried to stop them from agitating and gathering together. Declining to comment on the matter, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Bhushankumar Upadhyay said, "Police have registered an offence against the jail staff and an investigation is on." Six jail staffers were placed under suspension and police registered a case under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder) against them. The jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. (With inputs from PTI) Chandigarh: A 50-year-old Delhi government employee was among four persons arrested on Wednesday in connection with the killing of a Muslim youth onboard a Mathura-bound train, the police said. With these arrests the number of those held in the case, which triggered nation-wide outrage, has reached five but the "prime accused" is still at large, they added. "We have arrested four more persons, including three youths, aged between 24 and 30 years and a 50-year-old man," Kamaldeep Goel, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Government Railway Police (GRP), Faridabad, said over phone. The 50-year-old arrested on Wednesday is a Delhi government employee while the three others were doing some private jobs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), GRP, Faridabad, Mohinder Singh said. The accused persons belong to areas close to Hodal near Palwal in Faridabad and are believed to be regular commuters, according to police officials. Goel said that with these arrests, the sequence of events which led to the stabbing of Junaid has also, to a large extent, become clear. Junaid (17) was stabbed when he along with his brothers was returning home to Khandawli village in Ballabgarh after shopping for Eid in Delhi on Thursday. Goel said that it had come to fore that the 50-year-old man had entered into an altercation with Junaid and his brothers over seat sharing. "He then passed some remarks hurting the victims' religious sentiments. Our investigations reveal that this 50-year-old man entered into an argument with the victim and his brothers from Okhla over seats. "However three youths who had boarded the train at New Town Faridabad station also got involved in the quarrel with the 50-year-old man egging them on," Goel said. Asked if the person who had stabbed Junaid had been nabbed, the SP said the "prime accused" was still at large. He, however, expressed confidence that "now, we have got crucial leads and he too will be in custody soon". Earlier on Wednesday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar condemned the incident. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Khattar said the government would not allow anyone to take the law in their hands. "The action in the case is being taken as per ongoing investigations. Whatever action is deemed fit will be taken," he said. Asked from where the four accused were arrested on Wednesday, DSP Mohinder Singh said, "we have questioned several people during the past few days. On the basis of statements taken from some of the passengers in the train, we had summoned a few suspects at the office of the crime branch at Faridabad on Wednesday. After the role of the four was established, we arrested them". He said the accused belong to areas close to Hodal near Palwal in Faridabad. They are all believed to be regular commuters who used to take the EMU train to New Delhi from the Haryana town. Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers - Hashim and Sakir - were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled slurs against them onboard the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations on Thursday night. Junaid's body was dumped close to Asaoti village in Faridabad district. Police had earlier announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for credible information leading to arrest of the accused in the case. One person who had been arrested earlier had been remanded to judicial custody by a court in Faridabad district. The accused person arrested earlier, while speaking to reporters, had alleged that he was in an inebriated state and had attacked the teenager after being instigated by fellow passengers. The incident was also condemned by Union Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday. The CPI(M) had also sent a delegation to meet the victim's family. The delegation asked the police to ascertain the political affiliation of those involved in the "horrific mob lynching" and said the accused would not have dared to target the victim sans "political patronage" in the BJP-ruled state. Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had also visited the victim's family yesterday and condemned the incident. Junaid's brothers had told reporters earlier that the attackers taunted and repeatedly called them "anti-nationals" and "beef eaters". : Trinamool Congress MLA Iqbal Ahmed, facing probe for his alleged role in the Narada scam, was on Wednesday ordered by the Calcutta High Court to cooperate with the investigators.Justice Joymalyo Bagchi gave this direction to MLA Ahmed while hearing his plea for quashing of the case registered against him on the basis of a sting operation carried out by investigative journalist Mathew Samuel, who had caught on camera a slew of West Bengal politicians and bureaucrats accepting wads of cash as bribe for extending favours to his fictitious firm.The CBI is investigating the Narada sting operation on an order by the high court, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed separate FIRs against all 13 accused in the CBI case, including Ahmed, to investigate the money trail. Ahmed, who is also the deputy mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), submitted through his lawyer that the FIR against him was without jurisdiction and had relied on inadmissible evidence and, accordingly, needs to be quashed.The court adjourned the hearing of the plea in till Friday, when it would be taken up along with another petition for quashing of the FIR against Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Aparupa Poddar.The hearing of Poddar's petition has been held a few times before this court.Ahmed, the first of the Narada scam accused to be summoned by the CBI, appeared before the agency for questioning on June 5. File photo of the Calcutta High Court.Naradanews.com editor Mathew Samuel had claimed it was Ahmed who had introduced him to the senior TMC leaders who he had paid money on behalf of a fictitious company. Samuel has claimed Ahmed had taken money from him for introducing him to the leaders.The sting videos, which were released by Mathew just before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections, had created a political furore.The sting operation relates to the secret filming of the TMC leaders and an IPS officer allegedly accepting money from representatives of a fictitious company.The CBI is probing the matter on a Calcutta High Court order and has registered FIRs against 12 senior TMC leaders, including MPs and ministers and the IPS officer.The TMC leaders against whom the CBI has registered the FIR include Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Roy, Lok Sabha MPs Saugata Roy, Aparupa Poddar, Sultan Ahmed, Prasun Banerjee and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Environment Minister Sovan Chatterjee and Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee have also been named in the FIR.Former Minister Madan Mitra, MLA Iqbal Ahmed and IPS officer Saiyaad Mustafa Hussain Mirza have also been made accused in the case. This is not the time for India to display arrogance towards China and the so-called strategic support it has received from the US is superficial, an article in Chinas state-run Global Times has said a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his first bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House."India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial.... It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," the article said, adding China has no desire to confront India.Referring to the Chinese militarys allegation that the Indian Army "crossed the boundary" in Sikkim section of the border, the article said, "Indian troops' provocation brings disgrace to themselves" and they should be forced to retreat "by all necessary means". "The Indian government made no objection to the Sikkim section of the China-India border. Allegations of intrusions along the western section of the China-India border often emerge, but face-offs in the Sikkim section are rare. The Nathu La pass in Sikkim was reopened in 2006, because there is no border dispute between China and India over this area," it said."It remains unclear whether this flare-up is the fault of low-level Indian troops or a tentative strategic move made by the Indian government," it said. "Whatever the motive is, China must stick to its bottom line. It must force the Indian troops to retreat to the Indian side by all means necessary and China's road construction mustn't be stopped," it said.As the China-India borderline hasn't been demarcated completely and the two countries have a different understanding about the Line of Actual Control, troops from both sides often stray across in some areas, it said. "However, almost all frictions are fed to the Indian media by the Indian military which they hype time and again"."Maintaining friendly ties with New Delhi is Beijing's basic policy. But this must be based on mutual respect. It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China," it said.The article was posted on Global Times website hours after the Chinese foreign ministry justified the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector, saying the area "undoubtedly" is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said.The dispute over construction of a road was apparently the reason why China stopped a batch of 47 Indian pilgrims from crossing through Nathu La border in Sikkim into Tibet to visit Kailash and Mansarovar.(With PTI inputs) : Even as Ballabgarh continues to boil after lynching of a 16-year-old boy on charges of being a beef eater, a group of prominent citizens has come together to draft what they wish should become a law, Manav Suraksha Kanoon (MaSuKa), which not only defines mob lynching, but also seeks to make lynching a non-bailable offence.The civil society proposal seeks immediate suspension of the concerned Station House Officer or SHO of the area. MaSuKa defines mob, lynching, mob lynching, rumour mongering, hate, etc, among others.Speaking to News18, core member of the National Campaign against Mob Lynching, Tehseen Poonawalla said, Lynching has become the new norm and hence there was an immediate need of such a law.We have proposed to make lynching a non-bailable offence and the punishment for the ones convicted under it would be life imprisonment. It also mandates that the concerned SHO of the area would have to be suspended forthwith until a time-bound judicial probe absolves him of charges. This provision has been laid out because if a mob of 100 people is entering an area and lynching someone, it cannot be without the consent of the concerned police officer of the area, said Poonawalla.The draft document also has India-specific provisions dealing with the way mobs are created. The document has been made India-specific where technology being used for rumour mongering has been taken into account. It specifies what a mob is and what it is not, as a peaceful protest against leaders, policies etc cannot be termed as a mob and tried for false charges, said Poonawalla.Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hegde, who is a member of the drafting committee, told News18 that videographic evidence of survivors statements would also act as an evidence under this proposal.In such cases of lynching, which is the explicit form of mobocracy, often the survivors live to tell the tale and their statements should be taken as evidence and the same has been prescribed, said Hegde.At present, any lynching case in the country gets covered under Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (causing voluntary hurt) 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.However, the core members of the civil society grouping have suggested mob lynching requires a special legislation. There were already laws on rape, but still Justice Verma committee submitted recommendations; we had laws tackling corruption but even then we ushered in the Lokpal legislation. Hence, even though the riot act and provisions of the IPC are present, lynching demands a new law, said Poonawalla.The draft proposal also has provisions for a time-bound judicial enquiry, which should not take more than six months. Even compensation has been recommended for the victims families.On the future course of action, Poonawalla said that all opposition parties had been informed about the proposal and most of them supported it. Our demand is that the Prime Minister passes a law against mob lynching in Parliament, said Poonawalla.The draft proposal has been prepared by the National Campaign against Mob Lynching of columnist Tehseen Poonawalla, social activist Jignesh Mevani, former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union vice-president Shehla Rashid and the former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.The drafting committee includes Sanjay Hegde, a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court, Sadar Musharraf, JNU student Najeeb Ahmeds sister, Anil Chamaria, a journalist and activist, Apoorvanand, a Delhi University professor, Sanam Wazir, campaigner at Amnesty International India, Nivedita Menon, a JNU professor, Rebecca John, a Senior Advocate, Manoj Jha, a professor at Delhi School of Social Work, V Geetha, a feminist author and publisher, and Swara Bhaskar, an actor. New Delhi: The union home ministry has refused to intervene in the lynching incidents being reported from various parts of the country. The ministry, in a departure from past, has sought no report from Haryana or Jharkhand even after incidents of mob violence were reported from the two states. Ashok Prasad, Spokesperson MHA, said, "Reports are sought from states only if the incident has wider ramifications or has an internal security angle and force has to be provided." Fifteen-year-old Junaid Khan was stabbed to death in a train near Ballabgarh, Haryana, on Saturday allegedly after communal slurs were hurled at him. On Wednesday, Jharkhand resident Usman Ansari was attacked by a mob and his house burnt after a cow carcass was found outside his house. Ashok Prasad said these are issues of law and order which the state government is best suited to handle. However, in October 2015 Union home ministry had sought a detailed report from the Uttar Pradesh government over the lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq in Dadri. The ministry then had also told the SP govt to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future. On July 20, 2016, Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefed parliament on Una Dalit attack after getting the report from Gujarat government. He told Parliament that nine people were arrested in the case. "Of these, seven persons are in the judicial custody while two others are in the police custody. Moreover, the state government has suspended four police personnel, including an inspector, and also initiated disciplinary action for negligence of duty," Rajnath Singh had told Parliament. The opposition has made it clear that it will raise the recent issues of lynching and mob violence in the upcoming session of Parliament. If opposition does demand answers from the government, MHA might be forced to change its stance and seek detailed reports from the state governments where such incidents have happened. : Hundreds of Gorkha children, few armed with their traditional dagger 'Khukri', along with elders participated in a rally in Darjeeling on Wednesday for a separate state of Gorkhaland.In the morning, these children with We Want Gorkhaland written on their body gathered at Mall Road and raised slogans for a separate state. They criticised state governments forcible imposition of Bangla language on Gorkha children.We are not going to learn Bangla language and we want a new home as Gorkhaland, the children were heard raising slogans.Condemning the incident, Trinamool Congress leader Gautam Deb said, It is a shame for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders to engage children in such rallies. At this tender age, these GJM leaders are showing them the path of violence. This is inhuman and we condemn it.He said, Nothing can be achieved through violence. Solution to any problem can only be achieved through dialogue. I would like to urge the people in the Hills to maintain peace.The GJM leaders also gathered in front of the Darjeeling police station and protested against the detention of two of their leaders on their way to Patlebas.In some areas, GJM leaders set government offices on fire and damaged some crucial documents ahead of the scheduled special audit tomorrow.Last night also incidents of violence were reported around the hills as activists are alleged to have set fire to two panchayat offices at Rajbari and in Dhobitala. They also burnt documents of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) agreement at some 45 places.GJM leaders have vowed to intensify their movement for Gorkhaland through hunger strike and self-immolation unless their demand for a separate state is fulfilled.Fearing arrests, most of the key GJM leaders including Bimal Gurung went underground. It was learnt that now they are using wireless sets to communicate with each other in the Hills. An IP address, which seemed to be from Pakistan, caught Indian intelligence agencies attention last year as it was showing suspicious movements around crucial defence establishments.One of the top hackers in the country was engaged by the government to have a go at it. He is part of the select club of ethical hackers who work independently but help the government on projects like these.A few days and codes down, he managed to break into the system. Soon, he realised the enormity of the task this was an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) address which had details of over 40,000 Indians, including their phone numbers.This was an Inter-Services Intelligence address which had details of over 40,000 Indians, including their phone numbersA further probe revealed the data had details of defence personnel and defence ministry officials. The hacker figured out this was an all-out cyber espionage game, played by Pakistans spy agency. But how did they gain control of so many mobile phones in India?That is when he discovered three news apps. These were basically data stealing malware masquerading as apps which gave the latest defence news. Indian Sena News, Bharatiya Sena News and India Defense News (IDN) the three applications, which were available for download till early 2016, provided RSS feeds of news stories pertaining to Indias defense. But unknown to those who were lured to download them, these apps were equipped with Remote Access Trojan, a malware which can take control of your computer remotely.Indian Sena News, Bharatiya Sena News and India Defense News (IDN) the three applications, which were available for download till early 2016, provided RSS feeds of news stories pertaining to Indias defenseThese apps were promoted on Facebook, targeting those who had a keen interest in Indias defence sector, especially members of the armed forces and those in the Ministry of Defence. Before being closed, the IDN Facebook page had more than 1200 likes from Facebook users who were in some manner linked to Indian Army. Likewise, the Bharatiya Sena News page had 3,300 page likes. These apps were capable of stealing SMSs, making videos, recording calls, sending screenshots, and stealing files.Once the sleuths discovered all this, a report was prepared and submitted to the government, which asked them to keep a silent watch on the apps. Soon, when the cover was blown off, all the three apps were pulled down, marking an end to yet another vicious espionage attempt by the ISI.These apps were capable of stealing SMSs, making videos, recording calls, sending screenshots, and stealing filesStrategic experts say there could be many other apps available for download which are run by either the ISI or some other rogue group to steal data.Cybercrime expert Amit Dubey said, Not just armed forces, there have been attacks on Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as well.After this episode, Indian government issued an advisory, asking the officers to refrain from downloading unknown apps and keep internet off when in high security zone. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has said that India has far more impactful and effective options than surgical strikes to deal with Pakistan. Rawat also said he was wary of USAs move to designate Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.I will wait and watch to see if Pakistan truly reins him (Salahuddin) in, because he was issuing a calendar of protests on the very day he was designated, said Rawat, in an interview to Hindustan Times Talking about the recent beheading and mutilation of two Indian soldiers, Rawat said, Pakistan thinks it is fighting an easy war thats paying them dividends, but we have options (other than surgical strikes) that are far more impactful and effective. Our Army is not barbaric. I dont want to (collect) heads because we are a disciplined force.On the Kashmir issue, Rawat claimed that talks could only happen if there was peace in the Valley, a job that the Army has to do. He also said that he would personally hold talks with the person who could assure him that his convoy would not be hit.The Army chief also said that they were trying to reach out to youth leaders in Kashmir, in the hopes of deterring them from violence. He claimed that he didnt want innocents to be caught in the crossfire, and that the Army did not want any collateral damage.Rawat also touched on the human shield controversy and defended the actions of Major Leetul Gogoi. The election commission staff called for help. What if they had been lynched? he asked. I am not on the ground. I dont know what my boys are going through, but I have to be the motivator, he said, while citing the lynching of deputy superintendent of police MA Pandith outside the Jamia Masjid mosque in Srinagar.He also dismissed rumours that there were incursions by the Chinese army in Sikkim. I dont know where the visuals are from, but they are not from Sikkim, said Rawat. New Delhi: A man was beaten up and his house set on fire by a mob after they allegedly found a dead cow outside his house in Deori, Jharkhand. Police said the mob attacked Usman Ansari after some people reported to have seen a cow carcass outside his house in Betia Hatianand village, around 200km from the capital Ranchi. Police said the crowd started pelting stones and dispersed only after a few rounds were fired in the air. Ansari was admitted to a hospital and his condition was said to be stable. Reacting to the attack, Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said, What is happening to human rights? The government is responsible for supporting these groups. You cant attack a person just because a dead animal was found outside the house. CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, This is mobocracy, not democracy. Several incidents of cow-related violence have been reported in the last few months. On June 22, three people were lynched in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district after they were allegedly caught stealing cows from a house. The incident occurred on the same day as a teenager was stabbed to death, and his three brothers were injured by a group of people in a dispute over allegations of carrying beef on a train near Ballabhgarh in Haryana. Mandsaur: In a shocking incident some miscreants went about smashing windshields of about 30 cars during the early hours on Wednesday in Mandsaur district. Though there are conflicting reports about the number of cars. The incident has generated a fresh wave of panic among the locals in violence-hit Mandsaur - the epicentre of the recent farmers agitation. The miscreants, riding bikes, smashed windshields of 30 cars, parked outside homes, in different areas, including Railway Station road, Shukla Colony, Gol Chowraha and others. The act was caught on CCTV cameras installed in various houses. The footage shows bike-borne miscreants reaching households and speeding away after smashing windshields of cars. The police remained busy tracing the perpetrators in the morning. Superintendent of Police Manoj Singh said,"Glass panes of over 30 cars have been shattered by unknown miscreants somewhere between 3 to 4 am. The police are looking for the miscreants on the basis of CCTV footage. Some groups protested outside police station demanding arrest of the perpetrators. The public also staged demonstrations at various squares against the incident and only retreated after senior police officers pacified them. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday announced the Union Cabinet has given in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India. "The Cabinet today gave an in-principle approval to the divestment of Air India," Jaitley said after the Cabinet meeting. A group under Jaitley has been formed to decide upon the modalities of Air India's stake sale. "It will now take a decision on the quantum of stake sale and take a call on Air India's assets, debts and its hotel subsidiary," Jaitley said. The Cabinet choose between two options suggested in a presentation by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management. The discussions were on both the Niti Aayogs recommendation of complete privatisation and the civil aviation ministry's proposal of debt reduction. Jaitley however, refused to give a timeline on disinvestment. In an interview with CNBC TV18 earlier this month, Jaitley had said, "In addition to the existing players, if private players also participate in Air Indias proposed privatisation, it will add to the competition in terms of quality and the speed of growth of the sector too." "Aviation is turning into a good business in our country. Our airports are better than most countries, we have better connectivity. I do see a great future for the aviation sector. We have around 500-600 aircraft. China has 5000. We will definitely have a big number of aircraft flying in 10 years," he had said. The government think-tank Niti Aayog had strongly recommended total privatization of Air India to make it viable. Staying afloat on little over Rs 30,000 crore bail-out package extended by the previous UPA regime, Air India is saddled with nearly Rs 52,000 crore debt and is in discussions with lenders on ways to restructure the loans. Since the merger of Indian Airlines with itself, Air India has been in the red. However, it posted an operational profit of Rs 105 crore on account of low fuel prices and increased passenger numbers in 2015-16. Air India disinvestment in BIG numbers STAFF 11,912 (regular) (as on Mar 31, 2017) AIRCRAFT 107 WAGE BILL Rs 2,400 cr ATF BILL Rs 5,745 cr MARKET SHARE (Domestic): 14% (2016-17) MARKET SHARE (International): 25% (2016-17) ON-TIME PERFORMANCE: 76% (as opposed to 85% industry standard) TOTAL DEBT: Rs 52,000 cr LOANS FOR AIRCRAFT Rs 20,000 cr WORKING CAPITAL LOAN Rs 30,000 cr AIR INDIA THE GREAT DESCENT 1932: Tata Airlines begins offering air services in India 1946: TATA Airlines is renamed Air India 1953: Air Corporation Act passed. Air India nationalised along with seven other private carriers 1981: a new carrier Vayudoot established to act as regional feeder airline 1986: To boost tourism, private air taxis allowed to fly with riders 1993: After Rs 200 crore annual loss, Vayudoot merged with Indian Airlines, adding to its debt burden 1994: Air Corporation Act repealed, private carriers allowed again 2003: Naresh Chandra Committee report calls for the privatisation of both IA and AI but faces stiff opposition 2005: AI signs a purchase agreement for 50 Boeing aircraft, at a cost of Rs 33,197 crore 2007: AI and IA merged into National Aviation Company of India Ltd, headquarters at Delhi 2010: the company is renamed Air India 2011: C&AG hauls up Air India and Civil Aviation Ministry for reckless purchase of aircraft which led to major losses 2012: Centre govt sanctions a turnaround plan for AI @ Rs 42,182 crore to be infused from 2011-12 to 2031-32 2014: Air India becomes a member of Star Alliance, boosting international connectivity 2016: C&AG reports faults MoCA and AI for poor implementation of turnaround plan 2017: Air India looses mount to Rs 52,000 crore, crippling the airline and forcing the govt towards its privatisation New Delhi: A Facebook post by a filmmaker against the lynching of a Muslim teenager has spawned a powerful online campaign, leading to protest marches being held in five cities across the world, including Delhi, Kolkata, Boston, and London. Thousands have pledged to hit the streets this week in support of the campaign, Not In My Name. Citizen protests will be held in different cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru on Wednesday. The complete list of the venues is as follows: Delhi: Jantar Mantar Kolkata: Dakhinapan premises, next to Madhusudhan Mancha, Dhakuria Hyderabad: Tank Bund Thiruvananthapuram: The Secretariat Junction Bengaluru: Bangalore Town Hall Mumbai: Promenade, Carter Road Pune: Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Statue, near Pune Station Boston: Harvard Square Chennai: Gandhi Statue on Marina Beach London: SOAS University of London on Thornhaugh Street Chandigarh: Sector 17 Toronto: 356 Bloor Street East (Sherborne and Bloor) Karachi: Outside Karachi Press Club Lucknow: Gandhi Park, GPO Patna: Outside Kargil Chowk I never realised the response would be so overwhelming. Despite the debilitating violence, these protests will make us feel we are alive and spark hope, Dewan told agencies. The campaign sought to reclaim the Constitution and resist the onslaught on the right to life and equality, the Gurgaon-based documentary filmmaker said. The protest in Delhi will be held at the Jantar Mantar at around 6 PM. The family of 17-year-old Junaid - killed by a mob when he was on his way home to Ballabhgarh after shopping for Eid in Delhi - will also be invited to join the demonstration, Dewan said. An image designed by graphic artist Orijit Sen featuring blood-stained chappals, a metal rod and the message "Not In My Name" is being shared by hundreds on social media sites along with an appeal to join the protest. Please carry banners with the slogan - NOT IN MY NAME. This is a citizens' protest open to all. Everyone is welcome but without party or organisational banners, the invite reads. It all started on June 24 with Dewans post calling for protests against the spate of lynchings that have taken place in different parts of the country in recent weeks, the latest being the murderous attack on Junaid on June 22. If not now, then when? Why wait for political formations to organise a demonstration? Why cant all of us as citizens repulsed by the violence get together in protest at the earliest next week at Jantar Mantar under the banner - Not in my Name, it said. (With inputs from PTI) Jairam Ramesh, the former Congress minister whom I consider a friend, once took me by surprise when he casually asked how often I went home to Kathmandu. Expressing my displeasure, I said I was as Indian as he is and that I hailed from Darjeeling in India where Gorkhas are the major community. That moment was an unhappy reminder yet again about the perception which mainland India harbors about Gorkhas. When a well-read person like Jairam Ramesh can have such an impression, what can one say about the countless ordinary citizens who erroneously believe that a Gorkha either hails from Nepal or is employed as a Chowkidar. We have to repeatedly remind the country that Gorkhas have contributed equally in its freedom and that their economic and social status is not linked to a particular profession. This is a bit ironical too given that Gorkhas are wholly identified with defending the country since every family has one or more member who has served in the Indian army. Such impressions causing incalculable damage to Indian Gorkhas has persisted since Independence. Sardar Patel wrote to Nehru in 1950 that people inhabiting Darjeeling and Kalimpong areas had no loyalty or devotion to India and were not free from pro Mongoloid prejudices. Morarji Desai as Prime Minister had declared Nepali to be a foreign language, implying in the process that Nepali speaking population in India were foreigners. Perhaps thats why the Gorkhas of Darjeeling hills and Dooars, even after a hundred years, have tirelessly pursued the dream of a separate state of Gorkhaland, a demand that is hence unmistakably linked to the quest for an unblurred Indian identity and the compelling desire to determine their own fate in an administrative setup outside of Bengal in order to achieve political, social and economic empowerment in this country. That this sentiment is shared by Gorkhas living outside the geographical boundary of Darjeeling hills is a fact that must be noted by those in power seeking to author a permanent solution for Darjeeling hills. Gorkhas in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the entire Northeast have wholeheartedly backed their brethren in Darjeeling hills even though they dont benefit directly when Gorkhaland becomes the 30th state of India. The demand for Gorkhaland is a just and democratic one. Gorkhas are patriots and want to underscore it through the statehood demand. The imposing statue of Shahid Durga Malla near Gate No 3 of Parliament stands testimony to the role of Gorkhas in the freedom struggle. Barrister Ari Bahadur Gurungs signature in the original Constitution of India is recognition that that Gorkhas played a role in nation-building. Indian Gorkhas have given their blood for the nation but have not got their due. Yet there is opposition from some sections to the idea of statehood for Gorkhaland. So what are the arguments against Gorkhaland and the counter to them? Strategic location: The Centre has gone by the long-held view that the region is strategically sensitive. A narrow 27-kilometer corridor, aptly called the Chickens Neck that one can easily identify in any map of the subcontinent, connects mainland India to the entire Northeast and is flanked by the international boundaries of Nepal and Bangladesh. Yes, the region is sensitively located. But Darjeelings neighbor Sikkim, which has similar terrain and topography, is already a state in the vicinity. If Sikkim can exist, why cannot Gorkhaland. On the contrary, if no permanent solution is found and the problem lingers, the region would be fertile ground for anti-India forces. Opening Pandoras box: The Centre fears that creation of Gorkhaland will open a Pandoras box, prompting more demands elsewhere in the country. This view is clearly misplaced as no new demand has surfaced after the country saw the creation of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh in 2000 and Telengana in 2014. There exist the same old statehood demands such as Vidarbha and Bundelkhand but it is only Gorkhaland and Bodoland that are backed by mass movements. Centre-state relations: Mindful of the federal nature of our polity, the Centre is reluctant to take steps unless the state is taken on board. However, there is no Constitutional hurdle in this regard as the Centre is empowered under Article 3 of the Constitution to bifurcate any state. Parliaments authority is supreme and there are four Supreme Court judgements that have upheld this view in regard to creation of new states. Consultations with the state legislature is mandatory but the legislatures recommendation is not binding on Parliament. This was made clear in another Supreme Court judgement that dismissed a petition challenging creation of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh. The apex court in 2008 held that consultation did not mean concurrence. When Telengana was created, the Centre in fact, disregarded view of the united Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly which had rejected the Telengana bill and went ahead with its bifurcation. Partition pain: Bengals case has rested on the emotional plank that it cannot suffer another partition. This can only be a facetious argument. Gorkhaland is not going to be separated from India. It will be a neighbor state of Bengal. This can best be seen as a spurious proprietary claim by Bengal on Darjeeling that is reflective of a colonial mindset. Bengalis will always be the first to enjoy Darjeeling as they are the closest. Historically though, Darjeeling hills was never a part of Bengal. It see-sawed between Sikkim and Nepal until the British intervened in the backdrop of the Anglo-Nepalese war. Then Sikkim leased the entire Darjeeling tract to the British in 1835. Viability: Tea and Tourism are the big money spinners of Darjeeling hills and the revenue earned from these two sectors is subst. Darjeeling Tea earns a gross revenue of around Rs 600 crore annually, which is said to multiply at least thrice after passing through marketing arms. Actual figures are kept under wraps as much of the premium tea is sold directly to foreign buyers without going through auction process. Tourism is the biggest draw for Darjeeling and Sikkim. Studies sponsored by Tourism ministry have shown that a tourist spends Rs 2000 per day on domestic trips. Last year, 20 lakh tourists visited Sikkim. Figures for Darjeeling are slightly less. But once statehood is given and peace is restored, the flow would drastically increase. Floriculture and Agri industry besides hydro power projects are other areas that generate substantial revenue for the region. Development Sham: The development narrative is a skewed one in Darjeeling hills. Adjoining Sikkim, with a mere six lakh population, had an annual budget of Rs 6220 crore for 2017-18. It has one of the highest per capita income. Its revenue is nearly Rs 1100 crore and states share of Central taxes is Rs 2477 crore. Infrastructure activity hasnt seen any dip in Sikkim in last several years, an indication of the sound health of the state. In comparison, Darjeeling hills or the GTA, with a population of about 14 lakhs, is grossly under-funded. The GTA gets less than Rs 900 crore annually, of which the major chunk is in the form of salaries. Non-plan funds stand at an annual Rs 580 crore. State plan funds have never exceeded Rs 100 crore annually even though allocation was Rs 130 crore in 2015-16 and Rs 132 crore in 2016-17. A separate central package for only three years at Rs 200 crore annually was allotted after the GTA accord was signed. Out of this, only Rs 465 crore has come so far (out of Rs 600 crore) with Rs 135 crore being withheld. Many proposals outlined in the Tripartite Agreement including medical colleges and central university are still only on paper or never took off. Right to self-determination: I use this phrase in a limited context within framework of the Constitution of India. Gorkhas seek the right to determine their own future in terms of economic, social and political development in a new state of Gorkhaland. Living under Bengals domination, Gorkhas have always suffered step motherly treatment. A Gorkha cannot ever hope to become a chief minister of Bengal so political empowerment will always be incomplete. In seventy years, there has not been one Gorkha cabinet minister with a meaty portfolio in Bengal. Since Independence, there has been just one Gorkha high court judge in Bengal and so is the case with Gorkha IAS and IPS officers, who are just a handful. Creation of a separate state will, therefore, help in building our own human resources, promote language and culture and put economic development on the fast track. Small is beautiful: One of the oft repeated arguments against Gorkhaland is that it is very small. The answer to this is simple. Nine out of 29 states have one or two parliamentary seats. Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram and Pondicherry have one parliamentary seat while Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh have two seats. In terms of geographical area too, proposed Gorkhaland would be larger than Sikkim, Goa, Pondicherry and Delhi. In conclusion, the region has a distinct socio-cultural background that is different from mainland Bengal. From language to culture to social system and ethos, Gorkhas do not identify with the Bengalis. Identity and self-determination is the basis of the demand. There are no constitutional hurdles in creating a new state. So why not statehood for Gorkhaland that will bring permanent peace in the region? (Disclaimer: The writer, a former journalist, is with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) Doha: Qatar on Wednesday condemned Saudi Arabia's refusal to negotiate the demands of the kingdom and its allies for ending a crippling embargo on the emirate. Speaking from Washington, where he held talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesdsay, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable. "This is contrary to the principles that govern international relations because you can't just present lists of demands and refuse to negotiate," Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published in Doha. His Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, who is also in Washington, was unbudging yesterday over the three-week-old dispute, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said on Twitter. With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home. Last week, Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, including ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United Arab Emirates warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours. "The hour of truth is near," tweeted UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash. "It's time for our brother (Qatar) to choose... honesty and transparency and to realise that media furore and ideological heroism are illusions. "We have long suffered (Qatar's) conspiracy against our stability and witnessed its support for ideologies that aim to sow chaos in the Arab world. Enough. Return to reason," Gargash wrote. The rift between its allies has been a blow to Washington just as its campaign against the Islamic State group comes to a climax in Iraq and Syria. Thousands turned up in Delhi and four other cities across the country holding aloft placards as a part of the #NotInMyName demonstrations calling for an end to the lynching of innocent Muslims by mobs of cow vigilantes.At Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, close to 5000 people jostled with each other holding posters and placards demanding the government should act against those responsible for such incidents.Mohammad Alim, a shop owner from Gurgaon, told News18 that "these incidents are nothing but a blot on the secular fabric of our country.""India is my country and why should we live in fear? These attacks show that the government is complicit in these crimes and they must be held accountable. Common folk have no enemity but it's the leaders who are fuelling tension," said Alim.The protesters penned poems penned by Mahatma Gandhi and the posters spoke out that the mob lynchings are examples of "false nationalism.""Tumhare nazron mein gaaye zaroori lagti Hai, aur insan bejaan lagti Hai," said a young girl reading a poem on the stage.In Bengaluru, historian Ramchandra Guha and actor-director Girish Karnad joined the hundreds in protesting at the Town Hall.The citizen protests were held in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru, following a powerful online campaign sparked by a Facebook post from filmmaker Saba Dewan on the lynching of a Muslim teen in a train in Haryana.The campaign, which discouraged party banners, sought to reclaim the Constitution and resist the onslaught on the right to life.In Mumbai, actors Shabana Azmi and Konkona Sen Sharma, Kali Koechlin were seen at participating at Carter Road in suburban Bandra.Protesters marched silently, holding posters and placards bearing slogans. "Killing over food. Not in my Name," read a placard.In Kolkata, the protesters gathered at Dhakuria.Filmmaker Aparna Sen, who was part of the protests, said, It is a matter of concern that now we are being told what to eat and what to wear. We all are here to spread the message of peace and harmony.Anuradha Kapoor, who runs an NGO called Swayam, said, We are expressing our voice against atrocities through songs and poetry. Whatever happening now a days in the name of religion is alarming. Bengaluru: Political parties are gearing up for the launch of an online blitz of sorts on different social media platforms in Karnataka as the countdown for Assembly elections 2018 begins. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in the opposition in the state, has unveiled plans to launch at least 5,000 WhatsApp groups for 'starters, said the party's IT Cell. It believes that the push from WhatsApp campaigns is what led to the BJPs mammoth win in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year. With the online push, Bengaluru could soon become a second 'base' for the BJP's e-outreach before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as Prime Minister Narendra Modi finds the online campaign teams in the IT hub to be very strong. "This is just to begin with. Going forward, there could be nearly 10,000 groups," said Karnataka IT Cell convenor K Amresh. "Modi was impressed with the work from the Bangalore volunteers. So he says we could build greater strategies, especially for the English-speaking audience, out of Bengaluru, which could be a second base ahead of 2019 elections." The party's IT Cell has, so far, mostly worked out of a war room in the national capital. The party wants to focus on good governance and development, while also rectifying mistakes it had committed in the Bihar elections when it comes to dealing with sensitive issues, Amresh told CNN-News18. Over the past three years, a huge database has been collated during public events, and the teams are reaching out to voters based on what interest group they fall under students, homemakers, women, rural, urban, senior citizens, army veterans etc. But the focus remains on online outreach. A huge amount of backroom strategising and training continues offline. At least once a month, meetings and workshops are held, issues thrashed out and faults zeroed in on. The Congress, which has also realised the power of social media, says it is not worried about the numbers being projected by the BJP. Actress-turned-politician Divya Spandana, who currently heads the Congresss national social media cell, said they have a two-pronged approach. First comes the national picture it wants to take on the BJP on issues such as corruption, economics and policies, unemployment and the recent cases of lynching. The second focus is on highlighting the central government's perceived lack of interest in supporting Karnataka over issues like the Cauvery water-sharing row, drought relief, farm loan waivers and the imposition of Hindi language. The strategy is in line with what Chief Minister Siddaramaiah articulates in almost every public meeting that whenever he led all-party delegations with many BJP leaders to the PM to press for support, the BJP leaders have always been silent, be it on Mahadayi, Cauvery or drought relief. "We know when they (BJP) say 5,000, they actually mean 500. The BJP is all about perception and hype. To be honest, in all modesty, we have a lot more WhatsApp groups than their perceived number of 5,000," said Divya Spandana, adding that even the Facebook connect of the Congress was higher than that of the BJPs. The Janata Dal (Secular), which began realising the importance of social media only after the Uttar Pradesh elections and launched its state president H D Kumarswamy on different social media platforms in March, is still a late entrant. In contrast, the BJP's social media cell has teams at the state, district and constituency levels. "There is not a single paid employee. We are all volunteers who work and spare a few hours every day and during weekends for party work. By the end of July, our teams will be more organised. Seeing the Congress's style of functioning in the last few weeks be it in announcing loan waivers or the over-confidence of the CM after the last two by-election victories, we want to be prepared for an early election too," said Balaji Srinivas, the BJP's state social media cell convenor. In the next two to three weeks, party leaders will fanning out under the 'vistara' programme. Every MLA or MP will leave the comfort of his or her home constituency and meet people in a different constituency. In two weeks, these leaders hope to cover booth-level cadre. Every day, feedback reports will be filed both on strong candidates and voter sentiment. "By the end of July, we will organise our social media teams and strategies too, as by then registrations of more volunteers will be completed. We will focus our strategies on the achievements of the Modi government and the failures of the Congress in Karnataka," said Srinivas. "We are collecting data from Centre and state on different programmes and have a number of issues to showcase the Congress's failures. The Congress, which is also strengthening its content team into sub-groups to take on WhatsApp propaganda and is putting together its own graphics and videos, combats this claim instantly. "Karnataka was in the ninth position on economic development, we are now the third. We are also the number one state for investment. If you look at our 2013 manifesto, we have already delivered on 155 of the 165 promises," said Spandana. Referring to false claims and Photoshopped images that the BJP has earlier been accused of using, she said the Congress has taken a policy decision to take the high road on this. "We don't hit below the belt. We don't lie, we don't indulge in fake propaganda. We don't have to use Photoshopped images of developed roads because we have real pictures of these to show," she said. The online fireworks are just beginning. Come August, both parties will likely be spamming voters inboxes. The Trinamool Congress will not attend the special midnight Parliament session convened to mark the rollout the Goods and Services Tax (GST), party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday. In a Facebook post, Banerjee called GST another epic blunder of the Centre. We are deeply concerned about GST implementation. After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre. We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the Central Government is going ahead with the implementation.Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen on deaf ears. The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening!Essential commodities such as medicines are not available in many places and prices of various commodities are rising for lack of clarity and mismanagement. We have always been fighting for maintaining the federalist structure of the country, even if Bengal at times was the lone voice and conscience of the GST Council.Mamatas decision to skip the session comes as the other opposition parties face a similar dilemma. Sources said that though a final call has not been taken, the parties are likely to give the midnight session a miss. The reason they said is that opposition parties did not like the way the invitation was extended. Sources in the Trinamool Congress, the Left, and the Congress had told CNN-News18 that the letter of invitation by parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar was sent to the MPs individually. The norm, they said, is to address it to party leaders only.Also, the last line of the letter reads, It gives me great pleasure to request your gracious presence on the historical occasion of the launch of GST by the honourable Prime Minister, in the presence of the President of India.The Congress faces a dilemma as it has vociferously claimed that GST was its brainchild and is only being carried forward by the NDA government. Skipping the launch event would weaken this claim. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also sent a personal invite to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, further complicating matters for the party. New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday described the presidential election as a battle of ideologies and principles and said the opposition was determined to fight it. "For us, it is a battle of ideologies, principles and truth and we will fight it," she said after the opposition's presidential candidate Meira Kumar filed her nomination in Parliament. The Congress president led the 17 opposition parties in accompanying the former Lok Sabha speaker as she filed her nomination on the last day on Wednesday. Gandhi is one of Kumar's proposers in one set of nomination papers, sources said. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is abroad on a vacation, said Kumar represents the values that bind the country and its people. "Against the ideology of divisiveness she represents the values that bind us as a nation and people. Proud to have Meira Kumar ji as our candidate," he tweeted. Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday said the prime minister has been assertive about India's stand on terrorism globally but the situation back home, especially in Kashmir has been worrisome, remarks that come against the backdrop of Narendra Modi's statement in the US on surgical strikes. The party said that even as the prime minister tries to change the face of India globally, the condition of internal security is a cause for concern. "There was definitely a lot of weight in PM Modi's statement on surgical strikes. However, even after the strikes, terrorist activities from the Pakistani side have continued and our soldiers are getting martyred," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. On the occasion of Eid, Pakistani flags were hoisted and pro-Pakistani slogans were raised in Kashmir, it claimed. "(US President) Donald Trump has assured India of standing by it to counter terrorism. Earlier Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton too said the same thing. But how much did they actually help is a matter of investigation. "Also, due to Trump's policies, lakhs of Indians are on the verge of losing their jobs in the US. There are hopes that the Modi-Trump meet leads to a solution on this," it said. "Uptil now, Chinese troops used to enter Arunachal Pradesh and Leh. Now it has been learnt that they have entered Sikkim and destroyed two Indian bunkers. This is a shocking incident," it said. The Sena expressed hope that the Modi-Trump meet would solve issues concerning Pakistan and China once and for all. The surgical strikes were launched on September 29 last year as a response to an attack by Pakistan-based terrorists on an Indian Army base in Kashmir's Uri in which 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives. New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has waded into another controversy with statements that appeared to make allegations of rape against soldiers. The comments triggered an angry reaction from the ruling BJP, which accused him of defending terrorists. Armed woman attacked soldiers and cut off their private parts. They cut the part they had problems with. India should be ashamed. How will the country face the world now? Khan said at a public event in his constituency Rampur. In a strong criticism of his comments, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said it shows Khans narrow mindset. Azam Khan never treated India as his country. His allegation that the Indian Army outrages the modesty of our mothers and sisters in Kashmir shows his own narrow mindset. PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump condemned terrorism emanating from Pakistan, but hours later politicians like Azam Khan are defending terrorists, Patra said. I want to ask Khan why (Samajwadi Party patriarch) Mulayam Singh Yadav met Gayatri Prajapati, Patra said, referring to Samajwadi Party leader accused of rape. Azam Khans comments have landed him in trouble before. He was made to apologise by the Supreme Court for calling the Bulandshahr gang rape case a "political conspiracy". On May 28, Khan had triggered outrage by saying women should stay indoors to avoid being molested. "After the Bulandshahr incident, everyone should try to keep women of the family indoors. Girls should not go to places where there is naked dance of shamelessness," said Khan, referring to the July 2016 gang-rape of a minor and her mother in Bulandshahr. India's cyber security agency has yet to receive any reports of a latest ransomware attack hitting computers there, its boss told Reuters on Tuesday, after a Swiss government agency identified India as one of the main victims.Sanjay Bahl of the New Delhi-based Computer Emergency Response Team said he was monitoring the situation.Read more: Flipkart Lenovo Mobile Fest: Offers on Lenovo K6 Power, Vibe K5 Note, P2 and More Spokespeople for top companies such as Amazon India, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Flipkart and Ola said their systems were unaffected.Earlier the reports claimed that the Ransomware known as Petya seemed to have re-emerged to affect computer systems across Europe, causing issues primarily in Ukraine, Russia, England and India, a Swiss government information technology agency said on Tuesday.Read more: OnePlus 5 Now Available on Amazon India: Price, Launch Offers, and More "There have been indications of late that Petya is in circulation again, exploiting the SMB (Server Message Block) vulnerability," the Swiss Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance (MELANI) said in an e-mail.It said it had no information that Swiss companies had been impacted, but said it was following the situation. The Petya virus was blamed for disrupting systems in 2016. Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo has apparently become the first company to perfect a fingerprint sensor under the display of a smartphone. The company is about to introduce the technology, jointly, with Qualcomm, at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai.Read more: US Clears Sale of Predator Guardian Drones to India The smartphone market is dominated by big screen devices and now Vivo is aiming at upping the ante by launching a phone that has a fingerprint sensor embedded under the display.According to a post last week by industry analyst Jiutang Pan on Weibo, a video showed a working prototype being unlocked through on-screen fingerprint scanner.Read more: Lenovo K6 Power, K6 Note Receive Android 7.0 Nougat Update A report is Mashable suggests that the Vivo Under Display technology, embeds the fingerprint scanner beneath the display of a smartphone. This technology can work through glass, OLED screen, and aluminum as well.Samsung and Apple both have been racing to perfect a fingerprint sensor that resides beneath a smartphone's display but the upcoming iPhone 8, is widely rumored to not have that.Two other Chinese smartphone makers including Xiaomi and Huawei are mulling to add in-display fingerprint scanners into their upcoming flagship smartphones.The Tech And Auto Show Episode 4It is pertinent to note that Huawei P11, which is rumoured to be unveiled early next year, will have an in-display fingerprint scanner into the smartphones display. Mumbai: Operations at one of the three terminals of Indias largest container port JNPT were affected as a fallout of the Petya global ransomware attack, which crippled some central banks and many large corporations in Europe. AP Moller-Maersk, one of the affected entities globally, operates the Gateway Terminals India (GTI) at JNPT, which has a capacity to handle 1.8 million standard container units, PTI reported. "We have been informed that the operations at GTI have come to a standstill because their systems are down (due to the malware attack). They are trying to work manually," PTI quoted a senior JNPT official as saying on Tuesday night. The official said JNPT was trying to help the company, but there is little that others can do as the problem is with the systems. Fearing some clogging up of cargo, additional parking space is being made available, the official said, promising to help in any way that is possible, PTI reported. The Hague-based APM Terminals also operates the Pipavav terminal in Gujarat. Foreign media reports from the Netherlands capital The Hague quoting the RTV Rijnmond said a new ransomware virus called Petya has hit 17 APM terminals, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world. APM Terminals is a subsidiary of shipping giant Maersk, which has confirmed it is suffering from a cyber attack. When contacted by PTI, an APM spokesperson refused to comment on the India impact of the attack. "We can confirm that Maersk's IT systems are down across multiple geographies and business units due to a cyber-attack. We continue to assess the situation. The safety of our employees, our operation and our customers businesses is our top priority. We will update when we have more information," the spokesperson said in a written statement issued globally. The current attacks come weeks after the Wannacry ransomware attack, which impacted systems of many companies. Companies affected include Russia's biggest oil company Rosneft, global advertising giant WPP Group and multiple institutions in Ukraine, including its central bank and an international airport. An AFP report quoting the Ukrainian central bank said a cyberattack hit several lenders in the ex-Soviet republic, hindering operations and leading the regulator to warn other financial institutions to tighten security measures. The Moscow-based cyber security firm Group IB traced the origins of the malware and the hackers to a code developed by the US National Security Agency (NSA) which was leaked and then used in the WannaCry ransomware attack that caused global disruption last month, according to an AFP report. The global wire quoted a Ukrainian media company, which was hit, as saying its computers were blocked and it had received a demand for $300 worth of the Bitcoin crypto-currency to restore access to its files. Prague: The Czech parliament on Wednesday passed a constitutional amendment that challenges EU gun control rules by allowing legal firearms holders to use them when national security is threatened, including during terrorist attacks. The amendment, which passed by a large majority, is expected easily to gain approval from the senate and President Milos Zeman, still needed for it to take effect. The Czech government also said earlier this month it would ask the European Court of Justice to strike down new EU gun control rules that have its hunters and gun collectors up in arms. Both moves come as parties jockey for support ahead of the October general election, when the centrist ANO junior coalition partner is tipped to oust the Social Democrats as government leader. Wednesday's Czech amendment was submitted by government and opposition parties and approved by 139 out of the 168 deputies present in the lower house of parliament. Nine voted against. "We don't want to disarm our citizens at a time when the security situation in Europe is getting worse," Interior Minister Milan Chovanec, a senior Social Democrat, told parliament Wednesday. "Show me a single terrorist attack in Europe perpetrated using a legally-owned weapon," he said. Passed in mid-March by the European Parliament, the new EU gun control directive bans civilians from possessing certain semi-automatic weapons as part of counter-terrorism measures. EU members are supposed to incorporate the new rules, which passed in June, within 15 months. The Czech interior ministry said the directive would affect nearly all 300,000 legal firearm licence holders in the country of 10.6 million people. The Czech Republic, where there is no recent history of terrorism, has been pushing for softer rules on gun control, unlike other countries like Luxembourg and France which asked for strict legislation. Besides banning short semi-automatic firearms with loading devices over 20 rounds and long semi-automatic firearms with loading devices over 10 rounds, the EU directive prohibits long firearms that can be folded or concealed in other ways. The EU rules make it easier to trace firearms. They also require registration of converted firearms that only fire blanks, which are used in theatres or on television, under the same category as the original weapons. Jakarta: Indonesian authorities have imposed a travel ban on tycoon and politician Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who is building resorts to be managed by Trump hotels, over an investigation into allegations he threatened a prosecutor via a text message. Tanoesoedibjo has been given a 20-day overseas travel ban starting on June 22 based on a request by Indonesian police's criminal investigation unit Agung Sampurno, a spokesman at the immigration directorate said on Wednesday. The Indonesian billionaire "is under investigation related to a violation of the information and electronic transactions law," Sampurno said. Tanoesoedibjo, whose MNC Group controls businesses ranging from media to property, has been named a suspect for allegedly sending a threatening message to a prosecutor investigating a case involving Mobile 8, a telecommunications company previously owned by MNC Group. Tanoesoedibjo's lawyer could not be reached on Wednesday but in an earlier statement dismissed the allegations. "The content of Hary Tanoesoedibjo's SMS is general and idealistic and does not threaten anyone," his lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea said. Part of Tanoesoedibjo's text message read: "If I am the leader of this country, then that's where Indonesia will be changed and cleared of things that are not as they should be," according to the statement from the lawyer. Tanoesoedijo has also denied the allegations in media reports. Breaching the law can carry a maximum jail term of four years and a maximum fine of 750 million rupiah ($56,000) The tycoon, who in the 2014 election ran as a candidate for vice president, founded his own a political party in 2015 and said in January he would decide before the end of next year whether to run in the 2019 presidential election. He described U.S. President Donald Trump's victory as inspiring for candidates with little political experience and attended Trump's inauguration in Washington in January. His company is currently building two luxury resorts in the island of Bali and in West Java, which would be managed by Trump Hotel Collection. In an interview with Reuters ahead of Trump's inauguration, Tanoesoedibjo dismissed concerns by ethics officials that Trump's overseas business deals might be vulnerable to conflicts of interest. Tanoesoedibjo also said in February that while his relationship with the U.S. president has been focused on business he could help ties between the nations "if needed". Several leaders in Muslim-majority Indonesia have expressed concerns over Trump's tough immigration stance. London: Britain's royal family is set for a bumper year of income as it embarks on a 10-year renovation of Buckingham Palace, royal officials have said. Queen Elizabeth II will get an 8% pay rise this year, which will boost her funding from UK taxpayers by 6 million pounds. The works on the monarchy's headquarters are expected to start in the coming months with ripping out 60-year-old rubber cabling, deemed the most pressing concern. The monarchy's expenditure was 56.8 million ($72.2 million, 64.6 million euros) in the financial year 2016-17, annual royal accounts showed. It received 42.8 million from the central government, called the sovereign grant, and spent the 14.9 million income it generated itself, largely generated by renting out property. The 900,000 surplus went into a reserve fund held as an insurance against future leaner years. "In 2016-17 the sovereign grant equated to a cost of 65 pence per person in the United Kingdom the price of a first-class stamp," said Alan Reid, who runs the royal household's finances. "When you consider that against what the queen does and represents for this country, I believe it represents excellent value for money," said Reid, whose title is Keeper of the Privy Purse. The royal family carried out more than 3,000 official engagements and undertook 65 visits abroad last year. Queen Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip, 96, is retiring from royal duties this year and younger members of the family, notably Prince William, second in line to the throne, and his wife Kate, are set to step up theirs. In his last full financial year of official duties before his retirement in the coming months, Prince Philip carried out 196 engagements. "The activities of the wider royal family are vital in bringing the monarchy into direct and personal contact with all sections of society," said Reid. "We can expect to see other members of the royal family doing even more to support the queen in the years ahead." Royals Travelling Business Class The sovereign grant pays for the monarch's household staff, property maintenance, official travel, housekeeping and hospitality. It is paid in return for the profits from the Crown Estate -- the monarch's hereditary land and property portfolio which are surrendered to the Treasury under a deal dating back to 1760. The grant amounts to 15 percent of the Crown Estate profits, but is set to go up to 25 percent for 10 years to pay for the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, so will rise from 42.8 million to 76.1 million next year. The wing-by-wing palace refit is set to cost 369 million, of which 139 million will be met by greater efficiency and opening the palace to the public for more days per year once the works are completed. The refurbishment is set to replace electrical wiring, water pipes and boilers in the biggest overhaul since the 1950s. Meanwhile, royal sources revealed that members of the family frequently travel in business class rather than first class, depending on the circumstances, as part of cost-cutting measures. The monarch has to sign off on all visit plans and some are deemed too expensive. Royal officials stressed the sovereign grant should not be seen as money going into Queen Elizabeth's pocket. "This isn't earnings. It's the reimbursement of expenses for doing the job for free," a source told AFP. "In no way does it relate to pay." The Crown Estate said Tuesday its annual profits all given to the Treasury had hit a new high, rising 8.1 percent to 328.8 million for 2016-17 in contrast to the year before. Prince Charles also released his annual accounts, showing the heir to the throne's income from his hereditary estate the Duchy of Cornwall had increased by 1.2 percent to 20.7 million. : Russia denounced a US warning that the Syrian leadership will pay a heavy price for any chemical weapons attack, and dismissed White House assertions that a strike was being prepared as "unacceptable".The White House said late on Monday the preparations in Syria were similar to actions before an April 4 chemical attack which killed dozens of civilians and prompted US President Donald Trump to order a missile strike on a Syrian air base.But Russia, which is President Bashar al-Assad's main backer in Syria's six-year-old civil war and has used its veto power on the United Nations Security Council several times to shield his government, challenged the U.S. intelligence."I am not aware of any information about a threat that chemical weapons can be used," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters on Tuesday."Certainly, we consider such threats to the legitimate leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic unacceptable."Russian officials have privately described the war in Syria as the biggest source of tension between Moscow and Washington, and the cruise missile strike ordered by Trump in April raised the risk of confrontation between them.The Syrian military and foreign ministry did not immediately comment on the White House statement though a Syrian state-run television station, al-Ikhbariya, said the White House's allegations were fabricated.White House officials did not respond to requests for comment on the intelligence that prompted the statement, or on possible US plans if Syria carried out such an attack."If ... Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack usingchemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.The U.S. missile strike on the Shayrat airfield in Syria in April followed the deaths of 87 people in what Washington said was a poison gas attack in rebel-held territory, accusations that put it directly at odds with Moscow.Syria denied it carried out the April attack and, in an interview with the AFP news agency earlier this year, Assad said it was a "100 percent fabrication" to justify a US air strike against his forces.British Defence Minister Michael Fallon said London would support US action to prevent a chemical weapons attack but that it had not seen the intelligence on which Washington based Monday's statement."As always in war, the military action you use must be justified, it must be legal, it must be proportionate, it must be necessary. In the last case (in April), it was," Fallon told the BBC. "If the Americans take similar action again, I want to be very clear -- we will support it."US and allied intelligence officers had for some timeidentified several sites where they suspected Assad's government may have been hiding newly made chemical weapons from inspectors, said a US official familiar with the intelligence.The assessment was based in part on the locations, securitysurrounding the suspect sites and other information which theofficial declined to describe.The White House warning, the official said, was based on newreports of what was described as abnormal activity that might beassociated with preparations for a chemical attack.Although the intelligence was not considered conclusive, Washington decided to issue the public warning to the Syrian leadership to try to deter such a strike, said the official, who declined to discuss the issue further.The number of people killed in suspected chemical attacks is a small portion of the total dead in Syria's civil war -- a figure which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, estimates is close to half a million.But television footage of victims of April's attack, including children, writhing in agony and being hosed down apparently to wash the chemicals from their bodies, caused revulsion across the world.After the April attack, Trump accused Assad's government of going "beyond a red line" and approved what US officials called a "one-off" strike to deter future chemical attacks.The United States has taken a series of actions over thepast three months demonstrating its willingness to carry outstrikes, mostly in self-defence, against Syrian governmentforces and their backers, including Iran.The US ambassador to the United Nations NikkiHaley said on Twitter: "Any further attacks done to the peopleof Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia and Iranwho support him killing his own people."Washington has repeatedly struck Iranian-backed militia andeven shot down a drone threatening US-led coalition forcessince the April military strike. The US military shotdown a Syrian jet earlier this month.Trump has also ordered stepped-up military operationsagainst the Islamic State militant group and delegated moreauthority to his generals. Washington: Saudi Arabia has reiterated that its demands on Qatar were not negotiable, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with the Qatari foreign minister on the Gulf states crisis. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who was also in Washington on Monday, was unbudging amid attempts by US and Kuwaiti diplomats to mediate the row which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said via Twitter. Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United States though has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable." Shortly after Jubeir's comments, Tillerson met with Qatar's top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He was to meet later with Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, who has sought to work resolve the standoff. State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained "challenging" for Qatar. "Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to," she said. "We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They have also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. The move placed Washington uncomfortably in the middle, with its close economic and security ties with both sides. Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al- Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. The US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well. Caracas: A Venezuelan police helicopter attacked the Supreme Court on Tuesday, ratcheting up a political crisis in what President Nicolas Maduro condemned as a "terrorist" attack. The 54-year-old socialist leader, who has faced three months of opposition protests as well as dissent from within government, said the helicopter shot at the judicial building and also threw some grenades. Witnesses reported hearing several detonations in downtown Caracas, where the pro-Maduro Supreme Court, the presidential palace and other key government buildings are located. The helicopter also flew over the Interior Ministry, Maduro said in a speech. "Sooner rather than later we are going to capture the helicopter and those behind this armed terrorist attack against the institutions of the country," he said. The Supreme Court is particularly hated by Maduro's opponents for its string of rulings bolstering his power and undermining the opposition-controlled legislature. "There was a social activity going on in the Supreme Court. They could have caused dozens of deaths," Maduro said of the helicopter attack. Opposition leaders have long been calling on Venezuela's security forces to stop obeying a president they call a murderous dictator. But there was also some speculation on social media among opposition supporters that the helicopter attack could have been staged to justify repression or cover up drama at Venezuela's National Assembly, where two dozen lawmakers said they were being besieged by pro-government gangs. Earlier on Tuesday, Maduro warned that he and supporters would take up arms if his socialist government was violently overthrown by opponents who have been on the streets since April. At least 75 people have died in the unrest. "If Venezuela was plunged into chaos and violence and the Bolivarian Revolution destroyed, we would go to combat. We would never give up, and what couldn't be done with votes, we would do with arms, we would liberate the fatherland with arms," he said. Vote Controversy Maduro, who replaced Hugo Chavez in 2013, is pushing a July 30 vote for a special super-body called a Constituent Assembly, which could rewrite the national charter and supersede other institutions such as the opposition-controlled congress. He has touted the assembly as the only way to bring peace to Venezuela. But opponents, who want to bring forward the next presidential election scheduled for late 2018, say it is a sham poll designed purely to keep the socialists in power. They are boycotting the vote, and protesting daily on the streets to try and have it stopped. Opposition leaders call Maduro a tyrant who has wrecked a once-prosperous economy, while he calls them violent coup leaders following US orders. Maduro, who accuses Washington of seeking to control the nation's oil wealth, said the "destruction" of Venezuela would lead to a huge refugee wave dwarfing the Mediterranean crisis. "Listen, President Donald Trump," he said earlier on Tuesday. "You would have to build 20 walls in the sea, a wall from Mississippi to Florida, from Florida to New York, it would be crazy... You have the responsibility: stop the madness of the violent Venezuelan right wing." Opposition to the July 30 vote has come not just from Venezuelan opposition parties, but also from the chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega and one-time government heavyweights like former intelligence service boss Miguel Rodriguez. At a news conference on Tuesday, Rodriguez criticized Maduro for not holding a referendum prior to the Constituent Assembly election, as his predecessor Chavez had done in 1999. "This is a country without government, this is chaos," he said. "The people are left out... They (the government) are seeking solutions outside the constitution... That deepens the crisis." Maduro said an ex-pilot of Rodriguez was involved in Tuesday's helicopter attack. FOREST For needlework veteran Joyce Houck, learning and perfecting the art of needle painting has been an ongoing labor of love. Though shes worked with a needle and thread on other techniques for 38 years, she said she started focusing on needle painting in earnest around 10 years ago. Needle painting, also known as thread painting or silk shading, is needlework meant to resemble realistic paintings of subjects such as flowers, birds and other animals. Houck said it has a long history but she hasnt seen it for very long in the States. In contrast to other embroidery techniques that can be more stylized, structured or geometric, Houck said she enjoys the study of color involved in trying to replicate subjects captured in photos. I want it to be real, she said. Everything I can do, I want it to be realistic. Houck got her first exposure to the technique at a local class taught by Nina Thomas of Rustburg, who had just learned it herself in Chicago. She started off in a big way; in other words she caught on very quickly, Thomas said. She has grown into a real almost professional. Seeing her passion for the technique, Thomas encouraged Houck to take private lessons with Tanya Berlin, a needle painter Houck holds in high regard, around 2009. Since then, Houcks networked with fellow needlework artists and judges across the country and taken on a number of pet portrait commissions for others. Pets have been one of Houcks favorite subjects to stitch since she said they have more personality to portray than popular subjects like birds. A large portrait piece of her English setter, Sugar the product of more than 400 hours of painstaking and loving attention in the sleek stitches has been valued at around $3,500 by other artisans, she said. Besides requests to do canvas work for area churches and finish needlework left by deceased loved ones, Houck has also taken commissions from those seeking needle painted portraits of their beloved pets. Sometimes, taking on those projects can choke out the stitching she wants to do for herself. Joyce has the talent to pick up the personality of the animal in the piece, and I think thats what makes more people reach out to her talent, Thomas said. Houcks pieces have taken a number of awards at expos and competitions, too. Three Litters depicts three of her dogs, who lived at different times, together as drowsy puppies. The puppies won Houck awards at the National Academy of Needlearts 2016 exhibit in Michigan, including Best of Show. Most recently, Houck has sought out learning from needlework artists with credentials of the royal variety. Last summer, she took a summer intensive course on silk shading at the Royal School of Needleworks base at Hampton Court Palace in London. Needle artists from the school, including Houcks teachers at the summer intensive, worked on embellishing Kate Middletons wedding dress and shoes for the 2011 royal wedding. A little closer to home, Houck continued in May with the advanced silk shading class, taught from the schools satellite base in Williamsburg. That course only had room for six students, and Houck said the shading was much more challenging to portray than in the intermediate class in London. Houck said her husband Tom has been her cheerleader the whole way, pushing her to pursue the class in London and accompanying her to some of the needlework expos. Her work decks the walls of their house in Forest, and Tom Houck said its obvious that the names to know in the needlework world have recognized her skill. The judges know her and they know her work, he said. While shes greatly appreciated learning from artists she regards as some of the top in needlework, Houck has figured out where she likes to break the rules a bit. If youre not in England and youre not studying at the Royal School, you can do that, she said. [The rules] are very rigid. To get a more realistic look when depicting animal whiskers, shes used horse hair in her pieces something that needlework judges have dismissed. When learning in England, she said she was reprimanded for smoothing over her work with her fingers and had to resist a compulsion to do so. Houck has focused on improving her own technique, but she said needlework teachers are in high demand: shes submitted a proposal to teach through the National Academy of Needlearts after the academys dean of students reached out to her. If accepted, she'd teach a class in Troy, Michigan, in 2019. Locally, shes teaching a class of around 10 students from the Seven Hills chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild about the technique. Shes encouraging her students to complete a needle painting piece depicting a cardinal and dogwood flowers within the year. Part of that technique includes creating a pencil sketch of the subject and a colored pencil rendering so the artist can get a better idea for the colors and shading involved, she said a step she learned while studying in London. The part of me that really wants to teach [wants] to continue to grow the interest in embroidery first, but especially in this technique, she said. Im pretty passionate about it. And Im afraid theres nobody left to teach it. Having grown her talent through sometimes harsh critique while learning at the Royal School of Needlework, Houck said she wants to channel all shes learned about the technique into her classes. They need to just stitch and enjoy it. In an effort to retain officers, the Lynchburg City Council approved salary increases for some members of the Lynchburg Police Department on Tuesday night. The increase passed 6-0, with Mayor Joan Foster absent. According to Vice Mayor Treney Tweedy, the salary increase will go into effect Aug. 1. LPD Chief Raul Diaz and Maj. Todd Swisher proposed the salary increase for certain positions to help stem the constant flow of officers leaving the department. If you go to our operations center right now, patrol the guys who drive the car in uniform over 80 percent, about 82.6 percent, have less than five years on the job, Diaz said. So basically, were a training ground for other police agencies. The loss of officers goes beyond affecting the agencys ability to create community ties, Diaz said. While these cops have gotten the best training they possibly can get, they really dont have a lot of experience, and theyre facing high liability [situations] all the time and having to make snap decisions, Diaz said. We want the most experienced people to be able to deal with those kinds of issues. Since 2002, LPD has lost 271 officers, with 167 of those being voluntary resignations. Since Jan. 1, 2015, the department has lost 53 officers, a little more than 30 percent of its 174 approved positions, Diaz said. Sixty-nine of those officers were lost due to the salaries and benefit packages offered by competing regional agencies, he said. The starting salary at LPD currently is $36,795, compared to $44,000 at the Virginia State Police, Diaz said. Now Campbell County [Sheriffs Office] is interesting, he said. Their starting salary is approximately $2,000 less than ours, but guess what they have? A take-home car, they have a 1.85 percent [Virginia Retirement System] multiplier. So we have to look across the boards; its not just the money aspect. Police officer II, police officer III the two positions with the most turnover and sergeants salaries would increase by $225 per year of service, while lieutenant salaries would increase by $200 per year, Diaz said. Tweedy said the increase in salary may affect the departments retention rate positively, allowing LPD to save money on training. If youre not losing and then rehiring officers, then you are retaining those and seeing a level of savings ongoing that can then be applied to ... those areas where compression is a problem, she said. Compression is what happens when new people come in and potentially earn more than those who have been at the department for a while, Tweedy said. Thats why the top two tiers the lieutenant and sergeants were included with the [police officer II and police officer III tiers] because thats where [Diaz] is seeing the most compression issues, she said. The total cost of the salary increase is $319,091.01 and will be covered by funds already approved for the fiscal year 2018 budget, Diaz said. The funds will be reallocated from unused employee salaries from fiscal years 2017 and 2018, which amount to $398,900. Swisher said $180,000 of the $319,091.01 would be reoccurring, so the department only would need the city to cover the remaining $140,000 annually after fiscal year 2018. Were not asking for additional funds, Diaz said. The funds are already there [for fiscal year 2018]; all we need to get is your permission to be able to use them. This pay adjustment is a stopgap for salary issues until the citys compensation study is complete and is not a solution, Diaz said. Diaz said the agencys aging facility and low wages are among the challenges the department currently is facing. He said LPD also is struggling to keep millennial workers. A 2016 Gallup poll showed millennials switch jobs at three times the rate of non-millennials. Diaz said the new LPD building that is set to be completed in the next three to five years, the agencys new contract policy which goes into effect for new hires in July and requires new officers to stay with the department for two years or pay $10,000 and the renewed allowance for patrol officer boots and detective clothing are actions that have been taken to combat those struggles, but the department could do more. If we dont retain and recruit our folks, and we have the availability or authority to hire 200 new officers, but we cant keep the ones we have, then it really does us no good, Diaz said. City Council member Turner Perrow said he supported Diaz addressing the departments various issues because the police are the most visible aspect of the city. I hear the rumblings, and Im very relieved that you and your staff are taking the steps to effectively resolve this with existing funds, he said. It puts my fears at rest. Other potential changes that could impact the retention rate positively later on are take-home vehicles, a student-loan repayment option for those who stay with the department for a certain number of years and an increase in the agencys VRS multiplier from 1.7 to 1.85, Diaz said. Dakota Kyle Rigsby, the 19-year-old U.S. Navy sailor from Palmyra who was killed off the coast of Japan when the destroyer he was aboard collided with a container ship, will be laid to rest on Saturday, according to an obituary. Family visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fluvanna County High School, and a funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. Graveside services will be limited to family and active-duty military personnel, according to the obituary. The family that asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Rigsbys name be made to the Fisher House Foundation or Lake Monticello Volunteer Fire and Rescue Inc. Rigsby enjoyed sports, video games (particularly Pokemon), all types of music and spending time with family, according to the obituary, and he had a tremendous sense of humor and an infectious laugh. Dakota loved his family, his friends, his community and his country, the obituary states. Rigsby, a volunteer firefighter who joined the Lake Monticello fire department in 2014, was described earlier this month by Assistant Fire Chief Jean Campbell as a good kid and a dependable firefighter. On Tuesday, firefighters from the Spotsylvania County Fire and Rescue Department, as well as an Army specialist, stood on an Interstate 95 overpass in Spotsylvania as Rigbys body was escorted home to Fluvanna County for burial. The procession, which included law enforcement members from Albemarle, Louisa, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties, passed underneath a large American flag lifted by two ladder trucks on the overpass. Rigsby enlisted in February 2016 and reported to duty aboard the USS Fitzgerald in November. The gunners mate was among seven sailors who died June 17 after the guided-missile destroyer collided with the Philippine-flagged container ship ACX Crystal. Severe damage to the right side and bottom of the ship, which had a crew of nearly 300, flooded the berths of 116 sailors. Navy divers found the bodies of the seven in the ship after it returned to Yokosuka, Japan. In Japan, the U.S. Navy paid tribute to the seven sailors on Tuesday. The Japan-based 7th Fleet said more than 2,000 sailors and their families attended the ceremony in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. They lined the streets waving flags in memory of the victims. Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, surveyed the ship's damage and praised its crew for saving it from sinking, it said. "It's stunning, absolutely stunning, while we mourn the loss of the seven sailors, that more were not lost," Swift said in a statement. "There was no understanding of what had happened at the moment of impact ... but there was complete understanding of what needed to be done." The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Japanese coast guard officials say they are eyeing possible professional negligence, but so far their interviews of the container ship's captain and crewmembers all Filipinos have been on a voluntary basis. The U.S. Navy is investigating what happened aboard the warship, while Japanese authorities are investigating the container ship and its crew. When Maggie Contreras first moved to Los Angeles in 2006, she was dead-set on sticking to one career path. I thought it was imperative that I dont diversify. That people only know that Im an actor, that this is what Im doing, she said in a phone interview last week from L.A. Because if they think Im doing anything else, then its muddying the waters. But, since her move, Contreras said there has been a shift, in both her thinking and the industry as a whole. I just feel like its crucial, or at least its my personality, maybe its my situation, maybe its just the nature of our business now, is that unless youre at some sort of really, really specifically high level and even at those levels, its crucial for your career as a storyteller to have multiple balls in the air and to wear multiple hats, she said. I think there was culturally a general concern about that but I think weve shifted. Weve shifted because of all the platforms. Everyone wants content now. Even corporate brands, everyone wants content. And its imperative, I think, for creatives out here to diversify themselves and not shut any doors. That has led Contreras, a 2002 E.C. Glass High School grad who studied theater at George Washington University, into producing. Her first gig was Gilbert, a documentary about comedian Gilbert Gottfried that debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in April and was eventually sold to Hulu. It will have a theatrical release this summer, Contreras said, and then make its way to the streaming site in December. Reviews of the film have been good, with Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com calling it something of a love letter, a piece that humanizes a very private celebrity, and reveals the complexity and daring of his art. Gottfried is one of those comedians who is stunningly unafraid on stage, Tallerico goes on to write in his review. He does not care if you hate what hes doing. In fact, he may like it more. And yet hes not an abrasive, aggressive loudmouth off stage. Hes a father and a husband, an often-shy man he just happens to be willing to tell the jokes that others wont. The film features other comedians, like Jay Leno and Whoopi Goldberg, talking about Gottfried, but also highlights his relationship with his wife, Dara. The story goes that Gottfried wasnt exactly interested in being the subject of a documentary but that Dara helped director Neil Berkeley gain access to her husband. Gilbert is a very private man, and Dara, his wife, is the opposite spectrum of that. Shes very open, Contreras said. His attitude toward the whole thing is, Arent you supposed to make a documentary when Im dead? It turned into Dara saying, You know what, just come over. Hell barely notice you. Well just go from there. You basically have to jump in and see how he reacts, versus waiting for him to react. Thats what she did, and I think it was a year and a half later, we had a film. Contreras role on the film was booking interviews with celebrities and dealing with archival footage. She said hearing Gottfried and his fellow stand-ups talk about their passion for the craft was inspiring. So Whoopi Goldberg, Jay Leno all these heavy hitters. Hearing them talk about the artists way, basically, she said. Talking about that drive and using Gilbert as an example exploring a performers life and an artists life. Because thats the world I come from, listening to these people talk about that in a very intimate way was the part I loved the most. Contreras is now set to work with Berkeley on his next project and very recently started her own production company, Gunz Projects, with producer/director Eva Gunz. She also has continued acting, most recently in a recurring role on the USA series Colony. She also stars in the short film QOLOSSUS, from director Patrick Victor Monroe, and will appear in his feature-length film of the same name. Its a horror film, which is something I never thought Id find myself in, she said. Its really beautiful. Its basically a family drama that finds itself in the horror genre. She also recently produced an event to raise money for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Wither Will You Go, which she said they hope to stage again, was an evening of Shakespeare performed by British actors that raised $20,000 in aid of UNHCR. Two of my friends started it and asked me to come and produce, Contreras said. I suppose that also is what happens when youre here 10 years. You become a part of this community of people who can do this: Oh, lets do something about this refugee crisis thats going on right now. Lets get our friends together and lets do some Shakespeare and sell tickets to people who will come and buy them. I suppose its things like that that really are the fruits of ones 10 years time here. And this city that is such a massive, sprawling zoo becomes really small and intimate. If youve been there doing the right things with the right people, suddenly, its not so big anymore. Heres more of what Contreras had to say about her new producing venture, Gottfried, and becoming an expert on 1980s stand-up: On her new production company: I started it with a female producer/director. [Thats] her background. Im a producer/writer/actor, thats my background. And we both met at our first Sundance together, the first time we both went and we just became friends. Weve worked tangentially on the same projects but wed never worked together. Weve gotten to the point where we have so much of our own material that we want to create, and we have so many friends, their material, [that] we know is good. Its time to stop relying on other people to tell us when we can create our projects, and just create an opportunity to do it ourselves. Thats what this field is. Its a lot of waiting on other people to tell you when you can tell your story, the stories you want to tell. Tell you when you can work. Its time to stop waiting and create our own opportunity, I think. On the types of projects theyd like to do: We put together our slate, our list of projects that we have any sort of connection with, either our own or our friends. We have everything from branded this big real estate company that wants a branded video for their website everything from like corporate to historical drama and everything in between. Were meeting with really diverse companies and content platforms, and everyone wants something different, so why not be prepared? For a young company like ours, why not be prepared and have something for everyone and see what sticks? Its basically, see what sticks. See what works. On how she got involved with Gilbert: I never thought about producing and then theres [an] executive producer [who] basically became my mentor. I met him when I first got out here. One of my first bread-and-butter jobs was doing PR for documentaries. He was a client on a lot of our films. [He] basically planted in my brain, You know youd make a good producer. And then he kept saying, Youd make a good producer. Youd make a good producer. Then this director, Neil Berkeley, who also was a client when I was doing my bread-and-butter job back in the day, he said, Hey, I heard you stopped doing PR. Want to come work with me? On what she loves about documentaries: You basically have to become an expert on that topic for the entire length of your time with that project. So I very quickly became a mini expert in stand-up from the 80s and 90s, basically. Because you have to. Then doing a documentary on Gilbert, for me, the biggest part of it because I am a performer as well [was] listening to him talk about that drive. Being a stand-up, being a performer, isnt a job for most of those creative people. Its a part of their person. Its a part of what drives them to be alive. So, as youll see, he could stop. But he never will stop whether it be out of this deep-seated fear that if he stops, hell be forgotten, or if its just because if he stops, his heart will stop. It is so much a part of his being. As population booms in Northern Virginia contributing to growth that could make Virginia the 10th most populous state by 2040 current population declines in Southwest Virginias coalfields region will continue. Nearly every locality in the coalfields region will lose population through 2040, with Buchanan County projected to be the states fastest-shrinking locality, according to the latest projections from the University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. The coalfields region Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Tazewell and Wise counties and city of Norton is expected to lose about 8 percent of its population between 2020 and 2040, the center concluded. Most of Virginias projected growth in the coming two decades will occur in and around cities and population centers such as Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and Richmond, while rural areas will experience slow growth or no growth at all, the study found. While the losses are most drastic in Buchanan County, the study predicts an uptick in population growth in Lee County the only coalfields locality projected to increase its population between 2020 and 2040. Even there, the population would only grow by about 70 people per year within the 20-year timeframe. The study indicates the trend of people leaving the region as the coal industry declines will continue through the next two decades. The coal industrys struggles have left far Southwest Virginia scrambling to diversify its economy. High unemployment has created an exodus of young people, which in turn has led to a decline in enrollment and state funding to the regions public schools. Shonel Sen, a research and policy analyst with the Weldon Cooper Center, characterized the population decline as a combination of people leaving the coalfields, lower birth rates and an aging population. Farther to the north, the population of the Roanoke Valley will grow moderately over the same time period with Roanoke County growing faster than Roanoke, but the city retaining more residents. The county is projected to add about 7,800 residents and Roanoke will add about 3,400 people between 2020 and 2040. Roanoke County will exceed 100,000 people in the 2030s, the study said. Roanoke is projected to top the 100,000 residential mark before 2020 a number the city hasnt seen since the 1980 census. Salems population is projected to grow ever so slightly only about 186 people over the 20-year time period. The growth is plateauing out, but you do see every consecutive decade the population is going up slightly, Sen said. Elsewhere in the Roanoke metro area, Botetourt County, which has made a string of economic development announcements that will mean several hundred new jobs in coming years, is expected to grow from an estimated 33,176 people today to 33,700 by 2020 and nearly 36,700 by 2040. Franklin County, meanwhile, is expected to grow by more than 10,000 people by 2040, to an estimated 66,700. In the Lynchburg region, Bedford County is expected to gain nearly 15,000 people by 2040. In the New River Valley, Radford should grow by 11.9 percent from 2010 to 2020 making it one of the commonwealths top 20 fastest growing localities. Montgomery County is slated to grow from 101,433 residents in 2020 to 117,505 residents in 2040, keeping its status as the fastest-growing locality in the region. Education and employment are the two main drivers of growth, Sen said. With a population of 8.3 million people, Virginia is the 12th most populous state, but is projected to surge ahead of Michigan and New Jersey to the top 10 in 2040. As more people move into Virginia than move out, Loudoun County is projected to be the fastest growing locality in the commonwealth. Loudoun has an estimated 2016 population of 385,327 already surpassing the entire Roanoke metro area. Its expected to grow to nearly 700,000 by 2040. Bulgarian nationals in court for bank card skimming They will return to court next Wednesday, as an interpreter was not available. The charges were not read to Dimitar Georgiev, 47, and Toncho Tonchev, 22, by Magistrate Cheron Raphael, who told them she was adjourning the case to facilitate the translator. Prosecutors told the court they were unable to find a translator locally and would have to wait until one was able to travel from St Lucia. As she was adjourning the case, Georgiev said he wanted to plead guilty so that he could return home quickly after serving his sentence. I am guilty and I want to say sorry, the fisherman said, but the magistrate rejected his attempt to plead guilty. You must understand before you plead guilty. The court must err on the side of caution and protect its processes, Raphael said. The men were arrested last Friday by the Arouca CID who had received reports that two men were tampering with a Republic Bank automated teller machine at Piarco Plaza in Piarco. They were charged with possession of card-making and skimming equipment under the Electronic Transfer of Funds Act and for malicious damage of the banks equipment. During their court appearance yesterday, PC Shelly Plante from the Fraud Squad, who charged them, said Georgiev and Tonchev entered the country legally and were due to return home yesterday. Raphael told Plante to contact the Immigration Division to issue detention orders as the men would be overstaying their time while on remand over the next week. They were not represented by an attorney and one is expected to be appointed by the court. TT IM SORRY In a segment of the show, which was aired on CNN last Sunday, Bourdain sat down with the Sabga-Aboud family at their home in Bayshore, Westmoorings where he was told by (Mario) Sabga-Aboud that while the Syrian/Lebanese community is the smallest ethnic group in the country, it is the most powerful. In a statement addressed to his fellow citizens, Sabga-Aboud yesterday described his words as careless as he ended up misrepresenting himself and his values. I have never taken for granted the blessing to be a born and bred Trinbagonian. I am and have always been humbled by the opportunities and support I have received in my over 30 years in business in TT. Over these many years, I have met with many people across the wider society who in one way or another have positively impacted and enriched my life. This is testament to the amazing people of this country and as a Trinbagonian, I cherish that and I offer my deepest apologies to anyone whom I offended. I always treat with appreciation, love and respect the members of my staff, many of whom are like my family because they have been with me for over 25 and 30 years and are fundamentally the reason for my accomplishments. This was a regrettable moment where my excitement led me to misrepresent myself as boastful instead of proud. Though I cannot retract my words, I hope that you all recognise my remorse and accept my sincere apology, he said. At that same dinner, businessman Peter George told Bourdain that one measure of concern they had is that at one time there used to be a huge middle class, which he said, was a sort of a security or buffer for any possible conflict between, the haves and the have nots. But now thats eroding and they are getting poorer, so they started to get angry, George said. It was these statements which caused an uproar among citizens with many taking to social media to express their anger. One man even held a protest yesterday in front of Rituals, a business owned by Sabga- Aboud on Maraval Road. Ian Smart called on citizens to boycott the business following Sabga-Abouds statements aired for all the world to hear on Bourdains programme. Former Arima Mayor Ghassan Youseph, in a Facebook post, said there was a bit of showing off in that segment with the Sabga-Abouds and he felt that apologies were in order. The way they said what they said is a disservice to the rest of us, Youseph said. He added though that people need to be careful not to target a community of 5,000 in a country of 1.3 million. Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) President Gregory Aboud also joined in the discussion saying what was said did not represent anything his parents and grandparents taught him. We share space in our country with many others and true power is the recognition of the rights and needs of everyone else. Being proud of our accomplishments need not be accompanied by boasts of power especially in an environment where so much suspicion and innuendo exists, Aboud said. Poet and artiste Muhammed Muwakil, who was also featured in the show, said the comments kept him awake. The man spoke his truth, he spoke plainly...but I was really taken aback by his description of the middle class as, a security. I say to you sir that where I come from we have not a moment for anything other than love itself. So let this meet you with such dispensation. I want you to know that it is more than within your scope and ability to change the situations about which you lament. And as you rise, so will we all. My hope is that you and others of your ilk recognize that you have as much a role to play as we, the powerful, in making this a safe country for all of us, Muwakil said. The show officially aired on Sunday on CNN, but citizens got an opportunity to watch it online a week early. A link from 13th Street Promotions to the 42-minute production appeared on Facebook on June 20 and quickly went viral. The video has had more than 500,000 views and more than 21,000 shares. Bourdain who visited this country in January met with many people including choreographer La Shaun Prescott. He spent time at Phase IIs panyard in Woodbrook with its arranger Len Boogsie Sharpe and pan historian Kim Johnson. Bourdain also met with the former TT High Commissioner to India Chandradath Singh and his family at Caura River as well as Calypso Queen of the World, Calypso Rose (McCartha Linda Sandy- Lewis) Go after kingpins Small said he recently visited the US Congress in a group where he heard concerns over the Caribbean expressed by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democrat Congresswoman Maxine Walters. Of Rubio, he related, He said there is a concern about the issues regarding the level of crime in Trinidad, the obvious issue of level of ISIS fighters from TT and the general level of illicit drugs and transnational crime through this country. She (Walters) addressed the group about their concerns about financial crime happening in particular in the Caribbean region. We have to understand that other places are looking at us financial crime, money laundering and the amount of financial crime generated within the Caribbean region which included Trinidad and Tobago. HURT AND CONCERNED Im sitting in the room and when I hear Trinidad and Tobagos name called it is not in a positive context. Im deeply, deeply concerned. No member could have anything positive to say about Trinidad and Tobago. It hurt me. Small mulled the reality of financial crimes in TT. Financial crime doesnt exit in TT. According to the SE C (Securities Exchange Commission) there has never been any prosecution. There has been zero prosecutions and zero convictions for white collar crime in TT. But other people in other places are looking at us and saying, there is financial crime. It exists. So why isnt it being detected? Why? Is it because we are such a small society that everyone is protecting everyone? If we really want to deal with crime we have to deal with the guys who are actually performing the heinous crime on the ground. But then you have to graduate to those who are in the white collars... those who are the kingpins. Small said the kingpins are calling the shots and are doing things that destabilise the economy, destabilise the country and reduce peoples confidence in the financial system. Alluding to a lack of penalty following major financial scandals, he said, The FCB IPO it is as if it never occurred. Theres not a prosecution Im aware of. Likewise he said the Hindu Credit Union (HCU) scandal involved a man paying himself a million dollar salary, only for the whole collapse to be ultimately bailed out by taxpayer dollars. People are committing financial crime and no penalty is applied. He Lost 30 Years of Memories. His Wife Came Up With a Plan A 77-year-old Canadian woman suffering from incurable erosive osteoarthritis is one step closer to legally taking her own life after a judge in Toronto ruled she met a key criteria of Canada's 2016 medically assisted death law. The CBC reports that Superior Court Justice Paul Perrell ruled last Monday that the woman's "natural death is reasonably foreseeable," one of four criteria required for medically assisted death under bill C-14. Eligible individuals must also have a serious and incurable disease or disability, be in an irreversible state of advanced decline, and suffer from intolerable physical or psychological pain, per the Globe and Mail. Though the woman's condition is not terminal, Perrell said it was clear "she doesnt have long to live, given her age and health." Perrell noted that the woman's doctor had concluded his patient's death was reasonably foreseeable but retracted his assessment out of fear that he could be charged with her murder. Perrell said the issue at the heart of the case was the doctors "abundance of caution and apprehensive misunderstanding," the Toronto Star reports. The law's "reasonably foreseeable death" criteria has long been a source of controversy, and advocates of legally assisted suicide celebrated Perrell's decision for clearing up the confusion at the heart of C-14. "We have found an inconsistent application when it comes to the eligibility criteria," says Shanaaz Gokool, CEO of Dying With Dignity, "and I think this decision will go a long way to extinguish that sort of myth." (Here's how many Californians have exercised their right to die.) Chucking a handful of coins into a jet engine is no way to guarantee that fortune will smile on your flight, an elderly passenger at Shanghai Pudong International Airport discovered Tuesday. Police say the 80-year-old woman threw coins into the engine "for good luck" as she prepared to board the flight to Guangzhou, the BBC reports. The woman, who was traveling with family members including her husband, daughter, and son-in-law, was taken away for questioning after the incident, which delayed the flight for five hours while the engine was inspected. Passengers alerted flight crew to the woman's behavior after she was seen throwing the coins from a boarding staircase, reports the South China Morning Post. "The involved passenger, surnamed Qiu, said she threw the coins to pray for safety," police said in a statement. "According to Qiu's neighbor, Qiu believes in Buddhism." China Southern Airlines said only one of the nine coins the woman threw made it into the engine, but that would have been enough to cause technical problems and even possible engine failure. (This flight had to return to Australia after it started shaking "like a washing machine.") "She fought so hard," says Dan Bowes of his stepdaughter, Judy Malinowski. The Ohio woman was left disfigured and bedridden in a hospital after her ex-boyfriend doused her in gasoline and set her on fire on Aug. 2, 2015. "No one expected that she'd make it 48 hours," Bowes tells the Columbus Dispatch. The mother of twowho underwent 59 surgeries, per WCMHinstead made it 696 days, dying Tuesday at age 33. An official cause of death has not been released. However, officials with the Franklin County Coroner's Office expect an autopsy will show she died as a result of injuries from the attack, which literally melted parts of her body. In fact, prosecutor Ron O'Brien is already building a homicide case against Malinowskis attacker. In December, Michael Slager, 42, was sentenced to the maximum 11 years for felonious assault, aggravated arson, and possession of criminal tools. But O'Brien says it was always his office's intention "to pursue a homicide charge" if Malinowski died. Before her death, Malinowski helped inspire Judy's Law, which would allow for longer sentences in cases where victims are permanently disfigured or incapacitated from the use of an accelerant. The Ohio Senate is expected to vote on the bill Wednesday or Thursday, per WSYX. State Rep. Jim Hughes, who introduced it, tells the Dispatch that Malinowski refused to take her pain meds when she first met him "so that she could be her sharpest, at her best, to explain why this legislation was so important." Hughes calls her an "inspiration." (This woman was burned alive.) Iran says the US Supreme Court's decision to reinstate parts of a travel ban applied to six Muslim-majority countries is "racist" and "unfair." Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by state TV Wednesday as saying it is "regrettable" that Washington "closes its eyes to the main perpetrators of terrorist acts in the US," the AP reports. The spokesman did not elaborate on who the "main perpetrators" are. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the ban "the greatest gift" for terror groups seeking recruits and urged the US to join "the real fight" against extremists, Reuters reports. (The impact of the ban could depend on how narrowly two words are defined.) Sarah Palin "took a stand" this week against the New York Times in a lawsuit claiming defamation. CNNMoney reports that the former Alaska governor filed her complaint, which seeks upward of $75,000 in damages, against the Times on Tuesday for an editorial it published right after the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise earlier this month. In the op-ed touching on the viciousness of the current political climate, the Times editorial board had pointed a finger at Palin and cited her as a force of "political incitement" before the 2011 Gabby Giffords shooting in Arizona, claiming that an ad from Palin's PAC had positioned "Giffords and 19 other Democrats under stylized [crosshairs]," per the lawsuit. Two days later, the paper added what the New York Post deems an "embarrassing correction"that no definitive tie had arisen between "political rhetoric" and the Giffords attack, and that the PAC ad had shown electoral districts, not actual Democrats, under the crosshairs. The NYT Opinion account also tweeted a mea culpa for getting "an important fact wrong." The Times itself reports on Palin's suit, which says the paper "violated the law and its own policies" and "knowingly, intentionally, willfully, wantonly and maliciously" published the piece to hurt the "devoted wife, mother, and grandmother," or at the very least exhibited "blatant disregard" for possible harm. The Times says through a rep it will "vigorously" fight the complaint, which it notes it hasn't reviewed yet. (Erik Wemple writes for the Washington Post that he thinks Palin has a solid case.) The legal fight is over: A hospital in the UK will take an infant off life support after his parents failed to convince a court that he could be saved with an experimental treatment. The European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday that keeping 10-month-old Charlie Gard alive would do nothing but prolong his pain, reports the Guardian. He suffers from a rare disease known as mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, and parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates wanted to take him to the US for experimental treatment. His UK doctors, however, say it's hopeless, and parents' rights are not absolute in the UK in such cases, explains CNN. A number of courts ruled against them, with their last hope being the ECHR. But the seven justices declined to overrule the British courts. "The decision is final," said the ruling. Charlie is currently on life support at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, and a spokesperson said the hospital would not "rush" to take him off it. "Our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlies parents as we prepare for the next steps." The details on where Charlie's parents had wanted to take him in the US have been kept under wraps during the legal wrangling, and supporters had raised more than $1.6 million to cover expenses. Medical experts in Britain said the treatment had no chance of saving the infant, but his parents made the case on their website that it was worth a try. "He literally has nothing to lose but potentially a healthier, happier life to gain," they wrote. (These parents gave up everything to keep their sick baby alive.) With the Senate GOP's plan to replace ObamaCare on hold, an ad campaign against one of the drama's high-profile players is drawing scrutiny. A super PAC that supports President Trump unleashed the campaign against Republican Dean Heller of Nevada after he announced that he opposed the measure, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The ads from America First Policies were unleashed with the permission of the White House, reports the New York Times, which says that Mitch McConnell called Trump's chief of staff, Reince Priebus, over the weekend to complain that they were "beyond stupid" on two fronts: They were hurting McConnell's ability to negotiate a deal and they made Heller's seat vulnerable to Democrats. The issue came up during Trump's meeting with McConnell and other senators on Tuesday, and the Times says the president "laughed good-naturedly" upon hearing the complaints and suggested he got the message. Soon after, the ads were pulled. Politico reports that Heller himself was among those who addressed the subject at the meeting. Later, the super PAC explained that it pulled back because Heller's appearance at the White House suggested he was open to negotiating. ABC News notes that the campaign was the first by a PAC loyal to the president against a fellow Republican. Politico calls it "stunning," in part because Heller is viewed as one of the most vulnerable GOP senators up for re-election. (McConnell is trying to expedite the next revision of the health care bill.) Colombia reached a major milestone on its road to peace Tuesday as leftist rebels gave up some of their last weapons and declared an end to their half-century insurgency. The historic step was taken as President Juan Manuel Santos traveled to a demobilization camp in Colombia's eastern jungles to join guerrilla leaders as they begin their transition to civilian life, the AP reports. In a short ceremony, UN observers padlocked the last containers storing some of the 7,132 weapons that members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have turned in over the past few weeks at 26 camps across the country. "By depositing the weapons ... the Colombians and the entire world know that our peace is real and irreversible," Santos, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, told ex-rebel fighters dressed in white shirts with a Spanish hashtag reading: "Our only [weapons] are words." Though hundreds of FARC caches filled with larger weapons and explosives are still being cleared out, the UN has certified that all individual firearms and weapons, except for a small number needed to safeguard the soon-to-disband camps, have been collected. The day put Colombia one step closer to turning a page on Latin America's longest-running conflict, which caused at least 250,000 deaths, left 60,000 people missing, and displaced more than 7 million. After years of negotiations, the rebels reached an agreement with the government last year to give up their weapons and transition into a political party, though implementing the deal has been slow. A Rutgers expert says doubt by conservative opponents over the exact number of weapons turned in ultimately doesn't matter. "What's more important is we are witnessing ... the willingness of the FARC to really demobilize and reintegrate," he notes. (Read more Colombia stories.) Victims of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme will divvy up $23 million from the estates of his two sons. The estates of Mark Madoff, who killed himself in 2010, and Andrew Madoff, who died of cancer in 2014, reached a deal with the US governmenteight years in the makingto transfer nearly all cash, business entities, and business interests to funds for Madoff's victims, the Boston Globe reports. Mark Madoff's family will be left with $1.75 million, Andrew Madoff's with $2 million. Irving Picard, the bankruptcy trustee assigned to the Madoff case, has so far recovered $11.6 billion of the $17.5 billion in principal that Madoff's victims lost when his scheme fell apart, Reuters reports. (Read more Bernie Madoff stories.) It's dubbed "Killer Mountain," a name that will be hardly comforting to family members of two climbers lost on the peak in Pakistan since the weekend. Alberto Zerain Berasatei of Spain and Mariano Galacan of Argentina were part of a team that began climbing the world's ninth-highest mountain, Nanga Parbat, this month. But while all other team members have returned to base camp, Berasatei, 55, and Galacan, 37, are missing, reports Reuters. The owner of tour company Summit Karakoram, which arranged the climb, tells AFP the pair reached a height of 20,000 feet last week but were then forced to spend three days in a tent due to bad weather. "They pushed for the summit again as the weather got better but lost contact with our staff," he says. The owner adds sherpas believe the climbers are above 23,000 feet on the 26,660-foot-tall mountain, a height he says is "impossible" for rescuersthough Reuters reports rescuers were scouring the mountain Wednesday as poor weather kept helicopters grounded. A rep for Summit Karakoram tells Xinhua that the "altitude is not considered dangerous, but the two mountaineers chose the hardest route which has been successfully completed only once in history." Hopes of finding the men alive don't appear to be high. "In such weather conditions and without adequate food supply, survival appears unlikely," says a rep for the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Xinhua reports the climbers may have fallen victim to an avalanche that forced rescuers to turn back. (Three corpses were taken off Everest, and not without controversy.) Park Geun-hye is currently serving time for corruption after being ousted as South Korea's president. Now things have gotten even worse: North Korea on Wednesday warned it would kill her, reports South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. "We declare at home and abroad that we will impose the death penalty on traitor Park Geun-hye," said the official statement, per Reuters. It added that she and her former director of intelligence could meet a "miserable dog's death any time, at any place, and by whatever methods from this moment." The threat comes after a Japanese newspaper reported that Park, while still in office, signed off on an order to remove Kim Jong Un from office, even if it meant assassinating him. South Korea's intelligence agency denied the Japanese report and had no comment on the death threat. The North frequently uses bellicose rhetoric against its enemies, notes Reuters. Pyongyang's statement also lumped in the US with the alleged assassination plot, and it demanded that Park be turned over to the North. "We do not hide that should the US and the South Korean authorities defy this warning and challenge our resolute measure, they will be made to pay a dear price in an irresistible physical way," said the statement. (The North is widely believed to have killed Kim's half-brother in Malaysia.) The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday introduced new security measures for international flights to the US in lieu of a complete ban on laptops, reports USA Today, which calls the measures a "massive escalation of airline security." The new rules will affect 180 airlines and approximately 325,000 passengers flying to the US every day. According to the Washington Post, DHS Secretary John Kelly says the new measures will "raise the bar" on security without being an "inconvenience" to travelers. It is time that we raise the global baseline of aviation security," Kelly says. "We cannot play international whack-a-mole with each new threat. DHS isn't giving specifics about the new security measures, but they will generally include more stringent screenings of electronics and passengers both inside the airport and on the tarmac. Intelligence that terrorists were finding new ways to hide bombs in electronics spurred the new measures. But airlines worried a ban on laptops would mean fewer business class travelers, who pay a lot more for tickets. DHS is still reserving the right to institute a ban on electronics larger than cellphonesboth as carry-on items and in checked luggagefor airlines that fail to comply with the new security measures, Reuters reports. Sources say airlines have 21 days to implement new explosive screening measures and 120 days to institute other new security measures. (Read more airport security stories.) In Netherlands, Modi pitches for women empowerment in India The Hague : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a strong pitch for women's empowerment, saying he is working for a women-led development of India. "There is a government sitting in the Centre that is thinking about women-led development," Modi said while addressing a gathering of 3,000-strong diaspora here. Implying that it was paying dividends, he said that when the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana was launched aiming at people who did not have bank accounts, most of those who availed of it were women. "We created Mudra Yojana to promote entrepreneurship and turn job-seekers into job-creators," Modi said. "Around seven crore people have taken advantage of it and 70 per cent of them are women." Stating that Parliament took a decision to extend maternity leave of working women to 26 weeks, he said: "It is an investment meant for the benefit of our future generations." He said that when then US President Barack Obama came to attend the 2015 Republic Day parade in New Delhi as the chief guest, each of the three services giving the guard of honour was commanded by a woman. He said that women were starting to play a major role in India's security and mentioned that Indian women were now flying fighter aircraft. Referring to the launch of 104 satellites in one go, firing of the world's heaviest launch vehicle and GSLV MkIII-D1 earlier this month and the simultaneous launch of 30 nano-satellites last week, the Prime Minister said that three of the most prominent scientists working behind these projects were women. He said that more and more women were handling the education and health sectors in India and added that Olympic medals were being won by the country's daughters. "It is not just working for the development of India but working for a modern India," Modi underlined. In this regard, he said that India was targeting 175 GW of renewable energy to meet its energy needs. "Solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy -- it is these that will meet our energy needs," he stated. Modi also said that the target of providing electricity to 18,000 villages within 1,000 days was set to be met soon. "Under the Digital India mission, we are laying optical fibre network, so that those living in our villages can use mobile phones." Modi urged the Indian diaspora across the world to maintain their connections with their motherland. The Netherlands is home to around 220,000 people of Indian origin, many of whom are Surinami Hindustanis, descendants of Indians taken there in the 18th century to work as indentured labourers in sugarcane plantations in Suriname. He appreciated the Surinami Hindustanis for maintaining their Indian culture and traditions even after 150 years of their ancestors leaving the shores of India. "However heavy or big an iron ball is, it will roll away if one or two people will give it a strong push. But a tree with strong roots cannot be moved," said the Prime Minister. China lodges protest with India, demands troops withdrawal New Delhi : China on Tuesday said it had complained to India about Indian troops trespassing the Chinese boundary and asked it to withdraw them immediately. Beijing also said the fate of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra depended on New Delhi. "We have lodged solemn representation in Beijing and New Delhi to elaborate our solemn representation," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said. "Our position to uphold our territorial sovereignty is unwavering and we hope that the Indian side can work with China in the same direction and take immediate actions to withdraw the personnel who have overstepped and trespassed into Chinese border," Lu said. Asked about the remaining Indian pilgrims who want to travel to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, Lu said it depends on how India handled the situation. "I think this Indian side is clear about this as for a long time the Chinese government has taken enormous efforts to provide the necessary convenience for those Indian pilgrims. "But recently Indian border personnel trespassed the Chinese border to obstruct our construction, so we have taken necessary actions out of security consideration. "We have to put off the pilgrimage by the Indian pilgrims through the Chinese pass, so the upcoming actions, we have to depend on what the Indian side will do, we have to take actions to improve the security situation." Indian and Chinese troops faced-off at the border in Sikkim, with both sides accusing the other of crossing their boundaries. China has attributed the halt to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to the face-off. US and India have told Pakistan to ensure its territory is not used for terror attacks on other countries Washington : In a strong message to Islamabad, the US and India have told Pakistan to ensure its territory is not used for terror attacks on other countries and asked it to bring to justice terrorists blamed for attacks in Mumbai and other places in India. A joint statement issued after US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met here late on Monday stressed that terrorism was a global scourge that must be fought and terrorist safe havens rooted out in every part of the world. The statement said India and the US will fight together "this grave challenge to humanity". The statement specifically referred to the terror attacks in Mumbai (2008) and Pathankot (2016) that it said were perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups and said the terrorists must be expeditiously brought to justice. The two countries expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), D-Company and their affiliates. The LeT was blamed for the Mumbai mayhem of November 2008 that killed 166 Indians and foreigners including Americans. The Jaish was accused of attacking the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot in Punjab, leaving seven security personnel dead. India appreciated the US decision to designate the Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist - just ahead of the Trump-Modi meet of Monday -- "as evidence of the commitment of the US to end terror in all its forms". In their remarks to the media after delegation-level talks, both Modi and Trump spoke of their commitment to combat terrorism. Modi said battling terror and destroying terrorist hideouts would be an important part of mutual cooperation. "We will enhance the intelligence exchange to boost coordination to address our common concerns over terrorism and will deepen our policy coordination accordingly." Modi said the two countries had agreed to increase cooperation to tackle increasing radicalisation, extremism and terrorism. He said India and US were concerned over growing instability in Afghanistan due to terrorism. He said the two countries will maintain close consultation, communication and coordination to ensure peace there. Trump said both India and the US had been struck by terrorism, "and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organisations and the radical ideology that drives them. "We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism," he said. "Our militaries are working every day to enhance cooperation between our military forces. And next month, they will join together with the Japanese navy to take place in the largest maritime exercise ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean." Answering questions later, Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said the US move to declare Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist had sent a clear signal. "You should take the step for what it is. It is in a sense fixing responsibility, highlighting a problem. "There is a context to it... It is focusing on a particular group and a particular individual... I think none of us can really miss that message." The Foreign Secretary said there was a broad discussion on Pakistan. It was also extensive and very detailed on certain issues. "We had very much converging viewpoint of what is the problem, let us diagnose the problem. And it is not just the Indian situation... A lot of discussions related to what was happening in Afghanistan." The joint statement announced an increased cooperation to prevent travel by terrorists and to disrupt global recruitment efforts by terrorists by expanding intelligence-sharing and operational-level counter-terror cooperation. They welcomed the commencement of the exchange of information on known and suspected terrorists for travel screening and vowed to strengthen information exchange on plans, movements and linkages of terrorist groups and moving of funds by terrorist groups. Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: In a bonanza to 48 lakh central government employees, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission with 34 modifications which will impose an additional annual burden of Rs 30,748 crores on the exchequer. The increased allowances, which comes into effect from July 1, 2017, is based on the recommendations of the Committee on Allowances (CoA). The allowances as recommended by the 7th Central Pay Commission would have cost the exchequer Rs 29,300 crore. The modified allowances approved by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will increase the burden by Rs1,448 crore to Rs 30,748 crore per annum. Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the modifications are based on suggestions made by the CoA in its report submitted to the Finance Minister on April 27, and the Empowered Committee of Secretaries set up to screen the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. The 7th Pay Commission suggested the abolition of 53 allowances. Of these, the government decided not to do away with 12 allowances, he said. This will benefit over one lakh employees belonging to specific categories in railways, posts, defence and scientific departments. The modifications approved today were finalised by theEmpowered Committee of Secretaries based on the recommendations of the CoA, he said. "The CoA had undertaken extensive stakeholder consultations before finalising its recommendations. It had interacted with Joint Consultative Machinery (staff side) and representatives from various staff associations. "Most of the modifications are on account of continuing the requirement of some of the existing arrangements, administrative exigencies and to further the rationalisation of the allowances structure," he said. Sharing details, Jaitley said the Pay Commission had recommended the reduction in the HRA rates to 24 per cent for X,16 percent for Y and 8 per cent for Z category of cities. Suggested Read: Cabinet approves 7th Pay Commission recommendations on allowances; here are 10 key takeaways "As the HRA at the reduced rates may not be sufficient for employees falling in lower pay bracket, it has been decided that HRA will not be less than Rs 5400, Rs 3600 and Rs1800 for X, Y and Z category of cities respectively. "This floor rate has been calculated at 30 percent, 20per cent and 10 per cent of the minimum pay of Rs 18,000. This will benefit more than 7.5 lakh 1 to 3 levels of employees," he said. House Rent Allowance (HRA) is currently paid at 30 percent for X (population of 50 lakh and above), 20 per cent forY (5-50 lakh) and 10 per cent for Z (below 5 lakh) category of cities. With regard to defence forces, he said ration allowances will be directly credited to their accounts. Talking about Siachen allowance, he said level 9 and above will get Rs 42,500 as compared to Rs 31,500 recommended by Pay Commission. For level 8 and below it would be Rs 30,000against Rs 21,000 recommended by the Pay Commission. "Additional allowances has been restructured, the government has doubled medical allowance for pensioners to Rs1,000. However, the Pay Commission had recommended Rs 500 as a medical allowance for pensioners," he said. Talking about dress allowance, he said various types of allowances are paid at present for provisioning and maintenance of uniforms/outfits such as Washing Allowance, Uniform Allowance, Kit Maintenance Allowance and OutfitAllowance. These have been rationalised and subsumed in newly proposed Dress Allowance to be paid annually in four slabs --Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 for various category of employees, he said. Also Read: Comparative GST tax rates in India, other countries "This allowance will continue to be paid to nurses on a monthly basis in view of high maintenance and hygiene requirements. "Government has decided to pay a higher rate of DressAllowance to SPG personnel keeping in view the existing rates of Uniform Allowance paid to them (which is higher than the rates recommended by the 7th CPC) as also their specific requirements," he said. The rates for specific clothing for different categories of employees will be governed separately, he said. Allowance granted to CRPF personnel deployed in Naxal-hit areas will be governed by the Risk and Hardship Matrix, he said, adding the rates will go up from Rs 8,400-16,800 per month to Rs 17,300-25,000 per month. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: According to a weather update issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday, monsoon will arrive in the next three to four days in Delhi and neighbouring areas. Monsoon should reach Delhi and the neighbouring parts in the next three-four days. Its advance over parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh will happen during the same period, said IMD director general K.J. Ramesh. Delhi witnessed heavy rains on Wednesday afternoon as well as in the late evening. According to the Safdarjung observatory recording, the city received 15.6 mm rains till 5.30 PM while areas under Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar recorded 5.8, 16, 1.2 and 0.7 mm rainfall, respectively, said a MeT department official. Over the Gangetic belt, there are chances of thunderstorms accompanied by squalls at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. New Delhi: The 40-day-long pilgrimage to the holy cave of Amarnath in the mountainous region of south Kashmir has been flagged off on Wednsday by Deputy CM Nirmal Singh from Jammu Base camp. The Amar nath yatra is facing a terror threat, according to an intelligence warning which has prompted the authorities to mobilise the "highest level" of security measures, including satellite tracking system. Over 2.30 lakh pilgrims have registered for the yatra and the first batch of over 4,000 pilgrims has been flagged off for the twin base-camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts. "Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials," according to a letter sent by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Muneer Khan to the Army, the CRPF, and range DIGs in the state. "The input is assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needs further corroboration," the IGP said in the letter. All the officers and officials deployed on the ground need to remain alert and maintain utmost vigil, he added in the letter whose copy got leaked and went viral on social media. Khan later tried to play it down, saying there was no need to panic as it was part of information being shared with agencies to check its authenticity. Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid said someone has spread it on social media to create panic. The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF. In addition to the existing strength of the CRPF in the state, the Centre has provided over 250 companies (25,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state government. The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra while the Army has provided 5 battalions (about 5000 personnel) and additional 54 companies (5400 personnel) of the police have also been mobilised. "This Amarnath yatra will have the highest-ever security setup to ensure an incident-free yatra," said Special Director General of CRPF S N Shrivastava. Asked about the intelligence warning, he said, "I will not like to discuss the issue in public but you are aware about the situation in Kashmir. We have taken measures as per the these intelligence inputs and have made appropriate security arrangements." Describing the yatra as "a big challenge to us", he told reporters, "All security arrangements have been made in view of the threat perception... Elaborate security has been put in place for an incident-free yatra and to ensure safety and security of pilgrims and camps." As a measure of security, satellite tracking system has been put in place for the safety of convoys carrying the pilgrims, said Shrivastava, who visited the base camp along with CRPF IG Ashkoor Wani to review the preparations. CCTV cameras, jammers, RoPs, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, QRTs, satellite tracking and other security gadgets are being used to maintain vigil in view of increased threat perception due to in increased terror incidents and violence in Kashmir. BSF DG K K Sharma said in Kolkata, "The situation is very tense this year. This time there is a high level of threat perception. We have taken all precautions regarding deployment of forces and our commandos." He added, "We will ensure that it passes off peacefully like previous years." Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said the authorities were cognizant of the security challenge and it had been conveyed to the security forces. This year's yatra will be eight days shorter against the last years' of 48 days and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal. "The administration is working in close coordination with various agencies to ensure smooth conduct of yatra," said Shah, who is also district yatra officer. At a meeting, he took detailed account of the arrangements put in place at base camp Nunwan, including the medical facilities, ration, accommodation, sanitation, power drinking water and communication to cater the rush of pilgrims. He said 450 tents have to be established at base camp Nunwan, out of which 271 have been pitched so far. The meeting was also informed that a 10-bedded hospital at Nunwan and 20-bedded hospital at Chandanwari have been established besides, ensured availability of adequate stock of life saving drugs and oxygen cylinders, an official spokesman said. Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) of the state police along with rescue teams of various security forces have been pressed into service along with well-equipped fire fighting teams at pre-determined points, officials said. Oxygen cylinders, ECG machines, defibrillators, oxygen concentrators, CPR machines, X-ray machines, ventilators, resuscitation sets have been installed and all required medicines are available are the hospital. At Baltal Base Hospital, Shrivastava interacted with doctors deputed from Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi, who are already treating the local residents and service providers. Residential accommodation and mess facilities for about 250 medical personnel, including those arriving from different parts of the country, to provide medical assistance for the pilgrims have also been put in place. With Input From PTI A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Patna: On Wednesday, the Bihar Cabinet gave nod for the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna. At the meeting, the approval was accorded to the proposal of the commercial tax department to roll out GST from July 1, Brajesh Mehrotra, Principal Secretary, State Cabinet Coordination Department, told reporters. The two Houses of Bihar Legislature had passed the GST Bill on April 25. Bihar was the second state after Telangana to pass the bill. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have been an ardent supporter of the GST from the beginning. The state Cabinet gave its nod to proposal to set up five check posts for the purpose, Mehrotra said. The Bihar Cabinet during today's meeting approved 20 agenda of different departments. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After getting allegedly thrashed by some of the AAP MLAs, one of the two men was hospitalised. The duo staged a protest in Delhi Assembly on Wednesday. Identified as Jagdeep Rana, is an AAP volunteer and fought the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections. After the incident, he was rushed to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital. A hospital official said, He was brought here at around 3:30 pm. He is currently in trauma centre to undergo medical tests to find if any internal injury has occurred. ALSO READ: 2 'AAP workers' create ruckus in Delhi Assembly, level graft charges against Jain; Speaker orders 1 month jail for them While a session was underway in the Delhi Assembly, Rana alongwith Rajan Kumar threw papers, which led to a brawl. They were sitting in the visitors gallery when they threw off pamphlets and raised Inquilab Zindabad slogans. Rana and Kumar claimed that they took the step as they were unhappy with Kejriwal government. They also alleged corruption cases against Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain in the pamphlets. As the security personnel were taking the duo away, a few angry AAP MLAs allegedly attacked them outside the House. The incident lasted for nearly 30 minutes until the police personnel came and brought the scuffle to an end. Following the incident, the proceedings of the House was adjourned for a while, which were later recommenced. One-month jail was then announced by Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel to both the protesters. With PTI inputs. ALSO READ: Kapil Mishra visits Rajghat to pray for strength in fight against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat will visit Sikkim on Thursday in the backdrop of a standoff between Indian troops and Chinese army along the Sino-India border in the sensitive sector which is threatening to further strain the bilateral ties. The Army chief will take stock of the operational matters and interact with top commanders in the formation headquarters of the force in the border state. Gen Rawats visit to Sikkim comes amid mounting tension between the two armies along the border in Sikkim following a scuffle between Indian troops and the personnel of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army in a remote area earlier this month. The genesis of the latest face-off is understood to have had a link to Donglang, a narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. Official sources described Gen Rawats visit as routine. ALSO READ: Army chief praises security forces for doing a great job in Kashmir During the two-day-long visit, Gen. Rawat will travel to a number of other formation headquarters in the Northeast and review various operational matters in the regiona strategically key region having most of the 3,488-km-long-border with China. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. China has accused Indian troops of crossing the boundary in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal, while asserting that it has shut down the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. China also said that it has lodged diplomatic protests with India, both in New Delhi and Beijing, alleging that the Indian troops trespassed into Chinese territory in the Sikkim sector. The Indian Army has not commented on the face-off. Chinese defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said on Monday that recently China has begun the construction of a road in Donglang region, but was stopped by Indian troops crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC). For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Hizbul Mujahideen chief Mohammad Yousuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin, who was on Tuesday declared a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' by the United States, is wanted in over 50 terror cases in India, including Jammu and Kashmir, reports said on Wednesday. The cases include hawala funding, assasinations, abduction and attacks on security forces. Investigating agencies have filed charge sheets in some cases, while probe is still on in few others. Since Salahuddin has been absconding, little headway has been made in these cases. Director General of Police, SP Vaid said, "He is named in a number of FIRs." The 71-year-old politician-turned-terrorist leader is based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) since 1993. He is also the head of the United Jihad Council, an umbrella group of over a dozen terrorist outfits based in PoK. In 2013, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court had declared him as a proclaimed offender in a Rs 80 crore terror funding case. Also, an Interpol Red Notice is pending against Salahuddin. Pakistan slams US designation of Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist, calls it completely unjustified The prominent cases against him include the killing of Superintendent of Police Mohammad Amin Khan in August 2012. Also read: US designates head of Kashmiri militant group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Pakistan on Wednesday has once again violated ceasefire along Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali sector. The unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side of the border started at around 2:45 PM on Wednesday. Pak troops started indiscriminate firing mortar shells and automatic weapons on Indian Army. In a separate incident, Pakistan violated ceasefire in Poonch sector of J&K as well and started heavy shelling and firing. However, The Indian Army was giving a befitting reply to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing in both sectors of Jammu and Kashmir.A Earlier on Monday, Indian Army said, athe Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms and automatic weapons and shelling of mortar along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali (BG) sector in Rajouri district from 2015 hours." A jawan was injured in back-to-back ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army. Pakistan violated ceasefire along LoC in J&K's Bhimber Gali sector from 1445 hours; Indian Army retaliating pic.twitter.com/L82thpK3zT a ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 J&K: Pakistan started heavy shelling in Poonch, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/IJo1X58Xk8 a ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 More details are awaited. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a major breakthrough in Junaid Khan lynching, Haryana Police on Wednesday arrested four accused in connection with the murder.A One of the accused arrested is a 50-yr-old Delhi govt employee and the Police have leads on the person who attacked Junaid with a knife, said Kamal Deep, SP GRP Haryana. The development came hours after Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu sought action against the perpetrators. Naidu while interacting with reporters said, aAny incident of such nature is condemnable. It is brutal, atrocious. It will not be acceptable at all. People who are responsible for the same should be identified and dealt very firmly.a Earlier on Tuesday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar condemning the brutal killing of a Muslim youth onboard a Mathura-bound train said the perpetrators would be brought to justice. Khattar, who had invited criticism from various quarters for not condemning the shocking incident or expressing condolence, said, "I condemn the incident and appeal to people to maintain peace". Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers, Hashim and Sakir--were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled slurs against them onboard the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations on Thursday night. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: UP CM Yogi Adityanath spoke to DD news after his government completed 100 days in power. He spoke on various issues regarding law and order in the state. Here are few excerpts from Adityanath's interview: UP CM Yogi Adityanath interview Updates # Caste and family-oriented politics have been finished in UP. # We have finished hooliganism in UP # Our government will not arrest any innocent, nor will it pardon any criminal. # Under Operation Romeo, 3.5 lakh people were caught by the UP police. ALSO READ: Yogi Adityanath: UP govt launches '181' helpline for women's security #DM, SSP didn't discharge their duties well, they made foolhardy decisions in Saharanpur. #Culprits in Jewar gang rape wouldn't be spared. #Mining mafia is responsible for Saharanpur violence. READ: Oppn move of Meira's candidature ploy to divide Dalits: Adityanath #In 100 days of our government, no communal case has been reported # Illegal slaughter houses will not be operational any more. They will have to shut down at all costs. The UP CM had also attended a meeting of bankers earlier on Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended a meeting of bankers in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/x9vAXuXGjx ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 28, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram attacked BJP and PM Modi as he said that the US used the phrase 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir' in its official statement. Chidambaram was aghast as he said that it was tough to understand that how could India accept such a statement? Jammu and Kashmir has consistently been on the boil as militant activities have increased in the state apart from enhanced ceasefire violations. ALSO READ: PM Modi returns to India after three-nation tour US' official statement used the phrase 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir'. How did India accept this?- P Chidambaram (file pic) pic.twitter.com/Dw7ugtXb5p ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 Pakistan army had violated ceasefire on Saturday and Sunday along the Line of Control. The Indian army retaliated with force to the unprovoked firing. READ: PM Modi in Netherlands: 'I urge Indian diaspora to obtain OCI cards' For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Delhi on Wednesday morning after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands.He was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on his return. Prime Minister Modi first visited Portugal, where he, along with his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa, signed 11 MoUs for cooperation in areas such as double taxation avoidance, investments, science and technology, nanotechnology, space research, administrative reforms and culture. PM Modi also said the two sides have also agreed to set up a joint science and technology fund of four million euros. He further announced setting up of a Chair for Indian Studies in University of Lisbon and developing a Hindi-Portuguese dictionary for mutual benefit. The two leaders also launched a unique startup Portal - the India-Portugal International StartUp Hub ( IPISH) - aimed at providing information on start-up hotspots in the two countries and associated policies. ALSO READ: PM Modi in Netherlands: 'I urge Indian diaspora to obtain OCI cards' The platform has been initiated by Startup India and supported by Commerce and Industry Ministry and Startup Portugal to create a mutually supportive entrepreneurial partnership. After completing his Portugal visit, PM Modi went to Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. In the US, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi pledged to increase economic cooperation to make their nations stronger and their citizens more prosperous. The Indo-U.S. Joint Statement asked Pakistan to not let its territory be used to launch terror attacks. PM Modi arrives in Delhi after his three nation tour, received by EAM Sushma Swaraj pic.twitter.com/4NEs7Tuj00 ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 READ: Netherlands natural partner in Indias economic development: PM Modi PM Modi also met and interacted with 20 top American CEOs at a roundtable meeting in Washington D.C., and talked about various topics ranging from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), technology, India's economy and Digital India, Make in India, Skill Development, Demonetisation and the thrust towards renewable energy among others. In the final leg of his three-nation tour, Prime Minister Modi visited the Netherlands on Tuesday, where he, along with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte delivered a joint statement vowing to combat terrorism. Minister President of Netherlands Mark Rutte gifted a bicycle to PM Modi pic.twitter.com/Ff8XFgOCOG ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 Modi, who arrived in the Netherlands on Tuesday for a brief visit, held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also address the Indian community at the Hague. The Netherlands PM also gifted a bicycle to PM Modi. After a series of programs in three nations- Portugal, USA and the Netherlands, PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi, the Prime Ministers office tweeted. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Urging MPs and MLAs to cast their votes with their inner conscience, Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar on Sunday made an emotional appeal to them. She also said the Presidents post cannot be used for narrow political interests. Taking a leaf from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhis appeal made during the 1974 presidential poll in favour of V V Giri, Kumar said, This is that moment when one should heed the inner voice of conscience and set the course of the nation. She said, the Constitution recognises the office of the President as the final touchstone for the passage of laws. It, therefore, cannot function to serve narrow political interests. ALSO READ | Prez poll: NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind may win comfortably She has issued the appeal to the members of the electoral college even before filing her nomination papers which she is likely to do on June 28, the last date for filing nominations. Kumar said, she was fortunate to have been associated, in various ways, with two monumental struggles of Indiathe struggle to free India from the colonial rule and the fight against the tyranny of caste systemthat, she said, still plagues the Indian culture and polity. The nature of these two struggles has deeply influenced my sentiments, my thoughts and my actions, she said. Kumar said during her public life, she has been inspired by the example set by the founding fathers of India, regardless of their political affiliations. Despite the differences, I have found that when it comes to preserving the values of inclusiveness and the need for social justice, we all share the same goals, she said. Kumar said the President takes an oath to protect and defend the Constitution - the backbone of Indian democracy. It is this Constitution that I and countless others have invoked to reinforce our democratic values. It has guided and elevated us in times of crisis and confusion, she said. ALSO READ | Presidential Election 2017: SP, BSP back Meira Kumar, consolidate anti-BJP forces in UP For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana will be hit by southwest monsoon by June 30 even as widespread rains lashed the states on Wednesday. It brought much relief to people from sultry weather conditions. In 2016, the monsoon had entered the states on July 2, but this time conditions have become favourable for its advancement over the next two days, MeT officials said. "The southwest monsoon is set to enter Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh, over the next 48 hours, by June 30," Director of the Chandigarh MeT Department, Surinder Pal, said in Chandigarh. Moderate to heavy rains lashed most places in Haryana and Punjab on Wednesday. Chandigarh, the common capital of the states, received light rains during the day and registered a steep fall in the maximum temperature, which settled nine notches below the normal at at 28.5 degrees Celsius, a MeT Department report said. In Haryana, Karnal received heavy rainfall of 140.4 mm and the maximum temperature settled close to 25 degrees Celsius. Ambala received light rains and the maximum temperature dropped by nine notches against normal to settle at 27.8 degrees Celsius, it said. Hisar recorded 44.6 mm of rain and a high of 28.5 degrees Celsius, down by eleven notches from the normal. Narnaul received 68 mm of rain and recorded 33.6 degrees Celsius. Panchkula, Kalka, Faridabad and Yamunanagar in Haryana were also lashed by rain. In Punjab, the maximum temperature dropped by 11 degrees in Amritsar, which recorded a high of 27 degrees Celsius, after being lashed by showers, the report said. Ludhiana and Patiala, too, received rains. The maximum temperature in these cities was recorded at 29.5degrees Celsius and 29.3 degrees Celsius, seven and eight notches below the normal, respectively, it said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Two unidentified men on Wednesday hurled paper missiles inside the Delhi Assembly House while a session was underway leading to a scuffle in which the duo were allegedly thrashed by some of the AAP legislators in its premises. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel ordered one month jail for 2 protesters who created ruckus inside House. The two men, wearing headgear were sitting in the Visitors Gallery of the House when suddenly they threw paper missiles inside the House and raised Inquilab Zindabad slogans. Soon after the interruption, the security whisked them away even as AAP lawmakers demanded strict action against the two men for violating the sanctity of the House. As the two men were being taken away, some of the AAP MLAs including Nitin Tyagi, Amanatullah Khan and Jarnail Singh stepped out of the House amid scenes of uproar and chaos. As the duo were being taken away by security personnel, some of the AAP MLAs then jumped on to these men and allegedly thrashed them. The police personnel present in the Legislative Assembly premises then sought to bring the scuffle to an end, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes. One of the duo, assaulted in the scuffle, was later seen being taken inside a medical ambulance. In the note found printed inside the paper missiles, the two men have claimed that they were AAP workers and took the step as they were unhappy with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and the alleged corruption cases against Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain. The House was briefly adjourned after the incident and the proceedings were later resumed. Also read: Delhi Assembly Speaker criticises AAP MLAs for interrupting Kapil Mishra Also read: Watch: Kapil Mishra marshalled out of Delhi Assembly after a scuffle between him and other Aam Aadmi Party MLAs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Violent protests and arson brought Siwan to a standstill after a furniture trader was shot dead at his home on Wednesday morning in Mahapur, Hussainganj. The deceased, identified as Raseed, was sleeping at home when criminals entered his home to kill him. As the news of the murder spread, Siwan main road was blocked by the protesters and police vehicles were burnt. ALSO READ: CBI takes custody of Shahabuddin in Rajdeo Ranjan murder case Traffic was paralyzed on the route as residents resorted to vandalism. The police have still not been able to gauge the reasons regarding the murder. Trader shot dead in Bihar's Siwan, enraged locals block roads and set police vehicles on fire pic.twitter.com/38GkyyEVNz ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 READ: CBI names Shahabuddin as accused in Rajdeo Ranjan murder case For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Twitter is buzzing with news alerts from India and rest of the world. Here are the latest updates from the micro-blogging site in one scroll: #10:20 PM Taking every possible step to ensure that it doesn't: P Goyal when asked do recent cyber attacks pose threat to Indian power infrastructure -ANI #10:10 PM Madras HC extends by 4 weeks, stay on Centre's notification banning sale, purchase of cattle for slaughter from animal markets PTI #10:00 PM The BCCI includes 73-year-old Niranjan Shah as 'Special Invitee' in its Committee to study Lodha Reforms. PTI #9:50 PM LoanWaiver quite right for farmers' relief but not a permanent solution, farmers should get...rightful returns: #MohanBhagwat #9:40 PM Police say Farmer (45) commits suicide in MP's #Dhar dist; Cong claims toll is 40-plus in the BJP-ruled state this month #9:30 PM Army Chief Gen #BipinRawat to visit Sikkim tomorrow amid standoff between Indian troops & Chinese army along #SinoIndia border #9:20 PM We welcome NITI Aayog suggestions. But, there is no such proposal to split Coal India: Power Minister Piyush Goyal -ANI #9:10 PM Received suggestions, will have to re-examine Hydro power policy, after re-examination will see what improvements can be done: Piyush Goyal _ANI #9:00 PM J&K: The first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims reach Sonamarg-Baltal base camp. ANI #8:50 PM Uttarakhand: Three killed after their car fell into a gorge in Uttarkashi, police on the spot, rescue operations on. -ANI #8:40 PM Delhi Police to take action against Dhinchak Pooja for 'dilon ka shooter' song -ANI #8:30 PM J&K to take final call on #GST implementation tomorrow after meeting of all-party consultative group: state's Finance Minister #HaseebDrabu _ANI #8:20 PM Multi-spectral pic of Bhidaurya, UP, taken yesterday by Cartosat2 series satellite, recently launched by PSLVC38, as released by @isro #8:10 PM Suspended wrestler Narsingh Yadav writes to Sports Ministry questioning Sushil Kumar's appointment as a national observer. PTI #8:00 PM Rajasthan: A debt-ridden farmer committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in his farm in Bharatpur -ANI #7:55 PM Delhi HC commuted to life term, capital punishment given to Sonu Sardar related to 2004 Chhattisgarh murder of 5 persons including 2 children _ANI #7:45 PM PM Modi will become first Indian PM to visit Israel -ANI #7:40 PM Union Cabinet approves signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between India and the USA on Homeland Security. #7:30 PM Election Commission to announce the schedule of Vice Presidential Election 2017, tomorrow. #7:20 PM Union Cabinet approves development of six-laning of Chakeri-Allahabad section of National Highway (NH) - 2 in UP. -ANI #7:10 PM Union Cabinet gives in-principle approval for disinvestment of Air India. -ANI #7:00 PM J&K: Kupwara Police rescued 4 boys who were trying to cross the LoC & handed them over to their parents after questioning & counselling. -ANI #6:50 PM CBI files charge-sheet against 4 postal officials incl then Dir,postal services in alleged exchange of demonetised notes of apprx Rs 1.15cr_ANI #6:40 PM A group will be set up to finalise modalities of disinvestment of Air India: FM Arun Jaitley #6:30 PM Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 1.59 Crore worth holding of Pradip D Kothari of Chennai u/s 37A of FEMA for unreported Swiss account #6:20 PM Bharatpur (Rajasthan): Case registered against Jat leaders & Congress MLAs Vishvendra Singh, Bhajan Lal and 45 others for Jat agitation _ANI #6:10 PM NGT dismisses plea seeking action against female BJP MP for allegedly tossing plastic bottle into Saryu river during inspection on Jun 2 -ANI #6:00 PM Union Cabinet approves recommendations of 7th Pay Commission on allowances: Sources #5:50 PM Delhi HC issues notice to Delhi govt over INLD's Ajay Chautala's plea against govt's decision rejecting his parole, seeks reply till July 3. _ANI #5:40 PM TMC will not attend GST launch programme on June 30 midnight: Mamata Banerjee -PTI #5:30 PM J&K: Pakistan started heavy shelling in Poonch, earlier today. #5:20 PM Madhya Pradesh: Two killed, 6 injured by a lightning strike in Katni's Kuthl #5:15 PM HC: measures needed to mk city garbage free;short term measures need monitoring,action plan for 50 yrs&legislative changes for stricter laws _ANI #5:14 PM Delhi HC said that law has given municipal corps immense power, they must use it&culture of sanitation workers not discharging duty must end -ANI #5:10 PM J&K: NDA presidential candidate #RamNathKovind met CM Mehbooba Mufti, MPs, MLAs and MLCs of PDP and BJP. #PresidentialElection #5:05 PM China removed old Indian Army bunker at India, China, Bhutan tri-junction in Sikkim as India didn't accede to its request: Source - PTI #4:55 PM Haryana: Four accused arrested in Palwal lynching incident - ANI #4:51 PM #Delhi Assembly passes a resolution, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel orders one month jail for two men who created ruckus inside the House, #4:50 PM Delhi Assembly passes a resolution, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel orders one month jail for two men who created ruckus inside the House -ANI #4:45 PM JammuKashmir: IGP Muneer Khan chaired a high-level security review meeting for Amarnath Yatra at Pahalgam & visited various camps -ANI #4:40 PM Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the National Data Repository, in Delhi -ANI #4:35 PM Had a very fruitful meeting with CM, party colleagues/MLAs/MPs. They pledged support. We are united, opp is divided: V Naidu -ANI #4:30 PM Court also asked about why he wasn't admitted to hospital y'day or even before? SPP replied that he didn't complain about his health y'day. ANI #4:20 PM 1993 blasts case: Case adjourned till Friday after SPP informed court about Mustafa Dossa's death & said that he isn't in position to argue -ANI #4:10 PM Asssam; Two persons arrested in Darrang's Dalgaon on charges of plotting to poach rhinos in Orang National Park, arms & ammunition recovered -ANI #4:00 PM Chhattisgarh: One Naxal couple surrendered, another Naxal arrested by Kuakonda police and CRPF in Dantewada -ANI #3:50 PM Everybody has got right to apply. I can also apply provided I'm not an administrator: Sourav Ganguly on Ravi Shastri applying for head coach -ANI #3:40 PM Maharashtra: Indrani Mukerjea reached JJ Hospital in Mumbai, earlier today -ANI # 3:30 PM The matter (b/w Kumble & Kohli) should have been handled a lot better, by whoever is in charge. It was not handled properly: Sourav Ganguly #3:18 PM Madhya Pradesh: Five people die after being struck by lightning in Dindori's Shahpura - ANI #3:12 PM #ShahRukhKhan and #NawazuddinSiddiqui figure in complaint against #WebworkTradeLinks, being probed for online ponzi scam. - PTI #3:02 PM We want drivers of all these vehicles to undergo a medical checkup under IGL's Swasth Sarathi program: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan - ANI #2:59 PM There are 80,000 autos, 2.5 lakh taxis &1 lakh commercial buses in Delhi that run on CNG: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan - ANI #2:55 PM Two men claiming to be AAP workers create ruckus inside Delhi assembly, level corruption allegations against Minister Satyendra Jain - ANI #2:54 PM NATO 2017 defence spending to rise 4.3%, excluding US: Stoltenberg- AFP #2:44 PM CBI takes over investigation into Rs 500 crore online ponzi scam by Ghaziabad-based Web Work Trade Links- PTI #2:32 PM Our Parliamentary Party decided not to attend 30th June, 2017 midnight programme to celebrate GST, as a mark of protest: Mamata Banerjee- ANI #2:29 PM Mumbai 1993 serial blasts convict Mustafa Dossa passes away after he was admitted to hospital for hypertension and diabetes.- ANI #2:27 PM Delhi: Rain lashes parts of the city bringing respite from the heat; visuals from RK Puram- ANI #2:21 PM Govt not to hike prices of rice, wheat, coarse grains sold via PDS under Food Law for 1 more year: Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan- PTI #2:11 PM Srinagar: NDA Presidential Candidate Ram Nath Kovind reaches the residence of J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti.- ANI #1:57 PM German parliament paves way for gay-marriage vote- AFP #1:53 PM China says construction of road in Sikkim sector "legitimate" as the territory neither belongs to India nor Bhutan- PTI #1:19 PM Trader shot dead in Bihar's Siwan, enraged locals block roads and set police vehicles on fire- ANI #1:10 PM Byculla jail violence matter: Indrani Mukherjea's lawyer demands in court her statement be recorded & medical examination be done immediately- ANI #12:37 PM Heavy rain lashed parts of Dehradun, Uttarakhand- ANI #11:55 AM Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended a meeting of bankers in Lucknow- ANI #11:51 AM Congress high level meeting tomorrow over party's stand on GST June 30 midnight event- ANI #11:37 AM SC refuses to stay NGT order which had earlier ordered demolition of six resorts in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) for illegal construction- ANI #11:36 AM Madhya Pradesh: 8000 metric tonnes of Onions lying in the open for last 17 days in Bhopal's Karod mandi- ANI #11:27 AM West Bengal: Children rally in support of demand for separate Gorkhaland state in Darjeeling- ANI #11:26 AM Union minister Venkaiah Naidu files fourth set of nomination papers on behalf of NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind. ANI #11:15 AM West Bengal: Narada CEO Mathew Samuel appears at CBI office in Kolkata- ANI #10:48 AM Mumbai Crime branch to take over the investigation of Byculla jail inmate Manjula Shete murder case- ANI #10:47 AM Train service from Banihal to Baramulla suspended in view of security situation in Kashmir valley- ANI #10:17 AM Presidential Poll : Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar pays tribute at Rajghat before filing her nomination ALSO READ: Live | Presidential poll: Meira Kumar to file nomination today #9:30 AM Mustafa Dossa(Mumbai 1993 serial blasts convict) has been admitted to hospital after chest pain and infection: TP Lahane,JJ Hospital Dean- ANI #9:28 AM Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte gifted a bicycle to PM Modi- ANI READ: PM Modi returns to India after successful tour, Swaraj receives him #8:38 AM Tamil Nadu: Syed Beedi Company of Tirunelveli raided by IT Dept, raids underway at 40 locations- ANI #7:44 AM US' official statement used the phrase 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir'. How did India accept this?- P Chidambaram- ANI #7:37 AM India's largest container port JNPT also affected by Petya Ransomware, no operations at JNPT right now- ANI #7:32 AM Police in Srinagar have detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders who were to be questioned by NIA in Delhi- ANI #7:27 AM PM Modi arrives in Delhi after his three nation tour, received by EAM Sushma Swaraj- ANI #7:18 AM Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar to file her nomination- ANI #6:38 AM Helicopter dropped grenades on Venezuela court in 'terror attack': Maduro- AFP #1:28 AM Air India- AI 102 New York (JFK airport) to Delhi flight returned from runway as a passenger got ill before take off- ANI For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Condemning the lynching of a Muslim teen on-board a Mathura-bound train, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday sought action against the culprits. Junaid, 17, was stabbed to death by a mob and his brothers, Hashim and Sakir were injured. The mob allegedly hurled slurs against them on-board the Delhi-Mathura passenger train. The incident happened between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations. Naidu while interacting with reporters said, Any incident of such nature is condemnable. It is brutal, atrocious. It will not be acceptable at all. People who are responsible for the same should be identified and dealt very firmly. ALSO READ | Presidential Poll 2017: Venkaiah Naidu files 4th set of nomination papers for Ram Nath Kovind Nobody can take law into their hands whatever may be the reason, the minister said, adding what happened in the case of Junaid was totally wrong. I hope the concerned local agencies conduct an inquiry and take appropriate action, he said. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday promised to take actions against accused. The government will not allow anyone to take the law in his hands, Khattar said in an interview with a daily. The police were scanning CCTV footage from various points in the vicinity of the place where Junaid was stabbed on-board the Mathura-bound train to find clues of the remaining accused in the case, Faridabad Deputy Superintendent of Police (Government Railway Police) Mohinder Singh had said. We are trying to procure the CCTV footage from various points which may help us in nabbing the remaining accused, he further added. One accused has already been arrested, he had said. Rs one lakh had been announced by the police for giving credible information regarding other accused. With PTI inputs. ALSO READ | Congress refuses to see outcome of Narendra Modi's US visit due to 'sheer jealousy' and 'guilt': Venkaiah Naidu For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: China on Wednesday virtually accused India of having a hidden agenda in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. Lu also hinted that India was objecting to Chinas efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions, he said. If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We dont want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community, Lu said. At a regular foreign ministry briefing, Lu also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as legitimate and asserted that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. Donglang is part of Chinas territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan, Lu said. India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesnt belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere, he said while replying to a question. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chickens Neck. Donglang is under Chinas control. However, Bhutan China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: As part of a massive expansion to become a global naval power, China's Navy on Tuesday launched its biggest new generation destroyer weighing 10,000 tonnes. The Navy's new destroyer, a domestically designed and produced vessel, was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard (Group), Shanghai. The vessel is the first of China's new generation of destroyers. It is equipped with new air defence, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The vessel marks a milestone in improving the nation's Navy armament system and building a strong and modern Navy. According to the plan, tests will be carried on the vessel, including equipment operation, berthing and sailing. Read more: China justifies construction of road in Sikkim sector The biggest naval destroyer was an addition to two aircraft carriers which China is in the process of deploying to compete with other naval powers liked the US and India, specially in the India Ocean. The Chinese Navy is currently trying to form battle groups that accompany the aircraft carriers when they set out on missions far from shores. The first aircraft carrier Liaoning has left with a flotilla of Chinese naval ships on June 25 on "routine training mission" from Qingdao in east China. The naval formation includes destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan, frigate Yantai and a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters, a Chinese defence ministry statement said. The training mission, like the previous ones, is expected to strengthen coordination among the vessels and improve the skills of crew and pilots in different marine region. This is the first exercise being carried out by Liaoning, a refurbished aircraft carrier, built from the hull of a Soviet ship bought from Ukraine after China had launched a home-made carrier in April this year. Read more: China accuses India of 'crossing boundary' in Sikkim sector The new aircraft carrier was expected to be operational by 2019. Liaoning has earlier carried out exercises in the disputed South China Sea as well as East China Sea along with its battle formation group. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ganzhou: Three activists who had been detained after investigating labour conditions at a factory that produced shoes for Ivanka Trump and other brands were released on bail by the Chinese authorities. The three activists walked out of a police station in Ganzhou, a city in southeastern Jiangxi province, on Wednesday, the final day of their legally mandated 30-day detention period limit. The activists were working with China Labor Watch, a New York-based group, and were investigating Huajian Group factories in the southern Chinese cities of Ganzhou and Dongguan. One of the activists, Hua Haifeng, carried his 3-year-old son in his arms as he walked out with his wife and other family members. I will speak to everyone in a few days time after we organize. Im happy to be out. I just want to spend some time with my family, Hua told The Associated Press. I appreciate the media following my case the last month but Im not ready to speak yet. ALSO READ: Trump's daughter Ivanka thanks PM Modi for Global Entrepreneurship Summit invitation Hua declined further comment but said he had not been mistreated. People released in politically sensitive cases tend to have conditions attached to their release that restrict them from speaking to the media. China Labor Watch said the three men were released on bail pending trial. China Labor Watch hopes that the court will provide the investigators with a fair trial, the group said in a statement. Hua and his colleagues at the labor group were preparing to publish a report alleging low pay, excessive overtime, crude verbal abuse and possible misuse of student labor at Huajian Group factories. The company has denied allegations of excessive overtime and low wages. It says it stopped producing Ivanka Trump shoes months ago. The activists disappeared or were detained in late May. The labor group said two were taken away from a hotel room while the third was detained by customs officials in the southern city of Shenzhen while en route to Hong Kong. The three activists detention prompted the US State Department to call for their immediate release. At the time, Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the men had been accused of using secret recording devices to disrupt normal commercial operations and would be dealt with under Chinese law. Other nations have no right to interfere in our judicial sovereignty and independence, she said, adding, the police found these people illegally possessed secret cameras, secret listening devices and other illegal monitoring devices. Ivanka Trumps brand has declined to comment on the allegations or the detentions. Marc Fisher, which produces shoes for Ivanka Trump and other brands, has said it is looking into the allegations. Ivanka Trumps lifestyle brand imports most of its merchandise from China, trade data show. ALSO READ | India-US alliance to counter China can lead to catastrophic results: Chinese media For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Caracas: According to President Nicolas Maduro a helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court in a confusing incident that he claimed was part of a conspiracy to destabilize his socialist government. An Associated Press reporter heard gunfire as a blue helicopter buzzed through downtown but was unable to confirm where the shots were being fired from. The gunfire took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists gathered at the presidential palace. He said the chopper fired upon offices of the court and launched a grenade that didn't explode before buzzing over the interior ministry. He said the nation's air defense was activated, thwarting what he called a "terrorist attack" and part of an ongoing coup attempt. "It could've caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured", said Maduro. Read more: India, US ask Pak to check terror; vow to fight militant groups But many opponents on social media accused the president himself of trying to spread fear to help justify a crackdown against Venezuelan seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which a pilot for the police squad, identified as Oscar Perez, called for are bellion against the Maduro's "tyranny" as part of a coalition of members of the security forces. "We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government", the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, skimasks and carrying what look like assault rifles standing behind him. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: According to a top American lawmaker, the Trump administration should cut off military aid to Pakistan, declare it a "state sponsor of terrorism" and revoke its non-NATO ally status. "Quit giving them military aid. Quit giving them money. Designate them as a state sponsor of terrorism, and remove Pakistan's status as major non-NATO ally to the US", Congressman Ted Poe said on the floor of the US House of Representatives last week. In his speech, Poe said, "There needs to be consequences for this long history, that most Americans are not aware of, where Pakistan says one thing and, does something else." "Those consequences need to come down to get attention. The longest war in American history continues today, and it is a war supposedly against terrorism", he said. Read more: PM Modi gifts Kashmiri shawls, Lincoln stamp to Trumps "There is a laundry list of evidence of Pakistan's support for terrorist groups, and I think a little more history is in order because this activity by Pakistan has been going on for years and has been below the radar", Poe said. Poe alleged that since 1990, Pakistan has been supporting terrorist groups in Kashmir like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in its proxy war with India. These terror groups, he said, have carried out attacks inside India, such as the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. "Since the 1990s, Pakistan has allowed these terrorist groups to openly raise funds in the country", he said. Beginning in the 1990s, Pakistan provided training, advisers, intelligence, and material support for the Afghan Taliban, a specific terrorist group that operates in Afghanistan based in Pakistan, he said. Read more: Indian airlines order will create thousands of American jobs: Trump Last week, a bipartisan bill seeking to revoke Pakistan's status as major non-NATO ally to the US was introduced in the House of Representatives by Republican Congressman Poe and Democratic lawmaker Rick Nolan. The legislation calls for revoking MNNA status of Pakistan, which was granted to it in 2004 by the then president, George Bush, in an effort to get the country to help the US fight al-Qaeda and the Taliban. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Venezuelan Parliament building on Wednesday was attacked by armed civilian groups after a clash broke out between lawmakers and the military police of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), opposition legislator Julio Borges said. The clash on Tuesday left at least two female members of parliament injured, Efe news quoted Borges as saying. According to the National Assemblyas Twitter account, opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano and several reporters were also injured. aDifferent lawmakers and Assembly personnel saw (GNB) officers entering (the building) with boxes from the National Election Council a and a clash occurred there between the GNB officers and the lawmakers,a Borges said. As a result, the parliamentary session was interrupted. Borges then proceeded to talk with the officer responsible for the institutionas security in order to resolve the conflict. However, immediately groups of civilians entered through the doors of the National Assembly building, he said. These people launched fireworks rockets and other materials inside the House, according to some videos published on the social media. According to President NicolasA MaduroA aA helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court in a confusing incident that heA claimed was part of a conspiracy toA destabilizeA his socialist government. An Associated Press reporter heard gunfire as a blue helicopter buzzed through downtown but was unable to confirm where the shots were being fired from. The gunfire took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists gathered at the presidential palace. He said the chopper fired uponA officesA of the court and launched a grenade that didn't explode before buzzing over the interior ministry. Also Read:A President Nicolas Maduro: Helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The total financial meltdown of Illinois draws near; the first of many states plunging into fiscal collapse It appears that far too many years of waste, corruption, and entitlements have sent the state of Illinois on a downward spiral into total financial failure. Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has declared that the state is now entering banana republic territory, and that even the Illinois lottery is thinking about bailing as there will soon be no more money left to pay the bills, including lottery prize winnings. Illinois hasnt passed a budget in three years which is completely unprecedented and the backlog of its unpaid bills has reached an astounding $15 billion. Theres also another $251 billion in unfunded pension obligations that nobody knows how theyll pay. Because of all this, Moodys Investors Services has downgraded Illinois credit rating to the lowest ever seen in the United States. Some reports suggest that Illinois may try to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, which would be the first time a state has ever attempted this. But in order to do so, Congress would need to intervene to change state law, as currently this would be an impossibility. Gov. Rauner is calling for a special session of the Democrat-led General Assembly to finally pass a budget bill that would help to get things back on track. The goal is to avoid a situation in which things get so bad that vital services begin to shut down, setting off a domino effect of progressive failures in other areas of civic life. Were like a banana republic, Gov. Rauner stated earlier this month after the states General Assembly once again failed to pass a budget by the regular session deadline. We cant manage our money. Illinois to soon be paying out 100 percent of monthly revenue, leaving nothing for discretionary spending The office of the governor has been at a stalemate for a long time, as anything it has proposed as a solution has been met with hostility by Democrats, including Illinois House Speaker, Michael Madigan. A top Republican told the media about this ongoing confrontation, which has put lawmakers at odds with their constituents, who are now suffering the consequences. Gov. Rauner says Republicans in the General Assembly have put together a plan that hes willing to sign, and that it represents a true compromise that should be able to please everyone. It includes property tax relief, term limits, and spending caps that would help the people of Illinois while also fixing the problems that put Illinois in this mess in the first place. It also addresses structural reforms, government consolidation, and pension reform. Illinois is the fiscal model of what not to do, Representative Peter Roskam, a Republican, told Fox News. This avoidance in behavior toward dealing with our challenges is what leads to the devastating impacts we are seeing today. But House Speaker Madigans press secretary, Steve Brown, says theres more to it than just obstruction. Included in the General Assemblys bill are things that he says have nothing to do with state government. The biggest problem here is that the governor keeps associating a lot of things that do not have anything to do with the budget, he stated. Gov. Rauner has given the General Assembly until June 30 to come up with a solution. If it fails to pass a budget by this deadline, it can still pass another stopgap package. But lawmakers say this isnt a good option, and that the people of Illinois will pay the price. We have a very real deadline looming, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno told Fox News. The alternative to not finding a compromise will be devastating to Illinois. Sources for this article include: FoxNews.com CBSNews.com Submit a correction >> This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD As Charter Communications mulls a move within the city, those tapped into the citys offerings said they see limited options for the telecommunications giant. Now covering eight floors in the approximately 500,000-square-foot building at 400 Atlantic St. in the downtown, Charter would likely need a much larger space in a new home. They would need several hundred thousand square feet, and there arent too many buildings that can handle that, said Christian Bangert, executive vice president and principal of Stamford-based commercial real estate firm Rhys. There are only three I can really think of. The hub at 677 Washington Blvd., the office park at 1 Elmcroft Road and the complex at the adjoining 200 Elm St. and 695 E. Main St. arguably comprise the only three properties that could offer enough vacant space. Charter is considering a relocation to accommodate its growing operations, company sources told Hearst Connecticut Media earlier this week. They declined to disclose sites they are evaluating for a new headquarters. As the citys largest vacant office property, the approximately 700,000-square-foot complex at 677 Washington Blvd. would likely provide the requisite capacity to house Charter. It includes a 14-story office tower and an adjoining structure that functioned as the worlds largest trading floor when former tenant UBS occupied the property. Reducing its local operations, UBS moved last year into Royal Bank of Scotlands building at 600 Washington Blvd. The former UBS building would provide a lot of opportunity for them, said Jack Condlin, president and CEO of the Stamford Chamber of Commerce. As theyre growing, they would have the ability to build more space in that parking lot next to the building. Overlooking I-95 and the downtown Metro-North train station, 677 Washington Blvd. would offer another prime downtown location for Charter. It has languished without tenants since UBS departure, although a number of companies have expressed interest in the property, according to city officials and realtors. Theres a lot of sexiness and panache that comes with 677 Washington Blvd., because of its proximity to the train and highway, Bangert said. Theres no greater office building in Stamford than 677 Washington. And if you can find a large tenant like Charter, then thats a no-brainer. The approximately 500,000-square-foot property at 1 Elmcroft Road, also known as Silicon Harbor, would offer the next-largest available site. Aside from offices occupied by landlord Building and Land Technology, the building stands empty. It formerly housed the headquarters of technology company Pitney Bowes, which relocated a couple of years ago to 3001 Summer St. With the former UBS building, Silicon Harbor would be at the top of the list, Condlin said. Theyre within easy walking distance to the train station. They would be perfect candidates. About a mile-and-a-half away from Silicon Harbor, BLT also owns 200 Elm St. and 695 E. Main St., which together form the nearly 600,000-square-foot BLT Financial Centre. Its roster of current and planned tenants includes consumer-goods company Henkel and professional-services firms Deloitte and RSM. Together, the three companies lease about 300,000 square feet. About half of the Financial Centre could be available to Charter. But even that footprint could be a snug fit for Charter especially if the firm keeps growing. BLT did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment. Charter has grown quickly since its 2012 move to the city from St. Louis, Mo., expanding from one floor to its current presence on eight floors at 400 Atlantic St. The acquisition last year of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks for some $65 billion has fueled the growth. Any tenant of this size in todays marketplace will most likely be looking for their current space needs, as well as future growth potential within that same building, Bangert said. They wouldnt be looking to move again in the next couple of years. Logistically and financially, to move a tenant of this size is quite expensive. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott As a newly minted psychiatrist, I enjoyed much of the work, but the most challenging venue was the prison ward where I sometimes examined patients. Every form of madness was housed behind the floor-to-ceiling bars confronting you as you stepped off the elevator serving the prison ward. Many of the inmates were agitated, impulse-driven criminals; pumped-up, hyperverbal drug addicts; shameless psychopathic killers; inveterate food-throwers and feces-flingers; remorseless child-killers; wife-beaters; robbers and rapists even a man whod killed his six-year-old daughter, believing she was the devil in disguise. The unmistakable funk of excrement and unwashed bodies assaulted your nostrils as you passed beyond the prison bars. Shrieks, threats, and curses filled the air. The wards atmosphere was one of madness welded to menace. One day, I received a telephone call from the hospitals chief of forensic services. Id like to refer a case to you, he said. It will involve traveling to the Fishkill Correctional Facility in Beacon, New York, to examine a prisoner. Are you interested? Could be. Tell me more. The inmates filed a civil suit against New York State. He claims therere particulates mold or dust in the prison air ducts thatve have caused him to develop breathing problems. And hes suing the state? Yes. Even as a prisoner he has the constitutional right to his day in court, and hes suing for damages to his lungs. Whyre they asking for a psychiatric evaluation? The judge wants to know if hes capable of representing himself. Hes acting as his own attorney. And, they want to know if hes psychotic. If thats it, theyll make a motion for summary judgment. Driving to Beacon, New York, I felt a sense of anticipation about interviewing plaintiff-prisoner Aaron J. Based on the intricacy of his legal filings, it was clear hed had spent countless hours in the prison library, soaking up articles and books. His legal papers including his Bill of Particulars, a detailed complaint alleging the states negligence and his damages were jotted with a number two graphite pencil and organized in neat, block print. The documents conveyed in precise, lawyerly verbiage his allegations about the prisons contaminated air and his respiratory problems. But was he insane, like so many other prisoners Id evaluated on the prison ward? Did he perceive the world through a paranoid lens, rendering the most innocuous surroundings the very air he breathed potentially lethal? Did he believe some nefarious plot was afoot to poison or incapacitate him? The prison grounds looked like something out of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. The complex had an eerily nightmarish appearance. A series of redbrick buildings sat on a vast, treeless expanse surrounded by rows of chain-link fences stretching to the horizon. The enclosures were topped by gleaming coils of concertina wire. Against a gloomy sky, the buildings with their conical roofs topping round guard-tower turrets underscored the prisons fortress-like impenetrability. At the main entrance my identification was checked, as were the contents of my wallet and the court papers allowing me admittance to the prison. I was questioned extensively, then wanded after which I walked through a metal detector, was patted down, and told to remove my shoes and belt, which were examined. My briefcase was opened and checked. A burly guard escorted me along an endless, windowless corridor. The walls were cinder block; the ceiling and floor were poured concrete. Nearing an electronically controlled gate, a buzzer sounded and it slid open, then closed behind us. What a place, I said. Its like being in hell, the guard replied. I wondered what Aaron J. would be like. How would he react to me when we sat in a small, locked room for the interview? Would he view me as an adversary, a representative of the state? Would he be insane? Would he think I was part of some plot to poison him? Would he be aggressive? Violent? My heart began pounding. Copyright 2016 by Mark Rubinstein Mark Rubinstein is a novelist, physician and psychiatrist who lives in Wilton. He was formerly a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Cornell Medical College and an attending psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Bedlams Door, he says, has been 30 years in the making. Rubinsteins most recent novel, The Lovers Tango won the Gold Award in Popular Fiction in the 2016 Benjamin Franklin Book Awards. APN: TSX-V ALTPF: OTCQB 9AJ1: FWB EDMONTON, June 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Altiplano Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: APN) (OTCQB: ALTPF) (FWB: 9AJ1) ("APN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Jamie Hutton as an independent director, effective immediately. Mr. Hutton's appointment expands the Company's Board of Directors to five. Mr. Hutton currently consults for various companies in the diamond drilling industry. For six years, his role was General Manager of Foraco Canada Ltd., Western Division, a position he held since Connors Drilling Ltd. was sold to Foraco International on February 1, 2007. He oversaw the bidding, operational and administrative activities of Foraco Drilling Ltd. which conducts contract diamond drilling operations in western Canada, NWT, Nunavut and Yukon. Mr. Hutton holds a BSc degree in Geophysics from the University of British Columbia (1972) and a Diploma in Sales and Marketing from UBC (1979). From September 1, 1993 until June 8, 1998, Mr. Hutton held the position of Contract Manager for Connors Drilling Ltd. in Canada and was appointed General Manager for the Connors Drilling group which conducted contract diamond drilling operations in Canada, Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador. In this capacity, he was responsible for the operational and administrative activities in those locations. Altiplano Minerals Ltd. is also pleased to announce the formation of an advisory board ("Advisory Board") that will be comprised of specialists from within the mining industry, each providing their unique perspective on various aspects of advancing development on APN's projects in Chile. The first appointee to the Advisory Board is Mr. Eugene Puritch, President, P&E Mining Consultants Inc. Mr. Puritch is a professional mining engineer specializing in geological modeling and mine design with over 35 years experience in engineering and operations of open-pit and underground mines. Throughout his career, Mr. Puritch has worked in Latin America in addition to many other parts of the world. His focus has been gold, silver, base metals, PGM and iron deposits ranging from small underground narrow vein structures to large open-pit multi-element properties. CEO John Williamson stated, 'The addition of Mr. Hutton and the formation of a technical advisory board led by Mr. Puritch adds a wealth of South American operational and technical expertise to our current Board. The addition of these team members should signal to the market our commitment to continuously add shareholder value at every level of the company." About Altiplano Altiplano Minerals Ltd. (APN: TSX-V) is a mineral exploration company focused on evaluating and acquiring projects with significant potential for advancement from discovery through to production, in Canada and abroad. Management has a substantial record of success in capitalizing opportunity, overcoming challenges and building shareholder value. Additional information concerning Altiplano can be found on its website at www.altiplanominerals.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD /s/ "John Williamson" President and CEO Tel: (780) 437-6624 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the (TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release 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, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com. SOURCE Altiplano Minerals For further information: Lisa May, Investor Relations, [email protected], Tel: (778) 288-2737; Renmark Financial Communications Inc., Laura Welsh: [email protected], Tel.: (416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989, www.renmarkfinancial.com Survey: Canadian Professionals Rank 5th Happiest; Germans Most Interested in Their Jobs Two-thirds of employees surveyed in North America , Europe and Australia are generally happy in their jobs. Employees in the United States , the Netherlands and Germany ranked highest in terms of on-the-job happiness. German professionals express the highest level of interest in their jobs; Dutch workers have the least stress. Pride in one's company is the top happiness driver in Canada , U.S and UK; being treated with fairness and respect is the top happiness driver in France , Belgium and Germany . TORONTO, June 27, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada ranks fifth in an international study of employee happiness, according to research released by global staffing firm Robert Half. Canadians are a proud bunch. (CNW Group/Robert Half Canada Inc.) The results are published in a new report: It's Time We All Work Happy: The Secrets of the Happiest Companies and Employees . For the study, Robert Half worked with leading happiness and well-being expert Nic Marks and Saamah Abdallah of Happiness Works . Marks' team evaluated the levels of employee happiness among more than 23,000 working professionals across Europe, North America and Australia. The report shows the United States, Germany and the Netherlands have the happiest employees among the countries included in the research, ranking 71.8, 71.2 and 69.9, respectively, on a happiness scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being the happiest. The countries studied with the lowest levels of employee happiness are France (63.8), Belgium (65.2) and the UK (67.2). Employee Happiness by Country (Score is based on an index from 0-100 where 0 is the worst possible outcome and 100 the most favourable.) Country Happiness ranking Average 68.1 United States 71.8 Germany 71.2 Netherlands 69.9 Australia 67.9 Canada 67.8 UK 67.2 Belgium 65.2 France 63.8 The research also shows that the top drivers of employee happiness vary by country. In Canada, the United States and the UK, the highest-ranking factors are having pride in one's organization, feeling appreciated and being treated with fairness and respect. In France, Belgium, Germany and Australia, being treated with fairness and respect is the top happiness factor. In the Netherlands, a sense of accomplishment is the most important driver of happiness. "Happy employees are at the heart of successful organizations; they're engaged, motivated and ultimately support a more innovative, productive work environment," said Greg Scileppi, president of Robert Half, International Staffing Operations. "Managers can improve happiness levels in their companies by frequently recognizing staff contributions, and making sure employees understand how their roles fit in with overall company goals." Employees Stress Levels and Interest by Country The research also examined how average stress and interest levels at work vary across geographies. Among employees surveyed, Germans rate the level of interest they have in their work highest, followed by Dutch and Americans. Professionals in the Netherlands report the least stress on the job, with Australians ranking second and the UK coming in third. Employee Interest and Stress Level by Country Ranking Level of Interest in Work Low Stress Level 1 Germany Netherlands 2 Netherlands Australia 3 United States UK 4 Belgium U.S. 5 France Belgium 6 Canada Canada 7 UK France 8 Australia Germany About the Research This study was developed by Robert Half and Happiness Works and conducted by an independent research firm. The research is based on survey results of more than 23,000 working professionals who are currently employed on a full- or part-time basis, across eight countries, with the results segmented by geographic location. About Robert Half Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest staffing firm with more than 325 staffing locations worldwide. We believe working happy is the only way to work, and we have made it our mission to help people find fulfilling jobs and help companies build happy, productive teams. Find out more at https://www.roberthalf.com/its-time-we-all-work-happyroberthalf.com/it's-time-we-all-work-happy. For career and management advice, follow our blog at roberthalf.ca/blog, and Robert Half Canada on Twitter at @RobertHalf_CAN for additional workplace advice and hiring trends. SOURCE Robert Half Canada Inc. For further information: Naz Araghian, 416.865.2140, [email protected] Related Links http://www.rhii.com Burger King Tim Hortons Signs for a Tim Hortons restaurant, foreground, and a Burger King restaurant are displayed along Peach Street Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, in Erie, Penn. (AP Photo/Erie Times-News, Christopher Millette) (Christopher Millette) Tim Hortons is getting ready to release a poutine donut in honor of Canada's 150th anniversary on July 1. It will only be available this Saturday for $1.49. Daily Mail reports the donut will be a honey dipped donut topped with potato wedges, gravy and cheese curds. It's inspired by the Canadian comfort food dish made from fries, cheese curds and gravy. The dish is so popular that fast food chains such as Wendy's, McDonald's and KFC carry mass market versions of it across Canada. The popular eatery is rolling out all the stops in honor of Canada's formation and intends to celebrate with other Canadian-inspired foods. Customers will be able to order maple timbits and maple bacon iced capps, along with the poutine donut, at select Tim Hortons restaurants across the US. Both the poutine donut and the iced capp will only be available on Canada Day, but the maple Timbits will be offered throughout July. Select Western New York locations selling the Canadian-inspired products include: 6933 Erie Road in Derby 4066 Lakeshore Road in Hamburg 44 Hamburg Street in East Aurora For #Canada150, were launching a special edition RRRoll Up the Rim, with millions of prizes to be won! #RollUp150. https://t.co/ADvmpUAYEV pic.twitter.com/yAN58BOzgW Tim Hortons (@TimHortons) June 28, 2017 Suspected Kidnapper, Evans has filed a law suit at a Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the Nigerian Police Force to either charge him to court or release him from custody.This was made known by Channels TV correspondent, Victor Mathias on his Twitter Account.Evans, who was apprehended by the inspector-general of police intelligence response team led by Abba Kyari, an assistant commissioner of police is yet to be arraigned before any court after 2 weeks of his arrest.Reacting, Lagos Command spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, told DAILY POST that the Police have not been served.Evans sued us? I have no information on this yet. But if this has happened, then we have not been served.Please get back to me later. However, we will respond once we get court summon, he told our correspondent Wednesday night.The police recently arrested a soldier, Lance Corporal, Victor Chukwunonso, who worked for Evans.Chukunonso with Army No: 09/NA/64/6317 is attached to the Nigeria Army Band Corps, Abatti Barracks, Surulere, Lagos. Pope Francis Wednesday appointed the first cardinal for Mali and four others from countries that have never had a cardinal before, including El Salvador, Laos, and Sweden.The fifth is from Spain.Malis Jean Zerbo was appointed alongside four other cardinals in a Vatican ceremony that, while deeply traditional in form, also reflected his vision of a reshaped Church for the 21st century.In a hard-hitting homily, Pope Francis told them they should regard themselves as servants of the most vulnerable and not be misled by the traditional description of cardinals as the Princes of the Church.The world they had to deal with, Pope Francis said, was the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism; the forms of enslavement that continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; the refugee camps which at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; the systematic discarding of all that is no longer useful, people included.Experts say Pope Franciss latest choice of cardinals reflects his desire to reach out to the peripheries of the global Catholic community, a recurring theme of his papacy.Three of the new appointments are from countries with only small minority Catholic congregations.As well as expanding its global footprint, the appointments increase the size of the electoral college that will select the next pope to 121 members, 49 of whom have been appointed since he became pope in March 2013.I think it reflects what Francis is about for him to create cardinals from Laos, Mali and Sweden, said one of the new appointments, Swedens Anders Arborelius.The Bishop of Stockholm told AFP he was shocked to learn of his impending elevation.A priest showed me the announcement on the internet at first I thought it was a joke, Bishop Arborelius said.His new colleague Juan Omella, the bishop of Barcelona, concurred.The pope has a very universal vision. He wants to strengthen the areas on the margins where the Church is growing, he said in an interview ahead of Wednesdays consistory, as the formal swearing-in is known.After vowing obedience to the Church and the pope, each of the five knelt before Pope Francis to receive their cardinals hat, a ring and a title linking them to a church in Rome.Source: Africa Review From insolvency to a lack of sustainable local economy amidst high poverty, the people of Osun State appear to have had enough following the lapses of government. Part of the Ejigbo road A social media user based in Osun State Nigeria has exposed the debilitating status of the of roads in Ejigbo, Idi-Ape area, Osun State after a recent heavy rainfall. The heavy downpour has affected the movement of people as well as goods and services in the region. According to the social media user, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salam is from the local government, house of representatives member - Hon. Mojeed Alabi is from this same town. Further revelations reveal the All Progressives Congress contestant for Osun West senatorial district, Hon. Mudasiru Hussain hails from the Ejigbo town. The mother of the vice president of Nigeria (Prof. Yemi Osinbajo) is from this same town, Osinbajo made this known to everybody when he came to Ejigbo during his campaign in 2015. All the prominent figures have refused to bring an improvement to the status of the road which has made life unbearable for residents. See more photos: South Korea and the U.S. hope to reach agreement in October about the date when full control of South Korean troops will be handed back to Seoul, according to a government official. A government source said the two sides are still "fine-tuning" their views on the terms and conditions to reach agreement at the annual Security Consultative Meeting next month. They will then set a target year "but at the same time a flexible schedule" that takes the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and the preparedness of South Korean troops into account, the source added. Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said the transfer date should "basically be stated there, "whether it is a new fixed date or a schedule subject to change." Seoul has been wary of stating the exact date after the handover schedule has already been delayed twice amid fresh nuclear and missile tests in North Korea. Seoul first wants to build its own air and missile defense system, which would be complete around 2021 or 2022. But Washington wants a firm schedule so that South Korean troops have an incentive to improve their capabilities in preparation for the transfer. Ryu Je-seung, the deputy defense minister, and David Helby, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, sat down for talks in Seoul on Tuesday. Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin met senior U.S. government officials including his U.S. counterpart Susan Rice in Washington on Monday. They discussed a wide range of topics, including the troop control handover, the North Korean nuclear issue, and support for the U.S.' fresh war against the Islamist terror organization ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Former Taraba state governor, Mr. Dambaba Suntai, who survived an air crash at the Yola Airport in 2012, is dead.He died at home on Wednesday.He is reported to have brain injuries arising from the plane accidentMr. Emmanuel Bello, a former Commissioner for Information in the state, broke the news of the death.The former governor, who flew the light plane, crashed in October 2012 and had not recovered fully since then.He became governor of Taraba state in 2007 and was sworn again on May 29, 2011 for a second term.A pharmacist by training, Suntai enrolled for training as a pilot at the Nigerian College of Aviation in Zaria in 2010 and was thus licensed.Prior to his plane crash in 2012, Suntai had been flown to Germany for medication after returning from his annual leave in August 2009, following a sudden ailment that was suspected to have developed from food poisoning.On his return from Germany, Suntai spoke at the opening of a three-day regional convention of the Full Gospel Businessmens Fellowship International in Jalingo, where said his meal was actually poisoned.He had had several successful flights with his private aircraft even while piloting the affairs of Taraba State as governor.But his current travails started precisely on October 25, 2012, when a private plane he piloted crashed in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.After receiving the initial treatment at the Adamawa Standard German Hospital in Yola he was later transferred to the National Hospital Abuja on October 26, 2012. From there he was flown to Germany and was later taken to a rehabilitation centre in the United States for further medication.After 10 months of medical sojourn overseas, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai finally returned to the country on August 23, 2013.After weeks of political intrigues in the North-East state based on claims and counterclaims over his health status, it was revealed that the former Taraba State governor was not healthy enough to live in Nigeria without adequate treatment, or to govern a state.He was subsequently flown abroad again for treatment, even as his then deputy, Garba Umar, was empowered by the Taraba State House of Assembly to fully take over the ship of the state in acting capacity.He was brought back in the build-up to the 2015 elections and remained confined in Jalingo until after the change of guards on May 29, 2015.Suntai was born June 30 1961 and attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he studied pharmacy. As Kenyan general elections draw closer, citizens have now been warned by the government to avoid sharing untruthful or inflammatory conten... As Kenyan general elections draw closer, citizens have now been warned by the government to avoid sharing untruthful or inflammatory content on social media platforms or face a fine of up to Sh1 million or a jail term of five years if the proposed regulations to police web content is adopted. The Communications Authority and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission in a statement said they have co-authored the draft rules that will punish Kenyans for being impolite, disrespectful or inciting violence when sharing political content. All social media content shall be written using a civilized language that avoids a tone and words that constitute hate speech, ethnic contempt, and incitement to violence, say the regulations. All comments shall be polite, truthful and respectful. According to the Commission, those posting inflammatory content will face punitive action in line with the NCI Act, which stipulates fines of up to Sh1 million and jail terms of up to five years. The regulations also leave it open for offenders to be punished under a raft of other laws. Social media users posting political content will also be required to reveal their identities and any political affiliations. This means that bloggers sharing sponsored content may finally have to unveil their political godfathers. The statement also indicated that those publishing content on social media will have to authenticate, validate the source and truthfulness of their content. This, the government says, will forestall the spread of potentially misleading rumours. The Leader of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Shettima Yerima has said he would submit himself for questioning if security agencies de... The Leader of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Shettima Yerima has said he would submit himself for questioning if security agencies declare him wanted. Yerima is chief speaker of the group, who issued a notice to the Igbos to quit the 19 northern states. He has now denied reports that he is on the run and insists he has nothing to fear. In an interview with Punch, Yerima said, I did not go into hiding and will never go into hiding. We need to put the record straight. For now, nobody is looking for me and I am ready to submit myself if I am called. I am not a joker. Nobody is looking for me and I am not hiding anywhere from anybody. I am in my village, I am a Nigerian. If anybody looks for me, I will submit myself. I am not above the law. I am not on the run. He once again insisted that the Igbos should leave Nigeria. Why should I go into hiding? I have a name, I have a face. I am not faceless. I am not hiding anywhere. Why should I hide? Where did I go wrong? Somebody wants to go and I said, go, youre free to go. What is wrong about it? You cannot be in our country and begin to clamour for another country. Go to your place and declare your own country, not in my zone. It is a simple language. I have not committed any offence, Yerima added. The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has called on Pastors to stop praying for the unity of Nigeria. The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has called on Pastors to stop praying for the unity of Nigeria. MASSOB warned that the continuous prayer offered for the unity of Nigeria in churches amount to continuous islamisation agenda of the Hausa Fulani who want to be enthroned and impose Islamic religion that openly declared hatred on the followers of Jesus Christ. In a statement issued by its leader, Uchenna Madu in Abakiliki, the Ebonyi State capital, MASSOB insisted that the prayers must stop now, because the God of Bible can never answer prayers that oppose his divine will. The statement read: We demand that the weekly prayers offered on the altars of Christian churches every Sundays for Nigeria should stop now; Praying for existence and continuation of Nigeria simply means praying for continuous killings, oppression, marginalization, subjection and unprovoked killings of Christians in Nigeria mostly the Igbo Biafrans. It also mean continuous islamisation agenda of the Hausa Fulani to enthroned and impose Islamic religion that openly declared hatred on the followers of Jesus Christ. The continuous prayers for Nigeria that literally hates Christians will spiritually energise the Islamic fundamentalists including the Fulani herdsmen to continue their religious killing of Christians in Nigeria. MASSOB draws the attention of Igbo Christian church leaders to Hosea 4:6-7 where the God of the Christians lamented that My people (Christians) are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame (Destruction by Islamic fundamentalists). MASSOB want the Igbo Christian leaders in Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian churches and all Pentecostal churches in Biafra land to see the impending doom and spiritual dangers of continuous prayers for Nigeria. Aso Rock, the seat of power that controls the physical affairs of Nigeria is dedicated to a demon that resides in Zuma Rock, this spiritual being controls the spiritual affairs of Nigeria in the spiritual realm. This spiritual being has a relationship with the Islamic religion. MASSOB also advice the Biafra Christian leaders to heed to the clarion call of God Almighty on Revelation 18:4 that commanded thus; And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her (Nigeria), my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. We advised Biafra Christian leaders to stop romancing with the politicians now. The Federal Government is seeking a loan of $5bn from the World Bank Group to boost power availability in Nigeria, investigation has sho... The World Bank had in April stated that a powerful delegation from Nigeria was in Washington DC to discuss assistance for the nations power sector, but did not disclose the details of the talks.However, investigation by our correspondent showed that the Federal Government was actually seeking a loan of $5bn to be channelled into the power sector in order to boost electricity availability in the country.Present at the April 25, 2017 meeting in Washington DC were the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel and Metallurgy, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Mr. Dan Asuquo.At the end of the meeting, the World Bank Group had said that it would deploy a full range of instruments to mobilise investments to resolve Nigerias energy crisis.The Director of Operations at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, an arm of the World Bank Group, Sarvesh Suri, said a full range of instruments would be deployed to help the government mobilise investments directly from the private sector and through private sector guarantees.According to the Debt Management Office, out of Nigerias external debt of $13.81bn as of March 31, 2017, the World Bank Group had a portfolio of $6.93bn.This means that the World Bank holds more than 50 per cent of the countrys external debt portfolio.Should the loan being sought by the Federal Government be approved, Nigerias indebtedness to the World Bank would rise to about $11bn, excluding other smaller loans that have been approved after the March 31 accounting date.The bank had in 2014 announced $1.19bn guarantees meant to lift the nations electricity sector.The Board of Executive Directors of three arms of the World Bank approved the package of loans and guarantees supporting a series of energy projects to help boost independent power generation and ease crippling energy shortages in Nigeria.It said the projects were critical elements of the World Bank Group Energy Business Plan for Nigeria.The World Bank, International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agencys World Bank partial risk guarantees approved included $245m for the 459 Megawatt Azura Edo Power Plant near Benin City, Edo State; and $150m for the 533MW Qua Iboe plant in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State. Both plants are gas-fired.The Boards of the IFC and MIGA approved loans and hedging instruments worth $135m and guarantees of up to $659m for the Azura Edo project.The IBRD guarantees included forward-looking mitigation and risk-sharing arrangements designed to augment the countrys power sector reforms, while building market confidence and setting industry benchmarks.The IFC investment and MIGAs guarantee for the Azura Edo power plant were to support a trailblazing project at the centre of Nigerias power sector programme, while setting a replicable model for future power projects.The bank said addressing energy needs in Nigeria required investment from the public and private sectors, adding that working with the World Bank Group could help catalyse significant private investment in an environment that best assured successful delivery of increased power supply. The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday chided the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over its conduct in the prosecution of former Interior Minister, Abba Moro, describing it as sloppy prosecution.Moro is being prosecuted alongside a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, and a Deputy Director in the ministry, F. O. Alayebami, over alleged N676 million recruitment fraud.Others being tried with Moro are one Mahmood Ahmadu, who is at large, and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, the firm that handled the Nigerian Immigration Service, (NIS) recruitment in 2014.The judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, criticised the anti-graft agency over its failure to produce the fourth prosecution witness in court for continuation of trial.This is your case and you have to arrange it in such a way as to avoid such occurrences. Your reasons sound a little sloppy with due respect.If I strike out this case for want of diligent prosecution, a lot of noise would be made by people who were not in court.We have to stop this nonsense and let it not repeat itself, you have to be ready for trial at the next adjourned date or else I will take the necessary action.The prosecuting counsel, Mrs Elizabeth Alabi, who held brief for Mr Aliu Yusuf, informed the court, when the matter was called that the witness, a bank official based in Lagos, could not be communicated with during the Sallah break.Alabi said that as a result of the prosecutions inability to reach the witness, he could not be prepared to give his testimony.She said that the witness was on subpoena and prayed the court for an adjournment.My lord, the fourth prosecution witness is not in court. He is a subpoenaed witness and we were unable to hold a pre-trial session due to the two days public holiday, we were unable to communicate with him.The witness is a banker and resides in Lagos. In the circumstances, we shall be asking for an adjournment to enable us bring our witness to court.Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), Moros lawyer expressed his dissatisfaction over the failure of the prosecution to bring the witness to court.Kehinde opposed the application for adjournment and urged the court to compel the prosecution to sign an undertaking to have its witness in court on the next adjourned date.Mr Chris Uche (SAN), counsel to Daniel-Nwobia maintained that when the prosecution failed to reach the witness in Lagos, other witnesses in the matter should have been prepared to attend the days proceedings.Similarly, S. I. Ameh, another defence counsel, argued that a subpoena was not just a document but an authority issued by the court.He held that since the subpoenaed witness disobeyed the order, the legal thing to do was to teach the witness a legal lesson by ordering for a warrant to be issued on him.The matter was adjourned until Oct. 4. Controversial Nollywood actor, Uche Maduagwu, who decided to troll Bobrisky on Instagram, was engrossed in a face-off with the Nigerian cro... Controversial Nollywood actor, Uche Maduagwu, who decided to troll Bobrisky on Instagram, was engrossed in a face-off with the Nigerian cross dresser. According to Uche, Bobrisky should stop scaring kids with his incredible looks. He went further to disclose that Bobriskys looks scared his sisters kids. Heres what he wrote; Stop frightening our kids with your incredible looks @bobrisky222am sorry bro, you know i always defend you? but i cant take this anymore, you just scared the hell out of my elder sisters kid with your looks, please its high time you stop this, the poor girl woke up to see your pics on television, and she started crying , Ive never seen her cry like this before, brother, please stop all this, its not getting funny anymore, please go back to your natural look, stop giving our kids unnecessary nightmareswe cant be casting and binding recession away from Nigeria and at the same time dealing with this Am not trying to pull you down, but its just a candid advice from a brother. Dont take it the wrong way #repost#lagos#nollywood#follow#regrann However, Bobrisky who read the post, decided to tell him how much of an idiot he is. FAIR LAWN -- The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office is investigating a fire that damaged a Knights of Columbus building in Fair Lawn as an arson, the prosecutor said Wednesday. "We believe it was started using an incendiary device, most likely a Molotov cocktail type of device," Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said. "We're looking through the exact details." The building was reportedly empty when the fire broke out and nobody was injured, NBC New York reported. Fair Lawn police did not immediately return NJ Advance Media's requests for comment. The Knights of Columbus is an international society made up of more than 1.7 million Catholic men among almost 14,000 councils, according to its website. Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde. NEWARK -- Authorities on Tuesday identified the two Newark men killed in separate Sunday night shootings in the city's South Ward. Police found 25-year-old Khalil Williams shot in a yard on Avon Avenue, near Peshine Avenue, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Williams was rushed to University Hospital, where he died. It's unclear what time he was shot. There were no arrests and no suspects have been identified in the slaying, according to the prosecutor's office. Shortly before 9 p.m., Rayshawn Ross and another man were shot on Edwin Place, near Willoughby Street, according to authorities. Ross, 39, died at the scene while the second victim was taken to University Hospital. The second man remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical condition, according to prosecutor's office spokeswoman Katherine Carter. "The investigation is extremely active," a statement from the prosecutor's office said. "So far, no arrests have been made." Investigators believed the two killings were unrelated, the spokeswoman said. Records show Newark has logged 27 murders this year compared to more than 40 slayings in the same period last year. The prosecutor's office was also investigating a third homicide Monday in a home on the 400 block of Avon Avenue, but released few details on that death. Authorities urged anyone with information about the murders to call the county prosecutor's tip line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips NEWARK -- An Essex County jury has found a 53-year-old Belleville man guilty of murder in the stabbing death of his wheelchair-bound roommate, prosecutors said. Edwin Andujar. (Essex County Prosecutor's Office) Following a trial before Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin in Newark, the jury found Edwin Andujar guilty of first-degree murder and weapons offenses in the Aug. 7, 2014 stabbing of Thomas Parent, 59. Assistant Prosecutor Michele Miller, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Meredith Mona, called Parent's killing "an unthinkable, cowardly, intentional act." "This defendant brutally stabbed the victim 12 times as he sat defenseless in his wheelchair," Miller said in a statement. At trial, Miller argued Andujar -- who was unemployed and living in the apartment rent-free -- had stabbed Parent with a kitchen knife in his groin, stomach and back after the man told him he had to move out, according to the Prosecutor's Office. Authorities said Parent had just come from rehabilitation and was dependent on a wheelchair at the time. Parent succumbed to his injuries five days after the stabbing, and Andujar's charges were upgraded from attempted murder. The Prosecutor's Office said Andujar, who has one prior conviction for endangering the welfare of a child, faces 30 years to life in state prison. Andujar, who is currently being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility, is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 17. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Korea and the U.S. agreed to postpone the handover of full operational control of South Korean troops from the December 2015 to after 2025. Neither side set a specific date, but they agreed that the transfer will happen only if certain conditions are met, among them that South Korea can respond to a North Korean nuclear missile attack on its own. Seoul and Washington also agreed to keep the Combined Forces Command in Seoul even after the U.S. Forces Korea headquarters moves to Pyeongtaek in 2016. The 210th Field Artillery Brigade of the 2nd U.S. Infantry Division will also remain in Dongducheon near the border until around 2020 to promptly respond to threats from North Korean long-range artillery. The deal undoes much of the work of previous administrations, who had hoped for a less obtrusive U.S. military presence and to regain full sovereignty after decades of what they saw as a dependent arrangement with Washington. Under the current setup that is now to continue for at least another decade, South Korean troops would come under U.S. control in wartime, a unique situation in the world. The agreement was signed between Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the annual Security Consultative Meeting in Washington on Thursday. The two sides had been renegotiating the terms of the handover, with Seoul arguing that its army is as yet unfit to stand on its own feet against the mounting North Korean nuclear and missile threat. A high-ranking Defense Ministry official denied the handover has been postponed indefinitely. "We expect it to happen in the mid-2020s" when Seoul completes its own missile defense. The decision to leave CFC headquarters at the Yongsan garrison has sparked worries that the government is backtracking on plans to turn the sprawling U.S. military compound in the middle of Seoul into a park. The CFC headquarters includes not only the command building but also an underground bunker and drill ground. But a senior officer said the total area of the CFC headquarters that will remain consists of "less than 10 percent" of the total 2.65 million sq.m military base. The 210th Field Artillery Brigade will move further south of the border around 2020, when the South Korean military will be capable of independently dealing with a North Korean long-range artillery attack, the Defense Ministry said. NEWARK -- A New York man was sentenced to more than three years in prison for defrauding investors who thought they were investing in a popular fitness training program, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. Joshua Bryce Newman, 37, ran a two-year scheme soliciting loans and investments for several fitness businesses but instead used the money to repay others who had invested in his other projects, officials said. He defrauded about 30 people of $3 million, Fitzpatrick said. Newman was also involved in a film production company and other venture capital work but ran into trouble when a film project about the New York Yankees called "Keeper of the Pinstripes" failed, Fitzpatrick said. Authorities said Newman used false documentation to get loans making investors believe he would repay them. Newman previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge William H. Walls sentenced him to 41 months in prison, three years of supervised released and $3 million of restitution on Tuesday. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. NEW YORK, N.Y. -- A Newark man was convicted of running a sex trafficking scheme in New York and New Jersey that exploited homeless and runaway teens, prosecutors said Wednesday. Michael Lamb, 35, posted ads on websites including Backpage and Craigslist to target girls who were staying at Covenant House, a shelter with locations in New York and Newark, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Lamb recruited teens to sell sex for money and threatened those who refused to work for him. "Like many sex traffickers, Michael Lamb targeted homeless and runaway teens, exploiting their vulnerabilities to maintain control," District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. said in a statement. "He attempted to blackmail his victims into working for him, including by threatening to send nude photographs to family members and high school classmates, further isolating them from their communities." Covenant House staff reported Lamb to authorities after he posted the ads trying to recruit teens from the shelter, Vance added. One Craigslist ad featured $20 and $100 bills, and stated "Do you stay in shelter/Covenant house? want to move out moms?," Covenant House President Kevin M. Ryan wrote in a 2015 blog post. An apartment touted in the ad was only a short distance from the agency's Newark location. Lamb posted the ads between January 2013 and September 2015, according to prosecutors. He used email to ask youth who responded to the ads to send him various personal photos and advertised them for sex online. Officials said Lamb is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 12 for promoting prostitution and sex trafficking in New York. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office assisted in the investigation. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips New Jersey once more has two hospitals on U.S. News and World Report's newest list of best children's hospitals nationwide. Hackensack University Medical Center's children's facility is now on the magazine's 2017 list, joining Robert Wood Johnson University's children's hospital in New Brunswick. Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital of RWJ Hospital is ranked 39th nationally in the field of pediatric urology. Joseph Sanzari Children's Hospital, part of Hackensack, is ranked 45th in the field of pediatric neurology and neurosurgery. Of the nation's top 10 chiildren's hospitals ranked by the magazine, the nearest one to New Jersey families is Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, or CHOP. That hospital also has a partnership with New Jersey's largest chain of hospitals, RWJBarnabas Health. While six New York City hospitals get high marks in various specialties, none made the Top 10 list. Heading the overall list again this year is Boston Children's Hospital. At Hackensack, Dr. Ariel Sherbany, section chief of pediatric neurology, said a key strength of the hospital is its sub-specialitists: doctors who focus on pediatric oncology, pediatric movement disorders, and neurological disorders that include pediatric epilepsy. Its Institute for Child Development also provides diagnostic and research services related to autism. Hackensack's children's hospital had been in the Top 50 list for several years, but had been edged out by other hospitals for the past two years. Tuesday's announcement means it has resumed its place on the list. "I just found out this happened, and I'm very excited about it," Sherbany said. The magazine's 11th annual rankings list the top 50 hospitals for children in each of 10 specialties. The rankings will be published in the magazine's "Best Hospitals 2018" guidebook, scheduled to be published in September. A total of 89 hospitals placed on at least one of those specialty lists this year. That's up from last year, when 80 hospitals were recognized for their expertise in at least one specialty. In compiling their rankings, the editors factor in a combination of clinical data and an annual survey of specialists in the field of pediatrics. The rankings also take into account mortality and infection rates, efficiency and coordination of care, along with adherence to "best practices." Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY - Hudson County's two largest hospital groups are preparing for a showdown over Jersey City Medical Center's bid to open a satellite emergency department six blocks from Bayonne Medical Center. Caught in the middle are the residents of Jersey City's Greenville neighborhood, who saw their own hospital close and are now being pointed at as both sides try to make their case for and against opening another ER three miles away in Bayonne. The dispute boiled over this week as the two sides -- anxiously awaiting decisions on SED applications by the parent companies of JCMC and BMC -- engaged in a battle to win the hearts and minds of residents with competing advertisements in The Jersey Journal. While JCMC says the new facility is needed in Bayonne because its Downtown Jersey City ER is well over capacity, representatives of CarePoint-Bayonne Medical Center see the new facility - on Broadway between 23rd and 24th streets -- as a way to "weaponize'' the competition among community hospitals. A group of clergy, meanwhile, have gotten behind the BMC, saying JCMC's plan ignores the healthcare needs of Jersey City's Greenville section in favor of the more affluent communities of Bayonne. Two new community coalitions, both created a month ago, have also sided with Bayonne Medical Center in asking the state Department of Health to reject JCMC's ER application. Jersey City Medical Center's proposed satellite emergency department would be located in a medical building being built by parent company RWJBarnabas. Hospital officials have said the building, which will offer other services, is expected to open this summer with or without the state's approval of the SED. State regulations say that to open an SED, one either has to replace a closed facility or receive a waiver based on community need. The state Department of Health won't say when it will decide on the application - or a similar application by CarePoint Health, Bayonne Medical Center's parent company, to open an SED in the Greenville neighborhood. Officials at both BMC and JCMC agree that it's highly unlikely the state would approve both emergency departments. State Department of Health officials would not comment on the possibility of both applications being approved and they would not say when a decision on the proposed SEDs would be made. OVER CAPACITY According to the non-profit Jersey City Medical Center's 2016 SED application, the hospital's ER has averaged more than 80,000 visits per year over the past five years - while the ER was designed for 57,000 visits per year. Of the 80,000 annual visits, 30,000 come from the Greenville neighborhood and Bayonne, JCMC officials said in the application. But in Bayonne Medical Center's SED application, it said roughly 4,800, or 6 percent, of JCMC ER visits in 2014 came from Bayonne and roughly 29,000 came from Greenville. In its SED application, Jersey City Medical Center cites similar numbers for the year 2012. "For many of the 28,000 Greenville residents seeking emergency services at Jersey City Medical Center in 2016, an additional site of service for lower Greenville has been created at Bayonne in a soon-to-open facility, enhancing access to care," said JCMC President and CEO Joseph Scott. In 2014, Bayonne Medical Center had 28,326 emergency room visits, with nearly 20,400 coming from Bayonne and more than 4,200 coming from Greenville, according to its SED application. In its Greenville SED application, CarePoint Health officials pointed out that both JCMC and CarePoint Christ Hospital in the Jersey City Heights are at or above ER capacity. In its application with the state, the Jersey City Medical Center included letters of endorsement from the city of Bayonne, Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and state Sen. Sandra Cunningham, whose district includes all of Bayonne and the southern portion of Jersey City. "As any elected official I support anything that provides access to affordable quality healthcare for my residents," said Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, whose letter of endorsement was included in the JCMC application. "My only concern is that residents, businesses and visitors have a place to go to in times of a medical emergency." Officials with CarePoint Health, which operates the for-profit BMC, Christ and Hoboken University Medical Center, aren't thrilled by JCMC's proposal. "There is a reason why Department of Health and the Governor's Office have not permitted health systems regardless of their size or political might, to weaponize satellite emergency departments as a competitive strategy in towns with existing community hospitals," CarePoint Health spokesman Jarrod Bernstein said this month. "If they did, they would create a new paradigm in our state and result in many instances of safety net community hospitals being threatened." In a strongly worded letter to the state DOH in October 2015, attorneys for CarePoint threatened legal action if the state approves JCMC's application. GREENVILLE During a breakfast in Jersey City earlier this month, a number of clergy members and community advocates from Hudson County discussed access to quality health care -- specifically for Greenville residents in meeting that was closed to The Jersey Journal. So far their strategy has been two-pronged -- criticism of JCMC for applying to open an SED in Bayonne instead of Greenville; and support for BMC's application to open an SED in Greenville. The criticism by the clergy and a small community group is grounded in some history. In 2008, Jersey City Medical Center, under the LibertyHealth banner, closed Greenville Hospital. The new JCMC, having moved into a new facility Downtown a few years earlier, is 3 miles from the Greenville Hospital site, as is the proposed Bayonne ER. "We're advocating for the residents in (the Greenville section of Jersey City) to make sure that the proper health care is provided to them," said the Rev. Steffie Bartley, the state coordinator for the National Action Network and pastor at New Hope Baptist Church in Elizabeth. "And one of the ways that we think that would be most helpful is to have partnership with someone like CarePoint that can provide that service that is greatly needed." Nolan Doby, pastor of Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church in Jersey City said this isn't about the Jersey City Medical Center. "I don't want it to come across as being anti-JCMC," he said. "The advocacy is really for medical care for our congregants in the Greenville section. Now whoever, or whatever medical organization, we ask that it be (opened) in Greenville." The group is interested, Bartley said, because it is interested in healthcare statewide. Bernstein, the CarePoint Health senior vice president of communications, was among the 30 or so in attendance at the meeting. "(CarePoint Health works) with a variety of community agencies that support similar goals," Bernstein said in explaining why he was there. No representatives from the JCMC were invited to the breakfast, organizers said. Bernstein said CarePoint, meanwhile, is waiting for state approval before picking a site for its proposed Greenville SED, one of nine it has applied for across the region. A previously unheard of group, the Bayonne Health Consortium, took out ads in The Jersey Journal calling RWJBarnabas a "billion-dollar behemoth" that "transfer patients to Jersey City or Newark ... rather than keep our residents local at Bayonne Medical Center." The ad also says the opening of JCMC's emergency department could jeopardize hundreds of jobs at the BMC. The Coalition for Greenville Health Access, headed by Demetrius Terry, has focused on rallying residents against JCMC's Bayonne application. An online petition has garnered more than 400 signatures so far and Terry says the group has collected nearly 500 by hand. "I'm pushing for CarePoint to (open an SED in Greenville) because (JCMC) made promises to the Greenville community that they would (open an urgent care center) and nothing has happened," said Terry, who formed the group last month and says it has 40 members. "So now I don't trust JCMC that much in that capacity, because (they) failed us. CarePoint made a commitment to our community, and they haven't let us down yet. JCMC already has." 'PEOPLE GO DOWNTOWN' While it's true that JCMC did not open an urgent care facility as promised, it says a primary care center was opened in 2015 at the site of the former Greenville Hospital. The primary care component of the medical building was discontinued earlier this year because it was underutilized, officials said. Still, the facility offers a wide range of services, including the Center for Children with Special Needs, pre-surgical consultation and post-operative follow-up, HIV testing and a number of services for people with HIV, said Joe Scott, JCMC's president and CEO. "The community wasn't taking advantage of (the primary care center)," said Tina Harvey, the coordinator for the Counseling and Testing Site at the Greenville facility. "They were going Downtown (to the JCMC)." Harvey, 48, a lifelong Greenville resident, said she hasn't heard complaints that the neighborhood needs its own emergency department. "I am in the community every day," she said. "I haven't heard anyone say we need a hospital here. People go to Grand Street if they have an emergency." The Jersey City Medical Center has also been running ads, promoting its services at the Greenville facility and saying the JCMC "remains steadfast in its commitment to provide for the needs of Greenville ... with a unique array of services ... for families who need it the most." Bernstein said CarePoint Health is proving its commitment to the community by planning to open a primary care health center on Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City. He said the facility will not be an urgent care center, but would focus of doctor's visits and preventative care. The New Jersey Hospital Association, which advocates for hospitals on the state and federal level, declined to comment of the situation because both BMC and JCMC are members and it does not want to appear to be taking sides, a spokeswoman said. Jersey Journal Staff Writer Corey McDonald contributed to this report. Jersey City is introducing a new police body camera program, with the City Council expected tonight to approve a one-year program for a cellphone-based system that is the first of its kind in the nation. CopCast is an app that allows cops to stream encounters with the public on their phones. Fewer than a dozen officers have been testing the program that may expand to as many as 250 once the council approves the deal as expected. The police force has about 900 officers. An officer using CopCast downloads it onto her phone, straps the phone to her chest and hits a button to start recording. There's an option for supervisors to monitor via livestream. After the encounter is over, the officer stops recording. The one-year program comes at no cost to the city. CopCast is being introduced as the city's police force is under scrutiny and facing at least two investigations involving federal authorities. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office have joined a county probe into officers' action at the end of a June 4 police pursuit. Video from that night shows officers kicking a man who turned out to be an innocent bystander to the pursuit. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have been investigating the city's off-duty jobs program for cops since at least 2015. Civil liberties advocates have said they encourage police to wear body cameras, calling them a tool that allows for more accountability for officers' actions, but the advocates have expressed concern about whether the cameras will turn into inner-city surveillance and whether the video footage will be available to the public. Alexander Shalom, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU of New Jersey, said it's unclear whether Jersey City's use of cellphones as body cameras will "do what we think they should do." "If officers have carte blanche to turn the cameras on or off, it almost certainly will not provide the accountability we've been promised," he said. Asked for the city's policies on when officers should record interactions with the public, city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said the policy mimics the state attorney general's guidelines on body cameras. "Turn on during all enforcement action when possible and protect privacy of protected categories," Morrill said. CopCast is the brainchild of the Igarape Institute, of Brazil, and Jigsaw, a company founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Jigsaw says CopCast provides a "more cost-effective and accessible solution for law enforcement officers around the world." The local police unions have not been enthusiastic about the introduction of body cameras, evident in a statement about the new program from Carmine Disbrow, president of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association, "While the JC POBA is happy to support efforts that make Jersey City safer, and law enforcement more effective, there remain concerns regarding how this program will be administered," Disbrow said. "These include the impact to privacy concerns, ongoing maintenance of the devices, and how data will be stored and made available to both our members and the public." Mayor Steve Fulop first announced in 2014 that Jersey City would require its officers to wear body cameras. The city's first attempt, a $1.2 million contract with Pennsylvania-based MVC that was going to provide cameras for the city, Newark and Paterson, fizzled when law-enforcement sources say the first batch of cameras didn't work. Newark has since moved on to a program with Panasonic. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. RARITAN TWP. - The Flemington-Raritan School District Board of Education is looking at what actions outgoing Superintendent Maryrose Caulfield may have taken after her resignation went into effect on June 13. Robert Hunter Elementary School Principal Dr. Kathleen Suchorsky, speaking at Monday's board meeting, said she was received an annual evaluation of less than effective by Caulfield on June 22. She said the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association attorney has been informed and "they stand ready to sue the BOE for this continued abuse and unfair treatment" that has happened since Caulfield's resignation. "I thought this abuse had ended when this board resolved that Dr. Caulfield would be relieved of all duties effective June 13, 2017," Suchorsky said in a statement. "Instead, Dr. Caulfield has continued to email, harass and berate administrators and parents. "I deserve an unbiased evaluation that honestly assesses my achievements and improvements at Robert Hunter." The board said Suchorsky's concerns were discussed in executive session and are being investigated and addressed. "No one anywhere should have to tolerate any type of injustice," Board Member Dennis Copeland said. Interim Superintendent Johanna Ruberto will take over on July 3, and continue in the role for the 2017-18 school year. She comes from the same position in the Hunterdon Central Regional School District. Board attorney John B. Comegno, II said only one person can serve as a district's superintendent at a given time. The board had a tight timeline from the point Caulfield announced her intention to retire to when an acting, and then interim, superintendent could be chosen. He said during this time Caulfield was "relieved of duties, but her employment did not terminate." Stephanie Voorhees, who serves as both board secretary and business administrator, was named acting superintendent on June 12 just after Caulfield announced she was resigning following months of protests from the community. Voorhees, in response to a question from township resident Sue Mitcheltree, said Caulfield continues to have access to district email and a district swipe card. A previous resolution accepting Caulfield's resignation was amended on Monday to make her full departure from the district effective July 2. Ruberto received loud applause from the large crowd and board after being introduced at Monday's meeting. "Lessons I learned to be an effective educator are the lessons I learned at the dinner table," Ruberto said while addressing the board and public. Ruberto said she has not been following the controversies the board and Caulfield have faced, stating she came to the district to work for the children, teachers and administrators. "I have never made a decision that wasn't good for my children," she said. "What you see, is what you get. ... I'm standing before you to earn your trust, your work ethic. "With a little pixie dust and prayer, you will be better than OK." Ruberto was welcomed to the district by Sue Vala, president of the Flemington-Raritan Teacher Association. "We're here to help you," Vala said, adding she hoped the healing begins tonight. The board on Monday dispensed with its normal time limit on comments from the public, with Copeland stating that the board will immediately respond to questions from the public unless it cannot answer a question without additional research. It was also announced on Monday that at least five members of the nine-member board signed a petition calling for its President, Anna Fallon, to step down from that role. Caulfield was named superintendent in 2015, overseeing the district's six schools, which serve over 3,000 students in grades kindergarten through eighth, as well as over 500 staff. She had previously served as superintendent of the Rumson School District. Elana Korn, who has children in the district, took the board to task for not . "Where was speed last year when people were complaining about way people were being treated last year?" she asked. NEW BRUNSWICK -- Three people were arrested on federal charges Tuesday evening in the city by agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an official said. Authorities made the arrests at a home on Redmond Street near Railroad Avenue. The three were arrested as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, not an enforcement and removal operation, ICE spokesman Alvin Phillips said. Phillips would not disclose the charges against those detained, but said more information would be released Wednesday morning. Nearly a dozen agents with ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection could be seen near the home from about 5:30 to 8 p.m. Officials appeared to focus their investigation on the second floor of the home. Before they left the scene, agents removed bags of evidence from the building. About 20 people gathered across the street to watch. In early June, the Board of Chosen Freeholders adopted an official policy limiting the county law enforcement's cooperation with the federal agency. City police could not be seen Tuesday at the investigation. Asked for more information, New Brunswick police Capt. JT Miller in an email said the "situation is an ongoing investigation." Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook. MORRISTOWN -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's latest telephone 'town hall' stuck to familiar themes Tuesday as he again defended his vote to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The first caller, identified as Sherry from Morris Plains, asked Frelinghuysen why he voted for a bill that "you yourself said is not good" -- a reference to his prior statement that the legislation would be improved "significantly in the Senate." "I think we're going to make progress. We want to see what the Senate comes up with," Frelinghuysen said. Earlier, Frelinghuysen reiterated his view that the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is failing. "We made a commitment to health care reform," Frelinghuysen said. "It obviously hasn't been easy. It certainly hasn't been a popular decision," Frelinghuysen said. Caller, Christine from Stanhope, told Frelinghuysen she is a Democrat and has voted for him but is troubled by "your take on the whole health care thing." Frelinghuysen said he remains optimistic about the Senate bill and its ability to help more people with limited resources. "I am hopeful that the Senate package, if we ever see it, will do more to meet the needs of people on Medicaid," Frelinghuysen said. Frelinghuysen was not asked about President Donald Trump's recent description of the House bill -- which narrowly passed in May with Frelinghuysen's support -- as "mean." Nor was he asked about the estimate, from the Congressional Budget Office on Monday, that the Senate bill would result in an additional 22 million Americans losing their health coverage by 2026. Fallout from that estimate prompted the Senate Republican leadership, on Tuesday, to delay any vote until after the July 4th holiday. Most of the questions during the 61-minute session focused on topics unrelated to the current health care debate on Capitol Hill, ranging from improper use of handicapped parking spaces to a U.S. Labor Department rule affecting financial advisers. The second to last of about 16 questions on Tuesday was from Steve in Wayne, who said he has "learned a lot" from Frelinghuysen's telephone town halls and asked for his thoughts on the partisan divide among Americans. Frelinghuysen, in response, said, "I think we are in a time of heightened anxiety." He then referenced Trump's opponents, stating that they "want to reverse" the outcome of the election. "They're unhappy about a lot of things the president has said, his choice of words. I believe in free speech, but really there's an absence of civil discourse," Frelinghuysen said. He added that those on the "hard conservative right" were contributing to the division. On one point, Frelinghuysen drew a clear distinction between himself and Trump. "There is no doubt that Russia meddled in our election," he said. The 12-term congressman has been criticized for not holding in-person town halls. This is the fifth session he's held with his constituents by telephone. UPDATE: Residents charged in alleged welfare fraud scheme released from jail LAKEWOOD -- Authorities arrested three more Lakewood couples Tuesday night in a continued effort to crack down on residents suspected of defrauding government-assistance programs, officials announced Wednesday morning. The raids, conducted just before midnight, come on the heels of a massive bust on Monday morning that led to the arrests of eight Lakewood residents -- four married couples -- who allegedly bilked the government out of $1.3 million in illegal benefits. Arrested on Tuesday night were Yitzchok, 33, and Sora, 39, Kanarek of Brisk Lane; Chaim, 40, and Liatt, 39, Ehrman, of Twin Oaks Drive; and William, 45, and Faigy, 40, Friedman, of Leigh Drive, according to a joint statement from Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato and State Comptroller Philip James Degnan. All six defendants were charged with theft by deception, a second-degree offense, and are scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Ocean County Wednesday afternoon. The statement said the latest residents arrested in the raids are accused of obtaining a combined $674,537 in illegal benefits from programs such as Medicaid, SNAP food assistance, HUD and Social Security, bringing the two-day total of alleged illegally obtained benefits to nearly $2 million. "The nature of the criminal events investigated and basic charges allege that the defendants misrepresented their income, declaring amounts that were low enough to receive the program's benefits, when in fact their income was too high to qualify," the statement said. "The investigations revealed that the defendants' received income from numerous sources that they failed to disclose on required program applications. As a result, they received benefits that they were not entitled to under these programs for themselves or family members." Yitzchok Kanarek is the former rabbi of a special-needs school that closed in 2015 due to a $295,000 tax lien, according to a report from the Asbury Park Press. The Press said Faigy Friedman is the registered agent of Pay-Per Payroll Services, LLC, a company that does payroll for small businesses. Chaim Ehrman owns three businesses - Buy it By Cases, The Jewelers List and True Hue, a cosmetics company. In a statement issued after the Monday raids, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said his office gave "clear guidance" to the Lakewood community in 2015 on "what is considered financial abuse of these programs." "Financial assistance programs are designed to alleviate family hardships for those truly in need," Coronato said in a statement issued on Monday. "Those who choose to ignore those warnings by seeking to illegally profit on the backs of taxpayers will pay the punitive price of their actions." The raids were part of a sting involving the FBI, state authorities, and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. Tuesday's raids were on Brisk Lane (left), Leigh Drive (center) and Twin Oaks Drive. Monday's sweeps included the takedown of Lakewood Rabbi Zalmen Sorotzkin, and his wife Tzipporah; the rabbi's brother Mordechai Sorotzkin, 35, and his wife, Rachel, 32; Shimon Nussbaum, 42, and his wife, Yocheved, 40; and Mordechai Breskin, 37, and his wife, Jocheved, 35, authorities said. Zalmen Sorotzkin and his wife, Tzipporah, were accused of taking $338,642 in Medicaid, SNAP, HUD and Social Security benefits between January 2009 and April 2014. Mordechai Breskin and his wife, Jocheved, were accused in state court of collecting $585,662 in Medicaid, SNAP, HUD and Social Security benefits between January 2009 thru December 2014. They were charged in state court. The federal complaint unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court accuses Mordechai and Rachel Sorotzkin, who authorities say earned more than $1 million in combined income in 2012 and 2013, of dramatically underreporting their family income on a false application they submit to the state's FamilyCare Medicaid program. Authorities said they defrauded the government of approximately $96,000 from 2011 thru 2014. The Nussbaums are accused in a separate complaint of having controlled numerous bank accounts opened under the names of relatives to cover personal expenses. The complaint says the Nussbaums, who earned approximately $1.8 million in 2013, exploited $178,000 from Medicaid, Section 8 housing and SNAP food benefits. Mordechai and Rachel Sorotzkin and Shimon and Yocheved Nussbaum each face one count of conspiracy to steal government funds in federal court, authorities said. That charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The couples charged in federal court were released on $100,000 bond and their travel limited to New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, while the couples charged in state court were released without bail, but had to surrender their passports. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A cabal of Republican Senators, whose devotion to tax cuts and class privilege can only be described as pornographic, spent two months crafting a vindictive piece of health care legislation in complete secrecy. And now the Congressional Budget Office, after dutifully unpacking the numbers Monday, exposed why this inartful dodge was so necessary: The vast majority Americans do not want to live in a country that will deprive 15 million people of health coverage next year, which this Senate bill does, with the number skyrocketing to 22 million by 2026. Most Americans do not want to treat the most vulnerable like collateral damage, and ultimately eliminate care for one-third of all disabled, and three out of four children living in poverty. Most of us do not want to live in a place where half of all American births - that's 5,000 babies daily - will no longer be covered by insurance. Most Americans do not want to allow insurers to drop coverage for maternity care, mental health, and substance abuse treatment. Most Americans don't want to live in a place where life and death comes down to simple math, as calculated by Tax Policy Center: We can either provide care for 20 million people, or we can reward $700 billion in tax breaks over the next decade, with 45 percent of it going to the top 1 percent. Now the CBO, which is run by a Republican economist who held three positions in the Bush administration before becoming a full-time critic of the Affordable Care Act, has outlined why most Americans find its repeal morally reprehensible. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), of course, cares little about what most Americans think. The Senate Majority leader did not delay a vote on his health bill Tuesday because of public opinion, as he seems convinced that that those born less fit and fortunate will just have to suck it up. He cares only about getting 50 votes in the Senate, and though he failed miserably in the first round, let's be clear: "It's a momentary pause," warned N.J. Sen. Robert Menendez, before reciting a litany of horribles that would be unleashed on our state if McConnell succeeds. That's true: Under the Senate plan, more than 500,000 New Jerseyans will be left without coverage, as the state would lose $22 billion in federal funding over seven years. The Medicaid decapitation alone would affect 205,000 people with disabilities, more than half of our state's nursing home residents, and one out of three children. One must concede that McConnell was not entirely wrong in his recent criticism of the ACA act. He's right that 25 million Americans still lacked coverage, that premiums and deductibles were rising, and that the status quo was unacceptable. But you don't have to consult a health expert or policy wonk to see that McConnell wrote a bill that has made every problem worse. He contrived a massive tax cut and called it a fix - a lie that ranks up there with President Trump's assertion about how "We're gonna have a health care that is far less expensive and far better," and his promise to "save Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security without cuts - have to do it." And his acolytes aim to deliver it with sneering derision. On Saturday, Vice-president Pence tweeted, "Before summer's out, we'll repeal/replace Obamacare w/ system based on personal responsibility, free-market competition & state-based reform." That old trope again: It's about personal responsibility, he said. Your dad with Parkinson's needs to lift himself out of that chair and get back to work. Your 11-year-old nephew with asthma needs to save his own pennies for an inhaler. Your neighbor with dementia needs to get off the dole. It sounds farcical, but this is what happens when life-or-death legislation is drafted by soulless ghouls posing as public servants. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has denounced the U.S. Supreme Court's partial reinstatement of a travel ban affecting six predominately Muslim countries and said the decision could energize terrorist groups. "It is regrettable that the citizens of the countries on the list have never participated in any act of terrorism against the U.S. and yet they are being punished for acts of terrorism," Zarif told reporters Tuesday during a visit to Berlin. Zarif added the reinstatement was the "greatest gift" for terrorist groups seeking new recruits. In an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia, Zarif said the travel ban punishes people who have never been "involved in terrorism" while citizens of other countries involved in past terrorist acts were not affected. Osama Bin Laden and 15 of the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks on the United States were Saudi nationals. During a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump closed arms deals worth nearly $110 billion. The Supreme Court says it will consider the case of Trump's executive order restricting travel while allowing much of the order to take effect. Trump's revised executive order, often referred to as a travel ban, halted entry to the U.S. for people from six mostly Muslim countries for 90 days and the nation's refugee program for 120 days. The order said these steps were necessary in order to revise security screening to safeguard the nation from external threats. The travel order had been stayed by two separate federal courts, one in Hawaii and one in Maryland. Both rulings were upheld by separate appeals courts. By Kim Kavin President Trump's campaign sent a letter thanking a boy for his support after his "Make America Great Again" T-shirt was blurred in the Wall High School yearbook. That must feel cool, to get a letter like that -- but it misses the point of why Grant Berardo's story is so important. During my senior year at Wall, in 1990, each of us in the honors art class created a display to fill the big glass case inside the school's main entrance. I was editor of the Crimson Courier, had interned for the Asbury Park Press and was heading to the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism, so I made my display about the importance of news reporting. I turned the case into a giant birdcage, lining it with newspapers and building a huge, green parrot with colorful feathers that sat on a swing. Beneath the parrot, I used green, brown, yellow and white paint to create what looked like a splattering of bird poop. On the upper edge of the display, I taped big letters that asked, "Isn't there a better use for these newspapers?" The next day, I walked past it just in time to see a janitor removing the fake bird poop, on orders of the administration. I told my art teacher that my project had been altered without my knowledge or consent -- a feeling that is now all too familiar to Berardo, as well. I told the assistant principal that censorship was wrong; he said parents' night was coming up, and he didn't want to be embarrassed. When I complained to the principal, the assistant principal claimed that what he'd done wasn't censorship at all. My work remained censored in the heart of Wall High School, where I had to walk past it every day with disgust. People who graduated from Wall High School with me in 1990 have been discussing Berardo's T-shirt case online. That same year, our senior class president got hauled down to the principal's office -- for writing an editorial about the administration's inconsistent policies on censorship, regarding his campaign posters. With the benefit of hindsight, he still says that he felt "threatened and intimidated" by the administration. "I never wrote a single article for the paper for the rest of the year, and kept a low profile after that," he commented. Which, of course, is exactly what anybody who engages in censorship wants. They seek to silence the message by attacking not only it, but also the messenger if necessary, even if the messenger is just a kid. What we were only starting to learn at Grant's age, that I know for sure at my age, is that there will always be people who seek to silence voices they oppose, or voices that make them feel uncomfortable, or voices that force them to acknowledge inconvenient facts. Those people engage in censorship, which can become the norm across society if we let them get away with it. Censorship starts with something that seems innocuous: an art display being marred, a T-shirt being blurred. If we don't stop it there, we have college campuses where protesters bully people of opposing viewpoints into silence. Then it seeps into the adult world, where the president of the United States calls a reporter "rude" for asking a question, and the government of Turkey bans the entire Wikipedia website, and the government of Egypt blocks its 57th website in a matter of weeks. Berardo's story is about all of us in America having the right to wear whatever T-shirt we want, and about people in power treating all of us with respect, and about all of us demanding a credible media -- including the people who make our yearbooks -- so we can have an accurate first draft of history. Wall High School just announced that it's having its yearbooks reprinted, which is great for correcting Berardo's T-shirt problem--but I hope that for next year, Berardo will consider the bigger-picture problem as well. I encourage him to take another picture wearing his Trump logo, only this time, stand arm-in-arm with a kid in a Hillary Clinton T-shirt. Plaster the display case inside Wall High School with poster-size copies. Plant an American flag smack in the middle of the whole thing. And throw some fake bird poop on the bottom of the case, too, just because in the United States of America, you can. Kim Kavin is a journalist who lives in Morris County. Her most recent book is "The Dog Merchants: Inside the Big Business of Breeders, Pet Stores, and Rescuers." Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. To: Members of New Jersey's Legislature, who will vote Thursday on whether to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto and restore funding for family planning in the state. From: The Trenton woman seeking HIV/AIDS testing, the Princeton man worried that he's contracted a sexually-transmitted disease, the young woman from Hamilton who needs her first mammogram - and the other 100,000 of your constituents who turn to Planned Parenthood services every year. We need you to do the right thing. We need you to look beyond partisan politics and make room in New Jersey's state budget for the vital, lifesaving work Planned Parenthood has carried out for more than a century. Access to annual exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings and affordable birth control should not depend on the whim of lawmakers trying to score points with their bases. These are real people's lives you're playing with here. Gov. Christie first went on the attack against women's health programming back in 2010, slashing $7.4 million in funding his first year in office. In the immediate aftermath of his ill-conceived action, half a dozen women's clinics in the state closed, the number of cases of bacterially sexually transmitted disease soared up to 50 percent in some sections of the state, and the number of clinical breast exams performed by family-planning providers dropped 31-percent. Members of the Senate and the Assembly: These may be your wives, mothers or daughters whose lives have been upended. They are certainly someone's loved ones, and they desperately need your support - and yes, your compassion - as you get ready to cast your vote on Thursday. The consequences of Christie's political opportunism fall disproportionately on minority communities. "Due to the intersection of racism, sexism, classism, xenophobia, and other systemic barriers, people of color in the United States are often less able to access and benefit from quality health care," former Gov. James J. Florio wrote in an op-ed earlier this year. "People denied access to competent, affordable, accessible and humane health care see poorer health outcomes." Sadly, we see that happening as women of color suffer from breast and cervical cancers at a rate far outstripping their Caucasian counterparts. While rates for these cancers rose .3-percent for New Jersey's women between 2009 and 2013, the increase reached 6.6-percent for black women and 25.1-percent for Latinas. Yes, you read that right, dear lawmakers. A 25 percent increase among one of the largest segments of your neighbors. Your voters. Maybe yourselves. With one vote, you have the ability to turn that around. Please, this time, make that vote the right one. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie refuses to ease up his attacks against New Jersey's largest health insurance provider. As a controversial bill tied to the state's budget threatens to lead to a government shutdown, Christie on Tuesday accused Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey of hosting a "carnival" at the Statehouse. The governor blasted the insurer for having "put on that whole carnival yesterday" as Horizon advocates packed the Statehouse Monday to lobby against legislation. "Maybe you all should be asking them how much that costs, how much all their lobbying costs, and that all comes from the policyholders," Christie said at a public event in Trenton. Christie accused Horizon officials of being hypocrites. He argued Horizon officials oppose the proposal that's bundled together with budget negotiations because they have "concerns about policyholder money." But when it comes to paying lobbyists to testify and trucks with digital billboards to park outside of the Statehouse, Horizon spared no expense, Christie said. "I wonder how much that cost," Christie said. His comments are the latest in a controversial bill that advanced in the state Senate Monday. It would would give the state authority to decide how much Horizon may keep in its reserve. Excess revenue would be diverted to a fund that would fund public health causes, such as drug treatment or other services for people who are uninsured. It's become a flashpoint in budget negotiations. Gov. Chris Christie. Christie has promised to support the Democrats' school plan. But only in exchange for the passage of two bills: The Horizon proposal and another that use state lottery revenue to help shore up New Jersey's beleaguered public-worker pension system. State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, however, is staunchly against tying any type of Horizon measure to the budget. Christie has the option to order a state shutdown if a budget doesn't get passed by both houses of the Legislature and signed by the governor by midnight on Friday. Horizon, meanwhile, argues that it is standing up for its more than 3 million customers by fighting off attempts by Christie to cede portions of its reserves to the state. "Horizon stood up for our policyholders when the governor first proposed his $300 million reserve raid," Horizon spokesman Kevin McArdle said. "We'll continue to oppose his radical plan that increases premiums and undermines the stability of the insurance that 3.8 million New Jerseyans rely on for healthcare." Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. TRENTON -- Authorities announced Tuesday they will aim to cut down on firearm violence in New Jersey by holding gun buybacks in three cities next month. Acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick and state Attorney General Christopher Porrino also vowed that federal and state officials will work together to prosecute gun crimes aggressively, seeking to impose the most severe penalties against the most serious offenders. The buybacks will take place over two days -- July 28 and 29 -- at churches in Newark, Trenton, and Camden. The goal is to cover three sections of the state: the north, central, and south, Porrino said. New Jersey residents can turn in up to three guns, no questions asked. They may receive as much as $200 for each weapon. Authorities will collect the firearms and melt them down, Porrino said. "Today is about making New Jersey a safer place," Porrino said at a news conference at the Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton. "We want our communities to be a place where children can play on sidewalks and people can take a walk and not be worried about being caught in crossfire." Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick and Porrino said state and federal officials will renew their focus on a program known as "Triggerlock," in which major gun offenders arrested by municipal and state authorities are referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office to be prosecuted under federal law, which carry longer prison terms. Porrino said the buybacks will not cost taxpayers anything. He said they will be paid for with forfeiture funds seized from criminals. Gun violence has already been prevalent in New Jersey in the early days of summer. Four people were shot -- two of them to death -- in three separate shootings in Newark on Monday. In Trenton, where a man was shot on Saturday, a woman was also killed and two men wounded last month. And last month, Camden saw back-to-back gun homicides over a span of 48 hours, one involving a teenager. A Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office firearm buyback in September yielded about 200 guns, the largest haul since the program began there in 2012. Still, there has been criticism about how successful buybacks are in reducing violence. A 2015 investigation by The Trace, a non-profit journalism outlet funded by anti-gun violence non-profit Everytown for Gun Safety, found that most guns turned in to such buyback programs were damaged or inoperable, and therefore unlikely to be used to commit a crime. In addition, academic studies have found that because of the sheer number of guns in America, the effect of gun buyback programs in decreasing violent crime and reducing firearm mortality is negligible if a buyback yields fewer than 1,000 guns. But Porrino brushed aside those concerns Tuesday. "How many lives will we save? I don't know," the attorney general said. "All I know is that when we're taking guns off the street and when we're taking the offenders off the street as well, that's going to have an impact." The buybacks will take place simultaneously from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church in Newark, Friendship Baptist Church in Trenton, and Antioch Baptist Church in Camden. Residents will be paid $100 of turning in a rifle or shotgun, $120 for a handgun or revolver, and $200 of an assault weapon, officials said. For more information, call the Attorney General's Citizens Services unit at (609) 984-5828 or visit www.nj.gov/guns. NJ Advance Media staff writer Claude Brodesser-Akner contributed to this report. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. TRENTON -- It would make your blood run cold to see how Trenton politicians were fighting over you...if you weren't already cold-blooded. On Monday, Politico's Matt Friedman fired off the tweet that said it all. The leadership fight in the Assembly is so bad right now that factions can't even agree on what the state reptile should be pic.twitter.com/Tz3IScQYrv Matt Friedman (@MattFriedmanNJ) June 27, 2017 The controversy began when Assemblywoman Elizabeth Muoio (D-Mercer, and it's pronounced "Moy-oh.") received a call from Hopewell High School students, urging her to make the Eastern Milk Snake New Jersey's official state reptile. Dutifully, Muoio introduced legislation to give the kissing, but non-venomous, cousin of the Northern Copperhead the bragging rights. But unbeknownst to Muoio, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (D-Somerset) and state Sen. Christopher 'Kip' Bateman (R-Somerset) had simultaneously gotten a similar request from a group of elementary school students in their district-- albeit with their demand that the Bog Turtle be given the glory. Zwicker, too, promptly dropped a bill in favor of the critically endangered ectotherm. Thus begat a reptilian showdown certain to bitterly divide both the Legislature and the electorate, as NJ Advance Media's video investigation (above) showed on Monday. Where do you stand? Are you on #TeamEasternMilkSnake? Or have you joined #TeamBogTurtle? Come out of your shell and let us know in the comments section below -- just don't speak with a forked tongue. Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. SALEM -- A man accused of fatally stabbing his wife more than 30 times last July has been released from jail, authorities said. Nitin P. Singh, 47, was set free Monday from the Salem County Correctional Facility in Mannington Township after posting full $350,000 bail, officials confirmed. Singh is accused of stabbing his wife, Seema Singh, 42, in the kitchen of their first-floor North Broadway apartment in Pennsville early on July 19, 2016. The Singh's three young children were sleeping in a neighboring room at the time their mother was killed. Singh's release came after an appearance before Superior Court Judge Benjamin C. Telsey on Friday on a motion by the Salem County Prosecutor's Office to increase Singh's bail and for a bail source hearing. The prosecutor's office was against Singh's release, officials there said. Telsey denied any increase in bail and ruled the sources of the funds being used for bail were legitimate, according to court officials. As part of the conditions set for his release on bail, he was required to turn over his expired passport to his attorney's office, not have any contact with his three biological children and wear an electronic monitoring device that will be monitored by his bond company, the courts confirmed. Since Singh was arrested in 2016, his case is being handled by the courts through rules that were in effect prior to the New Jersey Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act which became law Jan. 1. Had Singh's case fallen under the new court rules there would be no bail set and the judge would have ruled on a prosecutor's motion at a detention hearing that he be held in jail until trial. Singh allegedly used a "sharp instrument," according to the complaint filed against him, to stab his wife "repeatedly in the chest and abdomen" early on July 19, 2016. He then called 911 for help around 5:30 a.m. that day, saying his wife was not breathing. When first responders arrived they found Singh standing over his wife in their kitchen at the rear of the building at 144 North Broadway he and his wife owned. Seema Singh was pronounced dead about 20 minutes later. Authorities said she had been stabbed 30 times. The Singh's three children, who were taken out of a side door of the apartment so they would not see their mother, are said to be living with relatives. Singh's next court hearing is an initial case disposition conference on July 24 before Superior Court Judge Linda Lawhun, according to a court spokesperson. His bail had initially been set at $1 million after his arrest, but was later reduced. In April he was indicted by a Salem County grand jury on five counts. The prosecutor's office had been in plea negotiations with Singh. If no deal is reached then he would go to trial. If he is found guilty, Singh he could face 30 years in state prison. Authorities have never said what they believe the motive in the killing to be. The couple owned and operated the Quick Stop Deli in Collingswood. After Seema Singh's death, there was an outpouring of support from members of the local community who frequented the deli. Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. CARNEYS POINT TWP. -- Two people were arrested as federal authorities raided a suspected fentanyl pill manufacturing site at a local home, authorities said. Drug Enforcement Administration personnel dressed in protective gear executed a search warrant on Tuesday, according to Special Agent Timothy McMahon, a spokesman for the DEA. An undetermined amount of fentanyl and two pill presses were seized, according to McMahon. Two males were also arrested, he said. The investigation was described by authorities a heroin and fentanyl probe, with its greatest focus on fentanyl. Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid. In its raw form, just touching the drug can cause an overdose, or even death. Because of this, law enforcement officials dealing with drug cases have been taking extra precautions to not suffer the effects of exposure to fentanyl. In Tuesday's action, the DEA agents from the Tactical Diversion Squad based in Camden conducted the raid dressed in protective suits, McMahon said. Assisting the DEA where members of the Carneys Point Police Department's Investigations Unit and the Salem County Prosecutor's Office. The names of the two people arrested were not released. The house that was raided is in the 200 block of Broadway in a residential section of Carneys Point off of Shell Road, according to Carneys Point Chief of Police Gerald Krivda. DEA agents raid a Carneys Point home seizing fentanyl & pill press ... law enforcement suit up to handle the potent drug @6abc pic.twitter.com/v3vFqKri31 Annie McCormick (@6abcAnnie) June 28, 2017 Krivda on Wednesday emphasized neighbors should now feel safe. "There is no danger to any members of the community at this point," the chief said. "We're just happy here at the local level that we took that type of element out of our town. "You may get away for a while with it, but eventually we're going to find out what you are doing and arrest you for it and work with other agencies to take you down," the chief said. McMahon said the raid Tuesday is part of an ongoing narcotics investigation in the region. Because of that, McMahon and Krivda said they could not release any further details on the case. Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Tuesday's court hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court took place less than two weeks after Cosby's criminal trial for sexual assault in Pennsylvania ended in a mistrial, when a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Cosby is already scheduled to face a separate civil trial in June 2018 in a lawsuit filed by Chloe Goins, a former model who has accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her at the mansion in 2008. Judy Huth has accused Cosby, 79, of giving her alcohol and then sexually abusing her around 1974 when she was 15 years old at the Los Angeles mansion famed for hedonistic parties. Comedian Bill Cosby will face a civil trial in July 2018 for sexual assault over an alleged incident at the Playboy Mansion more than four decades ago, a California judge ruled on Tuesday. Cosby, once known as "America's dad" for his beloved role as Heathcliff Huxtable in the 1980s television comedy "The Cosby Show," has seen his reputation destroyed by sexual assault allegations from approximately 60 women. Only one accusation has led to criminal charges, and Pennsylvania prosecutors have said they will retry Cosby within months. Meanwhile, 10 women are pursuing either sexual assault or defamation lawsuits against Cosby, including Huth. Judge Craig Karlan on Tuesday set July 30, 2018, as the trial date for Huth's lawsuit. The case has been partially delayed by Cosby's criminal charges. He gave one deposition in Huth's case, but a second planned deposition has been put on hold until the criminal case is resolved. Last week, Cosby's spokesman said the entertainer was planning a series of free public seminars to educate young men about how to avoid false accusations of sexual assault. A lawyer for Cosby, Angela Agrusa, told reporters at the courthouse on Tuesday that there was a "lot of miscommunication" about what he planned to do. "He wants to perform again, to recapture his passion, which is to continue performing," Agrusa said, but added that she did not expect Cosby to do so at this time. Huth's lawyer Gloria Allred, known for taking high-profile cases, said she would set up a parallel speaking tour in the same cities to discuss sexual assault if Cosby went ahead with the seminars. "I know that there are many, many accusers that are upset at the suggestions that there might be a town hall," said Allred, who represents 33 Cosby accusers. The Japanese consul general in Atlanta, Takashi Shinozuka, waded into a no-go area last week by denying that Korean women were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese troops in World War II. Shinozuka made the claim, which echoes the stance of far-right deniers in his home country, in an interview with the local Reporter Newspapers. He said there is "no evidence" that the Japanese imperial army forced the women into sexual slavery. The daily added that he described them as "paid prostitutes." This is not the first time that a senior Japanese official has made the claim, which is contradicted by a mountain of evidence. In January last year, a lawmaker with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Yoshitaka Sakurada, made similar comments. Students who qualify for reduced-priced meals will no longer have to pay for breakfast or lunch at four Council Bluffs schools including Abraham Lincoln High School and Lewis and Clark, Crescent and College View Elementary Schools. Council Bluffs school board members voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a resolution that will allow those schools to offer qualifying students free meals. Currently, 11 other schools in the district offer free meals to students through the National School Lunch Programs Community Eligibility Provision. Those 11 schools qualified for additional federal dollars to be able to bring free meals to all students. That funding comes through the expanded Community Eligibility Provision through the National School Lunch and National School Breakfast programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The schools had at least 40 percent of students who were eligible for free meals by direct certification or otherwise identified automatically as being eligible for free school meals without filling out an income form. The four schools that will now offer free meals to qualifying students will be funded through the use of non-federal dollars by using money collected through the sale of other food items at schools in the district. For example, money collected through the sale of adult meals and a la carte food items. Virginia Bechtold, director of nutrition services, said the Council Bluffs district wanted to help find a way to alleviate stress off of families who owe money or struggle to pay for their children to eat at those four schools. The school district is in the business of feeding as many kids as we can, Bechtold said. Currently, the district feeds more than 75 percent of students every day. This will make it easier for folks to come and eat with us and wed like to see that number go up, Bechtold said. This fall, roughly 200 students will be affected by the change from reduced-priced meals to free at those four schools. While 200 students at four schools doesnt seem like a huge number, it will make a big impact for those students and their families, Bechtold said. POSCO has been named the world's most competitive steelmaker for the eighth year in a row. World Steel Dynamics, a U.S. information service, announced the steelmaker rankings at a meeting in New York on Monday. POSCO topped the list with a score of 8.31, up 0.26 points from last year. The Korean company received perfect scores in technology innovation, cost reduction, skill proficiency, corporate restructuring and investment environment. Russian steelmaker Severstal ranked second followed by U.S. steelmaker Nucor with improved profitability, Russian steelmaker NLMK and Japanese steelmaker NSSMC. LOGAN Voters in the Logan-Magnolia School District voted down a $9.34 million bond issue in a special election Tuesday. According to the unofficial results from the Harrison County election office, there were 439 votes in favor and 604 votes against. The bond would have provided funding to build a new gymnasium and the renovation of junior high and high school science classrooms. The plan also included renovating the current elementary gymnasium into classrooms, a science lab and elementary media center/library. We are disappointed, Lo-Ma Superintendent Tom Ridder said Tuesday evening. However, this doesnt mean we will stop working to make this school something that our community can be proud of today, 10 years from now and 30 years from now. The Unification Ministry has approved the Eugene Bell Foundation's application to send W1.9 billion worth of medicines for tuberculosis and materials to build hospital wards to North Korea, the ministry said Tuesday (US$1=W1,137). The foundation is dedicated to treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the North. It is the first approval of humanitarian assistance to the North by the Moon Jae-in administration. The goods will be sent to Nampo port on a Chinese ship next month. Foundation chair Stephen Linton and other staff are expected to visit the North with the shipment, but the ministry said they require no approval from it because they are all foreign nationals. The previous administration also approved shipments of medicines by the foundation to the North but banned cargoes of building materials under 2010 sanctions for fear that they could be diverted to the military. "The government will be flexible in reviewing applications for civilian exchanges so as to avoid weakening sanctions aimed at solving the North Korean nuclear issue," a ministry official said. "We took into consideration the fact that tuberculosis needs consistent treatment and that the medicines cannot be diverted for other purposes and their use can be monitored." The Moon administration has approved a total of 47 applications to visit the North for humanitarian aid, but Pyongyang only accepted assistance from foreign organizations like Eugene Bell. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Two Ilkeston men who held up a building society at gunpoint have been sentenced to a combined total of almost 20 years in jail. At 1.22pm on Friday, March 24, Christopher Dennis and Marlon Watson walked into the Nottingham Building Society in Shepshed, Leicestershire, and threatened the staff with a gun, before demanding money. They made off with nearly 5,000. On Tuesday (June 27) at Leicester Crown Court, Dennis, 48, of Pedley Street, Ilkeston, was sentenced to eight years, while Watson, 31, of French Street, Ilkeston, was sentenced to nine years and four months. They had both pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and possession of a firearm at an earlier hearing. (Image: Leicestershire Police) Leicestershire Police Detective Constable Emma Kunne, who investigated the incident, said: "This was, understandably, a frightening incident for the two members of staff who were in the premises at the time. "People should be able to go to work in the morning and not have to worry about being a victim of an offence such as this. "I know it has been a difficult journey for the staff members and I would like to thank them for their help and support with the investigation. (Image: Leicestershire Police) "I would also like to thank the members of the public who came forward and assisted us with our investigation. "With their help we were able to put together an incredibly strong evidential package which left the defendants with no option but to plead guilty. Thank you." Detective Inspector Gareth Goddard, who oversaw the investigation, said: "I would like to say a big thank you to all those officers and staff involved in this investigation, including the officers from Derbyshire. "The witnesses helped bring this case through the courts." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe today to get a dose of sunshine in your inbox with our Ayup Newsletter! Nottingham will benefit from a shift in arts spending towards the regions, with 24m to be invested in city and county over the next four years. Fresh money will also be put aside for seven local new additions to the national portfolio of organisations supported by Arts Council England. Three bodies are to get grant increases: regional dance agency Dance 4, community cultural organisation City Arts and the big winners - Hyson Green's New Art Exchange, whose grant will rise from 502,898 this year to 852,898 per year until 2022. New Art Exchange in Gregory Boulevard was founded in 2003 and majors in African, Caribbean and South Asian art and is currently hosting elements of Nottingham Trent University's BA photography degree show. "We are seen as a leader in cultural diversity in the arts and a leading light in this region," said the gallery's deputy chief executive Davinder Virdi. "The grant is very good news and recognised the credit Arts Council England has given us for the wide variety of the work we do." The extra funding, said Mr Virdi, would be invested in engagement with the community; identifying, nurturing and developing artistic talent; digital infrastructure and making the organisation more commercially sustainable. Increased funding for Dance 4 will help the experimental organisation to develop a new international programme to showcase British talent. Its grant rises from 471,014 this year to 591,014 for each of the next four years. The charity City Arts has secured Arts Council England funding of 413,632 over four years, with annual income doubling. The increase is a welcome 40 birthday present. "It recognises the vital work we do bringing great art to the diverse communities of Nottingham," said chairman Tim Challans. (Image: Robert Day) Recent projects have included creating a troupe for Nottingham Carnival featuring mobility scooter floats for older and disabled people; producing opening and closing ceremonies for the Cerebral Palsy World Games and leading the flagship arts and older people programme Imagine, which takes art and artists into Nottingham care homes. Creative director Madeline Holmes added: "City Arts offers something unique to Nottingham and we have big plans. We will work with local and national partners to create spectacular events. "We'll explore how technology can inspire creativity in people who are, too often, excluded from the arts. Through our talent development programmes we will support the next generation of community artists." Arts Council England grants for 2018-22 will benefit 831 bodies with National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status. They range from internationally renowned organisations like the Royal Shakespeare Company to small charitable organisations like City Arts with specific local briefs. The NPOs will receive a total of 1.6 billion over four years, with an extra 170m targeted at arts ventures outside London. The seven local newcomers to the National Portfolio are artist-led gallery Backlit; Nottinghamshire County Council's cultural, learning and libraries organisation Inspire; the newly re-named and re-branded National Justice Museum ; Nottingham City Museums and Galleries; Primary, the art community in Seely Road; the National Holocaust Centre and Museum at Laxton, and the Tom Dale Company, the Nottingham-based dance ensemble. At Nottingham Playhouse , which later this summer welcomes back artistic director Giles Croft's West End hit The Kite Runner, the current annual grant of 1.34m will remain unchanged for 2018-22. Chairman of trustees Caroline Shutter said: "I'm delighted Nottingham Playhouse continues to be recognised as an important NPO with a funding commitment to 2022 by Arts Council England. "The funding, starting in 2018, marks an exciting new era for Nottingham Playhouse under our new artistic director Adam Penford. It's great news for Nottingham, our staff, partners and audiences as it means we can continue to produce great theatre for everyone. " Also pegged is the grant of just over 1m for Nottingham Contemporary, which is currently hosting major solo shows by Lara Favaretto and Wu Tsang as well as Creative Connections a collaboration between artist and photographer Katherine Green and students of Farnborough Academy in Clifton. The gallery's director Sam Thorne said: "We are thrilled to have secured the continued support of Arts Council England up to 2022. This will enable us to continue to develop our diverse programme of exhibitions, educations and events, working both internationally as well across the city. "We're also very pleased to see new recipients of National Portfolio Organisation funding emerging in Nottingham including the artist-led spaces Primary and Backlit. This is really testament to the vibrancy of what's going on here." Arts Council England's area director Peter Knott said: "We're delighted to unveil our ambitious new portfolio reaching more people in more places across the Midlands than ever before. "The Arts Council is investing more money than ever before outside London, we're introducing 42 new organisations, including museums and libraries for the first time, as well as continuing to fund current organisations. "We've been able to offer an increase to a small number of organisations we currently fund who made an exceptional case. The Midlands already boasts a vibrant cultural scene with an international reputation for excellence and we look forward to seeing more great art and culture being enjoyed by more audiences in more places." This summer will see back-to-back releases of the latest flagship smartphones from all the top manufacturers. The main events are the releases of Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, LG's V30 and Apple's iPhone 8 in August and September. But next month Samsung will also unveil the Galaxy Note 7FE (Fandom Edition) and LG the G6 Plus. The Galaxy Note 7FE is being resurrected from the literal ashes of the combustible disaster that was the Note 7, at a heavily reduced price. The G6 Plus is an upgraded version of the G6 that hit stores early this year. Upgrades The Note 7FE, set for release on July 7, now has only a 3,300-mAh battery rather than the 3,500-mAh one that caused it to go up in smoke in the first place. It will cost between W600,000 and W700,000, which is almost W300,000 cheaper than the original but still a hefty price tag (US$1=W1,137). The G6 Plus has the same screen as the G6 at 5.7 inches but boasts 128 GB of memory, twice as much as the original. A wireless recharging function has been added, while new color options -- blue and gold -- are also available. LG will also release a cheaper 32 GB version. An industry insider said, "The Note 7FE is aimed at restoring the tainted image from the exploding battery debacle, while the G6 Plus aims to recover sales that tanked when Samsung's Galaxy S8 came out in March." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox A national park home operator has moved its head office to West Bridgford to accommodate its expanding team. Countrywide Park Homes, previously based in Melton Mowbray, has relocated to the iconic Rushcliffe Civic Centre, which is due to be redeveloped as part of a 22m project. The company runs residential and luxury lodge parks across the UK and its office move follows the acquisition of six new luxury parks. It chose the new office, which overlooks Trent Bridge and sits next to Nottingham Forest's City Ground stadium, as it provided the required space and transport links to the rest of the country. Owner and chairman Anthony Barney said it put the firm in a strong position for the future. "Having recently increased our portfolio of parks by almost 50 percent, and with even more ambitious plans for the near future, the business needed a larger head office location that also fitted more closely with our commercial aspirations," he said. "The offices in West Bridgford offered the space we needed together with an inspiring location, with excellent prospects for us to grow our team in future. "There is now a real buzz amongst the staff another short term ambition for the move. I am excited at what we will achieve as a team out of this new headquarters in the months and years to come." The company now employs 25 staff and 20 additional permanent sub-contractors. Six members of the team will be based at the office on a permanent basis, with additional staff working there from time to time, as their schedule requires. The space at the Rushcliffe Civic Centre offers the adaptability to accommodate these flexible requirements. The recent company expansion prompting the move involved the purchase of the business and assets of Lifestyle Living UK Ltd, which increased Countrywide Park Homes's portfolio of luxury parks to 19. With the business setting its sights on future growth, the area surrounding its new West Bridgford headquarters also offers access to a large catchment area of highly skilled candidates, facilitating the swift recruitment of additional employees when needed. Rushcliffe Civic Centre, which is part of the wider Bridgford House development that also includes The Southbank bar, was sold by Rushcliffe Borough Council for 6.95m to developer Monk Estates earlier this year. The 1.5-acre site will be redeveloped at a further cost of 15m, with a planning application due to be submitted this summer. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox A former soldier from Newark will take on a key role within the Midlands Engine strategy the vehicle for bringing economic prosperity and jobs to the region. Simon Hall has been appointed by the Department for International Trade (DIT) as director for exports and investment. It is the latest step in the Government's bid to use the Midlands Engine initiative to fulfil the region's economic potential and promote it worldwide through an ambitious trade and investment programme. The DIT's former East Midlands and West Midlands teams have fully amalgamated into a single team working across the whole of the Midlands. Mr Hall spent 28 years in the British Army specialising in logistics, undertaking operational tours in the Falklands, Northern Ireland and the Balkans. He finished his military career in 2003 as Deputy Commander of British Forces Bosnia at the rank of Colonel. Since then, he has held a number of senior management roles in both the public and private sectors. He said: "This is a great time to be joining DIT's Midlands team, which already has a strong track record of success. "As a Midlander myself, I can't remember a time when the area has had such a high profile. The Midlands Engine initiative is uniting the key players in both the private and public sector to make the Midlands a really powerful engine for economic growth. "DIT is already investing over 5m of core funding into the Midlands to support both export and inward investment, with challenging targets set for both in the coming year. "The Midlands Engine strategy will see additional money being made available for extra activity. "Already this has resulted in trade and investment missions to China, the USA and Canada, and the first ever Midlands pavilion at MIPIM 2017, Europe's major property expo. "Over the coming months, Midlands businesses will have further opportunities to join additional missions which will be announced soon. "We're also working with local inward investment partners on a range of projects to enhance and promote the Midlands investment offer in key sectors such as transport technologies, food and drink and life sciences. "It's a great time to be a business in the Midlands, and I'm dedicated to helping even more businesses in the area to grow, enter international markets and reach their full potential." The Midlands Engine focuses on boosting the region in trade and investment, transport, research and innovation, business support and skills. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox An Indian technology business is taking its first steps into the UK market from a base in Nottingham. Eficaz Technology Solutions is a digital development firm headquartered in Trivandrum, the capital of the Kerala state, providing mobile and web application development, design and strategic consultancy for industries including education and training, manufacturing and logistics. It has chosen Nottingham as its base for the UK, taking space at Accelerate Places, the co-working hub in Wollaton Street that specialises in the tech sector. The deal for the business to come to Nottingham was brokered by Invest in Nottingham, which has been nurturing two-way trade links with India for several years by promoting the city in India and hosting trade missions for Indian prospects in the UK. Eficaz has been in business for five years, establishing a strong reputation among clients in India, Australia and the USA. Director Harishanker V has come to the UK to expand the business here. He said: "We came to the UK because we secured a client, Green Cross Training in Milton Keynes, with whom we have been working for a year now and have developed a complete training and integrated learning management solution. "So, it was important for us to be in the UK to support that client but also because we believe that that the UK market has considerable potential and we want to explore it further." Having secured its first UK client, Eficaz looked at locating in Manchester, Liverpool or Nottingham. It chose Nottingham after a series of conversations with Invest in Nottingham, the trade and inward investment division of Marketing NG, the city's place marketing organisation. The move into Accelerate Places puts Eficaz alongside a range of similar start-up and scale-up businesses who are exploiting the trend towards co-working sharing desk and office space alongside like-minded businesses, with Accelerate Places also offering an on-site cafe and a regular programme of events and meet-ups in its event space. Harishanker said: "For a business like ours, the Accelerate hub is a wonderful place. There is so much going on here, with great people working on really interesting things and it's very stimulating for us. "Definitely other Indian businesses could come here, but also vice-versa India is a big country with a huge user-base for technology. We will be looking for tie-ups with UK businesses because we can definitely help them implement their plans in India." Eficaz is one of a number of businesses to have moved into Accelerate Places, based inside a remodelled office building in the city centre. Besides the companies in the co-working space, the building is also home to a number of growing fintech businesses owned by Blenheim Chalcot, the UK's leading venture builder that also owns the complex. Mark Sanders, CEO of Accelerate Places, said: "India has a thriving technology sector of global standing and we're thrilled to welcome one of its rising stars. It's been great, too, to work alongside Invest in Nottingham, which has been mounting a real push to bring more technology businesses into the city. "The talent is here in Nottingham, our own track record demonstrates that you can succeed here, and the best place to do it is a co-working environment where you can share experiences and ideas with like-minded people. That's what Accelerate Places Nottingham is about." An Invest in Nottingham spokeswoman added: "We've been delighted to support Eficaz Technology Solutions setting up their business in Nottingham, working alongside Harishanker and his team. "The Accelerate Places team have provided the perfect location for this high-tech business to start their UK operations. We wish them every success with their business in the UK and are pleased they chose Nottingham to locate in." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Plans are under way for a further expansion of one of Nottingham's successful business initiatives aimed at helping the food and drink sector. Nottingham City Council officers are drawing up plans to expand Southglade Food Park, in Gala Way Bestwood, for the third time. The site, which opened in 2005, provides specialist accommodation for companies in the food sector with units purpose designed to meet demanding hygiene standards. The second phase opened last year and is almost full, said Fay Davies, manager of the Food and Drink Forum, which manages Southglade. About 100 people work on the park, which has seen firms grow and take on more staff. Southglade was established to fill a perceived hole in the market with specialist food firms seeking ready-made units. Deputy leader and portfolio holder for neighbourhood development, Councillor Graham Chapman, said: We are developing a proposal for the further expansion of Southglade Food Park. This is at an early stage but the previous two phases of Southglade have been very successful. ''There's a strong case for a third phase to allow more food companies to benefit from having similar companies nearby or existing firms to expand, which would bring new jobs to the area. "We are working up a business case and, dependent on funding, we could potentially see work start on site in 2018/19. "It is part of the city council's strategy to build centres of excellence for businesses to add to the biotech and digital industry hubs we are helping to develop in the city." The first phase with 10 units was opened in 2005, a UK first at the time, featuring business units which met the particular standards required for food and drink manufacturing. Work began in July 2015 building 12 new industrial at a cost of 7.4m, with more than half the cash coming from European Union funds with the expectation of 90 new jobs. Five companies occupy the 22 units. Jobs latest: Find new Nottingham vacancies here Before the last expansion, the business park provided ten units and a business centre catering for five businesses, with tenants such as Startfresh, a specialist processor of quality fresh produce, Cake and Biscuit, an innovator in home baking products and Oggies Catering, a high-quality food manufacturing and delivery specialist. Ms Davies described the new expansion plans as "fantastic". "It demonstrates there is a growing need and when we saw the last economic downturn, food and drink remained a growth sector, "she said. "There is a strong demand for these kind of units because they are a food grade standard contributing to British Retail Consortium food accreditation." She added: "When you are on a food park, you are of interest to the major supermarkets because you are in a secure environment which is paramount." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Nottingham Forest are close to confirming a deal to take Andreas Bouchalakis on a season long-loan but boss Mark Warburton says the Reds will take a look at the Olympiacos midfielder on the training ground, before completing the move. The Reds boss says the relationship between Forest and the Greek champions who are both owned by Evangelos Marinakis is something that could work positively for both clubs moving forward. And the starting point could be a loan move for the Crete born 24-year-old, who has represented Greece at numerous age levels but has found it difficult to pin down a regular starting place for the Champions League side. Bouchalakis made only ten appearances for Olympiacos last season and Forest could be ready to offer him a place in the City Ground squad, if they like the look of him. "He is a player who is with Olympiacos. We are looking to strengthen certain areas and he is a very talented international player," said Warburton. "He will spend a few days with us and we will see where we go from there. "He is an Olympiacos player and a player they value. We will take him and have a lot at him, I am sure. "It is a link we might look to pursue in the future, between the two clubs, given the links with the owner. But it will depend on what we are looking for and what players they have available. "If there is something we can do that would benefit both parties, then fantastic." Warburton says Forest have made no official approach for either Rangers midfielder Barrie McKay or defender James Tavernier. The former Rangers boss does not rule out any future raids on his former club, but says Forest will only look to make signings that make good financial sense, regardless of where they are from. "It is news to me," said Warburton when asked about bids for the Rangers duo. "I have read about it. There are some very talented boys up there, but a new manager has come in (at Rangers). "And we have to look at what might work for us. Anything we do has to be financially prudent for the club. We have to get good value out of every pound we spend. "It has to be players who represent good business value and add quality to the squad. "Jason Cummings has come in, he is a young goal scorer coming down from Scotland, but there is a lot of other work being done as well." Warburton still hopes to add three or four further additions and expects to make progress on that front soon. "Rest assured there has been some hard work done and we hope to see the fruits of our labour," he said. "We are working tirelessly and we hope that will come to fruitions with three or four more signings. "We will see how it goes, but it is about getting the right players in, it is about quality rather than quantity. We hope to be able to announce a few things in the near future. "We do have options, but it is about getting the right players. They have to add quality to the squad." We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe today to get a dose of sunshine in your inbox with our Ayup Newsletter! Christmas has come early for gin lovers with a festival celebrating the spirit returning for a second time this year. The event will take place at Nottingham Conference Centre, in Burton Street, from November 25-26. The Gin Festival invites everyone from gin connoisseurs to complete beginners to celebrate one of the nations most popular tipples. Small bespoke producers and more established brands, distilled both in the UK and internationally, will be attending, offering more than 100 varieties of gin. Theres also masterclasses with gin distillers, street food and live music to encourage to the crowd to get up and dance when the gin kicks in. Spokeswoman Laura Walsh said: We received an overwhelming response from the people of Nottingham when we visited earlier in the year. The event sold out in days and our waiting list for tickets was huge so we thought wed come back again and give those that missed out the first time another chance to join in the fun. A limited number of early bird tickets will be released via GinFestival.com for 13. To be amongst the first to hear about their release date, gin lovers need to sign up at ginfestival.com/newsletter. General admission tickets priced 16 will go on sale at a later date. Gin Festival events are over 18s only and ID may be required. No babies or children are allowed. We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox UPDATE - Jody has been found safe and well. Police are asking for information about a 12-year-old boy who was last seen leaving school on Tuesday. Jody Small left his school at around 3pm on June 27. Officers are concerned for his safety after he was reported missing from the Clifton area at around 6pm yesterday. Jody is described as a black male, no taller than five foot, of slim build, and with a cropped haircut all over. He was last seen in his school uniform, with a black blazer, white shirt, purple tie, black trousers and shoes. He would also have had a black rucksack with him. If you have seen Jody or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 721 of 27 June 2017. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. So just how happy are our children? The question was posed in a major report last year on the wellbeing of Nottingham youngsters - and a group of city schools has now responded with a project allowing pupils to claim they are 'Free To Be Me'. That was the slogan on white balloons sent flying by pupils during a visit to Nottingham Castle. It also appears on badges given to all the 3,500 children of the Aspire group of schools in the north of the city. The balloon release was the culmination of the Aspire schools' year-long response to the Children's Society 2016 report on youngsters' wellbeing across Nottingham. That survey concluded that city children are relatively happy, with levels of "subjective wellbeing" marginally higher than the UK average but that some 2,950 children aged eight to 15 had low levels of wellbeing. Furthermore, youngsters in secondary school, especially girls, were unhappy about their experiences at school. Toilets and school food were criticised. Nottingham children were also worried about crime, with 38 percent saying they had experienced some sort of crime; 43.5 percent declared they wanted less crime in their area - almost double the national percentage. "We commissioned a report to further investigate the wellbeing of children in their immediate neighbourhoods," said Carol Frankland, partnership manager with the Aspire group, which embraces Oakwood and Top Valley Academies and six primaries: Glade Hill, Rise Park, Henry Whipple, Robin Hood, Southglade and Westglade. "All our schools consulted with parents and children, designed and delivered a community wide poster campaign, designed and commissioned a badge for every child in our partnership around 3,500 children - and delivered focused assemblies to enhance the already-strong spiritual, moral, social, cultural (SMSC) and personal social health education curriculums within each school." The aim of Free To Be Me, which coincided with growing concern nationally over the ability of the system to help young people with mental health problems, was to encourage exploration of the issues that made children happy or unhappy, and to promote self-esteem. The project, which has also linked with city-wide initiatives such as Looking After Each Other and Beat the Street, has seen pupils in each of the schools discussing the issues they are unhappy about. Their experiences will be encapsulated in a report to school governors and councillors. Henry Whipple Primary was represented at the balloon launch by head teacher Cari Burgess and pupils Christian Lee Bentley, 11, and 10-year-old Anika Bartley. "We have discussed the importance of a happy life," said Ms Burgess. "Without good wellbeing, children are not in a good place to learn." Both youngsters said they enjoyed growing up in the Bestwood Park area and attending Henry Whipple. "It's a quiet area and not very noisy," said Anika. Christian Lee added: "We have been doing a lot of work on safety and keeping the environment clean." Sounds great. So what is bugging Year 5 and 6 youngsters? "People riding motorbikes," said Anika. "Teenagers behaving badly," said Christian Lee. The Sheriff chats with Anika Bartley, 10, and Christian Lee Bentley, 11 The concepts of sociability and respect are advanced during Henry Whipple school dinners, said Ms Burgess. Tables of eight are deliberately mixed-aged, with older pupils serving the younger ones. In the background is calming music. At Nottingham Castle, three of the balloons went no further than the restaurant ceiling. The rest, watched by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Glyn Jenkins, were launched on the terrace overlooking southern Nottingham and sailed through the drizzle towards Wilford and Clifton. It is difficult to measure outcomes from the Free To Be Me campaign, but Carol Frankland reckons the youngsters have got something out of it. "I think it has led to them feeling as if they are part of a community," she said. "It was quite nice that they felt concerned about things like dog fouling and cars being parked too close to the school gates, and I think it encouraged them to know that other schools in the area were also involved. "Those parents who responded to our survey supported what we were doing, and liked the fact that we were promoting qualities like kindness and respect, and that we were doing things that were not just about teaching and learning." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Former Nottingham Forest striker Nicklas Bendtner has been told he "needs to do a better job for the team" at Rosenborg. The 29-year-old has not scored for over a month in the Norwegian top flight and has netted just four goals in 13 games for the club he joined from Forest back in March. And former Rosenborg frontman Alexander Soderlund, who now plays in France for Saint-Etienne, has criticised the Dane's strike-rate as well as his work-rate. "There is no doubt that he has not delivered. I think we can expect more of him," he told VG Sporten. "He needs to do a better job for the team. It's about to run more and take more responsibility in pressure. In addition to being in the right place in the box." After an unsuccessful six months at the City Ground, in which he scored just twice, Bendtner made a decent start to life at Rosenborg, netting three times in his first six games. But he has hit the back of the net only once in his last seven matches, playing in Rosenborg's 4-3-3 formation. "He has not been there, he should be in the box," added Soderlund, who thinks Bendtner will eventually come good. "We expect of course a lot, but it takes time to get into it, because it is a way of playing which he certainly never experienced before. "I struggled a lot at the start. It takes time." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Nottingham Forest have been linked with countless players this summer. The long list includes QPR left-back Jake Bidwell. The Post looks at the 24-year-old's career so far and his close links with Reds boss Mark Warburton. What has his career path been? Southport-born Bidwell joined Everton at the age of 11 and became their youngest ever player to make his debut in Europe, when he played against Bate Borisov in the Europa League at the age of 16 years and 271 days in 2013. The England youth international became Everton Under-18s captain but unable to break into the first team, he joined Brentford on loan in November 2011. He then spent the whole 2012/13 season at Griffin Park before sealing a permanent move at the end of the campaign for an undisclosed fee. It was with the West Londoners that he made 211 appearances and worked under Warburton as one of his most trusted players. Why did he leave Brentford? Bidwell was a key man at the club and team captain when he was sold to QPR last summer. He had one year left on his contract and when talks broke down on an extension Rangers swooped, paying a reported 1.3m that could rise to 2.3m. The fact he joined a London rival disappointed Brentford fans. "It's always understandable that emotions come into it. There's a human side you have to look at," said Bees boss Dean Smith at the time. "He's been a fantastic servant for us. It would not have been right for us to stand in the way of the move even though the club are our local rivals, they were the ones who met the asking price." Bidwell says one reason he left was because he had no competition for his place at Brentford. "There was people who could play there but nobody would say that was their first position. I knew when I moved on I was going to have competition and that's proven to be the case here," he said. "That was one of the reasons. To get a new challenge and go somewhere else and prove I was good enough to get in someone else's team." What's the latest on his situation? Bidwell is not without other suitors by the look of it. The Mirror report Burnley want him as they look for a left-back. Leeds' Charlie Taylor is understood to be their number one target, but Bidwell could well be their back-up option. Housing sales recover after 4-week lull From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-06-27 10:21 HOME buying sentiment rose for the first time in four weeks amid a strong recovery in home sales in outlying areas, latest market data showed. The area of new residential properties sold, excluding government-subsidized affordable housing, jumped 33.5 percent to 159,000 square meters in Shanghai last week, Shanghai Centaline Property Consultants Co said in a report yesterday. The latest rebound was mainly fueled by largely improved transactions in remote districts such as Jiading and Qingpu, following subdued performances over the past few weeks, said Lu Wenxi, senior manager of research at Centaline. However, the recovery might be just a temporary one as the first half is going to close soon and the traditional low season of July and August are approaching. About 28,000 square meters of new houses were sold in Jiading during the seven days ended on Sunday, a week-on-week surge of 86.7 percent and the highest across the city. New homes sold at an average 50,789 yuan (US$7,427) a square meter, up 7.8 percent from the previous week. About 139,000 square meters of new homes over five projects mainly in outlying areas were released to the local market, a weekly rise of 6 percent. The coming eclipse on Aug. 21 will be the first to cross the U.S. from coast to coast since 1918. Laura Peticolas, Multiverse director at the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley, and Chris Cable, Multiverse consultant, were in North Platte on Tuesday to speak during a forum at the McDonald-Belton Theater at North Platte Community College. They met with the Telegraph Tuesday afternoon. Some are suggesting that this will be the single greatest naturally occurring physical event of history, Cable said of the eclipse. A half billion people in North America, all the way from Central America up to the Arctic Circle, are going to witness at least a 30 percent eclipse. Peticolas said it is going to be much more than just the moon blocking out the sun. Whats so special about this astronomical event is that its probably one of the only astronomical events that you will sense in a body sensation, Peticolas said. You will have an actual physical experience of the temperature dropping, the stars coming out, of winds showing up that werent there before, of plants closing, of animals doing what they do at night instead of during the day. That change will happen in seconds, she said: The sun is up at noon and then boom it turns off. She said it is something humans never experience. The way our body reacts to that, there is no other astronomical event that causes your body to react, Peticolas said. Normally its just your eye and your brain engaging the thing in the sky. But this phenomenon is really all of you. Thats why its a life-changing event. The forum on Tuesday evening hosted by NPCCs STEM Club and the North Platte/Lincoln County Visitors Bureau, offered education for civic leaders and public service providers about the eclipse and to prepare them for the influx of out-of-town visitors. Cable and Peticolas said the forum would have four main areas of focus. The first was to discuss the science of eclipses, the second was to enlist the public to help in producing a mega movie of the event, the third was to help schools and educators become aware of the resources available, and the fourth was to talk about community preparedness. The mega movie is this large citizens science project to encourage volunteers to take images of the corona during totality for use by scientists for years to come, Cable said. (The plan is) to stitch together into about a 93-minute film whats happening with this corona as it travels over Lincoln City, Oregon, into Idaho, into Wyoming, into Nebraska, then on through Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Cable said they hope to get people to snap photos all along the path. The other aspect discussed at the forum was being prepared for the influx of visitors. Youre going to get a boatload of visitors that are going to be coming from the north and the south, Cable said. They are all going to want to get a piece of this totality you live within. He said it will tax area communities and some will get overwhelmed and overrun. Some towns of 5,000 may have 125,000 people show up for a period of a couple of days, Cable said. Where they going to eat, where they going to sleep, are they going to crash the cell towers, is there going to be bumper-to-bumper traffic for days on end, are people going to be running out of gas. More information will be reported by the Telegraph over the next few weeks as the event draws closer. For more information on area events, lodging and more, go to the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse website at 2017nebraskaeclipse.com. Alex Glenn will bring up a decade with the Broncos after re-signing to stay with the club for a further two years. The Kiwi international will be a Bronco until at least the end of the 2019 season after inking a new deal this week. After making his NRL debut in 2009, the 28-year-old father of two young children has now played over 200 games for the Broncos and 12 Tests for the Kiwis. Broncos' chief executive Paul White send the retention of Glenn was something the Broncos had been working hard on. "Alex was the captain of our first ever National Youth Competition team back in 2008, so to have him re-commit to our club is a wonderful thing for the Broncos," said Broncos' chief executive Paul White. "We have watched Alex grow from a teenager from Auckland and the Gold Coast into a Test player and a fine young family man. "The Broncos are very pleased he will continue to be part of our future with this new two-year deal." Read more at broncos.com.au WASHINGTON Senate GOP leaders abruptly shelved their long-sought health care overhaul Tuesday, asserting they can still salvage it but raising new doubts about whether President Donald Trump and the Republicans will ever deliver on their promises to repeal and replace "Obamacare." Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced a delay for any voting at a closed-door senators' lunch also attended by Vice President Mike Pence. McConnell's tone was matter-of-fact, according those present, yet his action amounts to a stinging setback for the longtime Senate leader who had developed the legislation largely in secret as Trump hung back in deference. Now Trump seems likely to push into the discussion more directly, and he immediately invited Senate Republicans to the White House. But the message he delivered to them before reporters were ushered out of the room was not entirely hopeful. "This will be great if we get it done, and if we don't get it done it's just going to be something that we're not going to like, and that's OK and I understand that very well," he told the senators, who surrounded him at tables arranged in a giant square in the East Room. Most wore grim expressions. In the private meeting that followed, said Marco Rubio of Florida, the president spoke of "the costs of failure, what it would mean to not get it done the view that we would wind up in a situation where the markets will collapse and Republicans will be blamed for it and then potentially have to fight off an effort to expand to single payer at some point." The bill has many critics and few outspoken fans on Capitol Hill. It was short of support heading toward a critical procedural vote on Wednesday, and prospects for changing that are uncertain. McConnell promised to revisit the legislation after Congress' July 4 recess. "It's a big complicated subject, we've got a lot discussions going on, and we're still optimistic we're going to get there," McConnell told reporters after the lunch. It hasn't been easy, as adjustments to placate conservatives, who want the legislation to be more stringent, only push away moderates who think its current limits on Medicaid for example are too strong. In the folksy analysis of John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate GOP vote-counter: "Every time you get one bullfrog in the wheelbarrow, another one jumps out." McConnell has scant margin for error in the closely divided Senate, and the legislation to eliminate Obamacare's mandates and unwind its Medicaid expansion has shed support practically from the moment it was unveiled last Thursday. By Tuesday morning at least five GOP senators had announced their opposition to a procedural vote on the bill, and after McConnell announced the delay several more went public with their criticism. McConnell can lose only two senators from his 52-member caucus and still pass the bill, with Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote. Democrats are unanimously opposed, and in recent days they have stepped up protests, delivering speeches on the Senate floor for hours and holding vigils on the Capitol steps. Medical groups are nearly unanimously opposed, too, along with the AARP, though the U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports the bill. A number of GOP governors oppose the legislation, especially in states that have expanded the Medicaid program for the poor under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Opposition from Nevada's popular Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval helped push GOP Sen. Dean Heller, who is vulnerable in next year's midterms, to denounce the legislation last Friday; Ohio's Republican Gov. John Kasich held an event at the National Press Club Tuesday to criticize it. But the Republicans' own divisions are what has stymied them. In one illustration, an outside political group run by Trump allies has run ads against Heller and threatens more against other GOP senators opposed to the bill. That infuriated McConnell, who called White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus to label the attacks "beyond stupid." Heller himself raised the issue in the Tuesday White House meeting, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota told reporters later. The group took down the ads Tuesday night. The House went through its own struggles with its version of the bill, pulling it from the floor short of votes before reviving it and narrowly passing it in May. So it's quite possible that the Senate Republicans can rise from this week's setback. But McConnell is finding it difficult to satisfy demands from his diverse caucus. Conservatives like Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah argue that the legislation doesn't go far enough in repealing Obamacare. But moderates like Heller and Susan Collins of Maine criticize the bill as overly punitive in throwing people off insurance roles and limiting benefits paid by Medicaid, which has become the nation's biggest health care program, covering nursing home care for seniors as well as care for many poor Americans. GOP defections increased after the Congressional Budget Office said Monday the measure would leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026 than Obama's 2010 statute. McConnell told senators he wanted them to agree to a final version of the bill before the end of this week so they could seek a new analysis by the budget office. He said that would give lawmakers time to finish when they return to the Capitol for a three-week stretch in July before Congress' summer break. The 22 million extra uninsured Americans are just 1 million fewer than the number the budget office estimated would become uninsured under the House version. Trump has called the House bill "mean" and prodded senators to produce a package with more "heart." The budget office report said the Senate bill's coverage losses would especially affect people between ages 50 and 64, before they qualify for Medicare, and with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level, or around $30,300 for an individual. The Senate plan would end the tax penalty the law imposes on people who don't buy insurance, in effect erasing Obama's so-called individual mandate, and on larger businesses that don't offer coverage to workers. It would let states ease Obama's requirements that insurers cover certain specified services like substance abuse treatments. It also would eliminate $700 billion worth of taxes over a decade, largely on wealthier people and medical companies money that Obama's law used to expand coverage. It would cut Medicaid, which provides health insurance to over 70 million poor and disabled people, by $772 billion through 2026 by capping its overall spending and phasing out Obama's expansion of the program. Of the 22 million people losing health coverage, 15 million would be Medicaid recipients. ___ Associated Press writers Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Ken Thomas, Andrew Taylor, Michael Biesecker and Julie Bykowicz contributed to this report. SOHO in US$526m Shanghai estate sale From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-06-27 10:14 SOHO China said yesterday that it had sold a mixed-use office and retail complex in Shanghais Hongkou District to a group of buyers through equity transaction for 3.6 billion yuan (US$526 million). It comes as the Beijing-based office developer continues its strategy to focus on prime office properties in Beijing and Shanghai. Keppel Land China Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Keppel Land Ltd, Alpha Investment Partners Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Capital Holdings Pte, as well as a co-investor, jointly bought Hongkou SOHO, a 90,000-square meter complex in the Sichuan Road N. commercial precinct. The average selling price of the building, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, was around 51,000 yuan a square meter based on leasable gross floor area 53 percent higher than the cost, SOHO China said in a statement. Launched in the last quarter of 2015, Hongkou SOHO is 97 percent occupied with major tenants including Panasonic, China Pacific Insurance and SOHO Chinas shared office brand SOHO 3Q. Shanghai has seen the need for more high-quality, well located developments in the city, said Christina Tan, Keppel Capital CEO and managing director of Alpha. Great Lakes steel production dropped to 642,000 tons last week, a decrease of 2.72 percent. Steel mills in the Great Lakes region cranked out 660,000 tons of metal the previous week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Most of the steel made in the Great Lakes region is produced in Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana. So far this year, U.S. steelmakers have produced 43.3 million tons of steel, about 2.3 percent more than they did during the same period in 2016. Steel mills have been running at a capacity of 74.4 percent so far this year, up from 72.6 percent through the same time last year. Domestic steelmakers used about 74.2 percent of their steelmaking capacity in the week that ended June 24, down from 74.6 percent the previous week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Some analysts say 90 percent would be considered healthy for the industry. Steelmaking capacity utilization was a slightly healthier 75.1 percent during the same time period in 2016. Overall, U.S. national steel output dipped by 10,000 tons last week to 1.729 million tons, a barely perceptible 0.57 percent decrease, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Production in the Southern District, nearly always the country's second-largest steel-producing region, which spans mini-mills across the South, fell slightly to 633,000 tons last week, down from 638,000 tons the previous week. Adam Wiltfang was in high school when he found what he wanted to do for a living. As an artist and food lover, I started in high school working in bakeries drawing characters on birthday cakes, he said. When I realized that I could combine my two passions and make edible art, the idea took off. Wiltfang opened Designer Desserts in Valparaiso in fall 2004, making custom cakes and artfully designed, indulgent cupcakes. I set out to make Northwest Indiana love desserts as much as I do, he said. And in the spirit of the movie Field of Dreams and its motto If you build it, they will come, he learned that, if you bake them, they will come. Designer Desserts has seen such success in its Valparaiso location that Wilfang knew it was time to expand into Lake County. We have been looking at Lake County for the past few years, he said. We have a very large customer base in that area and on a daily basis hear from customers, 'Oh, we wish you were in Lake County so it was closer.' " Schererville seemed like a natural fit for a new store, Wiltfang said. The new shop opens Thursday. Schererville has such a booming market, not only big box stores, but a lot of independently owned and operated shops similar to us. The variety is what really attracted us to that area. Over the years, Designer Desserts, which specializes in jumbo cupcakes, has gone from a dozen different cupcake flavors in the beginning to now having 109 flavors and counting. The new location will be a traditional cupcake shop/modern upscale boutique bakery, featuring a daily variety of about 35 to 50 flavors with a rotating menu. Theyll also be offering fresh baked cookies, brownies, Sugarbombs (jumbo sugar cookies with vanilla buttercream and sprinkles) and Double Doozies (vanilla and chocolate buttercream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies). Wiltfang looks forward to spreading love through food in Lake County, just as he has in Porter County for 13 years. Making something as simple as a cupcake can brighten someone's day, he said. To see the expressions on peoples faces when they look at the cases full of cupcakes and then dive into that first bite, it makes it all worth it. You can make even the worst day better if you live life one cupcake at a time. This story has been changed to reflect the Thursday opening date. HOBART An Iowa woman was arrested on drunken driving charges after leading an Indiana State Police trooper on a high-speed chase early Wednesday through a construction zone where workers were present, police said. Rosa Sawyer, 33, of Marion, Iowa, drove a black 2007 Toyota Camry over multiple construction barrels about 2:15 a.m. on northbound Interstate 65 near Ridge Road and drove into a closed-off area where a construction crew was working, according to a news release. A trooper, who was in the area to assist with traffic direction and to protect the workers from passing traffic, was parked next to the barrels with his emergency lights on, police said. The trooper turned on his siren, too, and gave chase. Sawyer continued driving at up to 80 mph and ran over holes in the concrete that were about 5 inches deep and up to 2 feet wide, police said. She is accused of nearly striking a street-sweeping vehicle head-on. Sawyer stopped about a mile away and about 40 yards from construction workers, many of whom had their backs to her vehicle, police said. "At one point during the pursuit, (the trooper) thought he was going to have to ram the suspect vehicle in order to stop it and potentially save the workers' lives," the release said. "(The trooper's) main objective was to warn the construction crew of the oncoming vehicle by using his lights and siren in hope that the workers would see the vehicle and be able to run for safety." There were about 20 workers in the area, but none was injured. There area is marked by an arrow board, multiple signs, construction barrels and a temporary concrete barrier wall, police said. It's the same area where a worker was killed in a crash last fall. Sawyer was arrested on charges of resisting arrest with a vehicle, operating while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash. CROWN POINT The $35 million campaign for the new Southlake YMCA surged forward this week with $3.5 million in donations pledged from the Mike and Jill Schrage family, Centier Bank, the Crown Point Community Foundation and another anonymous donor. The campaign was initiated by the Dean and Barbara White familys $21 million lead gift. Mike Schrage believes the new Y is critical to the quality of life and economic development in Crown Point and committed $1.5 million from his family and their family-owned Centier Bank. Jill and I, as well as our Centier family, feel that the Y is all about community and about helping each of us be the best we can be," he said. "Thats a perfect fit with our family values, as well as with the Centier philosophy. We all are excited to be a part of the new Y. The Schrage family and Centier Banks roots go deep in the community. Henry Schrage started the bank in 1895 and today Centier is Indianas largest private family-owned bank. Mike Schrage is the fourth generation family member to manage the bank, serving as president, CEO and chairman of the board. Centier is noted for its commitment to community service. The Crown Point Community Foundation, led by a 19-member volunteer board of directors, has committed $1 million to the project. Our mission is to enrich lives in South Lake County and our board recognizes that the Y is uniquely positioned to have a high impact on many people of all ages and backgrounds in this area, said Mary Nielsen, foundation president. The new Y is worthy of our best support and we are honored to team up with the Whites, the Schrages and all the other donors to make this Y happen. The new Y, slated to open January 2019, will triple in size and is expected to serve 25,000 people a year. The Y will offer new and updated programs and features such as three pools, an indoor track, fitness center, gymnasiums, studios for youth and adult classes and child care areas. Tom Hoffman, YMCA board chair, said the generosity of donors is a dream come true. Everyone on our board of directors knows firsthand the value of the YMCA," he said. "We give our time to the Y, we donate to the Y, we use the Y, we see the Y in action and we see how people benefit from the Y. We know there is potential for us to do much more and we are extremely appreciative of those who are stepping up to help. There is still work to do and money to raise, according to campaign leaders John Barney, Ann Barney and Mark Bates. The fundraising campaign is moving forward to a successful conclusion, Bates said. "But we still have another $400,000 to raise in the community. Over the next few weeks, Y members and people in this community will be hearing from Y volunteers and staff. Please say yes' when you are asked for a gift. This is your Y, and we need everyone to play a part. Premier Li Keqiang, while speaking at the Summer Davos Forum on June 27, compared world economic prospects to the natural landscape of Dalian, Northeast Chinas Liaoning province, where the meeting is being held. The Premier said that while enjoying the vista with World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab and other representatives on June 26, he saw a green mountain covered by a layer of mist. If the green mountain represents the stability of the world, the continuity of human beings and their civilization, then the mist is just like the uncertainty of the current world, which could be overcome with stability, he said. Premier Li said that it is easier to achieve inclusive growth in the new round of industrial revolution, compared with previous ones, as it is marked by the internet, digitalization and intelligence, not only creating new supply and demand, but also bringing equal opportunities for all. Now nearly everyone could use the internet to start a business and make money in a more convenient way, he added. Premier Li called on countries around the world to safeguard economic globalization to achieve inclusive growth. All countries have benefited from the economic globalization, said the Premier. He pointed out that the problems facing different countries in the process are not due to globalization itself, but because of the inability to address it. The Chinese government has always made employment a priority on its development agenda, which is fundamental to inclusive growth, increasing peoples income and social wealth, said the Premier. He said China created over 50 million urban jobs over the last four years. In recent years, the country has seen better-than-expected results in its efforts to carry out an innovation-driven development strategy, and drive mass entrepreneurship and innovation, said the Premier. Chinas entrepreneurship and innovation has invited extensive social participation, with cooperation among various innovators, which has propelled the upgrading of the economy, improved peoples lives and promoted social development, he added. Chinas economy has shifted from being export- and investment-driven to one that is more sustainable and draws strength from consumption, services and innovation. Last year, consumption contributed 64.6 percent to Chinas GDP growth, becoming the primary driver of economic growth. The service sectors added value accounted for 51.6 percent of Chinas total GDP, and the current account surplus-GDP ratio to fall to 1.8 percent. These major changes, Premier Li said, manifest the enhancing quality of Chinas economy. Premier Li said China will continue its opening up and create a competitive business environment. Meanwhile, market access for the service industry and manufacturing will be further eased, and foreign capital can hold more shares in some industries. The negative-list management will be promoted. Domestic and foreign companies will be treated equally in terms of preferential policies, and they will register businesses through a single window, he said. While admitting the existence of some risks in the financial sector, the Premier said China is capable of defending the bottom line to prevent systematic risks. With effective measures, the risks are controllable, he said. In fact, stagnation is the biggest risk for China, he said. July 1 marks the five-year anniversary of Indianas state smoke-free air law. This law was a milestone for Indiana in protecting thousands of Hoosiers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Unfortunately, it also left many workers unprotected. In Northwest Indiana we have the opportunity to make up for what the state smoke-free air law is lacking, to cover all public venues including bars and membership clubs. Just last month, Indianapolis reported a decline in heart attack hospital admissions by about 25 percent in the five years following its comprehensive smoke-free air ordinance. It is important that our local community leaders take the appropriate actions to protect more workers from secondhand smoke so Northwest Indiana can also reap the health and economic benefits of smoke-free air. Ryan Singh, Valparaiso Until a few years ago, I never spent any time during annual visits to Santiago, Chile, in the neighborhood of Lastarria, a well-heeled belle epoque-style residential district at the edge of downtown. I would gravitate instead to three central neighborhoods; a meal in Vitacura, a cocktail in Bellavista, and a stay in Providencia. Lastarria, a triangular barrio partly closed to traffic by Santa Lucia Hill to the west and Parque Forestal to the north, was off my radar. Lately, though, with a half-dozen hotels having opened in Lastarria in the last two years alone, not to mention dozens of new shops and restaurants, its where everyone wants to be. Lastarrias winding cobblestone streets and regal architecture are a stark contrast to the glass-towered commercial districts to the east, where the majority of Santiago hotels are concentrated. It feels almost European at times, with charming coffeehouses like Colmado Coffee & Bakery, which added a full-service restaurant on the second floor a year ago, and wine shops dedicated to independent Chilean winemakers now opening at a dizzying pace. Boutique hotels have taken up space in many of the 19th-century buildings while still meeting contemporary demands like rooftop pools and LEED certification. A woman visiting a jewelry market in Chinas Yunnan Province passed out after accidentally dropping a jade bracelet worth 180,000 yuan ($26,500) and splitting it in half. The unwritten rule of you break it, you buy it is usually ignored by business owners when customers accidentally break beverage bottles, clothing items or other mundane products, but when it comes to trying out expensive jewelry, its generally a good idea to be extra cautious, because youll probably have to pay for it if you break it. A female tourist visiting the Ruili Jiegao Jade market on Tuesday found that out the hard way, after accidentally dropping a jadeite bracelet and splitting it in half. When she learned that the item in question had a 300,000 yuan ($44,100) price tag and that the seller wanted compensation, she passed out. According to CGTN, the tourist, whose name has not been disclosed, stopped in front of a jade jewelry stall and picked up a bangle to try on. However, the shiny jewel slipped out of her hand and split into as it hit the ground. Realizing her expensive mistake, the woman blacked out and fell to the ground. She fell in a faint, but luckily she didnt have any serious problems, Lin Wei, the son of the storekeeper, told local media. Unfortunately for her, the seller still wanted compensation for the broken piece of jewelry when she regained consciousness, but the good news is that she doesnt have to pay the asking price. Following an appraisal by the Ruili Gem and Jade Association, which is backed by Ruili Administration for Industry and Commerce, the broken bangle was authenticated and valued at only 180,000 yuan ($26,500). The two parties are now negotiating a compensation agreement. News of the unfortunate accident quickly went viral on Chinese social media, causing a fierce debate. Some commenters blame the woman for not being careful with a piece of jewelry she probably couldnt afford, while others are accusing the seller for selling jade jewelry as common goods,and not taking precautions to avoid such accidents. Dont touch a thing once you see it! Even if you like to try it on, think about your financial capacity. You may not afford your curiosity! one Weibo user wrote. You cannot sell jade hand to hand, didnt the seller know it? Did he remind the customer? another person argued. U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., an organization comprised of African American Chambers of Commerce and national small business associations, has signed a pact with independent public affairs shop Prism Group for advocacy work on Capitol Hill pertaining to economic development and small business issues. USBC advocates for legislation that promotes economic empowerment in the African American community and the development of black-owned businesses, and also provides entrepreneur training, contracting opportunities, access to capital, and the development of black chambers of commerce. The Washington, D.C.-based organization was founded in 2009. USBC has retained Prism for help advocating in Washington on behalf of entrepreneurial development programs within the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration, according to lobbying registration documents filed in June. Prism Group, which specializes in advocacy, strategic communications and government affairs, was founded in 2012. It maintains locations in Washington, D.C., London and Prague. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) ABC and a South Dakota meat producer announced a settlement Wednesday in a $1.9 billion lawsuit against the network over its reports on a beef product that critics dubbed pink slime. The terms of the settlement, including its amount, are confidential. Dakota Dunes-based Beef Products Inc. sued ABC in 2012, saying ABCs coverage misled consumers into believing the product is unsafe, is not beef and isnt nutritious. ABC spokeswoman Julie Townsend said in a statement Wednesday that throughout the case, the network has maintained that its reports accurately presented the facts and views of knowledgeable people about the product. Although we have concluded that continued litigation of this case is not in the companys interests, we remain committed to the vigorous pursuit of truth and the consumers right to know about the products they purchase, Townsend said. The coverage emphasized that the product at the time was present in 70 percent of the ground beef sold in supermarkets, but wasnt labeled. BPI and its family owners said in a statement Wednesday that the lawsuit was difficult but necessary to start rectifying the harm suffered as a result of ABCs reports on lean, finely textured beef. After the reports aired, some grocery store chains said they would stop carrying ground beef that contained the product. BPI claimed in the 2012 complaint that sales declined from about 5 million pounds per week to fewer than 2 million pounds per week. BPI has said the sales drop forced it to close plants in Iowa, Kansas and Texas and lay off more than 700 workers. Only a Nebraska plant in South Sioux City remained open. BPI lawyer Erik Connolly said the trial and settlement were opportunities for the company to vindicate its product If you judge this product on the truth, there is not a better product that goes into ground beef, Connolly said. Lean, finely textured beef can be added to ground beef to reduce the overall fat content. Its made from trimmings left after a cow is butchered. The meat is separated from the fat, and ammonia gas is applied to kill bacteria. Former Department of Agriculture microbiologist Gerald Zirnstein named the product pink slime in a 2002 agency email. He was among several people who were dismissed from the lawsuit before trial, including ABC anchor Diane Sawyer, leaving just the network and correspondent Jim Avila as defendants. After the announcement, Avila thanked the jurors for their service, the Sioux City Journal reported. I wish they had had the chance to hear my side of the story, Avila told the newspaper. Its important to note were not retracting anything or apologizing for anything. BPI could have been seeking damages as high as $1.9 billion, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Disney, which owns ABC. BPI was also seeking treble damages, or triple the amount, under South Dakotas Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act and punitive damages. Changing stories by co-defendants and unclear video footage testimony muddied a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning, but a judge found probable cause for four defendants to stand trial in the May slaying of Brandon White, 21. Allana Smith, 18, Olivia Cribbs, 16, Larquan Washington-Porter, 16, and Milton Felder, 49, are each being held without bail on first-degree murder charges. Prosecutors dropped robbery charges under Nebraskas felony-murder rule, which applies to deaths that occur in the commission of a felony, such as robbery. Smith is also charged with use of a firearm to commit a felony, and Felder is also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Cribbs waived her preliminary hearing, but there was a combined hearing for the three other co-defendants. The suspects were part of a failed robbery during a drug deal, Omaha Police Detective Wendi Dye testified Tuesday. White and Denzel Bonds were planning to sell $110 worth of marijuana to Cribbs on May 24 after she contacted Bonds by phone, Dye testified. They met at McMillan Middle School at 3802 Redick Ave. because Bonds feared that the deal might be a robbery he wanted to go somewhere with surveillance video, he told police. Cribbs and Washington-Porter got into Bonds black Ford Taurus. Bonds showed the marijuana and asked to see the money. The duo pretended to search for money for a couple minutes, he told police, when a tan Chevy Impala arrived. Felder was driving, and Smith was in the passenger seat. Smith, wielding a gun, approached Bonds on the drivers side and threatened to kill him if he didnt give up the drugs, Bonds told police. White racked a .22 firearm, which sent Smith running. Bonds and White then ran out of the car, and Bonds heard shots. He told police he saw Smith standing with her hands straight out. Bonds and White ran to a nearby backyard, where White collapsed, bleeding. An autopsy said he died of a gunshot wound to the chest. Dye said she didnt have information on the caliber of the bullet that fatally wounded White. Police recovered three 9 mm casings from the parking lot. The schools video surveillance of the incident is not very close up, and its difficult to see details, Dye testified. No flashes from a gun are seen, and no gun is clearly visible, Dye said. Washington-Porter and Felders stories in police interviews changed after Dye informed them that it was caught on video. At first, both said that Felder was the shooter Felder said he was sorry for the shooting. When Dye questioned that story and said that there was video surveillance, they said Smith was the shooter. Washington-Porter said after the shooting that Smith said that she was sorry for it and that she didnt intend for it to happen like that, Dye testified. Felder owned a 9 mm handgun and a .38 revolver, but he said the revolver did not work. Felder told Dye that Smith grabbed the 9 mm from the vehicles center console. Why would he lie? someone shouted from the courtroom pews the public and the attorneys are separated by thick glass. It appeared Smiths friends and family questioned the police and the co-defendants accounts. Many of them muttered expletives and claimed that Felder was actually the shooter. A man who identified himself as Smiths father but would not give his name declined to comment after the hearing. More than two dozen people including about six people who were Whites relatives or friends did not speak to media afterward. Each defendant showed a range of emotions. Felder, who had told police he has cancer, sat calmly. Washington-Porter stared at Dye and the judge intently during the entire hearing. Smith, wide-eyed, turned to her relatives and smirked a couple of times. The youngest, Cribbs, wept while in a meeting with her lawyer in the side vestibule before she waived her hearing. But upon leaving, she flashed a peace sign, blew kisses and waved to friends in the courtroom. KEARNEY, Neb. Vandals have caused at least $150,000 damage to the old Kearney High School by destroying nearly every window in the building. The damage was discovered about 4 p.m. Monday. Kearney Police Department Investigator Brad Butler said the vandals caused extensive damage to windows in every classroom, and to cabinets and walls throughout the building at 3610 Sixth Ave. "There wasnt hardly an area that wasnt damaged in some way," Butler said. The vandals broke a window to get into the building. Although police dont have any suspects at the moment, Butler said that, based on the evidence at the scene, he thinks at least three people were involved. There was no video surveillance inside the building. Police are trying to determine what time the vandalism occurred, but Butler said it could have been done over a couple of days. First Baptist Church bought the old school in October 2016 for $260,000. Calls placed to the church for comment weren't immediately returned. A mountain lion killed Tuesday in northwest Iowa was the first female confirmed to be in the state in modern times. Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officers shot the cougar on a farm near Galva in Ida County. The situation started late last week when a neighboring livestock producer discovered a dead calf that showed evidence consistent with an attack by a large cat, according to Natural Resources officials. A nearby landowner discovered a mountain lion Monday evening and contacted 911. Conservation officers use lethal action as the last-resort option in these situations, said Bruce Trautman, deputy director with the department. White-tailed deer and other wild animals, particularly the weak or injured, are often the preferred prey, he said. But in this situation, it appears this mountain lion has targeted young livestock, and livestock producers are well within their rights to protect their livelihood. There was no physical evidence that the cat had produced any young. Wildlife biologists will collect teeth and tissue samples for genetic analysis and examine the stomach contents of the 88-pound animal. It is the fourth mountain lion killed in Iowa and the most recent since 2013, when a 4-year-old male was shot in Sioux County. Since 1995, there have been 21 confirmed mountain lions in Iowa. Western South Dakota and Nebraska have been the genetic source for the lions killed in Iowa. Mountain lions have no protected status in Iowa. About four weeks ago, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officials confirmed that a male mountain lion killed a calf near Hay Springs in Sheridan County in the northwest corner of the state. The owner of the land where the calf was killed contacted Game and Parks officials May 30 after finding the carcass. The condition of the carcass suggested a high probability that a mountain lion was responsible. The landowner and Game and Parks officials identified the offending animal, and it was shot in accordance with the agencys Mountain Lion Response Plan. This was the second confirmed instance of livestock depredation in Nebraska by a mountain lion in modern times. The first took place in Blaine County in 2014. Travelers looking for low gas prices wont have to look far this holiday weekend. In fact, gas prices will be lower on the Fourth of July than they were on New Years Day, which is the first time in GasBuddy.coms 17-year history when that will be the case, said Patrick DeHaan, a petroleum analyst for the company. AAA says the vast majority of travelers 37.5 million of the 44.2 million Americans expected to travel will drive to their holiday weekend destinations, an increase of 2.9 percent over last year. With July Fourth falling on a Tuesday, many workers will make it a four-day weekend, making a trip by car more attractive. Why travel? Why not? Low unemployment, rising incomes, low gas prices and higher consumer confidence all are likely to lead to more travel. Thursdays average price for regular unleaded gas in Omaha was $2.20 per gallon, with many gas stations selling it for $2.05 per gallon or less, according to GasBuddy.com. A year ago, the average in the city was $2.25 per gallon. In the U.S., the average price Thursday was $2.27 per gallon, compared with $2.30 last year. Contributing to the low price at the pump, DeHaan said, are strong domestic oil production, relatively weak demand and the low price of oil about $45 a barrel. Other good reasons to travel Airfares will average $186 10 percent less than last year; daily car rental rates will average $65 14 percent lower than last year; hotel prices will average $185, the same as last year, AAA said. AAA said 3.4 million Americans will fly, a 4.6 percent increase over last year. State parks Nebraska: Annual permit of $31 or daily fee of $6 is required. Make cabin and camping reservations at outdoornebraska.gov or 402-471-1414. Iowa: Park permits are not required. To reserve a spot, visit iowadnr.gov or call 1-877-427-2757. Buckle up and dont drink and drive Law enforcement agencies will step up enforcement over the holiday weekend. Agencies will step up enforcement over the holiday weekend. It is learned that half of the 16 Indian sailors aboard the vessel were handed over to Nigeria on Friday. WASHINGTON Nebraskas Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts was mixing fun, policy and politics Wednesday during a quick trip to the nations capital. Ricketts held a re-election campaign fundraiser at the Nationals night game against the Chicago Cubs, the baseball team owned by the Ricketts family. But first he spent much of the day at the White House, where some Cubs players and members of the Ricketts family celebrated their World Series championship. On a more serious note, Ricketts also participated in an energy policy roundtable with President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has sought to fast-track the Keystone XL pipeline on the federal level even as the politically controversial project continues to move through state-level reviews in Nebraska. Ricketts said he outlined the timeline of those reviews for the president. Hes very keen on getting that built so he was interested in the timeline, Ricketts said of Trump. Others in the meeting included Iowas Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and the governors of Maine and Alaska, as well as state and tribal leaders from around the country. Ricketts said he talked about state-level energy innovations, including Nebraskas first-in-the-nation utility scale hydrogen plant and enzymes that are helping corn to produce more ethanol. Both he and Reynolds touted the importance of ethanol, although he said he kept his specific policy asks to a meeting prior to the roundtable with EPA administrator Scott Pruitt. That included making the case for allowing certain ethanol blends to be sold in the summer. Reporters were allowed into the roundtable briefly and heard Trump say that his administration has moved to lift restrictions on tapping American energy. Todays conversation is a chance for these state, local and tribal leaders to discuss how we can cooperate and support them even more in unleashing these domestic energy reserves, Trump said. Theyre tremendous reserves that we never appreciated, we never understood, but now we understand them very well. Ricketts said Reynolds also talked about Iowas robust supply of wind energy. Trump has caused a stir in Iowa with comments about the birds killed by wind turbines. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters on Wednesday that he has passed the word along to administration officials that hes the author of the wind energy tax credit. Grassley added that he had made a pointed statement to someone close to the president that he hopes got passed along. Probably more birds fly into Trump Tower and die than are killed by wind energy in Iowa, thats what I told them, Grassley said. So I hope they tell him that. In addition to the serious policy discussions, Ricketts said it was fun having the World Series trophy at the White House. According to the Washington Post, Ricketts brother Todd took advantage of the situation to talk some smack about how the Nats will crumble when the two teams meet in the playoffs. Todd Ricketts had been up as Trumps deputy commerce secretary before withdrawing in April. The Post noted that kind of prediction was mighty presumptuous given the Cubs are neither leading their division or anywhere close to the wild card spot. In his interview with The World-Herald, Pete Ricketts laughed about his brothers taunting and the Post chiding. The good news in the central division is that nobody is running away with it yet, Ricketts said. So we are still in contention to get to the playoffs. And of course thats our whole strategy, just get to the playoffs and itll happen. LINCOLN Nebraska State Auditor Charlie Janssen announced Wednesday he will seek a second term in 2018. Janssen touted several audits released by his office during his first term, including one that exposed waste of public funds at the Nebraska Tourism Commission, leading to the firing of the agencys director. Another found potential misuse of public property by a former official with the Nebraska Brand Committee. We have worked hard to make sure we are helping to provide efficient, reliable and responsive government, Janssen said in a press release. We have a lot more to do, and Im asking voters to let me keep working on their behalf. The state auditor reviews the finances and operations of public agencies to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. The office also audits state colleges, courts, and county and local governments. Janssen, a Republican, is a former state senator from Fremont. He ran for governor in 2014 before leaving a crowded GOP field to run for auditor. As candidate for auditor, Janssen resisted calls by political opponents to cancel business contracts between the state and a temporary staffing company Janssen co-owns, RTG Medical. To comply with state law, however, he has publicly disclosed the potential conflict-of-interest. Janssen, 46, remains CEO of the company, but has said he is not involved with its day-to-day operations. A check of public records Wednesday showed Janssens company currently has nearly $700,000 in contracts with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. HSS, the states largest agency, is a frequent subject of state audits. He receives an annual salary of $85,000 as auditor. State law does not require him to report how much he receives in compensation from his company. He and his wife, Ellen Janssen, have four children and live in Fremont, where she is a member of the city council. The writer is a former governor of New Mexico, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and founder of the Richardson Center for Global Engagement. He wrote this for the Washington Post. Otto Warmbier was laid to rest June 22 by his loving family in their town outside Cincinnati, nine days after he was brought home in a coma after 17 months of imprisonment in North Korea. The North Korean government described him as a prisoner of war, so by their own definition, his death is their absolute responsibility, pursuant to the Geneva Conventions. That the North Korean government kept him in an unresponsive state without proper medical assistance constitutes a crime in terms of international law and flouts common decency. The blame is theirs. The lesson for us is that Americas hostage negotiation strategy is broken. Ive helped rescue hostages from around the world and from North Korea, specifically. In 1994, I negotiated the return of a downed Army helicopter pilot from North Korea and the remains of his co-pilot. In 1996, I helped bring American Evan Hunziker back from North Korea. I, and the team at my center, worked for 15 months to try to gain Ottos release, including a visit to Pyongyang in September. To bring these cases to a resolution, we often work on three parallel tracks: identifying opportunities to create leverage; engaging directly with captors to ascertain what it might take to secure hostages release; and working with the families of those taken hostage, who often find themselves in need of guidance. Working on all three tracks remains viable, but Ottos case shows that its time for a paradigm shift. First, we have to recognize that time is no longer neutral. In past instances, all that mattered was working toward an outcome, no matter how long it might take. But urgency must be the new norm if were to have a chance at curtailing the physical and mental abuse that prisoners can face, particularly when dealing with an unpredictable actor. In the year-plus since Otto was detained, Kim Jong Un contravened a litany of humanitarian norms regarding treatment of hostages. The regime still hasnt provided a believable explanation for Ottos coma or why it failed to disclose his condition to the family or diplomatic proxies in the country. But timing is only part of the problem. Previous hostage negotiations have had success largely because outside actors have been effective in pressuring their client states. Maybe North Korea doesnt have an incentive to appease America, but China, which works with both countries and fears the collapse of the North Korean state, does. Ottos case, though, underscores the reality that the final stages of negotiations between sovereign states often need to be undertaken by the parties themselves here, the governments of the United States and North Korea. Yet despite the clear need for governments to resolve these cases bilaterally, the U.S. has no clear policy on how to handle instances in which Americans are held as collateral by foreign governments. Its not that the U.S. hasnt tried to improve its overall approach. In the final years of his administration, President Barack Obama made a concerted effort to rethink how the government treats hostage cases, primarily in circumstances where Americans are held by terrorist organizations. The creation of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell was a step in the right direction. Its meant to encourage agencies and departments to share relevant information among all participating actors in securing the release of prisoners held by terrorist groups and exists to provide channels to keep families informed on the progress of their relatives cases. We know that coordinated private diplomacy is often critical. Unconstrained by traditional diplomatic choreography, private diplomacy leverages preexisting personal relations and trust that can lead to the sharing of information and creative flexibility, something with which government struggles. To try to bring Otto home, for example, representatives from my center met more than 20 times with North Korean officials. The information gathered was critical. Coordinating and sharing these efforts between government and private diplomacy can unleash a set of tools largely ignored, and in some cases eschewed, to date. Yet for all the shortcomings of U.S. hostage policy, President Donald Trump has yielded one clear success with the release of Aya Hijazi, who was held by the Egyptian government until shortly after the presidents White House meeting with Egypts President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Trump deserves credit here, but his administration cant rely on this sort of leader-to-leader diplomacy as a primary approach, as it would incentivize governments to take Americans captive, not to mention forcing the president to shift focus from important geostrategic issues. To secure the release of the other three U.S. citizens being held in North Korea and others held elsewhere in the world Joshua Holt in Venezuela, Siamak Namazi in Iran and Austin Tice in Syria, to name a few the administration must first treat these cases with urgency rather than patience, and second, convene a contact group, including private diplomacy actors across the political and private spectrums, to identify case-by-case strategies and levers. Personal relations are assets and they do not exclusively lie inside one administration. As Independence Day approaches, a symbol of America is ailing, but on the mend. Fishermen discovered a bald eagle on the ground south of Syracuse, Nebraska, last month. Eagles instinctively look for a high place to perch, so its place on the ground was a sign that the bird was in trouble. The bird also had a mysterious mark on the top of its head that looked like a pock-marked scab. The fishermen reported the eagle to a state conservation officer, who brought the adult bird to Fontenelle Forests Rehabilitation Center near Elmwood, Nebraska. Betsy Finch, the centers rehabilitation manager, said the eagle, who also appeared underfed, probably wouldnt have lived much longer if it hadnt been brought to the center. She and other raptor experts are baffled over what caused the strange mark on the birds head, a spot that should be covered with white feathers. Its being treated with medicated ointments, but so far looks the same. This years initial estimate of active eagle nests in Nebraska shows about 185, according the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Though the center is familiar with eagles, Finch said she has sent photos of the mark to veterinarians and raptor experts in other parts of the country, and they are perplexed about the bald bald eagle as well. Everyone is stumped, she said. Finch said she has not ruled out an infection or an injury of some sort, including one caused by a human. The bird was also extremely weak and had lost weight, but now he is getting stronger and eating better. Some of its favorite foods? Trout and fat rats. The centers goal is to release the eagle into the wild after the mark has disappeared and feathers have grown back, but that could be a few months away. Finch said shes looking forward to the sight of the beautiful bird flying away. Known as 'Dr Bomb', 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Ansari who jumped parole arrested in UP Abu Bakar, 1993 Mumbai blasts accused, held in UAE; likely to be extradited to India soon Abu Salem won't be put behind bars for more than 25 yrs as per extradition treaty with Portugal, rules SC 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Mustafa Dossa dead India oi-Vikas By Vikas One of the main convicts in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, Mustafa Dossa, died on Wednesday due to cardiac arrest. He was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai after he complained of chest pain. Dossa was also said to be suffering from hypertension and diabetes. "Mustafa Dossa was admitted to the hospital after he complained of chest pain and infection," said JJ Hospital dean TP Lahane on Wednesday. A special TADA court had on June 16 convicted Dossa, along with Abu Salem and three others, guilty of conspiracy charges in the blasts case. The prosecution had sought maximum punishment for the convicts while arguing on quantum of punishment. The Special Public Prosecutor had on Tuesday sought death sentence for Mustafa Dossa. Dossa had, however, informed the court that he has a heart problem and wanted to undergo bypass syrgery, said reports. He has been charged with arranging landing of arms, ammunition and explosives at Dighi in Raigad district and participating in the blast conspiracy. He was arrested on March 20, 2003. The blasts left 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured and destroyed properties worth Rs 27 crore. [1993 Mumbai serial blasts: Prosecution seeks maximum sentence to convicts] The trial of the seven accused -- Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum -- were separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial. OneIndia News Alert cops save life of Muslim man lynched by mob in Jkhand over cow slaughter rumour India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Ranchi, June 28: Timely intervention by police on Tuesday saved the life of a Muslim dairy owner in Giridih, Jharkhand, who was brutally attacked by a mob over rumours that he had slaughtered a cow. The situation at Beria haat in Deori thana area of Giridih, 60 km from the district headquarters and 300 km from Ranchi, turned critical after the carcass of a cow with its throat slit was found. The locals suspected Usman Ansari, who runs a dairy business in the area, to be behind the killing of the cow. Soon a crowd of around 100 people armed with sticks and stones went to Usman's house and attacked him. Slowly the number of mob increased to almost a 1,000 men, who were either beating Usman or witnessing the circus of violence. Fortunately, police learnt about the news and immediately went to rescue the dairy owner. However, the crowd was too big for the police to control and thus cops ended up opening fire on the mob. A police bullet hit the leg of a person identified as Krishna Pandit. Police clarified that Krishna was not a cow vigilante, but was part of the crowd. Several police personnel were also injured in the incident. The condition of both Usman and Krishna are said to be critical. They were later shifted to a hospital in Ranchi for treatment. "Police struggled for over two hours to rescue the man. Over 30 officers of the district, including SDO, DSP and OC, and police jawans were injured as the mob hurled stones at them," ADG (operations) RK Mallick was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. A police official said that Usman did not slaughter the cow. "The animal belonged to the dairy owner, but died of illness. Before Usman could dispose of the carcass, a mischief-maker slit the cow's throat to frame the man. Usman apparently had served 10 years in prison earlier for a murder and had many enemies. At the same time, people of all communities bought milk from him when he opened his dairy business," added The Telegraph report. Anticipating further violence, over 500 armed policemen from Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Koderma are currently camping in the area. OneIndia News Amarnath Yatra: Threat high, but don't panic as security is in place India oi-Vicky By Vicky The highest level of security measures have been put in place ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra. With the Intelligence Bureau warning of a terror threat from the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, security is high. The security measures would also include a satellite tracking system. The fresh inputs also suggest that members of the Hizbul Mujahideen may try and target the yatra in the wake of their leader Syed Salahuddin being designated by the United States as a global terrorist following the visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over 2.30 lakh pilgrims have registered for the yatra and the first batch of over 4,000 pilgrims will be flagged off by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh for the twin base-camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts. "Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials," according to a letter sent by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Muneer Khan to the Army, the CRPF, and range DIGs in the state. "The input is assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needs further corroboration," the IGP said in the letter. At this stage, the possibility of a sensational attack by a terrorist outfit cannot be ruled out, he said. "The attack may be in the form of stand-off fire on yatra convoy which they believe will result in flaring of communal tensions throughout the nation," the IGP said in the letter which is being circulated in many groups on Whatsapp. All the officers and officials deployed on the ground need to remain alert and maintain utmost vigil, he added in the letter whose copy got leaked and went viral on social media. Khan later tried to play it down, saying there was no need to panic as it was part of information being shared with agencies to check its authenticity. Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid said someone has spread it on social media to create panic. The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF. In addition to the existing strength of the CRPF in the state, the Centre has provided over 250 companies (25,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state government. The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra while the Army has provided 5 battalions (about 5000 personnel) and additional 54 companies (5400 personnel) of the police have also been mobilised. "This Amarnath yatra will have the highest-ever security setup to ensure an incident-free yatra," said Special Director General of CRPF S N Shrivastava. Asked about the intelligence warning, hesaid, "I will not like to discuss the issue in public but you are aware about the situation in Kashmir. We have taken measures as per the these intelligence inputs and have made appropriate security arrangements." Describing the yatra as "a big challenge to us", he told reporters, "All security arrangements have been made in view of the threat perception... Elaborate security has been put in place for an incident-free yatra and to ensure safety and security of pilgrims and camps." As a measure of security, satellite tracking system has been put in place for the safety of convoys carrying the pilgrims, said Shrivastava, who visited the base camp along with CRPF IG Ashkoor Wani to review the preparations. CCTV cameras, jammers, RoPs, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, QRTs, satellite tracking and other security gadgets are being used to maintain vigil in view of increased threat perception due to in increased terror incidents and violence in Kashmir. BSF DG K K Sharma said in Kolkata, "The situation is very tense this year. This time there is a high level of threat perception. We have taken all precautions regarding deployment of forces and our commandos." He added, "We will ensure that it passes off peacefully like previous years." Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said the authorities were cognizant of the security challenge and it had been conveyed to the security forces. This year's yatra will be eight days shorter against the last years' of 48 days and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal. "The administration is working in close coordination with various agencies to ensure smooth conduct of yatra," said Shah, who is also district yatra officer. At a meeting, he took detailed account of the arrangements put in place at base camp Nunwan, including the medical facilities, ration, accommodation, sanitation, power drinking water and communication to cater the rush of pilgrims. He said 450 tents have to be established at base camp Nunwan, out of which 271 have been pitched so far. The meeting was also informed that a 10-bedded hospital at Nunwan and 20-bedded hospital at Chandanwari have been established besides, ensured availability of adequate stock of life saving drugs and oxygen cylinders, an official spokesman said. Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) of the state police along with rescue teams of various security forces have been pressed into service along with well-equipped fire fighting teams at pre-determined points, officials said. Oxygen cylinders, ECG machines, defibrillators,oxygen concentrators, CPR machines, X-ray machines, ventilators, resuscitation sets have been installed and all required medicines are available are the hospital. At Baltal Base Hospital, Shrivastava interacted with doctors deputed from Safdarjang Hospital, Delhi, who are already treating the local residents and service providers. Residential accommodation and mess facilities for about 250 medical personnel, including those arriving from different parts of the country, to provide medical assistance for the pilgrims have also been put in place. The Amarnath Yatra has always been on the radar of the Pakistan based militant groups. The threat perception to the yatra is higher from the Lashkar when compared to the Hizbul Mujahideen. The Amarnath Yatra has come under attack from terrorists in 2000. That year 30 pilgrims lost their lives following an attack by the Lashkar. This year too the threat perception is high. Pakistan is looking to create communal tension and hence an attack on the yatra was planned an IB officer informed. However security personnel have said that there is no cause for panic. Security is high and we will ensure that the pilgrimage passes off peacefully, the official working on the security informed. OneIndia News Explained: 8 things you should know about Lt. Gen. Pande, Indias next Army Chief All about the nation: Next Army Chiefs son serves in the Air Force Next Army Chief Lt. Gen. Pande is first engineer to hold the post Pakistan govt likely to take decision on next Army chief's appointment by mid-September Army Chief Bipin Rawat to visit Sikkim, meet commanders India oi-PTI New Delhi, June 28: Army chief General Bipin Rawat will visit Sikkim on Thursday to take stock of operational matters and meet with top army commanders at formation headquarters in the border state. People familiar with the matter said that General Rawat's two-day visit to Sikkim is routine. He will visit other formation headquarters in the Northeast and review operational matters in the region that shares most of India's 3,488-kilometre-long border with China. India shares a 220-kilometre-long border with China in Sikkim. China has accused Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim sector and demanded their immediate withdrawal. China said it stop the Nathu La route for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff. China said it has lodged diplomatic protests with India, both in New Delhi and Beijing. Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesperson Ren Guoqiang said on Monday that recently China began building a road in Donglang region, but was stopped by Indian troops. PTI International news brief: Floods trap many in Florida; Royal Mint unveils first coins and more Assam villages, submerged in flood water for 1 month, wait for govt help India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Guwahati, June 28: There seems to be no end to the plight of these villagers in Assam. A cluster of villages in the state's Karimganj district--around 450 km away from the capital city of Guwahati--is under flood water for a month now. Unfortunately, till now no help was provided to the residents of these villages, who are fighting a lonely battle. The villages, located in the Nilam Bazaar revenue circle in the southern part of the state, bordering Bangladesh, have been washed away by several rounds of flash floods in the last few weeks. Due to floods, thousands of people have lost their homes and have little access to food and drinking water. According to reports, around 85,000 people in 103 villages of the district are currently marooned. Every year, the condition of these villages gets worse during monsoon as all the rivers of neighbouring Mizoram hills run into the valley in Karimganj before entering Bangladesh. "For a month we have been facing flash floods, at least five waves of flash floods have ravaged our village and 250 families had to shift to higher grounds" 54-year-old Pradip Dey was quoted as saying by NDTV. Now, Dey and his family are looking to move to a safer place. The villagers are mighty miffed with government's apathy towards them, as nobody cared to provide any sort of help to them to deal with large-scale destruction brought in by the rains. "We are trapped amid water for a month and we are forced to live this way. Our children cannot go to school" said Surodhoni Malakar, another flood victim. Some of the flood victims have now shifted to nearby areas and are staying in relief camps. "Hundreds of families had to shift, our villages are still marooned," said Minoti Das, who is in a relief camp for a fortnight. Contrary to the allegations of the villagers, government officials claim that they are giving necessary help to all flood victims. "We have given the relief to affected villages. Now, we will give relief materials to newly-affected areas. The Longai and Singla rivers are rising, so the flood situation might deteriorate further," Pradip Talukdar, deputy commissioner of Karimganj told NDTV. More than a lakh people have been affected by floods in six districts of the state. The flood situation in Assam is still critical as several rivers are flowing above the danger mark. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 7:07 [IST] Cong targets BJP, says no one apologised or resigned for Morbi tragedy Chidambaram corners govt for US remarks on J&K India pti-PTI New Delhi, Jun 28: Former home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday questioned the Narendra Modi-led government over the US describing Jammu and Kashmir as "Indian administered" in an official statement and asked how New Delhi accepted it. The US State Department's statement had come just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington. US' official statement used the phrase 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir'. How did India accept this? P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 28, 2017 On Monday, while designating Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the US State Department said the militant group had claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir", which injured 17 people. PTI Demand for Gorkhaland reverberates in Bengaluru India oi-Anusha The agitation for a separate state for Gorkhas is also gaining strength from Bengaluru. While Darjeeling has been marred with protests against the West Bengal government, members of the Gorkha community, as well as supporters of their cause, came together in Bengaluru to demand a separate state of Gorkhaland. Dozens of North-eastern Indians protested at Bengaluru's Freedom Park on Wednesday holding placards and shouting slogans against the West Bengal government and reiterating their demands for Gorkhaland. Sporting t-shirts with slogans in support of Gorkhaland and traditional caps, protesters waved the Indian flag seeking support from the rest of the country for their agitation. On June 20, hundreds of protesters had gathered at Town Hall in Bengaluru to extend support to protests in Darjeeling for the cause of Gorkhas. For the community, it is a matter of identity and the sense of belongingness that is at stake. OneIndia News 90 Percent of Indias Online Skill Gaming Industry Says 28 Percent GST over GGV Will Be Catastrophic GST collections up by 16.6% to Rs 1.52 lakh crore in October, says Centre GST roll out: Who are opposing GST and why? India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar As the countdown has begun for the roll out of GST from July 1, there is opposition to GST from sector and region specific traders. Business daily LiveMint has prepared a sector and region specific list of traders protesting the Goods and Services Tax. Mainly, textiles, retail, road construction, furniture, and diamond sectors have expressed their concern. Textiles merchants from Andhra Pradesh are concerned about increased compliance burden on traders, who are on three-day protest from Tuesday. In Gujarat, 5% GST rate on job work given to allied sectors is a matter of concern. In Telangana businessmen oppose differential GST rates on yarn, fabric, which they believe will allegedly benefit only large integrated mills. As far as retail is concerned, Gujarat traders are worried about overall impact on traders; about road construction, state level contracts have no "change in law" clause* and developers have to absorb any extra tax cost due to GST. Gujarat, which is the hub of diamond trade, traders are demanding to lower of 3% GST rate in that sector. Furniture traders from Delhi are on three-day protest from Monday opposing the 28% GST rate. OneIndia News Here are 100 FAQs on GST answered by Central Board of Excise and Customs India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer As the nation is all set to implement the Goods and Services Tax from July 1, the Narendra Modi government is flooded with queries from businessmen to government employees. Along with publishing advertorials detailing various aspects about the GST in various traditional mainstream media outlets, the government is also taking queries of the citizens on various social media platforms. The Centre has received hundreds of questions regarding the GST on Twitter. Here we bring you 100 frequently asked questions on the GST answered by the Central Board of Excise and Customs: 1. Does aggregate turnover include value of inward supplies received on which RCM is payable? Ans. Refer Section 2(6) of CGST Act. Aggregate turnover does not include value of inward supplies on which tax is payable on reverse charge basis. 2. What if the dealer migrated with wrong PAN as the status of firm was changed from proprietorship to partnership? Ans. New registration would be required as partnership firm would have new PAN. 3. A taxable person's business is in many states. All supplies are below 10 Lakhs. He makes an Inter State supply from one state. Is he liable for registration? Ans. He is liable to register if the aggregate turnover (all India) is more than 20 lacs or if he is engaged in inter-State supplies. 4. Can we use provisional GSTIN or do we get new GSTIN? Can we start using provisional GSTIN till new one is issued? Ans. Provisional GSTIN (PID) should be converted into final GSTIN within 90 days. Yes, provisional GSTIN can be used till final GSTIN is issued. PID and final GSTIN would be same. 5. Whether trader of country liquor is required to migrate to GST from VAT as liquor is out of GST law? Ans. If the person is involved in 100% supply of goods which are not liable for GST, then no registration is required. 6. Not liable to tax as mentioned u/s 23 of CGST means nil rated supply or abated value of supply? Ans. Not liable to tax means supplies which is not leviable to tax under the CGST/SGST/IGST Act. Please refer to definition under Section 2(78) of the CGST Act. 7. Whether civil contractor doing projects in various states requires separate registration for all states or a single registration at state of head office will suffice? Ans. A supplier of service will have to register at the location from where he is supplying services. 8. Whether aggregate turnover includes turnover of supplies on which tax is payable by the recipient under reverse charge? Ans. Outward supplies on which tax is paid on reverse charge basis by the recipient will be included in the aggregate turnover of the supplier. 9. If there are two SEZ units within same state, whether two registrations are required to be obtained? Ans. SEZs under same PAN in a state require one registration. Please see proviso to rule 8(1) of CGST Rules. 10. Is an advocate providing interstate supply chargeable under Reverse Charge liable for registration? Ans. Exemption from registration has been provided to such suppliers who are making only those supplies on which recipient is liable to discharge GST under RCM. 11. When is registration in other state required? Will giving service from Nasik to other state require registration in other state? Ans. If services are being provided from Nasik then registration is required to be taken only in Maharashtra and IGST to be paid on inter-state supplies. 12. I have migrated under GST but want to register as ISD. Whether I can apply now & what is the procedure? Ans. A separate & new registration is required for ISD. New registrations are being opened from 0800 hrs. on 25.06.2017. 13. I have enrolled in GST but I forgot to enter SAC codes. What should I do? The status is migrated. Ans. The same can be filled while filing FORM REG-26 for converting provisional ID to final registration. 14. I have ST number on individual name and have migrated to GST.I wish to transfer this on my proprietorship firm. Ans. This conversion may be done while filling FORM REG-26 for converting provisional ID to final registration. 15. Please tell if rental income up to 20 lacs attracts GST or attracts any other charge? Ans. GST is leviable only if aggregate turnover is more than 20 lacs. (Rs. 10 lacs in 11 special category States). For computing aggregate supplies turnover of all supplies made by you would be added. 16. If someone trades only 0% GST items (grains, pulses) then is it necessary to register for GST, if the turnover exceeds ?20 lacs? Ans. A person dealing with 100% exempted supply is not liable to register irrespective of turnover. 17. Is it correct that person dealing exclusively in NIL rated or exempt goods/ services liable to register if turnover >20/10 Lakh? Ans. There is no liability of registration if the person is dealing with 100% exempt supplies. 18. If I register voluntarily though turnover is less than 20 Lakhs, am I required to pay tax from 1st supply I make post registration? Ans. Yes, you would be treated as a normal taxable person. 19. Whether a separate GSTIN would be allotted to a registered person for deducting TDS (he has PAN and TAN as well)? Ans. Separate registration as tax deductor is required. 20. Is separate registration required for trading and manufacturing by same entity in one state? Ans. There will be only one registration per State for all activities. 21. I am registered in TN and getting the service from unregistered dealer of AP, should I take registration in AP to discharge GST under RCM? Ans. Any person who makes make interstate taxable supply is required to take registration. Therefore, in this case AP dealer shall take registration and pay tax. 22. Is there any concept of area based exemption under GST? Ans. There will be no area based exemptions in GST. 23. If a company in Maharashtra holds only one event in Delhi, will they have to register in Delhi? Will paying IGST from Maharashtra suffice? Ans. Only if you provide any supply from Delhi you need to take registration in Delhi. Else, registration at Mumbai is sufficient (and pay IGST on supplies made from Mumbai to Delhi) 24. How long can I wait to register in GST ? Ans. An unregistered person has 30 days to complete its registration formalities from its date of liability to obtain registration. 25. What If I am not liable to register under GST but I was registered under Service tax ? Ans. You can apply for cancellation of Provisional ID on or before July 31, 2017. 26. When turnover of agents will be added to that of the principal for registration? Ans. No. 27. If I am not an existing taxpayer and wish to newly register under GST, when can I do so? Ans. You would be able to apply for new registration at the GST Portal gst.gov.in from 0800 hrs. on 25th June 2017 REFUND 28. I have a pending export refund in Service Tax. What will happen? Ans. Refunds under earlier laws will be given under the respective laws only. 29. As an exporter, how do I ensure that my working capital is not blocked as refunds? Ans. Appropriate provisions have been made in the law by providing for grant of 90 per cent refund on provisional basis within 7 days from filing of registration. CESS 30. What will be the impact of GST on coal? Will the clean energy Cess on coal go or will it stay? Ans. Clean Environmental Cess on coal will be replaced by GST Compensation Cess. COMPOSITION SCHEME 31. Suppose I am in composition scheme in GST. If I purchase goods from unregistered person, then GST will be paid to Government by me or not? Ans. Yes, you will be liable to pay tax on reverse charge basis for supplies from unregistered person. CUSTOMS 32. What duties will be levied on import of goods? Customs duty and cess as applicable + IGST+ GST compensation cess. Ans. IGST and GST compensation cess shall be paid after adding all customs duty and customs cess to the value of imports. EXPORTS 33. Present procedures have Service Tax on Nepal, But no Goods Tax on Nepal. But, With GST, what tax will apply? Ans. The export procedure for Nepal would be same as that to other countries. 34. Are there exemptions for SEZ? How will a SEZ transaction happen in GST regime? Ans. Supplies to SEZs are zero-rated supplies as defined in Section 16 of IGST Act. 35. How would the sale and purchase of goods to and from SEZ will be treated? Will it be export / input? Ans. Supply to SEZs is zero rated supplies and supplies by SEZs are treated as imports. 36. Please clarify status of international export freight under GST as the same was exempt under POPS rules. Ans. It is zero rated in most countries. POS for transport of goods determinable in terms of sec 12(8) or sect 13(8) of IGST Act, 2017, depending upon location of service provider/service receiver. Exports are treated as zero rated supplies. 37. When goods are being imported from SEZ who will pay IGST? Ans. Such supply is treated as import and present procedure of payment of duty continues with the variation that IGST is levied in place of CVD. 38. Who will pay IGST when goods are procured from SEZ? Ans. Today importer is paying both BCD and CVD. Such supply is treated as import and present procedure of payment continues with the variation that IGST is levied in place of CVD. INPUT TAX CREDIT 39. Is SGST of Rajasthan charged by supplier on purchase from Rajasthan can be utilize for payment of SGST in Madhya Pradesh? Ans. SGST of one State cannot be utilised for discharging of output tax liability of another State. 40. How one can use SGST credit for the payment of IGST on another state? SGST Credit can be used for payment of IGST liability under the same GSTIN only. 41. Can one State CGST be used to pay another state CGST? Ans. The CGST and SGST Credit for a State can be utilized for payment of their respective CGST/SGST liabilities within that State for the same GSTIN only. 42. In case of service supplied, should the credit be given to the state where it is billed or the state it is rendered? Ans. Tax will be collected in the State from which the supply is made. The supplier will collect IGST and the recipient will take IGST credit. 43. Company is engaged in manufacturing of cement and power. Which rule to be referred for reversal of credit related to power business? Ans. Detailed rules for reversal of ITC when the supplier is providing exempted and non-exempted supplies have been provided in ITC Rules. 44. How will the credit/debit note from unregistered supplier be reported to GSTN and ITC claimed in the same? Ans. Like invoice, credit/debit notes on behalf of unregistered person will be given by registered person only. Further, GSTR2 provides for reporting of same by the recipient. INVOICE 45. A shop sells taxable & exempt products to the same person (B2C), is it required to issue tax invoice and bill of supply separately? Ans. In such a case the person can issue one tax invoice for the taxable invoice and also declare exempted supply in the same invoice. 46. Do registered dealers have to record Aadhaar/PAN while selling goods to unregistered dealers? Ans. There is no requirement to take Aadhaar / PAN details of the customer under the GST Act. 47. All expenses like freight / transport / packing which are charged in Sales Invoice are taxable in GST? How to charge in bill? Ans. All expenses will have to be included in the value and invoice needs to be issued accordingly. Please refer to Section 15 of CGST Act and Invoice Rules. 48. Can we move construction material to builders on delivery challan and issue tax invoice post completion of activity? Ans. If the goods are meant to be supplied in the course of construction an invoice is necessary. If the goods are tools which are to be used for construction then delivery challan should be issued. 49. How to treat following transaction in GST (i) Delivered supply shortages in Transit. (ii) Customer gets less quantity and pays less. Ans. The supplier may issue credit note to the customers and adjust his liability. 50. Should we issue Self Invoice for GST liability discharge on RCM or GST can be discharge through expenses booking voucher? Ans. For RCM liabilities tax invoice has to be issued on self. RETURNS 51. What would be done on tax paid on advance receipt if advance has to be refunded in any circumstance? Ans. Advance refunded can be adjusted in return. 52. Do registered dealers have to upload sale details of unregistered dealers also in GST? Ans. Generally not. But required in case of inter-State supplies having invoice value of more than Rs 2.50 lakh. 53. How to incorporate two supplies in return for pharma with same HSN code of four digits but having different tax rates? Ans. Returns provide for furnishing rate wise details. SUPPLY 54. Should we discharge GST liability for all reverse charge having small amounts of Transaction or any amount limit is there? Ans. It has been decided that Rs 5,000 per day exemption will be given in respect of supplies received from unregistered person. For supplies above this amount, a monthly consolidated bill can be raised. 55. What is treatment of promotional item given free to end consumers by FMCG companies? Ans. Tax will be charged only on the total consideration charged for such supply. 56. How to comply with 9(4) of CGST Act if POS is in another state of the unregistered supplier? Ans. Any person making inter-state supply has to compulsorily obtain registration and therefore in such cases, section 9(4) will not come into play. 57. Under supply from unregistered dealer the purchaser have to pay GST on RCM basis.so whether stipend paid to intern will also come under RCM? Ans. Stipend paid to interns will be employer-employee transactions. Hence, not liable for GST. 58. Salary by partnership firm to Partners as per Income Tax Act liable to GST? Ans. Salary will not be liable for GST. 59. Sec 9(4) of CGST Act 2017. Do I need to pay under RCM if I purchase stationary worth Rs.100 from an unregistered stationery shop? Ans. It has been decided that Rs 5,000 per day exemption will be given in respect of supplies received from unregistered person. 60. What is the treatment of promotional item given free to end consumers by FMCG companies? If taxable, whether ITC is allowed? Ans. Tax is payable on consideration received for the supply. 61. Whether GST will be leviable in case of returnable packing material like drums supplied with finished goods? Ans. GST will be levied on the value charged for the supply only. 62. How will disposal of scrap be treated in GST? Ans. If the disposal is in the course or furtherance of business purposes, it will be considered as a supply. 63. I am from MP and providing service to a customer in Maharashtra. I outsource the work to a service provider in Maharashtra, what tax i need to charge? Ans. Generally these will be two supplies where the supplier from MP will charge IGST from the recipient in Maharashtra. Whereas, the service provider in Maharashtra will charge IGST from the recipient in MP. 64. If address of buyer is Punjab and place of supply is same state of supplier (Rajasthan), then IGST will apply or CGST/SGST? Ans. If the place of supply and the location of the supplier are in the same state then it will be intra-state supply and CGST / SGST will be applicable. 65. Why is bifurcation of cash deposit as CGST-SGST-IGST required? Is cash held against a GSTIN, to be adjusted via return u/s 39? Ans. Three levies are under three different statutes and are required to be separately accounted for. 66. What is the difference in between 'Nil rated', 'taxable at 0 per cent' and exempted goods and services? Ans. Especially in relation with ITC exempt supply includes Nil rated (taxable at zero per cent) and non-taxable supplies and no ITC is available for such supplies. 67. Will professional tax will be abolished in Maharashtra after introducing of GST? Ans. Professional tax is not a tax on supply of goods or services but on being in a profession. Professional tax not subsumed in GST. 68. Employer provides bus service, meal coupon, telephone at residence, gives vehicle for official and personal use, uniform and shoes, any GST? Ans. Where the value of such supplies is in the nature of gifts, no GST will apply till value of such gifts exceeds Rs 50,000 in a financial year. 69. The definition of composite supply and the description of same under Section 8 differ. Please explain consequences. Ans. Section 2(30) defines what will be considered as a composite supply. Whereas, Section 8 provides that in case of a composite supply, the treatment for tax rate etc. will be that of principal supply. 70. Whether slump sale will attract GST. If yes then under which Section? Ans. It will have the same treatment as normal supply. 71. Salary by Partnership firm to Partners as per Income Tax Act liable to GST? Ans. Partners are not employees of the firm. Salary will not be leviable of GST. TRANSITION 72. How do I avail transition credit? Ans. Transition credit can be availed by filing the respective forms under transition rules upto September 30, 2017. 73. Please provide the clarity on area based exemption 50/2003 in UK and HP. Ans. Area based exemptions will not be continued under GST. It will be operated through the route of reimbursement as prescribed. 74. We manufactured excisable goods. But unit availed the exception benefits 50/2003. What about my dealers stock? Ans. The dealer will get deemed credit at the rate of 40 per cent / 60 per cent of the CGST paid on supply of such goods in GST. If the goods are branded and greater than Rs 25,000, full credit using CTD can be availed. 75. A trader buys from manufacturer not registered in excise as his turnover is below 1.5cr. Then in such case can trader take ITC on stock up to 40 per cent? Ans. Yes, deemed credit will be available subject to satisfaction of other conditions as prescribed. 76. I am a trader. I have excise paid purchase invoice. Whether I can claim credit of full excise duty on closing stock of July 1, 2017? Ans. Full transition credit of such duty will be available on stock in hand in respect of which you have duty paying excise document subject to conditions under Section 140(3) of the CGST Act. 77. If a trader purchases directly from manufacturer and has documents showing excise, will he get full excise credit or 40 per cent of CGST? Ans. Full transition credit of such duty will be available on stock in hand in respect of which you have duty paying excise document subject to conditions under Section 140(3) of the CGST Act. 78. If an FSD purchases directly from manufacturer and has value cum excise duty and excise duty is not separately shown will he get full credit? Ans. Full transition credit of such duty will be available on stock in hand in respect of which you have duty paying excise document subject to conditions under Section 140(3) of the CGST Act. 79. Is the full excise credit also available to traders who purchases directly from manufacturers and excise is separately shown in invoice? Ans. Full transition credit of such duty will be available on stock in hand in respect of which you have duty paying excise document subject to conditions under Section 140(3) of the CGST Act. 80. In June 17 VAT return no amount carried forward and held stock of Rs 50 lakh. Then can we take credit of that stock or not? Ans. The supplier would be eligible to carry forward the closing balance of ITC from VAT return for June 17. 81. What will be the impact of closing stock which has been already paid vat on 1st July? Ans. The supplier would be eligible to carry forward ITC on such stock from VAT return for June 17. 82. If in VAT return refund claimed in June 17 and no balance credit in GST. Then what's the position of submission of Form C Refund claimed under existing law will be handled as per the provisions of the existing law. Form C to be submitted in terms of provision of Rule 1(1) of Transition Rules. 83. Some service was provided on June 28, 2017 but invoice will be raised on July 5, 2017. Whether we have to charge Service Tax or GST? Ans. If Point of Tax arises after appointed date, then GST will be chargeable on such supply. 84. Would we be eligible for credit on Capital Goods in transit and received post GST? Ans. No provision for such credit is there in GST law. 85. What about VAT balance pending on transition date? Ans. Balance VAT credit in the return will be transferred to new provisional ID as SGST Credit 86. What about deemed export against Form H? Ans. Form H will not be there in GST. 87. Who will bear tax difference on closing stocks as on June 30, 2017? Whether the manufacturer/dealer or government? Ans. Closing ITC in VAT return will be allowed to be carry forward in GST. 88. How will we get input credit on stock in hand for spare parts billed from other state, excise, CST and entry tax paid? Ans. For all inputs with duty paying documents available respective CGST/SGST credit will be available. But credit of CST will not be available. 89. A trader buys from manufacturer not registered in excise as his turnover is below 1.5 crore. Then in such case can traders take ITC on stock up to 40 per cent? Ans. Deemed credit will be available on stock in hand provided the conditions of section 140(3) read with Rule 1(4) of Transition Rules are satisfied. 90. Whether we will be eligible for credit of duty paid on Capital Goods in transit and received post GST? Ans. No such provision in GST. 91. Can ITC of Swachh Bharat Cess or Krishi Kalyan Cess be carried forward under GST? Ans. No. 92. Will Clean Energy CESS on imported Coal at the rate of Rs 400 PMT continue to be applicable in GST? Ans. No. Clean Energy Cess is being repealed. Coal, however, will be subject to compensation cess at the rate of Rs 400 per tonne. 93. Whether closing balance of education cess and secondary higher education cess prior to March 1, 2015 can be carried forward in GST? Ans. No, it will not be carried forward in GST as it is not covered by definition of "eligible duties and taxes" under Section 140 of the CGST Act. 94. Can you clarify for 40 per cent benefit on closing stock does one year limit apply or not? Ans. Deemed credit will be available for all stock procured within a 1 year period. 95. Till what time is transition credit available? Where do I need to declare my input stock? Ans. The window to declare transition credit forms is three months from the appointed day. Please refer to transition rules for more details. UTGST 96. Will there be GST in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as previously there was no VAT? Ans. Yes. For supplies within Andaman and Nicobar Islands, CGST plus UTGST would be leviable. OTHERS 97. Whether IGST would be levied twice on high seas sales? First on high seas sales and second on custom clearance. IGST paid on 1 available as ITC? Ans. IGST shall be levied only once on imports. 98. Will Krishi Mandi Fee (imposed in U.P.) be waived off in GST? Ans. GST does not concern such fee so GST does not affect it. 99. Is E-Way Bill applicable from July 1, 2017? Ans. The present system for E-way Bill in states will continue till the E-Way Bill procedures are finalised. 100. Is there a sunset clause for Anti-Profiteering law? Ans. Yes, the sunset clause for Anti-profiteering Authority is of two years. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 12:18 [IST] Inside story: How Nitish bust Lalu Yadav's plot to topple him India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Grand Alliance in Bihar appears to be heading for a big split. The question is whether the JD(U)-RJD- Congress alliance in the state is splitting over Nitish Kumar's support to Ram Nath Kovind, the BJP's candidate set to become the next President of India. Sources say that Nitish Kumar had no plans of derailing the grand alliance. The Bihar Chief Minister had found out that there was a plot brewing to topple him. Some in the RJD were allegedly in talks with the centre promising to topple Nitish Kumar. It is further alleged that the RJD had said it was ready to dump Nitish Kumar in exchange for help from the centre in some of the cases against its leaders. The RJD has been facing trouble over various cases including ones filed against its supremo, Lalu Prasad Yadav and his daughter Misa Bharti. The cases have reached a boiling point and hence some in the RJD had mooted the idea of seeking help from the centre with the promise of toppling Nitish Kumar. However Nitish realised what was cooking and immediately declared his support for Kovind after the BJP selected him as the candidate. The problems are likely to worsen and the JD(U) has already started cozying up to the BJP. On Tuesday, the JD(U)'s spokesperson K V Tyagi reminisced about the party's alliance with the BJP which broke after 17 years. He said that they were far more comfortable with the BJP during their 17 year partnership. "We were much more comfortable under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime, but still have ideological differences with the Narendra Modi government on issues like Article 370, uniform civil code and Ram Janmabhoomi," he said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 7:56 [IST] Is Indian farmer being pushed out of agriculture sector? India oi-Anusha Tired of failed monsoons, plagued by drought, lack of support from government and the effects of urban-rural disconnect is forcing Indian farmers to give up agriculture. Incidentally, experts believe that each time a farmer quits farming, the government gets what it exactly wants, lesser agricultural produce in the country. "The policy of consecutive governments in India has been and is actually to push farmers out from agriculture. Governments have only created conditions to make agriculture economically unviable to such an extent that farmers quit agriculture. They want farmers to quit agriculture and no policy or government is willing to back them or support," said Devinder Sharma, renowned researcher and writer on agricultural policy. Sharma highlighted the systematic way through which the government as well as we the people allow farmers to remain economically weak. "We have kept agriculture starved for all these years. It is impoverished and obviously, their loans are mounting. It must be supported by policies to ensure that the loans do not multiple next time. But look at what the government does. Instead of providing a cushion to farmers in the form of minimum support price, we are determined to remove it altogether," he added. Minimum support price gives the farmer an incentive to grow. While price crash is a common phenomenon after a bumper harvest, the minimum support price provides the farmer with a cushion to not undergo heavy losses. "The government wants to take away the MSP and provide direct market access and this is where the farmer is exploited," he added Loan waiver and its riders At least four states including Punjab and Maharashtra have announced loan waivers for farmers plagued by drought. While raging debates over the viability of loan waivers are filling broadcast space, experts believe that the most important questions of 'how', 'who' and 'to what extent' the loan waiver is benefitting are being missed. "Every loan waiver comes with fine prints and reading between the lines are important. Urban India, thanks to its disconnect with its rural counterpart, is under the impression that all farmer issues are solved by a single loan waiver but never reads into finer details. Entire loans are never waived off. From loan limit to procurement date and category of farmers, the riders are many," Sharma added. Who is benefiting out of loan waiver? There are more than 2.14 crore small and marginal farmers in Uttar Pradesh alone. The government has announced a waiver of Rs 36,359 crore albeit up to a limit of Rs 1 lakh per farmer. While close to 85 lakh farmers are expected to benefit out of it, the rest are still left to fend for themselves. Taking a cue from Yogi Adityanath government, the Maharashtra government announced a loan waiver of Rs 34,022 crore while the number of farmers in the state is over 1.31 crore. Government estimates claim that 89 lakh farmers will benefit out of the waiver but experts do not peg the number at more than 25 lakh farmers. Yet again, the cap is at Rs 1 lakh per person. Karnataka government has waived off loans worth Rs 8165 crores and has estimated that close to 22 lakh farmers will benefit out of it. The loan waiver is much smaller in comparison to Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh but the number of farmers estimated to benefit out of it is on par. The reason is simple, the waiver limit is capped at Rs 50,000 per person. The waiver is also applicable to only those loans acquired from cooperative banks. In short, farmers who fit the bill of loan waiver conditions, get the full or partial benefit. Those who have repaid the loan do not get any benefit. "One section of the farmers get benefits. But I don't understand how helpful a Rs 50,000 waiver is. It, perhaps, is huge for someone with an outstanding of Rs 50,000 but most farm loans are in the range of Rs 2 lakh," Devinder Sharma added. The urban-rural disconnect is a shame Indian farming is dying a slow death and all of us are responsible for it. "We are insulating our cities and are allowing our villages to die out. Those living in the city have no clue that life of a farmer is horrible," Sharma reiterated. While Karnataka has been hit by drought for almost six consecutive years, its capital Bengaluru shows no inkling of a drought-hit region while farmers merely 20 kms away from the city have no water. The same is the case with a Mumbai or Lucknow. "We are making our cities comfortable at the cost of our farmers. It is not just the government but all of us, who are responsible for what happened in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra," Devinder Sharma added. OneIndia News Karnataka PU supplementary exams 2017: Here are the centres India oi-Vicky By Vicky PU Results 2017 Karnataka: The Karnataka PU supplementary exams 2017 will commence from today onwards. The exams will be held at nine centres in the state. In the wake of the examinations being held prohibitory orders have been imposed around the examination centres from June 28 to July 8. The prohibitory orders will be in place around 200 metres of the examination centres. The Police Commissioner of Hubballi Dharwad has ordered for closure of photocopying centres located within an area of 200 metres around the examination centres. Karnataka PU supplementary exam centres: Hubbali list: P.C. Jabin PU College JG College of Commerce S.K. Arts and HSK Science PU College Mahila Vidyapeeth Vijaynagar PU College Dharwad list: Karnatak Science College JSS PU College, Basel Mission PU College RLS PU College in Dharwad. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 7:21 [IST] Kashmir: 3 Hurriyat leaders detained by NIA for funding unrest India oi-Vicky By Vicky Turning up the heat, the National Investigation Agency has detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders. These leaders are to be questioned by the NIA in New Delhi over their alleged involvement in receiving funds from Pakistan and other sources to fuel the unrest in the Kashmir Valley. The three leaders who were detained are Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Shah and Mehraj ud-din Kalwal. The NIA had registered a preliminary enquiry while probing the case relating to the funding received by several separatists in the Kashmir Valley. The probe was ordered after concrete evidence of these persons receiving funds to fuel the unrest in the Valley since July 8 cropped up. The NIA has detailed the manner in which the funds have come into the Valley. NIA officials say that funds were being pumped in from Pakistan by misusing the cross-border trade. The sale of California Almonds also contributed heavily to this funding. It was also found that Pakistan had identified small businessmen in Saudi Arabia to send in the funds. They would indulge in over-invoicing to send in funds to the accounts of separatists held by benamis. OneIndia News Whatever happened is wrong, Law will take its course: Rakesh Tikait on Singhu lynching Junaid Khan lynching: Four arrested, lead on one more attacker India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Four more people were arrested by Haryana police on Wednesday in connection with the lynching of 16-year-old Junaid Khan on Delhi-Mathura passenger train. Kamal Deep,SP GRP Haryana, told media that one of the arrested was 50-year-old Delhi government employee. Further, the police has leads on the person who attacked Junaid with knife. 4 more accused arrested,one of them is 50-yr-old Delhi govt employee; have leads on person who attacked with knife:Kamal Deep,SP GRP Haryana pic.twitter.com/QzEmcloeIe ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 Junaid (17) was stabbed to death while his brothers - Hashim and Sakir - were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled slurs against them on-board the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations last week. Earlier, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu condemned the lynching on board a Mathura-bound train and sought action against the culprits. Yesterday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had promised to take action against the culprits. In an interview with a daily, Khattar had said, "The government will not allow anyone to take the law in his hands." One accused was already arrested. With today's arrest, the number of arrests is increased to five. Police had also announced a reward of Rs one lakh to anyone who gives credible information leading to arrest of other accused in the case. (With agency inputs) Meet Delhi University professor who is fasting to protest over killings of Muslims by mob India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, June 28: Are you angry, distraught or simply numb by the ongoing attacks against Muslims by mob in various parts of the country? Probably you are thinking you are too powerless to do anything in such a situation where government machineries too have failed to react. But a Delhi University professor saddened by the cycle of violence is on a week-long fast at Jantar Mantar--the hub of all protests in the national capital--since June 25. Professor Prem Singh, who teaches Hindi, started his fast just three days after the brutal murder of a Muslim teenager, Hafiz Junaid, on a local train in Haryana by a group of 15-20 odd men. In the last three months, as per reports, nine Muslim people were attacked by mob over suspicion of cow slaughter or beef eating. In an exclusive interview to Scroll, Singh said that he was fasting "to atone for the guilt he feels at the lynching of Muslims that just does not seem to stop". "My guilt is over my inability to stop lynchings in my society," Singh, who is also president of the little-known political party, Socialist Party, was quoted as saying by Scroll. "I am a professor. It means something in our society. You are a journalist, you have a status. Yet you and I have failed to stop the lynching," he added. Like Singh, it looks like a group of like-minded people have decided to break the silence surrounding communal and caste-based attacks by staging protests in 11 cities of the country and in London and Toronto on Wednesday. The protest--"Not in My Name"-- is the brainchild of Gurgaon-based filmmaker, Saba Dewan, who posted a message on Facebook calling for a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Wednesday evening against the recent spate of lynchings of Muslims and attacks on Dalits. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 9:26 [IST] Delhi AQI remains 'very poor' but parts of NCR breathe better DigiLocker users can now store Ayushman Bharat health records: Here's how to do it Modi arrives in New Delhi after three-nation tour India oi-PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the national capital on Wednesday morning, after completing his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. Modi, upon arrival, was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Prime Minister on his arrival in Delhi this morning. pic.twitter.com/e8yGdLYcws Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 28, 2017 The highlight of his four-day trip was the US leg of the visit as Modi met President Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. Modi first visited Portugal, where he held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. Modi, on the final leg of his trip, visited the Netherlands and held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also addressed the Indian community there. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 10:22 [IST] Three down in three days: Congress loses yet another MLA to BJP in Gujarat Modi government compromising with national security: Congress India pti-PTI New Delhi, Jun 28: The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of compromising with national security and sovereignty by not objecting to the mention of 'Indian- administered Jammu and Kashmir' in the US order on Syed Salahuddin. The party also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue that emerged at a time when he was in the US and was to meet US President Donald Trump. "Shocking that the US government order on Syed Salahuddin refers to 'Indian-administered J&K. This is a compromise with India's national security and sovereignty," senior Congress spokesperson and party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said. "Why has the Prime Minister not protested despite being on US soil? Why are the foreign minister, defence minister and home minister of India and information and broadcasting minister keeping mum on the issue? "Why is BJP silent? Is it not a sellout of national interests," he asked. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so, even though it may be a subject of debate for Modi and his party. He also said that "empty chest-thumping, false bravado and captive TV studio warfare" by the BJP government cannot hide its failures in compromising with national security. He said terrorism should never be politicised and a collective effort is needed to eradicate it, which should be sans partisan considerations. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 19:00 [IST] Modi is world's most important PM says Israel daily India oi-Vicky By Vicky Israel has been all praise of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. An article in an Israeli daily described him as the world's most important Prime Minister. The headline in the daily read, "Wake up: the most important PM of the world is coming." Business daily 'The Marker' in a feature story in its Hebrew edition discussing Indo-Israel ties says that Israelis had set up huge expectations from US President Donald Trump's visit to the Jewish state but "he didn't say much" while Modi, a leader of 1.25 billion people enjoying massive popularity and representing one of the fastest growing economies of the world deserves a lot of attention. Other local newspapers and news portals have also given a lot of attention to the much-publicised three-day trip of Modi with The Jerusalem Post even creating a separate link, "Modi's Visit", where it has put up stories related to India. Most of the local commentators have emphasised on Modi "skipping Ramallah" and it being a standalone visit focussing only on India's ties with Israel. "Unlike most world leaders, however, Modi, who governs the world's largest democracy and second largest nation, apparently is refusing to visit Ramallah during his Israel trip, and will not schedule meetings with Palestinian Authority+ (PA) chief Mahmoud Abbas or other PA leaders", Arutz Sheva said in a report. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed his Indian counterpart's visit to Israel last Sunday during his opening remarks at the weekly cabinet meeting as a"very significant step"+ in strengthening bilateral relations that are on a "constant upswing". "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel. This is a historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the country's existence, no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited and this is further expression of the state of Israel's military, economic and diplomatic strength," Netanyahu stressed. OneIndia News Modiji , please tell us why there is so much hatred against Muslims? India oi-Maitreyee By Maitreyee Whenever something goes horribly wrong in a family, it's the father (baap or baba in Hindi)--the head of the family--who immediately steps in to avoid the situation from going out of hand. In a village, it's the village headman (mukhiya in Hindi) who presides over all affairs of importance--from local administration to family feud. So, when the nation faces social, political, economic or moral crisis, it's the responsibility of janata's (people's) mai-baap (mother-father)--the Prime Minister of the country--to intervene to take charge over the matter. Today, PM Narendra Modi, the countrymen are patiently waiting for your response on the ongoing brutal attacks on Muslims in the form of mob lynchings. We understand, you are a busy man, you have many issues to attend, including managing India's foreign relations with countries like the US. We appreciate your passion to turn India into a world superpower. But in your chase for global dreams, somewhere the locals of India are feeling left out, especially the Muslims, who of late are getting murdered because of their faith and food habits. The most recent attack against Muslims happened against a group of five young men, who were on a local train in Haryana after finishing their Eid shopping in the national capital. The attack led to the death of teenager Hafiz Junaid, who was stabbed multiple times by his killers. The attackers before stabbing the victims, called them "anti-national" and "beef-eaters", and made sure to insult them by pulling their beards and throwing their skull caps (things considered sacred by the Muslims) on the floor. The death of 16-year-old Junaid left his father so traumatised that he ended up asking a newspaper journalist as why there is so much hatred against Muslims. "He was a child. He was just 16. How could they hate us so much to have killed him so brutally?" Junaid's father, Jallaluddin, told The Hindustan Times. "When I reached the spot, my son Hashim (who also sustained injuries) was sitting on the station with Junaid's body soaked in blood in his lap," he said. The very public killing of a teenager by a group of 15-20 odd men happened on Thursday (June 22), just four days before India celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the ending of the holy-month of Ramzan, when Muslim devotees fast from dawn-to-dusk. This Eid, the usual fun and fervor was missing as many decided to wear black bands on their arms as a mark of protest against regular crimes against Muslims. The murder of Junaid is not an isolated case. In the last three months, a total of nine cases of mob assaults against Muslims have been reported from various parts of the country. The attackers targeted the victims either on suspicion of cow smuggling or beef eating. Thus the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's usual excuse against such attacks as an aberration or one-off episode by fringe elements proves totally wrong. Not only such savageries have become regular, but the fringe is the new mainstream, these days. Modiji, it has been six days since Junaid was killed, neither you nor any of your cabinet colleagues have spoken against the incident. The chief minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, decided to break his silence on the murder on Monday (June 26)--four days after the world came to know about it. We know you were on a three-nation tour till Tuesday. So you didn't address the nation directly over an issue that is concerning all of us. But you have been tweeting regularly, right from congratulating badminton player Kidambi Srikanth for winning the Australian Open, 2017, on Sunday (June 25), to tweeting in local Portuguese and Dutch languages after you landed in Portugal on Saturday (June 24) and the Netherlands on Tuesday (June 27). Modiji, you did not forget to address the nation through your monthly radio broadcast, Mann ki Baat, even during your sojourn to the foreign countries. In Mann ki Baat too, there was no mention about these incidents. We understand it was a recorded programme, but you could have spoken about attacks on Muslims as the incident happened two days before you left for Portugal. We are insisting on a tweet from you to condemn the brutal murders of Muslims as you have been always very active on social media. Even American President Donald Trump said that both of you are "world leaders in social media". Why there is so much silence regarding crimes against Muslims? Are Muslims, who constitute 14.2 per cent of the country's population, don't matter to us? It is not just the ruling parties at the states and the Centre who are guilty of practicing an eerie silence over the matter. The civil society and opposition parties too have not come out strongly against such barbaric acts against a group of people just because they follow a different religion or have different food habits as compared to the majority Hindus. However, it looks like a group of like-minded people have decided to break the silence surrounding communal and caste-based attacks by staging protests in 11 cities of the country, and in London and Toronto on Wednesday. The protest--"Not in My Name"--is the brainchild of Gurgaon-based filmmaker, Saba Dewan, who posted a message on Facebook calling for a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Wednesday evening against the recent spate of lynchings of Muslims and attacks on Dalits. Like Dewan, Delhi University professor Prem Singh too wants to see an end to the cycle of violence against the minorities. The Hindi teacher is currently observing a week-long fast at the Jantar Mantar to protest against mob lynchings. We don't know what kind of an impact these protests against violence and inhumanity would make on the authorities. But we know one thing for sure; we need to break our silence against regular atrocities against the minorities and underprivileged to call ourselves a secular and a democratic country in the future too. Modiji, you too please join us and speak against these barbaric killings and ensure us that the guilty would be punished and the future would be better than the current gloomy scenario. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 11:04 [IST] "Not in my name", says India, takes a stand against mob lynching India oi-Anusha Enough is enough is India's message to mob lynching. Citizen groups in over nine Indian cities came together to condemn the growing trend of lynching under the banner "Not in my name". Protests were held in at least 9 Indian cities on Wednesday including at Jantar Mantar of New Delhi and Town Hall of Bengaluru. Protests are being held in specific locations in New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Hundreds of protesters turned up at protest sites across the country with banners condemning lynching. Prominent writers, artists took part in the protests. An online campaign that was started by a Gurgaon-based filmmaker, Saba Dewan, has become the voice of thousands of Indians opposing lynching that is becoming a dangerous trend in the country. Wednesday's protest was against all mob lynching incidents including those over beef and cow slaughter. Saba Dewan's Facebook post calling for a protest has caught the imagination of the country with netizens willing to voluntarily take part and express their anger against lynch mobs. The protest is not just to register their anger against incidents of mob lynching but also a message to the families of victims that they are not alone. The demonstration under the banner, "Not in my name", aims to convey that whatever is happening in the society is not happening in the name of Indians and we do not approve of it. The message has managed to find support in thousands of Indians including those living abroad. On Wednesday, groups in at least nine other Indian cities held protests while protests were also planned in London. On June 24, Saba took to Facebook to condemn lynching in the country especially that of Junaid on a Mathura-bound train on Thursday. A dispute over a seat led to Junaid and his brothers being assaulted by a group of men. The victims were taunted for being Muslims. Junaid and two of his companions were stabbed. Triggered by this mob lynching incident, "Not in my name" movement took off. OneIndia News PM Modi on 3-day visit to Israel from July 4 India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Prime Minister Narendra Modi to travel to Israel on a three-day visit from July 4, he will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. Modi's visit is aimed at commemorating 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The Indian prime minister is scheduled to have dinner with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu following his arrival to Israel on July 4. He would be meeting the Israeli Premier again for discussions the following day. Modi would also call upon Israels President Reuven Rivlin on July 5 and the leader of opposition, Isaac Herzog. Ahead of Modi's visit Israeli daily has praised the Indian PM as world's most important PM. "Wake up: the most important PM of the world is coming", is how Prime Minister Narendra Modis forthcoming visit to Israel, the first by an Indian premier, is described in an article in one of the leading Israeli business daily. Business daily The Marker in a feature story in its Hebrew edition discussing Indo-Israel ties says that Israelis had set up huge expectations from US President Donald Trumps visit to the Jewish state but "he didnt say much" while Modi, a leader of 1.25 billion people enjoying massive popularity and representing one of the fastest growing economies of the world deserves a lot of attention. Other local newspapers and news portals have also given a lot of attention to the much-publicised three day trip of Modi with The Jerusalem Post even creating a separate link, "Modis Visit", where it has put up stories related to India. (With agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 18:55 [IST] For his 2019 hate speech, Azam Khan gets 3 years in jail; may lose power too! Samajwadi Party's Azam Khan insults Army, levels rape allegations India oi-Madhuri Former minister of Uttar Pradesh, Azam Khan on Wednesday made a shocking anti-army statement. He accused the Indian Army of misbehaving with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and other states in the country. Speaking at an event in his bastion Rampur in westren Uttar Pradesh, Khan said,"Soldiers have been beaten by women in Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam and their private parts were also chopped off. The truth is that women are forced to act against Army rapists. It is a message that Hindustan should be ashamed of." He further added, "India is deviating from its path after six decades and is adopting the path of bullet instead of ballot and the result is there for everybody to see." Last month, Khan had asked people to keep womenfolk indoors to protect them from molesters. The statement had come in the backdrop of molestation and groping of two women by over a dozen youths in Rampur. Khan's shocking statement was widely condemned by other parties. Sambit Patra, spokesperson of the BJP said,"We should boycott these kinds of politicians. They should not be given any sort of platform." OneIndia News Situation in Kashmir worrisome: Shiv Sena pokes Modi's statement on surgical strikes India oi-PTI Mumbai, Jun 28: In the backdrop of Narendra Modi's statement in US on surgical strikes, Shiv Sena in its party mouthpiece 'Saamna' said thou PM has been assertive about India's stand on terrorism globally but the situation in Kashmir has been worrisome. The party said that even as the Prime Minister tries to change the face of India globally, the condition of internal security is a cause for concern. "There was definitely a lot of weight in PM Modi's statement on surgical strikes. However, even after the strikes, terrorist activities from the Pakistani side have continued and our soldiers are getting martyred. " On the occasion of Eid, Pakistani flags were hoisted and pro-Pakistani slogans were raised in Kashmir, it claimed. "(US President) Donald Trump has assured India of standing by it to counter terrorism. Earlier Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton too said the same thing. But how much did they actually help is a matter of investigation. "Also, due to Trump's policies, lakhs of Indians are on the verge of losing their jobs in the US. There are hopes that the Modi-Trump meet leads to a solution on this," it said. "Uptil now, Chinese troops used to enter Arunachal Pradesh and Leh. Now it has been learnt that they have entered Sikkim and destroyed two Indian bunkers. This is a shocking incident," it said. The surgical strikes were launched on September 29 last year as a response to an attack by Pakistan-based terrorists on an Indian Army base in Kashmir's Uri in which 19 Indian soldiers lost their lives. The Sena expressed hope that the Modi-Trump meet would solve issues concerning Pakistan and China once and for all. PTI Mamata's red flag to GST: Calls it blunder, disastrous India oi-Madhuri Ahead of Goods and Service Tax roll-out from July 1, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the Central government is unnecessarily hurrying up to implement GST while the business men are not ready. Rolling out GST in July is a blunder and a disastrous move by Modi government, she asserted. Commenting about the GST roll out in next few days, she said her party will not attend the June 30 midnight event at Parliament House. She said,''Deeply concerned about GST implementation. After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder by Centre.'' In a Facebook post, the TMC leader said that at least 6 months is needed to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises to successfully implement the GST. She also that a chaotic situation may arise in the vast economy for which the Government of India will be primarily responsible. ''I hope the voices of the people and businesses is being heard and being paid heed to, by the Central Government. Our Parliamentary Party has decided not to attend the 30th June, 2017 midnight programme at the Parliament House to celebrate GST, as a mark of protest,'' her post read. OneIndia News Tamil Nadu approves memorial for Jayalalithaa at Marina beach: Is it a violation? India oi-Anusha Months after the death of J Jayalalithaa, the Tamil Nadu government is all set to construct a memorial at her burial site. Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy on Wednesday told the state assembly that a grand structure will be built in the memory of Jayalalithaa but environmentalists call it a gross violation of corporation as well as coastal regulations zone rules. "A grand memorial will be built at the burial site of Amma at Marina beach. Suggestions for designs have been sought from renowned architects and a special team will supervise the construction of this grand memorial," Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy told the assembly. While the AIADMK had announced a memorial for Jayalalithaa soon after her death, the same was made official on Wednesday. Memorial will be gross violation, say environmentalists While the government prepares to construct a massive memorial for Jayalalithaa, environmentalists are seeing red. Not just about the government violating rules but also the attitude with which it is treating the matter. "The decision is consistent with the government's attitude towards the law and also towards grandstanding rather than delivering on real tangible things. Violations are the least of the issues. What matters is how the government can't ensure good governance but promises memorials," said Nityanand Jayaraman, an activist and writer. The government intends to spend Rs 15 crore on the memorial at Marina beach that already harbours burial sites and memorials of former Chief Ministers M G Ramachandran and Anna Durai. But rules that the structure will violate are many. What the rulebook says: Construction of permanent structures on Marina beach is prohibited by the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011. CRZ rules only allow demolition and reconstruction of certain kinds of buildings Even permissible activities require prior environmental clearance by the State Coastal Zone Management Authority The Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 prohibits disposal of corpse anywhere except designated, registered and licensed spots. (Marina is not one such spot) Jayalalithaa's burial at Marina was in violation of Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act and now a memorial at the same place will be a violation of Coastal Regulation Zone rules. But this has no effect on the Tamil Nadu government that is all set to construct a new memorial for Jayalalithaa. "They are building the memorial in an area where it not ought to be built. It is not a notified burial place. Corporations rules, coastal regulations zone rules are being violated but for a government that is habituated to violations, these things are nothing," Jayaraman added. Citizens are of the opinion that the decision to build the memorial only symbolises that the government does not care about rules. "A government that has pathetically failed on governance thinks it can impress people by grand memorials," Nityanand Jayaraman added. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 19:18 [IST] These Hyderabad cops are winning hearts and internet! Here's why India oi-Anusha A simple gesture of setting right the prayer mats on Eid has brought appreciation for two constables as well as the Hyderabad city police. Citizens are all praises for the constable duo who helped Muslims offering prayers at Eidgah Mir Alam. The video posted on Hyderabad police Facebook page shows Venkatesh Naik and V Pratap Singh, both constables attached to the Kalapather police station, setting right cardboards used as makeshift mats of those offering prayers at the windy Eidgah. Strong winds were blowing the mats away as prayer was underway. One of the policemen was seen setting up a mat in the right manner and used his police cap as a weight to keep it from flying away. Taking a cue, another constable sets another mat right and uses a bag nearby to keep it from flying. The video shot by an onlooker was shared with the Hyderabad police with a note. " Police are down to earth to serve the nation without any religious feelings, this policeman's in the video of Kalapathar police station shown their respect to the prayer doing by our muslim brothers at edga tadban. It portraits Telengana Police great gesture. (SIC) ", the citizen's note said. The video has been viewed 56,000 times and has been shared 997 times. More than 200 comments for the video are full of praises for the policemen who with their small gesture on Eid are now winning hearts. OneIndia News To get a BJP ticket, this is the survey you need to pass India oi-Vicky By Vicky Karnataka BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa said that a survey would be conducted by an external agency before tickets are distributed for the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. Yeddyurappa however did not go on to reveal the exact details of what the survey would be and also the factors that would be taken into account. The entire process would be set into motion when BJP's National President Amit Shah arrives in Karnataka on August 3. He will be in Bengaluru till the 5th of August during which the election process would be set into motion. A highly placed source informed OneIndia that the survey would be a standard process. The party would assess the candidate first. The survey would include a report from the respective constituency. This would be include the acceptability of the candidate in the constituency, the work he or she has done. The accessibility of the candidate to the people and of course the winnability factor would also be taken into account, the source also added. Tough going: The source further added that this time around the candidate selection process and the scrutiny behind it would be very strict. The BJP wants the best candidate who can assure of a certain win. We want to leave nothing to chance the source further added. In May there was a report that a secret survey was ordered through a private agency. The source added that the new survey as pointed out by Yeddyurappa would be the one taken into account. The survey would make more sense now as the elections are fast approaching, he further added. War Room: When asked if the Shah visit in August would see the setting of a BJP war room, the source said that it was not finalised as yet. A war room would be set up and it would be run by the Karnataka unit of the BJP. The central leadership would oversee it, but a major chunk of the work would be conducted by the local leaders. There is no plan on imposing the central leadership on the state, he also added. Further he also added that the reports that Amit Shah had rented out a house near the Bengaluru International Airport were false. He will stay at the party office in Bengaluru. Why would he take up a house on rent near the airport. Moreover it is not feasible for people to go that far when the party has an office in the central part of Bengaluru, he also added. Vistarak initiative: Party president, Amit Shah has launched the vistarak initiaitve. He will visit every state and Union Territory as part of this programme which would mean it would be a comprehensive travel programme. He will be in Karanataka as part of the same programme between August 3 and 5. The programme is underway and the last stop over was at Pondicherry. The Karnataka programme would include other engagements as well. As part of the programme he will spend time at the booth level and also enrolling members at the same level. He would also review booth committees and form new ones wherever needed. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 11:38 [IST] Kejriwal now claims BJP offered to spare Sisodia, Jain if AAP backs out of Gujarat polls AAP \"merely a party of UT Delhi\", only Cong can challenge BJP in Gujarat, HP: Azad Ruckus in Delhi assembly: Protesters who threw paper missiles thrashed, detained India oi-Madhuri The ongoing special session of the Delhi Assembly had to be adjourned for 30 minutes after two persons claiming to be Aam Aadmi Party workers created ruckus. The two persons flung papers inside the assembly which led to commotion for some time. These two men also raised allegations against Delhi PWD Minister Satyendar Jain and demanded his resignation. Discussion under section 280 was going on when the two accused dropped bits of paper in the House from the visitor's gallery and shouted that Jain is corrupt. Even as the Speaker gave directions to marshals to arrest the two, several MLAs rushed out and at least two were seen beating them up. They were later detained by the Delhi police after the Speaker ordered their arrest as a scuffle broke out allegedly between AAP supporters and the protesters. The men had allegedly thrown pamphlets questioning chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's silence on corruption charges. The two men were allegedly detained and beaten up inside assembly and amid the chaos rebel AAP leader Kapil Mishra made a PCR call. Two men claiming to be AAP workers create ruckus inside Delhi assembly, level corruption allegations against Minister Satyendra Jain pic.twitter.com/YntliEyrBY ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 Earlier, the CBI had questioned the Delhi Health Minister in connection with a money laundering probe initiated against him for allegedly turning black money into white in 2010-12 and 2015-16 using his companies and Kolkata-based data entry operators. The Central Bureau of Investigation in April initiated probe against Jain and registered a preliminary enquiry against the Aam Aadmi Party leader, who is known to be close to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. OneIndia News West Bengal Government provides financial relief to the Hills of North Bengal Unknown men torch PWD office in Darjeeling, protest enters 14th day India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar A PWD office was set on fire by a group of unknown people in Darjeeling amidst indefinite strike called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha over the demand of Gorkhaland state entered 14th day. Police have not identified the miscreants behind the attack and so far no arrests have been made. Last week, suspected Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters torched a hydel project and health center. A primary health center run by the state government-owned Ramam hydel project at Lodham, was set on fire by the miscreants. An electricity supply office at the same spot was also set ablaze. WB: PWD office set on fire in #Darjeeling by a group of unknown ppl amidst indefinite strike called by GJM over demand of #Gorkhaland state pic.twitter.com/TUzEDj8taP ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 Meanwhile, Gorkha children took out a rally in support of the separate state. ANI pictures showed Gorkha children protesting with 'we want Gorkhaland', 'we are Gorkhas' written on their body. Also, they were seen in shackles as a symbolic protest against the West Bengal government. After women, and youth wing of GJM made their presence felt in the protest, now children are participating in the agitation. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 13:12 [IST] UPSC third topper lands in legal soup for producing fake disability certificate India oi-Madhuri After securing the prestigious third rank in Civil Services Exam, 2016, GopalaKrishna Ronanki found himself in the midst of a legal dispute. The Hyderabad high court on Tuesday issued notices to GopalaKrishna to prove that his disability certificate was genuine that was submitted by him to the Union Public Service Commission while appearing for the examination. A petition filed by Muralikrishna, a Hyderabad-based advocate contented that GopalaKrishna, who belongs to OBC category, had sought concession in the main exam last year by providing a fake certificate stating that he has 45% disability. While the cut-off marks for qualifying for the Mains examination for OBC candidates was 110.66, Ronanki could get only 91.34. As such, he had not qualified for the Mains under the OBC quota but got through the Prelims by providing fake Performa for Physically Challenged (PH) Certificate. Muralikrishna further pointed out that, all other candidates are allotted three hours time to write the exams, but those with 40 per cent disability are allotted an hour extra because of which he qualified the exams. Gopalakrishna, who hails from a financially poor background in Andhra's Srikakulam district, said in a conversation with Mirror while all the points argued by Murali Krishna were true, he was indeed given a 45% disability certificate by the Andhra Pradesh government. Hearing the submissions, the bench issued notices to the UPSC, Centre, AP government and Gopala Krishna for filing counter affidavits, and adjourned the hearing by three weeks. According to Ronanki Kodanda Rao, brother of Gopala Krishna said that he had fallen down from a tree when he was in Class 10 in 2002 and fractured his right arm. Since, he was unable to right continously for more than half an hour, they approached the medial authorities who had issued a physically handicapped certificate with 59 per cent disability. After qualifying the UPSC exam, Gopalakrishna again underwent a medical examination at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi. Gopalakrishna who is currently working as a secondary school teacher, had appeared for the civil exams thrice. Finally, he got through in the 2016 recruitment test with third rank. Gopalakrishna said he got through the civil services exam because of his hard work and determination. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 12:35 [IST] Talented, driven and great potential: President Putin is all praise for India and Indians Russia not reliable for energy or security, US warns India The Western bias and why it cannot digest Indias success China irked by India-US proximity, says it could lead to 'catastrophic results' International oi-Vikas By Vikas The growing proximity between India and the United States has made China uncomfortable as the Beijing's state-run media warned of a new geopolitical friction in the S. Asian region. A strongly worded article in China's state-run newspaper, the Global Times, said that the US' strategy to contain China is not in line with India's interests. It said that India and the US are 'cozying-up' due to their 'anxieties' about China's rise. "It could even lead to catastrophic results," the article said. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the US, President Donald Trump had endorsed India's objections to the new economic corridor that China is building through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The Global Times' article said if India becomes a 'pawn' for the US in countering China, new geopolitical friction will be triggered. President Trump also supported India's bid for a permanent seat in a reformed UN Security Council and in other multilateral institutions like the Nuclear Suppliers Group, something which China opposes. India has been making diplomatic efforts to ensure expansion of the permanent as well as non-permanent membership of the UNSC. China objects to India's membership bid in the NSG -- a 48-member elite group which controls the nuclear trade -- and says there is no change in its stance on the admission of non-NPT states into the grouping. India is not a signatory to the NPT. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 11:09 [IST] Chinese Navy commissions biggest new generation destroyer in Shanghai International oi-PTI Beijing, Jun 28: As part of a massive expansion to become a global naval power China's Navy on Wednesday launched its biggest new generation destroyer weighing 10,000 tonnes. The Navy's new destroyer, a domestically designed and produced vessel, was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard (Group), Shanghai. The vessel is the first of China's new generation of destroyers. It is equipped with new air defence, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The vessel marks a milestone in improving the nation's Navy armament system and building a strong and modern Navy. According to the plan, tests will be carried on the vessel, including equipment operation, berthing and sailing. The biggest naval destroyer was an addition to two aircraft carriers which China is in the process of deploying to compete with other naval powers liked the US and India, especially in the India Ocean. The new aircraft carrier was expected to be operational by 2019. The Chinese Navy is currently trying to form battle groups that accompany the aircraft carriers when they set out on missions far from shores. The first aircraft carrier Liaoning has left with a flotilla of Chinese naval ships on June 25 on "routine training mission" from Qingdao in east China. The naval formation includes destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan, frigate Yantai and a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters, a Chinese defence ministry statement said. The training mission, like the previous ones, is expected to strengthen coordination among the vessels and improve the skills of crew and pilots in different marine region. This is the first exercise being carried out by Liaoning, a refurbished aircraft carrier, built from the hull of a Soviet ship bought from Ukraine after China had launched a home-made carrier in April this year. Liaoning has earlier carried out exercises in the disputed South China Sea as well as East China Sea along with its battle formation group. It was expected to be operational by 2019. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 18:03 [IST] Experts hail Modi, Trump meeting, term it as 'tremendous success' International pti-PTI Washington, Jun 28: Top American experts have termed US President Donald Trump's maiden meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "tremendous success", saying it took the Indo-US relationship to the next level. "I thought the visit was tremendous success. I was really happy that the overall theme was one of cooperation and not confrontation," Robert Blake, the former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said. Blake, now a senior director at the McLarty Associates, said that many of the experts were concerned that there would be a focus on the trade deficit and device of issues like the H-1B. "Instead, I was so happy that the two leaders emphasised strategic cooperation on counter terrorism, on defence, on moving forward in a fair and reciprocal way on trade," he told PTI. "I think it sets a very, very positive baseline for the future. I don't think the meetings could have gone better," Blake said. Rick Rossow, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a top American think-tank, said, it was quite evident that President Trump's policy team won out over his political team in setting the substance of the meeting. "While there was a section on trade that could foreshadow a rocky period of economic ties, overall the leaders hit the right points on our recent and future progress on Asian security," he said. "The section on Pakistan-based terror groups is particularly striking, and the note of increased coordination in the Middle East holds great promise. The table is set for cabinet-level talks as we start our multitude of formal dialogues in the months ahead," Rossow said. Sadanand Dhume, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said Prime Minister Modi once again showed that foreign policy is one of his greatest strengths. "In a period of global flux, it was important for New Delhi to ensure that US-India relations remained on track. Modi achieved this task admirably with a combination of energy, charisma and charm," Dhume said. "I think from where we started this was a victory of sorts. We of course, ended the trip without any incident," noted Bharat Gopalaswamy of the Atlantic Council. "Moreover, we ended on positives on counter terrorism, especially Pakistan and also the way that we concur our views on China and Indo-Pacific construct overall. The defence relationship has been strengthened with the sale of drones. Trade was always and will continue to be sticky and have its challenges," he said. Gopalaswamy said the relationship in the last 20 years have come a long way and it has matured into a relationship that is relatively insulated to changes at the highest levels. "Of course, this is not devoid of challenges but administrations in the US and India have consciously have worked hard to build on consolidating the foundations of this relationship," he said. Persis Khambatta, managing director for South Asia at business consultancy Bower Group Asia, said that the first in-person meeting between Modi and Trump was very successful, given that the priority was to set a positive tone for bilateral relations and between the two leaders directly. "The visit and meetings mark a strong beginning with the Trump administration, principally in areas of strategic convergence including the Indian Ocean Region, counter- terrorism and security cooperation," she said. "Overall, steps were taken to set US-India strategic and security relations on a steady and growing course in coming years, a signal that won't be lost on Pakistan, North Korea and China, all alluded to or mentioned by name during the visit," she said. Commercial issues were not emphasised as much as they have been in the past, and thorny issues were avoided, though overall bilateral trade continues to grow steadily, Khambatta said, adding that both countries have more work to do to eliminate hurdles to deeper investments going both ways. Importantly, both leaders pointed to their efforts to slash red tape and enact tax and regulatory reforms in order to court investments in their respective countries, Khambatta said. "Trump's emphasis on a 'fair and reciprocal' trade relationship and his desire to lower the trade deficit with India were expected," she said. PTI Forget Pakistan, it's China India should worry about International oi-Prabhpreet By Prabhpreet No matter what plans and attempts the first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru made, India and its neighbour China were never able to have a friendly relationship that he desired. The jury is still out on whether it was Nehru's fault or the aggression from the Chinese that led to the shattering of his wish of realising the 'Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai' dream. And it has never even come close to becoming a reality too, since the war between the two countries in 1962, following claims by both sides of border transgressions from the other. Border disputes though have never reached similar heights since then, they have also never been completely solved. As can be seen from the latest allegations and counter-allegations, made by both sides on actions of the Army of the other country in the state of Sikkim. The Chinese have accused the Indian forces of crossing the Line of Actual Control and disrupting the construction of a road, and India has blamed the Chinese forces of destroying two bunkers in the area. Though various reasons can be thought of as the cause behind the sudden rise in such incidents, given the history of the relationship between the two neighbours these should hardly be surprising. And it would be a logical conclusion of such a past that these will not stop anytime soon. When Nehru tried to have friendly relations with China, both countries had still not found their feet on the world stage. But with time as they started to grow in profile and are now seen as important leaders, such conflicts are just smaller moves played in a complicated high stake game of politics between two major countries. It is such a relationship with China due to which India, no matter how serious the border issues that it has with Pakistan, should make Sino-India relations the centre of its attention. Why India should worry more about China than Pakistan India's conflicts with Pakistan have been well documented ever since independence including the rise in tensions between the two. And it has again come into focus following the current unrest in Kashmir, which has been actively supported by Pakistan. While the Indo-Pak tensions can be understood in the context of the partition and animosity arising from it, with the Valley being the centre of it at present. It is basically a territorial dispute mixed with a controversial history. The case with China is far more complicated with the territory being just one part of it. This not only includes geopolitics given the standing of both the nations with respect to Asia and the world but also attempts by western countries to counter each others growing stature in the world. When it comes to Pakistan, India has been able to isolate it on the world setting by garnering the support of most important nations in the world. But when it comes to China, given its economic and strategic importance in the world the chances of many countries taking India's side are slim in the case of future disputes. China also has the power to throw serious challenges and damage India's economic strategies as well, given the trade deficit India has with it and also the fight to capture various markets around the world like Africa. A threat that India does not face with Pakistan. On top of all this, it is China that has now started using Pakistan, in its efforts to counter India's growth and force it into a difficult situation by closely associating itself with it and increasing its presence in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and also using the recent China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the same area, which India believes challenges its sovereignty. Along with these points which indicate why China is not just a neighbour of India with which it has territorial issues like Pakistan, the two countries are also flag bearers of opposing philosophies of democracy and communism. Territorial issues with China Though economics and geopolitical concerns might be the main points of contention between both the countries in modern times, the history of contentious issues goes well back to India's independence and beyond. The problems that led to the Indo-China war had at its core the matter of the unclear demarcation of the border between the countries leading to both sides making claims that the other had not respected their territorial sovereignty. The border situation was made worse after the Chinese army took control over Tibet, the seat of the Dalai Lama, which forced him to escape the area and seek refuge in India in 1959. And the Indian government's decision to grant him asylum has been a bone of contention between the two nations ever since. Still causing sharp statements from China against India whenever the subject is brought up in some context or the other. In addition to this, Tibet coming under the control of China also led to another problem with respect to India. While till then Tibet had acted as a buffer between the two nations, now both had become direct neighbours which made territorial claims a major part of the problems between them. The fact that the border is only clearly demarcated in Sikkim, which was the location of the latest skirmish, does not help matters as the countries share borders in three sectors. The eastern part being in the Arunachal Pradesh area, the middle in Uttrakhand and Sikkim, and the western in the Jammu and Kashmir. Problems related to these areas have existed since before the British left India, and while different solutions have been offered on the issue, such as the McMahon line, they have not been accepted by both sides. For example, China does not agree with the McMahon line. Except for partial truce on the Line of Actual Control which was accepted following the 1962 war. Challenges facing Modi's India And territorial issues are used by China to counter India whenever any modern day reasons of conflict come up on the international stage. Such as those related to Dalai Lama or Tibet, when western powers try to build pressure on China regarding its human rights record. Or in cases, such as the present one when the Sikkim controversy took place as the Indian prime minister was visiting the US. Other steps taken include Indian allegations of Chinese personnel entering Arunachal Pradesh, parts of which are still claimed by India's neighbour. Or active movement of Chinese troops in the PoK region and helping build infrastructure projects in the region. Even though these can be thought of just as individual conflicts, they have become a part and parcel of geopolitics as both nations have seen their profiles grow in the world. And it is in these areas along with those in the field of economics and geopolitics that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces the biggest challenge from China. While the leaders of both countries have tried to come together in fields where they have a common interest to take on the developed western world like their joint stand in the Paris Climate agreement where they were able put the responsibility of climate change on the developed countries, they constantly get placed on opposite sides on various issues. These are usually in the field of economics and China's relations with India's neighbours where it has tried to increase its influence among them. Along with Pakistan, these include Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan among others. The main attempts by the Chinese include helping them build infrastructure projects like ports, railways etc. Such acts have been termed the 'String of Pearls,' by which experts feel China is trying to not only reduce India's influence in its neighbourhood but also envelope it by having a strong base around India which could be used in case of tensions between the two rise in the future. And the fact that India's attempts to join the coveted Nuclear Suppliers Group and become a member of the United Nations Security Council, have single-handedly been opposed and held up by China should leave no doubt about both the countries being competitors. Along with these the growing trade deficit between the two which is clearly in China's favour, that is, India imports more from China than vice-versa, which not only makes India more dependent on the country but also makes it more vulnerable in terms of economic growth. The nature of the products which are mainly raw material that China imports from India while exporting manufactured goods also goes against the country's economic interest. On top of all this, there is a direct competition not between the Indian and Chinese government but also the private companies of the two countries in their attempts to build major markets around the world and develop relationships in order to acquire natural resources. A prime example of this is the race to build a foothold in different countries in Africa. All of them though important, are just examples of some of the modern day concerns that exist between the two nations having the potential to make the territorial issues flare up, and are the key challenges facing the Modi government. While in the case of most countries around the world his attempts to form a personal bond with their leaders might help build a platform with them. In the case of China, this approach is highly unlikely to work and so deserves the Indian government's full attention. Particularly as it goes well beyond the issues with Pakistan and is not just a fight for territorial integrity but a role that both these countries will play in the future world. With China winning in the early stages by being a dominant force in the world with a better economic standing which has helped it increase its sphere of influence and make other countries dependent on its support both in strategic and financial terms. OneIndia News Iran fumes over US Supreme Court's order on travel ban, calls it 'racist' and 'unfair' International pti-PTI Tehran, Jun 28: Iran has dubbed the US Supreme Court's decision to reinstate parts of a travel ban applied to six Muslim-majority countries is "racist" and "unfair." Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by a state TV as saying it is "regrettable" that Washington "closes its eyes to the main perpetrators of terrorist acts in the US," without elaborating. The Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to forge ahead with a limited version of his ban on travelers from Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia. The justices will hear full arguments in October in the case. Critics say the ban is intended to meet Trump's campaign promise of keeping Muslims out of the country. The administration says the restrictions are needed to keep out terrorists while it tightens vetting procedures. Trump's executive order issued on March 6 was earlier completely blocked by the lower U.S. courts. But the Supreme Court on Monday ruled there could be partial restrictions placed on refugees. PTI Modi-Trump bonhomie: A loud message for Pakistan and silent one for China International oi-Vicky By Vicky The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had a clear message to both China and Pakistan. While Pakistan was called out for not doing enough to stop cross border terrorism, China got a message without being named. Trump referred to India's salience in the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific region on several occasions. He spoke about the contribution made by India in making sanctions against Pyongyang a success. In all this there was an indirect message to China that it was not doing enough to regin in on North Korea. Trump further spoke about joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean involving Japan, India and America. The statement by Trump comes close on the heels of India buying Guardian drones to monitor Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean. India feels that these were clear signs to China which according to the US was not doing to regin in on countries such as Pakistan and North Korean. Trump has several times expressed displeasure over the lack of Chinese action on Pakistan and North Korea. The China state run newspaper, Global Times is not clearly not impressed with the bonhomie between India and the US. It stated, ''To assume a role as an outpost country in the US' strategy to contain China is not in line with India's interests. It could even lead to catastrophic results." Pakistan too seemed less impressed with the Modi-Trump bonhomie. After US designated Hizbul Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist, Pakistan fumed at the decision. Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said in a statement said, "The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified,.' OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 7:32 [IST] Qatar demand list is non-negotiable, says Saudi FM International pti-PTI Washington, June 28: Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Tuesday said that it there will be no negotiations over a list of its demands on Qatar, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks on the Gulf states crisis. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who was also in Washington yesterday, was unbudging amid attempts by US and Kuwaiti diplomats to mediate the row which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said via Twitter. Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United States though has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable." Shortly after Jubeir's comments, Tillerson met with Qatar's top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He was to meet later with Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, who has sought to work resolve the standoff. State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained "challenging" for Qatar. "Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to," she said. "We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out." Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They have also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. The move placed Washington uncomfortably in the middle, with its close economic and security ties with both sides. Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al- Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. The US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well. PTI Road construction in Sikkim sector 'legitimate': China International oi-PTI Beijing, June 28: China on Wednesday asserted that the road in Sikkim sector was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. China also hinted that India was objecting to its efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have any diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Donglang is part of China's territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesn't belong to Bhutan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told the media here. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesn't belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Taking a dig at India, Lu said Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We don't want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chicken's Neck. China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. Lu said China opened the Nathu La pass in the Sikkim sector in 2015 for Indian pilgrims to visit Kailash because of this. Chinese think tanks speculated that India has stopped the road construction on behalf of Bhutan. Lu last night also had justified the move to construct a road in the Sikkim sector, saying that the area is "undoubtedly" located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty on Sikkim. "According to the treaty, 'zhe' is the ancient name of Sikkim," Lu said. "As per this treaty, the area over which the Indian Army has raised objection is undoubtedly located on the Chinese side of the border," he said yesterday. China had lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim section and demanded their immediate withdrawal. It had also linked future visits of pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar to India "withdrawing the troops" from the area. PTI UNESCO names Sharjah as World Book Capital 2019 International oi-PTI Dubai, June 28: The UNESCO has crowned Sharjah with the prestigious 'the World Book Capital' for 2019 for the quality of its literary and cultural activities and for its efforts to make books accessible to the entire population of the nation. The emirate was selected because of its innovative and inclusive application, with a community-focused activity programme containing creative proposals to engage the very large migrant population, a UNESCO statement said. "I applaud the nomination of Sharjah as the World Book Capital as well as the efforts undertaken by the city in order to make reading available to as many people as possible, in particular the marginalised populations, as a motor for social inclusion, creativity and dialogue," Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova said. The accolade is an important addition to Sharjah's existing portfolio of milestones like, Capital of Arab Culture (1998), Capital of Islamic Culture (2014), and Capital of Arab Tourism (2015). The Sharjah is the first in the GCC and third in the Arab world and Middle East, to have received this recognition. The GCC countries include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Sharjah has been chosen for the quality of its literary and cultural activities, and for its unfailing efforts to make books accessible to the entire population of the nation, the statement said. Sharjah is the 19th city to become World Book Capital. It was preceded by Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Yerevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017) and Athens (2018). Sharjah hosts more than 1,500 publishers from across the world at SIBF. Another premier cultural event is the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF). PTI Two presidents of Venezuela clash over aid; Guaido vows to bring in foreign help in country Venezuelan President says grenade dropped on Supreme Court a terror attack International oi-Vicky By Vicky Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said a helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court on Tuesday in a confusing incident that he claimed was part of a conspiracy to destabilise his socialist government. An Associated Press reporter heard gunfire as a blue helicopter buzzed through downtown but was unable to confirm where the shots were being fired from. The gunfire took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television to pro-government journalists gathered at the presidential palace. He said the chopper fired upon offices of the court and launched a grenade that didn't explode before buzzing over the interior ministry. He said the nation's air defence was activated, thwarting what he called a "terrorist attack" and part of an ongoing coup attempt. "It could've caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured," the President also said. However many on the social media accused the President of trying to spread fear. He is trying to justify the crackdown against Venezuelans seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution, many said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 8:08 [IST] The Smoking Gun 11 Nov 2022 Pair up mug shots with each suspect's alleged crime Examine the booking photos of five arrested individuals and align.. Mediaite 10 Nov 2022 A former senior Trump official has warned that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is in serious trouble for getting.. Bang Media International Limited 03 Jun 2021 Everyone knows the number one rule of a break-up is to cut all contact with your ex. However, when an actor mixes business with.. CBS 2 Chicago 09 Nov 2019 John Escalante took the interim role as top cop in 2016, following the release of the video showing Laquan McDonald's shooting.. Rumble 14 Sep 2022 Retired high ranking FBI agent talks about his findings in his most important investigations since leaving the FBI including The.. Business Wire 16 Dec 2021 ST. IGNATIUS, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Army has selected S&K Aerospace, LLC (SKA) as one of four contractors for a.. /* custom css */ .tdi_59.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_59 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_59.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_59.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_59.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement The Federal Government is determined to deepen local content and reduce importation of products we could produce locally, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has said. Wabote spoke on behalf of the agency and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, at the groundbreaking of the ERASKON 64,000 Litres/ Day Lubricant and Chemical Blending plant and product Launch ceremony in Gbarain, Yenagoa Bayelsa state. /* custom css */ .tdi_58.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_58 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_58.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_58.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_58.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } ERASKON Nigeria Limited is an arm of the ERASKOP industrial and infrastructure conglomerate which includes Erasko Energy Limited and Eraskorp FPSL. According to Wabote, Nigeria currently consumes about 250million liters of engine oils per annum and this consumption grows at more than 5 per cent every year due to the addition of new vehicles and machineries. He however regretted that The in-country blending capacity has remained constant at about 150 million liters showing a shortage of about 100million liters. This shortfall is met by importation of finished lube oil products with the attendant loss of revenue and job opportunities. The NCDMB boss explained that the partnership with ERASKON is line with the agencys mandate to develop local capacity in the oil and gas sector. Section 70(h) of the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010 mandates the Board to assist local contractors and Nigerian companies to develop their capabilities and capacities to further the attainment of the goal of developing Nigerian Content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, he recalled. Wabote commended the vision of ERASKON management in setting the lubricant plant which according to him will provide jobs for over 200 persons and over 800 indirectly. To demonstrate faith in the ERASKON range of lubricants, the local content boss who performed the grounbreaking ceremony on behalf of Sylva directed the use of ERASKO oil and lubricants in all NCDMB vehicles. In his welcome address the Executive Vice Chairman of ERASKORP Nigeria Limited Mr. Maxwell Oko, pointed out that Nigeria consumes about 700 million liters of lubricants yearly accounting for about 20 per cent of Africas total demand. The idea of building a lubricants blending plant follows our determination to contribute to Nigerias industrial development., he said, stressing Lubricants are the lifeline of every engine. Oko commended the partnership ERASKON has with the NCDMB, stating Our confidence was further boosted by our partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) who, from their investment in us, demonstrated a clear commitment to our vision. specifically, this lubricants blending project aims at providing employment, developing local manufacturing capacity and increasing local content participation in the industry. We believe our people can grow better with proper transfer of knowhow and the best way to aid that process is to site companies where such knowhow can be put to use closer to them. We want all Bayelsans, Niger Deltans and indeed Nigerians to see this project as part of our own achievements in commerce and industry. Former President Goodluck Jonathan who performed the products launch congratulated Wabote for supporting Congratulate ERASKONs lubricant project just as he supported the Azikiel Refinery. Jonathan said: Today is a happy day for me. That we are seeing this in Bayelsa. This project will attract other investments and beyond increase the revenue of the state The former president advised other youths in the state to emulate Oko by aatrracting investments to the state. The ERASKON Lubricant and Chemical Blending Plant is built on the 50 ERASKORP Industrial Manufacturing Complex (IMC) in Gbarain, Bayelsa stateThe plant is expected to produce 64,000 litres per day lubricants per day including engine oils, transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids specialized four-wheel-drive products, engine coolants and specialty products such as waxes. The facility also has the capacity to produce industrial chemicals such as drilling and production chemicals as well as Transformer and Turbine Oil, household products such as detergents and aerosols. Its automatic packaging system with a blow molding unit and container-making capabilities ranging from 50ml to 200 litres will not only serve ERASKON but support the growth of other businesses in the region and across the country. Dignitaries at the event include, Chairman Seplat Petroleum, Dr ABC Orjiakor; Bayelsa State Secretary to State Government, Rt Hon Kombowei Benson, Amayanabo of Nembe, HRM King Edmund Daukoru, Mingi XII; President, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Okaba; Chief Ayiri Emami ; Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo ( Bayelsa East); House of Representative member, Hon Preye Oseke, Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency; former Federal Permanent, Secretary Dr Godknows Igali among others. /* custom css */ .tdi_60.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_60 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_60.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_60.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_60.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } JFIF ` ` Exif MM * ; Ji V > CYCLOFOSS53 60 60 2022:03:17 11:21:55 2022:03:17 11:21:55 C Y C L O F O S S 5 3 http://ns.adobe.com/xap/1.0/ 2022-03-17T11:21:55.596 CYCLOFOSS53 C '!%"."%()+,+ /3/*2'*+* C *************************************************** " } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? ~i{N j!hgI$}$AZYYW& ?CY bB9swWZib@YD1ojZLSykIvQ=*L+oN:K{RA8Q^KZl+>z:HK)+G,M0I7y{I.255'~>}OwV *GFzu=*ic%dP^z.Za[ uqI"M{%9+'|3oq u&I y;- w3,6ObRC2:q^!@#wL]'KhnDW c 2X5d_4"ssOqu6B$'U5 %{$//8C' Z5c[gX"([$Z axT?uSNsiYUTr2 9GM/NA^ Fs9uk+}LCUn:q]-{ir* 3rUZnt/c*w[eO*"Pk}t+$H9$ZtC-bb CN!h'\,U{-8E&V.[s$5-m6zTb(PF(7b A!9Q]GejKv-&qj2lrGAF+|}uu7 O9Skj:R5 VO;HBW2|ChtX6ru y- Fo7~HV *]{[7vUR-Z+CBkV8wFy\=+j9/QYk1J$pwgw8s)hS=s)2+.G^s"v The Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) has revealed that the immediate-past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, was arrested on Thursday over alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to N42 billion. EFCC Arrest Willie Obiano KanyiDaily had reported that Obiano was apprehended by EFCC operatives at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos at about 8.30 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, 2022. The former governor, who had been on the watch list of the commission since November 15, 2021, was arrested while trying to board a flight to the United States. The arrest came barely hours after Obiano completed his second term as governor and handed over to Charles Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who was sworn in as the sixth governor of the state on Thursday. Sources at the anti-graft agency said the former governor was transferred from their Lagos office to the agencys headquarters in Abuja for interrogation on Friday morning, March 18. EFCC Reveals Why Obiano Was Arrested According to the EFCC source, the former governor was arrested for misappropriating N5bn Sure-P and N37 billion Security Vote funds, which was withdrawn in cash. The source alleged that Obiano used part of the N42 billion to fund political activities in the state. Willie Obiano was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds, including, N5bn Sure-P and N37billion security vote, which was withdrawn in cash, said the EFCC. Sources said the EFCC is also in possession of other petitions alleging corruption against Obiano. One of such petitions, a source said, alleged massive corruption in the management of the N17bn Paris Club refund to the state. There are also petitions alleging inflated projects, including the Umueri International Airport project whose cost was believed to be exaggerated. The EFCC has been doing its investigations all this while and are convinced that Obiano has a case to answer, adds the source. KanyiDaily recalls that Obiano had been on the watch list of the EFCC after the commission requested the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to inform it anytime the ex-governor is travelling out of the country from any of the international airports, as well as other points of entry and exit. Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York: SkyBridge founder Anthony Scaramucci has finally landed a role in the Trump administration. Politico reported today, that the former hedge fund of funds manager will work at the Export-Import Bank promoting American jobs. The post is an interesting one given recent conservative ire over the existence of the Ex-Im Bank. Conservatives have made efforts to defund the bank, which promotes American interests globally, and Trump himself has called it "excess baggage" in campaign speeches. Former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) is Trump's nominee for bank president, despite the Congressman's previous opposition to the bank while serving in the House. Garrett's confirmation hearing is likely to happen in the next few months. At the SALT Conference earlier this year, Scaramucci said during his public comments that he would always be willing to serve in the Trump administration. He was reportedly promised a role in the Office of Public Liason during the early days of the administration, but that position was rescinded after transition team officials questioned details of Scaramucci's divestment from his firm SkyBridge Capital. Scaramucci also remains in consideration to become ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development....................... To view our full article Click here Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Singapore-based fund management firm APS Asset Management said that most of its hedge funds outperformed their benchmarks in May with its flagship returning APS Japan Alpha Fund 7.93% (gross) during the month compared to the TOPIX Net Index's return of 3.21%, outperforming the index by 4.72 percentage points. The APS Far East Alpha Fund returned 0.90% (gross) during the same period compared to the MSCI Daily TR AC Far East ex Japan Index's return of 4.64%, underperforming the index by -3.74 percentage points. The APS China A Share (Cayman) Fund outperformed the customized benchmark by 3.52 (gross) percentage points. However, the APS Asia Pacific Long Short (Cayman) Fund and the APS Greater China Long/Short Fund registered losses of -0.80% and -2.74% (net) respectively for the month. APS said in its monthly report, "In May, we continued to exploit 'perception gaps' between APS' and the market's assessment of specific stocks. We visited many companies during the month and found clear winners and losers. For example, we initiated a position in NuFlare Technology after our rigorous research suggested that its intrinsic value is substantially above the current market value. On the other hand, we took profit on positions that reached our target price and we will continue to sell off stocks with narrowing 'perception gaps'". The top contributor in May was Digital Arts, ...................... To view our full article Click here Currently: Cash Looking to: Buy @ $46.67 As of 3/19/21 close: $47.99 LAST WEEK: We suggested buying FXI on a dip to $46.67 with stops on a close below $44.70 and with an upside target of taking profits at $55. UPDATE: The iShares China ETF (FXI) drifted lower last week and is on the way to a test of initial support at $46.67. If it holds, we should see a rally to $55. If it breaks, we could see a quick dip to $44.50. Buy dips in FXI to $46.67 with stops on a close below $46 and with an upside target for taking profits at $55. If stopped out, try the longs again at $44.50 with stops below $44. Forever known, it seems, as keeping a stiff upper lip, Stoicismlike its predecessor, Cynicismis an ancient school of Greek philosophy that has been reduced into an attitude, a pose rather than a way of life. We do this to our philosophies, writes Lary Wallace at Aeon, We redraft their contours based on projected shadows, or give them a cartoonish shape like a caricaturist emphasizing all the wrong features. We do this especially to schools as obscure to most people as Stoicism and Cynicism. In reality, however, writes Massimo Pigliucci at The Stone, practicing Stoicism is not really that different from, say, practicing Buddhism (or even certain forms of modern Christianity): it is a mix of reflecting on theoretical precepts, reading inspirational texts, and engaging in meditation, mindfulness, and the like. Would the ancient Stoics have agreed with this assessment? In the short TED-Ed lesson above, written by Pigliucci and animated by Compote Collective, we learn about Zeno of Cyprus, stranded miles from home, with no money or possessions. Destitute and shipwrecked in Athens around 300 BCE, the once-wealthy merchant discovered Socrates, and decided to seek out and study with the citys noted philosophers. Zeno then taught his own students the principles of virtue, tolerance, and self-control that underlie Stoic philosophy (called so for the porch (stoa poikile) in the Agora at Athens where the group congregated). Although the ability to remain calm and composed in a crisisthe quality most associated with Stoicismoccupies a prominent place in Stoic thought, it is centrally concerned with two questions. As the site 99u puts it, Stoics ask: 1. How can we lead a fulfilling, happy life? and 2. How can we become better human beings? In brief, we do so not by obeying or submitting to some kind of capricious divine will, but by attending to the rational structure of the universe, the Logos, an intricate web of cause and effect that determines the world as it is, not as we would like it to be. The Stoic cultivates four virtuesWisdom, Temperance, Justice, and Courageand the character recommended by Stoic philosophy makes it plain why Star Treks Mr. Spock, as Pigliucci notes, was actually modeled after [Gene Roddenberrys]mistakenunderstanding of Stoicism. Given Stoicisms concern with happiness and virtue, we might expect Alain de Bottons School of Life to be an advocate, and we would be right. In the animated introduction to Stoicism above, de Botton assures viewers you need more of it in your life. Why? Because life is difficult, and Stoicism is helpful, for commoners and aristocrats alike. Indeed the most famous of Stoic philosophers, Marcus Aurelius, was Emperor of Rome from 161 to 180 CE. Considered one of the greatest works of ancient thought, Aurelius Meditations is also perhaps one of the most accessible of philosophical texts. In plain, straightforward language, the emperor-philosopher recommends a series of Greco-Roman virtues, and gives credit to his many teachers. In book two, he writes, Why should any of these things that happen externally, so much distract thee? Give thyself leisure to learn some good thing, and cease roving and wandering to and fro. Thou must also take heed of another kind of wandering, for they are idle in their actions, who toil and labour in this life, and have no certain scope to which to direct all their motions, and desires. In other words, rather than suffering in courageous silencethe caricature of StoicismAurelius distills much of its essence to this: Dont worry about what you cant control, find good work to do, and do it well and wisely. Related Content: Free Online Philosophy Courses Alain de Bottons School of Life Presents Animated Introductions to Heidegger, The Stoics & Epicurus A Guide to Happiness: Alain de Botton Shows How Six Great Philosophers Can Change Your Life Free Courses in Ancient History, Literature & Philosophy Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness. Automotive Lead Acid Battery Market Slated to Surpass US$ 33.14 Bn in Revenues During 2016 - 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1482 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-1482 www.futuremarketinsights.com Asia Pacifics robust automotive sector will continue to create sustained demand for lead acid batteries. Globally, the automotive lead acid battery market is expected to increase at 4.2% CAGR during 2016 - 2026 and surpass US$ 33.14 Bn in revenues. These insights are featured in a new report Automotive Lead Acid Battery Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016 - 2026 by Future Market Insights (FMI).Lead acid batteries are widely used for starting, lighting, and ignition purposes in automobiles. Stable growth in automotive production, promising vehicle sales outlook in developing economies, and expanding size of fleet on road are expected to fuel demand for lead acid batteries during the forecast period. Technological advancements in powertrains and carbon emission reduction; and growth in wireless charging infrastructure are other key factors expected to drive growth of the automotive lead acid battery market during the forecast period.Request For Sample@Automotive Lead Acid Battery Market SegmentationFMIs report offers a 10-year market forecast on the lead acid battery market, segmenting the market on the basis of sales channel, vehicle type, battery type, and region. Region-wise, the report has analysed the automotive lead acid battery market in the five regions of Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Asia Pacific is the largest market for automotive lead acid batteries, accounting for nearly 33% revenue share in 2015. FMI expects the Asia Pacific automotive lead acid battery market to increase at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Demand for lead acid batteries in the region is driven by steady growth in vehicle parc in China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.Market Projections Based on SegmentationSales Channel (OEM, Aftermarket): The aftermarket segment accounted for higher revenue share in 2015; FMI estimates the aftermarket segment to witness higher CAGR than the OEM segment.Vehicle Type (Passenger Vehicles, Light Commercial Vehicles): FMI estimates the passenger vehicle segment to increase at 4.4% CAGR through 2026.Send An Enquiry@Battery Type (Flooded, Enhanced Flooded, AGM): Currently, flooded batteries are sought after by both OEMs and vehicle owners. However, during the forecast period, enhanced flooded and AGM batteries will steadily gain traction owing to their advanced features.The key players profiled by FMI in this report include Enersys Inc., Johnson Control Inc., GS Yuasa Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Leoch International Technology Ltd., Exide Technologies, East Penn Manufacturing Company, CBS Battery Technologies, Exide Industries, and FIAMM SpA.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Saudi Arabia Pharmaceutical Market to Reach at a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gc-1733 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gc-1733 www.futuremarketinsights.com The significant rise in lifestyle-related diseases and the developments in healthcare infrastructure are expected to influence the demand for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia. In 2016, the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is anticipated to procure value worth US$ 5,209.5 Mn at a y-o-y growth of 6.0 % over 2015. The mounting demand for branded drug products will continue to incite the growth of the Saudi Arabian pharmaceutical market in 2016.The demand for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia is expected to register substantial growth owing to the increasing penetration of health insurance companies and the rising incidence rate of non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, the exceptional rise in the per capita income of Saudi Arabia is also expected to foster the demand for branded pharmaceutical drugs. Another key factor driving the growth of the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is the countrys strategic move to allow 100% FDI in the pharmaceuticals sector. Although, the shortage of profound indigenous research capacity in the pharmaceutical industry and the delayed registration of drug and medicine patents is expected to limit the expansion of the market in 2016 and beyond.Request For Sample@Based on the product type, the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is expected to witness an upsurge in the prescription-type branded drug products. In terms of market value, the branded drugs are estimated to reach US$ 2,760.8 Mn by 2016-end. The demand for generic drugs is projected to secure steady growth, attributing to the insisting promotion of generic drug adoption by healthcare insurance providers.On the basis of the diseases, the pharmaceutical drugs used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases will continue exhibiting robust growth in 2016. The demand for cardiovascular medications will continue to surge due to the prominence of circulatory disorders in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the rising prevalence of disorders related to body sugar levels is expected to make diabetes a rapidly growing disease-based sub-segment in the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market.The pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is also segmented on the basis of distribution channel, where retail pharmacies will continue to account for 80% market share compared to hospital pharmacies. The westernised modernisation of retail pharmacies in Saudi Arabia has led to the availability of a wide range drugs and medicinal products, thereby attaining a considerable growth in the retail pharmacy sub-segment in 2016 and further.Send An Enquiry@The rising resource potential in Saudi Arabia is projected to positively reform the production environment for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In order to expand the markets size, structuring alliances with well-established native companies is predicted to be a key strategy for global pharmaceutical leaders. The key players in the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market include Novartis AG, SPIMACO, Pfizer Inc., and Glaxosmithkline plc., Jamjoom Pharma, and Tabuk Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Co. among others.Long-term Outlook: The Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period 2016-2026. In terms of market value, the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be worth US$ 12,281.4 Mn by the end of forecast period.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1191910&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-building-energy-management-services-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com This report studies the global Building Energy Management Services market, analyzes and researches the Building Energy Management Services development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeDaintree NetworksEFSEmrill Services LLCEMSEnovaEtisalat Facilities Management LLCFarnek Middle East LLCSaudi OgerTraneSamama HoldingMusanadahCylonCM3 Building Solutions, IncFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Building Energy Management Services can be split intoConsultingSystem IntegrationMaintenance and SupportMarket segment by Application, Building Energy Management Services can be split intoCommercial BuildingsResidential BuildingsEducationHealthcareObtain Report Details @Table of ContentsGlobal Building Energy Management Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Building Energy Management Services1.1 Building Energy Management Services Market Overview1.1.1 Building Energy Management Services Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Building Energy Management Services Market by Type1.3.1 Consulting1.3.2 System Integration1.3.3 Maintenance and Support1.4 Building Energy Management Services Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Commercial Buildings1.4.2 Residential Buildings1.4.3 Education1.4.4 Healthcare2 Global Building Energy Management Services Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Building Energy Management Services Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Daintree Networks3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 EFS3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Emrill Services LLC3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 EMS3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Enova3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Etisalat Facilities Management LLC3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Farnek Middle East LLC3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Saudi Oger3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Trane3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Samama Holding3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Musanadah3.12 Cylon3.13 CM3 Building Solutions, Inc4 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Building Energy Management Services in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Building Energy Management Services5 United States Building Energy Management Services Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Building Energy Management Services Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Building Energy Management Services Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Global Advanced HVAC Control Market 2017 Analysis,Opportunities and Growth Forecast To 2021 Advanced HVAC Control Industry https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/790665-global-advanced-hvac-control-forecast-to-2021 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/790665-global-advanced-hvac-control-forecast-to-2021 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=790665 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEGrh5nnB7C6Vg4CgpuzBPw www.wiseguyreports.com Advanced HVAC ControlWiseGuyReports.com adds Advanced HVAC Control Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 to its Database.Report ScenarioThe programmable HVAC controls are devices which are programmable, thats meaning the direct digital control program code may be gb0customized for the intended use. The program features include time schedules, setpoints, controllers, logic, timers, trend logs, and alarms. Customers can change the options depend on their needs.The smart HVAC controls are intelligent devices, which are considered the decision makers of the HVAC system. These devices give command to the heat pump for temperature control and control the flow of air. It also defines the temperature to be set according to the weather condition outside the building environment and communicate with the user accordingly the cost effectiveness of the system in terms of energy usage.Check Sample Report@Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Advanced HVAC Control in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversNestSchneiderHoneywellJohnson ControlsTraneSiemensSalusEmersonEcobeeOjelectronicsReginLennoxKMC ControlsSauterDelta ControlsDistech ControlsMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversProgrammable HVAC ControlSmart HVAC ControlOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommercialResidentialOthersThere are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Advanced HVAC Control market.Chapter 1, to describe Advanced HVAC Control Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Advanced HVAC Control, with sales, revenue, and price of Advanced HVAC Control, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Advanced HVAC Control, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Advanced HVAC Control market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Advanced HVAC Control sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.For any Enquiry or special requirement related to Advanced HVAC Control you can write us @Table of ContentGlobal Advanced HVAC Control Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 20211 Market Overview1.1 Advanced HVAC Control Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Programmable HVAC Control1.2.2 Smart HVAC Control1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Commercial1.3.2 Residential1.3.3 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA1.4.1.2 Canada1.4.1.3 Mexico1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany1.4.2.2 France1.4.2.3 UK1.4.2.4 Russia1.4.2.5 Italy1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China1.4.3.2 Japan1.4.3.3 Korea1.4.3.4 India1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil1.4.4.2 Egypt1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia1.4.4.4 South Africa1.4.4.5 Nigeria1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Nest2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Advanced HVAC Control Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Nest Advanced HVAC Control Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.2 Schneider2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Advanced HVAC Control Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Schneider Advanced HVAC Control Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.3 Honeywell2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Advanced HVAC Control Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Honeywell Advanced HVAC Control Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.4 Johnson Controls2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Advanced HVAC Control Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Johnson Controls Advanced HVAC Control Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.5 Trane2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Advanced HVAC Control Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Trane Advanced HVAC Control Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market ShareContinued.You can Buy @Subscribe Our Youtube Channel @CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. 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We boast a database spanning virtually every category and an even more comprehensive collection of research reports under these categories and sub-categoriesOffice No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028 Maharashtra, India Ocean Freight Forwarding 2017 Global Key Players DB Schenker Logistics, Sinotrains, Panalpina, Nippon Express, CEVA Logistics Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Ocean Freight Forwarding Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1256821-global-ocean-freight-forwarding-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1256821-global-ocean-freight-forwarding-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=1256821 Ocean Freight Forwarding Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Ocean Freight Forwarding Market -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report studies the global Ocean Freight Forwarding market, analyzes and researches the Ocean Freight Forwarding development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeDHL Supply Chain &Globe forwardingKuehne+NageiDB Schenker LogisticsSinotrainsPanalpinaNippon ExpressCEVA LogisticsExpeditors InternationalUSP Supply Chain SolutionsSDVDSVKintetsu World ExpressAgilityPantos LogisticsC.H.RobinsonHellmann Worldwide LogisticsDamcoKerry LogisticsUni WorldwideYusen LogisticsToll HoldingsGeodisLogwinSankyuBDP InternationalAll CargoRequest for Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Ocean Freight Forwarding can be split intoType 1Type 2Type 3Market segment by Application, Ocean Freight Forwarding can be split intoFor IndividualsFor CorporationsComplete Report Details@Table of Content:Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Ocean Freight Forwarding1.1 Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Overview1.1.1 Ocean Freight Forwarding Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Ocean Freight Forwarding Market by Type1.3.1 Type 11.3.2 Type 21.3.3 Type 31.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 For Individuals1.4.2 For Corporations2 Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 DHL Supply Chain &Globe forwarding3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Kuehne+Nagei3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 DB Schenker Logistics3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Sinotrains3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Panalpina3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Nippon Express3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 CEVA Logistics3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Expeditors International3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 USP Supply Chain Solutions3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 SDV3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Ocean Freight Forwarding Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 DSV3.12 Kintetsu World Express3.13 Agility3.14 Pantos Logistics3.15 C.H.Robinson3.16 Hellmann Worldwide Logistics3.17 Damco3.18 Kerry Logistics3.19 Uni Worldwide3.20 Yusen Logistics3.21 Toll Holdings3.22 Geodis3.23 Logwin3.24 Sankyu3.25 BDP International3.26 All CargoBuy this report @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Global Amide-imide Resins Industry 2017 Market Research Report http://qyresearcheurope.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com/ SummaryIn this report, the global Amide-imide Resins market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Amide-imide Resins in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Amide-imide Resins market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingDIC CorporationSun Chemical...On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLinear Amide-Imide ResinBranched Amide-Imide ResinOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Amide-imide Resins for each application, includingInter-Layer InsulatorsBuild-Up MaterialsInks for Ink-JetsFlame RetardantsOtherThe Global Amide-imide Resins Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Amide-imide Resins industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Amide-imide Resins market analysis is provided for the international market including competitive landscape analysis, and major regionsdevelopment status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (America, Europe and China), and other regions can be added.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Sample request,please email: josephine@qyresearch.comTable of Contents1 Industry Overview of Amide-imide Resins2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Amide-imide Resins3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Amide-imide Resins4 Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Amide-imide Resins by Regions and Manufacturers5 Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Amide-imide Resins by Regions and Manufacturers6 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Amide-imide Resins by Regions and Applications7 Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Amide-imide Resins8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Amide-imide Resins9 Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Amide-imide Resins10 Industry Chain Analysis of Amide-imide ResinsMain chapter showed:4 Global Amide-imide Resins Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.1 Global Amide-imide Resins Consumption by Regions (2011-2016)4.2 North America Amide-imide Resins Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.3 Europe Amide-imide Resins Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)5 Global Amide-imide Resins Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Amide-imide Resins Production and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)5.2 Global Amide-imide Resins Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)Thank you for reading the essay.If you are interested in it or have any questions,plesase contact me.QYRESEARCH CO., LTDJosephine Luo - QYResearch Report Global SalesEmail: josephine@qyresearch.comWeb:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou City Guangdong Province 510610 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Market Set to Record Exponential Growth by 2022 http://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1130078 http://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1130078 http://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-nickel-niobium-alloy-sales-market-report-2017/1130078 http://www.researchtrades.com The study on Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales industry makes a detailed analysis of the upstream raw materials demand, downstream client demand and future industry growth prospects. 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StarckCOMETAL, S.A.KBM AffilipsWestbrook ResourcesAMG SuperalloyMetalinkBHN...Buy a copy of this report for single user price of $ 4000 @On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K MT), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/MT), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoNiNb63NiNb65NiNb60OthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Nickel Niobium Alloy for each application, includingNuclear IndustrySteel IndustryAutomation DeviceOthersTable of Contents:1 Nickel Niobium Alloy Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Nickel Niobium Alloy1.2 Classification of Nickel Niobium Alloy by Product Category1.2.1 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 NiNb631.2.4 NiNb651.2.5 NiNb601.2.6 Others1.3 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Nuclear Industry1.3.3 Steel Industry1.3.4 Automation Device2 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Nickel Niobium Alloy (Volume) by Application3 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Nickel Niobium Alloy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Nickel Niobium Alloy Sales Volume and Market Share by Application.....View this report @Who we are:Research Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approach, thus providing valuable research insights.Reach at us:Address: Flat No.10, Wing C, S. No. 245/4/2+245/5/1, Baner, Pune-411045Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +91 7507349866Skype ID: researchtradesconWeb: Global Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com SummaryThe Global Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Center Pivot Irrigation Materials industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Center Pivot Irrigation Materials market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Center Pivot Irrigation Materials industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):T-L Irrigation CompanyAlkhorayef GroupLindsay CorporationValmont Industries, Inc.BAUER GmbHVodar (Tianjin) Co., LtdPierce CorporationReinke Manufacturing Company, Inc.Roehren- und PumpenwerkGrupo FockinkRainfine (Dalian) Irrigation Co.Ltd.Key Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation Materials by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation Materials by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation Materials by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Center Pivot Irrigation MaterialsChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017India Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017China Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Center Pivot Irrigation Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU)ernational Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Li-Fi Market to hit $75.5bn by 2023 https://www.fractovia.org/request-sample/184 https://www.fractovia.org According to the new research report (Light Fidelity) Li-Fi Market Size By Component (Microcontroller, Photodetector, LED), By Application (Indoor Networking, Aerospace, Automotive, Healthcare, Location Based Services, Underwater Communication, Defense & Security, Intrinsically Safe Environments), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., UK, Germany), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2023. by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Li-Fi Market size is anticipated to reach USD 75.5 billion by 2023; driven by network availability.Li-Fi technology is conquering the information communication world due to rising demand for better communication services in terms of bandwidth, efficiency, affordability and security. Li-Fi works by using the visible light emitted from the LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) to transmit high speed data with lower interference and larger bandwidth.A potential spectrum crisis has been put forward as a matter of concern by the US Federal Communications Commission. The reason for this was high data demand, which has made the Wi-Fi close to full capacity. Moreover, the Wi-Fi communication channel is more prone to hacking and works on radio waves which has been pointed out as a health and environmental concern. This has led to the focus been shifted towards a better communication channel known as Li-Fi.Request for a sample of this research report @In the coming years, there shall be a noticeable growth in the Li-Fi market size owing to factors like no bandwidth limitations, RF spectrum bandwidth crunch, and lesser energy consumption. This will dominate the usage of older communication technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and WiMax. However, lack of awareness, high installation cost, and limited network coverage may hamper the industry growth.Li-Fi market can be segmented on the basis of its applications which include Indoor Networking, Aerospace, Healthcare, Automotive, Underwater Communication, Location Based Services, Intrinsically Safe Environment, and Defense & Security.Li-Fi industry share in the intrinsically safe environment segment will grow at a CAGR over 88% during 2016-2023 primarily due to the health and environmental concerns which may be hampered by the Wi-Fi usage. Healthcare application segment is estimated to exceed USD 2.6 Billion by 2023. Factors like absence of radio waves which makes this technology environment and health friendly coupled with high speed data transmission enabling patients data to be shared across different departments at a very high speed will drive the segment growth. Additionally, location based services segment, which contributed towards 40% of the global revenue in 2015 is expected to register a CAGR of 79.5% over the period of 2016-2023.Li-Fi components comprises of LED, Microcontroller, and Photodetector. LED market is expected to cross USD 33 Billion by 2023 at a growth rate of 79 % over the period of 2016-23 driven by increasing regulations pertaining to energy efficiency. Photodetector segment, which comprised of 30% of the overall market share in 2015 will also see significant growth in the coming years.High demand for wireless communications will enhance the growth of this technology across the globe. Asia Pacific Li-Fi market, which had a revenue of approx. USD 185 million in 2015, is forecast to be the leading region over the coming years, according to Global Market Insights Inc. This is on account of high internet connectivity demand along with poor radio communication infrastructure in rural regions of co untries like India.The US Li-Fi market share is expected to grow at a CAGR of 78 % over 2016-2023, having been valued at approx. USD 190 million in 2015. In the Middle East, UAE based technology company Zero.1 in partnership with telecommunication service provider du will soon launch Li-Fi service in Dubai.Key Industry participants in the Li-Fi market are PureLifi, Philips, GE, LVX, Oledcomm, etc. The technology demands an advanced product portfolio which is encouraging strategic alliances and mergers & acquisitions amongst the corporate firms. The applications of this technology shall pave a way for the players to gain profitability by redesigning and expanding their product landscape. Some major opportunities in the Li-Fi industry shall be witnessed in the coming years in the areas like smart LED lighting for commercial buildings and private homes, smart lightening of public areas like stations & airports, smart stores, traffic updates from traffic lights and route management in railways etc.About Fractovia.orgFractovia.org is one of India's leading in-house and free news portal. It is fully automated, and operates on a constant premise, interfacing with news sites and offering redesigned breaking features to readers across the globe. Our mission is to offer individuals opportunities for connections with news writers and distributors which they can pursue. We operate by mapping articles pertaining to breaking news, constantly and progressively, against a pre-determined word-based theme, offering important connections to readers and clients, as well as distributers.Contact us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAFractovia.orgPhone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@fractovia.orgWebsite: Europe Foodservice Disposables Distribution Systems Market to Cross US$ 2,225.2 Mn by 2022 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/europe-foodservice-disposables-distribution-systems-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10807 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/europe-foodservice-disposables-distribution-systems-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com On the basis of type, the Europe foodservice disposables distribution market has been segmented into tableware disposables, finger food disposables, and durable plastic glasses. The tableware disposables segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 85.8% in 2015 and is projected to maintain its dominance through 2022. Increasing number of cafes and takeaway formats is supporting the segment growth in the foodservice disposable distribution system market. The tableware disposable segment is further sub-segmented into plates, bowls & tubs, cutlery, trays and containers, and cups and mugs. The plate segment accounted for the significant share in 2014 and is estimated to be valued at US$ 732.2 Mn by 2022, expanding at a CAGR of 5.5% over 2016 - 2022.According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Europe Market Study on Foodservice Disposables Distribution Systems: Impelled By Increasing Number of On the Go Consumers, Coupled With Rapid Growth of the Quick Service Restaurants, Over the Forecast Period 2016 - 2022, the europe foodservice disposables distribution systems market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,590.9 Mn by the end of 2015 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.9% over 2016 - 2022 in terms of value, to reach a market value of US$ 2,225.2 Mn by 2022.The Europe (U.K. Spain, France & Switzerland) foodservice disposables distribution systems market is driven by increasing adoption of the on the go lifestyle and increasing initiatives taken by the various food disposables manufacturers to introduce food disposables with creative designs. Moreover, collaboration of various distributors with manufacturers that offer foodservice disposable products is another key factor expected to drive market growth of the food service disposables market in the region over the forecast period.Browse Complete Report @On the basis of end use, the market is segmented into hotel & other accommodation facilities, restaurants, cafe and bistros, bars & pubs, clubs, institutions, and foodservice providers/caterers. The restaurants segment is estimated to account for the highest value share by 2015 end and expected to remain the most dominant segment over the forecast period. The restaurants segment was valued at US$ 341.5 Mn in 2014 and is estimated to be valued at US$ 526.8 Mn by 2022, expanding at a CAGR of 5.6% over 2016 - 2022.In terms of distribution channel, the market has been segmented into wholesalers, hypermarket/supermarkets, cash & carry, logistic providers, distributors, and online. The cash & carry segment is projected to exhibit the highest growth over 20162022. The cash & carry segment was valued at US$ 326.3 Mn in 2014 and is estimated to be valued at US$ 494.9 Mn by 2022, expanding at a CAGR of 5.3% over 20162022.A sample of this report is available upon request @The report provides in-depth information about the various trends driving each segment and provides analysis and insights about the foodservice disposables distribution system market in specific countries.The U.K. market accounted for the significant volume share of 42.6% of the Europe foodservice disposables market in 2014.Request to view table of content @Key players in Europe foodservice disposables distribution system market that are covered in the report include Dispo International, EFG Foodservice, First Pack, Go-Pak Group, ITP Imports Ltd. (Discount Wholesale), Mashers, MBS Wholesale Ltd, Party & Paper Solutions Ltd., Pattersons UK, and Sustainable Disposables Trading BV (SD Trading).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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market is Set to Garner Staggering Revenues by 2022 http://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1131465 http://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1131465 http://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-cardiac-surgery-instruments-sales-market-report-2017/1131465 http://www.researchtrades.com Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Industry 2017 offers an in-depth analysis overview of the industry dynamics, current and future market trends, profile of key manufacturers, detailed segmentation and forecast along with the strategies adopted by key market players to consolidate their market positions. The analysis covers key industry parameters in terms of market definition, classification of the product.In this report, the global Cardiac Surgery Instruments market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Ask sample copy for this report @Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Cardiac Surgery Instruments for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaBuy a copy of this report for single user price of $ 4000 @Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Cardiac Surgery Instruments sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAesculap AGB. Braun Melsungen AGTeleflex IncorporatedMedline Industries, Inc.Kls Martin GroupSklar Surgical InstrumentsScanlan InternationalStilleSontec InstrumentsRumex International CorporationOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoClampsScalpelsScissorsNeedle HoldersSurgery SawsHemostatic ForcepsOtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Cardiac Surgery Instruments for each application, includingHospitalsAmbulatory Surgery CentersOthersKey elements for this report:1 Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Cardiac Surgery Instruments1.2 Classification of Cardiac Surgery Instruments by Product Category1.2.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Clamps1.2.4 Scalpels1.2.5 Scissors1.2.6 Needle Holders1.2.7 Surgery Saws1.2.8 Hemostatic Forceps1.2.9 Other1.3 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Ambulatory Surgery Centers1.3.4 Others1.4 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market by Region1.4.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Cardiac Surgery Instruments Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Cardiac Surgery Instruments Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Cardiac Surgery Instruments (Volume) by Application3 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Cardiac Surgery Instruments Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationView this report @Who we are:Research Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approach, thus providing valuable research insights.Reach at us:Address: Flat No.10, Wing C, S. No. 245/4/2+245/5/1, Baner, Pune-411045Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +91 7507349866Skype ID: researchtradesconWeb: Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Market Players and Regional Data Coverage Report of 2017 Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Market http://emarketorg.com/pro/global-polycarboxylate-superplasticizer-market-research-report-2017/ http://emarketorg.com/product-enquiry/?product-id=93503 https://twitter.com/emarketorg The Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Research Report Forecast 2017-2022 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis.For this report, the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market value is provided for 2016 in USD millions, an expected CAGR % as well as USD million worth of industry in 2022. Regionally, the globe is segmented into United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and India to study their market size and local analysis. End user applications of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market covering Commercial Concrete,Pre-cast Concrete Units and Others are studied in this research. Share of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market is covered by applications as well supported with potential applications in the future.Buy the complete Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer report with Comprehensive table of contents @The research methodology used to estimate and forecast the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market involves a primary and a secondary research. A systematic procedure has been used to arrive at the global size of the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market and present revenue of key players in the market. Accurate data has been collected by conducting extensive interviews with people holding key decision making positions in the industry such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and executives.Inquire for discount for this report @Industry chain analysis covering upstream raw materials and equipments of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market, their suppliers' information as well as analysis of downstream major consumers for Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer is provided to understand the complete industry chain structure. Overall market analyzed in this report is divided by regions, types and manufacturers/companies. The research estimates 2017-2022 Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market development trends covering capacity, production and revenue forecasts as well as regional supply consumption forecasts.Towards the end, this report includes a feasibility analysis of New Project Investment covering SWOT analysis of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer OR marketing strategy analysis and market effect factor analysis. Overall, the report provides factual insights collected and analyzed with detailed primary and secondary research on Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market.The research compiles profiles of small and big Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market companies covering their product details as well as important statistics on production, capacity, price and more. These active companies' numbers are supported with information on marketing traders and/or distributors of the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer industry along with their contact information. This data gives valuable industry insights and direction to individuals and/or companies that are new entrants, eyeing to enter or grow in the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer market. Some of the Key vendors profiled in this research include: Sika BASF Grace Arkema Arkema Sobute New Material Mapei Kao Chemicals Takemoto KZJ New Materials Shijiazhuang Yucai Liaoning Kelong Shangdong Huawei Huangteng Chemical Euclid Chemical Tianjing Feilong Wushan Building Materials Jilong Shanxi KaidiPartial list of Tables and Figures for this report include:Table Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)Table 2016 Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Revenue Share by ManufacturersTable 2017 Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Revenue Share by ManufacturersTable Global Market Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Average Price (USD/MT) of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)Figure Global Market Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Average Price (USD/MT) of Key Manufacturers in 2016Table Manufacturers Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Manufacturing Base DistributionTable Manufacturers Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Sales AreaFigure Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Market Share of Top 3 ManufacturersFigure Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Market Share of Top 5 ManufacturersTable Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Capacity (K MT) by Regions (2012-2017)Table Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Capacity Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Capacity Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Capacity Market Share by RegionsTable Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Production (K MT) by Regions (2012-2017)Table Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Production and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Production Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Global Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Production Market Share by RegionsAbout Us:eMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date.Contact Details:Ronald Aldensales@emarketorg.cominfo@emarketorg.comeMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date.Starting with market research reports, eMarketOrg.com plans to add conferences, knowledge products, which can be periodically subscribed to, and more to its range of business offerings. Spread across the globe, our network of partners, in collaboration with our service specialists, ensure that our clients receive the right product, service and/or solution that meet their requirements in convenient timelines and within comfortable budgets that neither go underutilized nor dig a big hole into their monthly, quarterly and/or yearly spends.Get in touch with us to experience a new one-stop market intelligence and business service.F/3, 4A Bharat Pushpa Apt.,Subhash Nagar, Shukrawar Peth,Pune 411002 Global Data Center Market 2016-2020 - Amazon Web Services, Google, Equinix, Digital Realty, Microsoft, Apple, AT&T http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=768154 http://www.researchmoz.us/global-data-center-market-2016-2020-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Latest Research Report titled " Global Data Center Market 2016-2020 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.Data centers are established by either large-scale enterprises or firms offering cloud-based services. Enterprises build colocation and managed hosting data center facilities and rent them to other large enterprises and SMEs. With the evolution of cloud computing and increased use of big data analytics, more data centers that can cater to the growing computing requirement of enterprises need to be built.The global data center market to grow at a CAGR of 10.72% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global data center market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report uses revenue generated from the capital expenditure (CAPEX).The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Data Center Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Amazon Web Services (AWS)- Google- Equinix- Digital Realty- MicrosoftOther prominent vendors- 21Vianet Group- Alibaba- Apple- AT&T- Century Link- China Mobile- China Telecom- China Unicom- CSC- Facebook- Global- IBM- Level 3 Communication- NTT- PEER 1 Hosting- Rackspace- Singtel- Switch- Verizon- ZayoMarket driver- Need for colocation and managed service data centers- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Rise in construction and installation costs- For a full, detailed list, view our reportBrowse more details at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Global Cheese Market to grow at a CAGR of 4.21% during 2016-2020 - Key Market Players Analysis http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=768167 http://www.researchmoz.us/global-cheese-market-2016-2020-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Latest Research Report titled " Global Cheese Market 2016-2020 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.One pound of cheese contains 10 pounds of milk, making it nutrient rich, especially protein and calcium. The taste and texture of cheese vary depending on the source of milk and the duration for which it is aged. Natural cheese, as the name suggests, contains no additives. Processed cheese is natural cheese with salt, whey, and emulsifiers added. Processed cheese cannot be labeled as cheese as it contains close to 51% additives. Real cheese has more milk content and low moisture content.The global cheese market to grow at a CAGR of 4.21% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global cheese market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the retail sales of cheese in terms of revenue and volume.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- Europe- MEAGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Cheese Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Arla Foods- Savencia- The Lactalis Group- The Kraft Heinz Company- Fonterra- FrieslandCampinaOther prominent vendors- Almarai- Associated Milk Producers- Bega Cheese Limited- Bel Group- Bletsoe Cheese- Brunkow Cheese Factory- Burnett Dairy Cheese- Cady Cheese Factory- Dupont Cheese- DMK Deutsches Milchkontor- Emmi- Fromageries Bel- GCMMF-Amul- Hatsun- Hook's Cheese Company- Kraft- Mother Dairy- Parag Milk Foods- Saputo- Sargento FoodsBrowse more details at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Farm Mechanization Market in India 2016-2020 - Harvester, Laser land leveller, Power tiller, Rice transplanter, Tractor http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=768156 http://www.researchmoz.us/farm-mechanization-market-in-india-2016-2020-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Latest Research Report titled " Farm Mechanization Market in India 2016-2020 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.The global farm mechanization market is largely dependent on agricultural land and farm output. Global agricultural production affects the market substantially as it grows in tandem with the demand for food. However, in various phases, the global agricultural production has slowed down in recent years as the demand for agricultural products has decreased. Recent environmental changes are also significantly affecting global agricultural productionThe farm mechanization market in India to grow at a CAGR of 7.53% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the farm mechanization market in India for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of tractors, harvesters, power tillers, rice transplanters, and laser land levelers.The market is divided into the following segments based on product:- Harvester- Laser land leveller- Power tiller- Rice transplanter- TractorGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Farm Mechanization Market in India 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- John Deere- Mahindra- TAFE- International TractorsOther prominent vendors- AGCO- Beri Udyog- CLAAS- CNH Industrial- Daedong Industrial- Escorts Group- Fotol Lovol- Kubota Tractors- KUHN Group- LEMKEN India- McCormick- Pttinger- SDF GroupMarket driver- Growing demand-supply gap in agricultural sector- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Uncertainties in global market and weather conditions- For a full, detailed list, view our reportBrowse more details at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Global Home Appliance Market 2017 - Haier (GE), Whirlpool, Midea, Panasonic, Arcelik, SAMSUNG, SONY, LG, BSH https://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/68597/request-sample https://goo.gl/HezNM5 www.fiormarkets.com www.albaniantimes.com "Home appliance is electrical/mechanical machine which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into: major appliances, small appliances, and consumer electronics.Major home appliances spans a variety of devices comprising refrigeration appliances, home laundry appliances, dishwashing appliances, air-conditioning appliances, large and small cooking appliances."Request For Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Home Appliance in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversHaier (GE)WhirlpoolMideaPanasonicArcelikSAMSUNGSONYLGBSHHisenceElectroluxPhilipsGreeTCLChanghongSKYWORTHMelingMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversKitchen AppliancesRefrigeratorsWashing MachinesTelevisionsAir ConditionersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIn Store (Offline)OnlineAccess Full Report With TOC @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Home Appliance market.Chapter 1, to describe Home Appliance Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Home Appliance, with sales, revenue, and price of Home Appliance, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Home Appliance, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Home Appliance market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Home Appliance sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-108, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Global Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com SummaryThe Global Pet Food Flavors Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Pet Food Flavors industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Pet Food Flavors market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Pet Food Flavors industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):Kerry GroupSymrise AGGivaudanFirmenichFrutarom IndustriesHasegawa Co.Wild Flavors IncTakasago International CorpSensient Technologies CorporationInternational Flavors & Fragrance Inc.Huabao InternationalKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Pet Food Flavors by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Pet Food Flavors by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Pet Food Flavors by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Pet Food FlavorsChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Pet Food Flavors Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017India Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017China Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Pet Food Flavors Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.dia ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU)ernational Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Global Mannequins Market 2017 - ABC Mannequins, Cofrad, Bonami, Larosaitaly, Shenzhen Huaqi https://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/68599/request-sample https://goo.gl/yaTJSE www.fiormarkets.com www.albaniantimes.com A mannequin (also called a manikin, dummy, lay figure or dress form) is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others especially to display or fit clothing.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Mannequins in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversABC MannequinsCofradGlobal Display Projects LimitedBonamiLarosaitalyShenzhen HuaqiNew John Nissen Mannequins S.A.Mondo MannequinsPentherformes GroupWindow MannequinsHans BoodtRetailmentBonaveriAlmaxGoldsmithBernstein DisplayAtrezzoNorlaine (subsidiary Patina)Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversMale mannequinsFemale mannequinsChild mannequinsTorso formsAccess Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoGarment IndustryJewelry industryCosmetics industryThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Mannequins market.Chapter 1, to describe Mannequins Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Mannequins, with sales, revenue, and price of Mannequins, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Mannequins, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Mannequins market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Mannequins sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-108, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Medical Connectors Market : The research report provides in-depth analysis on the basis of component 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2624 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2624 https://www.tmrresearch.com/medical-connectors-market Global Medical Connectors Market: OverviewThe global medical connectors market is expected to witness a stable growth in the forecast period. The growing incidences of chronic disorder will be one of the key reasons behind the growth of this market. The growing healthcare expenditure will also encourage the growth of the global medical connectors market during the period from 2017 to 2025. The growth in the healthcare industry and home healthcare market will also propel the market towards progress. One of the other important reasons behind the development of this market is the advancements in technology. Extensive research and development in the healthcare sector has increased the efficiency of products and encouraged invention of many new medical connector products.Global Medical Connectors Market: Key TrendsDuring the forecast period one of the trends that is expected to prevail is the high demand for flat silicone surgical cables. The growing adoption of connectors in medical devices will be the driving factor for this. Another trend that shall be in vogue is the use of medical connectors by monitoring devices. High prevalence of chronic diseases and rising demand from home healthcare will create a lucrative market for medical connectors from monitoring devices segment. On the basis of end used, the market is segmented into ambulatory surgical centers, clinics and hospitals, diagnostic labs and imaging centers, and others. Of these, it is anticipated that the hospitals and clinics segment will hold dominant shares in the market during the forecast period. The growing demand for electrosurgical therapy and once again, the high incidence of chronic diseases will push the growth of the hospitals and clinics segment in the years to come.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Medical Connectors Market: Market PotentialCompanies in the global medical connectors market are inventing reliable connections for data gathering. Esterline Corporation supplies medical connectors that have high reliability I/O (Input/Output) connectors with a very wide range. This helps in securing the link between different medical equipment. One of the leading players called Lemo S.A. offers connectors that are flexible and reliable. Newer developments by leading players in the coming years is expected to push the markets potential further and drive their demand.Request TOC of the Report @Global Medical Connectors Market: Geographical SegmentationOn the basis of geography, the market is segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World (RoW). Of these, the North American market for medical connectors will emerge most lucrative. The region is not only leading currently, but shall continue to do so during the forecast period on account of the high incidences of chronic diseases. The growing demand for enhanced healthcare infrastructure will also push the market towards growth in North America.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Medical Connectors Market: Key PlayersSome of the leading vendors operating across the global medical connectors market are profiled in the report for the purpose of study. They are: Delphi Automotive LLP. (U.K.), Amphenol Corporation (U.S.), Esterline Corporation (U.S.), Samtec (U.S.), Smiths Interconnect (U.K.), ITT Corporation (U.S.), TE Connectivity Ltd. (Switzerland), Lemo S.A. (Switzerland), Fisher Connectors (Switzerland), and Molex (U.S.). Leading players are taking advantage of the increased healthcare spending and thus, investing extensively on research and development. This has helped them to develop innovative connectors which are being utilized across the medical sector. Players are also striving to expand their reach worldwide. For this, one of the key strategies adopted by players is participating in mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global Frozen Fruits Market size, share, and trends forecast Reports 2021 http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-frozen-fruits-market-1063/ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-frozen-fruits-market-1063/request-sample http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-frozen-fruits-market-1063/request-discount http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-frozen-fruits-market-1063/inquire https://www.marketdataforecast.com/cart/buy-now/global-frozen-fruits-market-1063 http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases www.marketdataforecast.com The Global Frozen Fruits Market was worth $2.37 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 5.72%, to reach $3.13 billion by 2021.View Full Report @Frozen Fruits are prepared from a process in which the eatables are primarily blanched, boiled, and then frozen extensively. Frozen fruits are preserved at a temperature generally below -9.5C, at which all moisture is in the solid condition. This prevents the advance of microorganisms, brakes down decomposition and in turn aids in keeping fruits fresh for an extended period of time.Download Free Sample Report @Frozen Fruits and vegetables are largely used in Super Markets, Grocery, etc. They consist of high levels of crucial vitamins and potentially beneficial antioxidants as compared to the fresh ones, and also help in defending against the heart ailments.Avail Discount @The growth of the global Frozen Fruits market is majorly driven by factors such as growing health consciousness among consumers, introduction of products with high nutritional value, and shifting lifestyles which leave little to no time to cook meals. Also, the growing population of working women has instigated the need for ready to eat convenience food, thereby substituting the orthodox home cooked food. However, heavy presence of sodium and artificial preservatives in frozen foods, loss of natural aromas and nutrition due to extensive freezing are some of the factors hindering the growth of the market.The Global Frozen Fruits market is segmented based on Application, Product type, and Technique. The market for Frozen Fruits, on the basis of Application, is classified into Confectionery & Bakery, Jams & preserves, Fruit-based Beverages, Dairy, and Others. The Confectionery & Bakery segment leads the global Frozen Fruits market under the application segment. However, the Jams & preserves segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR due to growing demand from emerging economies. On the basis of Product type, the global Frozen Fruits market is segmented into citrus fruits, red fruits & berries, and tropical fruits. Red fruits & berries segment leads the global market with over 60% of the market share in terms of revenue. On the basis of Technique, the global Frozen Fruits market is segmented into freeze drying and IQF. The IQF segment is projected to increase at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, as it avoids lumping of frozen fruits, predominantly pulpy fruits such as sliced mangoes.Inquire before buying @The market has also been geographically segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Rest of the World. Europe is the largest market for Frozen Fruits followed by North America, due to the high intake of frozen food items in these regions. The evolving markets of Asia-Pacific most significantly India and China, account for the high growth rate due to rising disposable incomes, and the acceptance of western food styles among the middle class.Buy now @This industry is extremely influenced by the macro-economic state of an economy, as the intake of frozen fruit products drop sharply due to economic slumps. The major companies dominating the global Frozen Fruits market are Pinnacle Foods Inc., Welch Foods, Ardo NV, SunOpta Inc., Kendall Frozen Fruits Inc., Uran Food Group Limited, Kerry Group Plc., Nestle, ConAgro Foods Inc. and General Mills.Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @View latest Press Releases of MDF @About Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options. For more information, kindly visit,Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.com Global Organic Dairy Products Market 2017 - AMUL, Danone, Arla Foods UK Plc, Parmalat S.P.A, Dean Foods Company https://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/68601/request-sample http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-organic-dairy-products-market-by-manufacturers-countries-68601.html www.fiormarkets.com www.enrollpress.com "Organic Dairy Products is a type of Dairy Products that made from organic certification (Such as EU-Eco-regulation, USA NOP, etc.).Dairy products or milk products are a type of food produced from or containing the milk of mammals, primarily cattle, water buffaloes, goats, sheep, and camels. Dairy products include food items like yogurt, cheese, and butter."Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Organic Dairy Products in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAMULDanoneArla Foods UK PlcDairy Farmers of America Inc. (DFA)Parmalat S.P.ADean Foods CompanyGroupe Lactalis SAFonterra Group Cooperative LimitedKraft FoodsMeiji Dairies Corp.Megmilk Snow BrandOrganic ValleySancor CooperativasRoyal FrieslandCampina N.V.Unilever.Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversLiquid MilkMilk PowderCheese & ButterIce CreamAccess Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoChildrenAdultThe AgedThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Organic Dairy Products market.Chapter 1, to describe Organic Dairy Products Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Organic Dairy Products, with sales, revenue, and price of Organic Dairy Products, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Organic Dairy Products, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Organic Dairy Products market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Organic Dairy Products sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Market Research on Steering Column Control Modules Market 2016 and Analysis to 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2073 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2073 www.futuremarketinsights.com Automobile design, operation, aesthetics and technology are continuously evolving and witnessing significant advancements. Previous designs and operations in automobiles included various switches for different purposes, which were simple in design but complex in operation. Especially, steering systems witnessed prominent advancements in past decade. Development of hybrid, electric and hydraulic steering are some of the examples. Integration of various operational switches for convenience in steering wheels and column is indeed a timely innovation, which can also be claimed as one amongst the important innovation in an automobile.It was never thought that someone could come up with an idea of Steering Column Control Module (SCCM) where one can control the switches very comfortably with ease while driving. The safety and the ease of driving an automobile has increased considerably due to the installation of steering column control modules on the steering wheel of vehicles.The module which controls the switches on or around/below the steering wheel are known as the steering column control modules. Typically, there are many electromechanical systems installed on the steering wheels nowadays in automobiles. A Steering column control module is mounted on the steering column but it is placed below the steering wheel, this steering column module is the main network for all the systems surrounding it. The operating switches known as the stalk lever switches, are positioned to the right and the left sides of the steering column control modules. The stalk lever switches and the controls which are mounted on the steering wheel and systems i.e. (sound controls buttons, cruise controls, horns, Bluetooth and hands free calling buttons and air bags) are all connected with the other system through the Steering Column Control Module. Typical assembly components of steering column control module includes circuit board, connectors and electrical wire cables for interconnection between the systems. The features and controls which are provided in the steering column control module are also dependent the type of the automobile i.e. Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Transport vehicles etc. Introduction of new technologies, comfort features and active safety systems in vehicles is expected to drive steering column control modules market in near future.Request For Report Sample@Steering Column Control Modules Market dynamics:The market of steering column control module has been marked with presence of established players. A challenging task in steering column control modules market is to manufacture these modules as the interconnection between many components and the systems in the steering assembly. The automotive manufacturers are heavily dependent on the providers of the steering system owing to their technological expertise. Steering column control module market is witnessing continuous development from its providers with new ideas and innovation.Increasing safety of vehicle occupants and pedestrians is one of the prime concerns of automakers and many manufacturers are trying to develop steering column control modules so that safety and comfort features are enhanced to a much higher level. As per the current scenario, steering column control modules have become integral part of automobiles. The increasing standard of cabin comfort level has triggered utilization of requirement specific or custom made steering column control modules in great demand and this is expected to provide significant boost in the near future. The market for the steering column control modules is expected to provide significant opportunities to component providers, integrators and original equipment manufacturers across the globe.Steering Column Control Modules Market segmentation:Steering Column Control Modules can be segmented by type of sales channel, by components position and automobile type.By sales channel,Steering Column Control Modules Market can be segmented as:Original equipment manufacturerAftermarketBy Component Position type, Steering Column Control Modules Market can be segmented as:On the Steering Wheel (Sound Control, Airbags, etc.)Around/Below the Steering Wheel (Stalk levers, i.e. Wiper control, Head light control etc.)By Automobile type, Steering Column Control Modules Market can be segmented as:Passenger carsCommercial vehiclesHeavy Trucks and BussesOff-road VehiclesRequest For TOC@Steering Column Control Modules Market: Regional Outlook:Steering Column Control Modules can be divided into seven different geographical regions/divisions such as North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Middle East and Africa. The demand for steering column control modules is significant in Asia Pacific followed by Europe and North America owing to automotive steady rates of production volumes and sales. Owing to lack of production facilities in Middle East and Africa and relatively low production of vehicles in Latin America, the market potential of steering column control module is low. The Asian giant countries like India and China which have significant sales and production of automobiles are expected to witnessmomentous growth in steering column control module market in the coming years.Steering Column Control Modules Market: Key Players:ZF TRWLeopold Kostal Gmbh & Co. KGDelphi Automotive LLPIdiditNexteer AutomotiveValeoABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Datacentre Network Architecture Market to Discern Steadfast Expansion by 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/datacentre-network-architecture-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12490 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/12490 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The increase in data volume, need of storage, backup, archive and also the requirement data management create complexity in datacentres. These complexities are resolved through appropriate network architecture across the datacentres. The datacentre network architecture minimize the impact of disaster scenarios and it also provides tools for data recovery. Most of the enterprises consider the datacentre network architecture is an important element of organization strategy for regulatory compliance and protection and management of company and customer data.To View Complete Report @ :Emergence of software defined networking (SDN), network overlay technologies, network virtualization (NV), and efficient systems have been forcing many companies to move towards next generation datacentre networks. These emerging technologies will support software-defined data centre (SDDC) and also help to virtualize the network across all the datacentre It has been observed that most of the VMware customers are moving towards network virtualization to transform their datacentre from the client/server era to the mobile/cloud era.Adoption of new innovations like cloud computing technologies and virtualization makes the existing datacentres to upgrade and modernize which is a major driver for the datacentre network architecture. Also the increase in volume of data and server to server traffic there is a need for datacentre network architecture upgrade which fuels datacentre network architecture market growth.A sample of this report is available upon request @Enterprises whose primary challenge is to handle large complex data are moving towards automation and also to ensure better data security and visibility, they are more inclined towards advanced datacentre networking equipment for their new datacentre architecture which is a driver for the datacentre network architecture market.Datacentre network architecture market is segmented on the basis of components, vertical and regions.On the basis of components of datacentre network architecture the market is segmented into Switches, Routers, Storage Area Network, Security Equipment, WAN Optimization Elements and othersTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @On the basis of the vertical, the datacentre network architecture market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, Life sciences, automobile, IT & Telecom sector, public sector, BFSI and others.On basis of region Datacentre network architecture market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and The Middle East and Africa (MEA).Presently North America dominates the datacentre network architecture market as large number of major big corporate headquarter in North America. However, as Asia-Pacific region is expected to be witness highest growth rate as many corporates are establishing large datacentres in china, Taiwan, India, Singapore.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global PLGA Market 2017 - Evonik, PCAS, Corbion, Mitsui Chemicals, SDSYXS, Jinan Daigang Biomaterial https://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/68603/request-sample https://goo.gl/7Q8pnp www.fiormarkets.com www.enrollpress.com PLGA (poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)) is a unique base polymer for controlled release of drugs and medical implant materials. It is both biodegradable and biocompatible, and since both monomers occur naturally it has minimal toxicity. PLGA is naturally amorphous (not crystalline).Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the PLGA in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversEvonikPCASCorbionMitsui ChemicalsSDSYXSJinan Daigang BiomaterialMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPLGA 50:50PLGA 65:35PLGA 75:25PLGA 85:15OtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSutureFracture FixationOral ImplantDrug Delivery MicrosphereOtherAccess Full Report With TOC @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global PLGA market.Chapter 1, to describe PLGA Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of PLGA, with sales, revenue, and price of PLGA, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of PLGA, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, PLGA market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe PLGA sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: Automotive Oil & Fuel Market to Flourish with an Impressive CAGR During 2016 - 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/automotive-oil-fue-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11371 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11371 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Global Automotive Oil & Fuel Market: OverviewAutomotive oil is a lubricant which is used in internal combustion engines that power motorcycles, cars, engine-generators, lawnmowers, and such kind of other machines. There are parts in the engines that moves against each other and this friction wastes useful power in the form of heat from kinetic energy conversion. Sometimes, the wear of those parts takes place that would lead to degradation and lower efficiency of engine. All these factors decreases power output of the engine, and increases the fuel consumption and can even lead to failure of the engine. To prevent this damages and losses lubricating motor oil is used that forms a thin film between the adjacent moving parts to avoid the direct contact between the parts. Thus the wear and the friction gets reduced and engine gets protected. An automobile fuel is used to power the engines and ultimately the vehicles, mostly the fuel used in the vehicles are gasoline or diesel. There are even other fuels available in the market these days and it includes biodiesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), propane, hydrogen and charged batteries. The fuel in the vehicle ignited in the engine to provide energy, in case of a diesel engine the fuel ignites by compression and in case of gasoline engine it ignited by spark. The global automotive oil & fuel market is anticipated to have an healthy CAGR in the forecast period.To view complete report @Global Automotive Oil & Fuel Market: Drivers and RestrainsThe ever increasing automobile industry leads to the rise in the consumption of fuel required to run the vehicles is the major driving factor for the global automotive oil & fuel market. Also rising industrialization and urbanization is making the automobiles to run more than required and leads to the maintenance of its engines. Thus the need of the oil required for the maintenance of the automobiles is at its peak. All these factors leads to the growth of global automotive oil & fuel market.However, the surging cost of the fuels such as diesel and gasoline is leading to the unaffordability of the use of automobiles that can slowdown the growth of automotive oil & fuel market. Also the risk of explosion of vehicles, specially the vehicles running on gas is scaring people to opt for these kind of vehicles that can again hamper the automotive oil & fuel market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Automotive Oil & Fuel Market: SegmentationOn the basis of types of oils, the automotive oil & fuel market can be segmented as follows:Diesel engine oils, Two Wheeler Oils, Passenger car motor oils, Gear & transmission oils, Gas engine oilOn the basis of types of fuel, the automotive oil & fuel market can be segmented as follows:Gasoline, Diesel, Biodiesel, Auto gas, Ethanol blend, HybridOn the basis of vehicle type, the automotive oil & fuel market can be segmented as follows:Passenger cars, Light commercial vehicles, Heavy commercial vehicles, Domestic vehiclesGlobal Automotive Oil & Fuel Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global automotive oil & fuel market can be divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa. Europe is the dominant region in the global automotive oil & fuel market owing to the ever increasing automobile market in this region. Asia Pacific is the second major contributor in the automotive oil & fuel market due to the automobile giants such as Maruti, Hero and other companies. The companies such as General Motors, Ford are having a significant contribution in the global automobile market making North America a considerable player in the global automotive oil & fuel market. Japan is technologically advanced country in terms of automotive markets and so the technology of automotive oil & fuel is very common in this country. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are at a nascent stage in the automotive oil & fuel market but is anticipated to have a modest CAGR in the forecasted period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Automotive Oil & Fuel Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global automotive oil & fuel market are as follows:TIDE WATER OIL CO. (INDIA) LTD., AMSOIL INC, Schaeffer Manufacturing Co, Bharat Lubricants, Saudi Arabian Oil Co., China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, PetroChina Company Limited, Exxon Mobil Corporationm, BP p.l.c, Royal Dutch Shell plc, Reliance Industries LimitedAbout 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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Slide Preparation Systems Market Analysis - Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2023 MRRSE http://www.mrrse.com/sample/1944 http://www.mrrse.com/slide-preparation-systems-market http://www.mrrse.com/ Slide preparation, staining, probing and analysis require high-quality tools and equipment that yield precise and accurate samples. Significant scientific and technological advances in instrumentation pertaining to slide preparation are acting as the driving force for the slide preparation market at the global scale. To provide more detailed analysis, Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has added the latest report titled as Slide Preparation Systems Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 2023 to its wide database. The report offers a precise industry analysis of the slide preparation system market which is expected to grow by 2023 at a steady rate.Request For Sample Report:Slide preparation system comprises an automated device that helps in the preparation of cytology slides. Also, the slide preparation system process includes cell preservation, dispersion, enrichment, pipetting, sedimentation, staining and coverslipping that ultimately leads to the preparation of slide for cytology screening.The research segments the slide preparation market on the basis of component of the automated system. This specific segmentation includes:Staining module: Staining module comprises all the staining tools such as automated strainers which create an optimized environment for the preparation of slides.Fluidics module: Fluidic module comprises various bottles which provide on-board bulk fluid capacity for up to 90 slides.Waste module: Waste module has level-sensing containers that provide walk-away capacity for up to 90 slides.On the geographical scale, the market is segmented by regions, which comprises North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.In the later section, the report covers a detailed analysis of market segments, market dynamics, market size, supply & demand, current trend/issues/challenges along with companies involved in this sector. The provided analyzed report is the complete in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors along with the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segmentations and various geographies.Browse Full Report with TOC :The research is a compilation through extensive primary research including interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts and secondary research including reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases.Some of the top companies operating in the slide preparation systems market are as follow:Hologic Inc.Leica MicrosystemsHoffmann-La Roche Ltd.BioGenex Laboratories Inc.Thermo Electron Corp.Sakura Finetek USA Inc.TriPath Imaging Inc.Ventana Medical Systems Inc.Cytyc Corp.Lab Vision Corp.Vision BioSystems Inc.Hycor Biomedical Inc.DakoCytomation California Inc.ELITechGroupMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Workforce Management Software Market : The study provides a holistic perspective on market growth 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2639 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2639 https://www.tmrresearch.com/workforce-management-software-market Global Workforce Management Software Market: OverviewIn the present time, the majority of the HR operations need to be manually handled, which increases the amount of paperwork. This, in turn, negatively affects the overall productivity for HR executives. Workforce management software enhances the efficiency and productivity of the HR personnel by managing employment and staffing related operations, tracking employee attendance, policy updates, beneficiary changes, and discontinuation of coverage among others. With the increasing globalization, workforce management will become imperative. This is, in turn, allowing the global workforce management software market to follow an exponential growth trajectory.Global Workforce Management Software Market: Key TrendsThe burgeoning need to streamline HR functions is the foremost factor augmenting the global workforce management software market. Workforce management software offers various benefits that help in automating and streamlining the workforce management process. The emergence of cloud-based technologies is also working in favor of the market. Moreover, the increasing penetration of social media is also providing a fillip to the market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the flip side, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are reluctant about switching to software solution from conventional methods. This is, in turn, inhibiting the growth of the global workforce management software market. However, the growing trend of work from home in SMEs is likely to encourage the adoption of workforce management software in the near future.Global Workforce Management Software Market: Market PotentialThe growing investments for the development and advancements of workforce management software are rendering the market highly opportunities. To put this in perspective, in March 2016 Seattle-based Shiftboard raised US$4 mn for its workforce management software platform through a funding round led by Voyager Capital. Similarly, in January 2017 Deputy, a Sydney-based global workforce management software firm, raised US$25 mn in a Series A round led by the U.S. expansion stage venture capital company OpenView. Market participants are developing innovative and highly reliable software that are likely to allow the market to gain significant momentum in the coming years.Request TOC of the Report @Global Workforce Management Software Market: Geographical SegmentationOn the basis of geography, the report categorizes the global workforce management software market into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Developed regions are anticipated to be at the forefront of growth owing to rapid technological advancements. The growth of the North America market can be attributed to the rising penetration of social media and the soaring demand for cost-effective HR solutions.In Europe, there is a high acceptance of advanced workforce management software in countries such as the U.K. and Germany. To overcome challenges such as high competition and budget constraints, European companies are banking on solutions and services that enhance the efficiency of their workforce. This is leading to the high adoption of workforce management software in the region.Developing countries in Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to offer ample growth opportunities owing to the increasing adoption of cloud technology and the rising need for workforce management.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@Global Workforce Management Software Market: Competitive LandscapeThe global workforce management market is a highly fragmented arena, with the presence of a large number of multinational players. Market participants are pouring hefty sums into the research and development of innovative software and solutions to consolidate their position in this highly competitive marketplace. The market is expected to witness intensification in price wars among key players in the coming years. The leading players in the market are Kronos, SAP, Oracle, Ultimate Software, Ceridian HCM, and ADP. Some other prominent companies operating in the global market for workforce management software are ATOSS Software, Ascentis, iCIMS, HR Bakery, JDA Software Group, PeopleFluent, NICE, Reflexis Systems, Performly, Workday, The Sage Group, and Zoho Corporation.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Motorcycle Accessories Market to Remain Lucrative During 2016 - 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/motorcycle-accessories-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11398 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11398 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Improved economic outlook across the globe resulted into substantial increase in purchasing power of consumers over the past few years. Consequently, several industry verticals reported an increase in overall demand for respective products, and automotive industry is no different. However, different trends in sales reported across sub-segments within the automotive sector, but motorcycle sales has always remained impressive, particularly in high potential markets. Growth in global motorcycle market ascertained the growth of allied industries such as motorcycle component and accessories. Motorcycle accessories, apart from increasing aesthetic appeal, also ensure better performance, safety and security. Global motorcycle accessories market is projected to register a CAGR higher than 5% by 2020 and decline a bit on long term projections till 2026. A variation in CAGR is evident across geographies and clusters, subjected to penetration of products launched by established motorcycle accessories suppliers and cyclicity of product launched by local and regional player in respective geography.To view complete report @Motorcycle Accessories Market: Drivers and RestraintsPerpetual growth in motor cycle sales coupled with new variants of motor cycle introduced by manufacturers catalyzed the growth of motorcycle accessories market, which grew at a CAGR of over 4% in past five years. Expansion of European and American motorcycle manufacturers in emerging markets also contributed to the demand for motorcycle accessories. Technology advancement led to wider adoption of accessories across target customer base.Increasing consumers demand for motorcycle is one of the factor fuelling the demand for motorcycle accessories. Furthermore, development of cost effective combustible engines along with increasing popularity of motorcycles among youths is expected to boost overall sales of motorcycle accessories worldwide. Worldwide sales of motorcycle in the developed as well as developing countries is projected to augment the demand for motorcycle accessories over the forecast period. With more manufactures focusing on technology and product development, the demand for motorcycle accessories is expected to showcase a promising future throughout the forecast period. Consumers preference for aftermarket can hinder the sales for OEM (Original Equipment Market), as is one of the big challenge for the growth of the motorcycle accessories market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Motorcycle Accessories Market: Region-wise outlookBy region wise, the global motorcycle accessories market has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. The global motorcycle accessories market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. Asia pacific is expected to dominate motorcycle accessories market throughout the forecast period. Significant presence of accessories along with substantial rise in overall consumer spending is expected to drive the demand for motorcycle accessories market in the region. Next, North America and Europe are expected to create substantial demand for motorcycle accessories market. In Latin America and Middle East & Africa is expected to grow at a subdued rate owing to low consumer spending.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Motorcycle Accessories Market: Key PlayersSome of the Key players operating into the global motorcycle accessories market are Akropovic, Bajaj Auto Limited, Suzuki, Honda Motor Company Limited, KTM Company, Loncin Motorcycle, Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A, Hero Motocorp Limited, Chongqing Lifan Industry (Group) Company Limited.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geography, technology and applications.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Acute Lung Injury Market Size, Status and Forecast 2017 - 2025 www.persistencemarketresearch.com Acute Lung Injury (ALI) is a common condition that is characterized by severe acute hypoxia that is not due to left atrial hypertension. ALI was first described by Ashbaugh in the Lancet in 1967. This landmark paper described a group of 12 patients with Respiratory Distress Syndrome who had refractory hypoxemia, decreased lung compliance, diffuse infiltrates on chest radiography and required positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) for ventilation. ALI encompasses a continuum of clinical and radiographic changes that affect the lungs with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ALI is diagnosed clinically based on the presence of non-cardiogenic pulmonary odema and respiratory failure in a critically ill patient. Its incidence is common; it is likely to exist outside the intensive care setting and therefore is a condition relevant to all clinicians. The respiratory failure associated with the acute lung injury or the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is one of the most important contributors to postoperative mortality. Causes of ALI include sepsis, burns, radiation, inhalation of noxious fumes and fat embolism. Symptoms include severe shortness of breath, low blood pressure, confusion and extreme tiredness. ALI is a multi-factorial process which occurs due to environmental triggers occurring in genetically predisposed individuals, as ALI-inducing events are common, yet only a fraction of those exposed develop the syndrome. Environmental triggers for developing ALI can be divided into those causing direct and those causing indirect lung injury, with sepsis, either intrapulmonary or extrapulmonary being the commonest cause.Moreover, growing geriatric population and technological advancements would drive the global acute lung injury market. However, the low adoption rate of digital radiography and portable spirometers are projected to hold back the growth of acute lung injury market during the forecast period.The key mass drivers supporting the market growth of acute lung injury are growing awareness related to daily health diagnostics, patients are expected to prefer digital diagnostic over laboratory or hospital visit, and this technology platform is estimated to surge the approachability for patients as well as medical practitioners. Acute lung injury market often depresses entry barriers, causing established boundaries between sectors to tumble. Currently, there is no specific treatment for ARDS. Therefore, treatment strategies for ALI and ARDS must address the following three considerations:PharmacotherapyMechanical ventilation to secure oxygenation and CO2 eliminationAdjunctive procedures for the treatment of specific pulmonary pathologiesFluid ManagementDespite the advancements in both the surgical techniques and the perioperative management, the incidence of postoperative ALI is still quite remarkable. Postoperative ALI occurs in about 0, 2-5% of the surgical patients submitted to major surgery. The occurrence of postoperative ALI is conditioned by the type of surgery ranging from 2-4% after thoracotomy for lung resection toAbout 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.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Infrared Detector Market Segmentation and Competitor Analysis Report Buy Global Infrared Detector Market Research Report from Reports Monitor. Get your free sample report now. https://www.reportsmonitor.com/global-infrared-ir-detector-market-research-report-2017/ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request-sample/?post=210989 https://www.reportsmonitor.com/global-infrared-ir-detector-market-research-report-2017/ http://www.reportsmonitor.com Global Infrared (IR) Detector Market Research Report provides insights of the industry over past 5 years and a forecast until 2022. The Report studies, the Market status and future trend in the Global market, splits by type and by applications, to fully and deeply researched and reveal the market situation and future forecast.The Infrared (IR) Detector Market report would come in handy to understand your competitors and give you an insight about sales; volumes, revenues in the industry, assists in making strategic decisions. It reduces the risks involved in making decisions as well as strategies for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Both established and new players in the industry can use the report to understand the market.Get Full Access of Global Infrared (IR) Detector Market Research Study @Infrared (IR) Detector Market: Type wise segment: - Microbolometer Pyroelectric Mercury Cadmium Telluride Thermopile Indium Gallium ArsenideInfrared (IR) Detector Market: Applications wise segment: - Temperature Measurement Spectroscopy & Biochemical Imaging Smart Home Motion Sensing & People Defence & Military Automotive OthersType wise and application wise consumption figures are given. With the help of supply and consumption data, the gap between these two is also explained.Get a Sample PDF of Global Infrared (IR) Detector Market Research report @This Market report contains proven analysis by regions, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focusing top manufacturers in the Global market, with Production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering following top players Infra TEC GmbH Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Flir Systems Inc. Hamamatsu Photonic K.K. and many more.On competitive landscape, this report includes complete profiles of the Market key players. For each player contact information is given. Their product details, capacity, price, cost, gross and revenue numbers are provided for better understanding.Some key points of Global Infrared (IR) Detector Market research report: -1. What is the status of the Market? This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, Prospect, Growth trend, Sales by regions, manufacturers, types and applications.2. What Is the Market Competition considering Manufacturers, Types and Application?3. Who Are the Market Key Manufacturers?4. The Manufacturing Cost Analysis - Analysis done by considering prime elements5. The Market Effect Factor Analysisa) Technology Process/Risk Considering Substitute Threat and Technology Progress In the Industryb) Consumer Needs or What Change Is Observed in Preference of Customer of the Market6. What is the Market forecast (2017-2022) Considering Sales, Revenue, Growth rate, Price and Trends for Regions, Types and Applications?With Experts Interview, Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation, Primary & Secondary Sources and Research Center data, the Global Infrared (IR) Detector Market research report guides you towards exponential growth.Get Full Access of Global Infrared (IR) Detector Market Research Study @About Reports MonitorReports Monitor is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsINDIA OFFICE:008, Mihir Co-operative,Above Bharat Suzuki showroom,Fatima Nagar,Pune - 411013,Maharashtra,IndiaJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite: Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Market Professional Survey Report 2017 - Gelita, Rousselot, PB Gelatins, Nitta Gelatin, Geliko, Yasin Gelatin, GELCO, Comed Chemicals Ltd. http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1175577 http://www.researchmoz.us/global-hard-capsule-grade-gelatin-market-professional-survey-report-2017-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Latest Research Report titled " Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Market Professional Survey Report 2017 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.This report studies Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering- Gelita- Rousselot- PB Gelatins- Nitta Gelatin- Geliko- Yasin Gelatin- GELCO- Comed Chemicals Ltd.- Joomag- Sterling Gelatin- Weishardt Group- Lapi Gelatine- Kenney & Ross Limited (K&R).......Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:By types, the market can be split into- Transparent- Translucent- OpaqueBy Application, the market can be split into- Powders- Liquids- Semi-solids- PillsBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)- North America- China- Europe- Southeast Asia- Japan- IndiaTable of Contents:2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Major Manufacturers in 2016Browse more details at:4 Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Hard Capsule Grade Gelatin Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Patient Temperature Management Market : Key Players, Growth, Analysis by 2016 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4405 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4405 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/patient-temperature-management-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Hypo or hyperthermia may result in various complications, which makes it necessary to manage the human body temperature. Temperature management products serve regulation and maintenance of patients normal body temperature inside recovery rooms, operations theaters, ICUs, or other hospital areas. With growing demand from hospitals and other healthcare facilities, temperature management products are currently gaining significant traction worldwide.In Persistence Market Researchs latest report, the global patient temperature management market is examined in detail to offer extensive information about all the key factors associated with market growth, its key segments, and key geographies.Global Patient Temperature Management Market: Drivers and RestraintsPersistent demand for traditional temperature management products, such as warming and cooling blankets, ice packs, gel packs, and others, will continue to support the market for patient temperature management globally. Hospitals, precisely emergency departments, burn centers, and surgical suites, will remain the predominant consumers over the forecast period. Staggering growth of the medical tourism sector in developed as well as developing countries is one more key factor accelerating the growth of patient temperature management market.Surgeons, nursing staff, anesthesiologists, and paramedical staff are likely to raise decent demand for temperature management systems throughout the assessment period. Advancements in temperature management technology and devices are likely to spur the demand in near future. In addition to expanding geriatric population, growing awareness about healthcare and rising healthcare spending will also push the market further.Furthermore, soaring number of hospitals, healthcare centers, ambulatory care units, and critical or emergency care centers is likely to elevate the market for temperature management systems and products over the next few years. Favorable government initiatives regarding temperature management and other healthcare regimes will also spur the demand within the next few years. Introduction of innovative, multifunctional patient temperature management products is expected to spur the sales globally.However, certain unfavorable reforms in the U.S. healthcare sector, coupled with some major product recalls are anticipated to restrict the market growth. Expensive IV systems will also remain a long-term challenge to rapid adoption of patient temperature management products or systems. Pricing pressure and intense competitiveness are among the top restraints for manufacturers and vendors.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Global Patient Temperature Management Market: Trends and OpportunitiesCompetitive pricing in IV temperature management systems will possibly create multiple revenue generation opportunities for vendors, especially within the developing regions of Asia, Middle East, and Latin America.New entrants in emerging economies are likely to gain the maximum growth opportunities within the next five years.Strategic M&A, collaborations, and partnerships are identified to be trending among key market players, apart from new product launches.Global Patient Temperature Management Market: Regional AnalysisAmong the key regions, the market for patient temperature management will witness continued dominance by North America, primarily driven by growing prevalence of CVDs and increasing cases of nervous disorders. Europe will remain the second major market, capturing a significant market share by 2021 end. APAC is foreseen to witness the highest CAGR owing to a massive patient pool, enhancing healthcare infrastructure, and government initiatives.Request to View Tables of Content @Global Patient Temperature Management Market: Key PlayersSome of the most prominent players competing in the global patient temperature management market are 3M Company, C.R. Bard, Inc., Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products Inc., Medtronic PLC, Medtronic, Geratherm Medical AG, Inditherm Plc, Smiths Group Plc., Stryker Corporation, and ZOLL Medical Corporation, Ecolab, Geratherm Medical, Enthermics Medical Systems, GE Healthcare, Moeck und Moeck, Welkins, and Covidien.To view complete report @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.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Sweepers Market by Type (Manual Sweepers, Automatic Sweepers),Application (Household, Commercial) , Manufacturers (Ipc Gansow, GS-Engineering, Tennant)- Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/385500-global-sweepers-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=385500 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/385500-global-sweepers-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/385500-global-sweepers-market-1 HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 119 pages on title 'Global Sweepers Market Research Report 2017' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia and important players such as Multi Sweep, Fimap, Comac ..................SummaryIn this report, the global Sweepers market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Request a sample report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Sweepers in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Sweepers market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingDulevo InternationalGrunig IndustriemaschinenIpc GansowGS-EngineeringTennantNilfisk-AdvanceRCM S.P.A.Scarab SweepersStolzenbergNilfisk-ALTOOmm LavapavimentiMulti SweepFimapComacBuy this report @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoManual SweepersAutomatic SweepersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Sweepers for each application, includingHouseholdCommercialIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Get Customization in the Report, Enquire Now @Table of ContentsGlobal Sweepers Market Research Report 20171 Sweepers Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Sweepers1.2 Sweepers Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Sweepers Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Sweepers Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Manual Sweepers1.2.4 Automatic Sweepers1.3 Global Sweepers Segment by Application1.3.1 Sweepers Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Household1.3.3 Commercial1.4 Global Sweepers Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Sweepers Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Sweepers (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Sweepers Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Sweepers Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Thermal Management Market Trends, Key Vendors Analysis, Import & Export, Revenue by Forecast 2023 Thermal Management Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3201 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/thermal-management-market-3201 Market Highlights:Terminal management system is a combination of hardware & software elements which helps to carry out all data management task which are required to perform while loading terminal. The components are developed and tested to manage and control a system. 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The benefits of implementing these solutions reduces the risk of loading incorrect quality of product, the solutions are also used to configurable and improves terminal efficiency among others.Geographically, North-America accounted for the largest market share in the global terminal management system market, whereas Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a fast pace over the forecast period, 2017-2023.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: API Heat Transfer (U.S.) AI Technology, Inc.(U.S.) Aavid Thermalloy, LLC (U.S.) Delta Electronics, Inc. (Taiwan) Honeywell International Inc (U.S.) Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany) Jaro Thermal (U.S.) LAIRD PLC (U.K. LORD Corporation (U.S.) HEATEX AB (U.S.)Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 30 market data tables and figures spread over 100 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Thermal Management Market - by Forecast to 2023.Thermal Management Market:According to Market Research Future, market has been segmented into components, devices, end-users and region. On the basis of end-user, the market has been segmented into automotive, aerospace & defense, food & beverages, healthcare and consumer electronics among others.Out of these end-users, consumer electronics accounted for the largest market share majorly due to increasing demand by consumers and changing lifestyles. Also, the automotive sector is expected to grow over the forecast period. The reason is attributed as the increasing complexity in in the passenger as well as the commercial heavy-duty vehicles, increasing development of products and power efficiency.Regional Analysis:Regionally, North-America accounted for the largest market share from countries such U.S. among others. The reason is attributed to the increasing investments for these technological solutions, adoption of these thermal management solutions by various domains and low operational cost.However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow over the forecast period, 2017-2023. The reason is attributed as the presence of large number of electronic manufacturers, increasing government initiatives and the increasing adoption of thermal solutions by various sectors.Market Research Future Analysis:The global Thermal Management Market is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period, 2017-2023. Consumer electronics and automotive segment of thermal management market globally drives the market majorly due to increasing demand for gadgets and smartphones. The market is expected to have higher growth rate as compared to the previous years.Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a fast pace over the forecast period, 2017-2023. Countries such as Japan, China and India contributes largely to the overall market share. The factors driving the market are the increasing number of manufacturers, stringent government regulations, increasing adoption of renewable energy and also increasing awareness among consumers regarding environment friendly heat management solutions.North-America accounted for the largest market share. Countries such as U.S. and Canada contributes largely to the overall market share. The reason is attributed to the growing healthcare sector and growing demand for data centers across various industries such as automotive, food & beverages among others.Segments:For the purpose of this study, Market Research Future has segmented the market of thermal management into component, device, end-users and region.Component Hardware SoftwareDevice Conduction Convection Hybrid Advanced OthersRegion North-America Europe Asia-Pacific RoWIntended Audience Device manufacturers Network Operators Distributors Suppliers Research firms Software Developers Commercial Banks VendorsBrowse Full Report Details @Table of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Network Component2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size EstimationContinuedList of TablesTable 1 Thermal Management Market, By ComponentTable 2 Thermal Management Market, By DeviceTable 3 Thermal Management Market, By End-UsersContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Research MethodologyFigure 2 Thermal Management Market, By Component (%)Figure 3 Thermal Management Market, By Device (%)ContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. 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We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA High Concentration Photovoltaics Market 2016-2026 Shares, Trend and Growth Report http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2373 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2373 www.futuremarketinsights.com The CPV (Concentrated Photovoltaics) technology is used to generate electricity by using lenses or curved mirrors to gather huge amount of sunlight on a small area with highly proficient Multi-Junction (MJ) solar cells. HCPV (High Concentration Photovoltaics - a type of CPV technology) systems occupies concentrating optics which includes Fresnel lenses or dish reflectors that concentrate sunlight to intensify it, equals to that of 1,000 suns or more. 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This report analyzes the potential of Tufting Machine market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Tufting Machine Market 2017 report includes Tufting Machine market Revenue, market Share, Tufting Machine industry volume, market Trends, Tufting Machine Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Tufting Machine Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Tufting Machine Market 2017:Yamaguchi SangyoNAKAGAWAWeihai TesiteGuangzhou DayangZhejiang MagneticNingbo HuixingChangzhou WudingTuftcoCMCCobbleThomTufting Machine Market : By ApplicationManufacturing CarpetsArtificial GrassTufting Machine Market : By TypePACAS Tufting MachineGATRY Tufting MachineFirstly, the report covers the top Tufting Machine manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Tufting Machine report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Tufting Machine industry, Tufting Machine industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Tufting Machine Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Tufting Machine research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Tufting Machine market revenue worldwide.Finally, Tufting Machine market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Clopidogrel Market by Type, Application, Element, Region World Trends and Forecast to 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=6 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=6 https://www.tmrresearch.com/clopidogrel-market Global Clopidogrel Market: SnapshotClopidogrel has remained, ever since its first approval in 1997, the antiplatelet therapy of choice among physicians for the treatment of patients with conditions such as acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary intervention. The drug was the first thienopyridine to hit the market, which gave it an excellent head start over a number of drugs for these conditions that are either available in the market or are in clinical trials. As a result, the drug did not face much competition and has taken over the global market, with its array of application constantly expanding.The substantial and high-level evidence gathered over the years support the use of Clopidogrel for reduction of mortality and morbidity patients with acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, and a number of other indications. As a result, the drug has developed a formidable presence in the global market over the years. Moreover, the drugs relative ease of use, low rate of incidence of adverse reactions, and good tolerability have made it the de-facto antiplatelet agent for the reduction of atherosclerotic events in patients.Request Sample Copy of the Report @These factors have helped the global Clopidogrel market to tread along an excellent growth path in the past few years and the market is expected to embark upon a healthy growth path in the next few years as well. However, the overall profitability of the market has reduced to a certain extent owing to entry of a number of generic products post the patent expiry of Clopidogrel manufacture in 2013. Nevertheless, the vast pool of patients prescribed Clopidogrel on an annual basis across the globe will allow market players excellent growth prospects in the next few years.Global Clopidogrel Market: SnapshotClopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent of thienopyridine, which is primarily used to prevent the blood clots and help against cardiovascular problems associated with the blood clotting. The medications for inhibiting blood clots after a recent heart stroke also use clopidogrel, which is a white colored powder that is insoluble in water at neutral pH but freely soluble at pH1. Clopidogrel was the second most successful drug trailing behind Pfizers Lipito in 2010. Sold under the brand name Plavix, and marketed by Sanofi and Bristol-Myers Squibb, the demand for clopidogrel is escalating due to the increasing number of heart attack cases across the globe.Request TOC of the Report @The patent of clopidogrel manufacturing got expires on Market 31, 2012 and is expected to prompt pharmaceutical companies to venture into clopidogrel drug manufacturing. Moreover, companies such as Dr. Reddys have acquired the approval to manufacture clopidogrel 300mg. Furthermore, several other organizations such as Roxane Laboratories, Aurobindo Pharma, Sun Pharma, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, and Apotex Crop have gained approval for marketing clopidogrel 75mg. Clopidogrel is also used with aspirin to treat worsening chest pain and to keep blood vessels open and present blood clots after certain heart related operations.Global Clopidogrel Market: Trends and ProspectsThe primary factor for the increased demand for clopidogrel is the mounting population across the world who are suffering from cardiovascular diseases and related problems. Additionally, the changing lifestyle and increase in number of patients related with cardiovascular diseases among the emerging economies in the Asia Pacific region are also expected to be the major consumers for clopidogrel in the next six years. Moreover, the patent expiry of clopidogrel drug is anticipated to open floodgates for various pharmaceutical companies to venture into production of clopidogrel drug.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@According to the World Heart Federation, nearly 15 million people suffer from heart attack or related problems globally. Out of these, roughly six million of these patients die while another five million are disabled permanently. This vast patient base is the primary factor that will sustain the demand during the forecast period.Global Clopidogrel Market: Geographical OutlookCurrently, North America and Europe contribute to the maximum demand for clopidogrel, owing to factors such as robust healthcare infrastructure and high affordability of the residents in this region. However, several countries in the region of Asia Pacific, such as China, India, and Japan are aggressively working towards improving their healthcare sector with the help of favorable policies by the localized governments and increasing disposable income among the urban population. Asia Pacific is home for nearly half of the worlds population, which makes for a high quantity of patient base. Additionally, these regions also have skilled labor at low cost which is encouraging players in the market to invest actively and tap the unmet demand.Some of the key players in the global clopidogrel market are Pfizer, Dr Reddys, Apotex Corp, Roxane Laboratories, Aurobindo Pharma, Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Sun Pharma.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Hydrazobenzene Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=10 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=10 https://www.tmrresearch.com/hydrazobenzene-market Global Hydrazobenzene Market: SnapshotHydrazobenzene is chemically studied to be a crystalline and colorless compound that when heated to decomposition discharges virulent nitrogen oxide fumes. It could find application in the manufacture of various pharmaceuticals while functioning as an intermediate. The dye manufacturing sector could engage hydrazobenzene primarily as an antecedent of benzidine, which is a dye intermediate. Based on experimental findings that prove the carcinogenicity of hydrazobenzene, it is rationally predicted to be a human carcinogen. Moreover, if humans are exposed to this compound, it can cause brain, kidney, and liver damage while irritating the lungs, throat, nose, and skin.Each country in the global hydrazobenzene market could have its own list of key suppliers. In both the U.S. and Europe regions, Chemos GmbH & Co. KG has been making its mark with more than 25 years of quality experience in the fine chemical industry. With a robust network incorporating chemical producers and custom manufacturing firms, Chemos operates as a strong support to the chemical companies and research institutions positioned in the aforementioned regions. Likewise, there could be Hangzhou Dayangchem Co. Ltd. and IBIS Chemie International operating as top companies in the Peoples Republic of China and India respectively.Request Sample Copy of the Report @According to the globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS), hydrazobenzene is very toxic to the aquatic environment with enduring effects to face and may even lead to cancer. Therefore, as per the laboratory chemical safety summary (LCSS), manufacturers and end users of this substance are required to follow certain regulations related to storage and handling, cleanup and disposal, exposure limit, first aid, and health and symptoms.Global Hydrazobenzene Market: OverviewThe rising number of applications of hydrazobenzene and the rising focus of key players on research and development activities are the key factors fueling the growth of the global hydrazobenzene market. Furthermore, the demand for hydrogen peroxide for the purpose of water treatment is anticipated to encourage the growth of the market.The research report provides analysis of the global hydrazobenzene market on a regional and global level. The study offers historical information and presents the forecast statistics between 2017 and 2025 in terms of revenue and volume. The key segmentation and the major factors encouraging the growth of the global hydrazobenzene market have been provided in the research study to provide a strong understanding for readers and new entrants. Furthermore, to provide a thorough view of the global market, the research study has included a detailed competitiveness analysis and a list of the leading company players.Request TOC of the Report @Global Hydrazobenzene Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growing demand for hydrazobenzene from the pharmaceutical industry is the key factor expected to encourage the growth of the market in the next few years. In addition, the rising consumption of phenylbutazone and sulfinpyrazone in manufacturing different pharmaceutical products is expected to accelerate the growth of the global hydrazobenzene market in the forecast period. On the flip side, the carcinogenic properties of hydrazobenzene, which is considered as extremely harmful for human being due to prolonged exposure is one of the major factors projected to hamper the growth of the global hydrazobenzene market in the next few years. Nonetheless, the rising number of applications of hydrazobenzene and the growing demand from the automotive industry are likely to supplement the growth of the market in the next few years.Global Hydrazobenzene Market: Region-wise OutlookAmong the key regional segments in the hydrazobenzene market, Asia Pacific is estimated to witness rapid growth in the next few years. With the rising number of applications, this region is projected to account for a key share of the overall market and register a progressive growth. The high growth of this region can be attributed to the rising demand for hydrazobenzene from pigments and dyes industry.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report@In addition, the swift development of the agro-chemical sector in Asia Pacific is projected to boost the demand for hydrazobenzene throughout the forecast period. The agrochemical application of hydrazobenzene as a de-suckering agent, especially in tobacco plants is likely to contribute substantially in developing economies of Asia Pacific, including China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and Thailand. Furthermore, the increasing number of players in this region is expected to encourage the growth of the hydrazobenzene market throughout the forecast period.Key Players Mentioned in the Research Report are:The research study on the global hydrazobenzene market offers a detailed analysis of the competitive landscape, presenting insights into the prominent players operating in the market. In addition, the company profiles, financial overview, contact information, SWOT analysis, and the recent developments have been discussed at length in the scope of the study. Some of the key players operating in the market are Alfa Aesar, IBIS Chemie International, Gihi Chemicals Co., Limited, Tokyo Kasei Kogyo (TKK), and Chemos GmbH.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com by 2024 Bromine Market Estimated to Rise at 4.1% CAGR http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/bromine-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4274 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/bromine-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com PMR projects the global bromine market to witness moderate growth during the forecast period 2016-2024. APAC will continue to remain the largest market for bromine, growing at 4.1% revenue CAGR during the forecast period.Global demand for bromine market will reach 483 kilo metric tons (KMT) in 2016, up from 470 KMT in 2015. Demand will be impeded by growing regulation and legislation, especially in the European Union (EU), where the use of certain brominated flame retardants is banned or restricted.Browse Complete Report @Flame retardants will continue to remain the largest application segment, accounting for 203 KMT volume in 2016, a y-o-y increase of 2.8% over 2015. Use of bromine in oil and gas drilling will continue its upward momentum in 2016, growing at 4.3% in terms of volume the fastest among all the application segments.The chemicals industry will remain the largest consumer of bromine, accounting for 292 KMT volume in 2016, representing market value worth 1,284 Mn. Use of bromine in the oil and gas sector will also continue to witness steady growth, as clear brine fluids gain traction for drilling purposes. Demand will be offset by sluggish adoption in the electronics industry, as use of brominated flame retardants continues to face stricter regulations. Demand for bromine from electronics sector will witness a growth rate of 2.1% in 2016 over 2015.A sample of this report is available upon request @Asia Pacific will remain the largest market for bromine, representing annual revenues worth US$ 1,087 Mn in 2016, up from 895 Mn in 2015. This is primarily due to expansion of end-use industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and electronic in APAC. Latin America will continue to offer growth opportunities to manufacturers, with global demand witnessing a 2.0% volume growth in 2016 over 2015. Demand will face constraints in the mature markets of North America and Western Europe in 2016 as well.Request to view table of content @Israel Chemicals Limited, Chemtura Corporation, Albemarle Corporation, Gulf Resources Inc., Tosoh Corporation, Tetra Technologies Inc., Tata Chemicals Limited and Hindustan Salts Limited are the key players in the market. Top players are continuously focusing on expanding their product offerings, especially in flame retardants segments. Collaborations and joint ventures are key business strategies to develop green brominated flame retardants.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Menstrual Cup Market - Trends, Growth Propellers, Segmentation and Top Players Market Scenario The menstrual cup is a substitute for sanitary napkins. These cups are used during menstrual cycle. It is made of medical grade silicone; they are shaped like a bell and is flexible. Instead of absorbing the flow, like a tampon or pad, it collects and holds menstrual blood. . The shelf life of the product is approximately ten years. The cup is an ecofriendly product that can be used single time or multiple times as these are easy to use and carry. The cup needs to be emptied once it is full. The cup must be washed to be used two to four times in a day. Global Menstrual Cup Market will grow steady at the CAGR of 5% during the forecasted period of 2017-2023. Request a Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1407 Market Highlights The market of menstrual cups is growing at a slow rate as the growth is restrained by least awareness about the product in the developing countries. The acceptance rate among people for this product is due to cultural values which is suppressing the growth of this market. The product gives ample benefits to women and these benefits are factors that can grow this market in developing nations as well as in poor countries. Key players Diva International Inc. (Canada), Lune Group Ltd (Finland), The Keeper Inc. (US), Mooncup (UK), Intimina (Sweden), Me Luna (USA), Ruby Cup (UK) others Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 110 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Menstrual Cup Market Research Report- Forecast To 2027 The American and European region have good market for menstrual cups. People in this region are aware about this product and have accepted it very well. These regions have a very fast moving life; women here mostly belong to the working class. They find this product very helpful during their menstrual cycle. The product is easy to use and can be kept in pocket. This reusable product has to be emptied two or four times in a day and can be used for 10 years. The product is safe, hygienic and cheap as well, these benefits have created a good demand of it in the market of American and European region. Browse full report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/menstrual-cup-market Intended Audience: Menstrual Cup Manufacturer Independent Research Laboratories Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Medical Research Laboratories Ask for your specific company profile and country level customization on reports. On the other hand, Asia Pacific region will be with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and others its forefront will lead the market further to next 10 years and will continue with this trend through the forecast period Table of Content 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition 1.2 Scope Of Study 1.2.1 Research Objective 1.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations 1.2.2.1 Assumptions 1.2.2.2 Limitations 1.3 Market Structure: 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Process: 2.2 Primary Research 2.3 Secondary Research: 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Drivers 3.2 Restraints 3.3 Opportunities 3.4 Macroeconomic Indicators 4 Market Factor Analysis 4.1 Porters Five Forces Model 4.2 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers 4.3 Bargaining Power Of Buyers 4.4 Threat Of New Entrants 4.5 Threat Of Substitutes 4.6 Intensity Of Rivalry 5 Global Menstrual Cup Market, By Type Continue Related Report Phototherapy Market Information, by devices (firefly, fiber-optic blanket, fiber-optic band) by indication (jaundice, skin disease) by end users (hospitals, clinics, home care) - Forecast to 2022.Know more about this report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/phototherapy-market About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. Contact: Akash Anand, Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune - 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com This release was published on openPR. Permanent link to this press release: Copy Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release. FMI Releases New Report on the Joint Compound Market 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2442 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2442 www.futuremarketinsights.com Joint compound is the white color powder made up of plaster of Paris or gypsum. The compound also is known as mastic or drywall compound. The compound is mixed with water at the time of use which will become a hard stone-like consistency in less than an hour. The compound is used for sealing joints between walls and creating a seamless base for interior walls. The global joint compound market is expected to have significant growth rate, attributed to growing construction industry across the globe. Asia-Pacific except Japan accounts for significantly high revenue share in the global joint compound market, attributed to growing population and robust marketing of the product in the region over the forecast period.Global Joint Compound Market Dynamics:The growth of the global joint compound market is driven by growing construction and adhesive industry. The macroeconomic factor responsible for the growth of the global joint compound market is the rapid rate of urbanization and rising disposable income. The advantages of a joint compound including be easy-to-use, hand-applying simple textures, and skim coating also fueling the global joint compound market. Joint compound may lead to delamination problem if not used according to specification with high price can result in restraining global joint compound market. The company providing the joint compound have significantly high opportunity in regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, owing to the significant demand for a joint compound with growing construction industry in the regions. The joint compound market also has a significant opportunity in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa region as these are the emerging market, attributed to rising disposable income of consumers in these regions.Request For Report Sample@Global Joint Compound Market Segmentation:Basically, the global joint compound market is segmented on the basis of product type, end-use, distribution channel, and region. On the basis of product type, the global joint compound market is segmented as single joint compound and ready-to-use. Among the product type segment, single drywall compound contribute for the significant revenue share over the forecast period in the global joint compound market, whereas ready-to-use has significant growth rate over the forecast period. On the basis of end-use, the global joint compound market is segmented as industries and household, wherein industries segment have relatively high revenue share whereas household segment is growing at a significant growth rate. On the basis of distribution channel, the global joint compound market is segmented as e-Commerce and retail shop. Retail shop segment is further sub-segmented as hypermarket or supermarket, independent shop, and convenience store. Among the distribution channel segment, hypermarket/supermarket segment contribute for the significant revenue share over the forecast period in the global joint compound market.Based on product type, the global joint compound market is segmented into:Single Joint CompoundReady-to-useBased on end-use, the global joint compound market is segmented into:IndustriesHouseholdBased on Distribution Channel, the global joint compound market is segmented into:e-CommerceRetail ShopsHypermarket/SupermarketIndependent shopsConvenience StoresRequest For TOC@Global Joint Compound Market Regional Outlook:Based on the geographies, the global joint compound market is fragmented into seven key regions -- North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific except Japan, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. Among the regions, North America accounts for a significant share of the global joint compound market, owing to relatively high-value share of the region in the construction. Western Europe is followed by North America region in the global joint compound market. The Asia-Pacific except Japan region accounts for significantly high volume share in the global joint compound market, owing to the rapid rate of urbanization in the region. Eastern Europe and Japan also accounts for significant value share in the global joint compound market. The developing economy such as Middle East Africa and Latin America have a moderate opportunity in the global joint compound market, owing to the substantial growth in the construction industry over the forecast period. Overall, the outlook for the global joint compound market will have a positive growth over the forecast period, owing to the increasing demand for the joint compound in the construction industry as an anti-counterfeiting measure.Global Joint Compound Market Player:Few players in the global joint compound market include United States Gypsum Company, Irrational Propensity Renovations, Sheetrock, Georgia Pacific, USG, Wickes.co.uk, ASG, Everbuild, Drywall, DuPont, and Continental.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global MOSFET Market Share 2017-2022: Samsung, Toshiba, Texas Instruments, ITSUBISHI, Diodes Incorporated MOSFET http://bit.ly/2sZNa98 http://bit.ly/2ugY0a6 MOSFET Market ResearchA market study Global MOSFET Market examines the performance of the MOSFET market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the MOSFET market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of MOSFET market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global MOSFET Market 2017 report includes MOSFET market Size, Revenue, market Share, MOSFET industry volume, market Trends, MOSFET Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, MOSFET Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global MOSFET Market 2017:SamsungToshibaTexas InstrumentsMITSUBISHISTMicroelectronicsRenesas ElectronicsDiodes IncorporatedInfineonAvagoON SemiconductorVishay SemiconductorsCreeAdvanced Linear DevicesM-MOSNXPPanasonicAlpha and Omega SemiconductorFirstly, the report covers the top MOSFET manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the MOSFET report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of MOSFET industry, MOSFET industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. MOSFET Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The MOSFET research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the MOSFET market revenue worldwide.Finally, MOSFET market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Bismuth Market Estimated to Cross US$ 400.0 Mn by 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4398 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/bismuth-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/bismuth-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The global bismuth market is expected to reach US$ 400.0 Mn expanding at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period (20162024). Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for bismuth, with a market share of 46% in overall sales by the end of 2024.Global demand for bismuth is expected to grow at a Y-o-Y growth rate of 4.9% by 2016 end. China is a major consumer, producer, and exporter of bismuth and is anticipated to maintain its dominance in the global market in the near future. The country is estimated to account for 27.0% share of overall bismuth sales by the end of 2016. The increasing use of bismuth oxide in growing manufacturing industries is anticipated to drive consumption in the region. The rapid growth of the automobile end-use industry is expected to drive further market growth.A sample of this report is available upon request @Increasing environmental regulations regarding lead usage in various end-use industries would drive demand for bismuth and bismuth derived compounds. Stringent regulations and initiatives by leading manufacturers in end-use industries to phase out lead production is expected to spur bismuth market growth. Major paints & coatings manufacturers such as BASF SE and PPG Inc. are actively offering bismuth-based products replacing their lead based portfolio, in order to provide environmentally-friendly product offerings.Request to view table of content @The bismuth market in APAC is anticipated to witness higher growth rates due to increasing manufacturing activities in China and India. Demand in Europe is also anticipated to be above average due to stringent lead restricting directives in the region, while demand in North America, Latin America, and MEA is expected to be moderate. Declining lead production due to regulations and declining consumption of lead-acid batteries is anticipated to be a major restricting factor for the global market. The increasing use of bismuth alternatives in pharmaceuticals and alloys is also a major obstacle to market growth.Browse Complete Report @Hunan Jinwang Bismuth Industry Co. Ltd., Hunan Bismuth Co. Ltd., and Nui Phao Mining Company Limited are some of the top producers of bismuth, with a cumulative annual production capacity of 11,000 metric tons.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: FMI Releases New Report on the Digital Stethoscope Market 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2524 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2524 www.futuremarketinsights.com Digital stethoscope is a real time invention, which translates acoustic sound into an electrical signal, heart beats per minute (HBM) is displayed on LCD. Digital stethoscope also offers signal amplification and additional functions like storage, analysis and visual demonstration of sound signals. Sounds from multiple locations can be seized with the help of an electret microphone. The arrested sound is filtered and processed digitally by exhausting an adaptive frequency to obtain clearly audible and distinct heart sounds. An advanced digital stethoscope can wirelessly stream heart sounds to a smartphone. It also offers refined capabilities with audio recording and playback features. Digital stethoscope provides a new dais for potential computer-aided diagnosis (CAD). A digital stethoscope has various applications such as to assist doctors in examine and analyze cardiac signals in real time during auscultation. Digital stethoscopes are frequently favored by healthcare professionals for a physical examination. New edition of digital stethoscopes does have a learning curve, as its unique features with the integrated system for rapid diagnosing purposes is gaining more scope for the worldwide physicians. The upcoming advanced technology potential to revolutionize overall diagnosis by driving great innovation and enhancing the way healthcare services are administered throughout the globe successfully.Digital Stethoscope Market: Drivers and RestraintsDigital stethoscopes have cutting-edge features like audio recording, amplification of sound and eliminate other troublesome sounds for improved diagnosis. These digital stethoscopes are also fortified with software that allows doctors to generalize the readings for monitoring the heart rate of the patient. Substituting the linking cable with a wireless model may support lessen the potential risk and further agree to the propagation of the signals to different users for a checkup. Now physicians are capable to capture individuals heart and lung sounds and incorporate them into the electronic health record. This breakthrough signifies a revolutionary advancement in longitudinal patient care. Digital stethoscopes are gaining more popularity among dental practitioners that are seeking for more flexibility in overall functionality. In addition, increasing healthcare awareness and promotional campaigning by manufacturing companies is also fuelling the growth of the global digital stethoscopes market. Digital stethoscope manufacturers are converging on developing the devices with superior acoustics, better performance, and pioneering designs. Growing healthcare expenditure, increasing lifestyle, and the elderly population is expected to fuel the growth of digital stethoscope market. These stethoscopes offer advanced features with modern technology and have strongest growth potential in the overall stethoscope market. A lot of startup firms in the digital health space appear to launch their own manufactured products when FDA gave a green light to digital stethoscope. It may be too complex, time-consuming and too expensive to accept the new digital technology. Physicians have to gain more trust their medical devices work as stated. FDA approval system is one way of substantiating the upcoming digital device. This adoption of new technology by worldwide doctors is really a value based shift payment for digital stethoscope providers.Request For Report Sample@Digital Stethoscope Market: SegmentationBy TechnologyIntegrated Chest-Piece SystemWireless Transmission System (Bluetooth)Integrated Receiver Head-Piece SystemNumerical Simulation and System IntegrationBy End UserHospitalsClinicsHealthcare Institutes & OrganizationsHome Care SettingsOthersDigital Stethoscope Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the digital stethoscope market is segmented into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The global digital stethoscope market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period. North American region has a huge market owing to a large number of manufacturers, technological advancements with increasing population with and growing awareness about the upcoming devices and technology. Asian countries and Latin American countries are having more growth opportunities for digital stethoscope market players in the forecast period. North America leads the global digital stethoscope market due to rise in geriatric population and increasing concern of healthcare. Some of the key factors impacting digital stethoscope market in emerging countries are rising demand for healthcare medical devices for commercial and personal usage, growing healthcare expenditure and rising government initiatives in the field of digital market.Request For TOC@Digital Stethoscope Market: Key PlayersKey players operating in the global digital stethoscope market are FarmaSino Pharmaceuticals, Eko, Qinhuangdao Contec Medical Systems Co., Ltd., EXANOVO GROUP, Qufu Longercare Meditech Limited, and others. Digital stethoscope made by Eko Devices is also the first company to incorporate heart sounds directly with a patient's electronic health record (EHR).ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Residential Air Conditioners Market Size 2017-2022: Daikin, Haier, Hitachi, LG, Carrier, Electrolux Residential Air Conditioners http://bit.ly/2ugRznH http://bit.ly/2sPL8d4 Residential Air Conditioners Market ResearchA market study Global Residential Air Conditioners Market examines the performance of the Residential Air Conditioners market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Residential Air Conditioners market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Residential Air Conditioners market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Residential Air Conditioners Market 2017 report includes Residential Air Conditioners market Size, Revenue, market Share, Residential Air Conditioners industry volume, market Trends, Residential Air Conditioners Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Residential Air Conditioners Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Residential Air Conditioners Market 2017:DaikinHaierHitachiLGMitsubishi ElectricAux Air ConditionerCarrierElectroluxPanasonicToshibaWhirlpoolFirstly, the report covers the top Residential Air Conditioners manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Residential Air Conditioners report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Residential Air Conditioners industry, Residential Air Conditioners industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Residential Air Conditioners Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Residential Air Conditioners research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Residential Air Conditioners market revenue worldwide.Finally, Residential Air Conditioners market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Global Automotive Starter And Alternator Market Set for Rapid Growth And Trend, by 2017-2027 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2575 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2575 www.futuremarketinsights.com Modern day automobiles widely use starters and alternators. These are generally used in diesel and gasoline engines. The rising investments on R&D by key players in the market coupled with acquisitions and mergers is expected to make the global automotive starter and alternator market flourish in near future. The manufacturers of automotive starters and alternators are expanding their businesses to emerging economies like China, India, Russia, etc. as these countries are focused on development of automotive sectors in order to serve the rising demand across the globe.Electric starters are expected to dominate the segment during the forecast period. The different types of electric starters used in automotive sector are gear reduction, inertia starter, folo-thru drive and moveable pole shoe. Based on alternator type, the claw pole alternators are projected to witness significant growth in near future.Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: DriversOne of the major factors driving the growth of the global automotive starter and alternator market is increase in production of vehicles across the globe. According to OICA, the total vehicle production increased by around 1% in 2015. Moreover, increasing adoption of electric vehicles due to environment concerns such as rising air pollution, is further expected to escalate the demand for automotive starter and alternator market during the forecast period. Additionally, increasing preference for light weight and fuel efficient vehicles is further projected to escalate the demand for automotive starters and alternators in near future.Request For Report Sample@Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: RestraintsThe increasing production of hybrid vehicles is anticipated to hamper the growth of the global automotive starter and alternator market. The hybrid vehicles use one or more motors which ignite with the help of internal combustion engine. Due to this reason, these vehicles have eliminated the use of automotive starters and alternators which, in turn, is expected to restrict their demand in near future.Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: SegmentationThe global automotive starter and alternator market can be segmented on the basis of starter type, alternator type and vehicle type. On the basis of starter type, the market can be segmented into electric, hydraulic and pneumatic. On the basis of alternators, the market can be further segmented into claw pole alternator and cylindrical alternator. On the basis of vehicles, the global starter and alternator market can be further segmented into light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles and passenger cars.Request For TOC@Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: Region wise OutlookBased on regions, Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the automotive starter and alternator market over the forecast period. Asia Pacific, led by emerging economies like China and India, is projected to be the dominant region during the forecast period due to the presence of continuously increasing automobile manufacturing companies in this region. North America, led by U.S. is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The increasing demand for starters and alternators in North America, owing to rising production of vehicles, coupled with continuous investment in this market is expected to fuel the demand for automotive starters and alternators in near future. The automotive starter and alternator market in Middle East & Africa and Latin America is anticipated to witness steady growth due to sluggish demand in this region. However, increasing demand for vehicles is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for automotive starters and alternators in near future.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Airport Security Equipment Market Analysis- Size, Share, overview, scope, Revenue, Gross Margin, Segment and Forecast 2017 http://www.reportbazzar.com/product/global-airport-security-equipment-market-research-report-2017/ http://www.reportbazzar.com/request-sample/?pid=1004386&ptitle=Global+Airport+Security+Equipment+Market+Research+Report+2017&req=Sample http://www.reportbazzar.com/discount-form/?pid=1004386&ptitle=Global+Airport+Security+Equipment+Market+Research+Report+2017&req=Discount http://www.reportbazzar.com/ https://reportbazzargrowthanalysis.wordpress.com ReportBazzar has released its latest research-based report entitled Airport Security Equipment market.' This comprehensive report provides a holistic approach to the market growth with a detailed and precise analysis of the overall competitive scenario of the Airport Security Equipment market worldwide along with the key trends and latest technologies, playing a prominent role in the Airport Security Equipment market growth over the next five years.It also takes into account the market trends, aspects such as drivers, constraints, challenges, and opportunities that impact the market and presents statistical and analytical account on it. This research report features a comprehensive discussion about the current scenario to estimate trends and prospects of the Airport Security Equipment market. Moreover, it provides dynamic and statistical insights pertaining to the market at both regional as well as global level.Complete report with detailed table of content is available at:Application segments such as demolition and construction as well as products used in the manufacturing of engineering equipment come under heavy industries. In addition, heavy industries also include ancillary industries that have their relation with these applications. These industries are mostly capital intensive in nature, have huge barriers to entry and low transportability. The industry mostly includes heavy electrical, huge buildings and machine tools.Recognizing the rising prevalence of Airport Security Equipment market, this research report proves to be a primary source of guidance and detailed data on the market at global scale. The report evaluates the present scenario and status as well as changing trends in the market to project its outlook and prospects. This report is a systematic research study based on the market and analyzes the competitive framework of the global Airport Security Equipment industry. A holistic report covers exhaustive information obtained from reliable industrial sources and through proven research methodologies. The data thus obtained is then combined with relevant tables and graphs to support the information revealed. Thus the report features graphs, figures, and data and provides a high-level blueprint of the global market.Various competent analytical tools have been used to offer a comprehensive assessment of the market. The report comprises of each aspect of the global market for Airport Security Equipment. Here, the market is basically segmented by its product type, application and region. It starts with the basic information and then advances to the market classification and segmentation based on different criteria. It analyses the key segments and the regional subdivision of the market and helps determine the future of the market in the global arena.KNOW MORE WITH FREE SAMPLE REPORT @Major regions, countries, and sub-segments have been analyzed for providing the better understanding of the market scope worldwide. The report studies the market by evaluating the manufacturers, manufacturing chain, contribution in the industry, regulations, prevalent policies and cost structures. The regional markets for the Airport Security Equipment market are analyzed by evaluating the raw material price trend analysis, logistics, demand, and supply, production capacity, as well as the historical performance of the market in the given region.The report also provides insights on the competitive landscape of the global Airport Security Equipment industry with the leading players profiled in the report. The company profiles, trends, tactics, merger & acquisitions, business strategies, financial metrics of the major participants operating in the global Airport Security Equipment market have been reviewed in this study.Some Points Table Of Content:-1 Airport Security Equipment Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Airport Security Equipment1.2 Airport Security Equipment Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Airport Security Equipment Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Airport Security Equipment Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Explosives Detection1.2.4 X-Ray & Infrared Equipment1.2.5 Metal Detectors1.2.6 Perimeter & Access Control1.2.7 Biometrics Equipment1.2.8 Alarms & Sensors1.2.9 Video Surveillance1.2.10 Intercom & Video Door Phones1.2.11 Others1.3 Global Airport Security Equipment Segment by Application1.3.1 Airport Security Equipment Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Military1.3.3 Civil1.4 Global Airport Security Equipment Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Airport Security Equipment Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Airport Security Equipment (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Airport Security Equipment Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Airport Security Equipment Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022).Check Discount on this report @About Us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors. Our intelligence database comprises of vast arrays of strategically analyzed and high-level market research reports that encompass all major industries worldwide. All the specialized research reports available at Reportbazzar.com are tailor-made to suit your every business need, no matter how diverse or demanding it is.Contact for more details:Report BazzarUnited States30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.US: +1 (212) 389-6363Email: sales@reportbazzar.comWeb -Visit Our Blog: Growing Demand for Reducing Carbon Footprint to Boost Asia Pacific Telecom Power Systems Market https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1158679 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/5045/growing-demand-for-reducing-carbon-footprint-to-boost-asia-pacific-telecom-power-systems-market http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Asia-Pacific Telecom Power Systems Market Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"MarketResearchReports.biz has announced the addition of a new report titled Asia-Pacific Telecom Power Systems Market Report 2017 to its offering. The report on telecom power systems market for Asia Pacific offers in-depth insights into the key market dynamics, current and emerging trends, market size of various segments, recent technological advancements, and competitive landscape. The research covers major classification and applications of telecom power systems and highlights market share of key vendors and suppliers. The study analyzes recent developments in telecom industry in major nations such as South Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Japan, Australia, and various parts of Southeast Asia.The report takes a closer look at the regulatory landscape prevailing in major countries expected to shape adoption trends and influence competitive dynamics. The growing demand for telecom power solutions among operators, network manufacturers, and system integrators to secure power systems against grid power fluctuations and outages is a key factor propelling the market. The rising demand for uninterrupted power supply in datacenters of developed and developing nations has catalyzed the Asia Pacific telecom power systems market.The growing need for reducing the carbon footprint of the telecommunication industry and continued expansion of telecom infrastructure in several off-grid areas are key factors driving the Asia Pacific telecom power systems market. Constant technological advancements have led to the advent of high-performing power control systems and monitors are anticipated to boost the market in the coming years. The application of telecom power systems in maintaining the stability of power infrastructure also enabled end users to achieve significant cost-savings. This is also a crucial factor propelling the demand for telecom power systems. Furthermore, the growing demand for diesel-battery power solutions is anticipated to bolster the uptake of telecom power systems.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @In recent years, the growing popularity of renewable sources of energy is expected to open up exciting opportunities for market players to capitalize on. The growing governmental push for adoption of green energy in various emerging markets is expected to boost the market in the coming years. The use of telecom power systems has resulted in substantial operational cost savings and minimized the maintenance needs of data infrastructure, which has fueled the market across the region.Several manufacturers allow various integration features for their devices, which improves the performance of telecom power systems. Recent design innovations and recent advancements in battery technology are expected to open up lucrative growth avenues for market players. Recent efforts in modernization of grid technologies in several developing nations are expected to accentuate the market over the forecast period.View Press Release @Major players operating in the Asia-Pacific telecom power systems market include Vertiv, Unipower, LLC, Schneider Electric, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., GE Industrial Solutions, Eaton, Delta Electronics, Inc., Cummins Power Generation, and Ascot Industrial srl. Several leading players are adopting the organic strategy of growth to consolidate their shares across various regions.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com SummaryThe Global Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Ultra High Temperature Milk industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Ultra High Temperature Milk market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Ultra High Temperature Milk industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):Albea GroupAmcor LtdFirst milkKoa Glass Co. Ltd.Ardagh GroupBemis Company, Inc.Bormioli Rocco SpaMeadWestvaco Corp.Saint-GobainSonoco Products CompanyA2 Corporation ltdArla FoodsBright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd.Candia SAKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Ultra High Temperature Milk by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Ultra High Temperature Milk by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Ultra High Temperature Milk by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Ultra High Temperature MilkChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017India Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017China Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Ultra High Temperature Milk Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) Industrial Gases Market for Glass Industry Driven by Rising Importance of Glass in Automotive Design https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1142848 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/5052/industrial-gases-market-for-glass-industry-driven-by-rising-importance-of-glass-in-automotive-design http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Global Industrial Gases Market for Glass Industry 2017-2021 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"MarketResearchReports.biz announces the addition of a new report to its growing online market intelligence repository. The report, titled Global Industrial Gases Market For Glass Industry 2017-2021, examines the global industrial gases market in terms of its use in the glass industry and provides studied forecasts based on a detailed reports of the present figures and historical trajectory of both these sectors. The segmentation and competitive dynamics of the global industrial gases market in the glass industry are also examined in detail in the report, providing a 360-degree overview of the market for readers.The industrial gases market has become extremely important in recent years due to the rising diversification of the chemicals industry to fulfill several needs. The glass market has also attained a steady growth initiative due primarily to the growing use of glass in the packaging industry and is likely to exhibit sustained demand for industrial gases in the coming years due to the consistent technological innovation in the industry.According to the report, the global industrial gases market for the glass industry is likely to exhibit a steady CAGR of 6% through to 2021.The rising use of glass in the packaging industry, particularly when it comes to chemicals, is due to the inert nature of glass, which means even highly volatile substances can be safely stored in it. The industrial gases market for glass is likely to gain from this significantly. Glass is notable for its ability to keep its contents fresh, due to which glass has become increasingly popular in the storage and distribution of pharmaceuticals, personal care items such as fragrances, and beverages. Technological innovation in the manufacturing process of glass has led to the availability of durable glass that even overcomes the one traditional weakness of glass: fragility. The industrial gases market for the glass industry is likely to benefit significantly from this in the coming years.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Asia Pacific is likely to be the leading regional contributor to the global industrial gases market for the glass industry. Steady infrastructure development in dynamic economies such as India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea has been a solid driver for the industrial gases market for the glass industry and is likely to be a key contributor due to the rapid urbanization drive in these countries.Growth of leading end-use applications such as the automotive industry has helped the industrial gases market for the glass industry in Asia Pacific, as the role of glass in automotive design has evolved dynamically in the last few years. The steady rise of the automotive industry in China, in addition to the more established automotive industry in Japan and South Korea, is thus likely to be a key driver for the global industrial gases market for the glass industry.View Press Release @By gas, the report segments the global industrial gases market for the glass industry into oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and acetylene. Oxygen is likely to dominate the industrial gases market for the glass industry in the coming years due to the cost benefits it provides to the manufacturing process.Competitive dynamics of the global industrial gases market for the glass industry are also assessed in the report, which contains elaborative profiles of the leading players in the market. Key companies examined in the report include Air Liquide, Linde Group, Praxair, Air Products and Chemicals, and Messer Group, which are likely to retain their dominant shares in the global industrial gases market for the glass industry in the coming years.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Overcoming Reliability and Network Density Issues to Provide Renewed Fillip to 5G Technology https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1157584 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/5043/overcoming-reliability-and-network-density-issues-to-provide-renewed-fillip-to-5g-technology http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report 5G Technology Overview, Use Cases and Demand Forecast: Addressing Latency, Reliability and Network Density Opens Up New Business Opportunities provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"MarketResearchReports.biz has recently announced the addition of a thematic research report that includes a detailed overview of the global 5G technology and the key trends surrounding its development across the globe. The report is titled 5G Technology Overview, Use Cases and Demand Forecast: Addressing Latency, Reliability and Network Density Opens Up New Business Opportunities.The report states that in light of the massive rise in the global consumption of data, which is projected to rise fourfold in the next five years, the 5G technology will go beyond developments related to capacity and bandwidth as was the focus of previous generations of wireless technologies. The technology is projected to provide high reliability, high density, and low latency in addition to increased capacity and bandwidth.These added capabilities of the technology will help open the door to a number of new and predominantly business-focused services such as smart cities and automated, driverless cars. However, the technology will also face additional complexity and challenges to be able to provide for applications with vastly different technological sets of requirements.This report includes a thorough reports of the numerous high-growth potential user cases that could use 5G in the near future. The report also includes an overview of the pace of deployment of the technology across the globe, with particular focus and forecasts in the US, Japan, South Korea, Japan, Europe, and China.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @The report states that the technology is gathering momentum but will gain more prominence if standardization timelines are brought forward. As a result, in countries such as South Korea, Japan, and the U.S., all key operators are planning to launch 5G-based services during 2019. Sporting events such as Olympics are also playing a key role in pushing forward the development of the technology in a number of countries across the globe.Presently, the 28 GHz frequency band is witnessing the most focus and is expected to support early services in the US and South Korea. This band is, however, not available across all regions. On the other hand, the 3.5 GHz band has gained the broadest level of support across key regional market including the US, where it is available as a shared spectrum. A number of other high frequency bands are also being considered, including notably 39 GHz, 4 GHz, and 2.5 GHz; these are projected to be complemented by some low frequency bands including 1.3 GHz, 700 MHz, and 600 MHz.View Press Release @The data and insights included in the report have been derived with the help of a mix of qualitative primary research and secondary research practices. In-depth interviews with market players forms the crux of primary research for the report. Secondary research practices include relevant intelligence and data extraction from trade association publications, regulatory authority publications, public databases, and financial reports, press releases, and presentations of companies.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Waste to Energy Market Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2016 - 2024: Global Market Insights Inc. https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/456 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/456 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/biodegradable-packaging-market The latest Waste to Energy (WTE) market analysis and research report talks about major applications of Waste to Energy, growth of these segments as well as offers insights into companies active in this industry and their information.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 @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.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @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.Browse Related Reports:Biodegradable Packaging Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Germany, UK, Italy, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Application Potential, Competitive Market Share& Forecast, 2017 2024Global 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.29L Atlantic Avenue, Suite L 105, Global AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com SummaryThe Global AR Gaming Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the AR Gaming industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The AR Gaming market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the AR Gaming industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):BlipparCatchoomQualcomm TechnologiesTotal ImmersionVividWorksSamsungSonyAugmented PixelsAurasmaVividWorksWikitudeZapparKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of AR GamingChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of AR GamingChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of AR GamingChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of AR Gaming by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of AR Gaming by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of AR Gaming by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of AR GamingChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of AR GamingChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of AR GamingChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of AR GamingChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of AR GamingChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of AR GamingChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global AR Gaming Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017India AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017China AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan AR Gaming Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) Global Adhesive Tapes Market: Production of Silicone-based Pressure-sensitive Adhesive Tapes offers Long-term Benefits http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=905594 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=905594 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Adhesive Tapes Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.Global Adhesive Tapes Market: OverviewThis report analyzes and forecasts the market for Adhesive Tapes at the global and regional level. The market has been forecast based on revenue (US$ Mn) & Volume (Million Square Meter) from 2016 to 2024. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global Adhesive Tapes market. It also covers the impact of these drivers and restraints on demand for Adhesive Tapes during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the Adhesive Tapes market at the global and regional level.The report comprises a detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global Adhesive Tapes market. Porters Five Forces model for the Adhesive Tapes market has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Adhesive Tapes Market: Regional and Competitive LandscapeThe study provides a decisive view of the global Adhesive Tapes market by segmenting it in terms product and end use. These segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for Adhesive Tapes in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report also covers demand for individual end-user segments in all the regions.The study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global Adhesive Tapes market. Key players profiled in the report include Adhesive Tapes market include 3M, Nitto Denko Corporation, Kruse Adhesive Tape, Saint-Gobain, Surface Shields, CCT Tapes, tesa SE, Scapa Group plc., Advance Tapes International, Vibac Group S.p.a., H.B.Fuller, CMS Group of Companies, Lohmann GmbH & Co.KG., K.L. & Ling, NICHIBAN CO., LTD. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, recent developments, and SWOT analysis.Global Adhesive Tapes Market: Scope of the StudyThe report provides the estimated market size of Adhesive Tapes for 2015 and forecast for the next nine years. The global market size of Adhesive Tapes has been provided in terms of revenue. Market numbers have been estimated based on product and end use segment of Adhesive Tapes. Market size and forecast for each major product and end use have been provided in terms of global and regional markets.In order to compile the research report, we conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. We reviewed key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents for competitive analysis and market understanding. Secondary research also includes a search of recent trade, technical writing, internet sources, and statistical data from government websites, trade associations, and agencies. This has proven to be the most reliable, effective, and successful approach for obtaining precise market data, capturing industry participants insights, and recognizing business opportunities.Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, and SEC filings, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases, national government documents, statistical databases, and market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market, Omnexus4adhesives,PCI, ICIS, Adhesives magazine, Fecia, Coatings world magazine, BASA onlinePrimary research involves e-mail interactions, telephonic interviews, and face-to-face interviews for each market, category, segment, and sub-segment across geographies. We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators in order to validate the data and analysis. Primary interviews provide firsthand information on market size, market trends, growth trends, competitive landscape, and outlook, etc. These help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. These also help develop the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The report segments the global Adhesive Tapes market as:Adhesive Tapes Market: Product Analysis- Single Coated- Double Coated- Transfer Tape- Foam TapeAdhesive Tapes Market: Composition Analysis- Acrylic- Rubber- Silicone- OthersAdhesive Tapes Market: Backing Material Analysis- Polypropylene- Paper- Polyvinyl Chloride- OthersAdhesive Tapes Market: End use Analysis- Health Care- Building & Construction- Consumer Goods- Automotive- Graphics- OthersAdhesive Tapes Market: Regional Analysis- North America- U.S.- Canada- Europe- France- U.K.- Spain- Germany- Italy- Rest of Europe- Asia Pacific- China- Japan- India- ASEAN- Rest of Asia Pacific- Latin America- Brazil- Mexico- Rest of Latin America- Middle East & Africa (MEA)- GCC- Egypt- South Africa- Rest of MEAMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Australia, New Zealand and India Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market: India to Surge at 23.9% CAGR 20162024 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=905062 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=905062 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Building Information Modelling Market - Australia, New Zealand and India Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.Australia, New Zealand and India Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market: Report ScopeThe Building Information Modeling (BIM) market report provides an in-depth analysis of the BIM market for the period 2014 2024, wherein 2015 is the base year and the years from 2016 to 2024 is the forecast period. Data for 2014 has been included as historical information. The report covers all the prevalent trends playing a major role in the growth of the BIM market over the forecast period. It also highlights various drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the markets growth during the forecast period. The study provides a holistic perspective on market growth in terms of revenue estimates (in US$ Mn), across the countries. The report provides analysis of the BIM market in terms of market estimates and projections for all the segments across country. The report also covers profiles of major players, their growth strategies, various recent developments, and includes market positioning analysis of key players operating in the BIM market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Australia, New Zealand and India Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market: OverviewBuilding information modeling (BIM) is a three-dimensional (3D) graphical presentation of a technical diagram which includes the elevation, plan, and segment of a building. It is a type of digital building system in which the real model of the structure with precise value is digitally constructed. The BIM market is expected to experience high growth in the coming decade owing to factors such as rise in construction activities and government initiatives to lift BIM adoption rate in these countries.Australia, New Zealand and India Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market: SegmentationThis research study on the BIM market provides a detailed analysis of various solution types of building information modeling available in the market. Based on solutions, the market is further segmented into software, and professional & consultancy service. The software BIM market is further categorized into on-premise and cloud-based. Based on end-use industry, the BIM market is categorized into water and waste water, rail, transit and aviation, bridges, roads and highways, energy generation facilities, educational institutions and commercial spaces, houses and apartments, factories and warehouses, government buildings, health care infrastructure and dams and others. On the basis of end-users, the market is segmented into engineers, architects, contractors and developers. The report includes a comprehensive coverage of the underlying economic development factors under the key trend analysis section. To depict holistic view of the BIM market, value-chain analysis and ecosystem analysis is included in the report. The section describes current supply chain model and potential impact of forward backward integration.The report aims to provide a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the BIM market across different countries, which is also provided based on solutions, end-use industries, and the end-users. The report also provides country level key trend analysis for different segmentations included.Australia, New Zealand and India Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report highlights the competition matrix of the BIM market, positioning all the major players according to their geographic presence, historical roadmap, competitors, market position, key recent developments, and segment growth. The matrix has been designed to show comparative strength of players active in the BIM market. The important business strategies adopted by them, their market positioning, and recent developments have also been identified in the research report. Also, distinct representation of market competition in terms of market shares of global and regional/local players has also been included.Under the company profiles section, the report provides an overview of the players operating in the market, the strategies adopted by them to gain competitive advantage, the annual revenue generated by them in the past two or three years, and their relevant business segment revenue. The report also provide market share analysis of the BIM market. The key players profiled in this report include Autodesk Inc., AECOM, Dassault Systemes SA, Beck Technology Ltd., Synchro Software Ltd., Bentley Systems, Inc., Tekla Corporation, Pentagon Solutions Ltd., GRAITEC and Nemetschek AG.Market Segmentation:Building Information Modelling Market Analysis, by Solution- Software- On-premise- Cloud- Professional & Consultancy ServiceBuilding Information Modelling Market Analysis, by End-use Industry- Water and Waste Water- Bridges, Roads and Highways- Rail, Transit, and Aviation- Energy Generation Facilities- Houses and Apartments- Factories and Warehouses- Educational Institutions and Commercial Spaces- Government Buildings- Healthcare Infrastructures- Dams and OthersBuilding Information Modelling Market Analysis, by End-user- Engineers- Architects- Contractors- DevelopersBuilding Information Modelling Market Analysis, by Country- Australia- New Zealand- IndiaMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ In-Vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests Market to grow at over 5% CAGR from 2016 to 2023 Global Market Insights, Inc. https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/451 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/in-vitro-colorectal-cancer-screening-tests-market-report https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/451 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/cancer-biological-therapy-market https://www.gminsights.com https://gminsights.wordpress.com The research report In-Vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests Market Size By Test Type (Fecal Occult Blood Tests [Guaiac FOB Stool, Immuno-FOB Agglutination, Lateral Flow Immuno-FOB, Immuno-FOB ELISA], Biomarker Tests [Tumor M2-PK Stool, Transferrin Assays], CRC DNA Screening Tests [Methylated Gene Testing, Panel DNA Tests]), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, China, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2023, by Global Market Insights, Inc., says In-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests industry size is estimated to hit USD 903 million by 2023.Technological developments in healthcare to acquire accurate results in early diagnosis will propel in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market size over the coming years. Furthermore, government legislations mandating cancer diagnosis and screening are expected to boost the market trends. For instance, EU collaborated with IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) to produce the first edition of quality assurance guidelines for colorectal cancer diagnosis and screening to improve the quality of cancer diagnosis. Moreover, rise in the geriatric population base, prone to chronic diseases, along with the escalating occurrence of colon and rectal cancer is expected to favorably impact in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market growth over the next few years. In addition to this, growing awareness about early diagnosis of colorectal cancer will noticeably enhance the industry outlook.Request for a sample of this research report -Order This Report by calling Global Market Insights, Inc. at 1-888-689-0688 (Toll Free) or 1-302-846-7766.The differentiating factor of in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market report by Global Market Insights, Inc. when compared with other, similar syndicated research studies includes a 360-degree synopsis of trends for a period of more than 10 years including historic information as well as future outlook. Business focussed multiple trends for in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests industry are discussed along with regional trends to offer an overall view of the market. The industry insights chapter of this research provides the most comprehensive analysis of in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market covering segmentation, size, forecasts, ecosystem analysis and more.Industry impact forces (regional and global) that cover growth drivers and challenges, growth potential analysis, a strategy dashboard for competitive landscape of in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market support this sector specific data and information points.Rising popularity of fecal occult blood tests is projected to boost in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests industry share over 2016-2023:Taking into consideration the tests trends, in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market is segmented into biomarker tests, fecal occult blood tests, and colorectal cancer(CRC) DNA screening tests. Growing use of Immuno- fecal occult blood agglutination as well as Immuno- fecal occult blood ELISA tests for early and quick detection of colorectal cancer will boost FOB tests market size, having attained targeted revenue of over USD 500 million in 2015. Colorectal cancer (CRC) DNA screening tests market size is expected to grow at a rate of 10% over the period of 2016-2023, owing to high level of test accuracy and sensitivity.Browse key industry insights spread across 90 pages with 36 market data tables & 6 figures & charts from this 2017 report In-Vitro Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests Market in detail along with the table of contents at:Asia Pacific is expected to drive in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests industry revenue by 2023:Considering the regional outlook, North America in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests market, which dominated the regional landscape in 2015, is projected to witness a considerable growth over the coming years, driven by rise in healthcare spending, enhanced healthcare amenities, high level of patient awareness, and introduction of supportive government legislations related to screening tests. U.S. is expected to be a key regional revenue pocket.Moreover, recommendation of introducing effective screening tests in healthcare sector by EU along with favorable changes in existing tests will drive Europe in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests industry revenue over the coming years. In addition to this, the growing significance of colorectal cancer screening tests in Europe has significantly reduced the mortality rate. Germany is forecast to make significant contributions towards the regional share.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Rising elderly population base and inactive lifestyles are estimated to push Asia Pacific in-vitro colorectal cancer screening tests industry growth over the coming six years. Japan, South Korea, China, and Malaysia are expected to be the major regional revenue contributors.Market players will try to increase regional presence through strategic alliances and exploration of untapped opportunities in emerging economies. Key industry participants include Eiken Chemical Company Limited, Abbott Molecular, CompanionDx Reference Lab LLC, Alere Incorporation, Sysmex Corporation, Quest Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Merck Millipore Corporation, and Epigenomics AG.Browse Related Reports:Cancer Biological Therapy Market Size By Product (Monoclonal Antibodies [Naked Monoclonal Antibodies, Conjugated Monoclonal Antibodies, Bi-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies], Vaccines [Preventive, Therapeutic], Cancer Growth Blockers [Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, Proteasome Inhibitors, mTOR Inhibitors], Blood Cell Growth Factors [Lenograstim, Filgrastim], Cytokines [Interferons, Interleukins]), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2023About 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.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog: Global Software Defined Storage Market Analysis 2016-2020 - Key vendors EMC, HP, IBM, VMware http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=775720 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=775720 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Software Defined Storage Market 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Software-defined storage (SDS) is a central part of the software-defined data center (SDDC), which is an emerging information technology (IT). It has been designed for organizations to store business data and to enable the speedy delivery of IT services. In an SDS framework, storage services are delivered as a software layer that can be abstracted from the underlying hardware. SDS solutions eliminate the need for manual configuration of the operational process in the SDDC; these solutions accomplish the objective by according control to the software through the separation of the underlying hardware.Technavios analysts forecast the global software defined storage (SDS) market to grow at a CAGR of 31.62% during the period 2016-2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global software defined storage (SDS) market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from the implementation of software-defined storage solutions among enterprises worldwide.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEANew report, Global Software Defined Storage (SDS) Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsEMCHPIBMVMwareOther prominent vendors6WindArista NetworksAvayaBig Switch NetworksBrocadeCiscoCitrixDataCoreDellEricssonFujitsuHitachi Data SystemsJuniper NetworksNECNetAppNexentaNutanixPertinoPivot3PlexxiPLUMgridSwiftStackMarket driverEffective management of unstructured dataFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeRisk of data privacy and security breachFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendRise of OpenStackFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Military Electro Optical and Infrared Systems Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 7% by 2021 Military Electro Optical And Infrared Systems Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1287 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/military-electro-optical-infrared-systems-market-1287 Market Synopsis of Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems Market:The global Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 7% during 2016-2021.As per the MRFR analysis, this growth is driven by growing demand for vetronics, introduction of InGaAs detector systems. Factors impacting the market are declining defense budget in US and UK and regulatory issues with regards to all three platforms (air, naval, and land). Shifting trend towards EO/Laser Guidance Systems is also significantly contributing towards the increase in demand.Americas is leading the market with around 40% market share and is likely to dominate the market in the forecast period followed by EMEA and APAC.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Military Electro Optical and Infrared Systems Market: Raytheon Lockheed Martin L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. BAE Systems Plc. Thales group DRS Technologies Northrop Grumman Elbit Systems Ltd. Harris Corporation Rheinmetall Defence AG Textron Rockwell Collins Ultra Electronics HoldingsStudy Objectives of Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the Global Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by types and applications To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems MarketKey Findings: Land based platform account approx. 80% of the market share and will dominate the market in forecast period. APAC will register a CAGR of around 10% in the forecast followed by EMEA and Americas. Growing investment towards InGaAs detector system, which allows imaging in the SWIR without the necessity of an external cooling system.Brief TOC:1. Introduction1.1 Report Description1.2 Research Objective2. Executive Summary2.1 Key Findings / Highlights2.1.1 Investment Opportunities2.1.2 Market Startegies2.1.3 Latest Developments3. Scope of the Study3.1 Markets Covered3.2 Years Considered For the Study (2016-2021)3.2 Geographic Scope3.3 Key Stakeholders4. Assumptions and Limitations5. Research Methodology5.1 Primary Research5.2 Secondary Research5.3 Econometric and Forecasting ModelContinueRegional and Country Analysis of Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems Market:Americas will dominate the electro optic and infrared sensor market during the forecast period. With increased investment and procurement of weapons systems in land, naval, and air platforms, APAC will register the maximum growth in the forecast period.Access Report Details @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Smart Classroom Market in India 2016-2020 - Key vendors Educomp, Everonn, HCL, Microsoft, Pearson, Samsung http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=775719 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=775719 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Smart Classroom Market in India 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.The need to improve the quality of education to global standards is contributing to the increase in adoption of smart classrooms in India. Smart classroom helps in making classroom sessions more interactive by incorporating live videos, audios, and pictures. This helps in improving students' engagement with learning. With advances in content creation technology and availability of online content, the proportion of digital content in course curriculum has increased. Educomp Solutions and NIIT are the top providers of content in India. Video lectures and simulation techniques are also boosting market growth. The Digital India and ICT@Schools are among the initiatives that support building ICT infrastructure and adoption of devices by schools and colleges.Technavios analysts forecast the smart classroom market in India to grow at a CAGR of 23.44% during the period 2016-2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the smart classroom market in India for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated revenue generated from products like learning products, hardware, and software. The end-user segments that also contribute to the total market revenue generated are higher education and K-12.The market is divided into the following segments based on products:Learning productHardwareSoftwareSmart Classroom Market in India 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsEducompEveronnHCLMicrosoftPearsonSamsungOther prominent vendorsAppleDellDexlerEduriteEmbibeHPIBMIntelLearnNextLenovoMeritnationSimplilearnSonyToshibaMarket driverDigitization of educationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeInfrastructure disparityFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendCloud-based solutionsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Defense IT Spending Market Analysis 2016-2020 - Key vendors, Accenture, CSC, Dell, HP, IBM http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=775718 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=775718 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Defense IT Spending Market 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Growing international terrorism and rising number of extremist groups are threatening many countries. Therefore, many countries are implementing advanced ICT solutions to strengthen their defense capabilities. The defense sector is also facing many challenges related to cyber security to counter online cyber-attacks from hackers. To manage a large amount of data and to protect the military data, advance IT solutions are required. The IT department of defense services requires efficient IT support services to minimize the technical glitches in the military operations. IT solutions are helping the defense sector to address these challenges by providing innovative IT solutions. Vendors are offering specific IT technology for defense sectors such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, cyber security software, and software-defined radio for military intelligence.Technavios analysts forecast the global defense IT spending market to grow at a CAGR of 3.11% during the period 2016-2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global defense IT spending market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from IT investment or sale of IT products and services in the defense sectors across geographies - the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Defense IT Spending Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAccentureCSCDellHPIBMOther prominent vendorsAtkinsBAE SystemsCACI International Inc.CapgeminiFujitsuIntelLockheed MartinMicrosoftOracleSAPTelstraUnisysMarket driverIncreased adoption of advanced cyber security systemsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeRising concerns about IT securityFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendUpsurge of cloud computing solutionsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Australia Lime Market Estimated to Rise at 1.7% CAGR by 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/australia-lime-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11503 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/australia-lime-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The lime market in Australia is expected to expand at a CAGR of 1.7% in terms of value over the forecast period, 20162024. The market has been segmented by product type and application. The application segmentation consists of mining & metallurgy, building materials, agriculture, water treatment and others of which the mining & metallurgy segment is expected to account for the highest share of the lime market in Australia throughout the forecast period, to account for 31.4% by 2024.Persistence Market Research (PMR) delivers key insights on the Australia lime market in its latest report titled, Lime Market: Australia Industry Analysis and Forecast, 20162024.Browse Complete Report @Demand for energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions is expected to be a priority for lime manufacturers in the country over the forecast period. By product type, slaked/hydrated lime segment is expected to continue to dominate the market in terms of both value and volume throughout the forecast period. The segment is estimated to be valued at US$ 146.7 Mn and account for volume share of 68% in 2016. By application, mining & metallurgy and building materials, segments in the Australia lime market are expected to account for significant volume shares of 38% and 35%, respectively.New South Wales is expected to be the largest market for lime in Australia throughout the forecast period. The market in the region is estimated to be valued at US$ 59.1 Mn by 2016 end. In terms of production, Western Australia is expected to be a major producer, contributing over 65% to the total lime production in the country, and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 0.8% over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Key players in the Australia lime market include Adelaide Brighton Ltd., Boral Limited, Sibelco Australia, Omya Australia Pty. Ltd, Wagners, and Lime Group Australia. Key players in the Australia lime market are focusing on enhancing their product portfolios. They are focusing not only on basic lime products but also on importing quicklime from ASEAN countries such as Thailand and Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries such as China to minimize a cost of raw materials involved in a lime production. Manufacturers are focusing on capitalizing on economies of scale to increase production, profitability, and offer cost-effective products in order to target cost-sensitive population in the region. Joint ventures, acquisitions, and strategic collaborations in terms of production and distribution of lime have been the common strategies employed by these companies to achieve their production objectives.Request to view table of content @Long-term Outlook: The long-term outlook on the Australia lime market remains on the conservative side, with the market expected to expand at a modest CAGR of 1.7% in terms of value during the forecast period. The revival of the mining sector in the country, increasing demand from the construction sector, particularly in the countrys east coast region, and demand from the water treatment industry are some of the factors expected to sustain a growth of the lime market in Australia.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 3% by 2021 Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1298 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/military-aircraft-digital-glass-cockpit-systems-market-1298 Market Synopsis of Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market:The global Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 3% during 2016-2021. The market is driven due to growing demand for system automation and increased procurement of next generation military aircraft.As per the MRFR analysis, in 2015, Americas lead the market. It is estimated that APAC will outpace other regions in the forecast period in terms of sales and growth rate. This growth is attributed to growing defense spending and procurement of military aircraft with best in class technology.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market: Astronautics Corporation of America Barco Inc, Elbit Systems Esterline Technologies Corp Finmeccanica Group.Study Objectives of Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the Global Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by systems and geography To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Military Aircraft Digital Glass Cockpit Systems MarketBrief TOC:1. Introduction1.1 Report Description1.2 Research Objective2. Executive Summary2.1 Key Findings / Highlights2.1.1 Investment Opportunities2.1.2 Market Startegies2.1.3 Latest Developments3. Scope of the Study3.1 Markets Covered3.2 Years Considered For The Study (2016-2021)3.2 Geographic Scope3.3 Key Stakeholders4. Assumptions and Limitations5. Research Methodology5.1 Primary Research5.2 Secondary Research5.3 Econometric and Forecasting ModelContinueAccess Report Details @Key Findings: In 2021, APAC is expected to lead the market with a share of around 43% APAC has the fastest projected growth, with its market likely to grow at a CAGR of around 4%, during the forecast periodAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Industrial Laser Market to Garner Brimming Revenues by 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/industrial-laser-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14440 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14440 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Industrial Laser Market: OverviewIn recent years the industrial laser market has been developing steadily. The industrial lasers are used in industry in a wide variety of applications. These applications can involve processing of materials and all other applications. The material processing includes cutting, welding, drilling, etc. these type of implementation generally requires high power lasers. The adoption of laser processing is increasing in industries as it can be easily automated to allow computer and robot control. The use of industrial lasers in fiber optics has provided access to previously inaccessible locations.To view complete report @Industrial Laser Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe industrial laser market is very dynamic, robust, vibrant and growing. The evolving technologies in the industrial lasers industry are driving the global industrial laser market. Especially the innovations in fiber laser submarkets has brought a significant growth in the global industrial laser market. The growing demand from consumer electronics industry is expected to grow the market with a single digit CAGR during the forecast period. The industrial laser market is still evolving. Even though the CO2 lasers and solid state lasers are most often used the disk lasers and fiber lasers are expected to experience a significant amount of growth during the forecast period. The demand for high output power and small power is projected to spur the demand for fiber laser market. The high reliability on fiber laser is anticipated to drive the global industrial laser market. The fiber laser provides high peak power and nanosensors pulses which enable efficient engraving and marking. The fiber laser also provides cleaner cut edges at faster cutting speeds. The oil and gas industry is likely to require increased emission monitoring, high demand for bio-instrumentation from the medical industry and the corresponding need for quantum cascade laser technology and sensing instrumentation are expected to drive the industrial laser market over the forecast period. The rise in the applications of industrial lasers will increase the volume, and the manufacturing cost and the selling price will considerably decrease this is expected to limit the profitability margin of many optical storage components and telecommunication component, suppliers. In medical industry, the laser used for cosmetology and dermatology is supposed to drive the industrial laser market. The regional player from APEJ region are focusing on technological advancements and innovations and this, in turn, is supposed to break the monopoly of multinational key players and will increase market competitiveness over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Industrial Laser Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Laser Type,CO2FiberSolid-StateOthersOn the basis of Application,MarkingMicro materialsMacro materialsIndustrial Laser Market: Region Wise OutlookThe Global Industrial Laser Market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The APEJ region is expected to remain dominant in the global industrial laser market over the forecast period. The Chinese industrial laser market is the largest market in the APEJ region. The Chinese industrial laser market is expected to show significant growth rate during the forecast period as there government has introduced a number of policies to encourage the growth of laser industry. The North America and Western Europe industrial laser market is expected to show moderate growth rate during the forecast period. The key market player in APEJ region is focusing on technological advancements to break the monopoly of multinational players and intensify the market competitiveness.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Industrial Laser Market: Key PlayersTRUMPFCoherentIPGRofin-SinarPrimaHan's LaserHuagong TechDaheng New Epoch TechnologyTianhong LaserWuhan Golden LaserWuhan RaycusWuhan Co-Walking LaserAbout 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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market to Reap Excessive Revenues by 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/self-supporting-sponge-connectors-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14497 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14497 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market: OverviewThe Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors are used to connect LCD panels to circuit boards. The supports in sponge connectors made up of silicon rubber helps to create larger base width and thus eliminates the need to install separate holders. These self-supporting sponge connectors provide high mechanical and electrical reliability. Moreover, these self-supporting sponge connectors are very easy to assemble, and they are becoming more popular because of cost effectiveness. The carbon-based self-supporting sponge connectors are becoming more popular because of their exceptional current carrying capacities.To view complete report @Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors market is expected to witness a high growth because of increasing demand from e various electronic applications. The mass adoption of digital technology across the globe through connected devices and services and this has proven to accelerate the overall economic growth. The increase in the production of digital smart devices such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc. has created a huge demand for self-supporting sponge connectors. Some unique applications such as custom sockets for non-standard packages requiring burn in socket solutions also needs the use of self-supporting sponge connectors. The increasing demand for various applications such as consumer electronics, communication, and computers is expected to drive the self-supporting sponge connectors over the forecast period. The growing use of electronic display content in vehicles and growing automotive production is expected to create a significant demand for self-supporting sponge connectors over the forecast period. The need for PCB connectors is likely to increase during the forecast period due to the growing automation in various sectors such as industrial, transportation, and military. The emerging trends such as demand for compact and thinner connectors is expected to create a direct impact on the dynamics of self-supporting sponge connectors market. The increasing per capita income in developing regions, economic expansion, and urbanization is driving the demand for computer & peripheral products, consumer electronics products, smartphones and tablets which are expected to spur the growth of self-supporting sponge connectors market over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Application,LCD and EL displaysFlex circuit-to-boardBoard-to-boardBurn-in socketsChip-to-boardMiniature and low profileMemory cards interconnect - general electronicsOn the basis of End-Use Industry,Consumer ElectronicsComputer and PeripheralsIndustrial and TelecommunicationOthersSelf-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The North America region is expected to have the largest market share in the global self-supporting sponge connectors market followed by APEJ and Western Europe region. The increasing demand for consumer electronic devices and smartphones and tablets in developing region such as APEJ and MEA is expected to create a demand for self-supporting sponge connectors. The growing economies and rising disposable income along with the increasing digitization in developing countries such as India and China are creating the demand for various communication and other electronic devices which are anticipated to drive the PAEJ self-supporting sponge connectors market with a higher CAGR during the forecast period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Self-Supporting Sponge Connectors Market: Key PlayersFujipoly America Corp.N&H Technology GmbHAbout 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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: AdvancedTCA Systems (ATCA) Market to Flourish with an Impressive CAGR During 2017 - 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/advancedtca-systems-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14545 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14545 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com AdvancedTCA Systems is an advanced system which provides an open, multi-vendor architecture to fulfill the requirements of the next generation of carrier grade communications equipment. AdvancedTCA Systems provides high-speed interconnectivity, improved reliability, next generation processors, manageability, and serviceability. ATCA is the first of its kind open architecture which provides a sophisticated and robust system management architecture that aids High Availability systems which continuously works in the event of individual component or sub-system failure. ATCA system also allows on-the-fly software upgrades while the system is operating. AdvancedTCA released in January 2003, and since then it has been adopted by most of the telecommunication equipment providers globally. ATCA expanded its reach to non-carrier grade environments which require high Processor and Input/Output density with high system bandwidth. ATCA is one of the most widely used open standard for global telecommunications infrastructure and currently being used in many critical military applications. ATCA is also used in large-scale physics experiments and rugged applications in the aerospace, defense, and military. ATCA provides the high availability essential for central office applications which require Network Equipment Building System and European Telecommunication Standard Institute compliance. Due to its versatile benefits and vast usage, AdvancedTCA Systems market is expected to witness an escalating demand among the industries.To view complete report @AdvancedTCA Systems: Market DynamicsAdvancedTCA Systems is the only Standardized Platform for Carrier Grade Telecom Systems. ATCA is the most flexible platform which provides many options for LTE, DPI, DSP Blades and others for the Next Generation Mobile Networks. AdvancedTCA Systems are also easy to upgrade and can reusable. Servicing of ATCA is easy, hassle free and cheap as compared to its earlier versions. During the maintenance of the system, the hardware, and software of ATCA can be upgraded which reduces the downtime of the system to zero. In the older versions, the system needs to shut down when requires any service entirely. Technological innovation and investments have bridged the gap and companies can now enjoy hassle-free mechanisms which were almost impossible fifteen years back. AdvancedTCA Systems are reliable and never fails in any situation. They are designed to overcome any incidences of failure, fire or any trouble that can disrupt the functioning of the system.A sample of this report is available upon request @However, AdvancedTCA Systems comes along with many drawbacks. AdvancedTCA system must be designed to use a large chassis in all deployments; which wastes chassis space and increases the cost of smaller deployments. If large chassis are not employed, then multiple sizes of chassis need to be utilized for the same purpose which increases the integration costs and creates interoperability issues. AdvancedTCA system also requires a significant amount of power. The cooling feature is also questionable as it quickly gets heated and doesnt cool down even if proper air conditioning is in place. Cooling is also effected in the chassis especially when boards are added and removed from the system.AdvancedTCA Systems market has an opportunity towards the advancements in the telecommunication and military applications. Analytics and big data management also started using this system for better efficiency.AdvancedTCA Systems: Segment OutlookAdvancedTCA Systems market can be segmented on the basis of number of slots which include One to six, Seven to fourteen and More than fourteen. AdvancedTCA Systems market can be segmented on the basis of mounting position which include vertical and horizontal. AdvancedTCA Systems market can be segmented on the basis of type of power which includes AC and DC. AdvancedTCA Systems market can also be segmented on the basis of type of applications which includes telecommunication, military, aerospace and defense, analytics and big data, it industry and others.AdvancedTCA Systems: Regional OutlookRegional coverage for AdvancedTCA Systems market includes North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan. AdvancedTCA Systems market will witnesses a high demand in North America.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @AdvancedTCA Systems: Market PlayersThe market players in AdvancedTCA Systems market are Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Trans Innovation Group, Mercury Systems, Telco Systems, Pentair plc., Jumpgen Systems and many more.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: C4ISR Market to Discern Magnified Growth During 2017 - 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/c4isr-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14644 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14644 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Global C4ISR Market: IntroductionWith the rise in global economy especially countries like China and India lead to increase spending on the defence projects which is expected to fuel the growth of global command and control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) market. There is an increase in use of C4ISR systems in the military agencies for law enforcement and advanced combat and electronic warfare needs which will boost the global C4ISR market.To view complete report @The rapid technological developments in defence industry, particularly C4ISR which is system of many complex sub-systems. The defense systems manufacturing companies are trying to keep up with the technological advancements and are investing significant part of their revenues in R&D activities.Military strategists are modifying their strategies which needs more integrated solutions in order to perform an asymmetric electronic warfare. C4ISR systems are considered as an optimum an important tool in order to enhance their defense activities. These factors fuel the global C4ISR market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global C4ISR Market: Market DriversThe major market driver for C4ISR market is increase in sales for cybersecurity, GPS/navigation, unmanned sea vehicles, and missile defense systems. Frequent terror attacks across the borders in many countries is also major driver for the C4ISR market.The C4ISR systems are also being increasingly adopted by border protection agencies as they offer electro optic solutions for surveillance operations which is advanced supplement for Radar technologies. New technologies like commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software and the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to fuel the global C4ISR market.Some of the key challenges in C4ISR market is current government measures like reduction in defence budgets primarily in western countries is impacting the growth the global C4ISR market.Global C4ISR Market: SegmentationThe Global C4ISR market is segmented based on the platform, by Application and by region.On the basis of platform Global C4ISR market is segmented, air-based, Naval based and Land based platforms.On the basis of application Global C4ISR market is segmented into Command & control, communications, computers, surveillance & reconnaissance.On basis of region global C4ISR Market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa (MEA).Global C4ISR Market Overview:North America C4ISR Market is expected to have the major market share during the forecast period due to presence of large military capabilities. The C4ISR Market is followed by Asia Pacific primarily from china and India. Europe C4ISR Market is also expected to have significant market share during the forecast period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global C4ISR Market Key Market Players:Some of the Key players in C4ISR Market include Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Elbit Systems Ltd., QinetiQ Group plc, Leidos, Inc., Raytheon Company, and Harris Corporation.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: A new report shares detailed insights about Automotive Brake System Market http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-503 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-503 www.futuremarketinsights.com The developing industry of automotive has largely emphasised on the development of the vehicles that are fast and safe. Brakes have become an important and crucial part of any vehicle so as to ensure the safety which becomes very essential when the demand of speed is increasing steadily. Being commonly used in different automobiles an automotive brake system comprises a brake device having different components (such as brake pads, brake shoes, brake drum, rotor, piston, calliper, master cylinder, and brake booster) which are used for decelerating a vehicle.The growth in automotiveindustry is anticipated to fuel the growth of global automotive brake system market along with the increasing concerns over safety and resulting government pressures that have upturned the OEMs towards the launching of higher technology content, thereby driving the demand for global automotive brake systems across the globe.Automotive Brake System Market: Drivers & RestraintsEver-increasing demand and succeeding vehicle production is considered as one of the biggest driver for the increasing demand of the automotive brakes and global automotive brake system market penetration. Also the increasing governmental mandates for improving the vehicle safety has strongly contributed to the demand of the global automotive brake system market. The major restraint in the global automotive brake system market implies to be the higher cost of the newer technology of Electronic Brake Systems (EBS) when compared to the commonly used Hydraulic Brakes.Request For Report Sample@Automotive Brake System Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes.On the basis of applications the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Two Wheeler Motor Vehicles, Passenger Car Vehicles, and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV).On the basis of technology the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that comes under the electronic braking systems (EBS).Automotive Brake System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global automotive brake system market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global automotive brake system market. The key countries in the mentioned region are projected to be India, South Korea, and China as an outcome of the increasing demand for commercial vehicles and passenger cars. Japan also contributes to the global automotive brake system market remarkably. China is expected to be the largest opportunity in terms of revenue of the industry. Europe is expected to be the second largest market in global automotive brake system market followed by North America.Request For TOC@Automotive Brake System: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global automotive brake system market are TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd., Brembo S.P.A., Halla Mando Corp., and others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Inner Tubes Market Supply-Demand, Industry Research and End User Analysis, Outlook Reports Monitor https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request-sample/?post=210622 https://www.reportsmonitor.com/europe-inner-tubes-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022/ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/make-enquiry/?post=210622 http://www.reportsmonitor.com Report Monitor Present's Inner Tubes Market 2017 Industry Trend enhances the decision making capabilities and helps to create an effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.DescriptionThe Inner Tubes market report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Inner Tubes industry. This report evaluates the Europe market for Inner Tubes.The Inner Tubes market report provides complete analysis of the Inner Tubes market by analysing all round market dynamics such as regional market opportunities, drivers, challenges, constraints, threats, and other market trends.The Inner Tubes Market report contains latest Business Data resulting from various Research sources that helps Decision Makers to deliver a Distinctive and Trustworthy Analysis for Companys Growth.The Inner Tubes Market Survey starts with Industry overview of Inner Tubes Market covering Major Regions Status, Industry Chain Structure, Definitions and Specifications, with a detailed focus on Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis including Raw Material Suppliers, Equipment Suppliers and Manufacturing Process.Get a PDF Sample of Inner Tubes Market report @In Next Part, the researchers has collected and presented information on Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis which comprises of Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source of Major Manufacturers .In following segment, with Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin, Business Region Distribution Analysis, Competition between various Company Profile has been given along with Product Pictures and Specifications in Inner Tubes Industry Report.The Key Players Mentioned in Inner Tubes Market Report are: Michelin Bridgestone Goodyear Dunlop Dongah Nexencorp Vittoria CHENG SHIN RUBBER Kenda Tires Schrader International Jianxin Victories TirePlace a Purchase Order for this Report @The Inner Tubes Industry Report is also a Great Source of Marketing Type Analysis consisting:1.Inner Tubes Regional Marketing Type Analysis2.Inner Tubes International Trade Type Analysis3.Traders or Distributors with Contact Information of Inner Tubes by Regions4.Inner Tubes Supply Chain AnalysisGot any Query? Feel free to ask us @Lastly, the Report provides Development Trend Analysis for 2017-2022 years which will forecast Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales Price, Consumption Forecast, Market Trend (Product Type) and Market Trend (Application). Also the List of Major Consumers is analyzed and Contact Details are provided to easy communicating.Finally, the Report is concluded with Various Methodology, Analyst Introduction and Data SourcesReports Monitor is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.008, Mihir Co-operative,Above Bharat Suzuki showroom,Fatima Nagar,Pune,Maharashtra,IndiaIndia: +91 2069535353411013Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite: Future of Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market scrutinized in top research report for the forecast 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-876 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-876 www.futuremarketinsights.com Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: OverviewPolypropylene random copolymers are produced by modifying the fundamental structure of polypropylene by incorporating another monomer molecule. Ethylene being the most common monomer used. The ethylene molecules, in the polymer chain, are introduced randomly between the propylene molecules. The incorporation of ethylene causes change in the physical properties of polypropylene. Random copolymer polypropylene usually contains about 1 to 7 weight percent of ethylene molecules and around 93 to 99 weight percent of propylene molecules.As compared to polypropylene homopolymers, random copolymers shows better optical properties like increased clarity and decreased haze, increased flexibility, improved impact resistance, and a lowered melting point resulting in a reduced heat-sealing temperature. However, exhibiting more or less the same chemical resistance, organoleptic properties like low taste and odor contribution, and water vapor barrier properties as polypropylene homopolymers. Random copolymers are generally produced in the same process configuration as the homo polymers.Request For Report Sample@Random copolymer polypropylenes finds use in blow molding, injection molding, and extrusion molding applications that require improved clarity and . They are used in medical packaging, food packaging, and consumer products.Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: SegmentationGlobal polypropylene random copolymers market is segmented on the basis of applications, end-use, and regions. The global polypropylene random copolymer market is segmented on the basis of application into blown film, blow molding, injection molding, and extrusion molding. On the basis of end-use, global polypropylene market is segmented into medical packaging, food packaging, and consumer products, etc. Region wise, the global polypropylene random copolymer market is divided into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific (APEJ), Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Middle East and Africa (MEA).Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global market share of Western European polypropylene random copolymers market is estimated to witness a drop from around 13.9% to about 11.4% in the forecast period. The fall is primarily due to a moderate increase in demand only in the largest national markets such as Germany, France, and Italy. Eastern Europe is expected to grow sharply, especially in the Russian packaging sector. The USA is reporting a recent increase in demand for polypropylene random copolymers. India and China continue to witness a huge increase of demand, owing to which Asia-Pacific is anticipated to account more than half of the total global demand by 2025.Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: DriversThe introduction of newer application areas, development of bio-based polypropylene and substitution of various other materials continuously offers high potential for growth for the global polypropylene random copolymers market.Unconventional low feedstock prices are driving new capacity investment and thus rendering growth to the global polypropylene random copolymer market.Request For TOC@Global Polypropylene Random Copolymers Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players identified in the global polypropylene random copolymer market are LyondellBasell Industries, Braskem, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), Total S.A., Entec Polymers, ExxonMobil, Sasol, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, ConocoPhillips, Borealis, Formosa Plastics Group, Reliance Industries, and SABIC etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Medical Gas Analyzer Global Market Industry Analysis Growth and Forecast Research Report 2016 - 2024 MRRSE http://www.mrrse.com/sample/3110 http://www.mrrse.com/medical-gas-analyzers-market http://www.mrrse.com/ Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) announces the addition of a new report titled Medical Gas Analyzer Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Request For Sample Report@Medical gas analyzer are devices used for detection, measurement and qualitative & quantitative analysis of single or mixture of medical gases. Five types of medical gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrous oxide and medical air are widely used in hospitals and related healthcare industries. Single gas analyzer and multiple gas analyzer are two common types of medical gas analyzer used for analysis of medical gases. These medical gas analyzer detects, measures and analyze the concentration of medical gases and their mixtures at different levels using variety of gas sensing technologies such as electrochemical, infrared, optical, etc. Analysis and monitoring of medical gases in hospitals has become the integral and crucial part in patient diagnosis, monitoring and therapeutics. The use of medical gas analyzer in hospitals, and pharma and food industries is increasing across the globe for the safety of patients, medical professionals and operators in various healthcare facilities.Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market: Growth DynamicsIncreasing number of hospitals and healthcare reforms for safety standards in developing countries across the globe are the factors expected to drive the growth for global medical gas analyzer market. New technologies have been developed for gas measurement such as electrochemical, paramagnetic, and infrared sensor technology. These technologies enable safer and quicker measurement of medical gases. Companies are spending more on R&D activities in order to develop products to measure trace levels of gases in the health care industry. Companies by using different technologies in one single device to measure multiple gases can target specific areas where accuracy is important. Paramagnetic and zirconia technologies for gas sensing are able to deliver these results. Majority of players in the gas analyzer market operate globally through strong distribution networks. Key players are expanding their business in developing and less developed countries through subsidiary companies and local distributors. The incorporation of multiple gas sensing technologies in single device to facilitate the analysis of multiple gases at a time lead to increased cost of these device which restricts the growth of medical gas analyzer market. Also lack of standardization to meet specific and precise needs in healthcare facilities in developing and under developed markets are the key restraints of global medical gas analyzer market.Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market: SegmentationBased on type of analyzer, global medical gas analyzer market is segmented into single gas analyzer and multiple gas analyzer. Single gas analyzer accounts for largest share of global medical gas analyzer market. On the basis of gas sensing technology single gas analyzer are further classified into electrochemical, optical and infrared gas sensing technology. Owing to specific application of electrochemical gas sensing technology towards analysis of oxygen and nitrogen gas and its economic cost, electrochemical gas sensing technology dominated the global medical gas analyzer market. This segment is projected to gain its market share with highest growth rate during given forecast period. By end-user, medical gas analyzer market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, pharma and food industry and others. Medical gases have wide applications in hospitals which represents the high potential for medical gas analyzer. Hospital segment dominated the global medical gas analyzer market whereas pharma and food industries are projected to grow at exponential growth rate during forecast period. Both hospitals and pharma & food Industries represents the most attractive market for given forecast period owing to increasing expenditure on healthcare infrastructure and increasing number of hospitals and pharma and food industries, especially in developing countries.Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market: Geographical and Competitive DynamicsGeographically, the global medical gas analyzer market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. These regions have been further segmented by countries, analyzer type and End-user segments. The competition matrix section included in the report is likely to assist the existing players to increase their market shares and new companies to establish their presence in the global medical gas analyzer market. The report also profiles major players in the market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, SWOT analysis, key business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Major companies competing in the medical gas analyzer market, and profiled in the report include Fluke Inc., Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Servomex Group Limited, Geotechnical Instruments (UK) Ltd., TSI Incorporated, Maxtec LLC, WITT-GASETECHNIK GmbH & Co KG, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Sable Systems International, Systech Instruments Ltd. & Illinois Instruments, Inc., Critical Environment Technologies Canada Inc., and VISCIANO s.a.s.The global medical gas analyzer market has been segmented as follows:Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market, by Analyzer TypeSingle Gas AnalyzerElectrochemicalOpticalInfraredMultiple Gas AnalyzerGlobal Medical Gas Analyzer Market, by End-userHospitalsAmbulatory Surgery CentersPharma and FoodOthersGlobal Medical Gas Analyzer Market, by RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaBrowse Full Report With TOC@About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: A leading research firm offers in-depth analysis about Plastic Healthcare Packaging Market at a global level http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1127 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1127 www.futuremarketinsights.com Packaging is one of the major industry in the world in which healthcare packaging represents miniscule share. The pharmaceutical packaging has rapidly become a vital part of drug delivery system as well as a major element of the marketing mix, though which manufacturers can distinguish their products from that of their competitors. Healthcare packaging protects products from materialistic damage, biological contamination and from all unfavorable external influences which can destruct the properties of the healthcare products. In material terms, healthcare packaging comprises of primary packaging, secondary packaging and tertiary packaging system. Primary packaging includes cap, labels, bottles, cap liner and others such as vials, ampoules, blisters, tubes, syringes and inhalers. Other than that, secondary packaging system consist of corrugated shippers, pallets and cartoons. Plastic healthcare packaging is generally a practice of packaging of devices, drugs, tools, and other pharmaceutical products. Inclination in the demand for healthcare practices strengthen the growth of healthcare packaging. Amongst the overall healthcare packaging, the plastics segment holds the highest share due to its high-adaptability and cost-effectiveness. The plastic healthcare packaging is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the period 2015-2025.Global Plastic Healthcare Packaging: Market SegmentationThe Global Plastic Healthcare Packaging market is segmented on the basis of type of healthcare industry such as medical device and pharmaceutical. The global plastic healthcare packaging is also bifurcated on the basis of end markets which include blister packs, plastic bottles, pre-fill syringe, caps and closure and others. The plastic healthcare packaging is further segmented on the basis of type of drug delivery which includes pulmonary, oral drugs, transdermal, injectable, nasal, topical, ocular and IV drugs.Request For Report Sample@Global Plastic Healthcare Packaging Market: Growth DriversSignificant growth in pharmaceutical domain all across the world and inclining functional necessities for healthcare packaging products are some of the drivers in the global plastic healthcare packaging market. The anti-ageing population, inclining prevalence of chronic diseases and changing lifestyles will bolster the demand for healthcare related products and services and will further stimulate the growth of plastic healthcare packaging all across the globe. The advancement in technology in packaging and integration and advanced process of manufacturing are also fostering the growth of global plastic pharmaceutical packaging all over the world. Apart from this, escalating personal disposable income and higher standard of living in emerging countries such as India and China is also expected to grow the global plastic healthcare packaging market over the period 2015-2025.Global Plastic Healthcare Packaging Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the Global Plastic Healthcare 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. Amongst all the mentioned regions, North America captured the major share in the plastic healthcare packaging market in 2014. This is majorly due to presence of health conscious people and their spending power. Strong innovation, rising ageing population and inclining consumer demand for sophisticated packaging is likely to foster the growth of plastic healthcare packaging in American region. Rising chronic diseases in Asian region is expected to intensify the growth of plastic healthcare packaging in the region by 2025.Request For TOC@Global Plastic Healthcare Packaging Market: PlayersSome of the major companies grabbing the substantial market share in the Global Plastic Healthcare Packaging market includes Tekni-Films Inc., Sealed Air Corporation, United Drug Plc, Aphena Pharma Solutions, Vetter Pharma International, Beacon Converters Inc., Catalent Pharma solutions, and others. The plastic healthcare packaging manufacturers are anticipated to focus on development of new and innovative packaging for healthcare products in order to gain the competitive advantage in the global plastic healthcare packaging market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Heavy Duty (HD) Truck Market Report: 2014 Edition https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/207503 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/207503/global-heavy-duty-hd-truck-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Global Heavy Duty (HD) Truck Market Report: 2014 Edition provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Heavy Duty (HD) Truck MarketHeavy duty trucks constitute an essential part of trucking industry. The trucking industry provides a vital service to the economy by transporting large quantities of goods. Heavy duty trucks throughout the world are responsible for the majority of freight movement over land and are vital tools in the construction, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing industries.Major truck manufacturing companies are focusing on the emerging markets. With booming economies and low penetration rates, emerging markets are the key source of growth for global heavy duty truck industry. The largest heavy duty truck market is China, followed by North America. In terms of registrations, China is growing more rapidly in comparison with North America. Brazil is the fastest growing market in the world.Get Sample Copy of this report @The key factors driving growth of global heavy duty truck industry include escalating freight volume, rising global construction expenditure, increasing urban population and accelerating global income. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry are the booming emerging market, increasing shortage of drivers and increasing preference of trucks over railways for logistics. However, the growth of heavy duty truck industry is hindered by the strict emission standard compliance imposed on manufacturers and economic and market conditions.The present report offers a comprehensive analysis of the worldwide heavy duty truck market along with the study of regional markets including North America, Europe, Brazil, Russia and Asia. The competition in the respective market is intense with few large players viz. Daimler, Volvo, PACCAR and Isuzu. In addition, the competitive landscape in North America, Europe and Asia along with the company profiles of the leading players in the market is discussed in detail.View Full Report @By combining SPSS Inc.s data integration and analysis capabilities with our relevant findings, we have predicted the future growth of the industry. We employed various significant variables that have an impact on this industry and created regression models with SPSS Base to determine the future direction of the industry. Before deploying the regression model, the relationship between several independent or predictor variables and the dependent variable was analyzed using standard SPSS output, including charts, tables and tests.Table of Content1. Overview1.1 Classification of Trucks1.2 Types of Trucks by Design1.3 Classification of Heavy Duty Trucks by Weight Class1.4 Classification of Heavy Duty Truck by Type2. Heavy Duty Truck Market Analysis2.1 Global MarketMarket VolumeRegional Breakdown2.2 North AmericaMarket VolumeRegional BreakdownClass 8 Truck Orders2.3 EuropeMarket Volume2.3.1 Western EuropeMarket VolumeRegional Breakdown2.3.2 Eastern EuropeMarket VolumeRegional Breakdown2.4 Asia2.4.1 ChinaMarket VolumeMarket SegmentsExport Volume2.5 BrazilMarket Volume2.6 RussiaMarket Volume3. Market Dynamics3.1 Growth Drivers3.1.1 Construction Spending3.1.2 Escalating Road Freight3.1.3 Rising Urbanization3.1.4 Economic Development3.2 Market Trends3.2.1 Booming Emerging Markets3.2.2 Increasing Preference of Trucks over Railways3.2.3 Shortage of Drivers3.3 Challenges and Issues3.3.1 Economic Condition3.3.2 Regulations4. Competitive Landscape4.1 GlobalMarket Share by VolumeMarket Share by Value4.2 North AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexico4.3 EuropeMarket ShareOrder Growth Comparison4.3.1 Western EuropeMarket Share4.4 AsiaLocal Companies ComparisonForeign Companies Comparison4.4.1 ChinaMarket ShareSales Growth Comparison5. Company Profiles5.1 Daimler Group5.1.1 Business Overview5.1.2 Financial Overview5.1.3 Business StrategiesExpanding Product PortfolioWidening its Global Footprint5.2 Volvo Group5.2.1 Business Overview5.2.2 Financial Overview5.2.3 Business StrategiesFocus on Asian MarketExpansion through Alliances & Acquisitions5.3 PACCAR Inc5.3.1 Business Overview5.3.2 Financial Overview5.3.3 Business StrategiesExpansion through New PlantsExpansion through Product Innovation5.4 Isuzu5.4.1 Business Overview5.4.2 Financial Overview5.4.3 Business StrategiesGrowth through Strategic AlliancesRising Production CapacityMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Analysis by Application, Technology & Forecast 2017-2022 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/328900 http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-static-random-access-memory-sram-market-research-report-forecast-2017-to-2022 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/328900 http://orbisnewsrelease.com Summary:Latest Research Report Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Added by Orbis Research which covers Market Overview, Future Economic Impact, Competition by Manufacturers, Supply (Production), & Consumption Analysis.The Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2022 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.Request for Sample of Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Report @Topmost Leading Manufacturer Playing Vital Role for Growing the Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Industry in Worldwide Regions is covered in this report:1. ABB Ltd. (Switzerland)2. Analog Devices, Inc. (US)3. Atmel Corporation (US)4. e2v, Inc. (US)5. Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan)6. Infineon Technologies AG (Germany)7. Intel Corporation (US)8. Linear Technology Corporation (US)9. Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (US)This report provides comprehensive analysis of1. Key market segments and sub-segments2. Evolving market trends and dynamics3. Changing supply and demand scenarios4. Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecasting5. Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges6. Competitive insights7. Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsBrowse The Complete Report with Full TOC @Some Major Key Points Covered in this report: This Report Studied on the basis of types, application, products, technology, etc. Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market: Regional Segment Analysis1. North America2. Europe3. China4. Japan5. Southeast Asia6. India This Market Research Report of Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market demand, market size and forecast for different regions. Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market: Product Segment Analysis1. Type 12. Type 23. Type 3 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market: Application Segment Analysis1. Application 12. Application 23. Application 3Companies Mentioned:ABB Ltd. (Switzerland) Analog Devices, Inc. (US) Atmel Corporation (US) e2v, Inc. (US) Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan) Infineon Technologies AG (Germany) Intel Corporation (US) Linear Technology Corporation (US) Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (US) Micron Technology, Inc. (US) Microsemi Corporation (US) Nichia Corporation (Japan) NXP Semiconductors N.V. (The Netherlands) ON Semiconductor Corporation (US) Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (Japan) Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan) STMicroelectronics (Switzerland) Texas Instruments, Inc. (US) Toshiba Corporation (Japan) Xilinx, Inc. (US)Place Direct Purchase Order @Some Points Covered In List Of Tables:Chapter 1 Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) IndustryChapter 3 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter 5 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)Chapter 6 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Manufacturers AnalysisChapter 9 Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 10 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 11 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 12 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 13 Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter 14 AppendixList of Tables & Figures:Figure Picture of Static Random Access Memory (SRAM)Figure Global Production Market Share of Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) by Type in 2016Table Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Consumption Market Share by Application in 2016Figure Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Revenue (Million UDS) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Table Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Capacity of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Capacity Market Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Figure Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Capacity of Key Manufacturers in 2015Figure Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Capacity of Key Manufacturers in 2016Table Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Production of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Production Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Figure 2015 Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Production Share by ManufacturersFigure 2016 Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Production Share by ManufacturersTable Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Revenue (Million USD) by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table Global Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Reason to Purchase this Report:1. This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics2. It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth3. It provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow4. It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future5. It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors6. It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email: sales@orbisresearch.comFor More PRs Visit @ Navigation Lighting Market: Study Applications, Types and Market Analysis including Growth, Trends and Forecasts to 2022 Reports Monitor https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request-sample/?post=211362 https://www.reportsmonitor.com/united-states-navigation-lighting-market-report-2017/ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/make-enquiry/?post=211362 Report Monitor Present's Navigation Lighting Market 2017 Industry Trend enhances the decision making capabilities and helps to create an effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.DescriptionThe Navigation Lighting market report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Navigation Lighting industry. This report evaluates the United States market for Navigation Lighting.The Navigation Lighting market report provides complete analysis of the Navigation Lighting market by analysing all round market dynamics such as regional market opportunities, drivers, challenges, constraints, threats, and other market trends.The Navigation Lighting Market report contains latest Business Data resulting from various Research sources that helps Decision Makers to deliver a Distinctive and Trustworthy Analysis for Companys Growth.The Navigation Lighting Market Survey starts with Industry overview of Navigation Lighting Market covering Major Regions Status, Industry Chain Structure, Definitions and Specifications, with a detailed focus on Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis including Raw Material Suppliers, Equipment Suppliers and Manufacturing Process.Get a PDF Sample of Navigation Lighting Market report @In Next Part, the researchers has collected and presented information on Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis which comprises of Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source of Major Manufacturers .In following segment, with Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin, Business Region Distribution Analysis, Competition between various Company Profile has been given along with Product Pictures and Specifications in Navigation Lighting Industry Report.The Key Players Mentioned in Navigation Lighting Market Report are: Glamox DAEYANG ELECTRIC Osculati Aveo Engineering Hella Marine Lopolight Perko VegaPlace a Purchase Order for this Report @The Navigation Lighting Industry Report is also a Great Source of Marketing Type Analysis consisting:1.Navigation Lighting Regional Marketing Type Analysis2.Navigation Lighting International Trade Type Analysis3.Traders or Distributors with Contact Information of Navigation Lighting by Regions4.Navigation Lighting Supply Chain AnalysisGot any Query? Feel free to ask us @Lastly, the Report provides Development Trend Analysis for 2017-2022 years which will forecast Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales Price, Consumption Forecast, Market Trend (Product Type) and Market Trend (Application). Also the List of Major Consumers is analyzed and Contact Details are provided to easy communicating.Finally, the Report is concluded with Various Methodology, Analyst Introduction and Data SourcesReports Monitor is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.008, Mihir Co-operative,Above Bharat Suzuki showroom,Fatima Nagar,Pune,Maharashtra,IndiaIndia: +91 2069535353411013Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.com Dehydrated Food Market Size, Status and Forecast 2015 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/5933 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/5933 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/dehydrated-food-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Drying or dehydration is a process through which moisture or water content is removed from the food. Removing of water content from food makes them lighter and smaller. It helps in preservation of food for longer period of time. Dehydrated food do not require any refrigeration while preserving at home or at the time of consumption. Moreover, dehydrated food is ideal for preserving seasonal fruits and vegetables. Dehydrated food offer high nutritional value, easy storage properties and availability at low price, which is driving the demand of dehydrate food across the globe.Dehydrated food market can be segmented on the basis of technology which includes spray dried, freeze dried, vacuum dried, sun dried, hot air dried and others. Traditionally among all these segments sun dried process of dehydration was the major segment in terms of usage by food manufacturers followed by hot air dried process. However due to the introduction of new technology spray dried is expected to account for largest share in terms of market revenue contribution, followed by freeze dried during the forecast period. Vacuum dried segment is expected to show a consistent growth as compared to others. Limited usage in food products is expected to be the restraining factor for the growth of vacuum dried technology in dehydrated food market in the near future.Furthermore, dehydrated food market can also be segmented on the basis of types. This includes dehydrated dairy products, dehydrated fruits, dehydrated meat products, dehydrated vegetables and others. Among all these segment meat products is expected to account for largest market share followed by dairy products. Increasing demand for enhanced year around availability of processed and canned meat products among the manufacturers is expected to support the demand of dehydrated meat products in the near future. Moreover the dehydrated fruits and dehydrated vegetables segments respectively are expected show a favorable growth during the forecast period. This is attributed to rising demand of seasonal fruits and vegetables.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Dehydrated food market can also be segmented on the basis of region. Globally, North America is expected to account for the major market share. In North American region the U.S is expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue followed by Canada. Increased consumption of meat products in North America is expected to support the demand of dehydrated food products across the region. Europe is also expected to be one of the prominent contributor in dehydrated food products market in terms of revenue followed by Asia Pacific. Among all the countries in the European region United Kingdom is expected to contribute the highest during the forecast period. Moreover in terms of production of dehydrated food China is expected to be one of the prominent producer of dehydrated food products. In addition, China is one of the largest meat products producer along with prime producer of various seasonal fruits and vegetables. This is expected to contribute towards significant growth in the country.Request to View Tables of Content @Rising demand of food products with longer shelf life coupled with the increasing demand of seasonal products across the year is supporting the growth of dehydrated food market during the forecast period. Moreover, increasing demand of food manufacturers for preserving food product for longer period so that they could use it as an ingredient in their final product is also fuelling the demand of dehydrated food market during the forecast period.Some of the international players operating in dehydrated food market are General Mills Inc., Ting Hsin International Group, Unilever China Ltd, Ajinomoto Co. Inc., House Foods Corp, Nissin Food Holdings Co. Ltd. and Kraft Foods Inc, among others.To view complete report @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.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Scenarios & Trends Studied for Coming Years (2017-2022) Market Research Hub http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1129017 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/united-states-ferric-chloride-powder-market-report-2017-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=enquiry&repid=1129017 https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Market Research Hub (MRH) has included a new report titled United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Research Report 2017 to its vast database. The research study covers factors such as production, revenue and market share based on the various active regions. Further, this study also highlights the growth of the Chloride Powder sector at an impressive CAGR during the period between 2017 and 2022.Request Free Sample Report @Geographically, this report splits the United States market into seven regions:The WestSouthwestThe Middle AtlanticNew EnglandThe SouthThe Midwestwith sales (volume), revenue (value), market share and growth rate of Ferric Chloride Powder in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).United States Ferric Chloride Powder market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Ferric Chloride Powder sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingBASFPVS ChemicalsNumet ChemicalsJinan RunyuanTianjin XinzeNational BiochemicalsKhushi ChemicalSukha chemicalQingdao Haijing ChemicalQuzhou Menjie ChemicalsOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAnalysis GradeIndustrial GradeOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Ferric Chloride Powder for each application, includingMetal EtchingSewage TreatmentMetallurgical IndustryOthersBrowse Full Report with TOC @Table of content:United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Report 20171 Ferric Chloride Powder Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Ferric Chloride Powder1.2 Classification of Ferric Chloride Powder by Product Category1.2.1 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Analysis Grade1.2.4 Industrial Grade1.3 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Metal Etching1.3.3 Sewage Treatment1.3.4 Metallurgical Industry1.3.5 Others1.4 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market by Region1.4.1 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Ferric Chloride Powder Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Ferric Chloride Powder Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Ferric Chloride Powder Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Ferric Chloride Powder Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Ferric Chloride Powder Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Ferric Chloride Powder Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Ferric Chloride Powder (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Ferric Chloride Powder Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Make an Enquiry @About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of Research Reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of chemicals market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Details:90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comRead More Industry News @ Global Jojoba Oil Market (2017-2024)- Research Nester http://www.researchnester.com/sample-request/2/rep-id-321 http://www.researchnester.com/reports/jojoba-oil-market-global-demand-analysis-opportunity-outlook-2024/321 www.researchnester.com Jojoba oil refers to a type of liquid, extracted from the seeds of jojoba plant. Arizona, California and Mexico are the three major producers of jojoba all across the globe. Jojoba oil is enriched with high nutrient properties and free fatty acid. These oils have significant use in cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry, and personal care products. Cosmetic companies such as LOreal, JE internationals and others are investing heavily in the research and development activities of the jojoba oil. Consumers worldwide prefer jojoba oil products over other oil or wax products as jojoba oil offers high nutritious value and less fatty acid than other oils.Market Size and ForecastThe global jojoba oil market was accounted for USD 160.3 Million in 2016 and is anticipated to reach around USD 250 Million by the end of 2024. Further, the market is expected to flourish at a CAGR of 5.8% over the forecast period. Jojoba oil is likely to witness high demand owing to the increased demand from the cosmetics industry. By application, cosmetics and personal care products is showcased to achieve higher market value over the forecast period owing to the rapid expansion of cosmetic industry across the globe.In 2015, North America region accounted for the highest percentage share followed by Asia-Pacific. North America region held a dominant share of 39.7% in the jojoba oil market globally. Further, North America jojoba oil market was valued at USD 60.8 Million in 2016 and is expected to continue its dominance over the forecast period on the account of growing cosmetic and personal care industry in the region. U.S. and Mexico are likely to capture the largest market share by the end of 2024 in North America region.Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to witness stupendous growth at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period i.e. 2017-2024. Increasing inclination towards natural products in the Asia-Pacific countries is expected to garner the growth of global jojoba oil market. Further, rising concern of personal healthcare and increasing disposable income are anticipated to swell the demand for the jojoba oil during the forecast period.Market SegmentationOur-in depth analysis of the global jojoba oil market includes the following segments:By ApplicationPharmaceuticalCosmetic & Personal Care ProductsIndustrialOthersBy Distribution ChannelHypermarkets/SupermarketsConvenience StoreOnline StoreOthersGrowth Drivers and ChallengesIncreasing awareness about the benefits of organic and natural products and rising preference for such products are anticipated to be the dynamic factor behind the growth of the jojoba oil market across the globe. In addition to this, major cosmetics companies are using jojoba oil as an ingredient in manufacturing shampoos, moisturizers, skin creams and others. Apart from this, rising trend towards manufacturing and supplying herbal medicines is also expected to intensify the growth of jojoba oil market.For Sample Pages please go through link below:Rising disposable income and increasing population in the growing economies such as China, India and others is envisioned to bolster the growth of jojoba oil market over the forecast period. Increasing desire for living a healthy life is propelling the growth of the jojoba oil market. Further, the market is expected to escalate at a rapid pace during the forecast period on the account of the rising cosmetics and personal care industry. Beside this, the increasing men grooming activities is expected to surge the demand for jojoba oil products over the next few years.However, insufficient supply of jojoba oil is anticipated to restrain development of the global jojoba oil market. Additionally, lack of awareness in undeveloped nations and low yield of the crop is hampering the growth of the market.Key PlayersDesert Whale Jojoba CompanyCompany OverviewKey Product OfferingsBusiness StrategySWOT AnalysisFinancialsEco OilPurcell Jojoba InternationalInca Oil SAThe Jojoba CompanyEgyptian Natural Oil Co.Mosselman S.ALaRonna Jojoba CompanyDel Amo Chemical Company Inc.Spectrum Chemicals & Laboratory ProductsScope and ContextOverview of the Parent MarketAnalyst ViewTo know more about this research, kindly visit:Research Nester is a global market research and consulting firm helping organizations, private entities, governments undertaking, non-legislative associations and non-profit organizations. With our decades of experience in the market research, we help our clients to gain a competitive edge over other players. Thus, helping them making strategic yet dynamic decisions for the future investments.Ajay DanielEmail: ajay.daniel@researchnester.comU.S. +1 646 586 9123U.K. +44 203 608 59191820 Avenue M, Suite# 1113,Brooklyn, New York 11230web : Modernization leads to growth of Latin American Medical Tourism Market at a CAGR of 18.9%. http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-medical-tourism-market-1859/ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-medical-tourism-market-1859/request-sample http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-medical-tourism-market-1859/inquire https://www.marketdataforecast.com/cart/buy-now/latin-america-medical-tourism-market-1859 www.marketdataforecast.com http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases Market Data Forecast recently published a report on the Latin America Medical Tourism Market which estimates the market to grow from USD 4.33 billion in 2016 to USD 10.30 billion by 2021 with a high CAGR of 18.9%.Medical tourism means people travelling to other countries apart from their own for the purpose of medical treatment. People opt for medical tourism either for its low price and high quality treatment or unavailability of a particular treatment in the home country.To give a better idea, medical tourism is for dental or cosmetic surgeries. There are a lot of risks and issues involved with it. Exposure to diseases with no built up natural immunity might be a hazardous for medical tourists especially gastrointestinal diseases which may expose to harmful diseases such as tuberculosis and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Albert Einstein Hospital in Brazil was the first JCI accredited facility outside USA. Therefore, there is a rising demand for this market so most of the industrialized nations are spending a huge part of their GDP on healthcare necessities.For Full Report refer to:The DROC Analysis contains some of the factors that have major effects on the market dynamics be it positive or negative. Few factors analysed in the section are Costly treatment in developed countries, less cost of treatments widely available in other countries, rising compliances of international standards, portability regards to health insurance, high chances of infections and travelling costs and issues.The market is segmented based on type and studied for a deep-level understanding of Medical Tourism. Each sub segment is accompanied with Market Size Estimations and Y-o-Y Forecasts as well.Free Sample for report:Based on Type: Orthopedic Neurological Cardiovascular Fertility Cancer TreatmentLatin American Market is studied in geographic perspective by segregating the market shares between Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and other South American countries. The study identifies Mexico as the predominant region in the Latin American Medical Tourism Market and is expected to grow further at a steady rate.As per the report, companies like Min-Sheng General Hospital, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, Samitivej Sukhumvit, Fortis Healthcare Ltd., Asian Heart Institute and Prince Court Medical Center are contributing a fair share to the Latin American Medical Tourism Market. However, due to advancements in the technology and innovations being made in providing modern healthcare facilities there is an intense competition among the players in the market.Enquire about the report:Scope of the Latin America Medical Tourism Market: Regional and country-level analysis that provides an innate perspective of USA and Canada Market to that of the North American region To detect major focus areas of industrial growth Segment-level analysis on basis of type, along with market size forecasts and y-o-y estimations are provided Detailed explanation of major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) that affect the market and impact the ever-shifting market dynamics PESTLE and Porters Five Forces Analyses that examine the macro & micro environmental factors such as political influence, technological prowess, industry rivalry to name a few. An extensive listing of major market players along with company overview, product portfolios, key financial information (subjected to availability), SWOT analysis and analyst overview to study and sustain the market environment mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies all rolled out into Competitive landscape Expertly devised Market Outlook comprising the Investment opportunities to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketBuy now at:About Market Data Forecast:The publisher of this report is Market Data Forecast whose forte lies in Market research and Business Intelligence. Handling both individual and corporate clients across multiple business domains they offer syndicated/customized research to suit the clients research objective. Their research reports section offers a wide variety of market studies ranging from all-encompassing comprehensive market studies to product specific niche markets covering North America among other regions of the global market as well. For more info kindly visit,Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.comVisit MarketDataForecast Blog @View latest Press Releases of MDF @ United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/897031 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/897031/united-states-eu-japan-china-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Asia Data Analytics Outsourcing MarketThis report studies the global Data Analytics Outsourcing market, analyzes and researches the Data Analytics Outsourcing development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeGet Sample Copy of this report @IBMOptimization GroupInfinit OutsourcingMcKinseyAccentureFair IssacMu sigmaAnalyxGenpactCapgeminiFractal AnalyticsTCSWiproZS AssociatesCogneesolMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaView Full Report @Market segment by Application, Data Analytics Outsourcing can be split intoApplication 1Application 2Application 3Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Data Analytics Outsourcing1.1 Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Overview1.1.1 Data Analytics Outsourcing Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Data Analytics Outsourcing Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 32 Global Data Analytics Outsourcing Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 IBM3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Optimization Group3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Infinit Outsourcing3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 McKinsey3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Accenture3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Fair Issac3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Mu sigma3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Analyx3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Genpact3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Capgemini3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Data Analytics Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Fractal Analytics3.12 TCS3.13 Wipro3.14 ZS Associates3.15 Cogneesol4 Global Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.2 Potential Application of Data Analytics Outsourcing in Future4.3 Top Consumer/End Users of Data Analytics Outsourcing5 United States Data Analytics Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)6 EU Data Analytics Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size (2011-2016)6.2 EU Data Analytics Outsourcing Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ http://qyresearchglobal.com http://qyresearcheurope.com SummaryThe Global ESD Packaging Materials Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the ESD Packaging Materials industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The ESD Packaging Materials market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the ESD Packaging Materials industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):BASFDesco IndustriesDow Chemical CompanyPPG IndustriesAkzoNobelDaklaPack GroupDou YeeGWP GroupKao-Chia PlasticsMiller SupplyPolyplus PackagingTIP CorporationUlineKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of ESD Packaging Materials by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of ESD Packaging Materials by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of ESD Packaging Materials by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of ESD Packaging MaterialsChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global ESD Packaging Materials Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017India ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017China ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan ESD Packaging Materials Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86 20 2209 3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20 2209 3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) A new study offers detailed examination of Inositol Market 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1290 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1290 www.futuremarketinsights.com Inositol, also named cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol, is a simple polyol precursor in a second messenger system important in the brain. Inositol is found in fruits, beans, grains, and nuts and is also made by the body. Inositol is a naturally occurring nutrient found in various forms, the most common being myo-inositol.It also holds some promise as an anti-depressant and against some other conditions associated with anxiety such as panic disorders. Inositol is used to promote the growth of bacteria and yeast for use as food additives. This product is also used in the preparation of a variety of vitamin pills and nutritional amino acid infused products.Inositol Market: Drivers & RestraintsDemand for inositol has been on the rise, due to the rapid growth in the food & healthcare industry. The Inositol market is expected to grow drastically. The increase in the scope of clinical research is also driving the market.Request For Report Sample@According to a survey carried out by Center for Disease Control & Prevention, 31% of men and 32% of women in this world have high cholesterol level. This has been a major factor for the rise in the demand for Inositol globally.Taking too much inositol might make bipolar disorder worse, which has proved to be its major constraint.Inositol Market: SegmentationThe inositol market is segmented on the basis of form and application. On the basis of form, the inositol market is further segmented into; powder & liquid. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, chemical industry, feed additive, and others.Inositol Market: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, the inositol market is segmented into seven regions which are; North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan. The global production of Inositol is mainly concentrated in the China and Japan. China is the worlds largest producer of inositol in terms of capacity, accounting for over approximately 50% of the global capacity.Request For TOC@Inositol Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players across the value chain dominating this market are Zhucheng Haotian Pharm Co., Ltd. , Changzhou Zhonglian Inositol Co., Ltd., Shandong Runde Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Biological Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Holland & Barrett, Phoenix Herb Company, Mr. Bills Pipe & Tobacco Company, Ronas chemicals ind.co.,ltd., Charles Bowman & Company, T. J. Clark & Company. These companies are developing market strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, joint venture, new product development and expansion to increase their market share in global inositol market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: New research report offers detailed research on developments in Crop Sprayers Market http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1366 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1366 www.futuremarketinsights.com Sprayers are devices that used to apply pesticides, insecticides on plants to control pastes and diseases. Sprayers are also use to apply herbicides to control weeds and micronutrients to promote growth of plants. The sprayers breaks the chemical solution into fine droplets and distribute the insecticides uniformly over the plant. A good sprayer should produce steady stream of liquid in desired droplet size so that plants to be treat get covered uniformly. The sprayer should convey adequate pressure so that sprayer should reach all foliage over the plant. The sprayer are operated manually as well as by power.Crop Sprayers Market: Drivers & RestraintsFood drives the world. In addition to clean water, acquire sufficient food is major concern for majority of peoples in the world which makes the agriculture one of the biggest and important industry in the world. Agricultural productivity is not only the prime factor for countries economy but also for the health and security of its population. So importance of agricultural in countries economy is major driving factor for crop sprayer market.Population explosion, increasing incomes, declined natural sources and changing climate conditions affected food prices to rise and agricultural productivity once again become a major concern. Strategies to increase food productivity imparts the use of technology in agriculture. Such strategies will helps to drive crop sprayers market.Request For Report Sample@Green revolution have changed the concept of traditional farming. Extensive efforts to modify farming methods assisted to increase the food production in Asia Pacific and Latin America. There are some regions in Middle East and Africa where many effort were taken to apply the green revolution approaches but failed. So there is need to help the farmers to use farming equipment in farming. Farmers in undeveloped countries does not have disposable income to use modern techniques in farming. So there is need of government initiatives to assist the farmers.Crop Sprayers Market: Market SegmentationCrop sprayers market can be segmented on the basis of Capacity of SprayersUltra Low Volume Sprayers (less than 5liters/hectare)Low Volume Sprayers(5 to 400 liters/hectare)Manually OperatedKnapsack SprayersRocker SprayersPedal Operated SprayersStirrup SprayersPower Driven SprayersKnapsack Power SprayersHigh Volume Sprayers(More than 400 liters/ hectare)Self-Propelled SprayersMounted SprayersTrailed SprayersCrop Sprayers Market: Regional-OutlookThe global Crop Sprayers market has been divided into seven key geographical regions which includes, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific will be dominating market for Crop Sprayers. Countries like India, China, and Indonesia are major agricultural promoting countries in Asia Pacific. There will be demand for Low volume sprayers in India as there is farming in small plots. Farming land in India is bisected. China and Indonesia will demand High volume sprayers. Asia Pacific is followed by North America. North America is major producer of wheat, corn and soybean. Latin America is also the lucrative market for crop sprayers market. Green revolution have lead the Latin America as prime agriculture region. Brazil and Mexico will be important countries for Crop sprayers market. Western Europe also contributes for Crop sprayers market. Germany and Netherlands. Netherlands is one of the prominent producer of vegetables and flowers. Eastern Europe also important market for Crop Sprayers. Middle East and Africa is lags behind in Agriculture. But countries like Israel, South Africa, and Nigeria have proved the development in Agriculture. So there is opportunity to expand the crop sprayers market in this region.Request For TOC@Crop Sprayers Market: Key playersSome of the identified players in the global Crop Sprayers market are,Chafer Machinery GroupHousehamJohn Rhodes AS limitedBoston Crop SprayersCleveland crop sprayers limitedAvison SprayersS & K sprayersFoggers India Pvt ltd.ASPEE IndiaCrystal Crop Protection Pvt LtdTaizhou Sunny Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd.,Zhejiang Ousen Machinery Co., Ltd.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Data Center Outsourcing Industry 2016 Market Research Report https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/740428 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/740428/global-data-center-outsourcing-industry-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Report Global Data Center Outsourcing Industry 2016 Market Research Report provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Data Center Outsourcing MarketThe Global Data Center Outsourcing Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Data Center Outsourcing industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions and classifications. The Data Center Outsourcing market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Get Sample Copy of this report @Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product specification, price, cost, revenue and contact information.With 144 the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.View Full Report @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview1.1 Basic Information of Data Center Outsourcing1.1.1 Definition of Data Center Outsourcing1.1.2 Classifications of Data Center Outsourcing1.1.2.1 Data Center Infrastructure Outsourcing1.1.2.2 Data Center Service Outsourcing1.1.3 Applications of Data Center Outsourcing1.1.4 Characteristics of Data Center Outsourcing1.2 Development Overview of Data Center Outsourcing1.3 Enter Barriers Analysis of Data Center Outsourcing2 Data Center Outsourcing International and China Market Analysis2.1 Data Center Outsourcing Industry International Market Analysis2.1.1 Data Center Outsourcing International Market Development History2.1.2 Data Center Outsourcing Competitive Landscape Analysis2.1.3 Data Center Outsourcing International Main Countries Development Status2.1.4 Data Center Outsourcing International Market Development Trend2.2 Data Center Outsourcing Industry China Market Analysis2.2.1 Data Center Outsourcing China Market Development History2.2.2 Data Center Outsourcing Competitive Landscape Analysis2.2.3 Data Center Outsourcing China Main Regions Development Status2.2.4 Data Center Outsourcing China Market Development Trend2.3 Data Center Outsourcing International and China Market Comparison Analysis3 Environment Analysis of Data Center Outsourcing3.1 International Economy Analysis3.2 China Economy Analysis3.3 Policy Analysis of Data Center Outsourcing3.4 News Analysis of Data Center Outsourcing4 Analysis of Revenue by Classifications4.1 Global Revenue of Data Center Outsourcing by Classifications 2011-20164.2 Global Revenue Growth Rate of Data Center Outsourcing by Classifications 2011-20164.3 Data Center Outsourcing Revenue by Classifications5 Analysis of Revenue by Regions and Applications5.1 Global Revenue of Data Center Outsourcing by Regions 2011-20165.2 2011-2016 USA Revenue and Revenue Growth Rate of Data Center Outsourcing5.3 2011-2016 Europe Revenue and Revenue Growth Rate of Data Center Outsourcing5.4 2011-2016 Japan Revenue and Revenue Growth Rate of Data Center Outsourcing5.5 2011-2016 China Revenue and Revenue Growth Rate of Data Center Outsourcing6 Analysis of Data Center Outsourcing Revenue Market Status 2011-20166.1 Revenue of Data Center Outsourcing 2011-20166.2 Revenue Market Share Analysis of Data Center Outsourcing 2011-20166.3 Revenue Overview of Data Center Outsourcing 2011-20166.4 Gross Margin of Data Center Outsourcing 2011-2016MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz United States Mining Dozer Market Report: Analysis and Forecast Outlook 2017 Market Research HUB http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1129022 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1129022 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/united-states-mining-dozer-market-report-2017-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ The Market Research Hubs report offers majority of the latest and newest industry data that covers the overall market situation along with future prospects for United States Mining Dozer market. The research study includes significant data and also forecasts of the global market which makes the research report a helpful resource for marketing people, analysts, industry executives, consultants, sales and product managers, and other people who are in need of major industry data in a ready-to-access format along with clear presentation of graphs and tables.Request Free Sample Report:Geographically, this report splits the United States market into seven regions:The WestSouthwestThe Middle AtlanticNew EnglandThe SouthThe Midwestwith sales (volume), revenue (value), market share and growth rate of Mining Dozer in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).United States Mining Dozer market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Mining Dozer sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingBoart LongyearLiuGong MachineryThyssenkruppLiebherrJoy GlobalHitachiDoosanCaterpillarKomatsuSandvikOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoCrawler Type Mining DozerTire Type Mining DozerOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Mining Dozer for each application, includingQuarryCoal MineOtherMake An Enquiry:Table of ContentsUnited States Mining Dozer Market Report 20171 Mining Dozer Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Mining Dozer1.2 Classification of Mining Dozer by Product Category1.2.1 United States Mining Dozer Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)..2 United States Mining Dozer Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Mining Dozer Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Mining Dozer Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)3 United States Mining Dozer Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Mining Dozer Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Mining Dozer Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)Continued.Browse Full Report With TOC:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At: India Nuclear Power Sector Generation and Investment Opportunity Outlook 2032 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-india-nuclear-power-sector-generation-and-investment-opportunity-outlook-2032.php https://www.kuickresearch.com Nuclear power sector in India has already travelled quite a long way to reach the present stage with 6780 MW installed capacity and 22 reactors from starting with two boiling water reactors worth 320 MW in 1969. Today, nuclear power provides nearly 3% of total electricity in India and this percentage will go up soon due to massive capacity addition in the coming years. Though Indias nuclear power sector is 100% controlled by the central government in operation and maintenance, the expansion of nuclear power sector is equally attractive to numerous private enterprises across the world, obviously including India. It is therefore imperative to know the prospective and driving factors of Indian nuclear power sector for industries, nuclear energy experts, policymakers across the world.India Nuclear Power Sector Generation and Investment Opportunity Outlook 2032 report gives comprehensive insight on the ongoing policy and structural developments in the nuclear power sector in India. As per report findings, nuclear power as emerged as one the most focused area for the power sector policy and regulatory framework in order to improve the overall power sector scenario in India.Download Report:Report provides detailed review of Indias power sector with nuclear power as the focus. The relative importance of nuclear power in Indias power sector as a whole andndash; both in terms of installed generation capacity or electricity output seems to be small. But its huge potential to change countrys energy scenario makes it the point of discussion. An analytical discussion of Indias power demand and how it can be meet has been in the beginning of the report. As the analysis goes on, it becomes clear that nuclear power is the most suitable alternative form of energy in the context of existing structure of power generation. A comparison of all alternative forms of energy andndash; be it nuclear or renewable reveals that for environmental concerns, both of these clean energy sources must be used but the thrust should be on nuclear. Financial analysis shows that a nuclear power plant provides return on investment that is equivalent to a coal based power plant of equal capacity along with providing pollutant-free electricity. Furthermore, nuclear power can generate electricity continuously unlike renewable sources like solar and wind which are intermittent in nature.All the possible factors that could drive Indias nuclear power sector have got special importance in the report with analysis. There are also discussions on the impact of the expansion of nuclear power sector. The expansion plan of this sector as stated by Indian government department concerning nuclear energy is quite ambitious and has the potential to transform the entire energy sector to make India on the track of sustainable development. India has the perfect atmosphere that can help grow the nuclear power market to the desired level so that nuclear energy becomes key element of power sector. The report argued why nuclear power will be Indias answer to meet the rising power demand and increase the proportion of clean energy to cut down carbon emissions. Growth of nuclear power has been analyzed to cause remarkable economic progress in India in various aspects other than increase in electricity generation. Nuclear power sector itself will bring close to US$ 500 Million annual investment in the country that can certainly transform a major part of economy by creating large number of employments andndash; both direct and indirect.In order to ensure energy security due rapid depletion of coal reserve and rising concerns for environmental pollution due to burning of coal, India has been expanding power sector through clean energy sources for years. In last 10 years, there has been substantial growth in the installation of clean energy based power generation including renewables and nuclear and future target set for them are also ambitious. But lower CUFs for renewable based power generation and intermittent nature, particularly solar and wind, make nuclear power as the better alternative to fossil fuels based power generation. Indian economy has been growing with tremendous pace and it needs reliable, uninterrupted power supply. Hence policymakers will obviously put more thrust on that energy source that can be used for based load power generation plants to provide electricity round the clock. Here nuclear suits much more than all other clean energy sources. Therefore India is likely to put more stress on expansion of nuclear power generation capacity along with greater utilization of renewable energy sources.India Nuclear Power Sector Generation and Investment Opportunity Outlook 2032 report highlights:India Nuclear Power Sector OverviewIndia Nuclear Power Sector IndicatorsIndia Existing and upcoming Nuclear Power Plants OverviewIndian Nuclear Power Regulatory and Policy FrameworkIndia Nuclear Power Plants InfrastructureIndia Nuclear Fuel Supply ScenarioFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com orvisit:Recent Publications:* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2022* Global CAR T Cell Therapy Market & Clinical Trials Insight 2022* Global Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2023* Global Microcapsules Drug Delivery Market Opportunity Outlook 2022* Global Controlled Drug Delivery Market & Clinical Trial Outlook 2022* Global Cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates Market & Pipeline Insight 2022* Global B Cell Lymphoma Market & Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 Storage Software Market Share 2017-2022: IBM, NetApp, Huawei Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, Dell Storage Software http://bit.ly/2sg1tcI http://bit.ly/2skYeLS Storage Software Market ResearchA market study Global Storage Software Market examines the performance of the Storage Software market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Storage Software market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Storage Software market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Storage Software Market 2017 report includes Storage Software market Size, Revenue, market Share, Storage Software industry volume, market Trends, Storage Software Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Storage Software Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Storage Software Market 2017:IBMNetAppHuawei TechnologiesHewlett-PackardDellHitachiSymantecCA TechnologiesOracle CorporationEMCFirstly, the report covers the top Storage Software manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Storage Software report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Storage Software industry, Storage Software industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Storage Software Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Storage Software research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Storage Software market revenue worldwide.Finally, Storage Software market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Chip Resistor Market Share 2017-2022: Rohm, Yageo, KOA Corporation, Sevenstar, Murata Chip Resistor http://bit.ly/2tnh3TY http://bit.ly/2tj7mp0 Chip Resistor Market Research ReportA market study Global Chip Resistor Market examines the performance of the Chip Resistor market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Chip Resistor market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Chip Resistor market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Chip Resistor Market 2017 report includes Chip Resistor market Size, Revenue, market Share, Chip Resistor industry volume, market Trends, Chip Resistor Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Chip Resistor Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Chip Resistor Market 2017: Rohm, Yageo, KOA Corporation, Tzai Yuan Enterprise, International, Manufacturing Services, Viking Tech, Vishay, BDS Electronics Inc, Sevenstar, China Zhenhua Group, Murata Manufacturing, ASJ, Holdings Limited, TT Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung Electro-Mechanics?, Bourns, TE Connectivity, AVX, OhmiteFirstly, the report covers the top Chip Resistor manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Chip Resistor report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Chip Resistor industry, Chip Resistor industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Chip Resistor Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Chip Resistor research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Chip Resistor market revenue worldwide.Finally, Chip Resistor market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Day Night Vision Data Display Systems Market Expansion to be Persistent by 2025 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/day-night-vision-data-display-systems-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14617 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14617 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems are widely used in the military and aerospace industry which require data storage and visualization of Day/Night-Vision helmets or goggles. The information is displayed on the screen of the lenses, mirror or screen created specifically for viewing the data and also stored the data in a drive.To View Complete Report @ :The Day/Night-Vision equipments are of various types including night vision goggles, Day/Night-Vision helmets, periscope, guns and rifle scope, night vision binocular and others which has applications in various industries such as military, aerospace, aviation, police, security and surveillance and others. This technology is initially developed for military purposes and later found application in air force and civil aviation. With the advancement of technology, this technology have found applications in several other industries.A sample of this report is available upon request @Most of the equipments has a display attached in it where some products such as periscope used in tanks has a separate visual screen which can be removed. Portable display units has gained a significant market share which is used in combat operations. These portable displays can be installed anywhere away from the equipment. These displays usually has a range of 50 to 100 meters and come with a receiver which receives signals transmitted by Day/Night-Vision equipment. Some of the displays has large ranges and can catch signals coming from few meters to kilometers. Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems market is expected to witness an escalating demand among various industries because of its broad applications and features.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems is used by pilots, military personnels and police. This technology has gained importance due to its varied applications. The military of all the developed and most of the developing countries have Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems and using the same for various purposes. North America is the largest market and manufacturer for Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems. Many new applications are springing in the market every day which requires Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems because of its unique properties. Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems market is expected to grow during the forecast period due to its versatile benefits and vast usage. However, Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems comes along with some restraints. Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems is costly and sold to only organizations with legitimate registrations in their respective country. The cost of research and development of these products is great and hence the products turns to be costly. The demand of Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems is always low as compared to the supply due to the high prices. Accuracy and efficiency is also a constraint for Day/Night-Vision Data Display systems.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: A new report explores the Self Balancing Scooter Market for the forecast 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1804 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1804 www.futuremarketinsights.com Self-balancing scooters or Hoverboard use gyroscope to determine balance of board, motors keep speed according to the inclination of the person riding it. These scooters are designed to look futuristic and an alternative to walking. Initially, self-balancing scooters did not perform in market because of many limitations such as low range, improper functioning of electronics, and high cost. Now after spending a lot in research & development and advertisement by manufacturing companies, these scooters are becoming a profitable product. Many nation have now removed ban over using these scooters in public areas. These scooters are majorly used in shopping complexes, manufacturing facilities, sidewalks, parks, and various government buildings. Self-balancing scooter market is still at primitive stage. Awareness regarding self-balancing scooter is still a primary concern for the manufacturers. A lot of promotion techniques are being used by companies such as promotion on social media, celebrity advertising, and free rides to increase the awareness about self-balancing scooter.Self-balancing scooter market: Market DynamicsSelf-balancing scooter look futuristic and are fun to drive. Moreover these scooters are less expensive than any other mobility scooters available in market. Self-balancing scooters are being promoted at office and college campuses because they are environment friendly, noise free and operate on electricity. The trend of using modern and advanced electronic devices and increasing dependency on mobility equipment is driving its demand in advanced economies. These scooters are being used by police to petrol certain places like streets and airports. Manufacturers of self-balancing scooters are regularly improving its ergonomics, technology, range, and adding various modern features such as wireless charging, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth which can connect it with users personal gadgets. Features like these are encouraging people to buy these advanced products.There have been various reports of explosion and malfunctioning of Self-balancing scooters. As the result of these reports, in Feb 2016, United States government declared these scooters as unsafe for public use. Governments of various countries have different rules regarding use of these scooters. These barriers are restraining its use and limiting its market to private properties. Usually these scooters have 15- 30 km range, charging time and the unavailability of charging stations is major problem. Despite of using various promotion techniques, awareness is still a major problem restraining its market growth.Request For Report Sample@Self-balancing scooter market: SegmentationSelf-balancing scooter market can be segmented on the basis of product types, end use industries and region.Based on product typeSingle wheeled and double wheeled. Single wheeled scooter or self-balancing Unicycle are comparatively new in market. Due to this Unicycle is manufactured by less number of companies.Based on end use industriesPersonal use and Commercial use. Residential and college campus market comes under Personal use, while Commercial use segment is further divided into office campus, manufacturing facilities and government infrastructure such as airport and railways (usually used by police during patrolling).Self-balancing scooter market: Regional outlookCountries with high per capita income are encouraging markets for self-balancing scooters. Western Europe and North America have highest demand for these scooters. Especially U.S. has shown big demand for these scooters. China players are providing cheap scooters throughout the world. This has made China a major manufacturer of both Unicycle and double wheeled scooters. Self-balancing scooter market has limited signs of rise in African nations. Safety regulations are still posing problem in many cities around the world.Request For TOC@Self-balancing scooter market: KeyplayersThe key players involved in the manufacturing of Self-balancing scooter include:Ninebot Inc.Inventist, Inc.IPS Electric Unicycle Co.,LimitedRobstep GBHangzhou Chic Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.ESWING TECH.AirwheelShenzhen Counterbalance Technology Co., Ltd.EswaySolowheelSegway, Inc.IO HawkOxboard B.V.Freego Inc.Evoy TechnologiesKoogo Technology Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Side Shaft Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application- Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/247048-global-side-shaft-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=247048 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/247048-global-side-shaft-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/247048-global-side-shaft-market-3 HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 121 pages on title 'Global Side Shaft Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia and important players such as GKN, NTN, Hyundai-wia..................SummaryThe Side Shaft provides the dynamic connection between engine and driving wheels, transmitting power and allowing steering angles whilst accommodating suspension movements and isolating vibrations. Each side shaft has two constant velocity joints a fixed joint at the wheel end and a plunging joint at the gearbox end, connected by an interconnecting shaft. Automotive Side Shafts play a vital role in the operation of any vehicle. It ensures optimum delivery of power to the wheels of the vehicle.Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Side Shaft in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversGKNNTNHyundai-wiaNexteerKOFCOWanxiangNeapcoJTEKTGuanshengMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversRear Side ShaftFront Side ShaftMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPassenger VehiclesCommercial VehiclesBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Side Shaft market.Chapter 1, to describe Side Shaft Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Side Shaft, with sales, revenue, and price of Side Shaft, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Side Shaft, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Side Shaft market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Side Shaft sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceMake an enquiry before buying this Report @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Side Shaft Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Rear Side Shaft1.2.2 Front Side Shaft1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Passenger Vehicles1.3.2 Commercial Vehicles1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving ForceView Detailed Table of Content @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837sales@htfmarketre)port.com+1 (206) 317 1218 (US) Uncooled Thermal Imaging Market explored by new report for the forecast 2016 to 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1835 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1835 www.futuremarketinsights.com Thermal imaging is a technology, which is invented specially for military operation in 1950, but it has been implemented in other applications as well due to realized benefits. Cameras based in thermal imaging technologies are able to capture clearer image even in dark surrounding. They dont need any light to operate in darkest of night and allow seeing objects without making itself visible. Thermal imaging cameras can see object even in fog and smoke that is why it is more preferable for military operations in battleground. In short, thermal imaging technology is used to observe the objects in dark environment or in unfavorable atmospheric condition with the help of some parameters like temperature difference in the human body, electrical appliances, mechanical equipment and many other assets. The key component used in thermal imaging camera is the detecting material (detector) that detects change in temperature and helps to create an image. On the basis of nature of detector, thermal imaging technique is segmented into cooled thermal imaging technique and uncooled thermal imaging technique. Those devices which use thermal imaging technique with mechanism to cool down temperature of sensor is termed as cooled thermal imaging systems and those devices which make use of thermal imaging technology without any necessity of cooling down the sensor is termed as uncooled thermal imaging system.Uncooled thermal imaging market has been witnessed a tremendous growth of double digit in 2014 and is expected to grow with a substantial CAGR over forecast period.Request For Report Sample@Uncooled Thermal Imaging: Market Drivers and RestraintThe key trend of global uncooled thermal imaging has been recorded for past some years is that the different vendors are launching the integration of uncooled imaging technology with smart phones and tablets (consumer goods). The key growth drivers of global uncooled thermal imaging market are increasing demand in industrial and commercial application because of its low price as compare to cooled thermal imaging system, also the increasing adoption in military application under soldier modernization programs help in driving the growth of global uncooled thermal imaging market. On the other hand there is also some factors which are deterring the growth of global uncooled thermal imaging market as availability of advanced technology with clearer image quality, which suppresses the growth of global uncooled thermal imaging market.Uncooled Thermal Imaging: SegmentationSegmentation of uncooled thermal imaging market is done on the basis of spectrum range, application, vertical & Geography. On the basis of spectrum range, global uncooled thermal imaging market is segmented as short wave IR, mid wave IR and long wave IR. On the basis of application, global uncooled thermal imaging market is segmented as building surveillance, night vision camera, firefighting, military, mapping & surveying and others.By vertical, global uncooled thermal imaging market is industrial, medical, automotive, test and measurement, maritime, research & development, commercial, security and surveillance, test & measurement, maritime and others.Uncooled Thermal Imaging Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, uncooled thermal imaging is segmented into seven regions which are ; North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), and Middle East and Africa (MEA). Among all the regions North America is the highest contributor in term of revenue in global uncooled thermal imaging market followed by Asia Pacific and it is expected that same trend is being followed in near future as well.Request For TOC@Uncooled Thermal Imaging Market: Key PlayersThe key players of global uncooled thermal imaging market are FLIR systems, Inc., Bosch security systems, Axis communications AB, Infrared Integrated Systems Ltd, Safran Group, Danaher Corporation and others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Single-Use Technologies for the Biologic Market Set to Witness an Uptick During 2015 to 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4220 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4220 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/single-use-technologies-biologic-market.asp www.persistencemarketresearch.com Single-use, also known as disposable, refers to products that are intended for one-time use. These products are made from a plastic (polyamide {PA}, polyethylene {PE}, polycarbonate {PC}, polyethersulfone {PESU}, polypropylene {PP}, polyvinyl chloride {PVC}, polytetrafluorethylene {PTFE}, cellulose acetate {CA}, and ethylene vinyl acetate {EVA}) and are disposed after use. Single-use products have revolutionized the field of bioproduction. These products are becoming popular in the biopharmaceutical arena as they reduce the risk of contamination during development and production. Various disposable products such as laboratory instruments, including petri plates, flasks, filling and tubing systems, cell culture apparatus, filters, pumps, bioreactors, are used in bioproduction.Single-use technologies are mainly used in bio-therapeutic development and manufacturing processes. These technologies facilitate the development of small amounts of drug products for use in preclinical and clinical testing procedures.The global single-use technologies market is categorized based on technology and application. Based on technology, the report covers membrane adsorber, bioreactors, disposable mixing systems, tangential flow filtration, tubing and connectors, depth filtration, buffer containers, waste containers and media bags, and filter cartridges. The application segment is further sub-segmented into monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, gene therapy, recombinant proteins, and blood derivativesIn terms of geography, North America dominates the global single-use technologies market. This is due to improved biopharmaceutical industry in the region. Moreover, increased awareness about therapeutic applications of biotherapeutics has also fueled the market in North America. The U.S. represents the largest market for single-use technologies in North America, followed by Canada. In Europe, Germany, France, and the U.K. hold major shares of the single-use technologies market. The single-use technologies market in Asia too, is expected to experience high growth rate over the next five years. This is due to improving Life Sciences arena in the region. Furthermore, increased foreign investment in this field is also supporting the growth of the single-use technologies market in the region. India, China, and Japan are expected to be the fastest growing markets for single-use technologies in Asia.Rising awareness about therapeutic applications of biotherapeutics is a key driver for the global single-use technologies market. Also, increasing demand of biologics and advancements in medical technology are fuelling the growth of this market. Low manufacturing and maintenance costs of single-use products and instruments attract end-users to adopt this technology in bioproduction. Increasing research on cell biology and stem cell is propelling the demand for single-use products.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Moreover, drug pricing control is forcing large and emerging biotech companies to change their overall approach in development and production of bioproducts. This is leading to rise in demand for improved process optimization and more efficient operations such as single-use technologies and bioengineering. This is creating growth opportunities for single use-use technologies market.However, stringent regulations imposed by various governments hamper the growth of global single-use technologies market. Increasing number of mergers and acquisitions of biotech and pharmaceutical companies and rapid product launches are key trends in the global single-use technologies market.Request to View Tables of Content @The major companies operating in this market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, Applikon Biotechnology B.V., GE Healthcare, Pall Corporation, NewAge Industries, Inc., Saint-Gobain S.A., BioPure Technology Limited, Sartorius AG, RENOLIT, Novasep, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., EMD Millipore, and Dow Corning Corporation.To view complete report @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.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Market Share 2017: Abbott Laboratories, Beckman Coulter, Bio-Rad Laboratories Hematology Analyzers & Reagents http://bit.ly/2sgxdhP http://bit.ly/2s0MRJO Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Market Research ReportA market study Global Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Market examines the performance of the Hematology Analyzers & Reagents market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Hematology Analyzers & Reagents market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Hematology Analyzers & Reagents market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Market 2017 report includes Hematology Analyzers & Reagents market Size, Revenue, market Share, Hematology Analyzers & Reagents industry volume, market Trends, Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Market 2017:Abbott LaboratoriesBeckman CoulterBio-Rad LaboratoriesBoule DiagnosticsHoribaMindray Medical InternationalNihon Kohden CorporationRoche DiagnosticsSiemens HealthcareSysmex CorporationFirstly, the report covers the top Hematology Analyzers & Reagents manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Hematology Analyzers & Reagents report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Hematology Analyzers & Reagents industry, Hematology Analyzers & Reagents industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Hematology Analyzers & Reagents Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Hematology Analyzers & Reagents research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Hematology Analyzers & Reagents market revenue worldwide.Finally, Hematology Analyzers & Reagents market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Home Security Cameras Market Size 2017: MI, HIKVISION, Motorola, Zmodo, Vimtag, Nest Cam Home Security Cameras http://bit.ly/2tjm0fZ http://bit.ly/2sZRKnJ Home Security Cameras Market Research ReportA market study Global Home Security Cameras Market examines the performance of the Home Security Cameras market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Home Security Cameras market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Home Security Cameras market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Home Security Cameras Market 2017 report includes Home Security Cameras market Size, Revenue, market Share, Home Security Cameras industry volume, market Trends, Home Security Cameras Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Home Security Cameras Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Home Security Cameras Market 2017:MIHIKVISIONMotorolaLeChangeLSVTNetgearZmodoVimtagNest CamIcontrolCanaryPetcubeAmcrestUnidenPhylinkD-LinkTP-LinkFirstly, the report covers the top Home Security Cameras manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Home Security Cameras report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Home Security Cameras industry, Home Security Cameras industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Home Security Cameras Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Home Security Cameras research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Home Security Cameras market revenue worldwide.Finally, Home Security Cameras market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Global Bunker Fuel Market - Analysis, Size (Value And Volume), Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/237582 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/237582/bunker-fuel-global-industry-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Latest Research Report Bunker Fuel Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2014 - 2020 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Bunker Fuel MarketThis research study analyzes the market for bunker fuel in terms of volume and revenue. The bunker fuel market has been analyzed on the basis of fuel grade, end-user, seller type, and geography. For the research, the base year is 2013, while the forecast is for the period 20142020. Market data for all the segments have been provided on the regional level for the period 20132020. A comprehensive competitive landscape has also been included in the report, comprising companies involved in the bunkering business. Value chain analysis and Porters Five Forces model have also been included for the market, to provide a clear understanding regarding the dynamics of the industry.Porters Five Forces and value chain analysis have been carried out with respect to suppliers of bunker fuel. These high level analyses provide detailed insights into the business of bunker suppliers, traders, and brokers globally. Major drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the bunker fuel market were analyzed in detail with supporting graphs and tables. There are currently numerous drivers for the bunker fuel industry. One of the most prominent drivers is the growing demand for fuel for container ships and tanker vessels. The rapidly evolving demand patterns for various fuel grades due to implementation of sulfur emission norms in different regions was analyzed in detail in the report. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the bunker fuel industry based on geography. In the market attractiveness analysis, the bunker fuel industry was analyzed regionally and ranked on the basis of a number of parameters that directly impact the attractiveness of the market. Port market share has also been included in this report to offer a better overview of major bunkering destinations. In this segment, the major bunkering ports were analyzed on the basis of bunker volume traded in 2013. Apart from this, a separate segment has been incorporated for port analysis. Also, the three largest bunkering ports in the world Singapore, Rotterdam, and Fujairah have been analyzed separately in this segment.Get Sample copy of this Report @The fuel grades traded at different ports comprises IFO 380, IFO 180, IFO Others, and MGO/MDO. The IFO Others segment includes IFO 500, IFO 700, LS 380, and LS 180 fuel grades. The seller segment of the bunker market has been segmented into major oil companies, leading independent distributors, and small independent distributors. Key end-users for bunker fuel were identified as container vessels, tanker fleets, bulk & general cargo vessels, and other vessels. The bunker market was analyzed across five geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Rest of the World (RoW). The RoW segment comprises South and Central America, and Africa. Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the bunker market. The bunker consumption figures for each region have been sub-segmented on the basis of fuel grade, end-use, and seller type. Key market participants in the bunkering business include Chemoil Energy Limited, Aegean Marine Petroleum Network, Inc., and World Fuel Services Corporation. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial revenue, business strategies, and recent developments.The market size for bunker fuel has been estimated by studying the possible future environmental regulation trends in the market. Detailed research of sulfur regulations in different regions has been undertaken to estimate and forecast the consumption and investments in the bunker fuel industry. The global bunker fuel market has been segmented as below:View Report @Bunker Fuel Market: Fuel Grade AnalysisIFO 380IFO 180IFO OthersMGO/MDOBunker Fuel Market: End User AnalysisContainer VesselsTankers VesselsBulk & General Cargo VesselsOther VesselsBunker Fuel Market: Seller Type AnalysisMajor Oil CompaniesLeading Independent DistributorsSmall Independent DistributorsBunker Fuel Market: Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastRest of the World (RoW)Table of ContentsChapter 1 Preface1.1 Report Description1.2 Research Scope1.3 Market Segmentation1.4 Research MethodologyChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Bunker Fuel MarketChapter 3 Bunker Fuel Market Industry Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Value Chain Analysis: Bunker Fuel Market3.3 Market Drivers3.3.1 Increasing Hydrocarbon Resource Development Activities in Offshore Areas Resulting in Increased Requirement for Bunker Fuel3.3.1.1 Global offshore oil and gas production estimates and forecast, by region, 2013 2020 (Million Barrels/ Day)3.3.2 Rapidly Increasing Bunker Requirements in Crude Oil and Product Tankers3.4 Market Restraints3.4.1 Fuel Reduction Initiatives by Global Shipping Community3.4.2 LNG as an Alternative Fuel3.4.2.1 Current development status of LNG bunkering infrastructure globally, by ports, 20133.5 Market Opportunities3.5.1 Expansion of ECAs will Increase Demand for middle distillate oils (MDO & MGO)3.5.1.1 Global fuel sulphur limits within and outside ECAs3.6 Porters Five Forces Analysis: Bunker Fuel Market3.6.1 Bargaining power of suppliers3.6.2 Bargaining power of buyers3.6.3 Threat from new entrants3.6.4 Degree of competition3.6.5 Threat from substitutes3.7 Port Market Share: Bunker Fuel Market3.7.1 Bunker fuel market, port market share,20133.8 Port analysis: Bunker Fuel Market3.8.1 Major Choke Points and Bunker ports globally3.8.2 Port of Singapore3.8.3 Port of Fujairah3.8.4 Port of Rotterdam3.9 Market Attractiveness Analysis of Bunker Fuel Market, by Region, 2013Chapter 4 Bunker Fuel Market: Fuel Grade Analysis4.1 Global Bunker Fuel Market: Fuel Grade Overview4.1.1 Global Bunker Fuel Market, Volume Share by Fuel Grade,2013 and 20204.2 IFO 3804.2.1 Global IFO 380 estimates and forecast, 2013 2020 (Million Tons) (USD Billion)4.3 IFO 1804.3.1 Global IFO 180 estimates and forecast, 2013 2020 (Million Tons) (USD Billion)4.4 IFO Others4.4.1 Global IFO Others estimates and forecast, 2013 2020 (Million Tons) (USD Billion)4.5 MGO/MDO4.5.1 Global MGO/MDO estimates and forecast, 2013 2020 (Million Tons) (USD Billion)MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Saudi Arabia Mutual Fund Market Opportunity Outlook 2022 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-saudi-arabia-mutual-fund-market-opportunity-outlook-2022.php https://www.kuickresearch.com Saudi Arabia Mutual Fund Market Opportunity Outlook 2022 report highlights the current transformation in the mutual fund market in Saudi Arabia. Currently the total assets under management by fund managers in Saudi Arabia are valued at more than US$ 23 Billion. Majority of the funds have allocated in domestic assets valued at US$ 19 Billion and foreign assets accounts for close to US$ 4 Billion. This report gives comprehensive insight on the mutual fund assets allocation by fund type, open and close ended schemes, number of subscribers and operational schemes, open and closed ended funds, Sharia Funds and the current regulatory landscape in the Saudi Arabia.The concept of mutual fund was first familiarized in Saudi financial industry by National Commercial Bank in 1979 through its open-ended Al-Ahli Short Term Dollar Fund. The program was aimed at smaller investors, particularly small workers and thus, experienced a fast success due to lesser service charge, easy entry and improvement. Over the years, the public interest in the investment policy has risen to a great extent.Download Report:History has shown a changing trend of mutual fund market in Saudi finance industry. Saudi investors moved out of mutual fund market segment to try direct investing in the stock market during 2006. However, they reverted back to the mutual funds in very next year. The reasons behind this switch is considered to be high rise in Saudi share prices as compared to international equity market, rising demand of Islamic funds and growing number of expertise for independent management over time amongst Saudi banks. History also narrates the demand of pension by small workers whether in private or government sector in early times but presently, increasing number of Saudis are willing to invest in these funds for their retirement hedging.Saudi Arabia mutual fund market has shown a tremendous rise in the market potential and financial benefits to its citizens. The kingdom has experienced significant changes in the total number of mutual fund programs and thus, the industry has evolved as a secure financial investment option. In 2016, Saudi accounts for more than 270 mutual funds managed by more than 40 fund managers. More than 60% of the mutual funds schemes operating in Saudi Arabia are Sharia compliant.The growth of mutual funds in Saudi Arabia has been impressive over a short period of time. Initially, the focus was on private bank investors, but later all Saudi banks started paying attention to other sectors as well including middle income and top-tier expatriates. Soon, competition amongst banks has become more serious and started developing in-house expertise for managing funds whereas, other started strategic alliances with international investment agents for designing new investment programs for domestic clients.The prominent Islamic institutions have also started to widen their coverage across financial instruments to serve the more sophisticated and ethical approach to investment programs for the citizens of the state. In addition to financial deposits and basic savings and current accounts, Islamic institutions implemented several investment schemes which are targeted to manage the savings of the citizens related to the Sharia law.Saudi Arabia Mutual Fund Market Opportunity Outlook 2022 Report Highlights:* Financial Sector and Mutual Fund Market Overview* Mutual Fund Program and Managers* Mutual Fund Asset Allocation* Saudi Arabia: Special Purpose Vehicles* Bonds Market: Sukuks vs. Conventional Bonds* Mutual Fund Market Regulatory Authorities* Mutual Fund Market Future Forecasts* Mutual Fund Market Competitive LandscapeFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com orvisit:Recent Publications:* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2022* Global CAR T Cell Therapy Market & Clinical Trials Insight 2022* Global Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2023* Global Microcapsules Drug Delivery Market Opportunity Outlook 2022* Global Controlled Drug Delivery Market & Clinical Trial Outlook 2022* Global Cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates Market & Pipeline Insight 2022* Global B Cell Lymphoma Market & Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 Global High Strength Steel Market Will Hit At CAGR Of 8% During Years 2017-2021 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1142843 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1142843/global-high-strength-steel-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Latest Research Report Global High Strength Steel Market 2017-2021 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About High Strength Steel MarketThis industry research report identifies ArcelorMittal, POSCO, Shanghai Baosteel Group (Baosteel), Tata Steel, and United States Steel as the key vendors in the global high strength steel market. This industry research report also presents a competitive analysis of the market by end-use industry (automotive, aviation and marine, construction, and others) and by geography (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA).Overview of the global high strength steel marketMarket research analysts at Technavio predict that the global high strength steel market will grow steadily at a CAGR of more than 8% by 2021. This market research analysis identifies the increasing demand for high quality automobile components as one of the primary growth factors for this market. Owing to the performance of high strength steels in comparison to low and mild-strength steels, automotive manufacturers mainly prefer high strength steel over mild strength steel for manufacturing vehicle components that find applications including door beams, chassis, bumpers, and cross-members and seating. With the increasing growth of the automotive industry, this demand for manufacturing high-quality components will significantly fuel the growth of the high strength steel market.One of the major trends that will gain traction in the high strength steel market in the coming years is the increased use of advanced high strength steel (AHSS). Owing to the benefits including high strain hardening ability, superior combination of ductility and strength, and increased work-hardening rates, there is an increased demand for AHSS from the automotive industry. The focus of the players in the automotive industry to develop lightweight and eco-friendly products will further increase the demand for AHSS to meet the performance demands.Get Sample copy of this Report @Competitive landscape and key vendorsThe high strength steel market is characterized by the presence of a considerable number of vendors and is competitive. The growth of the of the vendors in this marketspace mainly depends on factors such as fluctuations in the cost of capital and increased productivity. To manufacture high-quality high strength steel, vendors in the market are constantly on the lookout for innovative techniques. To gain a competitive edge over their competitors, major steel vendors such as ArcelorMittal focus on offering value-added solutions such as anti-graffiti and anti-corrosion coatings in high strength steel.The leading vendors in the market are -ArcelorMittalPOSCOShanghai Baosteel Group (Baosteel)Tata SteelUnited States SteelThe other prominent vendors in the market are CITIC, Gerdau, Hyundai Steel Company, JFE Steel Corporation, JSW Steel, Nucor, and SSAB.Segmentation by end-use industry and analysis of the high strength steel marketAutomotiveAviation and marineConstructionDuring 2016, the automotive industry was the major end-user to the high strength steel market. High strength is used for manufacturing several automotive components including bumpers, chassis, wheel systems, seat cross membranes, roofs, and crash sectors. The need for automotive manufacturers to meet the growing demand for consumer safety and fuel efficiency will be a major factor driving the demand for high strength steel in this segment.View Report @Geographical segmentation and analysis of the high strength steel marketAmericasAPACEMEAThis market study estimates that in terms of geographic regions, APAC will be the major revenue contributor to the high strength steel market throughout the forecast period. Rapid industrialization and infrastructural development in APAC and the demand for high strength steel from countries such as India, China, and Taiwan for manufacturing automobile components, will be the major factors fueling market growth.Key questions answered in the report includeWhat will the market size and the growth rate be in 2021?What are the key factors driving the global high strength steel market?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global high strength steel market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in the global high strength steel market?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global high strength steel market?Trending factors influencing the market shares of the Americas, APAC, and EMEA.What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the global high strength steel market?Technavio also offers customization on reports based on specific client requirement.High strength steel is a variant of steel that holds advantageous properties such as enhanced corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. The scope of high strength steel encompasses conventional steel, advanced high strength steel, and ultra-high strength steel. This upcoming report by Technavio is a fundamental part of the chemicals and materials industry and offers a detailed study of rapidly growing sectors like metals and minerals, specialty chemicals and additives, adhesives, and sealants.To accurately forecast the chemicals and materials industrys growth prospects, our market research specialists follow a structured approach comprised of primary and secondary data collection methods and also carry out detailed analysis based on several market facets, including advancements in technology and the demand for products and services across the globe. This upcoming report on the high strength steel market also considers the growth of related markets like iron castings market and metal oxide nanoparticles market, which are expected to grow at a CAGR of around 7% and nearly 10%, respectively by 2021. As per our market research analysts, there is an increase in the demand for the application of high-strength steel in the automobile industry, especially for the HSLA steels segment. This, in turn, is expected to significantly contribute to the growth of this market over the next few years.The upcoming industry research report on the high strength steel market also highlights the key drivers, prospective trends, and the imminent challenges currently experienced by the chemicals and materials industry and also presents a holistic overview into the markets of paints, coatings, and pigments and olefins.Table of ContentsPART 01: Executive summaryPART 02: Scope of the reportPART 03: Research MethodologyPART 04: IntroductionKey market highlightsOverviewPART 05: Market landscapeOverview: Global high strength steel marketMarket size and forecastFive forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by end-use industryOverview: Global high strength steel market by end-use industryGlobal high strength steel market for automobile industryGlobal high strength steel market for construction industryGlobal high strength steel market for aviation and marine industryGlobal high strength steel market for othersPART 07: Geographical segmentationOverview: Global high strength steel market by geographyHigh strength steel market in APACHigh strength steel market in EMEAHigh strength steel market in AmericasPART 08: Decision frameworkPART 09: Drivers and challengesMarket driversImpact of drivers on key geographiesMarket challengesImpact of challenges on key geographiesPART 10: Market trendsIncreased use of AHSSTMCP technique for high strength steelHot stamping for high strength steelPART 11: Vendor landscapeCompetitive scenarioOther prominent vendorsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz United States Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Market by Manufacturers, States, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Marke http://www.globalinforeports.com/request-sample/246560 http://www.globalinforeports.com/report/united-states-cylindrical-lithium-ion-battery-market-by-manufacturers-states-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022 http://www.globalinforeports.com/check-discount/246560 http://www.globalinforeports.com/send-an-enquiry/246560 http://www.globalinforeports.com http://www.globalinforeports.com/blog A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging. Li-ion batteries use an intercalated lithium compound as one electrode material, compared to the metallic lithium used in a non-rechargeable lithium battery. The electrolyte, which allows for ionic movement, and the two electrodes are the constituent components of a lithium-ion battery cell.Request for Sample Copy Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery in United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Panasonic(Sanyo) Samsung SDI LG Chem Sony Johnson Controls Hitachi Tianjin Lishen Hefei Guoxuan Shenzhen Auto-Energy OptimumNano DLG Electronics Zhuoneng New Energy CHAM BATTERY Padre ElectronicMarket Segment by States, covering California Texas New York Florida IllinoisBrowse Full Report @Market Segment by Type, covers LiCoO2 Battery NMC/NCA Battery LiFePO4 BatteryMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into Power Banks Laptop Battery Packs Electric Vehicles Flashlights Cordless Power Tools OthersThere are 17 Chapters to deeply display the United States Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery market.Chapter 1, to describe Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by States, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the United States market by States, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery, for each state, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key States by Type and Application, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 12, Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery market forecast, by States, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 15, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source.Check for Discount @Some points from TOC:-1 Market Overview1.1 Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 LiCoO2 Battery1.2.2 NMC/NCA Battery1.2.3 LiFePO4 Battery1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Power Banks1.3.2 Laptop Battery Packs1.3.3 Electric Vehicles1.3.4 Flashlights1.3.5 Cordless Power Tools1.3.6 Others1.4 Market Analysis by States1.4.1 California Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Texas Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 New York Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Florida Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Illinois Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Panasonic(Sanyo)2.1.1 Profile2.1.2 Cylindrical Lithium Ion Battery Type and Applications..ContinuedEnquiry before Buying @About Global Info Reports:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-Blogs- Global Immune Check Point Inhibitors Market and Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-global-immune-check-point-inhibitors-market-and-clinical-pipeline-insight-2022.php https://www.kuickresearch.com Global Immune Check Point Inhibitors Market and Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022 report gives comprehensive insight on clinical and non-clinical aspects involved in the development and integration of immune check point inhibitors as main streamline drugs in the immunotherapy treatment. Report helps to identify the basic classification and molecular mechanism of action of immune check point inhibitors drugs available in the market and in the clinical pipeline. Currently there are 4 Immune Check Point Inhibitors drugs commercially available in the market and more than 70 drugs in clinical pipeline.mmunotherapy represents a paradigm shift in cancer therapy along the multiple fronts. Although, targeted therapy upgrades the underlying signaling defect which results in oncogenesis within the tumor. The immune checkpoint blockade is fundamentally a therapy which directed at the patient's native immune system to tilt the immune homeostasis away from self-tolerance towards cytotoxicity, with the goal of inducing antitumor immunity.Download Report:Immune checkpoint inhibitors are the type of drugs which blocks the certain proteins made by some types of immune system cells, such as T cells and some cancer cells. These proteins help to keep the immune responses in check and keep the T cells from killing the cancer cells. When the proteins are blocked, the brakes on the immune system are released and T cells are able to kill the cancer cell better. The checkpoint proteins which found on T cells or cancer cells include the PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4/B7-1/B7-2. Some immune checkpoint inhibitors are used to treat the cancer. Checkpoint proteins, such as PD-L1 on tumor cells and PD-1 on T cells, help to keep the immune responses in check. The binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 keeps T cells from killing tumor cells in the body. Blocking the binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD-1) allows the T cells to kill tumor cells.The immune checkpoint inhibitors such as ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab were approved by FDA and are indicated for the treatment of squamous non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic melanoma, respectively. Several other anti PD-1 drugs are in late stage clinical trials and are expected to achieve the regulatory approval in the near future. Moreover, the anti PD-L1, antibody which targets the tumor cells rather than the T cells is also being studied and tested.Immune checkpoint inhibitors appears to offer an advantage compared with standard cytotoxic chemotherapy and produces high response rates, durable response and the survival curves which indicate the sustained remission of long therapy which has been completed. Safety with the new therapies is of concern since the immune system is being suppressed by the cancer and the immune checkpoint inhibitors are turning the suppressed immune system. There are several factors of immune checkpoint inhibitors which help in the growth of market and in future help to continue the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the market.Global Immune Check Point Inhibitors Market and Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022 report highlights:* Introduction and Mechanism of Action of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* CTLA 4, PD-1 and PD-L1 Inhibition Approved Drugs to Target Immune Checkpoints* Biomarkers Associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* Combination Approaches with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* Global Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Clinical Pipeline* Future Potential of Immune Checkpoint InhibitorsFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com orvisit:Recent Publications:* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2022* Global CAR T Cell Therapy Market & Clinical Trials Insight 2022* Global Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2023* Global Microcapsules Drug Delivery Market Opportunity Outlook 2022* Global Controlled Drug Delivery Market & Clinical Trial Outlook 2022* Global Cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates Market & Pipeline Insight 2022* Global B Cell Lymphoma Market & Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 Global Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market Analysis by Regions, By Applications, Types, 2022 Forecast Report https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1170671 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1170671/global-wireless-gas-detection-technology-market-research-reports http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Latest Research Report Global Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Wireless Gas Detection Technology MarketThis report studies the global Wireless Gas Detection Technology market, analyzes and researches the Wireless Gas Detection Technology development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeHoneywell InternationalSiemensDragerwerkYokogawa ElectricRAE SystemsGastronicsPem-TechMSA SafetyAgilent TechnologiesDetconTrolexGet Sample copy of this Report @Otis InstrumentsUnified Electric ControlSensidyneTyco Gas & Flame DetectionAirtest TechnologiesCrowcon Detection InstrumentsTektroniksBlackline SafetyProtex SystemsMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Wireless Gas Detection Technology can be split intoWireless Networking (Wi-Fi) TechnologyBluetooth TechnologyCellular/GPS TechnologyLicense-Free Ism BandOthersView Report @Market segment by Application, Wireless Gas Detection Technology can be split intoIndustrial SafetyNational Security and Military ApplicationsEnvironmental SafetyOthersIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Wireless Gas Detection Technology1.1 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market Overview1.1.1 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market by Type1.3.1 Wireless Networking (Wi-Fi) Technology1.3.2 Bluetooth Technology1.3.3 Cellular/GPS Technology1.3.4 License-Free Ism Band1.3.5 Others1.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Industrial Safety1.4.2 National Security and Military Applications1.4.3 Environmental Safety1.4.4 Others2 Global Wireless Gas Detection Technology Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Honeywell International3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Siemens3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Dragerwerk3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Yokogawa Electric3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 RAE Systems3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Gastronics3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Pem-Tech3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 MSA Safety3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Agilent Technologies3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Detcon3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Wireless Gas Detection Technology Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Trolex3.12 Otis Instruments3.13 Unified Electric Control3.14 Sensidyne3.15 Tyco Gas & Flame Detection3.16 Airtest Technologies3.17 Crowcon Detection Instruments3.18 Tektroniks3.19 Blackline Safety3.20 Protex SystemsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Cigar Market Size to Grow Exponentially during the Forecast Period 2015-2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/cigar-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6949 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6949 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Cigars are firmly-rolled cylindrical bundle of fermented and dried tobacco which is ignited and smoked by drawing in the mouth. Cigar tobacco is mostly grown in Latin America, Philippines, Eastern United States, Spain and Italy. Cigar is considered to be a status symbol by many and is more prevalent in European countries within premium segment.Get access to full summary @:The Cigars market across the globe is expected to show a single digit increase in CAGR growth by the year 2019. There is a significant increase in the Cigar market due to the usage of Cigar in multiple occasions such as social parties, birthday parties, colleges and among corporate.The key drivers of this market include the addition of smokers to inhale and cigars are considered superior than cigarettes due to lower levels of nicotine. Rising middle class, culture shift and affluent life style are among other driving forces in cigar consumption.A sample of this report is available upon request @Restraining factors could be plethora of government regulations and ban on tobacco production and consumption in several countries. In addition growing health concerns and aging of population act as another major restrains to consumption of Cigar. Major distribution channels are supermarkets, speciality stores and departmental stores.The Cigar market can be segmented into three major types on the basis of composition as wrappers, fillers and binders. It can also be segmented on the basis of shape and size as Parejo, Figurado, Pyramid, Culebras, Tuscanian and Little Cigars. In this report we have segmented the market geographically into North America, APAC, Europe and RoW regions.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the key players in the Cigar market are Finck Cigar Company, ITC Limited, Altadis, General Cigar Company Inc., Partagas cigars, Perdomo cigars, Oliva cigars, Rodrigo cigars, Paul Stulac cigars, and Rocky Patel cigars.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: United States Manuka Honey Market by Manufacturers, States, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 Manuka Honey Market http://www.globalinforeports.com/request-sample/246570 http://www.globalinforeports.com/report/united-states-manuka-honey-market-by-manufacturers-states-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022 http://www.globalinforeports.com/check-discount/246570 http://www.globalinforeports.com/send-an-enquiry/246570 http://www.globalinforeports.com http://www.globalinforeports.com/blog Manuka honey, produced in Australia and New Zealand by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush, is one of the most unique and beneficial forms of honey in the world. The honey is commonly sold as an alternative medicine. There are many Manuka honey uses that range from healing sore throats and digestive illnesses, to curing Staph infections and gingivitis.Request for Sample Copy Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Manuka Honey in United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Comvita Manuka Health Arataki Honey Watson & Son Streamland Pure Honey New Zealand Ora Honey Capilano Natures WayMarket Segment by States, covering California Texas New York Florida IllinoisBrowse Full Report @Market Segment by Type, covers UMF 5+ UMF 10+ UMF 15+ UMF 20+Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into Digestion and inflammation treatment Wound-care & skincare products OthersThere are 17 Chapters to deeply display the United States Manuka Honey market.Chapter 1, to describe Manuka Honey Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by States, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Manuka Honey, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the United States market by States, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Manuka Honey, for each state, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key States by Type and Application, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 12, Manuka Honey market forecast, by States, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 15, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe Manuka Honey Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source.Check for Discount @Some points from TOC:-1 Market Overview1.1 Manuka Honey Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 UMF 5+1.2.2 UMF 10+1.2.3 UMF 15+1.2.4 UMF 20+1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Digestion and inflammation treatment1.3.2 Wound-care & skincare products1.3.3 Others1.4 Market Analysis by States1.4.1 California Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Texas Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 New York Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Florida Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Illinois Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Comvita2.1.1 Profile2.1.2 Manuka Honey Type and Applications..ContinuedEnquiry before Buying @About Global Info Reports:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-Blogs- Middle East Railway Sector and Investment Opportunity Analysis https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-middle-east-railway-sector-and-investment-opportunity-analysis.php https://www.kuickresearch.com Middle East Railway Sector and Investment Opportunity Analysis report gives comprehensive insight on the current scenario of rail transport in Middle East region at country level. Report also discusses the policy and regulatory framework adopted by each country along with the initiatives undertaken by the various stakeholders to promo the growth of rail network in the region. Currently Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the dominant players in the regional rail network expansion efforts. The total rail network length in region is close to 35,000 km and is further expected to surpass 45,000 km by 2030 years with total investment of more than US$ 200 Billion.Beginning of rail transport in Middle East dates back to late nineteenth century when national railway lines were constructed in Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. After that during the Ottoman Empire, railway network in Middle East grew substantially in the countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria. Like most of the other parts in Asia and Africa, railway construction in various Middle East countries is also a history of the colonial powers strategic and economic priorities. During the first part of the 1900s, railways were built for military purposes, as well as to provide distribution routes for products from the industries of the colonizing nations and raw materials for the same industries. Consequently, the lines have different technical specifications, depending on which country constructed them.Download Report:During the last century, railway construction was proceeding at a considerable speed andndash; mainly in Turkey, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Israel. However, the rail density was andndash; and still is andndash; low, compared with more advanced countries. Likewise, the diversity of standards and axle load did make through traffic difficult. Still, a few border crossing were established within the region and towards Europe and Asia. Vast desert areas, extremely hot climate, difficult topography, disperse population centres and heavy dependence on road due to abundant domestic petroleum resources have always acted as the roadblocks in the growth of rail network in the region. Though now most of the countries have built railway network, at least to some extent, its role in passenger transport is almost negligible in the region as a wholeAs in 2016, the total railway network length in the entire Middle East region is more than close to 40000 km with more than 90% being in Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Iran with about 13000 km of railway network length, leads the rail transport in the region followed by Turkey and Egypt with railway network of 12000 km and 9500 km respectively. Besides, railway networks with moderate length also exist in the countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan and Syria etc. But excepting Saudi Arabia, in a large part of the Arabian Peninsula in countries like Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain Oman rail transport has no presence. Barring tiny proportion of freight movement by rail, these hydrocarbon resource-rich countries are almost entirely dependent on road transport, primarily due to the cheap fossil-fuels and the policies of respective governments. But some of the countries outside the Arabia region but falling within the Middle East region, such as Iran, Egypt and Turkey have built extensive rail network and railways account for major part of the transportation network in the country. Rail networks of shorter lengths are also present in the countries like Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq etc. though the role of rail transport in the entire transportation systems is quite insignificant in most of the countries.Rail transport is integral part of sustainable growth strategy in the region that will drive the market. There are several cross-border railway links including the Gulf Railway in the list of proposed railway projects. These will naturally enhance the scope of trade among the countries along with providing invest opportunities in other sectors. The railway network can transform the region in the way so that it will have the one of the best transportation infrastructure in the world. In addition to direct economic benefits, it will enable the countries to utilize the sizeable potential in other sectors like finance, tourism, retail which have already indicated enormous potential.For Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com orvisit:Recent Publications:* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2022* Global CAR T Cell Therapy Market & Clinical Trials Insight 2022* Global Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2023* Global Microcapsules Drug Delivery Market Opportunity Outlook 2022* Global Controlled Drug Delivery Market & Clinical Trial Outlook 2022* Global Cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates Market & Pipeline Insight 2022* Global B Cell Lymphoma Market & Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 Printing Inks : Booming Packaging Industry Stimulates Demand in North America Industry 2017 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=901402 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=901402 Albany, New York, June 28, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Printing Inks Market - North America Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024" globally.This research study analyzes the market for North America printing inks in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (Kilo Tons). The North America printing inks market has been segmented on the basis of product, application, end-use, and country. The report features a detailed segmentation with market growth forecasts from 2016 to 2024. 2015 has been considered the base year and 2016 the estimated year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2016 to 2024. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the submarkets and country-specific levels from 2016 to 2024.North America Printing Inks Market: ScopeThe report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the production and distribution of printing inks in North America. The report also includes key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the North America printing inks market. These are analyzed in detail and illustrated in the report with supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the market with the help of the Porters Five Forces Analysis model, which helps in understanding the factors that affect the structure and profitability of the North America printing inks market. These are the bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition.North America Printing Inks Market: Drivers and TrendsThe report provides detailed insights into the North America printing inks business. Currently, numerous factors drive the North America printing inks market. The most prominent drivers include growth of renewable energy, volatility in crude oil prices, bio-based raw materials, oil & gas industry outlook, North America printing ink production facilities, growth rate of end-user industries, and others. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the North America printing inks market on the basis of product, application, end-use, and country. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Flexographic and gravure printing inks are primarily used with solvents as base materials. Flexographic and gravure printing methods are widely employed in flexible packaging, especially in food and beverages industries. Solvent-based inks consist of inorganic solvents and toxic metals such as cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, and mercury. These lead to various health hazards if they come in direct contact with edibles. The number of safety regulations in North America has been increased in order to avoid adverse health consequences resulting from intake of toxic substances. This is likely to hamper the printing inks market in the next few years. In North America, demand for VOC-free printing inks is gaining momentum. Increased environmental regulations regarding usage of VOC inks are driving the market for UV-cured printing inks.Packaging is considered one of the highly important marketing aspects that influence the consumers purchasing decision. In North America, the packaging industry is one of the major consumers of printing inks. Expansion of the food & beverages industry along with increased demand for flexible packaging from the health care sector is expected to boost the demand for printing inks in the next few years.North America Printing Inks Market: SegmentationThe North America printing inks market has been segmented into four categories: product, application, end-use and country. In terms of product, the North America printing inks market has been classified into solvent-based, water-based, oil-based, and UV-cured. In terms of application, the North America printing inks market has been classified into flexographic printing, gravure printing, offset printing, digital printing, screen printing, and specialty printing. In terms of end-use, the North America printing inks market has been classified into publication & commercial printing, packaging, textiles, metal cans, and others (decorative printing etc.). In terms of country, the North America printing inks market has been segmented into the U.S. and Canada.Key Players Mentioned in the Report are:Major players operating in the North America printing inks market include Sun Chemical Corporation, Flint Group, Wikoff Color Corporation, Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KgaA, Toyo Ink America, LLC, American Ink and Coatings, INX International Ink Co., and others. The North America printing inks market has been segmented as follows:North America Printing Inks Market: By ProductSolvent-basedWater-basedOil-basedUV-CuredNorth America Printing Inks Market: By ApplicationFlexographic PrintingGravure PrintingOffset PrintingDigital PrintingScreen PrintingSpecialty PrintingMake an Enquiry of this report @North America Printing Inks Market: By End-UsePublication & Commercial PrintingPackagingTextilesMetal CansOthers (Decorative Printing, etc.)ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMoz90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States Outlook on Global Online Language Learning Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 - SANS, Voxy, Speexx, Duolingo, Culture Alley, Rosetta Stone, Linguatronics etc. http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1184743 http://www.researchmoz.us/ict-market-reports-96.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://deep-research-report.blogspot.com/ ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Online Language Learning Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 " to it's Large Report database.This report studies the Online Language Learning market status and outlook of global and major regions, from angles of players, regions, product and end Application/industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and major regions, and splits the Online Language Learning market by product and Application/end industries.The global Online Language Learning market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.United States will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Online Language Learning.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:EU also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.The major players in global market includeLinguatronics LCDuolingoRosetta Stone Inc.SpeexxSanako CorporationLesson Nine GmbHSANS Inc.Culture AlleyEF Education First Ltd.Voxy, Inc.Read All ICT Market Research Reports @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview1.1 Online Language Learning Market Overview1.1.1 Online Language Learning Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Online Language Learning Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2012-2017)1.2.1 United States Online Language Learning Market Status and Outlook1.2.2 EU Online Language Learning Market Status and Outlook1.2.3 Japan Online Language Learning Market Status and Outlook1.2.4 China Online Language Learning Market Status and Outlook1.2.5 India Online Language Learning Market Status and Outlook1.2.6 Southeast Asia Online Language Learning Market Status and Outlook1.3 Classification of Online Language Learning by Product1.3.1 Global Online Language Learning Revenue (Million USD) and Growth (%) Comparison by Product (2012-2022)1.3.2 Global Online Language Learning Revenue (Million USD) Market Share (%) by Product in 20161.3.3 Education1.3.4 Corporate1.4 Online Language Learning Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 English1.4.2 Spanish1.4.3 Chinese1.4.4 French1.4.5 GermanAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at: Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Outlook 2022 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-global-rheumatoid-arthritis-drug-market-outlook-2022.php https://www.kuickresearch.com Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Outlook 2022 report gives comprehensive clinical and non-clinical insight on various trends associated with the rheumatoid arthritis drug market across the developed and developing market. Report helps to identify the basic classification and molecular mechanism of action of rheumatoid arthritis drugs available in the market. The top 5 leading DMARDs (Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, Simponi and Otezla) have dominated the overall anti-rheumatics market with total revenue surpassing more than US$ 25 Billion in 2016. These drugs will remain strong over the next 5 years, despite expected biosimilar competition.Therapeutic advances have transformed the rheumatoid arthritis treatment paradigm over the last 20 years, from focusing on symptom management to now aiming for slowed disease progression and even disease remission. Disease-modifying biological medicines have ushered in a new age of treatment by targeting the cells involved in the progression of the disease.Download Report:These medicines have dramatically slowed or even reversed the negative physical effects associated with the disease and made clinical remission possible for patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis. The market of anti-rheumatics is growing at a constant speed globally. There are some driving factors which are accelerating the growth of anti-rheumatics market such as the increasing number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, rise in research and development activities, increasing awareness among people about rheumatoid arthritis, and improved healthcare infrastructure in the region.Until late in the 20th century, the therapy of rheumatic diseases relied on the use of drugs that had been developed through empirical approaches without detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved. That approach changed with the introduction of biologic therapeutics at the end of the 20th century and by the recent development of small-molecule inhibitors of intracellular signal transduction pathways.TNF-blocking biologic agents were introduced into the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in the late 1990s. Further biologic agents targeting cytokine networks or specific lymphocyte subsets have since been added to the armamentarium of anti-rheumatic therapy. During the last few years, another wave of novel discoveries led to the development of a new class of small molecule anti-inflammatory compounds targeting intracellular signal transduction molecules, such as tyrosine kinases.The most valuable development in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis will be biomarkers to help diagnose it early, identify those with more severe disease requiring more aggressive treatment, and indicate the most appropriate therapy for each person. Biomarkers may even help to decide the best time to step down therapy when a patient is in remission. There is a huge amount of research taking place, which reflects the excellent relationships between rheumatology health care professionals and people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Outlook 2022 report highlights:* Classification and Molecular Mechanism of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs* Synthetic DMARDs as Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug* Biological Agents as Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug* Global Market of Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug* Global Tendencies in Use of Antirheumatics* Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market Future ProspectFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com orvisit:Recent Publications:* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2022* Global CAR T Cell Therapy Market & Clinical Trials Insight 2022* Global Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2023* Global Microcapsules Drug Delivery Market Opportunity Outlook 2022* Global Controlled Drug Delivery Market & Clinical Trial Outlook 2022* Global Cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates Market & Pipeline Insight 2022* Global B Cell Lymphoma Market & Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 Paper Dry Strength Agent Market Predicted to Cross USD 90,548.7 Million in 2023 Paper Dry Strength Agent Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2932 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/paper-dry-strength-agents-market-2932 Market Scenario:Market Forecast and Highlights:The Paper Dry Strength Agent Market is expected to witness a significant growth by 2023 with CAGR of 3.50 % between 2016 and 2023.Papermaking dry strength agent also known as paper dry additives, dry strength agents are divide into two segments namely, natural dry agents and synthetic dry agents. In natural dry agents it is further sub segmented into starch and Guar Gum and synthetic dry agents is sub segmented as polyVinylamine, polyacrylamide (PAM), poly aminoamide eipchlorohydrin (PAE), Glyoxylated Polyacrylamide (GPAM) and Amphoteric Polymer.Dry strength agent is used in paper mill to increase the strength of paper. Moreover, paper dry strength agent increase the strength of paper by increasing the internal bond formation and improves bust strength, tear strength, wax pick values, folding endurance, stiffness , increase levels of paper fillers uses etc. The dry strength agent can be used individually or in combination.The Global Paper Dry Strength Agent has seen a remarkable growth over the past year and it is expected to see the similar growth in next coming years. The several factors that has influenced the global market are; increasing paper demand from developing economies, Increased recycled paper and filler content drives demand for chemicals, and Increased recycled paper drives demand for paper chemicals. There are various opportunities which help the paper dry strength agent market to grow but on the different side there are some factors which have hampered the growth and development of this market. The factor which may hamper the growth are fluctuating prices across the region and rising energy and power cost affect the price.Receive a Sample Report upon Request @Key Players:Key players of the Global Paper Dry Strength Agent Market are BASF SE, Kemira, Harima Chemicals Group, Inc., Applied Chemicals International Group, Solenis, Seiko Pmc Corporation, and Richards Chemicals & Electricals Pvt. Ltd. among others.Key Findings Global Paper Dry Strength Agent Market is projected to reach USD 69,722.5 million in 2015 and expected to reach USD 90,548.7 million in 2023 with a CAGR of 3.50% North America accounted for largest share due to growing application industries in this region Total number of companies increased by 15-20% approximately over the period of 2011 to 2016 & are dominated by micro-size establishments specially in developing markets like China and India. Papermaking dry strength agent market is a fragmented market, however, tier 1 and tier 2 manufacturers dominate the market. North America dominate the market for with 32%, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. Asia Pacific is forecast to be the fastest growing region in paper dry strength agent market at close to 3.55% CAGR from 2016 to 2023 Polyvinylamine dominate the market for with 28%, followed by Polyacrlamide and Glyoxylted polyacrylamide.Access Report Details @Regional Analysis:Geographically, Asia Pacific region is the third largest market of paper dry strength agent due to demand in various applications such as printing & writing paper and tissue industry, In China region followed by India Japan. Rising demand for paper industry due to increasing population in the India, Indonesia, Taiwan, and South Korea has made Asia Pacific largest consumer of the global Paper dry strength agent market. Furthermore, the second largest market of paper dry strength agent is European region owing by increasing in the consumption of paper dry strength agent market in this region. However the consumption of paper dry strength agent is comparatively less in the Middle East & Africa and Latin America.North America is one of the largest market for paper dry strength agent, according to U.S environment protection agency, printing and writing papers typically found in school or office environment such as copier paper, computer printouts and notepads comprise the largest category of paper product consumption, owing to this the market for paper dry strength is inclining at tremendous growth rate.Segmentation:The global paper dry strength agent market is majorly segmented on the basis of types, and region. Firstly, based on types, global paper dry strength agent market is segmented into polyvinyl amine, polyacrylamide, glyoxylted polyacrylamide, starch based polymers, amphoteric polymers and others based on region market is divided into North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, Middle East & Africa.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Global Non-Destructive Testing Equipment Market Projections, SWOT Analysis, Risk Analysis, Trends and Forecast by 2022 - Market Research Report 2017 Orbis Research http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/non-destructive-testing-equipment-global-market-outlook-2016-2022 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/220700 According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Non-Destructive Testing Equipment Market is valued at $6.1 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $13.8 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2015 to 2022. The major factors that are driving market growth are Government safety regulations for increasing demand to improve quality and longevity of the machines, quality control and user friendly software. Moreover, factors such as continuous advancement in electronics, automation and robotics, safety and reliable performance of the machines, and assured return on investment are also influencing the market growth. Lack of skilled technicians and high infrastructure cost are the factors restricting the market growth.Browse the report:Ultrasonic testing segment dominated the global market. Radiography is identified as one of the emerging NDT method and is anticipated to witness major technological innovations over the next decade. The power generation segment has accounted for largest share of the non-destructive testing equipment market in 2014. Increasing number of nuclear power plants and the subsequent increasing demand for machines used in power generation plants are the major factors driving this growth. Oil and gas segment was the second largest vertical segment in global market. North America was the largest regional segment driven by huge investments in energy verticals. Europe is the second largest market, mainly due to growth in automotive industry and rising demand for modernization of the oil and gas sectors. The Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the word (ROW) are also considered as promising markets, with favourable investments across China, Japan, India, and the Middle East.Some of the key players in the market include Zetec Inc, Yxlon International GmbH, Sonotron, Sonatest Ltd, SGS S.A, Olympus Corporation, Nikon Metrology Inc, Mistras Group, Inc, Magnaflux Corporation, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, Intertek Group PLC, General Electric, GE Measurement & Control, GE Inspection technologies, Fujifilm Holding Corporation, Fischer Technology Inc, Eddyfi NDT Inc, Dr. Foerster, Bosello High Technology S.R.L and Ashtead Technology, Inc.Request a sample of the report:Testing methods Covered:Contact methodsEddy Current TestingMagnetic Particle TestingElectromagnetic testingLiquid Penetrant TestingUltrasonic Testing (UT)Non-contact methodsRadiographic Testing (RT)ShearographyThermographyVisual TestingOther Testing methodsTerahertz ImagingMagnetic Resonance ImagingOptical Microscopic TestingNear Infrared SpectroscopyAcoustic Emission TestingInfrared and Thermal TestingVerticals Covered:Power generationWind TurbinesSolar PowerFossil Fuel EnergyOil & gasTransmission PipelineSubsea PipelinesStorage TanksRefiningMedical and HealthManufacturingGovernment Infrastructure & Public SafetyRailwaysMilitary and DefenseBridges and TunnelsBorder CrossingAirport SecurityAutomotiveAerospaceMaterial AnalysisComposite Airframe ManufacturingAircraft MaintenanceAircraft Engine Part ProductionInfrastructureOther VerticalsPlastic and PolymerProcess IndustryMarinePetrochemical and pipeEducational InstitutionsMining IndustryApplications Covered:Stress & Structure AnalysisPhysical Property DeterminationLeak DetectionFlaw DetectionEstimation of Physical PropertiesDimensional MeasurementChemical Composition DeterminationCorrosion Resistance TestingPlasma Emission SpectrographyOther ApplicationsTechniques Covered:Surface ExaminationVolumetric ExaminationCondition MonitoringIntegrity ExaminationOther Non-Destructive TechniquesServices Covered:Training ServicesInspection ServicesVisual Inspection ServicesUltrasonic InspectionSurface InspectionRadiographic InspectionMagnetic Particle InspectionLiquid Penetrant InspectionEddy current InspectionAdvanced Eddy Current InspectionEquipment Rental ServicesCalibration ServicesOther ServicesRegions Covered:North AmericaUSCanadaMexicoEuropeGermanyFranceItalyUKSpainRest of EuropeAsia PacificJapanChinaIndiaAustraliaNew ZealandRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldMiddle EastBrazilArgentinaSouth AfricaEgyptWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Email: sales@orbisresearch.com Magnesium Sulphate Market worth USD 10,731.05 Million by 2027 Industry Applications and Forecast Magnesium Sulphate Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2282 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/magnesium-sulphate-market-2282 Market Highlights:The need for magnesium sulphate is gradually rising due to constraining factors such as rising global population, increasing food demand and decreasing arable land, among others. Magnesium Sulphate is a chemical compound which is a mix of magnesium, sulphur & oxygen. Its formula is MgSO4. Magnesium sulphate frequently faced as sulphate mineral & epsomite are also knows as Epsom Salt. It is a key raw material used in many sectors such as Food industries, Chemical industries, Research and Development, Healthcare & Agriculture, among others. In medical, it is used both i.e. internally & externally. It is also used in main preparation of intravenous magnesium. Use of internal includes- replacements therapy hypomagnesaemia, exacerbations of asthma, eclampsia & cerebral palsy. External use include in pregnancy. In the agricultural and farming sector, (Magnesium sulphate helps to correct magnesium deficiency) magnesium sulphate is kind of fertilizer used in especially promoting healthier growth of plants such as tomatoes among others. However, allergic reactions such as skin infection, diarrhoea or upset stomach could hamper the growth of the market.Global Magnesium Sulphate Market has very wide market in 21st century and it has been valued as $ 10,731.05 million by 2027 with a CAGR of 4.28%. As per the International Fertilizer Industry Association: The fertilizers demand is rising steadily in 2015 and 2016. Global fertilizer demand is estimated to reach 200 million tones by 2020 Global fertilizer demand to grow by 1.5% to 2% per annum in the next five yearsReceive a Sample Report upon Request @Following are the key drivers which largely helped in boosting the worldwide growth of global magnesium sulphate market are as: increased pressure on farmers to enhance the food quality , whether a farmer performs an operation in an extensive scale or little scale, they require credit facilities for the buy of costly equipments, ferilizers among others through a well-developed financial market. To obtain maximum profits from their products, it is important for farmers to maintain quality of the products offered which will further create demand for magnesium sulphate in the global marke. In-addition, to increase the supply of the food and speed of the agricultural productivity, the demand for magnesium sulphate is increasing so as to get maximum output. Additionally, the population in a number of countries is growing with time which has led to the increase in the overall demand of food and has created demand for magnesium sulphate in the global market.Global Magnesium Sulphate Market Players:The major key players of this market are: COMPO GmbH & Co. KG, U.S. Chemicals LLC, Baymag, QingHai Salt Lake Industry, SDIC Xinjiang Luobupo Potash, Geermuzige Potash,Qinghai Hanhai Group, Rech Chemical, Yash Chemicals, Hengyang Jumbo Feed Additives, Jinxing Chemical, K+S Group, KOLOD, Mani Agro Chem, HebeiRongkemeiye and others.Access Report Details @Regional Analysis:Asia-Pacific region comprises of more than 60% of the worlds population and is predicted to increase in coming years, due to which the country is facing issues of food sufficiency. This generated the need of increasing the food production. Use of magnesium sulphate in agriculture sector has proven to be an effective way to increase food productivity.The magnesium sulfate worldwide is most extreme requested in APAC nations, because of land fragmentation, people/ farmers are left with little land property. The needs to get greatest yield from the accessible area assets has produced and will promote create the need of magnesium sulfate utlilization in farmsMarket Segmentation:The Global Magnesium Sulphate Market is majorly segmented on the basis of product type and e application. Based on product type of magnesium sulphate the market is segmented into Heptahydrate (Epsom Salt), Anhydrous (Calcined Kieserite) and Monohydrate (Kieserite). Similarly, on the basis of application the market is classified into textile yarns, textile stiffeners, film coatings, synthetic leather, plastics, plasticizers and others.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Industry Worldwide Market Research Report 2017 Orbis Research http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/169648 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/169648 http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/2017-market-research-report-on-global-poly-ether-ketone-ketone-pekk-industry Orbis Research has announced the addition of the 2017 Market Research Report on Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Industry to store by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis.In our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market report is a noteworthy.Request a sample of this report @The Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Industry report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market report.The report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Buy a report @Finally, the Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from. The report which is the result of ultimate dedication of pedigree professionals has a wealth of information which can benefit anyone, irrespective of their commercial or academic interest.Major Points from Tables of Content:Chapter One: Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market OverviewChapter Two: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Manufacturing Cost Analysis 103Chapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers 117Chapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders 120Chapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors Analysis 125Chapter Twelve: Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market Forecast (2018-2023) 135Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and Conclusion 156Chapter Fourteen: Methodology and Data Source 157Browse the complete report @List Of Tables:Figure Typical Form of Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) 1Table Product Specifications of Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) 1Table Classification of Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) 2Figure Global Production Market Share of Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) by Type in 2016 2Figure Product Picture of Chemical Grade 3Figure Product Picture of Paint Grade 3Table Application of Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) 3Figure Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Sales Market Share by Application in 2016 4Figure Chemical Industry Examples 4Table Major Consumers of Chemical Industry 4Figure Paint Industry Examples 5Table Major Consumers of Paint Industry 5Figure Pharmaceutical Industry Examples 6Table Major Consumers of Pharmaceutical Industry 6Figure Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market Size (Million USD) Comparison by Regions in 2016 7Figure North America Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Consumption Value (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2023) 8Figure China Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2023) 9Figure Europe Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Consumption Value (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2023) 10Figure Japan Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Consumption Value (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2023) 11Figure Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Consumption Value (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2023) 12Figure Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Consumption (K MT) Status Outlook (2012-2023) 13Table Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Capacity (K MT) of Key Manufacturers (2016-2017) 14Figure Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Capacity Market Share (%) of Key Manufacturers in 2016 15Figure Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Capacity Market Share (%) of Key Manufacturers in 2017 16Table Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Production (K MT) of Key Manufacturers (2016-2017) 16Figure 2016 Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Production Share (%) by Manufacturers 17Figure 2017 Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Production Share (%) by Manufacturers 18Table Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Revenue (Million USD) by Manufacturers (2016-2017) 18Figure 2016 Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Revenue Share (%) by Manufacturers 19Figure 2017 Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Revenue Share (%) by Manufacturers 20Table Global Market Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Average Price (USD/MT) of Key Manufacturers (2016-2017) 20Figure Global Market Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Average Price (USD/MT) of Key Manufacturers in 2016 22Table Manufacturers Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Manufacturing Plants Distribution and Establishment Date 22Table R&D Status of Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Major Manufacturers 23Figure Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Production Market Concentration in 2016 24Figure Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Market Share (%) of Top 3 Manufacturers and Top 5 Manufacturers 25Table Industry News List of Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) 25Table Global Poly (Ether-Ketone-Ketone) (PEKK) Capacity (K MT) by Regions (2012-2017) 27About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com Advanced Technologies : Location-based Services Market in the Healthcare Industry Globally Grow at a CAGR of 32.47% by 2020 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=775693 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=775693 Albany, New York, June 28, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Global Location-based Services Market in the Healthcare Industry 2016-2020" globally.The use of LBS in the healthcare industry can improve the operational efficiency of small and large hospitals worldwide. The growth of the market is driven by several factors such as the increased deployment of RTLS tags inside hospitals and the improvement in Wi-Fi and wireless land area network (WLAN) infrastructure of hospitals. Healthcare organizations use RTLS solutions for asset management to locating equipment like hospital beds, wheelchairs, ventilators, oxygen cylinders, and infusion pumps. Hospitals are implementing RTLS solutions to improve their efficiency and reduce cost.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Technavios analysts forecast the global LBS market in the healthcare industry to grow at a CAGR of 32.47% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global LBS market in the healthcare industry for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from RTLS and GPS technology. Under RTLS technology, it covers revenue generated from RFID (both active and passive), Wi-Fi, and ultra-wideband (UWB) tags.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEMEALatin AmericaNorth AmericaTechnavio's report, Global Location-Based Services (LBS) Market in Healthcare Industry 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAeroScoutAwarepointEkahauGEHPZebra TechnologiesOther prominent vendorsAxcess InternationalCentrakCisco NetworksElpas (Tyco Security Products)IBMInfor GlobalNavizonPlus Location SystemsRadianse (Airponte)RF TechnologiesSiemens HealthcareSonitor TechnologiesThingMagic (Trimble Navigation)TeleTracking TechnologiesVersus TechnologyMarket driverWide deployment of RTLS tags in hospitalsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeSafety and security concernsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMake an Enquiry of this report @Market trendRising popularity of LBMFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMoz90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States E-Series Glycol Ether Market is expected to rise at a remarkable CAGR By 2024. http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/e-series-glycol-ether-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22268 Glycol ethers are solvents based on alkyl ethers of ethylene/propylene glycol. These solvents have high boiling points and solvent properties of low-molecular-weight ethers and alcohols. Glycol ethers were formerly known as ethyl cellosolves. The word cellosolve was registered by Union Carbide Corp. for solvents used for gums, resins, and cellulose esters as a U.S. trademark in 1924. Then, the name was changed to glycol ethers. Glycol ethers is a family of more than 30 solvents. Glycol ethers can provide benefits such as improved wetting properties of water-based products, long-term stability and good shelf-life of products, allowance to work at low concentrations, and little or no odor.Obtain Report Details @:Glycol ethers are of two types: E-series and P-series, depending on whether they are made from ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. Ethylene oxide is reacted with various alcohols such as methanol, n-butanol, and phenol to produce E-series glycol ethers. Ethylene oxide when reacted with n-butanol yields butyl cellosolve (ethylene glycol n-butyl ether). The word butyl designates alcohol from which glycol ether is produced as n-butanol. Butyl cellosolve contains an alcohol group. It can be reacted with additional ethylene oxide to yield di-ethylene glycol butyl ether.E-Series Glycol Ether Market: Dynamics and TrendsE-series glycol ethers are used in medicines, sunscreens, cosmetics, inks, dyes, and water-based paints. P-series glycol ethers are used in de-greasers, aerosol paints, cleaners, and adhesives. Both E-series glycol ethers and P-series glycol ethers are used as intermediates to undergo further chemical reactions to produce glycol di-ethers and glycol ether acetates. Paints and coatings witness high demand globally.The properties and composition of E-series glycol ether makes it an essential component of different types of coatings. Types of coatings include but are not limited to oil coatings, marine coatings, and wood coatings. A major property of E-series glycol ether is good solubility in water and most organic solvents and oils. Glycol ethers do not accumulate in the environment. They get broken down in the air and aquatic environment within hours through photolysis. All of them are inherently biodegradable and most of them are readily biodegradable. They get biodegraded within hours in a waste water treatment plant and within days in the environment. Glycol ethers used in consumer products or for professional applications are extensively tested. If used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and if kept under the right conditions, they present no risk to health. The two of the E-series glycol ethers viz. methoxyethanol and ethoxyethanol are known to be toxic for reproduction in humans. For this reason, their use in the production of consumer products has been restricted globally.Make an Enquiry @:E-Series Glycol Ether Market: SegmentationThe E-series glycol ether market can be segmented by type into: EGPE (ethylene glycol propyl ether), EGBE (ethylene glycol butyl ether), EGBEA (ethylene glycol butyl ether acetate), and others; by application into paints & coatings, printing inks, cleaners, cosmetics & pharmaceuticals, and others; and by region into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.E-Series Glycol Ether Market: Region-wise OutlookThe Asia Pacific E-series glycol ether market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period, due to the increased rate of its adoption in paints and coatings. South Korea is an emerging market for E-series glycol ether in the region. Asia Pacific is closely followed by North America.E-Series Glycol Ether Market: Key PlayersKey players operating in the global E-series glycol ether market are Dow Chemical Company, Eastman Chemicals, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Exxon Mobil Corporation, and Sasol Ltd.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.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. TMRs 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, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207 Aquaponics Market | Industry Outlook Research Report 2016-2023 By DecisionDatabases http://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-16362 http://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-16362 www.decisiondatabases.com DecisionDatabases.com offers Aquaponics Market Research Report. This Report covers the complete Industry Outlook, Growth, Size, Share and Forecast Till 2023. The report on global aquaponics market evaluates the growth trends of the industry through historical study and estimates future prospects based on comprehensive research. The report extensively provides the market share, growth, trends and forecasts for the period 2013-2023. The market size in terms of revenue (USD MN) is calculated for the study period along with the details of the factors affecting the market growth (drivers and restraints).The major market drivers are Rising demand of organic fruits and vegetables. The market growth might be restricted due High electricity consumption system under the study period.Get FREE Sample Report Copy With FULL Segmentations and TOC @Furthermore, the report quantifies the market share held by the major players of the industry and provides an in-depth view of the competitive landscape. This market is classified into different segments with detailed analysis of each with respect to geography for the study period 2015-2022.The report also covers the complete competitive landscape of the worldwide market with company profiles of key players such as Backyard Aquaponics Pty Ltd., Colorado Aquaponics, ECF Farmsystems GmbH, Greenlife Aquaponics, My Aquaponics, Nelson & Pade Inc. and Urban Farms AG. Geographically, the aquaponics market has been segmented into regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of The World. The study details country-level aspects based on each segment and gives estimates in terms of market size.The comprehensive value chain analysis of the market will assist in attaining better product differentiation, along with detailed understanding of the core competency of each activity involved. The market attractiveness analysis provided in the report aptly measures the potential value of the market providing business strategists with the latest growth opportunities. The report classifies the market into different segments based on production type, equipment, component and application. These segments are studied in detail incorporating the market estimates and forecasts at regional and country level. The segment analysis is useful in understanding the growth areas and probable opportunities of the market.Table Of Contents - Overview1. Introduction2. Executive Summary3. Market Analysis4. Aquaponics Market Analysis By Production Type5. Aquaponics Market Analysis By Equipment6. Aquaponics Market Analysis By Component7. Aquaponics Market Analysis By Application8. Aquaponics Market Analysis By Geography9. Competitive Landscape Of The Aquaponics Companies10. Company Profiles Of The Aquaponics IndustryPurchase Complete Global Aquaponics Market Research Report At:About Us:DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.3rd Floor,Fountain chambers,Nanabhai Lane,Fort, Mumbai - 1E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.comPhone: +91 99 28 237112Web: Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment Worldwide Market Overview by Major Countries, Growth and Forecast To 2021 ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/world-swimming-pool-disinfection-equipment-market-research-report-2021 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001589691/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001589691/buying Publisher's Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment market research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability.The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.The report includes the forecasts, Analysis and discussion of important industry trends, market size, market share estimates and profiles of the leading industry Players.The Players mentioned in our reportPromMinentLenntechLutz-JescoAquionicsAQUAGlobal Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment Market: Product Segment AnalysisChlorine Dosing EquipmentOzonation EquipmentUltraviolet (UV) EquipmentElectrolysis EquipmentOthersFor More Information About This Report:Global Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment Market: Application Segment AnalysisPublic Swimming PoolsPrivate Swimming PoolsResidentialPublicHotelHealth ClubGlobal Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaRequest Sample Copy At:Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment IndustryChapter 2 World Market Competition LandscapeChapter 3 World Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment Market shareChapter 4 Supply Chain AnalysisChapter 5 Company ProfilesChapter 6 Globalization & TradeChapter 7 Distributors and CustomersChapter 8 Import, Export, Consumption and Consumption Value by Major CountriesChapter 9 World Swimming Pool Disinfection Equipment Market forecast through 2021Chapter 10 Key success factors and Market OverviewInquire For This Report At:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Latest Technologies Are Helping to Develop More Advanced Laboratory Water Purification Systems Market with Improved Functionalities http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/laboratory-water-purifier-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26483 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Laboratory Water Purifier Market: SnapshotIn a highly competitive global laboratory water purifier market a large number regional and well-entrenched international are seen trying to outshine one another. Some of the popular strategies of bigger manufacturers both regional and international ones - are focus of product differentiation by leveraging latest cutting-edge technologies. Other means adopted by companies to grow their market shares are acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Apart from that, dominant players are also known to leverage solid distribution networks and after-sales service to cement their positions.Factors promoting the growth in the global laboratory water purifier market is the technological advancement leading to the emergence of products with better functionalities, their increasing number of applications, and the booming ecommerce sector.Browse The Report:Providing headwinds to the global laboratory water purifier market, on the other hand, is the lack of knowledge among buyers which regard to the specific purification technique they require. Helping to overcome the issue is the continued progress in technology which are slated to open up new avenues of growth.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global laboratory water purifier market slated to attain a value of US$19.259 bn by 2022 from US$10.060 bn in 2016 by rising at a 11.6% CAGR from 2017 to 2022.Requirement in Important Laboratory Processes Makes Type I Water Dominant SegmentSeveral laboratory applications such as mammalian cell culture, liquid chromatography, and laboratory glassware, among others need water as a solvent. The degree of purity, however, varies from application to application. Water purity or quality is determined by professional organizations, namely Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), ASTM International, ISO, etc. ASTM, CLSI and ISO classify purified water for into three types type I, type II, and type III. Their parameters for classification are not exactly identical.At present, type I is used to classify water that is most pure. Type I accounts for maximum market share owing to their growing applications in crucial laboratory processes such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In 2016, the segment accounted for 42.0% share in the market.Investments in Healthcare Applications in China and Japan, Propel Asia Pacific MarketFrom a geographical standpoint, Asia Pacific contributes the most to the revenue in the global laboratory water purifier market. In 2016, the regions share vis-a-vis revenue was worth 41.0%. In the years ahead too, Asia Pacific is expected to hold on to its dominant position because of China and Japan which have made substantial investments in healthcare applications. Besides, Japan and China, India is another key market that holds out a strong promise of growth due to rise in the governments spending on research and development of environmental labs to work on environmental issues.North America trails Asia Pacific in the global laboratory water purifier market in terms of revenue. The U.S. is a key market in North America because of the well established distribution network of the players, increased health awareness, and liberal allocation for the healthcare sector by government. Europe is another major market whose growth in the near future will be brought about by the high concentration of regional players, increased investments in technology, and awareness and subsequent demand for innovative products. Latin America region too, supported by favorable regulatory laws, is expected to show sustainable growth during the forecast period.Make an Enquiry @Some of the prominent participants in the global laboratory water purifier market are Merck KGaA, Elga Labwater, Sartorious AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Aqua Solutions, Inc., Evoqua Water Technologies LLC, Pall Corporation, Purite Ltd., and Chengdu Ultrapure Technology Co. Ltd.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs 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.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: India Power Transmission & Distribution Sector Opportunity Outlook 2025 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-India-Power-Transmission-&-Distribution-Sector-Opportunity-Outlook-2025.php https://www.kuickresearch.com Power transmission is an integral part of the power sector and is as vital as power generation; there is no value for generating power until the power reaches to the destination for final consumer. The huge amount of power generated in power station is to be transported over a long distance to the load centers to cater to the consumers with the help of transmission lines and transmission towers. Though India has adequate power generation capacity, it has a substantial proportion of population having limited access to electricity mostly because of lack of proper transmission infrastructure. In order to achieve target of affordable electricity for all by 2019 or even by 2022, India serious needs to have robust power transmission network.Evacuating power safely was the main focus of Indias power transmission sector during the initial years. But as the need for electrification of more areas were realized for economic growth, the role of transmission sector changed a lot. As with the changing scenario, the transmission sector started to move towards integrated system planning because generation capacities are distributed unevenly in different regions. While thermal capacity is in the coal rich eastern region, hydro capacity is concentrated in the hilly regions of North and North-Eastern regions while renewable sources like wind or solar are concentrated in west and south regions. Building on massive power transmission sector thus addressed this issue and helped providing power to regions across the country. Thus power transmission in India is in the integrated system planning of power sector and in last one decade this sector has been getting substantial investments to scale up the infrastructure. Now power transmission is considered as important as power generation.Download Report:Indias power transmission sector is mostly controlled by government both the central and various state governments and various institutions to work in the transmission sector. Till now, with respect to the size of the sector, presence of private sector is negligible though the private sector participation in power transmission is growing gradually with recent policy reforms. In the central sector, the central transmission utility (CTU), known as the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), is responsible for national and regional transmission planning while the state sectors have separate State Transmission Utilities (STU).Power transmission was opened up to the private sector in 2010 with the award of the western regional system strengthening to Reliance Infra and the east-north interconnection line to Sterlite Energy. The CERC in 2011 ruled power transmission projects should be awarded through competitive bidding like generation projects. Power Grid was the only company operating in this area till then. The recently amended National Tariff Policy requires projects apart from those of strategic importance, which are to be nominated to Power Grid, be auctioned. Till now, Tala Transmission Project has been the biggest entry of private sector in power transmission though based on public-private partnership.Power distribution system is the last stage of electricity sector value chain as it provides power generated in the power generating plants to the final consumers. The main function of an electrical power distribution system is to provide power to individual consumer premises. Distribution of electric power to different consumers is done with much low voltage level. Power distribution in India has more presence of private sector than the transmission sector. Until some time back, the State Electricity Boards (SEBs) used to handle the distribution segment completely. But in last two decades power distribution in a few regions/areas, particularly in large cities has been privatized, however the SEBs or the state DISCOMs are still handling a large part of power distribution.The sector has started receiving greater attention and investment with the restructuring of the state electricity boards (SEBs). Several new initiatives have been introduced to reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses along with a definitive regulatory framework. Electricity Act 2003, National Electricity Policy 2005 and National Tariff Policy 2006 are important regulations governing the sector today with an aim to bring competition in the sector and improve the services to the end consumers.Indian government has also made heavy investments in the distribution sector through the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna (RGGVY)(now replaced by Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) during the Tenth Plan and has continued to extend the same in the Eleventh Plan as well. The aim of these programs is to provide access of electricity to all and bring down the AT&C losses to a level of around 15% across the country. The various policies and regulations introduced by the government are set to increase competition and bring about commercial viability. Participation of private players into the Distribution Sector has also been encouraged through various models such as Public Private Participation as in case of Delhi and Orissa and more recently through input based distribution franchisee models in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.India Power Transmission & Distribution Sector Opportunity Outlook 2025 Report Highlights* India Power Transmission & Distribution Sector Overview* India Power Transmission & Distribution Sector Dynamics* Indian Electricity Grid Overview* Existing Power Transmission & Distribution Infrastructure in India* Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Losses* India Smart Grid Adoption Initiative* India Transmission & Distribution Sector Regulatory & Policy FrameworkFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com orvisit:Recent Publications:* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2022* Global CAR T Cell Therapy Market & Clinical Trials Insight 2022* Global Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine Market & Clinical Trials Outlook 2023* Global Microcapsules Drug Delivery Market Opportunity Outlook 2022* Global Controlled Drug Delivery Market & Clinical Trial Outlook 2022* Global Cancer Antibody Drug Conjugates Market & Pipeline Insight 2022* Global B Cell Lymphoma Market & Clinical Pipeline Insight 2022Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 United States Slow Cooker Market Report 2017 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=940043&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/united-states-slow-cooker-market-report-2017.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com This report studies sales (consumption) of Slow Cooker in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringWestinghouseChefmanCrock-PotCostzonProctor SilexHamilton BeachCuisinartElite PlatinumBLACK+DECKERInstant PotKitchenAidCrock-PotAll-CladProctor SilexFocus Electrics, LLCGourmiaBellaMagic MillFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoUnder 4 Quarts4 Quarts5 Quarts6 Quarts7 Quarts or upSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Slow Cooker in each application, can be divided intoResidenceFood StandsRestaurantFood marketOthersTable of ContentsUnited States Slow Cooker Market Report 20171 Slow Cooker Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Slow Cooker1.2 Classification of Slow Cooker1.2.1 Under 4 Quarts1.2.2 4 Quarts1.2.3 5 Quarts1.2.4 6 Quarts1.2.5 7 Quarts or up1.3 Application of Slow Cooker1.3.1 Residence1.3.2 Food Stands1.3.3 Restaurant1.3.4 Food market1.3.5 Others1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Slow Cooker (2011-2021)1.4.1 United States Slow Cooker Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.4.2 United States Slow Cooker Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 United States Slow Cooker Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Slow Cooker Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Slow Cooker Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Slow Cooker Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Slow Cooker Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Slow Cooker Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Slow Cooker Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionDownload full Report with TOC @3 United States Slow Cooker Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by States (2011-2016)3.1 United States Slow Cooker Sales and Market Share by States (2011-2016)3.2 United States Slow Cooker Revenue and Market Share by States (2011-2016)3.3 United States Slow Cooker Price by States (2011-2016)4 United States Slow Cooker Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (2011-2016)4.1 United States Slow Cooker Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)4.2 United States Slow Cooker Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)4.3 United States Slow Cooker Price by Type (2011-2016)4.4 United States Slow Cooker Sales Growth Rate by Type (2011-2016)5 United States Slow Cooker Sales (Volume) by Application (2011-2016)5.1 United States Slow Cooker Sales and Market Share by Application (2011-2016)5.2 United States Slow Cooker Sales Growth Rate by Application (2011-2016)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6 United States Slow Cooker Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Westinghouse6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Slow Cooker Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Under 4 Quarts6.1.2.2 4 Quarts6.1.3 Westinghouse Slow Cooker Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Chefman6.2.2 Slow Cooker Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Under 4 Quarts6.2.2.2 4 Quarts6.2.3 Chefman Slow Cooker Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)6.2.4 Main Business/Business OverviewAbout UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 to its Covering Area's - AWS,Google,IBM,Microsoft http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=809606&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/united-states-eu-japan-china-india-and-southeast-asia-cloud-spending-by-smbs-market-size-status-and-forecast-2021.htm Qyresearchreports include new market research report United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.In order to provide a comprehensive study of the global Cloud Spending by SMBs market, this report takes stock of all the factors that may influence the in the near future, positively or negatively. All the major trends have been analyzed and their eventual effect on the market has been estimated. The report has been prepared using proven research methodologies, includes inputs from industry experts, and aspires to contribute as a credible business document for the stakeholders connected to the value chain of the global Cloud Spending by SMBsmarket. The report focuses on gauging the current status of the Cloud Spending by SMBsmarket. The study is very essential to enhance business productivity as well as for anticipating the forecasts. Primarily, this report on global Cloud Spending by SMBsmarket displays the overview of the industry, which consists of definitions, classifications, applications, and the industry chain structure. The report also provides competitive analysis, development history, and leading players in respective regions and countries.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report does the analysis of Cloud Spending by SMBsmarket and focuses on top leading industry competitors. In addition to this, the Cloud Spending by SMBsreport also provides information on company profiles, capacity, product description, production cost, market revenue, and contact details. The report also includes product types, price, gross margin according to regions and Cloud Spending by SMBsmarket growth rate of each segment of product. It is also possible to add other regions within a few working days. Then, the global Cloud Spending by SMBsmarket report includes development plans and policies of industry leaders, price structures and the development processes. The report also covers import or export details, industry supply chain and utilization figures.Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Cloud Spending by SMBs1.1 Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Overview1.1.1 Cloud Spending by SMBs Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Cloud Spending by SMBs Market by Type1.3.1 SaaS (software as a service) spending1.3.2 IaaS (infrastructure as a service) spending1.3.3 PaaS (platform as a service) spending1.4 Cloud Spending by SMBs Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Application 11.4.2 Application 21.4.3 Application 3Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Cloud Spending by SMBs Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 AWS3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Cloud Spending by SMBs Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Google3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Cloud Spending by SMBs Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 IBM3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Cloud Spending by SMBs Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Microsoft4 Global Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size by Type and Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size by Type (2011-2016)4.2 Global Cloud Spending by SMBs Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.3 Potential Application of Cloud Spending by SMBs in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Cloud Spending by SMBsQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States Long Term Care Market 2023 Analysis & Trends by Types and Application http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/long-term-care-services-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=6508 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Long term care (LTC) service contains a variety of services provided by nursing homes, day care centres, home health agencies and from family or friends. Long term care service comprises a broad range of personal care, healthcare and supportive care services. It is required for geriatrics people and adult who are unable to take self care due to injury, cognitive or mental disability and chronic illness. Long term care service provides support to people in regain quality of life and in improving an optimal level of physical functioning of life.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Long Term Care Market:The global market for long term care can be segmented as follows:Based on Services providedSocial work servicesMental health or counseling servicesTherapeutic servicesSkilled nursing or nursing servicesPharmacy or pharmacist servicesHospice servicesIn the United States social work services are provided by nursing homes and home health agencies. In addition, Medicare certification is required for providing social work services in the United States. Whereas, mental health and counseling services are provided by nursing homes and residential care communities while very few adult care centers are offered this kind of services. Likewise, therapeutics services are offered by mostly all home health agencies and nursing homes in the U.S. Majority of the adult day service centers in the U.S. are offered only therapeutic services. Pharmacy and pharmacist services are offered by nursing home and residential care communities in the U.S. while fewer adult care centers provided this kind of service. Moreover, hospice services are offered mostly by residential care communities while a small percentage (5.6%, CDC 2013) of home health agencies offered hospice services.The global market for long term care is witnessing a significant growth due to rapid increase of geriatric population worldwide. Moreover, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases also supported the market growth of global long term care. As an instance, people with 85 years of age or above are expected to reach 17.9 million by 2050 in the U.S. stated by U.S. Census Bureau in the year 2012. Moreover, extensive government support is the major factor for the market growth of long term cares in developed nations such the U.S. and U.K. For instance, Medicare and Medicaid is a national social insurance programme governed by the U.S. federal government which pays the major portion of long term care cost of an individual (CDC report 2013). Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also published that the long term care service cost of the U.S. in the year 2013 was around USD 210.9 billion.15 million people in the U.S. used long term care service in 2000 and it is expected to increase and reach 27 million by 2050 stated by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. This is due to growth in older adult population, because long term care services increases with increase in age. Two third of the individual who has crossed 65 years of age need long term care for the rest of life in the U.S. stated by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 2013.North America and Europe are observed to be the largest long term care market due to growing geriatric population and extensive government support for long term care. Moreover, Asia - Pacific is considered as an emerging market due to strong economic growth forecasted in some Asian countries such as India, China, Japan and Malaysia.Some of the major market players contributing in the global market share of long term care includes AARP Long Term Care, American General Life (AIG), Lincoln Financial Group, New York Life Insurance Company, State Farm Insurance, Thrivent For Lutherans and others.Request for the Sample Report:This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. This report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global 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. TMRs 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Systems Global Market, By Product & Data Validation, Analysis and Forecast 2022 Reportsweb http://www.reportsweb.com/automotive-exhaust-gas-recirculation-egr-systems-global-market-outlook-2016-2022 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001565108/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001565108/buying http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW0001565108/buy/4150 "According to Publisher, the Global Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Systems Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.1% during the forecast period". One of the key factors driving the market is raising usage of EGR system that helps in eliminating gas emissions. However, more acceptance of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) compared to EGR system is the factor restraining the market growth. Combination of EGR and SCR in upcoming diesel engines is one of the major trends observed in the automotive exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems market.For more information atSome of the key players in Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Systems Market include Airtex Vehicle Electronics, Automotive LLP, BorgWarner Inc., Cambustion Ltd., Delphi ANSYS Inc., DENSO Europe B.V, Eberspacher Climate Control Systems GmbH & Co. KG, ElringKlinger AG, Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG, IAV GmbH, MAHLE GmbH and Wells Vehicle Electronics.Applications Covered:- Gasoline- DieselProducts Covered:- Electric EGR Valve- Pneumatic EGR ValveVehicle Types Covered:- Heavy Commercial- Light Commercial vehicles- Passenger Cars- Other Vehicle TypesRequest Sample Copy:Regions Covered:- North Americao USo Canadao Mexico- - Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe- Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific- Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao Egypt1 Executive Summary2 Preface3 Market Trend Analysis4 Porters Five Force Analysis5 Global Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Systems Market, By Application6 Global Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Systems Market, By Product7 Global Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Systems Market, By Vehicle Type8 Global Automotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Systems Market, By Geography9 Key DevelopmentsMake an enquiry:10 Company Profiling10.1 Airtex Vehicle Electronics10.2 Automotive LLP10.3 BorgWarner Inc.10.4 Cambustion Ltd.10.5 Delphi ANSYS Inc.10.6 DENSO Europe B.V10.7 Eberspacher Climate Control Systems GmbH & Co. KG10.8 ElringKlinger AG10.9 Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG10.10 IAV GmbH10.11 MAHLE GmbH10.12 Wells Vehicle ElectronicsPurchase Report atContact InfoName: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Small Household Appliances In Global Industry Including Definitions, Classifications, Applications And Industry Chain Structure Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=686095 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=686095 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Small Household Appliances In Global Industry Including Definitions, Classifications, Applications And Industry Chain Structure" to its huge collection of research reports.The Global Small Household Appliances Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Small Household Appliances industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Small Household Appliances market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Small Household Appliances industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Small Household Appliances1.1 Definition and Specifications of Small Household Appliances1.1.1 Definition of Small Household Appliances1.1.2 Specifications of Small Household Appliances1.2 Classification of Small Household Appliances1.3 Applications of Small Household Appliances1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Small Household Appliances1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Small Household Appliances1.5.1 Industry Overview of Small Household Appliances1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of Small Household Appliances1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Small Household Appliances1.7 Industry News Analysis of Small Household Appliances2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Small Household Appliances2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Small Household Appliances2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Small Household Appliances2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Small Household Appliances2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Small Household Appliances2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Small Household Appliances2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Small Household AppliancesMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Shaker Bags Market is driven by feasibility of producing shaker bags from fabrics belonging to all fiber groups http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/shaker-bags-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=22946 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Shaker Bags - Market Overview:Shaker bags have been used widely in industrial applications which require particulate reductions and segregation, while maintain operational efficiency and versatility in use. Original equipment manufacturers (OEM), particularly in metal, minerals and cement industries have increasingly shown preference for shaker bags owing to their reliable functioning and volume handling capabilities. In recent years the market has witnessed a rise in demand for dust collector bags wherein shaker bags are increasingly considered as one of the most preferred variants amongst the dust collector bags.Browse Market Research Report @A key benefit of using shaker bags has been the compartment utility for implementing filter inside the shaker bag which can be taken off-line for cleaning. The compartment of shaker bags is cleaned by using motor driven vibration which shakes the bags and collects the dust particles. The feature was missing in older designs of dust collector bags. Shaker bags are mainly used in industries including metal, ceramic, cement, fertilizer, dyes & pigment, etc. Overall demand for shaker bags has put the shaker bags market in an escalation stage and is expected to witness a significant growth over the forecast period.Global Shaker Bags - Market Dynamics:Key factor driving the demand for shaker bags market is the feasibility of producing shaker bags from fabrics belonging to all fiber groups. These fabrics include abundantly available polymers and are cheaper and convenient to procure. Demand for shaker bags market is significantly high owing to boom in wide range of industries. The growing trend in demand for shaker bags is expected to continue over the forecast period, 2016-2024. Owing to technological advancement, shaker bags for dust collection have seen an augmentation of the market.Moreover, increasing pollution in developed and under developing countries are the essential factor which has fueled the growth potential for the global shaker bags market. In addition, shaker bags have lesser initial cost as compared to the traditional dust collector bags. Rapid industrialization and stringent norms issued by regional governments regarding environmental problems are other factors fueling demand for global shaker bags market. Pulse jet bags which act as efficient substitute for shaker bags create threat for the manufacturers of shaker bags. Pulse jet bags overcome the challenge of elevated temperature of the dust particles emitted by industries.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @Global Shaker Bags - Market Segmentation:The global shaker bags market is segmented on the basis of material type, product type, and end use type.Segmentation for shaker bags on the basis of material type:PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene)PP (polypropylene)SSP (staple spun polyester)Continuous filament polyesterFiber glassOthersSegmentation for Shaker bags on the basis of product type:Snap bandDisc topGrommet topCompression band topOpen topLoop topSegmentation for Shaker bags on the basis of end use type:Metal industryCeramic industryCement industryFertilizer industryDyes & pigment industryGlobal Shaker Bags Market Regional Overview:The global Shaker bags market is segmented on the basis of region such as:North AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAPEJMiddle East & AfricaJapanNorth America region is expected to remain the largest market for shaker bags over the forecast period. Latin America region is expected to witness above average growth for shaker bags market for coming three to four years. In Western Europe, countries like U.K., Germany, and France are expected to have a stagnant growth for shaker bags market over the forecast period. The shaker bags market in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region is expected to showcase the highest growth over the forecast period for shaker bags market. Furthermore, shaker bags market in India and China is expected to dominate the globe owing to the benchmark performance in the retail industry. In addition, shaker bags market in these developing economies are anticipated to witness positive impact from the technological advancement in various industries. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is expected to have a substantial increase in the shaker bags market for GCC countries and South Africa.Global Shaker Bags Market Key Players:Key players operating in the global shaker bags market are General Electric Company, Donaldson Company, Inc., National Filter Media, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc., Rosedale Products Inc., Thermax Global, Eaton, BWF Envirotec, Albarrie Canada Limited, Reliance Filter-Tech Inc, U.S. Filtration, Inc., and Griffin Filters, LLC.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: Mice Model Market to record high demand by 2016-2024 Mice Model Market https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/mice-model-market https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/toc/mice-model-market https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/mice-model-market https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/mice-model-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com https://zionmarketresearch.wordpress.com/ Zion Market Research, the market research group announced the analysis report titled Mice Model Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts 20162024Global Mice Model Market: OverviewThe mouse is a mammal with genetic tools that are sophisticated and their genetic resources are very significant, hence it is used as a popular model system. In order to explore the human pathophysiology and the progression of the diseases, the mice are the best model for this purpose. New models are being developed in which the human cells and tissues are being reconstituted. As most of their genes are shared with humans new opportunities are getting opened up for the genetic testing.Request Free Sample Report @Global Mice Model Market: SegmentationThe mice model market is globally segmented into its type, technology, application, and service. On the basis of type, the global mice model market is segregated into genetically engineered mice, hybrid/congenic mice, spontaneous mutant mice, inbred mice, conditioned/surgically modified mice, and outbred mice. Based on the technology, the market is categorized into microinjection, nuclear transfer, genetically modified sperm-mediated gene transfer, electroporation of DNA & liposome-mediated DNA, CRISPR, embryonic stem cell injection, virus/vector-mediated gene transfer, biolistics, & TALENs & ZFN. The various applications where the mice model is used include immunology and inflammation studies, cardiovascular studies, rare diseases, toxicology, oncology studies, diabetes studies, central nervous system studies, renal disorders, hematopoiesis, and others. On the basis of services, the market is divided into cryopreservation, rederivation model in licensing, surgical, in vivo pharmacology services, breeding services, quarantine, genetic testing, and line rescue.Global Mice Model Market: Growth FactorsThe important factors that are contributing to the market growth are the ongoing developments that are made in the mouse models and the increasing demand for the medicines that are personalized. The increase in the research and development activities in the pharmaceutical sector accounts for the growth of the mice model market in the coming years. Additionally, the mice models are used for the research activities of the diseases that are rare hence increasing its demand in the global market. There has been an increase in the monoclonal antibody production which is contributing to the overall development of the global mice model market.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Mice Model Market: Regional AnalysisRegion-wise, the global mice model market is diversified into regions such as North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. The region that dominates the global mice model market is the North America. This dominance is going to continue in the coming years too owing to the presence of the large pharmaceutical sectors in the North American region and also there are tremendous research and development activities that are done in this region. Europe holds the second leading position in the global market. The increasing demand for the knockout and transgenic mice models attributes to the mice model market growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The countries that contribute a major share in the market growth are China, Malaysia, India, and Singapore.Global Mice Model Market: Competitive PlayersThe major market players in the mice model market include Horizon Discovery Group Plc., ENVIGO, Ingenious Targeting Laboratory, Harbour Antibodies Bv, The Jackson Laboratory, Genoway, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Trans Genic, Inc., Janvier Labs, Taconic Biosciences, Inc., and Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.Browse detail report @Global Mice Model Market by Geographical Analysis: North America( U.S.), Europe( UK, France, Germany), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India), Latin America( Brazil), Middle East and AfricaOur value reports provide full, in-depth analysis of the parent market including most significant changes in market dynamics; the report also presents the detailed overview on segmentation of this market. We managed to present as many important pieces of information in essential form thanks to our report You will learn more about former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value, assessment of niche industry developments and Market share analysis. We have not forgotten to present key strategies for major players, emerging segments and regional markets and last but not least, testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.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:Visit Our Blog: Global Coronary Stents Sales Market In 2017: By Product Type - Bare-Metal Stent, Drug-Eluting Stent & Covering The Timbering Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=948106 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=948106 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Coronary Stents Sales Market In 2017: By Product Type - Bare-Metal Stent, Drug-Eluting Stent & Covering The Timbering" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies sales (consumption) of Coronary Stents in Global market, especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringAbbott VascularMedtronicBoston ScientificBiosensorsTerumoMicroPortLepu MedicalB.BraunAtrium MedicalSINOMEDLBCMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Coronary Stents in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product Types, with sales, revenue, price and gross margin, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoBare-Metal StentDrug-Eluting StentCovering The TimberingTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Split by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Coronary Stents in each application, can be divided intoMedicalResearchTable of Contents1 Coronary Stents Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Coronary Stents1.2 Classification of Coronary Stents1.2.1 Bare-Metal Stent1.2.2 Drug-Eluting Stent1.2.3 Covering The Timbering1.3 Application of Coronary Stents1.3.1 Medical1.3.2 Research1.4 Coronary Stents Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Coronary Stents (2011-2021)1.5.1 Global Coronary Stents Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Global Coronary Stents Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Global Coronary Stents Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Coronary Stents Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Coronary Stents Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.1.2 Global Coronary Stents Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.2 Global Coronary Stents (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Coronary Stents Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Airport Kiosks Market Key Trends Analysis by 2022 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/airport-kiosks-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=7550 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Airport Kiosks Market Key TrendsThe demand for efficiently managing airline activities has spurred the installation of airport kiosks worldwide. The growing inclination toward self-service solutions to help passengers avoid delays is leading to a conspicuous increase in the installed base of airport kiosks worldwide. Airport kiosks are inbuilt with high-tech features that perform crucial tasks for airline passengers thus enabling them avoid standing in long queues. Kiosks provide effective solutions to expedite passenger activities such as check-in, passenger clearance, and baggage clearance.Despite witnessing promising opportunities, the advent of mobile technologies providing similar convenience to airline passengers will limit the sales of airport kiosks to an extent. Nevertheless, as per Transparency Market Research (TMR) the market is expected to gain momentum in the near future with the rising privatization of airports.Browse The Report:Spurred by these factors, the global airport kiosks market is expected to report a CAGR of 16.1% between 2015 and 2022. TMR forecasts the market to reach US$815.1 mn by the end of 2022. The global airport kiosks market stood at US$248.7 mn in 2014.Rising Demand from Common-use Self-services Segment to Fuel Installation of Check-in KiosksAmong the various application segments, common-use self-service (CUSS) held the largest share in the global airport kiosks market. This rising installation of check-in kiosks across airports is aided by the increasing demand from the common-use-self-service segment. These kiosks provide check-in services to airline commuters in the absence of ground staff. CUSS kiosks also guide them through the process of purchasing goods or services. According to TMR, the CUSS segment is expected to rise at a CAGR of 16.5% from 2015 to 2022.The automated passport control (APC) segment is also exhibiting remarkable growth due to the surging demand for border management solutions. Once installed, these kiosks allow the entry of only authorized passengers into the passport control area. The rising incidence of terror attacks has been boosting the deployment of APC kiosks in airports around the world. Currently, North America is exhibiting rising deployment of APC kiosks across its airports. Besides this, TMR expects the baggage check-in segment to demonstrate considerable growth through the course of the forecast period.Uptick in Tourist Arrivals Makes North America Most Lucrative Market for Airport KiosksNorth America emerged as the largest regional market for airport kiosks with a share of 37% in 2014. The region will exhibit increasing demand for airport kiosks and thus maintain its lead through the forecast period. Presently, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico demonstrate the highest demand for airport kiosks in North America. The steadily rising tourist arrivals is a primary factor fuelling demand from the North America airport kiosks market. According to TMR, the airport kiosks market in North America is expected to reach US$296.7 mn by the end of 2022.Make an Enquiry @The market is also expected to witness lucrative opportunities in Europe and Asia Pacific. The rising airport activities will boost the deployment of airport kiosks across Europe. In Asia Pacific, the market will gain impetus from the rising spending on airport construction in the region. The soaring airline passenger traffic has compelled governments in Asia Pacific to focus on airport construction and modernization, which subsequently has augmented the demand for airport kiosks. Additionally, rising investments in airport IT will likely bolster the markets prospects in the Middle East and Africa.Some of the leading companies operating in the global airport kiosks market include NCR Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation, Rockwell Collins Inc., Fujitsu Ltd., Embross Group, MedinyX Corporation, and Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs 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 recommendationsTransparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Building Energy Management Services Market 2022 - top Players EFS, Daintree Networks, Enova, Saudi Oger, EMS http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1191910 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1191910 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the global Building Energy Management Services market, analyzes and researches the Building Energy Management Services development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeDaintree NetworksEFSEmrill Services LLCEMSEnovaEtisalat Facilities Management LLCFarnek Middle East LLCSaudi OgerTraneSamama HoldingMusanadahCylonCM3 Building Solutions, IncTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Building Energy Management Services can be split intoConsultingSystem IntegrationMaintenance and SupportMarket segment by Application, Building Energy Management Services can be split intoCommercial BuildingsResidential BuildingsEducationHealthcareIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Building Energy Management Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Building Energy Management Services1.1 Building Energy Management Services Market Overview1.1.1 Building Energy Management Services Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Building Energy Management Services Market by Type1.3.1 Consulting1.3.2 System Integration1.3.3 Maintenance and Support1.4 Building Energy Management Services Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Commercial Buildings1.4.2 Residential Buildings1.4.3 Education1.4.4 Healthcare2 Global Building Energy Management Services Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Building Energy Management Services Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Daintree Networks3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 EFS3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Emrill Services LLC3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 EMS3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Enova3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Etisalat Facilities Management LLC3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Farnek Middle East LLC3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Saudi Oger3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Trane3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Samama Holding3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Building Energy Management Services Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Musanadah3.12 Cylon3.13 CM3 Building Solutions, Inc4 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Building Energy Management Services Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Building Energy Management Services in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Building Energy Management Services5 United States Building Energy Management Services Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Building Energy Management Services Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Building Energy Management Services Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)6 EU Building Energy Management Services Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Building Energy Management Services Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Building Energy Management Services Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)Continued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Emotion Detection and Recognition Technology Market SWOT Analysis by 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/emotion-detection-recognition-technology-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18377 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Emotion Detection and Recognition Technology Market: OverviewEmotion recognition is a technology being used in software that offers a program with the access to read and understand emotions on a human face. This is done using advanced image processing technologies. Facial sensing and bio-sensing software are gaining immense popularity and are used in a large number of industry verticals. As a result, this market is expected to witness substantial growth in the coming years.The research study offers a detailed analysis of the global emotion detection and recognition technology market. Additionally, a comprehensive vendor analysis of the market has been provided to offer a clear picture of the market for readers and market players.Browse The Report:Global Emotion Detection and Recognition Technology Market: Drivers and RestraintsAdvancement in technology is considered as a key factor encouraging the growth of the global emotion detection and recognition technology market. In addition, the increasing popularity of wearable technology is expected to offer promising opportunities for the prominent players operating in the global market. A substantial growth of the Internet of Things technology and a tremendous rise in the use of smartphone across the globe are anticipated to fuel the growth of the global market in the next few years.On the flip side, the global emotion detection and recognition technology market is estimated to face several challenges in the coming years. The high cost of application and several function requirements are predicted to restrict the growth of the market throughout the forecast period. Nonetheless, the robust pace of development and the introduction of new and effective products are estimated to supplement the growth of the global market in the next few years.Global Emotion Detection and Recognition Technology Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of geography, the research study has classified into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World. Among these, Europe and North America are anticipated to witness a strong growth in the next few years. The robust growth of these two regions can be attributed to the technological advancements and the rising demand for wearable devices. The presence of prominent players in these two regions is another factor augmenting the growth of the emotion detection and recognition technology market in Europe and North America.Furthermore, Asia Pacific is likely to contribute towards the development of the global market in the next few years. This region is estimated to register a healthy growth in the coming years, thanks to the growing demand from India, Japan, and China. A significant rise in the technology and research and development sector is anticipated to fuel the growth of the emotion detection and recognition technology market in Asia Pacific in the coming years.Key Players Mentioned in the Research Report are:The competition in the emotion detection and recognition technology market across the globe is expected to grow at a fast pace in the next few years. The increasing implementation of this technology in diverse applications is anticipated to encourage the growth of the overall market in the near future. The rising focus by the leading players on research and development activities and innovations is predicted to accelerate the growth of the overall market.Make an Enquiry @Some of the leading players operating in the global market for emotion detection and recognition technology are Tobii, Affectiva, Emotient, Noldus, Sight Corp, and Eyeris. The research study presents a thorough overview of the competitive landscape, focusing on the company profiles and the business strategies adopted by them in order to sustain in the competitive scenario. In addition, the product portfolio, financial overview, and the SWOT analysis of these players have been provided in the research study.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs 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.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 - top Players BMC Software, CA Technologies, IBM, HP, Dell (EMC) http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1004294 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1004294 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the global Cloud-Based ITSM market, analyzes and researches the Cloud-Based ITSM development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeBMC SoftwareCA TechnologiesService NowCherwell SoftwareHewlett Packard Enterprise CompanyHEAT Software USABMCIBMHPCloud Health TechnologiesEasyVistaDell (EMC)To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Cloud-Based ITSM can be split intoService Portfolio ManagementService Demand ManagementService Financial ManagementConfiguration and Change ManagementOperations and Performance ManagementReporting Analytics ManagementOtherMarket segment by Application, Cloud-Based ITSM can be split intoGovernment and Public SectorEnergy and UtilitiesTravel and HospitalityBanking IndustryTelecommunication & ITHealthcare & Life SciencesEducation IndustryOtherTable of ContentsGlobal Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Cloud-Based ITSM1.1 Cloud-Based ITSM Market Overview1.1.1 Cloud-Based ITSM Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Cloud-Based ITSM Market by Type1.3.1 Service Portfolio Management1.3.2 Service Demand Management1.3.3 Service Financial Management1.3.4 Configuration and Change Management1.3.5 Operations and Performance Management1.3.6 Reporting Analytics Management1.3.7 Other1.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Government and Public Sector1.4.2 Energy and Utilities1.4.3 Travel and Hospitality1.4.4 Banking Industry1.4.5 Telecommunication & IT1.4.6 Healthcare & Life Sciences1.4.7 Education Industry1.4.8 Other2 Global Cloud-Based ITSM Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 BMC Software3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 CA Technologies3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Service Now3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Cherwell Software3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 HEAT Software USA3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 BMC3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 IBM3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 HP3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Cloud Health Technologies3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Cloud-Based ITSM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 EasyVista3.12 Dell (EMC)4 Global Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Cloud-Based ITSM in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Cloud-Based ITSM5 United States Cloud-Based ITSM Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)6 EU Cloud-Based ITSM Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Cloud-Based ITSM Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)Continued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Europe Breast Cancer Screening Market (Mammography, MRI & Ultrasound) Forecast to 2022 - Researchmoz http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1191318 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1191318 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Europe Breast Cancer Screening Market (Mammography, MRI & Ultrasound) Forecast to 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.Europe Breast Cancer Screening Market will be less than US$ 8 Billion by the end of year 2022. Breast cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases in the Europe region. Its incidence rate in Europe was 92.9 women per 100,000 women and mortality rate was 23.1 per 100,000 women. So, most of the countries of Europe has adopted or in the process to adopt breast cancer screening in their national cancer screening programs. Mammography screening is most commonly used as breast cancer screening method in Europe.Germany has the Highest Market Share in Breast Cancer Screening Market, but it will lose its Market Leader Position to United Kingdom in FutureGermany is the clear winner in the breast cancer screening market as it has huge women population, advanced healthcare infrastructure and government supported screening programs. Under the programs, all women age between 50-69 years are eligible for free breast cancer screening test in every two years. Under this program eligible woman gets a letter from the regional mammography program center to participate in the breast cancer screening program.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Germany will maintain their Dominating Position in Europe Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening MarketDue to strong healthcare expending power and increasing breast cancer awareness among the women, Germany is forecast to hold its dominating place in Europe Breast Cancer Screening Market. Presently, Germany, Italy and Spain are steadily losing their market share on comparison to this all other countries such as United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Norway and Netherlands ultrasound screening market share is expected to grow in the forecasting period 2017-2022.Europe Breast Cancer Screening (Mammography, MRI & Ultrasound) Market & Forecast to 2022 is the 2nd Report published by Renub Research on Breast Cancer Screening Market. The report analyzes the Europe Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market, Breast Cancer MRI Screening Market and Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market. This report studies separate comprehensive analytics for the 8 countries: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Norway and SwitzerlandThis 122 page report with 120 Figures and 2 Tables provides a complete analysis of top 8 courtiers of Europe Breast Cancer Screening Market. All the 8 countries in the report have been studied from 7 viewpoints.- Countries Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population Scenario and Forecast- Countries Breast Cancer MRI & Ultrasound Screening Population Scenario and Forecast- Countries Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market and Forecast- Countries Breast Cancer MRI Screening Market and Forecast- Countries Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market and Forecast- Countries Breast Cancer Screening Market and Forecast- Worldwide Breast Cancer Screening Market and ForecastAll the 8 Countries Studied in the Report are as Follows- United Kingdom- France- Germany- Italy- Spain- Netherlands- Norway- SwitzerlandTable of Content1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2 EUROPE SCREENING POPULATION ANALYSIS2.1 Europe Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population & Forecast2.2 Europe Breast Cancer MRI & Ultrasound Screening Population & Forecast3 EUROPE BREAST CANCER SCREENING MARKET ANALYSIS3.1 Europe Breast Cancer Screening Market & Forecast3.1.1 Europe Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market & Forecast3.1.2 Europe Breast Cancer MRI Screening Market & Forecast3.1.3 Europe Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market & Forecast4 EUROPE BREAST CANCER SCREENING POPULATION & MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS4.1 Europe Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population Share & Forecast4.2 Europe Breast Cancer MRI & Ultrasound Screening Population Share & Forecast5 EUROPE BREAST CANCER SCREENING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS5.1 Worldwide Breast Cancer Screening Market Share & Forecast5.2 Europe Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market Share & Forecast5.3 Europe Breast Cancer MRI Screening Market Share & Forecast5.4 Europe Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market Share & Forecast6 UNITED KINGDOM6.1 United Kingdom Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population & Forecast6.2 United Kingdom Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound Screening Population & Forecast6.3 United Kingdom Breast Cancer Screening Market & Forecast6.3.1 United Kingdom Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market & Forecast6.3.2 United Kingdom Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Screening Market & Forecast6.3.3 United Kingdom Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market & Forecast7 FRANCE7.1 France Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population & Forecast7.2 France Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound Screening Population & Forecast7.3 France Breast Cancer Screening Market & Forecast7.3.1 France Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market & Forecast7.3.2 France Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Screening Market & Forecast7.3.3 France Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market & Forecast8 GERMANY8.1 Germany Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population & Forecast8.2 Germany Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound Screening Population & Forecast8.3 Germany Breast Cancer Screening Market & Forecast8.3.1 Germany Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market & Forecast8.3.2 Germany Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Screening Market & Forecast8.3.3 Germany Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market & Forecast9 ITALY9.1 Italy Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population & Forecast9.2 Italy Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound Screening Population & Forecast9.3 Italy Breast Cancer Screening Market & Forecast9.3.1 Italy Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market & Forecast9.3.2 Italy Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Screening Market & Forecast9.3.3 Italy Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market & ForecastContinued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Nerve Monitoring Devices Market to Register Substantial Expansion by 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nerve-monitoring-devices-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11198 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Nerve Monitoring Devices MarketNerve monitoring devices are various implements used to supervise the function of the nervous system during surgeries. Since neural function is absolutely vital and the risk of inadvertent damage to nerves during several surgeries is moderately high, nerve monitoring devices have gained widespread acceptance in recent years. Nerve monitoring devices monitor the integrity and ensure the continued function of a few key areas, in order to avoid irreparable nerve damage.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Nerve Monitoring Devices Market:The global nerve monitoring devices market is propelled by the increasing number of neural surgeries and the increasing geriatric population, among other factors. The report presents the expected qualitative and quantitative impact of the driving and restraining factors influencing the global nerve monitoring devices in the 20162024 forecast period, in addition to data on the competitive and commercial dynamics of the nerve monitoring devices industry.Global Nerve Monitoring Devices Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe major driver of the nerve monitoring devices market is, naturally, the increased number of neural surgeries performed around the world. Due to advancements in our knowledge about the nervous system, increasingly complex neural surgeries can now be performed with near-absolute safety. This has led to a consequent rise in the demand for nerve monitoring devices.The rising geriatric population around the world is also a significant factor propelling the global nerve monitoring devices market. The elderly are more prone to nervous diseases than their younger counterparts, and the former are also more likely to require surgical interventions than the latter. Both these factors lead increased demand for nerve monitoring devices, since they are used in both neural and other surgeries that present a risk of nerve damage.Apart from these, the major driving factor propelling the global nerve monitoring devices market is increasing awareness among the global population. The broadening population pool of patients who can afford advanced medical treatments is also boosting the global nerve monitoring devices market.Global Nerve Monitoring Devices Market: Geographical OverviewThe global nerve monitoring devices market is led by North America. The increasing demand for neural surgeries in the region, the high purchasing power of patients in the region, and the firm establishment of major medical research avenues have been the primary drivers for the North America nerve monitoring devices market. The high geriatric population of the region has also helped the expansion of the nerve monitoring devices market.Europe was the second-largest market for nerve monitoring devices in 2015. Several governments in Europe have proactively encouraged medical research, which has boosted the neural surgery sector. The Europe and North America markets for nerve monitoring devices are also helped immensely by the heavy public health-care expenditure, as well as the presence of sufficient reimbursement schemes.In the coming years, though, the increasingly urbanized Asia Pacific market for nerve monitoring devices is expected to emerge as a major regional player in the global market. As health-care infrastructure spreads across developing economies such as China, India, and Japan, advanced medical procedures and devices will become easily available, driving the market for implements such as nerve monitoring devices.Request for the Sample Report:Major players operating in the global nerve monitoring devices market include Medtronic, Nihon Kohden Corporation, Inomed, Dr. Langer Medical GmbH, EMS Biomedical, and Natus Medical Incorporated.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global 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. TMRs 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment Market Opportunities and Forecast Upto 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/restless-legs-syndrome-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12506 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment Market: OverviewRestless legs syndrome, also called Willis-Ekbom disease, is a neurological disorder. It triggers an urge in patients to move their legs. Because the syndrome usually occurs during sleep, it is also considered a type of sleep disorder. People suffering from restless legs syndrome often feel an overwhelming desire to rigorously move their legs, the intensity and frequency of which leads to unpleasant pain in their limbs. This also disturbs their sleep patterns, affecting their health adversely. The condition usually aggravates at night.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment Market:Higher prevalence of restless legs syndrome is noted in women than in men. RLS can affect people of all ages but is mostly observed in middle-aged and elderly people. The most common symptoms of RLS include uncomfortable itching and pain in the legs that may cause a disruption in the sleep pattern and ultimately affect a patients quality of life. Despite its increasing prevalence, the precise cause of RLS is not yet known. Nevertheless, with extensive investigations being conducted in the field, the RLS market is expected to gain momentum in the near future. As of now, experts attribute the increasing incidence of the disease to genetic factors and instabilities in the dopaminergic balance.While researchers are yet to discover a specific cure for the disorder, drugs presently available in the market ensure symptomatic treatment. They help in relieving the uneasiness commonly experienced in the disorder. The report studies the prospects for the global restless legs syndrome treatment market in the forthcoming years. The impact of research and development activities on the markets future outlook is examined in the report in detail. It also presents insights into the various social and economic factors that will influence the markets growth trajectory between 2016 and 2024.Global Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment Market: Opportunities and Market SegmentationRestless legs syndrome causes uneasiness in patients and is also associated with other health issues such as dizziness, headaches, drowsiness, flatulence, dry mouth, and nausea. Patients suffering from restless legs syndrome may also suffer from psychiatric disorders such as depression and a decreased libido. Apart from these, labyrinthitis and other ear disorders, fatigue, irritability, peripheral edema, and nutritional and metabolism disorders indicated by weight gain or increased appetite are also related to the syndrome.The treatment of restless legs syndrome is still a relatively untapped space. The market is projected to exhibit growth at an increased rate with the development of new drugs, which promise higher efficiency and minimum side effects.Based on product type, the global restless legs syndrome treatment market can be segmented into Neupro/Leganto, Mirapex/Sifrol/Mirapexin, HORIZANT/Regnite, and Requip. Restless legs syndrome treatment can be segmented into pharmacological and nonpharmacological.Global Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment Market: Competitive InsightsIn order to study the competitive landscape prevailing in the market, the report profiles companies such as GlaxoSmithKline plc., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Manhattan Pharmaceuticals. The strengths and weaknesses of the companies are weighed out in the report using SWOT analysis. The analysis also helps the report gauge the threats and opportunities that these companies could face in the near future.Request for the Sample Report:The report offers a complete databank about the global restless legs syndrome treatment market by providing in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information regarding every facet of the market.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global 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. TMRs 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Hyper loop Technology Market is anticipated that would reach around USD 2 billion before the finish of 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3282 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/3282 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hyper-loop-technology-market-3282 In 2013, Elon Musk was the first one to invent an ultra- high-speed ground transportation system. Hyper loop can be explained as a system which builds a tube over or under the ground which contains a special environment. Hyper loop has various features such as electromagnetic motors, tube tracks have vacuum, air bearings are like ski paddles and the tube tracks are designed in such a manner that they are immune to any natural disaster.The factors contributing to the growth of the hyper loop technology market are the rising demand for fastest mode of transportation, increasing demand for cheapest transportation, better infrastructure facilities and technology which is not vulnerable to natural calamities. Furthermore, the increasing industrialization is boosting the growth of the market. However, factors such as lack of awareness, various security issues are hindering the growth of the hyper loop technology market.Hyper loop technology offers various advantages such as safety measure, faster mode of transportation, more convenient, lower cost and resistant to earthquakes among others. Various manufacturers are investing in R&D to come up with new technological solutions. For instance, in June 2017, Hyperloop Transportation technologies an American research company signs an agreement with the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) and Hanyang University to develop a full scale hyper loop system known as the HyperTube Express within Korea.The global hyper loop technology market is expected to reach approximately USD 2 billion by the end of 2023 over the forecast period 2017-2023.Get a Sample Copy @Study Objectives of Hyper loop Technology Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the global hyper loop technology market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the global hyper loop technology market based porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by type, component, application and region. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Web hyper loop technologyGet a Good Discount @Key Players AECOM (U.S.), Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (US), Hyperloop One (US), Dinclix GroundWorks (India), TransPod Inc. (Canada) Space Exploration Technologies Corp (U.S.) among others.Segments:-For the purpose of this study, Market Research Future has segmented the market of hyper loop technology into component, type, application and region.Type- Passenger FreightComponent-CapsuleTubePropulsionOthersApplication- Railways Aircraft OtherRegion North-America Europe Asia-Pacific RoWBrowse Full Report Details @Regional Analysis-Regionally, North-America is projected to grow by 2023. The first operational hyperloop is expected built between Los Angeles and California. Hyperloop One Global Challenge shortlisted teams to present hyperloop route plans to be developed after various check in this region. Also, government approval to develop hyperloop technology development companies in this region. Furthermore, capital investments plays an important role for the development of hyper loop technology.Intended Audience Manufacturers Distributors Research firms Consultancy firms Software Developers Vendors Semiconductor Manufacturers End-user sectors Technology InvestorsContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global Hyper loop Technology Market Research Report- Forecast 2023 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Maritime Security Market is to grow at 9% CAGR and Big Players- Northrop Grumman, Elbit Systems, Honeywell International, SAAB, BAE Systems, Worldwide Foresight to 2021 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1344 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1344 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/maritime-security-market The global maritime security market is expected to grow Rapidly by 2021, to grow at a CAGR of around 9%. With the growing incident of piracy and trade of illegal goods, the operators have started integrating small satellites to track maritime vessels. Increasing demand of unmanned underwater vehicles, underwater acoustic weapons, integration of state of the technology such as electro-optic (EO) detection systems, virtual fence, and integrated security systems to protect maritime assets are the factors driving the market.Get a Sample Copy @Americas is the leading region in maritime security market with around 50% of market share as of 2015.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 85 numbers of pages of the project report Maritime Security MarketKey Players: Northrop Grumman, Elbit Systems, Honeywell International, SAAB, Raytheon Anschutz GmbH, Harris Corporation, BAE Systems, FLIR Systems, Selex Es, and Kongsberg Gruppen.Study Objectives of Maritime Security Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Maritime Security Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the Global Maritime Security Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by system and categories To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Maritime Security MarketGet a Good Discount @The reports also cover country level analysis:America (NORTH & LATIN) US Canada Brazil OthersEurope Germany France Italy Spain UK Rest of EuropeAsia Pacific China India Japan Australia/New Zealand Rest of Asia-PacificMiddle East & Africa UAE Kuwait Israel Rest of Middle East & AfricaBrowse Full Report Details @The market report for Maritime Security of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global Maritime Security Market Research Report - Forecast to 2021 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Plant Growth Regulators Market in North America: Industry Size, Growth, Segmentation, Big Players, and CAGR of 3.4% worldwide Foresight to 2021 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/690 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/690 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/north-america-plant-growth-regulators-market The Market research future delivers a detailed analysis of 5 years forecast between year 2016 to 2021 and it is expected that North America Plant Growth Regulators Market will register the CAGR of more than 3.4% during the forecast period.The Plant Growth Regulators are chemical compounds, other than nutrients, that help in modifying plant physiological processes. As new products are coming from the R&D centers of companies in order for better growth in agriculture sector and higher productivity, demand for plant growth regulators are also increasing with same pace. Plant growth regulator helps to prevent the diseases of plants as well as in better and effective growth. This market has huge opportunities in the upcoming years as new developments for effective farming is coming.Get a Sample Copy @Access the market data and market information presented through more than 85 market data tables and figures spread in 200 numbers of pages of the project report North America Plant Growth Regulators MarketGoing ahead to product segmentation, in the year 2012 Cytokinin was accounted for more than 30% of market share followed by the Gibberellins. Europe is the leading player in the market of Plant growth regulators due to demand for organic foods and new revolutionary technologies in the field of agriculture. North America is also a big player due to technological advancement in their countries. The US which is the most high-tech country on the globe is helping in the advancement for plant growth market products. Countries located in APAC region like China and India which is the two biggest populated countries in the world. The most of population of these countries are dependent on agriculture which creates the enormous opportunities for the new players.Furthermore the report comprises the detailed analysis of the leading players including- BASF SE, Bayer, The Dow Chemical, Nufarm Ltd, FMC Corporation, Syngenta AG, Marrone Bio, Tata Chemicals and others with respect to their strategies, SWOT analysis, financials, and key developments.Moving forwards, the report comprises broad analysis of industry overview of Plant growth regulators Market which includes market drivers, restrains, opportunities, burning issues, winning imperatives on scale.This report also covers geographical analysis. Furthermore, the report has been segmented on the basis By types (Cytokinins, Gibberellins, Ethylene, Abscisic Acid), By crop types- (Pulses & Oilseeds, Grains & Cereals, Fruits & Vegetables, Turf & ornamentals and others), By regions (North America). The Plant Growth Regulators market research report provides detail analysis of market in terms of value market. The report also gives the future outlook of the market till 2021. Moreover, on whole region as well as market share in different countries. Lastly, the report provides company profiles of major players in the market.Get a Good Discount @Research MethodologyTo calculate Plant Growth Regulators market size, we have considered top players in the market and to offer accuracy, our research is supported by industry experts who offer insight on industry structure and technology assessment, competitive landscape, penetration, emerging products and trends. Their analysis is based (80 to 85%) on primary & (15 to 20%) on secondary research as well as years of professional expertise in their respective industries. In addition to analyze current and historical trends, our analysts predict where the market is headed over the next five to ten years. It varies by segment for these categories geographically presented in the list of market tables. Top-down and bottom-up are important strategies of processing the information and knowledge ordering, used in a variety of fields including humanistic, software and scientific theories and management and organization. In practice, they can be seen as a style of thinking, teaching, or leadership.Browse Full Report Details @LIST OF TABLESTable 1: executive summary: overviewTable 2: plant growth regulators: classificationTable 3: north america plant growth regulators: agricultural biological seed appliedTable 4: auxins pricing scenario- 2016Table 5: cytokinins pricing scenario- 2016Table 6: gibberellins pricing scenario- 2016Table 7: ethylene pricing scenario- 2016Table 8: abscisic acid pricing scenario- 2016Table 9: market: market size forecast by country level: 2016-2021Table 10: year over year growth forecastTable 11: market share growth forecast by country level: 2016-2021Table 12: plant growth regulators: north america market size in usTable 13: year over year growth - by typesTable 14: market share by typesTable 15: market size by typesTable 16: year over growth by typesTables 17: market share by typesContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from North America Plant Growth Regulators Market Research Report - Forecast to 2021chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Polyester Staple Fiber Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/polyester-staple-fiber.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2727 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Polyester Staple Fiber Market: OverviewPolyester staple fiber is a synthetic fiber solely comprising of a polyester. It is made from PTA & MEG or PET Chips or from Recycled PET Bottle Flakes. PSF made from PTA & MEG or PET Chips is known as Virgin PSF and PSF made from Recycled PET Flakes is called Recycled PSF. Polyester staple fiber has emerged as the fastest-growing fibre amongst all types of manufactured fibers. It widely used in textile, automotive and furniture industries.This 221 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Polyester Staple Fiber Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market @The report estimates and forecasts the polyester staple fiber market on the global, regional, and country levels. The study provides forecast between 2017 and 2025 based on volume (Kilo Tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2016 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the product segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market.Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage.The study includes drivers and restraints for the polyester staple fiber market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the polyester staple fiber market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the polyester staple fiber market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein applications and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report comprises price trend analysis for polyester staple fiber between 2017 and 2025.Global Polyester Staple Fiber Market: SegmentationThe study provides a comprehensive view of the polyester staple fiber market by dividing it on the basis of end-use and geography segments. The polyester staple fiber market has been segmented into apparels, automotive, home furnishing, filtration, construction, personal care & hygiene and others based on application. Applications segment have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends.Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for polyester staple fiber in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report comprises country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for application segments. Key countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, India, China, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual applications in all the regions and countries.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Polyester Staple Fiber Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Global Polyester Staple Fiber Market: Competitive AnalysisThe report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report includes Alpek S.A.B. de C.V., Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, Toray Industries, Inc., China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Reliance Industries Limited, W. Barnet GmbH & Co. KG, Far Eastern New Century Corporation, Tongkun Group Zhejiang Hengsheng Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Hengyi Group Company Ltd., Jiangsu Sanfangxiang Group, ICI Pakistan Limited, XINDA Corp, Komal Fibres, Bombay Dyeing, Nirmal Fibres (P) Ltd., and Ganesha Ecosphere. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Concrete Floor Coatings Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/canada-concrete-floor-coatings-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=26021 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market: SnapshotConcrete floor coating is the covering applied to cured concrete in order to make the surface last longer by utilizing the anti-corrosion property. Advantages of using concrete floor coatings include esthetic look, durability, ease of maintenance, ability to be customized, long term cost savings, health benefits and low installation cost. The key applications of concrete floor coatings lies in the residential construction sector. They have been of high demand both for the indoor and outdoor applications. Increase in the number of construction projects and rise in demand for green technology are expected to fuel the market for concrete floor coatings in the next few years.This 85 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Concrete Floor Coatings Market . Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market @According to the report, the Canada concrete floor coatings market, which valued at US$100.8 mn in 2016, will reach US$158.0 mn in 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 5.2 % between 2017 and 2025.Epoxy Coatings to Remain Most Preferred Concrete Floor Coatings in CanadaOn the basis of the type of product, the Canada concrete floor coatings market has been segmented in the report into epoxy, polyaspartics, polyurethane, and acrylic. Of these, the segment of epoxy coatings accounted for a massive share of nearly 60% of the Canada concrete floor coatings market in terms of revenue in 2016. Vast characteristic features of epoxy coatings, such as immense durability, incredible strength, low maintenance cleaning, resistance to chemicals, and an environment friendliness quotient that is higher than other chemical varieties of floor coatings work in their favor, leading to the huge demand.The segment is expected to continue to hold a massive share in the overall Canada concrete floor coatings market over the reports forecast period as well. However, it is likely to see a minor decline in its present stake in the Canada concrete floor coatings market over the forecast period, with the polyaspartics segment gaining notably in terms of its share in the Canada concrete floor coatings market. The segment of polyaspartic coatings is expected to exhibit a promising 6.0% CAGR in terms of revenue contribution from 2016 to 2024.Ontario to Retain Dominance Owing to Rising Number of Residential ProjectsFrom a geographical perspective, Ontario accounted for more than 30% share of the Canada concrete floor coatings market in 2016. Rising urbanization, increasing disposable income and increasing demand for residential projects has been the prominent factor driving the concrete floor coatings market in Ontario. Quebec also held a significant market share in the Canadian concrete floor market. The geographic position and existence of key manufacturers of the concrete floor coatings are the key reasons for the significant market share of Quebec. Radical improvements in product quality and efficiency in advanced coatings are likely to drive the concrete floor coatings market at healthy rate in these regions over the forecast period as well.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Concrete Floor Coatings Market . Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @British Columbia is expected to lead in terms of rate of growth of the concrete floor coatings market in Canada over the forecast period, driven largely owing to the rising number of new building startups in the province. Alberta, with high growth in GDP and per capita income is expected to have high growth potential in future. In terms of environmental performance of the concrete floor coatings, Saskatchewan faces some challenges.However, the rising employment rate in the province is expected to fuel the growth of concrete floor coatings in the Saskatchewan province. Both Manitoba and Atlantic are considered as provinces with significant growth potential albeit with challenges such as fluctuating economy and non-promising employment rates.Some of the leading companies operating in the Canada concrete floor coatings market profiled in the report are The Sherwin-Williams Company, PPG Industries Inc, BASF SE, RPM International Inc, and Sika AG.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share 2024 | Research Report http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/independent-lubricant-manufacturers.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1742 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market: SnapshotIndependent lubricant manufacturers usually do not have their own refineries. They purchase base oils from major oil suppliers. Manufacturers then blend these oils with additives to make lubricants for industrial manufacturing customers and automobile makers. Independent lubricant manufacturers primarily focus on manufacturing and marketing lubricants for specialties and niche businesses.This 230 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market . Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market @Independent lubricant manufacturers offer services to end-user industries such as automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial. The lubricants required in these end-user industries chiefly comprise of engine oils, gear oils, hydraulics fluids, transmission fluids, greases, heat transfer fluids, coolants, and cleaners. Lubricants are also required in industries such as personal care, agriculture, and railway.According to the report, the global independent lubricant manufacturers market was valued at US$6,800.79 mn in 2016 and is estimated to reach US$9,454.04 mn by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 3.80% between 2017 and 2025.Automotive Industry to Remain Dominant Revenue ContributorIn terms of the end users served by independent lubricant manufacturers, the report examines the growth prospects of the independent lubricant manufacturers market across the automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial sectors. Of these, the automotive sector is presently the leading contributor of revenue to the global market. The segment accounted for a massive 67.4% of the global market in 2016 and is expected to remain the key consumer of lubricants manufactured by independent manufacturers.Rise in demand for automotive is anticipated to drive the demand for automotive lubricants in the next few years as well. Increase in environmental awareness and implementation of strict government regulations are expected to boost the demand for high-quality and greener lubricants in the automotive industry in the next few years. As the global appetite for automobiles continues to rise, led by the growth in disposable income of consumers, the demand for products from independent lubricant manufacturers is also expected to rise significantly in the next few years.Asia Pacific to Remain at Forefront of DevelopmentIn terms of geography, Asia Pacific is expected to observe a growth in its share during the forecast period, while there is expected to be a decline in the shares for the rest of the regions. Expansion in the independent lubricant manufacturers market in Asia Pacific is primarily ascribed to the expansion of emerging economies and the ever-developing automotive industry in the region. Asia Pacific shows strong potential for the independent lubricant manufacturers market in the forecast period due to the availability of raw materials to produce lubricants, low-cost of labor, and the number of major players that provide base oils as well as additives to the regional independent lubricant manufacturers.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market . Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @The demand for lubricants in Europe is primarily led by countries such as Germany, France, U.K., and Russia. The market in Western Europe is comparatively mature than Eastern Europe, but the latter is anticipated to show comparatively higher promise in terms of growth potential for the independent lubricant manufacturers market.North America and Europe are considered mature markets due to the presence of well-established key players and developed economies in these regions, which enables independent lubricant manufacturers in these regions to establish their presence in their respective local markets. The U.S. market accounts for the dominant share of the independent lubricant manufacturers market in North America. The well-established civil aviation industry, coupled with defense sector in the region, is primarily viewed as a key driver for the overall demand for lubricants manufactured by independent lubricants manufacturers.Some of the leading companies operating in the global independent lubricant manufacturers market are FUCHS, ADDINOL Lube Oil GmbH, AMSOIL INC., BVA Oil, Carlube, Forsythe Lubrication, and Motul.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Titanium Age Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/titanium-age-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14483 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Titanium Age Market: Brief AccountTitanium products are characterized by their light weight and high strength and this is the reason why they are extensively used in the aviation and aerospace industry, driving the market. Titanium is used for the manufacturing of spacecraft, ships, satellites, and aircrafts. They have self-cleaning properties and are chemically inert to UV rays, thus used in healthcare applications. The demand for titanium is projected to increase in the coming years owing to their use in several industries.Browse Market Research Report @The global titanium age market is segmented on the basis of geography and application. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into chemical processing, automotive industry, power generation equipment, medical, coatings, and pigments. Titanium is used to manufacture engine parts, exhaust pipes, and suspension bridges in the automotive industry. By geography, the market is segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the Rest of the World.This report is written and collated by market experts and comprises a detailed overview of the market, a brief introduction on the applications of titanium, growth drivers of the titanium market, and the challenges faced by the vendors in the market. In addition to this, the study also contains a detailed segmentation of the market, pointing out the leading, declining, and fastest growing segment. The market size forecast for the period from 2016 to 2024 has been given in the study, after taking into account the historical and present market figures. The last section of the report consists of case studies of different companies operating in the global titanium market. The recent developments of each of the companies, along with the challenges faced by them have been included in the report.Global Titanium Age Market: Trends and OpportunitiesTitanium is highly in demand from last few years on account of the growth in the oil and gas industry. The thriving power industry and aviation industry are also fueling the demand for titanium and this is encouraging the markets growth. Moreover, medical devices such as defibrillators and pacemakers are made using titanium, which is leading to a growth in the market. As titanium offers the strength of steel but at half its weight and can endure high temperature, their demand is expected to continue to escalate. However, the volatility in raw material pricing and also the high cost of products made from titanium are likely to restrict the markets growth.On a positive note however, the unavailability of any substitute will ensure a continued growth of the market. In addition to this, manufacturers are striving towards achieving cost effectiveness in the manufacturing process itself. These recent developments of manufacturing in a cost effective manner are also creating a positive outlook for the future of the market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Titanium Age Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Global Titanium Age Market: Geographical AnalysisIn terms of regional dominance, North America is expected to be the winner. The region not only led in the past but is also leading at present, driven the presence of global leaders in the aviation sector. Europe is also expected to hold a positive environment for the growth of the market. However, it is Asia Pacific, which will expand at the fastest CAGR in the coming years on account of high demand for titanium alloys. Industrialization and rapidly developing medical sector in countries such as China and India, are expected to boost the market further in Asia Pacific.Global Titanium Age Market: Companies MentionedSome of the leading vendors in the global titanium market are: Ineos AG, Huntsman International LLC, DuPont, Tronox Limited Toho Titanium Co., Ltd., Iluka Resources Ltd., Sumitomo Corporation, Titanium Metal Corporation., RTI International Metals, and Allegheny Technologies Incorporated.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Perfluorocarbons Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/perfluorocarbons-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14486 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Perfluorocarbons, also known as fluorocarbons or PFCs, are man-made organo-fluorine compounds that contain only carbon and fluorine. Compounds with prefix perfluoro- are hydrocarbons whose all C-H bonds have been replaced by C-F bonds. Perfluoro-alkanes are very stable because of the strength of the three C-F single bonds, one of the strongest in organic chemistry. Under normal environmental circumstances, they are typically, odorless, colorless, non-flammable, inert gases. PFCs are not found in nature.Browse Market Research Report @Fluorocarbons were prepared by reaction of fluorine with hydrocarbon, which is known as direct fluorination. Fluorine can easily break C-C bonds; smaller perfluorocarbons are typically formed by direct fluorination. The large scale production of fluorocarbons was brought about by introduction of the Fowler process. In this process, the source of fluorine used is cobalt trifluoride.Mainly, PFCs are used in electronics sector (semi-conductors production) and as refrigerants. Occasionally, they are also used in fire extinguishers and some cosmetics. Moreover, PFCs physical properties gives them many diverse applications, such as perfluorocarbon tracer, Organic Rankine cycle, liquid breathing, blood substitute, anesthetics etc. Use of PFC Tracer in oil reservoirs is mapping by injecting a PFC down one bore hole and measuring the concentration at neighboring boreholes. This helps geologists to trace an image of the reservoir.Organic Rankine cycle works on the principle of using lower temperatures where heat is converted into useful work, which can itself be converted into electricity. Some such applications are biomass combustion, industrial waste heat, geothermal heat, solar ponds etc. PFC liquids have substantially varying properties; however, they all have high solubility for respiratory gases. In fact, these liquids transport more oxygen and carbon dioxide than blood, which justifies their use in liquid ventilation. Perfluorocarbon-based oxygen carriers (PFBOC) are used to mimic and fulfill some functions of biological blood. Its target is to provide a substitute to blood transfusion.Fluorocarbons, particularly chlorofluorocarbons, became commonplace in the 20th century, but they are being phased out because of their ozone depletion effects. When PFCs are released in the environment, they are not considered likely to cause harm in their vicinity. But, on a global scale, they are greenhouse gases adding to global warming. A major source of atmospheric perfluorocarbons has been PFCs produced as a by-product of the electrolysis process in the aluminium smelting industry. The OECD and UN Environment Program has run a new Global PFC Group whose chief functions are to raise awareness and share information about (1) scientific insight, (2) risks and hazards, (3) regulatory approaches being taken in different parts of the world.North America accounts for the largest market for artificial blood substitutes market followed by Europe. Discussions were held in 2009 International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM2). The resulting group consented, that in order to lower the levels of perfluorinated sulphonates and perfluorinated carboxylic acids, to think about regulatory tactics and management programs. In North America and Europe, new industrial releases of Perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluoro-octane sulfonic acid (PFOS) has also fallen dramatically since numerous companies signed up to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program. It is expected that PFCs and its precursors will be eliminated from emissions and products in semiconductor industry in near future.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Perfluorocarbons Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Some of the key players in perfluorocarbon market in medical industry include Alliance Pharma, FluoroMed L.P., Exfluor Research Corporation, F2 Chemicals Ltd., Sanguine Biosciences, Tenax Therapeutics.Some of the key players in perfluorocarbon market in semiconductor industry that have signed up with EPA program are Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Conexant, HP Development Company L.P., IBM, Micron Technology Inc., Sony Corporation, etc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Monolithic Ceramics Market: Technological Advancements, Demand, Evolving Industry Trends and Insights TO 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/monolithic-ceramics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3158 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Monolithic Ceramics Market Overview:Ceramics that provide properties such as fabrication and polycrystalline microstructure without reinforcement are called monolithic ceramics. Monolithic ceramics is one of the major types of products of advanced and technical ceramics. Based on the attributes mentioned above, monolithic ceramics are segmented into silicon nitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium carbide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, and aluminum oxide, and others. These ceramics are used to enhance lifespan and reliability of the material, and withstand high temperature.Browse Monolithic Ceramics Market Research Report:Based on product type, monolithic ceramics have been segmented into oxides and non-oxides. Monolithic ceramics are used in various applications due to their specific properties. These ceramics are generally employed in end-user industries such as electrical & electronics, automotive, aerospace, power generation, defense & military, medical, and transportation. Electrical & electronics is one of the major end-user industries of monolithic ceramics. These ceramics are used in capacitors in the electrical & electronics industry. Monolithic ceramics are employed in the manufacture of turbine blades in the power generation industry.High demand for monolithic ceramics in medical and health care industries is anticipated to be the major driver of the global market in the near future. The growing demand for equipment and medical devices has anticipated to create a huge demand for monolithic ceramics in near future. Major characteristics such as reliability, durability, resistance to high temperature, and wear resistance have led to wide range of applications for monolithic ceramics in various end-user industries. Monolithic ceramics are employed in sensors and alarm security systems in the automobile sector. These ceramics are used in the manufacture of engine components and equipment in the aerospace industry. Monolithic ceramics are used in these applications due to their high temperature resistance and thermal barrier characteristics. Monolithic ceramics are employed in turbine blades, capacitors, and engine components in the power generation sector. These ceramics are used in the application of semiconductors and electronic components in the electronics sector. Monolithic ceramics are employed in the manufacture of components required for armors, weapons, and shuttles. However, the high production cost is expected to act as a restraint for the market in the near future.Get exclusive sample of this report:In terms of region, the global market for monolithic ceramics has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific accounted for the largest market share, followed by North America and Europe, in 2014. Demand for monolithic ceramics is high in Asia Pacific due to the expansion of the electrical & electronics sector in the region. Countries such as China, Japan, and India have largely contributed to the growth of the market in Asia Pacific. The growth automotive sector in Asia Pacific is expected create opportunities for wide applications of monolithic ceramics products, which would led to boost the demand in the near future. The U.S. led the market for monolithic ceramics in North America in terms of demand in 2014. The power sector is one of the major contributors to the monolithic ceramics market in North America. Europe is one of the high potential markets (after North America) due to the wide application scope of monolithic ceramics in countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. In 2014, China was the largest suppliers for monolithic ceramics in Asia Pacific. The growing demand for monolithic ceramics have forced the suppliers to take up capacity expansion.Major manufacturers operating in the monolithic ceramics market include Kyocera Corporation, CeramTec GmbH, Morgan Advanced Materials Plc, Saint-Gobain Ceramics Materials, and Zircoa Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.com/ Clear Brine Fluids Market An insight on the important factors and trends influencing the market 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/clear-brine-fluids-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2197 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Clear Brine Fluids Market: SnapshotWith increasing oil and gas drilling activities worldwide, companies operating in the global clear brine fluids market are being presented with lucrative opportunities to expand their business. As developed nations are striving to gain energy security, they are focusing on the development of shale reserves as a part of their strategy. The rise in oil and gas drilling activities for this purpose is likely to drive the sales of clear brine fluids as they are used in the completion process of oil and gas extraction. The increased drilling activities for the exploration of unconventional resources is an opportunity that manufacturers of clear brine fluid can capitalize on. However, the unstable economic and political situation in the Middle East is likely to impede oil and gas exploration activities resulting in a dip in the sales of clear brine fluids.Browse Clear Brine Fluids Market Research Report:As a result of all these factors, the global clear brine fluids market is likely to expand at a 6.2 % CAGR from 2015 to 2023. The market was worth US$891.3 mn in 2015 and is projected to touch a valuation of US$1,444.7 mn by 2023.Rise in Oil and Gas Drilling Activities to Enhance Sales of Clear Brine Fluids in North AmericaWith leading oil and gas companies operating in the region, North America emerged as the largest region in the global clear brine fluids market. As developed nations are motivated to gain energy security, the oil and drilling activities in the region are increasing rapidly. To maintain their position in the market and not be dependent on OPEC for energy sources, the countries in North America have increased their drilling activities to discover more shale reserves. North America accounted for 65.7% in terms of volume of the global clear brine fluids market in 2014 and is expected to hold a share of 64.8% by 2023.Asia Pacific emerged as the second largest region in the global clear brine fluids market owing to the presence of a large number of shale gas reservoirs in the region. China holds the largest share in the recoverable shale gas industry, which has made it the largest region in terms of consumption of clear brine fluids in Asia Pacific. The ongoing oil and gas drilling activities in Asia Pacific are subsequently boosting the sales of clear brine fluid in the region.Get exclusive sample of this report:Potassium Chloride Brine Fluids Products Segment to Witness Fastest GrowthPotassium chloride brine fluids are used for stabilizing water sensitive clays during the extraction completion process. It helps in controlling the formation damage and pressure in reservoirs during the extraction process, thus making it the most used clear brine fluid among various end-use industries. The global potassium chloride brine fluids segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.5% in terms of revenue between 2015 and 2023.The calcium chloride brine fluids products segment is expected to witness the second fastest growth in the coming years. The single-salt composition of calcium chloride brine fluids makes it an effective component used in the formation of brine completion and workover fluids. Owing to the increasing demand for calcium chloride brine fluids in the oil and gas industry for preventing clay hydration during drilling, this product segment is likely to grow at a steady pace in the coming years.The leading companies in the global clear brine fluids market are Israel Chemicals Ltd., Great Lake Solutions, Albemarle Corporation, and TETRA Technologies Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.com/ Biopesticides Market by Regional Analysis, Growth, Size, Key Players and Forecast 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/biopesticides-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=116 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Biopesticides Market: SnapshotPesticides that are derived from natural sources such as animals, plants, minerals, and bacteria are known as biopesticides. From environmental perspective and the point of ecological chain of crop protection, biopesticides are highly beneficial, and are commonly used to control the progress of pests, insects, pathogens, weeds, and other microorganisms in a crop field. Some of the common examples of biopesticides are microbial pesticides, plant growth regulators, insect pheromones, insect growth regulators, fungal biopesticides, viral biopesticides, and bacterial biopesticides. With biopesticides, farmers can significantly increment their yield as well as the quality of it.Browse Biopesticides Market Research Report:According to the report, the global biopesticides market was worth US$1.96 bn in 2015 and the opportunities are estimated to reach a valuation of US$4.17 bn by the end of 2023, expand at a strong CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period of 2015 to 2023. This prosperity of the market for biopesticides can be attributed to growing World population, which has consequently incremented the food demand. In addition to that, protecting crops from pests via other alternatives is now perceived as harmful in comparison to biopesticides protected crops. Owing to decreasing arable land and growing awareness regarding the contamination caused by chemical pesticides, the preference of biopesticides is increasing, as they are derived from natural resources. Moreover, regulations on food residues, growing resistance of insects against synthetic pesticides, convenience in handling, relatively low cost, and technological advancements are some of the other factors augmenting the demand in the global biopesticides market.Ease of Deployment Favoring Bioinsecticides SegmentBased on product type, the market for biopesticides is segmented into biofungicide, bioinsecticide, bionematicides, and bioherbicides. Among these, the segment of bioinsecticides is quickly gaining popularity for the purpose of crop protection. This is a reflection of the resistance shown by insects against pesticides in the recent times. Bioinsecticides are easy to deploy, which is another factor favoring the demand for the same.On the basis of active ingredient type, the market for biopesticides has been categorized into microbial pesticides, plant pesticides, and biochemical pesticides. Based on crop type, the market has been bifurcated into permanent crops, arable crops, and others including turf and forage grasses and greenhouse crops. Application-wise, the market has been segmented into seed treatment, on-farm application, and post-harvest application.Get exclusive sample of this report:Organic Food Trend Driving North America MarketThe demand for biopesticides is incrementing across all regions, while North America in particular is quickly turning into a highly lucrative region due to the growing organic food trend. Consumers are now willing to pay extra for food that have not been subjected to chemicals and growing organically using biopesticides and via advanced agricultural techniques. The U.S. is the primary North America market for biopesticides, and the demand is expected to primarily come from the fruits and vegetables segment, which is attributed to increasing awareness pertaining to nutritional benefits of crops produced using biopesticides. North America is expected to remain most prominent regional market for biopesticides throughout the forecast period, followed by Europe, although vast population base and growing awareness in several emerging economies such as India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea is expected to turn Asia Pacific into a lucrative market towards the end of the forecast period.The competitive landscape of the global biopesticides market is moderately consolidated with top five companies accounting for more than half of the shares. These five companies are Bayer CropScience AG, BASF SE, Valent Biosciences Corp, Arysta LifeSciences, Novozymes A/S, and Dow AgroSciences.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.com/ Polyglycolic Acid Market By Analysis of Major Industry Segments, Growth, Share, Demand 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/polyglycolic-acid-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=7394 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Polyglycolic Acid MarketWith the rapid increase in applications, the sales volume of polyglycolic acid is witnessing a significant rise. Traditionally, polyglycolic acid is utilized in the production of absorbable sutures, owing to its high tensile strength. However, nowadays, it is witnessing a widespread application in shale gas extraction, which is likely to present lucrative opportunities to market players in the near future. Polyglycolic acid manufacturers are also projected to witness huge growth opportunity in the years to come due to the growing preference of consumers for beverages with plastic packaging.Browse Polyglycolic Acid Market Research Report:The opportunity in the global market for polyglycolic acid is likely to rise at a CAGR of 10.10% during the period from 2015 to 2023 and increase from US$181.7 mn in 2014 to an estimated value of US$424.5 mn by the end of the forecast period.The growing application of polyglycolic acid in biomedical applications such as controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering, and manufacturing of implantable medical devices is also expected to fuel its demand remarkably during the forecast period. However, the high price of polyglycolic acid, together with the lack of awareness among customers, is predicted to restrict its application considerably over the next few years.Shale Gas Extraction to Exhibit High Consumption of Polyglycolic AcidShale gas extraction, packaging, medical, other applications, such as agriculture, civil engineering resins, and filters, are the main application areas of polyglycolic acid. Shale gas surfaced as the key consumer of polyglycolic acid in 2014 and was closely followed by the packaging segment. As, apart from China, North America is the only commercially active shale gas extraction region across the world, the demand from this segment was the strongest in this region.Over the forthcoming years, shale gas extraction is anticipated to remain the leading consumer of polyglycolic acid. Packaging and medical applications are also expected to register high demand for polyglycolic acid in the near future.Get exclusive sample of this report:Demand for Polyglycolic Acid to Remain Soring in North AmericaAsia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East and Africa are the key regional markets for polyglycolic acid. North America emerged as the market leader in 2014 with a share of more than 70%. The commercial extraction of shale gas has increased the consumption of polyglycolic acid in this region, which is likely to increase further over the coming years. The revenue generated by polyglycolic acid in this region is estimated to expand at a CAGR of approximately 10.4% between 2015 and 2023.The presence of prominent commercial producers of polyglycolic acid, especially Kureha Corp., in North America will also contribute significantly to the growth of this regional market in the near future. The rising demand for polyglycolic acid in medical application is projected to boost this market in other regions.Kureha PGA LLC has been leading the global market for polyglycolic acid since the last few years. Analysts project it to remain at the forefront of the market over the next few years. Other producers of polyglycolic acid across the world are EI Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Teleflex Inc., and Huizhou Foryou Medical Devices Co. Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.com/ Artificial Intelligence Market Shows Signs of Growth in Healthcare and Finance Sectors Artificial Intelligence Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/artificial-intelligence-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4674 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Artificial Intelligence Market: SnapshotGlobally, there is a wave of artificial intelligence across various industries, especially consumer electronics and healthcare. The wave is likely to continue in the years to come with the expanding base of applications of the technology. The global market for artificial intelligence is expected to witness phenomenal growth over the coming years as organizations worldwide have started capitalizing on the benefits of such disruptive technologies for effective positioning of their offerings and customer reach. In addition, the increasing It spending by enterprises across the globe for better advancements in their services and products.According to a study by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global market for artificial intelligence is estimated to post an impressive 36.1% CAGR between 2016 and 2024, rising to a valuation of US$3,061.35 bn by the end of 2024 from US$126.14 bn in 2015. The upward growth of the market is, however, hampered by the low upfront investments. The majority of companies operating in the market are facing difficulties in accumulating funds for early stage research and development of prototypes and their underlying technologies. The dearth of personnel with adequate technical knowledge is also restricting the market from realizing its full potential.Obtain Report Details @Expert Systems to Lead Revenue Generation through 2024On the basis of type, the report segments the global artificial intelligence market into digital assistance system, expert system, embedded system, automated robotic system, and artificial neural network. The expert system segment was at the forefront of growth in 2015, representing 44% of the overall market revenue and is poised to maintain its dominance until 2024. The growth of the segment can be attributed to the rising implementation of artificial intelligence across various sectors such as process control, monitoring, diagnosis, design, planning, and scheduling.Digital assistance is estimated to be the most promising segment in terms of revenue during the review period. The proliferation of portable computing devices such as tablets and smartphones is the primary factor propelling the growth of the segment. Based on application, deep learning held the lions share of 21.6% in the global market in terms of value in 2015, closely trailed by smart robots. The demand for artificial intelligence in image recognition is likely to rise at a noteworthy rate over the forecast horizon.Make an Enquiry @Domicile of a Raft of Leading Players to Fuel North Americas DominanceNorth America was the major revenue contributor in 2015, accounting for approximately 38.0% of the overall market. The domicile of a large number of the leading technology firms enables early introduction and high acceptance of artificial intelligence in the region. Moreover, high government funding is playing a pivotal role in the technological development of artificial intelligence in the region. The widening scope of applications the technology in various verticals, including media and advertising, retail, BFSI, consumer electronics, and automotive are also contributing the market in North America. Owing to these factors, the region is expected to retain its leadership through 2024.On the other hand, the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to exhibit a remarkable CAGR of 38.2% during the forecast period, which is higher than any other region. Rapid technological innovations, including robotic automation and increasing implementation of concepts such as smart cities are boosting the adoption of artificial intelligence in the region. Ongoing infrastructure projects such development of new airports are rendering the market in MEA highly opportunistic.Some of the prominent participants in the global artificial intelligence market are Nuance Communications, MicroStrategy Inc., QlikTech International AB, Google Inc., IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Brighterion Inc., Next IT Corporation, IntelliResponse Systems Inc., and eGain Corporation.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market Poised for a Stellar Growth Ahead Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/healthcare-natural-language-processing-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18554 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Healthcare Natural Language Processing Market: SnapshotNatural language processing (NLP) technologies allows humans to interact with computers through conventional languages such as English and German instead of artificial languages such as Java and C++. These technologies use a computer to process, analyze, and generate computational linguistics on the basis of human languages. Currently, NLP technology is being extensively used in the healthcare industry as several public and private health organizations are using it for clinical applications. Hospitals and clinics are adopting these technologies to improve patient engagement and bring in efficiency in decision-making capabilities. Owing to these reasons, the global healthcare natural language processing market is expected to be worth US$4.3 bn by the end of 2024 from US$936 mn in 2015. Between the years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 18.8%.The demand for NLP technology is expected to surge in the coming years as it is being used as a strategic tool to derive meaningful comprehensive of clinical informatics for effective outcomes by the healthcare industry. Used as a part of artificial intelligence systems, applications of NLP technologies are being deployed for predictive analysis and clinical decision support systems. The global healthcare natural language processing market is expected to receive an impetus from the uptake of these technologies by several companies for extracting knowledge from several clinic documents via machine learning or deep learning applications. The growing volume of unstructured clinical data and the unstoppable penetration of electronics health record (EHR) systems are expected to fuel the growth of this market in the coming years.Obtain Report Details @Demand for Machine Translation to Remain Steady through Forecast PeriodOn the basis of technology, healthcare NLP market is fragmented into machine translation, information extraction, automatic summarization, and text and voice processing. Out of these, the demand for machine translation and information extraction is expected to remain high in the healthcare applications in the coming years. The increasing influx of unstructured clinical information and pressing need for data analytics in clinical applications for text mining and document classification is expected to drive this demand. On the other hand, the text and voice processing segment is also projected to come across a plethora of opportunities in the healthcare NLP market. Factors such as growing adoption of speech recognition, and voice processing systems in EHR platforms, and artificial intelligence applications will boost the growth of the aforementioned segment.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Healthcare Natural Language Processing (NLP) Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market@North America Paces Ahead as Region Witnesses Spike in Number of ProvidersGeographically, the global healthcare natural language processing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Presently, North America and Europe are leading the global market. The dominance of North America is attributable to the growing adoption of advanced technologies in healthcare applications and a strong foothold NLP technology providers. This regional market is also likely to thrive due to growing number healthcare organizations that are focusing on real-time analytics along with the integration of data analytics in various clinical processes. Furthermore, the growing investments by companies in developing improved NLP technology and artificial intelligence with the help of machine learning and automated decision-making support systems are also expected to drive the North America healthcare natural language processing market in the coming years.The key players operating in the global healthcare natural language processing market are NLP Technologies, Inc., NEC Corporation, Apple, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Dolbey Systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, NetBase Solutions, Inc., SAS Institute, Inc., Verint Systems, Inc., eContext, Linguamatics Ltd., and Artificial Solution. Several companies are making terrific investments in developing advanced technologies and diversified solutions for healthcare applications.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Machine Vision Technology Market across the globe are competing to develop and incorporate newer technologies Machine Vision Technology Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/machine-vision-technologies.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2449 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Machine vision technology is used to provide imaging based automatic inspection, robot guidance and process control. It utilizes one or more cameras, converting analog to digital and digital processing system. The machine vision technology is rapidly replacing the manual inspection and measurements with image processing and smart cameras. These smart cameras do not require any computer and run and function independently. Moreover, adoption of this system in industrial as well as in non-industrial sector is expected to escalate the demand and growth of this market.Shift in demand of technology towards automation is one of the important factors driving this market. Machine vision technology helps in auto defect detection, quality inspection, tolerance monitoring and component measurement. Another driving factor of this market includes global increase in manufacturing sectors. Machine vision is largely used in manufacturing sectors for the inspection of microchips, resistors and components. In automotive industries, this technology is used for welding quality check, detecting defects and inspecting engine blocks. Therefore, increasing implementation of this technology in the manufacturing sector is driving the growth of this market.Obtain Report Details @The machine vision technology market has been segmented geographically into four region North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and RoW. Moreover the market is segmented by product types which includes embedded, PC based and smart camera based machine vision systems. The PC based machine vision held the largest market size of 60% growing at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period from 2015 to 2021. Furthermore, the market is segmented by application types that include industrial and non-industrial application. The industrial application segment is growing at a CAGR of 8.2% and the non-industrial segment is growing at a CAGR of 9.0% during the forecast period.Asia-Pacific region held the largest market size for machine vision technology market. Moreover, the market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period. One of the important driving factors of this market is increasing manufacturing sectors in Asia-Pacific market. In Asia Pacific region, PC based machine vision technology held the largest market share of 39.70% in 2014 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. The industrial application held the largest market share of 59.8% followed by non-industrial segment with 40.2%. However, one of the major restraints in this region is inefficient system operators due to the lack of training. Europe is next to Asia Pacific and had the market share of 35.0% in 2014.Brochure for Latest Trends with Future ForecastMajor industry participants include Cognex Corporation (Massachusetts), Basler AG (Germany), Allied Vision Technologies Inc. (Germany), Adept Technology Inc. (California), Keyence Corporation (Japan), ISRA Vision AG (Germany), Microscan Systems Inc.(Washington), Electro Scientific Industries Inc. (Oregon), OMRON Corporation (Japan) and Seeing Machines Ltd. (Australia) 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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Rising Developments in Construction and Automotive Sectors to Fuel Adoption of Metal Fabrication Services Globally Metal Fabrication Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/metal-fabrication-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11564 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Metal Fabrication Market: SnapshotInvestments in global infrastructure projects have been increasing rapidly over the past decade and this presents a growing opportunity for the prefabricated construction market to grow considerably in the coming years. This acts as a key factor driving the demand for metal fabricators, especially in developed regions such as North America.The global market for metal fabrication is also fueled by continued investments in electric furnace and metals processing, the growing aluminum consumption, the reshoring of manufacturing practices in the automotive industry, recovery in non-residential investments, and growing aerospace demand.The global metal fabrication market was valued at US$16.35 bn in 2015 and is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 3.0% to reach US$21.38 by 2024.Obtain Report Details @Soaring Application of Metal Fabrication in Construction SectorThe metal fabrication market is segmented on the basis of end use into construction, automotive, manufacturing, energy and power, electronics, and others. The construction sector is the leading end-use segment and its dominance in the metal fabrication market is characterized by the growing number of construction activities across developing economies.The most active consumer bases for metal fabrication services are the manufacturing and automotive sectors. In order to cater to the growing demand for metal fabrication in these two industries, metal fabrication units are focused on providing finished as well as fabricated metal products that can be directly used to assemble various parts.Brochure for Latest Trends with Future ForecastGermany, China Emerge as Influential Markets for Metal FabricationEurope was identified as the key metal fabrication market, holding approximately 1/4th of the global market share in 2015. The growing number of metal fabrication units in Europe is mainly attributed to the growing demand for metal fabricated products from the automotive and manufacturing sectors. In Europe, the industrial scenario is mainly adjudged by the overall growth in the manufacturing and automotive industries. Furthermore, favorable government regulations have strengthened the European metal fabrication market. Germany held the leading market share in the European region and is expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period, expanding at a CAGR of 4.3%.Asia Pacific is one of the key regions holding a comparatively larger share in the global metal fabrication market in 2015 and is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. China held the majority of the market share in Asia Pacific as well as globally and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 2.4% from 2016 to 2024. The establishment of new metal fabrication plants in Japan, China, India, Singapore, and South Korea is mainly driven by the rise in construction activities, the growing number of iron and steel manufacturing units, and an overall rise in the number of manufacturing plants. Furthermore, the growth of the industrial sector across Asia Pacific has positively influenced the expansion of the metal fabrication market in the past few years.Some of the leading players in the global metal fabrication market are ONeal Manufacturing Service, BTD Manufacturing Inc., Kapco Inc., Komaspec Pte Ltd., Mayville Engineering Company Inc., Watson Engineering Inc., Defiance Metal Products, Matcor-Matsu Group Inc., Standard Iron & Wire Works Inc., Ironform Corporation, LancerFabtech Pvt. Ltd., Interplex Holdings Pte. Ltd, and P & A International.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Top Players in Near Field Communication Chips Taking Mergers & Acquisitions Route to Expand NFC Chips Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nfc-chips-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15908 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global market for near field communication (NFC) chips is highly consolidated. The leading player NXP Semiconductor accounted for about 55% of the market share in 2015 and going forward too is predicted to retain its leading share. A few other prominent names operating in the market are STMicroelectronics, Broadcom Corp., Texas Instrument, Qualcomm Inc., and AMS AG. These companies have been resorting to mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships to up the ante and expand their footprints.A report by Transparency Market Research predicts the global market for near field communication (NFC) to clock a phenomenal 26.0% CAGR between 2016 and 2024 to reach a value of US$10.62 bn by 2024-end from US$1.35 bn.Obtain Report Details @At the forefront of driving growth in the near field communication (NFC) is the surging demand for consumer electronics that use NFC chips. As NFC chips simplify user interfaces to augment their applicability. This has led to their being used in various electronic goods including smartphones. The latter is contributing the most to the market at present.Although the future of this market looks bright, the complexity in product designs and the dearth of awareness among consumers are expected to limit the uptake of NFC chips, which may create hindrances for this market in the next few years, states the research report.Brochure for Latest Trends with Future ForecastNear field communication (NFC) chips find application in smartphones, medical equipment, televisions, and cars. Among them, the smartphone segment leads with a dominant share on account of their rapidly proliferating market. The medical equipment and television segments are also expected gain market share steadily in the years to come. While the growth in the television segment is expected to be generated primarily by the rising disposable income of consumers, the medical equipment segment is expected to be bolstered by the infrastructural developments in the medical and healthcare industry.Geographically, North America holds a dominating position in the market. In 2015, it accounted for a share of 34%. The market in the region has been primarily bolstered by collaborations between big banks and enterprises that help in tokenizing cards using NFC chips and the introduction of NFC modes, such as reader modes, card emulation standards, and peer-to-peer modes, by various semiconductor vendors.In the years ahead, however, Asia Pacific is predicted to gain greater market share than North America by expanding at a 27.90% CAGR between 2016 and 2024. The burgeoning smartphone market in the region will likely stoke stellar growth in the region. Europe is another key market slated to expand at a healthy clip owing to a robust smartphones market in Western Europe. Additionally, the increasing usage of other consumer electronics products, such as refrigerators, television, and cameras, coupled with the surging popularity of wireless technology will also bolster the market.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Presence of Several Leading Players Makes Asia Pacific a Key Solid State Drive Market Solid State Drive Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/solid-state-drive-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2978 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Solid state drives (SSDs) are gradually emerging as preferred digital storage devices over hard disk drives (HDDs). SSDs come with numerous advantages due to which they are gaining significant traction in the market. Due to the increasing implementation across various handheld devices, Transparency Market Research (TMR) projects the global solid state drive market to rise at a CAGR of 40.7% between 2015 and 2022.Despite lucrative growth prospects, the high price of SSD is expected to limit their sales to an extent. Nevertheless, technological breakthroughs are expected to reduce the cost of SSDs in the near future. This will further help augment growth witnessed by the global solid state drive market. According to TMR, the global solid state drive market stood at US$15.4 bn in 2014. The market is expected to reach US$229.4 bn by the end of 2022.Obtain Report Details @Presence of Several Leading Players Makes Asia Pacific a Key SSD MarketCurrently, Asia Pacific leads the global solid state drive market. China, Taiwan, and Japan have been identified as the most lucrative markets for solid state drives in Asia Pacific. The region features the presence of several leading SSD vendors such as Micron Technology, SanDisk Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Toshiba Corporation and others, which explains the strong potential of the region. Furthermore, demand for laptops and advanced mobile devices is surging rapidly in countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea.Besides demonstrating a large consumer base, Asia Pacific is also emerging as a lucrative manufacturing base for electronics. For instance, India and China in particular have become manufacturing centers for companies such as Dell, Acer, and HP. Spurred by these factors, TMR expects the Asia Pacific SSD market to expand at a robust 42.5% CAGR in terms of revenue from 2015 to 2022.The Middle East and Africa market is also likely to exhibit attractive opportunities for SSD vendors. The rising penetration of smartphones in the region is expected to boost demand for devices based on the flash memory technology. Since SSDs provide ideal storage solution for these devices, their demand for the Middle East and Africa is expected to rise considerably. Besides this, the SSD manufacturers will witness strong demand in Europe and North America.Brochure for Latest Trends with Future ForecastDemand for Enterprise SSDs to Rise at Higher Pace as Enterprises Look towards Performance ImprovementBy end user, the global solid state drive market is bifurcated into client SSD and enterprise SSD. Of these, the client SSD segment dominated the global SSD market in 2014. The term client SSD is used to differentiate between SSDs produced for enterprise use and those produced for consumers. This segment includes SSDs used in notebooks, consumer tablets, and desktops PC. The compact form factor of client SSDs renders them perfectly suitably for notebooks, which demand a thinner and lightweight body, high performance, and longer battery life.However, in the near future, TMR expects demand from the enterprise SSD segment to grow at a higher pace. Enterprise SSDs are designed to perform under continuous workloads in mission critical storage area networks. An increasing number of enterprises requiring high data throughput across severs are witnessing performance bottlenecks. The majority of them were dependent on HDDs. To mitigate these growing concerns, many of them are considering SSDs as a more viable storage option to improve performance, efficiency, and data center reliability. According to TMR, the enterprise SSD segment will exhibit a CAGR of 76.3% between 2015 and 2022.Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Lite-on Technology Corporation, Kingston Technology Corporation, OCZ Storage Solutions, Intel Corporation, and Western Digital Corporation, Inc.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: System Integration Market to Progressing with Communication Applications System Integration Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/system-integration-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2963 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com System integration enables to build computing systems for end users by combining hardware and software products from several vendors. By implementing systems integration, a company can gain low cost, pre-configured components of software. These small components of software help company to achieve key business goals. The global system integration market was valued at USD 191.36 billion in 2013 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 10.9% during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020. High investment in information technology infrastructure, emerging technologies such as big data analytics and cloud computing with the availability of network infrastructure in developed economies have contributed to the growth of this market.Traditionally, system integrators have long served the IT industry as technical specialist to bridge the gap between software and hardware. Different systems and computing devices in IT use different coding standards, different protocols for communication and different databases. This results in multiple, decentralized, heterogeneous, distinctive and complex infrastructure of distributed systems across the globe. As a result, the need for system integration increased among the enterprises and organizations. Hence, system integration helps business organizations stay ahead in the growing competition. Taken together, high investment in IT infrastructure and emergence of technologies such as cloud computing and big data analytics are the major drivers for system integration market.Obtain Report Details @The major application areas of system integration include defense, marine, telecommunication and IT, aviations, oil & gas, banking and healthcare among others. Banking, financial services and insurance was the largest revenue generating segment in 2013, which accounted for the share of 17.5% of the total system integration market.Geographically, North America dominated system integration market in 2013 owing to the increased internet penetration, growing business needs, and increased adoption of cloud computing and virtualization technologies. Emerging economies in Asia Pacific such as China, India and Japan are expected to be the fastest growing regional markets. China is seeking to connect many rural areas and developing cities via internet under the latest five-year plan. Hence, the growing potential for modern ways of working is expected to create increasing demand for system integration.Brochure for Latest Trends with Future ForecastThe market is fragmented in nature and players such Accenture Plc, BAE Systems Plc, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Computer Science Corporation (CSC), Fujitsu Limited, Harris Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, Infosys Technologies, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Oracle Corporation and Tata Consultancy Services Limited among others hold the distinguishable share of the system integration market.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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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, chemical, 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, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: A weekly collection of new hires, transitions, promotions and award winners in Oregon and southwest Washington: Hires/Moves Portland General Electric announced the appointment of Lisa Kaner as general counsel and corporate compliance officer. Kaner replaced Jay Dudley, who will retire at the end of June after nearly 30 years with the utility. She moves to PGE Thursday after more than 28 years as an attorney with the Portland business litigation firm Markowitz Herbold PC. Highland Commercial Roofing, a California-based commercial roofing company, has hired Adriel Sheridan as the vice president overseeing the Pacific Northwest region. The Camas, Washington, resident previously spent nearly 13 years as a branch manager for ABC Supply Co. He is a graduate of Boise State University. AHA of Vancouver welcomed four new hires: Brian Lanahan, director of strategy; Bill Hollister, senior creative director, Luke Heyerman, creative director; and Tony Kuypers, art director. AHA works with companies and industry leaders on their brand strategy, purpose-driven content and campaigns, executive thought leadership, employee engagement programs and corporate responsibility stories. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington has two new employees: Janie Spurgeon, vice president of development; and Ursula Arlauskas, development coordinator. The Community Foundation helps southwest Washington residents to build a more vibrant community by inspiring investments in local philanthropy. Openings OnPoint Community Credit Union announced that Denise Ingebretson-Tetz has been named manager of the new Happy Valley branch. The branch at 17055 S.E. Sunnyside Road, Suite 126, in Happy Valley opens June 30. Have a new hire, promotion or business award to share? Email us at business@oregonian.com, and put Attention: Business Movers in the subject line. Thousands of people who paid $200 for a tricked-out ice chest on Kickstarter might get as little as $20 back if the company never delivers. That's one provision in the Oregon Department of Justice's settlement with Coolest Cooler, a Portland company that failed to ship more than 21,000 coolers to those who backed its crowdfunding campaign three years ago. Oregon officials, who described broad outlines of the deal to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Monday, have now provided a copy of the full agreement. Under terms already reported, Coolest Cooler agreed to provide 873 coolers to all its Oregon backers and others who complained to the state by mid-April. It also requires the company to set aside 10 percent of its profits from future sales to fulfill commitments to other backers. The full agreement includes other important provisions, among them: A pledge by Coolest Cooler and crowdfunding campaign founder Ryan Grepper to pay $20 per cooler to all backers who still don't have their product by the middle of 2020. And the agreement states that Grepper cannot avoid the obligation through bankruptcy. An agreement that the company will not to use rewards-based crowdfunding sites until meeting its commitments to backers in this case. A promise to submit Coolest Cooler's financials to an outside accountant quarterly and to provide the Department of Justice with access to its financial records and progress reports. A $50,000, one-time payment to the Oregon Department of Justice. This browser does not support inline PDFs. Please download the PDF to view it: Download PDF Kickstarter has been a boon to craftspeople, artists and some entrepreneurs who turn to crowdfunding for niche projects that might otherwise have no way to pay for themselves. However, Coolest Cooler is just one of several examples of projects that started small but quickly grew overwhelmed by the demand. In 2014, Grepper went to Kickstarter to offer a cooler with a built-in blender, wireless speaker, phone charger and other amenities for $200, including shipping. Coolest Cooler immediately caught the public imagination, going viral on Facebook and appearing on national programs such as "Good Morning America." Coolest became, and remains, Kickstarter's second-most popular project ever, and is now its biggest failure. According to Grepper, he badly underestimated the logistical difficulties and costs of mass-producing the coolers. Manufacturing has been plagued by repeated delays, and Grepper told backers earlier this month that it costs $35 more to make and ship the product than he took in from backers. "I think he just got in over his head and he's got, as you see now, 20,000 people that are not happy," said Bryant Dean, who backed Coolest on Kickstarter in the summer of 2014 and never received his cooler. In Dean's case, he did file a complaint with Oregon and expects Grepper will find a way to deliver the 873 coolers it owes by October under the settlement agreement. However, Dean said, he's not optimistic Grepper will come through for all the others. "I find it doubtful he's going to get everybody else in the next three years, and I think those people are going to be very upset to only get $20," Dean said. Kickstarter collects fees on its projects but doesn't actually require entrepreneurs to deliver a product "rewards," in the website's terminology. And Kickstarter doesn't require campaigns to set a ceiling on how much they raise. So while most campaigns deliver what they promise, the handful of major projects that fail have an outsized impact. More than two years after backers were supposed to have their coolers, the Department of Justice said the Portland company has delivered 38,979 of the 60,439 it promised. The department began its investigation last year in response to hundreds of complaints. Grepper hasn't responded to inquiries on the project's status this week, but in his note to backers earlier this month he told them he felt "vindicated by the outcome." However, he warned that Coolest Cooler won't be delivering many coolers this year and needs to somehow raise as much as $4 million to fulfil its backlog. "I still can't promise a time frame," Grepper wrote, "but I can tell you we are doing the hard work every day and persisting because it's the right thing to do." Correction: This article has been corrected to note that the settlement applies to complaints the state received before mid April, not mid October. -- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699 TriMet's board of directors began Wednesday's meeting with a Portland woman who had been aboard the Max train where a known extremist fatally stabbed two men and attacked a third last month.The agency, she said, needs more security to deal with those kinds of threats. The meeting ended, at least temporarily, when it was interrupted by protesters who wanted more discussion about the police presence on the system. They wanted the agency to reverse its response to the May 26 stabbing, which included beefing up police patrols. The scene illustrates the transit agency's dilemma. While there's agreement that more needs to be done to ensure riders feel safe, the most vocal critics -- comprising a loose coalition of riders, union employees and police accountability activists -- say the presence of police officers actually has the opposite effect, especially for members of minority groups. Amy Farrara, said she was on the train when Jeremy Christian yelled epithets at two women, one black and one Muslim. The driver came on the public-address system to warn Christian that police would be called, she said, then exited the operator's cabin just in time to witness the stabbing. As the incident played out, the operator was the only TriMet staffer in sight, Farrara said, and he appeared ill-equipped to intervene. "I don't plan on getting back on a MAX train in some time, or ever. I want to help others make sure there's safety on the train," she told the TriMet board. "There should have been someone else there to diffuse the situation." TriMet increased security after the attack. It assigned more armed police officers, as well as unarmed but uniformed security guards and supervisors, to ride MAX trains in an effort to make riders feel safer. The agency contracts with local police agencies for its corps of 61 transit police officers, which is overseen by the Portland Police Bureau. In May, before the high-profile stabbing, TriMet's board approved a budget that included $10 million for a new transit police precinct to replace a leased facility. But critics contend that Transit Police target non-white riders. They point to studies that show black riders are more likely to be banned from the system, or to face criminal charges after instances of fare evasion, which is usually treated as a minor violation. The Amalgamated Transit Union has advocated for a reduced police presence, preferring instead more fare checkers, who are union employees. Though union members are particularly concerned about the recent increase in attacks on drivers, its leaders contend that police "intimidate the public" and are slow to respond in emergencies. Bus Riders Unite, a group of rider-activists, has pushed for "rider ambassadors," who would be unarmed but equipped with radios to summon police as needed. "We do need something more than we have now," said David Bouchard, a leader of the group. "We don't necessarily need more armed police." TriMet previously had a "rider ambassador" program in which volunteers rode bus lines to answer questions and act as the agency's eyes and ears, TriMet spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt said. The program ended, she said, because of "behavior issues" on the part of some volunteers. The meeting was disrupted when Mimi German, a frequent protester at Portland City Council meetings, interrupted to demand more discussion on the topic of police accountability. The meeting came a week after a Multnomah County grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing by a Transit Police officer who shot and killed a man holding a utility knife. The incident started at a transit station in Southeast Portland, where the man, 24-year-old Terrell Kyreem Johnson, was described as "acting erratically." Board chairman Bruce Warner declared the protesters to be trespassing and suspended the meeting, prompting a brief standoff between German and other protesters and TriMet's private security officers, who warned the protesters would be arrested. German eventually left the room and met outside the building with John Gardner, TriMet's director of diversity and transit equity, who invited the group to a private meeting later. That initial discussion was productive, German said afterward, and the protesters support some of the efforts Gardner raised. "We need to be at the table," she said. "The next step is to go to the meeting and see if what he's saying is actually happening." TriMet officials say they're trying to strike a balance between armed police and unarmed security personnel. The agency has hired additional fare inspectors and, in the wake of the May stabbing, is continuing its show of security presence on trains. Transit Police officers will continue working overtime indefinitely, Altstadt said, while 20 contract security officers hired after the May 26 attack will stay on for the next four to six months. TriMet was also scheduled to release new crime and safety statistics on Wednesday, but the presentation was delayed because of discrepancies in the numbers, the agency said. The release, usually in April, was already delayed because TriMet is moving to a new reporting methodology. -- Elliot Njus enjus@oregonian.com 503-294-5034 @enjus With July Fourth coming up next week, people will be putting fireworks on their calendars. But there are six more days to account for in the week ahead, so fill up the rest of them with these eight things to do in and around Portland. Estacada Timber Festival The real benefit of Oregon's prolific logging industry is not the paper products and revenue it brings the state. It's the competitive ax throwing, log rolling, pole climbing and chainsaw wielding to be seen in Estacada. 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 4; Estacada Timber Park, 30878 N.W. Evergreen Way, Estacada; $5 admission, $10 for parking; estacadatimberfestival.com St. Paul Rodeo St. Paul may be a small town, but it only knows how to have a rodeo one way: big. Attracting some of the world's best cowboys and cowgirls, this top-notch rodeo with down-home charm will rope you right in. Various times Friday, June 30-Tuesday, July 4; St. Paul Rodeo Grounds, 20025 Fourth St. N.E., St. Paul; $16-$30; stpaulrodeo.com Portland Craft Beer Festival It doesn't get much more local than this. Sample beers just from breweries inside Portland city limits, including Breakside, Ecliptic and Stormbreaker. Noon-10 p.m. Friday, June 30-Saturday, July 1 (ages 21 and over) and noon-7 p.m. Sunday, July 2 (family day); The Fields Neighborhood Park, 1099 N.W. Overton St.; $25; portlandcraftbeerfestival.com Movies in the park The classic summer activity of watching movies in the park is about to begin. Portland's summer movie series kicks off with "Sing," continuing with different screenings and live music almost every day for the rest of the summer. Music begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, movie starts after dusk; McCoy Park, North Fiske Avenue and North Trenton Street; free; portlandoregon.gov/parks Electric Vehicle Fest Check out a collection of cars that need no gas or oil, and talk to the people who drive them. As more and more people choose electric cars, this is a chance to get some questions answered if you're considering making the switch. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, July 1; Pioneer Courthouse Square; free; oeva.org Hillsboro Fourth of July parade Your July Fourth celebration doesn't have to begin with the fireworks. Hillsboro's beloved Fourth of July parade has been running for over 40 years, and it returns to main street this year with just enough small-town charm to have you shouting "'Merica" unironically. 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 4; Downtown Hillsboro; free; hillsbororotary.org OzCon 2017 OzCon International returns to Portland to celebrate L. Frank Blaum's 11th Oz book, "The Lost Princess of Oz," marking its centennial. Expect cOZplay at the OzCon Masquerade, guests, panels and presentations on "Ozzy topics," including a live performance to recreate the 1933-34 Wizard of Oz radio show. Registration opens at 9 a.m. Friday and Sunday and 10 a.m. Saturday, June 30-July 2, Airport Sheraton, 8235 N.E. Airport Way; $17.50-$35 single day or $37-$72 for three-day membership; ozconinternational.com Gearcon Steampunk Extravaganza "Neo-Victorian." "Retrofuturist." "Delights from the past that should have been." That's how organizers describe this annual festival of steampunk art and culture in Portland. Headliners include Vanity's Vaudeville Vixens burlesque revue (must be 18 to attend, $15) and the Historical Conjurer and Friends. But the fun is for everyone, with a scraphead challenge, tea dueling, costume competition and more. (All ages, but some 18+ programming.) 3 p.m.-midnight Friday, June 30, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday, July 1 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, July 2; DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 1000 N.E. Multnomah St.; $20-$35 for day pass, $50-$55 for weekend pass, ages 7-13 half price; pdxgearcon.com When researchers compared the number of sudden cardiac arrests in Multnomah County before and after the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, they expected to see a decline. They did but it was bigger than expected. "The real surprise is not that it dropped," said Dr. Eric Stecker, a cardiologist at Oregon Health and Science University and lead author on the study. "It was the magnitude about a 17 percent reduction." The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, confirms other research showing that an expansion of insurance coverage reduces mortality rates. It comes as the U.S. Senate considers a plan to replace former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. The Senate plan would curtail Medicaid, health insurance for the poor. As many as 22 million could lose coverage within a decade if it passes, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The researchers looked at sudden cardiac arrests because they're a definable health condition with a high mortality rate that preventive care can lower. Nationwide, about 350,000 people a year die from sudden cardiac arrest out of the hospital, according to the American Heart Association. Few warning signs typically precede sudden cardiac arrests, but good health habits can reduce their possibility, including no smoking, controlling blood pressure, using cholesterol medication and evaluating high-risk symptoms. Patients with health insurance are more likely to get that kind of preventive care, Stecker said. "It's really hard to engage in medical care if you're paying out of pocket," he said. The study was praised by Dr. Dan Oseran, chief cardiologist for Providence Health and Services. "It was very well done, provocative and timely," Oseran said. "It speaks to what we in the cardio-vascular community have long felt, which is increased access to health care leads to an opportunity for better primary and secondary prevention." Under the Affordable Care Act, 22,000 people in Multnomah County gained coverage through the Oregon Health Plan, which oversees the state's Medicaid program. In relative terms, Medicaid coverage rose from 7 percent to 14 percent of the population, Strecker's study found. Coverage also expanded for others who bought plans through the individual marketplace, but most of the overall expansion came from increased Medicaid, Stecker said. The study compared the number of cardiac arrests before the Affordable Care Act (from 2011 through 2012) and after (from 2014 through 2015) for people 45 to 64 and people 65 and older. The 65-plus group was used as a control because they're almost universally covered by Medicare, the federal health insurance for seniors. The number of cardiac arrests for the 90,000 seniors in Multnomah County stayed fairly flat, with 275 cardiac arrests before the Medicaid expansion and 269 after. But in the 45 to 64-year-old group, about 200,000 people, they fell from 102 to 85. Stecker doesn't know how many people survived. Research has shown that 15 percent of people in Multnomah County usually survive sudden cardiac arrest, compared with about 10 percent nationwide. Follow-up research is needed to rule out other factors that might have affected the cardiac arrest rate, such as lifestyle changes, like stopping smoking, healthy eating and exercise, Stecker said. "It is hard to flesh those out," Stecker said. "They could have played some role." The study is backed up by other research, he said, including a study by the Institute of Medicine that shows that people use insurance for preventive care. "Our study really is consistent with and reinforces prior studies that show that improved preventive care and decreased death rates come after expanding insurance," Stecker said. -- Lynne Terry By Loretta Smith and Andrew McGough This summer marks the ninth year of SummerWorks, a public-private partnership that puts youth to work in our community during the summer. Following our SummerWorks kickoff this Friday in Portland, more than 1,100 interns will begin their jobs across Multnomah and Washington counties. More than 34,000 young people aged 16 to 24 are out of school and out of work in the Portland metro area. Without a sustained commitment to our youth, they will face additional barriers to realizing their full potential as active and engaged citizens. At the same time, regional employers who offer family-wage jobs in industries such as health care, construction, manufacturing and information technology face a growing shortage of skilled workers. But SummerWorks is more than just a paycheck. There is no better place to learn the skills needed to be successful at work than work itself. Research shows that youth who work are more likely to return to school, have a job in subsequent years and earn more money in their lifetimes. They are also less likely to engage in crime and other high-risk behaviors. From the inception of the program in 2009, more than 5,000 young people have participated. And the results speak volumes: 93 percent returned to high school, post-secondary school or became employed. Moreover, a study conducted by Oregon State University found that $1.20 was returned to our local economy for every $1 spent on youth wages. Since 2000, the summer employment rate for teens has plummeted from 53 percent to 32 percent. And the numbers are significantly worse for low-income youth and youth of color. Nationally, the jobless rate for teen-age African Americans is 27 percent. Over the coming months, we'll work to increase the number and variety of work experiences available to local young people. We'll implement new tools to certify the readiness of our young job seekers, and expand connections with local employers to ensure all our youth have the opportunities to fully participate in the region's growing economic success. This summer Multnomah County will host 650 of the more than 1,100 SummerWorks interns in our region. This has been a priority for the county since this program launched in 2011 with 25 interns. Even in this challenging budget atmosphere, the Multnomah County Board invested more than $2 million in this program because we believe that the opportunity to succeed should be available to everyone. SummerWorks is a locally supported initiative of Multnomah County, Worksystems, Inc., the cities of Portland and Beaverton, Washington County, TriMet, Portland Public Schools, the Hillsboro School District, the Oregon Department of Human Services and local private businesses. Despite the benefits of work, and a favorable labor market, far too many of our young people continue to struggle. Join us in these efforts to support summer jobs. The program can't succeed without our partners from the private sector. This program is an opportunity for private industry to become engaged, active members of our community. If you're interested in hosting a SummerWorks intern, we are still looking for more job placement opportunities. Contact Roland Chlapowski at 503-478-7332 or rchlapowski@worksystems.org. Loretta Smith serves on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Andrew McGough is the executive director of Worksystems, Inc., which runs SummerWorks. Update: FBI agent faces 5-count indictment in Finicum shooting investigation An FBI agent has been indicted on federal accusations that he lied about firing at Robert "LaVoy" Finicum last year as police arrested the leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation. The agent will face allegations of making a false statement with intent to obstruct justice, according to sources familiar with the case. The indictment stems from a more than yearlong investigation by the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Justice. The agent will be identified when he's summoned to appear in U.S. District Court in Portland at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Investigators said a member of the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team fired at Finicum as his 2015 Dodge pickup truck crashed into a snow bank at a roadblock on U.S. 395. Finicum had just sped away from a surprise traffic stop on the rural highway as the occupation leaders traveled off the refuge to a community meeting Jan. 26, 2016. The agent's bullets didn't hit Finicum, 54, an Arizona rancher who was the spokesman for the armed takeover of the federal sanctuary near Burns in Harney County. Moments later, state police troopers shot Finicum three times after he emerged from his white truck and reached for his inner jacket pocket, where police said he had a loaded 9mm handgun. One bullet pierced his heart, an autopsy found. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Gorder Jr. revealed in court papers last June that a grand jury was reviewing the FBI actions. Gorder was explaining the government's desire to keep its memorandum about the inspector general's investigation out of the hands of defense lawyers representing other occupation leaders on federal conspiracy charges. The FBI and state police had moved in on Ammon Bundy and other key figures as they were driving in two vehicles from the refuge to a meeting in John Day. Finicum initially stopped but then raced off from police, and less than a minute later swerved into the snow to avoid the roadblock set up by FBI and state police. As Finicum left his truck, an FBI agent shot twice at Finicum, though none of the hostage team members admitted to discharging their firearms, the Deschutes County sheriff alleged. The county sheriff's office was tasked with investigating the Finicum shooting. The Oregon investigators concluded that one agent fired at Finicum's truck, hitting it in the roof and missing on the second shot. A state trooper later described to investigators seeing two rifle casings in the area where the FBI agents were posted. But detectives called to investigate didn't find the casings, police reports indicated. Federal law prohibits "knowingly and willfully'' making any false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation or concealing information. Less than two months after the shooting, the FBI acknowledged that a federal agent was under investigation for firing shots and four other members of his FBI team were under investigation for covering up the gunshots. The status of the investigation into the four other FBI team member is unclear. At a news conference in March 2016, Portland's-then FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Bretzing told reporters, "The question of who fired these shots has not been resolved.'' It's unclear if the indicted agent is on leave or has been dismissed from his job. The hostage team is part of the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group, based out of Quantico, Virginia. Oregon's U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams has scheduled a news conference later Wednesday afternoon at the federal courthouse. His spokesman Kevin Sonoff declined any comment, and Portland's FBI spokeswoman Jennifer Adams said she was unaware of the matter. The indictment follows two federal trials against refuge occupiers accused of conspiring to impede U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management employees from doing their work at the refuge through intimidation, threat or force. Ammon Bundy, older brother Ryan Bundy and five other defendants were acquitted last fall of conspiracy and weapons charges. A second trial of four other occupiers resulted in split verdicts earlier this year, with defendants Jason Patrick and Darryl Thorn convicted of conspiracy and others convicted of damaging government property and misdemeanor charges, including trespass. Finicium's widow, Jeanette Finicum, has said she plans to sue Oregon State Police and the FBI for civil rights violations in her husband's death. The suit will allege that state police and the FBI used excessive force in the confrontation that could have ended peacefully and that improper police procedures and lack of communication between state police and FBI agents at the scene contributed to his death, her lawyer said. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian An FBI agent accused of lying about firing two shots at Oregon standoff spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum faces a five-count indictment, charging him with three counts of making a false statement and two counts of obstruction of justice. W. Joseph Astarita, 40, dressed in a dark pinstriped suit, white dress shirt and red-and-blue striped tie, made his first appearance on the indictment Wednesday in a packed federal courtroom, with heightened security inside and in the corridors of the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse. A lawyer standing beside Astarita entered not guilty pleas on his behalf to all charges. Astarita will remain out of custody pending trial. Astarita is accused of firing twice at Finicum but missing him as Finicum emerged from his white truck after swerving into a snowbank to avoid a law enforcement roadblock on U.S. 395 in Harney County. Finicum had sped away from a state police and FBI stop moments earlier as authorities tried to arrest leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation on Jan. 26, 2016. As he crashed in the snow, Finicum's truck nearly struck another FBI agent, police said. The indictment says Astarita, who served as a member of the elite FBI Hostage Rescue Team, "falsely stated he had not fired his weapon during the attempted arrest of Robert LaVoy Finicum, when he knew then and there that he had fired his weapon.'' Astarita is accused of lying to three supervisory FBI agents, concealing from Oregon investigators that he fired his weapon and failing to alert the FBI's Shooting Incident Response Team about his shooting as required. "Defendant acted with the intent to hinder, delay and prevent the communication of information from the Oregon State Police to the Federal Bureau of Investigation relating to the possible commission of a federal offense,'' the indictment says. The criminal indictment stems from an 18-month-long investigation by the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Justice. Defense lawyer Alison Clark represented Astarita during the two-minute hearing but told the court that Astarita expects to obtain his own local attorney. U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice M. Stewart set a trial date for Aug. 29. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamala Holsinger estimated a trial would last a week. The indictment will likely cast a shadow on the highly trained FBI Hostage Rescue Team and fuel Finicum supporters and groups fighting government control of public land. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, working with the Deschutes County Major Incident Team, conducted the investigation. A Deschutes County sheriff's detective who was involved in the investigation attended the court hearing. Oregon's U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams held a news conference after the hearing, standing with Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson, Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton, Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Tompkins of the Office of the Inspector General and Holsinger, the U.S. Attorney's Office chief criminal prosecutor. Williams said Astarita's alleged actions don't call into question earlier investigation findings that Oregon State Police were justified in using deadly force against Finicum. Sheriff Nelson credited his investigators for "going where the evidence led'' and discovering the the FBI shots. Nelson, though, said he was "disappointed and angry'' that the FBI Hostage Rescue Team's actions "damage the integrity of the entire law enforcement profession.'' The sheriff also criticized the FBI for failing to place the agent and his fellow Hostage Rescue Team members on paid leave after he and investigators traveled to FBI headquarters over a year ago. They briefed the FBI's then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, now acting director, about their findings and potential criminal liability, he said. "Today's indictment will ensure that the defendant and hopefully any other HRT members will be held accountable through the justice process,'' Nelson said. The FBI agent's bullets didn't hit Finicum, 54, an Arizona rancher who was one of the leaders of the Jan. 2 takeover of the federal bird sanctuary near Burns. Moments later, state troopers shot Finicum three times after he emerged from his white truck at the roadblock and reached for his inner jacket pocket, where police said he had a loaded 9mm handgun. Bullets struck him in the back and one pierced his heart, an autopsy found. The FBI and state police had moved in on Ammon Bundy and other key occupation figures as they were driving from the refuge to a community meeting about 100 miles away in John Day. Oregon investigators concluded that Astarita fired twice at the truck, hitting it in the roof and missing on the second shot. A state trooper later described seeing two rifle casings in the area where the FBI agents were posted. But detectives who arrived later at the scene to investigate didn't find the casings, police reports indicated. None of the members of the Hostage Rescue Team acknowledged the shooting, the investigators said. The indictment follows two federal trials against refuge occupiers accused of conspiring to impede U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management employees from doing their work through intimidation, threat or force. Ammon Bundy, his older brother Ryan Bundy and five other defendants were acquitted of conspiracy and weapon charges last fall. Two other co-defendants were found guilty of conspiracy after a trial this year. Others were found guilty of misdemeanor charges, such as trespass. Eleven other refuge occupiers pleaded guilty to the federal conspiracy charge. "I'm encouraged. I'm thrilled that the grand jury came back with this finding,'' said Finicum's widow, Jeannette Finicum. But she said she also has concerns about the lack of charges for the other four FBI agents at the scene with Astarita. She said she listened to the U.S. attorney's press conference and agrees that the agent should be considered innocent until proven guilty. She said she wished that same standard would apply to the Bundys and others, who have been incarcerated for more than a year awaiting trial in Nevada. "The Finicum family applauds the U.S. Department of Justice for doing this. Nobody is above the law,'' said their lawyer, Brian Claypool. "The fact that the U.S. Department of Justice stepped in and investigated one of their own and said, 'You can't obstruct justice, you're not above the law' sends a very positive message. This is about upholding public trust and preserving the integrity of any investigation involving a death at the hands of law enforcement.'' The Finicum family has put Oregon State Police and the U.S. government on notice of its intent to file a civil claim alleging excessive force in Finicum's death. No lawsuit has been filed yet, but the agent's indictment will only serve to support the civil case, Claypool said. Claypool said he believes that the agent didn't admit shooting at Finicum when he did because the timing of the shots wasn't justified. When Finicum crashed into the snowbank, he "was not posing a risk of serious harm'' and the shots escalated the situation, Claypool said. Other law enforcement experts privately questioned whether the agent didn't admit he fired shots because he missed his target. During the occupation trials, defense lawyers urged the judge to compel the government to turn over investigative records of the FBI's alleged misconduct. But U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown said the FBI's actions weren't relevant to the conspiracy, weapons and other charges against Ammon Bundy and the others. On Wednesday, federal officials wouldn't say whether Astarita is still working for the FBI or has been placed on leave or if any action has been taken against the other members of his FBI Hostage Rescue Team at the scene of the Finicum stop and shooting. An FBI spokeswoman also declined any comment. Hampton, the Oregon state police superintendent, said he was discouraged that the FBI agent's actions may diminish law enforcement's reputation. He said the actions, however, don't represent the FBI or hundreds of others involved in the arrests of the occupation leaders. When the investigation of the FBI's actions was announced last year, former FBI agents and criminal justice experts said they were stunned that an agent might lie about firing his gun. That the bullets missed their apparent target drew even more disbelief. "Here you have one of the best trained units in the FBI. They're only supposed to shoot when there's an active threat. You would hope they would be accurate in doing so,'' said Michael German, a 16-year veteran of the FBI who now serves as a national security expert and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice in New York University's School of Law. "In the FBI, the most important thing is to tell the truth,'' said Danny Coulson, who served as special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon from 1988 to 1991 before becoming the agency's deputy assistant director in charge of terrorism operations. Coulson was the first commander of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and was a deputy FBI director during the bloody 1992 shootout in Ruby Ridge, Idaho. He now runs a security consulting business in Texas. A conviction for making false statements can result in a sentence of up to five years in prison. A conviction for obstruction of justice can lead to a sentence of up to 20 years, according to federal prosecutors. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Updated 10 a.m. June 28 A Medford boy was airlifted to Portland Tuesday evening after he was discovered in a car trunk by his parents and suffered "severe heat-related illness." The 6-year-old is in critical condition, reports KDRV, the Southern Oregon ABC affiliate. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Medford Police responded to Columbus and Eighth streets, where the boy was found. He was first sent to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, then airlifted to Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. Temperatures in the Rogue Valley reached a high of 89 degrees Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature inside of a car can heat up by a little more than one degree per minute, according to PETA. It is not known how long the boy was in the trunk. Medford police said Wednesday morning that it appears as though the boy got into the car trunk on his own. Officials are investigating it as an accident. Investigation Posted by KDRV NewsWatch 12 on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 --Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344 @edercampuzano ecampuzano@oregonian.com A road flagger killed when a dump truck accidentally ran him over last week in Happy Valley has been identified as a 71-year-old man from Sandy, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. Martin P. Lavell was with his crew repairing a gas leak near Southeast 132nd Avenue and Rose Meadow Drive on Friday, June 23, said Deputy Robbie Nashif, a Clackamas County sheriff's spokesman. Lavell was helping the truck's driver move the stalled vehicle out of the road when the truck hit him. The driver put the truck in neutral, and it rolled backward while Lavell was behind it, Nashif said. Lavell died at the scene. The investigation is ongoing. No arrests were made June 23. No other details were available Tuesday. Staff writer Everton Bailey Jr. contributed to this report. Samantha Matsumoto 503-294-4001; @SMatsumoto55 Updated at 3:46 p.m. An estimated 420,000 Oregonians would lose their health care coverage by 2026 -- mostly due to Medicaid cuts -- if the Senate health care bill becomes law, according to a new state analysis. Republican boosters of the Senate plan say the bill is desperately needed to prop up an increasingly unstable insurance market. State officials argue the opposite -- that the estimated 150,000 Oregonians predicted to drop out of the individual insurance market over the next two years could plunge the market into a "death spiral." To offset the federal cuts called for under the Senate bill, Oregon would have to increase spending by $6.2 billion between 2020 and 2026. That's a significantly harsher toll than the one forecast for the House version floated earlier this spring, state officials said. The Senate plan would slash Medicaid funding, cut taxes for the wealthy and end the Obamacare mandate that people buy health insurance. Most experts predict the legislation would lower insurance costs for the young and healthy, and raise rates significantly for those closer to retirement. Medicaid currently covers just over 1 million Oregonians. Eligibility is based on income -- no more than $16,000 for individuals and $33,000 for a family of four. Gov. Kate Brown joined a chorus of governors who condemned the Senate proposal. "Ultimately, Oregon's uninsured rate would triple, and our families and neighbors would suffer from unaffordable and inadequate coverage," Brown said. "Uninsured Oregonians would be forced to use emergency rooms, driving up costs for all of us." The Senate bill appears to be stalled. It seemed to lose momentum after the Congressional Budget Office predicted 22 million Americans would lose coverage if it became law, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell postponed a vote. The delay marked another humbling reversal for Republicans, who for the second time have produced legislation that failed to gain widespread support even within their own party. McConnell insists the legislation is alive and that the Senate will vote after the July 4 recess. President Donald Trump hinted Wednesday that Senate Republicans will unveil a "big surprise" that will get the bill back on track. Republicans are adamant that Medicaid costs need to be controlled; total spending grew 9.7 percent to $545.1 billion in 2015, or more than the entire U.S. Department of Defense. In Oregon alone, Medicaid spending now exceeds $8 billion a year. Program participation jumped more than 60 percent in one sudden burst in 2014, after the Affordable Care Act loosened eligibility standards. That added another 400,000 people to the state's Medicaid ranks. The Republican bill would phase out the 2014 expansion. The GOP bill could also cut funding for Oregon's so-called K Program, which offers funding that keeps the severely disabled at home and out of institutions. The Oregonian/OregonLive recently told the story of Gloria Rogers, a 3-year-old from Roseburg stricken with a seizure disorder and cerebral palsy. The K program pays for her in-home nursing care, allowing her parents to work. About 25,000 Oregonians, nearly a third of them children, benefit from the program. Oregon's Democratic lawmakers are working to replace federal Medicaid funding with state money. Earlier this month, the House voted to create a $550 million tax on health care providers. Brown supports the bill, saying it was among her three top priorities before the legislative session ends July 10. The states are responsible for dispensing Medicaid funds, a job that's not always gone smoothly in Oregon. As recently chronicled in The Oregonian/OregonLive, the state has spent more than $166 million on a new computer system that would automate the enrollment and eligibility process. Due in part to lingering problems with the technology, the Oregon Health Authority acknowledged this spring that it has distributed billions of Medicaid dollars for people unable to verify whether they met income qualifications. Federal law requires states to check that Medicaid recipients meet the income thresholds once a year. As the economy improved and unemployment decreased, many people saw their incomes climb to the point they no longer qualified for the program. Responsibility for Medicaid payments has since been shifted from the Oregon Health Authority to the Department of Human Services, which promptly launched its own effort to improve the enrollment technology. The additional work will cost another $200 million, officials said. -- Jeff Manning 503-294-7606, jmanning@oregonian.com A Portland judge Wednesday refused to allow a man accused of killing his 1-year-old daughter by methadone overdose to get out of jail by posting bail. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Adrienne Nelson found that prosecutors had presented enough evidence that Darian Lee McWoods, 24, should remain in jail pending trial in January. McWoods is accused of killing his 15-month-old daughter, Kamaya Flores, by abuse after prosecutors said he either gave the toddler methadone or she came across some of the methadone he had around the house in December 2013. Prosecutor Amity Girt said McWoods was a drug user who laced kid-friendly drinks, such as Capri Sun, with drugs. Autopsy results also found that the girl had methamphetamine in her system, police said. The girl also suffered broken ribs likely from McWoods squeezing her dangerously tight and threatening her life with "compression asphyxia," Girt said during a hearing over two days. McWoods had been known to use a risky tactic to get his daughter to sleep, prosecutors said, by holding her down until she stopped struggling and went to sleep. Police have said McWoods was the only person in his Southeast 85th Avenue home with the girl on the day of her death. Although Kamayas mother wasnt at the home that day, text messages to McWoods show that she also used the sleep tactic, according to prosecutors. Seventeen days before the toddlers death, she texted McWoods that she had just held Kamaya down and plugged her nose to get her to sleep, prosecutors said. It took police and prosecutors almost three years to build a case against McWoods, who was indicted in December 2016. The ruling to keep McWoods in jail disappointed McWoods and Kamayas mother, Maicee Flores, who was sitting in the courtroom. McWoods winked at Flores as he was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. About 1 1/2 years after Kamaya's death, the two had another child together. Police Detective Michele Michaels testified that Flores also named that baby Kamaya and that state child welfare workers took custody of the girl. During this week's hearing, McWoods attorney, Josephine Townsend, countered virtually every piece of prosecution evidence against her client, saying police and prosecutors had "tunnel vision" and were out to prove McWoods is a killer when he isn't. Townsend called upon the testimony of Janice Ophaven, a pediatric forensic pathologist, who said the results showing drugs in Kamayas system could have been the result of a laboratory mix-up with someone else's blood. Ophaven said Kamayas broken ribs also could have been caused by resuscitation efforts, and she saw no evidence in the autopsy that the girl was the victim of prior abuse. The prosecutor, Girt, however, characterized Ophaven as relatively inexperienced. Ophaven said her last autopsy of a child was probably about 10 years ago. Girt pointed to the testimony of Larry Lewman, who has conducted more than 10,000 autopsies of adults and children in his 46-year career as a deputy state medical examiner in Oregon. Lewman testified he doesnt believe the broken ribs were caused by CPR because young childrens ribs are far too pliable to break that way. He said the girl had been dead long before McWoods called 911, because her core body temperature was so low. -- Aimee Green Police are asking for help from the public to solve the death of a man found in his Northeast Portland home earlier this month. Police found Bryan Elton Spaulding, 36, shot to death in his home in the 3500 block of Northeast 10th Avenue on June 12, said Portland police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson. Simpson said in an email that Spaulding had been killed shortly before he was found. Investigators believe Spaulding's death was a homicide. The state medical examiner determined he was a shooting victim. Investigators have not identified a suspect and do not know why Spaulding was killed. Police are offering a reward up to $2,500 for any information about Spaulding's death. Tips can be made anonymously. Tips can be submitted by texting CRIMES, typing 823HELP followed by the tip. They can also be submitted online or by calling 503-823-HELP. The Oregonian/OregonLive Crews working on the lift span of the Morrison Bridge moved operations Wednesday morning and shifted traffic lanes from the south to the north side of the bridge. Travel lanes remained open during the switch. Update 10:30 a.m.; The multi-use path on south side of Morrison Bridge is closed for construction through August. North sidewalk is open for pedestrians only. The contractor has completed installation of the new steel deck on the north side as of Wednesday. Now workers will replace the south side deck of the east leaf. For the next month, drivers will travel over an open steel grid on the east leaf of the bridge, similar to the grid on the Hawthorne Bridge. Motorcycle riders should use extreme caution. Work on the bridge is expected to be completed by October 2017. NORTHEAST PORTLAND 9 a.m.; Crash I-5 southbound near Rosa Parks Way has one lane blocked. *** EAST VANCOUVER 7:34 a.m.; Crash I-205 southbound after the 10th Street overpass. Traffic slow from SR 500 to that point. Update 8 a.m.; Cleared. *** BANFIELD 7:08 a.m.; A rollover crash has all lanes of I-84 eastbound blocked at 33rd Avenue. Responders on the way. I-84 east Update 7:45 a.m.; All lanes now open. Exit to 33rd Avenue also open. * *** TUALATIN 6:43 a.m.; Crash I-5 northbound near the Nyberg exit is on the right shoulder. Fire crews have taken the right merge lane. Update 6:57 a.m.; cleared. *** One lane of U.S. 101 is now open to traffic in both directions, controlled by flaggers, at milepost 48 south of Wheeler. The road had been closed since Monday night due to a sinkhole. Crews inspected the sinkhole Tuesday and repairs are scheduled to being possibly on Thursday. The road will be completely closed again when road crews arrive to fix the hole. When the road is closed, OR 53 and Miami River Road will serve as a detour for U.S. 101 through traffic. New insurance study shows Portland drivers are getting worse, not better. Check back throughout the morning for the latest commuting updates and follow us on Twitter: @trafficportland A robbery suspect shot by police after he and his wife led authorities on a two-county chase in a minivan last October with three of their children in the backseat was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison for repeatedly firing a rifle and shotgun at pursuing officers. Joshua Luther admitted shooting at five police officers but said he didn't intend to hurt them and had no excuse for what he did. He was shot twice in the buttocks to end the four-mile chase through Washington and Clackamas counties. No one else was injured. He said the injuries he sustained in the shooting have left him unable to run. "That's what I get for messing around," said Luther, 37. Earlier that day, he had stolen $70 at gunpoint from a Southwest Portland motel clerk to feed his children, he said. The family was homeless and living out of their van at the time because of the parents' addiction to methamphetamine, prosecutors said. "I love my kids dearly," Luther said, crying. "My daughter was hungry, so we had to have it." With the long prison sentence, he said he can no longer be a father to his children but looks forward to being a grandfather if he's released in his 60s. The couple have a fourth child who wasn't with them at the time of the chase. Washington County Circuit Judge Kirsten Thompson told Luther that his situation could have been much worse and his prison time may go quickly. She said he'll never stop being a father and must set a better example to his kids by taking responsibility for his actions. "Hopefully you will continue to work on your issues while you're in prison," Thompson said. Luther pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated murder for the shooting on Oct. 25. He is expected to serve the 25-year sentence at the same time as any sentence he might receive if convicted in pending cases against him in three other counties, including armed robbery charges, said Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lesowski. Luther, a register sex offender, has a criminal history dating to his young teens, including convictions for assault, burglary and theft, Lesowski said. He has significant "psychiatric and psychological issues" which may have been elevated by head injuries and trauma when he was younger, Lesowski said. A psychologist determined Luther suffered from psychosis, a personality disorder and psychopathic tendencies, the prosecutor said. His wife, 29-year-old Michelle Luther, was sentenced in April to 10 years in prison for her role as the getaway driver in the police chase. She pleaded guilty to attempted murder. After taking the money from the Aladdin Inn along Southwest 30th Avenue, the Luthers and their 8-, 7- and 4-year-old children drove to a Shell gas station in Tigard about 2 1/2 miles away, Lesowski said. Michelle Luther used part of the money to buy cigarettes and snacks. As she was heading back to the minivan, a Portland police officer approached with his patrol car lights flashing. Michelle Luther sped away after her husband told her to, Lesowski said. Joshua Luther had a pistol, a .22-caliber rifle and sawed-off shotgun in the van, Lesowski said. The couple drove along Oregon 99W in Tigard and through Lake Oswego to an intersection near Lower Boones Ferry Road and Jean Way, where traffic congestion stopped the van. Along the way, with eight to 10 patrol cars following, Joshua Luther leaned out the passenger side window and repeatedly fired the rifle and then the shotgun, Lesowski said. At one point, Michelle Luther swerved around police spike strips. When the minivan stopped in Lake Oswego, Joshua Luther fled with the shotgun and pistol, Lesowski said. He ran to the back of a nearby Walgreens, dropped the guns, climbed a fence, was ordered to stop by Tigard Officer Andrew Pastore, who shot him when he reached for his waistband, the prosecutor said. Defense attorney Alexander Hamalian said Luther was prepared to die "from the moment he stepped out of that vehicle" and intentionally motioned toward his waist even though he was unarmed. But Luther's brush with death made him realize he had something to live for, Hamalian said. "Even though Mr. Luther created a situation that was harmful to everyone around him, he still did have that love for his children," Hamalian said. "He has realized that his conduct was selfish and reckless toward his children and this is the first step in allowing him to put this behind him and rebuild his relationship with his children." The couple's children are living with Joshua Luther's mother in Washington state, said his father, David Luther of Pensacola, Fla., who attended the sentencing hearing. The chase and arrest were the culmination of a downward slide for the younger Luther, Hamalian said. He had careers as a volunteer firefighter and mixed martial arts fighter, but both ended last July 4, the lawyer said, when he grabbed a lit mortar firework out of a child's hand and it exploded as he tried to throw it away. Luther's right hand was amputated. He used pain medications as part of his treatment and it led to methamphetamine abuse, the defense lawyer said. His wife joined him in drug use and they became homeless, and Luther committed robberies to support his family, Hamalian said. "He felt like he had no way out," Hamalian said. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey President Donald Trump (AP) Americans opposed to President Donald Trump increasingly are reaching panic mode. Is such a response to this unconventional political leader justified? Whether you answer with a yes or a no probably depends on your party affiliation, but former Hillary Clinton backer Amy Siskind has a different, and not necessarily partisan, reply. She says that Trumps presidency is normalizing political behavior that is anathema to the traditions of the Republican and Democratic parties alike. Siskind, looking at history, recognized that plutocratic takeovers and authoritarianism typically happen in democracies not all at once but through a consistent stream of small changes to the political and cultural norms. To track whether this is actually happening in the U.S., and to try to keep her reactions to the political scene honest, she started posting online a weekly list of events that are aberrant in Americas political history but are rapidly becoming viewed as normal. The list quickly found an audience, and it's now made enough of an impact that The Washington Post is following it and reporting on it. So does the Trump presidency represent an unprecedented move toward the kind of authoritarianism we thought only happened in other places? Siskind's rundown speaks for itself. Below is a sampling from her list, just from the past two weeks. These are 21 abnormal occurrences in our politics that now elicit no more than a yawn from millions of Americans. Don't Edit The Associated Press Events on Siskind's list: News outlets reported that, while Russian hackers and fake-news purveyors were attempting to tilt the U.S. election to Donald Trump, Russia's trademark agency was quietly renewing six unused trademarks held by the then-Republican nominee. Four of the trademarks were registered on the U.S.' Election Day. Don't Edit The Associated Press Trump's Justice Department is considering unprecedented court challenges to force so-called sanctuary cities to actively help carry out the administration's aggressive deportation policy. Don't Edit The president's Washington, D.C., hotel will host a conference for an anti-Muslim group that considers Judeo-Christian values "under 'assault' in America and that radical Islam is to blame." The group will receive a "private tour of the historic Trump International Hotel," whose operation is central to a lawsuit accusing the president of violating the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause. The Washington Post reports that the group "is touting the chance to enjoy access to a signature business owned by the president." Don't Edit Pompeo (The Associated Press) CIA Director Mike Pompeo continued giving classified briefings to National Security Adviser Michael Flynn in January and February even though his intelligence analysts considered Flynn a security risk, the New York Times reported. Pompeo, a conservative Republican congressman before becoming CIA chief, "did not raise the issue of Flynn's ties to Russia" during his briefings with President Trump. Flynn was fired February 13 after the press reported on those ties and that Flynn had lied about contacts with Russian officials. Don't Edit Don't Edit Senate investigators are seeking financial records that could "expose possible hidden dealings between Trump campaign insiders and wealthy Russian or Eastern European business partners," ABC News reported. The report also highlighted the role on Trump business associates who have alleged ties to money-laundering operations or the Russian mafia. Don't Edit Spicer (The Associated Press) When asked if Trump believes that Russia interfered with the 2016 U.S. election, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, I have not sat down and asked him. This despite the fact that Russias meddling in the election had been the subject of congressional investigations for months and the president himself had said weeks before that he fired FBI Director James Comey because of Comeys handling of the bureaus investigation of Russias role in the election. Don't Edit "This attack [Russian interference in the U.S. election] is really the political equivalent of 9/11 -- it is deadly, deadly serious," former Pentagon intelligence chief Michael Vickers told NBC News. "The Russians will definitely be back, given the success they had." Yet intelligence sources told NBC that "the Trump administration has taken little meaningful action to prevent Russian hacking, leaking and disruption in the next national election in 2018." Don't Edit Tillerson (The Associated Press) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson proposed working on cybersecurity with Russia despite Russias hacking of the Democratic National Committee and other U.S. targets during the 2016 campaign. (Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO, rarely speaks in public, which is highly unusual for a U.S. secretary of State.) Trumps White House reportedly also is seeking to water down a Senate bill that strengthens sanctions on Russia. Don't Edit Bharara (The Associated Press) Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, wrote a memo to Justice Department officials on March 9 outlining a phone call from President Trump that he considered inappropriate, according to news reports. Two days later, Trump fired Bharara, who reportedly was pursuing investigations that touched on Trump's business empire. Trump had earlier asked Bharara to stay on. Bharara said his conversations with Trump between the election and his firing four months later were "a little bit uncomfortable, and [he] said reading about Trump's contact with fired FBI Director James Comey "felt a little bit like deja vu." Trump's personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz bragged that he was responsible for getting Bharara fired, CNN and other news outlets reported. Kasowitz allegedly told Trump, "This guy is going to get you." Don't Edit Don't Edit President Trump told "Fox & Friends" that he wouldn't rule out firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller because Mueller and Comey are "very, very good friends." He added, inaccurately: "I can say that the people that have been hired [by the special counsel] are all Hillary Clinton supporters, some of them worked for Hillary Clinton." Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel in May after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey for his handling of the bureau's investigation of possible collusion last year between the Trump campaign and Russian spies and hackers who sought to tilt the election to Trump. Don't Edit Mueller (The Associated Press) During the week of June 12, Trump surrogates began publicly offering rationales for the president to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating the possible collusion of the Trump campaign with Russian hackers and spies. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich claimed on Twitter that "Muelleris [sic] now clearly the ti[p [sic] of the deep state spear aimed at destroying or at a minimum undermining and crippling the Trump presidency." Don't Edit At a televised meeting President Trump's cabinet members, one by one, fulsomely praised their boss. "My hat is off to you," Energy Secretary Rick Perry told Trump. Stunned observers noted that it was the kind of display you expect to see on North Korea state television. Don't Edit Trump appointed Lynne Patton to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Region II, which includes New York. Patton, an event planner, has no federal housing experience. She planned the wedding of Trump son Eric Trump. (Bill de Blasio, now mayor of New York, held the position during President Bill Clinton's administration.) Don't Edit Trump and Bannon (AP) The Trump administration, badgered by Office of Government Ethics chief Walter Shaub into making public its ethics waivers, "'retroactively' allowed senior officials to communicate with news organizations that had employed them," reported Mother Jones. "The waiver seemed clearly aimed at White House strategist Steve Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart." The ethics waiver wasn't dated or signed. Don't Edit Don't Edit Seventy percent of Trump property buyers in the past 12 months have been "secretive shell companies," USA Today reported. The percentage of such buyers two years ago: 4 percent. Trump, unlike previous presidents, did not divest his business holdings upon taking office. Don't Edit The Associated Press China gave preliminary approval to nine Trump trademarks that had been previously rejected, the Associated Press reported. The AP added: "Trump's decision to retain ownership of his global branding empire has sparked criticism over perceived conflicts of interest and three lawsuits." "The speed with which these appeals were decided is mind-blowing," intellectual property attorney Matthew Dresden said. "I have never seen any decisions made that quickly. That suggests special treatment." Don't Edit Kushner (The Associated Press) Special Counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly investigating Trump son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner's business dealings, including a meeting Kushner had with the head of a state-owned Russian development bank. Kushner's work overseeing the Trump campaign's data operation is also being investigated. Don't Edit "A company that owns buildings with Donald Trump and the family of Jared Kushner is a finalist for a $1.7 billion contract to build the FBI's new headquarters," The Associated Press reported. Don't Edit ALERT: Reporters at Capitol have been told they are not allow to film interviews with senators in hallways, contrary to years of precedent Kasie Hunt (@kasie) June 13, 2017 Reporters were barred from conducting interviews with senators in the Senate hallways, overturning a long-established practice. One reporter was thrown out for attempting to do an interview in the hallway. Senate Republicans ultimately were forced to drop the new press restrictions. Don't Edit Don't Edit Rosenstein (The Associated Press) Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued a strange, vague statement that apparently sought to cast doubt on recent news reports. Americans, the statement offered, should exercise caution before accepting as true any stories attributed to anonymous officials, particularly when they do not identify the country -- let alone the branch or agency of government -- with which the alleged sources supposedly are affiliated. Don't Edit The Washington Post concluded that President Donald Trump made 669 provably false or misleading public statements in his first 151 days in office. The New York Times also offered up a "definitive" list of Trump lies, insisting it did so because "the country should not allow itself to become numb to them." Don't Edit Bonus Here's one that'll probably be on Siskind's next weekly list: The Trump administration denied Sen. Ron Wyden's request to publicly release a federal report on U.S. surveillance policies. "The American people deserve to know how the government's surveillance activities are affecting their privacy," Wyden said. The Oregon Democrat added: "The notion that this report has to be hidden from the public is ludicrous." Don't Edit Yates (AP Photo) Bonus Part II Former U.S. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, fired by Trump in January for refusing to back his travel ban, said the special counsel's investigation into the Trump campaign's possible collusion with Russia is far from the only thing about the president that Americans should be tracking. "Surely [criminality is] not our bar," she said Tuesday at an Aspen, Colorado, conference. "That's not the standard of conduct that we're looking for from our president or our administration." She added: "I mean, it shouldn't just be whether you've committed a felony or not. It should also be whether or not you're observing the kinds of norms that we've [established in this country]." Don't Edit The Associated Press More The events listed here are only a very small sampling of Siskind's work. Check out her weekly lists. Don't Edit A 37-year-old man who urged Beaverton police to shoot him Saturday remained in the Washington County Jail on Wednesday. Kasy Freeman is accused of fourth degree assault/domestic violence, strangulation and felon in possession of a firearm, according to documents filed Monday in Washington County Circuit Court. The complaint document, filed by Deputy District Attorney Nadya Martin, says children witnessed Freeman strangle an adult woman in the home along Southwest Barcelona Way in Beaverton. Freeman also is charged with felon in possession of a firearm. He was convicted in September 1998 of robbery in Alaska, the document says. Beaverton police arrested Freeman Saturday morning. He is accused of holding police at bay for nearly five hours as negotiators sought his peaceful surrender. Freeman "armed himself with a gun and challenged the police to shoot him," according to a Beaverton news release. A 3-year-old child was in the house at the time. When officers arrived, they found a 9-year-old outside the house "crying that her mommy and daddy were hurting each other," the news release said. The adult woman was also outside the home. Freeman's next scheduled court appearance is for a preliminary hearing Monday. -- Allan Brettman This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Midland city officials say the area hit hardest by recent flooding is a rectangular section bounded by Eastman Avenue, Wackerly Street, Dublin Avenue and Saginaw Road on the north side of town. Within that zone, Alpine Mobile Home Village had to be evacuated. Residents were moved by boats and Dial-A-Ride buses. Now, city crews are trucking wreckage to the landfill. Yesterday alone, we made 90 trips to the landfill, Selina Tisdale, Midlands community affairs director, said on Tuesday. An early estimate from Jenifier Boyer, Midland County Emergency Management Coordinator puts the number of damaged homes at more than 2,000. Floodwaters floated vehicles away, washed out more than 100 roads, and drowned basements late last week and over the weekend. Businesses took on water and closed. Sinkholes surfaced. A barge that crews were using to renovate the Tridge had drifted away. Receding water has left streets, sidewalks, and green areas some still strewn with debris a pale shade of tainted Tittabawassee brown. A river stench lingers. County and city officials continue to survey flood damage. Theyre applying for Federal Emergency Management Agency and state funds. But its uncertain whether Midland may get the federal funding. This is really still just the beginning, Mayor Maureen Donker said at a city council meeting on Monday. The American Red Cross is assisting in the efforts. Over the weekend, state police deployed helicopters and drones to get an overhead perspective. The Midland County Sheriffs Office made rescues by boat. And on Monday, Gov. Rick Snyder arrived by helicopter to survey flood damage in Midland and Isabella counties. The governor said it could be a few days until preliminary cleanup cost estimates are known. Flooding damaged Northwood Universitys South Village housing units, lower Miner and lower Jordan faculty and staff offices, and the lower Strosacker offices. We are still assessing the extent of the required restoration, so unfortunately I cannot provide an estimate for the cost of the damage at this time, Mackenzie Kastl, Northwoods director of public relations, said in an email. Staff responded quickly, made preparations on Friday and monitored the situation all weekend, Kastl said. The university resumed normal campus operations Monday as scheduled without delay. Staff were diligent to take care of one another, and many are working in temporary spaces until we get things cleaned up and we know the affected locations are safe and secure for their return, Kastl said. No property was damaged at nearby MidMichigan Medical Center, said Millie Jezior, the hospitals public relations director. No patient vehicles were damaged or carried away either, she said. The hospital closed sites at 555 Wackerly and 3611 Saginaw Road. It also closed Harlow and MidMichigan drives. All entrances and offsite facilities are back open. The Tittabawassee River set a 32.15-foot crest by 7:13 p.m. Saturday, June 24 the second highest in history, according to National Weather Service records. Only the 33.89-foot crest surpassed that, during the flood of 1986. After the historic 1986 flood, Mike Erickson, MidMichigan Medical Centers vice president of facilities, said the hospital installed a certified flood wall off Sugnet Road and places its energy center and generators above the floodplain to prevent flood damage. At The Dow Chemical Co., a spokesperson on Monday said Dows Michigan Operations facilities returned to normal operations after making adjustments for the weather. We are currently assessing the needs of our employees and the community to develop a plan to offer assistance, said Jarrod Erpelding. At the library, the cost to make repairs to a flooded lower level is going to be pretty significant, David Keenan, interim city manager, told city council on Monday. It could be the largest item that we in the city are facing to either replace or remediate somehow, Keenan said. Water swamped the mall area. Photos show Eastman Avenue was essentially turned into a river one that carried away vehicles, geese and even kayakers. City officials on Friday said storm and sanitary sewer systems were full including a 43-million gallon retention basin but operating properly. Keenan told city council on Monday that a sequence of three significant storms, paired with waterways dumping loads into a rising Tittabawassee River, left nowhere for the water to go. Floodgates were opened to relieve pressure at Sanford Lake and Wixom Lake dams. That water rushed downstream to Midland. Our systems were working as hard as they could, we just couldnt suck it in and it couldnt make it out to the river fast enough, Keenan said. Keenan said collaboration with city, county, and state officials was excellent. But due to the unexpected flooding, Keenan said the city needs to re-evaluate its flood model and response procedures particularly in the mall area, which has seen a lot of development since 1986. Councilman Steve Arnosky, noting the flood of 1986, indicated the city council should plan for future significant floods. What do we do with the existing housing stock? Is there something at the homeowner level and maybe at the city ordinance level, or just in terms of design of our infrastructure? Arnosky said. Lets capture these thoughts and ideas and put it before the public, because Im sure right now, youll get a lot of support for doing things to avoid this happening again. And it probably will, unfortunately. See also: Officials warn of FEMA scammers in the area River receding, officials working on damage estimates Flooding enters homes, displaces some Residents part with mementos lost to flood waters Drone photography shows flooded Tittabawassee River Images from drone show flooding near Midland Mall Red Cross: At least 500 houses affected during Midland flooding FARMER CITY An Illinois State Police trooper was remembered by friends Thursday as a hard worker, a good athlete and a good-hearted man with an unforgettable laugh. Ryan Albin, 37, died at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday at Carle Hospital in Urbana from injuries suffered in a two-vehicle crash about five hours earlier on Interstate 74 near Farmer City. He was the life of the party, said his friend, Chad Yeadon, who knew him since kindergarten. He had this crazy, obnoxious, yet funny laugh. It was the craziest laugh you ever heard. He was always going 100 miles per hour, but he would do anything for you. Yeadon was one of more than 150 people who gathered Thursday afternoon in downtown Farmer City to watch the end of a procession of about 120 police vehicles that escorted Albins body from Urbana to the Calvert-Belangee-Bruce Funeral in Farmer City. He was a really good guy, Yeadon added. I just am having a hard time believing it. Visitation will be 2-8 p.m. Wednesday and the funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, both at Blue Ridge High School in Farmer City, according to the funeral home and school district officials. The crash happened around 3:10 p.m. Wednesday and is still under investigation, but the preliminary investigation showed Albin and a commercial vehicle were in slowed/stopped westbound traffic approaching a merge area ahead of a construction zone when the crash occurred, police said. The trooper's canine partner, Biko, who was in the back seat of the squad car, was taken to an emergency veterinarian at the University of Illinois in Urbana, but the dog's injuries appear to be minor, police said. The truck driver, a 47-year-old Normal man, and his passenger, a 38-year-old Bloomington man, refused medical treatment, police said. They have not been identified. No tickets have been issued. An autopsy was scheduled Thursday. Albin grew up near Bellflower and attended Blue Ridge High School where he was an athlete, participating in track, baseball, basketball and football. He played football at Eureka College for Head Coach Darrell Crouch. He was a hard worker, was good around people and was a lot of fun to be around, said Crouch. He came from a really good family. His dad was an athlete at Eureka and so was his twin sister. "I was really, really proud of him. He was studying for a business degree, but did an internship with our football team," Crouch added. "He was such a good person and this is such a tragedy. He will be missed. Like most of Albins friends, Kyle Kopp of Farmer City remembers Albins laugh. I worked with him in the seed corn fields after he came out of high school and he just always did what he was asked and always super polite, he said. But he had this infectious laugh. You knew it was him and you loved that laugh. "He always did things with excellence. He never did anything halfway," Kopp added. "And I never saw him without a smile on his face. Peggy Lamb of Farmer City said the world needs more people like Albin. He was a one-in-a-million kind of guy, she said. He would do anything for you. The procession ended with a salute to Albin from the uniformed officers who participated in the procession. You cant watch that and not have it touch you, said Farmer City resident Rick Hopson. I didnt know Ryan, but I talked with several people this morning who did. "I have yet to hear anything negative about this man," Hopson added. "He was a police officer. He gave his life protecting us. Hes a hero. Albin joined the state police Jan. 8, 2006, and was assigned to Pontiac-based District 6 as a canine officer. Police agencies across the state have posted messages on social media expressing their sorrow and honoring Albin. Our hearts are heavy with grief as we mourn the loss of Trooper Albin, said ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz in a prepared statement. I extend my deepest sympathy to Trooper Albins family, friends, and co-workers. "I pray that those who cared for and loved him find the strength they need during this most difficult time. No further words can express the pain and loss we are all feeling. Albin was a trustee with the Illinois Fraternal Order of Troopers Lodge 41. I have been a State Police K-9 officer during my law enforcement career so I feel a special kinship with Ryan, whom I knew well from his active involvement with the FOP, said lodge President Joe Moon. Ryan was a friend, colleague and dedicated public servant," Moon added. "His loss touches everyone, and he will be deeply and sorely missed. Illinois Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge President Chris Southwood agreed that Albin was special. Simple words cannot express the profound grief we feel at the loss of our friend, colleague and law enforcement brother Ryan Albin, Southwood said. Ryan died performing a job he loved, protecting the citizens of Illinois and all who travel our state's highways. SPRINGFIELD The fight to control an opioid epidemic that claimed almost 2,000 lives in Illinois last year will be fought at the community level with a battle plan crafted by local stakeholders, an acting U.S. attorney said Tuesday. This is not a law enforcement problem. Its not a medical problem. Its not an education problem. Its a community problem all of us own, whether we like it or not, Patrick Hansen told 50 leaders from the criminal justice, education and medical fields who gathered in Springfield to exchange ideas on the drug crisis. The forum, which was sponsored by the U.S Attorneys Office for the Central District of Illinois, the Sangamon County Medical Society and Sangamon County Department of Public Health, was held at the health department. Springfield psychiatrist Dr. Ayame Takahashi explained that for many opioid users, addiction is inadvertent and follows a round of legally prescribed painkillers. When the patient has an untreated condition such as post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit disordercommon issues for addicts the medication addresses an unmet need. For the first time they feel normal, said Takahashi. Treating the underlying condition is an important part of recovery, said the doctor, because symptoms can derail progress when they return, sometimes in more severe form. Andrew Dewey shared his experience as a recovering heroin addict. You are looking at the face of heroin, said Dewey, who has been drug free for three years and is nearing completion of his masters degree in mental health counseling. Dewey, who now lives in Sangamon County, began a downward spiral while living in Jacksonville. Prescriptions for opioid painkillers led to heroin after his doctor was forced to close his office, said Dewey. A friend offered a substitute. I did my first shot of heroin and never looked back, said Dewey. Things changed the day an Illinois State Police officer gave Dewey an ultimatum: I know all about you. Youve got a week to pull yourself together. The speaker said he took the officers advice and walked the three blocks to a rehab center and began the hard work of recovery. Emergency room physician Dr. Janda Stevens said the opioid crisis has slowed the free flow of pain medications by some doctors who were previously rated by patient satisfaction surveys that included a score for being pain-free. Hansen urged participants to continue the conversation on ways to address an epidemic that has killed more people in the U.S. than gun violence since 2014. Members of the greatest generation, having survived the ravages of the Great Depression and World War II, found it important to support a strong social safety net for the majority of Americans. The new health care legislation written by Republicans in Congress repudiates this legacy. It gives an unneeded tax break to the top 2 percent of earners by taking away benefits from the oldest and sickest Americans. Written in secrecy with zero public hearings, this legislation asks the most vulnerable among us to pay far more for much less coverage than is currently available through the ACA. Medicaid will be eviscerated. Individuals who are now eligible for Medicaid will be unable to enroll, and many more will be left without any coverage options at all. If you think this doesnt apply to you, think again. Lifetime limits will be back and applicable to employer-based insurance plans. Elderly parents having depleted their personal resources may now need to look to you to provide in-home care due to Medicaid shortfalls in individual states once the Federal government pays less. Would you want your son or daughter with physical impairments who is now living independently to be institutionalized because Medicaid assistance is no longer available? Make no mistake; Medicaid as we know it is on the chopping block. Sixty-four percent of all nursing home residents and 76 percent of all low-income children are Medicaid recipients. If you think this legislation is un-American and immoral, contact your legislators to voice your opposition to Trumpcare. Maureen OKeefe, Normal 100 years ago June 28, 1917: Those west side boys who were arrested and charged with stoning a streetcar have been found innocent and are free. Judge Heineman said the evidence was too conflicting to push the case forward. The streetcar line is strikebound right now. 75 years ago June 28, 1942: Capt. Howard Humphreys, stationed in the Philippines, is reported missing. His family last heard from him Feb. 9 and thinks he may be a prisoner of war. Also missing in the Philippines is ISNU graduate and student council president John Scott. Hes an army MP. 50 years ago June 28, 1967: The General Assembly barely passed a bill allowing raises for Illinois police and firemen. These raises could put a financial strain on local governments. Its estimated the package could cost Bloomington $87,750. Police and firemen here make $484 to $550 monthly. 25 years ago June 28, 1992: The last Bloomington Gold Corvette Show is playing in town, and crowds may set a record. 26,500 people turned out at the fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday. Next year the show will be held elsewhere, and promoters have expressed no regrets despite the crowds here. Valmet to Supply a Complete Tissue Production Line to ICT Iberica in Spain Upon start-up in the third quarter of 2018, the new tissue line will add 70,000 tons per year of high-quality toilet, towel, facial, and napkin grades to ITC's overall production capacity. June 28, 2017 - Valmet will supply a complete tissue production line with an extensive automation package to ICT Iberica in Spain. The new Advantage DCT 200HS tissue line will be installed at the company's mill in Burgo. The value of the order was not disclosed. "The flexibility of Valmet's Advantage ViscoNip press makes it possible to adjust the production to fit current and future market needs, from production of tissue with high bulk and softness to energy- and cost-efficient products with high quality, only within minutes," said Jan Erikson, VP Sales, Tissue Mills business unit, Valmet. Valmet's scope of delivery will include of a complete tissue production line including a stock preparation system and an Advantage DCT 200HS tissue machine with the latest technology for highest quality consumer tissue. The production line will be optimized to save energy and enhance final product quality. Complete engineering, training, start-up and commissioning are also included in the delivery. The delivery will also include an extensive Valmet automation package. The new line will add 70,000 tons per year of high-quality toilet, towel, facial, and napkin grades to ITC's overall production capacity. The raw material for the new line will be virgin fiber. Start-up of the new machine is expected in the third quarter of 2018. ICT Group has been in the tissue business since 1978. The Group's range of toilet rolls, kitchen towels, napkins, facial tissues and handkerchiefs is marketed both through its own brand Foxy, and through retailer's private labels. The business also includes the sales of parent reels to converters and diapers and personal hygiene products. ICT Group operates ten paper machines in four European countries: five in Italy, three in Poland, one in France and one in Spain. Currently, the group has an annual production capacity of about 540,000 tons. Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. To learn more, please visit: www.valmet.com SOURCE: Valmet There is a long history of high fashion brands suing lower fast-fashion brands (Zara, Urban Outfitters, etc.) for ripping off their designs. The trend is particularly disastrous to those big companies, who display their designs on a runway months before they will ever be available to purchase in a brick-and-mortar store or online. On the other hand, fast-fashion labels can look directly to runway shows and immediately produce ripoffs that can be on their shelves within weeks. All this is to say that it is extremely surprising to hear that Forever 21 is flipping the script and suing Gucci. But, of course, Forever 21 isn't suing Gucci for ripping off their designs after all, how does one rip off a ripoff? Instead, Forever 21 is suing Gucci in an attempt to stop being sued by Gucci. Though I'd argue that it makes more sense to simply stop stealing designs from other creatives, Forever 21 has tried to preemptively protect their right to copy. Gucci is widely recognized for their striped designs, particularly those with a blue-red-blue or green-red-green pattern and it's worth mentioning that the Italian house has had a trademark on that pattern since at least 1988. However, in the lawsuit, which was filed this week in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Forever 21, referring to themselves as an "American success story," alleges, "Many clothing and accessory items adorned with decorative stripes colored blue-red-blue or green-red-green are sold by countless third parties. The colors red, blue, and green, and stripe designs, are among the most favorite, popular and widely used colors and design features on clothing." Gucci first sent a cease-and-desist to Forever 21 in December 2016 as they worried that the brand's oddly similar designs would be mistaken for an official Gucci product which could possibly taint the image of the well-known Italian house and lead to a depreciation of their product. The lawyers at Forever 21 don't agree though, claiming, "Consumers are not likely to be confused into believing the Striped Products sold in Forever 21's stores by Forever 21 are manufactured by, sponsored by, authorized by, or otherwise associated or affiliated with Gucci." In a statement given exclusively to The Fashion Law, representatives for Gucci said: "Forever 21's reputation for being accused of profiting from the trademarks and copyrights of others, including Gucci, is well established. Now, in an effort to distract from its own blatant infringements, Forever 21 is attempting to attack some of Gucci's most famous and iconic trademarks. This will not deter Gucci from pursuing its own claims against Forever 21 as port of its ongoing commitment to the vigorous protection of its valuable intellectual property rights and distinctive brand identity."" [h/t The Fashion Law] Splash photo via Robert Marquardt / Getty Images Mississippi was best known as the innocent state that you would spell out in a sing-song voice in middle school because it was just so funny. Now, the state is home to possibly the most vicious and discriminatory law in the US, the misleadingly titled "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act," which will likely become official after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law. Mississippi HB 1523 grants individuals, businesses, and religious associations broad permission to discriminate against the LGBT community in the name of faith. The bill does this by specifically protecting "religious beliefs or moral convictions" and promising not to take any action against organizations that believe "Marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman," "Sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage," and "Male (man) or female (woman) refer to an individual's immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics at time of birth." The bill's language is even more disgustingly specific, virtually protecting every state entity or individual from being charged for discrimination when they decline any service, including marriage licenses and the ability to adopt children, to LGBT people, as long as their guidelines and decisions were crafted based on their religious beliefs. The bill also protects establishments that implement anti-transgender bathroom policies. It even specifically protects business owners who decline "cake or pastry artistry" services. Sound familiar? HB 1523 was signed by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant last year, but was prevented from going into effect by an injunction in the case after being challenged in the case of Barber v. Bryant. Side note: Bryant inspired a punk band named Fuck Phil Bryant, in case you're into that. The governor also famously (and rather dramatically) said he would rather be crucified than change his anti-LGBT stance. "This lawnow the most discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ state law in the countrywas rooted in hate," Rob Hill, director of the Human Rights Campaign in Mississippi, said in a statement. "It targets the LGBTQ community and it is a deliberate attempt to undermine marriage equality and the dignity of LGBTQ Mississippians who lawmakers have sworn to serve and protect." Basically, rather than protect the LGBT community's rights to go into a store and buy a custom cake for their same-sex wedding, like any straight couple or cisgender person is able to do, the state will now protect their right to refuse service due to sexual orientation or gender. If this is any consolation to the LGBT, the bill also makes it legal to discriminate against everyone who engages in or has had premarital sexyes, even straight people. #NZ murder suspect Court OKs extradition of 'suitcase' murder suspect to New Zealand A Seoul court on Friday approved the extradition of a woman believed to be the mother of two children whose bodies were found in suitcases in New Zealand in August. The Seoul H... #KBO Landers starter Kim Kwang-hyun wins top KBO pitching award After making a successful return from a two-year stint in the majors, SSG Landers starter Kim Kwang-hyun was named the winner of South Korea's top professional pitching award on Fr... A longtime performer in avant garde theater, Agosto Machado is a vital part of the fabric of NYC culture. The "part Chinese, Spanish, and a few drops of Filipino" New Yorker was an actor at the East Village performance haven La MaMa (among many other credits), and he continues to glitter, while sharing his wisdoms with the newbies. I talked to Agosto about his creative explorations from the 1960s through today. Machado right. Photo by Jackie Rudin Hello, Agosto. How did you get into the arts? I'm a pre-Stonewall street queen that coincided with all the things that were happening in the '60s, with the anti-war, gay rights, and black power movements--all the movements that street queens talked about and fell into. It never occurred to me when I saw the work of [avant garde director] John Vaccaroand I had somehow met Jack Smith and Mario Montez--but it never occurred that with all these talented people I was blessed to see that I would cross the footlights. It was only in the encouragement of [Warhol drag Superstar] Jackie Curtis, who brought me across the footlights for Vain Victory, which we did in four incarnations. I was blessed and lucky and had no real plans of doing anything. I lucked out with the wonderful people at La MaMa. I call it my home and family. So La MaMa creator Ellen Stewart must have been major to you. She was my honorary mother after Jackie. I met her in 1961. My friends took me to what they said was a theater on Ninth Street. It was a dirty basement. I thought, "How can this be a theater?" But they said, "This is the best." It was so intimate. It's where I ended up going to see theater. You're right there. What is your specialty onstage? I will admit at this late stage of my life that I still can't sing, dance or act. People have been so generous to include me in productions. Tabboo! [the drag persona of artist Stephen Tashjian] included me in an extravaganza at Howl Gallery last October with wonderful younger people. I thought, "Gee, whiz, I'm an ancient dinosaur who's able to meet and mix and play with these emerging talents." All these people are guardian angels. I wonder what they see in me with all this generosity. [Late drag performance artist] Ethyl Eichelberger kept insisting I could do all this stuff. It amazed me because I never thought I should be sharing the stage with this goddess, yet she included me in so much of the work. The Pyramid Club was a big treat. John Kelly was the first performer at the Pyramid. I always say that opportunity didn't knock on my door, Jackie Curtis did. I just wandered down the rabbit hole with no plan. Like in a pinball machine, I bounced from all these legends, like [playwright/actor] Jeff Weiss. How did it happen? There is a divine plan, but I can't figure it out. I'm so pleased to look to the LGBT community. The torch is waving higher and longer and stronger with all the strong women that have moved to the forefront. I feel this is the century of the woman and she moves forward. How old are you, darling? [joking] I'm 39, but I've just got to turn 40 pretty soon. I'm an ancient dinosaur, but at least I'm still alive and talk to younger people and try to impart how the city was before. Real estate has changed every city in America. I have really no talent. But maybe that IS your talent. To dress up and say a few lines and what have you, I don't know how this happened. It's really Alice in Wonderland. Suddenly, I'm onstage in costume with these great people--isn't that a miracle? I think you're so good because you have no affect--you just presentand that's refreshing. I think I reflect with all the people around me, and the audience thinks I can do something. You shouldn't put yourself down. I love the monologue you did about Judy Garland's funeral in the Tabboo! show. Taboo! said, "What are you gonna say?" I didn't have time to rehearse and we had a limited time at the gallery. Suddenly we're there. Whatever comes out of my mouth comes out of my mouth. It's frustrating to know I should have, could have, might have. I never want to see myself or listen because I have a queeny voice that I can't stand. People must think, "Oh, God, this is old queen is creaking around the stage and she's obviously bewildered." If you've seen the videos, I still don't know how to do makeup. RuPaul's Drag Race has elevated it to high artnot only do you have to be a Picasso of the face, you have to have wit and personality and think on your feet. I think, "Where does it all come from? And they're so young." How did you make a living back in the day? Surely not from doing La MaMa. I did such a variety of things. I walked dogs, I fed cats, clean cats. My body has let me know when I did too much. I can't do windows--I can't reach that high! I used to deliver telegrams, and that is an adventure, getting on the subway and going to all the different boroughs. Then I hooked up with a theater-related company, dropping off telegrams to Broadway stage doors. There was an opening of Chicago. I'm old enough to have seen Chita Rivera in West Side Story and thought she broke through. I was so glad I was able to see her [many years later] in The Visit. She did a thing for AIDS and she still could kick her leg above her head. She was a person of color who was able to do, through sheer talent and will, all these other roles. Do you still perform a lot? This February, the CultureHub at La MaMa did four 50-year-old plays that Robert Patrick did about the future in the '60s. It was reinterpreted with video, as multimedia. I realized that, after half a century, I never did a Robert Patrick play. It was just a treat. At the cusp of 80 years old, his dance card was filled morning, noon, and night with all the circle of friends who had survived. At the end of each performance, he would sing a cappella. I understand there will be a revival next season of his play Kennedy's Children. I'm from the last century. I don't do all these modern things and gadgets. I hate technology. I don't even have a toaster. But Robert is the keeper of the site for Caffe Cino ["the birthplace of off-off-Broadway"]. So many creative people have died or fallen through the cracks through the years. Do you ever feel survivor's guilt? Yes, but I'm poly faith. I believe there's one creator with no gender, and I do believe that the universe, Mother Nature and all thatI'm alive to contribute and do things with positivity, but I'm not quite sure if I'm really doing it. Why am I still alive unless I can contribute more or do more? One of my projects I want to do is I take snapshots, although Peter Hujar tried to encourage me to do photographs, and he was the master. I have a collection of snapshots. I want to make an album of all the pre-Stonewall people, acknowledging that they participated in the history of our community. Was there anyone among those people who you didn't get along with? I'm a Libra. I don't believe in putting toxic, non-positive energy out there. I can be civil and polite to everybody at this point in my life. Old people are invisible. The few survivors left, at least we can say, "Hi, you're still here." Michael, you are the bridge of the past, present and the future. You're interacting every evening with two or three events. How do you keep your sanity? I don't. I've seen you on a bike. That's how you've kept your figure. And I saw you at the Box in a play with so much dialogue. I thought, "How does he remember all that?" Well, you remembered all that Judy Garland stuff. What's your feeling on romance? I believe in it. I have a rich and full fantasy life. For several years, I have been in love with Anderson Cooper and Neil Patrick Harris. I only have fantasies about people who are gay. I segregate them. I think Anderson is so attractive. I'd like to hear him talk dirty to me. [During sex], he could be saying all this wonderful collection of words. I'd have to pause and say [choking noise], "What does that mean?" And Neil Patrick Harris has such intelligence and humor. He could have me in stitchesnot tied up, but in stitches, laughing--and he sings! But he's happily married and has two children. There's eye candy everywhere. I have no gaydar. I cannot tell. Do you ever think about old Hollywood types, like Roddy McDowall? I did go to the gay center a few years ago. Tab Hunter, who I always adored, was there for a book signing. I wasn't the only queen there two hours ahead of time. I rushed to the front row and the dais was a little higher, so I was looking up his facehe had perfect teeth. When I talked to him, I said, "[Actor] Keith McDermott can't be here tonight." He sandwiched his hands with mine and said, "Give him my best." Those two hands were all over Tony Perkins! Even today, if I could get down there with kneepads, I would worship Tab Hunter. He's very vital. He rides a horse! But I won't get on a horse. Don't rescue me, Tab. Can't we just stay earthbound? Splash photo Ben Gabbe/Getty This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions and your voice still matters, especially to a Senate that is fearful of a massive popular backlash against their murderous, thieving health care monstrosity. A reader writes: Posted by a friend: Just got off a healthcare coalition call with Senator Schumer. His message: 1. Grassroots pressure will determine whether this passes. 2. Theyre not seeing nearly the response there was to the House bill. That needs to change. 3. Its make or break this week. Unlikely McConnell will drag this on past next week because he wants to move on to tax cuts. 4. The following Senators are wavering and need to be flooded with contacts. Even though Cruz, Lee and Paul have all come out against the bill it is still important to call and reinforce their votes. 1. Heller is the most important NEVADA Phone: 202-224-6244 2. Collins Maine Phone: (202) 224-2523 3. Murkowski Alaska Phone: (202)-224-6665 4. Capito West Virginia Phone: 202-224-6472 5. Cassidy Louisiana Phone: (202) 224-5824 6. Flake Arizona P: 202-224-4521 7. Gardner Colorado Phone: (202) 224-5941 8. Portman Ohio Phone: 202-224-3353 9. Cruz (yes, that Cruz hes facing a tough reelection battle) Texas Phone: (202) 224-5922 10. Paul Kentucky Phone: 202-224-4343 11. Lee Utah Phone: 202-224-5444 12. Sasse Nebraska Phone: 202-224-4224 Find people who live in those states and impress the urgency of this on them. Those phones need to ring like crazy starting today. Copy and paste into your Timeline!! Heres the thing. You may be thinking, None of those guys is my Senator. Doesnt matter. Call them anyway. If they are flooded with screams of protest, they will still get the clear message that this will doom the GOP in 2018. You live in a free country (for now). Speak. If not for yourself, then above all for the Least of These. You are helping to save lives. President Rohani, Rejecting Saudi-Led Blockade, Says Iran Seeks To Bolster Ties With Qatar 06/27/17 Source: RFE/RL Iranian President Hassan Rohani has rejected a Saudi-led blockade of Qatar and said he wants to bolster ties with the Persian Gulf emirate, his website said on June 26. Iranian President Hassan Rohani (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency) Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of support for Islamist militants, an allegation Qatar denies. They have since issued 13 demands, including closing Al-Jazeera television, curbing relations with Iran, shutting a Turkish base, and paying reparations. "Tehran stands with the Qatari nation and government...Pressure, threats, or sanctions are not the right way to resolve differences," Rohani said. "The siege of Qatar is unacceptable to us...The airspace, land, and sea of our country will always be open to Qatar as a brotherly and neighboring country," Rohani said. "Iran's policy is to develop more and more its relations with Doha." Iran has offset the boycott of Qatar by shipping tons of food to Doha since the Saudis have blocked the peninsula nation's only land border through which most food imports were previously shipped. "Helping Qatar economically and developing ties, particularly in the private sectors of both countries, could be a common goal," Rohani said. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters Reformist Politician: Iran's President Rouhani Must Stand Up to Supreme Leader Khamenei's Hardline Policies 06/28/17 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's ongoing public criticism of President Hassan Rouhani is "rooted in the fact that the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognize the people's vote," a reformist politician and former political prisoner told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). Abolfazl Ghadyani "However, the state's elected portion, with its massive popularity, should resist attempts to block the implementation of the Constitution, and defend people's rights," said Abolfazl Ghadyani, a senior member of the reformist Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization (MIRIO) party, referring to the Rouhani government. "The question is: How strong is Mr. Rouhani?" he added. "I don't think he's very strong, but during the election he said some truths that had to be said." Continued Ghadyani: "The non-elected portion of the state, headed by Mr. Khamenei and his supporters, tolerates elections on the surface so that the world will not call Iran a dictatorship. But the truth of the matter is that they do not believe in the legitimacy of the people's vote. They have often admitted this directly and indirectly, including Khamenei himself." As supreme leader, Khamenei, who was appointed to the position in 1989, is the country's top decision maker. The speeches of the non-elected official often include decrees that the entire country, including all branches of government, are expected to follow. Rouhani, who was re-elected on May 19, 2017, has recently come under sharp attacks by the hardline supreme leader regarding a range of cultural and political issues. The rift was first thrust into the public eye when Khamenei criticized the Rouhani government on May 7-one week before the election-for allegedly adopting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development's educational guidelines, which Khamenei described as "un-Islamic." After Rouhani responded by declaring he would implement the parts that did not contradict Islam and Iranian values, Khamenei promptly ordered a blanket ban on the agenda. On June 7, Khamenei went a step further and encouraged his supporters to take it upon themselves to enforce and uphold Iran's so-called revolutionary principles when the government fails on that front. "Sometimes the central think tanks and cultural and political institutions fall into disarray and stagnation," he said in a veiled criticism of the Rouhani government, "and when that happens, officers against the soft war should recognize their duty, make decisions and act in a fire at will form." Iranian officials often refer to Western cultural influences as a "soft war" against their national and religious values. The greatest blow came on June 12 when Khamenei compared Rouhani to Abolhassan Banisadr, Iran's first president who fled the country in 1981 after losing a power struggle with then Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini. "The country should not be polarized," said Khamenei in a speech to government officials, including Rouhani. "People should not be divided into supporters and opponents, as they were in 1980 by the president at the time. It's dangerous." Rouhani's Stand Speaking to CHRI, Ghadyani, who spent three years in prison for engaging in peaceful political activism until his release in 2014, said Rouhani must decide whether he wants to confront Khamenei and his powerful supporters in the security and judicial establishments in a "costly and contentious" battle. "After winning the election with a high number of votes, we have to see if Mr. Rouhani wants to rely on his popularity and take a stand or not," he said. "If he puts his head down and follows Khamenei's orders like he did during his first four years in office, he will lose the people's trust." "During the past four years [2013-17] there were many times when there was tension and confrontation [with the supreme leader] and Rouhani chose to surrender," said Ghadyani. "Now, if he insists on carrying out the Constitution as his primary duty and stands by the people, it will definitely be costly and contentious," he added. However, Ghadyani, a member of the MIRIO's Central Council, noted that Rouhani is in a stronger position than Banisadr was more than three decades ago. "Khamenei does not enjoy the same charisma, status and influence as Khomeini did," he told CHRI. "He does control military and security forces, but the people are a lot more aware these days. They voted for Mr. Rouhani because they sincerely hoped he would make good on his promises." "The bottom line is that the principle of the Velayat-e Faqih [guardianship of the Islamist jurist], cannot be combined with a [secular] republic," added Ghadyani. "One claims to have authority on behalf of God and the other receives it from the people." "This contradiction is what gives rise to tensions from time to time," he added. Revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini's concept of the velayat-e-faqih dictated that Shia Muslim leaders should rule Iran on the grounds of being legally and divinely appointed. However, Ghadyani said Rouhani "has a moral and legal responsibility to defend the Constitution." "What's the point if people go to the polls and then they are told that their vote means nothing against the will of the supreme leader?" he said. "You cannot turn this into a joke and play with people's aspirations." Referring to the angry, pro-Khamenei mob who tried to attack Rouhani during a public rally on June 23, Ghadyani said: "I think Khamenei wants to intimidate his opponents by unleashing his power through so-called rogue elements who are never punished or identified." In a video posted on social media, Rouhani is shown being whisked away by his bodyguards from the mob, which shouted, "Death to Banisadr" and "Rouhani, Banisadr, Happy Union," among other anti-Rouhani slogans. Tens of thousands of Rouhani's supporters responded by taking to social media to express their outrage over the event using the hashtag #ISupportRouhani, an investigation by CHRI revealed. Prominent Imprisoned Activist Who Voted for Rouhani: My Vote Was For Iran's Civil Society 06/28/17 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Narges Mohammadi, a prominent human rights activist serving a 16-year prison sentence for her peaceful advocacy efforts, is publicly urging newly re-elected President Hassan Rouhani to build the foundations for civil society in Iran. In an open letter from the Women's Ward of Evin Prison in Tehran published on June 21, 2017, Mohammadi explained why she and other prisoners of conscience voted for Rouhani in the presidential elections on May 19. Narges Mohammadi "As a citizen who voted for you, I should and will be insistent on seeking my demands," she wrote. "I am an imprisoned civil rights activist, but I am not asking you to free me. I want to see [the dream for] a civil society come true. That is my demand." Mohammadi, the former vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center headed by Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, said she voted "despite being charged by Your Excellency's Intelligence Ministry and unjustly, unlawfully and inhumanly condemned by the judiciary" to 16 years in prison. "We have not retreated from our principles by voting," she added. "If need be, we will pay a price higher than incarceration." In 2011 Mohammadi, 45, was sentenced to six years in prison, but was released on medical furlough in 2013. Two years later, the mother of two was arrested again for her continued peaceful activism, notably after meeting with the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, at the Austrian Embassy in Tehran. "Popular participation is not a slogan that goes away after voting," she wrote in her letter to Rouhani. "Our rights go further than that." "We have the right to have civil institutions, media outlets and lawful assemblies to actively and independently engage with the government without being accused of conspiring against national security," she added. Responding to criticism that voting in the election legitimizes the state's continuing human rights' violations, Mohammadi wrote: "For many reasons I do not share the government's aspirations, but those of us who voted did so based on our country's recent history and our reformist views." "We draw the line at violent behavior that threatens peace," she added. "That's why we voted for you." Germany stands by Iran nuclear deal, praises it as 'historic window' 06/28/17 Source: Tehran Times German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Tuesday a nuclear deal with Iran has helped lower the risk of a major conflict in the Mideast and that Germany will do whatever is possible to hold all parties to it. "Our clear position is we stand by this agreement," Gabriel told reporters after talks in Berlin with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Gabriel said the deal was "a great sign of hope" for the region and had opened a "historic window" for rekindling relations with Tehran. The nuclear deal was sealed in Vienna in July 2015 after 18 months of negotiations led by former secretary of state John Kerry and diplomats from the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France and Russia - plus Germany and the European Union. Under its terms, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for billions of dollars in sanctions relief. U.S. President Donald Trump has condemned the agreement. Gabriel did not mention any other countries in his comments. Zarif said he was "very happy to hear Germany takes it seriously." Europe has been a strong supporter of the deal, urging hostile Trump to keep its side of the bargain. Two weeks ago, European foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said she was confident the U.S. would stick to the nuclear accord, despite its protestations to the contrary, as the deal is working. "In any case the European Union will guarantee that the deal keeps, that we stick to that ... and that our policy of engagement with Iran continues," she asserted. On July 20, the Trump administration has to extend sanctions waivers against Iran as stipulated under the deal. German banks poised to finance projects in Iran German banks are ready to finance economic projects in Iran, Federal Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schauble announced in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Berlin. Underscoring the vitality of implementing Iran's nuclear deal with the six world powers- known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - Schuble said that his country welcomes expansion of banking cooperation with Iran, Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday. The Iranian foreign minister, who had traveled to Berlin to deliver speech in the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) Annual Council Meeting, also visited German Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Brigitte Zypries, IRNA reported. In this meeting, Zarif called Iran a reliable partner for Germany for manufacturing goods and exporting them to Middle Eastern countries. Zypries, for her part, expressed content about the current annual three-billion-dollar bilateral trade between the two countries, saying that Germany is interested in boosting political and economic cooperation with Iran in all areas via fortifying insurance and banking ties. During the meeting, Hermes, the official German export credit insurance agency, announced readiness to back investing projects in Iran, especially those in power and energy sectors. The Minority in Parliament has criticised the government for negotiating about $19 billion with China, and indicated that the loan would plunge the country into a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) status. Interacting with journalists in Accra Tuesday, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, said the loan facility, which would raise the country's debt by 50 per cent, would raise the country's debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 72 per cent to about 130 per cent. "It is going to plunge the country into an era of debt distress. We are going to be very stressed as debt is concerned. "Ghana's GDP is approximated at $45 billion. They are giving us a debt half of the size of the country's economy. Ghana is going to be debt stressed because of this", he said. Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia led the government team for the $15 billion funding partnership agreement and commitment reached between the Government of Ghana and China. There is an opening for an additional GHc4 billion during his recent visit to that country. He said the funding partnership with China was not based on the traditional model of borrowing and aid, and that it was based on the bargaining power of the countrys natural resources such the 2.8 billion metric tonnes of iron ore deposits, 960 million metric tonnes of bauxite, 413 million metric tonnes of Manganese and not to mention Gold and Cocoa. Contradiction Mr Forson wondered why the government had now developed interest in borrowing contrary to earlier stance. "We are witnessing times when a government which says it is not going to borrow has now developed appetite for debt to the extent that as we speak in the first few months, they borrowed GHc2.25 billion. They are also to borrow GHc2.25 billion for the energy sector", he said. Public debt Mr Forson said the $19 billion was going to be a public debt as it would be funded by government revenue. He said government tax policy might be changed as a result of the loan. "People are going to invest. Whether it will come tomorrow or the next day, this debt is a serious matter", he said. The CDD deal As part of the negotiations, China would be extending the remaining $2 billion CDD loan to Ghana. Mr Forson said he was disappointed that a party that boycotted Parliament as a result of the $3 billion CDD loan, now assumed that it was good. He described the twist as hypocritical on the part of the government and indicated that he wished them well. Mr Forson said the Minority would study the agreement critically when it came to Parliament, and indicated that that would determine the Minority's posture towards the facility. Source: Daily Graphic 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. Featured Video Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has asked the Chief Executive of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) to step down from office till investigations into the recent allegations about some contaminated products associated with the activities of BOST are complete. According to him, he agrees with critics that the BOST Chief Executive should step aside because to him, it is only appropriate that the Chief Executive doesn't interfere with investigations. To him, the Chief Executive may be restored to his position after the investigations, hence calling for a thorough investigation to ascertain the truth. Five million litres of fuel product was declared off-spec after going through an in-house technical assessment and a laboratory test by the Tema Oil Refinery. It followed what BOST termed as human error which led to the contamination of the product which is said to have resulted in 7 million loss of revenue to the state. News about the sale of contaminated products sparked controversies that some of the products may end up in the open market which may destroy engine of automobiles. But addressing the issue, BOST sought to allay fears of Ghanaians assuring consumers of petroleum products that the 5 million litres of the contaminated products sold to a private company are closely monitored to ensure it doesn't fall in the hands of unscrupulous persons. The company noted that only 180,000 litres of the products have been lifted, adding that the trucks transporting the products have trackers installed on them to avert it being sold on the open market to unsuspecting vehicle users. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Mr. Pratt noted that though BOST has allayed fears of Ghanaians, it is not enough to settle the issue. He believed further investigations would help to ensure that the products are not harmful to consumers of petroleum products. The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has already called for a thorough investigation into the sale of alleged contaminated fuel. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vegetables and fruits from Ghana have been banned from the Chinese market for failing to meet international production standards. The ban which took effect from the beginning of this year would further plunge the industry into crisis. Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Carlos Ahenkorah, in an interview with JoyNews said the ban was necessitated by the failure of Ghanaian producers to adhere to strict phytosanitary requirements. The fruits and vegetables had unacceptable levels traces of some undesirable chemicals. Chinas decision would undoubtedly hamper the efforts of Ghanaian fruit importers to overturn another ban imposed by the some Western countries a year ago. Ghana was among some 27 African countries which had their fruits banned by the United States and the European Union due to the presence of fruit flies and other plant pests in exported products. The ban is expected to be reviewed in September when a delegation from the EU visits the country to inspect adherence to standards of productions. The Deputy Trades and Industry Minister who described as disgraceful the countrys inability to meet the production standards said ban is a clear indication that there is a problem in the production and exportation of fruits and vegetables in Ghana. He however indicated efforts have begun to rectify the situation. The Ministry is in consultations with the Food and Agricultural Ministry, exporters and other stakeholders to institute measures necessary to reverse the bans, which are having a heavy economic toll on Ghana. Source: primenewsghana.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. Featured Video In line with the countrys growth agenda, The Ghana Chamber of Commerce has signed a cooperation agreement with the Polish Chamber of Commerce expected to help Ghana improve its 2017 exports from 2016s total of US$33.3 million to the European country, which is looking at doing more business in Africa. Speaking at the Ghana-Poland Business Forum in Accra, President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawaso I, stated that the country's paltry US33.3 million exports to Poland needs to be increased to over US$100 million in coming years. "Since Ghana is poised for development, it is essential to increase its export share to Poland, which is one of the strong Eastern European economies". He added that the agreement will among other things, promote the strengthening and further development of trade, economic, scientific and technical relations between Ghanaian and Polish enterprises, organisations and entrepreneurs including new effective forms of economic corporation. The country's imports from Poland also stood at US$37.4 million in 2016 with cocoa, wood, rubber and articles, machines and equipment, paper and electrical being the main commodities traded in. The Minister of Trade and Industry in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Carlos Ahenkorah, stated that the country was committed to supporting initiatives that ensure the promotion, growth and development of domestic and international trade and industry. He also noted that the government was looking forward to engaging the Polish government towards setting up an embassy in Ghana to deepen diplomatic relations and facilitate trade between both countries. Currently Ghanaian businesses will have to go through either the Dutch Embassy in Ghana or Nigeria where there is the only Polish Embassy in West Africa to acquire a visa. Ambassador of Poland in Nigeria, Andrzej Dycha, on his part posited that the government of Poland is looking at growing its relations in Africa and will therefore look at upgrading its consulate into an embassy. However "Poland is going to open two new embassies in Senegal and Tanzania before close of this year to make visa acquisition a lot easier". He also observed that as part of Poland's quest to increase its African presence Polish businesses will invest in the government's proposed 'one district, one factory' initiative. Source: Goldstreet Business 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. Featured Video Six Nigerians are in the grips of the Nungua police for allegedly luring a Muslim lady into their room, forcing her to eat soaked gari to break her fast, after which she was sexually assaulted. The victim (name withheld) who is 21 years, was reportedly lured by the suspects to their apartment for her supposedly Eid Mubarak gift when the incident occurred. The suspects are Steven Johnson Chimaroke, the alleged leader of the gang; Ike Amechi; Anthony Emmanuel; Godfred Alex; Kayode Ayodele and Opious Ouner. Leader of a police patrol team that went to the rescue of the victim, disclosed that the lady was badly treated by her attackers. Narrating her ordeal to the police after her rescue, the victim said she met Chimaroke on Facebook and became friends with him months ago. After letting him know that she is a Muslim, he invited me to his house on Sunday, June 25, 2017 to come for my Sallah gift. She said, she got to the house of Chimaroke that Sunday morning and found the others, living in the same house, with him. They first of all seized one of my mobile phones and smashed it on the ground, she narrated. The victim said the suspects then dragged her to one of the rooms, prepared gari and sugar and forced her to eat it, after which Chimaroke jumped on her and raped her. While he had unprotected sex with me, the other five stood by shouting, cheering him up and urging him in the broken English language to continue, the victim narrated. After satisfying himself, the victim said, the six told her that her ordeal was a revenge for the maltreatment Ghanaians meted out to their brother who visited Ghana some months ago. She said, after saying this, the suspects then locked her up in the room and left. According to her, another mobile phone was hidden in her dress and so she immediately called her brothers to come to her rescue. The Accra Regional Police Operations Director, Chief Superintendent Kwesi Ofori, told the media that the police apprehended the six suspects that Sunday and they were in the custody assisting in investigation. The operations officer said brothers of the victim reported the matter at the station and so personnel from the Alpha Swat Team of the Accra Regional Police Command and the Lake Side Police Command invaded the premises to rescue the victim. During the operation, the police found the bowl of soaked gari which the victim was given as her meal for the day by her kidnappers. Source: Daily Guide 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. Featured Video A SENIOR British lawyer and judge, Staac Peter Birkett, has urged the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to ensure that the processes leading to the drafting of the bill for the establishment of the office of the Special Prosecutor are transparent. He made the call yesterday in Accra while making a presentation at the opening ceremony of a two-day stakeholder meeting on the first draft bill for the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The stakeholder meeting, with support from the Embassy of China to Ghana, Office of the President, DFID, among others, seeks to provide the platform for public input and recommendation on the first draft of the Special Prosecutor Bill. According to Lawyer Birkett, the person to be appointed as the Special Prosecutor must be seen to be independent from the interferences of government or any political party. That, he said, was to help gain public confidence and trust in the operations of the special prosecutor when appointed, adding that the public in Ghana expects effective actions. According to him, the decision on whether or not to prosecute should not be made on political basis or ground but rather on fundamental level. He charged that the establishment of the office of the special prosecutor should be a potent deterrence against corruption not just in the present but also in the future. The bill must be fit for purpose; it must be fit for your present needs and it must be fit for your future needs, he urged. Anti-corruption must be the overall strategy. It must involve investigation and as well prevention, he stated. He made it clear that the Ghanaian populace would not have any confidence in the special prosecutor if he or she is seen as a political appointee. The greater the transparency in the process, the greater the public confidence, he said, adding that there was the need for the Attorney Generals Office to understudy the processes other countries went through in establishing their offices of special prosecutors. In other jurisdictions, he said, the president appoints a special prosecutor and then does what he termed a post consultation while other countries rely on the parliamentary vetting process. Working Relationship The judge appealed for a clear definition in the bill on how the office of the special prosecutor shall relate to existing prosecuting agencies like the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and the Police Service, among others. That, he said, was because the plethora of investigating agencies has the potential of creating difficulties in the operations of the special prosecutor. He proposed also that there must be a high degree of clarity as to what cases the special prosecutor can deal with. Legal Practitioner, Carolyne Lamptey, said the special prosecutor, according to the draft bill, has the power to within seven days freeze any asset of a public official accused of having indulged in corrupt acts. Thus, she urged that there must be a proper confiscation and asset management regime put in place by the state. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, said the establishment of the office of the special prosecutor is of immense importance to the government in the fight against corruption. She lamented the canker of corruption, saying it undermines public trust in the operations of government and thereby encourages citizens to evade taxes. According to her, although corruption is a global phenomenon and that its impact is pervasive in developing nations like Ghana. She recounted that abuse of public procurement through what she termed as rampant sole-sourcing, payment of dubious judgment debts, were some of the worrying corruption issues in Ghana, adding that the burden of corruption falls more heavily on the poor whose basic human rights are further violated when they are forced to pay bribes to access basic education. She acknowledged that until the monopoly of the Attorney General to initiate prosecution is broken, the fight against corruption will chalk piecemeal success. The Attorney General said the Akufo-Addo government shares in this conclusion hence, the special prosecutor is a top legislative priority of the government. Source: Daily Guide 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. Featured Video About 220 illegal small-scale miners in the Ashanti Region who were operating despite a ban on the activity, have been arrested by the Ashanti regional taskforce of the Small Scale Miners Association. The taskforce also seized and destroyed over 2,000 Chang Fan mining equipments used by the illegal miners. The arrest, according to the regional organiser, Kwame Boateng, was made in collaboration with the regional police command. According to him, the illegal miners were handed over to the various district police stations where the operations took place after their arrest. The galamseyers were arrested in the Atwima Mponua, Amansie West, Amansie East, Konongo, and other districts in the region. Addressing a press conference in Kumasi on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, on the achievements of the taskforce in the three months since it was set up to fight against illegal mining in the region, Mr Kwame Boateng commended the Ashanti regional police command for being supportive in the fight against galamsey. He also refuted claims by the Member of Parliament for Manso Nkwanta, Albert Quarm, that he formed the taskforce and had been sponsoring its operations. According to him, the claim is palpably false and without any iota of truth, whilst stating that the taskforce has not received support from anybody - not even the government. He said, the members of the Small Scale Miners Association have been contributing financially in support of the taskforce without anybody's help whilst expressing disappointment in government for not supporting the taskforce in the fight against the menace. He, therefore, called on government to support them financially to help the taskforce work effectively in the fight against galamsey in the country. 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. Featured Video The Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba, has advised non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to step up their work by concentrating on how to make a real impact in communities where they are needed. "Stop the tea drinking workshops and thinking that someone has to solve your problem. The problems are in the communities. We do a lot of things in the nice conference rooms and we are talking about beneficiaries who are far away from the conference rooms, she said. According to the minister, Ghana has had enough of capacity building in the area of social protection and it is now time for more action to cause and deliver the necessary societal changes for better lives of the vulnerable and the marginalized in society. The minister also called for NGOs to focus on their various specialized areas so that a lot can be achieved within the shortest possible time. "Have a map of all the areas. Know the baseline of the issues. Depending on your area of specialization, you go to that area and we are that these are the targets? Madam Djaba urged. The Minister made the comments when she was addressing a gathering of CSOs and NGOs in the Volta Region at the Regional Coordinating Council conference room as part of a familiarization tour of the region. The tour offered the minister an opportunity to interact with various stakeholders related to her ministry and to also to have firsthand information on activities and programmes undertaken by agencies under her ministry. Source: JFM/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged African leaders to hasten the coming into being of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). According to President Akufo-Addo, if we remain resolute and see to its realisation, we will obtain a major boost to the development of our economies, and a considerable reduction on our dependence on foreign goods and services. It is the path to collective self-reliance and prosperity. It will be recalled that Heads of State and Governments who attended the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, in January this year, signed up to the implementation of the CFTA. The purpose of the free-trade area is to ensure significant growth of Intra-Africa trade, as well as assisting countries on the continent use trade more effectively as an engine of growth and for sustainable development. The CFTA will also reduce the vulnerability of the continent to external shocks, and will also enhance the participation of Africa in global trade as a respectable partner, thereby reducing the continents dependence on foreign aid and external borrowing. President Akufo-Addo was speaking at a State Banquet held in his honour by the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Edgar Lungu, on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, when he made this known. He noted that for a continent that has made the choice of pursuing integration, Africa has not done much in liberalizing and promoting trade amongst member countries. Research has shown that countries or groups of countries with the largest share of world trade are located within regions with the highest share of intra-regional trade. Trade between African nations remains low compared to other parts of the world, he lamented. In 2000, intra-continental trade accounted for 10% of Africas total trade, and increased marginally to 11% in 2015. Trading amongst members of the European Union, for example, amounted to 70% in 2015. Intra-African trade is still estimated at less than two percent (2%) of global trade. With these very low levels of trade and investment co-operation in Africa, we must put in place deliberate measures aimed at expanding trade and business collaborations to improve the prospects for prosperity of our peoples, he added. The coming into effect of the CFTA, the President was confident, would bring progress and prosperity to the African peoples. With Africas population of 1.2 billion set to expand to 2 billion people in 20 years, the President stressed that this means that a genuine continental market in Africa should be in our economic interest, for it will present immense opportunities to bring prosperity to the peoples in our continent with hard work, creativity and enterprise. It is for this reason that President Akufo-Addo noted that we should no longer delay the process of African integration. A functioning, common continental market has to be a very fundamental objective of all the peoples and governments on the continent, an objective that will consolidate the process of structural transformation of our national economies on which we must be engaged. Intensify Ghana & Zambia links President Akufo-Addo, in his remarks, also called for the intensification of the links between Ghanaian and Zambian enterprises. With Zambia and Ghana recording similar GDP growth rates in 2016, i.e., 3.3% and 3.6% respectively, as a result of high fiscal deficits, low investor confidence, falling commodity prices and low agricultural productivity, President Akufo-Addo explained that the time has come for the two countries to move away from being mere producers and exporters of raw materials. There can be no future prosperity for our peoples in the short, medium or long term, if we continue to maintain economic structures dependent on the production and export of raw materials. Unless we industrialise, with the goal of adding significant value to our primary products, we cannot create the necessary numbers of good-paying jobs that will enhance the living standards of the masses of our country, he said. To this end, President Akufo-Addo outlined a number of policies he has initiated since assuming office in January 2017, which has shifted the focus of Ghanas economy from taxation to production. He also applauded his Zambian counterpart for his recently approved National Development Plan, on the theme Accelerating development efforts towards vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind. The Zambian programme is hinged on the pillars of economic diversification and job creation, reduced poverty and vulnerability, reduced developmental inequalities, enhancing human development, and conducive governance environment for economic diversification, to create a diversified economy for sustained growth and economic development is highly commendable. The transformation of our two economies we seek through these measures should make our enterprises and businesses very competitive in Africa, and beyond, he added. 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. Featured Video A 19-year-old woman has been charged with second-degree manslaughter in the US state of Minnesota after allegedly shooting her partner dead in a YouTube stunt gone wrong. Police arrested Monalisa Perez on Wednesday, claiming she was responsible for the death of 22-year-old Pedro Ruiz III. The criminal complaint filed against Perez claims she fired a .50 calibre Desert Eagle handgun at Ruiz from close range. Ruiz was allegedly holding a hardcover encyclopaedia against his chest at the time, with the apparent goal of filming the book stopping the bullet. The bullet passed through the book and into Ruiz chest, leading to his death. She had posted a Twitter update alluding to the stunt shortly beforehand. Me and Pedro are probably going to shoot one of the most dangerous videos ever???? HIS idea not MINE?? Monalisa Perez (@MonalisaPerez5) June 26, 2017 Perez and Ruiz ran a YouTube channel which often featured prank and stunt videos. Ruiz aunt Claudia Ruiz claimed to local broadcaster WDAY-TV that she urged him not to use a gun for the video, and asked him why he chose to do so. Ruiz allegedly responded because we want more viewers. We want to get famous. She also said the couples 3-year-old daughter was present at the time of the shooting. Perez is also pregnant with a second child. Lisa Primeau, another aunt of Ruiz, said the family was supporting Perez. Its the worst punishment she can get, Primeau said. She is pregnant with their second kid. Its just heartbreaking. Perez remains in jail, and is scheduled to face court via video link. Source: News.com.au / Minnesota Star Tribune. Photo: La MonaLisa / YouTube. The surgeon who was punched in the lobby of a Melbourne hospital has died from his injuries four weeks after the attack. Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann died at The Alfred hospital on Tuesday in the intensive care unit, where he has been since May 31. He was in a critical condition after undergoing emergency brain surgery after the assault. The surgeon was on his way home from work when he became engaged in an altercation in the hotels foyer, after he reportedly asked some people to stop smoking near the entrance to the hospital. Police allege he was struck in the face and fell to the ground. Police say that the case will now be handled by homicide detectives. Investigators will now await the results of a post mortem before reviewing charges, a spokesperson said. Pritzwald-Stegmann has been described by colleagues as a skilled surgeon, with particular interests in heart valve and aortic surgery. Eastern Healths chief executive Adjunct Professor David Plunkett told The Age that Pritzwald-Stegmann was a respected and admired member of the hospital. Patrick was a passionate patient advocate, a generous teacher and had particular skill in thoracic surgery. His work was truly outstanding and his commitment and dedication will be sorely missed by his colleagues, friends and patients. Patrick not only leaves a lasting legacy as a surgeon, but as a decent and genuine human being dedicated to the wellbeing of others. In the wake of the attack, Health Minister Jill Hennessy promised to double the funding for initiatives aimed at protecting health service staff. Source: The Age. Photo: Supplied. It looks like our local book-selling ledges at Avid Reader Bookshop & Cafe in Brissy have cracked the US market, featured today in the fancy af New York Times. Their lil interview today comes after the news that the page that trolled back when besieged by MRAs has nearly reached 5000 five-star reviews (as of rn theyre at 4.9k out of 5.4k total reviews). Quick recap. Scene: Monday morning, Brisbane. Avid Reader share Facebook post from Clementine Ford celebrating the news of her second book Boys Will Be Boys. By nightfall, Anti-Feminism Australia has encouraged their devoted fanbase to wind up Avid Reader by posting one-star reviews. Avid Reader respond with snarky comments. The Oz lit community start to reply too, and are savage in their rebuttals. They also begin posting rival five-star reviews. The good ones far surpass the bad. Balance is restored. Avid Reader social media manager Christopher Currie told the NYT that he was feeding his one-year-old son on Monday evening when the first vicious online attacks from anti-feminist trolls started to come in: It was a bit of a shock. Its something that I dont have to deal with on a daily basis, like Clementine certainly does. Its scary how it develops so quickly, and how people from all over the world get roped in. The NYT described the actions of the MRAs as online harassment and wrote about the main reason why Twitter and Facebook are so rubbish at supporting victims of concerted online hate campaigns such as these: [Trolls] get away with it, in part, experts say, because, there is still no consensus in the digital or real world about how to define a digital hate crime, harassment and assault. Governments certainly arent doing much to wrestle with the problem. Ford also responded to the attacks late on Monday, describing them as having a and I hope she doesnt mind that were going to use this all the time now rage wank. The mass support and the trolling continue, even today, with one-star and five-star reviews still rollin on in. Dear @avidreader4101 the Royal Brisbane Hospital have requested you stop replying to MRAs because their burns unit is full. The Rough End (@TheRoughEnd) June 28, 2017 Source: The New York Times. Photo: Facebook. A bunch of unfortunate Brisbanites have had their afternoons at least mildly ruined after a comms error wreaked havoc on trains leaving the city. Problems with the northern line have reportedly caused one-hour delays, and the suspension of some train lines across the Queensland Rail network. The root cause? Apparently the control centre were havin trouble getting into contact with the drivers of trains travelling north at about 5pm. They have since tried to move trains out of the city one at a time. Pls advised we are currently experiencing communication issues between our control centre & network. Delays on all lines of up to 1hr. Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) June 28, 2017 We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. Further updates to follow. Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) June 28, 2017 Executive general manager of city trains for Queensland Rail, Nick King says this hasnt happened in 20 years: Whats happened here is that weve lost the communication capability between our control centre and our drivers which are at the front of the train. This obviously creates a very unsafe potential situation, so weve had to take our protocols, which means bringing trains to a safe position at platforms, which is where we are currently. Queensland Rail have even resorted to replacement buses ~shudder~. The technical fault has since been fixed, according to King, with trains beginning to move again now, but the slight inconvenience is not over: residual half-hour delays are still expected. Services have resumed but we are continuing to experience significant delays due to the earlier communications issue across the network. Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) June 28, 2017 We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused this evening. Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) June 28, 2017 Commuters have of course taken to Twitter with the requisite good humour: Inside the Queensland Rail train communication centre pic.twitter.com/tCsinzTbMW Isobel Roe (@isobelroe) June 28, 2017 Have you tried smoke signals? Andrew Choreographer (@MTVDancer) June 28, 2017 And to think, Queensland Rails social media managers started the day with this: Did ewe lose your little baa-lerina at Central station? It was shear luck she was found & is now awaiting her owner: https://t.co/YdvXY81utH pic.twitter.com/OGU8K8qZ4A Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) June 28, 2017 Source: ABC. Photo: Jeff Greenberg / Getty. Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon has been ousted from the national Australian Greens party room until she helps to reform the NSW Greens. Earlier today, the Greens held a four-hour disciplinary meeting, concluding that Rhiannon, the only Greens Senator in NSW, would be excluded from party room discussions and decisions on contentious government legislation including those relating to her portfolios of animal welfare, housing, industry, democracy, gun control and local government. She will be suspended until the NSW Greens end the practice of NSW MPs being bound to vote against the decision of the Australian Greens party room. The vote to reform the NSW party was unanimous, aside from Rhiannon. Melbourne MP Adam Bandt voted with Rhiannon against her suspension. Last year, Greens founder Bob Brown called on Rhiannon to resign in order to spark renewal in the NSW arm of the party, describing her as a member of the old guard who impeded the Greens electoral chances in Sydney. Rhiannon is currently in the shit with the party for campaigning against the Liberal partys Gonski 2.0 schools funding package by distributing a leaflet that said the govs plan would take money away from schools. At the time, Greens leader Richard Di Natale was trying to negotiate a deal with the Libs to get the bill passed. The bill, which was opposed by Labor, ultimately passed thanks to support from the crossbench, the Greens failing to strike a deal. All of her fellow Greens MPs, literally everyone from Bandt to Di Natale, sent a formal letter of complaint to the partys national council on Friday: We were astounded that Senator Rhiannon was engaged with [the leaflet]s production and distribution without informing party room at a time when we were under enormous pressure from all sides as we considered our position on the [schools] bill. This leaflet was in circulation when the leader and the portfolio holder, authorised by party room, were in discussions with the government securing billions of dollars of additional funding for underfunded public schools. Clearly, this leaflet had the potential to damage those negotiations. Rhiannons actions meanwhile have highlighted a structural issue that needs to be addressed in the NSW Greens, according to Tasmanian Senator and acting Greens whip Nick McKim. All o this certainly doesnt help accusations of in-fighting among the Greens. Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Photo: Pacific Press / Getty. Rebel Wilson is just straight up kicking dicks this year, coming off the back of a hugely publicised win in the courts against Womens Weekly, with the announcement that she is set to launch her own fashion label for women sized 16 and up. The Aussie comedian and Pitch Perfect star teased the news on Twitter before officially launching the range, titled Rebel Wilson x Angels, in a glammo event in New York last night. Im excited to announce my own plus sized clothing line REBEL WILSON x ANGELS ?? Coming this Summer! pic.twitter.com/WLBaGIYHXB Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) June 26, 2017 Working with stylist to the stars Elizabeth Stewart, Rebel describes the labels approach as contemporary with the range set to feature such items as lycra-infused denim, printed tees and satin bomber jackets. Keeping it mostly pared back and versatile, a couple of the items do come with Wilsons trademark humour including a denim jacket with just fan me and feed me grapes written on the back. Launching in September, Rebels line retails from $49 to $298 (USD) and will be available in several major US department stores including Nordstrom, before hopefully making its way to her home country sometime soon. Head to her site for more. Photos: Rebel Wilson x Angels. This is a bloody outrage of national proportions, folks. A massive, global Ransomware attack has crippled businesses across the planet over the past few days, and its taken aim at a particularly unusual and innocent party here in Australia. The Petya cyber attack has infected computers across Europe and the US, and has finally made its way out here to the merry old land of Aus. Who, prey tell, have they targeted? The Federal Government? A high-profile telecommunications corporation? A large freight company? No. Theyve gone after the humble Cadbury Factory down in Tassie. Motherfuckers. The predominantly automated and computer-operated factory on the eastern shore of Hobart has had their entire system overtaken by the attack, with all computers locked out of normal operation from around 9:30pm last night. In place of ordinary displays, a message demanding $300 in bitcoin, of all bloody things, is shown. Ransomware attack comes to Tasmania. This is what Cadburys Hobart computers look like since 9:30pm #ransomware pic.twitter.com/tZIC16oQNH Leon Compton (@LeonCompton) June 27, 2017 The issue has filtered down to Cadbury from their parent company Mondelz International, who were the original target of this arm of the attack. In a statement issued this morning, Mondelz asserted that they did not know how long it would take for the issue to be resolved. We continue to work quickly to address the current global IT outage across Mondelz International. Our teams are working offline in an effort to maintain business continuity with our customers and consumers around the world. We will share updates with our suppliers and partners as they become available. At this time, we do not know when our systems will be restored but we appreciate everyones patience, understanding and partnership during this process. Experts working to combat the attack have compared it to the similar WannaCry assault that crippled computers globally back in May. Companies in Australia including Cadbury, a global law firm and a shipping company affected by a major ransom-ware attack @AshleeMullany pic.twitter.com/YFunFM5v6x 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) June 28, 2017 Cybercrime on a global scale might be an extremely lucrative business, but attacking Dairy Milk? Preventing the factory from making Curly Wurlys? Going after the beloved Freddo By God Frog? Thats a line you can never un-cross, you gutless bastards. Source: ABC News. Photo: Leon Compton/Twitter. Pennsylvania's physician general has been featured as a part of NBC Out's #Pride30, a series that highlights prominent people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. Dr. Rachel Levine is the highest-ranking out transgender person in Pennsylvania government, according to previous reporting by PennLive. The state Senate unanimously confirmed Levine as the state's physician general June 9, 2015, a position she said would allow her to be a "mentor or role model" for those in the community. The 59-year-old physician told NBC Out that ignorance and lack of exposure to those in the trans community is what leads to discrimination. Her position allows her to change minds. "Levine has used her position as Pennsylvania's top doc not only to tackle the drug overdose crisis, but to casually put a human face to the transgender community," the article read. "She travels across small communities in the state doing public events with local officials and residents to talk about opioid abuse." Levine decided to transition from a man to a woman about 12 years ago, according to previous reporting by PennLive. She's advocated on the board of Equality Pennsylvania and the Capitol Region Stonewall Democrats and has been a member of TransCentral PA, according to NBC Out. She graduated in 1979 from Harvard College and in 1983 from Tulane University of Medicine. Levine then completed her training in pediatrics and practiced from 1988 to 1993 at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Before she took on the job as physician general, Levine served as the chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and Eating Disorders and vice chairwoman for Clinical Affairs for the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, according to previous reporting by PennLive. Levine was also the speaker at PennLive's 25th annual Best & Brightest reception, which was held in May. You can read the NBC Out's profile of Levine . PARIS -- Companies and governments around the world on Wednesday counted the cost of a software epidemic that has disrupted ports, hospitals and banks. Ukraine, which was hardest hit and where the attack likely originated, said it had secured critical state assets -- though everyday life remained affected, with cash machines out of order and airport displays operating manually. As the impact of the cyberattack that erupted Tuesday was still being measured at offices, loading docks and boardrooms, the Ukrainian Cabinet said that "all strategic assets, including those involved in protecting state security, are working normally." But that still left a large number of non-strategic assets -- including dozens of banks and other institutions -- fighting to get back online. Cash machines in Kiev seen by an Associated Press photographer were still out of order Wednesday, and Ukrainian news reports said that flight information at the city's Boryspil airport was being provided in manual mode. A local cybersecurity expert discounted the Ukrainian government's assurances. "Obviously they don't control the situation," Victor Zhora of Infosafe in Kiev told the AP. Others outside Ukraine were struggling, too. Logistics firm FedEx says deliveries by its TNT Express subsidiary have been "slowed" by the cyberattack, which had "significantly affected" its systems. At India's largest container port, one of the terminals was idled by the malicious software. M.K. Sirkar, a manager at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai, said that no containers could be loaded or unloaded Wednesday at the terminal operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk, the Denmark-based shipping giant. In a statement, Moller-Maersk acknowledged that its APM Terminals had been "impacted in a number of ports" and that an undisclosed number of systems were shut down "to contain the issue." The company declined to provide further detail or make an official available for an interview. At the very least, cybersecurity firms say thousands of computers worldwide have been struck by the malware, which goes by a variety of names including ExPetr. In Pennsylvania, lab and diagnostic services were closed at the satellite offices of the Heritage Valley Health System. In Tasmania, an Australian official said a Cadbury chocolate factory had stopped production after computers there crashed. Other organizations affected include U.S. drugmaker Merck, food and drinks company Mondelez International, global law firm DLA Piper, and London-based advertising group WPP. But most of the damage remains hidden away in corporate offices and industrial parks. As IT security workers turned their eye toward cleaning up the mess, others wondered at the attackers' motives. Ransomware -- which scrambles a computer's data until a payment is made -- has grown explosively over the past couple of years, powered in part by the growing popularity of digital currencies such as bitcoin. But some experts believed that this latest ransomware outbreak was less aimed at gathering money than at sending a message to Ukraine and its allies. That hunch was buttressed by the way the malware appears to have been seeded using a rogue update to a piece of Ukrainian accounting software -- suggesting an attacker focused on Ukrainian targets. And it comes on the anniversary of the assassination of a senior Ukrainian military intelligence officer and a day before a national holiday celebrating a new constitution signed after the breakup of the Soviet Union. "The threat we're talking about looks like it was specially developed for Ukraine because that was the place it created most of the damage," said Bogdan Botezatu, of Romanian security firm Bitdefender, calling it a case of "national sabotage." Suspicions were further heightened by the re-emergence of the mysterious Shadow Brokers group of hackers, whose dramatic leak of powerful NSA tools helped power Tuesday's outbreak, as it did a previous ransomware explosion last month that was dubbed WannaCry. In a post published Wednesday, The Shadow Brokers made new threats, announced a new money-making scheme and made a boastful reference to the recent chaos. The malware didn't appear to make a lot of money for its creators. A bitcoin wallet used to collect ransoms showed only about $10,000. And some analysts going through the malware's code said that the ransomware may not even operate as ransomware at all; victims' data appear to be hopelessly scrambled, rather than recoverable after the payment of ransom. Matthieu Suiche, the founder of Dubai-based Comae Technologies, said the ransom demand was merely "a mega-diversion." In a blog post, he wrote that the code pointed not to criminals, but "in fact a nation state attack." In a ruling issued Monday, Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez instead directed state and local officials to evaluate safety concerns at the Hereford Inlet beach in North Wildwood. He dismissed a request from the family of Brad Smith, who died in a July 2012 accident, to immediately order the beach closed. The judge directed the state Department of Environmental Protection and the city of North Wildwood to take "prompt and timely action" to address safety concerns at the beach. Lawyer Paul D'Amato, representing the Smith family, said the ruling endangers future beachgoers. "The court's ruling is not a loss for the Smith family," he said. "It is a loss for the current and future visitors to North Wildwood and the taxpayers whose local government has turned a blind eye to a known danger of additional underwater landslides on this inlet beach." A lawyer for North Wildwood and a spokesman for the DEP did not immediately return messages seeking comment Tuesday. The judge ruled that Smith's family had not exhausted all its administrative remedies, something that had to happen before he could order a piece of public property closed. Smith's widow, Sandra Smith, of Horsham, Pa., is suing North Wildwood over the accident that killed Smith and nearly killed their 7-year-old daughter. Brad Smith was walking in ankle-deep water at the beach with his daughter when the sand collapsed, plunging them and a friend into the swirling waters. A passer-by on a personal watercraft rescued the girl, who was being held above the waves by her father before he drowned. Three years earlier, Jamila Watkins and 15-year-old Shayne Hart were walking along the water's edge when the sand gave way beneath them, plunging them into the swirling waters of the inlet, killing both of them. The plaintiffs have presented a report from a former official with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which does extensive beach protection and restoration work in New Jersey, that said tidal conditions undermined sand just under the water line, creating a drop-off of 10 feet or more that's invisible to people walking along the water's edge. North Wildwood's chief lifeguard said in a deposition the town knew of the condition, which occurs twice each day, for at least six years before Smith drowned. Monday's ruling does not affect the wrongful-death litigation brought by Smith's family, which is pending in Superior Court in Cape May County and seeks unspecified damages. In that case, North Wildwood denies any wrongdoing. Four previously deported aliens were recently indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally re-entering the U.S. separate cases, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney's office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jose Perez-Verdugo, Jose Arguelles-Varillas, Maximino Mota-Ortiz, and Francisco Michaca-Dominguez all face federal charges for returning to the U.S. without permission. Their indictments were announced Wednesday. Perez-Verdugo, 37, has been deported from the U.S. on three prior occasions: in August 2008, September 2014 and March 2014. The Mexican citizen is accused of illegally re-entering the U.S. some time after March 2014 after he was found in Dauphin County. Perez-Verdugo faces up to two years in prison, supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Arguelles-Varillas, 53, was previously deported form the U.S. May 2012. The Mexican citizen is accused of illegally re-entering the the U.S. sometime after May 2012 and was found in Luzerne County. In May 2012, Arguelles-Varillas was convicted of child abuse and attempted forcible sexual abuse in Utah, which make him subject to enhanced penalties in the current case, officials said. Those penalties include up to 10 years in prison, supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Mota-Ortiz, 46, was previously deported from the U.S. in 1997. The citizen of the Dominican Republic is accused of illegally re-entering the U.S. some time after he was deported and was found in Luzerne County. Officials said Mota-Ortiz had been convicted of trafficking a controlled substance in July 1995 in Massachusetts, meaning he is subject to enhanced penalties in this case. Those penalties include up to 10 years in prison, supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Michaca-Dominguez, 41, had been previously deported from the U.S. in January 2005, August 2013, and December 2013. The Mexican citizen is accused of illegally re-entering the U.S. sometime thereafter following his arrest in Monroe County for a summary offense April 30, 2017. Michaca-Dominguez faces up to two years in prison, supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. Twenty-one central Pennsylvania residents are among the 68 people state officials just charged with committing nearly $270,000 in welfare fraud. Those are just the people who were caught committing that crime in May, the Office of Inspector General reported Wednesday. Inspector General Bruce R. Beemer said he counts include accusations of illegal trafficking in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that was uncovered during a drug investigation by Harrisburg police. The OIG filed 25 criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a felony of the third degree. The defendants are: Teia McRea, 46, of Erie in Erie County, for $6,591 in SNAP fraud and $4,898 in cash assistance fraud. Roxie E. Rogers, 32, of Norristown in Montgomery County, for $3,526 in SNAP fraud. Melissa Rossi, 40, of Erie in Erie County, for $1,637 in SNAP fraud, $8,059.90 in medical assistance fraud and $1,692 in subsidized day care fraud. Dinah M. Mason, 59, of Irwin in Westmoreland County, for $4,653 in SNAP fraud and $24,565.55 in medical assistance fraud. Jennifer L. Smith, 33, of Hanover in Adams County, for $1,512 in SNAP fraud and $3,833.12 in medical assistance fraud. Samantha Bookamer, 33, of Franklin in Venango County, for $7,613 in SNAP fraud. Rasheeda S. Martin, 37, of York in York County, for $25,618 in SNAP fraud and $8,486.50 in medical assistance fraud. Sondra D. Corradini, 43, of Hazleton in Luzerne County, for $3,020 in SNAP fraud. Tanya E. Kelly, 53, of Phoenixville in Chester County, for $4,785 in SNAP fraud. Jenise L. Minik, 38, of New Kensington in Westmoreland County, for $2,368 in SNAP fraud and $4,419.18 in medical assistance fraud. Eleanor Smith, 55, of Nemacolin in Greene County, for $3,570 in SNAP fraud. Rustina Stout, 37, of Stroudsburg in Monroe County, for $3,194 in SNAP fraud and $830 in LIHEAP fraud. Tracey E. Roura, 32, of York in York County, for $4,902 in SNAP fraud. Michael J. Kipe, 64, of Warfordsburg in Fulton County, for $2,872 in SNAP fraud, $7,270.24 in medical assistance fraud and $364 in LIHEAP fraud. Lettycia Almodovar, 40, of Lancaster in Lancaster County, for $6,130 in SNAP fraud. Betsy Caraballo, 23, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for exchanging $1,390.43 in SNAP benefits on her EBT Card for merchandise or cash. Sade' V. Henley, 22, of Greensburg in Westmoreland County, for $3,208 in SNAP fraud. Linda M. Smith, 47, and Thomas J. Smith, 38, of Tionesta in Forest County, for $2,296 in SNAP fraud, $3,131.52 in medical assistance fraud and $1,104 in LIHEAP fraud. Maria A. Paulding, 45, of Erie in Erie County, for $4,327 in SNAP fraud. Brian R. Dunmire, 38, of Jeannette in Westmoreland County, for $3,689.32 in medical assistance fraud. Noemi Serrata Uceta, 44, of Paradise in Lancaster County, for $3,143 in SNAP fraud. Elisabel V. Berrios, 31, formerly of Manheim in Lancaster County, for $4,378 in SNAP fraud and $4,924.82 in medical assistance fraud. Christina Sanchez, 31, of Akron in Lancaster County, for $4,489 in SNAP fraud. Christy L. Oatman, 31, of Lancaster in Lancaster County, for $3,455 in SNAP fraud. If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is seven years in prison and a fine of $15,000, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded. The OIG filed 34 criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a misdemeanor of the first degree. The defendants are: Zusete Alvarez, 45, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $1,937 in SNAP fraud and $1,592 in cash assistance fraud. Anthony Flego, 42, of Philadelphia, for $2,044 in SNAP fraud and $1,007.50 in cash assistance fraud. Valeri R. Kiss, 32, of Uniontown in Fayette County, for $2,177 in cash assistance. Soleini Rodriguez, 25, of Hazleton in Luzerne County, for $1,738 in cash assistance. Brandy L. Bishop, 37, of Sharon in Mercer County, for $2,897.50 in cash assistance. Melissa L. Cornelius, 28, of Beaver Falls in Beaver County, for $639 in SNAP fraud and $1,029.26 in cash assistance fraud. Dawn M. Bass, 23, of Vanderbilt in Fayette County, for $2,614.20 in cash assistance fraud. Francisco Vargas, 40, of Chambersburg in Franklin County, for $2,641 in SNAP fraud. Jacob A. Kaiser, 26, of Chambersburg in Franklin County, for $1,825 in SNAP fraud. Amanda L. Vanhooser, 37, of Monessen in Westmoreland County, for $1,422 in SNAP fraud and $2,798.08 in medical assistance fraud. Amy R. Stanczyk, 33, of Central City in Somerset County, for $2,105 in SNAP fraud and $1,025.30 in LIHEAP benefits. Juvi E. Harris, 30, of Royersford in Montgomery County, for $1,428 in SNAP fraud. Jessica M. Capwell, 36, of Allentown in Lehigh County, for $1,972 in SNAP fraud. Billie J. Strawser, 35, of Mifflintown in Juniata County, for $2,510 in SNAP fraud. Tara Carlino, 24, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $2,501 in SNAP fraud. Lydia Rivera, 51, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $2,494 in SNAP fraud. Darryl Calderon, 28, of McKees Rocks in Allegheny County, for $1,357.29 in SNAP fraud and $652 in LIHEAP fraud. Stephanie B. Twyman, 31, of Willow Grove in Montgomery County, for $1,905 in SNAP fraud. Ebony L. Gordon, 33, of Cheltenham of Montgomery County, for $2,946 in SNAP fraud. Abubakarr Nabay, 45, of King of Prussia in Montgomery County, for $2,004 in SNAP fraud. Lourdes Martinez, 43, of York in York County, for $1,821 in SNAP fraud. Amzie L. Denson, 38, of Norristown in Montgomery County, for $2,870 in SNAP fraud. Luis R. Aviles Hernandez, 42, of Hazleton in Luzerne County, for $2,328 in SNAP fraud. Ciara E. Morales, 23, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for exchanging $361.92 in SNAP benefits on her EBT Card for merchandise or cash. Anjelo S. Kellum, 29, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for exchanging $515.56 in SNAP benefits on his EBT Card for merchandise or cash. Daniel O. Quinones, 32, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for exchanging $245.57 in SNAP benefits on his EBT Card for merchandise or cash. Jeremy A. Robinson, 26, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for exchanging $557.58 in SNAP benefits on his EBT Card for merchandise or cash. Roy E. Turner, Jr., 26, of Meadville in Crawford County, for $2,378 in SNAP fraud. Donia L. Bradley, 45, of Coatesville in Chester County, for $1,963 in SNAP fraud. Julie A. Rhoades, 37, of Warfordsburg in Fulton County, for $1,605 in SNAP fraud. Andrea Powell, 32, of Hartstown in Crawford County, for $1,971 in SNAP fraud. Stephanie Hunadi, 35, of Nesquehoning in Carbon County, for $2,555 in SNAP fraud. Rebecca A. Nash, 54, of Warren in Warren County, for $2,122.85 in medical assistance fraud. Todd A. Tirums, 25, of Meadville in Crawford County, for $2,017.59 in medical assistance fraud. If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is five years in prison and a fine of $10,000, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded. The OIG filed eight criminal cases of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that were graded as a misdemeanor of the second degree. The defendants are: Felix Thaureaux, 61, of Allentown in Lehigh County, for $1,197 in SNAP fraud. Sarah A. Dixon, 56, of Aliquippa in Beaver County, for $1,404 in SNAP fraud. Jennifer L. Salzano, 34, of West Chester in Chester County, for $1,323 in SNAP fraud. Cassie Priselac, 28, of McKeesport in Allegheny County, for $1,428 in SNAP fraud. Rachel E. Ryland, 33, of Brockway in Jefferson County, for $1,322 in SNAP fraud. Sandra Hammock, 39, of Lebanon in Lebanon County, for $1,364 in SNAP fraud. Lynn A. Pickell, 40, of Lancaster in Lancaster County, for $1,068 in SNAP fraud. Holly M. Baker, 34, of Kittanning in Armstrong County, for $1,016 in SNAP fraud. If convicted, the maximum penalty they face is two years in prison and a fine of $5,000, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded. The OIG filed one criminal case of fraudulently receiving public assistance in Pennsylvania that was graded as a misdemeanor of the third degree. The defendant is: Keith Shaffer, 55, of Palmerton in Carbon County, for $944 in SNAP fraud. If convicted, the maximum penalty they would face is one year in prison and a fine of $2,500, plus a mandatory disqualification period from the benefits program they defrauded. To report suspected fraud please call the Welfare Fraud Tipline at 1-800-932-0582 or visit the OIG website at www.oig.pa.gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous. Police officers in some Cumberland County municipalities now have a new way to identify people: a mobile ID unit that can test fingerprints in under three minutes. The units are attached to a smartphone and test fingerprints against Pennsylvania State Police and FBI databases. The units don't take in any fingerprint information, so people who are identified with the units don't then become part of either database. Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said during a news conference Wednesday that it is critical for police officers to have accurate identification of someone they are interacting with. "People involved in criminal activity often don't carry ID purposefully ... or they'll carry false ID," he said. "With the heightened concerns we have in this country about terrorism, we are as likely to encounter a terrorist in a traffic stop by local police than almost anywhere else." Hampden Township, Mechanicsburg, Upper Allen Township and Camp Hill Borough police departments now have the mobile units, as well as the District Attorney's office. The technology is also being used in parts of Philadelphia, Lehigh and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Adam Reed said. Freed said the units will help them identify people who don't have identification on them or who may be giving them a fake name or ID. The units could also be used to identify people who may be unconscious or otherwise unable to give ID, he said. Reed said the units will help officers save time in identifying people. "When encountering a potentially dangerous person every minute helps," he said. The units were implemented through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Freed said. Upper Allen Township Police Chief James Adams said his department was able to acquire two of the units at no charge to themselves. The units typically cost just under $2,000. A mobile ID unit Camp Hill Police Chief Douglas Hockenberry said his officers had been trained with the mobile ID unit, and one was always with at least one officer during a given patrol. Freed said a few weeks ago, Camp Hill police successfully used the mobile ID unit after someone gave them a "questionable name." Using the device, officers were able to discover the real name of the person due to records in the database from a previous arrest. The mobile units will bring police in Cumberland County "a little bit with where the public expects us to be" in terms of technology, Freed said. "There is a police protection component to this and a public protection component to this," he said. "It's very important in police-citizen interactions, that police officer know who they are dealing with." The owner of a cigar manufacturing company in the Dominican Republic was indicted Wednesday on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. related to federal tobacco excise tax fraud. Jose Dominguez, 52, is accused of conspiring to evade excises taxes with an importer of large cigars in East Stroudsburg from 2009 to 2012, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney's office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Dominguez's company and the unnamed East Stroudsburg cigar importer used fake invoices to collect federal excise taxes from cigar retailers in the U.S. collecting about $3.8 million, officials said. Dominguez and his co-conspirators only paid $2.1 million to the government and were able to obtain about $1.8 million for themselves as a result of the scheme, officials said. Dominguez faces up to five years in prison, followed by supervised release and a fine. Fred Reddig, who oversaw much of Harrisburg's ongoing financial recovery through Act 47, announced his retirement Tuesday. Reddig joined what was then called the state Department of Community Affairs in 1987. He first became involved in Harrisburg's recovery process in 2010 as a key official in the Department of Community and Economic Development. "It hasn't been easy but you persevered and the city is in a much better place," he told City Council. "I can see a lot of very positive things occurring in the city and I can see a lot of bright lights moving forward." Reddig will continue in his current capacity through next month. Marita Kelley, deputy director of the Governor's Center for Local Government Services, has been appointed to replace him. He told PennLive he plans to travel to see his grandchildren in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., but "would like to keep my fingers in local government as much as possible." Reddig earns a $137,000 salary in his current position as special assistant for distressed municipalities. The operator of a Pennsylvania bookkeeping firm has agreed to plead guilty to charges that he embezzled $428,000 from two businesses and a non-profit corporation and lied to the IRS. The crimes could send Richard J. Morgan, owner of Wilkes-Barre Bookkeeping LLC, to prison for decades. U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler said Wednesday that Morgan, 54, of Shavertown, is accused of stealing most of the money - nearly $306,000 - from a nonprofit corporation that is not identified in court filings. Those thefts occurred between December 2011 and September 2014, investigators claim. Morgan embezzled $54,607 from another unnamed business between January 2015 and October 206, Brandler said, and also embezzled $68,172 while acting as the unpaid treasurer for a firm that was dissolving. Investigators claim Morgan obstructed the probe of the alleged crimes by lying to IRS agents and providing the agency with altered bank statements and accounting records. A tentative plea agreement filed in U.S. Middle District Court in Scranton calls for Morgan to admit to the crimes and pay full restitution. It does not include a deal for a specific sentence, but notes the crimes carry a penalty of up to 33 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine. The plea agreement would not become final unless it is approved by Judge James M. Munley. Gettysburg National Military Park is preparing for demonstrations by at least three groups Saturday during the 154th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, with reports that counter-protests may spring up as well. Sons of Confederate Veterans has received a First Amendment permit to demonstrate from 3-6 p.m. north of Meade's Headquarters along the west side of Taneytown Road. Between 250 and 500 people are expected. And Real 3 % Risen has a permit to demonstrate from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the same area, with 500 to 1,500 people expected. Both are described as "freedom of speech" rallies. In a different area, 20 reenactors from the Maryland Sons of Confederate Veterans have received a First Amendment permit to hold a commemorative march between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. from the North Carolina memorial to the Virginia memorial and hold a small ceremony at each monument. Another popular private reenactment festival is also scheduled about two miles from the park, she said. Despite social media reports that anti-fascist group Antifa is planning to demonstrate in protest, no permit request has been received from it or any other groups, said Katie Lawhon, park spokeswoman. Breitbart reported Tuesday that leftist groups are planning to burn Confederate flags and desecrate monuments. An event at the park Saturday called "Support America and Her History, Rally! If You Hate US, Leave!" is also seeking participants on Facebook. "We are very aware of internet posts that state that," Lawhon said of the reports. "We respect the public's right to demonstrate and voice their views. We don't make any distinction between the purpose and the message," she said, with the park service committed to allowing first amendment rights exercised. "But if people decide to act unlawfully, we have plans in place to efficiently address those," she said, to protect others' rights, and safety of the public and the park. In addition to Gettysburg National Military Park police, state and local police and national park police from Washington, D.C. will be assisting. Lawhon said they are not expecting problems. "We have had First Amendment events at Gettysburg and in our national parks many times in the past. We've got a good plan in place." The protests coincide with 154th anniversary activities in the park commemorating the battle of Gettysburg that raged July 1-3, 1863. The protests also come as some groups around the country are calling for removal of Confederate symbols from public spaces. For example, In New Orleans, four Confederate statues were removed from public viewing. Lawhon said the park has received no such requests and has not removed any monuments. There are both Union and Confederate monuments in the park - 1,300 in all - and the majority are Union memorials, Lawhon said. "The National Park Service mission is to preserve and protect them for future generations," Lawhon said, with no proposals, discussion or requests about changing or removing memorials. Traffic is expected to be heavy, especially on Taneytown Road, throughout the weekend. Drivers and pedestrians are asked to be mindful of crosswalks. Parking signs will guide visitors to open parking areas. "Gold Line" shuttle busses from the visitor center run regularly to transport visitors to nearby sites. During peak demand, visitors may be directed to park at the Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg and board a free shuttle bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. Alcohol is prohibited in the park, and no firearms or pets are permitted in the Museum and Visitor Center, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. Federal law prohibits firearms in certain park facilities and buildings. These places are marked with signs at public entrances. A list of other prohibited items and activities is available on the park website. The 154th anniversary includes a variety of free hikes, walks and talks. Details and times are available on the park web site. By Dennis Davin Today, Pennsylvania has emerged as a new kind of global energy leader. We sit atop the largest natural gas field in North America and one of the largest of its kind on earth. Dennis Davin (Commonwealth of Pa. photo) The production of that field, commonly known as the Marcellus Shale, is so prolific that energy suppliers have drilled 10,000 wells in the last 10 years and are eager to transport natural gas to markets outside Pennsylvania, and even internationally, to further profit from our resource. The Wolf administration encourages this new economic driver, one that is being accelerated by fast-developing pipeline infrastructure. But Pennsylvanians are missing out on a financial stake that will only grow bigger as this non-renewable natural resource is further depleted. Pennsylvania is the only major energy-producing state that does not impose a severance tax on the extraction of its natural gas. Pennsylvania's current impact fee has failed to keep pace with the incredible rise in production in Pennsylvania. Since hitting a peak in 2013, revenue from the impact fee has fallen in each of the past three years, even as the amount of gas produced in Pennsylvania has continued to rise dramatically. The fee, which is based on the number of wells drilled, not the amount of gas produced, decreases over time, and is no longer charged after 15 years, even if a well is still producing natural gas. Communities will continue to be short-changed by the impact fee until we pass a severance tax that ensures that communities here are appropriately compensated. We want all Pennsylvanians to know that we are missing a substantial piece of our natural gas boom. And that boom has only just begun. In 2016, Pennsylvania surpassed Louisiana to become the No. 2 producer of natural gas in the United States. Pennsylvania will likely surpass Texas as the national leader in natural gas production this decade. In Texas, the Oil & Gas Trade Association proudly publishes a release each year bragging about how much they have contributed to the state. The most recent one noted that "the oil and natural gas industry has paid $108 billion in state and local property taxes and state royalties since 2007," roughly the same time period in which Pennsylvania has been producing gas from the Marcellus. By failing to enact a reasonable severance tax, over time the commonwealth is missing out on billions of dollars that could be used to benefit all Pennsylvanians. The fact that we have not enacted a fair severance tax, which the industry pays in every other gas-producing state, is cause for concern. The commonwealth's increasing and yet untapped financial stake in the extraction of its resource must be addressed. The Wolf administration understands that the current low cost of natural gas has created a difficult economic environment for producers of Marcellus Shale natural gas and natural gas liquids. But we are looking ahead. There are currently more than $12 billion in transmission pipeline projects proposed for the Marcellus Shale that will transport our state's natural gas to end-use markets. As these pipelines come on line, industry sources project that prices in Pennsylvania will rise in the near term. Equally importantly, these pipelines will take gas produced in Pennsylvania and deliver it to consumers in other states and even internationally. According to the state's Independent Fiscal Office, up to 80 percent of the gas produced in Pennsylvania will ultimately be used in other markets. That means that up to 80 percent of the revenue from a reasonable severance tax will be paid by consumers in other markets. Pennsylvania consumers are currently helping to build roads and schools in Texas and Oklahoma every time we fill up at the pump, or turn on a gas stove. Meanwhile Pennsylvania is alone among states in giving away our resource tax free. It is long past time to ensure that Pennsylvanians are sharing in the benefits of our natural gas resource. For more than three centuries, our prosperity has been rooted in opportunities our energy resources have provided to the residents of the commonwealth. Every Pennsylvanian shared in that success. At a time when the Pennsylvania Legislature is debating how to close a $3 billion budget deficit, failing to pass a reasonable tax - which will not negatively impact the industry, will largely be paid by consumers in other markets, and will ensure that Pennsylvanians share in the benefit of this prolific resource - is shortsighted. Dennis Davin is secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. He writes from Harrisburg. By Luann Henehan Lord Public education in Pennsylvania is headed for big trouble unless we can convince our state officials to put aside partisan politics, put the needs of our young people first and put money into funding our schools. Our public schools need money and they need it now. Luann Henehan Lord (Submitted Photo) Former Gov. Tom Corbett's has been out of office for three years, but our schools are still reeling from his devastating budget cuts. Pennsylvania has the most inequitable school funding formula in the nation. Many of our most impoverished schools that need the most funding continue to suffer from crowded classrooms, a lack of resources and failing infrastructure. We need a budget that supports our children's education to pass by June 30. Gov. Tom Wolf's budget would provide a solution to fund our public schools and would restore the $1 billion cuts made to schools during Corbett's term. Wolf suggests taxing big business and the fracking industry. These corporations do not pay their fair share of taxes, while many of us live paycheck to paycheck and continue to carry the tax burden. If the gas industry and other corporations paid their fair share of taxes, our schools would get the funding they need and our taxes would go down. I have been employed by the Scranton School District for the past 31 years, 15 years as a clerk and 16 years as a school custodian. Over the years, I have seen how our schools have been devastated due to cuts. Because of the budget cuts, I along with my co-workers often have to purchase the tools and supplies to get the job done. I even went so far as to purchase a carpet steam cleaner last summer because ours broke and the district did not have the funding to purchase a new one for our school. I do these things so the children of the Scranton School District have a clean, safe, and healthy environment in which they can learn. Scranton teachers and staff work incredibly hard to keep our schools running under difficult circumstances but without proper funding, we all fail. These problems aren't unique to the Scranton School District. The same issues are happening in all school districts across Pennsylvania. While dedicated food service workers, bus drivers, maintenance employees, and secretaries have worked to build trusted relationships with students, school districts try to outsource these hardworking men and women in an effort to save money. We all know outsourcing does not save taxpayers. If Governor Wolf's budget passes, children in our public schools would get the books, nurses, librarians, bus drivers, cleaners and teachers they need while reducing class sizes. How do children learn properly in overcrowded classrooms? They don't. We have to send a strong message to our elected officials: pass Governor Wolf's budget. Contact your elected officials and let them know to properly fund education adequately and equitably for our children. The future of the children of Pennsylvania depends on it. Luann Henehan Lord, of Scranton, worked for the Scranton schools for 31 years. She writes on behalf of the union SEIU 32BJ. Let me talk to you for a minute about libraries. Here in central Pennsylvania, we're lucky enough to have a couple of great library systems with branch offices, in a lot of cases, just a quick drive or a short walk away from our homes. The Cleve J. Fredricksen Library on 19th Street in Camp Hill is a community institution. It's always jumping. Local residents are always busily passing through its doors. If they're not taking advantage of the services it has to offer, they're enjoying the events that seem to be taking place there almost all the time. Ditto for the East Shore Area Library in Lower Paxton Township. It's tucked away behind the Colonial Park Mall. And it's a place I fondly recall bringing my daughter when she was first starting to read. We passed many a quiet Sunday afternoon in the children's section, poring over picture and beginner books during her early childhood, then selecting a few that we'd bring home with us. I'm a big library fan - I always have been. The public library in my hometown was a community gathering point. I biked there when I was a kid, stuffing my backpack full of books. I worked in my high school and college libraries, too. Wandering through the stacks in all those places was a journey through the collected store of human wisdom and history. A short walk took you from art books to literature to history to philosophy to science to politics to economics and back to art. Even in this digital age, libraries are one of those places we always expect to be there. The resources we invest in them are a reflection of the value we place on knowledge. Their existence is a recognition of our communal responsibility to make sure there's easy and inexpensive access to the sublime -- that vast store of human wisdom -- to the mundane -- tax forms and job-hunting services. Because all of it gets used - all the time. So, too, do the eBooks, audio books, videos, streaming music and other trappings of the digital age that are now part of the vast array of library services. Unfortunately, we haven't always been great about paying for that gift. Library funding in Pennsylvania has been flat for nearly a decade. The budget plan that Gov. Tom Wolf rolled out in February is no different. The state's public library subsidy, the biggest chunk of taxpayer funding, stays at $54.7 million for the new fiscal year that starts Saturday at 12:01 a.m., just like it is this year. That sounds like a decent chunk of change - and it is - until you consider that the money is spread across all 67 counties. In Dauphin County, for instance, the state's share of the county library system is $1.3 million. Dauphin County taxpayers kick in the largest share, $4.5 million, of the system's $7.3 million operating budget for fiscal 2017. President Donald Trump's budget, laughably referred to as "A New Foundation for American Greatness," doesn't count libraries in the things that make America great. "Libraries are more heavily used than they ever have been in the past. Working with more communities than ever have before, outreach to underserved populations and coming to us as other agencies shrink in this fiscal picture," Rob Lesher, the executive director of the Dauphin County Library System, told me recently. And he's right. Because if your only mental image of a public library is a fussy place where matrons shush noisy kids, then you haven't been to a library recently. In fact, the future of libraries is named "Marco" and it was parked right outside PennLive's offices here in Hampden Township during Lesher's recent visit. "Marco" is a rolling public library on wheels, a transit van stuffed to the gills with books, activities, a wi-fi connection. Library officials call it their "Exploration Station" (Hence the name - a nod to the famed explorer). "We can take it into any community and do all the things," that a brick-and-mortar library does, said Andrew Enders, a member of the library system's board of directors. "Whether it's inner city Harrisburg, where a library might be too far away, or up in Halifax, where there is no library, but there is a demand for services." The van serves as a host for "pop-up" libraries, as was the case recently at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg and Gratz borough, Enders added. "We just plopped down in a field and had story time," he said. Which, if you think about it, isn't a bad way to spend a summer afternoon. Nor is wandering through the stacks at your local library, finding a book and then a comfortable place to read. And if you're of a mind - maybe let your elected officials know how much you value that gift and how much you'd like them to put some of their muscle behind it this budget season. Knowledge is power, after all. By Bill Johnston-Walsh As the debate over Pennsylvania's 2017-18 spending plan goes into its final hours, state lawmakers are considering making cuts to programs that help older adults remain at home and in the community--where they want to be. Specifically, the House-approved state budget plan would reduce funding for Medicaid waiver services for older adults by $6 million in the coming year. As the name implies, the program waives traditional Medicaid rules that require older adults to receive long-term care services in an institutional setting. Instead, waiver services provide essential health care assistance in a home setting and cost less money than a full-time nursing home placement. Now I get that cutting $6 million out of a $31 billion state spending plan isn't a lot of money. But it will be a big deal to the 300 individuals who will lose access to Medicaid Waiver services and will be forced into a nursing home--with Medicaid (and Pennsylvania taxpayers) picking up the tab. Ironically, moving these individuals from home and community-based waiver services to more expensive nursing home care will likely erase the savings from the budget spending cuts and cost the state more money in the long run. What's more, such a cut would be clearly moving our state in the wrong direction. Pennsylvania currently ranks 36th among all states when it comes to meeting the long-term care needs of older residents and people with disabilities according to a new AARP study released earlier this month. While that represents an improvement from prior studies, we certainly have a ways to go. And the clock is ticking. As home to the nation's fourth-oldest population, Pennsylvania shouldn't be cutting funds for less expensive nursing home alternatives. Research shows that one quarter of all Pennsylvania residents will be 65+ by 2025. We must be better prepared to meet the long term care needs of this so-called silver tsunami. The smart play is to continue increasing home and community-based programs that allow many more older residents to stay at home, maintain their independence and be a vital part of family and the community. Studies show older Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly prefer home and community care alternatives to nursing home placements. While nursing homes will always be an essential part of the continuum of care for older adults, increasing funding for home and community-based senior support services represents smart public policy. Helping older adults remain at home saves the state money in the long run by keeping more seniors out of nursing homes and off Medicaid rolls longer. There's no question that Pennsylvania has made significant strides in the past five years in helping our older and disabled citizens receive necessary care in their homes and communities. When the Medicaid-funded Aging Waiver program is combined with the Lottery-funded Options program, thousands of Pennsylvanians are able to stay at home instead of moving to a much more expensive nursing home setting. That's a strong base to build on. But in the short term, state lawmakers need to restore the Medicaid waiver cuts in the final 2017-18 spending plan. While short-term spending cuts may look good on paper, it's a bad deal for older adults-- and for Pennsylvania taxpayers. Bill Johnston-Walsh is state director of AARP Pennsylvania. He writes from Harrisburg. The 27-pound dog may look like any other sociable Boston terrier with a penchant for treats and a tolerance for getting his picture taken but Libre is not just any canine. He is a celebrity whose name will now be associated with Pennsylvania's stricter anti-animal cruelty law, which Gov. Tom Wolf signed on Wednesday. Libre added his endorsement by placing a pawprint on a copy of the bill. "I have it on good authority that he is very proud to have this legislation called Libre's Law," Wolf said. Surrounded by an army of Republican and Democratic lawmakers and animal rights activist on the Capitol grounds, Wolf signed legislation that he and several described as the most comprehensive animal protection measure in state history. It addresses several animal rights concerns including: Increases penalties for heinous animal abuse, Adds protections for horses, Imposes some tethering restrictions that apply to dogs confined outside, and Grants civil immunity to vets, human society officers and vet technicians from frivolous lawsuits when reporting animal cruelty. "No one should be allowed to get away with cruel animal treatment. No one should be allowed to get away with the neglect of animals. Now thanks to this statute, they won't be able to get away with it," Wolf said, as the crowd erupted in shouts and applause. Pennsylvania was one of only three states in the country without a tough law toward animal cruelty and was a long time in coming, Wolf said. "Animal cruelty is not consistent in with Pennsylvania's values and again it's not consistent with the rest of the country," he said. "This statute will bring us in line with the rest of the country in giving us higher standards for the care and well-being of our pets and animals." Other lawmakers who helped champion the bill followed the governor by offering comments but Libre stole the attention of anyone who could see him pop his head out from under the curtain that hung around the table to stare at the crowd gathered for the bill signing. While many of the dogs present to witness the bill-signing have cruelty tales of their own, it is Libre's story that is perhaps the most well-known. Christine Gacono of Annville with her rescue dog Daisy were among those on hand to witness the signing of Libre's Law, an animal cruelty prevention measure. Found emaciated, severely dehydrated, and with a skin infection at a Lancaster County farm around this time last year, he would have died if not for the medical attention and care he received from Dillsburg Veterinary Center that nursed him back to health. His story provoked outrage from people all over the globe who offered well wishes via social media throughout his recovery and prompted lawmakers to call for making systemic change to the state's animal cruelty laws. Libre, a name given to the dog by its adopted owner Janine Guido, owner of Speranza Animal Rescue in Monroe Township, which means "free" or "liberty" in Spanish, was surprised by the size of the crowd that turned out for the bill signing. "This is awesome. I don't know how else to put it. This is amazing. Very excited," she said. "Big day. Good day." On hand to watch what several called a historic event was Christine Gacono of Annville and her spunky 10-year-old miniature dachshund Daisy, a rescue dog she adopted earlier this year. Daisy was found in a trash bag in Philadelphia by another dog. Its back was broke in six places, leaving Daisy paralyzed in the hind end. She now hops around or when in her wheelchair for dog, rolls around. For Gacono, who is director of education for the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association which helped shape Libre's Law, seeing Libre's Law get on the books was extremely satisfying for personal and professional reasons. "I'm very happy," she said. "This is a great day." The flag-draped coffin of Lionel Desmond is carried into St. Peter's Church in Tracadie, N.S. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Nova Scotia's health authority is meeting today with relatives of a former Canadian soldier who killed three members of his family and himself six months ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan Protesters block a street during a protest against the Republican bill in the U.S. Senate to replace President Barack Obama's health care law Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Demonstrators with Utah's Disabled Rights Action Committee chanted and carried signs while blocking State Street Tuesday afternoon. Utah protesters criticized Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch for supporting the bill and say it will cut life-saving Medicaid services and other health protections. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2017, file photo, a tourist sleeps on the Malecon sea wall of Havana, Cuba. The Trump administrationAos new policy on travel by Americans to Cuba is creating winners and losers. Group tour operators and cruises that take Americans to Cuba said theyAoll have no problem complying with the new rules, which bar American travelers from patronizing any entities connected the Cuban military. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) New study looks at northwest Michigan's seasonal economy Networks Northwest recently published data on the region's seasonal population, workforce and the increasing relevance of short-term rentals. Venezuela running on empty scrapes the bottom of oil barrel diplomacy - Margolis AFP/Orlando Serra For a price, the country's regional allies may be willing to shift their allegiance. RIO DE JANEIRO Petroleumworld 06 28 2017 Hand it to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. His country's streets are choked in tear gas. Scenes of his guard beating heads and shooting protesters are lighting up social media. The nation boasting the world's biggest oil reserves is importing crude , skirting default and bleeding regime loyalists . And yet Maduro is reveling in a self-proclaimed "diplomatic victory." He has a point. On June 22, at the Organization of American States 47th general assembly in Cancun, Venezuela's envoys walked out and still managed to turn back an initiative by regional critics to admonish Maduro for trashing what remains of Venezuelan democracy. Not even the anodyne motion urging the region's ranking authoritarian to "reconsider" installing a regime-friendly constituent assembly to write a Castro-styled constitution passed. And so Latin America's most important diplomatic consort adjourned in a silence that only an autocrat could love. "Venezuela is still taking advantage of the fact that countries in the region lack the conditions to launch coordinated actions," said Jose Botafogo Goncalves, a former Brazilian diplomat. What's less clear is whether the silence can last. After all, the allegiance of the bloc of small countries standing between Maduro and censure is anything but sentimental. Though a few bloc members, like Bolivia and Nicaragua, are ideologically aligned with the Bolivarian Republic, most are small Caribbean island and coastal states in Central America, which have been driven by a single-minded objective: cheap oil. Through its Petrocaribe initiative, Venezuela has sold discounted oil to energy-deficient clients, practically giving it away in some cases. Lately, however, that generosity has diminished with Venezuela's economic misfortunes, hastened by tumbling global prices for oil -- the country's only viable source of export revenues. Even Brazil, with a fraction of Venezuela's reserves, now pumps 25 percent more oil . Plunging oil prices are a double boon to the Caribbean, reducing energy bills and the region's once considerable debt load . Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean's biggest oil importers, managed to retire most of their Petrocaribe debts , heavily discounted by the cash-strapped Venezuelan treasury. In that sense, Petrocaribe's decline ought to be an opportunity for hemispheric diplomacy. Put bluntly, why couldn't leaders in the Americas simply buy out Venezuela's position and turn reluctant client states with competing aid and comfort? "Latin America conceivably could change at least half the votes in the OAS with offers of help and diplomatic pressure," said Jaime Aparicio Otero, Bolivia's former ambassador to Washington. "It's not a lot of money, but you'd need to line up other more powerful countries in the region." Here's where the diplomatic game board gets tricky. Wooing Venezuela's clients was part of the logic behind the Obama administration's 2015 clean-energy initiative . But even that help came with a caveat. "We're not going to be able to substitute American oil for Venezuelan oil," then deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes advised . Given Washington's current Latin America attention deficit -- after calling out Venezuela's excesses, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson didn't show up in Cancun -- that prognosis is unlikely to change soon. "We shouldn't expect reasonable, pondered much less pacifying measures from the current U.S. government," said Brazil's Botafogo Goncalves. "And it's unlikely we'll see courageous moves or financial assistance from Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, which are facing complicated political and economic crises of their own." The U.S. absence could actually be a blessing in disguise for regional leaders, who have always flinched at gringo intromission below the Florida Straits. As Washington has hung back, OAS general secretary Luis Almagro has become more outspoken, even pledging to resign if Venezuela scrapped the constituent assembly, freed political prisoners and held free elections. Almagro is not alone. Twenty nations backed the motion urging Maduro to scrap the constituent assembly, or just three votes short of the two-thirds majority required. "This was the largest number of countries ever to align against Venezuela, and it included nations that until now were quite favorable to the regime or unwilling to confront it, like Mexico and Brazil," said Javier Corrales, a political scientist at Amherst College. "The trend against Venezuela is favorable. Clear thinking from leading Consider Belize, a Petrocaribe client that nonetheless voted in favor of outside mediation of the Venezuela crisis and, tellingly, abstained on the motion for Maduro to drop attempts to rewrite the constitution. "We in Belize need to consider our position very carefully so that we don't at the first sign of trouble turn our back on our friends, but also that nobody takes us for granted in feeling that no matter what, Belize will support any and all actions of the Venezuela government, no," Prime Minister Dean Barrow told the local press last month. Venezuela's opposition may be less impressed. The glacial shifts in regional statecraft still seem sorely out of step with the turmoil in the Venezuelan street, where some 75 people have died in protests. But the days of Venezuela's oil diplomacy buying it friendship and protection are numbered. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) President Trump (center), and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan havent lived up to some voters expectations of reform that would boost the economy. Read more Americans are starting to come to grips with the reality that President Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress might not deliver as much of a lift to their wallets and the economy as hoped. The University of Michigan said Friday that its preliminary June index of consumer sentiment fell to 94.5, the lowest level since November, and that survey responses worsened after the first week of the month. That followed a report Thursday showing confidence among homebuilders eased to a four-month low. Sentiment among consumers, business leaders, and manufacturers had soared after Trump's November victory on hopes that lawmakers would bolster the economy with looser regulation, lower taxes, and more infrastructure spending. Now some of those plans are bogged down in Congress, which is devoting more time to investigations, including Russia's role in the 2016 election. "People are getting a little concerned about the prospects for any change to come out of Washington," said Russell Price, senior economist at Ameriprise Financial Inc. in Detroit. "We're right back to being stuck in the mud when it comes to any type of tax cuts or regulatory changes." Those policies were expected to "add a modest spark to the economy and potentially alleviate some of the concerns that Middle America had." Economic reports this year have been marked by a gap between the so-called soft data survey-based measures that capture the relatively lofty optimism of the moment and expectations for policy and hard data, such as consumer spending that show the economy growing at a modest pace. The University of Michigan said responses since June 8, the date of former FBI Director James Comey's congressional testimony, show even greater declines in confidence, although few respondents referred to the event when explaining their views. That trend suggests the final number for June may be lower when it's reported in two weeks. Losing Faith "Republicans are starting to lose faith that Trump will actually deliver on these campaign promises," Richard Curtin, director of the Michigan consumer survey, said in a conference call following the release. The Bloomberg U.S. Economic Surprise Index, which measures whether incoming economic data beat or missed expectations of surveyed economists, fell below zero Thursday for the first time this year to the lowest point since just after last November's election. A separate report on Friday showed residential housing starts decreased 5.5 percent to a 1.09 million annualized rate in May, the weakest since September and the third straight monthly decline. Permits, a proxy for future construction, also fell, according to the Commerce Department figures. The results may be a sign homebuilding will weigh on second-quarter growth. The economy still has plenty going for it despite lower prospects for policies getting through Congress. A solid labor market and rising wages have given consumers steady footing. The share of respondents to the Michigan survey who expect financial gains in the year ahead was 42 percent, the highest in a dozen years. That bodes well for household purchases even as confidence has taken a hit. Spending Rebound Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of the economy, is still likely to bounce back this quarter after rising at a mere 0.6 percent annualized pace in the first three months of the year. All in all, economists surveyed earlier this month expected a 3 percent rate of economic growth in the April-to-June period, more than double the previous quarter's pace. "Until we see either policy changes occur or a big pickup in economic growth, it'll be hard to see sentiment and confidence go back up again," said David Berson, chief economist at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio. At the same time, while optimism is down, "it's still much higher than it was before the election." "Unless the economy falls out of bed, I don't think we'll see sharp declines in sentiment or confidence." Bloomberg's Michelle Jamrisko contributed to this article. A woman looks at a computer monitor back dropped by a real-time cyber-attacks world map, at the headquarters of Bitdefender in Bucharest, Romania. Read more Malware has yet again disrupted businesses around the world, just weeks after hackers used leaked National Security Administration tools in a global cyberattack called WannaCry. The ultimate target in both cases may be people's sensitive information a troubling reality that should finally motivate organizations to get serious about security. Tuesday's attack was more sophisticated than WannaCry, which took advantage of a Windows exploit to infect more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries (and which cost, by one estimate, more than $4 billion). Microsoft security researchers have traced the initial infection to a Ukrainian software vendor called M. E. Doc, which inadvertently released a malevolent update to its popular tax accounting software. When customers installed the automatic update, a piece of malware obtained passwords that were then used to gain access to other machines. The so-called Petya virus then locked users out of their computers and demanded $300 in bitcoin to get back in. The attack was hardly lucrative for its instigators. Although it affected thousands of corporate networks, the ransom address accumulated a grand total of only $9,159. Even the WannaCry ransom only amounted to $130,000 in bitcoins to date. The NSA has reportedly linked the WannaCry cyberattack to North Korea. I suppose $130,000 goes a lot further in North Korea than it does here, but that's still barely enough for a stick of plutonium. We've talked before about the economics of cyber extortion. Given the overhead costs of packaging and distribution, it's rarely a profitable venture. On the other hand, a locked-up computer system presents the perfect cover for attackers to steal sensitive data. The WannaCry attack targeted National Health Service hospitals in England and Scotland, perhaps because health care records contain irrevocable information that can be used for identity theft. Given that Tuesday's ransomware propagated though a tax accounting package favored by Ukrainian businesses, the most likely victims were financial account controllers doing business in the Ukraine. Notable victims include legal firm DLA Piper and shipping and transport firm A.P. Moller-Maersk. It's worth noting that cloud computing services like Google and Amazon, which control vast amounts of data around the world, have yet to be crippled by a ransomware attack or even suffer a known data breach. Google in particular prevents break-ins across a global workforce by implementing a strict provisioning system, in which every device is presumed to be untrustworthy. Access management is an old-fashioned idea that doesn't get enough attention in our hyper-connected world. In earlier generations, sensitive information was stored in locked filing cabinets located in separate offices. We've since digitized the data without replicating the access management. When organizations migrated from application-specific mainframes to networked personal computers (primarily to cut costs), they turned every single computer into a potential entry point for hackers. It's like giving every employee a master key to the building. Cloud computing has a lot of similarities to mainframe infrastructure. Users access enterprise software through their internet browsers, much as they used to access the mainframe through dumb terminals. Because individual users aren't in charge of maintaining critical software on their personal machines, it's much more difficult for malware to get in. This makes the whole enterprise less vulnerable to breaches. Stories of crippling ransomware dominate the news, but ensuing data breaches tend not to surface for years. Such breaches primarily affect end users in ways that may be difficult to trace, so organizations haven't been terribly motivated to overhaul their security and dump the universally connected computing paradigm. Perhaps the latest disasters will put more pressure on the industry to get its act together. Elaine Ou is a blockchain engineer at Global Financial Access, a financial technology company in San Francisco. Previously she was a lecturer in the electrical and information engineering department at the University of Sydney. As part of an ongoing investigation into union corruption in Philadelphia, the FBI has acknowledged yearlong wiretaps of Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council leader John Dougherty and City Council Majority Leader Bobby Henon. Along with the rest of us, city officials were well aware of the federal investigation after FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents conducted very public raids of Henon's City Hall office, Dougherty's home, and the offices of IBEW Local 98, the electricians union headed by Dougherty. That was last August. Since then, federal investigators have intercepted calls to and from numerous union and city officials, including Mayor Kenney. All of which begs the question: Why would the mayor's office place the Philadelphia Building and Trades Council at the center of labor negotiations on the $500 million, taxpayer funded construction project known as Rebuild, when the council's leader is under federal investigation? The mayor's spokewoman, Lauren Hitt, says the negotiations aren't about one person who is under federal investigation, but about 21 different organizations that signed onto the city's memorandum of understanding around the Rebuild project. I guess that's fair. But when federal search warrants say officials are seeking evidence concerning allegations such as embezzlement of union funds, extortion by an unnamed public official, mail and wire fraud, tax evasion and the use of "economic fear" to manipulate and pressure contractors, it gives me pause. To be clear, neither Dougherty nor Henon has been charged with wrongdoing at this point. But the longstanding pattern of exclusion that Philadelphia's building trade unions have engaged in is more than troubling. To be blunt, if racism and sexism were crimes, the numbers would paint a compelling case against many of Philadelphia's skilled trade unions. And the City of Philadelphia would stand accused as a willing accomplice. In Fiscal Year 2016, an astounding 63 percent of small, city-funded construction projects had no people of color or women on the workforce, 42 percent of midrange city-funded construction projects had no people of color or women on the workforce. And 9 percent of the largest city-funded construction projects those with the most scrutiny and oversight had no minority workforce at all. The same thing happened in Fiscal Year 2015, when 44 percent of city-funded projects had no women or people of color on the workforce. How does that happen in a city where the majority of people are black and brown? It's a public-private partnership of sorts. First, the building trades unions build a political organization composed of millions in campaign contributions. Then a parade of mayors signs executive orders mandating that labor deals on major city-funded construction go through the unions. Then the city pretends that it will punish those who exclude women and people of color from taxpayer-funded projects. The punishment rarely, if ever, comes. That's because the unions largely determine the labor pool on city-funded construction projects. That reality leaves the door open for the kind of brazen racial exclusion that we've seen in much of the city-funded construction in Philadelphia. A 2008 document called the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO Diversity Commitment and Plan gives a bird's-eye view into the numbers that make such discrimination possible. The document, signed by representatives of 12 unions the electricians and carpenters refused to sign promised that the Philadelphia Building and Trades Council would ensure that "minorities and women are fully utilized in the pending expansion of the [Pennsylvania Convention] Center." Those who signed submitted their membership numbers by residency and race, and the results were fascinating. On average, just 19 percent of the union's members were women or people of color, and only 28 percent of each union's members lived in Philadelphia. Just 12 percent were black, nearly 4 percent were Hispanic, 1 percent were women, and less than 1 percent were Asian or Native American. Were it not for the Laborer's Union, which is majority black and Philadelphian, the numbers would be even worse. So while we are told that the problem of getting people of color into the building trades unions is a "long-vexing issue," the reality is that it is an issue of political will. The building trades are overwhelmingly white, male and suburban. The city has known this for years. It's documented. Yet we continue to go the unions and ask them to find ways to get blacks and others into their organizations, all while funding all white construction projects with brown folks' tax dollars. I don't pretend to know what will happen with the federal investigations of Dougherty and Henon. But I do know we must stop pretending the problem with union diversity is some impossibly complex puzzle. The unions are exercising their right to exclude people from their private organizations. If that doesn't change, we must exclude them from our tax dollars. The music spiraled off so far from typical melody and harmony, and so deep into the realm of abstract sculpted sound, you had to ask during the Crossing's latest Month of Moderns concert on Saturday, "What planet might we be on? This time?" Whistling and Mongolian throat singing merged like long-lost friends. Tone clusters arrived like a mass of computer-generated sound. And embedded in the middle of the piece, by Greek-born composer Efstratios Minakakis, were aggressive vocal trills, something like a futuristic duck call. Obviously, Mozart isn't in the cards for this Philadelphia chamber choir and certainly won't be in the festival's final concert this Saturday, the world premiere of the nine-movement, hour-long work Anonymous Man by downtown Manhattan composer Michael Gordon. One of the most forward-looking fine arts organizations in town, the Crossing has made the unassuming Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill a cutting-edge choral venue that most major cities simply don't have. And the group has been hitting its highest gear ever during this Month of Moderns festival, bringing in a cross-section of current composers, both from far away and local, in recently written pieces that fall under the heading of Diaspora as in people displaced from their homelands. It's safe to assume that Crossing founder/director Donald Nally has Syrian refugees in mind, but he's hardly limiting that idea to current headlines: Minakakis' piece Crossings/Crossings' Epigrams was based on Greek-language quotations from The Trojan Women and Oedipus at Colonus. It dealt with fallen Greek heroes and the wrenching, primordial grief in what the composer calls "en elegy on things irretrievably lost." Saturday's Anonymous Man promises to be a world away: The title partly refers to homeless people who have lived on Gordon's street. In his libretto, they have personalities, especially when one of them chides Gordon for not reading Aristophanes. And yet they remain somewhat anonymous. "It's very difficult to get personal information out of someone who is living on the street it's painful for them," Gordon said the other day. "My feeling is that the best thing I can do is talk to them. That's a human exchange." His piece also has fallen heroes, including Abraham Lincoln, whose funeral train passed where Gordon now lives. How this translates into music is as yet a mystery. At 61, Gordon has a track record of 70-plus works and is a core presence in Bang on a Can, the collective of New York post-minimalist composers who have dramatically changed the way words can be sung. He once built a choral work around the names of subway stations. His wife, Julia Wolfe, filled a movement of her Pulitzer-winning Anthracite Fields with names of coal-mining casualties. For Anonymous Man, Gordon talks about having 24 different vocal lines going at the same time. Before this week's rehearsals, Nally described the music as highly canonic looking back to composition techniques from the time of J.S. Bach. If Bang on a Can composers have a stealth weapon, it's drawing musical energy from the past. "We can't live without the past," said Gordon. "Doctors don't think of how people's legs were sawed off in the 17th century, but we're still interested in Bach. We still have a dialogue with that today." Not every Crossing endeavor works out. When a choir can do anything and I sometimes joke that the Crossing could sight-read a blueprint for a hydrogen bomb the possibilities can be almost too wide open. Strong overall concepts such as Diaspora can render a piece that's more interesting to talk about than to hear. Saturday's premiere of un/bodying/s by composer Gregory W. Brown and poet Todd Hearon, for example, which was on the program with the Minakakis work. The displaced population in this case was from small Massachusetts towns that were submerged with the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir in the late 1930s with allusions to the supposedly-sunken Atlantis of ancient times. The small-town population said goodbye and went elsewhere. And the tragedy is? For all of poet Hearon's wide-ranging imagery, the worst you could say is that the city of Boston is thirsty. The music was so dedicated to the fluidity of the verse that whenever you stumbled onto an arresting idea a quoted church hymn or some madrigal-like counterpoint in the Atlantis section it dissolved all too soon. And when the music imitates non-oceanic water, expressive intent becomes vague, and a kind of sameness sets in because water whether hot, cold, clean, or dirty is pretty much the same. Well, you never know what a piece has to offer until shortly before the premiere, and maybe not even then. The Greek piece might've been greeted by listeners with bafflement. Instead, the response was more like rapture. So this Saturday's Month of Moderns finale might be seen as taking a huge chance by devoting the entire concert to the single, entirely new piece by Gordon. But prospective concertgoers can be heartened by the fact that the composer thoroughly welcomes that situation. "That means I'm setting the expectations. I'm controlling the experience," said Gordon. "It sinks or swims because of my composition. I like that." The Crossing's Month of Moderns festival concludes at 8 p.m. Saturday at Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave. Tickets: $20-$35. Information: www.crossingchoir.com. When Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham announced a jointly recorded self-titled effort and a summer tour presaging their full-band gig in July at the Classic East Festival (NYC's Citi Field), the first thought was, How odd. After 40-plus years of being a band and a radically, famously dysfunctional one at that that these two would play as one? These two never even seemed close. "Well, we weren't," McVie says with a deep laugh. "We never did pal around. Our connection was in the studio. He never was the easiest guy to get to know, and he'd be the first one to say it. He is a nice chap, though, and we have become closer." Share with her a quote of Buckingham's that it took him "40 years of perspective" to get where he is now and that it takes a really long time for the Mac crew to get over stuff (e.g. band-member romances, drugs), McVie laughs. "It's just how we work in this band. We're all highly dysfunctional. We don't actually belong in a band, yet, on stage, our alchemy is undeniable." So, too, is her connection with Buckingham from the sounds of their eponymous album and cunning, copenned songs such as "Feel About You," "Red Sun," and "Too Far Gone" all sung by McVie in her legendarily bluesy voice. "Making this album between us wasn't in the cards to start, but it's fantastic that we did." All this could have easily been avoided if McVie who retired from Fleetwood Mac and most music-making in 1998 had stayed retired. "I bought two dogs, and the dogs were my life, but I did struggle with isolation. I went into a dark place, you know, I was truly bored in the end of it all," she says of retirement's downside and a fear of flying that kept her at bay. "I realized I wanted life, sought out help a psychiatrist who got me out of the dark all of which happened before Mick [Fleetwood] phoned, quite fortunately, from Maui." Not only did McVie make her third solo album In the Meantime, in 2004, with her nephew, Dan Perfect (an album where "I squeezed all the bad out of me") but she also played with Fleetwood's blues band in Maui for a bit before the inevitable question came up. "'How would it be for me to rejoin Fleetwood Mac?' got answered with a resounding 'yes' because I got bitten by that bug." The Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie album wasn't made on purpose, or with a purpose, but rather just for Buckingham to record McVie's more-upbeat, post-analysis tracks "to see if there was magic there, which we did find quite quickly, and then some." That the sessions included bassist John McVie and drummer Fleetwood meant that, in essence, Christine McVie/Lindsey Buckingham was Fleetwood Mac without Stevie Nicks (who is currently finishing a solo tour). "After we demoed those first six songs, it really did sound like a duet record," she says, mentioning early session songs like "Feel About You" and "Carnival Begin," which set the stage and standard for their cojoined album. "It was easy, with no melodramas, and just fun," McVie says with a sense of surprise in her voice as if melodrama were a default setting for anything involving the other members of Fleetwood Mac. "I don't know what about each particular song drove the rest of the recording, other than these songs gave us goose bumps. That's always a pretty great, intuitive sign." Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham with The Wallflowers play Friday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia. $49.50 - $149.50, manncenter.org Emergency room doctors and nurses can do a lot for patients in crisis. But ongoing care? Not so much. Read more A young woman using a wheelchair came into the emergency room at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania recently, complaining of terrible back pain. I asked her how bad it was. "If it were not for my two young boys, I would no longer be here," she told me. Without insurance, she couldn't get the physical therapy that might have helped her manage the pain. "I am confined to my bed, praying for insurance so that I can finally treat my back and live again," she said. My heart sank. How can the richest country on earth fail to help people like this young mom? In Pennsylvania, more than 52 percent of residents have reported difficulty affording health care, 10 points higher than the national average, a recent study found. Emergency rooms such as mine are on the front lines. We stabilize the sick and work to arrange follow-up care, regardless of patients' ability to pay. We aren't always successful. But now, we are on the cusp of changes that could make things far worse than they already are. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) Senate Republicans' plan to cut back on Obamacare will leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026 with a 26 percent reduction in federal spending for Medicaid. This plan, like a similar one advanced by House Republicans, threatens to overturn the successful expansion that increased the number of Medicaid enrollees by 15 percent in just three years. Yet our airwaves stay inundated with polarizing debate. The BCRA should continue to raise red flags across the political spectrum even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has chosen to delay voting on the bill until after the July 4th recess. Eliminating cost-sharing subsidies for patients who cannot afford out-of-pocket costs for doctors or health services is dangerous. Allowing insurers to charge older people up to five times the amount paid by younger individuals is discriminatory. Drastically cutting federal funding for Medicaid and expecting states to pick up the slack would only harm those who already are underserved. While scoring political points may win in the short term, poorly crafted policy will take years to fix. The emergency room is often mislabeled as a Band-Aid for the wounds left by our health system, especially with higher spending and poorer outcomes than all other wealthy countries. Too often, I hear people say, "Oh, you can always go to the ER and they'll take care of you even if you don't have insurance." Here's the truth: We can stabilize you, but that's not the same as taking care of you. For instance, we can briefly stop a patient's severe intestinal bleeding. But we cannot provide weeks of follow-up care with a gastroenterologist to avoid having the same thing happen all over again. Health insurance is critical for access to the kind of continuing care that leads to better health. It is time we realize that we all should be equal when it comes to getting the health care we need. The BCRA will have devastating consequences for patients, their families, and for Pennsylvania. And it will strain and even break the backs of many more of our patients. Erik J. Blutinger, M.D. is a resident in emergency medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Amtrak service between Philadelphia and Washington was disrupted through the morning rush hour Wednesday after two CSX workers were fatally struck by a train in the nation's capital. Service was suspended overnight and through the start of the morning rush period due to the investigation, with more delays lingering, Amtrak said. Trains began resuming operations around 9 a.m. Wednesday, the rail agency said. Some trains were running at lower speeds. The two workers were struck in the track area about 11:50 p.m. Tuesday on the 1200 block of New York Avenue Northeast and died at the scene, according to District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services. A third railroad employee was being taken to a hospital for a checkup, fire officials said. The two freight train conductors had gotten out of their train near Union Station to check out an alert about a problem with one or more of the wheels, National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener said at a Wednesday news conference An investigation is ongoing and there are "few definitive facts at this early stage," Weener said. The workers' names were not immediately released. "Our thoughts are with the families and friends of our employees," CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle said in an email. "CSX management representatives responded to the scene to assist with the investigation of this tragic incident." The CSX train that the employees got off of was coming from Baltimore and was the type that carries shipping containers, Weener said. Amtrak Train 175 was carrying 121 passengers when the incident occurred, the Washington Post reported. There were no injuries to passengers or crew. Riders may check the status of their trains on Amtrak's website or mobile app. This article contains information from the Associated Press. Libre's law, the Pennsylvania animal-cruelty legislation named after an abused puppy, was signed into law by Gov. Wolf Wednesday at the state Capitol. Libre's paw print also was inked onto the measure. Five things everyone who owns an animal needs to know about the law: Probably the biggest change in the cruelty law relates to tethering. Owners can no longer leave their dogs outside on a lead for more than nine hours in a 24-hour period. The tether must be at least three times the length of the canine. When the temperature is above 90 degrees or below 32 degrees, dogs can not be tethered outside for more than 30 minutes. In all cases, dogs must have access to water and shade when tethered. The law stiffens the penalties for cruelty. Officers will be able to file felony level charges for first-time cruelty. Dog-fighting and killing an endangered species are already felonies. The legislation also breaks down the penalties for different grades of cruelty based on the how bad the conduct was and how many prior offenses the defendant had instead of lumping the charges together. Humane Society police officers and veterinarians will now have civil immunity. They can now report animal cruelty without fear of being sued if they're wrong. Under the new law, abuse of horses will now be treated the same as that of cats, dogs, and other pets. Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or felony animal-cruelty must forfeit their animal. Libre, a Boston terrier, was found starving, covered in mange and left for dead at an Amish dog-breeding farm in Lancaster County in 2016. He was saved by a delivery-truck driver who saw him a number of times over a two-month period. According to the new Fidelity Investments Social Security IQ survey, only 28 percent of those age 61 plan to claim benefits as early as possible, a significant decline from 2008, when 45 percent of those surveyed were planning to start collecting immediately. (Dreamstime/TNS) Read more An 89-year-old Philadelphia man who escaped from a Maryland prison 47 years ago and was arrested in Philadelphia in March was charged by federal authorities Tuesday with Social Security fraud. William Lewis is accused of collecting $457,771.20 in retirement benefits to which he was not entitled from about January 1991 to March 2017, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. According to an indictment returned by a grand jury Tuesday, Lewis was not allowed to receive benefits because he was a fugitive from the law, having escaped from a Maryland prison in 1970. The Social Security Administration has suspended or denied benefits to people wanted for, among other things, escape from custody. Authorities said he was also receiving Social Security benefits under a false name. In October 1971, Lewis applied for a second Social Security number under the alias of James Wilson, listing a false date of birth and false names of parents, the indictment says. Around January 1991, Lewis applied for Social Security benefits under his real Social Security number and then around July 1994 applied for benefits under his alias, the indictment says. Lewis was charged with two counts each of mail and wire fraud and one count each of theft of government funds and Social Security fraud. A phone number for him could not be found, and it was not known if he had an attorney. Lewis was sentenced on Dec. 15, 1969 in Wicomico County District Court to a three-year sentence on charges of breaking and entering and larceny, a spokesman with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services said Wednesday. His sentence would have ended on Oct. 22, 1972. On July 3, 1970, he escaped from the Poplar Hill Pre-Release Unit, the spokesman said. A Philadelphia court docket shows Lewis was arrested March 30 on a charge of "arrest prior to requisition," which stems from his alleged flight from justice in Maryland. The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office withdrew that charge at a May 26 preliminary hearing because Maryland withdrew its arrest warrant against Lewis, according to a spokesman for the District Attorney's Office. Beth Grossman, the Republican candidate for district attorney, was the FOP board members unanimous choice. Read more Larry Krasner, the Democratic nominee for district attorney in Philadelphia, may have made peace with the Fraternal Order of Police. But that doesn't mean the union will back him in the Nov. 7 general election About 300 members of the FOP's board voted unanimously Tuesday evening to endorse Beth Grossman, the Republican nominee, who served for 21 years as an assistant district attorney. The vote came after Krasner and Grossman each made a pitch at FOP Lodge 5 headquarters in Northeast Philadelphia. FOP president John McNesby said his union's members raised questions about Krasner's opposition to the death penalty and to state legislation that would delay the release of the names of police officers involved in shootings. "To his credit, he answered them all, and to our credit, they were respectful," McNesby said. Grossman said she spoke for about seven to 10 minutes and was asked no questions. "I think they understand my experience and what I bring to the table," she said. It was a polite affair. Both candidates stopped in the union hall's bar for a beer after the endorsement. Krasner said he wanted the union members to get to know him. "My purpose was just to come up here and communicate directly with the membership," he said. Krasner, a defense attorney for three decades, is best known for civil rights cases, representing protesters arrested at political conventions, Occupy Philly activists, and Black Lives Matter supporters. He won the seven-candidate Democratic primary election May 16. Some people at his victory party chanted a profanity-laced message for the FOP and the phrase "No good cop in a racist system" before Krasner's campaign staff quieted them down. McNesby wrote to Krasner after that, saying his union members suspected Krasner might "actively support and promote potentially violent police hate groups in Philadelphia." U.S Rep. Robert Brady, chairman of the Democratic City Committee in Philadelphia, brokered a meeting between McNesby and Krasner on May 31. McNesby later called that discussion "more productive than I expected." Krasner called the meeting "constructive." The FOP can be a potent political force. The union, long at odds with District Attorney Seth Williams, posted a billboard along I-95 at Aramingo Avenue in January that declared: "Help Wanted: New Philadelphia District Attorney, Please contact FOP Lodge 5." Williams, a Democrat, dropped his bid for a third term in February and was indicted on federal corruption charges in March. He is currently standing trial on those charges. TRENTON Gov. Christie on Tuesday suggested he was confident the state would pass a budget by its June 30 deadline, even as lawmakers squabble over a controversial proposal to tap reserve funds from the state's largest health insurance company. "I'll keep my head about me, and we'll get where we need to get to. We've gotten there every time on my watch," Christie told reporters at a news conference here. "I don't know what the path will be this time. But we've got like, what, another 72 hours or so? I'm not worried." Late Monday, the Senate and Assembly budget committees advanced a $34.7 billion spending proposal for fiscal year 2018. That's slightly less than what Christie proposed in February, because it accounts for the governor's plan to transfer the state lottery to the pension system, which reduces the amount the Legislature must appropriate from the general fund to retirement plans for government employees. Christie, a Republican serving the last year of his second term, has told the Legislature's Democratic leaders that he will agree to the broad outline of their school-funding deal and other spending priorities if they pass the lottery transfer and move forward with a plan to require Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey to dedicate "excess" surplus funds to health programs that would benefit policyholders and the public. That could include "substance-use disorder treatment and prevention," the bill says. Christie had initially called in February for Horizon to establish a permanent fund for the poor and uninsured to receive drug treatment. However, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D., Hudson) has expressed opposition to Christie's Horizon idea, and the company's allies have urged him to stand firm against it. Christie has the constitutional authority to veto any line item in the budget. Both houses of the legislature are scheduled to return to the Statehouse on Thursday to vote on the budget and other legislation. The Senate Budget Committee on Monday advanced a version of the Horizon proposal, which would also make changes to the composition of the nonprofit company's board, require greater financial disclosure, and designate Horizon as the state's insurer of last resort. The legislation would take effect in February, after Christie leaves office. The bill doesn't define what constitutes "excess" surplus, but it establishes a process by which Horizon would establish an appropriate "range" of surplus. Horizon had $2.4 billion in capital reserves at the end of 2016. Horizon and its allies continued to attack the proposal Tuesday, saying it amounted to a state takeover of a private company. Horizon says that setting aside "excess" surplus for the general public would force premium hikes on its 3.8 million policyholders. The conservative group Judicial Watch which successfully sued the State Department for access to emails regarding the Clinton Foundation joined the fray, calling Christie's proposal extortion. The group said it had filed a public-records request in New Jersey seeking correspondence regarding Horizon among Christie; George E. Norcross III, chair of Cooper University Health Care's board; and Cooper executive Kevin O'Dowd. O'Dowd is Christie's former chief of staff. Cooper owns a stake in AmeriHealth, a Horizon competitor. Wendy Marano, a Cooper representative, said Cooper's effective ownership in AmeriHealth was less than 1 percent. She said Judicial Watch's claims were "fake news." Christie said Tuesday he didn't want to comment on legislation before it reached his desk. But, he added, "it's good to have this conversation. I've been trying to initiate this conversation for months and I'm glad we're having it." Addressing criticism that he was singling out Horizon, Christie said the company was "the only nonprofit insurer in the state." "They are unique," he said, describing the insurer as a "creation of the state." "There's no one else in their category," he said. He also lashed out at groups opposing the legislation, such as the state Chamber of Commerce, which he said were "bought and paid for" by Horizon. "Horizon's doing everything they can to try to be less accountable and less transparent," the governor said. Christie also weighed in on the health-care debate in Washington, before Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would delay a vote on the GOP's legislation to replace Obamacare. Christie reiterated his concern about possible rollbacks to Medicaid, which he expanded in New Jersey under the Affordable Care Act, but said he wasn't going to "set alarm bells off" yet. "I'm not going to go down to Capitol Hill and pour gasoline on myself and light myself on fire," he quipped to reporters. "I have lots of friends and contacts down there. I've expressed myself. I don't know what you want me to do like, go and have a march on Washington?" The good feelings from Monday's announcement by the Philadelphia courts of the first fee increase for court-appointed criminal defense lawyers in more than 20 years quickly faded after the city's deputy managing director for criminal justice said funding for the new fees was not yet in place. "Yesterday's announcement should have been a day of celebration, but it isn't," Benjamin Lerner said Tuesday. "I tried to make it clear that the city does not have the money to fund the fee increase, something the judges' governing board was aware of when we went over the issue several months before." Lerner said the new fee schedule announced by Common Pleas Court President Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper would add between $4.5 million and $5 million to the $9 million currently paid by the city to reimburse lawyers appointed by the courts to represent poor clients. Lerner said his office had been working with State Rep. John Taylor, a Northeast Philadelphia Republican, on legislation that would use part of the filing fees for civil litigation to fund the increased fees for appointed criminal lawyers. That legislation has not yet been introduced, Lerner added. The new Guaranteed Fee System goes into effect Saturday, the start of the city's and courts' fiscal year. In a statement Tuesday responding to Lerner's comments, Woods-Skipper said that although she was "sympathetic to the city's funding issues, the court's role, as it pertains to this matter, is to ensure that lawyers are reasonably and fairly compensated for the essential role they play in guaranteeing access to justice and quality representation to those who cannot afford counsel." Woods-Skipper said that Lerner, as one of the 17 members of her Guaranteed Fee System Working Committee, knew of the pending order and "the necessity to prioritize this initiative and identify an appropriate funding source. That is not the court's role or responsibility." Like Lerner, Center City lawyer James F. Berardinelli, a former city prosecutor now in private practice, was a member of the committee that drafted the new fee schedule. Berardinelli said he believes that the new fee schedule was announced because of the approaching effective date and because committee members were confident that Taylor's funding legislation would be enacted. Berardinelli said he had talked with Taylor's office and the civil bar about the bill and knew of no objections. He said he did not think implementing the new fee schedule without the funding in place would create an immediate financial problem because court-appointed lawyers do not submit their fee requests until after a case has ended. "I don't think you'll see much of an impact for several months," Berardinelli said. Lerner, 76, was head of the Defender Association of Philadelphia from 1975 to 1990 and was appointed a Common Pleas Court judge in 1996. He served 16 years as the judge in charge of the "homicide calendar room," handling pretrial issues for every homicide case in the city. Lerner left the bench in February 2016 when Mayor Kenney offered him the newly created post of deputy managing director for criminal justice. It was a job Lerner said he wanted because he thought the time was right for "real criminal justice reform, more than just a phase." One of Lerner's first assignments was as a member of Woods-Skipper's working committee. In addition to his new role as deputy managing director for criminal justice, as a judge Lerner oversaw the February 2012 fee increase for lawyers appointed in homicide and death-penalty cases since 1997. Lerner said he and the city were "completely behind a long-deferred substantial increase in the guaranteed fee system" but worried that the premature announcement could cause unneeded problems. Center City lawyer Ronald L. Greenblatt, immediate past chairman of the Philadelphia chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a member of its executive committee, said he did not know about the need for legislation to fund the new fee schedule. "I'm hopeful that the legislation will be approved quickly," Greenblatt said. "I know everybody is working as hard as they can on this, but real people, the indigent, are suffering right now." The historically narrow pipeline for minorities into Philadelphia's building trades just got a little wider. Under an agreement made public for the first time Tuesday, the trade unions and the city will launch a pre-apprenticeship program for the forthcoming Rebuild initiative, which is expected to involve renovations at upward of 150 parks, recreation centers, and libraries over the next six or more years. City officials said about 30 people, drawn from low-income neighborhoods, will be enrolled in the first year, with plans to increase that number over the project's lifespan. "We think we can help the father or mother that is just looking for a way to provide for his or her family," Mayor Kenney said at a Tuesday news conference. "We can help the young high school graduate who may not want to go to college but is ready to work and earn an honest living. And we can help our returning citizens who are trying to get their lives back on track." Rebuild, a $500 million project to be paid for with proceeds from the city's sweetened beverage tax, has been pitched by Kenney as a way to fight poverty, create equity among neighborhoods, and diversify the trades. Work could start later this year. The city has committed to having 45 percent of workers on Rebuild sites be minorities, and 50 percent be Philadelphia residents. Rebuild alone won't dramatically change the makeup of the city's unions. Current diversity data for the building trades isn't publicly available, but numbers provided in 2008 as part of the expansion of the Convention Center showed that a majority of the unions had less than 10 percent black membership at the time. But officials say Rebuild can have an outsize impact if the private sector adopts similar diversity goals and pre-apprenticeship requirements. Officials on Tuesday pointed to two other pre-apprenticeship programs as examples, one created as part of the construction of the new Pavilion at Penn Medicine and another for the construction of Brandywine Realty Trust's Schuylkill Yards. "The expectation, the bar, has been raised for any project taking place in neighborhoods across the city of Philadelphia," Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker said at Tuesday's event. Under the agreement reached for Rebuild, any individual projects valued at $3 million would be subject to the agreement with the building trades. City officials have said they can't estimate how many sites that will be, since individual projects have yet to be selected. The pre-apprenticeship program is intended to open entry to that work and to the building trades' own apprenticeship programs to those who have traditionally faced barriers to getting into the unions. The varied trades include carpentry, plumbing, and brick laying. Those accepted to the pre-apprenticeship program will take part in a two-week boot camp where they will receive math and work-skills training and, if needed, help getting a driver's license. They then will be put to work on Rebuild sites while continuing training. They can take an apprenticeship test at any time during the 12-month pre-apprenticeship program, and will be allowed to take it a second time if needed. A second part of the agreement with the unions is focused on providing union membership for those who are already working in the construction and building industry. Those employees will have the opportunity to work on some Rebuild sites managed by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority and will then automatically gain membership to the unions. Though officials from the trades and the city on Tuesday touted the agreement as groundbreaking, skepticism remains. As Council vetted the proposal, some members said the agreement would have little impact if it didn't require that the unions accept a specific number of applicants. That is not part of the final document. Council pressure did lead the trades to commit to providing the demographic breakdown of workers on Rebuild sites. Previously, the agreement required the unions to provide only the workers' zip codes. Wayne Miller, president of the Philadelphia Building Trades Council, said his members are committed to diversity and would welcome the structure for Rebuild being duplicated elsewhere "The Philadelphia Building Trades is a good partner," he said. "What we want is something that's consistent on every project. And going forward, sometimes it's difficult to change a culture that's been around for 50 years, but we're willing to do these things." In the middle of the last century, Ringgold, Ga., was the town that expedited the formation of an institution that built the country in that era, namely, early marriage. At the time, you could get married at the age of 15 provided you had the consent of your parents or guardian and, thanks to Ringgold's 45-minute blood test, you could get married quickly. Word got out rapidly, and this tiny little town just over the Tennessee state line became known as the marriage mecca of the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic. It fulfilled the hasty youthful heart expediently and enabled the young serviceman and his bride to get married before he shipped off to war. Even the town's name sounded full of marital promise, notwithstanding it was named after a celebrated general rather than a wedding band. Seventy years later, Stacey Evans, a Democratic representative from that town, hopes to ride today's trend in family life single parenting into the Georgia governor's mansion. She is doing so by chronicling her life story with photos and video clips of the 16 homes of her childhood, and her living with a single mom and no father, and trying to avoid bill collectors or her mother's unsavory boyfriends. "Once when I was 12 and we lived here," Evans narrates as a video clip of one home darts across the screen, "I called the police while one of them was beating her. "The police said that they knew him and that he wouldn't do such a thing, so they didn't come, and so, he kept beating her." On always being "one step ahead of a bill collector," Evans says: "Living like that affects a child. You end up looking for something you can hold onto." Welcome to the political race in Georgia that America is not paying attention to but should be. Why? Because the primary contest between Evans and a fellow Democrat, state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, will have the biggest impact on the future of the national party. It reflects the battle within the national Democratic Party's ranks over where it goes from here. "Here" in this case is the slinking around of America's minority party with no message, no firepower, no aspirational missive, and no plan for how to get out from under all of that. Abrams comes from the party's urban school of thought, which is that campaigning is all about manpower. Evans, in contrast, is running a campaign based on a story an important economic story that appeals to the white blue-collar voters Georgia Democrats lost to Donald Trump. The question is: Will that story work? Or do Democrats merely need to turn out more of their urban and ethnic base? They have been saying forever and a day that Georgia is the next state they intend to flip in their favor. They promised to do just that during last November's presidential election, and again in last week's special election in the Sixth Congressional District for an open House seat. But it wasn't even close either time. It's not that Democrats haven't tried hard in Georgia. They tried to win the Senate race in 2014 with the daughter of celebrated former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, and she lost. They just tried with John Ossoff in the Sixth District race, and he lost. They have to start winning elections in Georgia eventually for Georgia to be a true battleground. There will be a big question as to what's the best way to win. Is it to merely maximize turnout among African Americans and transplants in the Atlanta area, or is it try to claw back the rural blue-collar voters that Democrats ancestrally had when they used to win in the state? That is a serious existential question for Democratic operatives. Both of these women are very strong candidates for governor. Evans' campaign is about the HOPE scholarship, which is funded by the Georgia Lottery. Her powerful life story, portrayed so well in her campaign video, shows she was in a family cycle of poverty until the scholarship came along. During Gov. Zell Miller's days in the state Capitol, he made Georgia the first state in the South to pass the lottery specifically for college scholarships. Anybody with a B average got one. And everybody else in the South since emulated that. Evans is literally running right at the trailer park of rural Georgia. One issue with which such people still identify with the Democrats, for the most part, is public schools. Abrams is a Yale Law School grad known for her fiery speeches, her national profile, a passion for mobilizing and energizing minority voters, and her prolificacy in penning numerous romance novels. Unfortunately for her, she voted to reduce HOPE scholarship funding. In short, Evans has a message designed to appeal to rural, independent, and conservative voters, and Abrams stands for a future in Georgia that is centered in urban Atlanta. The truth is most Democrats in Washington, D.C., think that the urban Atlanta model is most likely to succeed because of where the numbers are, which makes Republicans strategists in Washington and Georgia happy. It is the race that nobody is talking about and everyone should be talking about when it comes to the future of both the Democratic and Republican parties. With an exiting Republican governor who is not that popular and a lackluster Republican field in the state facing either an energized progressive or an energized blue-collar moderate, Democrats might finally catch that windmill they've been chasing in the Peach State. Salena Zito is a CNN political analyst, and a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner. For more information, visit www.creators.com. African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected in the Czech Republic for the first time, confirming further spread of the virus in Eastern Europe. The virus was confirmed in two wild boar by the countrys National Veterinary Research Institute (Reference Laboratory) on Tuesday (June 27), after samples were collected from a wild boar found dead last week. The infected animals were found in Zlin, 300 km (186 miles) south-east of the capital Prague, State Veterinary Administration (SVS) spokesman Petr Vorlicek said. According to Reuters, a 10-km sanitary perimeter has been established including a farm with around 5,000 pigs that are being inspected. If the infection is detected, all the animals will be culled. The Czech Republic becomes the latest country to be affected after the disease had been detected in recent years in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and, for the first time in October, Moldova. Data from the OIE, the international animal health body, shows five cases have also been confirmed in Poland alone over the past 11 days, plus cases in Russia and Lithuania. Spreading west Earlier this year, in his column for Pig World, Russian journalist Vladislav Vorotnikov highlighted the scale of the ASF problem in the region and warned it is spreading west. He said ASF-related losses in Ukraine amounted to an estimated 30.4m in 2016, including a big chunk attributed to lost exports. Moldova reported its first ASF outbreak on October 6 and Russian veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has suggested ASF is moving west with an average speed of 100 150 km per year, he wrote. So, this year, the virus may get close to Romania, central regions of Poland and we might even see it identified in Germany. Defra maintains that the risk of ASF introduction to the UK remains very low, that is rare but could occur. NPA reaction NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: This is another concerning development in the spread of ASF in eastern Europe. Defra still maintains that the risk is low but we will continue to press to ensure our surveillance and defences against ASF are as robust as they can be. It is also vital that Defra fully understands the devastating impact any incursion of ASF into UK wild boar or domestic pigs will have, not just for animal health and welfare but also the crippling effect on our economy of losing our vital export trade. Wild boar, which have played a major part in spreading the disease in eastern Europe and this highlights once again the need to ensure we have robust control measures in place to prevent our wild boar populations spreading out of control. Get Our E-Newsletter - Pig World's best stories in your in-box twice a week See e-newsletter example Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy Must-Read Travel Guides EAST ASIA SOUTHEAST ASIA Featured Articles Contact Copyright Disclosure If you wish to contact me for questions, collaboration inquiries, comments, suggestions, reviews or just about anything, please send an email to. I will try my best to reply quickly! Unless, of course, I'm on a trip! :D All rights reserved. All photos and content in this blog are owned by(unless otherwise stated). Parts of the articles may be excerpted (a link to this site should be provided), but not reproduced as a whole. Photos may not be used without permission. Thank you very much!Unless otherwise stated, I personally write my blog posts and it expresses my own thoughts and opinions. I pay for all the expenses of my trips (unless otherwise stated). I welcome collaborations and reviews as long as they are beneficial to my readers. All reviews on collaborations contain my own views and opinion and were not influenced by anyone. For inquiries, you may contact me here . Thank you very much! AirAsia Is Flying to Sihanoukville Cambodia The Little Russia When we were in Siem Reap last week, we spoke to the locals and they told us about this place called Sihanoukville. It is a coastal city and it is also known as Little Russia by the locals. You can find many Russian tourists in Sihanoukville and it is located near the border of Southern Vietnam. The good news is AirAsia will fly to Sihanoukville in August 2017. The inaugural flight as reported will be on 9th August 2017 and this will be an interesting destination rival other coastal cities in the region. From Sihanoukville, you can visit the popular Koh Rong island. Another interesting fact is it is very near the popular Phu Quoc island of Vietnam, another popular island. We are not sure whether there is a direct ferry transfer from Sihanoukville to Phu Quoc but we read they are planning to do it in 2018. Sihanoukville seems to be quite interesting place to visit as we never visited Little Russia or anything similar before. Thus, do remember that Malaysians do not require VISA to travel to Cambodia or Vietnam. Another gentle reminder too that the popular currency in Cambodia is US dollars. So if you ran out of ideas where to travel, why not check out this new route from KLIA 2 to Sihanoukville Cambodia. Now, everyone can fly to Sihanoukville and for more information, you can visit AirAsia.com. This is not a sponsored post. Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts Listed in Top 30 Travel Blogs and Top 50 Blogs in Malaysia Looks like June 2017 is a good month for us as we are listed in Top 30 Travel Blogs by Feedspot.com and Top 50 Blogs in Malaysia by AseanUp.com. We didnt know we were part of the list until our friends spotted the list and informed us. Top 30 Malaysia Travel Blogs by Feedspot.com We are humbled to be listed with some of the best travel blogs and websites in Malaysia. In Top 30 Travel Bloggers by Feedspot.com, we are listed as the Top 7 Travel blogger. Their methodology for ranking includes Google reputation and Google search ranking, influence and popularity on Facebook, twitter and other social media sites, quality and consistency of posts and Feedspots editorial team and expert review. Thank you Feedspot.com for listing us as one of the top 30 travel bloggers in Malaysia. The list was published on 12th June 2017. Top 50 Blogs in Malaysia by AseanUp.com Again, we are delighted to be listed with the top blogs in Malaysia. In Top 50 Blogs in Malaysia by AseanUp.com, we are positioned as the Top 9 blog in Malaysia. It is not sure how they rank the blogs but they include blog monthly traffic and the total social media community followers. It is an honour to be listed with some of the popular blogs in Malaysia and thank you AseanUp.com for the listing. The list was published on 20th June 2017. We have been doing more on travel reviews and lesser on food reviews in recent years but we will focus more on local food soon. Thank you everyone for the support and for reading our blog. This is an encouragement for us to blog more informative food and travel stories for everyone. Remember to follow us on Instagram at @placesandfoods, Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/placesandfoods and Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/placesandfoodspage Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts An Alpharetta, GA, police officer pulled a man riding with a space alien Sunday. (Photo: Alpharetta PD/Facebook) Police in a Georgia town had a close encounter with a non-human life form -- well, sort of. George Gordon, a spokesman for police in Alpharetta, says that when a police officer pulled a man over Sunday on a suburban highway, a life-sized doll of a big-eyed, large-skulled alien was riding in the front passenger seat, Fox News reports. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported the encounter, saying the driver was clocked at 84 mph (135 kph). Not quite warp speed, and Gordon later told The Associated Press: "He did not mention as to `why' he had an out of this world passenger." Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Healthcare is working along very well. Youre gonna have a big surprise with a great health care package. President Trump told the White House pool in the Roosevelt Room Wednesday afternoon. When asked what that meant, Trump answered according to the White House pool report sent to PoliticusUSA, I think youre going to have a great, great surprise. Its going to be great. Watch here: And just to do a little official business, healthcare is working along very well. Youre gonna have a big surprise with a great health care package. So now theyre happy, Trump said. A reporter asked, What do you mean by great surprise, sir? The President responded with a vague non-answer, I think youre going to have a great, great surprise. Its going to be great. Minutes later in the Oval Office, a pool reporter shouted a question about healthcare, asking President Trump about Senator Chuck Schumers desire to have a meeting with all 100 senators regarding healthcare. I dont think hes serious, Trump responded. He hasnt been serious. Obamacare is such a disaster. And he wants to try and save something thats hurting a lot of people. Its hurting a lot of people. Obamacare is hurting a lot of people isnt a real thing; its a GOP talking point. There are parts of Obamacare that need to be tweaked, and parts that Republicans are deliberately undermining so if it is hurting people, Republicans are to blame for their part in deliberately hurting Americans. But this argument makes no sense. It made no sense when Sean Spicer tried it earlier today, claiming that 28.2 million Americans being without insurance was a bad thing, so Republicans should rush to fix that by making the number 49 million people without insurance. Forty-nine million is more than 28.2 million. It made no sense when HHS Secretary Tom Price claimed there were Obamacare victims in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. It should be noted that Obamacare is actually a law, and Price is supposed to be upholding it, but instead he is trolling it pretty hard and actually seeming to invite or encourage healthcare companies not to offer insurance on the Obamacare exchanges. Health insurers are actually blaming President Trump for the rate hikes that Republicans keep claiming are proof that Obamacare is hurting people. If Republicans wanted to fix this problem they are partially creating, they could. Healthcare isnt something about which the President should be threatening/promising surprises. The secrecy element is exactly what derailed McConnells efforts to push through the Republican tax cut plan that they are calling a health care bill. The American people dont want surprises; they want healthcare that covers them and their families. The Republican plan would kick 22 million more people off of healthcare in order to give a tax cut to the very rich. The people have had enough surprises like this. These kinds of big, vague promises got Trump elected by his base of people who didnt bother or care to check on his actual policies to see if they were realistic, but they dont work well when it comes to actually getting something legislatively accomplished. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Senate Republicans had a clear plan to pass the healthcare bill by keeping Trump far away from it. That plan was blown to bits on Wednesday, as Trump proclaimed himself heavily involved and knowledgeable on health care. On June 22, CNN reported, Donald Trump may be the President of the United States, but when it comes to passing health care reform through the Senate, Trump is the understudy to Mitch McConnells lead. Senators and their top aides on Capitol Hill have made it clear to the White House as health care legislation makes its way through the Senate that the less involved Trump is, the better for the bills prospects. Trump is not popular or influential with Senate Republicans, so the plan was to keep his toxicity far away from the healthcare bill. The plan lasted for six days. Trump tweeted: Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017 The unpopular and clueless president has waded into the health care bill minefield and began to blow things up. Trump and his administrations public comments on the health care bill have ranged from alarming ignorance to flat out lies. The only hope that Senate Republicans had for passing the bill was to keep Donald Trump out of it. With Trump sticking himself in the middle of the mess, a difficult to pass health care bill may have become an impossible task for Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print VATICAN CITY (Reuters) Pope Francis elevated five senior clerics from outside Italy and the Vatican to the top rank of cardinal on Wednesday, urging them to be humble and not forget refugees and victims of war, terrorism and injustice. Appointing new cardinals is one of the most significant powers of the papacy, allowing a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2 billion-member Church. Cardinals are the popes closest advisers in the Vatican and around the world and those under 80 years old are known as cardinal-electors because they can choose his successor. The new cardinals come from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador and all five are under 80 years old. All of those countries, except for Spain, are getting their first cardinal. With their elevation at a ceremony, known as a consistory, in St. Peters Basilica, Francis has now named nearly 50 cardinal-electors of a total 121. During the ceremony where the new cardinals received their red hat, known as a biretta, the pope said they were called to be humble servants of others and not princes of the Church. They had to look at reality and care for the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism. They should combat the forms of enslavement that continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; the refugee camps which at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; the systematic discarding of all that is no longer useful, people included. The new cardinals are Archbishop Jean Zerbo, 73, from Mali, Archbishop Juan Jose Omella, 71, from Spain, Bishop Anders Arborelius, 67, from Stockholm, Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, 73, from Laos, and Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, from San Salvador. The Church in Mali has denied recent French media reports about alleged irregularities concerning a bank account reportedly held by the Mali Church in Switzerland. A statement this month denied that it was involved in embezzlement but did not comment directly on the Swiss bank account. The fact that none of the five are Italian and none hold Vatican positions underscores Francis conviction that the Church must be a global institution that should become increasingly less Italian and Europe-centric. It was Francis fourth consistory since his election in 2013 and he has used each of them to show support for the Church in countries where Catholics are in a minority, in this case Sweden, Mali and Laos. Chavez, the new cardinal from El Salvador, was a close associate of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated by a right-wing death squad in 1980. Francis is keen to see Romero made a saint during his pontificate. The naming of Arborelius, the Swede, was significant because Sweden is where the Lutheran World Federation was founded in 1947 and because this year marks the 500th anniversary of protestant Martin Luthers Reformation. Francis, who visited Sweden last year, is keen to further Catholic dialogue with Protestant churches. Sweden is also one of the worlds most secular countries and the naming of a cardinal there will boost the morale of the tiny Catholic population. After the ceremony in the basilica, the five new cardinals went to pay their respects to 90-year-old former Pope Benedict, who resigned in 2013 and is living on the grounds of the Vatican. (Additional reporting by Emma Farge in Dakar; Editing by Louise Ireland) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Unlike Mitch McConnell and other Republicans, Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) told Capitol Police not to remove healthcare protesters from his office. Video of the protesters: Scene of protesters inside Rob Portman's office pic.twitter.com/YRG9bmv1dg Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) June 28, 2017 Portmans staff told police NOT to remove the protesters: Scene of protesters inside Rob Portman's office pic.twitter.com/YRG9bmv1dg Vaughn Hillyard (@VaughnHillyard) June 28, 2017 This is bad news for Republicans who cant afford to lose the vote of Portman if they have any hope of passing the health care bill. Portman, like Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, is a Senator from a state with a governor who opposes the proposed cuts to Medicaid in the Senate health care bill. Portman may let the protesters stay, and vote for the bill, but the fact that his office has told police not to remove protesters is a good omen for those who want to save Obamacare. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print A new USA Today/Suffolk University Poll has found that just 12% of Americans support any of the Republican health care bills proving that Trumpcare has turned into a raging inferno that is burning down the Republican Party. USA Today has the data on their poll, Just 12% of Americans support the Senate Republican health care plan, a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll finds, amid a roiling debate over whether the GOP will deliver on its signature promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. In the survey, taken Saturday through Tuesday, a 53% majority say Congress should either leave the law known as Obamacare alone or work to fix its problems while keeping its framework intact. Republicans are snared in a trap of their own making as nearly 80% of Republicans want Obamacare repealed, but these same people dont want to lose the benefits that come from the Affordable Care Act. Republicans successfully sold Obamacare as a great evil to members of their own party, but the problem is that people like much of what the ACA does. It has turned out to be impossible for Republicans to deliver on both their promise to totally repeal Obamacare and keep all the provisions that people like and need. One cant totally repeal Obamacare while also keeping Obamacare. Years of lies have come back to haunt the GOP. A majority of Americans want them to leave Obamacare alone, and if they mess with the ACA, Republicans will please their shrinking base, but they will lose a country. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print PARIS (Reuters) The United States has not confirmed whether President Donald Trump will accept an invitation by President Emmanuel Macron to attend Frances annual July 14 Bastille day celebrations, government spokesman Christophe Castaner said on Wednesday. We confirmed this week the invitation and our services are working on the basis that president trump comes, Castaner told reporters at a weekly news conference. Its neither confirmed today nor rejected. Macrons office said on Tuesday it had invited Trump on two occasions to attend the celebrations next month during which the U.S. military will take part to mark 100 years since it joined World War 1. (Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and John Irish; Editing by Brian Love) Charleston, SC (29403) Today Windy with rain developing this afternoon. High 77F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Thursday, May 06, 2021 TIMING PROGRAM TITLE 06:00 NEWS BULLETIN 06:25 HEADLINE NEWS 06:30 NEWS BULLETIN 06:55 HEADLINE NEWS 07:00 NOOR E ISLAM 07:25 HEADLINE NEWS 07:30 NOOR E ISLAM 07:55 HEADLINE NEWS 08:00 NEWS BULLETIN 08:25 HEADLINE NEWS 08:30 NEWS BULLETIN 08:55 HEADLINE NEWS 09:00 SPOTLIGHT 09:25 HEADLINE NEWS 09:30 SPOTLIGHT 09:55 HEADLINE NEWS 10:00 FAISLA AAP KA 10:25 HEADLINE NEWS 10:30 FAISLA AAP KA 10:55 HEADLINE NEWS 11:00 TAREEKHI DUAAIN 11:25 HEADLINE NEWS 11:30 VOA (VIEW-360) 11:55 HEADLINE NEWS 12:00 NEWS HOUR 12:25 HEADLINE NEWS 12:30 NEWS HOUR 12:55 HEADLINE NEWS 13:00 BARAN E REHMAT (PRE IFTAR SHOW WITH SIDRA IQBAL) 13:25 HEADLINE NEWS 13:30 BARAN E REHMAT (PRE IFTAR SHOW WITH SIDRA IQBAL) 13:55 HEADLINE NEWS 14:00 BARAN E REHMAT (PRE IFTAR SHOW WITH SIDRA IQBAL) 14:25 HEADLINE NEWS 14:30 BARAN E REHMAT (PRE IFTAR SHOW WITH SIDRA IQBAL) 14:55 HEADLINE NEWS 15:00 NEWS BULLETIN/BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 15:25 HEADLINE NEWS 15:30 NEWS BULLETIN/BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 15:55 HEADLINE NEWS 16:00 BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 16:25 HEADLINE NEWS 16:30 BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 16:55 HEADLINE NEWS 17:00 TURKEY BRR 17:25 HEADLINE NEWS 17:30 BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 17:55 HEADLINE NEWS 18:00 BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 18:25 HEADLINE NEWS 18:30 BARAN E REHMAT (WITH REEMA KHAN) 18:55 HEADLINE NEWS 19:00 KALAM/HAMD/NAAT 19:25 HEADLINE NEWS 19:30 VOA (VIEW-360) 19:55 HEADLINE NEWS 20:00 FAISLA AAP KA (LIVE) 20:25 HEADLINE NEWS 20:30 FAISLA AAP KA (LIVE) 20:55 HEADLINE NEWS 21:00 AAJ 9 BAJE 21:25 HEADLINE NEWS 21:30 AAJ 9 BAJE 21:55 HEADLINE NEWS 22:00 RUBAROO (LIVE) 22:25 HEADLINE NEWS 22:30 RUBAROO (LIVE) 22:55 HEADLINE NEWS 23:00 VOA (VIEW-360) 23:25 HEADLINE NEWS 23:30 QAYAMAT KI NISHANIAN 23:55 HEADLINE NEWS 00:00 NEWS HOUR 00:25 HEADLINE NEWS 00:30 NEWS HOUR 00:55 HEADLINE NEWS 01:00 FAISLA AAP KA 01:25 HEADLINE NEWS 01:30 FAISLA AAP KA 01:55 HEADLINE NEWS 02:00 SEHRI TRANSMISSION WITH SHERRY 02:25 HEADLINE NEWS 02:30 SEHRI TRANSMISSION WITH SHERRY 02:55 HEADLINE NEWS 03:00 SEHRI TRANSMISSION WITH SHERRY 03:25 HEADLINE NEWS 03:30 SEHRI TRANSMISSION WITH SHERRY 03:55 HEADLINE NEWS 04:00 SEHRI TRANSMISSION WITH SHERRY 04:25 HEADLINE NEWS 04:30 SEHRI TRANSMISSION WITH SHERRY 04:55 HEADLINE NEWS 05:00 RUBAROO 05:25 HEADLINE NEWS 05:30 RUBAROO 05:55 HEADLINE NEWS "I am ushering in a new era of enlightenment." So states Psychedelic Saint, a multifaceted mixed arts creator who does everything from directing music videos to writing movie scripts to featuring upcoming artists on her website. She acts, writes, and directs everything from poetry videos to short plays. She creates visual art, composes music, and is heavily involved in the Rochester Arts community. Her latest work, "The (Almost) Complete Works," isnt cataloging all she has to offer; its merely a stepping stone to pursuing her passions. Like her painted periscope of a face, this collection of poetry, short stories, and scripts mirrors the illusions society accommodates and caters to. Commenting on identity, imagination, play, love, loss stemming from heartbreak, societal power plays, and overall wonder, Psychedelic Saint provides not only an emotionally charged book, she provides a service to those who need something to relate to during tumultuous times. This book includes her written works, as well as her visual art bright, zine-styled collages using pop culture references. Saint uses these bold backdrops to add another layer of depth to her storytelling. She aims to deconstruct societal norms and uphold a calling for truth. In doing this, she offers an idealist, realistic setting of the world at large. "When you are multitalented, multimedia, and a community oriented artist, sometimes your art gets lost in the fray and it is challenging to earn living that way," says Saint. "I hope to begin capitalizing on my art in order to achieve the American Dream people talk so highly about. Traumatic things have happened to me, and because I have survived those struggles through art, I feel its my obligation to reflect that pain and the challenge of overcoming adversities. I strongly hope to engage, inspire, and help those that feel lost." Why the face paint? This eye-catching persona is used for anonymity and intimacy, as Saint noticed people are far more open when met with a colorful caricature of a person. Using Lady Gaga and David Bowie as inspirations, Saint refuses to be bound to restrictions of what an artist should be she embraces the otherworldly and spiritual side of what artistry can be. She wants to not only write about celebrating the unorthodox, but also publicly advocate that its possible to be abnormal yet accepted. ADVERTISEMENT This journey started a few months ago, when Forager held an event for women to come and say a single line of an original poem written by Psychedelic Saint, "Femme Fatal." Roughly 100 women aged 6 to 70 came out to support this event that celebrated women, and all participants left feeling empowered. The short video of the readings, filmed and edited by Films By Cloey, will be released at the upcoming book release event. The film premiere and book release will be this Saturday at the newly open Jive Mill Listening Room. Of course, the Psychedelic star herself will perform spoken word poetry for her fans, whom she refers to as her "Stars and Bruises." STEM Academy Poetry Club will bring greater diversity by performing, while Duluth local Mary Bue performs music, and Amy Abts creates live art. A community art project will be initiated and there will be a photo booth, as well. Saint hopes for this literary debut to be a catalyst for an unconventional and honorable career path. She has plans of book touring throughout the Midwest with her fiance (a featured artist on her website), gender neutral cat, and mammothly inspiring message to share. A spoken word album will be released a couple of months after this event. Down the road, Saint will debut another book cataloging her entire works of poetry. She ultimately hopes to sell movie scripts which she believes to be some of her strongest works. If you want to support diversity and help lend a voice to those who generally feel voiceless, come out and celebrate the unconventional, forgotten, and marginalized. A cash bar will be offered after the STEM Academy Poetry Club performance, so come sober and leave inspired. A Rochester man is behind bars today after authorities reportedly connected him to more than 9 1/2 pounds of synthetic marijuana . Charles Antonio Gayles, 35, was arrested Monday night after police received information that he'd left the drug, also known as K2, in the garage of an acquaintance without the friend's knowledge, said Lt. Mike Sadauskis. Officers were able to track Gayles to the 800 block of Broadway Avenue North, where they found him in the parking lot of a business. He was in possession of a small amount of marijuana and a digital scale, the report says, and was taken into custody there. Police recovered the K2 in a duffel bag inside a garage in the 2900 block of Agate Place Northwest. They believe Gayles was "hiding" it there, Sadauskis said. Gayles could be charged as early as today with felony sales of a synthetic cannabinoid and fourth-degree controlled substance crime. A Rochester man accused of possessing nearly a half-pound of methamphetamine has been sentenced to more than six years in prison. Scott Christopher Dobbelaere, 36, was charged with one count each of first- and second-degree drug possession, storing meth paraphernalia in the presence of a child, causing a child to be exposed to meth, all felonies; as well as one count each of gross misdemeanor child endangerment and misdemeanor fleeing a peace officer on foot. Dobbelaere pleaded guilty in March to the second-degree possession charge; Olmsted County District Court Judge Debra Jacobson sentenced him Monday to 75 months in prison, with credit for 166 days already served. The remaining charges were dismissed. The investigation began when authorities received information about the possibility of ongoing drug activity at Dobbelaere's house in the 5400 block of 51st Street Northwest, the criminal complaint says, and police surveillance confirmed it. ADVERTISEMENT On Jan. 12, officers watched as Dobbelaere left the home in his vehicle; they performed a traffic stop in the area of Kenosha Drive and Valleyhigh Drive Northwest. When told he was under arrest, Dobbelaere allegedly turned and ran; officers quickly caught him and made the arrest. Deputies at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center found two plastic bags on Dobbelaere with a combined weight of 4 grams; they tested positive for meth, court documents say. In his car, authorities found more than $3,000 in cash, several small plastic bags and a glass pipe that tested positive for meth, the papers continue. A search warrant executed at Dobbelaere's home on 51st Street recovered multiple bags of meth, with a total weight of 189.1 grams, the complaint says, as well as numerous items containing meth residue. The meth and the related items were all found in Dobbelaere's bedroom "within arm's reach of a small child," the report says. The total alleged weight of 193.1 grams is nearly 7 ounces. His 5-year-old child told an investigator she was in her father's room earlier that day. One of the items allegedly containing meth was a plastic trick-or-treat bucket, sitting next to the bed, and a meth pipe with a large gas torch on a table near the window. A search of the garage of the home turned up 30 pills on a shelf, the document says, and a plastic bag labeled "Nitracaine" that contained brownish crystals. A review of Dobbelaere's criminal history indicates at least three felony drug convictions and past prison sentences of 68 and 74 months. MAZEPPA Farmer Josh Betcher can expect a sizable drop in his school taxes next year and the relief is coming at an ideal time. A fifth-generation farmer, Betcher grows crops and raises beef on his Mazeppa farm. He owns about 200 acres and has watched as the land's value and taxes have steadily climbed even as commodity prices have plummeted. "Right now, we're below the cost of production, and we're trying to manage every cost to the penny. And (taxes) are one cost we don't have the option of managing," he said. Betcher and farmers like him are about to get a tax break thanks to a bill passed by lawmakers last month. It slashes by 40 percent the amount of taxes farmers have to pay on farmland in school districts with construction levies. For Betcher, that means he'll be saving roughly $800 next year. "That's a significant savings," he said. "It's nice to finally feel heard by our representatives at the Capitol." ADVERTISEMENT Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, led the push in the House to reduce how much farmers pay for school construction levies. He said farmers have been shouldering most of the tax burden in rural school districts. "It's about fairness. It's not fair that a farm family should pay 10 times as much for the school construction levy as their cousin in town," Drazkowski said. Under the new law, farmers will get a tax credit for their 2017 taxes. The state will step in and cover the cost of the tax credit, sending money directly to school districts to make up the difference. It is expected to cost the state $39 million per year, according to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Farm groups have long been pushing for this sort of tax credit at the Capitol, according to Thom Petersen, director of government relations for the Minnesota Farmers Union. In the past, the measure stalled primarily due to its cost. But this year, the proposal enjoyed broad bipartisan support. Petersen credits the growing support for the bill to a string of failed school referendums in rural areas. "It's very difficult all of a sudden to have a year like this year or last year when farmers are financially struggling and a referendum comes up for a vote and you are literally adding thousands of dollars to your tax bill," Petersen said. St. Charles Superintendent Mark Roubinek said he encouraged people living in the district to call lawmakers and ask them to pass the farmland tax credit. Last year, voters in the district rejected two construction levy referendums one for $18 million in May and a scaled-back proposal for $12 million in November. The money would have gone toward building an early childhood addition to the elementary school and renovation work at the 51-year-old high school. About half of the district's tax capacity is in agricultural land. Roubinek said the new law will help ease the pressure on farmers in districts like St. Charles when construction levies pass. ADVERTISEMENT "We just don't have the tax capacity and the horsepower that you see in some of the urban or metro areas," he said. As for Betcher, he said he has never voted in favor of a school construction levy because of concern about the financial impact it would have on his farm. So with the new tax credit in place, would Betcher be willing to vote for a school referendum proposal in the future? "Now I'd consider it," he said. After years of drought conditions , 2016-17 has been a year of roughly twice the historical average snowfall in the Sierra Nevada . Waterfalls that had flowed below average for years are in flood this year, as shown above at Yosemite Falls, bringing record attendance to Yosemite through May. The observation point near the base of Bridalveil Fall is so wet that tourists are getting soaked, without a view of the falls, due to the heavy mist. The Merced River has been at or near flood level for weeks. Some campgrounds that are normally open this time of year are currently flooded. Tioga Road across the Sierras, normally closed by snowpack until early May, is unlikely to open this year before the end of June. Across the Sierras, Mammoth Mountain ski area is projected be hosting skiers into August. However, the winter season rain and snow wasn't enough to end the drought in California completely. Reservoir levels have recovered, but it may take years for groundwater levels to return to normal. Photo taken on May 30, 2017. When Jeremiah and Sarah Hays moved into the Gage East Apartments, they were weeks away from what would have been an important decision. They had been homeless for three years first separately, then together when they moved into the new complex at 920 40th St. NW, but Sarah was weeks away to giving birth to their first child, Thomas. Being homeless with a newborn wasn't something they wanted to do after living in tents and storage units. "We would have ended up living with family," Sarah said. "We would have done that before being homeless with a child." They planned to move in with Sarah's mother in Wabasha, but the apartment would be crowded, and the couple's lack of transportation meant it would be even more difficult for Jeremiah to find work as a carpenter. ADVERTISEMENT While getting a medical checkup at Salvation Army's Good Samaritan Health Clinic, 120 N. Broadway, the couple met a Family Service Rochester social worker, who mentioned Gage East had 30 apartments set aside for families dealing with long-term homelessness, which is defined as a year of continued homelessness or four episodes of homelessness within three years. A few months later, they moved in. Filling a need "For a lot of the households living here, this is the most stable housing they have had in a year or so," said Nancy Cashman, supportive housing development director for Center City Housing Corp., which built and operates the complex. An additional 25 apartments house formerly homeless youth, up to age 21. In all 122 people are housed at Gage East, which opened its doors nearly 10 months ago with an almost immediate waiting list that has grown to more than 200 households seeking housing. Cashman said Gage East was built to fill some of that need. While it's the first of its kind in Rochester, but not the first effort for Duluth-based Center City. The organization offers housing with a variety of support services in a mix of locations, from apartment complexes like Gage East to townhomes and smaller apartment buildings. However, Center City Director Rick Klun said it's not a concept that can be easily moved from one community to another without some adjustment, noting the needs of homeless populations can be unique. ADVERTISEMENT "In every building we open, we have different issues," Cashman agreed Early struggles Gage East is the first time Center City has put family housing and youth housing next to each other, and Cashman acknowledges there were some struggles, noting there had been some rough periods as the community within Gage East started to evolve. In recent months, she said that community has been taking shape. "I think our trajectory is really positive," she said. The struggles, however, didn't occur without local police officers noticing. In November the Rochester Police Department's crime analyst noted a trend in calls. Gage East was generating more traffic than the typical apartment building of the same size. "There was a dynamic there that was more complex than other apartments around town," police Sgt. Jon Turk said. Officer James Marsolek said he began tracking calls that involved disorderly conduct and assaults, noting an increase, with numbers doubling to 16 in December and remaining steady for the next three months. ADVERTISEMENT "People weren't getting along," he said. Klun said some of that was due to the nature of the facility, since nearly all tenants had traumatic experiences in their past and struggled with episodes of emotional crisis. While Gage East staff sought to provide stability, adjustment was needed. Adjustment period Cashman said apartments were filled gradually between October and February so transitions could be monitored and adjustments could be made. Still, she said creating a community is a process, especially when staff and residents are making transitions. "Like any new building, we had a few hurdles," she said. Marsolek said many of those hurdles revolved around four people living on the youth side of the complex. While the goal at Gage East is to help tenants learn how to avoid eviction, staff came to terms with the four individuals, who agreed the apartment complex was not the right fit. Turk said it was a step in the right direction, but more intervention may be needed. It creates a unique challenge, he added. "I know they are trying to house a group of people that have had trouble keeping housing in the past," he said. Marsolek said calls dropped in April after the troublesome tenants left, but a new spike was seen in May, when a resident on the family side was charged in connection to a fight at the apartment complex. Travis Gransee, director of Olmsted County community corrections supervisor, who has been working with Gage East and the Rochester Police Department said the May incident may simply be a periodic incident that could occur anywhere in Rochester. He said a longer view will be needed. "If they are blips and not trends, then it's manageable," he said. Adjustment required While Turk and Marsolek said there are still concerns about some residents, they also see potential for continued change at Gage East. They note staff has taken measures to reduce conflict and police have been making visits to walk through the property and connect with residents. "They are working on it," Marsolek said. The Hayses have also noticed an improvement in their surroundings. "A lot of people have learned to adjust," Jeremiah said. The couple acknowledge they sometimes struggle with living in the facility. Jeremiah said he feels a loss of freedom when he must be buzzed in the front door and visitors need to leave identification cards to go to their apartment. Sarah said she knows such policies increase the safety in the building. At the same time, she said she sometimes pulls back from social workers' efforts in the building, saying questions can seem intrusive. Still, as the couple work to start a new life, she said having a home does make some things easier. "When you are homeless, getting a shower is an all-day event," she said. Since moving into Gage East, Sarah, a former bus driver, has been able to start paperwork to get her driver's license back and has bought a late-model car. A former meth addict with 18 months sobriety, she said she has had to jump through some extra hoops following a 2010 head-on collision that left her in a coma for two weeks and a wheelchair for eight months, but she said it holds promise. Jeremiah hasn't had a driver's license since it was revoked due to unpaid child support. Living in a rural area of western Wisconsin at the time, he said that helped lead to his homelessness, since he wasn't able to get to job sites. The Hayses said such instability isn't something they want to pass on to their child. Benefits of stability However, Melissa Brandt, the transition and fostering connections coordinator at Rochester Public Schools, said many Gage East residents weren't fortunate enough to find stable housing options before their children were born, and that lack of stability can hinder classroom opportunities. She said homeless students experience high levels of stress hormones, which impede the ability to focus and sit still. In the months since Gage East opened, she said she has seen changes in the classroom. "In the very young students, some of the improper behaviors are diminishing and kids are able to participate in ways they haven't in the past," she said. For the older students, Brandt said stable housing allows them concentrate on other needs, instead of simply finding a safe place to sleep. "In terms of using community services, having stable housing is more feasible for the community if that person is not homeless on the street," she said. Scott Maloney, executive director of Family Service Rochester, said that access helps his staff address needs, such as adding a therapist to help residents on the youth side of the facility. "I think this fills a need in the community," he said. Jeremiah Hays said it's filling a need for his family, and while he's been assured they will have a home while Thomas is growing up, he doesn't anticipate renting the apartment for 18 years. "In my eyes this is a stepping stone," he said. "I think it's selfish to want to stay here until our kid is 18." He hopes the apartment, which costs the family $80 a month and will increase as their household income grows, can provide a stable place for him to return to a career in carpentry. He's already lining up possible jobs and looking for to new opportunities, which would eventually mean leaving Gage East and offering someone else the chance to get off the street. "There's not just 30 homeless families in Rochester," he said. Its been a tough couple of days for CNN. Yesterday, the network announced the resignation (firing, I assume) of three journalistsEric Lichtblau, recently hired away from the New York Times, Thomas Frank, and the head of the networks new investigative unit, Lex Haris. They published a Russia/Trump story that turned out to be false (embarrassingly so, the quality of the reporting was abysmal) and had to be retracted by CNN. It is no coincidence that CNNs fake news story had to do with Russia. CNNs CEO told the networks reporters that it was nice to cover climate change, but its time to get back to Russia. How do we know this? Because today, an even worse shoe dropped. James OKeefes Project Veritas has infiltrated CNN, and he has video of a CNN producer admitting that the networks Russia fixation is mostly bullshit, but they do it because it brings in the money. Paul wrote about OKeefes dynamite video this morning; if you missed it then you should watch it now. The CNN producer says things like its mostly bulls**t right now. And I think the president is probably right to say, like, look you are witch hunting me. Here is the video: This is, of course, a body blow to whatever is left of CNNs credibility. But the bad news doesnt end there. OKeefe says todays video is just Part 1. He has more on CNN, and he has put other corrupt news media on notice. So there could be more fireworks soon. President Trump lost no time claiming vindicationrightly, according to the CNN producer. Wow, CNN had to retract big story on "Russia," with 3 employees forced to resign. What about all the other phony stories they do? FAKE NEWS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017 Fake News CNN is looking at big management changes now that they got caught falsely pushing their phony Russian stories. Ratings way down! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017 Later in the day, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders let CNN have it: Notable quotes: Its the barrage of fake news directed at the president that has garnered his frustration. We have gone to a place where if the media cant be trusted to report the news, then thats a dangerous place for America. *** There are multiple instances when that outlet [CNN] has been wrongtheres a video circulating now, whether its accurate or not, Im not surebut I encourage everyone to take a look at it. If it is accurate, I think its a disgrace to all of media, to all of journalism. *** The media has been going on [the] Russia, Trump-hoax for the better part of a year now, and America is looking for something more. It is too early to say that CNNs days are numbered, but for what it is worth, I dont think this would be a good time to buy Time Warner stock. In 2010, 2014, and (arguably) 2016, America elected Republicans because they wanted Obamacare repealed and replaced. They did not elect Republicans to revamp Medicaid. In fact, candidate Trump said he would not cut the program. Yet, neither the House nor the Senate health care bill repeals and replaces Obamacare. And both revamp Medicaid. Not wise. This is not to say that Medicaid wont need to be revamped. It will. But the need to revamp Medicaid is not immediate. The immediate need is to save America from Obamacare and its destruction of the private health insurance market, as Republicans promised to do. Moreover, its questionable whether either the House or the Senate bill could rescue Medicaid. The rescue doesnt take place for years. But as Daniel Horowitz argues, if [Republicans] are going to keep the core of Obamacare, which is the private market regulations and subsidies, and own the death spiral immediately from the adverse selection of getting rid of the employer and individual mandates (on top of keeping the regs), [they] will not survive politically. . .[until] 2020, much less by 2025, to enact the promised Medicaid reforms. Not wise. Horowitz also argues that effective Medicaid reform will require a viable private market into which Medicaid recipients can migrate. But neither the House nor the Senate proposal heals the private market. How, he asks, can we maintain, own, and exacerbate Obamacares destruction of the private sector, flood the rolls of Medicaid even more until 2020, and then suddenly throw people off? Into what? The final problem with doing Medicaid reform instead of repeal and replace is that this move may doom the salutary (in some cases) alterations to Obamacare contained in both bills. The Medicaid reforms are the main driver of the gloomy forecasts of the Congressional Budget Office. Whether or not one believes the forecast for the Senate bill, it is a serious obstacle to getting 50 Republicans to vote for the Senate bill. Two Senators have said they wont vote for it because of the Medicaid cuts. A third has expressed serious doubt, for the same reason, as to whether she can support the bill Why did the GOP decide to do Medicaid reform rather repeal and replace? Im not sure. However, I do know that reforming Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid has been Speaker Ryans number one issue for years. He says hes been dreaming about revamping Medicaid since Ive been around, since you and I were drinking at a keg. Obamacare legislation gave him and like-minded conservatives the opportunity. Medicaid reforms of the type contained in the House and Senate bills also saves money. This appeals to conservatives in its own right. Furthermore, as I understand things, it provides a basis for characterizing the legislation as a spending bill, thus rendering it immune to filibuster under the reconciliation. Ive argued that Republicans are taking too cramped a view of what can be done through reconciliation. It may be that viewing Medicaid reform as necessary for purposes of reconciliation makes the related error of taking too stringent a view of must be done for these purposes. Ill give the last word to Horowitz: The Federal Government of Nigeria has said that it would formally flag off the export of yam to Europe on Thursday. Yam, a tuber crop, is a staple food in Nigeria and is grown in several parts of the country. The export plan was revealed by the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, chaired by acting president Yemi Osinbajo. Mr. Ogbe said 72 tonnes of yam will be exported in the first phase of the programme to the United Kingdom. The minister said while Thursdays event is the formal take off of the programme, some tonnes of yam that were exported earlier arrived New York on June 16 this year. Mr. Ogbe said according to statistics by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, Nigeria accounts for 61 per cent of total yam output in the world. He said Nigerian yam is in demand across the globe, adding it is an embarrassment not to find Nigerian yam in those markets. We dont even consume all the yam we produce, most go to wastage, he said. The minister said in order to address the wastage, his ministry is working on using solar coolers to keep the yams at 14 degrees to make it suitable for export. The Nigeria Centre for Agricultural Mechanization in Ilorin is producing a mechanized yam ploughing machine that will be attached to a tractor to ease production, he said. He also said it was because of poor storage that made some countries to reject Nigerian yam when efforts to export it was carried out in the past. On expected income, Mr. Ogbe said, Its only in about a month time that we will know how much the country will earn after exports to US, UK and China. Share this: Twitter Facebook To guarantee the payment of their annual dividends, shareholder groups of the 13 banks involved in the N1.2 billion bad loan for Etisalat Nigeria asked the mobile telephone operator to pay up its debt. The groups told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos on Tuesday that the company risks legal action by the banks if it failed to settle its outstanding loan obligation. The National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Boniface Okezie, said the affected banks should approach the court for receivership if Etisalat failed to settle the debt. Mr. Okezie said in view of the obligations the banks have to their shareholders, in terms of dividend payment at the end of the financial year, it was incumbent on Etisalat to pay the debt. On his part, the Chairman of Nigeria Professional Shareholders Association, Godwin Anono, said the company was under obligation to settle the debt, since the transaction was in line with the customer-bank relationship, involving terms and conditions that must be obeyed. Mr. Anono said the shareholders were in support of the banks move to acquire the company if it failed to settle the loan. This is like any other transaction. Its not government business. I stand on existing protocol to say that the banks should acquire the company if it fails to settle the debt, he said. The Head Research, SCM Capital Ltd, Sewa Wusu, said where there was any breach of the terms and conditions of the loan between Etisalat and the consortium of banks, then the normal legal process should be followed. Mr. Wusu said the issue was beginning to elicit concerns in the banking industry considering the amount involved and its potential impact on the balance sheets of the banks banks. Since the monetary authority is also involved in the negotiation, I am sure this will ensure prompt settlement of the situation among the parties, he said. Etisalat had obtained a $1.2 billion (N377.4 billion) syndicated loan in 2013, from a consortium of 13 Nigerian banks, to finance a major network rehabilitation, upgrade and expansion of its operational base in Nigeria. The consortium of banks including Access Bank, Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, First Bank Limited, Fidelity Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Stanbic IBTC, Ecobank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Access Bank have the top three exposures of the total loan N80 billion, N42 billion and N40 billion respectively. Etisalat Nigeria said last week it had paid about half of the initial loan (about N504billion), leaving a total outstanding sum of about $574 million. Following Etisalat Nigerias failure to meet its agreed debt servicing obligations with the banks, its parent company, Emirates Telecommunications Group Company, announced its withdrawal from the company. The Group said in a filing with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates that it had requested Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services, EMTS Holding BV, Holding BV, a special purpose vehicle established in Netherlands, to transfer 100 per cent of its shares to United Capital Trustees Limited, legal trustees of the banks by June 15, 2017. Since that date, negotiations have failed to bring a restructuring of the loan and establish a new ownership structure for the company. Share this: Twitter Facebook Pope Francis elevated five senior clerics from outside Italy and the Vatican to the top rank of cardinal on Wednesday, urging them to be humble and not forget refugees and victims of war, terrorism and injustice. The new cardinals are Archbishop Jean Zerbo, 73, from Mali, Archbishop Juan Jose Omella, 71, from Spain, Bishop Anders Arborelius, 67, from Stockholm, Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, 73, from Laos, and Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, from San Salvador. Appointing new cardinals is one of the most significant powers of the papacy, allowing a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2 billion-member Church. Cardinals are the popes closest advisers in the Vatican and around the world and those under 80 years old are known as cardinal-electors because they can choose his successor. The new cardinals come from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador and all five are under 80 years old. All of those countries, except for Spain, are getting their first cardinal. With their elevation at a ceremony, known as a consistory, in St. Peters Basilica, Francis has now named nearly 50 cardinal-electors of a total 121. During the ceremony where the new cardinals received their red hat, known as a biretta, the pope said they were called to be humble servants of others and not princes of the Church. They had to look at reality and care for the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism. They should combat the forms of enslavement that continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; the refugee camps which at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; the systematic discarding of all that is no longer useful, people included. The Church in Mali has denied recent French media reports about alleged irregularities concerning a bank account reportedly held by the Mali Church in Switzerland. The church in a statement early in June, denied that it was involved in embezzlement but did not comment directly on the Swiss bank account. The fact that none of the five are Italian and none hold Vatican positions underscores Francis conviction that the Church must be a global institution that should become increasingly less Italian and Europe-centric. It was Francis fourth consistory since his election in 2013 and he has used each of them to show support for the Church in countries where Catholics are in a minority, in this case Sweden, Mali and Laos. Chavez, the new cardinal from El Salvador, was a close associate of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated by a right-wing death squad in 1980. Francis is keen to see Romero made a saint during his pontificate. The naming of Arborelius, the Swede, was significant because Sweden is where the Lutheran World Federation was founded in 1947 and because this year marks the 500th anniversary of protestant Martin Luthers Reformation. Francis, who visited Sweden in 2016, is keen to further Catholic dialogue with Protestant churches. Sweden is also one of the worlds most secular countries and the naming of a cardinal there will boost the morale of the tiny Catholic population. After the ceremony in the basilica, the five new cardinals went to pay their respects to 90-year-old former Pope Benedict, who resigned in 2013 and is living on the grounds of the Vatican. (Reuters/NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Zamfara State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has decried the administration of unscreened blood to patients in the state. The Secretary of the association, Mannir Bature, made the condemnation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Gusau on Wednesday. The association is disturbed over the increasing complaints of patients dying in hospitals and clinics across the state. We followed it up by taking a tour of health facilities in the state and discovered that a large percentage of the people who lost their lives were those who underwent blood transfusion. Mr. Bature attributed the problem to unqualified medical personnel performing blood transfusion when they were not supposed to do so. Some health workers never waited to confirm whether or not the patients required blood before transfusing them. Since there are inadequate blood screening equipment in many health facilities, some patients were either given the wrong blood type or blood that was infected with diseases. Mr. Bature urged the state government to provide at least one blood screening centre in each of the three senatorial districts in the state. According to him, at the moment, only the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau and the MSF Hospital in Anka have blood screening facilities. He also recommended that qualified personnel should lead the team of personnel screening blood so that the basic checks of HIV, Hepatitis, Syphilis and Malaria would be conducted on all blood brought into hospitals. Mr. Bature said that the NMA would also ensure that blood cross match and save many lives in the state. The NMA secretary said that the association had already alerted the state government on the issue and made recommendations on how to stop the unethical trend. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The United States 2017 Trafficking in Persons report has again listed Nigeria among countries to face restriction following allegations of culpability in the violation of the Child Soldier Prohibition Act, CSPA 2008. According to the report, released Tuesday, the countries listed among those to have violated the act will face stipulated restrictions, based on provisions of the CSPA, between October 1 and the 2018 fiscal year. Governments identified on the list are subject to restrictions, in the following fiscal year, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment. The CSPA, as amended, prohibits assistance to governments that are identified in the list under the following authorities: international Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defence Articles, and Peacekeeping Operations, with exceptions for some programs undertaken pursuant to the Peacekeeping Operations authority. The CSPA also prohibits the issuance of licenses for direct commercial sales of military equipment to such governments. Beginning October 1, 2017, and effective throughout Fiscal Year 2018, these restrictions will apply to the listed countries, absent a presidential national interest waiver, applicable exception, or reinstatement of assistance pursuant to the terms of the CSPA, the report said. The CSPA is a U.S. law, signed on October 3, 2008, under President George Bush. The law criminalises the involvement of children, under 18, in any form of employment in hostile military settings. According to Tuesdays report, the nature of employment described above include; support roles, such as a cook, porter, messenger, medic, guard, or sex slave. For the purpose of the CSPA, and generally consistent with the provisions of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the term child soldier means: (i) any person under 18 years of age who takes a direct part in hostilities as a member of governmental armed forces; (ii) any person under 18 years of age who has been compulsorily recruited into governmental armed forces; (iii) any person under 15 years of age who has been voluntarily recruited into governmental armed forces; or (iv) any person under 18 years of age who has been recruited or used in hostilities by armed forces distinct from the armed forces of a state. The term child soldier includes any person described in clauses (ii), (iii), or (iv) who is serving in any capacity, including in a support role, such as a cook, porter, messenger, medic, guard, or sex slave. Although the U.S. government can waive the rule to exclude certain restrictions, Nigeria has in various years, since 2008 remained on the list of defaulting countries of the CSPA. During the reporting period, credible observers reported for the first time that some elements of the Nigerian security forces (NSF) used children as young as 12 years old in support roles, and NSF continued to detain and arrest children for alleged association with Boko Haram, some of whom may have been forcibly recruited, the report said about Nigeria, listed among the tier 2 countries with minimal approach towards eliminating trafficking in persons related crimes. The Nigerian military also conducted on the ground coordination with the Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF), non-governmental self-defense militias that continued to recruit and use children possibly unwillingly and mostly in support roles and at least one of which received state government funding. Government officials including military, police, and federal and state officialswere involved in widespread sexual exploitation of Borno State women and girls displaced by Boko Haram, at times forcing women and girls in IDP camps to provide commercial sex acts in exchange for food. Furthermore, despite identifying a large number of labor trafficking victims, the government only convicted two labor traffickers and it decreased funding for the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), including its budget for victim services. Therefore, Nigeria was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List, the report stated. Countries also listed to have violated the act, according to the report include: Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. According to the report, the countries were picked based on details obtained within the period of compilation; between April1, 2016 and March 30, 2017. The determination to include a government in the CSPA list is informed by a range of sources, including first-hand observation by U.S. government personnel and research and credible reporting from various UN entities, international organizations, local and international NGOs, and international media outlets, the report stated. Share this: Twitter Facebook A report released on Wednesday has ranked Nigerias oil and gas and mining sectors as among the most opaque in the world. The report, which was conducted by an independent non-profit organisation, the Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI), ranked Nigeria 55 out of 89 countries whose viability of their extractive industries policies and practices are assessed. The NRGI points people to the benefits of their countries oil, gas and mineral wealth through research, capacity development, technical advice and advocacy. The 2017 Resource Governance Index (RGI), which assesses how 89 resource-rich countries govern their oil, gas and mineral wealth, particularly scored the Nigeria low in the area of licensing pointing out that the Nigerian government rarely discloses government officials financial interest in the extractive sector or identities of beneficial owners of extractive companies. The report which scored Nigeria 17 out of 100, placing it 77 out of the 89 countries reviewed in the assessment of licensing, pointed out that though the government has made commitment with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Open Government Partnership (OGP), it is yet to disclose details of contracts in oil, gas and mining contracts in its Seven Big Wins strategy. Last October, President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the new policy direction tagged Seven Big Wins, meant to revamp and revive the oil and gas sector. The key areas of the policy include: Niger Delta and security, policy and regulation, business environment and investment drive, transparency and efficiency, stakeholder management and international coordination, gas revolution, and refineries and local production capacity. The RGI noted that though there have been improved transparency in the area of collection of revenue in the last five years, tracking payment made by oil and gas companies have been challenging. According to Nigerias 2014 EITI data, just over half of public revenues from oil and gas were distributed to the federal government and the rest were shared between the state and local governments. The public lacks access to audited information on revenue flows to lower levels of government, and this contributes to the gap between the quality of the legal framework and actual implementation, the report stated. The report gave the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) a poor governance rating score of 44 out of 100. It stated that the NNPC still posed serious accountability and transparency challenge. The report noted that the corporation did well in areas of transfers to government and production volume disclosure but is abysmal in other areas requiring transparency such as details of its annual reports, despite its top officials making commitment to do so Little information is publicly available, particularly concerning some of NNPCs least efficient and most questionable activities, notably earnings by its subsidiaries, the costs of its operations and its significant spending on non-commercial activities. Government agencies and external auditors have disputed NNPCs interpretation of rules set in the constitution and the NNPC Act governing monetary transfers between NNPC and the government. Officials exercise significant discretion around how NNPC sells the governments share of oil productionfor example, when selecting buyers, pricing exports or transferring sales proceeds to the government, the report noted. The report also stated that Nigeria performed poorly in the management and governance of the Excess Crude Account (ECA), ranking last alongside Qatar of all the countries assessed. It observed that the Nigerian government does not disclose the rules and practices governing deposits and withdrawal or investments of the ECA. As the largest fund by asset balance, the ECA constitutes a vast governance concern at the end of the oil sector value chain, it noted. Share this: Twitter Facebook The International Organisation for Migration, IOM, said it rescued no fewer than 600 people since April 2017 through a new search and rescue operation that targeted migrants stranded in Sahara Desert. The UN migration agency, however, regretted that 52 migrants, mostly from The Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal and Cote dIvoire, died over the period, according to its statement on Tuesday. We are enhancing our capacity to assist vulnerable migrants stranded in Northern Agadez, towards the Niger-Libya border. Saving lives in the desert is becoming more urgent than ever. Since the beginning of the year we have been receiving frequent calls to rescue victims who embark on this route, Giuseppe Loprete, Niger Chief of Mission for IOM, said. According to him, a 22-year-old woman was the only female among the survivors of a rescue mission on May 28. She left Nigeria in early April hoping for a better future in Europe. There were 50 migrants on the pick-up truck when it left Agadez for Libya, but only six are still alive today, Loprete said. Recounting her ordeal, the Nigerian survivor said: We were in the desert for 10 days. After five days, the driver abandoned us. He left with all of our belongings, saying he was going to pick us up in a couple of hours, but he never did, she recalled. During the next two days, 44 of the migrants died which persuaded the six left to start walking to look for help. We had to drink our own pee to survive, she said. On June 9, another 92 migrants were also rescued through an IOM search and rescue operation; among them were 30 women and children. More recently, 24 migrants were taken to Seguedine, where one died on arrival. Among the 23 survivors are migrants from Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal and Cote dIvoire. It was not clear for how long they had been walking in the deserts of central Niger. They had been in a group of 75 migrants in three different cars, eventually abandoned by smugglers during the journey north, Loprete said. IOM said it had recorded 52 deaths since it launched a new project Migrants Rescue and Assistance in Agadez Region (MIRAA) in April. The project will last for 12 months, and aims to ensure the protection of migrants in hard-to-reach areas while also strengthening the management of migration by the Government of Niger, it said. MIRAA is complementary to the larger initiative Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM), which aims to bring together in one mechanism a wide range of services and assistance for migrants, including assisted voluntary return to their countries of origin and reintegration once they return. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday chided the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over its conduct in the prosecution of former Interior Minister, Abba Moro, describing it as sloppy prosecution. Mr. Moro is being prosecuted alongside a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, and a Deputy Director in the ministry, F. O. Alayebami, over alleged N676 million recruitment fraud. Others being tried with Mr. Moro are one Mahmood Ahmadu, who is at large, and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, the firm that handled the Nigerian Immigration Service, (NIS) recruitment in 2014. The judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, criticised the anti-graft agency over its failure to produce the fourth prosecution witness in court for continuation of trial. This is your case and you have to arrange it in such a way as to avoid such occurrences. Your reasons sound a little sloppy with due respect. If I strike out this case for want of diligent prosecution, a lot of noise would be made by people who were not in court. We have to stop this nonsense and let it not repeat itself, you have to be ready for trial at the next adjourned date or else I will take the necessary action. The prosecuting counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, who held brief for Aliu Yusuf, informed the court, when the matter was called, that the witness, a bank official based in Lagos, could not be communicated with during the Sallah break. Ms. Alabi said that as a result of the prosecutions inability to reach the witness, he could not be prepared to give his testimony. She said that the witness was on subpoena and prayed the court for an adjournment. My lord, the fourth prosecution witness is not in court. He is a subpoenaed witness and we were unable to hold a pre-trial session due to the two days public holiday, we were unable to communicate with him. The witness is a banker and resides in Lagos. In the circumstances, we shall be asking for an adjournment to enable us bring our witness to court. Akinlolu Kehinde, Mr. Moros lawyer, expressed his dissatisfaction over the failure of the prosecution to bring the witness to court. Mr. Kehinde opposed the application for adjournment and urged the court to compel the prosecution to sign an undertaken to have its witness in court on the next adjourned date. Chris Uche, counsel to Daniel-Nwobia maintained that when the prosecution failed to reach the witness in Lagos, other witnesses in the matter should have been prepared to attend the days proceedings. Similarly, S. I. Ameh, another defence counsel, argued that a subpoena was not just a document but an authority issued by the court. He held that since the subpoenaed witness disobeyed the order, the legal thing to do was to teach the witness a legal lesson by ordering for a warrant to be issued on him. The matter was adjourned until October 4. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook Trade unions in the University of Maiduguri have described the federal government as insensitive to the security threats by Boko Haram in the varsity, alleging that the governments inaction on the security situation was helping in giving boost to Boko Haram ideology. The university is located in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, which is the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency that has caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009. Boko Haram proclaims western education as forbidden and the University of Maiduguri is at the forefront of championing western education in the country. So, for Boko Haram, sustained attacks on the university would attentuate the insurgents wild ideology, the leader of the unions and chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dani Mamman, said on Wednesday at a press conference in Maiduguri. Mr. Mamman said ASUU, SSANU (Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities), NASU (Non Academic Staff Union), NATT (National Association of Academic Technologies), and the Student Union Government of the University were compelled to bring to the public the precarious security situation and threats to life at UNIMAID. He disclosed that increasing Boko Haram attacks in the state in recent times show that the insurgents were regrouping again, warning government to wake up to its responsibility. PREMIUM TIMES has reported the recent daring attacks by Boko Haram on Maiduguri including on the university. Mr. Mamman said the unions were particularly worried that neither the minister of education nor a federal government delegation has visited the university since January 16 when the Boko Haram first bombed the university campus killing a professor of veterinary medicine, Aliyu Mani. He said the governments action reflected its insensitivity to the plight of the university, students and parents that lost loved ones. He added that governments inaction also tends to support Boko Haram ideology against western education making the insurgents to keep the tempo of attacks on the campus, the latest being multiple explosions on June 25. That was the eight (8) deadly attack within five months, the ASUU chairman said. He disclosed that 70 professors and other staff that fled the university in the wake of incessant attacks have started returning only to be confronted with suicide bomb attacks even while peace was gradually returning to the troubled state. He urged the federal government to build the perimeter fence at the varsity and approve the N2.8 billion requested by the university authority to procure modern security equipment to stop Boko Haram from executing greater attacks on the campus. The unions threatened to disrupt the academic calendar of the university should the federal government fail to act in time. Share this: Twitter Facebook The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has approved the appointment of 14 Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors in Federal Teaching Hospitals, Federal Medical Centres and Specialty Hospitals in Nigeria. This was disclosed in an approval letter signed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Acting President and addressed to the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole. According to a press statement by the ministry, the appointments take immediate effect for a four-year tenure and are in two categories. Five of the appointees will be serving their second and final term. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier this year reported that about 20 of the 52 tertiary health institutions in the country have no CMDs. These institutions have been run by interim heads for between six months to two years, against the provision of the Acts that established them. The minister in his congratulatory message to the appointees, charged them to reciprocate the Federal Governments gesture by taking their appointment as a call to service. He also advised them to hit the ground running by ensuring that they operate an all-inclusive administration that will promote efficiency, transparency and accountability. Mr. Adewole stated further that the Chief Executive Officers are to support the current health agenda of President Muhammadu Buharis Administration which is aimed at achieving universal health coverage. He also reminded them that the tertiary facilities should provide leadership for adjoining secondary and primary health facilities through training and supervision of healthcare services that are rendered. He concluded by cautioning the new appointees that government will monitor their performance and will not shy away from wielding the big stick should any of them abuse their office. The minister also charged all the professionals in the health sector to support the new appointees in their health facilities to reposition the sector. He called on them to note that the success of the new administration is the collective success of the Nigerian health workers. The new chief executive officers and their health facilities are: Bisala Ekele (University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada); V.A. Osiatuma (Federal Medical Centre, Asaba); Idris Suleiman (Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu); Abdus Musa (Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta); O.O. Alabi (Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja); Adejuwon Dada (Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos); Ibrahim Wakawa (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri); O.C. Ogun (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Lagos) and Shehu Sale (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Sokoto). The five that will be serving their second tenure are; A.Z. Mohammed (Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano); Anthony Igwegbe (Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi); Wiza Inusa (Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo); Joseph Okegbe (Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar) and Sunday Olotu (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin-City). Share this: Twitter Facebook The Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, on Sunday alerted Nigerians to the emergence of another deadly cyber-attack, Petya ransomware. The attack, also known as GoldenEye, which is similar to the recent WannaCry attack, not only encrypts files but also encrypts hard drives, rendering entire computer systems inaccessible. A statement by Isa Pantami, Director General of the NITDA, said the attack has paralysed businesses across the world. The NITDA boss also hinted that the attack is spreading quickly with reports indicating that countries affected so far include Ukraine, Denmark, Russia, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Poland and the USA. According to Mr. Patanmi, the malware is spreading using a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that was patched in March 2017 the same bug that was exploited by the WannaCry ransomware. The agency noted that its technical team is working round the clock along with other stakeholders to come up with effective defence mechanism for the Nigerian cyberspace. Meanwhile, Mr. Pantami called on network administrators in the public and private sectors as well as individuals to isolate any infected system from their network to prevent the threat from further spreading. He also advised network administrators not to use pen drive or external drives on the system to copy files to other systems. As a general precautionary measure and as the security of systems is our collective responsibility, the NITDA explained further, we would like to recommend that individuals and organisations should: regularly update their operating systems with the latest patches; regularly update their software applications with latest patches. He also urged system users to turnoff unnecessary/unneeded features; avoid downloading and opening unsolicited files and attachments; adjust security software to scan compressed or archived files; and avoid indiscriminate use of wireless connections, such as bluetooth or infrared ports. Share this: Twitter Facebook A 28-year-old jobless woman, Temitope Abiodun, who allegedly bathed her neighbour with faeces, was on Wednesday in Lagos released on a bail of N100,000. The accused, a resident of Agege, a Lagos suburb, is standing trial on charges of assault, breach of peace, and resisting police arrest. She, however, entered a `not-guilty plea. An Ikeja Magistrates Court which gave the ruling, also asked the accused to produce two sureties as part of the bail condition. The Magistrate, J.A. Adigun, said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and should also show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government. According to the Police Prosecutor, Godwin Awaze, the accused committed the offences on June 12 at their tenement building. He said the accused assaulted her co-tenant, Mercy Ifijah, by bathing her with faeces. The accused had a misunderstanding with one of her neighbours and in the process, she bathed her with faeces, he said. Awaze said the accused also conducted herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by stripping herself in the public in order to escape police arrest. The accused resisted Sgt. Gabriel Ejiofor, a police officer, while trying to arrest her; she removed her clothes and became naked to avoid being arrested. The prosecutor said the accused, alleged to be a member of a dreaded secret cult called Awawa, had been terrorising residents of the area. She always brings her gang to threaten residents and also beat up the complainant, he said. The offences contravened Sections 42, 166, 119 and 173 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised). The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 44 prescribes three years imprisonment for membership of an unlawful society, while Section 119 provides three years jail term for resisting arrest. The case was adjourned until July 3 for mention. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, on Wednesday said that it would not continue to provide refugees in Nigeria with financial assistance. UNHCRs new Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Antonio Canhandula, made the assertion in Lagos while interacting with some refugees from Chad, Sudan, Guinea, Cote dIvoire and Mali. According to him, what refugees in Nigeria need is protection, and not continuous assistance from the Nigerian Government and UNHCR. I am in Lagos as part of my maiden visit to our Lagos Office, for me to discuss with you refugees on how to provide solutions to your challenges. We really want you to know that being a refugee is not a satisfactory situation. As refugees, what you need is protection and not continuous assistance. We cannot continue to discuss how to give you money for food, accommodation and childrens education. You all have to get out of the mentality of continuously getting financial support from UNHCR. Our support is ineffective, he said. Mr. Canhandula said that the Commission would discuss with the Nigerian Government and Community leaders on to the need to accept enterprising refugees. He also said that UNHCR was prepared to build capacities of refugees to become self-employed, and be able to cater for their personal and family needs. We now really need to know your plans to leave the life of being a refugee, to that of meaningfully engaging yourselves, Mr. Canhandula said. A refugee from Chad, Didier Goursam, who commended the Nigerian Government and UNHCR for supporting them, said that many of the refugees had been depending on assistance. Mr. Goursam said that some of the refugees were often discriminated against by their host communities, whenever they tried to get jobs. He said that even with the assistance from the Nigerian government and UNHCR, many of the refugees were unable to feed themselves, accommodate and pay their childrens school fees. A Sudanese refugee, Paul Koku, who had been living in Lagos since 1992, said that he had a business when he first came to Nigeria. Mr. Koku said that he had, however, been depending on the assistance from UNHCR, since going out of business some years ago. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court will on July 6 rule on a N2 billion fundamental rights suit brought before it by a non-governmental organisation, Peace Corps of Nigeria, against security operatives in the country. The court, presided by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, gave the date on Wednesday after taking arguments from counsel on the matter. Peace Corps had in its suit requested that the court declares as illegal, unconstitutional and malicious, the sealing off of its office located in the Federal Capital Territory by security operatives after a raid on the office in February. The organisation, in its suit filed by Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation, prayed the court to declare the arrest of the organizations executive director, Dickson Akoh, as well as the sealing off of its office as illegal. Respondents in the suit include the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, the Director-General of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura, and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. According to the applicants, the arrest of Mr. Akoh, and sealing off of the Peace Corps office amounts to an abuse of their rights as enshrined in the constitution. At the opening of session on Wednesday, counsel representing the IGP, David Igbodo, said the respondents was not disputing the applicants right to operate as a non-governmental agency, but that it should remain as such. Nobody is disputing the fact that Peace Corps is an NGO. It should operate as an NGO, not try to operate as a security outfit, said Mr. Igbodo, praying the court to dismiss the application in its entirety. Responding however, counsel who represented the applicants in court, John Ochogwu, said his client had never operated as a security outfit. We have never acted as a security outfit; they have no evidence to support that claim, if they do, let them bring it forth, said Mr. Ochogwu, during an interview with journalists after the court hearing. Mr. Ochogwu said the organisation is a lawful body and that the respondents had acted against the constitutional rights of Peace Corps as an organisation, despite court rulings. He therefore prayed the court to allow the application. Peace Corps, through its application, is demanding N2 billion in damages from the respondents for the alleged breach of their fundamental rights. Share this: Twitter Facebook An Igbosere Magistrates Court in Lagos Island on Wednesday sentenced three octogenarians to a total of 42 months imprisonment for unlawful damage and forceful entry of an acre of land. The accused Wonuola Ajasa ,80; Yekini Agufon, 81; and Amos Oshin, 86 were first arraigned on September 5, 2013, on a four-count charge bordering on stealing, unlawful damage and breach of peace. The trio pleaded not guilty and were granted bails. The Magistrate, W. B. Balogun, who gave the verdict, however, gave them an option of N300,000 fine. Mr. Balogun had acquitted the trio of stealing charge, insisting that the offence of stealing was not proved by the prosecution. He sentenced them to six months each or a fine of N50,000 on count two of forceful entry of a piece of land and three months each or a fine of N30,000 on count three (possession of land without valid papers). On count four (damage), the magistrate sentenced them to five months each or a fine of N20,000. He said the sentences would run consecutively and that the convicts should remain in prison or pay a fine of N100,000 each because of their age. Mr. Balogun, however, reprimanded the convicts for showing bad examples to the younger generation. The News of Agency of Nigeria reports that following a plea of not guilty, the case was adjourned until October 25, 2013 for mention. During the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses and the magistrate ruled that the accused had a case to answer. Earlier, the prosecutor, Ingobo Emby, had told the court that the trio committed the offences on April 20, 2013 at Parafa Aro Ikorodu, Lagos State. He said that the accused conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by forcibly entering an acre of land belonging to the complaint, Adewale Adeniran. Mr. Ingobo said that without a claim of rights, the accused sold a plot land belonging to Mr. Adeniran and unlawfully damaged a fence built on the land. The offences contravened Sections 52, 53, 337 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook Nigerias Excess Crude Account, ECA, has been ranked the most poorly governed sovereign wealth fund among 33 resource-rich countries around the world, a new report by the Natural Resource Governance Institute has shown. Nigeria was placed in the joint last position alongside the Qatari Investment Authority as a country whose government discloses almost none of the rules or practices governing deposits, withdrawals or investment of the ECA. The index, released on Wednesday, assessed 33 sovereign wealth funds that collectively manage at least $3.3 trillion dollars in assets. Sarah Muyonga, Nigeria Manager at NRGI, said Nigerias low index score should serve as an incentive to fix some of the challenges highlighted in the report. In the past, the ECA played a useful role in cushioning the 2008 global financial crisis when oil prices dropped considerably but has since been unable to play the same stabilization role in this recent crisis, said Ms. Muyonga. The low index score for Nigeria reflects the lack of rules on disclosures related to deposits and withdrawals alongside practice which are all necessary to improve governance of the fund. The current state should definitely act as an incentive to fix some of the challenges. The 2017 NRGI report, while noting that the funds of countries like Ghana, Colombia, and Chile performed better than those of Canada and Norway, raised concerns over the failings of the funds in the United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi Investment Authority which manages $590 billion. The funds with the weakest scores suffered the most from excessive risk-taking, high management fees and politically motivated investments, according to the report. However, the funds in countries such as Algeria, Angola, Gabon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Nigeria are so opaque that there is no way of knowing how much may be lost to mismanagement or who benefits from the Funds investments, the report added. The current state of recession Nigeria finds itself in today can be partly blamed to lack of savings in the ECA which was established in 2011 ideally to curb wastage and introduce some level of fiscal prudence, said Ms. Muyonga. The ECA has since then been subject to ad-hoc withdrawals and in recent times has nearly been depleted and the government was only able to start making deposit to the fund recently. Last month, the Nigerian government announced it had resumed payment into its ECA with the sum of $87 million, the first payment since the Muhammadu Buhari administration came into office in May 2015. As at May this year, the ECA balance stood at $.2.29 billion, down from $2.49 billion the previous month. Between 2011 and 2015, Nigeria earned $61.7 billion (about N12.3 trillion) as excess crude money, with the fund reaching its peak in 2012. The NRGI report stated that the Nigerian government had failed to regularly disclose, publicly, the government officials financial interests in the extractive sector or the identities of beneficial owners of extractive companies, despite making commitments to do so with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Open Government Partnership (OGP). According to Nigerias 2014 EITI data, the report noted, just over half of public revenues from oil and gas were distributed to the federal government and the rest were shared between the state and local governments. In terms of revenue sharing, Nigeria ranks 11th, alongside the United States (Gulf of Mexico) and Ecuador. The government has committed to disclosing all oil, gas and mining contracts in its seven big wins policy strategy and as part of its OGP action plan, but thus far, it has not disclosed contracts, stated the report. Despite some progress in transparency of revenue collection over the past five years, tracking payments from oil and gas companies remains challenging. The public lacks access to audited information on revenue flows to lower levels of government, and this contributes to the gap between the quality of the legal framework and actual implementation. Share this: Twitter Facebook Nigerian energy businessman Kola Aluko, declared wanted by the EFCC, has been identified as the owner of Apartment 79, a penthouse apartment in One57, one of New York Citys most expensive residential buildings. However, the apartment would be sold to the highest bidder by a Luxembourg based Banque Havilland, in a foreclosure auction in July, the New York Post reported. The penthouse sale is seen as the most expensive foreclosure in New York City. Aluko, 48, is believed to be hiding out on his yacht, which he rented to Jay Z and Beyonce in 2015 for $900,000 a week. The energy businessman, a friend of stars such as Jay Z and Jamie Foxx, has not been seen for a while, which has sparked rumours that he is hiding away on his yacht, which was last registered in the Bahamas in May. Mr. Aluko was reportedly last seen in Hong Kong in May and his yacht is currently in the Bahamas, according to the report. His bank has also listed the yacht, the Galactica Star, as collateral in the foreclosure, but the yacht is out of range at the moment. Mr. Aluko rented the Galactica Star to Jay Z and Beyonce in 2015 for $900,000 a week and allegedly showed up at the Ja Rule Fyre Festival in the Bahamas in late April with his yacht. The businessman is also close friends with Leonardo DiCaprio and made a large donation to DiCaprios environmental charity as well as attended the actors birthday party in New York City in 2013. The energy tycoon sold a 2.4-acre estate in Montecito, California, to Gwyneth Paltrow for an undermarket $4.9 million. In 2012, he bought an 11,478-square-foot house in Bel Air for $24.5 million, then sold the property in 2016 for $21.5 million. He also owns a home in Beverly Hills that was also purchased in 2012 for $14.7 million. Mr. Aluko is also avoiding Nigerian authorities who tried to freeze his asset in February as part of a money-laundering probe that also involves ex-Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, an ally of Mr. Aluko. Apartment 79 was sold to a Aluko in December 2014 for $50.9 million, making it the eighth most expensive unit in the building, according to New York City property records. Less than a year later however, he took out a $35.5 million mortgage from Banque Havilland in Luxembourg to help pay for the apartment. When Mr. Aluko failed to pay the loan back a year later, the bank took possession of the 6,420-square-foot apartment, according to court documents. Now the bank is planning to auction off the four-bedroom apartment on July 19 to regain the mortgage plus interest. Its probably the most-expensive foreclosure weve ever seen in luxury development. I dont know of a foreclosure thats larger than that, Donna Olshan, president of high-end Manhattan brokerage Olshan Realty Inc., told newsmen. One57 was built by Extell Development Co. and was the tallest residential building in Manhattan until 432 Park Ave was completed a few months later. Construction started on the building in 2009 and finished in 2014, creating a trend of similar ultra-luxury high-rises on 57th street, which has now been coined Billionaires Row. Amenities in the building include a 24-hour doorman and concierge, fitness centre, yoga studio, private dining room, catering kitchen, library, valet service and on-site parking. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook A top investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has escaped death by the whiskers when gunmen opened fire on him in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Austin Okwor, an operative in the Property Fraud Section of the EFCC Zonal office in Port Harcourt, had closed late for the day on June 24, and as he left office, he was suddenly accosted by a gang of hoodlums who opened fire on him, a statement by the anti-graft agency said. Luckily for him, he was able to shake off his assailants but not without sustaining some bullet wounds as they kept firing at him, the statement by Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman for the commission, said. He was rushed to a private hospital in Port Harcourt where he is receiving treatment. According to Ishaq Salihu, Head of the Zonal office, the incident has already been reported to the Police in Port Harcourt. Mr. Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials, Mr. Uwujaren said. The commission said before the incident, the officer had been receiving threat messages. One of such messages which he received sometime in May 2017 was reported to the Police, the commission said. This incident underlines the hazards which operatives of the Commission are daily exposed to in the discharge of their duties, the statement said. Mr. Uwujaren recalled that in September 14, 2010, the head of the Commissions Forensic Unit, Abdullahi Muazu, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in Kaduna. Six months earlier, the commission said, a team of prosecutors returning to Enugu after a court appearance in Owerri, Imo State, was attacked by gunmen who opened fire on them. Eze Edoga, the police escort, was cut down while a senior counsel with the Commission, Joseph Uzor, was critically wounded but survived. Share this: Twitter Facebook About 887 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon on Tuesday arrived in Banki, Borno State following a request from the Cameroonian government to Nigeria to facilitate their return. Hanson Tamfu, the External Relations Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, Nigeria, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. Mr. Tamfu said that the request was prompted by fear and suspicions of the Cameroonian authorities that among the refugees might include some elements of Boko Haram. The returnees arrived in six trucks sent by Nigerian authorities following the meeting with the governor of the far north region of Cameroon on June 19. During the meeting, Nigeria was requested to cause the return of refugees, which the Cameroonian authority suspects may also compromise some elements of Boko Haram whose activities have increased tremendously in recent times. Consequently, the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on June 26 dispatched the buses to transport the refugees, Tamfu said. Mr. Tamfu said that the latest group of returnees comprises 233 females, 187 males, 236 girls, and 231 boys who were living in host communities in Kolofata, a far north region of Cameroon. He said it was reported that most of them do not have much in terms of personal effects but a few items in plastic sacks while some returned completely empty handed. Mr. Tamfu said that UNHCR responded immediately by providing wet feeding, adding that it also would contact the National Emergency Management Agency and the Borno SEMA to continue with food provision. He said that more returnees had indicated interest to leave Minawowa Camp in Cameroon, adding that they were anxious to return following the media reports about improved security back home. He said they were also eager to return on hearing the governments decision to distribute food to all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the official registered returnees from Cameroon through Banki now stood at 19,257. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook With 60 percent of restaurants closing before their third year, even in a good economy most would consider opening a new restaurant daunting. So, would opening two new restaurants in a down economy make you nervous? Not if youre Ergys (Eric) Rakaj, owner of the already established A Modo Mio Ristorante in Sea Isle and co-owner at the two newly opened restaurants La Padella Ristorante in Ventnor and La Cucina Ristorante in Northfield. The thing is, Atlantic City is going to pick back up. As long as youre prepared, it can be good to go into business when its a little low and grow with the economy, Rakaj says. The partnership Rakaj knew that he had a good thing going with his successful team at A Modo Mio, so when their server, Elis Haxhistasa, and sous chef, Tony Hoda, wanted to strike out on their own, he went with them. Ive been in business with them for years. I know how good they are, so I wanted to continue working with them, Rakaj says, adding that Haxhistasa and Hoda have made opening two new restaurants very easy.(tncms-asset)38cdff8a-5509-11e7-8c6c-00163ec2aa77(/tncms-asset) Haxhistasa is the general manager and co-owner at both La Padella and La Cucina. He draws on years of experience working in various restaurants, including A Modo Mio and Penne Restaurant and Wine Bar at The Hiltons Inn at Penn in Philadelphia. He also spent 10 years in Venice, Italy, working in a multitude of roles in the hospitality industry. However, as a first-time owner, Haxhistasa admits to being a little nervous. When it comes to business without a little risk, you can forget about success, Haxhistasa says. That may just be what motivates him to put in those 12-hour days, nearly seven days a week. Chef Tony Hoda has been working in kitchens since he was 16, which may not sound like a lifetime, but not when you consider the fact that he is only 21 years old. While he may be young, he has always known what he wanted to do. Its all about food, that is my passion, Hoda says. Hoda is the head chef and partner at La Padella and consulting chef at La Cucina. La Padella Ristorante La Padella opened three months ago in the former La Grotta location. When Rakaj, Haxhistasa and Hoda were looking for a location, the former La Grotta Restaurant was available and ready to go. While the location was in good condition, they still made it their own. We completely renovated everything, Hoda says. La Padella specializes in traditional Italian fare. I believe in keeping things simple, I want people to taste the food and not be overwhelmed by dots on the plate Hoda says, explaining that quality, fresh ingredients should taste delicious on their own. Chef Hoda makes his own pastas, which include selections such as Gnocchi Alla Gorgonzola ($22), homemade potato pasta with a Gorgonzola balsamic sauce. Hoda also regularly makes stuffed pastas with seasonal ingredients that may include black ravioli, Mezzaluna and Tortelloni. The bread is also homemade.(tncms-asset)ffd71f95-cccc-51f4-bd25-020fa263749c(/tncms-asset) We have incredible focaccia bread that we put into the oven as soon as the table sits so it comes out warm, Hoda says. We always have at least five specials, but we wont know what they are until the food comes in that day, Haxhistasa says. Their seafood and produce come in fresh daily. We use a seafood guy in Wildwood that has his own boats, so its local and fresh Haxhistasa says. Another favorite dish at La Padella is the Vitello La Padella ($27), veal with Porcini, asparagus, prosciutto and oven roasted tomatoes topped with fontina and veal au jus.(tncms-asset)593a0f36-51f1-11e7-b99c-00163ec2aa77(/tncms-asset) La Padella serves dinner daily, but reservations are required. There is limited seating, the interior can accommodate 38 with an additional 16 to 20 outdoor seats available. Our Saturdays are already booked up for the next three months, Hoda says. La Cucina La Cucina Ristorante replaced Robertas in Northfield and came along as a bit of a surprise. We werent initially planning on opening two restaurants, Haxhistasa says. However, when the owner of Robertas approached them, they knew it was an opportunity they needed to move on. The chef at Robertas left about eight months ago and business had been declining since, but this was a great location and it was in great condition, and I knew that wed be able to bring it back, Haxhistasa says. La Cucina Ristorante just opened one month ago. The transition from the old Robertas to the new La Cucina was seamless. Right now, we are trying to get the word out that this restaurant is under new management, Haxhistasa says. To kick things off, the team renovated the already well-kept location. La Cucinas pearl interior pays homage to the sea with choice art on the walls. The new high-end finishes add an element of luxury that this location has not seen before.(tncms-asset)3adcbc9f-3c14-5734-8c2f-e694d32a651a(/tncms-asset) Like La Padella, La Cucina is a traditional Italian restaurant, however the menu is completely different, and La Cucina is open for both lunch and dinner. Lunch selections include salads such as the Burrata e Pera ($13), wild mixed greens with Burrata cheese, poached pear, prosciutto, pumpkin seeds and a balsamic dressing; and the Superfood salad ($13), baby spinach with mixed berries, nuts, fontina cheese, quinoa and a roasted lemon vinaigrette. Available additions include scallops, shrimp, crabmeat, chicken and salmon. Other lunch selections include sandwiches, burgers and entrees such as the Panino Italiano ($12), which consists of ciabatta bread with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, oil and a side of fries; and the salmon e faro ($16) grilled salmon with a faro salad and lemon herb sauce. Dinner selections include mahi mahi ($31), lightly grilled and served with shrimp, cherry tomatoes, arugula and a golden saffron white wine butter sauce; homemade ravioli con funghi ($23), wild mushroom ravioli in a brown butter and sage cream sauce; and the filetto mignon ($38), an 8-ounce center-cut filet with wild mushrooms and a truffle butter sauce. Their specials vary, but often include the scallop carpaccio starter ($14), thin sliced raw scallops that are soaked in lemon juice then layered with diced cucumber, mango and shallots and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Its the Fourth of July the day we celebrate our nations independence! And celebrate we will. While wed never try to talk anyone out of catching a fireworks display from the beach, there are a few other ways to get your patriotism on this holiday. 1. Stroll through history. Head down to Cold Spring Village for its annual Independence Day Celebration. With a little something for everyone music, patriotic activities and a variety of programs you can finish off your day (or start it who are we to judge?) with a pint or two at the Cold Spring Village Brewery. Held 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Located at 720 Rt. 9 in Cape May. Go to HCSV.org for more information. 2. Hop on a boat. While you might think that a ride on the Cape May Whale Watcher and Spirit of Cape May involves watching whales (and why wouldnt you?), youd only be partially correct. At 7 p.m. on both Monday and Tuesday, excursions will leave from the dock to watch fireworks. Instead of fighting for premium beach space, you can relax on board, get an incredible view and, better yet, have access to the cash bar. Located at 1218 Wilson Drive in Cape May. Go to CapeMayWhaleWatcher.com for more information. 3. Go for a climb. Yes, exercise! But first, a seasonal, five-course dinner by Chef Lucas Manteca at Cape May Points Red Store. Dont forget to BYOB, but do yourself a favor and go easy. Afterwards youll be climbing to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse for a spectacular view of the fireworks. Enjoy the rest of that beverage once you hit the ground again. Held at 6:15 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Located at 500 Cape May Point. Go to CapeMayMac.org/Dinner-Fireworks for more information. 4. Catch a show. Whats free and fun and full of some serious talent? The Somers Point Beach Concerts, held every Friday during the summer. In addition to a big show this week the Special 25th Anniversary Festival starring Jill West and Blues Attack, Vanessa Collier and the Bo Hogs Southern Rock Tribute theres a special holiday weekend show on Saturday with Funkin With the Beatles and Dr. Bobby Fingers, as well as an all-female show on Fourth of July. The Jersey Girls Do It Right! show features Patty Blee, Geri Mingori, Sunday Grasso, CiBon and Rosie OReilly Gazzara with The Tony Mart Allstars. Bring a blanket or a beach chair and a stocked cooler. Located at William Morrow Beach and Municipal Beach Park in Somers Point. Go to SomersPointBeachConcerts.com for more information. 5. Go dancing. It may not be your version of patriotic, but dancing and celebrations go hand in hand. Why not get your red, white and boogie shoes on and head to Boogie Nights for a Stars, Stripes and Boogie Nights Celebration on Saturday? Located in Tropicana Atlantic City at 2831 Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Go to BoogieNightsUSA.com for more information. TRENTON A revised state budget heading to the state Legislature on Thursday still includes more money for underfunded school districts, but takes less money from those considered overfunded. The latest compromise approved by both the state Senate and Assembly budget committees late Monday allocates an extra $100 million for underfunded districts. But it reduces from $46 million to $31 million the amount of adjustment aid to be taken from districts considered overfunded by the state formula and distributed to underfunded districts. Under the new revised 2017-18 plan, overfunded districts would lose no more than 1 percent of their total budget in state aid, down from 1.5 percent. State Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, was one of four senators on the Budget Committee to vote against the budget. Van Drew said he worked to improve the budget, but the cuts to his school districts were still too great for him to support. We still take the worst hit in the state, Van Drew said in a text. School districts in his legislative district would lose $4 million, down from $6 million in the original proposal. Thirteen of 18 districts in Cape May County would lose state aid, as would Vineland and Millville. The budget does include a provision to allow the education commissioner to approve loans to school districts that are in fiscal distress as a result of having their adjustment aid reduced. The budget approved Monday also includes $25 million for expanded preschool and $25 million in additional funds for extraordinary special education costs. Specific data on how the funds would be allocated to districts is not yet available. Budget data say the preschool funding would go to 17 districts identified by the Department of Education as ready to operate a high-quality full-day program, and having a sufficient number of low-income children. Those districts also were not identified, but in a statement praising the budget, state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg D-Bergen, said six districts in Bergen and Passaic counties were among those first in line. Weinberg also noted $27 million of the extra $131 million in state aid would go to virtually every district in Bergen and Passaic counties. These are districts that are doing their best to make ends meet on tight budgets, Van Drew said in a statement. They are not wasting money, and will not be able to absorb the funding cuts without turning to property taxpayers to fill some of the gap. Van Drew said the cuts are the wrong way to address school funding. As it stands, this will wreak havoc on districts and on taxpayers, resulting in program cuts, teacher layoffs and tax hikes in communities that cannot afford to pay more, he said. Three of the suspects in an August shootout on the Atlantic City Expressway were indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on 12 charges each, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said. Devan Leggette, 21, of Pleasantville; Wilbert Demosthenes, 25, of Pleasantville; and Anthony Hicks, 24, of Mays Landing, were indicted on charges including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and serious bodily injury, the Prosecutors Office said. Authorities allege Leggette was the driver of a black pickup that exchanged gunfire with a white SUV on Aug. 29 near milepost 11.2 in the eastbound lanes of the expressway. Four people were injured in the SUV, which was struck by gunfire at least 21 times and drove on a bare rim to a parking lot at the Wawa on the Airport circle in Egg Harbor Township, authorities said. The pickup left the expressway at Exit 5 in Pleasantville, authorities said. Demosthenes was shot during the incident and drove himself to Philadelphia for hospital treatment of a gunshot wound, authorities said. He was later arrested and charged in the incident. Rosemond Octavius, 22, of Egg Harbor Township, was the front-seat passenger in a third vehicle, a car driven by Hicks, the Prosecutors Office said. Octavius was killed in the shooting. Hicks, Leggette and Demosthenes also were indicted on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault (pointing a firearm), possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a handgun, Tyner said. Demosthenes and Hicks were each indicted on one count of second-degree certain persons not to possess firearms, Tyner said. Hicks, Demosthenes and Leggette were each charged with six counts of gang criminality by committing these crimes in furtherance of the criminal street gang identified as the South Side Mob, Tyner said. On June 21, the Prosecutors Office said Yahshaun Stukes-Williams, 19, of Mays Landing; Shaun Stukes, 38, of Atlantic City; and Lenardo Caro, 24, of Little Egg Harbor Township, each were indicted on six charges in connection with the incident. The charges are unlawful possession of a handgun, conspiracy to unlawfully possess a handgun, unlawful possession of an assault firearm, conspiracy to unlawfully possess an assault firearm, possession of a defaced firearm, and conspiracy with a juvenile to commit a crime, Tyner said. Stukes-Williams was charged with two counts of gang criminality by committing the above crimes in furtherance of the criminal street gang identified as the Head Shot Gang, Tyner said. Two Texas men pleaded guilty this week to trying to sell 5 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $230,000 in an October undercover sting, authorities said. The Atlantic City Task Force was informed Esiquio Salgado, 30, and Crisanto Ramirez, 33, were dealing cocaine in South Jersey. Authorities arrested them Oct. 18 after they gave undercover officers the cocaine in a duffel bag, state Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino has said. Salgado and Ramirez were charged with cocaine distribution, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy. Both pleaded guilty Monday before Burlington County Superior Court Judge Philip Haines. They are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. This is the type of case that the Atlantic City Task Force was designed to investigate and prosecute, Deputy Attorney General James Ruberton, wrote. High-volume drug dealers whose product ends up flooding the streets and our communities. Both men were taken to the Burlington County Salgado on $350,000 bail and Ramirez on $200,000 bail. The Atlantic City Task Force includes the state Division of Criminal Justice, State Police, State Parole Board, Atlantic and Ocean counties Prosecutors Offices, Atlantic County Sheriffs Office and Atlantic City, Little Egg Harbor Township, Brigantine and Pleasantville police. The ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Cherry Hill, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the State Police TEAMS South Unit assisted in the case. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its administrator, Scott Pruitt, released a proposal on Tuesday to repeal the 2015 Clean Water Rule. The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, led by New Jersey Audubon and National Wildlife Federation, and its partners are deeply dismayed by this action. "We all depend on clean water and wetlands - whether its water for our families, small business owners, or hunters and anglers - and the repeal of the Clean Water Rule threatens the vitality of our communities and economy," said Maddy Urbish, director for the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed at New Jersey Audubon. The Clean Water Rule was adopted by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May 2015 to clarify longstanding confusion over which water bodies are protected by the Clean Water Art. The rule more clearly defined what kinds of waters are protected and which ones are exempt. Before finalizing the rule in 2015, the EPA and Army Corps held more than 400 meetings with stakeholders across the country and incorporated more than 1 million comments. Along with supplying 5 percent of this country's population with drinking water, the Delaware River Watershed supports more than $25 billion in direct annual economic activity, including recreation, agriculture and a port system. "The Clean Water Rule is a commonsense safeguard for streams and communities throughout New Jersey. It protects our drinking water and the wetlands we need to filter pollutants and provide vital habitat for wildlife," said Eric Stiles, President and CEO of New Jersey Audubon. NORTH WILDWOOD Authorities were still trying Wednesday to identify the body of a man who washed up on the beach Sunday. On Tuesday, police were hoping for a clue from his fingerprints. We are awaiting fingerprints to be analyzed to confirm the identity of the victim, Capt. John A. Stevenson said. The body was found about 9 p.m. Sunday near 24th Avenue. Police on Monday released a photo of the maroon Polo cotton drawstring shorts the man was wearing. Police described the man as between 5 feet, 6 inches and 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 160 to 180 pounds, with short black hair. The man had no tattoos but had a 1-inch scar on his left shoulder. No signs of trauma were visible, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 609-522-2411. MAYS LANDING Six men have been indicted in connection with illegal gun and drug trafficking in the Pleasantville and Egg Harbor City areas, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said Monday. Kenneth Burrell, 40, Brian Foster, 19, Leonard D. Allen, 26, Scott Dorn, 18, and Tyshon Nieves, 25 all of Egg Harbor City and Joshua Sims, 18, of Augusta, Georgia, were named in the 89-count indictment on multiple weapons and illegal firearms charges. On March 30, authorities arrested 16 people and seized 21 guns and more than 10,000 bags of heroin and fentanyl after executing five search warrants in the Egg Harbor City area. The warrants were issued after a five-month investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutors Offices Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Unit, the Galloway and Pleasantville police departments, the FBI, New Jersey State Police and other agencies. In April, several of the 16 charged during the drug bust appeared in court before Superior Court Judge John Rauh for a pretrial detention hearing. According to the Prosecutors Office, the state alleges Burrell was the leader of the drug and gun trafficking operation. Burrell also was indicted on first-degree leader of narcotics trafficking network charges, which, if convicted, carries a life sentence with a minimum 25 years of parole ineligibility. The remaining defendants are charged with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666. President will make visits to Russia and Germany, attend Group of 20 summit President Xi Jinping's upcoming trip to Russia and Germany, starting on Monday, is expected to inject positive energy into the global economy amid China's efforts to boost free trade and open economies, analysts said. Xi will make the state visits through July 6 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who confirmed the trip on Tuesday. The president will also attend the 12th Group of 20 summit on July 7 and 8 in Hamburg, Germany. It will be Xi's fifth time participating in the G20 summit since he was elected China's president in 2013. Chen Fengying, a senior researcher on the world economy at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that at the G20 Hamburg summit, China is likely to offer its solutions to such issues as globalization, the revolution in intelligent industries and how to make development sustainable. During the G20 Hangzhou summit in Zhejiang province last year, China contributed to improving global governance by proposing innovation, structural reform and free trade, crucial elements for the recovery of the global economy, she said. The success of the G20 Hangzhou summit will help leaders reach consensus at Hamburg, she added. Chen Yurong, a senior researcher in Eurasian studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said that the countries should work together to keep the multilateral discussions going to achieve win-win cooperation at a time when the global economy is facing more challenges. China and Russia are facing more opportunities to boost pragmatic cooperation, especially in infrastructure and energy, amid the two countries' ongoing efforts to align the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union, Chen Yurong said. Cooperation projects in infrastructure construction and energy between China and Russia include the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, the Moscow-Kazan high speed railway, Arctic sea route exploration and energy pipelines. The two countries will be able to deepen cooperation in areas including education, energy, manufacturing, sports, tourism and trade under the framework of the Belt and Road as well as the EEU, she added. Jin Yong, a professor of international relations at the Communication University of China, said that Germany plays a key role in China's economic cooperation with Europe, and Xi's visit will bring more opportunities for the two countries to boost pragmatic cooperation. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the China-Germany diplomatic relationship, and Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Germany four weeks ago has also brought positive progress in bilateral ties, he added. Zhou Jin contributed to this story. MyDiamo, Penta Security Systems' high performing column-level encryption solution, will be bundled together with Eventi Telematici's software solutions to enhance the security of healthcare products and services across the globe. LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Penta Security Systems Inc., a leader in web, IoT, and data security solutions and services, has established a strategic partnership with Eventi Telematici, an Italian software solutions provider that provides cancer data analysis products and services to medical organizations across the globe. This partnership will combine MyDiamo's column-level database encryption capabilities alongside their existing line of cloud and on-premise solutions. In the wake of recent hackings that affected major health organizations in various parts of Europe, there is a crucial lesson to be learned about safeguarding sensitive medical data. Because healthcare institutions hold databases storing medical records of millions of patients, a database encryption solution is necessary to protect this confidential data at all times. Furthermore, regulatory laws now require corporations and organizations to strengthen data protection as is the case with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Addressing these requirements, Penta Security Systems offers database encryption solutions that work in various types of environments. With a large majority of organizations utilizing open source database management systems (DBMS), MyDiamo has been specifically designed to serve as a safe and reliable DBMS encryption solution for open source database environments. This partnership will provide Eventi Telematici with the opportunity to bundle MyDiamo with its solutions to be sold to clients. The advantages to MyDiamo are many; as one of the few encryption solutions for open source DBMS such as MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL, MyDiamo offers column-level encryption, which allows end users to selectively encrypt columns in databases. It provides access control and separate encryption keys for each encrypted column. This partial encryption capability known as granular encryption enables user-specific control on encrypted column values rather than encrypting entire databases. What this means for end users is a major performance advantage since encryption and decryption by column is possible, speeding up information retrieval. MyDiamo offers an efficient encryption solution with a seamless installation process without service interruption. "Healthcare institutions in particular should implement an encryption solution to ensure the confidentiality of sensitive patient data and to keep in line with existing regulations, especially when, with MyDiamo, there is no need to encrypt entire databases. For this reason, we anticipate other IT solution providers that handle private data to look into bundling their services with high quality encryption solutions," said DS Kim, Chief Strategy Officer at Penta Security Systems. This year Penta Security Systems celebrates two decades of IT expertise and will continue to serve the security needs of a global clientele with web application firewall, encryption, and single sign-on solutions. About us Penta Security Systems Inc. is a leader in web, IoT, and data security solutions and services. With 20 years of IT security expertise in powering secured connections, Penta Security is the top cyber security vendor in Asia, as recognized by Frost & Sullivan, and APAC market share leader in the WAF industry. Driving innovations across encryption, authentication, and signature-free firewall detection technology, Penta Security's whole-system approach to security enables resilience in an era of hyper web integration and connectivity. For more information on Penta Security, visit www.pentasecurity.com. For partnership inquiries, email info@pentasecurity.com. Contact: Karen Cruz, Office: (+82) 2-2125-6735 Email: karencruz@pentasecurity.com SOURCE Penta Security Systems Inc. MOSCOW, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 26th - 28th Shanghai, China is hosting SYLVA WOOD 2017 - the international exhibition, a landmark event for the global timber processing industry. The timber industry complex of Russia was represented by a group stand "Russian Timber Industry". Ten leading companies of the industry were able to demonstrate their products to foreign partners and potential investors. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528237/Russian_Timber_Industry_Logo.jpg ) "China is our reliable trading partner. In recent years the development of Russian-Chinese cooperation has shown positive dynamics. So the volume of trade turnover has increased with the output of the timber industry complex. We count on the expanding of mutually beneficial partnership," said Viktor Yevtukhov, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Recently, export supplies of Russian products of added-value wood processing to China have increased: the volume of plywood supplies almost doubled, and the supply of chipboards began. A number of large projects involving Chinese companies are being implemented in the Russian Federation: a pulp mill is being built in the Zabaikalye Territory, sawmills and pellets' projects are being implemented in the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Irkutsk Region, and the Khabarovsk Territory. "Russia is a reliable partner, providing state guarantees for investments. Today, investors receive long-term lease of forest plots on preferential terms. The state subsidizes the creation of new manufactures," - said Viktor Yevtukhov. Prospects for further growth for forestry enterprises are predetermined by the high demand for wooden housing in many countries of the world, as well as increasing demand of paper products and pulp. The exchange rate and governmental support allow us to maintain low prices for the products of the Russian timber industry with a high quality and make them competitive. Having participated in SYLVA WOOD 2017, Russian companies gained the opportunity to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Chinese partners. Participants of the Russian stand of the timber industry complex at the SYLVA WOOD 2017 exhibition were companies representing such types of woodworking as LVL lumber production and OSB boards, plywood, finishing wall and flooring materials, furniture components and other products of added-value wood processing. Federal Press Center programlesprom.ru Contacts: info@programlesprom.ru Kristina Bolshedvorskaya +7(915)283-15-99 +7(926)142-03-36 Roman Kirichenko +7(925)887-87-41 SOURCE Russian Timber Industry WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Halton and shipyard company Meyer's ventilation contractor MAC Hamburg have agreed on providing Halton's indoor air solutions for 13 cruise ships built on the company's shipyards in Germany and Finland during the following 5 to 6 years. The contract includes six direct orders and options for seven ships. The contract covers energy-saving Halton M.A.R.V.E.L. galley hoods that enable appropriate ventilation. Deliveries are tailored specifically for each ship according to their varying needs. Halton's advantages are the quality and energy-efficiency of their systems, and delivery process management from hood and air volume planning to implementation. Professional kitchens are generally extremely demanding environments in terms of indoor air temperature, humidity, and cooking emissions conditions. In addition, reliability, fire safety, and hygiene are emphasised in a cruise ship environment. "We are developing and testing our solution in close collaboration with the customer. We are also putting Halton's exceptionally extensive expertise on demanding indoor air environments to use for developing new solutions for our customers," says Tommi Rantanen, the executive responsible for Halton Marine's operations. Halton provides the world's widest range of indoor air solutions for demanding special environments from professional kitchens and ships to energy production environments, health care and laboratories, as well as demanding public buildings and workspaces. Halton is the global market leader in galley ventilation solutions, as well as fire dampers, for ocean cruise ships. The company also manufactures state-of-the-art solutions for cabin ventilation. "We have established our position in several international shipyards. With the deal signed now and the hood deliveries included in it we are further strengthening our market position with cruise ships", says Rantanen. The contract with MAC Hamburg was signed in November 2016. Deliveries for the first project begin in the autumn of 2017. The deliveries, along with their options, are worth over 10M. For more information, please contact: Tommi Rantanen Executive Halton Marine Tel. +358(0)40-520-7582 Email: firstname.lastname@halton.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/halton-group/r/halton-s-kitchen-solutions-for-13-cruise-ships-on-meyer-s-shipyards-in-germany-and-finland,c2296207 The following files are available for download: http://news.cision.com/halton-group/i/halton-galley-environment-1,c2173661 Halton Galley environment 1 http://news.cision.com/halton-group/i/halton-galley-environment-3,c2173666 Halton Galley environment 3 SOURCE Halton Group (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528912/Hannover_s_New_Town_Hall.jpg ) Routes Europe provides a meeting place for airports, airlines, tourism authorities and other stakeholders engaged in the planning of future European air services. The event moves to a different city every year, allowing aviation industry decision makers to experience the airport and destination offer at first hand. Hannover is a centre of commerce in northern Germany and the capital of Lower Saxony. The state of Lower Saxony has a thriving automotive industry (including Volkswagen's headquarters and main plant) and it is a powerful driver of the German economy, contributing 8.5% of GDP in 2015 ( 258.5 billion). The region is also home to international brands such as Continental, TUI Group, Sennheiser, Jagermeister, commercial aero engine business MTU Maintenance and steel manufacturer Salzgitter AG. Lower Saxony's scenery has helped to make tourism an important part of the economy. The East Frisian Coast and Islands, Luneburg Heath nature reserve and picturesque towns such as Hamelin (the inspiration for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin) helped the region to achieve more than 40 million overnight visitor stays in 2015. Hannover Airport handled 5.5 million passengers last year and it is one of only three German airports that operates 24 hours a day. Recent new routes include Norwegian Air Shuttle's Alicante, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca services, plus Wizz Air's flights to Budapest and Belgrade. The Hannover event will mark a return to Germany for the Routes business - the global World Routes forum was previously held in Berlin in 2011. Steven Small, brand director at Routes said: "We are excited to return to Germany for Routes Europe. Hannover's reputation as a centre for international exhibitions and trade fairs make it an ideal destination for the event, which is growing larger every year. "The event will provide a platform for the host team to showcase Lower Saxony's attractions, enabling Hannover to compete with other airports on both a national and international level." Routes Europe 2019 will be hosted by Hannover Airport with the support of the Lower Saxony state government and Hannover City Council. Jens Seidel, head of sales coordination at Hannover Airport said: "We are very proud to be the venue for Routes Europe 2019. This success can be traced to Hannover's location in the heart of Europe - delegates will benefit from our excellent infrastructure and optimal integration into the European transport network." More information about Routes events can be viewed at routesonline.com Routes Europe 2019, 8-10 April 2019, Hannover Congress Centrum, Hannover, Germany. Notes to Editors Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. They revolve around pre-scheduled meetings, an exhibition and a conference. Three 'regional' route development forums are held between February and April in the Americas, Asia and Europe , with the flagship World Routes event taking place in September. and , with the flagship World Routes event taking place in September. Routes events are organised by UBM plc. UBM is the largest B2B event organiser in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit http://www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM. Karen Reeves Communications & Content Marketing Manager Routes, UBM EMEA T: +44 (0)161-234-2721 M: +44 (0)796-6405-105 E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com SOURCE Routes LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Imtech, after taking into consideration a number of other popular solutions, finally found its ideal Cloud Solution CDE in Asite's Adoddle. As a modern, leading-edge technical service provider, Imtech knows how important digitisation and cloud software are for the future success of their business. With the explosion of Big Data, IT Security, IT Costs, Data accessibility, and an initiative to reduce one's carbon footprint, many companies like Imtech have made the revolutionary shift towards an Information Management Systems within a digital Common Data Environment. About Imtech: With over 20 years of market experience, 2500 employees, and a 2016 turnover of circa 330m, Imtech is one of the largest, most successful, independently-owned and managed technical service providers in the UK and Ireland. Imtech focuses on operational excellence through the design and delivery of innovative and resilient solutions. They are involved in a number of ambitious projects such as the development of 207-2011 Old Street's nine-stories office-accommodation (undertaking the full mechanical and electrical services installation across all floors); The development of The Centre for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham (a brand new carbon neutral laboratory) and the redevelopment of the Western International Market in Southall, West London (delivering the largest Solar PV array in London). Solution Overview: When Imtech needed a secure, PAS1192 compliant, cloud platform that had the ability to easily share documents, replace site servers, and manage tendering applications, Asite stepped in to provide the company with its solution: Adoddle Since then, Imtech has stated that Adoddle has significantly simplified their internal tendering processes. Adoddle has provided a centred system that is able to structure responses and offer a transparent and fare source of information. Even with features such as instant bid comparison, the platform offers the capability of reducing administration procedures. Imtech has also strongly benefitted from the use of Adoddle's QR coding feature that allows construction companies to fill the gap between the physical and digital world. QR codes are printed on site drawings and can be scanned with any smartphone or tablet to ensure that the document used, is the latest and correct version. Imtech affirms: "This was a core, early objective for our site team to bridge the gap between the digital representation and physical drawing used on site. The site teams can now ensure that they are always using the latest information without having to walk back to site offices to check registers." Imtech has now signed an Enterprise agreement with Asite to use Adoddle in all of their future projects. About Asite: Asite's cloud technology gives everyone access to key information online. It allows for increased collaboration and fewer mistakes, delivering huge time and cost savings. Asite's Adoddle CDE platform allows firms to store and manage all project data in one central and secure repository. It enables customers to fully configure the structure of their content with highly controlled access and rich workflows. The Adoddle platform is used worldwide by leading architecture, engineering and construction firms, as well as property owners to manage their largest and most demanding capital investment programs. Recently, Asite has expanded in providing services for the Retail industry and the Public Sector. Asite was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in London's Tech City in the UK, with North American operations based in New York, and regional offices in Australia, India and South Africa. For more information, please visit: www.asite.com Contact: Tracey Saunders, +447779355815, tsaunders@asite.com Related Links http://www.asite.com SOURCE Asite LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Looking for somewhere different on this summer's European trip? Then Finland should be on your radar, as this year the country celebrates the 100th anniversary of its independence from Russia. Finland's capital Helsinki is a vibrant seaside city boasting striking architecture, enchanting neighbourhoods and urban nature. It's also home to a range of great sights and attractions, which can best be experienced with the Helsinki Card (www.helsinkicard.com) - an all-in-one sightseeing package which provides the perfect introduction to the city. The Helsinki Card offers free entry to 28 of the city's top attractions and tours, plus discounted entry to 22 extra attractions, as well as City Sightseeing Hop On/Hop Off Bus Tour and a free detailed pocket-sized guidebook. UNESCO World Heritage Site Suomenlinna Sea Fortress Island, a scenic canal cruise and the Ateneum Art Museum, home to the best works of the Finnish National Gallery, are among the attractions included. The Helsinki Card is available for one, two or three days; prices start at 46 (around US$51) per adult and 23 (US$26) per child aged 4-12 years for the one-day pass. The two-day adult pass is 56, while the three-day pass is 66. Prices include a free travelcard for unlimited journeys on Helsinki's public transport network of buses, trams, metro and Suomenlinna ferry. Helsinki Card highlights include: Suomenlinna Sea Fortress Island - a guided tour of this historic naval stronghold dating from 1748, which over the years has played a role in defending Sweden , Russia and Finland . Includes entry to the Suomenlinna Museum, Ehrensvard Museum, Military Museum and Submarine Vesikko. Suomenlinna Sea Fortress Island & Museums normally priced at 37 but included with the Helsinki Card. - a guided tour of this historic naval stronghold dating from 1748, which over the years has played a role in defending , and . Includes entry to the Suomenlinna Museum, Ehrensvard Museum, Military Museum and Submarine Vesikko. Beautiful Canal Route Cruise - a 90-minute exploration of some of Helsinki's most scenic banks, islands and waterways. Normally priced at 25 but included with the Helsinki Card. - a 90-minute exploration of some of most scenic banks, islands and waterways. Ateneum Art Museum - the best place to experience Finland's artistic heritage, with works from the 19th century to the modern age. Normally priced at 15 but included with the Helsinki Card. - the best place to experience artistic heritage, with works from the 19th century to the modern age. City Sightseeing Hop on/Hop off bus tour - a 24-hour ticket for Helsinki's sightseeing buses, with 15 stops in and around the city centre offering the chance to take in Market Square, the Sibelius Monument and Rock Church, among other highlights. Normally priced at 28 but included with the Helsinki Card. Attractions offering discounted entry prices for Helsinki Card holders include the much-loved SkyWheel, which provides panoramic views of the city's coastline, picturesque Market Square and Majestic Uspenski Cathedral from a height of more than 130 feet; and SEALIFE Helsinki, a collection of 50 different aquariums including an underwater tunnel which places visitors just inches from some of the sea's most dangerous creatures. Using the Helsinki Card enables visitors to make significant savings on their sightseeing. A tour of the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress (normally 37), the Beautiful Canal Route Cruise (25) and one-day City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour (28) would come to 90 if purchased independently, but are all covered by the Helsinki Card at just 46 for one day. The Helsinki Card is available for purchase at www.helsinkicard.com and can be shipped globally or collected on arrival in the city. Images can be downloaded at the following link:http://bit.ly/2sgjBD7 SOURCE Helsinki Card BEIJING and SHANGHAI, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2017 Overseas Investment Summit, sponsored by Worldway Fortune Club, jointly organized by Worldway Immigration Group together with its subsidiaries in Beijing and Shanghai, had a grand opening on 17 June in Beijing and a successful conclusion on 18 June in Shanghai. A Spectacular Feast and the Most Influential Wealth Forum in 2017 The 2017 Overseas Investment Summit is an influential wealth forum that is well-known to experts in the fields of finance and economics. The successful holding of this forum makes it further regarded as the most powerful and influential wealth forum in the industry. A number of well-known experts from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, the United States and Europe got together at this grand event to debate on the new ideas of capital and elaborate the major investment trends. Nearly two thousand high-net-worth individuals gathered in Beijing and Shanghai to exchange their investment experience, share their approaches to wealth and discuss global investment allocation. Top Dialogue between Chinese and Overseas Investment Giants, the Road to Wealth through New Capital Thinking During the Summit, both domestic and foreign financial experts, political officials and investment talents shared their views on overseas investment, global asset allocation, overseas identity planning and the investment portfolios diversification. They identified and analyzed new challenges, opportunities and trends in overseas investment from the professional and authoritative angle. Mr. FENG Lun, Chairman of Worldway Fortune Club, Founder of Vantone Group, Chairman of F&E, known as a famous Chinese entrepreneur, analyzed the approaches and prospects of overseas investments for Chinese entrepreneurs from many different angles. His meticulous logic and penetrating analysis won him rounds of applause from time to time. Mr. Charles Freeman, former principal U.S. trade negotiator with China, the former legislative consultant in the U.S. Senate, and the chair in China Studies at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), not only unveiled the U.S. government's attitude towards capital investment from China but also described global investment trends from four macro perspectives including the imbalance of the financial system. During the Summit, he also emphasized that climate change would particularly bring in major opportunities for U.S. real estate investments. Mr. WANG Chaoyong, a renowned Chinese investment expert who has extensive investment experience in global markets for more than 28 years, the Founder and Chairman of China Equity Group, pointed out the priority areas for overseas investment in areas such as the technology industry and venture capital by illustrating the example of U.S. venture capital fund investment. Dr. XING Xinli, Chairman of 2017 Overseas Investment Summit, Executive Chairman of Worldway Fortune Club, and President of Worldway Immigration Group, discussed overseas investment trends by introducing One Belt One Road Initiatives that leads capital to go overseas and the Euro economy that is ready for growth. He emphasized that investment immigration was particularly important for optimizing the personal transnational asset allocation. It would help Chinese investors achieve their international lifestyle. Moreover, he pointed out that the corporate and individual investments are the two major options of overseas investment. Mr. Scott BARRACK, president of Greater China of Colony North Star (top five real estate fund), stated that now is the time to access the global market for Chinese high-net-worth individuals because of cheaper assets and debts as well as the depreciation of RMB. Meanwhile, based on the performance of the residential housing market in the U.S., he introduced overseas real estate fund investment. Mr. Craig HALL, Chairman of Hall Group and famous U.S. Billionaire Club member, introduced the U.S. economic growth pole - Dallas and illustrated the Dallas No.1 project - a diamond-level investment immigration project that has won a lot of attention for its various advantages. He also shared how he became a billionaire at the age of 18. Dr. JIN Dongsheng, chief tax expert in China, Deputy Secretary General of China International Tax Research Institute and Deputy Director of Academic Board, shared the latest news about CRS by explaining its definition, background and contents. Following the wonderful speeches, the excitement continued in the sub-forums. The panelists staged a heated debate, probed into overseas economic and investment trends, and discussed hot issues such as investment immigration, financing in America, investment in Europe and the Trump tax cut etc. Mr. PAN Ming, Senior Vice President of East West Bank in charge of Chinese Affairs; Mr. ZHANG Qing, member of Sino-American Certified Public Accountants Association and a Founding Partner of ZHANG QING Public Accounting Firm in U.S.; Ms. Melina Pyrgou, Board Member of Cyprus CIPA Investment Promotion Agency; Ms. Therese Healy, Consul General of Ireland Consulate in Shanghai; Ms. Li MA, the Vice President of Worldway Immigration Group as well as other experts gathered together to present a splendid discussion with frequent sharing of exciting and brilliant views whilst the audience broke into rounds of applause for this wonderful investment seminar. VIP Cocktail Party for Building up Friendship and Further Development After the Summit, the sponsor hosted a VIP Cocktail Party for Worldway's VIPs, members of Worldway Fortune Club and senior investment experts to taste vintage wines and delicacies, communicate and interact, and share recent news on overseas investment. Dr. XING Xinli, Chairman of 2017 Overseas Investment Summit, Executive Chairman of Worldway Fortune Club, proposed a toast on behalf of Mr. FENG Lun, Chairman of Worldway Fortune Club at the party and expressed his gratitude to all the distinguished guests and VIPs who came far away for this event. Besides, Dr. Xing also indicated that Worldway Fortune Club would host more grand events regularly by collaborating with other institutions in order to build a platform for investors to share investment information and experience for more cooperation opportunities. This Forum is another grand event right after the 2017 Invest in America Summit which was also held by Worldway Immigration Group on 18 March in Shenzhen, China. The impression you may get from this stirring and sensational Summit is content-rich, a strong guest lineup, large audience and great scene. It is believed that this forum will set off a storm in the investment industry in 2017 and lead to a new wave of overseas investment and globalization. Worldway Immigration Group is determined to bring more and better industry events to investors all over China. Contact Person: Boven Yuan Tel/Mobile: +86 (0755)83830980-8119 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Worldway (Beijing) Immigration Services Co., Ltd. BOSTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Urban Institute, with its partner George Washington University, today released its final impact report on Accelerating Opportunity (AO). AO, a Jobs for the Future initiative, is designed to transform how states work with their adult education programs and community colleges to provide training for underprepared adult learners. New evidence from the AO final impact report finds that the initiative successfully gave underprepared students the chance to start on a career pathway at community colleges in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky and Louisiana. Students who could not otherwise access college were able to earn college credits and credentials. Some groups of students, among the 4300 participants, experienced employment and earnings gains. Earlier research on AO found that the unique model of making career and technical education programs accessible to low-skilled students, introducing team teaching, and linking integrated career pathways to the needs of employers and industry was popular among colleges and students. AO was developed as an evolution and expansion of the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model from Washington State. The initiative had strong support from state leadership and influenced policy changes to benefit adult learners. Today's release highlights the impact the AO model has on participating students. "AO can now serve as a powerful catalyst for continued positive change in adult education and community college initiatives throughout the country," stated Maria Flynn, President & CEO of Jobs for the Future. "The AO model is a promising approach to helping students with low basic skills, and we now have key findings and data from four very different states on how to best utilize resources to help these students earn credentials and advance into the labor market, achievements that were not well within reach before AO." The majority of states and colleges scaled up the initiative over time for an ultimate total of 54 participating colleges in the four states. In addition, colleges grew and evolved the number and types of pathways offered, expanding to 154 recorded pathways. AO students came from all walks of life, and many were single parents balancing both work and school, or adults in their late 20s and 30s who had never before had the opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education. AO students were somewhat more likely to be female, older than traditional college students, and typically reflect the racial/ethnic demographics of each participating state. "The success of AO and the reason the initiative was able to scale over time is a direct result of each state and its colleges recognizing the need to better serve adult learners. In Illinois and across several very different states, adult education partnered with colleges to put in place these effective models, and realized the potential of students; many without a high school credential succeed in not just taking college courses but in earning credentials and getting good jobs," said Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson, Executive Director of Illinois Community College Board. For the final impact report, researchers at the Urban Institute analyzed data for a subset of 4,300 students in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana enrolled in AO integrated career pathways to understand the educational and employment impacts of the initiative. The analysis shows strong and positive impacts on education outcomes and promising employment outcomes for some student subgroups. Findings include: The AO model is a promising approach to help students with low basic skills succeed in college: AO students earned more than 79,000 college credits and nearly 6,800 college credentials. AO increased the likelihood of students earning a college credential over the matched comparison groups by between 11 and 20 percentage points. This represented an increase of 19 percent in Kansas, 35 percent in Illinois, 133 percent in Kentucky, and 622 percent in Louisiana. In most cases, AO students earned more credentials while taking fewer credits, possibly indicating more efficient course-taking and accelerated learning. Mid and long term employment outcomes improved for some adults with low basic skills, but results are mixed: AO students' employment rates increased in Kansas, Kentucky, and Illinois. In Kansas , students recruited from career and technical education programs experienced large, positive, and persistent impacts on employment and earnings. The employment gains reached 33 percent over the similar students in the comparison group at two years after enrollment. AO participants saw increased quarterly earnings of $1,188 over the comparison group. , students recruited from career and technical education programs experienced large, positive, and persistent impacts on employment and earnings. The employment gains reached 33 percent over the similar students in the comparison group at two years after enrollment. AO participants saw increased quarterly earnings of over the comparison group. In Kentucky , students recruited from adult education earned more than comparison group students, reaching a gain of 43 percent over the average comparison group earnings, an increase averaging $855 per quarter. , students recruited from adult education earned more than comparison group students, reaching a gain of 43 percent over the average comparison group earnings, an increase averaging per quarter. Other students saw mixed impacts on earnings during the study period. "The findings of our final impact report illustrate that AO accomplished its mission of addressing a major challenge faced in the United States, which is too many adults have low basic skills and few prospects to earn a living wage," said Barbara Endel, Senior Director of Jobs for the Future and AO co-lead. "As a result of AO, thousands of students had the chance to co-enroll in a career pathway at a community college and gain access to the skills and credentials they need to truly persist and succeed in their academic and employment goals." To learn more about the findings of the Accelerating Opportunity Final Impact Report, please visit: http://www.urban.org/research/publication/new-evidence-integrated-career-pathways About Accelerating Opportunity Accelerating Opportunity seeks to change the way Adult Basic Education and Career Technical Education is delivered by putting students on track to earn a postsecondary credential and providing them with the support needed to succeed. The initiative targets workers who are underprepared for today's demanding job market and builds on the legacy of JFF's innovative adult education initiative, Breaking Through, as well as Washington State's I-BEST program. Accelerating Opportunity is supported by three partnering organizations: Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, National College Transition Network, and the National Council for Workforce Education, as well as a coalition of funders: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and the University of Phoenix Foundation. About Jobs for the Future Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a national nonprofit that builds educational and economic opportunity for underserved populations in the United States. JFF develops innovative career and educational programs and public policies that increase college readiness and career success, and build a more highly skilled workforce. With over 30 years of experience, JFF is the national leader in bridging education and work to increase economic mobility and strengthen our economy. Media Contact: Binoli Dua [email protected] 202.630.4043 SOURCE Jobs for the Future Related Links http://www.jff.org BENTON HARBOR, Mich., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, Jenn-Air is hosting HOT!, the annual fundraiser in support of PFLAG National, the nation's largest organization uniting families, allies, and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). Once again, the event will be held at the luxury appliance maker's New York showroom on July 27, 2017. Actor, filmmaker, activist and musician Adrian Grenier, best known as the lead in the HBO hit series Entourage, will join guests at the event, which will feature an auction, gourmet hors d'oeuvres, refreshing summer cocktails courtesy of Tito's Handmade Vodka, and chocolate creations from acclaimed chocolatier Chef Jacques Torres. Tickets can be purchased online at PFLAG HOT!. Early purchasers will receive $25 off the $125 ticket cost if purchased by June 30. "Having mentors, great friends and brilliant colleagues who are LGBTQ, I'm proud to support this event and help raise awareness for this valuable organization that celebrates diversity and works year-round advocating full equality for people that are invaluable to our communities," says Adrian Grenier. "We're proud to support this worthy organization, whose mission of advancing equality and supporting the LGBTQ community aligns with our own corporate mission to ensure inclusive policies and workplace practices," notes Brian Maynard, Jenn-Air marketing director and PFLAG National Business Advisory Board member. "Since 2004, our parent company, Whirlpool Corporation, has been honored every year with a perfect score of 100% on HRC's (Human Rights Campaign) Corporate Equality Index." The Corporate Equality Index is a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The report evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. "We thank Adrian for joining us and truly value the support of partners like Jenn-Air, who help reinforce the importance of unity and inclusion by creating workplaces that put equality at the forefront," said PFLAG National's Jean-Marie Navetta, Director of Learning and Inclusion. About Jenn-Air: In 1961, Jenn-Air founder Lou Jenn revolutionized the kitchen with the invention of downdraft ventilation. Today, the Jenn-Air brand continues to disrupt conventions, offering a complete portfolio of innovative and exceptionally designed luxury appliances. From its powerful, connected wall ovens with dual-fan convection and voice control to its built-in refrigeration collection offering the brand's exclusive Obsidian interior, Jenn-Air continues to push boundaries to deliver extraordinary performance and exquisite design. To speak with a member of the Jenn-Air concierge team or learn more about the complete Jenn-Air appliance collection, please visit jennair.com or join us on facebook.com/jennair, instagram.com/jennairUSA, twitter.com/jennairUSA and youtube.com/jennairUSA. About PFLAG: Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the nation's largest organization uniting families and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. (LGBTQ). PFLAG has nearly 400 chapters, and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas in all 50 states. For more information, visit pflag.org, LIKE us on Facebook (facebook.com/pflag), and follow us on Twitter (@PFLAG) and Instagram (@pflagnational). SOURCE Jenn-Air Related Links http://www.jennair.com "We have now seen four of the last five seasons having an Actuaries Climate Index value over 1.50, compared to the 30-year reference period, which had no index values above 1.00. The fall 2016 data reflect a continued pattern of increased frequencies of extreme weather, with high temperatures being the most significant contributor to the increase," said Doug Collins, chair of the Climate Change Committee. The Actuaries Climate Index is based on analysis of seasonal data from neutral, scientific sources for six different index components collected from 1961 to fall 2016. Index values are expressed in units of standard deviations from the 30-year reference period of 1961 to 1990. Elevated values in the temperature component are helping drive the Actuaries Climate Index higher, particularly in the Northwest Pacific (British Columbia and Yukon Territory) and Southwest Pacific (Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah) regions. These regions currently reflect their highest five-year average values, with both experiencing five seasons in the last five years with temperature component values over 3.00. Neither region had more than three seasonal component values over 3.00 in the prior 50 years. The Actuaries Climate Index was developed by the Climate Change Committee, which was formed through a partnership of the American Academy of Actuaries, the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, the Casualty Actuarial Society, and the Society of Actuaries. The index is designed to provide actuaries, public policymakers, and the general public with objective data about changes in the frequency of extreme climate events over recent decades. The index measures changes in extremes of high and low temperatures, high winds, heavy precipitation, and drought, as well as changes in sea level. Updates for values are posted quarterly on ActuariesClimateIndex.org as data for each meteorological season becomes available. The organizations are also developing a second index, the Actuaries Climate Risk Index, to measure correlations between changes in the frequency of extreme events as measured by the index and economic losses, injuries, and mortality. About the Sponsoring Organizations The American Academy of Actuaries is a 19,000-member professional association whose mission is to serve the public and the U.S. actuarial profession. For more than 50 years, the Academy has assisted public policymakers on all levels by providing leadership, objective expertise, and actuarial advice on risk and financial security issues. The Academy also sets qualification, practice, and professionalism standards for actuaries in the United States. The Canadian Institute of Actuaries is the national organization and voice of the actuarial profession. The Institute is dedicated to serving the public through the provision, by the profession, of actuarial services and advice of the highest quality. In fact, the Institute holds the duty of the profession to the public above the needs of the profession and its members. The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) is a leading international organization for credentialing and professional education. Founded in 1914, the CAS is the world's only actuarial organization focused exclusively on property and casualty risks and serves over 7,000 members worldwide. Professionals educated by the CAS empower business and government to make well-informed strategic, financial, and operational decisions. With roots dating back to 1889, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world's largest actuarial professional organization, with more than 28,000 actuaries as members. Through research and education, the SOA's mission is to advance actuarial knowledge and to enhance the ability of actuaries to provide expert advice and relevant solutions for financial, business, and societal challenges. The SOA's vision is for actuaries to be the leading professionals in the measurement and management of risk. SOURCE American Academy of Actuaries Related Links http://www.actuary.org CHICAGO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- High-volume futures broker Advantage Futures announces appointment of industry veteran Carlos Rodriguez as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Rodriguez brings over two decades of industry experience to Advantage. Mr. Rodriguez will oversee all accounting and treasury functions at the firm, reporting directly to CEO Joe Guinan. Prior to Advantage, Mr. Rodriguez worked for CME Group over 20 years, most recently serving as Executive Director in CME Group's Financial and Regulatory Surveillance Department. With the addition of Mr. Rodriguez, Advantage now employs four former exchange auditors among its staff. "Two decades of regulatory experience coupled with his even-keeled managerial style make Carlos an enormous asset to our firm," commented Joe Guinan. "He's a home-run for Advantage and we are thrilled to have him on board." "I am excited to join Advantage's reputable senior management team," stated Mr. Rodriguez. "Advantage is a world class organization and my strong regulatory, financial and compliance background nicely complement existing management." Mr. Rodriguez is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago where he earned his BA in Accounting. About Advantage: Advantage Futures ranks among the high volume futures brokers in the industryprocessing over 3.8 billion contracts since inception in 2003. Advantage continues to expand its diverse client base by striving to deliver the highest level of client service. Our exceptional technology support, experienced risk management and responsive back office operations combine to provide comprehensive, technology-driven clearing and execution services over robust and redundant network infrastructure. For more information visit: www.AdvantageFutures.com Follow Advantage Futures on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. SOURCE Advantage Futures Related Links http://www.advantagefutures.com Finalists were chosen by the FEI Las Vegas Board of Directors and an independent selection committee of distinguished industry representatives, who reviewed candidates on criteria such as leadership, team development, social responsibility, planning and budgeting, control and reporting, and innovation. "We are extremely proud of Walter and his achievements," said Affinity Gaming CEO Michael Silberling. "He's been an integral member of our leadership team, helping us to achieve status as the fastest growing gaming company in the U.S., with a recurring EBITDA growth for the past two years. This award is a testament to his exceptional talent in fiscal management, as well as his passion and dedication to outstanding customer service." "I'm honored to receive this recognition," said Bogumil. "It's been very exciting to be a part of Affinity Gaming's growth these past two years and I look forward to working with Michael and the rest of the executive team as the company continues to evolve." About Affinity Gaming Affinity Gaming is a diversified casino gaming company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company's casino operations consist of 11 casinos, five of which are located in Nevada, three in Colorado, two in Missouri and one in Iowa. For more information about Affinity Gaming, please visit its website:affinitygaming.com. SOURCE Affinity Gaming NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC is calling on UNESCO World Heritage Committee member states to reject a proposal to register the Old City of Hebron and the Cave of the Patriarchs to the "State of Palestine," and to add them to the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee will meet next week in Krakow, Poland. "Rewriting history and denying Jewish links to ancient holy sites is not a path to advancing prospects for peace and coexistence, yet the Palestinians are once again fanning the flames of conflict and mistrust," said AJC CEO David Harris. "The Cave of the Patriarchs, the burial site of Abraham, is sacred, and Israel, to its credit, has strenuously sought to assure its security and accessibility not only to Jews, but also to Muslims." The measure that the World Heritage Committee will consider conflicts with Palestinian commitments in the Oslo Accords, as well as the 1997 Hebron Protocol, to respect the agreed-upon arrangements for the joint governance of Hebron and shared worship in the Cave of the Patriarchs. The proposed action on Hebron follows the World Heritage Committee adoption last October of another shameful resolution, "The Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls," seeking to erase the age-old and incontrovertible Jewish connection to the Old City of Jerusalem. "It is dismaying that the Palestinian leadership and its allies repeatedly try to politicize UNESCO, whose mission is to advance educational, scientific, and cultural progress and cooperation, and instead use it as a forum to turn history on its head," said Harris. "Member states of the World Heritage Committee should reject these counter-productive and counter-factual tactics." Over the years, the World Heritage Committee has adopted some 50 resolutions providing for the inclusion of properties around the world mostly in countries ravaged by armed conflicts or afflicted by natural disasters and other adverse conditions on the "List of World Heritage in Danger." These resolutions have uniformly employed descriptive, technical language. Members of the World Heritage Committee are: Angola, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org AUSTIN, Texas, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alegion, a human intelligence platform for AI and machine learning initiatives, announced today at the O'Reilly Artificial Intelligence Conference that it has raised $3.6 million in Series A funding. Led by RHS Investments, the infusion of capital will allow the company to accelerate its AI offerings and capitalize on AI's exponential growth, which is expected to exceed $16B annually by 2022, according to IBM research. With over half of all development teams planning to integrate AI services into their apps by 2018, Alegion is using the funds to fortify its AI products and scale operations. "Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies are already beginning to change the world as we know it," said Nathaniel Gates, the CEO and co-founder of Alegion. "We are uniquely positioned to supply the human intelligence that is required to enable artificial intelligence." Alegion helps data science teams accelerate and optimize AI and machine learning projects by supplying large-scale, custom training datasets, human-scored results validation, and human-in-the-loop exception processing. "Confidence in the training data produces confidence in the resulting model," adds Gates. "We introduce human intelligence into the process which provides the quality and scale necessary to achieve rapid, successful results." About Alegion Alegion is an Austin-based technology company that provides human intelligence solutions designed for today's AI & machine learning initiatives. Alegion provides AI training data, algorithm validation and human-in-the-loop exception processing. The Alegion platform supports a wide array of business automation solutions including user generated content moderation, sentiment analysis, data enrichment, tagging and categorization. Alegion provides solutions for Fortune 500 companies and public-sector organizations including Charles Schwab, Conde Nast and the State of Texas. For more information, visit www.alegion.com. SOURCE Alegion Related Links http://www.alegion.com LAVAL, QC, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - As announced yesterday, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("CoucheTard") (TSX: ATD.A/ATD.B) is pleased to confirm the closing as of today, June 28, 2017, of the acquisition of CST Brands, Inc. ("CST") and its transaction with Parkland Fuel Corporation ("Parkland") (TSX: PKI). As a result of these transactions, Couche-Tard significantly adds to its store network in the U.S. and Canada, with close to 1,300 stores, including 666 locations in Texas, for a total of close to 9,500 stores in North America. Quotes "It is a great day for our investors, our employees and, above all, for our customers. CST is the fourth-largest network of convenience stores and fuel retailing in North America. This transaction is the biggest in Couche-Tard's history and will strengthen our footprint in the United States, especially in Texas and the Southeast region, as well as in Canada (Quebec, Atlantic provinces and Ontario), which brings our total store count in North America to close to 9,500 and close to 14,000 worldwide," announced Brian Hannasch, President and CEO of Couche-Tard. "In CST, we acquire a company with strategic value that will efficiently complement our network. We bring in great new locations as well as expertise and experience which are likely to allow us to venture into new opportunities. Furthermore, we are proud to welcome aboard 14,000 new employees who will all become part of our journey to become the world's preferred destination for convenience and fuel," added Brian Hannasch. About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation fuel retail in the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), in the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and in Ireland with an important presence in Poland. As of January 29, 2017, adjusted to include the acquisition of CST Brands, Inc., Couche-Tard's network comprised of close to 9,500 convenience stores throughout North America, including 7,567 stores with road transportation fuel dispensing. Its North American network consists of 16 business units, including 12 in the United States covering 42 states and 4 in Canada covering all 10 provinces. Approximately 94,000 people are employed throughout its network and at its service offices in North America. In Europe, Couche-Tard operates a broad retail network across Scandinavia, Ireland, Poland, the Baltics states and Russia through ten business units. As of January 29, 2017, Couche-Tard's network comprised of 2,766 stores, the majority of which offer road transportation fuel and convenience products while the others are unmanned automated fuel sites which only offer road transportation fuel. Couche-Tard also offers other products, including stationary energy, marine fuel, aviation fuel, lubricants and chemicals. Including employees at its branded franchise stores, approximately 25,000 people work in its retail network, terminals and service offices across Europe. In addition, under licensing agreements, close to 1,700 stores are operated under the Circle K banner in 13 other countries and territories worldwide (Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam), which brings the total network to close to 14,000 stores. For more information on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., please visit: http://corpo.couche-tard.com/. Forward-Looking Statements The statements set forth in this press release, which describe Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "will", "plan", "evaluate", "estimate", "believe", "expect" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in documents filed by Couche-Tard with securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this press release is based on information available as of the date of the release. SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Related Links http://corpo.couche-tard.com/ NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alleghany Capital Corporation ("Alleghany Capital"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alleghany Corporation, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 45% equity interest in Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. ("Wilbert"), a leading provider of products and services for the funeral and cemetery industries and precast concrete markets. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Wilbert operates through company-owned locations and a network of nearly 200 licensees that manufacture and distribute Wilbert branded products throughout the United States and Canada. Joseph U. Suhor, III, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wilbert, stated, "As the majority owners of Wilbert, we have responsibilities to our employees and their families, our licensees, and our customers to position the company for continued success and growth well into the future. We believe that this transaction is the best course toward these ends and look forward to a productive partnership with Alleghany Capital." Dennis Welzenbach, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wilbert, added, "Alleghany Capital's business model is to provide a long-term home for entrepreneurial companies like ours and support their management teams as they continue to pursue profitable growth opportunities. Wilbert and Alleghany Capital share common values and, through our new partnership, Wilbert will be able to maintain the culture that has been at the core of its success, for the benefit of all stakeholders. We are proud of the team we have assembled and are excited to take Wilbert into the future with our new partner." David Van Geyzel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alleghany Capital, commented, "Dating back to 1880, Wilbert has built its business from its early beginnings as a supplier of burial vaults to become a leading provider of a broad array of burial and cremation products and services for the funeral and cemetery industries, as well as a supplier of precast concrete products for a variety of markets." Udi Toledano, Chairman of Alleghany Capital, added, "Wilbert has an established history of creating value through solid customer service, product and service innovation, and successful acquisitions. Alleghany Capital shares this vision for growth and looks forward to partnering with Joe, Dennis, and the rest of the Wilbert team as they continue to execute on their strategy." The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close early in the third quarter of 2017. Dinan & Company acted as financial advisor and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP acted as legal counsel to Alleghany Capital. CC Capital Advisors acted as financial advisor and Spencer Fane LLP acted as legal counsel to Wilbert. About Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. Established in 1880, Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. is a licensor of, and supplier to, independently owned concrete burial vault manufacturers that are licensed to manufacture Wilbert brand burial vaults under an intellectual property license agreement including the sale of cremation products, vault forms, liners and other related products to the licensees. The Company sells other funeral industry products directly to funeral home customers through its vast distribution network. Their Company Store division manufactures and distributes vaults, caskets, lawn crypts, monuments, and other precast concrete products as a licensee. Substantially all of the Company's customers are located in the United States and Canada. For more information about Wilbert, please visit www.wilbert.com. About Alleghany Capital Corporation Alleghany Capital Corporation sources, executes, and oversees certain investments and acquisitions for its parent company, Alleghany Corporation (NYSE:Y). Alleghany Capital's investments include: (i) Bourn & Koch, Inc., a manufacturer and remanufacturer of precision machine tools as well as a supplier of replacement parts and related services; (ii) IPS-Integrated Project Services, LLC, a technical service provider focused on the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; (iii) Jazwares, LLC, a licensed toy and consumer electronics company; (iv) R.C. Tway Company, LLC (dba Kentucky Trailer), a manufacturer of custom trailers and truck bodies for the moving and storage industry and other markets; (v) Stranded Oil Resources Corporation, an exploration and production company focused on enhanced oil recovery; and (vi) WWSC Holdings, LLC, a fabricator and erector of structural steel for use in commercial, industrial, and public construction projects. For additional information about Alleghany Capital Corporation, please visit www.alleghanycc.com. Forward-looking Statements This release contains disclosures which are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, and can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "project," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "potential," "should," "continue" or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. These forward-looking statements are based upon Alleghany's current plans or expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect current plans, anticipated actions and Alleghany's future financial condition and results. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, and Alleghany has no specific intention to update these statements. As a consequence, current plans, anticipated actions and future financial condition and results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by Alleghany or on Alleghany's behalf. SOURCE Alleghany Capital Corporation Related Links http://www.alleghanycc.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aritzia Inc. ("Aritzia" or the "Company") (TSX: ATZ), an innovative design house and fashion retailer of exclusive brands, invites interested parties to participate in its first quarter 2018 earnings conference call, occurring on July 12, 2017 at 1:30 pm PDT / 4:30 pm EDT. The Company's first quarter 2018 earnings results will be released after TSX market close the same day. Details of the call are as follows: Date: July 12, 2017 Time: 1:30 pm PDT / 4:30 pm EDT Analysts and institutional investors may participate via conference call, using the following dial-in information: 1-800-319-4610 (Toll-free North America ) ) 1-416-915-3239 ( Toronto and overseas long-distance) and overseas long-distance) Please ask to participate in Aritzia's first quarter 2018 earnings call (conference ID: 10003137) Media and other interested parties may listen to the conference call via webcast, by selecting the first quarter 2018 earnings call webcast link on the events page of http://investors.aritzia.com. A replay of the conference call can be accessed shortly after the conclusion of the call, and remain available until July 26, 2017. To access the replay, please dial 1-855-669-9658 and use replay access code 1507. A replay of the webcast will be available at the conclusion of the call and will remain on Aritzia's investor relations website for thirty days. About Aritzia Aritzia is an innovative design house and fashion retailer of exclusive brands. The Company designs apparel and accessories for its collection of exclusive brands and sells them under the Aritzia banner. The Company's expansive and diverse range of women's fashion apparel and accessories addresses a broad range of style preferences and lifestyle requirements. Aritzia is well known and deeply loved by its customers in Canada with growing customer awareness and affinity in the United States and outside of North America. Aritzia aims to delight its customers through an aspirational shopping experience and exceptional customer service that extends across its more than 80 retail stores and our eCommerce business, aritzia.com. SOURCE Aritzia Inc. Related Links http://www.aritzia.com "Arup's WELL Certified Gold award demonstrates outstanding healthy building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of IWBI. "IWBI's mission is to bring human health and wellness to the forefront of building practices globally, and it is leaders in the building industry like Arup that are helping to advance this movement." The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research. It identifies 105 performance metrics, design strategies, and procedures that can be implemented by owners, operators, and the design team to improve indoor environmental quality. Arup's Boston office earned the distinction based on seven categories of building performance: air, water, light, nourishment, fitness, comfort, and mind. To be awarded WELL Certification by IWBI, Arup underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by Green Business Certification Inc. to ensure it met all WELL Certified Gold performance requirements. WELL design features include: Material selection that promotes good indoor-air quality through the use of products proven not to emit harmful contaminants, and that disclose health and environmental impacts that promotes good indoor-air quality through the use of products proven not to emit harmful contaminants, and that disclose health and environmental impacts Circadian lighting systems designed by Arup with dynamic controls that automatically adjust color and brightness based on the position of the sun to replicate daylight designed by Arup with dynamic controls that automatically adjust color and brightness based on the position of the sun to replicate daylight Active design through space planning and sit/stand desks to encourage more movement and less sedentariness during the day through space planning and sit/stand desks to encourage more movement and less sedentariness during the day End-of-pipe water filtration that improves the taste and quality of tap water, promoting proper hydration that improves the taste and quality of tap water, promoting proper hydration Ventilation that optimizes air quality through filtration and ventilation rates that respond to occupancy levels The Arup Boston office serves as a living laboratory to test its own wellbeing approaches to help quantify the impact of health and wellbeing strategies. The assessment includes a WELL-focused pre and post occupancy survey developed with in house environmental psychologists, as well as a custom-designed indoor environmental quality sensor kit built by Arup programmers to stream real-time data. "Arup is committed to creating both a sustainable and healthy office environment. WELL emphasizes health and wellbeing initiatives to achieve a workplace optimized for people," said Tim McCaul, Principal and Boston Group Leader. "We believe that working in a healthy building relates to employee performance, recruitment and retention, reduced absenteeism, embodiment of brand, and company culture." Arup has had an office in the Boston area for over 17 years. In that time, Boston staff have worked with a broad range of clients including many of the best regarded firms, institutions, and agencies in the region and across the globe. Current and recent projects include Northeastern University Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Complex, MBTA Green Line Extension, Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building at Dudley Square, MIT Site 4 Graduate Student Tower, Boston Properties Back Bay Station mixed use development, and Partners Healthcare Resiliency Masterplan. About Arup Arup provides planning, engineering, design, and consulting services for the most prominent projects and sites in the built environment. Since its founding in 1946, the firm has consistently delivered technical excellence, innovation, and value to its clients, while maintaining its core mission of shaping a better world. Arup opened its first US office more than 30 years ago and now employs 1,300 people in the Americas. The firm's employee-ownership structure promotes ongoing investment in joint research to yield better outcomes that benefit its clients and partners. Visit Arup's website, www.arup.com, and the online magazine of Arup in the Americas, doggerel.arup.com, for more information. Contact: Tami Hausman [email protected] 646.742.1700 Contact: Rebecca Maloney [email protected] 617.412.6632 SOURCE Arup Related Links http://www.arup.com New treatment and research facilities enhanced by firm's global expertise in design-build projects in the healthcare sector TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Arup, an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants, and technical specialists, is providing full Bridging Consultant services to the Government of Alberta for the new Calgary Cancer Project. In June 2017, the Government of Alberta announced the Design-Builder, marking a major milestone on the project. Arup is acting as the owner's prime representative, leading a multidisciplinary team that developed the requirement document and will continue to provide technical and contract administration services as the project moves into design and construction. Located on the Foothill Medical Centre Site in the city, the Calgary Cancer Project will deliver leading, comprehensive cancer care that integrates patient- and family-centered care, education, prevention, screening, and cancer research. The cancer centre will be the largest design-build healthcare project delivered in Canada to date. The Arup team brings in-depth knowledge of design-build procurement and delivery from a range of jurisdictions across Canada and around the world. The new cancer centre will include a new outpatient facility, an inpatient unit, advanced diagnostics, and treatment incorporating radiation therapy, as well as extensive research and learning facilities. "I'm so proud to see this badly needed new Cancer Centre take its next step. The choice of the successful design and builder means shovels will be in the ground later this year. Congratulations to everyone involved," said Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta at a news conference on June 15, 2017. "Arup has a proven track record for successfully delivering integrated, cost-effective, and complex healthcare projects around the world," said Bill Scrantom, healthcare leader for Arup Americas. "This project is a fantastic opportunity to bring this expertise to Alberta; it has been the catalyst to further grow our operations in the Province." As the prime consultant for the Bridging Consultant team, Arup has supported Alberta Infrastructure from pre-procurement, providing expertise on all aspects of engineering, master planning, architecture, traffic and transport, IT, medical planning, medical equipment, furniture planning, and technical specialties. "This is a challenging and exciting project for Arup and we are successfully collaborating with all parties involved to develop a new comprehensive cancer care centre that will bring long-lasting benefits to patients, their families, and the wider community," said Katie Wood, Arup project director. Several firms have joined the Arup team on the project. All master planning and bridging architecture services are provided by Calgary-based Marshall Tittemore Architects (MTa), with specialist healthcare architecture support from HKS. Design-build, contract administration inputs, and equipment planning is provided by Colliers Project Leaders. Arup's healthcare projects are global in scope, and include Kaiser Permanente San Diego Central Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center Campus Transformation, numerous projects for Cedars-Sinai, University of California San Francisco Mission Bay campus hospital, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Francis Crick Institute in the UK, and the National Paediatric Hospital in Dublin. Additionally, the firm has provided bridging consultancy services for the Royal Jubilee Hospital Patient Care Centre in British Columbia, UCLH Macmillan Cancer Centre and Pembury PFI Hospital in the UK, and the New Royal Adelaide PPP Hospital in Australia. About Arup The preeminent provider of engineering, consulting, and design services in the built environment, Arup aims to do the best quality work across diverse specialties to deliver value to its clients and achieve a positive impact on our world. The firm opened its first North American office over 30 years ago and its first Canadian office in 1999, and now employs 1,300 people in the Americas. Since its founding in 1946, members of Arup have developed transformative ways of working with its clients. The firm's unique version of employee-ownership promotes long-term thinking and significant investment in research and innovation for the benefit of its clients. For additional information, visit Arup's website at www.arup.com and the online magazine of Arup in the Americas at doggerel.arup.com. Contact: Ioana Botzoman [email protected] 646.661.2111 Contact: Rebecca Maloney [email protected] 617.412.6632 SOURCE Arup Related Links http://www.arup.com DRESHER, Pa., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascensus, a technology and solutions provider that helps more than 7 million Americans save for the future, has announced the acquisition of independently owned Retirement Plan Administrative Service, Ltd. (RPAS), an actuarial, consulting, and administrative services firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia that specializes in qualified plan design, installation, government compliance, and administration. RPAS, which will become a part of the Ascensus Consulting line of business, provides services that are designed to help plan sponsors maximize the value of their retirement plan. Established in 1981, the firm maintains the highest level of technical and quality control standards while emphasizing responsive and personalized service. Because RPAS is fully independent from investments, it can offer each of its clients a variety of service options based on an employer's business needs and goals. In addition, the firm has a long history of administering Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). "RPAS is recognized as a premier administration firm for qualified retirement plans," states Shannon Kelly, Ascensus' president of retirement. "This acquisition is in line with our goal of aggressively expanding our Ascensus Consulting business as well as Ascensus overall. I'm pleased to welcome RPAS' clients and associates to Ascensus Consulting and am excited to add ESOP services to our product offering." "Becoming part of Ascensus Consulting and gaining access to its resources will allow us to provide the best possible plan design and operation while remaining committed to personal service," says Burl V. Bachman, president of RPAS. "Our clients can rest assured in the knowledge that we'll continue to always act in their best interests and maintain loyal relationships that are based on trust and integrity." About Ascensus Ascensus helps more than 7 million Americans save for the futureretirement, college, and healthcarethrough technology and service solutions. With more than 35 years of experience, the firm offers tailored solutions that meet the needs of banks, credit unions, states, governments, financial professionals, employers, and individuals. Ascensus supports approximately 50,000 retirement plans, more than 4 million 529 college savings accounts, and a growing number of ABLE savings accounts. It also administers more than 1.5 million IRAs and health savings accounts. For more information about Ascensus, visit www.ascensus.com. View career opportunities at careers.ascensus.com or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ascensus. For the latest company news, follow @AscensusInc on Twitter. SOURCE Ascensus Related Links https://www.ascensus.com SINGAPORE, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has been selected by Asiana Airlines to supply the required power to start an aircraft's main engines and run air conditioning while the plane is on the ground for a more comfortable passenger onboarding experience. With Honeywell's auxiliary power units, Asiana Airlines can also improve operational performance and lower maintenance costs over the life cycle of its fleet to achieve significant fuel savings year over year. An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a critical aircraft component that provides primary or backup electrical power for environmental, cockpit and hydraulic systems during flight. Honeywell will supply its 131-9A APUs to 74 Asiana Airlines aircraft, of which 49 will be retrofitted on the airline's existing Airbus A320ceo (current engine option) and A321ceo fleet, and the remaining 25 on its new Airbus A321neo fleet. Known for its reliability, the 131-9A series helps reduce delays and flight cancellations to keep airlines on schedule and ensure their passengers reach their destinations on time. The retrofit program for the Airbus A320ceo and A321ceo fleet will run from 2017 until 2020, while delivery for the new Airbus A321neo fleet is scheduled from 2019 until 2025. "As demand for air travel in the Asia Pacific region increases, it is crucial for airlines to remain competitive by balancing a smooth, on-time flight experience for passengers with reduced operational costs to boost the bottom line," said Dong-Jun Shin, general manager, Aircraft & Supplies Purchasing, Asiana Airlines. "We are confident that Honeywell, which has more than 50 years of proven reliability developing APUs, will help us achieve this balance." "In today's highly competitive airline industry, companies like Asiana Airlines need to increase the cost efficiency of maintenance services, while ensuring safety and reliability are not compromised," said Brian Davis, vice president, Airlines, Asia Pacific, Honeywell Aerospace. "We are committed to understanding our customers' specific challenges, and we are confident that our 131-9A APUs will help Asiana Airlines and others improve their fleet availability." Honeywell will provide Asiana Airlines with a global network of maintenance services from its local customer support team based in South Korea, together with an established APU maintenance facility in Singapore that has a strong, longstanding relationship with Asiana Airlines. In March 2017, Airbus designated the Honeywell 131-9A APU as standard equipment for its A320 family of aircraft. Honeywell's APU is now recognized as the gold standard for the A320 family. About Honeywell APUs Honeywell invented the first APU in 1948 and is still the largest producer of gas turbine engines globally. The company has produced more than 95,000 APUs and has more than 36,000 in service today across more than 150 regional, executive, commercial and military applications, including both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Honeywell recently shipped its 5,000th 131-9A APU. This puts the number of production APUs from the 131-9 family at more than 11,000 units, with more than 100 million total flight hours. The 131-9 series APU has been selected by airlines for the majority of narrow-body aircraft and features a unique electronic control box that integrates advanced, plain-English troubleshooting logic and health-monitoring capabilities for intuitive maintenance. This helps increase its already proven reliability to reduce delays and flight cancellations, allowing airlines to stay on schedule so their passengers can reach their destinations on time. Supporting Resources Read more about Asiana Airlines Read more about Honeywell's 131 series of APUs Read more about Honeywell Aerospace on the Follow The Aero blog Like Honeywell Aerospace on Facebook Follow @Honeywell_Aero on Twitter Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft, and its turbochargers are used by nearly every automaker and truck manufacturer around the world. The Aerospace business unit develops innovative solutions for more fuel-efficient automobiles and airplanes, more direct and on-time flights, safer flying and runway traffic, along with aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity services, logistics, and more. The business delivers safer, faster, and more efficient and comfortable transportation-related experiences worldwide. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero and @Honeywell_Turbo. Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. SOURCE Honeywell Related Links http://www.honeywell.com The report "Automotive Relay Market by Type (PCB, Plug-In, High Volt, Protective, Time), Load & Application (Door Lock, Power Window, Sunroof, Power Seat, EPS, Lighting, Fuel Injection, AC, Starter, Horn, Wiper), ICE & EV, and 48V Relay Market - Global Forecast to 2022" , published by MarketsandMarkets, the Automotive Relay Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.20% during the forecast period, to reach a market size of USD 16.75 Billion by 2022. The key factors driving the market are increasing demand for vehicle electrification and increasing sales of electric and hybrid vehicles, leading to increased demand for high voltage relays. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 108 market data tables and 57 figures spread through 197 pages and in-depth TOC on "Automotive Relay Market - Global Forecast to 2022" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automotive-relay-switche-market-13970338.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) segment is estimated to hold the largest market in the Electric Vehicle relay market The HEV segment is estimated to hold the largest market size in the electric vehicle relay market in 2017. HEVs have a combustion engine in addition to the electric motor and battery. On the other hand, in a BEV, the combustion engine gets replaced with an electric motor. Hence, in HEVs, the normal electronic applications will continue to exist along with a few additional electronic applications. Hence, the number of relays will increase in HEVs as compared to BEVs and PHEVs. The relays employed in electric vehicles have different voltage levels, with the power rating ranging from 1kW to 5kW depending on the application. For instance, in ICE passenger car, alternator was used to supply 12V power supply. On the other hand, in EVs and HEVs, this is performed by DC-DC converter with the help of high voltage batteries. Thus, the technical specifications will have a major influence in HEVs and EVs. Make an Inquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=13970338 LCV is estimated to be the fastest growing vehicle segment in the Automotive Relay Market The LCV relay segment is projected to grow at the fastest growth rate during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022. The North America region is estimated to witness a high growth in LCV production. In the U.S., the LCV production is projected to increase from 3.3 million units in 2017 to 4.4 million units by 2022. OEMs are focused on adding premium electronic features in LCVs, which influences the relay market for LCV segment. The adoption of applications such as HVAC, sunroof, starter motor, power seats, door lock, and others is also increasing at high growth rates. Hence, the relay market for this vehicle segment is estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=13970338 Asia-Oceania region is estimated to be the leading market for automotive relay Asia-Oceania is estimated to dominate the Automotive Relay Market, as the region represents countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and India with the world's highest vehicle production. According to the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA) publication, these countries together contributed ~53% to the global vehicle production in 2016. Additionally, countries like China and India have become manufacturing hubs for automobiles. China's initiative to reduce sales tax for passenger vehicles is expected to expand the overall volume of vehicle production by 15%-16% in 2016. India is also expected to be the fastest growing market due to increasing disposable income of people. The light vehicle sales in India showed a positive development in the second quarter of 2016, and new models and compact SUVs are driving the demand for vehicles. Increased sales would influence the Automotive Relay Market. The key automotive relay manufacturers profiled in the report include TE Connectivity (Switzerland), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), Denso Corporation (Japan), Omron Corporation (U.S.), and American Zettler (U.S.). The automotive relay components are supplied to major OEMs in the automotive industry such as Volkswagen (Germany), Nissan (Japan), Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan), Honda Motor Co. Ltd (Japan), and others. Browse related reports: Vehicle Electrification Market by Product (Start-Stop, PTC, EPS, Electric Air-Conditioner, ISG, Starter Motor, Alternator, Actuator, Electric Pump-Vacuum, Oil & Water), 48V Mild-Hybrid, Degree of Hybridization, and Vehicle Type - Global Forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/vehicle-electrification-market-224946587.html Automotive Actuators Market by Vehicle, Application, Off-Highway Vehicles, Electric Vehicle, Product (Wastegate, VGT, Throttle, Brake, EGR, Power Seat, Grille Shutter, HVAC, Headlamp, and Piezoelectric), and Region - Global forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automotive-actuators-market-166095652.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. 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. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets'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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets 701 Pike Street Suite 2175, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Blog: http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/automotive-and-transportation Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BEARPAW, a leader in fashion footwear for men, women and children, is partnering with the Ticket To Dream Foundation to host the Back To School Bash for ninety-five local foster children and their families at Safetyville USA in Sacramento, California. "We are so excited to partner with the Ticket To Dream foundation again as BEARPAW is not only committed to providing footwear for those in need, we are committed to helping children build a solid foundation for their future through education," says John Pierce, President of BEARPAW. The Back To School Bash will take place on July 16th between 11:00AM and 3:00PM at Safetyville USA. Nestled in the heart of Sacramento, the event location is a miniature city designed to provide an interactive educational environment for children. Attendees will participate in a variety of fun-filled activations throughout the day including a bouncy house, arts and crafts, face painting, and a cotton candy station. Additionally, the children will enjoy a complimentary shopping experience during which they will receive BEARPAW shoes and backpacks filled with school supplies. The students will range from kindergartners to 6th graders. An estimated 300 attendees including volunteers are expected to participate in the celebration. This is the second partnership between BEARPAW and the Ticket To Dream Foundation. BEARPAW also partners with the non-profit for their (Boot For Boot) holiday campaign to provide shoes for foster kids in need across North America. ABOUT THE TICKET TO DREAM FOUNDATION: The Ticket to Dream Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to provide hope and opportunity to foster children across the nation, so they can just be kids. Joining forces with local companies, communities and non-profits they work to ensure foster children have essentials like school supplies, properly fitting clothing and shoes and holiday gifts. The fund vital support services and enriching life experiences that allow foster children to heal and grow into their full potential. www.tickettodream.org ABOUT BEARPAW: Tom Romeo founded the BEARPAW brand in 2001 with the intention of redefining casual footwear by creating comfortable, stylish and fashion forward footwear. BEARPAW has carved out a niche area by providing customers with comfort and sensibility to set itself apart. From slippers to boots to casual footwear, only the finest materials are used to produce BEARPAW Footwear. By using the highest standards of craftsmanship BEARPAW can deliver the most stylish footwear while ensuring complete comfort. BEARPAW is available at Macy's, Famous Footwear and DSW. www.bearpaw.com . Media Contact: Crevante Proctor / Fingerprint Communications 310.276.7500 / [email protected] SOURCE BEARPAW Related Links http://www.bearpaw.com The Greater Boston Food Bank is one of nine food banks to benefit from BJ's Charitable Foundation's $1 million donation to Feeding America , the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. BJ's $1 million donation to Feeding America is the foundation's largest single donation to any organization to date. "BJ's is bringing a fresh approach to nourishing communities and helping families thrive, and we're proud to support The Greater Boston Food Bank," said Kirk Saville, executive director of the BJ's Charitable Foundation. "No one should have to worry about where to get their next meal, and we know that food banks face challenges in storing and distributing perishable foods. Our strategic partnership with Feeding America is focused on building capacity for fresh food at local food banks so we can work together to put an end to hunger in our communities." Last year, The Greater Boston Food Bank distributed more than 48 million healthy meals through its network of 530 partner food pantries, meal programs and shelters in 190 cities and towns throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Nearly 30 percent of the food GBFB distributes is fresh fruits and vegetables, and half is perishable including eggs, milk, juice, and meat. BJ's $100,000 grant to GBFB's capacity program will help 10 of its partner food pantries purchase walk-in refrigerators and freezers, commercial-size refrigerators and freezers, and refrigerated vehicles. With these assets, the food bank's partners will have the basic equipment necessary to safely store and distribute perishable foods, specifically fresh produce, to their clients in need. "One in ten people in Eastern Massachusetts struggles on a day-to-day basis to have enough healthy food to eat; one in eight is a child," said Catherine D'Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. "With BJ's generous donation, GBFB will be able to expand capacity throughout our network, enabling us to grow the volume of healthy foods we distribute and helping us to end hunger here." Since 2009, BJ's has provided ongoing support to Feeding America through the BJ's Charitable Foundation and BJ's Feeding Communities program, helping local food banks successfully expand their programs to reach wider and more diverse audiences. In addition to capacity building grants from the BJ's Charitable Foundation, BJ's has secured over 50 million pounds of donated food, including fresh produce, frozen meats and fish, baked goods and dairy items through the BJ's Feeding Communities program. To learn more about the BJ's Charitable Foundation and its Feeding Communities Program, visit bjs.com/charity. To learn more about The Greater Boston Food Bank, visit GBFB.orghttp://www.lowcountryfoodbank.org/. About BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is the leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. The company currently operates 215 clubs and 132 BJ's Gas locations in 16 states. BJ's provides a one-stop shopping destination filled with top-quality, leading brands, including its exclusive Wellsley Farms and Berkley Jensen brands, along with USDA Choice meats, premium produce and delicious organics, many in supermarket sizes. BJ's is also the only major membership warehouse club to accept all manufacturers' coupons and, for greater convenience, offers the most payment options. Visit www.BJs.com, and for exclusive content find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. BJ's is wholly owned by affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners, CVC Capital Partners and its management team. About The Greater Boston Food Bank The Greater Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. GBFB provides the equivalent of nearly 48 million healthy meals annually distributed through its network of 530 member agencies in the 190 cities and towns across Eastern Massachusetts. GBFB operates four direct service programs at nearly 70 sites throughout the area. A member of Feeding America, the nation's food bank network, GBFB serves more than 140,000 people every month in its mission to create a hunger-free Eastern Massachusetts. For more information, visit us at GBFB.org, become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank), or call us at 617.427.5200. About Feeding America Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the Unites States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club Related Links http://www.bjs.com LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- QinetiQ's data security company Boldon James, the leading specialist provider of data classification and secure messaging solutions, today announced the launch of SharePoint Classifier 3.10. This latest version of the SharePoint Classifier product offers enhanced functionality for SharePoint users, but most importantly extends classification support to organisations using SharePoint Online as part of their Office 365 strategy - a first for any classification solution provider. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160923/411274LOGO ) According to a recent study of SharePoint users, cloud-based collaboration has become increasingly popular, with 61% of organisations running either a full cloud or hybrid SharePoint environment[1]. However, of those surveyed, the primary reason still preventing organisations moving their on-premise SharePoint environment to the Cloud was the associated security concerns (36%). SharePoint Classifier 3.10 ensures the persistent application of data protection measures based on classification, facilitating safer sharing and collaboration with a Cloud environment. The release of SharePoint Classifier 3.10 has been developed as a result of Boldon James' long-standing partnership with Microsoft, together with the increased customer uptake of Office 365. According to a recent Forrester Wave Report on Enterprise Content Management - Business Content Services "Microsoft's launch of SharePoint 2016 and ongoing investment into Office 365 and SharePoint Online has proved to be a significant catalyst in enterprises' decisions to move their enterprise content to Cloud services." The release confirms Boldon James as the most comprehensive data classification solution in the market today, adding to existing unique offerings including coverage for Microsoft Office for Mac, IBM Notes and CAD applications such as AutoDesk AutoCAD and DraftSight. In summary, SharePoint Classifier 3.10 delivers the following features: Support s SharePoint Online (Office 365) and on-premise SharePoint Fosters user awareness of data sensitivity Ensures document libraries contain only permitted files Enables s afer collaboration and sharing of sensitive documents Quarantine s prohibited documents using relocation or change of permissions Simplifies classification of multiple files Applies persistent metadata classification labels to drive other security and data management solutions Shares a common classification user experience with all other Classifier products Employs unified administration alongside other Classifier products -------------------------------------------------- 1. Global SharePoint Study by Sharegate, Hyperfish & Nintex (Nov 2016) Commenting on the launch, Martin Sugden, CEO at Boldon James, said "The launch of SharePoint Classifier 3.10 bolsters our position as the leading data classification solution provider. Our team continue to develop leading edge classification products to equip organisations to identify and control their sensitive data across the widest range of productivity applications, platforms and operating systems." Sugden continues "Supported by our class-leading technology platform and coupled with best-of-breed technology partnerships in areas such as DLP, Data Discovery and Cloud Security, Boldon James continues to be the partner of choice in delivering innovative and specialist data classification solutions to provide our customers with competitive advantage". About Boldon James For 30 years, Boldon James has been a leader in data classification and secure messaging solutions, helping organisations manage and protect sensitive information securely and in compliance with legislation and standards, in some of the most complex and demanding messaging environments in the world. Boldon James is a wholly-owned subsidiary of QinetiQ plc, with offices worldwide. http://www.boldonjames.com About QinetiQ A FTSE250 company, QinetiQ uses its world class knowledge, research and innovation to provide high-end technical expertise and advice, to customers in the global aerospace, defence and security markets. Visit the website at http://www.QinetiQ.com Media Contacts: Georgina Stockley PR Team E: [email protected] T: +44(0)1270-507800 SOURCE Boldon James GOLDEN, Colo., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Market, the rotisserie cooking and contemporary home style meal experts, is supporting Fisher House Foundation this Fourth of July to serve the families of our nation's heroes. For every Oven-Crisp Chicken Strips Individual Meal purchased on Tuesday, July 4, 2017, Boston Market will prepare, donate and deliver a home style meal to a Fisher House family throughout the month (up to 1,000 total meals). Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of comfort homes Fisher Houses where military and veterans' families can stay at no cost while their loved ones are receiving treatment at a military or veterans' hospital. The Foundation ensures the families never pay a lodging fee, and since its inception, the program has saved these deserving families more than $360 million in lodging and transportation costs throughout all stages of hospitalization and recovery from illness, disease or injury. "For all of us at Boston Market, there is simply no greater honor than being able to serve the families of the courageous men and women who so bravely serve our country," stated Boston Market CEO, George Michel, also known as "The Big Chicken." "We're honored to support an incredible organization like Fisher House Foundation to help our nation's heroes and their loved ones when they need it most." "Fisher Houses are built thanks to support from the community. It's what we do together that makes the greatest impact," said Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. "The July Fourth promotion at Boston Market is just one more way Americans can say thank you to our military, veterans and their families." Boston Market restaurants currently operate on 16 U.S. military bases throughout the country; there are currently 72 Fisher Houses located in 28 states and Europe. The "Stars & Strips" promotion will take place on Tuesday, July 4, at participating Boston Market locations nationwide. For additional information on the Boston Market or Fisher House Foundation, visit BostonMarket.com, FisherHouse.org or follow @BostonMarket on Twitter or Facebook. About Boston Market Boston Market Corporation, headquartered in Golden, Colorado, has given time back to busy families and individuals for more than 30 years with quality, home style meals at a convenient value in more than 450 U.S. locations. The expert in rotisserie cooking, Boston Market prepares its fresh chicken and all natural turkey in signature rotisserie ovens and features an extensive selection of home style sides and made-from-scratch cornbread. As one of the country's largest providers of catering services, Boston Market offers convenient, same-day orders and delivery for corporate and personal events of all sizes. In January 2017, Boston Market officially launched its "Quality Guarantee," which acts as a continued commitment to all guests that Boston Market will serve all-natural and fresh, never frozen, gluten-free, whole chicken with no added hormones, steroids, antibiotics or MSG. For more information, visit the company's website at www.bostonmarket.com. For the latest news and deals, follow @bostonmarket on Twitter or join us on Facebook. About Fisher House Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans' families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans' families an estimated $360+ million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans. www.fisherhouse.org Media Contact Seth Grugle, ICR 646-277-1200 [email protected] SOURCE Boston Market Related Links http://www.bostonmarket.com After independently benchmarking the technology, Brandwatch found its Image Insights technology is 3x more accurate, and collects 10x more coverage* than the closest competitor. Brandwatch Image Insights is the first technology of its kind in the social intelligence industry. "Brandwatch Image Insights takes social intelligence far beyond the confines of text-only social analytics," said Jose Luis Cruz Tijerina, Head of Social, PepsiCo. "With this new technology we can dive into a more authentic view of our customers and their relationship with our products and brands, especially their after-purchase experience. Brandwatch is helping us uncover a more complete picture of the online conversation, allowing us to get closer to our customers." With 3.2 billion images shared online each day**, understanding the 'visual age' is paramount. Image Insights provides brands and agencies the best option to analyze this data. Brandwatch's accurate image recognition and logo detection technology means customers are 3x less likely to see spam or duplicates in their data set. It also collects up to 10x more data. The technology picks up logos no matter where they are on an image, whether it's on a t-shirt, billboard or even in a tattoo. "If you want access to image analyses and detection, without worrying about data quality and quantity, then Brandwatch Image Insights is the solution for you," said Caspar Atkinson, Chief Product Officer at Brandwatch. "Image Insights is the result of 18 months of meticulous development work, and we're proud to release a truly groundbreaking product." To learn more about Brandwatch Image Insights and see it in action for yourself, head here. In our most recent customer survey, 95% of respondents disclosed that they think Brandwatch technology is superior to their last social intelligence platform. Discover how you can do more with your business data. About Brandwatch Brandwatch is the world's leading social intelligence company. The company's flagship products, Brandwatch Analytics and the Vizia platform, fuel smarter decision making around the world. The Brandwatch Analytics platform gathers millions of online conversations every day and provides users with the tools to analyze them, empowering the world's most admired brands and agencies to make insightful, data-driven business decisions. The Vizia platform distributes visually-engaging insights to the physical places where the action happens. The Brandwatch platform is used by over 1,300 brands and agencies, including Unilever, American Airlines, Whirlpool, ASOS, Walmart, British Airways, and Dell. Brandwatch continues on its impressive business trajectory, recently named a global leader in enterprise social listening platforms by the latest reports from several independent research firms. Increasing its worldwide presence, the company has offices around the world including Brighton, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Stuttgart, Paris and Singapore. Brandwatch. Now You Know. www.brandwatch.com |@Brandwatch |press office |contact *Independent research conducted by LogoGrab. **Statistic from http://www.kpcb.com/blog/2016-internet-trends-report. Contact: Dinah Alobeid, 1-917-846-2381 [email protected] SOURCE Brandwatch Related Links http://www.brandwatch.com Running through Miller's distinctive catalog is a combination of virtuosity and song craft. His parents were jazz aficionados - not to mention close friends of Les Paul and Mary Ford - so, as a budding guitarist, Miller absorbed valuable lessons from that musical tradition. When the family moved to Texas, Miller deepened his education in the blues, eventually moving to Chicago, where he played with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and Paul Butterfield. Steve Miller was a mainstay of the San Francisco music scene that upended American culture in the late '60s. The Steve Miller Band released two LPs on Capitol Records in 1968: Children of the Future, and Sailor which included "Living in the U.S.A.," which became a staple on the new rock radio format. Next came, Brave New World, the band's third album and included the hit "Space Cowboy," and "My Dark Hour," which Miller recorded in London with fellow label-mate, Paul McCartney, who is credited as Paul Ramon. He later repurposed that song's catchy guitar riff for the title track to "Fly Like an Eagle." After the band's next few albums, Your Saving Grace (1969), Rock Love (1971), Recall The Beginning (1972), Number 5 (1970), Miller made some changes to the band, went to Los Angeles and produced his own record in 19 days. That album was The Joker. The title track became a Number One worldwide smash hit. Miller had crafted a brand of pure pop that was polished, exciting and irresistible that dominated radio in a way that few artists have ever managed. His next two albums, Fly Like an Eagle (1976) and Book of Dreams (1977), both went multiplatinum, and the hits they generated are among the most recognizable songs in pop music history. Hit followed hit in what seemed like an endless flow: "Take The Money and Run," "Rock'n Me," "Fly Like an Eagle," "Jet Airliner" and "Jungle Love," and "Swingtown" to name a few. In 1978, Capitol released Greatest Hits 197478, which has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide. Miller's had a worldwide hit with "Abracadabra," the title track of his 1982 album and in 1986, a #1 Billboard's Rock Album Tracks with "I Want To Make the World Turn Around." To this day, his songs are instantly recognizable when they come on the radio their hooks are the very definition of indelible. In recent years, Miller has immersed himself in the blues once again. And, as always, whether he was riding the top of the charts or exploring the blue highways of American music, he is playing and singing with conviction and precision, passion and eloquence. At this stage of his life, in 2017, Miller feels more fulfilled than ever. He recently moved to New York, where he is on the Board of Jazz at Lincoln Center and on the Board for the Metropolitan Museum's Musical Instruments collection. And, of course, he continues to record and is currently on tour. Stevemillerband.com SOURCE UMe Related Links http://stevemillerband.com/ NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today the opening of its newest corporate-owned location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Located at 5131 Government Street, the new restaurant marks the brand's second location in Greater Baton Rouge and the ninth in the state, and has created more than two-dozen jobs in the community. Captain D's Greater Baton Rouge continues to be a development market for Captain D's as it seeks to expand its presence throughout the region. The brand recently opened a new restaurant in Zachary earlier this month, with two additional locations under construction in Denham Springs and Hammond, which are slated to open this fall. The new Baton Rouge restaurant is 2800 square feet, with a drive-thru, and showcases the brand's most recent beach design. "Captain D's strong performance and continued growth has allowed us to invest company capital in select markets, like Baton Rouge, which have tremendous potential for our brand," said Michael Arrowsmith, chief development officer for Captain D's. "Captain D's is one of the industry's leaders in offering high quality, better-for-you dining options, and our commitment to delivering an exceptional experience is a driving force behind our extensive growth. We look forward to continuing our expansion throughout Louisiana." The opening of this new restaurant in Baton Rouge furthers the success Captain D's experienced in 2016, as the brand achieved its sixth consecutive year of same store sales increases and fourth successive year of record high system-wide average unit volume (AUV). This ongoing success has propelled Captain D's franchise expansion, with agreements signed to open an additional 25 new restaurants in states across the country including Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Virginia. Coupled with its ongoing menu innovation, Captain D's credits its new restaurant beach design with contributing to the brand's ongoing strong performance. To date, nearly 60 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand's new vibrant, coastal design, with another 50 locations to be remodeled by the end of this year. With these efforts, Captain D's has remained true to what it does best serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere. With 521 restaurants in 21 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-550-4877. ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has 521 restaurants in 21 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for more than 47 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature hand-battered fish, which is cooked to order. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, and surf and turf, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com. Contact: Caitlin Willard Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Captain D's Related Links http://www.captainds.com THE WOODLANDS, Texas, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CB&I (NYSE:CBI) today announced it has been awarded a technology contract by Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex LLC (SGCC) for a grassroots ethylene complex to be built in southern Uzbekistan. The scope of work includes the license and basic engineering of an ethylene unit, which will use four proprietary SRT heaters, a Hexene-1 unit and a polypropylene unit. The Hexene-1 unit will use CB&I's Comonomer Production Technology for the production of Hexene-1 from low-cost C 4 s, and the polypropylene unit will use CB&I's Novolen gas-phase polypropylene technology for the production of full range polypropylene products. "CB&I looks forward to providing multiple technologies to SGCC's complex," said Daniel M. McCarthy, CB&I's Executive Vice President of Technology. "This is the second ethylene unit supplied to the complex, which reinforces our presence in central Asia and illustrates how our breadth of technologies can be packaged to deliver a complete solution to our customers through a single point of contact." Uzbekistan made the strategic decision to use a synthetic naphtha product from its Gas-to-Liquids plant located in the Kashkadarya region for the production of olefins, which can then be used for the production of high-value polymer products. About CB&I CB&I (NYSE:CBI) is a leading provider of technology and infrastructure for the energy industry. With more than 125 years of experience, CB&I provides reliable solutions to our customers around the world while maintaining a relentless focus on safety and an uncompromising standard of quality. For more information, visit www.CBI.com. Important Information For Investors And Shareholders Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding CB&I and represents our expectations and beliefs concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. When considering any statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or use or contain words, terms, phrases or expressions such as "achieve," "forecast," "plan," "propose," "strategy," "envision," "hope," "will," "continue," "potential," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "should," "could," "may," "might" or similar forward-looking statements, we refer you to the cautionary statements concerning risk factors and "Forward-Looking Statements" described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our Annual Report filed on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the year ended December 31, 2016, and any updates to those risk factors or "Forward-Looking Statements" included in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, which cautionary statements are incorporated herein by reference. Investors: Scott Lamb, +1 832 513 1068, [email protected] Media: Gentry Brann, +1 832 513 1031, [email protected] SOURCE CB&I Related Links http://www.cbi.com SAN GABRIEL, California, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) ("CIIX" or the "Company"), the premier financial information website for Chinese-speaking investors, today announces that its wholly-owned foreign enterprise, CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd., will officially launch its first line of non-industrial hemp infused skin care products, the "CBD Magic Hemp Series." The product line will include four products, namely, CBD BIO TECH Toner, CBD BIO TECH Rejuvenating Cream, CBD BIO TECH Perfecting Shield Primer and CBD BIO TECH Rejuvenating Spray. Air pollution is a concern for many people, especially in heavily populated cities, and the effects of such pollution on our health appear to have intensified. The air is filled with a variety of pollutants including cigarette smoke, car exhaust, smog, dirt, dust, and other particulates that contribute to mitochondrial oxidative stress which promotes the production of free radicals that have been linked to premature aging. Clinical studies found that women who live in urban areas with high levels of pollution had a 22 percent increase in pigmented spots and significantly more coarse wrinkling. Some dermatologists contend that medicinal ingredients in cannabis offer the potential to make skin look younger. Specifically, cannabinoids are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Moreover, the endocannabinoid system consists of many cannabinoid receptors, and a large portion of these are found in the skin. Although cannabis is still illegal in China, Cannabis Sativa Leaf Extract can legally be added to skin care products. A catalogue provided by the China Food and Drug Administration entitled "Catalogue of Cosmetics Raw Materials in Use (2015)" includes Cannabis Sativa Leaf Extract. The new skin care line is expected to be launched in the third calendar quarter of 2017. CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd. plans to use multiple sales channels to implement its sales plan including Tmall, TaoBao, the Company's official website, broadcasting platforms of internet celebrities, mobile news applications, and a multi-level direct selling system in cooperation with Shangdong Yibao Biologics Co. Ltd. "Following the launch of OptHemp Ultra Premium Hemp Oil by CIIX's wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, ChineseHempOil.com, Inc., I am very pleased to announce the launch of CBD Biotechnology Co., Ltd. non-industrial hemp infused skin care line," says Summer Yun, CEO of CBD Biotechnology Co., Ltd. "CBD Biotechnology Co., Ltd. will be one of the first companies in China to incorporate hemp-based CBD into skin care products, which we believe will spark public interest. "An estimated 55,700 metric tons of industrial hemp are produced around the world each year with China, Russia, and South Korea leading in production, accounting for 70 percent of the world's industrial hemp supply. Although China is one of the leading producers of industrial hemp, the benefits to the human body have not yet been widely recognized in mainland China," says Yun. "As one of the companies company to introduce a skin care line infused with hemp-based CBD to China, CIIX looks forward to educating the almost 1.4 billion people in China about the benefits of hemp-based CBD and the positive effects it can have on the largest, visible human organ - the skin!" About ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) Founded in 1999, ChineseInvestors.com endeavors to be an innovative company providing: (a) real-time market commentary, analysis, and educational related services in Chinese language character sets (traditional and simplified); (b) advertising and public relation related support services; and (c) retail, online sales and direct sales of hemp-based products and other health related products. For more information visit ChineseInvestors.com Subscribe and watch our video commentaries: https://www.youtube.com/user/Chinesefncom Follow us on Twitter for real-time Company updates: https://twitter.com/ChineseFNEnglsh Like us on Facebook to receive live feeds: https://www.facebook.com/Chinesefncom Add us on WeChat: Chinesefn or download iPhone iOS App: Chinesefn. Forward-Looking Statements This 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. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Contact: ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. 227 W. Valley Blvd, #208 A San Gabriel, CA 91776 Investor Relations: Alan Klitenic +1-214-636-2548 Corporate Communications: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) New York, New York http://www.NetworkNewsWire.com +1-212-418-1217 Office [email protected] SOURCE ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. NORWICH, N.Y., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chobani LLC, maker of America's #1 Greek yogurt brand and the second largest overall yogurt manufacturer in the U.S., is revolutionizing the dairy aisle once again with Chobani Smooth, the company's first foray into non-Greek, classic yogurt. "As a food maker, it's important to me that we're giving families across America better options that are delicious and accessible," said Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO, Chobani. "With Chobani Smooth, we're bringing craftmanship back to traditional yogurt with a product that has less sugar and more protein than most of the options out there and no artificial sweeteners or flavors. This is what Chobani has stood for since day one, and now we're giving people a delicious, natural option in another section of the dairy aisle." Over half (58%)i of other traditional yogurts in the dairy aisle today contain artificial sweeteners and/or artificial flavors, making Chobani Smooth truly uniqueand needed. Last year alone, nearly 2 million households left that categoryii because they could not find options that were right for themnamely a product that's affordable, has less sugar and is made with only natural ingredients. Chobani Smooth is a delicious, low-fat (1-1.5%) classic yogurt with 25% less sugar and twice the protein of other traditional yogurts.iii Chobani Smooth is made by lightly straining the yogurt to keep the protein that's naturally found in milkusing a unique blend of live and active cultures and probioticswithout the tart taste and thicker texture typically found in strained yogurts. The yogurt is then blended with natural ingredients and real fruit or vanilla, depending on the flavor. Like all of Chobani's products, Chobani Smooth is made with only natural, non-GMO ingredients, real fruit, live and active cultures, and fresh milk from cows not treated with rBST.iv Chobani is the leading Greek yogurt brand in the U.S. accounting for 38% of all Greek yogurt sales.v The launch of Chobani Smooth follows other successful product launches by the company, including Drink Chobani in 2016, the company's first delicious, portable protein for smooth sipping, and Chobani "Flip" in 2014, which has been heralded as one of the fastest-growing innovations in the U.S. dairy aisle. Building on this momentum, Chobani is supporting the new launch of Chobani Smooth with disruptive packaging, targeted couponing, in-store support and a robust campaign across PR, digital and social channels. Quick Facts About Chobani Smooth Made with Only Natural, Non-GMO Ingredients Blended low-fat (1-1.5%), creamy yogurt with real fruit 25% less sugar than other traditional yogurts iii 2x more protein than other traditional yogurts iii No artificial ingredients Delicious Taste Five popular flavors: Peach, Strawberry, Vanilla, Blueberry and Black Cherry Smooth and creamy texture Mild taste, not tart Packaging, Variety & Availability Available in grocers nationwide starting in June Sold as convenient pack of two (5.3 ounces) cups Colorful billboard packaging placed in traditional yogurt section of dairy case MSRP: $1.79 For more information on Chobani, its beliefs, values and products, visit www.chobani.com. About Chobani Maker of America's No. 1selling Greek yogurt brand and the second largest yogurt manufacturer in the U.S., Chobani, LLC, was founded on the belief that people have great tastethey just need great options. Chobani produces high-quality authentic yogurt made with only natural, non-GMO ingredients from its plants in New Berlin, N.Y., Twin Falls, Idaho and South Victoria, Australia. Chobani is committed to using milk from regional farms and strengthening its surrounding local economies. Chobani gives a portion of its annual profits to charities worldwide through the company's charitable foundation. In 2017, Chobani was recognized by Fast Company as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in the world. All Chobani productsincluding Chobani Greek Yogurt, Chobani Smooth, Chobani "Flip", Drink Chobani, Chobani Tots, Chobani Kids and Chobani Simply 100are kosher certified, contain five live and active cultures and are made with milk from cows not treated with rBST.iv Chobani products are available nationwide in the U.S., Mexico and Australia, and in countries in Asia and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.chobani.com and www.facebook.com/chobani. Media Contact: Blair Aires / [email protected] / 212-364-8731 i Based on a competitive audit of the leading varieties of adult flavored regular yogurts obtained from Nielsen AOD (Latest 52 Wks - W/E 05/20/17). ii Nielsen Homescan Panel Facts 12.31.16. iii Chobani Smooth: 14g sugar, 11g protein; other traditional yogurts: 19g sugar, 5g protein, per 5.3oz serving. iv According to the FDA, no significant difference has been found between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows. v Nielsen last 13-week period ending 6/17/2017. SOURCE Chobani Related Links http://www.chobani.com ATLANTA, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Church's Chicken has turned in an impressive fundraising performance on behalf of No Kid Hungry. Last year's efforts earned the brand No Kid Hungry's Newcomer Award, and the 2017 results are delivering yet another record-setting total. This year, Church's will proudly help No Kid Hungry provide more than 3 million meals to kids in the United States, with a total fundraising tally of $352,299. "Our guests, team members and franchisees have shown a tremendous commitment to the communities and families we serve," said Georgia Margeson, Senior Director of Advertising at Church's Chicken and brand champion of the fundraising effort. "Everything we've achieved is because of their support, and we're deeply moved and honored to continue making a difference through our relationship with No Kid Hungry." From March 27 through April 23, all participating Church's restaurants also offered guests a coupon booklet with more than $20 in savings in return for a $1 donation to No Kid Hungry. Restaurants offered a Fill Your Plate, Fill Your Heart family meal for a special value price that also included a $1 donation. 100% of the proceeds from booklet sales and 100% of the $1 donation from the family meals goes directly to No Kid Hungry, a campaign that is ending childhood hunger by connecting children in need to programs like school breakfast and summer meals, and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable foods. Every dollar raised provides up to 10 meals for kids. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/onedollar. Participation Doubled Participation for the 2017 No Kid Hungry Fundraiser was nearly double that of the previous year, with 90% of participating restaurants selling at least 500 coupon booklets, and more than half of all participating restaurants selling 1000 coupon books or more. A few restaurants event achieved astounding sales of more than 10,000 coupon books: - Church's at 4525 North Belt West in Belleville, Illinois - Church's at 2601 State Street in East St. Louis, Illinois - Church's at 702 North Dal Paso Street in Hobbs, New Mexico "Church's has proven to be one of our most energetic and enthusiastic partners," said Kate Steele, Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships for No Kid Hungry. "They've shown that in creating the great chicken experiences guests love, they've also brought together communities that care about their neighbors, friends, and local children. We thank and applaud everyone who has supported this campaign for another year." About Church's Chicken Founded in San Antonio, TX in 1952 by George W. Church, Church's Chicken, along with its sister brand Texas Chicken outside of the Americas, is one of the largest quick service chicken restaurant chains in the world. The brands specialize in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church's Chicken and Texas Chicken have more than 1,600 locations in 27 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information, visit www.churchs.com. Follow Church's on Facebook at www.facebook.com/churchschicken and Twitter at www.twitter.com/churchschicken. About No Kid Hungry No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. Using proven, practical solutions, No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast, eat healthy summer meals, and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength. Join us at NoKidHungry.org Contact: Daniella Delgado 866.571.3449 [email protected] SOURCE Church's Chicken Related Links http://www.inklinkmarketing.com Dr. David Shih, one of CityMD's founders and current Executive Vice President of Strategy Health & Innovation, spearheaded CityMD's efforts to receive the UCAOA accreditation. "This prestigious accreditation, which is akin to the Joint Commission but specifically for urgent care centers, reinforces the practices and discipline we already have in place, while adding another element of trust with our patients as well as insurance companies," said Dr. Shih. "We are honored by this recognition and will proudly display the UCAOA logo at every CityMD location." "By achieving accreditation from the Urgent Care Association of American, CityMD demonstrates a commitment to excellence in areas meaningful to its patients, communities and employees," said Laurel Stoimenoff, CEO of the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA). "UCAOA Accreditation is only awarded to organizations who meet or exceed rigorous standards. These standards cast a wide net and address a variety of administrative and clinical areas that impact quality, safety and services provided. UCAOA Accreditation distinguishes CityMD as an organization that has chosen to excel and raise the bar." With its accreditation, CityMD and the Urgent Care Association of America demonstrate their commitment toward providing patients with convenient access to quality care of the highest level. About CityMD Founded in 2010 by a passionate group of emergency medicine physicians, CityMD's mission is to serve its communities by providing quality medical care through convenient access and an exceptional experience. The company's unwavering commitment to treating everyone with respect and genuine kindness while offering exceptional services and a cost-effective alternative to the ER, has enabled CityMD to grow from one Manhattan practice to more than 70 locations in the greater New York Metro Area and Seattle, Washington. To date, CityMD has treated over 5 million patients. For more information about CityMD and a list of locations, please visit CityMD.com. Follow CityMD on Facebook facebook.com/CityMD, Twitter @CityMD. and Instagram @CityMD Contact: CityMD: Sabrina Valvo Email: [email protected] Phone: 212-913-0828 X 10051 SOURCE CityMD Related Links https://www.citymd.com/ CHICAGO, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Codeverse, the world's first fully interactive coding studio for kids ages 6-12, will host a girls-only coding workshop, exclusive to Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. The workshop will take place at Codeverse's flagship studio at 819 W. Eastman Street in Lincoln Park on Friday, September 8. During the workshop, Girl Scouts will learn how to build an app or game in a fun, hands-on environment. Girl Scouts can interact with high-tech gadgets featured within the studio, including movable color-changing spotlights, 3D printers, robot arms, drones, and more. "We're delighted to partner with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana to bring the vital skill of coding to their members. It is imperative in our digital age to get young girls excited about STEM, and equip them with the technical skills needed for success," says Codeverse co-founder, Katy Lynch. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, women make up less than 25 percent of the STEM workforce in the U.S. Increasing girls' interest in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering is an important effort of the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, whose mission is to 'build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.' "We're committed to encouraging girls to develop the problem-solving skills that will empower them to tackle challenges in their communities, classrooms, careers and beyond," said Rose Coughlen, manager of STEAM programs for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. "We're excited to partner with Codeverse and help girls learn more about coding in an interactive space." The event on September 8 is $49 per Girl Scout, and is open to all 'Brownies' and 'Juniors.' A custom patch will be given exclusively to all Girl Scouts who complete the 75-minute workshop. Register for the workshop here. Registration closes on August 20, 2017. ABOUT CODEVERSE Codeverse is a fully-interactive coding school for children ages 6-12 with a mission to teach one billion children to code. Its first studio location opens in Lincoln Park in July. For more information, visit www.codeverse.com ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana impacts the lives of more than 52,000 girls. They serve 245 communities throughout the region as the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. For more information, visit www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org SOURCE Codeverse Related Links http://www.codeverse.com WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After more than three years leading Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP), CEO Karen Collishaw, has announced her resignation. The Board of Directors appreciate the contributions Karen has made to CHAP over her tenure and wish her the very best in her new endeavors. The CHAP Board has appointed its current Chairwoman, Barbara McCann, to the position of Interim President and CEO, effective July 3, 2017. In addition to serving as a Board member since 2013, Barbara brings the unique career experience of serving as both a provider and an accreditor of home and community-based services. Barbara's skills, expertise and integrity make her the perfect candidate to lead CHAP at this exciting time. Barbara is leaving Interim HealthCare Inc., a leading home care, hospice and medical staffing company, to lead the CHAP team. Over her 19-year tenure, she served as the Chief Clinical Officer, Compliance Officer, and most recently, Chief Industry Officer, bringing daily focus to the real-life challenges of providers facing regulation, audits, and quality based payment. Prior to joining Interim HealthCare, Barbara's broad experience included positions as the Executive Director of Health Plan Accreditation at the National Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association, and the VP of Quality at Caremark Inc. home infusion. Barbara began her career as a medical social worker making home visits to home health and hospice patients. She is Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. Barbara, the entire CHAP leadership team, and staff are excited to continue building upon CHAP's 52-year legacy of partnering with community based organizations across the country to define and advance the highest standards of patient care. CHAP is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body for home and community-based health care organizations. Founded in 1965, CHAP was the first accreditation organization to recognize the need and value for accreditation in community-based care. As a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)approved accrediting organization, CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice, and home medical equipment services to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and DMEPOS Quality Standards. CHAP's purpose is to define and advance the highest standards of community-based care. For more information about CHAP visit www.chapinc.org. SOURCE Community Health Accreditation Program Related Links http://www.chapinc.org WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "We are urging a medical doctor in any state to call us at 866-714-6466 if a blood testing lab is bribing local physicians to use their service. What we are talking about are kickback schemes where the doctor orders medically unnecessary blood work from a lab and lab essentially pays the doctor a fee. Frequently these tests are super expensive and incredibly profitable for the testing lab. Because these types of kickback schemes involve so much money the rewards for this type of information can be significant as we would like to discuss." http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com Stark Violations Recently the Department of Justice announced a national blood testing lab had agreed to pay $6 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging they violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to physicians and patients to induce the use of their blood testing services and by charging for medically unnecessary tests. According to the DOJ's complaint the blood testing company paid kickbacks to referring physicians disguised as "process and handling" fees. The complaint also alleged the company paid kickbacks to patients by routinely waiving co-payments owed by certain patients who were legally required to pay for part of their tests. Allegedly the company paid the kickbacks to induce both the physicians and patients who received them to choose their testing lab over other laboratories. In this instance-the whistleblower's settlement has not yet been announced but it is expected to be over a million dollars. The Corporate Whistleblower Center is Urging a Medical Doctor to Call Them About Potential Rewards If They Can Prove the Following: A pharmaceutical company is paying off medical doctors with speaking fees, vacations, process/handling fees or consulting fees to over prescribe a drug or medication. A hospital is illegally compensating a physician for referrals. Nursing home operators are receiving kickbacks from a hospital for Medicare patient admissions. According to the Corporate Whistleblower Center, "We are certain there are medical doctors in every state who possess this type of information or have knowledge of these types of practices. This information can be incredibly profitable as we would like to discuss anytime at 866-714-6466. Why sit on a potentially winning lotto ticket without ever discovering what it might be worth?" http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistleblower Center: Do not go to the government first if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Major whistleblowers frequently go to the government thinking they will help. It's a huge mistake. Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Public revelation of a whistleblower's information could destroy any prospect for a reward. Do not try to force a company or individual to come clean Stark anti-kickback laws. Come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think it's sufficient, we will help find the right law firms to assist in advancing your information." The Corporate Whistleblower Center wants to emphasize there are high quality whistleblowers in every state including California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, or Alaska. The Corporate Whistleblower Center is the premier advocate for whistleblowers in the United States. Unlike any group in the US, they can assist a potential whistleblower with packaging their information and providing the whistleblower with access to the most accomplished whistleblower attorneys in the nation. For more information, potential whistleblowers can contact the Corporate Whistleblower Center at 866-714-6466 or visit http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com. For attribution please refer to the April 2017 Department of Justice press release regarding this matter: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/blood-testing-laboratory-pay-6-million-settle-allegations-kickbacks-and-unnecessary-testing Media Contact: Thomas Martin [email protected] 866-714-6466 SOURCE Corporate Whistleblower Center Related Links http://CorporateWhistleblower.Com HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Deep groove ball bearings can be found on the drive trains of a wide range of vehicles, including front-wheel drive compact cars, limousines, small vans and all-terrain SUVs. Many of the applications in which these bearings are used mean they are often subjected to extremely harsh conditions, where water and contamination can penetrate into the inside of the bearing and cause damage. Schaeffler is now putting an end to that with its new "CoRX" and "Twin-Ax" deep groove ball bearings for passenger car drive shafts. "CoRX" and "Twin-Ax" are equipped with a labyrinth sealing system that keeps contamination out of the inside of the bearing. The special feature of this system is a pair of specially-formed sealing rings. "CoRX" and "Twin-Ax": Outstanding sealing action with low frictional torque Unlike the existing "Seal-Slinger+Ax" deep groove ball bearings, the "CoRX" and "Twin-Ax" bearings feature cassette seals. While "CoRX" bearings are equipped with axial and radial seals, "Twin-Ax" bearings feature two axial lips made from corrosion-free stainless steel. The outer sealing ring is water and dust-repellent. Both bearings have a third sealing lip with minimal interference to ensure that the lubricating grease stays inside the bearing, and provide improved wear protection. Further, the frictional torque inside the bearings is minimized due to the optimized sealing lip contact, which means they are ideal components for high-speed drive shafts. "CoRX" and "Twin-Ax" bearings are suitable for a wide range of applications. They can be installed as both prop shaft and side shaft bearings and require no additional seals to be fitted (depending on the customer's requirements). Deep groove ball bearings from FAG: Customized components from a single source Schaeffler has been delivering customized solutions for the entire drive train for decades. Deep groove ball bearings from Schaeffler's FAG brand are the perfect answer to the need for low frictional torques, outstanding sealing action and maximum resistance to tilting. This is further exemplified by the already-established "Single Contact" bearing. This bearing runs with particularly low friction thanks to the optimized contact between its inner and outer ring, and is ideal for integration into the drive train as a semi-locating prop shaft or side shaft bearing. An alternative to this is the "2-Point Contact" bearing, which was developed by Schaeffler's engineers to provide maximum protection against tilting. Schaeffler's product portfolio also includes the "Seal-Slinger" bearing, which is equipped with two sealing rings and thus delivers significantly better sealing action. The new "Seal-Slinger+Ax" bearing with its labyrinth-shaped sealing rings will immediately take the top spot in its extensive product family. About Schaeffler The Schaeffler Group is a global automotive and industrial supplier. Top quality, outstanding technology, and exceptionally innovative spirit form the basis for the continued success of the company. By delivering 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 Schaeffler Group is already shaping "Mobility for tomorrow" to a significant degree. The technology company generated sales of approximately EUR 13.3 billion in 2016. With around 86,600 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. Schaeffler is a recognized development partner for global automakers and suppliers. To serve the North American automotive market, Schaeffler operates development centers in: Troy, Mich.; Fort Mill, S.C.; Wooster, Ohio; and Puebla, Mexico. The company's 600 North American engineers and technicians, who are supported by a team of more than 6,700 global R&D engineers, drive development in the region by utilizing state-of-the-art test and measurement equipment, computational tools and CAD systems. Schaeffler Automotive has headquarters in Fort Mill and manufacturing facilities in: South Carolina; Missouri; Ohio; Ontario, Canada; Puebla and Irapuato, Mexico. For more information, please visit www.schaeffler.us. SOURCE Schaeffler SAN ANTONIO, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CPS Energy was named the Public Power Utility of the Year award by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) for the utility's forward thinking in new generation sources and using technology on the grid to facilitate access to distributed energy resources. CPS Energy is an industry leader for its diversification of its energy portfolio while embracing renewable energy and new technologies to meet its energy demands. The utility is installing battery storage and distributed generation such as solar panels to both improve reliability and reduce the demand for electricity. "This is about us putting into practice our thought leadership around meeting customer expectations. Many of our customers want reliable, clean electricity preferably with little or no emissions," said President & CEO Paula Gold-Williams. "Where some other utilities talk about how it could be done, we ask ourselves how it can be done today." Gold-Williams said the utility already has 76 megawatts of installed rooftop solar in addition to nearly 450 megawatts of solar farm generation and is looking for ways to install even more in the future. Leveraging technologies such as the smart meters the utility has installed on its system, Gold-Williams said the utility has already achieved state leadership in this area. Beyond our state borders, the SEPA award recognizes that leadership. "It's always great to be recognized for your efforts, but it's truly motivating to be recognized as a national leader like we are with the SEPA award," Gold-Williams said. The award will be given July 26 in Washington, DC as part of SEPA's Grid Evolution Summit: A National Town Meeting. CPS Energy is celebrating its 75th year of City of San Antonio ownership. Established in 1860, we are the nation's largest municipally owned natural gas and electric company, providing safe and affordable service to 804,000 electric and 343,000 natural gas customers in Greater San Antonio. With our AA+ credit rating, one of the best in the industry, we offer best in class reliability and some of the lowest rates among the top 10 largest U.S. cities. We recognize our role as a community partner and are continuously focused on job creation, economic development and educational investment. Powered by our people, our investment in the community is demonstrated through our employees' generosity in giving $1.1 million to United Way. We are also committed to investing in clean energy. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation. For more information, visit newsroom.cpsenergy.com. SOURCE CPS Energy Related Links http://www.cpsenergy.com SAN DIMAS, Calif., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CRMLS announced the newest product to hit CRMLS Marketplace, RentSpree. RentSpree is an integrated MLS tool that allows agents to automate and streamline the tenant verification process. Within minutes, agents have access to a completed rental application, full credit report and score, and criminal background check along with a national eviction report. RentSpree is a comprehensive solution for real estate professionals who want to eliminate the guesswork and time spent on the tenant verification process. Through the online application process, agents gain direct access to applicant's current and previous employment information including salary, references and additional sources of income. "RentSpree has our stamp of approval as a tool that will allow agents and brokers to maximize their time and efforts. With RentSpree, agents can work smarter, not harder as they navigate through the tenant verification process," said CRMLS CEO Art Carter. "We love that CRMLS shares our vision for creating a standardized leasing process," said RentSpree COO & Co-Founder Michael Lucarelli. "Together with CRMLS, we're providing members with an end-to-end solution for handling lease applications." RentSpree is now one of 9 real estate products available through CRMLS Marketplace. The CRMLS Marketplace is a platform for CRMLS to offer more individual choice for users to customize their MLS experience. For more in-depth information about RentSpree visit http://go.crmls.org/rentspree/. About California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) California Regional MLS is the nation's largest and most recognized subscriber-based MLS, dedicated to servicing over 82,000 real estate professionals from 32 Associations, 3 Boards of REALTORS and 1 MLS. CRMLS is the industry powerhouse and thrives on providing the most relevant products and services to its subscribers. For more information on CRMLS visit www.crmls.org. About RentSpree RentSpree is a Los Angeles-based real estate tech startup that created a proprietary platform allowing agents and brokers to easily collect rental applications and screen tenants. The award-winning tool automates the lease application process for agents by providing a 24/7, one-stop system for screening applicants. SOURCE California Regional MLS Related Links http://www.crmls.org Changes are frequent and so are the bills that are introduced. An article in Colorado Politics explains, just two weeks into the 2017 Colorado legislative session, lawmakers introduced six bills concerning the state's legal weed. Regulations are not unfamiliar to Dixie Elixirs, a leader in the industry since 2010, with regard to research, education and advocacy. In 2014, they were required to move their packaging from glass to brushed aluminum and in 2015 from aluminum to plastic. According to Joe Hodas, chief marketing officer, Dixie Elixirs, "When various regulations arose in both 2015 and 2016, we were already working with legislators. We actively participate in open forums and debates within the public health sector where it is important that dialogue remains open and ongoing so that all can express their concerns. We have the best interest of the state in mind." Over the years, they are proud to say, that they have become a trusted source for innovative, safe, effective and delicious cannabis products. Hodas goes on, "And we were a top selling THC-infused carbonated beverage when the new regulations came about that required a complex combination of requirements including tamper evidency, child-resistant closure (CRC) that was re-sealable, and a dosing cup that was integrated as part of the package. For us, the product also had to retain carbonation. The total solution didn't exist as an off-the-shelf option." Dixie Elixirs had worked with TricorBraun for stock packaging but this was the first time they would engage with them for an innovative, custom packaging solution. "We consider the Dixie Elixir bottle to be the hallmark or flagship of our brand and without meeting these regulations, our product could have been pulled from the shelf," explains Hodas. Targeting 4/20, a cannabis holiday, for the relaunch meant that there was no time to waste in exploring, developing and sourcing: a CRC feature was built into the dosing cap to seal the bottle an opaque PET plastic so that you could not see the product a shrink sleeve for tamper evidency a solution that was still aligned with the established brand image According to TricorBraun packaging consultant, Mike Gordon, "Every day we didn't deliver, we risked being off the shelf so with a slight change in bottle shape and a squeeze and turn/jigger style closure similar to that found on mouthwash, we knew we were on the path to success quickly, engaging in meetings on the fly to continue to tweak and perfect the design as quickly as possible." Gordon managed the Gantt Chart, decision trees and timelines. According to Gerald Christian, TricorBraun design engineer, "The look needed to be as consistent with the current angle of the bottle's shoulder and the overall diameter as possible. Perhaps the biggest challenge was in retaining the pressurized seal for carbonation. Gregg Aukeman, TricorBraun package qualification manager, remarks, "Testing included internal pressure decay, elevated temperature, freeze/thaw and failure mode analysis. We had to learn the product, its limitations and process parameters before we could define the package." These critical factors have a direct impact on the packaging with regard to functionality. "We worked closely with Dixie Elixirs to define the parameters of the project that had to be met from a regulatory standpoint and after we had a better understanding, we investigated the product and how it would perform to develop a feasible packaging solution," explains Christian. He goes on to explain, "Collaboratively, we learned the product life cycle and Dixie Elixirs gave us access to their process to better define the packaging. They utilized us as an extension of their team." Hodas described the process this way, "They (TricorBraun) pivoted with us. It was unchartered territory for all of us. Without the depth of their resources, the partnership we have developed over time and the insight and flexibility they offered, that pivot point wouldn't have been there. They would take the information and run with italways making sure it would work and pivoting as needed." The dosing cup is a little below the legal dosing amount because Dixie is concerned about consumer safety. Optimizing the cap was key so that taste and carbonation were not sacrificed. "We added a bead to the plug of the stock closure to create a more robust seal and to aid in the prevention of carbonation loss this was a more cost effective solution," says Aukeman. Gordon adds, "Our team dove in to a fairly new, highly regulated industry head first and applied their learnings effectively along the way. Understanding the product under dynamic conditions and allowing us to modify the design to suit this helped us help them get back on the shelf in a timely manner." Additional cost efficiencies were found in using an existing preform with custom blow cavities designed for the new bottle shape. A shape that remains true to the brand image. TricorBraun developed, sources, warehouses and ships for Dixie Elixirs and has, "Reinvented their supply chain process to meet the requirement to fill the bottles in each state: Colorado, Nevada, California and Arizona. All of this in six months' time," says Gordon. Hodas remarked that as each state legalizes, "We hope that they are cognizant of what we've done and how we've done it. Why reinvent the wheel? We've been diligent about addressing questions and meeting regulations. About four or five months ago, we rolled out some new flavors." Now with five SKUs, Dixie Elixirs flavors include: Berry Lemonade, Root Beer, Half & Half (Lemonade & Tea), Cherry Limeade and Fruit Punch. About Dixie Brands, Inc. Located in Denver, Colorado, Dixie Brands, Inc., (Dixie) through its affiliates across the country (CA, NV and AZ), has been formulating and producing award-winning THC and CBD-infused products since 2009. What began as a single flagship product, the Dixie Elixir (a THC-infused soda), has now expanded to over 30 different products across over 100 SKUs, representing the industry's finest edibles, tinctures, topicals and connoisseur grade extractions. In addition, Dixie Brands launched two new CBD product lines: Aceso, is a suite of "hemp 2.0" products designed to provide general wellness and relief from minor aches and pains as well as mild-anxiety. Therabis is a pet supplement formulated by an experienced veterinarian and designed to provide pets, and their owners, with relief for itching, mild-anxiety and greater joint mobility. To find out more about Dixie's innovative products, or about how Dixie is building the future of cannabis, please visit us at Dixie Brands. About TricorBraun TricorBraun Design & Engineering Group is a business unit of TricorBraun, one of North America's leading providers of rigid packaging. Our team's primary mission is to design, engineer and manage the development, production and commercialization of custom packaging solutions for personal care, cosmetics, healthcare, food and beverage, industrial household chemical and animal health products. It is supported by TricorBraun's more than 40 offices globally, holding one of the largest inventories of rigid packaging components worldwide. For more information about TricorBraun Design & Engineering Group, contact Charmaine Laine, Marketing Communications Manager, at [email protected] or 630-645-1208. SOURCE TricorBraun Related Links http://www.tricorbraun.com NEW YORK, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Academy of Medicine honored Richard Merkin, M.D., President and CEO of Heritage Provider Network, at its annual gala on June 13 at Cipriani 25 Broadway. The event celebrates visionary leadership in urban health and outstanding journalism on issues affecting the health of people living in cities. The Academy honored Dr. Merkin for his ambitious work in improving population health through physician-led, patient-centered, integrated healthcare. "I am deeply honored to receive the visionary global leader award in healthcare delivery, innovation and philanthropy from the New York Academy of Medicine," said Dr. Merkin. "I share and applaud their deep commitment and vision for healthy cities through improved healthcare that impacts the lives of millions of New Yorkers. The work of the Academy and its members leads us to critical, lifesaving breakthroughs impacting the intersection of science and technology, never more critically important than now." Also honored were Julie L. Gerberding, M.D., MPH, Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer, Strategic Communications, Global Public Policy and Population Health at Merck & Co., Inc.; and Academy President Jo Ivey Boufford, M.D.. Jay Hancock, of Kaiser Health News, received the 2017 Urban Health Journalism Prize, for the project, "Health Care in Freddie Gray's Neighborhood: Baltimore's Other Divide." Established in 1847, The New York Academy of Medicine advances solutions that promote health and well-being of people in cities worldwide. This is accomplished through the Institute for Urban Health, home of interdisciplinary research, evaluation, policy, and program initiatives; their world class historical medical library and its public programming in history, the humanities and the arts; and their Fellows program, a network of more than 2,000 experts elected by their peers from across the professions affecting health. Video highlights: https://youtu.be/lp_TRguFo-w About Heritage Provider Network Heritage Provider Network, Inc. (HPN) is on the cutting edge of the accountable care model of healthcare delivery: coordinated, patient-doctor centric, integrated health care systems that represent the future of healthcare in the United States. HPN and its affiliates operate in New York, California and Arizona providing high quality, cost effective healthcare to over one million individuals and are dedicated to quality, affordable healthcare, and putting patients' wellness first. (www.heritageprovidernetwork.com) SOURCE Heritage Provider Network, Inc. Related Links http://www.heritageprovidernetwork.com GREEN, Ohio, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DRB Systems, Green, Ohio, is proud to announce that it has been included in Northeast Ohio's Top 150 Workplaces. Cleveland's Plain Dealer newspaper has teamed with Workplace Dynamics, an employee research and consulting firm, to determine the area's best workplaces based on employee surveys. Here are just a few of the words our employees used to describe DRB Systems: Customers, People, Team, Positive, Awesome. Employees firmly agreed that DRB Systems is going in the right direction, that DRB Systems operates by strong values and ethic, and that they would highly recommend working at DRB Systems to others. Founded in 1984, DRB Systems is a business solutions company that provides technology and marketing support to enhance the consumer's experience and operational efficiency of a car wash. Unlike equipment-only-point-of sale companies, DRB Systems provides the business "know-how" to transform most car washes into profitable, thriving businesses. www.drbsystems.com SOURCE DRB Systems Related Links http://www.drbsystems.com NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of the Center's 50th anniversary, the Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, a facility located at 2700 Eastchester Road in the Bronx, New York, has just received the coveted Five Stare Quality Rating from the New York State Department of Health, the Agency's highest rating level. The Eastchester Center is an affiliate of SentosaCare, an organization formed to service, guide and assist participating nursing home facilities in fulfilling their commitment to quality health care. A premier skilled nursing facility, Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care Center provides rehabilitation and around the clock skilled care services including state-of-the-art specialty respiratory care that is recognized as second to none in the region. "We are extremely proud of the hard work, dedication and professionalism of the professional and administrative staff that is reflected in the New York State Department of Health's Five Stare Quality Rating," said Benjamin Landa, co-founder of SentosaCare. "As a cherished resource in the Bronx and throughout the greater New York area for over 50 years, Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care strives to provide the best nursing practices while offering the most advanced rehabilitation, respiratory and Alzheimer's care, diabetes management and restorative nursing programs in the industry," Mr. Landa added. Recognized as a leader in the practice of ventilator therapy, Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care Center offers world-class tracheotomy and ventilator care that is designed to allow residents to get the highest quality of overall rehabilitation care possible. Additionally, the Center has achieved the lowest re-hospitalization visits due to Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia. Eastchester's distinguished ventilation unit is used as a training facility for Registered Respiratory Therapist and Registered Nurse programs at Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus) and Independence University. "For 50 years, Eastchester Rehabilitation and Health Care Center has worked day in and day out to provide the best rehabilitation and health care to our patients and to gain the respect of the families whose loved ones require our extensive services," said Matthew Varghese, Administrator of the Center. "The Five Star recognition is a wonderful testament to our commitment and an incentive to serve future populations with the same professionalism, diligence and care." Varghese added. SOURCE SentosaCare WASHINGTON, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn today issued the following statement commending the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their decision to rescind the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulations. "EEI's member companies are committed to a healthy environment and to a clean and affordable energy future. By rescinding the problematic Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, EPA Administrator Pruitt and the Army Corps of Engineers have taken an important step to reconsider a rule that, if left unchanged, would have triggered substantial new regulatory requirements for critical electric company operations, creating substantial compliance costs. "As EEI and allied stakeholders consistently have noted through comments and through our participation in litigation challenging the current WOTUS rule, our industry supports a new rulemaking that more clearly and narrowly defines which waterbodies are subject to federal jurisdiction, and enhances opportunities to streamline energy infrastructure permitting. We also thank EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers for seeking more input from the states on the rulemaking, and look forward to working with their staffs as they review and revise the regulations." EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 60 international electric companies as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. SOURCE Edison Electric Institute Related Links http://www.eei.org TSX: ELD NYSE: EGO VANCOUVER, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Eldorado Gold ("Eldorado" or the "Company") today provides an update on its 100% owned Kisladag gold mine in Turkey. Kisladag is a low-grade, bulk-tonnage, open pit operation that uses heap leach for gold recovery. Kisladag has been in operation since 2006 and is Turkey's largest gold mine. Placement of estimated recoverable gold on the leach pad is proceeding as planned, however, gold solution grade and consequently gold recovery from the leach pad has recently lagged internal expectations. Recent laboratory and in situ tests where solution chemistry has been adjusted have indicated normal recovery rates are still expected. However, more time is now required to adjust the overall pad solution chemistry and allow solution to flow through the current stack height of the leach pad, which is at approximately 80 metres at the highest point. Kisladag is now expected to produce approximately 38,400 ounces of gold in the second quarter of 2017 and approximately 90,000 ounces of gold for the first half of 2017. As such, Kisladag will not meet the Company's original 2017 guidance of 230,000 to 245,000 ounces. The Company now expects 2017 gold production of 180,000 to 210,000 ounces from Kisladag with cash costs in the new guidance range of $450 to 500 per ounce. The ounces that are not produced in 2017 are expected to be produced in the first half of 2018. The Company expects 2018 full year gold production of approximately 320,000 to 335,000 ounces at cash costs of $425 to 475 per ounce, compared to previous guidance of 285,000 ounces. Eldorado's President and CEO, George Burns, commented, "While Kisladag's decrease in production for the year is disappointing, our team has implemented a strategy to return our cornerstone asset to normalized production levels. We felt it prudent to inform the market of this information regarding Kisladag in view of our current agreement with Integra Gold Corporation. Under the agreement, the Company shall issue common shares as part consideration of the acquisition of all of the issued shares of Integra, that Eldorado does not already own, pursuant to a plan of arrangement, which is subject to Integra shareholder approval." About Eldorado Gold Eldorado is a leading intermediate gold producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Brazil. The Company's success to date is based on a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, a portfolio of high-quality assets, 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). Certain of the statements made and information provided in this press release are 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", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "continue"", "projected", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "projected", "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. Such forward-looking statements or information include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to the Update on Kisladag Operations. 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 the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the future price of gold and other commodities; exchange rates; anticipated costs and expenses; production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries, the impact of acquisitions, dispositions, suspensions or delays on our business and the ability to achieve our goals. 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. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond our control. 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: geopolitical and economic climate (global and local), risks related to mineral tenure and permits; gold and other metal price volatility; mining operational and development risk; foreign country operational risks; risks of sovereign investment; regulatory environment and restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; risks related to impact of the sale of our Chinese assets on the Company's operations; the ability to acquire the shares that it does not already own in Integra Gold Corporation; additional funding requirements; currency fluctuations; litigation risks; community and non-governmental organization actions; speculative nature of gold exploration; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; 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 our business" in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form & Form 40-F. The reader is directed to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in our most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR under our Company name, for a fuller understanding of the risks and uncertainties that affect the Company's business and operations. 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. SOURCE Eldorado Gold Corporation DENVER, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HomeSphere has added Elkay Manufacturing to its growing digital platform, connecting local builders to information and savings on the company's extensive sink portfolio including a wide range of materials, colors, styles and mounting options. Elkay now counts itself among many national building product manufacturers engaging with local homebuilders in HomeSphere's digital community. The best-selling kitchen sink company will offer rebates to the HomeSphere builder network on its full range of products, including stainless steel, fireclay, composite quartz, and antique hammered copper sinks. HomeSphere's builders also gain exclusive access to information from Elkay, a design leader with its finger on the pulse of color and style trends. "We have remained family-owned since 1920 and continue to concentrate our manufacturing efforts in the U.S.," said Elkay Executive Vice President, Mark Whittington. "HomeSphere's network allows us to reach local builders that support families in the communities we serve, delivering a wide range of quality products that enhance their homes." HomeSphere delivers value to the residential construction industry with its twofold mission: to provide builders with access to exclusive rebate opportunities formerly available only to the largest national homebuilders, and to offer manufacturers' sales teams unique, targeted lead development strategies to reach local builders who, as a category, are constructing 75 percent of today's new homes. "Our builders know that the name Elkay is synonymous with quality, reliability, and innovation," said HomeSphere Vice President of Business Development Chris Toth. "With access to Elkay's product rebates and valuable insights, our builders can feature exceptional sink and faucet products for any home's kitchen and bath from entry level through the most luxurious." About HomeSphere HomeSphere is the homebuilding industry's first and only B2B digital lead generation and customer retention platform connecting a digital community of local homebuilders and national building product manufacturers, including 55 building product manufacturers representing 80 brands, and nearly 2,100 local and regional homebuilders. By leveraging exclusive, actionable market intelligence and access to sought-after relationships, HomeSphere's solutions deliver ultra-targeted business opportunities with more profit potential. For more information, visit homesphere.com. About Elkay Manufacturing Family-owned since 1920, Elkay has been making innovative products and delivering exceptional customer care for almost a century. We're proud to be known as America's No. 1-selling kitchen sink company. Elkay's sink portfolio includes stainless steel, Fireclay, Quartz and antique hammered copper in undermount, top mount and dual mount installation styles. We offer faucets for numerous applications and finishes to complement your decor. Like your family, the Elkay family has values and traditions that endure. From the beginning, Elkay has been an American-owned and -operated company, providing thousands of jobs that support our families and our communities. Media Contacts: Liz Polson, HomeSphere [email protected] Tracy Henderson, Center Reach Communication [email protected] SOURCE HomeSphere Related Links http://www.homesphere.com/ (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 64 market data tables and 41 figures spread through 154 pages and in-depth TOC on "Enterprise Asset Management Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/enterprise-asset-management-market-54576143.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Increased asset of life-aging infrastructure, reduced maintenance and procurement costs, increased tracking ability of assets in an organization, and improved return on assets have led to the adoption of EAM. With the increase in the adoption rate of EAM among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), the EAM market is expected to gain major traction during the forecast period. Rapid adoption of EAM due to a strong and well-established economy makes North America the largest market in terms of global share North America is expected to have the largest market share and is projected to dominate the market from 2017 to 2022. The EAM market is a steadily growing market in North America, which includes countries, such as the US, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and Cuba. With increasing EAM solutions for government and manufacturing industries in the US and Canada, the EAM market is set to grow at a rapid pace in the region. The Field Service Management (FSM) software is expected to be the highest revenue generator in North America in the coming years. Revenue from the professional services segment is expected to surge in this region. North America is one of the largest markets for EAM solutions in terms of market size. The factors driving the growth of the EAM market in North America are a stable economy, technology advancements, and newer infrastructure demands. Request to Get PDF brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=54576143 Government industry is expected to contribute to the largest market share during the forecast period The government industry is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period in the EAM market. The various public assets of municipal authorities and government need to be managed proficiently for regular functioning of the society. The public assets include manholes, meters, buildings, facilities, equipment, vehicles, railway tracks, signals, signs, yards, and bridges. In the government industry, EAM helps in work management, asset valuation, risk management, preventive maintenance, and condition analysis. EAM plays a key role in the government industry, as this industry is estimated to account for the maximum share in the EAM market in 2017. Projects from governments, municipal authorities, and utilities need huge resource planning and asset management to deliver high-quality public asset management capabilities. Major EAM players, such as IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, and Infor offer EAM solutions to meet the needs of the state and local governments to successfully address public safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and enable optimum utilization of resources. The SMEs segment for EAM is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period The SMEs segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the EAM market during the forecast period. Organizations with employee strength between 100 and 1,000 are categorized under SMEs. SMEs are rapidly adopting EAM software due to the need of domain-specific technical personnel and skilled workforce. Small organizations are not very receptive to the implementation of EAM solutions, but increasing competition has prompted SMEs to invest in this business software and adopt go-to-market strategies to make effective decisions for business growth. Implementing this software can help SMEs enhance operational efficiencies and develop asset usage by building a strong standard base. EAM is likely to help SMEs administer assets efficiently across the facility by improving deployment and extending the asset life. Even though demand for EAM solutions in SMEs is low, the need for such software solutions will increase as SMEs grow. Inquiry before Buying @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=54576143 The major vendors that offer Enterprise Asset Management Market across the globe are ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), CGI Group Inc. (US), Dude Solutions, Inc. (US), eMaint (US), International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation (US), IFS AB (Sweden), Infor (US), Oracle Corporation (US), Ramco Systems (India), SAP SE (Germany), Schneider Electric SA (France), and Vesta Partners, LLC (US). Browse Related Reports Workforce Management Market by Component (Solutions and Services), Deployment (Cloud and On-premises), Organization Size (SMEs and Enterprises), Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/workforce-management-market-27548173.html Core HR Software Market by Software (Learning Management, Payroll and Compensation Management), Service, Deployment Type (On-Premises and Cloud), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical, and Region - Global forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/core-human-resource-hr-software-market-81186018.html Know More About our Knowledge Store @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. 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. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets'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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets 701 Pike Street Suite 2175, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets ATLANTA, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) will release its financial results for the second quarter ending June 30, 2017, in a press release to be issued after the New York Stock Exchange closes on Wednesday, July 26, 2017. The press release will also be available at www.equifax.com. Equifax will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 27, 2017 in which senior management will discuss financial and business results for the quarter. Please dial the appropriate number 5-10 minutes prior to the start of the call to complete registration. Name and affiliation/company are required to join the call. Conference call numbers: U.S. and Canada: (800) 263-0877; International: (719) 457-1036. Replay: A replay of the conference call will be available beginning July 27, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. ET and ends at 11:30 a.m. ET August 10, 2017. To access the replay please register. About Equifax Equifax is a global information solutions company that uses trusted unique data, innovative analytics, technology and industry expertise to power organizations and individuals around the world by transforming knowledge into insights that help make more informed business and personal decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its database includes employee data contributed from more than 7,100 employers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,700 employees worldwide. Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Named to the Top 100 American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015-2016); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2016); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2017); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015-2016). For more information, visit www.equifax.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION 1550 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Marisa Salcines Media Relations 678-795-7286 [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. Related Links http://www.equifax.com WASHINGTON, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On June 28 and 29, more than 60 talk radio hosts from around the country will converge on Washington, D.C., for the 11th annual and largest ever Hold Their Feet to the Fire radio row event. Their intent is to make sure the President delivers on his immigration promises and that Congress acts. Sponsored by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the event features two days of live, continuous broadcasting with talk hosts debating and interviewing dozens of members of Congress, administration officials, policy experts, law enforcement professionals, and people whose lives have been forever changed by our failed and dangerous immigration policies. Topics discussed will include: Enhancing border security and construction of a secure border fence. Reversing reckless and unconstitutional Obama-era executive policies. The need for mandatory E-Verify to discourage illegal immigration and protect American workers. Ensuring proper vetting of immigrants and refugees from countries known to harbor or support terrorism. Eliminating sanctuary policies that protect illegal aliens and endanger public safety. Reforming our legal immigration policy to ensure that the people we admit can succeed and benefit the nation. As always, credentialed media are invited to attend the event and may have unrestricted access to all hosts and the broad spectrum of guest interviewees on-site. Pre-registration is not required but media must check-in at the Event Desk and present credentials. What: Hold Their Feet to the Fire Radio Row When: Wednesday June 28 and Thursday June 29, 6 am to 9 pm Where: Phoenix Park Hotel 520 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington D.C. Who: 60 talk radio hosts, members of Congress, administration officials, policy experts, law enforcement professionals, and victims of illegal alien crime. Contact: Cassie Williams, press secretary FAIR, (202) 328-7004 or [email protected]. SOURCE FAIR Related Links http://www.fairus.org AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FEV North America, Inc. (FEV) announced today that it would start the expansion of its campus, with the construction of an all-new building. Initially, the facility will house a vehicle lab and state-of-the-art vehicle emissions dynamometer, expanding its vehicle development capabilities. The next step will create additional office space and lab facilities. The new site adds to the FEV campus in Auburn Hills, making a total of three buildings. The announcement is being made in conjunction with MEDC, which assisted in laying the groundwork for the new facility. The announcement was made by Patrick Hupperich, president and CEO of FEV North America Inc. (FEV) at a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, MEDC and local officials, and FEV executives. "This is an exciting addition for FEV and for Southeast Michigan," Gov. Snyder said. "This development will contribute to our growing economy and continue to solidify Michigan's place as a global automotive hub." At 25,600 sq.ft. when complete, the campus expansion will create approximately 250 additional jobs, bringing the total number of employees at its Auburn Hills campus to about 750. The company is investing more than $27 million into the facility, and has received a performance-based grant from the Michigan Business Development Program. Completion of the Vehicle Test Center is expected by April 2018. "From its founding, FEV has built its reputation by providing state-of-the-art facilities needed to support product developments," said Hupperich. "The addition of the vehicle emissions chassis dyno represents our effort to provide a complete, one-stop-shop to powertrain and vehicle development, and keeps us in step in meeting customers' needs." About FEV Group The FEV Group is an internationally recognized powertrain and vehicle engineering company that supports the global transportation industry. FEV offers a complete range of engineering services, providing support across the globe to customers in the design, analysis, prototyping, powertrain and transmission development, as well as vehicle integration, calibration and homologation for advanced internal combustion gasoline-, diesel-, and alternative-fueled powertrains. FEV also designs, develops and prototypes advanced vehicle / powertrain electronic control systems and hybrid-electric engine concepts that address future emission and fuel economy standards. The company has expanded its engineering capabilities to include full vehicle systems and now offers broad expertise in electronics, telematics and infotainment system engineering. The FEV Testing Solutions division is a global supplier of advanced test cell, instrumentation and test equipment. The FEV Group employs a staff of over 4,300 highly skilled specialists at advanced technical centers on three continents. FEV North America, Inc. employs over 500 personnel in its North American Technical Center in Auburn Hills, MI. For more information, visit www.fev.com SOURCE FEV North America, Inc. Related Links http://www.fev.com/usa.html Osram Opto Semiconductors' new Oslux S 2.1 for camera flash applications combines two chips of different color temperatures: a cold white chip with 6,000 K, and a warm white chip with 2,250 K (Dual-CCT), providing both a multi-chip LED and a lens for the first time. This not only makes manufacturing easier by saving a step, but also produces excellent results. With a maximum deviation of 300 K, the Oslux offers remarkable color fidelity and excellent color uniformity across the target scene. Perfect flash for the perfect photo In video lights and camera flash applications, the integration of two LED chips and a silicone lens in one module offers clear benefits for the customer. Now, no separate step is necessary for optimum positioning of the lens, which saves time and optimizes the use of the generated light. While dimensions of 5.0 mm x 5.0 mm x 1.15 mm make the Oslux S 2.1 with its lens slightly taller than previous models, it requires less space on the board and has a smaller exposed aperture than two single LEDs, making it overall a more compact solution. The silicone lens also allows this module to be reflow solderable, allowing the module to be easily integrated into standard manufacturing flows. "With the new Oslux S 2.1 we were able to achieve very high quality. We have subjected it to both electrical and optically demanding testing and are very happy with the results. It definitely meets our high quality standards," said Russell Willner, Product Marketing Manager at Osram Opto Semiconductors. Additional version planned for 2018 The Oslux S 2.1 is currently available. Osram Opto Semiconductors is planning to release an additional version in early 2018, the Oslux S 2.2. Instead of a silicone lens, it will come with an epoxy lens. Thanks to this extremely hard material, the Oslux S 2.2 can be installed in mobile devices without a separate protective window, providing additional industrial design options. What's more, a spectrum-optimized converter will provide the Oslux S 2.2 with even better photos. ABOUT OSRAM OSRAM, based in Munich, is a globally leading lighting manufacturer with a history dating back about 100 years. The product portfolio includes high-tech applications based on semiconductor technology such as infrared or laser lighting. The products are used in highly diverse applications ranging from virtual reality, autonomous driving or mobile phones to smart and connected lighting solutions in buildings and cities. In automotive lighting, the company is the global market and technology leader. Based on continuing operations (excluding Ledvance), OSRAM had around 24,600 employees worldwide at the end of fiscal 2016 (September 30) and generated revenue of almost 3.8 billion in that fiscal year. The company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and Munich (ISIN: DE000LED4000; WKN: LED400; trading symbol: OSR). Additional information can be found at www.osram.com. SOURCE Osram Opto Semiconductors WASHINGTON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) praises Senator Richard Blumenthal's (D-CT) amendment to the Senate FAA Reauthorization Bill (S.1405) with support from Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). The amendment calls for fume event training for flight crew, improves contaminated air reporting requirements, and add sensors to air systems on commercial aircraft. "Senators Blumenthal and Markey are champions for clean air onboard for Flight Attendants and passengers. Crews and passengers are breathing toxins and it has got to stop," said AFA International President Sara Nelson. "We encourage the Senate Commerce Committee to adopt this amendment to prevent Flight Attendants, pilots or passengers from suffering the effects of breathing toxic fumes in the cabin." AFA's efforts to improve the cabin environment span the last three decades. From advocating for smoke free skies to stopping poisonous pesticide spraying to addressing the dangers of contaminated bleed air, AFA remains steadfast that cabin air must be clean. The union advocates that the airline industry either end the use of engine bleed air for cabin air supply like on the Boeing 787 or mitigate the circulation of contaminated air. "Most Americans go to work with the expectation of breathing clean air, but until we achieve better standards for cabin air quality, Flight Attendants don't have this guarantee," Nelson stated. View Online The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 71 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org. SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) Related Links http://www.afacwa.org SAS is deeply committed to helping employees succeed at all stages of their careers. Especially appealing to young professionals are the full-time training programs, such as the SAS academies. The academies provide intensive in-class and on-the-job training to ensure that recent grads are set for success as they move into their full-time roles. A young professionals group on the internal web fosters a sense of community in the early stages of employees' careers; and development opportunities, such as the Emerging Leaders program, foster career growth. "SAS knows employees are happier when they feel respected and valued, are given challenging work, and have opportunities to grow," said SAS Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Jenn Mann. "Our culture fosters a collaborative, creative environment where employees do work that matters to them." Far-reaching career development opportunities are coupled with the widely touted campus benefits, including a free on-site recreation and fitness center; free on-site health care center; and countless on-site conveniences such as a hair salon, dry cleaning and subsidized cafeterias. Such benefits, along with a wide range of personal and professional support services, just scratch the surface of why SAS appeals to a wide range of job seekers. "There is one common thread that runs throughout the many characteristics of the millennial generation we want to make a difference," said SAS Associate Account Executive Frederyck Odom. "At SAS, I am given countless opportunities to make a difference in the lives of my customers. We do far more than just sell software. We solve real problems that our customers face each day and give them the tools to do the best work they can. It is a true blessing to work for SAS they not only take the time to invest in my personal development, but they give me everything I need to invest in my customers as well." "Millennials expect more from their employers in areas like fair treatment, clear communication, authentic leadership and opportunities for advancement and rightly so," said Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, which administered the rankings for Fortune. "The best workplaces for millennials are finding that fulfilling all these expectations by building a high-trust culture boosts millennial employees' intent to stay by 20 times." The ranking considered 398,000 surveys that assessed organizations' fairness, teamwork, benefits and other elements essential to an outstanding work culture. SAS is also considered a best place to work for recent grads, IT professionals and women. The business analytics leader has remained a staple on Fortune's list of Best Places to Work in the US since the list was started 20 years ago. About the Best Workplaces for Millennials Rankings are based on feedback from over 398,000 employees at Great Place to Work Certified organizations. An anonymous Trust Index survey assessed millennial employees' experience of their managers' competence, respect and fairness in the workplace, meaningful work and other elements essential for an outstanding workplace. Results were compared to colleagues' responses from other generations. Rankings also take into account the consistency of experience for all millennials, across various job roles and demographic backgrounds. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for millennials, women, diversity, small and medium companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance. About SAS SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative analytics, business intelligence and data management software and services, SAS helps customers at more than 83,000 sites make better decisions faster. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright 2017 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved. SOURCE SAS Related Links http://www.sas.com TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - After screening to a sellout audience for it's world premiere at the ICFF Film Festival in Toronto, followed by a second screening added because of popular demand, The Neighborhood claimed the ICFF Film Festival's prestigious Trilogy Award. Now this star-studded movie The Neighborhood written and directed by Canadian Frank D'Angelo will be released through Cineplex and Landmark theatres across Canada starting August 18th. A national USA theatre release will begin starting August 25th, with a European release to follow. Frank D'Angelo not only envisioned and produced The Neighborhood film he stars along side a world-renowned cast of actors featuring Giancarlo Giannini, Danny Aiello, Franco Nero, Armand Assante, Burt Young, John Savage, John Ashton, Maureen McCormick and more. The Neighborhood is about a brash small-time group of hoodlums from Brooklyn NY who have been doing minor crime jobs in their neighborhood since they were kids - from stealing the church donation basket to today when they are stealing truckloads of products. Until one fateful day they step on the wrong toes and get caught up in a war with an old-school mafia king pin and their lives soon become hell on earth. "I have had such a great time shooting this movie," says Danny Aiello, while Franco Nero says "It's been an incredible experience working with Frank D'Angelo," and Giancarlo Giannini says "Frank D'Angelo is a very talented director". With actors like these singing his praises it's no wonder Frank D'Angelo is quickly becoming one of the most recognized Canadian film makers of our time, attracting world class actors to appear in his films. The Neighborhood is now Frank D'Angelo's sixth feature film in just four years, with his past films The Red Maple Leaf, Sicilian Vampire, No Deposit, The Big Fat Stone and Real Gangsters all winning film festival awards and available worldwide on Video-on-Demand, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Instant Video. All of Frank D'Angelo's films are distributed by 20th Century Fox. Says Frank D'Angelo about his film The Neighborhood, "I'm really proud of this film, it's a great story, lots of drama fantastic cast and I loved making it and sharing it with the world!" Frank D'Angelo is a screenwriter, director, actor, musician, and a Canadian talk show host. As a performer, he knew there was a big void in Canada for Canadians to promote their talents and so he created The Being Frank Show, a nationally broadcast late-night talk/variety show. It has boasted guests and show business luminaries such as Al Pacino, Paul Newman, Tony Bennett, Graham Greene, Bill Fichtner, Kim Coates, Estella Warren, Bai Ling, Reggae Rapper Snow, Pavlo, Dan Hill, Ian Thomas, Murray McLauchlan, Missi Pyle, Kevin Hearn of The Barenaked Ladies and many, many more. The Being Frank Show has just completed taping its 7th season. Links: http://www.theneighborhoodmovie.net/ http://inyourearproductions.com/ SOURCE In Your Ear Productions Ltd. BETHESDA, Md., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Ellen Swartwout, a nursing leader dedicated to healthcare best practices and quality initiatives, has been selected as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). Swartwout, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, is the Vice President for Research and Analytics at the O'Neil Center, the research arm of GetWellNetwork. She will be inducted with 173 other colleagues at a ceremony to be held during the AAN's annual policy conference, October 5-7, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Swartwout has 30 years of experience across the healthcare industry, spanning clinical, administrative, credentialing, research and patient engagement health IT roles. Within GetWellNetwork's O'Neil Center she works with clinical partners to set the research agenda to discover data-driven insights that guide new patient engagement interventions. "Ellen has contributed to a breakthrough new metric to guide assessments of patient engagement capacity and drive successful new engagement approaches, called the Person Engagement Index," said Michael O'Neil, CEO and founder of GetWellNetwork. "She has been highly instrumental in moving patient and family engagement from theory to the bedside. Thanks to Ellen and her research team, clinicians will be empowered to prescribe precise engagement interventions, leading to optimized patient outcomes." Dr. Swartwout has previously held leadership positions at American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), including senior director of Certification & Measurement Services. Earlier in her career she held a number of clinical and leadership positions at Inova Health System in Falls Church, Va., finishing her tenure there as the Senior Director of Professional Practice. "It is truly an honor to be selected as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing," said Dr. Swartwout. "Our current research agenda at the O'Neil Center is an excellent opportunity to advance the science of patient and family engagement. I look forward to continuing to work with healthcare colleagues to contribute to the Academy's mission to transform healthcare to benefit patients globally." Dr. Swartwout obtained both a Ph.D. in Nursing Administration and a Master of Science in Nursing from George Mason University. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the College of New Jersey (formerly Trenton State College). She is an adjunct faculty member for the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and is board certified as Nurse Executive, Advanced. Academy Fellows The American Academy of Nursing's approximately 2,400 fellows are nursing leaders in education, management, practice and research. Fellows represent association executives; university presidents, chancellors and deans; elected officials; state and federal political appointees; hospital chief executives and vice presidents for nursing; nurse consultants, and researchers and entrepreneurs. Invitation to fellowship is more than recognition of one's accomplishments within the nursing profession. Academy fellows also have a responsibility to contribute their time and energies to the Academy, and to engage with other health leaders outside the Academy in transforming America's health system by: Enhancing the quality of health and nursing; Promoting healthy aging and human development across the life continuum; Reducing health disparities and inequalities; Shaping healthy behaviors and environments; Integrating mental and physical health; and Strengthening the nursing and health delivery system, nationally, and internationally. About the American Academy of Nursing The American Academy of Nursing (www.AANnet.org) serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. The Academy's more than 2,400 fellows are nursing's most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice, and research. They have been recognized for their extraordinary contributions to nursing and health care. About GetWellNetwork GetWellNetwork, Inc. powers patient experience. Our solution, The Patient's Platform, helps leading health care systems create connections with patients in any setting, deliver insights to clinicians in real time, and transform care through an evidence-based model for patient engagement. Our open technology integrates with electronic health record and IT applications to extend the value of existing investments and expand the possibilities of care. With more than 50 million patient interactions per year, we drive performance improvement, positive outcomes and patient loyalty. Learn more at www.getwellnetwork.com. Media Contact Marcia Rhodes Amendola Communications [email protected] / 602.793.1561 GetWellNetwork, Inc. 7700 Old Georgetown Road, 4th Floor Bethesda, MD 20814-2500 877.633.8496 [email protected] SOURCE GetWellNetwork Related Links http://www.getwellnetwork.com REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- gnTel, a fast growing cloud-based telecom service provider to small and medium sized businesses in the Netherlands, has selected Oracle Communications technology to better scale their operations and lay the groundwork for the evolution of their network to NFV. Replacing their existing solution, gnTel will use Oracle Communications Session Border Controller (OCSBC) running on Acme Packet 4600 purpose-built hardware platforms to immediately create a new scalable access and peering infrastructure for their customers. This solution will allow gnTel to not only jumpstart their services but because of the close interworking between physical and virtualized OCSBC instances, and a flexible licensing scheme, also preserve this investment while they migrate to NFV. Oracle Communications Session Border Controller is one of the industry's leading border control solution that operates with most major IP-PBX, unified communications, and application server providers - reducing risks associated with commercial production level installations. Available on both purpose-built physical and commercial-off-the-shelf virtualized platforms, and coupled with a perpetual network-wide licensing scheme, OCSBC provides maximum flexibility to operators. gnTel also chose NetAxis Solutions, an Oracle professional services partner, with deep technology competencies and experience, to design and implement their new service infrastructure. "At gnTel, we recognize the fast pace of technology evolution in the telecom industry. We wanted to invest in a proven solution from a company that brings together expertise in cloud, virtualization, IT, and telecommunications," said Onno Speekenbrink, gnTel. "Oracle's solution and NetAxis Solution's implementation will position us well for future growth." "Oracle's cloud-ready session delivery solutions coupled with their extensive interoperability with third-party equipment and with our network monitoring software makes it simple for us to size, configure, deploy, and maintain the complex multi-vendor solution that gnTel requested," said Bart van de Kar, NetAxis. "This project will further cement our expertise and relationship with Oracle." "In today's marketplace, operators are looking for long-term, cost-effective and verified solutions that can improve their agility, streamline operations and accelerate time to market," said Doug Suriano, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Communications. "Oracle Communications SBC provides CSPs, such as gnTel, the unconstrained flexibility that supports their efforts now and in the future." To learn more about Oracle Communications solutions, please connect on Twitter @OracleComms and at www.youtube.com/user/OracleCommunications, or visit oracle.com/communications. To learn more about NetAxis Solutions, please visit http://www.netaxis.be/. For further information about gnTel please visit http://www.gntel.nl/en. About Oracle The Oracle Cloud delivers hundreds of SaaS applications and enterprise-class PaaS and IaaS services to customers in more than 195 countries while processing 55 billion transactions a day. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), please visit us at http://cloud.oracle.com. Trademark Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Oracle Related Links http://cloud.oracle.com HONG KONG, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the Year Ended 31 March 2017 (HK$'000) 2016 (HK$'000) Change (%) Continuing Operations Revenue 230,666 281,558 (18.1) Healthcare services segment revenue 65,149 65,620 (0.7) Hospital management services income 60,456 59,688 1.3 Medical insurance administration services income 4,693 5,932 (20.9) Medical devices segment revenue 160,663 210,670 (23.7) Strategic investments revenue 4,854 5,268 (7.9) Gross profit 97,887 129,068 (24.2) Loss from operations (312,168) (265,240) 17.7 Finance costs (572,119) (144,467) 296.0 Reversal of impairment loss on investment in Fortress Group Limited ("Fortress") 734,525 - N/M Impairment loss on goodwill (294,995) - N/M (Loss)/profit attributable to the Company's equity shareholders - Continuing operations - Discontinuing operation (147,121) (436,770) 289,649 (686,512) (405,561) (280,951) (78.6) 7.7 N/M Basic (loss)/earnings per share (in HK cents) - Continuing operations - Discontinuing operation (5.0) (14.7) 9.7 (29.1) (17.2) (11.9) (82.8) (14.5) N/M Golden Meditech Holdings Limited (SEHK stock code: 00801, TWSE stock code: 910801) ("Golden Meditech" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), a leading integrated healthcare enterprise in China, announces today its annual results for the year ended 31 March 2017 (the "Year" or "FY2016/2017"). During the Year, the results from continuing operations were in line with the management's expectations. The Group's total revenue from continuing operations was HK$230,666,000, decreased by 18.1% year-on-year. Of which, revenue from the healthcare services segment and the medical devices segment accounted for 28.2% and 69.7% (FY2015/201623.3% and 74.8%) of the Group's total revenue from continuing operations, respectively. The decline in total revenue from continuing operations was mainly attributable to the 23.7% year-on-year decrease in medical devices revenue. Notably, income from hospital management services, one of the Group's key growth focuses, increased by 1.3% year-on-year (FY2015/2016: a decrease of 5.9% year-on-year). Hospital management services income as a % of total revenue from continuing operations showed an upward trend and reached 26.2% (FY2015/2016: 21.2%). The management believes that the accelerating growth of hospital management business will drive the Group's future development. Operating loss from continuing operations was HK$312,168,000, increased by 17.7% year-on-year, primarily due to the increased costs incurred for the startup operation of Sunbow O&G Hospital and an accrual of directors' retirement benefits of HK$35,150,000. Loss attributable to equity shareholders of the Company from continuing operations was HK$436,770,000, increased by 7.7% year-on-year. Increase was attributable to the substantial increase in finance costs and the recognition of impairment loss on goodwill of HK$294,995,000 during the Year, such increase was partially offset by the reversal of impairment loss on investment in Fortress of HK$734,525,000. The Group recorded loss attributable to the Company's equity shareholders (including continuing operations and discontinuing operation) of HK$147,121,000, decreased by 78.6% year-on-year; basic loss per share was 5.0 HK cents, decreased by 82.8% year-on-year. Mr. Kam Yuen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, said, "The PRC government encourages the emerging industries of strategic importance to carry out industry upgrade and structure optimisation, which benefits the further development of healthcare market in China. We will seize these opportunities and optimise our business structure, hoping to accelerate our growth." The Company submitted a non-binding privatisation proposal to the board of directors of China Cord Blood Corporation ("CCBC") (the "Proposed Privatisation") in April 2015. During the process of the Proposed Privatisation, the Group was approached by Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co., Ltd. ("NJXB") in respect of the disposal of its 65.4% fully-diluted equity interest in CCBC. However, NJXB decided to withdraw the application for the China Securities Regulatory Commission's approval of its acquisition of CCBC shares in August 2016, due to the uncertainty in the regulatory policy at that time regarding significant asset restructuring of listed companies in the PRC. Subsequently in September 2016, Sanpower Group Limited *("Sanpower"), the substantial shareholder of NJXB, paid the Company an earnest money of RMB300,000,000 (equivalent to approximately HK$348,867,000 at the date of receipt) to secure alternative arrangements for the sale and purchase of CCBC shares. In December 2016, both the Company and Nanjing Yingpeng Huikang Medical Industry Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership)* reached an agreement on the disposal of the Company's entire 65.4% fully-diluted equity interest in CCBC for a total cash consideration of RMB5,764,000,000 (equivalent to approximately HK$6,398,000,000) (the "Disposal"). The Disposal was approved by the Company's shareholders on 22 March 2017. Mr. Kam Yuen added, "The Disposal not only enables the Group to realise its investment in the business, resulting in sound returns to the shareholders, but also demonstrates the Group's outstanding capabilities in exploring, cultivating and growing high-potential investment projects in the healthcare sector." To date, the Disposal has yet to be completed. Meanwhile, the Company terminated the Proposed Privatisation upon receiving a termination letter from CCBC on 13 April 2017. The Company made a full impairment provision of approximately HK$760 million against its investment in Fortress (a former associate of the Group) in the fiscal year 2014/2015. The Group is committed to maximising returns for its shareholders. Through several negotiations, the Company entered into settlement agreements with each of PAG Asia I LP and its assignee PAGAC Fortress Holding I Limited and Sanpower (the "Fortress Settlement Agreement" and "Sanpower Settlement Agreement"). According to the Fortress Settlement Agreement, the Group was authorised to recover an outstanding amount of approximately US$250 million (equivalent to approximately HK$1.95 billion) from Sanpower (the "Fortress Unsettled Sum"). In return, the Group agreed to pay PAGAC US$180 million (equivalent to approximately HK$1.40 billion) by three instalments within 18 months. Pursuant to the Sanpower Settlement Agreement, Sanpower agreed to pay the Group US$300 million (equivalent to approximately HK$2.34 billion) by five instalments within 36 months as the final settlement to resolve the claim in relation to Fortress Unsettled Sum. These two settlement agreements were approved by the shareholders on 16 January 2017 and were expected to bring cash of approximately US$120 million (equivalent to approximately HK$936 million) to the Group, which exceeded the abovementioned impairment provision of HK$760 million. During the Year, the Group recognised a reversal of impairment loss on its investment in Fortress of approximately $735 million, as a result of the Fortress Settlement Agreement and Sanpower Settlement Agreement. Mr. Kam Yuen continued, "The Group is still undergoing business upgrade and optimisation. In addition, through collaborations with The University of Texas at MD Anderson Cancer Center and a renowned oncologist in the U.S.A., the Group builds up a solid foundation for future development in autoimmune disease therapies and precision medicines therapies." As the Disposal has yet to be completed during the Year, the Board did not recommend the payment of a final dividend in respect of the year ended 31 March 2017. Continuing Operations Healthcare Services Segment During the Year, healthcare services revenue decreased slightly by 0.7% year-on-year to HK$65,149,000, accounting for 28.2% of total revenue from continuing operations. Revenue generated from hospital management business and medical insurance administration business were HK$60,456,000 and HK$4,693,000, accounting for 92.8% and 7.2% of healthcare services revenue, respectively. Hospital Management Business. Over the years, Shanghai East International Medical Center has achieved a stable development and continued to contribute most of the revenue of hospital management services. In addition, Beijing Sunbow Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital, which opened in October 2016, started contributing revenue to the Group. Beijing Qinghe Hospital, a specialised hospital of the Group, was searching for the right operation and business models since it obtained its license in late 2015. During the Year, the Group adjusted the cooperation models of its hospital management business. Based on the revised cashflow forecast, the Group recognised an impairment loss of goodwill of HK$294,995,000, as the carrying amount allocated to the hospital management business exceeds its recoverable amount. Despite such impairment, the Group is still confident the adjusted cooperation model will bring future growth to its hospital management business. Medical Insurance Administration Business. The Group's self-developed intellectualised claim administration system offers off-site insurance settlement services. This is not only relieves the financial burden of policy holders but also provides comprehensive solutions to local governments. The Group will summarise collaboration experiences with government in order to provide its third-party administrator services to more insurance companies and healthcare institutions in future. Medical Devices Segment Medical devices revenue decreased by 23.7% year-on-year to HK$160,663,000, accounting for 69.7% of the Group's total revenue from continuing operations. The decrease was mainly attributable to the saturated Autologous Blood Recovery System ("ABRS") market in mid and large-sized hospitals in first-tier cities as well as the intensified price competition. Leveraging on product brand and the adjustment on its ABRSs' selling price, the Group managed to stabilise the sale of medical device consumables. The management will strategically adjust the marketing approach to cope with price competition as well as exploit new medical devices and consumables businesses, in order to ease the declining medical devices revenue. Strategic Investments The Chinese herbal medicines business recorded an operating loss of HK$23,345,000 during the Year. The Group is working closely with the relevant department regarding the land valuation since it received a possible land resumption notice from the local government in Qingpu District of Shanghai. The Group expects to improve its cash position if the land resumption is successful. Cord Blood Storage Business Discontinuing Operation Revenue from the discontinuing operation increased by 7.8% year-on-year to HK$876,201,000 during the Year, which was largely attributable to increased subscribers. Profit from discontinuing operation amounted to HK$291,399,000. No depreciation and amortisation were charged on the assets of the discontinuing operation subsequent to the classification as "assets of disposal group classified as held for sale" on 31 March 2016. Excluding depreciation and amortisation and changes in fair value of financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss, adjusted profit from discontinuing operation for the fiscal year 2015/2016 was HK$302,842,000. Discontinuing Operation For the Year Ended 31 March 2017 (HK$'000) 2016 (HK$'000) Revenue 876,201 812,944 Gross profit 732,034 635,261 Other income 26,974 81,549 Selling and administrative expenses (418,277) (399,989) Impairment loss on available-for-sale securities (2,943) (10,474) Profit from operations 337,788 306,347 Finance costs (1,704) (3,739) Changes in fair value of financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss - (597,170) Profit/(loss) before tax 336,084 (294,562) Income tax expense (44,685) (62,706) Profit/(loss) from discontinuing operation 291,399 (357,268) Outlook Looking ahead, Mr. Kam commented, "As a leading integrated healthcare enterprise in China, we expect to drive growth across our existing medical devices and healthcare services businesses by tapping onto diversified business opportunities offered in the healthcare industry. Importantly, the Group plans to further develop its healthcare services business by deploying more resources into expanding the scale as well as strengthening the operation capabilities of its existing hospitals. At the same time, by leveraging on its listing status, the Group will actively explore new healthcare-related business opportunities as well as other investment opportunities, at home and abroad, which will yield considerable returns to the shareholders." About Golden Meditech Holdings Limited (SEHK stock code: 00801, TWSE stock code: 910801) Golden Meditech (www.goldenmeditech.com) is a leading integrated-healthcare enterprise in China. It is a first-mover in China, having established its dominant positions in several markets including the medical devices market, the cord blood storage market and the hospital management market in the healthcare industry, thanks to its strengths in innovation and market expertise and the ability to capture emerging market opportunities. Going forward, Golden Meditech will continue to pursue a leading position in China's healthcare industry both through organic growth and strategic expansion. * The English names are for identification purpose only. SEGMENT RESULTS Information regarding the Group's reportable segments for the periods ended 31 March 2017 and 2016 is set out below: (HK$'000 ) Continuing Operations Discontinuing Operation Total Medical Devices Hospital Management Medical Insurance Administration Chinese Herbal Medicines Cord Blood Storage 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Revenue from External Customers 124,183 168,707 60,456 59,688 4,693 5,932 4,854 5,268 876,201 812,944 1,070,387 1,052,539 Inter-segment Revenue 36,480 41,963 - - - - - - - - 36,480 41,963 Reportable Segment Revenue 160,663 210,670 60,456 59,688 4,693 5,932 4,854 5,268 876,201 812,944 1,106,867 1,094,502 Reportable Segment Profit/(Loss) 34,956 52,473 (441,865) (137,910) (31,834) (37,359) (23,345) (16,046) 340,731 316,821 (121,357) 177,979 Reportable Segment Profit/(Loss) is Arrived at After Charging/(Crediting): Depreciation and Amortisation Charges 7,838 8,440 69,577 60,535 9,425 10,305 19,108 21,139 - 62,940 105,948 163,359 (Reversal)/Increase of Impairment Loss on Trade Receivables (86) 95 (356) 894 791 495 - - 34,095 24,830 34,444 26,314 Impairment Loss on Goodwill - - 294,995 - - - - - - - 294,995 - SOURCE Golden Meditech Holdings Limited "Grady's reputation as a regional destination for the advanced treatment of stroke and other neurological issues has led to significant growth. This new outpatient center will provide access to a greater number of patients who will benefit from our cutting-edge care," said Grady CEO John Haupert. The expansion was made possible by a $10 million gift from The Marcus Foundation, which under the direction of its benefactors, Billi and Bernie Marcus, has invested more than $50 million in Grady since 2009. A significant portion of those funds went to the creation of the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center. "We believed we could make an incredible impact on the treatment of stroke and neurological conditions here at Grady, and we have." said Bernie Marcus, who attended Monday's event. "Hundreds if not thousands of patients have been saved not only by the cutting edge treatment offered here, but through research that has turned into life-saving solutions. What we have accomplished - and will continue to accomplish in the future - is something we can all be very proud of." The new outpatient center centralizes diagnosis and treatment functions, allowing for enhanced patient care coordination. "It is impossible to overstate the impact The Marcus Foundation has had on Grady. This health system is thriving today in large part due to Billi and Bernie's willingness to invest in our future and challenge us not only to deliver the best possible care, but set standards that will save lives for years to come," said Pete Correll, chair of the Grady Health Foundation. About Grady Health System Grady Health System is one of the largest safety net health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, six neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate. With its nationally acclaimed emergency medical services, Grady has the premier Level I trauma center in the Metro Atlanta region and serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. Grady's American Burn Association/American College of Surgeons verified Burn Center is one of only two in the state. And the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center is a Joint Commission designated Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. Other key services/distinctions include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center with its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Georgia's first Cancer Center for Excellence, The Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Ponce de Leon Center - one of the top HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. Grady is one of an elite group of hospitals to earn the Baby-Friendly USA international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility. In 2017, Grady earned the prestigious Stage 7 on the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model, becoming Georgia's first adult acute care hospital to earn the highest rating for improving patient care and safety through health information technology. SOURCE Grady Health System Related Links https://www.gradyhealth.org/ NEW DELHI, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HCL Infosystems, India's pioneer IT Services, Solutions & Distribution company, today announced a strategic partnership with Parablu, a new-age cloud data protection and management solutions provider. Under the partnership, HCL Infosystems will offer Parablu's products and solutions including BluVault, a powerful data backup solution that protects on-premise data by backing it up to the cloud. This technology enables enterprises to store business assets in the cloud while maintaining privacy, security and confidentiality of data. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20170221/470111LOGO ) This partnership is in line with HCL Infosystems' focus on the Enterprise space and strengthening competencies in digital technologies such as cloud, IoT and analytics to help its clients attain competitive advantage in today's dynamic business landscape. Bimal Das, Joint President - Enterprise Distribution, HCL Infosystems Ltd. commented, "We are excited to partner with Parablu to bring cutting edge technology based Cloud Security Solutions for providing more effective data protection and secure data backup to enterprises in India. This partnership is a natural fit for us in terms of offering digital technologies to clients for strategic business advantage. The new age cloud data protection solutions for digital enterprise offered by Parablu will expand our portfolio of enterprise products and solutions." Anand Prahlad, CEO, Parablu said, "Our mission of helping enterprises to move securely to the cloud will now be accelerated with this strategic partnership. We are excited that this partnership will enable enterprises to fully leverage their Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions while taking advantage of BluVault to make their data totally secure on the cloud." According to industry reports, the cloud storage market size is estimated to grow from USD 23.76 Billion in 2016 to USD 74.94 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 25.8% from 2016 to 2021. Factors such as high demand for hybrid cloud storage, growing need for enterprise mobility, and need for easy implementation of cloud storage solutions are fuelling the growth of the cloud storage market. On the other hand, the cloud backup market size is expected to grow from USD 1.30 Billion in 2017 to USD 4.13 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 26.1%, driven by huge volume of data generation, lower costs and greater efficiency than on-premises backup, and growing adoption of SaaS. BluVault, Parablu's next-generation secure endpoint data backup solution. lets enterprises maximize utilization of their Microsoft OneDrive for Business subscriptions while providing complete scalability across geographies and locations. BluVault, which can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud offers a great defense against ransomware and other malicious attacks. BluVault works in tandem with Parablu's Privacy Gateway solution - BluKrypt, which fully obfuscates the data stream using the customer's encryption keys before writing it to the OneDrive cloud - making the security, even more robust. About HCL Infosystems HCL Infosystems is India's pioneer IT Services, Solutions & Distribution company providing the choice of multi-brand global technology products and the capability of best-in-class, business-aligned IT services and solutions. Our offerings portfolio spans IT and System Integration services, value-added distribution of enterprise technology and consumer mobility products. By helping our clients across industries to attain and sustain competitive business edge we aim to be Your Technology Lifecycle Partner. For more information, please visit us at http://www.hclinfosystems.in. Follow HCL Infosystems on Twitter at @HCLScribes About Parablu Parablu engineers new-age cloud data protection and management solutions for the digital enterprise. Parablu's advanced, security focused solutions protect enterprise data completely and provide customers total control over data movement. Parablu's suite of products include: BluKrypt, an on-premise Privacy Gateway that completely secures critical data on the cloud; BluVault, a powerful and secure data backup solution in the cloud, BluSync, a secure, enterprise file sharing and collaboration application; BluDrive, a secure file transfer solution. Visit http://www.parablu.com for more information. Media Contact: Tanay Gogoi +91-9971179400 [email protected] HCL Infosystems Reema Bardhan +91-9891267470 [email protected] HCL Infosystems Hemant Arya +91-9810780153 [email protected] First Partners Naveen Ekambaram +1-(650)-762-6641/+91-9886385680 [email protected] Parablu SOURCE Parablu Inc The findings, published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association , underscore how health insurance can affect outcomes. Most adults in the study gained insurance through Medicaid expansion, a jointly funded federal-state health insurance program for low-income people that was expanded under the federal law, also known as Obamacare. Investigators based their analysis on emergency medical services in an urban Oregon county before and after the insurance expansion mandated by the law. Among previously uninsured adults ages 45 to 64, the incidence of cardiac arrest decreased by 17 percent. The incidence remained the same among adults age 65 and older, a group that had consistently high rates of health insurance coverage before and after the ACA, primarily through Medicare. "Cardiac arrest is a devastating and under-recognized cause of premature death for both men and women age 45 and older," said Eric Stecker, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of cardiology at Oregon Health & Science University's Knight Cardiovascular Institute in Portland, Ore., and the study's lead author. "Health insurance allows people to engage in regular medical care, which is crucial for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that can cause cardiac arrest." More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen yearly in the United States. Although the terms "sudden cardiac arrest" and "heart attack" often are used interchangeably, the conditions are vastly different. A heart attack is caused when one of the major arteries leading to the heart becomes clogged, usually with plaque, disrupting the flow of blood to the heart muscle. A sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical disturbance in the heart rhythm that causes the heart to stop beating. Patients may have little or no warning, and the disorder usually causes instantaneous death. Sudden cardiac arrest has been blamed for the deaths of journalist Tim Russert and filmmaker John Hughes. "Because so few survive a sudden cardiac arrest, it is imperative that we be able to predict which patients are the most vulnerable," said the study's senior author, Sumeet Chugh, M.D., director of the Heart Rhythm Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles. "Effective primary prevention is the only way to make a significant impact on this problem. Fewer than 10 percent of these patients are going to make it out of the hospital alive. By the time we dial 911, it's much too late for most of them." The findings published today came out of a larger research enterprise called the Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study, a comprehensive, 16-hospital, multi-year assessment of cardiac deaths in the Portland metropolitan area, home to 2.4 million people. The study, led by Chugh, has been underway for more than a decade. Data collected from it provides Chugh and his team with unique, community-based information to mine for answers to what causes sudden cardiac arrest. Researchers examined records for emergency medical services in Multnomah County, Oregon, to identify patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. They compared this information to U.S. Census Bureau data for the county's adult population in the years before ACA implementation (2011-2012) and after the law took effect (2014-2015). The investigators caution that although the study shows a strong association between health insurance and lower rates of cardiac arrest, it does not prove cause and effect. If larger studies among more diverse groups of patients confirm these findings, that would potentially have major public health implications, the study's authors said. "It is crucial to more comprehensively identify the health benefits of insurance and to carefully consider public policies that affect the number of uninsured Americans," Stecker said. Co-authors are Kyndaron Reinier, PhD, MPH; Carmen Rusinaru, MD, PhD; Audrey Uy-Evanado, MD; Jonathan Jui, MD, MPH; and Sumeet Chugh, MD. Author disclosures are on the manuscript. This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Stecker K12HL108974; Chugh R01HL122492 and R01HL126938). About OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute The OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute was established through a visionary $125 million philanthropic investment from Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight and his wife, Penny. It is the largest gift ever recorded to advance cardiovascular health in the United States. The Knight Cardiovascular Institute is an integrated center of translational research, clinical care, education and disease prevention, which is dedicated to becoming the world's best at translating research into clinical innovations to benefit patients by attacking heart disease from every angle, before conception and throughout a person's lifetime. About Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute The Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute is internationally recognized for outstanding heart care built on decades of innovation and leading edge research. From cardiac imaging and advanced diagnostics to surgical repair of complex heart problems to the training of the heart specialists of tomorrow and research that is deepening medical knowledge and practice, the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute is known around the world for excellence and innovations. Media Toolkit Download photos on OHSU News Related Content OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute Biography of Eric Stecker, M.D., M.P.H. Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute Biography of Sumeet Chugh, M.D. SOURCE Oregon Health & Science University Related Links http://www.ohsu.edu/xd NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gone are the days of 'Devil Wears Prada' internships that revolve around coffee-fetching and making copies; today's ambitious college woman knows that to be a leader in her chosen field, she has to be constantly learning, growing, and honing her skillswhich is why this year's attendee list has more than doubled for Her Campus's 6th annual Her Conference, taking place July 22-23 in New York City. The leading career development conference for college women, focused on media, marketing, journalism, PR, entrepreneurship, social impact, tech, and leadership, Her Conference provides two days of incredible programming, with this year's 100+ speakers hailing from top employers including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Buzzfeed, Business Insider, Google, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Edelman, J.Crew, Forbes, The United Nations, Simon & Schuster, MTV News, ABC News, Conde Nast, NBCUniversal, Refinery29, and more, sharing their proven advice on how to land coveted dream jobs at these industry-leading companies. Panels cover everything from nabbing that elusive entry-level editorial job, to breaking into the marketing industry, getting a sneak peek behind the scenes at a real PR job, writing a book, freelancing full-time, starting her own business, making it in tech, working in the competitive world of social media, as well as building self-confidence, networking, and negotiating skills. Attendees will also hear from keynote speakers Pretty Little Liars' Troian Bellisario, acclaimed actress Aja Naomi King, the National Co-Chairs of this year's historic Women's March, celebrated TV journalist and women's empowerment activist Gretchen Carlson, POPSUGAR's Founder & President, Lisa Sugar, and Founder & Editor-in-Chief of MuslimGirl.com, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh. Media company for creative women Brit + Co is the official media sponsor of Her Conference 2017, with additional sponsors Ulta Beauty, KIND Snacks, IT Cosmetics, Bed Head by TIGI, Forte Foundation, IMPACT Melanoma, Skedaddle, SkinnyPop Popcorn, and Shake Shack. "Our annual Her Conference is Her Campus's largest career development event of the year, and an incredible opportunity to connect the media leaders of today with the media leaders of tomorrow, providing our attendees with an unparalleled learning and networking experience that can't be found at any other event of its kind," said Her Campus Co-founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Kaplan Lewis. Interested attendees can register for Her Conference and find the full agenda for the weekend at herconference.com. ABOUT HER CAMPUS Her Campus Media is the #1 new media brand for the empowered college woman and 360-degree college marketing agency, reaching over 26 million users monthly. Major platforms include flagship site HerCampus.com, on-campus network of 340+ campus chapters, InfluenceHer Collective of 2,500+ millennial & Gen Z female influencers, annual proprietary tentpole programs College Fashion Week and Her Conference, bestselling book The Her Campus Guide to College Life, and more. Leveraging its digital, social, experiential, influencer and on-campus reach, Her Campus Media provides award-winning integrated marketing programs for leading brands. Her Campus has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, PR Week, CNN Money, & more, and has been named to Entrepreneur magazine's Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America, Forbes 100 Best Websites for Women and 10 Best Websites for Millennial Women among other accolades. Contact: Elaina Featherstone 1-339-203-5065 [email protected] SOURCE Her Campus Media Related Links http://www.herconference.com/ CINCINNATI, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Family-owned and operated Tire Discounters, the nation's eighth-largest independent tire retailer, is excited to announce a company-wide expansion. In addition to adding several new stores in its existing markets, Tire Discounters has announced that it will enter the Huntsville, Alabama market later this year making Alabama the sixth state in the company's geographical footprint. "We are excited to introduce ourselves to the Huntsville community as we continue our rapid expansion across all markets," said Jamie Ward, president of Tire Discounters. "Having opened or remodeled 29 locations in the past three years, we're eager to continue that momentum and bring our high levels of customer service to more and more customers." Already boasting more than 100 stores, the company is on an accelerated path to unveil new locations in all its markets in the coming year. Ward says that this year, Tire Discounters plans to open one new location and remodel five existing stores in the Greater Cincinnati area, three stores each in both Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and one new store in both Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. The company is also looking for other strategic opportunities. "To us, 'family owned and operated' means treating our customers like our friends and neighbors. We want to partner with other family owned and operated businesses with a similar, customer-first philosophy as we expand our business. We want everyone to know that there are other choices than selling to some big faceless corporation. We know that not everyone has a solid succession plan like we do, and we want family tire and service retailers considering options to sell to know they can trust us to take care of their customers and their hard-earned reputations," said Ward. "As we continue to grow and serve more communities, we're focused on providing an unmatched customer experience," said Clarissa Niese, chief customer officer for Tire Discounters. "The addition of our new stores and the remodeling of others will allow us to service more customers and offer them a trusted, nearby expert whenever car care needs arise." The company is also making important investments in its technology infrastructure that will help deliver an enhanced customer experience. Under the leadership of a new chief technology officer, Dov Rosenberg, Tire Discounters is implementing a state-of-the-art point-of-sale system and updated phone systems. The company is also refreshing its official website, TireDiscounters.com, to better serve online customer needs. As it continues this exciting expansion, Tire Discounters is looking for energetic and motivated sales people, management trainees, mechanics and technicians of all experience levels to join the team. Interested candidates can apply at www.tirediscounters.com/careers. With more than 40 years of business under its belt, Tire Discounters is well-known for its tongue-in-cheek changeable copy signs and clever, quirky approach to advertising. Tire Discounters built its business on giving its customers complimentary services that extend the life of tires and improve overall performance. Tire Discounters' Standard Installation includes mounting and balancing, tire repair and rubber valve stems along with lifetime rotation, air pressure adjustments and balancing. It's known as the "home of the free alignment," providing this service free of charge with any four-tire purchase with standard installation, so customers get safer handling, longer lasting tires and improved fuel efficiency. Most name brand tires and value-based tires are in stock, with virtually all brands available, ensuring a variety of prices for a range of budgets. Tire Discounters also offers a full menu of factory-recommended maintenance services performed by ASE-certified technicians. About Tire Discounters Tire Discounters was founded by Chip Wood in 1976, and is still family-owned and operated. He remains the sole owner and driving force behind the company, but in recent years he has laid the groundwork for a smooth transition into a second generation of leadership. Chip's children are actively involved in the business, including Chip's oldest son Steven, who has been a full-time employee for five years, working closely with his father. Jamie Ward, a valued employee and protege of Chip's for over 20 years, was appointed company President. Tire Discounters is currently the nation's eighth-largest independent tire retailer and is growing rapidly. The company leads the way in providing unique and innovative customer benefits designed to make tires last longer and maximize the overall performance of a car or light truck. Tire Discounters' ASE-certified technicians provide routine automotive repair and factory scheduled maintenance. Tire Discounters currently employs more than 1,100 people in more than 100 locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. For more information, visit www.tirediscounters.com. SOURCE Tire Discounters Related Links http://www.tirediscounters.com MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Herzing University has been granted the maximum 10 years of continuing accreditation for its online nursing programs by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The accredited programs include RN to BSN, Master of Science in Nursing (both the Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator programs), and the Post Master's FNP Certificate (PMCFNP) for family nursing. "The 10-year accreditation acknowledges that our online programs meet specific national standards, and students can feel confident that they will adequately prepare them for nursing practice at each degree level," said Pat Edwards, associate VP for nursing accreditation and regulatory affairs at Herzing. "Accreditation is also important for individuals who may want to further their education, as most post-grad programs require a degree from an accredited program." Accreditation by CCNE shows that Herzing's online nursing programs are sufficient across a number of criteria including institutional resources, quality curriculum and teaching practices, and program outcomes related to completion rates, pass rates and employment. Herzing also has a systematic evaluation plan that includes ongoing assessments of the programs to show that the university continues to meet CCNE accreditation standards. Students enrolled in Herzing's online nursing programs enjoy the flexibility of completing coursework on their own schedule and access to supportive faculty who have strong professional credentials. Officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, CCNE is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing and serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and nurse residency programs. The CCNE accredits more than 1,000 nursing education degree programs throughout the United States. For more information about Herzing's nursing programs, please visit www.herzing.edu/nursing-programs. About Herzing University Herzing University, an accredited private nonprofit institution, encompasses 11 campuses in eight states, a continuing education division, an online division, and has a current enrollment of approximately 6,000 students. Founded in Milwaukee in 1965, today the University offers career-focused, convenient and caring education for master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees, diplomas and continuing education in the fields of nursing, technology, business, healthcare and public safety. From 2013 through 2017, U.S. News & World Report recognized Herzing University as having some of the "Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs" nationally. Herzing University has also been recognized on the GI Jobs magazine list of "Military Friendly Schools" from 2013 through 2017. Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; www.hlcommission.org or (800) 621-7440. More information about Herzing University is available at: www.herzing.edu. Contact: Candice Hudson 312-661-1050 [email protected] SOURCE Herzing University Related Links http://www.herzing.edu Celebrates the Work of Renowned Scholar and Artist Jao Tsung-i as Part of Paris International Week PARIS, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HNA Group, a global Fortune 500 company focused on tourism, logistics, and financial services, yesterday announced that it is hosting "Glamour of Jao's Lotus: Exhibition of Lotus-themed Artworks by Professor Jao Tsung-i" at the Paris Pagoda. The exhibition features thirty-eight paintings and calligraphies by renowned Chinese scholar and artist Professor Jao Tsung-i, and marks Professor Jao's first exhibition in France. The event will run from 27 June to 2 July 2017 and is invitation-only. The exhibition is being held as part of HNA Paris International Week, a week-long series of events hosted by HNA Group to celebrate its global platform. The events are being held in Paris, France, in conjunction with HNA's title sponsorship of the HNA Open de France. Lu Ying, Vice Chairman of the HNA Group Board of Directors, said, "HNA Group is delighted to introduce the important works of Professor Jao to the people of Paris. Professor Jao is one of the great minds and talents in China today; we are proud to share his artistry and to help foster an appreciation for Chinese art and scholarship with the rest of the world." Mr. Ying continued, "As one of the few truly global companies with Chinese roots, and in keeping with the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, HNA Group is committed to promoting cultural exchanges across our businesses, management, and philanthropic activities, while also preserving and celebrating our heritage. Our commitment to giving back, to bringing the world closer together, and to being good global citizens is deeply embedded in HNA Group's corporate fabric, and we are pleased to have this opportunity to support the arts and encourage a dialogue between East and West." Since its founding, HNA Group has made approximately $1.5 billion in charitable contributions across a range of programs, and has donated more than $20 million to artistic and cultural organizations in China and internationally, including the National Center for the Performing Arts, the Palace Museum, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and The Jewish Museum. In 2010, HNA Group established the Cihang Foundation as a way to broaden and further institutionalize its commitment to giving back. About the Exhibition The theme of the exhibition is centered around the lotus flower. In traditional Chinese culture, the lotus serves as a symbol of highly principled scholars. The works of Professor Jao convey the key ideals and principles of Confucianism, including the purity, beauty, and tranquility of the state of mind and the pursuit of noble character. Professor Jao is a world-renowned Chinese scholar, artist, poet, and modern authority of Confucianism. Over the course of his 70-year study of sinology, Professor Jao has published over 100 books and over 1,000 articles across a wide range of disciplines. He is a highly regarded artist and has created his own style of painting and calligraphy developed from internalizing the essence of Chinese masterpieces. He has been affiliated with a number of prestigious universities around the world, and has received many distinguished honors over the course of his career, including the Prix Stanislas Julien by the College de France, the Life Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and the Grand Bauhinia Medal from the Hong Kong S.A.R Government. Professor Jao currently serves as the seventh President of the Xiling Seal Art Society and the Associate Foreign Member of the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres of the Institut de France. About HNA Group HNA Group is a global Fortune 500 company focused on tourism, logistics and financial services. Since its founding in 1993, HNA Group has evolved from a regional airline based on Hainan Island in southern China into a global company with approximately $145 billion of assets, over $90 billion in annual revenues, and an international workforce of 410,000 employees, primarily across America, Europe and Asia. HNA's tourism business is a fast-growing, vertically-integrated global player with market-leading positions in aviation, hotels and travel services. HNA operates and invests in nearly 3,200 hotels with over 380,000 rooms across major markets, and has 1,250 aircraft carrying nearly 100 million passengers to 270 cities worldwide. HNA's Logistics business is a leader in logistics and supply chain management with capabilities in shipping and equipment manufacturing, maritime transportation, third-party payment platforms and project finance. In financial services, HNA is China's largest non-bank leasing company, and a leading provider of a diverse set of businesses in equipment leasing, insurance, asset management, investment banking and credit services. SOURCE HNA Group TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales launched a customs union predicted to boost both their countries' economies by over one percent. They kicked off the union at the Corinto border post connecting their nations. "We believe this union will bring a new chapter of economic growth and cooperation to our region," said President Hernandez. "We are excited to open up avenues for trade, travel and cultural exchange with our Guatemalan neighbors." Republic of Honduras Under the new agreement, Guatemala and Honduras will allow 80 percent of exports and travelers to cross their borders free of charge. Ten access points along the border, built under regulations agreed to by both nations, will facilitate easy passage. The customs union is expected to raise tax revenue by about $40 million a month, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Since Honduras and Guatemala comprise 42 percent of Central America's population and 46 percent of its GDP, the customs union will also attract investment and grow the entire regional economy. Camilo Atala, president of the Latin American Business Council, praised the union as the first customs partnership on the continent. "The customs union will increase the flow of trade between both nations and set an example for Latin America," he stated. By fostering economic growth, he noted, the union "will create more and better jobs in both countries." "Central America has sought economic unity for over 50 years," said Hernandez. "We believe that this unprecedented agreement will allow us to make progress toward that goal." Media Contact: Yael Wollstein [email protected] 202-471-4228 ext. 118 SOURCE Republic of Honduras At the event, Hyundai Hope On Wheels pediatric cancer research grants were presented to: Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (Washington, DC), Children's National Medical Center (Washington, D.C.), John Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (Baltimore, Maryland), Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (Norfolk, Virginia), and Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Virginia). These grants were among the first awards to be presented by the company this year, as a part of its continued commitment to support of pediatric cancer research in the U.S. "From the very start of our company in the U.S. in 1986, Hyundai has been committed to corporate social responsibility and the importance of helping to make society better," said Jerry Flannery, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "We joined the fight against pediatric cancer nearly 20-years ago, as a way to help children fight this terrible disease. Every 36 minutes a child is diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Because of research, 80% of kids diagnosed can survive the disease. But that's not good enough. That's why we are proud to award research grants to institutions that are doing life-saving work, to insure more kids get to fulfill their dreams and grow up in a world free of pediatric cancer." Pediatric and cancer are two words that should never go together. Through Hyundai Hope on Wheels, the organization is committed to funding research that will increase cure rates and improve treatment for children diagnosed with cancer. Its mission is to end childhood cancer. Hyundai pediatric cancer research grants range from $50,000, $150,000 and $250,000 dollars and are available to any Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions in the U.S., for support of innovative research and novel therapy to treat the disease. In 2017, the organization has selected sixty-eight pediatric cancer research projects to be funded, totaling $15 million dollars. This brings the non-profit's total funding to pediatric cancer research to over $130 million and 855 separate research projects, since its inception. Later this month, the organization will announce that applications will be accepted for its Hyundai Quantum Award category. The Hyundai Quantum is a peer-reviewed $1-million dollar research grant to COG institutions pursuing projects that target high risk pediatric cancers. Grant winning institutions will be announced later this year. Hyundai Motor Group President, Jin Haeng Chung from the company's global headquarters in Seoul, South Korea also attended the event. "Hyundai Motor Group values as a business imperative, a commitment of contributing to improve society and to helping enhance the enjoyment of life for all of humanity. For over 30 years, we have proudly joined invested in communities across America to make society better. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is an excellent example of working together with leading researchers, doctors, families, and communities, to help more kids win their fight with pediatric cancer. We could not think of a better way to dedicate our new Washington DC Office, than to also align our commitment to pediatric cancer and our support for the local community," said President Chung. The Hyundai Motor Group has invested over $7.7 billion and has direct employment of over 17,000, and its dealerships employ 85,000 additional people in the U.S. For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a complete list of this year's grant winners, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/research. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels. HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit 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 non-profit 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 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook SOURCE Hyundai Hope on Wheels Related Links http://HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org SPRINGFIELD, Mass., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels will present Baystate Children's Hospital of Springfield, MA with a $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award. Baystate Children's Hospital is one of 25 recipients of this year's award, which is given to pediatric oncology departments at select children's hospitals nationwide. Baystate Children's Hospital will use the funds to support the work of pediatric cancer research and programs. The $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award will be officially presented to Baystate Children's Hospital, Wednesday, June 28th at 10:00 a.m. in the Tolosky Family Living Room at Baystate Medical Center. In 2017, Hope On Wheels will award $15 million toward pediatric cancer research and programs. This brings the organization's donation total to $130 million since Hyundai joined the fight against pediatric cancer in 1998. With this latest grant, Baystate Children's Hospital has received more than $150,000 from Hope On Wheels. "Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work. Superheroes come in all forms, but for children and families battling cancer superheroes wear lab coats." The $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award will be officially presented to Baystate Children's Hospital, Wednesday, June 28th at 10:00 a.m. During the event, pediatric cancer patients from Baystate Children's Hospital both past and present - will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, in which they'll dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a white 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. Their colorful handprints on the official Hope Vehicle represent their individual and collective journeys, hopes and dreams. Doctors and researchers that receive a grant from Hope On Wheels are named Hyundai Scholars and are presented with a special lab coat. This year, Hope On Wheels will further recognize its Hyundai Scholars for their incredible efforts on behalf of children battling cancer through a campaign called "Superheroes Wear Lab Coats." The video series will showcase their lifesaving work. For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a complete list of this year's grant winners, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/research. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels. HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit 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 non-profit 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 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. BAYSTATE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL As a not-for-profit healthcare system, Baystate Health is the leading, comprehensive healthcare provider with over 12,000 employees, including 600 physicians, serving western Massachusetts. Baystate Health Foundation is the charitable arm that supports Baystate Health, its employees and patients, and raises funds for Baystate Health hospitals, programs and services, from cutting-edge treatments, to state-of-the-art technology, to new medical and surgical facilities. Charitable donations to Baystate Health Foundation support the health system's commitment to keeping care local while investing in compassionate, integrated care for everyone served in Baystate Health's hospitals, medical practices and homes. For more information about making Baystate Health Foundation a charity of choice, please visit baystatehealth.org/bhf or call (413) 794-5444. For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels Related Links http://HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org SCARBOROUGH, Maine, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels will present Maine Medical Center with a $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award. Maine Medical Center is one of 25 recipients of this year's award, which is given to pediatric oncology departments at select children's hospitals nationwide. Maine Medical Center will use the funds to support the work of pediatric cancer research and programs. The $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award will be officially presented to Maine Medical Center at its Scarborough Campus (100 Campus Drive, Scarborough, ME 04074) Thursday, June 29th at 9:30 a.m. In 2017, Hope On Wheels will award $15 million toward pediatric cancer research and programs. This brings the organization's donation total to $130 million since Hyundai joined the fight against pediatric cancer in 1998. With this latest grant, Maine Medical Center has received more than $450,000 from Hope On Wheels. "Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work. Superheroes come in all forms, but for children and families battling cancer superheroes wear lab coats." The $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award will be officially presented to Maine Medical Center at its Scarborough Campus (100 Campus Drive, Scarborough, ME 04074) Thursday, June 29th at 9:30 a.m. During the event, Scarborough area children battling cancer will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, in which they'll dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a white 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. Their colorful handprints on the official Hope Vehicle represent their individual and collective journeys, hopes and dreams. Doctors and researchers that receive a grant from Hope On Wheels are named Hyundai Scholars and are presented with a special lab coat. This year, Hope On Wheels will further recognize its Hyundai Scholars for their incredible efforts on behalf of children battling cancer through a campaign called "Superheroes Wear Lab Coats." The video series will showcase their lifesaving work. For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a complete list of this year's grant winners, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/research. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels. HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit 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 non-profit 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 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels Related Links http://HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the extensive recruitment process completed, IHA's Governing Board is pleased to announce that Mark A. LePage, MD, MBA, will succeed the late Bill Fileti, to serve as the organization's next CEO and the first physician CEO in the medical group's 23-year history. CEO Search Committee Chair and IHA OB/GYN, Wesley Beemer, MD, said, "We were delighted by the interest in our position from physician candidates across the country. All of the candidates were physician executives with extensive experience with large multi-specialty group practices, hospital systems and a couple with health plan experience as well." Dr. LePage is a physician executive with a wide-array of experience in both provider and payer matters and a unique skill set encompassing clinical experience, financial acumen and strategic mindset with a passion for driving change toward a sustaining health care system that delivers affordable care, delights patients, engages physicians and other clinical professionals, and improves overall community health. After serving in the United States Air Force as a Staff Interventional Radiologist, Dr. LePage joined Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin. Early in his tenure at Marshfield, he served as Medical Director of Marshfield Clinic Vascular Center and has continued to serve on the Marshfield Board or other leadership roles since 2010. In January 2013, Mark accepted the Chief Medical Officer position at Security Health Plan. SHP is a subsidiary of Marshfield Clinic Health System. In January 2016, Mark was selected for the role of Chief Medical Officer at Marshfield Clinic. IHA's incoming CEO grew up in Marquette, Michigan. He went to the University of Michigan for his undergraduate degree, and then attended the University of Michigan Medical School for his medical degree. Dr. LePage completed his residency in Diagnostic Radiology and Fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at University of Michigan Health System. Dr. LePage obtained his MBA and his MS in Finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. "Mark brings great interpersonal relationship skills and a successful track record managing complex organizational initiatives to his new position with IHA," said Rob Casalou, Regional President and CEO for Saint Joseph Mercy Health System and IHA Board member. "His collaborative approach, high integrity and extensive knowledge of health care operations will be a tremendous asset as IHA continues to grow and provide care across multiple specialties." Mark and his wife Heather, who is a CPA by training and a University of Michigan graduate, have three children ages 18, 16 and 14. They view IHA's CEO position as "an opportunity of a lifetime" and are looking forward to returning "home" to Michigan in early fall. About IHA IHA is one of the best and largest multi-specialty groups in Michigan. IHA employs nearly 2,200 staff, which includes more than 650 providers consisting of: physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives in approximately 70 practice locations across Southeast Michigan. IHA provides high-quality medical care and excellent service to nearly 470,000 active patients. Recognized as Metro Detroit's Top Physician Group by Consumer Reports magazine, IHA also ranks in the top quartile for patient satisfaction nationally. Offering extended office hours and urgent care services, along with online patient diagnosis, treatment and appointment access tools. IHA demonstrates that it cares by bringing safe, high quality, comprehensive and affordable care to its patients. For more information about IHA, visit www.ihacares.com. About Trinity Health Trinity Health is one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation, serving diverse communities that include more than 30 million people across 22 states. Trinity Health includes 93 hospitals, as well as 120 continuing care programs that include PACE, senior living facilities, and home care and hospice services. Its continuing care programs provide nearly 2.5 million visits annually. Based in Livonia, Mich., and with annual operating revenues of $16.3 billion and assets of $23.4 billion, the organization returns almost $1 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. Trinity Health employs about 131,000 colleagues, including 5,300 employed physicians. For more information about Trinity Health, visit www.trinity-health.org. SOURCE IHA Related Links http://www.ihacares.com INDIANAPOLIS, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LightBound, an Indiana-based ISP and datacenter services provider, announced today the addition of a new Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) product to its Cloud Portfolio. LightBound is now able to offer this service to anyone around the globe. This service provides organizations of all types the ability to protect their systems and data against man-made and natural catastrophes through real-time replication and fail-over recovery for server workloads to an off-site location. Natural disasters aren't the only threat to an organization's data and systems. Recently, there's been an exponential increase in cyber-crimes, denial of service attacks, and other events, more so than mother-nature's wrath. With security exposures increasing by the day, it's not a matter of if organizations need a disaster recovery plan, but when. DRaaS provides the quick and affordable recovery needed to get an organization back up and running. "Now more than ever, companies need to ensure that their customers and employees have access to their systems 24x7x365," states Jack Carr, CEO of LightBound. "It's no longer a luxury, and it's never been more affordable or achievable. Up until now, this type of service wasn't affordable or attainable for small and medium-sized businesses. Our service lets the small guys compete with larger companies in terms of uptime and availability of their systems which has now become 'table stakes' at the poker table." Key features of Lightbound's DRaaS services: LightBound's resources and expertise can be leveraged so companies can focus on what they do best DRaaS services allow data and systems to be recovered in minutes rather than hours or days, which is essential to minimize downtime and keep companies running LightBound can serve organizations anywhere in the world, no matter where they operate, so companies can recover to/from anywhere and replicate to/from anywhere It is not required to be a current customer to use LightBound's DRaaS services "Lightbound already provides critical resources in terms of connectivity and production workloads, so the DRaaS offering is a perfect and seamless compliment for added uptime assurance. It's easy and it just makes sense," said Shane White, Director of Information Technology, Carter Logistics. "We can trust LightBound's DRaaS services to provide quick recovery from any outage, and it's a fundamental requirement that we're able to manage logistics and shipments around the clock." "Indiana is a global logistics leader and plays a critical role in encouraging companies to expand and/or relocate to Indiana". All of these companies need to be and remain competitive. If we can play a small part in that greater success, that's something we can all be proud of," said Jack Carr. About LightBound: Since 1994, LightBound has been delivering Internet and IP services to clients. We are an Indiana-based provider of Internet, voice, co-location, network, and IaaS cloud services to local and global organizations. LightBound has been delivering 24x7 support from a staffed Network Operations Center (NOC) from the beginning and a CLEC since 2005. Contact LightBound if you see DRaaS in your future. Media Contact: Dane Dittemore LightBound 317.777.7131 [email protected] SOURCE LightBound NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The smart building market, estimated to grow to $24.73 billion by 2021, is creating an upsurge in demand for smart building technology solutions. (MarketsAndMarkets) The Informa Business intelligence Buildings' portfolio plays a vital role delivering critical business insights to smart building and infrastructure professionals to inform their decisions as they implement and maintain new smart building technologies. Officially today, the Buildings' portfolio, which includes industry leading brands such as Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M), Electrical Wholesaling, Electrical Marketing, HPAC Engineering, Contracting Business, Contractor and American School & University, is now delivered through the Informa Business intelligence new business-to-business content platform. The new, user-focused design delivers higher levels of engagement with content and increased ad interaction through a fresh, modern user interface. The sites are optimized for mobile devices using a responsive design and include an improved overall user experience emphasizing real-time interactions and deep content engagement. Features include: modern design, infinite scroll content pages to increase user engagement, richer content visuals (videos, images, galleries, infographics, etc.) and faster page loading. The new functionality targeted to enhance ROI for marketers includes: improved ad viewability, optimal visibility of ads within content, new ad units including rich media, expandables, and high-impact banners, advanced targeting capabilities and enhanced sponsored and native content formats. Aggregate averages show digital ad viewability rates increased to 82%, more than 30 points over industry averages. Page views per visit increased 26% and overall click-through rates have followed. "From connected lighting to intelligent building management systems with renewables integration, the advancements in smart buildings enable building owners to move from energy savings and improved occupancy utilization toward occupancy comfort and improved productivity. When we see measurable increases in productivity, the ROI is very high," said Linda Reinhard, Buildings' Market Leader, Informa Business intelligence. "We understand the smart building and infrastructure ecosystem from both a user and marketer's perspective. Our new content platform is encouraging deeper engagement by delivering Buildings professionals with the right content, at the right time to make critical decisions. We then offer advertisers powerful marketing opportunities to reach those users at each stage of the buying cycle." The Buildings' portfolio includes new topics focused on shaping the future of smart buildings and infrastructure including: Energy Management, Distributed Energy Resources, Intelligent Buildings, Connected Lighting and Building Automation Systems. For more information about the Informa Business intelligence Buildings' brands, visit: http://ebmarketing.penton.com/brands/ ABOUT INFORMA Contracting Business, CONTRACTOR, Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Electrical Wholesaling, Electrical Marketing and American School & University are part of Informa, the international business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events group. Informa serves commercial, professional and academic communities, helping them connect and learn, and creating and providing access to content and intelligence that helps people and businesses work smarter and make better decisions faster. Informa has over 7,500 colleagues in more than 20 countries and a presence in all major geographies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100. MEDIA CONTACT: Angie Gates Director, Marketing Contracting Business, Contractor, Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Electrical Wholesaling, Electrical Marketing and American School & University [email protected] SOURCE Informa Business intelligence BEIJING, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Intel's Bio IT Forum was held in Beijing, China. In the forum, the first four members, Intel, Inspur, BGI (Beijing Genomics Institute), and Alibaba Cloud jointly announced the launch of GATK Chinese Association for Precision Medicine. Mr. Liu Jun, Inspur's General Manager of Artificial Intelligence and High Performance Computing, gave the keynote speech, "AI+HPC: Life and Medical Application Acceleration". In recognition of Inspur's outstanding contributions to precision medicine, Inspur won Intel's "Best Practices Award" for their Integrated Genomic Appliance. Industry top executives and experts such as: Yang Xu, Intel Vice-President and President of China Division; Professor Yu Jun, Chief Scientist of transcriptome research in China National Science and Technology Program; and Kate Voss, GATK representative from Broad Institute; attended the forum. GATK is currently the most widely used genome analysis software and is developed by Broad Institute from the United States. The establishment of the GATK Chinese Association will accelerate the adoption and use of GATK tools among Chinese users for precision medicine and will be an important segment of Intel partnership program for precision medicine. Intel predicts that by 2020, with the merger between biodata and the medical industry, all precision medical procedures, from genome sequencing to medical analysis and medical regimen, can be completed in less than 24 hours. Inspur already has an extensive suite of innovative products for precision medicine and application deployment experience. The Inspur Genomics Appliance is designed to run on Inspur servers, allowing integration of fundamental bioinformation read aligners such as Bowtie, Bwa, with other Second-Generation and Next-Generation sequencing tools, while also utilizing quality control data preprocessing software like Fastqc. Inspur's Genomics Appliance can perform data analysis for the entire genome and allow additional re-sequencing input with Second-Generation analyzers. Presently, Shanghai Children's Hospital has carried out many research projects into rare child diseases using Inspur Genomic Appliance. These projects rely on the Intel genome database embedded in the genome appliance to create a comprehensive hardware and software system solution for high-throughput sequencing, sequence analysis, and database genome computations, etc. In full support of the new artificial intelligence applications development for the medical industry, Inspur has created a new complete artificial intelligence solution for the medical domain. This "complex platform" solution, is based on diverse and innovative hardware, powerful scheduling & management utilities, and advanced analysis software enhanced with a deep learning framework. It has the capability to ingest data from multiple sources at the front-end, and support smart applications at the back-end. Inspur is committed to provide leading computing power for artificial intelligence solutions and to promote inclusive technologies that will benefit all. SOURCE Inspur Electronic Information Industry Co., Ltd LOS ANGELES and LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestCloud Inc., a global FinTech firm, is set to launch a financial technology incubator and accelerator at its European headquarters in Soho, London. InvestCloud Innovation Center London will offer both new startups and established financial firms the ability to quickly deliver digital wealth management solutions supported by the InvestCloud platform. Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, has praised the move by InvestCloud to establish its latest financial technology incubator in London. The Mayor's business chief spoke at Innovate to the future a view from London, an event jointly hosted by the British-American Business Council Los Angeles and InvestCloud on Friday, June 23 in InvestCloud's Los Angeles Innovation Center. At the event, Agrawal highlighted the global FinTech firm's commitment to innovation. Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor for Business, said: "InvestCloud's decision to launch a FinTech incubator and accelerator in the heart of our great city is further evidence that London is open for business and innovation. As a FinTech entrepreneur, I know from experience London is the ideal location to grow a start-up, with an unrivalled talent pool and a time zone which overlaps with other financial centres, among many other advantages. That is the message I took on my trade mission to the West Coast of the US last week and I'm delighted that companies like InvestCloud continue to invest in London and recognise our city as a global business powerhouse." InvestCloud was established by British entrepreneur John Wise in a Los Angeles garage in 2010. Wise had previously founded successful businesses including Synergo Technology and Netik in both the UK and the US. In the space of seven years, InvestCloud has won 670 clients across the globe, and now supports $1.7 trillion of assets on its digital platform for wealth mangers and financial institutions. John Wise, co-founder and CEO of InvestCloud, said: "InvestCloud is a global business, and we have a commitment to creatively drive innovation worldwide. This commitment is the reason behind our rapid success not just in the US, but also in London, across Europe and increasingly in broader EMEA and APAC. The London Innovation Center is a perfect example of this. By sharing our technology and expertise with financial institutions and startups in the UK, and London specifically, we can help them deliver the digital solutions their clients want. "It's no secret that the financial services industry is behind the curve when it comes to digital. Many projects cost millions only to be scrapped, and the failure rates for startups are incredibly high. InvestCloud's Innovation Centers ensure success for these projects allowing teams to innovate and ideate quickly, drawing on the experience of the Innovation Center team and the wealth of capability within the InvestCloud app library." The London InvestCloud Innovation Center will follow the blueprint of the firm's first technology accelerator at its Los Angeles headquarters. The Los Angeles space enables teams from banks, wealth managers and early-stage FinTech startups to undertake 'residences' to accelerate the development of new digital solutions. To demonstrate progress, participating businesses will 'show and tell' their work on a weekly basis, ensuring success in a defined timeframe. Innovation Center members have access to their own InvestCloud Sandbox. This includes access to the 200+ InvestCloud financial Apps, over 2,000 APIs, integrated market data, news, financial and accounting data, a document repository and InvestCloud's unique method of development. The Sandbox also provides members with InvestCloud mentors offering guidance on funding, design, build, sales and marketing, distribution and production support. Firms working at the Innovation Center can create sub-teams from their own organization, or use InvestCloud's staff and external partners. Those using the Innovation Center will be able to use InvestCloud's Programs Writing Programs (PWP) to self-generate lines of code and its Digital Warehouse technology to provide real-time insight and information. Will Bailey, Head of Europe and Innovation, said: "Our dedication to innovation is the reason behind our rapid expansion in Europe, picking up landmark clients from wealth managers such as MASECO, to robo-advisors including Nutmeg. By sharing our expertise, the London InvestCloud Innovation Center means financial institutions can fulfill the needs of their clients. It gives startups the best chance to rapidly take creative ideas and launch them to market. It ensures success." InvestCloud is now accepting applications for firms to enter the 9,302-square-foot Innovation Center for its Summer 2017 opening. About InvestCloud Inc. Headquartered in Los Angeles with a global presence, InvestCloud develops first-class, financial digital solutions, pre-integrated into the cloud. By empowering investors and managers with a single version of the integrated truth through its unique digital platform, InvestCloud creates beautifully designed client experiences and intuitive operations solutions using an ever-expanding library of digital modular apps. The result? Powerful products for individual investors and institutions alike, assembled on-demand to meet clients' specific needs. Today the InvestCloud platform supports over $1.7 trillion of assets across 670 diverse clients from wealth managers, institutional investors & institutional asset managers to family offices, asset services companies, financial platforms & banks. For more information, visit www.investcloud.com. SOURCE InvestCloud Inc. Related Links http://www.investcloud.com TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. ("iSIGN" or "Company") (TSX-V: ISD) (OTC: ISDSF), a leading provider of interactive mobile proximity marketing and public security alert solutions is pleased to provide an update on its recent activities. Smart Antennas have been installed in both the Palm Springs and John Wayne international airports in California. The initial response rate to a variety of neutral and generic messages being broadcasted by these units is 41.8%. This acceptance rate is the highest we have experienced to date from any installation and is accredited to the messaging being in an airport environment where our technology is new. Installations into the Denver international airport in Colorado are well underway and are expected to be completed this week. The potential audience for our messaging at all three airports is approximately 100 million. iSIGN has received confirmation of its first patent pending notification for the Push Sensor solution. As advised by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada ("ISED"), the assigned patent pending number is 2,965,064. With the development and announcement of our wholly owned SAM solution and the recently granted patent pending status of our Push Sensor technology, new partnership agreements are in the process of being rewritten with several of our resellers. Development of the SAM solution is well underway and on schedule. Presentations have been made to resellers as well as to potential clients. The presented technology has been well received and we expect the first application of this technology will be in airports. Installation at Crocker Park is progressing with installation of all messaging solutions, including iSIGN's Smart Antennas with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Cisco open Wi-Fi networks, Beacons and other telecom messaging. The combination of iSIGN's Security Alert Messaging ("SAM") solution with our commercial messaging solution has created new opportunities with several large potential customers presented by our business partners, resellers and direct clients. These discussions, in a variety of channels other than airports and shopping malls, are progressing and relate to both our Smart Antennas' commercial messaging system, as well as for our soon to be released SAM solution. Please click on the attached link for a Crocker Park video put together by our reseller - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ1-9jfy6Sw&feature=youtu.be Our SAM technology has not yet been presented to targeted customers in order to maximize iSIGN's revenue from selected installations. Further updates will be released as available. About iSIGN Media iSIGN Media, based in Toronto, is a data-focused, software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that is a pioneering leader in gathering point-of-sale data and mobile shopper preferences to generate actionable data and reveal valuable consumer insights. Creators of the Smart suite of products, a patented interactive proximity marketing technology, iSIGN enables brands to deliver targeted messaging, personalized offers and loyalty perks to consumers' mobile devices in proximity and with real-time proof of redemption. iSIGN's data gathering capabilities provide analytics on price points, typical purchases, in-store dwell time and other shopper metrics that identify emerging consumer behaviors. These insights enable smarter business decisions and provide increased ROI metrics for more transparent marketing. iSIGN delivers relevant, timely messages on an opt-in basis at no charge to consumers, transmitting rich media to consumer mobile devices via Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity in complete privacy as opposed to iBeacons, apps, downloads and required surrendering of personal information. Proven to increase brand engagement and customer loyalty, iSIGN generates preference-based, predictive "clean data" without compromising consumer privacy. Partners include: IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS and AOpen America Inc. www.isignmedia.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release may include certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties associated with iSIGN Media's business and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect iSIGN Media's current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. iSIGN Media assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. 2017 iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. 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 or accuracy of this release. SOURCE iSIGN Media Solutions Inc, Joe Kozar Chief Executive Officer HVDC Contracted Transmission Project to Create First Direct Connection Between Canada IESO and United States PJM Electricity Markets NOVI, Mich., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ITC Lake Erie Connector LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the largest independent electricity transmission company in the United States, today announced that Canada's Governor in Council has approved the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the ITC Lake Erie Connector transmission line. Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) issued the certificate on June 26. The NEB provided its initial recommendation of the certificate to Canada's Governor in Council on January 19, 2017. The issuance of the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity completes the project's major permit application process in Canada. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on May 25, 2017 issued two required permits for the project: a State Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permit, and a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for Stormwater Associated with Construction Activities. This completes the project's major permit process in Pennsylvania, which ITC initiated on January 29, 2016. The ITC Lake Erie Connector is a proposed 1,000 MW, bi-directional, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) underwater transmission line that would provide the first direct link between the markets of the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM). The project would enable transmission customers to more efficiently access energy, capacity and renewable energy credit opportunities in both markets. "These are key milestones in the development of the Lake Erie Connector Project," said Terry Harvill, Ph.D., president, ITC Grid Development. "We appreciate the thorough attention given to our application by the Governor in Council, the National Energy Board and the state of Pennsylvania. This electric transmission interconnection under Lake Erie would provide Ontario with access to a new, large export market for excess electricity generation, and this bi-directional line also would allow less expensive, clean energy to flow into the province from the U.S.," said Dr. Harvill. The NEB Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, initial NEB Report and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permits can be viewed on the project website at www.itclakeerieconnector.com. Project Status In addition to the approval from Canada's Governor in Council and the National Energy Board, ITC has received a Presidential Permit from the U.S. Department of Energy, which is necessary for international border-crossing projects. Major remaining project milestones include receiving approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, completing project cost refinements and securing favorable transmission service agreements with prospective counterparties, after which ITC would proceed with construction. ITC has completed the necessary system impact studies in IESO and PJM, signed service agreements with the manufacturers of the converter stations and the submarine cable, and secured nearly all land necessary for the terrestrial cable route, converter stations and construction laydown areas. The company has held or participated in numerous public consultations in Ontario and Pennsylvania the respective terrestrial points of the line to discuss the project and gather community input. Project Specifications The ITC Lake Erie Connector is a proposed +/- 320 kV HVDC bi-directional transmission line, approximately 73 miles in length, that would connect converter stations located in Erie, Pennsylvania and Nanticoke, Ontario. A 345 kV alternating current (AC) line would connect the Erie converter station to Penelec's existing Erie West substation, while a 500kV AC line would tie the Nanticoke converter station to Hydro One's Nanticoke substation. The majority of the transmission line would be buried beneath Lake Erie or underground using existing roadway rights-of-way. About ITC Holdings Corp. ITC, a Fortis company, is the largest independent electricity transmission company in the United States. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITC invests in the electric transmission grid to improve reliability, expand access to markets, allow new generating resources to interconnect to its transmission systems and lower the overall cost of delivered energy. Through its regulated operating subsidiaries ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission infrastructure in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, and in development in Wisconsin. These systems serve a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along approximately 15,800 circuit miles of transmission line, supported by 660 employees and nearly 1,000 contractors across our expanding footprint. ITC's grid development focus includes growth through regulated infrastructure investment as well as domestic and international expansion through merchant and other commercial development opportunities. Additional information can be accessed at www.itc-holdings.com. Cautionary Language Concerning Forward Looking Statements This document contains certain statements that describe our management's beliefs concerning future business conditions and prospects, growth opportunities and the outlook for our business and the electricity transmission industry based upon information currently available. Such statements are "forward-looking" statements and wherever possible, we have identified these forward-looking statements by words such as "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects", "projects" and similar phrases. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions our management believes are reasonable. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements, including, among other things, the risks and uncertainties disclosed in our annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Because our forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that are subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control or are subject to change, actual results could be materially different and any or all of our forward-looking statements may turn out to be wrong. They speak only as of the date made and can be affected by assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors mentioned in our discussion in this document and in our annual and quarterly reports will be important in determining future results. Consequently, we cannot assure you that our expectations or forecasts expressed in such forward-looking statements will be achieved. Actual future results may vary materially. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any of our forward-looking or other statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. SOURCE ITC Holdings Corp. Related Links http://www.itc-holdings.com "We have a premier Private Wealth Practice that has had tremendous success since its launch last year," said Craig C. Martin, chair of Jenner & Block's Litigation Department. "There continues to be steady demand for our services, and Emily's addition provides not only additional capacity but will benefit our clients who need counsel with their most important personal wealth and philanthropic matters." Ms. Li works closely with clients to determine their personal and financial objectives, address their concerns and adapt plans as their goals evolve. She has extensive experience structuring and implementing sophisticated estate plans for transferring wealth. Ms. Li also has a strong background in fiduciary litigation and experience in resolving Internal Revenue Service audits. She has helped nonprofits obtain IRS tax-exempt status and has advised charitable organizations on compliance and governance issues. "Having worked side-by-side with Emily for 13 years, I know first-hand her ability to analyze complicated legal issues that often arise in estate planning," said Barbara Grayson, a partner who co-chairs the Private Wealth Practice with Partner Debra Levin. "She is a great addition to the team as we continue to assist clients on their most complex business and trust structures." "I am excited to be joining Jenner & Block to support the growth of the Private Wealth Practice," Ms. Li said. "The vision Barbara and Debbie have is in line with the next phase of my career. I look forward to working with them as well as the rest of the team to provide a comprehensive approach to estate planning." Ms. Li was most recently a partner in the Chicago office of Mayer Brown. She earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She received her B.S. in business and economics, summa cum laude, from the University of Kentucky. ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK'S PRIVATE WEALTH PRACTICE Jenner & Block offers a holistic approach to private wealth management, providing a broad range of tax, estate, business planning and charitable advisory services to high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as the family offices, businesses, charitable organizations and trusts that they established or control. We provide strategic counsel in wealth transfer and business succession planning, including estate planning, philanthropy and trust and estate administration. By design, the Private Wealth Practice draws upon the firm's additional strength in corporate transactions, litigation and investigations, real estate, tax, executive compensation, employment law, family law, and aviation and aerospace. 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. SOURCE Jenner & Block Related Links http://www.jenner.com NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- JewishGen.org, the world's largest and most significant resource for Jewish Genealogy, has announced a new Board of Directors. Led by current chairman, Bruce C. Ratner, one of New York City's major real estate developers, the four-member Board includes: Michael S. Glickman, President & CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City; Peter S. Kalikow, President of H. J. Kalikow & Company, LLC, one of New York City's leading real estate firms; and E. Randol Schoenberg, an attorney based in Los Angeles with expertise in handling cases involving looted art, and the recovery of property stolen by the Nazi authorities during the Holocaust. "I am honored to be joined by such distinguished leaders in our community as we work to ensure that JewishGen remains at the forefront of state-of-art online resources and services," said Ratner. He added "this reinvigorated board will work to support the worldwide community of users as they preserve Jewish family history and heritage for future generations." Museum of Jewish Heritage President and CEO Michael S. Glickman stated "This is an exciting and important time at JewishGen. The success we help make possible today will define our impact for decades to come. I am very pleased to be part of this new leadership team, and eager to work with Avraham Groll, who was appointed Director in February, as we move JewishGen into a new era of growth and services on behalf of the Jewish community as a whole." JewishGen.org, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Museum of Jewish Heritage A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City, was founded in 1987 as a bulletin board with only 150 participants. Today, with an ever growing collection of more than 23 million records, JewishGen has created an extensive knowledge center of unparalleled scope, and has helped more than 700,000 users to connect with family and learn about their Jewish history and heritage. In addition to the main historical databases that are organized by today's geographic locations, JewishGen's most popular features include the JewishGen Family Finder, Communities Database, Holocaust Database, JOWBR (Global Jewish Burial Registry), and translations of Yizkor (Memorial) books published after the Holocaust. It has been responsible for thousands of family connections. Explore JewishGen at www.jewishgen.org. SOURCE JewishGen.org Related Links http://www.jewishgen.org HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Trilogy Financial Services announced today the promotion of Regional Vice President Jim Young to Managing Vice President of the Irvine, CA, office. "We're excited to have new leadership in Irvine, CA," said Jeff Motske, Founder, and CEO of Trilogy Financial. "Jim's unique ability to inspire others and his focus on the personal relationships he has with the Irvine team will provide new direction and management to the branch while upholding Trilogy's vision and values." Mr. Young began his career in Irvine, which at the time was the corporate office for Trilogy Financial. He flourished as a Financial Advisor and was one of the top managing partners in Irvine before relocating to San Mateo, CA. As Managing Vice President of one of Trilogy Financials' most productive branches, Mr. Young will oversee 18 Financial Advisors while maintaining the client-focused advice and team-based collaboration that is at the heart of Trilogy's core mission. About Mr. Young After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Mr. Young embarked on a successful and distinguished culinary career working in many of the top restaurants in Southern California. In 2001, Mr. Young decided to transition into a career that could offer him the opportunity to help people over the long term and on a more personal level. He determined that the financial services industry was best suited to help him achieve those goals and that Trilogy Financial matched his philosophy. Mr. Young was promoted to Regional Vice President in 2009 and left Irvine, CA, to open the San Mateo, CA office. In 2014, the San Mateo, CA, office moved to Walnut Creek, CA. Mr. Young and his wife Holly are excited about returning "home" to Irvine, CA. About Trilogy Financial Services Trilogy Financial Services is a privately-held financial planning firm with more than $2 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, CA and with ten offices in the US, Trilogy Financials' service model focuses on the health and success of Trilogy's team of independent advisors, and their ability to support and empower the financial success of their clients. SOURCE Trilogy Financial Services, Inc. Leading Automotive Manufacturer to Employ Concurrent Planning Platform OTTAWA and TOKYO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Kinaxis (TSX:KXS), provider of RapidResponse, delivering cloud-based SCM and S&OP applications, today announced that Kinaxis RapidResponse will be deployed by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. to plan concurrently across functions and time periods for end-to-end visibility across the entire supply chain. RapidResponse drives S&OP effectiveness through tight integration and alignment of all planning functions, facilitating continuous orchestration of an enterprise's operations performance. RapidResponse dynamically balances supply and demand in response to ever-changing conditions and enables effective collaboration in order to choose a sales and operations plan that most closely aligns with corporate financial goals. Because the global automotive manufacturer operates in a complex and competitive environment, the company required a concurrent planning platform to enable a more efficient operation. Ultimately, Kinaxis RapidResponse was selected by Nissan to revolutionize their planning by improving accuracy and speed of its planning and decision-making. "A robust supply and demand balancing system is critical for a global company to drive tangible business outcomes," said Koichiro Sakakibara, Manufacturing and SCM System Department at Nissan. "As RapidResponse is deployed, we will remove supply chain planning functional boundaries to gain a consolidated view of our entire supply chain. We see this as a long term relationship between our two companies and are convinced of the flexibility and scalability of RapidResponse to support future plans." "We are delighted that RapidResponse was selected by Nissan as its supply chain planning system of record," said John Sicard, Chief Executive Officer at Kinaxis. "Kinaxis continues to solidify its unique value proposition as a single solution to the supply chain challenges faced by today's manufacturers. RapidResponse is a powerful concurrent planning platform for manufacturers to make effective demand and supply balancing decisions to drive corporate performance amid an increasingly volatile environment." Concurrent planning collapses decision cycle times by connecting all links in the supply chain. RapidResponse's unique ability to allow customers to plan concurrently across the entire supply chain beyond the boundaries of an organization and locations to make consensus based plans simultaneously and seamlessly. Concurrent planning helps organizations understand the interaction of supply chain decisions how a change in one functional area will impact another, which enables better decisions faster. For more Kinaxis news, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. About Kinaxis Inc. Offering the industry's only concurrent planning solution, Kinaxis helps organizations around the world revolutionize their supply chain planning. Kinaxis RapidResponse, our cloud-based supply chain management software, connects your data, processes and people into a single harmonious environment. With a consolidated view of the entire supply chain, you can plan expected performance, monitor progress and respond to disconnects when reality hits. RapidResponse lets you know sooner and act faster, leading to reduced decision latency, and improved operational and financial performance. We can prove it. From implementation to expansion, we help our customers with every step of their supply chain journey. SOURCE Kinaxis Inc. Unleashed from the constraints of the mouse and keyboard, Reformer allows sound artists to sculpt effects in real-time. Imagine using your voice to design a dramatic explosion in an action movie. Artists can go beyond using the voice, and use any audio input to design a sound effect. For example, the engine revs of a street racer can be re-formed into ferocious black panther snarls. Reformer is now available as a plugin for the Avid Pro Tools digital audio workstation and other popular sound editorial environments. Visit https://www.krotosaudio.com to download Reformer and the Black Leopard sound effects library for free, and purchase additional sound effects libraries. Krotos founder Orfeas Boteas explained that, "Reformer uses artificial intelligence and advanced signal analysis to allow you to perform sound effects with your voice or any other audio input. In real-time, Reformer profiles the input sound, and then drawing from a palette of user-selected library sounds, uses that profile to sculpt a new sound effect." Bryan Celano, supervising sound designer on hit franchises like Dead Space, Final Fantasy, Gears of War, and Metal Gear Solid, commented that, "From the second I first spoke into the mic and heard the output from Reformer, I was very excited. It's an awesome new way to work with sound effects libraries." Krotos has produced custom sound effects libraries for Reformer and partnered with renowned sound effects library producers like BOOM Library and SoundBits to make over 100 libraries available to users. BOOM creator Axel Rohrbach said, "Reformer is a very inspiring and fun way to use sound libraries. It easily and smoothly blends audio material." For more information: Sarah Matulis +44(0) 131 651 3251 [email protected] About Krotos Based in Edinburgh's bustling tech hub, Krotos creates unique audio technology solutions used in video game, film, TV, and VR productions worldwide. Their first product, Dehumaniser Pro, was launched November 2013 to rave reviews, and in 2017, Krotos secured an angel investment round of funding from award-winning video game pioneer, Leslie Benzies. SOURCE Krotos Related Links http://www.krotosaudio.com "We all love celebrating the Fourth," says Alice Crowder, Vice President of Marketing at Krystal. "We want to be a part of as many of those celebrations as possible, and our $0.50 deals allow us to do just that." Fifty cent deals are offered on three of the brand's most popular menu items: the Pup, a Krystal-sized hot dog; the Corn Pup, that same hot dog coated in a sweet cornbread batter and fried golden-brown; and the classic soft serve cone everyone's summer favorite! "We know our all-American menu will complement any and all Fourth of July plans, and we look forward to celebrating," added Crowder. For more information on Krystal, visit www.Krystal.com. While online, sign up for Club Krystal to stay in-the-know on other deals and news. About The Krystal Company Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1932, The Krystal Company is the oldest quick service restaurant chain in the South. Its hamburgers are still served fresh and hot off the grill on the iconic square bun at more than 350 restaurants in 11 states. Krystal's Atlanta-based Restaurant Support Center serves a team of 6,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.Krystal.com or http://www.facebook.com/Krystal or follow the brand on Twitter and Instagram @Krystal. Contact: Peyton Sadler 305.631.2286 [email protected] SOURCE The Krystal Company Related Links http://www.krystal.com PHILADELPHIA, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LBC Credit Partners ("LBC"), a leading provider of financing solutions to middle market companies, provided a senior secured term loan to support an investment in Stampede Meat, Inc. ("Stampede" or the "Company") by Wynnchurch Capital, LLC ("Wynnchurch Capital") and Company Management. LBC served as Administrative Agent and Sole Lender for the senior secured term loan. Stampede specializes in custom-made center-of-the-plate beef, pork and chicken protein products for the needs of the restaurant, hospitality and retail industries. It creates marinated and value-added meats, portioned cuts and fully cooked beef, pork and chicken products. Stampede has created a niche in the market by serving customers with innovative meat products that are tailored to their unique needs. Founded in 1995, the Company is headquartered in Bridgeview, Illinois. With over 1,200 employees, Stampede supplies more than 150 customers with over 1300 different products throughout the United States and internationally Wynnchurch Capital, headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois with offices in California and Canada, was founded in 1999 and is a leading middle-market private equity investment firm. Wynnchurch Capital's strategy is to partner with middle market companies in Canada and the United States that possess the potential for substantial growth and profit improvement. Wynnchurch Capital manages a number of private equity funds with over $2.2 billion of committed capital under management and specializes in recapitalizations, growth capital, management buyouts, corporate carve-outs, and restructurings. About LBC Credit Partners LBC Credit Partners is a leading provider of middle market financing solutions including senior term, unitranche, second lien, junior secured and mezzanine debt and equity co-investments supporting sponsored and non-sponsored transactions. With over $2.9* billion of capital commitments, LBC has made investments in companies located throughout North America across a wide range of industries and is committed to a long-term approach to debt investing. Headquartered in Philadelphia, LBC has additional offices in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. To learn more, visit www.lbccredit.com. *Information as of June, 2017 MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Rubano-Volansky Tel (724) 979-4293 Email [email protected] SOURCE LBC Credit Partners Related Links http://www.lbccredit.com TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading the hospitality industry's transition to 4K Ultra HD technology, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions is significantly expanding its portfolio of 4K UHD hotel TVs, from premium to entry-level models, all with four times the resolution of Full HD TVs. At the 2017 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC) here this week, LG is introducing more than 20 new 4K Ultra HD hotel TV models across seven series. Joining LG's high-end commercial OLED TV collection and Pro:Centric Smart IPTV LED TVs is an all-new high performance LG Pro:Centric Smart set top box supporting 4K UHD video decoding and output resolution, plus an integrated 4K picture upscaler for Full HD content. The expanded offerings address a growing interest in 4K Ultra HD across the industry and provide hotels a wide array of digital solutions perfect for enhancing the in-room guest experience, according to Michael Kosla, vice president, hospitality, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions. "As the industry leader in hotel TVs, LG is building on the exploding consumer interest in 4K Ultra HD TVs, which is now beginning to take hold within the hospitality industry," said Kosla. "At HITEC 2017, we're introducing LG's robust portfolio of 4K UHD in-room solutions that enable hoteliers to leverage this growing trend and enhance the guests' viewing experience." LG will showcase its full lineup of guest-centric technologies at its HITEC 2017 booth (#1619): Enhanced 4K Ultra HD In-Room TV Solutions LG's 4K UHD hotel TVs produce four times the resolution of Full HD TVs. Led by the brand-new 65-inch commercial LG OLED "Wallpaper" Hotel TV (model 65EV960H) and the 65- and 55-inch class LG OLED hotel TVs (EW960H series), LG continues to lead the commercial 4K UHD TV market with innovative OLED technology, featuring outstanding picture quality, and sleek design aesthetics. The new LG 65EV960H Wallpaper Hotel TV, which at just 3.85mm (0.15 inches) thin, becomes one with the wall. It is one of the first TVs in the world to incorporate superb Dolby Atmos audio and, when combined with LG's OLED technology, delivers outstanding visuals with perfect blacks, immersive details and vibrant colors. (See separate news release.) Complementing the new 4K UHD 65EV960H Wallpaper TV, LG is expanding its Pro:Centric Smart IPTV 4K Ultra HD LED TV lineup with the 55- and 65-inch class UV970H series and the 43-, 49-, 55-, and 65-inch class UV770H series. LG's customizable Pro:Centric Smart platform is built on LG's award-winning webOS Smart TV, enabling embedded over-the-top smart applications, content sharing and remote diagnostics and monitoring for optimal performance and ease of use. Delivering Smart TV Capabilities to the In-Room Guest Experience The all-new LG STB-5500 Pro:Centric Smart set-top-box is designed to elevate the in-room guest experience by supporting 4K UHD video decoding and output resolution and by offering an integrated 4K picture upscaler of Full HD content, so guests can enjoy their favorite content with more detail and color. The new set top box extends LG's Pro:Centric HTML hosting platform to UHD content, enabling partners to integrate embedded smart applications, simplified guest device connectivity and improved diagnostics features in to their hotel system offerings. With the LG Smart Share feature guests can view content from their mobile device on their STB-5500-enabled in-room TV, and with Bluetooth Sound Sync users can listen to their favorite audio from a Bluetooth-enabled mobile device through the TVs speakers.* What's more, the set-top-box offers an enclosure design that enables hardware expansion modules, such as a DOCISIS cable modem, to be added to the device. Visitors to LG's booth at HITEC 2017 (June 27-29, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, #1619) will be able to experience LG's innovative commercial hospitality displays first-hand. For more information, please visit www.LGSolutions.com. * *Support devices for Bluetooth Sound Sync : Android (above v4.4 KitKat) / iOS based Mobile Device About LG Electronics USA Business Solutions LG Electronics USA Business Solutions serves commercial display customers in the U.S. digital signage, lodging and hospitality, systems integration, healthcare, education, government and industrial markets. Based in Lincolnshire, Ill., with its dedicated engineering and customer support team, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions delivers business-to-business technology solutions tailored to the particular needs of business environments. LG Electronics USA Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a $48 billion global force in consumer electronics, mobile communications, home appliances and air solutions. For more information, please visit www.LGSolutions.com. SOURCE LG Electronics USA Related Links http://www.LGSolutions.com MIAMI, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 3, 2017, in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County a lawsuit was filed by Pedro Cruz and Christina Ruiz against North Shore Medical Center and Tenet Healthcare Corporation for the devastating loss of their daughter, Fatima Christina Cruz's remains after Christina suffered a spontaneous fetal demise in the womb (Case #: 17-005207-CA-01). North Shore Medical Center is a privately owned for-profit hospital located in Miami, Florida. Tenet Healthcare is a multinational investor-owned healthcare services company based in Dallas, Texas. The Complaint alleges that on December 2, 2016, Mrs. Ruiz executed two (2) documents in the presence of hospital personnel, arranging for funeral services for Fatima Christina Cruz which were to be consistent with her and her husband's religious practices. In January 2017, Mr. Cruz and Mrs. Ruiz -- after making multiple inquiries about the remains of their daughter-- were informed by North Shore Medical Center that they had lost and/or thrown away the remains of their daughter. The Defendants, North Shore Medical Center and Tenet Healthcare Corporation, have defended this case on the grounds that the baby's remains were "biomedical waste"," the product of contraception" and that because she is "biomedical waste" . . . . "We did not lose the body of the Plaintiffs' daughter." This is the second case publicly known where a Tenet Healthcare hospital has lost and/or thrown away the body of a baby despite the mother's expressed wishes to have a funeral service for the baby. The first instance involved Hialeah Hospital, another Miami based hospital. The parties in that case recently entered into a confidential settlement agreement. The case can be found in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County, Case No.2010-026205-CA-01. If you wish to discuss this action, or have any questions concerning this notice, please contact: Lopez Roca, P.A. Attention: Raphael Lopez, Esq. and/or Sonia Roca, Esq. [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected] 44 West Flagler Street, Suite 1750 Miami, FL 33130 Tel.: (305) 373-0702 Fax: (305) 373-0706 SOURCE Lopez Roca, P.A. ARLINGTON, Va., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lunarline, Inc. recently announced the NIST 800-171 Quick Start Compliance Program to help Department of Defense (DoD) contractors scale the NIST learning curve, safeguard DoD data and keep their Defense contracts. "DoD set an aggressive December 2017 deadline for implementing NIST 800-171 and they're sticking to it," said Lunarline CEO Waylon Krush. "This requirement isn't limited to prime contractors. A lot of small businesses are panicking as prime contractors threaten to cancel subcontracts for failure to comply." The Defense Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) mandates that contractors comply with the security controls provided in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171 Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations. Under the DFARS rule entitled "Safeguarding Covered Defense Information" contractors have until December 2017 to adopt NIST 800-171. "At first glance the NIST Special Publications seem intimidating," said Mr. Krush. "But they really aren't that bad. Our NIST 800-171 Compliance Quick Start Program helps organizations chasing that December deadline play catch-up. We can get your security compliance program back on track and equip you with the security capabilities you need to continue chasing DoD contracts." The Quick Start Compliance Program provides organizations with the training, technical testing, gap analysis and expert consulting support necessary to efficiently meet 800-171 requirements. The program's goal is to equip your staff with the skills, checklists and templates necessary to independently achieve and maintain compliance. However Lunarline also offers turnkey compliance program support and can even assume responsibility for your entire security and compliance program using a managed security service model. "We've helped 100s of private sector organizations successfully navigate federal compliance requirements," said Mr. Krush. "We work in partnership with our clients to minimize security cost and to ensure that compliance does not come at the expense of business success." About Lunarline Lunarline is a leading provider of cyber security services, training and products to the DoD, intelligence, civilian and private-sector communities. Lunarliners keep pretty busy, battling advanced persistent threats, dissecting the latest cyber attacks and flying around the world in support of rapid incident response. But every now and then we find time to put out a press release or two just to let the world know how awesome we are. For more information about Lunarline, please visit www.lunarline.com. CONTACT: Spence Witten, 571-481-9300 SOURCE Lunarline, Inc. Related Links http://www.lunarline.com Located five minutes south of Columbus, Ohio, this prime central location offers unparalleled access to the US and Canadian markets. 59% of the US population and 60% of the Canadian population resides within a one-day truck drive from the facility. The area is served by 2 international airports, 3 rail services, and 140 trucking companies, making this an ideal location to offer storage to clients across the US and Canada. "Maintech understands the IT service industry and knows how to identify new patterns where we can help our clients gain better control of their environment," said Roberto Osma, Solution Architect at Maintech. "Having Maintech manage your assets at our technology center allows you to securely control your assets throughout the project lifecycle, consolidate services and control costs." This new facility enables Maintech to offer the following new services to its clients: Device Provisioning and Data Migration Create and install custom images for devices so that clients can blend them into their IT environment with the needed configuration (operating system, software, apps, wallpaper, etc). Asset tagging will record and identify which employee has which device. Device Repair and Upgrades Instead of requiring skilled employees on hand to repair devices, clients can ship their broken devices to Maintech and simply swap out the broken device for a new one that is stored on location. Repair services include LED/LCD panels and monitors, projectors, printers, PCs, POS equipment, and consumer products such as tablets and smart phones. Warehousing For clients with limited space on-site to store their assets, Maintech provides secure storage with 24-hour surveillance. Depending on the needs of each client, equipment can be shipped from the warehouse at whatever speed the client would like. Logistics Maintech tracks client inventory by recording all inbound and outbound transactions. Audits and reports are provided at whatever frequency the client requires. Additional services include hardware etching, UV printing, device kitting, and asset management/recovery and liquidation. About Maintech Maintech, Incorporated is a Third Party Maintenance Company serving the global corporate IT enterprise marketplace. Maintech's success has been driven by its singular focus on infrastructure support services coupled with its ongoing investment in expanding and refining its core competencies. Maintech enjoys a high level of account retention as a result of its solid experience, depth of resources and ability to deliver flexible solutions. Maintech's team of skilled technicians, account managers and subject matter experts seamlessly integrates with any IT operations team. Many client organizations consider Maintech an extension of their internal IT Infrastructure team. For more information, contact Maintech at 973-330-3200 or visit www.maintech.com. Join us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Copyright 2017 Maintech, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Contact: German Hurtado, Director of Marketing, (973) 330-3230 SOURCE Maintech, Incorporated Related Links http://www.maintech.com NAZARETH, Pa., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- (Summer NAMM, Booth 801) C.F. Martin & Co. (Martin Guitar) will introduce a re-imagined D-28, bringing forward the guitar's unrivaled legacy with vintage appointments and a new neck profile for comfort and modern playability. Additionally, Martin will debut four custom signature edition models, including the newest Ed Sheeran LX1 and a Jason Isbell D-18. Also featured in the Summer NAMM lineup is a limited edition Art Deco model, the all new FSC Certified Model America 1 dreadnought, and several exciting series expansion models that are sure to delight guitar enthusiasts worldwide. Martin will now offer the LR Baggs Anthem pickup system in select standard series models. Further details on all of the new Martin Guitar models that will be featured at 2017 Summer NAMM are below and at www.martinguitar.com/new. STANDARD SERIES D-28 (2017) Sometimes innovation is in the details and this is certainly true with Martin's re-imagined D-28. After nearly a century at the helm, and as the quintessential workhorse of music legends like Hank Williams, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and so many more, Martin's legendary D-28 has been lovingly and artfully enhanced. "The post WWII D-28 had a slightly different look than its predecessor and became the centerpiece of the folk and folk rock movements at their pinnacle in the 1950s and 1960s," says Chris Martin, Chairman and CEO of Martin Guitar. "We have extracted the finest features from the D-28 of both my grandfather's and my father's respective eras." The all new D-28 blends the rich history of the guitar with Martin's newest and most heralded innovations. The 184 year old guitar maker has combined vintage appointments, including open gear tuners, an aged toner top, antique white accents, and a faux tortoise pickguard with a new neck profile to give D-28 enthusiasts a modern feel and comfortable playing experience. Martin has also added forward-shifted bracing to allow greater vibration of the top. The legend just got better! (MSRP: $3,299) Model America 1 This limited edition Made in the USA dreadnought is based on Martin's legendary D-18. This guitar features all United States sourced woods, including sycamore back and sides, a cherry neck, black walnut fingerboard, headplate and bridge, as well as an Adirondack spruce top and bracing. The tuning gears are also made in the USA by Sperzel. (MSRP: $3,499) CUSTOM SIGNATURE EDITIONS Ed Sheeran (Divide) Signature Edition Ed Sheeran and Martin Guitar have joined forces, once again, to deliver the third in a series of Ed Sheeran Signature Edition guitars. The newest installment celebrates Sheeran's long-awaited, third album (Divide). Sheeran's newest signature model stays true to his love for Martin's LX1E Little Martin, which offers unparalleled tone from a small body guitar, and continues with his mathematical-themed album cover art which adorns the guitar's headstock and the solid Sitka spruce wood top. The guitar also features a matching blue rosette, around the soundhole, and is constructed with mahogany high pressure laminate (HPL) back and sides. The model comes stage-ready, equipped with Fishman Sonitone electronics, SP Acoustic strings and a padded gig bag. (MSRP: $699) D-18 Jason Isbell Jason Isbell worked with the Custom Shop at Martin Guitar to design his new Custom Signature Edition D-18 which is closely modeled after Martin's Golden Era series. The model boasts a pre-aged Vintage Tone System (VTS) Adirondack spruce top; mahogany back and sides; and rear-shifted scalloped bracing which produces more natural volume and a clear powerful tone. Similar to Martin's Authentic series guitars, it is constructed using hide glue which, unlike newer synthetic reproductions, dissolves into the grain of the wood and creates more resonance throughout the instrument. Isbell chose a thin finish and left off the pickguard - all design details that have one common goal to make it loud. Mission Accomplished! Isbell also added a personal touch by including a custom inlay of one of his tattoos at the twelfth fret. (MSRP: $5,999) D-Boak Martin is proud to offer this Custom Signature Edition dreadnought featuring imprinted original "Inside Out" artwork by illustrator, luthier, musician and Martin archivist Dick Boak. In creating the artwork, Boak wanted to reveal and embellish the quintessential scalloped X-bracing of the Martin Dreadnought the most beautiful and rarely seen internal structure of the company's flagship guitar. Personally signed and numbered in sequence, the D-Boak Dreadnought is crafted with a Sitka spruce soundboard, genuine mahogany back and sides, a modified low oval neck, simple dovetail neck joint, bone nut and saddle, and an ebony fingerboard and bridge. Tonally, the guitar is clear, projective and glassine. Anyone who has had the pleasure of working with Dick Boak over the past 40 years knows the impact that his creativity and love of guitars has made upon the company and the industry. This edition celebrates and shares his long and storied tenure at C. F. Martin & Co. (MSRP: $2,999) D-18 RG This Custom Signature Edition D-18, featuring imprinted original artwork by the talented Robert F. Goetzl, is a tribute to the Lakota Sioux Native American Tribe. The guitar features a single arrowhead inlay on the headplate, to symbolize a tool that was essential to the tribe's early survival, along with four arrowheads on the fingerboard, each facing outward, to represent the four directions which were sacred to the Lakota Tribe. Martin will be donating a guitar to the Native American Heritage Association (www.naha-inc.org), a charitable organization whose mission is to provide food and other essentials to the people of Crow Creek and Pine Ridge Reservations in South Dakota. Pine Ridge has the lowest survival rate in the Western Hemisphere, second only to Haiti. The donated guitar will be auctioned off to raise much needed funds for the organization. (MSRP: $4,699) LIMITED EDITIONS SS-00LArt Deco-2017 Limited Edition Unique 14 Fret Slope shoulder 00L guitar, limited to a run of thirty, is only available at Summer NAMM. It has a custom paper label signed by C.F. Martin IV and is the same size and shape as the popular CEO-7 model. The SS-00LArt Deco-2017 features a design motif in collaboration with luthier Bruce Petros in the form of wood purfling that extends around the top, back, and fingerboard. The purfling is laser cut from beautiful flamed maple. The top is Adirondack spruce with an antique toner and the guitar is further complimented with open gear Schaller Grandtune vintage copper tuners. (MSRP: $7,499) 15 SERIES D-15M StreetMasterTM and 000-15M StreetMasterTM Martin Guitar has expanded their popular solid mahogany 15 Series line with a respectful nod to the working musician. The StreetMasterTM models are built to the same specifications as the 000-15M and D-15M models but Martin has added a beautifully distressed satin finish. The StreetMasterTM is perfect for your next gig, whether it be at the historic Ryman Theater or a day of busking in the big city. Enjoy the look and feel of a well-worn instrument with the lifetime warranty and the superb playability of a brand new guitar. The 15 Series StreetMasterTM models come with a gig bag, making them ready to hit the streets. (MSRP: $1,799) 16 SERIES GPC-16E Martin has expanded their popular 16 series with the addition of the GPC-16E. Each model in the 16 series is designed with the tone wood that best compliments the body size and shape of that particular model. With the new GPC-16E, which is a Grand Performance size with the depth of a 000, Martin selected solid koa back and sides to enhance the easy, natural resonance of this guitar, making it great for recording. (MSRP: $2,999) X SERIES 0X2MAE Designed for those that have fallen in love with the look of Martin's 15 Series solid mahogany guitars, this small bodied X Series version features mahogany high-pressure laminate (HPL) top, back and sides, a herringbone applied rosette, a high performance neck and a Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Richlite fingerboard and bridge. This guitar is road ready and built to last. ($729) About Martin Guitars & Strings C.F. Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) has been creating the finest instruments in the world for 184 years. It continues to innovate, introducing techniques and features that have become industry standards, including X-bracing, the 14-fret guitar and the "Dreadnought" size. One of the world's leading acoustic instrument makers, Martin guitars are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and women, who use a combination of new design and techniques, along with those introduced by the company founder. The company is also known for producing high-quality, popular acoustic guitar strings and they have been making their own strings since 1970. These include the successful Martin SP Lifespan, the fastest-growing long-life string in the industry, the exciting new Retro Strings line played and loved by Tony Rice and Laurence Juber, and the Martin SP Acoustic and SP Flexible Core lines, which use an industry leading core wire to hold tunings better. Martin guitars and Martin strings are the instruments and strings of choice for musicians around the world, from the icons of rock, pop, country, folk and bluegrass to those just beginning their careers. They can be seen across all segments of pop culture, from television to movies, Broadway, books, online, and gracing the covers of popular magazines on newsstands everywhere. Connect with Martin and Martin Strings on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and via www.martinguitar.com and www.martinstrings.com. SOURCE C.F. Martin & Co. Related Links http://www.martinguitar.com SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS, France, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Orolia, through its McMurdo brand, has been awarded a search and rescue (SAR) software contract for the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana. McMurdo will provide its next-generation PRISMA C2 Incident Management System (IMS) for Botswana's Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs). The company's state-of-the-art IMS solution will revolutionize Botswana's current method of responding to aviation SAR missions by providing SAR operators and decision makers with real-time situational awareness, planning and response tools that facilitate effective incident management. The IMS solution is part of McMurdo's innovative PRISMA C2 platform that converges critical emergency readiness and response solutions, including coastal surveillance, maritime fleet management and maritime and aviation incident management. With the introduction of McMurdo's IMS solution in Botswana, RCC coordinators can detect, locate and rescue those in distress faster and more reliably than ever before. "This contract is the first delivery of McMurdo's next-generation PRISMA C2 in Africa and builds on Orolia's existing resilient positioning, navigation and timing solutions already in place in Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa," said Chris Loizou, Chief Business Development Officer for Orolia. "To deliver such a critical, yet practical, local solution demonstrates McMurdo's commitment to help save lives with best-in-class search and rescue solutions." McMurdo is the world leader in emergency readiness and response with the only end-to-end solutions for SAR satellite-aided technology, from voyage data recorders and distress beacons to satellite ground infrastructure to mission control centers and rescue coordination centers. Half of the world's MEOSAR satellite ground infrastructure has been installed by McMurdo, as well as the manufacture of 25% of the world's 500,000 registered beacons. About Orolia Orolia is the world leader in resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions that improve the reliability, performance and safety of critical, remote or high-risk operations. Through its leading brands, McMurdo, Kannad, Netwave, SARBE, Spectracom and Spectratime, Orolia has locations in more than 100 countries worldwide. With expertise in maritime, defense and space applications, Orolia provides virtually fail-safe GPS/GNSS and PNT products and solutions for its customers' most mission-critical needs. www.orolia.com Press Contact: Jennifer Hewitt Boscobel Marketing Communications for Orolia Email: [email protected] Mobile: +1 571-388-8671 SOURCE McMurdo Related Links http://www.mcmurdogroup.com NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "Because a chemical plant worker with mesothelioma could get financial compensation that might exceed one million dollars, we are urging a person like this or their family to call us anytime at 800-714-0303 to ensure they are talking directly to the nation's most skilled and capable mesothelioma attorneys. Chemical Plant Asbestos Warning Sign "Please do not make the mistake of hiring a local car accident attorney for something as complicated as a mesothelioma compensation claim involving a chemical plant. Because these types of compensation claims can be quite complicated, you will only want a full-time mesothelioma attorney who has experiences with financial claims involving asbestos exposure at a chemical plant." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com States with the most chemical plants/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Louisiana Texas Illinois Georgia South Carolina West Virginia Iowa Virginia Mississippi Missouri For more information about chemical plants in the United States please refer to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes518091.htm The Mesothelioma Compensation Center is also urging people with mesothelioma to ignore Internet ads that suggest 'no lawsuit needed', and/or similar nonsense. The mesothelioma attorneys they suggest typically do not advertise because they don't have to. Frequently, Internet ads about mesothelioma or mesothelioma attorneys are sponsored by law firms that market to victims of mesothelioma with the goal to sell the case to another firm to do the actual work. As the group would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303, "You need to be dealing directly with the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys if you want to get the best possible financial compensation for this rare asbestos exposure cancer; you do not need a middleman law firm to assist." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, public utility workers, hydro-electric workers, chemical plant workers, nuclear power plant workers, manufacturing workers, oil and gas field production workers, plumbers, electricians, millwrights, pipefitters and welders who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. In most instances, these people were exposed to asbestos during the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. US Navy Veterans account for-a significant portion-of all diagnosed victims of mesothelioma each year. The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 70 years old. Each year between 2500, and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is attributable to exposure to asbestos. 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 chemical plant worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, or Alaska. The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "If you call us at 800-714-0303, we will see to it that you have on the spot access to the nation's most skilled, and experienced mesothelioma attorneys, because these incredibly skilled legal experts consistently get the best financial compensation results for their clients on a nationwide basis." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com 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 Media contact: Michael Thomas [email protected] 800-714-0303 SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center Related Links http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com "I commend the MIA team for continually attracting new international air service to our community," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. "It is especially encouraging to see increased service from our top international market of Brazil, which had a downturn in travel last year." The June 26 celebration included a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, commemorative cake and refreshments with passengers, and a water-cannon salute from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue before Avianca Brasil's Monday departure to Sao Paulo. Avianca Brasil's first Miami-bound flight left Sao Paulo (GRU) on Friday, June 23, at 11:55 p.m. and landed at MIA at 7:25 a.m. on Saturday, June 24. The new daily nonstop passenger flights are serviced by Airbus A330-200 aircraft that seat 238 passengers. "We are honored that Avianca Brasil has chosen to expand its operations at MIA, and also make Miami its first passenger route outside of South America," said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. Gonzalez. "While we continue to pursue routes in untapped regions across the globe, we are also working to strengthen air service in our stronghold areas of Latin America and the Caribbean." MIA currently serves an average of 71 weekly non-stop passenger flights to eight cities in Brazil, which is the most of any U.S. airport. Avianca Brasil will be the airport's third airline serving Brazil, MIA's top international market in 2015 with more than 2.1 million total passengers. "At Avianca Brasil, we are experiencing an exciting transition and new cycle of growth. We are building a stronger, more mature and more competitive carrier," said Frederico Pedreira, Chief Executive Officer, Avianca Brasil. "Due to the large concentration of Brazilians visiting and living in South Florida, we decided to launch long-haul operations at this time because we understand that there are good business opportunities and a chance to provide high quality services to international travelers." Avianca Brasil is the eighth international passenger airline to schedule a service launch into the Miami market this year. Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris began four weekly flights to Guadalajara and daily service to Mexico City on February 1; Canadian airline First Air began charter passenger flights on February 4 from Ontario; low-cost transatlantic airline WOW air launched thrice-weekly service to Reykjavik, Iceland on April 5; BVI Airways is scheduled to launch first-ever nonstop service between Tortola, British Virgin Islands and MIA on July 22; Aer Lingus will launch three weekly flights to Dublin, Ireland on September 1; SAS will begin weekly service to Stockholm, Sweden on October 29; and EL AL Israel Airlines will begin three weekly flights from Tel Aviv on November 1. MIA currently serves 106 airlines, which is the most of any U.S. airport. Miami International Airport offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport, is America's second-busiest airport for international passengers, boasts a lineup of more than 100 air carriers and is the top U.S. airport for international freight. MIA, along with its general aviation airports, is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating business revenue of $33.7 billion annually and welcoming 70 percent of all international visitors to Florida. MIA's vision is to grow from a recognized hemispheric hub to a global airport of choice that offers customers a world-class experience and an expanded route network with direct passenger and cargo access to all world regions. MIA is committed to sustainable practices. Learn more at www.MIAefficiency.com. Follow us online: https://www.facebook.com/IflyMIA/ https://mobile.twitter.com/iflymia https://www.instagram.com/iflymia/ MEDIA CONTACT: Greg Chin 305.876.7017 [email protected] SOURCE Miami International Airport Related Links http://www.miami-airport.com/ DETROIT, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Michael C. Joiner, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine, will be honoured by the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) with the 2018 ESTRO Lifetime Achievement Award. He will receive the award at ESTRO's Annual Conference next April in Barcelona. Dr. Joiner is the first American to receive the award since it was established in 2007. He will be joined by four other doctors from various European countries who also are receiving the award. "We at Karmanos are enormously proud of Dr. Joiner for this lifetime achievement award," said Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO, Karmanos Cancer Institute. "Dr. Joiner exemplifies what is so extraordinary about the partnership between Karmanos and WSU SOM. Our medical staff receives the benefit of consulting with world-renowned experts like Dr. Joiner, which translates to superior care for our patients. I personally congratulate him on this tremendous honor." Dr. Joiner is passionate about teaching. He not only teaches clinical residents and medical physicists who go through the residency programs at WSU, he teaches radiation oncologists in training all over the world, from Paris to Russia to Australia. Over the past 30 years or so, he has taught more than 6,000 students globally the basics of clinical radiobiology. "I like to think that I'm doing good by imparting my knowledge to the next generation," he said. "I'm achieving giving the people the best knowledge that will stay with them for the rest of their lives." The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an ESTRO member who is nearing the end of his or her active career and has contributed "tremendously" to ESTRO activities, according to ESTRO officials. "Dr. Joiner has been a valuable member of ESTRO for many years, and has always been very active in our society, both in the committees (namely, as member of the Radiobiology Committee) and in the ESTRO School, where he has been, since 2012, course director of the extremely successful Basic Clinical Radiobiology course," said Marta Jayes, Governance Affairs manager of ESTRO, which is headquartered in Brussels. "The Nominating Council has therefore unanimously agreed on bestowing this award upon him, in recognition of this outstanding contribution." Dr. Joiner has continually taught classes through ESTRO since 1990. He came to Wayne State University in 2001, where he gained tenured professorship in 2002. He received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Experimental Physics from Queens' College, Cambridge University, and his Ph.D. at the Institute of Cancer Research at the University of London. He holds dual citizenship in America and England, where he was born. Dr. Joiner is the editor of the textbook "Basic Clinical Radiobiology," which is now in its fourth edition, with a new fifth edition on its way. He also has received National Institutes of Health funding to develop an education program to address the declining number of scientists with expertise in the application of radiobiology to the clinical practice of radiation oncology. Jay Burmeister, Ph.D., chief of Physics at Karmanos and professor in the Department of Oncology at WSU SOM, has taught alongside Dr. Joiner for 15 years and describes him as an "incredible asset" as one of the most recognizable radiobiologists in the world, providing clinical advice, and teaching WSU's graduate students and residents. "What makes Mike a great teacher is his passion for education, specifically the translation of his science to clinical care," said Dr. Burmeister. "You can see it in his excitement to teach these applications, whether it is in the classroom or at conferences. So while his scientific expertise is a great resource for our radiation oncology program, his educational expertise is also a great resource for our educational infrastructure." About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute Karmanos Cancer Institute is headquartered in Detroit, with 14 locations throughout Michigan. As part of McLaren, Karmanos is the largest cancer care and research network in the state. It is among the nation's best cancer centers as one of the National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States and the only one located in metro Detroit. Karmanos cancer experts focus solely on cancer to prevent, detect and treat as well as eradicate all forms of cancer. Its long-term partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine enhances the collaboration of critical research and academics related to cancer care. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS (800-527-6266) or visit www.karmanos.org . Follow Karmanos on Facebook , Twitter and YouTube . SOURCE Karmanos Cancer Institute Related Links http://www.karmanos.org "I had been asked by several Birmingham doctors to visit the medical clinic on the same property as the Islamic Center. They'd heard about my plans for health care reform and wanted to speak with me about that, and my other campaign positions. After we'd spoken about this, I was invited to an Interfaith meeting that was being held that evening with members of Shades Mountain Baptist Church. Until they asked me to participate, I had no idea that the Interfaith meeting was going on." "God opened this door for me, and I used the opportunity He'd given me to extend an olive branch and share my faith in the love and mercy of Jesus Christ to everyone there. It was a tremendous opportunity to do what we're told to do in Mark 16:15, to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." "Some people won't vote for me because I went to a mosque and spoke to 140 Muslims about Jesus, and that's okay. I don't regret taking advantage of a God-given circumstance to bear witness and give my testimony about what the Lord has done in my life. If sharing my faith costs me this election, then so be it. I know what's important, and first and foremost, that's my salvation through Jesus Christ," Brinson said. Brinson has a long history of faith-based activities. Apart from nearly 30 years at Taylor Road Baptist Church and countless mission trips, he has been involved in Christian music since 1999, when he brought WAY-FM to Montgomery. In 2003, he and his wife Pam formed Redeem the Vote to engage more people of faith in the political process. In 2006, he became head of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, and in 2008 was a senior advisor to Governor Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign. Brinson stepped down as head of Redeem the Vote and the Christian Coalition earlier this year to run for the Senate seat previously held by Jeff Sessions. Brinson has made himself available for immediate comments. Immediate interviews may be scheduled with Press Secretary Jonathan Barbee via email: [email protected]. SOURCE Randy Brinson New to the event is the Innovation Zone, where exhibitors will showcase cutting-edge technologies and products that can change how collision and service repair shops perform repairs. The Innovation Zone offers the unique opportunity for attendees and exhibitors to move their business operations forward, giving them a first look at new tools, equipment and shop materials. Industry-leading companies presenting at the Innovation Zone include Car-O-Liner, ATEQ TPMS Tools, Vibac Group and Nitro Innovations. "NACE Automechanika Chicago provides a venue that attracts leading collision repair companies who are eager to expand their knowledge and understand the latest equipment as well as evolving industry requirements to remain competitive and lead the way in profitability," says Douglas Bortz, director of sales and marketing, Car-O-Liner. "If you have never attended, now is the time to join the leaders. A meeting face-to-face with Car-O-Liner personnel gives collision repair shop managers an invaluable opportunity to benefit their daily operations in many ways." Other must-see featured events include: The NACE Automechanika Event App where attendees will be connected to exhibitors through instant messaging and social media. This private community will seek to enhance coordination of meetings through live communication between exhibitors and attendees. Launching in July, the app will be available via iTunes and Google Play. Build the foundation for business and personal relationships through Matchmaking and facilitate lasting connections in the collision and service repair industry. This service provides an opportunity to schedule and secure meaningful meetings and to grow business. Questions about Matchmaking can be sent to [email protected] . For more information, check out this webinar . Engage in scanning technologies at Scan-A-Palooza, which exhibits a plethora of scanning and diagnostic innovations moving the automotive industry forward. Manufacturers such as AirPro Diagnostics, asTech, Autel, Bosch, LaunchTech USA , and Mitchell International will present new advancements. Scan-A-Palooza will also feature a presentation on Thursday at 11AM by collision consultant Mike Anderson , focusing on advanced diagnostic technologies. A list of show floor activities, displays and interactive areas, including demonstration times, can be found here. "We are excited to provide a one-stop-shop for the latest innovations in the automotive industry, and an overall immersive experience for our attendees with the many show features to participate in at the upcoming NACE Automechanika Chicago," said Jim Savas, vice president and general manager of automotive, UBM. "Our event in July is the leading event that not only gives attendees and exhibitors a glimpse into the future of the industry, but it also allows them to develop important business contacts and learn from automotive experts." NACE Automechanika Chicago's education tracks and training sessions cover the entire spectrum of the automotive aftermarket industry. Check out the full schedule of more than 200 classes being offered. Apply for a NACE Automechanika Chicago Media Pass here: https://registration.n200.com/mediapass Connect with NACE Automechanika (#NACEAutomechanika): About Automotive Service Association The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. Headquartered in North Richland Hills, TX, ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. http://asashop.org/ NACE Automechanika Chicago organized by UBM plc. UBM is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM. About Messe Frankfurt Messe Frankfurt is one of the world's leading trade fair organizers, generating around 648 million in sales and employing 2,244 people. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 30 subsidiaries and 55 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in 175 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at approx. 50 locations around the globe. In 2015, Messe Frankfurt organized a total of 133 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Comprising an area of 592,127 square metres, Messe Frankfurt's exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres. The historic Festhalle, one of the most popular venues in Germany, plays host to events of all kinds. Messe Frankfurt is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com The North American headquarters in Atlanta is currently producing eleven trade shows in the USA, Canada and Mexico across various industries. For more information about Messe Frankfurt, please visit our web site at www.MesseFrankfurt.us. SOURCE UBM Americas Related Links http://www.ubm.com Ben & Jerry's put a spin on chunks and swirls with Pint Slices. Inspired by the very best part of the pint, Pint Slices are euphoric flavors offered up in a round single serving, enrobed in a decadent chocolatey coating. These slices of ice cream goodness are available in four flavors: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Vanilla Peanut Butter Cup, and Americone Dream. Three new Non-Dairy flavors and three new traditional pints are now available on shelves. Non-Dairy fans can rejoice over Cherry Garcia, Coconut Seven Layer Bar, and Caramel Almond Brittle. Long time fans lined up for the first taste of uber foodie Urban Bourbon, Truffle Kerfuffle, and Oat of this Swirled. The 2017 introductions are full of the latest in daring dessert flavor trends. A lineup of new cereal milk flavors, available in Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, now reminds fans of Saturday mornings spent watching cartoons. Cocoa Loco, Frozen Flakes and Frozen Fruities bring the awesomely unmistakable taste of milk-splashed cereal to the ice cream shop. Available only for a limited time, head to your closest Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop for a bowlful of Cereal Splashbacks. If you want to wear your PJs, who are we to judge? Most recently, One Love was launched with the Marley family's blessing at West Hollywood's iconic Roxy Theater. This banana-based, Bob Marley-inspired batch benefits Jamaica's One Love Youth Camp. It's available in pints and at Scoop Shops for a limited time, and is perfect for those who believe that chocolatey peace signs in ice cream are perfect for sharing with those they love. These new flavors join more than 50 others in the Ben & Jerry's lineupwhich is more than enough to satisfy fans through a hot National Ice Cream Month. Currently, Ben & Jerry's most popular fan favorites in the U.S., based on sales, are: Half Baked Cherry Garcia Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Chocolate Fudge Brownie The Tonight Dough Americone Dream Phish Food Chunky Monkey Strawberry Cheesecake Salted Caramel Core About Ben & Jerry's As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben and Jerry's products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry's became a certified B Corp (Benefit Corporation) in 2012. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation's employee-led grant programs totaled $2.5MM in 2016 to support economic and social justice, environmental restoration, and peace through understanding. For the inside scoop on Ben & Jerry's visit www.benjerry.com SOURCE Ben & Jerry's Related Links http://www.benjerry.com The strategic purchase builds on NELSON's growing ecosystem of learning content and tools and represents a shared vision with the young tech start-up to offer a disruptive and innovative approach to educational learning solutions. As its first purely digital acquisition, today's announcement signals NELSON's further investment in meeting the evolving needs of educators and students across the country, ensuring unparalleled access to the educational resources they need. "NELSON continues to lead and drive change in our business and recognizes that acquisitions that complement our core business, and the searching out of innovative collaborations and partnerships are the pathway to solving the challenges that face education in Canada and abroad," explained Steve Brown, NELSON President and CEO. "This exciting purchase enables us to help re-conceptualize the learning experience for both teachers and students, reinforcing our 100+ year connection to the Canadian classroom in a fresh and meaningful way." Guided by teacher feedback and designed with the end-user in mind, Edusight was built to intuitively align with teacher workflow on both the web and via mobile app to provide visualisation of data that leads to a better understanding of student learning. Edusight offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing teachers to track grades, photos, video and audio notes. Focusing on both portfolios and grading provides for a more holistic view of how students at all levels develop. "We're thrilled that Edusight's analytics and digital portfolio product complements NELSON's digital strategy," explained Garros Li, President, Co-Founder of Edusight. "This acquisition elegantly combines NELSON's best-in-class educational content with our insightful and personalised visualisations of student learning." Edusight offers users: Simple data visualization and easy-to-use portfolios Tools to make assessment, grading and building projects easier Portfolio and gradebook tools that capture student learning using text, photos, video and/or audio Communication tools to keep students, teachers, and parents up to date on student learning "NELSON is proud to lend its experience and industry bench-strength to continue the work of Edusight and expand the digital portfolio product to teachers and students across Canada," stated Brown. "This acquisition will mean Edusight will be able to live on in a new form to support even more students and teachers in the future." About NELSON: NELSON is Canada's largest and leading educational publisher. NELSON believes in the evolution of life-long education and dedicates its business efforts to the creation of quality, innovative solutions that support the needs of every student, teacher and instructor to empower learning success. For more information about NELSON, please visit us at Nelson.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. About Edusight: Edusight's mission is to understand how students learn. Through its analytics and digital portfolio product, Edusight has impacted over 300,000 K-12 students across 40 countries. Edusight received venture capital funding from Imagine K12, the education vertical within Y Combinator. SOURCE Nelson HERNDON, Va., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NetCentrics Corporation, a leading provider of enterprise IT and cybersecurity services to the federal government, today announced that its 8(a) Mentor-Protege Agreement with Broadleaf, Inc. has been approved by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The two companies' commitment to a formal mentoring relationship will provide expanded business development opportunities for both and enhance the range of IT capabilities they can offer federal agencies. Under the three-year agreement, NetCentrics will assist Broadleaf in competing for contract awards and other related business opportunities with federal government customers. Additionally, NetCentrics will provide technical and managerial guidance through their subject-matter experts to help ensure Broadleaf is prepared for near-term success as well as long-term growth. The partnership between NetCentrics and Broadleaf along with the combined experience of both businesses allows them to provide robust contracting and technical solutions. "We are excited to announce our Mentor-Protege Agreement with Broadleaf," said Cyndi Barreda, president of NetCentrics. "We proudly support the role that small businesses play in delivering information technology to the federal government. The collaboration between our two companies through this program will enable us to offer our federal customers a broader range of capabilities and expertise in areas such as IT as a service, cloud, cybersecurity, applications development and more." "We are honored to be the protege of a successful technology company like NetCentrics," said Vince Apesa, president of Broadleaf. "This relationship will allow us to learn from their experiences and significantly increase our chances for success. Together we will be able to deliver a new range of IT services and offer our customers a compelling procurement experience due to the benefits associated with a Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO)." The SBA Mentor-Protege Program is designed to motivate and encourage large business prime contractors to provide mutually beneficial developmental assistance to small business, veteran-owned small business and women-owned small business concerns. The program is also designed to improve the performance of contracts and subcontracts and foster the establishment of long-term business relationships between large prime contractors and small business subcontractors. Broadleaf is the first protege in NetCentrics' Mentor-Protege Program. About NetCentrics NetCentrics is a leading provider of enterprise systems management, solutions engineering, application development, service delivery, cybersecurity services and innovation services to the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and other federal agencies. NetCentrics is ISO 9001, ISO 20001 and ISO 27001 registered, CMMI Level 3 Assessed and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. The company has more than 20 years of experience supporting large IT programs. For more information about NetCentrics, see www.netcentrics.com or follow us on Twitter @NetCentricsCorp. About Broadleaf Broadleaf is a Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO)-owned small business with experience in providing project management, software development, cybersecurity and cloud services to the Department of Defense and commercial customers. Broadleaf is ISO 9001 certified and CMMI Level 3 for Development appraised. The company has over nine years of experience supporting federal and commercial customers. For more information about Broadleaf, see www.broadleaf-inc.com. Media Contacts: Jeffrey Phillips NetCentrics (703) 714-7345 [email protected] Trish Rimo RH Strategic (202) 379-0825 [email protected] SOURCE NetCentrics Corporation Related Links http://www.netcentrics.com SAN JOSE, Calif., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sikka Software, The Practice Optimizer Company, announced the Beta release of Practice Assistant today. Practice Assistant is an Amazon Alexa Skills integration that allows Dentists and Veterinarians to access key practice data via the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. With Practice Assistant, Retail Healthcare Professionals can get the information they need to make management decisions, track practice growth and run daily operations without having to take time away from clinical activities to check data in their practice management system. Practice Assistant The provider simply says, "Alexa, open my practice" which activates the Echo device and connects it to Sikka's Platform Cloud. The cloud is HIPAA and HITECH compliant and is compatible with 96% of practice management systems on the market. Practice Assistant shares the following data with providers: Performance Metrics: Get ready for the day with Morning Meeting Report, a comprehensive overview of the practice that facilitates dentists and veterinarians in planning for a successful day. Providers can also ask Alexa for important Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track financial and clinical practice health. With Practice Assistant, providers can hear their accounts receivable balance, monthtodate production and scheduled production for the month, among other important metrics. Schedule: With Practice Assistant, providers can access their daily schedule, including total number of remaining appoints, and the time of first, last and next appointments. Practice Assistant also provides key data on the patient population, including pending treatment plans, new patients, inactive patients and patients seen monthtodate. Vijay Sikka, CEO of Sikka Software "Practice Assistant represents the next phase of Artificial Intelligence for retail healthcare professionals. Dentists and Veterinarians can now ask their Echo device for all the information they need to run their practice smoothly and efficiently without looking at a screen or opening their practice management system." The Practice Assistant Skill is now available for purchase at https://store.sikkasoft.com/pa. Simply sign up for Practice Assistant, only $35 each month, to activate your Amazon Echo product. About Sikka Software Sikka Software Corporation is revolutionizing the retail healthcare industry via its platform cloud, analytical tools, apps and big data leadership. The retail industry includes over 2.1 million providers worldwide and over 600,000 in the United States. The Sikka Platform Cloud allows seamless compatibility with over 96% of the dental, veterinary, vision care and hearing care markets in the United States. Sikka Software Corporation has over 24,000 installations and is experiencing strong growth and market presence in the retail healthcare big data space. For more information, please visit www.sikkasoftware.com. Media Contacts: Geoff Martin Sikka Software 408-876-4040 Alitta Boechler Sikka Software 408-359-3014 SOURCE Sikka Software Related Links http://www.sikkasoftware.com NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Building close connections with a person from another culture, whether through relationships based in romance or friendship, can help enhance individuals' creativity and innovation, according to new research findings from researchers at leading international business schools Columbia Business School and INSEAD. These findings will appear in an upcoming issue of Journal of Applied Psychology, a premier journal of the American Psychological Association. Now, more than ever, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are necessary to attain a competitive advantage. "Every culture contains layers of assumptions, beliefs, customs, norms, and values," said INSEAD Professor William Maddux. "Through getting to know someone from another culture at a deep level, we come to understand not just who they are, but also the culture that shaped them and guides their thinking." However, not all intercultural experiences have the same effect on creativity and innovation. "People who had deep connections with someone from another culture experience growth in creativitybut this creative boost does not occur when people only have shallow connections with people from other cultures," says Adam Galinsky, Chair of the Management Division at Columbia Business School. "For example, we have consistently found that people who have lived abroad have an increase in creativity, but that travel abroad has very little effect. The deeper your connection, the deeper your understanding of this other culture, and the more creative you're going to become." The researchers conclude that individuals looking to improve their creativity should actively seek opportunities that allow them to "step outside [of] their cultural comfort zone," such as organizing a language exchange program. They also suggest that companies have the opportunity to enhance creativity across their organizations by embracing the diversity of their workforce. The research, "Going Out" of the Box: Close Intercultural Friendships and Romantic Relationships Spark Creativity, Workplace Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, is soon to be published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. It was authored by Columbia's Galinsky and INSEAD's Maddux, in conjunction with lead author Jackson Lu, a PhD student at Columbia Business School, Andrew Hafenbrack of Catolica-Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Paul Eastwick of UC-Davis, and Dan Wang of Columbia Business School. Behind the Research Findings The authors conducted several field studies to develop their findings. In one study researchers looked at the dating histories of individuals after they had completed creativity tests. They then compared their test scores to the dating histories and discovered that those with extended intercultural romantic relationships performed well on the tests. Interestingly, they found that the length of the relationship was a far greater influencer on creativity than the number of intercultural relationships a person has. In another study, more than 100 MBA students representing 39 nationalities were given creative tests at the beginning and end of their MBA program. Students who indicated that they had been romantically involved with someone from another culture during their 10-month program displayed higher creative performance on the tests. A final study sought to identify the impact that intercultural friendship as opposed to intercultural romantic relationships has on creative enhancement. The researchers solicited information from more than 2,000 global professionals who had previously (but no longer) worked in the United States, specifically asking participants about professional accomplishments as well as if they continued to maintain close relationships with friends from the U.S. Professionals who indicated that they maintained close relationships with friends from the U.S. were more likely to have greater creative accomplishments than those who did not maintain close relationships, as measured by the number of professionals who either started their own businesses or produced new innovations within their companies. To learn more about the research, as well as other cutting-edge findings from leading business school academics, please visit gsb.columbia.edu or knowledge.insead.edu. About Columbia Business School Columbia Business School is the only worldclass, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with realtime exposure to the pulse of global business. Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the School's transformative curriculum bridges academic theory with unparalleled exposure to realworld business practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in any business environment. The thought leadership of the School's faculty and staff, combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School's efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School's position at the very center of business, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu. About INSEAD As one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD offers participants a truly global educational experience. With campuses in Europe (France), Asia (Singapore) and Middle East (Abu Dhabi), INSEAD's business education and research spans three continents. Our 145 renowned faculty members from 40 countries inspire more than 1,400 students in our degree and PhD programmes. In addition, more than 11,000 executives participate in INSEAD's executive education programmes each year. INSEAD's MBA programme is ranked #1 by the Financial Times in 2016 and 2017. More information about INSEAD can be found at www.insead.edu. SOURCE Columbia Business School Related Links http://www.gsb.columbia.edu An Ambassador of the French Patrimony of Cheese and respected throughout the world for his culinary knowledge, Roland Barthelemy curated the new collection to bring premium, specialty cheeses from artisanal cheesemakers, farms and small cheese shops across France to the U.S. for the first time ever. Each cheese reflects and pays homage to its regions' unique personality in every bite, and the offerings range from cheeses aged in stone cellars to a double creme aged with a wine cork for ripening. "Cheese is an amazing ingredient and culinary tool, able to adapt itself to different uses, from simple recipes to more intricate ones; it offers rich, modern and generous associations allowing us to discover tasteful combinations," said Roland. "This collection features delectable cheese with unique stories and processes that previously were nonexistent in the United States. I'm excited to introduce these elegant, gourmet cheeses to a new audience." The Roland Barthelemy Signature Collection includes: La Fromage au Bouchon From the region of Dordogne, the award-winning La Fromage au Bouchon is made from cow's milk. With a wine cork placed in the heart of the cheese, this double creme develops character during the aging process for a unique flavor that melts in the mouth. From the region of Dordogne, the award-winning La Fromage au Bouchon is made from cow's milk. With a wine cork placed in the heart of the cheese, this double creme develops character during the aging process for a unique flavor that melts in the mouth. Le Montagnard des Vosges Featuring local cow's milk from the mountains of Vosges, Le Montagnard des Vosges is soft-ripened, smooth and creamy, developing earthy tones as it ages. Featuring local cow's milk from the mountains of Vosges, Le Montagnard des Vosges is soft-ripened, smooth and creamy, developing earthy tones as it ages. Le Bleu de la Boissiere Balancing blue and goat's milk flavors, the unique Le Bleu de la Boissiere is made in a rigorous process from fresh whole milk of Alpine goats at the edge of the forest of Rambouillet, near Versailles . It was awarded a Silver Medal at the 2017 World Cheese Awards in France . Balancing blue and goat's milk flavors, the unique Le Bleu de la Boissiere is made in a rigorous process from fresh whole milk of Alpine goats at the edge of the forest of Rambouillet, near . It was awarded a Silver Medal at the 2017 World Cheese Awards in . Le Severac Produced by a third-generation family-run farm in Auvergne, who have been making cheese since the early 1900s, Le Severac's raw cow's milk is aged in stone cellars for nine to 12 months, resulting in spicy, peppery notes. This cheese won a Gold Medal at the 2017 World Cheese Awards. Produced by a third-generation family-run farm in Auvergne, who have been making cheese since the early 1900s, raw cow's milk is aged in stone cellars for nine to 12 months, resulting in spicy, peppery notes. This cheese won a Gold Medal at the 2017 World Cheese Awards. Esquirrou From the southwest region of Pays Basques, Esquirrou is made from the rich milk of black and red-faced sheep and is aged a minimum of 90 days following a meticulous ancient cheesemaking process of brushing and turning the cheese during the aging period. From the southwest region of Pays Basques, Esquirrou is made from the rich milk of black and red-faced sheep and is aged a minimum of 90 days following a meticulous ancient cheesemaking process of brushing and turning the cheese during the aging period. Etorki Reserve This special reserve semi-soft cheese made with pasteurized milk from Manech Ewes possesses the complexity of burnt caramel and a smooth, velvety texture. This special reserve semi-soft cheese made with pasteurized milk from Manech Ewes possesses the complexity of burnt caramel and a smooth, velvety texture. Maroilles Fauquet This cow's milk cheese is put in brine then curing rooms to form the unique orange-colored rind, which is brushed several times throughout the precise ripening process while its bouquet emerges with a slightly sweet taste. This cow's milk cheese is put in brine then curing rooms to form the unique orange-colored rind, which is brushed several times throughout the precise ripening process while its bouquet emerges with a slightly sweet taste. Boursault A soft ripened, triple creme produced in the Loire Valley, Boursault is one of the most popular triple-creams today, due to its ultra-creamy texture and rich flavors. The Roland Barthelemy Signature Collection joins Savencia's prestigious lineup of premium French cheese, including Saint Agur, Saint Andre, Etorki and more, and will be available at premium retailers including Whole Foods, Wegmans, Fairway and Murray's Cheese Shop beginning this fall. For more information, please visit www.savencia.com. ABOUT SAVENCIA CHEESE USA SAVENCIA Cheese USA, formerly Alouette Cheese USA, brings a new dimension of taste and indulgence to cheese and everyday snacking with pioneering, first-to-market innovations and exclusive French imported offerings. SAVENCIA Cheese USA products include household name brand Alouette and prestige French imports such as Saint-Agur, Saint-Andre, Supreme, Chaumes, Saint-Albry, Etorki and others. SAVENCIA Cheese USA is part of France's SAVENCIA Fromage & Dairy, the worldwide leader in specialty cheese known for excellence in flavor and innovations across dairy, cheese and gourmet foods. For more information, please visit www.savencia-fromagedairy.com. SOURCE SAVENCIA Cheese USA Related Links http://www.savencia.com/ SAN DIEGO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Quincy Braxton, an attorney in San Diego that specializes in the field of adoptions, says that he speaks to families daily that are seeking to enlarge their family through adoption. Most of these families are physically unable to have their own biological children and have been through vigorous infertility treatments. Adoption, for many, is their only hope to have a child. Quincy Braxton, San Diego Adoption Attorney The problem, Braxton states, is the number of infertile families far surpasses the number of adoptable infants and the numbers continue to increase annually. Many of the families that he speaks with have been trying to adopt for in excess of 5 years. As the number of adoptable infants decreases, many adoption agencies, which are dependent on placements in order to survive, are shutting their doors and filing bankruptcy, leaving the families that had entrusted them angry and feeling hopeless. The most recent was the shutting of the Independent Adoption Center on January 30, 2017, leaving hundreds if not thousands of families countrywide reeling. The reasons, Braxton believes, are many. Birth control options make it possible for a woman to obtain a small implant called Nexplanon which will protect her from pregnancy for 4 years. In addition, the birth rate is at the lowest rate that it has been since the beginning of record keeping over a hundred years ago. In 1957 at the peak of the country's birthrate, there were 122.9 births per 1000 women. In 2016 the birth rate declined to 59.8 per 1000 women aged 15 to 44. In addition, women are waiting longer to have their first child. This can be a problem in that many women are waiting too long, and then realizing that they have missed out on their best child-bearing years. These are the women of course, that often look to adopt. Society has changed drastically over the years. Women generally do not give a child up for adoption because they are not married. Enforced child support laws and liberal government assistance and daycare programs allow women to afford to keep and raise their children. Another large factor in the decline of adoptable children is that, as world trade increases, many once-impoverished countries who at one time allowed their children to be adopted by wealthy Americans are finding that there are now financially secure families in their own countries that can adopt healthy infants. "Surrogacy," Braxton states, "seems to be the new adoption." He continues, "Many people will opt to retain the services of a surrogacy attorney in a surro friendly state, and with the assistance of an egg donor and sperm donor, have a lot more control than they would in an adoption situation." It should be mentioned that the cost to have a child through a surrogate is much higher than the cost of adoption; it can exceed $100,000.00. According to Braxton, the cost to adopt a child through a private agency or attorney averages around $30,000.00. When asked if the high cost would eliminate a lot of wonderful potential families Braxton replied: "Well, the good news is that families that are unable to afford the high costs to adopt do have some options. Firstly, they need to keep in mind that the Federal government is still offering an adoption tax credit which has been increased to $13,570.00 for 2017. The majority of families that adopt are entitled to that credit. In addition, most counties have a program called 'Fost-Adopt,' which allows an infant to be placed with an adoptive family at birth with the intention of a permanent placement. There is no cost, and in fact, the family usually gets paid by the county to care for the child prior to the adoption." It sounds like those that really want to adopt and persevere have a chance. Media Contact: Jennalee Ryan Phone: (800) 488-3238 Email: [email protected] SOURCE The Law Office of Quincy Braxton BOCA RATON, Fla., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PBExpo, the newest aviation, aerospace and defense parts procurement and service industries tradeshow, announces today that GlobalParts.aero, the industry's fastest growing certified distributor, manufacturer, and MRO provider, is the pioneer sponsor for the inaugural show in 2018. GlobalParts.aero is the first company to declare a sponsorship, committing to be a Platinum Sponsor, the highest level for the first-time show. PBExpo is the newest venture for parent company, PartsBase Inc., the world's largest online aviation, aerospace and defense marketplace. Currently, PartsBase has 7,500 member companies, accessing the online portal in over 194 countries. The addition of a live, interactive tradeshow, will provide members, buyers and sellers in the aviation parts procurement industry, the opportunity to conduct face-to-face business dealings, as well as participate in continued education about the marketplace and networking opportunities. GlobalParts.aero, which was founded in 2003, has evolved from a parts distribution service into an established industry leader in repair, overhaul, manufacturing and worldwide support of aircraft ranging from personally-flown piston singles to transport category jets. GlobalParts.aero is the factory-designated parts source for Bombardier Learjet models ranging from the 20 series through the Learjet 60. GlobalParts Group now includes two ISO 9001+AS9100C and Federal Aviation Administration-certified repair stations, and in-house, build-to-print part manufacturing capabilities. "We are thrilled to announce GlobalParts.aero as the first sponsor of the inaugural PBExpo, and even more excited they have claimed the top-level sponsorship," says Greg Schmidt, President of PartsBase. "GlobalParts.aero has been a loyal member of PartsBase for more than 14 years. Most recently, they have expanded their PartsBase offering to include their newest subsidiaries GlobalParts Aero Services and GlobalParts Aero Structures. As PartsBase enters a new venture in the aviation tradeshow market, we are pleased to continue expanding the relationship with their commitment to a PBExpo Platinum Sponsorship." "GlobalParts.aero's business began as a source of parts so our roots are planted in this important segment of the aviation industry," notes Malissa Nesmith, Chief Operating Officer of GlobalParts.aero. "It makes perfect sense for us to not only participate in, but sponsor PBExpo since our long-standing relationship with PartsBase has been an important and beneficial contributor to our growth and success. We became members of PartsBase during our very first year of operation and are extremely pleased to have a significant role in this inaugural PBExpo." PBExpo will be held May 16 17, 2018 at the Greater Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale and will include an expansive exhibit hall, keynote presentation, educational seminars and networking events. In addition to being an open venue to all companies who buy, sell, manufacture or repair aircraft parts, PBExpo will also host companies involved in B2B or B2C ecommerce and technology solutions. Throughout the show, PartsBase members will benefit from User Group sessions focused on maximizing the user's online investment and providing new resources to expand a business enterprise. Florida is home to over 1,500 aviation related companies state-wide. For more information, please contact: Jenni Rosenthal, Director of Events [email protected] About PBExpo. PBExpo is the only interactive environment that integrates the aviation, aerospace, and defense industries with technology and ecommerce solutions. PBExpo will consist of multiple forums, over two days, which will allow participants to discuss and demonstrate the newest innovations available in the marketplace, attend educational seminars presented by industry leaders, walk a vast and expansive industry-focused exhibit hall, and provide direct feedback and roadmap suggestions on the PartsBase website. The event is open to all parties who buy, sell, manufacture or repair aircraft parts, or those involved in B2B and B2C ecommerce and technology solutions. PBExpo will be May 16 17, 2018, at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center. For more information about PBExpo, visit www.pbexpo.org. PBExpo is a division of PartsBase, the world's leader in internet-based part locator services. For more information on PartsBase, visit www.partsbase.com. Socialize with PBExpo. Twitter. Follow Facebook. Like LinkedIn. Follow About GLOBAL PARTS Group, Inc. The Global Parts Group of companies began when GlobalParts.aero was founded in 2003 to serve the worldwide aviation spares market with cost effective, quality parts. GlobalParts.aero is a certified distributor of aviation spares and has earned ISO 9001+AS9120A and ASA-100 accreditation for quality management systems. Expanding from parts distribution with GlobalParts.aero; the Global Parts Group has evolved and grown, adding two Federal Aviation Administration-certified repair stations, an in-house, build-to-print part manufacturing capabilities to its operations and is an affiliate partner to Interceptor Aviation Inc. The FAA & EASA Certified Part 145 repair stations include Global Parts Aero Services, Inc., specializing in component overhaul/repair services for hydraulics, pneumatics, wheels & brakes, crew oxygen and electronics. The other certified FAA & EASA Part 145 repair station is Global Parts Aero Structures, Inc., with ISO 9001+AS9100C certification, and operations specializing in precision sheet metal repair services for engine cowlings/inlets, thrust reversers, leading edges, and other airframe related articles. The in-house, build to print, part manufacturing service is through Global Parts Aero Manufacturing, Inc. specializing in precision 5-axis machining, including hard metals (titanium and steel) and is also ISO 9001+ AS9100C accredited. Interceptor Aviation Inc., as an affiliate company, is the owner of FAA Type Certificate No. 3A18, which includes all the FAA approved Type Design data and associated intellectual property of the Meyers M200 and Interceptor I400 aircraft models. For more information about GlobalParts.aero visit www.globalparts.aero. SOCIALIZE WITH GLOBALPARTS.AERO. Twitter. Follow Facebook. Like LinkedIn. Follow SOURCE PBExpo Related Links http://www.pbexpo.org WILKES-BARRE, Pa., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Labor & Industry today announced an unemployment compensation (UC) amnesty program aimed at recouping monies owed to the state's UC Trust Fund. The announcement was made by Labor & Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino at a kickoff event at the PA CareerLink Luzerne County in Wilkes-Barre. The UC amnesty program runs from July 1 through September 30, 2017. Both claimants who have received UC benefits that they were not entitled to and employers who have not made mandatory tax contributions to the UC Trust Fund are being offered amnesty to repay what they owe at a discount. The total amount owed to the UC Trust Fund from both claimants and employers that is eligible for the amnesty program is $651 million. "Amnesty is an opportunity for claimants and employers who owe the UC Trust Fund to 'Make It Right,' pay what they owe at a discount, and end up with a clean slate," said Sec. Manderino. "Not making good on this financial obligation can impact claimants' or employers' credit ratings, subject them to liens on property, hinder their ability to get a loan, or for individuals, to obtain UC benefits in the future." More than 139,231 claimants and nearly 39,000 employers are receiving letters advising them of the amnesty program, reminding them of how much they owe and instructing them how to pay it back. The amnesty campaign will also include a series of short animated videos, digital creative and copy, which will be disseminated via L&I's Facebook and Twitter accounts. "This is a campaign to make people aware of amnesty, give them a chance to 'Make It Right,' but also, it's a campaign to educate the public on how to avoid getting into a situation where you owe the UC fund," said Sec. Manderino. "Events such as the one we are hosting today, as well as information available on our amnesty website, will help get these educational messages out will and let the public know what NOT to do so they can avoid an overpayment." For more information on the UC amnesty program, visit the amnesty website at ucamnesty.pa.gov, where claimants and employers can also be connected to a payment portal. MEDIA CONTACT: Lindsay Bracale, 717-787-7530 SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Related Links http://www.state.pa.us HARRISBURG, Pa., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Committed to providing financial support to reduce underage and dangerous alcohol consumption, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today announced it will award almost $2.3 million to 66 schools, community organizations, municipalities, law enforcement organizations, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education through the 2017-19 Alcohol Education Grant Program. "This year, we're awarding a record amount of funding to the most grant recipients we've ever approved through this grant program because we know how important these local projects are to alcohol education and public health and safety," said PLCB Chairman Tim Holden. "Preventing underage and irresponsible drinking is an important part of our mission, one we take very seriously, and we've awarded more than $14.1 million in grants since 1999." Of 99 grant applications received, 66 organizations from 33 counties across Pennsylvania were awarded a total of $2,295,090 in grants. The maximum award for each two-year grant is $40,000. Of the grants awarded: More than 40 will fund community law-enforcement efforts for targeted underage patrols, training, and equipment. 17 will be used to support community and nonprofit organizations by funding initiatives such as Project Alert, Project Northland, the Strengthening Families Program, Project Sticker Shock and enforcement efforts. Three will go to primary and secondary schools to fund various programs aimed at reaching students, such as enforcement during school special events and programs including Alcohol Wise, MADD's Power of Parents, and Parents Who Host, Lose the Most. 22 college and university grants will help schools develop strategies to reduce underage and dangerous alcohol use through surveys and assessments, enforcement efforts, attendance at alcohol education conferences, training for resident assistants, peer education programs, and evidence-informed programs like CHOICES, Alcohol Edu, and Operation Buzzkill. The complete list of grant recipients and projects is available at www.lcb.pa.gov. The PLCB works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups and licensees. Alcohol education programs include a poster contest for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, a free annual alcohol education conference, the creation and distribution of a wide range of educational materials, and training and technical assistance for organizations working to address issues related to irresponsible consumption. In addition, the PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide and licenses more than 20,000 beverage alcohol producers, retailers and handlers. Taxes and store profits totaling $15.1 billion since the agency's inception are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov. MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links http://www.lcb.state.pa.us Guests who visit any participating Pollo Campero from July 5 through July 7 will receive 50 percent off either a two-piece, three-piece, half-chicken or Camperitos (boneless wings) personal meal, simply by presenting a half-off discount voucher. Vouchers can be easily obtained at Campero.com. "We could not be prouder of our deliciously flavorful fried chicken recipe, so naturally July 6, National Fried Chicken Day, is one of our favorite days of the year," said Federico Valiente, Pollo Campero's brand lead. "We are so thrilled to be able to celebrate and share our unique and savory fried chicken, we're extending the party to three days!" Pollo Campero, one of the fastest-growing brands in the United States, credits its success and popularity to its one-of-a-kind hand-breaded fried chicken. It is prepared with Pollo Campero's proprietary blend of herbs and spices a prized recipe passed down from generation to generation. Pollo Campero also offers grilled chicken, and Camperitos (fried boneless chicken wings). "For more than 45 years, Pollo Campero has been delighting friends and families with its flavorful fried chicken," said Valiente. "Our commitment to quality and the fresh ingredients used in our secret recipe are what truly set our chicken apart you can taste the difference in every bite." For a list of participating restaurants, log on to campero.com. ABOUT POLLO CAMPERO Pollo Campero is a family owned and privately held chicken restaurant founded in 1971 in Guatemala. It first opened its doors with the goal of delighting family and friends with its prized fried chicken recipe which has since been passed down from generation to generation. Today, Pollo Campero continues to specialize in flavorful high-quality fried & grilled chicken recipes in its more than 300 locations in 10 different countries. To learn more about Pollo Campero or for franchise information, visit campero.com. Follow the flavor on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CamperoUSA. SOURCE Pollo Campero Related Links http://www.campero.com BERLIN, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (DOC) is pleased to announce the nomination of Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis to its Supervisory Board. This occurs on the first anniversary of the Institute's launch in Germany, and on the 15th anniversary of the creation of the Dialogue of Civilizations World Public Forum. The renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, Princess Gloria has led diverse Thurn und Taxis enterprises for decades, and in 2006 re-founded the Women's Congregation of Mary in the city of Regensburg. A major focus of the Princess' work is the preservation and care of cultural heritage. She was integral in establishing the Palace Musical Festival, the Christmas market, and in opening the Princely Treasure Chamber to the public. In 2014, the Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer awarded the Bayerischer Verdienstorden (Bavarian Order of Merit) to Princess Gloria for her numerous social initiatives. The Princess joins the Supervisory Board of the DOC Research Institute, which also includes: Fred Dallmayr, Vladimir Fortov, Alfred Gusenbauer, Vaclav Klaus, Armen Sarkissian, Peter W. Schulze, Walter Schwimmer, Ruben Vardanyan, Andrea Von Knoop, Li Xin, and Vladimir Yakunin. Today, on the occasion of its first anniversary, the DOC has organised a Round-table discussion about Protecting Cultural Heritage in Berlin. Experts from all over the world, including Iraq, Germany, Russia, India, and the United Kingdom will debate the social and cultural regression taking place in war-torn regions like Bamiyan or Palmyra. The experts will discuss reasons and solutions for protecting cultural heritage. The DOC Research Institute is an independent, non-partisan organisation, not sponsored by any government, that has its roots in the UN agenda on Dialogue Among Civilizations, adopted in 2001. Media Contact: Agnieszka Rzepka Pressesprecherin Tel: +49-209-677-900 Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute Franzosische Str. 23 10117 Berlin www.doc-research.org SOURCE Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute Dr. Hasan's scientific efforts are focused on photochemistry-based approaches (photodynamic therapy, or PDT) for treatment and diagnosis of disease. In cancer, the focus malignancies are ovarian, prostate, pancreas, gliomas and head and neck cancers. In infections and infectious diseases, efforts are targeted toward developing microbial-enzyme-specific photoactivatable molecules for use in PDT. Target organisms in the infectious diseases are leishmaniasis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Through pioneering and paradigm-shifting research accomplishments, Dr. Hasan has made major advances in the science and practice of PDT. Her work is transformative and expands the application of PDT to hitherto inaccessible diseases. Her laboratory has a translational science ethos. She was one of the inventors of Visudyne, the only first line application of PDT approved by the FDA. Visudyne is used in the treatment of Age Related Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the western world for the population in the 6th decade onwards. Dr. Hasan was recognised for leading efforts in Bench to Bedside translations, including advancement in targeted PDT, nanotechnology, and photochemistry. Dr. Hasan has served the global PDT community with distinction. Over the years, Dr. Hasan has served in many leadership positions, including her current role as President of the International Photodynamic Association (IPA) and has been the President of the American Society for Photobiology. As the founding Director of the Office for Research Career Development at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Hasan has demonstrated years of commitment to the recruitment, mentoring, and career development of junior scientists and clinicians advancing the field of PDT. The Coimbra World Congress was the 16th conference held by the International Photodynamic Association, marking 32 years of this global meeting. The IPA World Congresses, held every two years, is the leading PDT meeting bringing together members of the global photodynamic community to advance scientific and clinical research relating to photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapies. The next IPA World Congress will be led by Dr. Tayyaba Hasan and hosted in Boston, USA. About Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a combination therapy involving light activated photosensitizers to diagnose and treat various types of cancers and pre-cancers, macular degeneration and multidrug resistant biofilm infections involving bacteria, viruses and fungi. For further information: Please contact: [email protected], www.internationalphotodynamic.com | [email protected] SOURCE International Photodynamic Association Related Links http://www.internationalphotodynamic.com NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform EXPERT ALERTS Supreme Court's Partial Lifting of President Trump's Travel Ban Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Visit to the U.S. MEDIA JOBS Editorial Page Writer The Wall Street Journal (NY) The Wall Street Journal (NY) Contributing Editor Tax Notes International (VA) Writer/Editor, Automobiles Consumer Reports (CT) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES Transforming Journalism: When Media Companies Redefine the Rules How to Make Awesome Instagram Posts on Desktop Blog Profiles: Running Blogs ------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPERT ALERTS: Supreme Court's Partial Lifting of President Trump's Travel Ban Lua Yuille Associate Professor of Law University of Kansas "It looks like the Supreme Court has created a significant issue for lower courts to grapple with in the coming months. The majority of visa categories already require noncitizens hoping to enter the U.S. to have documented connections to the country. So, we can expect some interesting moves from courts deciding what counts as a 'bona fide relationship.'" Yuille can discuss the Supreme Court's partial lifting of President Trump's travel ban, the upcoming oral arguments on the case, what it means for immigrants, immigration law and more. Contact: Mike Krings, [email protected] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Visit to the U.S. Raj Bhala Associate Dean for International and Comparative Law and Rice Distinguished Professor University of Kansas "The visit deserves more attention than it has been getting. The two pluralistic societies share not only a long-standing commitment to constitutional secular democracy, but also a strong desire for robust economic relations and stability across the Asia-Pacific region. From the fact that roughly one out of every four new entrants into the labor market between now and 2025 comes from India, to the rising prominence of Bollywood movies and music, it's essential Americans become as conversant with India as they are with Ireland or Italy." Bhala, an Indian-American and regular columnist for Bloomberg India, has written extensively on international trade law and related topics between India and the U.S., as well as trade throughout the world. He has written dozens of journal articles and the books "Modern GATT Law," the leading textbook on international trade law, "Understanding Islamic Law (Shari'a)" and "TPP Objectively: Law, Economics, and National Security of History's Largest, Longest Free Trade Agreement." He is available to discuss Modi's visit to the U.S., trade, economics, national security, and a host of other topics. Contact: Mike Krings, [email protected] **************** MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Editorial Page Writer The Wall Street Journal (NY) The Wall Street Journal (NY) Contributing Editor Tax Notes International (VA) Writer/Editor, Automobiles Consumer Reports (CT) ***************** OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line. TRANSFORMING JOURNALISM: WHEN MEDIA COMPANIES REDEFINE THE RULES. For 150-plus years, The Atlantic primarily served readers through print. Today, the company has broken out of that box and is growing by leaps and bounds in other directions. We heard from Bob Cohn , president of The Atlantic, on the transformation and the media industry's biggest challenges: http://cisn.co/2shwpJt , president of The Atlantic, on the transformation and the media industry's biggest challenges: http://cisn.co/2shwpJt HOW TO MAKE AWESOME INSTAGRAM POSTS ON DESKTOP. It's no secret that Instagram has one of the highest engagement rates of any social media platform. Additionally, Instagram achieved 700 million monthly active users last month. What this means to PR professionals and content marketers is that Instagram can be an important platform to engage with and to educate your customers: http://cisn.co/2shoLyC BLOG PROFILES: RUNNING BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at running blogs: http://cisn.co/2uhVoJf **************** PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com As ULI Global Chairman, Mr. Toomey will emphasize the Institute's delivery of member value and mission advancement, with the overarching goal of ensuring that ULI continues to lead the future of global urban development. Mr. Toomey sees his global role as an opportunity to support and facilitate members' efforts to advance ULI's mission in each of the three regions in which the Institute has a presence --- the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. "Real estate is an ever-evolving local puzzle. What ULI brings to real estate is a global knowledge network that consists of our members, and that is unique," Mr. Toomey said. "One of the most important things I can do as Global Chairman is help members take full advantage of ULI's vast knowledge base to strengthen the impact they are making in cities worldwide." During his term, Mr. Toomey plans to focus on several critical areas, including: An expansion of ULI's highly regarded advisory services program, which, for 70 years, has helped hundreds of communities around the globe solve complex urban development challenges, from revitalizing downtown cores to reusing obsolete retail space to increasing affordable housing. ULI is aiming to further open the program to more members and more communities. Technology advancements to connect members -- including ULI's most senior leaders as well as those new to ULI -- and facilitate the creation of volunteer opportunities that match their areas of interest and expertise, and improve member-to-member networking through online communities. Refinements to ULI's content to ensure that it is based on member expertise, is forward-looking, applicable to members' day-to-day work, and that it highlights practices that make a solid business case. An expansion of ULI's membership to include more offerings for entire companies, rather than just individuals. Mr. Toomey will work with ULI Americas Chairman Patricia R. Healy, Principal, Hyde Street Holdings, LLC, Raleigh, North Carolina; ULI Europe Chairman Jon H. Zehner, Global Co-Head of the Client Capital Group, LaSalle Investment Management, London; and ULI Asia Pacific Chairman Dr. Seek Ngee Huat, Chairman, GLP, Singapore, to improve knowledge sharing across all ULI's member networks. This includes the Institute's District and National Councils, which serve members at the local level, and the Product Council program, which is a prestigious network of members organized by property sector categories. "The only way to keep ULI's momentum going is to offer members new opportunities for engagement, to share lessons learned, and exchange ideas about what works best," Mr. Toomey said. "Nearly everything that makes our cities exciting and interesting is tied to the use of land. If we can help more members use their ULI experience to make a difference in their communities, we can influence the future of urban growth around the world. That's a powerful imprint." As CEO of UDR, an S&P 500 company, Mr. Toomey is the first ULI Global Chairman to lead a public firm. He plans to apply the same strong emphasis on listening to ULI members as he places on listening to customers and shareholders at UDR to ensure that ULI delivers a high-quality member experience. "There are any number of ways to measure ULI's success you can look at the financials, and you can look at mission advancement. I define success by the answer to this question: 'Would you help us expand our community of members?' If our members say yes -- then we are achieving success," Mr. Toomey said. Mr. Toomey has a strong record of volunteerism with ULI, including his new roles as Global Chairman of the ULI Global Board of Directors and Global Chairman of the ULI Foundation Board of Directors. He served the past year as ULI Treasurer, and he is a long-standing member of ULI's Multifamily Product Council. In addition, Mr. Toomey served on the Larson Leadership Advisory Board, chaired the Urban Innovation Grant Committee, and served as Co-Chairman of the Host Committee for ULI's 2012 Fall Meeting in Denver. He has been actively involved in ULI Colorado, which serves ULI members in the Denver metro area and throughout Colorado. "We are delighted to have Tom as our Global Chairman," said ULI Global Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips. "He is constantly thinking about what's ahead for our industry and our communities. Tom's thoughtful leadership is exactly what ULI needs to stay at the forefront of change and lead the future of urban development." Mr. Toomey is a highly regarded expert in the multifamily real estate industry. At UDR, he has been instrumental in repositioning the company's portfolio, including the acquisition, disposition and development of more than $19 billion in multifamily communities, which has led to an annual return of 13 percent for the company's shareholders during his tenure. As of March 2017, UDR owned or held an ownership interest in over 50,000 apartment homes in primary markets across the U.S. Prior to leading UDR, Mr. Toomey was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at AIMCO, a multifamily REIT; while there, he was instrumental in transforming the company into the largest apartment owner in the U.S. Before serving at AIMCO, Mr. Toomey was Senior Vice President with Lincoln Property Company, a national real estate firm. Mr. Toomey is a member of the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, is on the Executive Committee of the National Multi Housing Council, is a member of the Real Estate Roundtable and is Chairman and a Trustee of the Oregon State University Foundation. About the Urban Land Institute The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. SOURCE Urban Land Institute Related Links http://www.uli.org LUXEMBOURG, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- QGOG Constellation S.A. ("QGOG Constellation" or the "Company") announced today that it has extended and amended its previously announced private exchange offer (the "Exchange Offer") for any and all of its outstanding 6.250% Senior Notes due 2019 (the "Existing Notes"). Concurrently with the Exchange Offer, the Company is soliciting consents (the "Consent Solicitation" and, together with the Exchange Offer, the "Offer") to certain proposed amendments with respect to the indenture dated as of November 9, 2012, pursuant to which the Existing Notes were issued (the "Existing Notes Indenture"). The Company's decision to amend and extend the Offer follows discussions with certain bondholders (the " Bondholders ") who hold approximately 59% of the Company's Existing Notes and comprise the steering group of a larger ad hoc group of holders who have represented to the Company that they hold approximately 66% of the Existing Notes. As of the date hereof, the Company and Bondholders have agreed to the terms of the amended Offer and to support the Offer (including by exchanging their Existing Notes and consenting to the proposed amendments to the Existing Notes Indenture) pursuant to a voting agreement, dated June 28, 2017, among the Company and the Bondholders (the " Voting Agreement "). Mr. Leduvy Gouvea, CEO of the Company said, "This exchange offer is an important step for the company, providing flexibility to help the Company navigate industry headwinds and to facilitate the refinancing of the remainder of the Company's debt, in preparation for the anticipated recovery in industry conditions. The support of the Bondholders and the previously tendered notes shows strong momentum towards the closing of the Exchange Offer." Under the amended terms of the Offer, the Company is offering to exchange its Existing Notes for 9.000% Cash / 0.500% PIK Senior Secured Notes due 2024 (the " New Notes "). Eligible Holders (as defined below) who validly tender their Existing Notes and deliver their consents on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 12, 2017, unless extended by us (the " Early Expiration Date "), will now be eligible to receive U.S.$1,000 in principal amount of New Notes and U.S.$20 in cash for each U.S.$1,000 in principal amount of Existing Notes accepted for exchange. Eligible Holders who validly tender their Existing Notes on or prior to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on July 17, 2017, unless extended by us (the " Expiration Date "), but after the Early Expiration Date, will receive U.S.$1,000 in principal amount of New Notes for each U.S.$1,000 in principal amount of Existing Notes accepted for exchange. The aggregate principal amount of New Notes issued to each participating holder for all Existing Notes properly tendered (and not withdrawn) and accepted by us will be rounded, if necessary, to $150,000 or the nearest whole multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. This rounded amount will be the principal amount of New Notes a participating holder will receive, and no additional cash will be paid in lieu of any principal amount of New Notes not received as a result of rounding down. All Eligible Holders who validly tender, without subsequent withdrawal, their Existing Notes will receive a cash payment for the accrued interest on their Existing Notes upon closing of the Offer (as defined below). As of June 23, 2017, Eligible Holders had validly tendered $95.6 million aggregate principal amount of the Existing Notes. All Existing Notes previously tendered and related consents for the Existing Notes previously delivered will remain so tendered and delivered (unless subsequently withdrawn) and no other action with respect to these Notes is required. The complete amended terms and conditions of the Company's offer to Eligible Holders, including amendments to the terms of the New Notes, are set forth in the Company's supplement to the exchange offer memorandum and consent solicitation statement, dated June 28, 2017 (the " Supplement "). Eligible Holders may contact the Exchange Agent identified below for a copy of the Supplement. Tendered Existing Notes may not be withdrawn and consents may not be revoked subsequent to the time of execution and delivery of the supplemental indenture containing the proposed amendments to the Existing Notes Indenture, except as required by applicable law. Prior to such time, if a holder withdraws its tendered Existing Notes, such holder will be deemed to have revoked its consent and may not deliver consent without re-tendering its Existing Notes. Any Eligible Holder who tenders Existing Notes for exchange must also deliver its consent to the proposed amendments. The consummation of the Offer is conditioned upon the valid tender, without subsequent withdrawal, of at least 90% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Existing Notes. The consummation of the Offer is also subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain other conditions. In addition, the Company has the right to terminate, modify or withdraw the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation and extend the Expiration Date or Early Expiration Date in its sole discretion, but in accordance with the Voting Agreement and subject to applicable law. The Offer is being made, and the New Notes are being offered and will be issued, only (a) in the United States to holders of Existing Notes who are "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")) and (b) outside the United States to holders of Existing Notes who are persons other than U.S. persons in reliance upon Regulation S under the Securities Act. The holders of Existing Notes who have certified to the Company that they are eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation pursuant to at least one of the foregoing conditions are referred to as "Eligible Holders." The New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the New Notes will be subject to restrictions on transferability and resale and may not be transferred or resold except as permitted under the Securities Act and other applicable securities laws, pursuant to registration or exemption therefrom. During the course of the discussions with the Bondholders, the Company disclosed certain material confidential information concerning the Company (the " Confidential Information ") pursuant to certain confidentiality agreements. In accordance with its obligations under such confidentiality agreements, the Company has posted on its website the Confidential Information provided to the Bondholders through June 28, 2017. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy any security. This press release is also not a solicitation of any consent to the proposed amendments to the Existing Notes Indenture. The Offer is being made solely pursuant to the exchange offer memorandum and consent solicitation statement, as supplemented by the Supplement. No recommendation is made as to whether the holders of Existing Notes should tender their Existing Notes for exchange and deliver their consents in the Offer. Rothschild Inc. is acting as the Company's financial advisor in connection with the Offer. White & Case LLP and Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados are serving as New York and Brazilian legal advisors, respectively, to the Company. Ipreo LLC has been appointed as the information agent and the exchange agent for the Offer (the " Exchange Agent "). Holders may contact the information agent to request the eligibility letter in order to become an Eligible Holder at (212) 849-3880 or toll free at (888) 593-9546. NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections and other applicable laws. Where the Company expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by the "forward-looking statements." The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly revisions to any "forward-looking statement," including, without limitation, outlook, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Investors should not assume that any lack of update to a previously issued "forward-looking statement" constitutes a reaffirmation of that statement. Continued reliance on "forward-looking statements" is at investors' own risk. SOURCE QGOG Constellation S.A. BELLEVUE, Wash., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Radiant Logistics, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE MKT: RLGT) today announced that it has secured a new CAD$10.0 million senior secured Canadian term loan from Integrated Private Debt Fund V LP (the "IPD V Term Loan"). The proceeds from the IPD V Term Loan will effectively replenish the Company's U.S. senior credit facility with Bank of America, N.A., which had been used as a bridge to finance the Company's acquisition of Lomas Logistics earlier this year. The IPD V Term Loan will amortize monthly over a seven year period and accrues interest at a rate of 6.65%. "We are very pleased to announce our new CAD$10.0 million term loan from IPD," said Bohn Crain, Founder and CEO of the Company. "The new term loan, in combination with our recently expanded US$75.0 million senior credit facility, gives us additional capacity to continue to execute on compelling acquisition opportunities while also preserving our ability to pursue other initiatives to unlock shareholder value, including opportunities to call our redeemable perpetual preferred stock and/or execute a buyback of our common stock, if either are warranted at the time." About Radiant Logistics, Inc. Radiant Logistics, Inc. (www.radiantdelivers.com) is a third-party logistics and multimodal transportation services company delivering advanced supply chain solutions through a network of company-owned and strategic operating partner locations across North America. Through its comprehensive service offering, the Company provides domestic and international freight forwarding services, truck and rail brokerage services and other value-added supply chain management services, including customs brokerage, order fulfillment, inventory management and warehousing to a diversified account base including manufacturers, distributors and retailers using a network of independent carriers and international agents positioned strategically around the world. This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to: trends in the domestic and global economy; our ability to attract new and retain existing agency relationships; acquisitions and integration of acquired entities; availability of capital to support our acquisition strategy; our ability to comply with financial covenants under our outstanding indebtedness; our ability to maintain and improve back office infrastructure and transportation and accounting information systems in a manner sufficient to service our revenues and network of operating locations; our ability to maintain and grow our revenues and operating margins in a manner consistent with recent operating results and trends; our ability to maintain positive relationships with our third-party transportation providers, suppliers and customers; outcomes of legal proceedings; competition; management of growth; potential fluctuations in operating results; and government regulation. More information about factors that potentially could affect our financial results is included Radiant Logistics, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings. The use of proceeds under the term loan and credit facility described above reflect possible uses and are not guarantees of how the proceeds will be used, if at all. Any use of proceeds by the Company will be subject to, among other things, then applicable: industry conditions, competitive environment, operational performance, financial covenants within any outstanding indebtedness, contractual restrictions, and regulatory requirements. SOURCE Radiant Logistics, Inc. Related Links http://radiantdelivers.com GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- REcolorado and Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS today announced they have formed a partnership that will extend REcolorado MLS products and services to REALTORS in northwest Colorado, as well as ensure home buyers and sellers have the most accurate and up to date home information available on REcolorado.com. Through the partnership, REcolorado will provide members of Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS a full suite of top-rated MLS products and services they can use to provide their clients added value and convenience throughout the home buying and selling process. Additionally, it will ensure listings of homes for sale in northwestern Colorado are available to home buyers and sellers on REcolorado.com, giving Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS members the chance to advertise their listings to a state-wide consumer audience. Over the last two years, REcolorado.com has grown in popularity with Colorado home buyers and sellers, getting more than 2.5 million visitors per month. "REcolorado is pleased to extend our industry-leading set of MLS products and services to the members of Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS," said Kirby Slunaker, president and CEO of REcolorado. "A comprehensive offering of innovative technology tools is more important than ever for today's REALTORS to provide home buyers and sellers accurate information and streamlined communications throughout the buying and selling process." Members of Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS will be joining the 21,000 Colorado real estate professional from six boards of REALTORS who already enjoy the benefits of REcolorado, the largest MLS in Colorado, and one of the largest MLSs in the nation. "Our partnership with REcolorado will bring the members of Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS and residents of Northwestern Colorado access to the industry's leading technology tools," said Ulrich Salzgeber, CEO of Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS. "Using REcolorado will benefit real estate agents and consumers alike. It will empower our REALTORS to continue to represent their clients as the local experts, while getting all of the benefits that come with a more robust set of products and services." Colorado's MLS regionalization efforts continue to gain momentum. The partnerships with Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS and REALTORS of Central Colorado are part of REcolorado's strategy to unite the state's real estate professionals by providing wholesale MLS services in markets where consolidation is not a viable option. REcolorado is meeting the needs of Colorado brokers, agents, and appraisers by erasing geographic boundaries and transforming the model of the MLS business. "The MLS industry is moving toward regionalization to improve the REALTOR's ability to deliver their clients the very best service," said Slunaker. "Colorado's population growth, especially along the Front Range, has created a need for consolidation. REcolorado has built a scalable organization and is leading these efforts in Colorado, to bring our world-class customer service and products to real estate professionals throughout the state." About REcolorado Since 1984, REcolorado has been focused on providing the most accurate and up-to-date real estate information for professionals and consumers. Updated continually with new and sold listings and powered by the state's largest network of real estate professionals, REcolorado.com is Colorado's most accurate home search website. REcolorado.com also offers consumers mortgage resources, information about Colorado neighborhoods and cities, sold listings, open houses, and a comprehensive database of real estate professionals. REcolorado is the largest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Colorado with more than 21,000 professional members who operate throughout the state. It is REALTOR owned and serves Aurora Association of REALTORS, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS, Mountain Metro Association of REALTORS, REALTORS of Central Colorado, and South Metro Denver REALTOR Association. Contact a REALTOR for accurate information about your property and neighborhood. About Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS The Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS and its 350 Members are proud to be integral to the Yampa Valley. Our members are involved and dedicated to the betterment of the communities in which their families reside. Our values lie in homeownership, property rights, building better communities, and caring about our fellow citizens. We know we live in a magical place and preservation of that environment is our highest priority. SOURCE REcolorado Related Links http://www.REcolorado.com With Branded Messages, businesses can create an ecosystem for their customers, making it easy for them to get information or take actions that require interacting with multiple companies or departments. For example, an HR Director at a large employer and a service representative at a health insurer can send messages, links, instructions and information to the same employee, in the same feed. Or a credit card company and an affiliate rewards partner can notify a customer about their points availability in one thread. Businesses can also brand each message with a department logo, product, image, or headshot, helping customers contextualize communications and take action more quickly. "In many instances, consumers are interacting with more than one line of business, or distinct departments within a business, when they need to get something done. Until now, that meant saturated inboxes and mixed messages," said Matt Gillin, co-founder and CEO of Relay Network. "Branded Messages was created after looking across verticals and realizing that a lot of friction could be removed by collapsing these communications into a streamlined experience for the consumer. Our new solution lets different groups within a business initiate customer interactions on a single mobile feed it's a completely new concept that's helping customers get things done faster." Changing Healthcare Customer Communications with Branded Messages Among the first to use the new feature are health insurers and employers using the platform to communicate with benefits recipients. Studies have shown that half of employees don't have a basic understanding of their benefits. By providing a single channel for all benefits-related information regardless of whether it's from their employer or their insurer Branded Messages can bridge the information gap between employers and workers, resulting in better-informed employees who are empowered to take charge of their well-being. One example of this in practice is Independence Blue Cross, who is integrating the new feature with HR and benefits managers at large local employers to increase member responsiveness and employee engagement. "Branded Messages allow members to have a centralized, private channel for all communications related to their health care benefits," said Paula Sunshine, senior vice president and chief marketing executive for Independence Blue Cross. "With the action-oriented nature of IBX Wire by Relay, members have easier access to information, including one-click access to digital resources that employers would like their employees to have at their fingertips." Relay Network is also HIPAA compliant, so companies can use its web app to reach out to their customers about personal health information. Branded Messages is now available to all Relay Network customers across industries including healthcare, financial services, cable, energy and travel. About Relay Network Relay Network provides a mobile customer communications platform that connects businesses with their customers on a single, private web app built for better service. Using Relay's platform, businesses can create, deliver, and automate guided experiences that proactively direct the right customer, through the right process, with the right tools. Some of the largest organizations including Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and Citizens Bank use Relay to improve the customer experience by making it easier for customers to get things done. For more information, visit www.relaynetwork.com. SOURCE Relay Network Related Links http://www.relaynetwork.com PORT HURON, Mich., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Encounters with bizarre religious cults, dastardly burglars, illegal immigrants and much more are told in Michigan Conservation Officer John Borkovich's new book, "Wildlife 911: On Patrol" out now on Amazon. Ride along on "armchair" patrol with Officer Borkovich as he outsmarts deer poachers, thwarts fish thieves, and foils outlaws and felons, all while putting his life in danger as he protects Michigan's natural resources. John's collection of true stories is action-packed, suspenseful, and often humorous. John Borkovich The love and admiration of nature are what drew Officer Borkovich into the profession. As John became more and more interested in the natural resources around him, he realized that he wanted and needed to dedicate himself not only to enjoying and respecting our wildlife, but also to protecting our fish, game, and natural resources. "My mission is to be part of the Conservationist Movement to protect and preserve natural resources for future generations so that they can experience and love nature like I do," said Borkovich. His love of nature has led him to a long and successful career against poaching, land abuse, litter and pollution. He has even experienced dangerous (and often amusing) encounters featuring gun and knife fights. John was part of the DNR Firearms Transition Team and was also a firearms instructor. He was a Field Training Officer for recruit conservation officers and was an instructor at the Conservation Officer Police Academy held at the Michigan State Police headquarters in Lansing. John received many safe driving awards and received recognition for his "Fit for Duty" performances. John was an adjunct professor at St. Clair County Community College in the criminal justice department. He developed the curriculum for two separate courses at the college and taught the Conservation Law Enforcement and Environmental Law Enforcement classes. He has received many awards and accommodations: The Shikar-Safari International Wildlife Officer of the Year Award and the National Wild Turkey Federation Michigan Officer of the Year. John received lifesaving awards and has been recognized many times by the Michigan State Police and St. Clair County Sheriff Department. Officer Borkovich's new book can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.in/Wildlife-911-Patrol-John-Borkovich/dp/1933926066 Media Contact: John Borkovich [email protected] Related Images image1.jpg image2.jpg image3.jpg image4.jpg SOURCE John Borkovich PATASKALA, Ohio, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 16, 2017, Ridge Corporation teamed with aerospace technology company FlexSys Inc. to apply their advanced technology to aerodynamic devices used in the trucking industry to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. FlexSys, a Michigan-based company, has been developing advanced aircraft wing technologies with the Air Force Research Laboratories for the past 16 years and has validated their concepts through ongoing NASA flight tests on a Gulfstream business jet (See video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvlucywvtd4). The patented technology involves variable-geometry control surface mechanisms that use the inherent flexibility of aerospace materials to continuously reshape optimal aerodynamic profiles. "Ridge's goal is to incorporate this new technology as a complement to our own engineering expertise and our ability to quickly move new technologies to market," said Ridge Corporation's CEO Gary Grandominico. The two companies have agreed to join forces to combine the latest aerospace technologies with the real-world requirements of the trucking industry. "We have found a strong partner in Ridge Corporation and are looking forward to applying our technology to the field of truck aerodynamics," said FlexSys COO Dave Hornick. The team's goal is to produce resilient, low-complexity, cost-effective devices that improve fuel saving over currently available technologies. About Ridge Corporation: Ridge Corporation was incorporated in 2004 by Gary Grandominico, Ray McDonald and Dominic Grandominico to provide the transportation industry with engineered solutions backed by sound manufacturing processes. Ridge's advanced materials solutions have been continuously improved by materials R&D, investment in human resources, and the development of advanced manufacturing systems. Ridge prides itself on giving its customers an edge in materials performance day after day. Ridge Corporation, an Ohio based company, uses advanced materials to produce engineered solutions for multiple industries including all modes of freight transport. Using high performance materials coupled with proprietary manufacturing techniques, Ridge delivers a wide variety of design solutions that not only meet, but often exceed, customers' expectations. About FlexSys, Inc. FlexSys Inc. was founded in 2000 by Dr. Sridhar Kota to develop and commercialize his patented design of a shape-morphing adaptive control surface of an airfoil. As a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan (1987-present), Dr. Kota initiated research in compliant mechanisms in the 1990s and pioneered the bio-inspired concept of Distributed Compliance. FlexSys developed proprietary software for creation and optimization of compliant systems and successfully demonstrated the application of compliant design methods for aerospace, automotive and other applications over the years. Today, FlexSys is an established world leader in shape-adaptive structures. For more information please contact Gary Grandominico, President for the Ridge Corporation via email: [email protected] or via phone: 614.421.7434. SOURCE Ridge Corporation LOS ANGELES, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ROK Stars PLC, the consumer products and environmental technology company co-founded by U.S. billionaire John Paul DeJoria and U.K. entrepreneur Jonathan Kendrick, has announced the recruitment of Tara Moreland as Vice President of Sales and Business Development for North America "Tara has a proven record of facilitating long-term business relationships with customers and industry luminaries and will be responsible for the leadership of the ROK Drinks sales team in North America, developing new business opportunities and opening new distributors and markets," said Jonathan Kendrick. "Tara is a 12 year veteran in the spirits industry including being responsible for the sales growth of Asombroso Tequila, Leblon Cachaca and most recently serving as VP of Sales for Partida Tequila. Tara has built a solid foundation of distributor and account relationships which will be vital to the on-going growth of the ROK Drinks portfolio." "Having worked in the industry for 12 years, I now look forward to this very exciting opportunity to build the outstanding ROK Drinks portfolio which includes ABK Beer, Bogart's Gin, Bogart's Vodka, Graffiti Wine and Bandero Tequila into household names," said Tara. "Tara's appointment in America follows the 3 recent additions to our sales team in the UK and Europe and, with this added firepower, we look forward to the continued development of our business worldwide," added Kendrick. For more information, please visit Alison Kennedy 323-394-3999 www.rokstars.com www.rokdrinks.com SOURCE ROK Stars VANCOUVER, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (TSX.V:SCZ) (the "Company" or "Santacruz") reports that the Company has now intersected a targeted high-grade zone of the Membrillo vein at the Membrillo Prospect (see news release dated June 19, 2017). Eight preliminary rock samples of muck material removed from the first 10.60 metres of the production drift along the Membrillo vein on Level 1.5 returned assay results that range from 0.10 - 0.59 grams per tonne gold, 8.0 - 121.0 grams per tonne silver, 0.12 - 0.40 percent lead, and 0.62 - 7.07 percent zinc. The true thickness of the Membrillo vein in the production drift is approximately 0.40 - 0.90 meters. Systematic chip sampling is currently in progress and assay results are pending. The extent of mineralization of this high-grade zone is currently unknown. Additionally, the Company announces that as a result of surface prospecting and development drifting underground it has discovered two previously unknown and unexplored veins, the Santa Ana and the San Jose veins, which are located approximately 100 and 75 metres south east respectively of and running parallel to the San Rafael vein (see press release dated June 19, 2017). These structures were formed in shales and sandstones of the Triassic Zacatecas Formation and characterized by breccia textures infilled with quartz, sphalerite and galena. Underground and surface geochemical sampling and geological mapping are currently being conducted and results are pending. At this time the Company has not completed sufficient work to determine if these veins are economically viable. "We are encouraged with the continuing positive developments at the Membrillo Prospect." commented Arturo Prestamo, CEO of the Company, adding "The previously announced San Rafael vein together with the main Membrillo vein should enhance the overall impact of the Membrillo Prospect on the Rosario Project. Based on these recent discoveries we will re-evaluate and study the overall geological potential of both the Membrillo Prospect and the Rosario Mine." Management anticipates delivering 250 tpd of material from the Membrillo Prospect to the Rosario mill for processing during the third quarter of 2017. Private Placement The Company also announces a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 7,500,000 units (the "Units") at a purchase price of $0.20 per Unit, for gross proceeds to the Company of up to $1,500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.28 per share for a period of 30 months following the closing of the Private Placement. The Company may pay a finder's fee to arm's-length finders in connection with the issue and sale of any or all of the securities under the Private Placement. The finder's fee shall consist of not more than a 6% cash payment, calculated with reference to the gross proceeds of the Private Placement in relation to subscribers introduced by any particular finder. The proceeds from the Private Placement are expected to be used by the Company for general working capital and corporate purposes. All securities issued will be subject to a four month hold period. Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur in one or more tranches on or before July 19, 2017 and is subject to the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Sampling and laboratory Rock samples of muck material are collected from muck piles that result from blasting of the underground working face. Chips samples are collected across the back of the underground workings at 1.5 meter sample intervals and are oriented perpendicular to the vein structure. Blanks, standards and duplicate control samples were not utilized in the sampling procedure. Samples are analyzed at the Rosario laboratory, which is owned and operated by Santacruz. The Rosario laboratory is designed to serve the mining operations at the Rosario project. It is not independent of the Company and is not ISO certified. Samples are prepared by drying, crushing, rifle splitting and pulverizing 80% to less than 75 microns passing 200 mesh, Samples are analyzed by three-acid digestion and atomic absorption spectrometry. Gold and silver are further analyzed by fire assay with gravimetric finish. Qualified persons The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Van Phu Bui, B.Sc., P. Geo., who is independent of the Company and a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101. About Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. Santacruz is a Mexican focused silver company with two producing silver projects (Rosario, including the Cinco Estrellas property and Membrillo Vein, and the right to operate the Veta Grande silver project and milling facility); and three exploration properties including the Gavilanes property, Minillas property and Zacatecas properties. The Company is managed by a technical team of professionals with proven track records in developing, operating and discovering silver mines in Mexico. Our corporate objective is to become a mid-tier silver producer. 'signed' Arturo Prestamo Elizondo, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director 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. Forward looking information Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including but not limited to, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, that third party mineralized material to be milled by the Company will have properties consistent with management's expectations, that the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals, and that future metal prices and the demand and market outlook for metals will remain stable or improve. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in lower revenue, higher cost, or lower production levels; delays and/or cessation in planned work; changes in the Company's financial condition and development plans; delays in regulatory approval; risks associated with the interpretation of data (including in respect of the third party mineralized material) regarding the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law. Rosario Project The decisions to commence production at the Rosario Mine, Cinco Estrellas Property and Membrillo Prospect were not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability, but rather on a more preliminary estimate of inferred mineral resources. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this production decision. Production and economic variables may vary considerably, due to the absence of a complete and detailed site analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101. Veta Grande Project The decision to commence production at Veta Grande Project was not based on a feasibility study on mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this production decision. Production and economic variables may vary considerably due to the absence of a complete and detailed site analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101. SOURCE SantaCruz Silver Mining Ltd. Related Links www.santacruzsilver.com BOSTON, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Bank announced today that veteran commercial banking executive Robert Rubino has been named Co-President of the Bank and Managing Director, Head of Corporate and Commercial Banking. Santander also announced today that Michael Cleary, the Bank's current Head of Consumer and Business Banking, has been appointed Co-President of the Bank. "The market opportunity for Santander's corporate and commercial business remains strong," said Scott Powell, CEO of Santander US. "Bob's significant expertise delivering growth across all aspects of commercial banking will help build on the progress we've seen this year and increase our competitive position in the market. His leadership approach and strategic vision for our business are exactly what we need going forward to distinguish ourselves as a leading commercial banking franchise." Rubino comes to Santander from Citizens Financial Group where he served as Executive Vice President within the commercial banking division during his 10 year tenure with the company. There he led Corporate Finance & Capital Markets and was responsible for building and managing Capital Markets, Sales & Trading, Leveraged Finance, Asset Based Lending & Restructuring, Leasing, Sponsor Finance, Strategic Client Acquisition, MidCorporate, Foreign Corporate, Private Equity, Industry Verticals and Global Markets. He has 29 years of extensive experience in all aspects of commercial banking and a proven track record of delivering significant growth by building new business channels, closing key capability gaps, improving risk management and increasing fee based profits and market share growth. During his time at Citizens, Bob was the architect for building-out the commercial bank, personally creating or restructuring 19 businesses including a top 10 capital markets franchise, commercial broker dealer, stand-alone global markets business and industry banking coverage organization. Bob served as chair of the bank's loan underwriting committee, President and CEO of the bank's commercial broker dealer and was a member of the bank's commercial management and operating committee and joint trusts committee. Prior to Citizens, Bob served as Executive Vice President at Bank of America in a variety of executive roles including within Bank of America Business Capital US and Europe. Rubino earned a M.S. in economics from the London School of Economics and a B.S. in economics from Providence College. He resides in Mansfield, Massachusetts with his wife, Katy, and four daughters. Michael Cleary has served as Santander's Head of Consumer and Business Banking since 2015. He has been instrumental in greatly enhancing Santander's sales and service processes, and digital and mobile banking capabilities, improving the customer experience, and developing a culture that focuses on always doing the right thing for customers. Before joining the Bank, Cleary was Group Executive Vice President and Head of U.S. Distribution for Consumer Banking at RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc., where he was a member of the Executive Committee and the Executive Leadership Group. Prior to Citizens, Michael spent 13 years with JPMorgan Chase & Co. in various leadership roles including membership on the JPMorgan Executive Committee, CEO of Business Banking, Chief Marketing Officer for Retail Banking, Chief Operating Officer for Retail Banking, Head of Chase Private Client and President of wingspanbank.com. Cleary holds a B.S. from Princeton University and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. Santander provides capital, cash, treasury management, risk management and international solutions to thousands of commercial, corporate and institutional clients across a wide variety of industries in the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic and across the United States. Working with commercial clients who generate $25 million to $2 billion in operating revenue is Santander's specialty. With access to an extensive array of sophisticated capabilities, our locally based and highly experienced bankers can customize solutions for each of their corporate and institutional clients. When combined with our on-the-ground presence in several key regions around the world, Santander is uniquely positioned to help our commercial clients achieve their goals locally, domestically and internationally. Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the country's largest retail and commercial banks with more than $83 billion in assets. With its corporate offices in Boston, the Bank's 9,500 employees, more than 650 branches, 2,100 ATMs and 2.1 million customers are principally located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) - one of the most respected banking groups in the world with more than 125 million customers in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. It is managed by Santander Holdings USA, Inc., Banco Santander's intermediate holding company in the U.S. For more information on Santander Bank, please visit www.santanderbank.com. Media Contacts: Ann Davis 617-757-5891 [email protected] Nancy Orlando 617-757-5765 [email protected] SOURCE Santander Bank, N.A. Related Links http://www.santanderbank.com MILWAUKEE, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scanalytics Inc., the technology company behind the creation of the "smart flooring" sensor category, and a global leader in the "Internet of Things" (IoT), teamed up with Cisco to announce a collaboration that focuses on the smart building sector. Scanalytics' technology was awarded first place at Cisco's IoT for Business development competition for Best Smart Building technology, held at Viva Technology 2017 in Paris, France from June 15-17. Viva Technology attracted an international crowd of over 5,000 startups and 68,000 people, including French President Emmanuel Macron. Cisco's ongoing engagement with the French government focuses on long-term partnerships to further support and grow new innovative businesses. This year their emphasis was on identifying and engaging with promising Internet of Things companies that create new opportunities for customers to build smart environments. Scanalytics CEO Joe Scanlin and Director of Product Petr Bambasek spent time with Cisco engineers to combine the smart flooring technology with Cisco's cloud collaboration platform, Spark. Scanalytics' technology gives a physical environment the ability to autonomously "learn" about its occupants, and Cisco Spark gives the ability for that environment to communicate to its occupants. The tool utilizes a chat bot to pull data being captured about the building from Scanalytics' application programming interface (API) in real time. For example, Scanlin presented a prototype for a company looking to improve the wellness of their employees in an office environment. The bot was able to detect movement/collaboration behavior and make productivity-boosting suggestions in a shared chat room, such as, "I've noticed a decrease in movement, try standing up and walking for a few minutes." In addition, Scanlin was able to show how the tool could be a vital asset to a facilities management group, as the tool has the capacity to relay real-time and historical data on how a building was used throughout the day. For example, the bot could tell a facilities department at the end of the day, "Restroom A has been frequented 64 times and restroom B was frequented 8 times, so save time and wait to clean B until tomorrow." Scanlin went on to say, "We spend a majority of our lives indoors and these environments have a huge impact on everything from business efficiencies and productivity to our overall wellness. Physical environments need to be properly equipped to capture, store, and access information on how we interact with them, so they can operate like an autonomous nervous system and adjust themselves accordingly." PRESS INQUIRIES Joe Scanlin - CEO Email: [email protected] Phone: (608) 215-2426 Related Images image1.jpg SOURCE Scanalytics ARLINGTON, Va., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Force Association (AFA) announced today that the Secretary of Defense, The Honorable Jim Mattis, will deliver a keynote speech at AFA's Air, Space & Cyber Conference held September 18-20, 2017 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Md. Secretary Mattis will deliver his keynote address on Wednesday, September 20, before a large audience of attendees comprised of leaders from the Air Force and the Department of Defense, as well as service members, representatives from industry and the media, and interested members of the public. Discussions will center on issues facing the Total Force and national security. The event offers a variety of networking and professional development opportunities and promotes relationships between industry and the Air Force. In celebration of the Air Force's 70th Birthday, the 2017 Air, Space & Cyber Conference is themed Breaking Barriers: Heritage to Horizons. Defense and industry leaders will participate in over 35 sessions to discuss critical topics facing the Air Force. Additional keynote speakers include Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth Wright. Over 7,000 individuals register to attend the Air, Space & Cyber Conference and Technology Exposition every year. Learn more about the 2017 Air, Space & Cyber Conference and register at www.afa.org/airspacecyber/home. The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. SOURCE Air Force Association Related Links http://www.afa.org NEW YORK, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SecurityScorecard, the leader in security ratings, today announced the additions of Adam Kuznia as Vice President, Customer Success and Jason Thompson as Vice President, Marketing. These key executive hires bring a wealth of experience and strategic expertise to the management team as the company accelerates into its next stage of growth. Kuznia brings over a decade of experience to SecurityScorecard where his responsibilities include leading the customer success team, driving customer retention, and helping customers maximize the value of their SecurityScorecard platform deployment. Prior to joining SecurityScorecard, Kuznia led the customer success team at Percolate, a hyper-growth enterprise-grade marketing platform, where he spearheaded efforts to drive customer satisfaction and retention. Kuznia held a number of positions in interactive marketing. He holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Le Moyne College. "SecurityScorecard counts as customers some of the best known and security conscious brands in the world," said Kuznia. "I am excited to join the company at this critical time and I look forward to building on our reputation as both the most trusted security ratings company and the one that everyone likes to work with." Thompson brings more than thirteen years of experience working for venture capital backed start up and hyper-growth companies. His extensive background includes a strong command of brand development, marketing communications, product marketing, demand generation, analyst relations, digital marketing and public relations. Prior to joining SecurityScorecard, Thompson served as Vice President of Marketing at NS1, a market leading cloud-based application delivery provider. Thompson has also held senior level marketing roles with SSH Communications Security, Q1 Labs, and Building Engines, Inc., among other successful companies. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science at Colorado University and a master's in liberal studies at University of North Carolina at Wilmington. "Unlike any other provider in the space, SecurityScorecard has security in its DNA," said Thompson. "Our platform provides customers with actionable insights that enables them to improve their own security posture while delivering the tools that enable enterprises to have a transparent, constructive dialogue with their partners and third- and fourth- party vendors. SecurityScorecard is fundamentally changing the way the industry talks about security and I am glad to be a part of that effort." "I am pleased to welcome Jason and Adam to the SecurityScorecard family," says Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy, co-founder and CEO of SecurityScorecard. "We are experiencing tremendous growth, and we feel that these additions to our team will help us scale to the next level. Both Jason and Adam are experts in their respective disciplines and will be key drivers to SecurityScorecard's growth as the leading cybersecurity risk ratings platform. I'm thrilled that SecurityScorecard continues to attract the best and brightest in the industry." To learn more about SecurityScorecard, please visit www.securityscorecard.com. About SecurityScorecard Headquartered in the heart of New York City, SecurityScorecard's vision is to help security professionals work collaboratively to solve mission critical cybersecurity issues in a transparent and collaborative way. The company was founded in late 2013 by Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy and Sam Kassoumeh, two former cybersecurity practitioners who had served, respectively, as Chief Information Security Officer and Head of Security & Compliance. With cloud solutions becoming an increasingly integral part of the security technology stack, Yampolskiy and Kassoumeh recognized the need to address 3rd and 4th party risk as well as better understand the security capabilities of their business partners. Since its founding, the company has grown dramatically and now counts hundreds of leading brands as customers. SecurityScorecard is backed by leading venture capital investors including Sequoia Capital and GV, among others. For more information, visit www.securityscorecard.com. SOURCE SecurityScorecard Related Links https://securityscorecard.com IRVINE, Calif., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Netwrix Corporation, provider of a visibility platform for data security and risk mitigation in hybrid environments, today announced the release of its infographics on IT Risks in SMBs and Large Enterprises. Part of the recently published Netwrix 2017 IT Risks Report, these infographics are based on feedback provided by IT specialists working in organizations of various sizes around the globe. The infographics on IT Risks in SMBs and Large Enterprises provide insight into IT security practices, pains, successful experiences and plans. The IT risks are divided into three areas: security, compliance and operations. The key findings concerning security are: 73% of SMBs and 33% of large organizations do not have a separate information security function. In SMBs, 80% of IT operations teams are at least partially responsible for security; the same is true for 56% of IT operations teams in large organizations. The main security focus for large organizations is database security; 65% of them claim to have complete visibility into user activity and IT changes in databases. SMBs have been focusing on protecting endpoints, with 60% of them saying they have complete visibility into activity and IT changes there. While organizations of all sizes experience difficulties in taming BYOD and shadow IT, only large enterprises see the challenge as critical for the overall security of their IT infrastructures (34% for BYOD and 41% for shadow IT). SMBs consider visibility into on-premises systems (49%), cloud systems (36%) and corporate mobile devices (34%) to be most critical for security. Quite expectedly, lack of budget and insufficient staff training were named as the main obstacles to better security by organizations of all sizes. But large enterprises also pointed to the complexity of their IT infrastructures, while SMBs complained about lack of time. Despite all the differences, organizations of all sizes are planning to take or strengthen a data-centric approach to security by investing in protection against data breaches (34% of SMBs and 50% of large organizations), intellectual property theft (31% of SMBs and 41% of large organizations) and fraud (31% of SMBs and 41% of large organizations). Overall, only 25% of SMBs and 25% of large enterprises say they are well prepared to beat cyber risks. "Even though large organizations are believed to have significant resources for maintaining security, they are no less vulnerable than SMBs when it comes to actual IT risks. To mitigate those risks, large organizations have been focusing their effort on what is truly critical data. We see a growing interest from SMBs in adopting a data-centric approach as well. SMBs are striving to gain visibility into user activity around data to become more proactive and successful in dealing with cyber threats," said Michael Fimin, CEO and co-founder of Netwrix. To learn more about the IT risks SMBs and large enterprises face today, please visit: www.netwrix.com/go/2017itrisksbyorgsize. About Netwrix Corporation Netwrix Corporation was the first vendor to introduce a visibility and governance platform for hybrid cloud security. More than 160,000 IT departments worldwide rely on Netwrix to detect insider threats on premises and in the cloud, pass compliance audits with less effort and expense, and increase productivity of IT security and operations teams. Founded in 2006, Netwrix has earned more than 100 industry awards and been named to both the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. For more information, visit www.netwrix.com. CONTACT: Erin Jones Avista PR for Netwrix P: 704.664.2170 E: [email protected] SOURCE Netwrix Corporation Related Links http://www.netwrix.com "Getting a good breakfast is a pain point for many people. With Coffiest, we made it easy for our customers to start the day right," said Soylent Founder and CEO Rob Rhinehart. "Now we've improved the variety of our enhanced beverages with new flavors." Cafe Vanilla and Cafe Chai, like their predecessors, are designed from the ground-up to provide the vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and protein that the body needs - all in a convenient, ready-to-drink package. Cafe Vanilla's essence of roasted coffee with just a hint of vanilla, alongside Cafe Chai's robust blend of aromatic spices, are the perfect companions to Coffiest. All flavors in the new Cafe line continue to provide the added boost of caffeine in conjunction with the relaxing benefits of L-theanine to promote increased cognitive performance. Each bottle includes: 20 percent of the daily recommended values for all essential vitamins and minerals A macronutrient profile of 47 percent calories from lipids, 33 percent calories from carbohydrates and 20 percent calories from protein Approximately 150 mg of caffeine in Cafe Vanilla and 30 mg in Cafe Chai 75 mg of L-Theanine in Cafe Vanilla and 25 mg in Cafe Chai Each case of 12 bottles can be purchased online at www.soylent.com and Amazon.com for $37.05 USD for subscribers and $39 USD for one-time orders. A portion of all Soylent sales will go to the World Food Program USA. For specific inquiries related or additional information on the Soylent Cafe line and comprehensive product and FAQ pages, please visit www.soylent.com. About Soylent Soylent is a pioneer in food technology, producing healthy, functional foods that are good for the body and the planet. In 2013, Founder and CEO Rob Rhinehart developed the first iteration in his kitchen after recognizing the need for a simpler, more efficient food source. Soylent uses science and technology to solve the challenges plaguing the current food system and work toward its mission of providing access to quality nutrition to people across the globe. Available at Soylent.com and on Amazon, Soylent's innovative products include Original Powder and 14oz Ready-to-Drink bottles available in Original, Cacao, Nectar, Cafe Coffiest, Cafe Vanilla, and Cafe Chai. The Company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit www.soylent.com. SOURCE Soylent Related Links http://www.soylent.com/ Just over a year ago Hadley Robertson and Delaney Robertson won the Los Angeles based Google Lunar XPrize Moonbots Challenge, an international robotics competition culminating in Tokyo, Japan in which two or more person teams compete to design and create a lunar robotic rover. The competitors were judged in part on their robot's ability to perform lunar tasks and in part on their ability to communicate STEM concepts. Hadley Robertson and Delaney Robertson are now officially Twice as Good! About XPrize XPRIZE http://lunar.xprize.org/, the global leader in incentivized prize competitions, partnered with Google to create the Google Lunar XPRIZE Moonbots Challengean international competition that inspires the next generation of space explorers and innovators by inviting kids ages 8-17 to design, create and program their own lunar rover. The Moonbots Challenge is part of the larger $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE, a global competition to land a privately funded robot on the moon. In addition to XPRIZE and Google, Moonbots competition partners include FIRST LEGO League, Cogmation Robotics, VEX Robotics Inc., Spin-Master Ltd., the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation (RECF), GeekDad, GeekMom, Robomatter Incorporated and Dexter Industries. About Twice As Good: Twice as Good http://twiceasgoodshow.com/ is a cooking show for kids airing on PBS stations across the country featuring twin sisters Hadley Robertson and Delaney Robertson. Now in its sixth season, Twice As Good recently filmed its 60th episode. Each episode is filmed in a featured city, state or region and highlights a renowned local guest chef cooking signature recipes alongside the co-hosts. In between recipes, the show introduces its viewers to the history and culture and science of the featured location. Twice As Good uses its recipes and ingredients as a platform to teach science, geography, math, and history. Twice As Good is distributed to the PBS community across the country by NETA (the National Educational Telecommunications Association) and produced and presented in association with New Hampshire Public Television. SOURCE Twice As Good Show Related Links http://twiceasgoodshow.com IRVINE, Calif., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stream Realty Partners, (Stream), a national real estate services, development and investment firm, sold 555 N Park Center in Santa Ana. The multi-tenant office building sold to Gold Acceptance who will occupy a portion of the 24,737 square foot building as an owner/user. "The property provides a unique opportunity for Gold Acceptance to acquire a building with leases in place, house their workforce with the ability to grow within the project, add real estate to their portfolio, and to gain the tax advantages of owning real estate," said Stream's Mike Adams, vice president, who sold the Santa Ana office property on behalf of the ownership. 555 N Park Center was renovated by ownership in 2016 to meet tenant demands uncovered in the marketplace. These high in-demand renovations included a new standing seam metal roof, exterior paint, new entry with stained wood slats, smooth coat stucco, drought-tolerant landscaping and corridor renovations. The building set the year-to-date high comp for a Class B office building in Santa Ana from 15,000 to 30,000 square feet. View the Drone Video: http://bit.ly/555ParkCenter About Stream Realty Partners Stream is a commercial real estate firm with locations across the country. The company's full-service offerings cover the broad spectrum of leasing, management, development, construction, health care and investment sales services across the commercial and multifamily industry. In addition, Stream specializes in sourcing acquisition and development opportunities for the firm and its clients. Since its formation in 1996, Stream has grown from its two original partners to a staff of more than 750 real estate professionals nationwide, with regional offices in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Southern California and Washington, D.C. Stream currently has more than 130 million square feet of assignments across the nation, completes over $2.4 billion in real estate transactions annually and is considered one of the most active investors and developers in the real estate industry. Visit www.streamrealty.com. SOURCE Stream Realty Partners Related Links http://www.streamrealty.com PEMBROKE PINES, Fla., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of Pembroke Pines took their mantra "Subaru Loves Pets" to a whole new level by hosting their second Subaru of Pembroke Pines Dog Appreciation Day Pawty. The event was a day to celebrate all breeds, pure and mixed while creating public awareness for dogs that need to be rescued. It honored both family dogs and dogs that selflessly keep people safe, and bring comfort with their service. Craig and Martine Zinn and their dog Desa, with 939 Mia Radio Personality GiGi Diaz and her pup Lia enjoying the Subaru of Pembroke Pines Dog Appreciation Pawty. At the Subaru of Pembroke Pines DOG APPRECIATION PAWTY, participants enjoyed complimentary barbecue lunch while experiencing tail-wagging dog-themed activities. Event supporters included Young at Art Museum, Paola Paladini Pet Photography, Trupanion, Angie's Pet Spa & Boutique, Leashes Pet Care, Dog Trainer Lisa Hartman, Dog Scouts of America, Cafe Ala Carte, Middle River Animal Hospital and The Pet Stop Mobile Vaccine Clinic. One of South Florida's favorite radio personalities, GiGi Diaz from the 939 MIA Morning Show hosted a Tips & Talk Q&A with professionals to demonstrate how to take care of your canine best, as well as the Pet Supermarket Dog Look-A-Like Contest where the top five participants each went home with a $100 Gift Card. As part of their commitment to Share the Love, Craig and Martine Zinn, and the Craig Zinn Automotive Group (CZAG) who owns and operates Subaru of Pembroke Pines partnered with Abandoned Pet Rescue (APR), a unique center that stands apart from other organizations in Broward County. They believe in the integrity of the lives of all animals and proudly hold the position as Broward County's largest no-kill shelter. Their dogs are cared for in a no-cage, "dog-dog free play," environment which significantly reduces behavioral and socialization issues linked with kenneling. Chase Bank also joined in and donated $2,000.00 towards supporting APR's mission. "We are partnered with Abandoned Pet Rescue to help find safe and loving homes for homeless dogs in Broward County," said Martine Zinn, Automotive Corporate Relations Executive at the Craig Zinn Automotive Group. "By hosting adoptions at Subaru of Pembroke Pines we aim to make a vast difference in the lives of defenseless dogs, individuals and families who all benefit from the love and companionship dogs so willingly provide." "Abandoned Pet Rescue was gratified to work with Subaru of Pembroke Pines on an amazing event where our rescues had the opportunity to be adopted. It was a dawg-gone good event," said, Larry Wallenstein, APR Volunteer. "Chase is proud to join with Subaru of Pembroke Pines and offer our support of Abandoned Pet Rescue in their vital efforts to rescue, shelter, and find new homes for abandoned, abused and neglected pets in our South Florida communities. This wonderful work is a true investment in civic responsibility, and we thank all involved for their compassionate care and humanitarian spirit," said Ernest Evans, III, Managing Director, Chase Dealer Commercial Services. Subaru of Pembroke Pines, Florida's Number One Volume Subaru Store is committed to making a positive impact in their community. To learn more about the "Subaru Loves Pets" campaign, please visit subaruofpembrokepines.com. Follow Subaru of Pembroke Pines Facebook: @subaruofpembrokepines Twitter: @SubaruFlorida Instagram: @subaruofpembrokepines Hashtags: #sharethelove and #AmaZINNAutomotiveExperiences Follow Abandoned Pet Rescue Facebook: @AbandonedPetRescue Twitter: @abandonedpetres Instagram: @abandonedpetrescue About Subaru of Pembroke Pines: Your Pembroke Pines, Florida Subaru Dealership: At Subaru of Pembroke Pines, we offer new Subaru cars in Pembroke Pines, along with used cars, trucks, and SUVs by top manufacturers. Our sales staff will help you find that new or used car you have been searching for in Pembroke Pines. We proudly serve new and used car shoppers from all over the South Florida communities of Kendall, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Dade County. For years, our financial staff at Subaru of Pembroke Pines has offered expert advice for those seeking a great Subaru car loan or lease. Our service doesn't stop there. Pembroke Pines customers can come in and take advantage of our knowledgeable Subaru car repair technicians and a fully-stocked inventory of Subaru auto parts. You can reach Subaru of Pembroke Pines any time by filling out our contact form on our website subaruofpembrokepines.com, by calling us (888) 821-9697 or simply visit our Pembroke Pines Subaru dealership at 16100 Pines Boulevard Pembroke Pines, Florida. About Abandoned Pet Rescue: Abandoned Pet Rescue (APR), founded in 1996, is a 501(C)(3) IRS tax-exempt, qualified non-profit charitable organization that rescues and shelters abandoned, abused, and neglected pets, rehabilitates them and finds them new homes. A unique center that stands apart from other organizations in Broward County, we believe in the integrity of the lives of all animals and proudly hold the position as Broward's largest NO-KILL shelter. Our animals are cared for in a no-cage, "dog-dog free play," environment which greatly reduces behavioral and socialization issues linked with kenneling. Any member of the feline or canine species that lands on our doorstep is provided with a warm bed, substantial meals and necessary veterinary care as they await adoption by a new family. We deliver a special adoption process in which soon-to-be parents have the option to take their potential pet home overnight to guarantee compatibility. Beyond the standard spay and neuter operation, every Abandoned Pet Rescue pet is tested for Feline AIDS and Leukemia, provided updated vaccinations, and a customized microchip implant. For more information, please visit apr.rescuegroups.org. Press Contact: Rixys Alfonso 305.558.8877 [email protected] Related Images image1.jpg image2.jpg image3.jpg image4.jpg Related Links Website Website SOURCE Subaru of Pembroke Pines Related Links http://www.subaruofpembrokepines.com "The mix of sweet and spicy gives the Island Pork Burrito its signature flavor with some Caribbean flair," said Julie Hoefling, director of marketing for TacoTime. "Using fresh, crisp veggies, and authentic homemade ingredients, it's a delicious way to satisfy your hunger all summer long." Like all TacoTime favorites, the Island Pork Burrito is freshly prepared with real wholesome ingredients to create quality food at an affordable price. About TacoTime Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., TacoTime has been an industry leader in quality quick-service Mexican food for over 50 years. Founded in 1960, TacoTime has grown to nearly 400 franchised restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, TacoTime became part of Kahala Brands, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries. For more information about Kahala Brands, visit www.KahalaBrands.com. SOURCE TacoTime Related Links http://www.tacotime.com GREENSBORO, N.C., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), announced today that its operating partnership, Tanger Properties Limited Partnership, has agreed to sell $300 million of 3.875% senior notes due 2027 in an underwritten public offering through Wells Fargo Securities, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and US Bancorp as joint book-running managers. The notes were priced at 99.579% of the principal amount to yield 3.926% to maturity. The notes will pay interest semi-annually at a rate of 3.875% per annum and mature on July 15, 2027. The estimated net proceeds from the offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $295.9 million. Tanger intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes, together with borrowings under its unsecured lines of credit, to redeem all of its 6.125% senior notes due 2020, approximately $300.0 million in aggregate principal amount outstanding. The senior notes due 2020 are currently redeemable at par plus a "make-whole" premium. This release does not constitute a notice of redemption of the senior notes due 2020, and as of the date hereof, no such notice of redemption has been issued. Closing of the sale of the notes is expected to occur on July 3, 2017, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement, a copy of which may be obtained by contacting: Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attention: WFS Customer Service, 608 2nd Avenue South, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, or by calling toll-free (800) 645-3751; 55402, or by calling toll-free (800) 645-3751; SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 303 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30308, or by calling toll-free (800) 685-4786; or 30308, or by calling toll-free (800) 685-4786; or U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., 214 North Tryon Street, 26th floor, Charlotte, NC 28202, or by calling toll-free (877) 558-2607. An effective shelf registration statement is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and a copy of the prospectus and related prospectus supplement also will be available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), is a publicly-traded REIT headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina that presently operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 43 upscale outlet shopping centers in 22 states coast to coast and in Canada, totaling approximately 14.8 million square feet leased to over 3,100 stores operated by more than 500 different brand name companies. With over 36 years of experience in the outlet industry and one additional center currently under construction, Tanger Outlet Centers continue to attract more than 188 million shoppers annually. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and typically can be identified by the use of words such as "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "intend," "forecast," "plan," "believe" and similar terms. Although Tanger believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among others: Tanger's (the Company's) inability to develop new outlet centers or expand existing outlet centers successfully; risks related to the economic performance and market value of its outlet centers; the relative illiquidity of real property investments; impairment charges affecting its properties; Tanger's dispositions of assets may not achieve anticipated results; competition for the acquisition and development of outlet centers, and the Company's inability to complete outlet centers it has identified; environmental regulations affecting Tanger's business; risk associated with a possible terrorist activity or other acts or threats of violence and threats to public safety; the Company's dependence on rental income from real property; Tanger's dependence on the results of operations of its retailers; the fact that certain of Tanger's properties are subject to ownership interests held by third parties, whose interests may conflict with the Company's interests; risks related to uninsured losses; the risk that consumer, travel, shopping and spending habits may change; risks associated with Tanger's Canadian investments; risks associated with attracting and retaining key personnel; risks associated with debt financing; risk associated with the Company's guarantees of debt for, or other support it may provide to, joint venture properties; Tanger's potential failure to qualify as a REIT; the Company's legal obligation to make distributions to its shareholders; legislative or regulatory actions that could adversely affect the Company's shareholders; Tanger's dependence on distributions from the Operating Partnership to meet its financial obligations, including dividends; the risk of a cyber-attack or an act of cyber-terrorism; and additional factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations including, but not limited to, those set forth in the section entitled "Business" in Tanger's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, including the subheadings entitled "Recent Developments," "The Outlet Concept," "Our Outlet Centers," "Business Strategy," "Growth Strategy," "Operating Strategy," "Capital Strategy" and "Competition," and the section titled "Risk Factors" in Tanger's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, Tanger undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Cyndi Holt Jim Williams Vice President of Investor Relations SVP and CFO 336-834-6892 336-834-6800 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. NEW YORK and MUMBAI, India, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, today announced its recognition as one of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces in North America. The annual award, issued by Achievers, an industry leading provider of employee recognition and engagement solutions, commends top employers that display leadership and innovation in engaging their workforces. TCS received the award in both the US and Canada for building a culture of professional and personal growth by investing in programs and policies that ensure employees possess the skills, knowledge and resources required to grow and deliver excellent client services. TCS' engagement strategies focusing on leadership growth have also led to accelerated career development of high potentials and a robust succession methodology. In addition, through our corporate social responsibility mantra, "Impact through Empowerment," TCS has been able to harness thought leadership, technology, programs, partnerships, and people to address the most pressing societal issues. "Employee experience remains a top priority for employers in 2017," observed David Brennan, Achievers general manager. "The impressive Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Award winners are using rewards and recognition to foster positive, productive workplaces. We're excited to learn from them and honor their accomplishments." The Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Awards are judged by an esteemed panel of academics and thought leaders in the field of employee engagement. The 2017 judging panel also included representation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Technology Conference and HRO Today. The judges evaluated each applicant company based on the Eight Elements of Employee Engagement: Communication, Leadership, Culture, Rewards & Recognition, Professional & Personal Growth, Accountability & Performance, Vision & Values and Corporate Social Responsibility. "Recognition by Achievers as a 50 Most Engaged Workplaces recipient for the fifth consecutive year is a testament to our consistency in successfully innovating and delivering employee engagement strategies across the geography," said Surya Kant, President of North America, UK and Europe, TCS. "Our focus on leadership development and building a culture of professional and personal growth continues to be a priority for TCS." TCS will be honored alongside the other recipients of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Award at an awards gala held on September 11th, 2017 at the historic Saenger Theatre in New Orleans as part of the Achievers Annual Customer Experience Conference (ACE). About Achievers The Achievers Employee Recognition and Rewards solution provides companies with a robust foundation for their employee engagement initiatives by enabling both social and rewards-based recognition. Designed for today's workplace, Achievers' innovative cloud-based platform can increase employee engagement and drive business success. It empowers employees to recognize and reward each other in real time and aligns employees with company values and goals. Delivering millions of recognitions annually, the Achievers platform inspires employee loyalty, engagement and performance. Visit us at www.achievers.com. Achievers is a Blackhawk Network company and is headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco. About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS): Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that delivers real results to global business, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT, BPS, infrastructure, engineering and assurance services. This is delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model, recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India's largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 387,000 of the world's best-trained consultants in 45 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $17.6 billion for year ended March 31, 2017 and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com To stay up-to-date on TCS news in North America, follow @TCS_NA. For TCS global news, follow @TCS_News. Note to editors: Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces is a trademark of Achievers. All other trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Tata Consultancy Services Related Links http://www.tcs.com "As beauty and technology continue to intertwine, consumers are looking for sharper and more personalized experiences," said Simon Shen, CEO of HiMirror and New Kinpo Group. "Beauty is no longer skin deep. Our technology combines the latest advances in image processing, facial recognition, and Big Data analytics to result in accessible, accurate beauty and health solutions that enhance daily lifestyles. We're excited to present our HiMirror series to the industry professionals and retailers at CPNA." Named CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree, the HiMirror Series acts as a daily, personal beauty and health consultant. The brand's smart solutions comprise of: HiMirror: The hands-free gesture, voice, and remote-controlled device upgrades the traditional vanity mirror. Uniquely using facial recognition and underlying technology, this smart mirror was created with dermatologists to analyze and track skin firmness, texture, clarity, brightness and overall skin health. By simply taking an HD photo, HiMirror provides personalized skin care suggestions. The "My Beauty Box" feature coupled with the "Historical Comparison" technology, allows you to track progress and identify skin care products to help achieve your beauty goals. A "Personal Improvement" Plan provides custom- skin-care routines, with skin care tips and DIY YouTube tutorials. Other features include availability of these insights on the HiMirror app, a personalized entertainment zone and more (MSRP $299 ) ) HiMirror Plus: The 'Plus' version includes all the features and functionality of the HiMirror, along with smart-ambient, LED makeup lighting for different environment settings; such as restaurant, office and outdoor. Additionally, this mirror has increased memory to accommodate more users and personal beauty tracking (MSRP $369 ). ). HiSkin: A HiMirror accessory, HiSkin is a revolutionary hand-held device that provides a 360 analysis of your skin's condition, including moisture and melanin levels through electronic and bio-medical engineering. In a matter of minutes, HiSkin allows you to safely and accurately understand your skin. Together with HiMirror, the devices measure ten skin conditions (MSRP $49.99 ). ). Smart Body Scale: Paired with the HiMirror, the Smart Body Scale measures weight, body fat ratio (BFR), body mass index (BMI), total body water (TBW), muscle mass, bone mass, visceral fat analysis, and basal metabolic rate (BMR). All data is displayed in a simple and intuitive interface through the HiMirror. Bluetooth functions allow you to upload data in real-time, enabling you to continuously track changes to your body indexes. HiMirror comes with fitness videos for different exercise types, body parts, and equipment. Personalize your exercise routine by choosing the ones you prefer (MSRP $99 ). Additionally, on Tuesday, July 11th from 10-11:30a.m. PDT at CPNA, HiMirror CEO Simon Shen will participate in "Disruptive Beauty," a new panel designed to help attendees learn about consumer and technology trends driving the latest market innovations and the effects they will have in the future. Other speakers include Amy Errett (CEO, Madison Reed), Yarden Horwitz (trendspotting lead, Google), Flynn Matthews (principal industry analyst, Global Beauty, Google), and moderator, Cosmetic Industry's editor in chief, Jeb Gleason-Allured. The panel will be located on the 2nd floor in room Reef C. To register for Cosmoprof North America visit: www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com/. To learn more about all products of the HiMirror Series or purchase, visit. HiMirror.com or Amazon. Consumers can also follow HiMirror on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. About HiMirror Founded in 2016, with years of intensive research and development, including dermatologists and fitness experts worldwide; HiMirror harnesses the power of Big Data to develop the very best in at-home wellness technology. HiMirror is a smart home technology brand of New Kinpo Group, a forward leaning, global leader in the design and manufacturing of high quality, cost-effective digital home solutions including: consumer electronics, 3Dprinting, wearables, robotics, power management, security, medical/healthcare, other emerging technologies; and now, beauty wellness products. New Kinpo Group's goal through these product advancements is to demonstrate to consumers how easy and affordable it is to incorporate seemingly difficult technologies across all aspects of their lives. Other subsidiaries include Cal-Comp Electronics, XYZprinting, Kinpo Electronics and AcBel. For more information, visit http://en.newkinpogroup.com/. SOURCE HiMirror NEW YORK, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow Sleep, a new company powered by Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC ("SSB"), launched today to deliver a system of innovative sleep products at an incredible value via a direct-to-consumer model. Leveraging the knowledge and research of SSB, the largest manufacturer and distributor of mattresses in the United States, Tomorrow has created the first truly connected sleep system with smart technology designed to transform the sleep experience, helping people achieve deep and restorative rest. "We created Tomorrow Sleep because we believe in the power of sleep to change lives," said Bryan Murphy, Founder and President of Tomorrow Sleep. "We saw that people are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of sleep as a cornerstone of wellness and there wasn't a great solution to address that need in the direct-to-consumer space. We're excited to bring a truly integrated sleep system to market that will help people achieve their best sleep possible." Tomorrow is able to invest in the highest quality materials and offer unmatched products at the best value by controlling its supply chain and manufacturing its mattresses in SSB-owned American factories. "We are excited to launch a unique direct-to-consumer brand that will be independently run and managed, while still leveraging the strong technology, innovation and manufacturing resources within SSB," said Michael Traub, SSB Chief Executive Officer. "Tomorrow is a fantastic addition to our best-selling portfolio of brands that will address the consumer segment which prefers an online shopping experience." All elements of the sleep system that are available include: The Hybrid Mattress - Tomorrow's new hybrid mattress combines premium temperature regulating memory foam with a gently stabilizing, wrapped coil system that provides the perfect balance of comfort and support. Expertly designed and tirelessly tested, every coil in the Tomorrow mattress flexes separately to give the user unparalleled head-to-toe support, while the patented ventilated rail system maintains a well-balanced climate all night long. Tomorrow's mattress is available in two distinct feels, firm and plush. The Sleeptracker Monitor - Equipped with bio sensors to monitor and record sleep cycles, body movements and heart rate, the Sleeptracker monitor delivers personalized suggestions for better sleep. Pillows - Available in Plush with fluffy hypoallergenic Memorelle fill and a silky sateen feel, and cool-coated premium Memory Foam with two-sided construction, the pillows are designed to help the user rest easy. Sheets - Made with 100% USA grown Supima cotton, the 500 thread count sheets are luxuriously soft while keeping the user comfortable and cool. Comforter - In addition to sheets, Tomorrow offers a modern comforter to help keep the user comfy and keep temperatures under control all year long. Drapes - Designed to keep unwanted light out of any sleeping area, the drapes create an ideal environment for rest. Mattress Protector - Tomorrow has created a waterproof cover that works with the mattress to keep temperatures in check and protect from wear and tear Tomorrow products are sold individually, with mattresses starting at $550, and entire sleep systems starting at $1,300. All items are available for purchase at TomorrowSleep.com. About Tomorrow Sleep, LLC Tomorrow Sleep, LLC ("Tomorrow") is a new sleep company that combines a direct-to-consumer ethos with 100 years of American manufacturing expertise. Leveraging the knowledge and research of industry leader Serta Simmons Bedding, Tomorrow created its innovative, holistic systemhybrid mattress and protector, sheets, pillows, comforter, blackout curtains and digital sleep monitor designed to help people sleep more efficiently and effectively. For more information on Tomorrow, visit www.tomorrowsleep.com. About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC ("SSB") is the largest distributor and manufacturer of mattresses in the United States. The Atlanta-based company owns and manages two of the largest bedding brands in the mattress industry, Serta, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest. The two brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent channels throughout North America. SSB operates 32 manufacturing plants in the United States, six in Canada and one in Puerto Rico. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com. Media Contacts: Tomorrow Sleep, LLC Jessica Crain [email protected] 646-887-3997 Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC Noreen Pratscher, VP of Corporate Communications [email protected] 770-730-1822 SSB Investor Contact: D. Paul Dascoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer [email protected] 770-673-2625 SOURCE Tomorrow Sleep, LLC Related Links http://tomorrowsleep.com For the past 17 years, Lourakis has been taking bold strides in accelerating Fleet Complete's success with his vision to redefine the commercial vehicle industry on local and global levels, and bring substantial changes to mobile worker safety, business optimization and reducing CO2 emissions. With continuous research and development of the industry's leading software in the fleet-operating market, bolstered by a unique business strategy in its distribution channels and the white-glove customer service approach, Fleet Complete quickly ascended to the tech elite in Canada and abroad, currently with offices in the U.S., Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Australia. "I am deeply honoured by this prestigious award, as it represents a true testament to the belief of a young entrepreneur that you can make an impact in the world with the courage of your convictions and incessant drive to innovate and excel," comments Tony Lourakis. "The future of Fleet Complete is bright, and I feel like we are just getting started. We will continue to propel our vision, pursuing our on-going endeavour to improve the working lives, safety and efficiency of fleet operators around the world." The immense entrepreneurial success provided Tony Lourakis with an avenue to make a strong impact within the local and international communities as well, as he leads by example and encourages others to give back to those in need. Whether it is making a financial donation during the ravaging fires in Fort McMurray in Alberta, or donating new fleet tracking equipment to customers who lost their vehicles during the devastating floods in Louisiana, Lourakis believes in stepping up in the times of distress. A passionate Greek Canadian, Lourakis is also the current President of the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, a charitable organization that raises funds for the preservation of Hellenic education and heritage in Canada, helping re-establish the Modern Greek Studies program at the University of Toronto. Living up to his vision of improving the lives of others, Lourakis uses his success to support the local communities of Toronto, continuously fundraising for the Heart&Stroke Foundation and the YMCA of the GTA. About Fleet Complete Based in Toronto, Fleet Complete is a global IoT provider of mission critical fleet, asset, and mobile workforce management solutions. Since 2000, Fleet Complete has been providing dispatching, fleet tracking and mobile resource management solutions to more than 8,000 businesses worldwide. The company maintains key distribution partnerships with AT&T in the U.S., TELUS in Canada, Telstra in Australia and T-Mobile in Europe, remaining one of the fastest-growing companies in North America that has won numerous awards for innovation and growth since its inception in 2000 (as Complete Innovations Inc.). For more information, please visit fleetcomplete.com SOURCE Fleet Complete Related Links www.fleetcomplete.com CHICAGO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A modern affliction has osteopathic physicians prescribing the selfie stance to patients checking their devices: keep your head up and hold the phone straight out. Tilting the head forward 60 degrees can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on the neck, according to Stacey Pierce-Talsma, DO, chair of osteopathic manipulative medicine at Touro University California. Tech neck, a disorder that changes the curvature of the spine, can cause severe muscle strain and mobility loss. The painful condition results primarily from the use of cell phones, tablets and other small screen technology, which users tend to hold below eye level. It's a progressive issue, which may lead to disc degeneration and nerve complications, according to Dr. Pierce-Talsma, who's seen a rise in the number of patients reporting neck stiffness, shoulder tightness or a general ache in the upper body. "Improper posture adds tension and compression to structures that weren't meant to bear that weight," she explained. "These stresses and strains build up over time and wear down bones, joints and ligaments, even changing the way muscles fire." Posture, a reflection of how the musculoskeletal system is functioning as a whole, influences the biomechanical efficiency of the body. Good posture places the least amount of strain on our muscles, bones and ligaments as we move, walk and lie down, says Dr. Pierce-Talsma. Poor posture leads to fatigue and pain. Treatment An osteopathic physician and a registered yoga instructor, Dr. Pierce-Talsma looks at patients holistically to understand what postural, muscular and neurological issues may be contributing to their health concerns. Treatment for tech neck starts with simple lifestyle modifications. "I often tell my patients to sit as tall as they canmilitary postureand then relax a bit. Good posture shouldn't be painful," says Dr. Pierce-Talsma. "It takes some concentration and, if you've had poor posture for a while, strength building." Medications alleviate inflammation and reduce pain, but correcting posture addresses the root cause of the problem. Patients may be referred to yoga classes or physical therapy to address muscular issues and Dr. Pierce-Talsma sometimes recommends an ergonomic evaluation to assess if their workspace is properly configured. "As osteopathic physicians, we home in on the musculoskeletal system when patients present with pain. Non-pharmaceutical approaches, including the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), can improve symptoms while patients address underlying causes of their pain," says Dr. Pierce-Talsma. About the American Osteopathic Association The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 129,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. Visit DoctorsThatDO.org to learn more. SOURCE American Osteopathic Association Related Links https://www.osteopathic.org PORTLAND, Maine, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Auto Europe, one of the industry's first global car rental companies, reveals the top 5 destinations in Ireland for North American tourists exploring by car. Destinations are based on the pickup location of reservations from late 2016 and early 2017 in combination with a review of global travel data. Top 5 Road Trip Destinations in Ireland for 2017 # 5 Killarney A storied stop along the scenic Ring of Kerry Tour, Killarney offers travelers a chance to experience authentic Ireland. The city and surrounding country are the complete embodiment of mythical Ireland: a Celtic kingdom of misty mountains and snowcapped summits complete with a vibrant nightlife scene and customary Irish flair. #4 Galway Nestled along the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway is the perfect destination to start a tour of Ireland's west coast and see world-famous natural attractions as well as the country's most significant historic sites. While in town, be sure to walk the Salmon Weir Bridge to watch the fishermen haul in their daily catch. #3 Cork Referred to as the 'real capital of Ireland' by the locals, Cork is home to some of the best seafood restaurants, pubs, and breweries. Of course, no trip to Cork would be complete without a quick trip to the famous Blarney Stone, just one of the 7 best historic places in Ireland within driving distance. #2 Shannon Shannon's close proximity to many of Ireland's most significant attractions makes the city a hot spot for travelers. Visitors can easily visit the stunning Cliff's of Moher which are only an hour's drive from the city and King John's Castle, just a quick jaunt from Shannon, all in one day! #1 Dublin The Historic City of Dublin is a UNESCO world heritage site meaning that in addition to the fantastic pubs, restaurants, and museums available in the city, the city itself is a landmark of historic interest. It's also home to the Guinness Storehouse making it the perfect place to start a beer tour of Ireland! "Ireland's stunning landscapes, exciting history, and welcoming locals make the country a popular road trip location for North Americans," said Imad Khalidi, CEO of Auto Europe. "Ireland is easy to explore by car and car rental rates are always affordable." About Auto Europe With over 60 years of experience in the rental car industry, Auto Europe specializes in helping travelers find the best car rental rates in Europe and other popular destinations around the world. Auto Europe's deep understanding of the complexities of renting cars abroad paired with their knowledgeable team of rental specialists (available 24/7) allows Auto Europe to provide travelers with the highest quality service in the industry before, during and after their rental. To find the best rate on a car rental for your next trip abroad or to learn more about renting a car in Europe visit www.autoeurope.com. Media Contact: Meghan Donovan [email protected] 207-842-2038 SOURCE Auto Europe Related Links http://www.autoeurope.com WILMINGTON, Del., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move aimed at capitalizing on the strength of the expanding sportswear sector, Taiwan's Toung Loong Textile is launching a new line of fabrics consisting of a blend of INVISTA's popular COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber. Designed to meet the needs of brands focused on women's fitness wear, the new fabrics will be one of the highlights of the Toung Loong stand at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City, Utah. Toung Loong's timing isn't accidental. The activewear sector is expanding quickly and making its presence felt in consumer spending. According to research from Euromonitor, sportswear grew twice as fast as the overall industry in 2016, and is showing no signs of slowing down in 2017. "As interest in health and fitness continues to gain ground, demand for performance activewear is accelerating. In addition, market intelligence organizations agree that womenswear will continue to account for the highest per capita spending, as female consumers invest in the latest fashion trends including athleisure and make more frequent purchases," said Richard Yu, Chief of Marketing of Toung Loong Textile. "Launching new fabrics specifically designed to work best in women's fitness wear, using INVISTA's industry-leading COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber, represents a tremendous opportunity to stand out in a crowded market and win new business," said Yu. Since it was originally rolled out in 2013, INVISTA'S COOLMAX AIR technology has been a huge hit in the fitness and performance wear sector. Today, it is the fabric technology of choice for some of the world's biggest apparel brands, as well as yarn producers like Toung Loong, that are keen on capturing a bigger slice of an expanding market. "In the highly competitive global marketplace, the challenge for the apparel and textile industry is to exploit growth opportunities through well-differentiated offerings. That's where INVISTA is playing a role offering technologies, consumer insights and collaborative business models that can genuinely help leading mills, brand owners and retailers to capture these opportunities and create value for customers," said Huw Williams, INVISTA global segment director, activewear and outdoor. COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber are made from high-performance fibers engineered to maximize consumer comfort with excellent moisture-management performance, breathability and faster drying times. The high air permeability results in the exchange of the microclimate, adding the potential for additional cooling. "COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber is perfect for fabrics aimed at women's fitness applications. Its combination of fit, freedom of movement, moisture management and increased air permeability helps improve drying time so that women can always perform at their best," said Richard Yu of Toung Loong Textile. "Our breakthrough texturizing yarn technology enables us to create high-performance fabrics with beautiful aesthetics that meet the needs of consumers and brands operating in the women's fitness sector," Yu added. INVISTA is currently working with dozens of strategic fabric mills in Asia, including Toung Loong, to develop new, performance-oriented fabrics. "This focus on quickly translating fiber innovation into fabrics for apparel, and on connecting brands with retailers and end user consumers, has become a hallmark of our business and a key INVISTA differentiator," said Huw Williams of INVISTA. To find out more about these and other cutting-edge innovations, visit connect.LYCRA.com, COOLMAX.com and Toung Loong's booth (No. 251-207) at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Show, being held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah from July 26-29, 2017. About INVISTA With leading brands including LYCRA, COOLMAX, THERMOLITE, CORDURA, STAINMASTER and ANTRON, INVISTA is one of the world's largest integrated producers of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers. The company's advantaged technologies for nylon, spandex and polyester are used to produce clothing, carpet, car parts and countless other everyday products. Headquartered in the United States, INVISTA operates in more than 20 countries and has about 10,000 employees. For more information, visit www.INVISTA.com, Facebook.com/INVISTAglobal and Twitter.com/INVISTA. About Toung Loong Textile Toung Loong Textile MFG. presents you tltm ART, which offers you a refashioned artistic visualization based on yarn developments. In order to meet the needs of product differentiations, we believe in "Catch the Eye, Cash the Buy". Armed with 30 years of expertise in yarn texturizing, Toung Loong keeps on challenging ourselves and creating various yarn developments. In 2016, Toung Loong integrates our visual innovations and introduces tltm ART, including Stratum, Shooing Start, 3D Effect and other versatile yarns to come. From the diversity of our yarns, we allow designers to have more options to express their design, drastically increasing more opportunities for product innovations. Light up the dull art of functional textiles, and allow Toung Loong to help you achieve the visual diversity you desire. tltm ART, creating more interest to visit our booth at OR! LYCRA and COOLMAX are trademarks of INVISTA. CONTACT: Kristin Altimari +1.316.828.1057 [email protected] SOURCE INVISTA Related Links http://www.invista.com CHURCH BAY BERMUDA The best way to reach this Bermuda destination is by kayak: a 20 minute paddle takes visitors to Church Bay, featuring some of the world's rarest pink sand. Bookended by jagged limestone cliffs, the beach at Church Bay is a secluded escape with calm, clear-blue water and coral reefs that provide an incredible snorkeling experience. It's a hidden gem in Bermuda! DEEP CREEK HOT SPRINGS CALIFORNIA A two-hour drive from Los Angeles, the San Bernardino National Forest is home to one of California's hidden treasures Deep Creek Hot Springs. To get there, water seekers will have to brave the heat on a two-and-a-half mile hike through the Mojave Desert. Deep Creek features a cluster of both hot and cold pools where swimmers can cool off in 60-degree pools or soak in the 10-foot-wide, 3-foot-deep hot springs that can reach temperatures of 105 degrees. Those seeking a little more adventure can try cliff diving or slacklining. ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS FLORIDA Florida is home to the largest concentration of freshwater springs on earth and Ichetucknee Springs State Park, 35 miles from Gainesville, contains one of the area's crowns jewels the Blue Hole. After kayaking one mile to the secret spot, swimmers can take a dive into the pristine, intensely blue, spring-fed pool where water temperatures sit at 72 degrees year-round. Keep swimming and you'll see the 6-foot-deep, sandy, grass-covered bottom open up to a 12-foot-wide, 35-foot-deep chamber a limestone shaft where the blue hue intensifies as a spring pumps out 26,000 gallons of water per minute. LULUMAHU FALLS HAWAII Just 20 minutes outside of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, a forest path leads to a secret cascade with wild detours. Adventure seekers will find their first thrill just five minutes into the hike Kapena Falls, a waterfall with a 40-foot cliff jump. Deeper into the jungle, one of Hawaii's most historic destinations awaits the ruins of King Kamehameha III's summer palace from 1845, now sitting forgotten in the forest. After traversing challenging terrain with wet conditions, hikers are greeted by Lulumahu Falls a 50-foot, rainfall-fed cascade with 72-degree water to plunge into. OWIA SALT POND ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES While in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, head to the area's best kept secret the oceanfront swimming hole known as Owia Salt Pond. The path to this protected pool can be tricky but a local guide can help direct visitors to one of the earth's most stunning and secluded swimming holes a 100-foot-wide lava basin at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The main pool is hidden by an expanse of volcanic rocks, but 79-degree, calm, blue seawater awaits those who find it. Water depths range from 6 to 12 feet and the pool's shape actually changes based on the tide it can even be wide enough for paddle boarding at times. When the tide comes in it's time to head out, but a five minute walk to a flowing freshwater steam is the perfect way to rinse off an epic saltwater swim. PLAYA RINCON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC On this hidden stretch of land, you're more likely to find donkeys than tourists Playa Rincon in the Dominican Republic is a secret beach few visitors get to see. An hour's drive, or 15 minute boat ride, from the tiny town of Las Galeras, visitors are treated to a wild and pristine beach with two miles of white sand and 80-degree water surrounded by the towering 2,000-foot-tall cliffs of Capo Cabron. But there's more to explore at this beach. Head to the far east end where a crystal clear, freshwater river emerges from the jungle, flowing around the mangrove trees like an enchanted forest. A nearby food stand caters to local fishermen. POCO AZUL BRAZIL Chapada Diamantina National Park sits 260 miles inland from the Brazilian city of Salvador, and features hundreds of miles of towering rock formations and underground caves. The most mysterious of these caves is Poco Azul, which houses some of the clearest blue water on earth. Visitors are required to take a shower before swimming so as not to contaminate the water with oils and lotions. After hiking down steep trail heads through the jungle, visitors enter the cavern a 65-foot-deep lagoon with water so stunningly transparent that the underwater landscapes emerge as clear as day. Scientists have found many fossils in this ancient cave, including an extinct 20-foot-tall ground sloth. It's a serene and secluded swimming experience like no other! SKINNY DIP FALLS NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina's Nantahala National Forest, 30 miles southwest of Asheville, is a year-round, peaceful getaway and home to Skinny Dip Falls. The trailhead to the half mile hike is tucked away, but once water seekers make their way through the woods a variety of old trees help serve as a navigation system to the water. The waterfalls are a three-tiered cascade with a 30-foot drop and a skinny 8-foot-wide pool at the base. Varying rock heights provide an assortment of platforms for jumping. With summer temperatures topping 90 degrees, the 60-degree water is a refreshing way to cool off. And if you're looking for a little more relaxation, head upstream for a more secluded place to soak in the scenery. SOOKE POTHOLES BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver Island, off of Canada's Pacific coast, houses a secluded set of pools known as the Sooke Potholes. In an area known for foggy weather, summer temperatures can reach 75 degrees just right for an outdoor swim. Swimmers must hike through a 136-acre park to reach the Potholes a series of crags and craters created by fallen boulders in the Sooke River and connected by 6- to 10-foot-tall waterfalls. It's like entering a moonscape in the middle of the forest. Visitors can swim in dozens of private pools, jump from the rocks or take a more adventurous dive from a 30-foot-tall cliff into the 13-foot-deep pool below filled with brisk 44-degree water. Y.S. FALLS JAMAICA Middle Quarters, a small village in one of Jamaica's most sparsely populated regions, houses a pristine, action-packed swimming hole that is a favorite among locals Y.S. Falls. Upon arrival, a local guide takes adventure seekers to a variety of waterfalls where countless opportunities for swimming and diving await! The fun begins at Tarzan Pool a 50-foot-wide, 8-foot-deep pool with a rope swing that drops you into 70-degree water. After plunging a few more drops, take to the skies for more thrills and zig zag 40 feet above the waterfalls in a series of five zip lines. And with special permission, visitors can access a private waterfall at the top of the mountain that's dotted with caves for more water-filled exploration. "Top Secret Swimming Holes" is part of Travel Channel's "Dive In" programming event, delivering the ultimate summer getaway with heart-pumping water thrills, gorgeous secluded beach destinations and over-the-top waterslides. Check out TravelChannel.com for extra summer-themed content. Plus, join the conversation via @TravelChannel's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest . Share your summer travel photos with #LiveTravelChannel for a chance to be featured on Travel Channel's Instagram and other social platforms! ABOUT TRAVEL CHANNEL For virtual and active travelers who want to go on a thrilling quest; taste other cultures; enjoy the mystery of the unexplored; get a dose of epic adventure or a splash of wacky fun; there is no better daily escape than Travel Channel. Reaching more than 83 million U.S. cable homes, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand. Fans also can visit Travel Channel for more information or interact with other fans through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Travel Channel is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc., which also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country. Follow us on Twitter: @TravelChannelPR SOURCE Travel Channel Related Links http://www.travelchannel.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TriNetX, the global health research network for healthcare organizations, biopharma, and contract research organizations (CROs), announced support for the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) common data model. Combined with its support of i2b2 database sites, the addition of the OMOP toolkit expands the number of healthcare organizations who can join the TriNetX network with minimal IT investment. The TriNetX network is comprised of healthcare organizations representing over 84 million patients globally, biopharmaceutical companies, and CROs who are working together to improve protocol design, site selection, patient recruitment, and collaborative research across a range of therapeutic areas and development stages. "Healthcare organizations that utilize the OMOP data model are now able to join the TriNetX network both quickly and without allocating significant resources," said Alex Eastman, senior director of product management at TriNetX. "The OMOP connecter offers a greater number of healthcare organizations with the opportunity to leverage the local, collaborative and industry-sponsored research capabilities that only the TriNetX network provides." Observational databases differ in both purpose and design from electronic medical records (EMRs) which support clinical practice at the point of care and administrative claims data which are built for insurance reimbursement. OMOP provides a platform to centralize observational data, transform it into a common format, and analyze it using standard analytic routines. TriNetX helps organizations get more value out of their OMOP platform by leveraging the data to support clinical research and attract sponsored trials. "TriNetX provides toolkits and services to network members to support its mission of creating the global community that brings new therapies to patients faster. The latest addition of OMOP enables TriNetX to expand to virtually any healthcare organization regardless of their database model," said Eastman. About TriNetX TriNetX is the global health research network enabling healthcare organizations, biopharma and contract research organizations (CROs) to collaborate, enhance trial design, accelerate recruitment and bring new therapies to market faster. Each member of our community shares in the consolidated value of our global, federated health research network that connects clinical researchers in real-time to the patient populations which they are attempting to study. For more information, visit www.trinetx.com. Media Contact Jennifer Haas TriNetX P: (978) 697-3921 E: [email protected] SOURCE TriNetX Related Links http://www.trinetx.com SAN FRANCISCO, and HOUSTON, and MAHWAH, N.J., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Principal Susan L. Combs and Senior Vice President Suzanne McGarey have been recognized among Employee Benefit Adviser's "2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising." The 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising list highlights national benefits consulting leaders who stood out in a large field of highly qualified nominees for both personal and professional reasons. Susan L. Combs, Principal of The Capacity Group an EPIC Company, served as the youngest president of Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS) in the group's 81 year history. A strong advocate of bringing more women into the benefits advising field, Combs was instrumental in establishing WIFS's national mentorship program. Suzanne McGarey , senior vice president of Ascende a Division of EPIC, has helped to lead Ascende's health and welfare team for more than a decade, working to differentiate the company through industry specific benefits benchmarking surveys and other business intelligence initiatives, as well as defining best practice in compliance advisory services. "We are pleased and proud that these extraordinary EPIC women have been recognized among the 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising," said John Hahn, CEO of EPIC. "To have two of our consultants included in this small, elite group nationally is a wonderful accomplishment, which speaks to the character and ability of both the women and men who choose to make EPIC their business home." See the full list of the 2017 Most Influential Women in Benefits Advising here: https://www.employeebenefitadviser.com/slideshow/ebas-2017-most-influential-women-in-benefit-advising About EPIC: EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally. EPIC now has more than 1,000 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients. With run rate revenues approaching $300 million, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/. *PHOTOS for Media: (1) Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0628s2p-scombs-300dpi.jpg (2) Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0628s2p-mcgarey-300dpi.jpg This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants Related Links http://www.epicbrokers.com Reinhard has more than 10 years of experience developing new business and evaluating the technical and commercial viability of quantum dots into the display, lighting and solar industries. Prior to joining UbiQD, Reinhard served as Nanoco Technologies' Vice President of Business Development for more than eight years. He also held senior level business development, sales and marketing positions with Displaytech, a manufacturer of liquid-crystal-on-silicon microdisplays, as well as Dynamic Organic Light, a developer of quantum dot electroluminescent materials. In these roles, he has authored and given more than 20 papers and presentations at high-profile industry events. Reinhard began his career at Lockheed Martin, working in engineering and new business development roles. He received his Bachelor's of Science in Industrial Engineering from Penn State and an MBA from Binghamton University. As UbiQD's Operations Manager, Garay has over 10 years of business administration experience working in hospitality as well as the biology scientific research industry. Prior to joining UbiQD, Garay held a safety and compliance management position at the New Mexico Consortium, with a broad spectrum of responsibilities including compliance in all aspects of environmental health and safety, administration, supervision, banking, and more. She received her Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration from a Top 10 university in Mexico, Universidad Iberoamericana, and her MBA from Eastern New Mexico University. Archuleta, joining UbiQD as an R&D Chemist, has a range of experiences in nanotechnology, organic chemistry, and nontoxicity studies during his time at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). In addition to spending several months in Santiago de Chile working in a chemistry laboratory, where he synthesized nanoparticles and prepared nanocomposites, Archuleta also served as a nanotechnology intern at Sandia National Laboratories. Beyond his chemistry roles, Archuleta has held positions in finance and served as a director of business development for an Albuquerque-based software technology startup. He received a Bachelor's in Biochemistry from UCSB and an MBA in Management of Technology from the University of New Mexico. "Investors are impressed by our technical prowess, with five full time PhDs, but have encouraged us to add more business professionals and industry experience," said Dr. Hunter McDaniel, founder and CEO of UbiQD. "These three new additions will accelerate partnership development, streamline operations, and bring a business mindset to UbiQD's product development." The recent additions to the UbiQD team follows on the heels of closing $550,000 in new investment earlier this year, signing a joint development partnership, conducting several new patent filings, and making significant product development progress. These new hires will continue to advance the company's mission of producing low-toxicity quantum dots that enable windows to generate electricity. About UbiQD, LLC UbiQD is a nanotechnology development company based in Los Alamos, New Mexico that manufactures low-hazard quantum dots and nanocomposites. While the company's primary focus is in enabling windows to generate electricity, UbiQD also currently sells its materials for R&D purposes and provides materials technology development services. For more information or to purchase high quantum yield cadmium-free quantum dots, visit www.UbiQD.com. MEDIA CONTACTS UbiQD, LLC: [email protected] | 505.310.6767 SOURCE UbiQD, LLC Related Links http://www.ubiqd.com Available for a limited time only, Lune de Miel is a Belgian-style amber ale with a beige head heralding its lusciously warm honey nuances. "Honey is added during the bottle refermentation process, to blend harmoniously with the beer's hoppy nose and spicy, herbaceous and floral flavours," reveals Brewmaster Jerry Vietz. "Brewed with local Quebec honey, Lune de Miel is a strong amber ale on lees that has an aging potential of three years." "Lune de Miel's mellow notes make it a great match for various types of dishes," says Sylvain Bouchard, Unibroue's Beer Sommelier. "It partners brilliantly with chicken tournedos, honey mustard pork loin or mild German sausage. This divine nectar is perfect with honey-based desserts such as baklava, and with lightly scented, semi-firm washed rind cheeses, or with Cambozola or Gouda type cheeses." This carefully crafted beer was inspired by a tradition dating back almost 4,000 years. In Ancient Babylon, the father of the bride would provide his new son-in-law with an unlimited supply of mead during the first month of marriage, a period that came to be called the "honey month". As Babylonians were using a lunar calendar, the honey month eventually became the "honey moon". Lune de Miel got its name from this ancient tradition, as it is the French equivalent of the word "honeymoon". About Unibroue A brewing adventure which came to fruition in 1992 with the launch of Blanche de Chambly, Unibroue is the leading craft brewery in Quebec and among the foremost craft breweries in North America. Unibroue has carved out a special niche in the beer world with top quality products. It made history by becoming the first North American beer maker to use a brewing method inspired by the two-centuries-old tradition developed by Trappist monks in Europeparticularly in Belgium. Over the years, Unibroue has remained faithful to its origins even as it has grown to become an icon of the brewing world. It brews more than 15 beer brands and has won over 300 international medals since its inception. Unibroue is headquartered in Chambly, Canada, in the only brewing facility producing all of Unibroue's beers. For more information about Unibroue, please visit www.unibroue.com SOURCE Unibroue AURORA, Colo., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent poll conducted by a leading Republican pollster finds a "universal belief" among Colorado voters across the political spectrum that regardless of what happens with the proposed healthcare bill, longstanding Medicaid benefits for children should be protected. As the healthcare debate heats up, Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) conducted a statewide public opinion survey to determine voters' views of different policy solutions. Key findings include: 85% agree that "regardless of whether Obamacare [the Affordable Care Act (ACA)] is ultimately repealed or changed, Congress should maintain the longstanding benefits that Medicaid has guaranteed children since 1965" In total, 73% believe that: Colorado's senators should either vote against repealing and replacing Obamacare no matter what (36%); or Colorado's senators should vote to repeal and replace Obamacare only if the bill upholds longstanding Medicaid coverage for children and protections for pre-existing conditions (37%) More than half (55%) are extremely worried and 13% count themselves very worried that changes could result in loss of insurance for Colorado children with pre-existing conditions Nearly half (45%) are extremely worried and 15% are very worried that low-income children in Colorado could lose their insurance as a result of changes Nationally, Medicaid covers 30 million kids, including about 590,000 in Colorado. While nationally children account for nearly half of Medicaid enrollees, they represent only 20 percent of the costs. Structural cuts to Medicaid in the proposed bill would fundamentally threaten access to care for those children. "Senator Gardner has been a staunch advocate in this debate for kids," said Jena Hausmann, president and CEO of Children's Hospital Colorado. "We've asked Senator Gardner to step up and fight to protect Medicaid as a safety net for children in important ways. He has, and we are counting on him." Children's Colorado publicly has expressed strong opposition to the House-passed version of the bill, and also opposes the Senate's discussion draft. The hospital is urging Colorado's U.S. Senators to make tangible improvements to the bill in order to reduce its negative impact on children. Senator Cory Gardner has started to get traction in the Senate with provisions that would limit the Medicaid cuts to children. At Children's Colorado, nearly half of the patient population benefits from some form of Medicaid coverage. These aren't just low-income patients. They're also families with good primary insurance, but their child's medical needs are so severe or complex that they rely on Medicaid as secondary insurance to cover their child's care. Children were not the primary beneficiaries of the ACA, yet they would be major victims of its repeal. Leaders across the political spectrum agree. A recent letter sent to Colorado's U.S. Senators and co-signed by a host of high-profile Republicans, Democrats, and business leaders says "whether the [Medicaid] expansion is preserved or phased-out, Medicaid for children should be protected regardless." Survey Demographics The poll was conducted by phone June 10-13, 2017, by Dave Sackett of the Tarrance Group, one of the most respected Republican polling firms in the country. The pool of 500 respondents represented a cross-section of likely 2018 voters across Colorado, including 33% Republicans, 33% Democrats, 29% Independents, and 6% other. Respondents were 87% non-Hispanic, 12% Hispanic, and 2% declined to answer. Respondents were 49% male and 51% female. About one in five (21%) had a child under the age of 18 in the household, while 76% did not. The age distribution of respondents was as follows: 18-24 8% 25-29 7% 30-34 6% 35-39 9% 40-44 5% 45-54 10% 55-64 20% 65-69 12% 70-74 11% 75-79 6% 80-84 4% 85-89 1% 90 or over 0% Hard refuse 1% The margin of error associated with a sample of this type is +/- 4.5% in 95 out of 100 cases. About Children's Hospital Colorado Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) has defined and delivered pediatric health care excellence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1908, Children's Colorado is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and well-being of children. Continually acknowledged as one of the nation's outstanding pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children's Colorado is known for both its nationally and internationally recognized medical, research, education and advocacy programs, as well as comprehensive everyday care for kids throughout Colorado and surrounding states. Children's Colorado is the winner of the 2015 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, and is a 2013-2016 Most Wired hospital according to Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Children's Colorado also is recognized for excellence in nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Centers and has been designated a Magnet hospital since 2005. The hospital's family-centered, collaborative approach combines the nation's top pediatric doctors, nurses and researchers to pioneer new approaches to pediatric medicine. With urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Metro Denver and Southern Colorado, including its campus on the Anschutz Medical Campus, Children's Colorado provides a full spectrum of pediatric specialties. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org and connect with Children's Colorado on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Children's Hospital Colorado complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCION: si habla espanol, tiene a su disposicion servicios gratuitos de asistencia linguistica. Llame al 1-720-777-9800. CHU Y: Neu ban noi Tieng Viet, co cac dich vu ho tro ngon ngu mien phi danh cho ban. Goi so 1-720-777-9800 http://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557 Media Contacts: Carissa McCabe, GroundFloor Media Phone: 303-865-8146 Mobile: 303-905-8353 Media pager: 303-890-8314 SOURCE Childrens Hospital Colorado Related Links http://www.childrenscolorado.org "Our Nordic heritage is evident in all that we do, from our spirit of exploration to the serene, understated elegance of our ships. Scandinavia is Viking territory, and no other cruise line can show guests this part of the world like we can," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. "Norway's landscapes in the winter are truly magnificent, something few North Americans get to witness. I am pleased to offer this exclusive opportunity for our guests to explore my homeland." Sailing on Viking's third 930-guest ocean ship, Viking Sky, guests will experience Norway's pristine beauty and dramatic snow-dusted wilderness, with a chance each day to stargaze and scan the dark skies for the northern lights. On the 13-day itinerary, guests will be able to immerse themselves in the rich culture of northern Europe, visiting seven destinations with overnights in Troms, Alta and Bergen, Norway, and a complimentary excursion in each port. Highlights of the new In Search of the Northern Lights itinerary include: Experience the Northern Lights in Alta : Home to some of northern Europe's most magnificent natural beauty, Alta's frequent clear skies make it an ideal place to view the luminous aurora borealis during the height of the viewing season. Home to some of northern most magnificent natural beauty, frequent clear skies make it an ideal place to view the luminous aurora borealis during the height of the viewing season. Experience Nordic Life with the Sami Community of M aze: While in Alta , visit the nearby native Sami community of Maze for an authentic lunch of local dishes and an exciting ride in a reindeer-drawn sleigh. While in , visit the nearby native Sami community of Maze for an authentic lunch of local dishes and an exciting ride in a reindeer-drawn sleigh. Visit the Arctic Cathedral in Troms : Home to the largest concentration of wooden houses in northern Norway dating back to 1904, marvel at the classic architecture contrasted with modern buildings, including the Arctic Cathedral, a stunning triangular building in white and icy blue often called the "Opera House of Norway " for its resemblance to the Sydney Opera House. Home to the largest concentration of wooden houses in northern dating back to 1904, marvel at the classic architecture contrasted with modern buildings, including the Arctic Cathedral, a stunning triangular building in white and icy blue often called the "Opera House of " for its resemblance to the Opera House. Step into the Viking Age in Stavanger: Visit the Archaeological Museum, where a host in traditional Viking dress will demonstrate essential tools and artifacts of the time period, then stop at the Swords in Stone monument commemorating the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. Visit the Archaeological Museum, where a host in traditional Viking dress will demonstrate essential tools and artifacts of the time period, then stop at the Swords in Stone monument commemorating the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. Ascent of Mt. Ulriken in Bergen : A panoramic tour of Bergen takes you to the beautifully preserved wharf of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was central to Bergen's role in the Hanseatic League. Afterwards, embark on a gondola ride for a scenic ascent to Mt. Ulriken, the highest of Bergen's famous Seven Mountains. The Viking Difference Designed for discerning travelers with interests in history, art, music and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests "the thinking person's cruise" as an alternative to mainstream cruises. Ships are small to get guests closer to their destination, with more time in port and more overnights. Onboard, guests find serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light. All-veranda ships mean that guests experience every day with a new, expansive vista. With the most al fresco dining at sea, featuring regional cuisines and always-available American classics, Viking's guests can truly dine in their destination. A focus on cultural enrichment brings immersive experiences onshore and onboard. And only The Viking Way brings guests itineraries that feature Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access experiences. In addition, Viking Inclusive Value provides a small ship experience at a big ship value and no nickel-and-diming with every cruise fare including a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Guests also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; premium dining reservations; Wi-Fi; self-service laundry; access to the Thermal Suite in the LivNordic Spa; and 24-hour room servicean included value of more than $200 per person, per day for an average cruise. Booking Details Pricing for Viking's new In the Search of the Northern Lights cruise starts at $4,999 per person. From now through June 30, 2017, Viking is offering U.S. residents an Early Booking Discount on the itinerary, with 2-for-1 cruise fare and $500 off international air. Call Viking toll free at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or contact a travel agent. Media Assets For more information, images and b-roll for Viking Cruises, contact [email protected]. About Viking Cruises Viking Cruises was founded by Chairman Torstein Hagen in 1997 with the purchase of four ships in Russia. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017, Viking is the leader in river and small ship ocean cruising, offering destination-focused itineraries designed for experienced travelers who have an interest in geography, culture and history. In its first year of operation, Viking Ocean Cruises was rated the #1 ocean cruise line in Travel + Leisure's 2016 "World's Best" Awards, which came on the heels of being rated the highest of all cruise lines in the 2015 "World's Best" Awards. Viking currently operates a fleet of 62 vessels, offering scenic cruising on rivers and oceans around the world. By 2022 the company will operate eight 930-guest ocean cruise ships and will be the largest small ship ocean cruise line. In addition to the Travel + Leisure honors, Viking has also been honored multiple times on Conde Nast Traveler's "Gold List" as well as recognized by Cruise Critic as "Best Overall" Small-Mid size ship in the 2017 Cruisers' Choice Awards, "Best River Cruise Line" and "Best River Itineraries," with the entire Viking Longships fleet being named "Best New River Ships" in the website's Editors' Picks Awards. For additional information, contact Viking Cruises at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or visit www.vikingcruises.com. SOURCE Viking Cruises Related Links http://www.vikingcruises.com HONG KONG, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Private equity group Virtua Partners announced today that it has opened a regional office in Hong Kong. Virtua Capital Management, an affiliate of Virtua Partners, will occupy the space located at Two International Finance Centre (IFC). With headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, and affiliate offices in San Diego and Newport Beach, California, the new office marks the firm's first global expansion and presence in Asia. Virtua Partners' New Office - Two International Finance Centre (PRNewsfoto/Virtua Partners) Virtua Partners' New Office - Two International Finance Centre (PRNewsfoto/Virtua Partners) "We're thrilled to open our first international office in Hong Kong," said Quinn Palomino, Co-Founder of Virtua Partners. "We considered multiple locations in Asia but settled on Hong Kong because of its strong business culture, deep labor pool, and proximity to Mainland China." The Hong Kong office will oversee investor relations and provide financial analysis and accounting services for a series of funds managed by Virtua Capital Management. Future plans for Virtua include the closing of their first Asian fund this summer, in partnership with a leading Chinese financial institution. "The Hong Kong office is an important part of Virtua's growth strategy," said Derek Uldricks, President of Virtua Capital Management. "We believe that continued high growth in regional markets will create ongoing opportunities for cross border investment." About Virtua Partners: Virtua Partners is a private equity firm specializing in commercial real estate. Virtua sponsors a variety of funds and commercial real estate projects across the country. Investment products include fixed income, growth to income, growth, and aggressive growth. Through its affiliates, Virtua provides debt and equity origination, asset and property management, workout consulting, development, and fund management. Please visit http://www.virtuapartners.com to learn more about our investor services. Media contact: Derek Uldricks 619.764.9633 SOURCE Virtua Partners Related Links http://www.virtuapartners.com DENVER, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vista Gold Corp. (the "Company," "Vista Gold," "we" or "our") (NYSE MKT: VGZ) (TSX: VGZ) today provided an update on the status of its metallurgical testing program on four bulk samples from the Mt Todd gold project. The Company also announced that its agreement with the Northern Territory of Australia ("NT") has been extended through December 31, 2023. Metallurgical Testing Program In November 2016, Vista Gold announced the preliminary results of detailed optimization studies for its Mt Todd gold project located in the Northern Territory, Australia. The results indicated potential to further enhance the project's economics through the incorporation of selective screening and sorting in the processing flow sheet to enable finer grinding, enhanced gold recovery, and lower processing costs. (See our press release dated November 28, 2016). Vista Gold's President & CEO, Frederick H. Earnest, commented, "We have recently commenced metallurgical tests on four, 5-tonne bulk samples from Mt Todd. These tests are designed to confirm that the project can reduce the volume of material to be milled and improve efficiency in the grinding circuit through a combination of producing smaller material in the HPGR crushing circuit and the change to a two-stage grinding circuit. We believe these design changes can be implemented without materially changing the project's capital requirements. Past studies have shown a strong correlation between finer grinding and higher gold recovery, and we believe that we have been conservative in our previous gold recovery estimates at a finer grind. We look forward to the results from this test work and their incorporation into an updated preliminary feasibility study, which will be the first comprehensive update of the project since 2013." In February of this year, the Company completed the drilling and logging of approximately 1,700 meters of PQ (3.75" diameter) core to obtain four, 5-tonne bulk samples of ore representing different parts of the deposit. The samples were shipped to Germany to be crushed and screened (at 5/8") at Thyssen Krupp Industries' HPGR test facility. This work started last week and two of the four bulk samples have been completed. Based on this work, the Company expects that approximately 18% of each HPGR-crushed sample will be retained as plus 5/8" material ("coarse fraction"). TOMRA Sorting Solutions, near Hamberg, will next undertake two-step automated sorting tests designed to separate the gold-bearing sulfide minerals and quartz veining from non-gold bearing waste material in the coarse fractions. The first step (XRT) sorts the material by density to target the gold-bearing sulfide material. The second step (Laser) separates the gold bearing quartz veining material. Eliminating non-gold bearing waste material, after the HPGR and prior to the grinding circuit, would enable Vista Gold to reduce the overall material going to the grinding and leaching circuits, improve the grinding circuit head-grade and capture potential reductions in operating costs associated with the lower overall feed to the mill. The automated sorting tests are scheduled to take place July 5th-7th. Following the TOMRA test work, the fine fraction (minus 5/8" material) together with the three components of the coarse fraction (XRT, Laser and waste) will be shipped to the laboratories of Resource Development Inc. (RDi) in Wheatridge, Colorado where grind-size and leach recovery optimization and tailings characterization studies will be completed. The results of these tests are expected to provide the design criteria to grind the ore finer for enhanced leaching and gold recovery. The Company expects to be able to announce the final results of the test work at the end of August 2017. Following the completion of the crushing, screening and sorting components of the metallurgical testing program the Company expects to commence the studies needed to update its previously published Mt Todd Preliminary Feasibility Study (completed May 2013 and amended July 2014). The PFS update is expected to include design changes incorporating an automated sorting circuit, two-stage grinding, and current gold price and foreign exchange rates. Extension of Agreement with the Northern Territory Recently, the Company signed an extension of its agreement with the Northern Territory of Australia. The agreement extends through December 31, 2023 and includes the option for an additional 3-year extension. Under the ongoing terms of the agreement, the Company holds the exclusive right to develop the Mt Todd gold project and commits to the appropriate care and management of the site, and prior to providing notice of its intention to mine, the Company retains no environmental liability for the condition of the site prior to its involvement in 2006. Vista Gold, at its sole option, may elect to proceed with the development of the project by giving notice to the NT Government, which in turn will result in the transfer of NT-owned assets at Mt Todd and all pre-existing environmental liability for the Mt Todd project from the NT to the Company. Northern Territory Minister for Primary Industry and Resource, Hon. Ken Vowles, stated the following when announcing the extension of the agreement, "The Government and Vista Gold both want to see Mt Todd operating again, in the interests of regional development, creating local jobs and managing environmental issues. The extended agreement maintains Vista Gold's role as manager of the site, and acknowledges its commitment to future development." Mr. Earnest added, "We would like to thank the NT Government for their continued support of Vista Gold and our efforts on the Mt Todd gold project. We have worked very hard at Mt Todd to maintain our strong commitment to responsible environmental management and to build strong stakeholder support for the development of the project." About Vista Gold Corp. The Company is a well-funded gold project developer. Our principal asset is our flagship Mt Todd gold project in Northern Territory, Australia. Mt Todd is one of the largest known undeveloped gold projects in Australia. For more information about our projects, including technical studies and resource estimates, please visit our website at www.vistagold.com. For further information, please contact Connie Martinez at (720) 981-1185. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including such things as our belief that the optimization studies could further enhance the economics of the Mt Todd gold project without materially changing the capital requirements, and the plans, results and timing for the completion of the testwork; the timing for and completion of an updated preliminary feasibility study on Mt Todd and other such matters are forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information contained in this press release include the following: our approved business plans, exploration and assay results, results of our test work for process area improvements, mineral resource and reserve estimates and results of preliminary economic assessments, prefeasibility studies and feasibility studies on our projects, if any, our experience with regulators, and positive changes to current economic conditions and the price of gold. When used in this press release, the words "optimistic," "potential," "indicate," "expect," "intend," "hopes," "believe," "may," "will," "if," "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. These statements 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 statements. Such factors include, among others, uncertainty of resource and reserve estimates, uncertainty as to the Company's future operating costs and ability to raise capital; risks relating to cost increases for capital and operating costs; risks of shortages and fluctuating costs of equipment or supplies; risks relating to fluctuations in the price of gold; the inherently hazardous nature of mining-related activities; potential effects on our operations of environmental regulations in the countries in which it operates; risks due to legal proceedings; risks relating to political and economic instability in certain countries in which it operates; uncertainty as to the results of bulk metallurgical test work; and uncertainty as to completion of critical milestones for Mt Todd; as well as those factors discussed under the headings "Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed on February 22, 2017 and other documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information; whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Vista Gold Corp. Related Links http://www.vistagold.com "I am honored to partner with an organization like PASE that is working to provide New York City children with access to the resources and opportunities they need to meet their potential," said Walsh. "Supporting programs that integrate STEM, including math and financial literacy skills, into students' everyday activities is a focus of our philanthropic efforts at Voya, and it is a privilege to play a role in such a meaningful effort." Census data shows that nearly one-third of all New York City children live in poverty, and that quality afterschool programs can increase a young person's academic performance, support their social and emotional development, and promote health and wellness. Through PASE, more than 500,000 local children and young adults in low-income communities are provided a safe and enriching environment via afterschool programming. "PASE champions afterschool programs that play a critical role in helping kids thrive in school, and later in life," said PASE Executive Director Alison Overseth. "A key component of our organization's success is engaging corporate leaders like Trish, who support our mission and work with us to help every child receive the opportunities they deserve." In her role as chief legal officer, Walsh oversees all aspects of Voya's Law, Compliance and External Affairs department, serving as an advisor to senior management and the board of directors on legal, compliance, securities and corporate governance matters. Walsh also serves on Voya's Executive Committee. She began her career with clerkships at the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She received her bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College, a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America's Retirement Company and its mission to make a secure financial future possible one person, one family, one institution at a time. Media Contact: Nicole Vasile Voya Financial Cell: (860) 839-1589 [email protected] About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $505 billion in total assets under management and administration as of March 31, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible one person, one family, one institution at a time Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya. SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc. Related Links http://www.voya.com "Our goal is to help more sponsors and ultimately their employees stay on the right path to financial well-being," said Charlie Nelson, CEO of Retirement for Voya Financial. The Retirement Check-Up Report is the follow-up to a Voya whitepaper entitled "Using Decision Styles to Improve Financial Outcomes Why Every Plan Needs a Retirement Check-Up." The paper was written by behavioral economist Dr. Shlomo Benartzi, UCLA Anderson School of Management professor and a senior academic advisor to Voya's Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation. "For the first time, employers can measure whether or not participants are engaging in a reflective thought process when making important decisions about their retirement plan," noted Dr. Benartzi. By looking at the digital behaviors that lead to certain savings rates and investment choices, employers are able to obtain a unique view of their plan that they've never had before. "If a plan's average replacement income rate appears to be off track based on its Report score, this can help the employer evaluate its options to get back on course, including a plan re-enrollment strategy," added Nelson. The whitepaper examined how people make decisions using two different styles "instinctive" (quick and without much thought) and "reflective" (slow and deliberate). Applying this to the digital environment, Voya was able to study and categorize the decision styles of retirement plans1. An index scoring system the Reflection Index was developed by looking at three dimensions of activity: 1) whether participants paid attention online; 2) whether they gathered additional information; and 3) whether they made any trade-offs.2 Through this research, Voya found a significant correlation between a plan's Reflection Index score and the average projected retirement income of its participants. A plan that had more instinctive decision-making participants was far more likely to have lower aggregated projected replacement income (below a 70% goal). Voya's analysis found 90% of plans were "off track" in terms of projected income and were categorized as being "instinctive" due to their participants' digital decision-making styles. Other research has shown many individuals don't take action to change their savings rates or re-balance their accounts once they enroll in a plan3. The new Check-Up Report can serve as a tool to help plans learn when to "course correct" and consider plan re-enrollment. Get a Score, Set a Course Correction For thousands of Voya plan sponsors4 and the millions of participants they represent, Voya can create a unique Check-Up Report score report that lets an employer measure whether its plan, in the aggregate, is instinctive or reflective based on the digital activity of its participants. With more consumers making financial decisions on screens, phones and mobile devices including choices about retirement savings the need to pause and take time to course correct has never been greater. "The good news is that even if a plan is not on the right path, there are a number of well-tested and readily available options a sponsor can consider to create a healthier plan," added Nelson. "From auto-enrollment and auto-escalation features to re-enrollment strategies and better employer matching and default options, these tactics are generally easy to implement. Plan advisors can also use this as a tool to deepen relationships and continue to add value to a sponsor." Voya clients that are interested in a Retirement Check-Up Report can work with their plan advisor or relationship management contact to discuss how to turn these options into a successful action plan. More information is available at Go.voya.com/reflectionindexvideo. To stay current on the latest research findings from the Voya Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation, please visit Voya.com/behavioralfinance. 1. Voya data from 428 plans with more than 25 participants. Participants with an annual salary below $20,000 or projected income replacement above 200% were excluded. Plans with an average Reflection Index below/above 2.0 (out of 3.0) are categorized as "Instinctive Decisions" / "Reflective Decisions." In addition, plans with an average income replacement below/above 70% are categorized as "Not on Track" / "On Track." 2. Details on the three dimensions are as follows: 1) Attention did they log into the website or mobile app within past year? 2) Information gathering did they click on projected retirement income to learn more? 3) Making trade-offs did they explore different savings rates, retirement age or rates of return? 3. One working paper study found that more than 70% of participants had not re-balanced their accounts during a ten-year period and nearly 50% had not changed the allocation of their contributions: "How Do Household Portfolio Shares Vary with Age?" (John Ameriks and Stephen P. Zeldes, September 2004, Columbia University). A Voya study of approximately 60,800 auto-enrollees between 2014 and 2016 found only about 5,500 (9%) made a fund change since being auto-enrolled. 4. Certain data is needed to produce a Reflection Index report. Plans must have at least a 12-month history with Voya based on one of the Index dimensions, and also must have more than 25 employees in plan with salary data. They must also have myOrangeMoney participant website functionality turned on to measure digital engagement. Media Contact: Joe Loparco Voya Financial Office: (860) 580-2677 Cell: (860) 462-6525 [email protected] About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $505 billion in total assets under management and administration as of March 31, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible one person, one family, one institution at a time Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya. SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc. Related Links http://www.voya.com PHILADELPHIA, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate Analytics, the global leader in providing trusted insights and analytics that accelerate the pace of innovation announced that it is the exclusive data provider to ShanghaiRanking Consultancy (formerly Shanghai Jiao Tong University)'s global ranking of world universities in academic subjects, released today. The additional bibliometric data for the ranking came from InCites, an integrated web-based platform powered by the Web of Science. It allows for a more granular and more comprehensive report than in the previous eight years. Considered one of the most unbiased and influential rankings in the world due to its academic rigor, the 2017 ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects includes 52 subjects, an expanded and more detailed look at subject areas, compared to previous years. The subjects are organized across five broad categories including natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, medical sciences and social sciences. "By using the InCites metrics from Web of Science, alongside other criteria for academic excellence nominated by top scholars, we were able to rank more than 4,000 global universities by academic subject," said Dr. Cheng Ying, Managing Director of the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. "These different indicators are logically related and may be considered converging partial indicators that when combined provide robust and reliable evidence of research influence and standing." Highlights from this year's report feature the United States capturing the number one spot in all six medical sciences subjects, as well as taking 32 of the top subject positions overall, with China following the US and capturing eight of the top subjects in the engineering category. And, according to David Pendlebury, senior citation analyst with Clarivate Analytics, "It is significant that different Chinese universities obtained top positions in engineering subfields, showing that research excellence and impact in this broad area is dispersed across the nation and not concentrated at a single premier institution." Pendlebury continued, saying that "Singapore's Nanyang Technological University continues to show impressive improvement in its research impact and has now plainly secured world-class status in a number of fields. In the recently released Reuters ranking of Asia universities according to innovation (utilizing publication and patent citation data compiled by Clarivate Analytics), NTU jumped 10 places in rank, from 35th worldwide to 25th, 2016 to 2017." "We are pleased to partner with ShanghaiRanking Consultancy on this ranking as we know that navigating volumes of data is an ongoing challenge for institutions, funders and governments," said Emmanuel Thiveaud, VP, head of research analytics at Clarivate Analytics. "Rankings that leverage our unbiased and precise analytics can help these organizations cut through the clutter to radically reduce the time it takes to find the answers they are seeking." Clarivate Analytics Clarivate Analytics accelerates the pace of innovation by providing trusted insights and analytics to customers around the world, enabling them to discover, protect and commercialize new ideas faster. Formerly the Intellectual Property and Science business of Thomson Reuters, we own and operate a collection of leading subscription-based businesses focused on scientific and academic research, patent analytics and regulatory standards, pharmaceutical and biotech intelligence, trademark protection, domain brand protection and intellectual property management. Clarivate Analytics is now an independent company with over 4,000 employees, operating in more than 100 countries and owns wellknown brands that include Web of Science, Cortellis, Derwent, CompuMark, MarkMonitor and Techstreet, among others. For more information, please visit clarivate.com. Media Contact Heidi Siegel Clarivate Analytics Director, External Relations +1 215 823 5646 (o) +1 215 356 4504 (m) [email protected] SOURCE Clarivate Analytics Related Links http://www.clarivate.com ATLANTA, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WECTU, Ltd. (www.wectu.com) launches an eldercare website serving senior citizens and their family caregivers. Untrained family members can search this website to view blogs, podcasts and FAQ's covering health care, living arrangements, legal, financial, tax and intrafamily issues that apply to their specific eldercare situation. Users can also search WECTU.com's national service provider database to find providers close to them or to find providers who make in home visits, thereby eliminating the difficulty of transporting elders to a distant office for an appointment. This combination of eldercare content and a national service provider database with providers that make in home visits creates a one-stop eldercare solution. WECTU.com's service provider database covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, with more than 700K vetted service providers ranging from nursing homes, CPA's, home healthcare agencies, geriatric care managers and attorneys, to clergy, hair stylists, plumbers, pet sitters and lawn care specialists. In total, the database contains over 250 different categories of service providers. Website users can access content covering the topics that family caregivers must address when helping their aging loved ones find answers to their questions, save their family money using WECTU's financial advice, solve family discord issues and help transition their parents from their current home to better living situations. Dr. Gerald Spivak, MD, a Johns Hopkins Hospital hematologist, has underscored the need for a comprehensive eldercare website. "As one who deals with complex medical issues, I am often involved with families who are confronted with both long-term care, palliative and hospice care issues. The WECTU website, which contains information and assistance on a single easily navigable website, is a highly useful resource for families dealing with these types of issues. I feel comfortable referring my patients to WECTU.com." A financial planner dealing with senior citizens also supported the need for the website. Dorothy Schmitt, CEO of the Investment Resource Group, stated, "Over the past 35 years, I have been consulting with families and developing their financial plans. One of the most difficult problem that my clients deal with is long-term care issues. For years, we have needed a single resource where seniors and their families can turn to get both information and a comprehensive list of long-term care service providers. The WECTU website is just such a resource. It is a godsend." About: WECTU, Ltd. WECTU, Ltd., Atlanta, GA, maintains a free, comprehensive national eldercare website that has been designed to be a one-stop solution for family caregivers that are providing assistance to their elderly loved ones and managing their family resources. Contact: NM: Michael C. Hodes CO: WECTU, Ltd. PH: 443.829.4213 EM: [email protected] URL: www.wectu.com SOURCE WECTU, Ltd. Related Links http://www.wectu.com SAN FRANCISCO, June, 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation and Home Matters movement supporters today announced an effort to re-model and refurbish five homes across the country to ensure veterans are able to live in safe and healthy housing. The most recent collaboration between Home Matters and the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, known as Home Matters to Veterans, will include "universal design" elements in the homes to allow the veterans to comfortably age-in-place. With an estimated 10,000 Americans turning 65-years old each day, ageless designs allow people to have more control over how and where they live, enabling them to stay in their homes as they grow older. "While this initiative is just five homes for now, it provides a replicable model of various universal design elements that no matter what budget someone has, can be added to help improve their emotional and physical well-being now and into the future," said Dave Brown, CEO of Home Matters. "Because ultimately home is a quality-of-life issue." Homes in San Francisco, New York City, San Bernardino County, Columbus, GA, and Appalachia will be renovated by Rebuilding Together San Francisco, Rebuilding Together New York City, Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, NeighborWorks Columbus and FAHE, respectively all supporters of the Home Matters movement. Universal design is meant to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The intent of the universal model is to simply life for everyone by making more homes usable by more people at little or no extra cost. For example, some of the universal design elements in these renovated homes will include features such as: step-free entrances; curb-less showers; multi-height work and storage surfaces and more. Home Matters and its partners recently released a universal design Toolkit (as part of the Home Today, Home Tomorrow Design Challenge) with features the participating non-profits will be drawing their inspiration from: http://www.homemattersamerica.com/designchallengetoolkit/ A supporter of the Home Matters movement since its inception, Wells Fargo Housing Foundation is focused on creating affordable and sustainable housing initiatives that serve low-and moderate-income households including for seniors, veterans, and families through community revitalization efforts. "We believe everyone deserves a decent, safe place to call home," said Martin Sundquist executive director of the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. "We applaud this effort by Home Matters to make pointed improvements to each of the homes and meaningful differences for the veterans living in them." More than 40 percent of homeless vets are between ages 31 and 50. Poverty, lack of support from groups or networks, and substandard housing put about 1.4 million veterans at risk for homelessness*. About Home Matters Home Matters is a national movement designed to ensure that every American lives in a safe, nurturing environment with access to education, healthcare, public spaces and community services. A key part of what we are doing is re-defining the American Dream. We believe the New American Dream is a societal commitment to improve and balance quality of life and that Home is our nation's common denominator. We exist to raise funds and build awareness of the need for more affordable homes and better communities across the country. We're a national coalition with over 375 nonprofit, government and corporate partners working hard toward ambitious goals over the next decade. www.HomeMattersAmerica.com About the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation In 2016, the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation donated nearly $20 million in support of affordable housing initiatives serving low-and moderate-income households including for seniors, veterans, and families through community revitalization efforts. Since its inception in 1993, the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation has invested more than $190 million to such efforts, along with mobilizing more than 4.7 million team member volunteer hours to build and rehabilitate nearly 7,100 homes and counting. www.wellsfargo.com/about/wfhf_oview. *http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/homeless-veterans-statistics/2017/02/03/id/651049/ SOURCE Home Matters Related Links http://www.HomeMattersAmerica.com ALBANY, New York, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies at the forefront of competition in the global automotive polycarbonate glazing market, according to a new report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), are Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, Covestro AG, Teijin Limited, and Trinseo S.A. Development of better quality polycarbonate resins and expansion of resin manufacturing capacities not only locally but across geographies is the focus of companies for increasing their market share in the automotive polycarbonate glazing market. According to TMR, the automotive polycarbonate glazing market stood at US$816.1 mn in 2016 in terms of revenue. Expanding at a CAGR of 9.0% between 2017 and 2025, the market is projected to be worth US$1,770.5 mn by 2025. The sunroof segment is expected to be the most attractive application segment between 2017 and 2025, whereas front windshield is expected to display the least market share. This is because major developed countries of the world have regulations that specify only laminated glass for windshield application. Asia Pacific contributed the dominant 40% revenue to the global automotive polycarbonate glazing market in 2016. Benefits of Reduced Fuel Consumption for Vehicular HVAC Systems Favor Market The vast advantages of polycarbonate material over glass in automotive glazing have boosted adoption of polycarbonate glazing in the automotive sector. This includes easy to shape property, better thermal strength, and high impact resistance than glass irrespective of its less weight. Polycarbonate glazing has better design and functional integration than glass glazing. The use of polycarbonate resins is beneficial to the environment as well. The use of polycarbonates reduces vehicle weight, which in turn improves fuel efficiency and reduces vehicle emission. In addition, polycarbonate helps to reduce HVAC load because of which fuel needed to maintain the temperature inside a vehicle is less. Thus, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved and emissions reduced. Get PDF Sample for this Research Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=23351 In particular, in developed countries, stringent regulations in to improve fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions is having a positive impact on the adoption of polycarbonate glazing. For example, in 2011, the U.S. president announced plans for increased fuel efficiency for cars and light-duty trucks by 2025. Stringent Regulations Restrict Use of Polycarbonates in Developed Countries Despite the positive factors, the global market for automotive polycarbonate glazing is restrained by a few factors. For instance, regulatory impact, cost, and material properties of polycarbonates are posing a challenge to the automotive polycarbonate glazing industry. For instance, in the U.S., the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards specifies only laminated glass, tempered glass, and glass-plastic for automotive glazing standards. Therefore, the regulatory environment in major automotive markets such as the U.S., Europe, and Japan specifies laminated, tempered, or toughened glass for automotive glazing. The use of plastics including polycarbonates is restricted in these geographies for automotive glazing. While polycarbonates display high impact resistance than glass in terms of material property, they are not scratch resistant. This requires polycarbonates to be coated with a coating material to make them scratch resistant. This, in turn, increases the cost of automotive polycarbonate glazing restricting their adoption in the automotive sector. Nevertheless, the adoption of polycarbonate glazing is anticipated to rise with the increasing production of electric vehicles and automotive lighting. Panoramic roofs also present opportunity for polycarbonate glazing which will significantly reduce vehicle weight and, in turn, improve fuel efficiency and vehicular emissions. Browse The Press Release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/automatic-polycarbonate-glazing-market.htm The review presented is based on the findings of Transparency Market Research report, titled "Automotive Polycarbonate Glazing Market (Application - Front Windshield, Side Window, Rear Windshield and Sunroof; Vehicle Type - Passenger Vehicles and Commercial Vehicles) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017 - 2025." The global automotive polycarbonate glazing market is segmented as follows: Global Automotive Polycarbonate Glazing Market by Application Front Windshield Side Window Rear Windshield Sunroof Global Automotive Polycarbonate Glazing Market by Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles Global Automotive Polycarbonate Glazing Market by Region - North America The U.S. Canada Mexico - Europe Germany UK France Italy Spain Rest of Europe - Asia Pacific China Japan South Korea India Rest of Asia Pacific - Middle East and Africa (MEA) Turkey Iran South Africa Rest of MEA - Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest of Latin America Top Most Research Reports by TMR: Automatic or Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) Market : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automatic-autonomous-emergency-braking-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automatic-autonomous-emergency-braking-market.html Automotive Filters Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-filters-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend 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. TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. 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 Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Transparencymarketresearch SOURCE Transparency Market Research DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Florida Business Journal has selected Youfit Health Clubs Chief Operating Officer J.J. Creegan as a 2017 "40 Under 40" award recipient. South Florida Business Journal's 40 Under 40 program recognizes outstanding executives under the age of 40 who have a significant impact in their field of expertise, their community and at their companies. This year's honorees were selected from hundreds of nominations and represent some the region's most entrepreneurial and influential young leaders in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. "The entire Youfit family is joining me in celebrating J.J. and this prestigious honor," says Rick Berks, Founder and CEO of Youfit Health Clubs. "I have witnessed him first-hand develop as a professional and he has truly been an integral part of growing this company. His genuine passion for helping people feel better and live better is seen and felt throughout the Youfit brand." Creegan began his Youfit career when he was just 15 years old, working as a part-time employee. From his minimum-wage position, he has risen through multiple management positions, while also earning a dual-degree in Marketing and Management from Florida Atlantic University. Reflecting on his early Youfit experience and his educational background, Creegan created many of the systems and services that exist in the company today. Additionally, he is also responsible for molding strong leaders and engaged teams throughout the company. His efforts have made a lasting impression on individuals, local communities and the fitness industry as a whole. At the time Creegan joined the Youfit team, there were just three locations. Now, the national brand boasts 115 locations extending across 14 states. For more information about Youfit Health Clubs or to find the nearest Youfit location, visit youfit.com, and to view a complete list of the 2017 South Florida Business Journal 40 Under 40 honorees, click here. About Youfit Health Clubs Youfit Health Clubs, founded in 2008, is a chain of budget-friendly fitness centers with over 115 locations across the US, predominantly in the South and Western regions. Youfit was founded by Rick Berks with the aim of creating gyms with a welcoming environment where everyone fits-in at a low price starting at $10 per month. Youfit places a great emphasis on environmental responsibility. Its gym floors are made from Nike Grind and other recycled rubber materials, and each Youfit location practices additional eco-friendly initiatives. For more information, visit www.youfit.com. Media Contact: Jill Trudeau/Kelsey Deese 850.668.6824 [email protected] SOURCE Youfit Health Clubs Related Links http://www.youfit.com With a background in automotive, Mattia wanted to explore owning his own business and believed a franchise offered him that opportunity with less risk. He searched for automotive franchises in his local area, seeking a business that provided a strong brand name, backed by quality products and nationwide warranties, and Ziebart was it. Mattia is eager to jump-start his business by offering his customers a full line of automotive appearance and protection products including Auto Detailing, Window Tint, Rust Protection, Undercoating, Diamond Gloss Paint Protection, Z-Shield Paint Protection Film, Rhino Linings Spray-On Bed Liners, Vehicle Wraps and a variety of car and truck accessories. Mattia's goal is to provide Sterling Heights, MI and surrounding areas, with quality automotive appearance and protection services. "We are very excited to bring on the passion, spirit and excitement of Mattia and his team, and we are confident this Sterling Heights, MI store will have great success," said Thomas E. Wolfe, President/CEO of Ziebart International Corporation. About Ziebart Ziebart International Corporation is headquartered in Troy, MI, representing a global franchise network of vehicle protection and appearance services for over 58 years. The company was founded on Rust Protection in 1959 and operates approximately 400 licensed locations with 950 service centers in 33 countries. Ziebart is the world's leading name in automotive services that renew, protect, preserve, and enhance the appearance of cars and trucks. Ziebart offers a full line of appearance and protection services for both the interior and exterior of vehicles, including Professional Detailing, Window Tint, Z-Shield Paint Protection Film, Vehicle Wraps, genuine Ziebart Rust Protection, and Undercoating, Rhino-Linings Sprayed-on Bed Liners, Truck Accessories, and much more. Visit www.ziebart.com for more information. Contact: Larisa Walega Ziebart International Corporation (248) 837-3941 [email protected] SOURCE Ziebart International Corporation Related Links http://www.ziebart.com If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this 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 Agartala, June 22 : One person was killed and two others were injured when a Kolkata-bound Tripura passenger bus going via Dhaka collided with a car in Bangladesh, a transport official said here. "The Maitri passenger bus crashed into a Bangladesh government vehicle near Petrapole-Benapole border (adjacent to West Bengal)," the official said. The victim was the driver of the government vehicle and the injured included a Bangladeshi official. The transport official said the driver of the bus, owned by the Tripura Road Transport Corporation, was arrested by the Bangladesh police. "The passengers of the bus were unhurt. We are also in touch with the Indian High Commission in Dhaka in this regard," the official added. The Indian and Bangladeshi governments have been operating Kolkata-Dhaka, Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala, Agartala-Dhaka, Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata and Kolkata-Khulna international bus services. The Kolkata-Dhaka bus service, the first direct surface communication between the two neighbouring countries, was initiated in July 1999 while the Agartala-Dhaka bus service was launched in September 2003. New Delhi, June 22 : All four JNUSU office-bearers have been barred from meetings of all committees and statutory bodies of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) after a proctorial inquiry was opened against them on charges of "misconduct and indiscipline". According to Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Mohit Pandey, a letter informing him about his suspension was sent on Wednesday evening. Similar letters were sent to other office bearers as well accusing them of disrupting the 143rd Academic Council (AC) meeting on June 16 and proscribing them from attending any future meetings till the inquiry gets over. "The Proctor's office has received a report from the Registrar regarding misconduct and indiscipline... The report and eyewitnesses have accused Pandey of using unparliamentary language, unruly behaviour, unauthorised video recording of Council proceedings," it read. "A Proctorial inquiry committee has been constituted by the Chief Proctor to investigate into this serious issue," it said. The members who were served with the notice, apart from Pandey, are General Secretary Satarupa Chakraborty and Joint Secretary Tabrez Hasan, Vice President Amal P.P. Chakraborty told IANS that all four had been served the same letter. Although the JNUSU is made up of the four office-bearers and around 30 councillors, only the former are entitled to attend statutory body meetings. The JNUSU condemned the varsity administration, calling the inquiry "sheer targetting of student representatives" and an attempt to "silence critical voices". The JNUSU has called for a protest on Thursday on the campus. "True to its dark history, the JNU administration under the leadership of M. Jagadesh Kumar yet again attempted to silence the critical voices where tough and uncomfortable questions were raised by the students' representatives in the 143rd Academic Council meeting," said a statement from the students body. Objections were raised at the June 16 Council meeting by JNUSU members and faculty members over confirming the minutes of the previous meeting. Protests were held by students and faculty members over a clause that limited the number of M.Phil and Ph.D students a faculty member could guide as per the University Grants Commission recommendations. Several faculty members and the JNUSU disapproved the move, saying it would drastically reduce the number of seats in JNU for research scholars. New Delhi : The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) launched a new Star Rating Programme for air pollution on June 5, 2017, World Environment Day. The programme uses smoke-stack emissions data that MPCB is already collecting. But since sampling results are not very comprehensible to the general public, the MPCB is turning these pollution readings into an easy-to-understand Star Rating. Under the new scheme, industries are rated based on the density of fine particulate pollution coming from their smoke stacks. The best performing industries receive five stars. Those with the highest density of emissions get only one star. Industry, government and the public can then log onto the MPCB website to access the report cards for plants in their area. India is making headway to ambitious goals for clean energy, such as solar and wind power. Between 2017 and 2040, India will account for 15 per cent of the estimated $10.2 trillion global investment in power generation. As these technologies get better and cheaper, the costs of going green have fallen. Earlier this year, the cost of solar power (Rs 2.62/kWh) fell below the market price for coal-generated power by the National Thermal Power Corporation, India's largest power utility (Rs 3.2/kWh), as the Guardian reported on May 10, 2017. The cost of solar energy could drop a further 66 per cent by 2040 over current costs, according to the Bloomberg New Energy Outlook 2017 report. Yet, progress in technology alone will not be enough for industry to take up cleaner growth. Maharashtra knows the benefits and the by-products of growth. For instance, the heavy industry centre of Chandrapur is ranked the most polluted city in India as of 2016 with an air-quality index (AQI) of 824. The MPCB regulates industries in Maharashtra and requires advanced control technology. What more can be done to bring this pollution down? In an area as thick with cement, power, and other heavy industries as Chandrapur, it is hard for the public to know the answer to this question. The Maharashtra Star Rating Programme is the first government-led initiative in India that makes data available from approximately 20,000 industrial stack samples over multiple years. An easy and accessible way to inform residents of Maharashtra about the industry emissions around where they live and work, the programme has the added benefit of infusing transparency and accountability into the system. Such transparency can bring about change in two possible ways. First, by making citizens more informed about the sources of pollution in their communities, citizens can then call for action. And second, by giving industries information on their pollution emissions, they may discover inefficiencies in their system and opportunities for improvements such as installing new technologies. It could also instil some healthy competition. There's a growing literature in behavioural economics that suggests that knowing what your peers are doing can be an important source of change. So, industries may see how their performance compares to others and be motivated to improve. Along the way, they could also learn from each other's success. Since the MPCB already collects high-quality data on industrial air pollution emissions on a regular basis, the programme has practically no cost with possibly limitless returns. This innovative policy effort builds on successful technology efforts MPCB has created and championed, such as the mandating of Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) for high pollution potential industries. In providing access to real-time pollution data, CEMS, like the Star Rating Programme, encourages self-regulation by improving data transparency and quality of information. The Star Rating scheme is a new kind of regulation in India. It sets ambitious targets for industries, aside from only heaping on penalties. It also informs the broader public to encourage calls for action. Similar programmes have launched before, such as the Program for Pollution Control Evaluation and Rating (PROPER) in Indonesia, the United States Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), India Centre for Science and Environment Green Rating Programme, and AKOBEN in Ghana for rating the environmental performance of industries in the mining sector. However, the Maharashtra Star Rating Programme will be the first ever programme released by a government regulator to provide industry ratings across sectors on particulate matter emissions. A coalition of researchers from J-PAL South Asia, the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), and Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) at Harvard Kennedy School will assist the state government in evaluating this programme and tracking its success, which ultimately relies on how industries respond to this information being made public. The effort has the potential to become a global model for how star-rating schemes can function successfully. (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. Greenstone is the Milton Friedman Professor in Economics, the College, and the Harris School, as well as the Director of the Energy Policy Institute at University of Chicago (EPIC). Pande is the Mohammed Kamal Professor of Public Policy and co-director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) at Harvard Kennedy School. Ryan is Assistant Professor of Economics at Yale University, and Sudarshan is India Director for EPIC). London, June 26 : British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday reached a supply and confidence deal with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), enabling her to form a functioning minority government in London. The deal comes after two weeks of talks between the DUP and May's Conservatives since the June 8 general election resulted in a hung Parliament, reports the BBC. The DUP's 10 members of Parliament will back the Conservatives in key Commons votes, starting with the Queen's Speech later this week, but there will be no formal coalition. The DUP has claimed the UK government has agreed to improve the treatment of military veterans in Northern Ireland as part of the agreement, but played down reports that it had sought 2 billion pounds in extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for its support. May shook hands with DUP leader Arlene Foster as she and other senior party figures arrived at Downing Street earlier on Monday to finalise the accord. Foster said she was "delighted" with the arrangement and that May believed the deal was a "very good one" and the parties "share many values", the BBC reported. May fell nine seats short of an overall majority after the snap election, meaning she is reliant on other parties to pass legislation, including Brexit terms. The support of the DUP will give her an effective working majority of 13. New Delhi : Experts and environmentalists have criticised Bangladesh's environment agency for its decision to declare four dying rivers around Dhaka as ecologically critical areas (ECA). The department of environment (DoE), which can declare any area as ecologically critical according to the 1995 Environment Conservation Act, has drawn the flak after Environment Minister Anwar Hossain told parliament on June 7 that the government has been working on the management of the rivers -- the Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakhya -- considered lifelines to the 16 million people in the capital. "Now we are working to save the rivers; hopefully this will be possible," Rafiqul Islam, a deputy director of the DoE, told thethirdpole.net. But many do not agree with the decision, saying that it is too little too late. "What is the sense to declare the rivers as ECA? They died more than 20 years ago," Amanat Ullah Khan, a geography professor at Dhaka University, told thethirdpole.net . "The land grabbers choked the rivers. The water is no more water. This is nothing but whims." He said before declaring them as critical, the government should have stopped dumping of thousands of tonnes of untreated sewage into these rivers. "How can the government ask industry owners to stop polluting the rivers before they do the same?" he asked. Dhaka is more than 400 years old, but the government is yet to install an environmentally sustainable sewerage system. Instead, sewerage and storm water is dumped into the four rivers. The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) can treat only 20% of the city's sewerage, Abul Hasanat Abdullah, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on local government ministry, told thethirdpole.net . The remainder goes to the rivers and water bodies, he said. Local polluting textile and tannery industries dump untreated industrial effluents into the rivers. Worse, powerful and influential people have gradually taken over the river banks and basins to set up factories as industrial land ran out. Originally a 500-metre wide river, the Buriganga was once rife with dolphins and fish. Today, it is just three metres wide in some places; land grabbers dumped sand and garbage into the river to make industrial plots while law enforcement and public servants turned a blind eye. This uncaring attitude of the authorities has resulted in the destruction of the rich biodiversity and fish resources. Navigation facilities are almost blocked. The four dying rivers are now synonymous with a bad stench - it's hard to walk along them without pressing a handkerchief to the nose. The water of the Shitalakhya river look red, blue, green and black. The textile and dyeing factories dump highly toxic effluents into the river, and hundreds of stone crushing machines roar along the rivers banks. The stone-powder and particles make the whole area cloudy and ,ultimately, they end up in the river, raising the river bed. The Turag gasps with wastewater from hundreds of the textile factories located along its bank, but the condition of the Balu is even harder to imagine: its water looks like burnt lubricating oil drained out of a motor engine. Dhaka Wasa is the culprit, Abul Hasanat Abdullah, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on local government, told thethirdpole.net . Two months ago, the parliamentary watchdog discussed Dhaka's wastewater management and recommended that treatment plants be installed in the capital. A DoE study found that the tannery industry accounts for 35 per cent of pollution of the Buraganga, while Dhaka Wasa was responsible for the same amount of pollution in the four rivers, Sultan Ahmed, a DoE director, said. But the booming textile industry, which dumps huge volumes of liquid effluents into the rivers, is Bangladesh's top polluting industry. At least 300 tannery factories dump untreated waste, including poisonous heavy metals. The increasing use of polythene bags, used crisps packets and plastic bottles is also of concern; the bed of the Buriganga is said to be covered by a 10-feet layer of polythene bags. Only around 40 per cent of industries in Bangladesh had effluents treatment plants (ETPs) and 10 per cent were in the process of constructing them, according to a 2009 survey conducted by the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies -- the latest research available. This means that waste from half of the country's industries was ending up in rivers untreated. "When an area is declared an ECA, it means that the very existence of the area is under threat," environmentalist Ainun Nishat says, adding "The ECA is declared to save the place from total destruction, to restore its biodiversity and environment." To do that you have to stop the sources of pollution and stop physical encroachment, said Nishat, an expert on South Asian rivers. "If executed properly, an ECA can be saved from destruction. We have done it outside Dhaka and the outcome was encouraging, he said. Sultan Ahmed said the government had already started relocating the tannery industry from the banks of the Buriganga. "Within the next six months, all tannery factories will be shifted to a new place in Savar," he said. "All factories must have ETPs there, then we can stop 35 per cent of pollution from the tannery industry," he said. (In arrangement with thethirdpole.net. Views expressed are those of thethirdpole.net. Feedback at information@thethirdpole.net) New Delhi, June 27 : The Congress party on Tuesday criticised the Centre for not objecting to the phrase "Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir" used by the US government in its order designating Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist, and accused the Modi government of "pseudo nationalism". "Shocking that the US government order on Syed Salahuddin refers to 'Indian Administered Jammu & Kashmir'. No protest from Modi Sarkar. Complicit sell-out?," Congress spokesperson Randeep S. Surjewala said in a series of tweets. "Modiji and BJP drumbeat and preach 'Pseudo Nationalism' everyday. India asks - why have you accepted US phrase of 'Indian Administered Jammu & Kashmir', read another tweet. The US government on Monday, just ahead of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, passed an order proclaiming Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Part of the text cited by Surjewala as the US government Order, read: "Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior HM (Hizbul Mujahideen) leader, HM has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people." The Congress leader also flayed the government for its "chest-thumping". "Empty chest thumping, false bravado and captive TV studio warfare by BJP government cannot hide its failures in compromising national security. "Terrorism should never be politicised and a collective effort is needed to eradicate it, which should be sans partisan considerations," he said. He listed previous such labelling of terrorists by the US government during the Congress-led UPA tenure. "On Aug 6, 2010, Pakistan based Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI) was declared a designated terrorist organisation by the US... by UPA's efforts," Surjewala said. He mentioned similar designations accorded to terror outfits like Indian Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba after terror attacks on Indian soil in 2011 and 2012. "Heavy sanctions" were imposed against Dawood Ibrahim only after a motion by the UPA government, he pointed out. The Hague, June 27 : India and the Netherlands on Tuesday signed three agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on water cooperation, following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Premier Mark Rutte here. "#IndiaNetherlands sign MoU on Cultural Cooperation, MoU on Water Cooperation and Agreement on Amending Social Security Arrangement," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted. Earlier in the day, Modi arrived here on the third and final leg of his three-nation tour that also took him to Portugal and the US. India and the Netherlands are marking the 70th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic ties this year. Rio De Janeiro, June 27 : Brazils Attorney General has formally accused President Michel Temer of corruption, making him the first sitting President in Latin Americas largest nation to face criminal charges. Attorney General Rodrigo Janot charged the President on Monday with accepting bribes, the first of a series of formal graft charges against the leader in the coming weeks. Janot's accusation is the latest salvo in an intensifying showdown between Temer and justice officials, who are building a corruption case that reaches to the highest levels. The case now goes to the lower Chamber of Deputies in Congress, which must decide whether it has merit. If two-thirds of the legislature decides that it does, then the President will be suspended for up to 180 days while a trial is conducted. House Speaker Rodrigo Maia, an ally of Temer, would be President in the interim. New Delhi, June 27 : Congress-led opposition candidate Meira Kumar on Tuesday said the presidential election is being fought on the basis of ideology and not caste and expressed pain at only the caste of her and ruling NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind being discussed, but not their achievements and qualities. In her first press conference after being nominated the opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, a Dalit, lamented that for the first time caste was being made an issue in the election to the country's top constitutional post. "Why should caste be an issue in the Presidential election?" the former Lok Sabha Speaker wondered, a day before she files her nomination papers. "This election is being fought on the basis of ideology, and not caste. Would you want the election for the highest post to be fought on the basis of caste? The prestige of the post would end the day we think in this manner. We will fight on the basis of ideology," said Kumar. Kumar announced she will start her election campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on June 30. "You get a lot of strength when you go there (Sabarmati Ashram). That's why I am going there," said Kumar. She will also visit all states and meet the MPs and MLAs there, who are part of the electoral college. Kumar, daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister and prominent Dalit leader Jagjivan Ram, reiterated that she espouses the values of social justice, freedom of speech, inclusiveness and abolition of caste system and would fight to uphold these. "Many times in history, two high caste leaders have competed for the post of the President but there havn't been any discussions on their caste. This time, when two Dalits are competing against each other, there is a lot of noise about it everywhere. I feel that caste should be buried in the deepest part of the earth and completely forgotten. Our society should progress," she said on being asked about two Dalits leaders being fielded for the top constitutional post. "This reflects the true picture and truth of the society. I can make out clearly how the society thinks in 2017. The achievements and qualities of the candidates were not discussed, but their caste was. "Whatever is happening is very painful. This reflects the mindset of the society," said Kumar, a former IFS officer and five-time Lok Sabha MP. On recent cases of violence against Dalits, Kumar said: "We should hang our heads in shame even if there is one incident of violence against Dalits or weaker sections. This is not just my fight. This is everyone's struggle." Asked about caste bias within opposition parties with BSP Chief Mayawati saying she would support only if a popular Dalit candidate was chosen, Kumar said: "This is the election to the highest position in the land. Although the process of election is political, the post itself is apolitical." "For this post, there should be no one-upmanship of caste. I don't think the caste identification should play a role," she added. "That is why it has become imperative that I should appeal to the voice of consicence," Kumar said on being asked if appealing to the collegium seeking their support was relevant. On NDA leaders including M. Venkaiah Naidu saying there was no need to bring ideology in the contest, Kumar said: "You mean to say that ideology will not have a role in the election of the highest post? How can there be an election free from ideology which is for the post of the President." "Democratic values, social justice, transparency, freedom of speech, inclusiveness, destruction of caste system, end of poverty... these are part of the ideology which is close to my heart. For this very reason, on the plank of this ideology I will compete," Meira Kumar added. Expressing her gratitude to the 17 political parties for selecting her as their presidential candidate, Kumar said she has requested all the members of the Electoral College to support her candidature in a letter she wrote two days back. Asked about External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's tweet targeting her, Kumar said: "On the last day as Lok Sabha Speaker, leaders from every political party delivered their speeches. Everybody, without any bias, both from opposition and the treasury benches, appreciated my work. Nobody made allegations that my style of functioning was biased." About allegations against her of not paying rent of her house, She said: "These are baseless and have been done to tarnish my image." Asked if the election was a losing battle for her and that she has been made a scapegoat, Kumar said: "Why are you calling it a losing battle, do you know for sure? I am fighting and might as well fight." Asked if she would meet NDA leaders and its allies like the Shiv Sena, Kumar said: "I'll take a decision on this at the appropriate time." "I have written to everyone, every member of the Electoral College and sought their support," she added. New Delhi, June 27 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought to know from the civic bodies how the work of safai karamcharis can be better monitored and regularised. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar stated that it had received a complaint of inefficiency, incompetency and non-punctuality of safai karamcharis, and suggested installing a bio-metric attendance system. "The issue can be solved if you (civic agencies) use either a bio-metric attendance system or instant messaging application like WhatsApp to ensure the presence of safai karamcharis for cleanliness in the areas they are deputed," said the bench. The bench also said that there were a sufficient number of safai karamcharis with the civic agencies and still the city's roads were piled high with garbage. The court said if safai karamcharis did not perform their duties properly, action should be taken against them or their supervisors. "If there is no removal of garbage, it means there is lacuna in your orders of assigning work to the safai karamcharis or they don't work," observed the bench. It added: "We need to streamline the process of garbage collection and disposal. You regulate their working hours...there will be a visible difference between Delhi of today and tomorrow." The bench also slammed the government and the civic bodies for regularising unauthorised colonies, saying: "Start balancing the right to shelter and the right to life of others. Your are ruthlessly regularising unauthorised colonies." The court also asked the authorities to create an awareness programme and educate the people of Delhi to overcome such a situation. It also asked the Delhi government to inform it about the funds they had been releasing to the three corporations for making payment to the safai karamcharis. The court will hear the matter again on Tuesday. The high court had taken suo motu cognizance of an ABP News channel's report highlighting lacunae in the manner in which the East Delhi Municipal Corporation is doing garbage cleaning in the areas under its jurisdiction. The court had asked the channel to conduct random inspection on garbage removal and disposal in Delhi and submit a report. The high court has also been hearing public interest litigations claiming that both government and civic agencies had not taken preventive steps against vector-borne diseases such as chikungunya and dengue. Previously, the government and civic bodies had told the court that they had taken all steps to prevent these diseases. New Delhi, June 27 : Human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi on Tuesday returned the National Minority Rights Award as a protest against recent lynching incidents and said there is an atmosphere of fear and terror pervading in the country. Hasmhi was conferred the award in 2008 by the National Commission for Minorities. She blamed the Centre for the situation and said that "under the present government, the marginalisation of minority groups has become the norm". She said that there is not only a "deafening silence from this government" but it also "openly connives in encouraging the mob lynching and attacks on minorities". She also targeted the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) for not playing an active part in ensuring the dignity, security and constitutional rights of the minority communities. She criticised the commission head's controversial statement saying all those in India who celebrated Pakistan's Champion's Trophy victory should go to that country, or better still "be deported there". "National Commission for Minorities and the present government has failed in providing even a semblance of dignity and security to the minority communities," she said. In a letter to NCM, she said: "I return the National Minority Rights award given by the National Commission for Minorities, which has lost all its credibility, in protest against consistent attacks and killings of the members of the minority communities and total inaction, apathy and tacit support to the violent gangs by the government." "Lynching has become the unaccountable way of outsourcing state violence to strike fear in minds of minorities," the activist said. "Even before the community can mourn its dead, the next incident takes place. There is an atmosphere of fear and terror." There have been several incidents of lynching over the past two years, starting with a man in Dadri of Uttar Pradesh in 2015 whom a mob accused of storing and consuming beef. In April, a dairy farmer was killed after attack on him in Alwar district of Rajasthan by self-styled cow vigilantes. Last week, a teenager was attacked by a group and killed while travelling in a train from Delhi to Haryana. Dublin, June 28 : New Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar held separate phone talks with US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May, the media reported. In mid June, the Dail Eireann, Lower House of Irish parliament, voted to elect Varadkar as taoiseach (Prime Minister), making him the youngest taoiseach in the history of the country at just 38 years of age. In talks with US President Trump on Tuesday, both discussed migration, Brexit, climate change, free trade, and the undocumented Irish people in the US, Xinhua news agency cited a statement from the Irish government. They also discussed the peace process in Northern Ireland, the statement said. During their talks, Trump congratulated Varadkar on his recent election and invited the taoiseach to attend the annual St. Patrick's Day events in Washington next March. They agreed to continue strong cooperation between Ireland and the US on economic issues, shared culture, and family ties. The Irish government statement said Varadkar also held a call with British Prime Minister May. The two Prime Ministers discussed the ongoing efforts to restore the executive in Northern Ireland ahead of Thursday's deadline, and the supply and confidence agreement between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). On Monday, the DUP, a unionist political party in Northern Ireland, signed an agreement with the Conservatives to support May's minority government. Rio De Janeiro, June 28 : Brazil's President Michel Temer dismissed charges pressed against him as based on "supposed illicit evidence", the media reported. In a speech on Tuesday where he was accompanied by numerous lawmakers and ministers, Temer said he was "minimally concerned" about the charges presented to the Supreme Court (STF) by prosecutor-general, Rodrigo Janot, as they were "a work of fiction". "I am not impressed with the lack of legal foundations, as I was a lawyer for over 40 years. I know when there are or there are not foundations. From a judicial point of view, I am minimally concerned...I have had a very productive and very clean life. We are victims of this infamy," Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying. Temer also lambasted the allegation that he was "denounced for passive corruption, without ever having received funds, and not having participated in agreements to receive them". "Where is the concrete proof that I received these funds? They reinvented the Penal Code," said Temer. The President targeted Janot for "creating a plot from a novel" and for making "fictional" accusations. Temer made it clear he would not allow anyone to accuse him of crimes he did not commit. "I will continue working for Brazil. I will not run from the battles or from the war we face ahead." Janot filed corruption charges on Monday night against Temer at the STF based on confessions made by executives from meat-packing giant JBS. The STF will have to send the charges to the Chamber of Deputies, which will have to approve them by a two-thirds majority for them to continue. Caracas, June 28 : Armed civilian groups have attacked the Venezuelan Parliament building after a clash between lawmakers and the military police of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), opposition legislator Julio Borges has said. The clash on Tuesday left at least two female members of parliament injured, Efe news quoted Borges as saying. According to the National Assembly's Twitter account, opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano and several reporters were also injured. "Different lawmakers and Assembly personnel saw (GNB) officers entering (the building) with boxes from the National Election Council ... and a clash occurred there between the GNB officers and the lawmakers," Borges said. As a result, the parliamentary session was interrupted. Borges then proceeded to talk with the officer responsible for the institution's security in order to resolve the conflict. However, immediately groups of civilians entered through the doors of the National Assembly building, he said. These people launched fireworks rockets and other materials inside the House, according to some videos published on the social media. The civilian groups have attacked the front of the building and threatened to enter "by force", the opposition said. Lawmakers and workers currently remain locked inside the Parliament, the Chamber's press chief Alicia de La Rosa told Efe. Borges has blamed President Nicolas Maduro for the attack. He said: "Nicolas Maduro... said today that if the ballots are no use, then the violence will be, that if the ballots are no use, then the bullets will be." Borges, however, said that the attack would give "more strength" to parliamentarians to continue fighting for "a democratic and free country". Regarding the boxes from the National Election Council, he indicated that the lawmakers went to see what happened with them, since it was "irregular" to keep such contents in the Legislative building. However, the GNB forces did not allow the parliamentarians to have access to the boxes, Borges said, adding that the troops claimed that the boxes contain data on the validation of political parties. Venezuela has been facing socio-political upheavals which have been exacerbated by waves of demonstrations, both against and in favour of the government, for three months. Some of these demonstrations have become violent, leaving so far at least 75 people dead and about 1,500 injured, according to data from Venezuela's Prosecutor General's Office. Caracas, June 28 : Venezuela's Supreme Court has been attacked by grenades dropped from a helicopter in what President Nicolas Maduro called a "terrorist attack", a media report said. Footage on social media showed a police helicopter circling over the city before shots and a loud bang were heard, the BBC reported. The police officer said to have piloted the stolen aircraft issued a statement denouncing the "criminal government". President Maduro has faced months of mass protests amid a political and economic crisis. The Supreme Court was regularly criticised by the Venezuelan opposition for its rulings which bolster Maduro's hold on power. Earlier on Tuesday, armed civilian groups attacked the Venezuelan Parliament building after a clash between lawmakers and the military police of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), Efe news quoted opposition legislator Julio Borges as saying. Chernobyl (Ukraine), June 28 : The automatic radiation monitoring system at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant here has been hit by a cyber attack and monitoring was being carried out manually, a Ukrainian federal agency said. "Due to the temporary disconnection of the Windows system, the radiation monitoring in the area of the industrial site is being carried out manually," the agency for control of the Chernobyl exclusion zone said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement also said that all "technological systems of the station operate in the normal mode," but that "in connection with the cyber attack, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant website is not working", CNN reported. A number of companies and agencies across Europe reported that they were under cyber attack on Tuesday, including Russian oil and gas company Rosneft and Danish shipping firm Maersk. The source of the attack was not yet clear, the CNN report said. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986 when a reactor exploded. The disaster led to mass evacuations from the area and the creation of a 19-mile uninhabitable exclusion zone around the site. New Delhi, June 28 : Accompanied by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders, opposition candidate Meira Kumar on Wednesday filed her nomination for the July 17 Presidential election, which she termed "a fight of ideology for democratic principles". "From today our fight has begun. This is the fight of ideology. Our ideology is for democratic principles, press freedom, inclusiveness and freedom of expression," Meira Kumar told reporters after filing her nomination at Parliament House here. "We believe in implementing this ideology," she said. The former Lok Sabha Speaker said the "country today stands at the cross roads from where one way leads to the place where there is no one to raise the voice for Dalits and backwards. "While another way leads to the place where there is equal representation for all," Meira Kumar added. Earlier, opposition leaders, including from the Congress and Left, accompanied Meira Kumar for the nomination. They first assembled at Parliament's Gate Number 1 and later left for the Lok Sabha Secretary General's chamber to file the nomination. Besides Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the other leaders present were NCP chief Sharad Pawar, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D. Raja and TMC leader Derek O'Brien. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were also present. RJD Chief Lalu Yadav was not present. Before reaching Parliament House, Meira Kumar visited Raj Ghat and Samta Sthal, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi and her father Babu Jagjivan Ram respectively. Meira Kumar is pitted against NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. Mumbai, June 28 : Producer Saurabh Tiwari has praised the "Ghulaam" actor Param Singh and says that he is the finest and the most disciplined actor. "Param is one of the finest and most disciplined actor I have ever worked with. For every complicated scene, the way he trains himself is remarkable," Tiwari said in a statement. Param is seen essaying the title role in Life OK's show "Ghulaam". Playing the intense character in the show, Param has to do a lot of scenes which requires him to cry and this good-looking actor cries without using glycerine and does all the fight sequence without using a dupe. Param is not only a gentleman in reel life but also real life, says his co-star Ridheema Tiwari. "He is the nicest co-star I can get. I He really respects women and will never cross his lines with anyone. Apart from being a good actor, he is a nicest human being I have come across and definitely my favourite on set," said Ridheema. Param says he strives to do the best he can. "I like doing all the scenes on my own as it gives me self-satisfaction as an actor," he said. Islamabad, June 28 : Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has accused the US of speaking India's language after Washington and New Delhi urged Islamabad not to let its territory be used for cross-border terror attacks. This was a matter of concern, the Dawn newspaper on Wednesday quoted Nisar as saying, after the US and India came out with a joint statement following a meeting in Washington between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also, in the run-up to the meeting, the US State Department designated the Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist and slapped sanctions on him. "It seems as though the blood of Kashmiris in not at all important to the US and international laws relating to human rights do not apply to (Jammu and) Kashmir," Nisar said. He said overlooking "the worst kind of state terrorism" in Jammu and Kashmir had "laid bare the double standards of powers who claim to champion human rights and democratic values". Nisar insisted that Pakistan would not compromise on the rights of Kashmiris and the Kashmiri struggle to secede from India would continue. Pakistan was "firmly committed to providing Kashmir diplomatic, political and moral support", he added. India accuses Pakistan of arming, training and financing separatists fighting Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Sardar Mohammad Masood Khan, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) province in Pakistan, warned that a "Trump-Modi nexus" could spell disaster to regional peace. Sardar Khan, a former diplomat, said the US had always deceived Pakistan and its latest decision was yet another example of it. "The US has never acknowledged Pakistan's sacrifices despite the latter's being a frontline state in the war against terrorism," Dawn quoted him as saying. Khan questioned the justification of the US decision to brand Salahuddin a global terrorist, saying the Hizbul Mujahideen was struggling solely for freedom from India and was neither linked to any terrorist group nor had resorted to any action outside India. Srinagar, June 28 : National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday sought support from legislators of the ruling PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. Accompanied by central minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, Kovind drove to the high security residence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after his arrival here. Mehbooba Mufti and senior PDP ministers and legislators received him. Kovind had an hour-long meeting at the Chief Minister's residence during which he was assured support of all the elected legislators of the Peoples Democratic Party. New Delhi, June 28 : The opposition's presidential candidate Meira Kumar on Wednesday said her ideology of inclusiveness and democratic values has an edge over the ideology represented by NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind. "It is not a personal fight. I have respect for my illustrious opponent and I don't have an edge over him. But my ideology certainly has an edge over his ideology and that I am very sure of. We are genuinely here for Dalits, weaker sections and for women," Meira Kumar said in an interview to NDTV news channel. Asked about the numbers in the President's election -- scheduled for July 17 -- going against her, the former Lok Sabha Speaker said: "No battle is a losing battle, especially if it is fought for the right cause." "I believe in my ideology. I am going to start my campaign from Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi...it's symbolic. I believe in his ideology, I believe in his democratic values, I believe in inclusiveness, social justice, transparency and freedom of press," she said. Earlier in the day, Meira Kumar filed her nomination for the President's election at Parliament House here. Mumbai, June 28 : Smuggler and mafia operative Mustafa Ahmed Dossa, convicted by a Special TADA Court last week for his role in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, died shortly before he was to be sentenced here on Wednesday morning. "He was admitted early in the morning for hypertension, heart and diabetes issues. He passed away under treatment around 2.35 p.m.," T.P. Lahane, Dean of Sir J.J. Hospital, told IANS. Dossa alias Mustafa Majnu is survived by his brother Mohammed Dossa, a co-accused in the same case and absconding from the law, his second wife and four children. Dossa was found guilty of the landing of three tonnes of deadly RDX and AK-56 assault rifles at Maharashtra's Raigad coast weeks before the blasts. He was also accused of attending meetings held in Dubai at his brother (Mohammed Dossa)'s residence. Present at those meetings between December 1992 and January 1993 were absconding mafia don and blasts mastermind Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and Tiger Memon, who implemented the plans. Hailing from Agripada in south Mumbai, Dossa mostly lived as a dapper businessman in Dubai. In early 2003, he was arrested in a local case and was to be deported from the UAE. He decided to come to India and was arrested on March 20 that year after he landed in New Delhi. Since he was missing from the earlier trial of the March 1993 blasts cases, his name was included in the second (current) trial along with other absconding accused who had been arrested, including the deported accused Abu Salem. On June 16, nearly 24 years after the blasts rocked Mumbai, Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap found him and five others guilty in the case. Since the past few days, the arguments for the sentencing was on before the Special Judge. On Tuesday, Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salve sought death penalty for Dossa, contending his (Dossa's) role in the blasts was even more serious than the hanged convict, Yakub Memon. Way back in July 2010, Dossa shot to limelight after he attacked Abu Salem inside the high-security Arthur Road Central Jail premises where they were both lodged. Dossa had pounced on Salem during the morning breakfast regime, slashing his face and neck with a spoon which was reportedly sharpened like a knife. Following that incident, he was shifted to the Taloja Central Jail in adjoining Raigad district. According to informed sources, Dossa was reputed for maintaining a grand lifestyle in jail, getting home-cooked food, regular family visitors and even an attendant to care for his needs -- who reportedly waited outside the jail round-the-clock. The sources said he had a soft corner for Muslim inmates in prison and organized 'iftars' for them during Ramadan, making him a popular figure. Dossa's trial was held along with Abu Salem who was deported from Portugal in 2005, Mohammed Tahir Merchant alias Tahil Takla, Karimullah Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan (all found guilty). Another accused, Abdul Qayyum, was acquitted. Chennai, June 28 : The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has decided to strike work on August 22 against reforms in the banking sector, said a top leader of the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) on Wednesday. "The UFBU meeting was held at Mumbai today (Wednesday). It was decided to launch agitation against reforms, mergers and our other issues," C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA, told IANS. He said it was decided to go on strike on August 22 and two other days in October or November this year. The unions have also decided to hold rallies to press for their demands. The UFBU, comprising nine unions in the banking sector, also urged the Indian Banks Association (IBA) to expedite wage revision and other issues. Chennai, June 28 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it has seized moveable properties worth Rs 1.59 crore of industrialist Pradip D. Kothari under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The ED said in a statement here that it seized the assets during investigations against persons holding foreign assets without proper approvals. According to the ED, FEMA investigations were carried out against Kothari in respect of credit of foreign exchange to the tune of $352,258.25 held in a/c 5091365665 of XENIOS FOUNDATION in HSBC Bank, Geneva, suspected to be held outside India and thereby contravening Section 4 of FEMA. During investigation, it was admitted that amounts were kept in the foreign accounts without proper permission from RBI and without declaring the same to tax authorities, the ED said. According to ED, Kothari could not produce any evidences to show that the said amount was repatriated to India. As per FEMA provisions, an authorised officer can seize amounts in India of equivalent value to the assets held abroad. "Accordingly, Enforcement Directorate, Chennai, seized Rs 1.59 Crores of Pradeep D. Kothari, held in his Demat A/c No. DP ID: IN300484 with Axis Bank Ltd, Mylapore Branch, Chennai, under the provisions of Section 37A of FEMA. Further investigations are in progress," the ED said. Srinagar, June 28 : Three separatist leaders were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday and remained in preventive custody before being flown to Delhi for interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). All three will be flown to Delhi by the NIA. The separatist leaders include Altaf Ahmad Shah, son-in-law of senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, Ajaz Akbar, spokesman of the Geelani-led Hurriyat group, and Mehrajudin Kalwal. They have been lodged in the uptown Rajbagh police station, an officer said. Altaf Shah had been questioned over several days earlier in Delhi. Before their arrests on Wednesday, NIA officials raided the houses of the three leaders. In an expose, India Today TV news channel showed how separatist leaders Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate and Qazi Baba accepted that they had been receiving funds through hawala channels to foment trouble in the Kashmir Valley. The NIA took cognizance of the expose and registered an FIR following which formal questioning of select separatists began. Raids were also carried out at many places in Srinagar, Delhi and Haryana to unearth evidence involving these separatists. After a FIR was filed for receiving hawala funds, Nayeem Khan was suspended by Geelani from his Hurriyat group. Geelani, widely seen as a hardliner, openly backs Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan. The separatists have not made commented on Wednesday's arrests or NIA raids on their houses. New Delhi, June 28 : Major opposition parties are likely to skip the midnight launch of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Central Hall of Parliament on June 30, sources in the parties said. The issue was discussed informally among leaders of the opposition grouping which gathered here for filing of nomination of their Presidential candidate Meira Kumar on Wednesday. The leaders said there appeared to be a lot of confusion and apprehension among various sections of the trading and business community, some of whom are protesting against certain provisions of the new indirect taxation law. Opposition leaders said they would like to keep away from the function which they feel was being planned by the government as a publicity gimmick. "It's not a tryst with destiny but playing with the destiny of people," one leader remarked. Another leader said the general mood among the opposition parties is not to participate. However, the decision has been left to individual parties. CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said: "GST should be in the nation's interest and not for propaganda. The ground work for the roll-out is not ready yet. I am not saying this, but those responsible for preparing the ground work are saying so." Asked about whether the opposition parties would boycott the midnight GST event, Yechury said, "We are not officially boycotting it and not even issuing a whip. The government did not even consult us." The JD-U, which broke ranks with the opposition parties on the President's election, appeared ambivalent on the issue, but indications were that it may attend the June 30 launch. "Bihar is not a manufacturing state. It's a consumer state and is going to be benefitted by the GST. But there have also been widespread protests against the new law. We will sit and decide in consultation with Nitish Kumar (Bihar Chief Minister) whether to attend the launch or not," JD-U Spokesperson K.C. Tyagi told IANS. "But there is some talk of opposition parties planning to skip the launch," he added. The development comes as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the "unnecessary disastrous hurry" on launching the pan-India tax regime will be an "epic blunder" of the Centre, after the demonetisation move. "We are deeply concerned about the GST implementation. After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre. We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the central government is going ahead with the implementation," she said. "Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement the GST have fallen on deaf ears," she said in a Facebook post. New Delhi, June 28 : India has largely remained insulated so far from the massive ransomware attack that started in Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday and was spreading to other parts of world, including Asia, on Wednesday, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said. "We have been taking proactive steps... we have sent out advisories (on the cyber attack and the malware)... India is not much affected at this stage," Prasad said here. He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day National Convention on 'Digitalization: Opportunities and Challenges'. The Shipping Ministry on Wednesday said operations at one of the container terminals at Mumbai's Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) were impacted due to a global cyber attack. According to the Ministry, a private terminal operator at the JNPT was taking steps to address the issue. It was anticipated that there could be bunching of in-bound and out-bound container cargos. "An unforeseen situation has developed at the JNPT owing to disruption in the operations of one of the private terminal operator, APM Maersk," said a Ministry statement. "It has been informed by the private terminal operator that this disruption is a consequence of a worldwide disruption being faced by them because of a cyber attack," it added. The Ministry said the JNPT was taking steps to ensure minimum disturbance to trade, transporters and local citizens. Industry lobby Assocham, however, said that the halting of the container movement at the JNPT, following the global cyber attack, is a big warning as to how India is actually no more insulated from such deadly computer viruses which are unleashed to hit the lifeline of the economy. "The Assocham would urge the government to take a lead in forming a powerful global alliance which could immediately swing into action on a world wide basis, the moment such computer viruses are released for playing havoc," Secretary General D.S. Rawat said in a statement. The government is keeping close watch on the issue, Prasad said. Cyber security experts believe that the new attack was caused by a variant of the Petya ransomware which was unleashed in 2016. It exploits the same vulnerabilities in Windows systems that WannaCry, the ransomware that affected 200,000 people in 150 countries in May, exploited. American computer security software company McAfee has warned that the current attack could be a test run for a much bigger and bolder attack in the future. "We believe that today's events are part of the natural evolution of ransomware technology, but also a test run for a much bigger and bolder attack in the future," Anand Ramamoorthy, Managing Director, South Asia, McAfee, told IANS. "WannaCry took advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, along with an exploit that enabled it to not only spread through a worm technique, but also encrypt files and demand a ransom from its victims. The unique element of Petya is that it builds on the worm-based technique that WannaCry established and added a new element that allows non-vulnerable machines to become infected as well," Ramamoorthy explained. In this latest attack, a ransom note is displayed on infected machines, demanding that $300 in bitcoins be paid to recover files, Symantec Corporation, one of the global leaders in cyber security software, said. "Petya has been in existence since 2016 and differs from typical ransomware as it doesn't just encrypt files, it also overwrites and encrypts the master boot record (MBR). One of the methods Petya uses to propagate itself is by exploiting the MS17-010 vulnerability, also known as Eternal Blue," said Tarun Kaura, Director- Product Management, Asia Pacific Japan, Symantec, one of the global leaders in cyber security software. The attack in Ukraine, which had been the country initially most damaged by this cyber attack, has been halted, according to an Efe new report. Earlier, a Ukrainian federal agency said that the automatic radiation monitoring system at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant had been hit by the cyber attack and monitoring was being carried out manually. But the situation is now "under the full control" of cybersecurity specialists who are working to recover lost data, the government said. Cyber security experts are not sure who is behind the attack. Ukraine earlier pointed the finger to Moscow for everything, despite the fact that there are several Russian state-owned companies and banks among the victims as well. US pharmaceutical giant Merck, the world's second largest such firm, confirmed on its Twitter account that its computer network was compromised on Tuesday in the global attack. The attack also affected Denmark's Maersk shipping company and the French glassmaking and construction materials giant Saint-Gobain. Although the impact of the attack has not yet been as devastating in India as it has been in some other parts of the world, it could still instill fear in some organisations and consumers, who have been the major target of the ransomware attack. "The two back to back ransomware attacks (Wannacry and Petya) will surely bring the required focus on Cybersecurity but at the same time, will also instill fear of the unknown in the minds of millions of Indians who have to put their business transactions online after GST comes into force in a few days," said Nilotpal Chakravarti, Associate Vice-President, Internet & Mobile Association Of India (IAMAI), which aims to represent the entire gamut of digital businesses in India. "Petya is very similar to WannaCry as it exploits the same vulnerability on Windows systems. Organisations that have updated patches for this vulnerability as issued by Microsoft in March 2017 should not have any further impact because of Petya," said Srinivasan CR, Senior Vice President, Global Product Management & Data Centre Services at Tata Communications. Kolkata, June 28 : Accusing Kolkata police of harassment in the name of interrogation, Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel on Wednesday claimed that the case against him was "planted and fabricated". "They are asking me questions that are irrelevant to the case they have summoned me for," Samuel alleged. "From day one I am saying that it is a fabricated, planted and prepared case by Kolkata police. Just one thing I want to tell you that it is the men in uniform who are asking me all these questions," said Samuel, who went to the Calcutta High Court with his lawyer for consultation. Samuel is being interrogated by Kolkata police in connection with an alleged extortion call to a former legislator from Bihar. He was quizzed at the Muchipara Police Station by senior officers of Kolkata police for nearly eight hours on June 22 and was asked to come back for the interrogation on Wednesday. Earlier this month, Samuel was interrogated for three successive days at the police station in connection with the same case. Denouncing the role of the police, Samuel's lawyer Arunava Ghosh said they were planning to lodge a case of police harassment by naming the officers involved in the interrogation. "The officers at Muchipara Police Station are only interrogating him for four minutes and making him sit for the rest of the eight hours. They are saying they have instructions from Kolkata police headquarters - Lalbazar," Ghosh alleged. "We will file a case against them by mentioning who all are there in the interrogation panel. This includes the Officer-in-charge of the Muchipara Police Station and the Assistant Commissioner, who is heading the panel," he added. Police sources said Samuel was being questioned about his alleged connection with a person named Bikram Singh, who made the extortion call to former Bihar MP D.P. Yadav from a Kolkata lodge under the Muchipara Police Station's jurisdiction. According to a FIR lodged at the police station, the former MP was asked to cough up Rs 5 crore if he did not want the alleged footage of him accepting a bribe to be made public. Following the FIR lodged by Yadav in February, the officers raided the said lodge but failed to catch Singh. Police, however, recovered a laptop from there with a picture that resembled Samuel's. Samuel's company Narada News stirred a hornet's nest by releasing a sting video footage days before last year's assembly election in West Bengal that purportedly showed several senior ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and an officer taking cash. On Calcutta High Court orders, the Central Bureau of Investigation is probing the case and has since booked 12 senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including members of Parliament and ministers, and an Indian Police Service officer. Mumbai, June 28 : Indrani Mukerjea, one of the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case and ex-media baron, on Wednesday informed a Special CBI Court that she was beaten up and threatened with sexual assault during the violence in Byculla Jail last Saturday. She was among the prisoners who were protesting the death of a woman life-term convict and jail warden, Manjula Shetye, the previous evening (Friday) after Shetye was brutally hammered inside the jail by some prison staffers. Mukerjea gave her statement before Special CBI Judge J.C. Jagdale, who ordered that she should be taken for a medical examination and later to the Nagpada Police Station to lodge her formal complaint on the incident. Through her lawyer, advocate Gunjan Mangla, she had moved an application before the Special Court on Tuesday following which Special Judge Jagdale directed the prison authorities to produce her in court on Wednesday. In her detailed statement, Mukerjea informed the court how she was threatened, assaulted and badly injured, and how she saw Shetye being assaulted on Friday night. After learning of Shetye's death, Mukerjea said she had even offered to become a witness after a case was registered by the police. However, on the day of the protest, she alleged that the jail superintendent ordered a blackout inside the jail and ordered caning of the female prisoners and even the male officials joined in the charge. On her part, she said she was hit on the hand and legs, and the superintendent allegedly threatened her by saying: "You want to become a witness? We will see you.. We will do the same we did to Shetye." Earlier on Tuesday, advocate Mangla said Mukerjea showed her the bruises and injuries on her hands, legs and head which she sustained during the assault, the verbal abuse and threats of sexual assault for joining the prisoners' protest against Shetye's death. Following Shetye's death, on Saturday morning the angry inmates resorted to a massive protest, some climbed to the terrace of the prison and drew the attention of passersby, some burnt things inside the jail. Later the police lodged a complaint of rioting, attacking public servants, unlawful assembly and other charges against some 200 inmates, including Mukerjea. The prison officials alleged that Mukerjea reportedly instigated the inmates by asking them to go on hunger strike and use their children as 'human shields' when the jail staff tried to stop their agitation. Shetye, 40, was a jail warden serving the last few months of her 14-year jail term for murdering her sister-in-law in 1996. She had complained about some missing ration from the jail food stock on Friday. She was allegedly summoned by a woman jailor and beaten up brutally, according to witness statements recorded by the police. Shetye was rushed to the Sir J.J. Hospital nearby but was pronounced dead on arrival that evening. According to police, she was beaten up and canes thrust into her private parts during the assault by six prison staffers. Shortly after the incident and the outcry, Additional Director-General of Prisons B.K. Upadhyay ordered a probe and suspended six jail staffers against whom there were allegations of misbehavior. Mukerjea is currently undergoing trial for the killing of her daughter, Sheena Bora in April 2012, along with her husband and ex-media tycoon Peter Mukerjea and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna. Her former driver Shyamwar Rai, who was also one of the prime accused, turned an approver last year and was given a pardon by the Special Court. New Delhi, June 28 : Monsoon rains are expected to lash Delhi within two days, it was announced on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that this followed a mixed character of monsoon and western disturbance-induced rains in the national capital on Wednesday. The IMD said while most parts of the country, including central India, south Rajashtan and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar were now under monsoon cover, eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar and the National Capital Region still awaited the onset of monsoon. "Most likely monsoon will be declared in Delhi by tomorrow," an IMD official told IANS. "Based on data, monsoon will be declared tomorrow (Thursday) or a day later (Friday)." The official said monsoon was being delayed in eastern Uttar Pradesh, one of the most dry areas now, due to a cyclonic circulation over north Odisha, which was cutting the easterly winds and moisture towards Uttar Pradesh. "Monsoon will cover all the remaining parts of the country within 24-48 hours. The cyclonic circulation over north Odisha was cutting the moisture till yesterday. Today there was a drop in its activity," the IMD said. Islamabad, June 28 : Pakistan on Wednesday said an India-US joint statement asking Islamabad not to allow cross-border terror attacks from its soil won't help achieve durable peace in South Asia. The Foreign Ministry said the joint statement, issued after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, was "singularly unhelpful in achieving strategic stability and durable peace in the South Asian region". The US-India statement called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory was not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries. It also urged Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of a series of terror attacks "perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups". "By failing to address key sources of tension and instability in the region, the (India-US) statement aggravates an already tense situation," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry said Pakistan had been the primary victim of terrorism in the region and that its contributions and sacrifices in fighting terrorism were un-matched. "We are committed to bring the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion by eliminating this scourge from our soil," it said. "Pakistan expects the international community to unequivocally stand with it in this fight against terrorism." The Foreign Ministry also expressed serious concerns over an US arms deal with India, which it said would disturb military balance in South Asia. The statement came amid reports that a $2 billion sale of unarmed drones to the Indian Navy would be approved by the US government soon. The deal came on the occasion of Modi's visit to Washington. "Pakistan is also deeply concerned on the sale of advanced military technologies to India. Such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia," the Ministry said. New Delhi, June 28 : Hundreds of people, including film stars and social activists, on Wednesday gathered at Jantar Mantar here to protest against the recent incidents of lynching of minorities and Dalits, particularly in BJP-ruled states. Family members of Mohammad Akhlaq, who was lynched by a mob on suspicion of keeping beef in his home in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh two years ago, and others were present at the event organised under the banner of "#NotInMyName" close on the heels of the lynching and murder of 16-year-old Junaid in a train following an argument that turned communal. Carrying banners saying "Not In My Name", activists including Shabana Azmi, Medha Patkar, Aam Aadmi Party leaders and citizens said communal division of the country and lynchings should stop. "Fundamentalists are dividing people... We need to have events like these that create pressure against this trend," Patkar told IANS. Saba Dewan, who started the campaign on Facebook, said: "This is against the systematic violence taking place against Dalit Muslims. The state has done nothing and there is a deafening silence. Pehlu Khan is our brother and Junaid is our son." Another organiser, Bilal said 80 per cent of the victims of lynching were Muslims. A stage was erected with a map of India on it with dots for locations where such incidents have taken place in recent times. At the protest, which was to be a "silent protest", there were songs and speeches calling for communal harmony. The most significant of the lynchings was that of Mohammad Akhlaq in 2015, father of an Indian Air Force personnel, who was killed by a mob on suspicion of beef being kept in his house in Dadri, on the outskirts of national capital. In April 2017, a dairy farmer was killed after being attacked in Alwar district of Rajasthan by self-styled cow vigilantes. Last week, teenager Junaid was attacked by a group and killed while travelling in a train from Delhi to Haryana. Dewan, a Gurugram-based independent film-maker and researcher who has taken the initiative with other social and human right acivists to organise the campaign, said the protest was against lynchings of Dalits and minorities. "These are the people of India, who are saying in one voice that the systemic violence being unleashed against Dalits, minorities and other underprivileged groups is 'Not in My Name'," Dewan said in her Facebook post. New Delhi, June 28 : In a bid to popularise its 'Daawat' brand of rice in Europe, LT Foods on Wednesday commenced operations of its first rice processing plant at Rotterdam, Netherlands, which has been set up with an investment of $15 million. "Company plans to make its most popular 'Daawat' brand a household name in Europe using raw material from India. The move will benefit 5,000 farmer families in India with brown rice supply increasing from India," LT Foods said here in a statement. The development comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to that country, as part of his three-nation tour. Modi and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte held talks on boosting bilateral cooperation during his visit to Amsterdam. The plant has an initial capacity of 60,000 tonnes and scope for further expansion in the future, it said. "This would be our first plant in Europe and we are very excited about the opportunity. The plant would generate new job opportunities in the country and help us expand our geographical footprint across Europe and UK," Vijay Kumar Arora, Chairman and Managing Director, LT Foods said. Ashwani Arora, CEO and Managing Director, LT Foods said, "Europe and UK are critical markets for LT Foods for our future growth and we intend to make deep inroads in these markets by making our most popular rice brand 'Daawat' a household name." LT Foods has collaborated with Rotterdam Partners, The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) for this initiative. The company has already launched 'Daawat' brand in six new countries this year and plans to expand its product offerings and portfolio globally. "LT Foods plans to expand its geographical footprint in important markets of Europe and UK through this plant by increasing its sales from the current 5,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes over the next three years," the statement said. The company would be manufacturing a wide range of rice, including popular varieties like Basmati, Thai, Jasmine and American rice from the new plant, it said. "Rotterdam, which is popularly known as the gateway to Europe will be a critical geographical location as it will give the company easy access to the whole of Europe and UK for its expansion plans," it added. New Delhi, June 29 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday commuted to life term the death sentence awarded to a dacoit Sonu Sardar, guilty of murder of five persons, including two children, in Chhattisgarh in 2004. A division bench of Justice G.S. Sistani and Justice Vinod Goel commuted the capital punishment to life term, saying: "The mercy petition was processed in an extremely cavalier and casual fashion by the state government at all stages, right up to placing the note for the Governor." Sardar, along with his brother and accomplices, had killed five persons of a family, including a woman and two children, during a dacoity bid in Chhattisgarh's Cher village on November 26, 2004. The trial court had awarded him death sentence and the Chhattisgarh High Court had upheld it. The Supreme Court in February 2012 had concurred with the findings of two courts below and affirmed the punishment. His mercy petition was also dismissed by both state government and President of India in May 2014. In February 2015, the Supreme Court had also rejected his review plea. Sardar later moved the high court seeking direction that his death penalty be commuted to life imprisonment on account of delay in deciding his mercy plea as well as for allegedly keeping him in "solitary confinement illegally". Reducing the sentence, the high court said: "The relevant considerations of the mitigating circumstances, recommendation of the Jail Superintendent and the young age of the petitioner were not placed before the Governor, depriving him of the opportunity to exercise his power in a fair and just manner." The court noted that there were "numerous discrepancies and falsities" in the affidavits filed by the Chhattisgarh government. Making it clear that "life imprisonment means (till the) end of one's life", it said: "Further, the incarceration of the petitioner in solitary confinement without any judicial order has run awry of the fundamental rights, and this court, being the sentinel of the Constitution, is bound to intervene and give relief to the petitioner." New Delhi, June 29 : The Congress appears undecided over attending the special midnight function in Parliament house on June 30 to mark the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and a final decision is expected on Thursday, party sources said. They said senior Congress leaders met at the residence of party chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday evening and discussed the issue. They said final decision would be taken by her on Thursday. The Trinamool Congress has already decided not to attend the June 30 midnight programme as a mark of protest against the "unnecessary disastrous hurry" to roll out the pan-India tax regime. Sources said that Trinamool Congress was keen that the Congress also adopt the same course. They said that the move to roll out GST was initiated during the Congress-led government, so the party had to carefully weigh various factors. "We are a bigger party and have to take a decision keeping in mind all factors. Smaller parties have their own considerations," a party leader said. According to the sources, while a section of the party feels that the GST is party's brainchild and the party should attend the meeting even though the BJP is seeking to take credit, another section feels that the party should abstain protesting against the way the tax regime is being implemented. The GST will be launched at a function in the Central Hall of Parliament on June 30. New Delhi, June 29 : President Pranab Mukherjee has summoned the Rajya Sabha for monsoon session from July 17 and it is scheduled to conclude on August 11. "The President has summoned the Rajya Sabha to meet on July 17. Subject to exigencies of business, the session is scheduled to conclude on August 11," said a Rajya Sabha press communique on Wednesday. Officials said it would be 243rd session of the Upper House and the House would have 19 sittings. The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, under the chairmanship of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, had last week recommended holding the monsoon session of Parliament from July 17 to August 11. The first day of the session on July 17 is also the date for polling in the presidential election. Both Houses of Parliament are unlikely to transact any business on the first day on account of the death of sitting MPs - Vinod Khanna (Lok Sabha) and P. Goverdhan Reddy (Rajya Sabha). Vinod Khanna, who represented Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency in Punjab, passed away on April 27. Reddy, Congress' Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, died on June 9. United Nations, June 29 : Secretary-General's Spokesperson has brushed aside a question about Indian NGOs and civil rights organisations criticising the Indian government's alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. "We are aware of the situation," Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday at his daily briefing. "I have nothing more to say than what the Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) himself said during the press conference (last week)." He was replying to a question from a Pakistani journalist if Guterres had any reaction to criticisms by Indian organisations of New Delhi's handling of the Kashmir situation and if he had contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In reply to a question at his news conference on June 20, Guterres gave an oblique acknowledgment that he was engaged in quiet diplomacy to promote a dialogue on Kashmir between Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that he had spoken to Modi twice and Sharif thrice, but did not elaborate on the conversations or on the topic of Kashmir. At several briefings this year, Dujarric said repeatedly that Guterres calls on the parties to to the Kashmir dispute to find a peaceful solution through engagement and dialogue but would not go further into the topic. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) Mumbai, June 29 : Choreographer-director Remo D'souza says he loves to travel, and yearns to go on a bike trip to Ladakh from Delhi. "I believe in going a notch higher each year with my passion and aspirations. While I love traveling, my 'Ek Level Up' would be to go biking from Delhi to Ladakh. It's the most beautiful place the whole wide world and it's my dream to do so since the longest time," D'souza said in a statement. D'Souza is coming with third season of his show "Dance +", and is taking the competition a level up in the show. While talking about the concept of 'Ek Level Up', he said: "It is to challenge your abilities and go a level beyond that. Everybody has their own limitations, the idea is to push these boundaries and test our abilities by doing a little more - a level up of the usual things we do." The show will air on Star Plus soon. Matthew G. Romano, CPA, MST, previously of BlackRock, joins BBD, a boutique audit and tax firm serving the investment management industry Matt's extensive experience with the tax issues related to registered investment companies offers unique perspective on the tax challenges facing our mutual fund and ETF clients BBD, LLP, a boutique audit and tax firm serving the investment management industry, is pleased to announce the addition of Matthew R. Romano, CPA, MST to the firm's growing Investment Management Group. Matt has dedicated his 10-year career in the investment management industry to the tax needs of investment companies. He joins BBD as a Tax Director. Prior to joining BBD, Matt was the Vice President of Tax for Regulated Financial Products with BlackRock. At BlackRock, Matt oversaw all tax requirements for the BlackRock retail mutual funds, iShares ETFs, and other proprietary funds. He also served as BlackRock's liaison to the Investment Company Institute's Tax Committee. Matt understands the current issues and trends related to investment company taxation and has extensive experience with the following: Policies and procedures with respect to the use of tax equalization Tax issues resulting from ownership changes, mergers and liquidations Application of the use of derivatives in managing capital gains distributions Tax issues arising from investments in Notional Principal Contracts and other types of swaps contracts Determining optimal year-ends, distribution policy, fund elections, and other fund-specific tax matters Documenting and evaluating tax positions Primary and secondary fund tax reporting Compliance with the RIC Modernization Act of 2010 and subsequent technical corrections Prior to joining BlackRock, Matt served in investment management tax roles with two national accounting firms. Were delighted to add Matt Romano to the tax team in our Investment Management Group at BBD, said James Kaiser, the firms managing partner. Matt's extensive experience with the tax issues related to registered investment companies, particularly his years of experience working with BlackRocks proprietary funds, offers unique perspective on the tax challenges facing our mutual fund and ETF clients. Matt's insight will add significant value to the tax services we offer to our clients. About BBD, LLP BBD, LLP is a boutique audit and tax firm serving the investment management industry. The firm offers a complete, customized suite of solutions for the investment management industrys accounting, audit and tax needs, including for: Mutual funds and ETFs Private funds Investment advisors and broker-dealers Investment management industry service providers For more information, please visit bbdcpa.com/investment-management. Being in Indianapolis will empower us to develop closer ties to the Interfraternal community so we can impact the lives of even more young men and support our existing brothers. The move will increase operational efficiencies and boost collaboration with the Panhellenic and Interfraternity communities. Sig Tau will be positioned to advance the organizations mission of Building Noble Generations of Men. Sigma Tau Gamma recently announced that it is relocating its national headquarters from Warrensburg, Mo. to Indianapolis in early 2018. The entire Sigma Tau Gamma organization, which includes the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation and the WPN National Housing Company, will acquire and renovate a building that can serve as a central headquarters location for the growing organization. The Sigma Tau Gamma Board of Directors made this decision after a thorough two-year review of many options, including a renovation of the existing Warrensburg location, which was ultimately determined to be cost prohibitive. Ten of its 14 current full-time employees will relocate to Indianapolis with space to accommodate the 30-45 full-time staff the organization expects by 2025. Sig Tau has come a long way in the 97 years since it was founded by a group of World War I veterans seeking to preserve a sense of service, responsibility and brotherhood after the war, said Jonathan Proehl, president of the Sig Tau Board of Directors. But our core mission of creating noble and courageous generations of men remains strong. In fact, weve grown our support of it, adding the Sig Tau Foundation and the WPN National Housing Corporation to the Sig Tau organization. Being in Indianapolis will empower us to develop closer ties to the Interfraternal community so we can impact the lives of even more young men and support our existing brothers. The move will increase operational efficiencies and boost collaboration with the Panhellenic and Interfraternity communities. Sig Tau will be positioned to recruit and retain the employees it needs to advance and preserve the organizations mission of Building Noble Generations of Men. Were extremely excited that we can make this investment in the future of Sig Tau, said the organizations CEO Steve Latour. Outside of the obvious economic and operational benefits, we will have a centrally-located headquarters available to all 3,000 of our brothers, with ample meeting and training space. We will even have a dedicated museum to showcase our history and preserve our artifacts. The strength of our organization is in our history, added Latour. Warrensburg has played a critical role in this history, and we are proud that our Alpha Chapter remains at the University of Central Missouri, where our founders established Sig Tau in 1920. Renovations to the new headquarters are expected to be completed by early 2018. Sig Tau is working closely with leaders in Warrensburg to find ways that leverage the current property for the benefit of the community. ABOUT SIGMA TAU GAMMA FRATERNITY Founded in Warrensburg, Missouri at the University of Central Missouri. On June 28, 2020, the fraternity will commemorate its 100th Anniversary. Today, there are more than 2,500 undergraduate members on 76 college/university campuses in 30 states. There are 60,391 living alumni. The Fraternity is headquartered 60 miles east of downtown Kansas City in Warrensburg, Missouri. Additional information about the fraternity is available at http://sigtau.org/. HolistiCyber, formerly known as Holistic Security International - HSI Global, today announced the introduction of the industrys first cyber security defense services based upon its proprietary nation-state level cyber security defense program, modeling and monitoring expertise. Many large global organizations have already experienced significant success in protecting their critical assets utilizing HolistiCybers advanced cyber security services and solutions. Countries around the world are making significant investments in both cyber defense and cyber offense technologies. These sophisticated and advanced nation-state level attack capabilities are now being targeted to the private sector. In fact, these highly advanced mechanisms of cyber assault are continuously evolving and are available for sale in the Darknet, enabling hackers to become extremely powerful attackers. Current cyber security compliance requirements and industry best practices against such threats are insufficient given the explosive growth and new dynamic wave of available sophisticated cyber-attack tools. HolistiCyber addresses these dangerous threats with a team of Israel Defense Force (IDF) trained nation-state warriors and private sector experts. Our team of experts can enable an ultimate defense by utilizing an advanced Attacker-Oriented Framework, a comprehensive, holistic defense plan, and utilize proprietary technology, modeling and monitoring solutions, said Memy Ish Shalom, President, HolistiCyber. HolistiCyber Services and Solutions HolistiCybers team of world class cyber security experts deliver highly focused, pragmatic and cost effective recommendations to dramatically improve any enterprise cyber security defense plan. These services and solutions include, Holistic Risk Assessment Identify threats (actors, agents) and risks; analyze technology/people/processes; develop custom threat map; provide mitigation recommendations Defense Master Plan Deliver a comprehensive end-to end network/application topology and simulations; defense schema/matrix; Risk heat map; and GAP analysis Defense Implementation Implement controls and priorities; countermeasures; safeguards; and best practice procedures/certifications Monitoring and Response Provide on-going security monitoring; incident management; response team and forensic services About HolistiCyber HolistiCyber, formerly known as Holistic Security International -HSI Global, brings years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Our certified teams are cyber security veterans of the intelligence branch of the Israel Defense Force (IDF). They are world class experts who have served at the front-line of critical nation-state cyber security offensive and defensive operations. Our team of cyber security holistic analysts are people who understand your internal IT staff; can extend their bandwidth; and can perform sophisticated, advanced nation-state level cyber security such as penetration testing and assessments that your busy IT staff does not have the expertise, resources or time to perform. We have become the trusted cyber security advisors to leading organizations globally. HolistiCyber does not stop with cyber security-We deliver nation-state level cyber defense to the enterprise. A study released recently by the Center for Climate Protection and Fosterra Clean Energy Consulting finds that Californias San Joaquin Valley could enjoy significant economic benefits by establishing Community Choice Energy (CCE) programs and pursuing local renewable energy projects. Looking at three countiesSan Joaquin, Fresno, and Tulare Countiesalone, the study estimates that, conservatively, the region could expect to see the addition of approximately 8,400 jobs and $845 million in economic activity from 2019 to 2024, if it were to provide only 10 percent of the regions electricity needs from local solar. The full study can be found at https://climateprotection.org/our-work/reports/ A key finding of the report is that significant local economic benefit is directly correlated with local renewable energy investment. Community Choice Energy agencies introduce choice to customers by bringing competition to a market currently controlled by regulated monopolies. This report is intended to help San Joaquin Valleys policymakers realize the vision of Community Choice Energy as a game-changing jobs-creator and economic powerhouse, said Ann Hancock, the Center for Climate Protections Executive Director. The report evaluates three potential scenarios of local clean energy purchasing as part of a CCE strategy to increase renewable power supplied to residents in San Joaquin County, Fresno County, and Tulare County. For the purpose of its analysis, the primary clean energy technology was assumed to be solar photovoltaic, and the local region included each of the three selected counties, calculated individually and collectively. Under the most optimistic scenario, where 33 percent of power would be generated locally, 27,600 jobs would be created, with $2.02 billion in economic benefits. In the San Joaquin Valley, growth of solar power for both utility-scale and smaller commercial and residential projects has been strong. This report finds that CCEs can accelerate the growth of larger-scale solar installations through a variety of strategies, such as direct procurement of utility-scale projects and feed-in-tariffs. Ismael Herrera, Associate Director of Fresno State's Office of Community and Economic Development said, We are pleased to see this study come out as it offers further support that adopting renewables, in this case via Community Choice Energy, builds economic strength in the Central Valley. Community Choice Energy programs are local programs that buy and can generate electricity for residents and businesses. Created by state law in 2002, a Community Choice Energy agency has the authority to set rates, develop energy assets, and offer energy efficiency programs, along with other services. The distribution utility, PG&E or SCE in the Central Valley, continues to provide transmission, distribution, grid maintenance, metering, and billing for customers. There are currently eight operational Community Choice Agencies in California with eight additional ones launching soon. All told, 28 out of the 58 counties and over 300 cities in California are either operational or are in some stage of evaluating Community Choice Energy. Community Choice Energy programs offer electricity rates that are competitive with investor-owned utilities. In fact, Community Choice rates offered by the Northern California agencies run about two to three percent lower than PG&Es rates. In the first two years of operation, Sonoma Clean Power customers saved $62 million. Community Choice programs also provide greener electricity than their investor-owned utility competitors. MCE Clean Energy supplies 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. For Sonoma Clean Power and Lancaster Choice Energy, it is 36 percent. PG&E is at 29.2 percent. To download a copy of this report, entitled, Community Choice Energy: What is the Economic Impact of Local Renewable Power Purchasing? A San Joaquin Valley California Case Study go to: https://climateprotection.org/our-work/reports/ The Center for Climate Protection is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, June 29 from Noon to 1pm to present the papers findings. Panelists will include Ben Foster, the papers author, and Ismael Herrera, the Associate Director of Fresno States Office of Community and Economic Development. Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/552143236682097922 About the Center for Climate Protection: Founded in 2001, the Center for Climate Protection works with business, government, youth, and the broader community to advance practical, science-based solutions for significant greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Centers mission is to inspire, align, and mobilize action in response to the climate crisis. http://www.climateprotection.org Contacts: Ann Hancock, Executive Director, Center for Climate Protection 707-525-1665, ext. 112 | ann(at)climateprotection(dot)org Woody Hastings, Renewable Energy Manager, Center for Climate Protection 707-525-1665, ext. 117 I woody(at)climateprotection(dot)org Ben Foster, President, Fosterra Clean Energy Consulting 646-250-4241 | ben.foster(at)fosterra(dot)com Customer Experience Examples More often than not, banks orient their application experience around their own internal processes, instead of on what matters most to their customers, often with unintended consequences, said Adam Miller, CX Design Practice Director, Avoka. Avoka, the acknowledged leader in digital customer acquisition for financial services companies, today announced the launch of a Customer Experience (CX) Design program to empower its clients in the retail banking, business banking, and wealth management industries to optimize their digital customer acquisition and onboarding capabilities. The program is the first of its kind, specifically designed for banks engaged in the process of transforming their digital customer experience. Avokas CX Design for Banking program offers financial services institutions the opportunity to take part in hands-on customer experience workshops led by Avoka CX Design Experts. Using insights gathered from customer personas and current-state experience maps, analytics-driven best practices will be applied to evaluate the institutions digital acquisition and onboarding processes. The result is the design of a new, customer-centric application journey to increase account conversions and customer satisfaction. As our recent State of Digital Sales in Banking Report reflects, banks have come a long way in making their products digitally available, but the overall customer experience continues to lag. Banks are not only frustrating their customers, theyre also missing out on millions of dollars in potential sales due to what may seem like small points of friction along the sales funnel. Here we are bringing our knowledge to help banks deliver a great experience, said Derek Corcoran, Chief Experience Officer, Avoka. Avokas CX Design for Banking program will also provide Experience Optimization services to analyze how well a clients applications are currently working, looking for points of friction and potential abandonment. Using data from Avokas Transact Insights analytics engine, targeted design recommendations are then created to help improve application success rates. To lead this new practice area, Avoka has established a worldwide practice, led by veteran CX designer Adam Miller, whose career has included time running experience design projects at Oracle and Citrix, among others. The practice is staffed with CX leaders in all Avoka offices to address customers in North America, Europe and Australia. More often than not, banks orient their application experience around their own internal processes, instead of on what matters most to their customers, often with unintended consequences, said Adam Miller, CX Design Practice Director, Avoka. Banks must switch their mind-sets and adopt customer-centric thinking when it comes to building their digital onboarding and sales processes or risk watching customer loyalty move to the competition. As the only platform provider with a dedicated customer experience design program, we look forward to continuing to share our vision for what a best-in-class application experience looks like, said Miller. The opportunity to work with Avokas CX Design Practice is immediately available. Please go to http://www.avoka.com/avoka-cx-design-program to learn more. About Avoka Avoka accelerates customer-centric digital transformation in financial services and government. Avoka Transact creates seamless omni-channel customer experiences that increase business agility and accelerate customer acquisition. The company was founded in 2002 and has digitized over 100 million transactions for 150+ global clients. Avoka is based in Denver, CO; London, England; Frankfurt, Germany and Sydney, Australia. Visit us at http://www.avoka.com/. We are humbled that our employees felt compelled to communicate their view of the incredible workplace environment we share at Acopia. -Stonie O'Briant, CEO Acopia, LLC has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Tennessean. A clear testament to their exceptional culture, Acopia ranked among the top 10 small companies to receive the award. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few. The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume its all about fancy perks and benefits. says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every daythe employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that whats most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how its going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, Without this sense of connection, an organization doesnt have a shot at being named a Top Workplace. With over 1050 companies nominated throughout the Middle Tennessee region, being named in the Top 10 of any category is quite an honor. Stonie OBriant, CEO of Acopia, LLC, shared what the award means to his company, especially as its an honor bestowed by the employees themselves and a tribute to what it means to them to work for Acopia. We are honored to receive the designation of one of the top workplaces in Middle TN by the Tennessean. Its this type of recognition that reinforces an environment where our belief in the dignity of work and the dignity of every person is rewarded. We are humbled that our employees felt compelled to communicate their view of the incredible workplace environment we share at Acopia. ### About Acopia, LLC Acopia is an independent mortgage banking company headquartered in Goodlettsville, TN. They were founded 10 years ago, amidst the mortgage crisis. Its leaders were determined to create a very unique and special company, entirely dedicated to those they serve. Acopia developed, and has maintained, a culture that generates respect, care and integrity for its customers and employees alike. Through knowledgeable employees, prudent underwriting and experienced decision makers, Acopia has quickly developed a great reputation in the lending industry. Acopias dynamic team of mortgage professionals are able to serve their clients through three uniquely talented divisions: Acopia Mortgage Group, Acopia Home Loans and Accurate Mortgage Group. About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces campaigna program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business. EmotronDirect (http://www.emotrondirect.com), an eCommerce business for the industrial motor control industry, is pleased to announce the availability of the Emotron FlowDrive. FlowDrive is a unique AC Drive that allows for automatic control of lift stations and pumping stations in the water and wastewater markets. Fully automatic tank and reservoir level control is a key feature of the Emotron FlowDrive, with benefits including optimized energy consumption, minimal maintenance requirements and real-time control. Additional features also include: available in either a robust NEMA 12 / IP54 metal construction or NEMA 1 / IP20 construction; Best Efficiency Point (BEP) calculation for optimal energy saving operation; increased efficiency by using built-in cleaning functions; pump, sump, and pipe cleaning; A category C3 EMC-filter built into each drive as standard; coated boards as standard; detachable multi-language control panel; UL/cUL approval, and much more! In addition to being able to specify enclosure type (NEMA 1 vs. NEMA 12), EmotronDirect also offers the FlowDrive for 230V or 460V, and 0.5 - 200HP applications. A wide array of communication options are also available for FlowDrive, including Devicenet, Profibus, and EtherCAT, to name a few. To learn more about the FlowDrive and see available models, please visit https://emotrondirect.com/collections/ac-drives/?_=pf&pf_t_model=FlowDrive Orebro Municipality in south-central Sweden recently reduced energy costs by 37% after replacing an old soft starter with an Emotron FlowDrive. Read the case study here: http://www.emotron.com/applications-industries/case-studies/water-handling/orebro-municipality-saves-37-on-energy-with-emotron-flowdrive/ Also, watch the introductory 3D video about the Emotron FlowDrive: https://emotrondirect.com/pages/product-videos#flowdrive In addition to FlowDrive, EmotronDirect has also recently added LSIS Susol Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCBs) to their product offering. Susol MCCBs are renown for their rugged durability and for providing optimal protection of motors and control devices. EmotronDirect features MCCBs for 15A - 1200A, 25kA - 100kA, 2 & 3-Pole units, and a wide range of protection classes. To see the entire range of Susol Circuit Breakers on EmotronDirect, visit: https://emotrondirect.com/collections/circuit-breakers or to see the 3D introductory product video, watch: https://emotrondirect.com/pages/product-videos#mccb In addition to the Emotron FlowDrive and Susol Molded Case Circuit Breakers, EmotronDirect also features aggressive pricing on high quality AC Drives, Soft Starters, Power Monitors, Motor Contactors, Overload Relays, Power Transformers, Line & Load Reactors, Motor Protection Filters, and Flow Meters. For more information about products and services available through EmotronDirect, visit http://www.emotrondirect.com or call 866.834.8235 July marks Coronado Brewing Companys 21st birthday, and after more than two decades of brewing award-winning beer, the company is showing no signs of slowing down. Coronado Brewing is on a roll this summer, winning nine medals at recent competitions, including three golds for Orange Ave. Wit, Seacoast Pilsner and Waylaid White IPA, and two silvers for newcomer CoastWise Session IPA. As the company heads into its next chapter, it looks forward to growing its reach with a new brewery and restaurant at 13th street in Imperial Beach, a new kitchen at its Knoxville Tasting Room, and expanded distribution into new states, including Minnesota. Its amazing to see how this company has grown and evolved over the years, says Brandon Richards, COO, Coronado Brewing Company. We have so many exciting projects in the works, and a ton of momentum as we go into the back half of the year. Coronado Brewing is celebrating its now-legal status with the release of its 21st Anniversary Limited-Edition Imperial IPA. Each summer, the company releases a big, Imperial IPA to celebrate its anniversary, and this years version features a complex blend of Azacca, Citra, and Centennial hops. Im stoked for this years release, says Mark Theisen, Lead Brewer, Coronado Brewing Company. We used a great blend of hops giving the beer layers of peach, stone fruit, and hints of citrus. For being 8.0% it goes down way too easy. 21st Anniversary Imperial IPA will be released for the first-time in 12oz can six-packs, in addition to 22oz bombers and on draft. In addition to the commemorative beer, Coronado Brewing Co. is hosting an Anniversary party at its Tasting Room in Bay Park, San Diego. The celebration takes place on Saturday, July 29 from 2-7pm. $10 tickets include admission into the event, beer ticket, and entry into the raffle for Coronado swag. Additional proceeds from the raffle will benefit the local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. The event will feature 25+ beers on tap, specialty casks, local music by Rons Garage, and several gourmet food trucks, including BFD Sandwiches and South Jersey Grub. Tickets and more information available at coronadobrewing.com. Stay Coastal. Cheers. 21st Anniversary Imperial IPA specs: Style: Imperial IPA ABV: 8.0% Bitterness: 68 IBU Package: 12oz can 6-packs, 22oz bottle, draft Release: July, while supplies last Availability: Beer Finder Sales Sheets: http://bit.ly/2sG0PSH 21st Anniversary Celebration details: Date: Saturday, July 29, 2017 Time: 2-7pm Location: Coronado Brewing Co., Tasting Room, 1205 Knoxville Street, San Diego, 92110 Tickets: $10 includes admission, beer ticket, raffle ticket, live music, photo booth Info: http://www.coronadobrewing.com/Anniversary ### About Coronado Brewing Company In 1996, when craft beer was still a foreign term and San Diego County was home to only a handful of breweries, the Chapman brothers, Ron and Rick, opened a brewpub in their hometown of Coronado. Today CBC stays true to their San Diego roots, brewing abundantly hoppy West Coast-style ales, which are available today in 16 US states and twelve countries. In addition to the long-established pub in Coronado, the company opened a tasting room inside their San Diego production facility in 2013, and a tasting room and restaurant in Imperial Beach, California in 2014. Coronado Brewing Company was honored in 2014 with one of the brewing industry's most prestigious awardsWorld Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster for a Mid-size Brewing Company. Links: Website: http://coronadobrewing.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coronadobrewingcompany Instagram: @CoronadoBrewing Twitter: @CoronadoBrewing #MermaidSighting Waste not, want not. Or so the cliche goes. But whether its parents admonishing children to clean their plates or commercial food enterprises extracting maximum output from the plants and animals that comprise the food supply, theres a renewed sensitivity to issues of food waste and sustainability. Thats the clear conclusion of a new nationwide survey from Coast Packing Company and Ipsos Research, conducted in mid-June among more than 1,000 consumers. Each year, U.S. consumers, businesses and farms spend nearly $220 billion on food that goes uneaten, according to Food Business News. Of the 63 million tons of food wasted annually, 16 percent occurs at farms, 2 percent at manufacturers, 40 percent at consumer-facing businesses and 43 percent in consumer homes. Food waste accounts for 21 percent of all fresh water used in the U.S. and occupies 21 percent of landfill volume. Coast Packing, the largest supplier of animal fat shortenings in the Western U.S., queried consumers on whether attitudes around food waste, sustainability and the importance of minimally processed food have changed over the last five years. When compared with the population as a whole, younger respondents and women tended to be more concerned about sustainability, food waste and minimally processed food than they were five years ago. The overall percentages of being more involved in these issues were significantly higher than the incidence of being less involved. Some 42 percent of the sample said they were more interested in minimally processed food today than they were five years ago. Interest in minimally processed food was highest among four demographic segments: women (46 percent), millennials (43 percent), Midwesterners (47 percent) and those with a college education (46 percent). On the issue of food waste, women, millennials and Midwesterners expressed the highest levels of concern (36 to 37 percent) vs. five years ago. In the area of sustainability, women and millennials likewise showed a similar high level of concern (37 to 38 percent). With nose-to-tail dining growing in popularity in part in response to concerns about food waste and sustainability the Coast/Ipsos survey also asked consumers which parts of a cow they were open to eating: bone marrow, fat (in the form of suet or tallow), heart, kidneys, liver, sweetbreads (pancreas/thymus), testicles, tongue and tripe (stomach). Liver (27 percent) and tongue (23 percent) topped the list; sweetbreads (11 percent) and testicles (7 percent) were least popular. According to the survey, men and college educated respondents are consistently more adventurous eaters. Perhaps not surprisingly, older folks (those 55 and above) are more open to liver than younger consumers. While a greater number of respondents indicated that they are less likely to engage in nose-to-tail consumption than those who expressed a likelihood of doing so, the various parts of the cow do have their fans, especially heart (18 percent) bone marrow (17 percent) and kidney (14 percent). Millennials and those 55+ indicated a relatively greater openness to consuming beef tallow and suet. As a supporter of sustainable agriculture and nose-to-tail cooking, Coast Packing ensures that no part of the animal is wasted, said Eric R. Gustafson, CEO, Coast Packing. Why burn more rainforest to grow palms for palm oil when we can use already available, minimally processed animal fat instead? Were heartened by the surveys finding that concerns about food waste and sustainability are growing, and were especially pleased that a substantial number of consumers are more interested in minimally processed food than was the case five years ago. For a copy of the survey results, please email admin(at)edgecommunicationsinc(dot)com. About the Survey The Coast Packing/Ipsos study was fielded from June 9-13, 2017. The Ipsos eNation survey consisted of 1,005 completes with adults aged 18-34 years of age in the contiguous United States. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. About Coast Packing Company Marking its 95th year in business, Coast Packing Company (http://www.coastpacking.com), a closely held corporation, is the number one supplier of animal fat shortenings particularly lard and beef tallow -- in the Western United States. The company sells to major manufacturers, distributors, retailers, smaller food service operations and leading bakeries. The company participates actively in various ethnic markets from Hispanic retail chains, with its VIVA brand, to various Asian specialty markets. Based in Vernon, Calif., Coast Packing Company is regional, national and, increasingly, global. In some cases, supplier relationships are multigenerational, extending back 50 years and more. Coast is a founding member of the Healthy Fats Coalition (http://www.healthyfatscoalition.org/). For more information about Coast Packing Company, visit: http://www.coastpacking.com. Follow us via social media on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/coastpackingco, Twitter @coastpackingco and Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/coastpackingco. Independent practice owners have the skills and education necessary to provide patients with the quality care they deserve. We are making sure they have the resources to reach those patients before the competition does. From June 20-22, EarQ and Widex held an exclusive training event for EarQ members. The three-day event was held in Syracuse, New York, where EarQ is headquartered. Together, the organizations educate hearing care professionals on how to navigate a changing industry, how to connect with todays savvy consumer, and the latest in hearing technology. At the event, EarQ members got an in-depth look at how they can best fit their patients with Widex technology. This focus on individualized care is a major reason why EarQ is committed to independent practice owners. In todays marketplace, consumers can get hearing devices online, and possibly over-the-counter in the near future. Ed Keller, President of EarQ, explains why this puts patients at a disadvantage. Identifying and treating hearing loss is not as simple as a transaction, says Keller. Independent practice owners have the skills and education necessary to provide patients with the quality care they deserve. We are making sure they have the resources to reach those patients before the competition does. EarQ has a number of innovative programs to connect more patients with independent practices. One program is the EarQ 360, a plan that maps out members goals in 30-60-90 day increments. In Q1 of 2017, members participating in the EarQ 360 program received four new patient contacts per month. Members participating in both the 360 and Iris, EarQs internet strategy, received an average of 6.67 patient contacts per month. EarQ will be hosting more member events in the fall. For more information on these events or EarQs services, please call 866-432-7500. About EarQ: A prestigious nationwide network of independent hearing healthcare providers, EarQ utilizes innovative business and marketing practices as well as national public awareness efforts to advocate for excellence in the industry and patient care. Through its 1,400 hearing healthcare provider locations nationwide, EarQ helps provide greater access to quality hearing healthcare services and products. Were thrilled to have Jennifer on board ... She will be instrumental in updating and implementing human resource efforts to support our company growth..." said John Gallagher, President Battle Creek, Michigan: Battle Creek, Michigan - Gallagher Uniform announces that Jennifer Rosa, PHR has joined the company as Human Resources Manager. Rosa will lead the recruitment, retention and continued development of the family-owned companys multifaceted workforce. This work includes identifying and implementing people-related services, policies, and programs that will support the companys continued growth and service-oriented culture. Rosa takes over the role from Pat Gallagher, who recently retired after nearly 40 years with the company. A graduate of Michigan State University, Rosa brings over 19 years Human Resources experience, and was most recently with the City of Battle Creek and Manpower, respectively. Were thrilled to have Jennifer on board and leading our HR efforts here at Gallagher Uniform, said John Gallagher, President. She will be instrumental in updating and implementing human resource efforts to support our company growth, and ensuring the continued development of our employee-oriented culture that emphasizes Gallagher Uniforms family values, quality, and high performance at every level. Rosa shared, Gallagher Uniform has had a wonderful reputation in the community for years and its one of the things that drew me to them. Its easy to see they are a big part of the community and value the relationships with their associates, their customers and their community. About Gallagher Uniform Established in 1893, Gallagher Uniform is a 124-year-old, family owned company based in Battle Creek, Michigan. They are led by a team of fourth and fifth generations of Gallaghers. Gallagher Uniform provides specialized and innovative uniform rental, lease and purchase programs, along with mats, towels and facility services to business and industry throughout mid & southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Learn more at http://www.gallagheruniform.com Park NX Wafer Low Noise, High Throughput Automatic Force Profiler with Automatic Defect Review Park continues to produce cost saving value proposition innovations for semiconductor manufacturers such as the Park NX-Wafer, designed specifically for the semiconductor industry and improving productivity by up to 1000% Park Systems, a leader in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) since 1997 is hosting a free AFM Luncheon for all SEMICONWest attendees and Park customers on July 11, 2017 from 12-2pm at the Thirsty Bear Brewing Company. The luncheon will feature talks from Dr. Sang-il Park, Chairman & CEO of Park Systems, and Prof. Krishna Saraswat, Rickey/Nielsen Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University.To register for the luncheon, go to: http://www.parkafm.com/luncheon Park Systems will exhibit their Atomic Force Microscopes featuring revolutionary Park SmartScan automation and True Non-Contact in booth 5433 at SEMICON West, the premier annual event for the global microelectronics industry with an expected attendance of over 25,000 visitors. "Our partnership with many leading semiconductor institutions such as imec and Stanford provides a crucial link of scientific collaboration throughout the chain of suppliers and vendors in semiconductor wafer production creating significant technological advances in AFM-based inline nanoscale metrology," stated Dr. Sang-il Park, CEO of Park Systems. We are excited to showcase these advances at this years Semicon West show and give highlights at our AFM luncheon. The annual Semicon West Park AFM luncheon offers an exciting chance to network with other attendees and hear from two industry pioneers at this informal gathering. Dr. Sang-il Park, Founder and CEO of Park Systems, was a graduate student of Applied Physics at Stanford University, working in the very group that invented the AFM. He then founded PSIA, later Park Systems in 2007, and developed the worlds first commercial AFM in 1989. After 25 years of continuous growth and product innovation, Park has the longest history of AFM business in the industry. The company has more than a thousand of it's AFM systems in use in over 30 countries around the world. Park continues to produce cost saving value proposition innovations for semiconductor manufacturers such as the Park NX-Wafer, designed specifically for the semiconductor industry and improving productivity by up to 1000%, commented Dr. Sang-il Park. NX-Wafer is the only wafer fab Atomic Force Microscope with automatic defect review and True Non-Contact Mode AFM enabling a critical inline process to classify defect types and source their origin through high resolution 3D imaging. Prof. Saraswat is the Rickey/Nielsen Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University. His research currently investigates new device structures to continue scaling MOS transistors, DRAMs and flash memories of the nanometer regime, 3-dimensional ICs with multiple layers of heterogeneous devices, metal and optical interconnections, and high efficiency and low cost solar cells.Prof. Saraswat's has supervised over 80+ Ph.D. students and 25+post doctoral researchers, among them is his first Ph.D. student Dr. Rafael Reif, a Venezuelan citizen; who is currently the president of MIT.He will share information about future high performance chips, the latest technology for optical interconnects and other interconnect innovations. Registration for the luncheon is ongoing and can be done online at http://www.parkafm.com/luncheon or for more details contact Park Systems at 408-986-1110. About Park Systems Park Systems is a world-leading manufacturer of atomic force microscopy (AFM) systems with a complete range of products for researchers and industry engineers in chemistry, materials, physics, life sciences, semiconductor and data storage industries. Parks products are used by over a thousand of institutions and corporations worldwide. Parks AFM provides highest data accuracy at nanoscale resolution, superior productivity, and lowest operating cost thanks to its unique technology and innovative engineering. Park Systems, Inc. is headquartered in Santa Clara, California with its global manufacturing, and R&D headquarters in Korea. Parks products are sold and supported worldwide with regional headquarters in the US, Korea, Japan, and Singapore, and distribution partners throughout Europe, Asia, and America. Please visit http://www.parkafm.com or call 408-986-1110 for more information. Hartford Business Journal will be hosting the "90 Ideas in 90 Minutes" breakfast on Wednesday, July 19 at the Hartford Club in Hartford, Conn. 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes is a new concept for the Hartford area...We hope that our presenters' collective wisdom and ideas, both big and small, spark Connecticut business owners to try something new. The Hartford Business Journals dynamic new program, 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes, will take place Wednesday, July 19 at the Hartford Club in Hartford, Conn. This unique event will help business leaders to get their gears turning with inspiration and insight from business leaders across the Greater Hartford region. 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes is a new concept for the Hartford area, Joe Zwiebel, president and publisher, Hartford Business Journal, said. We hope that our presenters collective wisdom and ideas, both big and small, spark Connecticut business owners to try something new. The new event offers Connecticut professionals and business owners access to nine of the regions top thinkers and most successful executives. Each will share their 10 best ideas that have helped make their businesses thrive. In just 90 quick minutes, attendees will walk away with over 90 proven practices, programs, or philosophies that can help strengthen their own business. The 90-minute master class will be comprised of nine individual presentations. This years presenters include: Jill Adams, CEO & Co-Founder, Adams & Knight Colin H. Cooper, CEO, Whitcraft Group Tariq Farid, CEO, Edible Arrangements Jill R. Hummel, President & General Manager, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medina Jett, Founder & President, ICSGroup LLC Adam B. Lazowski, Chairman & CEO, LAZ Parking Jamie McDonald, Owner, Bears Smokehouse BBQ Dr. John F. Rodis, President, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Mark Scheinberg, President, Goodwin College Presentations will be preceded by networking, registration and breakfast. Tickets for the program are $45 per person. All attendees must register in advance. To register, visit http://www.hartfordbusiness.com. The Education Leadership Sponsor for 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes is Uconn School of Business. The Event sponsor is Comcast Business. Event partners include: The Hartford Club, Merritt Graphics, J. Fiereck Photography, Rider Productions, The Perfect Promotion and Co-Communications, Marketing and Public Relations. ### About Hartford Business Journal Hartford Business Journal is the only audited weekly, subscription-based business publication in Connecticut. Whether its market trends, the latest merger news or an update on state government, this award-winning weekly is the must read for area business leaders. Hartford Business Journal has a total readership of 31,000 affluent and educated business decision makers in the 61 towns that make up Metro Hartford. For more information, please visit http://www.hartfordbusiness.com or call 860.236.9998. Greg and Carrie bring the energy and insight to lead our teams as we enter a new phase of growth. With the additions of Greg Haney as vice president of operations and Carrie Fisher as vice president of marketing, AffiniPay seeks to scale key business operations throughout 2017 and beyond. Haney brings 24 years of experience in electronic payments and banking operations to AffiniPay, with specific expertise in scaling operations at growing financial technology companies. In previous roles, he oversaw daily operations as chief operating officer for e-retailer CardLab, Inc., and as executive vice president of operations for Online Resources Corporation. From 2005 to 2010, he served as senior vice president of operations at Fiserv. Im thrilled to be joining the AffiniPay team, said Haney. I was so drawn in by the companys unique culture and the amazing cohesion among the teams. AffiniPays rapid growth presents exciting opportunities for me to apply my experience helping thriving tech companies scale and optimize operations for long-term success. On the marketing side, Fisher joins AffiniPay with 22 years of experience in driving revenue and demand generation programs for technology and software companies. Most recently, she was vice president of revenue marketing at Forcepoint, where she led global marketing teams responsible for demand generation and field marketing. Before that, she held leadership roles in technology companies including 3M and Bazaarvoice. Fisher will oversee all marketing strategy and operations at AffiniPay to support the companys growth. AffiniPay has an outstanding product portfolio with over 40,000 happy customers, which is why Im excited to be part of the companys continued growth, said Fisher. AffiniPay has seen 40 percent annual revenue growth for the past five years and has doubled its staff size over the past two years. CEO Amy Porter said these executive team additions are aimed at continuing an impressive growth trajectory while ensuring the company maintains the level of outstanding service its become known for. Greg and Carrie bring the energy and insight to lead our teams as we enter a new phase of growth, said Porter. Im confident their expertise in the payments and technology industries will help us continue to operate at the top of our game, and ultimately, help us equip more professionals for success. About AffiniPay AffiniPay is an Austin, Texas-based financial technology company, creating payment-based practice management tools for professional service markets. The company was founded in 2005 as an independent sales organization supporting online credit card transactions for professional trade associations. Through strategic partnerships and member benefit programs, AffiniPay has built a solution uniquely focused on the legal and accounting industries. AffiniPays engine is the technology behind its popular LawPay and CPACharge programs. LawPay is recommended by 46 state bar associations and part of the American Bar Associations ABA Advantages program. In 2017, AffiniPay will process over $3.5 billion in payments for more than 40,000 clients through their platform. Weve seen that understanding consumer complaints provides a competitive advantage for those companies who monitor them, said Alex Baydin, CEO of PerformLine. PerformLine, the leading RegTech company that delivers automated compliance solutions, has released its 3rd annual Complaint Signal Risk Report, an analysis of data from the Consumer Complaint Database and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) data from July 2011 to March 2017. The report uncovers observations about the nature of recent complaints, company responses, and CFPB enforcement actions, in order for financial institutions understand their risk and to improve their regulatory compliance efforts, customer experience, and overall operational effectiveness. The June 2017 edition of the Complaint Risk Signal Report uncovers new trends in consumer complaints including those by older Americans and service members, and details the threshold of complaints that puts companies at risk of being fined by the CFPB, the potential amount in monetary liability, and how untimely company responses to complaints increase potential risk for a company. Key findings from PerformLines Complaint Signal Risk Report include: The rate of consumer complaints continues to rise at a steady pace, partly due to the CFPBs ad and social media campaigns that have been encouraging consumers to submit complaints. Once companies reach the threshold of 2,000 consumer complaints, the probability of being fined increases to 43%. A company that fails to respond to 100 or more complaints in a timely manner, or closed over 100 complaints with monetary relief, increases its chance of being fined by 42%. Complaints from Special Groups, including older Americans and servicemembers, are monitored closely by the CFPB and could bring about additional risk. Weve seen that understanding consumer complaints provides a competitive advantage for those companies who monitor them, said Alex Baydin, CEO of PerformLine. The insights provided by our Complaint Risk Signal have been so well received that during our recent compliance and RegTech conference COMPLY2017, we announced that we are now bringing this business intelligence data into the PerformLine SaaS platform to provide companies with unparalleled insights into consumer complaints. The PerformLine Complaint Risk Signal dashboard is currently in beta with existing PerformLine clients and will be available in Fall 2017. With insights into complaint data within the PerformLine platform, chief compliance officers and their teams now have visibility into how complaints are trending across multiple data points, trends in each product category and see their stack ranking against competitors. For more trends and insights from the June 2017 Complaint Risk Signal report, download here: http://lp.performline.com/cfpb-risk-signal-report. For more information on the Complaint Risk Signal dashboard within the PerformLine platform, contact David Morgan at David[at]PerformLine[dot]com. ABOUT PERFORMLINE PerformLine is the leading RegTech company delivering automated compliance solutions for enterprises looking to mitigate regulatory risk and ensure brand safety. Its cloud-based platform empowers compliance functions with the intelligence, insights, and tools needed to mitigate risk across all consumer interactions channels including web, voice, chat and mobile. PerformLine provides its clients with significant time and costs savings by automating compliance activities across channels and departments.For more information, visit http://www.PerformLine.com. You can also follow PerformLine on Twitter and LinkedIn. Today, Invest in the USA, the national not-for-profit trade association of the EB-5 Regional Center industry, sent a letter to the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding Regional Center data published on its website. On or around June 19, 2017, USCIS made publicly available via their website the approval and denial statistics for forms I-526 and I-829 for each individual EB-5 Regional Center from 2014 through May 31, 2017. It became immediately apparent to IIUSA through interactions with its membership that the data presented by USCIS was deeply inaccurate and needed to be removed until the discrepancies were rectified. As of June 27, the incorrect data was removed from the website. Given the inconsistency between the USCIS data and Regional Centers track records, USCIS needed to remove this information immediately from its website until it has taken the necessary steps to confirm all data with Regional Center records and rectify discrepancies, said Peter D. Joseph, IIUSA Executive Director. IIUSA has long been one of the strongest advocates for data reporting and transparency of EB-5 Program activities and has over the last six years made over 160 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to USCIS to collect data on the EB-5 Program in order to stimulate an informed marketplace. IIUSA produces in-depth data analytics and research to inform the EB-5 industry and other key stakeholders using this data. Some examples of the resources it has created from information collected via FOIA include: Peer-reviewed studies on the economic impacts of the EB-5 immigration program for 2010-2011, 2012, and 2013; First edition of the EB-5 Investor Market Report, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of established and emerging EB-5 investor markets; Data reports on USCIS adjudication trends about I-526/I-829 petitions and I-924 applications; and more. Because it matters how this information is subsequently released, IIUSA has diligently developed a process by which we collect this data, break it down, painstakingly analyze it and ultimately disseminate it, but not without first seeking input from stakeholders. In this spirit, IIUSAs letter to USCIS also requests a detailed explanation of the process it undertook for data integrity before releasing this information. Data inaccuracies in this capacity can, did, and continue to have immediate negative ramifications on individual businesses that are seeking to bring much needed economic development to communities around the country through the EB-5 Program. IIUSA encourages potential investors and other stakeholders to disregard the previously reported approval and denial statistics for forms I-526 and I-829 for each individual EB-5 Regional Center from 2014 through May 31, 2017 due to its inaccuracies. IIUSA stands ready to assist USCIS in creating an open and transparent environment complete with data integrity on all aspects of the EB-5 Regional Center Program. IIUSAs full letter to USCIS can be found here. -- Founded in 2005, IIUSA is the national not-for-profit trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center industry with a mission of advocacy, education, industry development, and research. The organization represents more than 240 Regional Centers and 180 Associate members, collectively representing big and small projects, urban and rural economic development, and industry sectors ranging from real estate and manufacturing to energy and infrastructure. IIUSAs members are engines of economic growth and job creation, accounting for a vast majority of capital flowing through the Program. Learn more at IIUSA.org. Bettcher Industries, Inc. announces that Thomas Holm has been promoted to Vice President of Global Sales. In his new position, Holm is responsible for leading the worldwide sales efforts of Bettcher Industries, Inc. and its subsidiary company, Gainco. Holm also oversees Bettchers direct and company-owned presence in the four leading meat processing regions of the world the United States, Europe, Brazil and China. Holm has an extensive background in the food, food processing and agricultural industries. He joined Bettcher in 2012 as managing director of the companys European subsidiary company based in Lucerne, Switzerland. Prior to joining Bettcher, Holm held a variety of progressive-responsibility sales, business development and management positions at Scanvaegt International, a leading international supplier of weighing, sorting, packaging/labeling and inspection equipment and systems. Holm has also held management positions at FOSS, a Danish-based international company that provides process control and analytical solutions to customers in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Prior to his business career, Holm was a member of Patrulje Delingen, a special operations taskforce within the Royal Danish Army, and completed his business education in Denmark. Commenting on Holms appointment, Bettcher CEO Don Esch stated, Weve been very pleased with Thomas leadership role in our European operations over the past five years, and are delighted to welcome him to his new role as leader of our global sales efforts. His wide-ranging experience in managing international sales and service programs, along with supporting important global enterprises in food processing and packaging, aligns perfectly with our objective to provide innovative equipment solutions that increase productivity and achieve 100% customer satisfaction. Bettcher Industries, Inc. is an ISO 9001-certified, vertically integrated manufacturing company with a global customer base and direct distribution and service in more than 70 countries throughout the world. The company is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative equipment for food processing, foodservice, industrial, medical and other operations. Established in 1944, Bettcher brings more than seven decades of successful innovation to the market, including holding nearly 100 active patents. The company is 100% employee owned. Phone: (440) 965-4422. Website address: http://www.bettcher.com. [Judy] is outstanding at working with her clients, and is a tireless advocate on their behalf Judy Citron of Alain Pinel Realtors (APR) was named one of Americas top real estate professionals by Real Trends, as advertised in The Wall Street Journal. She once again makes the list of The Thousand Top Real Estate Professionals, a prestigious national awards ranking sponsored annually by Real Trends and advertised in The Wall Street Journal. Citron continues to rank among the top one half of 1 percent of the more than 1.1 million Realtors nationwide. The Thousand real estate professionals was announced on June 23, 2017, with four separate categories honoring the top 250 residential agents and agent teams for excellence in: Individual Sales ProfessionalsSales volume Individual Sales ProfessionalsTransaction sides Team ProfessionalsSales volume Team ProfessionalsTransaction sides Im honored to again receive this prestigious distinction, said Citron. For more than two decades my entire professional career has revolved around real estate in Northern Californiadesigning, building, and selling homes. I work hard at being an ethical, responsive, knowledgeable, and upbeat representative for my clients, which is a big part of how I was able to earn this ranking. According to The Thousand, Citron had sales volume totaling $159,668,800, ranking her 39th in the nation among her peers. Rainy Hake Austin, executive vice president and COO of APR, said Citron is a stand-out performer among the APR team. Judy is driven to succeed, said Austin. She is outstanding at working with her clients, and is a tireless advocate on their behalf. Were immensely proud of the great work she continues to do, and we congratulate her on this well-deserved honor The ranking of The Thousand can be found at: http://www.thethousandrealestateprofessionals.com. About Alain Pinel Realtors Alain Pinel Realtors (APR) is the largest privately owned residential real estate company in Northern California and is consistently ranked among the top 10 largest residential real estate firms in the United States based on closed-sales volume. The firm has 1,400 agents in more than 30 offices throughout Northern California. APR was founded in 1990 by CEO and President Paul L. Hulme, and is based in Saratoga, Calif. Visit us at apr.com, china.apr.com, facebook.com/AlainPinelRealtors, and @AlainPinel. About The Thousand This awards program was developed jointly by WSJ. Custom Studios (and is not affiliated with the Editorial Department) and REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information for the residential real estate brokerage industry. REAL Trends The Thousand honors Americas elite real estate professionals and their companies and is compiled and analyzed by REAL Trends with a special ad section included in The Wall Street Journal. Cocoon Cam Cocoon Cam, the worlds first intelligent baby breathing video monitor, today announced that it has closed a $4MM Series A funding round led by Happiness Ventures with participation from previous angel investors. The funding brings Cocoon Cams total investment to $5.01MM and will be used to help the company aggressively scale consumer marketing and sales, product development and engineering. "We are thrilled to lead Cocoon Cams Series A and proud to be working with such a passionate team. Their compelling vision for health monitoring of infants with groundbreaking new computer vision algorithms is a great fit for our portfolio, said Curtis MacDonald and Ajay Ramachandran of Happiness Ventures. They continued, Happiness Ventures is all about investing in true-believer founders working on revolutionary concepts, something Cocoon Cams team has convincingly demonstrated over the time weve known them. Cocoon Cams proprietary technology lets parents view their baby at any time, day or night, through a smartphone application (available for both iOS and Android) and leverages the latest in computer vision technology to deliver breathing monitoring, instant alerts and sophisticated sleep analytics never before available for home use. Cocoon Cam is the most trusted way to keep babies safe, healthy and sleeping well. Cocoon Cam has completed IRB-approved research validation studies at University of California San Diego and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanfords NICU. The idea for Cocoon Cam came about with the birth of my daughter. Experiencing first-hand the combination of excitement and anxiety of being a new parent, it was clear that knowing your baby is safe and sleeping well are priceless, said Sivakumar Nattamai, co-founder and CEO of Cocoon Cam. Instantly checking on your baby with visual and analytical confirmation of the childs vital signs is the first of many advances we have planned to modernize the outdated baby monitor market. Cocoon Cams no-wearable baby breathing monitor with HD video and streaming audio launched in February of 2017 and is currently sold online at cocooncam.com, as well as Amazon and HSN. In July, Cocoon Cam will be hitting the shelves of 300 Target stores, Target.com, and 225 Babies "R" Us stores nationwide. Closing this round of funding with Happiness Ventures enables us to continue to fulfill our vision of measuring human vital signs in a non-invasive way; something that brings invaluable peace of mind to parents, said Pavan Kumar, co-founder and CTO of Cocoon Cam. Our mission is to develop and roll out product innovations and functionalities that revolutionize the way parents intelligently monitor their babies, keeping their health and wellbeing as our top concern. Cocoon Cam has won multiple prestigious awards for their innovative use of computer vision technology in the connected nursery space. These awards include a $50,000 grant from the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Program, based on their achievements in UC San Diegos Institute for the Global Entrepreneur I-Corps Program; The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval; Baby Maternity Magazine's 2017 Top Choice of the Year Award in the Baby Monitor Category; and Creative Child Magazine's 2017 Product of the Year. For more information about Cocoon Cam please visit: http://www.cocooncam.com/ About Cocoon Cam Cocoon Cam is a Silicon Valley-based technology company using computer vision for remote health monitoring. The companys first product is a category-defining baby monitor that detects a babys vitals purely by passively collecting a video feed from the baby monitor and analyzing the data in the cloud. Parents gain instant access, via their mobile devices, to longitudinal data and real-time alerts for metrics such as breathing, temperature fluctuations, heart rate and movement. Unlike competing technologies in the baby monitoring space, Cocoon Cams use of computer vision is completely non-invasive and requires no connected wires or wearables. For more information visit our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. About Happiness Ventures Happiness Ventures invests in technology companies led by entrepreneurs who have a passion and mission to make the world a happier place. With $480mm under management, the fund group concentrates on both early stage (Seed and Series A) start-ups and growth stage companies. Happiness Ventures invests with a long-term view and supports their portfolio companies throughout their entire lifecycle. Members of Greenberg Traurig, LLPs San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices performed at Family Violence Appellate Projects (FVAP) 5th annual Banding Together to End Domestic Violence charity event in San Francisco, June 14. Under the band name Attractive Nuisance, Michael R. Hogue (vocals), Vincent Harrington (vocals), Lisa Li (vocals), William H. Gorrod (guitar), and Bruce Steinert (guitar) battled bands from five of the Bay Areas most charitable law firms to raise money for FVAP. The band also included non-Greenberg Traurig members John Slattery (drums) and Matthew Ball (bass). Attractive Nuisance rocked the house, earning them the coveted Judges Choice Award. Held at 1015 Folsom nightclub, the bands competed in a musical battle for the coveted title of Best Lawyer Band in The Bay, which went to the group that raised the most money via the voting process. All proceeds from the voting were donated 100 percent tax-deductible to the FVAP, the only legal aid nonprofit in California dedicated to appealing and overturning dangerous trial court decisions that put domestic violence survivors and their kids at risk of ongoing abuse. In total, the event raised $156,643 to assist victims of domestic violence. We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Greenberg Traurig for all your support. Your contributions will have a big impact on the lives of domestic violence survivors and their children throughout California, said Erin Smith, executive director of the Family Violence Appellate Project. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Taipei is already a hotbed of technological developments and business, and this new location offers exposure to a diverse mix of current and potential customers well now have greater proximity to. Smith, a global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces the relocation of its Taipei sales office. The new location will offer the opportunity to deeply support local customers while immersed in a major Taipei business center. Taipei is a key Asian tech hub, with many major players in the electronics market headquartered in the city. This new location brings Smith closer to the business heart of Taipei, with the office space located near the well-known TAIPEI 101 skyscraper, a major local financial center. The district the new office calls home is a thriving marketplace that serves as a meeting ground for businesses and consumers across industries. Taipei is already a hotbed of technological developments and business, and this new location offers exposure to a diverse mix of current and potential customers well now have greater proximity to, said Alan Han, General Manager of Smiths Taipei sales office. We look forward to working closely with these customers and exploring how we can strengthen the service and support we offer them. The new office is located at: 35F-B3, Cathay Landmark No. 68, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Road Taipei City 110 Taiwan (ROC) Tel: +886 2.2728.9988 About Smith Founded in 1984, Smith sources, manages, and distributes the electronic components that go into everything from mobile phones and computers to appliances and directional drilling systems. In 16 cities around the world, from Silicon Valley to Seoul, Smiths 475 employees communicate in 36 different languages and buy and sell components 24 hours per day. Smith is always moving: helping manufacturers navigate market shifts; customizing supply chain solutions; testing components using cutting-edge technology. With testing and logistics hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam, Smiths processes focus on critical issues, from quality management to counterfeit prevention and environmental safety. Smiths operations, purchasing, and sales worldwide are seamlessly integrated with the companys global IT infrastructure, Saleschain, offering real-time inventory and logistics visibility anywhere in the world. Smith is the leading independent distributor of electronic components and ranks number 11 among all global distributors. Smiths Intelligent Distribution model adapts to ever-changing demands by providing seamless global electronics sourcing and logistics, regardless of distribution channel or locale. For more information, please visit https://www.smithweb.com, or, to reach a Smith representative 24 hours a day, please call +1 713.430.3000. ### For more information, contact: Margo Evans Smith, VP of Marketing +1 713.430.3966 mevans(at)nfsmith.com Thermo-1200 - Water Resistant These types of one-of-a-kind solutions offer significant value to the contractors who install our products and to the facilities that use them. In August of 2017, Johns Manville Industrial Insulation Group (IIG), a global building products manufacturer and a Berkshire Hathaway company, will release the first, water-resistant calcium silicate in North America, called Thermo-1200. This product will be globally available and will replace Thermo-12 Gold, Johns Manville Industrial Insulation Groups current high-temperature calcium silicate product. Thermo-1200 offers the same thermal performance and corrosion-inhibiting properties as Thermo-12 Gold, only now it is also water-resistant. Jack Bittner, Senior Product Manager for Johns Manville Industrial Insulation Group, explained that this new, water-resistant calcium silicate can be highly beneficial for contractors. As a cementitious insulation, untreated calcium silicate can absorb water. This has historically put pressure on contractors to cover the insulation immediately after installation to protect it from any potential rainfall or moisture. This practice can have wide-reaching implications on the job site that drive up costs and reduce installation efficiency, he said. This is where water-resistant Thermo-1200 has enormous potential. It is engineered to give contractors a little more breathing room during the installation because water will bead on the insulations surface, rather than soak into the insulation. This will allow contractors a little extra time to jacket the insulation during the installation process even in moderate rainfall, Bittner said. Ames Kulprathipanja, PhD., the Innovation Leader for Johns Manville Industrial Insulation Group, pointed out that this is just one facet of the insulation that helps prevent corrosion. Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is a major concern in the industrial industry. Thats why our product is still made with XOX Corrosion Inhibitor. Thus, even if a small amount of water does happen to penetrate the water-resistant insulation, the corrosion inhibitors will still activate to help protect the surface of the system from corrosion, he said. According to Bob Wamboldt, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Insulation Systems at Johns Manville (JM), this new water-resistant calcium silicate is part of a larger effort at JM to offer innovative new insulation solutions. Our industrial business is extremely important to JM, and we feel like there is an opportunity for us to help the insulation industry evolve by creating products like Thermo-1200. These types of one-of-a-kind solutions offer significant value to the contractors who install our products and to the facilities that use them, Wamboldt said. Thermo-1200 will be available from the plant in Fruita, Colo., facility beginning in August 2017 and from the Ruston, La., facility in October 2017. To learn more about Thermo-1200, please visit http://www.jm.com/thermo-1200. About Johns Manville: Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales of approximately $3 billion and holds leadership positions in many of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs approximately 7,000 people and operates 43 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at http://www.jm.com. About Industrial Insulation Group (IIG): Industrial Insulation Group (IIG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and global building products manufacturer. IIGs product line complements JMs portfolio of insulation products, allowing JM to offer an even broader continuum of solutions that meet the insulation requirements for any project. IIG was formed in 2002 and manufactures a wide range of insulation products for use in industrial, commercial and fireproofing applications. The company offers a unique good, better, best portfolio of high-temperature insulation, ranging from mineral wool to perlite to calcium silicate. Each product is designed to meet the most-demanding applications. IIG employs approximately 400 people at five manufacturing operations in Brunswick, Georgia; Fruita, Colorado; Ruston, Louisiana; Phenix City, Alabama; and Houston, Texas. Bryn Palena, InfoMart's executive vice president of sales, has been accepted to The Forum of Executive Women. Bryn Palena, InfoMart's executive vice president of sales, has been accepted to The Forum of Executive Women. The Forum is a membership organization comprised of the most influential executive women operating in and around the greater Philadelphia area. They work towards advancing the scope and quantity of visionary, powerful women in the region through initiatives in public policy arenas, executive suites, and board rooms across the city. Their commitment acknowledges the importance of diversity and representation in the workplace and beyond. Equipped with more than twenty years of leadership experience in sales throughout the background screening and technology industries, Ms. Palena raises the expectations and stakes for her team at InfoMart as it makes global pre-employment screening more efficient using the latest identity technologies and data science. She is a dedicated leader in the industry and for many years has contributed to the community and brought disruptive conversation to today's business environment that can be leveraged into business advantages. She has worked alongside leaders within the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), served for several years as a board member of the Philadelphia Society of People and Strategy (PSPS), and is an active member and participant of the Human Resource Planning Society (HRPS), PSPS's global affiliate. "It's an exciting opportunity to meet and interact with the accomplished, dedicated women who are a part of The Forum," said Palena. "Continuing their commitment towards expanding women in leadership and social responsibility makes this nomination a true honor. I look forward to applying myself to the increasingly worthwhile cause of diversity and representation in the workplace." About InfoMart InfoMart has been revolutionizing the global background and identity screening industry for over 27 years, providing businesses the information they need to make informed hiring decisions. They develop innovative technology that modernizes talent onboarding, including a first-to-market biometric identity authentication application and a verified sanctions search. The WBENC-certified company is a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners, and they have achieved NAPBS accreditation in recognition of their consistent business practices and commitment to compliance with the FCRA. The company is dedicated to customer service, speed, and accuracy, and it has been recognized for its success, workplace culture, and corporate citizenship with over 40 industry awards. To Get the Whole Story on InfoMart, please visit http://www.infomart-usa.com, follow @InfoMartUSA, or call (770) 984-2727. Use Awrel in a synchronized way on both mobile and desktop devices to create new efficiencies for information sharing, collaboration and storage We must factor in the efficiency of more instantaneous communication and collaboration. Despite advances in information technology, our industry faces unnecessary delays because most dental professionals are tethered to tedious desktop systems. Awrel, a Boston-based dental software-as-a-service provider, today released Awrel Enterprise, a new enterprise version of its popular HIPAA-compliant texting and desktop solution. The solution meets demand from corporate dental practices, dental labs and dental device companies who are seeking to speed information exchange and enhance workflow. The first-of-its-kind Awrel solution overcomes risks of violating HIPAA law when texting protected health information via native Apple and Android texting environments. Organizations can use Awrel simultaneously in a synchronized way on both mobile and desktop devices to create new efficiencies for information sharing, collaboration and storage. Awrel Enterprise provides an intuitive, HIPAA-compliant framework for administrators to easily create and manage a secure corporate network where multiple users share and archive text messages, documents, photos, CT-scans, STL files, and all types of dental digital files. It provides an administrative console to add and delete users, define user permissions, create groups (for messaging and alerts,) and create topics (to categorize information). Weve had great feedback from hundreds of dentists now using Awrel across dental offices and weve done significant work with dental laboratories and dental device manufacturers, said Arnold Rosen, DDS, Awrel CEO and a practicing prosthodontist who founded Awrel in May 2016. With our new enterprise platform, these entities can quickly and cost-effectively address privacy requirements while also impacting their bottom lines as they refine cumbersome, time-intensive business and clinical workflows. Large dental practices use Awrel to exchange information across sites, labs use Awrel to speed interaction with referring dentists, and device companies use Awrel to support product development and deployment. Awrel Enterprise can be custom branded, offering private-label opportunities for corporations to secure new revenue streams. When considering the value chain in dentistry, we must factor in the efficiency of more instantaneous communication and collaboration. Despite advances in information technology, our industry faces unnecessary delays because most dental professionals are tethered to tedious HIPAA-compliant desktop systems. Some resort to the familiarity of native smart phone texting said Claudio Levato, DDS, a practicing dentist and respected thought leader in dental technology integration. When we text to speed a process, we break federal law. Awrel was founded to address this issue. Productivity can be increased and outcomes can be improved. In addition to enabling peer-to-peer communication and collaboration among dental professionals, the Awrel app can enhance patient engagement and customer satisfaction by enabling practitioner-to-patient text exchanges. Awrel is built on a platform that enables ready integration with practice management systems, EHRs, and third-party systems. The company offers 30-day free trials at http://awrel.com/awrel-enterprise/ About Awrel Awrel offers dentistrys first low-cost, easy-to-use application for 100% HIPAA-compliant texting with message, image and document exchange, individual and group messaging, collaborative workflow, and cloud-based data archiving. The solution ensures HIPAA compliance when texting -- for dentists and dental labs sharing digital information, solution providers integrating chat for dentists and patients, device reps working with dentists and dental labs, and academic environments seeking solutions for private, secure texting. Built on a transactional business platform, Awrel provides a powerful environment to cost-effectively move into the future of digital dentistry and connected health. http://www.awrel.com Pennsylvania special education attorney Gabrielle Sereni, a partner in the Delaware County full-service law firm Raffaele Puppio, recently spoke at the Special Education Law Symposium held at Lehigh University. Sereni co-presented two sessions, one entitled FAPE: The Threshold Guarantee, and another entitled Child Find: Foresight and Hindsight. That session explored recent case law and the factors relevant to effective decision-making regarding the Child Find mandate in federal special education law, which requires all school districts to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities, regardless of severity. Sereni, who also spoke at the symposium in 2016, was one of just eight Pennsylvania attorneys to speak at the sold-out event. The one-week symposium focused on a practical analysis of legislation, regulations and court decisions relating to the education of students with disabilities. The symposium was geared toward special education coordinators and teachers, principals, psychologists, parent advocates, charter school personnel, attorneys, hearing officers, state education agency personnel, and individuals interested in a thorough explanation of the special education legal landscape. At Raffale Puppio, Sereni is chair of the Special Education Group and represents Pennsylvania school districts and other local educational agencies in all aspects of special education matters. A frequent lecturer on special education issues, Sereni taught in the Delaware County public school system before attending law school and focusing her practice on school and government law. About Raffaele Puppio Raffaele Puppio is one of the largest and most established full-service law firms in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Attorneys within the firm are known for their legal prowess among the bench and bar in Delaware County, having decades of experience representing school districts, municipalities, businesses and individual clients, helping to solve legal problems while avoiding future legal issues. The attorneys provide sound legal counsel in the areas of education law, government and municipal services, family law, general litigation, personal injury, commercial real estate and business transactions, elder law, estate administration and planning, and criminal law. # # # John Blaine, CEO of Carlisle We think the custom design options including our innovative lighted Pom display case will be a game changer in the soft surface landscape. Carlisle recently debuted its new soft surface line at their Manhattan showroom in a collaboration with Just Shorn and New Zealand-based Carrfields Primary Wool. The farm-to-floor initiative features carpets and custom area rugs that clients can design in addition to exclusive designer collections. Known for its luxury wide plank flooring, Carlisles newly expanded portfolio now includes Carpets and Rugs created by artisans and celebrity designers including Mark Brunetz, Lonni Paul and Jennifer Bertrand. The hand-crafted custom rugs feature contemporary patterns inspired by each of the designers work with high-end clients throughout the U.S. and abroad. In addition to the exclusive designer collection, Carlisle offers a handcrafted option that provides clients unlimited creativity. Utilizing a first-of-its-kind lighted display case for Poms, clients can create original designs of their own selecting from more than 100 colors of hand-dyed wool from New Zealand or create your own custom color. Each newly created pattern will then be available in various shapes and sizes and can be further customized using any number of unique fibers and textures ranging from fine denier to thick felted yarn. This marks a milestone for our company as we expand our portfolio to soft surface, said John Blaine, CEO of Carlisle. Were so excited to introduce the new line of flooring options to our clients, including heirloom quality product and New Zealand wool from Just Shorn. We think the custom design options including our innovative lighted Pom display case will be a game changer in the soft surface landscape. A group of more than 50 wool farmers from New Zealand traveled to Carlisles Manhattan showroom for a launch event attended by New Zealand Trade Commissioner - Consul General, Beatrice Faumuina. The growers were also hosted by Conde Nast and AD for a panel and tour of their space at One World Trade Center. The soft line is currently available in New York and Chicago, with plans to roll out in all other Carlisle showrooms by September. Blaine added: Were really proud of our partnership with New Zealand wool farmers. When you purchase a custom carpet from Carlisle, you have our guarantee that it has been made with only the finest wool and natural fibers available. All fibers are sustainably sourced and come from partners like New Zealands Just Shorn, a provider of some of the softest and finest wool in the world. Its important to us that our partners maintain the highest standards of quality and environmental care. For more information, please visit http://www.wideplankflooring.com. The parent company of healthcare staffing agency Aureus Medical has been recognized for excellence in employee engagement. Omaha-based C&A Industries, a national leader in staffing and recruitment, has been named one of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces in North America for 2017. The annual award, issued by Achievers, an industry leading provider of employee recognition and engagement solutions, commends top employers that display leadership and innovation in engaging their workforces. C&A will be honored alongside the other recipients of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Award at an awards gala. The gala will be held on September 11th, 2017 at the historic Saenger Theatre in New Orleans as part of the Achievers Annual Customer Experience Conference (ACE). Employee experience remains a top priority for employees in 2017, observed David Brennan, Achievers general manager. The impressive Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Award winners are using rewards and recognition to foster positive, productive workplaces. Were excited to learn from them and honor their accomplishments. The Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Awards are judged by an esteemed panel of academics and thought leaders in the field of employee engagement. The 2017 judging panel also included representation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Technology Conference and HRO Today. The judges evaluated each applicant company based on the Eight Elements of Employee Engagement: Communication, Leadership, Culture, Rewards & Recognition, Professional & Personal Growth, Accountability & Performance, Vision & Values and Corporate Social Responsibility. As a company, we are continually looking for new and innovative ways to further enrich the employee experience in all facets of our business and our workplace," said Scot Thompson, president & CEO, C&A Industries. "We are proud to be recognized for our success in engaging our employees, which is paramount in order for us to consistently deliver an exceptional service and ensure the satisfaction and loyalty of our clients over the long term." Thompson added, "Our investment in our employees has resulted in an extraordinary team that is focused, motivated, passionate, and one that lives our mission and values every day. We are fortunate to have the finest group of employees in our industry." In 2017, C&A was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Omaha for the seventh time in nine years. Aureus Medical Group is the largest of C&As portfolio of firms. ABOUT AUREUS MEDICAL GROUP: Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide. With more than 30 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire. Aureus Medical is the largest affiliate of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 45 years. ABOUT C&A INDUSTRIES, INC.: C&A is a national leader in staffing and recruiting. Through its affiliate firms, Aureus Group, Aureus Medical Group, AurStaff, and Celebrity Staff, C&A has provided Human Capital Management Solutions to a wide variety of industries for more than 45 years, including supplemental, contract-hire, and direct hire programs. Non-staffing divisions of C&A include FocusOne Solutions, a managed services provider; AurTravel, a full service travel agency; AurHomes, specializing in corporate housing; and its philanthropic arm, The Kim Foundation. C&A is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with subsidiary offices located in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; and Des Moines, Iowa. Coren Speaking at G20 YEA As a female business owner, the chance to speak to likeminded peers and influencers on the power of technology to drive change has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Wambis Alex Coren joins the U.S. delegation to the 2017 G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (G20 YEA) Summit in Berlin, Germany. Coren, Inventor, Co-founder, and Chief Innovation Officer at Wambi, leads a panel discussion on how Digital Platforms lay the foundation for new businesses. Coren co-founded Wambiand invented the supporting digital platformin 2016 to improve patient satisfaction through recognizing and engaging healthcare workers. She was named the top female student entrepreneur in the country by the Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards, a program of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO). Coren was selected to share her unique experience and expertise with the G20 YEA audience of global innovators. As a female business owner, the chance to speak to likeminded peers and influencers on the power of technology to drive change has been an incredibly rewarding experience, comments Coren. As a delegate of the G20 YEA, Coren impels action within the sphere of global decision-makers. This years policy requests call for increased educational, tax, and visa opportunities within digital competencies to embrace and propel new forms of global entrepreneurship and job creation. As a young entrepreneur in the Health IT sector, Coren faces and directly affects the global issue of access to affordable, high quality healthcare. Coren adds, Its an honor to contribute to the powerful collective voice of the young entrepreneur. Our goal is to provide insight and solutions to the policies surrounding digitalization in todays world. Coren has spent the majority of the year participating in conferences and speaking engagements around the world, including a recent presentation on Wambi at the Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Conference and Business Fair in Las Vegas. This event hosts Womens Business Enterprises, senior executives and procurement representatives from Fortune 500 companies and the U.S. Government, and select partner organizations. All attendees share a common objective of expanding womens business opportunities in the marketplace. About Wambi Founded in 2016 and based in Los Angeles, CA, Wambi is a patient-centered healthcare recognition and performance platform. Dedicated to bringing compassion back to the forefront of healthcare, Wambi addresses patient satisfaction where it starts, with the caregivers. It offers a gamified digital platform to improve caregiver engagement, decrease turnover and burnout, and elevate the patient experience. To learn more, visit wambi.org. Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on LinkedIn Envirosight Releases New Reference Guide to Sewer Inspection and Maintenance. We want to give sewer utilities and contractors a resource to get new employees up-to-speed and in the field faster. Envirosight has released a free guide to sewer inspection and maintenance to serve as an introduction for industry newcomers. The guide, Sewer Maintenance 101: The Quick and Dirty Guide to Sewer Inspection and Upkeep, provides a broad overview of how a sewer system functions, how its inspected and how its maintained. This guide helps jumpstart the orientation of any employee new to the industry or provides refresher training to employees already in the industry. With the complexity of inspecting and maintaining a sewer system, training can become complicated and time-consuming, said Steve Sebastian, Envirosights Channel Development Manager. We want to give sewer utilities and contractors a resource to get new employees up-to-speed and in the field faster. This guidebook introduces sewer infrastructure and its components; concepts such as inflow and infiltration, cross bores, and sanitary sewer overflows; common sewer inspection methods; and sewer rehabilitation and repair methods. It also includes links to relevant in-depth content from the EPA, NASSCO, OSHA and other sources. Sewer Maintenance 101: The Quick and Dirty Guide to Sewer Inspection and Upkeep was developed as part of Envirosights commitment to creating and sharing educational resources that benefit wastewater professionals. About Envirosight LLC Randolph, New Jersey-based Envirosight, LLC provides sewer cameras and other pipeline inspection solutions to municipalities, contractors, departments of transportation, and civil/environmental engineers. Envirosight is a full-service manufacturer of robotic sewer inspection crawlers, zoom cameras, push cameras, inspection reporting and asset management software, and inspection vehicles. Envirosight is committed to ongoing innovation, delivering products that enhance user productivity and inspection detail. Envirosight serves customers through a trained network of regional sales partners who deliver localized support and expertise with rapid turnaround. All Envirosight technical employees hold NASSCO PACP certification. Visit Envirosight online at http://www.envirosight.com # # # Nick Hunt, Managing Director for EMEA at JPD Financial The combined technology and expertise will drive benefits for our clients. Bottom line savings have [already] increased. JPD Financial, an outsourcing firm helping many of the worlds largest companies better manage their accounts payable processes and cash, is delighted to announce it has established a partnership with Jersey-based Total Solutions Group, Int (TSG) to further deploy their software and services to enhance and broaden JPDs disbursement audit services for our valued clients. With the client fully in mind, the new partnership will deploy powerful analytical technologies proven to enhance and streamline the process of a disbursement audit and means that errors like duplicate payments and missed sales tax claims can be highlighted much more quickly, providing speedier and increased financial benefits. JPD has chosen to partner with TSG to support our clients with their ongoing recovery initiatives while implementing a highly functional, secure and robust platform, said Nick Hunt, Vice President and Managing Director for EMEA at JPD Financial. The combined technology and expertise will continue to drive benefits for our clients with minimal impact to their business processes. The software and service can be deployed anywhere in the world, which is a requirement for our global clients. JPD Financial are recognized leaders in vendor credit recovery, and our software and services are quite complementary to one another, said Danny Bannister, CEO of Total Solutions Group, Int. Clients who engage with us are able to access these services via a single point of contact whilst taking advantage of best of breed market solutions. This collaboration is already benefiting clients. JPD and TSG have worked in partnership on several accounts in industries such as energy, transportation, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and media. As a result of our combined tools and techniques, the findingsthat is, bottom line savingsfor our clients have increased, added Hunt. About JPD Financial: For more than 30 years, JPD Financial has worked behind the scenes on behalf of Fortune 1000 clients to research and uncover funds that would otherwise be lost in todays automated systems and written off due to accounting miscommunications. They work with their clients suppliers to research credits, overpayments, and misapplied or duplicate payments that appear on their records, but which may not appear on the standard statements their clients receive. JPD Financial is headquartered in Santa Clara, California with a European office in Harpenden, UK to serve its global clients. JPD Financials client base includes major vertical industries such as healthcare, telecommunications, energy, consumer goods, oil and gas, and manufacturing. For more information, visit http://www.JPDFinancial.com. About TSGI: Total Solutions Group are business information and business process automation specialists, and have provided services for almost 20 years. TSGi provides medical accountancy software, recovery auditing solutions, risk and compliance software and consultancy and document management for all sizes of businesses. The groups depth of knowledge, along with its broad range of solutions, offers clients peace of mind knowing that their business information, processes, procedures and staff are all being looked after by TSGis highly skilled personnel. Valued clients include Dyson, NHS, and RBC Royal Bank, among others. To learn more, visit http://www.tsgi.co. Follow us on Twitter @tsgjersey. "Today, you not only need to have SEO friendly content and relevant backlinks, but also site speed and mobile friendliness are huge factors. Our SEO audits will look at several factors and will sure help you rank better if you follow our advice." Submit Express, a leading name in search engine optimization, is announcing a new complimentary audit that will check new client sites for several signals that affect standing in search engines. The comprehensive audit, which takes about two hours to complete, is delivered in the form of a written report that details that SEO issues with each website analyzed and suggestions to implement that would make it more search engine friendly, especially when it comes to Google SEO factors. "As one of the longest running SEO companies since 1998, we have seen SEO go through so many changes over the years. Many Google algorithms have caused havoc and changed the playing field. We have learned from experience what it takes to rank a website high in Google, says Pierre Zarokian, CEO of Submit Express. Zarokian, and his team, have worked with major brands and big names to create winning strategies for long-term growth in search. The complimentary audit looks at a sites use of the major onsite ranking factors, such as titles and keyword usage. A thorough dive into backlinks to find spam is followed by a duplicate content check, to see what low-quality blogs and sites might be trying to steal your content. Next, the company looks at your websites load speed to determine what can be done to make it run faster. This is combined with mobile compatibility analysis, another important ranking factor that can make a major difference. Offsite, Submit Express looks at social media presence to see where you can improve and gain more followers. The company also reviews your competition, looking for keywords not being used and opportunities for growth not being utilized. "Today, you not only need to have SEO friendly content and relevant backlinks, but also site speed and mobile friendliness are huge factors. Our SEO audits will look at several factors and will sure help you rank better if you follow our advice." Pierres team is hands on, and can work with clients regardless of level of tech knowledge. These complimentary SEO audits are available to any and all businesses who contact Submit Express for an evaluation. Visit SubmitExpress.com or call (877) 737-3083 to start the process. Clients receive a PDF file containing detailed reporting on potential ranking factors and opportunities for improvement. About Submit Express Since 1998, Submit Express has worked with thousands of companies to improve search engine rank with the latest optimization techniques. Ranked as the Top Search Engine Optimization Firm by Website Magazine in 2009, Submit Express continues to lead in the SEO and PPC marketing space. The company was founded by Pierre Zarokian, who has more than 20 years of experience in the internet marketing industry. Zarokian is an industry thought leader who has been interviewed by Forbes, The Los Angeles Times, and Time magazine. Pierre also writes for Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Journal. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: 1. Splits over Brexit emerged yesterday at the very highest levels of the British government as the Brexit secretary accused the chancellor of inconsistency and Boris Johnson faced mockery, the Times reports. Prime Minister Theresa May appeared to be struggling to contain divisions within her top team after David Davis and Philip Hammond set out alternative timetables for Brexit. 2. Popular support for higher taxes and increased public spending is stronger than it has been for more than a decade, according to a study of social attitudes reported in the FT. Just under half of Britons are now in favour of higher tax and spend policies the highest proportion since 2004. 3. A new government advisory group involving the main UK business organisations has been set up by senior ministers, to give higher priority to companies concerns in the Brexit negotiations, the FT reports. The move will be seen as an attempt by the government to build bridges with business after months of what was seen as a deliberate effort by 10 Downing Street to give it the cold-shoulder. 4. One of the worlds biggest cyberattacks disabled computer systems across Russia, Britain and the US yesterday, freezing government departments, disrupting oil and shipping companies and restricting radiation checks at the Chernobyl power plant, the Times reports. Experts said that the virus, which hit Ukraine before spreading to Europe and America, could be a global outbreak of Petrwrap, a type of ransomware similar to the virus that affected NHS hospitals last month. 5. Britain's major lenders have been told by the Bank of England that they must set aside a combined 11.4 billion of capital in the next 18 months as a means to protect themselves from the risks of an economic downturn. In its Financial Stability Report released on Tuesday morning the bank increased the so-called counter cyclical capital buffer (CCB) from 0% to 0.5%, with the expectation that that buffer will be increased to 1% at the next stability report in November. 6. Japanese bank Nomura has confirmed reports it is applying for a licence to operate in Frankfurt as its European Union base after Brexit. Currently, its official European HQ is in London. The bank will transfer fewer than 100 staff from London, where it currently employs between 2,500 and 2,800 people. 7. Japanese stocks wobbled on Wednesday morning as tech shares were dragged down by falls in their U.S. counterparts overnight, while financials rallied on the back of rising U.S. yields, Reuters reports. The Nikkei share average shed 0.2% to 20,181.62 in midmorning trade, while gains in banking stocks and insurers supported the broader Topix, which tacked on 0.1%. 8. Oil prices fell early on Wednesday after a report of rising U.S. fuel inventories underscored concerns that a three-year old crude glut is far from over, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures were at $46.32 per barrel at 1.12 a.m. BST (8.12 p.m. Tuesday ET) down 33 cents, or 0.7%, from their last close. 9. Google was hit on Tuesday with a record-breaking fine of 2.4 billion euros ($2.7 billion, 2.1 billion) by European regulators. The European Commission accused the California-based technology giant of abusing its dominant position and promoting its own shopping service in its search results over those of its competitors. 1. A massive cyberattack impacted companies around the world, including a Russian oil firm, Ukrainian banks and government departments, and major multinationals. Security researchers analysing the malicious software said it was similar to WannaCry, which was used in last month's cyberattack. 3. Facebook now has 2 billion users. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the milestone brought him closer in the company's mission to "bring people together." 4. Binary Capital, the VC firm quit by partner Justin Caldbeck after several women made sexual harassment allegations, is shutting down its second fund. The firm had raised around $175 million (137 million), according to Bloomberg, but very little had been invested. 5. Twitter has a new vice president of diversity and inclusion. The company has hired Candi Castleberry-Singleton to replace Jeffery Siminoff, who left after just a year. 6. Uber will now let you order a ride for someone else, even if they don't have the smartphone app. A new in-app feature lets you request and pay for a journey on behalf of someone else. 7. An Oxford university spinout, DiffBlue, has raised $22 million (17.3 million) to check code for mistakes using artificial intelligence. DiffBlue's AI takes on the unloved task of software testing, which developers normally have to do themselves. 8.Actor and early Uber investor Ashton Kutcher has come out in support of the company, saying Uber had become "the poster child" for common Silicon Valley's issues. He also said he didn't know that it was a "good idea" for CEO Travis Kalanick to step down after the company's many troubles. 9. Apple Music is aping Spotify with personalised playlists, curated by algorithm. The company delivered its first "Chill" playlist to a small test group of users on Sunday, and will roll it out more widely this summer. 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! Osman was shot after he refused to hand over his mobile phone to the suspected armed robbers who were seizing phones of people at the event, Accra-based Joy FM reports. The attackers were said to have fired the shot that hit the victims head. The Manhyia hospital had earlier indicated that they were incapacitated to provide treatment to the boy due to the extent of his injury. READ ALSO: Here are the faces of suspected killers of Captain Mahama The visit will come as welcoming news to a town that has made the headlines for all the wrong reasons, following the gruesome murder of a military man by its residents. The people of Denkyira-Obuasi drew the ire of majority of Ghanaians after lynching a military officer, Captain Maxwell Mahama, on suspicion of being an armed robber. The issue made the town very unpopular, with several reports suggesting that many Ghanaians did not want to have anything to do with Denkyira-Obuasi and its residents. However, it appears the town has not been completely out of favour, with the Catholic Bishop of the region visiting to celebrate mass with the people. Most Rev. Nketsia encouraged residents of Denkyira-Obuasi to foster unity, while also urging them make a conscious effort to rebuild the towns dented image. He added that the people must learn from past mistakes, insisting dwelling on the past will only drag the town backwards. READ ALSO: Mahama Wife of slain soldier is reportedly 3 months pregnant The information that was disclosed by the French Envoy during a visit by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Ndu Ughamadu, led a delegation to his office in Abuja on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Mr Gauer said, the French Development Agency (FDA) has put money in place to encourage French investors to invest in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. Adding that the French government is also cooperating with the Federal Government in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency. Furthermore, he pointed out that the peaceful environment in the Niger Delta is important to French interest in the country while stating that some French investors are currently developing the wind and solar energy in Katsina state. Total, a French multinational Oil and Gas Company, had significant investment equity in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and Egina project. Mr Ughamadu also addressed the audience noting that the Corporation under the current management led by the Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, is well positioned and open to investment opportunities from the French Government and investors. With the significant scale down in pipeline vandalism and insecurity which has boosted oil production, global investors such as the French Government can now invest in renewable energy, gas and power infrastructural development, pipeline construction, storage facility and the direct sales and purchase of Nigeria crude oil grades. The fine which was issued in one of the three on-going investigations into how the company dominates Internet searches and smartphones. According to the European Commission, the tech company has 90 days to stop its foul-play of favouring its own shopping service during online searches and using its Android mobile operating system to crush rivalry which could result in potential damages to the rival company. This fine, which is 3 percent of Alphabets turnover, is the biggest the EU has ever imposed on a single company in its competition and anti-trust case. Also in 2009, Intel was also handed $1.06 billion sanctions by the EU in a similar anti-trust case. In 2013, Alphabet also settled without penalty with the U.S anti-trust agency after agreeing to change some of its search practices. One of which is blocking rivals in an online search advertising. The Commission also noted that Google, with a market share in searches of over 90 percent in most European countries, had given prominent placement in searches to its own comparison shopping service and demoted those of rivals in search results. According to the European Competition Director General, Ms Margrethe Vestager: What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation. That figure a measure of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere has become the global standard for tracking how human activity is affecting the planet. It'seven as we've begun to pollute the planet less This worrisome phenomenon suggests that humans have essentially maxed out our planet's best protection against climate change. This protection comes in the form of so-called "carbon sinks" patches of land and ocean that absorb large chunks of the carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere. For the past several decades, they've been helping to keep the planet from warming as quickly as it otherwise would. But now they may be at capacity, prompting the Earth to continue cooking even as we curb our emissions from oil and gas. A recent New York Times article likened the phenomenon to "garbage workers going on strike, but on a grand scale." If these sinks are full and they can no longer suck up a hefty portion of the emissions we're putting out, the future scenario is grim. Carbon dioxide levels would keep rising, and climate change would worsen. Back in 1958, a scientist named Charles David Keeling was the first person to measure the CO2 in the air. His project at the Mauna Loa volcano, which was initially slated to run for only one year, turned into a 24/7 measurement of global CO2 levels. You've probably seen the rising line known by scientists as the "Keeling Curve" in a presentation or two about climate change. Keeling's son Ralph now leads the carbon dioxide program at the Scripps Institute for Oceanography. In a recent post for Scripps, he explained that he reason CO2 levels didn't begin leveling off once humans started polluting less was "pretty simple." Basically, Keeling explained, the sinks we have now can only suck up about half of the carbon dioxide we emit. The other half is still building up in the atmosphere. In order to start making that red line on the Keeling Curve level off, we'd have to slash our pollution levels by a whopping 50%. That has not happened. Even in Europe, where greenhouse gas emissions have been decreasing pretty significantly, they only dropped 22% in the 25 years between 1990 and 2015. Even if we begin to curb our emissions severely, we won't be out of the danger zone, Keeling wrote. "Eventually, additional emissions cuts would be required because the sinks will slowly lose their efficiency as the land and ocean start to saturate." Think of a dry sponge as an example. At first, that sponge is great at sucking up water. But as it gets more and more full, it can absorb less and less. And that, essentially, is what's happening to our carbon sinks. That means that if we plan on stopping climate change, we're going to have to do a lot more than we're doing now. The mum of ace music video producer Clarence Peters has been awarded the city of Houstons humanitarian proclamation award from the mayor of Houston. ALSO READ: Actress wins Danny Glover humanitarian award Full of excitement and undying thanks to God, she wrote, "Received the City of Houston Humanitarian Proclamation Award from the Mayor of Houston at the UgoSunday Foundation Inc BE LIFTED GALA Night at the Hilton Houston Galleria on June 23rd, 2017, one year after receiving same from the New York State Senate. To Almighty God, I give all the Glory. Amen! Thank you!" Recall that last year Clarion who tied the knot with Anthony Boyd received a similar award from the New York Senate. The show is new to Forbes Woman Africa and it will depict the journey of some of the most influential women in West and South Africa who have defied the odds to do remarkable things. The first episode will feature Oby Ezekwesili, founder of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign and co-founder of Transparency International. Ezekwesili will talk about the hurdles she faced faced fighting corruption in Nigeria from her early days as the co-founder of Transparency International to how she dealt with the shock and horror after finding out that 270 school girls have been kidnapped by the Boko Haram group in Chibok, Borno State. The prosecutor, Sgt. Raphael Donny, told the court that the accused committed the incestuous offence between 2016 and 2017 at his residence. Donny said that the girl, a 14-year -old, who is a niece to the accused niece was leaving with him. The accused has been molesting the girl since 2016 but she kept it to herself until her mother paid a visit." The victim told her mother what the accused had been doing with her and the woman reported the matter to the police station." The accused was arrested, he said. The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The chief magistrate, Mrs Folakemi Davies Abegunde, granted the accused to a bail of N1 million with two sureties in like sum. According to a resident of the area who posted the ugly incident on Ikorodu Ambassadors Facebook group wall, the deadly gang struck on the night of Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at a residence at Ayelala, Olopomeji, at the back of MRS filling station (formerly Kadesh filling station) close to the Army Barracks, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, and killed every member of the family comprising of the man, his wife, and three children. It was gathered that the murdered family members were from the Igede speaking area of Benue State and had been living in the area after building their own house years ago. Their corpses were allegedly recovered by a neighbour who had gone to the compound early the next morning to request for something only to meet them in pools of their blood. The latest news on the story that has shocked Nigerians has to do with some of the victims of Evans the kidnapper. Some of the victims have cried out that their lives are in danger because members of Evans' kidnapping syndicate are still at large. Chief Donatus Dunu who luckily escaped Evans' kidnap hideout in Igando is not happy that one of his workers Emeka Egbulugha who he claims had worked with Evans has been released by the Nigerian Police Force. ALSO READ: Police arrests soldier who allegedly worked with Evans Dunu, who is the boss of Maydon Pharmaceutical Company, in Ilupeju, Lagos, maintains that he saw Emeka at the kidnappers' hideout in Igando, where he was in for two months. Another victim of the kidnap kingpin has also spoken up. While remaining anonymous, this victim who was in captivity for six months still fears for his life. Read his statement below; "I am yet to get over the shock of my kidnap. Honestly, I am afraid to talk about it because I believe a lot of his members are still walking free. The police have done well by arresting him but they should round up all his other gang members. I was detained for six months until my family paid the last dime demanded. I have been hiding since my release. I know the trauma Evans and his members put me through. Till this day, I get scared when his name is mentioned. It took me two months before I could sign my cheque. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Even though one of the kingpins of the business Evans, this doesn't mean that there aren't kidnappers out there watching our daily moves. Unfortunately, the state of security in Nigeria is still low despite Evans' arrest. It's every man for himself out there and you have to be vigilant. Don't take anything for granted. Below are 7 tips to avoid being kidnapped. 1) Spread your money in various accounts It is not smart to put all your savings in just one bank account. You never know if your account manager is in league with a kidnapper. Trust no one. Spread your money so that no one is aware you have a lot of money and can pay a huge ransom. 2) Avoid being flashy in public In a country where the gap between the rich and poor is wide, you have to be careful how you appear in public. Wearing expensive watches, chains is not a good idea. You never know if kidnappers are watching now. In all cases try your best to look plain as possible. If you can't get security guards. 3) Watch how you speak in front of domestic servants A lot of people talk recklessly in the presence of their gate men, house helps and drivers. Don't talk about money you are expecting or sending in front of just anyone. People have been kidnapped based on information that their domestic staff told a kidnapper. Talk about money when you are alone or in front of people you absolutely trust. 4) Be conservative on social media This one is pretty obvious. Do not flaunt your wealth on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or SnapChat. You are calling undue attention to yourself and making yourself a target. 5) Tint the windows of your expensive ride If you have a very expensive car, get permission from the police to have tints. This would make you as anonymous as possible. 6) Don't be predictable When coming home or going home, don't take the same roads all the time. Try to be unpredictable. Take alternative routes, use a different car, enter a cab instead. This could throw off any kidnappers on your tail. 7) Public donations in church Obateru posted photos of the proposal and her happiness following her partner saying yes on her Facebook page and went ahead to gloat over the news. Obateru, a resident of Hackney in the United Kingdom, said she just proposed to the love of her life and she said 'yes', making her the happiest woman on earth. But the development did not go down well with many Nigerians who have been lambasting Obateru on the said proposal, making her go back to her Facebook to pour insults on those she saw as jobless who would not mind their businesses but go about writing nonsense on the social media concerning her. Read the angry words Obateru posted on her wall: "I don't give a f*k what Y'all think about me. Haters everywhere. Mtchewwwww!!! But am still me. I don't gv a f*k about what Y'all think about me... Speaking in an interview with Channels TV, the Nnewi, Anambra State-born businessman openly pleaded for his son to be forgiven for his atrocities and instead take him to the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet TB Joshua, for deliverance. The older Onwuamadike who has insisted that his son was being manipulated spiritually by his mother, added that it was not Evans that committed the heinous crimes being linked to him but that something inside of him must have been responsible. He begged that he should be given a second chance and allowed to turn a new leaf and become closer to God. Im still pleading with Nigerians, everybody he offended, that they should forgive him. Life is very very important. Once they have life, there is hope. I have said it earlier, let them take him to T.B Joshua. I was in T.B Joshua in 2012, he said that if you see any criminal, that you should bring that person so that when he gets his deliverance, he will know himself. It is something inside him that is messing up, not that person. I was telling God to forgive him. Its a very big shame to me hearing this name, he said. Pa Onwuamadike had earlier dissociated himself from the accusation by his son that he took to crime after the father abandoned him and chased him out of the house and had then told reporters that it was Evans' mother who manipulated him and turned him into a criminal. The lady who has been identified only as Adaora, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that she and others who were stranded in the desert had to resort to drinking their urine to survive when they had no more option. Adaora was one of 50 migrants abandoned in the desert by human traffickers after they had left Agadez in the Niger Republic for Libya but were abandoned by the traffickers who left with all their belongings including food and money. Adaora who was one of the lucky few to survive after the death of many of the migrants narrated how they faced death but by divine intervention, managed to survive. Narrating her experience, Adaora said: We were in the desert for 10 days. After five days, the driver abandoned us. He left with all of our belongings, saying he was going to pick us up in a couple of hours, but he never did. Two days after we were abandoned, 44 of the migrants died, leaving six of us and we decided to start walking to look for help. Those that died were too weak to keep going. We buried a few, but there were just too many to bury and we didnt have the strength to do it, Adaora said. She added that she collapsed while walking and two of the other migrants carried her until they met a truck driver. We had to drink our own urine to survive. I couldnt walk anymore. I wanted to give up. The six of them, she continued, were rescued by a truck driver who took them to local authorities who then alerted International Organisation for Migration (IOM), an arm of the United Nations, in Dirkou, Agadez. IOM, in a statement, said it rescued no fewer than 600 people since April 2017, through a new search and rescue operation that targeted migrants stranded in the Sahara Desert. The agency, however, regretted that 52 migrants died over the period, according to the statement released on Tuesday. We are enhancing our capacity to assist vulnerable migrants stranded in Northern Agadez, towards the Niger-Libya border. Saving lives in the desert is becoming more urgent than ever. Since the beginning of the year, we have been receiving frequent calls to rescue victims who embark on this route,Giuseppe Loprete, the Chief of Mission for IOM in Niger said. On June 9, 2017, another 92 migrants were also rescued through an IOM search and rescue operation, among them were 30 women and children. More recently, 24 migrants were taken to Seguedine, where one died on arrival. Among the 23 survivors are migrants from Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal and Cote dIvoire. It was not clear for how long they had been walking in the deserts of central Niger. If the incumbent stays in power or if we have a new leader, one thing is certain things will remain the same. Latest statistics show that there are 7.9 million Nigerians (15-34) that don't have jobs. Attempts to have uninterrupted power supply have been nothing but a farce. The drums of secession can still be heard 47 years after Biafra was crushed. 'Arewa Youths' are calling for Igbos to leave the North. Senators and Representatives still earn a disgusting amount of money for doing virtually nothing in the House of Assembly. The national minimum wage is still shockingly at N18,000. And just to paint how bad the minimum wage is, here is a list of things N18,000 cannot do in present day Nigeria, This is the sad picture of present-day Nigeria, and here is the master stroke. The nation's number one citizen President Muhammadu Buhari has been in London for 50 days where he has been treating an undisclosed illness. Buhari who rode into power with an unprecedented amount of goodwill has not disclosed the nature of his ailment to the people that voted him into power. Secondly, there has been little or no communication between the Head of State and the Nigerian people. Thirdly, when he made a rare statement during this year's Ramadan, he spoke in Hausa. Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation and for a country that has tribalism as one of its huge problems, the President was highly insensitive. This is present day Nigeria and forecasts on the future of this country are darker and gloomier. Borrowing from Thomas Hobbes life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." The status quo needs to change, urgently for the future of this nation. The sad news is that it is too late for our generation. As kids, we dreamt that by the time we were adults, Nigeria would be paradise. Look outside brothers and sisters Nigeria is hell. We have failed to move this nation forward. The basic things we are struggling to achieve are what many nations have done and forgotten. We still have a shot to salvage this nation but not for us but the generation that is coming. Very soon we will head to the polls to vote for new leaders. It would be foolish and naive to think one general election will fix Nigeria's problems. The next polls can, however, be the start of something big. The responsibility lies on us, the youth to engineer the change. Here are a few things we should all strive to do and know when its election time. Every Nigerian above 18 should belong to a political party. We cannot be serious about change if we do not belong to a political party. The ancient Greeks believed that people who do not take part in political matters are idiots. Most of us are idiots and that is why we are comfortable with this horrible way of life. Nothing will change if we do not join the political process. Focus on senators and reps (state and federal) and not on governors and President. The grand mistake we have made over several elections is focusing on who the president and governors are. No. The real focus should be on the senators and reps (both national and state). This is where most of the corrupt people are. These are the people who hold millions of Nigerians back. Before you decide on who you want to be president come 2019, ask yourself who you would vote for as your senator and rep. Because we fail to do this, we have allowed the worst of us to rule the best of us. Speaking on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 on the increase of crime in the state during a courtesy visit by the Niger Council of Traditional Rulers, Gov Bello said he had lost confidence in Nigerias security agencies. "Despite the huge amounts voted and given to security agencies monthly, they have failed in making the state and nation safer as crime seems to have become the order of the day, he began. We spend a lot of money on security but we do not have a safe environment. In Niger State, we spend N100m every month on security, I am sure that if we spend a fraction of that money on traditional rulers, we will get better results than what we have now. "I suggest that we go back to the traditional ways of securing our communities, the traditional system performed better in the past and they can do better now if more powers are given to them. I recommend that we give powers to traditional rulers for security," he said. ALSO READ: Gov Bello warns Niger residents against taking law into their hands Abdullahi disclosed this while speaking to The Guardian on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. He said PresidentMuhammadu Buhari's government is committed to restructuring the country, denying claims that the party was playing politics with the subject. He told The Guardian, "My own take is that every government has its own priority and you will agree with me that if you have to deal with the issue of Boko Haram or you need to deal with the issue of the economy that has gone into recession and all that, you have to get your priorities right. "I dont think it would be a wise move to add the challenges of restructuring if you have not dealt with the problems that affect the average Nigerian. "So when people are hungry, when people are losing jobs, when people's salaries are not being paid, I think any responsible government would consider this to be a priority even while it still believes in the restructuring of the country. "The issue of restructuring is never a gimmick. It is in the manifesto of our party. How can that be a gimmick? That is why I said that the fact that it has not been done does not mean that it would not be done." Former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida recently lent his voice to the demands, arguing "for the devolution of more powers from the federal level to the states." Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also issued a statement on Tuesday, supporting the calls for restructuring the country, thanking the APC's Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) for publicly backing it. In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, Atiku praised the patriotism of the party's governors for standing behind achieving true federalism in the country. He said, "The restructuring debate transcends the ambition of any single politician in Nigeria, and that any attempt to ignore the agitations could make a bad situation more complicated." The former second-in-command to President Olusegun Obasanjo further claimed that recent increased agitations for separation by several ethnic groups can be blamed on ignoring calls for restructuring. He said, "The agitations for secession would not have arisen, if the country had shown sincere readiness to address the underlying problems that feed the agitations by separatist forces." In April, Atiku made renewed calls for Nigeria's restructuring, saying the country will continue to struggle with conflicts of great socioeconomic consequences unless it gets the structures of the federalism and governance right. He stated this in a paper titled "The Challenge of Unity, Diversity and National Development: Nigeria at a Crossroads" delivered at the formal public presentation of the Daily Stream newspaper, at the Banquet Hall, Nigeria Air force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja. ALSO READ: Atiku insists Nigeria must restructure to get governance right Former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida recently lent his voice to calls for the restructuring of the country, arguing "for the devolution of more powers from the federal level to the states." This was confirmed in a statement by the commission's spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, who revealed that the operative in the Property Fraud Section of the EFCC Zonal office in Port Harcourt escaped death during the incident. According to the statement, "Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials." According to the statement, there had been earlier threats made to his life. Uwujaren said, "Before the incident, the officer had been receiving threat messages. One of such messages which he received sometime in May 2017 was reported to the Police. "This incident underlines the hazards which operatives of the Commission are daily exposed to in the discharge of their duties." The incident, which has been reported to the police, is not the first involving attacks against operatives of the EFCC. The State NLC Chairman, Mr John Ushie, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Wednesday. The labour unions are demanding for payment of gratuities to retirees from 2013 till date, re-commencement of promotion interview and release of promotion letters to those already promoted, among others. Ushie said that the organised labour in the state was not shifting grounds. He said that the demands of the workers must be met before the strike could be suspended. Right from Monday, June 19 that we embarked on strike, we have ensured total compliance till date." We have been dragging over these demands for too long now; enough is enough. We see no reason why deserving civil servants should not get their promotion letters and retirees be paid their gratuities." There is no worker in any of the offices right now. We have set up a task force team to ensure that all offices are under lock and key." What will make us to call of the strike is the full implementation of our demands. When we see the evidence, we will sit in congress and decide on what next to do, Ushie said. A NAN correspondent who visited some Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) reports that all the offices were under lock and key, leaving government activities paralysed. Mrs Tina Agbor, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), in an interview with NAN, appealed to the striking workers to consider the interest of the state and return to work. Agbor said that the government in spite of the dwindling Federal monthly allocation to the state, had remained committed to making workers welfare a priority. According to her, the government, in a letter dated June 14, 2017 to the State Civil Service Commission, conveyed the approval of the governor for the promotion of civil servants, after six years of such an exercise. Also, in a Memorandum of Understanding between the government and the organised labour, on May 30, 2017, it was agreed that the promotion of deserving civil/public servants shall resume forthwith, after which letters would be released, while financial implications will be worked out by the Head of Service and Commissioner for Finance for the governors consideration. The audio was released by the presidents handlers on June 25, 2017. The Nigerian leader was conveying his Eid-el-Fitr felicitations to his compatriots back home, in that audio. The audio was designed to calm frayed nerves and assure Nigerians that their leader is still alive. Buhari left Nigeria for a medical vacation on May 7, 2017. Its the second time the president would be leaving Nigeria for a medical vacation abroad in the last six months. Cumulatively, the president has now spent more than 100 days away from his work desk, in that time. That means in a calendar year of 365 days, the president will probably be on a vacation for half a year. Theres nowhere else in the world where this happens. No employer of labour would take that and Nigerians are the bosses here. The Nigerian presidential jet has been parked in a London hangar for 50 days now and running, all at taxpayers' expense. According to Akande Akin Sanyaolu, a social media user, "the idle Presidential aircraft in London consumes 4,000 every day in parking lot feesby 12am this morning, it would be 50 days it has stayed idle and if you multiply that by N400/1pounds for 50days, it will amount to N80M doing nothing but waiting for the President to get well." According to Section 144 (1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended: The President or Vice President shall cease to hold office if: "a) By a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all the members of the executive council of the federation, it is declared that the President or Vice President is incapable of discharging the functions of his office and "b) The declaration is verified, after such medical as may be necessary by a medical panel established under subsection 4 of this section in its report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives". Section 144 (2) (3) reads as follows: "Where the medical panel certifies in the report that in its opinion, the President or Vice President is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the official Gazette of the Government of the Federation. 3) The President or Vice President shall cease to hold office as from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report pursuant to subsection (2) of this constitution". Weve got to call a spade by its name - President Buhari is critically ill. ALSO READ: Nigerians blast President for addressing the country in Hausa All you need do to agree is listen to that Sallah audio again. All you need to do to agree is look at pictures of the president between March 10, 2017 when he arrived from his first medical vacation of the year and May 7, 2017, when he embarked on another. With each picture, Buhari looks increasingly pale, gaunt and frail. He moves with difficulty and his speech is a blur. The man is obviously in pains and we should relieve him of his misery. We shouldnt be burdening the president with the onerous task of sifting through piles of paperwork or decision making at this point. In a sane country, Buhari would have stepped aside or thrown in the towel. In a sane country, the federal executive council and parliament would have made the decision on Buharis behalf. Hes becoming too ill to govern and governing a country like Nigeria takes a lot, trust me. Dear esteemed readers, what do you think? Is it time to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign? According to Daily Post, the group also alleged that some Yoruba leaders want to make Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the President. The Northern youths in a statement signed by its spokesmen, Muhammed Shehu and Tanko Abdullahi said the South-West is planning to discredit the North in 2019. The group also said We are very much aware that all the attacks against President Muhammadu Buhari were planted in the media by the Yoruba and spread by southerners generally just to discredit the north in order to pave way for their son, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to become president. But their plans will fail insha Allah. We shall resist every of such plans and ensure by all means possible, that the north completes its eight-year tenure and possibly even continue after then, and that the federal structure of Nigeria as it currently is, is not tampered with by secession mongers and their collaborators. Having given power to the Yoruba on a platter of gold in 1999 as a way of compensating them for the June 12 saga, it is quite worrisome and unfortunate that they have lived up to their legendary reputation of backstabbing and betrayal by supporting the divisive calls for restructuring or dismemberment of the nation against the will and desire of the north. We gave the late Chief MKO Abiola the mandate in 1993 but shortly after that, as it is with the Yoruba as a culture, they immediately started circling around Abiola plotting on how to emasculate the north and strip us of every access we had to the politics and economy of this nation. They had also raised a secret army of their elites to carry out these sinister plans against the north if Abiola eventually became president. It was this army that was unleashed on the nation in the guise of NADECO during the June 12 impasse. May we remind the Yoruba that without the willingness and magnanimity of the north, there was no way Abiola could have purportedly won that election, and that all the Yoruba have now as assets in the south west, especially Lagos, were given to them by our leaders out of our own usual magnanimity. However, time and time again, the Yoruba have always turned their back on us whenever their support is needed. They have chosen to pitch tent with the Igbo this time around just to spite us, but we shall not succumb to their antics. In a report by TheCable, Namdas reacted to the Minister of Works, Power and Housing latest swipe at the National Assembly for allegedly hindering the growth of the country. In a statement by Namdas on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, the legislature's spokesman said lawmakers could not watch the countrys "patrimony be unfairly skewed to one region or a few regions to the detriment of other states and geo-political zones". In his words: "We need to remind Mr. Fashola that the national assembly is a national institution made up of members from all geo-political zones, they represent all tendencies, interests and ethnic nationalities. It has a responsibility also to ensure balance in the distribution of road projects and other developmental facilities. ALSO READ: Fashola says lawmakers want borehole projects over capital projects The proposal from Mr. President on the 2017 budget of the ministry of works, power and housing did not pass this test! This partly informed the intervention of National Assembly so that every region can be carried along in project allocation." According to Punch, Fayose also alleged that the President has been on a life support machine since June 6, 2017. The Ekiti state Governor also called on Buharis media team to tell Nigerians the truth, adding that the audio broadcast was a fake. Fayose, who told newsmen that the President is suffering from a voice impairment, said the Sallah broadcast was used to deceive Nigerians. He also said that the First Lady, Aisha Buhari was not allowed to see Buhari during her last visit to London. The Governor said Today, it makes 53 days since our president left Nigeria to attend to his health challenges abroad. No official information as to his whereabouts and his state of health. Like every other Nigerians, I do not wish the president dead, I have therefore maintained dignified silence since we were told that the president embarked on his second medical trip abroad this year. However, the recorded audio message which was released by the Presidency as the presidents Ramadan message to Nigerians necessitated my setting the records straight today. ALSO READ:Why Governor Fayose has so many enemies The audio message does not represent the truth as our President does not only have voice impairment, he has been on life-support since June 6, 2017, at a West-End, London Hospital. Only three Nigerians who are of the presidents cabal are allowed access to the president. I will keep their identities for now. Anyone with contrary claim should produce the president to Nigerians within the next 48 hours. I want to say emphatically that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has not spoken to the president in the last one month. I expect him to prove me wrong, he added. The items were supplied by the plaintiffs-Mr Gabriel Demola and Mr Godpower Agbolu and were yet to be paid. Justice Jude Okeke in his judgment held that the defendants failed to prove that the plaintiffs did not comply with the process of procurement in the award of the contract. The defendants did not place any evidence before the court to contradict the evidence of the plaintiffs." The evidence of the plaintiffs before the court are documentary evidence which are not contradicted by the defendants even under cross examination." In the circumstance, the defendants are severally or jointly to pay the sum of N4. 9million to the plaintiffs being the amount for the 14 HP desktops supplied them, he held. Okeke also ordered the defendants to pay five per cent interest of the contract sum per annum starting from May 13, when the payment demand was made by the plaintiffs. He recalled that the plaintiffs instituted a suit on May 5, 2015, praying the court to compel the defendants to pay them for the supply of 14 HP desktops valued at N4. 9million. Okeke added that the plaintiffs were given a contract award letter and the items were acknowledged by the defendants as being supplied. Chairman, CAN states branch, Rev. Iliya Tsiga, made the call on Tuesday, when he led some members of the association on Sallah homage to Gov. Abdulaziz Yari at his private residence in Talata-Mafara. According to him, the association wants the governor to consider the appointment of a Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Christian Affairs. He urged the state government to also establish a department that would cater for the needs of Christians under the state Ministry of Religious Affairs. While asking for a land to build a CAN secretariat and a cemetery, the chairman said the state government should intervene by allowing Christians to develop their own places of worship. He described the relationship between Christians and Muslims in the state as cordial which he said must be maintained. He recalled giving appointment to some members of the association during his first term in office and promised to do the same soon. Dan-Ali disclosed this in Rome, Wednesday at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of representatives of Government of G7++ Friends of Gulf of Guinea and representatives of Gulf of Guinea States. A copy of the ministers speech was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja by his spokesman, Col. Tukur Gusau. The minister stated that when compared to same period in 2016, there were more attacks as 36 successful attacks were recorded out of 55 attempted attacks. As we may be aware in recent years, the socio-economic agitations in the Niger Delta have elicited significant maritime security challenges such as attacks on shipping, kidnapping, crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and refining have remained challenging." Nevertheless, the combination of infrastructure development programmes, engagements with local communities, sustenance of the Amnesty Programme for repentant ex-militants and improved maritime policing activities have proved effective in stemming the tide of insecurity around the coast of Nigeria." This is a direct reflection of the activation of dedicated anti-piracy Operation TSARE TEKU off the coast of Niger Delta." The Federal Government of Nigeria has also initiated plans to establish modular refineries and other programmes to curb crude oil theft and to promote youth employment in the region, the minister said. Dan-Ali, however, expressed concern of Nigeria about IUUF Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing activities by foreign flagged ships in the nations coastal area. He said that Nigeria was also concerned about the persistent involvement of other nationals in the crude oil theft and piracy activities in the Niger Delta. In the course of Nigerian Navys anti-piracy operations, we have also seen a trend of preference for kidnap-for-ransom, with involvement of negotiators from outside the region, he said. The minister, therefore, called for more engaging cooperation and operational collaboration among Gulf of Guinea states and with the G7++ in information sharing on maritime criminal networks, individuals and vessels. He assured that Nigeria remains committed to the objectives of the 2050 Africas Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) and recently adopted AU Charter on Maritime Security Safety and Development. In this regard, the process for legislating a Bill on Piracy has also been initiated." Furthermore, the Federal Government under the leadership of recently developed a Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure on Arrest, Detention and Prosecution (HSOP-ADP) of Vessels and Persons involved in maritime criminalities." The HSOP also made provision for developing and sharing common database on maritime criminality." As I wrote here, that transition has been fueled by propaganda, Judaism and the Nigerian government. However, one of these factors stands out, for obvious reasons. The original struggle for Biafra had very little to do with religion. Yet in recent times, we have seen Jewish leader appear in the same sentence as Anambra, and the Tallit (the Jewish Prayer Shawl) drapped over the IPOB leader in photos. Nnamdi Kanu desperately needs the Igbo people to believe that he, and they themselves for that matter, are descendants of the Jews. One of the more common generalizations about the Igbo tribe is that they are wanderers. This, in itself, draws credence from another notion that the Igbos have no clearly defined point of origin. Unlike Nigerias other major tribes, the Hausa/Fulani and the Yoruba, there is no definite account of how the Igbo civilisation developed or how its people came to be at the stretch of land in the East that has become their homeland. The closest thing to an authoritative account is that offered by the historian and linguist, Kay Williamson. In the book The Early History of the Niger Delta, she suggests that the Igbos migrated down the Niger Delta from a Northern area in the Savannah and first settled close to Delta, with a secondary center of Igbo people more to the North, in the Awka area. Nnamdi Kanus origin story goes much farther than the Niger. According to him, the Igbos are one of the forgotten tribes of Israel who emigrated down to Africa. In the final days of June, while muslims across the world celebrated the end of the month of Ramadan, Kanu was visited by Jewish faithfuls at his country home. In their time there, they reportedly showed Kanu where the Igbos were referred to in the Torah a move that was supposed to serve as evidence of the Igbos jewish lineage. ALSO READ: IPOB leader should learn to close his big mouth As a people, the Igbos have always had a strong sense of ethnic identity. In emphasising a relationship between the Igbo and the Jews, Kanu offers an explanation that fills a void. To the uninformed, he seems to provide a strong account of their origin that matches the sense of identity that each member feels and understands. It is no mistake that more people, particularly the young, have opened their minds to this belief. The struggle for Biafra is as religious as it is ethnic. Perhaps due to the origins of the Civil War; the Kaduna progroms, the Igbo coup and the Northern counter-coup of 1966, most Igbo see the Hausa/Fulani in the North as the main opposition between them and the realization of Biafra. While the Igbo are predominantly Christian, it is nearly impossible to separate the Hausa/Fulani from their identity as muslims. The implications of this dichotomy are far deeper than you think, and Kanu seems to understand this. A fair number of aggrieved Igbos see the struggle for Biafra as one between good and evil. For them, it is a romantic battle between their values, and the Norths hold on a system that they believe has subtly foisted its beliefs and preferences on all Nigerians with little respect for their inclinations, religious and otherwise. Ironically, in his broadcasts from Radio Biafra, Kanu was often heard berating Nigerian christians. In one of such, he referred to Christian leaders as puppets of the Northern cabal, corrupt men of God who he called blood-suckers that have taken advantage of their followers. Judaism presents a different alternative, one that suits Kanus motives to the letter. By appearing in the forefront and holding Jewish traditional celebrations at his home, he is putting himself forward as something more than a rebel - a spiritual leader that has the divine on his side. Beyond Nigerias shores, the Jews are more known for their origin than their religion. A mere mention of the word Jewish evokes Israel - a nation whose struggle for statehood is well documented. The Bible is basically built around the timeline of their fight for a place of their own and later, in the New Testament, their independence from the Romans. In modern times, their persecution in Nazi Germany and later, across Europe is one of the major sub-plots of the Second World War. Lets make this as simple as possible. Israel is synonymous with nationalist struggle. There is much that Kanu stands to gain from associating himself with Israel, even if there is very little proof of any connection. By claiming that he is a Jew and that the Igbo emigrated from Israel, Kanu inspires a sentimental connection to arguably the worlds most persecuted people. For anyone who chooses to subscribe to this rhetoric, it portrays the exclusion of the Igbo and the demand for Biafra as an extension of the Isreali struggle for a Jewish nation. Apart from offering a historically comfortable perspective to Biafra, Kanus narrative gives the impression that the demand for secession is a divinely ordained struggle that goes beyond Nigeria to their shared identity with the Jews. I wouldnt be surprised if he has used these exact words to describe it. Theres also the chance that Kanu has no idea what hes doing, and is just going with the flow. There is little to indicate when he adopted Judaism; either at some point before he joined the agitation for Biafra, or in detention upon his arrest in 2015. We should note that Kanu is not the first Igbo man to claim ties with the Jews. In the Eastern part of Nigeria, there are over 28 synagogues that service a growing community of Igbo Jews. Conservative estimates have put their population at something between 3,000 to 5,000. These Igbo Jews refer to an early (and widely influential) statement from the 1789 autobiography of an Igbo man, Olaudah Equiano, a Christian-educated freed slave, as proof of their Isreali origin. In it, Equiano suggested a migratory origin of the Igbo Jews, supposedly tracing them to Israel and drawing cultural similarities between the Igbos and Jews. The Igbo Jews are not recognized by the mainstream Jewish community or Israel. ALSO READ: It is time for a referendum on Biafra All this being said, Nnamdi Kanus new found faith reeks more of opportunism that anything else. His interpretation of the Igbos origin serves to offer them a collective identity and give credence to his separatist ambitions. Nowadays, he accepts visitors and makes public appearances with the Kippah on his dome and the Tallit draped across his shoulder; an image that reinforces his growing image as a Messiah-like figure among his followers. Above all things, it is also likely that it is an attempt to secure Jewish and Isreali support for the struggle. As ridiculous as it sounds, it wouldnt be all that strange. Since his days behind the microphone at Radio Biafra, Kanu has called on foreign nations to support the struggle for Biafra, either through pressure or more tangible means. None of the countries have uttered a word in support; it is very unlikely that Israel would be the first to extend hands of help. But that has not stopped Nnamdi Kanu from trying. Some of the Igbos can already see his writing on the wall . "A Jew named Nnamdi is going to lead you into the Promised land" At the end of May, Kanu hosted a large Shabbat party outside his familys country home. He was joined by IPOB members who had converted to Judaism and a large congregation from the Yahwah Yashua Synagogue. Kanu used this opportunity to establish a connection between the spiritual and political parts of his struggle telling his followers that the worship of the God of Israel is central to his vision of a free Biafra. Were going to worship in temples and synagogues, he said. Nnamdi Kanu desperately needs the Igbo to believe that they are descendants of the Jews. On the surface, it may seem like misdirected floundering. But in reality, it is an important chapter in his mission to sit at the helm of the Igbo struggle for Biafra. Yerima told Vanguard that he is not hiding, adding that he is ready to be arrested and questioned. He said I did not go into hiding and will never go into hiding. We need to put the record straight. For now, nobody is looking for me and I am ready to submit myself if I am called. I am not a joker. Nobody is looking for me and I am not hiding anywhere from anybody. I am in my village, I am a Nigerian. If anybody looks for me, I will submit myself. I am not above the law. I am not on the run. Why should I go into hiding? I have a name, I have a face. I am not faceless. I am not hiding anywhere. Why should I hide? Where did I go wrong? Somebody wants to go and I said, go, youre free to go. What is wrong about it? ALSO READ: Okorocha asks Igbos to ignore quit notice You cannot be in our country and begin to clamour for another country. Go to your place and declare your own country, not in my zone. It is a simple language. I have not committed any offence. In an interview with Punch, Yerima said he is ready to make himself available to any security agency that might be willing to talk to him, saying he has nothing to fear. He said, "I did not go into hiding and will never go into hiding. We need to put the record straight. "For now, nobody is looking for me and I am ready to submit myself if I am called. I am not a joker. Nobody is looking for me and I am not hiding anywhere from anybody. I am in my village, I am a Nigerian. "If anybody looks for me, I will submit myself. I am not above the law. I am not on the run. "Why should I go into hiding? I have a name, I have a face. I am not faceless. "I am not hiding anywhere. Why should I hide?" Yerima's group formed the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY) with 15 other groups and issued a threatening statement on June 6, 2017, advising Igbos living in the northern region of the country to leave before October 1, 2017. Despite the widespread criticism the statement has generated, including an arrest order from Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Yerima stands by the statement, saying the Igbos should clear out of the region. "Where did I go wrong? Somebody wants to go and I said, 'go, you're free to go'. What is wrong about it? "You cannot be in our country and begin to clamour for another country. "Go to your place and declare your own country, not in my zone. It is a simple language. I have not committed any offence," Yerima said. Interim Chairman of the party in Anambra, Chief Obunike Ohaegbu, said in Nnewi on Tuesday that a united Nigeria that was discussed and restructured would be a better for everyone. He urged the Federal Government to address the issues that were giving rise to the tension in the country. As panacea, Ohaegbu suggested that the government should make public the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference and allow citizens decide on it. APDA is saying that we need to restructure Nigeria, that if we restructure Nigeria, every Nigerian will have a sense of belonging. We made our stand clear that we want Nigerians to be allowed to vote on the 2014 national conference. Most, if not all the decisions of the conference, were not voted for; they were arrived at with unanimity. So, as a political party, we are thinking that it should be taken to the people to decide what they want to do with it. If we have the system running, people will not be clamouring for Biafra, he said. Ohaegbu said that the Federal Government should also engage the youths who are heating up the polity in peace talks rather than threatening them. According to him, this will be more productive than discussing with elders who have little influence over them. The APDA chieftain blamed the political elite for the problems of the youth, saying that the elite equipped youths with i-pads and smart phones to insult each other while they wined and dined, leaving the youth frustrated. On the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Anambra, he said that the party was ready to take over power from the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). Ohaegbu said that Anambra people deserved more from what they were getting from APGA government under Gov. Willie Obiano, adding that they could not continue to see government run with propaganda. He said that APGA should no longer use the face of late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu as its logo, adding that it was an insult to him and the Igbo nation. What is it that APGA has done? It has gone to the point that as Ndi-Igbo, we need to come out and be firm that our leader, Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu should not be a logo of any political party. It has to stop. Every APGA billboard you see in Anambra as we speak today has the picture of Ojukwu. Is he the logo of APGA? Ojukwu belongs to Ndi-Igbo; it is an insult for any political party to use Ojukwu as its logo, he said. Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state including the state party chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, the state APC Secretary, Alhaji Rasaq Salinsile, APC Osun West Senatorial Leader, Alhaji Yinusa Amobi, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Elder Peter Babalola among others stated this in Iwo/Ayedire/Ola-Oluwa federal constituency during the APC Campaign for the July 8 By-Election in the district. According to the leaders, voting the APC candidate, Senator Mudashiru Hussein, in the polls provides a platform for dividends of democracy to spread to the grassroots. The State APC Chairman, Prince Famodun noted that the PDP Candidate, Ademola Adeleke is a selfish politician who suddenly joined politics to serve his pocket. He told the electorates to vote a responsive, charismatic, experienced, progressive and result driven candidate that will in turn benefit the populace. Senator Hussein appreciated the people for their support over the years urging them to replicate this in the forthcoming election. The resolution, signed by the CAN Chairman, Rev. Yakubu Pam and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Joseph Hayab urged agitators in all parts of the country not to sacrifice the unity of the country for anything. Without doubt, nations are built and sustained by unity, not division. " We recognise the right of groups and individuals to agitate for whatever rights for the growth and progress of their people. " But also wish to say that any agitation that goes to the extreme with the use of words and violent conduct is wrong and not good for our collective unity and progress as a nation. It added that the body would never support any divisive call by any group in the country. After careful deliberation, we condemn in strong terms the latest display of lack of nationalism by some groups and individuals, it stated, and urged government to protect all citizens anywhere in the country." The government should as a matter of urgency start considering the best ways that will address issues that have led to agitations by revisiting the last National Conference Report and get the National Assembly to begin legislative processes on contentious matters. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, June 28 (CNA) A huge log of an ancient Taiwan cypress has recently been bought back to Taiwan after the tree -- estimated to be 1,600 years old -- was chopped down in the forest of Alishan and shipped to Japan during the Japanese colonial period from 1895 to 1945. Once upon a time, those traffic jams could be easily navigated by jumping on one of those commercial motorcycles, locally known as Okada, and you could weave through traffic in peace. Unfortunately, former Lagos State Governor (and now Minister of Power) Babatunde Fashola banned the Okadas from major highways and other specific areas of the state, no thanks to the mounting number of lives lost from reckless okada riders. They are now confined to inner streets and minor motorways. Max GO wants to change that. The new app just launched and it is set to bring on-demand power bikes to approved routes in Lagos. Max Go works just like any of the regular ride-hailing apps we are all familiar with (Uber, Taxify etc) except it has a no cash policy. Sign-up is the same name, phone number, debit card details and so on. To request a ride, you simply put in your pickup location and destination, get a fare estimate and place a Request, after which the app proceeds to connect you with the closest Champion. Your motorcycle arrives, hands you a hairnet and helmet (safety first, people) and youre on your way! Just like that. At the end of your trip, your debit card us charged and a receipt is sent to you. Max Go also provides passenger liability insurance, for those God forbid moments, according to Techpoint. According to a Techpoint report, Max Go requires its Champions (motorcycle riders) to undergo a series of vetting sessions that begin with psychometric tests. Right now, Max Go has launched with a 100 motorcycles and it is only available as an Android app (Techpoint reports that an iOS version is coming soon). It charges for only distance covered with a starting price of N100. Max Go is from a company called Metro African Express, an urban logistics startup launched by Chinedu Azodoh and Adetayo Bamiduro in 2015. The military said in a statement that it had acted on "intelligence indicating a number of criminal elements had gathered to cross the border into Egypt using a number of four-wheel-drive vehicles". An official in the armed forces told AFP the vehicles had been on the move from Libya. Air force units found "the hostile targets, confirmed their coordinates and dealt with them for more than 12 hours," the military said, without specifying when the raids were carried out. "The operation led to the targeting and destruction of 12 four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying quantities of weapons, ammunition, and explosive materials," it added. The official Facebook page of Egypt's military spokesman published a video showing warplanes taking off on the mission, as well as footage from the air of vehicles being struck. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias battling for control of the oil-rich country. Egypt has repeatedly expressed concern over militants crossing into its territory from Libya to conduct attacks. In a speech last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said setbacks by the Islamic State group in Syria were driving its fighters to try to relocate to Libya and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Displaced Syrian families in Lebanon are using electronic cards, topped up each month by the United Nations' World Food Programme with $27 (24 euros) per person, for their grocery shopping. The WFP scheme has both helped refugees and delivered a windfall to cash-strapped Lebanese shop owners. "This programme changed my life. I bought an apartment in Beirut and I paid for my three children's college degrees," said Khiami. Since registering with the WFP, he has seen his personal income skyrocket from $2,000 per month to $10,000, allowing him to pay off a long-standing debt. "I used to sell goods worth about 50 million Lebanese pounds (around $33,000) per year. Today, my turnover reaches 300 million pounds," said Khiami. A small blue sticker in the window of his cosy store in southern Beirut identifies it as one of the 500 shops taking part in the WFP scheme. Lebanon, a country of just four million people, hosts more than one million refugees who fled the conflict that has ravaged neighbouring Syria since 2011. The influx has put added strain on Lebanon's already frail water, electricity, and school networks. The World Bank says the Syrian crisis has pushed an estimated 200,000 Lebanese into poverty, adding to the nation's one million poor. Changing perceptions With 700,000 Syrian refugees benefitting from the programme, the debit cards are offsetting at least some of that economic pressure. When they buy from Lebanese shops, the country's "economy is also benefitting from WFP's programme, not just Syrian refugees," WFP spokesman Edward Johnson told AFP. The UN agency says Syrian refugees have spent $900 million at partner shops in Lebanon since the programme was launched in 2012. It selects stores based on their proximity to gatherings of Syrian refugees in camps or cities, as well as cleanliness, prices and availability of goods. Umm Imad, a Syrian customer at Khiami's store, said shopping with the card makes her feel much more "independent" than with the WFP's previous food stamp programme. "Now I can buy what I need at home," she said. The scheme has also changed perceptions. Instead of seeing refugees as a burden, shopkeepers like Khiami see them as potential customers to be won over. He has begun stocking items favoured by his Syrian customers, such as clarified butter, halwa -- sweets made of sesame, almonds, and honey -- and plenty of tea, "which Syrians love". "Syrian customers have bigger families, so they buy more than Lebanese customers," he said. 'We sell more' Ali Sadek Hamzeh, 26, owns several WFP-partnered shops near Baalbek in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, where dozens of informal refugee camps have sprung up on farmland. "In eight months, I rented three new locations to stock merchandise and opened up a new fruit and vegetable store," Hamzeh told AFP. He said Syrian refugees make up around 60 percent of his customers, but he has also attracted new Lebanese clients with his lower prices. The debit card scheme is set to scale up after three large supermarket chains signed contracts with the WFP. They include the United Company for Central Markets (UCCM). Its 36 stores across Lebanon are even offering a seven percent discount on purchases made using the cards. "At the end of the day, we're a business and we're here to make a profit, but we also want to help out the WFP," the company's Sleiman Sleiman told AFP. "We sell more, so we buy more from our suppliers. All this generates economic activity," he said. But for some shop owners, partnering with the WFP has had a downside. Omar al-Sheikh manages a shop in Nuwayri, a district of western Beirut. Since he registered his store with WFP in 2013, his monthly profits have nearly doubled from $5,000 to $8,000 -- but at a price. "My profits went up, but I've lost about 20 percent of my Lebanese customer base. Lebanese customers don't like it when it's busy, and maybe they have some racist views," he said. Sheikh, 45, said a Lebanese shopper was annoyed one evening last week when he found the store's bread supply had run out. "You're just here for the Syrians, you only work for Syrians now!" the customer said. But Sheikh said he would continue to serve his Syrian customers. The British ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, was quick to condemn the attack on his Twitter account. "Disturbed by attack on @UNSMILibya convoy. Hope all safe. UN staff represent international community's commitment to help #Libya-n people," he tweeted. The UN mission was not immediately reachable for comment. Libya has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias battling for control of the oil-rich country. Diplomats in Libya have been targeted regularly by assailants and kidnappers since then. On September 11, 2012, suspected jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, killing ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. By 2014, most diplomatic missions had left the North African country, including that of the United Nations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no information about such a threat from the Syrian regime. I think that my counterparts from the intelligence services and the Defence Ministry would share their anxiety if such information emerges, Peskov said in comments carried by state news agency TASS. He alleged that terrorist groups in the war-torn, Middle Eastern country have perpetrated numerous chemical attacks and could again in the future. Russia is the main military backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the countrys multisided civil war. The US supports some rebel groups seeking to depose al-Assad and leads a military coalition against the UN-designated terrorist group Islamic State. The US said Monday it had identified potential preparations by the Syrian government for a chemical weapons attack similar to the one in April on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syrias north-western Idlib province. The White House warned that al-Assad would pay a heavy price if such an attack went ahead. Earlier this year the US conducted a cruise missile assault on a Syrian airbase that it claimed was responsible for Aprils chemical attack. "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said in remarks delivered from the Miraflores presidential palace. Maduro said he has put the military on alert to respond to the alleged assault. "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terror attack," he declared. He did not say when the alleged attack is supposed to have occurred, and said no one was injured and that the grenades failed to detonate. In his speech, Maduro, 54, said that in addition to firing on Venezuela's high court, the helicopter flew over the Justice and Interior Ministeries. The beleaguered president, who for weeks has been thundering about alleged coup plots against him, said the aircraft was flown by a pilot who worked for his former Interior and Justice minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, from whom he is now estranged. Earlier Tuesday, Maduro repeated claims of a US-backed coup attempt and angrily warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move. His comments came a day after he announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion. Anti-US tirade It was one of the more dramatic in a regular series of anti-US tirades by the socialist leader, who is resisting opposition calls for elections to remove him. "If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence... we would fight," Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters. If a coup prevented his side fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, "we would achieve it by arms." He said that an armed intervention in his country would spark a crisis that would dwarf those caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Addressing Trump, he said: "You are responsible for restraining the madness of the Venezuelan right-wing." Maduro has a number of times claimed that the United States is to blame for the grave political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country, which has fueled the often violent demonstrations of recent months. Clashes in anti-Maduro protests over the past three months have left 76 people dead, prosecutors say. The opposition blames Maduro for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine in the oil-rich country. They regularly accuse him of repressing and jailing opponents. Judicial NGO Foro Penal says there are 383 political prisoners in Venezuela. War of words Addressing a crowd over the weekend, Maduro had said detainees would face military trial over an alleged coup plot, backed by Venezuelan opposition leaders and aimed at precipitating a US intervention in the country. "I am not exaggerating when I say it would have involved the arrival of American ships and troops in Venezuelan waters, on Venezuelan soil," Maduro said. And on Saturday the head of the Organization of American States dug his heels in a war of words with Caracas, flatly rejecting its demand that he resign. Maduro had suggested that Luis Almagro -- who has criticized the Venezuelan government of violating human rights, interfering in elections and detaining political prisoners -- step down in exchange for the country's continued membership in the regional body. In a tweet by AFP, an unnamed minister claimed the helicopter dropped four grenades at the Venezuelan Supreme Court and fired 15 shots at the interior ministry. Earlier, President Nicolas Maduro in a speech Tuesday, June 27, 2017 had alleged that the attack was against his government, adding that the weapons failed to explode. "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said in remarks delivered from the Miraflores presidential palace. Maduro said he has put the military on alert to respond to the alleged assault. ALSO READ: Helicopter hurled grenades at Supreme Court - Maduro "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terror attack," he declared. He did not say when the alleged attack is supposed to have occurred, and said no one was injured and that the grenades failed to detonate. In a hard-hitting homily, Francis told them they should regard themselves as servants of the most vulnerable and not be misled by the traditional description of cardinals as 'Princes of the Church'. The world they have to deal with, Francis said, is "the innocent who suffer and die as victims of war and terrorism; the forms of enslavement that continue to violate human dignity even in the age of human rights; the refugee camps which at times seem more like a hell than a purgatory; the systematic discarding of all that is no longer useful, people included." Experts say Francis's latest choice of cardinals reflects his desire to reach out to the peripheries of the global Catholic community, a recurring theme of his papacy. Three of the new appointments are from countries with only small minority Catholic congregations. As well as expanding its global footprint, the appointments increase the size of the electoral college that will select the next pope to 121 members, 49 of whom have been appointed since he became pope in March 2013. The total number of cardinals is much larger, 225 including the new inductees, but only those under the age of 80 are eligible to join the conclave which will elect the pope's successor. Blood spilled "I think it reflects what Francis is about for him to create cardinals from Laos, Mali and Sweden," said one of the new appointments, Sweden's Anders Arborelius. The Bishop of Stockholm told AFP he had been shocked to learn of his impending elevation. "A priest showed me the announcement on the internet - at first I thought it was a joke," Arborelius, 67, said. His new colleague Juan Omella, the 78-year-old bishop of Barcelona, concurred. "The pope has a very universal vision. He wants to strengthen the areas on the margins where the Church is growing," he said in an interview ahead of Wednesday's consistory, as the formal swearing-in is known. After vowing obedience to the Church and the pope, each of the five knelt before Francis to receive their cardinal's hat, a ring and a title linking them to a church in Rome. As he placed the four-peaked "birettas" on their heads, Francis reminded the new cardinals, in Latin, that the hats' scarlet colour was a symbol of the blood they must be prepared to spill for their faith. Then, as other popes have done since cardinals were first appointed nearly 1,000 years ago, Francis handed over the Papal Bull, or decree, that formalises the creation of new members. Church for the poor The latest appointments continue a recent trend towards increasing the representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America within the college of cardinals at the expense of European and North American clerics. But those latter areas remain hugely influential, making up 56 percent of the college. Italy alone has almost a fifth (24) of cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave that elects popes. El Salvador's first cardinal, Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, was a close friend of Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop slain by a death squad as he gave mass in 1980, during the Central American state's brutal civil war. Often portrayed as an advocate of liberation theology, Romero shared Francis's belief that the Church should be at the service of the poor. "He should be here in my place," Rosa Chavez told AFP. "He is a cardinal by martyr's blood." Mali's Jean Zerbo and Laotian bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, 73, are the other new appointments. One, Scottish former archbishop Keith O'Brien, renounced his voting rights in 2015 after being forced to step down over predatory sexual conduct with student priests. Zerbo's appointment as Mali's first cardinal was clouded by reports he was one of three Church officials in the mostly-Muslim African state to have access to 12 million euros held in several accounts at a private bank in Switzerland. Speaking from Washington, where he held talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable. "This is contrary to the principles that govern international relations because you can't just present lists of demands and refuse to negotiate,"Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published in Doha. His Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, who is also in Washington, was unbudging on Tuesday over the three-week-old dispute, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours. "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It's now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said on Twitter. With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies. They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home. Last week, Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, including ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. The United Arab Emirates warned that Qatar should take the demands seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours. "The hour of truth is near," tweeted UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash. "It's time for our brother (Qatar) to choose... honesty and transparency and to realise that media furore and ideological heroism are illusions." "We have long suffered (Qatar's) conspiracy against our stability and witnessed its support for ideologies that aim to sow chaos in the Arab world. Enough. Return to reason," Gargash wrote. The rift between its allies has been a blow to Washington just as its campaign against the Islamic State group comes to a climax in Iraq and Syria. The US Supreme Court on Monday partially reinstated President Donald Trump's travel ban imposing restrictions on citizens from Sudan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Syria. The ruling comes just weeks ahead of an expected decision by Trump on whether to permanently lift the United States' 20-year-old trade embargo on the North African country. "Sudan hopes the decision on sanctions should not be impacted by this latest decision," senior foreign ministry official Abdelghani Elnaim said in a statement. Elnaim said Khartoum had made "progress" on meeting conditions for Washington to permanently lift the sanctions that were imposed in 1997 over its alleged support to Islamist militant groups. Then-president Barack Obama eased the sanctions in January, but made their permanent lifting dependent on Khartoum's progress in five areas of concern during a six-month review period that ends on July 12. These conditions -- known as the "five tracks" -- include improved access for aid groups, halting support for rebels in neighbouring South Sudan, an end to hostilities in the conflict zones of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan, and counterterrorism cooperation with US intelligence agencies. Soon after the court's decision on Monday, Trump said it was a "clear victory" for US national security. Elnaim said Sudan respects the right the United States has to protect its own national security. "But at the same time, Sudan, its government and its citizens are not a threat to American national security," he said. "Sudan is fully cooperating with the United States, which has been acknowledged by US security agencies." The helicopter assault comes a day after Maduro announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion. The beleaguered president, who for weeks has been thundering about alleged coup attempts against him, said the helicopter was flown by a pilot who worked for a former minister. Around 15 shots were fired at the Interior Ministry, Maduro added. "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said in remarks from the Miraflores presidential palace. "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terror attack. No one was hurt in the incident, he said. The government identified the helicopter pilot as a former member of Venezuela's main police force, known as the CICPC. Maduro called on the opposition MUD alliance to denounce the attack but one of its leaders, Freddy Guevara, tweeted there was not yet enough information to comment. Guevara urged people to take part in anti-government rallies Wednesday -- the latest in nearly three months of daily streets protests that have left 76 people dead. Photos circulating on social media showed a helicopter flying over Caracas with a banner that read "350 Freedom" -- alluding to a constitutional clause recently invoked by the opposition to assert the Maduro government's lack of legitimacy. The photos showed two people on the chopper, one with his face covered with a mask and the other with it visible. Videos on social media showed a man who identified himself as a CICPC detective and said he was fighting tyranny, wants Maduro to resign and for Venezuela to hold early elections. Anti-US tirade Earlier Tuesday, Maduro repeated claims of a US-backed coup attempt and angrily warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move. "If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence... we would fight," Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters. If a coup prevented his side fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, "we would achieve it by arms." He said an armed intervention in his country would spark a crisis that would dwarf those caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Addressing Trump, he said: "You are responsible for restraining the madness of the Venezuelan right-wing." The opposition regularly accuses Maduro of repressing and jailing opponents. Judicial NGO Foro Penal says there are 383 political prisoners in Venezuela. Addressing a crowd over the weekend, Maduro said detainees would face military trial over an alleged coup plot, backed by Venezuelan opposition leaders and aimed at precipitating a US intervention in the country. "I am not exaggerating when I say it would have involved the arrival of American ships and troops in Venezuelan waters, on Venezuelan soil," Maduro said. And on Saturday the head of the Organization of American States dug his heels in a war of words with Caracas, flatly rejecting its demand that he resign. Maduro had suggested that Luis Almagro -- who has criticized the Venezuelan government for violating human rights, interfering in elections and detaining political prisoners -- step down in exchange for the country's continued membership in the regional body. Celebrating Our Service Members Friday, November 11 is Veterans Day, when we honor and show gratitude to all members of our Armed Forces those currently serving, those who... Transit Equity Starts With QueensLink For decades Queens has seen a disinvestment in the necessary transit infrastructure the borough needs to promote equity and sustainability. Most of the time, transformative... The next aspect of the project that needs approval is the provincial funding. The Canadian federal government committed $C 1.5bn to the project in 2015, while the city council pledged $C 1.56bn over 30 years. However, the Alberta provincial government is yet to commit funding for the line. Plans for Stage 1 of the line were completed in May. Stage 1 of the north-south line will be 20km long with 14 stations, linking 16th Avenue North West in Crescent Heights with 126th Avenue South East in Shepard. The line will eventually run from 160th Avenue North, south to Seton. The project includes the construction of a 4km city centre tunnel between 20th Avenue North and Macleod Trail and a 1km viaduct between Inglewood/Ramsay and 26 Avenue. Services will be operated by a fleet of around 70 low-floor LRVs, which will be maintained at a depot north of 126th Avenue South East in Shepard. Providing funding can be finalised, construction will begin in 2020 and Stage 1 will open in 2026, with projected ridership of 60,000-65,000 passengers per day in the initial phase of operations. For the latest on light rail projects from around the globe, subscribe to IRJ Pro. The social and political impacts of unprecedented numbers of people seeking refuge across borders have been felt across the globein the countries that host refugees and in those that they pass through. At the end of 2015, there were more than 65 million people displaced worldwide, driven from their homes by famine, conflict, and natural disasters. These numbers, and the stories behind them, have been called a crisis, a term generally associated with a temporary and extraordinary state. However, the average 17-year duration of refugee displacement points to a protracted situation, which demands responses that encompass both immediate fire-fighting and longer-term adaptable and sustainable solutions to help refugees along their entire pathway. This includes help at origin, transit, arrival, support in camps/non-camp areas and, sometimes, resettlement or return. Such approaches to refugee assistance can also help local host communities thrive. Innovation, which describes both new solutions and new applications of existing products, technologies, services, and organisational models, can play a role in responding to the challenges at play, as well as to unmet or emerging needs. Policymakers are beginning to embrace innovation, but much more can be done to help to plug the gaps in the global refugee response. There is a need for scalable, inclusive, and novel approaches that foster resilience and meet the needs of everyone affected. To succeed, new ways to collaborate and coordinate humanitarian actions are required so that refugees, host communities, and other actors involved are empowered to create and spread innovative solutions along the refugee pathway and across sectors. RAND Europe's ongoing work has revealed many examples of innovation in products, technologies, services, and systems aiming to address the needs of refugees in transit and on arrival, in both camp and urban settings. These span numerous sectors (such as water, sanitation and hygiene, education, protection, communication, shelter, health, and livelihoods) and include simple, low-tech solutions, as well as digital platforms. On the digital side, numerous apps have been developed to help refugees. InfoAid was developed by volunteers to assist refugees in transit along the Balkan route, offering updates and advice on weather and border conditions. In Germany, a Bureaucrazy App was developed by Syrian refugees to help new arrivals better negotiate the German bureaucracy. In Jordan, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has partnered with Cairo Amman Bank to pilot iris scanning technology that would enable Syrian refugees in Jordan to access cash assistance more easily and safely via ATMs. Many of these efforts are driven by international cross-sectoral partnerships, while others are led by grassroots groups and refugees. These include the refugee-led development of a more child-friendly and participatory refugee protection process for children in Uganda; simple, adaptable refugee shelter designs from UNHCR and the IKEA Foundation; and inflatable baby incubators developed by a British undergraduate for pre-term babies born in camps. Innovation flourishes in supportive environments with incentives for participation in innovation development and uptake. There also needs to be clear accountabilities for the use of funds invested in developing and deploying innovations, and clear objectives in terms of the innovation's impact. There also needs to be an openness to accepting and managing risk. The humanitarian sector is increasingly recognising these factors. Both UNHCR and UNICEF now have their own innovation programmes, which seek to identify and develop innovative technologies and practices. For example, to address the issue of a lack of sustainable cooking fuel, refugees in camps in Ethiopia have worked with UNHCR's Energy Lab to devise a prototype of a stove made from oil cans from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Other initiatives such as the charity ELRHA's Humanitarian Innovation Fund and the Global Humanitarian Lab (an incubator of innovative solutions to humanitarian challenges) are also supporting and coordinating innovative ideas from development to roll-out. Refugees and host communities have a considerable stake in funding, developing, and implementing innovative solutions. These existing efforts show that refugees and host communitiesas well as the public, private, and third sectorshave a considerable stake in funding, developing, and implementing innovative solutions. Approaches that promote partnerships across a range of diverse stakeholders at a global, national, and regional level are needed. For example, research from the Humanitarian Innovation Project highlights the economic dynamism and technological literacy of refugees and their role as co-creators of solutions as well as end users. Increased recognition and support for this role from other innovation actors could help to produce more effective, appropriate solutions for communities. In addition, international commitments need to move beyond individual funders to effectively leverage the knowledge and expertise of communities, companies, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations and to develop solutions that offer benefits to all. A global cross-sectoral policy platform is needed, capable of providing the coordination and incentive structure to foster collaborative, coherent, and responsive innovation efforts. Such innovation efforts need to consider the entire refugee pathway, not only emergency and arrival assistance. RAND Europe's ongoing work points to an emphasis among innovation initiatives in meeting the immediate needs of refugees in transit or arrival, or during emergencies. While these efforts are essential, innovation needs to be extended to the entire refugee pathway to help ensure the resilience of all affected populations. This requires an understanding of the inevitably shifting priorities and needs experienced by refugees along their own pathways. Similarly, it requires consideration of the diversity in the roles that host countries can represent to both refugees and local communities, ranging from places of transit to resettlement (or at least long-term) destinations. A gap is particularly visible in innovations that respond to long-term displacement, especially with regard to integration in host countries and the role of host communities. Valuable exceptions demonstrate how innovative ideas at the global and local levels can help local populations and economies to thrive together. The EUsavelives, You Save Lives initiative from the all-volunteer charity Oxfam and ECHO, the European Commission's humanitarian office, aims to convey the experience of displaced persons to EU citizens, thereby creating awareness and understanding. Another example is UNHCR's policy on Alternatives to Camps, which seeks to make better use of refugee skills and assets by allowing them to live outside camps. The Startblok Riekerhaven in Amsterdam (a housing project for refugees) simultaneously addresses the needs of refugees and local residents by offering affordable lodging to both and actively building communities at the same time. The sustainability of humanitarian innovation is often stifled by a lack of long-term resources and commitment. Particularly in host countries, a politically driven tendency to treat refugee situations as temporary can render sustained and system-level investment and policymaker commitment to innovation unfeasible in many cases. Of course, long-term stakeholder commitment is only one driver of innovation sustainability. Raising awareness of the need for specific innovations, sharing evidence of impact, and embedding the skills and capabilities needed to use innovation should influence future efforts. The scope for scaling innovations also requires attention. Some, but not all innovations aimed at refugee contexts are likely to be applicable across settings. For example, electricity-generating urinals for use in camps (developed by Oxfam and the University of the West of England) are likely to have broader use, while some child-protection initiatives (such as platforms for reporting sexual abuse and violence) are likely to be more context- and culture-specific. Understanding the potential for the scalability and sustainability of innovations requires embedded knowledge-sharing, evaluation, monitoring, and learning from past and ongoing efforts. At the moment, many evaluations of innovation in the humanitarian space are fragmented, focusing on discrete projects and programmes. Yet understanding both sustainability and scalability requires evaluation of impacts (on refugee and host communities) from innovation efforts across sectors and across different initiatives, as well as understanding their interactions, dependencies, and complementarities. Many diverse innovations are being driven forward worldwide to address the needs of refugees at various points of their pathways. To support progress with these initiatives at pace and scale, further analysis is needed on how to combine expertise from the many different stakeholders and sectors to provide more effective, longer-term solutions. In addition, an interdisciplinary approach to further research is likely to be the only way to effectively address the complexity of the issues at play and do justice to the scale of the social challenge being faced. Jennie Corbett is a policy analyst who focuses on health services and migration policy at RAND Europe. Corinna Frey is a Ph.D. candidate who focuses on innovation in extreme contexts and global crises at the Cambridge Judge Business School. Sonja Marjanovic is a research leader who specialises in innovation policy and its impact on society 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. St. Petersburg court detains Hizb ut-Tahrir alleged member ST. PETERSBURG, June 28 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) The St. Petersburg Kirovsky District Court had detained Magomet Akhimov, an alleged member of Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist organization banned in Russia, until July 30, RAPSI reported from the courtroom on Wednesday. The hearings were held behind closed doors, and reporters were admitted only when the judicial disposition was pronounced. According to the case materials, several members of the terrorist group were arrested by police on June 27. Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Party of Islamic Liberation), founded in Jerusalem in 1953, is banned in several Arab and Central Asian countries. Russia's Supreme Court banned the group from operating on the territory of the country in 2003, describing it as a terrorist organization. Hizb ut-Tahrir members are regularly arrested by the police across Russia, mainly in big cities in central Russia, the Volga region and Siberia. Detention of St. Petersburg Church of Scientology executive upheld ST. PETERSBURG, June 28 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) The St. Petersburg City Court had upheld the detention of Galina Shurinova, the executive director of the Church of Scientology in St. Petersburg, who stands charged with participation in an extremist organization, the Unified press service of St. Petersburg courts told RAPSI on Wednesday. Earlier this month Shurinova appealed against her detention by a lower court; however, today the St. Petersburg City Court dismissed her appeal. Shurinova is also charged with illegal business, inciting hatred and enmity, and violation of human dignity. Law enforcement officers have seized literature banned in Russia as extremist during searches at her premises, an investigator said in court. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), Shurinova is the main manager of Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg, who exercises control over cash inflow. From 2013 to 2016, the organization received over 276 million rubles (about $5 million) for rendering its services. However, the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg has not been incorporated under the law, an FSB representative noted in court. Earlier, head of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg Ivan Matsitsky, chief of the official matters department Anastasia Terentyeva and chief accountant of the religious group Sakhib Aliyev were also detained alongside Shurinova. On June 6, the Federal Security Services (FSB) officers raided the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg as part of investigation into illegal business operations, incitement of hatred and enmity, and organization of an extremist community. Five members of the religious group were arrested. Dianetics and Scientology are a set of religious and philosophical ideas and practices that were put forth by L. Ron Hubbard in the US in the early 1950s. The scientific community never recognized it as science. A resolution passed in 1996 by the State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, classified the Church of Scientology as a destructive religious organization. The Moscow Regional Court ruled in 2012 that some of Hubbards books be included on the Federal List of Extremist Literature and prohibited from distribution in Russia. Russian activist Dadin seeks to increase compensation for unlawful prosecution MOSCOW, June 28 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) Russian activist Ildar Dadin has filed an appeal with the Moscow Regional Court demanding to increase the amount of compensation awarded to him for unlawful prosecution, lawyer Alexey Liptser told RAPSI on Wednesday. In late May, a court in the Moscow Region granted a lawsuit filed by Dadin in part and ordered Russias Finance Ministry to pay him 2.2 million rubles (about $37,000 at the current exchange rate). Dadin, who was convicted and later acquitted of numerous violations of protest laws, demanded 5 million rubles (about $84,000) in compensation for moral damages inflicted by unlawful prosecution as well as staying in detention and under house arrest for two years. This ruling was appealed by the defendant as well. The Finance Ministry sought to reduce the awarded sum. Dadin was sentenced on December 7, 2015. Initially he received a 3-year prison term. The Moscow City Court later reduced the sentence to 2.5 years. He was acquitted on February 22, 2017, when the Supreme Courts Presidium overturned his 2.5-year prison sentence and ruled to release him. The court held that criminal proceedings against Dadin should be dismissed because of the absence of elements of a crime in his actions. The Supreme Court explained that the article of the Russian Criminal Code prohibiting violations of protest laws excludes possibility of criminal prosecution if at the time of crime there were no active court rulings regarding administrative liability of a defendant. These rulings must be issued at least three times in the period of 180 days. Telegram founder agrees to register messenger in Russia Context Russian media watchdog warns Telegram of potential block MOSCOW, June 28 (RAPSI) Pavel Durov, founder of the Telegram messaging app, agreed to register the service in Russia after the communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said it might be banned. However, he refused to abide by laws incompatible with Telegram privacy policy, Durov wrote on his VKontakte (VK) page on Wednesday. By giving consent to the messengers adding to the register, we do not assume any supplemental obligations, Durov wrote. We can only promise the same level of cooperation with the Russian regulator as in other countries, specifically, coordination in removal of public information connected with propaganda of terrorism, drugs, calls to violence, child pornography and combatting spam delivery, he stated. Earlier in June, head of the communications watchdog Roskomnadzor Alexander Zharov requested the Telegram management to comply with the Russian legislation or face blocking of the messenger. Roskomnadzor demanded Telegram to follow the rules set for organizers of information distribution. There is only one requirement, and it is simple: fill out the questionnaire with information about Telegrams managing company sent to you, Zharov said. The company also needs to officially ask the watchdog to enter this information in a special registry, he added. The head of Roskomnadzor noted that Telegrams legal status would not be affected. According to the Federal Law On Information, Information Technologies and the Protection of Information, organizers of information distribution on the Internet must submit information about users and their messages to the authorized governmental bodies conducting investigative activities and ensuring the state security. Suddenly this summer a young Frenchman, a virtual unknown on the global stage only three years ago, became the Western worlds great liberal hope. The successive presidential and parliamentary victories of Emmanuel Macron and his Republique En Marche have lifted not just the hopes of a nation long burdened with declinisme, but also the spirits of European and American observers who feared France was the next domino in the seemingly relentless march of populism and authoritarianism. Inevitably, commentators have looked to the past to explain the present moment. On this side of the Atlantic, parallels have been made between the youthful and charismatic Macron and our own John F. Kennedy, while on the other side he has been measured against the lofty likes of Charles de Gaulle and Napoleon Bonaparte. (I myself have put such comparisons to print, both in RealClearWorld and in other publications.) In light of recent events though, another towering but also glowering historical figure seems more apt. Unlike de Gaulle, Bonaparte, and even Kennedy, this individual hasnt a single street or monument named after him in Paris, and few biographers have taken up the task of writing his life. Given the terrifying events orchestrated by Maximilien Robespierre, this general neglect is understandable. And yet, certain aspects of Robespierres ideas and ideals bear an odd resemblance to those now brandished by Frances new president. Behind Macrons rise was the festering of scandals in French political life. Not surprisingly, the term degagisme, shorthand for a desire to throw the bums out and first coined in the heat of Tunisias Arab Spring movement, became a popular rallying cry for both the hard left and hard right during the presidential and legislative campaigns. What other fate could be reserved for the traditional parties, be they the conservatives or the socialists? After all, were they not led on the right by the self-obsessed Nicolas Sarkozy and self-righteous Francois Fillon, and on the left by the risible Jerome Cahuzac and repellent Dominique Strauss-Kahn, all accused of sundry financial and personal shenanigans? When it came to the grind of running for elective office, Macron was untried, and thus untainted. He promised during his campaign to clean up politics -- a vow he reiterated in his sober victory speech. With the conviction of a true believer, he announced the renewal of public life would start tomorrow. From his first day in office, Macron declared, the moralization of public life would be the basis for my decisions. For good measure, he added that he would act with humility, devotion, and determination. Among the proposed laws are the prohibition for parliamentary deputies to hire family members, a limit of three successive terms of office and the ineligibility for political office (up to 10 years) for elected officials who have run afoul of the standards of "probity." (No doubt the last law will require a great deal of fine-tuning.) Since the revolution, France has tried on and cast off four republics of varying size and shape. Only the First Republic, though, was tailored to the imperatives of political transparency and civic virtue. Midwifed by the sans-culottes of 1792 and buried by the self-crowned Napoleon in 1804, the First Republic invokes the inevitable images from the best of times and the worst of times: popular violence and peoples armies; revolutionary tribunals and national razors (guillotines); Sydney Carton and Madame Desfarges. Most importantly, the First Republic summons the image of The Incorruptible, Maximilien Robespierre. Sixty years into the Fifth Republic -- the constitutional regime de Gaulle built in 1958 -- Robespierres spirit can again be detected. It is not, mind you, because Melenchon has become the Incorruptibles doughtiest defender, most recently laying into the video game Assassins Creed for, in Melenchons words, its monstrous portrayal of our national liberator Robespierre. Instead, there is more than a whiff of the Incorruptibles presence in Macron. There are, of course, superficial resemblances: Both men hail from northern France (Robespierre from Arras, Macron from neighboring Amiens) and both men were carried overnight by forces far greater than themselves from obscurity to celebrity. To boot, Macron, like Robespierre, is a self-described revolutionary -- he did, after all, title his campaign book Revolution. More importantly, though, the two seem joined by the ideals of republican virtue and transparency. Leaning heavily on the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Robespierre promised collective regeneration through individual virtue, an idea akin to Macrons promise of national renewal. Fusing a selfless dedication to the res publica to a selfish conviction of ones inner purity, this modern hybrid of virtue would inoculate citizens against vice and venality. Robespierre insisted that virtue reflected not just the goodness of the individual, but also the soul of the republic, whose task is to purify moral standards. Of course, Robespierre also believed that the Terror, which became the order of the day in 1794, was an emanation of such virtue. No need to recount the litany of horrors that flowed from this belief, just as there is no need to remark that Macrons government has no plans to build a guillotine in the middle of the Place de la Concorde (formerly known as Place de la Revolution). The Perils of Morality Politics But with last weeks eviction of four ministers from Macrons barely formed government, the question of virtue in political life has again taken center stage in Paris. Three of the ministers -- Francois Bayrou (Justice), Sylvie Goulard (Defense), and Marielle de Sarnez (European Affairs) -- not only held major portfolios, but also held leading positions with MoDem, the centrist political party that threw its support behind Macron during the presidential race. The resignations were announced shortly after news stories revealed that MoDem had more or less stolen from Pierre to pay Paul. Party members, it is alleged, used funds earmarked exclusively for European Union assistants to pay for their own staff members. For the record, Bayrou has loudly rebuffed the accusations. On the scale of political malfeasance, the accusation against MoDem mostly amounts to a MoWhat? It certainly pales in significance to the Penelopegate scandal engulfing Fillon, which involves accusations of personal enrichment, and the many campaign financing scandals sticking like tar to Sarkozy. (Marine Le Pens National Front has also been charged with a similar sleight-of-hand with money sprouting from Brussels, but she and her vice president and partner Louis Aliot have refused to cooperate with investigators.) Still, even the shadow of moral laxity proved too great a weight to bear, especially as Bayrou had claimed first dibs on the legislation for moralizing political life. As a result the government, barely two weeks into its tenure, already found itself posting want ads. Few tears were shed at the Elysee over Bayrous departure. A veteran politician who had fallen short in three previous presidential campaigns, Bayrou did not mix easily with the young Jacobins committed to their leaders version of revolution. Just as Robespierre, either through sincerity or duplicity, had weaponized virtue as a means to power, so too has Macron. To replace the departed MoDem leaders, Macron has, by and large, appointed technocrats. Inevitably, they will be more vulnerable under this new reign of virtue by, well, the virtue of not being affiliated with a party. As the end of the First Republic reminds us, such concentration of power probably does not bode well. While terror is not the order of the day, error may well be. Prime Minister Narendra Modis inaugural visit to the Trump White House this week was fraught with uncertainty, with recent irritations in the relationship (visas and climate change), a softening in US policy on China, and tension between Trumps transactional instincts and the longer-term approach taken by his two predecessors on the US-India relationship. But in the end, the visit proved straightforward, hurdling the low bar set in advance. A substantial joint statement released on Tuesday stressed a slightly different order of priorities to previous such documents, highlighting in this order terrorism, stability in the Indo-Pacific, free (and, notably, 'fair') trade, and energy. While the South China Sea wasnt mentioned in a passage on freedom of navigation, as it was three years ago, this is hardly surprising: its been dropped before, and the Trump administration has walked a fine line on the issue, to avoid jeopardising Chinese support over North Korea. Far more important was the language used on regional connectivity, where both sides underscored 'the transparent development of infrastructure and the use of responsible debt financing practices, while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law, and the environment'. This was an obvious rebuke to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and these specific points transparency, sustainability, and sovereignty directly echoed Indias searing attack on the project last month. This diplomatic subtweet is especially notable given that the Trump administration, unlike India, sent a delegation to Beijings flagship BRI summit in mid-May, headed by the National Security Councils senior director for East Asia, Matthew Pottinger. While Tuesdays statement shouldnt be taken as a sign that the US is following Indias hard-line approach it may well help create a coherent narrative that can be taken up by US partners in Asia notably Japan and Australia who wish to engage with the scheme, but remain wary of its longer-term security implications. There was also notable language on Afghanistan. Trump 'welcomed further Indian contributions to promote Afghanistan's democracy, stability, prosperity, and security'. In the US-India joint statements of 2014 and 2015, Afghanistan had been raised in far more general terms, without any suggestion of wider Indian involvement, while it was omitted altogether from last years statement. This was not quite a request to send troops, as one Indian newspaper had suggested might occur, but it could lay the ground for India to expand its security assistance, parallel with Trumps anticipated troop surge. I would not be surprised if this took the form of additional Indian training for the Afghanistan National Security Forces or further arms provision, although this is likely to remain modest. Another Trump priority was evident in the strong condemnation of North Koreas 'continued provocations'. India is the regimes second-largest trading partner, and the issue has been kept largely off the table, mentioned only in far softer terms two years ago. Modi was on stronger ground this week, because of New Delhis decision in April to enforce harsher sanctions on Pyongyang, including curbs on all police and military training. Here, as in several other sections of the joint statement, China was the unnamed but unmistakeable presence ('holding accountable all parties that support these programs'), serving as a sort of strategic glue in the relationship. Unsurprisingly, given both leaders instincts and policies, terrorism was given considerable prominence. Most notable here was a specific and unprecedented reference to 'cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups'. There was also announcement of a new 'consultation mechanism' on terrorism designations, expansion of intelligence-sharing, and other counter-terrorism measures. Josh White, an official in Obamas NSC, has also noted, in a sharp and useful Twitter thread, that the endorsement of a UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism something that India proposed to the United Nations more than 20 years ago was especially important because the Obama administration had been 'very reluctant' to back it. Though modest overall, these terrorism-related measures should be read in the context of reports that the Trump administration is considering a tougher line on Pakistan. Days before Modis arrival, the State Department moved the designation of Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Pakistan-backed and Kashmir-focused Hizbul-Mujahideen, as a Specially Designation Global Terrorist (SDGT). However, despite Trumps press conference boast that 'we will destroy radical Islamic terrorism', there was little indication of whether India would be doing more on American priorities, other than a single cursory mention of ISIS as part of a list of largely India-focused terrorist groups. Some of the most important progress in US-India relations in recent years has been on Indo-Pacific issues, with the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region in 2015 serving as a milestone. While this years joint statement hit the right notes, promising to 'expand their engagement on shared maritime objectives', there was a more eye-catching promise by Trump in his personal remarks. 'Next month', promised Trump, 'they [the US and Indian militaries] will join together with the Japanese navy to take place in [sic] the largest maritime exercise ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean'. While its entirely possible this was his usual hyperbole, it does imply that this years Malabar exercises will surpass the 16-ship peak seen a decade ago (there were 26 ships involved in the second phase that year, though not in the Indian Ocean), or the 15 ships of the multi-national Milan exercise of 2014. This could imply a significant contribution from New Delhi, Washington, and Tokyo which in turn would provoke a sharper-than-usual response from Beijing. It would also raise further questions about why India has chosen to block Australian participation in Malabar this year (it has instead focused on bilateral exercises with Canberra). The remainder of the joint statement, occupying more space than security issues, concerned economic ties. Without going into great detail, its worth highlighting the promise of a 'comprehensive review of trade relations', with a view to 'increasing market access in areas such as agriculture, information technology, and manufactured goods and services'. This reflects long-running American complaints about Indian trade barriers in key sectors, but its interesting the sensitive issue of multi-brand retail access to foreign supermarkets wasnt mentioned at all. The awkward issue of climate change, where just weeks ago Trump had blasted India for demanding 'billions and billions and billions of dollars', was tiptoed around, with bland calls for a 'rational approach' that balances the environment and growth. More significant was that the two leaders 'looked forward to the conclusion of contractual agreements between Westinghouse Electric Company and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India for six nuclear reactors in India'. This deal is in a less than healthy place, buffeted by the US companys severe financial woes. In general, most difficult economic issues were either set aside or kicked down the road, which is reasonable enough at this early stage. All in all, this was a strong start to the relationship between Trump and Modi. Trumps erratic, outspoken style means that any act of personal diplomacy is hostage to fortune, as we saw with Angela Merkel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and, of course, Malcolm Turnbull. Not only were there no gaffes or clashes, but the joint statement also reiterated and built on key areas of the relationship that has been nurtured over the past decade. With Modi in a commanding political position at home and bipartisan support for India in the United States, this may point to a higher degree of continued convergence than many expected or feared. The Qatar crisis flared up when the official Qatar News Agency quoted Sheikh Tamim, the Emir of Qatar, as saying that there is no wisdom in harbouring hostility towards Iran. These words not only effectively supported Iran, but criticised the US and Saudi Arabias policies towards it. Qatari officials quickly announced that the news agency had been hacked, and the report was fake news but it was too late. For Saudi Arabia, which views Iran as its main rival and is taking every opportunity to isolate it, these words were intolerable. It promptly corralled its allies in the Middle East (notably the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain) to collectively cut off their relationships with Qatar and impose a series of sanctions. These, Riyadh said, would be lifted if Qatar agreed to a list of 13 non-negotiable demands, including cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, shutting down the al-Jazeera news network, and ending interference in sovereign countries internal affairs. In doing so, Saudi Arabia took a gamble. Qatar has two options: accept Saudi Arabia as a big brother and comply with its diktats, as most of the Gulf states do, or continue with an ambitious and relatively independent foreign policy and further incur the Saudis wrath. If Qatar chooses to comply with even some of Riyadhs demands, the gamble will have paid off; Saudi Arabia could finish the crisis confident that Qatar will fall into line against Iran as most of the region does. But if Qatar opts for defiance with Iranian support, the sanctions and restrictions the Saudis have imposed will look like one big miscalculation an attempt to discipline a small neighbour that instead drove it into the Iranian fold. Irans immediate response to the Qatar crisis was inconspicuous. A foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, called for reconciliation between the both sides and highlighted that in todays interconnected world, inefficient use of sanctions is condemned, rejected and unacceptable. Later, Iran dispatched five planes filled with food to Qatar as the sanctions began to kick in. In addition, once Saudi Arabia banned Qatari flights from its airspace, Tehran was quick to allow them into its skies. Cheeringly for Iran, Qatari officials first response to Saudi Arabias moves signalled that at least for now, defiance is trumping compliance. If that changes and they give in to the pressure the Saudis are applying, Iran could end up more isolated than ever in the region. Back in the game For years, Iran was a dependable supporter of Hamas, the Palestinian militant Islamist group that governs Gaza. But then came the rebellion in Syria and the ensuing war, in which Hamas early on backed opponents of the Iran-supported government. Iran duly cut off the military aid it used to send the group many of whose key leaders then moved to Qatar. But since the current crisis began, several of those top Hamas officials have left Qatar at the governments request. That ends Qatars role in steering Hamas towards the Gulf states, and removes a key bone of contention with Iran, which has an opportunity to repair its ties with Hamas and in turn would help Iran become a player in the Israel-Palestine conflict once again. Overshadowing all this is the conflict in Syria, where Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia all support different sides. Whereas Iran backs Bashar al-Assads government and Shia militant groups, Qatar and Saudi Arabia support factions of Sunni rebels but not the same ones. The mutual hostility between Syrias Sunni rebels was evident even before the crisis, and with no resolution in sight, the divisions are still poisonous. So long as the opposition to Assads government is sharply divided, Iran has a chance to extend and enhance its power. All in all, by trying to pressurise Qatar into backing away from Iran, Saudi Arabia has handed its great rival various opportunities that its been chasing for years. If Qatar resists the Saudis pressure, the Middle East will witness one of its greatest foreign policy backfires for years. Meysam Tayebipour, PhD Candidate, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Japan is a quiet place, at least from a geopolitical standpoint. It makes few political demands on other nations, and no military ones. Article 9 of its constitution forbids it from maintaining any military force. Article 9 has been reinterpreted to mean that it can maintain a substantial military for self-defense, under the principle that self-defense is a natural right, but that force cannot engage in offensive military operations and it certainly cant do so unilaterally. Since its banking crisis in the late 1980s and early 1990s, global financial markets have expected that Japan will face a financial crisis that will create domestic upheaval. It hasnt happened. Instead, Japan grows slowly and sometimes not at all, but compared to much of the rest of the world, it is seemingly at peace with itself. It has not always been this way. In the first half of the 20th century, Japan sought to take control of the Western Pacific and China. It had defeated the Russian navy in 1905, and then challenged the United States and European powers in the Pacific. It temporarily claimed an empire in China and in the littoral islands of Asia, ranging from Taiwan to the Dutch East Indies to the gates of India. This lasted for only three years, but for the first part of those years it appeared that Japan had permanently reshaped the balance of power in the Pacific and in Asia. Nor was it a quiet power in the decades leading to its economic crisis. Japan was the China of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, paying low wages and enjoying remarkable growth. The Japanese were well educated and experienced in industrial processes, and the process of rebuilding Japans economy kicked off a wave of low-cost exports that flooded Western, and particularly American, markets. During the 1980s, this created substantial political crises with Japan, with Americans seeking both to limit Japanese exports and to emulate Japanese management techniques, and the Japanese clinging to free trade principles and hinting that the problem with American workers was that they were lazy. The Japanese surged into American markets, dominating many, until the economics of high exports took their toll on the rate of return on capital. Huge exports and diminishing profits can go hand in hand. Internally, Japan wasnt at peace for most of the 20th century either. After World War I, the Japanese army became a political force and sought to control foreign and domestic policy, tied to an ideology that purported to represent the military ideas of historical Japan. Whether that was true or not, Japanese internal politics were poisonous in between the two world wars, with assassinations, coups and threats. It was as far from contemporary Japan as possible. Unique Adaptability Japan is remarkable for its ability to change its behavior. It did so after its surrender in 1945 and was thoroughgoing in almost every respect. But this wasnt the first time it had remade itself. In the 1850s, when Europe and America were probing the country, Japan lacked any powered tools. It was an agrarian society of farmers and craftsmen, with clans waging a perpetual war of all against all while their leaders engaged in endless political maneuvering. Japan seemed ripe for the picking by Western imperialism. Between 1860 and 1900, Japan transformed itself even more radically than the United States had. It went from being a war-torn agrarian country to a rapidly industrializing one, with a navy that it purchased from Britain and an army trained by Germans. It absorbed the technology and the knowledge of the Europeans to build a navy that defeated the Russians in 1905 and that challenged the world for control of the Pacific. The speed with which Japan industrialized was stunning. Equally stunning was the political shift from barons who ruled themselves to a centralized government under the guardianship of an emperor, who, although considered a descendent of a goddess, was not decisive until industrialization required national unity and a symbol. Politics continued, but the country united, overcoming regional differences sufficiently that a modern national government could be created. In 1945, Japan underwent its second massive change in less than a century. It shifted from being an aggressive power, politically dominated by the military, to being institutionally opposed to a military-based foreign policy. With the military banished from political life, Japan adopted a liberal democracy. This is worth repeating. In less than 100 years, Japan went from an economically backward but culturally advanced nation on the edge of the world, to a nation that challenged everyone around it, to a peaceful mercantile state. What is most important here is that for all the changes and all the political friction, it did this without any significant social upheaval. Industrial Feudalism The Industrial Revolution in England accompanied the decline of power of the nobility and the rise of industrial and commercial power, along with the rise of demands from the masses for social adjustment and political participation. France did the same, with the addition of Maximilien Robespierres Reign of Terror. Russian industrialization involved this plus a holocaust. In almost all industrialized nations, industrialization was accompanied by social upheaval. The transition from agrarian feudalism to industrialism came with blood. Japan is the one major exception. It never underwent a social revolution, despite the speed of its transformation and the massive discontinuities that came with it. In Japan, the nobility became the industrialists and advocates of war. The industries they created continue today to support the policy of mercantilism and increasing domestic consumption as well as embracing Japanese democracy. The great Japanese agglomerations, the keiretsu, trace their heritage to nobles in the 19th century who founded businesses. These nobles did not hesitate to engage in commerce as some of Europes nobility did. They eased Japan from agrarianism to industrialism, and from feudalism to capitalism. To be more precise, the Japanese feudal system remained, changing along the way. But in essence, the feudal estates became feudal industries, and the feudal industries treated their workers in many ways as serfs. The workers were supposed to give their loyalty to the company, and in turn, the company was supposed to take care of the worker. In Japan, it was not simply an economic relationship; it was a social relationship of mutual obligation. Japanese workers pride themselves on the prestige of the company they work for, and they work for that company, in many cases, for a lifetime. The industries, in turn, have as a policy retaining workers even in hard times, even at the cost of maximizing profit. But if austerity is needed, the workers share in the austerity. Economists have been surprised at how Japan has avoided collapse, but it is explained at least in part by the fact that there was never a social upheaval in the country. Much of Japans national debt is held by the public, in part as savings, in part as duty. Sluggish growth does not translate into ruthless cuts, even if this turns into even more sluggish performance. Imagining Japan as industrialized feudalism in the full and not pejorative sense gives us a hint of how it has sustained itself through its dramatic rises and falls. This isnt to say that the Japanese are incapable of agitation. There was great agitation in 2011 after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear leaks. But it was deflected to the state. The Japanese state appears to be a liberal democracy, but it is more complicated than that. The bureaucracy that evolved from the old imperial bureaucracy remains in place and works in concert with other ministries, private banks and other institutions. The democratic institutions serve an important purpose of absorbing the passion of the public on various issues, the ministries of finance and foreign affairs have a hold on what Japan does, and the public accepts their authority. What binds the ministries together are the universities that their personnel graduated from. Japan is a meritocracy with universities informally but rigorous ranked, and the graduates work together throughout their careers. It is what the British civil service used to be. This has meant three things. First, Japan is able to make sudden shifts as necessity requires, and then remain on a new course for a very long time. Apart from occasional passion, the system has a degree of trust and acceptance not found in Euro-American society. Second, the financial crisis of the 1980s could be navigated without the expected social and political upheaval. Sluggish growth was accepted and even welcomed, since flat growth and a declining population means higher per capita income. And third, the idea that the Japan of today is the one that we will know for the rest of the century is possible but unlikely. Its as unlikely as the idea in 1860 that Japan would be a major economic power in 50 years, or that it would take Singapore from Britain in 80. It has been 72 years since the end of World War II, and Japan has followed a clearly defined road. Do not assume that another 72 years will pass before it changes. Change Will Come Again The United States caused both of Japans radical changes. It was the approach of U.S. Adm. Matthew Perry that triggered the frantic industrialization. It was the defeat by the United States in World War II that triggered the shift to mercantile pacifism. That isnt unreasonable. The U.S. and Japan entered modernity at about the same time. And as they touched, they both feared and fascinated each other. No one had dominated the Pacific in history it was much too large and empty. But Japan and the United States were both nations built on hubris, on the idea that they were ordained by God and history to rule. In time, it was inevitable that they would wage a desperate war that one most likely the United States would win. It was in its way certain that the United States would help resurrect Japan, leaving much of it alone. The Americans had a new enemy, the Soviets, and they wanted Japan to help. Besides, the Americans were always interested in commercial relations. Japan suffers from the disease bred by industrialism. It needs oil and other industrial minerals that it cannot supply domestically. Those come from far away. Since 1945, Japan has happily relied on the United States to protect Japans access to them. Japan prefers this by far. But in this world, relying on any other nation is risky, and without the U.S. keeping open the sea lanes, Japans industry grinds to a halt. Facing China, and the persistent danger of North Korea, Japan continues to put its trust in the United States. So once more a change in Japanese direction will depend on the United States. If the U.S. changes interests or falters or becomes hostile, Japan will, with sincere regret, change direction again. It will change with the same national unity that has been its strength ever since its industrial revolution. Extremely tough conditions set by Saudi Arabia and the UAE for resolving the diplomatic rift with Qatar could force Washington to choose sides in the crisis. The list of thirteen demands to which Qatar must respond within ten days appears to reflect longstanding desires -- although not publicly stated until very recently -- by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, of which Doha has been dismissive. Yet it is hard to see how this list was formulated with the intention of achieving a resolution rather than a complete undermining of diplomacy. There appears little way Doha can save any face. Perhaps the list reflects an opening maximalist salvo designed to prompt negotiation, but the prerequisite for agreement on all points suggests otherwise. Qatar has to: Curb diplomatic ties with Iran. Only trade and commerce that complies with U.S. and international sanctions will be permitted. Declare the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and Lebanese Hezbollah to be terrorist organizations and sever all ties. Shut down Al Jazeera and other Qatar-linked news outlets. Terminate the Turkish military presence in the country and end joint military cooperation. Stop all means of funding for those designated as terrorists by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, the United States, and other countries. Hand over terrorists and wanted individuals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain to their countries of origin and freeze their assets. End interference in sovereign countries' internal affairs. Stop all contacts with the political opposition in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain. Pay reparations and compensation accounting for the consequences of Qatar's policies in recent years. Align itself with Gulf and Arab countries militarily, politically, and economically. Agree to all demands in ten days or the list becomes invalid. Consent to monthly audits for the first year and then regularly over a total of twelve years. The list does not amount in so many words to a call for regime change in Qatar, but rather to one for altered policies. Nevertheless, Doha is likely to view it as pressure to remove Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his father, Hamad bin Khalifa, known as the "father-emir" and still regarded, especially by the UAE, as the power behind the throne since his abdication in 2013. The prominent role in the confrontation of four countries -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain -- is easily explained. Saudi Arabia has long been irritated by Qatar, the huge gas reserves of which give it financial independence from the kingdom. The UAE has resented the support Qatar has given to the Muslim Brotherhood, members of which have plotted against the ruling family in Abu Dhabi, the leading emirate of the confederation. President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood regime, which survived in power for two years largely because it was propped up financially by Qatar. Bahrain has had a history of land disputes with Qatar -- and while these were resolved in 1994, ill will persists, encouraged by Riyadh. Perhaps inconveniently for Washington, the demands make a point of associating the United States with the crisis, a position that, exacerbated by mixed messages from the White House, and the Defense and State Departments, may only complicate its resolution. The wording does not give Washington an obvious role in any diplomacy, and U.S. secretary of state Rex Tillerson had earlier said the demands should be "reasonable and actionable." Also worrying is the apparent lead being taken by the newly promoted Saudi crown prince Muhammad bin Salman and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan, until now perceived as a restraining influence on MbS's impetuousness, exhibited by the military intervention in Yemen -- a side consequence of which is the creation of al-Qaeda safe havens. Whether Riyadh and Abu Dhabi lose support in international public opinion over the nature of the demands will be interesting to see. While Al Jazeera has a well-established reputation for troublemaking and poor journalism, some countries may be thinking that -- however unhelpful the Qatari media might be -- the ending of Saudi support for madrasas across the world could be a useful addition to any diplomacy. For its part, the United States may well find itself under renewed pressure from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to give up its use of the al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which has played a key role in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Washington may need to do some tough talking with all its Gulf allies, and quickly, to secure itself a role in the diplomacy, ameliorating the crisis and stopping its escalation. There is a lot riding on the first-ever meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled for June 29-30 at the White House. Topping the agenda will be two issues: North Korea, and South Koreas U.S.-led missile defense system, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD. While there are concerns that misalignment on these issues will create problems for the alliance, those worries are misplaced; divergence will be manageable. The real danger rests in one of the core pillars of the alliance -- the Special Measures Agreement that denotes how much South Korea pays for the stationing of U.S. forces on its soil. If handled without care, as Trump has been wont to handle matters of importance in foreign policy, it could do longer-term damage to the alliance. Dealing with North Korea rightly tops the summit agenda, as Pyongyang poses a security threat to both countries, but policy divergence here is not new. In the past, there were serious misalignments. Yet not only did the alliance endure, it strengthened over time. Moon favors an engagement-oriented approach, but he will have little opportunity to substantively engage the North. That is because North Korea will continue to be North Korea. The Kim regime will continue to pursue its nuclear weapons program and test missiles. This will limit President Moons ability to pursue a rapprochement, ultimately limiting policy divergence between the United States and South Korea. Hand-wringing over the deployment of THAAD is also commonplace. But this ignores Moons domestic political realities and overreacts to a series of unforced errors by the United States in THAADs rollout. These missteps have overshadowed the fact that, according to polling by Gallup Korea, a slim majority of the South Korean public consistently favors the deployment of THAAD. To understand the mistakes Washington has made, consider THAADs delivery to South Korea. The South Korean public saw images in the green glow of night-vision as the systems were rolled off of airplanes literally under the cover of dark. The terrible optics of this deployment coincided with a highly unpopular South Korean president being impeached for corruption. This strengthened the narrative that this deployment was being conducted in secret, with the explicit goal of avoiding public scrutiny. In this light, Moons decision to delay the full deployment is astute. As a year-long environmental impact study takes place, two launchers will remain operable while four others wait to come on line. Full deployment will likely take place, but Moon has effectively bought time for broader public support to overwrite the anger of a vocal minority, thus smoothing over a potential trouble spot in the U.S.-South Korea alliance. The bigger concern for both sides should be the SMA. During the campaign, Trump identified South Korea as a free-riding ally unwilling to pay its fair share. That is not the case. In 2015, South Korea contributed $932 million -- nearly 50 percent of the total cost of basing and maintaining U.S. forces in the country. This is in line with Japans contribution, an ally that U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis called a model for cost-sharing. The negotiations for the current SMA were handled with care, largely out of the public eye. That was for good reason. Opposition lawmakers said the agreement was humiliating, and in 2013, a poll conducted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies found that 57 percent of the South Korean public thought South Korea was paying too much. In a White House that sees foreign policy as transactional, a suboptimal summit will increase the likelihood that SMA talks turn from negotiation to perceived extortion. An impulsive tweet or a statement on the need for South Korea to dramatically increase its contribution will touch a raw nerve that recalls the days when the United States treated South Korea as a client state rather than the trusted partner it feels it now deserves to be. With an already high distrust of President Trump among the South Korean public, such an outcome would drive South Korean public opinion sharply against the United States. Gaps between the two countries will provide an opening that North Korea and China will seek to exploit. These perceptions will do longer-lasting damage to the U.S.-South Korea alliance than policy divergence on either North Korea or THAAD. Getting the summit right will likely mean ongoing disagreement about the best ways to approach North Korea and the urgency of THAAD deployment. Those disagreements can be managed within the alliance. Getting it wrong could mean a series of 140-character missives that derail a 70-year partnership for the foreseeable future. , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Porterville, CA (93257) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High 61F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 38F. Winds light and variable. Athens held it's first fireworks spectacular in many years on Washington Street in front of the Classic Center on Friday, July 1, 2016. Photo/Shubham Kadam Talking corporate heads are a barometer of the business community's engagement with the economy. If they're making public comments, however insincere, they've clearly got investment plans they are anxious to build on. If they have nothing to say now -- after four quarters of slowdown when the world economy has started expanding -- there is cause for concern, says Kanika Datta. IMAGE: From left, Wipro's Azim Premji, Reliance Industries Limited's Mukesh Ambani, and the Aditya Birla Group's Kumar Mangalam Birla at the Digital India Week in 2015. Despite a hyper-active government and a PM who apparently works 24x7, does yoga and is everything his predecessor wasn't, investment has reached an all-time low and stayed there. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters. Anaemic growth must certainly be worrying the government, but there is another reason the government should be anxious: The telling silence of India Inc. This section of India's noisy democracy is assuredly less vocal and a lot more circumspect in its public comments about the government, rarely venturing criticism, but also seldom restraining itself from fulsome public praise. The intelligentsia routinely and rightly dismisses the latter as the sycophancy of a constituency that still depends quite heavily on government policy for its fortunes. Looked at another way, however, talking corporate heads are also a barometer of the business community's engagement with the economy. If they're making public comments, however insincere, they've clearly got investment plans that they are anxious to build on. If they have nothing to say now -- after four quarters of sustained slowdown, that too when the world economy has started expanding -- there should be cause for concern. Are Indian businessmen looking elsewhere for their investments? What would this mean for the promise of delivering jobs, the cornerstone of Narendra Modi's 2014 campaign? Recall the business community's bold and bountiful critiques of the United Progressive Alliance, mired in all manner of corruption scandals and clearly on the way out. Anticipating pro-business policies from Modi's government, businessmen outdid each other in heaping praise on the former chief minister of Gujarat and condemning the incumbent government. 'Policy paralysis' was the term in vogue in the last days of the UPA, and businessmen were vocal in their denunciation of a regime that was clearly heading for failure at the hustings. Even Ratan Tata, who once sat on Manmohan Singh's business advisory council and stoutly defended charges of inaction, was forced to admit in 2013 that the country was suffering a 'lack of leadership,' a polite way of describing the long period of non-governance. Everyone wanted a new slate on which they could draw their business plans. With Modi's stunning parliamentary majority, India Inc, ever opportunistic, turned up the praise to full throttle. His style of governance was just the opposite of paralysed: Brisk action on coal auction, telecom spectrum auctions, and committees to examine ways to haul India up the global Doing Business rankings. Crowding into high-voltage events -- Make in India, Skills India, and other branded jamborees -- and accompanying the PM overseas, businessmen assured anyone who cared to ask that the turnaround was just around the corner. Modi enticed them all with promises to unlock the structural roadblocks that plague Indian business and offer a clean, corruption-free business environment. Business people approaching Raisina Hill with problems found a receptive government. And they reciprocated. On paper, mind-boggling sums were committed to new projects. Yet few honchos were putting their money where their mouths are. Despite a hyper-active government and a PM who apparently works 24x7 for the country, does yoga and is everything his predecessor wasn't, investment has reached an all-time low and stubbornly stayed there. Take risks, Modi sternly told India Inc at a meeting in the capital in 2015. But no one cared to oblige. It was the PM, in fact, who took the biggest risk of all by withdrawing 86 per cent of currency from public circulation. Respected economists from Paul Krugman to Manmohan Singh (who presided over an earlier but much more limited exercise) roundly condemned the move. With the Mauritian investment route, an old favourite, circumscribed by a new tax treaty, several prominent businessmen emerged as gallant defenders of the PM in expectation of some sort of pro-investment follow-up after all the black money was soaked up and everyone had dutifully transitioned to online payments. Industrialist Anand Mahindra called it a 'bold move that everyone should respect'. Banker Aditya Puri pronounced that Modi had 'created transparency and traceability'. And from that temple of free-market capitalism called Davos, Mukesh Ambani intoned: 'Demonetisation proves India is ready for 4th industrial revolution, especially today with a strong leader in Narendra Modi.' Only Rajiv Bajaj bravely bucked the eulogy, saying the very idea of demonetisation was wrong, why blame its implementation. He had suffered a sharp fall in two-wheeler sales during the duration of this astonishing monetary exercise, as had others in his industry. Now it is becoming increasingly evident that, another stunning election result apart, Bajaj was right. Ask small and medium farmers. Or dairy owners. Or small factory owners. And with the known unknown of the goods and services tax about to make its debut on July 1, who knows what fresh chaos will afflict business. No one in India Inc is saying much these days about a clearly worrying future, which is why Modi should be worried, too. Even without Shahs TN visit and the rest, the increasing bonhomie between the BJP and the AIADMK factions in the state have become more visible than ever in the post-Jaya era, says N Sathiya Moorthy. Image: BJP President Amit Shah at the Arunachaleswarar temple in Thiruvannamalai on June 27, 2017, during a visit to Tamil Nadu. Photograph: PTI Photo. Despite loud protests to the contrary, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shahs visit to the Sri Arunachaleswarar temple and the Ramana Maharishi ashram in Thiruvannamalai should show up the growing ties with Tamil Nadus ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam faction under Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. Shah holds no governmental position at the Centre or in any state. Yet, Tamil Nadus minister for Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE), Seruvur S Ramachandran, was on hand to receive him. So were two local AIADMK legislators. AIADMK member of Parliament Vanaroja, according to news reports, even fought with the police to gain entry into the helipad where Shah landed. Therein lies the second part of the story. A temporary helipad was built on the grounds of the local government college, and the EPS administration had granted permission for the same. It may be the kind of courtesy that state governments offer elsewhere to leaders of Opposition parties, but not so in Dravidian Tamil Nadu, not when AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa was around, whether in power or out of it. Even granting that the helipad decision was a good gesture that was missing in the state all along, the decision for a minister to receive the BJP boss and accompany him to the government-run temple, which involves administrative protocol, cannot be dubbed as such. Of course, state-level BJP leaders, including Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and Tamil Nadu party chief, Tamizhisai Soundararajan, were present to receive and accompany Shah during the short visit. But that was part of their political being, not for an AIADMK state minister and his party MLAs and MP. Even without the Shah visit and the rest, the increasing bonhomie between the BJP and the AIADMK factions in the state have become more visible than ever in the post-Jaya past. Over several decades now, presidential candidates have made it a habit to visit state capitals to thank political party leaderships for endorsing their candidature. Even where their victory was assured, candidates had done this trip, as post-poll and their status as president-elect, protocol and security concerns would come in the way. After being sworn in President, he or she could not be seen as being politically partisan, to one or the other of political parties, including their regional avtars. In the case of BJPs current presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Minister Pananiswami and predecessor, O Panneerselvam, or OPS, heading a rival faction of the AIADMK, vied with each other to be present in Delhi, to become co-signatories to Kovinds nomination papers. If Tamil media reports are to be believed, their close aides jostled for space inside the returning officers room, which did not have enough chairs to accommodate all. According to these reports, some senior BJP leaders had to stay outside the room lest their AIADMK guests should feel slighted in toto, or one in favour of the other. Now, for all practical purposes, the election of Kovind as President is taken for granted. In states like Tamil Nadu, the question is only one of possible cross-voting, for and against the BJP-NDA nominee. Apart from the EPS and OPS factions, the one loyal to T T V Dinakaran, within the former, is also expected to back Kovinds candidature. At least 30 MLAs and an unspecified number of MPs (could even be zero) are said to be with Dinakaran, whose status as party deputy general secretary remains contested. If anything, any rebellion against the party/faction leadership within the AIADMK is bad not for the BJP or Kovind, but for the three leaders and the future of their own politics. For now, the OPS faction is repeatedly talking about no-merger. It also keeps repeating the demand for distancing the party from elected general secretary V K Sasikala Natarajan, now in Bengaluru prison, and of course Dinakaran, anointed by her as deputy general secretary, unacceptable to the Election Commission (EC), since. Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who called on Sasikala in prison recently, continues to declare that she was still the party general secretary, elected by the general council. He has also declared that no individual or group had the authority to remove her, sans the general council. Barring such occasional professions of the kind, no one in the party, including the EPS faction, which had owed original allegiance to Sasikala during the post-Jaya showdown with OPS, even refers to her name, remotely. Even Jayalalithaas name has begun making an occasional, but deliberate miss, from the publicity material of the EPS faction, where Chief Minister Panaliswami, along with logos of party founder MGR and the latters mentor, C N Annadurai, if at all, alone find prominent or less-than-prominent, mention. The questions are about the merger of all three or four factions within the AIADMK on the one hand, and the recovery of the Two Leaves electoral symbol of MGR and Jayalalithaa, frozen by the EC, since. It is anybodys guess how the EC could verify a non-Aadhar linked membership of the rival factions of the AIADMK, against the total claim of 1.5 crores, when they all had completed submitting truck-loads of attestations, as could only be expected. The natural course for the EC would have to be to freeze the party name and title, along with the symbol, and let the factions choose their own names and symbols. Even the Supreme Court, if moved, could not be expected to devise a fool-proof mechanism for the purpose. All precedents in this regard might prove unhelpful, to say the least. Thus, either the factions merge and claim the Two Leaves symbol, or they go their own way, and start almost from the scratch, that too ahead of the 2019 parliamentary polls. A lot rides on marketing a new party with a new symbol, and the success rate would depend on two or three factors. One, the time that they might get after the Election Commission and/or the Supreme Court had decided the matter. Two, the kind of government/governance that the EPS leadership renders in the coming months and years, making it popular or unpopular with party cadres and more so the non-AIADMK, non-party voters at large. Three, the time that EPS might get from within the larger faction, now under his command but with the Dinakaran clan still around, and from other faction legislators, to ensure that his leadership would remain stable until the assembly elections, due in May 2021. Between all these, they all would also have to contend with the increasing stability within the rival DMK faction. Apart from the fact that the DMK-led combine did poll a respectable 40 per cent vote-share against the victorious AIADMKs 41.5 per cent, that too under the charismatic Jayalalithaa, who was incumbent chief minister, in May 2016, the DMK also has other factors favouring it, prima facie. Despite best efforts, the Hinduvta ideology and politics, as different from the Modi factor, that too to a much limited extent, has not caught on with contemporary Tamil Nadu, as may be the case elsewhere. This has meant that there is minority consolidation against the BJP and parties that are perceived as being close to the BJP -- the AIADMK factions in this case -- without any reciprocal Hindu consolidation of any kind, on the other side. It is also here that the state law and order and intelligence machinery have to be extremely professional and cautious about any possible repeat of the kind of the Coimbatore blasts of the 1998 poll-eve kind. For all this, however, the Rajni factor in future Tamil Nadu election remains unclear, as the superstar himself continues to remain unsure. Despite all the tall talk of Rajnikanths political popularity and electoral possibilities, the fact remains, there is no substantive evidence to his vote base. To make it worse, there is no assembly constituency among the 234 in the state, for Rajnikanth to call his own, to contest and win on his own, or as an ally exclusively of the BJP, if at all. A southern Tamil Nadu seat might be a choice, but it would be seen as a BJP stronghold, not that of Rajnikanth by any stretch of imagination. The comparison with DMDKs actor-founder Vijayakanth would be misplaced in context, and for specific reasons. Vijayakanth did contest from the northern Tamil Nadu seat of Vridhachalam in his first electoral outing, and won the lone seat for the party, in Election 2006. The DMDK polled 8.6 per cent vote-share at the time, and caused the defeat of 50-plus candidates of either the ruling AIADMK or the incoming DMK by margins that were equivalent to the votes polled by the party nominees. Surprisingly, the DMDK also polled a higher 10-plus percent vote-share in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, even when it contested alone, again. That was all to it. The DMDK joined the AIADMK combine in 2011 assembly polls, won a substantial number of seats, but lost its individuality and vote-share, coming a cropper at the head of the BJP-NDA combine in the Lok Sabha polls (2014) and the assembly elections (2016), this time, sans the BJP. Unlike Vijayakanth, who was fighting for a substantial vote-share as a bargaining chip, Rajnikanth would be contesting to win, not lose. Given his age and possible health issues, Election 2021 could not only be his first, but also the last election, if he were to float a party of his own. Organisationally, MGR inherited part of the ideologically-oriented parent DMK cadres and also the post-Kamaraj swing voters customarily on the anti-rationalist DMK side, and also his own massive fan following of the time. Jayalalithaa retained them all and also added new-generation voters. Vijaykanth was current with a contemporary fan following, to convert as party cadres at all levels -- but nothing more. Against all this, Rajnikanths core fans are now past their prime. Those that paid Rs 5000 or so for a weekend view of his super-hit movies Robot and Kabaali -- with super flops in between -- were the IT genre crowd, paid for by their employers in many cases, and mostly not voters in Tamil Nadu. Neither of these superhits did the customary silver jubilee runs of 25 weeks, as the cinema lexicon and marketing have all now changed, come consumerism and market economy. Conversely, by aligning with the AIADMK factions, one or all of them, through the good offices of say, the BJP, Rajnikanth can only soil his image, given all the corruption charges that central agencies have been unearthing against faction leaders, ministers and their cohorts. That way, rather than a Rajni entry into politics, any real fear of it happening could motivate the AIADMK factions into fast-tracking the sluggish merger moves. Should that happen, then Rajnikanth would not have a role to play, not certainly as chief minister first, and as a chief minister capable of controlling his ministerial colleagues and big-time corruption, especially. To begin with, he cannot even be seen as seeking votes for a corruption-free government, with the likes of the present-day rulers by his side. If anything, his position then could be like that of MGR after Annadurais death within the united DMK. Even while keeping MGR out of his ministry, purportedly because he wanted to continue to act, Annadurai was known to have got his approval for his ministry before sending the list to then governor Ujjal Singh in 1967. After Annadurais death in 1969, Karunanidhi became chief minister, but with greater and more specific backing from MGR. There it began and ended, leading and contributing to the DMK split, and the formation of AIADMK, not very long after. The rest, as they say, is history. N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is Director, Observer Research Foundation, Chennai Chapter. China's Navy on Wednesday launched its biggest new generation destroyer weighing 10,000 tonnes as part of a massive expansion to become a global naval power. The navy's new destroyer, a domestically designed and produced vessel, was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard (Group), Shanghai. The vessel is the first of China's new generation of destroyers. It is equipped with new air defence, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The vessel marks a milestone in improving the nation's navy armament system and building a strong and modern navy. According to the plan, tests will be carried on the vessel, including equipment operation, berthing and sailing. The biggest naval destroyer was an addition to two aircraft carriers which China is in the process of deploying to compete with other naval powers liked the United States and India, specially in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese Navy is currently trying to form battle groups that accompany the aircraft carriers when they set out on missions far from shores. The first aircraft carrier Liaoning has left with a flotilla of Chinese naval ships on June 25 on "routine training mission" from Qingdao in east China. The naval formation includes destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan, frigate Yantai and a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters, a Chinese defence ministry statement said. The training mission, like the previous ones, is expected to strengthen coordination among the vessels and improve the skills of crew and pilots in different marine region. This is the first exercise being carried out by Liaoning, a refurbished aircraft carrier, built from the hull of a Soviet ship bought from Ukraine after China had launched a home-made carrier in April this year. The new aircraft carrier was expected to be operational by 2019. Liaoning has earlier carried out exercises in the disputed South China Sea as well as East China Sea along with its battle formation group. IMAGE: China's new type of domestically-built destroyer is seen during its launching ceremony at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. Photograph: Reuters Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received an unusual gift -- a bicycle -- from his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte after the two leaders met at The Hague. A picture shared by Prime Minister Modi on Twitter shows him sitting and smiling on the Dutch-made bicycle which was gifted to him by Rutte on Tuesday. 'Thank you @MinPres @markrutte for the bicycle,' Modi tweeted on Wednesday, soon after his return from the Netherlands where he held wide-ranging talks with the Dutch prime minister. In the photo, Rutte was also seen standing beside Modi. Rutte, 50, usually cycles to work. In the Netherlands, cycling is a way of life. In fact, with 18 million bicycles and just 16 million Dutch inhabitants, there are more bicycles than people, according to the invest in Holland website. In a special gesture, Rutt had on Tuesday tweeted in both Hindi and Dutch languages welcoming Modi and said he was keen to meet him at a time when the two countries are celebrating 70 years of the establishment of Indo-Dutch diplomatic relations. Modi returned to New Delhi this morning after concluding a three-nation tour to Portugal, the United States and the Netherlands. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the bicycle gifted to him by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague, Netherlands on Tuesday. Photograph: @narendramodi/Twitter Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday returned home after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the United States and the Netherlands. Modi, upon arrival, was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The highlight of his four-day trip was the US leg of the visit as Modi met President Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. Modi first visited Portugal, where he held wide ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. Modi and Costa signed 11 MoUs for cooperation in areas including double taxation avoidance, investments, science and technology, nanotechnology, space research, administrative reforms and culture. Speaking at a joint conference after holding a bilateral discussion, Modi said the two sides have also agreed to set up a joint science and technology fund of four million euros. He also announced setting up of a Chair for Indian Studies in University of Lisbon and developing a Hindi-Portuguese dictionary for mutual benefit. The two leaders also launched a unique startup Portal - the India-Portugal International StartUp Hub -- aimed at providing information on start-up hotspots in the two countries and associated policies. The platform initiated by Startup India and supported by the commerce and Industry Ministry and Startup Portugal to create a mutually supportive entrepreneurial partnership. Following his Portugal visit, Modi headed towards Washington for his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump. Trump and Modi pledged to increase economic cooperation to make their nations stronger and their citizens more prosperous. The Indo-US Joint Statement asked Pakistan to not let its territory be used to launch terror attacks. The PM also interacted with 20 top American CEOs at a roundtable meeting in Washington D.C., and talked about various topics ranging from the goods and services tax, technology, India's economy and Digital India, Make in India, Skill Development, demonetisation and the thrust towards renewable energy among others. Modi, on the final leg of his trip, visited the Netherlands and held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also addressed the Indian community there. With inputs from ANI Photographs: PIB The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of compromising with national security and sovereignty by not objecting to the mention of 'Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir' in the United States order on Syed Salahuddin. The party also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue that emerged at a time when he was in the US and was to meet US President Donald Trump. It further demanded the prime minister's response on China stopping Mansarovar Yatra and its incursion into Indian territory in Sikkim. "Shocking that the US government order on Syed Salahuddin refers to 'Indian-administered J&K. This is a compromise with India's national security and sovereignty," senior Congress spokesperson and party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said. "Why has the prime minister not protested despite being on US soil? Why the foreign minister, defence minister, home minister and for that matter, our I&B minister, none of these ministers have issued a single statement of apology or the protest? "Why is the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), so-called nationalist party -- the only nationalist party of India who is holding the sole agency of nationalism of our country, silent on this? Is it not a total sell-out of national interest by the so-called nationalist party?" he said. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so, even though it may be a subject of political expediency for Modi and his party to keep silent but Congress will not. He demanded that prime minister and ruling party should answer to the nation for this absolutely unacceptable act of usage of such terminology. "Modi ji and BJP drum beat and preach pseudo-Nationalism every day. The country would expect them to answer why have they, why has this Government accepted US phrase of 'Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir'," he said. Azad also lamented that no media house has written about or telecast this issue and committing such an act would have been unpardonable for the United Progressive Alliance or any other government. "We have seen in the past that even on minor mistakes, which have taken place, how the BJP, the BJP leadership and the media -- both print and electronic -- have torn the government to pieces. "But when it comes to the gross violation and the mistakes being committed by this present government and by no less than the prime minister of India himself, no media house has guts to point out and bring this to the notice of the government of India," he said. Azad also said that 'empty chest-thumping, false bravado and captive TV studio warfare' by the BJP government cannot hide its failures in compromising with national security. He said terrorism should never be politicised and a collective effort is needed to eradicate it, which should be sans partisan considerations. The Congress leader said this is not the first time that US government has taken a decision against Salahuddin, as several times in the past with efforts of UPA. He said the US administration has acted against Dawood Ibrahim, Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami, and Indian Mujahiddin. It had also put a $10 million bounty on Lashker-e-Taiba chief Hafeez Sayeed wanted for Mumbai attacks by efforts made by the UPA government. On China stopping the 'Mansarovar Yatra', Azad said the government is totally mum on that and has not taken any step. The Chinese incursions into our territory in Sikkim, stoppage of Holy Kailash Mansarovar Yatra have hurt and shocked the entire Nation and while the BJP, PM and other BJP leaders who used to, at the slightest, made such a hue and cry are keeping totally silent now, he said. "They have to break their silence on this, the nation demands it," he said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters 'Indrani, will you fight till the last?' a reporter yelled. 'Yes!' she replied strongly. So concluded a day in court that saw a woman accused of murder don a fresh role of heroine of the moment. Even Bollywood couldn't have come up with such a curious twist. Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel reports on a bizarre twist in the Sheena Bora murder trial. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Today they brought a dangerous terrorist to court. Thirteen policemen/women, some armed with rifles, swiftly hustled the assassin from the dark blue prison bus, through the grey drizzle, to the third floor of the new wing of the sessions court in Kala Ghoda, south Mumbai. Their speed had nothing to do with rain. It was hard to identify The Terrorist in this sea of fast-marching khaki, as they approached the building, double pace. She was wearing monsoon light green. Her name was Indrani Mukerjea. When you first start making trips to a court to cover a trial, among the umpteen new things you learn, is that most of the people in court are policemen. Their numbers seem to outdo even that of the black-coated lawyers by probably 2:1. They are customarily a silent, invisible lot. Some are watchful and cautious. Occasionally curious. Others more dutiful. Or Important. Most yawn lavishly and look bored and indifferent, clutching grossly out-of-date weapons. Many are young women. They stand apart from the rest, in these halls of justice, isolated, perhaps by choice, in their own new caste of today's India. Theirs, in this setting, is mainly a dull job of waiting. The cops' stentorian voices come to life only when they are jostling prisoners from the jail buses to the courts, sometimes with a bit of camaraderie, sometimes unduly harshly, sometimes with handcuffs. Or when they are herding them back to jail. Other than those rifles, a senior lead cop might have a pistol in her/his belt. But when a more risky criminal is brought to court, you note, with a momentary frisson of fear, many AK-47s are suddenly in evidence and there is heavy escort of four to five policemen per prisoner. Today's escort (13 policemen/women) for Indrani seemed to be a message. There was a message too, it appeared, in the manner in which they swept her up the stairs and down the court corridors, as they pushed and shoved people out of the way and bristled with aggression, their faces looking like that of a pack of sullen bulldogs. Suddenly, the same usually unseen police were very noticeable in court today, demonstrating their caste's solidarity. As Indrani was rushed into the court room, a puzzled journalist, trying to figure who was at the centre of the melee of belligerent policewomen commented: "Is that a terrorist or is that Indrani?!" Indrani, Accused 1, was in court, without co-accused Peter Mukerjea or Sanjeev Khanna. Not for the Sheena Bora trial. But to depose evidence in connection with the violent death of a woman prisoner, Manjula Shetye, and the 'uprising' that occurred subsequently at Byculla jail on Mirza Ghalib Road (an odd name for a road that has a jail on it, given the 19th century Urdu poet's peaceable nature) in south central Mumbai. Gunjan Mangla, Indrani's lawyer moved the court, urgently Tuesday, saying Accused One had been manhandled and threatened in the jail by her guards (guards, though from the police, are quite different from the police escort). She needed to give evidence of those happenings, show her bruises before they faded and describe what she saw on the tragic day of Manjula's death on Friday, June 23. Judge J C Jagdale, who had recently taken charge of the case, agreed to have Indrani brought in. The wellbeing and safety of an undertrial is the direct responsibility of the judge presiding over a CBI trial. Indrani took an inordinately long time to come from Byculla jail on Wednesday morning. Maybe the heavy showers, which had cooled the court premises considerably, had something to do with it. Or traffic, tangled by incessant rain, delayed her. Meanwhile the courtroom and adjacent areas was filling up rapidly with a huge media turnout, larger than ever before since the trial began. Curiosity on how Indrani was attempting to take on the system was running high. Maybe some admiration too. Unlike other less privileged and more unfortunate women prisoners, Indrani had the power to take this issue up. And she was. Her lawyer said she did have bad bruises from being mistreated in the events that occurred after Shetye's death. "They looked pretty bad to me," was her verdict. When Indrani finally showed, with her zealous, angry posse in tow, it was close to 1 pm. As she reached the first floor, a lawyer stopped her to ask how she was. "I can hardly walk," she said. To someone else she said, "Still alive." She looked wan and tired. No make up either. Her face wore a grave but calm expression. She was seated at the back of the courtroom, with all the cops flanking her, and when the matter came up was called forward. Lawyer Sudeep Pasbola raised the issue with the judge. At first, Judge Jagdale seemed fairly reluctant to allow Indrani to depose. He said she should file an FIR and appear before a magistrate. Pasbola skillfully tried different tacks and arguments before Judge Jagdale changed his mind and agreed to have Indrani take the witness stand. A deafening hush descended. All heads and ears craned forward as Indrani, in a clear voice, started giving her account. She kept it unemotional. Unembellished. Her face bland. A face, that now two years in prison, had seen so many other sides of life. Indrani said on the day of Shetye's death she saw the prisoner being pulled along by the prison guards. A sari had been wrapped around her neck and she was being manhandled using the sari. She said, without any inflection in her voice, that she was told by others that they had seen Manjula assaulted in her "private parts" with a stick and that she had been taken to the hospital. When she inquired later from her own guard Bindu (Naikode), who she said allegedly participated in the beating up of Manjula, she was told that the convict was stable. But ten minutes later she heard from other fellow prisoners that she was already dead. Shetye had served 14 years for the murder of her sister-in-law and was allegedly battered over a squabble about a shortage of eggs and pao (bread) in the jail morning rations. As she spoke about the grim circumstances surrounding Manjula's death, the judge kept firmly steering her away from that and requested her to only describe what was happening to her. Indrani said that she, along with others, demanded that a judge or the media should hear their account of what happened to Manjula and in the jail that day and subsequently, and that she wanted to be a witness. She went on to highlight the events of Sunday evening. She said the jail superintendent started "constructing a lathi charge" on them for protesting Manjula's death and for wanting a hearing. "They turned off all the lights," she described. The attack, Indrani said, was lead by the superintendent and that strangely some men were also brought into the prison. Judge Jagdale heard her solemnly, without interruption. She said they were beaten up with lathis and she said she had received nasty bruises on her arms and a worse one on her leg. Indrani asserted that the superintendent threatened her in Hindi using "profane language" and said if she offered evidence as a witness against her "hum tum ko dekhlenge." She said they told her that what happened to Shetye would happen to her. Since she had been injured Indrani requested the jail authorities for medical attention. But all of Monday, which was Eid, she specified, Indrani declared she was ignored and they were all locked into their barracks; Indrani is housed in Barrack 2 upstairs, she said. Instead of taking her to the J J Hospital, three doctors finally came to see her. She said threats went on and were conveyed to her continuously in jail. "They don't want me to do a 164 (Section 164 in The Indian Evidence Act, 1872) which is why they are threatening me. I am not going to back out of my 164," she announced. Finally, she said got a message through to her lawyer Mangla and that was how she was in court. Judge Jagdale heard her account carefully and dictated, in his habitually excellent diction, an order that Indrani be taken right then to the Nagpada police station to give a statement and that she also be examined medically. Eight women policeman bundled Indrani out of the courtroom to the benches in the corridor, as they awaited someone from the jail to take her to Nagpada. The media was kept strictly at bay by the same fierce cops as Indrani sat talking to lawyers Pasbola and Mangla. It was quite evident that these policewomen were resolute that not an iota of extra information about the events of the last few days at Byculla jail should reach the media, a backlash perhaps of Indrani requesting media scrutiny/intervention that day in jail. A senior policewoman, with a peaked hat and pistol, was handling the coordination of a transfer to the police station. She spoke to her superior on her cell phone and then checked the details of the judge's order with the court clerk. Finally, Indrani was lead quickly down to the bus, presumably towards the Nagpada police station. The media closed in on Indrani as she departed, hopefully shouting questions. And the police shooed them away roughly. "Indrani, will you fight till the last?" a reporter yelled, to Indrani on floor three, as she was sped down six flights of steps. "Yes!" she replied strongly, from floor one. So concluded a day in court that saw a woman accused of murder don a fresh role of heroine of the moment. Even Bollywood couldn't have come up with such a curious twist. EARLIER IN THE TRIAL... 'It all runs on sugar-coated lies.' 'If I like something, I will want to believe it.' Ranjita Ganesan finds out how some organisations are separating fact from fiction to fight the ravages of the post-truth age. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com When a statue costs 3,600 crore to build, you want it to do more than just stand there. So, citizens were relieved to learn when the Shivaji sea memorial was launched in December that it would be able to track movements of suspicious boats. With the help of a renowned Finnish scientist, it would also tap enough solar energy to power all government offices in Mumbai. The only problem, it would emerge later, was that all of these details -- listed in a WhatsApp message -- were entirely fabricated. The news was first cooked up for a mocking piece on a Reddit forum, replete with the 'thumbs up' emojis that define messages forwarded on instant chatting apps, but it went on to be shared widely by unsuspecting people. That is the tragedy of well-written satire -- its intentions can be gauged by very few. In the last two years, such spurious news has gained momentum globally and in India, and its motives can range from mere mischief to well-oiled propaganda and financial gain. In the past, satirical articles by Faking News have been taken to be true, including one about a man suing Axe deodorant after failing to woo girls like its ad promised. More recently, for three days television channels debated a controversial tweet by actor Paresh Rawal where he encouraged violence against Arundhati Roy. It was revealed thereafter that Rawal's anger had been fuelled by comments falsely attributed to the writer in a report by a Web site, Times of Islamabad. A more serious consequence of fake n,ews has been panic. One woman was reported to have died in Kanpur after rumours of salt shortage during demonetisation led to chaotic buying sprees, and back in 2012, Northeast Indians fled Bengaluru based on messages inducing fears of violence against them. Although rumours and dubious reports have existed for long, social media makes it possible to spread these across vast distances at real-time speeds. "That velocity gives a feeling of veracity," says Govindraj Ethiraj, founder of FactChecker.in, which began in 2013 to scrutinise statements made by individuals in public life. The fresh catch-all term for this is "fake news", which Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain describes as information "that the person saying or repeating knows to be untrue, or is indifferent to whether it is true or false." The wilful circulation of pro-Trump tales was said to have helped him win the US presidential election in November. The unique thing about India is fake news here spreads primarily through a dark channel, WhatsApp, where messages are encrypted and cannot be read by a third party. The country is its biggest market, with 200 million active users (that is roughly 15 per cent of the total population, or three times the population of France). From viral messages on this platform, it would seem UNESCO's main objective is to foster national pride among Indians. The organisation is falsely credited with having declared Narendra Modi the best prime minister, named Jana Gana Mana the best national anthem, and picked the Rs 2,000 note as the best currency in the world. As incidents of misinformation online grow, some local services have popped up, starting from 2015 to as recently as four months ago, to debunk false claims. Pankaj Jain, a small businessman by day, runs SMHoaxSlayer.com by night. To help friends and elderly relatives, in 2015 he began replying to spurious texts with detailed factual analysis. He has gained 48,000 fans on Facebook and gets some 200 source-checking requests each day, although several are for the same material. Recently, he warned followers there was no authentic data on the makers of Baahubali having donated first-day earnings of Rs 115 crore to soldiers. It is usually the handiwork of enthusiastic fans, says Jain, or people drawn to particular religious organisations or political parties. "It all runs on sugar-coated lies. If I like something, I will want to believe it." He worries that "common sense is extinct" in the country. Three weeks ago, he received a video claiming to show the beheading of Indian soldiers with chainsaws in Pakistan. Through a search for just "beheading", he traced the video back to a Mexico gang war from 2011. Jain's office is his Xiaomi smartphone, through which he reverse searches images on Google and does a frame-by-frame study of suspicious videos for two hours every night. Seeking the truth involves watching a lot of gory content but he "is used to it now". The businessman has a counterpart in Bengaluru's Check4Spam, started by techie Shammas Oliyath and tech investor Bal Krishna Birla. They point out that disturbing visuals can be shared without any trigger warnings here. To rid themselves of the guilt of propagating something unconfirmed, people preface messages with "forwarded as received", says Birla. Oliyath started the service two years ago and invited Birla last year for his expertise in handling the Web site and server. The former spends his lunch hour and post-work hours going as far as page 15 or 20 of Google search to find posts from which material for new spam is lifted. Volumes are high enough for him to seek an employee. "Those who join Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter are tech savvy to an extent. That's not the case with WhatsApp." He notes how the recent lynching of seven people in Jharkhand was sparked by rumours of prowling child-lifting that villagers received on their phones. While the app is available in 10 Indian languages, debunkers of dubious news deal only in English. Pratik Sinha had been busting fake claims online for years, but co-founded AltNews some four months ago to move away from Facebook's "filter bubble". The networking site employs algorithms that show users what they tend to like or click on, limiting the ex-software engineer's audience to people who already agreed with him. Sinha makes no bones about his politics: He is not a fan of the right wing, but wants to engage with readers on that side. A recent article of his -- debunking a fatwa that was supposedly laid on news anchor Rohit Sardana -- was shared by people across ideologies, Ahmedabad-based Sinha says. "I put out a story only when I am confident that no one can refute it." Researching that fictitious fatwa led Sinha to come upon various sites that repeatedly share communally charged fake news. He exposed inaccuracies in their claims and wrote exhaustively on a few including Postcard.news, Hindutva.info, and Dainikbharat.org. Some posts took him 12 to 14 hours to investigate. These sites, which are cheap and easy to create, see heavy traffic and make money, Sinha observes. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com When contacted, Postcard.news denied the allegations, saying it appears to be "a premotivated target against Web sites speaking against Lutyens' establishment". OpIndia, a site that purports to debunk lies of the mainstream media, did not respond to an e-mail seeking participation. Sridhar Ponnada, a 42-year-old IT professional, says links from Postcard.news routinely appear on family WhatsApp groups. It even led to a disagreement with his cousin who did not like being told to verify facts. "They build a story in such a way that it looks plausible. Initially, people with clear bias would share them, but off late it comes from educated, highly literate people too." They are willing to suspend critical thinking, he says, and by the time a claim is contested, the damage is already done. This reminds of political theorist Hannah Arendt's observation that movements 'conjure up a lying world of consistency, which is more adequate to the needs of the human mind than reality itself.' Misinformation is increasingly taking on religious and ideological colours, says Check4Spam's Birla. In a bid to be neutral, hoax slayer Jain asks his readers to send fake news of various biases. Jency Jacob, managing editor of Boom Live, cites the telling example of a photo of two young men covered in flames. "It has been shared by Hindus, Christians and Muslims in India, claiming they were members of their community." But the picture is from a 2008 lynching of robbers in Pakistan. With mastheads, photographs and bylines, sites purveying fake news wear a professional look. But it is journalism seemingly bereft of its greatest obligation -- journalism. The information-gathering process is unclear. Pages often include sensational images and colourful adjectives. Still, many rank within the top 5,000 domains in India, based on Sinha's research using traffic statistics site Alexa. Platforms can take limited action. A Google spokesperson says fighting scammers online is essential for the long-term sustainability of its business. Some Web sites with phony content rely on Google's AdSense platform to show ads and make money, but advertisers do not want their brands to appear next to dubious content. In November 2016, the company widened its policy to take action against deceptive sites and removed 200 publishers from its network. Facebook says it is working with fact-checking organisations so that false news can be flagged as 'disputed' and will appear lower in the news feed. WhatsApp remained unavailable for comment. Wikipedia is coming up with a service where journalists will collaborate with volunteers to fact-check news. FactChecker.in's Ethiraj says major news organisations should invest in analysts to avoid falling for fake information. False news items often surface at sensitive times, around major government announcement or world events, says Boom Live's Jacob. His team debunked various claims during the recent ransomware cyber attacks, including rumours that ATMs would be shut and that there were additional risks of a virus named 'Dance of the Hillary' destroying data. Under extraordinary circumstances such as epidemics or disasters, the government should require networks like Facebook to send public service announcements, suggests Sunil Abraham, founder of Bengaluru-based think-tank Centre for Internet and Society. Regulation and punishment is difficult, he says, because attribution is always a challenge on the Internet. Citing Chinese communications Professor Lokman Tsui's prediction, he expects that the problem will go away on its own in a decade. One step towards that would be if consumers educated themselves on the matter. An international school in Mumbai has already started alerting students. Its ready-reckoner on spotting fake news would be useful for adults too: Consider the source, read beyond headlines, check the author, date and supporting sources, and finally, check your bias. Some schools in Bengaluru are set to follow suit, according to Check4Spam. Also crucial will be the news receiver's ability to engage with people across ideologies before buying into anything. This need was perhaps best summed up in a recent panel discussion by Armando Iannucci, British creator of satire-based television and radio. On the lines of dating app Tinder, he wants to make an app that can match people with diametrically opposite views so they can have thoughtful dialogue. 'I would call it Ponder.' Nepal: Respect human rights during elections Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 27 June 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Nepal: Respect human rights during elections, 27 June 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59535f594.html [accessed 11 November 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. Ahead of the second round of Nepal's historic local elections tomorrow, Amnesty International calls on the country's authorities to respect people's human rights. Voting is due to take place in Province 2, which includes areas where Amnesty International has documented serious human rights violations, particularly at the hands of the security forces, including the unlawful use of excessive and lethal force, torture and other ill-treatment, and arbitrary detention. "The authorities have a responsibility to respect and protect people's rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association and freedom of expression," said Aura Freeman, Amnesty International's Nepal Campaigner. "The security forces must abide by international standards when carrying out their duties. They may only resort to the use of firearms in self-defence or defence of others against an imminent threat of death or serious injury, and must not use them to manage or disrupt public assemblies." Background Firearms must never be used as a tactical tool for the management or dispersal of demonstrations or other public assemblies and governments must ensure that arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials is punished as a criminal offence. In March, Nepal's security forces resorted to an unlawful use of lethal force when they opened fire on a crowd of protestors in Saptari district in the Tarai, Nepal's southern plains, killing three people and injuring 16. In June, there have been reports of arbitrary arrests and detention,as well as excessive use of force by security forces against those protesting the second phase of the elections in the Tarai. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International 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 need for safe, decent, clean and affordable housing is of the utmost importance in most communities, and Fremont is no exception. On Tuesday morning, more than 30 people gathered at Fountain Springs Estates, East 29th Street, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the opening of the community specifically designed to serve people 55 years of age and older who meet a certain income criteria. Applications for the housing, which consists of 16 houses broken down into 32 two and three-bedroom units, were received in February and March 2016. The application process drew a considerable bit of interest, Mayor Scott Getzschman said during a phone interview with the Tribune. Construction of Fountain Springs Estates began in May 2016 and now, the final touches are being made to the community. Getzschman estimated that approximately half of the units are filled, and sod is in the process of being laid at the final units. The two-bedroom units include a living, kitchen and dining room, one bathroom and a laundry closet. Three-bedroom units have a living room and a larger kitchen area with an incorporated dining room and 1 and bathrooms. There are a few two- and three-bedroom, handicapped accessible units. The one-level units have individual entrances, central air, stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer, and garbage disposal. Garages in both the two- and three-bedroom units have storm shelters. The units are being finalized with landscaping. Rent ranges between $435-$525 for two bedroom units and $485-575 for three-bedroom units, and no smoking is allowed. The project area will have a walking trail and a gazebo. In attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were several prominent figures, including District 15 Senator Lynne Walz and Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley. Walz, who won her Legislative seat in November 2016, said that there is a need for a housing development like Fountain Springs Estate in the Fremont Community. This will fill a gap in our community by addressing housing for low-income citizens, Walz said. This has been a need in our community for some time, and I know this, because I am a realtor and I have tried to locate housing for many senior citizens and it has been very, very difficult. We have seen much growth in our community over the past year with Costco, Hobby Lobby, additions to Fremont health, they YMCA aquatic Center and now the reason we are here, Fountain Springs Estates. In Legislature, Walz said, there is much discussion about how to grow Nebraska. In Legislature, though, senators can only provide a climate to make this happen. It really takes a lot of hard work and collaboration at the local level to make it a reality, she said. Ive said it a lot of times and Ill say it again, that I am so proud of our community and the work the work that has been done; the thoughtful work that has been done to provide a higher quality of life for the people who live in Fremont and around Fremont. The project would not have been completed without several private and public partners, Getzschman said. Partnerships were made with Gardner Capital, Stratford Capital, Pinnacle Bank, Landmark Performance Homes and the Fremont Housing Agency, among others. The ability to use tax-increment financing enabled the project to take shape, the mayor said. To make tax-increment financing work it has to be a but for and what that really means is that the project would not have happened but for the tax-increment financing, Getzschman said. And trust me, even with the tax-increment financing we struggled to get where we needed to get with this project. All the hard work by Gardner Capital and their investment in Fremont, their faith in this development is greatly appreciated. It definitely serves a need. And we certainly have more need for low-income senior housing, but this adds 32 households. The Fremont Housing Authority, he said, was also a vital partner in terms of making the dream of this project take shape. That collaboration was a key factor for us with winning this project, Getzschman said. So thank you for that collaboration. We know as a community that the more we can collaborate, the more we can get accomplished. So I just want to say that its a great day and its a great day to see projects like this come to fruition. Philippines: Duterte's First Year a Human Rights Calamity Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Philippines: Duterte's First Year a Human Rights Calamity, 28 June 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/595365de4.html [accessed 11 November 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. President Rodrigo Duterte has unleashed a human rights calamity on the Philippines in his first year in office, Human Rights Watch said today. The government's murderous "war on drugs," drug-related overcrowding of jails, and the harassment and prosecution of drug war critics has caused a steep decline in respect for basic rights since Duterte's inauguration on June 30, 2016. Security forces and "unidentified gunmen" have killed at least 7,000 suspected drug users and dealers since July 1, including 3,116 killings by police, according to government data. Yet the Duterte administration has rejected all domestic and international calls for accountability for these abuses, and instead has denied any government responsibility for the thousands of drug war deaths. "President Duterte took office promising to protect human rights, but has instead spent his first year in office as a boisterous instigator for an unlawful killing campaign," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director. "Duterte has supported and incited 'drug war' killings while retaliating against those fearless enough to challenge his assault on human rights." Human Rights Watch field research found that government claims that the deaths of suspected drug users and dealers were lawful were blatant falsehoods. Interviews with witnesses and victims' relatives and analysis of police records expose a pattern of unlawful police conduct designed to paint a veneer of legality over extrajudicial executions that may amount to crimes against humanity. While the Philippine National Police have publicly sought to distinguish between suspects killed while resisting arrest and killings by "unknown gunmen" or "vigilantes," Human Rights Watch found no such distinction in the cases investigated. In several such cases, the police dismissed allegations of involvement when only hours before the suspects had been in police custody. Such cases call into question government assertions that the majority of killings were carried out by vigilantes or rival drug gangs. The "war on drugs" has also worsened the already dire conditions of Philippine jail facilities, including inadequate food and unsanitary conditions. Government data indicates that the country's jail facilities run by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, which have a maximum capacity of 20,399, currently hold nearly 132,000 detainees, an overwhelming majority of them awaiting trial or sentencing. The bureau attributes the overcrowding to the arrest of tens of thousands of suspected drug users and dealers since the anti-drug campaign began. The drug war has also boosted the number of "secret jails" in which police unlawfully detain suspects and demand bribes in exchange for release. The Duterte administration has subjected prominent critics of the government's anti-drug campaign to harassment, intimidation, and even arrest. In February 2017, the police detained Senator Leila de Lima on politically motivated drug charges. Her arrest followed a relentless government campaign against her in evident response to her outspoken criticism of Duterte's "war on drugs" and her calls for accountability. Other critics of the killings - including activists, journalists, international officials, and ordinary Filipinos - have been threatened online by pro-Duterte supporters and trolls. Among those targeted were Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and international experts on drug dependency. "During his first year in office, President Duterte and his government have demonstrated a fundamental unwillingness to respect rights or provide justice for people whose rights have been violated," Kine said. "A UN-led international investigation is desperately needed to help stop the slaughter and press for accountability for Duterte's human rights catastrophe." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Vietnam: Free Blogger "Mother Mushroom" Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Vietnam: Free Blogger "Mother Mushroom", 28 June 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/595366d64.html [accessed 11 November 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. Vietnam should immediately free Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (also known as "Mother Mushroom") and drop all charges against her, Human Rights Watch said today. Police arrested her in October 2016, and pressed a charge of "conducting propaganda against the state" in accordance with article 88 of the penal code. The People's Court of Khanh Hoa province plans to hear her case on June 29, 2017. "It's outrageous to put Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh on trial simply for using her right to free expression to call for government reform and accountability," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The scandal here is not what Mother Mushroom said, but Hanoi's stubborn refusal to repeal draconian, rights-abusing laws that punish peaceful dissent and tarnish Vietnam's international reputation." Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, who is 38, blogs under the pen name Mother Mushroom (Me Nam). The pen name came from her 11-year-old daughter whom she calls "Mushroom." With the motto, "Who will speak if you don't?" Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh wrote on social and political issues including land confiscation, police brutality, and freedom of expression. She voiced support for fellow dissidents and publicly campaigned for the release of many political prisoners including Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Nguyen Ngoc Gia, Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung, and Nguyen Huu Vinh (also known as Anh Ba Sam). Above all, she advocated for a social and political environment free from fear. The morning before she was arrested, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh went with Nguyen Thi Nay, the mother of political prisoner Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy, to try to visit him in prison. In September 2009, the police took Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh from her home in the middle of the night and questioned her about her blog posts that criticized government policies on China and its disputed claims to the Spratly and Paracel Islands. She was released after nine days but remained under intrusive surveillance by police, who continued to pressure her to shut down her blog. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh participated in numerous public protests that advocated for human rights and a cleaner environment. She was subject to constant police harassment, intimidation, interrogation, and put under house arrest on numerous occasions to prevent her from attending important events. Police detained her twice in 2014 to prevent her from flying to Hanoi to attend meetings at the Australian Embassy in July, and at the Canadian and Norwegian Embassies in November. In March 2015, police detained her again to prevent her from going to Hanoi to attend a meeting at the German Embassy. In July 2015, she reported being assaulted by men in civilian clothes in front of police officers for participating in a sit-down protest to campaign for the release of political prisoners. State media reported that the police alleged that the evidence against Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh for anti-state blogging included a file named "Stop police killing civilians." The file included data on 31 cases regarding people who died in police custody, which she and others had collected from state media. The police claimed that the file "bears a hostile viewpoint against the people's police force. The document makes the readers misunderstand the nature of the problem, offends and lowers the prestige of the people's police force, and harms the relationship between the people and the police force." Many cases summarized in "Stop police killing civilians" had been documented and published by Human Rights Watch, such as the violent deaths in police custody of Nguyen Quoc Bao, Nguyen Van Khuong, Trinh Xuan Tung, Tu Ngoc Thach, and Y Ket Bdap. According to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security, reported by state media, from October 2011 to September 2014, there were 226 cases of death in detention facilities. The police claimed that during the search of Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh's house, they found many documents providing evidence of crimes. Among these documents were slogans such as "Fish Need Water," "The Country Needs Transparency" (Ca can nuoc sach; Nuoc can minh bach), "Take Legal Action Against Formosa" (Khoi to Formosa), "No Formosa," "Formosa Get Out," and anti-China claims over the disputed Spratly and Paracel Islands such as "No to Chinese Expansionism." The police reportedly said that in addition to her Facebook and blog posts, other "crimes" she committed included giving interviews to CNN and Radio Free Asia. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh received a Hellman Hammett grant from Human Rights Watch in 2010 as a writer defending free expression. In 2015, Civil Rights Defenders gave her the 2015 Civil Rights Defender of the Year award. In March 2017, she received the International Women of Courage award from the State Department. "For the last 10 years, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh has worked tirelessly to advance human rights and promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam," said Phil Robertson. "International donors and trade partners should publicly condemn her arrest and urge the Vietnamese government to immediately and unconditionally release her." In addition to blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Human Rights Watch urges Vietnam to unconditionally release all those detained or imprisoned for their peaceful activities and speeches. Among those who are being held and pending investigation include prominent rights defenders Nguyen Van Dai and Tran Thi Nga. Since his detention in December 2015, it is reported that by early May 2017, Nguyen Van Dai has not been allowed access to legal counsel. According to defense lawyer Ha Huy Son, Tran Thi Nga (detained since January 2017) has been sick for the last three weeks and can only eat porridge. She asked the authorities to allow her to seek medical treatment at the hospital twice, but her requests were denied. Both Nguyen Van Dai and Tran Thi Nga were charged under article 88 of the penal code. Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch UN envoy maps out 'ideal trajectory' to next round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 June 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy maps out 'ideal trajectory' to next round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, 27 June 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5953681a4.html [accessed 11 November 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 United Nations mediator for the conflict in Syria today mapped out what needs to happen in the next two weeks before the next round of intra-Syrian talks begins on 10 July in Geneva, Switzerland. We are at a time of testing whether the political will exists for real de-escalation and more meaningful political talks and move beyond preparatory talks, Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy for Syria, told the Security Council via videoconference from Geneva. His briefing focused on the latest developments and some of the possible future steps ahead to create a conducive environment to bring the six-year war to an end. He said that the ideal trajectory over the coming two weeks would be progress in the next round of the Astana talks on 4 and 5 July. The process taking place in the Kazakh capital is led by Russia, Turkey and Iran and produced agreement on a ceasefire between warring parties in Syria in late December 2016. Five months later, a deal was struck to set up de-escalation zones in Syria to prevent incidents and military confrontation between the warring parties. These zones are expected to also give greater humanitarian access to the 6.3 million people still living the country today. Let's give de-escalation efforts a fair chance to succeed because that is what people are asking in order to bringing the violence further down and enabling confidence-building, Mr. de Mistura said. Since the three guarantor States signed the de-escalation memorandum on 4 May in Astana, violence is clearly down, he said, noting that hundreds of Syrian lives continue to be spared every week, and many towns have returned to some degree of normalcy. But in some areas, the fight and violence has been continuing and in fact intensified. And the overall improvement of the security situation has regrettably not yielded equally significant progress on humanitarian access to areas where the needs are the greatest, he added. With every week that passes, we know it, without a final arrangement for the de-escalation zones being indeed finalized, the fragility of the ceasefire regime and the risk posed by the fragility increases, warned Mr. de Mistura. Next, Astana talks would be followed by a further set of joint technical expert meetings with the opposition groups in the same week, and then a continued discussion and dialogue among international stakeholders, including at the G20 Summit in Hamburg on 7 and 8 July, in which Syria cannot be avoided as a subject, he said. I hope that a combination of these elements would help shape an environment conducive for the next round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva in the months to come, the UN envoy said, noting that it would bring us one step forward on the journey towards our shared goal of implementing the resolutions of this Council, in particular resolution 2254 (2015), which laid out the pathway to peace. Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used. Body cameras for the Mooresville Metropolitan Police Department's officers have arrived, with the department aiming to have its officers equipped with the new technology before the end of the year. Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out again on Wednesday at critics of his 32-year rule, urging ruling-party lawmakers to enact legislation banning opposition figure Sam Rainsy from future political activity and asking his Interior Ministry to investigate the status of a now-dissolved election monitoring group. Speaking in Phnom Penh to an audience of Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) members at a celebration of the ruling partys 66th anniversary, Hun Sen asked that Cambodias Law on Political Parties be amended to bar anyone convicted of a crime from involvement in politics. May I ask the CPPs lawmakers to consider another amendment [to the law] that would ban any convict from engaging in such activities? Hun Sen asked in a clear reference to former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Sam Rainsy, who now lives in exile in Paris. We are not afraid of you. However, we also dont want you to mess up the countrys achievements, Hun Sen said. Sam Rainsy, who left Cambodia in late 2015 to avoid arrest in a defamation case brought by a former CPP foreign minister, resigned as CNRP chief after a law was introduced that bars convicted criminals from holding the top office in a political party. The CNRP is now led by former deputy party leader Kem Sokha, who has faced legal problems of his own at the hands of Cambodian courts widely viewed as controlled by the countrys ruling party. Speaking earlier in June during a call-in show with RFAs Khmer Service, Sam Rainsywho has continued to criticize the CPP from exile on his Facebook pagevowed to return to Cambodia to face off against Hun Sen in general elections next year. In 2018, our compatriots will go to vote for change at the national level through electing new lawmakers. Then we will have a new government and a new prime minister to lead a new politics in order to serve the genuine interests of the nation and the people, he said. No effect seen Further restrictions added to Cambodian law will likely have no effect at all on the opposition leaders political activities, CNRP deputy president Eng Chhai Eang told RFA. Sam Rainsys political career cannot be blocked by any law that Hun Sen wishes to propose, Eng Chhai Eang said. Sam Rainsy has won his popularity with the [Cambodian] people, and even if such a law is eventually adopted, it will not be able to stop him from engaging in politics. Such a law would also violate rights guaranteed by the countrys constitution, Cambodian attorney Hong Kim Suon said. It is improper even to propose such a law, as it would violate the right to freedom of expression, Hong Kim Suon said. A convicts freedom of movement may be restricted, but never his freedom of expression, he said. Addressing supporters in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen meanwhile called on Cambodias Minister of Interior to look into the legal status of election-monitoring group The Situation Room, an already disbanded grouping of Cambodian NGOs that had questioned the fairness of commune council polls held on June 4. They keep challenging election outcomes time and time again, Hun Sen said. We wont tolerate them anymore. What is the purpose of this Room, which challenges the National Election Commissions results? Is the Situation Room used as a command center for a color revolution under the pretext of monitoring the elections? he asked. The Ministry of Interior must take immediate action against this group, Hun Sen said. Reached for comment, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng said only that a group of experts will look into the matter, adding, Wait until a study has been carried out. A narrow road Speaking to CNRP supporters in Kampong Chhnang province on Wednesday, party president Kem Sokha said that in spite of recent electoral gains, Cambodias political opposition now faces a narrow road leading to next years national polls. The road is narrow because the ruling party is reluctant to accept their losses, so we are going to face many more obstacles, he said. We have been persecuted in many ways, and they are not going to stop. But thanks to the clarity of our principles and strategies, the CNRP will overcome these ordeals. Cheam Sarun, newly elected CNRP commune chief for the provinces Baribo District, added that his partys members are aware of the obstacles they will now face. However, we are determined to move forward, addressing each challenge as it comes, he said. Reported by Zakariya Tin, Vuthy Tha, and Sopheak Chin for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Richard Finney. Pro-democracy campaigner Joshua Wong (C) yells as he is taken away by police after he and other demonstrators staged a sit-in protest at the Golden Bauhinia statue, given to Hong Kong by China to mark the 1997 handover, in front of the Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong, June 28, 2017. Police and rescue workers used fire ladders and cut chains on Wednesday to remove pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong from a golden statue gifted to the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, ahead of a visit by President Xi Jinping to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1997 handover to China. Climbing to the top of the Golden Bauhinia, a symbol that has represented the former British colony within the Chinese body politic for 20 years, protesters displayed a banner calling for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoner and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo, who is in the hospital with late-stage liver cancer. The banner also bore a slogan familiar from the 2014 Occupy Central movement in the city: "The people of Hong Kong want universal suffrage!" The protesters also chanted: "We are Hong Kong people! We want full democracy! Release Liu Xiaobo!" Student leader-turned-lawmaker Nathan Law, whose party Demosisto was founded by 2014 activists, said the protest was aimed at making a symbolic point on the eve of Xi's visit. "A lot of people are saying that these things don't make any difference," Law said via his Facebook page as police gathered to remove the protesters. "All I know is, doing nothing would be letting down all of those people who have been prevented from speaking out even more: Liu Xiaobo and other political prisoners as well as members of the pro-democracy movement who have paid the price [for their activism]." "No action is taken without cost ... but I do it because I believe that having a bit of faith, keeping a few sparks alive, may mean the opportunity for change in the future," he said. "I will not give up," Law said, as members of the public and journalists were cleared from the site, and police stepped up their presence around the statue in Bauhinia Square. Its irrational Shortly after his post, police officers zeroed in on Lam and on Occupy Central student leader Joshua Wong, carrying him away from the area and forcing him into a police van, bystanders' photos on Twitter showed. "Turn out in protest on July 1!" Wong yelled to the crowd, some of whom included bemused tourists from across the internal immigration border in mainland China. "I still haven't really understood what they were trying to do," a tourist surnamed Li from mainland China told RFA at the scene. "What are they doing up there? It's pretty dangerous ... it's irrational." A second mainland Chinese tourist said she had never heard of Liu Xiaobo, who was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to a peaceful struggle for human rights, to the fury of Beijing. Liu is described as a "criminal" by China's tightly controlled state media, and his Nobel award led to the freezing of China's ties with Norway for six years. A third said: "It seems that there are differences between mainland China and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is pretty democratic ... If this happened in mainland China, they wouldn't let us hear about it, and the police would suppress it pretty quickly ... Even if we know about [corruption], we can't talk about it." The rest of the protesters, who included veteran social activist and lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung, were also removed and placed into waiting police vans, according to multiple posts to the Twitter hashtag #hksar20. Some had chained themselves to the statue. Wong told RFA in an earlier interview that the occupation of the statue was part of the strategy of nonviolent protest by Demosisto and other activists. "On the eve of Xi Jinping's visit, we want to prove that ... democracy and autonomy have been under constant attack," Wong said. "We chose to stage a sit-in at the Golden Bauhinia today ... to let the government know that we want to see one country, two systems all the way." "We want to see an end to the suppression of freedom and democracy in Hong Kong," he said. On Monday, Wong said that the high degree of autonomy promised to the city as part of the handover treaty is now under threat after two decades of Chinese rule. "Our high degree of autonomy has been subjected to constant interference from the central government, and the Golden Bauhinia statue was a gift to our people from the central government," Wong said. "It has always been a false idol; it represents a lie." Pro-democracy demonstrators chant slogans as a fire engine crewmember attempts to remove them from the Golden Bauhinia statue in Hong Kong, June 28, 2017. AFP Fears of a terrorist incident Hong Kong police have already placed a huge security cordon around Hong Kong's convention center ahead of Saturday's handover celebrations, blocking off the area with two-meter-high water-filled traffic barriers amid a high security alert prompted by alleged fears of a "terrorist incident." Earlier, social media posts showed two-meter screens in front of a colonial-era statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, but government broadcaster RTHK said they had since been removed. It quoted League of Social Democrats chairman Avery Ng, who had chained himself to the statue's "petals" and who was the last to leave, as saying that the protesters wanted to show public discontent with Beijing ahead of Xi's visit. "We all know that Xi Jinping does not want hear any opposition voices while hes in Hong Kong," Ng said. "So we are here to protest with the true voice of Hong Kong and to voice our demand for genuine universal suffrage... and most importantly the immediate release of Liu Xiaobo for him to have proper medical treatment," he said. The protest came after activists hung a large black cloth over the statue on Monday to symbolize mourning for the erosion of Hong Kong's traditional rights and freedoms since the handover. Pro-Beijing lawmaker and trade unionist Michael Luk condemned the black cloth protest as "blasphemy." "[This is] a statue imbued with so much meaning; that of shrugging off the yoke of more than 100 years of colonial rule," Luk said. "It is a blasphemous act ... that will cause unnecessary division in society." Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said there is genuine concern about Beijing's interference in the internal politics and judiciary of Hong Kong, however. "We call on [Xi] to return to the initial meaning of the one country, two systems principle, and to guarantee that Hong Kong people can run Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy," Wu said. The Occupy Central campaign for fully democratic elections rejected Beijing's Aug. 31, 2014 decree that any move to universal suffrage in the city must include the vetting of candidates by its supporters, and called for "genuine universal suffrage." At its height, hundreds of thousands of people poured onto the city's streets in protest, using umbrellas to protect themselves from sun, rain, and pepper spray, and giving the "Umbrella Movement" its nickname. But the movement ended with no political victory, and amid accusations from Beijing that the protests were being orchestrated by "hostile foreign forces" behind the scenes. Reported by Tam Lai and Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Ding Wenqi for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A former top aide to late ousted Chinese premier Zhao Ziyang has hit out at the ruling Chinese Communist Party for its granting of medical parole to jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo only when his liver cancer was at a late, inoperable stage, saying the timing was "deliberate." Bao Tong, who served a seven-year jail term in the wake of the 1989 crackdown on the Tiananmen Square student movement, told reporters that the government is responsible for neglecting Liu, who was serving time for "subversion" after calling for constitutional government, when his cancer was diagnosed in May. "How could they not know about it in the initial stages, in the later stages, until it reached the terminal stage?" Bao said. "The government is responsible for this." Bao, who has lived under continual surveillance and periods of house arrest since his release from prison, said the authorities should be held to account for not diagnosing Liu sooner. "The progress of liver cancer from the initial stages to coma is not a short process," he said. "It takes a number of years, and the authorities would have kept this from the prisoner for all that time. I think this was done deliberately." "Some people have been talking about deliberate homicide, and I think that is a very frank way of putting it." "This is extremely irresponsible of them, and the prison should be held responsible at the highest levels," he said. "This has revealed to us the reality of the Chinese prison system." "I talked about this with a few friends after we heard the news, and we thought that we should call on the President to implement an amnesty, because [Liu] was sentenced back in 2009 under our previous leadership," Bao said. "I think the current leadership should give him a break." No options left Liu's wife Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest and in prolonged isolation at the couple's Beijing home since his award was announced in October 2010, has said in a brief statement that chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery have all been ruled out as treatment options, as her husband's cancer has already spread. Chinese and foreign human rights lawyers and activists have been demanding the unconditional release of the democracy campaigner after news emerged that he had been transferred with late-stage liver cancer to a hospital in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Bao agreed that Liu should be allowed to go overseas if that is his wish. "If the patient wishes to seek medical treatment overseas, I don't think that any political force, including any government, should be allowed to stand in the way of that demand," he said. "Political parties and governments should organize to protect the rights of their citizens, not to obstruct them. Otherwise they are not properly functioning parties or governments." Bao brushed aside comments from Beijing's foreign ministry warning the international community not to interfere in China's "internal affairs." "All power in the People's Republic of China derives from the people," Bao retorted. "How is a foreign ministry spokesman going to implement his own country's constitution if he doesn't even know the provisions that are in it regarding the rights of its citizens?" State media on Wednesday confirmed that Liu hasn't been released. "It must be pointed out that Liu was granted medical parole, but he was not set free," the Global Times, which has close ties to Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, said. "His activities beyond medical treatment are still subject to the supervision of prison authorities," it said. "His actions will still be restricted by the law." The paper said in a commentary that Liu had tried to "overthrow China's political system." "Liu has long separated himself from Chinese society ... Although Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he is likely to face tragedy in the end," it said. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. With South Korean President Moon Ja-in due to have his first summit talks U.S. President Donald Trump on June 30, all eyes are on whether the two leaders can agree on a common approach on North Koreas nuclear problems. Changsop Pyon of RFAs Korean Service interviewed Ambassador Christopher R. Hill, former chief U.S. negotiator at the 6-Party Talks from 2005-2009, on this and other thorny North Korean nuclear issues. Hill currently serves as dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver since retiring in 2010 after a diplomatic career that included U.S, ambassador to South Korea and Iraq, as well as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. RFA: South Korean President Moon Jae-in is vising here for his first summit talks with President Trump this week. According to media reports, President Moon prefers a two-step solution to North Koreas nuclear problem, namely start with a nuclear freeze and then move to complete dismantlement. What is your take? Hill: Well, I think before you dismantle, you have to freeze. But Im a little concerned that too often these freezes are linked to freezing of US-ROK military exercises, so-called freeze for freeze. I think we need to be careful not to allow North Korea to pursue a freeze in the US-ROK military ties because that freeze is really aimed at making the US-ROK military alliance a paper alliance. As for having a freeze, I have always felt that if its going to dismantle a nuclear facility, you need to turn it off first. I understand that. But I dont agree with the idea that freeze should be a goal, or that freeze should somehow be a reciprocal effort to retard the strength of the US-ROK military defense of the peninsula. I dont accept the North Korean position, and no one should, that these exercises are somehow aggressive exercises aimed at preparing for North Korean attack. Every single exercise Ive ever seen starts with the presumption of North Korean attack against South Korea. So, I think we need to be careful not to unwittingly follow North Korean propaganda. RFA: Are you opposed to North Koreas nuclear freeze as an interim step to denuclearization? Hill: No, thats not what I said. I said quite the opposite. I said, if you have a freeze, it needs to be an intermediate step, but you have to spell out precisely what the final step is, namely denuclearization. And ideally you should have a timetable of denuclearization, that is, freeze has to be within the context of denuclearization. And if you just say, We want a freeze, somehow we want to improve the atmosphere, make everyone feel better and then eventually we come back maybe to something else. That is not enough because we end up with freeze as a goal. So, freeze is a means, not a goal. RFA: So, do you mean freeze in the context of denuclearization as the goal? Hill: Yea. I mean thats what we did before. Shut down the thing before you dismantle or disable it. So, I understand that. If you just have a freeze to somehow improve the atmosphere, I dont think its a good decision. I think an even worse decision is to have a freeze in return for a freeze of the US-ROK alliance, because to not have a military exercise is to reduce the alliance to a paper alliance. RFA: Actually you had a freeze deal back in September 2005, when the 6-Party Talks participants announced a joint statement, right? Hill: Yes. I think the North Koreans should accept that it is a wonderful solution and reaffirm that commitment. RFA: It seems South Korea and the U.S. have different approaches to North Korea at the moment. For example, the new South Korean government is willing to engage with the North if Pyongyang stops its nuclear and missile activities, while the Trump administration wants a firm commitment by the North to denuclearization as the condition for dialogue. With the first Moon-Trump summit around the corner, do you see any possible friction between the two allies on this? Hill: I think the United States and South Korea have always had some differences about how to move forward with North Korea. I think those differences are understandable, given where South Korea is, and given the feelings of the Korean people. Id be surprised if you could have an identical position between the United States and South Korea, given the different geography and history. That said, I think its important that if South Korea wants to pursue some kind of peninsula dialogue, I think its important that they consult with the United States on this. But its not really for America to tell Koreans they cannot have a peninsula dialogue. However, when the subject comes to nuclear weapons, that is, 6-Party talks, I think there is where the United States and South Korea need to continue to be very close in terms of harmonizing our approach. So, Ill draw a distinction between peninsula talks, which are efforts of the Korean people to talk about family reunions and other issues, and nuclear talks, which are more in the framework of international security. So, I think, with respect to the nuclear talks, there will be a good discussion about that (at the upcoming Korea-U.S. summit talks), and with respect to the peninsula talks, I think it will be valuable to listen to South Koreans say what they have in mind. So, I dont look for any big problems here, provided that people in the U.S. understand that South Korea pursues peninsula talks with different goals in mind than when the nuclear talks are pursued. RFA: You just mentioned peninsula talks. Do you think the peninsula talks can include the issue of resumption of Kaesung Industrial Complex, shut down since Feb. 2016? Hill: Well, I think that has to be a discussion between the two allies. Between the two allies, the U.S. and South Korea, one rule should always prevail, that is, no surprises. But I think it is important for Americans not to be telling South Koreans how they deal with cousins in the North with respect to unifying the families and issues like that. But its also important for our ally South Korea to keep the United States as its main ally. I think its important for the U.S. to avoid trying to keep the Korean people apart. How can Kaesung fit into all this? What can be done? Well, my own view was that Kaesung was a valuable element of any North-South Korean process. RFA: As you know, the Trump administration is pursuing a maximum pressure and engagement approach on North Korea. Given the tense relationship between the two countries, dont you think chances for a meaningful dialogue is dim? Hill: I dont see the purpose of engagement until North Korea shows some interest in engaging on the basis of what we want to engage on, which is denuclearization. They agreed to denuclearize, and they decided to completely abrogate their agreement because of their dispute over verification, but I dont think its acceptable to allow them to talk on the basis of nothing having happened in the past. For North Koreans to repudiate everything they have agreed to is, frankly, a waste of time for everybody. With respect to the issue of dialogue with North Korea, which of course deals with their nuclear weapons, North Koreas has shown no interest in returning to the dialogue on the basis of doing away with their nuclear weapons. Therefore one has to ask the question, What is the purpose of dialogue if not to deal with the issue of nuclear weapons? So far, North Koreans have provided no reason to the United States and anyone for returning to the talks. They seem to be interested in talking to us only on the basis of their being a nuclear power, and thats not a precondition for the United States. So now, I dont see a way forward, and I think its important for the U.S. to be in close contact with China to examine issues with China to look at hypothetical issues about how both countries would respond to a future crisis on the Korean peninsula. But I think its also very critical that the U.S. maintains a close relationship with South Korea, and I think that will be helped by President Moon Jae-ins upcoming visit to Washington. RFA: President Trump said in his tweet on June 20 that China did not succeeded in getting the North to curb its nuclear and missile programs. With Chinas help failing like that, do you believe its time for the U.S. to press maximum pressure on North Korea rather than engagement? Hill: I like to think that the U.S. should always be prepared to engage on the right terms, and the right terms have to be North Koreas willingness to follow up its previous agreements. So, Id never take engagement off the table, but I think we also need to understand that North Koreas nuclear programs are a threat not only to ROK and Japan, but they are also to the United States. And maximum pressure also should be any part of policy toward North Korea. So far, they showed themselves to be completely uninterested in some kind of return to the denuclearization talks. Therefore I think we need to show a greater interest in protecting ourselves. The problem, of course, is the options are not so good. Military options are not good, diplomatic options are not good. So, we need to continue to put our heads together with our allies in the region, but also our 6-party partner, which is China, to see if we can find something. I think the U.S.-China relationship is far more important than Chinas relationship with North Korea. I think most Chinese would agree with that. So, its really time we tried to work together on this. RFA: As a longtime North Korea watcher and the former chief U.S. negotiator at the 6-Party Talks, what do you think is the best possible approach to the complicated North Korean nuclear problem? Hill: I think we all need to be united in dealing with it. I think we need to work with China. I know its difficult. I know they have different ways of looking at it, but China need to be part of it. I think we need to fully implement UN sanctions, and I think we need to be utterly aggressive and strong in how we approach North Korea and understand that if they keep just a few nuclear weapons, that can be very destabilizing. So, we must continue with a zero option of no nuclear weapon on the Korean peninsula. That absolutely must be the goal, and there can be no retreat from that goal because just a few nuclear weapons can be enormous problems. North Koreas government has reduced school hours in a bid to mobilize students to combat a severe drought affecting the countrys farms, according to sources, who say the public is frustrated that Kim Jong Uns regime is conducting missile tests instead of devoting state resources to the problem. The sources from two provinces in northern North Korea, near the border with China, told RFAs Korean Service this week that all students in high school or above are required to water crops for hours in the morning before classes, which now begin later in the day, amid a lack of precipitation. One source from Yanggang province, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that a month of government efforts to irrigate state farms had fallen short and crops are experiencing drought damage, brought on in part by one of the worst rainfall shortages in recent years. Extensive mobilization for watering crops began on May 10, but we have not had any [substantial] rain for more than a month, he said. We had a couple of showers in Yanggang but it was not enough to ease the drought. The source said that parts of neighboring North Hamgyong province didnt have a single drop of rain during the same period and that if the weather did not cooperate soon, no farm produced crops can be expected. We are in a fight against drought, but many people who visited the Southern Area [the inland regions of Hwanghae and Kangdon provinces] said rice harvesting there is good, he said. [For our region,] damage to corn, soybeans, and potatoes is serious, with damage to corn being most severe. A second source from neighboring Chagang province, who also asked not to be named, told RFA that farms in several parts of his region were also failing due to the drought. From Manpo city [on the Yalu River across from China] to Chongpo village [about 16 kilometers northeast of Kanggye city], the corn stalks are completely dried out and the stems are only barely surviving at the collective farms, he said. Chunggang county [150 kilometers north of Manpo along the Yalu] is experiencing even more severe drought damage than Manpo, since the countys main crop is corn. Students mobilized To better manage irrigation of the crops, the source said, educational institutions had been assigned an equal number of collective farms to attend to. High school and college students have been mobilized for watering crops from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. each day, and their classes now begin from 11:00 a.m., he said. But he added that the drought cannot be fought with simple manpower, as merely using water containers to irrigate the crops is ineffective. Instead, water pumps are needed to deliver water to farms from nearby rivers, the source said, while fire trucks should be deployed to transport water to farms located too far from water sources. Meanwhile, Kim Jung Un has fired a number of missiles while the people were mobilized and physically suffered to water the crops, he said, referring to at least five confirmed missile tests conducted by the regime between May 13 and June 23. The people are resentful of his actions and have expressed their frustrations by saying, If there is money to fire missiles, it could have been used to combat more than ten droughts, the source said. Earlier this month, sources told RFA that wealthy North Koreans had been bribing doctors to issue false medical evaluations that exempt them from compulsory labor as part of the countrys annual mobilization of its citizens to do unpaid farm work. Authorities require that male and female citizens mobilize to provide additional farming manpower during the spring planting season and in early summer when rice is grown, but it was unclear if the bribes of doctors had extended to measures requiring students to water crops amid the drought. In January, North Korean authorities imposed limits on the operating hours of local markets nationwide to encourage residents to go the fields and collect manure to use as fertilizer in light of a shortage of chemical fertilizer. The move caused great discontent among locals, many of whom shop for food and other necessities during the day. Reported by Sunghui Moon for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Ta'ang National Liberation Army soldiers march to mark the 51st anniversary of Ta'ang National Resistance Day in Homain, Nansan township, in northern Myanmar's Shan state, Jan. 12, 2014. International rights groups, American diplomats, and Myanmar journalists have called for the immediate release of three local reporters arrested on Monday in the countrys volatile northeastern Shan State after attending an event organized by an ethnic armed group that has engaged in recent hostilities with the national army. Reporters Aye Naing and Pyae Phone Naing from the online news service Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), and reporter Thein Zaw from the online journal The Irrawaddy, were detained for having connections to the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA). They were arrested with four other men, who were not identified, on Monday for attending a drug-burning event organized by the TNLA to mark the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The men will be charged under the repressive colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in jail, Reuters reported, citing government and army officials. London-based Amnesty International issued a statement on Monday urging Myanmar authorities to free the three journalists, who were detained while carrying out their work in conflict-afflicted northern Shan state. These journalists must be immediately and unconditionally released, and allowed to resume their work freely and without fear, said James Gomez, the groups director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Their arrests send a chilling message to Myanmars already embattled media. Amnesty International raised concerns about those arrested being charged under the countrys vague and repressive Unlawful Associations Act, which is frequently used to arbitrarily arrest and detain people in ethnic and conflict-affected areas. These arrests are a crude attempt to intimidate journalists by a military that cannot seem to abide even the faintest criticism, Gomez said in the statement. Fearful of any scrutiny of its role in northern Myanmar, where they stand accused of war crimes, the army is doing its best to stop journalists and other observers from accessing these areas. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday echoed Amnesty International's call for the immediate release of the three journalists. The U.S. embassy in Yangon on Tuesday also expressed concern about the reporters arrests in light of other recent arrests of journalists. Journalists need to be able to do their work, as a free press is essential to Myanmars success, the embassy said on its official Facebook page. We want them freed About 25 Myanmar media organizations sent an open letter to government leaders on Tuesday urging the immediate release of the journalists whose arrests they described as restricting and censoring the press, The Irrawaddy reported. Kyaw Phyo Thar, editor of The Irrawaddy, told RFAs Myanmar Service that the reporters are not criminals. They went there to cover antidrug news and got arrested, he said. We want them freed. Than Win Htut, an editor with DVB, told RFA that officials at the news outlet have not had any contact with the three men. We dont know where they are now, he said, despite a statement by Myanmars Office of the Commander-in-Chief on Monday that they had been taken to the police station in the town of Lashio. We want to contact them, want to know how they are doing, and want them to have a chance to talk with a lawyer, he said. We want them to have basic human rights, such as having protection under the law. Ta Ban La, the TNLAs foreign affairs coordinator, suggested that soldiers arrested the reporters to try to prevent news about illegal narcotics in Shan state. The government army is trying to cover up drug issues in Myanmar as it cant control these problems, he said. The government army has ignored it and hasnt taken responsibility for this issue." It made the arrests as a threat to media people so they do not cover news about this issue in the future, he said. Tharlon Zaung Htet, a member of Myanmar's recently formed Committee for the Protection of Journalists, said the reporters were merely doing their jobs in Shan state. The media must cover the news, he told RFA. We journalists are not engaged in illegal drugs or weapons smuggling or causing riots. Reported by Aung Theinkha for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. The next time you hear someone complain that the news is all negative, remind them of Frank Greens remarkable story about the confession that set free an innocent man. The Times-Dispatch reporter relates the saga of Christian Amos, who got away with three bank robberies he committed to feed a drug habit until his conscience got the better of him. After proudly watching his 8-year-old grandson confess to breaking a window, Amos said he felt like a hypocrite. So he called the police and confessed. His admission eventually led to the release of Gary Bush, who was doing time 10 hard years for Amos crime. When Amos found out someone had been wrongly convicted and imprisoned in his place, he broke down and wept. He says he still suffers great remorse, even though Bush holds no resentment against him. Its a great story all by itself. But it also carries some important lessons, such as: Not every criminal is a soulless sociopath. And while plenty of prisoners are dangerous predators who never should be set free, others are just flawed human beings who made bad decisions. The story also offers a reminder as if yet another were needed that the criminal justice system isnt perfect. Usually it gets the right man, but sometimes it gets the wrong one. Some people behind bars are actually innocent. The people in law enforcement and the judicial system are also flawed human beings, and they can make bad decisions, too. Indeed, just a couple of days before Greens story appeared, Fran and Dan Keller were signing the paperwork for their formal exonerations in Texas. A quarter-century ago they were convicted of hideous crimes against children at their day-care center during what became known as the Satanic Panic. Then there was Keith Harward, released last year after 33 years of imprisonment for a crime he didnt commit. And the Norfolk Four, the innocent Navy men who were railroaded for a rape and murder in 1997. And Thomas Haynesworth, who served 27 years for a wrongful conviction. Then-Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli hired him after his exoneration. There have been many more. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Allowing construction of the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline through the Jefferson National Forest compels the U.S. Forest Service to first reduce protections for old growth forests, streamside habitat, the Appalachian Trail, scenic views and more. The Forest Service stands poised to do just that, although several other things must happen first including provision of a 45-day period for people to raise objections to the proposals, as well as project approvals for the pipeline itself from other federal agencies. The Forest Service on Friday released a draft document detailing the proposed modification of 11 standards in the forest plan for the Jefferson National Forest that would be necessary if the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other agencies decide to sanction construction of the 42-inch diameter, buried natural gas pipeline. As an interstate pipeline, the Mountain Valley project needs approval from FERC, the lead federal agency conducting the environmental review of the controversial project. FERC released Friday a final environmental impact statement for the pipeline, which would transport natural gas at high pressure on a route of about 303 miles from Wetzel County, West Virginia, to a pipeline in Pittsylvania County. As proposed, the pipeline would cross a total of about 3.5 miles of the Jefferson National Forest in Giles and Montgomery counties and a portion of Monroe County, West Virginia. Environmental groups and other organizations that have been active watchdogs during the environmental review of the Mountain Valley Pipeline a project first announced as a joint venture by EQT Corp. and NextEra Energy more than three years ago reacted to the Forest Services proposed changes to the plan for the Jefferson National Forest. David Sligh, Wild Virginias conservation director, referenced the Forest Services statement that its independent review of FERCs final environmental impact statement, or EIS, found that the document met requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and Forest Service regulations. Many pipeline opponents have criticized FERCs document as being incomplete and industry-friendly. It is unconscionable for the forest supervisor to issue a draft decision that throws the forest under the bus for the sake of this unnecessary and misplaced project, Sligh said in an email. It is based on an incomplete final EIS that doesnt meet [Forest Service] requirements. He said that one very fundamental problem is the failure to adequately analyze any route that avoids Forest Service land altogether. Joby Timm is the Roanoke County-based forest supervisor for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. In a statement that accompanied Fridays release of the 41-page draft record of decision, Timm noted the reality that national forests are intended to serve multiple uses. My proposed decision would recognize Forest Service efforts to provide for multiple uses and to support federal policies that emphasize energy infrastructure, Timm said. The Forest Service cited an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January that calls for expedited environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects, including pipelines. Timm noted that the draft decision does not authorize construction. Mountain Valley Pipeline would first have to secure approval for the pipeline from FERC and receive other approvals and permits, including a right-of-way grant through the forest from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The bureau is responsible for issuing such grants for natural gas pipelines across federal lands that are under the jurisdiction of two or more federal agencies. The Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are involved in assessing the environmental effects of the Mountain Valley Pipeline on the Jefferson National Forest. Timm said the Bureau of Land Management will use the Forest Services final record of decision to help inform what he described as an independent decision about whether to grant the pipeline a right-of-way through the Jefferson National Forest. In addition, Timm said, the final document will guide the decision by Tony Tooke, the Atlanta-based regional supervisor for the Forest Services Southern Region, about whether to concur with the bureaus decision. BLM may not issue a right-of-way until it receives the regional foresters concurrence, Timm said. As planned, building and burying the Mountain Valley Pipeline would require a construction right-of-way that would be 125 feet wide in most places and require the clearing of all trees and other vegetation in that corridor. Most of the route would have a permanent right-of-way that would be 50 feet wide and would be kept clear of trees, whose roots could damage the pipeline. The Forest Service estimates that the construction right-of-way and related access roads would affect about 83 acres in the Jefferson National Forest and that the permanent right-of-way and access roads would affect about 42 acres. The Forest Services draft decision for the Jefferson National Forest proposes modified standards that would be project specific, meaning they would apply only to the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The proposals would: Specify a permanent 50-foot-wide right-of-way. The Forest Service initially considered creating a designated utility corridor through the forest that could have been as wide as 500 feet, a corridor designed to encourage co-location of future utility projects. The idea provoked a storm of negative feedback. To reduce the impacts on viewsheds, Mountain Valley has agreed to reduce the right-of-way for pipeline operation to 10 feet wide where the pipeline passes through the Jefferson National Forest. Forest Service-approved small and shallow-rooted trees would be planted along the edge of the corridor. Reduce restrictions on impacts to soils and streamside habitat. Allow removal of old-growth trees. Allow the pipeline to deviate from standards meant to preserve scenic views with the condition that Mountain Valley meet scenic objectives within five years by restoring vegetation. Allow the pipeline to cross the Appalachian Trail at a location where no other major human-made impacts already exist. Timm said one alternative that could have moved the crossing to an existing utility corridor would have led to more land disturbance, affected more private landowners and passed through more areas prone to landslides. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy opposes the pipeline, which plans suggest would pass beneath the trail through a bored hole. Diana Christopulos, a regional environmental activist, expressed skepticism about Mountain Valleys ability to reduce the right-of-way to 10 feet on the steep slopes the pipeline would travel in Giles County. She referenced past problems with erosion along the corridor of the 12-inch diameter natural gas pipeline that serves Celanese Corp.s manufacturing plant. The best available evidence shows that building a pipeline on Peters Mountain and similar locations using best management practices produces an ugly scar that does not heal, she said. Why would a 42-inch pipeline that would be buried deeper and have a wider right-of-way have a better result on the same mountain? The Forest Services draft record of decision observes, Learning from experiences with previous pipeline construction projects on the Forest, we have worked extensively with MVP to inventory, analyze and evaluate the geologic, soil and hydrologic resources that could be affected by this project. It says measures have been identified that are designed to minimize the potential for soil movement and to ensure adequate restoration and vegetation. Timm said Wednesday that the Forest Service required Columbia Gas to build additional erosion control measures at the Giles County site and it is currently stabilized. Last week, critics of FERCs final environmental impact statement said it gave far too much credence to so-called mitigation measures that they alleged have no proven effectiveness for a pipeline as large as the Mountain Valley project passing through steep terrain and soils prone to erosion. FERCs document noted that pipeline construction, along its full route, would disturb about 5,053 acres of soils classified as having the potential for severe erosion. Some pipeline opponents have hoped the Forest Service would refuse to allow the pipeline to cross the Jefferson National Forest an outcome that seemed less likely after the agency announced the proposed modifications to the forest plan. The Forest Service has the responsibility and right to reject the final EIS and this project, Sligh said. Meanwhile, the Forest Service plans to release a draft record of decision for the separate but similar Atlantic Coast Pipeline on July 21, the same day FERC is set to release a final environmental impact statement for that pipeline. The 600-mile Atlantic Coast pipeline would pass through about 16 miles of the George Washington National Forest and about five miles of the Monongahela National Forest. The Forest Service will accept objections until Aug. 7 to the proposed amendment of the plan for the Jefferson National Forest. It says it will have until Sept. 21 to resolve the objections and could extend that period to Oct. 21. The agency said it will consider objections only from those who have previously submitted substantive formal comments regarding the Forest Service portion of the Mountain Valley project during designated opportunities for public comment. Additional information about the draft decision and the Forest Service objection process can be found under Quick Links at the website for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, www.fs.usda.gov/gwj or by contacting Karen Overcash, forest planner, at kovercash@fs.fed.us. The annual fireworks show at Christensen Field has special meaning for Ron Vlach. He believes it honors people who serve or have served in the military. A 1966 Fremont High School graduate, Vlach attended Kearney State College for a year and then later was drafted into the U.S. Army. He would serve two tours of duty in Vietnam. During his time there, Vlach was with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on a UH1 Huey helicopter. We flew cover for (supply truck) convoys, he said. The convoys would get hit all the time. We would try to suppress the fire. Vlach was in three helicopters that went down. The first was due to mechanical failure and the second went down after taking some rounds through a tail rotor. The last time, he was in a helicopter that was shot down. The aircraft landed, upside down, in jungle overgrowth. Everyone got out of the helicopter, except for Vlach who was pinned in the wreckage. Armed with guns and grenades, Vlach decided the North Vietnamese soldiers werent going to get him at least not alive. He waited in the dark. At the first light of dawn, U.S. troops freed him from the wreckage. Vlach twice refused Purple Hearts, but in 2009 was surprised in a private ceremony before the fireworks display when then-Mayor Skip Edwards presented him with a Purple Heart hed earned in Vietnam. A Tribune article recorded the event. The incident happened on Da Lat Mountain where you were hit twice in three days by RPG fire and refused to leave because the village was being overrun by NVA regulars, Edwards said. You and your crew totaled two helicopters in three days and all survived. Earlier this year, Vlach was among approximately 650 Vietnam veterans from Nebraska who took the Patriotic Productions flight to Washington, D.C., to see various military memorials. ANA, Japans only 5-Star airline, has decided to increase the number of flights on the route between Tokyo (Narita) and Los Angeles, from Sunday, October 29, 2017. Currently, ANA operates one flight per day between Tokyo (Haneda) and Los Angeles, and one flight per day between Tokyo (Narita) and Los Angeles. This flight schedule enables ANA to take advantage of the respective characteristics of each airport in accordance with the dual hub model for the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, expanding the respective networks served by Haneda Airport, which principally functions as a transit hub linking international and domestic flights, and Narita Airport, which functions as an international transit hub, linking passengers on flights between the Asian countries and North America via Japan. From Sunday, October 29, 2017, the number of daily flights between Tokyo (Narita) and Los Angeles will increase to two, responding to the strong demand for travel between the U.S. and Japan as well as between the U.S. and Asian countries. This route has seen constant growth in number of passengers. As a result, ANA will be offering in total three flights between Tokyo and Los Angeles, providing additional connectivity, and enhancing Narita Airport's competitive strength as a transit hub between the Asian countries and North America. PUPILS and firefighters cleaned cars to raise money for those affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster. Jasmine Taylor, in Year 8 at Wales High School, wrote to head teacher Pepe DiIasio to ask how the school could help. She said: After watching what had happened on the news I felt that we just had to do something for the people that were involved in the Grenfell Tower fire. I felt really strongly about helping those that have survived because they have lost everything. A lot of children were in the building and they now have no homes. Head of Year 8 Liam Beardsley said: Its great to see our students wanting to help others who have been left in such a dire situation. It may be hundreds of miles away from us here but seeing the pictures of what happened and watching interviews with survivors really brings home the devastation. Jasmine came up with the idea of washing cars and getting the fire service involved. Firefighters in London risked their lives to save others, so its a way for local firefighters to honour their colleagues as well. Pupils have collected more than 150 for the Grenfell Disaster Fund. Botswana Diamonds said there is a very little appetite for funding diamond exploration by financiers. Company chairperson John Teeling told Rough & Polished that diamond exploration companies had been in a serious recession since 2009. There has been a complete drought in the past [seven to eight] years, he said. The money we get now tends to be from investors who are pure financial speculators, they want to buy cheap and maybe sell 30 percent. They are not the investors we want. Teeling said funding for exploration was not a favourite for most financiers. Most financiers wont let me across the door of their offices, they wont pay or evaluate anything that I do, he said. Teeling said the company would likely get South African and Irish investors during the latest round of finance. Teeling said the company was currently raising 700 000 and the placement was expected to close end of this week. Botswana Diamonds intended to raise 1 million at the end of 2016, which would have funded the company for the year but the fundraising was badly handled in the UK, said Teeling. Only 525,000 was raised last March for the companys exploration and drilling programmes. Botswana Diamonds has several exploration licences in Botswana and it recently entered into an option and earn-in agreement with Vutomi Mining and Razorbill Properties, a private diamond exploration and development firm in South Africa. It agreed to pay Vutomi a total of 942,000 in cash, of which 581,000 would be used to fund exploration activities. The flagship project, Frischgewaagt, was immediately adjacent to the Marsfontein Mine which was previously operated by De Beers. Botswana Diamonds recently recovered 223 microdiamonds from 160kg of kimberlite drill core from the project. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished The Federal Railroad Administration has named public relations practitioner Heath Hall as Deputy Federal Railroad Administrator, a post that does not require Senate confirmation. Hall is known to USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao from her days with the Deputy DOT Secretarys office and the Peace Corps. Hall is currently a vice president in the marketing and external affairs department of non-profit Innovate Mississippi. He also manages Pointe Innovation magazine. Prior to joining Innovate Mississippi, he served as senior vice president of external affairs at the Mississippi Economic Council, the State Chamber of Commerces. He served for two years (1998-1999) as executive director of Mississippians for Civil Justice Reform/STOP Lawsuit Abuse in Mississippi. In 1998, he was a Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in Mississippis fourth congressional district. Hall also served as Governor Kirk Fordices director of public affairs, deputy press secretary, and deputy director of communications for Fordices re-election campaign. Hall began his public relations career as an FRA intern, later moving into the USDOT deputy secretarys office. He was also an intern in the White House Office of Political Affairs during the George H. W. Bush Administration. Following his position at the White House, Heath became a staff assistant to the director of the Peace Corps. He later became a public relations/financial development specialist for the American Red Cross of Mississippi. Hall received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from The American University in Washington, D.C. in 1993. Based on information from Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner, Railway Age predicted on June 4 that Hall would be named Deputy FRA Administrator. FRA is still without an Administrator (Patrick T. Warren is FRA Executive Director and is serving as the Acting Administrator), and it doesnt look like there will be an appointment before August. Meanwhile, the FRA is without an official mandate from the Trump Administration. Disney and President Trump's team has reportedly been fighting over the president's speech for theme park's famous The Hall of Presidents exhibit. Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents had actually closed for renovations in January to include the new Donald Trump robot. It was originally scheduled to reopen with the Trump robot in time for summer. However, vice.com reports that the reopening might be pushed back to beyond fall. Trump's aides have been insisting that they will write the speech Trump's robot will give during the attraction. Since the Clinton administration, the current president's robot has given a short speech to conclude the 23-minute show. The president himself records this speech. When Disney tried to get this process started earlier this year," the source explained to Vice, "Trump's people said, 'We'll be writing the speech that the -president's audio-animatronic figure will be saying.'" For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News According to the latest statistics total international arrivals in Europe grew by 3.5% in Q1 2017 compared to Q1 2016 thanks to the healthy North American market. The North American market increased its number of passengers by 6.7% when comparing the same period in 2016. The statistics are from the Air Travellers' Traffic Barometer* produced by European Cities Marketing and ForwardKeys. The US market is taking advantage of the USD vs Euro and GBP exchange rate. Asia & Oceania increased their number of passengers, pushed by Chinese, Japanese and Indian markets. Central & South America showed a considerable improvement thanks to Brazil, Argentina and Colombia markets which represents almost 70% of the region. Meanwhile, Intra European flows (which account for 60% of the total arrivals in Europe) remained at the same level as the previous year. But signs of a growth recovery have been observed. North America shows itself as the healthiest and steadiest market. Africa and Asia & Oceania confirm their improvement, after the drop observed during Q4 2015 and Q1 2016 that affected all of Europe because of the fear of terrorist attacks. The booking situation shows a significant increase in the number of arrivals in Europe for Q2 2017, most likely due to the shift in Easter holidays occurring in April in 2017 instead of March in 2016. That event is reflected in the bigger share of North America going from 16% in the Q1 2017 to 26% in the bookings for Q2. Central & South America keep on picking up strongly. Meanwhile Middle East went up, reaching 14.7% when compared with same period last year. Top 10 destinations regarding bookings for Q2 2017 are increasing steadily Every European city in the Top 10 destination for long haul travellers in volume, except Istanbul, is expected to rise with double digit growth for Q2 2017, as result of the shift in Easter holidays and the troublesome Q2 2016 where terrorism dramatically affected the most important destinations in Europe. German destinations fell in the ranking, with Munich disappearing from the top 10 in favour of Lisbon. Southern destinations such as Lisbon and Madrid confirm their good performances. London, besides being the preferred European destination, shows fantastic growth for Q2 2017. This is probably due to a better currency exchange ratio. *This analyse is based on Air Reservation Data propriety of ForwardKeys as of March 31, 2017. (Agencia CMA Latam) - The Brazilian prosecutor general decision to charge President Michel Temer with corruption late last night weighed on exchange-traded funds related to the country in a heavier way than on the Brazilian benchmark stock index, Ibovespa. According to the charges, Temer was the final recipient of a R$ 500,000 (US$ 150,000) weekly graft payment promised by JBS - the Brazilian meatpacker which owns JBS USA - to a former presidential adviser, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, in exchange for government interference in a judicial dispute between the company and Petrobras. Evidence of those allegations includes an audio recording of an out-of-the-record late-night meeting of Temer and Joesley Batista, one of JBS's owners. During the conversation, the president points Rocha Loures as someone who would help tilt the scale in favor of JBS at the legal dispute. Police authorities also filmed the moment when Rocha Loures received the graft payment from a JBS employee, after discussing the terms of the deal. In Brazil, however, the president can only be trialed if the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court determine that there is enough evidence to warrant the start of a lawsuit. That is why the local stock index, Ibovespa, did not react with a sharp decline to the news. At 2:20 PM (local time Brazilian-related ETFs were falling more acutely. The iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF was 1.41% down, while the Direxion Daily Brazil Bull 3X Shares declined 3.26% and the VanEck Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF retreated 0.99%. Brazilian traders were worried if the accusations against Temer would delay the economic reforms awaiting Congressional approval. The labor reform voting schedule would most probably remain the same since it requires only a Senate vote to head for sanction. However, the pension system reform bill, which is awaiting a House of Representatives floor vote, could be postponed if lawmakers decide to prioritize a decision on the corruption allegations. There is no scheduled date yet for the House of Representative's action on the accusations. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Business News (Agencia CMA Latam) - Argentina's federal prosecutor Juan Pedro Zoni pressed charges against the country's Finance Minister Luis Caputo for the 100-year term debt issued by the government due to presumable "criminal conduct" in prejudice of the state. Judicial sources said that the prosecution had followed a complaint filed by Front for Victory's members, who also denounced the government's Chief-of-Staff Marcos Pe?a and the Economy Minister Nicolas Dujovne. For now, the prosecutor only pressed charges against Caputo. The Argentinean government sold a 100-year term bond last week with a 7.125% coupon and a 7.9% yield. Note: a previous version of this story mistakenly listed the coupon as 7.25% by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com 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. (Agencia CMA Latam) - Argentina's President Mauricio Macri stressed to Chilean lawmakers the importance of an increase in both nations integration and of an improvement in bilateral trade. Macri's made the comments during a speech at Chile's National Congress. Maur?cio Macri also pointed out that Argentina and Chile should agree on "long-term" energy policies that will help to develop both countries soon, according to a statement by the Casa Rosada. Also, Macri called on Chilean lawmakers to help to promote integration between the Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance. Later, in the Audience Hall of the La Moneda's Palace, the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Macri held a bilateral meeting aimed to strengthen ties between both nations. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com 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. (Agencia CMA Latam) - The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) handed over the last portion of its arsenal, in the final act of the arms abandonment by the guerrilla group. FARC's weapons were delivered in a public ceremony in the state of Meta within the framework of the peace agreement signed last year with the Colombian government. On behalf of the FARC, Rodr?guez Londo?o, a.k.a. Timochenko said that this day does not mark the end of the group, but the end of its armed uprising, and noted that it would continue as a political party in its path to legality. Londo?o said that the guerrillas complied with its commitment to hand over its weapons and stressed that now the government must fulfill its part and cease political persecution in Colombia. The group demanded the freedom of guerrillas who remain imprisoned six months after the implementation of an amnesty. President Juan Manuel Santos indicated that Colombia searched for the peace agreement in the hope that in the future the FARC will use "words" as their only weapon. After handing over its weapons, FARC members have begun its path towards political life. They must create a political party to be measured in the polls and win seats in Congress. Last years' peace agreement guarantees five seats in the Senate and five in the House of Representatives to FARC members during the next two constitutional periods. The United Nations (UN) certified that in the containers handed over there are 7,132 FARC weapons, except 700 that will be used momentarily to provide security in the transition zones. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com 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. (Agencia CMA Latam) - Brazil's President Michel Temer disqualified the complaint presented against him by the chief federal prosecutor Rodrigo Janot, arguing that it lacks concrete evidence. "I was denounced for passive corruption without ever having received values. I never saw that money, and I did not participate in arrangements to commit crimes," said the president in a televised speech, surrounded by allied lawmakers and ministers. According to the charges, Temer was the final recipient of a R$ 500,000 (US$ 150,000) weekly graft payment promised by JBS - the Brazilian meatpacker which owns JBS USA - to a former presidential adviser, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, in exchange for government interference in a judicial dispute between the company and Petrobras. Evidence of those allegations includes an audio recording of an out-of-the-record late-night meeting of Temer and Joesley Batista, one of JBS's owners. During the conversation, the president points Rocha Loures as someone who would help tilt the scale in favor of JBS at the legal dispute. Police authorities also filmed the moment when Rocha Loures received the graft payment from a JBS employee, after discussing the terms of the deal. Temer used his speech to attack the integrity of the evidence against him, saying that the information was compiled by former attorney-general Marcelo Miller, who stepped down a few months before to work for JBS. According to the president, Miller has not completed a legally required quarantine to work in the private sector after leaving the prosecutor-general office. "He gained millions in a few months, which would take decades to save," he said. "They have created a novel plot. This complaint is fiction," he added. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com 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. Tullow Oil Plc. (TLW.L) Wednesday said it expects to generate $0.6 billion of pre-tax operating cash flow, before working capital, for the first half of 2017, higher than last year. The increase is a result of insurance proceeds, contributions from TEN, and increased contributions from Jubilee. The company expects to incur $0.6 billion pre-tax of non-cash impairment of property, plant, and equipment due to reduced oil price forecasts. The capex guidance for the year has been revised to about $0.4 billion from about $0.5 billion. This change reflects a revision to prior year accruals in Ghana and lower forecast expenditure across the portfolio. The deferred consideration from the Uganda farm-down, once completed, would further reduce the overall Group capex for 2017 to c.$0.3 billion. The company is scheduled to release its first-half results on July 26. Regarding its production, Tullow said its first half 2017 West Africa oil production has performed in line with guidance, and is expected to average 81,400 bopd. In Europe, half year net production is expected to average 5,600 boepd. West Africa working interest oil production full year guidance of between 78,000 and 85,000 bopd for 2017, including production-equivalent insurance payments, remains unchanged. Europe full year gas production guidance for 2017 is now expected to average between 5,500 and 6,000 boepd. Paul Mcdade, chief executive, said, "Tullow continues to make good progress despite tough market conditions. Our recent Rights Issue and free cash flow from our low cost, producing assets have resulted in a significant reduction in our debt and provided the Group with greater financial and operational flexibility. ... Financial discipline and efficient capital allocation will be a key focus of my tenure as CEO as we seek to deleverage the Company and return to growth even at low oil prices." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News European stocks were broadly lower on Friday as tech shares tumbled after a worldwide cyber-attack and investors fretted over the fate of Trump's policies following the U.S. Senate's decision to postpone voting on a new -care bill. Crude oil prices fell nearly 1 percent ahead of weekly inventory data from the U.S. due later in the day and the euro hit a one-year high on the back of hawkish comments from ECB President Mario Draghi, further weighing on sentiment. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 0.4 percent at 384.31 in late opening deals after hitting its lowest level in two months earlier in the session. The German DAX was declining 0.6 percent while France's CAC 40 index was losing 0.4 percent. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 recouped early losses to trade flat after a report from the Nationwide Building Society showed that U.K. house prices increased in June after declining for three straight months. Semiconductor makers AMS, ASM International and Dialog Semiconductor lost 1-3 percent after EU regulators fined Google a record 2.4 billion euros ($2.7 billion)for violating antitrust rules and a massive global cyber-attack hit IT systems across multiple geographies and units. Hargreaves Lansdown lost 2.5 percent in London after the Financial Conduct Authority proposed sweeping changes to the 7 trillion asset management industry in order to improve transparency and offer greater protection for investors. Dutch consumer electronics giant Philips Electronics lost 1 percent after announcing a definitive merger agreement to buy Spectranetics Corp. for an enterprise value of 1.9 billion euros. ABN Amro fell more than 2 percent as the Dutch government reduced its stake in the bank to 63 percent. Nestle rallied 1.5 percent after launching a a 20bn Swiss franc (16.3bn) share buyback program. Intesa Sanpaolo shares rose over 1 percent as S&P reaffirmed the short and long-term ratings of the Italian lender. French industrial group Legrand rallied 2.5 percent after it agreed to buy U.S. infrastructure company Milestone. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis AirMedia Group Inc. (AMCN) announced it has entered into Amendment No. 3 to the Merger Agreement, dated September 29, 2015, by and among the company, AirMedia Holdings Ltd. and AirMedia Merger Company Limited, a subsidiary of AirMedia Holdings. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, either the company or AirMedia Holdings could terminate the agreement if the merger has not been completed by June 30, 2017. The Merger Agreement Amendment No. 3 extends the termination date to July 31, 2017 The special committee of the Board has received a proposed amendment to the merger agreement from Herman Guo Man, Dan Shao and Qing Xu on May 23, 2017 to: acquire all of the outstanding shares of the company not already owned by the Buyer Group for $4.00 per American Depositary Share or $2.00 per ordinary share in cash; and extend the termination date to December 31, 2017. The company said the Special Committee is evaluating the revised proposal with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News While some lawmakers have called on House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to step down, the results of a Politico/Morning Consult poll show that Democratic voters are more likely to say she should remain in the post. Forty-one percent of Democrats said Pelosi should remain minority leader compared to the 27 percent that said she should be replaced. Another 31 percent said they don't know or have no opinion. However, the poll showed the views of Democrats are at odds with the opinions of a broader pool of all registered voters. Forty-three percent of all voters said Pelosi should be replaced as minority leader, while 26 percent said she should remain in the position. The survey found that 60 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of Independents think Pelosi should be replaced. Politico noted that Pelosi is also viewed far more than favorably by Democrats than she is by Republicans and Independents. A small group of House Democrats called for a change in leadership after Jon Ossoff lost the closely watched special House election in Georgia to cap a string of special election defeats. Pelosi has shrugged off the calls for her to step down, however, describing herself as a master legislator and a politically astute leader. "I think I'm worth the trouble," Pelosi told reporters last Thursday. "I feel very confident in the support I have in the caucus." President Donald Trump weighed in on the issue in a post on Twitter, suggesting that Pelosi stepping down would be bad for Republicans. The Politico/Morning Consult survey of 1,994 registered voters was conducted June 22nd through 24th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Christoph, born on-board a Spirit flight destined to Dallas from Fort Lauderdale airport, can celebrate all his forthcoming birthdays in life with a free travel on Spirit airline. The airline also handed over gifts to the new born and his mother Cristina. The airline said it is also planning a special sale in honor of Christoph. The flight had to be diverted to New Orleans Armstrong airport as Cristina Penton of Phoenix, Arizona felt labor pain up on the sky after 30 minutes of travel. The crew arranged all possible help with the assistance of a Pediatrician and a nurse on-board. Cristina was 36-weeks pregnant when she boarded the flight. The baby weighed seven pounds and 19.5 inches tall. The mother and son were taken to Ochsner Medical Center in Kenner, Louisiana Spirit informed in a statement. Recently, Jet Airways of India has offered lifetime free travel to a baby born on-board at 35000 feet high. A trained paramedic was there to assist Cicymol Jose, mother of the baby on-board. She was 30 weeks pregnant when boarded the flight from Saudi Arabia to Kochi in India. A baby girl was born on a Turkish Airline at a height of 42,000 feet in April. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Editors Pick United Airlines Holdings Inc. is giving pilots a 5 percent pay raise as promised during a pandemic cost-reduction deal, reports said. The pay hike is months ahead of schedule following the airline's return to profitability and positive outlook. The news came as the airline is struggling to come to terms on a new contract with its pilots' union, The Air Line Pilots Association or ALPA. Elon Musk, in his first meeting with Twitter staff following the acquisition, warned that the social media platform could file for bankruptcy next year, reports said. The news comes as more and more key employees are leaving Twitter following the recent mass layoff. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said its watching Twitter with deep concern after the company's top privacy and compliance officer Deutsche Telekom AG reported Thursday significantly higher profit in its third quarter with improved revenues. Further, the German telecom major lifted its dividend, and also raised fiscal 2022 guidance for the third time in the current financial year. Meanwhile, the shares were losing around 3 percent in the morning trading in Germany. A superstitious old woman passenger delayed a flight from Shanghai for nearly fiver hours after throwing few coins at the plane's engine for good luck. According to Chinese police officials, the woman, who was identified by her surname Qiu, threw a handful of coins into an Airbus 320's engine to "wish a safe flight," which eventually led to the grounding of the China Southern Airlines flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport for several hours. Fellow passengers reported that Qiu, who is reported to be in her 80s, chucked the coins from halfway up the boarding staircase. The officials ordered passengers to deboard the flight as engineers inspected the engine. They found one coin inside the engine and eight on the ground nearby. Police had detained Qiu, who was traveling with family members. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News President Donald Trump has continued his assault on one of his favorite targets on Wednesday, lashing out at major media outlets in a series of posts on Twitter. Trump singled out the New York Times and the Washington Post in his tweets, describing the newspapers as "fake news." The tweets about the Times seem so stem from a story raising questions about Trump's level of engagement in Senate Republicans' efforts to pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. The Times story claimed Trump was largely on the sidelines until holding a meeting with Republican Senators at the White House on Tuesday. "The failing @nytimes writes false story after false story about me. They don't even call to verify the facts of a story. A Fake News Joke!" Trump tweeted. He added, "Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S." Times reporters Glenn Thrush and Jonathan Martin, who wrote the story, responded to the president's criticism with tweets of their own. "Call your office, sir. @nytimes spoke to many, many, many members of your staff yesterday - & ran everything by your team," Thrush tweeted. A subsequent tweet from Martin claimed "one leading Trumper" was concerned the president "would go ballistic" when he saw the story. Trump also attacked the Washington Post in a separate tweet, suggesting the newspaper is protecting online retailer Amazon (AMZN) from tax liabilities. "The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!" Trump tweeted. The Washington Post is owned by Nash Holdings LLC, Amazon founder, chairman, and CEO Jeff Bezos' personal investment firm. Trump has recently stepped up his attacks against the media after CNN was forced to retract a story that claimed Congress was investigating a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials. "So they caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News!" Trump tweeted on Tuesday. (Photo: Michael Vadon) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to visit France to celebrate Bastille Day on July 14th, the White House announced on Wednesday. The White House said Trump looks forward to reaffirming America's strong ties of friendship with France, to celebrating this important day with the French people, and to commemorating the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I. The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern, the White House added. The French government said Trump and Macron will attend the Bastille Day parade in Paris, with American soldiers set to take part in the parade alongside their French brothers in arms. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News 11-11 23:52 The Philippines (winter 2014)Western US (fall 2011/2012/2013/2014)Turkey (fall 2010)France/Germany/Denmark/Hollan (summer 2010)Uganda/Tanzania/Kenya (winter 2010)China (fall 2009)France/Italy (summer 2009)South Africa/Lesotho/Mozambique (winter 2009)Southern U.S. (fall 2008/fall 2010/spring 2011)Spain and the Camino de Compostela (summer of 2008)Israel (winter 2008)Eastern U.S. (fall 2007)Great Britain (summer 2007)Venezuela (winter 2007)Japan (fall 2006)Croatia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Poland (summer 2006)Western US (fall 2005)Ecuador (winter 2005)Italy (spring 2004/summer 2009)France (summer 2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019)Iceland (summer 2003)Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia (Fall 2002)Minneapolis to Chicago (summer 2002)Bolivia (spring 2002)Scandinavia--Finland, Norway, Sweden (summer 2001)Hes followed the Tour de France seventeen times beginning in 2004 , riding much of each year's route, fully loaded, before or after the peloton and sent out regular reports during the race, also posted here.He has a long-running email list that he sends updates to every few days when he's on tour.You can write him at: george6567@yahoo.com. If you like, he'll add you to his e-list.He spends the rest of the year also on a bike, working as a messenger in Chicago.He's also an independent film enthusiast, attending or working at several major film festivals annually, including Telluride and Cannes. His coverage of Cannes is also included here in May of 2004-2015.For a "Chicago Tribune" article on George see the January 17, 2002 entry of the blog. There is also a "Hollywood Reporter" article posted October 25, 2005, and a "Streetwise" cover story posted on April 17, 2010 and stories in French newspapers the past few summers.(I'm Jeff Potter and I helped George get his blog going. I run OutYourBackDoor.com , where I report on a wide range of everyday, affordable, healthy outdoor action. I also sell some hard-to-find indy culture media and other goodies. Lotsa bike stuff!) Dear Editor, Re: Samoa Coconut Clusters responsds I agree with you. The pharmaceutical companies, the meat industry, sugar companies, basically the big bad food cartel, sponsor many of these so-called health bodies and fund their research. Edwin Tamasese is right, its about trying to protect their market share by discrediting and passing on misinformation about healthier and potentially threatening products. Its important to keep up the information fight online, backed by impartial, real science. And youre right Wendy, this sort of underhanded slighting and eventual corporate imperialism will eventually close in on small economies and industries and swallow them up! Look at the banana industry of the Caribbean nations that was strangled under Clintons administration during the 1990s. America banned imports from the West Indies and went with Chiquita, which is American owned. Many farmers committed suicide; economies in these islands went belly up. S. Auimatagi The Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (S.R.O.S.) could become privately owned. A proposal to commercialize S.R.O.S. will be tabled in Cabinet for its consideration, the Minister in charge of the Organisation, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt told Parliament. He noted that after 11 years since S.R.O.S. was established, the research organization, has fulfilled its mandate to develop added value to primary produce for export to overcome the trade challenges faced by Samoa with the ultimate target to increase economic benefits. The time for trials is over, added the Minister. It is time to move forward and adopt with the changes. Laaulialemalietoa recalled that S.R.O.S. was also intended to be the research arm to develop new products and for the business sector to step in as investors by commercializing the S.R.O.S. formulas in attempts to improve foreign export earnings. He noted that S.R.O.S. has successful developed formulas to produce gluten flour from breadfruit, organic avocado oil, liquors and a whole range of by-products utilizing local produce. But the local business community is not taking up the opportunity to invest due to financial constraints. And to take S.R.O.S. to the next level, the proposal to commercialize the Organisation will be with Cabinet. The Apia Rotary has a new President. Last weekend, Louise Main was officially welcomed as Rotarys President for 2017 and 2018. She takes over from outgoing President Susan Faoagali. The welcome was extended during the Clubs Change Over dinner to welcome their new officers. Louise Main said she is delighted to have been appointed President. But she was more excited about the welcoming 11 new members as well as three associate members. Its not often that we get that number of people so were going to induct 14 new members and only four are males which mean ladies rule the world of Rotary, she said. Mrs. Main acknowledged the work of Ms. Faoagali during the past 12 months. As for the future, she said there is a lot of work to be done. First of all is to get new members in and that starts tonight, she said. My long term aim is that we have a lot of ongoing projects that we have to develop and Ive also got few projects in the pipeline from overseas clubs that we are looking at. Education is a big focus for Rotary. I want to work more on scholarships for the entry level at the university. I want to try to find more overseas partners for that because I think its really important for us to have our young ones go through higher education. Books have always been my passion so we will continue with that. Weve still got thousands of books to be stamped and delivered. I am also working on dictionaries because I want support from our overseas Rotary Clubs on dictionaries because they are very expensive here and not everyone can afford close to a $100tala dictionary in Samoan and English. The new President said she would work hard to strengthen the Club. I want to build a vibrant club and strengthen our membership and also our projects in the community. She knows its not going to be easy. There are always challenges. One of them is the fact this is a volunteer organization so work has to give to way to family sometimes and so its balancing our time. I think that is one of the big challenges for us as professionals and through that the membership level fluctuates a lot. It goes up and down and so tonight Im happy that weve got some new members and so its fresh hands and feet that will do the work for Rotary The Apia Rotary Club started in 1970 and Mrs. Main has been involved for the past 10 years. Peseta Dr. Desmond Mene Lee Hang is set to continue as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Leadership Samoa for yet another twelve months. This was confirmed after the Leadership Samoa Annual General Meeting held last month. In other positions, Taituuga Maryann Lameko-Vaai and Manusamoa Christine Saaga also carry on their roles as Treasurer and General Secretary respectively as the Executive members of the Leadership Samoa organization which runs the nine month Program for up and coming leaders in all areas of the community. The trio has been in these positions for the last three years. According to the C.E.O. of Leadership Samoa, Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun, this is great news for Leadership Samoa as it enters an important transition period as it works towards making the program sustainable. I would like to acknowledge our Executive and each member of the Board for their invaluable support of the Program, Seumanu said. They all contribute their time, energy and interest on a voluntarily basis and it is a blessing to have such committed individuals who truly believe that ethical and well trained leaders lie at the heart of successful and sustainable development. As we work towards achieving sustainability of the Program it is always good to have stability in our Organization. During the Annual General Meeting, the Board acknowledged with appreciation Papalii Malietau Malietoa for his services to the Board over the past six years and note that he was one of the founding trustees of the Leadership Samoa Trust and contributed greatly to the activities which it currently undertakes and the graduation of so many energetic and aspiring leaders who have proven their talents and abilities. The new Board Member who has joined the Board after the annual general meeting is a proud alumni of Leadership Samoa, but also holds the position of C.E.O of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling. He is one of the great ambassadors of the Program and brings great insight to the Board given his own personal achievements and talents. Its great to have someone of Pulotus calibre to join our Board. Pulotu is an Alumni of Leadership Samoa and he brings in wealth of experience and knowledge from the public sector to help boost the ongoing development of Leadership Samoa, said Seumanu. Leadership Samoa has already opened its call for applications and its due by the end of June. If you are interested in participating in a program which challenges you to extend your knowledge and confidence whilst at the same time contributing to the countrys development goals then please contact Leadership Samoa Secretariat. Working as a farmer is an amazing thing. It means that youre one of the few people that still care about the Samoan way of life. So says Reupena Unapo from Falefa and Palauli, Savaii. Reupena, 47, is a father to six children and only three of them are currently attending school. When speaking to the Village Voice team, Reupena said he works together with another man from the village to look after an animal farm that belongs to one of the villagers. Life is good for me and my family because I consider myself as someone who works hard, he said. My work as a farmer is going great; in fact it is one of the hardest jobs in the world if I think about it. But I value it because not only it provides me with money, it provides me with food but also it reminds me of my culture; my Samoan way of living. Reupena stays in the inner village with his family which is not that far away from the farm he works in. To me, this job can be easy but it can also be the most difficult at times. Because youre looking at work such as; cutting the grass, maintaining security fences and also making sure the animals are safe and well. For me, we always have to keep an eye on the cows inside here because if they go out, theres a possibility that we wont find them or worse, get run over by vehicles. Reupena has been doing this for two years. This work is important to me because this is all I have; this is what I know and this is what I can do. I cant do any other job because I have some issues with my health. And to me, its important to have a job and its important to work because how else are we going to survive if we dont? Leadership Samoa has welcomed Samoa International Finance Authority (S.I.F.A.) to its family of sponsors. S.I.F.A. confirmed its support of Leadership Samoa and agreed to become a Bronze Sponsor of the Programme with a cash donation of $5,000. Senior representative of S.I.F.A., Tapuitea Lafaialii-Petaia, said the organization believes in developing leaders in Samoa. Leadership Samoa is well known to S.I.F.A., and this year we decided to invest in Leadership Samoa as we are strong believers of the need to empower and equip our emerging leaders with the tools which allow them to lead Samoa into prosperity, Tapuitea said. The C.E.O. and management of S.I.F.A. wish you all the very best with your 2017/2018 programe. The C.E.O. of Leadership Samoa, Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun welcomes S.I.F.As assistance. On behalf of our Patron: Hon. Tuilaepa S. Malielegaoi; our Advisory Trustees; the Chairman, and Board of Trustees, and the Alumni of Leadership Samoa, we extend our sincere appreciation to the C.E.O. and Management of SIFA for considering our sponsorship proposal, he said. Thank you for your support which will go a long way in supporting a program which has at its heart the successful development of Samoa led by ethical, strong and well trained leaders who have the best interests of their community in all they do. Leadership Samoa has already opened its call for applications and its due by the end of June. If you are interested in participating in a program which challenges you to extend your knowledge and confidence whilst at the same time contributing to the countrys development goals then please contact Leadership Samoa Secretariat. Zachary Zimmerman, chief executive of the San Diego start-up Forge Therapeutics, is used to pursuing meetings with potential partners. But since the company won a research award to develop its novel antibiotic technology, Forge Therapeutics is the pursued. That $8.8 million award from the Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator, referred to as CARB-X, put Forge on the map. Shortly afterward, Forge received a $15 million venture capital investment. Advertisement CARB-X is a $450 million, global, public-private partnership aimed at combating antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Forge is developing a new kind of antibiotic that so far seems to be effective against gram-negative bacteria. Zimmerman discussed the status change during an impromptu interview at last weeks Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) convention in San Diego. Up until this time, Forge had been the one sending out invitations saying, Please meet with us this year. he said. Things have turned 180 degrees. I didnt have to send out any invitations. All of the requests were incoming. We had over 40 meetings at the convention. Interested collaborators included not only American drug makers, but also Japanese, Korean, Chinese and European companies that Forge leaders hadnt met. Having all those companies in the same place at the same time made meetings much more convenient, he said. About half of Forges meetings at the BIO convention were with companies that had interacted with the start-up. Those conversations consisted of updating the possible partners on Forges progress since they last met. The other sessions required an introduction to Forge and its technology. Its hard to do all that in a half hour, Zimmerman said. Those meetings require follow-up. With the CARB-X and venture capital money, Forge can afford to take its time in considering partnerships, Zimmerman said. The plan is to get the antibiotic technology ready for human clinical trials, a milestone that would give Forge more negotiating leverage. Ive got enough cash available to put this into Phase 1 (early stage) studies in the next several years, Zimmerman said. So what I want to do is hold on to this asset and continue to drive value. What Im doing at BIO and other conferences is just to make sure that everybodys aware of the progress and were on everybodys radar. At the BIO convention, Zimmerman also moderated a discussion on companies developing drugs to counter the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance. The panel was on partnerships for de-risking antibiotic research and development, Zimmerman said. For early-stage companies, its hard to generate the data that you need to raise money. So these public-private partnerships are very helpful. Such a partnership allowed Forge to start from small beginnings, with the National Institutes of Health helping to get the program off the ground, he said. When Forge was established two years ago, we formed a relationship with the NIH and started working with them on collaborative research. We generated some data, and that data allowed us to submit a small business grant (request). We got some money, and that allowed us to put together a data package with in vitro and in vivo efficacy that we presented to the CARB-X group. The panel included representatives from CARB-X, the NIH and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which discussed how its streamlining the process for developing antibiotics to kill gram-negative bacteria. Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 Construction of prototypes for President Trumps Mexico border wall will be completed by September in San Diego, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday at a press conference in Washington. D.C. Four to eight 30-foot tall prototypes at the U.S. Mexican border will take 30 days to build, said Ronald Vitiello, acting deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. Vitiello confirmed contracts had not been awarded to build prototypes yet. While money for a full wall along the 1,900-mile Mexican border has not been approved, Congress did allocate $20 million for prototypes that attracted hundreds of bidders from across the country. Advertisement Construction on the prototypes, originally set to begin in June, will take place near Otay Mesa. Vitiello did not say what caused the delay or when contracts would be awarded. At the press conference, Vitiello repeatedly used San Diego as an example of why a border wall was needed. He showed a photo of the San Diego border before and after fencing was added in Operation Gatekeeper in the early 1990s. Where there was once lawless and undeveloped land, he said showing an undated photo of Tijuana and San Diego before the current barrier, (then) neighborhoods were built and communities and commerce grew. Vitiello said having a secure border helps reduce crime rates and help improve natural habitats in the area. In San Diego, he said an increase in officers and additional border barriers led to a 195 percent reduction in apprehensions from 1992 to 2008. Critics have pointed to migrants just moving further east to more dangerous crossings. San Diego had a more than 20 percent increase in both apprehensions by Border Patrol and in deportations and returns by Immigration and Customs Enforcement between 2015 and 2016, the Department of Homeland Security said in January. The president has been pushing for solar panels on the border wall in recent weeks, but Vitiello said that did not affect its prototype selection process. It hasnt impacted the planning, he said. Our role is to sort of identify the requirement for where the barrier is. Were leaning on industry to innovate and use other materials to show us what they think is possible, doable and innovative for this process. He said he was unaware of any discussions between the agency and the White House concerning solar panels on the wall. American Oversight a left-leaning watchdog group in Washington, D.C., that has sued the federal government for more information on the border wall said Tuesday the press conference did not go far enough. As the administration moves forward with the walls construction, major questions remain, from its cost, to its environmental impact and how it will affect homeowners along the border, the organization said in an emailed statement. Sticking with past statements by Border Protection, Vitiello said prototypes could stay up in San Diego after construction to act as new barriers. The $20 million to pay for the prototypes was taken from money in the budget originally set aside for mobile video surveillance used by Customs and Border Protection, said the Democratic staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Government Affairs. Prototypes must be 30 feet tall, cant be climbed and constructed to prevent digging below the wall for at least 6 feet. Roughly 460 companies replied to requests for proposals to build the wall prototypes, including 23 in San Diego County. Vitiello said the agency had already decided some areas of the border, around 130 miles, would not require a wall for geographic reasons, such as rivers and mountain ranges. Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar ALSO The vanishing San Diego single-family home Efforts to resolve a long-running naming dispute between organizers of San Diegos Comic-Con and a similarly titled convention in Salt Lake City have hit an impasse, and it now may be left to a judge to resolve. Both sides have now asked a federal judge in San Diego to make a ruling in the conflict over naming rights for the two pop culture conventions. We remain hopeful that a settlement may still be reached, or that a preliminary judgment will be made in the favor of comic con fans and comic con promoters around the world, Salt Lake Comic Con co-founder Dan Farr said in a news release. Advertisement Organizers of the Salt Lake event, scheduled for late September, say they have so far spent nearly $1 million in legal fees. San Diego Comic-Con, which has accused the much smaller, although rapidly growing, Salt Lake convention of trademark infringement, has declined comment on the case but has said the position taken by organizers of the Utah convention is without merit. Comic-Con International, which is due to get under way in San Diego later next month, is the citys largest convention and each year draws more than 130,000 attendees. The very first iteration of the popular arts event dates back to 1970 when there were just 100 attendees. In its original suit, organizers maintained that Salt Lakes use of the name tries to capitalize on San Diego Comic-Cons ingenuity and hard work. Comic-Con International claims a number of registered trademarks, includingComic-Con, Comic Con International, and Anaheim Comic-Con, according to the suit. There are, however, a number of similar comic book conventions around the country that also use the Comic Con moniker without the hyphen. Salt Lake maintains that the comic con name did not even originate with the San Diego event and asserts that it was in use long before its debut here. A hearing is set for Sept. 21, though it will likely be pushed back because that is the first day of Salt Lakes next event. A little more than a year ago, the two sides appeared close to reaching a settlement, with attorneys saying they had resolved most of their differences over the similarity of the two convention names. Although the U.S. Patent and Trademark office had earlier awarded Salt Lake Comic Con a trademark for its name, it has suspended that ruling until the federal case can be resolved. The stalemate comes as Comic-Con International prepares to launch on July 19 its pop culture extravaganza. The convention is scheduled to remain in San Diego through 2018, although the local Tourism Authority is working on negotiating a new three-year contract with organizers. The success of those negotiations hinges on the willingness of San Diego hotels to hold the line on room rates for those properties participating in the discounted convention room block. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Business lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-2251 Twitter: @loriweisberg Weeks after telling protesters they could no longer stand on the sidewalk in front of Rep. Darrell Issas district office and had to follow other rules, Vista city officials have reversed course and granted the demonstrators a new three-month permit. The citys previous restrictions requiring protesters to stand across the street and limit the use of amplified sound had been criticized by the ACLU, which said the conditions were infringing on citizens right to assemble. The new permit, granted Tuesday evening, lifts all the conditions and runs through the end of September. I am so pleased that the city responded positively to the ACLU and me about the freedom of speech rights of the rally participants and Issas constituents, said Ellen Montanari, who organizes the weekly rallies. Advertisement Since January, those hour-long gathering have drawn a few hundred protesters, many of whom are retirees, each Tuesday morning to the Thibodo Road building that houses Issas office. The demonstrators some of whom belong to activist groups such as Indivisible or Together We Will sing, chant and hold signs targeting the congressmans voting record as well as the policies of President Donald Trump. The building owner and some tenants have complained the gatherings are disruptive and that protesters have inadvertently damaged property and impeded the flow of traffic in an out of the area. In response, the city in February began requiring Montanari to get a permit, move the protests across the street and keep the noise down. The congressman himself weighed in last week, sending a letter to the Vista City Council saying he had continuing concerns about the loud gatherings which he said have impeded the work of neighboring businesses and prevented their right to use and enjoy their property. Let me be clear: this isnt about me or my office, he wrote in the June 21 letter. I can handle a little heat from some protesters. The building owner, Harvey Boelts, said that in addition to being disruptive, the protests have created a safety hazard, making it difficult for drivers to see around the crowd as they leave his parking lot. Its not the congressman complaining. Its me, Boelts said last week. He said his property has been damaged by demonstrators spilling onto the grass, where he has had a broken light fixture and busted sprinkler heads. He said someone made a mess in the buildings bathroom, leading him to to lock the doors and supply keys for tenants. Boelts, a retired firefighter from Orange County, said he is trying to show vacant offices to potential tenants, but the protests keep him from doing so on Tuesdays. He had hoped the rallies would stop weeks ago. I would like the people (protesters) to accept the fact that you have beaten the horse long enough, he said. Have a little respect for me as the property owner. ... Give me the respect that you expect on your property. Neither Issa nor Boelts could immediately be reached for comment Wednesday on the citys decision to lift the restrictions. Vista typically requires permits for gatherings of 50 people or more. When city officials told Montanari she would need to obtain one, she did so but balked at some of the conditions, including that the group move to the patch of dirt across the street from the office and limit their use of amplified sound. The city had also warned that if somebody called police to complain about violations, Montanari, as the organizer, would be billed for the cost of the response. Montanari reached out to the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which sent Vista a letter saying the stipulations violated the First Amendment by dictating where protesters can assemble, and how they can deliver their message. On Wednesday, ACLU attorney David Loy, who penned the letter to the city, said by issuing a new permit and lifting the conditions, Vista has properly respected the First Amendment. The protests are once a week. I think for once a week the surrounding area can tolerate a little chanting and amplified sound, Loy said. The city properly recognizes that. Its entirely appropriate to use bullhorns and amplified sound as part of political protest. On Tuesday morning, more than 300 people rallied, about a third of them on the shaded sidewalk by Issas office, and the rest in the sun across the street from the office. A few walked through through the crowd, spraying fellow protesters with cool water. Montanari said one older woman threw up and passed out. Huddled under an umbrella with a friend, protester Lynda Daniels said she is exercising her rights as a citizen, and plans to keep coming out. Its got to be noisy, or it isnt effective, the retiree said. Business owners need to absorb that as part of our constitutional right. Protester Barbara Schiffler, a 70-year-old retired teacher and Encinitas resident, has been following the battle over the permit, and she cheered when Montanari told the crowd that the turnout was 366 people. The more they oppress us, the more people show up, she yelled out. The protesters have embraced the sole Trump supporter who comes out each week as a counter protest. That man, Sean Colgan who rides a motorcycle with a large Trump sign on the back said he has never seen the protesters be rude or behave badly. They gather, they chant, they sing, they hold silly signs then they clean up after themselves, Colgan, 61, said. How rare is that? Issa, a nine-term congressman, won re-election to the House last year by 1,621 votes, narrowly besting Democrat Doug Applegate in the closest race in the country. Democrats have targeted his coastal 49th District as one they can pick up in 2018, and the GOP is bolstering its defense there. The district has long been red, but voters there supported Barack Obama for president in 2008 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT The program for the San Diego County Fair says demonstration artist Minnie Valero is working in pastels but shes not making that mistake again. Valero said she did pastel demonstrations last year, drawing at a table with an overhead mirror as fair visitors watched and asked questions. Though she loves the vivid color effects, pastels are a demonstrating nightmare because they dont travel as well as watercolors and oils, Valero said Friday afternoon. Water color paints are lightweight, and you can obtain the water for rinsing out your brushes after you arrive on site. Oil paints great too, she said. Advertisement You can do almost anything you want to oils, Valero said as she touched the surface on a oil painting hanging on a wall behind her demonstration table, located just outside the fairs Fine Arts display. Pastels --- sticks consisting of powdered paint pigment and a binder material --- have neither of those benefits. And transporting the competed paintings is difficult because tiny pastel crumbs remain on the paintings surface. You dont want them shaking in this position, she said as she held an oil painting on its side, then added as she turned the painting face down, or, god forbid, this position. Valeros only giving watercolor and oil demonstrations this year. Shell be doing one more from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 30th, before heading to China to give presentations there. Valero, who has had her work exhibited in San Diego and in Europe, is just one of many artists discussing and demonstrating their techniques in two white tents outside the fairs Grandstand East Building. This weekend, the fair has a special treat for art-lovers. Marine life artist Robert Wyland, who typically goes by only his last name, be creating a seahorse painting starting at noon Saturday in the fairs OBrien Hall. Wyland is famous for his Whaling Wall murals about a hundred, life-size whale paintings. Is San Diego ready to rediscover the fine art of fine dining? The trio behind Born & Raised Little Italys next splashy, big-ticket restaurant sure hope so. On Monday, restaurateur Arsalun Tafazoli, designer Paul Basile and executive chef Jason McLeod gave us a sneak peek of the still-under-construction, $6.5 million, two-story steakhouse in the old Nelson Photo Supplies space at 1909 India St. Behind schedule, over budget it was originally supposed to cost $2.5 million and plagued with development headaches that have driven Tafazoli to visible distraction, the stakes are high, so to speak, for this steakhouse. Advertisement Here are 5 things you need to know about Born & Raised, which is slated to open in late summer. The team behind Born & Raised: (from left) designer Paul Basile, CH Projects co-founder Arsalun Tafazoli and executive chef Jason McLeod. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) Its a simple concept Some of the first restaurants in America were steakhouses think New Yorks Old Homestead and Peter Luger, which opened in 1868 and 1887 respectively. This is our interpretation of that classic and in this iconic location, Tafazoli said, adding that the original plan was to just open a spot for smoked meats and whiskey. But then we thought, You know, this corner is owed more. How do we live up to that? Its the execution thatll be complicated McLeod and his crew will be dry-aging primo quality beef, as well as duck, pork lamb and even meatballs, in an in-house 40-square-foot dry-aging room. Even more labor intensive will the be five tableside service carts roaming the dining roam with everything from freshly prepared Caesar salad to beef tartare, yakitori skewers, American and Japanese wagyu over fancy white Binchotan charcoal and private label caviar, drinks and dessert. We wanted to return to the glory of dining out, Tafazoli said. Still to be worked out whos going to do it? Will personable servers with limited cooking skills be trained to prepare/finish dishes tableside or will chefs with kitchen chops but not necessarily service panache? Either way, the training countdown clock is ticking. People are watching Born & Raised is one of the most anticipated openings of 2017. Not only is it from the always buzzy and decidedly hip CH Projects they have Ironside Fish & Oyster, Craft & Commerce, Underbelly, Polite Provisions and False Idol in their portfolio but the high-profile location adds to the level of scrutiny. Little Italy is the big leagues, home to showcase restaurants like Juniper & Ivy, Herb & Wood and Kettner Exchange. The kitchen is going to have to rise to the occasion, Tafazoli said, because their main product is excruciatingly expensive and you cant hide behind a lot with steak. The design will impress Basile is responsible for some of the most gorgeous locales in town, including Ironside and Polite Provisions. Here, he has painstakingly created a space that combines mid-century with art deco, with a side of clubby, glam chophouse. A forest-full of sleek walnut covers the first-floor dining room, ceiling and all, with brass inlays placed just so. Camel-hued leather will cover the snug booths. Upstairs on the semi-covered roof deck, where parking for Nelsons once was, its all teak and copper. Basiles stamp is everywhere, from the tiling and stone work to the focal point beams encased in wood shaped like blooming flowers to the facade-defining exterior scrim. There is not an inch that hasnt been custom-built, Basile said. To that, Tafazoli added, It would have been cheaper to tear it down and start over. There will be vodka The always polarizing CH group has moved away from its failed social engineering attempts and will serve the once-banned dreaded vodka. An admittedly pretentious move, Tafazoli good-naturedly said we were young and had a chip on our shoulder. Born & Raised will serve classic cocktails, a steakhouse-worthy wine list curated by the restaurant groups first sommelier as well as small production grower champagne to pair with the caviar service. Sure to be the highlight of the extensive martini program will be the tableside cart equipped with liquid nitrogen to chill the glasses. Some filled with vodka, no doubt. michele.parente@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @sdeditgirl Six works by artist Jorge Pardo are on exhibit at Lux Art Institute in Encinitas. Five are earlier pieces and the sixth is his latest work, created last week while in residence at Lux. The 5-by-30-foot canvas was inspired by a Willem de Kooning piece Pardo saw when he visited the Art Institute of Chicago as a child. The shapes are Kooning characters. Ive always thought of using that work in some way. Advertisement The shapes, painted with silk-screen ink, form colorful color palettes in pinks and oranges and create a sense of motion across the long canvas. Forms in more subtle colors run along the bottom of the piece, which will remain unfinished until the end of the show. Pardo will work with children to apply the finishing touches when he returns to residency at Lux at the beginning of August. Its pretty straightforward, Pardo said of the piece. Pardos work is often more complex, crossing from art to design and architecture. The world-renowned, Cuban-born artist, who attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, built a house in Los Angeles for the citys Museum of Contemporary Art. Designed as a functional piece of art, it was on exhibit for five weeks in 1998, and Pardo lived there until moving to Mexico five years ago. Pardo now makes his home in Merida, Yucatan, and spends time in New York. He relocated to Mexico while working on an ambitious project creating a sprawling compound in the jungle, commissioned by Mexican billionaire banker Roberto Hernandez. I left L.A. and never looked back, Pardo said. I havent missed it. At Lux, the exhibit displays a variety of pieces that speak to his practice, said Reesey Shaw, the institutes founding director. Most of the works, which Shaw describes as joyous, have a three-dimensional aspect to them. Silk-screen and inkjet are used to create subtle geometric shapes combined with eye-popping flowers on two canvases, which are then draped with laser-cut garlands. Pardos blurring of the lines of design and art is seen in the trio of hanging lamps, created with acrylic and metal. Yellow and orange rods extend out the top and bottom of black laser-cut geometric shapes like flames. I do lamps all the time, Pardo said. For me, its like doing a drawing. I use lasers and computers. Tools for prototyping are art tools. His light work consists of colorful, acrylic circles lit from behind. A curtain of stringed white, acrylic geometric shapes hang in front much like a rain shower in front of happy, bubbling light forms. The last piece is a painting of vibrant colors on polyester woven fabric. I work with palettes more than colors. I look at the effect one color has on another, Pardo said. Color is a pleasurable access point in a work. I use it as a fisherman uses a lure. My palettes are all over the place, with lots of colors coming through. Pardo said he will use up to 30 colors in the piece he is creating at Lux. The residency piece is a departure from his work, Shaw said. Its interesting what will happen. Its a work in progress. Artist in residence: Jorge Pardo When: 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Through Aug. 5. Where: Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas Tickets: $5; free for those 21 and under and bicycle riders Phone: (760) 436-6611 Online: luxartinstitute.org Schimitschek is a freelance writer. Twitter: @outdoorlivingsd michael.rocha@sduniontribune.com In the heat of the summer when I was a kid growing up in L.A.s San Fernando Valley, my mom would often make a collection of sandwiches peanut butter and jelly, bologna or tuna fish that she would wrap up and package with carrot and celery sticks, whole peaches or plums and cookies. Strawberry Kool-Aid may have been involved back then, too. Then she would send my brother and sister and me out to the backyard with a blanket or towel so we could have a picnic. There were many other picnics in our life as a young family, including the big gatherings at L.A.s Griffith Park with extended family. And as I got older, still more. As a young adult, I enjoyed the competitive preconcert picnics first on the Great Lawn in New York Citys Central Park and when I returned to L.A., at the Hollywood Bowl, at which attendees would vie for the most decadent or elaborate collections of food and picnic decor. Back then, my friends and I would make or bring pasta salads, lobster and cheesecake and be the envy of surrounding concertgoers. Now, as a San Diego resident, my picnic experiences have been far more laid back going to the beach and grilling burgers or chicken or sausages, accompanied by a spicy coleslaw, bread and butter pickles, olives and watermelon and/or lemon bars for dessert. Advertisement Celebrity chef Brian Malarkey shares his ideas for a San Diego picnic. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T) Chef Brian Malarkey has very different memories of picnics dating back to his childhood in Gearhart, Ore. Every summer, wed go to the Oregon coast to visit my grandma, and shed have these big beach barbecue picnics, he recalled with a smile. Wed fill a big pot with water and put it over a fire made with driftwood. The grownups would grill clams, salmon and shrimp. Theyd cook corn. My grandma made rolls and blackberry pies. Wed eat up that buttery, lemony shellfish, then rinse off in the ocean. Today, Malarkey, who recently opened Herb & Wood and Herb & Eatery in Little Italy, makes up picnics for his young family, and both the setting the family boat and the food are different. Malarkey serves up cheese, crackers and salami basically foods that wont get the boat dirty. A picnic for me is something you prep beforehand and enjoy at a destination, he explained. Its usually around cold or room-temperature food so you dont have to rush to enjoy it. Food that travels well. That means cold cuts or charcuterie, sandwiches, salads, cold chicken and the like. If youre bringing an ice chest, it opens up even more possibilities, like cheese and other dairy items. And finger food is always a great idea, as long as you bring plenty of napkins and wipes. There are definitely tricks to putting together a successful picnic meal, Malarkey explained. You want the food to taste fresh and keep their textures. You want breads to stay dry, and crisp ingredients like lettuce to stay crisp. Brian Malarkeys Beet and Humboldt Fog Salad. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T) In the case of Malarkeys beet salad, keep the lettuce and beets separate before serving and the dressing on the side. In fact, in general, dressing on the side for picnic prep is a must. And when preparing the beets to make the salad, roast them until theyre fork tender, testing the largest piece, since if thats done all the rest will be as well. Let the beets cool and, Malarkey said, the skin will come off more easily. And, to keep your hands from staining red, wear gloves. Making a charcuterie plate? Be sure you offset the fattiness of the meats with complementary foods with acid, like pickles or jam. Serve with bread or crackers. And keep the crackers in the package so they dont get soft. When youre making sandwiches, use lettuce not just for flavor and texture, but also as a protective layer on top. For Malarkeys turkey sandwich with aioli, spread the aioli on the turkey on the bottom so it will hold onto the bun. And the bun? Make sure you get one with a good skin, like brioche buns or small sourdough loaves. If sliced bread is your thing, then package up the ingredients and assemble them into sandwiches before serving. For dessert, Malarkey said cookies are always a safe bet, and if you want to bring chocolate, a good chocolate chip cookie is the best delivery vehicle since chocolate can melt. Or you can skip the sugar altogether and have a cheese course that includes fruit compote. Or bring fresh fruit. What to drink is always a question. If youre planning a romantic picnic with wine, Malarkey advised a light red wine instead of white or a rose, so you have a light summery wine that doesnt require chilling. (And, he added, make sure you know the local liquor laws before you bring alcohol to any location.) Want to skip the alcohol? Make an agua fresca, a flavorful fruit-forward blended drink, and add soft herbs like tarragon, basil or shiso. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you can enjoy it without additional sweeteners, but if theyre needed, add honey or agave nectar. Finally, all this terrific food needs to come together in a compelling package. First, Malarkey said, bring real silverware and utensils. It just makes for a nicer experience. And if youre worried about keeping food and drink cold, go shopping. There are all kinds of great contraptions, he said, to ensure the chill. And dont put all your dishes into a sad shopping bag with handles. Go big! Malarkey is a wicker basket fan, and while hes selling them at Herb & Eatery so you can create your own picnics, he also suggested heading over to the antique shops in Ocean Beach and La Mesa to search out vintage wicker baskets. Baskets are the cutest part of the whole thing, he said. They bring back nostalgia, fun and romance. Golden is a San Diego freelance food writer and blogger. Beet and Humboldt Fog Salad Serves 1 to 2 people 2 large beets cup cooked red quinoa red onion, julienned 3 cups mixed greens 4 ounces Humboldt Fog goat cheese (see note) cup candied walnuts (see note) cup red wine vinegar cup canola or vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste Put beets in a Pyrex dish with cup water and cover with aluminum foil; cook the beets in the oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Let the beets cool and then peel the skins using paper towels. Cut each beet into 6 pieces or whatever size you prefer. For the quinoa, bring 1 cups salted water to a boil and cook quinoa for 14 minutes; drain and cool. To assemble: Mix together the quinoa, red onion and greens. Top the salad with crumbled cheese and candied walnuts. To make the vinaigrette whisk together the red wine vinegar and canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Reserve to take with you until ready to serve. Note: The Humboldt Fog cheese and candied walnuts can be purchased at Whole Foods and other gourmet grocery markets or at Brian Malarkeys Herb & Eatery. Recipe from chef Brian Malarkey. The S.D. Turkey Sandwich. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T) S.D. Turkey Sandwich Makes 1 sandwich jalapeno, chopped, seeds removed cup mayonnaise avocado 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste medium red onion, julienned cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1 torta roll 6 ounces oven roasted turkey 1 heirloom tomato cup sprouts of your choice To make the jalapeno aioli, mix the chopped jalapeno with the mayonnaise; reserve until ready to build the sandwich. Crush avocado with a fork, add olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. For the pickled red onion, julienne of a medium red onion and set aside. In a small sauce pot combine the red wine vinegar and sugar and season with salt. Bring the vinegar mixture to a boil, then in a glass or nonreactive bowl combine vinegar mixture and julienned red onion. Let sit for 15 minutes or until the onions are soft. Reserve until ready to build the sandwich; these will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To build the sandwich, spread the aioli on the bottom of the torta, add the turkey, followed by the tomato, red onion, then the sprouts. On the top of the bun, spread the crushed avocado and season with salt and pepper. Recipe from chef Brian Malarkey. Strawberry Agua Fresca. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T) Strawberry Agua Fresca 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (preferably fresh Carlsbad berries) 3 cups filtered water 3 basil leaves 2 tablespoons honey Remove the tops/greens from the strawberries and chop into manageable pieces. In a blender add all ingredients and blend on high for 20 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and chill until ready to serve. Recipe from chef Brian Malarkey. Adrian Mendoza of Herb & Wood created these Sea Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T) Sea Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes 6 dozen cookies 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature (65 degrees F) 1 cups granulated sugar 1 cups light brown sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups 64 percent LEtoile du Bord E. Guittard Chocolate Pistoles/Chips (see notes) Maldon Flaky Sea Salt, to taste (used as garnish; see notes) Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment baking paper. Sift the flour, baking soda and sea salt together, set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand beater, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy on medium speed, about 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs on medium speed one at a time; scrape down the bowl half way, continue mixing until combined. Add the vanilla extract. Add the sifted dry ingredients one half at a time with the mixer on low speed. Be careful to not overmix the flour into the butter mixture. Add the chocolate and mix until combined. Place the dough on a baking sheet (all of it) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once chilled, take a portion of dough the size of your fist and knead until pliable. Roll the dough like a baguette into a log thats about 8 to 10 inches long (weighing 10 to 11 ounces). Roll each log of dough in parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into -inch-thick slices using a serrated knife (cut straight down; do not saw at the dough). Place 6 slices per baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes, rotate baking sheets 180 degrees and bake an additional 6 to 7 minutes. The center should be light but not wet and edges should be golden brown. Allow to cool onto sheet pan. Garnish with sea salt. Notes: LEtoile du Bord E. Guittard Chocolate can be found at Whole Foods, Sur la Table, Gelsons and some Ralphs and Vons stores. Maldon Flaky Sea Salt is available at Whole Foods and Sur La Table. Recipe from Adrian Mendoza of Herb & Wood Defense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday nominated DeWolfe H. Bullet Miller III for a promotion to a three-star vice admiral and named him the Navys next Air Boss. If confirmed by Congress, Miller would take the helm of the Coronado-based Naval Air Forces and the Naval Air Force of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. He would replace Vice Adm. Mike Shoe Shoemaker, whose assignment on North Island Naval Air Station is slated to end early next year. Miller currently directs the Air Warfare, N98 program at the Pentagons Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Among other tasks, he has helped Shoemaker maintain readiness while modernizing naval aviation during an era of austere defense budgets. Advertisement The Navy is in the midst of what military leaders call the Third Offset Strategy, creating integrated fire Kill Webs that connect pilots on an electronic network with weapons and sensors from many different kinds of units. The idea is to see the enemy from farther away, decipher the foes movements and intentions, quickly adapt and then ruthlessly overcome them. Like Shoemaker, a career Navy strike fighter aviator, Miller graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981. He has accumulated more than 4,000 mishap-free flight hours and 877 aircraft-carrier-arrested landings, according to the Navy. The Pennsylvania native has commanded the Blue Blasters of Strike Fighter Squadron 34, the amphibious warship Nashville, the carrier George H.W. Bush and Carrier Strike Group 2 during combat operations over the skies of Iraq and Afghanistan. His onshore tours included directing the Vampires of F/A-18 Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 5 in China Lake. His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Also on Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that Mattis has tabbed Rear Adm. Frederick J. Fritz Roegge for promotion to a vice admiral and wants him to serve as president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Defense University. Roegge currently commands the U.S. Pacific Fleets Submarine Force at Pearl Harbor. Military Videos On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal cprine@sduniontribune.com Wide range of policies on women in military combat jobs United States: Pentagon scrapped its ground combat exclusion policy for women in 2013. Military branches have until Jan. 1 to open all positions to women or prove why an exemption should be granted. Canada: Opened ground combat to women in 1989 after a national court decision, then spent a decade integrating units. Transition was rough in early years until military revamped anti-harassment provisions. Australia: More than 60 women have joined combat units such as the infantry and tanks since gender restrictions were lifted in 2013. Advertisement Israel: Both men and women are drafted into defense forces, but women must serve only two years while men serve three. Women served on front lines during 1948 War of Independence, then were barred from close-combat jobs until the mid-1990s. In 2000, the Caracal Battalion was established as the sole mixed-gender, light infantry unit. The five major infantry brigades remain all-male. More than 90 percent of military jobs are open to women. In 2011, the first female officer took command of a sniper platoon. Great Britain: Women serve on warships, fire artillery and fly combat aircraft. Defense secretary Philip Hammond announced last year that anyone fit enough should be allowed to fight. He ordered a review of whether women should be allowed into the British infantry and other combat units. Denmark: Opened all military jobs to women in 1988, but no woman has qualified for special operations forces. Norway: In 1985, it became the first NATO nation to open all combat jobs to women. Women are subject to the draft. New Zealand: Lifted all job restrictions on women in the military in 2000. France: Women constitute nearly one-fifth of the military and can serve in all posts except submarines, which are scheduled to integrate in 2017, and noncommissioned officer jobs in the riot-control gendarmerie. Women make up less than 2 percent of combat infantry. Germany: Opened combat units to women in 2001 and dramatically increased female recruitment. China: Traditionally limited women to military support jobs. First class of female fighter pilots graduated in 2009. The next year, first all-female missile-launching unit was established. South Korea: Began opening combat positions to women in the 1990s after service academies became integrated. Women serve in artillery and armored divisions, but they are banned from some marine and commando units. Russia: Women are barred from direct combat roles and are not subject to the draft. During the 1917 revolution, an all-women death battalion led the charge across trench lines. In World War II, more than 1,000 female snipers served on the Eastern Front and a regiment of female fighter pilots shot down dozens of Nazi planes. Eritrea: Women have fought in large numbers since 1991 war of independence from Ethiopia and, like men, are conscripted into military service. Pakistan: Women trained in warfare since 2004 but do not serve in fighting formations. Japan: Opened nearly all combat positions to women in 1993, but Japanese self-defense forces are under strict provisions to respond only when attacked. Iraq: All-female 2nd Battalion, 6th Brigade of peshmerga fighters in the Kurdish semiautonomous region of northern Iraq. United Arab Emirates: Countrys first female fighter pilot flew a strike mission in October against Islamic State militants in Syria. South Africa:About 21 percent of the Air Force is female. Brazil: Accepted women in the military during early 1980s in a support capacity. Plans to allow first women to enter combat training by 2016. A killer drug that has sent accidental death rates soaring in states east of the Mississippi is now raising alarm in San Diego County. With local fentanyl deaths on the rise, authorities are scrambling to confront a problem that has devastated scores of other U.S. communities. Recent weeks have brought jarring wake-up calls, such as the deaths of three friends found inside a Vista duplex two slumped on a couch, the third nearby on the floor in a kneeling position, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office. One victim was a mother of three who owned a restaurant in Oceanside, another was her cousin, who was visiting from Austin, Texas; the third was a recent father doing well at his job as an apprentice pipe-fitter. The office determined that all three died of accidental overdoses involving the synthetic opioid, the latest victims in a rising trend in the county that has brought 118 fentanyl-related deaths since 2012 with 23 of them this year. Advertisement The victims overall have come from all areas of the county; the youngest was 19, the oldest 98; most were white, in their 30s, 40s and 50s, and male. And in most cases, they had a mixture of drugs in their system, according to Medical Examiners reports. Fentanyl is so powerful that a tiny amount can be lethal: a 2-milligram dose, about the weight of two grains of salt, is enough to kill a grown man. San Diego was also the setting this month for two record fentanyl seizures. One took place in Lemon Grove, and involved the daughter of a former longtime mayor of the small East County municipality yielding enough fentanyl for 14 million doses. The other case involved the seizure of an unprecedented quantity at the San Ysidro Port of Entry hidden inside a vehicle entering from Mexico. Its tremendously concerning, to say the least, Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said during a talk this month at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. The drug is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many times it is blended with heroin or sold as oxycodone pills and poses new dangers both to illicit drug users and the police officers, border inspectors and other first responders conducting seizures or dealing with overdoses. Are we struggling to understand the full scope of it? Sure. These drug organizations dont tell us when theyre switching to partial fentanyl, but we see it coming, we see the dangerous trend, said Mark Conover, deputy U.S. attorney in San Diego and head of a newly formed law enforcement working group that is looking at ways to address the problem. In the last six months, its just exploded, he said. Nationally, growing numbers of Americans are dying from drug overdoses. In 2015, the tally was 52,000, more than 33,000 of them from heroin, fentanyl and other opioids, often a combination of several drugs. The total for 2016 drug overdose fatalities has yet to be released, but is expected to reach close to 60,000. The crisis has hit hardest in the East and Midwest, including Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Its most famous victim is Prince, the musician whose sudden death in April 2016 in Minnesota at the age of 57 was determined to be caused by an accidental fentanyl overdose. Fentanyl has been around since the late 1950s, and its most common legal use has been as a prescribed medication to reduce pain for terminal cancer patients. The recent spread is linked to clandestinely manufactured fentanyl that is often mixed in with other opioids such as heroin or pressed into pills and sold as oxycodone. It also is being sold as Xanax, a non-opioid anti-anxiety medication, whose users have no tolerance for it and could easily overdose, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA lists China as the main source for fentanyl in the United States, and there are two major ways that it reaches consumers. It can be purchased directly through the dark web and delivered by mail, or manufactured in Mexico with precursors imported from China, and then smuggled into the United States. The DEA has linked clandestine shipments of fentanyl from Mexico to the Sinaloa cartel. All the same smuggling routes they use for heroin, meth, marijuana, cocaine, theyre putting now into fentanyl, said Amy Roderick, spokeswoman for the agencys San Diego office. On June 19, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced one of the nations largest fentanyl seizures in Lemon Grove following an extensive DEA investigation. One of the three suspects indicted in San Diego federal court is Anna Baker, daughter of former Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Sessom. The two other suspects are Jonathan Ibarra and Hector Fernando Garcia. According to the affidavit, agents on Nov. 30 found more than 33 pounds of fentanyl in the rented vehicle that Baker was driving, and later found more than 66 pounds of the same substance at her residence. On June 10 at the San Ysidro port of entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials made a fentanyl seizure that set a record for the U.S.-Mexico border. According to a complaint filed in federal court, inspectors found more than 66 pounds of a white and gray, powdery substance that tested positive for fentanyl, and came wrapped in 24 packages concealed in false compartments. Also seized were more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine. The driver of the 2011 Renault Koleos was identified as Fabiola Magos Franco, a Mexican citizen with a tourist visa. According to the complaint, she said she was to be paid $1,000 for driving the vehicle into the United States. Seizures of fentanyl at the U.S.-Mexico border pale in comparison with cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine and marijuana. But the trend is a new one, and causing increasing alarm, especially given the potency of the drug: As recently as 2012, Customs and Border Protection registered no fentanyl seizures at all, the commissioner said. But in fiscal 2016, CBP reported seizures totaling 359 pounds at ports of entry on the Mexico border virtually all of it in the San Diego sector. From October through May, fentanyl seizures totaled more than 250 pounds, with nearly 190 of those in the San Diego sector. Compared with other illicit drugs, typically, fentanyl seizures are much smaller, and associated with other narcotics in a seizure, said Pete Flores, head of the San Diego field office for Customs and Border Protection. The drug is so powerful that it poses risk to inspectors who might come upon shipments as touching or inhaling even a tiny amount of fentanyl can be fatal. CBP has implemented additional safety procedures for its inspectors. If a smuggled package proves difficult to access, we call hazmat teams or individuals who are especially equipped to break down compartments for us, Flores said. San Diego has long been a major corridor for illicit drugs crossing from Mexico. CBP figures for 2016 showed that the sector accounted for 60 percent of the agencys methamphetamine seizures, 54 percent of its cocaine seizures and 42 percent of its heroin seizures on the southwest border. With fentanyl giving rise to new concerns, federal, state and local law enforcement officers from around the county came together last month to form a fentanyl working group. Earlier this month, some 260 people attended its first training session. Our first-respondent law enforcement officers need to be more aware and concerned, said Conover, the deputy U.S.attorney who is heading the working group. The tiniest speck can be deadly. Miles from the border one morning last month, three people found dead at a duplex in Vista accidentally overdosed on fentanyl and other drugs, according the the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office. Jennifer Dawn Duffin, 38, was a mother of three who owned Jennies Cafe in Oceanside. Her cousin, Jessica Marie Conoscenti, 33, was visiting from Austin, Texas, according to the Medical Examiners report. The third victim was Ulises Mundo, a 28-year-old Oceanside resident. Mundo had been employed by an Oceanside-based fire protection company, an apprentice who installed fire-sprinkler systems. He was here every day, he worked hard, he was climbing the ladder, said Marie Richardson, the office administrator. He was also a new father and very happy, she said. Colleagues who learned of his overdose death were shocked and bereft. I dont want him to be labeled that way, Richardson said. I hate to have that stigma on him, it doesnt fit. Staff Writer Karen Kucher contributed to this report. Rescue workers on Wednesday reached three hikers from San Diego County who have been stranded on mountainous terrain in Baja Californias Sierra San Pedro Martir National Park. Alpine resident Morgan Fox, 61, and his daughters Claire, 25, and Maura, 20, had entered the park on June 20. Their plan was to scale the peak known as Picacho del Diablo last Friday and return to their vehicle the day after. The 10,157-foot peak is the highest on the Baja California peninsula. The search for the three hikers was launched Monday afternoon after they didnt return to their car. According to a statement posted on the Baja California Civil Protection offices Facebook page, the father is an experienced hiker while the daughters arent. Advertisement The three were spotted at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday by a Mexican navy helicopter, but high winds prevented the initial rescue effort. Antonio Rosquillas, the head of civil protection for Baja California, said Wednesday morning that heavy fog was delaying a renewed attempt, but that the rescue helicopter was in San Quintin, preparing to take off as soon as conditions permitted. A statement subsequently posted on the offices Facebook page said the updated plan was to have the three Americans hike their way to safety, with support from the rescue workers. The daughters are in good shape, the statement said, while the father, who suffers from diabetes, feels a little weak, it said. The evacuation will follow the route taken by the rescuers who reached them, the statement said, as the steep terrain is not adequate for landing or airborne rescue operations. Officials also said all indications are that it will be successful, but involve a hike of eight hours or more. On Wednesday evening, an updated report from civil protection authorities said that the victims were in good condition, and that they would be hiking out early Thursday morning to reach their vehicles. David Larson, a family friend, said the Fox household does a lot of hiking. He and Morgan Fox joined a group four years ago that climbed Picacho peak, Larson said. It was the hardest thing Ive ever done. This is an update of a previous version posted before rescuers reached the hikers. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com @sandradibble A Los Angeles County judge threw out a mans drug conviction Tuesday and granted him a new trial, ruling that his attorney should have acted on information that raised questions about the credibility of a key law enforcement witness during the trial. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Sgt. Justin Walter testified last year that he found methamphetamine and thousands of dollars in cash inside a sport utility vehicle after hed pulled over the vehicle for an expired registration tag. His testimony led to the conviction of Emil Alseranai, 39, for drug possession for sale. Alseranai discovered in a Google search during his trial that Walter had been found liable in an unrelated civil lawsuit accusing him and other deputies of using false evidence or false testimony in a mans arrest, but Alseranais attorney at the time, Stuart Dumas, did not act on that information. Advertisement Superior Court Judge Michael Garcia said Tuesday that evidence of the prior civil jury verdict against Walter would have been relevant in Alseranais trial and could have changed the outcome of his case had it been presented by the defense. The judge questioned how Dumas, who hired a private investigator to help on the case, had not uncovered the civil judgment. It would have been relatively easy to conduct a simple record search to find the verdict against Walter, Garcia said. Dumas did not immediately respond to a request Tuesday for comment. The district attorneys office declined to comment. The judge said that some evidence in the trial appeared to support the testimony of a witness who contested Walters version of events. Alseranais girlfriend, Kristina Kay who was driving the SUV at the time she and Alseranai were pulled over had testified that she alone owned the drugs and cash. She also testified the drugs were found behind an air vent in the vehicle, not in a crevice between a seat and the vehicles console, as Walter had told the jury. Kay had added that the money was in her purse, not on the floor of the vehicle, as Walter testified. The case came down to a claim by Walter, the sole witness for the People, who conducted the stop and said he observed furtive movements in the car, Garcia said. He noted the new evidence could call into question the credibility of the prosecutions only witness. Garcia, however, did not agree with Alseranais other claim that Walter himself should have notified prosecutors in the criminal case about the jury verdict against him. The judge said neither prosecutors nor Walter suppressed the evidence because the jury verdict is public information that could have been found by defense counsel. He instead concluded that the onus was on the defense, not on prosecutors or the deputy, to find out the information about Walter. Under the landmark 1963 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brady vs. Maryland, prosecutors must alert defendants to any evidence favorable to the defense, including information that could call into question the credibility of a government witness. Subsequent court decisions have indicated that this so-called Brady obligation extends to members of the prosecution team, which includes law enforcement officers, agencies, crime labs or any other entity that acts in partnership with prosecutors in a given case. Alseranais attorney, Glen Jonas, said he was pleased his client won a new trial but expressed concern about the ruling. The judges ruling puts all defense attorneys on notice that its their obligation to find out about possible misconduct by officers, he said. While my client won today, the citizens of Los Angeles lost a little. In 2010, a federal civil jury found Walter and three other deputies liable for the use of false testimony or false evidence in a mans arrest. Ronald Johnson sued the deputies, saying they falsely arrested him outside a Lynwood motel in 2008, planted cocaine on him and beat him, sending him to an intensive care unit for six days. Johnson was charged, but the case was later dismissed. Walter did not immediately reply Tuesday to a call and messages seeking comment. He said in a previous interview that no false statements were ever used in Johnsons case and that he believed the verdict stemmed from the jurys apparent disapproval of a ruse used by deputies to entice Johnson to leave a building. He said using the ruse was legal. Jonas also represented Johnson in the previous civil case against Walter. He said the judges ruling Tuesday potentially opens Walter up to cross-examination on the Johnson case in Alseranais retrial. Im relieved, Alseranai said outside the courtroom after his conviction was tossed. I just want the truth to come out, the truth about dishonest cops. maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau ALSO California state Senate advances bill to repeal mandatory sentence enhancements for some drug convictions A drug lab chemist is to blame for the largest dismissal of convictions in U.S. history Must police disclose past accusations against them before testifying? The answer could overturn an L.A. County drug case UPDATES: 6:05 p.m.: This article was updated to say the district attorneys office declined to comment. 4:10 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Alseranai and his attorney and more details about the case and the judges ruling. This article was originally published at 11:10 a.m. Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Tuesday that investigators have identified additional cadets who may have taken rides in stolen police cars, part of an ongoing scandal involving the LAPDs signature youth initiative. Beck told the civilian Police Commission that the other cadets may have had some knowledge about or association with the seven teenage cadets who have been arrested on suspicion of stealing police cars and other equipment. The chief cautioned that although the cadets were believed to be much less involved than those who have been arrested, they still could face a criminal investigation, diversion or removal from the cadet program. Advertisement The cadets may have ridden in the cars without being involved in taking them and may or may not have known the police cars were stolen, Beck said. He declined to specify the number of newly identified cadets, calling it only a small handful. Beck said that so far, investigators do not suspect the involvement of any other full-time LAPD employees. The chief also outlined immediate steps he planned to take to tighten rules related to the cadet program, which is now under review. Beck said he would limit one-on-one contact and social media connections between cadets and officers, particularly those not involved in the program. LAPD brass have also made it very, very clear that cadets are not allowed to drive police vehicles, he said. The case exploded almost two weeks ago when three cadets were caught driving two stolen police cars. As police investigated how and why the teenagers took the cars, they uncovered details that further stunned the department. The cadets were accused of taking more equipment: police radios, Tasers, a bulletproof vest and a cruiser that had been missing for at least two weeks. Four more cadets were arrested. Investigators learned the teens had pulled over at least one person while in a stolen police car, letting the driver off with a warning. Last week, a 31-year-old officer was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old cadet suspected in the thefts. Beck personally handcuffed Officer Robert Cain on Thursday morning. Later, investigators found more than 100 guns inside the officers home, more than a third of which were illegal to own in California, sources told The Times this week. Beck confirmed Tuesday that police think at least some of those confiscated guns were illegal. On Monday, two sources told The Times that investigators had found text messages on Cains phone that allegedly suggested he had engaged in sex with another minor before the current accusations came to light. One of those sources said the alleged incident probably occurred years ago. Investigators do not have evidence of any additional victims, but Cain himself allegedly made the suggestion in a text message sent to the cadet he is accused of having sex with, the sources said. Detectives also found sexually explicit messages between Cain and the cadet, according to one of the sources. The LAPD is in the midst of what Beck has described as a top-to-bottom review to fully determine what happened. Matt Johnson, the president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, said he would also direct the civilian panels inspector general to review the cadet program, including its oversight, and the mechanisms the LAPD uses to secure and track its equipment. Times staff writers Richard Winton and James Queally contributed to this report. kate.mather@latimes.com @katemather To read the article in Spanish, click here ALSO No charges for LAPD officer who shot woman in South L.A., a killing that led to protests outside City Hall An assault by an LAPD officer led to a criminal conviction and now, a $500,000 settlement Can more civilian involvement improve how police are disciplined? L.A. is about to find out UPDATES: 6:40 p.m.: This article was updated with information from LAPD Chief Charlie Beck about the initial steps hes taking regarding the cadet program. 11:50 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details from Beck. This article was originally published at 10:50 a.m. After she was appointed to lead Orange Countys troubled Sheriffs Department in 2008, Sandra Hutchens vowed to be a change agent and clean house. Her predecessor, Michael S. Carona, had been indicted on federal corruption charges, and the agency was tainted by cronyism, sex scandals and allegations of rampant abuse in the countys jails. Nearly a decade later, as she faced mounting criticism over her departments handling of jailhouse informants and the brazen escape by inmates last year, Hutchens said Tuesday that she will not seek reelection. Advertisement Her announcement came hours after the American Civil Liberties Union released a scathing report alleging inhumane treatment in the jails under her watch, and about a week before her long-awaited testimony on the use of a jailhouse informant in a convicted killers case. In an interview, Hutchens said her decision to step down after a four-decade career in law enforcement has nothing to do with controversy. Forty years is enough, the sheriff said. It is time to step aside. Hutchens insisted she had turned around the struggling department, despite cutbacks amid the recession. The timing of her departure was driven by the need for a succession plan, she said. She has endorsed Undersheriff Don Barnes to replace her and said he needs time to organize his campaign. There will always be some controversy that occurs in a law enforcement agency, Hutchens said. I have faced storms before, and you know I dont back down from a challenge. I am not stepping down from office. I will be here for 18 months. The countys Board of Supervisors voted 3 to 2 to appoint her sheriff in 2008 after Carona, the longtime sheriff, stepped down while facing federal corruption charges. He was convicted of witness tampering and sentenced to 66 months in federal prison. For years, Hutchens the first woman to lead the agency was a popular figure in county politics. After spending her career rising through the ranks of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, she was viewed as an outsider positioned to reform the agency. Voters reelected her in 2014, and she received credit for bringing stability. When she came in, she was a solid choice, said David Harrington, the mayor of Aliso Viejo who retired from the Sheriffs Department after a 28-year career. She brought in good people and steadied the ship immediately after Mike Carona. But Harrington, who has announced his bid to run for sheriff in 2018, said as time went on, her department demonstrated failed leadership and poor communication, problems that have come to the fore in the management of the jail system. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into whether Orange County law enforcement routinely denied accused criminals fair trials by using jailhouse informants to secretly gather evidence. The allegations of a jailhouse informant network surfaced in the case of Scott Dekraai, convicted of killing eight people during a rampage at a Seal Beach salon. Dekraais attorney argued that an informant had been intentionally placed in proximity to his client to perhaps extract a confession. An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled that key information about the informant was not turned over to the defense as required, and jailhouse logs revealed a scheme to place informants near suspects. Prosecutors and sheriffs officials have called it a coincidence, but Dekraais attorney said the operation compromised defendants rights. The scandal has caused convictions to be tossed out and led to a steady series of negative publicity for the Sheriffs Department and the district attorneys office. Hutchens is expected to testify about the jailhouse allegations in Dekraais case next week. An internal investigation of deputies related to the jailhouse informants is three-quarters complete but on hold, she said, because of the pending criminal investigation by the attorney generals office as well as the ongoing federal probe. Hutchens said she was confident the truth will come out, but she declined to address specific issues about the jailhouse informant scandal, saying she was preparing for her testimony. This week, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California called on Hutchens to resign, citing her handling of the jailhouse informant scandal and what it called inhumane conditions in the lockups. For far too long the Sheriffs Department has balked at doing anything to fix the horrendous conditions in the Orange County jails system, said Esther Lim, a jails advocate with the ACLU who worked on the report. The end of Hutchens term, Lim said, provides the county an opportunity to finally clean house. The Sheriffs Department denounced the ACLU for not giving the perspective of law enforcement in the report and for providing a purposely distorted view of the countys jails. After Hutchens announced her decision to step down, Tom Dominguez, president of the union representing Orange County sheriffs deputies, thanked her for her service and focused on the election for a replacement. The Department needs strong, collaborative leadership to protect the public and work with its employees and our members, Dominguez said in a statement. A breast cancer survivor, Hutchens emphasized that she was not stepping down for health reasons. When she retires, she will have spent 10 years in the job, and she took the long view about tempests during her tenure. I have always been one to lean forward into the wind, she said. richard.winton@latimes.com matt.hamilton@latimes.com Times staff writer Adam Elmahrek contributed to this report. UPDATES: 9:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional background and comments from Aliso Viejo Mayor David Harrington. 7:50 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Tom Dominguez and additional information on the ACLUs jails report. 5:15 p.m. This article was updated with an interview with Hutchens. This article was originally published at 4:15 p.m. San Diego Superior Court Judge Gary Kreep sought to head off possible removal from the bench Wednesday by telling commissioners of the state judicial discipline agency he had acted inappropriately in his first months as a judge but has since changed for the better. The embattled Kreep spoke for about 20 minutes at a hearing of the California Commission on Judicial Performance in San Francisco. The 11-member commission is weighing what discipline, if any, Kreep should receive for violating judicial ethics and conduct rules while on the bench. In October, the commission filed charges of willful misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and improper action against Kreep. A lawyer for the commission said Kreeps conduct is so bad he should be removed as a judge the most serious penalty he can receive. Advertisement The commission took the matter under consideration after a one-hour hearing. A decision is expected in 90 days. While it was difficult to predict how the commission would rule based on the hearing, several members were skeptical whether Kreeps conduct warranted getting pulled off the bench. Are you saying, looking at the entire record, there is no salvation for this judge? Commissioner Anthony Capozzi asked Mark Lizarraga, the commissions lawyer who prosecuted the case against Kreep. Lizarraga did not budge from his position. He said the number of misconduct findings against Kreep 29 and that a panel of three judges known as special masters had found some of his explanations not credible weighed against him. His continued attempts to deflect or minimize his conduct is further evidence he lacks appreciation of his conduct, Lizarraga said. Kreep told commissioners, I have learned from my mistakes. He pointed out that the bulk of the charges against him occurred in 2013, when he first took the bench, and was unprepared for his new role after 37 years as a lawyer. I knew the law. I knew the evidence code, but I didnt know what it meant to be a judge, he said. The charges alleged that Kreep made a string of inappropriate comments to lawyers, litigants and court staff while on the bench, including some aimed at women attorneys with the San Diego County Public Defenders Office and San Diego City Attorneys Office. He commented on their appearance and used nicknames to refer to them, among other things. The commission also contended Kreep misrepresented his role in three organizations on his campaign website during his 2012 campaign for the bench, and violated judicial rules by engaging in political campaigning for a non-judicial office when he solicited support and money opposing President Barack Obamas re-election. The three-judge panel appointed by the commission held a two-week hearing on the allegations in San Diego in February. Kreep, along with other local judges and lawyers from the Public Defenders and City Attorneys offices, testified at the hearing. In April, the panel issued a 90-page report concluding Kreep violated judicial ethics rules when he made remarks to lawyers and litigants about their appearance and ethnicity. They faulted him for being tone deaf about how some of his comments could offend people, but credited him for changing his behavior since the first rocky months on the bench. The most serious finding by the panel said Kreep committed willful misconduct when he reacted to a move taken by the City Attorneys Office in September 2013. Fed up with his treatment of some of its lawyers, the office instituted a blanket challenge of Kreep. That is a tactic where prosecutors can boycott a judges courtroom from getting new cases. Kreep reacted angrily when informed of the challenge and that he was being sent to Traffic Court. He told some public defenders in his downtown San Diego courtroom during a break, If they are coming for me, they are likely coming for you, according to the panels report. Judicial rules say judges cant comment publicly when they are challenged. Before winning a seat on the bench in an electoral upset in 2012, Kreep had a legal career marked by taking on conservative legal causes, including filing birther lawsuits challenging Obamas right to be president by erroneously contending he was not born a U.S. citizen. Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com ALSO: Panel concludes San Diego Judge Gary Kreep violated judicial ethics rules Judicial panel report on Judge Gary Kreep Judge on trial: Gary Kreep disciplinary hearing begins Monday A Guatemalan man whose attorney managed to get him pulled out of line in May in a last-minute effort to prevent his removal from the U.S. has been deported. Carlos Paz Martinez, 25, a longtime El Cajon resident and new father of a U.S. citizen infant, was flown to Guatemala early this month. He has a criminal history, but federal officials told him he was deported because he had a removal order on file as an unauthorized immigrant, not because of that past. Paz Martinez came to the U.S. with his mother when he was about 3 years old. They applied for asylum but were denied and deported. They quickly came back to be with his father, and Paz Martinez lived in the U.S. until this month. Because of the removal order already on his case, he didnt have to go through immigration proceedings before being deported again. Advertisement Its emotionally difficult, especially when you have your house, your stuff, your cars, your clothes, miscellaneous things, food at home which you automatically just forfeit, and you have to start all over, Paz Martinez said in an interview using a smartphone app. Its one of the most emotional things someone can go through, especially if they have a family. Theyre just forced to give up and try to find a different way. Under President Donald Trumps immigration priorities, those with final orders for removal are targeted by immigration officers regardless of criminal history. Paz Martinez pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor marijuana offense at 18 and had a juvenile offense that is sealed. His lawyer said immigration officials told her they targeted Paz Martinez because of the removal order, not the criminal history. His fiancee, Amanda Cresci, a U.S. citizen, is hoping to travel soon with their newborn son to be with him. Im still transitioning mainly because I dont know anything here. I dont know anything, Paz Martinez said of Guatemala. I cant walk out comfortably and come back home because I dont know really where home is. He said one of the biggest adjustments has been getting used to the visible signs of the countrys violent crime. The U.S. Department of State lists the threat of violent crime in Guatemala as critical. It was very alarming to see security guards with heavy weaponry on every corner, Paz Martinez said. Everyone has some type of weapon whether its a sawed-off shotgun or a semi-automatic shotgun. Theres nothing small. Thats a whole different feeling, and it really puts it in perspective that theres still war going on, a civil conflict between the gangsters and the government. Paz Martinez said he and his mother, who was also recently deported, dont go out much except to get groceries a few blocks up the street. Theyve been staying with his aunt since Monday so that he can obtain documents necessary to find work and to bring his son out of the U.S. Hes hoping that once he has the proper Guatemalan documents, he can get a job at one of the call centers that employs many deportees because of their knowledge of American English and American culture. In the meantime, he said his family back in the U.S. has been helping to support him. The struggle is real. Its hard to get a job here, Paz Martinez said. Money doesnt come by easy. Paz Martinez hasnt been able to talk with his fiancee as much as he would like because of data costs for his phone and intermittent access to Wi-Fi. The separation is hard. He was taken into immigration detention in March, and though his family was able to visit on weekends, that wasnt enough, he said. Every weekend that I got to see him, I felt like he wasnt recognizing me enough or didnt know who I was, Paz Martinez said of his newborn son. That really hurt a lot. I just hope that he knows who his dad is and he grows up with his dad, you know. And to have him to be acclimated to this lifestyle and understand what the struggle is, and for him to see firsthand why we came to the states. Cresci said she is trying hard to stay positive for Paz Martinez because she knows how stressful the situation is for him. For the thousands of families that are going through this right now, its really rough, but you need to stay positive, always positive, Cresci said over the phone. You dont have another choice. Ultimately, Paz Martinez hopes to return to the U.S., which for him, unlike most deportees, is still a possibility. Paz Martinez was assaulted in November 2016 outside the Lemon Grove gym where he worked as a personal trainer. Since he testified against his attacker, he applied for a U-visa, designed to help unauthorized immigrants come forward to report crimes without worrying about their immigration status. Those who receive U-visas are eligible to apply for green cards after three years. Demand for the U-visa, which has a 10,000-per-year cap, has created a backlog that means Paz Martinez will have to wait years before possibly being able to return to the U.S. His lawyer hoped that immigration officials would let him wait in the U.S. while the visa processed, something that was common under the administration of former President Barack Obama. Under Trump, immigration officials decided to deport him. It was extremely disappointing and saddening, for our entire office when Carlos stay of deportation was not granted. We cannot imagine how difficult this situation has been for Carlos and his family, said his lawyer, Tessa Cabrera, via email. His immigration history was entirely beyond his control, and its unfair that as an adult he has to suffer the consequences. We hope that he remains safe for the time he has to be in Guatemala, and we look forward to being able to bring him back to the United States when his U-visa petition is ultimately granted. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials declined to comment on Paz Martinezs case. You just cant really brace for it, Paz Martinez said. I was fortunate enough to have my mom and cousin and aunt here who are very supportive and have some kind of stability here. I know others are less fortunate. They come here with nothing. They come here to nobody. Thats always hard. Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter Cities and counties across California are lobbying against a proposed state law that would accelerate approval of cell phone antennas by largely stripping local governments of their power to regulate installation of them. Telecommunications officials say streamlined approvals and lower fees would allow them to establish advanced wireless networks by installing thousands of smaller cellular antennas across the state. Supporters of the proposed law, Senate Bill 649, also say it would lower cell phone bills for customers and ensure California remains on the cutting edge of technological innovation. Critics, including more than 120 cities and counties across the state, say the law is a giant financial giveaway to the phone companies because it would force local governments to let them install antennas on public property for next to nothing. They also complain it would stifle public input by taking discretion away from local governments to determine the location and visual appearance of cell antennas. Advertisement People will be saying, Why did you let this ugly thing go up in front of my house? and I will have to tell them the state took it out of our hands, said Mayor Ron Morrison of National City, one of several municipalities in San Diego County lobbying against the law. The bill was approved by the state Senate on June 2 and got its first public airing in the Assembly on Wednesday at a meeting of the Local Government Committee. Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, is the bills sponsor and said city officials have focused their complaints on loss of land control when they are really concerned about losing the revenue they reap from cell antenna installations. They are being completely dishonest about why they oppose this bill, he said. They want to charge what they want to charge. Many cities receive as much as $3,000 per year in lease payments for individual antenna sites, but the proposed law would shrink that to a maximum annual administrative fee of $250. Hueso said hes confident consumers dont think its fair to pay higher rates so cities can receive additional revenue. Critics, however, say that taxpayers fund construction of the streetlight poles, traffic signals and city buildings where the antennas will be installed, so those taxpayers should be able to determine who uses them and how much they pay for that opportunity. The bill undermines our ability to ensure residents have a voice and get a fair return on any use of public infrastructure, said Rony Berdugo, legislative representative for the League of California Cities. In addition to financial implications, the leagues opposition also focuses on the bill forcing cities to allow installations without public input. Even if every single city resident complained about a particular small cell and its visual blight, cities and their councils would have no recourse to take them down, move them or improve their appearance or any other community impacts, Berdugo said. Mayors from six of Californias largest cities, who issued a joint letter of opposition on Monday, have focused their complaints more on the proposed law being a giveaway to telecommunications companies. Cities, and the public, are set to lose millions of dollars in revenue that will be transferred directly to corporations under this bill, the mayors of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Long Beach and Santa Ana wrote in the letter. This bill subsidizes the private sector with below market rates for the usage of public assets paid for by city residents. The mayors said telecommunications companies are expected to make more than $500 billion from a new advanced cellular network referred to as 5G, and that their profit margin could be as high as 30 percent to 40 percent. A spokeswoman for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said he hasnt taken a position yet on the proposed law, adding that his staff is reviewing some recent amendments. The industry association spearheading the bill, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association or CTIA, says its all about meeting demand for an advanced wireless network that will boost the economy. Installation of tens of thousands of new antennas must take place in coming years as the industry switches from 200-foot-tall towers that serve large areas to small cells that have shorter ranges. The smaller antennas would be a maximum of six cubic feet, but associated equipment boxes could be as large as 35 cubic feet. Because they serve smaller areas, more small cells must be installed and more approvals will be required from local governments. CTIA says building the wireless network of the future requires the rapid deployment of small cell antennas, and that the bill is designed to benefit California consumers and businesses, Hueso said the regulations in the proposed law would create a reliable and standardized process for approving antenna installations. Hueso also said his bill includes design guidelines and limits on the size of the antennas and associated equipment. Local governments would also retain their existing discretion for antennas proposed in coastal zones and historic districts, and the bill would prohibit installing antennas on fire stations. Hueso also argued against the characterization of the proposed law as a giveaway to private industry. They do make a lot of money this is by no means my attempt to put money in their pockets, Hueso said. Hueso received more than $35,000 in contributions from telecommunications companies during the 2015-16 reporting period. No contribution reports from 2017 have been submitted. Hueso works closely with the industry as chairman of the Senates Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. He said the goal of the proposed law is lowering rates for consumers by shrinking overhead costs in the industry, which Hueso said would spur increased competition among cellular providers. The big-city mayors, however, contend the bill would prevent innovation and competition because it is biased toward businesses already in the industry. They also defended existing local government regulations on antenna installations. Broadband deployment has not been hampered by reasonable regulations cities have developed, they wrote. Large cities have issued thousands of permits to carriers already, with hundreds more in the works. Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas agreed. Its really unfortunate that local control is being taken away from cities, she said. Its just a big grab by the telecommunications industry. Salas said shes tried unsuccessfully to persuade Hueso that the bill is bad government. We simply dont agree about the detrimental effect it would have on cities, she said. Other cities in the region that oppose the legislation are Vista, Encinitas, Menifee and El Centro. Supporters have said the goal is to get final approval of the legislation by September. Opponents have said that if the legislation is approved by the Legislature, they are hopeful Gov. Jerry Brown will veto it. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick County officials may have found a reprieve for a cross installed 51 years ago on airport land in Ocotillo Wells to honor a soldier who died in the Vietnam War that was set to be removed after a recent complaint that it violated state and federal law. The news that the cross would come down was first made public last month and created an outcry in the desert community, which is popular with offroad enthusiasts and campers. By Tuesday more than 4,800 people had signed an online petition to save the cross. Congressman Duncan Hunter then asked the Federal Aviation Administration in a June 12 letter to consider a request from the county that the land under the cross by sold to a private party so that the symbol could remain. Advertisement Since then, the county and FAA Western Region County officials have been constructively working together on the process of a land release request, said Alex Bell, a spokeswoman for the countys Land Use and Environmental Group. She said Tuesday the county agency is just awaiting the FAAs written response. The cross is roughly 84 feet from an unmarked property line at the site, one of eight airports in the region owned by the county. After a complaint was filed in January, county officials looked into the issue and determined a monument of this nature on government land is an establishment of religion and in violation of federal and state constitutions, Bell said in an email last month. The county said at the time it was looking at what could be done to resolve the problem. Soon after, Ocotillo Wells resident Sherri Kukla started an online petition urging people to voice their support for the monument. Were ready to battle for the right to stay where it is, said Kukla, who publishes S&S Off Road Magazine. She said that for five decades thousands of people visiting the desert have enjoyed the cross, which sits on a hill near a popular recreation area. She said the landmark has been helpful to off-roaders in the area. They use it as a point of reference, Kukla said. It has also been a source of comfort to those who have lost loved ones, she stated in an article in her magazine. Kukla said she didnt know the history of the cross when she received a call on May 9 alerting her that the county was going to remove it. The cross was erected in honor of Jim Bruce Robison, a 21-year-old Ocotillo Wells resident who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1966. His house, still owned by the family, is across the street from the cross. The cross also serves as an unofficial memorial for two other residents in the community, according to a news article Kukla found in her research. Kukla said she doesnt see it as a religious monument. Its a historical memorial monument, she said. Thats what really its about. The airport property was given to the county by the federal government in the 1950s with the stipulation that permission was required from FAA if the land should ever cease to be used for aviation purposes, according to Bell. The airport has two dirt runways, and the second-least aviation traffic of all the countys airports, averaging fewer than 200 takeoffs and landings per month, Bell said. No county or FAA staff is on site there. Bell said last month the county reached out to the FAA to request approval to sell the land under the cross to a private party or relocate the cross to another section of the airport that would be acceptable to sell, but the requests were denied. Supervisor Bill Horn, whose District 5 includes that area, also contacted Hunters office and asked him to support the request. That triggered Hunters June 12 letter. Bell, the county spokeswoman, said if the FAA agrees to the request, the county would work to sell the land to a private individual or group. If there are no interested buyers, the county will continue to explore relocation options for the religious aspects of the monument, and turn the existing base into an official war memorial to honor San Diegos servicemen and women. To see the Save the Ocotillo Memorial Cross petition, visit bit.ly/2r0yqsz. U-T Community Press reporter Karen Brainard contributed to this story. A woman hit by a pickup while she was walking to her childrens school to pick them up almost two weeks ago on the last day of classes has died, San Diego police and school officials said. The mother of two, Jennifer Jones, 40, suffered broken bones and a head injury in the June 14 crash at Burgener Boulevard and July Street in Bay Park, just a few feet away from her childrens school, according to a letter sent to parents by the principal of Longfellow K-8 Spanish Immersion Magnet School. Police said the 62-year-old man whose Ford Ranger hit Jones was questioned, then released. Advertisement Jones injuries initially were not considered to be life-threatening, but her head injury caused bleeding inside her brain, said Sgt. Tim Underwood of the San Diego police traffic unit. Jones died four days later, on June 18, while she was hospitalized. Emily Heiker, a friend of Jones and parent at Longfellow, created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Jones family. As you can imagine the shock of this loss is overwhelming to the young family, as their lives have been abruptly changed. Our community has lost a beautiful soul, and what better than to come together and help this family in their time of need, Heiker wrote. Jones is survived by her husband, Simon, and two children who attend Longfellow. In a follow-up email sent to parents Saturday, Principal Diana Sanchez said police asked anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call traffic investigators at (858) 495-7813. Breaking News Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez A pickup driver who led La Mesa police on a pursuit to El Cajon, then onto Interstate 8, slammed into the back of a semi-truck trailer at close to 90 mph early Wednesday, authorities said. The front of the pickup skidded under the back of the trailer, stopping just before the pickup windshield and cab could have been sheared off. Firefighters pried open the 52-year-old drivers door to get him out. He was treated for minor injuries, then jailed on suspicion of drunken driving, La Mesa police Sgt. Chad Bell said. Advertisement Bell said an officer noticed the pickup being driven erratically on Amaya Drive about 2 a.m. The officer tried to pull over the driver, but he accelerated away. With the officer in pursuit, the pickup driver hit a car on Primrose Drive and kept going into El Cajon. On West Main Street he took Interstate 8 west. Officers clocked him at 95 mph at some point before he rammed the back of the moving big-rig near state Route 125. The pickup driver sat pinned inside his truck until firefighters forced open his door and lifted him out. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, treated, then released and booked into jail, Bell said. The day after Lewis Witt was killed by a suspected drunken driver, his fellow bandmates got together to drink boxed wine and play songs to remember him by. It was a gathering Witt, described as tender-hearted and down-to-earth, would have approved of. The 61-year-old Bonsall man was up early Sunday and on his way to a fishing trip when his SUV was T-boned by a driver accused of running a red light while drunk, officials said. Advertisement The 33-year-old suspect, identified as Raul Dominguez, was taken to a hospital and then jailed on a number of charges including felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter. His bail was set at $750,000. Friends said Lewis grew up on a small apple orchard in Virginia. They said he called his mother, who still lived on the farm, everyday. And despite living in San Diego County for 15 years, he never lost his southern twang. He spent those years working as a civilian engineer at Camp Pendleton, in the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch, where the military vehicles are evaluated. Lewis was one of the hardest working people I ever met, said co-worker and close friend Jeff Blankenship. He was always willing to do anything for anyone. Thats just the kind of guy he was. Witt played in a bluegrass band called the Boathouse Funeral Band. Fellow musicians described him as a wizard on the guitar. He played the banjo and the fiddle as well. He also liked to paint and woodwork. On Monday, the night after his death, his band got together to play the tunes Witt loved, including one he had written called Still in Love with You. He was the kindest hearted person youd ever meet, said bandmate Carolyn Stinson. He was so open and accepting of everyone. Outgoing and fun. Witt is survived by his girlfriend, mother, brother and adult son. Its really a shame that a drunk driver would have taken him away from all of us, Blankenship said. Its a selfish thing to drink and drive. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com In the fields of health, economics and science, there are few opportunities for intervention and investment as impactful as the first months and years of life. Great medical research makes it clear the first months of life are critical to each childs future as this is when the brain architecture is shaped, dictating how children will interact with the world for their entire life. For these reasons, parental leave cannot be discussed as an optional job benefit for adults its a biological and developmental game changer for newborn babies. Related: Parental leave mandate hurts small business Advertisement A babys brain development starts just before birth and accelerates in the first three months, as well as throughout the first five years. What parents and caregivers do for and with their babies in those first weeks give children both a strong learning start and emotionally secure underpinnings for life. Every child is born with the ability to learn and absorb their environment and interactions with their caregivers faster than you can imagine. And these interactions in the earliest days and months are the crucial. While those loving interactions can be with any caring adult, parents are key. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthy full-term infants not be enrolled in child care until they are at least 12 weeks old due to their rapid developmental changes and the risk of quickly developing severe undetected illness. This science is why First 5 California launched its Talk. Read. Sing. campaign, which is currently on the airwaves across California. We want every parent to understand that nurturing interactions like talking, reading and singing help build connections in the brain that will affect their childs life forever. Quality interactions in the first months and years of a babys life result in a larger vocabulary, more developed social and emotional skills, better health outcomes, and even a more successful financial future for that child. However, knowledge about the brain science means nothing if parents are not able to take action to support their child, and take the time for action. Job protections are crucial for helping parents take parental leave. Under current California law, only parents who work for an employer with 50 or more employees are eligible for up to 12 weeks of job-protected parental leave, including protection for their familys health care coverage. That leaves too many new parents struggling with an impossible choice between the well-being of their new child and their financial security. A 2011 Field poll found almost 2 out of 5 employees who were eligible to use Californias Paid Family Leave program did not apply for the state benefit because they feared losing their job or other negative consequences at work. Californias Paid Family Leave program is employee-funded, with deductions from their very own paychecks, and yet these parents never get to access the benefit because they have no job protections. One piece of legislation would change this dire reality for up to 2.7 million California workers while only affecting 6 percent of businesses. SB 63 by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, would ensure more California parents who have been paying into the Paid Family Leave program would be able to use this benefit for parental leave without risk of losing their jobs. Specifically, SB 63 would extend basic job protections to new parents in businesses with 20 or more employees. The science proves, and our children deserve, state policies to strengthen these critical first months of life. No parent should have to choose between the well-being of their new child and their familys financial security and health care coverage. As a health systems and business leader for over 40 years, I am moved by the power of this brain science and the positive effects this basic support for parents has on children, childrens future life outcomes, and our shared economic potential. Parental leave for the first key months of a childs life is not a luxury to debate its a developmental necessity for each child. Job protections will allow more mothers and fathers to bond with their babies in the first months of their life, and lay the strong foundation for their childrens futures and our future economic prosperity. Halvorson, former CEO of Kaiser Permanente, is chairman of First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission. One of the things keeping state legislators busy in Sacramento right now is a shortsighted attempt to impose on California small businesses a new, one-size-fits-all mandated leave program that threatens their ability to stay in business. SB 63 would impose a new unmanageable mandate on small business. The bill would dictate another leave program over and above the existing pregnancy disability leave for new parents. Related: California must expand parental leave protections Advertisement Small-business owners want to be sensitive to the needs of new parents. But with limited resources and limited flexibility in managing their workforce, the best way for employers to meet the needs of new parents beyond what is already required in statute for pregnancy disability leave is to work out a mutually agreeable solution. This proposal is unworkable because there is no flexibility. The cookie-cutter approach required under SB 63 would not adequately take into account the fact that in order to be profitable, a business must be responsive to its clients. The situation SB 63 would create could make this impossible. Very troubling is the fact that the proposal would allow employees to sue their boss if the employer could not grant leave on the employees terms. SB 63 would put the employer in an untenable position of choosing between the threat of litigation by trial lawyers or meeting their customers needs. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a measure that was nearly identical to SB 63, saying, I am concerned, however, about the impact of this leave particularly on small businesses and the potential liability that could result. Yet the bill was reintroduced again this year without any sensitivity to either the governors or small businesses concerns. The threat of litigation under this proposal is significant. Any claim that the employer denied, interfered with, discouraged, retaliated or attempted to do any of these actions with regard to the employees 12-week leave could expose the employer to compensatory damages, injunctive relief, declaratory relief, punitive damages and attorneys fees. A 2015 study by insurance provider Hiscox regarding the cost of comparative employee lawsuits estimated that the cost for a small employer to defend and settle a single plaintiff claim was approximately $125,000. This amount is without regard to the merit of the claim and could easily put a small employer completely out of business. The size of the employer to whom SB 63s mandate would apply also contributes to the bills overreach. The practical reality of how the policy would need to be implemented makes the measure particularly onerous. While the bill purports to only apply to businesses with 20-50 employees within a 75-mile radius, it does not take into account the impact on individual locations. Consider a scenario where a businesses individual location employs five people and three are out on mandated protected leave programs. The inflexibility of the bill means there is no opportunity to work out a mutually agreeable arrangement for the leave to make sure both the needs of the employee and employer are met. Most small businesses do not have a dedicated human resource officer who can monitor and juggle all the various leave programs available to employees nor can small businesses absorb workload with numerous employees in one location out on simultaneous leaves. This proposal ignores the limited resources of a small business. Proponents often emphasize the idea that SB 63 wouldnt cost employers anything because it deals with unpaid leave. What they forget to mention is that small businesses or companies who deal with very specialized products or services cannot simply hire a temp to do the job necessary to stay profitable. Also, under the proposal, employers are required to continue to maintain and pay for the absent employees health coverage during his or her leave. Additionally, the employer must either pay other employees overtime to cover the duties of the individual on leave or hire a temp, if possible, at a premium price to cover during the absence. California is already recognized by the National Conference of State Legislatures as one of the most family-friendly states given its list of programs and protected leaves of absence, including paid sick days, school activities leave, kin care, paid family leave program and pregnancy disability leave all of which apply to small business. This list is in addition to the leaves of absence required at the federal level. Leave policies like the one proposed in SB 63 can overtake and strain small-business employers who, ironically, are needed by families to provide the jobs, paychecks and benefits that will allow them to support their families in the future. Barrera is senior policy advocate for CalChamber. America has a crippling housing crisis, but Rep. Jason Chaffetz , R-Utah, says members of Congress shouldnt have to suffer either. So on his final week in Congress, the exiting lawmaker proposed a $2,500 monthly housing stipend for elected officials to live a decent quality of life in Washington. Who would pay for that housing stipend? You, the American taxpayer. Chaffetz, who said he earns $174,000 a year, explained the reasoning behind his proposal to The Hill: Washington, D.C., is one of the most expensive places in the world, and I flat-out cannot afford a mortgage in Utah, kids in college and a second place here in Washington, D.C., Chaffetz said. I think a $2,500 housing allowance would be appropriate and a real help to have at least a decent quality of life in Washington if youre going to expect people to spend hundreds of nights a year here. Its unclear how far Chaffetz was willing to go to make such a proposal happen his last day in Congress is Friday, after all but many people quickly reacted to it, taking their shots at Chaffetz and an idea that seemed as out of touch as a comment he made in March saying people needed to choose betweeen buying health insurance or that new iPhone . Related: Republican says Americans must choose between health care or new iPhone The Hill did the math too and found that $2,500 for monthly rent comes out to $30,000 a year. Make that for each of the 535 members of Congress in Washington, D.C., and you get $16 million a year. Chaffetz said despite his handsome salary, he spends money on flights back and forth between Washington and his home in Utah on top of all his other living expenses at home. He says he sleeps in his Washington office. Not everyone dismissed the points Chaffetz made. There is a real problem of money in politics in America, and over time people have proposed taxpayer subsidies for elected officials as a way to combat moneys influence in policy. People on Twitter seemed to have grasped that concept as well. Chaffetz, who was also the chairman of the House oversight committee, announced in May that he would resign from Congress to return to the private sector effective June 30. A special election to fill his seat in Utahs third Congressional district is expected to take place on Nov. 7. In March when Chaffetz was criticized for telling Americans to choose between paying for health care or a new iPhone, he later clarified that he meant to emphasize a point about personal responsibility. What will be Chaffetz legacy in Congress? How will his Republican and Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives remember him? Have some thoughts to share? Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet. Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @RunGomez Read The Conversation on Flipboard. ALSO Why Jason Chaffetz leaving Congress makes Democrats smile Health care or new iPhone: Republican says Americans must choose After Handel tops Ossoff in Georgia, GOP special election dominance in Trump era continues Father Andre Ramos and Deacon Patrick Byrne are being honored this month by Immaculate Heart of Mary parishioners and Ramona neighbors as they wind down their ministry in Ramona and look forward to new challenges elsewhere. A Farewell and Thanksgiving Mass and dinner will be celebrated at the Catholic church, 537 E St., on Thursday, June 29, at 6:30 p.m. All are invited. The event is free. For Deacon Pat, this month is bittersweet. A Ramona resident since 1984, he served on the Ramona Community Planning Group from 1986-90. A retired Federal Firefighter in San Diego, he fought the wildfires in Ramona in 2003 and 2007, helping displaced families in San Diego Country Estates. Ordained a deacon by the Diocese of San Diego in 2011, he has served at his home IHM parish throughout his ministry. His wife, Judy, is also active in the church and is also a member of the Prayers and Squares quilting group and the Back Country Quilters. Deacon Pat and his wife are moving to Pueblo, Colo., to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. My dream continues to be that the people of all faiths in the Ramona community come together to support one another, Deacon Pat said. There are many doors of faith in Ramona. Please find your right path and be closer to God. Father Andre, who will be a priest for 30 years in October, is leaving his pastorate at Immaculate Heart of Mary where he has served since 2008. He will begin a new chapter in his priestly ministry at Guardian Angels Church in Santee. It has absolutely been a great experience to be with the faithful people of Ramona and now the Lord is giving me a new opportunity to go and minister at another parish, said the priest Father Andre previously served in five other parishes: St. Marys in National City, Holy Trinity in El Cajon, St. Michaels in San Diego, St. Rose of Lima in Chula Vista, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Rancho Penasquitos. I just asked the faithful to pray for me and my ministry, he said. This will make me very happy as I leave this wonderful faith community. Twenty-five years ago San Diego Police Officer Fred Wilson wanted a way to encourage interaction between his fellow officers and the citys senior residents. His idea launched in Rancho Bernardo not only transformed the way volunteers helped San Diego police, but led to similar groups forming worldwide over the past quarter-century. Wilson, now a retired sergeant, said his idea was to form a group of retirees a Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol that would help police and in doing so increase communication between police and those they served. RSVP was to have three tasks: serve as extra sets of eyes and ears in the community, regularly check on elderly shut-ins (the You Are Not Alone or YANA program) and provide free vacation house checks while residents were away. I wanted seniors to interact with the police and figured the way to make (that interaction) legitimate was to have a defined goal, Wilson said. After gaining approval from then-police Chief Bob Burgreen and legal clearance from the city attorney, the first RSVP unit was launched in Rancho Bernardo. Its founding class in the summer of 1992 had 21 graduates. The silver anniversary of RB RSVPs founding was celebrated on June 21, when current and former patrol members and their spouses, police officers, government representatives and Wilson gathered in the Rancho Bernardo Librarys community room. Wilson said there were a few reasons he selected RB, including its demographics and his personal ties to the community. He was familiar with RB as a SDPD community relations officer plus his mother lived in its Seven Oaks neighborhood. This was an experiment in volunteer policing, said RB RSVP Administrator David Piccus when talking about the programs start. He called its quick formation and gain of city bureaucratic support within six months equivalent to the speed of light since such an undertaking typically takes much longer. It was given a six-month trial and in that period proved itself to be a success beyond everyones expectations, Piccus said. It was so successful that (RSVP groups) were springing up in different divisions of SDPD, even Traffic Division. Wilson said the way RB RSVP members excelled at their duties meant police soon wanted to expand the ways volunteers could take on duties not requiring a sworn officer, which in turn gave SDPDs limited number of officers more time to focus on protecting the community plus solving and preventing crimes. It became so popular with the department that they came up with more and more creative ways to use RSVP, Wilson said. These included patrolling bank parking lots to serve as a visual deterrent to criminals, giving stranger danger presentations at elementary schools (this included a volunteer donning a McGruff the Crime Dog costume), fingerprinting children during community outreach events and helping with traffic control at accidents and events. The RB units success also quickly led to RSVP units forming in other parts of the city. Within weeks Wilson said he got a call from the San Diego sheriff, who wanted to learn about RSVP. He started a similar organization in Encinitas, then Poway. As more law enforcement organizations learned of Wilsons concept, SDPDs RSVP program quickly served as the inspiration and model for similar groups to form throughout California, the United States and countries around the world, he said. You have changed the face of policing, said SDPD Executive Assistant Chief Todd Jarvis at the June 21 event. We get so much more out the relationship than you can imagine. Our new recruits work with you. There is so much value you bring to this organization, this whole profession, ... it started with you. We couldnt do what we do without your calmness, your demeanor, said SDPD Capt. Stephanie Rose of Northeastern Division. You keep our officers level with how you behave and act. ... They emulate how you are and how you act. ... Everywhere I have gone I have never seen more professionalism, politeness and helpfulness. Thank you also to your families for allowing you to do this as long as you have. Since the initial class of 21 volunteers in 1992, the Rancho Bernardo unit has had a total of 267 volunteers, said RB RSVP Assistant Administrator Shelby Long. Over the past 25 years they have performed more than 400,000 hours of service. The citys 72nd training class of new recruits will graduate in August. Now contributing around 100,000 hours annually citywide, there are currently 315 RSVP members spread among 13 RSVP offices and storefronts, with 28 active volunteers based in the RB RSVP storefront on the RB Librarys second-floor, Long said. After getting city approval and working out the logistics and legal ramifications, Wilson said the rest quickly came together. The Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation agreed to serve as the financial sponsor so RB RSVP could have non-profit status and accept donations needed to provide patrol cars, uniforms and other supplies the volunteers needed. Jarvis said initially there was some pushback from the Police Officers Association, due to concerns RSVP would take away work from officers. But that quickly passed and he, then a motorcycle officer, was among those quick to recognize the benefits of using volunteers. There is always pushback, but the officers bought into (RSVP) because of their interactions (with volunteers), Wilson said. (Police realized RSVP members) did not want to be cops, that was number one, and number two, that RSVP was just what they said it was retirees doing this as volunteerism. ... They started to look at them like their own parents. Wilson added, When officers would take out RSVP candidates (on a ride along) they got to interact one-on-one. The candidates would say nice things about the officers, how they work hard ... but when you would ask the officers, their eyes would light up (when talking about the volunteers life experiences). ... These were not just some volunteers, but first-class citizens. That left a big impression. The program is open to those age 50-plus who have a California driver license. For details, call 858-538-8146. Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com Members of the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church came together recently to give a Poway family a safe home. About 150 members of the congregation helped remodel the home of the family, including making donations and working on the home itself, said Tom Hurn, who helped remodel the familys home. Hurn said the church became aware of the familys needs through Friends & Family Community Connection and its leader Phil Harris. FFCC is a non-profit organization that does many local and international community service project. Our church has been looking for opportunities that allow our congregation to live out our vision and values that include embracing our local community through love and grace, said Hurn. We became aware of the family through FFCC who has provided them assistance in the past. Hurn said that the family of six, which includes 5-year-old twins, a 7-year-old and a 17-year-old, was barely able to meet the basic needs of food and clothing and that their mobile home had multiple issues they were unable to address, including a severely damaged subfloor. The original plan was to (do the repairs) in a couple of phases that had been laid out by FFCC, said Hurn. But as we got into it, we decided it would be better to knock it all out and give the family a better place to live. The family had little in the way of furniture, Hurn said, with only a couch and loveseat. They slept on mattresses on the floor, because the subflooring was so damaged beds would break through it. They didnt even have a table to eat at, he said. The damage to their home was way beyond their means to fix. Over 2 1/2 weeks, members of the RBCPC put in new subfloors and flooring; constructed a partition of walls to create a third bedroom; refurbished the kitchen with new countertops, new cabinets and new appliances; painted the inside and outside of the home; installed a new washer and dryer; constructed a new skirt around the base of the mobile home; did some landscaping; gave the family several pieces of furniture, including a kitchen table and beds; and did a general clean-up of the property. We took on a bit more than we originally thought, but it was well worth it, he said. The family was overwhelmed by the changes to their home, Hurn said. It totally changed their lives in a really big way, he said. There was lots of joy, lots of tears. Hurn said this was possible thanks to the strong response from the congregation. Between 15 and 20 people worked on the home each day over the 2 weeks, he said, and many other donated to a gift registry at Target to provide the family with badly needed household items. The church also received assistance from local businesses, with Poway Lowes providing a discount on building materials and free or discounted items from Dixieline, Ferguson, Jackson Design and Construction, Hurn Mechanical, J&L Insulation, Closet Depot and San Diego Pest and Termite, he said. Hurn said the congregation has talked about doing other projects like this one in the future. We cant do one every month, but weve talked about it. We want to live out our values in the community and one of those values is to be a blessing to others. It was a super rewarding experience and I was really glad to be a part of it. Email: news@pomeradonews.com Several human studies on consumption of mango (Mangifera indica) have found multiple health benefits associated with the fruit including improved blood pressure, blood sugar control, and gut health. The findings were published recently in the FASEB Journal and presented at the 2017 Experimental Biology Conference. This emerging research shows promising outcomes on mangos potential to reduce the risk of metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation, said Leonardo Ortega, Director of Research at the National Mango Board. The research was carried out by scientists from Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University. In one of the studies, Dr. Susanne Mertens-Talcott, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University, and co-authors examined the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of gallic acid, galloyl glycosides, and gallotannins in lean and obese individuals that consumed 400 g of freshly frozen mango pulp daily for six weeks. Extended mango consumption may offer increased anti-inflammatory benefits compared to sporadic mango consumption and this would need to be confirmed within an extended efficacy study, Dr. Mertens-Talcott said. In a randomized pilot study, Texas A&M University postdoctoral researcher Dr. Hyemee Kim and colleagues investigated the potential role of mango consumption in changes of the gut microbiota, bioavailability of galloyl metabolites, and anti-inflammatory activities in lean and obese subjects. In a separate study, Texas A&M University scientist Dr. Chuo Fang and co-authors investigated the metabolic effects of daily consumption of freshly frozen mango pulp (400 g) for six weeks in lean and obese subjects and the relationship between mango metabolites to Body Mass Index (BMI) and circulating biomarkers. Daily mango consumption lowers blood pressure in lean individuals, and benefits obese individuals by maintaining long-term glucose homeostasis, the researchers concluded. Galloyl-derivatives from mango may possess therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders, which remain to be confirmed in a larger-size human clinical trial. Oklahoma State University researcher Crystal OHara and colleagues examined the post-prandial response of young, healthy males (18-25 years) following consumption of a typical American high-fat breakfast with or without a mango shake, which included 50 g of mango pulp (equivalent to 250 g of fresh mango). Acute mango consumption had modest effects on post-prandial responses, the authors said. _____ Susanne U Mertens-Talcott et al. 2017. Adaptation of Galloyl Derivatives Metabolism and Excretion After 42 Days of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Consumption. The FASEB Journal 31 (1): supplement 646.14 Hyemee Kim et al. 2017. Intestinal Microbiota and Host Metabolism Respond Differentially in Lean and Obese Individuals Following Six-Week Consumption of Galloyl Derivatives from Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Pulp. The FASEB Journal 31 (1): supplement 166.8 Chuo Fang et al. 2017. Daily Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Consumption for 42 Days Differentially Modulates Metabolism and Inflammation in Lean and Obese Individuals. The FASEB Journal 31 (1): supplement 431.3 Crystal OHara et al. 2017. The Effects of Acute Freeze-Dried Mango Consumption with a High-Fat Meal on Post-Prandial Responses in Healthy Young Adult Males. The FASEB Journal 31 (1): supplement 166.3 Simple mud concrete bricks provide the most affordable and sustainable houses in the tropics, a Sri-Lankan study suggests. Comparisons of four different types of walling materials revealed that mud concrete bricks have the lowest environmental impact and keep houses cool. They are also the cheapest, and easiest to dispose of once a house is knocked down. Researchers compared mud concrete bricks with red bricks (modern fired clay bricks), hollow cement blocks and Cabook, the Sri Lankan name for bricks made from laterite soil, which are common in the tropics. The goal of the study was to find out which types of walling material are the most suitable for constructing affordable houses in the tropics, where population density and poverty are generally high. The sustainability of buildings and housing construction is essential to save lives and prevent inadequate living conditions. Christophe Lalande Why spend more money and destroy the environment more? asks Rangika Halwatura, a civil engineer at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka, and one of the authors of the paper. Mud concrete bricks are made from soil in the same way as traditional mud bricks, but contain gravel and sand to improve their strength. The researchers looked at the carbon footprint of all four walling materials, and found that mud concrete bricks were the most environmentally friendly to produce and dispose of. To check on thermal conductivity the researchers built one-square-metre model houses of the different walling types. Here, they found that red brick kept a house coolest, but mud concrete bricks performed almost as well. Mud concrete bricks were also found to be the cheapest, at less than US$1,000 in Sri Lanka for an average-sized house, whereas red bricks cost nearly US$3,500. Mud concrete bricks are widely used in other tropical countries but novel in Sri Lanka. They are popular because they are easy to make and therefore cheap, says Hurryson Moshi, a civil engineer in Tanzania. However, Moshi points out that as people grow wealthier they prefer the red bricks and cement blocks, as these are associated with higher socio-economic status. Red Brick (modern fired brick), Cement (Hollow Cement Blocks), Cabook (laterite soil brick), Mud (mud concrete brick). Adapted from a graphic Udawattha and Halwatura, with permission. Moshi agrees with the studys findings but says that other considerations, such as aesthetics, and symbols of modernity or social status, influence peoples choice of materials. Future studies should also take into account other sources of environmental damage such as deforestation (to produce timber to fire the bricks) or excavation of soil, he added. In 2015, the government of Sri Lanka launched a programme to build 150,000 houses for the poor. This triggered the researchers idea to compare the different types of brick. According to the United Nations, more than 850 million people around the world live in inadequate slum housing. According to Christophe Lalande, leader of the UN-Habitats Housing Unit, poor neighbourhoods in developing countries are often the most affected by climate change and natural hazards such as storms and rising temperatures. The sustainability of buildings and housing construction, being adapted to the local environment, is essential to save lives or prevent inadequate living conditions, he says. Samsung has recently announced that a new Rose Pink version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus will be released ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 launch. However, the smartphone would only be made available for users in Taiwan only. According to Gadgets NDTV, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Rose Pink version still has the same specs of the renowned flagship device. The company was also seen to rename the previous Coral Blue, Maple Gold and Orchid Grey of the devices in Taiwan to Ice Lake Blue, Smoked Purple Grey, and Quicksand Gold instead. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Rose Pink version is then mentioned to still sport the same 6.2-inch Quad HD+ Infinity Display with 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution. The device still has the same 4GB RAM powered by 1.9GHz octa-core Exynos 8895 processor. The 12-megapixel primary rear camera and 8-megapixel camera features remain as well alongside its 3500mAh non-removable battery. Aside from the Rose Pink version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, the South Korean based company was said to already release some unique colors of their smartphones previously as well. Among those released were the Berry Pink Galaxy Note, Pink Galaxy S III, Pink Samsung Galaxy S5 along with the Pink Gold Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. Speaking of Samsung S8 Plus, WCCF Tech reported that a Samsung S8 Active was spotted at GFXBench, a benchmarking site. The smartphone was seen under the code name of SM-G892A. Yet, it will be quite not similar to the first variants as it is rumored to change its Gorilla Glass 5 to a plastic display instead. It is also stated to minimize its screen display to 5.4 inches only and put small bezels at the sides. Nonetheless, confirmation, pricing and availability of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active wasnt disclosed but was just leaked. Rest assured, the Rose Pink version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is already available in Taiwan for the price of TW 27,900 which is said to cost to an estimated tag of $906 in the US. A new study reveals that the East Siberian Arctic Sea is thawing rapidly than previously thought. It thaws at a rate of 14 cm each year, which is much faster for permafrost on land. The study was printed in the journal Nature Communications. It was led by researchers from Stockholm University. The study suggests that the thawing of permafrost in the Arctic subsea could lead to the increased global warming as there will be an increase of discharge of methane. Orjan Gustafsson, the Professor of Biogeochemistry at the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES) and the Bolin Center for Climate Research and co-author of the study, said that the area that is thawing is about four Baltic Seas. He described it as enormous. In the study, the scientists have examined the observations taken from 2011 to 2015 in coastal ocean off Northeast Siberia. There was a sea-ice based camp that was formed each year by specialty vehicles and heavy drilling equipment, which was utilized to dig into the permafrost in the seafloor. Meanwhile, the scientists compared the sediment core samples with the calculations taken from the same area 30 years earlier. The results showed that the ocean floor has rapidly warming. The researchers stated that at the end of the Ice Age, there was about -18 degrees Celsius temperature of the seafloor. They further stated that the permafrost is now thawing at a rate of 14 cm per year for a total of 10 meters in the last 30 years. They also examined the boundary between frozen and thawed permafrost. They discovered that it was 10 to 30 meters deep and now sinking rapidly. The thawing of permafrost could generate channels for methane that might contribute to the warming of the planet. Permafrost is a frozen ground composed of decomposing organic material and creates methane by this process. Once the permafrost layer starts to weaken, the methane is discharged, according to Stockholm University. Researchers discovered that the ozone layer is being threatened by chemicals discharged by industries. These include the chemical used for solvents, production of pharmaceuticals and paint removers, among others. This might cause the slowing down of healing of the ozone layer in Antarctica anywhere between 5 and 30 years. Ryan Hossaini of Lancaster University in the United Kingdom said that as emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-eating chlorine compounds are stopped under the 30-year-old Montreal Protocol, emissions of another chemical known as dichloromethane also referred to as methylene chloride have been increasing. He further said that they are now more than a million tons each year, and concentrations of dichloromethane in the lower atmosphere have been doubled since 2004, as New Scientist noted. Meanwhile, Robyn Schofield, an environmental scientist at the University of Melbourne, Australia and not involved in the study, described the findings as frightening and a big deal. The ozone layer is also referred to as ozone shield. It is a part of the stratosphere of the planet Earth that absorbs most of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. It protects the planet Earth from the Sun's radiation. Ozone layer composes of high concentrations of ozone (O3). The layer is found in the lower portion of the Earth's stratosphere, from about 20 to 30 kilometers above the planet. Hossaini explained that the increase in emission of the chemicals would likely be due to human sources. The current emissions of dichloromethane are estimated to be about 1 million metric tons per year, according to Science. So, what will happen if there is a continuous increase of the dichloromethane emissions in the coming years? The analyses suggest that the Antarctic zone will not recover to pre-1980 levels until well after the year 2100. This is not good. Experts urge to regulate substances such as dichloromethane to curb the emissions that affect the ozone layer. LAKE CITY, S.C. The Lake City Police Department has taken extra steps to assist people in the community who are elderly or have special needs through its Checkmate program. The fairly new program started in February and has about 20 participants. Lake City Police Chief Kipp Coker said the Checkmate program was started to be a helping hand and voice for elderly people who do not have anyone else to help them. He first heard about this type of program through the Sumter Police Department. Community-oriented Policing Officer (C.O.P) LaKeshia Burgess spearheads the Lake City program and visits with several elderly people a day to ensure their well-being. She makes her rounds to each of the 20 participants each week and speaks with them on the phone daily. Participants are required to call her daily to report in. The program is catered towards senior citizens who do not have family members or friends who are physically able to visit with them on a regular basis. Burgess said she was recommended to lead the Checkmate program because of her relationship with the community. The elderly and children are my specialty. Sometimes they cant protect themselves, Burgess said. Theyre the innocent ones and I try to be there for them. They have my cell number. They can call me anytime they want. Burgess is originally from New York but has worked with the Lake City Police Department for 22 years. I would say 90 percent of them (people in Lake City) know me because Ive been here 22 years, Burgess said. If I dont know you directly, I know somebody in your family. Beverly Peterson was one of the first people who signed up to participate in the Checkmate program when it started in February. She said it feels nice to have someone to check on her regularly. Burgess said Peterson lives by herself and cannot get around much. I just thank the Lord I have the help, someone to check on you, Peterson said. I sure need it. Burgess said shell do anything she can to help the Checkmate participants, including going to the store for them if need be. Linda Coward, 74, was referred to the Checkmate program by one of her neighbors. Coward said most of all, she likes the safety provided by the program. She lives alone in Lake City and most of her family lives away in Rock Hill, Columbia and the Greenville area. I feel, even though I have my security system, I feel like theyre (the police department) really watching me , Coward said. I like the safety of it. I feel more secure with that and my security system. Coward said she encourages all elderly people to participate in the Checkmate program. Clanzy Graham, who is also a participant of the Checkmate program, said the program is convenient during times when a senior citizen may not feel well and needs to see a doctor. Theyll send you help. And I think thats a good thing, Graham said. And a lot of people are sick. From minute to minute, you dont know whats going to happen. Its always good to have someone you can call and you know youre going to get some help. Graham said she does not mind Burgess stopping in to check on her. Actually, she loves it. Ive never heard of a program like this until she came to the center (Lake City Senior Center) and was talking about it and said it was good for the people who live alone, Graham said. And you know, I fit right into that category because I do live alone. And if I didnt get out and go to the center, I wouldnt see anybody at all. Coker said the success of the Checkmate program has been tremendous and has helped a lot of people who are elderly. Thats what were there for, people who dont have family or friends that are close to check on them on a regular basis, Coker said. And thats where we come in at. People who are interested in participating in the Checkmate program can pick up registration forms from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Lake City Police Department or Lake City Senior Center. Sailing between London Tilbury and Bergen starting in January 2019, 'In Search of the Northern Lights' will establish Viking as the first US cruise line to offer a full-length itinerary in the Arctic Circle in the winter. Six departures are planned. 'Our Nordic heritage is evident in all that we do ... and no other cruise line can show guests this part of the world like we can,' Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said. 'Norways landscapes in the winter are truly magnificent, something few North Americans get to witness. I am pleased to offer this exclusive opportunity for our guests to explore my homeland.' Sailing on Vikings third 930-passenger ocean ship, Viking Sky, passengers will experience Norways beauty and dramatic snow-dusted wilderness, with a chance each day to stargaze and scan the dark skies for the northern lights. On the 13-day cruise, travelers will be able to immerse themselves in northern Europe's culture by visiting seven destinations, with overnights at Troms, Alta and Bergen, and an included excursion in each port. Alta is home to some of northern Europes most magnificent natural beauty, and its frequent clear skies make it an ideal place to view the luminous aurora borealis. While there, passengers can visit the nearby native Sami community of Maze for an authentic lunch of local dishes and an exciting ride in a reindeer-drawn sleigh. Troms offers northern Norway's largest concentration of wooden houses, dating back to 1904, in contrast with modern buildings including the Arctic Cathedral, a stunning triangular building in white and icy blue. In Stavanger, passengers can explore the Archaeological Museum, where a host in traditional Viking dress will demonstrate essential tools and artifacts of the time period. The Swords in Stone monument commemorates the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. During the Bergen call, passengers can explore the wharf area Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was central to the city's role in the Hanseatic League, and take a gondola ride to see the city and fjord from Mount Ulriken. Other stops on the cruise are Bod and Narvik. Fares for Vikings new 'In the Search of the Northern Lights' cruise start at $4,999 per person. From now through June 30, US residents can take advantage of an early booking discount of two-for-one cruise fare and $500 off the price of international air. According to a ReCAAP ISC report, the CP41 was boarded by pirates about 25nm off Kuantan on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia while it was en route from Singapore to Songkhla province in southern Thailand. The report said that at about 9pm six pirates, all speaking Bahasa Indonesia, boarded the vessel and armed with guns and knives, locked the master and crew in the engine room. The ship's engineer was ordered to siphon the cargo from the tanker to the pirates' vessel. It is estimated about 1.5m litres of diesel was transferred.The hijackers released all the crew unharmed at about 4.20am the next morning and left the vessel after destroying communications equipment. The CP41 was transporting a total of some 3.8m litres of diesel, and is currently anchored off Songkhla while awaiting investigations. Fuel siphoning attacks, while once frequent in Southeast Asian water, had stopped for some time, with ReCAAP ISC noting that the last similar incident was reported in October last year. Press Release June 28, 2017 Drilon says Duterte can realign funds, Congress may pass supplemental budget for Marawi rehabilitation Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said that President Rodrigo Duterte can use his power to realign the budget to augment funds for the government relief and long-term rehabilitation efforts in Marawi city. "We support the President's desire to help Marawi City to recover from this tragic incident," Drilon said in a statement. "In view of the considerable loss and damages that happened in Marawi, I urge the judicious use of available resources to beef up rehabilitation of the city. The President can exercise his power to realign funds in accordance with the recent Supreme Court decision on the use of savings to augment funds," Drilon stressed. He said that the government may utilize a portion of the P15.7 billion in national disaster reduction and management fund for the swift delivery of basic services, which were temporarily stalled due to the siege. He said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health should continue to utilize their quick response fund for immediate relief operations. "We must do everything we can to help our countrymen who have lost their homes, their livelihood, and their loved ones in the midst of war. Immediate and effective aid must come to the people of Marawi whose lives have been affected so much by this terrible tragedy," he said. He, however, expressed concerns that "calamity fund may not be enough" to fund long-term rehabilitation such as reconstruction of damaged facilities. "The calamity fund may only be good for immediate relief efforts, but we need funds for the immediate rehabilitation, repair and construction of severely damaged infrastructure, buildings and facilities," he said. Drilon said that the President can tap unused funds in the budget to augment the funds for the rehabilitation of Marawi. The Congress, for its part, Drilon emphasized, can pass a supplemental budget authorizing transfer of funds to augment the calamity and contingent funds. "We can tap the intelligence funds amounting P5.485 billion, P2.5 billion of which is lodged under the Office of the President, while some are sitting idly in agencies' accounts, to fund long-term rehabilitaiton program for the people of Marawi and, more importantly, bring back the delivery of basic services in in the city," Drilon said. The minority leader said that the government can also create a special fund in the next year's budget for the rehabilitation plan. Six Forest City High School students will be able to experience life abroad this summer. This is made possible by funding support raised by the local AFS chapter. Five students will be taking part in a program called Global Prep and one student will be doing a four week AFS Global Language Study program in Argentina. Global Prep offers two-four week experiences abroad during the summer. This year, there were 18 countries to choose from. Any student can apply to the program, and beginning last year, the local AFS chapter offered scholarships to fund four Forest City students trip fees. Interested Forest City students were asked to submit an application and an essay. The committee selected six students this year: Calvin Aberg will be visiting Egypt to study about the rich history of the Islam culture. Drake Bang will travel to Nepal to volunteer with disaster relief and learn about the Nepali culture. Tyler Clouse will be doing environmental and conservation work in the tropical Seychelles Islands with endangered plants and animals. Ellie Reece will travel to Columbia to immerse in Latin culture and exploration. Olivia Sarasio Meyer will study language and tour Costa Rica rain forests and meet indigenous people. Sevanah Thomas will participate in the Argentina language study program. We appreciate the interest and wish we could send all students who are interested in studying abroad, said Eunice Clouse, local AFS chapter coordinator. We hope our funding can continue and we can send more students each year. She added that she would love to hear from any student who has an interest in studying abroad. The local AFS chapter is also looking for host families for the 2017-18 school year. The family gets to select a student who matches interests of the family as well as Forest City Schools. For more information, contact Clouse at 641-585-4155 or afsmomec@wctatel.net. MASON CITY | The cause of a house fire Friday in Mason City has been ruled as undetermined, according to fire officials. The blaze is believed to have started in a bathroom closet at 1515 N. Pennsylvania Ave., according to Mason City Fire Marshal Jamey Medlin. The Mason City Fire Department was dispatched to the home at 11:08 a.m. Friday, June 23. Upon entering the house, Mason City Fire Chief Al Dyer told the Globe Gazette firefighters were met with flames and heavy smoke. The closet and bathroom were damaged, the bathroom ceiling had to be pulled and the house also sustained smoke damage, Medlin said via phone Tuesday. However, Medlin said damage was minimized due to a fast attack from firefighters. Ashley Miller This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A rush-hour delay caused by flooded tracks at the Powell Street Station in San Francisco in the middle of summer points up a BART issue that doesnt get nearly the attention that overcrowded trains, finicky air-conditioning and the seemingly daily equipment problems command: a steady supply of subterranean water. Groundwater moving through downtown San Franciscos sandy soil en route to the bay leaks into the subway between the Embarcadero and 16th Street Mission stations. It seeps through cracks and joints in the tunnel walls, creating a steady drip-drip-drip and even trickling like a mountain stream in places. One of those places is the southwest end of the Powell Street Station. And thats where a drain that funnels the water into the sewer system clogged with debris at just the wrong time, Monday evenings rush hour. Soon, water was pooling a foot deep on the eastbound trackway and rising rapidly toward the third rail. Since water and electricity dont mix well, BART halted trains heading toward the East Bay outside the station about 5:45 p.m. while it sent workers in to unclog the drain. The job was completed in about 15 minutes, without injury or damage. But until the drain was unplugged, the tracks to the East Bay were stopped up. Trains stretched back to the Daly City Station, and the platforms were packed. This is the first time Ive heard of a train being delayed by flooding at Powell, said Taylor Huckaby, a BART spokesman who has been with the transit system for two years. Its rare. Flooding might be rare, but the flow of groundwater into BARTs tunnels is pervasive so much so that that maintenance crews refer to the area as the rain forest or the Amazon. I ride a lot and I see it here all the time, Katy Conrad, 58, a compensation analyst from Walnut Creek, said Tuesday as a stream of water flowed into a drain on the tracks at Powell. Sometimes Ive even seen it coming down the walls. BART battles the intrusion by using sump pumps and drains and by caulking gaps in the tunnel walls. Thats usually sufficient to keep the floodwaters down. Joel Pomerantz, a historian and self-described citizen scientist, has studied San Franciscos subterranean waters and says the problem BART faces is common. Many downtown buildings and construction sites are forced to dewater the soil the developer of the tilting Millennium Tower condo building at Second and Mission streets blames dewatering at the under-construction Transbay Transit Center next door for its troubles, something the public agencies that are building the transit hub dispute. People sometimes describe the city as being home to underground creeks and springs, but most of the moisture is simply groundwater. The citys hills soak up rainfall and runoff, and the water makes its way downhill toward the ocean to the west and the bay to the east. This winters heavy rains pumped the hills fuller than usual, meaning bigger subsurface water flows that will last longer and at greater pressure, Pomerantz said. If theres more water in the sponge of the ground, its going to create more water and its going to be coming out for a longer period, he said. The ground downtown is particularly sandy, and groundwater flows quickly there. Passengers standing near the southwest end of the Powell Street Station platform can sometimes hear what sounds like a waterfall, but Pomerantz said its really a pump extracting water from the soil and dumping it into the sewer. Hoping to make the best of a damp situation, BART is working with the energy company NRG to install larger pumps to take the water from the Powell Street Station, turn it into steam and sell it to downtown building owners for heating or air-conditioning. Until that happens, the agency hopes that $570 million included in last years voter-approved Measure RR bond measure to pay for better tunnel waterproofing will prevent a repeat of Mondays rush-hour flood. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Workers now inject caulk into joints in the tunnel lining to keep water out, Huckaby said, but it wears away quickly. BART plans to replace that with bentonite, a natural clay compound thats long-lasting and should hold up better. Pomerantz said a better solution would be to install a rubberized membrane or liner, using materials not available when BART was built in the 1960s, on the outside of the tunnel instead of injecting sealants from the inside. But that would require extensive, and expensive, construction that might not be worth the cost. BARTs rain forest may be a hassle, Pomerantz said, but it can be controlled, and isnt a hazard to passengers. I see no big dangers at all, he said. This just seems like a teachable moment to remind the citizenry of two things: first, that infrastructure needs maintenance on a regular basis, and secondly, that people are part of natural systems. Theres no way around it. Laurel Theren, 61, of Oakland, wasnt caught in Mondays flood delay, but it didnt surprise her. It seems like its always here, she said over the sound of the trickling water at Powell. With BART, its always something. Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Marin County Fire Department Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Marin County Fire Department Show More Show Less Several dozen firefighters are battling a 10-acre blaze that broke out in a remote part of western Marin County Tuesday morning on Marin Municipal Water District land, officials said. At 1:07 p.m., 50 firefighters were on scene attacking the wildland blaze, and another 35 firefighters from two Cal Fire hand crews were on the way to help. A man suspected in a Fremont carjacking was arrested more than 2,100 miles away in Illinois, police officials said Tuesday. Donis Rivas, 29, of Fremont was busted in Addison, Ill., and is awaiting extradition back to California, officials said. Rivas allegedly went on a two-day crime spree that started June 18 when he attempted to steal a car at the 76 Gas Station on Auto Mall Parkway and Osgood Road in Fremont but failed and drove away in a black BMW, police said. A day later, he tried to carjack a driver at a Valero Gas Station on Mowry Avenue and Fremont Boulevard, but was unsuccessful, police said. That same day, he finally succeeded in stealing a car, police said. The suspect was caught on a city security camera and victims help police identify Rivas as the culprit, police said. Detectives began searching for Rivas in Fremont, San Leandro, San Jose and Hayward before learning he was in Addison, Ill. Fremont Police officials sent photos of Rivas and his tattoos to their counterparts in Addison, and officers there tracked him down on Friday and arrested him, officials said. Rivas initially lied about his identity, but confessed and eventually told detectives where they could find the stolen vehicle in Fremont, police said. Detectives were able to recover the car. Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi Lee Smith was one of the first homeless people to pitch a tent near 26th and Wood streets in West Oakland. Now, four years later, he has 100 neighbors, including two pregnant women. The place looks like a Third World shantytown, a village for the citys poorest on the fringes of its bustling center. Its one of about 100 such sprawling encampments in Oakland, and theyre not going away anytime soon. Theyre likely to get even bigger. Just as the Bay Areas tech boom has reshaped Oakland in different ways than it has San Francisco, so has its homeless crisis. But unlike San Francisco, Oakland is just beginning to tackle the problem. San Francisco has a mature infrastructure to help the homeless from cutting-edge Navigation Centers that help people find shelter to a recent $100 million charitable donation to support the chronically destitute. Oakland is still experimenting with how to respond to the crisis. The city has a sliver of the money San Francisco has its budget is about one-tenth the size and little of the coordinated philanthropic and corporate support that San Francisco enjoys. And Oakland has something San Francisco doesnt: a vast network of desolate industrial back roads that have become ideal locations for out-of-sight, out-of-mind homeless villages. Most are clustered in West Oakland. The citys perennial problem of illegal dumping has fueled encampment sprawl with tons of unwanted tables, chairs, mattresses and sofas. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle People give the folks here a couple of bucks as, you know, a donation to help them unload their trucks, Smith said, looking at a pile of garbage nearby where someone had just dumped a freshly killed rooster. The city comes by to clean it, Smith said. But people keep dumping their stuff there. Smith lives in a thicket of tents, vehicles and generators walled together by wooden pallets, tarps and discarded furniture in the shadow of an Interstate 880 flyover. Many people there keep dogs for protection from their more drug-addled neighbors and raise cats to keep away the swarming rat population. For the past few months, the city has supplied portable toilets, picked up the garbage and offered housing outreach until more permanent help arrives. For now, there is nowhere else for people to go. Oakland is experiencing an unprecedented demand for housing that has driven up the median price of an apartment by nearly 60 percent over the past three years. During that time, little affordable housing has been built. Meanwhile, the homeless population in Oakland jumped by 25 percent to 2,761 between 2015 and 2017, according to a recent point-in-time count. The count also provided a distressing portrait of whos on the citys streets: Nearly 70 percent of homeless people are black, although African Americans made up 28 percent of the citys 2010 census population. More than 60 percent of Oaklands homeless people lived in homes in Alameda County for more than 10 years before they landed on the streets. And nearly 60 percent said money problems, not addiction or mental health issues, were the primary cause of their homelessness. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Every Oaklander ... has been taken aback by the recent visibility and size of encampments, Mayor Libby Schaaf said. People will hopefully begin to see a noticeable difference that an improvement is beginning a year from now. I do think it will take that long. The crisis in Oakland has analogs in every major city on the West Coast, from Seattle and Portland, Ore., down to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. In San Jose, the homeless population is roughly twice as large as in Oakland, with more than 4,000 people counted in 2015, the most recently available data. A key difference from Oakland: San Joses camps usually grow around creeks, causing sanitation issues in waterways, said Ray Bramson, whos in charge of the citys Homelessness Response Team. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Schaaf said her city has learned from the failures and successes of other cities, including San Francisco, whose homelessness crises hit earlier. Among the lessons: If city crews clear a camp and order its occupants to leave, they will just set up somewhere else nearby. We recognize that we dont have enough safe places to move people to, so at least in the short term, we will have to make safety and cleanliness improvements to encampments where they are, Schaaf said. Taking a problem and pushing it into someone elses neighborhood or someone elses city is not responsible, and frankly, its not efficient, either. Since March, Oakland has provided portable toilets, food and garbage service at the Wood Street village where Smith lives, as well as concrete barricades to protect the camp from the semi trucks that rumble dangerously close to the tents. Just as the city is trying to provide small quality-of-life improvements to the camps until more housing becomes available, so, too, are county health care workers. A 40-foot van outfitted as a mobile health clinic has been supplemented in recent years with backpack doctors medics who go into the camps to provide evaluations and follow-up care on scene and a new downtown Oakland clinic designed specifically for homeless people. People are stuck. Its very, very rare that somebody chooses to be homeless, said Mark Shotwell, director of Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless, which sends doctors to camps to provide medical care. Are we making life a little more comfortable? Yes. Were trying to create a little more dignity and humanity out there. At the Wood Street camp and others around town, the nonprofit Operation Dignity hands out meals, water, hygiene kits, condoms, trash bags and fire extinguishers on a daily basis under a contract with the city. Every day, its crew loads supplies into two vans, prints a stack of pamphlets detailing housing opportunities and drives to the camps, greeting occupants with a melody of car horns and shouts of, Mobile outreach! Few at the Wood Street camp say getting food is a problem. Besides the plastic-wrapped meals Operation Dignity offers, several faith groups and well-meaning individuals regularly drop off food donations. Cherelle Benjamin, 49, who has been living there for several months, said some of it goes to waste. She points to a bag of Acme bread that someone left the day before. The food, often leftovers on the verge of molding, tends to draw rats to the camp. Her neighbor, Smith, is among those who has started raising cats to keep them away. Smith, a former handyman and carpenter, lives in his 1990 Ford Aerostar van along the Wood Street fence line, hidden from view by a large tarp. Underneath, his television and DVD player run from a generator he shares with his homeless neighbors. Several of them have functioning gas barbecue grills, one of the many pieces of camp equipment that worry fire safety experts. In recent months, a string of fires including at least one suspected arson have destroyed swaths of camps and threatened peoples lives. How Oakland got to this point is the confluence of factors. Schaaf said homelessness in the city is a byproduct of income inequality and rapid job growth in the region without corresponding housing development. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle When Gov. Jerry Brown a former Oakland mayor eliminated local redevelopment agencies six years ago, Oakland lost a major source of affordable-housing funding. In 2016, permits were issued for 2,122 housing units in Oakland; only 40 were classified as affordable. Exacerbating the crisis, the number of landlords in Oakland accepting federal housing-assistance vouchers dropped from 5,286 in 2011 to 4,254 last year, said Michele Byrd, Oaklands housing and community development director. The pressure forced the citys most economically vulnerable people onto the street. I really dont think this is something that is going to leave us overnight or get resolved quickly, said Gloria Bruce, executive director of East Bay Housing Organizations, which advocates for low-income residents. It is the accumulation of years and years of affordable-housing shortages. There is just no place for people to go. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. So for at least the next year until more housing units and shelter beds can potentially come online and temporary housing measures are approved Oakland officials and housing leaders concede that the camps are likely to grow. Were playing catch-up, said Elaine de Coligny, executive director of EveryOne Home, the nonprofit that organizes the homeless count in Oakland and Alameda County. The problem with housing is that it is expensive to site and build. Were years away from having a house for everybody. But some help is coming soon. Among plans to bring relief to the homeless crisis in Oakland: Money from a $588 million affordable-housing bond that Alameda County voters approved in November is about to become available. Some of it will go toward acquiring housing for extremely low-income people. In the next couple of months, Oakland expects to use money from another voter-approved measure to buy a motel or single-room-occupancy hotel and transform it into a shelter for 300 people a year. Oakland is considering a pilot program called Safe Haven, which would create three city-sanctioned camping areas where up to 40 homeless per camp could park their cars and RVs and receive services. City staffers have proposed extending services offered at the Wood Street camp toilets, food and garbage service to 10 other encampments over the next two years, at a cost of $180,000 a year. However, some options are likely to face community opposition. And even if they were implemented, de Coligny doesnt want the temporary measures to become permanent. A Third World tent city is not what we want to be, de Coligny said. We want to make sure that we dont create this permanent underclass of people who live outdoors. Meanwhile, as the camps expand, the patience of business owners is fraying. On an early June day, Tak Tam looked across 12th Street from the East Oakland tire store he has owned for 26 years at one of the citys most dense homeless encampments. Oakland Department of Public Works crews removed 50 tons of garbage that morning from the camp on a median along two blocks of 12th Street near Interstate 880. The trash had accumulated in the month since Public Works last big cleanup there. That is today, Tam said, shaking his head. And if you come here tomorrow, maybe the next day, it will all be back. Just like yesterday. Frank Foster oversees the cleanup of illegal dumping sites and homeless camps for Public Works. Last year, he said, the city collected 29,370 piles of illegally dumped garbage a 100 percent increase from five years earlier. It can be disheartening for the crew, he said. Its like a never-ending battle. Plus, theres the human element. These are human beings out here. Its not unusual for Oakland residents employed by Public Works to know the people in the camps. That makes it even more gut-wrenching to ask them to leave their possessions behind, Foster said. Sometimes, they grew up together, he said. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Joe Garofoli and Kimberly Veklerov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com, kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli, @KVeklerov Citing concerns over the wage gap between women and men, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to ban employers from asking job applicants how much money they made in previous positions. The measure was among three closely watched ordinances that went before the board Tuesday. The supervisors also passed legislation to revise the citys affordable housing requirements for new developments and to punish landlords who boot out tenants on the pretense of moving in then turn around and rent the dwelling to someone else. Supervisor Mark Farrell sponsored the pay-equality law, which forbids employers from disclosing any employees salary history without that persons permission. Such disclosures would put women at a disadvantage, Farrell said, because they start off at a lower point. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that in San Francisco women earn 84 cents for every dollar that their male peers make, slightly better than the national average of 79 cents. The law would apply to all employers in San Francisco, including city contractors and subcontractors. The gender wage gap is real, and its damaging, Farrell said. He noted that the disparity between female and male workers has narrowed by only half a cent every year since the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which outlawed wage discrimination based on gender. At that rate, it will take until 2059 for women and men to earn commensurate salaries, Farrell said. He predicted that President Trump will set the nation even further behind. In March, Trump repealed a 2014 executive order by former President Barack Obama that required companies with federal contracts to abide by 14 labor and civil rights laws, including parental leave and equal pay for women and men. San Francisco is following Philadelphia, which in January became the first city in the nation to pass a wage-parity law. Lawmakers in Massachusetts are contemplating similar legislation. Also Tuesday, the supervisors unanimously passed a new housing law that requires developers of large properties to make a portion of their units 18 percent for rentals and 20 percent for condominiums affordable, dividing it up among low-, moderate- and middle-income households. The law would not apply to large swaths of the Mission, SoMa and the Tenderloin, where developers have to sell or rent a quarter of their units at below-market-rate prices. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Additionally, the board unanimously passed a law that seeks to keep the citys landlords honest. It laid out several proof-of-residence requirements for landlords who evict their tenants saying they want to occupy a dwelling themselves. The bill sponsored by moderate Supervisors Farrell, Jeff Sheehy, Malia Cohen and London Breed incorporated elements from a competing proposal by progressive Supervisors Aaron Peskin, Jane Kim and Hillary Ronen. They pushed for a provision that would allow nonprofit groups to sue on behalf of evicted tenants, which Sheehy ultimately took up. Peskin and his progressive colleagues also pushed an amendment that would have allowed tenants to sue deceptive landlords even if the tenants had already been paid to move out. It died under objections from the moderate side of the board. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan Tioga Road in the Sierra should see its latest summer opening in two decades due to a combination of a huge winter snowpack, flooding from snowmelt and various repairs, Yosemite National Park officials said. The road, which sits at an elevation of 10,000 feet and has been buried under snow that has weathered the spring and beginning of summer, was projected by park authorities to open Thursday weather permitting. The road includes the Tioga Pass eastern entrance to the park and to Tuolumne Meadows. COMSTOCK A pair of robbers were being sought by police after they beat a man with a hammer Sunday morning near the Civic Center in San Francisco and took his prized possession a ukulele, officials said. The altercation occurred about 6:30 a.m. near the intersection of OFarrell and Polk streets, according to the San Francisco Police Department. BRUSSELS After a seven-year legal battle, European authorities came down hard on Google on Tuesday for taking advantage of its dominance in online searches to direct customers to its own businesses, fining the tech giant a record $2.72 billion and raising the prospect of more. A years-long analysis of Googles online search results showed that the company lists links to its own online shopping services above those of rivals, European regulators said. On average, Google lists search results to its biggest rivals in online shopping only on the fourth page of results and smaller rivals even lower. Thats a huge advantage for Google when 90 percent of use-clicks are on the main page. The ruling that Google is taking advantage of its market dominance in online searches paves the way for a broader crackdown by the EU, which is investigating several other Google businesses, like its online images and travel businesses. What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation, EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said. To avoid more pain in Europe, Google will have to change the way it does business in the region. It has 90 days to stop favoring its own links to online shopping or face more fines of up to 5 percent of the average daily worldwide revenue of parent company Alphabet. Google says it is considering an appeal and maintains its just trying to package its search results in a way that makes it easier for consumers to find what they want. We will review the Commissions decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case, Kent Walker, senior vice president at Google, said in a statement. When it comes to online shopping, a big problem is that consumers dont spend enough time doing different searches and instead focus on Google searches to find the best price, experts say. And there are plenty of search tools from Camelcamelcamel, which tracks Amazon prices over time, to eBates, a shopping portal that offers coupons and cash back from 2,000 online retailers. Internet consultant Sucharita Mulpuru-Kodal urges shoppers to go directly to retailers sites to find the best deals. In Europe, she cites the online sites of Tesco and Walmarts Asda, for example. Google has become a shortcut to buying, not a shortcut to saving money, said Benjamin Glaser, features editor of DealNews, a comparison shopping site. He also says that Google searches only look for the lowest prices for that moment and also doesnt incorporate shipping discounts and coupons as other deal sites like DealNews and eBates do. The fine on Google is the highest ever imposed in Europe for anticompetitive behavior, exceeding a penalty on Silicon Valley chipmaker Intel in 2009, about $1.4 billion at the time. The penalty itself is unlikely to leave a dent in Googles finances. Alphabet has more than $92 billion in cash, including almost $56 billion in accounts outside of Europe. But it could affect Googles way of doing business in the longer-term. U.S. interest groups were quick to latch onto the European ruling to argue that a similar approach be taken in the United States. Some may object to the EU moving so aggressively against U.S.-based companies, but these authorities are at least trying to deal with some of the new competitive challenges facing our economy, said the News Media Alliance. U.S. lawmakers and regulatory authorities, by contrast, have been asleep at the switch for far too long. We will monitor Googles compliance closely, Vestager said. She noted that that any company or person who has suffered damages due to the companys practices can make claims to national courts. More broadly, Vestager said, the probe has established that Google is dominant in general Internet search in all 31 countries of the European economic area. This will affect other cases the European Commission might build against the Internet giants various businesses, like Google Images. She also noted that regulators are making good progress in its other Google probes into Android and search advertising, and that the preliminary conclusion is that they breach EU anti-trust rules. The commission has come under fire in the United States for a perceived bias against U.S. companies. Vestager said she has examined statistics concerning anti-trust, merger control and state aid decisions and that I can find no facts to support any kind of bias. Lorne Cook is an Associated Press writer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has absorbed blistering criticism for the way he handled allegations of sexual misconduct at the San Francisco riding-hailing service. But he can at least count on the support of one big name in Silicon Valley: former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. Speaking at the annual Stanford Directors College Tuesday, Mayer defended Kalanick, suggesting that he was unaware of the toxic culture brewing at Uber because of the companys rapid growth. Mayers name has come up in reports as a possible replacement for Kalanick at Uber, though theres no indication the company has had talks with her. Scale is incredibly tricky, Mayer said. I count Travis as one of my friends. I think hes a phenomenal leader; Uber is ridiculously interesting. I just dont think he knew, she said. When your company scales that quickly, its hard. Mayer then compared Ubers situation to the early days of Google when it first brought in Eric Schmidt as CEO to help co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page manage the company. Mayers defense of Kalanick might seem strange given her iconic status as the rare female chief executive in the male-dominated world of technology. But Mayer has said she does not consider herself a feminist and once described herself as gender oblivious. Prior to becoming CEO of Yahoo in 2012, Mayer was an engineer turned top executive at Google in Mountain View. She recently stepped down as Yahoo CEO after Verizon completed its $4.5 billion acquisition of the once formidable Sunnyvale Internet giants Web properties. Kalanick, who co-founded Uber, recently resigned as CEO after months of scandal and turmoil. He remains on the board. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The beleaguered ride-hailing company has said it will implement 47 sweeping recommendations from former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, whom it hired to investigate allegations of sexism, bullying, retaliation and other workplace issues. Holders report acknowledged the catalyst: a blockbuster blog post from former engineer Susan Fowler in February detailing hostility toward women at Ubers San Francisco headquarters and her futile attempts to get managers to respond. Since then, Uber has been mired in other controversies: a trade-secrets lawsuit, a program to evade law enforcement, an engineers suicide and a video of its CEO berating a driver. Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Give this to Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan: It takes a lot of guts to speak at a conference dedicated to good corporate governance when the bank you lead has confessed to employees creating up to two million fraudulent accounts in customers names. What takes even more guts is openly gushing about said companys board of directors, the very people who failed to prevent that massive fraud. Its a strange kind of courage, but not the type Wells Fargo requires right now. For Sloan, the evening at Stanford presented an excellent opportunity to fall on the sword and offer sincere contrition for the scandal, which has plagued Wells Fargo since last year. Instead, heres what we get from the man tasked with cleaning up Wells Fargo: We have an exceptional board notwithstanding what ... others may have said, Sloan told Stanfords annual Directors College in Palo Alto on Monday evening. (Sloan is also on the board.) Well, perhaps depending on the definition of exceptional. Better than average? Certainly not. Deviating from the norm? One would hope that most boards arent this bad. Sloan could easily have skipped praising the board, himself included. At a company recovering from scandal, you have to be humble, said Johanne Bouchard, a Bay Area consultant who advises boards and top executives. We apologize. We didnt think through the issues. We werent fully prepared. The boards responsibility is to be about accountability. Sloans defense of the board is understandable, if you figure that these are the same people who elevated him to his current position. The venue he chose to do it in is odd. Boards are under more scrutiny than ever, with activist investors demanding a say in strategy and shareholders now regularly withholding votes for executive compensation and director elections. By almost every measure, investors are now exerting more influence than ever on how boards and management teams operate, wrote the authors of a PricewaterhouseCoopers report on corporate governance last year. In some ways, the pendulum has swung from a board-centric model that took root after the governance and accounting scandals of the 1990s, the report said, to an investor-centric model today in which institutional investors and shareholder activists have an unprecedented say about board composition, executive compensation, and even how companies choose to allocate their capital. The company said it had fired some 5,000 employees for creating the suspect accounts. But they were motivated, many believe, by the banks aggressive sales quotas. The scandal ultimately led to the resignation of CEO John Stumpf, a temporary decline in the banks stock price and incalculable damage to the companys reputation. Since Stumpf's resignation, the company has taken several steps to fix its problems, including appointing an independent chairman, reforming compensation practices at its retail banking division, and appointing an outside company to examine the way the bank handles whistle-blowers. In hindsight, we made some big mistakes, Sloan said. Candidly, we didnt deal with the root causes. ... We should have provided the information to the board so they could have seen the problem sooner. Sloan offered two main defenses for the Wells Fargo board. The first is that the bank is big and complex and that directors couldnt have possibly detected the fraud, given the vast amounts of data at hand. But the boards job is to ask tough questions. For instance, how is Wells Fargo showing such strong account growth when the industry is essentially flat? Why are so many new accounts not attracting any deposits? If you bring me lots of strawberries when there are no strawberries to be found, Im going to ask, Where did you get these? Bouchard said. The second defense is that Wells Fargos business units operated independently as silos and therefore kept the problems from both top executives and the board. That doesnt pass the smell test. If Sloan is arguing that the directors were dealing with an overload of complex data and thus couldnt connect the dots, then why grant the units such autonomy? The board needs to make sure information gets passed up the chain, Bouchard said. You cant blame others, she said. The board has to slow things down and ask whats not working before a problem arises. Moreover, the boards decision to appoint Sloan, the chief operating officer and a company veteran, seems suspect. Cleaning up Wells Fargos culture would seem better suited for an outsider with no emotional attachment to the bank. Sloan acknowledged the skepticism, countering that an insider is better situated to fix things. How can a person who has spent 29 years with a company be an agent of change? Sloan said. You dont know a company unless you are there. Ive been there for so long that I have a perspective of where weve had issues and where we didnt. But Sloans intimate knowledge of Wells Fargo didnt give him the foresight to spot the fraud. As he said at Stanford, he and the rest of the board need to deal with the root causes not just this scandal, but the conditions that could create the next one. That may require a mirror. Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee They had the numbers: six women who would describe in disturbing detail exactly how they were harassed, assaulted or made to feel uneasy by the unwanted advances of San Francisco venture capitalist Justin Caldbeck. Three of those women decided to identify themselves publicly a risky move for victims of sexual violence or harassment, who are often dismissed, threatened or discredited in efforts to poke holes in their stories. And still, days before their accounts of being groped under a table, sent sexually explicit late-night messages and propositioned for sex were published, they wondered if it would be enough. No woman wants to be the sole name on the record for a story like this, Susan Ho, co-founder and CEO of travel startup Journy, wrote in a blog post on Monday. We had to decide to speak up or essentially let this guy get away with his serial abuse of female entrepreneurs. This scandal, which has rocked Binary Capital, the small venture firm Caldbeck co-founded three years ago, follows a major shakeup at ride-hailing juggernaut Uber. Travis Kalanick, that companys co-founder and longtime CEO, stepped down following months of investigations into the companys culture sparked, in part, by Susan Fowler, an engineer who blogged about her experiences with rampant sexism at the company. All this may signal a critical cultural moment, experts said, making it easier for women who suffer abuses to come forward and share their stories. But, they caution, without action from companies and tech leaders, who are overwhelmingly male, it is unlikely to lead to lasting change. When venture capitalist and diversity advocate Ellen Pao sued her then-employer Kleiner Perkins in 2012, she was an anomaly. But in the past year, droves of women have spoken up about alleged abuses by employers, celebrities, powerful tech executives, investors and even the president of the United States. How many women have to get out there before someone says, Huh, maybe we should take this seriously? said Kellie McElhaney, a professor at UC Berkeleys Haas School of Business. Culturally, were still at a place where women need to prove themselves innocent, as opposed to the man who is actually accused of harassment or assault proving himself innocent. One in every 4 women who work in tech have been sexually harassed at work, according to a recent survey of more than 10,000 women at tech firms by Comparably, a startup that measures and tracks data on company culture and compensation. For engineers and executives, that number creeps closer to a third. Male executives also reported harassment, with the highest rates found in tech companies legal departments, where 23 percent of men surveyed said they, too, had been sexually harassed at work. Ho credited Niniane Wang, the founder of animation startup Evertoon who had helped create Google Desktop, with helping to push her and Journy co-founder Leiti Hsu to come forward. Fowlers blog post inspired many women to speak openly on social media about their experiences with sexual discrimination, harassment or assault. On Monday, as Caldbeck announced his resignation from Binary Capital, engineer and diversity advocate Erica Baker began urging more women to share their stories. If youve been sexually harassed in tech and want to go on the record, (message) me, she tweeted. Pretty much every name is being named right now. There is strength in numbers, experts said, and increasingly women are drawing courage from the knowledge that, when it comes to experiences of sexual harassment or assault, they are not alone. It may, in some cases, help those in leadership positions take notice and take action, said Camille Crittenden, deputy director of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society at UC Berkeley. But its also an opportunity for women in a similar situation to understand this is not normal, and this is not OK. Though insiders say sexism in tech can be especially pernicious, the industry is hardly unique. Comedian Bill Cosby, now 79, is accused of sexually violating 57 women over the span of his career. All but four of them went public, using their full names. Cosby, who has denied the accusations, will stand trial before a judge in Los Angeles in July 2018, following the likely retrial of another case against him that ended with a deadlocked jury this month. At Fox News, Roger Ailes, the networks late chairman, and host Bill OReilly were pushed out amid allegations that they had sexually harassed several women at the network. All told, 21st Century Fox paid more than $100 million: $65 million in severance for Ailes and OReilly and $45 million over nine months in settlements of pending and potential litigations, according to a company financial filing. Companies make a calculation: If they can squelch these kinds of accusations early, they think its going to go away, and then they can get on with their business, McElhaney said. The problem is if it doesnt go away, then youre dealing with a much bigger explosion. According to data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, charges of sex discrimination make up nearly 30 percent of the complaints it receives annually. And in 2016, the federal agency received nearly 13,000 allegations of sexual harassment from American workers, though studies have shown that far more cases go unreported. Binary co-founder Jonathan Teo, who decried Caldbecks bad behavior on Facebook and in a public statement Sunday, said, I trusted my partner and it is clear that I shouldnt have. The predatory behavior Justin has been accused of is deplorable, and there will be zero tolerance at our firm of any conduct that is demeaning to women. Experts cite the real problem with sexual harassment in tech and in other industries: Other people often know its happening, know that a person has a history of untoward behavior and still do nothing. Its so easy to say, Boys will be boys, or that venture capital is a wild cowboy world and if you cant hang, dont get in it, McElhaney said. We have to stop accepting it. Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Marissa_Jae The Bay Areas first electric bike-sharing program put 100 neon-red bicycles on San Francisco streets this week, just ahead of the scheduled debut on Wednesday of the regions big Ford GoBike project. This will be the first e-bike program for Social Bicycles, a Brooklyn, N.Y., firm that runs bike sharing in 27 cities including Portland, Ore., and San Mateo. This week, the company is running a free e-bike demonstration in the Bayview and Mission districts. Eventually, it plans to charge $1 for 15 minutes of riding. By comparison, Ford GoBikes single-time fee is $3 for a 30-minute trip, and its bikes are strictly human-powered. The electric-assisted bikes, branded Jump, require pedaling but can easily boost riders up all but the steepest hills. I rode up Broadway from the Embarcadero to Taylor, although the last block a 21 percent grade took some sweat and traversing. Theres one problem for Social Bicycles Jump operation: Its not permitted by the city yet. Jump is stationless, which means all of the location and locking technology is on the bikes, so users can find and unlock them with a smartphone app. They can be locked to any bike rack, but users will get a $1 credit if they return the bike to a designated spot and charged an extra $1 if they dont. Eventually the company hopes to install electric charging stations around the city, but for now its picking them up and recharging them in a Bayview warehouse. With traditional bike-sharing programs, including Ford GoBike, bikes must be picked up and returned to locking docking stations. Ford GoBike is being run by Motivate, another Brooklyn company, under a 10-year contract with the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission. It replaces the much smaller Bay Area Bike Share program. Ford Motor Co. is reportedly paying $49 million over seven years for advertising and naming rights. The five participating cities San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville could share a slice of program revenue if they exceed certain hurdles. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Nicole Boliaux/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Nicole Boliaux/The Chronicle Show More Show Less The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance in March making it illegal to leave stationless bikes on city streets or sidewalks without a permit. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has authority to issue permits for stationless bike sharing, but it hasnt yet developed the permit application. Social Bicycles would need a permit to operate in San Francisco. They should not deploy their bikes until a permit is granted, said Paul Rose, a spokesman for the San Francisco agency. His agency is finalizing the permit process, Rose added. We are working to have something done this week. Ironically, the agency is administering a federal grant awarded to UC Berkeley to study electric-assisted bike sharing in San Francisco. Its a multiyear grant from the Federal Highway Administration, said Rachel Finson, a research program manager with the university. It started as a project with City CarShare, but the researchers are now working with Social Bicycles. The researchers want to ask people before and after they use electric bikes questions such as where they went and what mode of transportation they would have used otherwise. But the $735,000 contract ends next year, and researchers need to wrap up their data collection by Nov. 30. Hence the need to get e-bikes on the streets. Ryan Rzepecki, CEO of Social Bicycles, said the research contract originally was going to pay for the bikes, but his company ended up paying for them. His firm designed the sturdy 70-pound bikes with drum brakes and is having them manufactured in China. They cost about $1,000 each, although he hopes that will come down as volume grows. The company hopes to have 1,000 electric bikes in San Francisco by year end. It also plans to deploy 100 electric bikes in San Mateo, replacing the 50 regular bikes it has there. Riders must provide their own helmets, as with the Ford GoBike program. The launch of the Ford program includes new bikes and docking stations. It plans to have 3,750 bikes in the five cities by year end and 7,000 by the end of next year. Motivate changed one of its pricing options after bike-rental companies catering to tourists objected to its plan to offer a one-day pass for $15, good for an unlimited number of rides of up to three hours over a 24-hour period. Rental company Blazing Saddles complained to Mayor Lee, saying that would appeal more to tourists than residents using bikes for errands and commuting. Motivate subsequently changed its day pass to $10 for unlimited 30-minute rides in a 24-hour period. It also offers an annual membership for $149, good for unlimited 45 minute rides. Blazing Saddles also rents electric-assisted bikes for $48 to $88 per day. Bruno Wanderley, the firms manager, said hes not too concerned about the new Jump program horning in on the tourist trade. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender An Antioch man has been arrested and charged with murdering 32-year-old San Pablo resident Andrew Williams on June 4, the Oakland Police Department announced Tuesday. On June 8, the Oakland Police Department arrested 31-year-old Artison Manalastas of Antioch. Four days later the Alameda County District Attorneys office charged Manalastas with the June 4 fatal shooting of Williams. Williams was gunned down on at 3:20 a.m. on the 1600 block of Linden Street in West Oakland. He died at the scene. Stonewall started long before Stonewall. In December 1890, the San Francisco police arrested Oscar Johnson on Kearny Street for wearing a complete womans outfit. She identified herself as Bettie Portel and was given a sentence of six months in San Francisco County Jail. This police policy continued until May 1974, when the police arrested 10 men in the Tenderloin for wearing womens clothing. But the resistance began here. Three years before Stonewall, Comptons Cafeteria prohibited transgender people from entering, starting a riot in the Tenderloin. And even though the gay bar may not have been invented in San Francisco, like Irish coffee, it was perfected here. The poet Allen Ginsberg described the Black Cat Cafe as the best gay bar in America. It was totally open, bohemian San Francisco. The story goes that one of the entertainers, Jose Sarria, stayed inside the law by dressing in high drag yet wearing a label that said, I am a boy. As the bar closed, Sarria announced, Theres nothing wrong with being gay the crime is getting caught. He often led the crowd down to the San Francisco County Jail, where he serenaded those who had been arrested in the antigay raids with God Save Us Nelly Queens. And then came Stonewall, and the LGBTQI2 community told the police that we were people too. Irony Part 1: For almost a quarter century, Ive walked the Pride March in my Class A sheriff uniform. Brian calls that green wool Eisenhower jacket and black polyester tie my deputy drag. But then, Brian, who actually was once a drag queen and has never had so much as a speeding ticket, doesnt understand my ACT UP years. Yes, I may look a lot more like Barney Fife than I do Dirty Harry, but I still take pride that I, who once stood outside the law, am now enforcing the law, and Im helping make the San Francisco County Jail a platform for change. Irony Part 2: Zanes first steps were taken at the 2005 Pride March: 10 months old in a tie-dyed rainbow onesie. I bring out that picture whenever it is necessary to embarrass him. Irony Part 3: Gay Pride weekend was also the weekend of Zanes first date: He and a lovely damsel went to the movies on Friday, June 23. They had planned on the Tupac movie, but settled on Transformers, as Zane said that it was easier to cuddle through. I wished him luck, then drove to the Diamond Heights Safeway. As Anne scanned my chicken breasts and green beans, she asked, How does that work? Do straight kids have to come out to gay parents? No, I demurred. A father just knows. Yes, as we marched along Market Street, it was official. Only half the Fisher-Paulson contingent was gay. The other half was hetero, maybe even forming the junior chapter of PFLAG. This is the last Pride when I will be taller than Zane. My younger son, Aidan, 12, thought to take advantage of this fact. He considers anything other than playing on the iPad to be extra work, so he asked, Why do I have to march? Im not L, G, B. T, Q, I or 2. Didnt you hear, Aidan? This year were calling it the LGBTQ2 and Children-Who-Want-Their-Electronic-Devices-This-Afternoon Parade. One of my readers, Mark Hetts of San Francisco, told me that I should not write about gay pride but rather blended family pride. Im proud to wear the uniform, this year with a rainbow patch. But Im more proud that after 32 years, I still walk with my favorite dancer, and for 12 of those years Ive walked with my favorite sons, a crazy-quilt family of blended races and ages (and now orientations). This year we celebrate straight pride as well. At the Alice B. Toklas Breakfast before the march, former state Sen. Mark Leno said, Show your love. That is how we have won. That is how we will continue to win. We dont get arrested for dressing in drag anymore (which is a good thing, because drag is definitely not my skill set). We can wed our partners or serve in the military or become captains in the Sheriffs Department. But resistance is needed now more than ever. The thrice-married, twice-divorced president of the United States has stated, I am very much for traditional marriage and has supported discrimination against the LGBTQI2 community. Proud is not the past tense of Pride; it is the future tense. The LGBTQI2 community fights for immigrant rights, and womens choices and Muslim freedom, because we are all one in the struggle. Stonewall must go on long after Stonewall. Kevin Fisher-Paulsons column appears Wednesdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com At the Paramount Theatre in Oakland last week, Jean Amos attended a naturalization ceremony for a friend, and noticed that the welcoming video featured former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Amos was surprised that President Trump wasnt featured, but Im assured by a representative of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which administers the ceremonies, that theres nothing unusual about that and that it sometimes takes a while for a new president to get around to making such a video. The practice was started with George W. Bush, and continued with Barack Obama. In olden days, when she was head of Homeland Security, a Janet Napolitano video was used, too; a new video features Homeland Security chief John Kelly. Writing about Kellys appointment, the Boston Globe described him as unhinged, and nominated him as a candidate for the honor of being Trumps worst appointee. Howdy, yall, and welcome to America. I think this rotation of welcomers could be expanded: Tom Hanks? Stephen Curry? Beyonce? A Ford van spotted in Piedmont by Andrew Monach seemed to have conflicting bumper stickers: Love Trumps Hate and MSNTHRP. When Amazon offered $13.7 billion to buy Whole Foods, observes William Rodarmor, the critical question was paper or plastic? A proud plug for The Chronicle: Julian Grant came across a July 16, 1970, editorial, A New Look at Homosexual Marriage, in which it was noted that men and women derive great security, pride and social acceptance through marriage, and consideration should be given to allowing the homosexual minority the same rights to this sense of fulfillment. Forty-five years later, notes Grant, the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion. The culture question: At a Thursday, June 22, reception at Walnut Creeks Lesher Center for the Arts Bedford Gallery for the exhibition Sweet n Low, James Brzezinski spotted Tom Waits. This exhibition, which is open through Sept. 3, is a juried show for which artists were asked to extend the genre of cute from cuddly and precious to creepy and ironic. ... Were looking to unleash the roly-poly, goofily-gamboling, saccharine-honeyed creatures on this earth and beyond! said curators. And Mark Aronoff was browsing around the website Invaluable when he came across a listing with too much info for the sale of Lot 79: Ludwig Bemelsmans, painting, oil on canvas, impotent work ... To which Aronoff says, This must have been from the late stages of his career, perhaps midcentury or pre-Viagra. Kathleen Hartzell blows the whistle on a demon who just might make a good villain in a horror movie. In the Share section of the West Marin Commons, the owners of Henry, a rooster purported to be quite handsome, plead for relief. Lately, we find that when he is out free-ranging, it is not always safe to turn ones back on him if you are in close proximity. He gets especially riled up if one is shaking out blankets or rugs (especially red! Does he have some ranging bull inside of him?) Henrys owner is giving up attempts to teach him better manners, and looking to place the bird with a new family. P.S. At the intersection of 22nd and Church streets on Friday, June 23, Karyn Logsdon came across hundreds of yellow duckies arrayed in rows on the curb and nearby. If whoever parted with those birds is feeling lonely and in need of a fine feathered friend, perhaps a rooster would fill the bill? Steve Kawa, who was aide to former Mayor Willie Brown, then served as chief of staff for Mayors Gavin Newsom and Ed Lee, was guest of honor at a farewell event for City Hall department heads last week. Kawa is known as the iron man at City Hall, also the enforcer, the shadow mayor and the sphinx. Rose Pak used to describe him as one of the mayors baldies. A room in the mayors suite of offices now bears a sign saying its Steves Conference Room. And the City Hall tough guy grew teary as he told the gang assembled to pay tribute, Here we are were all educated, we all have homes, we all have jobs. But we work for those who arent educated, dont have homes and dont have jobs. And isnt that a hoot! Thats a hoot and a half! I cant imagine anything better than that. Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Public Eavesdropping When I die, I want my team members to bury me, so they can let me down one more time. Young man discussing his work with young man, overheard on Concord BART platform by John Alecca Baby Driver feels new. Its an action film with some traceable ancestry in Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino movies, but the attitude is different here, and so is the emphasis on style. Music plays a big part in this Edgar Wright film sometimes too big a part but it also helps charge some intense scenes with an extra blast of energy. Most car chases are boring. They have no drama because the audience knows that the protagonist cant get caught. So what does Wright do? He begins Baby Driver with a chase actually a bank heist followed by a car chase and he delivers one of the most exhilarating sequences of the summer. Its a wonderful thing that cant happen often enough, the realization that a director knows exactly what hes doing, that a movie is in good hands. With Baby Driver, we know that within about one minute. Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a young genius among getaway drivers. He has tinnitus, and so he listens to music all day to drown out the ringing in his ears. This sonic field keeps him at a distance from others and gives him a zone of mental safety. We experience the opening scene, a bank robbery, from inside Babys head. The music overcomes the sound of the robbery and of the subsequent chase, which is brilliantly imagined and choreographed. Wright places Baby and his fellow bank robbers in a hopeless situation and delights us with how he gets them out. We soon discover that Baby is not some hard-boiled character. He has been enlisted into this work because he is paying off a debt to Doc (Kevin Spacey), a powerful crook whose specialty is putting together bank heists. He doesnt rob banks himself. He devises robbery plans and, for each job, assembles a crew of freelancers. The only consistent cast member is Baby, because hes that good, and because Doc regards him as his good-luck charm. As the movie begins, Baby is hoping to go straight, but then Doc says, Your waitress girlfriend is cute. Lets keep it that way. Kevin Spacey says the line as you might imagine he would, calmly, with his odd mix of ironic humor, long-suffering weariness and complete dead seriousness. So Baby knows that driving for him is no summer job but a life sentence. Wright leans a bit too heavily on the soundtrack at times, particularly about a quarter of the way into the movie. The creation of some distance during the robbery and chase scenes produces an interesting effect, but we dont need any additional distance as the emotional terms of the story are being laid out for us. Fortunately, at a certain point, Wright eases off a bit, and we settle into the movies clear-cut setup. It couldnt be more simple: Baby wants out. Baby cant get out. Baby is going to try anyway, especially now that he has a new girlfriend, a diner waitress played by Lily James. Her dream is the same as his, to start driving west (theyre in Atlanta) and just never stop. In the meantime, Doc is putting together another job, and the crew has some serious talent: Jamie Foxx as an explosive character who dislikes Baby on sight, Jon Hamm as a more even-keeled sociopath, and Eiza Gonzalez as Hamms much-younger girlfriend, who is as scary as she is beautiful, and thats very scary. Wrights characters lack the lunacy of Tarantinos characters, and his scenes dont have the same verbal pyrotechnics, but his characters are extreme enough, and his scenes have an undercurrent of tension, the sense that things might turn violent at any moment. Baby Driver is a caper movie and a style piece, and it doesnt go much deeper than that. But having hooked us with style, Wright knows he has to deliver on the story, and he does. His plotting is tight and fluid, wild and ultimately satisfying. Its the ultimate cliche to compare a movie to a thrill ride, but sometimes the cliche applies. Anyway, Wright may have been aiming for the cliche. If he did, hes earned it. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle Baby Driver Action. Starring Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey and Lily James. Directed by Edgar Wright. (R. 113 minutes.) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Plagued by deep internal divisions within their party and terrible reviews of their plan to repeal Obamacare, Senate Republicans retreated from a vote this week on their proposed health plan, dealing a setback to President Trump and the GOP effort to deliver on a bedrock campaign promise. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., postponed action on the bill Tuesday until after the July 4 recess, during which he vowed to work to get at least 50 people in a comfortable place to vote for passage. But that prospect dimmed almost as soon as McConnell uttered the words. Moderate Republicans, such as Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and Terry Moran of Kansas came out in opposition, saying the plans proposal to cut deeply into Medicaid would devastate sick people in their states. Susan Collins, R-Maine, had already said she could not vote for the bill. Another moderate Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, welcomed the possibility that the legislation, opposed by the Senates 46 Democrats, could eventually be abandoned to open the way for a bipartisan effort to fix the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obamas signature 2010 health legislation. Absolutely, she said. Shouldnt we all be working together? This is not for Republicans to fix or Democrats to fix, this is for us as Americans to fix. McConnell had been pushing for a vote by Friday, but his effort was dealt a significant blow with the release of an analysis of the bill by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Holding a slim, 52-vote majority, the majority leader can afford to lose just two votes, using Vice President Mike Pence to break a tie. But the CBO analysis concluded that 22 million more Americans would be without insurance by 2026. Additionally, the analysis said, premiums and deductibles would soar but cover far less. The only obvious beneficiaries, according to the CBO analysis, would be very wealthy individuals and insurance and drug companies, whose taxes had been raised under the Affordable Care Act to pay for an expansion of coverage to the less well off. Moderate Senate Republicans began to fall away. At the other end of the spectrum, four Republican conservatives Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said they could not vote for the bill because it did not go far enough to repeal the current health law. In delaying the vote, McConnell said he wants to provide more time to make changes to the bill to try to persuade reluctant Republicans to vote for the measure. I believe we can get to yes, and we will get to yes, Cruz said. We will be vindicating the promise that we made to the voters. Late Tuesday, Trump invited Senate Republicans to a meeting in the White House to try to hammer out differences. The Senate bill is going to be great, Trump said, adding that Republicans are getting very close to reaching a consensus. Afterward, McConnell said that failure is not an option, and all but ruled out working with Democrats, who, he said, support none of the reforms we want to Medicaid and insurance. Meanwhile, a coalition of patient advocates, doctors and senior citizens groups have joined Democrats in pushing for the bills defeat. In a rare joint telephone news conference Tuesday, Californias top Democrats, Gov. Jerry Brown and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, urged Republicans to drop their partisan undertaking, warning that the Senate bill would harm Californians of all stripes and devastate the states hospitals, among other things. Its the most indefensible bill Ive actually seen in 24 years in the Senate, Feinstein said. Blue Cross says that this means deductibles of $7,350, she said. Now what does that mean? Thats essentially a junk plan that no one whos low- or middle-income would even buy. Brown called it toxic, and a divisive, hateful piece of legislation. No state embraced the Affordable Care Act with more gusto than California, and no state would be hit harder by the Senate bill, Harris said. She called the legislation nothing short of a disaster. Between 3 million and 4 million Californians would lose insurance coverage, the California lawmakers said, and the states three biggest childrens hospitals might be forced to close because nearly all the children they treat are on Medicaid. Feinstein said Republicans could be forced to abandon their effort if the Senate bill loses 10 or 12 Republicans and urged constituents to flood the phones of wavering GOP senators. Then we can talk what our priorities are to bring people together and not split them apart, Feinstein said. Harris and Feinstein have proposed legislation that would address the major complaints about the current law by plumping up subsidies for middle-class people who now are just above the cut-off point for government help with insurance premiums. We do recognize what needs to be fixed, repaired and improved, Harris said. Democrats held multiple Capitol Hill news conferences led by patient groups who called the legislation a life-or-death issue. At the same time, conservative groups such as the Club for Growth derided the Senate legislation as Obamacare-lite. Such criticisms are only likely to grow over the long holiday. McConnell, who had crafted the legislation in secrecy, only unveiling it publicly last week, had hoped to avoid such political exposure and move directly into negotiations with House Republicans to meld its similar legislation into a final product that they could pass and send to Trump for his signature before Congress leaves on a monthlong recess in August. As it stands, Trump and the GOP-led Congress have no landmark legislation to show after six months of unified control of Washington, and show no sign of the unity they will need to pass the tax overhaul that is next on their agenda. But the health care legislation is hardly dead. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., similarly withdrew that chambers health bill from the floor last spring, but revived it after negotiations with conservatives and passed it last month. Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carolynlochhead SACRAMENTO More than 100 terminally ill Californians took drugs to end their lives during the first six months of the states End of Life Option Act, public health officials said in a report released Tuesday. Most of the 111 people who took the life-ending prescription drugs were white and college educated, according to the California Department of Public Health report. Two-thirds of those who died had cancer, the most common of which were lung cancer and breast cancer, followed by pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. Parkinsons disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease, were the second largest group of underlying illnesses of those who used the drug, according to the report. In all, 173 doctors prescribed lethal drugs to 191 patients in 2016. Of those, 111 people died from taking the drugs, 21 people died before ingesting the drugs and the status of 59 people had not been reported to public health officials within the time period covered by the report June 9, 2016, to Dec. 31. The states data show that even during the early months of the laws implementation, the law was working well and terminally ill Californians were able to take comfort in knowing that they had this option to peacefully end intolerable suffering, said Matt Whitaker, California state director at Compassion & Choices, the advocacy group that helped pass Californias law. The median age of the people who died using the drugs was 73. Women used the drug slightly more often, making up 54 percent. Seven of 10 people who died using the law were college educated. And 90 percent were white. Nearly everyone who used the law had health insurance (96 percent), but that does not mean their health insurance covered the cost of aid in dying. Berkeley physician Lonny Shavelson, who opened a practice specializing in aid in dying, said he has yet to see insurance pay for it. Instead, his patients pay out of pocket for the lethal cocktail of medicines. Shavelson said the data released Tuesday show that the law is being used by those who have the wherewithal to navigate the health care system, an unfortunate but not surprising revelation. I dont think its a lack of interest by people who are poor or of a different ethnicity, Shavelson said. Access overall to services in the state are better for people who are richer and white. This law is not the exception. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law last year, allowing doctors to prescribe the drugs to their terminally ill patients who request them. The law requires a terminal patient to give his or her doctor a written request for the lethal prescription and make two oral requests at least 15 days apart. According to the report, 258 people made two verbal requests to their doctor for the lethal drugs. To be eligible, a patient must have a doctor determine that they have six months or less to live, are mentally competent and understand treatment options, such as palliative care and pain control. A second physician has to confirm that the person has six months or less to live. If the lethal drugs are prescribed, the person can still decide whether to take them, but is required to take them without assistance. Twenty years ago, Oregon became the first state to make it legal for doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminal patients. Three additional states Washington, Colorado and Vermont have passed laws offering the option to terminally ill people. In Montana, a court ruled that aid in dying does not violate that states laws. Californias law requires the Legislature to reapprove it or it will expire in 10 years. California modeled its law after Oregons Death with Dignity Act, passing it with the help of East Bay teacher Brittany Maynard, who moved to Oregon to access aid-in-dying laws there. Maynards husband, Dan Diaz, said he saw the numbers released Tuesday and felt proud of his late wife for helping people die peacefully without having to travel outside California for a prescription. These arent just numbers, these are people, Diaz said. Ive talked to family members in the past year of people who have used the law and they are so grateful that Brittany spoke up. The daughter of a 94-year-old told me she couldnt imagine her dad having to leave his home to have this option. That meant the world to me to know the sense of relief he experienced. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez SACRAMENTO Gov. Jerry Brown signed a $125 billion state budget Tuesday, stamping his official approval on a package of bills his office negotiated with Democratic leaders and then ushered through a Democratic-controlled Legislature. Brown signed the budget without a news conference or a single line-item veto. This was the second consecutive year that Brown did not use his authority to change the budget passed by the Legislature. Prior to that, the last time a governor did not veto a single item in the state budget was the 1982-83 budget, when Brown was governor as well. When a report by the Alameda County civil grand jury was released last month, the revelation that the Oakland City Council disregarded open-government laws was the bombshell. But thats not all the report revealed. It also found that Alameda County provided a $1 million bailout to a financially troubled East Oakland nonprofit. The grand jury found that the county Board of Supervisors gave preferential treatment to the nonprofit, Youth Uprising, over other community-based organizations. Youth Uprising runs education, employment and wellness programs for at-risk children, and among its board members is county supervisor Nate Miley. Youd think that would put the county in a pretty good position to know what was going on at the nonprofit, but the report says the county was clueless. And it shouldnt have been. Testimony from witnesses, including county and Youth Uprising employees and an independent auditor helped the grand jury conclude that the county didnt provide sufficient oversight to properly protect our tax dollars. If the county, which provides nearly half of Youth Uprisings revenue, was paying attention, a financial collapse shouldve been detected before it became imminent. Before it required a bailout. The grand jury didnt find evidence that Youth Uprisings shortfalls affected the children it serves. Still, its findings serve as a warning of what happens when organizations funded with public money go unchecked. Its a reminder that its almost impossible to help the people who need it most when organizations designed to facilitate that help cant manage themselves. In the end, we all lose. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Youth Uprising got stuck in the mud three years ago when it attempted to root itself in the education system that has served scores of students in the neighborhood around Castlemont High School, the community the organization primarily serves. In August 2015, Youth Uprising opened two charter schools Castlemont Primary and Castlemont Junior Academy. The schools were approved by Oakland Unified School District, which also approved a lease to rent classrooms at Castlemont High School for about $88,000 a year. The schools were to operate under a separate nonprofit, Castlemont Community Transformation Schools, that emerged from a program started by Youth Uprising. Instead, Youth Uprisings financial well-being became entangled in the shaky health of Castlemont Community Transformation Schools. An investigation by the Alameda County civil grand jury found that in the 2014-2015 fiscal year more than $600,000 of Youth Uprisings funding was used for school expenses. Both schools didnt enroll enough students. Both schools ran out of money and closed within 18 months of opening. Wait, theres more. As Youth Uprising was developing the plan for the charter schools, it received $2.5 million from the San Francisco Foundation for Castlemont Renaissance to develop an affordable housing project in the Castlemont community. But Castlemont Renaissance didnt have its own bank account, so Youth Uprising acted as a fiscal agent and put the money into its account. For transparency reasons, the accounting shouldve been kept separate. That raised eyebrows, just not at the county level. Youth Uprisings board members raised concerns about its relationship with Castlemont Renaissance, and there were disagreements on transparency from the leadership. The internal turmoil led to board and staff turnover. Throughout the troubles, Olis Simmons, Youth Uprisings CEO, remained in control. She also caught the attention of the grand jury, which found irregularities in her compensation. According to its report, Simmons stepped away from managing Youth Uprising for significant periods of time in the 2015-16 fiscal year, yet she billed the county for her usual pay of nearly $100,000 for that period. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The report noted that Youth Uprising also collected funds from the San Francisco Foundation for her salary. In total, her pay was more than $200,000 far higher than the average pay of most heads of Oakland community organizations, the report found. Still, in May 2016, all five supervisors approved the bailout without an adequate review of the organization they were saving. And get this: In exchange for the bailout, Youth Uprising was required to provide an outline of how the money was going to be spent before a check was written. Nothing was filed, and the grand jury found no evidence that the county has followed up on its $1 million bailout to ensure that corrective action has been taken at Youth Uprising. It was as good as a blank check, because, just three days after the money was delivered, the grand jury found a transfer of $820,614 from Youth Uprisings account to a separate account for the affordable housing project. After all of this, Miley made it clear that Youth Uprising retained his support. I think the work Youth Uprising has done is vitally important. I dont think anything was done wrong, he told me. If anything, Miley thinks Simmons got overextended with the schools and housing project, endeavors that were supported by the Youth Uprising board. The dream was a big dream in terms of community transformation, but I just think she wasnt able to achieve the dream, Miley said. Im not as generous as Miley. To me, Youth Uprising lost focus of its core mission: helping children who have to crawl from the bottom with at least one arm tied behind their backs through programming that prepares them for a chance to succeed. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Show More Show Less San Francisco has hundreds of them: slim cylinders and flat boxes strapped to utility poles that serve as mini-cell towers to speed up wireless service. The devices are essential for anyone carrying a smartphone or tablet, but the subject is breeding a battle over money and political control. Telecom firms such as Verizon and AT&T are pushing Sacramento to pass a law that would essentially remove the control cities and counties now have over where the equipment goes and how much localities can charge. In San Franciscos case, the loss could total in the millions, according to Supervisor Mark Farrell, an opponent of the measure, SB649. Regarding Too much cake (Letters, June 27): The letter writer who thinks there is an excess of LGBTQ coverage here in the Bay Area ought to travel to some other parts of the country. There are many queer people living in places where there are no huge rainbow flags waving for an entire month or where newspapers provide front page coverage of bloated Pride Parades. Theyd be fearful to openly walk hand-in-hand with their same-sex partners or spouses. Were fortunate to live in a place that recognizes and celebrates diversity. Margot Travers, San Francisco Pain correlation Regarding Study links opioid use, mental health (June 27): Lenny Bernsteins article regarding evidence of a correlation between opioid use and mental health misses at least half the story. Yes, it is possible that people with depression feel physical pain more acutely than others. But unmentioned in the article is that there is lots of research strongly supporting the notion that chronic pain leads to depression. This entirely plausible explanation for a correlation between depression and opioid use is entirely ignored in the currently growing anti-opioid public relations furor. More balanced and thorough reporting would have included this alternative explanation for the correlation observed in the Dartmouth College and University of Michigan study. Lawrence Jensen, Oakland Foreign aid benefit Can someone please tell the president that his America First justification for slashing a third of foreign aid may not be in Americas best interest? Many people, like President Trump, do not understand how investing in developing countries can benefit Americans. Two examples are national defense and the economy. Several military officials have publicly demanded an increase in funding for the Department of State, citing evidence that investment and development are more impactful than bullets and deployment. Also, foreign aid is a huge return on investment. As people rise out of poverty, they become consumers. With one out of five U.S. jobs being export-based and 50 percent of our exports now going to developing countries, this means more jobs. For this reason, I encourage Congress and their constituents to listen to United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres when he lobbies against funding cuts to the U.N., one of the many ways we participate in foreign aid. Megan Crain, Oakland Harmed reputation Regarding A victory, but not a rationale (Editorial, June 27): The U.S. Supreme Courts decision to allow part of President Trumps travel ban against members of six predominantly Muslim countries is damaging to our countrys reputation as a place where people from all places are welcome. An inscription on the Statue of Liberty (from the poem The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus) reads: Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Another line should now be added: ... Unless youre from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen. Xavier Betancourt, San Francisco Overlooked deeds Regarding Summer of Loves lessons ring true (Open Forum, June 26): As a former hippie myself, I take issue with Lawrence J. McQuillans screed against Big Brother and government power. He overlooks many good things that government, and particularly Democratic government, has done for Americans. Gay rights, womens rights, clean air and clean water acts, protecting endangered species, access to health care, civil rights and financial oversight of errant banks; the list of what government has done is extensive. Apparently, McQuillans dislike of government in any form has blinded him to its accomplishments. Steve Heimoff, Oakland License to carry Regarding Ban on concealed guns upheld by high court (June 27): Count me as someone grateful that Californias century-old law requiring gun owners to get licenses to carry concealed weapons in public (especially in urban areas) remains intact. Why would anyone besides a law enforcement officer need to carry around a loaded gun in a crowded metropolitan area like San Francisco? Its 2017, and were living in the West not the Wild West. Mitchell Fogelberg, San Jose Scathing TV ads Its time for Democrats to take the gloves off and expose the Republican health care proposal for what it is: gutting health care for millions of people and giving tax cuts to the wealthy. Since the right already has ads for President Trumps 2020 re-election and anti-James Comey ads, its time for pro-Democratic organizations to advertise in red states, graphically exposing the Republicans heartless plan. A TV ad could look like this: A couple in a mansion discuss how the tax cut from the health care bill will allow them to buy another yacht and an additional vacation home. The scene changes to a working class couple talking about how they cant afford health insurance since their baby has a serious pre-existing condition and, without treatment, the baby will die. At the conclusion, the working class husband is saying, I thought Republicans were going to improve health care, but they dont care about us at all. Its as powerful as anything Republicans would air, but reality-based, and not lies. Lets send senators and representatives who support this bill home to irate constituents during the recess. That would get their attention. Ellen Ingraham, Vallejo Congress plan Regarding The big lies about health care (E.J. Dionne Jr., June 26): Of course, all of Congress can show us the best they can do. They have their own health plan that must be the best. They arent changing it. Why isnt this egregious set-up called foul! It has been very unfair to We, the People for too long. Joan Dedo, Mill Valley This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are the militarys commanders of the seas, massive structures gliding across the worlds waterways with nearly unimaginable force and unbelievable ease until they get stuck in the muck in San Francisco Bay. The Bay Area was a major naval hub for much of the 20th century, with carriers making their way within sight of S.F. to the delight of onlookers on land. A memory of one of these behemoths stuck on a sandbar in the bay prompted a dive into The Chronicles archive. I couldnt believe what I found. I turned up photos of not one, not two, but three accidents that left aircraft carriers stuck in the bay. Ken McLaughlin/The Chronicle The first incident involved the converted carrier Core, which was on its way out to sea for tests after repairs in Richmond. The front page of The Chronicle on Jan. 4, 1963, announced: Carrier Misses Ocean. In heavy fog the ship had run aground about 60 feet off the Marin County shore. Sgt. Carl Godsey was sitting at his desk at his Fort Baker waterfront office when he heard an alarming noise. It was a churning sound, he was quoted as saying. I knew it was a ships propeller very big and very close. He ran from the office and saw the ship heading directly for Point Cavallo, a rocky promontory. Just as a collision seemed inevitable, the ship veered and changed course, he said. Fisherman Juanito Pizarro offered an eyewitness description of the Cores wild ride: I saw her loom out of the fog. She just missed the breakwater. ... It kept heading for Needles ledge. I heard a big, loud scraping that kept getting louder and louder until she came to a stop. It took about 3 hours before six tugboats freed the ship. About a month later, at 11 a.m. Feb. 2, 1963, the 63,000-ton aircraft carrier Coral Sea got stuck in the mud about a half mile from the Alameda Naval Air Station. Again, and predictably, dense fog was partially to blame. It took a dozen tugs and a tidal change to get the ship back on course. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. If those naval accidents werent enough, 20 years later the 90,000-ton carrier Enterprise also got stuck approaching the Alameda Naval Air Station this time, only 1,000 yards from shore. The Enterprise was returning from eight months at sea, and about 3,000 friends and family members were awaiting the crews arrival on shore. They had to wait five hours for the ship to be pulled free from the mudflats, but that only swelled the celebrations. The skipper had seen better days. The event had been saturated with media coverage before the huge ship ran aground, and the attention only grew as word of the incident spread. Two admirals were on board to mark the occasion, and in an otherworldly turn of luck for earthlings who love a good story, Star Trek actor George Takei was on board the Enterprise as a promotional stunt. Takei, as should be expected, summed up the experience with wit: Our vessel is the Starship Enterprise, and this is the USS Enterprise, (so) weve got a new drink, Enterprise on the Rocks. Bill Van Niekerken is the library director of The San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. In his weekly column, From the Archive, he explores the depths of The Chronicles vast photography archive in search of interesting historical tales related to the city by the bay. Rafe Swan/Getty Image A 74-year-old San Jose woman pleaded guilty to stealing personal information from homeless people to use in a fraud scheme that generated $3.5 million in tax refunds, officials said Tuesday. Diep Vo duped people at homeless shelters and halfway houses into giving her their names and social security numbers, and to sign blank income tax returns, saying she would use the information to get them stimulus money from government programs, according to court documents. A San Francisco federal judge is not biased against antiabortion activists who secretly recorded abortion providers at national meetings and will be allowed to remain on the case he has been on for nearly two years, another federal judge has ruled. David Daleiden and his organization, the Center for Medical Progress, were seeking to remove U.S. District Judge William Orrick III from a case he has handled since it was filed in July 2015. They claimed the judge had veered from neutrality with his past work for a charity that shared space with a Planned Parenthood clinic, and with his wifes Facebook comments liking Planned Parenthood. Their disqualification request was assigned, by random selection, to another judge on the court, James Donato, who ruled Monday that Orrick had shown no sign of bias. Daleiden and his colleagues, posing as fetal researchers, entered the annual meetings of the National Abortion Federation in San Francisco in 2014 and in Baltimore in 2015 and made clandestine videos of conversations with some of the participants, which they posted online. They said they had been acting as investigative journalists. But Orrick ruled in February 2016 that they had obtained the information by fraud and barred any public release of the recordings, including those they had already posted. A federal appeals court upheld his ruling this March. The activists moved to disqualify Orrick a week before a hearing he had scheduled on whether to hold Daleiden and some of his lawyers in contempt of court. The lawyers had posted YouTube links to many of the same recordings after obtaining them as evidence in a criminal case filed by state Attorney General Xavier Becerra against Daleiden and his employee, Sandra Merritt. Becerra accused them of violating a state law that requires consent to record another persons private conversations. In accusing Orrick of bias, Daleiden and his organization cited his past work for the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, which aids immigrants. Orrick, appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama in 2013, was a San Francisco attorney and a member of the charity groups board in 2001 when the group agreed to house a Planned Parenthood clinic on its San Francisco property. But Donato said Orrick last served on Good Samaritans board in 2006 and had no relationship with Planned Parenthood or the National Abortion Federation. The antiabortion activists also noted that the judges wife, Caroline Farrow Orrick, had posted Facebook messages in 2015 and 2016 supporting Planned Parenthood and citing an article that attacked Daleidens group as a sham organization run by extremists. The judge did not disavow his wifes comments, and members of the public would assume that he shares her views, Daleiden and his group argued. Donato emphatically rejected their position. Spouses do not give up their freedom of thought and expression, he said, rejecting the faulty and anachronistic assumption that a wife merely parrots her husbands views. The ruling returned the case to Orrick, who rescheduled the contempt-of-court hearing for Daleiden and his lawyers to July 11. Daleiden issued a statement Tuesday rejecting Donatos findings and saying that Orrick actually used to run the Planned Parenthood clinic as a board member of the San Francisco charity. There has been no evidence that the judge ran or worked at the clinic. Judge Orrick is not just a judge, but effectively one of the plaintiffs, Daleiden said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko Growing up poor in San Francisco, Tanea Lunsford learned that when a loved one was arrested, it wasnt just that person who got punished. It was members of her extended family who couldnt afford to buy school uniforms for the children that year because they had to use the money to bail somebody out, she said. It was mothers and aunts who had to scrap enough cash together for jailed husbands and sons, while also raising kids in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Money bail hurts you when you can pay it, and it hurts you when you cant pay it, said Lunsford, now an activist with the Essie Justice Group, an Oakland nonprofit that helps women with incarcerated family members. It means sacrifice when you can pay it, but, when you cant, it means your loved one is incarcerated before their trial. It means theyre desperate to do anything to come home, including taking a plea deal. Lunsfords experience isnt unique, according to a report set to be released Wednesday by San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros. In it, he slams the current bail system, saying it penalizes the poor, and offers a series of recommendations for reforming it. It is essential that government holds people accountable, and that there are consequences when people break rules or laws, Cisneros wrote. But we need to do so in a way that is fair and just, and doesnt dig struggling San Franciscans into even deeper holes. Government should be an equalizer of opportunity, not another driver of inequality. The report is the latest broadside against a money bail system that is under attack from all sides of the citys criminal justice system. The mayor, the district attorney, the public defender, the sheriff and the city attorney, among others, want an overhaul that ensures risk to public safety, not wealth, determines whether people are released from jail before trial. But San Franciscos ability to make changes is limited. The bail system is mandated by state law, and legislation that would mostly get rid of it is not expected to pass this year. To be freed from jail before trial, people who are arrested can either pay their full bail amount in which case they get a full refund if they make their court appearances or pay a percentage of the bail to a bail bond agent, typically 10 percent, which they dont get back. According to Cisneros report, more than 99 percent of people who post bail in San Francisco can only afford to pay a percentage. As a result, city residents largely people of color and residents of low-income neighborhoods pay up to $15 million a year in nonrefundable fees, the report found. In the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, residents post more than 500 bonds a year, costing $1 to $2 million, the report says. Residents of the Tenderloin/Civic Center area post more than 350 bonds a year, totaling $1 to $1.5 million. Its just an unfair system, said city Supervisor Hillary Ronen. Its grandmothers, mothers, wives, daughters who have to work, beg, borrow and barter in order to pay for bail, and a lot of these women are my constituents. Ronen is scheduled to take up the bail system during Wednesdays meeting of the supervisors public safety committee. She said Tuesday she is working on legislation pushing for more regulation of the bail bond industry, one of the recommendations of the treasurers report. Harmeet Dhillon, an attorney for the California Bail Agents Association, said the report unfairly characterizes the industry, noting that the state Department of Insurance prohibits bail bond companies from returning peoples fees, even if criminal charges are dismissed. However, she said, The bail industry is on board with some reforms to the system. The system could certainly be improved, and if you talk to many bail agents, they would agree that San Franciscos bail schedule is much higher than some adjoining counties, she said of the bail amounts attached to certain crimes, which are set by San Francisco Superior Court. That creates a disparity and that begs the question as to why its much higher here than other urban regions in this country. But you cant pin that on the bail industry. The bail industry is simply there to provide one of multiple ways for people to handle custody arrests. Among the recommendations in Cisneros report is that San Francisco explore the creation of a revolving nonprofit fund that would help poor people afford bail. Moreover, he said, San Francisco should continue to push for a lowering of the bail schedule and for statewide legislation. The report urged the continuation of local efforts to reduce the impact of the money bail system. It cited Mayor Ed Lees allocating of funds to the citys pretrial diversion project, which offers alternatives to jail time for nonviolent offenders, and to the public defenders pretrial release unit, which will represent people soon after their arrests rather than waiting for them to be charged and brought into court. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo Michael Macor/The Chronicle The flooding that stalled eastbound BART service into the Powell Street Station in San Francisco on Monday evening was caused by an overabundance of seeping groundwater and a plumbing problem, transit agency officials said Tuesday. Groundwater flows naturally, and freely, beneath downtown San Francisco, where it seeps into some of BARTs subway tunnels, and the tunnels between Powell and Civic Center are among the worst. Maintenance workers refer to the area between the Embarcadero and 16th Street Mission stations as the rainforest. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Planned Parenthood of California, which operates more of the organizations health centers than any other state in the nation, would lose 73 percent of its operating budget under the health care bills that Republicans are pushing to replace the Affordable Care Act, its leaders said this week. Planned Parenthood of Northern California, which operates 20 health centers in San Francisco, Marin, Contra Costa and other counties between the Bay Area and the Oregon border, would face budget reductions of similar proportions. That could force some clinics to close or scale back services. Both pieces of proposed GOP legislation one passed by the House in May, and one introduced by the Senate last week would end federal funding to the womens health organization for one year. Both would do so by making Planned Parenthood ineligible to be receive federal Medicaid dollars, which comprise most of the organizations revenue. Planned Parenthood has long been a target of conservatives, who argue that the federal government should not fund health care providers that perform abortions, even though the procedure is paid for by state, not federal, funding. They say women can seek reproductive health services at other community health providers that do not perform abortions. About $30 million of the Northern California chapters $46 million annual operating budget would be wiped out if the GOP proposal becomes law, according to Gilda Gonzales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Northern California. This would truly be devastating to the people who have the least access to quality health care, Gonzales said. In some of our most rural counties, we might be the only provider that delivers sexual and reproductive health care services in the area. Last year, the chapter did 12,000 cervical cancer screenings and 9,800 breast exams 377 of which resulted in abnormal results that necessitated further testing and care. Last month, it announced that three Bay Area clinics in Richmond, Pittsburg and Vacaville would close by the end of June, citing the states low Medicaid reimbursement rates. Planned Parenthoods 115 centers across the state annually serve about 850,000 Californians, the majority of whom are low-income and get their insurance through the Medi-Cal program for the poor. The Mar Monte chapter, based in San Jose, is the nations largest Planned Parenthood affiliate and operates 33 clinics in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and other counties. A spokeswoman for the chapter did not immediately return requests for comment, and it is not clear what portion of its federal funding would be withheld if the GOP proposal moves forward. Crystal Strait, CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said there is no contingency plan, and it is not known what services, and where, would be scaled back. If 73 percent of your operating funding is in jeopardy, its hard to imagine a great contingency plan that could still maintain the safety net, she said. Services will be cut back. What that means, were not sure. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat__Ho A teenage boy was in a hospital battling for his life after an assailant walked up to his car in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco and shot him Sunday night, officials said. The 17-year-old victim was in a car at a stoplight near the intersection of Bayshore Boulevard and Marin Street about 10 p.m. when the gunman approached the vehicle and opened fire, according to the San Francisco Police Department. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Presidents Trumps push to abolish or shrink some of the countrys national monuments won support this week in a small section of the southern Sierra Nevada, where the Giant Sequoia National Monument is one of several California sites in the crosshairs. The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to send a letter to the Trump administration urging it to reduce the 328,000-acre Giant Sequoia monument to 90,000 acres. A similar request before the Kern County Board of Supervisors fell short. The board decided Tuesday to take no position on the monument amid a groundswell of public opposition to any changes. While there is overwhelming statewide support for Giant Sequoia and six other California monuments targeted by Trump, the administration has said it will give more weight to the views of communities neighboring the sites. The Giant Sequoia monument sprawls across Tulare and Kern counties, establishing special protections for nearly three dozen groves of sequoias some of the worlds tallest and oldest trees while limiting logging and recreation activities, such as driving off-road vehicles. Some residents have been critical of the restrictions. The letter Tulare County is sending to the Department of the Interior emphasizes the need for tree removal at the site as a precaution against forest fires. As originally proposed, the letter requested only looser timber regulations, but it was revised Tuesday to include a call for shaving the monument by more than two-thirds. While tree removal has always been permitted for fire safety purposes, getting logging companies to do the work can be more difficult if broader timber harvesting isnt allowed. Only the U.S. Forest Service is currently removing hazardous trees within the monument. Critics of the supervisors called the letter a transparent attempt to do the bidding of the logging industry and open the area to more cutting. Tulare County Supervisor Mike Ennis, who represents the region around the monument, did not return several phone calls seeking comment on why he wants the protections lifted. He was among three supervisors who voted to draft the letter. The Department of the Interior said last week that it had not made a decision on any of the California monuments. A public comment period closes July 10. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is reviewing whether 27 monuments across the country were properly designated under the 1906 Antiquities Act, whether the federal government has the resources to continue enforcing protections, and whether local and state residents want them. The California attorney generals office has vowed to fight any effort to downsize the sites, arguing that while presidents have the power to make the designations, they cant unilaterally undo them. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander The uninsured population in California would rise from 9 to 21 percent in the next five years if the Senate health care bill were to take effect, according to a new analysis by the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. About 4.3 million more Californians would go without insurance under the GOP plan, the study found. The total number of uninsured would rise from 3.1 million to 7.4 million by 2022. Because California moved more aggressively than most other states to implement the Affordable Care Act accepting increased federal dollars to expand the Medi-Cal insurance program for the poor, and creating the state insurance exchange Covered California the potential loss in coverage in the state would be more dramatic than in many other states, according to the report. California has been as aggressive as any state in getting more people insured under the Affordable Care Act, said Larry Levitt, senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, which analyzes health care policy. The Senate health bill would essentially reverse those gains. Since the ACA was implemented in 2014, California reduced the rate of its uninsured residents from 17 percent to a record low 7 percent, according to recent estimates by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Urban Institute figures are slightly different than the CDCs numbers because the former includes only the non-elderly adults under 64, and children while the latter includes the entire population. Nationally, the percentage of uninsured, non-elderly Americans would increase from 11 to 20 percent from 31 million people today to 55 million people in 2022, the Urban Institute projection found. The study, released Wednesday, looks at the impact of the proposed health care legislation which was introduced by Senate Republicans last week on each of the 50 states. So it offers a more localized glimpse into the bills potential effects than did the Congressional Budget Office report released this week. The budget office found that 22 million more Americans would be uninsured under the Senate plan by 2026. The Senate bill, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act, would drastically reduce long-term federal spending on Medicaid. Health policy experts say that would put financial pressure on states to either kick people off the program or cut benefits for the entire population. In California, federal spending would drop 41 percent by 2022, from $39 billion to $23 billion, the analysis found. The Senate measure would also change eligibility requirements to receive federal subsidies to buy insurance plans on Covered California, leading to tens of thousands fewer people receiving the financial assistance. And many of those who would continue receiving subsidies would be paying higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs, according to analyses by Kaiser. Those buying a plan through Covered California, for instance, would see their deductible nearly triple from $2,500 to $7,350, according to a separate analysis released Wednesday by Covered California and the National Academy for State Health Policy. The House has already passed a health care bill that would also substantially increase the number of uninsured in California. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat__Ho CLARION | A Clarion man who produced child porn was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison. Skyler Wyatt, 26, received the sentence after pleading guilty in January to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. At the plea hearing, Wyatt admitted he knowingly used a child to produce child pornography in 2016. Clarion man pleads guilty to federal child porn charge CLARION | A Clarion man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to producing child pornography. During his sentencing hearing in Cedar Rapids, a special assessment of $100 was imposed. Wyatt also must also serve a seven-year term of supervised release and comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Wright County Sheriffs Office and the Webster County Sheriffs Office. Mary Pieper Private equity firm Sycamore is buying office supplies chain Staples for $6.9 billion. The companies said Wednesday that shareholders of Staples will get $10.25 per share. Staples stock had closed Wednesday up 77 cents, or 8.4 percent, to $9.93 on a late-afternoon report of a deal. The stock rose 1.5 percent in after-hours trading. Reports in April said Staples was in deal talks, less than a year after it dropped a $6.3 billion merger with Office Depot because of opposition from antitrust regulators. The companies said they expect the deal to close this year. Walmart has open call Hundreds of inventors have flocked to Walmarts headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., to find out if the country needs a few more secret sauces, prettier mouse pads or instant hair gel packets for the on-the-go clubber. The 500 businesses selected to take part in Walmarts fourth annual Open Call on Wednesday have already been offered spots on the companys online portals, as it battles Amazon for billions of dollars in revenue. Visits with Walmarts marketing team, though, could land any number of entrepreneurs some shelf space in nearly 4,700 brick-and-mortar stores. Its a high-stakes game, Scott Hilton, Walmarts executive chief revenue officer for e-commerce, said as the meeting opened. Amazon held its own event Wednesday for online sellers. Through its portal, it gives any would-be sellers step-by-step online guidance on how to receive and fulfill orders. With auditions, Walmart does it differently, and its physical stores handle a finite number of goods. Bringing potential sellers to headquarters for Wednesdays crash course in marketing reinforces Walmarts path to making money. Banking Success on stress tests The Federal Reserve has given the green light to all 34 of the biggest banks in the U.S. to raise their dividends and buy back shares, judging their financial foundations sturdy enough to withstand a major economic downturn. It was the first time in seven years of annual stress tests that every bank assessed by the Fed won approval for its capital plans. The Fed on Wednesday announced the results of the second round of its annual stress tests. Those allowed to raise dividends or repurchase shares include the four biggest U.S. banks JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo. Capital Ones plan got only conditional approval and it has six months to revise it. But the bank was still allowed to return profits to shareholders. Real estate Home sales keep slowing Americans signed fewer contracts to buy homes in May, the third straight monthly decline and evidence that a shortage of homes for sale has suppressed home buying. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its pending home sales index fell 0.8 percent in May to 108.5. Thats down from 109.4 in April and 111.3 in March. The index has slipped 1.7 percent over the past 12 months. Would-be buyers are facing higher prices and fewer options. Sales listings have plunged 8.4 percent over the past 12 months to 1.96 million. The median sales price in May rose 5.8 percent from a year ago to $252,800. South Carolina Samsung plans to open plant Samsung is investing $380 million in South Carolina to manufacture home appliances, creating an estimated 950 jobs over three years, state and company officials announced Wednesday. The South Korean company is opening a state of the art facility in the former Caterpillar plant in Newberry. Production is expected to start early next year. Chronicle News Services This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The 30 miles that separate the northern reaches of Alameda County and a new $147 million courthouse in Dublin, which opened this week, have divided the countys underfunded court system and its public defender over how to handle in-custody criminal arraignments. The top judge in the sprawling East Bay county, Morris Jacobson, said he first floated an idea in 2014 to move such inmate arraignments which average about 50 a day throughout Alameda County to Dublin at the East County Hall of Justice. Criminal arraignments for those arrested in areas such as Oakland have long been held at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland. Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods, and a new coalition of 28 nonprofits, politicians and other groups aligned behind him, say that arrangement is crucial for defendants arrested in the north part of the county. The coalition argues that an arraignment, the initial court appearance for defendants, is one of the most significant stages of a criminal case. The introductory proceeding is a judges first opportunity to lay eyes on a defendant and gauge the support of family and friends, they say. It is also when criminal charges are formally announced by the district attorneys office, when many defendants who cant afford a private attorney get assigned a public defender and when the court sets bail. A spokeswoman for the Alameda County District Attorneys Office did not return a request for comment. The judge is not required to allow acquaintances of the defendant to address the court, but he or she sometimes permits the practice. Under the new rules, if a person is arrested around Oakland, that means family members, especially those with lower incomes who may not own a vehicle, must travel a long distance to attend the hearings. A BART ride between West Oakland Station and Dublin/Pleasanton Station costs $9 and can take well over three hours round-trip. In our system, there is always a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, Woods said. Not everyone whos in custody is guilty of something, and so when you move those things out ... it makes for a strain on the family members, because oftentimes individuals, who do have jobs, they cant take off to travel farther distances. In a letter obtained by The Chronicle sent Tuesday by Jacobson to Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan, the judge wrote that we should be most concerned about Oakland defendants, who under the existing system are awakened at 3 a.m. from Santa Rita Jail to be bused to Oakland for arraignments. And back. Cognizant of growing tensions, Jacobson asked for Chans help in reaching a solution to arraign defendants in Oakland. He proposed as one fix that the Board of Supervisors allocate $2 million to the court for clerks to staff local arraignments. Another alternative suggested by the judge is to place inmates arrested around Oakland in the Glenn Dyer Detention Facility, which is connected to the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse by an underground tunnel where inmates are shuttled back and forth. But Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the sheriffs office, said thats not practical. Increasing staffing at Glenn Dyer would cost $3 million, and much of the space is already used by the U.S. Marshals Service, he said. Even then, the Oakland facility can hold only about 500 inmates. The Santa Rita Jail averages about 2,100 inmates a day. Tirien Steinbach, executive director of the East Bay Community Law Center, which signed Woods petition, said moving the arraignments to Dublin will be catastrophic to low-income minorities who are arrested at disproportionate rates. When politicians stand on a stage, they stand up with their families and their supporters for a reason, Steinbach said. Darris Young, a local organizer with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights who served 17 years on a third-strike offense in Alameda County, said the plan is especially unsettling for inmates at a time when the need for bipartisan criminal justice reform seems to be finally clicking at a national level. I think its a very bad thing, Young said. I do believe that in this instance, the judge is looking at it from his perspective and not even taking into account from the individuals that are being impacted, hearing anything from them. The five-story East County Hall of Justice has 13 courtrooms, a voluminous holding cell for inmates and 146,000 square-feet of total space. Chad Finke, the courts executive officer, said the court opened for civil matters Tuesday and certain criminal matters Wednesday. The Dublin facility, the first new courthouse in Alameda County in decades, is expected to be fully operational by the end of July, when in-custody arraignments will begin. Jacobson defended the consolidation for the severely underfunded court system. County courts have weathered eight straight years of budget cuts, dropping from a $125 million budget in fiscal year 2008-09 to just $76 million this fiscal year. The judge said court employees have been slashed from a height of 950 to about 650. He said the shift will help the court and the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, which houses and transports inmates save money. Inmates now arrested in Oakland are housed in the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin adjacent to the new courthouse and transported in cuffs on diesel buses all the way to Oakland to be arraigned. Though Kelly said the 300 yards from the Dublin courthouse to the Santa Rita Jail will save time, he was not so sure about money. In certain areas, it will save money, Kelly said. But salary- and staff-wise, I dont know that it will. Officers still work eight hours a day, regardless of transportation. Regardless, Jacobsons term is up at the end of the year, when Judge Wynne Carvill will replace him. The decision will then belong to Carvill. Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Seafood is practically synonymous with summertime, but before you indulge in your favorite seafood dish, you may want to consider if that fish is actually sustainable or harmful for the environment. Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch revealed the types of seafood their scientists and conservationists recommend consumers avoid this summer based on sustainability, and many of the seafood listed are household favorites. We've taken a look at their California guide suggesting seafood lovers should avoid certain albacore, yellowfin, bluefin and skipjack tuna. Various types of salmon including Atlantic and coho, also make the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation program's new list. The regional guides focus on seafood primarily available in that given market, while Seafood Watch also suggests a list of fish that should be avoided nationwide. In general, the activists and scientists advise avoiding bluefin tuna, eel and orange roughy across the board, Ryan Bigelow, program engagement manager for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program told SFGATE. Every fish listed in the slideshow has been overfished, caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment, according to the aquarium publication, which is why Seafood Watch recommends you think twice before consuming. After the above list was published, the National Fisheries Institute contacted SFGATE with concerns that Seafood Watch information would, "...ultimately discourage readers from eating affordable, abundant seafood at a time when the FDA suggests most Americans aren't eating enough." The NFI points out that there are other environmental factors to consider. Brandon Phillips, a communications director at NFI refutes the Monterey Bay Aquarium's take on pole and line fishing, pointing to a University of California study showing, "...vessels using pole line fishing methods are more carbon intensive, consuming approximately three to four times more fuel than boats using the more efficient methods Monterey Bay opposes." That study looked at climate change impact, as opposed to impact on the sustainability of the species. The concern is sustainability, or lack thereof. Seafood Watch defines sustainable seafood as fished or farmed seafood that can proliferate without harming the structure and function of affected ecosystems. Given that, the above-mentioned fish may be safe to eat, but might not be good for the planet depending on farming practices, so environmentalists urge diners to be aware of the origins and ask questions. The data also showed the best seafood options out there and include trout, prawns and sole. You can see their full national list here. This article is just a glance at the new "avoid" list. For a deeper dive on how to truly understand your fish and those who fish for it, we recommend the Chronicle's Tara Duggan's analysis of a previous Seafood Watch list, where she explains how various fishing methods impact a species. If youre unsure if something is sustainable, ask your restaurant server or grocery fishmonger, although supermarkets are required to label unprocessed seafood. Check the slideshow above to see the full list of seafood recommendations. San Francisco's Mid-Market/Civic Center neighborhood is getting a new luxury boutique hotel. The 131-room Proper Hotel, located at Seventh and Market streets, will be the flagship for Proper Hospitality, which is also opening locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Austin, Texas. Discussions of whether or not this challenging and perennially up-and-coming neighborhood really needs a luxury boutique hotel -- where rooms start at $400/night -- aside, the project is likely to make a big splash when it debuts. Of particular note, Jason Franey will oversee the hotel's four restaurants, including a rooftop lounge. Franey made his name working at New York's Eleven Madison Park and Seattle's Canlis. Most recently, he has been cooking at Monterey restaurant 1833, the James Beard Award-nominated chef earned 3.5 stars from Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer, who called his menu "stellar" and said the restaurant was "the must-visit stop on the Monterey Peninsula." In addition to Franey, Josh Harris and Morgan Schick (Trick Dog, The Bon Vivants) will handle the booze side for the restaurants and lounge. The hotel is set to open in August. More details as they become available. Sarah Fritsche is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sfritsche@sfchronicle.com Twitter/Instagram: @foodcentric MASON CITY | Mason City officials are hoping to have a final development agreement approved on a new hotel and conference center in September, according to City Administrator Brent Trout. Several steps are needed to make that happen, he said, but negotiations between the city and Gatehouse Capital are moving along smoothly. The Gatehouse proposal includes building the hotel in the south parking lot ofand connecting it by a skywalk to The Music Man Square. Gatehouse intends to build a ballroom/conference center in The Music Man Square and relocate the museum. "We are working with mall management on a parking agreement," said Trout. The proposed hotel would take up parking spaces that are used by the mall as part of a previous agreement with the city. He said he sees no problem in reaching a new agreement and that the paperwork on that is being completed. The city has paid Gatehouse $150,000 in start-up costs that will be refundable as the project gets underway. Trout hopes to have a draft of the final development agreement ready for council approval in August and approval of a final agreement in September. The hotel is a key component in the city's request for $10 million in state funds through the Iowa Reinvestment Act, part of a $36 million plan that also includes an ice area/multipurpose center, music pavilion, parking ramp and possibly a mixed-use building. Mason City Council approves hotel agreement MASON CITY | The Mason City Council voted to approve the Gatehouse Capital pre-development a The state requires $10 million in private investment to qualify for the state money. The hotel fulfills that requirement. Mason City received pre-approval of $7.2 in state funds more than a year ago but has had to change plans because the original hotel developer, Philip Chodur of G8 Development, San Diego, defaulted on his agreement with the city. When more money became available in the state program, Mason City upped its request to $10 million. Trout said he has been in regular contact with Iowa Economic Development Authority officials, who oversee the Iowa Reinvestment Act funding, concerning the changes. He will meet with them again in coming weeks to seek final approval of state funding. Gatehouse is proposing to build a 100-room hotel in the Southbridge lot and connect it to The Music Man Square in which it will build a conference center. The conference center will have a 6,500-square foot grand ballroom that could accommodate events with up to 600 attendees and a 1,500-square foot catering/kitchen area. Rachie: 'Everyone benefits' from downtown Mason City project MASON CITY | The conference center is a key component in the development project planned for As part of the agreement, the city will pay for a "mezzanine loan," which fills the gap between the developer's equity and traditional financing. The loan would be made with general obligation bonds and would be an "interest forgivable" loan in which Gatehouse would repay the principal estimated to be $3.5 to $4.3 million - over 20 years. The city would be responsible to pay the interest to retire the bonds. David Rachie, who is negotiating the deal for Gatehouse Capital, was unavailable for comment Tuesday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Rearrange your weekend schedule, folks: It's time for a Costco run. You may already have a two backup boxes of cereal in your pantry and enough muffins to last you through the month, but the bulk-seller has a new burger offer at their food counter. And if they're anywhere as good as the store's $1.50 hot dogs, everybody wins. Of course the burger has given some people a bit of pause. The -pound burgers are sold as "Chicago-style" cheeseburgers, described by Costco as "an organic beef patty, topped with romaine lettuce, smoked Thousand Island dressing, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, all placed between fluffy, sweet Chicago-style buns." RELATED: Insider's tips for shopping at Costco For those who might be wondering, Costco later clarified that their "Chicago-style" bun is a lighter version of challah but some people still think there's a different resemblance there. "Now, in addition to its wildly popular rotisserie chicken, the wholesale store will be offering freshly grilled burgers that look oddly similar to Shake Shack's famous patties," Delish reports. "The final product looks nearly identical to Shack's beloved burger, though the ingredients are slightly different." Costco will be grilling these burgers in a trial run of locations in Seattle, as well as a few stores in California (Corona, Pacoima and Lakewood). It's not the first burger the food giant has experimented with, but it might be a lasting one. Check it out for yourself and see if the burger lives up to the other Costco grill game. If not, well there's always other offerings. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Graduation season may be over, but netizens the world over are still watching one East Bay student's rousing farewell address. A video of Angad Singh Padda's talk, called "A Sikh's Graduation Speech to Unite the World," was posted on May 17. It has since gone viral, racking up almost a quarter of a million views on YouTube. A subtitled version by Upworthy has been shared more than 1.8 million times. In his speech which he gave extemporaneously Padda implores his fellow graduates to create a world without prejudice. "Whenever there's a kid in Oakland who can't afford school, that's a problem," he said. "Whenever climate change wipes out a species, that's a problem. Whenever a Muslim woman gets bullied because of her hijab, or a Jewish man because of his yarmulke, or a Sikh man because of his turban, that is a problem." Padda, a decorated 23-year-old scholar, graduated summa cum laude from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business May 13. In his speech, he described how he had lost two friends to drug abuse in his home state of Punjab, India. That experience, he said, made him want to become as successful as possible, so that he might someday return to Punjab and help solve its drug problem. He also called on his classmates to create a world with "no walls or borders," where "nobody would call (any) other person 'bad hombres.'" "Our dream is to create a world in which we are all one," he said. After being selected to give the Class of 2017's graduation speech by a group of his peers, Padda asked more than 70 other students what mattered most to them. In the end, though, he decided to give the speech off-the-cuff, according to a Haas press release. Padda opened his talk by sitting cross-legged on the stage and playing a brief piece on small Indian drums called Tabla. As he spoke, he strode across the stage, his sleeves rolled up and a bright gold turban on his head. (In one online profile, Padda claims to have 56 differently-colored turbans.) Padda now works as a banker for J.P. Morgan, but closed his speech by emphasizing that making a profit was not his priority. "I am not going to say, 'Let's go out there and earn six figures,'" he said. "I am going to say, 'Let's go out there and fix six of the world's biggest problems.'" TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The Florida Supreme Court scrutinized a prosecutor over her refusal to seek the death penalty in two dozen murder cases, and a justice suggested during arguments Wednesday that Gov. Rick Scott had the power to suspend the state attorney. The case involves whether the Republican governor violated the state Constitution by taking 24 murder cases out of the hands of Orlando-area State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who has said capital punishment is costly and that the cases drag on for years. Attorney Roy Austin said Ayala, a Democrat, is an independently elected official who has the discretion to seek the death penalty or not. He said nothing in Florida law forces her to do so. All State Attorney Ayala asks of this court is that this court return those 24 cases to her and treat her the same and with the same respect that is given to every other state attorney in Florida, Austin said. Its a case seemingly without precedent that began in March when Ayala said she wouldnt seek the death penalty against Markeith Loyd in the fatal shooting of an Orlando police lieutenant and his pregnant ex-girlfriend. That outraged those who felt that death is an appropriate punishment for Loyd, while death penalty opponents praised Ayala for saying she wouldnt seek the punishment in any murder case because its inefficient and ineffective. Austin said he knows of no other case where a governor has stripped a state attorney of a case without the attorneys consent. Florida Solicitor General Amit Angarwal said there has never been a state attorney who had set such a blanket policy. Angarwal said state law allows the governor to make sure laws are enforced. In Ayalas case, he said, It cant be enforced. Its like that law has been nullified. While the court is split between three liberal justices, three conservatives and a moderate, even the liberal justices questioned Ayalas position because she refused to consider the death penalty on a case-by-case basis. Justice Fred Lewis noted that under the state Constitution, Scott could have sought Ayalas suspension. Ayalas attorney said she has made it clear that she will prosecute homicide cases and seek a harsh penalty. In Florida, the only two sentencing options in first-degree murder cases are life without parole and death. Brendan Farrington is an Associated Press writer. SALT LAKE CITY American Indian tribes and environmental groups preparing for a legal battle to stop President Trump from dismantling Utahs new national monument face a tougher challenge than anticipated. Republican officials in the state who oppose Bears Ears National Monument asked Trump to rescind the designation. But U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recommended the monument be downsized instead, noting past presidents have tinkered with the boundaries of lands protected under federal law. Legal experts disagree on whether the 1906 Antiquities Act allows a president to reduce a monument, and its something that has never been challenged in court. Environmentalists and Indian tribes were ready to pounce at the notion Zinke would recommend Bears Ears be abolished, armed with their belief that no president may undo the work of another by rescinding a monument, and the fact that no president has tried. But past presidents have trimmed national monuments and redrawn their boundaries 18 times, according to the National Park Service. Bears Ears, established by President Barack Obama in December, is about the size of Delaware, covering roughly 2,000 square miles. It protects more than 100,000 archaeological sites on whats considered sacred tribal land in southeastern Utah. A largely GOP group of Utah officials wants the monument repealed and see it as an overly broad, unnecessary layer of federal control that closes the area to energy development and other access. Republican state Rep. Mike Noel said shrinking a monument is politically and legally much easier to defend than attempting to undo one. Many times, past presidents reduced monuments only slightly, like when Franklin Roosevelt removed about 52 acres from Arizonas Wupatki National Monument in 1941 to make way for a dam. But occasionally the changes were drastic, like President Woodrow Wilsons move in 1915 to cut Mount Olympus National Monument roughly in half to open more land for logging. Environmental groups and others gearing up for a fight note that no president has tried to downsize a monument since the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which they say restricts a presidents ability to do so. The groups also contend past presidents never faced court challenges for shrinking monuments. Lawsuits are expected from the Navajo Nation, groups like the Wilderness Society and Earthjustice, and even outdoor gear company Patagonia. Michelle L. Price is an Associated Press writer. President Donald Trump is accused of creating a fake magazine cover featuring himself and it isn't clear yet if he'll take them down. Trump's magazine came to light after Tampa Bay Times photojournalist Scott Keeler tweeted a photo of it. It didn't take long for the internet to expose that it was photoshopped. Tutorials on how to make your own Time cover are easy to find online. A $1.42 million project to replace fake security cameras inside BARTs train cars was completed Wednesday giving police a valuable tool to catch criminals thats already paying off, officials said. But perhaps the most notorious crime on a BART train in recent memory remains unsolved, and investigators have no video of the January 2016 killing of an Antioch man because most cameras on board trains at the time were nothing more than decoys. An investigation by The Chronicle in the days after the fatal shooting near the West Oakland Station revealed that more than two-thirds of cameras on BART trains were bogus. What appeared to be video units were really empty camera housings with blinking lights used to deter vandals. After The Chronicle exposed BARTs fake-camera strategy, the agency promised to outfit its 669 cars with working cameras by July 1, and on Wednesday three days before deadline crews turned on the final camera at a morning news conference. This is a huge tool for us, said Lt. Terence McCarty, chief of investigations for BART police. One of the first investigative steps is to try to locate video, and having working video in every train car is a huge public safety tool. Thanks to on-board video cameras that have been going in over the past year, BART police said they identified and arrested two juvenile suspects in a startling takeover robbery in April in which dozens of people mobbed a train stopped at Oaklands Coliseum Station. The attack came amid a 45 percent increase in robberies over the past year on BART trains and in its stations. Despite the uptick in robberies, agency officials stress that the overall crime rate in its system is relatively low. The new cameras, McCarty said, have helped BART police make more arrests for cell phone thefts and other crimes. The new video systems on trains include four digital cameras on each car, DVRs and housing units, costing $463,749. After labor and other materials, the total cost of the project came out to $1.42 million. BART has a robust network of high-end security cameras on platforms and inside and outside stations that have been operating for years. But unlike the station cameras that can be viewed in real time, the footage from the moving trains will not be instantly accessible. Investigators will be required to pull the footage off a digital recorder set up on each train car. With the decoy controversy dealt with, BART has been working to encourage riders to start taking note of their train-car number when they board, so if they report a crime, investigators can locate the video footage more easily. Such on-train footage could have been helpful to investigators after 19-year-old Antioch resident Carlos Misael Funez-Romero was shot dead on a crowded BART train in Oakland on Jan. 9, 2016. The gunman fled out of the West Oakland station and disappeared into the neighborhood. BART police released several images of the killer a tall black man with close-cut hair, wearing a dark green jacket, a backpack, jeans and beige work boots taken on the security cameras in the stations. No arrest was ever made, and the case continues to vex investigators. When someone is murdered it is always very disturbing, McCarty said. Its concerning for us when we cant arrest someone who is so violent. Someone knows him, but no one is saying anything. Both men had boarded the BART train at the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station 30 miles away and had some sort of interaction while riding a Tri Delta Transit bus on the way to BART, officials said. Police have not determined a motive for the killing, and it is not clear if the men knew each other. BARTs new cameras come as the agency begins to introduce modernized cars into the system over the next five years. The new fleet is already equipped with on-board cameras, making the recently installed video equipment irrelevant as the old cars are replaced. MASON CITY | The proposed new downtown hotel will be a Hyatt brand, David Rachie of Gatehouse Capital said Wednesday. Rachie said he has received a letter from the Hyatt corporation expressing interest in Mason City's project. "We will have to design it to their satisfaction," he said. The proposed 100-room hotel would be built in the south parking lot of Southbridge Mall and would connect with The Music Man Square via skywalk. A conference room/ballroom will be built in The Music Man Square as part of the project. Mason City hopes for September final agreement on hotel plan MASON CITY | Mason City officials are hoping to have a final development agreement approved Rachie said Hyatt officials were hesitant at first when he approached them. "They had been approached by another developer who wanted to build a hotel downtown and had turned him down," he said. "When they learned our project was different and found out more about it, they were interested." The market feasibility study, paid with $150,000 in refundable city funds, has been completed and was extremely positive, Rachie said. "You never know what to expect when you ask for a study like that, but when I received the study and looked at it, it was like Christmas morning," he said. Rachie works out of the Minneapolis office of Gatehouse Capital, which is Dallas-based. The company has built hotels all over the country. He first became aware of Mason City last year "through a friend of a friend" who thought the city might be a good development site for Gatehouse. "My first impression wasn't good," he said. "Just from reading newspaper accounts, Mason City seemed like a rough-and-tumble kind of place, hard for a hotelier to fall in love with." But when he arrived in Mason City, toured the community and met civic leaders, he changed his mind. "I met city officials but they made it clear they couldn't talk with me about any development because they were under contract with another developer," Rachie said. That other developer was Philip Chodur of G8 Development, San Diego. His agreement with the city fell through late last year when he failed to meet deadlines for starting construction. The Globe Gazette left a phone message for Chodur Wednesday seeking comment, but the message wasn't immediately returned. The city then sought requests from other potential developers, and Gatehouse submitted a proposal that was approved by the City Council. "The city wanted us to move in and do a project in the same place as the other developer. Well, we didn't think it was the best plan, and most developers have their own ideas and are not interested in doing something another developer wanted to do," Rachie said. He became intrigued with the idea of building the hotel in the mall parking lot and connecting it with The Music Man Square. Gatehouse has been working with Dean Snyder Construction of Clear Lake on the plans. Minnesota town drops Gatehouse hotel proposal MASON CITY | The city of Marshall, Minnesota, has stopped negotiations with Gatehouse Capita "We first learned of Dean Snyder for a project we were doing in Marshall, Minn.," Rachie said. "That project is on hold, by the way. I still think we can work things out." Marshall city officials stopped negotiations with Gatehouse last month, saying they could not make it work financially. "We usually use a construction firm out of Dallas for all of our projects but there was some talk about them not being a cold-weather crew. We were put in touch with Dean Snyder and couldn't be happier. They are unbelievably great to work with," Rachie said. The hotel is included in the River City Renaissance plan in which the city is seeking up to $10 million in state funds through the Iowa Reinvestment Act. That money would leverage a $36 million plan that includes the hotel, an ice arena/multipurpose center and a music pavilion. The hotel is a critical factor because it fulfills a state requirement of $10 million in private investment in the overall project. The hotel plan is valued at $15 million. There will be a public vote Nov. 7 on whether to issue up to $18 million in bonds to finance construction of the ice arena. Opponents believe the ice arena can be built for a lot less. If the bond issue fails, it will kill the River City Renaissance plan. Rachie said, "I hope people realize that it's all or nothing -- not all or something else." The city has been pre-approved for $7.2 million in state funding but upped its request to $10 million when more state money became available. City Administrator Brent Trout has kept state officials aware of all of the changes in the city's plan and is to meet with them in coming weeks to seek their final approval for the funds. ALGONA | A second person has died as result of an Algona house fire last week, Kossuth County Sheriff Steve Kollasch confirmed Tuesday. Karen Lierley, 69, of Algona, died June 23 at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City, according to her obituary. She had initially been treated at Kossuth County Regional Medical Center before being transferred. Kollasch said he hasn't been told the official cause of the fire, but said it appears to be accidental. It was reported 2:33 a.m. June 20 at 211 Brookridge. The fire does not appear to be criminal in nature, according to Kollasch. Officials identify woman killed in Algona house fire ALGONA | Officials have identified the woman who was killed in an Algona house fire early Tu The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire, which Special Agent in Charge Ron Humphrey said started in one of the bedrooms. Humphrey said via phone Tuesday the fire is being treated as an "unusual circumstance." Humphrey said the investigation could take up to a year to complete and will determine if the fire was criminal or suspicious in nature. The office is typically called to 90 to 95 percent of fires resulting in a fatality, Humphrey said. Jessica Lierley Southard, 29, of Des Moines, was pronounced dead at the scene. Patrice Lierley, 63, of Des Moines, was treated and released. Select comments from Globe Gazette stories and opinion pieces posted on our Facebook page: How about we honor her by keeping her memory alive and case active until solved, that seems more fitting. I hope that someday her case will be solved and her family will have closure. Teresa Nicholson I don't like the idea at all. Such a day would carry the sense of a "celebration" and there is nothing to celebrate in this horribly sad and UNSOLVED case. "Tacky" doesn't begin to describe how inappropriate and thoughtless this would be. Mark Gruben Veteran's suicide A veteran shall never be denied when he or she asks for help. There is always some place for a person to go, veteran or not in a time that they are feeling depressed and are in need of help. Teresa Hartman Sad. There should be an outcry in our state regarding the lack of care related to mental illness. For vets and non vets. There is a lack of in patient for mental health care, there is a lack of understanding of the importance for this. I am a RN and we struggle daily to find psych help for those in need. Gail Dierks Mall treasure Throughout the country small malls are closing. Southbridge is just trying to full up spaces for a short term fix with mom & pops, but unless some new major chains come in business will continue to decline & more stores will close.. Once the Younkers closes then the mall would most likely shut down. Mason City doesn't have a need for another hotel when's it's already got 10-12 in the city now which probably get less than 75% full every night + quality inn is already 4 blocks from the mall / proposed hotel site so that's already easy walking distance. Eric Thiele I would shop at the mall if it had stores that interested me Melany Van Every HOUSTON, June 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LINN Energy, Inc. (OTCQB:LNGG) (LINN) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Citizen Energy II, LLC (Citizen) in which LINN and Citizen will each contribute certain upstream assets in Oklahoma to a newly formed company, Roan Resources LLC (Roan or the Company), focused on the accelerated development of the prolific Merge/SCOOP/STACK play in the Anadarko Basin. Pro forma for the combination, Roan will have approximately 140,000 total net acres(1) forming a core, largely contiguous position with LINN and Citizen each contributing approximately 70,000 net acres. In exchange for their respective contributions, LINN and Citizen will equally split the equity interest in Roan. The contributed properties include acreage in the following eight Oklahoma counties: Canadian, Carter, Cleveland, Garvin, Grady, Kingfisher, McClain and Stephens. The combined entity is expected to have no outstanding debt at closing and intends to establish a new revolving credit facility secured by its own assets. Highlights of the Agreement: Roan is the first of its kind Merge/SCOOP/STACK pure play with significant contiguous size and scale that is uniquely positioned to accelerate growth and be a basin consolidator LINN and Citizen are currently operating a combined total of five rigs in the Merge with plans to drill 58 gross wells combined in 2017 Per well economics compare favorably with the very best, Tier-1 areas in the STACK and Permian Basin Combined production was more than 20,000 BOE/d as of May 2017 and at current rig pace is forecast to have an exit rate of more than 40,000 BOE/d by the end of 2017, with additional growth expected as rig pace increases Field level cash flow margin of approximately $18 per BOE assuming $45 per bbl for oil and $3 per MMBtu for natural gas Estimated total resource potential of more than two billion BOE More than 1,500 net drilling locations that represent over 20 years of development assuming a six rig drilling program with additional upside from down spacing and other prospective benches Concentrated acreage position significantly increases capital and operational efficiency while facilitating the formation of longer lateral drilling units Over half the total resource potential can be developed from longer lateral drilling units with higher rates-of-return Increased economies of scale and reduced costs due to consolidated operations Anticipated initial public offering in early 2018, subject to market conditions LINN retains its majority operated position of approximately 105,000 net acres in the NW STACK LINN retains its Chisholm Trail midstream business, including a 250 MMcf/d capacity cryogenic plant that is currently under construction, and the LINN contributed acreage in the agreement remains dedicated to Chisholm Trail "The combination of our assets, experience and talented teams creates a unique, premier pure play company in one of the most prolific producing regions in the country. Roan is well positioned to grow production, reserves and value for many years to come as it develops the vast resource potential of its acreage in the Merge/SCOOP/STACK play. We are extremely excited to combine these two valuable assets and work together to grow this new company," collectively stated the Boards of both LINN and Citizen. "The formation of Roan is a game changing transaction for LINN that creates a scaled Merge/SCOOP/STACK pure play that competes with the very best unconventional opportunities in the country. This combination is the latest and most impactful example of the LINN Board of Directors working with its management to maximize value for our shareholders. In addition, our retained ownership and control of the expanding Chisholm Trail midstream business and approximately 105,000 net acres in the emerging NW STACK will continue to be evaluated and developed to create additional shareholder value," said Evan Lederman, Chairman of the LINN Board of Directors. Roan will have independent management and a separate board of directors comprised of four LINN designated directors, four Citizen designated directors and a to-be-appointed chief executive officer who will be jointly designated by LINN and Citizen. Roan is actively recruiting an executive management team with a focus on accelerating development materially over the next 18 months. This transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter. During the transition period following closing, LINN and Citizen will work together to optimize operations on their respective assets. Jefferies LLC acted as sole financial advisor, and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor, to LINN for the transaction. Citigroup acted as sole financial advisor, and Thompson & Knight LLP acted as legal advisor, to Citizen for the transaction. Additional information, including a new presentation about the transaction, can be found on LINNs website at ir.linnenergy.com/presentations.cfm (1) Total net acres is defined as the sum of LINN net acres and Citizen net acres as represented for each company in the agreement ABOUT LINN ENERGY LINN Energy, Inc. was formed in February 2017 as the reorganized successor to LINN Energy, LLC. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the companys core focus is the upstream and midstream development of the Merge/SCOOP/STACK in Oklahoma. Additionally, the company is pursuing emerging horizontal opportunities in the Mid-Continent, Rockies, North Louisiana and East Texas while continuing to add value by efficiently operating and applying new technology to a diverse set of long-life producing assets. More information about LINN is available at www.linnenergy.com. ABOUT CITIZEN ENERGY Citizen Energy II, LLC is a privately owned company located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that is focused on developing horizontal play concepts in the Mid-Continent region of the United States. Citizen, formed in the second half of 2014, has created significant value for its owners and become one of the most valuable emerging companies in the Anadarko Basin. Citizens management team and board feature extensive technical and strategic experience in exploration and development of horizontal plays throughout Oklahoma and Texas. Citizen has significant capital investment from JVL Advisors, LLC and its managed funds. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations made by LINN which reflect managements experience, estimates and perception of historical trends, current conditions and anticipated future developments. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of LINN, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These include risks relating to financial performance and results, availability of sufficient cash flow to execute our business plan, ability to execute planned asset sales and joint ventures, continued low or further declining commodity prices and demand for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, ability to hedge future production, ability to replace reserves and efficiently develop current reserves, the capacity and utilization of midstream facilities, the regulatory and capital market environment and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please read Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other public filings. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veterans Transition Network (VTN), a vitally important charity relied on by many former Canadian military servicemen and servicewomen for mental healthcare, today announced that it has successfully completed laying the groundwork to help yet another organization overseas adapt VTNs successful and sustainable model of psychological support. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/69e9291b-a823-4282-afb0-2da50e37276d VTN said the foreign organization it aided is the International Association for Support of Ukraine (IASU). (IASU is not the first organization from another part of the globe to request VTNs help. According to VTN officials, Veterans departments & organizations in Australia, the U.S., and Israel have also sought guidance on previous occasions from the innovation-driven nonprofit.) Earlier this month we met in Ukraines capital city, Kiev, with cabinet ministers and psychologist groups to outline a pilot project in which mental-health professionals from our two countries will jointly develop sustainable care programs aimed at making Ukrainian military veterans more emotionally resilient, said Dace Marsh, VTN Development Director. We are very excited to be involved as Ukraine develops their standards for veteran-focused psychological care, he added. Marsh indicated that, while in Kiev, the delegation also shared insights regarding how and why the VTN model works so well for Canadian veterans. Impressed by VTNs Success Record IASU officials said they turned to the donor-supported Canadian charity for advice and assistance because they were impressed by VTNs university-developed model where Veterans and Psychologists work together to assist Veterans a track-record earned despite needing to raise funds from its supporters to shoulder most of the burden (Marsh acknowledged Parliaments recent authorization of over $5.6 billion for veterans services, but noted that no support has of yet been pledged to existing services like the VTN). According to their website, the VTN is the only Canadian charity delivering mental-health services to veterans in seven provinces, coast to coast. To date, the lives of more than 700 troubled veterans have been improved by the care and hope offered through the VTNs innovative programs. Strife-torn Ukraine is home to over 300,000 men and women who are fresh from the frontlines within the last 3 years. Since the last conflict Ukraine was involved in was in 1989, there are no official resources to cope with the flood of new Veterans, and most turn to charities like the IASU. IASU (https://www.facebook.com/iasu.ua/) provides emergency medical treatment and rehabilitation, housing, schooling, and other services for veterans and refugees. Vital IASU efforts are currently focused on those whose lives have been turned upside down from the fighting that has raged between Ukrainian loyalists and Russian-backed separatists for the last three years. For more information about VTN, its history, philosophy of care, and current plans, visit the charitys website at https://vtncanada.org. DALIAN, China, June 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chinas overall GDP growth is slowing, but its consumer economy is still growing by 10% a year, faster than that of any other country on the planet. By 2021, China will add $1.8 trillion in new consumption. That is roughly the size of Germanys consumer economy today, and more than one-fourth of all consumption growth in major economies. Those are among the key findings of a new report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and AliResearch, the research arm of Alibaba Group. The report, titled Five Profiles that Explain Chinas Consumer Economy, is being released today. Underlying macroeconomic factors are leading to strong growth in the consumer economy. Even as overall economic growth eases, Chinas consumer economy is benefiting from an emerging upper-middle-class and affluent households, a younger population that is eager to spend, and e-commerce through digital channels. Because of these factors, Chinese consumers in the aggregate are spending more, and theyre trading up to higher-quality products, says Jeff Walters, a partner at BCG and coauthor of the report. Digital technology is one of the underlying drivers that will continue to spur purchases. The Chinese population is more connected than people in other countries, and by 2021, 90% of all purchases in China will involve digital at some point in the processbrowsing, comparing prices, or making the actual purchase. The consumer economy in China is one of the most digitized in the world. The popularity of the internet is influencing consumer behavior as consumers rely heavily on the internet for all kinds of goods and services. We also believe the rising trend of a seamless convergence between the online and offline worlds will become an important driving force for the growth of consumption going forward, said Gao Hongbing, dean of AliResearch and vice president of Alibaba Group. Consumer companies that want to capitalize in China need to acknowledge these trends, but they also need to go deeper. As Chinas economy matures, its consumers are becoming more diverse. Rather than targeting large, homogenous demographic segments, companies need to understand the emerging profiles of these consumers, along with their distinct preferences and needs. To that end, the report identifies five emerging consumer profiles in China, which illustrate the ways in which macroeconomic and demographic shifts are playing out at a micro level. Heres a sample of the profiles described: The Savvy Shopper. Consumers are far more brand-aware than in the past, and consumption boundaries (like age and gender) are disappearing. For example, Chinese men in tier-one cities now spend 24 minutes a day on grooming, and 88% access grooming and fashion information onlineboth measures are up significantly in the past decade. Consumers are far more brand-aware than in the past, and consumption boundaries (like age and gender) are disappearing. For example, Chinese men in tier-one cities now spend 24 minutes a day on grooming, and 88% access grooming and fashion information onlineboth measures are up significantly in the past decade. The Single Person. Because of demographic shifts, people in China are increasingly likely to remain unmarried. Among urban dwellers, 21% of people older than 35 are single, up from just 4% a decade ago. This trend means growing demand for different types of products, such as furniture designed for one-person apartments, smaller appliances, and food sold in smaller sizes and convenient packaging. Because of demographic shifts, people in China are increasingly likely to remain unmarried. Among urban dwellers, 21% of people older than 35 are single, up from just 4% a decade ago. This trend means growing demand for different types of products, such as furniture designed for one-person apartments, smaller appliances, and food sold in smaller sizes and convenient packaging. The Ecoconscious Consumer. Chinese shoppers are increasingly aware of environmental issues and sustainability; they want their products to be good for them and good for the planet. AliResearch found that 66 million customers (16.2% of the consumers on Alibabas China retail marketplaces) bought five or more green products in 2015, up from just 4 million in 2011 (3.4%). Just as important, these customers are willing to pay higher prices33% more, on averagefor sustainable products. For consumer companies, tapping into these new profiles requires more accurately segmenting consumers, understanding their needs to ensure that new products and services resonate, and seamlessly integrating the customer experience between digital channels and physical stores, among other priorities. A lot is changing in China, but the fundamental story is one of very strong growth through 2021, says Walters. This market is growing by trillions of dollars, and companies that take the right steps today will set themselves up to win over the long term. A copy of the report can be downloaded here. To arrange an interview with one of the authors, please contact Eric Gregoire at +1 617 850 3783 or gregoire.eric@bcg.com. About The Boston Consulting Group The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the worlds leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 85 offices in 48 countries. For more information, please visit bcg.com. About BCGs Center for Customer Insight The Boston Consulting Groups Center for Customer Insight (CCI) applies a unique, integrated approach that combines quantitative and qualitative consumer research with a deep understanding of business strategy and competitive dynamics. The center works closely with BCGs various practices to translate its insights into actionable strategies that lead to tangible economic impact for our clients. In the course of its work, the center has amassed a rich set of proprietary data on consumers from around the world, in both emerging and developed markets. The CCI is sponsored by BCGs Marketing, Sales & Pricing practice and Global Advantage practice. For more information, please visit www.bcg.com/expertise/centers-accelerators/center-customer-insight/default.aspx. About Alibaba Research Institute (AliResearch) Founded in 2007, AliResearch is committed to becoming the think tank and intellectual platform of the new economy and new governance. Relying on the large and dynamic online business ecosystem of Alibaba Group, AliResearch creates and shares future-oriented new ideas, new insights and new rules, and collaborates with other researchers and organizations in all fields. FORM 8.3 PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. KEY INFORMATION (a) Full name of discloser: Majedie Asset Management Limited (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree AMEC FOSTER WHEELER PLC (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 27 June 2017 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" No 2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security. (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any) Class of relevant security: ORD 50P Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 8,404,433 2.16 (2) Cash-settled derivatives: (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 8,404,433 2.16 All interests and all short positions should be disclosed. Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions). (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options) Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages: 3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in. The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated. (a) Purchases and sales Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit ORD 50P Purchase 7,265 478.5958 ORD 50P Sale 810 479.6965 ORD 50P ORD 50P (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options) (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities) Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) 4. OTHER INFORMATION (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None (b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None (c) Attachments Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO Date of disclosure: 28 June 2017 Contact name: Matthew Hambly Telephone number: 0207 618 3900 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129. The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. ATLANTA, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CallRail, the most popular call tracking and analytics provider, today announced the launch of International Numbers, a new offering that gives international companies and agencies with international clientele access to CallRails tracking capabilities. Previously, CallRail only supported tracking numbers, call routing and outbound dialing in the U.S. and Canada. To meet existing customer demand and fill a void in the marketplace for advanced call tracking and analytics abroad, the company has expanded its call tracking offering to six new countries: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, New Zealand and the U.K. For marketing agencies with international clients or marketers based abroad, our new International Numbers feature is an ideal fit for stronger campaign management, said Andy Powell, CEO of CallRail. Call tracking has proven to be a powerful tool for businesses of all shapes and sizes regardless of location. As everyone becomes more mobile and customers call businesses directly with ease, CallRail can help these businesses gain stronger insight into whats driving conversions and what customers need. Marketers can attribute calls to their marketing source at the ad, campaign or keyword level with support for dynamic number insertion in every country. English-speaking countries are also able to activate CallRails advanced Conversation Intelligence engine, which uses machine learning, call metadata and transcriptions to instantly identify leads. We have seen really positive results for our clients who implement CallRail," said Marisa Gedgaudas, Alliance search operations manager at Adtaxi, a global digital marketing agency. "They receive great access to call information, trends and recordings, and we get visibility into keyword-level data which allows us to optimize in ways that we never could before. We have worked with a number of partners internationally and finding call tracking solutions has always been difficult, particularly in places like Germany. This new launch will allow us to offer these partners the capability to track calls which are an essential metric of success for many of our clients." Like all CallRail offerings, International Numbers is easy to implement and to use. CallRail users can begin call tracking and see which marketing campaigns are driving phone call leads, view full caller ID data and gain valuable phone call insights overall. Additionally, they will have access to CallRails browser-based Softphone, which allows users to place outbound calls using international call tracking numbers. "Without CallRail, we wouldnt make the adjustments to our strategies needed to continually improve campaign performance," said Samantha Bedford, founder and CEO at Pico Digital Marketing. "Using CallRail, we listen to all calls and determine whether they are a sales call, support call or offer no value to our client. Listening to these calls continually informs our SEO and landing page content strategy to optimize every call for the client's sales team. Having had this success with CallRail, we're excited to gather similar insights in the U.K. and continue to evolve our strategies to be successful in that market." CallRails International Numbers launch follows several achievements for the company in the U.S. in the past year. CallRail achieved an impressive 89 percent revenue growth in 2016 year-over-year, an 875 percent growth since 2013. Additionally, CallRail brought in nearly 40 new hires and achieved rankings in multiple prestigious lists, including being chosen as the top overall call tracking software product and no. 1 in call tracking customer satisfaction by G2 Crowd for the third consecutive year. CallRail has seen tremendous growth in the past year, and were excited to continue that momentum by offering our services internationally, said Powell. Our products are all designed with other growing businesses in mind, and with International Numbers, CallRail customers can better develop their businesses on a much larger scale. To learn more about CallRails International Numbers feature, please visit www.callrail.com/phone-numbers/international. About CallRail CallRail provides call tracking and analytics to more than 60,000 companies and marketing agencies globally. CallRail's intuitive software helps data-driven marketers optimize the performance of their advertising campaigns, increase sales effectiveness, and improve customer retention. Learn more at www.callrail.com. About Adtaxi Founded in 2010 within Digital First Media, Adtaxi made its mark in programmatic advertising before expanding into search, social, email and native. Over time, Adtaxi has refined and perfected its conversions-based approach, which became the foundation of the Magellan optimization technology launched in 2015. Adtaxi functions as a true partner with its clients, acting as a single point of contact and support through multi-platform campaign cycles. Find Adtaxi on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. About Pico Digital Marketing We are an online advertising agency located in the heart of Denver. We specialize in all things internet to help your business build a digital presence. Whether youre brand new to the space or a seasoned veteran, we will help you get results. There are hundreds of agencies to choose from, so we let our results speak for themselves. http://www.choosepico.com/experience/case-studies/ Ocean View, Delaware, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smart Speaker Market size is slated to surpass USD 13 billion, with shipments of over 100 million units by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. The smart speaker market is expected to grow at a significant pace over the forecast timeframe owing to the growing proliferation of smart homes across the globe. Factors such as high network connectivity and growing need to increase consumer convenience are anticipated to drive the market. Several device manufacturers are investing in improving the functionality of legacy systems beyond playing music. This, coupled with increasing demand for wireless devices will escalate the industry size. Rise in demand for Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to fuel the smart speaker market growth. The manufacturers are increasingly investing to develop devices that work with the devices such as Wink Hub, Logitech Harmony Elite, and Philips Hue Bulbs. For instance, Amazon Alexa works directly with several smart home devices using If This Then That (IFTTT) methodology. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1757 Implementation of virtual personal assistants are expected to positively impact the smart speaker market growth. This technology can stream music and audio books with a single voice commands. The launch of Amazon Echo has caused disruption in the market, with several other companies such as Google and Apple following suit. For instance, Apple has announced the launch of HomePod in December 2017. Factors such as connectivity range, compatibility, and power are expected to restrain the smart speaker market growth. The market faces growing security concern, owing to the connection of these devices to the internet. The voice assistant-enabled speakers inadvertently store consumers private data into Amazon servers. The threats of hacking and data leaks persist, though the company claims that the data is secured. This is expected to hamper the market growth during the forecast timeframe. Browse key industry insights spread across 120 pages with 145 market data tables & 11 figures & charts from the report, Smart Speaker Market Size By Technology (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC), By Product (Single Room, Double-Room, Multi-Room), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, South Korea, China, India, Japan, Brazil, GCC, Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024 in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/smart-speaker-market Increasing customer desire to be able to walk around their house and control the music playing in different rooms with a single device will drive the demand for multi-room speakers. To address the issue of connectivity and sound quality, companies have developed multi-room systems, that enables users to connect to multiple speakers around the house to a single device. Proliferation of smartphones has enabled the development of applications to stream music to a specific device. The U.S. smart speaker market is expected to witness significant growth, owing to numerous technological advancements taking place in the region. Readiness of customers to adopt to newer technologies has encouraged manufacturers in the region to develop newer, and advanced products. Countries in Asia Pacific, including China, South Korea and Japan are expected to experience high market demand, owing to increasing consumption of connected consumer electronics. Prominent players in the smart speaker market include Amazon.com, Inc., Bose Corporation, Altec Lansing, Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, Logitech International SA, Sonos Inc., and Sony Corporation. The companies are highly competitive and continuously invest in development of technologically advanced products to retain their position in the industry. For instance, after Sonos launched its multi-room range, Philips developed a protocol, named Izzy link to connect multiple speakers. Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1757 Browse Related Reports: Loudspeaker Market Size 2016 2024 Loudspeaker Market size will be fueled by changing customer lifestyle & preferences, increase in the infiltration of mobile & internet transactions and rise in the usage of wireless technology. Global consumption will be spurred the increasing demand for soundbars. Hi-tech developments in sound quality, power consumption, size and design are anticipated to offer key manufacturing companies a competitive edge. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/loudspeaker-market Earphones And Headphones Market Size 2017 2024 Earphones And Headphones Market size was around USD 20 billion, with global shipments of over 350 million units in 2016. Growing penetration of smartphones & tablets is set to drive the earphones and headphones market growth over the forecast timeline. The penetration of smart devices has contributed significantly to multimedia consumption on devices such as mobiles, music players, and tablets. Rapid technological advancements and growing adoption of innovative technologies by consumers from several sectors such as construction, public safety, and aviation is positively impacting the market growth. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/earphone-and-headphone-market 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. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Web: https://www.gminsights.com Blog: https://www.gminsights.com/blogs Connect with us: Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter HOUSTON, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LINN Energy, Inc. (OTCQB:LNGG) (LINN or the Company) announced today that its Board of Directors (the Board) has authorized an increase in the previously announced share repurchase program of up to a total of $200 million of the Companys outstanding shares of Class A common stock (shares). Execution of repurchases beyond the previously announced $75 million initial repurchase program is subject to amendment or refinancing of the Companys existing credit facility to permit additional share repurchases. As LINN continues to build cash by executing on its transformative business plan and reducing costs, the Board will consider upsizing the share buyback program and/or distributing cash dividends based upon market conditions and subject to availability under our then current credit facility. At current market prices, the Board and management believe LINN's stock is undervalued and therefore increasing the authorization for share buybacks provides compelling returns for our shareholders, said Evan Lederman, Chairman of the Board. Purchases may be made from time to time in negotiated purchases or in the open market, including through Rule 10b5-1 prearranged stock trading plans designed to facilitate the repurchase of the Companys shares during times it would not otherwise be in the market due to self-imposed trading blackout periods or possible possession of material nonpublic information. The timing and amounts of any such repurchases of shares will be subject to market conditions and certain other factors, and will be in accordance with applicable securities laws and other legal requirements, including restrictions contained in the Companys then current credit facility. The repurchase plan does not obligate the Company to acquire any specific number of shares and may be discontinued at any time. ABOUT LINN ENERGY LINN Energy, Inc. was formed in February 2017 as the reorganized successor to LINN Energy, LLC. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the Companys core focus is the upstream and midstream development of the SCOOP / STACK / Merge in Oklahoma. Additionally, the Company is pursuing emerging horizontal opportunities in the Mid-Continent, Rockies, North Louisiana and East Texas while continuing to add value by efficiently operating and applying new technology to a diverse set of long-life producing assets. More information about LINN is available at www.linnenergy.com. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations made by the Company which reflect managements experience, estimates and perception of historical trends, current conditions and anticipated future developments. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These include risks relating to financial performance and results, ability to improve our financial results and profitability following emergence from bankruptcy, availability of sufficient cash flow to execute our business plan, ability to execute planned asset sales and joint ventures, ability to amend our existing credit facility, continued low or further declining commodity prices and demand for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, ability to hedge future production, ability to replace reserves and efficiently develop current reserves, the regulatory environment and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please read Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other public filings. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events. People have been flipping coins down wishing wells and into fountains for centuries, so perhaps it wasn't strange that an elderly Chinese woman sought to invoke good luck by tossing her silver at the jet she was boarding Tuesday. Unfortunately she chose to throw her coins from the middle of the boarding staircase into the plane's turbine engine. And she happened to be a pretty good shot. PARIS Companies and governments around the world on Wednesday counted the cost of a software epidemic that has disrupted ports, hospitals and banks. Ukraine, which was hardest hit and where the attack likely originated, said it had secured critical state assets though everyday life remained affected, with cash machines out of order and airport displays operating manually. As the impact of the cyberattack that erupted Tuesday was still being measured at offices, loading docks and boardrooms, the Ukrainian Cabinet said that all strategic assets, including those involved in protecting state security, are working normally. But that still left a large number of nonstrategic assets including dozens of banks and other institutions fighting to get back online. Cash machines in Kiev were still out of order Wednesday, and Ukrainian news reports said that flight information at the citys Boryspil airport was being provided in manual mode. Others outside Ukraine were struggling, too. Logistics firm FedEx said deliveries by its TNT Express subsidiary have been slowed by the cyberattack, which had significantly affected its systems. At Indias largest container port, one of the terminals was idled by the malicious software. M.K. Sirkar, a manager at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai, said no containers could be loaded or unloaded Wednesday at the terminal operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk, the Denmark-based shipping giant. At the very least, cybersecurity firms said thousands of computers worldwide have been struck by the malware, which goes by a variety of names including ExPetr. In Pennsylvania, lab and diagnostic services were closed at the satellite offices of the Heritage Valley Health System. In Tasmania, a Cadbury chocolate factory stopped production after computers there crashed. Other organizations affected include U.S. drugmaker Merck, food and drinks company Mondelez International, global law firm DLA Piper, and London-based advertising group WPP. As IT security workers turned their eye toward cleaning up the mess, others wondered at the attackers motives. Ransomware which scrambles a computers data until a payment is made has grown explosively over the past couple of years, powered in part by the growing popularity of digital currencies such as bitcoin. But some experts believed that this latest ransomware outbreak was less aimed at gathering money than at sending a message to Ukraine and its allies. Raphael Satter and Frank Bajak are Associated Press writers. A British man gets hit by a bus, then walks into a pub ... . Wait. That's not how the bit usually goes. That is how it went this past weekend for Simon Smith of England, however. Smith, 53, survived a spectacular bus crash on Saturday after a double-decker bus hit him, the Telegraph reported. Smith, 53, was walking down a street in Reading, England, when he was struck from behind by a bus that had driven off the road. He was thrown approximately 20 feet, yet was somehow able to stand up and walk away from the accident ... and straight into nearby bar, the Purple Turtle. He sustained only cuts and bruises, and was treated at a local hospital for his minor injuries. GROUNDED: Flight delayed due to elderly lady throwing coins into engine for good luck Smith's amazing (yet, horrible) story was initially not believed by emergency responders who arrived on scene, according to Smith. He told the Sun that since he hadn't lost consciousness, he knew the bus had struck him, yet officers on scene did not believe Smith's description of the incident until they saw CCTV footage of the incident. "Originally [the police and medics] were all in agreement, because if I had been hit by the bus, I wouldn't be here," Smith said. "I said, 'I'm sure the bus hit me' and they kept saying, 'No you were hit by debris.' "An officer then saw the CCTV at the pub and came back and said, 'I'm really sorry, you were right.'" Smith said he wasn't truly heading into the bar for a beer after the incident, but found people's reaction to that detail amusing. Smith's seemingly calm stroll into the pub made headlines, with Mashable playfully calling Smith "very British." "It's quite funny everybody thinks I have gone for a pint," Smith said. "I was actually looking for a place of refuge when I went into the doorway of the pub." No arrests were reported and the bus company stated that it is investigating the incident, along with police. That the forecast called for a relatively mild fire season in Northern New Mexico didnt feel right at all when Bill Morse, public information officer on the Bonita Fire near El Rito, picked up his phone on June 23 for an interview. "We've got fires everywhere. The whole Southwest is burning," said the Arizona-based member of the Southwest Area Incident Management Team, an interagency firefighting team called to step in when fires threaten watersheds, timber, people and communities. The Bonita, a 7,494-acre lightning-caused fire that's been burning since June 3, was initially managed by wildland firefighters to play its part in restoring fire to the ecosystem, per fire science that dates to the 1930s. Then, strong winds on June 16 started pushing flames across the fire line, prompting the Carson National Forest to call for additional help and transition to suppressing the fire. By the morning of the June 24, though, with a 100-foot-wide buffer around the fire's edge and afternoon rain on the way, the timbre had shifted. "There's no surprises with this fire season," Morse said. "It's pretty much right on track." The Bonita Fire was turning out, after all, to be a "good fire," one that chews up dead brush and pine needles, but leaves trees alive, if scorched. Firefighters mopped up hot spots and worked to reduce troublesome smoke for area residents. Aerial fire supression efforts help contain what remained of the fire on July 23. (Anson Stevens-Bollen) This time of year is the battle season for wildland fire fighters. Conditions shift quickly. But the long-term outlook that this winters snowpack and a wet, cool spring were going to make for a moderate fire season is bearing out, despite the recent smoky sunsets. The Southwest Coordination Center, an interagency logistics hub for wildland firefighting, examined drought, the amount of dead undergrowth, temperatures and precipitation, as well as projections for the monsoon, to make that call. When the Cajete Fire started in the Jemez Mountains on June 15 and quickly grew to 1,400 acres, it was easy to wonder if the forecast might be due for revision. "I know for myself, and I think this is true for many New Mexicans, we're a little bit on a hair trigger. So you see some smoke and you know that, in the case of Las Conchas, it burned so far, so fastthat first day something like 40,000 acres," says Zander Evans, the research director for the Forest Stewards Guild, with a doctorate from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. "It's not surprising for us, when we see Cajete, to think, 'Oh my gosh, it's happening all over again.' And yet, it burned very differently in the end." The fire used an uphill slope and some wind to run through some timber stands and jump Highway 4. Then, it hit against areas that had been thinned, and was bracketed by burn scars, including from Las Conchas, says Denny McCarthy, the public information officer for the fire. Two weeks later, it remains at roughly 1,400 acres, and had for days been a site for crews to practice containment. The fire never hit the Jemez River, and McCarthy credits that to local crews who arrived on scene within 15 minutes. A team from California was called in as well, part of a nationwide shuffling of fire-fighting personnel and equipment hoped to both keep wildland firefighters busy and share resources for the Forest Service, which spent more than half its 2015 budget on managing wildfire. At peak, more than 400 people and some top-level crews were working the Cajete, which scored a high profile for its proximity to the Santa Fe and Albuquerque metro areas. The read now is that the fire resulted from a collision of a few factors; after a few days of near record-setting heat and dry air, a poorly extinguished campfire was able to take advantage of a pocket of trees. "It was just an unfortunate situation during a brief time frame when we were kind of on that warm and dry uptick," says Rich Naden, a meteorologist with the Southwest Coordination Center. After a cooler weekend, temperatures are expected to rollercoaster until, somewhere out there between July 5 and 15, the monsoon should arrive, delivering regular rain and higher humidity to curb fire potential. "This is the battle we always have this time of year at the end of June, with the moisture trying to hold on and the dryness trying to take over," Naden says. "We're just in a period of rapid change." Those thresholds make the difference between whether a manageable surface fire, as the Bonita has been, transitions to an uncontrollable crown fire, says Chuck Maxwell, predictive services program manager with the coordination center. Seasonal predictions are based on dozens, if not hundreds of fires, and with the Cajete winding down, he declared, "When we have one fire that burned for three days because it started in the driest fuels I don't call that a miss. I call that a circumstance for management efforts." As in, an opportunity to allow fire to do its work through the ecosystem, while controlling it to protect assets including houses, roads and endangered species habitat. That's the approach in place at other fires burning around the state, most of them in the Gila National Forest. Part of what it means to live in a fire-adapted landscape, Maxwell arguesas in, one in which the aspen and ponderosa pine lifecycles have become accustomed to habitual fires, including those set by Native people a thousand years ago means adjusting our expectations. "We've got to get used to fire being out there every year," Maxwell says. What's troubling, he says, is the ignition point. Half of wildfires are started by lightning, and half are caused by humans. The Bonita was a lightning strike. The Cajete ignited from a campfire. Even in a summer when the meadows look remarkably verdant, the forest can still burn. An extra gallon of water on the campfire to make sure it's doused is still important anda particularly salient point with Independence Day around the cornerit's still not safe to light fireworks where they could send sparks into vegetation. "If there's a message that comes out of this," says Evans, with the Forest Stewards Guild, "it's that we all have to keep our guard up, even in a year where things all look good." Santa Fe Reporter Tax, man Let us tell you how it will be: Come January 1, 2018, everyone in Santa Fe Countyincluding in cities like Santa Fe and Espanola and Edgewoodwill pay a new gross receipts tax that amounts to an extra 12.5 cents on every $100 purchase.The County Commission unanimously approved the tax last night after hours of tearful testimony and a November county-wide advisory vote that favored it. The commission balked at unilaterally imposing an additional 1/16 tax, though. That question is headed to voters in a special election anticipated in early September. NM health insurers ask for higher premium rates The few companies that sell individual policies on New Mexico's health insurance exchange anticipate rate hikes of at least 21 percent next year. They could be . Insurance companies have finalized their initial proposals, but those could change depending on the fate of the Republican health care plan in Washington, DC. Mayor names public banking panel Javier Gonzales picked nine names from more than 27 people who applied to sit on the city's public banking panel. The City Council is expected to approve them tonight. Over the next six months, the group will chart a course for the in Santa Fe. The idea, which local bankers aren't wild about because of the new competition, is to use the city's millions to stimulate investment in the Santa Fe economy. Mildfire Take a look at the haze on the horizon and it's easy to feel like this is another fire season like so many others we've had: hot and filled with blazes that could blow up at any time and give New Mexico its next 100,000-acre monster. But so far, predictions for a . SFR explores how incident commanders are trying to manage fire when they can, instead of trying to extinguish it. Bureaucratic shuffle A broad reorganization at the US Department of the Interior has the potential to throw federal interactions in New Mexico . The state's relationship with higher-ups at the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs are all in the midst of reassignments as the Trump administration shuffles career agency workers to make room for political appointees. NM Political Report explains it has a familiar feel. District dance Okay, it's really a district shuffle, but that would be two shuffle headlines in a row. Let's just say we don't talk about what could happen to people who make that mistake. Anyhow, New Mexico's political districts, both legislative and congressional, seem to be pretty stable, according to an . That stands in stark comparison to the redistricting debates taking place across the country. Taos hotel plan shortened A proposed four-story Holiday Inn Express could be redesigned as a shorter building, a developer last night. The building could have been the tallest in town and many in the community balked at its presence. Supporters say more hotel rooms would ease the short-term rental market and provide more affordable housing for Taosenos. The town will revisit the issue in August after it gets a look at new plans. Thanks for reading! The Word thinks there's little better than a cool New Mexico summer morning. Enjoy it, or get here soon. Subscribe to the Morning Word at sfreporter.com/signup Santa Fe Reporter I have always been fascinated by the way Boards work and what makes them successful and otherwise. There is a very high co-relation between high performing Boards and high performing organizations. I have been fortunate to be on Boards with some excellent Directors. There is no doubt that any review of NZXs performance would show that it has underperformed in many areas despite it being a Government Legislated monopoly. NZX is great for a few companies but most parties who we speak to have a complaint about the Company and the way they have been treated by NZX . Personally I believe that NZX have mostly competent, capable, decent staff. However most people believe NZX has been they have been poorly led and they are confused as to what their role is and who their clients are. There is no doubt that compliance is critical in this crazy world, however the key to any business is to attract clients who value and appreciate the service you offer. NZX is not achieving that. Mr. Tony Falkenstein is standing for the Board of NZX. The meeting will be held on Friday the 30th of June 2017. It is interesting to note how direct the current Chairman has been in discouraging shareholders from supporting Mr. Falkenstein. I personally support Mr. Falkensteins appointment. My reasons are as follows: 1) The current Board of Directors is too small. With only 6 Directors there is insufficient diversity to allow for debate and alternate views. Mr. Falkenstein can be elected without anyone missing out. This will increase the size of the Board and add to diversity. 2) The Board does not have a Director who has been on a listed small company Board. 3) Mr. Falkenstein has been a client of NZX and he understands how the business works from the client perspective. 4) The current Board is too compliance focused and it is not focusing on developing its business and particularly early stage companies. 5) NZXs has had 3 separate attempts to run a smaller Cap Board (NCM,NZAX,NXT) but it has simply not succeeded in gaining any real momentum. There needs to be real commitment at Board level to this sector. 6) I have known Mr. Falkenstein for a number of years and I believe he would be a valuable asset to any Board that he was interested in joining. His business knowledge, social conscience, entrepreneurial skill plus his ability to analyze and debate make him a valuable addition to any Board. Summary I am a little perplexed at the way NZX has handled this. I am not sure why there are not 8 Directors on the NZX board with a variety of backgrounds. We all simply want a high performing quality New Zealand Exchange. Everybody would win if we could achieve this. I am sure that adding Mr. Falkenstein to the Board there will be a higher chance achieving this. If you are a NZX shareholder I strongly recommend that you consider voting in favour of Mr. Falkenstein as I believe he will be an excellent addition to the NZX Board and I also believe the quality of decision making will improve. I am happy to interact with anyone about this matter. You are welcome to contact me on Brent.King@IRG.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: New article is coming soon! Farms, Nations & Buffett WOW, I AM SO PLEASED THAT HAPPENED!! General Finance Ltd. Change of ownership IT'S LABOUR'S WEEKEND IN EVERY WAY!!! - BY BRENT KING CLIENT SURVEY - BY BRENT KING THE SURPRISE ELECTION - BY BRENT KING TAKEOVER OFFERS CAN BE TRICKY !! - BY BRENT KING (Clarifies McDonald's origin of sales in third paragraph) In the battle of the burgers, McDonald's has come out ahead of Burger King in New Zealand, although both fast-food chains lifted revenue and profit over the course of 2016. According to their financial statements, sales at McDonald's Restaurants New Zealand rose 6.5 percent to $259.7 million in calendar 2016 while Burger King's New Zealand revenue rose 4.2 percent to $191.5 million. McDonald's local profit rose 47 percent to $52.8 million in 2016, while Burger King turned to a profit of $3.8 million from a loss of $7.6 million in 2015. McDonald's owns around 15-to-20 percent of its 167 stores, with the remainder owned and operated by franchisees, and its sales are made up of company-owned restaurants and fees paid by franchisees. Its footprint is twice that of rival Burger King, which has 83 stores nationwide. The local unit of McDonald's introduced all-day breakfast in May 2016, a move which proved popular in the US when it was launched in October 2015, pushing sales there to the best quarter in nearly four years. The Kiwi appetite for fast food is showing no signs of slowing, and the local fast food market is increasingly competitive, with NZX-listed Restaurant Brands, which operates KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut and Carl's Jr, lifting annual sales 28 percent to $497.2 million in the latest year. BurgerFuel Worldwide, which listed on the NZAX in 2007, had a 7 percent gain in sales in its first half and narrowed its net loss. The local McDonald's division paid $30 million to its US parent, unchanged from a year earlier. The Burger King profit was its first under the ownership of US private equity firm Blackstone Group, although the holding company Tango Holdings NZ didn't declare any dividends and got a $92 million equity injection from the issue of 61.4 million new redeemable preference shares and the conversion to equity from debt of 22.7 million other redeemable preference shares. That fast food chain's total equity was $74.6 million as at Dec. 31, and it had a net working capital deficit of $10 million at the balance date, leaving it dependent on having access to banking facilities. Still, Burger King's New Zealand directors adopted a going concern assumption with due to the positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $24.1 million in the year and operating cash flow of $31.2 million. McDonald's NZ spent $54.8 million on its employees in 2016, up 1.2 percent from a year earlier, while Burger King NZ spent $55.1 million on salaries, up 5.3 percent. Both companies are currently under pressure from Unite Union, which represents fast food workers, over how they calculate annual leave for part-time workers. Unite's national director Mike Treen said the two are sticking their heads in the sand on the issue and waiting for a report from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), due soon, for guidance, although the union will push the fast-food chains in upcoming negotiations. Burger King NZ's cash flow statement shows it paid no income tax in 2016, despite recognising a $1.17 million tax expense in the year. It paid $62,284 in tax in 2015, a year when it reported a tax benefit of $381,854. The company had $1.99 million in deferred tax benefits as at Dec. 31, 2016, with a further $378,466 benefit to be recognised in future. It paid its directors and other key personnel $1.41 million in the year. McDonalds NZ paid $21.6 million in tax in 2016, while recognising a tax expense of $23.5 million. In 2015, it paid $19.7 million in tax, while recognising an expense of $17.8 million. McDonald's NZ held $14.96 million in deferred tax assets at the end of the year, up from $13.6 million a year earlier. The directors of McDonald's NZ noted that the company is in economic uncertainty due to its net current asset deficit. The fast-food retailer had $35 million in current assets and $259.7 million in current liabilities, with the bulk of the liabilities interest-bearing loans. However, the directors have received assurance from the ultimate holding company, the US-incorporated McDonald's Corp, of continued support. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 The Ministry of Social Development has released its first valuation of the social housing system, part of the government's "social investment" approach to data collection and analysis. The valuation, which covers users of social housing from July 2014 to June 2015, is the first of its kind. It found that the lifetime housing cost of adults in social housing or on the social housing register was $16.4 billion, with roughly 85 percent of the cost relating to future income-related rent subsidy (IRRS) payments. There are around 63,600 households in social housing, and 3,900 households on the register. With this valuation as a baseline for measuring change, the ministry hopes to release the 2016 data in the next quarter. Emergency housing, which MSD became responsible for midway through 2016, won't be included, but it plans to do so in the future. That $16.4 billion liability can be expected to increase as more social housing places become available and low-liability users move out of the system to be replaced by higher-liability users, MSD says. The average lifetime cost per household is $230,000, and they're expected to spend 17 more years in social housing, though this varies wildly depending on the grouping those households fall into and where they are in the country. The top decile, which typically includes people on jobseekers benefits living in expensive areas like Auckland, have an average liability of $480,000, while the lowest decile, such as pensioners living in less expensive areas, have an average liability of $50,000. Auckland, where about 35 percent of New Zealanders live, accounts for 61 percent of the total lifetime costs, MSD found. The country's biggest city also has the longest waiting time for a house, at a year on average, compared with the national average 0.7 of a year, and the average household liability is 80 percent higher than the rest of New Zealand. Maori and Pacific people are respectively five and seven times more likely to use social housing, and Maori are more likely to exit due to poor social outcomes such as prison or having their contract terminated. The ministry says it is difficult to deal with over- and under-use of dwellings on the social housing register, with just 45 percent of social housing places occupied by households who have the right number of bedrooms. Some 80 percent of the housing portfolio has two or three bedrooms, but less than half of current households need two or three bedrooms, with more need for one and four-bedroom houses. The housing liability would be $500 million higher if those in overcrowded houses were moved to larger places, and $1.4 billion lower if those in underused houses were moved somewhere smaller, MSD said. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 Shell New Zealand is keen to find suitors for its remaining New Zealand assets after the sale of its Kapuni onshore field helped narrow its loss in the year to December while Austrian oil and gas producer OMV AG's New Zealand unit moved back into profit after achieving a lower cost of sales. Shell New Zealand said its total comprehensive loss attributable to its equity holders was $21.1 million versus a loss of $226.7 million in the prior year. Revenue fell 4.6 percent to $767.6 million but its position was bolstered by a $203.4 million gain on "disposal of property, plant and equipment." Earlier this year, Shell sold the 60-year-old Kapuni onshore oil and gas field to its joint venture partner in the field, locally owned Todd Energy. The value of the Kapuni deal, which includes the processing station for the oil field, was confidential at the time. At the time, it said it would also look to offload its other assets, including an 83.75 percent stake in Maui and a 48 percent stake in Pohokura. Both fields are operated by Shell Todd Oil Services, a company that is now owned by Shell after Todd relinquished its 50 percent interest in the umbrella company. A spokesperson for Shell New Zealand confirmed the company has started engaging with potential interested parties on the companys remaining assets in New Zealand with the help of JP Morgan. "Any discussions with potentially interested parties are confidential," the spokesperson said. Late last week Bloomberg quoted unnamed people with knowledge of the matter as saying the sale had drawn interest from OMV AG and other companies, including Greymouth Petroleum. According to Bloomberg, the assets could draw as much as $1 billion. Officials at OMV New Zealand and Greymouth Petroleum declined to comment. OMV AG already holds 10 percent of Maui and 26 percent of Pohokura. OMV's New Zealand unit said its net profit for the year to Dec 31 was $73.9 million versus a loss of $210.8 million in the prior period. Total revenue was $367.6 million versus $503.5 million in the prior year, largely due to weaker oil prices. The Brent crude average was US$43.7 a barrel in 2016 compared to US$52.4 in 2015. This impacted OMV NZs oil and condensate pricings. Gas revenues were more stable as long-term contracts are in place, the company said. However, its cost of sales was $250.2 million versus $801.3 million in the prior year. Royalties were slightly lower with the company paying $42 million versus $49 million in the prior 12 months. It also said there was an $406M in 2015 (following the oil price drop in early 2015; which is not there in 2016). In addition, depreciation charges were around $125 million lower in 2016, it said. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 New Zealand's low levels of productivity present long-term challenges to an economy with a strong short-term outlook, and policymakers should cut corporate taxes, free up foreign investment, expand infrastructure funding sources and review competition law, says the Organisation for Economic Cooperative and Development. In its two-yearly review of the local economy and policy settings, the global club for rich countries again found New Zealand was experiencing strong economic growth with sound government finances. The country's biggest vulnerability was the high level of household debt and New Zealand's exposure to a growing tide of trade protectionism, while sub-standard productivity relative to the rest of the OECD meant living standards were restrained and could pose long-term issues for the nation. "New Zealanders enjoy high living standards, with all components of the Better Life Index stronger than the OECD average except household disposable income and wealth," the report said. "GDP per capita is below the OECD mean owing to low labour productivity, and improving productivity growth is a major long-term challenge for improving inclusiveness and living standards." Productivity has been a long-running problem for successive governments, with New Zealand's geographic distance restricting access to the global economy and reducing competitive pressures, while a high cost of capital stifles investment. The current administration sought to find answers to some of the more intractable issues by setting up the Productivity Commission in 2010. The OECD recommends narrowing the screening of foreign investment and cutting the corporate tax rate to stir business investment, while reviewing competition and insolvency law would go some way to deal with the "indications that weak competition is an issue in New Zealand". The international agency also recommends an overhaul of urban planning and infrastructure funding, with current policy settings providing a lack of incentives for local bodies to invest in amenities. The OECD welcomed the government's proposed increase in the superannuation age of eligibility while saying an earlier adjustment than the 2037 transition period mooted "would better contain costs and would distribute the burden of adjustment more evenly across cohorts". Unlike the International Monetary Fund, the OECD did consider the changing nature of labour markets in its survey, saying employment has shifted towards high-skilled occupations, a trend that is likely to continue with further diffusion of digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence. Among the policy prescriptions thrown up, the agency encourages improved math teaching competency and a review of minimum numeracy levels for school leavers, and better matching of tertiary education paths to skills shortages. The OECD also said the government should consider introducing unemployment insurance or introducing longer notice periods for laying off staff, with displaced workers likely to bear the brunt of the changing labour environment. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update PEB - Interim Financial Results to be Announced 24 November 2022 EROAD H1 FY23 Results and Conference Call Details MFB - Appointment of Chief Executive Officer HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 November 11th Morning Report GMT - Customer demand supports strong first-half operating result EVO - Embark Education announces Special Dividend BLT - Strategy reset and revenue growth Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022 Data Presented at the 17th Quadrennial Meeting of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery in Berlin DUBLIN and BERLIN - June 28, 2017 - Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) today announced it has received CE (Conformite Europeenne) Mark for SureTune(TM)3 software for deep brain stimulation (DBS). SureTune3 provides patient-specific visualization of lead location and simulated volume of neural activation to help physicians make decisions on how to program - or tune - their patient's DBS therapy. Medtronic DBS therapy has CE Mark approval for diseases such as Parkinson's disease and treats symptoms such as tremor via a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, that delivers mild electrical pulses to precisely targeted areas of the brain. Electrical stimulation of these areas normalizes the brain circuits that control symptoms. More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's disease.1 SureTune3's advancements streamline the physician's workflow and allow StealthStation(TM) surgical planning information to be imported. SureTune3 also contains a 3D deformable atlas to allow physicians to more precisely define anatomical structures, or the exact region in the brain that must be stimulated to alleviate symptoms. The SureTune3 system is fully downloadable with the option to work over a hospital's server so clinical multidisciplinary teams can work flexibly. SureTune3 is currently not approved in the United States. Data on SureTune3 were presented today by Professor Jens Volkmann, MD, PhD, FEAN, chairman and professor of neurology in the University Clinic of Wurzburg at the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Meeting currently ongoing in Berlin, Germany. At the congress, he explained how SureTune3 is helping his team with patient management. "With SureTune3, I can integrate all patient data - both planning and procedure - which allows for more personalized management of each case," said Prof. Volkmann. "The improved software allows me to accurately visualize each DBS patient's stimulation settings." Using this approach, clinical programming experience, patient-specific visualization of simulated volume of neural activation and stereotactic planning will form an integrated workflow. Prof. Volkmann also presented research using SureTune3 which may provide further insight into how individual neural activation maps may be used. Medtronic DBS therapy has CE Mark approval for Parkinson's Disease, Dystonia, Essential Tremor, OCD and Epilepsy and is the only DBS complete portfolio that, under specific conditions, is full body MR conditional and can be left on during an MRI scan.2 "The latest innovations to our SureTune software take the Medtronic DBS solution to the next level: beyond our former innovations of MR conditional devices and beyond the standard visualization of the stimulation field," said Brett Wall, senior vice president and president of the Brain Therapies division, which is part of the Restorative Therapies Group at Medtronic. "Medtronic has been leading the way in DBS therapy for more than 30 years and we will continue to explore and develop new innovations for both the patients and physicians who rely on them." About Medtronic DBS Therapy DBS therapy uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas of the brain to reduce some of the most disabling motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, including shaking, stiffness and movement difficulties. Medtronic DBS complete portfolio is the first approved for full-body MRI scans under specific conditions.2 Since 1997, more than 150,000 Medtronic DBS devices have been implanted worldwide. DBS therapy is currently approved in many locations around the world, including the United States and Europe, for the treatment of the disabling symptoms of essential tremor and recent and longer-standing Parkinson's disease. Under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) in the United States, the therapy can also be used to treat chronic intractable primary dystonia. In Europe, Canada and Australia, DBS therapy is licensed for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. DBS therapy is also approved for the treatment of severe, treatment-resistant obsessive- compulsive disorder in the European Union and Australia, and in the United States under an HDE. About Medtronic Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 88,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 160 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. -end- CHATSWORTH, Calif., June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc. ("Provision"), a subsidiary of Provision Holding, Inc. (OTCQB:PVHO), today announced that the Company has entered into a multi-year partnership agreement with Discount Drug Mart, Inc. to install Provisions proprietary 3D Savings Center kiosks inside Discount Drug Mart stores. This agreement represents the next major retail partnership for Provision. In addition to its eye-popping 3D holograph graphics, the 3D Savings Center kiosks offers in-store advertising, including exclusive Discount Drug Mart promotions, to provide customers highly effective sales offers at the point-of-purchase. This new partnership with Discount Drug Mart is a major milestone for Provision, as it further validates the applicability of our technology platform across the retail landscape, while providing a new revenue opportunity for Discount Drug Mart, commented Curt Thornton, President & CEO of Provision. The 3D Savings Center represents a significant opportunity for brands to reach Discount Drug Marts robust customer base at the point-of-sale. We are excited by the expansion of our retail footprint and by the prospects for meaningful revenue growth resulting from a broader consumer reach across the retail channel. The Provision 3D Savings Center will provide opportunities for customers to achieve even more savings, said David Bergman, Vice President of Advertising at Discount Drug Mart. Discount Drug Mart customers will enjoy an engaging 3D holographic experience and be immediately rewarded with coupons, promotions, and other give-ways for both in-store products and wellness-related local professional services, such as doctors, dentists, and optometrists. The 3D Savings Center kiosk contains Provisions patented and award-winning 3D holographic display, which has been proven to attract and influence retail customers. Each unit also has a 2D interactive touch screen that provides consumers access to information as well as Discount Drug Mart promotions, rewards, and coupons. Brand marketers will be able to showcase their products via 3D advertising and engage viewers via the interactive touch screen interface. A recent case study showed results that the average rate of redemption for coupons generated by Provisions 3D Savings Center was 17.4 percent. This is an extraordinary redemption rate when measured against the published national average coupon redemption rate of 1.2 percent. About Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc. Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Provision Holding, Inc. (OTCQB:PVHO), is the leading developer of intelligent, interactive 3D holographic display technologies, software, and integrated solutions used primarily in retail settings. Provisions 3D advertising displays are designed to increase in-store engagement, coupon redemption and point-of-purchase activity. Provision's 3D holographic display systems represent a revolutionary technology that project full color, high-resolution videos into space detached from the screen, without the need for special glasses. Provision holds more than 10 patents related to its 3D holographic technology, for both consumer and commercial applications. For more information, visit www.provision.tv. About Discount Drug Mart Discount Drug Mart, Inc., is an Ohio-based drug store chain that opened its first store in Elyria, Ohio in 1969. Since that time, Drug Mart has established stores in over 20 Ohio counties, and currently operates 73 stores, including Dayton and Columbus. The company also expects to announce further expansion within the year. Low prices, outstanding customer service and broad based product lines are at the heart of Discount Drug Marts growth and success. The company slogan says it all: Discount Drug Mart Saves You the RunaroundWe Have Everything You Need. The 25,000+ square foot stores stock more than 40,000 items. From health and beauty aids to household merchandise; small appliances, paint, hardware and auto accessories; magazines, greeting cards, paper products, groceries, frozen foods, school & office supplies, and seasonal merchandise, Discount Drug Mart has it all! Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains projections of future results and other forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in the projections and forward-looking statements included in this press release are described in our publicly filed reports. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to, the acceptance of our products, lack of revenue growth, failure to realize profitability, inability to raise capital and market conditions that negatively affect the market price of our common stock. The Company disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements unless legally required. CHICAGO, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navy Pier, Chicagos mission-driven cultural district, has commissioned world-renowned contemporary artist Nick Cave and international architect and MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang for Here Hear Chicago, a new site-specific project that incorporates art, design and performance. The collaboration will be featured at Navy Pier this fall as part of the free public programming for the Chicago Architecture Biennial and EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Modern & Contemporary Art. The collaborative work is an extension of Navy Piers ongoing commitment to offer guests free, one-of-a-kind arts and cultural programming, designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. As part of Here Hear Chicago, the locally-based duo, Cave and Gang, are set to present a series of live productions in which Caves performers will intersect and respond to a field of dynamic, custom-fabricated objects designed by Gang and her practice, Studio Gang. The performance series includes Caves newest performance work, Up Right, and internationally acclaimed HEARD. Both feature his iconic Soundsuits, accompanied by Chicagos most talented musicians, including jazz artist Kahil El Zabar, the Chicago Childrens Choir and others. These and other performances by local artists will be defined by Gang-designed elements. Navy Pier is thrilled to be able to bring together the inspiring and imaginative works of two creative powerhouses in Nick Cave and Jeanne Gang, with the support of our collaborating organizations the Chicago Architecture Biennial and EXPO CHICAGO and our foundation partners, the Chicago Free For All Fund, the Joyce Foundation and the Graham Foundation, said Navy Pier Chief Programming and Civic Engagement Officer Michelle T. Boone. The Here Hear Chicago project is exactly the type of work that is furthering the Piers mission of becoming a leading cultural destination, locally and globally, as more and more guests are starting to turn to Chicagos lakefront treasure for free, dynamic and eclectic experiences. The first performance is scheduled for Wednesday, September 13 in Navy Piers Aon Grand Ballroom at 8 p.m., in time for the opening of EXPO CHICAGO (September 13 17, 2017). On Saturday, September 16, the program will move outdoors to Navy Piers Polk Bros Performance Lawn and South Dock at 5 p.m. as part of the Chicago Architecture Biennial. The full Here Hear Chicago schedule will be released later this summer. All performances are free and open to the public, with limited and first-come-first-served seating available in the Aon Grand Ballroom. Up Right Chicago is a call to arms, head and heart, with each performance preparing the initiates mind, body and spirit to face the forces that stand in the way of selfhood, said Cave. Through movement, ritual and song, performers enter a world they have complete control over, like warriors of their own destiny. Each performance includes 10 initiates or members of the community invited to participate by Cave, 10 practitioners including Cave and partner Bob Faust, and live music composed and performed by El Zabar, along with six musicians and a vocalist. Caves expressive art pairs imaginatively with Studio Gangs innovative designs to create a playground of interaction for visitors to experience and enjoy. Building upon the participatory nature of Caves work, Studio Gangs objects will define a flexible space for performance, responding to the spontaneous interactions of performers and the public. Like Caves works, the objects blur the boundary between audience and performer, said Gang. People will engage with the objects, making them performative and expanding the collaboration to the city of Chicago. Here Hear Chicago builds upon Studio Gangs history of design projects that connect people in the public realm, including the Nature Boardwalk and Pavilion at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and Hive, an interactive installation opening July 4 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The Cave-Gang collaboration is part of a series of special projects initiated by the Chicago Architecture Biennial, which provides a platform for groundbreaking architectural projects and spatial experiments that demonstrate how creativity and innovation can radically transform our lived experience. The 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial will be open to the public and on view from September 16, 2017 through January 7, 2018. The kickoff of the 2017 Biennial will align with the sixth annual EXPO CHICAGO, which hosts leading art galleries presented alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture each September. As weve done by inviting six museums throughout the city to participate in this years Biennial, working with Navy Pier will showcase another cultural gem that makes this city so special, said Chicago Architecture Biennial Board Chairman, Jack Guthman. Visitors to Chicago will be able to see the exciting exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center and then extend their trip to additional destinations around the city. Here Hear Chicago is supported by a lead grant from the Chicago Free For All Fund, a donor-advised fund of the Chicago Community Trust. The Chicago Free For All Fund was established for the purpose of supporting and promoting free cultural activities and events in the city of Chicago, with a primary focus on the performing arts and interactive visual arts. The Chicago Free For All Fund and Navy Pier share a mission of offering free, accessible arts and cultural programming that elevates and engages the guest experience, said Donna LaPietra, Chicago Free For All Fund Board Member. Nick Cave and Jeanne Gangs collaborative project this fall aligns perfectly with the type of exciting and innovative work we are proud to invest in and support. Additional funding for the program comes from the Joyce Foundation, which works to support artists and arts organizations in Chicago and the Great Lakes region. The project is also supported by the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, which makes project-based grants to individuals and organizations, and produces public programs to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture and society. Here Hear Chicago is just one of the many examples of Navy Piers commitment to raising its profile as a mission-driven cultural organization, with continued focus on offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs. As the Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration continues in 2017, the Pier looks forward to introducing more exciting and innovative year-round programming for guests to experience and enjoy for free. Navy Pier cultural and community programming is supported by the Polk Bros. Foundation. For more information on this and other special offerings at the Pier, please visit www.navypier.com. About Nick Cave Nick Cave is a Messenger, Artist and Educator working between the visual and performing arts through a wide range of mediums inclusive of sculpture, installation, video, sound and performance. He has been described as a Renaissance artist and says of himself "I have found my middle and now ... working toward what I am leaving behind." Cave's hybrid creations are part Alexander McQueen, part Andy Warhol, and wholly bizarre, brash, and beautiful. He combines elements of sound, performance, color, and costume to create whimsical works that even the darkest soul would find hard to resist. His genre-expanding work explores the ways that African identity is subsumed into disparate cultural codes. Chair of the fashion graduate program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Cave has built a notable reputation as an educator and artist. About Studio Gang Led by American architect Jeanne Gang, Studio Gang is an architecture and urban design practice based in Chicago and New York. Renowned for a design process that foregrounds connections among individuals, communities, and the environment, Jeanne and Studio Gang are currently designing major projects throughout the Americas and Europe, including the expansion of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City; a new United States Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil; and a unified campus for the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Intertwined with its built work, Studio Gang develops research and related publications, exhibitions, and programming that push designs ability to create public awareness and lead to changea practice Jeanne calls actionable idealism. This work includes Polis Station, an ongoing project exploring how American police stations can be reimagined through an inclusive design process to better serve their communities that debuted at the 2015 Chicago Biennial, and Reverse Effect, an advocacy publication produced to spark a greener future for the Chicago River. About the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial The 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial will be free and open to the public September 16, 2017-January 7, 2018 and is aligned with the sixth annual EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, September 1317, at Navy Pier. The hub of the 2017 Biennial will once again be the Chicago Cultural Center and will provide a platform for groundbreaking architectural projects and spatial experiments that demonstrate how creativity and innovation can radically transform our lived experience under this years theme, Make New History. The 2017 Biennial is presented in partnership with the City of Chicagos Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and funded through private donations with lead support from SC Johnson, Presenting Sponsor; BP, Founding Sponsor; Marriott, Hotel Sponsor; and philanthropic support from The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. The Chicago Architecture Foundation is the Biennials Signature Education Sponsor. About EXPO CHICAGO EXPO CHICAGO/2017, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, is presented by Art Expositions, LLC at Navy Piers Festival Hall, hosting more than 135 leading International exhibitors presented alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture. Now in its sixth year as a leading international art fair, EXPO CHICAGO (Sept. 1317, 2017) offers diverse programming including /Dialogues, IN/SITU, IN/SITU Outside, EXPO VIDEO, the Curatorial Forum, the Art Critics Forum, Special Exhibitions, EXPO Projects and OVERRIDE | A Billboard Project. In addition, EXPO CHICAGO continues to publish THE SEEN, Chicago's International Journal of Contemporary & Modern Art. Under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the citys rich history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the regions contemporary arts community and inspiring its collector base. In 2017, EXPO CHICAGO and the Chicago Architecture Biennial (September 16January 7, 2018) will align, establishing the city as a preeminent destination for global contemporary art and architecture, intersecting across a wide variety of programs including panels, international residencies, exhibitions and citywide events. In addition, EXPO CHICAGO partners with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris for its first U.S. satellite exhibition to kick off EXPO CHICAGO (September 12) at the Roundhouse at the DuSable Museum of African American History. Vernissage, the opening night preview benefiting the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, takes place Wednesday, Sept 13, 69 p.m. General Admission to the exposition is Thursday, Sept. 14Sunday, Sept. 17 (for hours please visit expochicago.com). Tickets to the exposition will go on sale in June 2017. Northern Trust is the Presenting Sponsor of EXPO CHICAGO. For more information about EXPO CHICAGO and EXPO ART WEEK (Monday Sept. 11Sunday Sept. 17), visit expochicago.com. Navy Pier Mission Statement Navy Pier is the Peoples Pier, Chicagos lakefront treasure, welcoming all and offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs that inspire discovery and wonder. About Navy Pier Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is one of the top-attended nonprofit cultural destinations in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and welcoming more than nine million guests annually. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. In 2017, Navy Pier continues to celebrate its centennial with a series of special events and programming, year-round rides on the Centennial Wheel and ongoing pier-wide redevelopment efforts as part of the Centennial Vision. Navy Pier, as a nonprofit organization, maintains and manages the 50-acre pier that is being redeveloped as a contemporary, environmentally responsible urban space. More information is available at www.navypier.com. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c18afd0c-8f15-419a-a4bb-d687fe4df22e BROOMFIELD, Colo., June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lineup Systems today announced that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has selected Lineups advertising sales platform AdPoint to power its advertising revenue growth strategy by moving to a cloud-based, multichannel advertising sales solution. Accessible from any device, AdPoint will mobilize the papers advertising sales reps and provide them with state-of-the art sales tools to generate new business opportunities. Owned by Block Communications, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is Western Pennsylvanias largest newspaper, and the post-gazette.com is the regions most-visited website. Together, they reach more than one million people every week and deliver a targeted audience to advertisers through print, online, direct mail, and digital services. Lineup will help Pittsburgh Post-Gazette grow advertising revenue and simplify the complexity of booking ads across its multiple channels by replacing the papers legacy advertising sales system with AdPoint, a solution developed exclusively for media companies. According to Senior IT Manager Joe Cronin, Pittsburgh Post-Gazettes current advertising sales system is cumbersome and incapable of managing all the aspects of selling multi-channel advertising. As a result, the papers Advertising Department must rely on multiple systems to generate ad revenue. Deploying AdPoint will enable the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to bring operations onto one seamless, end-to-end platform, cutting unnecessary costs and eliminating redundant processes. We chose AdPoint because its a fluid solution with a pure-web interface capable of running on any browser or any device, said Joe Cronin, senior IT manager, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. AdPoint will give us the flexibility to have everything in our sales reps hands at the customer's site, from last invoice to total spend year over year. Having Lineup as a partner going forward will ensure the Post-Gazette will have access to the best technology. Providing advertising sales reps with state-of-the-art sales tools to generate leads while on the move is becoming a must-have for media companies that are interested in capturing the available ad spend from their customers, said Michael Mendoza, chief executive officer of Lineup Systems. We are looking forward to helping the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette grow ad revenue and operate more efficiently. About Lineup Systems Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, Lineup Systems is a leading provider of advertising sales technology. Our cloud-based solution, AdPoint, is an end-to-end advertising sales platform that optimizes business performance and enables media companies to grow ad revenue. More than 1,600 media brands rely on AdPoint to manage their multi-channel advertising sales process. Representative customers include Gannett, Toronto Star, Time Out, Metro International, Time Inc., and News Corp, among others. For more information visit www.lineup.com. English French FNAC DARTY management presented the organizational plan for the Group's future head office to its staff representative bodies today. Under the "one Group, two brands" principle, this plan is based on a unified structure for France, built on: a single Sales Department for the two brands, supported by a "purchasing" division and a cross-company "sales development" division used by all of the product sectors. The present sales organizations will be maintained for the products and services that are most specific to each brand (Cultural for Fnac and Kitchen offerings for Darty). a single Marketing and E-commerce Department for the Group, with a Brand Department for each banner, a single Operating Department responsible for developing a global vision for the network of Fnac and Darty stores, a customized organization of the services provided: the Services Department will be responsible for marketing products and services and defining the Group's service policy (including its after-sales services); the Group Operations Department will be responsible for operational implementation of the services. The following single corporate functions would be implemented for both brands: one Group HR Department, one Finance Department, one Group Operations Department, one Information Systems Department, one Strategy Department and one Communications Department. There would be 1,495 permanent jobs at Fnac Darty Group head office. 111 jobs currently held would be removed, with 86 new ones created and offered firstly to employees affected by these layoffs. A voluntary departure plan will open to employees at the end of the social process. The departures will therefore be on an exclusively voluntary basis, with no forced departure phase. A full raft of initiatives to support the reorganization will be proposed and discussed with the trade union organizations. ANALYST/INVESTOR CONTACT Stephanie Constand: +33 (0)1 55 21 18 63 - stephanie.constand@fnacdarty.com NEW DELHI: Software major SAP India on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to jointly launch Bharat ERP -- a programme to empower small businesses digitally. According to a company statement, the initiative is aimed at digitally enabling nearly 30,000 MSMEs and youth in the next three years. "As a part of the MoU, SAP India and the Ministry of MSMEs will collaborate to enable MSMEs become future-ready by helping them focus on innovation and business profitability," it said. The statement added that through this programme, MSMEs will be able to access SAP's technology to streamline and integrate key processes such as financials, sales and inventory with a single business software. "The MSME sector contributes nearly 38 pct to the country's GDP and generates nearly 120 million jobs; its growth plays a pivotal role in propelling India's economy forward," said Deb Deep Sengupta, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent. "Our objective through Bharat ERP is to make digital technologies more accessible to micro and small enterprises, in line with our aim to help businesses of all sizes grow with SAP," he added. Read Also: Google To Hold Workshops For SMBs For Digital Presence GoDaddy Launches New 'Business Email' Service In India THE HAGUE: India and the Netherlands are on the same page on several global issues, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Tuesday. "Today the world is interdependent, inter-connected. It is natural that we will be discussing not only bilateral issues but also a slew of global issues," Modi said here in a joint statement issued with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Noting that the year 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Modi stressed on strengthening the people-to-people contact through Indian diaspora in the Netherlands. He said the Indian diaspora are the links and bridge between the people of two countries. Modi is set to address them later in the day. "In the last three years, the Netherlands has emerged as the third largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI). It is a natural partner in our needs and priorities for economic development," Modi said. He hoped that the CEOs of Dutch companies will continue to have a positive outlook about India. Modi said he was looking forward to meeting the King and the Queen of the Netherlands. Read Also: India Presents Abundant Opportunities For US Investors: Modi India's Thermal Plants May Become Economically Unviable STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 60-year-old South Beach man with a prior criminal record was arrested after he was caught with illegal prescription pills, according to police. John Zichettello, 60, was arrested on Monday inside his home in the 200 block of Sand Lane, according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. He was found to be in possession of 70 amphetamine and dextroamphetamine pills in an orange prescription bottle with no label, according to police. The numbers marked on the pills indicate that they are 30-milligram doses of the stimulant pills used to treat various conditions such as attention-deficit disorder. The suspect also was apprehended on drug charges on March 23, according to court records. A source with knowledge of the investigation said that Zichettello has about nine prior arrests. Charges for Monday's arrest include criminal possession of a controlled substance. He is being held at Rikers Island on bond of $20,000 or $10,000 cash and is due to appear in Richmond Criminal Court on Wednesday. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Arden Heights woman who allegedly left liquid pot in her kid's backpack admitted the drugs were hers, prosecutors said. "It's mine," Taryn Desiderio, 32, allegedly told police, according to the criminal complaint. Desiderio dropped off her 3-year-old child at the Church of the Holy Child pre-school Monday morning, and workers found seven vials of liquid marijuana in the toddler's backpack, according to allegations in the complaint. Desiderio was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child, police said. Desiderio, of West Castor Place, was arraigned in Criminal Court Tuesday and released on her own recognizance, officials said. She is due back in court Sep. 26. Desiderio's attorney, Vincent Martinelli, declined comment. Holy Child declined to comment about the incident. Would you like to comment on this report? Visit the comments section to add your voice to the conversation. President Barack Obama received intelligence in August 2016 that Vladimir Putin specifically instructed hackers to damage Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in hopes of electing Donald Trump. People on both sides of the aisle are demanding to know why Obama didn't do more to prevent or punish the Russian assault on our election. Some say the administration did all they could, given the intense political circumstances, but another official frankly admitted: "I feel like we sort of choked." Do you blame Obama? PERSPECTIVES President Trump came down hard on Obama for what he characterized as a weak response to Russian hacking ... The reason that President Obama did NOTHING about Russia after being notified by the CIA of meddling is that he expected Clinton would win.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017 ... and accused him of sitting back and doing nothing. The real story is that President Obama did NOTHING after being informed in August about Russian meddling. With 4 months looking at Russia... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2017 Some liberals defended Obama, saying he did take some action. Pardon me, but that's a lie. Obama expelled Russian diplomats, seized their compounds, set severe sanctions in motion for Trump to trigger. https://t.co/wXj5hMLvuM Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) June 26, 2017 But even liberal Democrat Adam Schiff called out Obama for not doing more. Was mistake for Obama Admin to wait two months to tell public what Russia was doing out of fear they would be perceived as affecting result. Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 21, 2017 Yes, the politics at the time were intense to navigate: Schiff says the president worried about undermining American faith in the election, as well as appearing to be intervene on Hillary Clinton's behalf. But he still thinks Obama made the wrong choice. Obama Admin feared 2 things: appearing to help HRC & playing into Trump's rigged narrative. Neither factor outweighed public's need to know: pic.twitter.com/4HM90Y8KLz Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 25, 2017 Trump has gone so far as to accuse Obama of collusion with the Russians. .@POTUS turns collusion charge on Obama for doing 'nothing' on Russia | Read more: https://t.co/vv3W9NAls8 pic.twitter.com/YJC4EAbOG5 Fox News (@FoxNews) June 27, 2017 Others think Obama made the right choice. Obama got it right on Russia. His job wasn't to prevent Trump's win. It was to preserve faith in our elections: https://t.co/gpwOWVv6nb pic.twitter.com/GYzdwHgfNs Slate (@Slate) June 26, 2017 But for those who abhorred Obama's foreign policy choices, this is more proof that he was a weak and ineffectual leader who allowed America to be pushed around. Russia hacked US because of perceived 'weakness' | https://t.co/wQDEI8pSOa @BarackObama ; Yep. Obama was a weak & anti-American president. Kevin Sheahen (@pghdads) June 27, 2017 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. DENVER, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Ascent Asset Management celebrated its first anniversary as a portfolio strategist serving financial advisors. Launched one year ago this month, First Ascent has garnered new assets, partnerships and industry-wide recognition for its unique $500 flat-fee pricing for advisor accounts, no matter how large, that use First Ascents Global Explorer portfolios. This has been a fantastic first year as we grow the business and expand our partnerships with advisors and industry leaders to bring innovation and client-centric products to financial services, said First Ascent CEO Scott MacKillop. Independent advisors face new challenges and we are excited that First Ascent helps advisors address the challenges they face every dayfrom downward pressure on advisory fees, to robo-advisors to challenges in scaling their businesses. In its first 12 months, First Ascent has: Entered into an agreement with Envestnet to sub-advise a series of Envestnet portfolios Launched its portfolio offerings and asset management services on several advisor platforms, including Adhesion, Smartleaf, Verity Manager Exchange and the PCS 401(k) platform Rolled out flat-fee pricingcalculated on a cost plus reasonable margin basiswhich has brought advisors working with First Ascent a unique combination of pricing and service Released a series of position papers to inform advisors on key industry issues, as well as a series of educational videos to help demystify the world of investing for clients of advisors Earned a finalist nomination for the prestigious Wealthmanagement.com Industry Awards for its innovative approach to Turnkey Asset Management Programs It has been an exciting year of entrepreneurship, innovation and industry disruption at First Ascent, said MacKillop. Our business model has been well received everywhere we have introduced it, including the XY Planning Network Annual Conference and the FPA Retreat and we look forward to sharing more about it with industry leaders this September at the Disrupt Advice conference in New York. The investment world is changing rapidly and moving inexorably to a fiduciary business model. We look forward to working alongside our financial advisor partners and supporting them as they continue to grow their businesses and help clients achieve their life goals. About First Ascent Asset Management First Ascent provides outsourced portfolio management services to financial advisors and their clients. The firms founder, Scott MacKillop, is a 40-year veteran of the financial services industry and has been providing asset management services to financial advisors for over 25 years. The First Ascent team has over 200 years of experience. First Ascent is a registered investment advisor in the State of Colorado. Lithuanian English AB "Rokiskio suris", Pramones str.3, Rokiskis, Lithuania, 2017-06-28 15:41 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a resolution of the Board of Directors of Rokiskio suris AB, on 28 June 2017, the Company acquired Government bonds of the Republic of Lithuania for the amount of mEUR 7.76. The pay off date of the bonds is 29/03/2020. The Government bonds were acquired using free resources which were accumulated after product stock reduction. Due to the shortage in shelf life of the products in stock, the Company was forced to sell the products even though it was loss-making at times. The Government bonds were acquired in order to make a reserve for current assets which might be necessary if a similar crisis hits dairy industry again as it was in 2014-2016. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree SAN DIEGO, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VetMatrix, a leading provider of internet marketing solutions for veterinary practices, has partnered with Gravity Payments, a payment processing company providing simple, fair, and seamless solutions. Together, this partnership effectively enables both companies to provide even better service and growth opportunities to independent veterinary practices across the country. This partnership is an excellent fit, as both companies are devoted to reducing the headaches and costs associated with doing business online so that more independent businesses can succeed, explained Ali Nikoopour, VetMatrix business development manager. We are extremely pleased to partner with such a highly regarded company as Gravity Payments, Nikoopour continued. We trust them to offer our clients fair and honest credit card processing services, and in turn, we look forward to assisting their clients with their online visibility and helping them to acquire more new business. According to Neda Perrina, Gravity Payments head of sales, More independent business owners trust Gravity because of their commitment to level the credit card processing playing field for community businesses of all sizes. At Gravity Payments, you will not find automated call centers, commissioned salespeople, or surprises in the fine print. This transparency and dedication to service is apparent in their desire to find the best solution for each business and availability of team members by phone 24 hours a day. This new relationship with VetMatrix will allow us to extend our company values and services to our clients and their growing veterinary practices, said Perrina. VetMatrix offers a suite of cutting-edge internet marketing services to fit every website need and budget for veterinarians. Its tiered menu of industry-specific services builds on one another to allow veterinarians to easily adjust their marketing needs as their business grows. Through this partnership, Gravity Payments clients will receive a free online effectiveness evaluation, 50 percent off website setup costs, and a free showcase video when they sign up for any new VetMatrix service. About Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price founded Gravity Payments at just 19 after seeing a friend who owned a local business get taken advantage of by her credit card processor. He knew he could create something better. Today their mission remains as steadfast as ever: To reduce the fees, hours, and headaches associated with accepting payments for small business. With more than 17,000 independent U.S. business customers, Gravity Payments is the most trusted name in the credit processing industry. Learn more by visiting gravitypayments.com About VetMatrix VetMatrix has been empowering veterinarians as well as other practice-based businesses to succeed since 2002. They offer a full suite of web marketing services including pay-per-click advertising, advanced SEO, social media and reputation management, custom HD video marketing and SEO-optimized websites. VetMatrix is part of the Internet Brands portfolio of healthcare-focused consumer companies. Visit VetMatrix.com for more information. DENVER, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Video ad serving platform SpotX has released support for DigiTrust in its Direct AdOS, used by leading broadcasters and digital media owners. By providing publishers with a means of selling their inventory with similar audience recognition capability as Facebook and Google, SpotX publishers will increase yield and decrease data leakage from their browser-based properties. The company will be rolling out support across the rest of its direct integration suite in the coming months. DigiTrust is a non-profit industry consortium designed to improve the digital experience for consumers, publishers and advertisers. Through the creation of a standardized and universal ID, DigiTrust aims to eliminate problems associated with cookie syncing and cookie-based targeting. This standardized ID will be shared by participating publishers and technology companies, including SSPs and DSPs, to eliminate the problem of poor audience recognition, ultimately increasing the number of high-value impressions publishers are able to sell. Through its implementation, SpotX will begin driving the growth of DigiTrusts standardized ID pool, which is the first step to unlocking the benefits outlined above. DigiTrust represents a broad industry commitment from all corners of ad tech in providing audiences with a better experience and beginning to reign in tracking. It is an important first step by our industry to provide transparency and control to audiences, said J. Allen Dove, Chief Technology Officer at SpotX. We are thrilled that SpotX is the first to announce deployment of the DigiTrust solution, an important milestone for the consortium. DigiTrust has seen amazing traction in the past two months, with public support from dozens of platform providers, many of whom are deploying in the coming weeks, said Jordan Mitchell, CEO at DigiTrust. About SpotX SpotX is a video inventory management platform providing media owners with monetization tools for desktop, mobile and connected devices. The platform features modern ad serving and programmatic enablement technology, and other monetization tools, including outstream video ad units and solutions for connected TV. SpotX gives publishers the control, transparency and actionable insights needed to understand buyer behavior, manage access and pricing, and maximize revenue. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and has offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Sydney, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Hamburg, Belfast, and Singapore. In July 2014, RTL Group, a leader across broadcast, content and digital, acquired a 65% stake in SpotX. For updates, follow SpotX on Twitter and LinkedIn. About DigiTrust Founded in 2013, DigiTrust is a non-profit organization founded by twenty leading digital advertising technology platforms united in the mission to improve the Internet experience. For more information please visit www.DigiTru.st. 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The woman spent a gruelling four hours on her second day giving evidence from a remote witness room and answering a barrage of questions on cross-examination. ADFA cadet Jack Toby Mitchell, second from left, arrives at the ACT Supreme Court with his parents last week. Credit:Alexandra Back She was challenged on her level of intoxication at notorious Canberra nightspot Mooseheads around midnight on May 28, 2016, the morning it's alleged Jack Toby Mitchell, 19, raped her in his room at the ADFA campus. The woman, who was 18, told the court on Tuesday she woke to Mr Mitchell having sex with her after sharing a taxi back to their quarters, and though she had tried to push him away and said she was hurting he had continued. HOUSTON, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AFGlobal today announced that Noble Corporation plc has awarded AFGlobal a contract for the provision of an integrated deepwater managed pressure drilling (MPD) system. The scope of the award will culminate in the supply and installation of a completely integrated, next-generation MPD system. The equipment specified is the most advanced of its kind supplied to date by AFGlobal, who is widely recognized as the industry leader in design, manufacture and provision of deepwater MPD systems. Noble, a long-time technology leader with a young, modern fleet of drilling vessels is dedicated to continuous improvement in the drilling process. Noble recognizes MPD as an important next step forward in that process. The addition of MPD systems to our rig fleet will provide a valuable competitive advantage with an expected higher level of safety and performance, commented Scott Marks, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Noble Corporation plc. AFGlobals decades of manufacturing experience combined with a deep understanding of pressure management drilling technology has positioned us at the center of MPD adoption and evolution, stated Mark Mitchell, President - Oil & Gas at AFGlobal. Working closely with all the stakeholders, we have designed, built, and installed the industry-leading equipment that is enabling a global fleet of MPD-ready rigs. We are proud to be awarded this opportunity by Noble. AFGlobal is an oil and gas OEM specializing in technology, products, and services with fully-integrated manufacturing capabilities to clients around the world. We align well-established precision engineering with industry-leading innovation. AFGlobal also offers a broad range of manufacturing capabilities with a variety of both highly-engineered and general forged products, as well as complementary aftermarket services. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the Company delivers value through more than 20 facilities worldwide. www.afglobalcorp.com Investment specialists have called on the corporate watchdog to investigate recent trading of Aveo's shares by its largest shareholder Mulpha and a director ahead of the company's announcement of a $145 million buyback this week. The buyback of 9.3 per cent of the company's shares was launched on Tuesday after emergency weekend board discussions triggered by the publication of the first articles in a joint Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation into the sector and Aveo in particular. The company's chief executive Geoff Grady told the media this week that the board canvassed a buyback in those discussions in anticipation of a share price fall on Monday morning in the wake of the weekend articles and impending Monday night coverage on the ABC and Fairfax Media. Ownership Matters chief executive Dean Paatsch told Fairfax Media most security holders would have liked to have bought shares on Monday knowing a buyback was under consideration. The former operator of two online electronics stores has been sentenced to three months in prison, after he failed to comply with court orders dating back to 2015. Dhruv Chopra was the sole operator of retail site Electronic Bazaar in 2015, selling electric goods such as camcorders, mobile phones and laptops, when the Federal Court ordered him to pay penalties of $100,000. Dhruv Chopra, who has been sentenced to three month in prison. Credit:Facebook The penalties followed proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in relation to false or misleading representations made to consumers about refunds and the extent of Electronic Bazaar's liability for faulty goods. At that time, ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the court's decision "to impose a significant penalty on Chopra, a sole trader, for misrepresenting consumers' refund and warranty rights makes it clear that this conduct is a serious breach of the Australian Consumer Law". Migration lawyer Samuel Brouff had a feeling "something was up" when he cycled from Surry Hills to the CBD office of the now-disgraced education consultant Get Qualified Australia. It was March this year and his client Santiago Rillo, from Argentina, was urgently waiting to receive a Certificate IV in commercial cookery, a requirement to ensure the extension of his Australian visa. "I was dealing with Get Qualified (GQA) directly on behalf of my client. I was told there was to be a new skills facilitator on their case and after that communication went dead. It was at this time they moved their operations offshore to the Philippines," he said. "It was a distressing and very stressful time, only a few days before my client's visa expired, so I rode my bike to their office on Castlereagh Street, went up to the 19th floor and it was deserted, save for three or four members of staff." From the outside, it looks like a green shipping container on an industrial block in the suburbs. But on the inside, there's plenty going on. The box is part of a little-known but growing Melbourne Water network of "mini-hydro" electric plants generating electricity in suburban Melbourne, and in the hills beyond. With the addition of Melbourne Water's 14th hydroelectric plant, a "mini-hydro" to be turned on on Thursday in Mt Waverley, Melbourne Water's hydroelectric system generates enough power to supply more than 14,100 homes. Eleven of the plants are "mini-hydro" plants. It's a system that the water company hopes to expand further. Fairfax Media's Domain is entering the mortgage broking business in a joint venture with online broker Lendi, a Sydney-based start-up with access to dozens of banks. The new entity Domain Loan Finder will have a Domain-appointed chief executive and links to its services will be visible to every visitor on its website and apps. The disappointment of missing out on a property you love at an auction can be excruciating. Credit:Chris Hopkins Domain chief executive Antony Catalano said the broking business was the first part of a "very detailed" three-year business plan and the most lucrative of the "adjacency businesses" to online real estate listings. Others include connecting utilities and finding movers or storage. The joint venture will begin operation next month and could also open the way for more brokerage and comparison services. The Australian Taxation Office's high-profile area targeting high-wealth individuals that former deputy commissioner Michael Cranston headed will be a key focus in a wide-ranging review of the agency. The Inspector-General of Taxation, Ali Noroozi, has announced his terms of reference for the review into the ATO following the $144 million (figure revised up from $130 million) tax fraud case that's before the NSW Supreme Court. Former ATO deputy commissioner Michael Cranston is charged with improperly using his position to help his son, Adam (pictured), who has been charged with tax fraud. Credit:Daniel Munoz The Senate Economics References Committee this month called on Mr Noroozi to conduct a review into the ATO after the alleged abuse of position by Mr Cranston, who after a 35-year career with the ATO resigned on June 13, the day he first appeared in court. Mr Cranston's resignation came amid allegations he accessed restricted information on an ATO audit for his son, Adam Cranston, who was a subject of the tax fraud investigation, named Operation Elbrus. Police do not believe Michael Cranston knew about his son's alleged fraud syndicate. Martin Shkreli's criminal fraud trial jury hasn't been selected yet and already the brash pharma executive tried to get the case thrown out of court and lashed out at reporters covering his case. Before court even started, the "big pharma bro" announced on Tuesday on his Facebook page that he bought the internet domain names www.emilysaul.com and www.megtirrell.com. Emily Saul is covering the trial for the New York Post while Meg Tirrell is a CNBC reporter. Once in court, Shkreli's lawyer Benjamin Brafman said the current jury pool was tainted, citing media coverage of the negative opinions prospective jurors expressed about his client during questioning on Monday. The New York Post's front page carried the headline "Jury of his Jeers." Some tobacco control activists are so blinded by a commitment to destroy the tobacco industry that they can't see the potential of a life-saving, harm reduction alternative, e-cigarettes. The absurdity of allowing the widespread availability of the most dangerous consumer product ever invented while effectively banning a much safer substitute defies logic and will only protect the incumbent cigarette trade. Yet this is what some activists are advocating. A federal parliamentary inquiry on e-cigarettes is under way and a Senate inquiry is about to begin shortly based on a bill submitted to the Senate last week. Tobacco control activists want to leave the regulatory framework now in place unchanged, preventing the use of e-cigarettes in Australia. Policy should be based on evidence, not fear mongering, exaggeration, misrepresentation of evidence and rhetoric. Most importantly, any assessment of vaping should be compared with the risks of smoking, which vaping is designed to replace. E-cigarettes have only a tiny fraction of the risk of smoking. It is well known that almost all the harm from smoking is caused by the products of combustion, which are absent from vaping. Claims that the widely accepted view that e-cigarettes are 95 per cent less harmful than smoking is based on guesswork is a misrepresentation of the comprehensive reviews by Public Health England and the UK Royal College of Physicians which arrived at this estimate after reviewing the published scientific evidence including chemical analysis of e-cigarette vapour, toxins measured in users and clinical trials. The college said: "Although it is not possible to estimate the long-term health risks associated with e-cigarettes precisely, the available data suggest that they are unlikely to exceed 5 per cent of those associated with smoked tobacco products, and may well be substantially lower than this figure." There are some striking similarities between NSW Greens senator Lee Rhiannon and South Australian senator Cory Bernardi, who leads the Australian Conservatives. There are important differences, too, but don't let the fact that one is on the left and the other on the right fool you. Each illustrates the similarities of politics on the edge of the mainstream. They are in the news, not for the first time. Rhiannon attracted attention because of her opposition to the federal government's Gonski 2.0 school funding scheme. It apparently derailed the Greens' desire to clinch a compromise deal with the government. Rhiannon agreed with the Australian Education Union that the scheme was neither sector blind nor needs-based. Further, she outraged her Senate Green colleagues by seeming to campaign publicly against the scheme while her leader, Richard di Natale, was negotiating with Malcolm Turnbull and Simon Birmingham. Bernardi's opposition to Gonski 2.0 attracted much less attention, because his vote was ultimately not needed. But he and Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm were the two crossbench senators who failed to support the legislation. In their case, it was on the grounds of opposition to increased government spending and support for smaller government rather than the distribution of the funds. What did attract attention was the Australian Conservatives party's continued growth. Bernardi left the Liberals in February and, since then, has swallowed up the Family First Party by enticing its SA state representatives to join him. In Victoria, he achieved a second coup, announcing that the lone Democratic Labour Party representative in the Victorian state parliament, Rachel Carling-Jenkins, also crossed over, saying it was in the interests of greater national conservative unity. BLOOMINGTON, Ind., June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starting October 17, Megaputer Intelligence is hosting a four-day analytics event which includes two days of workshops and two full conference days. The conference features over 65 sessions divided between two tracks, one business and one technical, to engage attendees with different viewpoints on analytics. The Megaputer Analytics Conference attracts business executives, managers, analysts, and data scientists from a variety of domains. Each conference track will highlight success stories, case studies, lessons learned, and strategies used to build unique applications for pharmaceutical, healthcare, insurance, and others. In addition, select industry-specific sessions will be led by guest speakers from Eli Lilly, MaritzCX, Taco Bell, Merck, Canon, Select Medical, Jack Henry & Associates, and BNY Mellon. The conference provides a unique opportunity to learn about cutting-edge analytic technologies. It facilitates the dialogue between professionals from multiple industries to exchange ideas and learn about real-life experiences, said Dr. Sergei Ananyan, CEO, Megaputer Intelligence. And the additional hands-on workshops help our attendees implement the newly acquired analytical skills and capabilities in their work right away. Pre- and post-conference workshops will empower participants with hands-on experience using Megaputers data and text analysis system, PolyAnalystTM. The workshop sessions will provide detailed demonstrations on strategies for working with diverse data sources, understanding and practicing different data manipulation techniques, using machine learning tools, and learning text analytics approaches for extracting key information and classifying documents. The pre-conference workshops are geared towards advanced users of data analysis systems while the post-conference workshops will help onboard new analysts to the topics explored during the main event. Registration is currently open with discounted prices extended through September 1, 2017 and additional savings available if registered by July 10, 2017. What: 2017 Megaputer Analytics Conference Date: October 18-19, with pre- and post-conference workshops the 17th and 20th Where: Bloomington Convention Center, Bloomington, Indiana, United States Registration: https://www.polyanalyst.com/conference/2017/registration/ Agenda: https://www.polyanalyst.com/conference/2017/agenda/ About Megaputer Intelligence Megaputer Intelligence (www.megaputer.com) is a leading developer of data and text mining software, offering tools for predictive modeling and knowledge discovery on large volumes of structured data and text. Its analytical tools enable over 500 customers worldwide to make informed data-driven decisions. While building customized solutions, Megaputer provides task and domain specific solutions for various industries. Megaputer and PolyAnalyst are registered trademarks of Megaputer Intelligence Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of other companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. So now it's time to let the healing begin - not in the Liberal Party, who seem to be doing pretty well after 12 months of backing slowly away from your increasingly provocative public behaviour. But if it's two years later and the dumpee is still whining about how unfair it all was and how the new guy's a stupid jerk while obsessively trying to exact brutal vengeance, then observers are going to correctly conclude that hoo boy, if anything that dumping should have come a lot earlier. Look, none of us enjoy being dumped. It's humiliating. It's painful. We've all been there, buddy. Tony Abbott believes he won his election on carbon pricing, rather than simply because the voters had had enough of Rudd/Gillard/Rudd. Credit:AAP You need to spend some quality you-time to get better, away from the public spotlight, and probably away from politics altogether. On Tuesday you decided to launch an election campaign where you persuasively articulated your point of difference from your hated political rivals. The problem was that there's no election, you're not leader of any party, and the political rivals at which you took aim was the government of which you are still ostensibly a part. And it would be fun to play pretendies if you were a six year old, but there's something distinctly embarrassing about watching a 59-year-old man play acting at leadership by announcing policies he can't enact for a prime ministership he can't achieve. Even if its performed at the right wing fantasy camp which is the Institute for Public Affairs, which exists in an alternate universe where it's perpetually an overcast day in 1961 and there's a Robert Menzies on every corner. And your speech hit all the predictable conservative touchstones: lower immigration! No new spending! Reduce renewable energy target! Nationalise the coal industry by getting the government to invest in coal-burning pow sorry, what? Former prime minister, John Howard, has described Australia's leadership of the so-called RAMSI mission to stabilise the Solomon Islands, which come to an end this week after 14 years, as one of Australia's and his government's greatest foreign policy achievements. Australia launched the Regional Assistance Mission, Solomon Islands in 2003, after the island nation had made repeated requests for help as it spun towards a civil war fuelled largely by ethnic tensions between people of the provinces of islands of Malaita and Guadalcanal. "These groups were involved in a cycle of revenge killings. Children were being press ganged into armed service, provision of basic services, including electricity and water, had ceased, and militias were holding the government to ransom, extorting large sums of money from the state," Mr Howard wrote in an opinion piece for Fairfax Media. He wrote that having declined to intervene the situation became so serious that the Solomon Islands risked becoming a failed state, and that it was in Australia's national interest to prevent that from happening. Government minister Christopher Pyne has apologised for his "unhelpful and damaging" same-sex marriage speech that ignited a factional firestorm, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on his MPs to stop focusing on internal party divisions. In a speech to his local constituents on Wednesday, Mr Pyne sought to quell the anger that has sparked conservative calls that he be sacked from his key parliamentary role of Leader of the House of Representatives. "I'm very sorry that my comments at an event last Friday have caused such a distraction for the government," he said. "I apologise to anyone they have offended. My remarks were ill chosen and unwise, and I can see how unhelpful and damaging they have been." Greens leader Richard Di Natale has insisted that the decision to suspend rogue NSW senator Lee Rhiannon from party room debates is not a penalty, but an attempt to improve "a consensus-based decision-making process" within the party. After a four-hour meeting on Wednesday, the federal party room voted to exclude Senator Rhiannon from party room discussions and "decisions on contentious government legislation", including within her portfolio responsibilities, until the NSW branch is reformed so its senator is not bound to potentially conflicting positions. But a fight looms over the federal move for change, with the Greens NSW quickly labelling the decision "unconstitutional". Co-convenors Debbie Gibson and Tony Hickey released a statement on Wednesday night saying they did not believe there was support in the party for changing the party's NSW or national constitutions. The university sector has attacked the government for pushing through the biggest set of school funding reforms in a generation, while slashing funding to tertiary institutions and hiking student fees. In a move that is set to reignite university funding battles, Group of Eight Universities chairman Peter Hoj blasted the Turnbull government for being "myopic" in cutting money from higher education. The university sector claims it was blind-sided by the government's tertiary sector reforms, which were announced in the lead up to the budget, and says it has been unfairly lumped in the same category as the big banks - expected to do the heavy lifting on budget repair. Within days their complaints were stifled by the surprise Gonski 2.0 school policy announcement, which took up weeks of the education funding debate. A friend went into treatment for breast cancer the same week I got my scary letter. She was so matter of fact about the chemo and the possible surgery, she was unwittingly a good influence on what was about to happen to me. I've had mammograms every two years since forever. Started in my 40s because of no reason except my family history is largely unknown and I have an unreasonable fear of dying early. Not really unreasonable. Dad died just as I left school. Mum died when I was 26. But in terms of breast cancer as far as I know, there is none in my family. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 85. As the Cancer Council says, the biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer are being a woman and getting older. That's me. So whenever I get the reminder text from BreastScreen to set up an appointment, I'm on it. What's a little bit of breast smooshing when it could buy me more time? I love my breasts. Fun, useful, practical. Even as a young girl, I liked them. I never in any serious way agonised over shape or perkiness, even when they were the size of peak season rockmelons during breastfeeding, I'd think, wow, impressive! Attractive to their owner, also a food source. Part of my identity. Kynan Wykes, 10, and his year 4 class thought they were starting a normal school day when a nun walked into the classroom at 9.30am on Tuesday, holding a letter that she said came from the Prime Minister's office. Their parents weren't looking after them well enough and they would be taken away, she told students at St Justin's Catholic primary school in Oran Park. They didn't believe it at first and some of the students went to the teacher to ask if it was true. She said it was real, and several started crying. Some couldn't eat their lunch and Kynan started thinking of ways to escape before the end of school day. It wasn't until about 2.50pm that they were told it was all part of a lesson on the Stolen Generations and were asked to write down how it made them feel. His family released a statement on Wednesday night which said Mr Noakes was a much loved "husband, father, brother, uncle, son and proud Navy member." Lieutenant Commander Steven Noakes was one of a 21-strong crew on Cape Inscription which is part of Australia's border protection fleet. A Royal Australian Navy member who died in unknown circumstances on a patrol boat at sea has been remembered as a loved husband and father, and a "proud Navy man". "He devoted 36 years of his life to serving his country and for that we couldn't be more proud of him," the statement read. "When not home with his family, he was most happiest when at sea with his crew." "We wish to extend our thanks to his shipmates and colleagues who provided such a rewarding and joyous career to Steven over the years. His life has made a significant impact on all those who knew and loved him." Mr Noakes's crew were pictured smiling and cutting a cake on the 58-metre Cape Class patrol boat just three weeks ago, when the order to "man ship" was issued for the first time. At a naming ceremony in Perth on June 6, Executive Officer Lieutenant Joseph Woods said the small crew already had a strong bond. "We are a closely knit team that mess together, exercise together and work hard together," Lieutenant Woods said. The vessel, which has its home port in Cairns, was due to take part in border patrol operations with the crew in a 'month-on, month-off' rotation. Attitudes within the Muslim community towards engaging with the government have shifted "180 degrees" says NSW Counter Terrorism Minister David Elliott, who believes his latest initiative is a blueprint for other states. Mr Elliott launched a free telephone and online counselling helpline on Wednesday, one of several deradicalisation measures promised by the NSW government in 2015 following the murder of Curtis Cheng by 15-year-old schoolboy Farhad Jabar. NSW Counter Terrorism Minister David Elliott. Credit:Ben Rushton Run by not-for-profit service On The Line, the Step Together helpline is intended to work like beyondblue or Lifeline and be a support service for concerned family and friends. It took more than 18 months to design, partly due to the need to rebuild trust in government that has been eroded due to successive policies heavy on law enforcement and political rhetoric perceived by many to be divisive and unfair, government adviser and deradicalisation academic Clarke Jones said. "It's gone." That's what Edward Charles Toller, 34, allegedly told police about the $745,000 in life savings he is accused of swindling from three elderly people while posing as a financial adviser, a court has heard. Edward Charles Toller is accused of conning three elderly people out of their life savings Mr Toller's house on Old South Head Road, Vaucluse, was raided on Tuesday by detectives investigating a deregistered finance and investment company in the eastern suburbs. Three people, aged between 70 and 85, reported losing their life savings to the company. Police allege the money was used for gambling on horse races and shopping. DENVER, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Video ad serving platform SpotX has released support for DigiTrust in its Direct AdOS, used by leading broadcasters and digital media owners. By providing publishers with a means of selling their inventory with similar audience recognition capability as Facebook and Google, SpotX publishers will increase yield and decrease data leakage from their browser-based properties. The company will be rolling out support across the rest of its direct integration suite in the coming months. DigiTrust is a non-profit industry consortium designed to improve the digital experience for consumers, publishers and advertisers. Through the creation of a standardized and universal ID, DigiTrust aims to eliminate problems associated with cookie syncing and cookie-based targeting. This standardized ID will be shared by participating publishers and technology companies, including SSPs and DSPs, to eliminate the problem of poor audience recognition, ultimately increasing the number of high-value impressions publishers are able to sell. Through its implementation, SpotX will begin driving the growth of DigiTrusts standardized ID pool, which is the first step to unlocking the benefits outlined above. DigiTrust represents a broad industry commitment from all corners of ad tech in providing audiences with a better experience and beginning to reign in tracking. It is an important first step by our industry to provide transparency and control to audiences, said J. Allen Dove, Chief Technology Officer at SpotX. We are thrilled that SpotX is the first to announce deployment of the DigiTrust solution, an important milestone for the consortium. DigiTrust has seen amazing traction in the past two months, with public support from dozens of platform providers, many of whom are deploying in the coming weeks, said Jordan Mitchell, CEO at DigiTrust. About SpotX SpotX is a video ad serving platform providing media owners with monetization tools for desktop, mobile and connected devices. The platform features modern ad serving and programmatic enablement technology, and other monetization tools, including outstream video ad units and solutions for connected TV. SpotX gives publishers the control, transparency and actionable insights needed to understand buyer behavior, manage access and pricing, and maximize revenue. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and has offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Sydney, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Hamburg, Belfast, and Singapore. In July 2014, RTL Group, a leader across broadcast, content and digital, acquired a 65% stake in SpotX. For updates, follow SpotX on Twitter and LinkedIn. About DigiTrust DigiTrust is a non-profit organization founded by twenty leading digital advertising technology platforms united in the mission to improve the Internet experience. For more information please visit www.DigiTru.st. The state roads agency's own modelling shows traffic on a heavily congested corridor south of Sydney's CBD will surge by at least 50 per cent within the next four years due in part to vehicles funnelled from the WestConnex motorway. Acknowledging that WestConnex will partly cause the major increase, Roads and Maritime Services is also forecasting travel times along a 3.2-kilometre corridor stretching from Alexandria to Moore Park to blow out. The roads agency is using the traffic forecasts as justification for a major road widening. The project includes extra lanes, bigger intersections, 24-hour clearways, at the cost of car parking, trees, and properties potentially including a large pub. RMS has yet to put a price tag on the project but the City of Sydney Council estimates it will be at least $1 billion, a figure not included in the $16.8 billion WestConnex budget. Sweeping raids have been rolled out across Sydney's western suburbs targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs, Asian crime groups and ice supply. At least 20 properties were targeted in simultaneous raids on Wednesday morning as part of a massive operation headed by the NSW Gangs Squad. Searches are under way at homes in Cabramatta, Georges Hall, Glenwood and Fairfield. The raids are part of an investigation into ice trafficking and supply involving bikie gangs, including the Rebels, and Asian organised crime figures. Two Latvian nationals accused of running fake trader websites flogging cheap barbecues and airconditioners that scammed more than 200 people out of $250,000 have been charged. Anastasija Sveinika, 27, and Aleksandrs Gorikijis, 25, are alleged to be behind more than two dozen websites with legitimate-sounding names targeting Australians. Two Latvian nationals. Nastasija Sveinika, 27, and Aleksandrs Gorikijis, 25, accused of running an online scam, have been arrested in Brisbane. Credit:QPS Media The websites offered heavily reduced prices on items including barbecues, outboard motors, airconditioners and gym equipment, to be paid in cash. The accused scammers, who were allegedly in Australia illegally after they overstayed their visas, appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with money laundering, drug possession and more than two dozen counts of fraud. A Gold Coast mechanic charged in connection with the 1997 shooting murder of businessman Philip Carlyle allegedly gave the accused killer the gun and disposed of it after the crime, a court has heard. John Hitchen was granted conditional bail on Wednesday following a brief appearance in Southport Magistrates Court where he was charged with being an accessory after the fact to the execution-style killing. Phillip Carlyle was shot dead in Robina on April 13, 1997. Mr Carlyle's former business partner, Neil Pentland, 68, faced the same court on Tuesday, charged with murder. He was remanded in custody. The body of Mr Carlyle, 47, was found in an air-conditioning plant room at his Robina business in April 1997. He'd been shot in the head four times. Getting the jump on rival party hire businesses requires some lateral thinking. In the case of Awesome Party hire, police allege owner James Balcombe's burning ambition to be No.1 led him to pay an employee to go on a two-month spree torching rival party businesses. James Balcombe outside court. Credit:Jason South Between December 19 last year and February 17 five rivals were hit by a combined 10 fires, most started by Molotov cocktails. The alleged spree peaked with one blaze causing $1-million-worth of damage, destroying dozens of jumping castles, a stretch limo and a mechanical bull, amongst other equipment. A paedophile priest was seen covered in blood on the day of the frenzied stabbing murder of a mother in the back of her Thornbury bookshop, a new report has revealed. The ABC uncovered the new information in its podcast Trace, which attempts to shine new light on the 1980 cold case murder of Maria James. Maria James was stabbed in a Thornbury bookshop in 1980. Ms James, 38, was stabbed 68 times in her home at the back of the bookshop. Electrician Allan Hircoe told the podcast he had seen Father Anthony Bongiorno on the day of the murder with blood on his face and both hands, just 50 metres from the crime scene. A teenage killer who fatally stabbed a man after gatecrashing a birthday party could be out of custody in less than four years after a judge moderated his sentence because he spent time at Barwon Prison's Grevillea unit. The 18-year-old, referred to in court by the pseudonym Tom Mitchell, was sent to the adult prison as part of the state government's notorious decision to transfer youths from Parkville and Malmsbury youth justice centres last year after a riot at Parkville destroyed more than 60 beds. The 18-year-old spent 174 days at Barwon Prison's Grevillea until he was returned to the Melbourne Youth Justice Centre. Credit:Vince Caligiuri Mitchell, was on Wednesday sentenced to eight years in custody for killing Nathan Gent at a 15th birthday party in the Geelong suburb of Norlane on June 17 last year. Mitchell, who was under a youth supervision order when he stabbed Mr Gent once in the chest with a knife, was ordered to serve four years and nine months before he is eligible for parole. With 375 days already served, he could be released in less than four years. An inquest into a disturbing cluster of suicides by Aboriginal youths in Western Australia's far north will hear how bereavement stress is causing indigenous children to despair. Of the 13 cases between November 2012 and March last year, five were children aged between 10 and 13, including two sisters. The cards quarantine 80 per cent of welfare payments in remote Aboriginal communities. On Wednesday, the third day of an inquest that will include hearings in Broome, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Kununurra, academic Judy Atkinson will give the Coroner's Court in Perth an insight into bereavement stress, which is a common thread in some of the cases. One of the deceased, a 23-year-old man, had lost five family members in five years before he took his own life. Manila: The Philippine military said on Wednesday that troops had found the mutilated bodies of 17 civilians in the besieged southern city of Marawi, where government forces have been struggling to dislodge militants who have entrenched themselves for the past month. The bodies, which included several people who had been decapitated, were recovered on Wednesday while troops and police officers conducted clearing operations near Gadungan, a devastated section of the city. The discovery came more than a month after Islamic State-inspired gunmen with the Abu Sayyaf and Maute militant groups overran Marawi, a city of 200,000. President Rodrigo Duterte checks a Chinese-made sniper's rifle during the presentation of thousands of weapons by China to the Philippines. Credit:AP "The recovered cadavers are believed to be among those civilians who were helplessly murdered by the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists," said Brigadier General Rolando Bautista of the Philippine army. "This is a manifestation of their brutality. They killed these innocent civilians in cold blood." The grisly discovery came as government troops were struggling to retake the city from the Islamist militants, whose numbers are believed to have dwindled to between 150 and 200 fighters. RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JAGGAER, Inc., provider of the worlds most comprehensive Source to Pay (S2P) solution suite, today announced a 2017 Fortune 500 national defense contractor has implemented a full JAGGAER S2P suite. The defense company, a science and technology provider of systems and services, is utilizing JAGGAER spend solutions to gain greater visibility and control into its global spend. The company required a single solution to manage multiple Department of Defense requirements, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for data handling and visibility. JAGGAER solutions are designed to address these security issues, and have been selected by many organizations to comply with complex federal regulations. The company is using Spend Radar, Sourcing Director, Total Contract Manager, Total Supplier Manager, Spend Director, and Accounts Payable Director, to cover procurement needs from purchasing and sourcing, to contract and supply management. Many organizations utilize JAGGAER solutions because of our ability to easily manage complex regulations. With companies continually looking for global expansion, and all the concerns around national security, our sophisticated tools are designed to manage spend that crosses international borders, says Robert Bonavito, CEO of JAGGAER. About JAGGAER: Global Indirect and Direct Spend Management Solutions JAGGAER offers the only comprehensive and complete spend solution suites enabling commerce between any businesses, anywhere. We pioneered spend solutions over two decades ago and have continued to lead the innovation curve by listening to customers and analyzing the market. Our solutions suites are trusted by the world's largest higher education, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, life sciences, automotive, engineering, construction equipment, serial production and medical technology companies. Our indirect and direct spend solutions suites collectively form a global network processing billions of dollars in annual spend between 900+ customers and 2.5 million suppliers. JAGGAERs SaaS based, Source to Pay (S2P) solutions enable an efficient relationship between buyers and suppliers, covering the entire spectrum of needs, from spend analysis to sourcing, through contract and supplier relationship management. Additionally, JAGGAER holds 38 patents, more than any other spend management company, and acquired POOL4TOOL in 2017. Learn how our solutions can power your organization. www.JAGGAER.com www.pool4tool.com news@JAGGAER.com To join the conversation, please visit our blog at https://JAGGAER.com/blog/ or follow us on Twitter @JaggaerPro. JAGGAER MEDIA CONTACT news@JAGGAER.com London: Up to 38 hospital sites in Britain may be as dangerous as Grenfell Tower, with nine identified as especially at risk, fire chiefs have warned. The alert came as more than 17,000 care homes and private hospitals were ordered to undertake their own safety reviews in the wake of the disaster that killed at least 79 people on June 14. British Prime Minister Theresa May ordered a national investigation into the use of potentially flammable cladding on high-rise towers on Tuesday. It follows checks on cladding at residential tower blocks in which all 95 samples so far submitted by councils failed fire safety tests. The Prime Minister's spokesman said the investigation into use of the material may form part of the public inquiry announced into the west London blaze. Washington: Lex Haris, CNN's investigations editor, travelled to a journalism conference in Phoenix last week. In hindsight, his timing was terrible. While Haris was away, his group published a story on CNN.com that reported - citing a single anonymous source - that Senate investigators were looking into a meeting between a member of President Donald Trump's transition team, Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci, and an executive of a Russian investment fund before Trump took office. The story seemed to advance the narrative of ties between Trump campaign officials and people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. One problem: When challenged on the particulars of the story, CNN acknowledged that it couldn't stand by it. It retracted it and apologised to Scaramucci on Saturday. On Monday, Haris and the editor and reporter of the piece, Eric Lichtblau and Thomas Frank, resigned from CNN. The sequence of events led Trump to take a kind of victory lap on Tuesday. He turned to Twitter to bash CNN and other media outlets that have aggressively reported on his associates' connections to Russian officials during the 2016 campaign and pre-inaugural period. Berlin: The German parliament is on track to vote on approving same-sex marriage as early as the end of the week, despite opposition from senior members of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), the dominant force in the ruling grand coalition. The Social Democrats (SPD), the junior partner in Mrs Merkel's coalition, along with the Left Party and Greens, both in opposition, forced the issue onto the parliamentary agenda at a meeting of the Bundestag's Legal Committee on Wednesday. Angela Merkel has voiced support for a free vote on same-sex marriage. Credit:Bloomberg The Bundestag is to debate the issue on Friday, after the SPD decided to break with past practice and go against its coalition partner. Mrs Merkel indicated a change of heart earlier this week, suggesting that legislators should be freed to vote with their conscience on the matter, instead of being bound by party policy. PHILIPSBURG:---- The FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit Sint Maarten), and the Public Prosecutors Office (OM) will be working together in the non-reporting project. The aim of the non-reporting project is to provide more, timely and better reports of unusual transactions to the FIU. The FIU is on Sint Maarten the supervisor carrying out investigations into mandatory institutions and compliance with the National Ordinance reporting unusual transactions (LV MOT) and the National Ordinance Identification Service (LV-ID). The Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBP) on the island include notaries, accountants, jewelers, car dealers, administrative offices and real estate agents. The FIU on Sint Maarten has been diligently working on the registration and providing information to the DNFBP and the Financial Institutions on the island when it comes to reporting unusual transactions and performing client due diligence. A large majority of these businesses and professions adhere to the registration and information requirements, however, a small group of DNFBP do not comply or do not fully comply. Information of the DNFBP who do not adhere to the registration requirement of at the FIU can be transferred to the OM for criminal investigations. This is based on article 23 of the LV MOT. In a later stage of the project the results of the FIU audits will be discussed with the Public Prosecutors Office to determine if this should be followed up by criminal investigation in case reports are not submitted, or submitted incomplete, or no client due diligence was conducted. The approach to money laundering and terrorism financing is a global initiative. It is very important for the effectiveness of combating all forms of serious crime as well as the protection of the integrity of the financial and economic market. Capturing the criminal origin of crime proceeds prevents the perpetrators of these crimes from staying out of the reach of the investigating authorities and enjoy, without any obstacles, their criminal proceeds. The DNFBP are obliged to report unusual transactions to the FIU. These so-called 'gatekeepers' are indispensable in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing and it is therefore important that they comply with their obligations under the LV MOT and the LV-ID. The FIU then assesses whether the unusual transaction is suspicious. If the transaction is considered suspicious, it can be investigated by the authorities. If institutions fail to report unusual transactions or if they intentionally do so late then this will work undermining in relation to national and global financial integrity. and In addition, thereto it can be considered as unfair competition to parties who comply with all relevant laws in this respect. In case of such failure, OM has the authority to initiate a criminal investigation. For more information on FIU and the notified project go to www.fiu-sxm.net PHILIPSBURG:--- Head of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau Rolando Brison (left) and Senior Policy Advisor at the Cabinet of the Minister of Tourism Julian Lake (right) are in Miami, Florida attending the Route Development for Tourism and Destinations course hosted by Routes Latin America. This course shows destinations and tourism authorities how to boost tourist numbers through route development. Tourism authorities and destinations have an important role to play in route development. Airlines have said that the support offered by destination partners is one of the most important factors when deciding whether to launch a new route, and they prefer to deal collectively with stakeholders who have a unified approach. The course shows participants how to utilize their collective resources to beat the competition and win new air services. Brison and Lake are pictured here with instructor David Appleby of Routes Latin America. POINTE BLANCHE:--- On Tuesday morning, a family of five out of Miami, Florida, were selected as the one millionth cruise passenger milestone for 2017, which is also the 16th annual one millionth milestone for the destination. During the months of June and July, the destination surpasses the one millionth cruise passenger which signifies the growth of the countrys cruise sector over the years. Family Barril, on their first cruise visit to the destination onboard Harmony of the Seas, were greeted by St. Maarten Carnival Queen Shanice Powell, the Mighty Dow, representatives from the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and Port St. Maarten, as they walked towards the Cruise Terminal Building to enjoy their time on the island. The Barril family were looking forward to their tour and spending time down at Maho to watch the planes land at one of the worlds top 10 scenic airport landings. The approach of aircraft to the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM Airport) has been described as iconic and for those standing on the beach as breathtaking. The family received a complimentary one-week stay at Oyster Bay Beach Resort from General Manager Ricardo Perez who was on hand to present the certificate; gift bags from the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau containing promotional and gift items; a gift certificate from Little Switzerland on behalf of Port St. Maarten; and a CD from the Mighty Dow group. Port St. Maarten has been celebrating the one millionth cruise passenger mark since 2002 when the nation for the first time catered to 1,066.033. Port St. Maarten has been receiving over 1.5 million cruise passengers since 2010 (1,512,618) and has sustained over 1.5 million over the past six years with the exception of 2014 when the destination catered to 2,000,864 cruise passengers. Port St. Maarten is diligently working to convert cruise passengers into land-based vacationers. The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) in the past has urged all cruise oriented destinations to consider implementing a cruise conversion program. Cruise tourism contributions to St. Maarten as a destination is very prominent and represents one-third of the countrys gross domestic product. The countrys cruise industry plays an important role in the economy and makes a considerable contribution. According to the BREA (Business Research & Economic Advisors) Report, which is a survey-based analysis of the impacts of passenger, crew, and cruise line spending, that was prepared for the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Participating Destinations, October 2015 edition, destination Sint Maarten led all destinations with nearly US$423 million in cruise passenger spending for the 2014/15 cruise season, generating an estimated 9,259 jobs paying $189 million in wage income during the 2014/15 cruise year. This placed Sint Maarten with the highest income impact and the second highest employment impact. Average per passenger expenditures ranged from a low of $42.58 in Trinidad to a high of $191.26 in Sint Maarten. Sint Maarten with $355 million in total passenger expenditures led all destinations and accounted for 14 percent of total passenger spending among the 35 destinations in the FCCA survey. Great Bay:--- St. Maarten is among Caribbean countries represented at Caribbean Action 2030, a regional conference seen as a major event for Caribbean countries, particularly the 18 countries, including St. Maarten, which are signatories of the United Nations Multi-country Sustainable Development Framework (UNMSDF) for the Caribbean region. Government representatives from the Caribbean will deliberate in plenary, panel discussions and solutions workshops, and will be joined by delegates from civil society, academia, youth and non-governmental organizations. More than 30 local, regional and international academics and experts in their field are expected to present papers highlighting research, national experiences, and opportunities in implementing the United Nations long-term Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region, being held in Kingston, Jamaica, from June 28 to June 30. St. Maarten is attending at the invitation of the Jamaican government. The objective is to reaffirm the commitment amongst countries in the Caribbean region through a Partnership Framework, which would promote cooperation and coordination in achieving the SDGs, Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities for Action (S.A.M.O.A pathway), the Paris Agreement on climate change and Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development. These are all aimed at strengthening regional policies in support of the preservation of so-called global public goods, which are essential to all countries, people, and generations. Examples of global public goods are clean air and drinking water. The 3-day meeting wants to step up intergovernmental cooperation to advance its cause, supported by the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (MSDF) that has been agreed between Caribbean governments and UN partners as one appropriate platform for the coordination and focus of our further efforts. Countries worldwide have agreed on a series of bold measures to overhaul global finance practices and generate investments for tackling a range of economic, social and environmental challenge. That commitment was made at the United Nations Third International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Addis Ababa in 2015. In support of implementation of the sustainable development goals, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda contains more than 100 concrete measures. Importantly, it addresses all sources of finance. At this weeks conference in Jamaica, participants look forward to a final report with recommendations for policy implementation and follow-up. Recognizing that this will require long-term commitment and partnerships, the conference looks, for instance, at the establishment of a regional online platform that takes due consideration of existing efforts in the region and that will enable the academic community, civil society and policy makers to engage in ongoing dialogue on the basis of evidence-based research, open data and exchange of good policy practice. Not being overlooked is the importance of national and regional multi-stakeholder partnerships that are imperative for national and regional sustainable development implementation. These require creative efforts to increase financial resources. The United Nations has been approached to seek further advice and support from within and outside the Caribbean region, including from international financial institutions to explore ways to best address the special capacity needs and policy challenges facing middle income countries in the Caribbean. The idea is to have the UN assist Caribbean countries in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The mobilization of domestic resources and the access to funding in the international community continues to be a challenge by members of the Caribbean region. Financial sustainability is a vital element in ensuring not only that the SDGs are achieved but also that the accomplishments have a positive impact, particularly for the most vulnerable ones of the population. The exclusion of countries within the region from concessional and grant resources, based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita can result in the erosion or hindrance of gains impeding sustained development, for all. St. Maarten has a relative strong economy and high GDP compared to other Caribbean nations. But still the island faces challenges that she cannot overcome without support like dealing with the effects of climate change and the resulting sea level rise and more frequent and more severe weather events. Attending the conference, on behalf of St. Maarten, is Andrea Ortega-Oudhoff, Senior Project Manager at the St. Maarten governments Department of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. She is joined by Tom Woods, a UN appointed projects leader, presently assisting the St. Maarten government. The conference is being hosted by the Jamaican Government in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the United Nations, which is funding the event. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee will meet in a session on June 28, 2017. Shareholder Representative of PJIA will be present. The Central Committee meeting has been set for Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 14.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is: Deliberation on the current state of affairs of PJIA. This meeting was requested by MP F.A. Meyers, MP T.E. Heyliger, MP S.M. Bijlani, MP T.E. Leonard and MP C.M.M. Connor. This is a continuation meeting of the meeting held on April 3, 2017. Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.sx and via www.sxmparliament.org. Global Elite Law Firm Allen & Overy Selects iManage Work Product Management LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (Marketwired) 06/28/17 , the company dedicated to transforming how professionals work, today announced that one of the worlds most elite law firms advising national and multinational corporations, financial institutions, and governments has selected for the firms document and email management. iManage is a critical element of a new suite of best-in-class technologies which Allen & Overy is rolling out over the next 18 months to remain at the forefront of client service in the legal sector. This significant investment includes a range of software, hardware and network upgrades to enable the firms lawyers to work with increased efficiency and agility. We are very excited that following their rigorous selection process, Allen & Overy has chosen iManage as the key partner for their technology change programme, said Geoff Hornsby, General Manager, EMEA, iManage. iManage Work provides Allen & Overy with a solid, secure foundation for delivering collaboration on global matters. Our on-going innovation and significant investment, including the recent acquisition of RAVN, will drive further opportunities and efficiencies for both their legal and support teams. We have been very impressed at their skilled team and level of diligence they apply, as is to be expected from one of the largest and most respected law firms in the world. Twitter: Facebook: Blog: Vimeo: LinkedIn: iManage transforms how professionals in legal, accounting and financial services get work done by combining the power of artificial intelligence with market leading content and email management. iManage automates routine cognitive tasks, provides powerful insights and streamlines how professionals work, while maintaining the highest level of security and governance over critical client and corporate data. Over one million professionals at over 3,000 organizations over 65 countries including more than 2,000 law firms and 500 corporate legal departments rely on iManage to deliver great client work. Manjul Gupta Head of Corporate Communications iManage Phone: 669-777-3430 Epsilon Selects 1025Connect to Extend Its Platform for Direct Access to Cloud Connectivity on Long Island WESTBURY, NY (Marketwired) 06/28/17 , Long Islands premier network-neutral Meet-Me Room for network interconnection and colocation, today announces the availability of Epsilons (CloudLX) service offering at its Long Island facility designed for network interconnection and colocation. , a privately owned global communications service provider, also recently announced the establishment of its United States headquarters within the same property where 1025Connect is located. This location will allow Epsilon to expand its services throughout the U.S. with direct access to multiple subsea cables for enhanced global connectivity at the Continental Edge. 1025Connect customers can now leverage CloudLX, available through Epsilons on-demand connectivity platform, to rapidly interconnect new services and benefit from direct connectivity to leading global cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. This deployment enables greater quality and high-speed connectivity for Long Island businesses and international network traffic. The CloudLX module of Infiny accelerates access to global cloud service providers and gives customers a friction-free model for connecting the cloud, states Carl Roberts, Chief Commercial Officer of Epsilon. It is making connecting the cloud simple and removes the limits on how service providers and enterprises grow in the U.S., and around the world. Long Island is host to a great number of leading enterprise businesses and is a key landing point for subsea systems interconnecting North America to Europe, comments Dan Lundy, Managing Director 1025Connect. The location of 1025Connect on this Continental Edge offers a unique opportunity to bypass traditionally congested network routes, eliminating multiple points of failure while saving customers on cross connect fees. 1025Connect is the pinnacle of diverse, reliable, network enablement sitting at the true nexus of subsea cable systems and the cloud. 1025Connect delivers direct access to multiple submarine cable systems connecting North America, Europe and Latin America, as well as the ability to bypass Manhattan fiber routes for greater network redundancy and diversity. 1025Connect is also home to the easternmost peering point in the New York metro area, enabling easier access and delivery of content distributed to the Continental Edge. For more information about Epsilon, visit . To learn more about 1025Connect, visit . Epsilon is a global Cloud Centric Network service provider, extending carrier grade connectivity services to the worlds Communications and Cloud ecosystems. The company offers smart networking capabilities that combine on demand infrastructure, automation, web-based portals and APIs to give partners friction-free access to global connectivity. All Epsilon services are powered by a next generation hyper-scalable global backbone which connects all the leading telecoms hubs globally. Across this fabric encompasses a dense ecosystem of carriers, service operators and cloud providers offering the leading interconnect point for a diverse set of network and connectivity requirements. . 1025Connect is Long Islands premier network-neutral Carrier Hotel located at 1025 Old Country Road in Westbury, New York. This facility is renowned for its ability to connect subsea systems to terrestrial networks with the optional ability to bypass Manhattan for greater network diversity. 1025Connect provides colocation solutions that enable network interconnections through its highly-secure Long Island data center. Network operators of all types within 1025Connect benefit from direct access to Manhattan Bypass fiber routes, multiple transatlantic and Latin American submarine cable systems and multiple enterprise networks all without monthly recurring cross-connect fees. Visit . Image Available: iMiller Public Relations for 1025Connect and Epsilon Tel: +1 866 307 2510 Vectura Group plc New development and licence agreement for a US inhaled generic (VR2081) Chippenham, UK - 28 June 2017: Vectura Group plc (LSE: VEC) ("Vectura", "the Group"), an industry-leading device and formulation business for inhaled airways products, today announces that through its subsidiary, Jagotec AG (collectively, "Vectura", "the Group"), it has signed an exclusive development and licence agreement with Sandoz AG ("Sandoz"), a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and a division of the Novartis Group, for the development of a generic of an existing major inhaled combination therapy for asthma and COPD in the US (VR2081) delivered using a pressurised metered dose inhaler ("pMDI"). Under the terms of this agreement, Vectura is responsible for the development of the formulation and manufacture of clinical batches for use in pilot clinical studies whilst Sandoz is responsible for the clinical development, manufacture and commercialisation of VR2081. Vectura will receive an initial payment of $5 million from Sandoz and is eligible to receive up to a further $5 million upon achievement of pre-determined development milestones. The Group is also eligible to receive a double digit percentage royalty on net sales in line with our other generic development programmes. The total R&D cost borne by Vectura is expected to be below $20 million up to regulatory filing and subsequent launch, which is anticipated in the early to mid-2020's. It is expected that the $5 million initial milestone will be recognised in revenues across 2017 and 2018 but will be offset by a modest increase in R&D spend in those years. The overall R&D guidance range of 65 million - 75 million for each of 2017 and 2018 remains unchanged. The global respiratory market, worth over $40 billion[1] in 2015, is expected to continue to grow, with current estimates predicting low single digit percentage growth annually up to 2025[1]. Within this, the dynamics of the classes of products are forecast to change significantly with further generic penetration of core classes such as ICS/LABA and LAMA expected to gain momentum. The generics market is growing and accounts for over 80% of all US prescriptions and in 2015 was estimated to be worth c. $80 billion[2]. James Ward-Lilley, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "This agreement, extending our existing strong relationship with Sandoz, further reinforces Vectura's compelling position as a leader in the development of inhaled novel and generic products leveraging our suite of formulation and device platforms and proven development capabilities. Following the merger of Vectura and Skyepharma last summer we announced that we were prioritising three to five generic projects utilising the Group's newly combined pMDI and DPI device platforms. This programme represents the first partnered collaboration of this series of projects and offers substantial potential for future value creation." This announcement includes inside information - ENDS - For more enquiries, please contact Vectura Group plc +44 (0)1249 667700 Andrew Derodra - Chief Financial Officer Fleur Wood - Director Communications Elizabeth Knowles - Director Investor Relations and Analysis Consilium Strategic Communications +44 (0)20 3709 5700 Mary-Jane Elliott / Sue Stuart / Jessica Hodgson vectura@consilium-comms.com About Vectura Vectura, a FTSE250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: VEC), is an industry-leading device and formulation business for inhaled airways products offering a uniquely integrated inhaled drug delivery platform. With our extensive range of device and formulation technologies, integrated capabilities and collaborations, we are a leader in the development of inhalation products, increasing our ability to help patients suffering from respiratory diseases. Vectura has eight inhaled, four non-inhaled and ten oral products marketed by partners with growing global royalty streams, and a portfolio of drugs in clinical development, a number of which have licence agreements with several global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies including Hikma, Novartis, Sandoz, Mundipharma, Kyorin, Baxter, GSK, UCB, Ablynx, Grifols, Bayer, Chiesi, Almirall, Janssen, and Tianjin KingYork. For further information, please visit Vectura's website at www.vectura.com. Forward-looking statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery, development and commercialisation of products. Various risks may cause Vectura's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: adverse results in clinical development programmes; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialise products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialisation activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 02:15 PM - 02:45 PM [1] Source: Global Data 2016, market defined as Asthma, COPD, Allergic Rhinitis, IPF, CF, ARDS and RSV [2 ] Generic Drug Access & Savings Report 2017 (US Market) - AAM/QuintilesIMS 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever': What to know before you see it SAN ANTONIO, June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- bioAffinity Technologies, a privately held company advancing early stage cancer diagnostics and precision cancer therapeutics, today announced four scientists have joined the company to advance development and commercialization of its breakthrough technologies. bioAffinity Technologies expansion reflects its progress toward commercialization in 2018 of the Companys initial diagnostic product, a non-invasive, early-stage lung cancer test called CyPath Lung to detect lung cancer in its earliest stages when it is most treatable. The porphyrin-based CyPath preferentially binds to cancer cells and labels them with distinct fluorescence for detection by flow cytometry. Our new team members are exceptional scientists dedicated to advancing our platform technologies, said bioAffinity President and CEO Maria Zannes. Their experience, skills and innovative spirit align perfectly with bioAffinitys mission to bring to market safer, more effective cancer treatments and patient-friendly tests that accurately diagnose early-stage cancer. Mr. Xavier Reveles, MS, CG(ASCP)CM joins bioAffinity as its Director of Operations, where he will manage commercialization of the Companys diagnostic and therapeutic products including CyPath Lung. He brings more than 25 years of experience as a clinical geneticist skilled in the creation and management of CLIA clinical laboratories, coding and CPT reimbursement valuations. Mr. Reveles is board certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathology as a clinical specialist in cytogenetics. He was Laboratory Director for OncoPath Laboratory START Cancer Center in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Reveles is (co)author of 15 publications and three abstracts in peer-reviewed journals. He earned his Masters Degree in biology/genetics from the University of The Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Patricia Araujo, Ph.D., joins bioAffinity Technologies as a staff scientist where she is working to commercialize CyPath Lung. She completed her post-doctoral training as a molecular biologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, where she investigated the networks formed by RNA binding proteins and miRNAs and their connection to biological processes and cancer. She received her Doctorate from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil and is an (co)author on more than 15 publications and a contributor to eight abstracts. Lydia Bederka, Ph.D., also joins the team commercializing CyPath Lung as a staff scientist. She is a molecular virologist with an emphasis on viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever. Dr. Bederka most recently worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute where she performed high containment laboratory (BSL-4) studies for advancing the development of Ebola virus diagnostic assays. She received her Doctorate in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of California, in Irvine. Shao-Chiang (Michael) Lai, Ph.D. joins bioAffinity Technologies in the Basic Science division as a staff scientist. Dr. Lai completed his post-doctoral fellowship at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, where he focused on non-small cell lung carcinomas. He earned his Doctorate in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Lai has presented several projects at scientific events such as the Cold Spring Harbor Lab Symposium, Targeting Cancer, including presentation of the poster TTF-1 (NKX2.1) modulates cholesterol metabolism and biosynthesis in lung cancer. He has published eight peer-reviewed articles and one book chapter in Thyroid Hormone. About bioAffinity Technologies bioAffinity Technologies, Inc. (www.bioaffinitytech.com) is a privately held development-stage company addressing the significant unmet need for non-invasive, early-stage cancer diagnosis and treatment. The Company develops proprietary in-vitro diagnostic tests and targeted cancer therapeutics using breakthrough technology that preferentially targets cancer cells. Research and optimization of its platform technology are conducted in bioAffinity Technologies laboratories and at the University of Texas Health Center at San Antonio through a collaborative research agreement. The Companys platform technology will be developed to diagnose, monitor and treat many cancers. Proven and standards-compliant authentication ICs from ST and embedded-security software by Security Platform to create complete drop-in solutions for IoT security Joint offering demands minimal system resources and preserves convenience for users Geneva, Sungnam, June 28, 2017 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, and Security Platform Inc., a Korea-based technology innovator enabling trusted connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT), are bringing robust, efficient, and easy-to-use security solutions to IoT devices. The IoT comprises potentially billions of tiny, connected, embedded computing devices to help manage services and infrastructure automatically. The devices communicate through the Internet and share data with the Cloud, and so need strong but lightweight and convenient security to prevent cyber-attackers intercepting sensitive information or infecting connected devices with malware. Trusted Computing helps keep networks safe by combining specially designed secure ICs and software that help check the integrity and verify the credentials of any device that is connected or attempts to connect. ST and Security Platform are working to simplify implementation of highly secure IoT devices, leveraging Trusted Computing principles. "Working with Security Platform, we aim to solve all the hardware-software integration challenges, providing a seamless path for IoT-device makers to implement best-in-class security for smart connected devices," said Laurent Degauque, Secure Microcontrollers Division (SMD) Marketing Director, STMicroelectronics. "Our STSAFE-TPM Trusted Platform Module is proven, reliable, certified to international security standards, and provides the perfect foundation for this objective." "The embedded-security software technology from Security Platform makes it possible to embed light yet powerful protection features into lightweight IoT devices with limited resources at the manufacturing stage," said Su-ik Hwang, CEO of Security Platform. "The integration with STSAFE-TPM from a leading Secure MCU provider ST helped us create a total security solution that enables devices to be intrinsically resistant to cyber-attacks to ensure the safety and success of the IoT." ST's STSAFE-TPM is a Trusted Platform Module that provides secure storage for data such as cryptographic keys needed to authenticate the system, using proven techniques such as anti-tamper, memory protection, and data-watching prevention. It meets industry-recognized security standards including Trusted Computing Group (TCG) TPM 1.2 and TPM 2.0 protection profiles, IT-security Common Criteria Level 4+ (CC EAL4+) certification, and US Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2. Using its Axio-OS secure operating system and Axio-RA remote-attestation verification solution, Security Platform checks for breaches of integrity by verifying the hash information of the device from a separate server. Together, these software modules also provide anti-cloning and anti-forgery protection, and process device authentication, message signing, and security update using only the appropriate signing code. While this collaboration will deliver a pre-integrated, ready-to-use solution, it builds on the existing independent STSAFE-TPM ICs and Axio-OS and Axio-RA software the companies are already marketing and can help customers tie together. In these instances, Security Platform can supply Axio-OS and Axio-RA with a developer kit comprising a board and chipset to aid integration. STSAFE-TPMs are available within the larger STSAFE family of ICs from ST, which are tailored to support platform integrity, authentication, secure storage and other cryptographic services in various classes of connected devices from small IoT devices to industrial or consumer products, and desktop computers. About Security Platform Inc. Security Platform Inc. is fast growing South Korean startup providing state-of-the-art hardware security for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Collaborating with leading MCU and SoC partners to integrate its Axio solutions into the silicon layer, empowering and securing diverse IoT devices by anti-forgery, anti-cloning and data protection features for trusted connectivity. Security Platform's secure IoT development board, Axio-Builder enables IoT device manufacturers and developers to implement robust device security at a nominal cost, at ease leveraging its in-depth expertise of BSP, OS and cryptography technology. Connecting Trusted! Visit www.securityplatform.co.kr for more information. About STMicroelectronics ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and energy-efficient products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life. ST's products are found everywhere today, and together with our customers, we are enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices. By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented. In 2016, the Company's net revenues were $6.97 billion, serving more than 100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be found at www.st.com For more information please contact: Security Platform Inc. Daniel Lee VP, Operation & Business Development daniel.lee@securityplatform.co.kr +82-10-5026-6685 Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement HERNDON, Va., June 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- China Telecom Americas is pleased to announce it has partnered with master agency, Telarus, Inc., a leading value-added distributor of network, unified communications (UC) and cloud services, to offer China Telecoms services. China Telecom Americas joins other world-class international carriers as a resource for Telarus to offer its agent network and their customers. Companies included under the Telarus umbrella can take advantage of China Telecom Americas local expertise and customer service for deploying and managing transpacific network services between the worlds two largest economies. Additionally, through this partnership with Telarus, China Telecom will offer a robust product portfolio that is inclusive of CTs Cloud Services, direct-connects to our partner cloud companies (i.e. AWS and Microsoft Azure), data center / colocation services, global internet, network and managed services, along with equipment, unified communications and China toll-free service to name a few. All services are ideal for enterprise customers serving the global community. China Telecom Adds Key Infrastructure to the Telarus Portfolio China Telecom Americas is a great addition to Telarus international carrier portfolio because, as an entity of parent company China Telecom, they have over 75 global points of presence around the world and are currently adding more to help customers directly access Chinas largest backbone networks, said Paula McKinnon, VP of supplier management at Telarus. Our partnership with Telarus will make our services accessible to more companies that need to establish an international network," said Joe Han, President of China Telecom Americas. "We see this step as a growth opportunity for both partners as well as our shared customers. Telarus Extends Cloud Services Telarus is helping China Telecom Americas further its mission of providing secure, reliable global infrastructure network services and managed services that advance business communications today, tomorrow and beyond. Reflecting increased use of cloud computing, CTA offers a comprehensive suite of enterprise cloud services through a 20-site, multi-continent cloud network built with next generation technology. Supported by dedicated teams of network specialists and engineers, China Telecom Americas customers continually realize successful, cost-effective global infrastructure cloud deployments that scale with the speed of their business. Han notes, As our customers innovate, they begin to see more need for advanced network services and other technology infrastructure that can help their businesses thrive. As the partnership between China Telecom Americas and Telarus evolves, CTA looks forward to enabling more customer success and growth. About China Telecom Americas China Telecom Americas is a wholly owned U.S.-based subsidiary of China Telecom Corporation, one of the worlds leading providers of integrated communications and information technology services to customers in more than 70 countries around the globe. With headquarters in Herndon, Va., and offices in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Jose, Toronto and Sao Paolo, China Telecom Americas is advancing transpacific enterprise connectivity through a suite of locally based, turnkey solutions from network architecture, cloud services, and services for data centers to equipment management, security, content delivery, mobility solutions, and more. Discover more at www.ctamericas.com and contact us at Partnersales@ctamericas.com. About Telarus Telarus is a technology services master agent who holds contracts with over 100 data, voice, and cloud providers. To help our partners See What Others Cant, we have created a set of tools to help them win more business. We are proud to offer our partners performance monitoring of all circuits ordered, patented pricing tools aid in carrier selection/optimization and cloud engineers to aid partners in complex network design. Our project management team ensures the services ordered are turned up properly. Account management allows partners to focus on selling while our team manages the renewal process and upsells on their behalf. Telarus was voted the best master agent by the members of the Telecom Association for over five years in a row and is a top 3 channel partner for nearly all providers it represents. For more information on the Telarus partner program, please visit www.telarus.com/partners. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD The mayoral race is on. Republican Barry Michelson, who told the Stamford Advocate last month he intended to challenge Democrat Mayor David Martin, officially launched his campaign Wednesday at an Italian restaurant on High Ridge Road. While our vision for our families and businesses remain clear, it seems the city has no vision going forward, Michelson told to a crowd of about 60 people at Mario the Baker. And we pay the price with higher taxes, basic quality of life concerns and everyday residents seemingly ignored. I can no longer stand by and watch. Michelson has said he is running on a promise to confront developers and address concerns about congestion in Stamfords neighborhoods amid dense development, illegal apartments, parking shortages and other problems created by what Michelson is calling a failure by the city to enforce zoning regulations. He presented a clearer plan Wednesday, promising to reorganize the land use agencies to put a stop to years of backups and delays in the building and permitting departments. He also promised to alleviate backups in the zoning enforcement office with outsourced building inspectors and a stricter vetting process for appointed board members. Michelson, 69, strayed slightly from his zoning-heavy rhetoric to focus on taxes, which he says have continued to rise under Martins administration something he called the mayors tax and spend habit. Michelson promised a more conservative approach to the city budget, but did not offer his own plan to relieve the tax burden. Instead, he turned back to zoning and development. Stamford is currently for sale to development interests that will gladly pay high permit fees, as complicit land-use agencies routinely grant text and map changes for increased density that lead to congestion and over-crowding of our neighborhood streets, said Michelson, whose wife, Board of Finance member Shelley Michelson, was at his side. Martin, 64, who took office in 2014 after narrowly defeating former Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele, launched his re-election campaign in January, and christened his campaign headquarters on Summer Street last week. The Republican candidate, who was known as a stickler for the rules during his six years on the Zoning Board, rose to prominence when he opposed Harbor Point developer Building and Land Technologys plans to replace a boatyard it tore down in violation of zoning rules. As the board was preparing to vote on BLTs boatyard replacement plan in 2015, Michelsons term ended. Martin, who supported the developers plan, declined to reappoint him. Besides his tenure on the Zoning Board, Michelson a city planner ran for state Senate in 2012, losing to Democratic incumbent Carlo Leone. city planning and even building and development. More recently, Michelson has gained popularity among residents as he regularly attends neighborhood association meetings where zoning is the hot topic. It was in these meetings when Michelson first considered a run for mayor, as residents often asked him to take his zoning expertise into the mayoral office. It appears Michelson will continue to advise the neighborhood associations if elected, having promised to establish a council with a direct line to the mayors office. He wants to set up a similar council for Stamfords business community. Several representatives from the neighborhood groups were in attendance Wednesday, as well as many of the members of the Save Our Boatyard group. City representatives Steven Kolenberg, R-16, and Kieran Ryan, R-1, also came to support Michelson. I will never stand before you and make any commitment that I have no intention of delivering upon, Michelson said, in an apparent jab at Martins changing stance on BLTs boatyard plan. This election is not about me, it is about all of us. It is about cleaning house and taking back our city. With his campaign officially launched, Michelson begins a listening tour this week. A representative from the Republican Town Committee could not be immediately reached to confirm the partys support of Michelson, but link to his campaign website is featured on the RTCs homepage. The committee has a regular meeting scheduled for July 5, and its convention is July 19. nnaughton@stamfordadvocate.com; @noranaughton DARIEN A 34-year-old Norwalk man was held on a $25,000 bond after he was caught allegedly driving drunk on a Vespa, in what was his second DUI arrest this year. On June 24 around 2:30 a.m. an officer saw a 2015 black Vespa scooter driven by Julian Santa, of Finley Street, go through two red lights on the Post Road. The scooter also swerved into oncoming traffic. Small business owners are overwhelmingly on the receiving end of cyber attacks. More than three-quarters of the companies targeted by malicious hackers are small shops -- those without a dedicated security team -- according to the recently released Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR). The most common way they get taken advantage of is malicious emails, or phishing emails, as theyre commonly referred to. They are the no. 1 cause of cybersecurity incidents bar none, said Oren Falkowitz, a former NSA employee and now CEO of cyber defense start-up Area 1 Security. Related: Google Delaying Some Gmail Message to Quell Phishing Disguised as notes from loved ones or even an employer, crooks piece together what appear to be legitimate emails that, as Falkowitz notes ask you to click on a file or a link or increasingly with fileless or linkless message to take some sort of action, and then enter [a] password, transfer money through a fraudulent wire or send W2s out. These emails can be as painfully obvious as a note from an exotic prince or as deviously deceptive as the fake email alert that led to the hack of the DNC. The vast majority of security incidents start with cybersecurity threat and a whopping 30 percent of these phishing emails get opened. (The average office worker receives more than a 100 emails a day.) Phishing emails lead to infections that corrupt some of our most sensitive business machines with ransomware -- nasty malware that encrypts files -- or captures our usernames and passwords. The risk is real and prevalent. Here are some useful and free ways to help keep your small business safe: If it looks phish-y, call the sender to verify. Whenever you receive an email containing a link or an attachment that just doesnt make sense, check it out. In fact, anytime you receive something that appears important, call the sender to verify what they sent, and ask them to describe the links or attachments. Related: The Biggest Threats in Your Inbox Establish strong credentials. One of the most common-sense -- and overlooked -- suggestions in the DBIR is turning on two-factor authentication for administrative access to web apps that contain sensitive company or customer information. The process involves signing in with your passcode and then receiving a special code text directly to your phone or app. Last year, during a meeting at UC-Berkeley, Dropboxs then-Chief Trust Officer Patrick Heim told the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity that less than one percent of the services users take advantage of the extra protection. (Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University recently published a password meter that will help you make your passwords strong. You can find it here.) Ask yourself if your employees really need access to all of the computers that run your business? As small shop owners scale their businesses, they often give all their managers access to the shops computers. My advice -- make sure that your managers are following the same rules you are. If you have a single work machine that holds all your invoicing and spreadsheets, you dont want your manager potentially getting phishd when she checks her Hotmail. Its not just email. Emails arent the only place where you have to be vigilant. Digital con artists also send malicious attachments and links over text messages -- so-called SMS phishing, or SMiShing. They attempt to do the same over social media. And, sometimes they even attempt to socially engineer victims over phone calls. Thats called Vishing. Visually validate websites. Many phishing messages take you to web forms or other sites that look legit, but, on closer inspection, are truly phish-y. Some criminals take over the neglected parts of websites and host malware or other phishing content. Its called parasite hosting. Make sure if a link within an email is meant to take you to a Gmail login page, it takes you to https://accounts.google.com/, not some other random website. Related: Just Being Proactive Isn't Enough: What Entrepreneurs Should Do During a Cyberattack Update. Even though the recent WannaCrypt0r attacks -- which ravaged networks worldwide -- werent seemingly spread by email, they could have been upended by hitting an update button. Before the ransomware ever compromised the computer systems of the UKs National Health Service or Spanish telecommunications company Telefonica, Microsoft issued a patch that would have stopped the virus cold. Indeed, in order to stay safe in Windows, I recommend small businesses that use simple software enable automatic updates. Most importantly, just remember, no matter how many hundreds or even thousands of emails that you receive, never trust embedded links or attached files. Related: Phishing In All It's Forms Is a Menace to Small Businesses If Your Business Network Uses Windows 10, It's Not As Secure As You Think 4 Simple Tips to Protecting Your Business From Cyber Attacks Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Some of the best cities for minority entrepreneurs are outside the Silicon Valley bubble. Across all 50 states, Houston, Miami and Atlanta are the top three cities that minority business owners are flocking to. From affordability to growth opportunities, these cities are becoming attractive tech hubs for these entrepreneurs to set up shop. Related: 5 Organizations Helping Minority Startup Founders Succeed Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Center for Opportunity Urbanism and the Kauffman Index, B2B company Expert Market recently released its list of the top cities for minority entrepreneurs. To uncover the best places for minorities to live, work and launch a business, the study took into account a number of factors, including the opportunity share for new entrepreneurs, the rate of new entrepreneurs, startup density, economic opportunities for minorities, the number of minority-owned enterprises, startup costs and funding access. Boasting affordable living costs and a large number of incubators, Houston takes the title as the number one best city for minority entrepreneurs. The city has one of the most diverse populations and its bustling startup scene is full of minority-owned business ventures. It also comes in fourth place for the most economic opportunities for minorities. Related: Why Diversity In the Workforce Is Imperative Not sold on the southwestern city? Head down to the beach instead. Miami takes the spot for second top city for minority entrepreneurs. The energetic city comes in second place for startup density, and third place for the rate of emerging entrepreneurs. However, if youre still not enthused, head slightly north to Atlanta, the third top city for minorities. With low startup costs, great access to funding, a high rate of new entrepreneurs and a load of economic opportunities for minorities, Atlanta is a great place for minority entrepreneurs to launch a business. From Baltimore to New York City, check out the top 10 cities for minority entrepreneurs below. Related: Chris Paul's Tips on Sleep, Exercise and Snacks You Should Keep at Your Desk China is Now Inviting Entrepreneurs to its Newest Investment Hub Guizhou From Zero to 50 - Tips to Win Your First 50 Customers Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The White House issued an ominous warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday night, pledging that his regime would pay a "heavy price" if it carried out another chemical attack this year. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that the United States had detected evidence of preparations for a chemical attack, similar to the preparations that occurred before an attack in April. "The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children," Spicer said in a statement. "The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack. "As we have previously stated, the United States is in Syria to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria," he continued. "If, however, Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price." Following the April attack, President Donald Trump ordered an air strike against the Assad-controlled air field where the attack was believed to have been carried out. At the time, Trump said that Assad's use of chemical weapons against innocent women and children made action inevitable. "When you kill innocent children, innocent babies, babies, little babies, with a chemical gas that is so lethal -- people were shocked to hear what gas it was," Trump said after the attack. "That crosses many, many lines, beyond a red line, many, many lines." The U.S. military maintains a variety of weapons in the region that could be used in the event of another strike, including manned and unmanned aircraft in several Middle Eastern countries. But the most likely scenario is probably a strike using naval assets, which can be launched with fewer diplomatic issues than using bases in allied countries like Turkey or the United Arab Emirates. The Navy launched Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian military airfield April 6 in response to a previous alleged chemical weapons attack, using two guided-missile destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the USS Ross and USS Porter, to do so. Presently, the Pentagon has several ships nearby, including the George H.W. Bush Strike Group. Anchored by the aircraft carrier by the same name, it includes dozens of fighter jets and several smaller vessels, including the guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon and USS Truxtun and the guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea and USS Hue City. A point of contention for the Pentagon after the last strike was the Syrian regime's alleged use of a nerve agent, like sarin. It is far deadlier than some other chemical weapons that U.S. military and intelligence officials say that the regime has used, such as chlorine. The night before parts of President Donald Trump's travel ban on majority-Muslim countries go back into effect, immigrant advocates and attorneys will gather at BAM Rose Cinemas in Fort Greene Wednesday for the screening of 48 Hours of Resistancea short film about the emergency response to Trump's initial executive order dropped in January. "In the world of fighting for immigrant rights, you really want to be able to showcase a win for your community," said Murad Awawdeh, director of political engagement at the New York Immigration Coalition, which is hosting tonight's event. "This is one of those moments when people's voices were heard." The fifteen minute film, by filmmaker Micah Schaffer, includes footage from the ground during the emergency travel ban protest at JFK Airport, including interviews with lawyers, advocates and detainees. It also covers the logistics of organizing a subsequent anti-travel ban action in Battery Park. "It gives sense of real clarity about how we were able to do this kind of work with almost no time to do it," Awawdeh said. After the screening, NYIC will host a panel with Ahmed Ali Akbar, host of BuzzFeed's See Something Say Something podcast; Camille Mackler, director of legal initiatives for NYIC; Sudanese graduate student Nisrin Elamin, who was detained at JFK; Ahed Festuk, a Syrian refugee who translated for travelers and lawyers at JFK; and Awawdeh. Trump's initial executive order, signed in January, prohibited refugees and citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. This led to hundreds of detentions at airports across the country, and a federal stay issued less than 24 hours after implementation, in Brooklyn. The Trump Administration released an updated version of the plan in March, barring citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days and refugees for 120 days. Courts in Hawaii and Maryland suspended that order before it could take effectdecisions upheld by appeals courts. This week, the Supreme Court said it would hear arguments on the case in Octobera move Trump called "a clear victory for our national security." In the meantime, the Supreme Court decided, the ban will not be enforceable against "foreign nationals who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States." "If it is implemented appropriately... we believe that people impacted would be a very, extremely low number," Awawdeh said. "Tourists from Muslim majority countries." Anyone who has a family member in the United States, is traveling here for school or for work, or has an arrangement with a refugee resettlement program should not be barred under the guidelines, he added. But advocates say the possibility of miscommunication and chaos is there. Tomorrow morning, a skeleton crew of attorneys will dispatch to JFK. "Customs and Border Protection is going to have to implement this, so we hope they are going to do it in a fair and transparent process, and not subjugate people to being additionally screened or detained for no reason," Awawdeh said. 48 Hours at JFK: What Now? will start at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night, in the Peter Jay Sharp Building at BAM Rose Cinemas. Tickets are $15, and $10 for members. You can buy them here. T he chairman of Imperial Colleges commercialisation arm today warned its rivals hostile takeover offer will short-change the top London university. Touchstone Innovations, the AIM-listed company previously known as Imperial Innovations which was born out of Imperials labs, is fending off a nil-premium 466 million bid from IP Group. Chairman David Newlands said the all-share offer was not a fair deal for shareholders. IP Groups offer values Imperial Colleges 15% stake in Touchstone at 70 million, but without a premium, Imperial is missing out on millions of pounds which could be spent on crucial research and development. Newlands said the bid was having a detrimental effect on the business. Morale is being undermined, recruitment plans are on hold and our employees added uncertain about their future, he said. Shareholders of both groups, Neil Woodfords Woodford Investment Management, Invesco, and Lansdowne, are pushing for a deal. Imperial, the third-largest Touchstone investor, has yet to show its hand. W here is Boris? As the fight heats up in the Cabinet between the sensibles, who want a soft Brexit, and the creationists pushing for a hard one, our Foreign Secretary is absent from the field of battle. Yesterday he was mocked by the Chancellor of the Exchequer abroad, and ignored by the Secretary of State for Leaving the EU at home. Watch the video put out by the Foreign Office on the anniversary of the Brexit referendum, and its boss hardly features. Check out Mr Johnsons tweets and youll find he is saddened about the death of his friend the President of Vanuatu and ecstatic about the stonking performance of Theresa May but largely silent about the progress of the Brexit negotiations. He scurries from one international meeting to another but never pauses to give us his views on the biggest foreign policy decision facing this country. Is Mr Hammond right that Britain needs to make the economy the priority in the Brexit talks, or is Mrs May correct that immigration control must come first? Does he agree with David Davis that getting a free trade deal with the EU in the next two years will be simple, or with the Treasury, which says we will need many years of transition to such a deal? We do not know where Mr Johnson stands on these debates, and his Radio 4 interview last week left us none the wiser. Mr Johnson did take time out last week to note, on the death of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, that he had helped unify his country and built a Europe whole and free accolades which, we suspect, will not be accorded to Mr Johnson when his political epitaph is finally written. However, he need not fear that he will be forgotten by history. For this is the man whose last-minute decision a year ago to support the Leave campaign probably made the decisive difference to the outcome. Surely he has an interest now in making sure that Brexit isnt to borrow from his favourite culinary metaphors half-baked? Its time for Boris to stop being so self-effacing and tell us what he really thinks. All councils failed In May the London Fire Brigade wrote to 33 London councils to warn them about the fire risks inherent in external cladding. It followed a fire (fortunately non-fatal) in Shepherds Court in Shepherds Bush the local authority is Hammersmith and Fulham where the subsequent report said external window cladding was the probable cause of fire spreading on the outside of the building. While the outside metal layer initially withstood fire, the heat exposed internal flammable layers. The Fire Brigades letter, headed Tall Buildings: External Fire Spread, not only urged councils to review improvements and changes to existing buildings but to undertake mitigation measures to ensure any potential fire spread does not pose a risk to health and safety. The relevance to the Grenfell Tower fire is glaringly apparent. Yet as far as we know, none of the 33 councils to which the letter was sent acted on it. So, although the next fire to be aggravated by flammable external cladding happened in Kensington, the same thing could have happened anywhere. All councils, it seems, failed to act on the warning from the Fire Brigade. There are other reasons for concern. The independent expert, Professor Arnold Dix, who carried out the investigation into the fire in Lakanal House in Camberwell in 2009, has dismissed existing fire risk assessments carried out by councils as a box-ticking exercise which do not examine basic concerns such as the ability of people to leave their homes quickly. It doesnt help that responsibility for fire risk assessments was taken from fire brigades in 2005 and turned into a self-certification exercise. Every aspect of fire safety in tall buildings now needs reviewing. A perilous delusion is gaining ground in the Conservative tribe, the essence of which is as follows: the election result was indeed a disaster, and one from which lessons must be learned. But the national interest would be so badly damaged by a Labour Government under Jeremy Corbyn that all possible measures must be taken to avert that dire prospect. The argument continues: Theresa May cannot possibly fight another election but she may be able to govern with reasonable effectiveness for a good while longer. She has brokered a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party which, if less than ideal and a bit pricey, at least ensures that financial bills are secure and that the Government will survive votes of confidence. Warming to their theme, Tory MPs pursue the logic: Only a few weeks to go until the House of Commons rises on July 20. Lets see what the lie of the land is in October when we meet at party conference in Manchester. Lets give the old girl until Christmas. In fact, why not longer? You get the idea. After their initial catatonic horror at the election result, an increasing number of Conservatives are persuading themselves that a pact with the DUP that keeps them in power and Corbyn out of Number 10 may not be so bad after all. Their logic is Mr Micawbers: Something will turn up. The Labour leaders cult of personality peaked at Glastonbury and will fizzle out; The Brexit talks will go better than planned; The pound will recover; Andy Murray will retain his Wimbledon title; A fifth season of Sherlock will be announced. Anything, really. None of which alters the fact that this strategy in general, and the DUP deal specifically, constitutes the worst possible response to the Conservatives predicament. If Corbyn and his gang had been asked to dream up a Tory plan that would suit Labours purposes, it is hard to see how they could have come up with anything better. First, and most obviously, the deal with the DUP threatens to undo in short order 20 years of stop-go detoxification of the Tory brand. The point is not that the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland will embark upon a successful crusade to roll back social liberalism on the mainland and abolish the Sixties. The peril is more specific: that their new intimacy with the Conservative Party will undo decades of effort principally by David Cameron but also his predecessors to present Toryism to a sceptical public as modern, compassionate and aligned with the contemporary world. That would be a reckless sacrifice to make, simply to hold on to office for a little longer. Conservative sign deal with DUP Secondly, the Governments declared commitment to continue the work of deficit reduction now looks like a matter of ideological choice rather than (as it is) economic necessity. Since 2010, senior Tories have talked of tough choices and difficult decisions. During the campaign, the PM struggled to explain why some nurses were allegedly using food banks. But she didnt seem to find it so hard to stump up 1 billion to buy the support of the DUP. This may appear to be a cheap point but it could prove an expensive one. The pressure upon the Government to shake the magic money tree for Scotland and Wales will grow appreciably. When a senior minister next announces a programme of savings, he or she will be scorned and understandably so. If there is money to buy the votes of homophobes and creationists, surely there is money for more generous disability benefits or new school books? After seven years of austerity, public support for deficit reduction has already been tested to the limit. At issue is not the scale of the DUPs fee but the apparent nonchalance with which it was forked out. It is easy for ministers to say 1 billion is a price worth paying when it is other peoples money they are spending. Third, the pact dramatises as perfectly as any Corbynista could hope the Conservative Partys instinct to cling on to power at any cost. In itself, the Tory yearning for office is a strength: principles, however high-minded, are of scant use if they are not enacted. In forming his Coalition with the Lib- Dems in 2010, Cameron was able to implement a centre-ground Conservative programme that would otherwise have amounted to no more than a set of shelved proposals. But there is a difference between a durable deal of this sort, rooted in common purpose, and an emergency pact to keep a grievously-injured government on life support a little longer. This was never an agreement rooted in a dynamic vision for the nation indeed, I gather that it might not have been reached at all without the discreet diplomacy of Lord Caine, one of the most quietly brilliant Westminster strategists, whose knowledge of Northern Ireland is formidable. Fourth, and most important, is the question of dignity: an indispensable attribute of true statesmanship. Let us call it Woltzs Law. In The Godfather, you may recall, the studio boss, Jack Woltz, browbeats the mafia consigliere, Tom Hagen, thus: A man in my position cant afford to be made to look ridiculous! A woman in the PMs position cannot afford it either. We know how this movie ends, as it did in the last months of Jim Callaghans government and in 1996-7 as John Major scrambled for every last Commons vote. By choosing this path, the Conservative Party is mutilating what remains of its reputation and maximising the prospects of its foes. Desperation is not the same as tenacity. P olice investigating the murder of a man who was shot in the head in south London have launched a manhunt for motorbike rider. Tinodiwanashe Makwanya, 24, was sitting in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen car in Croydon when he was attacked on June 9. Scotland Yard said a motorcyclist with a pillion passenger pulled up alongside the car and shots were fired at the vehicle. The car driver, who also suffered minor injuries, took Mr Makwanya, who was from Croydon, to hospital but he died on arrival. A 41-year-old man was charged with Mr Makwanyas murder on June 23. Detectives released images of another man on Monday who they believe holds key information about the shooting. He has been described as wearing a black crash helmet with a flip up front and a large black Timberland rucksack. CCTV images of a motorbike believe to have been used by two suspects to get to the scene have also been released. The Yamaha R6, with registration plate R6SXE, has not yet been located, police said. Detective Sergeant Steve Keogh, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, added: "Tino was executed by a gunman who arrived at the scene on a motorbike, and we are appealing to trace a man who we believe may have vital information about his murder. "If you recognise the man pictured or the motorbike, we would urge you to get in touch as soon as possible. The information will be treated in the strictest confidence." If you have any information that could assist police with their enquiries, call the incident room on 020 8721 4622. Alternatively contact police on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC. To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit the www.crimestoppers-uk.org. A former member of a notorious armed robbery gang dubbed the Dirty Dozen has been sent back to jail for posting guns to himself from America. Jason Nicholas, 45, was part of a crew of gun-toting raiders who terrorised staff in banks and post offices across London and the South-East in the Nineties, stealing millions of pounds in up to 200 robberies. When the Mets Flying Squad finally caught them in 1994, the ringleaders were jailed for life and Nicholas was sentenced to 13 years. He is now back behind bars after the discovery of his plot to smuggle guns and ammunition into the UK disguised as antique metal. Using a false identity, he posted a semi-automatic Ruger gun and Taurus pistol to an address in Bayswater, splitting them into four parcels in February 2015. He had travelled to Dallas to post them but a Border Force officer spotted 50 bullets in one package as it was X-rayed in the UK. Judge Wendy Joseph jailed him for 12 years at the Old Bailey and said: The guns were known to be destined ultimately for illegal use involving the endangering of life. Nicholas, from Pinner, had denied fraudulent importation but was found guilty. A car mounted the pavement and smashed into a pedestrian outside a busy London station. Emergency services rushed to the scene, outside Starbucks next to Kings Cross Station, at about 7pm on Wednesday evening. Dramatic images have emerged showing a lime green Smart car with a shattered windscreen, surrounded by a crowd of people. Meanwhile photos have been posted online showing an air ambulance landing near the scene. The crash happened ouside Starbucks / Robert Capper Jenny Mulholland tweeted: "More Camden drama, G-LNDN air ambulance just circled Granary Square in King's Cross about 5 times then landed in the square." A man was rushed to hospital after the incident, police said. His condition is described as non-life threatening or life-changing. A police spokesman added: We were called to reports of a collision between a car and a pedestrian at the junction between Pentonville Road and York Way. The car left the road during the incident. A man was injured and was taken to a central London hospital. The driver stopped at the scene and is assisting the police with their enquiries. A son of Sardinian hotel owners has been found stabbed to death in his east London flat. Italian Pietro Sanna, 23, was discovered with multiple wounds in his home in Canning Town, one of three knife killings in London in a single day. His parents were travelling to London today to join his older brother Giomaria, who also lives in the capital. Mr Sanna, who is thought to have moved to London two years ago from the Sardinian city of Nuoro, died in a brutal and vicious attack at his home in Ravenscroft Close on Monday. His family run a hotel in the seaside resort of San Teodoro on Sardinia. Mr Sanna was described by friends as a good and unique person who enjoyed making music. A woman was arrested yesterday on suspicion of his murder and was today in custody at an east London police station. Neighbours said the victim was a respectful and lovely man, who was known affectionately as Pedro. They told how his older brother Giomaria found him after breaking his door down with police at 11.40am. One said: Pedro was a lovely boy. You would see him coming and going with his bike and he would always say hello. I just cant believe its happened. We have never had anything like that happen around here. We saw his brother the day he found him. He was out here with police, screaming and crying. It was terrible. Pedro had been living there about six months with three or four other people. Another neighbour said: Its disgusting what has happened to him. He was a really respectful lad and friendly enough. He was very respectful and never any trouble. All the people in that house were quiet. Also on Monday, Lee Jay Hatley, 29, died in hospital after being attacked when a row broke out in a top-floor flat in Canonbury, Islington, at 2am. A 22-year-old woman also suffered stab wounds in the incident in which Mr Hatley died. She was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in hospital. Neighbours described hearing swearing and a loud thud before ambulances arrived. Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, who is investigating the incident, said police were trying to trace a small group of people who had gathered at the flat. Mr Hatley was a close friend of 28-year-old Jonathan McPhillips, known as JJ, who was killed in Islington in February. Mr McPhillipss mother Michelle called for tougher penalties to deter those who carry weapons. She said: Lee Jay was my sons best friend. His mum is so devastated. I would like to see heavier sentences for knife crime. It has to be that people get scared to pick up a knife if theyre not scared, theyre going to keep on picking up knives and using them. Lee Jay goes out with his girlfriend and ends up getting stabbed. Islington has lost another innocent person to knife crime. How many more parents are going to have to wake up in the morning to this before something seriously gets done about it? At 8pm on Monday young father Alfred Purcell died after being stabbed in a street argument outside a newsagents in East Ham. A close friend said: Ive known him for years and its shocking that this happened to him. He was a father, its just horrific for his family. T he London Fire Brigade warned councils about the dangers of flames spreading on external cladding panels on tall buildings just weeks before the Grenfell Tower disaster, it emerged today. It wrote to all boroughs and housing associations in April and May after an investigation into a tower block blaze in Shepherds Bush in August last year. In a letter titled Tall Buildings External Fire Spread, Assistant Commissioner Dan Daly said the focus had been on how the fire, at Shepherds Court, had started in a tumble dryer. However, I am also drawing this fire to your attention to highlight the external spread of the fire, he wrote. He said filler panels for windows were believed to be a contributory factor, adding: I would urge you to consider carefully your arrangements for specifying, monitoring and approving all aspects of future replacement approving all aspects of future replacement and improvement to building facades. A report obtained by Inside Housing highlighted that the window cladding panels initially resisted the 2016 fire but a polystyrene foam then reportedly started to melt, meaning a metal sheet could fall away and expose plywood. Grenfell Tower aftermath - In pictures 1 /18 Grenfell Tower aftermath - In pictures The top section of the death trap Grenfell Tower Jeremy Selwyn The tower today, after the flames were extinguished Jeremy Selwyn A close up of the tower's damaged windows PA Fire service personnel survey the damage PA The tower today, after it emerged at least 17 were killed Jeremy Selwyn Rows of blackened windows after the fire Jeremy Selwyn Police sent in sniffer dogs today to search for bodies Jeremy Selwyn PA The Grenfell Tower at dawn today Jeremy Selwyn Donations have flooded in for victims Jeremy Selwyn Water is sprayed on Grenfell Tower PA Rows and rows of blackened windows. It is feared over one hundred people may have perished Jeremy Selwyn Part of the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP Fire crews examine the wreckage PA Tottenham Labour MP David Lammy, whose friend Khadija Saye died in the Grenfell fire on June 14, said: We need to rapidly get to the bottom of why there appears to have been a casual indifference to the huge fire risk posed to Londoners in our towers. Hammersmith Labour MP Andy Slaughter said: We urgently need to know how councils responded to receiving that letter and what checks were made on cladding. Hammersmith and Fulham council is having further tests carried out on the panels on Shepherds Court. A spokesman said: The full report is due imminently, but we have already begun the process of removing the window panels. The number of high-rise blocks where cladding is found to have failed safety tests is understood to have today risen to 120 in 37 local authority areas. None of the samples tested by the Building Research Establishment have met safety standards. Theresa May has ordered a national investigation into tower block safety given the scale of the scandal. Nine hospital trusts have also been flagged for reportedly using building material similar to that suspected of aiding the spread of the Grenfell fire. However, the Department of Health could give no details of the number of hospitals affected or their names. Grenfell Tower death toll of about 80 came mainly from 23 flats Some 600 social housing high-rise blocks are believed to have cladding similar to Grenfell. Just over one in six have been tested, two weeks after the fire in North Kensington in which at least 80 people are feared to have died. So far, 159 temporary homes are believed to have been found for displaced families and 1.7 million has been allocated from an emergency fund. Kensington and Chelsea council said: We do not think it is right to make comments relevant to the inquiry or subject to the investigation until this issue has been discussed with the police and the solicitors to the public inquiry once they have been appointed. Ministers have criticised councils for their slowness in sending in samples of cladding to be tested. Meanwhile, emergency arrangements for the Grenfell survivors have been branded a mess. Families are being shifted between hotels or placed in accommodation not appropriate for their needs, Andrea Newton of the Lancaster West Residents Association said, and people in the neighbourhood have been blighted by a lack of utilities such as hot water. The Grenfell Response Team said the boiler servicing the area was destroyed. It said: Work has commenced on fitting a new temporary boiler and we are working hard to get hot water running within the next week. We are offering hotel accommodation to any residents affected until we can fix this. We are continuing to work with residents and other hotels to secure accommodation for as long as necessary. A top London investment bank has told its clients Theresa May will be ousted as Prime Minister in just a matter of months. American financial services giant Citigroup, which bases its London office in Canary Wharf, sent out a note to its clients urging them to prepare for the PM's fall from the leadership and another general election within a year. According to the Times, the bank said Mrs Mays current position was unsustainable as she faced attack from both hardline Brexit supporters and Remainers. It comes after Mrs May agreed a deal with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party to prop up the Conservative Government after the Tories failed to win a majority in the General Election. Mrs May promised an extra 1 billion for Northern Ireland in exchange for the DUPs backing on key Parliament votes which, if lost, could see the Government brought down. In the note to clients, Citigroup said Mrs May is braced for a harsh backlash in the anti-EU British media as the Tories negotiate through Brexit talks and the expected divorce bill. In our view, May's premiership is not sustainable beyond a few months, perhaps a year at most, and will be under pressure in the face of contentious parliamentary votes from the very beginning," said the banks chief political analyst Tina Fordham in the note. Loading.... The note predicted there was numerous opportunities for Parliamentary rebellion and that the next Tory leader to replace Mrs May would be likely to call an election. T here has been a spike in youngsters as young as nine being bullied because of their race or religion following recent terror attacks, a charity says. Childline said the number of children who requested counselling almost doubled after the Westminster atrocity compared to the previous month. And in the two weeks after the Manchester Arena bombing, the charity said it had to offer 300 sessions to youngsters worried about terrorism. Some children skipped school because of the bullying while others ended up self-harming. Smaller spikes were seen following the Paris attacks in November 2015 and the Brussels Airport bombing in March 2016. In particular, Muslim children claimed they endured constant name-calling, being accused of joining Isis and being threatened with violence. Girls wearing a hijab or headscarf also came in for vicious abuse in the playground. The charity said it had held 2,500 counselling sessions over the last three years, with children from across the religious spectrum being subjected to faith-based abuse. Childlines president Dame Esther Rantzen said: When these events happen we adults are so often overwhelmed with horror we sometimes forget about the children watching too. Childline is in a unique position to be able to hear from children who may be ignored or overlooked when there are major events, like terror attacks. Its crucial adults are aware of this issue and protect those who may be targeted. Any child worried about bullying can call Childline on 0800 11 11. Adults concernd about a child can call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. M ichael Bond, the creator of beloved children's character Paddington Bear, has died aged 91. Mr Bond, who came up with the idea for the small bear in 1956 while working as a TV cameraman for the BBC, died at home on Tuesday following a short illness. Ann-Janine Murtagh, executive publisher at HarperCollins Children's Books, said in a statement: "I feel privileged to have been Michael Bond's publisher - he was a true gentleman, a bon viveur, the most entertaining company and the most enchanting of writers. "He will be forever remembered for his creation of the iconic Paddington, with his duffle coat and Wellington boots, which touched my own heart as a child and will live on in the hearts of future generations. Flowers and jars of marmalade left by the Paddington Bear Statue "My thoughts and love are with his wife, Sue, and his children Karen and Anthony." The writer became a beloved giant of children's literature after his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958 about the bear from Peru who loves marmalade. Over his lifetime, English author Bond wrote 150 books in total, including 25 additional books about Paddington. He was inspired to create the character after he bought a small toy bear on Christmas Eve in 1956 when he saw it left on a shelf in London department store Selfridges and felt sorry for it. Bond took it home as a present for his wife and named it Paddington because they were living near the railway station of the same name at the time. Charlie Redmayne, HarperCollins CEO, said: "Michael Bond was one of the great children's writers and at HarperCollins we are immensely fortunate to have published him and to have known him. "He was a wonderful man and leaves behind one of the great literary legacies of our time." T housands of British holidaymakers were left stranded after a planes tyres exploded upon landing at an airport in Tenerife. The runway drama caused hundreds of flights to be delayed, diverted or cancelled, leaving furious passengers waiting for hours to return home from the Spanish tourist hotspot. Pictures showed the Jet2 planes mangled landing gear after the wheels burst at Tenerife South Airport, with sunseekers reporting hearing a loud bang as it hit the tarmac at 1.40pm on Tuesday. British passengers flying with other airlines, including Ryanair, Thomas Cook, Monarch and British Airways, were also affected by the disruption. Fights reportedly broke out at the airport as tensions flared in the departure lounge. Officials were forced to shut down parts of the terminal as passengers continued to arrive throughout the day. The Jet2 plane's tyres exploded upon landing / @golamrover Julie Rittigan, 58, who was due to be flying with Ryanair from Tenerife to Birmingham, told The Sun: The place is just madness. We were told the flight was cancelled, then that it was back on, but there was no one at the gate and no plane on the runway. There are thousands trapped here. No one knows what anyone is doing. Its absolutely disgusting. We are still stuck here. Little children are on the floor, one mum has no nappies for her young kids. My husband is disabled and he has had to lie on the floor. The travel chaos was sparked when the rubber tyres on Jet 2s flight LS917 from Manchester to Tenerife were sheared off upon landing. One witness claimed the Airbus A330 passenger jet landed way too far, about two-thirds down the runway. Brit passenger Richard Cooper waited five hours before his delayed Norwegian Air flight to London Gatwick before giving up and rebooking for Wednesday. Some passengers were told to travel to another airport on the Canary Isle. A Jet2 spokeswoman said: Yesterday, our flight LS917 from Manchester to Tenerife experienced tyre damage upon landing at Tenerife South Airport. The safety and comfort of our customers and crew is our number one priority at all times, and all customers disembarked via the steps as normal. As the airport was temporarily closed on Tuesday, some flights were rescheduled to operate today. Our team worked very hard to minimise disruption and inconvenience for customers on these flights, including arranging accommodation for them where needed. We would like to apologise to all affected customers and we thank them for their patience. Other airlines also apologised to passengers for the disruption. A Ryanair spokesman said: A number of flights to/from Tenerife were delayed due to the temporary closure of the runway at Tenerife Airport, which resulted in some flight diversions. Affected customers were provided with refreshment vouchers, the runway has reopened and flights have resumed. EasyJet said two of its flights were diverted and six were delayed overnight. A spokesman added: The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is always EasyJets highest priority. We are working hard in order to provide all passengers with hotel accommodation and meals as required and have updated all passengers with the new departure details of their flight. T his is the dramatic moment a swimmer was pulled to safety after he was found stranded and clinging to a rock just metres from a waterfall. Kalani Tuiono was reportedly swimming in the popular Emerald Pools, in the Yuba River in northern California, when he was swept away by the rapids. The 25-year-old was lucky to survive the ordeal, having been submerged several times. A dramatic video, taken from rescuers in an overhead helicopter, shows him sat on a lone rock just metres from a perilous waterfall waving for help. The swimmer clinging to the rocks before he is rescued In the footage a man a can be seen being lowered from the helicopter in a secure cage, while instructing the helicopter where to drop him. A relieved Mr Tuiono is then pulled to safety. In an emotional post on Facebook, he told how he was dragged about like a rag doll under water. He said: I was underwater for what felt like minutes and was thrown around like a rag doll. I washed up onto a rock stomach down and puked immediately. I was on the rock for an hour until search and rescue came and saved me via helicopter. My life was saved today thanks to Truckee fire department, Cali fire, and California Highway patrol. I have never had a more humbling experience. There is definitely someone upstairs looking down on me making sure I stay alive. Authorities said they received a phone call from the stranded swimmer and were able to find him after about half an hour searching the river. A statement from California Highway Patrol said: He went over small falls, rocks, was submerged several times, and was able to find the lone rock in the middle of the river before the 40- to 50-foot drop. California Highway Patrol Sgt. Duncan Jensen told The Washington Post rescuers found the man sitting just feet from sure death. F lights from Australia to London are being sold for a knockdown price of just 475. The offer has been made as part of Flight Centres end of financial year sale. Tickets are being sold for flights departing from October 1 to November 22, but they are only available to customers in Australia. The deal is only available for people flying from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast. But jetsetting bargain hunters only have until July 3 to book their flights. An agent told the MailOnline that the flights would not be direct and would be booked under operators Norweigian Airlines or Scoot. Last month, Qantas began selling tickets for a non-stop service from London to Australia. The 17-hour, 9,000 mile journeys will not be launched until March 2018 but the airline claimed demand for the tickets had broken all records. The Standard has approached Flight Centre for a comment. D onald Trump interrupted a phone call with Irelands new Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to call over an Irish reporter and praise her nice smile. The US president was discussing issues such as Brexit and migration with the Taoiseach - Ireland's premier - when he broke off to mention the beautiful Irish press. He then singled out RTE News reporter Caitriona Perry and asked her to come over to his desk in the Oval Office. Well we have a lot of your Irish press watching us, theyre just now leaving the room, he said, before looking at Ms Perry and saying: Go ahead. Come here, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press. She has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well. The Washington reporter later posted a video of the exchange on Twitter, describing it as bizarre. The clip sparked a debate among hundreds of Twitter users over whether Mr Trumps apparent flirting was appropriate. Many described it as uncomfortable and weird, while one wrote: That looked excruciating. Im sorry you had to deal with such creepy, inappropriate behaviour. Caitriona Perry laughed off the president's remark in the Oval Office The footage also caused a stir on Instagram, where one of Ms Perrys followers wrote: That's kind of creepy. Do you think that he was being sexist in any way? I mean did it feel like he was judging you based on your looks?" During the phone call, the two leaders reportedly said they were looking forward to meeting in person. Footage of the incident has been shared by thousands of people on Twitter / REUTERS Mr Trump also invited the Taoiseach to the White House for the annual St Patricks Day celebrations, as is traditional. The Irish government released a statement about the call, saying: "Particular topics discussed included migration, Brexit and the movement of goods and citizens across the border, climate change, free trade, Irish inward investment in the United States, and the undocumented Irish. Mr Varadkar became Irelands first openly gay premier when he was elected the new leader of the governing Fine Gael party on June 2, succeeding Enda Kenny. At 38, he is also the country's youngest ever leader. I rish reporter Caitriona Perry has been thrust into the limelight after Donald Trump appeared to flirt with her during a phone call with Irelands premier. The US president was speaking to new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar when he mentioned the beautiful Irish press in the Oval office and singled out the female RTE journalist. Go ahead. Come here, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press, he said. She has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well, he added. But who is Caitriona Perry? Award-winning journalist Caitriona Perry, aged in her 30s, is a news journalist based in Washington for Irelands national public broadcaster, RTE. She has won various awards for her television and radio reporting, including a National Justice Media Merit Award for TV News in June 2015. Ms Perry has worked as a broadcast journalist since 2000, and has both a journalism Degree and a Masters in international relations from Dublin City University. She claims to have worked all over the world, reporting on stories in Europe, Latin America and Australia. Dream job Ms Perry moved to Washington to take up her current role in 2013, describing it at the time as her dream job. She previously spent five months in the US as part of her journalism degree so knew the country well. In an interview before the move with the Irish Examiner, she said: The office is in DC and youre based there but if something big happens you hit the road. Id be anxious to get out of DC and to tell the stories we dont often hear. To meet people who are going about their daily business, who are not caught up in politics. Social media presence Ms Perry was quick to upload the clip of her meeting with the US president to Twitter for her 24,000-plus followers to take a look at. She wrote: Video of the bizarre moment when President @realDonaldTrump called me over during his call with Taoiseach leo Varadkar. H alle Berry has said that her Oscar win has meant nothing for Hollywood diversity. The US star became the first black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar back in 2002, dedicating the award to every nameless, faceless woman of colour. But 15 years after her historic win, Berry is still the only woman of colour to have won the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. The actress now claims that the win has done nothing to help redress the balance of diversity in the film industry, following the #OscarsSoWhite backlash in 2016. Historic: Halle Berry poses with her Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar for Monster's Ball / Frederick M. Brown/Getty Talking about when she heard the 2016 Oscar nominations, Berry said she felt that it was one of her lowest moments. It's troubling, to say the least," she told Teen Vogue. It was probably one of my lowest professional moments because I sat there and I remembered that speech. I was profoundly hurt by that, and saddened by that, she continued. It inspired me to try to get involved in other ways, which is why I want to start directing. I want to start producing more. Academy Awards 2017 Oscars Ceremony - In pictures 1 /49 Academy Awards 2017 Oscars Ceremony - In pictures Warren Beatty shows the card reading Best Film 'Moonlight" after mistakingly reading "La La Land" initially at the 89th Oscars Aaron Poole/AMPAS/EPA Warren Beatty shows the card reading Best Film 'Moonlight" after mistakingly reading "La La Land" initially at the 89th Oscars Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Emma Stone delivers a speech on stage after she won the Best Actress award in "La La Land" at the 89th Oscars Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Jimmy Kimmel lifts Sunny Pawar at the 89th Oscars Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Brie Larson congratulates Casey Affleck as he accepts the award for best actor in a leading role for "Manchester by the Sea" at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Mahershala Ali accepts the award for best actor in a supporting role for "Moonlight" at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP US actress Viola Davis delivers a speech on stage after she won the award for Best Supporting Actress in "Fences" at the 89th Oscars Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images US actor Michael J. Fox (L) and Canadian actor Seth Rogen arrive on stage aboard a DeLorean car to present the Best Film Editing award at the 89th Oscars Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Host Jimmy Kimmel tweets to President Donald Trump Lucy Nicholson/Reuters A man kisses the hand of actor Meryl Streep during a skit Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Emma Stone reaches for cookies and donuts that are dropped from the rafters Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Nominee for Best Supporting Actress "Lion" Nicole Kidman arrives with her husband Keith Urban on the red carpet for the 89th Oscars Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images Best Actress winner Emma Stone is congratulated by Leonardo DiCaprio Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Viola Davis, winner of the award for best actress in a supporting role for "Fences," right, and Julius Tennon kiss at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Jimmy Kimmel hosts the 89th Academy Awards - Oscars Awards Show Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Sara Bareilles performs during an In Memoriam tribute at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Jimmy Kimmel host of the 89th Academy Awards tweets out a picture of Nicole with two of the surprised tourists he invited to the star-studded event @jimmykimmellive Justin Timberlake performs in the audience at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone speak onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Kevin Winter/Getty Images Amy Adams presents the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay to Tarell Alvin McCraney and Barry Jenkins (not pictured) for "Moonlight." Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Leonardo DiCaprio and actress Emma Stone, winner of Best Actress for 'La La Land' backstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Christopher Polk/Getty Images Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling in the audience during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Kevin Winter/Getty Images Sting performs Best Original Song nominee "The Empty Chair" Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Dev Patel and Anita Patel arrive at the Oscars Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Ben Affleck Casey Affleck and Matt Damon appear in the audience Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Meryl Streep reacts at the 89th Academy Awards Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Auli'i Cravalho performs onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Kevin Winter/Getty Images Halle Berry and Meryl Streep Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Michael J. Fox, left, and Seth Rogen present the award for best film editing at the Oscars Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Detail of Seth Rogen's shoes in the press room at the 89th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles Ian West/PA Spanish actor Javier Bardem (L) and US actress Meryl Streep arrive on stage to present the Best Cinematography award at the 89th Oscars Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Denzel Washington and Jimmy Kimmel take part in a skit with tourists Lucy Nicholson/Reuters A tourist kisses the hand of actor Nicole Kidman during a skit Lucy Nicholson/Reuters John Legend performs onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Kevin Winter/Getty Images Chrissy Teigen and John Legend arrive at the 89th Annual Academy Awards Mike Blake/Reuters Justin Timberlake sings in front of Pharrell Williams Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Jimmy Kimmel host of the 89th Academy Awards tweets out a picture of Mahershala Ali with one of the surprised tourists he invited to the star-studded event @jimmykimmellive I want to start making more opportunities for people of colour. I have conversations more deeply with Academy members, and Im trying to figure out how to help and add more diversity to the Academy. Berry said that the change needs to come from within the industry, with more diversity in writing and producing roles. I think black people. . .people of color. . .only have a chance to win based on how much were allowed to put out. That says to me that we need more people of color writing, directing, producingnot just starring. We have to start telling stories that include us. Since Berrys Oscar win, eight women of colour have been nominated for the top acting prize, including Irish actress Ruth Negga who was nominated this year for her role in Loving. Friday was the 10-week anniversary of the deaths of Karli and Kelsey Richardson, the Mooresville sisters who died in a wrong-way vehicle crash in Arizona. A white University of Kentucky student accused of physically assaulting a Black student worker while repeatedly using racial slurs says she will withdraw from the school. The decision announced Tuesday by a lawyer for 22-year-old Sophia Rosing came after hundreds of students rallied on campus the night before. News outlets report the students called for unity and for the university to quickly address the situation. Officials say Rosing has been charged with assault, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. She pleaded not guilty during an arraignment Monday afternoon. The altercation at Boyd Hall was captured on video and posted to multiple social media platforms. HOUSTON Halliburton Co. is in late-stage talks to acquire a fast-growing U.S. oilfield equipment supplier backed by Oklahoma energy and banking billionaire George Kaiser, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move comes after the No. 2 oilfield services company was rebuffed in two earlier efforts to acquire similar products. Houston-based Halliburton has set its sights on Summit ESP Inc., said the sources, who spoke in recent days. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are not public. Tulsa, Okla.-based Summit ESP makes pumps used to maintain well pressure to increase oil and gas production in aging wells. The devices, components in a business called artificial lift, increasingly are being used to prolong the life of shale wells. Halliburton's 2014 attempt to buy Baker Hughes Inc. was opposed by U.S. regulators and its 2016 bid for a Russian company has been stalled by Russian regulators. Halliburton declined to comment on Tuesday. Summit did not return calls seeking comment. Argonaut Private Equity, Kaiser's investment vehicle, declined to comment. Summit ESP was founded in 2011 and is led by executives who had earlier held senior posts at Baker Hughes, including Chief Executive John Kenner. It has expanded quickly in the United States and Canada, and in May announced it had installed its 8,000th electric submersible pump (ESP), an increase of 1,000 since November. ESPs are a worldwide business of about $5 billion a year, according to market researcher Frost & Sullivan. The main providers are Schlumberger NV, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International PLC. Halliburton, which has a small ESP business, "is trying to catch up to Schlumberger and Weatherford," Anand Gnanamoorthy, industry manager at Frost & Sullivan, said in an interview this month. ESPs generally cost between $50,000 and $200,000 for a complete system, he said. Summit, said one of the sources, wants to reach a deal soon to preempt the announcement of Baker Hughes' closing on its merger with General Electric Co. oil and gas unit, which is expected at mid-year. Kaiser, who controls Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. and is the majority owner of BOK Financial Corp., which owns banks from Arizona to Missouri (including the Bank of Kansas City), financed Summit ESP through his Argonaut Private Equity investment firm. It has more than $3 billion of capital deployed in more than 100 investments. Sales talks between Halliburton and Summit have been on and off several times in the last year over valuation differences. Summit ESP's revenue last year was about $180 million, a decline of 10 percent from 2015, according to market researcher Spears & Associates. After initial talks with Summit last year, Halliburton shifted its focus to reaching an agreement with Novomet Oil Services Holdings, a Russian supplier of electric submersible pumps that has operations in about 17 countries. In December, Halliburton disclosed it had sought Russian government approval for a deal to acquire up to 100 percent of Novomet. Halliburton Chief Executive Jeff Miller twice this year has told analysts the company was looking to fill a gap in its artificial lift business through mergers and acquisition. Halliburton renewed talks with Summit this year after Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service failed to rule on the application. A Halliburton spokesman declined to comment on the status of that application. A representative of the FAS told Reuters earlier this month it had not decided whether a government strategic review would be needed. A source familiar with the matter said the Russian review has been stalled over concerns about the strategic implications of a U.S. company owning a domestic supplier whose gear keeps aging Russian fields producing. WILMINGTON, Del. Lawyers for people injured by exploding Takata Corp. air bags told a U.S. bankruptcy court judge on Tuesday that the company's restructuring plan is being skewed to benefit automakers over victims. TK Holdings Inc., the U.S. business of Takata, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sunday due to tens of billions of dollars of liabilities from recalls and lawsuits over its air bags, along with 11 Mexican and U.S. subsidiaries. Most of Takata's obligations are owed to automakers for recalling and replacing millions of its air bags, and the Japanese supplier's restructuring plan relies heavily on financial support from its customers. Several personal injury lawyers told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Brendan Shannon that Takata had made too many concessions to automakers, without investigating the value of their claims. Lawyers for TK Holdings and General Motors argued the need for financing outweighed the need to investigate the protections granted to the automakers, which could be investigated later. "I will figure that out in due course, but Im not doing that today," Shannon said. Authorities have linked 16 deaths, mostly in the United States, and more than 180 injuries to explosions of Takata air bag inflators made with ammonium nitrate that became volatile with age and prolonged exposure to heat. Around 100 personal injury and wrongful death cases have been filed in the United States and the company has set aside $125 million for individual claims related to its air bags. Kevin Dean of the Motley Rice law firm urged Shannon to ensure current and future personal injury plaintiffs get an official committee, which includes a budget for lawyers and advisers. "Youll see 10 years from now these inflators involved in a volume of injuries over time," said Dean. "Were dealing with horribly injured plaintiffs." Shannon acknowledged the role of the plaintiffs and said a committee could be appointed. The U.S. case, and parallel foreign proceedings, opens the door to the acquisition of Takata's viable operations by Key Safety Systems (KSS), a Michigan-based parts supplier owned by China's Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. Ningbo Joyson acquired KSS in 2016 in a $920 million deal. The remaining operations will be reorganized to churn out millions of replacement inflators for cars that are subject to recalls. Takata in February pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court to a felony charge as part of a $1 billion settlement that included compensation funds for automakers and victims of its faulty inflators. JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that a state law allowing two sex offenders to be committed indefinitely to mental institutions after prison is constitutional. Judges ruled 6-0 in two separate cases that two men were constitutionally committed and reaffirmed the law. A public defender for the men had argued their commitments were punitive, meant lifetime confinement and amounted to second punishments after they already served time in prison. The attorney, Chelsea Mitchell, said that meant her clients rights to due process, equal protection and a fair trial were violated. But judges wrote that this entire collection of arguments has been rejected in the past, and reaffirmed the law. The law at issue says that if prisoners have a mental abnormality making them act out in a sexually violent way, then they should be evaluated before they leave prison. If a team of Department of Corrections and Department of Mental Health experts determine the prisoners still are dangerous, a judge can commit the offenders to a secure mental health facility following the completion of their criminal sentences. People committed as sexually violent predators cant leave the mental health facility until they are reviewed and deemed safe to be released. The main Missouri ruling cites a 1997 U.S. Supreme Court case about a similar Kansas law that justices found constitutional in part because they said it was not punitive. Justices said the Kansas law was limited to particularly dangerous people, had strict procedural safeguards, provided treatment if possible and allowed for release, among other requirements. Missouri Supreme Court judges said the state law meets those requirements and therefore is not punitive. The two men who appealed to the high court Carl Kirk and Jay Nelson both served time in jail and then were committed. Kirk served time in prison for sodomizing a minor, and Nelson was convicted of rape in 1989. While in prison, Nelson also was accused of sexually assaulting female guards. Mitchell also argued to judges that release from commitment appears almost impossible and that no one has been allowed to leave. Judges ruled that the case centered on Kirk and Nelsons commitments, and so they didnt consider the constitutionality of how release works under the program. Mitchell did not immediately comment Tuesday. Missouris sexually violent predator law came under fire in recent years because nobody was being released from the Department of Mental Healths Sex Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment Services facilities in Farmington and Fulton. After a six-year legal fight spurred by SORTS patients, St. Louis-based U.S. District Court Judge Audrey Fleissig ruled in 2015 that Missouris application of treatment of civilly committed sexually violent predators was not constitutional. The state, plaintiffs and attorneys have since been trying to come up with reasonable solutions to improve SORTS treatment. But that has been delayed by disagreements and other developments. Jesse Bogan of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. JEFFERSON CITY State social service officials have notified more than 63,000 Missourians that a prescription drug assistance program is set to end Friday. In a letter sent to certain recipients of the MORx Program, the acting director of the Department of Social Services suggests seeking help with drug co-pays through other sources, including a nonprofit mail-order pharmacy. The last day you can receive help with prescription drug co-payment costs from the MORx Program will be June 30, 2017. Prescriptions filled after this date will not be covered by MORx, Social Services chief Jay Ludlam noted. The letter is in response to a change in state law affecting people earning between 85 percent and 185 percent of the federal poverty level, which is about $22,000 a year. Under legislation sitting on Gov. Eric Greitens desk, that population will no longer qualify for a 50 percent reduction in drug costs. The move is projected to save about $15 million in the states $27.8 billion budget. According to data collected by the department, more than 6,400 residents in St. Louis city and county will lose the benefit. In St. Charles County, about 1,495 people are affected. Nearly 2,200 are affected in Franklin County, while 1,534 will lose access to the program in Jefferson County. Ludlam said people can check with the state to determine if their income level now makes them eligible for Medicaid benefits. Ludlams letter also recommends seeking help from the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which helps the uninsured and underinsured to get prescription medications from existing patient assistance programs. He also suggests Rx Outreach, a nonprofit mail-order pharmacy for people in need. Missourians also can contact one of the states 10 Area Agencies on Aging, he notes. The changes are part of the states budget blueprint, which Greitens is expected to sign this week. Rep. David Wood, R-Versailles, who carried the legislation in the House, earlier said the benefit was a casualty of tight financial times and that the program was set to expire on Aug. 28. Under the legislation, the program was extended past the expiration date but not funded. Next fiscal year, if there is enough money, the program could receive funding, he said. ERBIL, Iraq Here in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, the mood is Kurdistan First with the announcement of a referendum on independence in September. In neighboring Saudi Arabia, its Saudi First, as a brash young crown prince steers the kingdom toward a more assertive role in the region. In Moscow, where I visited a few weeks ago, its Russia First, with a vengeance. And so it goes, around most of the world. The politics of national self-interest is on steroids these days. For global leaders, its the me moment. The nearly universal slogan among countries that might once have acted with more restraint seems to be: Go for it. The prime catalyst of this global movement of self-assertion is, obviously, Donald Trump. From early in his 2016 campaign, he proclaimed his vision of America First in which the interests of the United States and its companies and workers would prevail over international obligations. Trump has waffled on many of his commitments since becoming president, but not America First. He withdrew from the Paris agreement on climate change and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, to name two multinational accords that Trump decided harmed American interests, or at least those of his political supporters. Trumps critics, including me, have been arguing that this selfish stance is actually weakening America by shredding the network of global alliances and institutions on which U.S. power has rested. But lets put aside this issue of self-inflicted wounds and focus instead on what happens when other leaders decide to emulate Trumps disdain for traditional limits on the exercise of power. Nobody wants to seem like a chump in Trump world. When the leader of the global system proclaims that he wont be bound by foreign restraints, the spirit becomes infectious. Call the global zeitgeist what you will: The new realism. Eyes on the prize. Winning isnt the most important thing, its the only thing. Middle East leaders have been notably more aggressive in asserting their own versions of national interest. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates defied pleas from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to stop escalating their blockade against Qatar for allegedly supporting extremism. Their argument was simple self-interest: If Qatar wants to ally with the Gulf Arabs, then it must accept our rules. Otherwise, Qatar is out. For the leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan, the issue has been whether to wait on their dream of independence. They decided to go ahead with their referendum, despite worries among top U.S. officials that it could upset American efforts to hold Iraq together and thereby destabilize the region. The implicit Kurdish answer: Thats not our problem. We need to do whats right for our people. Trump has at least been consistent. His aides cite a benchmark speech he made April 27, 2016, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, in which he offered an early systematic America First pitch. He argued that the country had been blundering around the world with half-baked, do-gooder schemes since the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Trump explained: It all began with a dangerous idea that we could make Western democracies out of countries that had no experience or interest in becoming a Western democracy. We tore up what institutions they had and then were surprised at what we unleashed. Whats interesting is that this same basic critique has been made, almost word for word, by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Thats not a conspiracy-minded argument that Trump is Putins man, but simply an observation that our president embraces the same raw cynicism about values-based foreign policy as does the leader of Russia. (Its an interesting footnote, by the way, that in the audience that day as Trump gave his framework speech was Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak). Who are the outliers in this me-first world? Perhaps the Europeans. Despite body blows to the European Union over the past few years, France and Germany, the two dominant players, retain the conviction that their destinies involve something larger than national self-interest. Fear and nationalism have shaken Europe, but not overwhelmed it. An enlightened center is holding at Europes core. China, too, manages to retain the image that it stands for something larger than itself, with its One Belt, One Road rhetoric of Chinese-led interdependence. The question, as Harvards Graham Allison argues in his provocative new book, Destined for War, is whether the expanding Chinese hegemon will collide with the retreating American one. The politics of selfishness may seem inevitable, in Trump world. But by definition, it cant produce a global system. Thats its fatal flaw. David Ignatius Copyright The Washington Post Fearful of Brexit . . . Richard Lamb of Stratford Butterfly Farm. Photo: Mark Williamson THE manager of Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm fears his business may be harmed by a sea of red tape when the UK exits the EU. The attraction, which welcomes 150,000 visitors each year, sold 1.2million worth of pupae around the world in 2016, half of which went to countries within the EU. The cost of importing pupae has already skyrocketed after EU rules demanded shipments from overseas were required to undergo vets checks when arriving at UK airports. Richard Lamb, managing director at the butterfly farm, fears that if no agreement can be reached after Brexit, he may be stuck paying once to import pupae into Britain and again when he sends them across to EU countries. Richard said: When these rules were first imposed it changed my business overnight, the cost of getting each shipment through cleared at Heathrow is now around 300. These shipments account for around half of my business and a little over half of the shipments go to Europe, so Brexit could have a huge impact. Also I have a window of two weeks to import the pupae and export them to their destinations, otherwise they will hatch and most likely die whilst in transit. If additional vets checks are introduced in Europe it could lead to further delays which could make it extremely difficult to get the shipments to their destinations on time. The worst case scenario would be I would not be able to export to Europe anymore, something which would potentially mean two or three job losses in Stratford and the loss of further sustainable jobs in third world communities, where pupae are imported from. Active Voice with Michelle Barns Sport BOP Recreation Advisor Matariki Whanau Day took place on Sunday 25 June, the finale to four weeks of fantastic events around Tauranga which included live performances, exhibitions, nature walks and celestial navigation in celebration of the Maori New Year. Sport Bay of Plenty were proud to attend Whanau Day, offering resources, information and a number of interactive challenges, including Mauao Wero. Mauao Wero, which means Mount Challenge, was created as a fun, free, family activity encouraging whanau to explore on and around mighty Mauao. Armed with clues and a smartphone, participants searched for signs, climbed stairs, and created sculptures on the beach showing what Matariki meant to them. After snapping a photo of each completed challenge, participants went in the draw to win some incredible prizes, thanks to the Mount Hot Pools, Event Cinemas and Smiths Sport Shoes. It was great to see so many families out enjoying the Matariki celebrations and taking part in Mauao Wero. There were some really excited kids, who proudly showed us their selfies and photos of their sand creations. It is so important to remain active during the cooler months, and it was pleasing to see so many people keen to get involved and enjoying being outdoors. The fact that families were taking part in the activity together was even more heart-warming to see people exploring, being active, and making memories as a whanau is fantastic. In addition to Mauao Wero, families that visited the Sport Bay of Plenty stand were able to get their hearts racing with skipping ropes and balls, and many took part in the kite flying activities on offer, thanks to the Matariki Whanau Day organisers. Whanau were also encouraged to test their knowledge on the sugar content of drinks with a short challenge that involved selecting from a range of sugar bags in various sizes and pairing them with the drink that contained that amount of sugar. Many people were shocked to realise how much sugar is hidden in drinks particularly with orange juice. Sport Bay of Plenty are passionate about promoting fun, family friendly physical activities and, though Mauao Wero is over, the next opportunity to take part in an active outdoor challenge is just around the corner with Colour Quest. Taking place during the Term2/3 school holidays, this interactive social media photo challenge showcases all the gorgeous winter colours of our regions outdoor recreational sites, provides extra motivation to get out and about, and is a fun way to learn about the cultural and conservational aspects of the Bay of Plenty. Check it out at www.virtuallyontrack.co.nz/colourquest My sentiments exactly Dame Susan (Anti-racism campaign launched, SunLive, June 15), so let us get rid of the Maori Party, Maori All Blacks, the Maori Council, Maori Broadcasting, the Waitangi Tribunal for Maori only, Maori Fisheries Council and a multitude of organisations exclusively for Maori. Is this not a sign of racism? If you regard it as an ethnicity matter then why are there not similar official organisations for the other hundreds of ethnicities in New Zealand? Your perception is illogically selective. He iwi tahi tatou. Are we not all one people? New Zealanders. The media, while willingly supporting the government contention that Maori are deserving of special and exclusive treatment, are willing to publish derisory comments on Don Brash and the Hobsons Pledge Trust, but are reluctant to print contrary views that are of vital concern to the majority of New Zealanders. Views that aspire to support democracy. This media attitude disparages the concept of a fair, free and objective press. B Johnson, Omokoroa. Tauranga Girls College Year 13 student, Fu Man (Amanda) Yang, has won (first equal) a national competition with her entry commemorating the Battle of Passchendaele. The battle which happened one hundred years ago in October 1917 is said to be Our Darkest Day in NZs history. Amanda wins a place as a Youth Ambassador for New Zealand, visiting the site in Belgium in October, for the Battle of Passchendaele centenary, with the New Zealand Defence Force contingent. The Youth Ambassador programme is an initiative of the Minister of Veterans to ensure the enduring legacy of New Zealand veterans is carried into the future. The programme involves the current generation of young New Zealanders sharing their stories and experiences of remembering New Zealands service in war and conflict. Amanda submitted a poem titled Passchendaele 12 October 1917. The judging panel said that Amandas entry was compelling, thought-provoking and highly emotive. Tauranga Girls College has had a focus over the past years on the centenary of the Great War, with a school history trip in April 2016 to Europe which included the WW1 battle sites in the Passchendaele and Somme areas. Amandas prize is an all-expenses paid three week trip, and $2000 cash. Amanda Yangs poem: Passchendaele 12 October 1917 12 October 1917 5:25am opening barrage began Second New Zealand infantry brigade and third New Zealand rifles Walked on Walked on Mud and rain and pain That dragged them every centimetre marched Much closer to the grave Cloaked by blinding gas Suffocated Drained No respite No energy left to fight And still... The enemy rattled through belt after belt while the New Zealanders fell by the score1 They fell on Gravenstafel road tangled in wire No call to retire They fought on On 12 October 1917 3:00pm another push This time halted and the dying slowed 846 sons of New Zealand mothers fell That darkest day before the dimming of the light In the dawn eight kilometres gained At the cost of 846 106 men and boys for every one kilometre won But what a loss Of New Zealand sons and lovers, men and boys ... 12 October 2017 We will remember them They who were young, straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.2 The sons of NZ mothers, the lovers, the brothers, the men and boys from Aotearoa We will gather in the half light at the dawning of the day In a foreign field Where row on row on row the poppies grow3 Like a korowai bestowed by Papatuanuku To cover up our men To protect them from their foes A foe who too lies in a country that is not their own A generation that will never return to their home On this day 12 October 2017 We stand beside them as we could not do in battle Our men, our boys from Aotearoa Haere ra e tama Haere ra. Haria ra te aroha i ahau Aue! me tangi noa Ahau ki muri nei Te iwi e He ngakau tangi noa.4 We their people weep again In Passchendaele 100 years today Harper, G, Dark Journey 2007, p.57 Binyon, L For the Fallen McCrae, John In Flanders Field In 1918, Paraire Tomoana composed this tangi to Maori solders lost in battle during World War 1. This stanza translates as Farewell young man, Farewell. Take my love with you Alas! There is weeping inside of me, left behind here and inside of the people Weeping in our hearts. A Tauranga clothing store has been ram-raided overnight. Police say a group of people used a vehicle to gain access to North Beach at Fraser Cove at around 2.30am. A reader sent in photos via the SunLive Facebook page showing police attending the scene this morning, where damage was being temporarily boarded over. Photos from inside the store show a display cabinet tipped over and smashed. The reader, who did not wish to be named, says watches, hats, and a significant amount of clothes are among the items stolen. A police spokesperson has confirmed a large amount of clothing was taken from the store. Four people are believed to be involved in the theft. Police are currently conducting enquiries to identify and locate the offenders. North Beach is the latest store in the city to be hit, after Spark on Devonport Road suffered a similar incident earlier this month. Police at the scene in Fraser Cove this morning. Supplied photo. A Tauranga Boys College team has been awarded first place at the annual NZIC Analytical Chemistry Competition, held earlier this month. The University of Waikato event, held on June 14 and sponsored by Hill Laboratories, challenged 92 enthusiastic Year 13 students to spend a day in the universitys chemistry laboratories working on an experiment. The task was to analyse the individual levels of zinc and sulphate ions in a sample of zinc sulphate, and to use these values to determine how many water molecules were associated with each zinc sulphate molecule. Associate Professor of Chemistry Michele Prinsep says the competition is about getting the most accurate result. Students come up with an answer, which is compared with the actual answer of the analysis. So its about being careful and methodical in practice, as well as testing their theory. Success depends on how good their experimental technique is. Tauranga Boys College were pretty much bang on almost perfect. They were the clear winners. Two other Tauranga teams were close behind, with Aquinas College coming in second place and Tauranga Girls College taking third place. There were 23 teams from 22 schools from across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty who entered the competition, with first place winning a trophy plus $240. The second and third placed teams were awarded $200 and $160, respectively. Its been 30 years since the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 50 years since Tauranga Writers began. Last week the two events were commemorated. Tauranga Writers is New Zealands longest-running self-help group for writers, begun on June 21, 1967 by co-founders Edna Pithie and Verna Dowrick. The organisation has been celebrating their half-centenary with a year of workshops, masterclasses, exhibitions, open days, panels, performances and plenty of writing. The birthday week, which featured masterclasses in creative writing, culminated in an evening at the Mauao Performing Arts Centre with award-winning NZ novelist and playwright Bronwyn Elsmore and a reading of her play Fallout: the Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior. Bronwyn was living in Rushton Ave, Tauranga 30 years ago, when the Rainbow Warrior succumbed to deliberate sabotage. She was a staunch member of a local anti-nuclear group that took the bold step of naming Rushton Ave a nuclear-free zone. At the time Bronwyn was also a member, and later president, of Tauranga Writers; an emerging author establishing her present reputation as one of New Zealands finest writers of both fact and fiction. She has won several short story competitions, been winner of the Playwrights Association of New Zealands playwriting competition three times, and earned other writing awards. Bronwyn introduced the reading of her play. Amongst the audience were those who also had connections to the anti-nuclear and peace activism from the time, including guests of honour Mary Rose, Joy Rising, and Gary and Marilyn Ware. Also present was Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless. Im very grateful for all the help to put it on here, says Bronwyn, because I like people to be reminded of the story which gives both a tribute to the people who took part in all the events at the time, and also informs the young people about what happened 30 years ago. I think its a story that should be remembered. And they should be proud that New Zealanders took the stance that they did and understand what happened here and how important it has been to us. The reading of Fallout was delivered by Papamoa College drama students Morgan Burt, Seth Linney and Katalina Hose, under the direction of Head of Drama Dylan Frewin. To celebrate writers and writing, and to encourage the strong urge to bring out the book inside everyone, Tauranga Writers was granted funding from TECT, enabling a rich programme of events to be run throughout the ten months from February to November celebrating the first fifty years. In addition Tauranga Writers is running a Jubilee Blog from January 1 to December 31 2017, with the aim to launch one new book by a Tauranga writer every month. The blog can be found at http://www.taurangawriters.org.nz/about-us The Tauranga Writers 50th celebration cake. The Bay of Plenty Civil Defence are alerting the public to sort out an emergency plan for their family, while the organisation test its communication systems next week. Emergency Management Bay of Plenty Director Clinton Naude says the test is happening during a school day on Monday, July 3, at 10am. Its a good reminder that an emergency can happen at any time and people need to be prepared regardless. Think about if you were stuck at home, couldnt get home or had to leave home in a hurry. The alerting systems are tested twice a year to ensure everything will run smoothly in the event of a natural and manmade disaster. The test will include text alerts, social media as well as fixed and vehicle mounted mobile sirens in specific areas. On Monday residents should expect fixed sirens in the eastern Bay of Plenty and vehicle mounted sirens in Waihi Beach, Athenree, Bowentown, Pukehina, Lake Tarawera, Kawerau, Whakatane and Opotiki. As well as text alerts and social media updates on facebook.com/bopcivildefence and twitter.com/bopcivildefence These days people get their information from different places and no technology is 100 per cent failsafe or equally useful in all conditions and emergencies. In a real event we would try to reach people with a combination of all means available. He also advises people to not rely solely on technology. No system replaces the need for people to pay attention to natural warnings. To register for text alerts, or for more information on how to get prepared, visit www.bopcivildefence.govt.nz or text the two letters for the area you live. For tips and advice on emergency planning visit www.happens.nz A team of researchers from the University of Waikato have won a $270,000 research grant to engage with New Zealanders about how we can all better prepare for the future impacts of climate change. The two year research project will also explore how cultural values shape and influence adaptation strategies to the new realities of climate change. Climate change is happening whether we like it or not, says co-lead investigator Professor Debashish Munshi of Waikato Management School, an expert on public engagement and issues of social justice. People need reliable, up-to-date information to be able to make important decisions about their future. Yet many vulnerable businesses and communities in New Zealand are struggling to understand how they should respond to the significant threats that climate change poses to our economy, our social fabric, our cultural traditions and way of life, says Debashish. The Waikato-based project team also includes co-lead investigator Professor Priya Kurian, a political scientist (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences); Associate Professor Sandy Morrison, an expert on indigenous development issues (Faculty of Maori and Indigenous Studies); and Dr Lyn Kathlene, a US-based expert on public engagement methodologies (Spark Policy Institute). The teams extensive research will include a series of citizen panels with a variety of business and community groups across New Zealand such as farmers, small-to-medium business owners, tourism operators, Maori iwi and hapu, and residents living in coastal or low-lying areas to find out what people already know about climate change, and work on a range of future scenarios to deal with climate change events such as extreme weather, flooding rivers and rising sea levels. Successful public engagement in science is not only about communicating information, but also understanding what the public already know, what they need to know, and their different cultural values and attitudes towards climate change, says Priya. For example, were conscious of the strong interest that Maori have in debates about climate action and looking at environmental issues, as well as the impact on traditional cultural practices such as weaving and food gathering, says Sandy. The research team will help each group to develop proactive strategies and a practical action plan for addressing the specific impacts of climate change they face. For some people, climate change is an immediate reality that requires urgent action, says Debashish. In 2019, the research team will prepare a report outlining their recommendations for local councils and government, which they hope will contribute to better informed decision-making around climate change adaptation. The University of Waikato-based project is one of four new climate change adaptation projects announced by the Deep South National Science Challenge this month, totalling more than $1 million in funding. The mission of the challenge is to enable New Zealanders to adapt, manage risk, and thrive in a changing climate. Debashish and Priya are currently writing a book on Climate Futures with academics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This leads on from an international symposium on Climate Futures: Re-imagining Global Climate Justice they organised in Italy in 2015, with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation. For more details about the National Science Challenge project, visit www.deepsouthchallenge.co.nz/centring-culture-public-engagement-climate-change Police have arrested three people they believe to be responsible to the robbery at Caltex Service Station in Tauriko earlier this morning. The robbery at the petrol station on State Highway 29 was reported to police at 6.45am. The offenders drove a stolen vehicle into the forecourt of the Caltex, entered the store and demanded cash and cigarettes. One of the offenders has then assaulted the attendant who has suffered moderate injuries, says police. The attendant received medical attention at Tauranga Hospital A&E and has since been discharged but has been offered ongoing support. The offenders left the store with cigarettes and then all three offenders fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. Waikato Police including a dog unit located the offending vehicle and apprehended three people shortly after. Police are currently speaking to the offenders, one female and two males, and its anticipated that charges will be laid later today. The service station has now re-opened. Anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area in the early hours of this morning or who has any information which may help our investigation is asked to contact Tauranga Police on 07 5774300 Alternatively, information can be shared anonymously with Crimestoppers 0800 555 111. The annual Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival is in the books with a northcentral Montana and North Dakota angler making up the winning team that took home $10,000. It was the third year fishing Canyon Ferry for Lewistown native and current Bismarck, North Dakota, resident Colby Tognetti and Kyle Vine of Vida, Montana. The duo, who have tournament fished together for about five years, was coming off an eighth place finish last year when they ventured out with more than 140 other teams Saturday. Its just one of those lakes where its a grind all the time, Vine said. Therere days you want to quit but you keep your nose to the grindstone for five or six bites, and what were hoping for are quality fish. Tognetti said he mostly fished with jigs while Vine threw the whole tackle box at them. Its a tough fishery and we didnt see one thing really working better than the other, he said. When you get those four or five bites you just cant miss them and you cant lose them. It was the teams first tournament win and one they say theyll remember. Although they have no immediate plans for the money, it will likely get reinvested in fishing gear and boat costs. Its a pretty good feeling to have all those fishermen come up and shake our hands because were still kind of rookies out there, Tognetti said. There are a lot of guys that we really respect thatve been fishing that lake a lot longer than we have. Tournament director Matt Zeadow said organizers had a great tournament and anglers reported a solid bite. He may look at moving the tournament date back a couple of weeks next year to hit warmer water and a traditionally more consistent bite, he said. The Tognetti and Vine team finished with 37.5 pounds of walleye for the top prize of $10,000. Second place and $4,500 pounds went to Patrick Evanson of Livingston and Justin Krieger of Williston, North Dakota, with 34.34 pounds. Third place and $2,500 went to Billings anglers Wayne and Owen Wilcox with 28.83 pounds. The team also caught the big walleye for the tournament at 33 inches. Helena angler Trevor Johnson and Gary Cayko of Bismarck finished with 24.79 pounds, good enough for fourth place and $1,500. Rounding out the top five were Helena anglers Jake Monroe and Jeff Ingram catching 24.38 pounds of walleye and earning $1,200. All walleye are released after weight and measurement. Richard Alcaydes interest in cooking was instigated by his brother, when he was about thirteen. He started learning the craft in the kitchens of the Mar de Alboran restaurant and has worked alongside important figures like Manolo de la Osa, Pedro Olmedo, Dani Garcia and the Schiff family. In 2000, he launched his own project in Torremolinos: MED, a restaurant which was awarded a Michelin star as well as being named as the best restaurant in Torremolinos, awarded by the town hall in 2005; best restaurant in Malaga in 2006 and best chef in 2010, awarded by the Academia de Gastronomia de Malaga, and was nominated as best restaurant at Madrid Fusion. However, the crisis forced Richard Alcayde to close the business in 2012, after which he began a new route as executive chef of the Taberna Matahambre group. He then moved to La Pesquera in July 2015. After his television appearance on Top Chef he decided that it was time to take back his freedom and move back into a kitchen of his own. He opened Coco Bambu in Torremolinos in May this year and offers a menu that does not shun his own roots here in Malaga but also embraces a fusion of tastes and techniques. The diners are greeted with a tapas of the world, which could be a gazpacho of green tomato and apple, prawn croquettes al pil pil, Vietnamese rolls of goat kid or a salad of Malaga prawns. But there are also burgers, coca- pizzas, meats and rice dishes, such as black rice and monkfish with alioli or Iberico pork, farm-raised chicken and artichokes. Richard is accompanied in the kitchen by Roberto Nieves and Diana Tadjalli and Javier Castro is in charge of the dining area. In total he employs a team of 18 people. Richard Alcayde cannot keep still; he knows he needs to delegate more but he likes to continually wander into the dining room to check on his customers and hear their comments. He admits he is restless and has already taken on two more projects, including in the role of gastronomic consultant. The first project was the renovation of the Laundry in Puerto Banus which is set to open soon. The other was an overhaul of the menu for the Montana restaurant in Calle Compas de la Victoria, Malaga. The restaurant has been re-launched by Jose Nalda who is working closely with Richard to bring the restaurant back to its former glory. At just 16 years of age, Mozart Dee has already experienced what many would be lucky to experience in a lifetime. This is because at the age of five, her parents decided to leave California and embark on a digital nomad lifestyle, taking in 48 different countries around the globe which she says has played a fundamental role in her development. Already a talented musician from an early age (starting to play the violin at two and the piano at three), she believes that growing up global has shaped her artistry and creativity and propelled her in her fledgling career which has already seen her appear on MTV and win an award for her dramatic lead in the film Rose. Concerts Torrox Wednesday 28 June, 9pm. La Casa Hotel and Restaurant. Call 952 53 96 50 to book a tabe for dining from the a la carte menu. Estepona Friday 30 June, 9pm. Garden terrace of Hotel Fuerte Estepona. To give Mozarts career every chance of flourishing, the family are slowing downand have settled in Los Angeles as that is where the music business and film/TV businesses are based. She spoke about her unconvential education in a recent TED talk. She explained how she used the world as her classroom, but also that she stopped long enough to attend school in rural China as well as several years at the local primary school in Frigiliana. For this reason Mozart is particularly excited to return to Andalucia as part of her #MozartIgniteTour. Youre on tour now. Ithought you were supposed to be settling down? Do you ever lose track of where you are in the world? Yes, I am touringthis summer in Europe and loving it. Im based in Los Angeles now, so when I am not touring or travelling, I am there. I havent lost track of where I am yet, but if I am going through lots of time zones, I can lose track of what day it is! Is there anywhere you call home? At the moment, LA is my home, but Spain always feels like home to me too. I feel like I have several homes. What is it that makes Spain so special to you? Just about everything! I love the people, the food, the festivals, the language, the weather. My great grandmother is from Spain and I have been speaking Spanish from birth, so it has my heart. How much have your travels influenced your music? I think my travel lifestyle, growing up global, has greatly affected my music and my songwriting. Ive been exposed to so many different cultures, languages and music and most experts in the field of music say that I dont write like a typical teen my age. Of all the places youve been, which was the biggest culture shock? I think the biggest cultural shock was the exotic Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia because they go into a trance and put thousands of piercings in their bodies and pull heavy things with them. Is Chinese difficult to learn? Chinese is much more difficult than Spanish. The hardest part is reading and writing it. It is quite tedious and repetitive to learn, even for native Mandarin speakers. Do you sometimes feel like youve missed out by not having a conventional education? I feel like I have had the best of both worlds, because I have spent time in schools in several countries (primarily for language immersion) and yet also know the freedom of home education. When I was in school in Spain, wed return every winter to Frigiliana and leave on 1 May to travel Europe in our camper van. I had a normal school life when in Spain and Id study mostly in English, and later some in Chinese, while we roamed. Would you recommend the nomad life to others? Oh, yes! I hope to some day give some of this experience to my own child or children. Youve learned to play several instruments, you sing, you act which do you love most? Yes, I play five instruments and love them all and want to learn more, but piano is my favourite and I play guitar the most now because it is so portable. I love to write music and to sing, but through my singing I got a lead in a movie, so I discovered that I loved acting as well. I hope to have a career where I can do it all. Is Mozart your real name? No, it is my stage name. Mozart has been my nickname since I was five months old and stood up and clapped to some music the teacher was singing in a baby music class. The other mothers started calling me Mozart and it just stuck. Who are your biggest inspirations? Musically, Id say Adele and Ed Sheeran, but also flamenco music and Chinese pop, as well as many of my parents favourites like The Beatles, James Brown, Van Morrison, Ella Fitzgerald and Simon & Garfunkel. I think I have been very lucky and blessed to have very supportive parents. Theyve always followed my lead and encouraged my passions. What can we expect to hear from you in these shows in Spain? I will be playing some popular cover songs in English and Spanish as well as some of my original songs like Fade Away and Round The World. What does the future hold? Will you continue to travel? How do you see your career progressing? I think I will always travel, but for now I am based in Los Angeles. I am supposed to start filming a lead in a TV series in the fall, so well see where that goes. I am also working on a documentary about my travel life. Ill continue to perform and write music and I am working with the dean of music at UCLA on my first album. I also enjoy sharing my experiences with others, so I want to do more of that. My big goal is to combine big tours with my music as well as acting in film and TV and just enjoying it all. Official Brexit negotiations got under way at the European Commission in Brussels on Monday. Chief EU negotiator, Michel Barnier, met David Davis, the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, two days before the Queens Speech in the House of Commons, at the heart of which was Brexit. During a press conference after day one of the talks, Barnier said that his priorities were to tackle the uncertainties caused by Brexit, first for the citizens and beneficiaries of EU policies, while Mr Davis spoke of challenging times ahead and the importance of constructing a strong and special relationship between the UK and EU. By the end of the first day, the EUs chief negotiator said that priorities and dates had been agreed. Further meetings were due to be held on Thursday evening and today, Friday, to discuss the relocation of UK-based European agencies, including the European Medicines Agency, which Barcelona has shown an interest in hosting, as well as the European Banking Authority, which also has its current HQ in London. Mario Draghi, the Italian president of the European Central Bank is also expected to attend Fridays talks. As talks got under way, Spains foreign minister, Alfonso Dastis, warned that Gibraltar would not be the first nor the most important priority in the Brexit talks and that it should be the focus of a bilateral agreement between London and Madrid. Ahead of Mondays meeting, collectives of British citizens in the EU, including Bremain in Spain and British in Europe, issued a statement urging David Davis to represent the 1.2 million UK citizens living in the EU who have been in limbo for a year. The statement went on to say that they expect him to stick to Theresa Mays repeated pledge to make citizens rights her highest priority. The state opening of Parliament on Wednesday following the 8 June general election had Brexit at its heart. However, it was the Queens choice of hat for that captured the attention of many pro-remainers on social media as they felt the blue number, adorned with small yellow flowers, which was worn instead of the usual crown, was a subliminal message from the 91-year-old monarch over her stance on Brexit. The eight bills related to Brexit in the speech included the Repeal Bill, which has had the word Great removed and whose objective is to convert existing EU law into UK law. Other bills relate to customs, trade, immigration, fisheries, agriculture, nuclear safeguards and international sanctions. Under the immigration bill, the government sets out to end the free movement of EU nationals into the UK but allows them to attract the brightest and best. Other controversial areas of the Conservative party election manifesto that were omitted from Wednesdays speech included a free vote on fox hunting and a social care act, which became widely known as the dementia tax. The 15-year voting rule for overseas UK voters, which David Cameron promised to scrap in 2010, has not been mentioned by Theresa Mays government. There were protests in London, despite the heat, under the name, Day of Rage, during which demonstrators demanded justice for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, as well as Theresa Mays resignation. Accused of trying to smuggle cash to an inmate while working as a correctional officer, a Dublin man will be arraigned today on a misdemeanor charge. Jesse Lee Pennington, 28, was arrested on March 20 following an investigation by Department of Corrections Special Agent J.R. Acosta. In his criminal complaint, Acosta said that Bland Correctional Center officials got a tip that Pennington was going to deliver $200 in cash or tobacco products to an inmate on Sept. 12, 2016. After being confronted with the information from the confidential source, Corrections Officer Pennington removed one hundred dollars (in five $20.00 bills) from his right cargo trouser pocket and placed the money on the desk, Acosta wrote. Corrections Officer Pennington stated that a prisoner in 3 Building had asked him for the money. Pennington told the officer that he was going to get $150 for bringing the cash to the prisoner, according to the complaint. No court date has been set in the case. Two charged with stealing firearm Already facing charges related to distributing drugs to a minor, a Bland County woman was arrested again on June 19 and charged with stealing a firearm. Brandi Nicole Roseberry, 34, of Shady Branch Circle, was also charged with conspiring to steal a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to a criminal complaint from Deputy John M. Mustard, Calvin King and John King reported on March 13 that three guns were taken from their Bland County residence. Two of the guns were located at a Bluefield, West Virginia, pawnshop. Mustard said that Shellie M. Nelson admitted to pawning the two guns that she got from Roseberry on Aug. 23, 2016. Shellie received $140.00 from the pawn store and she gave the money to Brandi, Mustard wrote. Nelson, also of Shady Branch Circle, was charged with stealing a firearm and conspiring to steal a firearm. Arraigned on June 19 and given a court-appointed attorney, Roseberrys preliminary hearing has been set for July 17. Set to be arraigned today, Nelson, who is unemployed with no criminal record, has an Aug. 2 preliminary hearing set in Bland County General District Court. Circuit Court These were some of the cases heard on June 20. James Forest Nuckles of Wytheville was convicted of violating the conditions of his probation. He was sentenced to serve two years and six months in jail. He was originally placed on probation following 2005 convictions for breaking and entering, and grand larceny Jesse Edward Raines of Beaver, West Virginia, was convicted of violating the conditions of his probation. Raines was sentence to serve three months in jail and will be probation for three years after his release. In 2011, Raines was convicted of grand larceny. Robert Gilmer Newberry II of Bland was convicted of July 24, 2016, charges of felony drug possession and possessing methamphetamine-making ingredients, which was amended from manufacturing/etc. drugs. Newberry was sentenced to four months in jail, given a drivers license suspension and placed on probation for two years. An additional charge of manufacturing/etc. drugs was dropped. Bridget R. Romano of Bland was convicted of a Jul 24, 2016, charge of possessing meth-making ingredients, which was amended from felony drug possession. Romano was ordered to serve 80 days in jail and had her drivers license suspended for six months. Additional charges of manufacturing/etc. drugs and felony drug possession were dropped. "The Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki's retreat was burned down Monday night in a large wildfire in California, TMZ reports. The actor's rep told Variety that Galecki was not on the property at the time of the fire and remains unharmed. His getaway home was in San Luis Obispo, located between Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to TMZ, who broke the news, the ranch was burned down in the 1,200 acre fires. At the time, 40 percent of the fire had been contained. The actor plans to return to the property once the fire is completely contained. In a statement to TMZ Galecki said, "My heart goes out to all in the area who are also experiencing loss from this vicious fire, the threat of which we live with constantly, which may seem crazy to some but we do so because living in our beautiful, rural area makes it worthwhile." He is optimistic about the people of Santa Margarita coming together "once the smoke is cleared" to rebuild their community. Galecki first burst onto the scene with roles in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and "Roseanne." The actor is now best known for playing Dr. Leonard in the mega-hit CBS sitcom "The Big Bang Theory," which has recently been picked up for two more seasons. Galecki's spot on the show, along with co-stars Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco, has helped him become one of the highest-paid stars on television. Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse police officer testified that a South Side activist's repeated interruptions, insults and job-related threats over several months irritated him more and more. By July 2016, Officer Vallon Smith testified that his irritation level with Maurice Crawley's antics was "25 on a scale of 1 to 10." Multiple times a week -- as many as 10 times a week -- Crawley would distract Smith while he was conducting police business: making arrests or pulling over drivers, the officer testified. Crawley sometimes carried anti-violence signs; other times he simply showed up and yelled to get Smith's attention, police testified. Almost uniformly, Crawley would warn, "the tornado is coming" and circle his hand in the air, finger raised. The warning was later accompanied by threats to Smith's job and calling the African-American officer an "Uncle Tom." At no point did Crawley touch the officer or get between the officer and a suspect. He did have to be ordered to move back on occasion, officers have testified. After months of irritation, Smith had enough. "Say one word to me and I'm going to arrest your ass," Smith testified he told Crawley. Moments later, Smith subdued and arrested Crawley July 28, 2016 as Crawley was filming Smith make an arrest across South Avenue. Crawley's video included footage of Smith taking him to the ground. "Don't (expletive) move. You hear me, don't (expletive) move. I'll (expletive) you up," Smith can be heard saying. Crawley was charged with obstructing governmental administration (interfering with police work) and resisting arrest. But Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick later dropped the misdemeanors, saying the officer overreacted. But the DA then charged Crawley with harassment -- a violation akin to a traffic ticket -- for allegedly harassing Smith in the months before the arrest. That led to a trial before City Court Judge Rory McMahon that completed its second day of testimony Wednesday. Prosecutors are expected to call at least 10 witnesses off their list of 15 potential witnessses. Crawley is expected to take the witness stand in his own defense at some point. Much was made Wednesday about what exactly Crawley did to "interfere" with one of Smith's investigations. Smith testified that Crawley's antics distracted him from doing his job, which was a form of interference. But Smith acknowledged that Crawley never prevented him from completing an arrest or other police action, though the activist did come physically close to the officer in at least one episode. In one instance, Smith said that Crawley was next to him as he pulled over a vehicle. "Get the (expletive) out of here," Smith told Crawley. The officer testified at trial that the car contained known gang members and he wanted Crawley to leave for his own safety. Crawley left and the traffic stop was completed, Smith testified. Smith's partner, Officer William LaShomb, testified earlier that he also warned Crawley once to stop interfering with investigations. That came after Crawley pulled up behind LaShomb one night and began beeping his horn. "Enough is enough," LaShomb said he told Crawley. "You're interfering with an investigation. If it continues, we will place you under arrest." Crawley did not say much to LaShomb that night, but continued showing up at police scenes, LaShomb testified. The repeated threats and insults continued to annoy Smith, LaShomb testified. Under law, harassment is defined as intent to "harass, annoy or alarm" someone. But defense lawyer Rome Canzano has argued that Smith's police training should have allowed him to handle Crawley's antics without being distracted. After all, Smith handles people who aren't happy with police on a daily basis, Canzano noted. He suggested that Crawley wasn't any different. But Smith responded that Crawley's repeated behavior over several months was different from someone who was angry during one incident. Canzano did get Smith to acknowledge that the officer didn't always de-escalate the situation with Crawley. In one case, Smith said that he responded when Crawley warned of the tornado with, "I'll be waiting for it." That's when Crawley called the officer an "Uncle Tom" for the first time, Smith testified. The trial is scheduled to continue Thursday afternoon. If testimony is not completed, it could be adjourned until mid-July. McMahon will ultimately determine Crawley's guilt or innocence in the non-criminal trial. Even if convicted, the punishment would likely be no more than a fine. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A former state Department of Transportation worker who admitted using a state-issued credit card to steal more than $4,000 was given probation and ordered to pay the money back. State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott said in a statement that Eric Teller received the sentence Wednesday in Syracuse City Court. An investigation by the inspector general's office found that between late 2012 and summer 2014, Teller repeatedly used his state-issued credit card for personal use, including gas and auto repairs. He also used itto buy gas for others -- some people he knew and some he did not -- who then paid him cash for the gas at a reduced rate, the inspector general's office said. Teller was an engineering technician with the DOT at the time of the thefts. He resigned from his job in November when he pleaded guilty. Teller, 38, of Village Boulevard South, Baldwinsville, was sentenced to three three years of probation supervision. And he was ordered to pay $4,304 restitution. The DOT, New York State Police and the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office assisted the inspector general's office on the case. The Helena Police Department released Wednesday audio of the 911 call that led to the arrest and charge of partner or family member assault against Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards. Edwards was arrested at a Helena hotel earlier this month while attending the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association annual convention. The arrest and charge stem from accusations that he pushed his girlfriend into a television stand in their hotel room on June 15. Alcohol may have played a part in the incident, Helena police said Wednesday. An unidentified woman who called 911 from another hotel room told dispatchers, "We heard one of them yelling about having a gun," then clarified it was the woman yelling. The caller also said she "heard her screaming about him throwing her into the TV." Helena Municipal Judge Robert Wood said the next day that police officers called him with the unusual request that he hold Edwards' initial appearance that night instead at the regular appearance time. Wood said he received a call at about 10 p.m. from an officer concerned about the safety of the sheriff. Wood said he believed the officers didn't want the sheriff spending the night in the overcrowded Lewis and Clark County Detention Center over security concerns. Wood released Edwards on his own recognizance less than five hours after he was arrested. The judge said he agreed to release Edwards on the condition that a lieutenant from Cascade County would pick him up from Helena and drive him home. Police said Edwards was evaluated by the local Crisis Response Team and released. Edwards pleaded not guilty to the charge the same night. His next court appearance on the charge is slated for July 19 when an omnibus hearing will be held. Edwards is a 19-year veteran of the sheriff's office and has been sheriff since December 2010. Welcome, DISH customer! Please note that we cannot save your viewing history due to an arrangement with DISH. Watchlist and resume progress features have been disabled. ACCEPT Notorious anarchist, Ian Bone, has written of plans to violently attack rowers in the upcoming Oxbridge race on his blog. Titled Sink the Bismarck, Bones blog was posted on 15th November 2011, and contained numerous incitements to violence. The banks of the Thames are thronged with drinkerstrying to enthuse us about an elite race for toffs no one else gives a flying fuck about, Bone rages. He added, around 1986 a certain bright spark from Australia suggested pouring petrol from Putney Bridge and tossing a match in just as the crews went under. Theyd go in all pristine white and come out like chimney sweeps the other side! Labelled the most dangerous man in Britain by the Sunday People in 1984, Bone owns a number of anarchist publications, including Class War and The Bristolian, and has been actively involved in social campaigns such as the 2001 Vote Nobody election campaign. The infamous figure published his autobiography Bash the Rich in 2006, which is currently undergoing adaptation into a film. The Cambridge-Oxford Boat Race, formally known as the Xchanging Boat Race, has been an institution since 1856, and is held on the London Thames. The next race will be held on Saturday 7 April, 2012. Alice Gormley Deputy News Editor Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Several high-tech industry companies that have opposed the United States withdrawal from the Paris Agreement have pledged to continue their environmentally conscious efforts. Google CEO Sundar Pichai promised to stay the course in his tweeted response: Disappointed with todays decision. Google will keep working hard for a cleaner, more prosperous future for all. Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) June 1, 2017 Withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement is bad for the environment, bad for the economy, and it puts our childrens future at risk, wrote Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. For our part, weve committed that every new data center we build will be powered by 100% renewable energy, he added. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff tweeted a statement of his companys resolve to promote sustainability. Deeply disappointed by President's decision to withdraw from ParisAgreement. We will double our efforts to fight climate change. pic.twitter.com/cmCLf9CoVY Marc Benioff (@Benioff) June 1, 2017 Microsoft believes that climate change is an urgent issue that demands global action, President Brad Smith posted on LinkedIn. Weve sent letters to and held meetings on this topic with senior officials in the State Department and the White House. Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this week urged President Trump to keep the U.S. in the agreement, he told employees in an email. Climate change is real, Cook said. Although disappointed with the pullout, he pledged to continue the companys environmental push. Why Trump Withdrew From the Paris Agreement Compliance with the terms of the agreement could cost America as much as 2.7 million lost jobs by 2025, including 440,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, President Trump said, citing a study by National Economic Research Associates. By 2040, compliance would cut production for various sectors, costing close to US$3 trillion in lost GDP and 6.5 million industrial jobs, Trump said, based on the studys findings. Other studies, carried out not only by environmental organizations, but also by Citibank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, have concluded that failure to curb climate change could cost the U.S. economy trillions of dollars, according to a New York Times news analysis. The Paris Agreement could legitimately be branded as an economic accord, given the potential financial impact on the countries that agreed to it, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. However, given the impact on climate is both disputed and indirect, it likely would have been more accurate to call this an accord thats more directly focused on pollution, because the core measurements were tied to that, he told TechNewsWorld. The Paris Agreement was more of a political vehicle and one that was long on promise but very short on actual content, Enderle said, adding that it lacks teeth to ensure compliance. It appears that Trumps decision this week has triggered a process that will continue into 2020, likely ensuring that climate change will be a significant issue during the next presidential election. Seeking a Brave New World The Trump administration will begin negotiations either to re-enter the Paris Agreement or to create a new one on terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its people, its taxpayers, the president said. However, France, Germany and Italy said in a joint statement that the Paris Agreement cannot be renegotiated. Overpopulation and the environment are issues that must be addressed now, said Jim McGregor, principal at Tirias Research. If theres something awry with the current agreements, we need to address those issues, either with modifications to the agreement or a new one not just walk away, he told TechNewsWorld. The U.S. should be the leader, not the anchor holding us back by not signing the accords, McGregor added. What High-Tech Companies Can Do Any number of companies are acting consciously to improve their environmental impact, noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. For example, Dell EMC has a variety of initiatives, he told TechNewsWorld, including using recycled materials in their packaging and an initiative to recycle plastics floating in the ocean. Still, many tech companies talk the talk but dont walk the walk when it comes to the environment, Tirias McGregor pointed out. The fact that both supporters and opponents of environmental issues know much of what theyre saying isnt true, makes positive change almost impossible to accomplish, Enderle said. The tech industry is all about data and accuracy, he remarked, and it could use these tools to cut through the dishonesty and help those that truly want to make change. Health officials confirmed that Santa Fe County in New Mexico has two additional cases of the human plague. This year's first confirmed case of the plague in New Mexico was also recorded this month and involved a 63-year-old man. On June 26, the New Mexico Department of Health revealed that a 52-year-old woman and a 62-year-old woman also recently contracted the disease. The three patients, who are residents of Santa Fe County, were hospitalized, but there are no fatalities. Health officials now conduct investigations around the homes of the patients to make sure that there is no additional risk to the people who live nearby. How The Plague Is Transmitted The disease is typically transmitted to humans when they are bitten by infected fleas. The disease can also be contracted through handling of rabbits and rodents such a prairie dogs and squirrels that are infected by the causative pathogen, the Yersinia pestis bacteria. Inhaling droplets from the cough of an infected person or mammal, particularly sick cats, can also lead to the plague. Symptoms To Watch Out For The plague is considered a serious illness, but health officials said that it can be treated if the symptoms are recognized at an early time. The symptoms of human plague include sudden onset of fever, headache, chills, and weakness. In most cases, patients suffer from a painful swelling of the lymph node in the armpit, groin, or neck areas. In pets such as cats and dogs, the symptoms of the plague include fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Swelling in the lymph node under the jaw can also occur. Treatment The plague can be treated with the appropriate antibiotics with prompt diagnosis. Fatality rates are reduced with early treatment. "Plague is infamous for killing millions of people in Europe during the Middle Ages. Today, modern antibiotics are effective in treating plague. Without prompt treatment, the disease can cause serious illness or death," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. Avoiding The Plague To avoid the plague, health experts urge the public to observe several precautions, which include cleaning up areas in the home where rodents may live such as brush piles, woodpiles, and abandoned vehicles; using flea control product on pets; placing hay, wood, and compost piles as far away from the home as possible; and not leaving the food and water of the pets in areas where mice can access. Doctors also recommend promptly taking sick animals to the veterinarian and to see a doctor about any unexplained illness that involve sudden and high fever. Health experts also provided suggestions on how to deal with pets that may potentially bring home the illness. "Pets that are allowed to roam and hunt can bring infected fleas from dead rodents back into the home, putting you and your children at risk," said Paul Ettestad, public health veterinarian for the Department of Health. "Keeping your pets at home or on a leash and using an appropriate flea control product is important to protect you and your family." 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We are convinced that the path for Venezuela is dialogue, the suspension of all illegal sanctions and respect for the Constitution, Rodriguez said. | Read More In Retired Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Nelson's IR article on June 6 he stated Homo sapiens are threatening the continued existence of their only nest indicating how human activity is causing climate change. On the same page journalist Robert J. Samuelson referring to global warming says, growing concentrations of CO2 and other green house gases in the atmosphere are the culprits. Two hundred world environmental organizations agree as do hundreds of US climatologists and climate scientists. Senator Daines, however, does not accept or believe that science. His office told me the Senator thinks climate change is occurring, but human activity has nothing to do with it. I was stunned to hear that in light of the overwhelming scientific evidence. But that is President Trump's position as well. He says global warming is a hoax. On another occasion I was told that Sen. Daines does not like to distance himself from President Trump. So, perhaps Sen. Daines' position is based on politics rather than scientific facts. If President Trump would change his position as he often does Sen. Daines might as well. The Senator's position does, however, allow him not to be concerned about helping coal workers develop new skills and training for retooling to work in the renewable energy industry or elsewhere. President Trump will affect the world for a few years. Global warming will affect the world for many centuries. The best thing for Montanans (and the world) would be for Sen. Daines to acknowledge the large body of climate evidence and look to the long-term future. Politicians have trouble doing that. It is always about the next election. Al Beaver Clancy ITV has greenlit a new adaptation of William Makepeace Thackerays, Vanity Fair, which is being made with Amazon Studios. The seven part series is written by Gwyneth Hughes (Dark Angel, The Girl, Miss Austen Regrets) and produced by Mammoth Screen. Olivia Cooke the 23 year old Oldham-born actress and star of Steven Spielbergs forthcoming film Ready Player One plays Thackerays heroine Becky Sharp. Vanity Fair will be produced by Julia Stannard (War & Peace, The Great Train Robbery, United) with James Strong (Liar, Broadchurch, United) directing. Mammoth Screens Managing Director Damien Timmer executive produces the series with Gwyneth Hughes, James Strong and Tom Mullens (Endeavour, Fearless, Poldark). Vanity Fair will be filmed on location in and around London, with additional shooting in Budapest, from September 2017. ITV Studios GE will be responsible for international distribution of the series. Andrew Davies previously adapted the novel for the BBC, which broadcast the series in 1998 with Natasha Little playing Becky Sharp. The BBC also aired versions of the period drama in 1956 and 1967, as well as a daytime version in 1987. Gwyneth Hughes adaptation of Thackerays literary classic is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and follows Becky Sharp as she attempts to claw her way out of poverty and scale the heights of English Society. ITV head of drama Polly Hill said: Vanity Fair feels like the perfect classic to adapt for ITV, and Gwyneth Hughes stunning scripts bring the novel to life in a way that will really connect with a modern audience. Commented Damien Timmer: Were so proud to be working with ITV and Amazon on this most glorious of stories the combination of Olivia Cooke, Gwyneth Hughes and Thackeray will be an irresistible one, and we look forward to watching Becky Sharp conquer the 21st century! Share this story SPRINGFIELD House Democrats are advancing legislation this week designed to get a budget deal by appeasing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on the tangential issues he's demanded. But a spending plan that has been absent in Illinois for two years appears doomed in advance of Saturday's start of another fiscal year. That's because House Speaker Michael Madigan is making his own nonbudget demands. The Chicago Democrat wants Rauner to sign an education funding overhaul, OK insurance-rate regulation in workers' compensation and more. That's unlikely. Madigan said, "That's his decision, not my decision." Madigan planned floor votes Wednesday on issues tangential to the budget that Republican Rauner has insisted upon for two years. They include cost-cutting changes to workers' compensation, government consolidation and a property tax freeze. The trial of a 20-year-old man accused in the May 2016 robbery and slaying of East Feliciana Parish School Board member Broderick Brooks in north Baton Rouge has been pushed back to August. Jacquez Tremaine Griffin, of Baton Rouge, was scheduled to be tried this week on a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Brooks, but state District Judge Lou Daniel granted a defense motion to continue the trial. +2 Baton Rouge man indicted in slaying of East Feliciana Parish School Board member A 19-year-old man who was out on bail on a 2015 armed robbery charge when he allegedly shot Griffin's new trial date is Aug. 7. A second-degree murder conviction would carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Authorities have said Griffin confessed to the shooting after investigators searched his Chippewa Street home and discovered the gun, a .40-caliber handgun, believed used to kill Brooks. "We are doing a self-defense defense," Griffin's attorney, Jason Hessick, said Wednesday. "We're geared up and ready to go." Brooks was found dead behind the wheel of his Nissan Altima in front of a home in the 3200 block of Wenonah Street shortly after 3:30 a.m. on May 23, 2016. Police have said the car's engine was still running. Griffin told detectives he shot Brooks and entered his car after doing so, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Griffin is suspected of robbing Brooks, whose wallet and cellphone were missing from the crime scene. Several .40-caliber shell casings were found near Brooks' car, and the glove compartment to his car was open with the contents strewn on the front passenger seat and on the ground outside the passenger door, the affidavit states. Pieces of a gun magazine also were found on the ground, and police later located a loaded .40-caliber handgun with a damaged magazine hidden within the lining of a suitcase in Griffin's bedroom, the affidavit says. Brooks was shot multiple times in the chest and upper extremities, an autopsy revealed. He had served on the East Feliciana school board for 5 1/2 years and was in his second term. At the time of the killing, Griffin was out on bail after being accused of armed robbery with a firearm and resisting arrest in an April 2015 incident in which the victim identified Griffin as one of the people who robbed him of his bicycle at gunpoint, according to an arrest document. DECATUR Construction on the Radfords Run Wind Farm project in northwestern Macon County will continue after a Macon County judge denied a motion to grant summary judgment for three dozen landowners suing to halt the project. Macon County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Little made the decision late Tuesday afternoon after about three hours of oral arguments at the Macon County Courts Facility from attorneys representing the landowners, Macon County and E.ON, the company that will operate the wind farm. Little did not go into details for his decision, telling the attorneys that there were still factual questions that needed to be resolved. The decision does not mean the end of the yearlong legal battle, but the landowners in attendance had hoped a ruling in their favor Tuesday would have put a stop to the ongoing construction of the wind farm north of Warrensburg and west of Maroa. Im highly disappointed today, said Bob Stiner, who along with his wife were among nine landowners present during the hearing. Tuesdays hearing was focused specifically on the landowners claims that Macon County did not follow procedural due process when it came to notifying landowners near the project, nor making available the application for the wind farm in a timely manner. The attorney for the landowners, Rockford-based Richard Porter, argued for more than 100 minutes straight as to why Little should rule in his clients favor. The only two times he stopped was when Little suggested that Porter slow down for the stenographer. Porter reiterated many of the arguments that have been made since the lawsuit was first filed in December 2015, but he particularly focused on how the county handled notices ahead of a public hearing held in Aug. 2015. Porter argued that the county failed to properly provide statutory notices to those in the "footprint" or on adjacent land to the project, as well as a failure to send mailed notice to those who owned land adjacent to turbines. He also took issue with how several of his clients were denied access to the application for the wind farm until after the public hearing on Aug. 11, 2015. Such a move prevented the landowners from preparing educated questions for the hearing, Porter said, as well as hindered their ability to consult with their own experts on the impact wind turbines could have on their property or personal well-being. I cannot fathom that any appellate court could determine that (my clients) were allowed procedural due process, Porter said. It defies logic. Attorneys representing both Radford's Run Wind Farm, a subsidiary of E.ON, the American unit of Germanys largest utility company, and Macon County said that landowners had the chance to acquire legal representation before the Aug. 11 meeting, citing a deposition with a landowner that showed several of them had discussed acquiring legal representation a week before the hearing. Attorneys also argued the meeting allowed anyone to directly question representatives from E.ON and Macon County on the wind farm project. Attorneys for the defense also said that notices were done in a legal matter, and efforts were made to contact all necessary individuals. Contacting those having an interest should mean an ownership interest, not just an interest in the project, said Joseph Kincaid, a Chicago-based attorney representing non-Macon County defendants. While Porter and the landowners expressed their disappointment with Littles ruling, those for the defense saw Tuesday as the correct ruling. (Little) accurately stated what the law is, said William Kurnik, an Rosemont-based attorney representing Macon County. The decision was not a surprise. For E.ON, the decision was a chance to put the focus back on the wind farm project and officials once again touted benefits for the Central Illinois area. Were pleased were moving forward on his, said Greg Elko, E.ONs senior development manager. Were giving millions of dollars to school districts and the local community through this project. Construction on the 139 turbines of Radford's Run Wind Farm started earlier this month, with plans to finish the turbines and have them operational by the end of the year. Over the course of three decades, Maroa-Forsyth School District would receive an additional $17.1 million in property taxes, according to a study submitted as part of the wind farm application. However, it would also lose millions in state aid during that time, so overall gain for the district would be just $4.4 million. Similarly, Warrensburg-Latham School District would receive $14.6 million more in property taxes but a net revenue gain of just $4.1 million, the study said. Clinton and Mount Pulaski school districts would receive $305,000 and $440,000 in net revenue, respectively. Once operational, the wind farm is expected to create 10 full-time service jobs. But there is more at stake though than just some monetary gain. With eight turbines within one mile of his property, Stiner said he is concerned with the negative health effects wind turbines can have for him and his neighbors, such as headaches as a result of shadow flickers. After meeting for about 15 minutes after the hearing, the landowners and Porter said the case is not over for them. Were going to keep fighting this, Porter said. CHAMPAIGN FBI finds car in missing scholar case The FBI says it has located the car that a missing Chinese scholar studying at the University of Illinois was last seen getting into earlier this month. The FBI said in a Tuesday statement that it's received "numerous leads" regarding the black Saturn Astra and won't need any further information on the vehicle. Authorities also said they've developed "several additional leads" in the investigation. FBI spokesman Brad Ware declined to give further details. Twenty-six-year-old Yingying Zhang's disappearance has been labeled a kidnapping but police haven't ruled out other scenarios. Surveillance video on June 9 showed her getting into the vehicle. Local police and the FBI say Zhang's case is top priority. CHICAGO Talks on unpaid bills at impasse Attorneys in a lawsuit over $2 billion in unpaid Medicaid bills say court-ordered talks to resolve the issue haven't made progress and they're asking a judge to order Illinois to start paying $1 billion a month as it heads into a third year without a budget. The request in a Tuesday filing in Chicago federal court comes three weeks after Judge Joan Lefkow ruled Illinois isn't in compliance with previous orders to pay health care bills. She also told the sides to work out a deal on a level of payment ensuring critical medical care for the most vulnerable. But Tuesday's filing says "the parties are at an impasse." It also says the $1 billion should be manageable because of some federal reimbursements. There's a hearing in the case today. NEW LENOX State OKs new psychiatric hospital The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board has approved plans for a 100-bed psychiatric hospital to address a substance abuse crisis in two of the state's counties. The $24.3 million facility will be located in New Lenox, approximately 36 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Silver Cross Hospital has partnered with US HealthVest, a behavioral health care firm, to build and operate the two-story facility, The Chicago Tribune reported. "While Silver Cross Hospital has had a 20-bed adult mental health unit for many years, we recognize that it is too small and because of that we cannot provide specialized services by patient condition," said Paul Pawlak, president and CEO of Silver Cross Hospital. Pawlak said the partnership will allow for more inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance abuse services. Will and Grundy counties currently have no inpatient units for those with chemical dependencies or veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Canberra IT infrastructure that failed to update after WannaCry could be vulnerable to the latest global cyber attack, an internet security expert has warned. The ransomware is affecting computer infrastructure globally, from Russia to the United States. The ransomware virus has hit networks across the globe, from the Ukraine to Washington DC. Qantas was experiencing issues with its booking platform, Amadeus, on Wednesday but said it was unrelated to the ransomware attack. "The intermittent outages experienced by customers are due to a hardware issue and are unrelated to the ransomeware attack that has impacted other companies," a Qantas statement read. He'll hate us for saying so, but Geoff Pryor is one of Canberra's - and the nation's - living treasures. He is an icon of The Canberra Times - drawing cartoons for the newspaper for 30 years until his retirement in 2008. Former cartoonist for The Canberra Times, Geoff Pryor, with one of the cartoons now stored at the National Library of Australia, where he has just finished cataloging the work. Credit:Rohan Thomson Keen to see his cartoons preserved, Pryor donated 5000 of the originals to the National Library of Australia. Each of the original drawings is now in the library - that storehouse of national identity - and digitised for anyone to access, through Trove. ACT voters face being split between new electorates covering the city's north, south and central region, as experts predict a new third federal seat will cover Gungahlin and Belconnen. The release of population data the the 2016 census results this week made a third Canberra electorate in time for the next federal election likely, as the Parliamentary Library forecast the House of Representatives growing to 151 members. Canberra's population could pass Tasmania within 20 years. Credit:Carol Elvin Changes in the required quotas are expected to see Victoria gain a new seat, with South Australia losing one. Data prepared by the ACT government suggests the territory will overtake Tasmania's population sometime between 2029 and 2035, with Canberra's current 11.2 per cent growth rate suggesting there will be more than 200,000 new residents within 20 years. Tasmania would have to main its 2.9 per cent growth. The US will push increased security on the electronics of US-bound passengers at overseas airports in place of a blanket ban on passengers carrying their laptops into the aircraft cabin. "We are not standing on the sidelines as fanatics hatch new plots,"Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said in a speech to the Center for a New American Security in Washington. The move is a reaction to intelligence indicating that terrorists were working to hide explosives in electronic devices, and follows months of discussions over extending a ban on laptops. If the strict screening requested by the US isn't adopted, a ban on electronics in the cabin -- or even a suspension of flights to the US -- could be imposed, Kelly said. In March DHS announced that passengers flying to the US from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa couldn't carry electronic devices larger than mobile phones into the cabin. Devices could be stored in checked bags, which are more thoroughly screened for explosives. Macquarie has announced an internal investigation into the advice it gave clients who invested in Cleveland Mining Group, following revelations by Fairfax Media the stock had been artificially inflated by two former executives. Former Macquarie advisers Stefan Whiting and Michael Rosenbaum. The investment bank known as the "millionaires factory" also moved to assure clients they would be compensated if its investment advisers were found to be responsible for any losses. "If our review determines that you were adversely affected because of our conduct, we will compensate for your loss," said Bill Marynissen, the bank's head of wealth management, in a letter sent on Tuesday. It's not Trump, it's America. That's the view of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, when asked whether Donald Trump deserves credit for surging stock prices after he won the presidential election in November. "If I ever get elected president, I will never claim credit for anything the market does," Buffett said in an interview that aired late Monday on PBS NewsHour. "Because I don't want to be blamed when it goes the other direction." Buffett, who built his investment firm Berkshire Hathaway into one of the world's largest companies, has long sought to separate politics from investing. The death of Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann, a heart surgeon and father of two, from injuries inflicted in an attack at Box Hill Hospital four weeks ago is a tragedy, and The Age extends its condolences to his grieving family, friends and colleagues. The 41-year-old had been in intensive care since being allegedly punched in the head by a man, now under investigation by homicide detectives, during an altercation in the foyer of the public hospital, believed to have been triggered when the surgeon requested that cigarettes not be smoked so close to the exits. Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann's death is not only a tragedy, it is a travesty. People at the front line treating people's injuries are not supposed to have their lives threatened in the workplace. The community, through its lawmakers, has a responsibility to protect those who protect the community. Victoria's Health Minister, Jill Hennessy, says the government "obviously" needs to do more to improve security. But she declines to detail how this might happen. She says the government is working with health industry experts and that changes will be fast-tracked. Maurice Cauchi, Brunswick Forget the spelling, they were real Aussies I taught adult literacy for many years. Most of our students were dinky-di Aussies who had missed proper schooling. They were often baffled when they discovered that "nuffink", for instance, was spelt "nothing", and that "Strya" was spelt "Australia". They would demand, agonisingly: "Why so many letters?" Why, indeed? Yet, they were productive and loyal citizens. Rose Marie Crowe, Ormond THE FORUM Our diverse people I work as a tour guide and constantly have tourists sidle up to me to ask: "Aren't you worried about the Asians?'. So I launch into my spiel about Australia being part of the New World, like the United States, and how it has grown great through the labour of migrants. Look around, all that you admire has been built by migrants. Just 3per cent of our population is Indigenous; the remaining 97per cent are migrants, or their forebears were. Your editorial (The Age, 28/6) and other articles on the census will inform more of my spiel from today. Thank you for your clarity. (As an aside, the most commented on aspect of Melbourne/Victoria/Australia is its cleanliness). Rosemary Cameron, Glen Iris Putting delivery first I hope Australia Post's new boss Christine Holgate (BusinessDay, 28/6) remembers its core business: delivering letters. Let me share the tale of four postcards, all with the correct airmail stamps and all posted at the same time in Morocco in April. One to Hong Kong was delivered 13days later. One to New Zealand arrived 20days later. Two were mailed to Melbourne; one arrived 25days later, while the other was not delivered until six weeks after it was posted. Ms Holgate, the challenge is yours. Julie Moffat, Hong Kong Letters and a Coke? Christine Holgate's appointment to Australia Post could yield some interesting revenue innovations. As I recall, she was rightly lambasted for the "Coke and fries" idea a partnership between the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Blackmores which would have seen some pharmacists pushing the sale of unnecessary Blackmores' vitamins when they filled prescriptions. Peter King, Gisborne The Donald's win-win The motivation behind the White House's "unusual statement" to Syria on chemical weapons use (World, 28/6) is not uncertain. Donald Trump needs to deflect the attention from himself over the Russian investigations. By attacking Syria and, ultimately, Russia, it will quash the notion he had amicable relations with the latter and war, historically, increases the popularity of the government. It is a Trump trifecta. Jane Laver, St Kilda Seize the moment, PM It is rather ironic that the Coalition is going to tear itself apart and into opposition on an issue that the majority of its members and the public agree on. Marriage equality is one issue on which the Prime Minister can stare down Tony Abbott and win significant support from all sides of politics. If he does not, he deserves to have no legacy and simply be a byline. Nick Edwards, South Yarra Our right to marry So, 12years have passed since I proposed to my female partner of 16years. In that time we have bought a house and had two children. A kind of a typical family, according to the recent census. Oh, that's right, every day in those 12 years I remember my kind of family is not really accepted. So we are not really your typical family. We have to tolerate unequal rights and the pain that this causes. It is becoming harder to believe that the Australian government will just do the right thing. We do not deserve the pain of a plebiscite or referendum because, believe me, having the public make decisions about our life feels awful. Like John Howard, Malcolm Turnbull could change the Marriage Act in two hours. Ange Mackie, Coburg Fair's fair for players I am pleased the AFL will appeal its own tribunal's decision to give Bachar Houli a discounted two-match ban because of his impeccable character for the strike that knocked out Carlton's Jed Lamb (The Age, 28/6). If the tribunal believes that players should have their penalties reduced if they are a fine character off the field, then it follows it should increase players' penalties if their character off the field is poor. David Charles, Newtown No excuses, Tony.. Tony Abbott seems to be, literally, doing unto Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party what they did unto him. There must be another teaching which counters that one, when your behaviour is obnoxious and destructive, and regardless of what you have endured. John Hawker, Kew ...it's time for you to go Tony Abbott, you may not be ready to leave politics, but be assured, many Liberal voters are more than ready for you to go. Find a hobby or a volunteer position to fill in your time, as many retirees do. Just think, you might learn how to withdraw knives from backs. Meg Biggs, Hawthorn The central approach They did it in France rejected the old "major" parties and created a new centre party which does not hold out to the left or right. Let's get rid of these squabbling politicians and elect new ones from the sensible centre who can represent the majority of Australians. Brian Jones, Bentleigh East Village life is good I would like to reassure my worried friends that I am happy at my Aveo village. I have had my contract and service agreement checked out by lawyers on several occasions, and I am fully aware of the conditions under which I have entered this village. While I am not completely happy about my independent retirement village transitioning to a home community care village, I know this is the way the retirement sector is heading. I am a freeholder who is very happy to accept Aveo's recent changes to the terms of my agreement. While I have agreed to sell back to Aveo upon departure, the terms of this buyback are favourable to me and I retain my freehold until I wish to sell. Jan Constable, Hampton Devil is in the detail My mother bought into an Aveo-owned retirement village about three years ago. We researched the financial arrangements carefully before signing any contract. The lifestyle does not come cheap, but when managed well, villages provide services, support, security and sense of community that many older people seek. I feel sorry for those who have discovered the devil in the details of their contracts and found themselves in unfortunate, even dire, circumstances. Perhaps legal advisers should accept some of the blame. Buying into a retirement village is not straightforward conveyancing. It requires special care to ensure that, as much as possible, people understand what they are buying. Despite our vigilance, we were not aware of the inheritance issues outlined in the Fairfax/Four Corners investigation. Thank you for drawing attention to this and other important issues so that appropriate action can be considered at government level. Lynda Graf, Mount Eliza Much talk, little action For more than 20years, Victorian governments have hopped into bed with developers and owners of retirement villages as an easy, short-term way to boost jobs and economic activity. Consumer Affairs Victoria has run numerous consultations about retirement villages. However, in my experience, these have been dominated by lawyers and accountants working for developers and owners of large villages, rather than the residents. The Retirement Villages Act was meant to protect residents. It has never done this and needs to be rewritten. VCAT was meant to be a people's court but has been captured by lawyers. State governments and Consumer Affairs Victoria have known of the substantial problems in the retirement village industry and have done nothing. Who will speak up for elderly Victorians who are being defrauded and have no accessible justice system? Steve Hyndes, Pascoe Vale Tap, go and steal Banks are sending activated "tap and go" debit and credit cards in the mail. They are regularly being stolen from mail boxes. The first you know about it is a call from your bank to ask if your new card has been used. When you say you have not received it, the bank says it will put a stop to it. You are sent forms to scan, fill in and send back, and asked to visit the police. You wait until you are issued a new card and the bank decides if it will refund the lost cash. When you ask why such cards are mailed, the bank does not respond. The police tell you of the rising incidence of this crime, and suggest you put a lock on your mailbox and request a card without a "tap and go" facility. Can we hear from the banks, please. Martyn Brown, Northcote The forgotten viewers Vision, hearing and brain deteriorate with age, but television producers have little regard for this. Most movies in foreign languages have subtexts in small, white letters which disappear before an old person has time to read them. Big, yellow letters that stay longer are needed. The reading of the news have, in most cases, no simultaneous written summary, which would help an old person who has difficulty following speech at normal speed. My observations are well founded since I am 95. Goran Hammarstrom, emeritus professor of linguistics, Monash University AND ANOTHER THING I'm a Carlton supporter and I have reason to believe Bachar Houli is a good person. But two weeks is a joke. Richard Rawson, Mount Waverley Politics For the first time in my life, I'm on the same side as Christopher Pyne. Mick O'Mara, Winchelsea I'm waiting for Pauline to tell us we're in danger of being swamped by Catholics. Julie Carrick, Leopold The Great Barrier Reef worth $56billion? I estimate its value aspriceless. Simon Hauser, Northcote Tony Abbott the coal Luddite. Bill Burns, Bendigo All aboard the "Abbott express": back to the 1950s and pulled by a coal-fired steam engine. Jacki Burgess, Port Melbourne Abbott's latest rants, with their air of desperation, must mean Malcolm is making progress. Molly Hanrahan, Maldon Abbott has graduated from three-word slogans to four-word slogans. Ian Thomas, Armadale The US knows about a Syrian government chemical weapons attack before Syria knows. Shane McCartin, Fitzroy North Furthermore Page one: 15.7million born in Australia, 6.2million born overseas, population 23.4million. Were the other 1.5million people born on Mars? Sally Atherton, Ringwood It's official. A female is now in charge of the "male". Gerry Lonergan, Reservoir The biggest fool is he who thinks he can fool the old fool. Phillip Corbett, Yarra Junction Attorney-General George Brandis has cleared the decks of the troublesome Administrative Appeals Tribunal, making more than 60 appointments including several people with Liberal Party links. In recent months the tribunal has been publicly lambasted by senior government ministers, who have questioned the appropriateness of its decisions, particularly on immigration and visa matters. Attorney-General George Brandis says Dr Gillespie has no constitutional concerns. Credit:Andrew Meares The job of the independent tribunal is to review administrative decisions, usually made by government departments, on their merits. Senator Brandis, who made the announcement while in Canada for a cyber-security forum with Five Eyes allies, said more than half of the appointments were members whose terms were renewed. Senator Lee Rhiannon has been suspended from taking part in any contentious decisions in the Greens party room until her NSW wing reforms. After a four-hour disciplinary meeting in Melbourne on Wednesday, Greens MPs resolved Senator Rhiannon would be "excluded from party room discussions and decisions on contentious government legislation" including within her portfolio responsibilities. The suspension will remain in place until the NSW Greens "end the practice of NSW MPs being bound to vote against the decision of the Australian Greens party room". A sacked former Northern Territory prisons minister claimed Aboriginal children continued to be victims of genital mutilation and were forced into underage marriages but he was powerless to stop the abuse because of cabinet solidarity. John Elferink said, while he believed the "cultural practices" constituted child abuse, he could not complain because his Country Liberal Party cabinet had a policy of accommodating cultural rights. Former Northern Territory corrections minister John Elferink alleges widespread sexual abuses among Aboriginal communities when asked about his government's child protection polices. He said he could not break cabinet solidarity. "Essentially, I was hamstrung," he told the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory on Wednesday. "I had so many things to achieve in so many other portfolios, I had to compromise. In December last year, police received a panicked report from a person in fear of their life after being stood over by bikies. On the surface, the information was not all that unusual. Bikies often used muscle and fear to extort money from others. But further digging revealed this victim was the way in to crushing a transnational, multimillion-dollar organised crime ring. In a series of 27 simultaneous raids on Wednesday morning, more than 250 police officers banged down the doors of bikie associates, Asian crime figures and seemingly upstanding businessmen as the investigation into large-scale ice supply came to a head. A Gold Coast man came back from the shops to find his wife, sister-in-law and mother-in-law dead in what police believe was a pact to take their own lives. The woman have been named by media outlets as Margaret Cummins, 78, and her daughters Wynette and Heather, both aged in their 50s. The women's bodies were found at their luxury residential estate of Ephraim Island at Paradise Point on Tuesday afternoon. Credit:SEVEN NEWS The husband of one of the younger women found their bodies after he returned to their luxury residential estate of Ephraim Island at Paradise Point on Tuesday afternoon. "It is what appears to be an apparent suicide pact," Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Procter told News Corp Australia. She returned to Australia with a gaping wound that refused to heal. The 75-year-old Whittlesea resident was in Zambia last September helping orphans when she fell into a hole and sliced open her ankle. Two years ago, a serious cut to Sandra Hocking's ankle would have been treated with modern antibiotics. Today, she faces losing her leg. Sandra Hocking contracted a superbug after she fell in a hole in Zambia and cut her ankle. Credit:Wayne Taylor Ms Hocking was horrified when doctors told her in April that she had contracted a deadly antibiotic-resistant superbug, and there was no medication available to treat it. In what her doctors believe is one of the worst cases of a superbug infection ever seen in Australia, she now faces the prospect of having her leg amputated. "It's a total bastard of an organism in that it's one of the most resistant," Ms Hocking's doctor, Lindsay Grayson, said. "It's one of the worst cases I've seen." Just two years ago the bug, called pseudomonas, was treated with modern antibiotics. But it has since become resistant to them all. Victoria's new public health watchdog will investigate allegations that two doctors assisted a Victorian specialist during pelvic mesh device surgery on women without a major Melbourne public hospital's knowledge. Victorian health minister Jill Hennessy has directed Safer Care Victoria to prioritise an investigation into surgery on women at the Northern Hospital in 2009, 2010 and 2013, after evidence that two doctors assisted a Northern Hospital gynaecologist without the hospital's knowledge or approval. A selection of pelvic mesh devices cleared for release in Australia and overseas for use in women. Fairfax Media has previously reported that pelvic mesh devices, which were developed in Australia from the 1980s and 1990s to treat urinary incontinence and other pelvic issues, are at the centre of a global medical scandal that includes regulatory failure and allegations of research fraud and experimental surgery on women in multiple countries. The new Victorian investigation will try to discover how a research paper by Northern Hospital gynaecologist Dr Max Haverfield about the mesh device the Australian-invented and manufactured Tissue Fixation System (TFS) was published in 2015 saying a trial involving 40 women had "Northern Hospital/Northern Health ethics committee" approval, after the hospital said it had no record of the trial or ethics committee approval. The wage gap between people in Perth's richest and poorest suburbs continues to grow as more households are being pushed to the limit with their mortgage and rental repayments, new Census data released on Tuesday revealed. Residents in the electorate of Cottesloe, including the suburbs of Claremont, Mosman Park and North Fremantle, earned the biggest salaries, with a median weekly individual income of $1012 reported in 2016 compared to the state average of $724. The gap between Perth's richest and poorest suburbs is growing, new Census data revealed. Credit:Louie Douvis The wage was nearly twice that of the lowest median income of $550, recorded in the electorate of Mirrabooka, which includes the suburbs such as Alexander Heights, Balga, Mirrabooka, Dianella and Westminster. Compared to 2011 statistics, the data showed while most electorates' median income had increased, the gap between the rich and the poor had widened by an extra $65 a week. A manager at a roofing company has been fined $7500 plus costs of $517 after a labourer suffered multiple fractures in a five-metre fall through a skylight in Perth. Charles Roy Farmer was the operations manager for Deslin, trading as Roofing 2000, and was supervising roof refurbishment on a 40-year-old building in Bicton in September 2015. The roof labourer was standing on a loose insulation roll next to the edge of a skylight and was unaware of it when he took a step back and fell to the concrete floor. Credit:James Davies Farmer noted several fragile skylights but did not ensure workers used a fall injury prevention system. The roof labourer was standing on a loose insulation roll next to the edge of a skylight and was unaware of it when he took a step back and fell to the concrete floor, suffering multiple fractures and other injuries. Lets be honest with one other here: Decatur has a litter problem. Regrettably, it does. Look around. Refuse in Central Park. A glass bottle and wrappers bobbing near the Sportsmans Park dock. Boxes dumped along roadways. The beautiful Lake Decatur scenery tarnished by trash. In corner lots and main thoroughfares, the debris visually melts in the background over time so common its all so easy to overlook. But its there and its an issue we should worry about. In March 1982, social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling wrote a landmark piece in The Atlantic Monthly called Broken Windows. It focused on the theory that if small problems are left to persist public drinking, vandalism, graffiti a tacit signal is sent that a neighborhood is in disorder and therefore no one cares what happens there. In other words, an environment is created where bigger problems can latch on. The theory, a favorite in the 1990s of New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, is not without flaws, but it does raise an interesting question: What if solving quality-of-life crimes was seen as a central piece in the puzzle to make an area safe, livable and thriving? In the case of Decaturs litter, were not calling for a shift in law enforcement practices. But we are calling for a shift in attitude. Decatur and neighborhood groups that organize clean-up days (and which deserve tremendous credit) shouldnt be the only ones fixing this problem. Anyone who lives or works in this community should take a stake in making sure were litter-free. Not just less litter. Totally free of litter. How? By setting an example for those around you. If you see litter, pick it up. Make sure your trash can has a snug lid. If theres a lot used for dumping, call the city. Report litterbugs. Every little bit helps. Yes, there are bigger topics in this world. But consider: Nationwide, an estimated $11.5 billion is spent on litter clean-up costs each year. And all those cigarette butts, plastic bags and other debris add up to a big quality of life issue, one that hurts our image and self-esteem not to mention our natural resources. If were going to focus on community improvement, we need to start talking trash. Its all of our responsibility. Were better than what were allowing. A California rescue crew pulled a 25-year-old swimmer from roaring white waters, where he was clinging to a rock near a 15-metre waterfall, according to California Highway Patrol. Authorities said Kalani Tuiono, of Reno, Nevada, was swimming Saturday in Emerald Pools, a popular spot along the Yuba River in northern California, when he was swept up and carried about 1.6 kilometres downstream. "He went over small falls, rocks, was submerged several times, and was able to find the lone rock in the middle of the river before the 40-50 foot drop," according to a statement from California Highway Patrol. Dramatic video shows Tuiono "sitting just feet from sure death" atop the rock, waving his arms for help, California Highway Patrol Sergeant Duncan Jensen told The Washington Post. Washington: The world doesn't have much regard for the president of the United States. That's the somewhat unsurprising take-away from a massive new Pew study polling attitudes toward the United States in 37 countries, from Canada to Russia to South Africa. But the degree to which the world dislikes President Donald Trump is, by some measures, rather remarkable. Below are four findings that stood out. The world distrusts Trump more than even Vladimir Putin Plenty of folks have pointed to the finding that Russia is one of the few countries that actually likes Trump - a 53 per cent majority there has confidence in Trump to do the right thing on the world stage - but another Putin-related finding is even more telling. Berlin: An apartment building in a north-western German city was evacuated on Tuesday because of fears that its exterior insulation was similar to materials that allowed the deadly fire that torched London's Grenfell Tower to spread. In addition to discovering of the sort of insulation material under scrutiny after the blaze in London, government officials also found the Wuppertal 11-storey block's escape routes were too close to the facade, making them useless in the event of a fire. "In principle, the building is a trap," said Jochen Braun, head of Wuppertal's construction and housing department. "After we saw what happened in London, we reassessed the situation." The evacuation came as cities across Europe examined fire safety, prompted by the incineration two weeks ago of the 24-storey tower in London. At least 79 people have been declared dead in that incident. EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict. Rome: The spotlight is on Cardinal George Pell's Secretariat for the Economy following the unexpected resignation of the Vatican's auditor-general, Libero Milone. Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, head of the Vatican's central bank APSA, resigned suddenly last week. Credit:Basicilico/Commons Milone who had an autonomous role in Pell's office, was appointed two years ago for a five-year term after an executive search to audit the city state's financial dealings. Pell was appointed in 2014 to establish the secretariat and untangle the Vatican finances. Only three months ago, Milone gave an enthusiastic interview with no suggestion that he might leave before the end of his term. Then he said he had at last acquired adequate knowledge of the complex network of 142 Vatican entities. He had a 12-member, all lay staff, half of whom are women. LL Beachwear Help fund TBW for as little as $3 Search This Blog Blog Archive Blog Archive November (5) October (17) September (9) August (6) July (8) June (5) May (2) April (7) March (10) February (5) January (7) December (12) November (12) October (16) September (20) August (29) July (18) June (12) May (4) April (14) March (21) February (27) January (56) December (27) November (43) October (43) September (48) August (39) July (37) June (27) May (12) April (41) March (49) February (89) January (106) December (72) November (67) October (21) September (28) August (29) July (45) June (56) May (27) April (28) March (32) February (36) January (45) December (37) November (53) October (45) September (40) August (63) July (54) June (46) May (51) April (54) March (64) February (62) January (94) December (71) November (75) October (87) September (84) August (72) July (82) June (71) May (69) April (103) March (126) February (108) January (80) December (72) November (57) October (3) September (54) August (74) July (107) June (66) In 2012, a Lutheran Church day care center in Columbia, Mo., decided it wanted to replace the pea gravel on its playground with a rubberized surface made from recycled tires. On Monday, that playground became the focus of what could be one of the U.S. Supreme Courts most far-reaching religious freedom rulings in decades. Or not. Perhaps the courts decision in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer might turn out to be just about a playground. It all depends, literally, on a footnote. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the 7-2 majority that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources had erred in disqualifying the churchs application for the state-funded playground program on church-state separation grounds. But included in his ruling was the potentially famous Footnote 3: This case involves express discrimination based on religious identity with respect to playground resurfacing. We do not address religious uses of funding or other forms of discrimination. But Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, who voted with the majority, werent buying the narrow playground only argument. Neither was Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who wrote a passionate dissent in which she was joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The potential for broadening what Roberts hoped would be a narrow decision is precisely what Sotomayor and Ginsburg were worried about. This case is about nothing less than the relationship between religious institutions and the civil government that is, between church and state, Sotomayor wrote in her dissent. The Court today profoundly changes that relationship by holding, for the first time, that the Constitution requires the government to provide public funds directly to a church. She is right to worry. School-choice and religious-liberty advocates, emboldened by President Donald Trumps appointment of Gorsuch, are eager to get a school vouchers case before the court. They argue that if a playground operated by a church day care is a purely secular amenity, so, too, is a church school. They are less eager to have churches whose schools receive public funds pay taxes to support public functions. Roberts thought the case was simple: The exclusion of Trinity Lutheran from a public benefit for which it is otherwise qualified, solely because it is a church, is odious to our Constitution. But to his right and his left were justices with bigger dreams and bigger fears. There are bigger tests ahead for what is odious to the Constitution. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Water, a liquid so vital for human sustenance and health. 60-70% of an adults organism is made of water. For a child, its 80%. Armenia is known as a country rich in water reserves, but what about the bottled water sold in stores large and small. Hetq sent samples of six bottled waters, four especially marketed for infants, to a lab for testing. Only two met current health standards. In addition, two of the samples contained an unacceptable amount of MAFAM (Mesophilic Aerobic and Facultative Anaerobic Microorganisms) and one in pseudomonas aerogynosa bacteria. Armenias health ministry advises that infants be solely fed breast milk for at least six months. Clean water can be given to children afterwards. If breast milk cannot be given, parents then turn to prepared foods that have to be mixed with water especially prepared for young children. A 2015-2016 report (Armenia: Demographic and Health Survey) found that 45% of children under the age of six are solely fed breast milk. The assumption is that the remaining 55% are fed some type of food prepared with water. The specially prepared water for children, sold in stores and pharmacies in Armenia, is usually more expensive than regular bottled water. Health standards, set by Armenian law and the Eurasian Economic Union EEU), for this water differ from that of regular water. Legislation in Armenia specifies that all types of specialized foodstuffs (childrens water and food are regarded as such) must be state registered. We were not able to find any EEU state registration for the four brands of childrens water we sampled and tested Sample N 1 The 0.5 liter Byuregh brand of childrens water we tested is produced by Jermouk Group. Testing showed that the water contained 0.15 mg / dm 3 more in aluminum that allowed. Percentages of magnesium, potassium and calcium were less than the specifies norm. Sample N 2 Noy Kids Water, produced by the RRR Mineral Water Plant, met all specified standards. Sample N 3 Makour Jour (Clean Water), produced by MGA Water LLV, while sold as regular water carries a UNICEF label and targets consumers with the line, Purchasing Makour Jour, youll be helping children. The implication being that part of the profits goes to UNICEF. Testing shows that Makour Jour is anything but clean. It contains 2.7 times more than the acceptable level of MAFAM at a temperature of 22 centigrade and 3.65 times more at 37 centigrade. The existence of MAFAM is a reliable indicator of a polluted water source or an unclean bottling environment. High MAFAM levels can also be the result of long storage life. This water failed to meet health standards. Sample N 4 Water from a one liter bottle of Baby Well water, produced by Ararat Group LLC, met all health standards. Sample N 5 Pure Water, a brand produced by the Medical Horizon company, marketed as Ideal water to mix with child milk powder and other dairy mixtures, failed to meet health standards. It should contain: * Nitrates 1.1 mg / dm 3 * Chlorides 3.0 mg / dm 3 * Sulphates 2,0 mg / mm 3 In particular, the percentage of boron is approximately 3 times higher than the norm, and magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium in this water are almost absent. The figures are lower than the norm, 5-80 times respectively. Moreover, the 3.0 mg / dL chloride noted on the label actually measures 4.2 mg / d3, and sulphates (magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium) are not less than the noterd2.0 mg / dm 3 but are absent altogether. This can be attributed to the fact that the water has been filtered too much, resulting in a water thats safe, but not necessarily containing the specified amounts of micro-organisms. Sample N 6 Water tested from the half liter bottle of Garni, produced by Rokarm LLC, showed an inadmissible quantity of MAFAM. At 22 C the percentage was 3 times the norm and at 37 C 7 times the norm. We selected Garni as infant water since the bottle has a nipple and could be used for infants. Moreover, only this sample tested for pseudomonas aerogynosa microbes that cause differential infections of the tissue. By penetrating into the body through water, they can cause acute intestinal infections (diarrhea, vomiting). This water does not meet the established standards and is dangerous even for adult use. Conclusions... Only two of the four children's water tested complied with the prescribed norms - Noy and Baby Well. In the other two, Byuregh and Makour Jour, there was a violation of the microorganism levels. While this is not dangerous for a childs health, it turns out that the micro-organisms claimed by the manufacturer are either totally absent or, in some cases, more than the norm. So why should consumers pay a premium for these "children's" waters if they do not meet established norms? See the complete record of the laboratory results (in Armenian) here: Recent Texas A&M graduate Ryan Monheim said the university's Formula SAE team is finally back on top after a few years of "rotten luck" and a decade since its last first-place finish at the Formula SAE collegiate design competition. Twenty-one students from the A&M team rode away from the annual competition in Lincoln, Nebraska, this weekend with several awards, including the best overall honors -- beating out more than 70 other university-affiliated groups. Monheim, who serves as project manager for the team, said the first-place honors are particularly rewarding not just because they break a decade-long gap since the team last received the recognition, but also because the design was envisioned and created in just nine months. "Almost all the other teams that compete against us build upon their cars each year," Monheim said. "In nine months, we go from nothing -- just a clean sheet of paper -- to competing with a car." Team members said Aggies have a history of bringing home the big trophy from the competition, with five first-place finishes since A&M began competing in the event in 1999. In addition to its high overall achievement, the team also received first place for the 13-mile endurance event, first place for fuel efficiency, second place for engineering design and third for the autocross speed event. Yuval Doron, a lecturer in mechanical engineering and adviser to the team, said while the overall prize is an accomplishment -- setting a record for most points scored along the way -- he is most proud of the team's second-place finish in the design segment. "As an adviser, the highest gratification is [the team's] performance in the design judging," Doron said. "It speaks to the students' engineering practices, how much they've delved into the physics, the pure science and the pure engineering. ... We define engineering as the art of solving problems, and for them to [receive second place in the event], it shows they've figured it out." Coleton Teplicek, a recent graduate who led the powertrain team, said the judging experience brought together more than 60 industry experts who quizzed and challenged team members not only on the specifications of their vehicles, but on the motivations and theories behind the choices as well. Teplicek said team members were heavily tested by the judges once they reached the final six competitors -- a shift that he described as taking the step from the undergraduate to graduate level. Incoming Texas A&M junior Michael Ilavia, one of five drivers on the team, said he is appreciative of the hard work put in by the seniors on the design team as well as the way the team handled pressure and adversity during the competition. Ilavia said he was honored to participate in the team's win after so much time and effort had been poured into the design, build and maintenance of the car. "The final car was amazing," Ilavia said. "I just wanted to do my part for the team." The Formula SAE team is part of the Texas A&M department of mechanical engineering -- and a chapter of the national SAE organization -- giving students the opportunity to design and build Formula-style race cars. Doron said the program is integrated into the senior curriculum for mechanical engineering students, who have the opportunity to enroll in a two-semester design course in their senior year. The team's 2017 car debuted earlier this year during the South By Southwest Festival in Austin. Monheim said the team's approach to the car was to build a simple design that could be completed quickly, allowing for ample test time. He said he believes the extra time allotted for tuning helped to set the team apart from its peers by giving the drivers nearly 750 miles of testing on the vehicle before heading off to the competition. "It meant we had a very reliable car which was well tested," Monheim said. Doron said the 2017 team has set a precedent for success, which he believes will make them a tough act to follow for the groups who will take their place in the coming years. Monheim said while he is proud of the team's achievements, he hopes to see its successors seek their own path. "We want them to replicate the success, but we don't want them to replicate our car," Monheim said. "The main thing is that they think for themselves and they start from scratch. We might have won, but that doesn't mean we did everything right. There are still lots of ways they can improve." For more information on the Texas A&M Formula SAE team, visit texasaggieracing.com. Sharon Benita Holland's published doctor of education dissertation could have stayed in her home in San Antonio. Instead, Holland recently donated the item to a place where it can make a difference -- the Brazos Valley African American Museum. "With the African American Museum there, not only do I have the opportunity to tell my story, I also have the opportunity to give back to my community," said Holland -- a 1975 Bryan High School graduate -- of Bryan and Castle Heights, the neighborhood in which she was raised. The Brazos County Commissioners Court issued a resolution at their weekly meeting Tuesday acknowledging the donation, stating that it "serves as an example in the community for the level of education that's obtainable by all citizens." Holland attended Fairview Elementary, at that point a segregated school, from first through fifth grades. Instructors taught her basic reading, writing and math skills, but no advanced classes that would better prepare her for future schooling. Once the efforts to integrate began in Bryan in 1971, Holland said she had to be tested to determine if she could comprehend course material in her new schools. "Thank God I was smart enough to catch on and understand what was being taught," she said. Holland said she had a teacher in one of her government classes who "thought I was a pretty smart young lady" gave her young Holland the opportunity to enroll in an advanced class. Such classes are the basis of Holland's dissertation. She said its focus is on identifying barriers African-American students face when trying to enroll in Advanced Placement courses, as well as on offering parents and teachers strategies to break those barriers so their children and students can "be successful when transitioning to college." Holland said the dissertation focused on African-American children of all ages, but "the earlier the better," since students can be tested for eligibility for gifted and talented programs in pre-K, giving them an early start on the path to academic success. Holland, who said Castle Heights is "still a segregated area where low-income families live," said she hopes her dissertation will help members of her old community learn "why they should pay attention to their children's education." If young students don't enroll in pre-AP courses, she said, they could be ineligible for scholarships and AP classes when they're in high school, placing a possible strain on their academic potential. Holland made the donation in the name of her stepfather and mother, Erma Jean Wooley, whom Holland said did all she could as a mother to "make sure we did the best we could in life." Holland, now 60, enlisted in the Air Force after graduating from Bryan High School, where she served on active duty for 23 years. Now, she's a distance learning manager for the Air Force. She earned her doctorate while taking online courses from Lamar University in December 2015. Waybe Sadberry, the museum's curator, said he received the dissertation earlier this week, and that the museum may have a reception to celebrate its arrival at a later date. "People who had to leave the area to obtain degrees or study in other places look forward to donating something back to us to inspire our future kids here," Sadberry said. Holland said her dissertation was "something I wanted to dedicate to my community, where I came from and where I'll always go back to." With drug overdoses now the leading cause of death among Americans under 50, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control, the Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BVCASA) hosted a public meeting Tuesday designed to instruct attendees on how to save a person from the clutches of death in the event of an overdose. "One never knows when it might be necessary to help someone in an overdose situation; identifying the symptoms and indicators that someone is in crisis is critical to saving a life," Mary Mattingly of BVCASA said. "This is like CPR in that the more people who are trained, the fewer lives that will be lost." Tuesday's meeting at Blinn College comes after a town hall in May that featured a panel of substance-abuse specialists, health care workers and law enforcement officials. Mark Kinzly and Charles Thibodeaux, co-founders of the Texas Overdose Naloxone Initiative, or TONI, were speakers at Tuesday's meeting. The two shared the importance of Naloxone in saving opioid users when they have overdosed, as well as the importance of treating an overdose properly. "Hollywood portrays [overdoses] as though someone takes the drugs and then -- BAM -- they're out," Thibodeaux said. "That's mostly only in Hollywood. We see that sometimes, but not in the majority of cases. Sometimes an overdose takes a few hours to occur. That means we have time to intervene." Among the dozens attending the meeting were a combination of local law enforcement, teachers, pharmacists, addiction program or rehab staffers, counselors and doctors. Kinzly and Thibodeaux explained that as many of these people will deal with drug addicts in their lines of work, it's imperative they learn how to respond to a person overdosing. Kinzly shared that one critical step in preventing a heavy drug user from overdosing is getting to know who that person is and where and why they use drugs. The setting in which a person uses opioids strongly indicates their likelihood to overdose, he said. A person is more likely to die from an overdose if they are by themselves when getting high, and much more likely to die if they are in a setting in which they are using dirty, unreliable needles or unstable means of ingesting a drug. Though it may feel odd showing an interest in where a drug addict gets high or why they do it, as it may seem like encouraging or enabling drug use, Kinzly said this personal type of connection is necessary for understanding how at-risk a user is. "We've got to talk to people," he said. "And we have to talk to people about stuff we're not comfortable with." Thibodeaux shared specific steps to take in the event of an overdose, which include checking a person's responsiveness, calling 911 regardless of any criminal consequences, exercising rescue breathing, lying the overdose victim on their side to prevent choking and treatment with a medicine such as Naloxone or Narcan, which is a nasal spray. He said many people will attempt to let a drug user "sleep off" an overdose or give them saline shots to wash their system, but these tactics are ineffective. Naloxone is a drug that is used to intercept opioids at opioid receptors in brain cells; meaning it temporarily blocks the narcotic from affecting the human brain. Naloxone is safe and nonaddictive, and it has no effect on the body other than repelling opioids, Thibodeaux said. It can be injected through a needle or inserted nasally through a nasal spray, even if the victim isn't breathing. In most situations, it should not require a prescription. The issues surrounding Naloxone are that it can be expensive without insurance, and it only works in short bursts, lasting less than an hour. However, it could save a person's life. TONI is attempting to open up avenues for police departments, schools and universities, medical facilities and businesses and organizations to affordably acquire this life-saving liquid. Thibodeaux invited audience members to network with him and Kinzly, and to visit websites such as www.getnaloxonenow.org and www.operationnaloxone.org in order to learn more about acquiring Naloxone or becoming certified to administer it to a victim. Bobbi Brooks of Watch UR BAC, an alcohol awareness program with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, was in the audience on Tuesday listening to the TONI cofounders. She explained that her program at AgriLife, funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, trains school employees, parents and police officers in fighting substance abuse, and she attended to gain more research and information for her educational arsenal. "I learned a lot today," she said. "I knew opiates were a problem, but I think the biggest thing today was Narcan [Naloxone]," she said. "A lot of school districts ask about it, and now I can tell them more. Also I got information on [opioids] and realize that it's a bigger problem than I thought. I think we need to be more proactive in our community, rather than just reactive." Carla Sims, a social worker for the emergency room of the Veterans Affairs hospital in Temple, drove to Bryan on her day off and spent her time at the three-hour meeting at Blinn. She had heard ER staff talking about overdose patients and the use of medicines such as Naloxone, and she wanted to better understand what was going on in these cases and see what could be done. "It was good to get better information," she said. "It will make me a lot more aware of resources available. There are a lot of [resources] for people at the VA, but there are also resources on the outside. It's good to be cognizant of what's available." To learn more about overdose treatment and prevention about Naloxone, visit RecoveryATX.org/TONI. A lawyer for Bryan ex-superintendent Tommy Wallis is expected to question school administrators and the board president in an Austin courtroom today, just as an unrelated legal battle starts to unfold in his current district of Kirbyville. Trustees in the East Texas school district near Beaumont recently released one document and a video recording after complaints were lodged by a lawyer for the family of Dennis Reeves, Kirbyville's High School principal who reportedly killed himself more than a month ago after a brief meeting with Wallis in which he was forced to resign. The family attorney accused the Kirbyville district of ignoring requests for information that could help explain what unfolded, as well as possibly show what administrators and school board members might have said or written about Reeves in the months leading up to his death. Kirbyville's lawyer told The Eagle earlier this week that the district never received a request from the family or its attorney, Chad Ferguson, but after learning about it through media requests did provide Reeves' employment contract and video footage of the parking lot the day of his death. "I'm just completely flabbergasted that Mr. Ferguson is making claims that we were somehow stonewalling or not providing information," she said. "Mr. Ferguson has never personally asked me for anything. He's never called me. He sent his letter to The Beaumont Enterprise, not me." Meanwhile, in the court case involving Bryan ISD, Wallis is the one asking a judge to help him get access to information. Wallis is taking his former top four administrators -- all of whom still work for the district -- and Trey Moore, who oversees the trustees, to court in hopes of learning whether any are involved with sharing with The Eagle and KBTX information about his forced resignation in the fall. He hoped to keep documents related to his quick exit secret, and even after the Texas Attorney General's Office ruled in favor of releasing the information to the media, he opted in January to fight the state ruling, saying disclosure would cause him irreparable harm. A judge in Austin scheduled a hearing for Oct. 2, and said the documents would remain sealed until then. Within weeks of Reeves' death, some of those documents made their way to The Eagle and KBTX newsrooms, including most of a 10 1/2-page document detailing 14 potential ethical violations committed by Wallis -- including trying to sway an administrator to use a vendor he preferred, misusing taxpayer money and asking employees to spend district time and resources in trying to find him a job elsewhere. Along with Moore, Deputy Superintendent Timothy Rocka; Amy Drozd, assistant superintendent of business services; Barbara Ybarra, associate superintendent of teaching and learning; and Brandon Webb, executive director of communications and public affairs, are expected to appear at 2 p.m. today in the 345th District Court in Austin, where a judge may decide if anyone violated the court's temporary injunction on release of the documents. The four administrators, along with all school board members and Wallis, were listed in a separation agreement as being barred from discussing -- even with their spouses -- the circumstances surrounding Wallis' departure. It was signed only by Wallis and then-board president Doug Wunneburger. It wasn't immediately clear how many others in the district had access to the complaints. In Kirbyville, a restraining order was the first push by Reeves' family to preserve potential evidence related to the circumstances leading up to his death. Obtained in early June, it prohibits Kirbyville schools from destroying or tampering with potential evidence related to Reeves' death, including cellphones and computers belonging to Wallis, several Kirbyville school board members, assistant superintendent Georgia Sayers and other employees. The district unsuccessfully fought the restraining order in court, arguing that the courts did not have jurisdiction over the district and that the request itself asked for a cumbersome amount of information. Ferguson has not responded to repeated requests for comment from The Eagle. The surveillance footage from the school parking lot where Reeves is said to have shot himself was not helpful, according to Kirbyville Police Chief Paul Brister, who said the surveillance camera was set on a motion sensor that did not register Reeves, causing the footage to cut out around the time of Reeves' death. Police on Tuesday still were awaiting the results of a gunpowder residue test to confirm the belief that the death was a suicide. Leon said the district has given Tammy Reeves her husband's resignation letter and her husband's district-issued phone, but the district is seeking an attorney general's ruling on her request for the half-written complaint against Reeves that was cut short by his death. On June 28, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia, the Armenian Red Cross Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Armenia signed a tripartite agreement on Cooperation for 2017-2018 in the Field of Capacity Building for the Civil Protection Rescue Service in Tavush Province of Armenia. The agreement was signed by the Minister of Emergency Situations Davit Tonoyan, the Head of the ICRC Delegation Caroline Douilliez, and the President of the Armenian Red Cross Society Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan. The aim of the program is to increase the protection and preparedness of the population of the border communities. The program envisages conducting first aid trainings for the local points of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the border communities, which will enable them to react more quickly and effectively to emergencies. Trainings will also be held for the community teachers of kindergartens and schools, so that they can teach children safety rules for various disasters and emergencies. International humanitarian law is one of the most important components of the trainings. So how should we close the Paris gap? Until now, global climate change efforts have largely focused on actions by national, regional and local governments - all of which will be critical to closing the gap. But governments are not the only actors that can make a difference: corporations, citizens and nonprofits can make an important, and perhaps essential, contribution, even if they cannot solve the entire problem. We've already seen private actors respond to the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. For example, the We Are Still In initiative is a coalition of businesses, colleges and universities, and cities and counties. And on June 20, the Climate Leadership Council - a collection of big businesses, environmental advocacy groups and individuals - launched, calling for policy action on climate change. Our assessment finds that private actions can close 10 percent to 30 percent of the Paris gap over the next decade. This can reduce the cost of climate mitigation and allow the politic consensus to catch up with the scientific consensus, although it is not a substitute for government action. Vast potential Private actors - including corporations, civic and advocacy groups, private citizens, and even the Catholic Church - played an important role in pushing nations to make commitments in Paris, but lobbying for government action is not the only role for the private sector. These private actors are sources of emissions that can reduce emissions directly and independently of government policies. In an article published in the Columbia Environmental Law Journal, we have shown how private climate efforts can deliver a billion tons of emissions reductions per year over the next decade from the corporate and household sectors. These reductions are not enough by themselves to limit global warming to 2C or 1.5C, but together with national and international efforts, they can improve the odds of preventing catastrophic climate change. Corporations can make significant reductions in emissions by increasing energy efficiency, investing in research and development, and insisting on emissions reductions from suppliers. For example, Walmart's recent joint initiative with the Environmental Defense Fund reduced Walmart's cumulative supply chain emissions over the last five years by 28 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, and Walmart recently pledged to reduce its cumulative emissions between now and 2030 by one billion tons, which would be equivalent to the entire emissions of the U.S. Iron and Steel Industry over that period. At the household level, efforts to improve the energy efficiency of homes and provide households with feedback on their energy use, including real-time data on energy use, data in monthly bills and energy efficiency ratings for residential rentals and sales, can make a significant impact on emissions. As we have shown in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, within the next 10 years, simple household energy efforts in the United States could reduce annual emissions reductions by more than 450 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is much more than the total emissions by the host country for the Paris Agreement - France. Speed of essence Nonprofits, such as churches, colleges and universities, hospitals and civic organizations, are also starting to get in on the effort to close the Paris gap, but they can do more. For example, Pope Francis has spoken eloquently about the moral and religious imperative of addressing climate change and has supported the national commitments in the Paris Agreement. We have calculated that the Catholic Church has emissions comparable to a medium-sized country, such as Chile. If the Church made a major commitment to reduce emissions from its own operations, in addition to pushing governments to act, it could make a significant difference on its own. With or without the United States, the Paris Agreement demonstrates that the international process can take important steps, but it will not yield emissions reductions with the speed and magnitude necessary to achieve its goals. What is needed now is a new focus on the private sector - a global effort by corporations, citizens and nonprofits. These Authors Michael Vandenbergh is the David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law, Vanderbilt University. Jonathan M. Gilligan is Associate Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University *This article has been shared by The Conversation, www.theconversation.com Filipinos cry a lot, laugh a lot, scream a lot, get angry a lot, pray a lot, curse a lot. Come hell or high water, they dont hold back on expressing emotion, especially in public says a new survey from Gallup that suggests Filipinos are among the most emotional people in the world. According to Gallup's 2017 Global Emotions Report, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Philippines are among the most emotional people in the world with nearly 60 percent of people surveyed saying they experienced both positive and negative emotions the day before they were interviewed. To complete the survey, Gallup interviewed over 147,000 adults in 140 countries. Questions asked of the individuals were taken from two indexes: the Positive Experience Index and the Negative Experience Index. Participants were asked questions ranging from whether they were well-rested yesterday and did they learn anything yesterday, to whether they experienced pain or sadness the day before they were interviewed. Countries in Latin America led the list of countries with the most positive experiences. According to the Gallup report, the 10 countries with the highest positive experiences worldwide are: Paraguay, Guatemala, Honduras, Uzbekistan, Ecuador, El Salvador, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Colombia, and Switzerland. Countries with the lowest scores in this index are Syria, Turkey, Nepal, Georgia, Serbia, Iraq, Yemen, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine. Meanwhile the countries with the highest scores in the negative experience index are Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, Cyprus, Liberia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Bolivia, Portugal, and the Palestinian Territories. It is the third year in a row that Iran and Iraq have topped this list. Gallup noted that "people in most of the countries with the highest negative scores in 2015 were contending with some disruption economic or otherwise. Almost all countries at the top of the list in 2014 are at the top of the list again in 2015." The countries with the lowest scores in the negative experience index are Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Belarus, Somalia, Singapore, Mongolia, and Estonia. Gallup added: "Countries with ties to Russia and the former Soviet Union largely dominate the list of countries at the other end of the spectrum, where fewer than four in 10 residents reported experiencing any of these feelings. According to John Clifton, managing director of Gallup Global Analytics, the 2016 Global emotions report "focuses on how people live their lives." He added, "Leaders know that wealth isn't everything a great society has people who see their lives well and live their lives well. This report shows the countries in which people are living their lives to the fullest." The 2017 GER's Positive Experiences Index showed that the Philippines' index score was at 82 percent, tied with Panama. Paraguay was the highest at 84 percent, followed by Costa Rica with 83 percent. In the major finding for "Total Emotions," the Philippines was third with 58 percent. Ecuador topped here with 60 percent while El Salvador and Liberia each posted 59 percent. The Philippines, in the 2016 edition of the Global Emotions Report, was among four countries together with Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala with the highest emotions worldwide. In the 2015 edition, the Philippines tied with Ecuador for second (58 percent) behind Bolivia and El Salvador (59 percent each) in terms of the most emotions. But it was only in the 2017 edition of the Global Emotions Report that the Philippines broke into the top ten of the Positive Experiences Index. In releasing the 2017 Global Emotions Report, the polling firm notes what it claims to be an important observation in the field of behavioral economics: only 30 percent of an individual's behavior is "rational (and) the other 70 percent is emotional," Gallup said. "While organizations are starting to apply this (said) concept at a microlevel, governments have been slow to do it at a macro-level," Gallup wrote. Ecommerce is an area being watched closely by entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs alike. New business models are constantly emerging, making this a competitive and constantly evolving field. Related: 10 Ways to Future-Proof Your Ecommerce Fashion Store The apparel category is particularly exciting: The recently launched Amazon Prime Wardrobe, for instance, allows consumers to have clothing delivered to their door, after which they can try it out for seven days before deciding whether to keep it. They can send items back whenever they decide; they don't even need to be home to have return packages picked up. Taking inspiration from Amazon and other businesses, many apparel and accessory ecommerce companies are similarly trying their hand at "something new and different." These innovative companies are taking ecommerce to the next level. Crisp Clothing The perfect shirt is hard to come by. But what if perfect fit could be achieved with the help of two simple metrics? That's what Crisp Clothing does. By using your height and weight and what it calls "3D Measuring," Crisp Clothing can tailor the perfect shirt for you. Founded by Swapnil and Prakash Kamble -- a father-and-son team -- Crisp Clothing uses 100 percent Egyptian Giza cotton to fashion its handmade tailored shirts, which are currently available in black, white, blue and pink. The company recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding for the project. Not surprisingly, the cost of a single shirt isn't cheap, but pledging to the Crisp Clothing campaign at the $78 level will get you one custom, hand-crafted shirt. What's clearly innovative about Crisp Clothing is the approach it takes to crafting the perfect shirt. Technology is the difference. It gives Crisp Clothing a more scientific way to tailor shirts that look and feel great. Trunk Club The Nordstrom-owned Trunk Club may be a familiar name to some. Its business model is a lot like that of Amazon Prime Wardrobe, except Trunk Club has been around a lot longer. Related: How Technology Is Steering Fashion E-commerce Industry In Right Direction This is its process: First, the customer is prompted to answer a few questions about the style of clothing he (or she) is interested in, how the clothing should fit and what budget range is desired. Then, he can chat with a stylist who'll offer help on exactly what he's ooking for (though this step is not mandatory). The trunk is delivered free of charge once the customer approves it, and he or she has five days to decide what clothing to keep and what to send back. Then, the customer can either reorder on his or her own schedule or set up a regular delivery schedule, to keep the wardrobe fresh. What Trunk Club did right was make it easier for the consumer to get items that are truly desired. Time can be a commodity in today's busy world, and with the rise of online shopping, consumers don't necessarily go to malls or stores to shop anymore. Trunk Club is an easy, fast and convenient way for today's buyer to meet his or her clothing needs. Bonobos Bonobos was launched because its founders recognized how difficult it is for consumers to find pants that fit perfectly. To solve this problem, Bonobos developed a signature curved waistband that fits more naturally around your waist. The company offers free shipping as well as painless returns and exchanges. Bonobos also has something called a Guideshop. Customers can schedule a one-hour appointment at a Guideshop, try on anything in the store and find the perfect clothing with the help of a Guide. Customers don't have to take any bags home, as the Guide will place the order and have it shipped to the customer's home or office. Bonobos is doing a couple of noteworthy things for its customers. First, it came up with a solution where none previously existed, thereby creating more comfortable pants. Second, it created a unique in-store experience that allows customers to find what they're looking for on their own time -- a personalized experience they're sure to remember. Wanderlust + Co Accessorizing is a term near and dear to many women. Jenn Low, founder of Wanderlust + Co, creates custom jewelry and accessories that many models and celebrities don at notable events. Her work is inspired by what she calls the #WCOgirlgang, which includes celebrities, fashion bloggers, editors, stylists and content creators. What's innovative about Wunderlust + Co is Low's willingness to cater to a specific audience. She doesn't create products consumers dn't want. She built her own tribe, #WCOgirlgang, and stays in regular contact with them to come up with new product ideas her audience will love. Entrepreneurs sometimes take the opposite approach, creating a product first and then finding an audience for it. Sometimes that can work, but there are no guarantees. A more reliable approach, especially today, is what Low does: She's built a brand around a target audience, offering products they want and have even asked for. Everlane Complete transparency is hard to find but has become somewhat trendier, thanks to online entrepreneurs like Pat Flynn and John Lee Dumas. That's where Everlane stands out. These founders aim to be as up-front as possible about the cost of their goods. They even offer a detailed breakdown on materials, hardware, labor, duties and transport. They also reveal what the true cost of the product is, in addition to what they're selling it for. If you've ever wondered where your money is going when you purchase a product, you won't have to, with Everlane. You'll get total transparency, and that builds trust. Though full transparency may not be the right approach for every business, it's something to consider: Maybe no one in your industry is embracing it, making it worth considering as a strategy. Final thoughts If you're an ecommerce business owner, what could you be doing to separate yourself from the pack? If you have a different business model, what can you learn from the above and implement in your business? Related: 5 Lesser-Known Challenges of Running an Ecommerce Store As ecommerce becomes increasingly competitive, it will be more and more necessary for more business owners to embrace innovation and find their unique approach. The ecommerce landscape will continue to be an interesting one to watch, especially as Amazon continues to launch new and noteworthy services. Related: 4 Innovative and Trendy Ecommerce Apparel Stores Offering Something New The Rise of an eCommerce Ecosystem and the Leader Who Championed It Step-by-Step You Can Turn Your Ecommerce Side Hustle Into a Real Company Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Two Lincoln Middle School students, Bobby Werden and Jackson Budwell, received special awards at the 89th annual Illinois State FFA Convention which took place June 13 through June 15 in Springfield. Werden and Budwell were among the 3,500 FFA members, advisors, and guests who gathered in Springfield for the three-day event which recognizes annual successes of Illinois FFA members, elects the major state officer team and celebrates agriculture. Mark McKown, Lincoln Middle Schools agriculture science teacher and FFA advisor, explained that Werden was recognized as the Illinois Star Discovery Award winner in the Placement Category. He competed and interviewed locally, regionally, and at the state level to earn this recognition. This is the first-ever award of its kind to reward the accomplishments of a middle school member, McKown said. Werdens award was based off what FFA refers to as a Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) project. He technically had three projects in: grain production (growing corn), oil production (growing soybeans), and swine (raising pigs), McKown explained further about Werdens award. The placement designation means that he was working for someone. Specifically Bobby was working for his dad, Rob Werden, on their family farming operation in Prairietown. Jackson received recognition for being selected as a National Finalist from Illinois in the area of Natural Resources, Division 1 for the National FFA Agriscience Fair. Jackson presented his science fair project, report, and visual board titled Annihilation of Algae against the other Illinois FFA members in the Natural Resources-Middle School, Individual division, McKown said. He measured the effectiveness of algaecide. He was required to complete a written report including a purpose, hypothesis, review of literature, materials, methods, results, and conclusions. He interviewed as a middle school individual with a panel of judges, McKown added. He scored high enough to be selected as the Illinois representative in the National FFA Agriscience Fair. Jackson has now completed an application for the National FFA Agriscience Fair for his project to be reviewed against other state winners in his area. If selected as one of the top 12 in his respective category and division, Jackson will attend the National FFA convention in October to vie for the national title. Lincoln and Liberty Middle Schools both began agriculture classes in the fall of 2014 and both also began offering FFA as an optional club for the students at that time. The FFA at the middle schools were previously operating under the EHS Chapter to allow time for the students, teachers, and building administrators to gain a better perspective on FFA opportunities and activities available. The students of both Liberty and Lincoln middle schools received their official FFA charters at the Springfield convention. Now with gaining individual charters, each schools chapter will be able to continue growing and developing their own activities and FFA Chapters, McKown noted. Edwardsville has continually been at the forefront of developing new opportunities to recognize and reward middle school, discovery, FFA members, McKown added. Since starting Agriculture Science curriculum at the middle school level in Edwardsville, the state has continually adopted an expansion of opportunities for those middle school students to succeed. The Illinois Association FFA is part of the National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America. More than 17,500 students are enrolled in 321 different FFA chapters in the State of Illinois. FFA is a national youth organization of 649,355 student members with a mission of making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Rodney Overstreet has been in the hearing aid business for 37 years, and he and his wife Colleen previously owned three hearing aid centers. Now, they have opened a new center, Clear Sound Hearing, in Glen Carbon. The Overstreets recently wanted to downsize, Rodney Overstreet said. They owned hearing aid businesses in Springfield, Jacksonville and Quincy. My wife and I managed all three, he said. We were living in Godfrey and getting tired of the drive. A few months ago, Colleen Overstreet needed a complete ankle replacement. She was off her feet for three-and-a-half, four months, Overstreet said. At the same time, we were approached about selling by another hearing aid company. We decided it was a good time to sell. The new business, at 4521 Route 159, Suite 2, is just south of I-270. We are a multi-line business, Overstreet said. They sell different brands of hearing aids. The technology is similar, he said. Some stores, he explained, sell only one type of hearing aid. Overstreet is training another hearing aid technician now. When he is trained, the Overstreets may open another business in Godfrey. In addition to an associates degree, Overstreet said, hearing aid technicians take a six-month class and must pass Illinois state written and oral exams. It takes quite a while and you cant sell hearing aids until you get certified, he said. Then you have to keep up your certification. Overstreet said that in addition to the training, you need to respect older people and get along well with them. Colleen Overstreet runs the office and does payroll and taxes, Overstreet said. They worked together for about 16 years, he added. We work well together, he said. Overstreet said the Glen Carbon business is growing. We do a lot of referrals, he said. It takes a while to build a new business. Our typical patient is a senior, aged 65 plus, who is hearing impaired. We give them a free evaluation and see if they need hearing aids. He said that not all people who have experience hearing loss need hearing aids. He told of one patient who was younger, who had experienced minor hearing loss. Overstreet told him that he could fit him for hearing aids, but the loss was so minor that he advised him against them. Clear Sound will work with insurance companies. Every insurance company is different. Most that cover hearing aids will pay for a new set every three to five years, he said. In addition to hearing aids, Overstreet also sells special phones and devices to help watch TV. If there are two people living together, one can watch it at a louder volume, he said. Right now, there is a free grant from the federal government to help pay for a special phone. You need a recommendation from a hearing specialist for it, Overstreet said. The phone has captions and a dial to turn up the volume to twelve decibels. You have to have a computer hook-up for it. There are also devices that can use Bluetooth technology to connect cell phones and TVs to hearing aids. The technology in hearing aids is unbelievable compared to when I started, Overstreet said. Up to about 15 years ago, everything was analog. Now its all digital. The Fourth of July is almost here and the Edwardsville Municipal Band is kicking off its annual celebration early. Under the direction of James Kerfoot, the band is set to perform at 8 p.m., Thursday, June 29, at City Park. All concerts are free and open to the public. With last weeks concert of the summer season, attendance has kept up so far, according to Kerfoot. Last weeks was actually pretty good. I was a little concerned about the weather around 6 oclock, it looked pretty dark but it was a good night. We had a good crowd, Kerfoot said. Initially, we have a very good turnout at this concert, the Fourth of July concert. Vocalist Emily Ottwein will be kicking off Thursdays show with Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Richard Rodgers in Concert, a Broadway medley that includes, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, The Sound of Music, The Surrey With the Fringe on Top, I Whistle a Happy Tune, and others. Kerfoot said this isnt the first time Ottwein has performed with the band and likely wont be the last. Shes sung with us several times. Its kind of becoming a tradition that she sings on our Fourth of July concert. Shes well-known in Edwardsville she actually teaches vocal music in the high school as well as (being) a choir director (for a local church). She sang with us this year at Oak Lawn Cemetery for Memorial Day. Shes a very fine vocalist and were looking forward to having her sing with us again this year, Kerfoot said. The band will also perform the Captain America March, by Alan Silvestri and John Wassons Land of Liberty, which includes Columbia, The Gem of the Ocean, Chester, Yankee Doodle, America, the Beautiful, and My Country, Tis of Thee. Kerfoot said the song, God of Our Father, is also being added to the mix. Were also doing God of Our Father, and thats a pretty arrangement by Claude Smith, which is our national hymn actually. But this is a great arrangement and theyll do a fine job conducting it, he said. Kerfoot said during the bands performance, there will also be a salute to honor both current and past members of the military or other branches that will be recognized. The second half of the concert will include a Canadian Brass interpretation of When Johnny Comes Marching Home, by Brandon Ridenour and Michael Brown. Kerfoot said this piece in particular may be a classic, but this arrangement is modernized. The show will end with Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture, and Stars and Stripes Forever, by John Phillip Sousa. Ottwein will be singing A Patriotic Salute,an arrangement by James Hosay of The Star-Spangled Banner. Concessions will be available as well and will be operated by the Immanuel United Methodist Women. For more information about this weeks performance or upcoming shows, visit the bands website at edwband.com. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 12:35 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70f579 1 Lifestyle maid,maids,domestic-worker,#DomesticWorkers,Idul-Fitri,Idul-Fitri-2017,#IdulFitri,#IdulFitriExodus,idul-fitri-exodus Free It is that time of the year again. Soon enough, Jakarta residents will head to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri. However, not everyone is eager for the long break, with some Jakartans worried about the possibility of their maids not returning to work. For Jakarta's middle-class, domestic workers are affordable, as their salaries are typically lower than the minimum wage of Rp 3.35 million (US$257) per month. Thirty-year-old Nourma Junita said she needed a live-in domestic worker to supervise her 9-month-old son. My husband and I work, said Nourma, adding that she has had six live-in babysitters in the past year and a half. Elsewhere in the city, 31-year-old Amyrah Marzuki Aziz said she wanted someone to help her with household chores. She met her current live-in maid through her mother-in-law. After giving birth to my second child, I planned to hire a babysitter from an agency as it seemed more professional." Read also: View point: Indonesians must have their maids Some people, like 31-year-old Putri Natalia, a mother of two and owner of Lotus Flower florist, said she did not feel the need to have a live-in domestic worker. She and her husband take turns taking care of their children and the house. However, Putri said that her husband wanted to hire a live-in domestic worker. He was used to having a maid at home, she said. Though technology has improved, many Jakarta residents still depend on maids. Online cleaning services such as Go-Clean or Seekmi are seen as an additional help, but not as solutions on their own. I frequently use online cleaning services but I need someone to help me with my kid, said Nourma. Thirty-five-year old Titin Dwi Utari Susilowardani shares a similar sentiment. Currently living abroad, Titin does not have the luxury of hiring a maid. However, she is considering hiring a part-time maid once she returns to the capital. I will try to do everything on my own, but a part-time maid would be of great help," she said. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Edinburgh, United Kingdom Wed, June 28, 2017 09:04 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70632a 2 World Scotland,Brexit,vote Free Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday postponed preparations for a second independence referendum, after a British general election in which her secessionist party suffered major losses. "We will not introduce the legislation for an independence referendum immediately," the Scottish National Party leader told Scotland's parliament in Edinburgh. Sturgeon said she would "reset" the timetable for holding a referendum by spring 2019, when Britain is expected to leave the European Union. She said she would look at the plan again in autumn 2018 when the outlines of the deal that Britain is to strike in the Brexit negotiations become clear. Read also: Tower blaze brings fresh delay to British PM's power deal The recent election "has re-opened the possibility, however narrow, of averting a hard Brexit and retaining membership of the single market", she said. Scotland voted by 55 percent against independence in a 2014 referendum. But Sturgeon had argued that the Brexit referendum last year -- in which Scotland voted to stay but Britain as a whole opted to leave -- justified her demand for a second independence vote. Prime Minister Theresa May, whose permission would be required for another independence ballot, had told her that "now is not the time" for a referendum. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks outside 10 Downing Street in central London on July 13, 2016. (Agence France-Presse/Oli Scarff) In the June 8 general election, Sturgeon's party came first in Scotland but lost 21 parliamentary seats, sparking calls for her to abandon plans for independence altogether. Overall, May's Conservatives lost their British majority and the premier is under pressure to soften her demands in the Brexit negotiations with Brussels. Topics : Scotland Brexit vote Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Sao Paulo, Brazil Wed, June 28, 2017 08:16 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70565b 2 World Brazil,corruption,scandal Free Michel Temer on Monday became the first president of Brazil to face criminal charges while still in office. Here are the five main people to watch in the growing scandal. - Michel Temer - The Brazilian political veteran was a behind-the-scenes operator before sweeping to power a year ago. A conservative member of the PMDB party, he was in an uncomfortable alliance as vice president with leftist president Dilma Rousseff. When the PMDB turned on her and helped get her impeached for breaking budget rules, Temer automatically took over. The son of Lebanese immigrants with a fancy for writing poetry, Temer promised stability and economic austerity reforms to push Brazil out of its worst recession in history. For months, he appeared immune to the corruption probes swirling around many of his allies and even a third of his cabinet. That luck ran out when bribery charges were filed Monday. With single digit popularity ratings, Temer, 76, might appear to have little hope of staying on. He was even booed loudly in the Maracana stadium when he opened the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. However, the wily politician -- married to a former beauty queen four decades his junior -- reckons he can keep enough support in the scandal-ridden Congress to ward off the criminal charges, which need a two-thirds majority vote to proceed. - Joesley Batista - Batista, who owns J&F, parent company of JBS meatpackers, is the man who might bring Temer down. A billionaire executive, Batista was charged with running a huge bribery scheme -- in common with other big Brazilian corporations -- in which Temer was one of some 2,000 politicians taking payments over a 10 year period. To secure leniency, Batista, 44, signed a plea bargain and agreed to provide prosecutors with details of his alleged payments to Temer. He also handed over a secret recording of a late night conversation with Temer, who is allegedly heard agreeing to pay hush money to a politician already jailed for corruption. Samba school members participate in a protest against Rio's mayor Marcelo Crivella in front of the City Hall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 26, 2017. The protesters are against Crivella's decision to cut carnival funding in half for the 2018 Carnival parade.(Agence France-Presse/Mauro PIMENTEL) - Rodrigo Rocha Loures - Loures is a former congressman and close Temer aide who allegedly acted as bagman for the bribery transactions. Prosecutors released surveillance footage showing Loures running down a street with a black suitcase allegedly containing 500,000 reais (about $150,000) in bribe cash. Temer says his ex-aide was duped and did nothing wrong. For now Loures has signaled he will not sign a plea deal to testify against the president. - Rodrigo Janot - As prosecutor general, Janot has presided at the sharp end of Brazil's gigantic anti-graft investigation codenamed "Car Wash." The probe has uncovered systemic embezzlement from state-owned Petrobras oil company and kickbacks in which companies paid politicians bribes for contracts and favors. Janot became top prosecutor in 2013 as "Car Wash" got underway and since then he has been involved in the prosecutions and probes of a string of high-profile figures including former house speaker Eduardo Cunha. Janot has now gone a step higher with the bribery charges against Temer. He has also indicated he will file more charges, promising an extended legal assault against Temer that could bleed the president's support away in Congress. - Rodrigo Maia - Although he is the son of a former Rio de Janeiro governor, Maia was relatively obscure when he took over as speaker of the house following the experienced Cunha's fall in 2016. Because there was no longer a vice president, he became first in line for the presidency. That seemed academic until now. But if Congress votes to accept Janot's charges against Temer the president would be suspended for six months to go on trial. In that case Maia, 47, would automatically take over as temporary leader. He has indicated strongly for now that he wants Temer to remain in power and for Congress to reject the charges against him. One problem? Maia, like many of his legislative colleagues, also faces a corruption probe. Topics : Brazil corruption scandal Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 13:51 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a71398b 1 National Syria,deradicalization,terrorism,anti-terror-force Free The Bambu Apus shelter in East Jakarta, which is run by the Social Affairs Ministry, has sent 152 Indonesians back to their hometown across Indonesia. They had been deported from Turkey between January and June this year for allegedly entering or trying to enter Syria to join the terrorist group Islamic State (IS). Bambu Apus shelter head Sulistya Ariadhi said the shelter was still housing people deported from Turkey in the past weeks, dozens of whom were still undergoing a month-long deradicalization program. Read also: Police closely monitor Syria returnees after IS-linked attack in Medan In total, 152 people have been sent home. Some are still at the shelter, mostly people who arrived before Idul Fitri, Sulistya told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. Fears are growing that the returnees could carry out attacks after returning to their hometowns. Police recently revealed that one of the two suspects of a fatal stabbing of a policeman at the North Sumatra Police headquarters on Sunday had travelled to the war-ravaged country in 2013. Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel guard the North Sumatra Police headquarters following a fatal knife attack carried out by suspected local militants linked to the Islamic State group on Sunday.(Antara/Irsan Mulyadi) Sawaluddin Pakpahan stayed in Syria for six months before returning to Indonesia, a year before IS announced the establishment of its now-shrinking caliphate. Four years later, Sawaluddin allegedly committed the attack in Medan, raising concern about the effectiveness of the government's monitoring of people returning home from war-torn countries, such as Syria. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 10:46 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70bd82 1 City Grab-Taxi,rally,police,protest Free A rally by dozens of Grab hail-riding drivers staged in front of the online transportation company's head office in Pademangan, North Jakarta, almost turned violent on Tuesday. The rally caused heavy traffic on Jl. Gunung Sahari. The drivers were protesting their suspension after the company prohibited them from picking up passengers as from Monday morning. Aris, the rally leader, said the company had violated an agreement that was reached during a meeting between the drivers and the management. The results of the meeting were to be announced on July 10. Read also: Online drivers choose to stay in Jakarta to earn more cash The results of the meeting basically stated the managements intention to pay our salaries if we turned out to be innocent of their suspicions, he said. Adang, a company executive, said the drivers should exercise patience as the company was conducting an internal inquiry and would honor the agreement to make an announcement on July 10. Grab managing director Ridzki Kramadibrata said the suspension was actually the last resort as the management had found indications of manipulation and ethical code violations by the rallying drivers during their daily operations. We previously allocated time for them to communicate regarding this matter and so there is no need to stage a protest, he said as reported by kompas.com.(dic) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 12:20 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70eb09 1 National police,TerroristAttacks,martua,terrorism,terror-attack,Medan,North-Sumatra Free The North Sumatra Police have identified the suspected mastermind of an attack on a North Sumatra Police post as 32-year-old Firmansyah Putra Yudi. He has been named a suspect for his alleged role behind the attack, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said on Tuesday. On Sunday at 3 a.m., two perpetrators fatally stabbed a resting police officer, Adj. First Insp. Martua Sigalingging, and wounded another at the North Sumatra Police's Checkpoint 3 post. Read also: Interfaith forum condemns terror attack in North Sumatra One of the suspected assailants, identified as Ardial Ramadhana, died after being shot by mobile brigade (Brimob) personnel, while his alleged accomplice, Sawaluddin Pakpahan, was seriously wounded and hospitalized before undergoing police questioning. The police earlier named a driver, identified as Boboy, a suspect in the case for his alleged role in surveying the area before the attack. The police confiscated writing material, video recordings and documents on terrorism activities from the suspect's home. Ardial and Sawaluddin were allegedly connected to terrorist group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which is suspected of being behind the recent Kampung Melayu twin bombings at a Kampung Melayu bus station. (kuk/dic) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 17:31 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a721eeb 1 City eviction,Sandiaga-Uno,Jakarta-gubernatorial-election,anies-baswedan,flood-control Free The Jakarta administration is scheduled to relocate residents living along river banks in Bukit Duri area in South Jakarta on July 5, as part of its river restoration program. Jakarta deputy governor elect Sandiaga Salahudin Uno, however, expressed hope the administration would give more time to the residents to move their belongings. When I visited them, they said they needed time to move to their new places and expected the administration to give them a better solution, Sandiaga said in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday as quoted by Tribunnews.com. Read also: Jakarta allocates low-cost apartments to 160 families Sandiaga said he hoped the administration would not conduct any evictions until governor elect Anies Baswedan and himself are officially inaugurated in October. He promised to pay close attention to the social, economic and educational issues faced by the evictees. They believe they are going to be uprooted from their social economic activities and have their childrens education disrupted as well. Solutions to these matters should be provided, Sandiaga explained. Jakarta vice governor elect Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno (center) waves to journalists at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on May 23. He was grilled as witness in his capacity as former commissioner of PT Duta Graha Indah.(Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A) Under the leadership of former governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, the administration launched an aggressive river normalization program, believed to be the key to tackling the city's prolonged flooding problems. (dra/bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 21:03 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a729437 1 National Marawi,insurgency,IS,military,TNI,Wiranto,Zulkifli-Hasan Free Military expert Mufti Makarim urged the government to be careful with its plan to provide the Philippines with military aid as part of a mission to quell a militant group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) in Marawi, Southern Philippines. Mufti said the move could provoke a reaction from IS cells in Indonesia. The government should be careful before deciding to send military aid to the Philippines, because Indonesia also faces terrorist threats from IS-related groups, Mufti said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com. Mufti cited as examples the twin bombings of a Kampung Melayu bus station in East Jakarta on May 24 and most recently, the fatal stabbing of policemen at North Sumatra Police headquarters on Sunday. Read also: Jokowi, Duterte talk on the phone about terrorism, security Mufti said that a decision to deploy military forces to the Philippines would require the National Police to boost intelligence measures in monitoring domestic security. However, Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Zufikli Hasan said he agreed with the plan to send military aid to Marawi, because the Philippines is a fellow ASEAN member. It would be an honor [to help] if the Philippines asks for it, Zulkifli said during an open house event in Jakarta on Sunday. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto said that Indonesia would coordinate with Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines about the situation in Marawi. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto (right) speaks to Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu (left) prior to a Cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Sept.9. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf) Indonesia will conduct multilateral coordination with the five countries to back up the Philippines regarding the IS insurgence there, Wiranto said in Jakarta on Tuesday. (ecn/bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung Wed, June 28, 2017 14:26 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a715511 1 National bandung,Idul-Fitri-2017,#IdulFitri,Holiday Free Thousands of holidaymakers have spent Idul Fitri in tourism spots surrounding West Javas provincial capital of Bandung. One of the favorite destinations is the Mt. Tangkuban Parahu Natural Tourist Park in the regency of West Bandung. Rahardi from Bekasi, West Java, said he and his family had made a stopover at the park on their way to the Ciater hot springs in Subang, West Java. The last time I was here is ten years ago. I now see so much improvement in the management, the 37-year old said. Read also: No fuel, electricity shortages during Lebaran Some 7,000 visitors come to the park per day during the holiday season. The Idul Fitri holiday is longer this year. It feels less crowded than last year as visitors are distributed across more days, said park operator PT Graha Rani Putra Persada operational director Rahman Kaban. Other popular destinations in the area include The Ranch, a Wild West theme park, the Floating Market waterpark and the European style Farm House, which was inspired by the Lord of The Rings movie. Visitors ride boats at the Floating Market water park in Lembang in West Bandung regency, West Java, on Tuesday. The park is one of the favorite destinations for Idul Fitri holidaymakers in the Bandung area.(The Jakarta Post/Arya Dipa) The name Tangkuban Parahu derives from the Sundanese tale of Sangkuriang. Once upon a time, Sangkuriang was kicked out from the house when he was a little boy. After he had grown up, he asked his mother Dayang Sumbi to marry him. Dayang required Sangkuriang to create a lake and a boat overnight, only to be surprised that it was almost finished within hours. But Sangkuriang ultimately failed and became furious. He kicked the almost-finished boat, or parahu in Sundanese, until it rolled over. The boat became the mountain, which is shaped like an upside-down boat. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 15:52 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a718654 1 National #BarackObama,#tourism,#Yogyakarta Free Former United States president Barrack Obama and his entourage arrived in Yogyakarta on Wednesday afternoon with a plan to visit some tourism spots in and around the royal city. Wearing sunglasses, Obama was seen sitting in the back of a black Land Cruiser with his wife Michelle, who was in sleeveless white attire. The former president's car and dozens of other vehicles left Adisutjipto Air Force Base at 12:36 p.m. The entourage included Presidential Secret Service officers who were seen to guard Obama during his ride to the Tentrem Hotel, where he was to stay while in Yogyakarta. (Read also: Obama arrives in Bali) Obama and family reportedly plan to visit several tourist attractions in Yogyakarta and Central Java, including the Prambanan and Borobudur temples, after checking into the hotel. Police officers and military personnel were seen blocking the exit of the Air Force base that was used by Obama and the group for about 10 minutes. The guards had been ready by at the exit since 11:00 a.m. Obama and family arrived in Yogyakarta for a three-day stay after having vacationed on Bali for five days. (ecn/jun) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 16:51 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a71a584 1 City jakarta,Holiday,Idul-Fitri-2017,#IdulFitri,Museum,tourism Free A number of communities have offered unique activities for holidaymakers to pass the Idul Fitri holiday in Jakarta. They believe the capital never runs out of attractive places to visits, as well as amusing activities to do. A tourist guide community, the Jakarta Good Guide, for example, offers a "pay-as-you-wish trip" program to several museums in the capital during the Idul Fitri season. In the program, participants can join the tourist guides in strolling around the capital's museums and pay based on their satisfaction. There is no fixed fare. Read also: Explore a different side of Indonesia in these museums They can join the three-day trip partly or entirely, which will be carried out from Wednesday to Friday. On Wednesday, the community will explore the Jakarta History Museum and the Puppet Museum, both of which are in Kota Tua, West Jakarta. On Thursday, they plan to stroll around the National Museum and the Inscription Museum in Central Jakarta. Visitors inspect items from the archives displayed at the National Museum in Jakarta on June 3.(JP/Seto Wardhana) On Friday, the program's last day, participants can learn about one of Indonesia's heroes, Mohammad Husni Thamrin, better known as MH Thamrin, at the MH Thamrin Museum and the history of the youth oath the Youth Oath Museum, which are both in Central Jakarta. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 10:15 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70aae2 1 National terror-attack,Medan,National-Police,terrorism,IS,Syria Free The National Police have stepped up the monitoring of hundreds of Indonesian returnees from Syria after it was revealed that one of the two attackers in the fatal stabbing of a policeman at the North Sumatra Police headquarters in Medan had traveled to the war-ravaged Middle Eastern nation in 2013. We will intensify our monitoring, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. Setyo said that under current legislation, the police could only monitor the activities of returnees but did not have the authority to make arrests unless a terrorism-related crime had been committed. Law No.15/2003 on terrorism doesn't grant [the police] authority [to arrest those returning from war-torn countries such as Syria]. We know that they have been to Syria to wage war but we cannot not do anything except monitor them, he said. Read also: Tito suspects JAD terror group behind N. Sumatra police post attacks Setyo said the National Police hoped that the House of Representatives, which was deliberating an amendment to the law, would add provisions that gave the police's Densus 88 counterterrorism squad more power in making preventive arrests. On Sunday, at 3 a.m., two attackers, identified as Sawaluddin Pakpahan and Hardi, aka Ardial Ramadhana, sneaked into Checkpoint 3 of the North Sumatra Police headquarters post and stabbed to death a resting police officer and wounded another. Ardial was shot dead while Sawaluddin was wounded and arrested. Sawaluddin spent six months in Syria in 2013, a year before the Islamic State (IS) movement announced the establishment of the now shrinking caliphate. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 14:04 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a713efd 1 Business Lebaran-2017,#Lebaran,soekarno-hatta-airport,passenger,increase Free Jakarta-serving Soekarno Hatta International Airport expects to welcome about 5 million passengers during the Islamic holiday period from 10 days before until 10 days after Idul Fitri, which fell on June 25. The airport in Tangerang, Banten, had recorded 2.17 million passengers between June 15 and June 26, the airports communication manager, Dewandono Prasetyo Nugroho, said on Tuesday. Last year, the number of air passengers flying through the airport during the Idul Fitri season reached 4.42 million. The number of passengers will increase from last years figure. The peak occurred one day before Idul Fitri and it will happen again in the coming days, when they return [to Jakarta], said Dewandono, as quoted by Antara on Tuesday. (Read also: Idul Fitri holidaymakers pack Soekarno-Hatta airport) The airport management also recorded 524 extra flights provided by various airlines to accommodate spiking demand. The main destinations of the air passengers were Denpasar, Surabaya, Medan, Makassar and Yogyakarta, he added. There have been 93,525 passengers flying [from the airport] to Denpasar, he said. Soekarno Hatta International Airport operational manager Djodi Prasetyo said his team had anticipated the sharp increase in the number of passengers, but said people could also help expedite pre-flight processes at the airport. Passengers should get their luggage ready beforehand and come early to the airport to prevent long lines at check-in counters, Djodi added. (dea/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi Wed, June 28, 2017 14:42 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a7162ec 1 National crime,murder,migrant-workers,Singapore,Jambi Free Detectives from the West Tanjungjabung Police in Jambi arrested a 40-year-old female resident of Sawahan Besar, Central Jakarta, identified only as K, on Tuesday night, suspecting her of committing the murder of two Singaporeans in Singapore. Jambi Police spokesman Sr. Adj. Comr. Kuswahyudi Tresnadi said K was arrested at Hotel Namber in Patunas subdistrict, Tungkal Ilir district, West Tanjungjabung. The arrest was made after the police received reports from the public about a woman who suspiciously talked about the murder in Singapore on June 21. A preliminary investigation found that the suspect had been reading online reports about the murder at an internet cafe in Kualatungkal. Read also: Supreme Court rejects appeal of cyanide-coffee case convict Investigators claimed the descriptions of the alleged murderer and of K matched. Our checking of the guest data kept by the hotel further confirmed our suspicions. We immediately arrested her, Kuswahyudi said. He claimed that K immediately confessed to the murder during an interrogation at the West Tanjungjabung Police. It was not known yet if K would be extradited to Singapore. The police said a number of pieces of evidence have been seized, including five branded watches, three black cellphones, a red laptop and cash in rupiah and foreign currencies including Singaporean dollars, Bruneian ringgit, US dollars and Chinese yuan. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (AFP) Yangon Wed, June 28, 2017 19:41 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a728531 2 SE Asia #Myanmar,#junta,#journalists Free Myanmar on Wednesday charged three journalists for reporting on an armed ethnic group in a case that has fuelled alarm at the erosion of press freedom. Five men, including the trio, have now been transferred to Hsipaw prison in Shan State to await their first day in court, a police officer in the station told AFP. They were charged under section one of the draconian Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. The legislation was widely used against journalists and activists by the former military junta, which stepped down in 2011, paving the way for the party of pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi to assume power last year. "Five men -- three journalists and two drivers -- were charged under 17/1 of the Unlawful Association Act this afternoon," said the police officer, who asked not to be named. "They arrived here at 12:30 pm and were later transferred to Hsipaw prison department." They were among seven people detained by the military on Monday as they left a drugs-burning ceremony organized by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), one of several rebel groups fighting the state. The journalists included reporters from The Irrawaddy and DVB, which for years challenged the former junta's iron grip on free expression with their covert reporting. Earlier a senior aide to Suu Kyi, who herself spent almost two decades under house arrest for defying the junta, defended the charges. "It's true that they broke the law by going to meet ethnic groups," Win Htein, also a former political prisoner, told the Central News Bureau broadcaster. He said it was wrong for the army to initiate proceedings but insisted that "the government should take action" against the journalists. The military said Monday the group was stopped near Phayargyi village in Shan State, not far from where TNLA fighters have been clashing with the army. Several soldiers and four insurgents have been killed since fresh fighting erupted last week after troops discovered a training camp for the ethnic armed group, state media reported Wednesday. The clashes come just weeks after Suu Kyi met several ethnic insurgent groups, including the TNLA, at talks aimed at ending decades of fighting in Myanmar's borderlands. "Getting peace is more important than amending this (Unlawful Associations) Act," said Win Htein. The detention of the journalists has drawn condemnation from activists and diplomats concerned at growing curbs on press freedom. The Committee to Protect Journalists' Asia Program coordinator Steven Butler called the arrests an "affront to democracy in Myanmar". It comes amid a groundswell of activism among local journalists aimed at quashing a controversial broadly-worded online defamation law which has been used to curb criticism of the government and army. Prosecutions under the legislation have surged since the National League for Democracy came to power last year, with social media satirists, activists and journalists increasingly targeted. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 15:05 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a7167fe 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Komodo-Island,Vogue Free American fashion and lifestyle publication Vogue has published an article titled 10 Unexpected Places to Travel This Summer where they asked travel experts to share their favorite destinations. Among the listed places is Komodo Island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), which is described by the publication as ideal for intrepid families and honeymooners who want an experience all to themselves, away from other tourists. Read also: Five must-visit places in Komodo National Park Tom Marchant, the cofounder and owner of travel company Black Tomato, recommends the Dunia Baru vessel built from Indonesian teak as the place to stay. Meanwhile, the founder and CEO of membership-based luxury travel company Indagare, Melissa Bradley, recommends readers to stay at Nihiwatu in Sumba. Indonesias national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, offers a direct flight from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo in Flores, NTT. This month, Sriwijaya Air is set to add more flights from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 11:02 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70cbbc 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Barack-Obama,#BarackObama,Bali-Arts-Festival Free Former US president Barack Obama and his family, who are currently vacationing in Bali, have been invited by the Tourism Ministry to attend the Bali Arts Festival 2017. Read also: Visiting Bali Arts Festival in June? Here's the schedule Obama is very happy; he likes outdoor activities. We suggest that [Obama] attend the Bali Arts Festival 2017; the schedule has been provided by the Bali governor, said Bali Tourism Agency head AA Gde Yuniartha. The Bali Arts Festival is one of Balis art icons; it would be a pity if they missed this opportunity. For an entire month, visitors will be entertained by more than 180 shows. At the festival, Obama can witness the love that the Balinese people have for their culture, added Yuniartha. Read also: Rebirth shows promise of youngest Titian Prize finalist The 2017 Bali Arts Festival runs from June 10 to July 8 in front of the Bajra Sandhi Peoples Struggle Monument in Denpasar. This years festival bears the theme Ulun Danu, which means preserving the water of life. Around 5,000 people, including four art troupes from abroad, are set to take part in the festival, including participants from East Nusa Tenggara, Timor Leste and India. On Sunday, the Obamas were seen strolling around Jatiluwih village in Tabanan, which is known for its breathtaking views of rice terraces. On Monday, the family went to Ayung River in Bongkasa village, Badung, for rafting. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 10:01 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a7069a3 1 News travel,Agoda,millenials,#millenials,#travel Free A recent survey by travel fare aggregator and online booking platform Agoda.com reveals the latest trends of millennial travelers from Indonesia. According to the survey, which involved 1,000 millennials aged 25 to 34 years old who booked their trips independently, 40 percent of the travelers want to feel challenged when traveling, while 45 percent said they want to explore destinations away from where they are staying. While traveling, 64 percent said they like trying street food from vendors, while 47 percent of participants prefer to find restaurants that are well-known on social media. Among activities millennials said they took part in are cafe hopping, visiting night markets, shopping in traditional markets and haggling with local shopkeepers. Read also: Agoda eyes non-hotel accommodation options to attract millennials Meanwhile, although the #selfie and #wefie hashtags are popular across social media platforms, especially on Instagram, 86 percent of travelers said they prefer to have their friends take an artistic photo of them while they look off at nothing in particular. This survey clearly shows a big shift from the relatively sedentary approach of traveling in the past, said Agoda International Indonesia country director Gede Gunawan in a press release. Were seeing the emergence of a much more adventurous and independently minded traveler here in Indonesia. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 28, 2017 12:04 1962 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a70e6d9 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Wings-Air,aviation,Airlines,#airlines,new-route Free Wings Air, a subsidiary of Indonesias largest airline, Lion Air Group, will soon open a new route from Jakarta via Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport to three destinations in one go, namely Bandung, Malang and Makassar. The new route will only be served once every day and will use ATR 72-500/600 aircraft that have a capacity of 72 passengers, said Lion Air Group president director Edward Sirait. Read also: The most affordable times for domestic travel in Indonesia The route will launch on July 2, with departure from Jakarta scheduled at 1:55 p.m., from Bandung to Malang at 2:15 p.m. and from Malang to Makassar at 4:35 p.m. On July 3, the plane will fly back from Makassar to Malang at 6 a.m., then from Malang to Bandung at 7:25 a.m. and from Bandung to Jakarta at 9:35 a.m. Currently, Wings Air flies to more than 86 domestic destinations with more than 293 daily flights and owns 52 ATR 72-500/600 aircraft, Edward added. (kes) Business women Michelle Dewberry appeared on BBCs This Week programme to discuss her standing in the 2017 General Election in the constituency of Kingston upon Hull West and Wessle as an independent candidate. Well done @MichelleDewbs good points - 'well made' on @bbcthisweek unlike her very small ice-cream cone. Enjoyed the show @afneil as ever pic.twitter.com/VE7PHZ0z5b Del Anning (@DelBoyBass) June 22, 2017 Dewberry, 37, a former Apprentice contestant, came fourth in the election, polling 1,898 votes - a credible 5.5% of the electorate in the East Riding constituency. On the show, which is hosted by Andrew Neil and follows Question Time, Dewberry stated that politics is out of control and its time for change. She also claimed: The referendum [to leave the European Union] , in my view, only happened because people felt completely unrepresented. Discussing with Neil whether the party system needed to be ended, the former Sunday Times editor noted there is not a single democracy in the world without a system of political parties. Dewberry replied that maybe there should be. Dewberry further claimed that parties operate a tactic of top trumps trying to outdo one another and promise big things, and in the end let people down. Barely a year ago, Labour MPs voted 172-40 to say they had no confidence in their incumbent party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. Conservative Civil Wars over Europe looked as though they were finally put to bed last summer, but have begun to re-ignite. Parties seemed disunited with clear direction of where they will travel. So, should we get rid of political parties? Certainly, theres a possibility that it would get rid of partisanship in British politics. A rampant us v them culture which results in petty insults and mud-slinging on both sides of the pollical divide. However, I think politicians would still be divided right and left and these definitions, though broader, could still divide people. Michael Portillo, former Tory Minister and a regular on the show, argued that the greatest flaw in democracy was over promising. This is only paid for by borrowing, which results in increased national debt. However, with independents, its harder to ascertain where politicians would stand on issues. Parties run on manifestos that are universal and cover a wide range of issues. Whilst there are scores of factions within all parties (Blairite v Corbynite and One Nation v Free Market v Thatcherite), its still fairly easy to work out where a party will stand on an issue and how theyll vote. This is a lot harder to do with independents, it would require the independent to decide an issue on all subjects, some of which they may not be too knowledgeable about, which would be an enormous task. Political parties formed out of loose groups of people with similar beliefs. It allows them to create a common plan, it allows them to be assure of enough support to push ideas through the Commons and other legislatures. And as Alan Johnson, who until this election was MP for the seat Dewberry ran for, when he retired pointed out, 82% of the electorate voted for Tory or Labour, which means people are going back to the established parties, so it looks like it isnt a problem anyone. Political parties are a good system, giving certainty, which is what an economy needs, and they help push through common ideas. Were stronger united after all. And then there's the point that scrapping parties is undemocratic. If people want to join them, be involved with them and vote for them, who are we to stop them? I think getting rid of political parties would be a waste of time and a solution to a non-problem. If people aren't feeling represented, why are turnouts increasing and the people being given countless opportunities to be heard - 2011 AV referundum, 2014 IndyRef, 2016 Brexit vote and a snap General Election? I don't think anything more can be done to make people feel represented apart from changing those standing in these elections - which would be harder to do with independents, as anyone can stand anywhere. With rising food prices and more and more people finding the purse strings tightening, it is more important than ever that people don't waste food. Lancaster University has recognised the importance of this and launched its own special programme, called the Lancaster University Campus Community Fridge. Students Sam Allan, Duncan Chapman, Chris Brown, Sam Western and Xeina Aveyard proposed the project, based on a similar scheme in Chriss home town of Frome, as their entry in Lancaster Universitys College Sustainability Challenge. The programme revolves around the donation of sealed, unopened and unused tinned and packaged foods, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, to a central community fridge on campus, as well as a subsidary stock in Bowland College Foyer. The programme has an official Facebook page, which states its aim: 'The Campus Community Fridge offers free unwanted food for all campus users. Any one can donate unopened, in date tinned and packaged foods, fruit and veg.' It is designed in order to limit food wastage, as well as feeding any potentially hungry students or alumni who are still on campus. A team of student volunteers is in charge of checking the quality of donations and keeping the fridge clean and tidy. Donated food must be in the same condition it was bought in open packaging or home-cooked meals cannot be accepted. Sam Allan said: We are very proud to have launched the first community fridge at a UK university, and to contribute to sustainability at Lancaster. "Hopefully the fridge will be the catalyst for further student led food waste action projects here at Lancaster." He added: "We are immensely grateful to all contributors, in particular the students union; we wouldn't have been able to launch so quickly without their hard work. It has already seen a variety of donations including mixed boxes of cans from leaving students, fresh pies from Bowland Bar, cheesecakes from university catering, fresh milk, wraps, sandwiches, paninis and much more. The concept has also been advertised to much acclaim with other universities, most recently appearing at the Green Challenge Student Sustainability Innovation conference 2017. With minimal wastage, as well as maximum satisfaction, Lancaster University seem to be onto a real winner here with both staff and students alike - kudos to them! Earlier this week in the House of Commons, Theresa May announced a deal for EU nationals. Mrs May proposed that everyone living in the UK who is from another of the 27 EU member states will be able to apply for a so-called "settled status." They must have been lawfully resident in the UK for at least five years. Qualifying individuals who have been in the UK for less than five years an as-yet unspecified date will be able to continue living and working in Britain and can then apply for a settled status once they have been in the UK for five years. As well as, this those who come to the UK after a certain date (it is expected to be no earlier than the 29 March 2017, the date the formal Article 50 process for exiting the EU was triggered, and no later than the date of the withdrawal from the EU, which is expected in 2019), will be able to stay in the UK for at least a temporary period, however there are no guarantees they will be granted the settled status, the PM speaks of. Family members will also be able join qualifying citizens in the UK, but will also have to apply for a settled status after five years, irrespective of the specified date. Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU. A full breakdown of May's proposals can be viewed in the Home Office's White Paper: ' But what do students think of this deal - is it a good deal or a bad deal? Theresa May has announced that #EUNationals lawfully resident in UK for 5yrs+ will be able to apply for settled status. Is that a good deal? Sophie Dishman (@Sophie_Dishman) June 26, 2017 A poll revealed that on one aspect of the deal - nearly half agreed that Mrs May's deal was a good deal, while 21% disagreed - opting for a "no" answer. However, 38% were unsure about Mrs May's deal - highlighting some uncertainty. Mark Peel, a history student at the University of Sunderland, said: "It's not a very good deal considering we're left to assume that not only will those EU nationals living in the UK under five years be forced to leave, but there are too many other complicated questions into how the application process will work or even if all the EU nationals will still be able to live in the UK afterwards." He added: "A great number of these people are doctors, dentists, teachers. They should not be made to leave the country or justify their residency here and in fact should be welcomed rather than looked upon with bigotry and suspicion." Haych Parker shares a similar view. She said: "I think it's disgusting that EU nationals that have been here for less than five years could be deported. Definitely not good enough in my opinion." Haych would like to see "free movement for all despite Brexit." She added: "No EU citizens that move here before we leave the EU should be chucked out. We would have a lot to say if another country treated Brits in this way." Parity between UK citizens in Europe and their equivalents in the UK was also on the lips of many students. RJ Phoenix, a current MA student, said: "T For others, much of the focus was on EU individuals here. Mathew Swinburne, a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language's) student said: "Those in question are already settled and I worry if this status is denied. "This settled status is just going to make it harder for EU nationals in our country in my opinion, especially with current tensions being so high." The governments offer for EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU on their rights and status after the UK leaves the EU will be spoken about as part of Brexit negotiations. What do you think of the PM's deal for citizens in the UK and the EU? Another global-scale cyberattacks hit Russia, Britain and the US yesterday, disrupting a number of different industries and governments and restricting radiation checks at the Chernobyl power plant. Happening just a month after the WannaCry ransomware virus that targeted the NHS, endangering several people, the new string of the malware called Petya allegedly originated in Ukraine and then spread to Spain, Germany, Israel, the UK, Netherlands and the US. Marco Cova, a researcher at the US cybersecurity company Lastline, commented for The Times by saying that Petya looked very similar in its dynamics and techniques to Wannacry and appeared to rely on the same piece of software, called EternalBlue, to help it spreading. He added: If it is confirmed that EternalBlue is the only spreading mechanism, there will be inevitable questions about how organisations could still fall to this attack. The way the ransomware works is by locking owners out of their own files, then asking for money in order to unlock them. It has been estimated that more than 6,000 pounds has already been paid to the cyber terrorists following this attack. However, experts suggested affected people do not pay the ransom, since they wouldnt be getting their files back anyway. This because hackers behind Petya ransomware would not be able to retrieve the corrupt files. Posteo, the German email provider, has suspended the email address i.e. wowsmith123456@posteo.net, which was behind used by the criminals to communicate with victims after getting the ransom to send the decryption keys, but the ransomware is still spreading across the globe. PT Security, a UK-based cyber security company, have allegedly discovered a Kill-Switch for Petya ransomware. According to a tweet, company has advised users to create a file i.e. "C:\Windows\perfc" to prevent ransomware infection. To safeguard against any ransomware infection, experts suggest you should always be suspicious of unwanted files and documents sent over an email and should never click on links inside them unless you know the source. Also, you should keep a good back-up routine in place that makes their copies to an external storage device that isn't always connected to your PC. Finally, make sure that you run a good and effective anti-virus security suite on your system, and keep it up-to-date. A 19-year-old man urinated on a pensioner in a Manchester Pret a Manger before slapping the coffee shops manager after taking a concoction of drink and drugs at Parklife. Mason Hudson pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault at Manchester Magistrates Court. He was given a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 250 hours of community service. On top of this he has to pay 85 in court costs, a 115 victim surcharge and 50 compensation. Prosecuting, Tina Cunnane said: At around 7.15am the manager of the store noticed the defendant acting in a strange manner. "He looked and acted as though he was under the influence of drugs. "He heard screaming and saw [Hudson] urinating on an elderly female, a customer sat at one of the tables. "She got up and ran from the defendant, who was left standing in the coffee shop still urinating on the floor. In a statement to the court, the shops manager said he was shocked by what had happened and felt sorry for the female customer, a 72-year-old pensioner. Hudson, a second year University of Sunderland student, had never been in trouble with police before. Mitigating on his behalf, Nnamdi Inegbu said: This is now a stain on his career moving forward. He is ashamed of himself. Adding: He's got a conviction that he will have to declare to further employers. As he puts it his long term aim was to try and get some work in primary school education. With a conviction like this it may hinder him considerably. "The incident took place on Monday June 12th at the end of the two day Parklife music festival in the city, where Hudson said he had taken drink and drugs." Chair of the bench Dean Marsh told Hudson: This assault was particularly vicious and nasty. Urinating on an old lady in public is absolutely despicable. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. 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Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. Most parents claim rights to having the most beautiful baby in town, but theres one way of building their case. The Wyandotte Jaycees are sponsoring their annual Beautiful Baby Contest, which will be held July 12-15, during the Wyandotte Street Art Fair. Two lucky babies, one boy and one girl, will be voted as the winners. Contestants range in age from newborns to 36 months. For each entry, a number is assigned and the babys photo will be displayed at the Beautiful Baby booth near the Wyandotte clock tower at Biddle Avenue and Maple Street during the art fair. Votes will be cast by fairgoers who place a contribution in the jar of the baby they think should win. There also will be an online voting option via special PayPal links assigned to each contestant on the Wyandotte Jaycees website. The boy and girl with the most money collected at the end of the fair wins (as of midnight July 15). One penny equals one vote. Prizes include a prize basket valued at over $200 and riding in Wyandottes 2018 Independence Day Parade, among others. Visit https://goo.gl/forms/NCTkhGoPVATutSxd2 and fill out an online entry form. To enter by email or standard mail, send your name, your childs name, childs date of birth, phone number and email address to Shannon@obscurematter.com or to Beautiful Baby c/o Wyandotte Jaycees PO Box 276, Wyandotte, Michigan 48192. Email entries can attach their babys photo and pay the entry fee via PayPal. Standard mail entries must have the completed entry form postmarked by July 7, and include the $10 entry fee (check or money order only) and a 4x6 photo of the baby (do not label). Entry forms postmarked after July 7 cannot be considered, however, email and online entry is available until July 11. The contest and all Wyandotte Jaycees fundraising projects support community events such as the East Egg Hunt, held annually at Bishop Park; as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for the less fortunate. Those with questions or in need of more information are asked to call 734-284-3861 (FUN1) or email info@wyandottejaycees.org. Winners will be notified by phone and posted on the Wyandotte Jaycees Web site at http://www.wyandottejaycees.org/beautifulbaby/ Female Aussie tourist saves Thai woman from drowning at Phuket beach PHUKET: An Australian woman came to the rescue of a Thai woman who was close to drowning at Karon Beach yesterday. accidentshealthmarinetourism By Eakkapop Thongtub Tuesday 27 June 2017, 04:42PM The Australian woman swam out to save the Thai woman who was close to drowning. Photo: Noi Chanthasri Facebook user Thanawat Vinitpairoj, who is a freelance photographer, yesterday (June 26) posted three photos on his Facebook page along with a message which read, Late in the afternoon while I was taking photos of two Australian women and a kid on Karon Beach, one of the women ran down to the sea, took off her trousers then jumped into the water and swam out towards a woman who was close to drowning. I tried to look for a lifeguard but could not see one, but this woman saved a Thai lady from drowning. The Australian woman changed her clothes and then walked back down towards the water where she was hugged by the other foreign woman. She is a hero. Sometimes heroes dont have to be men. The Phuket News later contacted Mr Thanawat regarding the incident and he told a reporter, The incident happened at 5:30pm yesterday. I was taking photo of my customers. They are a family of two women and one kid. My customer saw two people, who I later found were a Thai woman and a Thai man, who were playing in the surf, but suddenly they got hit by a large wave. The man managed to get back to shore using a surfboard but the woman was stranded out at sea. One of the Australian women swam out to help her without any hesitation, he said. They were both safe. The Australian woman was very brave, I admire her, Mr Thanawat added. Watertown landowners will be involved in new Corps flood-control study After 30 years, a new flood control feasibility study will include the input of landowners and supply a multitude of options other than a dry dam. A Pardeeville man is being held on $400 cash bond in part due to a felony strangulation charge, but also because of his nonchalance about being tased by police. Christopher Bass, 53, appeared in Columbia County Circuit Court on Monday, charged with felony strangulation, misdemeanor battery, misdemeanor resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. This was a fairly violent it was a very violent action, said District Attorney Jane Kohlwey, requesting a $1,000 cash bond. He was strangling a victim, he resisted when officers made contact with him. The defendant appears to be a high risk to society based on his actions in this particular case. Bass was arrested Saturday after Columbia County Sheriffs deputies were dispatched to a reported attack at a home in the town of Pacific. Upon arriving officers reported meeting a man who said that he had been in an argument with Bass wife, who later went back into her home. Bass then allegedly came out of the house and approached the man, threatening to beat him up. A woman who was there at the time told officers that Bass had called the man a stupid piece of and told the man not to start stuff with his wife. After Bass had called him a feminine expletive, according to the alleged victim, he responded do what you have to do, at which point Bass grabbed the man by the throat and pushed hard enough to knock him over in his chair, continuing to choke him for several seconds. Officers noted that the man had a cut on the side of his neck. After witnesses, including Bass, were interviewed, one of the officers told Bass he was under arrest, with Bass reportedly answering, Nope. After some discussion, the officer drew his Taser, and as officers attempted to arrest him, Bass pulled away and headed toward the kitchen. The two officers worked to get Bass under control until one deputy put his Taser into Basss back and hit him with five seconds of voltage, allowing the two to get his arms under control and into handcuffs. When the deputy asked if Bass needed medical attention, Bass reportedly smiled and commented about never having been Tased before. While not insignificant in the grand scheme of things, the level of violence alleged aside, I think what gives the court the most pause is the vehemence with which Mr. Bass sought to avoid participation with law enforcement, said Judge W. Andrew Voigt. Frankly, it sounds like the defendant found being Tased bordered on comical, based on how I read the complaint. That cant be a good thing. Defense attorney Tristan Eagon said that with his income based on disability and now looking at homelessness, Bass would be strictly limited in any ability to post cash bond. Voigt ordered Bass be held on $400 cash bond with a court order to have no contact with the alleged victim, his home or workplace. If convicted, Bass faces the possibility of up to 7 1/2 years in prison. He is scheduled to next appear in court for an Aug. 30 return hearing. LA VALLE For the second time, authorities say, a meth cook escaped just as authorities were on the verge of uncovering his lab. According to a criminal complaint, investigators received a tip that 35-year-old Michael E. Nemitz was cooking methamphetamine in a machine shop at his La Valle home. A detective reported that when officers showed up to raid the home in May, Nemitz fled out of a second story window before he could be arrested. Authorities searched the property and allegedly found meth, as well as materials and substances used to cook the drug. A judge has authorized a warrant for his arrest. This isnt the first time Nemitz has been accused of skipping town on the verge of having his meth lab discovered. In September 2014, authorities said Nemitz fled his home on an ATV just as authorities arrived to execute a search warrant. He turned himself in several days later and was charged with possessing and manufacturing meth. Authorities said Nemitz used a one pot method to cook the drug, which involves a sealed container that is shaken to mix toxic ingredients. In a deal with prosecutors, Nemitz pleaded no contest to felony meth possession. A judge withheld sentencing in favor of a three-year probation term. That deal may be revoked if Nemitz is convicted of the new charges, including felony meth possession and possessing drug paraphernalia. An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand. Human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi on Tuesday returned the National Minority Rights Award as a protest against recent lynching incidents and said there is an atmosphere of fear and terror pervading in the country. Hasmhi was conferred the award in 2008 by the National Commission for Minorities. She blamed the Centre for the situation and said that "under the present government, the marginalisation of minority groups has become the norm". She said that there is not only a "deafening silence from this government" but it also "openly connives in encouraging the mob lynching and attacks on minorities". She also targeted the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) for not playing an active part in ensuring the dignity, security and constitutional rights of the minority communities. She criticised the commission head's controversial statement saying all those in India who celebrated Pakistan's Champion's Trophy victory should go to that country, or better still "be deported there". "National Commission for Minorities and the present government has failed in providing even a semblance of dignity and security to the minority communities," she said. In a letter to NCM, she said: "I return the National Minority Rights award given by the National Commission for Minorities, which has lost all its credibility, in protest against consistent attacks and killings of the members of the minority communities and total inaction, apathy and tacit support to the violent gangs by the government." "Lynching has become the unaccountable way of outsourcing state violence to strike fear in minds of minorities," the activist said. "Even before the community can mourn its dead, the next incident takes place. There is an atmosphere of fear and terror." There have been several incidents of lynching over the past two years, starting with a man in Dadri of Uttar Pradesh in 2015 whom a mob accused of storing and consuming beef. In April, a dairy farmer was killed after attack on him in Alwar district of Rajasthan by self-styled cow vigilantes. Last week, a teenager was attacked by a group and killed while travelling in a train from Delhi to Haryana. On the day oppositions candidate Meira Kumar filed her nomination for the July 17 presidential election, she said from this day, her fight for ideology starts. From today our fight for ideology starts, Meira said after filing her nomination. Opposition leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and TMC leader Derek O'Brien were present when Meira filed the nomination. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were also present. Meanwhile, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said: "For us it's a battle of ideology, principles and truth and we will fight it. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi said Kumar represents the values that bind us as a nation and people. "Proud to have @meira_kumar ji as our candidate," he tweeted. Before reaching the Parliament, Meira Kumar visited Raj Ghat and Samta Sthal, memorial of Mahatma Gandhi and her father Babu Jagjivan Ram, respectively. Kumar, 75, is the joint opposition candidate of 17 non-NDA parties against the ruling dispensation's nominee Ram Nath Kovind. Kumar will launch her campaign from Sabarmati on Wednesday. "I will face presidential polls on plank of democratic values, inclusiveness, end of poverty, destruction of caste structure," she had said while addressing the media on Tuesday. (With inputs from agencies) Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in Sheena Bora murder case, on Wednesdaytold the special CBI court in Mumbai that she saw a prisoner being dragged with a saree around her neck before hearing the news of her death. On Wednesday, the court permitted Indrani to lodge a police complaint against Byculla prison officials with regard to her accusation that she (Indrani) was beaten up. Indrani, along with other inmates, was booked in connection with the rioting at Byculla Jail, after which she complained of assault by prison staff. According to reports, Manju Govind Shette (45), a convict, died at the government-run JJ Hospital on Friday night, allegedly after being beaten up by a woman prison official. Subsequently, six jail staffers were placed under suspension and on Monday, police registered a murder case against them. Indrani moved a court alleging that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the death of a convict sparked protests in the prison. Lodged at the Byculla prison since 2015, Mukerjea was accused by jail officials of inciting violence. Mukherjea's lawyer on Tuesday claimed she has been assaulted by the jail staff and that there were bruise marks on her body. Following the application filed by her lawyer in the CBI Special Court, the court ordered prison authorities to present Indrani before it. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of the woman convict. The Commissioner of Mumbai Police reportedly entrusted the crime branch with investigations into the death of convict Manju Shette. Indrani has been in the Byculla prison since September 2015 after her arrest on 25 August on charges of murdering her daughter, Sheena Bora. Indrani, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and ex-driver Shyamvar Rai are accused of strangling 24-year-old Sheena on April 24, 2012. Sheena's burnt body was dumped in a bag at a forest in Raigad district near Mumbai. (With inputs from agencies) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel from 4-6 July at the invitation of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, it was officially announced here on Wednesday. This would be the first-ever visit by an Indian PM to the Jewish nation, with which India established diplomatic ties in 1992. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Modi would have detailed discussions with Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest during the visit. He would also meet Israeli President Rouven Rivlin and other leaders during the visit, which would be keenly watched not only in neighbouring Pakistan but the entire Islamic world. Elements of his programme in Israel, as announced by the MEA, include homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa and address to the Indian community at an event in Tel Aviv. The relationship between India and Israel has gone from strength to strength ever since the two countries established diplomatic ties, particularly in areas like defence, security, counter-terrorism and agriculture. The visit to Israel will take place within ten days of Modis meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Like with many other world leaders, Modi has established a personal rapport with his Israeli counterpart Netanyahu, who had earlier this week announced the Indian leaders visit in a tweet. Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, @NarendraModi will arrive in Israel. This is an historic visit to Israel. Netanyahu is said to be personally overseeing the preparations being made for Modis visit to ensure its grand success. Wake up; the most important PM of the world is coming, is how Modis visit to Israel was described on Tuesday by a leading Israeli business daily. Modis visit is also significant since he will be the first top world leader to skip Palestine while visiting Israel, although New Delhi has been steadfast in its commitment to the cause of the Palestinians. It had last month hosted Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas and reiterated its stand on the Palestine issue. Sources said Modi wanted to send out a clear message to people not only in India but across the globe that India was removing the hyphen from the countrys ties with Israel and Palestine without any dilution in its stand on Palestine. India had come to a stage where it was confident and comfortable enough of dealing with the Palestinians and Israelis separately on their own merits, sources added. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has met Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani weeks after several Gulf states snapped diplomatic relations with the US ally over its support to terror groups. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, the four Arab states that severed ties with Qatar had issued a list of 13 demands to end rift, including closing Al-Jazeera television and cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, Xinhua news agency reported. Tillerson met Al Thani on Tuesday and later Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the US Secretary of State was working towards finding a solution to solve the issue at hand, a CNBC report said. The statement added that Qatar's Foreign Minister "insisted that others must be genuinely willing to negotiate and to present evidence to support their allegations and demands." Tillerson said that "while some of the elements will be very difficult for Qatar to meet, there are significant areas which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution". He called on the relevant countries to "sit together and continue this conversation", and added that "each country involved has something to contribute to that effort". Qatar is a key US ally in the fight against the Islamic State group and the US military base in the country is one of the largest in the Middle East. On Tuesday, Tillerson also met Kuwait's Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah. Kuwait is acting as a mediator to end the worst Gulf crisis in years. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Cloudy with occasional rain during the afternoon. High 62F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain likely. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. A man in custody after his roommate was stabbed to death in their apartment early Saturday told police that they had used crack cocaine that morning, then got into a fight that ended with him stabbing his roommate repeatedly, according to search warrants filed Wednesday. Ronald Redeaux, 27, told police that after smoking crack, his roommate, Gerald F. Moore, 52, was acting strangely, and went to a drawer in the kitchen of their apartment at 1006 W. Badger Road and tried to grab a pair of scissors, according to the warrants, filed in Dane County Circuit Court. Redeaux said he grabbed the scissors first and began to stab Moore with them. Redeaux said he then grabbed a black-handled knife and a butcher knife and used them on Moore as well. He told police he left the knives in the car that he drove from the scene. Police found the car, which belonged to Moore, in a parking lot on Baird Street, near Penn Park. Police found blood on the top of the car and on the cars steering column, and through the windows, officers were able to see a knife on the floor of the car, the search warrants state. An inventory filed with one of the search warrants states that in the car police found two knives and a pair of scissors. Redeaux remains in custody in the Dane County Jail on a probation hold and has not yet appeared in court. Police have asked the Dane County District Attorneys Office to charge him with first-degree intentional homicide. Moore was the victim of a domestic battery at the hands of Redeaux last year. Redeaux was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to domestic battery, resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. At the time, Moore told police that Redeaux was under the influence of alcohol and was suffering from an undiagnosed bipolar disorder. In the search warrants, police also said that officers were called to a domestic incident at 1006 W. Badger Road on June 12, only 12 days before Moore was killed. Officer James Morovic noted that an obvious disturbance had taken place in the apartment, evidence by a broken television and papers thrown about. Both Moore and Redeaux were arrested on tentative domestic abuse charges. In his interview with police after Moores stabbing, Redeaux said that he and Moore had lived together on and off for about six years after meeting when they were both homeless. According to the warrants: Police were called to 1006 W. Badger Road after a 911 call about 5:30 a.m. from a man who sounded out of breath. An officer arriving there saw a maroon Buick, similar to Moores car, leaving the parking lot headed toward South Park Street. Officers followed a blood trail to one of the apartments, where they found Moore. The apartment was in disarray, with chairs overturned and other items strewn about. A kitchen drawer that had cutlery inside had a bloody handprint on the outside of it. Redeauxs mother, Wanda Phillips, told police that she had received several calls from a number she did not recognize, and only heard background noise when she answered. She then received text messages from Redeaux, telling her that he needed to talk to her. One of the messages said, I almost got killed today. When she called back, Redeaux told her that he hurt someone really bad. He said he was near Penn Park and asked her to pick him up. Phillips drove with her daughter to Mount Zion Baptist Church near Penn Park and saw Redeaux running toward her from an apartment building. She said he was injured, and he told her that his roommate had grabbed a knife. When she asked where his roommate was, she told police, he said that he was at their apartment and was not breathing. Phillips daughter gave police a similar account, and said that Redeaux had been paranoid recently, possibly because of drug use. Phillips drove Redeaux back to his apartment and turned him over to police. At Meriter Hospital, Redeaux told an officer in unprompted statements that there was a tussle as he Moore presumably moved toward a drawer containing sharp objects. Redeaux said Moore also grabbed pliers and a knife. He said the two of them were on the floor and Moore was out of control, and he was terrified if he got up and knocked me out. Redeaux added, Thats when I had to end the situation because I was a little terrified. An autopsy found that Moore died from multiple sharp force injuries to his body, including his left facial area, his forehead, and his neck. It's been a long-drawn-out battle around last year's much appreciated film, Neerja, between the family of Neerja Bhanot and the producers Blingg Unplugged, run by Atul Kasbekar. The film is based on the life of Neerja Bhanot, a senior flight purser of Pan-Am 73 flight, who died in a shootout following the hijack by Palestinian terrorists who had entered the aircraft armed and posing as Pakistan Police personnel. Neerja's family accused the producers of "criminal conspiracy" for going back on their word of sharing 10 per cent of the net profit, and moved court last week. "The entire episode has trappings of a criminal conspiracy between respondent (Bling Unplugged) and Fox Star Studios India Pvt Ltd, who right from the inception of the agreement (between the family and the producers), in a planned manner had dishonestly induced the petitioners and family members of late Rama Bhanot with the intention of wrongful gains to themselves," the petition moved by the family before the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stated. In a statement released earlier in the day, Fox Star Studios said that it is extremely proud of its film Neerja and holds the Bhanot family in great esteem. However, the facts are that the Studios does not have any contractual obligations towards the Bhanot family as the life rights and permissions were obtained by Blingg Unplugged from the late Neerja Bhanot's family long before Fox Star Studios came on board to produce the film, said the statement. According to the Studios, it has been duly honouring its contractual obligations towards Blingg Unplugged. It's unfortunate that Blingg and Bhanot family have not been able to resolve their disagreements. The life story of Neerja Bhanot inspired the nation and the movie created history, created memories that we deeply cherish, memories that will last forever. We hope for quick resolution to the ongoing issue, it said. The family has contended that the producers had, in the agreement made on September 2, 2013, agreed to pay the family a fixed compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh and 10 per cent share of the net profit of the film. The movie, as per the collection figures, has generated a revenue of Rs 135 crores. "However, when it came to paying 10 per cent of the profits, the producer contended that Fox Star Studios were to keep 80 per cent of the profits while Bling was to get the rest. We were offered a pittance which we refused to accept. We were to put the money in a Trust in the name of Neerja and help other people," Aneesh Bhannot, who along with his brother Akhil Bhanot and mother Rama Bhanot (now deceased) signed the agreement, told news agency IANS. As per the petition, Bling offered just over Rs 24.57 lakh to the Bhanot family in July 2016 as their 10 per cent share which the family refused to accept. Kasbekar, in a statement released in May, had said that the profits from Neerja were repeatedly offered to the Bhanot family as per the existing contract. But they turned it down. "Bling Unplugged had acquired the rights to make Neerja from the Bhanot family. The agreement between Bhanots and Bling clearly spelt out that Bhanots would be paid a fixed upfront amount (which was paid as per the timelines) and a variable amount which was to be computed as a share of net profits that Bling would receive. It was always abundantly clear that we would partner with a studio, in this case Fox Star India. The Bhanot family was always aware of the same and has in fact met the studio reps on many occasions. To imply otherwise is simply untrue. It further added: All financial transactions post release have been shared with the Bhanot family immediately and in a transparent manner. Their share of the profits, which is a share of ours, has been immediately offered." According to the statement, Bhanot family's claim was a retrospective negotiation and not as per what is signed by them years ago. The case will be heard in the Chandigarh High Court on Friday. The Mollywood is full of action these days, albeit real ones involving top notch actors, producers, directors and even actor-turned-politicians. All the high-voltage drama is centred around the molestation case involving one of the leading actors in the south Indian film industry. A lot of people are being under the cloud of suspicion and it is not clear who is with whom. Allegations and counter allegations are flying thick and fast, with both sides threatening to sue each other. The main player in the ensuing drama is superstar Dileep, a big player in the Malayalam industry thanks to his involvement in production and distribution. Ever since the female actor was allegedly abducted and molested in April, his name has been doing the rounds. The actor, who was allegedly molested, had earlier openly accused Dileep of scuttling her roles in Malayalam films. She had alleged that Dileep holds a severe grudge against her for siding with his former wife and actor Manju Warrier. Though she had given her complaint in writing to the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), no action has been taken. Ever since the molestation incident, Dileep has been under the scanner despite his repeated pleas of innocence. The case turned murkier recently especially after Dileep, in an interview to a TV channel, insinuated that the female actor had been close to 'Pulsar Suni', the main accused in the case who is in police custody now. She should have been cautious about the friends she chose to keep, Dileep had said. The actor, however, hit back at Dileep and warned him of legal action over his comments. "It's been brought to my knowledge that an actor has said that the accused in this case (Suni) and I were friends and that one should be careful while choosing friends. This has pained me. If such baseless allegations are made against me, I am even willing take legal action, if required," she said in a statement. She also said that she had chosen not to speak up since senior police officials had advised her against it, citing that any intervention might affect the case and investigation adversely. Dileep's comment had earned the wrath of many, including the Women's Collective, which was formed recently to protect the interests of women working in the film industry. A TV channel, meanwhile, released an audio recording of Suni allegedly blackmailing Dileep asking him to either pay up or be ready to be framed in the case. Dileep and his close friend, actor and producer Nadirshah, were questioned by the police for nearly four hours on Wednesday in connection with their complaint that they are being blackmailed by the accused. According to them, the accused is threatening them with 'dire consequences' unless they pay up Rs 1.5 crore. Amid this, AMMA is meeting on Thursday. The powerful body, which has been facing criticism for allegedly being patriarchal, is unlikely to discuss the issue. AMMA has provided all possible support, including legal help, to the actor when she was in danger. Everyone knows that. What more can we do?,'' AMMA secretary Edavela Babu told THE WEEK. But the female representatives in AMMA have said that they will raise the matter during the meeting. Mollywood, it seems, is destined for more real-life drama in the coming days. 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Mustafa Dossa passed away hours after he was admitted to J.J. Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. Earlier on the day, Dossa was admitted to the hospital for hypertension and diabetes. "He was admitted following chest pain and infection," J.J. Hospital dean T.P. Lahane told ANI. "Mustafa Dossa also had uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes." Dossa had informed the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court about his heart problem and said he wanted to undergo a bypass surgery. The prosecution on Tuesday argued that convict Feroz Khan should be given the death penalty for his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. The counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stated that his role was parallel to that of Yakub Memon. CBI counsel Deepak Salve, said he would seek extreme punishment for all six convicts in the case. Speaking to reporters here, Salve said, "I quoted the judgments made by Supreme Court regarding Mustafa Dossa and Feroz. I have appealed for maximum punishment for them on the applicable grounds. Mustafa Dossa and Mohammad Dossa were present at the first conspiracy meeting where they decided to send arms and ammunition and create riots. Feroz was close to the group and has played an important role in transfer of arms and ammunition". The TADA court had convicted six peopleAbu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, Taher Merchant, Karimulla Khan and Riyaz Siddiquiin the case on June 16 and acquitted Abdul Qayyum Sheikh who was then released from Arthur Road jail. Addressing media after the court's order, Salve said, "Mustafa Dossa conducted a conspiracy meeting in Dubai which was attended by Dawood Ibrahim and others. They hatched a conspiracy of Mumbai blast to take revenge for Babri Masjid demolition." The accused used to travel between Dubai and Pakistan for arms and ammunition training where Pakistan had given them green channel entry. Their targets were Indian politicians, high officials and Hindus, he added. The man stabbed to death in a domestic incident on Madisons South Side early Saturday morning had been the victim of a domestic dispute last winter involving the same suspect. Gerald Moore, 52, of Madison, died of homicidal sharp force injuries, the Dane County Medical Examiners Office said Tuesday. Police say Moore was stabbed multiple times by his roommate, Ronald Redeaux, 27, in their apartment in the 1000 block of West Badger Road. Police were called to the scene at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday. The victim and suspect were in a domestic relationship, according to Police Chief Mike Koval. Police have asked the District Attorneys Office to charge Redeaux with first-degree intentional homicide. Police found a trail of blood near the apartment building where the two lived, and the apartment in disarray. A 911 call had been placed by someone who was out of breath, reporting an emergency. Redeaux was taken into custody on a probation hold at about 7 a.m. Saturday, after his family alerted police to his whereabouts. It wasnt the first time that Redeaux was involved in a domestic dispute with Moore. Police went to the apartment they shared on the North Side three times last December and eventually arrested Redeaux for punching Moore, resisting arrest and spitting at a police officer. At the time, Moore told police that Redeaux was under the influence of alcohol and suffering from an undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Police witnessed Redeaux flip over a table in the apartment on the 2400 block of Monterey Drive and a criminal complaint described how he yelled profanities after he was told he was under arrest. More police officers were needed to help attach a spit hood and restraints onto a still-screaming Redeaux and they carried him from the second-floor apartment to a squad car. During the drive to jail, Redeaux continued to shout profanities and threats and kicked the door of the squad car until they arrived at the jail. At the jail, Redeauxs spit hood shifted as he was placed in a restraint chair and he spit on a police officer. His spit, mixed with blood, struck the front of the officers shirt and pants. Last month, Redeaux pleaded guilty to domestic battery, resisting an officer and disorderly conduct charges stemming from the incident. As part of a plea deal, he had a felony charge of discharging bodily fluids at a public safety officer dismissed. Redeaux was sentenced to two years of probation by Dane County Circuit Judge Nicholas J. McNamara, according to online court records. A condition of his probation was to maintain absolute sobriety. Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat will visit Sikkim on Thursday amidst continuing tension between the Indian and Chinese forces along the international border in the state. Officials in the government termed the closure of the Nathu La pass for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar as a "very serious" matter which would require intervention at the highest level. China has gone public asserting that it has shut down the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims because of the border standoff. Security sources said that the standoff in Donglang in Sikkim sector has been going on for more than a fortnight. Senior government sources said that the Prime Ministers Office was closely monitoring the situation. All eyes are on the PMO right now with sources claiming that the next move would be taken in the next few days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned after his three nation tour on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the army chief is expected to spend two days in Sikkim taking stock of the situation in the sensitive sector and interact with top army commanders. Army sources, however, insisted that the chief's visit to Sikkim was pre-planned and was essentially to address certain administrative issues. China's attempt to build up its strength in Donglang, a strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan has become the point of flare up between the two border guarding forces. The Indian Army is learnt to be asserting to the Chinese forces that the latter would not be allowed to gain access to an area that holds strategic significance for India given its close proximity to the Chickens Neck, that links the northeastern states to the rest of the country. While China has gone to the media claiming that Indian border troops had illegally crossed into the Chinese territory at the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary, the Indian government and the army have maintained a stoic silence on the issue so far. The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) and the BJP may be arch rivals in Odisha, but on the issue of presidential polls, they have decided to unite. If BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has supported NDAs nominee for the post of president Ram Nath Kovind, it has to be remembered that in the last presidential polls, the BJP supported former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma whose candidature was endorsed by Patnaik and former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. After a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Odisha CM said his party would support Kovind as he is a dalit and also because the BJP had backed Sangma in the last election. Patnaik extended his support for the NDA's candidate much before the opposition announced their candidate, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar. After the Congress announced Meira Kumar's candidature, BJD said its earlier decision to support Kovind was final. Odishas political scenario has changed during the last few months. A resurgent BJP displaced Congress from the main opposition to a poor third position in the recent rural body election. Now, political analysts feel that Patnaik-led BJD will face a real challenger in the saffron party when the state goes to polls for both assembly and Parliament. This being the case, it is surprising that Patnaik decided to extend support to the candidate of the BJP. Of course, after announcing support for Kovind, Patnaik and his party leaders said BJDs fight against the BJP on different issues will go on. "The office of the President of India is above political considerations and the BJD wants to keep it above politics. In fact, President of India does not belong to any political party. In my view, in a matured democracy, the president should be elected in a consensus manner. So, when the prime minister suggested the name of Ram Nath Kovind, we extended our support to him taking all factors into consideration in the interest of the nation," the chief minister said. Interestingly, Patnaik had earlier supported Modis demonetisation move. When the BJP's national executive met at Bhubaneswar, after their landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, the PM did not say anything against the BJD or the chief minister. But, while Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan is spearheading party activities in the state, several central leaders, including Union ministers and chief ministers of various BJP-ruled states, who visited Odisha, were vocal against Patnaik. The BJP's Odisha unit has welcomed BJD's decision to back Kovind. PCC president Prasad Kumar Harichandan said though the BJD and the BJP are posing against each other, they are one. Congress chief whip in the Odisha assembly, Taraprasad Bahinipati claimed that there will be cross-voting in the presidential polls and some of the BJD votes will go to Meira Kumar. The BJD, however, said there won't be any cross-voting. There is also the view that the BJD's came up on an anti-Congress plank, and so Patnaik cannot support the Congress or its presidential candidate. Both the BJD and the BJP are remnants of Janata Parivar which had formed the first non-Congress government in the Centre in 1977 after the Emergency era. In Odisha, Naveen Patnaiks father, former chief minister Biju Patnaik, was the rallying point of anti-Congress votes and after the split of Janata Party, he headed Janata Dal in Odisha. Naveen Patnaik entered politics two decades ago after the death of his father. He carved out his own party from the original Janata Dal and named it after his father. Like his father, he, too, became the rallying point of anti-Congress forces in the state and defeated the grand old party after forming an alliance with the BJP. Both the parties won two assembly elections together. The BJD-BJP alliance broke after Kandhamal communal riots in 2008, as Patnaik was irked by the alleged involvement of Sangh Parivar in the violence. In 2009 and 2014, the BJD went to polls alone and swept the assembly as well as the Lok Sabha polls. Though Congress-led UPA won Lok Sabha polls in both 2004 and 2009, it could not create an impact in Odisha. In 2014, while Modi wave brought BJP victory elsewhere, Odisha remained elusive to the saffron party. After severing ties with the BJP, Patnaik always said his party wants to be equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP. Till 2014, BJDs plank was the earlier misrule of the Congress. It was also harping on the Centres neglect of Odisha as the UPA was in power in Delhi for ten years. After 2014, the BJD used the same strategy against the BJP. However, there was a difference between UPA and NDA vis-a-vis the BJD-led government in Odisha. During the UPA regime, the Union ministers, who used to come down to Odisha, used to laud the state government, but the NDA ministers and BJP chief ministers from neighbouring states have been taking on the state government over many issues. The BJP winning 297 zilla parishad seats against 473 of BJD and 60 of the Congress has changed the political narrative of the state. The BJD is unnerved; its leaders discordant. Though he supported BJPs pick for president, the chief minister lambasted saffron party for not supporting the BJD's demand for special category status for Odisha. BJD and BJP are also at loggerheads over Mahanadi river water as the BJP government in Chhattisgarh is building barrages in the river, which the Odisha government said would reduce the water flow to the state. The CM had accused the Centre of failing to take an impartial stand in the Mahanadi issue. Despite a meeting of the chief ministers convened by Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati, the issue was not resolved. The BJD raised the issue of Mahanadi river during the panchayat election in western Odisha. But the BJP's victory showed that this strategy didn't work for the BJD. The question now is whether BJP central leadership's approach towards Odisha will change after the presidential election. Patnaik better make his team battle-ready if he wants to continue as the chief minister for a fifth term in case the BJP decides takes an aggressive approach in the state. Hundreds of people staged protests in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal and Bengaluru opposing 'community-targeted' mob lynchings. The protest called 'Not In My Name' was held six days after 17-year-old Junaid was killed by a mob on board a Mathura-bound train in Delhi. Among the protesters in Delhi were ordinary citizens, as well as leaders from the Congress, JD(U), AAP and the CPI. Students and artistes voiced their resistance against what the organisers called a "climate of fear" in the country through poetry, plays, songs and posters which carried messages such as "Not In My Name, Not In Anyone's name" and "Muslim lives matter, All lives matter". Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, JD(U)'s K.C. Tyagi and CPI's D. Raja were among the politicians present there. "We are outraged at the systematic violence. The state has done nothing; there has been a deafening silence from the powers that be," said filmmaker Saba Dewan, whose Facebook post last week triggered an outpouring of solidarity from across the country culminating in spontaneous countrywide demonstrations. In Mumbai, several activists, film personalities and youth staged protest opposing 'community-targeted' mob lynchings. Actors Shabana Azmi, Kalki Koechlin and Konkona Sena Sharma were among those who participated in the protest held at Carter Road in suburban Bandra this evening. Bollywood actor Shabana Azmi and others participating the protest in Mumbai | PTI Protesters marched silently, holding posters and placards bearing slogans. "Killing over food. Not in my name," read a placard. "Today's protest was against the savage culture of mob lynching," journalist and author Rana Ayyub said. In Bengaluru, several people came together to hold a silent rally at the Town Hall to protest against the lynchings and 'mobocracy' reported from across the country. Protesters hold placards during the 'Not in My Name' silent protest in Bengaluru The protesters holding placards and banners stated that killing was a criminal act and it was wrong to condone it in any pretextbe it religion, caste or community. The citizens asserted that the killings and the hatred being unleashed is 'Not In Our Name' and that 'Right to Life and Equality' was a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of India. It is the responsibility of citizens to safeguard the Constitution by making the government accountable, said a statement released to the media. (With inputs from Prathima Nandakumar in Bengaluru) A successful first meeting. That would sum up Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day trip to Washington to meet with the new resident of White House, Donald Trump. Shorn of Modi's foreign shows, which include rousing speeches at public venues to swooning crowds, this visit was limited in agenda and successful in outcome. Former president Barak Obama called the Indo-US ties 'the defining partnership of the 21st century'. Bilateral ties move ahead irrespective of the governments in power, but good rapport between the leaders is what makes these ties warm and personal. It's the personal rapportwhen you can simply pick your phone and call a dear friendthat helps break stalemates like the one that nearly derailed the Paris Summit. Modi's interactions with Trump were wary, but warm. Both took the easiest routes to please the other appeal to their vanity and personal charisma. While Trump happily announced that he and Modi were world leaders in social mediaboth used this modern tool for direct, two-way connect with the people they representModi returned the compliment by noting that his vision for a new India would find convergence with Trump's call for making America great again. There wasn't much business to be transacted this time, but there was a need to re-emphasise joint commitments in a host of areas from combating terror, reconstructing Afghanistan to strengthening trade ties. With a little give and a little take, the two leaders were able to convey an understanding and empathy for each other's concerns. India joined in with the US to condemn the regime in North Korea, a country with which India has little contact. It was important to support the US on this topic. Similarly, the US branded Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist. Salahuddin receives Pakistani patronage, and the US branding was a shot in the arm for India, though it doesn't mean much. India warily kept contentious issues like the proposed tweaking of the lucrative (for Indians) H1B visa programme as well as Trump's decision to renege from the Paris accord. The latter was drafted only after India had stepped back from its position on historic responsibility'', following the personal request Obama made to Modi. There will be time and other fora to discuss these issues, which are only minor irritants in a relationship that encompasses so many areas, from defence to trade, say foreign office sources. Although Modi scored when it came to body languagehe was the initiator of the hugs (which Trump relented to with grace), Trump managed to get a little more of his thoughts into the statement than was strictly necessary. He made it a point to mention that the balance of trade was in India's favour and India should make American imports easier. He also offered India a batch of surveillance drones for maritime reconnaissance. This was not exactly what India is looking for, its need being combat drones. This, however, was not really a shopping trip, and India has to find a way of not having to purchase drones it does not need, says defence analyst Bharat Karnad. In a little over a week, the two will meet again in Hamburg for the G20 meet. They'll meet, not as strangers, but at least as acquaintances, if not old friends. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Israel from July 4 to 6, the external affairs ministry announced on Wednesday, as the Middle Eastern country's embassy in New Delhi welcomed the first ever prime ministerial visit from India. "During the visit, the prime minister will have detailed discussions with Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest and will also call on President (Reuven) Rivlin," the external affairs ministry statement said. "India established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 and since then the relationship has evolved into a multidimensional partnership," it stated. "This year both the countries are commemorating 25 years of diplomatic relations and the visit of PM will provide an impetus for deeper bilateral engagement in areas of mutual interest." The Israeli Embassy said apart from calling on Rivlin, Modi will have a working meeting and dinner with Netanyahu. "It will also include high-level bilateral meetings and other various components which reflect the fabric of the Indo-Israeli relations," the embassy said in a statement. According to the external affairs ministry, Modi's programme include homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa and address to the Indian community at an event in Tel Aviv. The Haifa Indian Cemetery contains the graves of 49 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War. According to the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv, there are about 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel. This apart, there are about 10,000 Indian nationals in Israel, of whom around 9,000 work in the care-giving sector, while the rest are mostly diamond traders, IT professionals and students. Prime Minister Netanyahu on June 25 had announced Modi's visit in a tweet, saying "Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, @NarendraModi will arrive in Israel, This is an historic visit to Israel." Following orders from the National Investigative Agency (NIA), the Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders. The three leaders detained have been identified as Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Shah and Mehraj-ud-Din Kalwal. They will be interrogated by the NIA in New Delhi over their alleged involvement in receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor unrest in the Kashmir Valley. Earlier the month, the NIA had initiated raids at 23 places in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in connection with funding received from Pakistan for terror and violence in the Valley. The agency conducted search at the residences and offices of the separatist leaders. EU antitrust regulators hit Google with a record 2.4-billion-euro ($2.7 billion) fine for favouring its own shopping service, taking a tough line in the first of three probes of its dominance in searches and smartphone operating systems. It is the biggest fine the European Commission has ever imposed on a single company in an antitrust case, exceeding a 1.06-billion-euro sanction handed down against US chipmaker Intel in 2009 and goes far beyond what US regulators have ever fined a tech company. European Union competition chief Margrethe Vestager, on Tuesday, gave Google 90 days to stop favouring its own shopping service in internet searches or face a further daily penalty of up to 5 per cent of parent company Alphabet's average daily global revenue. Google's strategy for its comparison shopping service wasn't just about attracting customers. It wasn't just about making its product better than those of its rivals. Instead, Google has abused its market dominance as a search engine, she told a news conference. The fine will be easy for the world's biggest search engine to absorb, but Google must now move fast to satisfy Vestager's concerns while limiting the longer-term hit to its highly lucrative search business. It also leaves other tech companies wondering how far Vestager may go to force US tech giants to concede more ground to smaller competitors. Vestager has become one of the worlds most combative antitrust regulators with powers to impose multi-billion dollar fines and force companies to make radical changes to their businesses. Last year, the former Danish economy minister ordered Apple to pay Ireland unpaid taxes of 13 billion euros as it ruled the company had received illegal state aid. Apple is appealing the decision. The decision is the first of a series of competition rulings that Google faces from the European Commission, which has not shrunk from taking on US tech giants such as Alphabet, which has annual revenues of $90 billion and a market value of $665 billion. The Commission has also charged Google with using its Android mobile operating system to crush rivals, a case that could potentially be the most damaging for the company, as it is the system used in most smartphones. The company has also been accused of blocking rivals in online search advertising. RIVALS DEMOTED The Commission found that Google, with a market share in searches of over 90 per cent in most European countries, had systematically given prominent placement in searches to its own comparison shopping service and demoted those of rivals in search results. Vestager said in a statement that Google had denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation. Google said its data showed people preferred links taking them directly to products they want and not to websites where they have to repeat their search. We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today. We will review the Commission's decision in detail as we consider an appeal, and we look forward to continuing to make our case, Kent Walker, Google's general counsel, said in a statement. Alphabet, whose shares were down about 1 per cent, said in a separate statement it would review the Commission's formal decision, but expected to accrue the fine in the second quarter. The biggest risk to Google is not the fine, but the changes demanded to its business, said Richard Windsor, an independent financial analyst, who tracks competition among the biggest US and Asian internet and mobile companies. Google will have to brief the Commission on what measures it plans to take within 60 days of the decision and present periodic reports. Eight complainants were involved in the case which the EU declined to name in line with its policy. According to Windsor's calculations, the 2.42-billion-euro fine represents just 22.6 days of the operating cash flow that Alphabet reported in its latest quarter. What has the potential to hurt Google and be far more damaging is what remedies the European Commission may or may not impose on Google as a result, Windsor said. That's where the real damage could be done. The fine, equivalent to 3 per cent of Alphabet's revenue, is the biggest regulatory setback for Google, which settled with US enforcers in 2013 without a penalty after agreeing to change some of its search practices. The Commission's action follows a seven-year investigation prompted by scores of complaints from rivals such as US consumer review website Yelp, TripAdvisor, UK price comparison site Foundem, News Corp and lobbying group FairSearch. News Corp said it applauded the European Commission's leadership in confronting the discriminatory behavior of Google in the comparison shopping industry. We strongly believe that the abuse of algorithms by dominant digital platforms should be of concern to every country and company seeking a fair, competitive and creative society, it said in a statement, accusing Google of profiting from commodifying content and enabling the proliferation of flawed and fake news. The penalty payment for failure to comply would amount to around $12 million a day based on Alphabet's 2016 turnover of $90.3 billion. This decision is a game-changer. The Commission confirmed that consumers do not see what is most relevant for them on the worlds most used search engine but rather what is best for Google, said Monique Goyens, director general of EU consumer group BEUC. Thomas Vinje, legal counsel to FairSearch, welcomed the Commission's findings and urged it to act on Google's Android mobile operating system following its 2013 complaint that Google restricted competition in software running on mobile devices. A major global cyber attack on Tuesday disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that last month infected more than 300,000 computers. The rapidly spreading cyber extortion campaign underscored growing concerns that businesses have failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers, who have shown they are capable of shutting down critical infrastructure and crippling corporate and government networks. It included code known as "Eternal Blue," which cyber security experts widely believe was stolen from the US National Security Agency (NSA) and was also used in last month's ransomware attack, named "WannaCry." "Cyber attacks can simply destroy us," said Kevin Johnson, chief executive of cyber security firm Secure Ideas. "Companies are just not doing what they are supposed to do to fix the problem." The ransomware virus crippled computers running Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Windows by encrypting hard drives and overwriting files, then demanded $300 in bitcoin payments to restore access. More than 30 victims paid into the bitcoin account associated with the attack, according to a public ledger of transactions listed on blockchain.info. Microsoft said the virus could spread through a flaw that was patched in a security update in March. "We are continuing to investigate and will take appropriate action to protect customers," a spokesman for the company said, adding that Microsoft antivirus software detects and removes it. Russia and Ukraine were most affected by the thousands of attacks, according to security software maker Kaspersky Lab, with other victims spread across countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. The total number of attacks was unknown. India-based employees at Beiersdorf, makers of Nivea skin care products, and Reckitt Benckiser, which owns Enfamil and Lysol, told Reuters the ransomware attack had impacted some of their systems in the country. Security experts said they expected the impact to be smaller than WannaCry since many computers had been patched with Windows updates in the wake of WannaCry last month to protect them against attacks using Eternal Blue code. Still, the attack could be more dangerous than traditional strains of ransomware because it makes computers unresponsive and unable to reboot, Juniper Networks said in a blog post analysing the attack. Researchers said the attack may have borrowed malware code used in earlier ransomware campaigns known as "Petya" and "GoldenEye." Following last month's attack, governments, security firms and industrial groups aggressively advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft patches to defend against the threat. The US Department of Homeland Security said it was monitoring the attacks and coordinating with other countries. It advised victims not to pay the extortion, saying that doing so does not guarantee access will be restored. In a statement, the White House National Security Council said there was currently no risk to public safety. The United States was investigating the attack and determined to hold those responsible accountable, it said. The NSA did not respond to a request for comment. The spy agency has not publicly said whether it built Eternal Blue and other hacking tools leaked online by an entity known as Shadow Brokers. Several private security experts have said they believe Shadow Brokers is tied to the Russian government, and that the North Korean government was behind WannaCry. Both countries' governments deny charges they are involved in hacking. The first attacks were reported from Russia and Ukraine. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said its systems had suffered "serious consequences," but added oil production had not been affected because it switched over to backup systems. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko said the government's computer network went down and the central bank reported disruption to operations at banks and firms including the state power distributor. Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk said it was among the victims, reporting outages at facilities including its Los Angeles terminal. WPP, the world's largest advertising agency, said it was also infected. A WPP employee who asked not to be named said that workers were told to shut down their computers: "The building has come to a standstill." A Ukrainian media company said its computers were blocked and it was asked to pay $300 in the crypto-currency bitcoin to regain access. "Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service," the message said, according to a screenshot posted on Ukraine's Channel 24. Russia's central bank said there were isolated cases of lenders' IT systems being infected. One consumer lender, Home Credit, had to suspend client operations. Other companies that identified themselves as victims included French construction materials firm Saint Gobain, US drugmaker Merck & Co and Mars Inc's Royal Canin pet food business. Western Pennsylvania's Heritage Valley Health System's entire network was shut down by a cyber attack on Tuesday, according to local media reports. Last's month's fast-spreading WannaCry ransomware attack was crippled after a 22-year-old British security researcher Marcus Hutchins created a so-called "kill switch" that experts hailed as the decisive step in slowing the attack. Security experts said they did not believe that the ransomware released on Tuesday had a kill switch, meaning that it might be harder to stop. Ukraine's cyber police said on Twitter that a vulnerability in software used by MEDoc, a Ukrainian accounting firm, may have been an initial source of the virus, which researchers including cyber intelligence firm Flashpoint said could have infected victims via an illegitimate software update. In a Facebook post, MEDoc confirmed it had been hacked but denied responsibility for originating the attack. An adviser to Ukraine's interior minister said earlier in the day that the virus got into computer systems via "phishing" emails written in Russian and Ukrainian designed to lure employees into opening them. According to the state security agency, the emails contained infected Word documents or PDF files as attachments. For the second time this week, the FBI arrested Frum people in Lakewood, NJ in a federal and state crackdown on public assistance fraud in the Orthodox community. On Monday, three couples were arrested. The FBI warned that the arrests were just the beginning of what appears to be multiple waves of arrests. On Tuesday night, the FBI took another three couples into custody. All are being charged with public assistance fraud including Medicaid, food stamps, Section 8, and other government assistance programs, according to the Ocean County Prosecutors Office. Of course, everyone is innocent until proven guilty and calling people guilty isnt the purpose of this op-ed. Possibly as bad as the actual chillul hashem, and the actual crime, is how many people fail to look at the bigger picture here. Many are complaining that the FBI notified the media ahead of the arrests so they can make a photo-op out of it. Ignorance is an understatement, as this is what the FBI always does when there are multiple arrests, especially high-profile arrests. Did it ever dawn upon people that perhaps the purpose of the photo-ops are to warn others to stay clean and not break the law, or they too will end up with their photos splashed on the front covers of every newspaper? In reality, it seems that the FBI has already accomplished whet they hoped to do by the exposure of the arrests. It has been reported that in the past two days, hundreds of Lakewood residents called township leaders asking how they can avoid arrest or get amnesty for past use of government programs which they arent legally able to take. Ocean County Social Services received dozens of phone calls from people looking to cancel their public assistance or update their income information. People may not be aware of this, but more than 10,000 anti-Jewish comments have already been posted on social media since the arrests were announced on Monday morning. TEN THOUSAND. That is a very big number, and it is simply horrifying. Perhaps it might pay to read the following story of Rav Shimon Schwab ZATZAL, and hopefully law-breakers will take heed and stop endangering the lives of Jews in America. Many years ago, a shameful scandal erupted in the Jewish community centering around a Jewish businessman who was put on trial for embezzlement. At that time, influential members of the embezzlers community approached Rav Shimon Schwab with a plea that he do what he can to prevent the man from going to prison. Rav Schwab became extremely agitated, and he pointed out to the petitioners that the mans behavior, which was so widely publicized in the media, caused a tremendous chillul Hashem, and that the man had became a virtual rodef, a threat to the lives of Klal Yisrael. He told the visitors outright that the embezzler deserved to sit in prison for a long time. He pleaded with them to give the embezzler a message that he should shave off his beard and take off his yarmulke when appearing in court, because by displaying these signs of his religious affiliation, he would be making a new chillul Hashem every day on the evening TV news and would be a living disgrace for the Jewish people. Its high time that people stop doing things illegally. People love to complain that they are picking on us. Yes they are. And for good reason. We are held to a higher standard. We are the Am Hanivchar. Lets live up to that title, and not have ourselves embarrassed and plastered all over the news. Enough is enough. Its 2017 and everything goes viral in seconds. Social media ignites in a heartbeat with hatred against Jews. Why feed fuel to the fire that is clearly burning? Yerachmiel Katz NYC NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN. DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE POSTED ON YWN? SEND IT TO US FOR REVIEW. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Following the outcry against the Sunday cabinet decision to freeze the Kosel decision to establish an egalitarian prayer area at the Kosel, Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman explained the details of the most recent decision. Many are angered over the decision in the Reform and Conservative communities, so much so that Braverman has issued the following clarification vis-a-vis the cabinet decision. It is important to Prime Minister Netanyahu that every Jew is able to pray at the Western Wall. Therefore, alongside yesterdays decision he issued three directives that have gone unnoticed: First, the Prime Minister instructed that work to prepare the southern plaza be expedited so that Jews from all streams may pray at the Kosel. Second, that Jews from all streams be able to continue praying there as they are able to do today. Third, the Prime Minister instructed Minister Tzachi Hanegbi and me to continue dialogue in order to try and reach a solution. I recommend that those trying to exploit this issue be precise with the facts. When Braverman refers to the Southern Plaza, he refers to the area that was established by Naftali Bennet during his tenure as Minister of Jerusalem Affairs. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Tzfat Sephardi Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita is calling on Hadassah pediatric oncologists and hospital administration to enter into dialogue, which should also include Health Minister Yaakov Litzman. He added that physicians responsible for children should not be striking, bringing pesukim from Parshas Hashavua, Chukas referring to the nachash hanechoshes, healing and how pikuach nefesh supersedes Shabbos showing the significance of saving lives as being of paramount importance. Rabbi Eliyahu fears the strike may lead to loss of life among the pediatric victims chas vsholom, citing police and soldiers are other groups of professionals prohibited from striking. In a related matter, on Tuesday 3 Tammuz, the parents of the children rejected an arbitration recommendation from the High Court of Justice, which heard the case during the morning hours. However, Justice Yoram Danziger would not hear of it, appointing recently-retired High Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein as mediator between the sides, adding Rubinstein has already informed the court of his willingness to act in this capacity without a fee. The case was filed by attorney Shraga Elad, who represented the parents, who explained, The petitioners are willing to attend arbitration efforts as there were many suggestions. There was an agreement towards mediation, including within the Health Ministry, and despite the fact that the ministrys Director-General gave the green light, the next day, the minister shot that down. After hearing Justice Danziger appointed Justice Rubinstein to mediate between the parties, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman issued the following statement: I am asking you to put the past behind us and to provide a real opportunity for this step, for the benefit of the children, and we are seeking to bridge honestly and transparently, in order to find a solution to the difficult crisis as quickly as possible for the good of the dear children. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) It is already known that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit was not present for the cabinet meeting during which the decision was reached to freeze the religious status quo at the Kosel. This ended plans for development of an egalitarian prayer area nearby. It is also known that the vote on the Kosels religious status was not on the agenda. In addition, it is being reported that officials in the Finance Ministry were also unaware of the vote that was going to take place, as shortly before the vote, they gave their approval for the transfer of 19 million shekels to the Israel Antiquities Authority for the construction of the egalitarian prayer area. Three officials approved the transfer of funds, and they were clueless to the planned freeze placed on the project. Now, following the decision, the area will be dedicated by the Kosel HaDromi, an area that was set up for egalitarian prayer four years earlier, when Naftali Bennet served as Minister of Jerusalem Affairs. MK (Yesh Atid) Yair Stern has since sent a letter to Mandelblit, asking him to intervene. He and others fear the decision will have harsh negative ramifications with Diaspora Jewry. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) (PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE) In light of recent violence against chareidi soldiers, on Tuesday 3 Tammuz, President Reuven Rivlin held a military tour of Binyamin Brigade, where he visited the soldiers of the Netzach ( [ ])Yehuda battalion, known more commonly as Nachal Chareidi. Mr. Rivlin said, You, the soldiers of Netzach Yehuda, are awake at night in ambushes and checkpoints, fighting against terrorists and enemies, and it is inconceivable that when you return to your neighborhood, someone will dare to raise your hand against you. The president received a comprehensive survey of the situation in the area as well as the activities of the battalion. The visit was accompanied by the National Planning and Personnel Administration, Brig.-Gen. Eran Shani, the Kfir Brigade Commander Colonel Tzion Ratzon, the battalion commander of Netzach Yehuda, Lieutenant-Colonel Itamar Dashel, and the CEO of Netzach Yehuda, Aaron Angel. The president received a comprehensive survey from the battalion commander about the battalions structure and operational objectives, as well as the battalions human mix. Afterwards, the president met with the soldiers of the unit who told him about the unique social challenges they have encountered since their enlistment in the IDF. Some 3,000 chareidim enlisted in the IDF this year, and recently a chareidi company joined the Paratroopers Brigade. Another company is active in the Givati Brigade. The Netzach (Chareidi Military Youth) battalion was established under the title Nachal Haredi by the IDF in cooperation with the rabbonim and the Ministry of Defense. The battalion was established in order to enable chareidim to combine combat service while continuing to maintain their way of life. The battalion became independent until the establishment of the Kfir Brigade in 2002. By 2008, the battalion had carried out operational operations in the Jordan Valley Brigade and at the end of that year the battalion moved to Yehuda and Shomron in the Menashe Brigade. The President thanked the soldiers and commanders for the visit and expressed his impression of the high operational level of this unique battalion, which over the years has grown to be the spearhead in the war on terrorism in Yehuda and Shomron. I was told that one of the soldiers said that when he was discharged from the yeshiva, he learned how to be a Jew and in the battalion he learned how to be a human being, the president said to the soldiers and added, I think that it is possible to study both in the army and in the yeshiva. In our Jewish existence, and also in the need to ensure our security these values that are not contradictory, but complementary values. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Marc Neiman, GPO) The following is via COL: Basil Pizza and Wine Bar, the popular dairy Crown Heights eatery, had their Kosher certification removed on Monday. Owner Danny Branover said the certification by the OK was removed without warning, due to personal reasons, not related to Kashrus. Branover issued a statement to COLlive: The OK removed their certification from us without warning because of personal issues, and without giving us any time to obtain an alternate Hashgacha. We are working diligently to obtain a new high level certification. In the interim, Basil will continue providing our customers with the highest levels of Kashrus, under the self-certification of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, with a staff of mashgichim on premises from open to close. As before, all products are strictly kosher, Cholov yisroel, pas yisroel and bishul yisroel. Branover said he will update the public as soon as a new certifying Hechsher is obtained. Rabbi Don Yoel Levy, President and Rabbinic Administrator of the OK Kosher Certification, told COLlive.com: Basil New York violated the Kashrus standard of their contract with the OK. Rabbi Levy said that the removal of the certification was not sudden and that it has been an ongoing issue that Basils owners and managers did not keep to the standards that we require of them and were not willing to adhere to our protocol. He added that our responsibility and loyalty must be with the consumer who relies upon us. Therefore we had no choice but to remove our certification. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A warning from the White House to Syrian President Bashar Assad about another possible chemical weapons attack was also aimed at two of Assads key backers, Russia and Iran, the U.S ambassador to the United Nations said Tuesday. During testimony before the House panel on foreign operations, Nikki Haley also called Assad barbaric and said she cant envision a healthy Syria if he remains in power. The goal is at this point not just to send Assad a message, but to send Russia and Iran a message, Haley said. That if this happens again, we are putting you on notice. My hope is that the presidents warning will certainly get Iran and Russia to take a second look, and I hope that it will caution Assad. Her comments come about 12 hours after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. had identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. Spicer said the activities resembled preparations the Assad government took before an April 2017 attack by Syrian forces that killed dozens of men, women and children. He warned that if Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price. The statement was issued without further explanation. Assads government rejected the allegations. But the Pentagon said on Tuesday said it detected active preparations by Syria for a chemical weapons attack, giving weight to the White House statement. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said the U.S. had seen activity at Shayrat airfield that indicated active preparations for chemical weapons use. That is the same base from which the Syrian air force launched the attack in April. Syria denied the charge. After the April attack, Trump gave orders to fire dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat in central Syria. It marked the first time the U.S. has attacked Syrian forces in the six-year civil war. Shortly after the White House statement on Monday night, Haley warned in a tweet that Russia and Iran, Assads key backers, also would be blamed for any further attacks done to the people of Syria. Haley told the subcommittee that its accurate that the Trump administration identified signals of another possible chemical weapons attack, but she didnt provide specifics. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., asked Haley whether the Trump administrations focus in Syria and the broader Middle East is on toppling Assad or defeating the Islamic State group. Haley said Syria is very, very concerning, but said a political solution has to happen. (AP) European regulators fined Google a record 2.42 billion euros ($2.72 billion) for abusing its dominance of the online search market in a case that could be just the opening salvo in Europes attempt to curb the companys clout on that continent. The decision announced Tuesday by the European Commission punished Google for unfairly favoring its own online shopping recommendations in its search results. The commission is also conducting at least two other probes into the companys business practices that could force Google to make even more changes in the way it bundles services on mobile devices and sells digital advertising. Even so, Europes crackdown is unlikely to affect Googles products in the U.S. or elsewhere. But it could provide an opportunity to contrast how consumers fare when the company operates under constraints compared with an unfettered Google. The fine immediately triggered debate about whether European regulators were taking prudent steps to preserve competition or overstepping their bounds to save companies being shunned by consumers who have overwhelmingly embraced an alternative. Margrethe Vestager, Europes top antitrust regulator, said her agencys nearly seven-year investigation left no doubt something had to be done to rein in Google. What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation, Vestager told reporters Tuesday. The fine was the highest ever imposed in Europe for anti-competitive behavior, exceeding a 1.06 billion euros penalty on Silicon Valley chip maker Intel in 2009. The penalty itself is unlikely to leave a dent in Googles finances. Parent company Alphabet Inc. has more than $92 billion (82 billion euros) in cash, including nearly $56 billion (50 billion euros) in accounts outside of the U.S. The findings in Europe contrasted sharply with those reached by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in a similar investigation of Google completed in 2013. The FTC absolved Google of any serious wrongdoing after concluding that its search recommendations did not undermine competition or hurt consumers. Leading up to that unanimous decision, though, some of the FTCs staff sent a memo to the agencys commissioners recommending legal action because Googles conduct has resulted and will result in real harm to consumers and to innovation in the online search and advertising markets, according to a memo inadvertently released to The Wall Street Journal two years ago. Googles misbehavior in Europe boiled down to its practice of highlighting its own online shopping service above those of its rivals. Merchants pay Google for the right to show summaries of their products in small boxes displayed near the top of search results when someone seems to be interested in a purchase. Meanwhile, Google lists search results of its biggest rivals in online shopping on page 4 and smaller rivals even lower, based on the calculations of European regulators. Thats a huge advantage for Google when 90 percent of user clicks are on the first page. Google says consumers like its shopping thumbnails because they are concise and convenient. The commissions decision underestimates the value of those kinds of fast and easy connections, Kent Walker, Googles general counsel, wrote in a blog post. Europes investigation did not present any concrete evidence that consumers had been financially damaged by Googles online shopping tactics, said Pablo Ibanez Colomo, a law professor at the London School of Economics. The only harm being alleged here is that competing services have suffered a decrease in traffic coming from Google, Colomo said on a call organized by the Computer & Communications Industry Association, a tech lobbying group. Alphabet is mulling an appeal of Tuesdays penalty, but even if that is filed, the Mountain View, California, company will still only have 90 days to comply with an order to stop favoring its own links to online shopping. If it does not, Alphabet faces more fines of up to 5 percent of its average daily revenue worldwide. That would translate into roughly $14 million (12 million euros), based on Alphabets revenue during the first three months of the year. Rather than comply, Google could shut down its shopping service in Europe. If that happens, it will mean consumers in Europe are going to be worse off than consumers in the rest of the world, predicted David Balto, a consumer advocate and antitrust expert who formerly served as the FTCs policy director. Consumers rarely benefit when bureaucrats put their thumbs on the economic scales to tip them one way or the other. Googles critics applauded the EU for standing up to the company after the FTC backed down. Some may object to the EU moving so aggressively against U.S.-based companies, but these authorities are at least trying to deal with some of the new competitive challenges facing our economy, said the News Media Alliance, a group representing U.S. newspapers whose revenue has plunged as more advertising flowed to Google during the past decade. Other antitrust experts believe the fine levied on Google means European regulators are more likely to rein in other U.S. technology companies such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Netflix as they win over more European consumers at the expense of homegrown companies. We already have been in an information trade war, said Larry Downs, who studies antitrust issues as project director at Georgetown Universitys Center for Business and Public Policy. But I think it just went from being a cold war to a hot war with Europe. (AP) International arrivals to the U.S. declined slightly in October 2016 compared with October 2015, continuing a downward trend in inbound tourism that began earlier in 2016. The U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., said Monday that 6.6 million international visitors traveled to the U.S. last October, down 4,955 visits from the same month in 2015. Overall for the first 10 months of 2016, international visits declined 2 percent compared with the same period in 2015, the Commerce Department said. Experts have said that a strong U.S. dollar and lackluster economies elsewhere have made it more expensive for travelers to vacation here, leading some to choose destinations elsewhere. Some sectors of the travel industry have warned that anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies from the Trump administration could exacerbate the downward trend that began last year. But it takes months for arrivals data to accurately be compiled from all U.S. international airports and border crossings, so whether the downward trend continued into 2017 wont be known immediately. In October 2016, top inbound markets continued to be Canada and Mexico, according to the new data. Visits from China and South Korea were up but visits from the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Australia and Brazil were down. (AP) The House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATOs mutual defense pact. Lawmakers passed the measure Tuesday, 423-4, roughly a month after President Donald Trump failed to explicitly state his support for Article 5 during a visit to NATO headquarters. Article 5 is the alliances one for all, all for one agreement. Trump did eventually back the collective defense accord. House Speaker Paul Ryan sponsored the resolution, which was also backed by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The resolution also voices strong support for a decision made at a NATO summit in 2014 calling for each member to spend at least 2 percent of its nations gross domestic product on defense by 2024. Trump lectured NATO members about increasing their defense spending. (AP) Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) says telco giant Verizon Wireless is scamming U.S. travelers to Israel with its TravelPass service. The plan, which promises big savings to customers who travel abroad with a flat rate of only $10 per day, has resulted in a bait-and-switch for many New Yorkersincluding the Assemblyman himself. When I travel abroad, Im like everyone elseI want the best possible deals, said Hikind. Naturally, when I heard about Verizons TravelPass, I was interested. Who doesnt want to save money and have the convenience of using their own phone? Now your wireless plan travels just like you do, reads the online Verizon Wireless ad for TravelPass. For just $5 a day per line in Mexico and Canada and $10 a day per line in more than 100 countries you can take your domestic talk, text and data allowances with you. Youre only charged on the days you use your device abroad. Its an economical way to stay connected while you travel. But Hikind and others were far from satisfied with the service. When the Assemblyman returned home after just eight days of staying in Israel, he was shocked to find a bill that was ten times more than what he expected. My cellphone bill totaled $925, said Hikind. At first, I thought it was a jokeand not a very funny one. Hikinds bill included the TravelPass charges of $10/day, but Verizon Wireless also tacked on 141 international minutes, and nearly 40,000 Kbytes of international data for texts issued from Jordan. I hadnt visited Jordan, said Hikind. Not ever. So I knew there was some kind of mistake. A mistake? Verizon Wireless wouldnt hear of it. Calling customer service was like talking to the wall, said Hikind. A call center specialist insisted that the Assemblymans bill had to be accurate. It was only after hours on the phone and escalation to a supervisor that the Assemblyman finally saw satisfaction when the telco admitted its mistake and corrected his bill. But not every Verizon Wireless customer has been that lucky. Other New Yorkers have presented Assemblyman Hikind with horror stories about the exact same issue. Sarah Moskowitz of Brooklyn used Verizon Wirelesss TravelPass only to find herself stuck with an additional $500 in charges for calls from Jordan and Saudi Arabiacountries she had never visited. Adding insult to injury, Verizon Wireless customer service refused to acknowledge their companys mistake and threatened Mrs. Moskowitz with collections. Hikinds office had to step in to get Mrs. Moskowitz satisfaction, but it cost her six months of terrible aggravation before the Assemblyman got involved. Refoel Silberberg of Rockland County didnt fare as well. His bill for $999.61 was $700 more than it should have been. I was charged for supposedly roaming in Jordan and there was no one to talk to at Verizon, said Silberberg. With no one to talk to, Silberberg gave up and paid in full. I am calling upon Verizon Wireless CEO John G. Stratton to demand that he immediately address to this blatant rip-off of innocent New Yorkers, said Hikind. These people used an advertised service in good faith only to find themselves bilked out of good money and hours of wasted time trying to rectify a problem that is clearly a Verizon Wireless issue. (YWN Headquarters NYC) Chareidi MKs are furious over the Bayit Yehudi partys willingness to openly meet with heads of Reform Jewry in Israel following the decision to freeze the status quo at the Kosel. That decision, which was made by the cabinet on Sunday, 1 Tammuz, results in the de-facto halt to plans to establish an egalitarian prayer area near the Kosel. There was an exchange of words in a Knesset hallway between MK Yaakov Asher and Deputy Minister Eli Ben-Dahan, with the latter being one of the Bayit Yehudi officials who attended the meeting in question. Meanwhile, MK Moshe Gafni responded to the meeting of Bayit Yehudi and the Reform rabbis, and during a discussion in the Knesset Finance Committee, he questioned; what if we, the chareidim, intended to meet with the Palestinians to discuss whether Amona was bothering them, and if so, they would work with them towards finding a compromise to give Bayit Yehudi a taste of the anger we felt over their meeting with the Reform. Gafni added: Since there is a great disagreement among the people about the settlements, I intend to sit down with the Palestinians to see whether Amona is bothering them. If it bothers them we will sit and compromise and I will most likely request comprise between them and Bayit Yehudi. Gafne sent a clear message to Bayit Yehudi, that the chareidim often back the dati leumi party on matters that it may not find as important while here, despite the sensitive nature of events, Bayit Yehudi meets with Reform leaders in Israel, eliciting the ire of the chareidi parties. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort has registered as a foreign agent for past work on behalf of Ukraine, a spokesperson announced today. Manafort registered with the Department of Justices Foreign Agents Registration Act unit for his work on behalf of a political party in Ukraine, his spokesperson, Jason Maloni, said in a statement. Today, Paul Manafort registered with the Department of Justices [Foreign Agents Registration] unit for his work on behalf of Ukraines Party of Regions. He started this process in concert with FARAs unit in September, before the outcome of the election and well before any formal investigation of election interference began, Maloni said. Pauls primary focus was always directed at domestic Ukrainian political campaign work, and that is reflected in todays filing. Paul has appreciated the professionalism and guidance of the FARA unit throughout this process. Manaforts past work with Ukraine has haunted him in the last several months as he is among the people whose activities are under scrutiny as part of the House and Senate investigations into Russias interference in the U.S. election in 2016 and possible ties to Trump associates. Former White House press officer Boris Epshteyn to be questioned in Russia probe Paul Manafort volunteers to testify in Russia probe as committee cancels other testimony Reviewing ex-manager Paul Manaforts rise and fall in the Trump campaign The man who got Trumps top aide Paul Manafort into GOP politics recalls the budding talent Manafort was named campaign convention manager for Trump in March 2016. He was promoted to campaign chairman and chief strategist in May 2016 and resigned in August, after the New York Times reported that his name appeared on a list of so-called black ledger accounts made by the toppled Ukrainian president with amounts up to $12.7 million from 2007 to 2012. The Associated Press reported that Manaforts firm had lobbied in the U.S. on behalf of the Ukrainian political party even though he did not disclose his work as a foreign agent, as mandated by federal law. (AP) Landlords and letting agents are to be banned from charging tenants more than one month's rent as a deposit. The move was announced in the Queen's Speech last week as part of government plans to make the home rental market more affordable and competitive. Letting agents will also be banned from charging rip-off fees for administration costs and reference checks. Clampdown: Landlords and letting agents are to be banned from charging tenants more than one month's rent as a deposit And there are plans to introduce a cap of one week's rent on deposits, which some firms demand to reserve a property. The only other fees letting agents should be allowed to charge are for late payment of rent, ministers say. However, letting agents say the proposals will cost landlords about 300million a year and push up rents by more than 100 a year per tenant. Rents are already at record highs, averaging 889 a month, according to buy-to-let lender Kent Reliance. At the same time, the number of households in privately rented housing is rocketing every year. There are now 5.5 million people renting, up 121,000 on last year. David Cox, of the Association of Residential Letting Agents, says: 'The ban [on lettings fees] contradicts the Government's stated aim to encourage longer-term tenancies, as tenants who stay in their homes for the long term will end up shouldering the costs of those who move more frequently.' p.thomas@dailymail.co.uk Britains new Land Rover Discovery has been named Car of the Year in the motor industry Oscars. The UK-built family 4X4 was voted the best new car on the market with judges commending it for its innovation in technology, quality and comfort. The model manufactured in Solihull, Birmingham, was also named the Best Large Premium SUV for 2017 at the Auto Express New Car Awards at a ceremony in Central London. Double honours: The new Land Rover Discovery has won two Auto Express New Car awards Priced from 43,495 to 68,295, it is the fifth generation of the 4X4 to carry the Discovery name since its launch 27 years ago. The two Disco awards were among four secured by Jaguar Land Rover on the night. Jaguars XE saloon was named Best Compact Executive and Jaguar also won the reader-voted Design Award for the I-Pace Concept. Skoda and BMW also secured four honours each in the awards to celebrate the best cars on sale, from city cars to performance models, which are voted for by the expert reviewers at Auto Express. Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of Auto Express, said: The new Land Rover Discovery is an incredible car, bringing new levels of luxury and go-anywhere ability to the SUV class. Skoda took home four trophies, including Best Family Car for the Skoda Superb It rivals the very best cars you can buy for quality and refinement, offers all the practicality a family could ever need, will wow buyers with amazing technology they won't have seen before and offer a level of efficiency you wouldn't expect for this size and class of car.' Mr Fowler added: On top of all that, it's brilliantly built by the guys and girls working for Land Rover in the Midlands. It's a great British success story. The best electric car award went to the BMW i3 (which is also available as a range extender with a small back-up petrol engine) Skoda took home four trophies: Best Family Car for the Skoda Superb, Best Estate Car for the Octavia, Best Large SUV for the Kodiaq and Best Integrated Ad Campaign for Skoda-Reconnect starring Sir Bradley Wiggins. Four awards also went to BMW. It secured the Technology Award for its advanced range of plug-in cars, plus its industry-leading connectivity and autonomous tech. It took the honours for Best Electric Car, while the 5 Series won Best Executive Car. BMW also won the Best Social Media Campaign Award for BMW Genius Live. The new Swindon-built Honda Civic Type R was crowned Best Hot Hatch the third year in a row it has done so, but the first time with the new model. Former BBC reporter Stephanie Flanders is quitting her 400,000 role with JP Morgan Former BBC reporter Stephanie Flanders is quitting her 400,000 analyst role with JP Morgan to work for Bloomberg, according to friends, because she misses journalism. Clever clogs Stephanie, 48, will need to adhere to Bloomberg's famed commitment to impartiality. At the BBC, some detected a whiff of hostility towards David Cameron's government. Former Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith once accused her of 'peeing all over' British business. Re JP Morgan, the bank's enduring chief executive Jamie Dimon says the number of technology workers now required means staff numbers will increase, remarking: 'My guess is our headcount will go up over the next 20 years, not down.' Does Dimon, 61, have a big tech hire in mind? He was spotted lunching last weekend with Travis Kalanick, 40, the unlovely ex-Uber boss who's resigned following a string of scandals. Royal Bank of Scotland's self-aggrandising chairman Sir Howard Davies complains to Management Today readers how long it is taking to build an airport in Berlin. He writes: 'Since 2012, there have been quite unbelievable shenanigans, including a poisoned whistleblower and more resignations and firings than even our government can manage.' Sounds no more shambolic than the situation at still state-owned RBS. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that she was abandoning a second referendum meant cancelling her keynote speech to the Association of British Insurers yesterday. So Sturgeon dispatched her Brexit minister, a bearded irrelevance called Michael Russell, as her replacement. Would an insurance firm get away with such a short-changed settlement? Linklaters, the magic circle law firm where even newly qualified lawyers can expect to earn 90,000, has set up an Instagram account for its ritzy staff canteen. The sumptuous fare on offer wouldn't be out of place in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Fresh salmon, choice cuts of expensively reared beef, ice buckets filled with Laurent Perrier champagne. A far cry from Horace Rumpole's humble Chancery Lane lunches of meat pie and sub-par claret or Chateau Thames Embankment, as he referred to it. City watchdogs say they will 'support the disclosure of a single, all-in-fee to investors' in the final findings of its probe into the fund management industry. This will include an estimate of transaction charges - a figure currently excluded from the 'ongoing charge' given to investors, and which transparency campaigners say adds significantly to total costs. After uncovering devastating evidence of rip-off charges and weak price competition in the industry in a probe published last November, the Financial Conduct Authority concluded an all-in fee was needed so investors can see what they are paying. Fee transparency: FCA uncovered devastating evidence of rip-off charges and weak price competition in fund management industry probe published last year Today, it confirmed its initial findings that price competition is weak in a number of areas of the investment fund industry. But it pointed out that the introduction of a single all-in fee is already pending under new European regulations known as 'MiFID II' from January 2018. It is unclear whether these rules will be eventually be affected by Brexit for investors in the UK. But meanwhile, the FCA plans to launch a consultation on 'ways to improve the effectiveness of forthcoming disclosure' later this year. It also plans to set up a working group to consider how to make investment fund objectives clearer and more useful for investors, and to launch a new probe into the online fund brokers used by DIY investors. Andrew Bailey: The asset management sector is important to the economy, managing the savings of millions of people' In addition, the FCA is calling for feedback on whether it should introduce a phased-in 'sunset clause' for trail commissions. Fund houses were banned from paying commission to financial advisers in 2013, leading to the creation of 'clean funds' without these payments. Commission is therefore no longer paid by investors who buy or move their money to new funds. However, many old-style funds with commission payments that were sold through advisers years ago still exist. The FCA said: 'The final report confirms the findings set out in the interim report published last year. This found that price competition is weak in a number of areas of the industry. 'Despite a large number of firms operating in the market, the FCAs analysis found evidence of sustained, high profits over a number of years. 'The FCA also found that investors are not always clear what the objectives of funds are, and fund performance is not always reported against an appropriate benchmark.' Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, said: 'The asset management sector is important to the economy, managing the savings of millions of people and in the current low interest environment its vital we help people earn a return on their savings. 'We need a competitive sector, attracting investment into the United Kingdom which also works well for the people who rely on it for their financial wellbeing. 'We have listened carefully to the feedback we received in response to our report last November. We have put together a comprehensive package of reforms that will make competition work better and help both retail and institutional investors to make their money work well for them.' Fund manager stocks fell immediately after publication of the FCA report, but later recovered. At lunchtime, Schroders was up 10.5p at 3,114.5p, Aberdeen was ahead 1.55p at 296.25p, and Old Mutual was 0.6p higher at 197.8p. Legal & General was up 0.95p to 259.85p and Jupiter ahead 4.1p at 497.5p. But DIY investing platform Hargreaves Lansdown saw its shares slide 2 per cent or 32.5p to 1,304.5p. What does the investment industry say? Chris Cummings, boss of the Investment Association, the lobby group bankrolled by the fund industry, said: 'Our industry looks after pensions and investments for millions of UK households, helping them to lead more prosperous lives into retirement. WHAT ELSE HAS FCA PROPOSED? The watchdog says it will also: * Strengthen the duty on fund managers to act in the best interests of investors * Work towards making fund objectives and the reporting of investment performance clearer, including which benchmarks funds choose to compare themselves against * Consult on requiring investment firms to return any 'box profits' to their funds rather than pocketing them. Investors have to pay transaction costs on trades, but firms can sometimes avoid them by matching buy and sell orders - through the 'managers box' - and some keep these savings rather than giving them back. * In addition to an all-in fee for individual investors, support better disclosure of fund costs and charges to big money investors like pension schemes. The watchdog suggests the creation of a standardised template, which 'should be free of jargon, accessible and easy to understand'. * Look into the role of investment consultancy firms, which are relied on by many pensions schemes when taking decisions * Recommend the Department for Work and Pensions try to remove barriers to pension scheme mergers, so they can benefit from economies of scale when investing on behalf of workers. 'With this role comes significant responsibility. We strongly support the FCAs objective of ensuring our industry serves its customers in a competitive, accountable and transparent manner. 'Many of the key recommendations work with the grain of European legislation already in the pipeline to introduce more clarity and transparency for consumers. 'We will work closely with the FCA as it looks further into the detail of how to present costs and charges in the clearest way for savers and how it will develop more independent oversight of investment funds in a way that is effective and proportionate. 'We welcome the regulators recognition of the industrys work to date on developing a consistent and transparent disclosure code for charges and costs which can be built on further with consumer groups.' Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, said: 'I strongly welcome the FCAs Market Study as it provides clear guidance on how the FCA wishes the industry to operate in the future. 'Its recommendations to improve investor protections through better governance and to drive competition through greater transparency of fees and fund objectives are constructive and sensible.' He added: 'I have stated several times that I am in favour of all-in fees including all costs as the industry has an obligation to deliver what the customer wants. 'Incorporating dealing charges for equity funds should be straightforward particularly for those managers, like ourselves, who have low portfolio turnover. 'It is more challenging to calculate all-in-fees for bond funds, but Im encouraged the industry is already looking at ways of doing this. We need to embrace the concept and commit to finding a solution for the best interests of clients.' Tracker fund specialist Vanguard said it welcomed the FCA's efforts to lower the cost and complexity of investing. Sean Hagerty, managing director for Europe, said: 'Consumers always benefit from lower prices, better quality products, and clearer information. 'Costs matter. Every pound that investors pay in charges is a pound out of their potential returns, reducing their chances of being able to afford a comfortable retirement or save for a mortgage deposit. 'Our own proprietary research demonstrates the impact of cost on performance. Our findings show that too many funds fail to meet their performance benchmarks, largely because of the charges they levy.' Hagerty said investors should be able to access all the information they need, including costs, in a format they can understand. Ryan Hughes, head of fund selection at finance broker AJ Bell, said: 'The asset management industry is ripe for reform. 'There are too many examples of fund groups making huge profits, while delivering poor returns for investors and it is clear that the regulator has its sights firmly focused on tipping this balance back towards the consumer. 'There are pockets of high quality active funds delivering great value to investors but there is a far higher proportion of active funds delivering poor value. 'The majority of new business goes into the high quality funds but the fact is there are hundreds of billions of pounds stagnating in poor performing funds. This needs to be unlocked and either moved into to high quality active funds or passive funds, a trend we have already started seeing. 'Some of the measures confirmed today should improve transparency of charges and make it easier for investors to judge whether they are receiving good value and, if they arent, switch to a better option. 'The key now is in the implementation. An awful lot of what has been announced today by the FCA is still up for further consultation, so there is going to be little immediate change. 'It should also be remembered that the unbundling of fund charges since the Retail Distribution Review [when commission was banned] has had virtually no downward impact on active fund charges as it was expected to do. 'So, whilst todays paper is encouraging, the key now is how long the additional consultations take and how quickly the proposed reforms are enforced.' Patrick Connolly, certified financial planner at Chase de Vere, welcomed the steps recommended by the FCA to improve transparency and put further scrutiny and downward pressure on excessive fund charges, but added 'it is now time for action rather than just words'. 'For too long far too many consumers have faced excessive charges, mediocre performance and a distinct lack of transparency,' he said. 'We have seen genuine price competition in passive funds, but even here overall charges may be much higher than consumers think. 'While a passive fund could have an annual charge of 0.1 per cent, it might only be possible to buy these on a platform which could charge up to 0.45 per cent each year and so the total cost to the investor rises to 0.55 per cent. 'In this situation the platform represents 82 per cent of the overall charge of investing in the fund. 'The investment experience can be even worse for consumers who buy funds based on past performance or those which are recommended by intermediaries and investment companies. 'The funds which are promoted are typically those with strong short term performance and too often investors jump in at the wrong time after the strong performance has already been achieved.' Connolly said the situation was also poor for people holding closet tracker funds, which charge high fees but move little from the benchmark index; funds of funds, which have two layers of charges and where total costs are almost impossible to understand; and funds bought direct from providers where there is no price competition at all. Gina Miller, co-founder of wealth manager SCM Direct and the True and Fair Campaigner for greater fee transparency, said: 'Whilst the FCA is finally pursuing a pro-consumer agenda it is disappointing that they still appear to be dragging their feet on some key aspects. 'The UK investment industry has been ripping off the consumer for decades and it is time for the UK regulator to act now rather than have further consultations with the industry and its shoddy trade bodies. 'Consistent and standardised fee disclosure in a single number is vital for ordinary investors to make better choices. 'This should be mandated by the FCA to retail and institutional investors alike rather than just institutional investors or it is inevitable that differing formats by investment groups will make easy comparisons impossible. ' Miller noted the FCA was only considering the wider use of pounds and pence disclosure on other information sources. The Governor of the Bank of England has hinted that interest rates could rise if the economy is handed a boost from stronger business investment. Mark Carney said 'some removal of monetary stimulus is likely to become necessary', but would depend on whether an increase in business spending could counter the slowdown in consumer consumption triggered by rising inflation. The comments sent the pound shooting higher against the US dollar, while the FTSE 100 finished 46.5 points lower at 7,387.8. It marks somewhat of a U-turn from his Mansion House speech last week when he said 'now is not yet the time to begin that adjustment'. Speaking at the European Central Bank Forum on Central Banking in Sintra, Portugal, he said: 'Some removal of monetary stimulus is likely to become necessary if the trade-off facing the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) continues to lessen and the policy decision accordingly becomes more conventional. 'The extent to which the trade-off moves in that direction will depend on the extent to which weaker consumption growth is offset by other components of demand including business investment, whether wages and unit labour costs begin to firm, and more generally, how the economy reacts to both tighter financial conditions and the reality of Brexit negotiations. 'These are some of the issues that the MPC will debate in the coming months.' MBABANE Mvutshini residents will no longer have to worry about terror gang Amabenjamin for the next nine years. This follows their sentencing at the Mbabane Magistrates Court yesterday. The feared gang members who terrorised residents of Mvutshini and surrounding areas were sentenced to nine years imprisonment. They were found guilty in all the offences they committed in the area. Among other crimes the gang was facing were robberies, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and housebreaking with intent to steal and theft. Bhekisisa Mngometulu and his brother Philani and Celimphilo Vilakati were sentenced by Mbabane Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini yesterday. Before their sentencing, the brothers asked the court to be lenient with them when passing sentence, stating that they had just received a report that their brother had died. They said if the court may exercise its leniency they would be in a position to assist their mother as she was preparing to bury their relative. There is nothing painful than losing your relative while in prison. May we be given a second chance so that we can bury our brother? More than anything, our mother is not in good terms with the other family members so we dont know what will happen to her if we are away, they said. Vilakati on the other hand pleaded for leniency, stating that his mother was looking up to him to help her as he was the youngest son in her family. MBABANE Assist the police locate businessman Almor Oliveira and become a millionaire. The National Commissioner of Police, Isaac Magagula, yesterday announced a top up of the cash reward to E1 million for information that could lead to the location of the businessman. This translates to an increase of E850 000, as previously the police had put up a cash reward of E150 000 for anyone who had information that might lead to the location of the Matsapha businessman. During a press conference held at the Police Headquarters, the national commissioner further stated that the new topped up cash reward was being availed courtesy of the police, in collaboration with the family of the kidnapped businessman. Following the announcement of the initial cash offer, there had been no information forthcoming, yet from our experience, there is no criminal case that can unfold without anyone having a snippet of information either through witnessing the incident or having their suspicions on account of various factors, said Magagula. He pointed out that it was against this backdrop that they were announcing the E1 million reward for information that could lead the police to locate and recover the victim in whatever condition he might be in. Furthermore, information being sought as a result of this new offer relates to the identities and whereabouts of the partners in crime or accomplices of the suspects already under arrest, added the national commissioner of police. He, however, mentioned that the new offer was in no way related to the one that appeared in the media previously and alleged to have been made by a group of Asian businessmen, where police were denigrated and some unsavoury comments made against them. he child, had always been physically abused by her mother Nondumiso Dlamini from when she was still a baby. She was at the ICU before her transfer to the Childrens Ward (Pics:Jabulisa Dlamini). MANZINI I hate her and I will kill her. This is alleged to have been said by a mother of a four-year-old girl who is facing an attempted murder charge. The woman, Nondumiso Dlamini (24), is alleged to have physically abused her daughter to the point that she fractured her spinal cord and could be confined to a wheelchair. The young girl is currently admitted to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital, after her mother banged her against the wall and beat her with a mop stick until she was unconscious and had what looked like blood clots. The mother has another pending case of abusing of her child, an offence she allegedly committed earlier this year. The pending case was recorded in February at Mliba Police Station, where she is alleged to have assaulted the child with a stick all over the body, causing her severe injuries. In the recent incident, the minor was allegedly attacked by her mother last week Wednesday. After the severe beating, the suspect is said to have locked the minor inside the house for two days before she was eventually taken to hospital. When neighbours were allegedly requested to ferry her to hospital as she was unconscious at the time, they refused to do so as her neck looked twisted and she had sustained serious injuries all over the body. They insisted the police had to be called as she had fractures on her leg and arm. She could not talk, move or sit. Her grandmother had to be called before they eventually agreed to take her to hospital, a source at Zandondo said. Madison city officials want the community to reimagine what the citys flag should look like. Thats a fine idea, given concern about the current flags similarity to an American Indian symbol on New Mexicos state flag. So let the brainstorming begin with the public submitting its best ideas to the State Journal for prominent display and discussion. No matter if you are a professional designer or a creative beginner, we want to see and feature your ideas in the newspaper and online. And who knows? Your design just might be hoisted up flagpoles across the city someday. The official Madison flag, developed in 1962 for a local drum and bugle corps to display while traveling, has a nice blue-and-white color scheme that evokes our citys lakes and the Isthmus. But an image in the middle of the flag, which resembles an aerial view of the Wisconsin Capitol building, is being scrutinized. Were a city, not a state, Mayor Paul Soglin told the State Journal in Mondays newspaper. Ive always wondered why the Capitol building was the key symbol on our flag. Ald. Arvina Martin, the City Councils first American Indian member, also has fielded concern from the Zia Pueblo tribe in New Mexico, who dont like the cultural appropriation of their sun symbol, which looks a lot like the main image on Madisons municipal flag. That has led to broader talk of revising or recreating the city flag from scratch. Even Ald. Maurice Cheeks, who has promoted the citys flag in recent years, wearing it on a lapel pin, sounds open to a remake. Both council members say they want to incorporate public input. The State Journal will help lead that community conversation by soliciting flag designs from anyone who wants to give it a try. Well publish lots of entries online, and well feature the best ones in an upcoming Sunday newspaper. Before you get started, consider some advice from the North American Vexillological Association, which is dedicated to the study of flag history and symbolism: Keep it simple. The flag should be so simple a child can draw it from memory. Use meaningful symbolism. The flags images, colors or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes. Use two to three basic colors that contrast well and come from the standard color set. Avoid lettering or seals. Never use writing of any kind or an organizations seal. Be distinctive or be related. Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections. Buzzfeed, a national political website, ranks Donetsk, Ukraines lovely provincial flag as best. It features a rising sun reflecting off a black sea. Another municipal flag touted by the website is Chicagos, which contains two light-blue long lines, which symbolize Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, surrounding four red stars, which represent historic events including the Chicago fire and the Worlds Columbian Exposition. One of the worst municipal flags is Milwaukees, according to the website, which tries to do too much with multiple symbols, a skyline, lettering and the year of its founding. Wisconsins largest city has since launched a campaign to remake its flag. Anyone who wants to enter the State Journals Madison flag contest has three weeks to submit an entry or entries. Email your submission to wsjopine@madison.com by July 19, and please include your address and phone number for verification. You also can send a sketch to the Wisconsin State Journal, Editorial Page Editor, P.O. Box 8058, Madison, WI 53708. A group of editors, designers and artists at the newspaper will pick their favorites, which will appear on the cover of the July 23 Sunday Opinion section. We also will submit the winning entries to city officials for their consideration. Give it a try. Have fun. Celebrate whats best about Madison in your design. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Gina Martinez Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and other Queens officials announced last week that the New York and Atlantic Railway will reduce noise in Glendale by moving its train repair facility to East New York, providing needed relief to residents in the area. The freight line will relocate its Track 11 repair track which runs alongside Otto Road from 67th Place to 69th Place to a non-residential area in East New York. The track is located in the railways Fresh Pond Rail Yard and is currently used to fix rail cars. Repairs usually consist of hammering, drilling, welding, and includes everything from changing wheels and brake shoes, fixing mechanical problems, and repainting identifying letters and numbers. NYA plans to complete its repair track move by the end of June. The new location will be in an area that abuts the L train in the NYAs East New York Tunnel and the existing NYA rail yard. The train company, which is based in Glendale, operates on Long Island Rail Road tracks and carries lumber, paper, plastics and food, among other types of freight. Meng said the relocation is good news for Glendale residents, who have been plagued by noise caused by rail car repairs. I thank NYA for making this decision, she said. I look forward to building on this positive development, and working further with company officials to address other train-related issues that impact the community. James Bonner, president of New York and Atlantic Railway, said he worked closely with Meng, other elected officials and community leaders to bring this benefit to New York and Atlantic Railway neighbors. We have historically engaged in improvements, when we can do so in a way that allows us to preserve the benefits we provide to our customers and residents of Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island, he said. We look forward to continuing the positive collaboration evidenced by this project. State Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) commended Meng for her efforts working with the NYA to move their repair yard out of Glendale. Miller said the repair noises were a nuisance to residents who live in that area and that quality of life is of the utmost importance. I know from being a longtime resident of Glendale, the noise and smell that accumulates from repairs on Otto Road disrupts the lives of local residents, he said. The removal of the repair yard is a significant win for the residents of Glendales quality of life. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Suzanne Parker Thanks to the insistent connections of inscrutable internet logic, my attention has recently been driven to a constellation of articles about cultural appropriation as it relates to food. Are we really stealing something when mainstream cuisine adopts and adapts the foodways of ethnic cultures? Oh, puh-leez! You want your abuelas taco recipe to remain a secret? Then dont let anyone into your kitchen and demand a non-disclosure agreement from anyone you feed. I would submit that culinary cross-pollination is as inevitable as evolution. I view this most multi-cultural of all boroughs as a giant potluck that we are all invited to enjoy, embrace and make our own. Dont bother me with accusations of culinary imperialism. It was with these issues percolating around my psyche that I found myself at Lunera, a new Steinway Street eatery in Astoria billing itself as Modern Mexican. Carrot-topped owner Rossa Quinn is a long way from his native Tipperary, Ireland. His appreciation for Mexican food developed from his travels through Central America, and he teamed up with Jose Ignacio Sanchez, the executive chef at the Spanish Embassy, to realize his vision. Luneras space is a sophisticated gut-renovation featuring exposed brick and weathered wood with an array of illuminated nooks displaying Mexican masks. Very tasteful, nothing garish. The bar occupies much of the real estate and not without good reason. Lunera is as much a Mexican-themed bar as it is a restaurant. It offers no less than seven types of margaritas, as well as some specialty cocktails, and a nice selection of wines and brews. Its appetizer and small-plate offerings are perfect for an evening of nibbling and imbibing. We started our visit with one of their admirable house margaritas not too sweet, but with a definite wallop. Gratis salsa arrived, appealingly presented in a small molcajete bowl with both tortilla and plantain chips. We have one criticism, which was a harbinger of things to come. Wheres the heat? The salsa was fresh and pleasant, but lacked the expected piquancy. The standout of our small plates was the Olive Mini Pancake. The pancake was buried under a stack of avocado slices, five plump supine bocarones (white anchovies), topped with chopped tomatoes bisected by what appeared to be an Italian pepper and strewn with bits of olive. There was a lot going on there, all of it good. Our other two small items were both deep fried. Hard to go wrong with deep-fried tidbits. Weve long believed that even dryer lint would be palatable prepared this way. Still, our Serrano ham croquettes, were delightfully crunchy on the outside and pleasantly gooey within, studded with bits of that luxury ham and accompanied by a lush chipotle aioli for added richness. Deep-fried Empanadas Tinga encased that Pueblan chicken classic. All of the above were worthy hors doeuvres, but lacked the signature zest normally associated with Mexican cuisine. Lechon al horno is a braised pork shank astride a mound of jalapeno mashed potatoes, sauced with mushroom mole. A stern glance could have separated this tender pork from the bone. The mole sauce and mash were a delicious combination, but no heat from the aforementioned jalapenos was evident. Two versions of paella are featured on Luneras menuseafood or meat. The meat version was tempting, with the inclusion of skirt steak along with chorizo, chicken and pork belly. But since we were already porking it up with the Lechon, we opted instead for seafood. The seafood paella, adequate for two not-too-voracious diners, seemed to abandon any pretense of being Mexican. Two of the main ingredients, saffron and green mojo, are associated with Spanish cuisine. Saffron is usually omitted from Mexican Paella, and green mojo is an innovation of the Canary Islands. But that didnt in any way diminish its deliciousness. Amidst the abundant seafood, petite medallions of tender-chewy octopus stood out. The creamy risotto-like rice had those crunchy bits on the bottom that paella cognoscenti love. The Bottom Line Although Queens is celebrated for the authenticity of its ethnic food scene, there is nothing wrong with innovation. At Lunera, an ethnic cuisine usually associated with homey, casual dining has been given an upscale spin, and for a very affordable price. Let go of any purist expectations of Mexican cuisine, and theres a lot to love here. Suzanne Parker is the TimesLedgers restaurant critic and author of Eating Like Queens: A Guide to Ethnic Dining in Americas Melting Pot, Queens, N.Y. She can be reached by e-mail at qnsfo odie@ aol.com . If you go Lunera Modern Mexican 3225 Steinway St Astoria, NY 11103 (718) 726-9857 luner any.com Price Range: Small plates: $814 Cuisine: Modern Mexican Setting: Small, chic restaurant with bar dominating space Service: Professional, attentive. Hours: Sun.Thurs., 12:0011:00 p.m., Fri., Sat: 12:0012:00 p.m. Reservations: Optional Alcohol: Full bar Parking: Street Dress: Casual Children: Welcome Music: DJ at night Takeout: Yes Credit cards: Yes Noise level: Noisier later Handicap accessible: WIFI: Yes Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Naeisha Rose Officers of the 103rd Precinct held a neighborhood community meeting Tuesday on unlicensed mechanics, abandoned cars and prostitution. In attendance at the meeting Concerned Parents Day Care, located at 143-04 on 101st Ave., was Community Board 12 Chairwoman Adrienne Adams. This was the first of what will be a series of quarterly meetings between officers and residents who live between 157th Street to the Van Wyck Expressway, and from 110th Avenue to Archer Avenue. During the meeting, police and members of the public discussed how hard crime had gone down, but quality-of-life issues still plagued the region. This is a collaborative effort, Officer Ian Johnson said. You guys can work with us and you guys can work with each other to make where you live in a better place. We are going to listen to what you have to say. One of the major complaints for the area was about unlicensed mechanics taking up parking, forcing inhabitants who dont have garages adjacent to their homes to walk long distances to find places for their cars. There is a guy that fixes car at the side of my house, said Oyinade Ogunbanjo, who lives at 153rd Street at Tuskegee Airmen Way. There are three cars that have been parked there for the past two weeks. They are occupying space that residents should have. According to Ogunbanjo, the cars either had out-of-state license plates or no license plates at all, and the ones that were not repaired were so filthy that they attracted raccoons and stray cats. Illegal parking is a major problem that we have in this area, Johnson said. They shouldnt be there for an excess of seven days, and when it hits that seven-day mark, it is considered to be abandoned. The officers asked the residents to get in touch with the precinct and provide the location of the vehicle, the make and model of the car. They are getting out of hand, Johnson said. We need your help to pinpoint them. The officers also explained that they could only do so much because they have three towing companies and the parking lots they have for towed cars sometimes reach full capacity. Some of the cars, however, will be taken by the Department of Sanitation if they are considered to have no value and classified as scrap metal. The plus side is that residents no longer have to wait for 311 to respond. Zaheer Hamid had issues with prostitution creeping up in the area. He tried to take his daughter out for ice cream one evening when he saw a call girl propositioning people for sex.The places for solicitations for sex were along 157th Street to Sutphin Boulevard, according to residents. We are going to do another prostitution operation, Alexander said. We will have an officer that is undercover calling it out [signaling the johns and prostitutes]. There was not a definite date given out for the operation, but it will be at the end of June, according to Officer Ryan Watson. Once the meeting concluded, the officers and the residents exchanged contact information and chatted. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry The parents of Karina Vetrano, the 30-year-old jogger who was brutally beaten, raped and strangled in Howard Beach in August, held a rally last week with elected officials and community leaders to thank the New York State Commission on Forensic Science for adopting the use of Familial DNA Matching in certain cases. Phil and Cathie Vetrano remained vocal advocates of the forensic technique even after a suspect was captured and charged with their daughters murder. This is a monumental accomplishment. Its unheard-of and unprecedented that this could possibly happen in five months, Phil Vetrano said after the policy was passed by the Commission by a vote of 9 to 2. This will be a tremendous tool for law enforcement and for justice. And its only because of Karina. Without her driving us forward, this never would have happened. During an exhaustive six-month NYPD investigation, the Vetranos and several state and city elected officials repeatedly pushed for familial DNA searching that was in use in 10 states, but not in New York. In February, Chanel Lewis, 20, of Brooklyn, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after Lt. Commander John Russo, a resident of Howard Beach, broke the case with his detective work, but the Vetranos continued to advocate for the procedure to be allowed in New York. The Vetranos wanted to make sure no family ever had to go through what they went through. Even through their grief and loss, they saw the opportunity to do that, and they made it happen, state Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) said. This community owes the commission, New York Citys district attorneys the NYPD, and most of all the Vetranos a great debt for their tenacity and selflessness. They took a personal tragedy and made it about protecting the community. Im proud to be their representative, and Im proud to stand with them today as they usher in a new era of protection and greater clarity, both for victims and their families as well as for the accused. Familial DNA Matching, also known as FM, scans Y chromosomes from crime scene evidence and can lead to male relatives of criminals. Pheffer Amato had sponsored an Assembly bill to authorize FM legislatively if the commission had not. It is my hope, that with the New York State Commission of Forensic Sciences new guidelines, we will start to see the implementation of an improved means of investigation that has been proven effective in other parts of the country, state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Ozone Park) said. Thanks to the Vetranos, who have been vocal advocates for the use of Familial DNA, while living with their own personal tragedy. It is thanks to them and many that the state will be better equipped to seek out criminals, when investigators have run out of leads. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown called the commissions ruling a victory for justice and the people of New York State. The commission has insured more victims will receive justice, the public will be safer, and we in law enforcement can better guard against wrongful arrests and convictions, Brown said in a statement. From the time I first advocated last year for authorization of this tool, I maintained that, with appropriate safeguards, familial DNA searching could effectively be employed to solve crimes. I am gratified that the commission agreed. The framework approved by the commission strikes a fair balance between use of new scientific tools to solve serious cases and protection of individual rights and privacy. I commend the commission on this thoughtful, balanced procedure. Archbishop Molloy High School is hosting a memorial event for Karina Vetrano this weekend featuring an overnight relay walk/run open to the public. Vetrano was an alumnus of the school. Those wishing to attend, or who want to make a donation, may visit the schools website at www.mollo yhs.org/ karin a , or call at 718-441-9210. Green Island Ecovative Design of Green Island has been awarded a $9.1 million research contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop new types of "living" building materials. Kirsten Dunst didn't want to kiss anyone. She was 16 and had been playing a young innocent on-screen for a decade. Now, on the set of Sofia Coppola's "The Virgin Suicides," she was supposed to film a scene in which she made out with a handful of guys. And she was riddled with anxiety. "But Sof was just like, 'Bury your face in your hair,'" Dunst, now 35, recalls. "So I didn't really have to make out with them. It was an older part for me the first time I was seen in a sexual way. And I'm so happy that transition was in Sofia's hands, because it could have been really different with another director." The experience bonded the actress and the filmmaker, forging a connection so strong that the pair have made two more movies together. The latest, a remake of 1971's "The Beguiled," debuted at the Cannes Film Festival where Coppola became the first woman to be named best director since 1961. Set in Virginia during the Civil War, the movie, which hits theaters Friday, tells the story of women (played by Dunst, Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning) who take a wounded Union soldier (Colin Farrell) into their sheltered boarding school. The arrival of the hunky soldier turns the house upside down, as the women begin vying for his attention and sneaking into his room to try to win his affection. More Information On screen "The Beguiled" Starring: Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning. Director: Sofia Coppola Opens: Friday See More Collapse Though Dunst had a one-day cameo role in Coppola's 2013 film "The Bling Ring," "The Beguiled" marks the first time the two have really collaborated since 2006's "Marie Antoinette." In the new movie, Dunst plays Edwina, a chaste schoolteacher who is perhaps the most affected by the advent of the soldier. "I liked the idea of seeing her play a character that's so different from her," says Coppola, 46. "The character is so innocent and vulnerable, really repressed and Kirsten's not repressed at all." In their friendship, at least, Dunst certainly appears to be the more gregarious. Coppola is not verbose. There's a gentleness to her speech, and she often swallows the ends of her sentences. Her style is also more conservative than Dunst's. She tends toward pants and high-neck blouses and carries quilted Chanel handbags. Dunst, meanwhile, usually opts for dresses and isn't afraid of showing decolletage on the red carpet. "Kirsten is some sort of alter ego I connect to in myself," says the director, sharing a couch with Dunst. "Also, because you're so opposite. When I met her, she was this all-American, blond cheerleader. But there was something else going on that contrasted that. And yet we already shared a sensibility and sense of humor that helps a lot. Kirsten just gets me and what I'm trying to do. We don't even have to talk. I'll just look at her and she'll go, 'OK, got it.' " Youree Henley, a producer on "The Beguiled," says the kinship between the two became obvious the moment they showed up for an early costume fitting. "There was a great shorthand and real appreciation between them, and that carried through into making the movie," he says. "Sofia likes to go back to things she trusts like working with Kirsten, or Elle Fanning again after 'Somewhere.' Because she knows what she can do with them." Beyond her trusted stars, there are other classic Coppola stamps on "The Beguiled" namely its gauzy, pastel-heavy visual aesthetic. Filmed at a historic plantation house in Louisiana, the movie is filled with moody nature Spanish moss and Southern live oaks. And the women are all meant to look delicate and ultra-feminine, with crown braids, corsets, bows and brooches. "I've always been visually driven that's how I relate to the world," Coppola says. "I think about how you fill the frame, and we wanted this to feel claustrophobic, so we picked a tighter aspect ratio. Everything is in service of the story, so that the audience is disarmed by this pretty, delicate world." "You have impeccable taste, Sof, you do," Dunst says. She describes how beautiful Coppola's home is in New York's West Village, where the director lives with her husband, Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars, and their two children. "Though it was funny to go there after she had kids, because I was like, 'This is not Sofia's house.' I went to the bathroom and there's, like, explosions of toys. I think kids change the aesthetic quickly." Dunst, who lives with her fiance, "Fargo" co-star Jesse Plemons, describes her own style as more relaxed. In her downtime, she says, she wears sweatpants and a little makeup, "but that's only because I don't like my skin tone. It's so red." On "The Beguiled," when Coppola mentioned that the characters should look like they were "dwindling away" because of a lack of food in the house, Dunst made it clear that she would have trouble looking like she "hadn't been fed." "There were so many fast-food restaurants where we shot Cane's Chicken, McDonald's and no healthy options. So I was like, 'I can't, really.'" But Dunst values Coppola's opinion and is planning on seeking her guidance when she directs her first film next year, an adaptation of Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" starring Dakota Fanning. "I like making low-budget films, just because I can have total control, and I wouldn't want to make a movie that I couldn't make exactly how I wanted," Coppola says. "I couldn't imagine not having final cut," the actress replies. "What would be the point?" "Don't ever do that. Don't ever do that," the director insists. "I never have, but I almost did, and I'm so thankful I didn't do it. When I get input, I like being able to say, 'Oh, thank you,' but then do it the way I want." Coppola seems to be referring to "The Little Mermaid," a live-action version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale that she dropped out of because of creative differences in 2015. Instead, she went on to make "The Beguiled" which, though not a massive studio film, still proved a challenge for the director. Unlike her previous work sparse, dialogue-light movies like "Lost in Translation" and "Somewhere" "The Beguiled" has more language and a propulsive plot line. "This was kind of an experiment, and I liked trying a different style of filmmaking," Coppola says. "I've never used a lot of dialogue before, because in real life, people don't express themselves that way. They show things through gesture. Nobody can show their feelings. I try to make things based on my impression of how they are in life, which is not as tidy and organized. More impressionistic, to give you the feeling of something." "I always think movies have too much dialogue. No one talks that much," Dunst agrees. "I like how your films allow you to have your own experience of things." Farrell, who had never worked with Coppola before "The Beguiled" but was a longtime fan of her work, describes it as "emotional dislocation." "She's a master of mood," the actor says. "She ran the most calm and relaxed set that I've ever been on in 20 years of making films. Her direction was very, very gentle she'd have you leaning into her and nearly whispering." Since the Cannes win, Coppola has been overwhelmed by the warm reaction from peers. "Even in my neighborhood when I walk my kids to school, strangers on the street will be like, 'Yes! Congratulations!' " she says. "My mom was so proud of you," Dunst says. "She cried when she heard. I mean, it's a long legacy of us working together." "Really? That's sweet," the director says. "I still haven't gotten the trophy. But Quentin (Tarantino) told me he was bummed he never got the director award, because it's actually bigger than the Palme d'Or. I'm excited for it. It can go in my house with all of those Calico Critters." The following capsule reviews of recent releases, long runs and revivals come from various wire services, as noted: RATINGS: G - Suitable for all ages. PG - Parental guidance recommended. PG-13 - Parental guidance strongly suggested. R - Restricted; anyone under 18 must be accompanied by adult. NC-17 - No children under 17. Excellent Good Fair Poor 47 Meters Down Thriller. Mandy Moore and Claire Holt double the damsel-terrorized-by-sharks trope, but take it underwater in a disengaged cage and tanks with not enough oxygen. An often terrifying if somewhat implausible horror-thriller. If this sounds ridiculous, it is. But once we get off land, and the cage breaks away from the boat, the movie develops a tense rhythm that rarely slackens. Mandy Moore is very good, getting better and better as an actress. (PG-13 for sequences of intense peril, bloody images, and brief strong language) (David Lewis, Hearst Newspapers) All Eyez on Me Drama. First-time actor Demetrius Shipp Jr., cast for his eerie resemblance to the slain Tupac Shakur, stars in this biopic about the hip-hop legend. After a long gestation, "All Eyez on Me" arrives in theaters, directed by Benny Boom, but this disorganized biopic isn't quite worthy of its subject's remarkable life. Playing the part of Shakur is newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr., who looks eerily like the rapper, channeling Shakur in a performance where actor and real person ultimately meld together. Especially once he gets into his performance flow, the physical comparison is uncanny. But the film surrounding Shipp is rough going. "All Eyez on Me" gets off to a very bumpy start, as it skitters wildly around from life event to life event, dates, locations and story-framing devices pummeling the screen. It's just lazy screenwriting to plop in an interviewer to interject names and places rather than establishing these facts in the script, and the seams are painfully obvious. (R for language and drug use throughout, violence, some nudity and sexuality) (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Baby Driver Action. This feels new. It's an action film with some traceable ancestry in Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino movies, but the attitude is different here, and so is the emphasis on style. Music plays a big part in this Edgar Wright film sometimes too big a part but it also helps charge some intense scenes with an extra blast of energy. Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a young genius among getaway drivers. He has tinnitus, and so he listens to music all day to drown out the ringing in his ears. We soon discover that Baby is not some hard-boiled character. He has been enlisted into this work because he is paying off a debt to Doc (Kevin Spacey), a powerful crook whose specialty is putting together bank heists. It couldn't be more simple: Baby wants out. Baby can't get out. Baby is going to try anyway, especially now that he has a new girlfriend, a diner waitress played by Lily James. Her dream is the same as his, to start driving west and just never stop. It's the ultimate cliche to compare a movie to a thrill ride, but sometimes the cliche applies. (R for language throughout and violence) 1/2 (Mick LaSalle, Hearst Newspapers) Band Aid Comedy. Zoe Lister-Jones ("Life in Pieces") writes, directs, produces and stars as one-half of a couple who can't stop fighting so they embark on a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, turning their fights into songs and starting a band. Also stars Adam Pally and Fred Armisen. It's time to get interested in Zoe Lister-Jones. She has been on the fringes of the movie business for several years now. "Band Aid" is her first film as a director she also wrote and stars in it and something about her and this film is really appealing. Lister-Jones is really good at capturing the dynamic of marital arguments, how they blow up without warning and can subside just as quickly. Though Ben and Anna share the spotlight, the film's emotional locus is Anna. Lister-Jones has no trouble placing herself at the center. If you didn't know going in, you wouldn't guess that this is someone directing herself. There are no self-indulgent scenes of wistful contemplation. "Band Aid" is a clear-eyed movie about a clear-eyed woman trying to break through her malaise through decisive action. (NR) (M.L.) Beatriz at Dinner Comedy. Director Miguel Arteta and screenwriter Mike White ("Chuck & Buck," "The Good Girl") team up again for this "serious comedy" about a holistic medicine practitioner (Salma Hayek) who attends a wealthy client's dinner party after her car breaks down, leading to escalating tensions between her and one of the guests (John Lithgow). Also stars Connie Britton, Chloe Sevigny and Jay Duplass. Part comedy and part melodrama, "Beatriz at Dinner" does offer a good performance by the redoubtable Hayek, but it's all so heavy-handed that it's hard to stay engaged with the movie. Hayek clearly attempts to give some balance to her performance, but Beatriz is such a relentless do-gooder that when she finally erupts, it's not entirely convincing. Arteta and White do wring some decent comedy from the dinner-table repartee these are capable actors, and it's entertaining to watch the crossfire of boasting, jockeying for position, undermining and sniping. But while the filmmakers' hearts are in the right place, they hurt their cause by foreswearing delicacy and depth. (R for language and a scene of violence) (Walter Addiego, Hearst Newspapers) The Book of Henry Drama. An 11-year-old boy sets out to save his crush, the girl next door who is possibly being abused by her stepfather, and writes down his plan in a book that his mother discovers. Stars Naomi Watts and Jacob Tremblay. ''The Book of Henry" has its ups and downs, but at its best is an absorbing and unusual blend of tear-jerker and thriller. Suffice it to say that the mom comes to share her son's suspicions, and undertakes the boy's elaborate plan to solve the problem through extra-legal means. At this point the movie takes a giant step back from plausibility, and I'm afraid some viewers will be unwilling to go along. There's certainly an element of wish-fulfillment involved, no doubt there are those in the audience who will understand the characters' desire for justice at any cost. There's a major, sentimental incident in the middle of the story that is intended, I think, to explain Susan's later behavior, but the tone doesn't serve the movie well. I was also distressed about a seemingly ambivalent attitude toward vigilantism. (PG-13 for thematic elements and brief strong language) 1/2 (W.A.) Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Animated. Dav Pilkey's series of children's novels makes it to the big screen in this animated feature about George and Harold, two fourth-grade pranksters who hypnotize their principal into thinking he's a ridiculous and overly enthusiastic superhero. Featuring the voices of Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch and Ed Helms. Not every family-friendly movie needs to be filled with "Inside Out"-style Trojan horse psychotherapy. And yet the DreamWorks Animation film still strains to meet its modest expectations. "Captain Underpants" is a very popular series that doesn't seamlessly translate to the big screen, and the filmmakers can't solve this problem. The result is a cinematic wedgie: a little too dark, a little too nihilistic, a little too empty. (PG for mild rude humor throughout) (Peter Hartlaub, Hearst Newspapers) Cars 3 Animated. Pixar's least-acclaimed franchise gets a third go-round, this time with Lightning McQueen trying to prove to a new generation of racers that he's still the best race car in the world. There are lots of races in "Cars 3." The races, almost too many to count, take up an enormous amount of screen time, so if you're someone who can't get enough of contests between animated automobiles, this movie is a dream come true. For everyone else, this latest installment in the Pixar franchise is a disappointment. It's essentially a drama about a mid-life crisis. Aside from the whimsicality of the cars-are-people setup, a setup we're already used to from two previous films, "Cars 3" has nothing funny about it. Instead it invites us into the pain and self-questioning that comes to every great athlete when he realizes that he's slipping. (G) (M.L.) My Cousin Rachel Drama. In this new adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's novel, a young man (Sam Claflin) plots revenge against the woman (Rachel Weisz) he believes murdered his cousin, but his plans are shaken when he starts to fall for her. Director Roger Michell finds a particular register for "My Cousin Rachel," something different from his previous work. He embraces the gothic aspect of this tale, giving us slow-motion shots of things like pearls tumbling down a staircase, while basking in the glorious excesses of Rael Jones' soundtrack, full of abrupt swells and sudden silences. Michell pumps the atmosphere surrounding this story with as much life and energy as he can, without ever crossing the line into self-consciousness or parody. In doing so, he gives this film the bigness of emotion that it deserves, so that this can never be mistaken for some dry, starched British import. The magnificence of Weisz's performance yes, it's another magnificent performance from Weisz is that she is never hiding anything, beyond what a 19th-century woman might conceal out of polite reserve. (PG-13 for some sexuality and brief strong language) (M.L.) Paris Can Wait Comedy. Eleanor Coppola wife of Francis Ford and mother of Sofia makes her narrative directorial debut with this romantic comedy about a movie producer's (Alec Baldwin) wife (Diane Lane) who takes a road trip through France with one of his associates. It's not often that a sincerely made, completely uncynical film should turn out to be awful, but that's the case with "Paris Can Wait." Eleanor Coppola has turned in a poorly acted, colossal bore of a film that strikes wrong notes from beginning to end. As the producer, Baldwin exudes authority and charisma and we watch the movie hoping to watch him for a while. Then just as the movie is already beginning to sour, Baldwin disappears, never to return. We're left with Lane at her most self-conscious and mannered, playing a woman so boring that her most interesting character note is that she does Sudoku; and with Viard, who is considerably less attractive than Baldwin. And so they drive. And we're tied up in the back seat and forced to listen to them talk. Eleanor Coppola's screenplay is entirely without subtext. The characters say exactly what they're thinking, and what they're thinking simply isn't interesting. (PG for thematic elements, smoking and some language) 1/2 (M.L.) Rough Night Comedy. Five members of a bachelorette party Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell, Zoe Kravitz and Ilana Glazer find trouble when the male stripper they hired winds up dead in this distaff raunchfest. If video stores were still a thing in 2017, "Rough Night" could fit in either comedy or the fantasy/science fiction section. The R-rated bachelorette party misadventure imagines an alternate reality where Scarlett Johansson is the awkward nerdy friend, and a house full of college-educated adults have no idea how DNA evidence works. "Rough Night" demands maximum suspension of disbelief, and looks as if it was significantly more fun for the actors to make than for audiences to watch. But it does yield rewards, with heavy contributions from the makers of "Broad City," and an incredibly deep comic cast. Whenever the story goes off the rails, there's always someone funny there to will it back into a humorous place. (R for crude sexual content, language throughout, drug use and brief bloody images) (P.H.) Transformers: The Last Knight Action. Sir Anthony Hopkins joins Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Stanley Tucci and returnee John Turturro in Michael Bay's fifth (!) entry in the action series about vehicles that turn into giant robots. "Transformers: The Last Knight" is two and a half hours long and consists mostly of machines fighting. Apparently, there is another planet out there that is dying, but they have these robots these living, talking machines and those machines have a plan to revive their world. They want to suck all the life, juice and energy out of the Earth, through a process which would, of course, result in the death and destruction of every living thing. (PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of sci-fi action, language) (M.L.) There are fewer new titles being released this week on DVD because of the July 4 holiday. The number is small but there are still some good offerings available: "The Zookeeper's Wife": "The Zookeeper's Wife" is the latest in a long series of movies that recounts the unimaginable evils committed during World War II. It's familiar material but has a fresher feel because director Niki Caro pays less time looking at the broad story of war and more time focusing on the people who lived through the horrors. Caro has delivered to the screen a beautifully shot version of Diane Ackerman's book, "The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story." Antonina and Jan Zabinski, owners of the Warsaw Zoo in 1939, dealt with the Germans who occupied their country. The couple not only found a way to stay alive but also managed to convert their zoo into a hiding place for Jews escaping the country. Jessica Chastain's performance as Antonina is what gives the film so much heart. The actress already has picked up a pair of Oscar nominations "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Help" but the work she does in "The Zookeeper's Wife" is better than both of those efforts. What Chastain does is play a woman so in love with life that she embraces animals with the same compassion and care as humans. Caro balances out the hopefulness Antonina shows with the pain and suffering Jan (Johan Heldenbergh) deals with. "The Zookeeper's Wife" has a lot of positives but there are a few negatives including a pacing problem. The director spends more time establishing Antonina's love of animals than dealing with her pregnancy and birth. The bumps along the way don't take away from the stark drama of this true story of bravery, hope, love and war as seen through smaller moments. 2017 is a big year for Canada. That's because on July 1, our neighbor to the north is celebrating its sesquicentennial, or 150 years as a nation. If you're considering a trip to Canada as part of your summer plans on or around that date, Lonely Planet has a list of a few events you may want to check out, including a big bash at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, a waterfront festival in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island, or a Canada Day celebration, French-Canadian style, in Montreal. ALBANY An ex-hospice nurse at the Stratton VA Medical Center who stole patients' painkillers and replaced them with anti-psychotic medication shaved more than three years off his sentence Wednesday with help from an unlikely source former Appellate Justice Bernard "Bud" Malone. Nathan Baum, 32, of East Greenbush, a decorated Iraq War veteran, was serving six years and 10 months in federal prison after he admitted he stole the painkillers to feed his addiction. The crime horrified family members of the patients who described Baum's conduct as "egregious" and "evil" at his sentencing last June. But in April the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan determined Senior Judge Lawrence Kahn erred at the sentencing because he found Baum caused actual harm to patients when, under the conviction, Baum placed them at a risk of harm. It led to a re-sentencing in U.S. District Court where Malone, 74, a Vietnam Veteran and former federal prosecutor in Albany of 15 years, passionately went to bat for Baum. "I will ask the court to be as lenient as it can," Malone, of Delmar, told the judge. Kahn sentenced Baum to three years and two months in prison. Baum has already served a year of that time in a minimum-security prison camp in Devens, Mass., where he is part of a community outreach program, holds a job, completed a drug addiction program and where last year he used the Heimlich maneuver to save a woman visiting the prison who was choking on potato chips and could not breathe. Malone told Kahn he believed Baum's crime was a complete result of the defendant's addiction to painkillers that were prescribed for him after he returned from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. "He was prescribed opiates, which he took as directed," Malone said. "I know that addiction is not a defense in a criminal case, but I would submit that it's an explanation." When offered a chance to speak, Baum said, "If not for addiction, this would have never happened." Malone said the opiate crisis has touched almost everyone in the community, his own family included. He said Baum was a good nurse, soldier and person. He said Baum is raising a young daughter who needs him. In making his argument, Malone recalled his own experience returning to America after serving in Vietnam for three years in the Army. His judicial biography said he received the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Vietnam. "When I came home, I was a very different and still am a very different person than I was when I went to Vietnam," Malone said. "He's paid his dues," he said of Baum. Baum's primary lawyer, Assistant Federal Public Defender Timothy Austin, told Kahn in a pre-sentencing memo and in person Wednesday that in 22 similar cases to Baum's case the average sentence was one year and nine months in prison. He asked for time served. "He didn't choose the behavior that got him to this point," he said. "He was prescribed into addiction." Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rabe acknowledged Baum has rehabilitated himself but stressed his crime was "very, very serious." Baum used his password to steal painkillers intended for veterans between April 8 and May 16 in 2014. Baum pleaded guilty in February 2016 to tampering with a consumer product, and obtaining controlled substances by deception and subterfuge. He stole syringes that contained oxycodone hydrochloride, an addictive pain reliever given to treat severe pain, and replaced the drug with haloperidol, which used to treat mental health disorders, uncontrolled movements and agitation. He replaced oxycodone hydrochloride with haloperidol at least 122 time, Rabe wrote in a memo. Kahn told Baum the addiction may make his crime understandable, but it does not excuse it. He noted the patients were not alive to speak for themselves. He did credit Baum for his work in prison and said he believed he would stay on the straight and narrow. "From here on, I think everything is going to go all right for you, as it should," the judge said. He declined to allow the defendant to go home and report to prison at a later date, as requested by Austin. Rabe opposed the request, calling Baum a possible flight risk. Baum's family , including his mother, were in the courtroom for the sentencing. Malone, now with the firm of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna in Albany, was elected to state Supreme Court in 1998 and served on the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court's First Department in Manhattan and later the Third Department in Albany. Malone and fellow Appellate Justice E. Michael Kavanagh of Ulster County, both Republicans, left the Appellate Division when they lost their state Supreme Court seats in 2012 to two Democrats, Richard Mott of Kinderhook and Stephan Schick of Sullivan County. Friday WAMC's The Linda will be hopping this weekend. The Lucky 5, a hard-swinging quintet that has performed and recorded with the likes of Tony Bennett, Peter Gabriel and Del McCoury, are coming to town for a show that's billed as "A Swing Dance Party with The Lucky 5." That's because before the show, attendees can take part in a free hourlong swing dancing crash course from Albany dance teacher Jason Fenton. The lesson begins at 7; the music starts at 8. The Lucky 5 plays high-energy jazz from the 1920s through the 1940s, so the free dance lessons could come in handy. 7 p.m. Friday. $15. The Linda: WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Ave., Albany. 465-5233; http://www.wamcarts.org Saturday Arturo O'Farrill is the real deal in Afro-Cuban jazz. The Grammy Award-winning pianist and the son of well-known Latin musician and bandleader Chico O'Farrill has won two Grammys, one for his 2008 album "Song for Chico," and his 2014 album "The Offense of the Drum." O'Farrill, who masterfully melds textures and rhythms of the Caribbean and South America into his jazz sound, released his latest album, "Cuba: The Conversation Continues," last year. He recorded it in Havana 48 hours after President Obama announced his plan to begin normalizing relations with Cuba. At Maverick Concerts this week, O'Farrill and his quintet will do a "young people's concert," which is free for kids under age 16. 11 a.m. Saturday. $5; free for kids under 16. Maverick Concerts, 120 Maverick Road, Woodstock. (845) 679-8217; http://www.maverickconcerts.org Friday Boz Scaggs and Michael McDonald have nearly a century of rock 'n' roll experience between them. Scaggs started his career as lead vocalist on Steve Miller's first two albums, before hitting it big in 1976 with "Silk Degrees," a solo record that spawned "Lido Shuffle" and "Lowdown." He also wrote the smash "We're All Alone," a hit for Rita Coolidge. McDonald made his mark as a member of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers he sang lead on Doobies hits like "Takin' It to the Streets," "It Keeps You Runnin' " and "What s Fool Believes." He went solo in 1982 and scored with "I Keep Forgettin' " and "Ya Mo Be There." Scaggs and McDonald will make their Tanglewood debuts when they team up for a show there this week. 7 p.m. Friday. $25-$109. Koussevitzky Music Shed, Tanglewood, 297 West St., Lenox, Mass. (888) 266-1200; http://www.bso.org Tuesday-Saturday Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Cymbeline" isn't the first choice for most groups that stage Shakespeare. So it's especially notable when an acting troupe like Shakespeare & Company decides to give the 1609 comedy a go. The play, which opens Tuesday and runs through Aug. 6, is the story of Cymbeline, the king of Britain. The story, which also has elements of romance and tragedy, will keep you guessing with odd plot twists, mistaken identities and a dogged quest for love. 6 p.m. Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. $24-$79. Tina Packer Playhouse, Shakespeare & Co., 70 Kemble St., Lenox, Mass. (413) 637-3353; http://www.shakespeare.org Sunday The Escher String Quartet wowed classical music fans in Chicago and Boston over the past few weeks. The popular New York City troupe won rave reviews for its June 7 performance at Chicago's North Shore Chamber Festival, playing Beethoven and Stravinsky's complete "L'Histoire du soldat (The Soldier's Tale)," according to the Chicago Classical Review. The quartet teamed up with pianist Joyce Yang for a Russian music program at Rockport's Shalin Liu Performance Center that left a Boston Musical Intelligencer critic "breathless." At Maverick Concerts this week, the quartet will perform Schubert's "Little" Quartet in E-Flat, Op. 125; Bartok's Quartet No. 3; and Sibelius' String Quartet in D-Minor, Op. 56 "Voces Intimae." 4 p.m. Sunday. $5-$55. Maverick Concerts, 120 Maverick Road, Woodstock. (845) 679-8217; http://www.maverickconcerts.org New York has an outstanding opportunity to create a conservation landmark in the High Peaks area of the Adirondack Park that would rival national parks out West and show the world New York's leadership in wilderness preservation is alive and well. Gov. Andrew Cuomo added the 20,500-acre Boreas Ponds tract to the "forever wild" Forest Preserve with a purchase from the Nature Conservancy. He now has an opportunity to reaffirm New York's conservation leadership by classifying and managing Boreas Ponds as a true wilderness area free of motorized or mechanized recreation. New Yorkers have accomplished an amazing feat by building both the largest city in America and by protecting the largest American park outside of Alaska. It illustrates that New York residents understand there are places where lots of people should congregate and live, and there are other places where our footprint should be as light as possible, leaving no trace. Like Alaska, the Adirondacks have come to stand for conservation and preservation of the natural world. The prescient "forever wild" clause of New York's constitution is more than a century old, but remains one of the greatest forest protection laws in the world. New York's commitment to conservation inspired some of America's greatest environmental acts, and activists. Louis Marshall a summer resident on Lower Saranac Lake helped usher in the "forever wild" clause as a delegate to the 1894 Constitutional Convention. His sons Bob, George and James, became founders of the Wilderness Society. The view of the forest preserve from his Adirondack cabin inspired Howard Zahniser to write the immortal words of the federal Wilderness Act, signed into law in 1964. Zahniser wrote that wilderness is "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." Approval of the Wilderness Act helped inspire a series of environmental achievements in the years that followed, including the federal Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. New York created the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Adirondack Park Agency plus a wilderness system of its own under the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. Today, as the federal government seems to be racing in the opposite direction, away from conservation and environmental protection, the imperative for leadership from states like New York is immense. Deciding the fate of Boreas Ponds presents an important test of this leadership. Cuomo's Adirondack Park Agency proposed four alternatives for managing this land last winter. Sadly, they were not encouraging. All four included a road to the ponds. There is no need for such a road. A level path from a parking area about one mile away can afford easy but not instant access to people of all ages and abilities. Devices for people with disabilities are allowed in wilderness. Cars, trucks, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and motorboats are not. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. The governor doesn't need to placate those who insist that motorized or mechanized public recreation be allowed on and around the Boreas Ponds. There are millions of acres of the Adirondack Park where such activities are already allowed. It is also clear from the recent Siena College Research Institute poll that most New York voters want the pristine Boreas Ponds to be wilderness, protected from motors and traffic. As in the past, today's voters recognize that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a large and unspoiled parcel of our natural heritage. Will Cuomo seize this opportunity to underscore New York's legacy of wilderness protection? Millions across the state, the nation and world certainly hope so. THE ISSUE: A revised Republican health care bill is barely better than the earlier one. THE STAKES: Will the Senate leave millions more people uninsured? More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse It took seven years, but Republicans have finally seen their dire warnings of health care "death panels" come to pass in none other than the Republican architects of the legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare. So abhorrent so patently cruel is the GOP's answer to the Affordable Care Act that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell conceded Tuesday he cannot muster enough votes to pass a bill he helped draft. Not yet, at least. The "Better Care Reconciliation Act" was the Senate's answer to the House's "American Health Care Act," which representatives passed even as some admitted it was deeply flawed. Some answer. Where the House bill would leave 23 million more people uninsured, the Senate version brings that down to "only" 22 million. Give Mr. McConnell his due, though. The Senate bill isn't without accomplishments: It achieves some deficit reduction $321 billion over a decade. But it does that by robbing $770 million from Medicaid, the social safety net that helps pay for half the births in the country today, most of the people in nursing homes, and millions of working poor who are covered thanks to Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. It achieves lower premiums after 2020 than Obamacare. But that's largely accomplished through diminished benefits and higher deductibles. So insurance would be somewhat easier to buy, but less beneficial and more costly to actually use. It eliminates the "individual mandate" that requires people to buy insurance or pay a financial penalty. But it replaces that with a potentially deadly six-month waiting period for people who let insurance lapse. And it accomplishes at the expense of reduced health, quality of life and sense of security for millions of citizens a more than half-trillion dollar tax cut. But it's mostly for high-income people. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Defenders of this approach spin it in all sorts of transparently deceptive ways. Medicaid isn't being cut, they parse, as if freezing spending and not keeping up with rising costs of health care is the same as properly funding it. Obamacare is failing, Mr. McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and President Donald Trump keep saying ignoring the market turmoil created by Republican governors, by the uncertainty the repeal-and-replace threat has caused, and by the president's actions to destabilize the financial underpinnings of Obamacare. Oh, and since the CBO is sometimes not 100 percent right, they blithely declare its analysis is wrong. The Senate's not passing the bill before its July 4 break, of course, doesn't mean Republican leaders have given up. No doubt there will be pressure on holdouts to come around. But between moderate Republicans who recoil at this bill's heartlessness, vulnerable ones whose constituents will be furious with it, and radical conservatives who don't find it Darwinist enough, repeal and replacement of Obamacare doesn't appear likely to happen just yet. And if reason, compassion, and decency prevail, perhaps not ever. The Boundary Commission has given Lower Ormond back to Tipperary under its proposed changes that will see the country get an extra two TDs in the next election. However, what it has given on one hand, it is taking back on the other, with parts of Tipperary disappearing into Limerick. This could mean areas such as Newport, Cappawhite and Ballina and uplands such as Kilcommon and Rearcross could now switch from the Premier County. However, the rest of Tipperary would keep its five TDs with no change in the number of Deputies representing the constituency. Limerick would have seven TDs, with a three-seat constituency of Limerick County and the four-seat Limerick City constituency. With the proposed changes announced this Tuesday, June 27, the fight will start to unite Tipperary as one constituency. In the 2016 election, some 10,000 voters were moved into Offaly, with Kilbarron-based Cllr Joe Hannigan narrowly failing to take the last seat. The return of Lower Ormond would boost Fine Gael's chances of taking back one of the seats it lost in the last election, but any move to put Ballina / Newport or voters in its hinterland into Limerick would hit Labour and Fianna Fail. There was further good news on the jobs front for Tipperary this Wednesday, June 28, with the revelation that a contract has been signed with China to proceed with the proposed hydroelectric project at Silvermines. The 650m project, which will see the former Magcobar mining site outside the village being used to produce and store electricity, was first announced in the run up to the 2016 general election by Labour TD Alan Kelly. It will bring an estimated 400 jobs to the area. A delighted Deputy Kelly this Wednesday welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Bord na Mona, Chinese hydrolelectric power company Power China, and SIGA Hydro, which is run by Tipperary man Darren Quinn. "This will bring it to the next stage. It is the largest ever investment project in Ireland," Deputy Kelly told the Tipperary Star. The Labour Spokesperson on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation side that the the project will now move to the planning stage, which could take two years, and then into construction, which is expected to last four years. When the project was launched in January 2016 before a packed meeting in Silvermines village,it was pointed out that one of its main advantages would be the cleaning up, once and for all, of the contaminated Magcobar mining site. Deputy Kelly previously announced 300 jobs for Nenagh with the decision by First Data, the global financial giant, setting up its R&D facility at Stereame in the North Tipperary town. The proposal by the Boundary Commission to hive off parts of Tipperary into Limerick for the next general election has been described by Tipperary TD Alan Kelly as a terrible decision. Under the proposals announced this Tuesday, June 27, Newport and Birdhill will move to a new Limerick City four-seater constituency. However, Lower Ormond, which was shoved into Offaly for the 2016 election, will now return to Tipperary. These areas are in Tipperary, the Labour TD told the Tipperary Star. This decision will have to be reversed. It is totally wrong. Deputy Kelly led the charge to have Lower Ormond returned to Tipperary by laucnhing a petition that was signed by over 1,500 voters. I want to thank the people who signed that petition, he said, pointing out that the numbers who had signed it had influenced the Boundary Commission's decison to return the area to Tipperary and this was acknowledged in their report. I have always been happy to represent the people of Lower Ormond and all those whether they are in my constituency or not, he said, welcoming their return to the Premier County fold. However, he said the new proposal was a contradiction in terms, pointing out that if it had been wrong to break Tipperary into Offaly, it was also wrong to break the county lines at Newport and Birdhill. He said that the people in Newport and Birdhill had seen their county council merged and their VEC merged but were now expected to have a Limerick TD. They have their own councillor in Cllr Fiona Bonfield, he stated. The decision will mean around 4,000 Tipperary voters now cast their ballot for a Limerick TD. Reader Allison Nowakowski scoops up a handful of the BB-sized hail that fell around Canadohta Lake, Monday, as a thunderstom rolled across eastern Crawford County. [June 27, 2017] Austria - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses LONDON, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Austria's telecom market is dominated by the incumbent Telekom Austria and the cableco UPC Austria, though in recent years there has been greater competitive pressure in the fixed-line broadband and mobile sectors. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3161519/ The fixed-line broadband market is dominated by the DSL sector, which retained a 64% market share of subscribers at the beginning of 2017. The cable broadband sector has held a steady share of about 34%. Although there are a number of smaller operators the cable sector is dominated by UPC Austria. Telekom Austria has invested in G.fast technologies to supplement high-bandwidth connectivity in areas where it has not prioritised fibre. Fibre penetration remains low, with the platform having less than 2% market share of subscribers, but there is vigour among operators to build out network infrastructure. Ongoing investment in the sector suggests stronger growth in coming years, and as a result the number of DSL lines is expected to fall as customers are migrated to fibre. The regulator in February 2017 proposed a framework by which broadband services could be expanded across the country, partly through encouraging the use of DSL vectoring technology. Austria's competitive mobile market is dominated by the three operators 3 Austria, T-Mobile Austria and Telekom Austria's own unit A1. However, the markets also benefits from a growing number of new entrants in the MVNO sector, which by early 2017 collectively had a 5% share of the market by subscribers. Part of the growth in the MVNO sector is due to regulatory concessions by which 3 Austria, as part of its take-over of Orange Austria, was obligd to provide a third of its network capacity to support up to 16 MVNOs. The competitive environment has led to relatively low ARPU for operators, as well as some of the region's lowest tariffs for consumers. The operators' LTE networks have benefited from regulatory measures which have allowed operators to refarm existing 2G and 3G spectrum for LTE, while spectrum in the 700MHz has also been set aside for mobile broadband use once this band is released from broadcasters. This report presents key aspects of the Austrian telecom and ICT markets, including statistical data on the fixed network services sector and telecom infrastructure. It presents an overview of recent regulatory developments, including those related to broadband access. The major fixed network operators are also profiled, together with the most recent performance data and an analysis on market strategies. The report also covers fixed-line and mobile broadband developments as well as the mobile market in general, including recent developments in technologies deployed and the strategies of operators as they focus on mobile data services. Key developments: Telekom Austria sets up A1 Digital International subsidiary focussed on digital businesses and technologies; Mobile sector revenue accounting for two-thirds of total telecom revenue; Telekom Austria launches 100Gb/s network across the CEE region, switches domestic fixed-line traffic to VoIP; Telekom Austria trials XG-Fast technology providing data at over 11Gb/s; T-Mobile Austria and Huawei sign five-year deal to improve wireless home broadband services; Regulator proposes framework to expand broadband services nationally; Government pledges 1 billion to upgrade national broadband availability; Xlink launches 1Gb/s FttP broadband offer; UPC Austria tests 1.3Gb/s service; TA trials vectoring technology; Public broadcaster ORF to transition to DVB-T2 standard by February 2019 ; T-Mobile Austria expands Narrowband IoT capabilities; ZTE signs an MoU with 3 Austria to trial pre-5G technologies; MVNOs secure 5% market share of subscribers; A1 and Nokia trial tri-carrier technology providing data at up to 513Mb/s; LTE available to about 98% of the population; Report update includes the regulator's market data to December 2016 , operators' data updates to Q1 2017, recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report: Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3161519/ 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 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/austria---telecoms-mobile-broadband-and-digital-media---statistics-and-analyses-300480570.html SOURCE ReportBuyer [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] Forcast Making its Way to Singapore Zalora This Coming July, Making the Mark of Women's Chic Fashion in Singapore SYDNEY, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Forcast is a well known women fashion retailer in Australia with 45 stores spread across the width and breadth of the Land Down Under. As an immensely successful fashion brand styling the women of Australia since 1992, Forcast is proud to divulge the news of them coming to Singapore Zalora this coming July 2017. Zalora Group is an e-retailer that was founded by Rocket Internet. Zalora has been helping women and men dress to kill in several South East Asian countries/regions like Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan. Zalora has their headquarters in Singapore. Forcast is fully aware about Zalora being one of the major bastions of fashion in the said region and is looking forward to have Forcast ensembles displayed in Singapore Zalora. As a retail fashion store that has been operating for mor than two decades in Australia and the consequent expansion of timeless feminine style all over the Australian continent, Forcast is thrilled by this new development. This penetration of Aussie women couture to Singapore Zalora is a testimony of Forcast's supreme quality garments designed to dress the modern woman to encapsulate sophistication that appeal globally at one go. Forcast's clothing come in size 4, a size that is very much suitable for Asian women who are petite -- not many brands come in size 4. Forcast's size range is 4 -16. They are hoping that the fashion conscious women of Singapore will take an instant liking to the Forcast clothing that is going to be featured in Singapore Zalora and welcome it into their wardrobes. There is also Forcast's desk to date tee which one can switch effortlessly from office wear to a hot date transformation. Australian brands that are already selling in Zalora include Cotton On and Forever New. Forcast is delighted to jump into the bandwagon. In the month of April 2017, Forcast opened two more all new Forcast stores at DFO Moorabbin in Melbourne and their first overseas store, located at Junction City, Yangon, Myanmar. The opening of DFO Moorabbin and Junction City is a landmark event for Forcast that testifies to their relevance, cordial and helpful customer service and dressing value that are not skimped on. Forcast's website can be visited here https://www.forcast.com.au/ Contact: Joshua Wong [email protected] +61 (02) 9755 1322 SOURCE Forcast [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] Kansas City Life and American Equity Underwriters Earn Top Honors at IMCA's 2017 Showcase Awards Kansas City Life Insurance Company won the coveted SAMMY Award for "overall Best of Show" at the 59th Annual Insurance Marketing & Communications Association (IMCA) Showcase Awards Gala, held last evening during the 2017 IMCA Annual Conference in Scottsdale. Additionally, The American Equity Underwriters Inc. was honored with IMCA's inaugural TaDa! Award, which attendees voted on to select the best onsite tabletop display of an award finalist during the conference. Specifically, Kansas City Life earned the SAMMY Award for its "VIP Victory in Production, President's Birthday Contest" project in the In-House, Product or Image Advertising/Marketing category. American Equity Underwriters was honored for its onsite conference display of the "2017 Mardi Gras Mailout" program in the Public Relations category. More than 90 awards were presented in 33 distinct categories during the Showcase Awards ceremony at The Scottsdale Hotel at McCormick Ranch. Organizations from across the United States and Canada entered the competition this year, which recognizes outstanding marketing and communications products and programs and promote higher standards of excellence within the insurance industry. "The high quality of entries in our Showcase Awards program this year was tremendous," said Anna Hargis, chair of the IMCA board of directors and director of advertising at Shelter Insurance. "We had a great mix of entries from insurance carriers, agencies and brokers, as well as various advertising, marketing and communications organizations that support our industry. It was a great showcase of the value marketing and communications professionals bring to our industry." AIG and The Co-operators earne the most awards overall, with seven wins apiece including two Best of Show Awards each. They were followed by Aon Affinity, which won six awards including three Best of Show. The Doctors Company also won six awards, including one Best of Show, and John Hancock Insurance earned six awards, including four Best of Show, the most of any entrant. The Main Street America Group was honored with five awards, including two Best of Show Awards. Earning four awards each were CNA (one Best of Show), Foremost Insurance Group (three Best of Show), Frankenmuth Insurance and The Hanover Insurance Group (one Best of Show). Other winners of a Best in Show Award included: Applied Underwriters, COUNTRY Financial, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Manulife, MAPFRE Insurance, Missouri Employers Mutual, Preferred Connect Insurance Center LLC, Sun Life Financial, and The Cincinnati Insurance Companies. Additional Award of Excellence winners included: Acuity Insurance, Allstate Business Insurance, Artex Risk Solutions, ASEQ | Studentcare, Atlantic American Corporation, Aviva Canada Inc., Direct Choice, Inc., Great American Insurance Group, HealthMarkets, Jackson, Kansas City Life Insurance Company, Manulife, MAPFRE Insurance, MiniCo Insurance Agency, Missouri Employers Mutual, NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company, PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company, Preferred Connect Insurance Center LLC, Safeco Insurance, The American Equity Underwriters Inc., The Cincinnati Insurance Companies, UFG Insurance and Universal American. Judging criteria for each of the 2017 IMCA Showcase Awards' 33 categories included background (why was the program or product created), target audience, objectives (what was the intended outcome/strategy and measurable success criteria) and results versus established metrics. More than 70 judges participated in the virtual judging process of the 300-plus entries. Judges included advertising, marketing, public relations and corporate communications executives from across North America. About the Insurance Marketing & Communications Association IMCA (www.imcanet.com) is the oldest association for insurance marketing and communications professionals in North America with roots tracing back to 1921. Membership includes leading international and domestic multi-line insurance companies and brokerage firms, regional and specialty companies, general agencies, and prominent industry suppliers. The organization represents over 120 companies, including the top five property/casualty writers. Members include senior level management and professional staff working in the areas of corporate communications, advertising, public relations, marketing communications, marketing and sales promotion, marketing research and technology. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628006132/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] Trucom, an Arizona CLEC, launches wireless mobility products and services Nationwide operating on the AT&T 4G and 5G US Wireless Mobility Network SAN DIEGO, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TPT Global Tech (OTCBB:TPTW) announced today its Arizona based wholly owned subsidiary CLEC Trucom recently completed its AT&T Mobility wireless certification. Trucom is now positioned to launch Trucom Wireless and Broadband services Nationally with its strategic partner AT&T, utilizing AT&T's mobility 4G and 5G National network. TruCom (www.trucom.com) is a Facilities Based Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. Founded in 2006 for the purpose of operating a state-of-the-art Fiber Optic Network, Trucom operates its own carrier class Fiber Optic Network, state-of-the-art Wireless Point-to-Point network, and Patent Pending proprietary "Bulletproof" technology seamlessly integrating the two. TruCom offers Phone, Internet, Fiber Optic, Wireless, Hosted PBX, Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Engineering, Cabling, Wiring and Cloud services. With a penchant for pushing the envelope, TruCom has pioneered innovative, hosted firewall and managed MPLS service technologies (SuperCore MPLS) and was the Industry first to engineer patent-pending failover services utilizing our own fiber optic and wireless networks to guarantee business continuity and service uptime. Co-located in multiple Local Serving Offices and Points of Presence (POP's) in the primary Data Centers in the market, TruCom's extensive Fiber Optic Network runs through the heart of the most densely populated corridors of the Greater Phonix Metro Area. Their Wireless Point to Point and Point to Multipoint Network is fed by the infinitely scalable capacity of the Fiber Optic Network and consists of more than 16 Major Access Points. This footprint not only provides coverage throughout the metro area, but also spans into outlying Cities, often providing the only carrier grade solution available in the region. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of various provisions of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, commonly identified by such terms as "believes," "looking ahead," "anticipates," "estimates" and other terms with similar meaning. Specifically, statements about the Company's plans for accelerated growth, improved profitability, future business partners, M&A activity, new service offerings and pursuit of new markets are forward looking statements. Although the company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements should not be construed as fact. The information contained in such statements is beyond the ability of the Company to control, and in many cases the Company cannot predict what factors would cause results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. All forward-looking statements in the press release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions.?? About TPT Global Tech TPT Global Tech Inc. (OTC:TPTW) based in San Diego, California, is a Technology/Telecommunications Media Content Hub for Domestic and International syndication and also provides Technology solutions to businesses domestically and worldwide. TPT Global offers Software as a Service (SaaS), Technology Platform as a Service (PAAS), Cloud-based Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) and carrier-grade performance and support for businesses over its private IP MPLS fiber and wireless network in the United States. TPT's cloud-based UCaaS services allow businesses of any size to enjoy all the latest voice, data, media and collaboration features in today's global technology markets. TPT also operates as a Master Distributor for Nationwide Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) and Independent Sales Organization (ISO) as a Master Distributor for Pre-Paid Cellphone services, Mobile phones Cellphone Accessories, and Global Roaming Cellphones. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trucom-an-arizona-clec-launches-wireless-mobility-products-and-services-nationwide-operating-on-the-att-4g-and-5g-us-wireless-mobility-network-300480963.html SOURCE TPT Global Tech [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] The Washington Post Names LGS Innovations a Winner of the Greater Washington Area 2017 Top Workplaces Award LGS Innovations has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Washington Post. This is the second consecutive year the company has been recognized with a Top Workplaces honor by The Washington Post. The Washington Post's Top Workplaces list spotlights private, public, nonprofit, and government agencies with the highest ratings from their employees in a survey conducted by Workplace Dynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection. "We are so proud of the innovative, creative, talented, and intelligent people we have at LGS Innovations," said Kevin Kelly, CEO of LGS Innovations. "The Top Workplaces award we received from The Washington Post is a testament to the dedication of our employees, whose hard work contributes to the success of both our company and our customers. We are truly honored." The Top Workplaces survey addressed the Washington, DC-area workforce, and award rankings were determined based solely on employee feedback. A total of 150 companies were awarded the Top Workplaces honor, and LGS wasawarded in the midsized company category as the only technology company in its category. For the complete list, please visit https://www.washingtonpost.com/top-workplaces/?utm_term=.097755a389d9. To learn more about careers at LGS Innovations and view open positions please visit LGSJobs.com. About LGS Innovations LGS Innovations delivers mission-critical communications products, R&D, and supporting services to U.S. defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies and commercial customers around the world. We create advanced solutions in wireless communications, signals processing and analysis, optical networking, photonics, routing and switching, and spectrum management. These solutions drive mission success in Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), cyberspace operations, and network assurance. LGS Innovations is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with offices across the U.S. and overseas. We employ over 1,000 associates around the world, including 750 scientists and engineers. LGS Innovations: Listen. Innovate. Deliver. www.lgsinnovations.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005320/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] StdLib Raises $2 Million in Seed Funding to Connect Businesses via APIs SAN FRANCISCO, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Polybit Inc., the company behind the Standard Library of the Internet (StdLib) has secured $2 million in seed funding. The funds will further StdLib's mission to connect the executive functions of businesses (APIs), by introducing the first dedicated Function as a Service (FaaS) platform and library. StdLib abstracts infrastructure away using "serverless" architecture, allowing developers to write anything from simple functions to complex business logic, then deploy their code as infinitely scalable, fully-documented web APIs. "Google documented the world's information based on the contributions of others to the world wide web, Facebook connected the world's people based on contributions to their profile," said Keith Horwood, founder and CEO of Polybit and creator of StdLib. "We're connecting the world's executive functions, the actions of business and the backbone of the digital economy, by allowing businesses to build and deploy to the Standard Library of the Internet." Delivering web services and APIs is a complex problem and many things can go wrong between conception of a business idea and production implementation of a web service. StdLib solves this with an instant deployment solution that is completely decoupled from your existing infrastructure and scales to any request load. A Toronto-born Canadian, Keith Horwood would not have succeeded on the path to build StdLib without the help of others. A self-taught developer with a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario, he gained national Canadian attention in 2012 when he changed the title on his alma mater's website via a software exploit. From that point, he focused his energy on being a productive software contributor - becoming a top open source developer, which landed him leadership roles in San Francisco technology companies. He met his cofounder, Jacob Lee, a Princeton Computer Science graduate, at a volunteer hackathon in early 2016. "I was working at Google when Keith introduced me to the open source software that would become StdLib," Jacob said. "I knew right away that this could revolutionize the way developers build software. I joined shortly thereafter, and it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made." After receiving its first $50,000 in funding from the top-ranked AngelPad accelerator, StdLib was market-ready in late 2016 where it launched at AWS Re:invent. It is used by companies like Segment to build "glue" functions that stick together third-party APIs and complex data pipelines. For example, StdLib can be used to quickly write, iterate and ship software that prospects and evaluate leads based on e-mail or IP address using third party APIs like Clearbit or Mattermark. Developers have deployed tens of thousands of services to date, and StdLib's ecosystem is growing at a rapid rate. The investment was led by BlueYard Capital, a Berlin-based VC with a portfolio of investments focused around the democratization of software development. The StdLib investment was spearheaded Chad Fowler, formerly CTO of Wunderlist and creator of RubyGems. His colleague and General Partner Ciaran O'Leary agreed, "we believe in a world where developers should be able to build entirely new businesses in a radically simpler way. StdLib is empowering the next generation of applications - that's what we're rallying behind." Other prominent investors include early Heroku engineering team members, Joe Montana's Liquid 2 Ventures, Aston Motes, engineer #1 at Dropbox, Michael Dabrowski, founder of the revolutionary biotechnology company Synthego, and the Nordic Makers Venture Group which includes David Helgason, founder of Unity. "The serverless ecosystem is exploding and StdLib is perfectly positioned to create and capture the value of an emerging market we predict will be massive," said Joe Montana, General Partner of Liquid 2 Ventures. "We're enamored by Keith's vision and tenacity, and think he and Jacob are well suited to tackle this space." To learn more about StdLib, visit: StdLib - https://stdlib.com StdLib on GitHub - https://github.com/stdlib/lib StdLib Introductory Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HETSj7QByQk About StdLib Founded in 2016 by Keith Horwood and Jacob Lee in San Francisco, Polybit Inc. created StdLib, the Standard Library of the Internet. It is the first Function as a Service Platform and Library, and is available for developers to use worldwide. https://twitter.com/StdLibHQ StdLib is copyright 2017 Polybit, Inc. J. Ratkevic 408.209.5181 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stdlib-raises-2-million-in-seed-funding-to-connect-businesses-via-apis-300480771.html SOURCE StdLib [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] E&I Cooperative Services Opens Nominations for Inaugural Cloud Leadership Awards supported by Adobe, Cisco, Microsoft Azure and CDWG JERICHO, N.Y., June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- E&I Cooperative Services (E&I) is now accepting nominations for its inaugural Cloud Leadership Awards. The Cloud Leadership Awards, generously sponsored by Adobe, Cisco, Microsoft Azure, and CDWG, will honor the outstanding achievements of up to fifty higher education institutions which - through their innovative and effective use of cloud solutions - have benefited students, teachers, administrators, and/or staff. "Technology is a critical area of interest and growth for our members, and cloud solutions have become increasingly important on campus," said Tom Fitzgerald, CEO of E&I. "We're excited to recognize the most innovative higher education institutions for their efforts in this area, so that all of our members can realize the positive impacts, increased efficiencies, and cost-savings." Nominations may be submitted now at cloudleadershipawards.com. The first round of submissions is due August 2, 2017. Nominees will be evaluated by a panel of judges familiar with cloud solutions, and winners will be chosen based upon criteria including number of students impactd, cost savings, and improved IT performance. The judges will select three overall Cloud Innovation winners, as well as three winners in each of the following categories, and up to twenty-six honorable mentions: Identity/Access Management Cloud Storage Backup/Disaster Recovery Hybrid IaaS/PaaS Security/Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) Collaboration Other use of cloud All winners will be recognized at a dedicated ceremony during the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 2, 2017. For all the details about the Cloud Leadership Awards, please visit https://www.cloudleadershipawards.com/. About E&I E&I Cooperative Services (E&I) is the member-owned, not-for-profit sourcing cooperative delivering expertise, solutions and services to education and related institutions. E&I provides members with access to a diverse portfolio of competitively awarded contracts, electronic procurement solutions and consulting services to help them source effectively. By leveraging the knowledge and expertise of more than 4,100 member institutions, E&I helps members reduce costs and optimize supply chain efficiencies. The Cooperative's member-driven competitive solicitation process has been validated by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) as being in compliance with generally accepted public procurement standards. Contact: Carolyn Nickell Cloud Leadership Awards Coordinator [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ei-cooperative-services-opens-nominations-for-inaugural-cloud-leadership-awards-supported-by-adobe-cisco-microsoft-azure-and-cdwg-300480795.html SOURCE E&I Cooperative Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] Deez Grillz Unveils the Hottest Cheap Grills and Their Impact on Society LOS ANGELES, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hip-hop is not just a music genre. It is now a subculture and a way of life for many consumers all around the world. Today, millions of people attempt to emulate their favorite hip-hop artists by altering their attire and walking with a swagger. There is one thing that is unique to rap and hip-hop. That is the grill. The popularity of grills has exploded like an atomic bomb and Deez Grillz has been there from the very beginning. The website has finally taken the first steps of unveiling cheap grills that have become nationwide hits among hip-hop enthusiasts. Grills allow ordinary consumers to step out of their sheltered world and become something larger than life. By investing in one of the grills for sale, the consumer will be able to replicate their favorite celebrity, while simultaneously attracting a lot of attention. It truly takes swagger, confidence, and dedication to wear a grill in public. Still, many consumers have decided to do so. The grill was unveiled to the public in the early 1980s, but they didn't catch on until the mid-2000s. Since then, the grill has exploded in popularity alongside Southern hip-hop rap. These one-of-a-kind fashion accessories have become popular thanks to the likes of Kilo Ali, Raheem the Dream, Flavor Flav, and Paul Wall. Unfortunately, te grills sported by these millionaire superstars carry hefty price tags. Deez Grillz wishes to make cheap grills available to all consumers. The team welcomes all consumers to lavish in the experience of wearing a flashy grill for a margin of the price. The company offers a wide variety of grill styles and options ranging from silver to gold and even platinum. The grills for sale are primarily imported from China. This allows the company to offer the most competitive prices. While the prices are near the bottom of the spectrum, the company goes above and beyond to maintain the highest quality standards. The grills are manufactured from premium materials that have been acquired at bare minimum prices. These cost savings are passed on to the consumer. More importantly, Deez Grillz would like all consumers to know that wearing a grill is completely safe. Grills are truly a pop culture phenomenon, but it is unknown whether their popularity will continue to grow or whether they will fade into obscurity like hoverboards. Many within the industry are inclined to believe that grills will never become mainstream. Whether or not the market continues to grow, Deez Grillz will be there. The company is completely dedicated to the hardcore hip-hop enthusiast that relishes in making their smile sparkle. Those interested in finding the highest quality grills at the lowest prices are encouraged to check out the company's website. Media Contact: https://deezgrillz.com Email: [email protected] Related Images image1.png image2.jpg Related Links Deez Grillz on Instagram To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deez-grillz-unveils-the-hottest-cheap-grills-and-their-impact-on-society-300480625.html SOURCE Deez Grillz [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] IHMML Acquires License to Produce Medical Marijuana After three long years of meticulous preparation, Zenabis West has received its Cultivation License- issued by Health Canada- to produce medical marijuana. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006517/en/ Zenabis West by IHMML Acquires Cultivation License by Health Canada. It is one of the first companies in the Greater Vancouver Regional District to receive a Cultivation License, and one of the very few companies in Canada to achieve it on the first Pre-License Inspection. Zenabis West, a brand by International Herbs Medical Marijuana Ltd (IHMML), is located on Annacis Island- Delta, BC's buzzing industrial hub. This state-of-th-art facility expands over 25,000 square feet for the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana. "It's been a long journey but we kept our eye on the prize. There was a tremendous amount of effort that was put forth and, without that, we could not have met our objectives. I'm happy to see our hard work resulting in success!" says Kevin Coft, CEO of IHMML. Zenabis West is the first of two IHMML's brands to acquire its Cultivation License under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). Zenabis East which is located in the village of Atholville, NB, is preparing for its inspection by Health Canada which is to take place in July of this year. Zenabis East's cutting edge facility is located on a 20 acre site that's nestled between the Restigouche River and Sugarloaf Provincial Park. At 393,000 square feet, it is a long-term investment to ensure scalability as demand grows. With both facilities combined, Zenabis could become one of Canada's largest producers and distributors of medical marijuana. The company has already received overwhelming support from the communities in Delta, BC and its surrounding areas, as well as in Atholville, NB and its surrounding areas. It is also the only company in Canada to have received funding from both a Provincial government and a First Nations' government. About Zenabis Zenabis is a brand of International Herbs Medical Marijuana Ltd (IHMML), focused on cannabis cultivation, research, and product development. With strengths in the start-up sector, pharmaceutical industry, distribution, and horticulture, Zenabis hopes to deliver medical marijuana at a competitive price. Zenabis.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006517/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] Enabling the UK Video Games Industry to Access Talent After Brexit LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TIGA, the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry, said today that if the UK video games industry was to succeed post-Brexit, then we need to continue to develop a well-educated and highly skilled domestic workforce and enable studios to recruit highly talented workers from the EU and the wider world. TIGA made the comments as it set out proposals for how the UK video games industry can continue to access talent after Brexit. Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said: "TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world for games development, games education and games service providers. If we are to achieve this goal following Brexit, then we need to retain the highly skilled EU workers who currently make up 15 per cent of the industry; enable studios to recruit highly talented workers from the EU and the wider world; and develop a well-educated and highly skilled UK workforce." The UK video games industry already contributes 1.2 billion to UK GDP. This contribution will increase if we can create a favourable business environment, which includes continuing the development of a highly skilled domestic workforce while enabling employers to hire the most talented personnel from around the world. The UK should ensure that EU workers already working in the UK are protected so that they can continue to work in the UK with the confidence that they are not going to be asked to leave the UK in the future and clarify the status of EU workers who enter the UK following the EU referendum and prior to the UK's exit from the EU. Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU began on June 19th 2017 and the Government set out its offer to the EU concerning the status of EU workers in the UK on June 26th: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu TIGA proposes that the Government should consider the following options: negotiate a general reciprocal freedom of movement rights for workers with a job offer; negotiate an agreement which retains reciprocal freedom of movement rights for workers in the video games industry; provide approximately 500 Work Permits per annum for the UK video games industry; add roles (e.g. Games Analyst and Engine Programmer) to the Shortage Occupation List where there is a specific skills shortage so that employers can recruit the employees they need without undue delay; ensure that any new immigration arrangements are not complex or costly for business. The advent of Brexit increases the importance of developing a well-educated and highly skilled workforce. The UK Government could consider: making up any short-fall in funding following the UK's departure from the EU and ensure that any new visa system governing migration does not impair the ability of UK universities to recruit either academic staff or students from the EU; conducting a cost/benefit analysis of extending the life of the Skills Investment Fund to maximise investment in skills in the creative industries; allowing the proceeds of the Apprenticeship Levy to be available to fund a variety of good quality courses and not solely apprenticeships so that employers can choose the right training programme to benefit their employees and their businesses; working closely with industry to increase diversity within the sector so that studios can access the widest possible range of skills; examining the case for the introduction of a pilot Training Tax Relief for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offset expenditure on training against corporation tax. About TIGA TIGA is the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry. Since 2010, TIGA has won 24 business awards and commendations and has been successfully accredited as an Investors in People organisation three times. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities: Political representation Media representation Business services This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities. It also means our members' voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in national, broadcast and UK video games trade media. Get in touch: Tel: +44-(0)-845-468-2330 Email: [email protected] Web: www.tiga.org Twitter: www.twitter.com/tigamovement Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga For further information, you can also contact: Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO by email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] Mastercard Announces Annual Meeting Results Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) announced the results of its annual meeting of stockholders, held today at the company's global headquarters. At the meeting: The full slate of 12 directors was elected for a one-year term, to expire at the next annual meeting of stockholders The compensation for the company's executive officers was approved on an advisory basis. Stockholders also voted to continue this review annually The appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert), LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm for 2016 was ratified The material terms of the performance goals under the company's Long Term Incentive Plan were approved Stockholders did not approve the proposal on gender pay equity reporting During the meeting, Ajay Banga, president and CEO of Mastercard, addressed stockholders, noting, "Our sustained performance means many things. It's about having products and solutions that our customers and consumers want. It's about having the right relationships across the globe. And, it's about delivering on our commitment to drive value back to our shareholders, while also delivering value to society, including our efforts around financial inclusion and inclusive growth." The Board f Directors also declared a cash dividend of $0.22 per share, payable on August 9, 2017, to holders of record of its Class A common stock and Class B common stock as of July 7, 2017. About Mastercard Mastercard (NYSE:MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006557/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] UnitedHealthcare Invests $18.3 Million to Help Build New Affordable-Housing Communities in Michigan UnitedHealthcare is investing $18.3 million to help build two new affordable-housing communities in Hart and Oak Park, Michigan. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006564/en/ Community leaders and development partners celebrate the start of construction for Jefferson Oaks, a new 60-unit mixed-income community in Oak Park being developed by Community Housing Network. UnitedHealthcare is investing $14.6 million in the new development and Cinnaire is providing a $2.3 million permanent loan to the project. UnitedHealthcare's investment is part of nearly $35 million the company has invested through a partnership with Cinnaire and Minnesota Equity Fund to help build four affordable-housing communities in Michigan. (L-R) Kristen Elliot, Community Housing Network; David Lochner, Huntington Bank; Kevin Yee, City of Oak Park; Marc Craig, Community Housing Network; Marian McClellan, Mayor, City of Oak Park; Dennis Mouras, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Michigan; Mark McDaniel, Cinnaire; Kimberly Marrone, City of Oak Park; and Earl Poleski, MSHDA (Photo: Nick Azzaro). The announcement was made at a groundbreaking ceremony for Jefferson Oaks in Oak Park, where community leaders and investment partners celebrated the start of construction for the 60-unit mixed-income community. UnitedHealthcare is investing $14.6 million in the Oak Park development. Cinnaire is providing a $2.3 million permanent loan to the project. Jefferson Oaks, developed by Community Housing Network Inc. (CHN), is being built on the site of a vacant school building and campus, which will be transformed into 20 apartments and eight new townhome-style buildings with an additional 40 homes. Twenty-one of the apartments are set aside for supportive housing. When completed in 2018, the new community will include on-site support services and amenities such as a community room with a library, computer lab and meeting space, and a playground. "We are very excited to start the construction of this new community in Oak Park and appreciate the work of UnitedHealthcare, Cinnaire and our other partners in helping make this groundbreaking possible," said Marc Craig, president of Community Housing Network. "When completed next year, Jefferson Oaks will be a model community that brings quality homes with on-site amenities for individuals and families who want a wonderful place to live and play." UnitedHealthcare also announced a $3.7 million investment in Woodland Place Apartments in Hart. The new 24-unit apartment community, developed by Gryphon Group LLC and Oceana County Housing Commission, will include 12 units for people living with special needs and struggling with homelessness. The development is being built to U.S. Green Building Council LEED environmental standards. West Michigan Community Mental Health will provide supportive services and case management for residents. Woodland Place Apartments will open in 2018. "UnitedHealthcare's investments to support affordable housing in Michigan are part of our initiative to help people live healthier lives by connecting them to housing, health are and other important services," said Dennis Mouras, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Michigan, which employs 1,100 people in Michigan and serves the health care needs of more than 800,000 people in the state. "We are grateful for the opportunity to work with these partners to expand affordable housing in Michigan." The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) approved the use of Low Income Housing Tax Credits for the new developments, with Minnesota Equity Fund (MEF (News - Alert)) and Cinnaire securing the equity funding from UnitedHealthcare. MEF and Cinnaire support community stabilization and economic development through partnerships with investors and mission-focused organizations through the use of federal tax credits and by providing creative loans, investments and best-in-class services to partners. "Today marks an important milestone in helping create new models for quality, affordable housing in Michigan," said Earl Poleski, executive director, MSHDA. "Jefferson Oaks will provide new hope and opportunity for the families and individuals who get to call it home." "Cinnaire partners with socially motivated companies like UnitedHealthcare to make economic investments in well-designed, high-quality affordable-housing developments," said Mark McDaniel, president and CEO of Cinnaire. "These investments will help meet a critical need in Michigan to provide low-income individuals with quality, permanent housing with supportive services. We appreciate the commitment UnitedHealthcare has made to investing in affordable housing and creating healthy, vibrant communities." Last year, UnitedHealthcare invested $16.5 million in two new affordable-housing communities in Ypsilanti and Holt. A ribbon-cutting celebration was held today for one of those developments - Prestwick Village in Holt, a new 66-unit affordable-housing community with support services that provides new housing opportunities for individuals and families, including veterans struggling with homelessness and people with disabilities. UnitedHealthcare invested $8.5 million in Prestwick Village, which was developed by Gryphon Group and constructed by T.R. Hovey Construction LLC. UnitedHealthcare has provided more than $350 million in financing since 2011 for 56 housing development projects in 14 states, creating more than 2,700 affordable-housing units. This includes $34.8 million in four new affordable housing communities in Michigan. About Cinnaire Cinnaire is a full-service community development financial partner that supports community stabilization and economic development by developing and nurturing partnerships with investors and mission-focused organizations. We provide creative loans, investments, and best-in-class services to partners. For more information visit www.cinnaire.com. About the Minnesota Equity Fund MEF is a subsidiary of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF), a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution. GMHF provides loans, equity investments, grants and technical assistance to create affordable housing in Minnesota. MEF provides equity investments in Minnesota and the Great Lakes region. MEF is a strategic partnership between GMHF and Cinnaire. About UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit program for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter (News - Alert). Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006564/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] Bringing Encryption to Healthcare, Penta Security Systems Partners with Eventi Telematici MyDiamo, Penta Security Systems' high performing column-level encryption solution, will be bundled together with Eventi Telematici's software solutions to enhance the security of healthcare products and services across the globe. SINGAPORE, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Penta Security Systems Inc., a leader in web, IoT, and data security solutions and services, has established a strategic partnership with Eventi Telematici, an Italian software solutions provider that provides cancer data analysis products and services to medical organizations across the globe. This partnership will combine MyDiamo's column-level database encryption capabilities alongside their existing line of cloud and on-premise solutions. In the wake of recent hackings that affected major health organizations in various parts of Europe, there is a crucial lesson to be learned about safeguarding sensitive medical data. Because healthcare institutions hold databases storing medical records of millions of patients, a database encryption solution is necessary to protect this confidential data at all times. Furthermore, regulatory laws now require corporations and organizations to strengthen data protection as is the case with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Addressing these requirements, Penta Security Systems offers database encryption solutions that work in various types of environments. With a large majority of organizations utilizin open source database management systems (DBMS), MyDiamo has been specifically designed to serve as a safe and reliable DBMS encryption solution for open source database environments. This partnership will provide Eventi Telematici with the opportunity to bundle MyDiamo with its solutions to be sold to clients. The advantages to MyDiamo are many; as one of the few encryption solutions for open source DBMS such as MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL, MyDiamo offers column-level encryption, which allows end users to selectively encrypt columns in databases. It provides access control and separate encryption keys for each encrypted column. This partial encryption capability known as granular encryption enables user-specific control on encrypted column values rather than encrypting entire databases. What this means for end users is a major performance advantage since encryption and decryption by column is possible, speeding up information retrieval. MyDiamo offers an efficient encryption solution with a seamless installation process without service interruption. "Healthcare institutions in particular should implement an encryption solution to ensure the confidentiality of sensitive patient data and to keep in line with existing regulations, especially when, with MyDiamo, there is no need to encrypt entire databases. For this reason, we anticipate other IT solution providers that handle private data to look into bundling their services with high quality encryption solutions," said DS Kim, Chief Strategy Officer at Penta Security Systems. This year Penta Security Systems celebrates two decades of IT expertise and will continue to serve the security needs of a global clientele with web application firewall, encryption, and single sign-on solutions. About us Penta Security Systems Inc. is a leader in web, IoT, and data security solutions and services. With 20 years of IT security expertise in powering secured connections, Penta Security is the top cyber security vendor in Asia, as recognized by Frost & Sullivan, and APAC market share leader in the WAF industry. Driving innovations across encryption, authentication, and signature-free firewall detection technology, Penta Security's whole-system approach to security enables resilience in an era of hyper web integration and connectivity. For more information on Penta Security, visit www.pentasecurity.com. For partnership inquiries, email [email protected]. Contact: Karen Cruz Office: (+82) 2-2125-6735 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Penta Security Systems Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2017] TUV Rheinland "One Belt, One Road" Certification Directory Opens the Way to International Trade HONG KONG, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To promote the development of trade between China and the countries along the Belt and Road and open the way to international trade, TUV Rheinland Group is helping Chinese manufacturers on product testing and certification information. A "One Road, One Belt" certification directory has been produced in order to provide a brief overview of the market access requirements for safety, wireless and energy efficiency product certification in participating countries. By clarifying the certification requirements, "Made in China" product manufacturers will be able to understand the trade development regulations in countries along the route and adopt an appropriate response to problems such as trade barriers. The Gulf Countries have represented a market filled with tremendous potential and opportunity in recent years. Low-voltage electrical appliances and toy products destined for export to the seven Gulf nations (including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman) must comply with the requirements of the GSO technical requirements. TUV Rheinland was among the first certification organizations to be accredited by GSO to provide market access services to the seven Gulf nations and ensure that products conform to the GSO technical regulations. The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU countries) is a transnational union for furthering the economic/political cooperation and integration that is being planned by the five former Soviet Union member states of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. All of the products entering the customs union must satisfy the compulsory requirements set by the Customs Union Technical Regulations (CUTR). TUV Rheinland has formed a strategic partnership with ROSTEST, the largest certification organization in Russia, to jointly provide swift and professional EAEU/CU EAC certification services to customers. China is Australia's No.1 commodity trading partner, No.1 source of imports and No.1 export market. Australia's Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) for electrical equipment can only be used by products from Australian and New Zealand suppliers that satisfy the relevant requirements and regulations. TUV Rheinland (Australia) is recognized as an authoritative certification organization with the JAS-ANZ ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation, which can issue the COA (mandatory) and COS (voluntary) safety certifications for electronic and electrical products. According to the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, the trade and economic relations between China and India have grown at a breakneck pace over the last decade due to the fact that both nations are the drivers of growth in Asia. India is therefore China's 8th largest export market. Indian statistics indicate that Indian-Chinese trade accounted for 9% of all Indian foreign trade. China was therefore India's leading trade partner, the largest source of imports and the third largest export market. Under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods Order (2012) issued by the Indian Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), 30 categories of electronic products must conform to the applicable Indian safety standards and the compulsory BIS registration requirements before they can be imported, distributed or sold in India. TUV Rheinland has two accredited laboratories in India that can provide you with professional testing services for all (30) product categories. "One Belt, One Road" means ASEAN is now becoming a global trade value chain center. Indonesia is home to 40% of the consumers in the ASEAN market and TUV Rheinland has 7 Indonesian subsidiaries for providing the product certifications required for entering Indonesia. These include the authority to carry out SNI testing and the certification for 51 categories including electronic and electrical products and toys. TUV Rheinland's global market access services is your product "passport" for rapid entry into the target market As an independent third-party certification organization recognized around the world for its unique strengths, TUV Rheinland's services can help products quickly complete the required testing and certification processes for entry into the international market. The TUV Rheinland brand also provides the most trusted guarantee in the world. Media Contact: Simon Hung +852-2192-1948 [email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170628/1886757-1-a Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170628/1886757-1-b SOURCE TUV Rheinland [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] PR Newswire Expands Global Travel Industry Distribution Network HONG KONG, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the increasing needs of businesses in the fast-growing travel industry to expand global audience reach and attract international travellers, PR Newswire, the premier global provider of news distribution and media monitoring services, has recently expanded its travel industry distribution network which currently covers over 5,000 travel media outlets and websites. Forty-eight new U.S. travel industry media were added to the distribution network and numerous new content partnerships in Asia-Pacific were established with travel websites such as IndiTourist.com (Indonesia) and Our Awesome Planet (Philippines). Among the more than 700 travel media outlets in the U.S. that PR Newswire has cooperative partnerships with are the International Luxury Hotel Association, the Medical Tourism Association, SKAL and the World Food Travel Association. The types of media include news sites, travel industry websites, newspapers, magazines, blogs and databases. Twenty-three of these websites and blogs carry PR Newswire's press releases, while another 25 (mainly travel publications) select and publish news that is distributed by PR Newswire. Some of PR Newswire's new travel media and website partners include: SKAL is the world's leading travel organization. PR Newswire is a partner of SKAL New York, SKAL Atlanta and SKAL International USA. The Bay Area Business Travel Association (BABTA) was founded as a chapter of the Global Business Travel Association (formerly called the National Business Travel Association) in 1975. BABTA is committed to addressing issues that arise in the travel industry and affect corporate travel and to promoting the development of business travel. The World Food Travel Association supports the economic viability of food, beverage, travel and hospitality industry stakeholders, and through that increass visitor arrivals, brand equity and export demand. Founded in 1981, the California Travel Association is a well-known travel site in the western U.S. and the site promotes the overall development of the California region and the local tourism industry through publicity and collaborations. In Europe, PR Newswire has media cooperation with more than 2,450 travel related website partners and the media coverage reaches most of the European countries including the well-known travel website NordicTB in Sweden, and Tourisembassy & Toumsy in Spain. PR Newswire's distribution network in Asia-Pacific covers about 1,100 travel media outlets including websites, newspapers, magazines, television stations, radio and others. Its travel distribution network reaches 15,000 registered journalists with key media and website partners including Hotelier Indonesia, Hopetrip (Taiwan and Hong Kong), escape! (Singapore), Go Malaysia, Travel Map (South Korea), TravelKing (Taiwan), Lakbay Pilipinas (Philippines) and Travel Text Online (Indonesia). "PR Newswire's global news releases distribution coverage spans across more than 170 countries. We are particularly paying close attention to travel industry which is expanding and growing rapidly. Expanding the distribution network of the travel industry will be one of the important directions for our future expansion of media cooperation," said Joshua B. Cohen, Vice President of Content Licensing and Distribution at PR Newswire. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer, demand for international tourism remained robust in 2016 despite challenges. Global tourist arrivals increased by 3.9% in 2016, and the growth was led by destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, with an additional 24 million arrivals. The UNTWO remains optimistic about 2017, during which global tourism is expected to increase at 3 - 4%, with arrivals in Asia-Pacific leading the rest of regions, growing at 5 - 6%. Yujie Chen, Senior Vice President of PR Newswire at Asia-Pacific said, "The Asia-Pacific region is the world's economic powerhouse and a major contributor to global growth. This has brought tremendous development opportunities for inbound travel and tourism. For companies that focus on this growing market, the ability to leverage an extensive media communication and monitoring platform is essential to raising their profile and attracting attention within their target audience. We are constantly updating and strengthening our distribution network, ensuring that players in the global travel industry can effectively tell their stories to the world." PR Newswire's comprehensive and expanded travel industry distribution network gives unparalleled access of its suite of targeted and international communications services to international brands such as Singapore Airlines, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, The Peninsula, Destination NSW, Air China and other well-known hotels, airlines, tourist attractions operators and online travel agencies in Asia-Pacific in reaching out to their target audiences. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnasia.com), a Cision company, is the premier global provider of media monitoring platforms and news distribution services that marketers, corporate communicators and investor relations professionals leverage to engage key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry since 1954, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, distribute, target and measure text and multimedia content across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire powers the stories of organizations around the world. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions. For further information, please contact: PR Newswire's Asia Marketing Team +852 2572 8228 [email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170628/1886768-1-a Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170628/1886768-1-b Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170628/1886768-1-c Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170628/1886768-1-d Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160617/8521603993LOGO-d SOURCE PR Newswire [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] Canopy Growth Partners With Parent Action on Drugs & Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy to Create Youth-Focused Cannabis Education Initiatives SMITHS FALLS, ON and TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy Growth" or the "Company") (TSX: WEED) is proud to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP) and Parent Action on Drugs (PAD) to launch the next phase of its ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility program. The partnership will support parents and educators in their ability to communicate with youth, and educate older youth directly to make healthy, responsible decisions about cannabis use. This initiative builds on the Corporate Social Responsibility work Canopy Growth has previously conducted with MADD Canada and the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition around cannabis-impaired driving. "We want to build a contemporary business that contributes to its communities and its stakeholders in a meaningful way. Listening to Canadians, we know that legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes has raised concerns over increased youth use and an increased need to communicate with young people in a modern, no-nonsense way," says Mark Zekulin, President, Canopy Growth. "Working with partners like PAD and CSSDP, we have the pieces in place to make a difference in this important area." The objective of the 2-year project is for PAD to develop interactive e-tools that educate and support informed conversations and decision-making taking into account the relationship between cannabis use and adolescent brain development. Young Canadians consume cannabis at a higher rate than their peers in other industrialized countries, where 21% of youth aged 15-19 years old, and 31% young adults aged 20-24 report using cannabis at least once in 2015. By strictly regulating cannabis production and distribution, policy-makers hope to decrease youth usage rates by focusing on fact-based prevention and education efforts, as well as controlling access points and availability. As a private sector company, Canopy Growth can contribute by supporting educational efforts such as this. PAD, along with its extensive network and reach, brings thirty years experience developing and providing evidence-based resources and programs for youth, families and professionals concerned with substance use and resiliency. Through their extensive reach and commitment, adults and youth across Canada will have access to the tools they need to have informed conversations about cannabis use and associated risks. "The legalization of recreational cannabis does not reduce the potential harms it may have on our youth. It may create an environment of normalization," says Joanne Brown, Executive Director of PAD. "With legalization comes a need and responsibility to ensure that youth, parents, and those who work with youth have evidence-based information on the risks and realities of cannabis use. This partnership provides a unique opportunity for PAD to develop electronic tools that will allow easy access to up-to-date information on cannabis." All of the partners are commited to developing evidence-based work and disseminating it broadly through trusted organizations. Jenna Valleriani, CSSDP's Strategic Advisor and one of the country's most recognized cannabis policy experts focused on youth issues, will lead the first stage of this project by reviewing evidence and developing a comprehensive Knowledge Translation strategy to frame the issue with the best available research, and gather input from youth, parents, and educators. "We heard the concerns of young people as part of our CSSDP youth roundtable during the Task Force's consultations in September. Their feedback was largely centered on the lack of access to evidence-based, non-judgemental education about cannabis, and as Canada moves towards legalization, we believe this project will play a key role in empowering and ensuring youth, parents and educators have access to relatable, accurate information about cannabis under a legal framework." said Valleriani. Canopy Growth is very proud to be working with education and policy experts of this calibre. CGC admires the work that PAD and the CSSDP have done to date and is proud to be funding this initiative through an unrestricted grant. Here's to Future Growth. ABOUT EACH ORGANIZATION: Parent Action on Drugs (PAD ), a Canadian registered charitable organization, has addressed the issues related to youth substance use since 1983. PAD develops and disseminates a range of programs and resources for parents, youth, educators, health promoters and communities. We aim to reduce the harms associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs and increase informed decision making and build resiliency among youth. Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP) is a grassroots national network comprised of youth and students who are concerned about the negative impact our drug policies have on individuals and communities. CSSDP considers problematic drug use in society primarily a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue, and advocates for appropriate, evidence based responses to reduce and prevent harm from drug use. CSSDP currently runs 12 local youth-run chapters across Canada, in addition to a national Board of Directors, and is working to increase access and awareness of harm reduction, support evidence-based legislation, and promote drug policy reform on local, national and international levels. Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and capsule forms. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Canopy Growth operates numerous state-of-the-art production facilities with over half a million square feet of GMP-certified indoor and greenhouse production capacity, all to an unparalleled level of quality assurance procedures and testing. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names in Canada and abroad, with interests and operations spanning four continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, providing consistent access to high quality cannabis products, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com. FAST FACTS: Cannabis use among young people aged 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 is two to three times higher than use among adults aged 25 or older (21% and 30%, compared to 10%) Research suggests that an estimated 9% of cannabis users become dependent, but this increases to 17% among those who start before age 25 (17%) and further increases among those who use daily (25-50%) Young people in only six countries record cannabis use rates of 20% or more, including Canada , the Czech Republic , France , Spain , Switzerland and the United States , the , , , and Canada still has the highest level of cannabis use among young people, despite reducing its usage rate from 40% in 2001-2002 to 28% in 2009-2010 NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth Corporation, Tweed Inc., Tweed Farms Inc., Mettrum Health Corp., or Bedrocan Canada Inc. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include future operational and production capacity, the impact of enhanced infrastructure and production capabilities, and forecasted available product selection. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Canopy Growth Corp. does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation. Neither the TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] PPG Completes COLORFUL COMMUNITIES Project in Quattordio, Italy PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project that helped revitalize the exterior wall of its automotive OEM coatings facility in Quattordio, Italy. The project was part of the Quattordio Urban Art event, which is an artistic journey of "graffiti" presented by famous artists on 11 walls in the village. The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world. More than 20 PPG volunteers from the Quattordio site and the PPG industrial coatings plant in Felizzano, Italy, spent 130 hours painting the PPG wall alongside well-known New York artist Kool Koor, who linked his work to the theme of "Colors." PPG also provided approximately $9,000 to assist with the project, including SIGMA COATINGS paint products. Stradedarts, which organizes the Quattordio Urban Art event, served as the project's community partner. The Quattordio Urban Art event is designed to create an urban museum in Quattordio through works by well-known urban artists. In 1984, the village hosted Italy's first graffiti event featuring the best American artists of the era, who, over time, became legends in urban art. "More than 3,000 people have been impacted by the Colorful Communities project, which is perfectly integrated with the Quattordio Urban Art event," said Rodolfo Saporiti, PPG global director, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and automotive market. "PPG is pleased to be part of the community's continuing efforts to bring color and beauty to its walls." Benito Sala, plant manager at the Quattordio faclity, added, "We are thankful for the efforts of our employee volunteers and Mr. Koor in helping PPG and the Quattordio community create a unique urban environment for residents and visitors alike." The Colorful Communities program is PPG's signature initiative for community engagement efforts, with the aim to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. The program increases PPG's commitment to invest in communities and supports projects that transform community assets, providing PPG volunteers and donated PPG products. In 2015 and 2016 combined, PPG completed nearly 60 Colorful Communities projects, and it expects to complete about 75 more this year. PPG and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We donated nearly $9.8 million in 2016, supporting hundreds of community organizations across 25 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today's skilled workforce and develop tomorrow's innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at www.ppgcommunities.com and follow @PPG_Communities on Twitter (News - Alert). PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers' biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $14.8 billion in 2016. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com. We protect and beautify the world and Colorful Communities are trademarks and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. Sigma Coatings is a registered trademark of PPG Coatings Nederland B.V. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005188/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] Keynote Sessions Announced for Drone World Expo Featuring Thought Leaders from Fortune 500 Companies Many companies are exploring the potential use of UAS, or drone technology for unmanned travel with programs to develop self-driving cars and pilotless passenger planes and everything in between. The keynote sessions at this year's Drone World Expo will explore these developments for applications in the commercial drone industry and offer bold predictions for the future. Drone World Expo 2017 will take place October 3-4, at the San Jose Convention Center with the keynote presentations at the start of each day from 9:00 - 10:00 am PST. "Technology is evolving so quickly and our dynamic panelists will be offering up-to-the-minute information about the current state of drone technology and insights as to where the industry is heading," said Joelle Coretti, Vice President and Event Director, Drone World Expo. "As we have done each year, we will kick off each day of the event with a panel discussion about the state of the industry and what is on the horizon. We are fortunate to have two keynote panels comprised of forward-thinking representatives from several Fortune 500 companies to discuss the applications they are developing and provide visionary insight into the future of commercial UAS." On Tuesday, October 3, Laura Ponto, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy, Project Wing, X and Susan Roberts, Founder/Executive, GE Beyond will join other panelists to discuss Views from Above: Policy Evolution and Bold Predictions for the Future of Commercial UAS. "Laura and Susan are among top professionals creating a path to the future of this industry," said Gretchen West, Senior Advisor, Hogan Lovells, Co-Executive Director, Commercial Drone Alliance, and Advisory Board Chair for Drone World Expo. "We can't wait for them to bring their unique perspectives to the Drone World Expo audience." On Wednesday, October 4, Jerome Ferguson, Director of Autonomous Systems, UPS and Adi Singh, Senior Sientist, UAV Systems, Ford (News - Alert) Motor Company will join other panelists to discuss From Packages to Passengers: How Drones are Transforming Transportation. "Last year's keynote panel on drone delivery showed us Zipline International's humanitarian efforts in Rwanda as they delivered medical relief via drone," said West. "Today's drones are delivering packages, and in the future they will be delivering passengers. The technologies being developed now could be the solutions companies need to propel unmanned passenger travel forward." West, who serves as Drone World Expo's Master of Ceremonies, will moderate the keynote panels. Additional panelists will be announced soon for each keynote. Commercial drone professionals may register for complimentary expo passes which include access to these keynote presentations, the exhibit hall, Tech Talks and demonstrations from featured exhibitors, and networking receptions each day. In addition, Drone World Expo offers a complete two-day conference program where more than 100 thought leaders, industry experts and end-users will gather to present real-world solutions to business and environmental challenges. End-users of drone technology may qualify to attend the full conference at no charge by visiting http://www.droneworldexpo.com/register.asp. The exhibit hall will be open on Tuesday, October 3rd from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm with a networking reception from 5:00 - 6:00 pm and on Wednesday, October 4th from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm with a networking reception from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. Throughout the exhibit hours there will be Tech Talks and live demonstrations in special theaters on the show floor where attendees will hear from innovators who are taking drone technology to the next level. For information about exhibiting and sponsoring at Drone World Expo, contact Michael Driscoll, Vice President of Business Development, at [email protected] or 203-416-1924 Drone World Expo, the defining event for the commercial applications of UAS technology, will take place October 3-4, 2017 in the heart of Silicon Valley at the San Jose Convention Center. For more information, visit www.droneworldexpo.com. The event is produced by JD Events, dedicated to the creation of targeted and innovative industry-leading events that deliver results. The company brings together highly qualified buying audiences, education-rich content and high-level networking opportunities -- all geared toward increasing business transactions in the markets it serves. Visit www.jdevents.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170628005892/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] Inclusion Through User Experience: Cleveland User Experience Professionals to Celebrate World Usability Day Nov. 9 Early Bird Ticket Prices Available Through July 14 CLEVELAND, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Wouldn't it be nice if life were a little easier? For user experience (UX) professionals, that's their mission: making each interaction you have with products, services, websites and more intuitive and easy to understand. On Nov. 9, UX pros around the globe will gather for the 12th annual World Usability Day to share their knowledge on reaching this goal. In Northeast Ohio, the Cleveland chapter of the User Experience Professionals Association (UXPA CLE) will host a full day of education, training, networking, vendor booths, food and more at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The day begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast and closes at 5 p.m. with a networking session and vendor demonstrations; the rest of the day is filled with insight from local and national trailblazers in UX. This year's speaker lineup includes industry leaders Andy Vitale, design principal at 3M Health Care; Sharon Bautista, a user experience research at Mozilla; Darren Hood, a UX designer at Siemens; and Krsten Butzow, vice president of product management and marketing at Pragmatic Marketing. The speakers will talk about everything from using emotional intelligence in relationships to designing a culture of experience. Early bird rates ($100 for members, $135 for non-members and $75 for students) are available through July 14. Buy tickets online. From July 15 to Oct. 20, rates increase to $135 for members, $165 for non-members or $100 for students. Non-members also can purchase event admission plus a one-year membership to the UXPA CLE chapter for $180. Space is limited. World Usability Day is celebrated in more than 40 countries. UXPA CLE has hosted a special event since 2005 for members, students, professionals and user advocates in the region. For more information on World Usability Day in Cleveland and to register, visit uxpacleveland.org/event-2517980. Related Images image1.jpg Related Links UXPA Cleveland To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inclusion-through-user-experience-cleveland-user-experience-professionals-to-celebrate-world-usability-day-nov-9-early-bird-ticket-prices-available-through-july-14-300481330.html SOURCE UXPA Cleveland [June 28, 2017] Loyalty Prime Wins Loyalty Magazine Award for Helping to Reinvent Frankfurt Airport's Travel Experience LONDON, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Customer centricity and digitalisation are finally making substantial ground in the airport industry. Loyalty Prime, with its pioneering loyalty platform, is taking an active part in shaping the forefront of this pivotal development. Together with its customer Fraport, it has earned the recognition "Best Loyalty Programme of the Year 2017 - Travel" for Frankfurt Airport Rewards - a state-of-the-art, omnichannel loyalty initiative at one of the world's leading aviation hubs. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/460017/Loyalty_Prime_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/529083/Fraport_Loyalty_Prime_Award.jpg ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/529084/Fraport_Loyalty_Prime_Winners.jpg ) The initiative constitutes a core aspect of Fraport's momentous 2016 company realignment in the name of customer centricity, which inspired the creation of an outstanding omnichannel airport travel experience. In additon to the integrated multipartner loyalty program for travellers and an integrated, multipartner e-commerce platform, this includes comprehensive data & campaign management and a communication set-up to engage customers across all online, mobile and offline channels in an orchestrated, personal and relevant manner. With the renowned global Loyalty Magazine Awards recognition, Frankfurt Airport Rewards can now officially call itself one of the world's most advanced loyalty programs in the airport industry. The high-profile group of industry judges chose the initiative from strong, international competition of premium brands, for its comprehensiveness and technological excellence. It is Loyalty Prime's powerful, feature-rich loyalty platform, combined with its team's in-depth experience that made this success possible in a joint effort with the great team at Fraport - as Kristina Rusch, Head of Multichannel at Fraport, summarizes: "Loyalty Prime has helped deliver an award-winning omnichannel loyalty program for Frankfurt Airport by not only implementing their best-in-class loyalty platform but by proactively supporting our team on loyalty thought leadership and customer engagement activities." In a nutshell Frankfurt Airport Rewards members can earn points in real time for purchases both offline and online in the Frankfurt Airport shopping portal, points can be redeemed for airport shopping, dining and services at participating partners, a tier level system creates additional incentives for members, who are engaged in personal communication and benefit from exclusive offers, coupons and promotions on relevant channels. While customers benefit from a truly omnichannel airport loyalty experience, Fraport and its retail partners now have powerful tools at their hands to deepen customer understanding, carry out cost-effective direct marketing, drive sales and build customer loyalty. A true win-win-win situation for the relevant stakeholders, lifting Fraport to the forefront of customer centricity and digitalisation in the airport industry. Christoph Straub, Managing Director of Loyalty Prime, happily concluded after the Awards: "We are incredibly proud that this is the second time we have been recognized by the Loyalty Magazine with their renowned Award, clearly indicating the power of our exceptional platform in creating market-leading loyalty programs for our valued customers." Loyalty Prime is a market-leading loyalty solution provider, founded in 2014 by Christoph Straub (Munich) and Kunal Mohiuddin (New Delhi). It recently made it onto the news with its 1.5 million Series A funding to allow for its rapid international expansion in the name of customer loyalty. [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] CORRECTION: LINK Mobility Group ASA Signs Term Sheet Regarding Acquisition of SMSAPI in Poland STOCKHOLM, June 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LINK Mobility Group ASA ("LINK"), one of Europe's leading and fastest growing providers of B2C mobile messaging and mobile services, has entered into a term sheet regarding the acquisition of Polish mobile messaging company ComVision Sp. z o. o., providing services under the brand of SMSAPI ("SMSAPI"). SMSAPI was established in 2007. SMSAPI has 37 employees and consultants based in Gliwice in Poland. SMSAPI had in 2016 a revenue of EUR 9.27 million and an adjusted EBITDA of EUR 2.05 million. SMSAPI serves 5,800 Polish and international customers. SMSAPI has a strong presence in the Polish market and leads the market for self-service mobile messaging in Poland with a market share of more than 40%. "This is another milestone for the development of LINK into the leading mobile messaging and solution company in Europe. This is LINK's first acquisition in Poland and the Polish market is under strong development and growth. We are also very pleased with the fact that SMSAPI has a large SMS customer base of more than 5,800 customers and good balance of SME and large corporate customers. The company also has a very strong branded mobile messaging solution called SMSAPI. This is a state of the art self-sign on solution that is very scalable and will be used in our other markets as well. We will also capitalize on the strong marketing position in the Polish market and introduce our suit of innovative mobile solutions. With this latest acquisition in Poland LINK confirms again its ambition to drive consolidation in this market the same way that we have driven consolidation in the Nordic markets," says Arild E. Hustad, CEO of LINK. "We are very proud and happy to partner with LINK. As an SMS marketing leader in the Polish market we are seeking new markets and challenges, and so we see this partnership as an unique opportunity to grow our company, and become part of an international group. We will bring our technology and experience to the LINK group and look forward to take advantage of th solutions developed by LINK and bring them to the Polish market," says Wojciech Kaczmarek, CEO of SMSAPI. The agreed enterprise value of the transaction is EUR 16.00 million, on a cash-free and debt-free basis and assuming a normalized level of working capital. The enterprise value is based upon an estimated EBITDA for SMSAPI in 2017 of EUR 2.66 million multiplied by a factor of 6, and will be subject to adjustments if the actual EBITDA differs from the expected EBITDA. The purchase price under the transaction will, subject to customary adjustments, be settled as follows: 40% of the purchase price in cash upon closing; 34% of the purchase price as sellers' credit to be paid no later than 36 months from closing. Interest of 4.75% per annum is to be paid in quarterly arrears; and 26% of the purchase price of shares in LINK valued at the closing share price at the Oslo Stock Exchange as of today, 28 June 2016 . LINK intends to acquire all shares in SMSAPI from the sellers Grzegorz Lysiuk and Marek Bardzinski, and the acquisition is conditional upon a satisfactory result of a due diligence process to be performed by LINK, and upon LINK and the sellers agreeing on the terms and conditions of a final share purchase agreement for the consummation of the transaction, containing, inter alia, customary closing conditions. The acquisition is furthermore subject to approval of the Board of Directors of LINK. LINK has a solid cash position due to strong cash flow from its operations and the successful placement of a EUR 50 million bond in February 2017. The cash part of the transaction will thus be fully financed through LINK's corporate fund and bond. The transaction is expected to close mid-September 2017. For further information, please contact: Arild Hustad, CEO LINK Mobility Group ASA [email protected] Mob: +47 95 24 19 30 About LINK Mobility Group ASA LINK is one of Europe's leading and fastest growing providers of B2C mobile messaging and mobile services. LINK believe strongly in the power of mobilizing the interaction between businesses and consumers and have developed a range of attractive solutions to meet this growing demand and market trend. LINK is headquartered in Oslo, and has offices in Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, Malmo, Copenhagen, Kolding, Tampere, Helsinki, Madrid, Hamburg, Riga and Tallinn. LINK has experienced stellar growth during the last years, in terms of both revenue and profits. In 2016 LINK delivered 3 billion mobile messages on behalf of its 6,300 customers, reported a pro forma revenue of NOK 1 billion and had an adjusted EBITDA of NOK 122 million. About SMSAPI ComVision's brand is SMSAPI - the largest SMS marketing provider in Poland with 10 years of experience. Last year SMSAPI delivered more than 500 million SMS and expect to grow significantly during 2017. There are more than 5,800 customers in SMSAPI and it's service and database is still growing. This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/link-mobility-group-asa/r/correction--link-mobility-group-asa-signs-term-sheet-regarding-acquisition-of-smsapi-in-poland,c2297523 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 28, 2017] How the UK Video Games Industry can Advance Beyond Brexit LONDON, June 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TIGA, the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry, today published Brexit and Beyond: Priorities for the UK Video Games Industry (June 2017). TIGA's substantive reports sets out a policy agenda for Government, Parliament and policy makers to consider as the UK negotiates its departure from the European Union. For a copy of the report, please contact: [email protected] Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said: "TIGA's Brexit and Beyond: Priorities for the UK Video Games Industry, sets out a cogent, coherent and constructive agenda for ensuring the UK games sector is a leading player in an industry that is predicted to be worth approximately $100 billion by 2018. If the UK creates a favourable tax environment with an enhanced Games Tax Relief, improves access to finance and enables studios to access talent, then the UK video games industry will both survive and thrive in a post-Brexit world." The UK video games industry already contributes 1.2 billion to UK GDP. This contribution will increase with the right policy environment in place. TIGA's Brexit: Priorities for the UK Video Games Industry, has ten key themes: 1. The UK needs a favourable tax environment to encourage businesses to invest in the UK. The Government should consider: increasing the rate of Video Games Tax Relief from 25 to 27.5 or 30 per cent. 2. Access to finance: The UK Government should: introduce a Video Games Investment Fund to provide pound for pound match funding up to a maximum of 200,000 to enable more studios to grow; maintain the UK Games Fund so that start-ups can access funding for prototypes; and increase the amount of money that a company can raise via SEIS investment from 150,000 to 200,000. 3. Access to talent: The UK Government should: ensure that EU workers already working in the UK are protected so that they can continue to work in the UK with the confidence that they are not going to be asked to leave the UK in the future and clarify the status of EU workers who enter the UK following the EU referendum and prior to the UK's exit from the EU. The Government set out its offer to the EU concerning the status of EU workers on June 26 th 2017: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu negotiate a general reciprocal freedom of movement rights for workers with a job offer; negotiate an agreement which retains reciprocal freedom of movement rights for workers in the video games industry; provide approximately 500 Work Permits per annum for the UK video games industry; add roles (e.g. Games Analyst and Engine Programmer) to the Shortage Occupation List where there is a specific skills shortage so that employers can recruit the employees they need without undue delay; ensure that any new immigration arrangements are not complex or costly for business. 4. Exports, trade agreements and tariffs: The UK Government should: negotiate a trade deal with the EU that avoids quotas, tariffs and other barriers to trade to the greatest possible extent; maintain free trade in video games; negotiate trade deals with growing economies; examine the potential for incentivising more businesses to export through the tax system. 5. Intellectual Property: The UK Government should: consider introducing arrangements for the conversion or extension of a EU trademark or registered community design to cover the UK. 6. Data Protection: The UK Government should: adopt and adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure that companies based in the UK and doing business in the EU can continue to smoothly transfer information and data. 7. Higher Education: The UK Government should: make up any short-fall in funding following the UK's departure from the EU and ensure that any new visa system governing migration does not impair the ability of UK universities to recruit either academic staff or students from the EU. 8. Skills and Training: The advent of Brexit increases the importance of developing a well-educated and highly skilled workforce. The UK Government could consider: conducting a cost/benefit analysis of extending the life of the Skills Investment Fund to maximise investment in skills in the creative industries; allowing the proceeds of the Apprenticeship Levy to be available to fund a variety of good quality courses and not solely apprenticeships so that employers can choose the right training programme to benefit their employees and their businesses; working closely with industry to increase diversity within the sector so that studios can access the widest possible range of skills; examining the case for the introduction of a pilot Training Tax Relief for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to offset expenditure on training against corporation tax. 9. Fiscal policy: The UK Government should consider: increasing investment in infrastructure, including transport and fibre optic broadband, to cushion the UK from the shock of Brexit and to enhance the country's long term competitiveness, if economic growth falters. 10. A British Games Institute: The UK Government should consider: introducing a British Games Institute (BGI) to drive the video games sector forward. The BGI would focus on: managing TIGA's long standing proposal for a Games Investment Fund; promoting British games culture; and increasing productivity in the industry. About TIGA TIGA is the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry. Since 2010, TIGA has won 24 business awards and commendations and has been successfully accredited as an Investors in People organisation three times. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities: Political representation Media representation Business services This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities. It also means our members' voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in national, broadcast and UK video games trade media. Get in touch: Tel: +44(0)-845-468-2330 Email: [email protected] Web: www.tiga.org Twitter : www.twitter.com/tigamovement Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga For further information, you can also contact: Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO by email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Election results: Check out results from various races across the state 404 - Page Not Found Sorry, this page was not found. Try visiting our homepage or using the search function in our menu. To nudge more Kansas Citians off of the sidelines and into its budding entrepreneurial ecosystem, former AOL founder Steve Case spoke Friday to a group of local investors at a luncheon. KCRise Fund managing director Darcy Howe hosted a fireside chat with Case for a crowd of investors, potential investors and entrepreneurs. Northeast Kansas City Team Building Scarritt Renaissance playground build. Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association volunteers descended upon the lower level of The Concourse on Saturday, June 13 to build a brand new playground for 2-5 year old children. Earlier in the week, LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation) honored the neighborhood association with an award for "Best Use of Public Space" for its previous renovations at the Concourse. Another Golden Ghetto Setback Changes prompt revisiting Mission Gateway incentives - Kansas City Business Journal Changes to the Mission Gateway plan are prompting city council members to revisit incentives, the Shawnee Mission Post reports. The project's developers want to add a $30 million office facility and are close to signing a tenant. Mayor Sly @ Indian Creek Trail Tonight Mayor and police to hold public meet-and-greet to discuss safety near Indian Creek Trail KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Wednesday night the interim police chief, mayor and other law enforcement are walking door-to-door in a south Kansas City neighborhood to reassure residents of their safety near Indian Creek Trail. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, you can meet with police at Evangel Church on E. 103rd Street. More Deets On Double Death Two people dead after car crashes into a tree on Prospect Avenue KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two people are dead after a one-car crash on 33rd and Prospect Avenue. Police said a white vehicle was traveling south on Prospect at a high rate of speed. The vehicle lost control, left the roadway and struck a large tree on the right side of the vehicle. Kansas City Cool Down Salvation Army hands out free fans in KC The Salvation Army is handing out free fans until 11 a.m. Wednesday at Truman Road and Van Brunt Boulevard. Waybackand just a quick collection of Kansas City links for the midday . . .And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . . Show-Me Missouri GOP Against UMKC In first veto - Governor Greitens axes money for UMKC arts campus Eric Greitens on Facebook Missouri Governor Eric Greitens SOURCE: Eric Greitens on Facebook Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is vetoing the use of state funding to help build an arts campus in downtown Kansas City. Greitens in a Wednesday statement said taxpayer money should not be used to help pay for the $96 million University of Missouri-Kansas City arts campus. Kansas City Burning Down Fire investigators: Fire at vacant home near 19th & Lawn is result of arson KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Fire investigators say a fire at a vacant home near 19th and Lawn Wednesday appears to have been deliberately set. The home was in the process of being demolished. The home owner says he was supposed to finish cleaning up the rubble Wednesday. Newspaper Hype For Tax Breaks Fast-growing insurance company plans to create 1,000 jobs over six years in downtown KC A City Council committee on Wednesday endorsed a property tax break for a fast-growing insurance company to support the addition of 1,000 new jobs to downtown Kansas City. The full Council votes Thursday on the proposal for Spring Venture Group, which hopes to move next year from its Crown Center offices into a largely vacant office building on West 12th Street. Mayor Sly Press Event Mayor and police going door-to-door to engage public on crime prevention KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mayor Sly James, Interim Police Chief David Zimmerman, City Manager Troy Schulte as well as commanders and officers with KCPD are going door-to-door to meet with citizens directly to talk about crime prevention and to hear concerns from the public. Kansas City Tagging Fight Graffiti battle hits KC business owners from two sides as city threatens fines KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Some business owners along the Prospect corridor in Kansas City, Mo., are frustrated that their buildings are getting tagged by graffiti vandals, but they say city officials are compounding the problem. The city has reportedly threatened business owners with fines or worse if they don't remove the graffiti within a few weeks. Rolling With Perfect Village Prairie Village police to launch bike officer unit to improve community relationship PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. - Next time you visit Prairie Village you may see officers on two wheels instead of four. Prairie Village Police launched a two-officer bike unit last week. The department told 41 Action News the reason for the change is to not only patrol local parks and trails more efficiently, but to also improve the relationship with the community. Kansas City Public Radio Programming KCUR To Change Program Schedule To Offer More News And Storytelling Daily Perhaps 1970s television character Peter Brady said it best: "When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange." ( and cue ... earworm!) Over the past few months KCUR has tested various programs with listeners and we asked for your opinions on possible changes. Right now we're thinking about super models and Kansas City news. Here's the round-up:And this is thefor right now . . . She said that piling garbage is hurting the countrys image and called for a strike rethink Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura warned on Tuesday that the continued stirke by the municipal garbage collectors union could traumatize Greeces image and pleaded with municipality workers to change their strategy. "The vast volumes of garbage combined with soaring temperatures cause health hazards for Greeks and foreign visitors in our country. The Tourism ministry has received a load of complaints from tour operators and professionals in the tourism industry in Greece and abroad. They ask for immediate and drastic actions to ensure the seamless continuation of the tourist season and prevent damage to the country's image internationally," the minister noted in a statement. Her announcement came after failed talks between the union and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras earlier today when the workers' representatives rejected a compromising proposal to end the action. 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 Sifnos, the island of flavours, is the birthplace of famous poets, like Ioannis Gryparis, Kleanthis Triantafyllou (or Rampagas) and Aristomenis Provelegios, as well as award winning chefs, like Tselementes. Unique traditional villages, organized or secluded beaches, and 227 churches spread around the island are waiting to be discovered. Lets explore the islands picturesque settlements: Apollonia Apollonia, the capital town of Sifnos (also called Hora), is built in the shape of an amphitheatre over three hills in the centre of the island. The narrow streets and the whitewashed houses of Hora form a beautiful, traditional Cycladic settlement. During your evening walk, pay a visit to the Folklore Museum at the Hiroon Square (meaning Square of the Heroes). In every small taverna or classy restaurant in Hora you can sample some of Sifnos exceptional dishes cooked by chefs who know how to tempt our taste buds. When the night falls, set out to discover fancy lounge bars and the hottest nightclubs in the island, and dance the night away! Apollonia also boasts elegant hotels, and homey guesthouses. Artemonas A few kilometers away from the town lies the traditional settlement of Artemonas, famous for its neoclassic mansions and its outstanding panoramic view of the island. Some of the most famous restaurants and patisseries of Sifnos will welcome you here with fresh homemade cookies and hot doughnuts. If you need to spend a relaxing vacation, then Artemonas is the ideal place to book your accommodation. Kastro The historic settlement of Kastro (meaning castle), inhabited since ancient times, is built over the ruins of ancient Sifnos, on an abrupt rock with a breathtaking view of the sea. A beautiful outdoor museum and one of the most picturesque villages in the island, Kastro stands out for its old houses with the wooden balconies, the ancient columns and the narrow courtyards. The visitor still enters the village from lozies, the castles old entrances. In the past, these arcade-like entrances were used as war towers in order to protect the settlement. The houses in the front, built one next to another, used to be inhabited by lower class people, whereas the inner, and more protected part of the settlement was occupied by the upper class. Admire the picturesque little church of Eftamartyros (Church of Seven Martyrs), perched on a rock that seems to rise from the sea, and dont forget to visit the Archaeological Museum. Pottery Sifnos is the centre of pottery in the Cyclades since the first samples that were found here are dated back to the Early Cycladic period. The islands clayey soil in combination with the continuous sunshine resulted in the development of the art of pottery on the island. Throughout the island there are many pottery workshops where you can buy ceramics for domestic use, utensils and decorative items. Taste mouth-watering local specialties: Chick pea balls Manoura (cream cheese) Mastelo (lamb cooked in red wine and spices) Amigdalota (small round sweets with pounded almond, rosewater and caster sugar) Honey pie Swim in crystal-clear waters Whether cosmopolitan or secluded, all the beaches in Sifnos offer to the sun-loving tourists azure waters and sun-drenched sandy beaches. Kamares, the port of the island, is a sandy beach with trees and beach bars; Platis Yialos is the most cosmopolitan and buzzing beach in the island, whereas next to it lies Vathi, a sandy beach with shallow waters and many tavernas where you can enjoy fresh fish. The rocks in Chrisopigi, where also the homonymous Monastery proudly stands, are ideal for diving. If youd like to rest under a cool shade, head to the next beach which is surrounded by salt water loving trees. If you find yourself in Kastro, follow down the path to Epta Martyres, and enjoy a leisurely swim or unwind with a book lazing on a sun lounger. Source: visitgreece.gr 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: Takeaway (talk) License: CC-BY-SA GFH, a prominent financial group in the GCC region, said it has signed an agreement with Promoseven Holdings in Bahrain to exit part of its real estate portfolio with an approximate value of $55 million. A leading business group, Promoseven Holdings has interests in real estate, public relations, advertising, hospitality, investment and leisure. The Bahrain-based company also owns majority shares in Middle East Communication Networks based in capital Manama. GFH said the deal comes as part of the company's strategy to exit its non-core assets. This asset has a book value of $20 million and the deal is expected to have a positive impact on its financial results for the second quarter of 2017, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Gulf International Bank (GIB), a leading bank in the Middle East region, said it has been granted a conventional retail banking licence by the Central Bank of Bahrain. Bahrain-based GIB is owned by the governments of the six GCC countries, with Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund being the principal shareholder of 97.2 per cent. In addition to the GCC operations, it has branches in the US and the UK. The licence is an important milestone for GIB as it will help boost the banks presence in the kingdom and pave the way for further expansion across the GCC, said a statement from the bank. Lauding the Bahraini authorities for the support, chairman Jammaz bin Abdullah Al Suhaimi said GIB had been a major contributor to the kingdom's financial services sector over the last 40 years. He also highlighted the banks' continued commitment to diversify and further strengthen its operations in Bahrain and the region. GIB initially launched its retail banking products and services under the brand name Meem, in Saudi Arabia in 2015, it said. Meem is aimed at modernising retail banking in the region combining online and mobile banking with ultramodern physical store locations; it offers convenience, freedom of choice, and exceptional value for money, said the statement. Meem customers can open accounts online in minutes, and conduct day-to-day transactions through its online e-banking channel, supported by a wide range of communication channels, including telephone, mobile devices, e-mail, web chat and social media, said a statement. Khalid Al Rumaihi, chief executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: We are delighted that GIB has been granted a retail banking licence for Meem in Bahrain. The FinTech industry has the potential to greatly influence how consumers and companies engage, and can positively disrupt economies in a way that allows for even further growth. However, in order to truly realise the potential, Bahrain has to have the right ecosystem in place, he noted. The launch of the service Meem by GIB demonstrates the kingdoms willingness to embrace this disruption and we look forward to seeing more banks grow their FinTech activities, he added. GIB's chief executive Abdulaziz Al Helaissi said: "We are very pleased with this new venture. Meem in Bahrain will be the first digital bank in the region. The favourable regulatory environment in Bahrain facilitates the establishment of digital banking platforms. We intend to launch Meem services and products in the kingdom in 2018 and we are confident that Meem will play an important role in the development of the FinTech ecosystem in Bahrain and the region, he added.- TradeArabia News Service There will be no negotiations over demands by Saudi Arabia and other boycotting nations for Qatar to stop supporting terrorism, reported state news agency Wam, citing the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir. The minister was speaking at a meeting with reporters at the Saudi embassy in Washington. "We have presented a list of demands to Qatar, made our point, explained our position and taken our decision. This list of demands is non-negotiable and should be implemented in full," remarked Al Jubeir. The Saudi-led coalition has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al Jazeera TV network, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. "The measures taken towards Qatar in its capacity as a neighbouring sisterly country are painful to us, but its non-abidance with Riyadh Arrangement, its support for extremist and terrorist groups as well as its provocation and interfering in the domestic affairs of a number of countries, is unacceptable, not only for the boycotting countries but for all countries of the world hoping that wisdom will prevail and be observed by our brothers in Qatar and they stop such support and interference," he added. Meanwhile, Qatar said that its Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will be addressing the media tomorrow (June 29) at the JW Marriott Washington DC on this issue. The minister will explore the challenges and prospects for resolving the Gulf crisis, and comment on the list of demands presented by the Saudi-led coalition, it added. Morocco-based Masen, a leading renewable energy company, said its president Mustapha Bakkoury recently visited Sweden to meet the country's governmental energy agencies and Cleanergy AB to discuss collaboration opportunities. Cleanergy AB is a privately held high-tech small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) specialised in the supply of Stirling engine-based renewable energy solutions Morocco and Sweden have the attributes for good business relations within the energy sector, said a statement from the company. With Moroccos avant-gardist strategy for renewable energy development, its optimal weather conditions and Swedens innovative technology solutions, focus is on how to continue developing the collaboration between the two countries, it said. Bakkoury undertook this visit upon an official invitation by the state secretary Oscar Stenstrom, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also met Par Nuder, board member of Cleanergy AB, and other high-level representatives of the Swedish Government and officials of the Stockholm region. During the meeting, the officials discussed topics such as: Swedens energy strategy and goals for renewables; collaborative efforts between the two countries; and Moroccos roadmap to being global leader within renewable energy Prior to this visit Cleanergy AB had signed an agreement with Masen to deliver concentrated solar power (CSP) technology to Morocco, said a statement. The agreement foresees Cleanergy and Masen collaborating to set up demonstration units of its Stirling CSP technology in the Noor Ouarzazate complex and to launch collaborative innovation activities on thermal energy storage systems. Bakkoury said: We are positioning ourselves as a major player in the renewables sector on a global level. Morocco has set an ambitious objective of 52 per cent renewables within its energy mix by 2030. Relations with Sweden are part of the strategy to accomplish this, as well as our interest for innovative, state-of-the-art solar power generation technologies, he added. Jonas Eklind, president of Cleanergy AB, said: They have the worlds largest concentrated solar power plant since 2016 580 MW Noor Ouarzazate complex and will in 2018 supply power to nearly two million people all over Morocco. We see this aggressive plan and expansion as an opportunity. To enter the African solar power market and collaborate with Masen on development of the CSP technology with storage, is a solution where everyone can benefit, he added. TradeArabia News Service Kosta Kourotsidis has been appointed as the new general manager of The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel in Bahrain. A German/Greek national, Kourotsidis has gained extensive experience in the hospitality industry since starting his career 20 years ago. Born in Germany but originally from Greece, Kourotsidis was educated at Cornell University. He is a highly dedicated leader with extensive experience in the hospitality industry. Before joining Rezidor, Kourotsidis started his career with Copthorne and Millennium Hotel in Hanover, Germany. Kourotsidis joined the Rezidor Hotel Group in 2000 and has been part of several hotel operations in Europe before moving to the region and opening new or managing existing properties in the Middle East and North Africa. He was a part of the Rezidor general manager fast track programme, moving around several hotels and sharing his expertise and assisting teams with opening new properties until he moved to Radisson Blu Tripoli, Libya. After that he moved to Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel Beirut, Lebanon and then to Radisson Blu Hotel Downtown Dubai, where he was most recently the general manager. - TradeArabia News Service Audio clip of Sir Royston: http://bit.ly/2sUObz6 ENROLL INTO "THE UNIVERSITY WITHOUT WALLS", HOTEL LEGEND URGES Vision, excellence and staff are keys to success, says Sir Royston Hopkin MIAMI (June 28, 2017) - Hoteliers and aspiring young hospitality professionals need to appreciate the critical role which the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) can play in their success, asserts respected Caribbean hotelier Sir Royston Hopkin. Describing the association as "the university without walls for us Caribbean people - and that includes all of the emerging leaders," Sir Royston called for more tourism stakeholders to become actively engaged as he addressed the opening of CHTA's Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) in Miami earlier this month. Sir Royston described growing up as a child helping his parents operate a small guesthouse as the basis for his understanding of hospitality. He credits his involvement with CHTA for broadening his knowledge of the industry, building lifelong professional relationships and friendships and leading to the success of his award-winning Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada. "The message I'm giving you ... is that the involvement in CHTA is immeasurable. What you take from it, universities cannot give you. Because, if I was not involved in CHTA I would not ... be sole owner of Spice Island Beach Resort." Delivering the keynote address at CHIEF, Sir Royston encouraged participants to leverage CHTA's educational opportunities to "exercise the power of excellence" in their work. "Working all day is a pleasure if you have the passion for excellence," he said, speaking about the industry to which he has dedicated his entire professional career. The former "Caribbean Hotelier of the Year" urged owners of Caribbean resorts to develop a vision as a roadmap for achieving goals: "That vision will carry you as far as you want to (go)." Sir Royston recognized the importance of human resources in the success of any hotel. "If you treat your staff well, you train them well and you make them feel that they're part of you, then they'll treat your guests as number one. And that has been my philosophy and my DNA from the day I went into business." Underscoring the need for constant attention to excellence, Sir Royston said it was not enough to merely meet guest expectations. Exceeding guest expectations, he contended, "can only be achieved if you treat your staff and you train them and you recognize them." The former CHTA president acknowledged that even those at the top of their game can find room for improvement: "Last year for the first time, after 10 years, I got the Virgin (Holidays) silver because you can't win (gold) every time. Yes, that's the reality. We slip and slide and then we regroup. But you know what I did, when I got that I was in Miami ... I still had a celebration for my staff to celebrate (the) silver that we got." Sharing the credit he said was a key to his success "because Royston Hopkin does not create what he has for himself ... humility is my strength. It is my staff who I give all the credit to, all the recognition that the hotel gets. And that's the only way we, as owners and managers, can perform." Sir Royston concluded his address by reminding hotel owners and managers of the value of staff training. "It is not a cost to send your staff and train your staff ... and get them involved in forums such as this. It is an investment." Amritsar, June 28 In a new set of instructions for private diagnostic labs and hospitals, the Health Department has asked them to inform its officials about the arrival of any new dengue and malaria patient at their centres. Health officials said information about dengue and malaria patients from private medical establishments would help in making a better health policy. District Epidemiologist Dr Madan Mohan said, Figures of patients suffering from any disease are of paramount importance for the policy makers. Making it mandatory for the private institutions to provide the information will also help the patients. No private lab or hospital will be able to fleece them by misrepresenting the test reports. For dengue patients, the department collects samples of every positive patient and doctors examined them at the laboratory of Government Medical College. TNS New Delhi, June 28 The Delhi High Court granted custody parole to incarcerated INLD leader Ajay Chautala to attend the marriage of his niece, scheduled on Wednesday. Justice Yogesh Khanna said the convict, serving a 10-year jail term in the teachers' recruitment scam case, can attend the wedding function but the police will accompany him in plain clothes. The court made it clear that the convict will return to the jail after the function gets over. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) It also directed the Tihar Jail authorities to take him to Haryana to write his PG diploma exam on July one. The court's direction came on Chautala's petition, filed through advocate Amit Sahni, seeking a month's parole to prepare for his exam and attend the marriage ceremony. Passing an interim order, the court has issued notice to the police and sought their response by July 3 to decide on the convict's further parole demand. Chautala has challenged the Lieutenant-Governor's (LG) decision dismissing his request for parole on similar ground. He has said he needed to prepare for his PG Diploma exams to be held from June 28 to July 12. Chautala is pursuing PG Diploma in Counselling and Behaviour Modification (PGDCBM) under the Distance Education from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar. The Supreme Court had on August 3 last year dismissed the appeals of Chautala and his father O P Chautala challenging the high court verdict upholding their conviction and sentence of 10 years awarded by a trial court in the junior basic trained (JBT) teachers recruitment scam case. The high court had on March 5, 2015, said "the overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country." The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were among 55 persons convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in Haryana in 2000. PTI Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, June 27 The quaint village of Marora which had hit headlines for being renamed after Donald Trump by a toilet charity, Sulabh International, few days ago received a rude shock on Tuesday when the administration pulled down the billboard and portraits of the US President. Questioning the authority of the NGO for changing the name of the village, the local administration repainted the recently-erected signboards which had caught media attention. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) No NGO or social organisation has the right to rename a village. This name is identity of village in records be it revenue, maps or other government data and it can be renamed only by the government through set procedures. They are free to call it by any name in their promotional campaign but have no authority to erect new signboards, Mewat DC Mani Ram Sharma said. The exercise carried out by administration late evening shocked the villagers as well as social activists who were aiming to generate development funds for village through their initiative. A panchayat member said many villages were under consideration for being named after the American President and ours was chosen. The panchayat comprising two villages Nizampur and Chava was renamed on June 23 and ever since all, including the media and administration, showered attention on us. We had hoped this would help infrastructure development but the administrations move has disheartened us, the member said. The DC, however, added, We are not against development and support all NGOs and social organisations, but changing a panchayats name is neither in their nor mine domain. We had asked them to submit permission for the name change and reported adoption of the village by the US authorities, but got no reply. As far as media reports are concerned, we dont act on them but on the ground situation, Sharma added. The villagers have now decided to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the administrations move when he returns from three-nation tour, including US. Sulabh International has so far not issued any statement, but a local representative said the move was aimed at promoting the use of toilets in Mewat and the administrations action will not deter them. Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, June 28 Religious fervour marked the beginning of the annual Amarnath yatra in the wee hours of Wednesday as the first batch of 2,280 pilgrims, comprising 422 women, left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir Valley amid tight security. Escorted by the CRPF, army and J&K police personnel, a cavalcade of 72 vehicles--46 buses and 26 light motor vehicles--was flagged off from Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar, the base camp of Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu, by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh at 5.15 am. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The base camp reverberated with chants of Bham Bham Bhole and Har Har Mahadev with pilgrims from different parts of the country converging there for their onward journey to South Kashmir Himalayas nestling the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva. The pilgrims are expected to reach Pahalgam and Baltal, the base camps of the yatra in Kashmir, by Wednesday and would leave for the centuries-old cave shrine of Lord Shiva, situated at a height of 12,756 ft and perform darshan of the ice lingam on June 29. The Amarnath pilgrims undertake yatra via the traditional and arduous 46-km-long trek of Pahalgam in south Kashmir and the shorter route of 14 km from Baltal (near Sonmarg) along the Srinagar-Leh axis. In the first batch, as many as 1,582 pilgrims were registered for Pahalgam, while the number of pilgrims undertaking pilgrimage via Baltal route was 698, a police official said. An ecstatic pilgrim from Bhopal said, It is a great privilege for me to leave for the yatra in the first batch. This is for the seventh time I am undertaking this pilgrimage. We are least concerned about the threat perception to the yatra. I would rather like to convey that the threats from stone-pelters and terrorists encourage us and boost our morale for undertaking this pilgrimage. Intelligence inputs have suggested an enhanced terror threat to the Amarnath yatra with terrorists and stone-pelters in Kashmir planning to target the yatra. We want to convey to the pilgrims intending to undertake the yatra that J&K guarantees foolproof security arrangements for them. There are some elements bent on disturbing the pilgrimage but we are committed to having a safe and secure pilgrimage for the pilgrims, the Deputy Chief Minister said. AV Chauhan, Inspector General, CRPF, said they were using technology to keep a tight vigil on the movement of anti-social elements. We are using the latest technology to a keep tight vigil. Security is being monitored with the help of drones and satellites. Though there is no specific input for the yatra, we have made arrangements to ensure safety of pilgrims. We are working in close coordination with the Army, local police and other agencies, he said. Srinagar, June 28 The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday detained three Hurriyat (G) leaders on the direction of the National Investigative Agency (NIA). These leaders are to be interrogated by the NIA in the national capital over their alleged involvement in receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor unrest in the Kashmir Valley. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The three leaders detained have been identified as Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Shah and Mehraj-ud-Din Kalwal. Earlier in the month, the NIA initiated raids at 23 places in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in connection with funding received from Pakistan for terror and violence in the Valley. The agency conducted search at the residences and offices of the separatist leaders. ANI Yash Goyal Jaipur, June 28 A 32-year-old farmer has allegedly committed suicide after suffering losses in garlic crop, adding to the number of farmers who have taken their life in Hadauti belt in Kota, Rajashtan. This is the fourth suicide by a farmer in this belt and fifth in Rajasthan in the last two weeks. He was allegedly under debt. He committed suicide by consuming sulphas with liquor at Sripura village in Kota-Rural on Monday night. Murlidhar Meena after complaining of vomiting was shifted from one hospital to another in Hadauti region but finally he succumbed at Kotas government hospital in the wee hours of Tuesday, SHO Ayana police station Narayan Singh told The Tribune on Wednesday. In an FIR, Kailash Shankar, the deceaseds brother, alleged that Meena had gone for selling garlic at a mandi in Baran on Monday, and after returning from there he consumed sulphas tables with liquor. Meena, survived by a wife and two kids, was reeling under financial liability, quoting the FIR the SHO said. The FIR is lodged under Section 174 of the CrPC. It is being probed to ascertain the exact cause of his death and his bank accounts are being searched to know his financial status, he added. The body was handed over to the family on Tuesday. Meanwhile, state Agriculture Minister Prabhulal Saini denied of any such debt burden related to farmer suicides in the state. Saini told The Tribune said the cause of the death of none of the farmers suicide was ascertained to be debt burden. The government is there to help farmers for crop related issues like sowing, fertilisers, seeds, insurance and crop damage claims, Saini said. Let the police department come with a factual report of those farmers who died of alleged suicides, then the state government would consider and assess the situation, he added. New Delhi, June 28 The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared disinvestment of debt-laden Air India but the final modalities, including the quantum of stake sale, will be decided by a group of ministers. It also approved 7th Pay Commission recommendations on allowances of government employees with modifications. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Cabinet has given "in-principle" approval for disinvestment of Air India. A group will be set up to finalise modalities/details of disinvestment of Air India, including the quantum of stake sale, he said. The civil aviation ministry is charting out the disinvestment of the state-run carrier. Surviving on taxpayers' money, Air India has been in the red for long and various proposals, including government think tank Niti Aayog's suggestion for complete privatisation, have been made. Read: Waive Air India's debt, instead of selling it: Workers' union The airline has a debt of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is surviving on a Rs 30,000-crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA government in 2012. The Cabinet approved recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission on allowances with 34 modifications. The revised rates will be effective from July 1, 2017. It will benefit 34 lakh civilian employees and 14 lakh Defence forces personnel. The CPC examined 197 allowances, recommending abolition of 53 allowances and subsuming 37 in others. It recommended revised rates commensurate with Dearness Allowance. The CPC has projected additional financial implication at Rs 29,300 crore per annum. Modifications will have additional implication of Rs 1,448.23 crore. Combined additional financial implication estimated at Rs 30,748.23 crore per annum. Agencies Girja Shankar Kaura Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 28 The Union Cabinet today accorded in-principle approval to divest the government stake in the debt-ridden national carrier Air India. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned from his three-nation tour only this afternoon. The Cabinet approval comes about two months after the PM gave the go-ahead for disinvestment in the airline, which has accumulated losses of more than Rs 50,000 crore, besides a debt of around Rs 55,000 crore. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said, The Union Cabinet has accepted the proposal of the Civil Aviation Ministry for disinvestment in Air India. It also accepted a proposal to set up a committee under the Finance Minister to work out modalities for the disinvestment, he added. Once the modalities were finalised, the proposal would go back to the Union Cabinet for taking a final call. Jaitley said, The Civil Aviation Ministry had made a request that the Finance Minister should head the group. The Group of Ministers would decide on the quantum of disinvestment, mechanism of divestment, assets and debt of Air India and hotel companies owned by Air India. On the timeline for setting up the group for divesting stake in the airline, he said, In this government, the groups are set up very fast The PM will decide the groups composition, only the chairman has been decided today. The committee of ministers would now start the process of valuation of the airline, decide upon the eligibility of buyers, identify prospective suitors, decide upon the method of sale and what to do with the airlines assets and its debt, dealing with employee unions, and hiring financial and legal advisers for the sale. New Delhi, June 28 Consumer rights experts feel that banks are shirking their liability towards loss or damage of items kept in their lockers and not taking responsibility for it amounts to deficiency in service. Days after an RTI response by the RBI and several banks that there is no compensation for loss of valuables in lockers, officials of both the PSU and private banks are passing the buck to the consumers, saying clients do not disclose the contents of the safe deposit box. The bank officials, who did not want to be identified, were of the view that burglary beyond the security cover provided by a bank was not covered under the agreement between the customer and the bank The RTI disclosure by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and 19 PSU banks had said that they were not liable for damage to the locker contents by any cause, including fire or natural calamities. Consumer experts say it will be prudent to bring transparency on what is kept in lockers so that the banks can insure the contents against any damage or loss by burglary, as bank officials are taking refuge under the reason of non-disclosure of locker contents. Disagreeing with the experts that annual fee charged for lockers made the bank liable for all safety aspects, including loss and damage to valuables, the bank officials said the annual fee in respect of lockers was only charged for safe keeping. However, they have not elaborated on what is meant by safe keeping and whether failure to do so will entitle the consumers for compensation. Consumer rights expert and founder of Consumer Online Foundation, Bejon Misra, told PTI, The government, the RBI and the banking industry cannot wash off their hands and earn money from consumers and not be made liable or accountable for quality of service for which the customers are paying rental. Kush Sharma, a lawyer who handles consumer cases, said the banks should take the responsibility of insuring the locker contents. To achieve this objective, he said, There should be transparency in what is being kept in the lockers, especially when the government is focused on bringing in transparency in all financial activities. Sharma said that once there is transparency regarding articles kept in the locker, the banks can opt for group insurance. Misra, who also shared a similar view, said there should be a law mandating the people to declare what is being kept inside the lockers so that the same can be insured by the banks. He also claimed that the present policy of the banks of not accepting responsibility for the contents of the lockers was due to the reason that this business was no longer lucrative. He said that since the November 8, 2016 demonetisation and with the governments focus on declaration of wealth, including jewellery and property, the use of lockers to store undeclared assets has been reduced by the public. Therefore, the business of lockers is no longer profitable, Misra said, adding that the banks are now trying to wriggle out of the liability. It (a bank not being liable for loss of locker contents) is an anti-consumer policy, he said. Misra said the compensation could be determined by the consumer commissions or forums according to the facts of each case. The facts of a case could be verified by the police when the consumer or the bank lodged an FIR subsequent to a burglary, he said. Sharma, a locker user, said he felt cheated after he came to know that the banks were not liable for the damage or the loss of the content in the safe deposit boxes. He said he was under the impression that the contents in the locker would be secure and insured and added that now he felt that it would be better to keep his valuables at home after insuring them. Lawyer Kush Kalra, who had sought information under the transparency law, has now moved the Competition Commission of India (CCI) alleging cartelization and anti-competitive practices by the banks in respect of the locker service. He has informed the CCI that the RTI response from the RBI has said it has not issued any specific direction in this regard or prescribed any parameters to assess the loss suffered by a customer. PTI Chandigarh, June 28 Four persons, including a 50- year-old man, were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the stabbing of a Muslim youth onboard a Mathura-bound train, an incident that had led to nationwide outrage. With the fresh arrests, the total number of accused persons held in the case has risen to five, the police said even though the man who had stabbed 17-year-old Junaid is still at large. "We have arrested four more persons, including three youths, who are aged between 24-30 years and one 50-year-old man," Kamaldeep Goel, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Government Railway Police (GRP), Faridabad, said over the phone. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The sequence of events that led to the killing of the 17-year-old has also become clear to a large extent, he said. According to Goel, it was the 50-year-old man arrested on Wednesday who had entered into an altercation with Junaid and his brothers over seat sharing. READ Not in My Name: Filmmakers Facebook post brings hundreds to protest mob lynching "Our investigations show that this man entered into an argument with the victim and his brothers from Okhla over seat sharing. He passed some remarks hurting the victims' religious sentiments. However the quarrel escalated after three youth, who had boarded the train at New Town Faridabad, also entered the fight," the SP said. He said that the prime suspect in the case was still on the loose but police had "got crucial leads and he too will be in custody soon". Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers Hashim and Sakir were injured by a mob that allegedly hurled slurs against them onboard the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations last Thursday night. Junaid's body was dumped near Asaoti village in Faridabad district. The killing was widely condemned. On Monday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had condemned the incident and appealed to the people to maintain peace. Union Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday that any incident of such nature is condemnable and brutal. The police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for credible information leading to arrest of the suspects. A suspect was arrested earlier this week and remanded in judicial custody by a court in Faridabad district. He had claimed he was drunk and was egged on to attack the victims by fellow passengers. PTI Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 27 Despite the Modi governments pitch for Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, Make in India campaign, Smart Cities Project, Digital India Campaign and the Zero Effect Zero Defect policy (leaving zero effect on the environment), glaring gaps in management of environmentally hazardous e-waste are yet to be addressed. India generates an estimated 1.7 million TPA (tonnes per annum) of e-waste but recycles only about 4,62,896 TPA, Union Environment Minister Harsha Vardhan said on Tuesday, expressing dissatisfaction that e-waste inventorisation had so far been completed by only five states. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) They are Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Madhya Pradesh. Addressing a conference of Central Pollution Control Board, he urged the remaining states to complete the process of inventorisation of e-waste at the earliest. Officials explain that preparing an inventory is the first step towards addressing the humungous problem threatening to play havoc with the environment and human health. Referring to the Centres flagship schemes like Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, Make in India campaign, Smart Cities Project and Digital India Campaign, Harsh Vardhan said Make in India would adopt a Zero Effect Zero Defect policy, which would leave Zero Effect on environment. There, however, continue to be huge gaps in the disposal of solid waste management, he said, adding that 50% of the waste collected is dumped unscientifically. Not just this, while 2,59,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated every day, only 14 states/union territories have banned plastic carry bags. And an equally big challenge is e-waste management. While estimated quantity of e-waste generated is about 1.7 million TPA, the quantity that is recycled is about 4,62,896 TPA, he said. E-wasteconstituting mobiles, laptops and other electronic items poses a great threat not just to environment but also to human health. As per a Parliament report, 10 states contribute 70 per cent of the total e-waste generated in the country while 65 cities generate more than 60 per cent of the total e-waste in India. Among the 10 largest e-waste generators are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, in that order. And among top 10 cities generating e-waste, Mumbai ranks first, followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat and Nagpur, says the report. Government, public and private (industrial) sectors account for almost 70 per cent of total e-waste generation. The contribution of individual households is relatively smallabout 15 per centwhile the remaining is contributed by manufacturers. Chandigarh/Faridabad, June 28 A 50-year-old Delhi government employee was among four persons arrested today in connection with the killing of a Muslim youth, Junaid, onboard a Mathura-bound train, the police said. With this, the number of those held in the lynching case, which triggered nationwide outrage, has reached five but the prime accused is still at large. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The accused belong to areas close to Hodal near Palwal in Faridabad and are believed to be regular commuters. Junaid (17) was stabbed when he along with his brothers was returning home to Khandawli village in Ballabgarh after shopping for Eid in Delhi on Thursday. Police sources said the 50-year-old man entered into an altercation with Junaid and brothers over seat sharing and passed remarks hurting the victims religious sentiments. Three youths who had boarded the train at New Town Faridabad station also got involved in the quarrel with the 50-year-old man egging them on. PTI/TNS KV Prasad Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 28 Excited over the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel next week, the country is pulling all stops to make the three-day sojourn a grand success marking the first-ever by an Indian head of the government since establishment of diplomatic ties. In a departure from the past, when leaders from India made a trip to Palestine, Modis programme is a standalone trip to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Last month, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas was in India. New Delhi views the shift as a policy of de-hyphenation from traditional balancing act between the two countries in West Asia. On this unprecedented July 4-6 trip by Modi, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu decided to accord a reception it reserves only for the Pope and the US President. On Sunday, PM Netanyahus Cabinet passed a resolution outlining the contours of the engagement. Next week, the Indian PM, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel. This is a historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the countrys existence, no Indian PM has ever visited and this is further expression of the state of Israels military, economic and diplomatic strength. This is a very significant step in strengthening ties between the two nations, he said. The trip will also provide both sides an opportunity to review the wide canvass of the bilateral engagement and take new strides in establishing a strategic partnership in water, further cooperation in agriculture, cyber-security, health, science and technology and innovation. We will be according our A team protocol to Modi. PM Netanyahu will be accompanying him to almost all places during the visit, Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon said today. Modis engagement includes a call on Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, a working meeting and a dinner with Netanyahu, an outreach with people of the Indian community, and homage to Indian soldiers at the Indian Cemetery in Haifa. Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 28 United States Vice-President Mike Pence is all set to visit India soon. The announcement follows the confirmation that US President Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump will also be travelling to India later this year to lead the US delegation for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). Both these announcements follow PM Narendra Modis visit to the US and are being seen as reciprocation gestures by the US as both nations move forward in strengthening their bilateral ties. Pence shared this information today at a business summit in Washington DC. He said he had accepted Modis invite to visit India and was planning to visit India soon. I was very humbled when PM Modi extended a personal invitation to me to represent the US. And were already making plans to take it up on his invitation, Pence said. Pence, in his comments at the summit, said the US-India relationship is one of the most important strategic relationships in the 21st century. He expressed confidence that with the commitment shown by both President Trump and PM Modi, we will usher in a new era of jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for both our countries, and for all our people. New Delhi, June 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday returned home after concluding his three-nation tour of Portugal, the US and the Netherlands. Modi, upon arrival, was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The highlight of his four-day trip was the US leg of the visit as Modi met President Donald Trump for the first time on June 26 in Washington. In the US, Modi held talks with Trump during which the two leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation on terror. India and the US also urged Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch cross-border terror strikes. Modi first visited Portugal, where he held wide-ranging talks with his counterpart Antonio Costa. He also addressed the Indian community there and presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Costa. Modi, on the final leg of his trip, visited the Netherlands and held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. He also addressed the Indian community there. PTI Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi Hoshiarpur, June 27 A wooden chest gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to US President Donald Trump has been crafted by a local artisan, Kamaljit Matharu (31), and his father, Rupan Matharu (52), both national awardees. Priced at Rs 1.55 lakh and made from sheesham wood, the 22-inchx15-inch chest had been handed over by them to New Delhi-based Central Cottage Industries (CCI) Emporium, which falls under the Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India (CCICI), in March 2016. Awaiting its sale for the past over a year, they were told recently that the item had been sent to the PMO. Busy in his workshop outside his house on the Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road, Kamaljit said, It took us over seven months to make the intricately patterned chest. Its one of our masterpieces. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Rupan said six generations of his family had been involved in craftsmanship. My grandfather was an instructor at Government Arts and Crafts College, Chandigarh. Later, my father was appointed there. After my fathers death in 1980, we returned to our ancestral village, Boothgarh, in Hoshiarpur, he said. Financial problems made Rupan give up studies at the age of 15 and join the family profession. The sales were poor during the first few years as the prices were too low, but I did not lose hope, he added. In 1989, he received the state award for craftsmanship, followed by the Ministry of Textiles National Merit Award for Crafts (1994) and the National Award for Craftsmanship (1997) of the Union Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. Kamaljit joined his father at the age of 18 and went on to win the National Merit Award for Crafts and the National Award for Craftsmanship in 2009. Both have been part of Indian exhibitions in the UK, Brazil and other countries. According to Rupan, the price of an item depends on the artistic inlay. We have objects with rates ranging from Rs 75 to Rs 4 lakh. We send these to the CCI Emporium. After their sale, the amount is transferred into our account by the CCICI, he said. Both said they preferred deals with the CCICI rather than private players as the former was a reliable government undertaking. Chandigarh, June 28 As many as 93,000 truckers in Punjab, owing allegiance to different unions, on Wednesday went observed a day-long strike protesting the Amarinder Singh government's decision to dissolve all the 134 truck unions in the state. "93,000 truckers kept their vehicles off roads today," Punjab truck union chief Happy Sandhu told PTI. He said close to four lakh families in the state earn their livelihood through truck business. The truckers held dharnas at all the block levels in the state, he said adding that the protest was joined by CPI (M), SAD and Aam Aadmi Party activists. "The protesting truckers submitted memoranda to sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs), addressed to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, demanding cancellation of the decision to dissolve all truck unions, numbering around 134, in Punjab," Sandhu said. He flayed the state government for holding truck unions allegedly responsible for the failure of manufacturing sector in Punjab. "Industry has failed because of faulty policies and vested interests of political parties in Punjab and not because of truckers," he said, adding that industry failed in industrial towns like Rajpura, Gobindgarh, Khanna, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Batala despite the fact that there is no truck union in these towns. "On the contrary, despite the presence of very strong truck unions in nearby industrial towns like Tahliwal, Nalagarh, Baddi and Ponta Sahib falling in adjoining Himachal Pradesh, industry has been flourishing at a rapid pace just because of the fact that the state (Himachal Pradesh) has a very strong industrial policy," Sandhu said. PTI Caracas, June 28 Armed civilian groups have attacked the Venezuelan Parliament building after a clash between lawmakers and the military police of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), opposition legislator Julio Borges has said. The clash on Tuesday left at least two female members of parliament injured, Efe news quoted Borges as saying. According to the National Assemblys Twitter account, opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano and several reporters were also injured. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Different lawmakers and Assembly personnel saw (GNB) officers entering (the building) with boxes from the National Election Council...and a clash occurred there between the GNB officers and the lawmakers, Borges said. As a result, the parliamentary session was interrupted. Borges then proceeded to talk with the officer responsible for the institutions security in order to resolve the conflict. However, immediately groups of civilians entered through the doors of the National Assembly building, he said. These people launched firework rockets and other materials inside the House, according to some videos published on the social media. The civilian groups have attacked the front of the building and threatened to enter by force, the opposition said. Lawmakers and workers currently remain locked inside the Parliament, the Chambers press chief Alicia de La Rosa told Efe. Borges has blamed President Nicolas Maduro for the attack. He said: Nicolas Maduro... said today that if the ballots are no use, then the violence will be, that if the ballots are no use, then the bullets will be. Borges, however, said the attack would give more strength to parliamentarians to continue fighting for a democratic and free country. Regarding the boxes from the National Election Council, he indicated that the lawmakers went to see what happened with them, since it was irregular to keep such contents in the legislative building. However, the GNB forces did not allow the parliamentarians to have access to the boxes, Borges said, adding that the troops claimed that the boxes contained data on the validation of political parties. Venezuela has been facing socio-political upheavals which have been exacerbated by waves of demonstrations, both against and in favour of the government, for three months. Some of these demonstrations have become violent, leaving so far at least 75 people dead and about 1,500 injured, according to data from Venezuelas Prosecutor Generals Office. IANS Islamabad, June 28 The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has issued a statement in which it has confirmed the surrender of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) activist Abdul Rasool along with his group and ammunition on Wednesday. Rasool, according to the Dawn, and the ISPR statement, was said to be involved in terrorist activities in Pasni, Kulanch, Dashat and Mand areas of Balochistan. The surrender came amid an increase in the writ of state enabled through effective intelligence and successful security operations. His surrender will go a long way in improving lasting peace and stability of Pasni, Kulanch, Dashat and Mand areas of Balochistan, the ISPR added. ANI Caracas, June 28 A helicopter dropped two grenades on Venezuelas Supreme Court building in a terror attack against the government, President Nicolas Maduro said in a speech. I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace, he said in remarks delivered from the Miraflores presidential palace. Maduro said he has put the military on alert to respond to the alleged assault. Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terror attack, he declared. He did not say when the alleged attack is supposed to have occurred, and said no one was injured and that one of the grenades failed to detonate. In his speech, Maduro, 54, said that in addition to firing on Venezuelas high court, the helicopter flew over the Justice and Interior Ministeries. The beleaguered president, who for weeks has been thundering about alleged coup plots against him, said the aircraft was flown by a pilot who worked for his former Interior and Justice minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, from whom he is now estranged. Earlier Tuesday, Maduro repeated claims of a US-backed coup attempt and angrily warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move. His comments came a day after he announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion. It was one of the more dramatic in a regular series of anti-US tirades by the socialist leader, who is resisting opposition calls for elections to remove him. If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence... we would fight, Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters. If a coup prevented his side fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, we would achieve it by arms. He said that an armed intervention in his country would spark a crisis that would dwarf those caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Addressing Trump, he said: You are responsible for restraining the madness of the Venezuelan right-wing. Maduro has a number of times claimed that the United States is to blame for the grave political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country, which has fueled the often violent demonstrations of recent months. Clashes in anti-Maduro protests over the past three months have left 76 people dead, prosecutors say. The opposition blames Maduro for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine in the oil-rich country. They regularly accuse him of repressing and jailing opponents. Judicial NGO Foro Penal says there are 383 political prisoners in Venezuela. AFP Attendees at HDT's Heavy Duty Trucking eXchange check out Navistar's new International RH model last month. Photo: Kareem Girgis Navistar officials said theyre optimistic that excitement about their new products and an overall industry bump in truck orders will help them meet their financial goals for the year, while some executive leadership changes announced Wednesday are designed to help keep the company moving into the future. Bill Kozek, president, truck and parts, is moving on to an as-yet-unnamed position focusing on emerging business opportunities and disruptive technologies. Replacing him is 37-year Navistar veteran Michael Cancelliere. And a new role of vice president of export, along with president of Mexico and Global Operations, will be filled by Bernardo Valenzuela, whos returning to the company. Cancelliere is reporting to Persio Lisboa, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Both spoke to trucking journalists on a conference call Wednesday morning following the announcement. Asked about its forecast for Class 8 sales for North America for the rest of the year, Cancelliere said the company does expect Class 8 sales to pick up for the second half of the year, noting that Navistar's fiscal year ends in October. As we look at the full year, were in the 25,000 or so range, he said. Weve seen strong demand from customers for our products, and some [factory assembly] slots are tightening up with ourselves as well as competitors, so the market is definitely showing signs of picking up. New products still in the pipeline As it continues to fight its way back from its 2010 emissions missteps, Navistar has been redesigning, refreshing and renaming its entire product line. Were coming out with a new exciting line of products, which is giving us a lot of momentum in the marketplace, Lisboa said, and we want to build on that. He walked through that progression, starting with the HX premium vocational truck announced early last year, through the LT Class 8 line-haul truck launched last fall, the RH regional haul unveiled this spring, and the new A26 12.4-liter engine which is ramping up for production at Navistars Huntsville, Alabama, engine plant. Upcoming products, he said, will be HV vocational trucks and MV medium-duty, noting that next year Navistar will have an entry in the Class 4-5 market. The companys announced a large event at the new North American Commercial Vehicle show in Atlanta in September, where its expected that some of these products will be unveiled. Spy shots surfaced recently on the Internet of a camouflaged truck believed to be the upcoming GM/International Class 5 medium-duty designed to compete with Fords F-650 and F-750. Industry rumors expect that not to be unveiled until next springs Work Truck Show. Increasing global focus Previously, Valenzuela spent 16 years at Navistar, working in roles of increasing responsibility across its export and Mexico businesses. He served as vice president of global trucks sales from 2008 to 2014, before leaving and founding Terranova GTS LLC, a developer and distributor of specialty commercial vehicles, primarily serving customers in Mexico and Latin America markets. Were going to spend much more time driving focus inside of NA and Canada, and also part of the announcement we are expanding our reach in the export market, Mexico and global operations, which is another area of growth we are targeting to go after as well, Lisboa said. While discussions of exports in Navistars earnings call earlier this month were primarily related to alleviating a used-truck glut, Lisboa said, this announcement is predominantly about growing its export business of new trucks, expanding our reach with new products beyond Mexico, he said. Typically the products that serve Mexico are the products that can serve other markets, other than Europe with its tighter emissions standards. We believe we can leverage the activities in the product side such as Mexico into Latin America, Middle East countries and other areas of the globe. Navistar already has a relationship in Asia, producing products in China that are distributed in Mexico. Bringing all those various global footprints together, to look for synergies and ways to leverage activities and products in one region to work in another, is the reason for putting one leader in charge, he explained. Disruptive technologies More details were promised to be forthcoming about Bill Kozeks new position, which the company said will deal with disruptive technologies and vehicle electrification. It is a growing area of interest of ours, Persio said. We are in this alliance with Volkswagen Truck and Bus, and there is a lot of new disruptive opportunity that we see happening in the industry. Our plan is not just to participate, but to be able to drive some of those things and lead them, and I think Troy [Clarke] really wanted to have someone with a lot of experience in the business to work on developing those opportunities. Kozek will explore everything he can think of, Persio said, including both internally developed products and technologies as well as alliances and partnerships. Technology sharing was touted as part of that wide ranging strategic alliance announced last year with VW. Thats not only powertrain technology, which was a factor in the new A26 engine, but also is intended to explore collaboration in other areas, including advanced driver assistance systems, connected vehicle solutions, platooning and autonomous technologies, electric vehicles, and cab and chassis components. This leadership change seems to fit right in with that goal. Navistar veteran Michael Cancelliere is moving up to President, Truck and Parts. Photo: Navistar Navistar International promoted Michael Cancelliere to president, Truck and Parts, effective July 1. He replaces Bill Kozek, who will move on to a planning role focused on emerging industry opportunities, focusing on vehicle electrification and potential disruptive technologies. In addition, Bernardo Valenzuela is returning to the company in the newly created role of vice president of Export, and president of Mexico and Global Operations. "These leadership and structural changes will bring even greater focus to several critical revenue areas of our business," said Troy Clarke, Navistar chairman, president and CEO. "They represent another important step on our journey toward sustainable profitability through growth and expansion in our core and select global markets." Cancelliere will oversee all aspects of the company's truck and parts business. Most recently, he served as senior vice president, Global Parts and Customer Service, a business he most recently led to three consecutive years of record profits, noted the company in its announcement. Cancelliere, who has been with the company for more than 37 years in a variety of truck and parts sales leadership positions, will report to Persio Lisboa, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Valenzuela is rejoining Navistar and will be responsible for the company's Mexico and export markets, as well as overseeing the company's global operations in South America and Asia, reporting to Lisboa. Valenzuela spent 16 years at Navistar, working in roles of increasing responsibility across its export and Mexico businesses. He served as vice president of global trucks sales from 2008 to 2014, before leaving and founding Terranova GTS LLC, a developer and distributor of specialty commercial vehicles, primarily serving customers in Mexico and Latin America markets. Kozek will focus on vehicle electrification and potential disruptive technologies, and he will report into Clarke. "Bill stepped in during a challenging time for our company four years ago, and did a great job steadily rebuilding the International Truck brand, restoring confidence and improving consideration with customers," Clarke said. "I am confident these changes will build on our recent momentum in the market place, while allowing us to plan for the future changes rapidly coming to our industry." Tornadic activity in Wagoner County this spring has prompted Allegiant Precast Concrete to launch a special voucher incentive program on storm shelters for anyone living in the county. Allegiant Precast, located between 111th Street and Highway 51 on Midway Road, specializes in manufacturing precast concrete products such as in ground shelters, aerobic systems, septic tanks, grease traps and burial vaults. Now through September 1, 2017, the Wagoner County company will offer $1,000 vouchers on two of their most popular in ground storm shelters their 6x12 Easy Access and their 6x8 shelter. Owner Dan Simon said the 6x12 shelter is normally priced at $2,995 plus $500 for installation for a total of $3,495. With the $1,000 voucher, that cost drops to $2,495. The 6x8 shelter is normally priced at $2,495 plus $500 for installation for a total of $2,995. With the $1,000 voucher, that cost drops to $1,995. The voucher can also be used on a safe room if it is placed on a pre-existing pad outside or for safe room installation on new construction homes. Simon said the voucher program is available to homeowners who want to arrange their own installs as well. The only requirement will be having a Wagoner County delivery address. In Wagoner County, weve gotten hit with several storms, Simon explained. Last October I lost my barn and garage to a storm, and a few weeks ago in Porter, they lost several properties. These tornadoes have done some serious damage. Allegiant Precast has made arrangements with a couple of lending institutions to give 100 percent financing to qualified buyers at 2.99 percent interest. Payments would be $83 per month for three years with nothing down. Thats a break even position for us because we simply want to help our neighbors, Simon noted. The local business owner encourages residents to go to www.allegiantprecast.com to watch a video showing how the companys storm shelters are put together. People need to know we build a quality product featuring six-inch thick concrete, rebar steel, wire mesh and steel doors. These things are significant, he said. On these two shelters, there are concrete steps built in so you dont have to crawl down a ladder. Even an older person can get in without difficulty. You can even put plastic chairs in them to sit down and an ice chest or maybe a weather radio. Simon said Allegiant Precast has been putting storm shelters in schools as well. The Peggs Public School system and Lowery Public School in Tahlequah now have multiple 6x12 units put together to provide safety for students and staff. Leach Public School is having them installed soon. You can get 10-12 people in a shelter, so with smaller children you can fit even more in, he noted. Each classroom has a bulletin board in the shelter so teachers can check off names and ensure all of their children are in the shelter. Simon said in the schools cases, the Cherokee Nation helped with the financing. Theres nothing that says we cant do these shelters in multiples, he added. Its not right for every district, but it is right for some smaller schools and nursing homes. For more information about the $1,000 voucher program exclusively for Wagoner County residents, call Allegiant Precast at 918-486-6227. Foxtel and TEN have jointly released more details on the cast who will feature in next weeks Common Sense premiere from the makers of Gogglebox. The 10 groups of ordinary Aussies who will discuss the weeks news events are again cast from Sydney & Melbourne locations. Common Sense will premiere on Lifestyle on Wednesday, July 5 at 7.30pm and on TEN on Thursday, July 6 at 8.30pm. The cast are: Michelle-Ann, Lois and Betty: Bra and Swimwear Ladies Mornington, Vic Glamorous mother and daughter duo Lois and Michelle-Ann run a succesful bra and swimwear shop in Mornington. Betty is an employee and is one the shops chief bra fitters. Having served the local town for decades, the ladies are well know to the local townsfolk. They are well-versed in debating the local gossip and daily news with each other and with the customers. After hours Michelle-Ann and Lois also run a Quarter horse stud farm where they breed cutting horses. The Yip Family Darren, Trudy, Eileen and Matt: Market Sellers Flemington, NSW The Yip Family are a Chinese-Australian family who sell vegetables at Sydney Markets. Trudi is the day-to-day manager of the company, and working with her are her cousins Matt and Darren and her Aunt Eileen. The entire family were born in Australia and dont speak Chinese, seeing themselves as Australians through and through. Whilst prepping their produce, the news bulletins are regularly blasting from the family radio at the warehouse, with the daily debate often helping them get through their long day. Brett and Laurence: Removalists (pictured) Abbotsford, Vic Brett and Laurence are an Australian Bill and Ted with an infectious dose of intelligence, wit and goofiness. Theyre best mates who met on a shift at work one year ago and bonded over a mutual appreciation of ACDC. Originally from Wagga Wagga, Laurence is a metal-head with big hair and bigger opinions. Brett is a mullet-wearing West Australian big kid with a wicked sense of humour. Both are avid news consumers and are often found debating and arguing about the state of the nation, as they lift and haul furniture around the city. Jean, Aileen and Ted: Retirees Keysborough, Vic Jean, Aileen and Ted are a young at heart trio who live together in a retirement village outside Melbourne. They meet daily to talk about the world while playing cards in the communal crafts room. Due to their life experiences, each has their own interesting story to tell; from first-hand accounts of The Depression to the tragedies of war. Their curiosity about current world news means they are also the first to tackle the daily exploits of todays celebrities, and have no issue in giving their take on the latest Kardashian exploits or celebrity court cases. Robert and Frank: Former Business Partners Woollahra, NSW Robert and Frank are a fabulously posh, eccentric and incredibly witty duo. Both in their 70s, they have a cheeky and educated sense of humour that is both sharp and very charming. Robert owns an exclusive fashion boutique in Sydney while Frank is an Urbanist and advises on urban spaces. The pair met in the late 1970s and soon became friends and business partners. Being older and wiser in their life experience, they have an eloquent way of explaining their views and opinions, which is incredibly entertaining and compelling to watch. Ayden and Jake: Real Estate Agents Mornington, Vic Jake and Ayden are archetypal young real estate agents; full of cheek and charm. They met when they started work on the same day at the Real Estate agency around 18 months ago. They describe themselves as the real Harry and Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber. Aydens the dreamer and Jakes the realist. Aydens been living in Mornington since he was 5 and was raised by his single mother. Jake has lived in Mornington for two years, having moved from Melbourne. Eric and Luke: Butchers Galston, NSW Eric and Luke are likeable, straightshooting butchers. Eric owns Erics Tender Meats and Luke is his friendly right hand man. Eric is a traditional, friendly and jolly local butcher, having been in the industry for 25 years. He hired Luke six years ago and they have a delightful father/son relationship. Eric is a working, single dad, and is often a second father figure to Luke, who is due to marry in August. The shop radio has seen better days but never fails to pump out the daily news, which is a continual source of debate between the guys and their customers. Steve and Andre: Marketing Consultants Sydney, NSW Steve and andre are Sydney based Marketing Consultants and friends who have known each other for almost 30 years. They met while they were both DJing and got a gig together. Since then, theyve run hospitality venues together and forged careers as entrepreneurs and Marketing Consultants. They currently provide make-overs for businesses that need help to get back on their feet and become relevant. Helen and Sarah: Tech Creatives Docklands, Vic Sarah is the young, intelligent and lively CEO of tech company Girl Geek Academy and Helen is her equally vivacious employee. The company encourages women to learn technology, create start-ups and build more of the internet. They essentially have a boss/employer dynamic, but its a relaxed one. Helen has a background in Cyber Safety and is incredibly passionate about it. Sarah learned computer coding when she was 5 years old on a computer called a Microbee at School. Helen and Sarah mainly get their news from online sources and social media. Sarah also listens to a lot of podcasts. Nikki and Kathy: Hairdressers Kogarah, NSW Kathy and Nikki are lively Greek-Australian hairdressers. Kathy has owned Valet Salon for 20 years, having been a hairdresser since she was 14, while Nikki has been a stylist and manager at the salon for the past 5 years. A married mum of three, Kathy has quite traditional views, especially on parenting. Nikki is a mum to two young boys and has a more care-free attitude to life and work this can often cause lively debate. Kathy watches the Today breakfast show religiously every morning and makes her kids watch too so they can learn about the world. Nikki catches up on her ENews fix on her phone and on social media. Free to air lobby group Free TV Australia has welcomed todays announcement from the Government for interim relief from the broadcast licence fees. The regulation announced by the Government today sees the abolition of the licence fee for 2016/2017. This provides welcome relief for our industry, which is challenged by increased competition from large multinational tech and media companies, Free TV Chairman, Harold Mitchell said today. In the internet age, it makes no sense to continue to impose the worlds highest licence fees when these foreign media tech companies pay nothing. A new spectrum charge is due to be approved in the the media reform package which is awaiting passage by the Senate. Licence fee relief is critical for broadcasters to invest and transform their businesses. It is now up to the Senate to do its part in permanently replacing the licence fee with a spectrum charge, he said. It is crucial for Australian jobs and our ability to continue creating great local programming that the Parliament passes the media reform package in August. Germany and Spain will meet in the U21 EURO final at Krakow Stadium at 20:45CET on Friday. Germany were the first to secure their place in the showpiece on Tuesday, beating England 4-3 on penalties in their semi-final in Tychy following a pulsating 2-2 draw over 120 minutes. Friday will be only their second ever final at this level; they overcame England 4-0 in their first, in 2009. Spain won the U21 EURO title in 2011 and 2013 Sportsfile By contrast, Spain have won this competition on four occasions, including two of the past three editions. They reached this year's decider courtesy of a 3-1 defeat of ten-man Italy, Saul Niguez scoring a sensational hat-trick to put his team through. Albert Celades's team have won all four of their fixtures in Poland. Previous meetings at U21 final tournaments 1982 quarter-finals Spain 1-0 Germany Germany 2-0 Spain 2009 group stage Spain 0-0 Germany 2013 group stage Germany 0-1 Spain Ekhlas Ahmed, 25, first learned the English alphabet as a high school freshman. Despite missing two years of school after fleeing conflict in Darfur, Sudan, she went from English-learner to graduate student in half the time of many of her peers. Now she dreams of using the education she earned to help women and girls around the world get the education they deserve. I really believe that education gives people the opportunity to overcome obstacles, stereotypes and hardships theyve endured in the past. Education not only opens doors, it opens minds, Ekhlas says. But if you dont feel safe its so hard to learn. As a graduate student, Ekhlas is aware of the incredible opportunities education can provide. But as a young refugee in Egypt, she also experienced the hopelessness of missing out on two essential years of school. Resettled Sudanese refugee gives back to U.S. community Ekhlas and her family are from Darfur a region in the sub-Saharan country of Sudan whose name has become synonymous with intractable civil war and vicious atrocities. Ekhlas, her parents, and her three younger brothers fled to Egypt where they applied for asylum and waited for an opportunity to begin their lives again. Their case was eventually referred for resettlement by UNHCR, and after two years of security screenings and interviews, they were accepted by the United States. In 2005, they were resettled to Portland, Maine. Being resettled gave me a chance, Ekhlas says. It gave me hope again. It gave me an opportunity to find myself and accomplish my dream of getting my degree and getting educated. It gave me a voice that Im able use everywhere I go to advocate. I have a better life because of someones hard work someone volunteered their time to help me become who I am today. So thats why I want to do my part to make it better for the next generation. But while her familys most painful struggles ended when they moved to the United States, there were still many new challenges ahead. When they first arrived in Maine, for example, no one in Ekhlas family spoke English. We felt like strangers, especially when you dont speak the language, you cant express your feelings. You dont just feel hopelessness you just feel like you dont belong. But with the help of her community, she was able to achieve her goals of learning English and continuing her education. Now I am not only able to speak the language, but also teach the language. Ekhlas says. I was able to graduate from high school, graduate from college, and now in graduate school, I give back to the city of Portland because they have supported me for the longest time. While working towards her masters degree in education, Ekhlas volunteers through Americorps as a teacher at the same high school where she first learned English and later earned her diploma. Many of the students I work with are refugees. There are so many challenges that they go through, so having a safe space is very important, and its our job as educators to provide that, she says. Because at the end of the day, refugees just want the same thing as anybody else they want to live in a place thats safe. When Ekhlas got the opportunity to learn, she used her education to help others. Her story exemplifies the incredible ways in which refugees can give back to their communities when given the chance to get an education. I have a better life because of someones hard work someone volunteered their time to help me become who I am today. So thats why I want to do my part to make it better for the next generation, she said. Because someone did that for me. College is expensive and a person needs to have enough in order to put himself or herself through it. Thus, it is surprising to find out that there are homeless college students. What's more surprising is that their number is increasing. There's not a lot of research regarding homelessness and education but the few that have been conducted revealed the growing rate of homeless college students. One study from Temple University in Philadelphia conducted a national survey in 70 community colleges across 24 states and confirmed that 13 to 14 percent of students are homeless. Sara Goldrick-Rab, the lead researcher of the Temple study, said that this number can be underestimated. She said that the response rate to the survey they gave was just 5 percent. That means the number can even be higher than 14 percent. Rab said that aside from homelessness, at least 33,000 students revealed that they were food insecure. Meanwhile, psychology professor Paul Toro was also conducting his own study on the issue at Wayne State University where he's teaching. His study revealed that 5 percent of Wayne students are either homeless or precariously housed. To put that percentage in perspective, Toro said that Wayne University has 30,000 students which mean around 1,500 students are homeless. The situation has been very serious because there are students who cannot even find a bed to sleep at night. The reason for this, according to Goldrick-Rab, all the beds are taken by others while these students are still at school. Why is this happening? Goldrick-Rab says that these issues are not really discussed because of the stigma that goes with being homeless. Basically, society says that a college education is a solution to poverty. Then, when a college student becomes homeless, it destroys that perception. Jennifer Carr, one of the homeless college students, said that this stigma needs to change. She also suggested that the issue needs to be discussed more because there are a lot of students who really want to go to college so bad they would do anything. June 28 2017 Edinburgh Napier University has begun the process of stripping cladding from its Bainfield Halls of residence in Fountain Park, amidst fire safety fears raised in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London Removal of the wood effect exterior cladding, Reynobond PE, is expected to take up to four weeks, in time for students arriving for the 2017-18 academic year.A university spokesperson commented: A physical inspection identified that around a quarter of the exterior walls on one of our buildings Bainfield Halls of residence featured the same cladding reportedly used at Grenfell.The insulation materials behind the Bainfield cladding panels are non-combustible, the panel hangings are all made of metal, the wall cavities are properly fire-stopped and the buildings are fitted with sprinklers.There are also a range of other fire safety measures in place, including each block having its own exit route, a modern fire alarm and smoke detection system that is tested weekly, and 24-hour on-site security.No residents will be evacuated during the course of the work following consultations with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service.Bainfield comprises seven separate blocks of flats housing 778 en-suite rooms designed by Allan Murray Architects. Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha has been forced into retirement following a public corruption investigation. Hawaii New Now reports that the former police chief's troubles are continuing to mount, with a fourth special prosecutor joining investigations into possible misconduct. Kealoha's wife Katherine is also a target in an FBI case, with Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro also joining the list of people being investigated. The investigation revolves around a ticket fixing scandal that grew from a speeding ticket against Kealoha's electrician. The ticket, given to the electrician, was dismissed thanks to the influence of Katherine, leading to the prosecutor's office also entering the investigations. The prosecutor's office further conducted illegal activity, according to the allegations, to justify the speeding ticket being thrown out of court. The electrician received a ticket for going 78 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. "Depending on your driving record and other factors, you may be able to plead to a lesser moving violation, such as going from a charge of 15 mph over the speed limit to 10 mph," states a speeding ticket lawyer. Driving 20 mph over the speed limit in Hawaii comes with a mandatory jail sentence and loss of license. Kealoha personally took care of the matter, showing up at the court during the electrician's heating. She alleged that the driver of the vehicle was not the electrician, but someone else who stole the person's identity. The FBI opened an investigation into the matter in 2015. Kaneshiro was called in to testify before a grand jury on the matter, but became uncooperative, according to reports. He failed to turn over files to the FBI, which was investigating the potential scandal. He then stated that the ticket was a "ghost ticket" given by Officer Ty Ah Nee to receive overtime. Ah Nee's credibility started to come under question following the comments. The ghost ticket claim changed after it proved to be baseless, with Kaneshiro changing his reasoning for the ticket. He stated that the ticket was dismissed "pursuant to a plea agreement." The FBI is investigated the plea agreement comment to determine if it was a cover up aimed to protect Kealoha. Katherine Kealoha was also been investigated in the past for trying to frame her uncle for theft of a mailbox. The defense started to unravel when a retired police officer, Niall Silva, testified. He stated that another police officer brought him the evidence and that he did not collect any from the scene. He admitted to lying to federal investigators about the surveillance video's collection. Kealoha's uncle was owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in a financial dispute, according to reports. He was suing his niece at the time of the mailbox allegations. Kealoha would eventually win a case against her uncle and grandmother in 2015, awarding Kealoha $658,787 in damages just one day after jurors deliberated on the matter. The lawsuit against Kealoha stemmed from a reverse mortgage against her grandmother's property. Katherine also asked federal investigators to block the release of her employment records, according to Civil Beat. (June 27, 2017) -- With a focus on economic development in rural Texas, the Texas Rural Challenge, an annual conference hosted by the University of Texas at San Antonios Institute for Economic DevelopmentSmall Business Development Center (SBDC) Rural Business Program has partnered with the City of Waco, the Office of the Governor, and numerous agencies across Texas to launch its 8th annual conference in Waco, Texas, from June 29-30, 2017. This years conference, Empowering Rural Texas, will focus on small business growth, community and economic development, and leadership. The two-day conference will feature keynote speakers, workshops and business competitions. It will also promote best practices and offer collaborative opportunities to help Texas rural businesses and communities thrive. Texas Strong, one of the conferences featured competitions, will test how effectively entrepreneurs are able to fast-pitch their businesses. Texas SBDC clients who have developed innovative products or services to benefit rural communities can participate if they are nominated by a Texas SBDC advisor. Finalists will also have the chance to win a Governor's Small Business Award. Texas Strong opened my eyes to all the amazing things happening in our rural communities and made me proud to be from a rural community, said Robert Likarish, 2016 Texas Strong first place winner and CEO of Ironroot Republic Distillery. The conference will also include the Texas Student Challenge, a fast-pitch and business plan competition encouraging entrepreneurship and technological innovation. The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students attending any Texas college or university. In addition to a monetary prize, winners will receive in-kind services from Texas SBDCs. Competing in the Texas Student Challenge was a wonderful experience through which I gained such valuable insight on how college students can become successful in business, said Manish Patel, 2016 Student Challenge third place winner. The State of Texas is comprised of 254 counties, including 177 that are considered rural and have less than 50,000 in population. Rural communities account for more than half the State of Texas. With the immense growth that the Texas Rural Challenge has experienced over the past seven years, we invite interested partners, entrepreneurs, students and the general public to get involved in the only statewide conference that caters specifically to Texas rural communities, said SBDC Rural Business Program director, Gil Gonzalez. The Texas Rural Challenge conference is an outstanding event and a real showcase for the economic vitality and strength of rural communities. The innovation and resilience we see in rural small businesses in Texas is a real beacon for SBDC efforts nationwide. Thanks to UTSA and the South-West Texas Border SBDC Region for their leadership in this effort to energize rural entrepreneurship, said Americas SBDC president, Tee Rowe. A paddle field in Hau Giang Province. - Photo VNA Truong Canh Tuyen, deputy chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said the province was attracting investments in high-tech agriculture and farm product processing. Tuyen expressed hope that Australian firms would invest in these sectors. Plantation makes up 70 per cent of the provinces agricultural production; 20 per cent is husbandry and 10 per cent is fishery. In addition, the province also called for official development assistance for environment, climate change and healthcare services. Further, the province will provide incentives in corporate income tax land use fees and import tax. Phil Johns, director of Auscham Viet Nam, said the association wants to sign memoranda of understanding with Hau Giang Province as a base to boost cooperation. Hau Giang Province has two industrial zones and four industrial clusters. Workers make bamboo mats in Dinh Tuong Commune in the central province of Thanh Hoa. VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue A large section of the private sector comprises family businesses, and their contribution demonstrates their pioneering role in boosting the post-crisis economic recovery, and nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit, playing an important role in the development of Viet Nams economy, Vu Tien Loc, chairman of VCCI, told the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV) online newspaper. Speaking at a meeting on The Professionalisation of Household Businesses on Saturday, Loc said "family-owned enterprises are an important component that promotes the development of the private sector, helping form private economic groups that lead in many sectors and make a valuable contribution to the nations GDP". The advantage of Vietnamese household businesses is the trustworthiness and intimacy between family members, but it poses the challenge of balancing this relationship with the principles of corporate governance, Loc said. In order to become even more successful, household businesses must work to change their mindsets, improve corporate governance and focus on strengthening human resources management. Growing into some of the worlds largest and most reputable corporations is an important task for both the economy and the household businesses. To achieve it, there must be professional solutions to enhance the competitiveness of these types of businesses, Loc said. Motorbikes being assembled at a Honda factory in the northern province of Ha Nam. Japan surpassed South Korea to become Viet Nams leading source of FDI in six months.- Photo nguoiduatin.vn Total FDI registered in the country in the period reached $19.22 billion, surging by a significant 54.8 per cent against the same period last year. The processing and manufacturing sector attracted the lion share of FDI at $9.48 billion, accounting for 49.3 per cent of total FDI registered in the country. Electricity production and distribution ranked second with $5.25 billion or equivalent to 27 per cent, while the mining sector came third with $1.28 billion or 6.68 per cent. Japan surpassed South Korea to become Viet Nams leading source of FDI in six months. Japanese investors pumped $5.08 billion into the country, making up 26.5 per cent of the total FDI. Investors from South Korea invested $4.95 billion, or 25.8 per cent, while those from Singapore poured $3.48 billion, or 18.1 per cent. From January to June, the central province of Thanh Hoa was the most attractive destination for foreign investors as it attracted $3.06 billion in FDI, contributing to 15.9 per cent of the nations total FDI. It was followed by the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Nam Dinh with $2.85 billion or 14.83 per cent and $2.19 billion or 11.4 per cent, respectively. Foreign-invested sector accounted for 71 per cent of the countrys total six-month export turnover. The sector also recorded trade surplus of $10.22 billion in the period. As of June 20, 2017, the country is home to more than 23,590 valid foreign-invested projects with a total registered capital of $306.3 billion. Over half of the total has been disbursed, according to the agency. File photo of a South African worker holding a chicken at a market, some 35 kilometres north of Durban. (AFP PHOTO/RAJESH JANTILAL) Namibia on Tuesday (Jun 27) became the latest country to ban South African chickens - live and uncooked - following last week's outbreak of the H5N8 strain of bird flu at two South African poultry farms. Windhoek followed Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, along with Zambia, which had already halted the imports of certain poultry products from South Africa. Namibia's chief veterinary officer Adrianatus Maseke confirmed in a statement "the suspension of import and 'in-transit' movement of live poultry, birds, poultry products, ostriches and ostrich products from South Africa". Authorities also suspended imports from Belgium which reported a bird flu outbreak in February. Zimbabwean government veterinarian Joseph Nyika said that Harare's ban on poultry would be lifted when South Africa confirmed that the situation had been contained - even though the southern Africa outbreak is thought to have started in Zimbabwean birds earlier this month. In a bid to contain the outbreak, South Africa is culling thousands of birds and has introduced a nationwide ban on the sale of live chickens. The H5N8 strain can spread quickly through affected farms, forcing farmers to cull thousands of birds. South African poultry experts said the strain arrived in the region with birds migrating from Europe. Since October, the strain has been detected in 15 European countries including Britain, France and Germany. A scene from the movie "Vandal" The first movie Les Vacances du Petit Nicolas (2014, 97) directed by Laurent Tirard, starring Valerie Lemercier, Kad Merad, Dominique Lavanant, and Francois-Xavier Demaison, will be screened on July 2. Holidays of Kid Nicolas is adapted from the famous novel by Sempe and Goscinny the one that French children bring to the beach on holidays. The feature follows the successful launch of the movie in 2010, which brought laughter to the audience. The new film selects the most subtle and humorous details from the original story. Along with expensive beach scenes, the film is sophisticated in terms of costumes. A bustling colorful beach with fragrant summer rooms and windy and beautiful bars creates a spacious, carefree vitality. The second movie - Vandal will be screened on June 30 and July 2. Directed by Helier Cisterne, the film stars Marina Fois, Jean-Marc Barr, Ramzy Bedia, and Zinedine Benchemine. The movie is about Cherif, 15, a rebellious and solitary teenager. Unable to cope with him, his mother sends him to live with his aunt and uncle in Strasbourg, where he must pick up his vocational training to become a builder. Its his last chance. But very quickly, Cherif feels like hes suffocating in his new life. But every night, graffiti artists set to work on the walls of the city, opening up a whole new world for Cherif Both films will be in French with Vietnamese subtitles. Tickets are available at LEspace, 24 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi. The customs authorities seems to have bypassed the court decision Overdue payment In November 2010, Vinataba-Philip Morris Ltd. (VPM) signed an agreement with Philip Morris Global Brands Inc. (PMGB) to the effect of which VPM was permitted to exclusively produce and distribute tobacco products bearing the Marlboro brand in Vietnam. In order to legally use the brand, VPM is required to pay a copyright licence fee to PMGB on the basis of the total net selling price of finished tobacco products it produces and sells. In 2011, VPM imported materials, including loose tobacco for the production of finished tobacco products bearing the Marlboro brand. On August 17, 2012, after a post-customs audit, director general of the Can Tho Department of Customs issued Decision No.219/QD-HQCT (Decision 219) imposing import tax on the materials that VPM imported in 2011, citing the reason that the company failed to file the copyright licensc fee paid in 2011 into taxable value for the imported goods. The additional tax amount that the company had to pay was VND4.9 billion ($217,943). On October 2, 2012, director general of the Can Tho Department of Customs issued Decision No.01/QD-HQCT (Decision 01) to stipulate a penalty of VND495 million ($21,794) against VPM for the violation of tax regulations due to its misfiling of the imported goods taxable value. Despite having submitted the two aforementioned amounts in full, VPM filed an administrative complaint and subsequently filed a lawsuit against Decision 219 and Decision 01. While awaiting a decision, VPM still complied with Decision 219 to attain custom clearance for the imported goods and was required to add the copyright licence fee into the taxable value of imported materials during the period from 2012 to the second quarter of 2016. The additional fee amounted to VND46.1 billion ($2 million). However, when filing and submitting these taxes, VPM sent a document to the Can Tho Department of Customs in order to reserve the right to claim refund on the tax amount the company had paid in relation to the copyright licence fee. On August 29, 2016, the Supreme Peoples Court of Ho Chi Minh City issued an appeal decision to annul Decision 219 and Decision 01. Accordingly, VPM was no longer required to add the copyright licence fee into the taxable value for imported goods. Pursuant to this decision, on November 14, 2016, VPM sent a document to the Can Tho Department of Customs to request a refund on the excess payment, amounting to VND51.6 billion ($2.27 million). However, the Can Tho Department of Customs only returned an amount of VND 5.4 billion ($237,654) in accordance with Decision 219 and Decision 01. The rest of the amount, VND46.1 billion ($2 million), the company submitted during the waiting period is yet to be resolved. Tran Thanh Luong, deputy director general of the Can Tho Department of Customs, stated that because the appeal decision did not mention the additional tax amount VPM submitted from 2012 to the second quarter of 2016, the department issued a document soliciting opinions and would be awaiting further instruction from the General Department of Customs. Taxation continues On September 8, 2016, the Post-Clearance Audit Department under the General Department of Customs issued a decision on the post-clearance audit of VPM. On January 16, 2017, director general of the department signed Conclusion No. 24/KL-KTSTQ, part V, Article 3 of which stated that the copyright licence fee must be added to the taxable value for imported goods, such as loose tobacco (processed and scented), filter, aluminum foil (these materials only need to go through the rolling process to make the finished cigarettes)." Pursuant to this conclusion, on April 25, 2017, the General Department of Customs issued document No. 2772/TCHQ-KTSTQ-NV in response to the document by the Can Tho Department of Customs regarding the refund of tax payment and overdue fines according to the administrative judgment. The General Department of Customs requested that the Can Tho Department of Customs consider the actual record of tax payments by VPM in order to decide on the additional tax payment on the basis of the conclusions by the Post-Clearance Audit Department. Nguyen Van Vu, deputy director general of the Can Tho Department of Customs, told VIR that the department has informed VPM of the response by the general department. According to the instructions from the general department, the copyright licence fees from the company must be added to taxable value for imported goods, therefore, the Can Tho Department of Customs would not return the excess of $2 million that the company submitted. If VPM does not agree, they can file a complaint or a lawsuit to resolve the case. Do Doan, CEO of VPM, said: The basis cited by the Post-Clearance Audit Department to add the copyright licence fees to the import taxable value is not in accordance with Article 14 of Circular No.205/2010/TT-BTC issued on December 15, 2010 by the Ministry of Finance (MoF). It also goes against Article 1 of Circular No.29/2014/TT-BTC issued on February 26, 2014 and Article 14 of Circular No.39/2015/TT-BTC issued on March 25, 2015 by MoF. Doan remarked that according to these articles, the copyright licence fee only needs to be added to taxable import value when the goods satisfy the following three conditions: copyright licence fee is paid for the use of intellectual property rights related to the goods; the purchaser pays the copyright licence fee as a condition of the transaction; and the copyright licence fee is yet to be included in the actual price paid or to be paid for the imported goods. Since the first two among these conditions were not satisfied, the copyright licence fee that VPM paid should not be added to taxable value for materials. Remarkably, the basis in the conclusion issued by director general of the Post-Clearance Audit Department on which the copyright licence fee is to be added to taxable value is also the very basis that the Can Tho Department of Customs issued Decision 219 that the court annulled. Does the general department not know? said Do Doan. VPM is an enterprise with large contribution to Can Tho city. In 2016, the company contributed VND1.176 trillion ($51.7 million), accounting for 10 per cent of the total budget revenue of the Mekong Delta city. Children with Japanese encephalitis being treated at the neurology and infectious diseases department at the HCM City Paediatrics Hospital 1.-VNS Photo Hang inh Truong Huu Khanh, head of the hospitals neurology and infectious diseases department, said the number of cases would increase soon since this is the breeding season of the culex mosquito, which transmits Japanese encephalitis. The mosquitoes breed mostly in paddy fields, he said. The disease is transmitted from pigs and birds to humans through mosquitoes, he said. Six children are being treated at the hospital and are in bad conditions. All are on ventilators. The number of cases is higher this year than last and the victims condition is more serious, Khanh said. The son of Tran Thi Yen Nga of the delta province of Ben Tre has been treated for Japanese encephalitis for the last eight months and remains on a ventilator. Khanh said two patients including Ngas son have been treated for a long time. People in serious condition and placed on ventilators need to be treated for a full year, he said. Many of the victims, including Ngas son, were not vaccinated against the disease, he said. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), most Japanese encephalitis infections are mild or without apparent symptoms, but approximately one in 250 patients have severe clinical illness. Severe disease is characterised by a rapid onset of high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis and ultimately death, WHO said. Of those who survive, 20-30 per cent suffer permanent mental, behavioural or neurological problems such as paralysis, recurrent seizures or the inability to speak, it added. Khanh said there is no medicine to cure the disease and the main treatment involves using a breathing machine to assist respiration and drugs for preventing convulsion. According to statistics, 60 per cent of patients recover and 30 per cent suffer from permanent problems, with the remaining 10 per cent dying. Getting vaccinated and destroying mosquitoes are the best preventive methods, he said. At one year children should get their first shot and a second after 14 days. A year later they get a third shot. After three years they should get a booster shot. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The Dangerous Side-Effects of Plastics, and How to Minimize Their Toxic Impact Plastics are not only an environmental disaster; these man-made conveniences introduced a century ago are also harming our physical and mental health. Phthalates chemical compounds used to make plastic more flexible and durable are found in more products than you might imagine, and have become the human bodys Some of our our readers misunderstood a previous chronicle concerning the evolution of the Muslim world. I shall therefore clear up the questions concerning Islam before describing as precisely as possible its current situation. In the first place, if you have a clear-cut idea about Islam, this means that you know only one of its forms, since the religion differs widely between Morocco and Xinjiang. Whether on the liturgical or the legal level, there is hardly any resemblance between the Islam of Sharjah and the Islam of Java. This religion may be approached by a literal reading of the Quran, or by a contextualised reading, or even by an appraisal of the authenticity of the current Quranic text. During the first four centuries of Islam, all Muslims agreed on the necessity of interpreting the Quran, which led to the elaboration of four distinct legal systems (Hanafite, Malekite, Shafiite and Hanbalite), depending on the local culture. But at the end of the 10th century, noting the expansion of this religion and fearing that it would lead to division, the Sunni caliph forbade further interpretation. Only the Chiites continued their investigations. Since then, Islam has adapted as best it could to the demands of its time. Despite appearences, if one refuses to interpret the text, it cannot be understood as it was first written, but only through the prism of ones own culture. Aware that Mahommet had lived in Arabia, the Saudis considered as given that they would spontaneously be able to understand the meaning of the Quran, as if their society and their language had not evolved for 1,400 years. For them, as in the 18th century for Mohammed ben Abdel Wahhab, Mahommet had consolidated the values of nomadic tribalism. These are the Wahhabites . For example, the Quran condemns idols - thus the Wahhabites destroy statues of the antique gods, which Mahommet never did, but which corresponds to their Bedouin culture. Similarly, in the 8th century, the Byzantine Christians had to deal with the Saudi iconoclasts who destroyed, in the name of Christ, the decorations of the churches. Nomadic tribalism does not even recognise the notion of History. The Wahhabites destroyed the house of the prophet in Mecca, because it had become a site of pilgrimage, and thus, according to them, a place of idolatry. But they did not stop there. Over the last few years, they have destroyed all of the magnificent ancient city of Mecca, since they recognise no cultural interest in what they see as heaps of old stones. If one refers to the literal reading, one is a fundamentalist , and so, generally, tries to live like the companions of the prophet. In that case, one is known as a Salafist , because one is trying to live like the holy ancestors (the Salafs ). This movement, born in 19th century Egypt, was developed in reaction to Wahhabism, and was extremely liberal. However it has since become very repressive. For example, most of todays Salafists forbid the consumption of alcohol, but some cheikhs, on the contrary, affirm that it is lawful to drink in moderation. All of them draw their arguments from the Quran, which contains three apparently contradictory passages on the subject. All religions are confronted with this impossibility of reproducing a passage that no-one can reconstitute. For example, in the 20th century, the Christian charismatic movement gave rise to conflicting understanding of sexuality, according to whether they based their case directly on the Gospels, or on the morality of Pauls epistles. Over the last few years, under the influence of the work done by the European exegetes concerning the writing of the biblical texts, a few authors question the authenticity of the Quranic texts. In the first place, in order to affirm his authority, the caliph of Damascus demanded the collation of the texts attributed to Mahommet, from which he constituted the Quran, and then ordered the burning of all the other anthologies. However, the word Mahommet does not indicate a specific person, it is a title awarded to wise men. It is therefore possible that the Quran reproduces the words of several prophets, which seems to be corroborated by the presence of different literary styles in the canonical texts. Archeologists have discovered Quranic texts which are anterior to the canonical version. There are differences, sometimes significative, between these texts written with distinct alphabets. Indeed, the canonical Quran was written with a simplified alphabet which was only completed later, during the 8th century. This transcription is in itself an interpretation, and it is possible that it was sometimes mistaken. Evidently, certain suras of the Quran reproduce older texts used by the Christians of the region. They were not written in Arabic, but in Aramean, and certain original words have been conserved in the definitive text. Their contemporary reading is the object of numerous misunderstandings. Thus - with apologies to the kamikazes of Daesh, who hope for their reward in Paradise - the word houri means white grapes , and not wide-eyed virgins . So far, things seem simple enough - Islam is the religion of the Quran. However, the tradition gives almost equal importance to the golden legend of the prophet, the Hadiths. These are works written often hundreds of years later by people who could not have witnessed the facts they present. These assertions are far more numerous than could occur in the space of a single lifetime. They illustrate very diverse and opposing opinions. Some of them display an appalling level of intellect and could serve to justify anything at all. The unwarranted credit accorded to these fantastical writings has profoundly deformed the transmission of the Quranic message. In pratice, all these discussions mask another, essential if religion is what attempts to link mankind to God, it is obviously the source of all chicanery. Indeed, how can we pretend to know God if He is of a radically different and superior nature than our own? And, even supposing that He actually expressed Himself through the prophets, how can we pretend to understand what He told us? We should note that from this perspective, the question of the existence of God that is to say a conscience superior to our own has no meaning. This is, for example, the idea supported by the Christian saints Gregory of Nazianzus or Francis of Assisi. Still from this perspective, people who attempt to approach God that is, not to apply His Law, but to help the evolution of human nature to make it more conscious have a tendency to share their experience and thus to found churches.In order to function, these churches have a tendency to form permanent staff, priests or imams. In Christianity, this function only appeared as from the 3rd century several generations after the death of Jesus. In all religions, these clerics wind up enjoying an intermediary status between the lay community and God. But none of the founders of the great religions ever created a church or formed a clergy. Just as Europe experienced a massive step backward with the great invasions which destroyed the Roman Empire (the Huns and the Goths), so the Muslim world also experienced a step backward with the Mongol invasions (Genghis Khan and Timur). While this traumatism lasted only three centuries in Europe, it was artificially prolonged in the Arab world by the Ottoman and European colonisations. Although that had nothing to do with the history of Christianity, nor that of Islam, there are enough clerics who pretend that these steps backward are the consequences of a state of sin which has become generalised. In order to reclaim the golden age, we only have to follow their teaching, and not to rebuild. Inexorably, the clerics became involved in politics, and aspired to impose their vision of things in the name of God. The result is a rivalry between the clergy and the lay community. So, in France, once the traumatism of the great invasion was over, and although it existed by divine right , the secular royalty entered into conflict with the clerical papacy. In the Arab world, which is a minority within the Muslim world, this conflict blew up with decolonisation and the independence movements. The nationalist leaders (Nasser, Ben Barka) found themselves in conflict with the Muslim Brotherhood. During the Cold War, the former were supported by the Soviets and the latter by NATO. The dissolution of the USSR weakened the nationalist camp and led to a wave of Islamism. Furthermore, the Arab Spring was a NATO operation intended to definitively eradicate the nationalists to the profit of the Muslim Brotherhood. The crowds who supported these movements were in no way attempting to install democracies. On the contrary, they were persuaded that by putting the Muslim Brotherhood in power, they would be creating an ideal society and a new Islamic golden age. They have changed their minds since then. It is important to understand that the Muslim Brotherhood and their jihadist organisations, Al-Qaida and Daesh, are not radicalised Muslims as the West pretends. These are political and not religious movements. The fact that they quote passages from the Quran all day long does not make them religious. They are no more than clerics. The reaction against the Arab Spring began in June 2013 in Egypt, where 33 million citizens demonstrated for five days against the dictatorship of Brother Mohamed Morsi and for the re-establishment of constitutional order by the army. Every political party - without exception and all the religious organisations united around the army against the Muslim Brotherhood, in other words for secularism and against clericalism. In the months that followed, the head of the armies, General Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who harboured the ambition of being elected President, transmitted to Saudi Arabia documents which had been seized at the headquarters of the Brotherhood. They attested to the fact that certain members of the Brotherhood were preparing the overthrow of the Seouds, from Qatar. Riyadhs reaction was immediate the arrest of several members of the Brotherhood in Arabia, attacks in Qatar and unconditional support for the election of General al-Sissi. The situation of the Seouds was all the more complicated in that - not all of the Brotherhood was implicated in the plot; since 1961, they have been the sponsors of the Brotherhood via the Muslim World League; and that their regime was based on Wahhabism, and therefore clerical, like the Muslim Brotherhood. The Seouds gave the Nayefs free reign to repress the putschists and re-establish order. They acted as they had in 1990 during the Sururist revolt. At the time, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Surur, had managed to convince the Saudi Wahhabists to take power. It took five years to put down the rebellion [1]. This was the situation which blew up again when, in May 2017, President Donald Trump came to Riyadh to demand that the Muslim powers end their association with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Seouds decided this time not only to split with the Brotherhood, but also to abandon political Islam. This must be understood the fact of adopting a secular position in no way changes the fact of being fundamentalist, Salafist. The monarchy of King Salman found itself in the same position as the French monarchy of Philippe le Bel. In order to accompany this decisive evolution, the Seoud family council accepted, by 31 voices to 4, to prepare the abdication of King Salman, to put an end to the Adelphic rule for succession to the throne, to skip two generations and designate Prince Mohammed ben Salman as their next king. From their side, Qatar and the Brotherhood immediately contacted Turkey and Pakistan. Above all , they allied themselves with Iran, despite the fact that they are still fighting the Revolutionary Guard on the battlefields of Syria and Yemen, and the government of Cheikh Rohani shares their clerical conception of Islam. This about-face by Iran demonstrates the opposition between its political power and its military power. It is based on the pact concluded between Hassan el-Banna, the founder of the original Muslim Brotherhood, and the young Ayatollah Khomeiny. This was an agreement according to which the Brotherhood would not start a religious war between the Sunnis and the Chiites, an agreement which was smashed by Daesh. Above all, it was based on the ambiguities of the Revolution of 1979, at once an anti-imperialist secular movement and a search for clerical identity, and on the evolution of the function of the Guide Ali Khamenei, at once leader of the world Revolution and local politician charged with maintaining the balance between the factions. Considering the thirteen stipulations transmitted by Saudi Arabia and Egypt to Qatar, it is unlikely that the conflict between the lay community and the clerics will be resolved quickly. The question is whether the Western powers will understand what is actually playing out in the Greater Middle East . They are the ones who presented President Ahmadinejad as a cleric; they according to whom Brother Morsi did not rig his election and was overthrown by a coup detat; they who pretend that Libya and Syria were not attacked from the exterior but were the theatre of a democratic revolution. If you keep lying to yourself, you lose contact with reality. The Ministry for Heritage has announced that three new interpretation panels have been placed within our Old Town in order to provide information on our Medieval History, namely our Islamic and Spanish Periods. Budget Speech - The Hon Albert Isola MP "Mr Speaker, I have the honour to present my fourth Budget Speech dealing with each of the areas I have the privilege to have responsibility for; GIBRALTAR FINANCE Mr Speaker, I start with financial services. Mr Speaker, the result of the Brexit Referendum in June 2016 was not initially viewed as a positive development for Gibraltars financial services sector, as the loss of our EU passporting rights was unwelcome. It became clear to us in the months following the referendum that the actual volume of business being conducted throughout the EU was small, and we were predominantly a jurisdiction which worked strongly with the United Kingdom, the Worlds 5th largest economy. Mr Speaker, I must pause to mention, applaud and commend the exceptional work of my friends the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia, our DCM and Mr Michael Llamas QC our Attorney General for their precise, detailed and methodical work in preparing our Heat Maps of our entire economy which enabled us to engage with others with accurate, factual and compelling data. The many months of very hard work have been invaluable and they should both be commended for this work. Mr Speaker, I must also mention my friend the Chief Minister who has since the Referendum demonstrated and proven himself to be a remarkable leader. Mr Speaker we needed calm action, intelligence and strategic thinking at a time when we were facing our most uncertain period in recent history. He led the team, with our DCM and Attorney General which met with the Prime Minister, Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, Secretary of States, Ministers, officials and secured by last October a commitment from the UK Government for UK access which has enabled us all to focus on the opportunities that this will bring. I cannot stress enough the importance of his work this past 12 months and on behalf of our entire business community I thank him for his staggering effort and leadership which has much strengthened confidence in these difficult times. Mr Speaker, in considering opportunities and the relevance of UK market access we must remind ourselves that there are a large number of financial services firms that passport their services into the UK from continental Europe. Whilst most of the UK press has been about UK businesses needing to plan their post Brexit strategies in order to protect their existing markets, there has not been so much press about passporting services into the UK post Brexit. Gibraltar's unique Ministry of Commerce trading relationship with the UK allows Gibraltar to position itself as a gateway to the UK and the worlds fifth largest economy both today and post Brexit'. Mr Speaker this is especially true in the Insurance sector where we continue to work with firms considering Gibraltar as their base for business, complying with EU legislation and regulatory standards but with a pro-business friendly approach and culture. Mr Speaker, we continue to work with delivering Part VII transfers from the UK, and recent Court decisions will, we believe, facilitate this and in further developing other structures which we are working on with the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and the professional sector. In the last 12 months we have worked with a number of parties about establishing new life insurance companies in Gibraltar in particular for pension transactions such as bulk annuity transfers and longevity swaps. The number of these types of transactions has been gaining momentum in recent years and the expectation is that this sector will expand considerably over the next five to ten years. We intend to position Gibraltar as a domicile for this type of insurance activity. Mr Speaker, the new personal pensions regulations were introduced at the end of March 2017 and were drafted to ensure that the Gibraltar Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) continued to meet the requirements of Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which were due to change from 6 April 2017. There has been a number of profound changes to the QROPS sector over the last 12 months, with HMRC removing a number of jurisdictions from its recognised QROPS list and introducing a new 25% levy on pension transfers from the UK, which whilst not affecting all transfers is, likely to lead to a significant reduction in QROPS business for Gibraltar and many other QROPS domiciles. Having worked with HMRC since December 2015 in this area the result was deeply disappointing and we continue to work to explore opportunities in this space. We remain committed to supporting the pension sector as it seeks to introduce new pension and savings products and to begin to reposition itself following the unexpected introduction of the 25% levy on pension transfers from the UK. Mr Speaker we are also exploring further improvements to the PCC legislation with the sector to enable their further use and we expect these to be considered fully with the GFSC shortly. The Insurance and Pensions sectors are well represented by Mr Michael Ashton who has the energy and drive of a teenager but the knowledge and experience of a master. We are fortunate to have him. Mr Speaker, earlier this this year we completed the review and implementation of what has become known as STEP legislation. The enactment of the Private Foundations Act 2017 completed the delivery of the STEP Gibraltar wish list submitted to Government some years ago. I am grateful to the private sector, and in particular the STEP association for their support in helping us to complete this process. Family offices is one of the areas that we have particularly focussed on and continues to provide successful outcomes impacting favourably across a number of specialist practice areas for local professional firms. We have agreed a way forward with the Philanthropy Forum and will continue the good work they have started in reviewing our legislation and making it fit for purpose. Mr Speaker, in May, we published for extensive public consultation a document entitled, Proposals for a DLT Regulatory Framework. The result of a huge amount of work undertaken by the Cryptocurrency Working Group and the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and a number of leading representatives in this field. The consultation period ended in early June and we are considering the feedback received. The interest generated by this proposed regulatory approach has been significant and we hope and expect to introduce this framework in January 2018. We believe Gibraltar is well placed to move swiftly in this interesting and fast moving area. My sincere thanks to the CryptoCurrency working group, the GFSC and Sian Jones our consultant for their professional and dedicated work which of course is ongoing. Mr Speaker, our Category 2 and HEPSS products continue to provide effective solutions and are attractive to the international client. As the Chief Minister announced recently we will reconvene the Cat 2 Working Group to further consider their proposals. We also continue to grow our social media presence Mr Speaker as a method of increasing awareness to a wide yet appropriate audience at a very low cost. Our database stands in excess of 5,100 individuals, which we interact with almost on a daily basis. Our electronic bookshelf, hosted on ISSUU.com, now has 137 publications covering the full range of topics that are of interest to our readers. These include self-generated fact sheets, articles, manuals and guides created by private sector firms. Our audience has read these publications more than 11,150 times. Mr Speaker, Mr Paul Astengo has driven all these important projects forward as well of course as dealing with the continued business development throughout the United Kingdom and Switzerland. He is a joy to work with and ever dependable in the many areas we have asked him to work in. A true and trusted professional. Mr Speaker, in the area of funds, we have worked more closely than ever with the Gibraltar Funds and Investment Association, reviewing our legislation, considering improvements and new innovative changes which will serve us well in the future. As the Chief Minister announced at the recent Accountants dinner, we expect to have the first phase of changes in our legislation in early July. I am most grateful to Adrian Hogg, its President as well as Jay Gomez, Joey Garcia and James Lasry all of whom work closely together with the Executive to deliver the best for their sector and Gibraltar PLC. My thanks also to Sarah Hall and Julian Sacarello from the GFSC who have made this happen. Mr Speaker, Mr Tim Haynes working at Gibraltar House in London continues to support the Funds and Private client space in London where his extensive knowledge and contact base in this sector have contributed to the success of events hosted at Gib House London and this will continue as we now start, with GFIA in hosting monthly seminars in London targeting the professionals in this area. The time dedicated to business development remains strong with Mr Astengo and Mr Haynes focusing primarily in London and the UK generally and Mr Ashton focusing in Asia together with Mr Jason Cruz whose sterling support continues to open up opportunities across all sectors of our business community. Mr Speaker, I am pleased to update Parliament on the progress of the Gibraltar International Bank. I am delighted Mr Speaker to report that the Bank continues to deliver above expectation in both its performance and its service levels and this is especially pleasing as we have witnessed the unfortunate further reduction in the provision of Banking facilities. Mr Speaker we were right to have decided to set up the Bank in 2013, right to have established an independent Board of Directors and right to have allowed the Executive team to get on with the job of driving GIB forward. The results speak for themselves; just 2 years after its doors opened, the Bank has over 10,000 accounts opened, 440Million deposited and over 90Million in Loans. I must again thank the Board of Directors, Lawrence and Derek and each member of the team at the Bank for their spectacular work. Mr Speaker we have also continued the excellent work on our Legislative Reform Programme, which we expect to complete early in 2018. This will have a significant impact on both Regulator and private firms and I am confident will be most welcome. The first sector consultation will commence on 12th July and continue for the rest of the year. I am grateful to the Finance Centre Council for agreeing to be actively engaged in this process. Sarah Hall and Ernest Lima have driven this project with us and they must be commended. The quality of the work of the GFSC in all these areas are also worthy of mention. Each of the members of the many teams I have worked with have delivered professional, dependable and expert advice and support to a high quality, from its Chairman Mr Jonathan Spencer and its CEO Samantha Barrass to all the other individual members of the team. My sincere thanks to them all. Mr Speaker, Government is most appreciative of the work of all private sector firms, associations and individuals who work with us throughout the year. The list is endless but we are grateful to each and every one of them, as we are especially to the members of the Brexit working group, who have excelled in their detailed work on the best way forward for our Jurisdiction. Mr Speaker, before turning to Gaming, I must thank Mr Jimmy Tipping, CEO and my right hand man in this area, and his fantastic team at Gibraltar Finance for the superb work they deliver every year and with such calm and ease. Jimmy has inter alia driven our complex discussions on the UBO register this year and will perhaps be best remembered for his outstanding performance in defending Gibraltar at the often hostile PANA Committee hearings in Brussels. GAMING Mr Speaker, I now turn to Gaming. Notwithstanding the tumultuous political year in Europe and especially the UK, some in the popular media wish to find bad news stories about the remote gambling industry rather than the good news it remains. I will take this opportunity to confirm that none of our licensees is currently undertaking a Brexit based restructure that might see its Gibraltar establishment transplanted to a different jurisdiction. Both my staff and myself are in regular liaison with our licensees. While the shape and features of Brexit creates uncertainty and licensees change the nature, size and shape of their operations as markets, products, technology and the political landscape develops Gibraltar licensees are looking at the mitigating factors that they may need to apply should some of the Brexit risks materialise; Mr Speaker, That is not planning to leave Gibraltar, but sensible and prudent scenario planning by sensible and prudent companies, the type of company we are keen to licence and welcome to Gibraltar. None of us here can predict what a 2019 Brexit will look like. Indeed, whether it will be in 2019 or we may only have clarity in 2019, but what I can assure members is that as those details do become clear, this Government will still be pressing for measures, and taking its own measures, to ensure that the Gibraltar arrangements remain the most attractive and supportive in Europe, if not the World. The major players in this industry continue to beat a path to our door, to invest here, to operate here and to be associated here as they have done for the last 20 years and more. As in previous years, there remains a constant flow of highly credible and respected names in the remote industry engaging in discussions with the licensing and regulatory teams about Gibraltar licensing. Such enquiries and developments have been taking place at a time of unprecedented M&A activity in this sector. We are now in the fourth year of escalating M&A that far exceeds the impact of Brexit and M&A is not going to end soon. M&A has affected over half of all our licensees and 15 of the current crop of 30 licence holders. In 4 years, it has seen 9 licensees absorbed into bigger companies and those 9 licences expire, and 6 other licensees become significant parts of bigger companies. Mr Speaker, This consolidation means that the total number of licensees is standing still despite new arrivals. In the last 12 months (April 2016 to March 2017), we have seen 5 new operators issued with licences, whilst 5 existing licence holders have been surrendered, with 2 of our biggest licensees merging. Where there were 31 licensees at this time last year, there are now 30, but I anticipate a possible 4 more being issued in months to come as licensing plans come to fruition, but likewise, consolidation and the apparent loss of licences will also continue. Correspondingly, employment in the sector has seen continued growth of 101 posts during the year to a new high of 3,353 as at 31/3/17, and as the CM has already mentioned, an increase of 9% from October 2015 to October 2016. We must not forget that staff can be hugely unsettled by the wave that industry consolidation may bring. However, this is the nature of this incredibly dynamic industry and we are happy to work with the industry to ensure that the Government can play its part in supporting this sector which continues to thrive. Mr Speaker, Government receipts from the industry, charges, taxes, fees etc. continue to increase significantly as the industry grows and will be reported separately. However, the closure of the GBGA POC Tax case does create the opportunity to review and re-shape the way in which the gambling industry contributes to the revenues of Government. I plan to discuss with the industry in months to come how we can both modernise and consolidate the current charges into a simpler and more consistent model of taxation and fees. It is incumbent on me to make clear that this is not a proposal to implement a structural increase in those charges, but look to bring them up to date and better reflect the revenues and costs of the industry some 20 years since they were introduced. This work will also allow us to resurrect the Review of the Gambling Act initiated in 2014 but deferred for 12 months following the Brexit vote. Mr Speaker perhaps the biggest change this year will be the retirement of our Gambling Commissioner and Head of Regulation, Phill Brear, at the end of this year. Phill will have served a full 10 years in his posts here in Gibraltar, and seen through a transformation of the industry between 2007 and 2017, a transformation that he is the first to admit has yet to end. The process for the appointment of his replacement, indeed, likely replacements, is now underway and I am confident we will have a strong new team identified and in place by the time Phills tenure comes to an end in October. Phills contribution to this sector cannot be underestimated and it will be difficult to replace him. He has been an exceptional servant to Gibraltar and I repeat my view that he is one of the best online Gaming regulators in the world, and we are most fortunate to have had him here. His contribution is recognised by the industry, regulators and Government(s) and I am equally confident we will soon conclude arrangements that ensure both a smooth transition for the new team as well as, I am delighted to report, his continued involvement in the development and oversight of the gambling industry in Gibraltar. Likewise, another stalwart of the Gambling Division has recently moved on. Lorraine Britto has been the driver of the engine room of the Gambling Division for some 8 years and is soon to be replaced. I take this opportunity to thank once again the outstanding efforts of Lorraine and the licensing and regulatory teams in maintaining Gibraltars reputation as a first tier jurisdiction. Their work continues to be exceptional. Mr Speaker, I will end by emphasising that Government remains committed to a strong and supportive legislative, regulatory and taxation regime for the gambling industry, remote and non- remote. I will continue to meet with industry leaders on a regular basis to ensure their interests and concerns are properly understood and that Gibraltar remains the preferred jurisdiction for their operations. I must also thank the Brexit Working group for their continued expertise and support as we jointly plot the exciting future for this sector. LIASON DEPARTMENT Mr Speaker, I turn to the Liaison Department. The Liaison Department was set up in September 2013. Its function has evolved over time from its original concept to facilitate and support the Gaming & Finance Centre industries with their interaction with all Government departments. Their work is constantly recognised by these sectors as they continue to provide necessary support to them. The Unit also provides invaluable assistance to my Ministry in a number of different areas as we work towards developing a new framework for interaction between citizens, businesses and Government. I am most grateful to Lizanne Ochello and Tania Pereira for their work in all of these areas. COMMERCE AND THE OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING Mr Speaker, it has been a pleasure working with the Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Business this past year in meeting their members needs. They are always forthright, honest and well-intended and although we may not always agree, we certainly make progress for the benefit of Gibraltar PLC. We have worked on many areas this year and we will as a result of this close working relationship shortly be consulting on further improvements to our business environment. Mr Speaker, I turn to Office of Fair Trading, or the OFT as it is more commonly referred. I am happy to report that the OFT has finished its first full year of operations making substantial advances in the manner in which it delivers its services for the benefit of businesses and consumers alike. During this time, the office has settled well into its new regulatory role and has made noteworthy progress in trying to meet the ambitious objectives and responsibilities set for it by the Fair Trading Act 2015. As with any new project, it has been a steep learning curve for the Office and its staff, particularly with the addition of new responsibilities, and consequently this project remains very much a work in progress. We are working on a review of the Fair Trading Act 2015 together with the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses and the Chamber of Commerce which will make the process of setting up business in Gibraltar even simpler and more efficient while at the same time bolstering the protection afforded to consumers. I have no doubt that once the changes are drafted and announced they will be most welcome by the business community. Mr Speaker, the OFT has been given the responsibility of regulating High Value Dealers and Real Estate Agents in Gibraltar from an anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing perspective. On 15th September 2016, the OFT was appointed as a Supervisory Authority under the Proceeds of Crimes Act 2015 with the objective of preventing the laundering of illicit funds using these businesses. This is a substantial new role, working relentlessly to set up new, practical anti-money laundering measures and procedures for the effective regulation of high value dealers and real estate agents. All this is also being done in anticipation of Gibraltars upcoming Moneyval assessment, which is due to take place in the second half of 2018. Mr Speaker, I now turn to the OFTs consumer protection responsibilities. The nature of the work carried out by the team, which was previously the Department of Consumer Affairs, has shifted from a mediatory role to a regulatory one. The ultimate aim of the current Consumer Protection team is therefore to prevent significant harm to consumers in Gibraltar, not to offer redress. Mr Speaker, I now turn to Business Licensing. Since the introduction of the Fair Trading Act 2015 (which extended the requirement for licensing to service providers) the number of licences issued by the Business Licensing Authority has more than doubled. There are now approximately 2,000 licensed businesses operating in Gibraltar. The Office has been extremely busy dealing with a constant stream of applications. This surge, while expected, has led to very high workloads as the previously unlicensed businesses have been applying for their new licences. I am happy to say the team has dealt with this extra work well. In terms of tackling unlicensed businesses, a strategic programme has been introduced to tackle this issue on a sector by sector basis. The Business Licensing team has the ability to deploy OFTs Consumer Protection Enforcers to investigate businesses that it suspects or is informed are not in possession of a valid business licence. Mr Speaker, I must thank Mr Francis Muscat and his team for their superb work in making a success of this new project. We have lots more to do in streamlining and improving these processes but this is only possible because of their commitment and ability to respond to these challenges and to embrace further responsibility in the manner that they have. I am most grateful to each and every one of them. POSTAL SERVICES Mr Speaker, I now turn to my responsibilities for the Royal Gibraltar Post Office (RGPO). Mr Speaker, I am looking forward this year to engaging with the management and staff of the RGPO, together with UNITE to review all aspects of the Postal Service. There is no question that as technology reduces the use of ordinary mail, and the global economy and in particular online purchasing significantly increases the quantum of postal purchases and parcel deliveries, there is an opportunity to review how we operate and serve the publics needs in the best way possible. I intend to work through all of these areas with the team at the RGPO and Unite and am confident that we will together agree a sensible and fair way forward for all parties concerned. These discussions will start immediately. I must thank the entire team for their continued work and dedication in meeting the needs of our community, and I know they will be willing partners in this process. Last year the RGPO announced that it was the first Postal Service to launch the UN Universal Postal Union Customs Declaration Kiosk System (CDS), which sends Advance Electronic Information (AEI) to other countries. As from 1st January 2020 it will be a mandatory requirement for all postal items containing goods to send AEI to all the other authorities around the world. Mr Speaker, this April this year the RGPO signed the new multilateral agreement in respect of a new Tracked Packets Service and in September, the RGPO has planned negations with Royal Mail to discuss the introduction of the new International Merchandise Returns Service (IMRS), which is a tracked postage-paid returns service designed to meet the demands of bulk mail operations. Growth in this area may present significant opportunities for the RGPO to grow its business. The Government is looking at ways to adapt its products and services to make bulk mailing operations based in Gibraltar more attractive. The RGPO is also working with British Airways World Cargo on the possibility of introducing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponders to give 100% visibility of mail bags in the BA cargo shed at London Heathrow to create more visibility of the transport of mail. Mr Speaker, since 2013, the RGPO has coordinated a local Letter Writing Competition with the Department of Education. Each year, the winning letter is forwarded to the UN UPU International Letter Writing Competition. In 2016, Anna Grech from Westside Comprehensive School became the first Gibraltarian to reach the top 13 out of 980,000 applicants, for which I presented her with various prizes donated by the UPU. A remarkable achievement and a real attempt to preserve the magical art of letter writing! Mr Speaker, my thanks to David Ledger, Sabina Pitaluga, Joe Brosco and all of their teams for all their hard work during the course of the year. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND LOGISTICS DEPARTMENT Mr Speaker, I now turn to ITLD. Mr Speaker HM Government of Gibraltar aims to be the leader in providing digital electronic services by making the best possible use of information and communication technologies, to bring interactive Government counters to the door steps of citizens and businesses, providing services anytime, anyhow and anywhere. But, Mr Speaker, that is easier said than done, especially when you are simultaneously engaged in keeping the entire Government network working and dealing with supporting, designing and caring for every single Government Department. And, to boot, dealing with the ever increasing threat of Cybercrime. I must thank the IT Team for their excellent work in dealing with recent well reported Cyber attacks which have seen them covering our systems 24/7 to ensure we are as best protected as we can be. They have served us well and we are truly grateful to them. There is much work to be done in the area of Cybercrime and we will continue to develop our plans for this. Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Tyrone Manasco and his team of professionals in the IT department for all their hard work during the year. I have personally seen the extent of their remit and am most grateful for their commitment to serving our needs. Mr Speaker, Government is committed to delivering eGovernment and a huge amount of work is being undertaken to deliver this. Yes, Mr Speaker this is taking longer than we would have liked, but I am confident we will deliver a service which the community will appreciate and be proud of. Mr Speaker we are reviewing every single aspect of our IT systems including all arrangements with existing suppliers of services in this area and the internal arrangements within Government Departments in what our needs are and how we operate. All of these Mr Speaker are being audited, as are our intended digital strategy. We are taking time Mr Speaker to verify our systems and our needs to ensure compatibility and functionality across all our services. In brief Mr Speaker our Digital Strategy will deliver; 1. eAdministration, which will provide the entire Government with an operational system that will revolutionise how we work. The first phase, our Procurement system has already been introduced and suppliers are registering as we speak and we expect to go live very shortly. Any provider of goods or services will require to register on our system. 2. eCitizen, which will provide all citizens with a secure online portal to coordinate their entire interaction with Government 3. eBusiness, which will provide a secure online portal for businesses to transact their business with Government directly and efficiently. Mr Speaker, this resume belies the extent of the change and the efficiencies this will provide us with. There are a number of workflows running in parallel which will deliver a new way of doing business with Government, all built on a stable, robust and resilient network. Mr Speaker this is a massive undertaking and I am grateful to all the many parties who are assisting us in making this a reality. I must especially Mr Julian Baldachino who is driving this project across Government with an enthusiasm and energy which is critical to the success of this project. His determination matches Governments desire to make this a reality and he is ably supported by Mr Karon Cano, on secondment from our IT Department for this project. Mr Speaker, a truly exciting time for the Government. I am very excited about this work as I believe this process will bring about, perhaps one of the largest transformational changes the Government has seen, and certainly, in the last generation. Mr Speaker, I would like to close by thanking my Secretary, Lourdes Piri and all the team in my office who are always there for me, providing a professional service and always supporting the work I do with a smile on their faces, whatever the challenge. They are a credit to the Civil Service and I am most grateful to each and every one of them." Minister for Housing Chairs First Meeting of the Fire Safety Review Committee Minister for Housing Samantha Sacramento MP, last week chaired the first meeting of the Housing Fire Safety Review Committee that was announced by Government following the tragic events that followed the fire at Grenfell Tower in London. Going forward the working group will be chaired by Geraldine Reading, Principal Housing Officer and is comprised of the Chief Technical Officer, Chief Fire Officer, Head of Housing works Agency, Building Control, Health and Safety, Crown Counsel, Land Property Services and GJBS The Minister has instructed the working group of senior officials to undertake a complete fire safety review of all current buildings and fire evacuation process and to consider all possible fire prevention measures in blocks and estates including the installation of sprinklers, to prepare a fire awareness campaign specifically aimed at tenants and to make any recommendations on fire prevention, including a review of existing legislation as may be necessary. The review will include Government rental estates as well as co-ownership estates. In an abundance of caution, Minister Sacramento has directed that the Chief Technical Officer independently test all cladding materials used in housing refurbishments, samples will be sent to the UK for testing. The working group will of course be monitoring all reports that are published in the UK. Tenants are also reminded that a letter was issued by the Housing Department to every single tenant reminding them of the prohibition of having items in common areas, those constituting a fire risk will be removed if they are not cleared by the tenants before next week. Many objects pose obstructions in the case of emergency and everyone has a moral and social duty to ensure that there is no risk to life in the case of emergency. Minster for Housing Samantha Sacramento MP said Once again I would like to assure all our tenants that the cladding, both in the materials and methods employed, that we have used in the refurbishment of our estates are totally different to those that were used in the UK. But while we are assured that there is no risk of any occurrence in Gibraltar as the tragic events in London, I wish to be absolutely satisfied that we are doing everything possible by way of fire safety and prevention in our housing estates and as such have commissioned this professional working group to prepare an in-depth review." Photo: ABC Before Bachelor in Paradise contestants enter the so-called Boom Boom Room, theyll reportedly have to get approval from producers. After a sex scandal that raised questions about consent halted production and almost derailed the franchise, ABC has reportedly implemented a new drug policy as well as a new rule requiring contestants to get a producers green light before engaging in sex, sources at the Mexican resort where filming is happening told TMZ. Without approval, the producers are allowed to step in and stop the sexual activity. Per TMZ: Were told before anyone can get it on, both parties must go to a producer and state that they consent. If the producer feels either party is incapable of giving consent, the producer can pull the plug. Were told when contestants arrived over the weekend, they sat through a 2-hour meeting with lawyers and others who ran through all the rules. Bachelor in Paradise is still set to premiere on August 8. Every week Vulture highlights the best new music. If the song is worthy of your ears and attention, you will find it here. Read our picks below, share yours in the comments, and subscribe to the Vulture Playlist for a comprehensive guide to the years best music. Drake, Signs Some songs are more of a vibe than a piece of music, just like some albums are not to be confused with playlists these days. Or so it goes with Drake, anyway. Signs is an aspirational mood-setter for some distant future (for most of us) when youre inclined to dress in expensive silk (perhaps designed by Louis Vuitton, which commissioned this song for Paris Fashion Week) and lounge poolside on a villa in Spain (like, say, Rihanna presently) smoking a cigar and sipping on champagne. With breakfast, as Drake recommends. The vibe: vacation. Dee Lockett (@Dee_Lockett) DJ Khaled ft. Future, Migos, 21 Savage, and T.I., Iced Out My Arms If a good party host is indistinguishable from the party itself, then DJ Khaled is a great party host! Of course, even the best parties can go on for too long and have pointless, boring stretches: Grateful, the trust fund for his infant son masquerading as a double album, is over 87 minutes long, and a lot (fine, most) of the tracks are like bad party conversations: Theres just not enough to bond over. But sometimes, somehow, you meet people who are perfect for you, and if Grateful is the festivity that wasnt always festive, Iced Out My Arms is the introduction that actually leads to a delightful conversation. Only Khaled could have gathered six legends from three separate generations of Atlanta trap under the roof of a single track, and he even bestowed upon them a prime SouthsideMetro Boomin beat to carve up between them. Future takes the hook, sounding fashionable and fashionably depressed; the Migos go thirds on a verse, riddling it with glorious ad-libs; 21 Savage executes in style; and T.I., the original trap king, sounds more invested in impressive language than hes been for quite some time. This song is an opportunity to (a) enjoy yourself thoroughly, and (b) help ensure Asahd Khaled receives an expensive private education. There arent many opportunities to do both at once. Frank Guan (@frankophilia) Desiigner ft. Gucci Mane, Life Once you accept that Desiigner couldnt exist without Future, it becomes a lot easier to enjoy Desiigner. So yeah, they sound alike, but Desiigners whole thing is the elasticity of his voice, not what hes saying. Does that mean his best songs might not be as lasting as Futures? Probably! But hes got the right energy, and Life, which features another great introspective post-prison Gucci Mane verse, is another entry in the effortlessly appealing lineage of Desiigner cult singles. Sam Hockley-Smith (@shockleysmith) Vince Staples ft. Kilo Kush and A$AP Rocky, SAMO Doing what you used to do again is hardly new subject matter for Vince Staples: Turn the clock back to his 2013 mixtape Stolen Youth and youll find him rapping about being Stuck in My Ways. But judging by SAMO, the latest take on the topic from his just-released Big Fish Theory, some things have altered. The Basquiat allusion in the title is just the first sign that the Long Beach street artist now sees himself as a creator of fine art as well. Hes rapping over sparse, abstractly savage electronica instead of a Portishead sample, and his lyrics testify to new developments in his life tied to a growing profile in music: an expensive couch, money-minded groupies scheming to be mothers of his child, attempts to get his friends access to the finer things in life. The more things stay the same, the more they change. Still, Portishead is plenty savage and electronic in its own way (and Sophie, the SAMO producer, hails from Britain just like the Bristol trio); Stapless mistrust of women is long-standing; and his friends are free to potentially reap material benefits only because he still knows how to keep his silence regarding past actions. Stapless flow has gotten colder and more agile in the intervening years, and he finds creative ways to heighten its effect, calling in Kilo Kish and A$AP Rocky to deliver chill invocations and muted snarling, respectively. He doesnt have to announce hes not to be fucked with; the poise, compression, and contempt in his tone gets the message across implicitly. They know who did the killing but they didnt see. Want a verse? Its a price. Want a show? Its a fee. We dont do no bargain shopping, we dont show no empathy. Self-control never sounded quite as costly, eloquent, or scary. FG The Killers, The Man Its 2017 and all your fave 2000s bands have just discovered explosive disco-funk. To be fair, Brandon Flowers and Arcade Fire have been dabbling in that part of musics past for a few years, but, for whatever cosmic reason, both the Killers and AF are putting out new music that sounds indistinguishable. But if I had to pick one late-70s, early-80s revival, my vote will always go to Flowers. Disco wasnt just about synthesizers and boogie nights, it was about having the attitude to complete the aesthetic. Flowers just keeps on nailing it. Check this guy out. DL Wiki, Pretty Bull It feels like a distant memory now, but a few years ago, the concept that rap was dead was actually being debated by a number of writers and artists. Rap, of course, was nowhere near dead, and that fact has since been heavily cemented and then paved over, hopefully forever. New York rapper Wiki has achieved the impossible task of being reverent of this citys complicated history of the genre, even as he pushes it forward. Its worth noting he manages to capture the spirit and energy of rap songs about New York summers impromptu parties featuring weirdos of all stripes coming together, because where else are they going to go? without sounding like the rap songs that used to evoke New York summers. SH-S getting around Can Transit Ambassadors Make the Subway Safer Just by Being There? Can Ambassadors Make the Subway Safer Just by Being There? Margaret Atwood. Photo: Getty Images Having long ago conquered prose, Margaret Atwood has spent the past year seeing her empire expand into new mediums. Most famous is the acclaimed Hulu adaptation of her seminal dystopian novel The Handmaids Tale, but its also important to take note of a work that shes had much more of a direct hand in: Angel Catbird. Its a series of lighthearted graphic novels about a half-cat, half-bird superhero and the motley crew of fellow anthropomorphic animals that surround him. Atwood wrote it, it has art from Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillain, and it features a bevy of educational tidbits about proper care for animals. We caught up with Atwood to talk about the potential of a TV adaptation of her MaddAddam novels, the magic of puns, and Dracula. Whats it been like to see The Handmaids Tale get expanded into a whole big world, as opposed to the relatively confined story in the novel? Luckily, the team is very good. I had nothing to do with picking it, so I cant take any credit, but theyre extremely good and theyre very dedicated and they have stuck to the original premise. Nothing goes into that that doesnt have a precedent in real life. Everything they put in, they have to justify. This is where it really happened. This is where and when it really happened. I like that, and I dont think you could have gotten better actors. It appears that the HBO adaptation of the MaddAddam series, the trilogy of novels that began with Oryx and Crake, is not moving forward. Do you think were ever going to see an adaptation happen? Fingers crossed. Its a process, but its a slow process, and its very long. Its not like making one novel. Its a big universe. As universe creation it would be more complicated than doing The Handmaids Tale, for instance. What kinds of responses have you gotten about Angel Catbird over the course of your year of promoting it? Whats stood out to you? Well, its an unbelievable amount of press, probably because people found it so bizarre that it was me doing it. [Laughs.] Also, we had a very good press person working with [publisher] Dark Horse. There are really an awful lot of blogs and online magazines and things that are devoted to comics and graphic novels, many more than I was aware of. The pile of clippings that came in were a lot more than Ive ever had for a novel-novel. Really? More than for your novels? Thats surprising. More, many more. I also, of course, have a fan group of people reading this who are not my usual readers. Namely, theyre 8- to 12-year-old kids. So youve interacted with a lot of kids as part of the promotion? I dont personally interact with them, but Im aware of them. Excerpt from Angel Catbird. Art by Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillain. They dont come out to the signings? Its different from a novel, because you cant actually do a reading of a comic book. You dont do the same kinds of events that you would for something made entirely out of words. Have you gotten any backlash from the pro-rat community? A rat-obsessed mad scientist is the villain, after all. Well, no, we very cleverly incorporated two virtuous rats in this story, so we could not be considered anti-rat as such. Have you accomplished your goals of raising awareness about animal safety? That is certainly happening. Its been a very good bridge for people working that area and as you know we are joined at the hip with a conservation organization. They have done the science for us and the community outreach. Thats going very well. Theres been education, in-school programs, awareness, and getting people on boards like Humane Society. A pet insurance company is one of our partners. Nice. As well they might be, because they dont want injured animals coming their way. I really need to get pet insurance for one of my two cats. The older one is too old and sick for anybody to take her on. Theres no Obamacare for cats, though the younger one is perfectly healthy and I keep not getting around to it. Yes, well, there is such a thing. Since vet bills can run you high, you might well consider it. Were also endorsed by veterinarians associations. They dont like to see mangled animals either. Whats your current cat situation? My cat situation is at the moment were too old, because they would be a tripping hazard. Thats funny. No, Im not joking. They lurk on the stairs as you know. Oh yes, Im sorry. I shouldnt have laughed. You shouldnt have laughed! How dare you! You politically incorrectly laughed. That is the story, but we had them for years and years and years and years. I know their ways well and what sorts of things can happen to them. You mentioned that youve been doing a lot of interviews and getting a lot of clippings from the comics world. What have you learned about the modern comics industry? I know you read a lot of comics growing up, but obviously its changed a lot. Its gone through all different kinds of phases, and right now were in a very diverse phase of comics. We went to [San Diego] Comic-Con to launch this book or to sort of prelaunch it and you can find a comic about anything. You name it, theres a comic about it. Very diverse and very genial. People seem quite accepting. They dont seem to get into a lot of hissy fits. I would say its not like, for instance, the gaming world, which seems to be rather fractious and combative. I would call the Comic-Con world rather welcoming. You often have to guess what people are dressed up as, but theyre happy to tell you. Excerpt from Angel Catbird. Art by Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillain. Have you made friends with any comic creators? I noticed you had Angel Catbird introductions from writers G. Willow Wilson and from Kelly Sue DeConnick. Yeah, yeah, I ran into them. It was a lot of fun. [Theres] Johnnie [Christmas] hes my co-creator. I also know [artist] David Mack. Ive known him for a while, and other people I follow, I dont know them personally, but I follow what theyre doing. Are there any really good comics youve gotten into recently? There are some that amused me quite a bit. Do you know one called Lady Killer? Yes! Lady Killer is a James Bond type of assassin whose cover is a 50s housewife. She has been deep-channeling all of those ads from the 50s. [Laughs.] Got to make your house gleam. [Writer] Jeff Lemire has one called Black Hammer, which is pretty convoluted. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Well, its good for me. Do you watch superhero movies at all? Well, Im about to heigh-ho off to Wonder Woman as soon as I can get there. Its getting very nice reviews. Is that an exception, or do you see other stuff? It depends on how stupid they are. If its just people hammering each other, Im not too interested, but if theres more to it, Ill see it. In the early days of Batman, he actually had a psychology. He had a personality. If its just people dressed up in outfits blazing away, Im not too interested in it. Do you think were getting closer to a day where comics are accepted as a legitimate form of literature in North America? I think that day has long passed. Really? Oh, yeah. I think weve passed that landmark with Maus years ago, and Persepolis. Theyre a way of telling stories and theres nothing that says that theyre a worse way or a better way. Its just a question whether theyre well done or not. Its the same with any kind of literature. You dont categorize goodness or badness by genre but by how well done it is, no matter what the genre. Speaking of well done, what do you like about Johnnie and Tamras artwork? Its really stunning. I needed somebody who could draw an anatomically correct flying cat-bird-man-person. I was not capable of doing that myself, although I did draw comics, but my comics are pretty basic. I love those comics though. I couldnt do that. Johnnie knows how to draw, and when we were putting the project together with the help of [comics publisher] Hope Nicholson, she sent me a number of sample styles of different artists. I picked him out of a lineup. I was like, This is the look I want. Do you think youll do more comics? Well, were turning this one into an audio version. Oh, interesting! Were doing it like an old-fashioned radio show, with a theme song and musical interludes and all the different voices. That will be produced by Audible, the audiobook company. Do you listen to audiobooks much? Yes I do. I think theyve seen a big upswing because so many people get stuck in traffic. Im in New York, so for me, its for long subway commutes. Yeah, exactly. Getting stuck on the bridge. A vampire cat named Count Catula is one of the supporting characters in Angel Catbird. Why do you think humanity has spent so many centuries being obsessed with vampires? Well, theyre very chatty. [Laughs.] They have narrative skills. And second, I think theyve gone through so many permutations and combinations. The original Dracula and the backstories of Dracula, which go back to medieval times, with corpses that were walking and sucking your blood is a very old story. They were smelly, dirty, and evil, even Dracula. Although he was suave in the movie, we werent supposed to think of him as a nice person. Of late, theres What am I thinking of? Its a trilogy. Twilight? Yes, Twilight. They actually get to be heroes. They got quite chatty in Anne Rices Interview With the Vampire and what have you. They got to narrate quite a lot. In Twilight, theyre actually virtuous and twinkly. Sparkly. The reason they dont like sunlight is not because theyll burn away to a crisp, its because they sparkle too much with their sparkly virtue. This was a whole new thing. One of the best parts of Angel Catbird is all the puns. Do you delight yourself while youre writing them? Do you find yourself laughing alone while youre typing away? Its a question of what I can get away with. I write these things and then I send them off to my collaborators and say, Can I get away with this? They say, Sure, why not? Lets try it. Theyre great. Using Neferkitty as a name was a particular favorite of mine. Yes, we like her. I like her too. I think it all fits. Along those lines, why do you think we as a culture are so obsessed with the ancient Egyptians? I loved them as a child. I think partly [its] just because theyre so visual. Of course, they are the originators of early comic books. If you look at their wall friezes, they tell stories by putting pictures in a sequence. They do. Was it liberating to be able to write in this over-the-top style, where you get to have so many puns? As opposed to my other over-the-top styles? Your point being? [Laughs.] I was just curious if there was a joy in being able to write with that raw, funny Yeah, of course, Ive always written comics and drawn them. They were always over the top. I had a series in the 70s called Survivalwoman. Some of that is borderline bad taste. And, of course, your BookTour Comix series. I love BookTour Comix. Yeah. I did BookTour Comix and I would send them to my publishers at Christmastime to make them feel guilty, to make them realize what they were doing to me. This interview has been edited and condensed. The Bachelorette Week 6 Season 13 Episode 6 Editors Rating 2 stars * * Previous Next Previous Episode Next Episode Photo: Thomas Lekdorf/ABC Do you want to know why ABC aint right? Why they need to bathe themselves in the waters of Lake Minnetonka for purification and forgiveness? Why they need to march their asses down to the godswood and kneel in front of the old gods and some of them new ones too? Because for all their talk about starting a conversation and breaking down barriers, this episode devotes more screen time to Will not dating black women than it does to Lee. We got dragged and strung along about the epic confrontation between Lee and Kenny. By the end of it, we were supposed to be rolling our eyes that Kenny went back to talk to Lee again, as if were not supposed to recognize this is a man who has been gaslighted and traumatized in an already high-pressure situation. Rachel feels miffed and I understand that completely, but without labeling whats happening here, Kenny is still being painted as aggressive or volatile. I cant tell if Rachel is missing a piece of context or just doesnt want to deal with it, BUT CAN WE JUST NOT? Would it kill this show to just jet us off to the Bahamas or something? Cant we travel to Cuba? Somewhere with some Afro-Latino-based music. The two-on-one date ends as we all hoped, with Lee being left in a Norwegian forest to be eaten by whatever the Norwegian version of a yeti is. Rachel and Kenny jet off into the sky to go on the evening portion of the date. Its a bit of an awkward date because its really hard to turn on the charm after being accused of throwing someone out of a van. Kenny feels like their relationship isnt where it needs to be. Hmm, I wonder why. Rachel does say that Kenny is a devoted father and thats inspiring and she knows that hes really here for her. He gets the rose and all I want is for Kenny to be happy. After the date, he video chats his daughter and she tells him that he deserves to be happy and if he really likes Rachel, then he really likes Rachel! Kennys daughter is amazing and I want to be her best friend. I feel like I could learn a lot from her. Its time for the rose ceremony at Lobsy Gods Manor, which sounds like what would come out of a castle-name generator. Rachel is not messing around with cocktail parties anymore. Josiah gets a loser edit because hes going into the rose ceremony saying that he will be the last man standing. We all see where this is going, right? Dean, Eric, Peter, Alex, Adam, Matt (WHO?) all get roses, so that means Anthony and Josiah are going home. As he exits, Josiah takes shots at everyone who got a rose. He calls Alex a KGB agent and questions why someone who brings a doll to the mansion is better than he is. Then they cut to that goddamn Adam Jr. peeking through the windows and it is legitimately the stuff of nightmares. Im glad I wont be around when that thing becomes sentient and starts enacting its revenge. Anyway, we got so caught up in Josiahs reading session that we didnt even get to say good-bye to Anthony and his face made of chins. Now theyre jetting off to Denmark! Why? Who in the EU has this show by the balls? Rachel is heading up to her hotel room and shes carrying her own bag. WHAT? Who let this happen? Which PA needs to get fired for shattering the whole romantic image of traveling to Denmark because the lead is struggling to roll her bag up the stairs? The first date card of the week goes to Eric! Im gonna say something Ive decided about Eric that, in my mind, really informs how I view him: I think Eric really looked up to Nick Cannon at some point in his life. Thats just the vibe I get from him. Eric probably knows every line in Drumline. For their date, Eric Cannon and Rachel are going to explore the city. He asks her how many kids she wants to have because he wants to have ten. Does he think people have children in litters? Im all for a big family, but yeesh. As theyre walking around the city, they stumble onto public hot tubs. Rachel is ready to jump in, but I need to know the cleaning schedule for public hot tubs. They hop in and make out while several giant Danish men expose themselves in shows of Viking dominance. Eric Cannon and Rachel head to an amusement park and dinner, where they open up about how neither of them like feelings or emotions or love. Eric gets the one-on-one rose. Its time for the group date. Dean, Kenny, Bryan, Alex, Matt (seriously, who is this person?), Peter, and Adam are heading to the shores of Denmark for some more Viking displays of dominance. Everyone strips from the waist down just like the Vikings really did it. First, they have to row in an ancient Viking ship to go meet Morton and Tom, my two new favorite people on this Earth. Morton introduces himself by saying, Im Morton. I know exactly the same thing as Tom. The contesticles dress up like Vikings and, speaking as someone who is into uniforms, it wasnt as sexy as Id hoped. They were more cape-based than thigh-based. Kenny jokes that hes Viking man of the month in Viking magazine. The first game involved grabbing a greasy stick out of Rachels hands. What were the Vikings on? Peter just picks Rachel up and tries to shake the stick out of her hand. Adam (who is a borderline WHO?) just picks Rachel up and tries to dash off with her. Kenny and Adam are deemed the two most worthy Vikings and they face off inside the ring. They both smash their heads into each other, so that damn clip of Kenny bleeding was from this activity. ABC kept teasing it as if it was from a race war, but it was a damn VIKING GAME? At the cocktail party after the group date, Rachel and Kenny sit down and he says that he feels like his heart is being tugged in two directions back home and with her but he doesnt think they are where they need to be. Rachel knows how committed Kenny is as a father, so she knows that its time for him to go. It isnt fair to keep him there if they arent clicking in the right away. AGAIN, I WONDER WHY. Rachel sends Kenny home and Im fine with it. Im starting #KennyForBachelor right now. Usually when a man of color comes to the lead and says that hes not where he needs to be, its painted as the guy with CAH-RAZZEEEE expectations, but thankfully, Kenny gets a sweet send off. Also, Peter gets the group-date rose. Im fine with that. He cute. Will gets the one-on-one date this week and theyre heading to Sweden! What Nordic outfit is holding this season hostage? They dance in the square to the Swedish Ed Sheeran and walk by people playing Kubb, which is a Swedish yard game that my little brother bought for our family reunion. No one believed it was an actual game and not just a bag of sticks. Youve been vindicated, lil bro. The day portion of the date ends with Will and Rachel just staring quietly into the sea from the top of a castle. Its not going great for Will. All of the interest on the date came from the passersby in Sweden and they didnt even do anything ABBA-related. It was like second-tier Swedish stuff. When Rachel asks Will what his type is, he says, Oh, well, Ive dated a lot of white women, and it is over. Why would you say that? A woman asks you what your type is and you mention her exact physical opposite? Why not just say, Someone like you. Intelligent, beautiful, ambitious. Men dont know how easy they could have it if they just got out of their own goddamn way. Rachel went into the date ready to make out with Will in a Swedish hot tub that was bubbling just out of frame, but he had to go and say. I grew up in a white town and just never dated black women. WILL. Just say, My type? Its you. YOU COULD BE IN THAT HOT TUB RIGHT NOW, WILL. WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU. Will doesnt get the rose and heads home. Its time for the second rose ceremony of the episode and Rachel is so overcome with emotion she has to go into the other room and collect herself. She even tells the contesticles that shes feeling really emotional, which leads Eric to announce, I can tell shes feeling emotional. What happens in mens heads where they repeat things women tell them as if it were their own thoughts? In the end, Bryan, Matt (WHO? SERIOUSLY? IS THIS A PRANK?), Dean, and Adam all get roses and our favorite Russian hunk of man, Alex, is going home with his man-bun. Im gonna miss those arms. Abbi Jacobson. Photo: Janette Pellegrini/Getty Images for Girls Write Now WNYC Studios, the podcast production arm of New York Public Radio, and the Museum of Modern Art are collaborating on a ten-episode show called A Piece of Work, which is designed to explore various works of contemporary art from the latters extensive collection. Notably, its hosted by Broad Citys Abbi Jacobson (an art-school graduate herself), and shell be joined by a pretty robust supporting cast throughout the podcast, including curators and conservators from MoMA as well as fellow celebrities like Hannibal Buress, RuPaul, and Tavi Gevinson and those are just the ones who host podcasts themselves. (Handsome Rambler, Whats the Tee?, and Rookie, respectively. Its podcast boom times, people.) Questlove and Samantha Irby are also on the lineup. Anyway, each episode is said to explore a different theme the press release lists upcoming titles like minimalism, pop art, abstraction, and so on and they will generally be structured around specific pieces of work. The project sounds a lot like a super-spiffy MoMA audio guide for art lovers and the art curious to consume without having to physically visit the museum itself, which one imagines is a conscious effort to increase the accessibility and reach of a world as insular (and somewhat cost-prohibitive) as art. A Piece of Work arrives in an environment thats a little short on podcast programming in the art category, though it should be noted that there have been some quiet examples of lovely art-oriented podcasts released over the past few months, including a scrappy independent podcast called The Lonely Palette and, of course, the marvelous pieces that have come out of the Memory Palaces Nate DiMeos recent residency at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (One of which, I should add, made my Best Podcast Episodes list last year.) Heres hoping for more of those in the months to come, in addition to this new joint by WNYC Studios and MoMA. A Piece of Work debuts its first episode on July 10, and will air twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout its run. Photo: Netflix and HBO This week, Vulture is looking back at the best releases so far in 2017. There have been a lot of stand-up specials already this year more in the first six months of 2017 than the entirety of most other years, in fact. Remember, we are not so far away from a time, earlier in the decade, where it seemed like self-releasing was going to be the future of stand-up specials. That, thanks largely to the streaming sites, has changed. This is where I mention Netflixs plan to release a new special every week this year. And its not only the quantity, its who: Louis C.K., Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer, and, yes, Dave Chappelle. That said, other outlets, streaming and not, have continued to release high-quality specials. One non-Netflix release currently stands as the best of the year to date. So thats the state of things. Which have been the best the most demanding of your attention? Like Vultures other Best of 2017 (S0 Far) lists, this one is unranked, though I went a little rogue and separated the entries into two tiers. Best of the best 8, Jerrod Carmichael, HBO Shot a month after the election and released two months after the inauguration, the tone of 8 is a revelation. Contrarianism and devils advocacy has been popular for awhile, but as a style it has suffered from less-skilled comedians selling faux-edginess to an audience fine with hearing a person say awful things for an hour. Carmichaels brilliance is that he turns that instinct inward, examining his struggle with not caring more, particularly nowadays when everyone cares about things very loudly. Carmichael has a Chappelle-like comfort and presence onstage, where you cant help feel completely captivated as he thinks through ideas, building tension with long pauses. Recognition also should be given to Bo Burnham, a visionary stand-up in his own right, who directed, and brought an uncommon intimacy for the special. Hitlers Dog, Gossip & Trickery, Norm Macdonald, Netflix Is there a better writer of jokes than Norm Macdonald? Hard to say. Legitimately, its hard for me to say if there is. These jokes, on full display in his Netflix special, walk this interesting line of contemporary stand-up, anti-comedy-esque funny because they arent funny jokes, and classic jokey-joke jokes. Its all mixed together and executed with precision, without too much preciousness. Theyre undeniable. Just Keep Livin?, Jen Kirkman, Netflix We are following an election year and the election of Donald Trump, so its not a surprise there has been such a rise in topical comedy. Its against that backdrop that Jen Kirkmans special is so, well, special. Her comedy thinks globally but her act is local focusing on herself and the aggressions she faces in her daily life, as opposed to the names and actions of specific people with access to our tax dollars. Her dealing with street harassment, which was the subject of an early episode of Good One, might be the single best chunk of the year. Old Baby, Maria Bamford, Netflix In her comedy, Bamford guides the audience through a world of her own design. As a result, what she did with Old Baby cutting between her performing in front of different audiences of increasingly larger size didnt feel like some cheap alternative-comedy gimmick, but something organic and lived-in. Bamford has a wholly original mind, and as she continues to perform, its so exciting to see how she gets better at translating it to her audience. There is only one Maria Bamford, and you feel lucky to get to spend an hour having her show you around herself. A Speck of Dust, Sarah Silverman, Netflix Its been 12 years since Jesus Is Magic, Silvermans legendary concert film, that acted as the culmination of the tremendously influential stand-up persona she spent the first decade of her career honing. Its hard to believe that much time has passed, until you watch A Speck of Dust and see just how much her act has evolved. Now, 25 years into doing stand-up, her mastery of the form is on full display. The character she played is gone, but Silverman still knows how to write jokes, with deliberate wording and pace. Though shes as atheist as ever, there is a surprising spirituality to the act, as she searches for common ground through unfiltered humanity. Best of the rest 3 Mics, Neal Brennan, Netflix In his one-man show, Brennan cleverly deconstructs the form with one mic for stand-up, one for one-liners, and one for personal material. Beyond being really interesting to look at staging-wise, it allows him to play with tone. He goes as personal and introspective as any stand-up ever has, and sometimes he doesnt need to end with a joke, because the audience knows that he is at the personal mic and the comedy will come when the switch happens. Afraid of the Dark, Trevor Noah, Netflix Afraid of the Dark is consistently impressive bit of stand-up comedy. Its crazy how good Noah is at stand-up on a technical level. He expertly lays out a thesis and then thoroughly exhausts the premise, as he finds more and more ways to escalate, often finding himself in scenes where hes playing multiple characters with wildly different personalities and accents. Career Suicide, Chris Gethard, HBO Gethard worked on his one-man show for years before he filmed it, because he knew it was one of the most delicate subject areas possible. He doesnt shy away from the real, but deftly uses his skill as a performer to make sure you never forget youre at a comedy show. Its a tremendous achievement. Father Figure, Roy Wood Jr., Comedy Central There is an interesting silliness and absurdist streak to Roy Wood Jr. even when hes talking about important issues of race and politics. He doesnt downplay the severity of these subjects, but still finds a way to present them anew, often showing just how ridiculous they are. Homecoming King, Hasan Minhaj, Netflix Ambitious in its staging and scope, Homecoming King is at its best when its at its smallest, focusing on Minhajs face and his deeply personal connection to the immigration debate. Energetic and tremendously charming, Minhaj brings you into his origin story, welcoming you to cry as well as laugh. Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up for the First Time, Rory Scovel, Netflix What if this is the show? is a common refrain for Scovel, a stand-up who likes to blur the line between the planned and the improvised. The jokes are there, and they are funny, but the key is how he always keeps the audience on their toes. Shrimpin Aint Easy, Al Madrigal, Showtime Though this isnt what the title means, when I see it, I picture a cartoon shrimp wearing sunglasses lying on a hammock. Thats Al Madrigal for ya kinda, not really. The point is, Madrigal takes a relaxed pace with his stories, confident in their ability to entertain regardless of their bit-per-second ratio. To watch Madrigal is to see a comedian assured in his art. Thank God for Jokes, Mike Birbiglia, Netflix Birbiglia is also a slow-talking storyteller, but he works it until it reaches maximum joke density. This is especially true on this special, where he seems to be on a mission to pack as many laugh lines as he can in his stories about jokes, and jokes about stories. The Age of Spin, Dave Chappelle, Netflix The best parts of Dave Chappelles first of two specials released earlier this year are the best stand-up released this year, period. The Care Bear joke, the O.J. framing, the Kevin Hart story: brilliant. However, while the best parts remain in my memory, the homophobic and transphobic material also lingers. Regardless of if you were offended or not, that portion of material was just not up to the standard of the rest. It will be interesting to see how I, and the collective opinion, feels about this unevenness as the year continues. Walk Your Way Out, Bill Burr, Netflix Bill Burr always wants to be getting better and though I dont think Walk Your Way Out is his best material, it does represent him at the top of his form. Many comedians build up to their most controversial, extreme take on a subject. Burr reverses that method, digging himself a giant hole and trying to win everyone back. And he always does, because he is very good at stand-up comedy. Port of Waterford has estimated that it would generate 3.5m this summer with the return of cruise ships for the first time in two... WATERFORD is the most sunny city in Ireland and the county is second in the sunshine league, being pipped to first place by our... Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins has described the progress which has been made on the purchase of the former Waterford Crystal site for... IF you are one of those parents who bought your child a bicycle for the new year but are struggling to find somewhere to... Christmas is such an important time for family reunions, but there are many of us for whom Christmas is also a time when those... Following on from the success of the inaugural To Be Irish At Christmas initiative last year, the programme returns again this December (8th - 23rd), celebrating... Its that time of year again! Summer in Waterford, with plenty of sunshine, and if you look carefully you may spot the odd artist atop... WATERFORD is in the running for the Best Place to Live in Ireland. The county has had 31 nominations in a competition run by a... DESPITE the pressing need to do so, over half of all Irish people say they could not afford an average cost of 56,000 to... PRINCE Charles has described his visit to Waterford as most moving, after meeting refugees who had fled the war in Ukraine and are now... Seven jobs at a Waterford charity look set to be lost after it was announced that it is to be wound down. The U-Casadh... Let's hope that 73-year-old Marcus Blackmore has been taking his vitamin pills and making the most of his sabbatical as he prepares to take over as interim CEO at Blackmores while a suitable replacement is found for Christine Holgate who takes on a BIG new challenge at Australia Post. At the peak of the Blackmore's share bubble, Holgate had added something like $800 million to Marcus' net worth. The vitamin king is unlikely to find a recruit like her again. While chairman Stephen Chapman mentioned the company has a strong executive team, "including potential CEO candidates", the stop-gap measure of putting Blackmore into the top job probably helped stem the market shock at Holgate's departure. "I have no doubt that it has been working with Marcus and the team at Blackmores that made me recognise my responsibility to contribute to society," said Holgate in the Blackmores release. A failed education company, that left more than 5000 students without the qualifications they paid for, engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct, unfair contract terms and unconscionable conduct, the Federal Court has found. Get Qualified Australia (GQA) was an education consultant that assisted job seekers in obtaining Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) qualifications in industries such as beauty, construction and business. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission instituted legal proceedings against GQA in September last year, after successfully bringing a freezing order against the company in response to a large number of consumer complaints. Such complaints included GQA's failure to honour its "100 per cent money back guarantee" for consumers who did not obtain a qualification, and its failure to provide promised services after payments were made. Beth Mathison was a millionaire by 30 and broke by 40. She lived in a castle in Scotland, sailed to Singapore and ran a yacht charter business in Malacca. But, when the entrepreneur left her controlling husband after 20 years, she was suddenly broke, homeless and filled with shame. "The thing about financial abuse ... is that it happens insidiously," she said. "It may start by allowing someone to take control away from you in small ways." Couples counselling is entirely unregulated. Anyone can hang up a shingle outside their house and offer their services to couples in distress. You don't have to have any specific training, you don't even have to be a registered psychologist. You just have to be able to convince vulnerable people that you can help them. What could possibly go wrong? "If you see your therapist and they think what's happening is OK or your fault, where are you going to go after that?" Credit:Stocksy Marriage counselling can help. Around one in five couples will seek out couples counselling, and 70 per cent of them will find it helpful. But what happens to the 30 per cent who don't? Just over 100,000 couples in Australia get married each year. And just under 50,000 couples get divorced each year. Marriage, it seems, is not something we are very good at. One practitioner, who was giving a professional development workshop to couples' counsellors, used the following case study (names changed) to demonstrate her preferred technique: John and Jennifer are a couple in their seventies. Jennifer has disability issues and John is her carer. John is described as having "bondage and discipline urges that he has acted out on Jennifer for 50 years". He ties her up, gags her, and "talks to her in a menacing way". Jennifer hates it, she is scared of him and wants it to stop. He complains that she talks too much, she says he doesn't talk enough and she is worried about his health. In this case study, John was slowly supported to reduce his need to "act out" his sexual urges on Jennifer, and Jennifer was encouraged to give him space and stop talking so much when he was feeling under pressure. Jennifer is embarrassed and says she will try to change. John eventually reduces the amount of "bondage and discipline" activities and is encouraged to take more time for himself to reduce the burden of caring for Jennifer. This was presented as a success story. It doesn't take much to recognise this for what it really is: a case study of domestic violence. Jennifer, like the vast majority of women with disabilities, is highly vulnerable to being a victim of domestic violence. What the case study describes as "bondage and discipline urges" is actually sexual abuse. Bondage and discipline, when it's practised correctly, is a consensual activity in which both parties agreeing to the activities and to stop immediately if their partner requests it. Jennifer, who is described as tearful and "hates it" is clearly not consenting. An independent assurance panel has declared itself satisfied with the quality of the census despite passive resistance and an upsurge in the use of false or unlikely names amid concerns about privacy. The 2016 census was the first conducted under new rules that allow the Bureau of Statistics to retain names and dates of birth for up to four years and to use them to create "linkage keys" that can be connected to other databases. Alarm about the change led a former head of the bureau, Bill McLennan, to describe it as "without doubt, the most significant invasion of privacy ever perpetrated on Australians by the ABS". The collapse of the census website on census night also dented confidence in the ability of the bureau to safely handle data. Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann, the heart surgeon and father of two who was attacked at Box Hill Hospital last month, has died from his injuries. The Melbourne father of twins died at The Alfred hospital on Tuesday night, four weeks after he was allegedly punched in the head in an altercation with a man in the foyer of the hospital. Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, had been in intensive care since May 31. He was in a critical condition after undergoing emergency brain surgery. His family said they were "devastated" by his passing and asked for privacy in a statement released on Wednesday morning. Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi's grip on power could be slowly slipping after a City of Perth committee voted to lift a long-standing media ban. The City of Perth's finance and administration committee voted 3-0 on Tuesday night to drop its 10-year gag on councillors talking to the media. For the last decade only the Lord Mayor and the CEO could talk to the media. It is the second time the committee has passed such a motion, but what is damning for Ms Scaffidi is her staunch allies - councillors Janet Davidson and Lily Chen - along with Reece Harley have also backed the move. A Perth fisherman has copped a hefty fine for taking 42 undersize blue swimmer crabs - despite having two measuring gauges on hand to check if they were of legal size. Fisheries officers stopped a car the man was a passenger in at a roadside checkpoint on the Kwinana freeway north of Mandurah in December last year. A container full of crabs was found in the boot, with just four of the 42 crabs inside of legal size, with two measuring gauges found in the same container as the crabs. Blue swimmer crabs with a carapace smaller than 127mm wide are classed as totally protected fish and the daily bag limit is 10 in the West Coast Bioregion, which extends from Black Point, east of Augusta, to the Zuytdorp Cliffs, north of Kalbarri and includes the Abrolhos Islands. The man's haul was well over the bag limit and well undersize, despite having the tools on hand to check. Two proposals to mine iron ore in the Wheatbelt region have been deemed "environmentally unacceptable" by the state Environmental Protection Authority after five new species were discovered at the proposed site. Mineral Resources Limited's Jackson 5 and Bungalbin East Iron Ore Project first applied to operate two new mines around 100 kilometres north of Southern Cross on the Helena-Aurora Range in 2015. CCI has warned taxing WA's big businesses will have a flow-on effect for small and medium businesses. Credit:Erin Jonasson The proposal was referred to the EPA for assessment, and the agency said they would not attempt to assess the area due to its environmental importance. However this recommendation was rejected by then-Environment Minister Albert Jacobs, who ordered a public environmental review be conducted to assess the region's feasibility as a possible mine site. Washington: Players on all sides of the Persian Gulf diplomatic crisis were in Washington on Tuesday, making their cases to a divided administration that has been unable to stop the turmoil in the strategic region. Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani's meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson came just days after his government dismissed a list of demands from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt as an illegal attempt to limit Qatar's sovereignty and control its foreign policy. As Thani and Tillerson conferred behind closed doors at the State Department, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters at his country's embassy here that the demands were non-negotiable. "We've made our point. We've taken our positions" and Qatar knows "what they have to do," said Jubeir, whose government has led the others in breaking relations with Qatar and limiting the isolated Persian Gulf peninsula's air, land and sea access lanes. Messrs Chester Cooper and Raynard Rigby, two very bright lights in the now Opposiion PLP have finally vented some of the frustration felt by many of their party supporters. Read Mr. Cooper here... and Mr. Rigby here... The PLP, had seemingly lost their moral compass over the past five years yet both these gentlemen seem honourable and chould serve as part of a more upright team for the PLP going forward. Unfortunately it seems when one is involved with a political party they are forbidden to criticise the machinery for their policies. Too bad most PLP's remained silent about the many allegations that have now come home to embarrass them and by extention every Bahamian. Had they publicly voiced their opinions and pressured the leadership to return to a more reasoned approach would the outcome of the election have been different? We'll never know, but the country might well have been in a better fiscal position. Congrats for speaking out gents. Man killed after being struck by vehicle on KY 131 Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 28, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 28, 2017 | 04:44 PM | PADUCAH, KY A Mayfield man has been arrested and charged with sending inappropriate messages online to an underage girl. The McCracken County Sheriff's Office says detectives began investigating reports of a minor engaging in sexual acts with an adult earlier this month. They reportedly found sexual Facebook messages between the girl and 34-year-old Timothy Bostic. Police said they suspect Bostic knew the girl was underage. Police said Bostic later sent an inappropriate photo of himself to a detective posing as an underage girl and requested one in return. Detectives located Bostic Tuesday afternoon at a home in Karnak, IL and arrested him on a charge of unlawful use of an electronic device to induce a minor in a sexual act. The Sheriff's Office is advising parents to make sure they know who their children are communicating with online. They say any device capable of connecting to the internet can and has been used to commit this kind of crime. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2017 | 11:03 AM | PADUCAH, KY Paducah Water has released their 2017 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) to the public, showing the quality of the water supplied to city residents.According to General Manger Bill Robertson, the report shows what they do to ensure they provide the highest quality product and service their customers expect. The data shown in the report is the results of testing conducted from January through December 2016.Detailed information is shown regarding tests performed through the year to check for various microscopic contaminants, with no violations occurring. To see the report, click the link below.Anyone who has questions or would like a paper copy of the report can call Paducah Water at 270-444-2746.The Commissioners of Waterworks meet at 5 pm on the last Wednesday of each month at the Paducah Water office, at 1800 North 8th Street, and the meetings are open to the public. On the Net: By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2017 | 10:44 PM | GRAVES COUNTY, KY Kentucky State Police are investigating a two-vehicle collision in Graves County which sent three people to hospitals Tuesday afternoon. According to KSP, the wreck happened around 4 pm in the 6000 block of Highway 97. Troopers said 24-year-old Zachary B. Davis, of Mayfield, was driving south on Highway 97 and 21-year-old Saloniben G. Patel, of Hazel, was driving north on Highway 97. As both vehicles entered a sharp curve, they collided head-on. The Mayfield/Graves Fire Department, along with the Sedalia Fire Department extricated Davis from his vehicle. He was then flown by Air Evac to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana for treatment of his injuries. A passenger in Davis vehicle, 34-year-old Justin S. Spraggs of Mayfield, was transported by Mayfield EMS to Jackson Purchase Medical Center and later transferred to Baptist Health Paducah for treatment of his injuries. Patel was also transported by Mayfield EMS to Jackson Purchase Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2017 | 03:39 PM | HARDIN, KY A Calloway County man faces a DUI charge after his vehicle crashed into a home Monday afternoon. According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, the one-vehicle wreck happened around 2 pm in Hardin. Deputies said a vehicle, driven by 58-year-old Mark A. Aldridge of Murray, jumped a curb and struck a mobile home. The investigation revealed that Aldridge was intoxicated. Aldridge was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, 3rd Offense. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Due to injuries sustained, Aldridge was cited to appear in Marshall District Court in August. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2017 | 09:55 PM | FRANKFORT, KY Gov. Matt Bevin, joined by state legislators and constituents, ceremonially signed more than a dozen pieces of recently enacted legislation at the State Capitol on Tuesday. Among the acts signed were House bills (HB) 128 and 161 and Senate bills (SB) 4 and 79. HB 128 allows public schools to offer an elective social studies course on the Bible that teaches biblical content, characters, poetry and narratives and their impact on today's world. HB 161 requires the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet to set aside a minimum of 3 percent of the value of all state contracts for goods and services for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. SB 4 requires peer review of medical malpractice complaints by medical review panels before medical malpractice cases can go to court. A complaint can bypass the panel and go directly to court only by agreement of all parties. SB 79 allows patients to enter into contracts with their primary care provider that spell out services to be provided for an agreed-upon fee over a specific period of time. The "direct primary care membership agreement" would not require a patient to forfeit private insurance or Medicaid coverage. Gov. Bevin also ceremonially signed the following pieces of legislation today: Loading... Let's start by saying that this is a nice idea. Two double acts bounce off each other on stage, sparring with words and jostling for audience attention. The twist is that one act is made up of of two adults (creators Christopher Brett Bailey and Jessica Latowicki); the second pair consists of two children (Caitlin Finlay and Caspian Tarafdar). There is no obvious narrative to Double Double Act as such; instead the show offers a series of sketches, of variable quality. They're loosely linked by the children's double act being similarly dressed and performing as mini-me versions of the adults. Old-school telephones are a recurring theme, punctuating and interrupting the action by turns. The opening phone sequence is promising, with the assured youngsters engaging impressively with the audience right from the start, and earning some genuine laughs to set the mood. Director Tim Cowbury's hand is evident at this early stage. We then meet our adult duo, who engage in a torrent of music-hall style wordplay, a form that some may feel has limited appeal for children. Then a supremely unfortunate (and repeated) reference to making out with babies' kills this section stone dead for the grown-ups, at least. If the children in the audience seem bemused, they're soon brought back to life by some good, old-fashioned poo and fart references, proving once again that toilet humour never fails to delight six year-olds. In fact farts are on standby whenever the mood flags, with some green slime held in reserve for a later highlight. It's the slapstick sections of the show that are by far the most successful, and the energy that accompanies the chase on a variety of bouncy and wheeled vehicles is exhilarating and entertaining. Bailey has considerable comedic gifts, as well as a near-demonic gleam in his eye. If he's setting out to be an unsettling and rather scary figure, he succeeds. Latowicki is sparky and engaging, but she's saddled with rather too much of the dark humour and deadpan dialogue' the company says it uses to excite and unsettle' its audiences. Designer Emma Bailey's set has plenty of fizz, while Alex Fernandes' lighting design contributes considerably to the atmosphere. Creators Made in China may be hoping children will leave the show eager to discuss the issues of violence, misogyny and depression that are touched on during the performance, but it's much more likely that the only things that will really stick are the chasing, the slime and the cat poo. And in truth, they are the best bits. Double Double Act runs at the Unicorn until 9 July. After mustering just nine goals in a sullen second season at Manchester United, word had been rife this week that Anthony Martial was preparing to up sticks in search of a fresh start elsewhere. The Express, among others, reported that Martial was putting out the feelers over a return to France after becoming weary of working under Jose Mourinho, and that United wouldnt block his exit should a transfer materialise. This came just days after the Daily Mail ran with news that Arsenal had identified the unsettled 21-year-old as a potential summer acquisition. Unsurprisingly, it swiftly transpired that the aforementioned tittle-tattle was exactly that, with Martial himself comprehensively confirming that everything youve just read is complete baseless tripe Les rumeurs sont fausses Anthony Martial (@AnthonyMartial) June 28, 2017 The rumours are false, the United forward tweeted this very afternoon. Turns out we can all look forward to watching him moodily underwhelm us on a regular basis at Old Trafford next season after all. Everton have sealed a deal to sign prodigious 19-year-old forward Henry Onyekuru from Belgian side KAS Eupen. Not so very long ago it was reported that Arsenal were within a whisker of getting him on board, but Onyekuru has today posted a photo of himself standing in front of Everton livery on his official Instagram account. The Toffees are yet to officially confirm the transfer, but its being widely reported that the 7million deal will see Onyekuru return to Belgium on loan next season, specifically with Anderlecht. Eupens Nigerian wunderkind finished as joint-top scorer in the Jupiler League last season, notching 22 goals in a team that only managed to score 40 goals overall. Another one for Arsenes ever-lengthening list of nearlies. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/06/2017 (1962 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Premier Steve Ashtons first act as head of an NDP government in 2020 will be to raise Manitobas minimum wage to $15 an hour immediately. Then hell reopen the Concordia Hospital emergency department the Progressive Conservative government plans to close next year. And yes, Ashton said outside the Concordia Hospital Wednesday morning, his government would also reopen the ERs at Victoria and Seven Oaks hospitals, and the Misericordia urgent care centre. Steve Ashton announces he will run for the leadership of the Manitoba NDP outside Concordia Hospital Wednesday. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press) The Pallister government never had a mandate to shut down ERs, the 61-year-old declared. Ashtons announcement of his third leadership campaign was low key he put the word out in just a single tweet, and there were no signs, no placards, no buttons and barely any orange shirts at his rally. Ashton said he will not campaign against anyone, hell campaign for his vision of rebuilding the NDP and presenting it as a progressive alternative to Premier Brian Pallister. MLA Wab Kinew is also running in the Sept. 16 leadership race. A former cabinet minister and longtime Thompson MLA, Ashton said he learned more from his loss to Tory Kelly Bindle last year than he did in his victories. Ashton said he could lead the NDP from outside the house, rebuilding the party throughout Manitoba while taking on Pallisters austerity policies. Not everything is focused on what happens at the Manitoba legislature, he said. However, MLA Ted Marcelino said in an interview he would be willing to step down in his Tyndall Park riding to trigger a byelection Ashton could contest, should Ashton become leader. Interim leader Flor Marcelino and house leader Jim Maloway also showed up to support Ashton, along with city Coun. Jason Schreyer. Ashton invoked memories of Tommy Douglas and Ed Schreyer, and compared himself favourably to U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and to U.K. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Its important Manitobans have a choice, a clear choice. I am seeking to provide a clear progressive choice, he said. Asked if the NDP is not now a clear progressive choice, Ashton was vague in his responses. He was similarly vague about how many new party members he has signed up. Asked if he will defend the record of the Greg Selinger-led NDP government, Ashton said he was part of that government and has not run his campaigns on negativity. He will run on traditional NDP values and challenge the status quo, while rejecting the job-killing austerity of the Pallister government, he said. On climate change, Manitoba should be playing a leading role, Ashton said, though emphasizing, There is nothing more important to New Democrats than health care. He would also reduce post-secondary tuition fees, Ashton promised. There is rebuilding that needs to be done, and lessons that need to be learned. Were going to put the democracy into New Democratic Party. We need to be the progressive alternative. We cant be running on what we did five, 10, 15 years ago, he said. Its about the future, not the rear-view mirror. Kinew waited until late Wednesday afternoon to issue a statement. Since the start of this campaign I have been working with the expectation that someone else would join the race. I look forward to talking with New Democrats in the months to come, he said. Steve and I have different visions for the NDP. Its clear to me that the party needs a new direction, one focused on listening to Manitobans, creating the jobs of the future, and building communities we all want to live in. Last election, Manitobans told us that to get there we will need new leadership. I hope to be that leader, and with the support of party members, bring the next generation of New Democrats to government. Kinew did not respond to requests to elaborate on how his vision differs from Ashtons. Several members of the NDP caucus have already declared their support for Kinew, including former cabinet ministers Andrew Swan and James Alllum, St. Johns MLA Nahanni Fontaine and Concordia MLA Matt Wiebe. Allum said Wednesday that while he respects Ashtons right to run, he doesnt think its a good idea. Manitobans are clearly looking for generational change in the NDP. Steve made a profound contribution over a long period of time, but I think what weve been told by the people of Manitoba is that we need to move forward and that we need generational change in the party in order to reflect the new face of Manitoba going forward, he said. Wiebe welcomed the fact there will now be a leadership contest, but he, too, marked Ashton as yesterdays man. What Ive heard from members is that theyre ready to turn the page, to move on, to look at the future rather than looking backwards at the past, he said. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/06/2017 (1962 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Neechi Commons, the aboriginal-owned-and-operated Main Street retail complex that brought jobs to one of Winnipegs most economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods, has fallen behind on its loan payments and faces the threat of its building and land being auctioned off by its main lender. The lender Assiniboine Credit Union provided Neechi a $3-million-plus loan to help get the much heralded co-operative off the ground in 2013, with the federal and provincial governments also chipping in $3.6 million in grants. An advertisement in a local newspaper Tuesday stated the building and land at 865 Main St. would be auctioned off July 10, and the reserve bid would be $3.8 million. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Neechi Commons faces the threat of its building and land being auctioned off by its main lender. Neechi Commons spokesman Russ Rothney confirmed the credit union has scheduled the auction, and $3.8 million is a good indication of how much money Neechi owes. He said the co-operative is now scrambling to come up with a new financial arrangement that will convince the bank not to proceed with the auction. The options being explored include finding someone who is willing to take on the loan, finding a new equity partner, finding someone who is willing to act as a guarantor or finding someone who would buy the building and lease it back to the co-operative. Rothney said the sale-and-lease-back option would be the best long-term solution because it would immediately give us a lot more financial flexibility. While finding someone to take on the loan would buy some more time, it doesnt give us the extra financial flexibility that were hoping will emerge out of all of this, he said. Rothney said co-op officials are talking to several parties, including someone who might be interested in the buy-and-lease-back option. He said Manitoba Sen. Murray Sinclair is also working with them to find a solution. If Neechi cant find a way to stop the auction, Rothney said another option would be to have someone bid for the property on the co-ops behalf. Kevin Sitka, president and chief executive officer of Assiniboine Credit Union, said the institution is willing to consider calling off or postponing the auction if Neechi comes up with a solution agreeable to everyone. But he seemed to hint the credit union doesnt want to continue as its lender. We certainly believe in the need for a food store in the North End, just like we believe in providing banking services to the North End, he said. And we certainly hope they can continue to (provide that) service in some other way going forward. He emphasized calling in the loan wasnt an easy decision. Weve certainly done everything possible to avoid this. We have a true appreciation for the social impact that Neechi had, and has, today. Rothney said Neechi has struggled from the get-go because it cost far more than expected to redevelop the two century-old buildings it now calls home. KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files Russ Rothney, spokesman for Neechi Commons, stocks shelves at Neechi Commons before its grand opening in March, 2013. The original cost estimate was about $5 million, but a series of unexpected structural problems and construction delays drove that up to $6.8 million. At the completion of the project, the true cost was closer to $8 million, Rothney said, when they factored in the extra carrying costs on the loans and the cost of upgrades to the original building on Dufferin Avenue, where Neechi continued to operate a catering and wholesale-food-services division. The Neechi Commons complex includes a neighbourhood supermarket featuring traditional aboriginal foods such as bannock, fresh and frozen wild berries, wild rice, locally-grown fruits and vegetables and local fish. It also has a bakery, restaurant, aboriginal arts store, and shops selling aboriginal books, crafts, music and clothing. It also hosts a seasonal farmers market. Rothney said the co-op recorded a 35.5 per cent increase in sales last year, but from the time it opened in early 2013, it has been plagued with too little working capital. In the end, we got into a situation where cash so was tight that this spring, we had to run our inventory down so badly and we took a substantial hit on our sales, he said. So to deal with that we brought in new management leadership and weve not restored our inventory and sales are going back up again. He said the co-op has also improved its margins. So we do think that Neechi does have a strong future and that its still a value to the community. murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/06/2017 (1962 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When it comes to operating costs at hospitals and medical facilities, every little bit helps. For instance, making available and keeping tabs on operating room scrubs and linens on the ward. Meditek, a family-owned Winnipeg hospital equipment distribution company that handles thousands of different products, now has automated equipment available for the the first time in Western Canada that addresses the issue of controlling linens. Supplied photos The ScrubEx cuts down on unauthorized use of operating room scrubs and linens by requiring hospital swipe cards to access the machines. Brad Samuels, the companys marketing director, said he cant recall ever receiving the level of interest thats being expressed since the company introduced automated operating room scrubs and linen dispensing and receiving equipment. Made by an American company called IPA out of Georgia that specializes in linen management technology, the equipment is widely used in the U.S. Mid-sized hospitals in the U.S. that use it say they save about US$150,000 per year in reduced processing costs and missing product. The problem the equipment, called ScrubEx and AlEx, tries to address is the unauthorized use of these products. The machines reduce processing costs because fewer scrubs and linens are used. The big problem is so much goes missing, Samuels said. We recently talked to one woman in B.C. who said her husband (a surgeon) has a whole closet full of scrubs that they need to take back to the hospital. Its not about restricting the use of sterile scrubs and bed linens and towels, its about controlling access to only hospital employees. Hospital swipe cards access the machines. For operating room scrubs, the users are responsible to return their tops and bottoms. Samuels said there have already been high-level discussions about making the equipment available at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Alberta Health Services. Whenever we meet with hospital officials, it keeps getting pushed further up the chain, Samuels said. People are really interested. SUPPLIED The Scrub Ex There are two different pieces of equipment: one dispensing operating room garb, the other for linens and towels on the ward. In the operating room, health-care professionals will have access to however many sets they need and are responsible for returning them. On the wards, rather than an open cart of linens that anyone can access, the IPA units are enclosed requiring hospital cards to access and when items are taken the laundry service is automatically notified as to how much is being used. Meditek, with sales between $5 million and $10 million and close to 20 employees, has been in the business since 1981 with a customer base from coast to coast. It has the rights to distribute the ScrubEx and AlEx technology in Western Canada. There are no other competing technologies on the market, Samuels said. The ScrubEx surgical scrub dispenser has been proven to reduce replacement costs by up to 90 per cent and laundering costs up to 40 per cent, while the AlEx linen distribution system typically reduces replacement costs by 25 per cent and processing costs by 20 per cent. Samuels said Meditek is providing a flexible payment model, letting hospital and health-care facilities either pay for the technology as a lease or on a monthly subscription basis with a plan to buy the units. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/06/2017 (1962 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Josh Simair, the CEO and one of the founders of Skip the Dishes, has been named to list of Canadas Top 40 Under 40. The transplanted Saskatchewanian who just turned 30, started the Winnipeg technology company, characterized as the Uber for the delivery of restaurant meals, about five years ago. Simair often talks about creating value for his customers, his employee and shareholders. Hes become a leader in the startup community in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and has become something of a poster child for the virtues of doing business in the Prairies. Josh Simair (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press) While continuing to run the business that now operates in 28 Canadian cities and six in the U.S., with many more on the way, Simair has also become an active investor in other local startups. Skip the Dishes company was purchased by the U.K. firm, Just Eat, for about $200 million late last year. It now has more than 200 employees, most of them in Winnipeg. Im honoured to win, Simair said in an interview. I also think its great for Manitoba. A big part of this program is to hold leaders accountable to their commitment to the business and to their communities. Simair was the lone Manitoba on the list this year. Past Manitoba winners include Paul Soubry, the CEO of New Flyer Industries and Wade Miller, current CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Canadas Top 40 Under 40 is a awards program created by executive search company Caldwell Partners to honour young achievers and innovators in Canadian business. The full list Taylor Ablitt, Co-Founder & CEO, Diply, ON Melody Adhami, President & COO, Plastic Mobile, ON Sachin Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer, Think Research Corporation, ON Foteini Agrafioti, Chief Science Officer & Head of RBC Research, RBC, ON Ben Almond, SVP & Regional Managing Director, Canada, CH2M, BC Corey Berman, President & Co-Founder, Koru Distribution, ON Dr. Liam Brunham, Assisant Professor, University of British Columbia & Principal Investigator, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, BC Scott Burrows, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Pembina Pipeline Corporation, AB Carinne Chambers-Saini, CEO, Diva International Inc.,ON Ian Crosby, Co-Founder & CEO, Bench, BC Paul Desmarais III, Senior Vice President, Power Corporation of Canada, QC Avik Dey, Managing Director, Head of Natural Resources, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, ON Tariq Fancy, Founder & CEO, The Rumie Initiative, ON Jonathan Ferrari, Co-Founder & CEO, Goodfood Market Corp., QC Harley Finkelstein, Chief Operating Officer, Shopify, ON Cody Green, Founder & Co-CEO, Canada Drives, BC Dr. Patrick T Gunning, Professor & Canada Research Chair in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Toronto Mississauga, ON Reetu Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, The Eastons Group & The Gupta Group, ON Jeremy Gutsche, Chief Executive Officer, Trend Hunter, ON Michael Katchen, Co-Founder & CEO, Wealthsimple, ON Brad Katsuyama, Co-founder & CEO, IEX Group, ON Bilal Khan, Founding Managing Director, OneEleven, ON Alexandre Lefebvre, President, Lefebvre Group, QC Tony Lourakis, Chief Executive Officer, Fleet Complete, ON Matias Marquez, Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Buyatab Online Inc., BC Rachel Mielke, Founder & CEO, Hillberg & Berk Accessories Inc., SK Robert Niven, Founder & CEO, CarbonCure Technologies Inc., NS Thomas Park, Assistant Vice President, Operations & Strategy, Business Development Bank of Canada, BDC Capital, QC Dr. Nav Persaud, Staff Physician and Assistant Professor, St. Michaels Hospital, ON Shahrzad Rafati, Founder & CEO, BroadbandTV, BC Dr. Hossein Rahnama, CEO & Professor, Flybits Inc., Ryerson University & MIT Media Lab, ON Irfhan Rawji, Principal, Totem Capital Corporation, AB Alex Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Camp Oochigeas, ON David Segal, Co-Founder, DAVIDsTEA and Mad Radish, ON Joshua Simair, Co-founder & CEO, SkipTheDishes, MB Matt Switzer, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development, Hootsuite, BC Katie Telford, Chief of Staff, Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, ON Dr. Aristotle Voineskos, Director, Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Associate Professor, Psychiatry, University of Toronto, ON Hayley Wickenheiser, CEO, Wick Hockey, Philanthropist, 6x Olympian, AB Kristen Wood, Creater & CEO, THE TEN SPOT beauty bars, ON martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2017 (1963 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Abdoul Toure has a masters degree in economics from the French-speaking University of Mali, 15 years of work experience and a young family to support. Now, Im cleaning houses and mopping floors. I didnt come to Canada for that, Winnipegs Toure said. He worked while studying advanced English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes that, effective Friday, are no longer being offered because of federal funding cuts. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Abdoul Toure is a French-speaking immigrant from Mali with a masters degree in economics and is cleaning schools while he tries to improve his English so he can go back to university to get his degree recognized here. He has been accepted into a program at Red River College in the fall, but worries about many other educated newcomers an estimated 1,000 in Manitoba whose classes are now cancelled. We need English to find work, said Toure, 45, who has a wife and three children. Without it, people get stuck in survival jobs and lose hope of ever reaching their potential in their new country, he said. He has worked to achieve Level 7 English on the Canadian Language Benchmark scale of one to 12, with one for beginners and eight required for university. The Free Press reported in March the federal government was cutting funding for Levels 5 through 8, or Stage 2 EAL classes. It has a huge impact (with) a trickle-down effect not only to Stage 2 students but for students looking at Stage 2 classes in the next year or so, said Toula Papagiannopoulos, executive director of Edge Skills Centre, Inc. Part of a settlement plan for many newcomers is to improve their English to the level required to have their credentials recognized, she said. In order for that to happen, their English has to be at a high enough level, well beyond Stage 1. At Edge, 15 to 20 students in Stage 2 were hoping to continue their classes and another 20 students in Stage 1 were hoping to advance to Stage 2, Papagiannopoulos said. Throughout the year, they have 50 people on the waiting list for Stage 2 EAL classes. She hopes the federal and provincial governments might be able to work out an arrangement for Stage 2 EAL classes to resume so all newcomers can put their skills to work in Manitoba. Toure knows the frustration and stress of not being proficient in English and says it has an impact on the person, the community and the economy. Where we are is an English-speaking area, said Toure, whose first language, French, hasnt been enough for him to succeed in Manitoba. If they cant speak the language, they can be very stressed, he added. That person is a time bomb. The economist sees English classes as a smart investment in human potential and folks earning potential that will pay off big time. They will be taxpayers. From September to June 14, Toure attended half-day classes five days week at Edge Skills Centre, Inc. and completed Level 7, he said. Once hes completed his Red River course studying English for university and college, he plans to go back to university and further his education in economics and specialize in project management. For now, hes working as a cleaner from 3 to 11 p.m. Its what I have to do to take care of my family, Toure said. With no more federal funding for Stage 2 EAL classes, some non-profits are trying to come up with fee-for-service proposals, said Teresa Burke, director of language support with the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations. One considered charging students $400 for a 10-week course with six to eight hours of class time per week. It takes 250 hours for someone to increase one benchmark, Burke said. Footing the bill for advanced EAL classes is cost-prohibitive for newcomers trying to make ends meet, she said. Theyre more likely to spend money supporting their families or their childrens educations than investing in their own English language classes. Red River College now has the only federally funded Stage 2 EAL program left and there are hundreds of people waiting to get into that program, Burke said. Some advanced English language learners are turning to adult learning centres, which are not designed to teach English as an Additional Language classes. Thats not their mandate. A spokeswoman from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in an email it is inaccurate to say that IRCC is cutting support of higher language levels. Contribution agreements are negotiated with each organization based on their own merits and the services they are providing based on the needs of the community The department continues to work closely with Service Providing Organizations in Winnipeg to ensure that the needs of newcomers to Canada are being met. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/06/2017 (1962 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. On Feb. 4, 2016, we received the eagerly awaited news that the Syrian refugee family our church was sponsoring was on its way to Canada. We had an apartment lined up, bags of childrens clothing ready, a schedule for their early weeks and enough furniture to get them on their feet. We were ready. Two days before Yasser and Amena (not their real names) and their two young children were to arrive in Canada, a second email arrived from Immigration Canada: their travel was cancelled and we would be notified when they would travel. That was 17 months ago. We are still waiting. More importantly, Yasser and Amena are still waiting, living in limbo in Jordan. They have not heard a word from the Canadian government since March 2016. And all our group has heard is that they are still waiting for a security check. This is unacceptable. The Canadian government should prioritize completing their security checks as well as for others in similar situations. In an uncertain world, it is important to ensure refugees dont pose a security risk to Canada. But to wait nearly a year and a half to complete a security check is unreasonable. Refugees live in constant uncertainty, with little control over their lives. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. This was not how it was meant to be. Like many Canadians, we had watched the Syrian crisis unfold and were moved by stark images of people suffering. We were dismayed by anti-refugee sentiments around the world and supported the new Liberal governments plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We wanted to do our part. So when the Canadian government put out a call for sponsors, we quickly stepped up. Seven of us, with the support of our church, joined together to sponsor a Syrian family to resettle in Winnipeg. We were matched with Yasser and Amena in January 2016 through Canadas Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) program. We had every expectation they would arrive shortly. Along the way, immigration officials provided us with contact information for Yasser and Amena. We exchanged letters and a few phone calls, communicating as best we could across different languages. They were worried about leaving another family member behind, and we promised we would try to help him come to Canada, too. In August, the government acknowledged there were long delays for some sponsors. They offered replacement families. After much thought, we turned down this offer. Yasser and Amena cannot simply be replaced for us. They are not just a file number. They are real people with real stories. Members of our church have quilted blankets for them. Another person sewed stuffed animals for them. An artist has donated a tapestry. We have exchanged family photos. We made a commitment to them. But while we have contacted our MP in a variety of ways letters, phone calls and meetings we have not seen action. We dont see commitment from our government to resolve these cases. Yasser and Amena still hope theyll come to Canada. And despite their long wait, they continue to express gratitude for Canadians. In January, they wrote that whether they were ultimately rejected or accepted will not change our view of Canadas positive and friendly people and their efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. In exchange, it should not be too much to ask to treat them and others facing similar delays with similar respect. Its high time the Canadian government fully followed through with its commitment and completed security checks for this family and others like it. Carol Thiessen and Emily Cain attend saint benedicts table, an Anglican church in Winnipeg. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/06/2017 (1962 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Is Justin Trudeau a pyromaniac? He set the match under Liberal senators in 2013 when he expelled them from his caucus and set the Senate alight. It is truly ablaze now. Hell hath no fury like Liberal senators scorned. Some observers hailed Trudeaus action as bold and brave, but opponents saw it as a way to distance his party from Liberal senators who might have cheated on their expenses. Regardless of the motivation, his decision while he sat as the Opposition leader was not well conceived and the consequences are now playing out in the upper house. SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Justin Trudeaus decision to release senators from the Liberal caucus has consequences for his government now that he is prime minister. Ironically, its not the new crop of senators who are revolting. Its embittered Liberals who are transforming the Senate and not necessarily in a good way. Some senators are taking a principled stand on omnibus bills (which, admittedly, are an abomination). The Liberals howled when the former Conservative government of Stephen Harper used similar tactics. Now, theyre emulating what they once denounced. Despite the merits of Senate opposition, blocking the will of the democratically elected lower house is a route senators have seldom taken. Lacking democratic legitimacy, they usually exercise self-restraint. And the new appointment process, while superior to the previous one, still doesnt confer moral authority to thwart elected officials. What were dealing with now is a group emboldened to go where the upper house has never gone before, routinely challenging bills, especially the budget. As many have pointed out, the new relationship between the two houses is unprecedented and potentially problematic. But this is only the half of it. Whats mostly overlooked is the way that new relationships within the Senate will change it profoundly. Our institutional structure rests on norms and values that support collective action; for example, how cabinet and party caucuses work as teams. (Some would argue that the vaunted teamwork is a fiction because the prime ministers office reigns supreme, eclipsing even cabinet, and that the role of caucus is to dutifully vote on bills.) The system cant cope with a covey of prima donnas. American institutions reflect individualism, which is a dominant value in American political culture. Hence, parties are looser entities that leave politicians free to pursue their own goals. In Congress, elected officials build a reputation as individuals, not as Republicans or Democrats. For example, some legislation is better known by the names of its authors (the Taft-Hartley Act or the Dodd-Frank Act, for example) than its official title. Personal ambition is the driving force for many in the U.S. legislature. In contrast, the parliamentary system fosters collegiality and requires disciplined parties. Absent discipline, the government would fall. With a group of independent-minded senators in the mix, what lies ahead? In the short term, Conservatives in the House of Commons get a second bite at the apple as their counterparts in the Senate still toe the party line. Paradoxically, former Liberal senators have become their surrogates. In the longer term, dynamics in the upper house will evolve in a way that might mimic what happens in the U.S. Without the bonds that sustain caucus members with a common political purpose, the votes of independent senators will be grounded in personal convictions and advice from interested parties. Lobbyists and special-interest groups will court them. It would be much easier and more efficient to get a few senators on side to alter a bill than to approach members of Parliament, who are subject to party discipline. Senators will become political entrepreneurs, developing personal networks as they seek to enhance their reputations. Should we be concerned about the trajectory of the upper house? Yes, because it might have a destabilizing effect on Canadian democracy. The Senate is self-regulating, and some of its decisions, on ethics for example, are mystifying. The expenses scandal shone a light inside the upper house and it wasnt pretty. And other questionable practices bear looking into for example, senators can sit on corporate boards. With independence, theres greater scope for conflicts of interest to arise. Unlike U.S. senators, who may sit on boards but not get paid for this work, Canadian senators can earn millions from moonlighting. Will the Senate be the author of its own destruction? Possibly. The prime minister was looking for independence in the Senate and he has it in spades at the expense of his legislative agenda. Curtailing the chambers powers will require a constitutional amendment and opening up that Pandoras box in the near future is unlikely. Until that happens, were stuck with a sleeping giant that has only just started to twitch. If that giant is fully awake, the consequences might be disastrous. Doreen Barrie is an adjunct assistant professor in the political science department at the University of Calgary. Troy Media MADISON (AP) Budget talks between Wisconsin Assembly and Senate Republicans broke down Tuesday, with leaders from both sides abruptly ending a closed-door meeting and calling each others position on how to pay for road construction projects laughable. The current two-year budget ends on Friday, but the Republican-controlled Legislature will not pass a new one in time. Instead, current spending levels will continue while lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker struggle to reach an agreement. The biggest remaining point of contention is how to pay for roads and major construction project, including the expansion of Interstate 39/90 from Madison to Illinois, the reconstruction of I-94 from Milwaukee south to Illinois and of the Milwaukee Zoo Interchange. Republicans are also discussing whether to loosen income eligibility for the statewide private school voucher program and whether to reduce or eliminate the personal property tax rather than cut income taxes, as Walker wants. Republican leaders spoke to reporters separately three times over an hour, making unusual and previously unplanned stops in the Capitol press room to lay out their positions, voice their frustrations and snipe at one another. I dont know where to go anymore, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told reporters he would support passing a budget with no increase in funding for roads if Senate Republicans and Walker refuse to consider increases to the gas tax or vehicle fees to pay for construction projects. Fitzgerald blasted that position as laughable and just ridiculous because it would result in halting or dramatically delaying ongoing work on major interstate construction projects. Both Fitzgerald and Vos cited a memo from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau that estimates there would be about $340 million less to spend in the coming year on major highway construction projects compared with increases proposed by Walker. It also makes no sense to raise taxes for roads because Walker has promised to veto such an increase, Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald stood by his call to borrow $850 million to pay for roads over the next two years. Walker has also voiced support for that approach. Vos was unmovable, though, calling it a non-starter to pay for roads exclusively with more borrowing. Its not laughable because we wont put more spending on the credit card, Vos said. He accused Fitzgerald of being unwilling to compromise, saying during their meeting that he spent a lot of time talking at us, seeming angry, and then said were done. Senate and Assembly Republicans planned to meet separately and privately on Wednesday in the Capitol. Fitzgerald said he was frustrated and worried that further delay would make Republicans who have their largest majority in the Assembly since 1957 and their biggest in the Senate since 1971 seem foolish for not being able to pass a budget close to on time. Well all have egg on our faces, Fitzgerald said. Republicans will look like we dont know what were doing. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, has said he can't support the current version of the Senate health care bill. That's not because he's worried about 22 million Americans losing health insurance or the odious tax cuts for the very wealthy. Rather, Sen. Johnson is concerned the bill doesn't go far enough to dismantle ObamaCare and he specifically cites his opposition to guaranteeing health coverage to people with preexisting conditions. Not many of her Fort Dells family were there. Judes and then husband Bob May were fixtures at Fort Dells for many years in the 1960's and 1970's. Judes with food service and Bob running daily operations, maintenance, and filling in as Black Bart and Marshals as needed. They knew literally hundreds of Fort Dells employees over those years, including me. Judes was particularly concerned after a Fort Dells employee party when Dells police noticed I was sleeping in my car at Fort Dells. Judes then let me sleep at her house on party nights. Judes, Bob and family had a wonderful home Bob built himself in Lake Delton. There they raised their family of three children Rob, Amy, Matt and collie dog Bruno. Judes hired me at Fort Dells and we remained friends over the years, along with her son Matt. Matt and Judes granddaughter Mackenzie performed a tribute to Judes at the evening Tommy Bartlett Show. I would like to personally thank Tom and Margaret Diehl and Tommy Bartlett's for arranging the reception at the Del Bar and all those who shared Judes friendship. Judes was a special sweet, funny, and sharp lady we all miss so much. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. UK government remains committed to nuclear, minister says 28 June 2017 Share Nuclear firmly remains an important part of the UK's energy mix and the government will ensure Britain's exit from the European Union will not have a negative impact on the country's nuclear industry, Energy Minister Richard Harrington has confirmed. Harrington has been undersecretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for less than two weeks following a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Theresa May. Harrington speaking at NNB 2017 (Image: NIA) Speaking at the Nuclear Industry Association's Nuclear New Build 2017 conference in London yesterday, Harrington said the government is committed to following through on its big initiatives, including the clean growth plan and industrial strategy. The nuclear industry, he said, "certainly has a big part to play in both of those as we look forward to expanding and decarbonising our economy". Having a diverse mix of energy sources "will be a real asset". "Over the next decades many of our existing plants will be coming to the end of their lives but the demand for low-carbon electricity will surely be on the increase," he said. "That's why new nuclear will have a key role to play in the years ahead and why there are so many opportunities to be found in this industry." The Conservative Party manifesto for the General Election held on 8 June pledged to ensure any industry or business had access to consistent, cheap and clean power, he said. Acknowledging that the manifesto did not explicitly say that nuclear would be included in this diverse range of energy sources needed to achieve this, Harrington said "We are very much on record on what we mean." "Diversity of supply means we can take advantage of the best available forms of power while continuing to innovate and improve as we go," he said. "Our energy policy is based on reliable and affordable energy and the government recognises that new nuclear will have a part to play in this diverse energy mix." Small modular reactors The government recognises the potential of small modular reactors (SMRs), he said, and is "keen to see them work, both as a technology and as a business model". Such reactors could help the UK to meet its energy and climate change challenges "at a lower cost and create opportunities for new high-value jobs", he added. In order to deploy SMRs successfully, vendors will need to achieve the cost reductions associated with the SMR business model and deliver energy that is cost competitive with comparable sources, he said. The right market conditions and regulatory framework must also be in place. The UK government launched an SMR competition last year. This, Harrington said, has "helped our knowledge base in several ways. In particular, it's improved our understanding of the range of SMR technologies available, given us an opportunity to consider the claims from the vendors about the potential of their designs and it's given industry an opportunity to discuss issues and concerns, including identifying potential barriers. And it's provided valuable insight into the wider conditions industry considers necessary for delivering SMRs to the UK." Euratom Last week the government formally entered its Brexit negotiations with the European Commission - including its exit from the Euratom Treaty. The nuclear industry will have a special interest in these negotiations, Harrington said. "We are determined to avoid any interruption to our civil nuclear regime and we remain absolutely committed to the high standards in nuclear safety, safeguards and support for the industry," he said. "Our aims are clear. The UK's withdrawal from Euratom will in no way diminish our nuclear ambitions because the nuclear industry remains of key strategic importance to the UK and the government is committed to delivering a world-leading nuclear sector in close cooperation with Euratom and our international counterparts." In the Queen's Speech released last week, the UK government said it will set up a domestic nuclear safeguards regime in consultation with the Office for Nuclear Regulation. Harrington said, "This will enable us to continue to meet international safeguards and non-proliferation obligations after we leave Euratom." He added: "There is a clear common interest between international parties in maintaining close and effective cooperation on nuclear issues and we are confident that we will reach the right agreement with our European partners. The exact arrangements for our safeguards after we leave Euratom is being developed with input from the regulator, industry and international partners being sought." The UK is committed to continue meeting international standards for nuclear safeguards, he said. "Maintaining the continuity of our mutually successful civil nuclear cooperation with Euratom and international partners is also a key priority. We already have bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements in place with several countries and we expect these to continue. To ensure that civil nuclear trade and cooperation with non-European partners - like the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan - is not disrupted by our exit from Euratom, we are negotiating directly with these partners so that appropriate nuclear cooperation agreements will be in place." Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics First used fuel shipment leaves Andreeva Bay 27 June 2017 Share The first shipment of used nuclear fuel assemblies from Russian nuclear submarines has left the former base of the Russian Northern Fleet at Andreeva Bay. Over 20,000 used fuel assemblies are to be retrieved, packed and removed from the site under an international initiative financed by the Nuclear Window of the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP), which is administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The first shipment of used fuel leaves Andreeva Bay on board the Rossita (image: EBRD) Andreeva Bay, in the Murmansk region of north-western Russia, was a coastal technical support base for the Soviet Union's Northern Fleet. During the Cold War, when the fleet's nuclear-powered submarines were refuelled their used fuel was transferred via ship to Andreeva Bay to be stored in an onsite pond storage facility. It was later transferred to dry storage units at the site. Over the years the condition of the dry storage units has deteriorated, and the site poses a serious environmental risk. Fuel from 100 reactors has been stored at the site. Andreeva Bay was closed as a naval base in 1992, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and transferred to civilian authorities in 1993. It is now managed by Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom. Norway and Russia in 1992 signed a bilateral agreement to address the nuclear legacy issues of the former Northern Fleet and the decommissioning of the nuclear submarines. The safe management of the resulting nuclear and radiological material has continued to be an international effort. The strategy for removing used fuel from the dry storage units was developed from 2002 by Russia and international experts, with funding from the UK. The multi-step removal procedure included building an enclosure of the dry storage units, some of which are damaged and leaking. The fuel is retrieved by machine, under shielded conditions, and transferred to new canisters which are then moved to specialised 40-tonne casks for further transportation. The casks are moved in a specially designed transport vehicle to a holding area known as the accumulation pad. A purpose-built 50-tonne trolley moves the casks from the accumulation pad to the newly built pier where a specially designed crane loads them onto the Rossita radioactive waste transport ship, which was built and financed by Italy. The casks will be shipped to Murmansk from where they will be transported by rail to their final destination, the Mayak reprocessing plant in Chelyabinsk, near the Ural Mountains. The fuel removal process is being carried out SevRAO, the northern centre of Rosatom's Moscow-based commercial back-end radioactive waste and decommissioning services subsidiary RosRAO. The NDEP was established in 2002 to provide technical assistance for environmental projects in the north-west region of Russia. Its support fund, administered by the EBRD, was set up in 2002, with support from the European Union and Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the UK. The Nuclear Window was set up in 2003 to provide funding for projects to mitigate the legacy of the operation of the nuclear-powered ships and submarines of the Northern Fleet. The work at Andreeva Bay has also been supported by bilateral contributions. A nuclear materials accountancy system and new canisters for used fuel assemblies were supplied by the EU. Norway built the decontamination facility, pier, roads and other supporting infrastructure. The UK funded the design and construction of used fuel management facilities. Italy provided facilities for radioactive waste management and constructed the Rossita, while Sweden supported development of the design for solid and liquid radioactive waste management. Russia is responsible the transportation and treatment of the used nuclear fuel at the Mayak facility. Pierre Heilbronn, EBRD vice president for policy and partnership, said the Andreeva Bay project was a "truly remarkable example of international cooperation" on matters of global environmental importance. "It is particularly pleasing to see that nations put aside their differences to resolve such crucial issues as the legacy of the nuclear-powered fleet in the north of Russia," he said. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics UK decommissioning firms share lessons learned 27 June 2017 Share The two companies responsible for the clean-up of the UK's nuclear legacy are willing to share lessons learned with the global decommissioning industry, Martyn Jenkins, managing director of Enkom Consulting, told a recent conference. Both Sellafield Ltd and Magnox Ltd have "moved from operational to project delivery" and have identified five main challenges, Jenkins said. Jenkins chaired a panel discussion, A UK perspective on how to address the rising costs of liabilities, at the Nuclear Decommissioning & Waste Management Conference Europe held in Manchester, England on 25 May. "Increasing costs tends to cause a problem with confidence and that's an issue we all face," said Jenkins, who was joined on the panel by John Millington, head of estimating at Sellafield Ltd, and Jeremy Richards, Project Management Improvement at Magnox Ltd. "We've talked a bit about the problem of sharing information, whether that be commercial issues, or completeness of information, but we'd like to ask you what you think. Don't expect us to tell you everything, but we'll run through some of the challenges we currently see," Jenkins said. He listed these challenges as: culture; project; financial; design/engineering; and capability. Major change At the same time as moving towards performance delivery, both Sellafield Ltd and Magnox Ltd are undergoing structural and ownership change. In April last year the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) become the owner of Sellafield Ltd, the site licence company (SLC) responsible for managing and operating Sellafield in Cumbria. The new arrangements replaced the parent body organisation model and therefore ownership of Sellafield Ltd by Nuclear Management Partners. Sellafield Ltd published its first corporate strategy since the change on 20 April. Magnox Ltd, owned by Cavendish Fluor Partnership (CFP) Ltd, is the management and operations contractor responsible for safely managing 12 nuclear sites and one hydroelectric plant in the UK. In March, the NDA announced it had decided to terminate its contract with Cavendish in 2019, which is nine years earlier than planned. "Magnox has been decommissioning probably for longer than Sellafield, but both have extensive experience and a lot of project knowledge. Sellafield's current focus is on hazard reduction, operational activities and constructing new facilities; so not quite yet at the full-blown decommissioning phase," Jenkins said. "Contrast that with Magnox, which has been decommissioning for a number of years. Magnox is into a situation now of waste retrieval, where buildings are coming down. They're looking for a means to retrieve and encapsulate the materials, whether they be hazardous, radioactive or just conventional on the decommissioning sites. But what we have between these organisations - one which is a very congested and complex site and the other being spread out over a large area - is mature plans." Sellafield Ltd is enjoying "exciting times", Millington told delegates. "We've just released our first corporate strategy now that we are a wholly owned subsidiary of the NDA. There's been a lot of preparation for transformation, we've got a new board formed and a new executive team preparing for the end of reprocessing round about 2020, but clearly our key strategies remain safe and secure stewardship of the site, progress and of course return on investment. "On top of all that Sellafield remains probably the most hazardous and complex nuclear facility in Europe. The site is near the west coast of Cumbria and covers an area of about six square kilometres. We've got about 200 facilities housing nuclear waste, ranging from low-level right to extreme high-hazard. There's been a lot of talk at this conference about costs, but some of the engineering behind the numbers, some of the technology and science thats going on, we're doing some incredible things." Richards, previously head of project controls and estimating at Babcock Nuclear (now Cavendish Nuclear), highlighted the fact Magnox comprises 12 nuclear licensed sites that are geographically dispersed all around the UK. Richards was seconded to Magnox from Cavendish Nuclear in September 2014. He said: "I came in as part of the parent body organisation in 2014 and there were two SLCs in existence at the time - RSRL and Magnox. We've brought them into one entity. We inherited both the decommissioning and generating emphases because when we took over we were still in the process of generating at one site, in Wylfa. That subsequently ceased generation some time ago and we are now in the middle of defueling. It's the last site to be defueled in the fleet. But essentially, in terms of the hazard, we are into waste management now." Challenges On the financial challenge, Jenkins said: "Annualised funding is a big issue for us; it means that we have to plan the work around an annual position." He added: "The NDA has in its portfolio what we would consider to be mature plans, but it's government funded. So, unlike the German or Swedish scenarios where the funds are ring-fenced or defined, and although the mature plans are in place, they are effectively funded with taxpayers' money. So, what Magnox and Sellafield are really tasked with is demonstrating value for money." Another challenge concerns design and engineering work. Jenkins said: "We might argue that we've got a very mature plan, but sometimes we can't define the work at the very outset. Equally, we can't define the end scope. We don't know how we'll leave it, whether it's brownfield, greenfield or somewhere in between. That creates a problem for us in terms of design and engineering." The 'project' challenge concerns "unforeseen work and interfaces between projects", Jenkins said. This concerns the risks that can occur, "whether they are conventional risks, such as asbestos, or planning or scheduling risks when a project interfaces with other areas". The 'culture' or 'change of mindset' challenge, Jenkins said, is "certainly an issue" when turning an operational team into a project delivery team. "Do you replace that team? Do you retrain them or do you bring in specialists to do that work? How do you get an organisation that has been operating for a number of years to a position where it can start decommissioning sites? The skillsets are very different." Program-based approach The 'capability' challenge concerns the availability of skilled labour and productivity levels, Jenkins said, and Richards added that Magnox Ltd has the advantage of having two parent bodies. "We can draw on these two parent bodies in terms of expertise, from Fluor in the United States and Cavendish at different sites in the UK, such as Dounreay. One of the things we recognised, when we came in and we took over the SLCs, is that it's all about hearts and minds," Richards said. "We inherited 12 sites that were quite disparate in their thinking, 12 fiefdoms effectively, that we had to roll into a generic culture that is still evolving. One of the ways that we've chosen to do that, rather than operate on a site-by-site basis and reinvent the wheel, is to put in a series of programs. We've programmised the whole approach, so that once we do an activity, once we knock a building down, once we retrieve waste, once we devise a new product, we roll that approach out consistently against the fleet. "We try and actively promote that lead-and-learn concept. It has taken some time to embed, but it is starting to pay some rewards and capture all this learning to go forward." Jenkins asked one of the delegates - Joseph Boucau, global director of decommissioning & dismantling and waste management business development at Westinghouse about his experience of a "programmised approach". Boucau said: "Westinghouse is thinking in a broad manner. We are thinking multi-site and also about the cultural mindset, the local aspects, needing to work within the local context in terms of the customer and the safety authority, and being totally aligned with local expectations. With design and engineering you need to be very clear with your customer about the scope of work and what the boundaries are. In terms of capabilities, you need to have the right skills and, to dismantle a heavy component, you need people who are capable of understanding the challenge and the risks involved from having learned lessons from other projects. It's important to be in production mode; if you can reproduce what you've done before, you can reduce the burden financially and this means less cost to the customer." Asked about sharing data, Boucau said: "We are continuously improving. Innovation is important, but we are decommissioning here and not going to the moon. In some discussions people are thinking these are sophisticated things; yes, they are sophisticated but we need to control sophistication to a certain level and make it pragmatic and still with the mindset of improving from lessons learned." Richards said a "big issue" for Magnox Ltd - and the wider estate - is that "the full extent of the waste volume involved is not fully known". "It's understanding what's behind the closed doors, so to speak. The liabilities continuously grow because as you approach a new coal face, you can identify new issues that you haven't encountered before. We've also had regulatory compliance to adhere to - recognising that we have rules and regulations to adhere to and frameworks to work to, but whilst some of those can enable, some can slow progress of true decommissioning," he said. An example he gave of "things that should have been picked up and provisioned for" was asbestos found at the Bradwell site. "One thing we started in Magnox in 2015 is, we went in to revisit the liabilities and identified asbestos that was not in the plan. We built in everything we could see but, essentially, it's one of those moving feasts that once you start scratching the surface you often find what's beneath and it's sometimes chasing things to the nth degree. The longer you take to define or change the end state has an ultimate impact on the decommissioning strategy, the durations, extends the schedule etc. and it actually adds to the liability cap. "So, it's about understanding what we've got. I think now we're in a stronger position now than we ever were," he said. "Other examples of liability increases include changes in policy - we've got the Scottish highly-active waste policy for example that was a big input into the liability last year," he added. First-of-a-kind Boucau stressed the importance of operational experience before decommissioning starts. "There's the need to conduct a lot of tests and training to make sure the first-of-a-kind project does not become the last-of-a-kind because that would be a disaster. We should use as much as possible from practice that exists perhaps somewhere else, including in the operational life of a plant," he said. He referred to the Fort St Vrain high temperature gas cooled reactor, located close to Denver, USA, for which Westinghouse received the contract to perform its dismantling in 1990. "Westinghouse dismantled this graphite reactor underwater. Why did we do that? To minimise the dose risk," he said. "We applied a concept we used to have for refuelling PWRs or BWRs; so, a flooded pool that meant personnel were well shielded. This is the kind of thinking people should have; it may be out-of-the-box thinking, but something that has been done in a different context can have value." Richards referred to the pioneering use of divers to clean former cooling ponds at the Dungeness nuclear power plant in England. This was a first-of-a-kind project in the UK, but not in the USA. He said it was difficult initially to get the divers' consent, but the project had been so successful that Magnox Ltd is planning to use divers at the Sizewell plant as well. Millington highlighted two areas Sellafield Ltd has started to focus on recently. "We've done quite a bit of analysis on the longevity of the projects. One area in particular I think we need to take a much more critical look at is the project initiation and that front-end engineering phase. There is a trend we've seen where the construction durations of some of our main projects tended to be relatively static and predictable, but what we've seen is considerable variation in that from the preliminary concept stage through to the detail. So that's an area to certainly focus on," he said. Boucau's 'unique one-of-a-kind' comment resonated with practice at Sellafield, Millington said. "If we collect that data, we need the granularity to make sure some of the mistakes we made are measurable and can be fed back." Budget setting The other area Sellafield is trying to focus on is "early stage budget range setting", he said. "If you think of the longevity and complexity of some of these projects, it's critical that the first range is set realistically. All the work we're trying to do is to support and help us in those study estimates, the early concept estimates where you have little or no information. There's a drive for that predictability. Government and stakeholders are looking for almost single numbers. So that's an area we're really focusing on at the moment and we need some help to do that. It would be really powerful and useful if we were all looking at similar types of metrics and shared information." Jenkins asked whether Sellafield had "reached the headline peak yet". Millington said: "We're getting there, but clearly, there's a long way to go. I think it's recognition that what we're doing is first-of-a-kind, it's unique, and sometimes we discover things along the journey. It's that level of realism that budgets need to be based on." Simon Carroll, a senior analyst with the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, said a lot of cost estimates on decommissioning "are not that well informed". The OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) - together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - plans to publish soon new guidance on improving cost estimates of nuclear decommissioning projects. The guidance will be within a report produced by the OECD-NEA Decommissioning Cost Estimation Group, which Carroll chairs. Carroll said: "There are core elements of cost estimates that are not well informed by solid knowledge. They are assumptions, they are basic judgements that are made on the limited knowledge that we have in some areas, but we need to acknowledge where that knowledge is limited. "To the extent that it is limited we are working with assumptions and it's only by going back once we have the experience and examining what we can learn to develop that platform to be confident about our assumptions. As Joseph [Boucau] was saying, the replicability of projects gives a reason to be confident. We're confident not just because we like the number, we're confident because we have something that that number is grounded on. And the only way to do that is to validate the assumptions that we had by comparing what has actually happened. And the only way to do that is to get the data." Martin Stevenson, executive director of operations at Jacobs Engineering, said an understanding of psychology is useful. "A lot of we technologists and engineers dive into the detail to try and understand things and, as we get closer to thinking we understand, there's an optimism bias that makes us believe we're getting close to the truth. That's the way it's been for generations and I don't just mean decommissioning and nuclear. "The notion is, 'Well people tell me it costs this much and my experience is it always costs that much'. If you look at the UK government's Green Book approach, the sorts of contingencies that people put on projects are vastly different than the ones generally thought of in an engineering and project delivery context. There's the matter of how you look at things and not losing the wood for the trees." Lessons learned Richards described approaches to standardisation and simplification that Magnox Ltd is using. "The CFP way of standardisation is, through the repeatability, or trying to get something done in a pragmatic way numerous times to reduce that first-of-a-kind experience. "My experience with Magnox was it had 12 sites - ten sites previously and ten different solutions. Now clearly that's not efficient, that's not the way to do things. But equally you restrict innovation if you standardise things because if you keep on doing things the same way, you never get any new thinking, like the diving at Dungeness, for instance. "Agricultural approaches to decommissioning have been used in the UK for years; 'agricultural' being the machinery that's applied to it. It makes no sense to try and become overly complicated designing retrieval systems which when they break down you need to design another retrieval system to bring the original one out. However, we understand that some of the areas on the sites are difficult to access and some of the materials in there are unknown. Whether it's a vault in Berkeley or a shaft in Dounreay, there are lot of examples that are first-of-a-kind, but I think simplification is clearly something that we can all strive for. That can be a process rather than just the design and construction of something because the processes in many instances can slow us down," he said. Jenkins added that it is also important to "plan at the appropriate level". Referring to Enkom's recent exercise with NuGeneration, to assess the UK nuclear power plant developer's decommissioning and waste management plan, he said: "Now that plant when it's built won't be decommissioned for 100 years, so why build a decommissioning plan now and at the level of detail that is unreasonable, in too much detail? Using that as the far end of the scale and using perhaps Magnox as the near end, planning and costing the work needs to be appropriate to when the work's going to be executed. That determines the level of effort put into the accuracy of the estimates and the application of a contingency," he added. Millington said: "We have to look at the value of putting detail to something that's going to happen in 50 years' time. We try to use common and consistent breakdowns of cost and work, so depending on where you are with a project you've got those various levels and at least one higher level breakdown you can monitor those to. Then, as that evolves, it becomes populated with more detail. "In terms of simplification in the design process, we can look at commercial off-the-shelf solutions and ask whether that would fit the purpose, rather than an over-engineered nuclear solution. There are a lot of initiatives going on for us at the moment," he said. Richards added: "It's interesting that you can look at a schedule with 200 activities and another site might have 1000 activities and by virtue of having 1000 activities you can find that the cost escalates. There are reasons for this, but you sometimes find that the more granularity you have, the more the estimate and the schedule will grow. It's really just about trying to get that appropriate level of information." Jenkins added that Enkom had worked with Magnox on a "simple cost breakdown structure" in line with the NDA's approach to "incentivise Magnox to capture the information and reuse it". "But that might prompt a conversation about sharing of data. In the UK, you have government funding and a lot of freedom of information. So, how can we share? One way might be through standardised coding, meaning if we can all talk about the same things and use the same sort of structure, then that's going to help us hugely, though what level of detail it has may be open to debate," he said. "We could also share normalised outturn costs. There aren't many reactors that have been decommissioned, but what there has been is a lot of projects undertaken, so what you need to do from our experience is look to those projects. It takes 15 years on average to pull a reactor down, but you have to wait a long time to get that information and feed it back into the cycle. So maybe we need to look at parts of the project and not the entire project." He noted that information is "commercial property that everybody, if they invest in it, would like to hang on to", but there's a "huge benefit" to sharing information. "How we do it is a matter of face. It could be through various organisations - the Nuclear Industry Association, the International Atomic Energy Agency, among others - but we'd all like to get the costs down. It's a strange fact that we probably spend more money pulling things down than we do building them in the first place," he said. Carroll noted that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), when deciding on the decommissioning of San Onofre units 2 and 3, had required that the utility report its decommissioning costs in relation to the estimate that they had approved. This meant that any major changes to the costing had to be reported and clarified to the CPUC, followed by regular reporting according to the same structure as the cost estimate. "That was a regulatory decision. Obviously, where government entities are involved, they can put impositions on utilities to report costs in certain ways, but there must be a win-win in here that people will want to share data in a good way in order to improve their project delivery, rather than impose an artificial decision," he said. Richards said methodologies for costing had been introduced at Magnox Ltd. "The way it's structured now is definitely better than what we inherited. For example, we've got one consistent lifetime plan instead of the 12 inconsistent plans we inherited. We can give one report from a portfolio now that we can monitor against our funding and drill right down to whatever level of activity we want in the plan." Millington added: "Since I've been at Sellafield, I've had two really good and sensible discussions with the NDA about realistic expectations, but cost estimating is the hardest game in the world." Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Solomon Islands was first occupied by Papuan communities and then followed by Austronesian-language speakers. The first European expedition to the islands was made by Alvaro de Mendana de Neira, a Spanish explorer who named them "the Islands of Solomon." British, Dutch, and French sailors docked in the islands, but it was the British who first established colonial administration. Some of the most strategic battles of World War II took place on the islands after the invasion of Japan in the 1940s. The British reclaimed the islands after the war and sought to rebuild it. Solomon Islands became independent in 1978. Executive Solomon Islands is an independent Commonwealth realm. The parliament selects the governor general who serves as the monarch's representative in the islands. The governor general receives advice from the prime minister and cabinet. Solomon Islands has a prime minister who is chosen by parliament. Members of cabinet are appointed by the prime minister to head various ministries. Ministers are aided by permanent secretaries who direct and supervise the ministry staff. The cabinet must answer to Solomon Islands' Parliament. Cabinet changes in the state are common due to the formation of unstable parliamentary coalitions and the presence of weak political parties. Legislative A unicameral National Parliament is responsible for legislation in Solomon Islands. 50 members serve for a term of four years after elections in single-seat constituencies. The state's political scene features multiple parties where no party can dominate alone. Political parties collaborate to establish coalition governments. The dissolution of parliament before the end of its term can be triggered by a majority vote of its members. In the 2010 elections, the Democratic Party acquired 13 seats while the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility (OUR) Party and Reformed Democratic Party each received three seats. A total of 19 independents were voted into parliament. The speaker of the Parliament of the Solomon Islands is selected from outside parliament. Judiciary The Constitution of 1978 stipulated the jurisdiction of the High Court and the Court of Appeal. At the helm of the court system is the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs. Local courts give audience to criminal and civil cases as long as the parties live within the region in their jurisdiction. Community elders give rulings in these courts based on local by-laws and customary law. The Customary Land Appeal Court hears cases regarding the ownership and use of customary indigenous land, and it receives appeals from local courts. Magistrates' courts in Solomon Islands enjoy both criminal and civil jurisdiction and are limited to types of cases. Appeals from the High Court are received by the Court of Appeal. The Chief Justice is assisted by puisne judges to preside over the High Court. The court system of the state features foreign judges, especially from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Australia. Administration Units The territory of Solomon Islands is divided into nine provinces: Isabel, Rennell and Bellona, Western, Guadalcanal, Central, Malaita, Temotu, Makira-Ulawa, and Choiseul. The Honiara City Council governs the Capital Territory of Honiara. Elected provincial assemblies administer over the provinces. Mustafa Dossa, one of the men convicted of carrying out the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, died today. Dossa died, likely of a cardiac arrest, at 2.30 pm today at Mumbai's JJ Hospital, where he was admitted early today morning. By India Today Web Desk: 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Mustafa Dossa died today after suffering a cardiac arrest. Dossa, who was lodged at Arthur Road Jail, was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai early today morning after complaining of chest pain. TP Lahane, the JJ Hospital dean, confirmed the death. JJ Hospital dean Dr Tayarao Lahane said that Dossa likely died of the cardiac arrest that he suffered today. The real cause of death will be determined only after an autopsy is performed, Lahane added. advertisement Hearing in to the 1993 serial blasts case had to be adjourned after the SSP informed the court about Mustafa Dossa's sudden death. Dossa, who was admitted to the JJ Hospital at 3 am this morning, was moved to the Coronary Care Unit at around 11.30 am. He died at 2.30 pm. "Dossa was admitted to the jail ward of the hospital at 3 am," Lahane said earlier today. Dossa complained of chest pain and had hypertension, diabetes and infection, Lahane added. Dossa was one of the 6 men convicted by a special TADA court on June 16 in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. The court is yet to pronounce the quantum of punishment in the case. Dossa was present in court on Tuesday when the special Central Bureau of Investigation prosecutor sought death penalty for him in the '93 blasts case. Along with Abu Salem, the court found Dossa, and four other men, guilty of conspiring to commit the dastardly Mumbai serial blasts, which killed over 250 people. While convicting Dossa, the court found that the prosecution had been able to prove that Mustafa had called a meeting in Dubai after the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition. The meeting was attended by Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon, Anees Ibrahim and Ejaz Pathan and was when the plan to bomb Mumbai was hatched. The court also found that Mustafa was responsible for sending all the arms and ammunition to Mumbai and he bribed police and custom officers to ensure their entry into India's financial capital. According to the CBI, a part of the arms consignment arranged by Mustafa was sent to Bharuch in Gujarat. Mustafa Dossa also made arrangements for people to be brought from India and to meet Dawood in order to plan the revenge to the post-Babri demolition riots. 'BRAIN BEHIND OPERATION' The CBI said Dossa was one of the "brains" behind the conspiracy and that his degree of responsibility towards the commission of the crime was the highest. "If not for [Dossa] (and other absconding accused) the crime would never have taken place," Special CBI counsel Deepak Salvi told the TADA court on Tuesday while seeking death penalty for Dossa. advertisement He said that first conspiracy meeting held at Dossa's Dubai residence had sowed the first seeds of the conspiracy. Salvi argued that Dossa was one of the masterminds and was in a dominant position of authority. "Dossa was from among the prime conspirators giving instructions to others," the counsel told the court. Dossa had the effective control over the incident and he was one of the architects of the blasts, he said. "Just like the supreme court had held that Yakub Memon's deeds cannot be viewed distinct from the act of Tiger Memon (a wanted accused in the blasts case), the same can be attributed to Dossa and other suggestion would be futile and worth discarding at the first glance", Salvi argued. He said Dossa was among the "archers wearing the quiver and releasing arrows and one of the principal perpetrators who got the work done through others". "The offence could have been averted had it not been hatched by the absconders (including Dossa) or if he had not initiated it by sending the first consignment of arms," Salvi said. From the execution of the conspiracy, there is a clear instigation by Dossa and he was directly responsible for the blasts as he was one of the brains behind plotting the attacks, the CBI counsel said. advertisement "The crime of terrorism is in itself the aggravating circumstances as it carries a 'special stigmatisation' due to the deliberate form of inhuman treatment it represents and the severity of the pain and suffering inflicted," Salvi argued. He said Dossa was a known smuggler and has criminal antecedents. "The crime committed by him is of the utmost gravity, heinous, dastardly, diabolical and demonic with no regard towards the country and her citizens, and was carried out pruriently relishing the act of spilling the blood and slaughtering," Salvi argued. (With inputs from Mayuresh Ganpatye in Mumbai and agencies) ALSO READ | Mumbai blasts verdict: How Rakesh Maria cracked 1993 serial bombing case with help of approver ALSO READ | How Mumbai blasts verdict may influence Babri Masjid demolition case against LK Advani, others ALSO WATCH | Mustafa Dossa, Abu Salem convicted in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case --- ENDS --- On June 25, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington DC alongside over a dozen other corporate leaders. After the meeting, Bezos tweeted that the meeting was terrific and that he was energized by optimism and invention in India. He pledged to expand Amazons already $5 billion investment in the companys India operations, which launched in 2013. Amazon is pleased working in India because it can exploit the working class and pay its workers starvation wages. The International Amazon Workers Voice spoke with Indian Amazon workers who reported that warehouse workers make just $233 per month. A 28-year-old Amazon worker in India named Abdul told the IAWV, Multinational companies are exploiting workers as cheap labour in this country. Even worse is the condition of workers in Indonesia and Philippines, where the governments are pleading with investors to come and invest in their countries as they promise supply of much lower paid workers. India has become the second largest online hub for Amazon, a US-based global e-commerce conglomerate. It is reported that it supplies 35 million products all over the country with 41 fulfillment centres across 13 Indian states. With packing workers making $233 per month, it is no wonder the corporate giant wants to expand operations in India. Bezos made $2.8 billion in one day earlier in June after announcing Amazons purchase of Whole Foods. It would take an Indian Amazon worker 1,001,430 years to make the same amount. With a monthly income of just $233, purchasing food, shelter, and necessities is nearly impossible. A cheap new compact car costs $5,000, nearly double a warehouse workers annual wage of $2,796. On the evening of April 27, Jeff Bezos made $3.3 billion in after-hours trading within the span of a few hours. For an Indian Amazon warehouse worker to make what Bezos made per minute$24,000he or she would have to labor 8 years, over one-tenth of the average Indian life expectancy of 68 years. Put another way, Bezos made as much each second ($396) as an Indian Amazon warehouse worker makes in 7 weeks. Reporters with the IAWV visited Amazon Transportation Services Pvt Ltd. at Royapettah in Chennai. The centre, set up in 2014, operates with a manager, team leaders and packing workers. The IAWV learned that the manager is paid around 60,000 rupees per month ($932), team leader about 40,000 rupees ($621) and packing worker about 15,000 rupees ($233). Amazon exploits workers all over the world, pitting them against one another in a race to the bottom of cheap wages and minimum benefits. An Amazon spokesperson excitedly boasted to the media of the rapidly growing market in India: We are very excited by the tremendous response we have received from our customers and sellers in India. India today is the largest market outside of the US for a number of new customers to Amazon. We continue to look at India as a key growth market and continue to invest aggressively with a long-term horizon. Abdul said that many workers are paid even less than $233: Here Amazon has given a contract to Mahendra [a big Indian company] for transportation. Vendors come through Mahendra. We don't have any direct contact with Amazon. I wish Amazon directly pay to contract workers. But what is happening is company and contractors are both exploiting contract workers. The contractors get money from the company and pay less to contract workers. They get about 12,000 rupees ($186) as monthly salary. Amazon has set up centres in major cities including the capital Delhi, Mumbai and Pune in the West and Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the South. With close to 14,000 workers, the company has announced its biggest campus outside the US, in Hyderabad, and around 10,000 workers in Bengaluru. According to a press report, Amazon leads in India-specific innovations and introduced several new programmes like Kirana Now, the grocery business, Project Udaan, a skill development initiative for sellers and Amazon Business, a B2B wholesale marketplace for the procurement of supplies by small and medium businesses. At the Royapettah facility, there are around 300 contract workers who are not directly in companys pay roll. The centre operates with three shifts with 90 workers in each shift. Of the 300 workers, 90 workers come per shift. Ranga, 37, a driver at Amazon Transportation Services Pvt Ltd., has worked in this company for nearly two years as a contract worker. He told the WSWS about the miserable conditions at work: If we take a casual or medical leave we will not get paid. There is no holiday per week. Only for those working in Amazon, benefits such as Provident Fund (PF), ESI [Employee State Insurance,] and paid holidays are applicable. Only about 60 employed at the facility technically qualify for these. Most of the workers who are involved in transportation and delivery are contract workers. Those who worked for more than two years are made permanent employees at managements wish. Those workers are paid 15,000 rupees. In the last three years, many workers have left the job due to workload and low wages. Ranga expressed solidarity with Amazon workers in Europe who were recently involved in a brief strike against the corporate giant. I know Amazon operates globally. But now only I came to know through the International Amazon Workers Voice about Amazon Germany workers struggle. Amazon workers worldwide have the same class interests. So long as the corporation can pay Indian workers so poorly, the economic pressure driving wages down for Amazon workers in Europe and North America will only increase. This raises the need for the international unity of Amazon workers worldwide. Workers must reject the lie advanced by the trade unions which claim these international corporations can be fought on a national basis. Efforts to divide workers with nationalist poison only help the corporate bosses. Workers must build their own committees, independent of the capitalist parties and the trade unions, to establish links via social media with their coworkers internationally. Only on this basis can the working class fight back against Amazon and corporate behemoths like it. The deportation of roughly 200 Iraqi nationals, predominantly Chaldeans, in the Detroit area was halted Monday when the Eastern Michigan District Court expanded a Detroit area stay to affect detained Iraqi immigrants nationwide. However, without a further decision deportations will resume on July 6. Friends and family members have been holding protests outside the federal courthouse in Detroit in defense of the immigrants, many of whom came to the country as children and have spent decades living and working in the US. Initially, 114 immigrants were detained in the Detroit area as part of a broader Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sweep on June 11. Since then at least 80 more have been arrested nationwide. An ICE spokesman told reporters that as of April 17, there are final removal orders for a total of 1,444 Iraqi citizens living in the US. While the Detroit ICE office told MLive that these deportations address the very real public safety threat represented by criminal aliens, family members and protesters who gathered outside the courthouse last week described those detained as ordinary people with minor offenses. Diana Hormez, whose brother was recently detained, spoke to the WSWS: My brother got snatched at that time because he had some minor legal offenses against him. Hes worked in construction and in a party store which his friend owned. Hes a great guy. Like many of the immigrants, Hormezs brother has lived in the US for decades and has built a life. He has been living in the US since he was 3 years old, she said. He came over here on a visa. Hes now 40 years old and he has children. Hormez explained that being arrested as a teenager has haunted him ever since and prevented him from becoming a citizen: He has had problems but he has never run away from the consequences of what he did. He has served his time in jail, he has done parole, and he has gone to the immigration office once a month, every month, like he is supposed to. My brothers not a murderer. He has been trying for so long to get his citizenship but because of his legal offenses he was never able to get it. My father got his citizenship and I was born here so Im a citizen but my brother has not been able to get his citizenship. Many of those arrested were sent to detention facilities hours away in Ohio, but may be sent even further from their families. They are taking many of the people they picked up, from the facility in Youngstown, Ohio, where they are currently being held, and they are moving them to facilities in Louisiana and Arizona, Hormez said. Apparently, thats the next step before they get deported. The ACLU intervened and managed to get them to stop the deportations for now but it is just a temporary measure. The initial stay was granted on June 22 in response to a petition from the detainees, citing the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Convention Against Torture, as legally barring their deportation to a war zone where their life or freedom would be threatened. Instead of arguing that the detainees could be legally deported, the US government argued that the District Court has no jurisdiction and detainees could only have challenged their deportation by appealing their final removal order when it was issued. In some cases the final removal orders were issued over a decade ago, well before ISIS seized Northern Iraq and specifically targeted Chaldeans and Kurds. In March, the Iraqi government agreed to accept deportees from the United States in exchange for being removed from the Trump administrations travel ban. The travel ban was initially stopped by lower courts, but the Supreme Court decided unanimously Monday to allow the Trump administration to implement the ban, with minor adjustments, prior to a final ruling. The current district court decision halting deportation to Iraq is only a temporary reprieve. The support of the liberal wing of the Supreme Court for Trumps discriminatory measures on the basis of national security demonstrates the inability of the highest court to defend basic constitutional and democratic rights. Three CNN journalists resigned Monday night after the outlet retracted an article published Thursday containing false allegations of connections between Donald Trump associate Anthony Scaramucci and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Over the past year, and in particular since the election of Trump, CNN, the Washington Post, the New York Times and other outlets have been engaged in a hysterical campaign of anti-Russia propaganda, repeatedly releasing sensationalist breaking news stories citing anonymous intelligence officials alleging ties between Trump and Russia. Unsubstantiated media allegations have become a central mechanism in the bitter factional conflict within the ruling class, pitting the Trump administration against its critics in the Democratic Party and intelligence agencies, centered on issues of foreign policy The campaign over Russian hacking of the election and alleged collusion between Trump and Russia has been aimed at pressuring the administration to shift its foreign policy orientation toward confrontation with the Putin government. There have been numerous similar retractions made over the course of the past year involving many of the major news outlets, but this is the first instance in which journalists have lost their jobs as fallout for their abandonment of basic journalistic principles. The article, which was entirely removed from CNNs website Friday, was written by Thomas Frank and edited by Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter Eric Lichtblau. Lex Harris, the executive editor overseeing the investigative unit that produced the article, resigned alongside Frank and Lichtblau. CNNs president Jeffrey Zucker personally intervened in the companys internal inquiry, which found that the story was published despite concerns from CNNs editorial standards team. After a series of embarrassing anti-Trump incidents involving Kathy Griffin, Reza Aslan and others who work for CNN, Zucker likely exerted pressure on the three journalists to resign to prevent further damaging controversies. The central falsehood of the article was that Scaramucci and RDIF were under investigation by the US Senate Intelligence Committee. The article wrote provocatively that RDIFs chief executive met with a member of President Donald Trumps transition team four days before Trumps inauguration, and asserted that they discussed the possibility of lifting US sanctions against Russia. On Friday, Scaramucci disputed Franks reporting. The article also falsely claimed that RDIF is owned by the Russian bank Vnesheconombank, which is under investigation by the Senate and has been targeted by US sanctions against Russia. Sputnik News first reported that RDIF wrote directly to CNN, asking them to amend numerous elements of the article. The RDIF told Sputnik News that it became an independent sovereign fund in 2016, [and is therefore] not a part of Vnesheconombank and its operations are wholly independent of the bank. In an article on the reporters resignations, CNN wrote that standard editorial processes were not followed when the article was published. The outlet has implemented a new policy regarding Russia-related articles, which must now be approved by two top editors prior to being published. As has been the case with similar articles, Franks piece relied solely upon a single, anonymous source who claimed to be close to the nonexistent investigation. The article was published under conditions in which charges of Russian involvement in hacking the elections and otherwise engaging in cyberwarfare have been repeated ad nauseam, despite no solid factional foundation. Whatever the circumstances behind the decision to pressure the CNN reporters to resign, the fact is that their method of reporting differs little from innumerable articles published in the media. Among the most prominent examples of other false reporting came last December, with a Washington Post article initially headlined, Russian hackers penetrated U.S. electricity grid through a utility in Vermont, U.S. officials say. When every aspect of the article proved to be false, the Post had to tone down the alarmist headline and issue an editorial note that nullified the central claim of the initial article, that Russian hackers had penetrated the US electrical grid. In tandem with the eruption of American imperialism in recent decades, the mainstream media has lost any semblance of journalistic or democratic principles. CNN, founded in 1980 as the first 24-hour news channel, has facilitated and benefited from this process of the media becoming cheerleaders for imperialism. The Wikipedia entry for CNN controversies details dozens of journalistic travesties by the news agency since its founding. British Prime Minister Theresa May stitched up a deal with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) just in time for a critical parliamentary vote on the Conservative governments legislative programme Thursday. Junes snap general election resulted in a hung parliament, leaving May eight seats short of an overall majority. The confidence and supply measure agreed with the DUP, which holds ten seats, produces a working majority of 13, as the combined vote of the opposition parties amounts to 313, taking into account the fact that the Irish republicans of Sinn Fein do not take their Westminster seats. The deal goes beyond conventional confidence and supply measures since, in addition to supporting the government on its budget and in no confidence motions, the DUP has agreed to back it on legislation governing Britains exit from the European Union and on national security. This is critical. Brexit has been described as the single greatest foreign policy measure undertaken since Britain declared war on Germany in 1939. Much of the governments programme over the next two years will be focused on the Great Repeal Billthe incorporation, amendment or abandonment of existing EU legislation into British law. May said the agreement enabled the two parties to work in the interests of the whole United Kingdom. She added that it would give us the certainty we require as we embark on our departure from the European Union and help us build a stronger and fairer society at home. It does nothing of the sort. After ten years of draconian austerity, and only weeks after an election in which the Tories insisted there was no magic money tree to fund essential services, May has paid a headline figure of 1 billion for the dealequivalent to 100 million for each DUP seat. She has entered into an agreement with a party whose origins lie in the former Reverend Ian Paisleys fascistic Presbyterian movement, which had intimate ties with Loyalist paramilitaries. In addition to opposing abortion and homosexual rights, the partys senior members include proponents of creationism. An arch purveyor of sectarianism in the North, the DUP was the only party to oppose the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which largely ended the armed conflict by enabling Sinn Fein to join the Stormont Assembly established under the power-sharing arrangements. The DUP is now claiming a significant victory, with good reason. The party and its leader, Arlene Foster, had been in crisis after the Northern Ireland Assembly was brought down in January over a corruption scandal in which it was implicated. The DUP has said the 1 billion will be spent on hospitals and schools in Northern Ireland, which suffers some of the worst levels of deprivation in the UK and, due to its reliance on state aid, has been especially impacted by austerity. An extra 500 million of already committed funds are also being made available. But the funding is not tied to the restoration of Stormont. The DUP, Sinn Fein and other political parties have until Thursday to reach an agreement, after which Northern Ireland faces the possible imposition of direct rule by Westminster. It is not clear how the extra funds will be distributed and, if there is no agreement to restore Stormont, the monies will be allocated by a central Tory government dependent on the DUP. Most significantly, the Tory/DUP deal commits the government to implement the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland, which states that the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Armed Forces and their families, to be realised by fair compensation and safeguards for military personal. Though described as a covenant, it has no basis in UK law. Its purpose is wholly politicalto legitimise the criminal adventures of British imperialism overseas and bolster the role of the armed forces domestically. Unionist forces have long agitated on the most provocative basis for it to be enforced in Northern Ireland. Ian Paisley Jr. said it was necessary to repay the debt owed to our Armed Forces for the protection they provided during the successful execution of Operation Banner. Operation Banner was the name for British operations in Northern Ireland between August 1969 and July 2007. Involving a total of 300,000 soldiers, it sought to enforce British rule through internment without trial, state infiltration of republican forces and bloody repression, including the Bloody Sunday murder of 14 unarmed protestors on January 30, 1972. The DUP also claimed victory in that the Tories had to agree to drop plans to means-test winter fuel payments and undermine the state pension. But May had already been forced to abandon these measures temporarily because they were so unpopular. Criticism of the deal within the Conservative Party and by the opposition parties has centred on the claim that it was not necessary for May to risk reopening the Northern Irish conflict when the DUPs votes were virtually guaranteed anyway. Even before the deal, the DUP had stated that it would do nothing to weaken a fragile May government because it is so opposed to Labour taking power. But the priority for May is to ensure that she is able to get the required Brexit legislation through parliament before the UK leaves the EU in March 2019. This is the demand of much of her party, which supports a hard Brexitcomplete withdrawal from the EU Single Market and the customs union. It is also the favoured option of her backers among the most anti-EU sections of the financial oligarchy, including the likes of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. That is why, although the Tory/DUP agreement is officially to last the five-year term of the current parliament, much of the spending commitments have a two-year lifespan, i.e., until after the close of Brexit. The DUP campaigned for a Leave vote in the Brexit referendum, but it is committed to keeping the border between the North and the Republic of Ireland open. There were hopes that on this basis it would help soften the Tories stance. Under the Tory deal, however, the government has agreed to work to devolve control over corporation tax to Northern Ireland, so the tax can be cut to 12.5 percent, enabling Northern Ireland to compete with the Republic of Ireland. This sets off a race to the bottom not only within Ireland, but within all parts of the UK. The extra funds and tax proposals led to complaints from the devolved Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Labours Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said it was outrageous and unacceptable and that it all but kills the idea of fair funding for the nations and regions. Scotlands first minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon threatened a formal dispute with the government. SNP Finance Minister Derek Mackay accused May of ripping off Scotland and undermining devolution. An SNP request for an emergency debate on the deal in parliament was rejected. Negotiations between Britain and the EU opened last week. With May a lame duck prime minister, the Tories had to accept the EUs timetable for divorce, in which the terms of separation must be agreed before negotiations on trade begin. The first contentious issue concerns the rights of 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK and the 1.2 million Britons in the EU. On Monday, May said that EU citizens resident in the UK for more than five years by the Brexit cut-off date would qualify for settled status, with the same rights as British citizens to stay in the country and receive health care, education, welfare and pensions. Those in residence for a shorter period would be able to stay on until they had reached the five-year threshold. May claimed this was a generous offer, but it amounts to what is already available to migrants settled in the UK for five years or more. It means EU citizens will no longer have the right to bring in a spouse or child over a certain age without meeting a minimum income threshold of 18,600. Those joining after Brexit will be subject to unspecified new immigration rules. Most ominous, settled status is to be enshrined in an EU nationals residence document, which is described as an ID card. It is not yet clear if this is something people would have to carry on their person. ID cards have long been bitterly opposed in the UK as a fundamental assault on democratic rights. When residents in Flint, Michigan, learned of the deadly fire at Grenfell Tower on June 14 in west London, they felt a common bond with the victims and the survivors. As in the Flint water crisis, a cover-up of a criminal conspiracy is being carried out by the government. In the Grenfell Tower inferno, at least 79 people died, and there will likely be many more victims. Nearly two weeks since the deadly fire, many children and adults are still unaccounted for among the 600 residents. The working-class and poor residents of Grenfell Tower lived in a death trap surrounded by one of the wealthiest areas in the world, where the average price of a terrace house is over $4 million. An external facade made of aluminum and flammable insulation, known as cladding, was installed last year to make Grenfell Tower less of an eyesore to the boroughs rich residents and ensure that their property values werent negatively impacted. The siding, which is produced by the American corporation Arconic, formerly Alcoa, is banned in the US but is used in the UK and many other countries. Tenants warnings about safety hazards were ignored, coupled with years of cuts to the fire service, and deregulation in housing and safety codes. Flint worker sends message to Grenfell The poisoning of Flint is also the result of a criminal conspiracy. A handful of bankers, financial speculators and private companies in the water business, aided by bought-off politicians, concocted a scheme to build a new water pipeline, the KWA, to make millions of dollars. State and local officials switched the citys water supply to the polluted Flint River, even though the citys antiquated water treatment plant was unable to make the water safe. More than three years after the decision to switch the water supply, virtually nothing has been done to address the catastrophic health consequences of the lead poisoning of tens of thousands of working-class residents. For 18 months after the switch, government officials on all levels covered up the crime. Today, city officials are resuming water shutoffs and are threatening to foreclose on the homes of workers who fail to pay for water tainted by lead and other toxins. Nearly nothing has been done to replace the decaying water infrastructure. Florlisa, a resident who has been actively exposing the Flint water crisis since the switch to the Flint River, told the WSWS: What happened at Grenfell Tower was horrific. The authorities used siding knowing that they were shoving people into an unsafe situation. They made the outside shiny and pretty with no regard for the working class and poor people who lived inside. Just as in Flint, the decision-makers in London are not concerned about the health or safety of their citizens. Residents of Grenfell Tower had complained for years that the 24-story public housing block was unsafe. The Grenfell Action Group predicted a serious and catastrophic incident. The apartment building lacked fire alarms and sprinklers and had only a single staircase. Like those residents, I know from experience that people dont just look for things to complain about. But when you are hurting and suffering, thats when you start complaining. We did the same thing in Flint. We noticed the foul smell and color and taste of the water a few months after the switch from Detroit to the Flint River. When we protested and tried to bring this to the attention of the authorities, we were treated with hostility. The powers-that-be accused us of being crazy. Poisoned water was pouring into our homes and bodies for 18 months before the officials even admitted a problem! It was the scientific evidence provided by residents to Marc Edwards of Virginia Tech and Dr. Mona-Hanna Attisha that forced the elected officials to finally acknowledge that lead had leached from the pipes due to the lack of corrosion-control treatment of the toxic Flint River. Florlisa noted: The water crisis in Flint erupted publically around election timeas it did in Britain. We ousted our mayor over this, but to this day, nothing has been resolved. The issues in London and Flint are very similar. The decision-makers in both places are about cutting corners. They were looking at their finances, and the result in both cases is an atrocity. There is no concern for even a minimal quality of life. They dont respect human life when it impacts working class and poor people. When a society cannot provide safe water, safe shelter and safe food, it means the basic fabric of what we need to live is being attacked. These are basic necessities. Why is it too much to ask for water that wont hurt us or housing that wont kill us? The working class is stuck. We have to stand up together all over the world. Any day of the week, I have more in common with a family from Grenfell Tower than I do with the class of rich American businessmen. Its the same profit system that is doing this to us. Elijah, a young worker with two children, told the WSWS, I havent been directly faced with death the way the people have in London but its the exact same thing as here. Something bad happens and the people in power try to flee from the situation and from their responsibility. We do have something common with those folks in London. People lost their lives even though they warned many times about the fire hazards. Speaking directly to the murderous Council apartment owners, Elijah said, You wanted to go the cheap way so you could keep more money in your pockets. It took many times for us here to be heard. We said this is not the same water when they told us they were switching over. We know here what the Flint River is and cant imagine the thought of even drinking water from it. How can it be purified? They have found dead bodies in that river. Why would that be our water source? Now they want to start taking property from peopleand thats all they have. Elijah compared this to London and the attempts to push poor people out of the city with gentrification. In Flint, this is taking place around Kettering University and the University of Flint, where the more affluent residents live. Working-class and elderly residents are being pushed out with everything from exorbitant water rates, the purchasing and razing of foreclosed and tax reverted properties, to auto insurance rates of $800 a month for certain zip codes in Flint. It is evident that the system is run by the wealthy. They are the only ones that are going to survive unless the people step up and be heard. Sometimes we have to take action. We have to also think about the system and the extremes that they will go to. They have no problem with wanting to kill us. I watched a documentary about Carnegie and how his man Frick, in 1892 in Homestead, Pennsylvania, brought in the militia to kill them [the strikers]. Because of his money nobody wanted to touch him. Money is power to them. Nathan, a college student from Minnesota, was visiting a friend near Flint. He told the WSWS: Its not just one person. Its not the governor who is making the pipes bad. It is the whole system. Its everything. Theres nobody helping the problem. The people on the ground know its wrong and are saying that its wrong. The people higher up admit that these are real issues that we could solve with real moneybut they just dont do it. Flint residents cant shower, so they have to buy bottles of water and pour it on themselves. That is not okay. Referring to the Grenfell fire, Nathan said, When you have disparities between the wealthy and the poor, you can separate which people you want to be with and which people you dont want to be with. The wealthy people dont want to interact with the poor people, so they are creating more disparities. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday afternoon that Republicans would be delaying a vote on their legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare until after the traditional July 4 recess. The decision to hold off a vote on the Better Care Reconciliation Act came after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its score on the measure, showing that there would be 22 million fewer Americans with health insurance by 2026 under the plan, bringing the total number of uninsured to 49 million people. The Senate Republican leadership acknowledged that it did not have the votes of 50 Republican senators to ensure its passage. The Republicans, with 52 seats to 48 for the Democrats, control the upper legislative house. With the Democrats poised to vote as a block against the bill, the Republicans can afford only two defectors. But at least nine Republican senators, some far-right conservatives and some moderates, have indicated that they will not support the bill in its present form. McConnell said he would work on changes to the legislation and get a new scoring from the CBO before proceeding after the break. The Senate bill, like its House counterpart passed last month, is extremely unpopular. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed that 55 percent of the public holds an unfavorable view of the Senate plan, with 38 percent having a very unfavorable view. The American Medical Association on Monday joined a long list of medical organizations and health care advocacy groups opposing the bill, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association, to name just a few. Both the Senate and House versions of the Trump administration plan effectively end Medicaid, the government health care program for the poor and the disabled, as well as for millions of elderly people, as a guaranteed program based on need. They do so by capping funding, and at rates that fall far short of medical costs, resulting in enrollees having their benefits cut or eliminated outright. Both plans in the first instance phase out and eventually end the expansion of Medicaid under the Obama administrations Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. The misnamed Better Care legislation slashes Medicaid spending by a total of $772 billion over 10 years. The government insurance program currently serves some 75 million people, including 30 percent of all adults with disabilities, 60 percent of children with disabilities and 64 percent of all nursing home residents. Beyond the cuts to Medicaid, the bill calls for a total cut in spending for health care of $1.02 trillion over 10 years, including $408 billion in subsidies for people who purchase insurance from private insurers on the Obamacare exchanges. These massive reductions in health care spending for ordinary Americans will largely be used to finance $700 billion in tax cuts that will overwhelmingly go to wealthy individuals and corporations, including insurance companies, medical device makers and pharmaceutical firms. The House and Senate bills constitute a savage attack on the health care of working people. Whatever the precise form of the law that eventually emerges from internal horse-trading among Republicans and back-door negotiations with the Democrats will mark a milestone in the ruling elites drive to destroy the social reforms of the 1930s and 1960s, including Medicare and Social Security. The Trump administration health care reform proposals build upon the pro-corporate, anti-working class health care overhaul carried out by the Obama administration. Obamacare, which includes a $700 billion cut in Medicare spending, further subordinates the health care system to the insurance companies, pharmaceutical giants and hospital chains, slashing costs for corporations and the government by raising premiums and reducing benefits for tens of millions of working people. It provides bare-bones coverage for some 20 million previously uninsured peopleleaving 28 million with no coverageby rationing health care for the working class as a whole. The Republican plan goes further, faster in attacking what remains of health care provision for working people. On Tuesday, commenting on Fox News on the CBO estimate that 22 million people would lose insurance coverage under the Senate bill, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan portrayed people losing coverage because of cuts in subsidies and massive increases in deductibles and co-pays as a matter of personal preference. So, its not that people are getting pushed off a plan, he said, its that people will choose not to buy something they dont like or want. This neatly sums up the contempt of the American corporate elite and its bribed politicians for the American people. In reality, 15 million of the 22 million people projected to lose coverage are among those currently enrolled in Medicaid. Many millions more will not purchase insurance because it is either too expensive or worthless. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that under the Senates Better Care bill, a 64-year-old earning $26,000 a year would see a $4,800 increase in premiums by 2020; a 64-year-old earning $68,200 would see a $5,200 increase. Deductibles are predicted to soar to $6,000 and above. This targeted attack on the preretirement population is by design. The insurance companies, employers and government see this group as an intolerable drain on profits, since they will soon be out of the labor market and collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits (to which they have contributed their entire working lives). As far as the ruling class is concerned, the sooner they die, the better! Another group of people who stand to lose coverage are those with preexisting medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, pregnancy, etc. While the Republicans claim that the Senate bill protects these people, it actually makes an end run around its nominal ban on insurance companies discriminating against those with preexisting conditions by permitting states to obtain waivers allowing insurance policies that do not include Obamacare-mandated essential benefits. An insurance plan might be affordable, but if you are a pregnant woman and the plan does not cover prenatal care, it is useless. If you are a cancer sufferer and your plan does not cover the expensive drug you need to fight the disease, it will do you little good. While it is not possible to predict precisely how the negotiations will play out, it is clear that there is bipartisan agreement that the current health care system needs to be fixed, and that this requires slashing health care spending, including for Medicaid and other entitlements. After announcing the delay in the vote on the Senate bill, McConnell told reporters, Either Republicans will agree and change the status quo, or the markets will continue to collapse and well have to sit down with Senator Schumer. The Democrats have gone out of their way to make clear they are anxious to negotiate with the Republicans. They talk of working out a bipartisan plan to strengthen Obamacare. This is a euphemism for incorporating the demands of the insurance industry for further reductions in benefits and the removal of all restraints on their ability to maximize profits. The draconian cuts proposed in both the House and Senate health bills have evoked anger and disgust among wide layers of the population. But the choice between maintaining Obamacare or adopting some form of Trumpcare is no choice at all for the working class. The working class must advance its own independent program, against Trump, the Republicans and the Democrats, based on a socialist program. Ownership of the health care industry must be taken out of private hands and placed under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class. This is the only basis for guaranteeing quality health care for all. Indias National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary to provide a report on the death of at least 11 patients, including two children, at a state-run hospital in Indore. The patients are alleged to have died after the sudden failure of oxygen supplies at Maharajah Yaswanth (MY) Hospital in the early hours of June 21. The NHRC said that if press reports about the deaths were true, it indicated gross negligence by hospital authorities and amounted to a violation of the right to life of patients. It requested the Madhya Pradesh state government to complete the report within four weeks. The incident, however, goes beyond MY Hospital. It exposes the parlous state of Indias entire public health sector. Successive governments at the national and state levels have refused to provide adequate funds, while promoting highly profitable private hospitals. MY Hospital is the largest state-run health facility in central India. MY Hospital authorities denied any problem with oxygen supplies. Divisional commissioner Sanjay Dubey, who is also affiliated with MGM Medical College, to which MY Hospital is attached, rejected allegations of medical negligence. He said legal action was being considered against a newspaper that published what he claimed was wrong information about the deaths. There is no negligence. I have been to every ward of the hospital and there was no break in oxygen supply, Dubey said. It is a tertiary sector hospital with 1,400 beds and on an average, there are 1012 deaths every day. Sixty to seventy patients are placed on oxygen every day, he continued, and if the oxygen supply had been cut off, the rest of the patients should also have died. A Times of India report, however, quoted an anonymous senior hospital official who confirmed there was a disruption in oxygen supplies at around 3 a.m. The [oxygen] supply was cut off for nearly 15 minutes. Those who could survive the duration survived, the official said. The critical ones died. While MY hospital authorities continue to deny any oxygen disruption they have refused to offer any reason for the deaths. Hospital authorities have also seized all the death records of patients from the wards, intensive care units (ICU) and neonatal ICUs. Hospital superintendent Dr. V. S. Pal admitted to the media that 11 patients died on June 21, yet refused to provide any information. I can assure that no medical negligence has taken place, he said, but I am not at liberty to disclose details. Questions about oxygen supply at MY Hospital are not new. In late May 2016, two children died at the facility when they were accidentally given nitrogen gas, instead of oxygen in a paediatric operating theatre. Total government expenditure on health in India is currently about 1.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), among the lowest levels in the world. In 2011 the Indian governments Planning Commission and High Level Expert Group Report on Universal Health Coverage for India said public health expenditure should be increased to 2.53 percent of GDP. Six years later, spending has not reached even half of this target. Public health expenditure per capita is also among the lowest internationally, with China spending 5.6 times more per person than India and the US 125 times more. As a result, Indians have to personally fund more than 62 percent of their health expenses, compared to 13.4 percent in the US, 10 percent in the UK and 54 percent in China. Due to meagre government allocations, Indias public health care is both under-financed and short-staffed, with the situation in rural areas far worse than in urban centres. There is an 81 percent shortage of specialists at rural community health centres. About 31 percent of the countrys rural population has to travel over 30 kilometres to get much-needed medical care. Under these conditions, private hospitals increasingly dominate, reaping massive profits from Indian patients and others in the region. In 2013, Indias private health care sector was worth $US81.3 billion annually and that figure is expected to increase by 17 percent by 2020. According to official figures, the private health sector accounts for 63 percent of hospital beds and over 134,000 patients travelled to India seeking treatment in private hospitals last year. The vast majority of working people and rural toilers cannot afford the high costs of private health care or health insurance. According to recent data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, 76 percent of Indians have no health insurance. Indian government contributions to health insurance total around 32 percent, compared to 83.5 percent in the UK. By contrast, the political and business elite have access to high-quality private health care at home and abroad. Last month, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan flew to London for heart surgery. Early this year, Sonia Gandhi, president of the opposition Congress Party, flew abroad for medical tests and treatment. The author also recommends: Tragic death of baby in Australian hospital [10 August 2016] Swine flu ravages India [25 March 2015] By Press Trust of India: By Aditi Khanna London, Jun 28 (PTI)A 43-year-old man was today arrested in the UK as part of Europe-wide anti-terrorism raids linked with a Spanish investigation into Islamic State (ISIS) suspects. Four others were arrested in Majorca, Spain, and a fourth man was held in Germany for allegedly producing and spreading violent videos to recruit would-be terrorist fighters online for the terrorist group. advertisement In the UK, West Midlands Polices counter-terrorism unit arrested the man at a property in Birmingham in the early hours of Wednesday as they executed the European Arrest Warrant. "The investigation focuses on terrorism material created for use online. The man will be taken to Westminster Magistrates Court to seek his extradition to Spain," the police said. Spains interior ministry said the British man was an imam subscribing to Salafism, an ultra-conservative form of Islam. He is said to have been wanted by several countries for his leadership of the group of men arrested across Europe today. The Spanish investigation began in 2015 when officers discovered videos promoted by the British imam that documented the recruitment, indoctrination and journey to Syria of a young Muslim resident in Spain, according to the Spanish ministry?s statement. It alleges that the cell devised and circulated videos with violent content and organised secret weekly meetings to recruit young people to travel to conflict zones to fight. The UK-based imam is accused of being the producer of films for the cell, which is believed to have been based in Majorca. He is alleged to have recently travelled to the Spanish island to meet the four Spain-based men to discuss indoctrinating others. The man arrested in Germany allegedly had contact with the others and had taken part in recruitment videos made by the group. Police forces from the UK, Spain and Germany cooperated using European Union (EU) agencies ? Europol, Eurojust and Sirene - set up to help share information related to fighting crime within member states. PTI AK UZM --- ENDS --- According to recent research, Australian public schools will need to cater for hundreds of thousands more students over the next decade, while media reports indicate that many schools are already bursting at the seams. In 2015, the Australian Centre for Educational Research (ACER) warned that new public schools would need to be built for an estimated 400,000 additional students during the next decade. In response to the findings, ACERs chief executive at the time, Geoffrey Newcombe, warned: If we don't start to invest more in infrastructure in schools, then we'll be teaching children sitting under trees. In early 2016, public policy think tank, the Grattan Institute, increased this already astounding projection to 650,000. Its research found that in order to accommodate the increased numbers, from 400 to 750 new schools would need to be built over the next 10 years, costing $A611 billion. Among these would be around 250500 primary schools. Unsustainable overcrowding is already well underway. Many schools are either full or well over capacity, particularly in the state capital cities, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Students in some schools are using the floor, corridors and balconies during classes, while at others, start times and lunch breaks are being staggered. On Sydneys lower north shore, students at one public primary school attend classes in portable classrooms erected at the local high school. In New South Wales (NSW), figures released by a state parliamentary inquiry in August 2016 reveal that more than one third of schools are full, while 8 percent are stretched beyond their limits. In Sydneys inner west, half of its 30 schools are already full or over-capacity. In Melbournes rapidly growing outer suburbs, schools are also facing surging student numbers. The student population at Alamanda College in Point Cook, which teaches Kindergarten to Year 9, has increased by 500 percent in three years. The school runs on four timetables, with staggered break times to ensure students have enough space in the playground. North Melbourne Public School, in the inner city, has reportedly provided students with lap desks, along with pre-recorded lessons, in one double classroom, with four classes being conducted at the same time. A recent report on the Australian Broadcasting Corporations radio Background Briefing program indicated that inner city schools were jam-packed due to the surge in new apartments accommodating the larger numbers of families wanting to live close to the city and to their workplaces. The crisis in public school infrastructure has been decades in the making. It is a direct consequence of two and a half decades of ruthless cost cutting by Labor and Liberal governments, both state and federal, resulting in the closure of hundreds of public, government-funded schools across the country. Most severely affected have been schools in the states of Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania. In Victoria, the Steve Bracks and John Brumby Labor governments shut down or merged 150 schools from 1999 to 2010. Prior to that, between 1992 and 1999, the Kennett Liberal government closed more than 300, meaning that in just under two decades, more than 450 Victorian schools were forced to shut their doors. In NSW, the Greiner Liberal government closed 8 primary schools in northern Sydney in the early 1990s, with the sites being snapped up by local private schools. Then, despite data showing that school enrolments had risen by 60 percent between 2003 and 2008, the state Labor government began closing schools in 200809, in Sydneys popular inner west. Principals, parents and teachers accused it of bullying or bribing them into accepting these closures or amalgamations. Between 2009 and early 2016, according to the NSW Teachers Federation, 57 schools were shut down in smaller regional towns, by both Labor and Liberal state governments. The scale of popular opposition forced the holding of a public inquiry, which found that the governments had not, in fact, consulted with local school stakeholders, as they had claimed, but had made the closure decisions unilaterally, and well in advance. Many of the closed school sites were sold off to private developers or property investors, with state governments amassing tens, even hundreds of millions of dollars out of the deals. Recently, the NSW Liberal government blamed the current infrastructure crisis on a historic lack of planning. While that is no doubt an element, an analysis of the closures during the past decades reveals a conscious and deliberate political strategy, on the part of all state governments, to de-fund, run down and eventually sell off public schools, thereby forcing parents to send their children into the private school sector, which is far better funded through both government and private sources. Unable to ignore growing community anger about the school overcrowding crisis, the NSW Liberal government announced last week that it would allocate $4.2 billion from its state budget to build and upgrade 120 schools over the next four years. Boasting that this would be the biggest NSW government investment in education infrastructure in history, the government listed its intended new projects. Out of more than 150, just 30 are proposals for new schools. The rest will involve upgrades or expansions of existing schools to provide additional new teaching spaces. Considering the Grattan Institutes estimation of a minimum requirement of 213 new public schools in NSW over the next 10 years, this is worse than inadequate. Moreover, no mention has been made of, or funding allocated to, the extra staffing and resources that will be needed to adequately support students and teaching staff in these new spaces. To what extent private funding will be involved in the construction and maintenance of these projects has not been revealed. In Victoria, where the privatisation agenda is most advanced, the state government has just announced that 15 new government schools will be built under Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) across the state in the next two years. The private sector will be contracted for 25 years to finance, design, construct and maintain these schools. This is part of a plan, not to improve the public education system, but to increasingly hand it over to the profit-making private sector, a plan that has already been exposed as a failure in the US and the UK, and antithetical to the educational needs of students and teachers. This agenda has been carried out with the full support of the education unions. As for the federal government, its latest education budget, known as Gonski 2.0, has just been passed by the federal parliament. Touted as a mechanism for creating needs-based funding and equity in Australian schools, in reality it will play a central role in furthering the privatisation agenda. Australia already has one of the highest number in the world of school students attending private schoolsnow at 40 percent, compared to 9 percent of school students in the US and around 7 percent in the UK. Overall, Gonski 2.0 will deliver increased public funding to private schools, and even less to public schools than the first Gonski budget did. The outcome will be ever greater inequities in the countrys increasingly dysfunctional public school system. A US air strike early Monday killed dozens of civilians near the Euphrates River town of Mayadin in Syrias eastern Deir al-Zour province. The US bombs struck a prison run by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) where civilians deemed opponents of ISIS were being held. The airstrikes on that prison have resulted in dozens of civilian casualties and the killing of two prison guards, reported Deirezzor24, a news site run by local activists. The site put the civilian death toll at 70. The prison has been turned into dust and several houses nearby it sustained extensive damages due to the violent strikes, which pushed the residents in that area to leave for elsewhere, the report added. A spokesman for the US military, Col. Ryan Dillon, admitted that US warplanes had conducted airstrikes in the area, but insisted that the attack had been meticulously planned, and that the US commanders always take into account human suffering and any type of casualties in our planning. In reality, the US air war in both Iraq and Syria has become ever bloodier, claiming record numbers of civilian lives, as Washington steadily escalates its latest intervention in the Middle East. Airwars, a monitoring group that tracks reports of civilian deaths resulting from air strikes by the so-called US-led coalition in both Iraq and Syria, has placed the number at over 4,000 at a minimum, more than 10 times the toll to which the Pentagon has admitted. Meanwhile, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which is opposed to the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, has recorded 1,953 civilians killed by US airstrikes in Syria alone, including 456 children and 333 women. The pace of the killing has steadily escalated as the US has sent more troops into the region, with over 5,000 now deployed in Syria, and as the US defense secretary, recently retired Gen. James Mad Dog Mattis, has urged the Pentagon to pursue annihilation tactics. Earlier this month, the head of the United Nations independent Commission of Inquiry into the Syrian civil war declared that the US air war had resulted in a staggering loss of civilian life. Within this context of mass slaughter inflicted by US bombs and missiles, the Trump White House's allegations Monday that the Assad government is preparing a chemical weapons attack and its threat of US retaliation in the name of preventing the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children, are nothing short of obscene. It has become increasingly clear that the so-called anti-ISIS campaign and the allegations of abuses by the Assad regime both serve merely as pretexts for a major US escalation in Syria. This escalation is aimed, on the one hand, at consolidating US imperialisms grip over the oil-rich Middle East, and, on the other, at preparing for war against the country seen as the principal regional obstacle to this objective, Iran, Syrias closest ally. The area where the US air strike inflicted mass civilian casualties on Monday is increasingly becoming the focus of these preparations. Washingtons aim is to utilize its proxy forces in the north, dominated by the Kurdish fighters of the YPG, to take the city of Raqqa, which was overrun by ISIS in 2014 and declared the Islamist militias capital, and to continue pressing southeast down the Euphrates River into Deir al-Zour province. Meanwhile, US special forces troops have set up a desert outpost in al-Tanf, near both the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, to train Sunni proxy forces with the aim of directing them north up the Euphrates River valley. The aim of this operation is to secure a stranglehold over Syrias eastern border with Iraq and thereby cut off Irans land route into the country and beyond it to Lebanon and the Mediterranean. To this end, American forces have engaged in repeated attacks on militias aligned with the Syrian government in the area and have downed two Iranian drones. Recently, the Pentagon moved a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) into southern Syria for the first time. The truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher is capable of hitting targets nearly 200 miles away, which would include the Syrian capital of Damascus. While advancing precipitously toward a military confrontation with Iran through its Syrian intervention, Washingtons escalation of the six-year-old war for regime change also threatens to draw other regional powers deeper into the conflict, laying the groundwork for a major intensification of the bloodletting. Turkey, which formally ended its Operation Euphrates Shield military intervention in northern Syria at the end of March, is preparing to launch another major incursion into the northwestern province of Idlib, one of the last strongholds of Islamist militias linked to Al Qaeda. In preparation, it began sending convoys of tanks, artillery and armored vehicles across the border into northern Aleppo province last week. The Turkish daily Yeni Safak ("New Dawn"), which is closely aligned with the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reported that Turkish forces are preparing to seize control of an 85-km long and 35-km deep stretch of Idlib along the Turkish border. Ankara is reportedly preparing to field a force of 1,500 to 2,000 Turkish-trained Sunni Islamist militiamen. The objective of the intervention is to disrupt the consolidation of a Kurdish autonomous zone in the border area. The Turkish intervention comes in the midst of growing antagonisms between Ankara and Washington over the Pentagons direct arming of the YPG and its fielding of large numbers of US special forces advisors alongside the Syrian Kurdish militia. These tensions have no doubt been exacerbated by remarks made by General Mattis on Tuesday in which the Pentagon chief walked back earlier reports that the US military would take back arms it had given to the YPG once the siege of Raqqa had been completed. Mattis said that, rather than taking back the arms given to the YPG, We'll be recovering them during the battle, repairing them, when they don't need certain things any more they'll replace those with some things they do need, that sort of thing. Asked what arms the YPG would be given after the conquest of Raqqa, Mattis replied: We'll see. It depends what the next mission is. It's not like the fight's over when Raqqa is over. In other words, Washington intends to continue using the Kurdish militia as a proxy force in its drive to carve out a US-controlled zone in Syria, further the war for regime change and prepare for a confrontation with Iran. Speaking to a rally of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Sunday, Erdogan sharply denounced the US arming of the Syrian Kurds, charging that Washingtons action violated the NATO treaty and suggesting that terms of Turkeys membership in the US-led alliance should be revised. We will be together in NATO, and you will act together with terrorist groups. What kind of business is this? he said. Those who think that they can fool Turkey by saying that they will get those weapons back will eventually understand the vital mistake they made, but it will be too late. We will call to account the real owners of those weapons for every drop of blood they shed with those weapons, Erdogan added. Meanwhile, Israel has also intervened more aggressively in the Syrian conflict, repeatedly striking Syrian government military positions allegedly in response to stray shells crossing the border into the Israeli-occupied section of Syrias Golan Heights. Our policy is clear: We will not tolerate any spillover or trickle whatsoever neither mortars nor rockets, from any front, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday. We will respond strongly to any attack on our territory or our citizens. Israel seized the Golan Heights in the Six Day War of 1967 and illegally annexed two-thirds of the territory in 1981. Israels supposed retaliation against stray shellfire was timed to coincide with a ground attack by the al-Nusra Front, the Syrian affiliate of Al Qaeda, against Syrian government positions in the area. Israels support for these elements against Damascus has long been known. In an article earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported Israel has been regularly supplying Syrian rebels near its border with cash as well as food, fuel and medical supplies for years. US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to strengthen the Indo-US global strategic partnership when they met at the White House Monday for their first bilateral meeting. Modi, an arch-communalist and faithful errand boy for big business, and Trump, the billionaire autocrat, lavished praise on one another, while emphasizing the strategic convergence between the US and India. Under Modis three year-old Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, India is increasingly serving as a frontline state in US imperialisms military-strategic offensive against China. India has dramatically expanded bilateral and trilateral military-strategic ties with Washington and its principal Asia-Pacific allies, Japan and Australia, and has thrown open its military bases to US warplanes and battleships for routine resupply and repair. At a joint press conference and in the statement they issued summarizing their talks, Trump and Modi vowed to expand and deepen the Indo-US alliance, with Modi endorsing Washingtons provocative stance on North Korea and the South China Sea dispute, and Trump extending several strategic favours to India. The relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, has never been better, Trump told the press conference. Characterizing the security partnership between the United States and India as incredibly important, the US President added: Our militaries are working every day to enhance cooperation between our military forces. And next month, they will join together with the Japanese navy to take place in the largest maritime exercise ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean. The latter is a reference to the Malabar Exercise, a yearly Indian-hosted naval war game. In 2015 it was transformed into a trilateral affair with the addition of Japan as a third permanent participant, alongside the US and India. A key US strategic objective is to use India to enhance its domination over the Indian Ocean, the waterway that bears most of Chinas exports to Europe, Africa and the Middle East and most of the oil and other resources that fuel Chinas economy. For his part, Modi said India is committed to working with the US across the Indo-Pacific region in order to protect our strategic interests and to developing a bilateral architecture that will take our strategic partnership to new heights. He went on to laud Washington for naming India a Major Defense Partner of the US, which gives it access to advanced US weapons systems that the Pentagon allows only its closest allies to purchase, and for the India-US Defense Trade and Technology Initiative, under which New Delhi and Washington are working on the codevelopment and coproduction of armaments. The strengthening of Indias defense capabilities, with the help of the USA, is something that we truly appreciate, said Modi. Both the joint statement and Modi in his press conference remarks referred to plans to enhance Indo-US maritime security cooperation, but provided no details. Earlier this year, Admiral Harry Harris, the head of the US Pacific Command, revealed that the US and India are sharing intelligence on Chinese submarine and ship movements in the Indian Ocean. Washington has repeatedly urged New Delhi to agree to joint naval patrols in both the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, including the South China Sea. With a view to boosting Indias military capabilities and demonstrating the importance it attaches to the US partnership with India, the Trump administration approved, on the eve of Modis Washington visit, the sale of 22 naval Predator surveillance drones to New Delhi for $2.3 billion. Underlining the drones potential importance in countering China, the New York Times observed, The drones, which have never before been sold to a non-NATO country, could be especially valuable if they are flown over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands [which lie close to the western end of the Straits of Malacca], giving India control of a so-called choke point that is one of Chinas greatest marine vulnerabilities. As a further strategic favour to India, the Trump administration agreed to the inclusion of strong language critical of Pakistan in the joint statement. It said the two leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries and to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups. Over the past year Modi has mounted a bellicose campaign against Pakistan, labeling it the mother ship of world terrorism and asserting an Indian right to mount illegal cross-border raids inside Pakistan until it stops all logistical support to anti-Indian Kashmiri separatists from inside Pakistan. Soon after arriving in the US on Sunday, Modi made a point of trumpeting the surgical strikes India conducted inside Pakistan last September, saying that as a result the world experienced our power and realized that India practices restraint but can show power when needed. Just hours before the Trump-Modi meeting, the US State Department designated Syed Salahuddin, the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, a pro-Pakistan Kashmir separatist militia, a global terrorist, fulfilling a longtime Indian request. Hailing the action, Indian officials said it vindicated New Delhis stance that the popular unrest in Kashmir is a result of Pakistani-backed terrorism. The South China Sea, North Korea and Afghanistan The Pentagon and US State Department were ecstatic when Modi signed on to US-scripted language on the South China Sea dispute in a joint statement issued with Obama in January 2015. Ever since, India has faithfully parroted the US position, painting Beijing as the aggressor, when it is the US that, in the name of freedom of navigation and overflight, is asserting the right to deploy its military might off the coast of China. What stands out in the most recent statement emanating from an Indo-US leaders summit is New Delhis staunch support for the Trump administrations stance on North Korea. India is giving full-throated support to Washington even as it declares the end of strategic patience with Pyongyang, with the transparent aim of stoking a crisis on the Korean Peninsula so as to pressure and threaten China. According to the joint statement, Modi and Trump strongly condemned North Koreas continued provocations and pledged to work together to counter its weapons of mass destruction programs, including by holding accountable all parties that support these programs. In keeping with Washingtons ratcheting up of tensions with Pyongyang, India recently halted all trade with North Korea except for food and medicine. Until that ban, India had been North Koreas second-largest trading partner after China. Trump thanked India at the White House lawn press conference for joining us in applying new sanctions against North Korea, adding, the North Korean regime is causing tremendous problems and is something that has to be dealt with, and probably dealt with rapidly. The joint statement also said the two countries would work together in Afghanistan, where the US war of occupation is now in its seventeenth year. Modi reiterated this point at the press conference, saying both India and America have played an important role in rebuilding Afghanistan and ensuring its security. He pledged to maintain close consultation and communication with Washington over Afghanistan. Important sections of Indias elite had wanted Modi to raise their concerns over the impact of Trumps economic nationalist America First policies, including new limits on H1-B visas, which are widely used by Indian IT firms. But the Indian prime minister was at pains to downplay differences with Washington, so as not to in any way impede the further strengthening of the Indo-US strategic alliance, which the Indian bourgeoisie views as vital to realizing its own great power ambitions. Modi hailed the US as our primary partner for Indias social and economic transformation, claimed that Trumps vision for making America great again converges with his plans for a new India, and in the most obsequious language repeatedly thanked Trump for spending so much time with me. Trump praised Modi for his pro-big business policies, but made clear that he expects Modis government to do much more to open Indias economy to US investment and exports. Prior to Mondays summit there was a raft of anxious commentary in the Indian press about Trump and whether his administration will prioritize ties with India to the extent that both George W. Bush and Obama did. However, in its aftermath there was a collective sigh of relief from Indias corporate media. China, meanwhile, has grown increasingly alarmed by the extent to which India has aligned itself with Washington. In a comment published Monday, the state-owned Global Times noted that the US has cozied up to India in recent years to ratchet up geopolitical pressure on India. It continued with a blunt warning: To assume a role as an outpost country in the US strategy to contain China is not in line with Indias interests. It could even lead to catastrophic results. In the latest season of the Netflix drama House of Cards, the fictional administration of President Francis Underwood and Vice President Claire Underwood, facing a domestic political crisis, uses a manufactured chemical weapons attack in Syria to declare war on the country. In a case of politics following art, the Trump administration has accused the Syrian government of preparing to use chemical weapons against the civilian population. No evidence has been presented to back up the concocted threat. On Monday, Press Secretary Sean Spicer declared that the US had identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children. If Syrian President Bashar al-Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, the statement continued, he and his military will pay a heavy price. Washingtons ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, added Tuesday, The goal is at this point not just to send Assad a message, but to send Russia and Iran a message That if this happens again, we are putting you on notice. In other words, any alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria could be used to justify war against Iran and Russia. Pressed to substantiate the White Houses allegation, Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis refused to produce any evidence. He said the alleged intelligence was from the past day or two and regarded specific aircraft in a specific hangar, both of which we know to be associated with chemical weapons use. This was a reference to the Shayrat airfield, which the US targeted with a cruise missile strike on April 6. Some military officials said they had no idea what the White House was referring to. British defense officials said they had not seen the evidence, but would support US military escalation regardlessmeaning they do not care whether the allegations are true or false. The White House statement followed by just one day the publication of a detailed article in Die Welt by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh, the reporter who exposed the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War, which demonstrated that the allegations used by the Trump administration to justify the April 6 missile attack on Syria were entirely unsubstantiated. Drawing on background interviews with military and intelligence personnel, Hersh wrote that the administration possessed no evidence to back up its claims that the Syrian government had launched a sarin gas attack on April 4. The false allegations of a chemical attack and subsequent bombardment of the Syrian airbase were so brazen that they provoked opposition from within sections of the military/intelligence apparatus. None of this makes any sense, Hersh cited one officer as saying. We KNOW that there was no chemical attack... At the time, Trump was under immense pressure from the Democratic Party and intelligence agencies to shift to a more aggressive stance against the Syrian government. Just days before, the Senate Intelligence Committee had held a hearing at which it was alleged that Trump had effectively collaborated with Russian efforts to undermine the 2016 US election. Columnists and pundits painted the president as little more than an agent of the Kremlin. But that all changedat least for a few daysafter the attack. As Hersh put it, The next few days were his most successful as president. America rallied around its commander in chief, as it always does in times of war... One prominent TV anchorman, Brian Williams of MSNBC, used the word beautiful to describe the images of the Tomahawks being launched at sea. Speaking on CNN, Fareed Zakaria said: I think Donald Trump became president of the United States. A review of the top 100 American newspapers showed that 39 of them published editorials supporting the bombing in its aftermath, including the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. At the time, no major US news publication even raised the question of whether the White Houses allegations were credible. They were simply accepted as good coin, demonstrating that the medias role as a propaganda organ for war had not abated. Indeed, Hersh was unable to find a news source to publish his most recent article in the United States. The story was also rejected by the UKs London Review of Books, which published earlier investigative reports by Hersh, forcing him to turn to the German newspaper. As shown by the latest fabricated Syrian atrocitythis time, supposedly in preparationnothing has changed in regard to the medias readiness to serve as a sounding board for government propaganda. But the medias acceptance of the administrations concocted claims about weapons of mass destruction in Syria cannot hide the fact that they are, in fact, concocted. In what has become standard operating procedure, the administration has not attempted to present a shred of evidence, making only the most general allegations, which the American population is expected to swallow whole. Fourteen years ago, the Bush administration used lies about weapons of mass destruction to start a war in Iraq that led to the deaths of millions. Now the Trump administration, with the full support of the media and the entire political establishment, is using equally groundless claims to escalate a war that could result in a nuclear exchange between the United States and Russia, the worlds second biggest nuclear power. Far from opposing the escalation of war, the Democratic Party has made this its central demand since the election of Trump and the focus of its opposition to his administration. In an article published this month in Foreign A ffairs, Tim Kaine, Hillary Clintons running mate, spelled out the aggressive foreign policy aims that underpinned Clintons candidacy and are at the center of the present hysterical campaign over Trumps alleged collusion with Russian President Putin. Kaine pilloried the Obama administrations foreign policy, declaring that Obamas unwillingness to forcefully intervene early in the Syrian civil war will come to haunt the United States in the future. He excoriated Obamas lackadaisical response to Russias cyberattacks and its unprecedented interference in the 2016 election, concluding, The United States must always send a clear message to those who mean Americans harm: dont mess with us. As a recent article in the Washington Post makes clear, the Obama administration had expected to transfer power to a Clinton White House that would immediately begin preparing a major escalation in Syria, entailing a possible clash with Russia. Trumps surprise election victory disrupted these plans, which were well advanced. Hence the ferocity of the efforts by the Democrats and the intelligence agencies to pressure Trump to carry out a shift to a more aggressive and more anti-Russian foreign policyefforts that appear to be succeeding. The deepening tensions between the US and Russia over Syria pose an existential danger to humanity. The only way to avert the catastrophe to which the US political establishment is rushing is for the working class to intervene independently, on the basis of its own socialist, internationalist and revolutionary program. Once again thousands of residents in the city of Flint are being threatened with home foreclosures for failing or refusing to pay for water, which is still tainted with lead and other toxins. On Tuesday, an unelected financial board voted unanimously to overturn a temporary moratorium, paving the way for the city to issue tax liens on the homes of 8,000 residents who could then face home foreclosures. The action is the latest provocation against working-class residents in the city of 100,000, which has been devastated by decades of plant closings by General Motors, followed by the lead poisoning of its water supply three years ago. The Receivership Transition Advisory Board (RTAB), a body appointed by Republican Governor Rick Snyder, has unilateral power over budgetary decisions. Under the RTAB, the city remains, in effect, under emergency management without a formal emergency manager. In making its decision to overturn the moratorium, the board was acting on behalf of the powerful financial interests who control the citys bonds and other forms of debt. David Sabuda, Flints finance director, declared, This is a cash flow issue, claiming the city could lose up to $2.3 million in revenue if residents were not squeezed to pay outstanding bills. The RTAB claimed it was in the citys best interests to get residents to pay, either willingly or with the threat of foreclosure. The city finance department will put outstanding water bill balances on the July 17 tax bill. Residents will have until February 2018 to pay. If the tax bill is not paid in full by February 2020 Genesee County will put a lien on the home. The water bill will then be paid either following the sale of the property to the Land Bank or through foreclosure. Flint residents immediately took to Facebook to denounce the decision. Teresa said: This is another slap in our face!!! April wrote, They dont want to resell the homes, they have bigger plansthey want to clear out the city and get rid of the people by any means. Vikki commented, MSNBC and all the other corporate media doesnt care about us. We were a good story for a minute and now we dont exist! Trevias added, Governor Snyder needs to be in chains and an orange jumpsuit! Randal wrote, Theyre raising everything so people will move out. They wont get my house ....you watch and see.....I will be the last one standing. I owe 300 bucks for taxes for my house...TOTAL....they wont get me. Kynan stated, Ive been saying this for the longest. RTAB are the ones who really run Flint, Michigan. Dictatorship at its finest!!! Why are our bills even higher now? said Charli. Last month, $88...this month $99...frickin ridiculous!!! I just spent $60 to wash our clothes at a Burton laundromat....which weve been doing 2 years. Uuuggghhhh! And they wonder why people are walking around angry. Linda added, Mayor claimed to care about the people when running for office, but now its all about stealing peoples homes because she knows she could have stopped it if it was about the residents and not the money. Three years after the switch over to the polluted Flint Rivera criminal act designed to boost the profit interests of investors and private companies involved in a pipeline construction project to the Great Lakesresidents still face a devastating public health and economic crisis. Their home values have plummeted and their life-savings have been wiped out. Adults and the elderly face a series of health problems and the citys children confront life-long challenges with learning disabilities due to lead poisoning. All the promises of relief, from the local and state level to the Obama administration, have amounted to little or nothing, with thousands of lead water mains and service lines remaining. Claiming that lead levels have fallen to safe levelsin fact no lead in water is safecity officials have resumed mass water shutoffs and Governor Snyder is ending the bottled water distribution program. To cover up her own responsibility, the citys Democratic mayor, Karen Weaver, said she did not agree with the decision of the state-appointed financial board but would nevertheless implement its decision. She said the RTAB felt it was necessary because the city was being forced to purchase at a much higher price along with several other costly financial obligations... In both Flint and Detroit, water is being used as a valuable commodity to pay off wealthy bondholders. The switch-over from Great Lakes water, long supplied and treated by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, to untreated polluted Flint River, was part of Snyders effort to deny Detroit its largest water customer and accelerate the governors plans to throw Detroit into bankruptcy. The 100-year-old publicly owned Detroit water system is now under the control of the Great Lakes Water Authority and on its way to being privatized. In the face of deep popular opposition, the City Council voted for a one-year moratorium during a session in mid-May, with resident after resident refusing to pay for poisoned water. The measure, however, was a cynical political maneuver, worked out by the Democratic-controlled city government, working with the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP. The measure did not provide debt forgiveness to those being charged for poisoned water and, in any case, city officials knew the measure would be overturned by the unelected financial board. At the City Council meeting Monday night Mayor Weaver and city council members engaged in further political theatre, blaming each other for the crisis, while continuing to ignore the concerns of residents present in the audience. Neither the mayor nor the city council said a thing to residents about the meeting of the RTAB that they knew was taking place the following day. Approximately 10,000 waste disposal workers were thrown out of work last week by the Syriza government in Greece so as to balance the budget and fulfill potential demands from countys creditors as rapidly as possible. Following the enforcement of brutal pension cuts, privatisations and tax hikes for the poorest sections of the population in order to meet its loan repayment obligations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Union (EU), Syriza is now turning to a brazen attack on public sector workers. A powerful strike developed against the firings, with waste disposal workers walking off the job last Monday, bringing rubbish collection in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities to a halt. Workers are currently blockading waste disposal facilities to prevent a state-organised strike-breaking operation. Only hospitals and other services necessary for public health have been excluded from the strike. Workers are showing tremendous determination. Work is all that we want, anyone around the world can understand that. Jobs so we can feed our families, Manolis Skoulas told Xinhua. Skoulas formerly worked in construction, but lost his job during the economic crisis and was hired by the state waste disposal service in 2011. He has two young children and is among the workers who were laid off. I dont know what to do. Im 51 years old. Nobody will hire me in the private sector. They prefer younger, cheaper workers, he reported. These are typical comments from waste disposal workers, who carry out physically demanding work and earn no more than 700 per month. Now they are being laid off without compensation. The government is well aware of heightened social tensions and is therefore treating the striking workers with extreme brutality. Demonstrators who gathered in front of the Interior Ministry in Athens on Monday were harshly attacked by police. According to news agency AMNA, a state prosecutor is preparing criminal proceedings against the striking workers for endangering public health. The mayor of Thessaloniki, Jannis Boutaris, has announced he will contract a private company for waste disposal. The mass lay-off of waste disposal workers marks a new high point of the social attacks organised by Syriza in Greece. Some of the workers being laid off have been employed by the state waste disposal service for 16 years, but have remained on temporary contracts through this time. In this way, several governments have used this as a means of securing political loyalty. The Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza) promised in its election campaign to end this precarious system and to hire the workers permanently. But Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras had barely taken office when he defended the system and merely extended the contracts for another eight months. The auditors office declared this practice unacceptable last week because the jobs were not open-ended. The contracts of the 10,000 workers were therefore void and could not simply be extended, according to the court. The Syriza government had no intention of taking this as an opportunity to fulfill its election pledge and provide the workers with security by hiring them permanently. Instead, Interior Minister Panos Skourletis used the decision to impose the mass lay-offs. He insisted on the demand of the IMF and EU that every new hire in the public sector must be accompanied by four lay-offs in order to balance the budget. According to this, the government will only replace the 10,000 laid-off workers with 2,500 at the state waste disposal service. In this way, Skourletis will cut 7,500 jobs in one go. This amounts to roughly one quarter of the workforce. In addition, he intends to newly advertise the 2,500 positions so that older workers, who have been carrying out the demanding labour for many years, will hardly have any hope of being rehired. However, it is entirely unclear whether the creditors stipulations apply in this case, since it is not concerned with new hires in the strict sense of the term but the transformation of existing working conditions. Skourletis and Tsipras are rushing to loyally enforce the austerity demands and are going beyond the cuts called for. On June 14, Tsipras boasted in the daily Die Welt that he was the best in Europe at budget cutting. In the two years our government has been in office, we have implemented more reforms than all of the other European states combined, he said. His government has now taken a step still further and tabled budget proposals for 2019 and 2020 to satisfy the creditors. In fact, Syriza has gone further than any other government in ensuring the banks, IMF and EU that they will pay back all of Greeces debt. Just to obtain the last loan tranche, the Syriza government enforced pension cuts of between 9 and 18 percent, slashed the tax-free earnings limit from 8,636 to 5,681, and cut subsidies for home heating, unemployment and other social welfare benefits. Privatisations and mass lay-offs were also made easier. These policies have been met with strong resistance by the working class. In May, strikes were held by seamen, journalists, and public sector workers. Protests and demonstrations occur regularly. Bus drivers in Thessaloniki took strike action because their wages were not paid for months. The current strike by waste disposal workers, both in its length and intensity, has gone far beyond previous protests. To suppress this opposition, Syriza is working closely with the trade unions, which have regularly restricted strikes and led them into a dead end. On Tuesday, officials from the union representing city and municipal workers, POE-OTA, met with Tsipras to discuss how the strike could be ended. Trade union leaders subsequently noted how well the discussions had gone and said they looked forward to an improved offer. But in the face of the anger among the workforce, they declared that the strike will continue until Thursday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to table the report in front of the Cabinet today and among various issues the increase in House Rent Allowance (HRA) is likely to be discussed. By India Today Web Desk: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home from his US visit last night, nearly 50 lakh Central government employees are waiting with bated breath to get the good news on allowances today. Narendra Modi-led Cabinet will meet today and is likely to discuss and decide on the revised allowance structure under the Seventh Pay Commission for government employees. advertisement Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to table the report in front of the Cabinet today and among various issues the increase in House Rent Allowance (HRA) is likely to be discussed. According to some reports, Narendra Modi met Arun Jaitley before leaving for the US and had suggested that there should not be further delay in announcing allowances for Central government employees. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT REVISED ALLOWANCES UNDER SEVENTH PAY COMMISSION: For Central government employees, the wait for allowances has been a long one after the Modi cabinet cleared the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission in June last year. The Seventh Pay Commission recommended doing away with 53 of the 196 allowances for Central government employees and merging another 36 allowances. The pay commission also suggested reducing the House Rent Allowance (HRA) rates for government employees by 2-6 per cent for X, Y, Z cities. For metros, it suggested bringing down the HRA from 30 per cent to 24 per cent. The recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission did not go down well with Central government employees who got a 14.27 per cent hike in basic pay, the lowest in 70 years. As protests against pay commission's report intensified, the Modi government constituted a committee under Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa in July last year to review the recommendations on allowances. The Ashok Lavasa committee, after several extended deadlines, submitted its review report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on April 27. Before submitting the report, the Lavasa committee held discussions with various stakeholders. The Lavasa report was then sent to the Department of Expenditure for the first round of screening before it was presented to the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS). The Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) met on June 1 to discuss the Ashok Lavasa panel's report and suggest changes to it, if any. After the meeting, the report was forwarded to Cabinet which would take the final call on allowances. While some reports suggested that the government was keen on implementing the revised allowance structure from July 1, the NJCA general secretary also informed government employees about assurance from Cabinet Secretary on roll out of allowances from next month. Cabinet Secretary, in a meeting with government employees' representative NJCA a fortnight ago, said that "things are in the process and most probably would be placed in the next Cabinet meeting". Several reports suggest that the HRA rates are likely to fixed at 27 per cent, 18 per cent and 9 per cent respectively for X, Y and Z cities. The final call on HRA, however, is likely to be taken at today's Cabinet meeting. ALSO READ: 7th Pay Commission: Cabinet approves modifications in panel's recommendations 7th Pay Commission: Delay in allowances may force government employee forum to call a strike 7th Pay Commission: Congratulations, Modi government just increased gratuity limit to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh ALSO WATCH: 7th Pay Commission: Allowance-revision to benefit over 50 lakh employees --- ENDS --- TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee Police Department reports that Ashanti Rodrigo has been found safely. Police are looking for a missing 13-year-old girl known to hang around the Jake Gaither Community Center in Tallahassee. The Tallahassee Police Departments Special Victims Unit is seeking information on the location of Ashanti Rodrigo. Rodrigo was last seen on June 24 near the 700 block of Brookhaven Dr. She is described as a 13-year-old girl, around 506 tall, 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Rodrigo was last seen wearing a teal/black shirt, black stretch pants and flip-flops. Rodrigo was also reported missing last month. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tallahassee Police Department at (850) 891-4200. FLORIDA (WTXL) - Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed a bill making it easier for parents and residents to challenge school textbooks and school library books. The legislation allows parents and residents to review instructional materials and then challenge them as inappropriate before a hearing officer. It was one of five education bills signed by Scott, including increasing funding by $100 dollars per student in the state budget. LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - The Florida Department of Education has released school grades for the 2016-2017 school year. The department says that they are applauding Florida's students and educators for "contributing to significant improvement over last year." They say that 48 of Floridas 67 school districts are now graded A or B, up from 38 in 2015-16. Additionally, they report 50 of Floridas school districts have no F graded schools in 2016-17. However, in Leon County, four of its schools earned 'D' grades. In addition to Oak Ridge, (which now falls under criteria for an "educational emergency" under the new education law), John G. Riley Elementary School, Governor's Charter School and Imagine School at Evening Rose (now closed) all earned D grades for 2017. The county's overall average has stayed the same in the last year, holding on to a 'B' grade, though seven of the county's schools got lower grades in 2017 than the year before. As far as the county's "Schools of Hope", most managed to get a 'C': 1. Astoria Park Elementary School - C 2. Frank Hartsfield Elementary School - C 3. Oak Ridge Elementary School - D 4. Pineview Elementary School - C 5. R. Frank Nims Middle School - C 6. James Rickards High School - C Oak Ridge Elementary School earned a second straight D. The district must now submit an intervention plan. Conversely, the other 5 schools improved scores, including Hartsfield Elementary, which earned 2 straight D's before 2016-17. Leon County Schools also released a summary of how their district did: 95% (35 of 37) of all schools graded earned an A, B, or C. Twelve schools are graded an A and seven schools are graded a B. 92% of elementary schools earned a letter grade of an A, B, or C. 100% of high schools and middle schools graded received a letter grade of an A, B, or C. Five of the six schools who received a D last year improved one letter grade. There is always a lot of anxiety around the release of school grades. I am thankful for the hard work of our students, teachers and school administrators. We should all be proud of their efforts, said Superintendent of Schools Rocky Hanna. For more information about school grades, visit http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/. DECATUR COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - The Decatur County Sheriff's Office is revealing more details on what led 27-year-old Cameron Slade to attack someone with a bush ax. On Monday around 5:11 p.m, deputies say they were called to a home Palm Street where the complainant told officials that he saw Slade put a bush ax in the back of his truck. The man said he noticed that the ax had blood and hair on it. He also stated that when he asked Slade what happened, he ran west behind the house with the bush ax. Eventually he came back, the bush ax now gone, and said he was going to catch a ride Tennessee. The man told police that Slade then walked across the street to Jamestown Apartments. When authorities went to investigate, they learned from witnesses that Slade was hiding in a storage closet behind an apartment. At first, when deputies knocked on the closed closet door, they received no reply. But the door slowly opened, revealing Slade inside. Authorities handcuffed him and asked him what was going on. Slade told them that the victim had angered him and that he had "lost it". He told them that the incident happened at a home on 187 Mt. Olive Church Road. The arrest report says officers also asked Slade where he had hidden the bush ax. He told them that he had thrown it into the woods in between Hall and Palmetto streets, where they recovered it. Slade later told authorities that he had been doing meth for the last three days and "didn't think it was meth". As Slade was leading authorities to the assault weapon, Decatur County deputies made their way to the house on Mt. Olive Church Road, where they found the victim, 61-year-old John Kyle Hader. They found the Bainbridge man with multiple wounds to his hand, head and face. Hader was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and was later transferred to UF Shands in Gainesville for amputations. There's no an update on his condition for now. Slade was taken in to the Decatur County Jail where he was charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery. A man has been arrested after investigators say he called 911 saying that he killed someone with an ax. It happened at on Mount Olive Road around 5:30 Monday evening. Investigators say Cameron Slade called 911 saying he killed someone with an bush ax. When they got on scene, they found the victim was still breathing and had been hit in the head and arm several times. The victim was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and was later transferred to UF Shands in Gainesville for amputations. There's no an update on his condition for now. Slade was arrested in connection to the incident and was booked into the Decatur County Jail. No bond is listed but he does have a charge of aggravated assault. Investigators haven't been able to interview Slade yet. Offering a solution to hapless parents who are unable to bring up their newborns, the women and child development (WCD) ministry will now keep cradles at government hospitals, orphanages and police stations across the country. By Arpan Rai: For years, poverty along with the cultural bent to favour boys has led to Indian parents abandoning babies in dumpsters, hedges, train tracks and even rivers or lakes where few of them survive. But they can now make a more humane choice. Offering a solution to hapless parents who are unable to bring up their newborns, the women and child development (WCD) ministry will now keep cradles at government hospitals, orphanages and police stations across the country where one can leave their child behind for adoption. The cradle will be accompanied by a bell, which a person can ring to notify authorities at the premises after dropping off a baby. advertisement "It is a simple, humane and anonymous method for parents who are unable to look after their child and have to unwillingly part ways with them," WCD minister Maneka Gandhi told Mail Today. "By leaving their child behind in a cradle, parents will knowingly put their child up for adoption." TO FILL THE GAP The move came after the ministry found it difficult to bridge the gap between 600 kids up for adoption and 14,000 requests. The department's statutory body, Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), functions as the nodal agency for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate adoptions in India as well as abroad. The government's decision also comes as a blessing for childless people and couples. "This will prove to be a safe place for orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children," said a senior ministry official. After a hospital or orphanage is notified by the ringing bell, officials will take the child into custody and he or she will handed over to the area's child welfare committee. The panel will further screen the child and decide if the baby is fit for adoption. REASONS FOR ABANDONMENT The reasons for abandonment vary: an unwed mother facing social stigma; parents unable to look after their child, often because it is mentally or physically ill; or simply not wanting a girl. The "surrendered children" fail to get registered under the adoption list and in the process bring down the number of children ideal for the purpose. The official added the ministry will prioritise adoption demands by single mothers as well as economically welloff mothers and women who are over child- bearing age. While critics argue it could create more problems than it solves, such as increase abandonment, other analysts maintain that forcing parents to keep unwanted children can lead to abuse and infanticide. The WCD ministry has identified private and government hospitals and orphanages as prime locations to place the cradles. Ministry officials are yet to place police stations in the same ambit, citing complications of taking care of infants at such spots and are awaiting the approval of ministry of home affairs for this. advertisement WCD ministry officials pointed out that the cradles will help eliminate the guilt and social pressure stifling parents. It will also aid the government in ensuring that a child goes to a family with a good house. Gandhi was inspired during her trip to a child care institution in Guwahati where she saw infants put up for adoption. On asking, she was told that the institution had left a cradle outside its gate where parents parted ways with their children with Also Read Exclusive: Babies no one wants to take home Bihar: Abandoned baby girl finds many parents --- ENDS --- By Siraj Qureshi: The people of Agra, especially the tourism sector, had full hopes that the international airport will be constructed in the city of Taj Mahal as it holds significant importance in the tourism industry. Tourists from all over the globe flock to Agra in order to catch a glimpse of this famous wonder of the world. The demand for an international airport in Agra is several decades old. When the Agra MP Ram Shankar Katheria gained a place in the Modi cabinet, the hope became strong that the MP will canvass for the cause of an international airport in Agra at the Union government-level. advertisement Katheria too assured the people that the international airport will be constructed in Agra. Even, the then Union MoS for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma had assured the Agra tourism industry that the international airport will be constructed in the city. However, Sharma changed tack as soon as he reached his constituency Noida and began the process for approval of an international airport at Jewar. This open deception at the hands of Sharma, who also holds the MoS for Tourism and Heritage portfolios, has hurt the locals who have now vowed never to trust anything that Sharma says. Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber president Prahalad Agrawal and secretary Vishal Sharma had met Sharma upon his first arrival in Agra back in 2015 and presented him with a memorandum advocating the need for an international airport in the city. Similar sentiments had already been shown by Narendra Modi on his campaign trail in 2013, when he had promised Agra that it will get its due when the BJP forms government at the centre, in a public meeting here. In 2016, UP Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal and Mahesh Sharma held a meeting in which the assurance of an international airport in Agra was again proffered openly by Sharma. However, all those assurances proved to be false as the central government has finally approved Jewar as the new international airport, while Agra is watching helplessly. Even the Civil Terminal project of Agra is hanging in uncertainty as the UP government is yet to release the Rs 65 crore needed to acquire land for the project. Chamber secretary Vishal Sharma said that Agra ranked quite high on the eligibility list for an international airport, but lacked the political strength that could lobby its cause in the government. The Civil Terminal project could be extended to an international status airport, but that requires its completion, which is being kept hanging in anticipation of the release of the balance Rs 65 crore which have been promised by the UP government, but not released yet. Chamber president Prahalad Agrawal said that the Agra tourism industry had no qualms with an international airport being constructed in Jewar, but that should not be at the cost of the Agra international airport. He said that the Agra MP Ramshankar Katheria did manage to get an assurance from UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that the balance Rs. 65 crore will be released for the construction of the civil terminal, but until the said amount is released and the project started, the uncertainty on this project remains. advertisement Rajiv Tiwari, a prominent tourism activist, said that an "International Airport Sangharsh Samiti" has been formed in Agra that will be active in reminding the various ministers in the government at the centre and state, apart from the Prime Minister himself, of their various unfulfilled promises made in the connection of the airport since three decades. ALSO READ: Renamed by CM Yogi Adityanath, Agra Airport awaits funds for construction Centre gives wings to Greater Noida, clears proposal for Jewar airport --- ENDS --- You are the owner of this article. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. The Conversion Bill that the government approved on Sunday in the Ministerial Committee on Legislation has sparked outrage, not only because it keeps the monopoly on all conversions firmly in the hands of Israels ultra-Orthodox establishment, but also because of its ramifications for people who have already converted to Judaism. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The aim of the bill is to bypass a 2016 ruling by Israels High Court of Justice (HCJ) which said that private conversions independent of the state must be recognized if they were conducted according to halacha (Jewish Law). If the proposed bill does manage to pass in the Knesset, people both within and outside Israel who have undergone such conversations will no longer be recognized as Jews by the state. Significantly, those who have undergone the process abroad will not be able to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return. The bill therefore has left many in a state of confusion and disappointment, and many more feel disheartened about where they fit within Jewish society. Photo: Shutterstock The number of people who would be affected by the bill if ratified is estimated to be in the thousands, despite many of them having graduated their conversions in private orthodox courts in Israel. According to the HCJ ruling, they were recognized as Jews and therefore eligible to receive citizenship under the Law of Return. As a result of that ruling, the number of applicants to the private conversion enterprises leaped significantly, with a current growth rate of around 500 per year. The reason that I am doing this interview anonymously is because I am single and I am scared that I wont be able to marry someone if they know that at the moment I am not recognized as a Jew, one man, N, said in an interview with Ynet. I am a traditional person. We immigrated to Israel from the Caucasus and there my grandfather and grandmother got married inside the house with just a few close friends because everyone in the area were Muslims. I had my brit milah (circumcision) in the same way, N explained. I did the conversion according to halacha in the private Jewish court that conducts completely orthodox conversions and I finished the process a year ago. Now they are telling me they are nullifying it, he lamented. I served in the IDF proudly, I do reserve duty, I am a traditional person and now they are saying I have no religion. Air India's share in the domestic aviation market is a mere 14 per cent with Indigo and Jet Airways enjoying the lion's share. By India Today Web Desk: Clearing the path for privatisation of the debt-ridden Air India, the Union Cabinet today gave an in-principle approval for disinvestment of the government-run airline. Addressing the media, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said,"In-principle approval for Air India divestment has been given." "The Civil Aviation Ministry's proposal for formation of a group under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister to decide the modalities of divestment process has also been accepted." advertisement However, the minister did not divulge any time frame for the formation of the group or the submission of a final report by the panel which will be formed to look at the quantum of stakesale. Jaitley said that the members of the panel will be decided by the Prime Minister. The decision will raise the hackles of trade unions and Left parties who have managed to block disinvestment in the airline sector for over 25 years. Air India's share in the domestic aviation market is a mere 14 per cent with Indigo and Jet Airways enjoying the lion's share. In the international aviation sector - once considered a strength of Air India - the profit margins are receding. The national carrier's current losses stand at a staggering Rs 52,000 crore. Niti Aayog had made a strong argument to put national carrier on the sale bloc and divert the funds used to subsidise it for education and health sector needs in its fourth report to the PMO. FROM THE MAGAZINE The endgame Before Tatas buy Air India, a look at 5 bad decisions that led to national carrier's downfall Air India privatisation blueprint: The Great Maharajah makeover --- ENDS --- DUBAI - Gulf Arab states are considering fresh sanctions on Qatar and could ask their trading partners to choose between working with them or Doha, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to Russia said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain severed diplomatic and travel ties with Qatar this month, accusing it of funding hardline Islamist militant groups in the region, a charge Doha denies. "There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now," Omar Ghobash told the newspaper in an interview in London. "One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice," he said. He said the expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation Council was "not the only sanction available". CARACAS - President Nicolas Maduro said a stolen police helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court Tuesday in what he called a thwarted "terrorist attack" aimed at ousting him from power. The confusing exchange, which is bound to ratchet up tensions in a country already paralyzed by months of deadly anti-government protests, took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television. He later said the helicopter had fired on the court with four Israeli-made grenades of "Colombian origin," one of which didn't go off, helping avoid any loss of life. The nation's air defense system was immediately activated. Adding to the intrigue, pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which an alleged police pilot, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against Maduro's "tyranny" as part of a coalition of members of the country's security forces. Authorities said they were still searching for the man. "We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government," the man said while reading from a statement with four people dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what looked like assault rifles standing behind him. BERLIN - German federal police have warned parliamentarians they may have been spied on by Turkish intelligence and may also face potential security risks from Turkish nationalists, Die Welt newspaper reported on Wednesday. The report could further strain already frayed ties between Germany and Turkey, which are at loggerheads over a wide range of issues. "The Federal Criminal Police Office carried out so-called 'security discussions' with several members of parliament in recent weeks," Die Welt reported. "The discussions reportedly centred on the possible surveillance of Turkish intelligence and security risks posed by Turkish nationalists." The Federal Criminal Police Office was not immediately available to comment on the report. The Yesh Atid party submitted a bill Tuesday proposing to make the now frozen plan for the Western Wall egalitarian prayer area into law. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The plan to officially recognize a special mixed-gender prayer area at the Western Wall was reached in January 2016, after three years of intense negotiations between liberal Israeli and American Jewish groups and Israeli authorities. It was seen at the time as a significant breakthrough in promoting religious pluralism in Israel, where ultra-Orthodox authorities govern almost every facet of Jewish life. The Western Wall, or Kotel, is the holiest site where Jews can pray, and its main plaza is divided into separate men's and women's prayer sections. Those attempting to hold egalitarian services in the area are often heckled and harassed. Reform Jews pray at the Western Wall (Photo: AP) Under the plan, the small egalitarian area would be expanded and receive a more central entrance alongside entrances to the current male and female prayer sites. The area would be managed by representatives of the three main movements in JudaismReform, Conservative and Orthodoxrather than just by the Orthodox as the existing prayer areas are. But the program was never implemented, as powerful ultra-Orthodox members of the coalition government raised objections, leading the government to freeze the plan's implementation on Sunday. The about face, coupled with another government decision to promote a bill that would enshrine the ultra-Orthodox monopoly over conversions, provoked the ire of liberal Jews , with leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements canceling meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in protest. Most American Jews belong to the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams and feel alienated by Israel's ultra-Orthodox authorities, who question their faith and practices. The harsh reactions from world Jewry caused alarm in the coalition, with Netanyahu and Bennett meeting with US Jewish leaders in an effort to quell the storm. The prime minister even had Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman issue a statement on the matter, which did little to ameliorate the situation. The bill proposal by Yesh Atid, a party in the opposition, would cause problems for the government, as the issue has never been raised to a vote in the Knesset. A Knesset vote would challenge Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett, who also serves as the minister for Diaspora affairs, and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who said this week he and his party oppose the freezing of the plan. Reform Jews pray at the Western Wall (Photo: AP) Mk Benny Begin of the ruling Likud party, who also opposes the decision to freeze the plan's implementation, would also find himself in a pickle, as would MKs Rachel Azaria and Michael Oren from the Kulanu party, also part of the coalition government. The proposal is unlikely to pass in the Knesset, as the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism are expected to put pressure on the coalition, demanding all members vote against the bill. Either way, however, the situation is expected to draw attention from world Jewry and keep the issue on the agenda. Yesh Atid MK Aliza Lavie, who submitted the bill proposal, said Tuesday, "Canceling the plan bluntly slammed the door in the face of world Jewry and caused unprecedented damage to (Israel's) ties with themgoing against national interests and the values of Zionism. With this decision, the prime minister dealt a fatal blow to the wholeness and unity of the Jewish people over short-term political considerations, and we must not stand idly by." "The bill proposal we're promoting reflects the State of Israel's historical obligation to serve as a national home to all Jews, serves out national and security interests, and will help in mending the rift in our relations with Diaspora Jews," she went on to say. "We believe the great majority of the public's representatives support the proposal (for the egalitarian prayer area), and they are the ones who must make the decision on such a critical issue." Minister Yuval Steinitz was summoned to testify at the police's Lahav 433 unit as part of an investigation into former Shas MK Amnon Cohen, who is suspected of receiving bribes, fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering. A stark rise in the number of skirmishes between Jewish teenagers and Israels security forces and Palestinians has become a conspicuous characteristic in the settlement of Yitzhar over the last few weeks. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Attacks launched by the ideologically-driven youths have included rock throwing, vandalism to military vehicles, price tag attacks, shock grenades and even violence directly committed against an IDF officer. The violence reached its peak two nights ago after the demolition of an illegal hut during which residents in the community claimed that the security forces employed unnecessary violence against them while they passively protested. Video showing the violence X However, security forces are becoming increasingly disgruntled with frequent occurrences in which they are required to separate clashes between hostile Israeli and Palestinian rioters, both of whom are hostile to them in direct confrontations. Ynet obtained a clip of one such skirmish from a WhatsApp group comprised of military reservists. Skirmishes with IDF troops In the recording, the reservists can be seen imploring the masked Jewish rioters to distance themselves from the area in their attempts to calm tensions. At certain times, the two sides can be seen shoving each other before one soldier simply gives up and stands there as the Jewish extremists throw rocks at him. At one moment, a Palestinian shepherd is seen bleeding from his face, a wound which he said was the result of being struck by a rock. The soldiers tended to the injured Palestinian at the scene even as he screamed at them in Arabic. Clashes with the IDF X In Yitzhar, however, the residents claimed that the Palestinians made their way onto land near the settlement and deliberately began agitating by lighting fires. According to that version, which is also supported by scenes in the video, Yitzhar residents made their way to the burning areas with fire extinguishers to prevent the flames from spreading. Either way, the clip has raised concern in the IDF over the reality on the ground which seems to repeat itself every few years in the small settlement north of Nablus. The soldiers from the paratroopers brigade who took control of the area after the departure of the reservists, asked not to be interviewed on the matter. But despite the volatility of the area, warm relations have been recorded in the last two years between the residents and the soldiers since extremists Jews destroyed a military outpost near site. One officer who was responsible for the area a few months ago told Ynet that relations had indeed warmed, with conversations often ending in eating meals together. Palestinian struck by a rock We feel safe here and happy with the guys at Yitzhar. There is no fear for the soldiers to operate 24/7 in the community or its vicinity. And if there are problems we know how to solve them in a cooperative manner, he assured Ynet. Nevertheless, statements made by reservists paint a significantly different picture, who decry the futility of their efforts to restore order. We felt totally helpless, said the soldiers who experienced the clashes during the last month. After months of training about how to fight and shoot and on the rules of engagement, no one taught us how to deal with a few 15-year-old Jewish children coming to throw stones at Arabs. It didnt matter what they did, the reservists continued, nothing helped. In the beginning we managed to push the Arabs back. They know that we can use force against them if we need to. But for the Jewish ones it didnt matter, one reservist bemoaned. The use of crowd-dispersal measures were insignificant. It was as if they were happy that there were soldiers with them, as if we were protecting them and that they wouldnt be harmed. So we stand there and in a way we give them legitimacy, he concluded. During the riots, the soldiers said that one of the troops fired a bullet into the air in an effort to separate them. You cant judge whoever opened fire. None of us know what the hell we are supposed to do in that kind of situation, one reservist said. We came to defend the country and and found ourselves dealing with delinquent children who are only forgiven because they have a skullcap. They called us Nazis and stinking Zionists. For what? For fighting a fire with them? For that we have been sent from our studies, work and family to protect their homes? Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit The scariest thing in the area was to clash with Jews. Give me an Arab terrorist and Ill know how to deal with him. Give me a Jew who is throwing stones at me and Ill simply flee, he admitted. From the settlers point of view however, they were provoked two nights ago when an IDF officer responsible for the sector threw a stun grenade and was joined by his soldiers. Normally, they insist, relations with soldiers are extremely positive. Indeed, one said that a few weeks ago the same reserve battalion was hosted by one of Yitzhars families. He also said that he doesnt blame the soldiers for not understanding the complicated situations which arise from deliberate fire-starting by the Palestinians. Moreover, he was adamant that no one endangered the soldiers. The IDF arrested a 36-year-old Palestinian woman on Wednesday after she was found to be carrying a knife near Rachels Tomb near Jerusalem. Initial investigations suggest that she intended to carry out a terror attack. She has been taken in for questioning. The heads of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are making an emergency trip to Israel to warn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a drop in support from AIPAC's donors over the government's decision to freeze the Western Wall egalitarian prayer area plan and the advancement of the conversion bill. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Outgoing AIPAC President Lillian Pinkus will be joined by incoming President Mort Fridman and Managing Director Richard Fishman. The plan to officially recognize a special mixed-gender prayer area at the Western Wall was reached in January 2016, after three years of intense negotiations between liberal Israeli and American Jewish groups and Israeli authorities. It was seen at the time as a significant breakthrough in promoting religious pluralism in Israel, where ultra-Orthodox authorities govern almost every facet of Jewish life. Netanyahu speaking at the AIPAC conference (Photo: Reuters) The Western Wall, or Kotel, is the holiest site where Jews can pray, and its main plaza is divided into separate men's and women's prayer sections. Those attempting to hold egalitarian services in the area are often heckled and harassed. Under the plan, the small egalitarian area would be expanded and receive a more central entrance alongside entrances to the current male and female prayer sites. The area would be managed by representatives of the three main movements in JudaismReform, Conservative and Orthodoxrather than just by the Orthodox as the existing prayer areas are. But the program was never implemented, as powerful ultra-Orthodox members of the coalition government raised objections, leading the government to freeze the plan's implementation on Sunday. The about face, coupled with another government decision to promote a bill that would enshrine the ultra-Orthodox monopoly over conversions, provoked the ire of liberal Jews, with leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements canceling meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in protest. Most American Jews belong to the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams and feel alienated by Israel's ultra-Orthodox authorities, who question their faith and practices. Reform Jews pray at the Western Wall (Photo: AP) Israeli embassies and consulates in North America have been flooded with complaints over the government's decision, leading the Foreign Ministry to istruct Israeli diplomats to grant any request by Jewish leaders to meet so they could express their protest in an official, organized manner. "It's likely these meetings are going to be charged because of the existing level of frustration. It's possible there might be protests outside some of the missions," the Foreign Ministry wrote to the US embassy and consulates. "You should obviously welcome the delegations and protesters with the utmost courtesy and show understanding of their feelings of disappointment. You also ought to initiate such meetings by inviting them at your discretion." The Foreign Ministry instructed the Israeli diplomats to explain the political circumstances that led to the government's decision."Please stress that the prime minister has instructed that the construction of the Israel prayer area, which is meant to provide a proper place for pluralistic prayer at the Western Wall, be speedily advanced. You should also emphasize that the plan has been suspended, not canceled, and that Minister Tzachi Hanegbi was instructed to hold talks on the issue. Furthermore, you should stress that the High Court of Justice is attuned to the matter of prayer rights at the Kotel and would not allow for any solution that does not protect the basic rights of the liberal movements and of Women of the Wall." The Israeli consulate in Chicago has already reported to the ministry it encountered reactions of disappointment and hurt over the decision, including comments about "the loss of trust, feeling deceived, and some even used harsher words. Some of those we spoke with explained this would have consequences when it comes to donations, political support, etc." A cyber attack wreaked havoc around the globe on Wednesday, crippling thousands of computers, disrupting operations at ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting production at a chocolate factory in Australia. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The virus is believed to have first taken hold on Tuesday in Ukraine where it silently infected computers after users downloaded a popular tax accounting package or visited a local news site, national police and international cyber experts said. The malicious code locked machines and demanded victims post a ransom worth $300 in bitcoins or lose their data entirely. More than 30 victims paid up, but security experts are questioning whether extortion was the goal, given the relatively small sum demanded, or whether the hackers were driven by destructive motives rather than financial gain. Ukraine, the epicentre of the cyber strike, has repeatedly accused Russia of orchestrating attacks on its computer systems and critical power infrastructure since its powerful neighbour annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. The Kremlin, which has consistently rejected the accusations, said on Wednesday it had no information about the origin of the global cyber attack, which also struck Russian companies such as oil giant Rosneft and a steelmaker. ESET, a Slovakian company that sells products to shield computers from viruses, said 80 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, with Italy second hardest hit with about 10 percent. The aim of the latest attack appears to be disruption rather than ransom, said Brian Lord, former deputy director of intelligence and cyber operations at Britain's GCHQ and now managing director at private security firm PGI Cyber. "My sense is this starts to look like a state operating through a proxy ... as a kind of experiment to see what happens," Lord told Reuters on Wednesday. ETERNAL BLUE While the malware seemed to be a variant of past campaigns, derived from code known as Eternal Blue believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency (NSA), experts said it was not as virulent as last month's WannaCry attack. They said Tuesday's virus could leap from computer to computer once unleashed within an organisation but, unlike WannaCry, it could not randomly trawl the internet for its next victims, limiting its scope to infect. The introduction of security patches in the wake of the May attack that crippled hundreds of thousands of computers also helped curb the latest malware, though its rapid spread underlined concerns that some businesses have still failed to secure their networks from increasingly aggressive hackers. Photo: EPA After WannaCry, governments, security firms and industrial groups advised businesses and consumers to make sure all their computers were updated with Microsoft security patches. Austria's government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) said "a small number" of international firms appeared to be affected, with tens of thousands of computers taken down. CORPORATE CHAOS A number of the international firms hit have operations in Ukraine, and the virus is believed to have spread within global corporate networks after gaining traction within the country. Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, which handles one in seven containers shipped worldwide, has a logistics unit in Ukraine. Other large firms affected, such as French construction materials company Saint Gobain and Mondelez International Inc, which owns chocolate brand Cadbury, also have operations in the country. Maersk was one of the first global firms to be taken down by the cyber attack and its operations at major ports such as Mumbai in India, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Los Angeles on the US west coast were disrupted. The company said on Wednesday it was unable to process new orders and its 76 terminals around the world were becoming increasingly congested. Other companies to succumb included BNP Paribas Real Estate , a part of the French bank that provides property and investment management services. "The international cyber attack hit our non-bank subsidiary, Real Estate. The necessary measures have been taken to rapidly contain the attack," the bank said on Wednesday. Production at the Cadbury factory on the Australian island state of Tasmania ground to a halt late on Tuesday after computer systems went down. Russia's Rosneft, one of the world's biggest crude producers by volume, said on Tuesday its systems had suffered "serious consequences" but oil production had not been affected because it switched to backup systems. Former Likud minister Gideon Sa'ar said Wednesday that it would be a mistake to return to the idea of establishing a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria as a solution to the conflict. Speaking during the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations in New York, Saar warned of the consequences of the idea. The establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria would flood the area with Syrian and Palestinian refugees and with radical Islamic elements who would arrive in order to lead the fight against the Jewish state. Israel will have no control over it then, Sa'ar said. By India Today Web Desk: Deputy chief of Jammu and Kashmir Nirmal Singh flagged off the annual Amarnath Yatra amid tight security. Intelligence have prompted the authorities to organise the highest level of security measures, including satellite tracking system. "Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials," according to a letter sent by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Muneer Khan to the Army, the CRPF, and range DIGs in the state. advertisement "The input is assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needs further corroboration," the IGP said in the letter. "The attack may be in the form of stand-off fire on yatra convoy which they believe will result in flaring of communal tensions throughout the nation," the IGP said in the letter which is being circulated in many groups on Whatsapp. All the officers and officials deployed on the ground need to remain alert and maintain utmost vigil, he added in the letter whose copy got leaked and went viral on social media. SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF. In addition to the existing strength of the CRPF in the state, the Centre has provided over 250 companies (25,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state government. The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra while the Army has provided 5 battalions (about 5000 personnel) and additional 54 companies (5400 personnel) of the police have also been mobilised. "This Amarnath yatra will have the highest-ever security setup to ensure an incident-free yatra," said Special Director General of CRPF SN Shrivastava. As a measure of security, satellite tracking system has been put in place for the safety of convoys carrying the pilgrims, said Mr Shrivastava, who visited the base camp along with CRPF IG Ashkoor Wani to review the preparations. CCTV cameras, jammers, RoPs, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, QRTs, satellite tracking and other security gadgets are being used to maintain vigil in view of increased threat perception due to in increased terror incidents and violence in Kashmir. Over 2.30 lakh pilgrims have registered for the yatra and the first batch of over 4,000 pilgrims was flagged off by Singh for the twin base-camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts (With PTI inputs) Also Read Kashmir: Terrorists likely to target Amarnath Yatra, say intel reports --- ENDS --- Police on Wednesday arrested six suspected members of the ISIS terror group, four in Spain and one each in Britain and Germany, Spain's Interior Ministry said. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter A ministry statement said the man arrested in Britain was a Salafist imam who led the group and who was sought by several countries. The 44-year-old imam was detained in the city of Birmingham at Spain's request. Arrests made in Majorca (: ) X The four arrests in Spain occurred in Majorca, where the cell was allegedly based. Spain's National Police posted a video of the raids to their official YouTube account. Germany's dpa news agency said a 28-year-old Spanish citizen was detained in the western city of Dortmund as part of the operation. According to the prosecutors' office in nearby Hamm, the suspect, whose name was not released, was not known to authorities. Spain's Interior Ministry said the person arrested in Germany maintained contact with the cell and helped make propaganda videos. The suspect may be extradited to Spain. Photo: EPA The prosecutor's office said it was not aware of any concrete attack plans. No details were immediately available on the names or nationalities of the other five. Police said investigations began in 2015 when they detected videos promoted by the imam that documented the recruitment, indoctrination and sending of a young Muslim resident of Spain to Syria. Around the same time, the imam was said to have visited the Spanish island of Mallorca to begin organizing the cell and to become its spiritual leader. Photo: EPA It said the imam was known by European police to have been recruiting militants and seeking finance for ISIS but that security measures he took and constant changes in address made his arrest difficult. The ministry said the cell held regular meetings to recruit new members and actively promoted ISIS' armed activities on social media. It said its increasing radicalization and willingness to commit jihad attacks led police in the three countries to make the arrests. Spain says its police have been involved in the arrests of 178 suspected jihadis since the country raised its security alert to one step below the maximum in June 2015. Lt. Col. (res.) Noam Ben Ari, the brother of Hagai Ben Ari, who was the last IDF soldier to be killed during Operation Protective Edge, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Excellence on Tuesday, as part of President Reuven Rivlin's annual award ceremony for reserves soldiers. It was the infantry regiment at the IDF's officers' camp, over which Ben Ari commands, which received the medal for its work. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Maj. Hagai Ben Ari died last January, after receiving critical injuries during Protective Edge. "Mom and Dad were happy to come to the ceremony," his brother, Noam, said on Tuesday to Ynet. "I was surprised that the president spoke about Hagai, it planted me where I stood. Noam Ben Ari at the ceremony "It's a huge honor to be Hagai's brother, and I personally am still adjusting to being a bereaved brother. I hope the ceremony brought strength to the parents. I would have been proud to tell Hagai that my regiment won the Medal of Excellence," said Noam. Fallen brother Hagai Ben Ari (Courtesy of the family) Hagai's funeral following his injuries in Protective Edge (Photo: Avihu Shapira) Ben Ari also spoke during the ceremony, touching on the symbolism that he sees in reserves units such as the one under his command. "There's been a lot of talk recently about the rifts that exist in our society, but those serving in the reserves prove that our common ground is so much greater. Our units represent what is good and admirable, everything worth fighting for in this country. Together, because that is the only way. These units include all shades of society with their various opinions, all speaking and arguing, but together." Noam with his family at the ceremony President Rivlin also spoke at the ceremony, saying, "These days, the heavy weight of reserves service is put upon less and less shoulders. Many do not perform reserves service, and with this wearing out of values as backdrop, the contribution and sacrifice that you, the representatives of those in the reserves units honored for their excellence, only grows larger." Noam Ben Ari with President Reuven Rivlin at the ceremony (Photo: Mark Neiman/GPO) Ben Ari with other soldiers in his unit Other reserves units honored for their excellence were the reserves commando units, the Judea and Samaria Infantry Regiment, the Central Command Rescue Regiment in the Haifa Region, the Medical Corps' Field Hospital Headquarters and more. At the beginning of the week, the government froze the Western Wall agreementa plan to construct a special egalitarian, gender-neutral prayer area at the Western Walland passed the Conversion Bill, preserving the monopoly of Jewish conversion by the Chief Rabbinatewhich only recognizes Orthdox Judaismas the government acquiesced due to pressure exerted by the ultra-Orthodox parties. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Since then, negative reactions from Jewish communities abroad have been increasing and escalating, speaking openly of a "rift with Israel" and its "betrayal of the Jewish world." Interview with UJA CEO, Eric Goldstein ( ) X "The vast majority of American Jewish community does not identify as Orthodox and they are profoundly disturbed by the implication of these recent government actions," says Eric Goldstein, CEO of United Jewish AppealFederation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York (UJA), in an interview with Ynet on Wednesday. "There could not be a more divisive (or) more angering action. At the end of the day, we desperately need Jewish unity, and this has exactly the opposite effect," added Goldstein. The Orthodox rabbis here in Israel say that the Reform Jews and the Conservative Jews don't really care about the Kotel (or) believe in its importance. "I think there is a profound lack of understanding by many in Israel of the Jewish Reform and Conservative movements in America. The vast majority of the leaders of our federation (UJA) and a significant majority of the leaders of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) all come from the Reform and Conservative movements. "They're proud Jews, and are enormously connected and devote their lives to supporting and strengthening the state of Israel. "These are the very people, our leaders, who are being alienated by these recent government actions." The Kotel (Photo: Reuters) Do you have any logical explanation as to why (Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu decided to bend? "I can't purport to explain the actions of any government official. All I can say is that it seems to be putting the unity of the coalition ahead of the unity of the Jewish people, and the consequences for our community are dire. "I can't overemphasize how damaging this is for American Jewry if this conversion legislation goes forward, particularly at a time when there's a growing divide between American Jewry and Israel. This will accelerate that divide, precisely at a time when we need the global Jewish community to be most united." Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems, from what you are saying, that the conversion issue is much bigger than the Kotel one. "They are both incredibly disturbing actions for the American Jewish community, or at least the vast majority of them who do not identify as Orthodox. But I agree, I think the Conversion Bill really is a red line, and passing this bill will have a dramatically negative impact on the relationship between North American Jewry and Israel. "Let's just understand what's at stake, given that the vast majority of the American Jewish community is Conservative and Reform, this bill says to them that they are not welcome in Israel, that their brand of Judaism is not authentic. "How can you possibly expect people who support the State of Israel to stay committed when they are consistently being told that their way of Judaism is not an appropriate or legitimate way?" UJA CEO, Eric Goldstein What are your next steps? "We are doing everything we can to make the case to the Israeli community and government officials to understand just how profound a step this will be. "We are going to the Knesset today to meet with its members and make our case. We want to engage deeply with Israel. Our leadership deeply supports Israel, and we want to maintain that sense of unity, as this will have the exact opposite effect." And what if you fail in doing that? "This is a heartbreaking series of developments for the American Jewish community, and I can only hope that everyone comes together and recognizes what's at stake in these coming days." It seems that Jews in the US and the State of Israel are heading towards a rift. Is that what you're saying? "That is what I'm saying, and it's one that we desperately want to avoid. "You have to recognize that there's already a growing divide between large segments of the American Jewish community that has accelerated over time. This will accelerate it that much further, precisely at a point when we need to try to reengage (with each other). "Don't push us away. Don't slap us in the face and say that the brands of Judaism that are celebrated by the vast majority of the US Jewish community are not authentic, and that we can't come to Israel and feel welcome. "We want to avoid that rift, and that's why we are so anxious to make our case to the government and to members of the Knesset, and we hope that they will, very swiftly, retract this conversion legislation and move forward with the Kotel agreement." At least 173 civilians have been killed in air and ground operations against Islamic State this month in the Syrian city of Raqqa, the United Nations human rights chief said on Wednesday, calling it a conservative figure. Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein urged all sides in the battle to oust the Islamist militants, "including international forces", to take all feasible precautions to spare the lives of 100,000 civilians still trapped. "Civilians must not be sacrificed for the sake of rapid military victories," Zeid said in a statement issued in Geneva. A man yelled "Freedom!" as he crashed his vehicle into Arkansas' new Ten Commandments monument early Wednesday, nearly three years after he was arrested in the destruction of Oklahoma's monument at its state Capitol, authorities said. The privately funded Arkansas monument had been in place outside the state Capitol in Little Rock for less than 24 hours before it was knocked from its plinth and smashed to pieces. Michael Tate Reed, 32, of Van Buren, Arkansas, was booked in the Pulaski County jail shortly after 7:30 a.m. on preliminary charges of defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespass and first-degree criminal mischief. An arrest report lists his occupation as "unemployed/disabled." The Interior Ministry in the Gaza Strip began work Wednesday to build a buffer zone between the Gaza Strip and Egypt in order to increase security in the border area and prevent the transfer of arms and passage of ISIS operatives from Sinai to the Gaza Strip and vice versa. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter This is part of the understandings reached by the Hamas delegation during its visit to Cairo and its meetings with senior Egyptian intelligence officials. Buffer zone construction works, Wednesday The works include flattening the land with bulldozers and tractors to create a strip 100 meter wide along the border, stretching from Rafah Border Crossing to the sea. This is the first buffer zone of its kind between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, similar to the one currently in place along the security fence with Israel, which is intended to prevent the rocket launches and illegal crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Commander of Hamas' internal security forces, Tawfiq Abu Naim, said that the work included removing all obstacles that prevent the observers from seeing what is happening along the border, including trees and hills. In addition, smuggling tunnels at the border will be destroyed, along with anything that will help smugglers and infiltrators trying to illegally cross the border. Abu Naim noted that the work would include setting up a network of cameras, observation posts and lighting, which are supposed to ease control of the border area. "We will not allow anyone to cross the area and it will become a closed military zone. Anyone who enters it will stand trial in military trial. If necessary, we will increase the size of the buffer zone." The decision to build a buffer zone is the result of a meeting held by senior Hamas figures with senior Egyptian intelligence officials in Cairo. The Egyptians sought to create as much separation as possible between the Gaza Strip and the ISIS-controlled areas in the Sinai Peninsula. In recent years, Hamas has helped the Islamic state with logistics issues, and possibly also with manpower issues. In return, ISIS ensured that the smuggling route of arms from Sinai to the Gaza Strip continued its operations. In return for Hamas' compliance with the Egyptian demands, Cairo will provide a series of concessions to the terror organization, such as infrastructure to connect Gaza to Egyptian electricity sources or a more orderly and frequent opening of the Rafah Crossing for people and even for trade goodssomething Hamas desperately needs. "We reached this situation after an agreement and the understandings we achieved in Cairo to end the infiltration and smuggling at our border in coordination with the Egyptians," clarified Abu Naim. UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has been accused of a violating a law limiting government employees' political activity by voicing support for a South Carolina congressional candidate. In a letter sent Tuesday to the US Office of Special Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, accused the former South Carolina governor of violating the Hatch Act when she retweeted one of President Donald Trump's Twitter messages earlier this month supporting Republican Ralph Norman. On June 19, the day before Norman faced off with Democrat Archie Parnell in South Carolina's 5th District, Trump sent several tweets praising the millionaire real estate developer as someone who would be a help to him in Congress and urging voters to "#VoteRalphNorman tomorrow!" Later that day, according to CREW, Haley retweeted the first message from her verified Twitter account, which lists her as US ambassador to the United Nations. At the time, the group said, Haley had at least 356,000 followers. Haley deleted the message after journalists questioned it on Twitter. The group said Haley should still be investigated and disciplined. A Haley spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a text message. A missile launched from Syrian territory fell in an open area in the northern Golan Heights. This was apparently a stray missile, launched by one of the sides in the Syrian conflict. There were no casualties and no damage was done. Israel attacked a position of the Syrian army in East Samadania on the outskirts of Quneitra, in response to the recent missile launch that landed in an open field in the Golan Heights. According to the report, the target of the attack was a Syrian army cannon that was participating in battles with armed men from the Jabhat a-Nusra organization. Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has issued yet another controversial remark. This time he has accused the Indian Army of excesses in Jammu and Kashmir. By India Today Web Desk: In a shocking remark, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan today said the excesses of the Army in Jammu and Kashmir and other sensitive areas forced women to chop off the private parts of soldiers in revenge. "Soldiers have been beaten by women in Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam and their private parts were also chopped off... India's truth is that women are forced to act against Army rapists. It is a message that Hindustan should be ashamed of," Khan, notorious for his controversial remarks, said at an event in his bastion Rampur in western Uttar Pradesh. advertisement "India is deviating from its path after six decades and is adopting the path of bullet instead of ballot and the result is there for everybody to see," the former Uttar Pradesh minister said. Last month, Khan had asked people to keep womenfolk indoors to protect them from molesters. The statement had come in the backdrop of molestation and groping of two women by over a dozen youths in Rampur. #WATCH Senior SP leader Azam Khan's statement on the Army pic.twitter.com/17v4x6I92A- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 28, 2017 A video clip that went viral on social media showed the youths accosting two women, groping and molesting them while they repeatedly pleaded and begged to let go. "After the Bulandshahr incident, everyone should try to keep women of the family indoors. Girls should not go to places where there is naked dance of shamelessness," said Azam Khan while referring to the July 2016 gang rape of a minor and her mother in Bulandshahr. Khan has a penchant for making controversial statements. He was made to apologise by the Supreme Court for calling the Bulandshahr case a "political conspiracy". ALSO READ: 'Did Modiji ask you to do this?' Azam Khan threatens government officials for stopping his car Azam Khan in soup for allegedly diverting funds from Waqf properties Report on Waqf properties may land Azam Khan in trouble for allegedly diverting funds --- ENDS --- This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun Expert Advice with Doron Peleg 28/06/2017 Homebuyers and investors who focus solely on the median dwelling price are missing out, as its the price per square metre that remains one of the key factors tied to risk and return. In our analysis, price per square metre (PSM) data is one of the key criteria we look for when reviewing property trends. Why? Because, put simply, PSM reveals the true value of the property. As a result, it is a very effective tool to identify opportunities and anomalies in the market, helping investors to better assess the risks associated with suburbs and individual properties (particularly units). Through our extensive research, weve been able to identify prime opportunities by leveraging PSM data as follows. First, we identify areas (e.g. Eastern Suburbs, North Shore) with a high price per square metre. Based on our research, these areas carry a lower level of risk and deliver, overall, a stronger capital growth over the long-term, particularly for houses. Price growth over 5 years Our next step is to identify suburbs within these established areas, where the price per square metre is low compared to the surrounding suburbs. This reduces your equity risk and increases the likelihood for a solid capital growth. Note that this data is very different from median price data, as unit sizes (and therefore values) can vary greatly within the same area. Investors who successfully identified such opportunities five years ago, today own property that have significantly outperformed the market. A prime example is a unit in Freshwater; with a price PSM of $7,516, it was significantly cheaper than the nearby Curl-Curl, with a price PSM of $10,000. As a result, property prices in Freshwater have increased by 63.5% in comparison to 47.5% in Curl-Curl. Another good example is a unit in Vaucluse and investment that is often overlooked by eastern suburbs buyers, who favour the beachside areas of North Bondi and Bondi Beach. Five years ago, the price per square metre in Vaucluse was $6,596, significantly cheaper than in these trendy suburbs. The price of a relatively large three bedrooms in Vaucluse was similar to the price of a large two-bedroom unit in neighboring suburbs. Moving forward half a decade, the capital growth in Vaucluse was 78.2% and a large three bedrooms there is rare as a hens teeth. In comparison, in the surrounding areas growth across the same period was around 60%. Currently, there are a large number of anomalies in the market. A prime example is units in Glebe and Annandale, where the median unit prices are similar with $808,000 and $875,000, respectively, representing a price difference of 7.5%. However, the price per square meter in Glebe is only $9,280 where the price in Annandale is $12,873 effectively a 38% price difference. Another good example is Rose Bay. With a median unit price of $1,065,000, many investors consider that suburb to be on par with Dover Heights and North Bondi, which boast a similar median price. However, the price PSM in Rose Bay is only $11,100, while in Dover Heights and North Bondi it exceeds $13,000 PSM effectively a 17% price difference. On the other side of the scale, we have identified Zetland as one of the riskiest suburbs in our 100 Danger Zones Report. Zetland has a very large number of units in the pipeline, and moreover, the price PSM is $11,658 very expensive, especially when you consider it is around 10% more expensive than the affluent suburb of Double Bay. With this kind of analysis, it becomes clear that PSM data can be an invaluable tool for selecting your next quality property. RiskWise Property Reviews custom made reports and the Best and Worst Off-The-Plan Areas reports are available at otp.riskwiseproperty.com.au. ..................................................... Doron Peleg is the CEO/Founder of RiskWise Property Review, a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 'PELEG, KESSEL & CO' and a former Executive Manager at Westpac. Utilizing 20 years of experience in risk management, Doron has Co-developed RiskWise's property risk rating algorithm. This smart algorithm enables potential property investors to better access and mitigate risks for individual propertues in Australia. Disclaimer: while due care is taken, the viewpoints expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Your Investment Property. Theres a growing supply of houses and apartments in many of Australias capitals. Brisbane has a looming apartment glut, and the citys vacancy rate now sits at 2.7% for houses and 3.1% for units, according to the Domain Group. To compound the problem, rents are on the decline. To attract quality tenants, Andrew Staehr, director at Archers the Strata Professionals, said landlords, investors, and property professionals need to place as much emphasis on tenant retention as they do on attracting good renters. In a very competitive apartment market, it is not good enough to simply lure renters in, he said. Industry professionals and landlords must now ensure they are doing everything they can to retain [tenants] after the lease is signed particularly if they are good tenants or risk losing them to a more attractive, quite possibly cheaper alternative, even before the lease ends. Staehr emphasised that investing the time and effort to retain good tenants could lead to impressive long-term savings. The value of attracting and keeping renters who consistently pay their rent on time, cause minimal damage to the property, require little contact and commit to multiple lease cycles should not be underestimated, he said. Landlords should consider allowing pets in their rental properties One way landlords can attract and retain good tenants is to consider allowing pets in their rental properties, said Sharon Fox-Slater, executive general manager at EBM Insurance Brokers. With an estimated 63% of Australian households owning pets, Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, she said. Yet the majority of landlords choose to make their rental properties no pet zones, even when they are likely to be pet owners themselves. Many would cite the lack of insurance cover as making the risk too great. Fox-Slater argues that not considering pets could in fact be detrimental to the value of the investment, and may be costing landlords money. Here are some reasons why landlords and property managers should consider changing their no-pet policies: You can double your tenant pool You can rent properties faster You can increase rent Youll eliminate hidden pets The tenant may decide to shift the hidden pet out every time the landlord or property manager conducts an inspection. However, the tell-tale signs of pet ownership start to appear, creating headaches for the landlord and property manager. Get an insurance policy that covers pet damage There are, of course, risks associated with allowing pets on a rental property, and damage caused by pets is a justifiable fear. Most insurance policies wont cover pet damage at all, and some that do require it to be a named pet, meaning it has to be officially noted on the lease. There are also some that cover very small amounts [of damage], Fox-Slater said. Hence, its important for landlords to purchase specialised landlord insurance policies that cover damage caused by pets. Fox-Slater advises landlords to get an insurance policy with generous limits. That way, landlords will have peace of mind, knowing that damage caused by pets will be covered and paid for by the insurer, she said. Related Stories: As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More Zabka, Warszawa, 166 m2 Lokal znajduje sie w budynku apartamentowym Unimax Development w inwestycji Viva Vitolin, przy ul. Grochowskiej 87 w Warszawie. Bedzie dostepny w 4Q 2023 roku (podpisanie umow przeniesienia wasnosci). Speaking at an event in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan said, "Soldiers have been beaten by women in Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam and their private parts were chopped off." By Alok Ranjan: Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan makes being in the eye of controversies look like his favourite exercise. Azam Khan stirred up a controversy storm again, this time by accusing the Indian Army of excesse s in Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam. Speaking at an event in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, Khan said, "Soldiers have been beaten by women in Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam and their private parts were chopped off. The truth is that women are forced to act against Army rapists. It is a message that Hindustan should be ashamed of." advertisement Azam Khan, after the allegations levelled against the Indian Army, is quite obviously trending on Twitter, and is being slammed. Here is a look at the other controversial remarks he has made in the past: May 28, 2017: Azam Khan had said that girls should stay away from places where they might be molested. Khan made the statement after reports of eve-teasing in a college in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur village. August 2, 2016: Azam Khan created another controversy when he accused that a "political conspiracy" might be involved in the gangrape of a Noida-based mother and daughter on a busy highway near Bulandshahr. December 2015: Azam Khan, the then UP minister for urban development, kicked up a storm after he was quoted saying "many RSS leaders are unmarried because they are homosexuals". October 2015: Khan held mobile phones responsible for rape of minors. He said misuse of these gadgets by the younger generation is what has led to an alarming rise in rape of minors. August 2014: Addressing a gathering at his constituency, Rampur, Azam Khan was once caught on camera calling Mulayam Singh Yadav a 'hijra' (a eunuch, or a pejorative term to denote impotence) for not doing enough for the development of many constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS AGAINST THE ARMY Azam Khan's statement on the Indian Army is already a controversy. Here are others who have passed controversial remarks about the force. June 11, 2017: Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that Army Chief Bipin Rawat shouldn't make statements as if he is a "sadak ka gunda" (a street thug) after Rawat said the Indian Army was prepared for a "two-and-a-half front war." Dikshit had to retract his statement and apologise after the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi distances themselves from the remark saying the party doesn't support such comments. June 2017: Former CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat, in a piece written in the party weekly People's Democracy, said General Rawat was reflecting the views of the Narendra Modi government, which according to him was "using force to suppress the people of Kashmir who are voicing their political protest." advertisement June 2017: Kolkata Education Minister Partha Chatterjee compared Army chief Bipin Rawat to General Dyer, who was responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He received a lot of flak for the statement. May 2017: Kerala CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said something similar to what Azam Khan said today. Balakrishnan cooked up a storm saying when Army is given special powers, for instance AFSPA, soldiers abduct and rape women. He also said that if AFSPA is imposed in Kerala's Kannur, people will resist the Army by force. October 2016: During a debate on a national news channel, actor Om Puri replied to a question on the slain jawan during the Baramulla attack saying "Who asked him to join the Army?" That was enough meat for people to slam the actor. #FYI The Indian Army is a volountary service. March 2016: Former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, other than all the controversies he was a part of, managed to ignite a new one by saying Indian soldiers rape women in Kashmir. --- ENDS --- advertisement Latest News Tucson, Arizona - The Arizona State Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASSRT) Annual Meeting was held on June 9th and 10th in Tucson, AZ. Arizona Western College 1st year and 2nd year Radiologic Technology students participated in the Scientific Poster Exhibit Competition at the Annual Meeting and came home as winners. AWC winners in the Scientific Poster Exhibit Competition: 1ST PLACE: Proton Therapy, Alex Lastra, AWC 2ND PLACE: Tips for Working with Millennials in Radiology, Brianna Beall, AWC 3RD PLACE: How Low Can You Go, Alan De Los Reyes, AWC Outstanding Student Award 2017: Abigail Woods, AWC All of the winners will receive a monetary award, which will be mailed to them. Sources told India Today that all four men belong to a village near Hodal. They are all believed to be regular commuters who used to take the EMU train to New Delhi from the Haryana town. By India Today Web Desk: In a major breakthrough in the Ballabgarh lynching case in which 16-year-old Hafiz Junaid was lynched and three others injured, four more accused were arrested today for the attack inside a Mathura-bound train. Sources told India Today that all four men belong to a village near Hodal. They are all believed to be regular commuters who used to take the EMU train to New Delhi from the Haryana town. advertisement Ramesh, 35, was the first accused to be arrested from his native place Palwal in Haryana late on Friday night for Junaid's murder. He was later sent in three-day police custody by a local court. Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers Hashim and Sakir and friend Mohsin were injured by a mob, which also allegedly hurled anti-Muslim slurs against them on-board the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations on Thursday night. In his police complaint, Hasib said at least 15-20 persons boarded the train at Okhla railway station and asked them to vacate seats for them. All four were thrashed all the way from Tughlakabad to the Ballabhgarh railway station and were attacked with sharp-edged weapons and later thrown out of the train at Asaoti railway station in Palwal district. Junaid succumbed to his injuries on Thursday night in a hospital. The other three were injured, two of them critically, and are under treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Trauma Centre in Delhi. The arrest of four more accused in the case also came hours before the Not In My Name campaign - triggered by Junaid's lynching - planned in several cities across India later today. ALSO READ:Politics of lynching, the new normal in India --- ENDS --- Johannesberg: A South African court on Wednesday ruled that public education institutions cannot promote any one religion to the exclusion of others, saying to do so was a violation of the Schools Act, local media reported. The Organisation for Religious Education and Democracy (OGOD) had argued that it was in the interest of South Africa`s democracy that public schools not be allowed to favour a specific religion. OGOD asked the court to declare unconstitutional the religion policy of six public schools, accusing them of favouring Christianity over other religions. The six schools, the ministers of basic education and justice, and the National Society for School Governing Bodies were respondents, local media reported. Judge Willem van der Linde said in his ruling that religious observances may be conducted at state or state-aided institutions, as long as they are held on an equitable basis and attendance was voluntary. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had supported the application, saying schools were not permitted to focus on just one religion. New Delhi: The Railways is in a fix over a cheque of Rs 950 sent by a passenger apparently to give up the subsidy borne by the government on the train fare between Jammu and Delhi. Currently, the Railways bears 43 percent of the cost of all rail fares even as the public transporter incurs a loss of about Rs 30,000 crore every year in subsidising passenger fares. "There is no provision to accept such cheques so we will return it," said a senior Railway Ministry official. In order to make passengers aware of the subsidy burden on the fare, it had started printing - "Indian Railways recovers only 57 percent of cost of travel on an average" - on the computerised printed tickets issued to passengers since June 22 last year. Recently, a person travelling from Jammu to New Delhi saw the message written on his ticket about the 43 percent subsidy borne by the Railways during his train journey. He then decided to forego the subsidy and sent a cheque of Rs 950 to IRCTC for a similar train journey undertaken by him and his wife on the Jammu Rajdhani. He sent the cheque along with a letter addressing the railway minister stating that "he will never avail such financial benefits in future". The Railways had already given an option to senior citizens for foregoing concessions while buying tickets. "But foregoing senior citizen concession is voluntary now and we are planning to make it broadbased covering other categories as well," he said. The Railways recovers only 57 percent of the expenses incurred for passenger transportation through sale of tickets of all classes. The Railways thus aims to convey a message to passengers that they have been given a subsidy of 43 percent, or in other words, the transporter is incurring heavy losses to the tune of 43 percent for ferrying travellers. New Delhi: Do not penalise those who want to study LLB by cutting down the number of seats, the Delhi University was told on Thursday by the Delhi High Court, which allowed the varsity to admit 2,310 students in the course this year as has been done for the past nine years. In its interim order, a bench of Justices Manmohan and Yogesh Khanna said that since the Law Faculty of the varsity has been admitting 2,310 students since May 2008, it could admit the same number in the present academic session as well. "Why people should be penalised? Let them study. Give them a chance to study. If people want to study from there (DU), let them. Don't reduce the capacity at this juncture. "You cannot cut down the seats in the Law Faculty because other have started private institutions. They (DU) have a larger capacity. They have a great faculty," it said. The court brushed aside the Bar Council of India's (BCI) objections that enough permanent teachers or infrastructure was not there, saying "don't create a ghost where there is none". "They (Law Faculty) will ensure there are sufficient teachers. They are not a private university, so do not treat it like one. They get grant from the University Grants Commission, their accounts are audited, they will ensure the teaching faculty," the bench said. While issuing the interim order, the court said the larger issue before it was the challenge to the constitutional validity of the rule capping at 300 the number of seats per law centre or institution. "They have been admitting and teaching 2,310 students every year till now. You reduced the seats. There must be some strong and cogent reason for reducing the seats. That is what we have to look into," the bench said. It directed the Law Faculty of DU to file its response to the issues raised by the standing committee and inspection committee of the BCI and listed the matter for hearing on August 21. The court was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Joginder Kumar Sukhija seeking directions to the BCI to permit DU to induct 2,310 students in its law course as has been the practice since 2008. The Law Faculty, during the hearing, told the court that it had increased its seats in the LLB course to 2310 in May 2008 and the rule for capping the seats came into force in September 2008. The cap was implemented by the BCI only in 2010, the varsity claimed and added that as a result when it increased seats in 2008, there was no need for permission from the apex lawyers' body. The BCI filed its standing committee's report rejecting DU's request to continue with 2,310 students after the court on June 12 had asked it to examine the varsity's representation afresh. The BCI told the court that it was already treating DU as an exceptional case by allowing it to induct 1,440 students as against 900 (300 per law centre). The court had ordered BCI to examine DU's representation afresh as the bench had felt that the earlier rejection letter of the lawyers' body did not deal with claims made by the university. The PIL, challenging the cap of 300 students per law centre, has claimed that a large number of students, especially those who have done their graduation, would be affected if the seats were reduced. The petitioner has also said that by reducing the seats, public money, which was used to provide grant to the varsity, was not being put to optimal use. The PIL has sought a direction to strike down Rule 5 A of the Legal Education Rules, claiming it was arbitrary, capricious and violative of the fundamental rights. Under this rule, the number of seats per college or centre is capped at 300 which would come to a total of 900 seats for the DU's three law centres. However, this limit can be relaxed under the exception clause. New Delhi: Upto 32 wildlife species are causing significant damage to life and property across India, say scientists who urge that the country must strengthen human-wildlife conflict management to reduce the losses. The study examined the patterns of human-wildlife conflict and mitigation use by 5,196 families from 2011 to 2014 from 2,855 villages neighbouring 11 wildlife reserves across western, central, and southern India. It was designed to help inform better policies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. The researchers, including Krithi Karanth, conservation scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society in the US are calling for the identification of effective prevention techniques, strengthening existing compensation schemes, and an open inclusive dialogue between local communities, governments, and conservationists. Researchers found that of over 5,000 households surveyed around 11 reserves in India, crops were lost by 71 per cent of households, livestock by 17 per cent, and human injury and death were reported by three per cent of households. Rural families use up to 12 different mitigation techniques to protect their crops, livestock and property. Night-time watch, scare devices, and fencing are the most common mitigation techniques used by rural families in the periphery of reserves. Families near reserves in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh were most likely to use mitigation. In recent years, these states have recorded high levels of damage by wildlife, and are among states that provide the highest compensation payments across India, researchers said. In contrast, families in Rajasthan were least likely to protect crops and property. Across wildlife reserves, people reported average crop losses amounting to Rs 12,559 and Rs 2,883 of livestock losses annually. Such losses constitute a significant chunk of India's rural economy, where the majority of the population earns less than Rs 5,000 per month. "Resolving human-wildlife conflict requires revisiting the goals of conservation policies and investments by people and organisations," said Karanth. "This is especially true with respect to effort and money deployed associated with mitigation and protection. People may be better served by deploying early warning, compensation and insurance programmes rather than by focusing heavily on mitigation," she said. "Combined with high poverty, and low awareness regarding government compensation, such families may be most vulnerable to impacts of wildlife damage upon their livelihoods," said Sahila Kudalkar, research associate with the Centre for Wildlife Studies in Karnataka. (With Agency inputs) Bengaluru Police have arrested a man who allegedly met lonely, divorced women on matrimonial websites and took money from them after promising marriage. By Nolan Pinto: Bengaluru Police have arrested a man accused of cheating over 100 women, of befriending them on matrimonial sites and then swindling money from them after promising marriage. The man - Sadath Khan alias Preetham Kumar - was nabbed on June 21, after a woman filed a complaint against him for cheating her. His modus operandi was simple and clever. Police said Sadath would introduce himself to lonely and divorced women on matrimonial websites. advertisement He would make them believe he was a government employee and that he wanted to marry them. After gaining their trust, he would borrow large sums of money and escape. When investigations began, Bagalur police were shocked to learn that several cases had already been registered against him in this regard in KR Puram, Jayanagar and Vidyaranyapum police stations. FIRED FOR MISBEHAVING WITH WOMEN Sadath, who's from Hassan, was thrown out of his home years ago. He came to Bengaluru in 2011 and began to work in a welding shop in Yeshwantpur. He then worked as a telecaller for various companies. He was dismissed from these companies for misbehaving with women, police told India Today. A case has now been registered against him in the Bagalur police station under IPC sections 341, 354, 392, 384, 420, and 506. ALSO READ | Bengaluru startup CEO enters restricted forest area, loses arm fighting a crocodile to save dogs ALSO READ | Where will the birds go? How two Bengaluru kids saved an old tree from felling ALSO WATCH | Bengaluru: 340 pubs, 19 star hotels in city barred from selling alcohol from June 30 --- ENDS --- United Nations: A tentative deal on nearly $600 million in cuts to the UN peacekeeping budget has been reached following weeks of tough negotiations over US demands for a sharp cost reduction, a Security Council diplomat said Wednesday. The United Nations will spend $7.3 billion on peacekeeping in the coming year, down from the current $7.87 billion, said the diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity. The United States, the biggest financial contributor to the peacekeeping budget, had sought a nearly $1 billion cut to the bill. Hardest-hit by the cuts will be the UN missions in Sudan`s troubled region of Darfur and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the two costliest operations with budgets that run over $1 billion. The diplomat said however that there were "cuts across the board" in peacekeeping as a result of US pressure to scale back the budget. Washington pays 28.5 percent of the $7.9 billion budget for peacekeeping and 22 percent of the UN`s core budget of $5.4 billion. The deal is expected to be approved by the UN General Assembly on Friday, when the annual budget for peacekeeping runs out. Pakistan, NZ ready to battle in T20 World Cup 2022 semis at SCG "The education system in the state is in shambles and 64 per cent (of) students failing in the intermediate exams are testimony to the fact. These students who have failed in the exams should get justice", said Nityanand Rai, state BJP president. By Rohit Kumar Singh: The BJP on Wednesday took to the streets to protest the worsening educational system in Bihar, after 64 per cent of students failed in the intermediate examinations conducted by the Bihar Board this year. Top BJP leaders - led by State President Nityanand Rai, leader of opposition Prem Kumar and other leaders - carried out an "Aakrosh March" from Congress Maidan in Kadamkuan to the Inter-council office demanding the resignation of Education Minister Ashok Chowdhary. advertisement "The education system in the state is in shambles and 64 per cent (of) students failing in the intermediate exams are testimony to the fact. These students who have failed in the exams should get justice", said Nityanand Rai, state BJP president. It's worth noting that after last year's toppers scam, the Bihar Board claimed to have implement stringent measures to ensure that candidates don't use unfair means to pass exams. Unfortunately the strict measures caused a high number of students to fail. "BJP is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Ashok Chowdhary, who should take responsibility for the education mess in the state. If that does not happen, we will make this a bigger movement", said Rai. ALSO READ: BJP woos Nitish, credits his image for the rise of RJD in Bihar from 22 to 80 seats BJP magazine Kamal Sandesh hails Amit Shah for political activism ALSO WATCH: Assembly election results 2017: Muslim women say why they support BJP --- ENDS --- After the US designated Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang defended Pakistan, saying it "stands at the frontline of the international counterterrorism fight." By Ananth Krishnan: China on Wednesday defended its "all-weather" ally Pakistan after the United States moved to designate Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist , following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Monday. Asked about the move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said, "We oppose all forms of terrorism. We also clearly stated we oppose linking terorism with certain countries." advertisement "We have to say Pakistan stands at the frontline of the international counterterrorism fight," he added, "and has been making efforts in this regard." "We think international cooperation on counterterrorism should be enhanced and international community should give full recognition to Pakistan's efforts in this regard," Lu said. China's defence suggests it is all but certain to once again block moves to sanction the Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar at the UN Security Council sanctions committee. The listing, supported in January by the US, UK and France, was placed under a six-month technical hold that expires in July. China had last year blocked the application filed by India. ALSO READ | US designates Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist, ahead of Modi-Trump meet ALSO READ | All about Syed Salahuddin, Hizbul Mujahideen chief US designated as global terrorist ALSO WATCH | US designates Hizb chief Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist --- ENDS --- The forcible removal of the old bunker by using heavy machinery like a bulldozer came when the Indian side did not agree to a request by the Chinese authorities to dismantle it. By Press Trust of India: China has removed an old bunker of the Indian Army located at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan in Sikkim by using a bulldozer after the Indian side refused to accede to its request, according to official sources. The incident that broke out in the first week of June in Doka La general area in Sikkim had led to a face-off between the two forces, triggering tension in the Sikkim section of the India-China border, the sources said today. advertisement The forcible removal of the old bunker by using heavy machinery like a bulldozer came when the Indian side did not agree to a request by the Chinese authorities to dismantle it, the sources said. China is believed to have not taken kindly to India building many new bunkers and upgrading older ones along the border in Sikkim in the recent past to augment its defences against the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the sources said. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. ROW OVER DALAI LAMA Beijing is also upset with New Delhi over the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, the sources said, adding they were also trying to escalate tension in the forward areas, including in Sikkim, even though the border in the northeastern state is demarcated. The Sikkim government has also sent a report to the central government giving details of the situation along the border following the stand-off in Doka La. PILGRIMS SENT BACK The first batch of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims comprising about 50 people returned from Nathu La border post as the stand-off between India and China continues. The pilgrims returned to Gangtok on June 23 after staying in Nathu La for three days awaiting permission from the Chinese side to undertake the onward journey. The second batch of the pilgrims did not move from Gangtok while pilgrims were told to go home as the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage is unlikely to continue this year via Nathu La. The Sikkim route to Mansarovar, which is in Tibet, was thrown open to public in 2015. The visas for the third batch, comprising about 50 pilgrims, were not given yet. A total of 8-10 batches were supposed to go for the pilgrimage through Nathu La this year. Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said yesterday that 100 pilgrims were sent back by China despite they having a Chinese visa. The sources said the Chinese side has mentioned a broken bridge as being the reason for the pilgrims not being able to cross into Tibet for the annual yatra. advertisement Sikkim is a part of the middle sector and experts have been warning the government of increased Chinese activities in this area. China today termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate", asserting that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. China yesterday lodged a protest with India over the alleged "crossing of boundary" by its troops in the Sikkim sector and demanded their immediate withdrawal, as Beijing warned that future visits of Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar will depend on the resolution of the standoff. The last such transgression had happened in Sikkim in November 2008 when Chinese soldiers destroyed some makeshift Indian Army bunkers there. Also read: China says India to blame for border row, Nathu La closure 'No right to interfere' China slams India for stoking trouble at Sikkim border over road project China's message to India: Withdraw troops or won't allow next Kailash Mansarovar yatra pilgrims ALSO WATCH | China shuts down Nathu La pass in Sikkim: All you need to know --- ENDS --- advertisement Mumbai: Indrani Mukerjea, a key accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, had reportedly told a Mumbai court that she saw Byculla Jail officials mercilessly thrashing a female prisoner who later succumbed to her injuries. Manjula Shetye, the woman prisoner, was dragged by jail officials with a saree, which was draped around her neck like a 'dupatta', she told the court, according to NDTV. According to an FIR lodged by the Byculla jail inmates, a cane was inserted in Shetye's private parts. Mukerjea, a former media entrepreneur, had alleged that the Byculla Jail officials had also threatened her with the "same consequence" as Shetye if she gave a statement against the jail administration. The Mumbai Police, investigating the case, had said that Manju Shetye, whose death sparked the protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted in her private parts. Manju, 45, died at the government-run JJ Hospital on Friday night. The Nagpada police, investigating the case, filed an offence of murder against the jail staff. Gunjan Mangla, the lawyer of Indrani, had filed an application in the court saying when she went to meet the former media executive she told her that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the death of the woman prisoner. Following Manju's death, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went up to the prison's terrace while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Indrani, on charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Gunjan said Indrani requested her to bring the incident to the notice of the court and seek her production to lodge a complaint against the jail officials. When judge JC Jagdale asked the lawyer if Indrani wants to file an FIR, she said "yes". An official from the prison department had alleged that Indrani "instigated" the inmates by asking them to shun food and "use their children as shields" when prison staffers tried to stop them from agitating and gathering together. Meanwhile, six jail staffers had been suspended and police registered a case under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder) against them. The jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. Mukerjea was imprisoned in 2015 on charges of murdering her daughter, Sheena Bora, three years earlier. New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will start his two-day northeast visit from Sikkim on Thursday. In Sikkim, the Army Chief will take stock of the situation that has become tense after Chinese army destroyed two India bunkers in the Lalten post in the Doka La general area in Sikkim in the first week of June. General Rawat will meet the formation commanders and take stock of the Indian preparedness, reports suggest. The Army Chief's visit comes in the backdrop of China's attitude after the incident. On June 20, China created hurdles in annual Kailash Mansarovar yatra by saying that pilgrims will not be allowed to enter Tibet as 'a bridge had broken'. The Sikkim route to Mansarovar, which is in Tibet, was opened in 2015. The Chinese Government's mouthpiece The Global Times on Tuesday said in an op-ed piece that China must force the Indian troops to retreat "by all necessary means" and New Delhi must be "taught the rules". After India launched its protest over Chinese aggression in Sikkim, Beijing blamed New Delhi for the Sikkim stand-off.Chinese foreign ministry statement said, "The Indian border guards crossed the boundary in the Sikkim section of the China-India border and entered the territory of China, and obstructed normal activities of Chinese frontier forces in the Donglang area recently, and the Chinese side has taken counter-measures." Army Chief General Rawat will also visit a number of other formation headquarters in the Northeast. Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Punjab government after the state assembly passed an amendment to the state excise act, allowing hotels, restaurants and clubs to serve liquor within 500 metres of highways. The amendment to the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, was challenged in the high court by Chandigarh-based NGO ArriveSAFE. The high court on Wednesday issued a notice of stay and a notice of motion. The matter will now be heard on July 24. The Punjab Assembly had passed the Punjab Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2017 on June 23. The Supreme Court (SC) had, in December last year, ordered that liquor should not be sold within 500 metres of highways across the country. The ban came in to force from April 1 this year. It led to the closure of thousands of liquor vends along highways and affected the liquor business of hotels, restaurants, clubs and other places serving liquor. The Punjab government, earlier this month, approved a proposal to amend the excise act to allow hotels, restaurants and clubs near (within 500 metres) highways to serve liquor. If implemented, the amendment will be in contravention of the Supreme Court ruling. "This (amendment) was done with the sole motive to dilute the SC order and facilitate sale of liquor along highways. The state`s version that amendment was done `to clear ambiguity` is a political response with an ulterior motive to dismantle the foundation of the verdict," Harman Singh Sidhu, President of ArriveSAFE NGO, said. The NGO had fought the case in the Supreme Court since 2012. "The state should focus on the safety and health of the citizens instead of working for benefits of the liquor lobby," Sidhu said in a statement here on Wednesday. The Punjab Council of Ministers had, on June 19, approved the proposal to amend the state excise act. By Press Trust of India: By K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 28 (PTI) China today virtually accused India of having a "hidden agenda" in the current military stand-off with it in the Sikkim sector where Beijing has a territorial dispute with Bhutan. Taking a dig at India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country. advertisement Lu also hinted that India was objecting to Chinas efforts to build the road in Donglang area of the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan which does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing. "Hope countries can respect the sovereignty of the country. The China-Bhutan boundary is not delineated, no third party should interfere in this matter and make irresponsible remarks or actions," he said. "If any third party, out of hidden agenda, interferes it is disrespect of the sovereignty of Bhutan. We dont want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community," Lu said. At a regular foreign ministry briefing, Lu also termed the construction of a road in the Sikkim sector as "legitimate" and asserted that it was being built on Chinese territory that neither belongs to India nor Bhutan and no other country had the right to interfere. "Donglang is part of Chinas territory. This is indisputable. The Donglang area belonged to China since ancient times and it doesnt belong to Bhutan," Lu said. "India wants to raise an issue with this part. I should say it doesnt belong to Bhutan, nor it belongs to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. Chinese construction of the road project is legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere," he said while replying to a question. Donglang is located in a tri-junction close to the strategic area called Chickens Neck. Donglang is under Chinas control. However, Bhutan China says that the Sikkim part of the India-China boundary is settled and therefore India has no right to object over the road construction. PTI KJV ASK AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved six-laning of Chakeri-Allahabad section of National Highway-2 (NH-2) in Uttar Pradesh. The approval came at a (CCEA) meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The estimated cost of six-laning has been estimated at Rs 3,691 crore, which includes the cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities. The total length of the road stretch to be developed is approximately 145 km. This work will be done under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase V on Hybrid Annuity Mode. "The project will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh and in reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Chakeri and Allahabad. "The development of this stretch will also help the socio-economic condition of this region in the state," an official statement said. This project on NH-2 is a part of Golden Quadrilateral between Delhi and Kolkata. The project road will have direct influence on the south-western part of Uttar Pradesh. Important towns and urban settlements en route are Kanpur Nagar, Ruma, Chaudagra, Malwa, Fatehpur and Kaushambi. Kanpur is one of the oldest famous industrial townships of north India. It is also included in the "Counter-Magnets" of the National Capital Region. Allahabad is a famous pilgrimage centre, with ancient historical monuments and buildings as well as many educational institutions. In the project, there is a provision of 11 truck lay-bys where trucks stop mainly for loading and unloading. There is also provision of bus lay-bys at 18 locations. Nine flyovers are also proposed in addition to 14 vehicular underpasses and 25 pedestrian underpasses, the statement said. "The project would also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities. It has been estimated that a total number of 4,076 mandays are required for construction of one kilometre of highway. "As such, employment potential of 5,91,000 (approx.) mandays will be generated locally during the construction period of this stretch," it added. China has indicated India is to bear the responsibility for the on-going stand-off in the Sikkim sector and for the closure of Nathu La pass, and hinted that New Delhi was "interfering" in territorial disputes between China and Bhutan. By Ananth Krishnan: China on Wednesday indicated India was to (bear the responsibility) for the on-going stand-off in the Sikkim sector, as well as for the closure of Nathu La pass. It calling on New Delhi to "correct its errors". Beijing also hinted that in its view, India was "interfering" in territorial disputes between China and Bhutan with "a hidden agenda." advertisement It claimed that India may have stopped the Chinese road construction project in territory which is disputed between China and Bhutan (and not between China and India, who don't have a dispute in the given sector) near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction. "The liability lies totally with the Indian side," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said, when asked when the pass would be opened for pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar yatra. The first batch of 50 was stopped mid-June during the border stand-off in nearby Doka La, with six other batches scheduled to make the trip. Out of the 1,430 pilgrims this year, 350 were set to go through Nathu La. As of now, the 1,080 pilgrims set to go through the other route in Lipulekh, Uttarakhand, appear to be unaffected. "The suspension of arrangements is the emergency measure we have taken in response to the situation there. I want to stress that the resumption of pilgrims path requires necessary atmosphere and conditions," said Lu. "When it reopens depends all on whether the Indian side corrects its errors." STAND-OFF A stand-off near the China-India-Bhutan trijunction at Doka La pass was triggered by China constructing a road in the sensitive region, which could have serious implications for India and Bhutan. Beijing, however says it was building the road in an area of Doka La, or Donglong, on its side of the China-India border. The area, however, is disputed between China and Bhutan. Previous stand-off incidents between India and China have taken place in the western sector where there is a border dispute and overlapping claim lines of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), but there is no dispute in the concerned area in the Sikkim sector between China and India. "Indian troops crossed the Sikkim section into China's territory against our mutual recognition," Lu said. "This is totally different in nature from what happened before in the India China border," he said, calling on India to "withdraw troops". "Donglong is part of China's territory," he added. "This is indisputable. The Donglong area has belonged to China since ancient times and does not belong to Bhutan. If India wants to raise an issue with this part, I should say that it does not belong to Bhutan nor does it belong to India. So we have complete legal basis for this. China's construction of road projects is just a legitimate and normal action on its territory. No other country has the right to interfere." advertisement Lu also hinted at "a third party" having a "hidden agenda". "Bhutan is a universally recognised sovereign country by the international community. We hope counties can respect sovereignty of Bhutan. Though the boundary between China and Bhutan has not been delimited, no third party should interfere in this matter and make any irresponsible remarks or action," he said. "Only the Indian side can judge whether they have interfered in internal affairs of Bhutan. Even though boundary between Bhutan and China has not been completely delimited, we have maintained communications through normal channels. If any third party out of hidden agenda tried to interfere in this matter, this is disrespectful of Bhutan. We don't want to see this as Bhutan is a country entitled to sovereignty by the international community." advertisement ALSO READ | Chinese media's advice to its government: Use all means necessary to teach border rules to India ALSO READ | China's message to India: Withdraw troops or won't allow next Kailash Mansarovar yatra pilgrims ALSO WATCH | China shuts down Nathu La pass in Sikkim: All you need to know --- ENDS --- Mosul: Iraq`s military pushed deeper into Mosul`s Old City on Wednesday, taking two more districts from Islamic State and bringing it closer to total control of the city. The army`s 16th infantry division captured Hadarat al-Saada and al-Ahmadiyya, the military said in a statement. The areas are northwest of the historic Grand al-Nuri Mosque which the militants destroyed last week. Islamic State still controls the mosque`s grounds and about half of the territory in the Old City, its last redoubt in Mosul. "Fifty percent of this area has been liberated, al-Mashada and al-Ahmadiyya and al-Saada," Major General Jabbar al-Darraji told Iraqi state television. "Our troops are now moving towards Farouq Street," he said, referring to the Old City`s main north-south thoroughfare. Federal police and elite units of the Counter-Terrorism Service have also been fighting inside the district`s maze of narrow alleyways since the battle began 10 days ago. A U.S.-led international coalition is providing air and ground support in the eight-month-old offensive. Authorities expect the battle to end in the coming days, though the advance remains arduous. Federal policemen walked through piles of rubble amid wrecked houses on Wednesday to reach the frontline, southwest of al-Nuri mosque. A Reuters correspondent said they exchanged mortars and sniper fire with militants. The Old City`s stone buildings date mostly from the medieval period. They include market stalls, a few mosques and churches, and small houses built and rebuilt on top of each other over the ages. The minaret of the Ziwani mosque, which is cleared of militants, has been partially destroyed, and the cross had been removed from the bell tower of Shamoon al-Safa church, a Reuters correspondent said. The military estimates up to 350 militants are dug in among civilians in wrecked houses and crumbling infrastructure. They are trying to slow the advance of Iraqi forces by laying booby traps and using suicide bombers and snipers. Five IS fighters tried to flee across the Tigris River to the eastern side of Mosul but were killed by security forces, the military said on Wednesday. Those residents who have escaped the Old City say many of the civilians trapped behind Islamic State lines - put at 50,000 by the Iraqi military - are in a desperate situation with little food, water or medicines. Darraji, the army general, said one of his soldiers had been killed when he seized a militant wearing a suicide vest amid a crowd of fleeing civilians. "The heroic fighter was martyred, protecting the lives of many citizens," he said. Brussels/Istanbul: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad appeared so far to have heeded a warning this week from Washington not to carry out a chemical weapons attack. Russia, the Syrian government`s main backer in the country`s civil war, warned that it would respond with dignity and proportionately if the United States took pre-emptive measures against Syrian forces to stop what the White House says could be a planned chemical attack. The White House said on Monday it appeared the Syrian military was preparing to conduct a chemical weapons attack and said that Assad and his forces would "pay a heavy price" if it did so. The warning was based on intelligence that indicated preparations for such a strike were under way at Syria`s Shayrat airfield, U.S. officials said. "It appears that they took the warning seriously," Mattis said. "They didn`t do it," he told reporters flying with him to Brussels for a meeting of NATO defence ministers. He offered no evidence other than the fact that an attack had not taken place. Asked whether he believed Assad`s forces had called off any such strike completely, Mattis said: "I think you better ask Assad about that." Washington accused Syrian forces of using the Shayrat airfield for a chemical weapons attack in April. Syria denies this. The intelligence that prompted the administrations warning to Syria this week was far from conclusive, said a U.S. official familiar with it. It did not come close to saying that a chemical weapons attack was coming," the official said. The intelligence consisted of a Syrian warplane being observed moving into a hangar at the Shayrat airbase, where U.S. and allied intelligence agencies suspect the Assad government is hiding chemical weapons, said a second US official. Mattis said Syria`s chemical weapons threat was larger than any single location. "I think that Assad`s chemical program goes far beyond one airfield," he said. US and allied intelligence officers had for some time identified several sites where they suspected Assad`s government may have been hiding newly made chemical weapons from inspectors, another U.S. official familiar with the intelligence said. The United States launched a cruise missile strike on Shayrat in April following the deaths of 87 people in what Washington said was a poison gas attack in rebel-held territory. The Syrian military and foreign ministry did not comment on the White House warning, although state-run al-Ikhbariya television station said the allegations were fabricated. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow will respond if the United States takes measures against Syrian government forces. Speaking at a news conference with his German counterpart, Lavrov said he hoped that the United States was not preparing to use its intelligence assessments about the Syrian government`s intentions as a pretext to mount a "provocation" in Syria. Russian officials have described the war in Syria as the biggest source of tension between Moscow and Washington and say the April cruise missile strike ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump raised the risk of confrontation between them. In Washington, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, credited Trump with saving Syrian lives. "Due to the president`s actions, we did not see an incident," Haley told U.S. lawmakers. "I would like to think that the president saved many innocent men, women and children." Although the number of people killed in suspected chemical attacks is a small portion of the total dead in Syria`s civil war, estimated at close to half a million, footage of victims writhing in agony has caused particular revulsion. On the Syrian battlefields, Turkish artillery bombarded and destroyed Kurdish YPG militia targets after the group`s fighters opened fire on Turkish-backed forces in northern Syria. The United States supports the YPG in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, while NATO ally Turkey regards them as terrorists indistinguishable from militants from the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), which is carrying out an insurgency in southeast Turkey. The Turkish army said YPG machinegun fire on Tuesday evening targeted Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army rebels south of the town of Azaz. Artillery struck back in retaliation, a Turkish military statement said. The boom of artillery fire could be heard overnight from the Turkish border town of Kilis, broadcaster Haberturk said. Ankara was angered by a US decision in June to arm the YPG in the battle for Islamic State`s stronghold of Raqqa. Secretary Mattis on Tuesday left open the possibility of longer-term assistance to the YPG, saying the United States may need to supply them weapons and equipment even after the capture of Raqqa. Turkey last year sent troops into Syria to support Free Syrian Army rebels fighting both Islamic State and Kurdish forces who control a large part of Syria`s northern border region. In Geneva, the United Nations human rights chief said at least 173 civilians have been killed in air and ground operations against Islamic State in Raqqa this month. Taipei: Taiwan said Wednesday that it was willing to offer cancer-stricken Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo treatment after prison officials granted him medical parole, in a move likely to rile Beijing. The offer came a day after China rejected criticism over its treatment of Liu, as the United States urged Beijing to give the paroled activist freedom to move and choose his own doctors. Liu`s lawyer Mo Shaoping revealed on Monday that the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate had been hospitalised after being diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in May. The writer, now 61, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "subversion" after spearheading a bold petition for democratic reforms. Lawyer Mo told AFP that people on medical parole usually cannot leave the country, but if he was treated as a "special case" it would be possible for him to seek treatment abroad, according to Chinese law. Taiwan said it would "welcome" Liu for treatment at a time when relations with Beijing have worsened dramatically under China-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen. China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified. But the self-ruling island has developed its own democratic political system and has become home to some activists fleeing China. "We urge Beijing to immediately release Liu and let him choose wherever he wants to receive treatment," said Chiu Chui-cheng of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan`s top policy-making body on China. "We welcome Liu if he chooses Taiwan and we will provide him with the best medical care possible. Taiwan has very good expertise treating liver diseases," Chiu told AFP. Chinese dissident Wang Dan, a Tiananmen protest leader who lives in exile in Taiwan, said that he has contacted Germany`s foreign ministry in the hope the country would take Liu for treatment, as it has a hospital famous for treating liver cancer. The new US ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, said on Wednesday he would like to see Liu treated abroad. Human rights groups have also called on Chinese authorities to give Liu the chance to seek treatment elsewhere. Ties between Taiwan and China have deteriorated rapidly since Tsai took the reins last year. Beijing has stepped up pressure on her government, from luring away the island`s diplomatic allies to arresting a Taiwanese activist on "subversion" charges on the mainland. China has cut off all official communication with Taipei and has upped military drills while Taiwan is developing home-grown defence systems in response to what it sees as a growing threat. By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Jun 28 (PTI) A special CBI court today allowed Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea to lodge her complaint against Byculla Prison officials here after she was allegedly beaten and threatened of sexual assault for protesting over the death of a woman convict there. Indrani, who has been booked for rioting in the womens prison here along with other inmates, was today produced in court after she moved an application yesterday alleging that she was roughed up by jail officials when inmates protested the death of a 45-year-old woman prisoner Manju Govind Shette. advertisement Special CBI judge J C Jagdale today said that Indrani be first taken for a medical examination and later to the police station (Nagpada) to file her complaint. Yesterday, the CBI court, which is hearing the Sheena murder case, had directed prison authorities to produce Indrani before it today. Today, narrating the incident, Indrani told the court that she was threatened and assaulted after she said that she will give a statement (in connection with the case) to a magistrate under the provisions of section 164 CRPC, which unlike a police statement is admissible in court. Indrani also said that she had witnessed the woman prisoner being allegedly assaulted. She said that when she first inquired about Shettes health (prior to her death), she was told that she was fine but later she learnt that she passed away. Indrani said that after a case was registered into Shettes death, she came forward as as a witness in the case, and told the jail officials that she is ready to become one. Recalling the events on the day of the protest, she alleged that the superintendent had ordered a laticharge after turning the lights off in the jail. She charged that even male officials in the jail resorted to cane charge on the inmates. "I was hit on the hand and legs... I can barely walk," she alleged and added that the superintendent told her tu witness banne ja rahi hai.... tereko bhi dekh lenge. She said the superintendent threatened her, saying "We will do the same thing that we did to Shette". According to the application filed by Indranis lawyer Gunjan Mangla yesterday, when she went to meet Indrani, the latter told her that she was beaten up by jail officials after the death of Shette. "She showed me her bruise marks and injuries which were very prominent on her hands, legs and head," the lawyer claimed in the application. Indrani had also informed Gunjan that she was verbally abused by jail officials and the superintendent and was threatened of sexual assault for protesting against the death in jail. advertisement Yesterday, Gunjan said Indrani requested her to bring the incident before the court and seek her production to lodge a complaint against the jail officials. "She informed me that several inmates want to give their statements against the jail officials who were involved in the incident," the lawyer said. When judge J C Jagdale asked the lawyer if Indrani wants to file an FIR, she said, "Yes". According to police, following the death of Shette on Friday, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went up to the prisons roof, while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger. Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Indrani, for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. An official from the prison department had alleged that Indrani "instigated" the inmates by asking them to shun food and "use their children as shields" when prison staffers tried to stop them from agitating and gathering together. advertisement Police says that Manju, whose death sparked protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted in her private parts. Manju died at the government-run J J Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on June 23. The Nagpada police, investigating the case, have filed an offence of murder against the jail staff. Six jail staffers have been placed under suspension and police registered a case under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder) against them. The jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. PTI VI DK DV --- ENDS --- Istanbul: Turkish forces retaliated with an artillery barrage overnight and destroyed Kurdish YPG militia targets after the group`s fighters opened fire on Turkey-backed forces in northern Syria, the military said on Wednesday. It said Turkish warplanes separately struck Kurdish militants in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing seven fighters from the PKK group which Ankara says is closely linked to the YPG. The strikes came after Turkey`s defence minister warned that Ankara would retaliate against any threatening moves by the YPG and after reports that Turkey was reinforcing its military presence in northern Syria. The United States supports the YPG in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, while NATO ally Turkey regards them as terrorists indistinguishable from militants from the outlawed PKK which is carrying out an insurgency in southeast Turkey. Turkey`s army said YPG machine-gun fire on Tuesday evening targeted Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army elements in the Maranaz area south of the town of Azaz in northern Syria. "Fire support vehicles in the region were used to retaliate in kind against the harassing fire and the identified targets were destroyed/neutralised," the military statement said. The boom of artillery fire could be heard overnight from the Turkish border town of Kilis, broadcaster Haberturk said. It was not clear whether there were casualties in the exchange of fire. Ankara was angered by a U.S. decision in June to arm the YPG in the battle for Islamic State`s Raqqa stronghold. President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that nations which promised to get back weapons from the YPG once Islamic State were defeated were trying to trick Turkey. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday left open the possibility of longer-term assistance to the YPG, saying the U.S. may need to supply them weapons and equipment even after the capture of Raqqa. Ankara considers the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is deemed a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The PKK has carried out an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 and more than 40,000 people, most of them Kurds, have died in the fighting. Turkish warplanes on Wednesday morning destroyed PKK shelters and gun positions during air strikes in the Avasin-Basyan area of northern Iraq, killing seven militants planning an attack on Turkish border outposts, an army statement said. Faced with turmoil across its southern border, Turkey last year sent troops into Syria to support Free Syrian Army rebels fighting both Islamic State and Kurdish forces who control a large part of Syria`s northern border region. Erdogan has said Turkey would not flinch from taking tougher action against the YPG in Syria if Turkey believed it needed to. Beijing: The new US ambassador to Beijing said on Wednesday that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo should be allowed to receive treatment outside China after he was diagnosed with cancer while in prison for advocating democratic reforms. China should allow 61-year-old Liu to seek treatment elsewhere "if it would be of help," Ambassador Terry Branstad told reporters at his first public appearance since arriving in Beijing this week. The former six-term Iowa governor appointed as the envoy to China by President Donald Trump did not say if he'd spoken directly with Chinese authorities about the matter, emphasizing cooperation instead. "It's important that we work together between our two countries to address these human rights issues," Branstad said. Liu was given a medical parole and hospitalized after being diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer on May 23. His wife has said in video circulated by supporters that Liu's cancer has advanced beyond any potential treatment. The writer and literary critic received the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize while serving an 11-year prison term for co- authoring Charter '08, a manifesto calling for an end to single-party rule in the Communist nation. News of Liu's illness drew questions from his supporters and human rights advocates on whether China's government provided him with adequate care while incarcerated. Chinese prisons are notorious for their harsh conditions, and it's common for released prisoners to return to society in a dangerously weakened state. The Trump administration's handling of Liu's case could provide an early indication of how forcefully it is willing to push China on human rights. On Monday, the State Department called for Liu's release as well as that of his wife, Liu Xia, who has lived for years under house arrest. China should "provide them the protections and freedoms such as freedom of movement and access to medical care of his choosing, to which they're entitled under China's constitution and medical system and international commitments," the statement said. On Tuesday, the State Department downgraded China to its lowest ranking on human trafficking, after the Trump administration had previously avoided public criticism of Beijing on human rights. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Famous Israeli political scientist, public figure Avigdor Eskin arrived in Artsakh on June 27 to meet with the countrys high-ranking leadership and discuss issues on cooperation prospects, Diplomat.am told Armenpress. Avigdor Eskins visit has been organized by the initiative of Diplomat.am project. The Israeili public figure in Stepanakert met with the MPs, presented Israels policy on South Caucasus regions developments and his view on Israels cooperation with Artsakh. During his remarks delivered at the Artsakh Parliament, Avigdor Eskin said he arrived in Artsakh to better recognize it, understand the people of Artsakh, as well as to share his impressions from the visit in Israel. I came here not for telling about something, but mainly for learning. The Armenian people, who gave to the humanity numerous famous figures, deserve great attention and respect, their experience must be understood by whole humanity, he said. Commenting on the questions of Artsakh lawmakers, the political scientist presented his stance over the Artsakh conflict, the development prospects of Armenian-Israeli relations, the necessity to use the successful experience of Jewish repatriation in Armenia and Artsakh, as well as over a number of other topics. Eskin said the visit of Russian public-political figure Alexander Prokhanov to Baku shows what kind of policy Azerbaijan runs. According to Eskin, Prokhanov has fascist ideas, he supports wars and crimes against humanity, and if Ilham Aliyev cooperates with such figures, Eskin definitely supports that Artsakh must have independence. In Russia Prokhanov is even compared with some animals, he is disrespected, whereas the Azerbaijani leadership is being encouraged when he urges to attack Artsakh and capture it, Avigdor Eskin said in the Parliament of Artsakh. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan attended the opening of the "Issues and Prospects of Higher Education" conference launched in Stepanakert, the presidents office told ARMENPRESS. President Sahakyan considered the organization of such a representative event dedicated to educational issues in Artsakh important and demanded, noting that the people and their inexhaustible intellectual potential constitute the greatest wealth of the country. President Sahakyan underlined that the education and science sphere was among the most effective ways of strengthening the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity especially in the present-day globalization era, adding that as in the implementation of other significant strategic programs Artsakh needs support from Armenia and the Diaspora in the education field too. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The people of the Philippines are interested in Armenia as a first Christian country, Mekhak Apresyan first Vice-President of the State Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, told Armenpress. He informed that 83% of 104 million people of the Philippines are Christians. We have an initiative called Pilgrimage to first Christian country, and we believe it will definitely have its demand in world market as in the Philippines, he said. Mekhak Apresyan said the issue of having direct flight with the Philippines may become possible in near future. Filipinos show interest, and we run an open sky policy, and I think here the business can also be interested in, he said. He said recently he participated in the World Tourism Organizations forum in the Philippines where various tourism-related issues were discussed. Recently we have hosted two famous media operating in the Philippines and got them acquainted with Armenias beautiful sites. Their reports are already ready, and they will be released soon, Mekhak Apresyan said. As for the tourism flows in summer, Apresyan said there will be increase for sure. In January-May we have recorded 30% growth of visits. Direct flights with different countries, visa regime facilitations will definitely have their positive affect, he said, expressing confidence that cutting the line of 3 million in the upcoming 5 yeas seems to be realistic. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of justice of Armenia made savings under certain articles of the 2016 state budget, justice minister Davit Harutyunyan said during parliamentary committee discussions of the 2016 state budget execution report. This is mainly due to cheaper acquisitions in the procurement process, the minister said. The minister highlighted the designing of legal acts and bills in the 2016 activities of the ministry: 300 legal acts were designed, whereas 280 were planned. The minister also highlighted the legislative initiatives whereby certain economic offenses have been de-criminalized, as well as the legislative initiative regarding the eviction law, whereby the citizen cannot be evicted from his last shelter. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry attaches great importance to fair and effective holding of the summer draft, Minister Vigen Sargsyan told reporters on June 28, reports Armenpress. I ask our society to be very consistent in the course of the summer draft. I think the engagement of civil society on fairly holding this process is also very important. If you are aware of violations in connection with the draft, we will be happy to be informed about that, you can inform us via our hot line. We will do everything to hold this process transparent and fair, the Defense Minister said, adding that on July 1 he will personally visit the central gathering to follow the draft process. President of Armenia Serzh Sarsgyan on May 15 signed a decree to conduct the 2017 summer draft and demobilization. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on June 27 organized an official reception on behalf of the head of Czech Republic-Armenia friendship group Robin Bonisch for the Armenian delegation led by Vice-Speaker of the Parliament, head of Armenia-Czech Republic friendship group Eduard Sharmazanov, press service of the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress. MPs Gagik Melikyan and Vardan Bostanjyan are in the delegation. The reception was also attended by Armenias Ambassador to Czech Republic Tigran Seyranyan. On April 25, 2017 the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament adopted a resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide. Vice-Speaker Sharmazanov awarded a number of lawmakers of the Chamber of Deputies with Honorary Medal, Certificate and Memorial Medal of the Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia for the works carried out on adopting the resolution, as well as for strengthening the Armenian-Czech inter-parliamentary ties. During the reception Sharmazanov delivered remarks stating: Dear Mr. Bonisch, Dear colleagues, The adoption of the Armenian Genocide recognition and condemnation resolution by the Czech Parliament was a serious step for support of human rights and against genocides. The Armenian Genocide was the first great crime carried out against humanity in the 20th century, and the recognition of the Genocide by the Czech Republic is your countrys response to barbarism. We are impressed with your courage, by this you prevent new genocides. Its worth mentioning that Turkey has not changed within 102 years, it still continues its denial policy. We must be united against the Turkish denialism and for the sake of protection of human rights. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Armenias minister of energy infrastructures and natural resources Mr. Ashot Manukyan held a meeting with the delegation of the European Investment Bank led by senior credit expert Violin Silvestro. The sides discussed issues related to the banks involvement in new investment programs in the energy sector and enhancement of cooperation. The state-private sector format cooperation was especially highlighted. The minister briefed the delegation on the planned investment programs of the energy sector, which relate to the reconstruction of the High Voltage Electricity Networks substations, and construction of an energy production plant from waste processing. Speaking on the investment program, the minister mentioned that 10 of the 16 substations have already been reconstructed. Another 2 will be able to be modernized through savings as result of investment programs in the system. Violin Silvestro thanked for presenting the investment programs in details and comprehensively and expressed the European Investment Banks readiness for cooperation and interest towards Armenia. According to the India Meteorological Department monsoons are expected to lash Delhi in the next 48 hours. By India Today Web Desk: Heavy showers on Wednesday evening brought Delhi respite from humidity experienced over last few days, also causing waterlogging and traffic jams. According to the India Meteorological Department monsoons are expected to lash Delhi in the next 48 hours. The IMD said while most parts of the country, including central India, south Rajashtan and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar were now under monsoon cover, eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar and the National Capital Region still awaited the onset of monsoon. advertisement "Most likely monsoon will be declared in Delhi by tomorrow," an IMD official said. "Based on data, monsoon will be declared tomorrow (Thursday) or a day later (Friday)." The official said monsoon was being delayed in eastern Uttar Pradesh, one of the most dry areas now, due to a cyclonic circulation over north Odisha, which was cutting the easterly winds and moisture towards Uttar Pradesh. "Monsoon will cover all the remaining parts of the country within 24-48 hours. The cyclonic circulation over north Odisha was cutting the moisture till yesterday. Today there was a drop in its activity," the IMD said. (With inputs from IANS) --- ENDS --- YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by the Deputy Speakerof the National Assembly of Armenia, the Head of Armenia-Czech Republic Friendship Group Eduard Sharmazanov, comprised of the MPs Gagik Melikyan and Vardan Bostanjyan, within the framework of the visit to the Czech Republic met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Lukas Kaucky. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to the Czech Republic Tigran Seyranyan also attended the meeting. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the National Assembly of Armenia, positively assessing the development dynamics of the Armenian-Czech relations, the sides highlighted the further development of bilateral relations. The interlocutors touched upon the necessity of continuity of Armenia-EU political dialogue. The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia documented that Armenia is resolute with the European colleagues in expanding and deepening of institutional reform process aimed at democracy, continuous strengthening of human rights and rule of law. Touching upon the regional problems, the Deputy Speaker of the parliament of Armenia noted that Turkey continues its denial policy, keeps closed the border with Armenia and supports Azerbaijans terrorist actions. Unlike Azerbaijan and Turkey, the Artsakh people build democratic country. Both Armenia and Artsakh are the full bearers of the system of European values and civilization, Sharmazanov underlined. In this context the sides considered inadmissible the military rhetoric and the military solution of the problem. Lukas Kaucky positively appreciated the process of democratic reforms in Armenia and underlined that as an EU member state the Czech Republic is ready to support the continuity of democratic reforms in Armenia. The Deputy Foreign Minister highly assessed the decision of adopting the Resolution on Recognition and Condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic on April 25, 2017. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Armenias minister of emergency situations Davit Tonoyan held a meeting with Major General Andranik Makaryan, commander of the unified Armenian-Russian troops and Colonel Vladimir Yelkanov, commander of the 102nd Russian military base of Armenia. The sides discussed partnership of the 102nd base and the ministry at times of emergency situations, as well as issues related to the elimination of consequences of natural disasters and emergency situations. The sides reached an initial agreement on designing the joint plan on eliminating and preventing emergency situations. YEREVAN, 28 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 28 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.05 drams to 480.44 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 5.04 drams to 545.78 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.08 drams to 8.07 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 3.35 drams to 615.73 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 64.42 drams to 19301.18 drams. Silver price up by 1.98 drams to 257.34 drams. Platinum price down by 32.38 drams to 14210.78 drams. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov met with the Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Miluse Horskahe on June 28 in the sidelines of the visit of the Armenian parliamentary delegation to the Czech Republic. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia, Ambassador of Armenia to the Czech Republic Tigran Seyranyan was also present at the meeting. Issues related to the stable development of parliamentary relations and activation of mutual visits by the parliamentary delegations were discussed at the meeting. Eduard Sharmazanov particularly highlighted the role of Miluse Horskahe in the development of Armenian-Czech relations and particularly inter-parliamentary cooperation. Expressing satisfaction over the existing high level of inter-parliamentary relations, the members of the delegation highlighted the role of the parliamentary friendship groups in the development of bilateral relations. The sides also referred to the necessity of coordinated and mutually beneficial cooperation of the delegations of both countries in international institutions. Sharmazanov introduced the process of the legal amendments in Armenia following the Constitutional reforms, noting that Armenia has chosen the path of institutional reforms. Referring to regional developments the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia stated that Armenia advocates exclusively peaceful solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict, under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group and based on the 3 key principles. The civilized disintegration of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the declaration of the two independent states at the beginning of the 90s could be a good precedent also for the former subjects of the USSR, but Azerbaijan, refusing the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, imposed a war on the freedom-loving people of Artsakh, Sharmazanov said. The Deputy Speaker of the Armenian parliament expressed conviction that sooner or later Azerbaijan will have to recognize the independence of Artsakh. There is no alternative to the independence of Artsakh, he stated. YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the USA American tour initiative kicks off. It will last 2 weeks and is aimed at displaying the Armenian-American cooperation. This is the second year that the residents of different regions of Armenia will have an opportunity to enjoy jazz concerts, American films in the sidelines of a cultural project initiated by the US Embassy in Armenia. Yerevan, Gyumri, Ijevan, Meghri, Kapan, Goris and Sisian the American tour has selected these stops for concerts, where the State Jazz Orchestra of Armenia will give concerts. By the invitation of the US Embassy American talented jazz musician Michael Mayo has arrived in Armenia. US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills gave a welcoming speech, stating that the Armenian-US friendly relations are firm and durable and during this tour our cooperation will be presented to the people. We implement a number of joint cultural projects. The aim is to show the cultural similarities of Armenia and the USA, which is emphasized by this project. We have focused on jazz music this American musical culture loved in both Armenia and USA and I think its wonderful that this young musician Michael Mayo is in Armenia who has an opportunity to sing with the State Jazz Orchestra of Armenia. In this way very good relations are established, Mills said. This is Michael Mayos first visit to Armenia but he has already managed to be impressed by what he saw. I was born and raised in California and I had Armenian friends there. For that reason I have been interested in coming here to see what this country looks like, the musician said. The musical tour will kick off on July 1. LOS ANGELESThe Mallan online portal that combines an adult store, adult movies and adult gamesis celebrating 10 years in business. The Mall launched July 4, 2007, the brainchild of Shaul and Rivkah Salisbury. The duo created The Mall based on their vision to take all the parts of the adult industry and putting them in one place for fans, consumers, vendors and of course adult stars, hey said in a statement. Shaul and Rivkah for years have gathered the best the industry has to offer and continue to do so every day. For 10 years now fans and even adult stars have shopped at The Mall. Customers can go to XXXMallTheaters.sexy and shop everything adult: movies, toys, clothing and so much more. For more, visit XXXMallTheaters.sexy. AMSTERDAMThe Webmaster Access team announced today that the hotel room block set aside for Webmaster Access Amsterdam 2017 attendees is nearly sold out. Once those rooms are gone, WMA can no longer guarantee that participants will be able to find space at the show venue, the Double Tree by Hilton, Amsterdam Centraal Station. WMA, presented by Bitter Strawberry, is scheduled to run a bit earlier than usual this year, September 8-11, and the timeframe change has received a very positive response. With less than three months until the event, show registration and hotel reservations have been in full swing. Participants who may have overlooked the earlier show dates do not have time to procrastinate and still ensure that they can get a room. Hotel rooms at the Double Tree by Hilton have been reserved in record numbers this year, said Beth Noonan, event organizer. Were excitedly anticipating a sold-out hotel and our largest show in event history." To reserve a room, click here. As an added perk, the annual WMA Sweet Suite Giveaway Contest is live through July 20, offering everyone who registers in that time frame the chance to win a free Executive King Suite at the Double Tree by Hilton for the duration of the show. The contest is open to all new registrants and can be combined with any discount offer available. For event registration, sponsored by PussyCash, visit WebmasterAccess.com. For sponsorship information, email [email protected] Sugar Reduction In Foods is a new course from Chipping Campden-based Campden BRI, taking place on 31 October at its Gloucestershire centre. The course aims to provide an overview of the issues and approaches to reducing sugar in foods. BRI said it is suitable for those looking to reduce or replace sugar in their products. It will provide an insight into which approaches may be most appropriate for which food types, according to the company. The course will run over a full day with an option to attend a salt reduction course the previous day. The background to sugar reduction will be covered, including reasons for the need to reduce sugar, government targets and the role sugar plays in products, as well as approaches to reduce sugar in food through alternative ingredients. One session will also cover legislation including information on health and nutrition claims. There will be an opportunity to sample reduced-sugar products and sessions looking in detail at reducing sugar in baked goods. Short sessions will also discuss sugar reduction in beverages and sweet sauces/condiments & preserves. A sensory session will explore ways of assessing the sensory properties of reduced-sugar products The company, which provides food and drink businesses with science, technology and information services, added that at the end of the course, delegates will be able to: Understand the function of sugar in different foods and the issues with removing it Be aware of the considerations (technical & regulatory) when using sugar replacers such as high-potency sweeteners and polyols Have an awareness of methods of sensory assessment for products with reduced/removed sugar Apply the theory and technical skills learnt on the course in their own development role For more than a year, 20 Scottish Greggs stores have been offering free cakes to people who host a tea party for lonely OAPs. The scheme, which started in January last year, is run by Contact the Elderly, which invites the public to host a tea party for pensioners in their home on a Sunday afternoon. Twenty stores across Scotland provide yum yums, pineapple tarts and other sweet treats. Contact the Elderly has 123 groups in Scotland that aim to provide a lifeline of friendship to old people who live alone, according to the charity. The regular format is a tea party held in a volunteer hosts home for a group of between six and eight people on a Sunday afternoon. A volunteer driver collects one or two older people and accompanies them to the party. A host welcomes a group once or twice a year. Research by the charity showed that 95% of guests say the parties give them something to look forward to and 77% feel happier because of them, while 76% of guests find Sunday a particularly lonely day. A spokeswoman for Greggs told British Baker: As a business, Greggs believes in supporting the local communities in which it operates and Greggs is proud to work with Contact the Elderly. A number of Greggs shops in Scotland have committed to providing cakes for the guests to enjoy at the monthly get-togethers. Greggs currently only provides free cakes, but told British Baker this might be extended to sandwiches in the future. Morna OMay, head of service Scotland at Contact the Elderly, said: We are incredibly grateful to Greggs for the ongoing support its bakeries provide for our tea parties. The value of enjoying a shared afternoon of cakes and company is immeasurable. The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day? Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount. Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what so called "Democracy" does exists. Duplication of paperwork has sent the swarming crowd of DU aspirants from across the country for multiple trips. Delhi University colleges have been flooded with students, who are paying multiple visits to get their documents verified as part of the admission process. By Arpan Rai: After a two-day respite, students and parents rushed to Delhi University colleges to secure seats, defying scorching heat. Chaos continued on the North Campus on the second day of document verification of admission process. Duplication of paperwork has sent the swarming crowd of DU aspirants from across the country for multiple trips. However, admission officials of DU colleges failed to make the drill easy as a day after releasing the first cut off list, top brass colleges like Ramjas and Shri Ram College of Commerce could barely admit 100 students. advertisement "I had uploaded all my documents, and have come to get them verified. It is my second day on campus and I am still waiting for my turn. I was sent back by college officials on Saturday evening," said Veni Agrawal who had flown down to Delhi from Jaipur. "There has been a lot of confusion regarding documents that candidates are expected to bring along during verification. While some students forget to carry crucial documents along, we have also seen ones who are facing trouble with the online portal," said Himangshu, a volunteer at DU admission help desk. IN DOING AWAY WITH PHYSICAL SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS According to online admission procedure, introduced by the varsity last year, aspirants are required to upload 13 documents - including Class 10 and 12 certificates and marksheets, a scanned copy of their signature, recent photograph and character certificate. Aspirants from outside Delhi also need to upload transfer and migration certificates. The university officials had further decided to do away with the physical submission of documents. "We have to run the original documents through three rounds of verification, including a forensic authentication by a team of experts. It is a tedious process as we do not want to give way to the racket of fake documents," said P C Tulsian, acting principal at Ramjas College. Admission committee officials claim that several students do not take the mandatory upload guidelines issued by Delhi University seriously. "It is an inevitable process as several students take the documentation work during online registration for granted. SRCC has seen cases where applicants have filled their marks obtained as total marks," said Reena Chadha, assistant professor at Shri Ram College of Commerce. "In case of students from Telangana board, we have to calculate the average of percentage secured by a student in Class 11 and 12. This cannot be done during the online upload and hence we have to conduct the verification again with original documents," Reena added. Also Read 500 new seats added by Delhi University for non-collegiate courses --- ENDS --- Stacy (Contributed photo) East Carolina University (ECU) has named a new dean for the Brody School of Medicine and senior associate vice chancellor for medical affairs for the Division of Health Sciences.The appointment of Dr. Mark Stacy to these roles was approved by the ECU board of trustees during a special called meeting June 27. Stacy will also hold a tenured professorship in Brody's Department of Internal Medicine when he joins ECU on Sept. 1.Since 2011, Stacy has served as vice dean for clinical research at Duke University School of Medicine. In this role, he created and now directs the Duke Office of Clinical Research, which provides oversight for more than 6,800 clinical research projects. He also leads the Duke Human Research Protection Program, Duke's Institutional Review Board, the institution's Conflict of Interest Committee and Regulatory Affairs Office.Stacy's appointment follows a long and rigorous national search, said ECU Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Phyllis Horns.said Horns.said ECU Chancellor Cecil Staton.Stacy is also a professor of neurology and chief of the Movement Disorders Division at Duke. He has been a member of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Society since 1990, as well as a member of the society's international executive committee and co-editor of its newsletter. He has served as a member of the executive committee of the Parkinson Study Group - the largest not-for-profit scientific network of Parkinson's centers in North America - and is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and American Neurological Association.Before his service at Duke, Stacy was director of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix. He earned his medical degree at the University of Missouri, then completed an internship in internal medicine at St. Mary's Hospital in St. Louis, a residency in neurology at Hahnemann (now Drexel) University in Philadelphia and a fellowship in Parkinson's disease and movement disorders at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas.His clinical and research interests include motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. He has published more than 250 manuscripts and one book, "The Handbook of Dystonia."said Dr. Mike Waldrum, chief executive officer for Vidant Health.said Stacy.Dr. Nicholas Benson, the school of medicine's vice dean, has served as interim dean since Dr. Paul Cunningham stepped down from the leadership post in September. VIP tickets are $150, which includes VIP seating, a commemorative T-shirt, two drink tickets, and a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with the stunt team. For those who want to meet Burt Reynolds, Super VIP tickets are $500, which includes all VIP ticket amenities. (Gwinnett Daily Post) fill in the blank This was Reynolds' fourth Bandit-style Trans Am going under the hammer in recent years. The phenomenon kicked off in 2014 when an original "Smokey and the Bandit" promo car sold for $450,000. It was followed a year later by the sale of a "tribute" car owned by Reynolds for only a year for $170,000. And finally in 2016 the actor brought out another movie promo car that ended up fetching $550,000. This was Reynolds' fourth Bandit-style Trans Am going under the hammer in recent years. The phenomenon kicked off in 2014 when an original "Smokey and the Bandit" promo car sold for $450,000. It was followed a year later by the sale of a "tribute" car owned by Reynolds for only a year for $170,000. And finally in 2016 the actor brought out another movie promo car that ended up fetching $550,000. Motor Authority But age has a way of creeping on even the most iconic of brands. The last Pontiac, a 2010 model year G6, was built at the Orion Township Assembly Line in January, 2010. Pontiac became the second brand General Motors had eliminated in six years. Oldsmobile met the same fate in 2004 after being more slowly phased out over four years. Pontiac also became the ninth North American automobile brand since 1987 to be phased out, after Merkur, Mercury, Passport, Asuna, Geo, Plymouth, American Motors (AMC) (renamed Eagle in 1988, and phased out in 1999), and Oldsmobile. (Pontiac History) Reference Sites: One of the tricks of the mind is that we remember things like a snapshot. After a few years our image of the past is cast in indelible concrete like an old picture in the shoe box up in the attic or a statue in the town square. This is so obvious it should not deserve an article, but recently Atlanta celebrated a 40th anniversary of an event that brought it all back home to me again.Sometimes Movies can be like old music from our youth. They can mark the era of our bygone youth. Smokey and the Bandit was one such movie for many Atlanta residents who happened to be around in 1976-1977 when the movie was filmed in Jonesboro, Georgia and areas around Atlanta. The movie was iconic and made more famous by the inclusion of one of Georgia's own acting and singing the title song. Jerry Reed was the Snowman in the movie and he was a Georgia boy.The folklore around the movie grew over the years with each retelling of the story. Many people went to see the movie being filmed and many locals were extras in the movie crowd scenes. Facebook muses often mention where it was filmed and people post then and now pictures of the locations. It was also a great chance to see one of the last hoorahs of the Old Lakewood Fairgrounds and the Lakewood racetrack. The sequel of the movie featured the implosion of the wooden roller coaster named the Greyhound.Well, here it is 2017 and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Movie's Release. One of the only stars of the movie still alive came back for the celebration. Burt Reynolds, now 81 years old, was on hand for a meet and greet question and answer session.Like all old memories, the images we have in our mind exist frozen at the time we made that memory. But time waits for no man and as we are confronted with the reality of what it has done to we soon realize that it is not the movie we remember cherish the most, but our youth at the time of its occurrence. If you are fortunate, you may have a chance to go back to your 50th High School reunion, but it won't take long to realize that your mind has never really adjusted to the passage of time until you see that everyone is so old they don't recognize you. In your mind's eye you look and feel the same as you did then but they all have aged beyond what you expected. Please excuse the quality of the picture, it is not a publicity photo but a picture from a fan in the crowd. Click here for a short video of Burt waving to the crowd last weekend. The same is true of the Smokey and the Bandit 40th Anniversary party that was held on a rainy week end June 23-25. 2017. Burt shows the obvious signs of his 81 years and a life in the fast lane. He walks with a cane now and has endured his share of hardships and financial problem along the way. Most of us will never know how someone who was at one time the highest paid actor in Hollywood could go through bankruptcy and have his home foreclosed, but as any accountant will tell you. It is all a matter of income minus expenses. When the expenses surpass the income it doesn't really matter how many zero's are to the left of the decimal point, you are broke. Billy Preston probably said it best in his song "Nothing from Nothing leaves Nothing." Even a movie star can out last his money and has to resort to charging to meet him.The only thing that remains the same, perhaps is the car. It was a 1976 Pontiac Trans-Am upgraded to look like a 1977, to coincide with the release of the film. The car became an instant hit and sales soared for the look alike version sold by Pontiac. Of course it is much easier to restore an old car than it is to restore ones youth, regardless of the skill of the Plastic Surgeon. My older Brother Jim, bought one of the "Bandit" Trans-Am and to his dismay, sold it before it became a collector. Both he and often say,I did not make it to the anniversary party but felt it worthy of an article for Grandpa's Diary. Burt was 41 in 1977 and I was 32. When you are in that era 9 years don't seem like that much. But now at 72 and Burt at 81, there seems to be a great chasm that has developed since 1977. Then I looked in the mirror and saw the truth. I don't think that I could get in or out of a 1977 Bandit Trans Am, but it is good to know that I am at least alive and well. Jerry Reed (Cletus) , Jackie Gleason (Sheriff Buford T. Justice), Hal Needham, and Pat McCormick (Big Enos) are gone now but Burt Reynolds (Bandit), Sally Field (Carrie-Frog),Susie Ewing (Hot Pants), Paul Williams (Little Enos) and I are still around.Thanks to YouTube we can still visit those wonder years again.And just for the Record, Burt Reynolds is not the Father of Forrest Gump! More than a quarter of New York City lives without broadband, thanks to the sweetheart deals the city has cut with Verizon and the other big telcos, which chargessome of the highest rates in America for some of the country's worst service. It's not just cozy deals with Big Telco that keep a competitor from swooping in and serving New Yorkers: it's also the city's inaction on ensuring that other telcos and co-ops can use the conduits threaded under the city streets to run their own fiber or connect to existing dark fiber strands. The conduit is all managed by Verizon, thanks to a 126-year-old deal that sorted out the city's telcoms tangle. Verizon is supposed to be maintaining and expanding this conduit, but they haven't done so, according to an auditor's report (though the auditor hinted that Verizon was doing a good job in maintaining the conduit for its own lines). When New York City was asked to document its relationship with Verizon and the maintenance that Verizon was supposed to be doing, it stonewalled. Since 2012, net neutrality activist Susan Crawford (previously) has been trying to shake that data loose with Freedom of Information Act requests, and has been in and out of court trying to get the basics out into the public domain. Crawford's summary of her five-year battle is a fascinating, frustrating look into how the sausage gets made. She's doing important work. Last month, following an adept presentation of our arguments by teaching fellow and supervising attorney Hannah Bloch-Wehba of the Yale Law School Clinic, Judge Joan B. Lobis of New York Supreme Court issued a lengthy decision supporting our request for information. Judge Lobis didn't buy the city's argument that none of this information could be disclosed because it would jeopardize public safety. The city, she found, has a "responsibility to consider the possibility of 'partial disclosure and careful redaction.'" Judge Lobis also didn't agree that information about who rents what was a trade secret; the access to information laws, she said, "do not exist to enable service providers to avoid competition." This was an important victory. Now that the idea of federal-level industrial policy aimed at getting fiber everywhere in the country seems impossible for the moment cities need to take the lead. Here, New York City has the legal authority to encourage competition. And yet it is choosing not to use it. The city, indeed, has appealed Judge Lobis's decision. This refusal to share information connects to a broader lack of public data that plagues telecommunications policy in Americaand stops the country from getting the reasonable access we need. I'M SUING NEW YORK CITY TO LOOSEN VERIZON'S IRON GRIP [Susan Crawford/Wired] (via /.) One of New Brunswick's largest forestry companies is using its U.S. connections to argue the province should be excluded from punishing U.S. duties on softwood lumber exports. Twin Rivers Paper Co. has told the Trump administration that thousands of jobs in Maine are jeopardized because New Brunswick isn't exempt from the duties. That's because the company's Edmundston mill is linked, literally, to a large paper mill in Madawaska, Maine, that relies on New Brunswick wood chips and biomass. But the June 12 request to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross failed to win the exemption for New Brunswick. In a preliminary decision Monday, Ross excluded the three other Atlantic provinces from countervailing U.S. duties announced earlier this year, leaving New Brunswick subject to them. A final decision will be made on those duties later this summer, and Twin Rivers can also seek its own individual review. Ross also announced a separate anti-dumping duty Monday of 6.87 per cent for most Canadian companies. This duty will also not apply to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, but it will hit New Brunswick mills. In the past, New Brunswick was covered by an exemption from tariffs for all four Atlantic provinces. Twin Rivers intervenes Monday's U.S. actions weren't a surprise because the Trump administration had signalled earlier this year it was considering them. "It hasn't inflamed a crisis situation really," said Mike Legere of the industry group Forest NB. "I think it's because we were expecting it to come. "We're looking at what will be the next steps here moving forward. Obviously, we're sticking to the position that we have to return to the negotiating table with the Department of Commerce and get a settlement." The June 12 letter from Twin Rivers represents the first time the company has taken its own stand on the issue separate from the New Brunswick Lumber Producers, an ad hoc group formed to make the province's softwood case in Washington. Story continues Twin Rivers has also hired a Washington law firm, which told the U.S. administration June 15 that the company is an "interested party" that will be making arguments on its own behalf in the case. "They're looking out for their best interests, the same as all the provinces are looking out for their best interests," said Mike Legere, the executive director of the industry association Forest NB. He said he didn't think the move by Twin Rivers would hurt the united front that the New Brunswick industry has been trying to project. "If we get to the point where negotiations get stalled and this gets prolonged, that makes it difficult for some mills," he said. In that case, Twin Rivers may exercise its right under U.S. law to seek an expedited review of its own. "That is part and parcel of the whole process," he said. "They're entitled to those. So I'm not surprised that individual companies are starting look at, 'what kind of case can we make for ourselves to at least have our tariff issues addressed?'" Trade Minister Roger Melanson said while the provincial government is working for all players, Twin Rivers has to look out for its own interests. "If I were a business owner, I'd do the same thing," he said. Twin Rivers did not respond to a request for a comment on its move. New Brunswick loses exemption In May, a coalition of U.S. lumber companies asked the administration to exempt Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador from duties, citing a three-decade history of exclusion. But in his June 12 letter to Ross, Twin Rivers CEO Ken Winterhalter said the U.S. industry group should have pointed out that New Brunswick used to be included in that exemption. The U.S. coalition did not provide any evidence about New Brunswick "to support this drastic departure from 30 years of precedence," he wrote. He said the exemption "must be consistent with the established practice in the prior cases" and include New Brunswick. Winterhalter also laid out why the lack of an exemption might backfire on the U.S. and hurt jobs in that country. He told Ross the company's mill in Madawaska, Maine is "tightly integrated" with the company's pulp mill in Edmundston and its sawmill in Plaster Rock. The Plaster Rock mill produces wood chips and biomass for the Edmundston mill. The biomass is burned in a co-generation plant there to generate steam, powering the mill's conversion of the woodchips to pulp. The pulp is ship ped across the Canada-U.S. border by pipeline to the Maine mill, where it's turned into paper. Some of the steam generated in Edmundston is also pumped across the border to power the U.S mill. Maine jobs at play The U.S. duties "would drastically increase the cost of the wood chips and biomass" used by the Madawaska paper mill in Maine, Winterhalter wrote. "These increased costs have the potential to destroy the financial viability of the Madawaska operation and eliminate thousands of jobs in northern Maine." Winterhalter's letter said the Twin Rivers mills account for 5,872 direct, indirect and spin-off jobs in Maine and New Brunswick. Twin Rivers wouldn't be the first company to benefit from its U.S. presence in the softwood case. J.D. Irving Ltd. was able to win a lower countervailing tariff rate of just three per cent after it voluntarily submitted to an individual investigation by the U.S., the only New Brunswick company to do so. Irving's request for an individual investigation was supported by Maine's two U.S. senators, Susan Collins and Angus King. One of King's staffers called it an "important issue for Maine," a reference to Irving's extensive operations in the state. Melanson revealed Tuesday that New Brunswick is leveraging its links to Maine in another way. He said Gov. Paul LePage will make the province's case at a meeting Wednesday with President Donald Trump at the White House. U.S. sees subsidies in N.B. The U.S. industry has argued New Brunswick should no longer have an exclusion from tariffs because the volumes of wood from Crown forests going to sawmills has crossed a threshold that means companies here are benefiting from unfair subsidies. Legere said rather than look at volume, the U.S. should look at "underlying market conditions" that affect the price paid for wood from Crown land. He said that price is set by the free market, so it shouldn't be considered a subsidy. Legere said New Brunswick's best hope remains that the federal government will negotiate a settlement that restores the province's traditional exemption. But he acknowledges that's just one of many issues from across the country that federal negotiators will have to deal with. "We've made it clear this is not something you can negotiate away," he said. Security Splunk Debuts New Security Tool for Ransomware Splunk has launched a new analytics tool for managing ransomware attacks, Splunk Insights for Ransomware. The new tool is designed to provide smaller organizations insight to assess and investigate potential threats and augments existing security tools by helping to identify gaps before and after attacks and ingesting event logs from various sources. Insights for Ransomware offers the operational intelligence tools of the company's Splunk Enterprise with pricing based on the number of user accounts monitored for ransomware. "Northwestern University uses Splunk software to help our security team detect threats so we can deliver consistent services and protect critical data for staff, faculty and students," said Tom Murphy, CISO at Northwestern University, in a prepared statement. "Splunk enables us to search for threat indicators across our systems on the fly, without having to generate cumbersome reports or manually sift through data in source systems. With Splunk our security analysts can pivot and view new sets of data from a single source as investigations evolve. In the case of WannaCry, we used statistical models and visualizations from Splunk Enterprise to maintain a comprehensive, real-time view of network activity that might be associated with ransomware, to help detect and prevent any damage from occurring." More information is available at splunk.com. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, June 28, 2017Authorities in Pakistan should do everything in their power to ensure the swift release of Zafar Achakzai, a journalist for the newspaper Daily Qudrat, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Men in civilian clothes on June 25 took Achakzai, a senior reporter at the Urdu-language newspaper Daily Qudrat, from his home in Quetta, in Pakistans restive western province of Balochistan, according to local media and Naimat Achakzai, who is the editor of Daily Qudrat and Zafars father. Naimat Achakzai told CPJ that the Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force organized by the federal government, told him it had initially detained the journalist, but that they had subsequently refused to provide any further information. CPJ was unable to find contact information for the Frontier Corps. In an emailed statement, the Pakistan Press Foundation cited local unnamed journalists as saying the Frontier Corps had detained the journalist for comments he posted on social media criticizing security agencies their handling of the arrest of a provincial lawmaker on charges he struck and killed a police officer with his car and did not stop. Naimat Achakzai likewise told CPJ that he believed his son had been detained for his activity on social media. It has been nearly four days since Pakistani journalist Zafar Achakzai was taken from his home in Balochistan, CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler said from Washington, D.C. Particularly given how dangerous the area is for journalists, we call on Pakistani authorities to do everything in their power to ensure he is released without delay or harm. Balochistan has long been the site of high political and ethnic tension. Unidentified assailants fatally shot Muhammad Jan, Daily Qudrats correspondent in Qalat, Balochistan, in January, according to press reports. By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) Third largest electric component maker for auto sector Dhoot Transmission today agreed to acquire 100 per cent equity in Scotland-based TFC Cable Assemblies for Rs 100 crore, which will help the Aurangabad- based firm to strengthen its presence in Europe. The deal will help the Rs 600-crore family-owned Dhoot to make a foray into the lucrative European & Eastern European markets apart from strengthening its presence in continental Europe and Britain. advertisement Though the company refused to share the deal size, market sources told PTI that Dhoot has paid Rs 100 crore for the Scottish firm. Dhoot, the third largest player after Motherson and Spark Minda group in the Rs 5,000-crore wiring harness and auto electronics business market in the country, is already present in England. The five-decade-old premier electronics manufacturer TFC has state-of-the-art units in Scotland and Slovakia and will thus help Dhoot expand its European presence. Set up in 1999, Dhoot Transmission has 11 plants across the country and two overseas - in England and Slovakia - and this is the third overseas acquisition for the company, managing director Rahul Dhoot said. Mumbai-based i-banker Singhi Advisors, focused on niche cross-border M&As, acted as exclusive advisors to Dhoot Transmission in the transaction. Commenting on the deal, Rahul Dhoot said, "TFC will have a dual impact on us with the opening of a manufacturing base in Eastern Europe as well as new customers for our products." On the growth plans, he said the company has set an internal target of trebling the revenue from the present Rs 600 crore over the next four years. Singhi Advisors managing director Mahesh Singhi told PTI that this acquisition affirms the prospects for domestic companies both in terms of organic and inorganic growth parameters. Terming the TFC acquisition as revenue acretive, Rahul Dhoot said the deal will fetch an additional revenue of Rs 100 crore this year itself, helping him double his overseas revenue share to 30 per cent. Dhoot has grown from being a single unit in 1999 in Aurangabad, central Maharashtra, to a multi-locational, multi- country business with 13 world-class units across Aurangabad, Pune, Chennai, Manesar, Pithampur, Britain and Slovakia. Its major customers include Bajaj Auto, Royal Enfield, Honda, Suzuki, Piaggio India & Italy, KTM India & Austria in the 2-Wheeler category. The companys commercial vehicles OEMs include M&M, VE Commercial Motors, Force Motors, MAN Trucks, Eicher Polaris, Piaggio, while John Deere, Kubota India & SE Asia, Escorts, Tafe, OHV-Volvo India & Korea, CNH and Loboy are its clients in tractors components. advertisement TFC Cable, set up in 1971, is regarded as a premier electronics manufacturer serving ATMS, analytical instruments, work access platforms, scientific equipment, gaming & vending, commercial catering & food service equipment and heating bentilation & controls, among other segments. PTI BEN RSY --- ENDS --- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a Texas death row inmate Monday, making Erick Davila's case ineligible for review in federal court. A Texas death row inmate whose case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court could now face an execution date after the justices ruled against him in a 5-4 decision Monday morning split among ideological lines. The man was convicted in the 2008 shooting deaths of a 5-year-old girl and her grandmother in Fort Worth. The question before the high court in Erick Davila's case was whether claims of ineffective assistance of counsel during state appeals should be treated the same as during the original trial. Appellate courts throughout the country have ruled differently on the issue, a situation that often prompts the Supreme Court to step in. In the Monday opinion presented by Justice Clarence Thomas, the justices ultimately decided that the different types of lawyers should not be treated the same, making Davila's case ineligible for consideration in federal court. "Because a prisoner does not have a constitutional right to counsel in state postconviction proceedings, ineffective assistance in those proceedings does not qualify as cause to excuse a procedural default," Thomas wrote in his opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch. Justice Stephen Breyer, a notable death penalty critic, wrote a dissenting opinion, joined by liberal justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. "The fact that, according to Department of Justice statistics, nearly 1/3 of convictions or sentences in capital cases are overturned at some stage of review suggests the practical importance of the appeal right, particularly in a capital case such as this one," Breyer wrote in his dissent. Davila's case started in Fort Worth in 2008, when he fatally shot a rival gang member's 5-year-old daughter and mother during a child's birthday party, according to court documents. Davila, now 30, claims he only meant to kill his rival, Jerry Stevenson. In his confession to police he stated he was trying to get Stevenson and "the guys on the porch." If the jury had believed Davila only intended to kill 1 person, he would have been ineligible for a capital murder verdict and the death penalty would have been off the table. In this case, Davila must have intended to kill multiple people to be found guilty of capital murder. During deliberations, the jury asked the judge for clarification on the intent issue, and the judge said Davila would be responsible for the crime if the only difference between what happened and his intention was that a different person was hurt. He did not affirm to the jury that Davila must have intended to kill more than 1 person to be found guilty. It's that jury instruction that Davila's long, complicated case hinged upon. His lawyer at trial objected to the instruction, but was overruled. But in his automatic, direct appeal after being convicted and sentenced to death, his new lawyer never mentioned the judge's instruction, even though that is the appeal where death-sentenced individuals raise what they think are wrongdoings from the trial. Afterward, during his state habeas appeal, which focuses on issues outside of the trial record, the lawyer didn't fault the previous lawyer for not raising the issue on direct appeal. The next step in the death penalty appeals process after going through state courts is to move into the federal court system. But federal courts generally can't rule on issues that could have been raised in state appeals. So, when Davila's current lawyer, Seth Kretzer, tried to claim his client's direct appellate lawyer was inadequate for not raising the issue of an improper jury instruction by the judge, the federal courts said they couldn't look at the issue because it could have been raised by the state habeas appellate lawyer. "The way the law works right now is if the trial counsel made a mistake, the federal court could save the inmate's life, but if the appellate counsel made the mistake, they would have to go ahead and execute," Kretzer told The Texas Tribune in January. One exception to this rule was created in 2012 by the Supreme Court in Martinez v. Ryan, which says that if a state habeas lawyer failed to question a trial lawyer's inadequacy, the federal courts can review the claim to ensure that defendants are guaranteed a fair trial. But Davila argued that the Martinez exception should apply to inadequacy of the appellate attorneys, as well. Federal courts have disagreed on this issue, with most circuit courts ruling that appellate lawyers can't be treated the same as trial lawyers. But the often liberal 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has previously ruled there is no distinction between the 2. During oral arguments on the case in late April, conservative justices appeared concerned that opening up the exception would cause a "flood" of appeals into the federal court system, but the left-leaning members of the court dismissed the idea. Justice Sonia Sotomayor predicted there may be an "initial uptick of claims until people settle down" and realize only a small number of cases are eligible for federal review. The state of Texas also argued in its brief to the high court that in Davila's case, none of the larger legal questions matter, because even though the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it couldn't review the case based on its interpretation of the Martinez exception, it still reviewed the issue of the jury instruction and rejected Davila's argument that it was improper. This was the 3rd Texas death penalty case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this term, which began in October and ends this week, but it was the 1st time the justices sided with the state over the inmate. In February, the court agreed with inmate Duane Buck that his case was prejudiced by an expert trial witness who claimed Buck was more likely to be a future danger because he is black. And in March, the justices sided with Bobby Moore, declaring that Texas' method for determining intellectual disability for death row inmates was unconstitutional. Davila's lawyer, Seth Kretzer, told the Texas Tribune Monday after the Supreme Court announced its decision that the 5-4 ruling shows "why it's so important to keep pressing these things." Kretzer is looking into other possible appeals for Davila in the state courts, but recognizes that Tarrant County could soon set an execution date for his client. "We took this case farther than anyone thought we would, and we intend to keep fighting it," he said. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! : Texas Tribune, June 27, 2017 A new ridesharing service has recently opened in Washington, D.C.: Via. Though it is only operational in three cities as of now, its future is bright. I downloaded it after one Uber driver cancelled and another took ten minutes to reach me instead of the promised two minutes. Although the sharing-economy model should be celebrated as a triumph of markets and innovation, regulators and incumbent firms have taken a hostile view towards platform technologies. Encounter Books has just published a monograph on this struggle by Jared Meyer of the Foundation for Government Accountability. Entitled How Progressive Cities Fight Innovation, it is a vital contribution as the new administration tries to reinvigorate the economy. In 2016 Meyer was named one of Forbes 30 People to Watch Under 30. Vias selling point, its competitive edge against other rideshare groups, is the ability to transport someone anywhere in D.C. for $2.95. As D.C. residents know, that price is lower than the cost of many trips on the areas struggling Metro system. Sharing economy companies like Via, Uber, Airbnb, and Etsy do not offer any final products or services per se, but they provide online platforms that match buyers and sellers. The ease of this connection lowers what Meyer refers to as transaction costs, or all the time, money, and effort required to make a trade. Lower transaction costs enable opportunities for buyers and sellers that were previously infeasible or too costly. This is why rideshare services have found enough drivers to greatly outnumber taxicab drivers after less than a decade of operation (Uber was founded in 2009). Similarly, only one hotel company, Marriott, is valued higher than Airbnb (founded in 2008). Though the details vary on a city by city basis, the points of tension between the sharing economy and progressive policymakers have some common themes, Meyer shows. First, the sharing economy upsets pre-existing regulatory frameworks. For instance, the short-term rentals enabled by companies such as Airbnb and HomeAway constantly face limits from residential zoning laws. In Nashville, one of the many examples that Meyer uses, one of the main arguments against Airbnb is that it would cram the citys blocks with noisy, messy neighbors. Local policymakers tried to limit residents ability to rent out their homes because of this concern. However, enforcing existing nuisance laws would solve the supposed problem while allowing the short-term rental market to continue developing. Furthermore, large cities such as New York and San Francisco are experiencing a high rent crisis. Rather than adopting Airbnb as a way to help residents afford rent or mortgage payments in todays stifled housing market, these cities blame short-term rentals for causing high rents. The real cause of high rents is high demand for housing coupled with housing shortages, which are caused by zoning laws and land-use regulations that suppress expansion. Another cause for tension is the way that some sharing-economy companies can operate without securing the government licenses that are required for incumbent firms. One example is the medallion system that enables New York taxi drivers to pick up street hails legally. These costly medallions are supposed to ensure the quality of the taxi drivers, but New York City limits their supply, meaning the medallion system is a government-granted monopoly. Ridesharing companies got around the medallion requirement by using technology to quickly and efficiently prearrange rides. Though prearranged rides fall under a lighter regulatory framework than do street hails, it comes as no surprise that Uber faces endless regulatory battles instigated by taxi companies that claim Uber drivers are illegally operating as de facto cab drivers. Lastly, most arguments against new services are based in concerns over public safety. Meyer describes how Austin, Texas, required all rideshare drivers to go through fingerprint background checks, which hampered the ability of ridesharing companies to keep up with surging customer demand in the fast-paced city. Moreover, as Meyer argues, fingerprint background checks are notoriously ineffective, which leads to discriminatory results. These effects of Austins regulations resulted in Uber and Lyft leaving the famously progressive city last year. The companies only recently returned to the city when Texas legislators passed House Bill 100, which overrides Austins power to impose these unnecessary restrictions. Regardless of Austins experience, similar background check debates continue in cities across the United States. Given these points of tension, how can policymakers update regulatory frameworks in ways that allow legacy firms to compete and keep the public safe? Instead of blindly enforcing decades-old rules on new business models, regulators can instead specify quality requirements and topics of concerns, and then allow companies to find ways to meet those requirements and solve those identified problems. In other words, regulators should set clear safety standards and then allow companies to meet these standards in a variety of ways. Regulators also need to keep in mind that consumer protection can come from other sources besides government regulation. Technology has put previously unimaginable amounts of information in consumers hands, meaning that people can increasingly hold companies accountable. Review systems, a fundamental mechanism throughout the sharing economy, help guarantee that service providers will provide quality service in a reliable manner. Many people choose services based on online reviews, whether these come from peers or professionals. As consumers gain more access to information, regulators need to realize that their role in consumer protection is changing. For good reason, sharing economy firms have become wildly popular around the globe. Though the ascent of these business models has been swift, outdated views on government regulation continue to threaten further growth. Meyer makes a compelling case that policymakers across the country need to embrace technological progress instead of fighting it, and states and localities would do well to take note. Diana Furchgott-Roth, former chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor, is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and an adjunct professor at George Washington University. Follow her on twitter: @FurchtgottRoth. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, e21 delivers a short email that includes e21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the e21 Morning Ebrief. The Trump Administrations early important steps to ease burdensome regulations has begun to improve the environment for business and job creation, but so far it has struck out in its legislative agenda that involves Congress. Progress on that frontparticularly tax reformis critically important. The White House has relied on a variety of Administration appointments, Executive Orders and administrative rulings to take steps to unwind some of the onerous regulations that have constrained efficiencies and expansion plans in a variety of industries. This includes oil and gas drilling and pipelines, permitting processes affecting transportation systems and use of Federal lands, automobile emission standards, labor regulations and the Food and Drug Administrations. These initiatives to date have helped boost confidence. A positive follow through will contribute to stronger economic growth and better job opportunities. On another positive note, the White House has backed off President Trumps earlier aggressive anti-trade rhetoric, replacing it with more rational approaches to dealing with US trading partners. As examples, the Administration has backed off its earlier pledge to cite China as a currency manipulator and instead the Department of Commerce is actively negotiating with China to lower barriers that inhibit US exports of specific products; and it seeks to negotiate specific provisions of NAFTA rather than repeal it. The ardent anti-trade devotees in Trumps inner-circle have become quieter. Such backtracking removes a big risk that threatened economic performance. On the other hand, the effort to reform health care has been bungled and the road to meaningful tax reform, which early on seemed to be a slam-dunk, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the Presidency, has gotten very rocky and off-path. It now looks like the probability of tax reform legislation being enacted in 2017 has diminished materially. Fiscal legislation is still expected by mid-year 2018. Things could change, and a breakthrough in the budget negotiations is possible. But for now, the dismal political realities have set in and the 2017 calendar for fiscal policymakers is getting clogged with more routine matters like dealing with negotiating the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, which involves debating the Trump Administrations proposal to aggressively cut spending on discretionary programs, and dealing with the debt ceiling. These budgetary functions squeeze the necessary time to debate tax reform. Poor sequencing of the fiscal agenda The Trump Administrations flawed attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) before an acceptable and sufficiently detailed strategy had been established and vetted sidetracked Congresss tax reform debate and remains an ongoing obstacle. Repeal and replace ACA has been a top priority for conservative Republicans and the intention was that health care reform would ease the budgetary constraints on tax reform and facilitate its passage. This flawed sequencing of policy rollouts failed in every way and makes enactment of tax reform more difficult. Presently, deliberations by Republicans on health care tax reform (and other fiscal initiatives like infrastructure spending) are bogged down by substantive issues--different views on key provisions and how to finance them--driven to a large extent by budget constraints and various legislative procedures related to the budget constraints. The current health insurance and corporate tax systems are very complex. Meaningful reform of either involves changing many interacting provisions, which makes consideration of reform very difficult. On top of these issues, the political obstacles loom large, with Republicans holding a slim 52-48 majority in the Senate. Democrats are largely on the sidelines, vowing to vote against each and every piece of legislation and procedure that Republicans pursue. Thus, enactment of almost any legislation conceivable must rely on legislative rules that require only a simple majority vote in the Senate, rather than a 60 vote majority. Hanging over the deliberations are President Trumps ineffective and erratic leadership, a visceral hatred of the president by Democrats and a distrust by Republicans. The negative vibes in Washington DC are palpable. This is opposite from the environment in 1986, when President Reagan relied on Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate (Democrats controlled both chambers) to achieve significant tax reform. Substantive issues on Tax Reform The need for corporate tax reform is clear. The US marginal corporate tax rate of 35% is the highest among all OECD nations and unlike other countries, that rate is applied to all income, even overseas earnings. The system is mind-numbingly complex, which adds significantly to compliance costs and business inefficiencies. Its many deductions, deferrals, exemptions and credits greatly reduce the effective tax rate and the amount of tax receipts actually collected. There is general agreement on the need to reduce the tax rate and address the tax treatment on income earned overseas (to reduce incentives for US corporations to move headquarters and investments overseas and to keep excess cash overseas); liberalize depreciation schedules to encourage business investment; and to simplify the system. (The Obama Administration favored corporate tax reform but never aggressively supported legislation.) But there are different views on what changes would be appropriate. A major sticking point is the tax treatment of international income. The border adjustment tax (BAT) in the Congressional Republican Blueprint, which would disallow corporations from deducting costs of imports while excluding tax on exports, would be a major revenue generator, but has been criticized as a protectionist anti-trade measure that unduly penalizes importers. Powerful retailers that rely on imports such as Walmart and foreign suppliers that may be squeezed by a stronger US dollar that may result from the measureand their governments--have opposed the provision. A territorial system is now being considered in place of a BAT would effectively tax US corporate income earned in the US but not abroad, similar to the systems used in the UK, Germany, Japan and other OECD nations. While being a more traditional and internationally-accepted approach, when combined with a lower tax rate, it is a tax revenue loser. It also involves many complications regarding where income is actually earned. BAT-lite versions, in which a portion of import costs would be deductible, are under consideration. Because the tax revenue implications, this issue is critical to corporate tax reform, and is a key determinant of the how much the corporate tax rate will be reduced. In reality, cutting the rate to 25%-28% as well as reducing the rate on pass through businesses to 25%, if accompanied by expensing of new investment and other provisions, would still be a very important tax reform. In addition, the White House strongly supports reducing taxes of middle- and lower-middle income households through a significant increase in the child dependent exemption. In 2017, the exemption, which phases out for higher income households, is $4,050 per child. This tax relief proposal receives strong support, but it is expensive in terms of tax revenue loss, and potentially impinges on some of the key provisions of corporate tax reform. Budgetary and budget procedural issues If the US budget were in good shape and government debt was low, the debate about corporate tax reformor for that matter, health care or other spending programswould be less constrained. But thats not the case. Gross government debt is 106% of GDP and under current law is projected to rise significantly further, driven largely by increased spending on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, plus higher debt service costs. The governments unfunded liability is estimated to be between $80-$100 trillion, depending on assumptions on longevity, medical prices, real wages, etc. In present value terms, this translates into a budget gap of approximately 5%-6% of GDP per year, too large to be materially reduced through stronger growth. While economists and policymakers express concerns about the longer-run economic and financial implications, the reality is that the high Federal debt is already impinging on economic performance and virtually every debate about spending and tax policy. The composition of Federal spendinga key determinant of the allocation of national resourcesis already affected by the rapid growth of entitlement program spending and rising debt. Witness the insufficient government spending on infrastructure, considered discretionary spending, which indirectly reflects the squeeze from the rapidly growing entitlement programs. These budget realities accentuate the political debate on all fiscal matters and clearly are driving the tax reform deliberations. Also, the many arcane procedures that now drive congressional budgeting have stemmed from political disagreements on what to spend on, how much to tax and how much deficit spending is acceptable. In the tax reform debate, deficit neutrality may not be absolutely binding and there are many ways to get around it, but budget estimates control what is considered acceptable. This forces a tradeoff among the various tax provisions. The budget scorekeeping estimates provided by Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) dominate the deliberations on corporate tax reform, while important potential efficiencies and economic improvement are forced to secondary consideration. Currently, advocates of tax reform argue that the CBOs and JCTs models do not adequately capture the positive macroeconomic impacts of the tax reform proposals and thrust toward deregulation. This nuanced debate about the economic growth projections are critical to the estimated projections of tax receipts and deficitsand what tax provisions will be in the final legislation. Continuing resolutions, reconciliation, the Byrd Rule and the filibuster issue All of the messy budgetary processes, set deadlines, and threats of government shutdowns, the various deficit constraints, as well as what spending programs are considered mandatory and discretionary are artificial constructs erected by the budgeteers who quarrel over fiscal legislation and tend to only get things done when facing artificial deadlines. Even the 10-year budget projection is arbitraryit could be changed. The filibuster issue is much more serious. The budget battle is now being waged on several fronts. Congress must deliberate on the Fiscal 2018 budget before it begins October 1. President Trumps proposes large cuts in spending for discretionary programs and Medicaid, with no cuts in Social Security and Medicare and increases in defense appropriations. These proposals are contentious. The current Fiscal Year 2017 has been operating under several continuous concurrent resolutions, the last one agreed upon end of April, which avoided a government shutdown. It is noteworthy that continuing resolutions allow appropriations for discretionary spending programs, while the largest portion of Federal outlays are for entitlements and debt service, which are considered mandatory and as such are on automatic pilot. Congress is very unlikely to be able to compromise on a Fiscal Year 2018 budget so once again the new fiscal year would begin operating under a continuing resolution. Around the beginning of FY2018, the gross government debt is expected to bump against the $19.8 trillion debt ceiling. The White House will be seeking clean legislation to increase it, but its efforts may be opposed from different angles. The conservative Republican Freedom Caucus may bargain for cuts in mandatory spending programs while Democrats may try to force Republicans to back down on some of President Trumps proposed large budget cuts. The debt ceiling debate is certain to elicit political grandstanding and unproductive budgetary brinksmanship. Threats of government shutdown and debt default are not to be taken literally. In the several actual government shutdowns in the past, the government has always serviced its debt and most government operations have continued; they have resulted in minor, temporary inefficiencies, and resulted in a paid vacations for most government employees. They have, however, harmed the governments credibility. The Republicans slim majority in the Senate and party-line votes on virtually everything suggests that enactment of tax reform must rely on the use of reconciliation. This legislative process, created by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, allows passage of a budget bill with a simple majority vote and disallows filibuster. The reconciliation process is commonly used on significant legislation, but there are limitations on the types of legislation resolution can use used. Of course, history is full of bending of those limitations. The Byrd Rule (introduced in 1990) allows reconciliation to be used on spending and tax legislation and debt ceiling adjustments, but prevents its use for bills that include language extraneous to the budget. The Byrd Rule requires that the budget impact of the legislation must be deficit neutral over the projection period. Again, history shows a tendency to bend the Byrd Rule. Currently, it is noteworthy that the Byrd Rule does not stipulate a 10-year budget projection period. Another ruling that may be imposed by the Senate involves suspending or outlawing filibuster. But such a move involves potentially large and uncertain costs, including damaging the democratic process. Budget fights are nothing new, but presently they distract debate about pending legislation and fill up the calendars of leading congressional committees that must deliberate on tax reforms. This includes the House Ways and Means Committee, the House and Senate Budget Committees and the Senate Finance Committee. Accordingly, the debate on tax reform looks like it will be carried over into 2018. With all of these obstacles, why do I continue to anticipate enactment of tax reform in 2018? Because Republicans know that approaching the mid-term elections in November 2018 without tax reform would be political suicide, and dealmakers in the Trump Administration and the Republican leaders in Congress will reach a compromise. Mickey Levy is the chief economist for the Americas and Asia of Berenberg Capital Markets, LLC, and member, Shadow Open Market Committee. The views expressed in this column are the authors own and do not reflect those of Berenberg Capital Markets, LLC. Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, e21 delivers a short email that includes e21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the e21 Morning Ebrief. To address the economic, security, and governance issues facing the countries of the Northern Triangle, the United States and Mexico co-hosted in mid-June a high-level Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America. [The Trump] administrations top security priority in the Western Hemisphere is stopping transnational criminal organizations from harming American communities through the drug trade and its attendant violence, said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Promoting prosperity in Central America is a key component of this effort, as our prosperity and security interests are tightly linked through the movement of ideas, people, and goods, he said: What happens in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala directly affects the security and economic interests of the United States and other countries in the region. A more prosperous, safer Central America will do much to halt illegal and dangerous migration, defeat transnational drug cartels and gangs, and end corruption in their economies. In order to boost economic prosperity, it is imperative that we work together to strengthen the formal economy and diminish the economic drivers of illegal migration and other illicit activities, said Secretary of State Tillerson. For that reason, the United States pledged to support regional governments in combatting organized crime, enhancing citizen security, improving the secure flow of goods and people, increasing transparency, and promoting regional security cooperation. The United States will also continue its support for the Alliance for Prosperity and its efforts to address the economic, security, and governance challenges in the region. Since the launch of the Alliance for Prosperity nearly three years ago, the United States has allocated 1.3 billion dollars to Central America. Indeed, the United States is committed to continue to improve the delivery of U.S. foreign assistance to the region. A secure and prosperous Central America contributes to a safer, more prosperous United States and Western Hemisphere, said Secretary of State Tillerson.The United States recognizes the region as an important area in our foreign policy agenda, and we welcome this opportunity today to work together to create the prosperity we all want and start solving the problems that are obstacles. The United States is deeply concerned about an alarming pattern of violence and harassment by Russian-led so-called separatists in eastern Ukraine, directed at unarmed civilian members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europes Special Monitoring Mission. The latest in a series of threatening and intimidating incidents involved a gunman on June 20, who attempted to break the windows and enter an OSCE vehicle monitoring ceasefire violations in Ukraine. The gunman eventually fired shots at the retreating monitors, according to their report. The attack occurred in the city of Yasynuvata, which is controlled by Russian-led so-called separatists. The area has been held by them since 2014, when they seized several cities in eastern Ukraine, including Yasynuvata. This latest attack follows the tragic death in April of a U.S. citizen who was serving as a paramedic with the monitors when his vehicle struck an explosive in so-called separatist-controlled territory. The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 10,000 lives, including over 2,800 civilians, according to the United Nations, since it began in early 2014, shortly after Russia occupied and attempted to illegally annex the Ukrainian region of Crimea. "The incidents are part of a broader effort to keep the international community from seeing what is happening in eastern Ukraine," said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert. The U.S. "call[s] on Russia to use its influence to end this campaign of intimidation and honor its commitment to allow free, full, and safe access to the OSCE monitors," said Ms. Nauert. "More broadly, a lasting and durable ceasefire is urgently needed to relieve human suffering and" to allow for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. UN officials recently discovered a tunnel built by Hamas underneath two schools run by the UN in Gaza. In an address to the Security Council, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the discovery again shows Hamas true colors: Tunnels in heavily populated civilian areas are its signature. Hamas hides military infrastructure in and around apartment buildings, hospitals Hamas consciously plots and plans to attack civilians, and it uses the cover of civilian building to launch those attacks. It is a sick and cynical strategy. The United States remains a strong supporter of Gazas recovery and reconstruction. Ambassador Haley noted the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and said the United States remains a strong supporter of Gazas recovery and reconstruction. But, she emphasized, it is Hamas which has controlled Gaza for the past decade and is squandering its enormous potential. Make no mistake, Israel did not cause the problems in GazaTen years ago, every Israeli soldier was withdrawn from Gaza, and for the last 10 years, there has not been a single Israeli settler in Gaza. After a decade of Hamas rule, life for the people of Gaza is worse than ever before, said Ambassador Haley: Rather than govern, Hamas chooses to devote its resources to building a terrorist arsenalRather than allowing help to reach the Palestinian people, Hamas chooses to divert untold amounts of aid to feed it military enterprise. Ambassador Haley pointed out how much the Palestinians in Gaza need concrete to rebuild their homes. But here, in this tunnel, she said, we see how Hamas uses the concrete Gaza receives not to help the people, but to fortify its terrorist infrastructure. The Security Council must stand up to condemn Hamas terror, said Ambassador Haley. We need to pressure Hamas to end its tyranny over the people of GazaWe should name Hamas as the group responsible when rockets are fired from Gaza, or when fresh tunnels are discovered. And we should designate Hamas as a terrorist organization in a resolution, with consequences for anyone who continues to support it. That is how the Security Council can fulfill its responsibility to maintain international peace and security, Ambassador Haley said. Address the real threat that is causing so many people harm, she urged, the threat of Hamas. By Pramod Madhav: Tamil Nadu Assembly turned violent once again as DMK raised questions over the gutka scam involving top cops and a minister. DMK leader MK Stalin, who entered the assembly around 10.30am, raised the question on a leaked report around 11.20am as expected. The report which got leaked yesterday claimed that top police officials were paid hefty amount to allow the sale of banned tobacco products like gutka in the state. advertisement The report claimed that former city police commissioner George, present DGP TK Rajendran and Health Minister Vijayabhaskar were allegedly bribed for the sale of the products. According to sources, the documents were allegedly seized during a raid at a warehouse in north Chennai where a large amount of gutkas and a set of documents were seized. The document allegedly carries statement of a person, who upon investigation, had agreed to have paid the officials. Stalin demanded the Speaker to allow a discussion on the matter, but the Speaker denied it by claiming that the matter is under scrutiny and he can't allow and debate based on media reports. DMK and other Opposition parties staged a walkout from the assembly. MK Stalin later said that health minister, who is supposed to play the role of safeguarding the lives of the public, being indulged in such acts is equivalent to 'committing murder'. Stalin also fumed that the ruling government is submerged in corruption that they are afraid to allow DMK to speak on any matter and that he will take the matter with the Governor. Health Minister Vijayabhaskar is already facing flak for not handling NEET issue thoroughly, followed by the I-T raid and now the 'gutka scam'. It is an absolute miracle that EPS government is still appearing to operate smoothly even after so much issues. ALSO READ: Stalin seeks HC direction for fresh floor test in TN assembly Stalin calls Palaniswami government in Tamil Nadu a puppet of BJP; EPS terms allegation baseless --- ENDS --- Assad made secret visit to Iran-run missiles developing site in Tartus: sources (Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made secret visit to a research center run by Tehran for developing long-range missiles and chemical weapons in coastal Tartus province during Eid al-Fiter holiday, well-informed sources said. The move comes as White House accused the Assad regime on Tuesday of preparing a new chemical attack on eastern and southern Syria The one-year-old center has been built by Iran in Wadi Jehanam, also known as the Hell Valley, the abysmal valley that separets between Hama and Tartus provinces. The secret visit of Assad has followed a rare visit to Hama city where the Russian backed tyrant delivered Eid al-Fiter prayers, showing more confident after six years of daily bombing that claimed lives of half million Syrians. The center is working on developing long-range missiles and it will be inaugurated by the end of the year, accordign to sources who provinced Zaman al-Wasl by photos for the site. On Tuesday, the minister for national reconciliation denied White House allegations that it may be preparing a new chemical attack, insisting again that it has never used such arms. Ali Haidar told The Associated Press that the White House statement foreshadowed a "diplomatic battle" that would be waged against Syria in the halls of the U.N. The White House issued a stern warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad on Monday night, saying it had "potential" evidence that Syria was preparing for another chemical weapons attack. A non-governmental source with close ties to the White House said the administration had received intelligence that the Syrians were mixing precursor chemicals for a possible sarin gas attack in either the east of south of the country, where government troops and their proxies have faced recent setbacks. Assad had denied responsibility for the April 4 attack in the rebel-held Idlib province that killed dozens of people, and Russia, Assad's key backer, sided with him. Days later, President Donald Trump launched a retaliatory cruise missile strike on a Syrian government-controlled air base. Airstrikes Syria Idlib Several military officials were caught off guard by a White House statement Monday night that said Syria was suspected of planning a new chemical attack, The New York Times reported on Monday. The statement issued by the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said Syria's military would "pay a heavy price" if it launched a new chemical attack. The apparent lack of communication among military channels appeared to be corroborated by a BuzzFeed News report that cited five defense officials who said they did not know of the details regarding a potential chemical attack and were not aware of the White House's plans to release a statement. The White House disputed this characterization in a statement on Tuesday morning. "In response to several inquiries regarding the Syria statement issued last night, we want to clarify that all relevant agencies," including the State Department, the Defense Department, the CIA, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "were involved in the process from the beginning," a White House official said in a statement. "Anonymous leaks to the contrary are false." Shortly after the White House statement was released on Monday night, Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said on Twitter: "Any further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people." In April, President Donald Trump authorized the launch of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on a Syrian airfield from which the US said a chemical weapons attack originated that killed scores of civilians. Though the US strike temporarily disabled several air assets in the area, Syrian forces quickly began redistributing jets back to the airfield. NOW WATCH: A Marine veteran reveals 2 things he learned in the military that he still does today More From Business Insider From her bright yellow Pucci to her blue Ralph Lauren dress, this is how First Lady Melania Trump might have been making statements without even uttering a single word. By Neha Vashishth: It was her first meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the First Lady chose to wear a bright yellow floral Pucci dress, a high-end Italian fashion brand. But, amid all the discussions of how much the dress costs and who the designer was, a very strong point was missed while decoding her ensemble. advertisement The First Lady Melania Trump has always been noted for "what" she wears rather than "why" she wears them. She may not speak much during the events, but her ensembles do. We took out the time to decode few of her famous looks and the statements she made with them. Melania Trump's Blue cashmere suit on the Inaugural day: Knowledge of History It was one of the Prime events in the history of US Presidency when Donald Trump stood up for the President against Hillary Clinton and even won with a significant number of votes. Many speculated that Donald Trump's victory was almost next to impossible considering his sexist and racist image in the past. But, he defied all the doubts and became the 45th President of the United States. While the First Lady did not give any speech, and barely spoke during the Inaugural event, she wore a blue ensemble for a reason. It was observed that her blue Ralph Lauren ensemble was quite similar to the ensemble that Jackie Kennedy wore to JFK's 1961 inauguration. As matter of fact, the same shade of blue was John F Kennedy's favourite colour. Melania wearing a veil to pay respect to the Pope - Following Traditions Photo: Reuters The attire may have attracted a lot of people on social media to make memes out of them but, Melania and Ivanka Trump both donned veils during their meet with Pope Francis in the Vatican. As per Vatican protocol, women who have an audience with the Pope are required to wear long sleeves, formal black clothing, and a veil to cover the head. Watch: Melania Trump smacks away Donald Trump's hand and Twitterati is obsessing over it Many were angered due to First Lady's decision to cover her head during her visit to Vatican as she denied wearing a headscarf while she was on her trip to Saudi Arabia. Melania's no-headscarf look: Defiance - Making statements in order empower Saudi Women advertisement Photo: Reuters During her meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, Melania Trump decided to chuck the traditional headscarf that women are entitled to wear during public meetings. According to Saudi's minister of foreign affairs, Adel Bin Ahmen Al-Jubier, the first Family was allowed to come in "any" style of clothing they felt like. The observers saw the decision as a gesture of independence by a First Lady who is still easing into her public role. The high-level visitors are exempted from the strict dress code. Watch: Melania Trump nudges Donald Trump as he forgets to keep hand over his heart during national anthem Melania's Indian connection - Meeting Narendra Modi Photo: Reuters During her visit with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Melania chose to wear a bright Yellow Pucci dress with a floral pattern over it. Her choice of attire somehow symbolises India's association with vibrant colours and cultural diversity. The colour yellow symbolises positivity and loyalty and is one of the most eye catching colour. While the First Lady might not speak much, her sense of style certainly makes more statements than she does. --- ENDS --- Lithuanian English Siauliai, Lithuania, 2017-06-28 08:40 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the resolution of the Director of the Supervisory Service of the Bank of Lithuania dated 26 June 2017 Miha Kosak has been allowed to become a member of the Supervisory Council of the Bank. Miha Kosak was elected to the Banks Supervisory Council during the General Meeting of Shareholders held on 30 March 2017. The Meeting passed the resolution according to which Miha Kosak shall start taking his offices only upon receiving the respective permission from the Bank of Lithuania. Chief Executive Officer Vytautas Sinius jwalantudesai wrote: hi jwalantudesai , thanks for your question. Will answer below. At 13 yrs work experience you may want to consider an exec MBA program so you will be in class with peers. You are a bit over the FT work experience average. Even the grades from college may be a bit challenging as well. Here is a listing of the top exec MBA programs in Asia:https://www.ivyexec.com/best-executive-mba-rankings/asia Exec MBA programs care less about the GMAT and more about the quality of the work experience. I think you will fare better in exec MBA programs. If you insist on the FT option and want to improve GMAT, I suggest you look at the GRE to see if you can score better on that exam. I think that might be a great option for you to consider. Wishing you the best! Hi All,I have 13 years of experience in Telecom industry.Currently I am working as Business Development Manager in Telecom operator.I have done BE Electronics from University of Mumbai in 2004 with degree percentage of 61%I need help in profile evaluation in terms of :1) What should be my best target colleges- considering, my priority is to work in Asia but not restricting to Asia2) What should be my GMAT score? (My last GMAT score is 570- Q39; V 29- appeared on 19th November 2016)3) Any advice to improve in score?Regards - A Nigerian man named Victor Bamisaye has overcome the challenges that tried to break him as he became a medical doctor - The man said he lost his mom in 2014, years after his father passed away in 2007 - Bamisaye said when he achieved his academic dream, he realised that has not lost everything PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed! A young Nigerian man identified as Victor Bamisaye has become a medical doctor after facing so many harsh realities in life. Legit.ng came across the medical doctors touching story after he shared a post about his life and achievement on his Twitter page. According to Bamisaye, he became an orphan after he lost his father in 2007 and not long after that, his mother also passed away in 2014. The young medical doctor explained that he realized that all was not lost in 2017 after he became a medical doctor. The Nigerian man overcame all his challenges to achieve his dream. Photo source: Twitter/Bamisaye Victor Bamisaye lost his father in 2007 and his mother in 2014 See his post below: Victor Bamisayes life story does not only teach us to keep fighting for our dreams but also that we can achieve anything with determination no matter the struggles we face. Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a Nigerian man, Ifeanyi Okpala, studying in the US made the nation really proud by winning a special award for his MS thesis at the University of Alabama Graduate School. It should be noted that about five months ago or so, Ifeanyi earned his masters degree in flying colours as he completed a 105-page thesis, two journal articles, four conference papers, and had a CGPA of 4.0/4.0. On the school's Twitter page on Wednesday, May 6, he was announced as the winner of the 2020 department of civil, construction and environmental engineering outstanding MS thesis award. The Nigerian is currently a PhD student at the University of Alabama. This is no mere feat, it is indeed commendable. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update In related news, an institution in the United States, Princeton University, chose its first black valedictorian in the school 274-year history for Princetons Class of 2020. Nicholas Johnson who was named for the position is a Canadian student who studied in operations research and financial engineering. He said that being considered for the position holds great importance for him, considering how the school is connected with the institution of slavery. He added that he hopes the new development serves as an inspiration to black students around the world. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better How I graduated with a 6.0 CGPA - University of Ibadan best Geology student | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng President Muhammadu Buhari's aircraft has allegedly been spotted in a parking space in London. According to viral reports online, it costs a whooping 4000 every 24 hours to use a parking lot. This has raised concerned in the minds of Nigerians as to why the aircraft is 'waiting' for the president to get well. Some also concluded that if the aircraft is in a parking lot, waiting for the president to be fine, it means the crew members are also in London, living large on Nigeria's money. PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App To calculate the cost, the president has spent 50 days in London and calculating how much spent already based on N400/1 pound, President Buhari has spent a whooping N80,000,000.00 on aircraft alone. President Buhari's aircraft allegedly spotted parking in London Should this be taken lightly? "The idle presidential aircraft in london consumes 4k pounds everyday for parking lot and its idleness allegedly. By 12am this morning,it would be 50days it has stayed idle and if you multiply that by N400/1pounds for 50days it will amount to N80,000,000.00 doing nothing but waiting for the president to get well. "This is not a government but a mistake. Why not return the aircraft to Nigeria till he is ready to return. If the plane is here where are the crew?" Read what Nigerians are saying about this below: What do you think? Source: Legit.ng China is taking the right step towards containing pollution and tackling climate change. After Vertical Forest, the Chinese government has now begun construction of the world's first Forest City. By India Today Web Desk: In a bid to combat rising levels of pollution and climate change, China has begun construction of the first forest city. The futuristic city is being constructed in the Liuzhou, Guangxi Province. More about the Liuzhou Forest City: The Forest City project is commissioned by Liuzhou Municipality Urban Planning The city is being constructed in the north of Liuzhou, in the mountain area of Guangxi, in the southern part of China Once completed, it will spread in an area that covers 175 hectares along the Liujiang river The new green city will be entirely wired and connected to Liuzhou with a fast rail line used by electric cars The first Chinese Forest City will host various residential areas, commercial and recreational spaces, two schools and a hospital The Forest City will be energy self-sufficient and will use geothermal and solar energy to meet all its energy requirements Liuzhou Forest City will have an impressive green cover, which would include in total 40,000 trees and almost 1 million plants of over 100 species The project is scheduled to be completed in the year 2020 Once completed, the new city will host 30,000 people, absorb almost 10,000 tons of CO2 and 57 tons of pollutants per year and produce approximately 900 tons of oxygen This project has been designed by famous architect Stefano Boeri, who was also behind China's first Nanjing Vertical Forest advertisement The vertical forest concept was first tried by the Italian architect in Milan. (Read: Soon, vertical forest to provide 60 kg of oxygen everyday in China) (All images sourced from: stefanoboeriarchitetti.net) Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs? Click here to stay informed and know what is happening around the world with our G.K. and Current Affairs section. To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail to education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- - A Nigerian lady trying to migrate into Europe through the Sahara desert survived the harsh condition for ten days - She was abandoned by her traffickers in the desert A 22-year-old Nigerian woman was left stranded in the Sahara desert while trying to enter Europe through the harsh desert. Her traffickers abandoned her in the arid zone for ten days. She was given the nickname Adaora; according to the International Organisation for Migration, she was the only female among the survivors rescued on Sunday, May 28. She left Nigeria in early April hoping for a better future in Europe. There were 50 migrants on the pick-up truck when it left Agadez for Libya, but only six are still alive today, Niger Chief of Mission for IOM, Giuseppe Loprete, had said. The 22-year-old Nigerian lady rescued by local authorities in the Sahara desert. READ ALSO: Beating is the only language my wife understands - Nigerian journalist The lucky victim was lucky to have been given the chance to tell her story. We were in the desert for 10 days. After five days, the driver abandoned us. He left with all of our belongings, saying he was going to pick us up in a couple of hours, but he never did, she recalled. Within two days, about forty four migrants had died. This made the others start walking in order to find help. Adaora revealed that they were forced to drink their own pee in order to survive. She has been taken to IOM camp in Niamey, Niger. Having left Nigeria with two of her close friends who died in the desert, the young lady is lucky to have been alive. They were too weak to keep going, she stated sadly. We buried a few, but there were just too many to bury and we didnt have the strength to do it, Adaora adds. I couldnt walk anymore. I wanted to give up, she said. Two other migrants helped her by carrying her until a truck driver picked them up. The local authorities were alerted in Agadez region of north-eastern Niger. Adaora was unconscious by the time they got to the IOMs transit centre in Dirkou. She was offered medical assistance and was resuscitated in no time. Two of the other migrants went back with some members of the local authority to find the bodies of those who passed away and identify them. Adaora lost two of her friends while in the desert. PAY ATTENTION: Install the latest android app to get updates from Nigeria's number one online news platform The young Nigerian lady is recovering and would be taken back to Nigeria soon. Traumatised by the entire journey, she sadly revealed that she would not have left Nigeria if she knew what was ahead. She wants to continue working as a nurse when she returns. To find out the number of people that have died while trying to cross illegally, check here. Watch the Legit.ng TV video below to see how these market women in Edo state are lamenting over President Buhari's administration: Source: Legit.ng As part of celebrating a popular festival in Kano, a young man was spotted carrying a live crocodile on is shoulder like a pet. The celebration was reported to be an annual event tagged Durbar festival and is usually celebrated after the Muslims 30 days fasting Eid Al-Fitr. People could not help but stare at the young man. Legit.ng gathered that also in attendance of the Durbar festival is the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the governor of the state Umar Ganduje and other notable personalities. Man carrying live crocodile during Durbar festival in Kano READ ALSO: Woman allegedly delivers catfish in church after 16 months pregnancy (video) It was also discovered that two foreigners were present to witness the occasion and they are ambassadors of Spain and Argentina, who were dressed in traditional attires. At the celebration, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was spotted in purple and gold royal regalia and a sword as he was seated beside the Kano state governor. See more pictures below: Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi with the Kano state Governor Umar Ganduje Sanusi Lamido Sanusi arriving the venue on his horse PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App Watch Legit.ng video below: Source: Legit.ng A 23-year-old Redeemers University graduate, Ayomiku Popoola, is the new fashion designer in town and she is making ladies beautiful with her awesome designs. Popoola who studied English Language in school ventured into fashion designing trade in 2015 and trained for a year and half. In an interview with Legit.ng, Popoola expressed that she is inspired by designs on fabrics and her environment. The young and talented fashion designer makes beautiful clothes for ladies. She is especially good with traditional wears popularly rocked for Nigerian parties. Meet 23-year-old fashion designer who makes gorgeous designs for young Nigerian ladies She also designs beautiful corporate and casual wears for young ladies and women. READ ALSO: Meet beautiful 18-year-old Nigerian entrepreneur who creates and sells hijabs for a living (photos) Popoola told Legit.ng that her studies in the university helped her to grow her business because it taught her to be open to new ideas. In her interview with Legit.ng, the young designer advised aspiring entrepreneurs and designers to never give up on their dreams. I get inspiration from fabrics, my environment and research The Meeks Apparel CEO also expressed her dream to take her brand to a global level and export to different parts of the world. PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App Read Popoolas interview below: Give us a brief description of yourself? My name is Ayomiku Popoola. Im the creative owner of Meeks Apparel female clothing brand for women. I studied English Language in Redeemers University. What inspired you to become a fashion designer? I was inspired by the thirst to make unique outfits for myself because I love to wear statement pieces and create my own sense of style and then the desire to do the same for people around me came along the line. Were your parents supportive when you decided to become a fashion designer? My parents are 100% supportive, my entire family is supportive especially my elder sister. She is especially good with traditional wears popularly rocked for Nigerian parties How do you feel when you see people rocking your products? I feel a deep sense of fulfillment and happiness especially when they wear it to big events. How do you handle the pressure of the job? The grace of God has kept me going and encouragement from friends and family. How many years did it take to learn the trade? A year and half and I came up with the name Meeks Apparel from my real name Ayomiku. Was it hard to start your own business? Not really, I took it upon myself to start irrespective of the little resources on ground and things have been good so far. How have you been able to stay creative when creating your designs? By getting inspiration from fabrics, my environment and research thereby putting these ideas together and the Nigerian market has been very good for my business and ideas. She also designs beautiful corporate and casual wears for ladies and women Would you like to export your brand out of the country and go global? My main goal is to make my brand global and I Love what I do, nothing would bring me more joy than to go global. Are there times when you create a new design for a customer and you feel like rocking it yourself? So many times but I can always design one for myself later. It is one of advantages of being able to make your own designs and I advertise my brands on my personal Instagram page @meeksapparel and on my business page. What feeling do you get when a customer gives you feedback on your product? It depends on the kind of feedback sometimes Im excited and sometimes I have to head back to the drawing board to make corrections. My main goal is to make my brand global and I Love what I do, nothing would bring me more joy than to go global Do you think studying English in school has helped you grow your business? I will say yes because studying English as a discipline has helped me imbibe reading as a culture which has made it easy for me to gain useful knowledge for growing my business through motivational and educative books. What advice do you have for aspiring designers? Dont give up! Keep pushing. It might be rough at first but it will be worth it in the end. Watch Legit.ng's interview with female Nigerian taxi driver Source: Legit.ng For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said her party - Trinamool Congress - would boycott the special midnight session of Parliament that the government has planned on June 30 to launch the GST. By Indrajit Kundu: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that her party will boycott the special midnight session of Parliament on June 30 to launch the landmark Goods and Services Tax or GST in the country. Expressing her concerns about the GST implementation, Mamata said the Centre was unnecessarily hurrying to launch the key tax reform. Terming it an 'epic blunder' like demonetisation, the Trinamool Congress chief said that the decision could be 'disastrous'. advertisement "Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen in deaf ears. The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening," Mamata wrote in a Facebook post. ECONOMY NOT READY FOR GST Alleging that the economy was not yet ready to face the GST test from the July 1, Mamata said, "Small business entities are not yet ready with the basic requirements like invoice, accounting system, IT system, etc. Another piece of evidence of unpreparedness comes from the fact that the 'Return Form' had to be simplified for the first 6 months as all systems are not in place." West Bengal is one of the few Opposition ruled states which is yet to ratify the GST Bill in the Assembly. Mamata said though her party was not against the tax reform but was worried about its implementation. "We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the Central Government is going ahead with the implementation.There are almost 20 different taxes in the present tax regime and we felt that one single tax and integration of all markets across the country will provide big relief to all," she wrote. 'BJP'S SOMERSAULT ON GST' Slamming the BJP for its double speak on the issue, Mamata said, "The current ruling party at the Centre had initially strongly opposed GST for over 7 years and suddenly did a somersault on coming to office as a champion of GST." According to the Bengal CM, at least six more months were required to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises to successfully implement the GST. Targeting the Centre for any an impending chaos in the economy, Mamata said states were being pressurized to make interim arrangements for GST roll-out. "It is shocking that the e-Waybill System is not yet designed and States are being asked to run their own systems as a stopgap arrangement," Banerjee wrote. As a mark of protest against the Centre's move, the West Bengal CM announced that the Trinamool Congress will boycott the midnight programme at the Parliament House to launch GST. advertisement ALSO READ: Foreign media on GST: Ready or not, Indian businesses brace for biggest-ever tax reform GST: 100 FAQs received by Modi regime on Twitter GST fallout: Home buyers worried as builders ask for full payment before July 1 Opposition may boycott special Parliament midnight session on GST roll out WATCH: How GST will impact your household budget? --- ENDS --- 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 "We have said this repeatedly that GST must be rolled out systematically with full preparation. But we are heading towards an impending catastrophe," West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra said. By Indrajit Kundu: With just hours to go before the nation-wide roll out of the historic Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Mamata Banerjee government has once again warned the Narendra Modi government of an impending "catastrophe," as a large section of small and medium businesses are still not prepared for the new tax regime. "Even if we are alone, we shall raise our voice. We have made it clear we are not ready. This is scary. Small and medium business(es), which employ 80 per cent of the work force will be badly hit," said West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra. advertisement Mitra, who's also the chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers, reiterated the Banerjee government's stance. "We have said this repeatedly that GST must be rolled out systematically with full preparation. But we are heading towards an impending catastrophe," he added. 'DISASTROUS SITUATION' Mitra said Mamata Banerjee had in principle supported GST for the benefit of small and medium enterprises, but today those same business groups were opposing its roll out in July. Citing the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, Mitra said around five thousand traders in Surat were staring at closure of their businesses. "We have said this in the GST council too and we are reiterating this once again, this will create a disastrous situation. Textile industry across the country is going on a strike. This proves that the issues we had raised have merit," Mitra said. Last month, Mitra wrote to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asking the Narendra Modi government to defer the GST roll out. While many states have already ratified the GST bill, Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal is yet to take up the legislation in the State Assembly. In fact, Mitra skipped the last GST Council meeting in held Srinagar last month. ALSO READ | Foreign media on GST: Ready or not, Indian businesses brace for biggest-ever tax reform ALSO READ | GST: 100 FAQs received by Modi regime on Twitter ALSO READ | GST impact on mobile phone bills: Here is how much you will pay for 4G and calls from July 1 ALSO WATCH | Get, Set, GST: Power Minister Piyush Goyal's masterclass with India Today --- ENDS --- The government has invited former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to share the dais with PM Narendra Modi at the special midnight session on GST in Parliament's Central Hall. The Congress will decide at Thursday's meeting if it will attend the special GST session in Parliament. File photo: PTI. By India Today Web Desk: While the Narendra Modi government is preparing for the mega launch of the landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST) with a special midnight session of Parliament, the opposition Congress looks divided over whether to attend or skip it. The government has invited former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to share the dais with PM Modi at the special session on GST in Parliament's Central Hall scheduled to be held on the midnight of June 30. advertisement For the Congress, either way--attending or skipping the special GST session--is a Catch-22 situation. WHAT IF CONGRESS ATTENDS SPECIAL GST SESSION Many in the Congress feel that the Goods and Services Tax was the party's brainchild and therefore, the Congress leaders and MPs must attend the special Parliament session. At the All India Congress Committee (AICC) briefing, party spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said that while the Narendra Modi government is using GST to spread "tax terrorism", the Congress had conceptualised the move to simplify the tax regime for small traders and businessmen. Yet, if the Congress leadership decides to attend the special Parliament session and if Manmohan Singh ends up sharing the dais with Prime Minister Modi, it is likely to give enough ammo to the ruling BJP government to blunt future attacks from the Congress on GST. The BJP government can perhaps argue that the Congress is training guns on GST whose special session was attended by its senior party leaders and one of them--Manmohan Singh--even shared the dais with PM Narendra Modi during the launch. WHAT IF CONGRESS DOES NOT ATTEND A section of leaders in the Congress feel that the party should not attend the special Parliament session over the GST launch as the new tax regime is being rolled out in a hurry. They feel that an unplanned GST can hurt the prospects of small traders and businessmen who are confused and anxious over the new tax regime. "Businessmen from Modi's home state of Gujarat who were earlier his loyalists feel that GST will lead to tax terrorism. The Prime Minister should at least hear them out," said Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil. However, if the Congress chooses not to attend the special Parliament session, it would let the ruling BJP walk away with all the credit for launching the historic indirect tax reform in the country. ALSO READ: GST: 100 FAQs received by Modi regime on Twitter US business schools can study India's GST implementation: Modi After GST launch on July 1, will groceries, medicines go out of stock? advertisement ALSO WATCH: Get Set GST: How will it affect your pocket? --- ENDS --- What is your first memory of riding a bicycle? Was it easy, difficult, or somewhere in between? In the beginning, you may have wondered if you would ever be able to ride a bicycle at all. Then suddenly one day, you could ride without help from anyone. Doing a physical activity easily, without thinking, uses an ability we call "muscle memory." When you repeat a physical action many times, your brain develops permanent memory for how to do it. There are many examples, such as walking, swimming, dancing, driving a car, playing a musical instrument and speaking your native language. Elizabeth Marner-Brooks says your muscles can help you remember how to pronounce words. For nearly 30 years, she has taught English language classes at The New School and other universities in New York City. Pronunciation is one of her areas of expertise. At the start of her pronunciation courses, Marner-Brooks asks her students how often they practice their pronunciation skills. The usual answer is "once or twice a week." Then, she asks how long they think it would take a baby to learn to walk if they only tried that often. She hopes this discussion helps them see the connection between speaking and the memory we build into our muscles. Marner-Brooks recently spoke to VOA Learning English on Skype. "It's using the muscles. You have to give yourself permission because human nature dictates that we're going to be spurred on to doing things once we find results. But, we get the results by doing it. And, you can get results very quickly - very quickly - if you just do it." Right now, the muscles in your mouth, lips and tongue may feel strange as they try to make the shapes to produce the sounds of English words. This can require a lot of effort. But, Marner-Brooks notes that the muscles will soon remember how to produce the correct sounds with little or no effort. She works with her students to make consonant and vowel sounds. She also teaches them the use of stress and pitch, two other important elements of English pronunciation. Many English learners have told Marner-Brooks that other teachers only asked them to repeat English words. They did not teach how to produce the sounds. "One person said, 'Well, nobody ever showed me that my tongue goes up for a d and presses. Nobody ever showed me that. They would just do it and I had to copy it.'" Unlike many languages, English has 16 different vowel sounds. So building memory for the correct tongue position is especially important, she notes. For vowels, she explains that the sounds have a natural progression, from the highest position of the tongue to the flattest position. So, for example, for a long "e" sound, the tongue is high up in the mouth "like a camel's back," she says. For a shorter vowel sound, the tongue is in the middle of the mouth. And, for the shortest, the tongue is flat. Try the sounds that Marner-Brooks pronounces to feel it for yourself. "So, /hi/ as in he, she, we and /hI/ as in him, women and /h/ as in help, bread, head'." She adds that speaking is a creative action we are creating sounds as we speak. A common misunderstanding people have about learning language is that it is only an intellectual action. "And when we're dealing with speech with making the sounds we're dealing with the creative side of the brain, not the intelligent, thinking side." To help build your muscle memory, Marner-Brooks says you can use pronunciation videos on the Internet. She suggests English learners avoid using the Internet to simply repeat words they hear. Instead, find short American English pronunciation guides on web sites like YouTube. Specifically, look for videos that demonstrate things like vowel and consonant muscle training. This chart lists the vowels sounds that Marner-Brooks discusses in the video. Vowel Chart* Example Words 1 /i/ she, he we, weekly 2 /I/ him, women, liquid, film 3 // help, head, bread, said 4 /e/ today, play, way 5 /eI/ hair, share, care, compare 6 /ae/ hat, cat, map, lap, sat, tap 7 // class, dance, mask, chance 8 // harm, alarm, father, calm 9 // hot, cotton, stop, watch, clock 10 // daughter, caught, sought, bought 11 /:/ shirt, skirt, girl, turn, stir 12 // lunch, tongue, cover, lungs 13 /u/ know, go, focus 14 /u/ should, could, would, cookie, look 15 /u:/ shoe, two, blue Marner-Brooks suggests students do vowel and consonant pronunciation exercises for 3-5 minutes four times each day. And, use a mirror to observe yourself as you practice the sounds. If these exercises feel foolish or strange, she has these final thoughts: "What I suggest is for you to be comfortable, take the risks, and enjoy speaking the language. That's the goal." I'm Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story pronounce v. to use the mouth and other organs of speech to say words correctly practice v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it spur v. to motivate someone to do something consonant n. a speech sound (such as /p/, /d/, or /s/) that is made by partly or completely stopping the flow of air breathed out from the mouth vowel n. a speech sound made with your mouth open and your tongue in the middle of your mouth, not touching ones teeth or lips stress n. greater loudness or force given to part of a word when speaking or to a beat in music pitch n. the rise and fall of your voice when you speak camel n. a large animal of Africa and Asia that has a long neck and one or two large humps on its back *Based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) The Congressional Budget Office says the number of uninsured people in the United States would rise to 22 million within the next ten years under the Senate health care bill. The Senates bill would replace the Affordable Care Act, a law that former President Barack Obama supported. The Affordable Care Act is often called Obamacare. Republicans have spent about seven years attempting to cancel Obamacare. The CBO said in a study released Monday that the Senate bill would decrease the federal budget deficit by $321 billion by 2026. This is the second health care bill to be considered in Congress. Both the House and the Senate have different health care bills. In order for a bill to become law, it needs to pass both the House and the Senate and be signed by the president. Senate leaders plan to vote after the July 4th holiday on their version of the bill. Currently, Americans are required to buy health insurance or pay a fine if they do not. The Senates bill would end that requirement. In addition, the bill would end subsidies meant to help lower-income people buy insurance. It would also decrease some taxes on higher-income people. And it would cut billions of dollars of government funding for the health care program for poor and disabled people over the next few years. Opposition to the bill To pass a bill in the Senate, a majority of senators must vote for the bill. If there is a tie, the vice president can vote to break the tie. Currently Republicans hold 52 of the 100 seats in the Senate. All 46 Senate Democrats are expected to vote against the bill. In order for the bill to pass, Republicans can risk losing only two of their senators. A group of Republican senators has already said they will not vote for the bill in its current form. When Obamacare became law in 2010, it passed without any Republican votes. Since the 2016 elections, Republicans gained control of the presidency, the House and the Senate. A change to Obamacare could be possible now. About 20 million people have received insurance with Obamacare. Many of those people are covered under the governments Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. The two bills to change Obamacare propose to cut about $800 billion in federal funds for Medicaid over the next few years. President Donald Trump had stated during his campaign for office that he would not cut Medicaid funding. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told ABC that he hopes that Republicans will talk with Democrats and work together on a solution to make Obamacare better. Im Mario Ritter. And Im Olivia Liu Olivia Liu adapted this story for Learning English from VOA News and AP reporting. Mario Ritter was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story uninsured adj. not having an agreement with a company or agency that helps pay for the cost of a service such as health care subsidies n. government payments to producers or individuals that reduce the cost of a good or service to make it easier to get We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. The European Commission (EC) has fined Google $2.7 billion for unfairly influencing online search results for its own businesses. It was the largest fine ever ordered by the EC against a single company in an antitrust case. Antitrust laws are designed to protect trade from unlawful restrictions and unfair business activities. European Union (EU) investigators said that in online searches with Google, the company listed links to its own online shopping services above those of competitors. What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules, said European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate, she added. Google, which operates under parent company Alphabet, denied any wrongdoing. "We respectfully disagree with the conclusions announced today, chief lawyer Kent Walker said in a statement. Google said research shows users of its website like when they link directly to products they are looking for. When you shop online, you want to find the products you are looking for quickly and easily, Walker said. And advertisers want to promote those same products. That is why Google shows shopping ads, connecting our users with thousands of advertisers, large and small, in ways that are useful for both. The EC investigation lasted about seven years. It was launched after consumer websites accused Google of unfair business practices. In addition to the fine, the company is required to develop a plan to give competing shopping services equal treatment. Google has 90 days to stop suggesting its own links over those of competitors. If it does not make changes, it faces fines of up to 5 percent of Alphabets average daily worldwide earnings. The EU consumer group BEUC praised the fine. This decision is a game-changer, said director general Monique Goyens. The Commission confirmed that consumers do not see what is most relevant for them on the worlds most used search engine, but rather what is best for Google. In the past, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigated Google for possible antitrust practices. Part of that case also involved accusations that the company used its search engine to support its other businesses. The company ended up reaching a settlement with the FTC in 2013. At that time, the FTC said Google had agreed to change some of its business practices to resolve (FTC) concerns that those practices could stifle competition. Some of the changes related to Googles online search advertising. American tech companies face legal problems Other American technology companies have also faced legal troubles in Europe. Facebook was recently fined $122 million for giving misleading information to officials during its purchase of messaging service WhatsApp in 2014. In 2016, the European Commission demanded that Apple pay about $14 billion in back taxes. The EC said Apple owed the money because it had received unfair tax assistance from Ireland that amounted to a form of illegal state aid. Apple, one of the worlds biggest companies, denied any wrongdoing and appealed the case. It said the EC findings were based on fundamental errors made during the investigation. The company criticized the commission for not explaining exactly how it reached its ruling. The EC said Ireland gave too many tax breaks to Apple. It said this resulted in an effective tax rate on Apples European profits of just 0.005 percent in 2014. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from AP and Reuters. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story merit n. a good quality innovate v. do something in a new or different way promote v. help or develop something consumer n. someone who buys or uses goods or services relevant adj. how something relates to something else stifle v. stop something fundamental adj. relating to the main part of something shopping adj. of or related to buying goods or products Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of Britain handing over Hong Kong to China. The city plans a major celebration of the change that took place on July 1, 1997. The Chinese military will hold a huge fireworks show, and Chinese President Xi Jinping is making a state visit starting Thursday. But, as the city prepares, not everyone is welcoming the events. Concerns over one country, two systems Twenty-three-year-old Nathan Law is Hong Kongs youngest-ever lawmaker. He is a member of Hong Kongs Legislative Council. People are not celebrating but worrying about Hong Kongs future and its current situation, he told the Associated Press. Law was a student leader in the huge pro-democracy demonstrations that took place in 2014. Those demonstrations failed to change the election process for Hong Kongs chief executive. Carrie Lam will be sworn-in as Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region on July 1. She, like current executive C.Y. Leung, has been criticized as being too close to the government in Beijing. Law said there are growing concerns that the policy known as one country, two systems for Hong Kong is changing. Under the policy, Hong Kong has kept its government and capitalist economic system. It also kept a high degree of autonomy not enjoyed on the mainland. But Law told AP that the Chinese government appears to be reducing freedoms in the territory. There are lots of people describing the current system as one country, 1.5 systems, he said. Incidents that have caused people in Hong Kong concern include the disappearance of five booksellers in late 2015. They were detained by the government for reportedly publishing books critical of Chinese politicians. One man, Gui Minhai, is still being held. In another case, a Chinese-born businessman who held a Canadian passport disappeared from his hotel room earlier this year. News reports have said he may have been detained by Chinese security, which would be a violation of Hong Kongs laws. Some Hong Kongers have started to show their displeasure. About 30 pro-democracy protesters were arrested on Wednesday, one day before Xis visit. The protesters gathered around the Forever Blooming Golden Bauhinia statue. The monument marks where the handover on July 1 took place. The activists were demanding full democracy and the unconditional release of Liu Xiaobo, the activist and Nobel Prize winner. The 61-year-old writer was recently diagnosed with liver cancer and was released for health reasons. During the protest, democracy supporters shouted, Democracy now. Free Liu Xiaobo, as they placed a black cloth over the Golden Bauhinia statue. Britain first took control of Hong Kong in the 1840s. Im Mario Ritter. Mario Ritter adapted this story from VOA and AP materials for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story Degree n. a level or amount Autonomy n. the ability to self-rule with some restrictions Diagnose v. to identify, usually a disease or problem Sleep expert David Earnest often tells college students that a good nights sleep is important for academic success. Not that they listen to him. Earnest is a professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine. He explains that so-called all nighters, in which students spend all night studying instead of sleeping, are not effective or healthy. The sort of common approach for college studentsis to wait until the last minute in terms of preparing or studying for an exam -- do all nighters, especially before final exams. Because that way, you can cram all of your studying into a very short period of time." But in the process obviously that compromises sleep and unfortunately its counterproductive. Waiting until last minute College students often wait until the last minute to review information and study for an exam. They may stay up all night ahead of the test. Research shows, however, it is not worth it. Earnest explains that people who stay up all night do not remember as much about what they read or studied. There is also some evidence that people even suffer temporary drops in their IQ, or intelligence quotient, he said. If a student must prepare for an exam at the last minute, Earnest suggests studying until about 2 a.m., sleeping for four hours, and then reviewing the material again early in the morning. Four hours is not enough sleep, but it is better than no sleep, Earnest said. Company uses device to measure student sleep Jawbone is a company that sells a small device that people attach to themselves to measure exercise and sleep. The company used information from device users to measure how much time college students sleep. It found that college students slept an average of 7.03 hours during the week and 7.38 hours on weekends. Female students slept more than male students; they get an extra 23 minutes of sleep on week nights and 17 more minutes on weekends. Jawbones study seems to suggest that college students are getting enough sleep. The numbers are within the numbers suggested by the National Sleep Foundation. It recommends between seven and nine hours of sleep daily for people aged 18 to 25. But Jawbone said the average hours of sleep in its study can be misleading. Its study also found that nearly half of the time, students get less than seven hours of sleep a night. Jawbone also found some other interesting sleep information. Students at Americas military academies, West Point, the Naval Academy and Coast Guard Academy, all require students to get up before 7 a.m. That is the earliest required waking time for college students. As a result, students at the three schools average 6.38 hours of sleep, the lowest among American college students. Other colleges where students average less than seven hours of sleep on weeknights include Columbia University in New York, the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. Students at the University of New Hampshire, the University of Oregon and the University of San Diego got the most sleep, Jawbone said. 2014 report finds sleep problems for many students A 2014 report for the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health reported that daytime sleepiness and irregular sleep schedules are common among college students. The report said a lack of sleep can result in lower grade point averages. It also found it can lead to increased risk of academic failure and of emotional distress. The National Sleep Foundation offers suggestions for better sleep: Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time in the morning. Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, and that it is neither too hot nor too cold. Make sure your bed is comfortable, and that you do not use it for other activities such as reading, watching television or listening to music. Remove all TVs, computers, radios, and telephones from the bedroom. Avoid large meals before bedtime. Heres wishing you a good nights sleep! I'm Bruce Alpert. And I'm Jill Robbins Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your experiences on our Facebook Page. Do you get enough sleep? If you dont, how does it affect you? And whats your secret to falling asleep quickly? ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story approach - n. a way of dealing with something especially - adv. more than usually cram - v. to prepare for a test by trying to learn a lot of information quickly counterproductive - adv. not helpful attach - v. to fasten or join one thing to another recommend - v. suggest irregular - adj. not normal distress - n. feeling unhappy or pain comfortable - adj. producing physical comfort The United States Supreme Court has rejected another call to decide whether Americans have a legal right to carry guns outside their homes. The high court released rulings on a number of cases Monday. But it refused to hear a case against a California law that sets limits on carrying guns in public. The high court left in place an appeals court ruling in the case. The appeals court confirmed the legality of a measure to limit permits for concealed weapons -- those placed out of sight. The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the United States Constitution guarantees the right to carry a gun, at least for self-defense at home. But the court has refused repeated requests to expand on its understanding of gun rights. More than 40 states already have rules giving gun owners a right to be armed in public. A new study shows that Americans are as deeply divided about gun policy as they are about immigration, health care and other issues. The Pew Research Center questioned 3,900 people nationwide. The resulting study found sharp differences of opinion between gun owners and those who do not own guns. The study found that more than half of owners support creation of a federal database for recording gun sales. Eighty percent of those who do not own guns also support such an effort. About half of gun owners support a ban on assault weapons, compared to almost 80 percent of non-gun owners. Assault weapons have been compared to guns used in armed conflicts. Gun control activists say such weapons are meant to kill multiple people quickly, and not for civilian use. Yet there was common ground among gun owners and non-gun owners on other issues. Nearly 90 percent of all those questioned believe the government should bar the mentally sick from purchasing guns. Also, about 80 percent of those who own guns believe people named on federal no-fly or watch lists should be prevented from buying guns. Strong majorities of both groups support background investigations of those who buy guns from an individual or at gun shows. The study also found that at least two-thirds of Americans have lived in a home with a gun. About half of those questioned who have never owned a gun said they had fired one. About 1,300 of the 3,900 people questioned said they own guns. The rest said they did not. Most of the gun owners described themselves as white males who are members of the Republican Party. The study found that people who live in the Northeastern United States are less likely to own a gun than are people in other parts of the country. Im Caty Weaver. Wayne Lee wrote this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it 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 concealed adj. hidden from sight database n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer assault weapon n. a gun that can shoot many bullets quickly and that is designed for use by the military multiple adj. more than one; many background n. the experiences, knowledge, education, etc., in a persons past What has been shown to work is to not criminalize drug use and addiction, and instead to focus on treatment and public health and harm reduction, says MGH addiction specialist Sarah Wakeman. Credit: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer As the opioid crisis rages across the United States, people suffering from addiction as well as the first responders, doctors, and counselors trying to help them are facing another deadly challenge: fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than heroin and a growing part of the nation's illicit drug supply. The Gazette recently spoke with Sarah Wakeman, medical director of the Substance Use Disorder Initiative and the Addiction Consult Team at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), co-chair of the MGH Opioid Task Force, and clinical lead for the Partners Healthcare Substance Use Disorder Initiative, about fentanyl and the country's opioid epidemic. GAZETTE: What is fentanyl? WAKEMAN: Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. "Opioid" is the umbrella term that refers to any substance that is chemically similar to opium, which comes from a poppy and which acts on a certain part of the brainthe opioid receptor. So fentanyl is a type of opioid that is made completely synthetically, meaning it's made in a laboratory and is much more potent than heroin or morphine. It's about 100 times more potent than morphine. GAZETTE: Is fentanyl something that you have been observing for years in patients being treated for addiction, or has it appeared more recently? WAKEMAN: The widespread sale of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is what we are hearing about right now, is a relatively recent phenomenon. It's really in the last two or so years that we have seen this rapid growth in the manufacture and sale of fentanyl and other synthetic fentanyl analogues. Much of what is being sold as heroin now is either mixed with fentanyl or pure fentanyl. Prescription fentanyl has been around for a long time and there are numerous studies looking at people who used prescription fentanyl for nonmedical reasons, but those numbers were relatively low and never accounted for much of a problem until we began seeing the heroin source contaminated with fentanyl. GAZETTE: Why are we seeing more of it? WAKEMAN: This is emblematic of the cat-and-mouse game of supply-focused drug crackdown efforts. Because fentanyl is so potent you need a much smaller amount of it to have the same effects, and so the margin of profits is much greater. People can produce or smuggle in a much smaller volume of the drug and then cut it with other substances and sell it for a higher profit. So you can imagine if it's 100 times more potent than heroin, you need 100 less times the amount of volume to get the same sort of profit, so people are mixing it with other filler substances and then selling it as heroin. GAZETTE: What are the challenges of treating fentanyl overdoses? WAKEMAN: In addition to fentanyl we are now seeing even a more potent synthetic fentanyl analoguecarfentanil, which is something that's been in the press with recent reports of carfentanil being found in Massachusetts. It's 10,000 times more potent than heroin. It's actually used as a large animal tranquilizerthat's the only practical use carfentanil was designed for. But we are now seeing that contaminating the supply as well. First, when we teach people in the community or people who either use opioids themselves or love someone or care for someone who has an opioid-use disorder how to respond to an overdose, the traditional teaching was that you had minutes to hours before someone would die from an overdose, and so there was time to get naloxone, the drug that can reverse an overdose, call 911, and get help. Part of the challenge with these new substances is that people can die within a few seconds. So the rapidity of how fatal these substances can be is totally different, and overdoses now require immediate, rapid response. Second, this increases the stakes of untreated opioid-use disorder. Literally, any day that someone is using could be a day that they die, and the person who is using has no idea what it is that they are about to use. In the past we could provide harm-reduction education to people about how to use in a safer fashion, but that's much more challenging when the substance that they are using could be what they expect or it could be something that's 10,000 times more powerful and could kill them on the spot. This really emphasizes the need for immediate access to effective treatment for opioid-use disorder. Additionally, we need innovative ideas such as supervised injection facilities to keep people who are using safe and alive with the ultimate hope that we can connect them to treatment. GAZETTE: Does treatment for opioid-use disorder change now that the drug supply is increasingly contaminated with fentanyl? WAKEMAN: The treatment would be the same as the treatment for any opioid-use disorder where the best evidence we have supports a combination of medication and psychosocial or behavioral treatments. Medications like methadone or buprenorphine, which are daily medications someone takes to manage their cravings and prevent withdrawal and allow them to function normally, are the standard of care. The challenge is that our systems of care are outdated as well. We traditionally have had a treatment system that expects people to be able to navigate complicated waiting lists, to call programs, to schedule appointments, and to show up to counseling before they get life-saving medication. The reality right now is that people are literally dying every day and any episode of use could kill them, so we really need to rethink our treatment systems and we need to make lifesaving treatments, medications in particular, as easy to access as possible. Let's get people on the medication that will keep them alive and then build infrastructure around that instead of making it hard for people to get that sort of care. GAZETTE: First responders have to be extremely careful about coming into contact with fentanyl. Can you say more about that? WAKEMAN: These substances, particularly carfentanil, are so potent that even a few grains, if they are absorbed, could in theory cause an overdose, particularly in someone who is naive to opioids. The impact on first responders is huge. They now not only need to wear gloves but potentially need to wear masks because there's been concern that these substances can cause an overdose simply by inhaling the dust at the scene of one of these events. GAZETTE: A recent report in The New York Times indicated that overdose deaths in the United States are rising faster than ever. Is fentanyl a big factor in those statistics? WAKEMAN: AbsolutelyI think that's really what's driving the deaths right now. If you look at last year's deaths in Massachusetts, something like 85 percent were due to heroin and fentanyl versus fewer than 10 percent that were due to someone being prescribed an opioid. We've had a lot of focus on prescription opioids as something that lay the groundwork for the current epidemic of opioid use disorder and death, but if you look at what's sustaining the epidemic, what's sustaining the deaths, it's really fentanyl and heroin. We are seeing that across the country and we certainly are seeing that in Massachusetts. GAZETTE: In March, President Trump signed an executive order appointing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as the head of a new national commission designed to fight opioid addiction. Meanwhile, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signaled his plans to aggressively prosecute low-level drug crimes. What is your sense about how the medical community views these messages from the new administration? WAKEMAN: It is incredibly disheartening to hear further focus on the old-school tactics of the war on drugs. So far we've heard the attorney general mention bringing back mandatory minimum sentences and a stronger focus on the criminalization approach to drug use, which has never worked. We've been trying that approach for a long time and what we've seen is that drugs are easier to access; they are more potent and more deadly and more people are dying from drug addiction and drug use. That strategy has been wholly ineffective. If anything it drives people away from treatment and increases the stakes of ongoing drug use and increases crime. To hear our government talk about doubling down on a harmful and ineffective strategy in the midst of a crisis is really discouraging. This approach also plays on the false notion that you can somehow clearly separate people who deal drugs and people who use drugs, when the reality is many people who in fact have the disease of addiction are dealing drugs on some level. And beyond that, the growth of fentanyl is evidence of the failure of supply-focused efforts. The tactics of people who are out for profit with drug dealing will continue to change under pressure and the outcome is not that drugs are harder to get but that people are dying at a greater rate. What has been shown to work is to not criminalize drug use and addiction and instead to focus on treatment and public health and harm reduction. I think we were all hopefulparticularly with the former surgeon general's reportthat our country was heading in that direction. I am still hopeful because the science is so clear about what is effective. President Trump campaigned on the opioid crisis and many people who voted for him come from areas that have been devastated by the impact of this disease. My hope is that his administration will decide to focus on what works, not on politics or ideology. GAZETTE: What would you like to see Trump do? WAKEMAN: I think the first thing involves a separate but very related issuethe Affordable Care Act, which importantly expanded coverage for addiction treatment. If the ACA is repealed a huge number of people who have this disease won't be able to access treatment. To even be able to focus on treatment people need to have insurance coverage that allows them to access it, so that's a really important piece. The other thing is to have conversations about types of treatment for opioid-use disorder guided by science. We heard Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price make comments recently where he referred to medications for addiction treatment as the substituting of one substance for another. This is an old, untrue, and stigmatizing belief that misunderstands what addiction is. This stigma around medications has kept people out there using and has kept people dying. We need statements by our leaders in government and health care to be guided by facts, not by belief. We need to be having a conversation guided by science and what works to keep people alive and to keep people well. Drug use and addiction is a very politicized topic. People have strong emotions and feelings about it, which is understandable. But we also have 50 years or more of very clear evidence showing what works and what doesn't. Let's stick to what works, particularly right now when this is the leading cause of death for Americans under age 50. This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. Increasing concentrations of a new experimental compound prevented MERS coronavirus (shown in red) from replicating in cultured human airway cells (blue). Credit: T.P. Sheahan et al., Science Translational Medicine (2017) A new antiviral drug candidate inhibits a broad range of coronaviruses, including the SARS and MERS coronaviruses, a multi-institutional team of investigators reports this week in Science Translational Medicine. The findings support further development of the drug candidate for treating and preventing current coronavirus infections and potential future epidemic outbreaks. Coronaviruses are a genetically diverse family of viruses that infect birds and mammals, with most coronavirus strains limited to infecting only certain hosts. Human coronaviruses, for example, cause up to 30 percent of common colds. In the last 15 years, however, coronaviruses have demonstrated their ability to jump into new species. Zoonotic (animal) coronaviruses have infected humans, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe diseases with high mortality rates ranging from 10 percent for SARS to 40 percent for MERS. The MERS-coronavirus continues to cause new infections in the Middle East. "There's a real concern that the MERS coronavirus could escape broadly when millions of people visit Saudi Arabia for the Hajj," said Mark Denison, M.D., Craig-Weaver Professor of Pediatrics and professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. But to date, there has been no effective antiviral drug for any known coronavirus, Denison noted. Denison and his team at Vanderbilt have studied the basic biology of coronaviruses for more than 20 years. In an effort to find chemical tools that would allow them to probe viral replication, graduate student Brett Case screened a series of compounds selected and provided by Gilead Sciences. Case demonstrated that one of the compounds was highly active against coronaviruses in cultured cells. The finding was a surprise, Denison said, because compounds in the same class (nucleoside analogs) have normally failed to inhibit coronavirus replication. Scientists are using multiple approaches to predict and prevent future disease outbreaks with new antiviral compounds. Credit: T.P. Sheahan et al., Science Translational Medicine (2017) The compound, called GS-5734, is currently in clinical development for treatment of Ebola virus disease. Denison's longtime collaborator Ralph Baric, Ph.D., at the University of North Carolina and his team demonstrated that GS-5734 inhibits SARS-coronavirus and MERS-coronavirus replication in multiple in vitro systems, including cultures of primary human airway epithelial cells, which are the cells infected by respiratory coronaviruses. The researchers also showed that GS-5734 was effective against a circulating human coronavirus, bat coronaviruses, and bat coronaviruses that are considered "prepandemic" because they can infect cultured human cells. Using a mouse model of SARS, the investigators demonstrated that both prophylactic (before infection) and early therapeutic (soon after infection) administration of GS-5734 reduced viral load in the lungs and improved respiratory functions. "This compound shows broad activity against a variety of human and animal coronaviruses and represents an exciting potential therapeutic for a family of viruses prone to emergence from animal reservoirs," Denison said. Denison and his team at Vanderbilt will continue to use the compound "as a probe to try to understand the biology of the virus, how and why this drug works, and to identify new targets for inhibiting coronaviruses," he said. "This is an exciting example of how pursuing fundamental research to understand the mechanisms of virus replication and pathogenesis can lead to an important compound with therapeutic potential." The research also illustrates the power of long-term collaborations and of public-private partnerships, Denison said. Denison and Baric have collaborated for 17 years to study coronavirus biology. Their efforts to identify coronavirus antiviral drugs in cooperation with Gilead Sciences have been supported by the Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development Center, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health (grant AI109680) and directed by Richard Whitley, M.D., at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. More information: T.P. Sheahan el al., "Broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734 inhibits both epidemic and zoonotic coronaviruses," Science Translational Medicine (2017). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine T.P. Sheahan el al., "Broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734 inhibits both epidemic and zoonotic coronaviruses,"(2017). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ scitranslmed.aal3653 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Taking a low-dose aspirin before bed can reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, which can cause premature birth and, in extreme cases, maternal and foetal death. A trial, led by Professor Kypros Nicolaides, Professor of Foetal Medicine at King's College London, Dr Liona Poon of King's College, London with Professor David Wright of the University of Exeter, found that administering low-dose aspirin (150 mg) led to a 62% reduction in the rate of pre-term preeclampsia, resulting in delivery before 37 weeks. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found an 82% reduction in the rate of early preeclampsia, resulting in delivery before 34 weeks. The double blind, placebo-controlled trail of 1776 women at high risk for pre-term preeclampsia found a lower incidence of developing the disease in women taking aspirin than those taking a placebo. Pre-term preeclampsia occurred in 13 participants (1.6%) in the aspirin group, compared to 35 (4.3%) in the placebo group. The pregnant women were given a dose of 150mg per day from between 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy up until 36 weeks. The results prompted calls for low-dose aspirin to be routinely prescribed to women at risk of the disease. Professor Nicolaides, Director of Harris Birthright Research Centre for Foetal Medicine at King's College London and Chairman of the Foetal Medicine Foundation, said the results of the trial offered 'definitive proof' of the effect of aspirin. "This extensive study is definitive proof that women can take simple measures in the first trimester of pregnancy to significantly reduce their chances of developing pre-term preeclampsia." Professor David Wright, Professor of Medical Statistics at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Over the last ten years, we have developed new methods for assessing the risk of pre-eclampsia. We have applied these to identify women for inclusion in the ASPRE trial. The results show that aspirin can prevent preeclampsia in high risk pregnancies. I hope that they will alter clinical practice and improve pregnancy outcomes for mothers and their babies." Pre-eclampsia causes the flow of blood through the placenta to be reduced, restricting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the foetus which could restrict growth. A family history of the condition, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease increases the probability of developing the condition. Severe pre-eclampsia can develop in around 2 per cent of pregnancies, with mild pre-eclampsia in up to 6 per cent of women. The risk of complications is considerably higher when the disease is severe and develops early on in the pregnancy. It can lead to premature birth and, in extreme cases, death of both mother and baby. The results of the study will be announced at the 16th FMF World Congress in Fetal Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia on June 28, 2017. It is the latest in a series of trials which have demonstrated the positive impact of taking low-dose aspirin. An analysis of more than 30 trials investigating the benefit of a dose of 50 to 150 mg of aspirin per day for the prevention of preeclampsia showed that such therapy resulted in a 10% lower incidence of preeclampsia. An analysis of individual participant data from the trials, the effect of aspirin was not affected by the stage in the pregnancy it was introduced. But other analyses have shown that aspirin started at or before 16 weeks of gestation resulted in halving the rates of preeclampsia, foetal-growth restriction, and perinatal death, whereas aspirin started after 16 weeks of gestation did not have a significant benefit. The World Health Organization already recommends low-dose aspirin for the prevention of pre-eclampsia in women at high risk and recommends it be started before 20 weeks of pregnancy. In the United States, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends the use of aspirin in women with a history of pre-eclampsia in more than one pregnancy or a history of pre-eclampsia resulting in delivery before 34 weeks of gestation. The Combined Multimarker Screening and Randomized Patient Treatment with Aspirin for Evidence-Based Pre-eclampsia Prevention (ASPRE) trial was conducted at 13 maternity hospitals in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece, and Israel. All women who had a routine prenatal visit in the participating hospitals were offered screening for pre-eclampsia combining maternal factors, such as weight, family history, medical history including diabetes, mean arterial pressure, uterine-artery pulsatility index, and maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and placental growth factor. Pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are leading causes of maternal and infant illness and death globally. Such disorders are estimated to cause 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year, according to the Pre-eclampsia Foundation. Pre-eclampsia is usually characterised by a sudden increase in blood pressure and protein in the urine, which can occur after the 20th week of pregnancy and often results in pre-term birth. It can lead to convulsions (eclampsia), renal or liver failure, cardiac, pulmonary and other maternal health complications. Preeclampsia, especially before 37 weeks, often contributes to health complications for the baby including growth restriction, developmental delays due to their prematurity, or even death. (HealthDay)Teens and young adults who use electronic cigarettesalso known as vapingare almost four times as likely as their non-vaping counterparts to begin smoking traditional cigarettes, a new review suggests. "E-cigarette use increases the risk of subsequent cigarette smoking, even for teens and young adults who might not be at the highest risk for smoking," said study lead author Samir Soneji. "This increased risk may counter the successful tobacco control efforts that have produced a steady decline in smoking since 1998," he said. Soneji is an assistant professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Lebanon, N.H. Battery-powered e-cigarettes deliver nicotine through vapor instead of smoke. Their effect on public health is still being debated. Some say they may help adults wean themselves off tobacco cigarettes, while others feel they may introduce kids to smoking, according to background information in the study. Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor of community health sciences at Boston University School of Public Health, isn't convinced that e-cigarettes are to blame for kids starting to smoke tobacco cigarettes. "These are kids who likely would have smoked anyway. There is no evidence that the e-cigarette experimentation is contributing towards an increased risk for smoking," said Siegel, who wasn't involved with the review. Teens also seem to be picking up on public health messages themselves, and all types of smoking may be losing a bit of their "cool." A June 16 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that fewer teens are vaping. The report said that an estimated 3 million teens smoked e-cigarettes in 2015. By 2016, that number had fallen to 2.2 million. Fewer teens are using tobacco, too. An estimated 4.7 million teens used tobacco in 2015 compared to 3.9 million in 2016, the report found. The new review looked at the results of nine studies. The studies included more than 17,000 teens and young adults aged 14 to 30 when the studies began. Fifty-six percent of the study volunteers were female. When the studies were combined, the researchers found that an estimated 30 percent of teens who had ever used an e-cigarette went on to use traditional cigarettes. Only about 8 percent of those who never used e-cigarettes went on to smoke tobacco cigarettes. When the researchers looked at the past 30 days, 21.5 percent of those who'd smoked e-cigarettes went on to smoke regular cigarettes. Less than 5 percent of those who hadn't smoked e-cigarettes tried regular cigarettes. The new report didn't observe if people kept smoking over long periods. It also didn't examine whether smoking affected their health. Soneji pointed to three possible reasons why e-cigarette users may be drawn to smoke traditional cigarettes: They may become addicted to nicotine and seek a greater fix; they may learn to enjoy smoking and spend more time with friends who light up; and e-cigs may make it easier for users to transition to cigarette smoking because they've already learned how to do it. Soneji called for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to target teen and young adult use of e-cigarettes by banning fruit- and candy-flavored e-cigarettes and requiring accurate labels regarding the levels of nicotine in the liquids used in e-cigarettes. But Siegel questioned the review's conclusions. "It failed to examine whether nonsmoking youth who are regular vapers are more likely to progress to established smoking," he said. "What these studies show is simply that youth who tend to experiment with substanceslike try e-cigarettesare also more likely to try real cigarettes and of course, some of them will become smokers since cigarettes are so addictive," Siegel said. "The proper question is whether nonsmokers who experiment with e-cigarettes are likely to progress to regular vaping and then, whether regular vaping increases their likelihood of progressing to smoking. There is no evidence that this is happening," Siegel said. The study was published in the June 26 issue of JAMA Pediatrics. More information: Samir Soneji, Ph.D., assistant professor, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, N.H.; Michael Siegel, M.D., MPH, professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health; June 26, 2017, JAMA Pediatrics. dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.1488 Samir Soneji, Ph.D., assistant professor, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, N.H.; Michael Siegel, M.D., MPH, professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health; June 26, 2017, For more about e-cigarettes, visit the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Journal information: JAMA Pediatrics Copyright 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. The alleged letter written by then Commissioner S George to the Principal Secretary claimed that he was aware of the illegal manufacturing and sale of the banned gutka/maava and also claimed that certain senior cops were also involved in it. By Pramod Madhav: Tamil Nadu Assembly was shaken by DMK's war cry seeking a debate over reports of a 'gutka scam' involving top cops and health minister. Yet a letter from former Chennai Police Commissioner S George to Principal Secretary claims to play a different tune. Former Chennai Police Commissioner George, TK Rajendran and Health Minister Vijayabhaskar are in the middle of the 'gutka scam' whereby Rs 40 crore was allegedly paid to them to allow the sale of these banned products in the state. On 8th May, then Chief Minister Jayalalitha banned the sale of gutka across the State using the Food Safety and Standards of India Act, 2006. advertisement The alleged letter written by then Commissioner S George to the Principal Secretary claimed that he was aware of the illegal manufacturing and sale of the banned gutka/maava and also claimed that certain senior cops were also involved in it. As per the letter, George is also seen tentatively explaining as to which jurisdiction it falls under and who could allegedly be the police officers involved in the scam. Yet the letter also had raised too many frivolous questions. Commissioner George had allegedly wrote this letter on December 22nd, a day after I-T raids were conducted at then Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao's residence and office. Though, no direct connection was found, Rama Mohana Rao infamously questioned about how breach of secrets occurred when I-T department officials entered his office. "Do you know what is inside my office? Many secrets of the government including many complaints and criminal case over top bureaucrats and the following investigation details are in there," he said probably to emphasize the importance of his office or maybe to use "If I go down, you go down", policy. Based on George's letter, an investigation was also initiated upon officers, but some top cops also claim that the alleged letter paved the way for many top cops to escape from the probe as well. Though the ban curbed the sale of the products in the state, it did not completely stop its sale. Many production units were active in north Chennai, near Red Hills. Occasionally, raids were conducted in such factories, but the sale of gutka never declined. During one such raid on 7th July, 2016, officials had allegedly acquired a set of documents which had details of money given as payment for top officials including top ranking police officers and Health Minister Vijayabhaskar. The issue broke out once again as details of the report leaked to the media. ALSO READ Chennai: DMK leader MK Stalin raises gutka scam in Assembly, slams Health Minister Vijayabhaskar --- ENDS --- The use of fat grafting as a tool for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy may improve breast satisfaction, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being in patients, according to a study published by JAMA Surgery. Fat grafting as an adjunct to breast reconstruction involves harvesting fat cells from the abdomen or thighs via liposuction, isolating the adipocytes (fat cells) by removing any extra material, and then injecting it in small amounts to the deficient areas of the reconstruction. Fat grafting has proven to be a useful adjunct to breast reconstruction for the treatment of contour irregularities and volume deficits, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering regulations that may severely limit the ability of plastic surgeons to continue its use for this purpose. Jeffrey H. Kozlow, M.D., M.S., of the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, and colleagues conducted a study that included 2,048 women who underwent breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Of these women, 165 (8 percent) underwent fat grafting between years 1 and 2 after surgery. One year postoperatively, patients who later underwent fat grafting reported significantly lower breast satisfaction, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being, compared with those who did not receive subsequent fat grafting. Following the procedure, the fat-grafted group reported similar breast satisfaction for these measures two years postoperatively. "By providing multicenter, prospective data confirming the benefits of autologous fat grafting as a useful adjunct in breast reconstruction, we hope that this study will contribute to the ongoing discussion with payers and regulators over the safety and effectiveness of these procedures. Our findings should bolster the ongoing assertion that fat grafting is an important tool in breast reconstruction and that this option should remain available to reconstructive surgeons and to the patients they serve," the authors write. A limitation of the study was that as with any nonrandomized study design, the findings may have been attributable to unknown confounders not controlled for in the analysis. Disruption of a region in chromosome 6 or epigenetic modifications of the DNA block Sestrin1 expression and these contribute to the development of follicular lymphoma. Credit: Elisa Oricchio/Natalya Katanayeva/EPFL Follicular lymphoma is an incurable cancer that affects over 200,000 people worldwide every year. A form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, follicular lymphoma develops when the body starts making abnormal B-cells, which are white blood cells that in normal conditions fight infections. This cancer is associated with several alterations of the cell's DNA, but it has been unclear which gene or genes are involved in its development. EPFL scientists have now analyzed the genomes of more than 200 patients with follicular lymphoma, and they discover that a gene, Sestrin1, is frequently missing or malfunctioning in FL patients. The discovery opens to new treatment options and it is now published in Science Translational Medicine. One of the common features of follicular lymphoma is a genetic abnormality between two chromosomes (14 and 18). In an event known as "chromosomal translocation" the two chromosomes "swap" certain parts with each other. This triggers the activation of a gene that protects cells from dying, making cells virtually immortalthe hallmark of a tumor. Moreover, approximately 30% of follicular lymphoma patients lose also a portion of chromosome 6, affecting multiple genes involved in suppressing the emergence of a tumor. These patients typically have poor prognosis. Another 20 % of patients have alterations causing chromosomal disorganization and the consequent malfunctioning of several genes and proteins. The bottom line is that for both group of patients it is very difficult to pinpoint which of all the affected genes are actually causing the disease. The lab of Elisa Oricchio at EPFL, with colleagues from the US and Canada, analyzed the genomes of over 200 follicular lymphoma patients. Their analyses revealed that a specific gene, Sestrin1, can be harmed by both loss of chromosome 6 and silenced in patients. Sestrin1 helps the cell defending itself against DNA damagefor example after exposure to radiationand oxidative stress. In fact, Sestrin1 is part of the cell's anti-tumor mechanism that stops potentially cancerous cells from growing. Follicular lymphoma is the most common type of slow-growing blood cancer. Credit: E. Oricchio et al., Science Translational Medicine (2017) Disruption of a region in chromosome 6 or epigenetic modifications of the DNA block Sestrin1 expression and these contribute to the development of Follicular Lymphoma. Beyond identifying the Sestrin1 gene as frequently altered in FL patients, the scientists demonstrated that Sestrin1 is able to suppress tumors in vivo. They showed that Sestrin1 exerts its anti-tumor effects by blocking the activity of a protein complex called mTORC1, which is well known for controlling protein synthesis as well as acting as a sensor for nutrient or energy changes in the cell. Finally, the identification of loss of Sestrin1 as a key event behind the development of follicular lymphoma is particular important because it helps identifying patients that will benefit from new therapies. Indeed, this study shows that the therapeutic efficacy of a new drug that is currently in clinical trial depends on Sestrin1. Importantly, this dependency can be extended beyond follicular lymphoma to other tumor types. More information: E. Oricchio el al., "Genetic and epigenetic inactivation of SESTRIN1 controls mTORC1 and response to EZH2 inhibition in follicular lymphoma," Science Translational Medicine (2017). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine E. Oricchio el al., "Genetic and epigenetic inactivation of SESTRIN1 controls mTORC1 and response to EZH2 inhibition in follicular lymphoma,"(2017). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ scitranslmed.aak9969 Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of Florida Atlantic University's Brain Institute and a professor of biomedical science in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. Credit: Florida Atlantic University Once a hip drug of the '70s and '80s party scene, cocaine is not only making a comeback, it's proving its staying power thanks to its potent allure. In fact, Drug Enforcement Administration officials say that traffickers are producing more cocaine now than at the height of the notorious era of the "cocaine cowboys" in the 1980s. According to Florida's Medical Examiner Commission, overdose deaths from cocaine are at their highest level in the state since 2007. From 2012 to 2015, cocaine deaths in Florida increased from 1,318 fatalities to 1,834 fatalities. Only fentanyl, a powerful synthetic painkiller, surpassed deaths from cocaine overdose in Florida. Nationally, more than 1 in 3 drug misuse or abuse-related emergency department visits (40 percent) involved cocaine. This highly addictive psychostimulant induces complex molecular, cellular and behavioral responses. Despite various approaches and years of pre-clinical studies, effective, mechanism-based therapies to assist with cocaine abuse and dependence are still sorely lacking. A team of neuroscientists led by Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of Florida Atlantic University's Brain Institute and a professor of biomedical science in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, have capitalized on a unique strain of genetically engineered or "designer" mice to tease apart key features of the complex actions of cocaine. Their findings, published in the current issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology, reinforce long-held suspicions that the brain chemical serotonin, a molecule typically associated with mood, appetite and libido, makes a direct contribution to the actions of cocaine. Although many are aware that elevations of the brain chemical dopamine play a critical role in cocaine's ability to produce a "high" - feelings that trigger the spiral into addiction - the actions of cocaine are far more complex. For example, cocaine also can elevate the levels of serotonin in the minute spaces around brain synapses by blocking the serotonin transporter, a "nanovacuum cleaner" normally involved in whisking serotonin away to limit its actions. Furthermore, drugs capable of blocking serotonin receptors can interfere with specific components of cocaine action. Because the contributions of dopamine to the actions of cocaine are so prominent, however, laboratories have been unable to establish unequivocally how much of cocaine's actions rely on serotonin and where in the brain the serotonin signal contributes most. Mouse to the rescue. Actually, first, fly to the rescue. "Several years ago, we found that the serotonin transporter expressed in the brains of fruit flies is only weakly inhibited by cocaine," said Blakely. "We traced this reduced sensitivity to a single amino acid difference among the more than 600 amino acids that comprise fly and mammalian serotonin transporters." When Blakely's team spliced the DNA sequence that encodes the relevant fly amino acid into the mouse serotonin transporter gene, the mice now made a transporter that was 80 times less sensitive to cocaine, while allowing the transporter to function completely normally. Blakely, who cloned the gene that makes the serotonin transporter more than 25 years ago, then set out to examine what actions of cocaine were retained in the mice and what was altered. Blakely's team, led by postdoctoral fellow Linda Simmler, Ph.D., found that the stimulant actions of cocaine were preserved in the genetically-modified mice, consistent with these actions being driven by dopamine elevations. Interestingly, however, cocaine caused mice to move more around the perimeter of test chambers rather than crossing into the brightly lit center of the chamber like normal animals do on the drug. Scientists often interpret this perimeter-hugging activity, known as thigmotaxis, as a sign of anxiety, suggesting that the normal serotonin rise may add positively to the "agreeable" nature of the drug, although Blakely cautions that other explanations are plausible. Indeed, when the mutant mice were chronically administered cocaine, they actually spent more time in the side of a chamber where cocaine would be delivered. "These findings support the idea that serotonin signaling, long term, can reduce the ability of the brain to link cocaine actions to environmental cues," said Blakely. In neuroanatomical studies, Blakely's team then quantified proteins whose levels change with neuronal activation to identify specific brain regions that might support the serotonin-dependent actions of cocaine, and the result was that the role of serotonin in cocaine action is pronounced in specific brain areas, like areas of the frontal cortex associated with inhibitory control mechanisms, while less relevant in other areas. Finally, the team identified a network of genes in these regions that exhibit changes in expression when the normal boost from serotonin is lacking, and these changes depended on how long the drug was given. "Scientists can now clearly see details of how the brain uses serotonin not just to regulate mood, but also to drive both rapid and long-lasting changes in the brain. We suspect that these changes may contribute to the brain modifications that ultimately trap users in an addicted state," said Blakely. "The development of effective treatment strategies requires a holistic understanding of drug actions, and now we can see much more clearly the serotonin-side of cocaine action. We hope that our findings will stimulate research into serotonin-based therapies to treat addiction as new treatments are desperately needed." Adjuvants are often included in vaccines to stimulate the immune system and so make a vaccine more effective. Now an A*STAR team, led by Alessandra Mortellaro from the Singapore Immunology Network, has explained a new immune pathway of a commonly used vaccine adjuvant, aluminum salts or 'alum'. Components of disease-causing microorganisms contained in vaccines are not always sufficient to elicit a strong immune response. In some cases, unrelated chemicals, called adjuvants, are needed to further stimulate the immune system. The A*STAR team has taken up the challenge of explaining this enigma, known as the "immunologist's dirty little secret". The immunity-boosting effect of alum was discovered in the 1920s: scientists in London found that aluminum potassium sulfate enhanced the efficacy of diphtheria vaccines considerably. Nowadays, alum is included in inoculations against various diseases, including common ones such as seasonal flu, tetanus and human papillomavirus infection. Paradoxically, despite the fact that millions of doses of aluminum-containing jabs have helped prevent and eradicate several pathologies, the details of alum's mechanism of action are not fully confirmed. Mortellaro's team discovered that alum triggers immune cells called dendritic cells (DCs), to release IL-2 proteins. These act as a bridge between innate immunity and immunological memory. The former defends the organism against any foreign substances entering the body, while the latter is specific for a certain infectious agent and can quickly detect and attack it upon subsequent encounters. By injecting an alum-adjuvated vaccine to mice which are either able or unable to produce DC-derived IL2, the team found that this protein is required to spark immune protection and memory against the vaccination's target. "We found that the release of DC-derived IL-2, promoted by alum, produces the typical signs of an efficient long-term immunization, where white blood T cells help other immune cells (B cells) to differentiate into antibody-producing cells," explains Mortellaro. Specifically, the researchers found an increase in both in the number of CD4+ T cells and of antibodies specific for the antigen present in the vaccine. The release of DC-specific IL-2 is the last step of a molecular pathway, of which A*STAR scientists clarified the specifics. "It is an immune pathway shared by mouse and man, so these findings on alum and mouse immunity could be translated into the clinic," Mortellaro points out. "Moreover, we can leverage the knowledge about this pathway to improve vaccine formulation and development, and to test whether new adjuvants and alum alternatives have the same effect on DCs." More information: Hanif Javanmard Khameneh et al. The SykNFATIL-2 Pathway in Dendritic Cells Is Required for Optimal Sterile Immunity Elicited by Alum Adjuvants, The Journal of Immunology (2016). Journal information: Journal of Immunology Hanif Javanmard Khameneh et al. The SykNFATIL-2 Pathway in Dendritic Cells Is Required for Optimal Sterile Immunity Elicited by Alum Adjuvants,(2016). DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1600420 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Avoiding direct eye contact with others is one of the most common characteristics associated with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many non-spectrum folks have traditionally assumed it is a sign of social or personal indifference. Not so, says a new study published this month in the journal Scientific Reports. According to the study, looking someone in the eye can result in unpleasant overstimulation of the brain for people with autism. "The findings demonstrate that, contrary to what has been thought, the apparent lack of interpersonal interest among people with autism is not due to lack of concern," said Nouchine Hadjikhani, a study author and a Harvard associate professor of radiology. "Rather, our results show that this behavior is a way to decrease an unpleasant excessive arousal stemming from overactivation in a particular part of the brain." In other words, when people with autism don't look others in the eye, it doesn't mean they don't care, said Hadjikhani. "It's because it's too much for them," she said. The results of the study may be useful for educators and others who work with people on the autism spectrum. Hadjikhani and her fellow researchers with the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital focused on the brain's subcortical system, which is responsible for newborn babies' natural focus on faces and is instrumental in emotional perceptions. The system can be activated by eye contact. Using the technology of functional magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers measured differences in subcortical system activation in about two dozen people with autism and about the same number of neurotypical people as they viewed faces freely as well as focusing on the eye region. Brain overactivation was found in the subjects with autism when they had to concentrate on the eye region. This was true with various facial expressions, but particularly fearful faces. Overall, the findings suggest an imbalance between the neurotransmitters that stimulate the brain and those that tend to calm it, according to the researchers. In people with autism, the imbalance may favor the excitatory subcortical signaling involved in face perception. That, in turn, can result in an aversion to direct eye contact. Hadjikhani, who has studied autism for nearly two decades, said the findings can offer guidance on more effectively engaging people on the autism spectrum. "Forcing children with autism to look into someone's eyes in behavioral therapy may create a lot of anxiety for them," Hadjikhani said. Instead, she said, slowly and gradually getting people with autism used to eye contact may help them overcome their adverse reaction and eventually learn to handle eye contact without distress. Hadjikhani is now seeking funding for a study that will use magnetoencephalography, eye-tracking and other behavioral tests to further explore eye contact avoidance in autism. 2017 The Philadelphia Inquirer Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Micrograph showing cortical pseudolaminar necrosis, a finding seen in strokes on medical imaging and at autopsy. H&E-LFB stain. Credit: Nephron/Wikipedia One of the largest stroke rehabilitation trials ever undertaken has revealed family-led rehabilitation is ineffective. The research published in The Lancet this week revealed there was no reduction in disability for patients on the trial, compared to those who received no extra care. The results raise serious questions about the benefit of rehabilitation carried out by family members and highlights the need for urgent investment in professional stroke facilities in low and middle income countries. Lead author Professor Richard Lindley, of The George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney, said the results were surprising. Professor Lindley said: "We had expected to see a marked improvement in recovery of people who received this extra care delivered by their own trained family members, in their own homes. Other trials have indicated that community-based rehabilitation can play a significant role in recovery but these have been conducted largely in high resource settings. "We found that despite extensive training in hospital and during follow up visits in the home, there was no difference in the degree of recovery or quality of life of people who received this extra treatment. We are confident that the training sessions were completed correctly, and patients and carers accepted the training. Our results suggest that effective rehabilitation may need to be provided by professionals who have undergone years of training and are specialists in their own field, which may impose major challenges to poor communities with limited financial resources." The George Institute researchers along with international and Indian stroke experts followed 1,250 patients over six months in India, where stroke affects much younger working age people than those in high-income countries (an average of about 15 years younger). Half were provided with access to professionals, such as physiotherapists, who taught the family techniques such as mobility training and communication practice. Each patient was also visited at their home to ensure the rehabilitation was carried out correctly by their carer. The intervention more than doubled hospital therapy time, provided additional community training and was associated with about 30 minutes of daily therapy-related activities by the patient and carer in the first month at home. It is estimated that around 1.6 million people have a stroke in India each year, yet the vast majority receive no formal rehabilitation. Professor Lindley added: "In many parts of the world, people who have a stroke receive little to no medical treatment at all. In India, there are only 35 stroke units across the whole country, and most are in the cities. In response to the rising rates of stroke there needs to be much greater investment in facilities for people affected by stroke, and measures to protect them from the potentially prohibitive costs of treatment." Professor Jeyaraj Pandian, the lead Indian neurologist from Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, said: "Many more stroke units are needed in India with more trained professionals who can deliver life changing rehabilitation. "The ATTEND trial has been very important in building stroke research capacity in India, and stroke research has recently received important new funding from the Indian Council of Medical Research that builds on this success." It had been hoped the family led care - also known as task shifting (the training of non-healthcare workers to perform tasks traditionally undertaken by the multidisciplinary team) - would help address the limited healthcare access for those with stroke in low and middle income countries. Community rehabilitation is also a priority of the World Health Organisation. The disappointing results of the trial provide important new evidence that task shifting a complex intervention such as rehabilitation may not be effective. Professor GV Murthy of the Indian Institute of Public Health, the Co-Chair of the study, commented: "Task shifting is increasingly seen as a solution to targeting chronic diseases in many countries in the world. But our results show it may be ineffective for some conditions and waste already limited resources. "We need more rigorous examinations of such family and community led programs before they become commonplace." Pills. Credit: Public Domain New research on how birth control pills affect the level of hormones in women's blood serum has found much higher levels of hormones in women who take birth control pills compared to women who don't. The University of Michigan study was motivated by evidence that breast cancer risk increases with hormonal exposure. The authors examined seven commonly prescribed birth control pills and found that four formulations more than quadruple levels of progestin, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone, and another formulation resulted in a 40 percent higher exposure to ethinyl estradiol, a synthetic version of estrogen. The study's lead author, human evolutionary biologist Beverly Strassmann, stresses that birth control has greatly improved women's lives. But, she says, it's also important to design birth control pills so that they don't contribute to risk for breast cancer. In American women, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of death. "Not enough has changed over the generations of these drugs, and given how many people take hormonal birth control worldwidemillionsthe pharmaceutical industry shouldn't rest on its laurels," said Strassmann, professor of anthropology and faculty associate at the U-M Institute for Social Research. Progesterone and estrogen are both produced by the ovaries and their levels vary naturally over the course of the menstrual cycle. The pill replaces these naturally released hormones with synthetic versions. The study's goal was to test whether the synthetic versions increased or decreased hormonal exposure compared to what women might get from their own ovaries. "That this hasn't been answered is amazing, given that we already know that there's a correlation between hormonal exposure and breast cancer risk," Strassmann said. Strassman's research pulled data from 12 different studies that measured the amount of estrogen and progesterone over the menstrual cycle in women who don't take the pill. Strassmann and her co-authors then compared the total levels of estrogen and progesterone in these women to the total levels of synthetic hormones, progestin and estradiol, in women taking one of several commonly prescribed birth control pills for 28 days. That information was taken from the package inserts for each contraceptive formulation. The new study follows up Strassmann's previous research on menstruation and reproductive biology in the Dogon people of Mali, West Africa. Dogon women rarely practice birth control, have an average of nine pregnancies, and often breastfeed children to age 2 years. Because pregnancy and breastfeeding suppress ovulation, Dogon women have only about 100 menstrual periods during their lifetimes. That number is a sharp contrast to the 400 periods experienced, on average, by Westernized women who have about two children and seldom breastfeed for more than one year. "The increased number of menses is associated with increased hormonal exposure and risk for breast cancer," Strassmann said. "It is critically important to know whether hormonal contraception further exacerbates this risk." More information: Jennie L. Lovett et al. Oral contraceptives cause evolutionarily novel increases in hormone exposure: a risk factor for breast cancer, Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health (2017). Jennie L. Lovett et al. Oral contraceptives cause evolutionarily novel increases in hormone exposure: a risk factor for breast cancer,(2017). DOI: 10.1093/emph/eox009 Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) is a key protein in DNA replication and repair. During the DNA synthesis phase (S-phase) PCNA is recruited to sub-nuclear sites of DNA replication forming distinctive patterns over time that characterize different S-phase stages. Simulations on TACC's Stampede supercomputer helped researchers understand these processes. Credit: Henry Herce An important factor in fighting cancer is the speed at which the disease can be identified, diagnosed and treated. The current standard involves a patient feeling ill or a physician seeing signs of a tumor. These indicators lead to more precise diagnoses via blood tests, x-rays or MRI imaging. But once the disease is far enough along to be noticeable, the cancer has often spread. In the future, though, it may be possible to diagnose cancer much earlier using more sensitive body scans, new types of biomarker tests, and even nano-sensors working in the bloodstream. Experimenting with these techniques in cancer patients or healthy individuals is difficult and potentially unethical. But scientists can test these technologies virtually using supercomputers to simulate the dynamics of cells and tissues. Building a better breast cancer early detection system Manual breast exams and mammograms are currently the most effective and widely used techniques for early detection of breast cancer. Unfortunately, manual breast exams are limited in their ability to detect tumors since they only produce local information about the site where the force is applied. Mammograms (breast x-rays), on the other hand, are more accurate, but expose patients to radiation. Importantly, they do not quantify tissue stiffness, an identifying characteristic of breast tumors. They also produce many false positives, resulting in painful biopsies. Lorraine Olson, a professor of mechanical engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, is collaborating with colleagues Robert Throne of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Adam Nolte of Chemical Engineering to develop an electro-mechanical device that gently indents breast tissue in various locations and records the tissue surface deflections. This data is then converted into detailed 3-D maps of breast tissue stiffness, which can then be used to identify suspicious (stiffer) sites for further testing. "The research takes an approach to early detection of breast cancer that utilizes a fundamental mechanical difference between cancerous and noncancerous tissue," Olson said. "Although this stiffness difference is the basis of manual breast exams, it has not been systematically investigated from an engineering point of view." Olson and her team's approach to determining the relationship between stiffness and interior mapping involves a combination of finite element methodsa numerical method for solving problems in engineering and mathematical physicsand genetic algorithmsa method for solving optimization problems based on natural selection. Paired together, they can map the distribution of stiffness in a given tissue and systematically use "guesses and checks" to find which tissue stiffness map best models the response they actually see in testing. The process involves thousands of these "guesses" and therefore requires powerful supercomputers like Stampede at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), one of the most powerful in the world. After numerous computer studies, the team has begun to experimentally validate this model using gelatin tissue phantoms (similar to Jell-O) with and without stiffer "tumors." They have been running indentation experiments to measure surface displacements on the tissue and identify tumor locations. They presented their work, which is supported by the National Science Foundation, at the 2016 Inverse Problems Symposium. Molecular dynamics simulations on Stampede reproduced the capture of nanocarrier-DNA complex by a mutant alpha-hemolysin pore embedded in lipid bilayer. This video depicts ~35 nanoseconds of simulation time. The protein is shown in orange cutaway, the membrane in ochre lines and spheres, and the nanocarrier-DNA complex in licorice: DNA in red, proteo-nucleic acids (PNA) in teal, and polycationic peptide tag in blue and green. Credit: Kai Tian, Karl Decker, Aleksei Aksimentiev, and Li-Qun Gu, University of Missouri, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign "This system has the potential to significantly increase the early detection of breast cancer with no unnecessary radiation, essentially no risk, and with little additional cost," Olson said. Designing nanoscale dna-readers Olson, Throne and Nolte's electromechanical technique works on the surface of the body, but an emerging class of nano-scale sensors aims to diagnose cancer from within the body. Nanosensors must be small and sensitive, targeting specific biomarkers that may indicate the presence of cancer. They must also be able to communicate that information to an outside observer. Scientists and sci-fi authors have long predicted the rise of nanosensors, but only recently has it become feasible to engineer such technologies. A number of scientists have been using TACC's supercomputers to investigate aspects of this problem. One such researcher is Aleksei Aksimentiev, a professor of biological physics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Aksimentiev focuses on creating silicon nanopore devices that can sequence DNA inside the body to detect the telltale signs of cancer or other diseases. A nanopore is essentially a tiny hole in a very thin membrane, through which an even smaller particle, like DNA, can pass. In addition to being precisely shaped, it must be able to attract the right molecules and induce them to pass through the pore so they can be genetically sequenced and identified. Writing in ACS Nano in December 2016, Aksimentiev and bioengineering professor Li-Qun (Andrew) Gu from the University of Missouri's Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center described efforts to detect genetic biomarkers using nanopores and synthetic nanocarriers. The nanocarriers selectively bind to target biomolecules, and increase their response to the electric field gradient generated by the nanopore, essentially forcing them through the hole. The researchers showed that modestly charged nanocarriers can be used to detect and capture DNA or RNA molecules of any length or secondary structure. Such selective, molecular detection technologies would greatly improve the real-time analysis of complex clinical samples for cancer detection and other diseases. Aksimentiev used TACC's Stampede supercomputer, as well as Blue Waters at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, to design and virtually test the behavior of these nanopores systems. "In the development of nanosensors, such as the nanopore single-molecule sensor for genetic diagnosis of cancer, we can experimentally discover various clinically useful phenomena at the nanometer scale. But our collaborator, Dr. Aksimentiev can utilize their superior computational power to accurately dig out the molecular mechanisms behind these experimental observations," said Gu. "These new nano-mechanisms can guide the design of a new generation of nanopore sensors for genetic marker-based cancer diagnostics, which we believe will play an important role in precision oncology." (This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01-GM079613, R01-GM114204). The simulation studies led to the development of a patent, which was published in May 2017.) Diagnosing biomarkers in the bloodstream with a microscopic lab-on-a-chip Researchers from Lamar University, including Tao Wei, Ian Lian and Yu-Hwa Lo, are exploring a different approach to nanoscale cancer diagnostics. In place of nanopores, they are using lab-on-a-chip techniques invented by Lo's group that can recognize short nucleic acid fragmentswhich act as biomarkers for diseasesin the bloodstream. System used to collect data from tissue phantoms for a new breast cancer diagnostic system. Data collected by the device is computationally modeled to identify possible tumors. Credit: Lorraine Olson, Robert Throne, Adam Nolte, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology The detection is based on the hybridization of nucleic acid fragments grafted on the substrate surface inside an evaporating droplet. Hybridization occurs when nucleic acids form hydrogen bonds. This process is influenced by the molecular geometry of the nucleic acid fragments that spontaneously self-organize into an ordered structure on the surface, also known as self-assembling monolayers (SAMs). The sensitivity of such biochips is dependent on the degree to which the target material can bind to the surface of the biochip. Various factors affect the binding processes, including the structure of SAMs surface, the ion strength, the target DNA concentration and the surface packing density. Wei and his collaborators used Stampede to perform molecular dynamics simulations and free energy computations to study the DNA hybridization process in detail. "Our unique contribution is the use of atomistic simulation to design the surface and optimize the conditions to enhance hybridization efficiency in order to increase the detection resolution," said Wei. "The research will facilitate the development of new biodevices based on nucleic acid hybridization." The team presented their work at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and are working to design and test experimental sensors capable of detecting nucleic acid biomarkers. Sensors that enter nuclei and report on dna repair Henry Herce, a research scientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (currently at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) takes yet another tact to solve the problem of cancer detection in living cells. His research focuses on developing molecules that can enter the nucleus of a cell and bind to a specific protein there known as the Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA). PCNA, nicknamed the "ring master of the genome," is one of the key proteins in DNA replication and repair. DNA replication is essential for the survival, growth and spread of cancer, making it an intriguing target for tumor labeling and inhibition. In a series of publications in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (2014) and Nucleus (2014) enabled by Stampede, Herce and his collaborators described the creation of a novel peptide - a chain of several amino acidsthat can enter the cells of an organism, separate from its carrier molecule and bind to PCNA. They also uncovered the nature of the interactions between the peptides and their PCNA targets in atomistic detail. Finally, they showed that both replication and repair sites can be directly labeled in live cellsthe first cell-permeable peptide marker for these two fundamental processesand introduced a PCNA staining method that causes the target molecule to light up so they can assess its distribution. The simulations complemented experimental results and offered insights into how chemical modifications to the peptide's design can enhance its efficiency, increase its stability, and allow for intracellular delivery. "The discovery represents a versatile tool for instantaneously labeling repair and replication processes in fixed and live cells," Herce said. "Down the road, it could lead to a new tool for early cancer detection." A blood clot forming in the carotid artery. Credit: American Heart Association One stroke is dangerous, and a second, even more so. One important risk factor for that perilous second stroke is an irregular heart beat called atrial fibrillation. If doctors could identify the stroke patients who are most likely to experience atrial fibrillation, they could start treatments that would help prevent a second stroke. But which stroke patients are at risk for the condition has been hard to predict without costly 24/7 monitoring for the hundreds of thousands of people who have a first stroke every year. Now, a team led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center has used electronic medical records to predict the likelihood of a person experiencing atrial fibrillation after either of two kinds of strokes: a cryptogenic stroke or a transient ischemic attack. A paper describing their findings will be published online June 28 in Cardiology. The senior authors are Nigam Shah, MBBS, PhD, associate professor of biomedical data science at Stanford, and Susan Zhao, MD, of Valley Medical Center. Stanford graduate student Albee Ling and Valley Medical Center internist Calvin Kwong, MD, share lead authorship. "This work resulted from a unique collaboration," said Shah, "where a need for risk stratification was identified by Dr. Susan Zhao, and followed up jointly by an informatics student and a clinical fellow to derive a risk estimate for a population for which we don't have good scoring methods." A need to rank stroke patients by risk Stroke patients are typically monitored for atrial fibrillation while they're in the hospital. "But once they go homeafter about a weekclinicians aren't usually too vigilant about monitoring them for atrial fibrillation," said Kwong. But if doctors monitor stroke patients for even 30 days after they go home, atrial fibrillation can be picked up if it's happening. And, indeed, the American Heart Association recommends 30 days of heart rhythm monitoring to detect atrial fibrillation within six months of an initial stroke. The problem, said Kwong, is that such monitoring is expensive and not appropriate for every patient. Shah and his colleagues decided they needed a way to predict which patients should be monitored. There had to be a way to tell the patients who were at high risk for atrial fibrillation and should be monitored from the ones who were at low risk and didn't need to be monitored. List of seven risk factors The team did a retrospective cohort study using data from thousands of stroke patients from Stanford's Translational Research Integrated Database Environment. Of the 9,589 stroke patients in the database, 482 of them, or 5 percent, went on to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The team had already developed a text-processing pipeline for analyzing clinical data and clinical-diagnosis coding. Using that pipeline, the team extracted information from clinical notes, flagging, for example, phrases such as "ruled out stroke" and classifying data according to whether it referred to the patient or came from a family history section. The result was a list of biomedical facts about each patientincluding age, body mass index and so on. Then, by ranking the clinical attributes of patients whose medical records indicated they went on to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the team was able to assemble a set of seven risk factors that, when combined, predicted which stroke patients were the most likely to develop the condition and should be monitored after hospitalization. The risk factorsage, obesity, congestive heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and disease of the heart valvesare the basis of a scoring system that assigns patients to one of three risk groups. Scoring system online "The scoring system we developed is simple to use and the results could help physicians tailor treatment to individual patients," said Ling. It can help physicians decide which patients to monitor. Once it's known that patients have a high risk of atrial fibrillation, they can wear a heart monitor at home to see if they actually are experiencing bouts of atrial fibrillation and then, if they are, treated with the appropriate drugs to try to prevent a second stroke. "Our system needs to be further validated in studies using other independent data sources," said Ling. She said she expects that clinicians and researchers will further validate and improve the scoring system and that, hopefully, it will one day be adopted in everyday practice. "On the other hand, there will surely be more clinical studies conducted using electronic health records, not just at Stanford but in other medical institutions, as well," she added. The study is an example of Stanford Medicine's focus on precision health, the goal of which is to anticipate and prevent disease in the healthy and precisely diagnose and treat disease in the ill. Studies like this one can be done quickly using preexisting patient data in just a matter of days, and provide a way to score patients' individual risk so that treatment can be partly customized. Many people living with dementia reside in long-term care facilities, where the lack of stimulation can result in behaviors such as hitting, screaming, and wandering. Common measures to avoid such "responsive" behaviors, such as antipsychotic medications and personalized recreational and music therapy programs, can cause adverse health effects in the former case and be difficult for staff to find time to carry out in the latter case. A team of human factors/ergonomics researchers helped to evaluate and refine Ambient Activity (or AA; Ambient Activity Technologies Inc.), interactive tools designed to augment existing programs and activities by alleviating boredom and increasing engagement. The team evaluating the effectiveness of AA units for managing behavior in people with dementia is being led by Andrea Wilkinson, a postdoctoral research fellow in mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Toronto. The work was recently presented at the 2017 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, held in March in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Ambient Activity Technologies for Managing Responsive Behaviors in Dementia" has just been published in the online proceedings of the symposium. The AA unit has a wooden case and knobs reminiscent of an old-style radio/television to provide dementia patients with a sense of familiarity and comfort with the device. It is designed to be mounted on the wall, where it can be easily accessed. When a patient turns a knob or flips a switch, the AA unit displays personalized content such as a slideshow of family photos, games, movie clips, and favorite music that has been selected by residents, family members, or staff and preloaded onto the AA unit. The device uses Bluetooth technology to recognize and connect each resident with his or her individualized programming so it can be activated anytime day or night. Wilkinson notes, "AA aims to treat the cause rather than the symptom by creating meaningful physical, mental, and social engagement with personalized activities and content. Our goal is to help people with dementia maintain their physical and cognitive status as much as possible while enhancing their quality of life." Testing and evaluation prior to commercial release of the device is still under way. More information: Andrea Wilkinson et al, Ambient Activity Technologies for Managing Responsive Behaviours in Dementia, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care (2017). Andrea Wilkinson et al, Ambient Activity Technologies for Managing Responsive Behaviours in Dementia,(2017). DOI: 10.1177/2327857917061008 The first song of Toilet Ek Prem Katha is out, and it is creepy AF. By India Today Web Desk: "Ek baar palat ke dekh le to din ban jaega, has mat pagli pyaar ho jaega." Akshay Kumar teased his fans with the lyrics of the first song of his upcoming film Toilet Ek Prem Katha a few days ago. And we couldn't wait to see the 'romantic number' starring Khiladi Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar. advertisement And after days of waiting, Hans Mat Pagli is finally out, and we are not impressed. If the trailer of Toilet Ek Prem Katha was a teaser of Akshay's stalker behaviour in the film, the first song Hans Mat Pagli is almost a full-fledged film that teaches you the skills of stalking. From following the girl on a bike to taking her pictures on his mobile, Hans Mat Pagli gives a crash course in stalking, and is creepy AF. Touted to be a love song, Hans Mat Pagli is anything but romantic. The two-minute song shows Akshay following Bhumi Pednekar all across the city. Be it waiting outside her house or secretly recording her on his phone or boarding a train to catch a glimpse of her, Akshay is all over the place, and we are not liking it. In the last few years, Akshay has moved away from mindless masala flicks and is busy experimenting with his on-screen roles. From playing a national hero in Airlift to a lawyer in Jolly LLB 2, the actor is trying to push the envelope with each of his films. And we thought Toilet Ek Prem Katha too would be along the same lines. But going by the first song, Akshay has proven us wrong. In fact, Keshav reminds us of Shiva from the 2012 film Rowdy Rathore. While filmmaker Shree Narayan Singh's directorial venture boasts of a kickass story, and that too with a social message at its core, Singh has miserably failed to break the stereotype and has let a stalker pass off as a true lover. A stalker is often seen through rose-tinted glasses in Bollywood, and is believed to be a die-hard romantic. And Toilet Ek Prem Katha looks no different. ALSO READ: Will Bollywood never stop glorifying harassment and stalking? ALSO READ: 5 intriguing points from Toilet Ek Prem Katha trailer ALSO WATCH: Akshay Kumar is the real 'Khiladi' of Bollywood --- ENDS --- The Labour Court on Tuesday heard that its decision on whether or not former Eskom CEO Brian Molefes dismissal was unlawful would have a direct impact on a separate High Court bid which seeks to have his reappointment reviewed. This was revealed during arguments made by the Democratic Alliance in court. Both the DA and the Economic Freedom Fighters filed an urgent application, asking to be granted permission to intervene as interested parties in Molefes matter. Molefe was reappointed as Eskom CEO by the parastatals board on May 12, after a dispute over a R30m pension payout. However, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown who initially objected to the Eskom boards proposed pension payout for Molefe, but then endorsed his return announced that his reappointment had been rescinded on May 30. Molefe approached the Labour Court to challenge the decision to rescind his reappointment. If the court gave a judgment that Molefes dismissal was unlawful, it would beg the question whether his employment was lawful, DA lawyer Paul Kennedy told the court. This court cannot find that the dismissal was unlawful if the employment was unlawful. Kennedy was responding to Molefes decision to oppose the two parties application. Molefe resignation The DA and EFF applied to have Molefes reappointment reviewed at the High Court in Pretoria earlier in June. The matter was postponed pending the outcome of the Labour Court application, which Molefe launched a few days before. In the meantime, the High Court issued an order ruling that Molefe should not report for work at Eskom and that Eskom should not expect him to be at work. The High Court also ruled that the DA should indefinitely postpone its application to interdict Molefe from taking up employment at Eskom, pending the outcome of the Labour Court action initiated by him. Should Mr Molefe be successful in the Labour Court, the DA will set down our application to interdict Mr Molefes continued employment at Eskom, DA federal executive chair James Selfe said at the time. Molefe resigned from his position as the parastatals CEO in November 2016 after a report, titled State of Capture, by then-Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that he had communicated regularly with the controversial Gupta family and that he had, on a number of occasions, visited their Saxonwold compound in Johannesburg. I have, in the interests of good corporate governance, decided to leave my employ at Eskom from 1 January 2017. I do so voluntarily, Molefe said at the time. I will take time off to reflect before I decide on my next career move. I wish to reiterate that this act is not an admission of wrongdoing on my part. It is rather what I feel to be the correct thing to do in the interests of the company and good corporate governance.Molefe was sworn in as a Member of Parliament shortly after making that announcement. That cloud still has not cleared EFF lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi told the court on Tuesday that the dark cloud, under which Molefe had resigned, was still hanging over him. He intended to argue on Thursday that Molefe was not suitable to be a senior official employed by a state-owned entity. Our contention is Molefe is clearly unsuitable to be reinstated as CEO of Eskom. When Molefe left, there was a cloud hanging over him. That cloud still has not cleared. Molefes lawyer Noel Graves had argued that his clients case with the Labour Court was a private and personal matter between an employer and its employee and that the DA and EFF had no right to intervene. They dont have a role to play in every single matter where they believe that they should be there, he told the court. Just because the matter involved a state-owned entity, he said, it did not mean political parties had an automatic right to attach themselves. In this case, Eskom was involved as a registered company, one which adhered to company acts and regulations, just like any other company, he added. The Constitution is not always the first port of call. The first port of call is a matter of private parties, Graves argued. Judge Connie Prinsloo granted the DA and EFF the right to intervene, with costs. The matter will be heard on Thursday. News24 A new strain of ransomware called Petya, and which emerged in Ukraine and Russia yesterday has spread to the US and South Africa. The Ukrainian Cyber Police said on Twitter that the original infection was made through an automatic software update feature built into M.E.Doc, accounting software used by companies which work with the Ukrainian government. Symantec said Petya uses EternalBlue, a hacking weapon developed by the NSA, leaked online by a group known as the Shadow Brokers, and used in the WannaCry ransomware last month. The NSA said it is moderately confident that WannaCry was the work of North Korean hackers. EternalBlue exploits a vulnerability in all versions of Windows which Microsoft patched in March. Due to how serious the attack was, Microsoft also released a patch for versions of Windows that it no longer supports except through custom support agreements. Petya ransomware a smokescreen Krebs on Security reports that the ransomware included in Petya may be a smokescreen. Quoting Nicholas Weaver, a security researcher at the International Computer Science Institute, the report stated that Petya appears to be engineered to be destructive, and masquerades as a ransomware strain. Like WannaCry, Petyas ransom note shows the same Bitcoin address for every victim. Most ransomware creates a custom address for each infected user, to ensure payment tracking is possible. Petya also asks victims to contact the extortionists holding their files to ransom by email. Weaver noted that most ransomware asks victims to communicate with them via Tor. Weaver said, with moderate confidence, that this was a deliberate, malicious, destructive attack, or perhaps a test disguised as ransomware. Group-IB, a Russian security firm, reported that Petya includes a tool called LSADump, which can harvest passwords and other data from Windows computers and domain controllers on the network. Petya in South Africa Reports on Radio 702 suggest that companies in South Africa have been infected by Petya. When powering up their computers, users were shown the screen below. It has been reported that Petya is also referred to as NotPetya. Now read: Tips to avoid becoming a Ransomware victim Googles head of communications for South Africa, Mich Atagana, is passionate about launching the companys devices locally. If I have my way, she said about bringing the Pixel and Home into the country. Its really important to me. These are the first Pixel and Home devices that Google has released, and it wants to make sure it gets it right in one place before moving to the next, she said. As with everything, we hope to roll out globally as we go, said Atagana. Support for Google Assistant Features in Google Assistant which dont currently work in South Africa will start to come online as local partnerships fall into place. This is according to Googles Laura Scott. Google Assistant is a context-aware, voice-powered search assistant for smartphones. While most of the assistants functionality is available to South Africa, features such as booking a movie, hotel room, or a table at a restaurant are not. The advantage here is that people speak English and they can still use a lot of the functionality, said Scott. Its frustrating for local users, but it is an enormous challenge to get all those things to work, and so itll be a little bit of time yet. Scott said she doesnt have a timeframe for rolling out the features in South Africa, and said a lot of it is going to come down to partnerships. Pixel Home Now read: The Google Pixel is an awesome smartphone Microsoft founder Paul Allen's collection of world masterpieces goes under hammer for $1.6 billion China shows drone killer Armenian FM meets his French counterpart Rishi Sunak decides to close hole in British budget through austerity Delegation of Russian MPs visits Jermuk resort town Lavrov and Mirzoyan discuss regional agenda Harut Sasunyan: The best way to achieve peace is to be prepared for war Turkish prosecutor demands court to ban Istanbul mayor from political activities German business leaders warn against leaving China Sasunyan: Russia and US pursue their own interests in South Caucasus British economy shrinks in three months, foretelling prolonged recession Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan summoned to Foreign Ministry Euro rises above dollar for first time in long time Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister calls Council of Turkic States 'forum of peace' and praises Turkey EU embargo on Russian oil will be a boon for OPEC Armenia defense minister receives China ambassador, military attache Lemkin Institute condemns Azerbaijan president's genocidal rhetoric Dollar goes up, euro rises sharply in Armenia U.S. warns Europe that conflict over Taiwan will cause massive global economic shock EU calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to moderate their rhetoric Erdogan says Turkey has been waiting at door of EU for 52 years and will give answer when time comes U.S. fears that European support for Ukrainian strategy will begin to weaken Armenia, Iran emphasize need to quickly implement agreements reached (PHOTOS) Armenia soldier wounded by Azerbaijan shooting undergoes surgery Gas over morality: Hungary guards Azerbaijan's interests U.S. quietly seeks concessions from Saudi Arabia after Mohammed bin Salman humiliated Biden Italy's Ambassador to Armenia visits Gyumri Russian Armed Forces complete redeployment of grouping from right bank of Dnieper IRGC: Adversaries are frightened and on alert Armenia appoints ambassador to Sri Lanka Kremlin doesn't consider leaving Kherson 'humiliating' Israeli president thinks the world is concerned about Netanyahu's far-right coalition partner Chinese MFA: China is not distancing itself from Russia, as Biden believes Ukraine will seek help from its foreign partners in financing Starlink satellite internet systems Erdogan: Situation in South Caucasus remains fragile Marukyan: Azerbaijans Aliyev admitted that his country started 2nd Karabakh war, despite previously insisting opposite Azerbaijan blackmailing Armenia through Lachin corridor Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus becomes observer in Organization of Turkic States Armenia PM: In his latest speech Aliyev flagrantly violated agreement on refraining from threat or use of force World Bank official: Armenia is one of best countries in terms of credit portfolio performance Azerbaijan president makes repeated accusations, threats against Armenia Iran citizens injured in Armenia road accident China reveals new giant drone that could point to the future of air warfare US embassy in Armenia closed today Karabakh MOD: Defense Army did not fire at Azerbaijan positions located in occupied territories Israel and U.S. counter threat of hypersonic missiles together U.S. and EU plan to publish new roadmap on artificial intelligence Armenia ombudsperson meets with Belgium colleagues Newspaper: Armenia parliament opposition seats to no longer be empty Newspaper: Armenia parliament committee of inquiry into 2020 war circumstances is inactive U.S. will no longer consider Russia a country with a market economy US intends to protect Azerbaijan from threats of Iran Aliyev, Erdogan discuss results of tripartite meeting in Russias Sochi Azerbaijan army fires at Armenia positions, uses mortars as well Amazon becomes world's first public company to lose $1 trillion in market value EU's odd couple: Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel can't stand each other US, China set first benchmarks ahead of presidents' meeting Iranian MFA summons Azerbaijani ambassador to carpet in connection with anti-Iranian propaganda Washington to resist any attempt by new Israeli government to annex West Bank Biden thinks Elon Musk's relations with other countries are worthy of being looked at Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Polish senator about consequences of Azerbaijani aggression Armenian deputy in Vilnius talks about goals of Azerbaijan's aggressive policy Taliban bans women from gyms U.S. to send Ukraine another $400 million in military aid Ursula von der Leyen announces EUR 250 million support package for Moldova Biden and Jinping meet on sidelines of G20 summit in Bali to be held on November 14 Riches of world get poorer suddenly State Duma deputy: Interparliamentary format Yerevan-Baku-Moscow will be included soon to solve issues IMF sees growing risk of economic fragmentation Armen Gevorgyan to visit Strasbourg, Brussels and Paris State Duma deputy: Upper Lars border crossing capacity has increased fivefold UK government freezes over 18 billion pounds worth of Russian assets State Duma deputy on Zatulin's ban on entering Armenia: These issues must be resolved Borrell calls for retooling EU infrastructure for rapid transport of military equipment to East European Parliament clears way for Croatia's admission to Schengen Area European Council President Michel calls on EU member states to jointly purchase gas to reduce fuel prices Alen Simonyan congratulates scientists on their professional holiday Armenian President meets with leaders of several countries in Egypt Greece accuses Turkey of profiting from the suffering of other countries under sanctions USAID official says she personally saw how democracy, economic development are progressing in Armenia (VIDEO) YEREVAN. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia received a report on Tuesday at 11:22pm. Accordingly, a car had crashed into a roadside barrier nearby Gndevaz village in Vayots Dzor Province, there were affected, and rescuers were needed. A rescue squad was dispatched to the scene. It was found out that this vehiclewith driver Vahe G., 32had gone off road on the Jermuk-Vayk motorway, and collided with a barrier. The driver and the passenger, Sirun Harutyunyan, 28, were taken out of the car by local efforts. Subsequently, rescuers carried Harutyunyan to an ambulance. According to the ambulance staff, however, the passenger died. And prior to the rescuers arrival, the driver was hospitalized. STEPANAKERT. President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR), Bako Sahakyan, on Wednesday attended the opening of the conference, entitled Issues and Prospects of Higher Education, which kicked off in capital city Stepanakert. The President considered the organization of such a representative event dedicated to educational issues in Artsakh important and demanded, noting that the people of Karabakh and their inexhaustible intellectual potential constitute the greatest wealth of the country, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. Also, Sahakyan stressed that education and science are among the most effective ways for strengthening the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity, especially in the present-day globalization era. He added that, as in the implementation of other significant strategic programs, Artsakh needed support from Armenia and the Diaspora in education, too. YEREVAN. Armenia has no intention to send troops and arms to Syria, Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan said at a press conference on Wednesday, answering a question, whether the issue was discussed during the Security Council meeting. Noting that the substance of the meeting is not subject to disclosure, the minister, nevertheless, said that Armenia does not intend to go beyond the program of provision of humanitarian assistance to Syria. In particular, the question of sending troops and arms was not discussed yesterday, the minister noted. According to him, if Yerevan decides to send the contingent to Syria in future, it will be formed of contractors exclusively. YEREVAN. According to confirmed data, the Azerbaijani armed forces have lost eight servicemen in the last ten days. The Minister of Defense of Armenia, Vigen Sargsyan, stated the above-said at a press conference on Wednesday. [But] according to unconfirmed data, the number of casualties is more, he added explaining that in this case, this refers to the retaliatory actions that were carried out with success. In the ministers words, however, these killed Azerbaijani soldiers were not buried, and there is no information about them in the Azerbaijani press. By Press Trust of India: Kolkata, Jun 28 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MLA Iqbal Ahmed, facing probe for his alleged role in the Narada scam, was today ordered by the Calcutta High Court to cooperate with the investigators. Justice Joymalyo Bagchi gave this direction to MLA Ahmed while hearing his plea for quashing of the case registered against him on the basis of a sting operation carried out by investigative journalist Mathew Samuel, who had caught on camera a slew of West Bengal politicians and bureaucrats accepting wads of cash as bribe for extending favours to his fictitious firm. advertisement The CBI is investigating the Narada sting operation on an order by the high court, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed separate FIRs against all 13 accused in the CBI case, including Ahmed, to investigate the money trail. Ahmed, who is also the deputy mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), submitted through his lawyer that the FIR against him was without jurisdiction and had relied on inadmissible evidence and, accordingly, needs to be quashed. The court adjourned the hearing of the plea in till Friday, when it would be taken up along with another petition for quashing of the FIR against Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Aparupa Poddar. The hearing of Poddars petition has been held a few times before this court. Ahmed, the first of the Narada scam accused to be summoned by the CBI, appeared before the agency for questioning on June 5. Naradanews.com editor Mathew Samuel had claimed it was Ahmed who had introduced him to the senior TMC leaders who he had paid money on behalf of a fictitious company. Samuel has claimed Ahmed had taken money from him for introducing him to the leaders. The sting videos, which were released by Mathew just before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections, had created a political furore. The sting operation relates to the secret filming of the TMC leaders and an IPS officer allegedly accepting money from representatives of a fictitious company. The CBI is probing the matter on a Calcutta High Court order and has registered FIRs against 12 senior TMC leaders, including MPs and ministers and the IPS officer. The TMC leaders against whom the CBI has registered the FIR include Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Roy, Lok Sabha MPs Saugata Roy, Aparupa Poddar, Sultan Ahmed, Prasun Banerjee and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Environment Minister Sovan Chatterjee and Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee have also been named in the FIR. Former Minister Madan Mitra, MLA Iqbal Ahmed and IPS officer Saiyaad Mustafa Hussain Mirza have also been made accused in the case. PTI AMR MD RAX --- ENDS --- advertisement YEREVAN. We discuss the partys [ruling Republican Party of Armenia] programs each week, and I dont consider it expedient to inform all the matters to the public at this phase. The Minister of Justice, Davit Harutyunyan, on Thursday told the aforesaid to reporters at parliament. He noted this reflecting on the predictions for after April 2018, when Serzh Sargsyans presidential term will come to an end. Each such prediction shall be truly premature because when it will be April 2018, the situation (...) may change at that time, and which will prompt us as to what is the way to go forward, he said. As for whether Karen Karapetyan will continue to serve as Prime Minister after April 2018, Harutyunyan noted: There have been cases when the governments that were formed had a very short life. () But this didnt prevent them from writing a five-year [government] program; this is right because each and every political authority presents its program with a certain vision. The father of a 5-year-old Pasadena boy missing since April behaved strangely during the first hearing in court. Aramazd Andressian Sr. joked and even laughed, talking with the judge, Daily Mail reported. Andressian said that he has not been trying to evade authorities, despite spending the past 47 days in Las Vegas living out of a hotel. If California wants me they can come and get me, Andressian told Justice of the Peace Eric Goodman. I never came here in an intent to flee. Ara will pay tenfold for all that he has done, the child's mother told NBC4 after the hearing. It was reported earlier that Aramazd Andressian Sr. tried to commit suicide and was getting ready to flee the US to a country from which he could not be extradited. If convicted of murder, Andressian could get a maximum of 25 years to life in prison. Boys mother reported him missing on April 22, after his father, with whom she shares custody, failed to show up to their arranged meeting point to drop off their son. Aramazd Andressian Sr. was found unresponsive in Arroyo Park early morning on April 22, a short distance from his vehicle. The toddler, however, was not with his father at that time. YEREVAN. The charge brought against the members of the Sasna Tsrer armed group is not political, but criminal. The Prosecutor General of Armenia, Artur Davtyan, on Wednesday stated about the aforementioned to reporters at parliament. In his words, the members of this armed group committed an apparent crime; they took over of a police patrol regiment building in capital city Yerevan, right before the eyes of the Armenian and international community. As per the attorney general, this is why the case against them cannot be regarded as political persecution. The Sasna Tsrer armed group took over a police patrol regiment building in Yerevan, held hostages, but later surrendered, in July 2016. Israels involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will have negative consequences, Iranian Parliament Speaker said during a meeting with his Armenian counterpart. Ali Larijani made the remark in a meeting with President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Ara Babloyan, on the sidelines of the second annual Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries' Parliaments in Seoul on Tuesday, adding that the issues between Armenia and Republic of Azerbaijan need to be settled without outside interference, Mehr agency reported. Israel is one of the leading arms suppliers to Azerbaijan. Last year Azerbaijani leader said Israel and Azerbaijan had signed contract with a total amount of $5 billion during years of cooperation in military sphere. The Israeli experts, however, say the figure is exxagerated. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) President Pedro Agramunt has been removed from the European Peoples Party (EPP) group. National Assembly (NA) of Armenia vice president and head of the NA Delegation to PACE, Arpine Hovhannisyan, who was elected vice-president of this organization during its summer session that kicked off Monday and is also the EPP spokesperson at PACE, told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. She said the respective decision was made at Wednesdays meeting of the EPP deputies. In Hovhannisyans words, the decision to remove Agramunt from the group was adopted by vote of 30 for, 0 against, and 3 abstentions. She noted that the whole Azerbaijani lobby, however, was fighting for Agramunt and defending him. Furthermore, as per Hovhannisyan, those who were against, did not vote. As reported earlier, the PACE deputies on Tuesday adopted a resolution that enables to start a process of no-confidence toward PACE leaders, including President Agramunt. And Arpine Hovhannisyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that after the adoption of this resolution, signatures will need to be collected in order to express no-confidence to Pedro Agramunt. Microsoft founder Paul Allen's collection of world masterpieces goes under hammer for $1.6 billion China shows drone killer Armenian FM meets his French counterpart Rishi Sunak decides to close hole in British budget through austerity Delegation of Russian MPs visits Jermuk resort town Lavrov and Mirzoyan discuss regional agenda Harut Sasunyan: The best way to achieve peace is to be prepared for war Turkish prosecutor demands court to ban Istanbul mayor from political activities German business leaders warn against leaving China Sasunyan: Russia and US pursue their own interests in South Caucasus British economy shrinks in three months, foretelling prolonged recession Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan summoned to Foreign Ministry Euro rises above dollar for first time in long time Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister calls Council of Turkic States 'forum of peace' and praises Turkey EU embargo on Russian oil will be a boon for OPEC Armenia defense minister receives China ambassador, military attache Lemkin Institute condemns Azerbaijan president's genocidal rhetoric Dollar goes up, euro rises sharply in Armenia U.S. warns Europe that conflict over Taiwan will cause massive global economic shock EU calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to moderate their rhetoric Erdogan says Turkey has been waiting at door of EU for 52 years and will give answer when time comes U.S. fears that European support for Ukrainian strategy will begin to weaken Armenia, Iran emphasize need to quickly implement agreements reached (PHOTOS) Armenia soldier wounded by Azerbaijan shooting undergoes surgery Gas over morality: Hungary guards Azerbaijan's interests U.S. quietly seeks concessions from Saudi Arabia after Mohammed bin Salman humiliated Biden Italy's Ambassador to Armenia visits Gyumri Russian Armed Forces complete redeployment of grouping from right bank of Dnieper IRGC: Adversaries are frightened and on alert Armenia appoints ambassador to Sri Lanka Kremlin doesn't consider leaving Kherson 'humiliating' Israeli president thinks the world is concerned about Netanyahu's far-right coalition partner Chinese MFA: China is not distancing itself from Russia, as Biden believes Ukraine will seek help from its foreign partners in financing Starlink satellite internet systems Erdogan: Situation in South Caucasus remains fragile Marukyan: Azerbaijans Aliyev admitted that his country started 2nd Karabakh war, despite previously insisting opposite Azerbaijan blackmailing Armenia through Lachin corridor Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus becomes observer in Organization of Turkic States Armenia PM: In his latest speech Aliyev flagrantly violated agreement on refraining from threat or use of force World Bank official: Armenia is one of best countries in terms of credit portfolio performance Azerbaijan president makes repeated accusations, threats against Armenia Iran citizens injured in Armenia road accident China reveals new giant drone that could point to the future of air warfare US embassy in Armenia closed today Karabakh MOD: Defense Army did not fire at Azerbaijan positions located in occupied territories Israel and U.S. counter threat of hypersonic missiles together U.S. and EU plan to publish new roadmap on artificial intelligence Armenia ombudsperson meets with Belgium colleagues Newspaper: Armenia parliament opposition seats to no longer be empty Newspaper: Armenia parliament committee of inquiry into 2020 war circumstances is inactive U.S. will no longer consider Russia a country with a market economy US intends to protect Azerbaijan from threats of Iran Aliyev, Erdogan discuss results of tripartite meeting in Russias Sochi Azerbaijan army fires at Armenia positions, uses mortars as well UAE is going to launch flying cabs from airports Amazon becomes world's first public company to lose $1 trillion in market value EU's odd couple: Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel can't stand each other US, China set first benchmarks ahead of presidents' meeting Iranian MFA summons Azerbaijani ambassador to carpet in connection with anti-Iranian propaganda Washington to resist any attempt by new Israeli government to annex West Bank Biden thinks Elon Musk's relations with other countries are worthy of being looked at Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Polish senator about consequences of Azerbaijani aggression Armenian deputy in Vilnius talks about goals of Azerbaijan's aggressive policy Taliban bans women from gyms U.S. to send Ukraine another $400 million in military aid Ursula von der Leyen announces EUR 250 million support package for Moldova Biden and Jinping meet on sidelines of G20 summit in Bali to be held on November 14 Riches of world get poorer suddenly State Duma deputy: Interparliamentary format Yerevan-Baku-Moscow will be included soon to solve issues IMF sees growing risk of economic fragmentation Armen Gevorgyan to visit Strasbourg, Brussels and Paris State Duma deputy: Upper Lars border crossing capacity has increased fivefold UK government freezes over 18 billion pounds worth of Russian assets State Duma deputy on Zatulin's ban on entering Armenia: These issues must be resolved Borrell calls for retooling EU infrastructure for rapid transport of military equipment to East European Parliament clears way for Croatia's admission to Schengen Area European Council President Michel calls on EU member states to jointly purchase gas to reduce fuel prices Alen Simonyan congratulates scientists on their professional holiday Armenian President meets with leaders of several countries in Egypt Greece accuses Turkey of profiting from the suffering of other countries under sanctions USAID official says she personally saw how democracy, economic development are progressing in Armenia (VIDEO) Spain court sentences civilian to prison for spreading fakes Armenian Embassy in Russia issues statement on Azerbaijan's actions Indian company to supply 155mm self-propelled artillery guns worth $155mln to Armenia Japanese minister caught in scandal for talking about death penalty France changes its ambassador to Azerbaijan UN General Assembly draft resolution requires Russia to pay reparations to Ukraine Belarusian State Border Committee: Poland creates tense situation on border Joint meeting of Armenian National Assembly and Russian State Duma Committee takes place Iranian President says attempt to destabilize country fails Deputy: Russian side is informed about importance of withdrawal of Azerbaijani units from the territory of Armenia State Duma deputy: We can't imagine Russia without Armenia Georgian PM and Armenian Ambassador discuss cooperation issues Bali is short of armored limousines for G20 summit participants FLYONE ARMENIA to start flights between Yerevan, Dubai Kyodo: Emperor of Japan revealed to have prostate hyperplasia Iranian intelligence urges Saudi Arabia not to test Tehran's strategic patience Kazakhstan intends to ship 1.5 mln tons of oil via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline Former Ombudsman: 2,700 ha of Kapan community of Armenia's Syunik Province are under occupation by Baku Armenia to ratify cooperation agreement with China By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) The Delhi government is being "cruel to the citizens" due to its "sheer inefficiency and negligence" as debris were not being cleared from a South Delhi drain, the Delhi High Court said today. Chastising the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government for not having an annual plan for clearing the drain and only resorting to "knee-jerk measures" before the onset of monsoon, the high court said the "babus get paid for working throughout the year for the entire city." advertisement A bench of Justices Manmohan and Yogesh Khanna was dealing with the issue of clearance of debris in the Kushak drain near South Extension-II by June 26 as was promised earlier. "You have to have a master plan for the drains (storm water and sewage). You cannot have a knee-jerk reaction. You have to have a holistic view. Fact of the matter is that there is no planning. "So flooding occurs in Delhi every year. Things are in a terrible shape, as for a whole year, nothing is done and debris are dumped. Then you try to clean it up in five days as the monsoon comes," the bench said. The accumulated garbage in the drain was "an epidemic waiting to happen" and "you are being cruel to the citizens," the court said. In its defence, the PWD said that the storm water drain - Kushak nullah - can withstand the rainfall of the monsoon. However, its officials were speechless when they were asked to give an undertaking that there would be no flooding this time round. The PWD and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) told the court that storm water drains were maintained primarily by the municipal corporations. To this, the court said another problem faced by the city was the multiplicity of civic agencies with each blaming the other or "passing the buck", instead of having a "citizen- oriented approach". It, thereafter, directed the PWD Secretary, the Delhi Jal Board CEO and the Commissioner of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to inspect the site and ensure there is free flow of water in the Kushak nullah which flows into the Yamuna. Referring to photographs showing the "dismal state of affairs" of the discharge of garbage and sewage into the storm water drain, the bench said it happens because the government regularises colonies but does not provide them services subsequently. "The political leadership has to understand that their credibility would be affected. You regulate, but you do not provide service. You have to provide service," the court said. advertisement It also said that PWD was using rudimentary technology to clear the drain when advanced technology was available. "Which century are your officials living in," the court asked. It further observed that the PWD was "spending money to create debris and then spending money to clear it. ... This is nothing but sheer inefficiency and negligence," adding that the PWD officials appear to be unaware of the magnitude of the problem. The court had earlier warned the PWD officials that they would be sent jail for lack of results. Today, it directed the PWD to remove the debris and garbage from the storm water drain and deposit it in a landfill or a designated site. It asked the top officials of PWD, DJB and SDMC to file an action taken report and status report before the next date of hearing on July 12. The court was hearing a PIL initiated by it in 2012 regarding the water-logging and flooding in the South Extension-II. It has been from time to time issuing directions to the authorities to prevent water-logging in the area, but with no results. PTI HMP PPS AG ARC --- ENDS --- advertisement YEREVAN. Within the framework of its visit to the Czech Republic, the Republic of Armenia National Assembly (RA NA) delegation, led by NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov who also heads the Armenia-Czech Republic parliamentary friendship group, on Wednesday met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, Lukas Kaucky. Positively assessing the development dynamics of the Armenian-Czech relations, the sides highlighted the further development of bilateral relations, the NA informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. The interlocutors touched upon the necessity of continuity of the RA-EU political dialogue. The RA NA Deputy Speaker documented that Armenia is resolute with its European colleagues, in terms of expanding and deepening of institutional reform process aimed at democracy and continuous strengthening of human rights and rule of law. Reflecting on regional matters, Sharmazanov noted that Turkey continues its Armenian Genocide denial policy, keeps its border with Armenia closed, and supports Azerbaijans terrorist actions. Unlike Azerbaijan and Turkey, the people of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] build a democratic country, he stressed. Both Armenia and Artsakh are the full bearers of the system of European values and civilization. In this context, the interlocutors considered military rhetoric and a military solution to the problem inadmissible. Kaucky, for his part, praised the process of democratic reforms in Armenia and highlighted that, as an EU member country, the Czech Republic is ready to support the continuity of democratic reforms in Armenia. Also, the Czech deputy FM lauded the Czech Chamber of Deputies adoptionon April 25of the Resolution on Recognition and Condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. YEREVAN. - The capacity of solar power stations in Armenia will reach 110 MW by 2019. Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Hayk Harutyunyan said the aforementioned at the seminar of KfW bank, referring to the Support for Renewable Energy program. In his words, the generation of energy by solar stations is unstable (it can be weak depending on solar light but may also change each second), 110 MW being the maximal capacity in case of which the current energy system of the country can ''digest'' new radiations. Nevertheless, the transmission capacities of Armenian energy system will be expanded in 2019. Due to new high-voltage power transmission lines, the overall cross flows between Iran and Georgia will reach nearly 2,000 MW: 350-1000 MW with Iran and up to 1,000-1,200 MW with Georgia. Then there will be no need to fear for radiations: it will be possible to transfer the excess of energy to neighbors and receive it back when necessary. This will open new opportunities for new capacities of alterative energy. Filipino IS Operative Warns Spies that Fighters Will Hunt Them Down Throughout Philippines The investigation agency called in Hurriyat leaders, including three exposed by an India Today sting operation called Hurriyat Truth Tapes, for questioning in New Delhi. By India Today Web Desk: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) called in several Hurriyat leaders, including Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate, Gazi Javed Baba and Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Fantoosh, for questioning at its headquarters in New Delhi. This comes weeks after India Today's sting operation on Khan, Karate and Baba - 'Hurriyat Truth Tapes' - which exposed Pakistan's role in choreographing anarchy in the Kashmir Valley by funding Hurriyat leaders. advertisement Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate and Javed Gazi Baba have been questioned at the NIA headquarters before. Three other leaders - Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Ahmad Shah and Raja Mairaj ul din Kalwal - were taken into preventive custody by the Jammu and Kashmir Police over plans for protests in the Kashmir Valley - including one on July 8, the death anniversary of slain Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. These leaders, who've already been questioned by the NIA several times, will be interrogated further in connection with money laundering cases. ALSO READ | Exclusive: NIA team wants raw footage from India Today after expose on Hurriyat's Pakistan link ALSO READ | Caught on Camera: How Pakistan funds Kashmiri separatists to burn the Valley - India Today Exclusive ALSO WATCH | One rotten fruit does not corrupt the tree: Hurriyat leader Hilal Ahmed War on Naeem Khan --- ENDS --- Marquette University President Michael R. Lovell today announced that a new Sendiks store will open in the heart of the Marquette campus on the northeast corner of 16th and West Wells Streets. "From my earliest days as president at Marquette, I told our students and our partners in the Near West Side that bringing a top-quality grocer to our community was the highest priority," Lovell said. "With more than 90 years of outstanding experience serving Milwaukee, Sendiks arrival in our neighborhood means that our current food desert will soon have a fresh food oasis." The store, which is anticipated to be a catalyst for additional area development, will open during the 2017-18 academic year. The new Sendiks store will be an innovative, small-store-format model. This Marquette location will also feature Sendiks Express, the local grocers online ordering and curbside pick-up service. The store, which will be approximately 4,800 square feet, will serve students, faculty, staff and neighbors. It will feature healthy snacks, single-serve meals and Sendiks signature fresh produce. Sendiks expects to employ about 20 associates from the community, especially students who can balance their education with part-time work. "This exciting collaboration is about two longtime Milwaukee institutions that share a combined vision of innovation and growth, both of which are reflected in this unique store and partnership," said Ted Balistreri, family co-owner of Sendiks Food Market. Located near Marquettes new residence hall that is currently under construction and accessible by car, bus or bike, the new grocery store marks another step forward in the universitys master plan to grow retail development along the Wells Street business corridor. "We often emphasize pushing beyond our traditional boundaries, and this collaboration will significantly improve our community and campus," Lovell said. "Students today have never been more active, and we were really drawn to the innovative flexible express concept." This will mark the 19th store for Sendiks Food Markets. Balistreri said it will follow a similar model to Fresh2GO stores that Sendiks recently opened in Greendale and Bayside, but be tailored for the campus community. The new Sendiks will be a part of Business Improvement District (BID) 10, whose focus is to recruit new businesses to the near west side neighborhoods. "Our residents have been clamoring for fresh food options for years," said Keith Stanley, executive director of BID 10 and the Near West Side Partners. "In an era where fast food is king, fresh food is the key in helping our neighbors thrive." Altair Santos came from South America to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers tonight at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, and OnMilwaukee was lucky enough to randomly bump into him the night before. Santos is from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is here to document the band via the instruction of Warner Brothers, the Chili Peppers' record company to document the Summerfest show and future performances in the Midwest. Many of his photos have already appeared on the band's official site. Tomorrow night, "superfan" Santos will see the Red Hots for the 13th time. Eighteen years ago, he started his fan site in Brazil, which quickly became one of the most popular Red Hot Chili Peppers fan sites in the world. Why does he love RHCP so much that he traveled to Milwaukee from Brazil to see the band? "I love funk music and I am especially excited to see them at a Summerfest show because I have been told, even in Brazil, that this is the greatest outdoor festival in the United States," he says. Tickets are still available to tonight's Red Hot Chili Peppers' concert. Here's a tribute video co-produced by Altair Santos that received 884,000+ views: Close encounter: NASA graphic showing asteroid 1998 QE2, which caused a brief scare when it skimmed past Earth in 2013. But one day a space rock is bound to be on target, say worried scientists Throughout its 4.5-billion-year history, Earth has been repeatedly pummelled by space rocks that have caused anything from an innocuous splash in the ocean to species annihilation. When the next big impact will be, nobody knows. But the pressure is on to predictand interceptits arrival. "Sooner or later we will get... a minor or major impact," Rolf Densing, who heads the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, told AFP ahead of International Asteroid Day on Friday. It may not happen in our lifetime, he said, but "the risk that Earth will get hit in a devastating event one day is very high." For now, there is little we can do. And yet, the first-ever mission to crash a probe into a small space rock to alter its trajectory suffered a major setback when European ministers declined in December to fund part of the project. "We are not ready to defend ourselves" against an Earth-bound object, said Densing. "We have no active planetary defence measures." Hitherto relegated to the realms of science fiction, tactics could include nuking an incoming asteroid, using lasers to vaporise it, sending a space "tractor" to drag it off course, or bumping it into a new direction. But first, we need to be able to spot the threat. Astrophysicists monitoring the risk classify objects into sizes ranging from a few millimetres to behemoths 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) acrossthe size of rock that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. The smallest type enter Earth's atmosphere daily, burning up prettily as shooting stars. End of days The largest occur once every 100 million years, and the next impact could well ring in the end of human civilisation. But when would it happen? So far, experts have managed to list more than 90 percent of asteroids in the dino-killing range, and determined that none poses an immediate threat. A much bigger concern is the whereabouts of millions of asteroids in the 15- to 140-metre (49- to 460-feet) range. One such object, a 40-metre space rock, caused the largest impact in recent history when it exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30, 1908the date on which Asteroid Day is marked. The blast flattened some 80 million trees over 2,000 sparsely-populated square kilometres (772 square miles)an area bigger than greater London. The shockwave from the 2013 Chelyabinsk impact damaged thousands of buildingmany people were hurt from flying glass Tunguska-sized events happen, on average, every 300 years or so. "Imagine that this type of asteroid would fall in a very populated area like... Paris or Germany, I mean this is something that would be really, really a catastrophe," said Nicolas Bobrinsky, programme manager of the European Space Agency's Space Situational Awareness project, which surveys asteroids. At least the ones it knows of. The Chelyabinsk impact in 2013, for example, caught everyone unawares. A once-a-decade category rock of about 20m exploded in the atmosphere over central Russia with the kinetic energy of some 27 Hiroshima bombs. The resulting shockwave blew out the windows of nearly 5,000 buildings and injured more than 1,200 people. "Now that we have discovered most of the (asteroids) that are about a kilometre in size and larger, the goal is to discover most of the ones which are (up to) about 140 m," said Patrick Michel, an astrophysicist with France's CNRS research institute. "This is the thresholdif an object of this size impacts the Earthfor regional damage at the scale of a country or a continent." Another unknown is long-period comets: wanderers of the Solar System which can take centuries or millennia to orbit the Sun, and whose passage has never been recorded. Eye on the sky Europe is setting up a network of telescopes to provide us with a heads-up. Scheduled for completion in about two years, it "will scan systematically the sky every night and any asteroid which is coming... would be detected with a warning time of approximately two to three weeks," said Bobrinsky. This is admittedly "not much, but it's better than what we have now," he added. At the very least, it would allow for cities to be evacuated, or a shockwave warning to be issued. "Contrary to all other natural risks that we face on Earth, like tsunamis, earthquakes and things like that, this is the only one that we can predict," Michel said. What is needed is cooperation between politicians and space agenciesand especially money. An asteroid deflection system would require "something in the order of 300-400 million euros" (dollars), according to Bobrinskya minuscule amount compared to the cost of disaster. The United Nations declared June 30 International Asteroid Day to raise public awareness about what event organisers describe as "humanity's greatest challenge". It was initiated by astrophysicist and Queen guitarist Brian May, and moviemaker Grigorij Richters who directed the sci-fi film 51 Degrees North about an asteroid headed for London. The initiative has the backing of dozens of scientists, astronauts, and celebrities, many of whom will take part in a special 24-hour live broadcast Friday, with round-the-clock asteroid programming by the European, Japanese and American space agencies. 2017 AFP A model of erythropoetin, a glycoprotein involved in red blood cell production. Glycans are indicated in purple. Credit: Mark Wormald, Oxford Glycobiology Institute Over two weeks in 2004, Song Zhiwei witnessed the slow death of a colony of cells. Song, a bioengineer at the A*STAR Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), had bathed a plate of Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) with lectin, a toxic protein derived from plants. He then observed the millions of cells shrink to a dozen survivors. They looked average, but Song knew they had superpowers. The secret was hidden in the sweetening. Sugars are essential for life. Among the most important class of sugars are those that are chemically attached to proteins. These glycoproteins are involved in everything from recognizing immune system invaders to lubricating membranes and stimulating the thyroid. They also fuel a booming pharmaceutical industrymany household drugs contain glycoproteins, and biotech companies invest significant resources in optimizing the sugaring of these proteins to improve their bioactivity and therapeutic potency. Lectin is known to bind to sugars dangling on the ends of glycoproteins. In Song's experiment, only mutant CHO cells that did not produce those binding sugars could survive the lectin treatment. This approach of 'seeing what sticks' is an established method of identifying mutants that can subsequently be mass-produced by the biotech industry. Song spent the next two years conducting cell culture experiments, molecular biology studies and genetic tests to prove that the cells were actually mutants. Determining the exact structure of the mutant glycoproteins required help from his colleague Lee May May, who headed the analytics group at BTI. May used mass spectrometry tools to determine the exact biochemical structure of the proteins produced by Song's mutant cells, revealing that they lacked key sugars. Song had created the first sugar-mutant cell lines applicable to biotech manufacturing. The collaboration has since expanded into a globally renowned partnership between bioengineers and bioanalysts at A*STAR, advancing understanding of the role of sugars in disease. Sweet talk Sugars are the smallest and simplest form of carbohydrate, made of single or connected molecular units of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Our blood contains hundreds of types of sugars: some floating freely, but many more attached to proteins like decorations on a Christmas tree. Almost 70 per cent of the proteins in our body are glycosylated, which means that they won't function without their sugary accoutrement. The specific arrangement of sugars, or glycans, on a glycoprotein determines how a protein folds and interacts with other molecules, alters its solubility and sometimes even the messages it transmits to cells. "The cell expends an enormous amount of energy to put sugars on proteins," says Pauline Rudd, a veteran in the field of glycobiology, who joined the BTI analytics team in 2015. "If you didn't have sugars, you wouldn't survive." Researchers first discovered the critical role of glycoproteins in the early 1900s. An Austrian physician, Karl Landsteiner, noticed that human blood mixed with the blood of animals, or even other humans, forms clumps. These clumps can clog vessels or crack open to release toxic proteins into the body. However, Landsteiner noticed that some blends did not coagulate. This discovery led him to the blood-group classification still used todayA, B, AB and Oand won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930. In the 1950s researchers determined that the sugars exposed on the surface of red blood cells determined which blood group they belonged to. The blood work encouraged research into glycoproteins. By the 1990s, biologists were caught up in the genetics craze. The cure for everything, they posited, was hidden in our DNA. "Genes were claimed to be the cause of everything," says Rudd, who saw funding for glycobiology wane. Between 1998 and 2000, $3.5 billion was spent globally on genomics research, including the initiative to sequence the entire human genome. "There was a lot of information but it didn't give us a direct route to understanding disease," says Rudd. "People began to suggest that maybe genes don't do anything except code for proteins." Scientists shifted their attention to the many other stages of biological activity until they arrived again at sugars. "DNA is the first layer of information. This information is transcribed into RNA, which sends a message that is translated into a protein with a function," says Song. "Carbohydrates, or sugars, are the last layer of biological information." Knowing the importance of sugars didn't make them any easier to study. DNA and proteins are essentially linear structures that "curl up into fancy shapes," says Rudd. Sugars branch out into multiple chains. "They are like big trees hanging off the sides of proteins." It would take several years before sugars could be analyzed with the precision and speed of genes and proteins. Shake up In 1989 an earthquake hit California. Rudd remembers it well. She was deep into a collaboration between the Oxford Glycobiology Institute (led by Director Raymond Dwek) and a research team in London, looking for changes in the way proteins are glycosylated in patients with autoimmune diseases. She was analyzing 600 samples of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein, using a special gel to filter the sugars. The factory that produced this gel was destroyed by the earthquake. When the factory was rebuilt, its gel was not the same. "It was completely useless," remembers Rudd. "I was tearing my hair out trying to get these 600 samples analyzed." Necessity breeds invention, so Rudd looked around and noticed the liquid chromatography (LC) columns she had been using to sort proteins. She stuck a syringe filled with a mixture of sugars released from her glycoprotein samples into the columns. The LC device filtered the sugars to a much higher resolution than the gel process. "We never went back," she says. Since then, Rudd has collaborated with private and institutional partners to speed up, automate and improve the specificity of techniques for sorting and characterizing sugars from a sample. What used to take a year can now be done in a day. The workflow, bioinformatics and databases developed by Rudd's team at the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (Dublin, Ireland) have been incorporated into Waters Corporation's UNIFI analytical coupled liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry platform, which means that much of the complexity of glycoanalysis is now automated. Hence, glycoanalysis has entered a new era of glycomics, bringing it closer to the big-data universe of genetics, transcriptomics and proteomics. "We can now look at large cohorts of samples to understand more about diseases and to support biologic development and production," says Terry Nguyen-Khuong, who heads the analytics group at BTI. Since teaming up with Rudd, A*STAR has expanded its analytics portfolio to zoom in on sugars and identify their exact location, basic building blocks and linking structures. Pharming glycoproteins Glycoproteins fuel a US$163 billion biopharma industry of drugs whose efficacy can be dictated by sugars. For example, when the hormone erythropoietin is adorned with sialic acid sugars, it is ten times more effective at stimulating red blood cell production in anemic patients than the hormone alone. In the glycoprotein business, CHO cells comprise the entire workforce. They can produce any proteins the biotech industry demands, and can sugar-coat the proteins in the same way humans do. Before Song created his first CHO-cell mutants, no-one had been able to control the glycosylation of proteins in mass-producible cell lines. Pamela Stanley's group in the United States had been tweaking the glycosylation of CHO cells for years using cell lines that lived and died on a flat petri dish, fed on protein-rich cow's blood. Song instead developed mutants using cells that he knew could replicate indefinitely while swirling in spherical 20,000-liter bioreactors used in biopharma factoriesfree of bovine additives. He named the cell line CHO-glycosylation mutant 1 (GMT-1), and since then, more than twenty successors have followed in numerical order. When tools emerged that made editing genes as simple as cutting and pasting words on a computer screen, he used them to generate more mutants. In GMT-3, he deleted a gene required to fix fucose sugars to proteins. GMT-9 glycoproteins lack the sugars fucose and galactose; and GMT-17 lacks fucose, galactose and sialic acid. The absence of these sugars can dictate the potency of drugs. Song's cells produce antibodies that are up to a hundred times better at killing cancer cells than their equivalent drugs in the market, such as rituximab (branded Rituxan) to treat leukemia. "The cell lines are comparable to industrial lines and are ready for commercialization," says Song, who has been managing a S$11 million glycomics grant called GlycoSing since 2014. Treatments with these improved antibodies would mean significantly reduced doses. In 2008, Andre Choo, a researcher at BTI, developed the first antibodies that could specifically kill embryonic stem cells, alleviating concerns about the cells forming tumors in transplant patients. The antibodies have since been licensed to several companies. Many diseases have a distinct sugar profile, a concept that Choo has begun to exploit for cancer therapeutics. He screens for antibodies that specifically target aberrant sugar molecules on the surface of cancer cells, working with Rudd and Nguyen-Khuong's team to analyze them. Recently this year, his team generated an antibody that recognizes sugars expressed on ovarian cancer cells. "In the past we would generate an antibody without really knowing what it targeted, we are now focused on trying to get these anti-glycan antibodies." At A*STAR, research has expanded into dengue, the Zika virus and heart disease. "All major areas in medicinecancer, infectious disease and inflammatory problemsare related to glycoproteins," says Song, whose mutants could potentially cure these diseases. British Romantic poet Lord Byron What do the moon, Jupiter and the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history have in common? Exactly 200 years ago they all combined to inspire renowned British Romantic poet Lord Byron in writing "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," the work that made the poet famous. So impressed was Lord Byron that he devoted three stanzas to a spectacular evening twilight that he observed in Italy during August of 1817. "The Moon is up..." he wrote in the fourth canto, published in 1818, "A Single Star is at her side." The stanzas hold enough clues to link the scene to the real events that inspired itincluding the massive 1815 eruption of Tambora in Indonesia. Texas State University astronomer, physics professor and Texas State University System Regents' Professor Donald Olson has applied his distinctive brand of celestial sleuthing to the question of identifying the object next to the moon. Olson determined that Lord Byron's famed "Star" was actually the planet Jupiter. What's more, by happy coincidence, the moon and Jupiter are aligning on several dates this summer so that modern viewers can view a twilight scene very much like the one Lord Byron observed exactly 200 years ago. Olson publishes his findings in the August 2017 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, on newsstands now. Byron and Hobhouse Byron's personal letters and manuscripts provided significant clues. The poet insisted in a note to his first edition of the poem that the fanciful description of the twilight sky was not a creation of his fertile imagination, but an actual event he had observed while riding in Italy with his close friend, John Cam Hobhouse: "The above description may seem fantastical or exaggerated to those who have never seen an Oriental or an Italian sky yet it is but a literal and hardly sufficient delineation of an August evening (the eighteenth) as contemplated in one of many rides along the banks of the Brenta near La Mira. Byron began writing the fourth canto of "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" shortly after moving to the Villa Foscarini on the Brenta Canal in La Mira on June 14, 1817. On July 31, Hobhouse joined him as a houseguest, and the two began daily rides along the canal. Byron's manuscripts express doubt about the exact date of the memorable twilight, but Hobhouse's diary is more definitive: "Wednesday August 20th 1817: Ride with Byron. Return over the other side of the river from Dolo Riding home, remarked the moon reigning on the right of us and the Alps still blushing with the gaze of the sunset. The Brenta came down upon us all purple a delightful scene, which Byron has put in three stanzas of his "Childe Harold." Dian's Crest With the date confirmed by Hobhouse, Olson traced Byron's ride along the Brenta Canal and used astronomical software to recreate the twilight sky as it would have appeared on August 20, 1817. Byron writes: "While, on the other hand, meek Dian's crest Floats through the azure air and island of the blest!" Byron's readers would have understood "Dian's Crest" as a clear reference to Diana, the Roman goddess of the moon, who was often depicted with a crescent as a diadem or crest over her forehead. Olson found that's exactly what Byron would have seena waxing gibbous moon, a day past first quarter, in the evening sky with the brilliant planet Jupiter unusually close by. Using the same astronomical software, Olson also determined that on several dates during the summer of 2017 this celestial scene will repeat, allowing modern viewers to catch a glimpse, at least in part, of the sky that inspired Byron's stanzas exactly 200 years ago. A waxing Moon will appear near Jupiter in the evening twilight sky shortly after sunset on June 30 and July 1, 2017, with similar scenes repeating July 28 and 29, and again August 24 and 25 of 2017. The summit caldera of Mount Tambora on Sumbawa Island, Indonesia, is clearly visible in this USGS Landsat satellite image captured in 2005. The Tambora eruption of April 10-11, 1815, had worldwide effects on the Earths atmosphere for three years. Credit: Texas State University Iris of the West The stanzas offer one other intriguing clue. Lord Byron writes: "Heaven is free From clouds, but of all colours seems to be Melted to one vast Iris of the West" In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow. Byron's phrasing indicates unusually vivid colors in the cloudless, twilight sky. But what would cause the sky to stand out to capture Byron's imagination in such a way? The answer may lie in the 1815 eruption of Tambora, the most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history. In the February 2004 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, Olson connected the blood-red sky in Edvard Munch's most famous painting, The Scream, with the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa. The spectacular "Krakatoa twilight" was the result of dust, gas and aerosols ejected into the upper atmosphere by the volcano, producing remarkable hues in twilight skies worldwide. The April 1815 eruption of Tambora was far more powerful than Krakatoa. Observers the world over for the next three years noted brilliantly colored sunsets and twilights attributed to the eruption. It is likely that Byron observed a "Tambora Twilight" as the backdrop for his observation of the moon and Jupiter that August evening in 1817. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Canto IV Stanza XXVII. The Moon is up, and yet it is not Night Sunset divides the sky with her a Sea Of Glory streams along the Alpine height Of blue Friuli's mountains; Heaven is free From clouds, but of all colours seems to be Melted to one vast Iris of the West, Where the Day joins the past Eternity; While, on the other hand, meek Dian's crest Floats through the azure air an island of the blest! Stanza XXVIII. A Single Star is at her side, and reigns With her o'er half the lovely heaven; but still Yon sunny Sea heaves brightly, and remains Rolled o'er the peak of the far Rhaetian hill, As Day and Night contending were, until Nature reclaimed her order gently flows The deep-dyed Brenta, where their hues instil The odorous Purple of a new-born rose, Which streams upon her stream, and glassed within it glows, Stanza XXIX. Filled with the face of Heaven, which, from afar, Comes down upon the waters; all its hues, From the rich sunset to the rising star, Their magical variety diffuse: And now they change; a paler Shadow strews Its mantle o'er the mountains; parting Day Dies like the Dolphin, whom each pang imbues With a new colour as it gasps away The last still loveliest till 'tis gone and All is gray. China's trouble with smog and air pollution is well known, but air quality is beginning to improve as Chinese authorities start to tackle the problem. According to a story in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, their efforts have made China a major market for those in the business of abating and measuring air pollution. Senior C&EN Hong Kong Correspondent Jean-Francois Tremblay reports that despite sustained economic growth over the past decade, levels of air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone and particles are stable or in decline in China. The improvement is primarily due to better monitoring and more regulation by Chinese authorities. Chinese demand for electric cars is on the rise, and the coal plants that generate most of that electricity are being outfitted with the latest in pollution-fighting technology. Changes planned for the near future should also help: By 2023 most new cars in China will sport four-way catalytic converters, which scrub exhaust of particulate matter and harmful gases. This push for pollution control has been a boon for suppliers of devices and technologies that can help industry meet regulatory standards. And given that China's air quality still has room for improvement airborne particle concentrations in Beijing are at least seven times the World Health Organization recommendationthe demand for such technologies is expected to grow even more in the coming years. More information: "China looks to restore the blue skies," cen.acs.org/articles/95/i26/Ch tore-blue-skies.html A screen of an idle virus affected cash machine in a state-run OshchadBank says "Sorry for inconvenience/Under repair" in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. The cyberattack ransomware that has paralyzed computers across the world hit Ukraine hardest Tuesday, with victims including top-level government offices, energy companies, banks, cash machines, gas stations, and supermarkets. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Companies and governments around the world on Wednesday counted the cost of a software epidemic that has disrupted ports, hospitals and banks. Logistics firm FedEx says deliveries by its TNT Express subsidiary have been "slowed" by the cyberattack, which had "significantly affected" its systems. Ports operated by the Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk are still crippled. An Alabama port official, James K. Lyons, said crews at Maersk's APM terminal in Mobile, Alabama, have been loading and unloading containers in manual mode, without the normal computerized coordination. The company's operations were shuttered in Mumbai, India, Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, among others. In a statement, Moller-Maersk acknowledged that its APM Terminals had been "impacted in a number of ports" and that an undisclosed number of systems were shut down "to contain the issue." The company declined to provide further detail or make an official available for an interview. Ukraine, which was hardest hit and where the attack likely originated, said it had secured critical state assetsthough everyday life remained affected, with cash machines out of order and airport displays operating manually. Airport employees work use a laptop computer at Boryspil airport in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 27, 2017. A new and highly virulent outbreak of malicious data-scrambling software appears to be causing mass disruption across Europe, hitting Ukraine especially hard, with company and government officials reporting serious intrusions at the Ukrainian power grid, banks and government offices. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) As the impact of the cyberattack that erupted Tuesday was still being measured at offices, loading docks and boardrooms, the Ukrainian Cabinet said that "all strategic assets, including those involved in protecting state security, are working normally." But that still left a large number of non-strategic assetsincluding dozens of banks and other institutionsfighting to get back online. Cash machines in Kiev seen by an Associated Press photographer were still out of order Wednesday, and Ukrainian news reports said that flight information at the city's Boryspil airport was being provided in manual mode. A local cybersecurity expert discounted the Ukrainian government's assurances. "Obviously they don't control the situation," Victor Zhora of Infosafe in Kiev told the AP. At the very least, cybersecurity firms say thousands of computers worldwide have been struck by the malware, which goes by a variety of names, including ExPetr. People queue for their turn to pay at a slowly working cash desk in a building supermarket in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. The cyberattack ransomware that has paralyzed computers across the world hit Ukraine hardest Tuesday, with victims including top-level government offices, energy companies, banks, cash machines, gas stations, and supermarkets. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) In Pennsylvania, lab and diagnostic services were closed at the satellite offices of the Heritage Valley Health System. In Tasmania, an Australian official said a Cadbury chocolate factory had stopped production after computers there crashed. Other organizations affected include U.S. drugmaker Merck, food and drinks company Mondelez International, global law firm DLA Piper, and London-based advertising group WPP. But most of the damage remains hidden away in corporate offices and industrial parks. As IT security workers turned their eye toward cleaning up the mess, others wondered at the attackers' motives. The attack has the telltale signs of ransomware, which scrambles a computer's data until a payment is made, but some experts believe this attack was less aimed at gathering money than at sending a message to Ukraine and its allies. That hunch was buttressed by the way the malware appears to have been seeded using a rogue update to a piece of Ukrainian accounting softwaresuggesting an attacker focused on Ukrainian targets. And it comes on the anniversary of the assassination of a senior Ukrainian military intelligence officer and a day before a national holiday celebrating a new constitution signed after the breakup of the Soviet Union. A woman passes by cash machines that do not work in a city supermarket in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. The cyberattack ransomware that has paralyzed computers across the world hit Ukraine hardest Tuesday, with victims including top-level government offices, energy companies, banks, cash machines, gas stations, and supermarkets. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) "The threat we're talking about looks like it was specially developed for Ukraine because that was the place it created most of the damage," said Bogdan Botezatu, of Romanian security firm Bitdefender, calling it a case of "national sabotage." Suspicions were further heightened by the re-emergence of the mysterious Shadow Brokers group of hackers, whose dramatic leak of powerful NSA tools helped power Tuesday's outbreak, as it did a previous ransomware explosion last month that was dubbed WannaCry. In a post published Wednesday, The Shadow Brokers made new threats, announced a new money-making scheme and made a boastful reference to the recent chaos. The malware didn't appear to make a lot of money for its creators. A bitcoin wallet used to collect ransoms showed only about $10,000. And some analysts going through the malware's code said that the ransomware may not even operate as ransomware at all; victims' data appear to be hopelessly scrambled, rather than recoverable after the payment of ransom. Matthieu Suiche, the founder of Dubai-based Comae Technologies, said the ransom demand was merely "a mega-diversion." In a blog post, he wrote that the code pointed not to criminals, but "in fact a nation state attack." Researchers at Kaspersky Lab echoed the findings, saying in a statement, "Our analysis indicates there is little hope for victims to recover their data." 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Danish shipping mammoth Maersk said it had shut down some of its computer systems after a global cyberattack disrupted operations at its terminals and hindered it from taking new orders Danish shipping mammoth Maersk said Wednesday it had shut down some of its computer systems after a global cyberattack disrupted operations at its terminals and hindered it from taking new orders. A number of Maersk's 76 container terminals were affected and were forced to run on manual systems, AP Moller Maersk chief operating officer Vincent Clerc told AFP, refusing to specify which terminals were impacted because of the "fluidity of the situation." "Some terminals that were down this morning are now up and running," Clerc said. Maersk's two terminals in Rotterdam, Europe's biggest port, were however "still affected" on Wednesday, Clerc said. The port, one of the top 10 in the world, handles more than 461 million tonnes of cargo a year, and welcomes the largest container ships in the world. APM Terminals, part of the AP Moller Maersk conglomerate, runs the two terminals at the sprawling port which stretches across 42 kilometres (26 miles). India's shipping ministry said meanwhile a terminal run by Maersk at the Mumbai port, the largest in India, was also affected. While the systems are down, "we have to manage on a manual basis... It's difficult for people in the terminals to tell the people on the groundthe longshoremenwhich containers to unload," Clerc said. A spokesman for APM Terminals in Rotterdam, Tom Boyd, said the manual process was tough work. "Today we are handling 4,500 containers. It's more labour extensive, but we are making it work. We are communicating with our customers through gmail and other things because the IT system is down," he told AFP. No new orders Maersk said meanwhile that all new orders were also on hold. "Today we have not taken any new orders to our platforms. Customers are booking through third parties but not through our platforms as a precaution," Clerc said. "We are working on being able to open up for new orders from tomorrow, probably through alternate processes," he added. The series of cyberattacks began in Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting government and corporate computer systems across the world as the virus spread to western Europe and across the Atlantic. Several other multinational companies said they were targeted, including US pharmaceutical giant Merck, Russian state oil giant Rosneft, British advertising giant WPP and the French industrial group Saint-Gobain. Clerc said the cyberattack was "still ongoing" at Maersk on Wednesday at 1300 GMT, and that there had been a ransom demanded for the release of data but the Danish group had refused to pay. "We have it contained ... by proactively shutting down systems and computers to prevent it from further contaminating our systems." He said Maersk had not yet estimated the losses caused by the attack. "A lot of it will depend on how quickly we can put in place our recovery plan... The longer we are affected the more the price tag will increase." 2017 AFP By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) The government has allowed export of certain quantity of select commodities to Maldives for 2017-18 without any policy restrictions and prohibitions under a bilateral trade agreement. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the commerce ministry, in a notification has said this decision is effective April. It has permitted shipments of potato (11,714.45 tonnes), onion (19,466.36 tonnes), rice (67,640.24 tonnes), wheat flour (59,442.17 tonnes) and sugar (11,706.3 tonnes). advertisement Export of these essential commodities "has been permitted to Maldives under the bilateral trade agreement between India and Maldives during 2017-18". It added that the shipments of these items to Maldives will be exempted from any existing or future restrictions or prohibition on exports. To increase domestic availability of potato and onion, India sometimes imposes minimum export price on these agri commodities. In a separate notification, the DGFT has restricted the number of countries to which certain chemicals under the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) category can be exported without licence. Earlier, the export was allowed to states party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) without an export licence. However, these shipments are permitted subject to certain conditions. The exporter will have to notify the national authority CWC, the Cabinet secretariat, the Department of Chemicals and Petro-chemicals, the Disarmament and International Security Affairs division of the external affairs ministry and the DGFT, within 30 days of such export in a prescribed format. PTI RR CS ARD --- ENDS --- When pedestrians passed an affluent-looking white person on the street, 14 percent were willing to support the "millionaire's tax," but after seeing a poor-looking white person, that support fell to 6 percent, according to Melissa Sands. Credit: Silvia Mazzocchin Can exposure to inequality influence whether people support proposals such as the so-called "millionaire's tax"? The answer is yes, but not in the direction many might think, according to a new Harvard study. The study, conducted by Melissa Sands, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Government at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, found that following momentary exposure to inequality, support for a millionaire's tax dropped by more than 50 percent. The research is described in a recently published paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. When pedestrians passed an affluent-looking white person on the street, Sands found, 14 percent were willing to support the tax, but after seeing a poor-looking white person, that support fell by more than half, to just 6 percent. By comparison, support for a different petition, to curb the use of plastic bags, remained constant. Similar tests performed with both affluent- and poor-looking black people showed no change in support for either petition. The idea for the study grew out of the phenomenonlong noticed by social scientiststhat left-leaning individuals tend to live in cities. Sands, though, wanted to explore whether the trend was a matter of left-leaning people self-selecting into cities, or whether cities, with their ethnic and economic diversity, encouraged people to become more liberal. "I was curious about whether there may be a treatment effect of living in a city," Sands said, pointing to the New York City subway as an example of a place where different groups are forced to interact in an urban setting. "It's the great equalizer in a way. People from all walks of life are together on the train. I thought perhaps part of why cities tend to be left-leaning is because people have those experiences, they see people from different socio-economic backgrounds, and that might make them more empathetic." But isolating whether and how city life might influence a person's political identity is no easy feat. "It's hard to know which factors are important because all these complicated factors are entangled," Sands said. "And we're talking about relatively subtle effects." To find the answer, Sands developed an experiment that exposed participants to scenes of inequalitybut unlike other studies, did it under tightly controlled, real-world conditions. "One way this study departs from what's been done previously is that this is the first study to experimentally manipulate inequality in the real world," she said. "Most prior studies used a survey approach, in which they would show participants a chart or provide them with some information, and then ask questions. This is a big departure from that because we're creating what I call 'microsettings' of inequality." Sands hired actors who were stationed in various affluent neighborhoods around Boston, including Brookline, Beacon Hill, and Back Bay. At certain times, the actors were asked to dress like other, relatively affluent residents in the neighborhood; at others, they were asked to dress more poorly. "We didn't want them to look as if they were homeless," Sands said. "We wanted to avoid conjuring feelings of disgust or scorn, but we did want them to stand out, or to look very down-and-out." Just feet from the actors, students were positioned to ask pedestrians to sign a petition, in some cases in support of a "millionaire's tax" and in other cases to restrict the use of plastic bags. "We used the second petition because I was concerned that people might be less willing to stop and sign any petition," Sands said. "So that was a placebo petition that we used to figure out what people's baseline response rate [was] for each condition." Their responses, Sands said, revealed that when pedestrians passed a white person who appeared poor they were far less likely to support the tax proposal, but showed no difference for either affluent- or poor-looking blacks. Going forward, Sands hopes to get a better understanding of exactly what mechanism is driving that drop, and to explore whether the results might change if the study were conducted in a different region or if participants were exposed to repeated scenes of inequality. While the results might initially paint a pessimistic picture of human nature, Sands suggested that one factor driving the results was the fleeting nature of the interactions. "In this study, people are not stopping and talking to the person, they're not spending the day volunteering in a homeless shelter or seeing how the other half lives," she said. "It's a momentary exposure so I think the effect I'm finding here is something that just occurs in the moment, and with repeated exposure we might actually see the effect reverse." Researchers and doctoral students at the summer school Graphene Study discussing graphene's potential in terahertz spectrum electronics. Credit: Angelika Bernhofer/Chalmers University of Technology By utilizing terahertz waves in electronics, future data traffic can get a big boost forward. So far, the terahertz (THz) frequency has not been optimally applied to data transmission, but by using graphene, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have come one step closer to a possible paradigm shift for the electronic industry. Over 60 young researchers from all over the world will learn more about this and other topics as they gather in outside of Gothenburg, Sweden, to participate in this week's summer school Graphene Study, arranged by Graphene Flagship. It is the EU's largest ever research initiative, the Graphene Flagship, coordinated by Chalmers, who organises the school this week, 25-30 June 2017. This year it is held in Sweden with focus on electronic applications of the two-dimensional material with the extraordinary electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal properties that make it a more efficient choice than silicon in electronic applications. Andrei Vorobiev is a researcher at the Department of Micro Technology and Nanoscience at Chalmers as well as one of the many leading experts giving lectures at Graphene Study and he explains why graphene is suitable for developing devices operating in the THz range: "One of the graphene's special features is that the electrons move much faster than in most semiconductors used today. Thanks to this we can access the high frequencies (100-1000 times higher than gigahertz) that constitutes the terahertz range. Data communication then has the potential of becoming up to ten times faster and can transmit much larger amounts of data than is currently possible", says Andrei Vorobiev, senior researcher at Chalmers University of Technology. Researchers at Chalmers are the first to have shown that graphene based transistor devices could receive and convert terahertz waves, a wavelength located between microwaves and infrared light, and the results were published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. One example of these devices is a 200-GHz subharmonic resistive mixer based on a CVD graphene transistor integrated on silicon that could be used in high-speed wireless communication links. Another example, taking advantage of graphene's unique combination of flexibility and high carrier velocity, is a power detector based on a graphene transistor integrated on flexible polymer substrates. Interesting applications for such a power detector include wearable THz sensors for healthcare and flexible THz detector arrays for high resolution interferometric imaging to be used in biomedical and security imaging, remote process control, material inspection and profiling and packaging inspection. "Analysis show that flexible imaging detector arrays is an area where THz applications of graphene has a very high impact potential. One example of where this could be used is in the security scanning at airports. Because the graphene-based terahertz scanner is bendable you'll get a much better resolution and can retrieve more information than if the scanner's surface is flat," says Vorobiev. But despite the progress, much work remains before the final electronic products reach the market. Andrei Vorobiev and his colleagues are now working to replace the silicon base on which the graphene is mounted, which limits the performance of the graphene, with other two-dimensional materials which, on the contrary, can further enhance the effect. And Vorobiev hopes that he will be able to inspire the students participating in Graphene Study to reach new scientific breakthroughs. "In the last fifty years, all electronic development has followed Moore's law, which says that every year more and more functions will being applied on ever smaller surfaces. Now it seems that we have reached the physical limit of how small the electronic circuits can become and we need to find another principle for development. New materials can be one solution and research on graphene is showing positive results. Working with graphene-related research is about breaking new ground which involves many difficult challenges, but eventually our work can revolutionise the future of communication and that's what makes it so exciting," says Andrei Vorobiev, senior researcher at Chalmers University of Technology. More information: Michael A. Andersson et al. A 185215-GHz Subharmonic Resistive Graphene FET Integrated Mixer on Silicon, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (2016). DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2016.2615928 A microscope objective (right) focuses laser light to create the optical tweezers in which a nanosphere (tiny red dot in the centre of the image) is levitated. Credit: ETH Zurich / Erik Hebestreit and Vijay Jain Sensitive sensors must be isolated from their environment as much as possible to avoid disturbances. Scientists at ETH Zurich have now demonstrated how to remove from and add elementary charges to a nanosphere that can be used for measuring extremely weak forces. A tiny sphere and a laser beam inside of which it hovers as if by magic with these simple ingredients Martin Frimmer and co-workers at the Photonics Laboratory of ETH Zurich have developed a highly sensitive sensor. In the future this device is expected to measure, amongst other things, extremely weak forces or electric fields very precisely. Now the researchers have taken a major step in that direction, as they write in a recently published scientific paper. Nanosphere in a laser beam Martin Frimmer, a post-doctoral researcher in the group of ETH professor Lukas Novotny, explains the working principle of a sensor very plausibly: "First I need to know how the object acting as a sensor is influenced by its environment. Anything that happens beyond that influence tells me: there is a force at work." In practice this usually means that interactions with the environment should be kept at a minimum in order to maximize the sensitivity of the sensor to the forces one wants to measure. The scientists achieved precisely that by trapping a silica nanoparticle, whose diameter is about a hundred times smaller than a human hair, using a focused laser beam. The beam creates "optical tweezers" in which the nanosphere is held in the focus of the beam by light forces. If an additional force acts on the sphere, it is shifted from is rest position, which in turn can be measured with the help of a laser beam. Discharging by high voltage Since the optical tweezers keep the nanosphere hovering in midair without any mechanical contact, the influence of the environment can easily be reduced to a minimum. To do so, Frimmer and his team place the optical tweezers inside a vacuum chamber so that there are virtually no more collisions with air molecules. The only thing left now that could create a disturbance is a possible electric charge on the nanoparticle. Owing to such a charge, insufficiently screened electric fields could influence the sphere and, therefore, a possible measurement. For this reason the ETH researchers have now developed a simple but highly efficient method by which the charge on the sphere can be neutralised. To this end they mounted a wire inside the vacuum chamber that was connected to a 7000 volt high-voltage generator. The high voltage caused the air molecules to be ionized, i.e., to be split into negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions. Either of those could now jump onto the nanosphere and make its charge more positive or more negative. To measure the charge carried by the sphere at any given moment, the physicists exposed it to an oscillating electric field and observed how strongly the sphere reacted to that. In this way they were able to confirm that the charge of the sphere changed in steps of exactly one elementary charge (i.e., the charge of an electron) to the negative or to the positive. When the high voltage is switched off, the sphere's instantaneous charge remains constant for days. Gravity and quantum mechanics This perfect control allows the scientists to completely neutralize the electric charge on the nanoparticle. As a result, electric fields no longer have any effect on the sphere, which makes it possible to precisely measure other very weak forces. One such force is gravity. Martin Frimmer speculates, albeit cautiously, that in future the nano-sensor he developed should enable studies of the interplay between gravity and quantum mechanics. By clever manipulation of the optical tweezers the researchers can already cool the sphere down to below a ten thousandth of a degree above absolute zero. For even lower temperatures the nanoparticle is expected to start behaving quantum mechanically, so that phenomena such as quantum superpositions and their dependence on gravity can be observed. Interesting applications of the sensor also present themselves in everyday contexts, such as the measurement of accelerations. Since the charge of the nanosphere cannot only be neutralized, but also set to a well-defined value at will, the sensor is equally suitable for precision measurements of electric fields. More information: Martin Frimmer et al. Controlling the net charge on a nanoparticle optically levitated in vacuum, Physical Review A (2017). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.95.061801 Journal information: Physical Review A Schematic illustration depicting synthesis of the 3D-hm LSMO catalysts. Credit: ResearchSEA Versatile superstructures composed of nanoparticles have recently been prepared using various disassembly methods. However, little information is known on how the structural disassembly influences the catalytic performance of the materials. Scientia Professor Rose Amal, Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow Hamid Arandiyan and a group from the Particles and Catalysis Research Group from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) School of Chemical Engineering have had their research address this issue published in Nature Communications. The research team led by Dr Jason Scott and Prof Sean Smith in collaboration with Curtin University and Beijing University of Technology has developed a method that allows them to engineer crystals with a large fraction of reactive facets. An ordered mesostructured La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 (LSMO) perovskite catalyst was disassembled using a unique fragmentation strategy, whereby the newly-exposed (001) reactive faces at each fracture were more reactive towards methane oxidation than the regular (i.e. before disassembly) It is of significant interest to use methane as an alternative fuel to coal and oil due to its high hydrogen to carbon ratio which provides comparatively lower greenhouse gas emissions. Commercial catalysts for methane combustion contain precious metals (e.g. Pt and Pd) which are of high cost and poor thermal stability (caused by agglomeration of the metal deposits). Using perovskite-type catalysts to replace noble metal supported catalysts for methane oxidation has attracted recent attention due to their excellent thermal stability. In their recently published article, the research team describes a simple fragmentation method to synthesise a novel three-dimensional hexapod mesostructured LSMO perovskite. On fragmenting three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) structures in a controlled manner, via a process that has been likened to retrosynthesis, hexapod-shaped building blocks possessing newly exposed active crystal facets were harvested. Powerful characteristation techniques were coupled with theoretical calculations to define the manner by which the improved configuration promotes the methane combustion reaction. The new (110) reactive facets exposed at the weak fracture points of the 3DOM structure provide additional surface area as well as introduce surfaces possessing a reduced energy barrier for hydrogen abstraction from the methane (CH4* CH3* + H*) compared to the regular 3DOM (001) nonreactive facets. We believe the design philosophy and the preparation strategy for 3-D LSMO provides an original pathway towards engineering high-efficiency catalysts. The fragmentation technique can be extended to the controlled preparation and stabilization of other nanomaterials with broad applications, for this reason, it is of great significance. The approach demonstrates feasibility, "mesoporous material field is eager for more and more researchers from other fields to explore attractive applications," says PhD student Yuan Wang from Particle and Catalysis (PartCat) Research Group. "there is still ample room for improvement on hierarchically ordered perovskite catalysts designed to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations by oxidising methane emissions and therefore improve cost-effectiveness," adds Dr. Hamid Arandiyan of PartCat Research Group. More information: Yuan Wang et al. The controlled disassembly of mesostructured perovskites as an avenue to fabricating high performance nanohybrid catalysts, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15553 Journal information: Nature Communications Provided by UNSW Imagine walking from one side of a swimming pool to the other. Each step takes great effortthat's what makes water aerobics such effective physical exercise. The resistance you feel is caused by fluid frictionor dragand it is the same force that acts upon boats and other objects as they move through water. However, seafaring vessels have evolved into shapes aimed at minimizing drag, and ships are designed with powerful engines that overcome drag to propel them faster and more smoothly across the ocean. More recently, super hydrophobic surfaces (SHS) have caught the attention of scientists who see their potential for reducing fluid friction. But as UC Santa Barbara mechanical engineering professor Paolo Luzzatto-Fegiz noted, while the basic theory of these surfaces is sound, their real-world performance leaves much to be desired. According to Luzzatto-Fegiz, an expert in fluid dynamics, SHS combine water-repelling chemistry with micro-scale patterning in a way that essentially reduces the surface contact with water. However, they have proved to be unreliable at best, often functioning erratically or not working at all. And now, in research highlighted in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Luzzatto-Fegiz and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge and the University of Manchester have identified a key reason why. Theoretically, super hydrophobic surfaces are effective because they contain tiny air pockets. Air is much less viscous than water, Luzzatto-Fegiz noted, so decreasing the amount of water that comes in contact with the surface will decrease the resulting drag. The benefits of reducing drag bear directly on fuel economy: The less fluid friction a ship experiences, the less fuel is necessary to overcome drag. And because drag increases with speed, the faster the ship moves the more fuel it requires to counteract the resulting resistance. However, in testing the hypothesis, which could, in theory, show a significant reduction in drag, results by other researchers often found no reduction at all, and in some cases, demonstrated a slightly worse performance. This was the problem that had the scientists scratching their headsuntil it occurred to Luzzatto-Fegiz that surfactants could be to blame. While researchers before him had identified this possibility, he and his team were the first to demonstrate the concept. According to numerical simulations and tightly controlled experiments, Luzzatto-Fegiz, et al, found that even tiny trace amounts of surfactantscompounds that reduce surface tension, such as soapwere enough to cause an imbalance in the flow of water along its interface with the surface, resulting in drag. Mystery solved. But can the problem be fixed? "The key idea is that no liquid is pure," Luzzatto-Fegiz said. Oceans and rivers contain multitudes of natural and man-made surfactants. But it may be possible to design a way out of the problem by changing the patterning of the SHS, he said. For example, by creating longer grooves in the patterning aligned with the flow of water, the surfactant buildup that prevents the reduction of drag on the surface accumulates farther down the line of the interface, reducing some of the drag. The results of this experiment could provide valuable knowledge to those who design oceangoing vessels with an eye toward fuel efficiency. Especially in the shadow of impending regulations that will require the global fleet of merchant ships to purchase more expensive but cleaner burning fuel, reducing drag could go a long way toward keeping costs down for ships that ply the world's oceans, as well as reduce the polluting byproducts of burning fossil fuels. "Reducing drag cuts on fuel consumption and therefore on emissionsincluding sulphur compounds and CO2," Luzzatto-Fegiz said. More information: Francois J. Peaudecerf et al. Traces of surfactants can severely limit the drag reduction of superhydrophobic surfaces, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1702469114 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences The International Space Station, as seen from space shuttle Atlantis in 2011. Credit: NASA Wherever you find people, you also find bacteria and other microorganisms. The International Space Station is no exception. That generally is not a problem. For one thing, the space station is kept cleaner than many environments on Earth. Routine cleaning activities are included on astronaut task schedules. Cargo sent to the station, and the vehicles that carry it, undergo a rigorous cleaning process and monitoring for microorganisms before launch. Crew members assigned to the space station spend 10 days in pre-flight quarantine. For another, scientists regularly monitor the interior of this and other spacecraft, a process that started with the Apollo missions. "Once every three months, we sample from two locations in each module of the U.S. segment of the station," says Mark Ott, a microbiologist at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, monitors its segments. Samples collected from surfaces and from the air are cultured on plates containing a growth medium, one specific for bacteria and another for fungi. Those plates return to the ground, and scientists identify each organism that grows on them. Drinking water on the station is treated similarly to the water we drink on Earth to kill and keep microorganisms from growing. Regular monitoring also keeps an eye on the station's drinking water system. For years, scientists conducted this monitoring once a month, but samples kept coming back so clean that the schedule changed to once every three months. The astronauts' drinking water is, microbiologically speaking, cleaner than just about anything they drink on Earth, says Ott. This environmental monitoring is driven by the ISS medical requirements, and has consistently shown the space station contains the same types of microorganisms commonly found in most offices and homes here on Earth. Microorganisms are found everywhere, but very few types are medically significant, or capable of making someone sick under the right circumstances. The medical staff keeps a particularly sharp eye out for those, though, and when any turn up, the space station gets a more-thorough-than-usual cleaning. Ott adds that the mere presence of such microorganisms poses little risk to the health of the astronauts. "It may be something typically found in a bathroom, for example, but that you wouldn't want in an office space," he says. Finally, a microorganism found on the station may initially look like something risky, but, on closer examination, turn out to be a slightly different type. NASA scientists use DNA to identify specific microorganisms, but it can still be difficult to distinguish between closely related species. That was the case with a recent investigation, led by Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, that verified 11 strains of bacterium belonging to what microbiologists call the Bacillus anthracis, cereus, thuringiensis group, or Bacillus cereus group that had been previously reported in 2014. While this large family of microbes includes some bad bugs, Bacillus is extremely common on Earth and around humans, so finding this type of bacteria on the space station is not unusual. Using DNA hybridization, researchers identified individual species in the samples and, while some were a close match to Bacillus anthracis type strains, they did not have the physical characteristics or the toxin-producing plasmids required to consider them a potential risk. Continued research is being done to understand what organisms grow on the space station. There have been many studies of the microbial environment on the space station. These investigations often use different techniques and have different objectives from the required environmental monitoring conducted by NASA, but can support the goals of that program. "We should be investigating new and different ways of monitoring spacecraft for microorganisms," says Ott. "But we must be careful when we interpret the results. NASA has and continues to monitor its space vehicles and remains confident that those vehicles, including the space station, provide a safe and healthy environment for astronauts." This study that has been ongoing since 2013, Study of the Impact of Long-Term Space Travel on the Astronauts' Microbiome, Microbiome for short, investigates how space travel affects the human immune system and an individual's microbiome, which is the collection of microbes that live in and on the human body at any given time. Researchers will take periodic samples from different parts of the astronauts' bodies and from the station for analysis back on Earth. In addition, NASA and the Sloan Foundation recently partnered on a program to support research on the microbiome of the built environment, or the microbial ecosystem of human-made environmentsin this case, the space station. In April, five post-doctoral fellowships were awarded for experiments using NASA's archive of more than a decade of microbes collected from the NASA modules of the space station. These experiments will improve understanding of how microbial communities colonize, adapt and evolve on the space station, contributing to its ongoing use as well as to future space exploration vehicles. Because when humans go to space, microorganisms go with us. Provided by NASA Just described Solanum jobsonii, discovered in a newly established national park in Australia. Credit: Jason T. Cantley A team of botanists from the US has named a new bush tomato species, based on collections made by their Australian colleagues, during government-funded surveys in a brand new national park. After looking at collections from biodiversity surveys of a 10,000 km2 area now known as Limmen National Park, Bucknell University biology professor, Chris Martine, decided to form an expedition to relocate and describe a mysterious bush tomato uncovered during the government-sponsored studies. A year later, Martine and his co-authors, including an undergraduate student, have published the new species in the open access journal PhytoKeys. The discovery offers a powerful case for investing in conservation through park systems at a time when these systems are under threat. For the team of US scientists, knowing where to go was one challenge, but understanding the landscape in such a remote corner of the Australian Northern Territory and figuring out how to get there was quite another. Martine and his team from Bucknell (undergraduate lead author Mae Lacey and postdoctoral fellow Jason T. Cantley) could not do it without the local assistance and expertise of Peter Jobson, Senior Botanist at the Northern Territory Herbarium in Alice Springs. Fruit of Solanum jobsonii, a relative of the cultivated eggplant. Credit: Chris Martine To acknowledge the pivotal role of Jobson in the successful search, the new species, Solanum jobsonii, has been named after him. "Jobson is one of a handful of botanists employed by the Northern Territory government who are tasked with stewarding a vastly diverse flora," explains Martine. "Not only are many species there of conservation concern, but unknown numbers of species are yet to be found and given names. Those scientists are doing yeoman's work." Martine named a previously discovered species for Ian Cowie, the Curator at the Northern Territory Herbarium in Palmerston, in 2011. Solanum cowiei, a species from Litchfield National Park, was described in a paper appearing also in PhytoKeys. The scientists hope that the discovery of this latest new species turns a spotlight on the importance of protecting natural areas and supporting the individuals who are charged with their care. Research co-author Jason Cantley, posing with Peter Jobson and his namesake, Solanum jobsonii. Credit: Chris Martine "Notably, the use of trained biodiversity scientists in surveys of the proposed parkland provided masses of data in support of protecting this area as a national treasure," write the authors in the article. "The discovery of the new species described here, and the potential description of other new forms of biodiversity from Limmen National Park, is a testament to the benefits of not only investing in national parks in Australia and elsewhere, but also investing in parks-based scientific inquiry." The new species, a relative of the cultivated eggplant, has been recorded under specific habitat conditions from only four locations in the monsoon tropics of northern Australia. Because of this, Martine and his colleagues have suggested that it be listed as "Vulnerable" as per the Red List Categories and Criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "There are rare and unusual species all over the world, just like this one, that deserve our appreciation and protection"" said Martine. "Luckily, many are already living within the boundaries of conservation areas like state and national parks in Australia, the US, and elsewhere." "However, the rise of anti-science and anti-conservation rhetoric in the US, especially, has put federal and state protected lands here at risk," he said. "It also threatens the rich biodiversity our Founding Fathers celebrated and the American scientific enterprise they held so dear." More information: L. Mae Lacey et al. Solanum jobsonii, a novel andromonoecious bush tomato species from a new Australian national park, PhytoKeys (2017). DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.82.12106 Journal information: PhytoKeys Credit: CC0 Public Domain Take THAT, Google! And with those words, or perhaps a more formal and civilized version of those words, the European Union's commission in charge of competition policy (yes, that position exists) threw the book at the Silicon Valley search giant over its advertising practices on the continent. Actually, it was only $2.7 billion, which for Google and its mega money bags is not really a "book" but maybe the Cliff Notes. Google parent Alphabet's current market value is $580 billion, second only to Apple's market cap of $752 billion. According to Forbes, Google's brand value is $102 billion. And with the company's assets valued at $168 billion, that EU fine will probably seem more like a pesky fly than something that's going to rattle Google's bottom line. The EU hit Google with the fine, which was a record, after it concluded that the company unfairly favored its comparison-shopping service over others. "Rubbish!" said Google, threatening to appeal the fine. But let's place that penalty in perspective, shall we? -Last year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai was paid a total compensation of nearly $200 million, which means he could pay off that EU fine in about 13 years - all by himself! -If your average Google employee's base salary is (conservatively) around $120,000, and you have 62,000 employees, that $7.4 billion in take-home pay means if every worker would chip in one out of every two dollars they make this year, the fine could be settled by Christmas; -For the quarter - yes, just the one quarter - ending on Dec. 31, 2016, Alphabet reported revenues of $26 billion, and the income it cleared after expenses could have easily taken care of the fine with enough left over for something like 289,000 company picnics; -With Google handling 3.5 billion searches each day, and if we assume that that's 700 million different people around the world doing five searches each, and if the average per-capita income for the entire planet is around $27 a day, then all those Google searchers are making a combined daily salary of nearly $19 billion, which means that if each member of Google's global community would chip in a day's pay they could pay off that entire EU fine without breaking a sweat. 2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The find is likely to be a type of Romano-British pottery known as South East Glazed Ware. Archaeologists excavating a site where Iron Age, Roman, and early medieval communities lived for more than a thousand years have unearthed pottery believed to have never been seen before in the South West. The high-quality fragment of a cup shows that ancient farmers and ironworkers in South Devon could afford quality goods and had an affluent lifestyle. The find is likely to be a type of Romano-British pottery known as "South East Glazed Ware." It's thought to have been produced in South East England in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD. It was found at the weekend by a local volunteer who was part of the team excavating a site near Ipplepen, close to Newton Abbot. It is thought to be the first time that this type of glazed pottery has been found in South West England by archaeologists. The cup would have been expensive at the time. It could have been a treasured personal possession brought to the area by someone who had lived elsewhere, or it could have belonged a local family who acquired it through trade. The Ipplepen site was home to farmers and ironworkers for 1,200 years from around the 4th century BC to the 8th century AD. Archaeologists have also found they had a taste for exotic imported food and drink because of the remains of food vessels discovered in the area. University of Exeter archaeologists have been excavating different parts of the site during the past few years and have been digging again this month. They are joined by ten members of the local community who are helping them to excavate the area thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The find will be on display to members of the public (for free) until Thursday 29th June at Ipplepen Methodist Church on East St, Ipplepen, which is open from 10.00 am to 4.00pm. Professor Stephen Rippon, who is leading the excavation, said: "This is an exciting and incredibly rare find. It is in fantastic condition, and only looks 100 years old, let alone 1,800 years old. It was discovered in the area where a roundhouse would have been, in what we think would have been a well back-filled with rubbish. Someone threw it awayalong with other domestic refuse, animal bones and other food wasteprobably because it had broken. Pin-tailed Whydahs may invade biodiversity hotspots in the Americas. Credit: Eric Fishel Invasive parasites are a biological oxymoron. And yet, they are in our backyards! A new study analyzes the case of a brood parasitic bird, the Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura), and its recent spread into the Americas. Biodiversity hotspotsor places with large numbers of species found nowhere else on earthalso tend to make suitable habitats for invasive species that can, in turn, destabilize ecosystems and supplant indigenous biota. A new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications predicts where the Pin-tailed Whydah, a songbird native to sub-Saharan Africa that has expanded its natural range thanks to the pet trade, may next spread in North America and Hawaii. The Pin-tailed Whydah is a brood parasitic bird that lays its eggs in other bird species, typically small African finches, and has been introduced from Africa to Puerto Rico and southern California. In this study, researchers used species distribution models to predict where the whydah may continue to spread in the continental U.S., Hawaii, and the Antilles. To determine the whydah's potential distribution, they used sightings of this species reported to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The investigators then identified suitable whydah habitat by finding correlations between locations where these finches have been seen and global climate data. As brood parasites, whydahs need hosts to complete their life cycle, so the researchers also used the presence of six known host species that have been co-introduced in the whydah's new range to predict suitable habitat. Their species distribution model indicated high habitat suitability in areas of high biodiversity where whydahs do not currently live, including the West Coast of the U.S., Hawaii, and most islands of the Antilles. Robert Crystal-Ornelas, lead author and PhD student in Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, said, "We identified key areas in the continental U.S., Hawaii, and the Antilles, that have not yet experienced pin-tailed whydah invasion, but which contain suitable climate and host species for this parasitic bird to potentially spread." Dr. Mark Hauber, the senior author of the study and Professor in Animal Behavior and Conservation at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), added, "Our work has now shown how parasitic birds, including Common Cuckoos from Eurasia and Pin-tailed Whydahs from Africa, are likely to invade increasingly novel and expansive regions in the Western Hemisphere." The Pin-tailed Whydah is a host generalistit can parasitize novel species that share no co-evolutionary history with it and that, therefore, have developed no defenses to mitigate the reproductive costs of parasitism. To create their model, the researchers took into consideration five known historical hosts and one known novel hostall exotic species to North America and Hawaii. The presence of these hosts in a suitable habitat could enable introduced whydahs to establish a bridgehead population, providing an opportunity for the birds to utilize indigenous hosts and to increase their population and range. "This study shows how humans are not just transplanting individual species but entire ecological networks, where here an invasive bird species will likely be able to expand in the Americas due to a previous introduction of its host species," said Dr. James Russell, a conservation biologist at the University of Auckland, who was not affiliated with the study. "Worryingly, the study predicts the introduced species will most strongly invade already vulnerable island ecosystems, where it could potentially begin parasitizing native bird species, which would be a very novel form of invasive species impact." The map that Rob Crystal-Ornelas and his colleagues have created will help scientist to prioritize monitoring and research efforts, which will fully gauge the risk of additional whydah populations in North America. More information: Robert Crystal-Ornelas et al. The establishment threat of the obligate brood-parasitic Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) in North America and the Antilles, The Condor (2017). DOI: 10.1650/CONDOR-16-150.1 By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) India today sought cooperation of Myanmar in enhancing road, sea and air connectivity between the countries to increase bilateral trade. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the bilateral trade between the countries has a much larger untapped potential. "She sought the cooperation of the Myanmar side in actively pursuing enhanced road, sea and air connectivity between the two," an official statement quoted the minister as saying. advertisement The matter among other trade and investment related issues was discussed during the sixth India? Myanmar Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting here. From Myanmar side, it was co-chaired by Commerce Minister Than Myint. Further the statement said that Indian side highlighted the progress made by it in various components of the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project. Sitharaman sought the cooperation of Myanmar to expedite work on their side. She also highlighted the need for the Myanmar side to allow expeditious completion of the inland waterway works linking the Port of Sittwe to the Myanmar hinterland. The Indian side urged them for an expeditious negotiations of a motor vehicle agreement to facilitate seamless movement of cargo vehicles. "Discussions were held on exploring the feasibilities of direct shipping lines with Sittwe port and Vizag/Chennai. Similarly, the need for direct air connectivity with Chennai/ Guwahati was also discussed," it added. Both the sides also agreed to explore opening of two new border trade points at Pangkhuwa and Zoninpuri. Further, it said the proposed MoU between RBI and Central Bank of Myanmar on currency exchange rate fixation needs to be expedited. Myanmar side requested to explore the suggestion of opening of a Counsellor Office in the North-East. On the project development fund for CLMV (Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam), Sitharaman said the fund is under implementation. Projects have been identified for preparation of DPRs (detailed project reports) and new areas have been identified for conducting pre-feasibility studies. Project identified for Myanmar for preparation of DPR includes setting up of a multi-speciality hospital and/or medical college and an educational institute in Myanmar. It is proposed to consider nursing and paramedics education for the pre-feasibility studies for 2017-18. Indian side sought the cooperation of Myanmar in extending all assistance to EXIM Bank to facilitate implementation of the projects. The Indian minister requested Myanmar and its business community to actively partner in Indias initiatives to strengthen manufacturing capacities. Myanmar is Indias gateway to South East Asia and ASEAN with which India is seeking greater economic integration through Act East Policy. advertisement The neighbouring country shares a long land border of over 1600 km with India as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. Indias trade with Myanmar grew by 6 per cent from USD 2.05 billion in 2015 -16 to USD 2.18 billion in 2016-17. PTI RR MR --- ENDS --- When it comes to voter turnout and election outcomes, it's not just what you know, but perhaps who you know that makes the difference, according to a new study led by a Florida State University researcher. People more closely connected to electoral candidates in their social network vote at higher rates, according to Matthew Pietryka, an assistant professor of political science. The term "social network" refers to the wide collection of family, friends and acquaintances that an individual has, as well as a social connection's family, friends and acquaintances. In addition to the higher participation rate, the study found that the greater the connection to candidates from a particular party, the more likely it is a voter will support that party and oppose the other. Pietryka's findings were published in the American Political Science Review. "Research on the social determinants of voting has really lagged behind research on the personal determinants of voting," Pietryka said. "The big problem is that many studies do a poor job measuring the social context which individuals are embedded. We know very little about how your friends and your family influence your views." For decades, political scientists have attempted to find the key identifiers in predicting how and why people vote. Researchers have long been aware of how certain key factors, such as race, class, education and psychological disposition have a strong degree of influence on electoral preferences. These identifiers are key in part because they are easy to measure with surveys. Surveys focus on respondents' attributes, but obscure the social context in which they reside. Political scientists have mostly followed suitstudying how things that are easy to measure in surveys influence voting. Thus, the influence of social networks on voting has received little attention. This study, however, controlled for factors like race and education while simultaneously putting them into a proper social context. Researchers used results from an 1859 election in Alexandria, Va., and an 1874 election from Newport, Ky., to conduct the study. These 19th-century electoral results were gathered by Don DeBats, a historian from Flinders University in Australia who collaborated with Pietryka. DeBats spent the better part of the past two decades compiling information on the citizens of each city and their individual social network. For every citizen eligible to vote, researchers measured their proximity to all the candidates. "For instance, you might be the neighbor of someone who ran for city council, or you might go to church with someone who ran for city council," Pietryka said. "What we were doing was looking to see what individuals shared some social connection with candidates. We played something like 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,' where we said if you are neighbors with someone who works with someone who ran for city council, you're two degrees removed." Because the voting records from Alexandria and Newport were both intact and very detailed, Pietryka said, the results from the 19th century were important in reaching his conclusion. "We could build up a much more detailed social network of these people living in the 19th century than we could with data on people living today," he said. Pietryka also used results from a 2010 election in Williamsburg, Va., where a student from the College of William & Mary ran for city council. Data came from a survey given to students identifying their voting preferences, as well as their friends at the university. Despite a more than 150-year difference between the voting time frames, the researchers said their findings held constant regardless of the time period and electoral composition. Pietryka plans to expand the scope of his research in the future using a concept known as "friends and neighbors voting," which examines the impact of geographic proximity on voting. Pietryka said he wants to explore how physical and social distance intertwine with ethnicity and class to shape people's political participation. More information: MATTHEW T. PIETRYKA et al. It's Not Just What You Have, but Who You Know: Networks, Social Proximity to Elites, and Voting in State and Local Elections, American Political Science Review (2017). DOI: 10.1017/S000305541600071X Journal information: American Political Science Review Co-orbital bodies that orbit the Sun in the same direction as a planet can follow trajectories (blue curves with arrows) that, from the perspective of the planet, look like tadpoles, horseshoes or 'quasi-satellites'. Credit: Helena Morais & Fathi Namouni In our solar system, an asteroid orbits the sun in the opposite direction to the planets. Asteroid 2015 BZ509, also known as Bee-Zed, takes 12 years to make one complete orbit around the sun. This is the same orbital period as that of Jupiter, which shares its orbit but moves in the opposite direction. The asteroid with the retrograde co-orbit was identified by Helena Morais, a professor at Sao Paulo State University's Institute of Geosciences & Exact Sciences (IGCE-UNESP). Morais had predicted the discovery two years earlier, and has published his findings in Nature. "It's good to have confirmation," Morais said. "I was sure retrograde co-orbits existed. We've known about this asteroid since 2015, but the orbit hadn't been clearly determined, and it wasn't possible to confirm the co-orbital configuration. Now it's been confirmed after more observations that reduced the number of errors in the orbital parameters. So, we're sure the asteroid is retrograde, co-orbital and stable." In partnership with Fathi Namouni at the Cote d'Azur Observatory in France, Morais developed a general theory on retrograde co-orbitals and retrograde orbital resonance. The paper by Paul Wiegert of the University of Western Ontario, Canada, published in March in Nature, describes how object 2015 BZ509, detected in January 2015, using the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) in Hawaii, was tracked using the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona. The confirmation that its orbit is retrograde and co-orbital with Jupiter came from these additional observations. Retrograde orbits are rare. It is estimated that only 82 of the more than 726,000 known asteroids have retrograde orbits. By contrast, prograde co-orbitals that move 'with traffic' are nothing new; Jupiter alone is accompanied by some 6,000 Trojan asteroids that share the giant planet's orbit. Bee-Zed is unusual because it shares a planet's orbit, because its own orbit is retrograde, and above all, because it has been stable for millions of years. "Instead of being ejected from orbit by Jupiter, as one would expect, the asteroid is in a configuration that assures stability thanks to co-orbital resonance, meaning its motion is synchronized with the planet's, avoiding collisions," Morais said. The asteroid crosses Jupiter's path every six years, but owing to their co-orbital resonance, they never come closer than 176 million km, far enough to avoid major disturbances to the orbit of the asteroid, although Jupiter's gravity is essential to keeping the planet and Bee-Zed in a 1:1 retrograde resonance. All the planets and most of the asteroids in the solar system orbit the sun in the same direction because the solar system emerged from a revolving cloud of dust and gas, and most of the constituent objects continue to revolve as they did before. "The vast majority of retrograde objects are comets. Their orbits are typically inclined as well as retrograde. The most famous, of course, is Halley's comet, which has a retrograde orbit with an inclination of 162, practically identical to that of 2015 BZ509," Morais said. In the final stages of planetary formation, she explained, small bodies were expelled far from the sun and planets, forming the spherical shell of debris and comets known as the Oort cloud. "At these distances, the Milky Way's gravitational effects disturb small bodies. To begin with, they orbited close to the plane of the ecliptic in the same direction as the planets, but their orbits were deformed by the galaxy's tidal force and by interactions with nearby stars, gradually becoming more inclined and forming a more or less spherical reservoir," Morais said. If the orbits of these bodies are disturbedby a passing star, for examplethey return to paths close to the planets of the solar system and can become active comets. "The icy small bodies warm up as they approach the sun, and the ice sublimes to form a coma [a dense cloud of gas and dust particles around a nucleus] and often a tail, making the comets observable," she explained. In the case of 2015 BZ509, the most surprising feature is its long period of stability. In their commentary in Nature, Morais and Namouni say the particularly long life of 2015 BZ509 in its retrograde orbit makes it the most intriguing object in the vicinity of Jupiter. "Further studies are needed to confirm how this mysterious object arrived at its present configuration," they conclude. Wiegert speculates that Bee-Zed probably originated in the Oort cloud, like the Halley family comets. In any event, more research will be necessary to reconstruct Bee-Zed's epic voyage through the solar system. "Actually, 2006 BZ8 might even enter into co-orbital retrograde resonance with Saturn in the future. Our simulations showed that resonance capture is more likely for objects with retrograde orbits than for those orbiting in the same direction as the planets," Morais said. Bee-Zed is expected to stay in the same state for another million years. Its discovery has led researchers to suspect that asteroids in retrograde co-orbits with Jupiter and other planets may be more common than was previously thought, making the theory expounded by Morais and Namouni even more compelling. More information: Paul Wiegert et al. A retrograde co-orbital asteroid of Jupiter, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature22029 Helena Morais et al. Planetary science: Reckless orbiting in the Solar System, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/543635a Journal information: Nature Provided by FAPESP Scientists are a step closer to understanding how our DNA is squeezed into every cell in the body. They provide the first-ever detailed picture of the nucleosome, the most basic building block of chromosomes (the structures that house our DNA). This finding will inform research on all processes that involve chromosomes, such as gene expression and DNA repair, which are critical to the understanding of diseases such as cancer. Credit: University of Rochester Medical Center Scientists are a step closer to understanding how DNA, the molecules that carry all of our genetic information, is squeezed into every cell in the body. How DNA is "packaged" in cells influences the activity of our genes and our risk for disease. Elucidating this process will help researchers in all areas of health care, from cancer and heart disease, to muscular dystrophy and osteoarthritis. DNA is a long, floppy molecule, and there's more than three feet of it in every cell. Our DNA is housed in structures called chromosomes, which condense the DNA to fit into the cell's tight quarters. Scientists from the department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry worked with colleagues in France and Japan to describe the first step of DNA packing in a cell. They provided the first-ever detailed picture of the most basic building block of chromosomes, known as the nucleosome, and found that a protein known as H1 (for linker histone H1) helps DNA become more compact and rigid within the nucleosome. In contrast, when H1 isn't present, the DNA is loose and flexible. The tight structure that H1 creates helps shield our DNA from various factors that can activate or "turn on" certain genes. Without H1, DNA is more accessible to factors that could trigger disease-causing genes. Published in the journal Molecular Cell, this finding will inform research on all processes that involve chromosomes, such as gene expression and DNA repair, which are critical to the understanding of diseases such as cancer, according to Jeffrey J. Hayes, Ph.D., senior study author and the Shohei Koide Professor and chair of the department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. The teams in France and Japan used specialized microscopes and X-rays to capture pictures of DNA molecules interacting with H1 and other key proteins. Because of the size of the DNA and protein molecules, the pictures generated by these techniques were fuzzy and difficult to analyze. Lead study author Amber Cutter, a graduate student in Hayes' lab, put all of the componentsDNA, H1, and other proteinstogether in tiny test tubes and conducted various biochemical experiments. Her tests, coupled with the X-ray images, confirmed H1's role. Cutter, who is entering her fifth year in Hayes' lab, admits that the science is complex and that a lot more research needs to be done before this work can inform clinical treatment. But, the importance of understanding the most basic biological processes should not be underestimated. "In order to determine what happens when things go wrong in diseases like cancer, we need to know what happens when things go right." Scientists from the Faculty of Chemistry of the Lomonosov Moscow State University have demonstrated in their research the nature of hazardous chemical compounds formed as a result of the breakdown of avobenzone, a component of many sunscreen products, when it interacts with chlorinated water and ultraviolet radiation. Credit: Albert Lebedev Scientists from the Faculty of Chemistry of the Lomonosov Moscow State University have demonstrated in their research the nature of hazardous chemical compounds formed as a result of the breakdown of avobenzone, a component of many sunscreen products, when it interacts with chlorinated water and ultraviolet radiation. The chemists have presented the results in the Chemosphere journal. The chemists studied avobenzone, a derivative of a chemical compound called dibenzoylmethane. Avobenzone is the most popular UV filter in the world. It was patented in 1973, and in 1988, approved by FDA in the United States.The ability of avobenzone to absorb ultraviolet light in a wide range of wavelengths has ended in its widespread use in lipsticks, creams and other cosmetics. Sunscreen products containing avobenzone are used all over the world. Chemical UV filters like avobenzone absorb ultraviolet light due to peculiarities of their structures. Absorbing ultraviolet radiation, avobenzone translates it into other wavelengths that aren't harmful for the skinin other words, it translates energy of light into thermal energy. Thus, although the substance is safe, the Russian scientists have proved that in water solution, it's capable of breaking down into hazardous chemical compounds. The scientists from the Lomonosov Moscow State University have defined the products formed as a result of the breakdown of avobenzone in chlorinated water and under the sunlight. These experiments simulated the real situation in which a sunscreen is applied to the skin of swimmers. They hypothesized that the breakdown of avobenzone may take place on wet human skin. The chemists discovered that avobenzone breaks down in the water forming organic compounds belonging to the classes of aromatic acids and aldehydes, phenols and acetyl benzenes. Phenols and chlorinated acetyl benzenes are the most toxic products. Acetyl benzenes, particularly chloracetophenone, enter into the composition of lachrymatory mixtures used in products like tear gas. Chemist Albert Lebedev, one of the project authors, says, "On the basis of the experiments, one could make a conclusion that a generally safe compound transforms in the water and forms more dangerous products. In spite of the fact that there are no precise toxicological profiles for the most established products, it's known that acetyl benzenes and phenols, especially chorinated ones, are quite toxic." The researchers used chromato-mass spectrometry. This reliable method allows conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis of the most complex mixtures of chemical compounds. Albert Lebedev says, "Studying the products of transformation of popular cosmetics is very important, as they often turn out to be much more toxic and dangerous than their predecessors." At the moment, the scientists are studying the transformation of avobenzone under conditions of chlorination and bromination of fresh and sea water. During chlorination or bromination of sea water, the number of the breakdown products of avobenzone will be even wider. And if water contains copper salts (which are added into swimming pools to produce light blue coloration), then bromoform is formed in large quantities. This substance could provoke dysfunction of the liver and kidneys, along with nervous system disorders. More information: Cheng Wang et al, Stability and removal of selected avobenzone's chlorination products, Chemosphere (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.04.125 Journal information: Chemosphere Tropics may conjure images of sun-kissed islands, but the expanding tropical zone could bring drought and cyclones further south. Credit: Pedro Fernandes/Flickr, CC BY-SA The Tropics are defined as the area of Earth where the Sun is directly overhead at least once a yearthe zone between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. However, tropical climates occur within a larger area about 30 degrees either side of the Equator. Earth's dry subtropical zones lie adjacent to this broad region. It is here that we find the great warm deserts of the world. Earth's bulging waistline Earth's tropical atmosphere is growing in all directions, leading one commentator to cleverly call this Earth's "bulging waistline". Since 1979, the planet's waistline been expanding poleward by 56km to 111km per decade in both hemispheres. Future climate projections suggest this expansion is likely to continue, driven largely by human activities most notably emissions of greenhouse gases and black carbon, as well as warming in the lower atmosphere and the oceans. If the current rate continues, by 2100 the edge of the new dry subtropical zone would extend from roughly Sydney to Perth. As these dry subtropical zones shift, droughts will worsen and overall less rain will fall in most warm temperate regions. Poleward shifts in the average tracks of tropical and extratropical cyclones are already happening. This is likely to continue as the tropics expand further. As extratropical cyclones move, they shift rain away from temperate regions that historically rely upon winter rainfalls for their agriculture and water security. Researchers have observed that, as climate zones change, animals and plants migrate to keep up. But as biodiversity and ecosystem services are threatened, species that can't adjust to rapidly changing conditions face extinction. In some biodiversity hotspots such as the far southwest of Australia there are no suitable land areas (only oceans) for ecosystems and species to move into to keep pace with warming and drying trends. We are already witnessing an expansion of pests and diseases into regions that were previously climatically unsuitable. This suggests that they will attempt to follow any future poleward shifts in climate zones. I recently drew attention to the anticipated impacts of an expanding tropics for Africa. So what might this might mean for Australia? Credit: IPCC Australia is vulnerable Australia's geographical location makes it highly vulnerable to an expanding tropics. About 60% of the continent lies north of 30S. As the edge of the dry subtropical zone continues to creep south, more of southern Australia will be subject to its drying effects. Meanwhile, the fringes of the north of the continent may experience rainfall and temperature conditions that are more typical of our northern neighbours. The effects of the expanding tropics are already being felt in southern Australia in the form of declining winter rainfall. This is especially the case in the southwest andto a lesser extentthe continental southeast. Future climate change projections for Australia include increasing air and ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, more hot days (over 35), declining rainfall in the southern continental areas, and more extreme fire weather events. For northern Australia, changes in annual rainfall remain uncertain. However, there is a high expectation of more extreme rainfall events, many more hot days and more severe (but less frequent) tropical cyclones and associated storm surges in coastal areas. Dealing with climate change Adaptation to climate change will be required across all of Australia. In the south the focus will have to be on adapting to projected drying trends. Other challenges include more frequent droughts, more warm spells and hot days, higher fire weather risk and rising sea levels in coastal areas. The future growth of the north remains debatable. I have already pointed out the lack of consideration of climate change in the White Paper for the Development of Northern Australia. The white paper neglects to explain how planned agricultural, mining, tourism and community development will adapt to projected changes in climate over coming decadesparticularly, the anticipated very high number of hot days. For example, Darwin currently averages 47 hot days a year, but under a high carbon emission scenario, the number of hot days could approach 320 per year by 2090. If the north is to survive and thrive as a significant economic region of Australia, it will need effective climate adaptation strategies. This must happen nownot at some distant time in the future. This requires bipartisan support from all levels of government, and a pan-northern approach to climate adaptation. It will be important to work closely with industry and affected local and Indigenous communities across the north. These sectors must have access to information and solutions drawn from interdisciplinary, "public good" research. In the face of this urgent need, CSIRO cuts to such research and the defunding of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility should be ringing alarm bells. As we enter uncharted climate territory, never before has public-good research been more important and relevant. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the GSAT-17 communication satellite from French Guiana tomorrow. By Alok Ranjan: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its GSAT-17 communication satellite from French Guiana's Kourou tomorrow, with an Ariane-5 launch vehicle. Meanwhile, Arianespace tweeted that the vehicle, which will launch another communications satellite (Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN), had reached the launch zone. GSAT-17 will be the 21st ISRO satellite to be launched by Arianespace, and the third ISRO launch in less than a month. On June 5, ISRO launched an advanced communication satellite GSAT-19 using its and heaviest and most powerful geostationary rocket from Shriharikota. advertisement On June 23, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C38) successfully launched the Cartosat-2 series satellite - which was dedicated to the defence forces - along with 30 nano satellites. MORE ABOUT GSAT-17 GSAT-17 is the latest satellite inducted into the INSAT/GSAT system. Weighing 3477 kg at lift-off, GSAT-17 carries payloads in normal C, Extended C and S bands to provide various communication services. It also carries equipment for meteorological data relay, and satellite-based search and rescue services provided by earlier INSAT satellites. After GSAT-17's injection into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan will take control of the satellite and perform the initial orbit raising maneuvers, placing it in Geostationary orbit. The satellite will become operational after on-orbit testing. The designed in-orbit operational life of GSAT-17 is about 15 years. Recent Launches of ISRO Jun, 23, 2017: PSLV-C38 Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight Jun, 05, 2017: ISRO had launched its most powerful and heaviest geostationary rocket carrying advanced communication satellite GSAT-19 May, 05, 2017: GSLV Successfully Launches South Asia Satellite Feb 15, 2017: PSLV-C37 Successfully Launches 104 Satellites in a Single Flight Dec, 07, 2016: PSLV-C36 Successfully Launches RESOURCESAT-2A Remote Sensing Satellite Oct, 06, 2016: India's GSAT-18 Communication Satellite Launched Successfully ALSO READ | ISRO's satellite-based chip will now alert people at unmanned rail crossings ALSO READ | ISRO launches Cartosat-2 with 30 nano satellites: All you need to know ALSO WATCH | ISRO launches GSLV Mark III with GSAT-19 communication satellite successfully from Sriharikota --- ENDS --- Clearent Helps Businesses Process Chip Card Transactions Faster Today, Clearent is launching Quick Chip Technology to business owners that will dramatically reduce customer wait times and improve the overall checkout experience for staff and customers. The new solution reduces chip card transaction times from 15 seconds to 2 seconds for all card brands, allowing merchants to accept chip cards with the same ease and speed as other payment types while being EMV compliant. When a business uses EMV-compliant terminals or POS systems, it is protected from financial liability on fraudulent chip card transactions. Magstripe cards are much less secure than chip cards; criminals can easily steal sensitive data to produce counterfeit cards. Now, with Quick Chip, business owners who may have been hesitant to support EMV have an easy way to become compliant without sacrificing a speedy checkout experience. Clearents Quick Chip solution is available on PAX and Dejavoo payment devices and includes features that allow restaurant and retail businesses to accept tips with ease with tip functions such as tip-at-point-of-sale and tip-adjust. Businesses that already use an EMV-ready PAX or Dejavoo device may be able to upgrade to Quick Chip with a simple software update. Additionally, with Quick Chip, businesses have the option to accept payments anywhere with WiFi and 3G-enabled payment devices. The terminals also accept contactless payments from mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay catering to all customers preferred payment methods to ensure businesses never miss a sale. Lengthy chip card transactions have unfortunately discouraged many business owners from supporting EMV, said Dan Geraty, founder and CEO of Clearent. We are pleased to offer this new technology that makes EMV compliance a win-win for businesses. With Quick Chip, they are off the hook for fraudulent charges made on chip cards and can increase their revenue by processing a higher volume of sales. If you are interested in learning more about Quick Chip, visit clearent.com/getquickchiptoday or contact Clearents Sales Support team at 866.435.0666, Ext. 604 or salessupport(at)clearent(dot)com. About Clearent Clearent is a full-service, fully integrated payment processor and merchant services provider. Its commitment to honesty and transparency has made it one of the most trusted companies in the payments industry. Clearent has more than 300 employees, 45,000 merchants, and $14 billion in processing volume. Its headquarters are in St. Louis, Missouri and it has offices in West Palm Beach, Florida and Louisville, Kentucky. From traditional point-of-sale terminals, mobile solutions, and tablet-based systems to a custom-built virtual terminal, eCommerce plug-ins, and hosted payments, Clearent can help small business owners securely accept payments just about anywhere. The companys proprietary processing system gives it more flexibility to deliver products that truly help its sales teams and partners stand out from the competition and sign more deals. It also helps the company deliver flexible pricing options, accurate, on-time residuals, and a suite of graphical portfolio management tools that are updated daily. Clearents Next Day Funding service is also unique because of its 11:00 p.m. Eastern cut-off time, which is one of the latest in the industry. The company has consistently been named to several prestigious lists year after year, such as the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies, The Nilson Reports list of top U.S. acquirers, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Workplaces award, and the St. Louis Business Journals list of fastest growing private companies. Clearents CEO Dan Geraty also recently received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 Award in the Central Midwest. To learn more, visit clearent.com/getquickchiptoday or call 866.435.0666, Ext. 604. Other POS News: Verifone Collaborates with Sage to Offer Payment & Cloud Solutions in Europe #Money2020 COPENHAGEN, Denmark(BUSINESS WIRE)MONEY20/20 EUROPE To help merchants of all sizes adapt to transforming and fast-moving business environments and changing consumer behavior, Verifone (NYSE:PAY) and Sage today announced that they will work together to offer integrated point-of-sale (POS) and business accounting solutions on Verifone Carbon 8. Carbon 8 is an open, scalable and portable POS system that is capable of incorporating the Sage One accounting and payroll software with Verifone payment solutions to enable merchants such as bike and pastry shops, boutiques, and specialty food markets, with simple and easy-to-use business solutions they need to operate and grow. Our mission at Sage is to make administrative tasks for businesses invisible, giving them time to focus on what matters their customers, said Seamus Smith, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Payments and Banking at Sage. The ability to integrate our accounting software into one sophisticated POS system like Carbon 8, will make it easier for businesses to accept all forms of payment, engage consumers, and manage their operations efficiently. The point-of-sale today can do a lot more than accept payments and is becoming a critically important decision for merchants and their service providers to meet changing consumer expectations and dynamic retail environments, said June Felix, president, Verifone Europe. We are working with a market leader like Sage because retailers are in need of agile and intelligent solutions that can address industry challenges and help them adapt to change. Verifones open and secure commerce platform makes it possible for our partners to create and deliver their services on Carbon 8, Carbon 10 as well as Engage providing a complete experience for merchants and consumers. The two companies will collaborate to set up retailers with an end-to-end business solution that comes with a variety of applications such as accounting, payroll, real-time inventory management, and staffing tools as well as access to apps to customize their business and personalize customer experiences. The Verifone Carbon series is powered by the Intel high-speed chipset for fast processing to run and integrate any POS software and third party applications. Designed with dedicated merchant and consumer facing tablets for optimal business management and consumer engagement, Carbon will have access to the Verifone App Marketplace where merchants will be able to discover, purchase and install commerce apps and customize their device to personalize the customer experience. Carbon won the 2017 iF DESIGN AWARD which was presented by Hannover-based iF International Forum Design GmbH, Germanys oldest independent design organization. Experience the Sage and Carbon 8 collaboration at Verifone Stand D10-36M2, Money20/20 Europe, June 26-28, Copenhagen, Denmark. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for VeriFone Systems, Inc. This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on managements current expectations or beliefs and on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of VeriFone Systems, Inc., including many factors beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those associated with: successful integration of the Sage application on the Verifone Carbon 8 solution, execution of our strategic plan and business initiatives and whether the expected benefits of our plan and initiatives are achieved, short product cycles and rapidly changing technologies, our ability to maintain competitive leadership position with respect to our payment solution offerings, our assumptions, judgments and estimates regarding the impact on our business of the continued uncertainty in the global economic environment and financial markets, our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses into our business and operations, our ability to protect against fraud, the status of our relationship with and condition of third parties such as our contract manufacturers, distributors and key suppliers upon whom we rely in the conduct of our business, our dependence on a limited number of customers, the conduct of our business and operations internationally, our ability to effectively hedge our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, and our dependence on a limited number of key employees. For a further list and description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the operations of our business, see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date such statements are made. Verifone is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise. About Verifone Verifone is transforming everyday transactions into opportunities for connected commerce. Were connecting payment devices to the cloudmerging the online and in-store shopping experience and creating the next generation of digital engagement between merchants and consumers. We are built on a 35-year history of uncompromised security with approximately 30 million devices and terminals deployed worldwide. Our people are trusted experts that work with our clients and partners, helping to solve their most complex payments challenges. We have clients and partners in more than 150 countries, including the worlds best-known retail brands, financial institutions and payment providers. Other POS News: